First up... an award for valor to a Kansas City, Kansas native, Specialist Anthony Tonasket:

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Phelps, 2nd Bn, 137th Inf. Regt. UPAR, 38th DISCOM, MND-B)">

CAMP SLAYER, Iraq Spc. Anthony Tonasket (right), a native of Kansas City, Kan., is awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Action Badge and Army Commendation Medal with a "V" device for Valor by Col. James Trafton, commander, 2nd Battalion, 137th Infantry Regiment, 38th Divisional Support Command, MultiNational Division, Baghdad, during an awards ceremony for his actions during an attack on his convoy March 7. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Phelps, 2nd Bn, 137th Inf. Regt. UPAR, 38th DISCOM, MND-B)

Well done, Specialist Tonasket!

HHB (-) of the 1st of the 127th FA is coming home from Iraq on Friday:

News from The Adjutant General's Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 17, 2006
No. 06-109
1st BATTALION, 127th FIELD ARTILLERY COMING HOME OCT. 19
Approximately 150 Kansas National Guardsmen of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (-), 1st Battalion, 127th Field Artillery will be welcomed home to Kansas on Thursday, Oct. 19. The ceremony which is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. (See Note) will be held at Lee Arena on the Washburn University campus, Topeka.

The unit is returning after a year-long deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The public is cordially invited to attend and welcome the soldiers home.

The soldiers will be released to join family and friends at the conclusion of the ceremony. The battery mobilized to Fort Lewis, Wash., in July 2005 where they received training before deploying in September 2005 to Baghdad, Iraq.

NOTE: The 1 p.m. time is based upon current travel arrangements for the unit. Due to unforeseen circumstances this time could change.

As was forcefully brought home last week with the death of Specialist Wood, the 891st Engineers still have people in Iraq. While not a current photo (the Kansas Guard doesn't show up much in the Army photo collection at the moment) it's illustrative of what they are doing - and taking casualties while doing it. (see H&I Fires for 17 Oct for funeral details for Specialist Wood).

by Master Sgt. Lek Mateo July 15, 2005

A South African-built Buffalo of the Kansas Army National Guard's 891st Engineer Battalion stands by to investigate a suspected IED that was spotted along the shoulder of a highway in southern Iraq.

In other Kansas Guard news...

Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame Induction Set

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Contact: Michele J. Henry
National Guard Association of Kansas
(785) 862-1066
Topeka-The Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame Board of Governors has announced the 2006 inductee for the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006 at the Holiday Inn West, 605 S.W. Fairlawn, Topeka, Kan. The public is invited to attend.

The inductees for 2006 are retired Brig. Gen. Alfred P. Bunting and retired Brig. Gen. Ronald D. Tincher.
Bunting retired from the Kansas Air National Guard with more than 42 years of service. He spent the last five years of his service as the Assistant Adjutant General and Commander of the Kansas Air National Guard. Bunting and his wife, Marjorie reside in Burlingame, Kan. They have four children and three grandchildren. Their son, Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, is the current adjutant general of Kansas.

Tincher retired from the Kansas Army National Guard also with more than 42 years of service. His last years serving in the Kansas National Guard were spent as the Assistant Adjutant General for the Army. He was also appointed Commander of the Kansas Army National Guard. Tincher and his wife, Judy reside in Olathe, Kan. They have 7 children, 17 grandchildren and one great grandson.

This marks the 28th year for the Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame induction. The 2006 inductees will make the 82nd and 83rd Kansas Guardsmen to be so honored. Guard men and women may be nominated and selected by their peers and associates for truly exceptional contributions to both the Kansas National Guard and the communities in which they live. Selection is made following a rigorous grading process by two committees and final approval by the Hall of Fame board of directors.

The Kansas National Guard Hall of Fame is located in the Museum of the Kansas National Guard, Building 301, at the main entrance to Forbes Field, Topeka, Kan. It is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except holidays.

Now that the Kansas Adjutant General's office and I have connected, we'll try to keep up with the doings of the Kansas Guard. Now if I could just get the Missouri Adjutant General to see some utility in exploiting willing bloggers...