FRG: January Meeting

December 21, 2011

All NEW FRG!!

FRGs will operate at the Battery level.

Come meet the NEW LEADERS and help form new FRG’s for our soldiers and families.

Crescent City Classic 10k Ruck March

December 14, 2011

The battalion will be participating in the 2012 Crescent City Classic by conducting its annual 10k Ruck March in the event. This is a fun, voluntary event for both soldiers and their families to participate. More details to folow soon.

Free Tax Consultation and E-Filing

December 07, 2011

Photocopying of Military ID Cards

November 22, 2011

Recent incidents regarding the photocopying of military identification cards and common access cards (CAC), by commercial establishments to verify military affiliation or provide government rates for service, have been reported.

Personnel are reminded that the photocopying of US Government Identification is a violation of Title 18, US Code Part I, Chapter 33, Section 701 and punishable by both fine and/or imprisonment.

Many military members, family members and DoD employees are unaware of this law. Please pass to the lowest level and include in training for force protection, information security and OPSEC.

Fires Bulletin: September-October 2011

October 20, 2011

Highlights from the current edition:

• Lessons learned during ten years of persistent war
• Locations of U.S. Army & Marine Corps Air Defense Artillery and Field Artillery Units
• Fires on Target: US Army Air Defense Artillery Units
• Fires on Target: US Army Field Artillery Units
• Fires on Target: US Marine Corps Active and Marine Forces Reserve Field Artillery Units
• Fires on Target: Army National Guard Air Defense Units
• Fires on Target: Army National Guard Field Artillery Units

New & Improved www.GeauxGuard.com

November 18, 2011

PX Open at Jackson Barracks

November 17, 2011

The new Post Exchange (PX) has finally opened at the Jackson Barracks! It is located in Area C (the same area as the battalion armory), next to the dining facility, and across from the museum. Also the Claiborne gate in front of the armory has been closed and entrance can only be obtained via the St. Claude gate.

Veterans Day Deals

November 08, 2011

Some of your favorite franchises are honoring the Military this Veterans Day with free meals, appetizers, discounts and deals! Check out the link below to find the latest deals, discounts, and more - from over 20 restaurants, theme parks and retail stores.

SSG Don "Doc" Trahan

November 07, 2011

Unfortunately, SSG Don "Doc" Trahan lost his battle with cancer today. He was an invaluable friend and asset to the battalion. He will be greatly missed and remains in our thoughts and prayers.

BG Curtis Appointed as New TAG

November 03, 2011

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal announced the retirement of Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau from the Louisiana National Guard, and the appointment of Brig. Gen. Glenn Curtis as adjutant general. Landreneau will retire as the longest, current serving adjutant general in the nation with nearly fourteen years of service as head of the LANG. Read more...

FRG: DEERS Locations

October 28, 2011

We've added information for some of the DEERS locations throughout the state on the FRG page.

DEERS is a computerized database for service members, retirees, dependents, DoD active Contractors, and others worldwide who are entitled to military benifits including TRICARE and ID Cards.

Fires Bulletin: September-October 2011

October 20, 2011

Highlights from the current edition:

• Make the Fires force the strength of the Army
• Growing a new field artillery
• Commitments of the US Air Defense Artillery
• Targeting: A process for wizards or methodology for patriarchs?
• Task Force Lightning operational framework for attacking the indirect fire network in Baghdad
• The US Army is failing to assimilate electronic warfare

Gunner's View for Pass & Review Salute

October 16, 2011

Operation Homefront Christmas Event

October 13, 2011

Pelican Dispatch (Summer 2011)

October 12, 2011

CAC Only Login Coming Soon To AKO

October 05, 2011

In order to comply with DoD policy (CTO 07-15), AKO will require CAC/PKI authentication for all CAC holders NLT 01DEC11. iPERMS, ATRRS, and CHESS have already implemented the CAC only login policy with more websites soon to follow.

Checkout the links below for information on obtaining a CAC reader and getting it setup on your computer.

Changed WAVA Event Dates

October 03, 2011

In light of this change, we are still working out the Cemetery Tour and will be in touch with the final plans once completed. Please advise if you are no longer able to attend and your checks will be returned.

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Formally Ends

September 20, 2011

Openly gay people will now be able to serve in the US military after repeal of controversial 18-year-old DADT law. News links below....

