[4 NOV 2006] There was a change of command for the 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery. The ceremony was held at the National Guard Armory in Glasgow, which is the battalion headquarters for the 623rd. The current commander is LTC Emmanuel Belt, who enlisted in the Arkansas Army National Guard in 1982 and attended the University Of Arkansas with his graduation in 1985. Belt has also been part of the Tennessee National Guard as the Executive Officer and the Battery Commander of the HOW Btry 3rd 278th ARC from 1989 through 1996. Belt joined the Kentucky National guard in 1996 as the Counter-Fire Officer for the 138th FA BDE. Belt has served as the Battalion Executive Officer of the 1st BN 623rd FA from 2002 through 2004. LTC Belt has served as 1st Battalion Commander from 2004 to the present, which includes a period in Afghanistan for once year during Operation Enduring Freedom. The incoming commander is LTC John P Dooley, Jr, who enlisted into military service in 1982 to attend the US Military Academy Preparatory School in Jew Jersey. He joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in 1989 as the Communication Platoon Leader for the HHB 1/623rd FA. Dooley was also the A Battery's (Tompkinsville) Fire Direction Officer from 1989-1992. During this time the Tompkinsville battery was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Desert Storm. The Kentucky Army National Guard maintains 61 armories, and is present in 53 communities. The Kentucky National Guard has exceeded it recruitment goal over the past year. Major General Donald Storm, Kentucky's adjutant general, says the total number of troops in the state's Army National Guard now totals near 7000. Storm says the Army National Guard took in 1,428 recruits this year. Storm said that the Kentucky National Guard continues to demonstrate its ability to recruit and retain a quality force despite the demands of simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and unprecedented missions at home. He also said Kentuckians are patriotic and want to serve their state and their country. The Tompkinsville battery is among four that make up the 1st Battalion of the 623rd Field Artillery. All four batteries were mobilized in November 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and returned home in December 2005. The other 1st Battalion's batteries are in Campbellsville and Monticello, with its battalion headquarters in Glasgow. In March 2003, the unit received its mobilization orders for Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit was sent to Fort Campbell for two months but was not sent overseas.






[21 JAN 2006] Spec. Bryan Montgomery admitted experiencing a lot of ups and downs after losing his twin brother in Iraq, but spending the past week with 180 of his other "family" members has helped him tremendously. The 22-year-old Greensburg native and other members of the Kentucky National Guard's Battery B, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery received a hero's welcome Saturday at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville. More than 1000 friends, family and loved ones greeted the soldiers, and many rushed out of the hangar as the soldiers stepped off the airplane. For nearly a year, the unit, based in Campbellsville and Monticello, provided security and convoy escorts around Baghdad for the Army as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Two soldiers from the battery, Sgt. Jonathan Adams Hughes and Sgt. Ryan Montgomery, died from roadside bombs in separate combat incidents. "You have been a godsend to the mission," Maj. Gen. Donald Storm, commanding general of the Kentucky National Guard, told the unit. "You have been a godsend to the people of Iraq." After his brother, a convoy driver, was killed on July 3, Bryan Montgomery, a mechanic, was reassigned to Campbellsville handling administrative duties for his unit. He was reunited with his unit last week at Fort Dix. "This is your family," said Bryan Montgomery, looking around at his fellow soldiers. "When you eat and sleep together, that becomes your family." Others in the unit, which began training for the mission in November 2004, called the experience a life-changing event. "You learn to appreciate the things that you take for granted," said Staff Sgt. Russell Mattingly, 35, of Loretto. "Everyday thing you don't get over there. It makes you appreciate the things you have at home."







