Tuesday Photo

07/29/2009 -

U.S. Army Spc. Jeremy Griesemer, assigned to 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania National Guard, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, shakes hands with a young boy outside the Huda Girls School, in Tarmiyah, Iraq, July 29, 2009.

Joint forces came to the school to conduct a junior academic achievement mission meant to facilitate better relations with the citizens of Tarmiyah.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ali Hargis/Released)

All Is Right In My World

Our Scout is home.

It is so good to have him home with us for a few days. We have been busy catching up and just being family, his brothers do not let him far out of their site and it sounds so good to hear his voice throughout the house.

I promise to post pictures as soon as I find my camera cord. We are in the process of moving and the cord is in a box somewhere.

Chris has promised that he will guest blog while he is home, so stay tuned.

God Bless,

aam

Expectations

Expectations

While talking to a potential recruit, the military recruiter said, "Exactly what kind of job are you looking for in the military?"

The high school kid said, "I'm looking for something with an enlistment bonus of about $20,000, where I won't have to work too hard, and won't have to deploy overseas.

The recruiter said, "Well, what if I could hook you up with a skill that allowed you to come straight in as an E-7, where you'll only work weekdays, and you can have the base of your choice and stay there as long as you want?"

The young recruit sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"

The recruiter replied, "Yeah, but you started it."

Today's the Day

Scout Sighting Checklist:

Welcome Home Posters ~ Check

Favorite Foods in the house ~ Check

Camera batteries charged ~ Check

Truck gassed up ~ Check

Excited little brothers ~ Check

Mom on overload ~ Check

His plane lands is due in around 4:30 this afternoon. Do you think it is to early for me to head to the airport now? I am ready to see my Scout. For the next 10 days all will be right in my world.

I haven't really gone into much here due to OPSEC and still can not discuss to much but I feel it is safe to say that we are gearing up for the dreaded D word. Chris will be deploying in the next 2 months and it will be quite a while before he will be home again.

I asked him recently if he was ready. He responded "more than". I told him I was not and he laughed and said "you will be ok". We had almost the same conversation just a few days over a year ago and I think the responses were the same.

But enough about that.... Today is a day of celebration!!! Our Scout is coming home and we are going to enjoy every minute of the time he is here.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

God Bless,

aam

1-71 Cavalry recognizes Soldiers for extending contracts

By Pfc. Blair Neelands
1st Brigade Combat Team Journalist

Leaders of 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment recognized and honored several Soldiers for extending their service contracts through 1st Brigade Combat Team’s upcoming deployment during a special breakfast ceremony July 23.
After the breakfast, 32 troopers each received a certificate of appreciation from the battalion’s command team, Lt. Col. John Paganini and Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Oldroyd. By taking part in the Army’s new Deployment Incentive Extension Program, the Soldiers receive an additional $500 per month. This extra pay kicks in after their actual enlistment service contract ends and continues until their extension is complete. One Soldier who took advantage of this incentive is Spec. Joseph Anderson, an infantryman with C Troop. Anderson said he decided to extend in order to spend another deployment with the unit.
“I am going to re-enlist eventually and move to another post, but for now I will stay here,” he said. “I want to finish this third and last deployment with 1-71.”Anderson, who grew up a “Navy brat,” joined the Army nearly four years ago. He said he may want to go the distance and make a career out of the military for himself as well. The benefits of the program were just a plus for him.
“I didn’t even know about the benefits,” Anderson said. “I just knew I wanted to stay in the Army. All the extra stuff was just an added bonus.”Before presenting certificates, Oldroyd said how much it meant to him to see so many Soldiers extend their contracts, fully knowing what they are about to face.“In my 24 years of being in the Army, I have decided I love being a Soldier and I love everything we stand for,” Oldroyd said. “What blows me away every day is the young Soldiers (who) come in and feel that same way.”
Oldroyd explained that the Deployment Incentive Extension Program was developed to replace stop-loss. Initially, the Army expected some 23 percent of Soldiers to re-enlist and serve another tour.
“Our unit has had between 55 and 60 percent of our Soldiers take advantage of this,” Oldroyd said to his troops. “This is awesome – you are awesome.”Following the ceremony, Paganini echoed Oldroyd’s words of thanks. “You guys who have extended make my job a whole lot easier,” he said. “We can’t replace any of you or your Family Members.”
Before the ceremony came to an end, Paganini expressed to his troops what their actions meant to him.
“As a professional, as a Soldier and as a man, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done,” he said.

1 day till Scout Sighting

Afghan elders meet to discuss governance, future of district

Capt. Jose Vasquez, commander, C Troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, greets local elders as they arrive at the mega shura, or large meeting, July 27 at the Kherwar District Center. During the shura, local elders voiced their concerns with the district, and Logar Provincial Governor Attiqullah Lodin talked about plans to pave roads and build hospitals and schools within the district.

Photo by Spec. Jaime De Leon

By Spec. Jaime D. De Leon

Task Force Spartan Journalist

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Logar Provincial Governor Attiqullah Lodin spoke with the sub-governor and local elders about plans to bring a stronger government presence to the district during a mega shura, or a large meeting, July 27 at the Kherwar District Center.However, Lodin doesn’t plan to change Kherwar on his own. He hopes to gain support of all the people of Kherwar, while continuing to work with International Security Assistance Forces.

“This time is the time of opportunities,” Lodin said. “Let’s take these opportunities now and build a future for our children. I am telling you now, let’s work together, shoulder to shoulder.”

