By Master Sgt. Erick Studenicka

Nevada Army Guard Joint Force Headquarters

LAS VEGAS – As the 20th Century drew to its end 25 years ago, most Nevadans were ready to participate in the ultimate celebration to close out the period and – as Prince wrote in the quintessential song to mark the moment – “Party like it’s 1999.”

But then-Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn and emergency management officials were not in a party mood in December 1999 as they realized the state was “Oops, out of time” when it came to the information technology uncertainties (nicknamed the “Y2K Rollover”) facing the nation on Dec. 31, 1999. Experts were uncertain how tech programs would react to the digits of computer code transitioning from ‘99’ to ’00.’ Many people including technology experts feared financial markets would be affected, power would be interrupted and transportation would grind to a halt. No one was certain if the nation was facing a truly Apocalyptic situation or frivolous hoax.

To quell at least some of the uncertainty surrounding the change in centuries, Guinn and the State Division of Emergency Management requested the Nevada Guard emplace 500 Nevada Guard Soldiers and Airmen at strategic positions across the state. According to the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, 175 of the 500 Guardsmen were placed on standby in southern Nevada armories ready to respond to any type of situation. Dozens of Soldiers were “boots on the ground” and did support the security and deterrence mission on The Strip that year, thus marking the start of the Nevada Guard’s quarter century of support of “America’s Party.”

To save the state a huge expenditure for personnel costs, many units conducted Inactive Duty Training (i.e., drill weekend) during the New Year’s holiday period of 1999-2000.

Current Adjutant General Brig. Gen. D. Rodger “Dan” Waters rang in 2000 while on duty as the mission’s aviation task force commander. He oversaw the eight Nevada Army helicopters placed throughout the city and concurrently piloted UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter missions. Every type of Nevada Army Guard rotary aircraft – including CH-47 Chinook, UH-60 Black Hawk and OH-58 Kiowa – was stationed in Clark County for the 1999 Y2K Rollover. (The Kiowa is no longer used by the Army; the UH-72 Lakota helicopter replaced the Kiowa and six Lakotas are available for use across Nevada today.)

“It was a big mission,” Waters recalled. “It was not a one-night mission for aviation; it went on several days before and after New Year’s Eve in 2000. It was one of our first large missions in cooperation with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department – a close relationship that continues today.”

One highly-stressed officer in the Nevada Army Guard that night was undoubtedly retired Col. Miles Celio, the director of information management in 1999. Celio was worried the “TWX” system – a teletypewriter exchange service that conveyed information to the National Guard Bureau – would fail as 2000 arrived.

“Some were worried if the U.S. Property and Fiscal computers would still work after the Y2K rollover,” said Celio, who is now 77 and lives in Markleeville, Calif. “We had done many information-exchange tests to the East Coast but were still not quite sure everything would transmit.”

Celio and retired Sgt. Maj. Alan Callanan, 77, hunkered down all night along with many other state officials in the basement at the old Office of the Adjutant General at 2525 S. Carson Street in the Capital City.

“As 2000 approached, it was a big deal. Everyone was fearful the whole state was going to shut down,” said Callanan, who was the sergeant major of the 1st Battalion, 99th Troop Command in 1999. “We waited all night waiting for the world to end – then nothing happened.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Cameron Anderson of 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry, is one of the few Soldiers still active in the Nevada Guard who was on The Strip in 1999 – and he’ll be there again there tonight. He’s spent about 15 New Year’s celebrations on the Strip since 1999 during his various stints with the Cav squadron. Anderson joined the Nevada Army Guard in 1997.

“I was a fresh-faced specialist in 1999,” Anderson said. “They said ‘Here’s your pistol’ and placed me right on the corner of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard in front of a barricade.

“We froze our butts off! But that year and every year since, the revelers love seeing the National Guard Soldiers on duty. The police don’t receive the same amount of affection from the party goers.”

By the end of the mission on Jan. 2, 2000, nothing extraordinary had occurred and, according to the 2001 Nevada Guard Adjutant General’s report: “A good time was had by all!!! (sic).

Twenty-five years later, the Nevada Guard continues its tradition of providing support to “America’s Party” in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve.

Tonight, about 150 Guard Soldiers and Airmen are set to work in conjunction with the Las Vegas Metro Police force to ensure the safety and security of the estimated 400,000 attendees at the largest New Year’s Eve celebration west of the Mississippi River. The Soldiers and Airmen are from the: 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry, 92nd Civil Support Team and the 152nd Medical Group.