3rd Ed., Vol. 1: Sept. 2012

1st Air Cavalry Brigade

In accordance with AR 360-1 and the regulations set forth by the U.S. Army Public Affairs Center, the Air Cav Journal is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of Air Cav Journal are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry Division or the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. All editorial content of Air Cav Journal is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office. The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office is located in Camp Marmal, Afghanisian

Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Chris Amagliani

Commanding OfficerCol. Cory A. Mendenhall

Public Affairs NCOIC/EditorStaff Sgt. Joseph Armas

Public Affairs Layout/DesignSgt. Richard Wrigley

Public Affairs OICCapt. Joshua Amstutz

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http://www.facebook.com/#!/1stAirCavalryBrigadeWarriors

Commander’s Corner

Greetings to all Warriors past and present,

I am humbled, proud, and excited to be your 1st Air Cavalry Brigade (1ACB) commander. I would also like to recognize our new 1ACB Command Team: the brigade com-mand sergeant major, CSM Chris Amagliani and the command chief warrant officer, CW5 Troy DeGoly-er. Both come with a wealth of ex-perience and are committed to taking care of our Soldiers and our Families while stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Since I was a company commander in Korea in 1995, my philosophy has not changed. Our Number 1 Priority is Taking Care of Soldiers. We will accomplish through five imperatives: leading, training, maintaining, car-ing, and safety. – Leading: Our leaders will provide quality & caring leadership. We will motivate, influence, mentor, coach, teach, and set the example. We will enforce the Army Standard.

– Training: We will train our Sol-diers so that they are mentally and

physically tough as well as tactically and technically proficient. Every-thing we do is a training opportunity – we will take no day for granted in preparing for future conflict.– Maintaining: We are only as good as our capability today. We must be physically, mentally, and spiritually prepared for the demands of our ev-eryday challenges and the rigors of future conflict. – Caring: Our Soldiers and Families are our most precious asset. We must understand their challenges and pro-vide support when needed. We must communicate with our Families to ensure they understand the wealth of programs available to meet their needs. – Safety: Safety first in our person-al and professional lives. Always choose the hard right over the easy wrong. Nothing we do in training is worth an injury, loss of life or damag-ing equipment. The 1ACB has completed rede-ployment operations and success-fully moved the majority of our Sol-diers and equipment from West Fort Hood to Hood Army Airfield. It is important to note that the brigade has assumed responsibility for the 1st Cavalry Division’s first Grey Eagle

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) company , F/227th. The majority of the unit is deployed to Afghanistan and the unit’s rear detachment has been assigned to 1-227th Aviation Regiment. In the future, F/227th will remain at West Fort Hood upon their redeployment. Our units are already preparing for several training events starting with a small arms gunnery in Octo-ber, an aerial gunnery in November, and three unit rotations to the com-bat readiness centers at the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center starting in January 2013. The 1ACB’s capstone exercise will be our aviation training exercise in July 2013 at Fort Rucker, Alabama in preparation for future missions. The year 2013 looks very bright for the future of the 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade’s Soldiers and Families here at the Great Place. Thank you all for your past and present service to our great nation and your future contributions to keeping the 1st Air Cav Army Strong.

Live the Legend – AIR CAV!

Col. Cory A. Mendenhall1ACB, Commanding

csM’s Corner

ccwo’s Corner

Soldiers, Family and friends of the 1st ACB,

Let me begin by expressing what an honor and privilege it is to have been selected to serve as the com-mand sergeant major of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. I am humbled to have this opportunity to serve the Soldiers and Families of this bri-gade. My wife, Sherry, and I are extreme-

ly happy to be back. We look for-ward to having the chance to serve the brigade once again. My priori-ties are to support the commander’s objectives, develop leaders and Sol-diers at all levels while focusing on preparing for any future operation. I will always do my best to do what is right: treat others as I would like to be treated. I will always try to be accessible, approachable, and avail-able and to set a good example for

all Soldiers assigned to the 1ACB. To the Families of the brigade, I would like to thank you for the un-tiring support that you provide to your Soldier. Without it, it would be extremely difficult to accomplish all that we do. Once again, it is my pleasure to be here and serve all the Soldiers and Families of the brigade.

