pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 pg. 9 Vol. 2, Issue 40 October 9, 2005 The Iraqi 1st Motorized Transportation Regiment is ready to roll. Iraqis helping Iraqis, school children get supplies from Iraqi army pg. 4 pg. 14 Kicking down doors in Rawah B Co. 2/1st Infantry Regiment works to stop foreign enemies from entering Iraq by Soldiers of B Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment sweep a hill in Rawah, Iraq, looking for signs of weapons caches on Sept. 26. Their goal is to stop insurgents from entering Iraq. Photo by Pfc. Spencer Case Photo by Staff Sgt. Monika Comeaux Photo by Sgt. Marshall Thompson
Iraqis helping Iraqis, schoolchildren get supplies from
Iraqi army
pg. 4
pg. 14
Kicking down doors in RawahB Co. 2/1st Infantry Regiment works to stop foreign enemies from entering Iraq by
Soldiers of B Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment sweep a hill in Rawah, Iraq, looking for signs of weapons caches on Sept. 26. Their goal is to stop insurgents from entering Iraq.Photo by Pfc. Spencer Case
Photo by Staff Sgt. Monika ComeauxPhoto by Sgt. Marshall Thompson
PAGE 2 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
Anaconda Times is authorized for publication by the1st COSCOM for the LSA Anaconda community. Thecontents of the Anaconda Times are unofficial and arenot to be considered the official views of, or endorsedby, the U.S. Government, including the Department ofDefense or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Anaconda Times is a command information newspa-per in accordance with Army Regulation 360-1.
Anaconda Times is published weekly by the Stars
and Stripes central office, with a circulation of 5,000papers.
The Public Affairs Office is on New Jersey Ave. inbuilding 4136, DSN 318-829-1234. Anaconda
Times, HHC 1st COSCOM, APO AE 09391. Website at www.mnf-iraq.com/publications_theater.htm
1st COSCOM Commanding GeneralBrig. Gen. Yves J. Fontaine
Chief of the Anaconda Consolidated Press CenterLt. Col. Virginia Zoller
Deputy Public Affairs Officer207th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment CommanderMaj. Curtis Carney
207th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment NCOICSgt. 1st Class Jeffrey S. Mullett
EditorSgt. Marshall Thompson
Staff WritersStaff Sgt. Engels TejedaStaff Sgt. Monika ComeauxSgt. Mitch ArmbrusterSgt. Jason MikeworthSgt. Ty D. StaffordPfc. Spencer Case
By Sgt. Traci VarrassoStaff Writer
Soldiers can receive over $1,000 in perdiem entitlements during their deploymentin Iraq.
Temporary duty (TDY) per diem is atravel allowance provided to all deployedSoldiers in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Theper diem payment is a reimbursement ofactual expenses during government di-rected travel. All deployed Soldiers areentitled to $3.50 per day for travel.
Soldiers must fill out a travel voucher
(DD Form 1351-2). Active duty membersmust submit their final voucher within fivedays of redeploying to their home stationfinance office. Reserve and National GuardSoldiers must submit their final voucherwithin five days of redeploying to their de-mobilization site finance office.
Soldiers will receive a lump sum pay-ment on their final travel voucher settle-ment.
For more information you can contact the18th Soldier Support Group (Airborne) LSAAnaconda. DNVT 302-529-8055. They arelocated on New Jersey St. between the PXand Provider Chapel.
DOD New Service
The Department of Defense announcedthat the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insur-ance (SGLI) maximum coverage increasedto $400,000 on Sept. 1, 2005.
All members eligible for SGLI have au-tomatically been insured for the maximumcoverage of $400,000. The monthly SGLIpremium remains $3.25 per $50,000 of cov-erage, so the monthly premium for full cov-erage will be $26.00 beginning in Septem-ber 2005.
These changes will not affectcoverage under FamilySGLI, which will con-tinue under previouslyexisting elections.
A member, whowishes to retain the$400,000 of coveragewith beneficiary desig-nations as beforeSept. 1, 2005,does not need totake any action. The $400,000 ofcoverage will ap-ply along withthe new premi-ums and beneficiarydesignations will remainthe same as those in effectbefore Sept. 1, 2005.
Even members, who had pre-viously declined SGLI coverage orelected less than the maximum cov-erage, have been automatically cov-ered for $400,000 on Sept. 1, 2005.
If they wish to again decline or reducethe coverage, they must complete a newSGLV 8286 form (September 2005 version)indicating the amount of coverage desiredincluding no coverage if applicable.
If the member has properly completedand submited the form before Sept. 30, 2005,the member will not be liable for the Sep-tember 2005, premium associated with thereduced or declined portion of coverage.
This gives members 30 days to reduce ordecline unwanted coverage withoutcharge. Units will be asked to process elec-
LifLifLifLifLife insure insure insure insure insurance incrance incrance incrance incrance increaseseaseseaseseaseseases CarCarCarCarCarpe Ppe Ppe Ppe Ppe Per Diem:er Diem:er Diem:er Diem:er Diem:seize the money, fill out a travel vouchertions as expeditiously as possible to avoid
the necessity for corrections in financialtransactions.
The Defense Finance and AccountingService will refund premiums deducted forcoverage in September, if the member fileda valid election to reduce or decline the cov-erage between Sept. 1-30, 2005.
The new SGLV 8286 form will be avail-able on the Department of Veterans AffairsWeb site at http://www.insurance.va.gov
Entries can be made on the page and thendownloaded.
Valid SGLI elections be-come effective the first day
of the month after prop-erly submitting the elec-
tion form. So, allmembers of the uni-formed serviceswill be fully in-
sured for$ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0throughout themonth of Sep-tember 2005, re-gardless of anyelection filed be-
fore or during Septem-ber, 2005.
If a member died inSeptember after complet-ing an election for re-duced coverage or no
coverage, the member’sbeneficiaries will still receive
a $400,000 payment. Those who elected to decline or re-
duce coverage during September will es-sentially receive the September automaticcoverage at no cost.
Members who did not make an electionto reduce or decline coverage from the$400,000 level before October 1, 2005, willpay the premium for the full $400,000 ofcoverage for September as well as for anyother month in which the level of coverageremains in effect.
When a member properly completes andsubmits SGLV Form 8286 on or after Oct. 1,2005, to reduce or decline coverage, the re-duction is effective the first day of the monthafter the form is properly submitted.
Armerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2005 – A new Defense Department policy asksservicemembers, government civilians and retirees to obtain needed pay documentsfrom an online Web site, a Defense Finance and Accounting Service spokesman saidtoday.
Having DoD customers obtain pay documents such as leave-and-earnings and taxstatements via computer rather than having hard copies mailed to them is envisioned toprovide hefty savings, according to DFAS representative Jim Pitt, the director of theagency’s myPay online system.
For example, the government would save $7.5 million, including savings in mailing,printing and paper, if all of DoD’s civilian employees used myPay, Pitt noted. The newpolicy is part of DoD initiatives to support President Bush’s directive for governmentagencies to harness the Internet to deliver services, he said.
Using the online system also assures that personal data like Social Security numbersare viewed and accessed only by each customer, Pitt said. And the myPay system,accessed at https://mypay.dfas.mil, soon will feature added security measures thatwill help protect users against identity theft, he noted.
Pitt said users who want to subscribe to myPay are required to first submit basicinformation via any government-sourced computer to obtain a personal identificationnumber. Afterward, users can use their PINs to access the myPay Web site through anycomputer that has Internet access, he said. Another way to obtain a PIN is to call theCustomer Support Center at 1-800-390-2348. PINs will be sent to customers within afew days, either via mail or by e-mail.
Although DFAS customers still can opt to request hard-copy W-2s and LESs, Pitturged them to use the myPay online service to save government dollars.
