You know these people when they go over and you see what they are dealing with and you just pray they come home.

This doesn't mean there was a higher threat this year. It's just how it's done post-9/11, just in case. Metro (police) and the other law enforcement agencies like having extra pairs of eyes looking out for anything suspicious.

It was especially trying on both counts because one was an accident and it might have been prevented, and that was frustrating. On the other side, losing two people was just devastating anyway you look at it. I think those were the lowest points the guard experienced this year.

They were set to lose all their aircraft and half of their personnel. The capabilities for the state that would have been lost if that decision had been made was just huge.

It's been a year of ups and downs for us, but we have accomplished a lot.

We responded to the hurricanes with between 200 and 250 medical, security and logistic support personnel as well as aircraft from the Army and Air Guard sides. This was huge for us because it came two weeks after the BRAC decided to take us off the base closure list, which would have taken the C-130s used to help following Katrina.