Warrior 9

Warriors,

On behalf of my wife Lisa, and myself, we are proud and honored to be part of the Warrior Team. As the command chief warrant officer of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade and a member of the command group, it is my mission to advise and assist the

commander in the following areas: unit pride and morale, warrant offi-cer manning, warrant officer leader-ship and professional development. Also, it is my job to teach, coach and mentor the warrant officers in the brigade to increase competence, efficiency, effectiveness and profes-sionalism.

Finally, my goal is to represent the brigade as a professional and assist in establishing standards and dis-cipline for all of the brigade’s Sol-diers.

Respectfully,CW5 Troy A. DeGolyerWarrior 7

A TIME OF CHANGE:New leadership for the 1st ACBStory By: Staff Sgt. Joseph ArmasPhotos By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

A TIME OF CHANGE:New leadership for the 1st ACB

formation on to greater accom-plishments. You’ll carry on the leg-acy of discipline, caring, trust and mission execution that makes our Army strong,” said Novalis. Maj. Gen. Anthony Ierardi, com-manding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, presided over the cere-mony as the reviewing officer. He gave his thoughts on the ac-complishments of the brigade’s outgoing command team. “[Novalis and Vela] inspired and led the brigade’s troops in the toughest conditions,” said Ierardi. “They gave selflessly to this unit, placing mission and their Soldiers above everything else.” Ierardi also acknowledged Mary Novalis and Kathy Vela for the con-tributions they made to the brigade, the division and the local Ft. Hood community. “Over the course of their hus-bands’ careers, they have given their hearts and souls to the Soldiers and families of the Army, balancing this with the demands of their own families,” said Ierardi. The warrior brigade is better off as a result of the sacrifices these two women have made during the past two years, he added.

he 1st Air Cav-alry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Di-vision, changed command dur-ing a ceremony Aug. 2 here at Cooper Field.

Col. John Novalis, from William-sport, Pa., relinquished command to Col. Cory Mendenhall, from Bon-ners Ferry, Idaho.Novalis commanded the brigade during its recent deployment to Af-ghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As he addressed those in attendance, he took the op-portunity to reflect on his time as commander of the 1st ACB. “Commanding this brigade has been the highlight of my profes-sional career,” said Novalis.Throughout his speech, he gave credit to his strength in God, his family and the Soldiers of the 1st ACB for the success the brigade achieved during its deployment to OEF. He thanked the brigade’s Sol-diers for the sacrifices they made this past year, as the brigade pro-vided coalition ground forces with aviation assets across four regional commands in Afghanistan. “There’s no higher honor to com-mand Soldiers, especially when we are a nation at war” said Novalis. “You make me proud to wear this uniform and the ‘First Team’ patch.” During the ceremony, Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela, from Dal-las, transferred responsibility for the brigade to Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Amagliani, from Hartford, Conn. Novalis thanked Vela for his friendship and the counsel he pro-vided as the brigade’s senior en-listed advisor. He also gave his best wishes to the incoming command team. “I know you both will take this

T As for the incoming command team, Mendenhall previously served as the deputy chief of staff for Central Command in Qatar. Amagliani is no stranger to the 1st ACB, having served as the com-mand sergeant major for the 615th Aviation Support Battalion during the brigade’s last deployment to Iraq in 2009 and 2010. Mendenhall began his speech by speaking directly to the outgoing commander and his spouse, Mary. “Your efforts over the last two years…building, deploying and re-deploying this brigade have left a legacy that will resonate with fu-ture leaders of our Army for years to come,” said Mendenhall. “You have made a positive difference in so many lives. Brooke and I wish you both the best.” As he concluded his remarks, Mendenhall addressed the 1st ACB troopers who now fall under his command. “To the warrior Soldiers on the parade field who are willing to an-swer the nation’s call and pay the price for freedom, I’m extremely proud to serve with you as Warrior Six,” said Mendenhall.

New housing fornewly returned SoldiersBy: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

New housing fornewly returned Soldiers

Long have the Soldiers of the 615th Aviation Support Battalion heard of rumors and promises to be moved out of their previously old barracks on Ft. Hood and in to new housing. When the 615th left for Afghanistan over a year ago along with the rest of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, the Soldiers left their existing housing with hopes of returning to new fresh housing. Yet when they came back from Afghanistan the Soldiers were directed back in to barracks similar to the ones they had previously left. However, hardly a month after their return, the Soldiers of the 615th ASB were issued new key cards to their new rooms, becom-ing the first battalion of the 1st ACB to move into the newly built barracks facilities here July 20. “It seems that they are very eager to move into their new rooms,” said Sgt. Kevin Schoonmaker, a native of Van Etten, New York, and an AH-64 Apache helicopter me-chanic for Company D, 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st ACB, who is current-ly filling a full time position as a barracks manager within the 1st Sergeants Barracks Management Program here. Schoonmaker spent all day signing over keys for the new rooms to the expectant Sol-