A memorandum signed April 29, 2005, by Undersecretary of Defense for Personneland Readiness David S.C. Chu and DoD Comptroller Tina W. Jonas outlined the newpolicy, which went into effect Sept. 1.
Pitt said the lag time in implementing the policy was due to coordination and nego-tiations with government employee unions.
DOD asks employees to use Web site
PAGE 3OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
Question of the Week
Have Iraqi elections changed your mind about U.S. elections?
Sgt. Tabitha Hensley301st ASG
“I’ll probably vote in the nextelection because of what I’veseen here.”
Maj. Kevin McKelvy301st ASG
“It deepened my appreciationfor democracy.”
Staff Sgt Joshua Venable332nd ECES (FD)
“It makes me think maybe I’mtaking our opportunities forgranted.”
MSG Diniah Wallace301st ASG
“To maintain democracy, wehave to exercise our right tovote.”
Download the Anaconda Times atwww.mnf-iraq.com/publications_theater.htm
Are you funny? Can you draw?Can you draw funny?
Submit original cartoons about military life in Iraq to theAnaconda Times. If you can’t draw, just send us an idea. If youcan’t think of an idea, just send us a funny drawing. Don’t beembarrassed, we promise we’ll laugh.
“I vote already. Every Soldier inthe Army votes by being here.”
By Sgt. Mitch ArmbrusterStaff Writer
Dust blows across the fieldwhile Soldiers wait, crouched forthe moment to spring into action.The referee blows his whistleand the players kick the ball tostart the game.
Soldiers kicked off the flagfootball season at Holt MemorialField in September. The Morale,Welfare and Recreation (MWR)group on Logistical SupportArea Anaconda sponsored theevent.
The dirt field Soldiers play onoffers them a place to compete.Professional, college, andamateur football leagues havestarted their seasons in the Statesand Soldiers on LSA Anacondaget the chance to play as well.
“Many questions were beingasked about playing flag footballand we wanted to put [the field]to better use,” said JenniferHarper, MWR coordinator.
The league is composed of 20
teams and the season lasts eightweeks.
“I think they [the Soldiers]love it. This is something forthem to do outside of work andSoldiers have been putting forthextra effort to play,” Harper said.
“It [football] makes you feellike a normal person,” said Pfc.Jake McEvoy, a Soldier with the27th Public Affairs Detachmentand coach of one of the teams.“It’s nice to play some organizedsports.”
Members of the 1/159th
Aviation Regiment agreed thatfootball is a great way forSoldiers to relieve stress in ateam-building environment.They call their team the Knights.
“It’s a good morale booster. Itbrings people closer together.People that you don’t have achance to talk to all of the time,you can become buddies with onthe field,” McEvoy said.
Many Soldiers have beenequipping their teams withjerseys and other Soldiers evenhave cleats.
A coin toss before the start ofthe game decides who will getthe ball first.
If a team wins the toss, theycan also choose between playingseven or nine players at one timeon the field.
Games consist of two halveslasting 20 minutes each and afive-minute break betweenhalves.
With such a short season,teams are looking to do the bestthey can to give themselves abetter chance to win in theplayoffs.
Harper is hopeful that thefield will have grass for the nextseason. As for this season, thegridiron has to be played on thedirt.
“You give players the oppor-tunity to go out and shine andrelive their old glory days,”McEvoy said.
Soldiers get a chance to showtheir skills, but more impor-tantly, they are able to worktogether in a team environmentto accomplish the mission.
Flag football season starts on LSA Anaconda
Photo by Sgt. Mitch Armbruster
A Soldier for the 1/159th Aviation Regiment, known as the Knights, tries to reel in a pass at Holt Memorial Fieldduring a flag football game against the 456th Transportation Company Mustangs.
PAGE 4 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
Freedom Radio FrequenciesFreedom Radio FrequenciesFreedom Radio FrequenciesFreedom Radio FrequenciesFreedom Radio Frequencies107.7 Baghdad107.9 Sinjar105.1 Mosul, Fallujah107.3 Balad, Kirkurk, Tallil, Ar Ramadi93.3 Q-West, Tikrit, Al Asad107.1 Ridgeway102.5 Camp Taji
“Always There, on the Air!”“Always There, on the Air!”“Always There, on the Air!”“Always There, on the Air!”“Always There, on the Air!”
By Staff Sgt. Monika ComeauxStaff Writer
TAJI, IRAQ – They stood in a tight formation, dressright dress, listening to their own convoy commanderconducting the combat logistics patrol brief. In Septem-ber, the soldiers of the Iraqi army’s 1st Motorized Trans-portation Regiment were ready to roll out on a mission.But a year ago, this unit was nonexistent.
“We got the mission back in February to set up, train,outfit, the whole nine yards for the 1st MTR. Back at thattime, it was just a concept. They had no soldiers, theyhad no equipment,” said Col. Kenneth M. McMillin, thecommander of the 46th Corps Support Group out of FortBragg, N.C.
His staff took the concept and turned it into reality.They took existing U.S. training manuals, tailored themand had them translated. They used the manuals to setup and train the battalion-size Iraqi transportation unit.They also realized that even though the transportationregiment had some equipment, they didn’t have propersupply and maintenance channels to ensure the equip-ment was always up and running.
They also took a platoon of the 137th TransportationCompany (PLS) of the Kansas National Guard, a littleover 30 soldiers, and used their help coaching the Iraqisoldiers. A Military Integration Training Team (MITT)was also set up with officer and noncommissionedofficer advisors to aid the training, said Sgt. 1st ClassScott A. Rhodes, the truckmaster from the 137th, who wasamong the Soldiers assigned to train the Iraqis.
“We began with teaching the basic soldier skills. Thenwe moved into battle drills. By the time we startedworking with the MTR, they already were trained indriving,” Rhodes said.
After six weeks of training, the MTR conducted theirfirst live-fire exercise.
Different members of the U.S. team concentrated ondifferent areas of training. 1st Sgt. Robert J. Grimm, thesenior NCO advisor of the MITT, focused his efforts onimproving the NCOs.
“What I’m trying to do is establish a noncommis-sioned officer corps where there was none. I do itthrough professional development and training,” Grimmsaid.
“We are not trying to teach them how to be the U.S.Army, we are trying to teach them that there is a betterway of doing things,” McMillin said.
Once the groundwork was done, and the 1st MTRreached a stage where they were ready to run their ownmissions, the staff sections had to be trained. Leaders ofthe 1st MTR were paired up with the different staffsections in the 46th CSG like personnel, logistics oroperations. They learned how to prepare reports, con-duct risk assessments, mission analysis and coordinatewith other sections, whether they are Coalition Forces orother Iraqi military units.
Today the 46th CSG can take an order, have it trans-lated into Arabic, and hand it to the leaders of the 1st
MTR. These missions primarily consist of movingsupplies or personnel for other Iraqi units on their five-ton Mercedes trucks. They also have some old U.S. five-tons that are armed with machine guns. The leadershipof the 1st MTR conducts most of the necessary coordina-tion, and they are ready to roll sometimes in as little as24 hours.
“The MTR is trained. They have been running inde-pendent operations for months now,” McMillin said.U.S. forces still accompany them for their missions, forbetter communication between the Iraqis and Coalition
Forces. They are there to ensure the Iraqis are grantedaccess to bases run by the Coalition Forces. Having aU.S. gun truck in front of, and behind, the combatlogistics patrol also helps to avoid fratricide, he said.
The Soldiers who had the chance to coach the Iraqijundi (lower enlisted) found them highly motivated. “Welearned that they were motivated and willing to do thejob. A lot of us thought coming over here, that they didn’twant to fight, but that is not the case,” Grimm said.
McMillin said he will remember the spirit of one Iraqisoldier in particular.