[17 DEC 2005] The 623rd returns from Iraq: There were tears of joy on Saturday as soldiers and their families were reunited when one of the first Kentucky National Guard Units arrived home from Iraq. A crowd of 1200+ well-wishers braved the rain and falling temperatures as they gathered outside the Cave City Convention Center Christmas Eve in anticipation of the soldiers arrival. Buses carrying members of the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Unit, Glasgow and Tompkinsville batteries were ushered into the parking lot by motorcade sometime around 5pm, prompting a thunderous roar of applause and cheers. Guardsmen exited the buses, their faces scanning the crowd as they searched for loved ones. Fathers scooped up their children clutching them to their chests. Husbands and wives embraced, some for the first time since their year-long deployment. Parents, grandparents and friends were on hand for the homecoming. Soldiers and their families filed into the convention center for a brief ceremony, including remarks by state and local dignitaries. The crowd rose to its feet, chanting "623" and waving American flags as soldiers entered the auditorium single file. "We have a lot to be thankful for here tonight," Maj. Gen. Donald Storm told spectators. He commended the troops on a job well-done, calling them, "a world class organization and some of the finest soldiers in the U.S. Army National Guard." Local guardsmen successfully completed at least seven missions in five different locations since deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom last year, including guarding detainees at Abu Graib prison, Storm said. Capt. John Holmes, commander of A Battery, thanked the community for its support while soldiers were in theater. Other speakers expressed gratitude to the servicemen and women, as well as the families for their sacrifice, including Glasgow Mayor Darrell Pickett and State Representative Steve Nunn, who welcomed soldiers home by reading a brief poem. Gov. Ernie Fletcher was scheduled to attend Saturday’s homecoming celebration, but was unable to due to inclement weather. At the close of the ceremony, soldiers left arm-in-arm with family members in time to usher in the Christmas holiday. The soldiers originally were trained for artillery missions but were retrained as military police because of a shortage. They performed security and escort duties and were constantly under fire. Other soldiers from the 623rd were injured and some are still in the hospital.







[7 DEC 2005] National Guard soldier receives Bronze Star in Iraq... This is the story of Sgt. Michael Ball of the Kentucky National Guard’s 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, Tompkinsville, Ky., and the events that lead to him receiving the Bronze Star, a medal awarded for meritorious achievement of service in combat. For Annell Ball, her husband Sgt. Michael Ball is her hero. He makes her smile and laugh. He has dedication and love for his family and friends as well as the men and women he serves with in Iraq. "He has made me proud, and ignites a spirit of patriotism within my soul," she says. "Whether it’s his regular civilian job or being a medic in the Guard, he puts forth 100 percent, he is a hard worker no matter what he is doing." And hard work is exactly what he did on 30 MAR 2005 when a vehicle in the convoy Ball was following was hit with a vehicle born IED. "I just had extreme tunnel vision. They radioed back that they needed a medic so I jumped out and my gunner threw my aide bag to me – I ran up and saw a soldier lying on the side of the road. I just went to work to try to save him." Sgt. Ball, a medic with the 623rd Field Artillery, had no idea the soldier on the ground was his friend, Spec. Eric Toth. The two had just spent the night before together on a mission, just the same as any other night. "I didn’t even know who it was until he was already on the Blackhawk being flown out. All I saw was a list of injuries and I knew what I had to do. I think it made it easier that I didn’t know it was him." Crouched closely to a burning vehicle, Sgt. Ball spent two minutes with Toth, and was able to stabilize the soldier for a Medi-Vac out of the hostile area. The rest of the convoy regrouped and stayed the night in Baghdad. Once the convoy was safe at a holdover point in the city, Sgt. Ball and his comrades learned of Toth’s death.

Several weeks after the March 30th attack, Sgt. Ball was told he’d been recommended for an award. While he was honored to be considered, day to day operations caused his mind to be focused on missions rather than medals. As part of daily duties, Sgt. Ball and a team of soldiers are in charge of escorting prisoners from Abu Grahib prison to various places in Iraq. Because the threat of attacks such as the one that killed Toth is high, Sgt. Ball said he concentrated more on his surroundings and daily operations rather than an award. Then four months after the incident Lt. Gen. John Vines, Commanding General of Multi-National Corps in Iraq visited troops at Abu Ghraib with the soul purpose to award high honors to two distinguished soldiers. Sgt. Ball was one of the two. While the medal was historically adopted to raise a soldier’s morale, Sgt. Ball says it hasn’t really changed his outlook on the situation of March 30th. "I was sad," he said describing the day he was pinned with the Bronze Star. "I lost a friend." Sgt. Ball says he doesn’t feel any different being a decorated soldier. It’s an honor, he says, but he’d have done the same thing for any other soldier given the circumstances he was faced with on March 30th. "I’d gladly give it back to have Toth back," he said. And his wife believes he would give the medal back in a heartbeat, "Mike is honored to be recognized for his valiant efforts, yet he believes it is more important to honor and remember the soldier who lost his life that day." Sgt. Ball lives in Frankfort with his wife Annell, his son Alex and stepson Collier. He is the son of Steven Ball of Georgetown and Debbie of Frankfort. Sgt. Ball was home recently on leave and said it was great to have time for family and not have to worry constantly about safety. Sgt. Ball has returned to Iraq and hopes to be home sometime this holiday season.







