LIFELINER WEST WEST “If you want it done, call the 101!” Gun truck battery changes command. Page 4 773rd TC Memorial. Page 2 142nd shows 352nd around new home. Page 3 Volume 2, No. 15 Deployment Edition Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, IRAQ July 1, 2006 Maj. Richard Lazik, battalion support operations OIC, hands a piece of candy to a child in an individual displaced persons camp near Dahuk during a recent humanitarian mission. Story on Page 5. Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune A Tribute to the 142nd CSB To commemorate the battalion change of command... 142nd CSB cele- brates Army’s 231st Birthday with Grand Opening of MWR, HEAT, barbecue. Story on Page 4. 142nd CSB opens new Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, rollover simulator. Story on Page 3.
Transcript
LIFELINERWESTWEST“If you want it done, call the 101!”
Gun truck battery
changes command.
Page 4
773rd TC
Memorial.
Page 2
142nd shows
352nd around
new home.
Page 3
Volume 2, No. 15 Deployment Edition Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, IRAQ July 1, 2006
Maj. Richard Lazik, battalion support operations OIC, hands a piece of candy to a child in an individual displaced
persons camp near Dahuk during a recent humanitarian mission. Story on Page 5.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
A Tribute to the 142nd CSBTo commemorate the battalion change of command...
142nd CSB cele-
brates Army’s 231st
Birthday with Grand
Opening of MWR,
HEAT, barbecue.
Story on Page 4.
142nd CSB opens
new Humvee
Egress Assistance
Trainer, rollover
simulator.
Story on Page 3.
Sgt. Michael Kentner spoke of Velez’ humility,strength of character and love of his children, as wellas his expertise in brewing the perfect cup of coffee.
“I know Java Joe will be dearly missed by anyonehis life touched,” said Kentner.
Capt. Thomas Sullivan, 773rd company com-mander, eulogized Velez, remembering him for hissarcastic humor, humble nature and lead-from-the-
front nature.“Somehow, he always had the words to
put you at ease,” said Sullivan. He spoke ofgoing to Velez’ living area to watch a moviewith fellow Soldiers. Velez spent so muchtime making sure everyone was comfortable,a fellow Soldier had to remind him to sitdown and watch the movie.
“You will be forever in our mind andhearts,” said Sullivan. “May you rest in peace.”
After a slideshow depicting Velez in moments fromthe unit’s activation, training and deployment, Maj.Kenneth Gesch, 71st Corps Support Battalion chap-lain, gave a few words of meditation and a benedic-tion.
1st Sgt. Vincent J. Mannion sounded a final rollcall of the company. When he came to Velez, hecalled out his name three times, waiting for thesilence that followed.
An honor guard from the 317th MaintenanceCompany fired three volleys in a 21-gun salute, fol-lowed by the playing of “Taps.”
Soldiers then paid their respects to Velez, salutinghis memorial. Some reached out to touch the emptyboots as a last gesture of farewell.
July 1, 2006LIFELINER WESTPage 2
LIFELINER WESTSTAFF
Brigade CommanderCol. James D. Scudieri
Brigade Command Sergeant MajorCSM Stephen D. Blake
Public Affairs OfficerSgt. 1st Class Lori Simmons
Art & GraphicsSgt. Patricia Tso
Contributing WritersSgt. Mitch ArmbrusterSgt. Rachel A. BruneSgt. Melissa GaryJames F. JenningsCapt. A. Michelle MooreSgt. Tracey Sheedey
The Lifeliner West, Deployment Issue: Vol. 2, No. 15,is published bimonthly by the 101st Sustainment
Brigade Public Affairs Office to disseminate com-mand information throughout all subordinate ele-
ments of the brigade and units residing on Q-WestBase Complex, and to raise and promote the moraleof the troops. • Contents of this publication are notnecessarily the official views of or endorsed by, theUnited States government or the Department of theArmy. • The editorial content of this publication is
the responsibility of the 101st Sustainment BrigadePublic Affairs Office. • Articles and photos of inter-est to the brigade and its elements are invited andmay be submitted to Sgt. Rachel A. Brune, Editor. •To contact the PAO, please call: 302-243-5104, or
FOB MAREZ, Iraq – As Headquarters andHeadquarters Detachment, 142nd Corps SupportBattalion, prepares to redeploy to its home station ofFort Polk, La., its Soldiers had a few more chances tovisit one of the ancient sites of Iraq.
Capt. John P. Smith, battalion chaplain, has con-ducted several tours of the Dair Mar Elia, or Monasteryof Saint Elijah, located within the military complexhere.
Originally established in the 6th century A.D. by MarElia, a monk from Turkey, the stone and mortar build-ing has since gone through many changes. It was ren-ovated, and then destroyed, in the 17th century A.D.and renovated again in the 20th century.
The Soldiers who visit from Marez and LSADiamondback follow in the footsteps of pilgrims fromMosul and the surrounding Nineveh Province whoflocked to the monastery during the Mar Elia Holiday inNovember.
When the Iraqi army built a military compoundaround the monastery, the number of visitors wasreduced if not completely curtailed.
Now, the site is fenced off and visitors must obtain akey from the Marez Mayors Cell in order to tour thebuilding. Smith described the many groups he hasbrought through the site, some of whom have beeninterested in the history of the site, and others who findspiritual interest there.
In addition to the cells surrounding the courtyardand the chapel area, there is a cistern located withinthe walls.
Outside, a large well, now dry, is situated against thehill.
