Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Carson City soldier assumes Las Vegas Battalion command

Lt. Col. Michael Carlson of Carson City recently took charge of the Nevada National Guard's 1st Battalion, 99th Troop Command in Las Vegas.

He replaced Lt. Col. Craig Wroblewski, who will become the plans, operations and military support officer for the state headquarters in Ca rson City.

With headquarters in Las Vegas, the 1/99th oversees the training and preparation for mobilization of five units and three subordinate units in Elko, Ely, Henderson, Las Vegas, Reno and Winnemucca. The units total about 400 troops.

Air Force commercials

Two of four Air Force recruiting commercials to be telecast nationally over the next year have a Las Vegas connection.

According to public affairs officials at Nellis Air Force Base, the commercials, which started airing last week, were filmed at Nellis last month and featured people a nd aircraft of the 57th Wing.

Each commercial tells the story of a youth with a particular skill or interest who then applies that talent to a career field in the Air Force.

In one titled "Glider," a youth who loves flying remote controlled aircraft is depicted to introduce an officer and two enlisted specialists responsible for piloting one of the RQ-1 remotely controlled reconnaissance aircraft at Indian Springs Auxiliary Field.

In one titled "Waterfall," members of Nellis' 66th Rescue Squadron pull an accident victim from the choppy waters of Lake Mead.

The goals of the commercials are recruitment, retention and raising public awareness of the mission of the Air Force.

Back from Med

Three Las Vegas sailors have recently returned from a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Bret Zieja, son of Alberta and Edward Zieja; Petty Officer 3rd Class Colin D. Smith, son of Joani McLemore and Colin P. Smith; and Fireman Recruit Regie Gutierrez, son of Lucy Gutierrez, were among more than 10, 000 Atlantic Fleet sailors and Marines aboard the ships of the USS John F. Kennedy Carrier Battle Group and USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group participating in joint-service, multi-national operations in the U.S.-led war against terrorism.

The sailors also participated in Exercise Djibouti MEUEX 02, which included aviation, amphibious assault, and live-fire and maneuver training.

The training exercises and humanitarian missions took place in the East African nation of Djibouti.

USS Wasp supports amphibious operations using landing craft air cushions (LCACs), which are specially-designed hovercraft that travel above land and sea surfaces and deliver vehicles and equipment. The ship also has conventional landing craft and helicopters embarked, and is equipped with medical facilities staffed by Navy doctors, dentists, nurses and corpsmen.

Zieja is a 2000 graduate of Cheyenne High School. Smith is a 1998 graduate of Bonanza High School.

In brief

During the six weeks of training, the new airmen studied the Air Force mission, organization, and customs and received physical training and special training in human relations. They also earned credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

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