[12 SEP 2005] Motorcycle Ride To Benefit KYNG 623d Family Support Groups... Ride To Honor the 623d FA and all service men and women Saturday, Oct 8, 2005. Motorcycle riders are invited to gather at the Kentucky National Guard Armories in Tompkinsville, Monticello, Glasgow and Campbellsville to begin the motorcycle ride. The organizers are asking for a $10 donation per bike to participate. Riders are encouraged to show America’s Colors and support our troops by displaying American Flags and joining in a red, white and blue tribute ride to honor the 623d Field Artillery and our Armed Forces who are defending our Freedom! Riders from all locations will converge on Monticello for lunch at a cost of $5.00. A flag raising ceremony will be conducted by Rolling Thunder Chapter #2. Money raised will be donated to the Family Support Groups. Registration times at each National Guard Armory: Tompkinsville 0700-0900 hrs, Monticello 0900-1100 hrs, Glasgow 0700-0900 hrs, Campbellsville 0830-1030 hrs. For more information contact: SGM Freddie Joe Wilkerson by phone at (502) 607-2354 or by email at freddie.wilkerson@usarec.army.mil







[13 AUG 2005] After Sgt. Ricky Burke's Kentucky National Guard unit came under attack March 20 south of Baghdad, commanders hailed the soldiers' bravery. The unit killed 27 Iraqi insurgents during a 45-minute firefight and confiscated a weapons stockpile. But the Monticello soldier's mother says her son is facing prison time on a charge of premeditated attempted murder after he shot and wounded a captured insurgent that day. Sandy Burke said her son told her he shot the prisoner who was reaching for a stockpile of weapons. But she said members from Richmond's 617th Military Police Company told superiors the prisoner was too far away from the weapons to be dangerous, and Burke was charged. U.S. Army Central Command in Baghdad had not provided information yesterday on Burke's case. The Kentucky National Guard declined to comment. She said her son was due back home on leave this month, but instead he is in Iraq's Camp Anaconda awaiting his Sept. 2 trial. An article in an April edition of the Anaconda Times, the camp's weekly newsletter, described the attack... Burke's 623rd Field Artillery unit fought off an ambush by insurgents during a combat logistics patrol. The unit, with help from the 617th, killed 27 Iraqis; six U.S. soldiers were wounded, the newsletter said. Residents in Burke's hometown of Monticello are stepping forward to support him. Mayor Thurston Frye said the city passed a resolution July 11 asking U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers and Sens. Mitch McConnell and Jim Bunning to investigate the charges.