More information can be found on the Internetregarding the site, which has been visited by manyincluding news media and Soldiers with a backgroundin archaeology.
Http://christiansofiraq.com/monastery.html
Soldiers from the 142nd Corps Support Battalion and
101st Sustainment Brigade take pictures of the courtyard
of the Dair Mar Elia monastery, as viewed through the
entrance to the ruins.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
Soldiers from across the 101st SustainmentBrigade filled the MWR Theater to overflowing hereto pay tribute to a fallen comrade June 12.
Friends of Sgt. Jose M. Velez, 773rdTransportation Company, spoke of his kindness,sense of humor and strong sense of duty during thememorial service held in his honor on whatwould have been his 36th birthday.
“Anyone who looked in his eyes and hissmile could see the kindness in his heart,”said Sgt. Aja Andreu, of the Bronx, N.Y.native, who was known as “Java Joe” to hisfellow Soldiers.
Velez was killed in action in Kirkuk June9 when an improvised explosive device deto-nated near his vehicle during a combat logisticspatrol.
The 773rd Trans. Co., a Reserve unit fromQueens, N.Y., was activated in support of OperationIraqi Freedom in February 2006. The unit arrived incountry in April 2006.
Velez was always ready to invite someone in andoffer them a cup of his famous coffee, although healso like to go off on his own to think and reflect,said Andreu, a fellow member of the gun truck pla-toon. He also enjoyed stargazing.
The night of his death, the sky was too dusty tosee the stars. When word came of Velez’ death, thesky cleared for just a few hours.
“I truly believe Joe was with us all at thatmoment,” said Andreu.
IInn MMeemmoorriiaamm:: 773rd bids farewell to comradeBy Sgt. Rachel A. Brune101st Sustainment Brigade
A 773rd Transportation Company Soldier pays his
final respects to Sgt. Jose Velez.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
Ready for your 15 minutes of fame?Contact the brigade public affairs office!
(302) 673-5142
By Sgt. Rachel A. Brune101st Sustainment Brigade
Page 3July 1, 2006 LIFELINER WEST
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
Spc. Angel Ocegueda, 298th Maintenance Company, acts as a safety on the
Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer, as Staff Sgt. James Jett, 872nd Maintenance
Company, operates the simulator during unveiling ceremonies June 14 .
LSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq – TheSoldiers of the 142nd Corps SupportBattalion no longer have to survive adeadly situation to describe what it islike to roll over in an uparmoredHumvee.
With the unveiling of the first andonly Humvee Egress AssistanceTrainer, or HEAT, in Iraq June 14, theSoldiers now have another weapon inthe safety arsenal to combat Humveerollovers, which have claimed 13 livesin 2006 alone.
“We want to make sure that we haveno more memorial services and nomore trips to the hospital,” said Lt.Col. Ronald Green, battalion com-mander.
The HEAT is an M1114, or upar-mored Humvee, chassis mounted onan axle, powered by a generator. Whenin operation, the device rotates theentire chassis to simulate a rolloversituation.
“When you’re upside down, you’redisoriented,” said Capt. James George,company commander, 473rdQuartermaster Company. “That wasthe worst complication – figuring outhow to open the door.”
George explained, he had not beenable to imagine a rollover situationclearly before participating in the sim-ulator.
“It’s a great device,” said George, ofBirmingham, Ala. “It’s going to help
save lives.”During the initial unveiling ceremo-
ny, held at the battalion’s celebrationof the Army’s 231st birthday, eachsubordinate unit commander and firstsergeant donned body armor andkevlars to experience the simulator.The operator first rocked the chassis toa 25 degree angle, the angle at whichan uparmored Humvee will roll over,then spun it the other way to simulatea rollover. The occupants then had to
exit the vehicle while it was positionedupside down.
“It’s a great trainer to assist Soldiersto know at what angle they’re going toroll over [and] how to exit,” said 1stSgt. Perry Williamson, Headquartersand Headquarters Detachment, fromCanton, Miss.
Although the 142nd CSB, an activeduty unit from Fort Polk, La., has lessthan two months left on its deploy-ment, the trainer will allow futureSoldiers the ability to get the training,said Williamson.
Capt. Ronnie Crosby, HHD com-mander, of New Orleans, La., men-tioned that the initial 25 degree tiltwas surprising.
“It didn’t feel like we were going totip,” said Crosby. “Maybe that’s whywe have rollovers.”
This is the fourth HEAT in existencein the Army, and the first one in Iraq,according to James F. Jennings, safe-ty officer for the 101st SustainmentBrigade, the 142nd CSB’s parent unit.
A team of Soldiers from the 872ndand 298th Maintenance Companiesbuilt the machine, working from blue-prints released by Coalition ForcesLand Component Command at a safe-ty conference March 20.
The construction team added sever-al innovations to the original design.The battalion’s HEAT is the first toinclude a safety cage around the tur-ret, which will enable gunners to prac-tice slipping into the interior of theHumvee.
Rather than utilize commercially-fabricated parts, the project officerdecided to mobilize the Army’s vastsupply system to provide the compo-nents for the HEAT. Chief WarrantOfficer (4) Jeffrey De Wign, 298th MCTshop officer from El Paso, Texas,acquired old parts for the machinethat had been relegated to the “bone-yard” and stricken from the Army’sbooks, as well as parts that could eas-ily be ordered through the system.
“I thought to myself, we have thelargest supply inventory in the world,”said De Wijn.