diers. One of the Soldiers he issued a new key to was Pfc. Ishmael El, from Philadelphia, a motor transport operator for Company A, 615th ASB. El was really happy to be finally in his new room. “There’s a stove, the bathrooms nice, even the closet looks better than the old barracks,” elaborated El. Schoonmaker explained that while the barracks were brand new and completely furnished, having the new rooms in top condition is not the only benefit the Soldiers have with these new barracks. “I think one of the best parts about this transition is that these Soldiers are final-ly getting a place they can take a breather in, just kick back and relax a little bit, and not have to move around anytime soon,” Schoonmaker added. And it seems that at least one Soldier plans to do just that. “Man this place is like a hotel room, there’s a lot more space here than my old room, you can do a lot of things with this room,” said El with a sly grin.

1-227 AttackAttack Team,

August marked an out-standing month in 1-227 ARB. Following the re-task organization to an AH-64D pure formation in July, the Battalion set its sights on reset opera-tions, developing sys-tems, and the develop-ment of our “way ahead” through long-term train-ing planning. I am truly proud of each and every Attack Soldier for their dedica-tion and professionalism during this challenging time. Our primary focus has been on the indi-vidual Soldier and their families and ensuring that we foster a “Fam-ily First” environment. Our primary enabler to accomplish this goal was the Army’s Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC) attached to the Battalion throughout the month of August. The MFLC mission, nested with the Battalion, fo-cuses on showing care and concern for every-one inside our formation and their families, identi-fying warning signs, and ensuring that those who need assistance are pro-vided the opportunity to access resources inside and outside the Battalion footprint. This will help us become a resilient or-ganization and focus on future operations. I look forward to seeing our unit grow and develop in the coming months.

Lt. Col. Cain Baker1-227 ARB, Command-ing

Attack!

2-227 lobos

Greetings Friends and Family of the Lobos!

It’s been an exciting first two months commanding the amaz-ing Soldiers of 2nd Battalion. Our battalion command team – CSM Smoots, CW4 Gunter, and I have watched in awe as our stellar Lo-bos Troopers have completed rein-tegration activities and initiated ac-tions to build our battalion’s combat power and train for future missions. During these two months we have supported VIP air missions of our division commanding general and conducted sling load and MEDE-VAC training supporting the Air Assault School and the 3rd Brigade Combat Team. Aircrews from ev-ery company have sacrificed time away from home to recover aircraft from as far away as Fort Drum, NY, Fort Lewis, WA, and Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA. We greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of our Lobos Troopers! Our focus on Families and Sin-gle Soldier events has afforded us the opportunity to hold numerous company and battalion level or-ganizational days and social gath-erings. We enjoyed a battalion organizational day at the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreational Area, where families enjoyed the beach and water activities at Lake Bel-ton, catered BBQ, as the Soldiers competed in sporting events which resulted in Fox Company winning the Lobos Commander’s Cup. The

officers and NCOs of the Lobos conducted a battalion hail and fare-well at the Dead Fish Grill, where we recognized departing and ar-riving leaders of our organization. Our chaplain, Capt. James Ward, has coordinated multiple spiritual fitness events, to include a recent three-day Strong Bonds marriage retreat at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Spa and Resort where 19 families enjoyed the beautiful re-sort while strengthening their fam-ily ties. We look forward to con-tinued Strong Bonds events in the near future. On August 15, Charlie Com-pany executed a change of com-

mand honoring the commitment of MAJ Nate Forrester and his wife, Paige, and welcoming the com-mand team of MAJ Mike Allums and his wife Becky. We will con-duct changes of command for Fox Company and Bravo Company on 13 and 14 September, respec-tively. Our Soldiers have excelled in leader development and pro-fessional courses throughout the summer, and we’ve had the plea-sure of promoting and re-enlisting dozens of Lobos Troopers in re-cent weeks. Fox Company’s PFC Aul graduated from Fort Hood’s Air Assault School in July, and we’ve graduated numerous NCOs from the Warrior and Advanced Leader’s Courses, including SSG Brian Miller from B Company who was the ALC Distinguished Honor