Part of Lodin’s plan for Kherwar involves upgrading infrastructure. Kherwar currently has dirt roads and a district center made of metal containers and mud huts.“Kherwar is far from Logar and government,” Lodin said. “If you’re driving on dirt, it takes three to four hours to get to Logar. When we get the roads paved, it will take 20 minutes.”

His plans for building do not end with building roads.“We can build hospitals for our wives and our children,” Lodin said, adding that he also hopes to build more schools. But, roads and buildings can’t change everything.

Fighting between ISAF troops and local insurgents, as well as among local residents, also has been a problem.“If people are having problems, have them come to me,” Lodin said. “Let’s solve problems with talking, not guns and fighting.”Lodin doesn’t want to give up on his countrymen who are currently fighting. He wants them to join together in the effort to improve Afghanistan.

“Tell the people who are fighting to throw down their weapons and come join us,” Lodin said. “I promise I will not harm them.”Lodin also made a point of letting the people of Kherwar know that ISAF is part of the solution, not a part of the problem. In a crowd of men who are old enough to remember the Russian invasion, Lodin made sure to make a clear distinction between the former Soviet superpower and the current foreign forces.

“The Russians were here to colonize and make us part of their kingdom,” Lodin said. “ISAF is here as our guest, to help us. They left their brothers and sisters and children far away.” Lodin also reiterated the fact that Soldiers were there to help and not hurt the people of Kherwar.

With so many plans for the future, Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, who currently occupy Combat Outpost Cherokee, just a quick walk from the Kherwar District Center, have no plans to leave anytime soon.

With Kherwar’s security improving, the unit will maintain a presence to ensure the progress made at the shura does not backslide. Before ISAF troops moved into Kherwar District, there was some apprehension from local residents and Soldiers. Residents were afraid to work with troops out of fear for enemy retaliation, and service members were worried about starting missions because of the reputation that preceded it.

"We believed that Kherwar was the ultimate boogey man, but things are starting to change here, now that we have started to focus more on the area," said Lt. Col. Thomas Gukeisen, Task Force Iron Titan commander.

"We're executing projects, we've conducted security operations to increase security in Kherwar, and today we had between 53 and 58 elders from the Kherwar bowl,” said Col. David B. Haight, Task Force Spartan commander.“This leadership was willing to come in here and talk to this group (of elders) in this area with a sense of security. That couldn't have happened 90 days ago.

"With the Afghan elections around the corner, reassurances of ISAF troops and the local government help to bolster the people of Afghanistan.“I feel very proud, coming down here to meet the brave people of Kherwar,” Lodin said. “The first time I came to Kherwar (as the governor), people came to me with their problems. I’m glad they came to me, I want to help. “The people of Kherwar have the right to voice their complaints, and I am here to back them up,” he concluded.

2 days till Scout Sighting

Honoring The Fallen

More than 500 veterans who escorted the unclaimed remains of seven Iowa veterans to their final resting place line the procession route with American flags after providing a motorcycle escort to the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Van Meter, Iowa, April 24, 2009.

The ceremony coincided with Des Moines Navy Week, one of 22 Navy Weeks planned across America in 2009.

U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Petty Officer Gary Ward

3 days till Scout Sighting

We have come a LONG way

Still a kid at heart.

Happy 1 year in the Army Christopher.

You will never know just how PROUD of you I am.

One year ago today I stood at the airport and said goodbye to my boy. He was a new recruit in the U.S. Army and was headed to Ft. Knox, Kentucky to begin OSUT with the hopes of becoming a Cavalry Scout.

I was filled with mixed emotions that day, proud that he was on the path to fulfilling his dream, sad that he would no longer be at home, scared of the unknown and terrified of what was to come.

Alot has happened in a year.

Chris is a Proud Cavalry Scout who is confident in himself and his training. Ready to do whatever is asked of him for his Country. He is a member of a highly trained team that he enjoys and has a chain of command that he gladly looks up to and respects.

I am an Army Strong Mom, who still goes thru the gauntlet of emotions on a weekly basis, still cries when she hears the Army theme song or see's an Army comercial on tv, but now it is more out of pride than fear. If you ever find yourself behind me on the road there is no doubt that I am a Army Mom. My license plate reads CavMom and my back windshield proudly displays the Cavalry Scout crossed Sabers and the proud Army Parent bumpersticker. Our front yard proudly host the American and Army flags and the front door holds my Blue Star Mother's banner. I never turn off the front porch light, he will always be able to see his way home. And I always wear my red on Fridays.

I want to say thank you to each of you that have been here to cheer our Scout on and keep me sane thru this first year, especially Airman Mom who has been here since the beginning, always with encouragement. She inspires me to be a better blogger each day.

God Bless each and everyone of you, our Military men and women and each of their Family members.

aam

4 days till our Scout Sighting

A letter from Senator Cornyn to the White House

A letter from Senator Cornyn to the White House

Dear President Obama,
I write to express my concern about a new White House program to monitor American citizens' speech opposing your health care policies, and to seek your assurances that this program is being carried out in a manner consistent with the First Amendment and America's tradition of free speech and public discourse.

Yesterday, in an official White House release entitled "Facts are Stubborn Things," the White House Director of New Media, Macon Phillips, asserted that there was "a lot of disinformation out there," and encouraged citizens to report "fishy" speech opposing your health care policies to the White House. Phillips specifically targeted private, unpublished, even casual speech, writing that "rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation." Phillips wrote "If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

I am not aware of any precedent for a President asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed "fishy" or otherwise inimical to the White House's political interests.

By requesting that citizens send "fishy" emails to the White House, it is inevitable that the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House. You should not be surprised that these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program. As Congress debates health care reform and other critical policy matters, citizen engagement must not be chilled by fear of government monitoring the exercise of free speech rights.