The HEAT drive motor is the samemotor used to power the turret on aBradley Fighting Vehicle, and the tur-ret gear is from an Avenger driveassembly.
“This is a triumph of ingenuity andinnovation here,” said Jennings.
The entire construction took aboutseven weeks and $10,000 to complete,according to De Wijn.
Jennings attributes much of theinnovation and efficiency to the addi-tional sets of skills the Soldiersbrought to the project. The two main-tenance companies are Army Reserveunits, and the project manager, StaffSgt. James Jett, 872nd MC, is a main-tenance manager for InfiltratorSystems.
Jett, a senior quartermaster andchemical repair sergeant from Clinton,Utah, holds an Associates of AppliedScience in electrical and mechanicalengineering from Weber StateUniversity. He became involved in theproject when his shop officer showedhim a collection of parts.
“He said, ‘We want you to make arollover machine out of this pile ofjunk,’” said Jett. Although bothJennings and De Wijn gave Jett themajority of credit for the successfulcompletion of the project, he deferredthe credit to his team of Soldiers fromthe two maintenance companies.
One of the advantages of this modelof the HEAT, according to Jett, is thatit is completely self-contained and self-powered, as well as being veryportable.
The bottom line, from a safety view-point, is that with this training, thefirst time a Soldier is involved in arollover will not be the first time he orshe has gone through the experience,said Jennings. The Soldier will havethe necessary muscle memories tobring the gunner into the vehiclebefore the rollover and then exit in asafe manner.
Command Sgt. Maj. Edward L. Johnson exits the HEAT during unveiling cere-
monies June 14. Johnson and Lt. Col. Ronald Green, battalion commander, took
the official first ride in the simulator.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
New guys on the block: 352nd CSB gets guided tour of new territoryLSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq – Headquarters andHeadquarters Detachment, 142nd Corps SupportBattalion, added a personal touch to the unit’stransfer of authority process, giving a personal bustour of the base to the advance party of the 352ndCorps Support Battalion June 16.
When the 142nd CSB arrived, they received mere-ly a Powerpoint presentation telling them where var-ious facilities were, said Capt. Daniel Chase, battal-ion transitions officer. The 142nd CSB wanted togive their replacements more of a feel for wherethings were and what was available to the Soldiers.
During the bus tour, Capt. Ronnie Crosby, of NewOrleans, La., pointed out various sites including allof the battalion’s buildings, the post exchange, thechapel, the Morale, Welfare and Recreation centerand even the two-mile route for Soldiers taking theArmy Physical Fitness Test.
The 352nd CSB Soldiers, Reservists from Macon,Ga., asked several questions during the tour,remarking favorably that the base was a lot differentfrom what they had expected.
“I was rather impressed with the facilities,” Capt.Joseph Dingle, HHD commander, from August, Ga.
He added: “You can see the work the 142nd hasdone.”
The 352nd Soldiers have also attendedPowerpoint presentations during the transition, buthave received the chance to get out of the briefingroom, taking turns in the Humvee Egress AssistanceTrainer.
The 142nd CSB was very helpful, making andmaintaining contact with the 352nd CSB in order tokeep them updated with what to expect when theSoldiers arrived in theater, said Dingle.
“We’ve got some big shoes to fill,” said Dingle.
July 1, 2006LIFELINER WESTPage 4
Sgt. 1st Class Derek Jaco, 872nd Maintenance Company and the oldest Soldier in
the 142nd Corps Support Battalion, prepares to cut the birthday cake with the
youngest Soldier, Pfc. Nathan Smith, Battery B, 2-5th FA, as the battalion com-
mander and command sergeant major look on.
LSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq – Soldiersof the 142nd Corps Support Battalioncelebrated the Army’s 231st birthdaywith the grand opening of a newMorale, Welfare and Recreation centeras well as a new spiritual fitness cen-ter June 14.
Albanian and Iraqi soldiers sta-tioned on the base joined the 142ndfor a barbecue, volleyball and skits, aswell as the grand opening of theHumvee Egress Assistance Trainer.
As a disc jockey played tunes over aloudspeaker system, a crowd gatheredto watch a television screen, connectedto a pair of “spycam” glasses, worn by
the HEAT participants and showingwhat they viewed as they tumbledover.
The battalion S-6, or communica-tions, section arranged the spycam togive the Soldiers the opportunity to seethrough the eyes of someone goingthrough the training, even if theycouldn’t participate yet, according toStaff Sgt. Ronald Morgan, sectionNCOIC. Morgan and his Soldiers usedcommercial equipment to set up thesystem.
“We do what we do,” said Morgan.As the battalion commanders and
senior enlisted Soldiers strappedthemselves into the HEAT, Staff Sgt.Bradley Livingston, 872ndMaintenance Company, got busy dish-ing up barbecued chicken, hamburg-ers and hot dogs.
Livingston, an Army food serviceNCO and a civilian audiology techni-cian, from Moorehead, Minn., steppedup and took over the food line whenthere was a delay due to lack ofservers.
As Soldiers from the battalion milledaround, eating and drinking, Americanand Albanian Soldiers started a gameof volleyball on the new court. Soon acrowd gathered to watch and applaudgood moves made on both sides.
After the main course, the youngestSoldier and the oldest Soldier graspeda saber to cut the Army birthday cake,
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
142nd Soldiers celebrate Army’s 231st Birthday
By Sgt. Rachel A. Brune101st Sustainment Brigade
551st CTC carries loadLSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq– Since their arrival in the-ater 11 months ago, theSoldiers of the 551st CargoTransfer Detachment haveknown what it means tocarry the load.