Graduate. On Sept. 14, the Lobos will join 19 of our warrant officers during Warrant Officer Advanced Course graduation on Fort Hood. Congratulations to every Lobos Trooper who has achieved success in their professional development! The Lobos continue to strengthen ourselves physically and mentally, preparing ourselves and our Fami-lies for future mission assignments and contingency operations. The battalion command team proudly observes the dedication and com-mitment of every Lobos Trooper and Family member working self-lessly to improve their fighting position. Lobos Troopers will par-ticipate in every upcoming major training event on the calendar for the Warrior Brigade, including No-vember gunnery exercises, three Combat Training Center rotations, high altitude training, and certifica-tion training exercises to validate our readiness for future contingen-cy missions. We will weave the strength and resilience of our Fam-ilies throughout these upcoming months through continued Strong Bonds events, battalion functions, and a holiday formal planned for December. I remain humbled and proud to stand amongst the Sol-diers and Families of the Lobos!

LOBOS!

LTC Jason B. BlevinsCommander, 2-227th Aviation Regiment

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

ith a thunderous crack, a bright neon-green soft ball goes sailing through the air over the flight line at Hood Army Airfield, Aug. 17. Spc. Karah VanMetre, from Cleveland, Texas, a petroleum supply specialist assigned to E Company, 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was showing the rest of the battalion her batting prowess during a ceremony that recognized her for being selected to try out for the All Army women’s softball team. For VanMetre, a distinctive path has led her to this rare opportunity. “I’ve been playing since I was in the sixth grade [and] I’ve always loved it. I played all the sports, but I was always best at softball,” said VanMetre. VanMetre said she had great success early on, making the varsity team throughout her high school career and becoming the first student from her school to get a college scholarship for softball. However, things took a turn for the worse when she was injured towards the end of her high school career. What was supposed to be a minor injury was misdiagnosed and turned out to be much more serious than the initial diagnosis had revealed. VanMetre said it took a couple of years and a total of three surgeries for her to fully recover.

W After she recovered from her final surgery, VanMetre decided to join the Army. She did not expect to ever play softball at the level she had in the past ever again, she added. It was during her recent deployment to Afghanistan that this changed. While deployed, VanMetre worked side by side fueling aircraft with Sgt. Clifford Harris Jr., from Odessa, Texas, an ammunition specialist for E Company. Harris said he learned of her past exploits playing softball after spending long days working together on a forward and arming refueling point in eastern Afghanistan. “When she told me how much she used to play and how much she used to enjoy it, well I just thought she might have a chance, so I suggested she submit a packet for the All Army team,” Harris said. Harris continued, “She is a bright, ambitious soldier; a hard worker, quick learner, and a team player. She’s also a fierce athlete ... it’s no surprise to me that she was selected.” While it may not be a surprise to Harris that VanMetre was selected, for others the shock still lingers. “It’s so exciting,” VanMetre said. “I can’t believe I actually made it this far to get picked.” Regardless of the shock, VanMetre will leave in the next few days to go to Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., for the team’s tryout camp. Judging by the outpouring of support and well wishes at the ceremony in her honor, it seems all of 1-227th ARB’s thoughts will go with her as well.

Spearhead Families and Friends,

It is a real privilege to be writ-ing this letter to all of you! On be-half of my wife, Christina, and our family, thank you all for the warm First Team/ Warrior welcome to the Great Place. On July 2, we joined CSM Schley and his wife, Vita, and their family as the Spear-head command team. The ceremony was truly one of a kind, and the Spear-head troopers on Cooper Field looked phenomenal! As many of you know, the battalion just returned from an incredibly suc-cessful deployment to Afghanistan and with the reorgani-zation in July, we are a pure assault helicopter battalion for the first time in nearly 18 months. The Soldiers are excited about be-ing back with their Families, back at the Great Place, and back together as a formation. Their high morale and esprit de corps is infectious and is invaluable as we enter an intensive refit cycle with high personnel turnover. Meeting with all the Spearhead troopers and some of their Families over the last 60 days has been a real

pleasure. These gatherings give us the chance to discuss the philosophy and priorities of the battalion as we look at the next two years together. We talk about the strength of disci-pline and standards we hold as an assault aviation battalion, but more

than that the professional values we hold dearest: our commitment to caring for people – Soldiers, Families, and community members alike; our responsibility to maintain our equipment readiness through

accountability and ensuring its serviceability; and our dedication to training in our profession and pursuit of excellence in employing our systems anywhere in the world. The teamwork and trust we develop makes Spearhead not just a profes-

sional and formida-ble organization, but a premiere assault helicopter battalion in our Army! As we continue building the team, we look forward to some very rigorous and challenging air assault training. We invite you to stop by some of our virtual footprint and see the great things our troopers do over the next several months:

http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/units/1acb/3-227/Default.asp

h t t p s : / / w w w .f a c e b o o k .com/3227thAHB.