[12 JUL 2005] Staff Sgt. William Winburn, an injured Soldier from the 1st/623rd Field Artillery, speaks to Landstuhl, Germany Regional Medical Center Chaplain Lt. Col. Paul Williams, on a patient ward at the hospital. Winburn was injured in Iraq when an improvised explosive device hit his Humvee. Sometimes the most painful war wounds are the ones that cannot be treated with conventional medicine. That is the case with Staff Sgt. William B. Winburn, who by his own admission will need a lot of mental pushups to get past his stint in Iraq. Winburn’s job was to escort convoys. He and his group of three Humvees were returning from a town near the Kuwaiti border July 3, on their way back to Baghdad when it happened. An improvised explosive device hit the sergeant’s vehicle, badly injuring him and decapitating his driver right in front of him. It’s an image the 35-year-old Kentucky native is having a hard time shaking. "Me and him were close," said Winburn. "We were just sitting there cutting up and the next thing I knew it was over. He never had a chance. At least he didn’t suffer. That’s some conciliation." Winburn slept only 30 minutes in the four days that followed the blast. Every time he closed his eyes he saw his driver die. The nightmares make sleep an afterthought. "I smell black powder every night when I lie down. I can smell everything in that Humvee. Every time I close my eyes it’s the same thing." Upon his arrival at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, one of the first requests he made was to speak with a chaplain. The sergeant’s attitude is not one of a defeatist. He said he knows it’s going to be difficult to lose the images of war, not to mention the multiple surgeries to his left hand. The blast took his thumb, the end of his pinky finger and all of the muscle in the palm. "I’m dealing with it one day at a time," he said to Landstuhl Chaplain Lt. Col. Paul Williams. "I just feel guilty in my heart because I couldn’t do anything to save him. He was only 22 years old. The important thing is that you are not bottling up your emotions the way previous generations did. It’s not a sign of weakness to talk about these things." Winburn took the advice and talked to anyone who would listen. He spoke at length with nurses and his roommate, an injured Marine. His mood seemed to improve, especially after receiving a few hours of morphine-induced sleep the night of 7 July. He said he still had a dream about the incident, but when he woke up, he sat in his hospital bed and spoke aloud – reminding himself to think about positive images. Remaining positive is so important to his mental recovery, the chaplain said. "Anything he can do to lift his self-confidence will help because many aspects of this will attack his sense of self," said Williams, an Army Reserve Soldier with the 328th Combat Support Hospital now serving at Landstuhl. "He is going to have feelings of inadequacy, but there is hope." Joking about his injuries and speaking to his wife and two little girls have buoyed Winburn’s spirits. As he said, life is too short to be depressed about everything. "It was such a good feeling to hear from my family," Winburn said. “A lot of service members will never see their families again. I was lucky. My life was spared and I thank God every day for it."







[3 JUL 2005] One Kentucky National Guard Soldier was killed and two others were wounded on Sunday, July 3, in Iraq when their up-armored HUMVEE encountered an improvised explosive device while returning from a convoy escort mission near Baghdad. Killed was Ryan J. Montgomery, 22, of Greensburg, Ky. The other Soldiers wounded in the patrol were evacuated to a military hospital and are in stable condition. Both are expected to recover from their wounds. The families of those wounded Soldiers have been notified. At the time of his death, Montgomery was assigned to Bravo Battery 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, based in Campbellsville, Ky. His unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in November and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005. Montgomery graduated from Green County High School and joined the military in September 2000 during his senior year of high school. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Specialist Montgomery," said Kentucky Adjutant General Donald C. Storm. "As most Americans celebrate our country's independence today, please reflect on the sacrifices our service members, both past and present, have made to secure the freedoms we hold so dear. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers and support go out to Spc. Montgomery's family, and we will do everything possible as a National Guard family to support them during this difficult time." Spc. Montgomery's family has provided the following written statement "Ryan Montgomery was killed in Iraq serving the country he loved. Ryan was proud of his unit and believed in what he was doing. He was loved by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. Ryan and his twin brother, Bryan, served in the same unit. They loved each other and always looked out for one another.







[22 APR 2005] Fighting Kentuckians hit a strong chord for us here in the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs and for the Kentucky National Guard. The actions of SGT Hester and SPC Pullen have put Kentucky in the national spotlight in reigniting the debate on women in the battlefield. Around here we think of them as "doing their job" ... though admittedly with a great deal of pride. Raven 42 (the call sign for SGT Hester's unit) will go down in the history books as the most significant firefight a Kentucky Guard unit has engaged so far since Firebase Tomahawk in Vietnam. I'd also like to point out the actions of SFC Timothy Nein and the other squad members and the soldiers of 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery, who were embedded within the convoy and laid out more than 2,600 rounds of suppressive fire during that action. The 1-623rd troops, ironically the descendants of John Hunt Morgan, whom we refer to as "Morgan's Men", have been redirected from their primary mission as MLRS crews to serve as convoy security teams. Two soldiers from that battalion have given their lives thus far. A total of 5 Kentucky Guard soldiers have died in Iraq, out of a total of 21 Kentuckians overall. David W. Altom - Public Affairs Officer - Kentucky Department of Military Affairs






