1-156 FA in world trade center operations.

I was in my office on 11 September in Fishkill, New York, with a client when we both looked at the television in disbelief. A little more than three hours later, I received a call from my unit, the 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery (1-156 FA), New York Army National Guard (ARNG) Out of Kingston, which is direct support to the 27th Separate Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) (Light). I already had anticipated getting a call that day; it was just a matter of when.

In this article I recount the experiences and analyze requirements of two activations to support operations in New York after the September 11th terrorist attacks on the US. During the call up, I served as a joint logistical liaison officer at Fort Stewart AFB, 35 miles south of Kingston; then I moved to lower Manhattan as a logistics officer in support of security operations; and finally, I helped conduct security operations based out of Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn.

Activation Process. As I arrived at our armory, the battalion was implementing the measures necessary for force protection defense condition Charlie (DEFCON C). For the time being, we used 2[degrees]-ton and 5-ton trucks to block entrances until Jersey barriers could be installed. A guard at the front door checked IDs while another soldier ensured all signed in.

Soldiers conducted equipment checks and replaced any load-bearing equipment (LBE) that was missing. This was important because we had come off a Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation at Fort Polk, Louisiana, on August 17th and didn't have enough time to recover all our equipment.

For the first hour or so, I reviewed the New York State Domestic Emergency Operations Standing Operating Procedures (DESOP) until we were assigned a mission. Most of the unit was anticipating a move to the financial district in lower Manhattan to help in recovery operations.

Stewart Air Force Base. During this activation, I relocated to Stewart Air Force Base to act as a logistical liaison officer between the Air National Guard (ANG) and the ARNG. This was the second time I acted in this capacity at Stewart AFB. The first was during Y2K Operations from December 1999 to January 2000.

Fortunately, most of the Air Force officers were the same ones I worked with more than a year ago, so the transition was smooth. Two captains and another major from our unit joined us as part of the Army liaison team at Stewart.

For the next week or so, we coordinated our efforts with the ANG, the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) and the New York State Police to ensure National Guard units activated to move into Manhattan that staged at Stewart were properly fed, maintained, briefed and sent on their way. After 10 days, the NYARNG moved staging operations to Camp Smith in Peekskill (about 20 miles south of Stewart AFB). Those of us on the liaison team came off state active duty (SAD) and returned to our civilian jobs.

Lower Manhattan. On October 5th, our unit was activated again. This time the tour of duty was in lower Manhattan for 17 days. The mission was to take over the various security operations surrounding "ground zero": Battery Park, the Staten Island Ferry and the waterway. Once again, I was one of the logistics representatives, this time on the night shift.

Also activated with 1-156 FA were elements of the 427th Support Battalion out of Syracuse. By this time, we already had 1-156 FA personnel undergoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) training for the mission of providing security at John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) and LaGuardia Airports. Other members of the unit were already on guard detail at various locations in the NYC area.

At the Kingston Armory, elements of 1-156 FA were undergoing pre-combat/pre-deployment checks. Officers and leaders were reviewing maps of lower Manhattan and the areas we would be responsible for. Fortunately, we already had the battalion S3 on the ground in Battery Park; he fed us information, allowing those of us at the armory to adjust our packing lists.

On the morning of October 6th, an advance party consisting of all our high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) departed to the intermediate staging area (ISB) at Camp Smith. About three hours later, the main body followed in chartered busses.

Once at Camp Smith, we went through a security check and were escorted to a parking area. Representatives of the 42d Infantry Division (Mechanized) (Headquartered in Troy) and the New York State Area Command (STARC) boarded the bus and gave us instructions.

Across the parking area was a building that was used for in processing. Inside, soldiers gave us an ID card holder for our ID cards to be hung around our necks for easy access. If an ID card was invalid, they had the facilities to produce a new one. Other personnel representatives checked our names and social security numbers to ensure we would be paid.

Once our ID cards and personnel information were validated, we went into a gymnasium that served as a briefing area. For the next hour, intelligence and legal representatives discussed the rules of engagement (ROE) and other pertinent issues. Most important were the restrictions on cameras and handling of debris. (This area was still considered a crime scene, and we were cautioned about respecting those who had perished.)

The ROE gave us very limited power to use force. The strategy was to pair a NYPD officer with a National Guard soldier. The NYPD would help if we ran into a situation that required arrest or the use of deadly force. After the briefing, we headed to lower Manhattan. After a series of briefings, we were ready for battle hand off at 2100.

Our units provided security at various checkpoints surrounding Battery Park, the disaster zone immediately surrounding the World Trade Center and the Staten Island Ferry. Each shift was 12 hours long. Off shift, the majority of the soldiers stayed at Governor's Island.

Before the first shift, we were issued special equipment from 3M, such as goggles, gloves and respirators. Nextel provided cellular phones with a push-to-talk feature. Each checkpoint as well as every leader had one.

Meals were provided on Governor's Island and catered out of Battery Park. Outside of the park, food was also in ample supply. At the Bowling Green, volunteers at Polo Ralph Lauren and other contributors established a makeshift cafe. The purpose was to provide meals, snacks, warm beverages and magazines to all firefighters, police and National Guard workers.

Within a week, the security mission expanded to the bridges and tunnels on the east side of Manhattan (Queensboro Bridge, Midtown Tunnel and Williams-burg Bridge). We helped the NYPD with many arrests from false IDs, expired passports and unregistered vehicles. At times, people tried to breach our security in Battery Park with false military IDs. Some took pictures or filmed our activities and then ran away.

On October the 11th, the FBI issued a warning of possible terrorist activity in the NYC area. It became apparent that Battery Park was not the most secure place. Our mission changed from providing security in lower Manhattan to providing security at various power plants in Brooklyn and Queens.