We anticipate some very exciting events as we con-tinue to prepare the unit to deploy again in support of Opera-

tion Enduring Freedom or any other contingency mission we are called upon to perform.

Spearhead 6

3-227 spearhead

Soldiers, Famlies and Friends of the 4-227th Guns,

I am honored to be in command of 4-227th ARB “GUNS ATTACK.” This is a fantastic organization and since taking command on July 2nd, CSM Hurst and I have been impressed by the tre-mendous leaders, Soldiers, and Fami-lies who consistently work to better them-selves and the unit. It is a privilege to serve as the commander of such a fine battalion. This battalion carries a lot of momentum from the last deploy-ment into the upcom-ing training cycle and future deployment. We must capitalize on all lessons learned and ensure we include the good and the bad to help us successful-ly negotiate the path ahead. Over the past two months, I shared my vision with every Sol-dier in 4-227th. It is critical that this be-comes a shared vision for the battalion to succeed. My vision is that the 4-227th ARB will be the most technically and tactically profi-cient, well run, and team oriented Attack Reconnaissance Battalion in the Army. Every Soldier, NCO, and Officer in this unit will feel as though he or she is an active con-

tributor and member of a close-knit team, sharing a common goal and objective. We will relentlessly AT-TACK the enemy when called upon, focus on maintenance to facilitate preparedness, and take care of each other always (Families and Soldiers alike). In order to make this vision

a reality, I expect every member of 4-227 to conduct him or herself as a professional, whether in the air or on the ground, on duty or off. As part of this vision, I want to reiterate to all of our Soldiers and Family members that it truly takes

a TEAM effort to be successful. It takes a TEAM effort to establish an environment where we take care of one another and are capable of bal-ancing Family and work. Thanks for what you (our Soldiers) do on a daily basis and thank you (spouses and Families) for allowing us to

serve as best we can. Since July, the bat-talion conducted a battalion and brigade run, hail and farewell, held a Chili Cook-off, and gathered for a competitive organiza-tional physical train-ing event that was fol-lowed by a breakfast. We’ve also reenlisted exemplary Soldiers, presented Air Medals, ARCOMs, AAMs, and four AAAA Order of Saint Michael Med-als. It is the utmost importance to recog-nize effort, perfor-mance, contributions to the TEAM (BN, BDE, DIV, etc.), and to always take care of one another. CSM Hurst and I look forward to the coming months as we train hard and provide 1st Cavalry Division and 1st Air Cavalry

Brigade with exceptional Attack and Reconnaissance! GUNS ATTACK!

LTC Hank Perry and CSM Zach Hurst

4-227 guns

Soldier givesback to his community

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

Soldier givesback to his community

t's about giving back to a community that has given so much to you,” said Sgt. John-ny Merical, a native

of Dallas Center, Iowa, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter repairer for B Company, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Merical head-ed a fundraiser to provide school supplies for the Mae Stevens Ele-mentary school in Copperas Cove, Texas. For more than a month he col-lected donations. With help from other soldiers in his platoon, he purchased school supplies and pre-sented the dona-tions at Mae Ste-vens Elementary School, Aug. 22. After Merical and his fellow soldiers set up a display of all of the new school supplies in the school's gymna-sium, members of the community, along with chil-dren, parents and school faculty came by to hear Merical explain why he did all of this. Merical told the people in atten-dance about his time in Copperas Cove and how the community had supported him. "I've been here almost six years, and have lived here the whole time. I'm leaving now, but the community has supported me whenever I need-ed it, and the school district really looked out for my family when they allowed my children to stay in Mae

Stevens even though the re-zoning could have forced them to go to a different school," Merical said. While this is the biggest volunteer effort that Merical has undertaken, he is no stranger to the selfless ser-vice of volunteer work, said Capt. Nicholaus Cortez, originally from Iowa City, Iowa, a platoon leader in B Company, 615th ASB. "He's done a lot of volunteering for the unit and the surrounding

community. When I think of Sgt. Merical, I think of selfless service," added Cortez. "He is also a very disciplined,” Cortez said. “In my opinion his professionalism and work ethic are unparalleled at his level within the platoon.” The students and family members of the school were in dire need of the supplies, which was also a main factor behind the decision to donate specifically to Mae Stevens Ele-mentary, added Merical.