WAVA: BBQ Social - Tues, Sept 20th

September 18, 2011

WAVA will be having their annual BBQ Social coming up next week at the Jackson Barracks. Family and friends are invited. The reservation form is enclosed in the September newsletter and costs $15 for adults & Free for children under 12.

Freedom Walk Sunday at Audubon Park

September 08, 2011

The Louisiana Freedom Walk was created to reflect on the lives lost on September 11, 2001 and to raise awareness of the needs of struggling military families across Louisiana. All proceeds benefit Operation Homefront of Louisiana's Emergency Financial Assistance program.

Operation Homefront Louisiana is a non-profit 501 c(3) that provides emergency financial and other assistance to our service members, wounded warriors, and their families in Louisiana. Click here for details...

Commander's September Comments

September 07, 2011

Friends and Family of the Washington Artillery,

With Labor Day behind us and the summer coming to an end, I hope everyone enjoyed their time with family and friends. Since the battalion did not drill in the month of July, it is my pleasure to give you an update on the training events for August as well as what is in store for the future....

Read the Commander's Comments

Enlisted Promotion System FY 2012

September 01, 2011

The state has published the new Enlisted Promotion System (EPS) requirements for the 2012 training year. We will be re-formatting our EPS pages to reflect the current system changes for E-4 & E-5's as well as be creating a new page for the new centralized promotion system for E-6's and above. Check back soon for the update.

WAVA Meeting - Tues, August 16th

August 09, 2011

WAVA holds meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at the unit's Jackson Barracks Armory on Claiborne Ave.

Fires Bulletin: July-August 2011

July 25, 2011

Highlights from the current edition:

• Building an Airplane in Flight: Leading Creating High Performance Units
• Artillery in Direct Fire in Command Outpost Defense in Afghanistan
• Emotional Intel Training: A Missing Element the Army
• The Spectrum of risk in Leadership
• Changing a Midset: Viewing risk as an Opportunity
• Leadership on the Cheap: Avoiding Risk at all Cost

Pelican Dispatch (Spring 2011)

July 20, 2011

Free Admission to Zephyrs' Game

July 14, 2011

The New Orleans Zephyrs have partnered with Textron Marine & Land Systems to provide free admission to military personnel and their families (up to 4 tickets) for the their game against the Iowa Cubs on Friday, July 29th at 7pm.

The offer is valid for all current members of the military and veterans. Military personnel must show identification for each member of their family to receive free admission. See flyer for more details...

Commander's July Comments

July 09, 2011

Friends and Family of the Washington Artillery,

As the new commander, I am pleased to be able to provide comments about the active battalion. I would like to thank all those that attended the Change of Command ceremony on Saturday June 4th. It was a very special day for me and my family and it is an honor to join the ranks of our historical command. I would like to take this...

Read the Commander's Comments

WAVA: From The Presidents Desk

July 09, 2011

WAVA Members and Soldiers of the 1-141st FA,

MAJ Steven Finney replaced LTC Brian P. Champagne as Commander of the 1st Batallion, 141st Field Artillery at a ceremony at Jackson Barracks on June 4, 2011. We are looking forward to working with MAJ Finney and his team...

Read the rest of the President's Comments.

New Campaign Phases for the ICM

June 28, 2011

The DoD has established new campaign phases for the Iraqi Campaign Medal (ICM) for "New Dawn." All current phases are listed below. Soldiers will wear campaign stars for each phase for which they've served.

Reset AKO Password via Text Message

June 24, 2011

AKO users can now choose to have a password reset link sent to them via text message. To activate this option, go to My Account > Account Settings > Account Information. Scroll down to Profile Information to enter the cell phone number and provider information. Once registration is complete, clicking Reset Password from the log-in page give the option to get a temporary reset via SMS response. Currently, only the major four American cell phone providers are supported; future enhancements will include both foreign and smaller CONUS-based providers.

Images from the Change of Command

June 14, 2011

Changes to the Army Combat Uniform

Jun 13, 2011

Effective 14JUN2011, Army Directive 2011-11 (Changes to Wear of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) Items) from the Secretary of the Army officially makes the ACU patrol cap the primary duty uniform headgear for all Soldiers wearing the ACU, and changes policies for sew on of items on the ACU, as well as clarifies identification badges authorized for wear on the ACU.