[30 MAR 2005] One Kentucky National Guard Soldier was killed and two others wounded in Iraq when their HUMVEE encountered a vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while returning from an escort patrol for a convoy along the main supply route in Baghdad. Killed was Spc. Eric L. Toth, 21, of Edmonton, Ky. Toth joined the National Guard in May 2001. He was a 2001 graduate of Metcalfe County High School. The two wounded Soldiers, Sgt. Ricky Brooks, also of Edmonton, and Spc. Christopher Brunelle of Campbellsville, were medically evacuated to Germany were they are listed in stable condition. These Soldiers were assigned to Alpha Battery 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery, based in Tompkinsville, Ky. This unit mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom in November and deployed to Southwest Asia in January 2005. "This is a very difficult time for the Kentucky National Guard," said Deputy Adjutant General Norman Arflack. "We have lost two great patriots in the last two weeks. SPC Toth was a brave and dedicated Soldier. We will always honor his sacrifice and that of those who have gone before him." The Toth family appreciates the support they have received from their friends and community. Toth's wife, Andrea, did want to pass along the following statement: "I am very proud of my husband. He gave his life in the service of our country. I would like to thank family and friends for their concerns and prayers at this time!" Capt. John H. Holmes, the commander of Alpha Battery, passed along the following statement: "The members of Alpha Battery ask that all Kentuckians keep the Toth family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. He was an outstanding Soldier and will be greatly missed."







[24 MAR 2005] A Kentucky National Guardsman injured in a roadside explosion Saturday in Iraq which killed another soldier is recovering at a hospital in Germany. Spc. Kurt Buchanan, a member of Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery unit, was injured when his vehicle struck a bomb while escorting a military convoy on its way to Baghdad International Airport. "He is doing really well," said Ky National Guard Spokesman, Capt. David Page with the state public affairs office in Frankfort. Buchanan, 21, a Hardin County native with the Campbellsville unit, is listed in stable condition and is being treated for severe injuries to his hand caused by the explosion. He is expected to be transferred to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. sometime later this week to continue treatment and rehabilitation, Page said. It is unclear when or if Buchanan will rejoin the 623rd. "It's too early to tell," Page said. The other occupant in the armored vehicle was Spc. Jonathan Hughes. About 1,160 Kentucky Guard soldiers are now deployed in Iraq - the largest contingent since the war began more than two years ago. 170 soldiers from two other Kentucky Guard units were shipping out for eventual deployment to Iraq, guard officials said.







[21 MAR 2005] A soldier from Lebanon, Ky., with the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery died Saturday in Iraq when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED) while escorting a military convoy. Spec. Jonathan A. Hughes, 21, was a member of the 623rd Bravo Company, based in Campbellsville, a husband, and father of a 9-month old son, according to a press release by the Kentucky Army National Guard. In a separate incident, three soldiers from the 617th Military Police Company, based in Richmond with a detachment in Bowling Green, were injured on Sunday during an ambush while protecting a convoy on the main supply route southeast of Baghdad. Elements of both the 617th and 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery, headquartered in Glasgow, were involved in Sunday's action. The injured soldiers are now at the U.S. Army Hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, where they are listed in stable condition. Their names have not been released. The clash began when dozens of insurgents attacked a U.S. convoy of military police and artillery units from the Kentucky Guard late Sunday about 20 miles southeast of Baghdad. U.S. troops killed 26 militants in the fire fight. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Spec. Hughes," said Kentucky Adjutant General Donald C. Storm. "He was a true patriot who answered the call of his nation. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers and support go out to his family and we will do everything possible as a National Guard family to support them during this difficult time." Capt. Lawrence A. Joiner, commander of Bravo Company, issued the following statement: "To the family and friends of SPEC Jonathan Hughes, everyone here is grieving with you for we have lost one of our family members as well. You are in our every thought and prayer. Words cannot express our love and brotherhood for Jonathan. His quiet and shy disposition will be dearly missed. He will forever be a part of our lives."