“I grabbed an Iraqi soldier one day. He looked like hewas 70 years old. He was still a jundi, a private. I askedhim why he joined the army. He said, ‘because my primeminister said, we needed to help,’ and he joined thearmy,” McMillin said with a smile.
The 46th CSG will leave Iraq knowing that they helpedmake history. “I think what we are going to take backwith us, is that we were part of a success story. We haveseen what the Iraqi soldiers can do, given the rightresources…We know that the Iraqi army can secure Iraqeventually,” McMillin said.
Iraqi Army improves supply abilities
Soldiers in the 1st Motorized Transportation Regiment of the Iraqi army deliver medical supplies for another Iraqi unit inBaghdad on Sept. 20.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Monika Comeaux
PAGE 5OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
By Staff Sgt. Engels TejedaStaff Writer
In Rawah, water is gold.Located in a desert near the Syria-Iraq
border, the small combat outpost (COP)usually sees no rainfall from February toNovember. But Soldiers fighting terroristsfrom this post need not worry aboutwater. Staff Sgt. Jeffery Cunningham andhis team have the water flow undercontrol.
“My mission is to supply potable waterfor the whole [COP],” said Cunningham,the water site noncommissioned officer atRawah and a member of the 14th Quarter-master Company that is attached to the129th Forward Logistics Element. “Every-thing runs on water. Without water, youhave no chow. Without water, you haveno hygiene – so this is an importantmission.”
The mission is as elaborate as it isimportant. Every day Cunningham andtwo Soldiers of the 4th Squadron, 14th
Cavalry Regiment draw, purify, anddeliver over 15,000 gallons of waterthroughout the COP. The Soldiers pumpthe water from a nearby well into a “raw”water bag.
Next, they pump the water at about125 gallons per minute through a ReverseOsmosis Purification Unit, a machine thatuses at least five different types of rocksand over 10 cotton filters to removeimpurities from the water.
The water is chlorinated and distrib-uted for use.
“When the water comes from the well,
it has like 1,100 particles in it. Now it justhas about six,” Cunningham said whiletesting a fresh gallon of purified water.“We use this water for chow, for theshower point, for laundry, you could evendrink that water cause it has less stuff init than bottled water.”
Lt. Col. Mario Garcia Jr., the com-mander of the 129th Corps SupportBattalion, said that like the rest of themembers of the 129th FLE at Rawah,Cunningham’s team had met its mission.He pointed out that when the Soldiers gotthere, the COP was a dust bowl and thatthey are progressively improving it. The129th FLE also operates fuel, shower,laundry, and maintenance sites on post.The Soldiers have relied on state of the artequipment, such as Cunningham’sReverse Osmosis Purification Unit, to dotheir mission.
More than the equipment, the peoplebehind the missions are who have madeit successful, according to Sgt. 1st ClassAndrew Dailey, the NCO in charge of the129th FLE. The Soldiers, many of themReservists, have improved their areas ofoperations using skills from their civiliancareers and hobbies.
Most of all, Dailey said, the Soldiershave taken ownership of the missionsand have made the best out of the dustycamp.
“On average, I would say they areworking from 7 a.m. to sometimes 10:30p.m. in non-stop water distribution,”Dailey said, describing howCunningham’s schedule is an example ofthe FLE’s average day. “Cunningham hasbrought his military knowledge and he is
a professional and that has made work-ing with him great.”
Cunningham joined the active Army in1980 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic.After serving in Desert Storm, he left theArmy in 1990 to become a paramedic anda truck driver, and he returned to theArmy Reserve in 1993 to serve as a waterpurification specialist.
Since then, he said he has developed afascination for his job, a characteristicthat has made this deployment easierthan others.
“I love the Army,” Cunningham said.“You know, I hate being away from myfamily and having to go away, but I can’tcomplain.”
He said that during the first sevenmonths of his deployment for OperationIraqi Freedom, he served at a camp nearLogistical Support Area Anaconda. Heloved the location. He said even thoughmortar rounds hit his water site threetimes, he grew close to Soldiers stationedthere. At Rawah, he said he developedsimilar relationships.
“After the first few days, you get overthe dust and you realize this place isn’tso bad,” Cunningham said. “It takes youback to your roots, you know, this is realArmy living. You live in tents, use Armyunits for showers not commercial ones,Army water, and you depend on yourbuddy for everything.”
That type of motivation, the Soldierssaid, is what has kept them together.
“If we had to do it again, I would pickthe same team that I have now because Iknow the mission would get done,”Dailey said.
SoldierSoldierSoldierSoldierSoldiers rs rs rs rs run the wun the wun the wun the wun the waaaaater wter wter wter wter worororororksksksksksSpc. Kevin King, a water purification specialist with the 172nd Brigade Support Battalion attached to the 4th Squadron, 14th CavalryRegiment, checks a 3,000 gallon water bladder.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda
Weaponscache foundoutside BaladAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – American Soldierstoday discovered and seized a cache ofmunitions buried in a field near Balad,Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officialssaid on Oct. 2
The cache included roughly 65028mm-caliber and more than 950 .50-cali-ber rounds. The cache was taken to acoalition forces’ base for disposal, offi-cials said.
And, Iraqi Army troops nabbed threeinsurgents Oct. 1 in Fallujah after theinsurgents’ improvised explosive deviceblew up prematurely.
Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 4thBrigade, 1st Iraqi Intervention Force re-sponded to a report of an explosion bycoalition forces. Upon arrival, troopsfound one terrorist dead and two otherswounded, officials said.
The wounded insurgents were takento a medical facility for treatment. Offi-cials said the bomb’s composition wasundetermined.
In Baghdad, a 60-year-old male secu-rity detainee recently died at ForwardOperating Base Abu Ghraib, officialssaid. The medical staff noticed that thedetainee appeared to be ill and took himto the medical facility.
The medical staff determined that thedetainee was hypoglycemic and pro-vided medical care, officials said. Soonafter, it was determined he was in renalfailure, and surgery was then performed.
The detainee went into cardiac arrestwhile in the intensive care unit and diedafter all life-saving efforts failed to resus-citate him, officials said. He was pro-nounced dead by an attending physi-cian.
The remains will be transferred to thefamily upon completion of an autopsy,in accordance with standard procedure,officials said.
In other developments, in northBaghdad, Iraqi Army and U.S. soldiersfound five weapons caches on Sept. 30.
U.S. combat engineers from the 70thEngineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Ar-mored Division made the largest haul ofenemy ordnance at a house in northBaghdad, officials said.
The Americans also captured twosuspected terrorists.
In just over two hours the engineersfound three weapons caches yieldingnine missiles, seven rocket launchers, 20rockets, 69 mortar rounds, more than 300rocket-propelled grenades and 119 handgrenades.
The engineers also seized an assort-ment of artillery rounds and bomb-mak-ing materials, including 53 detonators,42 time fuses, three machine guns, sev-eral types of rifles, scopes, pistols andammunition, officials reported.
Hours of OperationHours of OperationHours of OperationHours of OperationHours of Operation
DFAC 1Breakfast 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Late Night 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
DFACs 2 & 3Breakfast 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Late Night: 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
DFAC 4Breakfast 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.Lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Dinner 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Late Night: 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The DFAC hours for all locations are seven daysa week. All patrons must be in the proper uniformand be able to present appropriate identification.
By Staff Sgt. Monika ComeauxStaff Writer
One day, Capt. David J. Kaczmarekwas the night shift battle captain for the46th Corps Support Group. The next dayhe became the liaison officer between the46th CSG and the 1st Motorized Transpor-tation Regiment of the Iraqi army.
Kaczmarek, a logistics officer from FortBragg, N.C. had to adapt to his new jobfast.
Col. Kenneth M. McMillin, commanderof the 46th CSG hand picked Kaczmarekfor the task.