I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House. I suspect that you would have been leading the charge in condemning such a program-and I would have been at your side denouncing such heavy-handed government action.

So I urge you to cease this program immediately. At the very least, I request that you detail to Congress and the public the protocols that your White House is following to purge the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and identities of citizens who are reported to have engaged in "fishy" speech. And I respectfully request an answer to the following:

How do you intend to use the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and identities of citizens who are reported to have engaged in "fishy" speech? How do you intend to notify citizens who have been reported for "fishy" speech? What action do you intend to take against citizens who have been reported for engaging in "fishy" speech?

Do your own past statements qualify as "disinformation"? For example, is it "disinformation" to note that in 2003 you said:"I happen to be a proponent of a single-payer universal health care plan"?

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

On a personal note:

Our Scout will be home in

5 days

Memo from bin Laden

FROM:- bin LADEN, O.

SENT:- 0817 TUE 11 DEC 01

TO:- Cavemates

RE:- The Cave

Hi Guys, just a few reminders and notes;

We've all been putting in long hours but we've really come together as a group and I love that.
Big thanks to Omar for putting up the poster that says, "There is no 'I' in team." as well as the one that says, 'Hang In There, Baby.'. That cat is hilarious.

However, while we are fighting a jihad, we can't forget to take care of the cave. And. frankly, I have a few concerns:

First of all, while it's good to be concerned about cruise missiles, we should be even more concerned about the scorpions in our cave. Hey, you don't want to be stung and neither do I, so we need to sweep the cave daily. I've posted a sign-up sheet near the main cave opening.

Second, it's not often I make a video address, but when I do, I'm trying to scare the most powerful country on Earth, OK? That means that, while we're taping, please do not ride your scooter around in the background. - Just while we're taping though. Thanks.

Food. I bought a box of Cheetos recently, clearly wrote "Osama" on the front, and put it on the top shelf. Today, my Cheetos were gone. Consideration - that's all I'm saying.

Finally, we've heard that there may be American soldiers in disguise trying to infiltrate our ranks. I want to set up patrols to look for them. First patrol will be Omar, Abdul, Muhammad, Akbar, and Dave.

Love you lots.

Osama

About.com

Soldier rejoins after 38-year service break

Jan 05
By Sgt. Whitney Houston

Photo credit Staff Sgt. Brock Jones
Army Maj. (Dr.) Robert Sexton, who rejoined the Army after a 38-year break in service, serves as a physician with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to the 4th Infantry Division in Baghdad.
BAGHDAD (Army News Service, Jan. 5, 2009) -- Young men and women frequently follow the footsteps of their parents and grandparents by joining the military. Army Maj. (Dr.) Robert Sexton reversed that role when he followed his two sons into the military after a 38-year-break from his previous service. Sexton was an unlikely candidate when he was commissioned in November 2007 in his mid-50s and assigned to serve as a physician with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 425th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to the 4th Infantry Division here. Sexton enlisted in the Army at 17 and left his native Cleveland in 1968 for Vietnam, where he would spend the next two years attached to the 101st Airborne Division, working with Korean troops on Army boats that provided transport, insertion and evacuation. Sexton was honorably discharged at 20 and returned home only to become disillusioned with the social upheaval happening in the United States. He and his wife decided to move to her native country of Guatemala. Sexton worked multiple jobs to support his family in Central America, but eventually decided to realize his desires and go to medical school in Guatemala. "I had always thought about medical school, but because we were just married and right out of the Army and we had two kids, I had to work two and three jobs all of the time - landscaping, painting houses. There just was no time for studies," Sexton said. "But it had always stuck in the back of my mind, and I don't know why, but we visited a medical school down in Guatemala, and they had an open-door policy." Sexton said he didn't think he would make it through that first year of medical school because of the language barrier. However, he said, because medical terminology is pretty much the same in every language, especially with the basic sciences, he passed even as his class of more than 1,200 first-year students was thinned to 120. Sexton finished medical school in Guatemala and gained his residency. He planned on staying there and starting a practice. However, when violence and turmoil spread there, he relocated his family back to the United States in 1981. Sexton regained his residency and was licensed to practice medicine in several states. Eventually, he ended up in Tucson, Ariz., where he practiced as a neonatologist, a doctor who works in intensive care for newborn babies, and started a private emergency medical practice with a close friend. Nearly two decades later, Sexton and his family began a transformation of sorts as two of his sons joined the Marine Corps, both at 17. Their decisions to join the Marines surprised and moved Sexton, he said, because they never talked about the military at home and he thought his children would get through high school and then go on to college. He began to feel the tug of inspiration. Sexton's third son, who had joined in 1997, was due to get out of the Marines in 2003, but chose to re-enlist. "He insisted on going to Iraq, so he extended himself and went into Iraq on the first wave," he said. "My two sons inspired me," he said. "Then, two years later, after reading what the Army had done over there, I got more and more inspired with everything I read." Concluding that the fight against terrorism would be a long one, and feeling he could still make a contribution, Sexton accepted a commission to the Army in November 2007 and has been serving as a doctor in Baghdad since October. "I figured we have less than 1 percent of the American people in the service, and some of those people are going to need a break sometime - and that's what I aim to do. I'm still physically fit. I thought I could make a contribution," Sexton said. Sexton's decision to rejoin the Army after a 38-year break in service leaves him little possibility of earning a military retirement because of his age. Still, he said, he derives satisfaction from making a contribution to a noble cause - working with Iraqi forces to bring medical care and training to needy areas in Baghdad. "He blows us away. He's pushing 60, and he's more physically fit than some of the younger guys here," said Army 1st Sgt. George Guerra, the battalion's senior enlisted leader. "We hardly ever see him because he's always gone doing these combined medical engagements. He's really into his work, and he loves it. He just wants to get out and do this work with the Iraqi people." Sexton said he finds great satisfaction helping Iraqis by providing them with needed medical care, and he expressed a desire when his tour is over to go to other places with the Army where he can continue his work. "I'll be going to Afghanistan next year with my old unit," Sexton said. "After Afghanistan, I would like to go to the Horn of Africa, because that's where I think civil affairs probably shines the most. I would like to do tours in Central and South America because of the language, and I wouldn't mind going to the Philippines."