[14 JAN 2005] Tour of duty - Members of the local 623rd National Guard unit wait on a bus at Fort Dix, New Jersey, in preparation for deployment to Iraq. First Sgt. David S. Miller of the 623rd Field Artillery, Kentucky Army National Guard, addressed his soldiers before the unit's advance party departed Fort Dix for their tour of duty in Iraq. "This will be the longest year for the rest of your life," stated Miller. "Go over there and get the job done and come home in one piece." Numbers released to The Courier- Journal last week show that 6,328 of the Kentucky Guard's 7,454 troops have been activated since the Sept. 11 attacks. By the end of this month, a fourth of the Kentucky Army Guard will be in or destined for Iraq. While the Kentucky Guard can sustain its pace for another two to three years, Storm was unsure beyond that. The pace, meanwhile, is taking men and women from their jobs, classes, businesses and families. While deployments continue, recruiting to the Guard has dwindled, although Kentucky has reached is goals. Nationally, in December, the Army Guard made only 80 percent of its goal, attracting 9,109 of the 11,303 soldiers it sought to enlist, said Lt. Col. Mike Milord, an Army National Guard spokesman in Washington. For years, belonging to the Guard mostly involved attending training for one weekend each month, and two weeks of training each summer. Not anymore. Storm said he sees no lessening in the enthusiasm of Kentuckians to sign up. Before the war on terror, he said, about half of the Guard was comprised of former regular Army soldiers. Now, he said, veterans make up 35 percent, and 65 percent of recruits have no military experience.







[10 NOV 2004] Four batteries, including Alpha Battery, comprised of more than 200 soldiers from Glasgow and Tompkinsville, will deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 623rd, a Multiple Launch Rocket System Unit will be part of a group of some 400 soldiers from Glasgow, Tompkinsville, Campbellsville and Monticello who will be providing convoy escorts and securing areas of operation, said Commander, Maj. Emmanuel Belt. Troops are undergoing Security Force Training in which soldiers are placed in real-life scenarios, or battle drills ranging from hostage situations and ambush attacks on convoys to evacuating their wounded and casualties by helicopter. Despite their impending deployment, morale is extremely high, say most Guardsmen. The 623rd will deploy to Fort Dix New Jersey where they will be required to undergo six to eight weeks of additional training. Guardsmen are expected to be home for the Christmas holidays and then will deploy overseas the first part of next year.

Fort Dix Website: http://www.dix.army.mil/         Fort Dix Mailing Address: "rank, first/last name, last 4 ss# - A BTRY 1/623FA - BLDG #6038 Doughboy Loop - Fort Dix, NJ 08640-9001







[15 SEP 2004] Maj. Gen. Donald Storm, Adjutant General for Kentucky, today announced that the following Kentucky Army National Guard units will mobilize in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in November: 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery (Multiple Launch Rocket System), Headquarters Battery - Glasgow (116 soldiers), Battery A - Tompkinsville (107 soldiers), Battery B - Campbellsville (87 soldiers), Battery C - Monticello (94 soldiers). For purposes of this mission, portions of Headquarters Battery and C Battery will be merged respectively with Battery A and Battery B. The soldiers of 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery (MLRS) will depart for their mobilization station at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The deployment of these units is part of the ongoing nation-wide mobilization of Army and Air National Guard units in the global war on terrorism. Currently, there are 689 Kentucky Army and Air National Guard soldiers and airmen mobilized in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle, or participating in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo.







[25 JUN 2004] Kentucky Army National Guard units from six communities have been put on alert for possible duty in Iraq. The latest alert is for members of the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery (Multiple Launch Rocket System). It includes batteries in Glasgow, Tompkinsville, Campbellsville and Monticello. The battalion's 298th Chemical Company, in Louisville, and the 299th Chemical Company, in Jackson, also have been alerted. A statement from the National Guard said 576 troops were put on alert, but did not say where their specific assignments might be.