“I was called in the office, and I wastold, ‘this is what your mission is, this iswhat you are supposed to do. And I hadit from there. It made the deployment goby a lot quicker than I thought it wasgoing to,” Kaczmarek said.
He provides coordination for the 46th
CSG, the 1st MTR, and also a smallMilitary Integration Training Teamassigned to coach the MTR. Kaczmarekworks 12 to 14 hours a day – jugglingphone calls, meetings and visitors.Occasionally he accompanies the 1st MTRon longer missions, to make sure every-thing goes as planned. He is a one-manoffice, taking care of everything related tothe work between the 1st MTR and the U.S.forces.
Kaczmarek enjoys his job, he said.“What is funny is that the majority ofIraqi soldiers have the same issues asAmerican Soldiers have.”
They still need their boots or uniformsexchanged if they got damaged, or they
still may be late for formation, he added.He said the hardest part of his job was
breaking down the cultural barriers, andmaking the Iraqi troops understand howimportant training was in successfullyaccomplishing any mission.
“That was what our goal was, andstriving to achieve it was difficult. But inthe end, it was rewarding,” Kaczmareksaid.
“When we first came in, I think justlike anybody, you learn to group peopleall together as one. That is not necessarilythe right thing to do,” Kaczmarek said.
Through working with the Iraqis on adaily basis, he got to know eachindividual’s strengths and weaknesses.
“That was probably the most reward-ing – almost like being a regular teacher.You could see in some of the soldiers’eyes that you were really getting throughto them, and they were really interested inwhat you had to say,” he added with awarm smile.
Kaczmarek had no previous experienceas a liaison officer or as a teacher for thatmatter.
The closest he ever got to teaching wasbeing appointed as the officer in charge ofthe live-fire range for the 1st COSCOMunits deploying to Iraq.
“Outside of that, there was nothingthat could prepare me for what we had todo here,” he said.
As for what makes a person a goodliaison officer, Kaczmarek said,
“First you have to understand what thecommander’s intent is. The next thingyou need is a lot of patience. Obviouslyyou have to be able to work with differenttypes of personalities, different cultures,
and different people. Then you have toknow what makes each one tick.
“Then I think the last thing is, youneed to be assertive and independent to adegree,” Kaczmarek added. “If you havethe right type of personality and you getexcited seeing other people succeed, thenobviously this is a great opportunity foryou.”
Col. McMillin and others working withKaczmarek seem impressed with hisefforts. The magic words “go and seeCapt. Kaczmarek about that,” soundseveral times a day in the offices of the46th CSG.
What made Kaczmarek’s job reallyhard is that he was a pioneer. He hadnothing to fall in on. He and other U.S.Soldiers working with the 1st MTR had todevelop everything from scratch,McMillin said. Everything they did for theIraqis had to be translated.
Next, they had to make sure everythingwas properly documented, trying toensure that the people who take over will
have all the information they need athand, Kaczmarek said.
Kaczmarek himself made a detailedbook, a ‘Bible,’ that contains everythingthat there is to know about his position.He is looking forward to meeting hisreplacement, and very much lookingforward to going home.
“There is really not going to be a lot ofeffort to be placed on the MTR when ourreplacements come in,” McMillin said.“The MTR is trained,” he said, satisfiedwith the job his liaison and training teamaccomplished.
Kaczmarek thinks that it would begreat to be able to see the 1st MTR opera-tional and better equipped 10 or 15 yearsdown the road, maybe as he watches TVas a tourist on vacation in a stable andpeaceful Iraq.
“Do I think that the Iraqis have theopportunity and the ability to do that?”Kaczmarek asked. “Absolutely, but at theend it all comes down to them. So mysuccess would be rated on their success.”
Changing missions didn’t stop Soldier
Cpt. David J. Kaczmarek, liaison officer between the 46th CSG and the 1st MTR assists aSoldier with coordinating a mission.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Monika Comeaux
PAGE 7OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
By Sgt. Jason MikeworthStaff Writer
The Black Sheep Coffee House at CampAl Taqqadum, is no ordinary java joint.It’s a little bit ‘Cheers’ and a little bitStarbucks, neatly tucked away inside anold bunker. A wide variety of amenitiesare available, from the vast selection ofcoffees and snacks to the library, gamingtables and friendly faces.
“We want them to walk in here andfeel like they’re at home,” said Sgt.Charmaine Blake, the non-commissionedofficer in charge of the coffee house.
The Black Sheep Coffee House openedfor business in April after two gruelingmonths of preparations, Blake said.Soldiers volunteered their time and effortto refurbish the old bunker. They builtfurniture, countertops and even painteddecorations on the walls.
When he first arrived at Camp AlTaqqadum, Sgt. 1st Class Rick Weiss, whoshares the coffee house NCOIC dutieswith Blake, said he only found a smallMorale, Welfare, and Recreation facilityoffering minimal services.
Weiss and Blake worked hard tocoordinate the volunteers to complete theconstruction with the full support of Maj.Sharon Wallace, the officer in charge ofthe coffee house.
“We wanted a place for Soldiers to goto when they’re off duty so they couldrelax, get a taste of home and take theirminds off of being here,” Wallace said.
After overcoming the challenges ofrebuilding the bunker, the Black SheepCoffee House still needed coffee.
“We received no funding through theMWR,” Weiss said, “so we wrote to acouple of Web sites.”
The non-profit organization Soldier’sAngels answered their request, donatingone and a half tons of coffee. All of theservices offered are free, so don’t look for aprice tag, Weiss said. Donations areaccepted and the money is put back intothe coffee house in the form of T-shirts,mugs, coffee syrups and sugar.
Soldiers are not assigned specifically towork at the coffee house. All of the labor,including the day-to-day operations, isdonated by Soldiers.
“In order to work here, you have to be avolunteer. It’s not a detail. You have towant to be here,” Blake said. The staffmembers still have their normal missionsto accomplish in addition to working atthe Black Sheep Coffee House.
Blake is the field ordering officer (FOO)for the 620th Corps Support Battalion.Weiss is the NCOIC and Wallace is theOIC of the 620th CSB personnel servicessection.
“We all have different jobs. My jobtakes me out for two weeks at a time sometimes,” Blake said.
Everyone chips in to keep the coffeehouse running during the times staffmembers are off on missions.
“When we’re short, when Sgt. Blakehas to go on a FOO mission, or Sgt. 1st
Class Weiss is out of the area, I actually
work at the coffee house cleaning, stock-ing and making coffee,” Wallace said.
In addition to movies, games and freecoffee, the Black Sheep Coffee House alsoprovides users with a place to showcasetheir talents.
“We have open mic night everyThursday night. Local talents get on ourlittle stage and do whatever talent theyhave,” Blake said. The shows usuallyincludes singing, poetry and free-stylerapping she added.
Blake said the best part of her job ismeeting everyone.
“Just sitting down, talking to everyonewho comes through here. Getting to knowSoldiers, Marines and even civilians,”Blake said.
“[Blake] knows that she’s making AlTaqqadum a better place. The Soldierscome in, the Sailors, the Marines, thecontractors, they all come in a lot of timesjust to see her happy face,” Weiss said.
Building stronger inter-service ties isan important part of the coffee house.
“We keep it very personal here, andthrough that, people are able to relax andenjoy themselves, and make new friendsof the different services,” Weiss said. “Weneed that here because it’s such a jointtask between Sailor, Marines and Armyhere.”
Everyone who comes through appreci-ates the comforts the coffee house offers,Wallace said.
“We’re really pleased with it,” shesaid. “It definitely boosts[servicemembers’] moral.”
BlacBlacBlacBlacBlack Sheek Sheek Sheek Sheek Sheep Cofp Cofp Cofp Cofp Coffffffee Houseee Houseee Houseee Houseee HouseNon-profit group donates 1 1/2 tons of coffee to start Soldier-run operation
Sgt. Charmaine Blake, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Black Sheep Coffee House at Logistical Support Area Springlake,stocks bags of donated coffee.