Joe Burns, the superintendent for the Copperas Cove Independent School District, echoed Merical’s sentiment. "About 63 percent of this cam-pus' student population consists of kids who receive free or reduced lunches. This means that a lot of the families that have kids who attend here simply don't have the resources to provide [the children] with all the things they need for school," Burns

said. "This donation Sgt. Merical put together ... will go a long, long way to meeting the needs of those families," Burns added. Another official from the Coppers Cove ISD talked about how the re-sults of the fund raiser will ben-efit the students as they begin this school year. "Many of these students are used to getting hand-me-down materi-als. Just imagine how happy these students will be to

have a brand-new notebook or bind-er this year," said Rick Kirkpatrick, the deputy superintendant for Cop-peras Cove ISD. Merical said he hopes that his and his fellow soldiers’ efforts to help the families of the local community will have a lasting impact. "This is going to help the kids, this is going to help the families ... My family and I are about to leave, but the good that this has done for the community will last much longer than that," said Merical.

“I

615th Soldierkeeps up the fight

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

615th Soldierkeeps up the fight

The 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, is full of Soldiers whose jobs are to help and support a larger entity. One Soldier of the

615th ASB is unique however in his role in supporting Fort Hood’s Combatives team as well. A Fort Worth, Texas native, Sgt. James Bruner, an AH-64D Apache helicopter ar-mament, electrical and avionics systems repairer for B Company, 615th ASB, has yet again helped the Fort Hood Combat-ives Team with a victory in this year’s 2012

Army Combatives Championship at the Abrams Physical Fitness Center here, July 28. Bruner’s leadership has noted that his ca-reer so far has been one of dedication and drive for those things he holds important.

“I’ve never seen the man unable to com-plete any task that was set before him,” Staff Sgt. Nicholas Arsenault said. “He’s a hard worker and very dedicated to whatever he sets out to do.” Arsenault is Bruner’s section sergeant within the Armament Platoon and has known Bruner almost the entirety of Brun-er’s career, having been stationed with him in South Korea, Fort Bragg, N.C., and now here. While they were stationed in South Korea, Bruner won the 8th Army Wrestling tourna-ment in his weight class. At this time Bruner was also introduced to Army Combatives. “I wrestled in high school and being on the All Army Wrestling team was always one of

my goals,” Bruner said. However, he came to have a greater ap-preciation for combatives when he was in-troduced to the sport. He liked that there were some similari-ties in the two sports, yet he also liked the

T

increased competitiveness of combatives as well as what he believes to be a real need for training in combatives due to the close-quarters nature of today’s fight abroad, ex-plained Bruner. “When I first started in combatives there were no weight classes,” he said. “I think it was when I beat someone more than 100 lbs. heavier than me in my first tournament by having better technique and submitting him that I really started getting into com-batives.” According to Arsenault, he’s been a tena-cious fighter ever since. “I took Army Combatives Level 1 and Level 2 when we were both at Bragg, and I thought I was pretty good at the time,” said Arsenault. “But he still kicked my butt.” “I outweigh him by at least 40 lbs., but I’m still no match for him on the mat,” he added. Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Thorton, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the Fort Hood Combatives team, Headquarters Sup-port Company, III Corps Special Troops Battalion, met Bruner at the Fort Hood Tournament last year when they competed against each other. “You learn a lot about someone when you fight them,” Thorton said. “After the fight we talked and I learned even more about him.” Bruner told me all about how he loves his family and the military. He also impressed upon me how much he wanted to represent his unit and how he was determined to work hard at achieving his goals, continued Thor-ton. “After that I took Sgt. Bruner under my wing and became a kind of mentor for him,” he said. Soon after that Thorton had Bruner join the Fort Hood Combatives team and Bruner began training for last year’s Army Combat-ives Championship. The 1st ACB was good enough to let me deploy three months later than the rest of the troops so I could finish my training, and represent the unit and Fort Hood in last year’s Army Combatives Championship, said Bruner.