On October the 14th, we conducted a battle hand off with the 69th Infantry. All units eventually abandoned Battery Park and moved their headquarters elsewhere.

1-156 FA and the 427th Support Battalion moved into Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. All others went to the Lexington Avenue Armory slightly uptown from the park.

We continued to provide security at the bridges and tunnels and, in addition, we had three power plants to cover. At the end of our tour of duty, we abandoned security operations at the power plants and handed off security of the bridges and tunnels to elements of the 42d Infantry.

Lessons Learned. Some of the lessons we learned from operations at Stewart AFB and the Manhattan are as follow.

Class I (Food and Water). At Stewart AFB, we contracted with a local diner to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, the ANG had a mess hall on the base that handled catered meals. Eventually, the air base became an overflow area for food that NYC could not absorb.

Coordination was necessary to store perishable as well as non-perishable food products. Fortunately, the air base had the facilities to do this. We also received pallets of meals ready to eat (MREs) from a Pennsylvania Army National Guard unit.

Coordination had to be established with flight operations to ensure joint use of the runways for incoming food and other supplies. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but Stewart AFB houses the C-5 aircraft as well as many C-130 and C-141 cargo planes. Space became minimal quite quickly.

At Manhattan, bottled water, juice, milk and sodas were available from the mess hall in Battery Park, the Bowling Green facility or from Governor's Island. Once in the city, many vendors were offering our soldiers free food and beverages from their establishments.

Sometimes this created a problem because planners did not anticipate that local establishments would feed soldiers. Many soldiers did not want the box lunches arranged for them. Food often was wasted.

Class II (Individual Equipment). At Stewart AFB and Manhattan, units initially had brought the equipment they needed to work in Manhattan but not enough to sustain them over time. LBE was not abundant, and we often sent soldiers back to units to draw what was missing.

Planners can expect to get civilian equipment to replace some missing or damaged military equipment. For example, gloves, goggles and flashlights were either locally purchased or available in large supply. However, the bottom line: it is best to bring everything and try to be self-sufficient.

Class III (Petroleum). At Stewart AFB, because two of the units drove down from Buffalo, the need to refuel became critical before sending them to NYC. Fortunately, the air base had underground diesel fuel storage tanks we could use to refuel convoys before sending them to Manhattan.

Because we forecasted using more fuel than the base could provide, we had to contract for fuel delivery. Approximately five miles east toward the river were fuel storage facilities that the ANG already had a standing contract with.

At Manhattan, fuel was available from a 5-ton fuel trailer parked in Battery Park. Fuel mostly was used to run vehicles so soldiers could stay warm while at their posts.

Class VI (Personal Items). At Stewart AFB, soldiers brought enough toiletry items to sustain themselves for weeks; however, items such as cigarettes were not made available. Fortunately, the base had a PX/BX on the opposite side of the airfield.

The AAFES manager was more than helpful, wanting a list of items needed so she could stock up to serve 400 additional soldiers. The manager extended the operating hours and, as necessary, provided n mobile PX truck.

Class VII (Major End Items). At Stewart AFB, the only need to replace a major end item came from an accident with a HMMWV that we towed away and, eventually, replaced through military channels. In terms of maintenance operations, we were able to locate civilian suppliers of parts that were similar to the parts used on military equipment.

For example, the D30 bulldozer and the Caterpillar equivalent share the same engine components. We coordinated to have those parts locally purchased and have the bulldozer repaired at the maintenance bay on the air base.

At Manhattan, The nearest organizational maintenance shop (OMS) was at the Lexington Avenue Armory. Fortunately, we used golf carts to get around our area of operations rather than military vehicles. There was no need to replace or repair military vehicles. Because we were only going to be in the city for a couple of weeks, if we did have to replace a vehicle, our plan was to evacuate any vehicle needing repair to home station and then drive back a replacement.

Class VIII (Medical Supplies). We coordinated for the units that came through Stewart AFB to bring a list of medical supplies they needed to the base clinic to be filled. Local grocery stores donated refrigerator trucks for us to store donated blood supplies. The refrigerator trucks came in handy to store other perishables as well.

At Manhattan, our battalion aid station (BAS) was established in Battery Park. In addition to routine medical care, they also issued heavy-duty boot insoles for soldiers to relieve foot, ankle and lower back stress.

Another Lesson. By far, the biggest challenge was quickly solving the many problems we encountered to keep critical operations moving. Sometimes we could solve a problem "organically," but most of the time we had to coordinate with the Air Force, civilian agencies and (or) local businesses. In lower Manhattan, understanding what local businesses and support are available for contracting is important--a telephone directory helped.

As I complete this article in early November, elements of 1-156 FA are still deployed at NYC airports and other locations. Local businesses and major corporations have given the National Guard and others working around ground zero tremendous support--for that I am grateful. And, on behalf of my cohorts and all working for and protecting New Yorkers in the aftermath of such senseless evil, we thank the nation for its strong patriotism and support.

Having said that, we are the "National Guard"--and, by definition, this is what we do.

Major Paul R. Conte, New York Army National Guard (NYARNG), is the Brigade Fire Support Officer (FSO) in the 1St Battalion, 156th Field Artillery (1-156 FA), direct support to the 27th Separate Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) (Light). Also in 1-156 FA, he was a Battalion S4, the B Battery Commander and a Support Platoon Leader. While on active duty, Captain Conte was a Battalion FSO in 4-3 FA, part of the 2d Armored Division (Forward) in Germany. Also with 4-3 FA, he was a Support Platoon Leader in Service Battery, deploying in Operations Desert Shield and Storm to the Persian Gulf and Operation Provide Comfort to northern Iraq; a Company FSO; and Battalion Ammunitions Officer. He is enrolled in the Command and General Staff Officers Course out of Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Currently, he is a Financial Consultant in Fish kill, New York.