Photo by Sgt. Jason Mikeworth
More angelshelp Soldiers:non-profit groups pitch in
Armed Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2005 –When the founders of “Angels ofMercy” heard that wounded, injuredand sick servicemembers beingtreated in combat support hospitalsin Iraq needed health and comfortitems, they created “Angels in Iraq.”
They sprang into action andlaunched a nationwide American Le-gion campaign to let legionnaires andauxiliary members know how theycould help America’s heroes.
The “angels,” Jay Edwards and hiswife, Marian Chirichella, founded the“Angels of Mercy” program in Octo-ber 2003 in response to an AmericanRed Cross appeal for help in support-ing combat casualties from Iraq andAfghanistan at Walter Reed ArmyMedical Center here.
Angels of Mercy has been support-ing wounded troops at Walter Reedever since. The angels are sponsoredby American Legion Auxiliary Unit270 and American Legion Post 270 ofMcLean, Va. Edwards is the first vicecommander of Post 270. Chirichellais president of Auxiliary Unit 270 andchair of the chapter’s veterans affairsand rehabilitation committee.
When they heard of troops in needin combat support hospitals inBaghdad and Fallujah, Iraq, Edwardsand Chirichella sent e-mail messagesto these facilities asking for a “wishlist” of health and comfort items thehospitals needed for their patients.
Meanwhile, they contacted stateLegion commanders in all 50 states toalert them to the wounded combat-ants’ needs, and Angels in Iraq wasborn.
The couple is now working to gar-ner assistance from Legion command-ers in the U.S. Virgin Islands, PuertoRico, Guam, France, Mexico and thePhilippines. They also hope to helppatients at other combat hospitals inIraq and those in Afghanistan and Ku-wait.
”The response has been terrificfrom several states,” Edwards said.Edwards also said he wants to helpspread the word about DoD’s“America Supports You” program,which highlights how Americanssupport the troops.
Edwards noted that he and hiswife have been volunteering at WalterReed Army Medical Center since thefall of 2003. He estimated they’vehugged and shaken hands with morethan 2,000 wounded or injured troopsand over twice that many family mem-bers and friends.
OCTOBER 9, 2005 PAGE 9PAGE 8 OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
A civilian contractor working with Al Morrell Development places a bottle in the fitting that allows the bottle to be filled with water just before being capped at the new water bottling planton LSA Anaconda.
Drinking water is a life-sustainingelement, which normally has to betrucked into Logistical Support AreaAnaconda from the outside area.
Now, Soldiers and contractors areworking to open a water bottling plant onLSA Anaconda to sustain the inhabitantsof the post while keeping combat logisticspatrols to a minimum.
“This plant will serve all ofAnaconda’s needs as well as neighboring[forward operating bases] FOBs,” saidKen Hatfield, with Al Morrell Develop-ment, the company overseeing the project.
Opening a water bottling plant on LSAAnaconda offers Soldiers and civiliansone less reason to be on the road. De-creasing the necessity for combat logisti-cal patrols keeps people from beingvictims of improvised explosive devicesor ambushes.
“If we can make water here why are wegoing to bring hundreds of trucks in?”asked Maj.Kevin McKelvy, a contractingofficer representative and the baseengineer.
The question of water transportationcan be solved with the bottling plant. Thefully automated bottling plant canproduce 12,000 bottles of water an hour.The bottling plant houses multiple
machines doing a variety of jobs.A blow molder, takes a small preform,
or plastic tube, that will eventuallybecome the bottle for the water. It goesthrough a process of ultra-violet light andheat, which starts a chemical and heatreaction.
These reactions allow the plastic tostretch into the bottle form.
From the blow molder, the bottlestravel down the line where they arerinsed and filled with drinkable water.The water is pulled from a local canaland sent through a thorough cleansingprocess to make the water potable.
Water is pushed through a hugecarbon filter that works much like a filteron an ordinary home faucet.
The filtering system separates solidsthrough a group of pipes while a systemof tubing helps make the water as cleanas it can before passing through thecarbon filter.
The carbon filter’s role is to take outtastes and chlorine that may be harmfulin the water. The system is equippedwith ultra-violet and ozone, two back upcleansing elements that will kill anythingthat might have passed through thesystem. Now the water is ready to drink.
The final process is to cap the bottlesand put them on pallets to be delivered tothe Soldiers. A cap is put on the waterbottle by the machine, which sends thenewly capped bottles down the conveyer
belt. Once the bottles are sent down the
conveyer, they are grouped in 12-packgroups. They are shrink-wrapped andpalletized.
“These machines can produce 300pallets a day,” Hatfield said.
“There have been a lot of challengesbecause some of this stuff doesn’t fallneatly into somebody’s sphere of respon-sibility,” said McKelvy. “A lot of peoplehave a piece of it.”
“I haven’t had to convince anyone thatthis project is important. The goal is to beself sustainable, but the super objective isto reduce vulnerability by not being outon the main supply routes,” McKelvysaid.
Most of the equipment needed to dothis job has been flown or trucked in.With attacks on combat logistics patrols,some items have taken longer to get, butthe team with Al Morrell Developmenthas had a back up plan every step of theway.
“When you think of the number ofthings that could have gone wrong, theseguys have done a remarkable job,”McKelvy said.
Drinking water is a necessity. Makingwater on LSA Anaconda is a majorresource for its inhabitants, which givesSoldiers and civilians driving the mainsupply routes a chance to lower their riskwhile on the roads of Iraq.
By Pfc. Spencer CaseStaff Writer
As the Stryker vehicles roll downthe narrow, dusty streets of Rawah,Iraq on Sept. 26, some locals glee-fully wave, others observe withmixed expressions of suspicion oruncertainty.
The vehicles halt. Someone shouts “every-body out” and about two dozen Soldierspour into the streets to perform their nextcordon and search mission, moving fromhouse to house looking for signs of weaponscaches.
Since early September, Soldiers of B Company, 2nd Battalion,1st Infantry Regiment of Fort Wainwright, Alaska have con-ducted missions like this on an almost daily basis in additionto presence patrols and occasional assault missions, said Capt.Sidney Topf, the company commander. The purpose of thesemissions is to stop the flow of insurgents and illegal weaponsfrom Syria before they threaten stability in the region.
“Being part of the mission makes me feel good in a way,”said Sgt. Darnell Doyle, a squad leader in B Co. 2/1. “It makesme feel like we’re doing something better for these people. If wecan make a difference now, hopefully some of our kids won’thave to be here, like 15 years from now.”
Though this mission yielded only one illegally owned AK-47and a few empty ammunition boxes, there could have beenmuch more, Topf said. The unit has uncovered numerousweapons caches in its short time in the area.
“The main thing we’re doing here is preventing the insur-gents [from having] a direct path from Syria to the rest of Iraq,”Topf said. “I think we’re showing a big impact out here.”
“The most challenging part is trying to deal with an enemyyou really don’t see on a daily basis,” said 1st Lt. Jake Jeffers, aplatoon leader for B Co. 2/1. “It’s just going from house tohouse and not being able to tell who’s good and who’s bad.”
Despite the challenge of fighting an unseen enemy, Topf saidso far his company has faced little direct fire and no attacks
involving improvised explosive devices. He credits this to hisunit’s busy patrol schedule.
“We keep the insurgents hiding,” Topf said. “We keep theinsurgents guessing so they don’t have time to do [attacks].”