“We move all of the con-tainers … for pretty muchanybody,” said Capt. JohnD. Smith Jr., detachmentcommander, of Lake Wales,Fla. He added: “We’ve beenall over northern Iraq.”
In addition to movingcontainers and transport-ing equipment on 915 trac-tor trailers, Smith’sSoldiers also performed aHeavy Equipment Trans-port, or HET, recovery mis-sion.
The furthest recoverymission was to Rawah, torecover a Stryker. That mis-sion was difficult becauseof the heavy sand, which
melting quickly in the evening heat. Sgt. 1st Class Derek Jaco, 872nd
Maint. Co. personnel and financeNCOIC, of Layton, Utah, endured somejoking about his year of birth, 1947, ashe cut the cake with Pfc. NathanSmith, Battery B, 2-5th Field ArtilleryRegiment, from Amarillo, Texas, whowas born in 1987.
With cake in hand, the Soldiers thensat down to enjoy a series of humorousskits presented by each of the battal-ion’s subordinate units.
Capt. Daniel Chase, shares a few words
with some Albanian soldiers, as they
watch a volleyball game.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
Gun truck battery changes handsLSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq –Capt. Kurt J. Cyr assumedcommand of Battery A, 1stBattalion (Airborne), 321stField Artillery Regiment, fromCapt. Sidney A. Knox in a cer-emony June 15 at the 142ndCorps Support Battalionheadquarters here.
Knox had commandedBattery A for two years,including a deployment to FortLewis in support of OperationWarrior Forge, and the cur-rent deployment in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom foran “in lieu of” mission as aConvoy Security Batter innorthwestern Iraq.
A native of Rocky Mount,N.C., Knox is transferring tothe 101st Airborne Division atForward Operating BaseSpeicher.
Cyr, a native of HamiltonSquare, N.J., most recentlyserved as an assistant opera-tions officer for the WarriorBattalion, out of Fort Bragg,N.C., and deployed to Mosul insupport of OIF.
During the ceremony, Lt.Col. Ronald Green, 142ndCSB commander, praisedKnox’s leadership and dedica-tion to his Soldiers during theseven months the Battery,from Fort Bragg, has served intheater.
Knox led from the front,
accompanying his Soldiers onmore than 315,000 milesworth of missions, said Green.In addition, Battery A con-tributed to the development ofbattalion troop to task proto-cols and to the training of the3rd Motorized TransportRegiment, Iraqi Army.
“Thank you for your leader-ship,” said Green. “You madesure your Soldiers were takencare of.”
After passing the Battery Aguidon to Cyr to symbolize thepassing of command, Knoxmade a few comments to theSoldiers.
“It’s truly been an honor toserve with such dedicated pro-fessionals,” said Knox.
Knox praised his Soldiersfor their dedication and moti-vation during training anddeployment.
“The troopers you see beforeyou … are the only true testa-ment to success,” said Knox.
Cyr was previouslydeployed within the Multi-National Corps-Iraq JointOperations Center during OIFIII. Before that assignment, hewas assigned to the XVIIIAirborne Corps, serving asFire Support OperationsOfficer in the Corps FireSupport Element.
Cyr is a graduate of the U.S.Army’s Northern WarfareTraining Center and the 82ndAirborne Jumpmaster School.
Lt. Col. Ronald Green, 142nd CSB commander, passes the
Battery A guidon to Capt. Kurt Cyr, incoming commander, as
Capt. Sidney Knox, outgoing commander, looks on
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
impeded the HET.“That was probably the
toughest mission as far asthe distance and [the HET],”said Smith.
The detachment, part ofan active duty companyfrom Fort Eustis, Va., con-sists mainly of Soldierstrained as cargo handlers.
Reserve Soldiers, origi-nally trained as light-wheelmechanics, joined the unitto deploy.
“We had to train them upto be truck drivers, andthey did an outstandingjob,” said Smith.
Smith, credits much ofthe unit’s success to StaffSgt. Kirby Cannon, detach-ment NCOIC.
“I’ve had a great support-ing cast,” said Smith.“That’s what enabled us toaccomplish all our mis-sions.”
Page 5July 1, 2006 LIFELINER WEST
DAHUK, Iraq – Soldiers from acrossthe 142nd Corps Support Battalionbrought smiles and toys to children inone of Iraq’s northernmost provincesduring a humanitarian assistancedrop here June 21.
“The 142nd enjoys this just asmuch as the kids enjoy it,” said Lt.Col. Ronald Green, battalion com-mander. “This will stay in the mindsand hearts of my Soldiers.”
Soldiers handed out Beanie Babies,sports uniforms, soccer balls, teddybears and candy, donated by a varietyof organizations in the United States,according to Capt. John P. Smith, bat-talion chaplain.
Lake Zurich High School, in LakeZurich, Ill., sent the school uniforms,as well as “boxes and boxes” of teddybears, said Smith. The school has
been in contact with Maj. RichardLazik, battalion support operationsOIC, a native of Niles, Ill.
Green’s mother coordinated with aDayton, Ohio, radio station, “RebelRadio” and disc jockey “Flying Brian,”for a drive which netted more than4,000 Beanie Babies for Iraqi children.Some of the stuffed toys are still ontheir way, so the 352nd Corps SupportBattalion, replacing the 142nd, willstill have plenty of toys to conducttheir own humanitarian mission, saidGreen.
