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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 21, 2009 No. 09-090 OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL TO INDUCT KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD OFFICERS INTO HALL OF FAME The Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and Commissioning ceremonies will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 1 p.m. in Building 365 at the Great Plains Joint Training Center (Kansas Regional Training Institute), 2929 Scanlan Ave., Salina, Kan. This year’s Hall of Fame Ceremony will honor five Kansas National Guard officers: retired Col. Everett Weaver, Topeka; retired Col. Robert Bloomquist, Topeka; retired Col. James Trafton, Kansas City, Kan.; 1st Lt. Kerry Hess, Topeka (killed in action in Vietnam); and 1st Lt. Arlen Richardson, Lawrence (killed in a helicopter accident in Vietnam). Weaver’s father-in-law, Dr. James Warn, Kansas City, Kan., is a member of the Fort Benning, Ga., Infantry OCS Hall of Fame, which is the National OCS Hall of Fame. In addition, nine Kansas National Guard officer candidates will receive their commission: Dominique P. Allen, Kansas City, Mo.; Scott A. Bozarth, Lawrence; Eric J. Gant, Overland Park; Lance A. Gasper, Wichita; Barry A.R. Gomes, Park City; Dustin G. Maschmeier, Belaire; Benjamin A. Ronning, Great Bend; Wendy J. Wylie, Kansas City, Kan.; and Michael D. Yoho, Iola. The following Kansas National Guard officer candidates will also graduate but will be commissioned at a later date: Nicholas R. Carlson, Manhattan; David M. Maschmeier, Lawrence; Kody G. Olson, Hiawatha; and Branden J. Tice-Addington, Topeka. The 235th Regiment, Kansas Army National Guard, Salina, hosts the annual OCS Hall of Fame and Commissioning Ceremonies. In 2003, the OCS Hall of Fame was established by Bloomquist, former commander of the 235th Regiment. Its purpose is to pay special tribute to those outstanding officers and leaders who were graduates of the program and have since retired, left the military or passed away. When the OCS Hall of Fame was established, it was determined that the induction ceremony would coincide with the commissioning ceremony for the officer candidates that were commissioning as second lieutenants. The purpose of this was to have selected officer candidates, the newest officers of the Kansas Army National Guard, read the biographies of Hall of Fame inductees, the older officers of the Kansas Army National Guard. Retired Col. Everett Weaver Retired Col. Everett R. Weaver was born on June 25, 1949, in Russell, Kan. He was raised on a farm in Arkansas City, Kan., and graduated from Arkansas City High School in 1967. In 1970, Weaver enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard as a light weapons infantryman and spent the next two years with the 1st Battalion, 137th Infantry before accepting the challenge of attending the Kansas National Guard Officer Candidate School. In June 1972, he graduated from the program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry. Weaver served three years as rifle platoon leader within the battalion before transferring to the Iowa Army National Guard, where he served as executive officer, Company A, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry. In May 1978, Weaver transferred back to the Kansas Army National Guard, where he began a tour with the 891st Engineer Battalion in various staff positions. He became a full-time Guardsman in January 1981. In 1990, he took command of the 891st Engineer Battalion in Iola and over the next four years his battalion was recognized for the Department of the Army Connelly Award, Department of the Army Maintenance Excellence Award and the Army Superior Unit Award. As a colonel, he commanded 69th Troop Command in Wichita, leading over 3,000 soldiers for the next three years. In August 1997, he transferred the State Headquarters in Topeka where he served as director of personnel and director of maintenance for the Kansas Army National Guard from which he retired in July 2004. He currently is a contractor at Fort Riley, training soldiers as they prepare to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award), Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), Army Achievement Medal (5th Award) and the Kansas Meritorious Service Medal. Retired Col. Robert Bloomquist Retired Col. Robert D. Bloomquist was born on Oct. 31, 1958, in Topeka, Kan. He was raised in Burlingame, Kan., and graduated from Burlingame High School in 1976. In 1976, Bloomquist enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard, serving as a military policeman in the 69th Brigade until transferring to the 1st Battalion, 635th Armor, where he entered the Kansas National Guard Officer Candidate School. In June 1979, he graduated from the program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Armor branch. Bloomquist served in a variety of positions within the battalion including scout platoon and support platoon leaders and tank company commander. He also commanded Troop E, 114th Cavalry, in the 69th Infantry Brigade (Separate). He became a full-time Guardsman in March 1987 as battalion intelligence officer and, later, operations officer. In 1994, he was transferred to the 69th Brigade in Topeka as the operations officer and soon after was selected for a battalion command. In 1995, he took command of the 1st Battalion, 635th Armor in Manhattan and over the next three years his battalion fielded the new M1 tank, had a team place in the Bataan Memorial Death March, a company won the National Guard Supply Excellence Award, and received National attention for superb tank gunnery results. As a colonel, he commanded the 235th Regiment in Salina. During his command, he created and conducted the first induction ceremony of the Kansas Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and served as the military personnel officer. In October 2004, he left command and deployed to Kosovo as deputy commander, Task Force Falcon, Multi-National Brigade (East). Bloomquist continues to serve as assistant professor, Command and Leadership, United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He serves on the Kansas National Guard Museum Board and 35th Division Association Board of Directors. