The Nebraska National Guard                  Nebraska's Citizen Soldiers in the Twenty-First Century

Staff Sergeant John Ayers   Saving lives and working with casualties was the highlight; getting people home to their families and their loved ones. Staff Sergeant John Ayers Staff Sergeant John Ayers of Lincoln was mobilized and then deployed to Iraq from December 2004 until December 2005 with the 313th Medical Company. He was a team leader of an ambulance crew at Forward Operating Base Warhorse. He feels the biggest lesson of his deployment is to "not take things for granted." Source: All objects were loaned by John Ayers       Ayers is on the bottom left They [the Iraqis] were always nice to us because 99% of the time, when I was working with them, we were fixing them. I did a lot of detainee operations too and none of them were hostile towards you. They're scared, they're getting locked up, when you start treating them, all of a sudden they're your best friend. I think the first impression [by active duty soldiers] when we came in there was, "They're National Guard, we're active duty," but when we left . . .all of them said "We'd take you over our people any day.  313th - you guys have proved that you can do anything, or more, than any active duty component we've worked with." Combat lifesaver [Y]ou may never agree with the policy, why we're there, what we're doing . . . but with a medical unit the mission is to save lives and regardless of what the policies of our national government were, [the unit] was clearly focused on ensuring that no soldier was left behind.    --Major Craig Strong, 313th Medical Company     Soldier paying tribute to Jameson The Combat Medic Training Center at Logistical Support Area Anaconda was renamed the "Sgt. 1st Class Tricia L. Jameson Combat Medic Training Center" to honor the fallen soldier of the Nebraska Army National Guard's 313th Medical Company. Jameson, who had been in Iraq for about two weeks, was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near her Hum-Vee as she attempted to reach a group of injured Marines after they had been struck by an earlier IED. "This training center is exactly what Sergeant Jameson was all about," said Capt. Robert Miller, the executive officer and field medical officer of the 313th Med. Co. "She was not only a medic, but she was a teacher. Sharing and teaching others, and caring for Soldiers was what she was about." Miller worked closely with his fellow Nebraska Army National Guard Soldier for many years. Both had worked as instructors at the Regional Training Institute at Camp Ashland, Neb., to train soldiers from seven states. Miller recalled times when Jameson would drive 50 miles to his house to ensure he had all the necessary equipment to teach the next day's class. "When it came to organization, managing and working with soldiers, her patience was phenomenal," Miller said. "She was probably the easiest person in the world to get along with." Miller described Jameson as a typical Midwestern woman, saying she'd be caught a little off guard to see the dedication. "She wasn't a glory seeker," said Miller, "she'd be humbled by this, very humbled." Miller also felt it is fitting to name the training center in honor of Jameson. "This is her. This embodies everything she was always about," he said.

NSHS Home Exhibits Introduction   Maj. Gen. Roger Lempke Individuals Stories   Cpt. Robert Ford   Maj. Martin Neal   Cpt. Cindy Mefford   Lt. Col. Tom Brewer   Spc. Andrew Rodriguez   Msgt. Martin Coleman   Spc. Jenny (Beck) Bos   Ssgt. John Ayers   Sgt. Sion Odom   Col. Thomas Schuurmans   Chaplain Brian Kane   Maj. Jim Oliver   Col. George Skuodas Homeland Missions Equipment Memorial