“This [mission] provides the oppor-tunity to see Iraq in the daytime andsee how we’re providing liberation tothe Iraqis,” said Smith.
Along with the 142nd Soldiers,352nd Soldiers accompanied the mis-sion north.
Upon arrival in the Dahuk area, thelocal civil affairs unit, Company C,
403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, a Reserveunit from Utica, N.Y., welcomed theSoldiers with breakfast and a culturalawareness briefing.
Navy Lt. Kim DaCosta spoke to theSoldiers regarding the culture andcustoms of the primarily Kurdish areathey were to visit. She also outlinedthe strategy for handing out the toys tothe children.
Each child was to receive one toy.After receiving his or her Beanie Babyor other item, the Soldiers marked thechild’s left hand with a smiley face.
The area is mostly rural, with agri-culture as the primary means of sub-sistence, according to Maj. JackLoMedico, company commander, aNew York state parole officer fromSyracuse, N.Y. LoMedico’s unit is pri-marily concerned with water projectsfor the people of the area.
In the town, an individual displacedpersons camp for persons of Kurdishdescent forcibly removed from theirhomes under Saddam Hussein’sregime, the Soldiers dismounted fromtheir vehicles holding plastic bags fullof toys. As the children caught sight ofthe items, they quickly began to gath-
Schoolgirls perform a clapping song for 142nd CSB Soldiers June 21.
In the north, 142nd Soldiers spread toys, goodwillBy Sgt. Rachel A. Brune101st Sustainment Brigade
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
er in the courtyard of the school.Two lines of neatly-dressed girls
sang a song with clapping motions forthe Soldiers, as the mayor of the townpresented Green with a Kurdish flag.
The children sat in a large semicir-cle as Green spoke to them through aninterpreter, telling them of the gifts hisSoldiers had to give them.
After the preliminary ceremonieswere over, the Soldiers lined up tohand out the toys. The children cameon in a rush, hoping for one of the soc-cer balls, or perhaps a certain BeanieBaby or teddy bear.
The crowd quickly grew larger thanthe organizational system could han-dle, so the adults brought the childreninto the classrooms, and the Soldiersvisited one by one to hand out theirgoodies. Finally, the Soldiers handedout their last pieces of candy andstuffed, furry friends.
Tired, the Soldiers snapped a fewlast photos, said their last goodbyesand headed back to vehicles.
“I believe we’ve made an impressionon this village,” said Green. He added:“I think we were able to do a greatthing.”
A 142nd CSB Soldiers tries out a new method of toy distribution during the battal-
ion’s humanitarian assistance drop June 21.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
As we prepare to leave Iraq a country sometimesenchanting, often ugly and always unfor-giving the 142nd closes out its latestchapter in Mesopotamia. Looking backover the past twelve months it’s hard totake in all the accomplishments of thisHeadquarters from Fort Polk.
If you review just the hard facts youwill see a plethora of notable accomplish-ments to include:
*management of 19.5 million gallonsof Bulk fuel,
*676,189 gallons of water distribution, *64,000 cases of various Class I prod-
ucts,*61,717 receipts processed within the
Supply Support Activity, *over 7.6 million pounds of mail, *101 remains processed, *45,000 Showers and *144,000 bundles of laundry. The unit managed over 5,632 flights bringing in
and out more than 10,740 pallets and 77,641 pas-
sengers. As maintainers we managed 3,317 DS joborders and 82 off-FOB recovery missions.
The 142nd excelled in the non-traditional missionof executing over 2,011 individualCombat Logistical Patrols escorting93,293 TCN Commercial Trucks travel-ing 1,747,711 miles, transporting 5,55820-foot containers throughout theatre.
Numbers paint a picture but the heartof the matter is much harder to describe.The men and women of the One FourDeuce will leave here with much morethan statistical accomplishments, theydepart knowing that they wrote historyfor not only the U.S. Army but also thefledgling democracy of the Middle East.They can be very proud of all they haveaccomplished.
As we work our way through the RIP/TOA processwe know we are leaving our 800 brothers and sistersof the subordinate units in capable hands. The352nd CSB has hit the ground running and willcarry on with excellence in Mosul.
May God bless all those left in harm’s way and the142nd as it travels home. Rebel 6 OUT!
By Lt. Col. Ronald GreenCommander, 142nd CSB
RReebbeell 66 SSeennddss......
Lt. Col. Ronald Green, battalion commander, gives a
thumbs up sign to children gathered at a schoolyard
in northern Iraq. Green’s battalion conducted a
humanitarian mission at the town June 21.
Photo by Sgt. Rachel A. Brune
July 1, 2006LIFELINER WESTPage 6
SAFETY: A ROUGH YEAR FOR MOTORCYCLES
71st mechanics leave nothing for the next guys
2006: A Rough Year for Army MotorcycleFatalities
If this article doesn’t get your attention, have amedic check your pulse. Perhaps these words willprompt you to re-think a high-risk purchase or atleast educate you on the hazards associated withmotorcycles. Consider the following:
• Since the beginning of this year, 27 soldiershave been killed in motorcycle and ATV crashes.
• Those 27 deaths represent nearly one-thirdof the Army’s 90 accidental ground fatalities duringthe same period.
• Of those 27 soldiers, 18 were either breakingthe state law or violating Army and DoD policies onwearing DOT-approved helmets. Nine of the 18 werenot licensed to operate a motorcycle at all.