WAVA Meeting - Tues, June 21st

June 13, 2011

WAVA holds meetings on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at the unit's Jackson Barracks Armory on Claiborne Ave.

Tentative Timeline
1700 - Refreshments in WAVA Room
1800 - Meal in Drill Hall
1900 - Meeting in WAVA Room

National Guard Association of Louisiana

June 10, 2011

This issue of our quarterly newsletter represents the new format for our newsletter and holds a number of issues related to our Charter and Bylaws as well as some committee reports that have been pending since our conference. I urge you to review this newsletter as well as consider participating in the 133rd NGAUS conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Free Admission to Zephyrs' Game

May 25, 2011

The New Orleans Zephyrs have partnered with Entergy to provide free admission to all military personnel and their families for the Zephyrs' Memorial Day game against the Albuquerque Isotopes on Monday, May 30.

The offer is valid for all current members of the military, as well as all veterans. All military personnel must do to receive free admission is show military identification for each member of their family.

For more information, contact the Zephyr Field box office at (504) 734-5155.

Fun at WAVA's Seafood Social

May 24, 2011

WAVA members and families had a wonderful time at its Annual Seafood Social last Tuesday night. The battalion's armory was full of people enjoying the food, drinks, and each other's company. The meal was catered by Dennis' Seafood, Inc in Metairie.

Change in AKO email address...

May 17, 2011

The Army’s new enterprise email is gradually being turned on for 1.6 million users. It comes with a new suffix, a mailbox 40 times larger than the current 100 megabyte standard, and at least a few technical headaches as it works out the kinks. Read more...

Battalion Change of Command Moved

May 13, 2011

The battalion's change of command has been moved to June in order to assist in the state's emergency preparations for the rising Mississippi River.

AKO Streamlining CAC Registration

May 02, 2011

Effective immediately, most users are no longer required to register a new CAC with AKO. When logging in with a new card, clicking "CAC Login" will automatically register the CAC while simultaneously logging the user into AKO. This change means users who are assigned two CACs can switch between the two without re-registering their cards.

WAVA: Seafood Social - Tues, May 17th

April 27, 2011

WAVA will be having their annual Seafood Social coming up in May at the Jackson Barracks. Family and friends are invited. The reservation form is enclosed in the April newsletter and costs $15 for adults & $7.50 for children under 12.

Commander's April Comments

April 26, 2011

Friends and Family of the Washington Artillery,

The past few months have been spent closing out the requirements from the deployment. Most of the equipment that was shipped from Iraq is now staged at Camp Shelby waiting to be inspected then shipped to Jackson Barracks. Our weapons and other sensitive items have been recovered and are awaiting...

Read the Commander's Comments

New Orleans VooDoo Tickets

April 20, 2011

We've got an opportunity for 4 of our recently deployed Soldiers to be recognized for their service in front of a crowd of approximately 10,000 people at the New Orleans Arena. These Soldiers will accompany the Color Guard onto the field before the game and have their names announced at the New Orleans Voo Doo Arena Football Team's home games. Soldiers will receive up to 10 free tickets for their spouse, children, parents, fellow Soldiers, etc. NOTE: Soldiers must be in either ASU or Dress Blue Uniform.

Crescent City Classic 10k Ruck March

April 08, 2011

The battalion will be participating in the 2011 Crescent City Classic by conducting its annual 10k Ruck March in the event. This is a fun, voluntary event for both soldiers and their families to participate. See the below flyer for more details.

AGR Vacancy - HHB Supply SGT

April 07, 2011

EPS List Posted!!!

April 01, 2011

The state has published the Enlisted Promotion System (EPS) list for 2011.  We have placed copies on the battalion's Louisiana Knowledge Online (LAKO) website.  You will need to be registered on Guard Knowledge Online (GKO) and login with your CAC.  Click Here to go directly to the list.

Battalion Phone Roster

March 25, 2011

We have added a generic battalion phone roster on the 'Contact Us' page.

Chaplain's Corner: Marriage...

March 24, 2011

Dear 141 Family,

I hope everyone has gotten back into the swing of things since our return. I know many still are looking for jobs, buying new homes, or whatever else may be going on in life. Please know of our prayers for all the families in the unit.