[12 MAY 2003] Most of the soldiers with the 623rd Field Artillery unit were expected to be home by Monday afternoon from Fort Campbell. According to Sgt. David Altom, with the Kentucky Army National Guard, the soldiers are scheduled to depart from Fort Campbell on Monday morning and head towards their "home armories" at that time. He expects that the Tompkinsville unit would be arriving in town in the early afternoon. They arrived at the armory around 1300 to be welcomed home by family and friends. The battalion was demobilized last week after being ordered to Fort Campbell for training in mid-March in support of "Operation Enduring Freedom." Tompkinsville (A btry) is one of four batteries that make up the 1st Battalion of the 623rd Field Artillery (Multiple Launch Rocket System). The 138th FA Brigade and the 1st Bn 623rd FA (MLRS), were mobilized on 15 March 2003. They joined DET 4, 307th Maintenance Company that mobilized on 11 February 2003. All went to Fort Campbell, KY where they were validated and ready to deploy to Iraq to provide artillery support to V Corps, but were demobilized as the need for these units were no longer required. They all were demobilized by 4 June 2003.







[9 MAY 2003] On Friday morning, June 27, 2003 the Kentucky Military History Museum will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to open a temporary exhibit honoring the Kentucky National Guard's own 623 Field Artillery Battalion entitled "Forgotten War - Forgotten Heroes Kentucky's 623rd Field Artillery in the Korean War". The event is part of a larger program of events concluding Kentucky's commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War. The 623rd was the only Kentucky National Guard unit deployed as a whole to Korea during the war. The exhibit will be open for viewing following the ceremony. The event is free and open to the public. The Kentucky Military History Museum is located in the Old State Arsenal at 128 East Main Street (at the corner of Capitol Avenue and East Main Street).







[18 MAR 2003] The Guard will be leaving on for what could eventually be deployment to the Middle East. The 623rd Field Artillery are to report to Fort Campbell, Ky and do not know where they will be going or when they might leave. The last time the 623rd was called to active duty was for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the early 1990s. The 623rd's final destination is not being released. However, members of the Guard will be involved in Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. Operation Noble Eagle is the homeland security mission inside the continental United States, and Operation Enduring Freedom is the name of the ongoing war on terror being conducted overseas. Tompkinsville is one of four batteries that make up the 1st Battalion of the 623rd Field Artillery (Multiple Launch Rocket System). The other batteries are located in Campbellsville and Monticello, with the battalion's headquarters in Glasgow.







[15 FEB 2003] More than 650 soldiers from three Kentucky Army National Guard units received mobilization orders, Gov. Paul Patton announced yesterday. About 400 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery (Multiple Launch Rocket System), including Headquarters Battery from Glasgow, Battery A from Tompkinsville, Battery B from Campbellsville and Battery C from Monticello, were called to duty. The call-up also includes 120 soldiers with Headquarters, 138th Field Artillery Brigade from Lexington and 160 soldiers with the 2113th Transportation Company from Paducah and Hickman. Guard members are being mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle, the homeland security effort, and Operation Enduring Freedom, the war on terrorism. Troops were notified to report to their armories on March 15. Also, two Army Reserve units, one from Louisville and one from Lexington, are preparing to be called for active duty tomorrow. The mobilization involves 11 people from the 5010th Army Hospital in Louisville and the 4208th Army Hospital in Lexington. The Louisville unit consists of three members of the Army Nurse Corps, while the Lexington troops will provide medical support at Army installations in Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Gordon, Ga.; and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.







[14 JUL 2000] WHEREAS, the members of the Kentucky National Guard have unhesitatingly answered the call to serve in conflicts such as the War of 1812, the Mexican War, in both the Union and Confederate armies in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, the Mexican border wars, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia-Herzegovina; and WHEREAS, the Kentucky National Guard continues to train and maintain readiness for war, as well as answering the call of the people of the Commonwealth by responding to disasters as a result of tornadoes, snow storms, and floods: and WHEREAS, the Kentucky National Guard keeps peace during times of civil conflict, assisting the state's law enforcement agencies engaged in the war on drugs; and WHEREAS, on June 24, 1792, the Militia Act was signed into law by Governor Isaac Shelby, which recognized the formation of a Kentucky Militia. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the twenty-fourth day of June of each year is designated as Kentucky National Guard Day in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.








Battery A 1st Battalion 623rd Field Artillery created and maintained by George Stewart