• Half of the 27 were not wearing a helmet, byfar the most common violation. In one case, therider gave his helmet to the passenger. She sur-vived with minor injuries when he lost control of thebike he purchased the week before.
A typical soldier returning from a year-longdeployment often has a great deal of spendingmoney. Motorcycles, for some the ultimate machomachine, are one of the most common high-dollarpurchases for those returning from OIF and OEFtours of duty.
Dealers near military installations can’t keepbikes on the showroom floor. And AAFES-discount-ed purchases allow you to save a bundle.
Unfortunately, riding a motorcycle is a high-riskendeavor. There’s no way around it.
Even if you’re a safe, well-trained, conscientiousoperator, your risk of dying on the highway is muchhigher.
The 27 fatalities to date in 2006 include five inci-dents in which the rider was not at fault. He waslicensed, trained in an approved Motorcycle SafetyFoundation (MSF) course, and wearing all properequipment.
In four instances, a car or truck struck the motor-cycle; in one case a deer ran in front of the bike.
When a car encounters an unanticipated dangeror hazard, the bulk and weight of the metal frame,seatbelts, airbags, and stability inherent to a four-
wheeled vehicle all serve as protection for the occu-pants.
Regardless of who is at fault in a POV versusmotorcycle accident, the POV will nearly always pro-vide more protection. Motorcycles, while more agileand maneuverable, do not provide the same level ofprotection.
Approximately 80 percent of reported motorcyclecrashes result in injury or death.
A comparable figure for automobiles is about 20percent.
Devoted motorcycle riders often protest vigorous-ly at the suggestion that their pastime is inherentlyunsafe. However, the facts are clear. Even if amotorcyclist is doing everything right, he is less like-ly to survive an accident.
The Army recognizes these facts and has specificguidance for motorcycle riders. DOT-approved hel-mets are a requirement at all times, even if the statelaw does not require one.
To operate a motorcycle on a military installationthe operator must successfully complete an MSFcourse.
In order to encourage attendance in an MSF-approved course, most Army installations either off-set or completely cover the cost of attendance.
Those of you based at Fort Campbell will see theMSF course being taught beside Gate 3.
If you’ve purchased a motorcycle while here inIraq or upon your return, you must complete theCampbell-sponsored course before you can ride onpost.
Motorcyclists who successfully avoid accidents:• Don’t exceed their personal capabilities. New
riders should never purchase an extremely powerfulbike.
• Drive very defensively, staying out of autoblind spots and assuming that POVs can’t seemotorcycles.
• Attend an MSF-approved course to sharpentheir skills.
• Don’t fall prey to the temptation to impressothers.
For more information on safe motorcycle riding,see the US Army Combat Readiness Center’sMotorcycle Safety Guide, available at the CRC website at https://crc.army.mil.
By James Fraser JenningsBrigade Safety Officer
Maintenance problems cause an inconvenience tooperators and units that need the vehicles for mis-sions. More importantly, maintenance is time con-suming and challenging for the mechanics doing thework.
Soldiers with the 71st Corps Support Battalion(CSB) Maintenance Shop understand well-main-tained vehicles are a priority in Iraq and work hardto ensure their shop runs efficiently on the Q-WestBase Complex.
“We try for a quick turnaround,” said Sgt. AndreKnight, the 71st CSB shop foreman.
The maintenance crew has parts on site in aCONEX they have dubbed the “Auto Zone.”
Spc. Ryan Craddock, an automated logistics spe-cialist, went through the parts when they firstarrived.
“It was a mess,” Craddock said. “I had to clear itall out and turn it back in.”
Craddock turned in more than 100 parts the crewdidn’t need to keep accurate numbers and have theright parts on hand.
Knight said the mission was arduous when theyfirst arrived. The parts were scattered throughoutthe CONEX and many of the vehicles needed main-tenance.
“Twenty Humvees had to get new tires when wegot here,” said Knight. The small crew’s workload
increased as they took on a fleet twice the size, butthey were ready for the challenge.
The maintenance shop did a 100 percent totalinspection on every vehicle, took the time to noteevery fault, and began to work through each vehi-cle’s deficiencies. They ordered every part on the listand asked other units for help in getting the partsthey needed to start their projects
“We used our resources on post to get thingsdone,” explained Knight.
The 71st maintenance crew got all of the vehiclesthrough the maintenance shop and began working
Sgt. Andre Knight, shop foreman for the 71st Corps
Support Battalion maintenance shop, watches for
fluid while bleeding the brakes on a Humvee.
Photo by Sgt. Mitch Armbruster
on them again to get each vehicle serviced. Ninety percent of the trucks are repaired and
operational.“We’ve turned things around,” Knight said. By tracking all of the deadlines, the shop found
they were able to work more efficiently. They priori-tize the work and try to keep their work areas clearof projects so those Soldiers with maintenanceissues can get the work done on the spot.
“Some things you have to troubleshoot,” said Spc.Isaac Davila, a mechanic working for the 71st CSB.
Being a mechanic means putting in long hours,but the 71st maintenance team takes pride in know-ing they can fix their vehicles. Davila said it isrewarding to be able to fix something and give itback to the Soldiers so they can go where they need.
Craddock works with the crew because he under-stands the need to get the vehicles done as quicklyas possible.
“I like everything I do,” Craddock said. “I likemechanic work and I help out where I can.”
Knight said the crew works well together and theyare happy regardless of the long hours they put in.
“We have busy days,” Knight said. “But it’s what Ilike doing as long as I’m out there working.”