The B Co. 2/1 Soldiers are stationed at Combat OutpostRawah, near the Syrian border. For Soldiers here, a routine tripto the laundry facility or the chow hall means wading throughshin-high dust, which a mild wind can whip into a blindinghaze. Since there is no post exchange at COP Rawah, mosthygiene supplies come from air drops and care packages. Whilethe Soldiers said they would be happy to have more luxuries,leaders said the unit is coping well and morale remains high.
“The days go by faster and faster,” said Pfc. Joseph Flynn, aninfantry Soldier in the unit. “We’ll eventually be somewhere else,and that place will seem that much better.”
“Their performance has been just outstanding,” Topf said.“They stay motivated. It’s tough down here…everyone can bereal proud of what these guys have been doing. They’ve beendoing a terrific job.”
city nearcity nearcity nearcity nearcity nearSyrianSyrianSyrianSyrianSyrianborborborborborderderderderder
Soldiers of B Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment run down thestreets of Rawah, Iraq during a cordon and search mission, Sept. 26.
Soldiers of B Co., 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment clear a cornerduring a cordon and search mission in Rawah, Iraq, Sept. 26.
Soldier in Rawahsigns up for fivemore years
Sgt. Joseph Justice
Photo by Pfc. Spencer Case
By Pfc. Spencer CaseStaff Writer
A few years ago, Joseph Justicewouldn’t have believed that he’d bekicking down doors for a living. OnSept. 11, 2001, that all changed.
As the son and nephew ofMarines, Justice always had mili-tary in his blood, but it wasn’t untilhe saw the terrorist attacks on Sept.11 that joining the military became a“primary goal in life” for him.
“I knew a lot of people who hadfamily in those towers,” Justice said,a native of Dayton, Ohio, “Thathelped me make my decision.”
Today, Sgt. Justice is a teamleader for B Company, 2nd Battalion,1st Infantry Regiment. Since earlySeptember, he and his unit haveworked out of Combat OutpostRawah, keeping insurgents andillegal weapons from coming overthe Syrian border to cause unrest inIraq. Last month, Justice re-enlistedfor five years. He plans to stay in theArmy as an enlisted Soldier andbecome a Ranger and join SpecialForces.
When asked why he choseinfantry over other military occupa-tions, he said, “It’s the hardest. I liketo work. What other job do you goout and kick in doors? What otherjob is there that actually stops theenemy? Without infantry, you don’thave an army.”
In his unit, he has a reputationas a hard worker and as a noncom-missioned officer who leads byexample.
“He’s always in a positivemode,” said Pfc. John Anderson, anM-249 SAW gunner who has beenin Justice’s team three months.“He’s the first person to say ‘let’s godo this.’ He’s the first to go to thenext building. He’s the first to goforward, no matter how smoked weare.”
See Justice on pg. 15
Photo by Pfc. Spencer Case
Photo by Pfc. Spencer Case
PAGE 10 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
Going onEmergency
Leave?
Don’t forget,
you MUSThave civilianclothes tobe able to
fly out!
Also make sure you
have a copy of your
orders on you at all
times, even when
you are at home!
Please be sensitive to those whoobserve this religious holiday.
This year, Muslimscelebrate Ramadan Oct.
4 to Nov. 2
Spc. Bryn Lutz inspects his M2 .50 caliber machine gun before leaving on a combat logisticpatrol at Camp Al Taqqadum.
Photo by Sgt. Jason Mikeworth
TTTTTrrrrrucucucucuckkkkkdridridridridrivvvvvererererersssssdelidelidelidelidelivvvvvererererervital fuelvital fuelvital fuelvital fuelvital fuelBy Sgt. Jason MikeworthStaff Writer
The 146th Transportation Company atCamp Al Taqqadum delivers vital fuelsupplies to sustain the ongoing militaryoperations around the towns of Fallujahand Ramadi.
Over the last three months, the 146th
has completed over 94 missions to getabout 5.6 million gallons of fuel tocustomer units.
“Fuel is the heart of the mission here,”said 1st Sgt. Nadia Kirschman, the firstsergeant for the 146th. “Pretty muchwithout us delivering fuel to everyonethey won’t be able to do their missions, goanywhere or run their generators.”
“I think any transportation companywill tell you that delivering fuel is ahighly difficult mission,” said Cpt. ErythZecher, the unit commander.
The unit had about 72 Soldiers as-signed that were not qualified truckdrivers before being mobilized. Theyattended a military occupational spe-cialty school to become motor transportoperators in two waves, completing thetraining in April.
After finishing their general mobiliza-
tion training at Fort Bliss, Texas, Zecherhad her unit undergo an additional sixweeks of driver training.
“We had a separate training programwhere we sent the Soldiers out on the 62beautiful miles of Fort Bliss,” Zecher said.Soldiers practiced day and night driving,fuel drops and trained to react to variousattack scenarios.
Safety is a top priority for Soldiers ofthe 146th. Area roads can cause a lot ofdamage to vehicles during their 15-hourcombat logistics patrols, Kirschman said.Enforcing sleep plans is one way the unitmitigates the fatigue that can set induring long missions. Constant mainte-nance of the vehicles helps minimizerisks Soldiers can face while deliveringfuel.
“They spend an extraordinary amountof time doing [pre-combat inspections]
and [pre-combat checks],” Zecher said.“I work a lot with our maintenance
personnel to make sure the trucks areup,” said Sgt. 1st Class Darryl Gray, thetruck master for the 146th. “We alsoemphasize that [the drivers] do theirchecks on the trucks everyday before theygo out on a mission.”
Additional driver training classes areroutine as well. On days the unit isn’tperforming a combat logistic patrol,squad leaders conduct safety training toenhance the unit’s overall driving skill.
Before leaving the camp, each Soldieris briefed on the specific details of themission.
“We get a convoy brief for any intelthat’s out there, if there’s any dangers ordetours to accomplish the mission,”
See Fuel Transport on pg. 15
PAGE 11OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
By Staff Sgt. Engels TejedaStaff Writer
Soldiers serving near the Syria-Iraq border used theirmedical and civil affairs assets to help local Iraqiscombat infections and viruses during a small civil andmilitary operation near Rawah.
Members of C Troop, 4th Squadron of the 14th CavalryRegiment, B Company of the 172nd Brigade SupportBattalion, and 401st Civil Affairs Battalion joined forcesto provide on the spot medical care and advice fordozens of Iraqi families during periodic visits to villagesduring the past month.
“The mission today was to try to bring some medicalassistance to” a town near Rawah, said Capt. JohnHawbaker, commander of C Troop. “They have a clinicthere that has not been functioning for a couple of years.There are no doctors and no medical supplies.”
Capt. Ryan Clairmont, physician assistant with172nd, said that most of the illnesses people were suffer-ing were viral.
“Mainly the illnesses that I saw today were a lot ofupper respiratory type infections, and there were acouple injuries, meaning broken arms or broken legs thathad been treated by local hospitals but then becameinfected,” Clairmont said. He added that some of thepatients saw him because of joint pain.
The hasty clinics that the Soldiers set up had limitedresources, and consequently, Soldiers could only givenarrow aid to some of the people who had seriousinjuries.
“Some people complain of illnesses that we can’thelp,” Clairmont said. For example, two females com-plained of passing out periodically. Clairmont said thatsince he didn’t have any medicine to help with thatillness, he simply advised them on what kind of medicalassistance to seek. Another man brought his adolescentdaughter, who had developed an infection after a legsurgery. Clairmont thought that the leg was too tenderfor him to treat on site and told him to go to the hospitalas soon as possible.
“A lot of these people just want to talk to us or theyjust want us to answer some questions,” Clairmont said,citing as an example the case of the girl with the infectedleg. “The father just wanted my advice on whether or nothe needed to take her to a hospital.”
Clairmont said he knows that providing that advice
Cpt. Ryan Clairmont, physician assistant with 172nd Brigade Support Battalion, checks an infant that was complaining of anupper respiratory infection.
