Alabama State Defense Force

In April of 2004 SSG William Wright was sworn in to the ASDF as leader of the Engineering Squad of 2^nd Platoon Co C 103^rd BN.  At this time Battalion Headquarters was in Huntsville; the Company Headquarters/ Headquarters Detachment (HHD) was located in Athens; 2^nd Platoon was stationed in Decatur.  The Squad had three members at this time: SSG Wright, SPC Livingston & PFC Wengle.  The Platoon Leader was 1LT Carlton Brown.  In July the Squad was increased by two; SGT Mike Graham & SGT Doug Belletete.  In August SGT Graham approached SSG Wright with a idea to combine Engineering with Emergency Medicine.  The idea was presented to then CPT Tom Farris who responded with one sentence:  ”Make it happen”.  The wheels were then set in motion for an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit.  At first the team was small but then began to take on new personnel.  First came CPL Micheal McBay, then several other persons who did not remain long.  The first unofficial deployment came during hurricane Ivan.  The Morgan County EMA sent members out to remove debris from a home in soutwest Decatur.

By November 2004 Company C had became the entire 103^rd Battalion, commanded by now MAJ Farris.  Each of the former Platoons became Companies in their own right.  2^nd Platoon was given the honor of holding the original Company’s namesake and became Company C (Charlie).  The Engineering Squad became 1^st Platoon under now CPT Brown, with the addition of 1LT Harald Belletete as Executive Officer (XO).  Several good personnel were in the unit that were not directly involved with the USAR directive.  1SG Billy White came on board from the Alabama National Guard, along with SFC Terry Kimbrough.  SFC Harold Fagan, as well as our clerk SGT Paula Fagan, had been there from the beginning.  SSG Wright was promoted to 2LT, with SFC Harold Fagan serving as Platoon Sergeant.

In January 2005 CPT Brown was transferred to Battalion HQ and 1LT Belletete became the CO & promoted to CPT.  1SG White moved into the XO slot and Kimbrough to 1SG.  CPT Belletete welcomed the commission of 1LT Mike Hendon about this time.  With in two months CPT Belletete was transferred to the S-3 staff at the 103^rd BN; Billy White became Commander; and Terry Kimbrough became the XO.  It was about this time the unit bought  several Blackhawk Tactical Medical bags for the medics in the unit and the initial squads were formed.  CPT White and 1LT Kimbrough were in full support of the unit and committed money for equipment.