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (2nd Award), Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), Army Achievement Medal (3rd Award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Ukraine Ministry of Defense Medal, Kansas Distinguished Service Medal, Kansas Meritorious Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (7th Award) National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Award (Non-Article 5) Service (Kosovo), Army Superior Unit Award (2nd Award),California Commendation Medal, Kansas National Guard Homeland Defense Service Ribbon w/“M” device, Kansas National Guard Service Medal, Bronze Medallion, Order of Saint George, Armor Association of the United States, Draper Combat Leadership Award, and Armor Officer Advance Course Student APFT Award 1986. Bloomquist lives in Topeka with his wife, Betty, and their three children: Billy, Jessica and Nicole. Retired Col. James Trafton In May 1971, retired Col. James Trafton began his Army career as a private serving in a recon infantry platoon with the 1st Calvary Division in Vietnam. After his tour in Vietnam, Trafton joined the Kansas Army National Guard and served 10 more years as an enlisted soldier. In January 1991, Trafton transferred to the infantry and served as an infantry battalion operations officer, infantry battalion executive officer, state supply and logistics officer, infantry battalion commander and state strength management officer ending a prestigious 37 year career. Trafton’s greatest personal accomplishment was the award of two Combat Infantryman’s Badges. One awarded as an infantry enlisted soldier in Vietnam and the second award (star) as the battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment in Iraq serving under the 4th Infantry Division. While commander of the 2-137th Infantry, Trafton’s battalion dedicated over 11,500 man-hours to perimeter defense and conducted over 1,300 combat patrols in Baghdad, Iraq. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2nd award), Meritorious Service Medal (4th award), Army Commendation Medal (5th award), Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal (3rd award), Iraqi Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Combat Infantry Badge (2nd award). 1st Lt. Kerry Hess 1st Lt. Kerry E. Hess was born on June 7, 1945, in Topeka, Kan. He was a graduate of Seaman High School and attended Washburn University for two years. Prior to his mobilization and deployment to Vietnam in 1968, Hess was attending the University of Kansas, majoring in mechanical engineering. In February 1966, Hess enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard as a light weapons infantryman and spent the next two years with the 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry before attending the Kansas National Guard Officer Candidate School. In May 1968, he graduated from the program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry. After commissioning, Hess remained with 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry were he served as a platoon leader with Company B. In May 1968, his unit was mobilized for federal service at Fort Carson, Colo. In October 1968, 90 percent of the officers in the unit were deployed to South Vietnam where they were reassigned into other units. Hess would serve as a platoon leader with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 5th Cavalry Division (Airmobile). On the afternoon of June 5, 1969, while conducting a reconnaissance patrol in the Tay Ninh Province of southwestern Vietnam, Hess’s unit came under heavy artillery and small arms fire. During the exchange of gunfire with the enemy, Hess was mortally wounded. His awards include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star), Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge. 1st Lt. Arlen Richardson 1st Lt. Arlen Richardson enlisted in the Kansas Army National Guard in April 1965 as a transportation supply and parts specialist with the 137th Transportation Company and in May 1967 he reclassified as a helicopter crew chief for the 169th Aviation Company. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant of the infantry from the Kansas Army National Guard Officer Candidate School on May 4, 1968. After commissioning, Richardson was assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry, 69th Infantry Brigade, where he served as executive officer. On April 11, 1968, he was mobilized for deployment to South Vietnam. While mobilized, Richardson attended aviation school and received his aviator wings as a UH-1H (Huey) pilot. On Jan. 8, 1970, Richardson deployed to South Vietnam and was reassigned to Company B, 123rd Aviation Battalion, 23rd Infantry Division as a Huey pilot. On Feb. 17, 1970, while piloting his aircraft on a reconnaissance mission over the Quang Ngai region in South Vietnam, Richardson’s helicopter began to experience mechanical problems. After identifying the mechanical problem, Richardson and his copilot, Warrant Officer Bateman, informed the team lead of their intent to return to Quang Ngai Airfield. Approximately two minutes after reporting the mechanical issue, Richardson’s aircraft crashed from an altitude of 1,500 feet above ground level. There were no survivors. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Basic Aviation Badge, Marksmanship Badge with carbine and pistol and Sharpshooter Badge with rifle. -30- Follow the Kansas Adjutant General’s Department on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KSAdjutantGen |
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