The 71st maintenance crew keeps the battalion’svehicles running and Knight is confident they cankeep up the work pace.
“We are going to leave the next unit with nothingto do,” said Knight.
By Sgt. Mitch Armbruster207th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
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53rd QM orderly room helps get the mission doneThe 53rd Quartermaster
Company is a GeneralSupport (GS) PetroleumSupply Company. The com-pany’s main mission is toreceive, issue and storeClass III (Bulk) petroleumfor the northern region ofIraq.
The orderly room, whichis the administrative centerof the company, is operatedby Sgt. Robert Williams,Sgt. Jose Real and Spc.Margarito Alvarez. Williamsis an AdministrativeSpecialist and Real andAlvarez are PetroleumSupply Specialists.
Over the last eightmonths, these dedicatedprofessionals have proc-essed more than 170awards, more than 40 Non-commissioned Officer Eval-uation Reports (NCOER’s),and more than 150 Rest
By Sgt. Tracey Sheeder53rd Quartermaster Co.
and Recuperation leaverequests for the entirecompany.
They have organizedpromotion packets anddisciplinary actions; payinquiries and personnelupdates. They turn inaccountability reports andtrack every Soldier in thecompany’s duty position.They complete and processall of the paperwork thatmakes the company runsmoothly. They are theSoldiers that are dedicatedto ensuring all of the othercompany’s Soldiers canfocus on their mission andare not concerned with payor promotion problems.
Alvarez also is in chargeof the company mail room.He has currentlyprocessed more than3,500 letters and 1,500packages. This job is espe-cially important in a tacti-cal environment to keep
morale at the highest levelpossible. He has deliveredthe mail consistently forthe past eight monthswithout fail and will con-tinue to do so until theunit returns to Fort Hood,Texas.
Real is also our ArmyEmergency Relief (AER)officer. AER is the Army’sprogram that gives assis-tance to Soldiers in needso they can cope with diffi-cult situations in theirlives or other unforeseencomplications. Real isreadily available at anytime of day to assistSoldiers who are in need.He is also our companylegal actions processor. Hehas created and processedover 20 legal packets sincearriving in country. Hisefficient efforts havehelped to ensure promptaction has been taken inall instances.
Williams is the 53rd QM’ssafety NCO. He helps toplan the safety training forthe company. Williamsensures that all safety mes-sages and guidelines fromhigher headquarters aredisseminated to theSoldiers of the companyand posts messages asreminders to follow theguidelines to keep them-selves and others safe.
Williams has created acompany Web site for theSoldiers and family mem-bers and made severaldatabases on MicrosoftAccess to make operationsin the orderly room and thetraining office more effi-cient.
The orderly room staff isan integral part of the work-ings of the company. Theyare an essential part of theproper functioning of thecompany and the comple-tion of the overall mission.
The Soldiers of the 725thTransportation Companyhad a lot to look forward toinr the month of June.
For the majority of theNational Guard Soldiers,redeployment meant return-ing to their civilian jobs andfamilies. There were a few ofthose Soldiers who are look-ing forward to somethingmore.
Sixteen Soldiers met inthe 725th TransportationCompany conference roomwith the 101st SustainmentBrigade Career Counselorswith last-minute questionsabout their upcoming tran-sition.
These Soldiers were tak-ing advantage of a new pro-gram that allows Soldiers tomake a smooth transition toactive duty.
“There is a good stream-lined program that pro-vides the Soldiers withinformation to make thetransition to active duty,”said Master Sgt. AnthonyHester, 101st SB CareerCounselor.
The main topics of dis-cussion were possiblebonuses, retention of rank,movement of householdgoods and authorized ben-efits. Staff Sgt. Andreas ofthe 101st SB answered allquestions the Soldiershad.
Of the sixteen Soldiers,two have been active dutybefore, one in the MarineCorps and one in theArmy. Staff Sgt. KennethSpence, an artillerymanfrom Greensboro, NCspent 4 and a half years inthe Army. He found thatafter he got out he missed
the Army life. He spent thenext 9 years in the NorthCarolina National Guardtrying to make his wayback into the active Army.
“I was unhappy withcivilian life and realized theArmy was the one thing Iliked doing,” said Spence.
Spc. Chase Johnson aninfantryman from Fayette-ville, N.C. said: “I hadnothing better to do and Ilike the military. It’s a way
to a better life.” After dropping out of col-
lege, the Army has providedhim with the focus he needsto further his life andcareer. His father, a retiredArmy Command SergeantMajor is glad he chose thispath.
Hester and Andreas wereboth surprised with thenumber of Soldiers whoelected to enlist and hope itsets a precedent.
725th TC National Guardsmen, soon to be active duty.
July 1, 2006LIFELINER WESTPage 8
OFF THE WIRE: News from the American Forces Press ServiceMMaarriinneess iinn HHaaqqllaanniiyyaahh NNaabb IInnssuurrggeennttss
HAQLANIYAH, Iraq, June23, 2006 — Some of thefiercest violence by insur-gents against coalitionforces in the Al AnbarProvince occurs inHaqlaniyah, Iraq, a city nes-tled along the EuphratesRiver northwest of Baghdad.
Fighting the insurgents’attacks, from hand-throwngrenades to improvisedexplosive devices, drive-byshootings and small-armsambushes, are the U.S.Marines of the Hawaii-basedKilo Company, 3rdBattalion, 3rd MarineRegiment.
