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