(Sgt. Whitney Houston serves in the Multinational Division Baghdad public affairs office.)

Curtesy of Army.mil

Military working dogs give Soldiers run for their money

Aug 5, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Jason Douglas and Pfc. Justin Naylor, 2BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

1st Lt. John Reed, a Milton, Del., native and platoon leader with 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, attempts to evade Capka, a military working dog, during a demonstration at Forward Operating Base Warrior in Kirkuk, Iraq, Aug. 1. The demonstration was to not only entertain Soldiers but to educate leaders on the capabilities of the military working dog.

KIRKUK, Iraq -- Four legs are better than two when trying to evade a military working dog. No matter how fast the dozen or so Soldiers from 15th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, ran, they couldn't outrun Buli and Capka, a pair of German Sheppard military working dogs, during a demonstration on Forward Operating Base Warrior, Aug. 1. Soldiers volunteered to don bite suits and were given a head start before the dogs were released. Spc. Corey Jones, a Baltimore, Md., native and a water purification specialist with 15th BSB, sprinted with all his might, and although he made it farther than most, his run ended with him in the dirt and the dog still tugging on his arm."It was pretty rough," said Jones. "That dog's got a little bit of power." "The suit helps neutralize it, but if you weren't wearing it [bite suit] that would be a wrap," he joked. "I was surprised by the amount of power," said Spc. Stephen Price, a Spokane, Wash., native and a petroleum supply specialist with 15th BSB who observed the demonstration. "They may look light," he said about the dogs. "But they will take you down."Although watching Soldiers getting taken out by the dogs was probably the most entertaining part, it was not the sole goal of the demonstration."The goal of these demonstrations is to inform commanders and leaders about the type of support military working dogs can provide," said Tech. Sgt. Matt Troiano, a Dublin, Calif., native and Buli's handler. Troiano is a military policeman assigned to 3rd BCT, 25th Infantry Division, and attached to FOB Warrior."We do lots of raids, locate weapons caches, track spotters, and find improvised explosive devices buried underground," Troiano said. "Their nose is what saves lives."The handlers started the demonstration by giving the Soldiers a class about the capabilities of the dogs, emphasizing their ability to find narcotics and explosives. The Soldiers then followed the dogs through an area where the handlers had hidden narcotics and explosives and watched as the dogs sniffed them out one by one. "We just hope to educate units, so when we go out with them they know what we can and can't do," said Sgt. Henry Rabs, a Mendon, Mass., native and Capka's handler. "It makes running missions with them a lot easier."Rabs is also a military policeman assigned 3rd BCT, 25th Inf. Div. and attached to FOB Warrior.According to Rabs, generally, the dogs are called on missions not for their ability to attack, but for their ability to safely identify hidden explosives. "To be able to say that a dog sniffed out an IED that could have killed 10 Soldiers is a great feeling," he said.Buli and Capka are just two of six military working dogs assigned to this specific team at FOB Warrior, and regularly assist the units here. "We go on quite an array of missions," said Rabs. According to Troiano, when they are not on missions, the dogs and their handlers train most of the week and give demonstrations to Soldiers around the FOB. "By educating leaders today on the capabilities of the dogs, they will be able to call on them for future deployments," said Troiano."The dogs love it; it's all a game to them," said Rabs.

Curtesy of: Army.mil

Air mobility Rodeo

07/19/2009 -
Participants in Air Mobility Rodeo 2009 run in a Fit to Fight event July 19, 2009, at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. Rodeo is an international combat skills and flying operations competition designed to enhance mobility operations among international partners. During the Fit to Fight event, units competed against each other in push-up and sit-up competitions and a 1.5-mile run.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Joe Springfield/Released)

Infantry foot patrols disrupt insurgents, aid remote Afghan villages

Aug 6, 2009
By Spc. Elisebet Freeburg, Joint Sustainment Command - Afghanistan

Photo Credit: Spc. Elisebet Freeburg, Joint Sustainment Command - Afghanistan.

Capt. Jason V. Basilides, a 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, platoon leader from Virginia Beach, Va., speaks to local leaders through interpreter Najeeb Ghafoori during a foot patrol, July 27, in Deh Chopan district, Zabul province.