SoldierSoldierSoldierSoldierSoldiers ins ins ins ins inRRRRRaaaaawwwwwah helpah helpah helpah helpah helplocals findlocals findlocals findlocals findlocals findmedical aidmedical aidmedical aidmedical aidmedical aid
could be crucial to the patient’s health, but still, hewishes he could treat the patient himself.
“It’s frustrating from a provider’s standpoint when Isee a patient come to me that I can’t help,” Clairmontsaid.
Nevertheless, in many cases, the Soldiers were able toprovide immediate and successful care. For example, theSoldiers had sufficient medicine and resources to treatthe patients complaining of respiratory infections.
While the medics attended to the sick, Soldiers withcivil affairs and Soldiers of the 4/14th who were notpulling security tended to the local children, passing outcandy and Iraqi flags while hoping to win their heartsand minds.
“The hearts and minds, of course, is the biggest catchphrase, but it’s the one thing that we need to have of thepeople here to be able to prevail against the anti-Iraqiforces,” Hawbaker said. “So any step we take to keep thepeople friendly, any step towards that direction, is a stepin the right direction. It’s a step towards a more secureIraq.”
Sgt. Peterson Desmond, a member of the 401st, saidthat passing out candy and toys is one way to get tochildren. Maj. Steven Gambrel, a civil affairs team officerwith the 401st, said that one of the best ways to get themessage to Iraqis that U.S. forces are on the ground tohelp, is to pass the message along through the children.
“We are here to help the people of Iraq,” Gambrelsaid. “We place a lot of the emphasis on the childrenbecause their education will help the next generation to
be able to lead itself.”The toys and candy were donated by dozens of well
wishers from the U.S. who sent boxes of goodies to theSoldiers. Staff Sgt. Patrick Rose, a cavalry scout with CTroop and a father of an 8-year-old son and a 4-year-olddaughter, said he could tell the children appreciated thegifts.
“When they see us come in, they know things aregoing well for them,” Rose said, noting that the childrenseem more appreciative of the little things like candy andtoys because they don’t have much.
The missions have a tactical value for Soldiers servingout of Rawah.
“The locals are very friendly. They are all hardworkers, they are all farmers. They know that the safetyand security of their town relies as much on them as itdoes on us and they’ve expressed a desire to worktogether with us to help keep their area secure,”Hawbaker said. “The tactical value is that as long asthey are friendly to us, they’ll secure themselves. I thinkthey are doing it already. They won’t let anybody whotargets us anywhere near them.”
The Soldiers said they find the missions personallyrewarding, though the deployment is far from a walk inthe park. Desmond said when he first heard he wasbeing deployed he didn’t want to leave his family. Hisstill misses his family, but he feels his job is worth doing.
“We are actually achieving a goal, we are achieving amission and I’m kind of happy that I’m here because I’mactually able to help someone,” he said.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda
By Cpt. Matthew ScottSpecial to the Times
On Oct. 15, 2005, the people of Iraq willmake another bold step in the path of de-mocracy, voting on a national referendumto ratify the Iraqi Constitution.
A referendum is defined as “the prin-ciple or practice of submitting to a populara measure passed on or proposed by a leg-
islative body or by popular initiative.”By their vote, what is assured on Oct. 15
is that the Iraqi people will have the oppor-tunity to voice how their country will begoverned. Whatever the outcome of the ref-erendum, it is the right to vote which is im-portant.
If the referendum passes, the next stepthe Iraqi people can look forward to is theIraqi national elections, which is scheduled
for Dec. 15. Hopefully, those elected willtake office by Dec. 31. By no means willthis solve all the problems for the people ofIraq.
However, this will mark the beginningof a form of government that will place thedestiny of the course of Iraq in the hands ofits people.
In 1776, the founding fathers of theUnited States wrote the Declaration of In-
dependence and forever changed the courseof democracy. The feeling that occurred dur-ing that year is sometimes referred to as the“Spirit of ’76.”
Hopefully, years from now when thepeople of Iraq look back on what transpiredduring this time and, in this place, they canlook on it as fondly as we do to ourcountry’s beginning and refer to it as the“Spirit of ’05.”
Opinion: Voting on the Iraqi Constitution is the Spirit of ‘05
PAGE 12 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
East MWREast MWREast MWREast MWREast MWRScheduleScheduleScheduleScheduleSchedule
offers Nihon Goshen Aikido classes at5:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursdayand Saturday in the Sprung Gym.
Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuBrazilian Jiu-JitsuCombaCombaCombaCombaCombatititititivvvvveseseseses Classes will beSundays at 8:30 p.m. and Wednes-days and Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
Protestant-TraditionalSunday 7:30 a.m. Air Force Hospital ChapelSunday 9:30 a.m. Provider ChapelSunday 10 a.m. Freedom Chapel
Movie Synopsis for Oct. 9 - Oct. 15FlightplanPG-13, suspense, 103 minJodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard
Flying at 40,000 feet in a cavernous, state-of-the-art E-474 aircraft, Kyle faces every mother’s worstnightmare when her six-year-old daughter Juliavanishes without a trace mid-flight from Berlin toNew York. Already emotionally devastated by theunexpected death of her husband, Kyle desperatelystruggles to prove her sanity to the disbelieving flightcrew and passengers while facing the very realpossibility that she may be losing her mind.
Vaughn and Wilson star as a pair of divorcemediators who spend their weekends crashingweddings in a search for Ms. Right...for a night. Butwhen one of them falls for the engaged daughter of aninfluential and eccentric politician at the social eventof the year, they get roped into spending a weekend atthe family’s palatial waterfront estate and quicklyfind themselves in over their heads.
Hustle and FlowR, drama, 133 minTerrence Howard, DJ Qualls
Though DJay, a streetwise Memphis pimp, hasalways had a way with words, that gift has long beenmisused; this philosopher-hustler lives a dead-endlife at the fringes of society. Still, DJay wonders whathappened to all the big dreams he had for his life. Achance encounter with an old friend, Key, a soundengineer who has always wanted to make it in themusic business, spurs DJay: if he’s ever going to makehis mark, it has to happen now. Rated R (sex & drugcontent, language, violence) 114 min
Into the BluePG-13, action, 110 minPaul Walker, Jessica Alba
When four young divers discover a legendaryshipwreck rumored to contain millions in gold at thebottom of the sea, they believe their dream of buriedtreasure has come true. But nearby on the ocean floor,a sunken plane full of illegal cargo threatens theirfind. The friends make a pact to keep quiet about bothdiscoveries so they can excavate the shipwreck beforea rival treasure hunter uncovers their secret and beatsthem to the gold. But their plan goes awry when theyrealize dangerous smugglers are already closing in onthe missing plane, and one of the friends makes afatal decision that quickly turns the treasure huntersinto the hunted.
Religious schedule subject to change
PAGE 14 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
Photo by Sgt. Marshall Thompson
Iraqi army delivers humanitarian aidBy Sgt. Marshall ThompsonEditor
The Iraqi army conducted one of itslargest humanitarian missions to datewhen they delivered school supplies andtoys to children at the Mustaqbal Schoolnot far from Balad, Iraq on Sept. 29.
“We thank the Iraqi army for this,”said a 3rd grade girl with the help of aninterpreter as she held a new stuffedanimal and a set of Crayons.
Family and friends of U.S. Soldiersdonated the toys and supplies for theIraqi school children, but the Iraqi armydelivered them. They did it to show theycould accomplish similar missions in thefuture and to show the Iraqi people akinder side of the military.
As the Iraqi soldiers and their U.S.trainers walked up to the school, theheadmaster had a class line up to greetthem. For many of the children, this wasthe first time they had seen an AmericanSoldier or a soldier in the new Iraqi army.One girl seemed afraid to look and startedto shake when the soldiers got closer.