“I did pretty well,” he said. “I placed fifth overall [in my weight class].” However, even after doing so well in the championship, all his thoughts were on re-joining his Soldiers out in Afghanistan, said Thorton. “Actually, he felt guilty because he wasn’t out there,” Thorton added. It took a few conversations for him to come to terms with the fact that he still had an op-portunity to go out there and help his unit by playing a significant role in the deployment with the rest of his unit in Afghanistan, said Thorton. Bruner did deploy shortly after his par-ticipation in the championship, and served in Afghanistan along with the rest of his Soldiers until they all re-deployed together back to Fort Hood in June of this year. It did not take long for Bruner to get back into the swing of things in regards to his combatives training after he got back from Afghanistan. As soon as he got back, Bruner asked Thorton what he could do to help the team win another championship. “He knew he was too far behind in the train-up to be able to catch up and compete, however he still wanted to assist the team in any way he could,” said Thorton. Even though he is just assisting in coach-ing this year, it’s his experience and teach-ing which have allowed others from our team to grow and get to a place where they are competeing for top ranking in his weight class this year, Thorton added. Bruner is now hoping to get an instruc-tor position on the Fort Hood Combatives team. “I learn more everyday with all the tal-ent we have on the team … I just want to continue training, and I want to continue teaching others what I’ve learned so far,” said Bruner. Thorton might have summed up Bruner best when originally asked what kind of a fighter Bruner is. “Let’s not talk about Sgt. Bruner as a fight-er, let’s talk about him as a good person and a good NCO,” said Thorton.

Family and Friends of the Cold Steel Battalion,

I am excited to be the new 615th Aviation Support Battalion com-mander and this is my second assignment with the 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade. My family and I reside in Belton, Texas and I am a native of Canadian Lakes, Michi-gan. I attended Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Aviation in 1994. My previous enlisted as-signments include ser-vice with the Marine Corps and Army, as a Noncommissioned Of-ficer. My first assignment af-ter commissioning was as a platoon leader in the 82nd Aviation Bri-gade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and where I subsequently completed my bachelor’s and mas-ter’s degrees through the Degree Completion Program. I served as Commander of D Com-pany, 58Th Aviation Regiment and S-4 with the 164Th Air Traffic Services Group, while assigned to 17Th Avia-tion Brigade, Republic of Korea and as Commander, C Company, 2nd Battalion (Training Support) (Aviation), 291St Regiment, Fort Riley, Kansas. I have also served as

a director and deputy director, Mis-sile Defense Element, Ground Mid-Course Defense program at Sch-reiver, Air Force Base and as the USNORTHCOM’s missile defense

officer at Cheyenne Mountain Op-erations Center while assigned to the 100Th Missile Defense Brigade (Space) out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. I deployed to Operation

Lifeline providing Earthquake Re-lief in Pakistan, and served as the Commander of B Company, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, during OIF 06-08 and as the US Forces

Iraq, J33 Aviation Op-erations, Chief of Plans, during OIF/OND 10-11. My last assignment was as the Deputy Brigade Commander for 166th Aviation Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas. My military education includes completion of the Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course, Intermedi-ate Level Education Course, the Ground-Based Midcourse De-fense Operator Basic and Advance Courses, US Air Force Command Center Crew Operations Course, Air Defense Artillery Patriot Tran-sition Course, Human Resource Management Qualification Course, Observer/Controller Trainer Course, Com-bined Arms and Ser-vices Staff School, UH-60 Maintenance Test Pilot Course, Aviation Maintenance Manager Course, Aviation Offi-cer Basic and Advanced Courses, Airborne School, UH-60 Aircraft

Qualification Course, Air Assault School, and the Combat Life Saver Course.

COLD STEEL 6

615 coldsteel

Welcome, Soldiers, families, and friends of the 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade team!