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Soldiers of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment at Forward Operating Base Baylough have one mission, disrupt the enemy. Austere FOB Baylough lies 7,500 feet above sea level in a valley below the Hindu Kush mountains. Because of rocky terrain, most patrols to the remote, local villages in the Deh Chopan district, Zabul province, are dismounted, or foot patrols. Although they conduct offensive operations based on specific intelligence reports, the Soldiers accomplish most of their counterinsurgency through daily, key leader engagement patrols. The Soldiers rotate, so each squad patrols every three days."We're trying to build trust with [local leaders]," said Sergeant 1st Class Stephen Carney, a 1-4 Inf. Regt. platoon sergeant from Norwood, Mass. “Give us information where the bad guys are, and we'll go fix them for you, so they won't be a problem.”During a KLE patrol, the patrol leader speaks with village elders, seeking information about insurgents hiding in surrounding mountains or recent insurgent activity. With Afghanistan's presidential election scheduled for August, Soldiers commonly ask villagers if they plan on voting or if they are registered to vote. “The Taliban is as much as a danger to them as they are to us,” said Pfc. Wesley R. Gatewood, a 1-4 Inf. Regt. infantryman from Oak Hills, Calif.Local leaders often tell Soldiers the village's needs, and the troops assist when possible. The 1-4 Inf. Reg. have built bridges and are planning a community center and a school.Soldiers often provide medical care on KLE patrols. A medic accompanies each patrol and evaluates and treats locals who are ill or injured.Troops also update their biometric database by collecting fingerprint and retinal scans from locals, using the Hand-held Interagency Identity Detection Equipment. “We look for something that doesn't look right,” said Sgt. Christian Cisenero, a 1-4 Inf. Regt. team leader from San Diego, Calif. “If they are nervous, trying to walk away from us, or trying not to make eye contact, usually that is a big clue.”Soldiers on a KLE patrol, July 26, also collected fragments from a suspected insurgent-fired rocket. The 1-4 Inf. Regt. sends evidence they find on patrols to a counter-improvised explosive device team at Kandahar Airfield for analysis.Foreign, insurgent fighters from China, Chechnya and Uzbek use horses to travel the Hindu Kush mountains, said Staff Sgt. Azhar M. Sher, a 1-4 Inf. Regt. squad leader from Baltimore, Md. The FOB Baylough Soldiers investigate horses and riders they encounter while on patrol. They also examine motorcycles, which are also commonly used by insurgents for travel.“Nine out of 10 times our gut feeling is right,” said Sher. “We’ve been to these towns so many times, we are able to tell when someone or something isn't right.” As part of establishing trust and communication with the Afghan populace, Afghan National Army soldiers and Afghan National Police officers often patrol with 1-4 Inf. Regt. Soldiers. Although ANA soldiers are relatively new to the area, ANP officers have been present for five years and are very knowledgeable about the area and operations, said Carney.“[ANA soldiers and ANP officers] will do any mission we ask them to do,” said Carney. “And we will do it side by side.” There are many dangers on patrols, such as injuries due to the terrain or illness from the heat.Soldiers also face enemy attacks from ambushes, snipers and IEDs. Medics are trained to assess and assist casualties, and call for a medical evacuation back to FOB Lagman or KAF if needed.Patrols can extend as far as seven kilometers, and each Soldier carries about 60 pounds of equipment through orchards, fields, mountainous terrain and waterways. Soldiers pack enough gear and supplies to last 48 hours, in case they are delayed by enemy contact. If Soldiers discover an IED while on patrol, they must wait at that location until an explosive ordnance disposal team, a military bomb squad, arrives to safely destroy or disable the device. As a result, patrols may take as long as three hours to two days, said Gatewood.“I think [patrols] help Operation Enduring Freedom, because it’s all about stabilization for Afghanistan, and that’s what we try to bring,” said Gatewood.The 1-4 Inf. Regt. has assisted the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2004 and has worked and trained with the Romanian Royal Army at FOBs Baylough, Mizan and Lane since 2006. When Bravo Company Soldiers finish their six month rotation and return to their home station in Hohenfels, Germany, they will train coalition forces in counterinsurgency operations.

Curtesy of Army.mil

Tuesday Photo

Mass jump, command change highlight Ranger Rendezvous

Aug 6, 2009

By USASOC

Photo credit USASOC

A mass airborne operation involving more than 1,000 Soldiers of the 75th Ranger Regiment begins the biennial Ranger Rendezvous Aug. 3, at Fort Benning, Ga.

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Army News Service, Aug. 6, 2009) -- More than 1,000 Rangers from the 75th Ranger Regiment soared above Fryar Drop Zone here, Monday in a mass tactical airborne operation officially beginning Ranger Rendezvous 2009.The culmination of the biennial rendezvous was a ceremony Thursday morning in which Col. Michael E. Kurilla assumed command of the 75th Ranger Regiment from Col. Richard D. Clarke. The ceremony was held on the National Infantry Museum field at Fort Benning.Every two years, since the first Ranger Rendezvous was held in 1987, the week-long event has begun with the jump, which is conducted in combat equipment in excess of 70 pounds. It provides an opportunity for the regiment to showcase some of its tactics and abilities to family members and Ranger veterans, who may not normally be able to witness such demonstrations."The key for this week, since it only happens every two years, is to bring in all the Rangers not currently forward and just enjoy the camaraderie," said Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Hardy, 75th Ranger Regiment command sergeant major. "It helps to build espirit de corps, and also allows us to showcase, for the veterans and distinguished visitors coming in, the regiment's capabilities and current state."Although all four of the regiment's battalions were represented in the jump, many of their Rangers could not be present as they are either preparing to deploy or are currently serving overseas."Not only is our Army and our nation at war, but most importantly this regiment is at war," said Col. Richard Clarke, 75th Ranger Regiment commanding officer.With more than half of the regiment currently deployed, Clarke said it would be a much larger event had all his Rangers been able to attend.Much coordination had to be in place as all four battalions prepared to jump from the C-130 Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. With battalions from Fort Lewis, Wash., and Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., linking up mid-flight with those from Fort Benning, safety and communication were crucial."Safety is key," said Clarke, who also acted as the airborne commander for the jump. "We don't get to do this often, so we really have to stress the importance of safety."For the family members present, the jump provided them a glimpse of how their Rangers operate. The regiment is highly trained in airborne insertions to seize key objectives, often hitting multiple targets in rapid succession."Movement to contact as soon as we hit the ground," Clarke said. "When you call the 75th Ranger Regiment in, no one can do it better. If you look at what Rangers are doing every single day in this conflict, and you look at the changes that have been made, how much we've developed as a regiment, you can't lose sight of that."Clarke said the Regiment is able to be so successful in its missions, not because of technological advantages, but because of the Rangers on the ground."It's because of what the Ranger squad leader, platoon sergeant and team leader has done," he said. "The flexibility and adaptability you all bring to the fight. Because of that, this regiment will stay out there after the relentless pursuit of the enemies of our country."The Ranger Rendezvous included several days of sporting events such as football, boxing and combatives, as well as a regimental barbeque.