Shortly after many ofthese attacks against coali-tion forces, propaganda urg-ing residents to commit fur-ther attacks can be heardechoing through the streetsof this city of 30,000 fromloud speakers in mosques,according to U.S. MarineCorps Sgt. MennenSuleiman, a squad leaderwith Kilo Company.
Suleiman does not needan interpreter to under-
stand the messages broad-cast from the mosques – hewas born in Kirkut, Iraq,and lived under the sup-pression of SaddamHussein’s regime until hewas 12. He left with his fam-ily to escape living in fear ofSaddam Hussein’s regimethen moved to Carney, Neb.
“Most of the time theypreach from the mosquesabout how Marines arebringing down the purity ofIslam,” said Suleiman,shortly after a two-hourpatrol through Haqlaniyah’swinding streets, where tem-peratures are a scorching110-degrees.
“The truth is we are hereto help them establish anew government and traintheir newly-formed Army sothey can in turn live morepeaceful lives and not liveunder the oppression of anevil dictator,” Suleimansaid.
Suleiman, and the rest ofthe Marines from KiloCompany, many of whomserved in Afghanistan lastyear, have battled the insur-gency with a fierceness that
only highly-trained infanry-men can bring to the battle-field.
During a regular patrolearlier this month, severalMarines observed a handfulof insurgents armed withautomatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, scurryinto an abandoned hotel inthe city which once servedas a vacation spot forHussein.
The Marines decided totake action.
The plan was simple: theMarines would cordon offthe hotel and then raid it toapprehend the insurgents,according to Gunnery Sgt.Jim Lanham, the unit’scompany gunnery sergeant.Before they cordoned thebuilding off, they receivedsmall arms fire from withinthe hotel.
The Marines held theirground and returned fireinto the hotel’s shatteredwindows. Meanwhile, mili-tary aircraft partiallydestroyed the hotel withprecision munitions.
The Marines suffered nocasualties.
Night Ops!
A U.S. Army soldier assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 8th
watches helicopters fly in to pick him and fellow soldiers up after
conducting a raid of a house in Ash Shumali, Iraq, June 15.
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Katrina Beeler
Sgt. David Smith, with 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st
Combat Aviation Brigade, sits in the gunner's position during a
flight from COB Speicher, Iraq, June 6, 2006.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Alfred JohnsonStories and photographs reproduced on this page were com-
piled from information released through AFIS. For more infor-
mation, or for news released by the Department of Defense,
visit: http://www.defenselink.mil/news.
AMERICAN FORCES INFORMATION SERVICE
Army Deployment Model Brings Reservists Readiness, PredictabilityBy Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, June 23, 2006 – The new trainingand deployment cycle being introduced Armywidewill bring more predictable deployment schedulesfor Army Reservists, their employers and their fami-lies.
The Army Force Generation model, nicknamed"ARFORGEN," ensures there's always a pool oftrained, equipped and deployment-ready troops,Army Reserve chief Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz toldPentagon reporters June 21.
The plan, which generally means Army Reservistscan expect to deploy for up to a year once every fiveyears, also helps them live up to their dual obliga-tions as "warrior-citizens," Stultz said during aroundtable discussion.
Just one month into the job as the top-rankingArmy Reserve general, Stultz understands firsthandthese complementary but sometimes conflictingroles. Since joining the Army Reserve in 1979, he'sleft his family and his longtime employer, Proctorand Gamble, for deployments during OperationsDesert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991;Operation Joint Endeavor in 1997; and OperationsEnduring and Iraqi Freedom from 2002 to 2004.
"I understand the issues with soldiers and theemployers and the community because I have livedit," he said. "I have had to go through those experi-ences of what it means to put your civilian life on
hold, become a soldier, come back and try to becomea civilian again, and back and forth."
The disruption goes beyond the individual soldier.Families have to adapt too, whether it's changingdoctors when they move between civilian and mili-tary health-care systems, or figuring out who's goingto pick up the slack at home when the reservistdeploys.
"How is the grass going to get cut? How is the oilin the car going to get changed?" Stultz said. "Thoseare the kind of things that, a lot of times, you don'tthink about."
Stultz recognizes that reservists' mobilizationsalso leave employers in the lurch.
"Employers have been great at providing support"to their reservist employees during their deploy-ments, he said. They often make up the differencebetween their workers' military and civilian pay,continue to provide benefits during mobilizationsand provide services to families of deployed workers.
"What we owe back to them is that predictabilitymodel of being able to say, 'If you have an ArmyReserve soldier who is an employee, we are going tobe able to tell you on a predicable basis how oftenyou can plan on him being gone,'" Stultz said.
The ARFORGEN model will help reservists as wellas their families and employers better prepare fordeployments. Reservists can return from a deploy-ment and get the individual training they need, esca-lating the pace and intensity of the training as they
move toward the fifth year of the cycle, he explained.After that, they're assessed as "available" for deploy-ments, as needed.
Stultz called the model "critical to the future," par-ticularly in light of the Army Reserve's shift from astrategic to an operational force during the globalwar on terror. About 32,000 Army Reservists arecurrently mobilized - about 22,000 deployed over-seas, mostly to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.
Sgt. Justin Jacobs, of South Amherst, Ohio, and Spc.
Keith Hawkins, of Columbus, Ohio, perform pre-com-
bat checks and inspections on their trailer. The two
Soldiers are truck drivers with 454th Transportation
Company, an Army Reserve unit from Delaware, Ohio.