The 1 ACB Safety Office is proud to present “Safety Sense” as part of the monthly Warrior Newsletter. My name is CW4 William (Randy) Liller and it is my responsibility to promote a strong safety sense in the members of our family. The goal of these efforts is the elimination of injuries to our personnel and dam-age to our equipment while main-taining the ability to accomplish the mission. It is my greatest hope that, through developing this sense of safety, and applying it to all that we do in life from work to play, that each of us will live long and pros-per (gratuitous movie reference intended) without the disrup-tions that accidents inherently create. About me: I am a 21 year veteran of Army Avia-tion and have served in the safety arena for 18 of those years. Serving as a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot-in-com-mand, I have performed every mis-sion for which the Blackhawk is designed, from VIP to Air Assault and all of those in between. Many of those missions included integration with our sister ships: the Apache, Chi-nook, and Kiowa Warrior. The pro-grams I have managed include two companies and eight battalion/task forces. The safety record of those units ranks among the best in Army

Aviation. Recently, COL Menden-hall appointed me to the 1ACB Safety Office where I intend to con-tinue this trend with the entire ACB team. The purpose of the safety pro-gram is to protect the personnel and equipment of the 1ACB to facilitate mission accomplishment. This is a very broad statement and reflects the breadth and depth of the pro- gram itself. Many ar- eas are covered by the efforts o f e v - e r y

safety officer within the brigade. These include establishing stan-dard operating procedures (SOP’s), inspections, information tracking, accident reporting, risk mitiga-tion/management, and education, among many others. While each area is important in its own way, by far the most important aspect of this program is the education of our

Soldiers and family members. Through this education, a “safety sense” is developed. This mindset allows each of us to approach al-most any situation and accomplish our goals safely. When applied in a holistic way, safety loses the nega-tive connotations normally associ-ated with it and becomes what we refer to as a combat multiplier. Simply put, safety allows us to ac-complish those goals with mini-mal risk of injury or damage as we move forward to accomplish that goal/mission. Fortunately, we have an excellent start in developing this mindset. Each of us teach our children to look both ways before crossing the street, we all bundle up when it is cold outside, and most of us are careful when we are dealing

with electricity. A strong safety sense is already built into our

DNA as a will to survive. It is my hope that this office can

assist in the continued de-velopment of this frame

of mind for each of us as we continue

to pursue the ac-complishment of

our missions in life.

Thank you for tak-

ing the time to get to know my mission. Please help each of us to succeed in our mission and live with a strong safe-ty sense.

v/rCW4 William (Randy) Liller1ACB Aviation Safety Officer254-553-7859William.r.liller.mil@mail.mil

safety sense

Hello ACB! I am your new brigade chaplain and I am super excited to be back at Fort Hood and in the air space of the Air Cav. My family and I are no strangers to Ft. Hood or the ACB. My wife served as an FRSA in 15 BSB and I deployed for 15 months to Taji, Iraq as the battalion chaplain for 1-227. My Son (20) gradu-ated from Harker Heights High school and my youngest daughter (15) graduated from Union Grove Middle School. I am a native of Limestone, M a i n e . However, I lived the ma jo r-ity of my teen life in New Or-leans (Go Saints). After I grad-uated high school I decided to follow in the family tradi-tion and serve in the Army where I enlisted as a field artillery cannon crew mem-ber. In the midst of serving in the tough and demanding world of field artillery, I met a super nice and car-ing man (a chaplain) who encour-aged me to do something greater with my life. He mentored me and convinced me to serve Soldiers in the capacity as a chaplain. He had a profound affect on my life and be-cause of his mentorship I separated

from the Army and enrolled in sem-inary for three years and returned to active duty as a chaplain. I have served soldiers as a chap-lain for 12 years and have had the pleasure of deploying to several places like Guantanamo Bay, Af-rica, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq. Be-ing a chaplain has taught me the

most valuable lesson in life and that is to invest in Soldiers and treat them with dignity and respect. In return, you have an opportunity to change lives. I am open, super approachable, and will always have a positive atti-tude in and out of the office. Expect to see me and my chaplain assistant

everywhere and involved in every-thing that involves Soldiers. I love Soldiers and I believe in taking care of family members. Soldiers and family members are our greatest as-set. If they are being taken care of by the unit ministry team, then their minds can be at ease when it’s time for them to take care of our nations business to maintain peace and de-

ter the bad guys. My beliefs are simple and direct. I believe that

beliefs and values are guiding principles to

enlighten one's path, not tools

that should be used to rebuke and belittle oth-

ers. As y o u r

b r i g a d e C h a p l a i n I will en-sure that the BDE Unit

Ministry Team and the battal-ion UMT’s treat

you with dignity and respect at all times. We don’t care what

problems you have and what you believe; our job is to em-

power you to be the best Soldier, husband, wife or family member you can be! We are always willing and motivated to help day or night. I or SFC Grant can be reached for appointments@ (254)- 553-7945.

Chaplain Khallid Shabazz (MAJ)

Chaplain’s Corner