(Information provided by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command News Service.)

Curtesty of: Army.mil

Country Folks in the Army

Mr. and Mrs. Braithwaite Backus,
Bald Buzzard Ridge Mountainville, KY

Dear Ma and Pa:
Am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Army beats working for old man Minch. Tell them to join up quick before all the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m.( but am getting so I like to sleep late. All you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things -- no hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. You got to shave, but it is not bad in warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, beef, ham steak, fried eggplant, pie and regular food, but you can always sit between two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you till noon, when you get fed.
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go on "route marches," which, the Sgt. says, are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys all get sore feet and we ride back in trucks. The country is nice, but awful flat.

The Sgt. is like a schoolteacher. He nags some. The Capt. is like the school board. Cols. and Gens. just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.
I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why, the bull's-eye is near big as a chipmonk and don't move and it ain't shooting at you, like the Higsett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it, you don't even load your own cartridges they come in boxes.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellows get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving son, Zeb

P.S. Speaking of shooting, enclosed is $200 for barn roof and ma's teeth. The city boys shoot craps, but not very good.

Curtesty of: http: About.com

7th Engineer Battalion troops receive combat patch in Iraq

The Mountaineer Home Page.

July 30, 2009

From 7th Engineer Battalion

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Standing on a hot and dusty field July 21, Soldiers of 7th Engineer Battalion received the first official recognition of their service in Iraq. For the first time since Operation Just Cause in 1989, personnel assigned to 7th Engineer Battalion have earned the right to wear the “shoulder sleeve insignia, wartime service,” otherwise known as the combat patch. In a brief ceremony, senior leaders of the battalion and its companies presented each Soldier with the 20th Engineer Brigade patch and thanked all of them for their service. The history of the combat patch began during World War I, when Soldiers were authorized and encouraged by General Pershing to wear distinctive unit patches on their uniforms. In later years, the policy was expanded to allow Soldiers to also wear the insignia of a unit they had served with in combat, in order to honor their service and sacrifice in the defense of liberty and freedom. Today, the Army is the only military service that formally authorizes a Soldier to wear the unit patch of a wartime element on the uniform, publicly confirming the individual’s status as a combat veteran. Current regulations only authorize wear of the patch of the regular higher headquarters; although 7th Engineer Battalion is attached to 555th Engineer Brigade and is working in general support to 34th Infantry Division, Soldiers will wear the 20th Engineer Brigade patch. “Each one of you (has) earned this through your support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and you should wear this with honor and pride – pride in yourself and your fellow Soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Chris Barron, 7th Engineer Battalion commander, during the patch ceremony.Most of the battalion, which left Fort Drum in early June, is currently serving its first tour in Iraq. The 630th Clearance Company, which recently arrived in Afghanistan, will work in support of coalition forces in Regional Command South. The 95th and 520th Firefighting Detachments deployed to Afghanistan earlier this week.

Army warns troops to avoid 'diploma mills'

From Fort Leavenworth Lamp

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – The Army is warning Soldiers to avoid unaccredited colleges and universities that offer instant degrees supposedly based on military experience or training.
"The Army Human Resources Command is initiating an all-out campaign to warn Soldiers about these educational establishments and to work with Army educators and personnelists to ensure Soldiers are not enticed by unscrupulous vendors to purchase these fraudulent documents," said a message sent to all Army activities earlier this month.
"Soldiers who knowingly purchase one of these documents from a 'diploma mill' and attempt to have it placed in their official military personnel file for purposes of promotion (or) assignment consideration or other military reasons are perpetrating a crime, which may be punishable under the (Uniform Code of Military Justice)," the ALARACT message said.
"Diploma mills" are schools that offer certificates, degrees and diplomas for a fee. They are not accredited or recognized by the Department of Education, the message said.
Army tuition assistance is not approved for these schools, promotion points are not authorized and the credential will not be posted to official military records, the message added.The message also listed resources educators that personnel specialists and Soldiers can check to see if a school is accredited.
The web site www.goarmyed.com lists all accredited institutions used by Soldiers to obtain degrees. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation web site, www.chea.org, lists all colleges and universities that are nationally and regionally accredited. The American Council on Education also publishes a book and CD, "Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education." The Department of Education maintains a database of accredited postsecondary education institutions and programs at http://ope.ed .gov/accreditation/.For more information on accredited educational opportunities, Soldiers and Families may visit the Education Center on their installation.

Army picks first female commandant to lead Drill Sergeant School

Jul 30, 2009
By Crystal Lewis Brown

Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa King

Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa King's appointment as commandant of the Drill Sergeant School makes her the first woman to hold the position.
Photo credit Crystal Lewis Brown

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Army News Service, July 30, 2009) -- The 369th Adjutant General Battalion's Command Sgt. Maj. Teresa King has been chosen to be the next commandant of the Drill Sergeant School.

