Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Military News - Maj. Marcus Hatley

Maj. Marcus Hatley, a native of Gurdon, has been named deputy commander of a new unit designed to assist authorities in dealing with potential nuclear, biological and chemical attacks.

Maj. Hatley will be second in command of the 61st Weapons of Mass Destruction/Civil Support Team based at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock.

After an attack the unit would advise and assist authorities, such as the Arkansas State Police and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The 61st will be one of 17 new units nationwide that will join the 10 already in existence. It will be made up of 22 full-time members of the Arkansas Army and Air National Guards. The unit commander is Lt. Col. Keith Bauder.

The unit will undergo extensive training. While its primary area of responsibility will be regional, Hatley said it could be expected to serve wherever an attack is made.

"It's an extremely high profile unit that will have visibility all the way to the president of the United States," Hatley said.

Hatley has extensive experience as a chemical officer. He received his commission in 1985 from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville ROTC program. He served as brigade chemical officer with the 142nd Field Artillery in Operation Desert Storm, where he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Hatley was born and raised in Gurdon. He is one of 12 children of Andy and Christine Hatley, who reside in Gurdon.