Read the Chaplain's Comments

WAVA Meeting Tomorrow Night

March 14, 2011

WAVA will be holding its last meeting at the Delta Lions Club (1725 Hickory Ave, Harahan) before moving in April to the WAVA Room at the Jackson Barracks armory. The meeting starts promptly at 7PM and all prospective and current members are welcome.

Commander's February Comments

February 26, 2011

Friends and Family of the Washington Artillery,

The Washington Artillery is in its final stages of post deployment tasks. Beginning next month, the Soldiers of the battalion will participate in Yellow Ribbon Training. This is a program that was instituted by the National Guard to ensure that all traditional reservist Soldiers and their families are made...

Read the Commander's Comments

WAVA: From The Presidents Desk

February 25, 2011

WAVA Members and Soldiers of the 1-141st FA,

It is with the deepest of regrets that I inform you of the untimely passing of COL (Retired) Roger Arthur Bacon, an active board member of WAVA, held in highest regard, and one of our staunchest supporters, passed away at the age of 75, on February 24, 2011 at 1:20 AM.

The Washington Artillery Veterans Association wishes to express our deepest sympathies and sincerest condolences to Betty and the family of Roger Bacon.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services at the Greenwood Funeral Home, 5200 Canal Blvd., New Orleans at 1:00 PM on Monday February 28, 2011. Visitation will precede the service from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. Per the family’s request, in lieu of flowers, donations to the Washington Artillery Veterans Association, P. O. Box 7584, Metairie, LA 70010 are preferred.

You may view the obituary and sign the Guest Book: Obituary Page

Several important decisions in regards to WAVA's move to Jackson Barracks at the Washington Artillery's Armory were discussed and voted on at the Feb 15, 2011 meeting by the Board of Directors. Read the rest of the President's Comments.

Military Discounts Page

February 22, 2011

We are looking to create a Military Discounts page to highlight local businesses within the greater New Orleans area (to include Metairie, Mandeville, Slidell, etc.) that support our troops. We ask that everyone submit the Names, Locations, and Types of discount offered via our Contact Us page so that we can start building our database.

AGR Vacancy - G Co Supply SGT

February 19, 2011

Louisiana Knowledge Online (LAKO)

February 13, 2011

Not many soldiers realize the Louisiana Guard has its own online knowledge center available through Guard Knowledge Online (GKO). This Sharepoint site allows for the units to share information easily and securely with their soldiers without having to deal with AKO or everyone having RCAS access. It can only be accessed via a CAC login and all users must first be registered with GKO.

The 256 IBCT Headquarters has utilized their site for a while now and is where they post all of the brigade Unclassified Orders and FRAGOs. The 1-141st is just beginning the use of thier site and will develop the site in a similar fashion.

Home Use Program NO Longer Available

February 05, 2011

We received an email inquiring about the Army Home Use Program posted on our software page since users were having trouble accessing it. After looking into the matter, it seems that the program is NOT currently available for 'us.army.mil' accounts. The code actually belongs to the USAF Air Combat Command and only includes some Army organizations, but not all. All Army accounts have been disabled using this code.

We apologize for any confusion this may have cost, but we have posted some alternatives in its place such as OpenOffice and other cheap versions of office available.

Annual Saint Barbara Ball

January 18, 2011

The battalion had its annual Saint Barbara's Ball last weekend at the New Orleans Sheridan Hotel. This tradition provides select soldiers with the opportunity to meet socially, participate in our unique traditions, and honor artillerymen of the past and present. Legends of Saint Barbara, Molly Pitcher, and Fiddler’s Green are shared as well as the making of the infamous "Artillery Punch".

• CPT John R. Moore
• CPT Japheth Johnson
• SFC Bryan J. Howard
• SFC Jeffrey R. Nelson
• SFC Michael V. Sandoval
• SFC Jonathan M. Smith
• SFC Paul S. Smith
• SSG Kevin S. Battaglia
• SSG Keith E. Bonnet, Jr.
• SSG Eric T. Chabert
• SSG Michael L. Gil
• SSG Harrison Kaywood

• Mrs. Jessica Bonnet
• Mrs. Abby Chabert
• Mrs. Stephanie Jackson
• Mrs. Nichole Lua
• Mrs. Jessica Nelson
• Mrs. Rachel Trahan
• Mrs. Nicole Zeller