The assignment will make King the school's first female commandant. She will officially become commandant during a change of responsibility ceremony in September.
King, who said she learned of the selection in June, will replace Command Sgt. Maj. Gary Newsome as head of the school.
The Clinton, N.C.-native said the appointment is ironic. The 28-year Army veteran enlisted in 1980, and she found herself going to the same school she will soon lead three years later as a specialist
."I went to drill sergeant school before I went to my basic school for my (military occupational specialty)," she said. "The Drill Sergeant School has set the foundation for my training, so it's ironic that I'm going home.
"Despite her rank, she said she was expected to perform like the rest of the students.
"They held me to the same standards that they held the (other) drill sergeants," she said.
Her graduation was held in the morning, she said, "and I was on the trail that afternoon.
"King said it is important to note that a hard worker will shine, regardless of gender.
"It really doesn't matter if you're male or female," she said. "If you...enforce standards, people will respect you.
"King said it has not really set in that she will be the first woman to hold the school's top spot, but said she hopes the selection will encourage other women.
"Because I'm doing it...that means another female command sergeant major can do it," she said. "I think it's going to set the bar higher for them. Not just for drill sergeants but for other female Soldiers.
"Even now, she said, being selected as commandant is a surprise.
"It's sort of one of those moments of...utter disbelief," she said.
She added that she is honored and humbled by the selection, and is grateful for the chance to take the reins.
"I feel like I'm chosen to lead a noncommissioned officer who is charged with a high degree of responsibility.
I'm responsible for them as they lead, mentor, counsel and train America's finest,"There's nothing else that can compare to that."

(Crystal Lewis Brown writes for Fort Jackson Leader)

HOOAH SCOUT

Chris called me late last week and was in a really good mood, which means he wanted to talk and had something important to report.

I am pleased to announce that our Scout has been promoted to PFC.

It is hard to believe that in 13 days he will be celebrating his 1 yr anniversary as a Soldier. He has come a long way since this time last year and I for one could not be any prouder.

He is doing great and looking forward to Block Leave. I can't wait to see him, it has been 6 months since he was home and it will be quite awhile before he will be back after this leave period.

I am hoping we will have time while he is home to do another set of photos and to convince him to do a "guest blogger" spot for us.

Way to go Scout!!

Love, mom

Tuesday Photo

07/20/2009 - U.S. Navy Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Nolberto F. Donate of the amphibious transport dock USS Denver (LPD 9) visit, board, search and seizure team, embarks Landing Craft, Utility 1627 during a Talisman Sabre 2009 training exercise July 20, 2009.

Talisman Sabre is a biennial combined training activity designed to train Australian and U.S. forces.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Casey H. Kyhl/Released)

A Hero comes home

Officials Identify Gulf War Pilot’s Remains

American Forces Press Service

Military officials have identified remains found in Iraq’s Anbar province as those of

Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, who was shot down while flying an F/A-18 Hornet combat mission on Jan. 17, 1991.

U.S. Navy photo

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2009 – Remains found last month in Iraq’s Anbar province are those of Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, who was shot down flying a combat mission in an F/A-18 Hornet on Jan. 17, 1991, and whose fate until now had been uncertain, Defense Department officials reported today.

Acting on information provided by Iraqi civilians, Marines stationed in Anbar province went to a desert location believed to be the crash site of Speicher’s jet, and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology positively identified remains recovered there Speicher’s.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Captain Speicher's family for the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said. "I am also extremely grateful to all those who have worked so tirelessly over the last 18 years to bring Captain Speicher home."

The Navy’s top uniformed officer also praised the effort to determine Speicher’s fate and expressed gratitude for the fallen aviator’s sacrifice. “Our Navy will never give up looking for a shipmate, regardless of how long or how difficult that search may be,” said Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations. “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Captain Speicher and his family for the sacrifice they have made for our nation and the example of strength they have set for all of us.”

In early July, an Iraqi civilian told Marines he knew twotwo people who recalled an American jet crashing and the remains of the pilot being buried. One of those people said he was present when Bedouins found Speicher dead and buried his remains. The Iraqis led Marines to the site, and the Marines searched the area. Remains were recovered over several days during the past week and were flown to Dover Air Force Base, Del., for scientific identification by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology’s Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner.

The recovered remains include bones and skeletal fragments. Positive identification was made by comparing Speicher’s dental records with the jawbone recovered at the site. The teeth are a match, both visually and radiographically, officials said.

While dental records have confirmed the remains to be Speicher’s, officials said, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology DNA Lab in Rockville, Md., is running DNA tests on the remains and comparing them to DNA reference samples previously provided by his family. Results are expected tomorrow.

(From a Defense Department news release.)

Watch Out bin Laden, We May Be Crazier Than You!

To those extremists that perpetrated this crime against our nation, I have a warning for you. There are those of us who look at your actions as irrational, twisted, and completely inhuman. By all measures, what you have done can only be seen as insane. I have news for you. We're more nuts than you, and it should scare you s***less.
You may think that when you die for your cause, you go to Paradise with 72 virgins, can leave reservations for 70 members of your family, all your sins are forgiven, and you sit at the side of Allah. Big deal.

We had 39 guys who rented a Beverly Hills mansion, cut off their nuts, built a web site, and proceeded to poison themselves to death to hitch a ride with aliens out on the Hale-Bopp comet.

You shoot guns into the sky to celebrate victories over enemies, and people are killed by the bullets raining down on them. We not only do this for New Year's Eve in some cities, but we burn houses down, tear up streets, loot and sack our stores, and beat our selves senseless when our sports teams win championships. Sports teams!

We made a sequel to Police Academy 5.

We gave an award for singing to two guys who never even sang.

We put little sweaters on dogs.

We shot John Lennon six times and didn't even aim for Yoko Ono.

We think Elvis is still alive.

We put Braille on drive-up automatic teller machines.

We think that a simple button on a web site that says "Do not click if you're under 21" will do anything but cause a person under 21 to click on it.

We take a large chunk of the island on which those buildings you destroyed sat and pretend that it isn't a part of our country after all, let people fly in to our airports that we want to kill, drive them in limousines to speak against us on this "pretend territory" land, let them drive back to our airport, and let them fly them back home without a scratch.

We sell hot dogs in packages of ten and the buns in packages of eight.

We can't even decide if pitchers should have to bat for themselves or not. All those baseball fields we've got. none of them are even remotely the same size.

We gave millions of dollars to a guy that told us that God was going to kill him if he didn't raise enough money. When he didn't get enough money, he didn't die. So we gave him more money in celebration of the fact that God didn't make him die.

We've managed to keep the formulas for Coca-Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken secret for decades, we encrypt the most banal communications on our Information Superhighway, and yet we given away our most important nuclear secrets to the Chinese and Russians at the drop of a hat.

And yet, with all this on the A-1 Psycho balance sheet, you still think you're more nuts than us that this won't result in your complete and utter annihilation? One way or another, your way of life will be over, period.

Freedom's kind of a crazy, kooky, nutty thing when you look really close at it and all the bizarre and loony things that can result from it, but it's better than any other ideas anybody else has come up with. It's been that way since 1776, and built to last no matter how insanely we try to screw it up on a daily basis.

We are even so nuts and ruthless enough as a nation to start insanely tearing at those of ourselves that even remotely resemble you in such rancorous, deplorable, and angry ways that will make you wonder if Allah has enough glue to piece enough of you back together for a flesh paperweight in Paradise.

We may not know where you are now, but when we do I guarantee you that the majority of our high school children will still have no idea where on the globe where you are or where you will end up being buried. But we will send them anyway, and we will allow those of them that went into the armed services because they didn't manage to get into college *still* rain down Hell and fire on your worthless hides. It will all come down on you, because we're nuts enough to give all four of our branches of military services extremely powerful and deadly aircraft even though only one of them is actually called the Air Force.

Picking a fight with the most insane nation on Earth with the hope that your message and influence will spread throughout the world, well, that's just downright stupid.

Curtesy of: About.com

Face of Defense: Mortuary NCO Ensures Dignified Transfer of Fallen

By Army Spc. Elisebet Freeburg

Special to American Forces Press Service

Troops bow their heads during a chaplain’s prayer during transfer of a fallen comrade at a ramp ceremony on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ashleigh Bryant

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, July 20, 2009 – Many people have trouble viewing the deceased or coping with the emotions of witnessing the transfer of a fallen comrade. For Army Staff Sgt. John A. Rosado, it is an honor to ensure fallen heroes are returned home in a timely and dignified manner.

It is a regular part of Rosado’s job to attend ramp ceremonies here, where U.S. and coalition forces stand in formation behind an open aircraft while the casket of a fallen hero is carried up the walkway. Paying their last respects to the one who gave all, troops salute the hero. The pallbearers, his former comrades, shoulder their heavy burden with somber faces as they slowly march past the long rows of servicemembers to the waiting plane. “The purpose of a ramp ceremony is to give a final farewell to our comrades, especially for the unit who’s suffering the loss,” said Rosado, a reservist from Clermont, Fla. “It’s to pay respect to the person who paid the ultimate sacrifice.” A soldier since 1993 and a civilian corrections officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Rosado has worked in mortuary affairs since 2000 and is the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan mortuary affairs noncommissioned officer in charge. “Our job is to make sure to expedite our fallen comrades back to loved ones in a timely manner,” he said. The mortuary affairs collection point here, one of two for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, serves regional commands South and West, and is managed by the NATO Maintenance and Supply Association. The collection point at Bagram Airfield serves regional commands North and East. Rosado became a mortuary affairs specialist after a six-week course at Fort Lee, Va., that included working at a morgue, taking fingerprints of remains and assisting technicians in autopsies. Rosado helps to prepare fallen heroes for transfer to Dover Air Force Base, Del., where each receives a dignified transfer to the Dover Port Mortuary for final preparations of the remains. When Rosado receives notification of a fallen comrade, he first alerts personnel to stand by while he collects information about the arrival of the remains. “In a respectful manner, with the unit escorts, we’ll unload the remains from the plane,” he said. The mortuary affairs personnel and the unit escorts proceed to the mortuary collection point, where remains are screened for unexploded ordnance, ammunition and sensitive weapons. “Once they’re screened, they enter a holding area,” Rosado said. “A chaplain will do a small, informal prayer over the remains with the unit representatives.” After the fallen troop’s comrades leave, mortuary personnel remove personal effects from the remains. Dover personnel later will cleanse the remains and conduct an autopsy. Once the belongings have been inventoried and paperwork is completed, the remains will be stored in ice inside transfer cases in refrigerated vans. Rosado then contacts the movement control team at the airfield to receive a transportation control number, scans the documents and sends them to the mobility section to book a flight. Rosado’s final duty is the ramp ceremony, organized through the 649th Regional Support Group. Rosado and mortuary personnel prepare by tying a U.S. flag over the transfer case. “It’s so when the pallbearers load the case on the plane, the flag is already folded properly,” he explained. They then transport the flag-draped case to the flightline, where U.S. and coalition servicemembers line up in formation. The mortuary affairs specialists then bring the van forward to send the servicemember home. “Not many people can [handle seeing] a deceased person, or the cause of death, in this state,” Rosado said. “It’s a privilege and an honor. It helps give the family closure.”

(Army Spc. Elisebet Freeburg serves with the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan.)