“These children only know Saddam’smilitary and they are scared of people inuniform,” said Osama, the Iraqi inter-preter for the mission.
The children, however, couldn’t ignorethe bright packages spilling over theboxes carried by the Iraqi soldiers. Theymade the rounds to each class in theMustaqbal School, which means ‘future’in Arabic. By the time the soldiers left theclassrooms, the students had abandonedtheir fears. They clapped and yelledshukran – thank you.
At one point, a 4th grade girl exclaimedin perfect English, “I am so happy.”
“I feel very good because I can givesomething to the children and make themhappy,” said Cpt. Mubdir Nibras, com-mander of the 2nd Company of the 4th
Battalion of the Iraqi army.The children weren’t the only people
happy – the U.S. trainers were pleased tosee how well the 2/4th did their job.
“They pulled excellent security,” saidCpt. Christian Knutzen leader of a three-man team that trains the 2/4th. “We stillneed to work on making sure all thegoods make it to the people they wereintended for.”
A few Iraqi soldiers kept some of thesupplies and toys for their own families.Although this is a common practice inIraq, Knutzen’s training team decided itwas not acceptable in this instance.
Nibras ordered the soldiers to give allthe supplies to the children before theyleft. It was done without complaint.
Staff Sgt. Elias Benales, a training teammember and a former drill sergeant, saidtheir job is a balancing act betweentraining and culture. The U.S. Soldierscan’t impose western values on the Iraqis,but at the same time, a level of disciplinemust be met for their military to function
well. Despite, the challenges, he said heenjoys his job.
“I love interacting with the Iraqi armyand the children, “Benales said. “They’rejust fantastic.”
Knutzen agreed that working with theIraqi army is rewarding, especially whenthey are helping their own people onhumanitarian missions.
“I can see Iraqi control of their nationcreeping into existence,” Knutzen said.
The jundi, or lower enlisted soldiers,seemed to have the most fun deliveringthe goods to the children. For HassanMahmood, a jundi in the 2/4th, thismission was more important than happychildren, it was about the Iraqi armygetting stronger and the Iraqi nationgetting closer to independence.
The new Iraqi army soldiers areconstant targets for insurgents and yetthey continue to join and serve. An Iraqisoldier makes a good living, but that’s notthe only motivation.
“If I do not join, and others do not join,then who will provide security for Iraq?”asked Hassan Mahmood, a jundi in the2/4th, with the help of an interpreter.“This mission shows that the Iraqi armyhas received the authority. We are inde-pendent.”
A third grade child holds a new stuffed animal she received during a humanitarian mission run by the Iraq army on Sept. 29. The childrenwere scared at first, but warmed up to the new and kinder Iraqi army.
“This mission shows that the Iraqi armyhas received the authority. We are inde-pendent.”
- Hassan Mahmoo, Iraqi army jundi
‘Progress beingmade’ in Iraq,Abizaid saysAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON – Army Gen. JohnAbizaid noted on NBC’s “Meet thePress” on Oct. 2 that events are mov-ing forward in establishing a free anddemocratic Iraq since SaddamHussein was deposed by U.S. andcoalition military force.
“Progress is being made” in Iraq,Abizaid said on the Sunday televisiontalk show, as additional trained andequipped Iraqi soldiers and police arefielded. The general noted that Iraqisecurity forces already are involvedin many anti-terrorism operations inBaghdad and in some parts of Iraq’ssouth.
Abizaid, the senior U.S. groundcommander in Iraq, said both U.S. andIraqi commanders have told him theyare confident of victory over the ter-rorists.
But, “building an institution takestime,” Abizaid cautioned. Over time,he asserted, Iraqi security forces willeventually be able to assume anti-ter-rorism operations in their country.
But, “it’s a difficult road,” Abizaidacknowledged, noting there will be“peaks and valleys” in the process.
Establishing a representative gov-ernment in Iraq constitutes a “revolu-tion” in Iraqi public affairs, Abizaidsaid, noting Saddam’s three-decades-long dictatorial regime. Therefore,upcoming voting will play a key rolein Iraq’s future, he said.
The Iraqis are slated to approve ordisapprove their new constitution atan Oct. 15 referendum, while a na-tional election to select a new govern-ment is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Abizaid pointed out the need “tohave armed forces’ development keeppace with political development” inIraq. Those two issues “have to workhand-in-hand,” he said.
U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq andAfghanistan are assisting people to“help themselves” establish democ-racy and resist terrorism, Abizaidpointed out.
Yet, it’s important not to have largenumbers of U.S. troops inundate thosecountries, because, “People don’t liketo have large numbers of foreigntroops in their region,” Abizaid said.
Abizaid estimated there are about20,000 insurgents in Iraq and that themajority of them are Iraqis from SunniArab areas of the country, not foreignfighters.
Foreign fighters in Iraq tend to besuicide bombers with affiliations to alQaeda, he said.
See Abizaid on pg. 15
PAGE 15OCTOBER 9, 2005 ANACONDA TIMES
continued from pg. 14
To date, foreign-terrorist bombingshave killed about 5,000 Iraqis, Abizaidsaid, noting that suicide bombers rarelyhit a target of military value.
Despite the insurgents’ goals, “theinsurgency doesn’t have a chance forvictory,” the general said.
Political friction associated with theOct. 15 vote on the new constitution “istremendous,” Abizaid noted. And, Iraqhas a history of using violence to settlepolitical issues, he said.
Abizaid said he couldn’t predict if theSunnis, who originally boycotted thenew political process in Iraq, will votedown the new constitution in the refer-endum. But, the general said he didn’tsee a calamity if the Iraqis had to “goback to the drawing board” to redraft thedocument to reflect Sunni concerns.
Abizaid said there’s a large and grow-ing movement across the Middle Eastthat’s clamoring for democratic-stylegovernment and reforms. Therefore, theSunnis likely will participate in Iraq’snew political process, the general said.
“If we stay the course, things will turnout well,” he added.
And, Iraq’s success in becoming de-mocratized bodes well for anti-terrorismefforts in the Middle East and the globalfight against al Qaeda, Abizaid con-cluded.
continued from pg. 9
Anderson added that Justice leads by example. Forinstance, if Justice asks one of his Soldiers to wear theiruniform in a certain way, he will never be seen out ofuniform himself.
“He’s never a hypocrite,” Anderson said.About his ambitions to go to Ranger school and join
Special Forces, Anderson said, “I can see him gettingthere.”
Justice’s superiors have noticed his work ethic andstubborn perfectionism on the job as well.
Staff Sgt. Timothy Simmons, Justice’s Squad leader,said Justice’s team is nearly always the first to go intouncleared rooms. He added that Justice has taken theopportunity to show his leadership skills.
During a training exercise in which Simmons becamea simulated casualty, Justice took over the squad andsuccessfully completed the mission.
Another time, while on a mission clearing a schoolbuilding, Justice noticed a locked door that needed to becleared. Inside the room, he found a soccer ball. He gavethe ball to the children, who were nervous about thesearch and had them go outside to play to put them atease.
Justice and his wife, Vanessa, are expecting their firstchild early in October.
Justice said he is looking forward to going on leave tosee his child be born, though he said he expects it will bedifficult to return.
Though his inspiration to join the military came fromone day, Justice expects his military career will last him alifetime.
continued from pg. 10
said Spc. Alfred Vasquez, a driver withthe 146th.
Soldiers of the 146th take pride inaccomplishing their missions.
“I feel I’m doing a great deal of help forfellow soldiers I’m here to support,”Vasquez said. “The team is great. Thedrivers, platoons, squads, sections, theteam work is there. The communication isgreat.”
Vasquez, who originally was a lightwheeled mechanic before becoming amotor transport driver, said the transitioninto a new MOS has been good.
“The classes were great. The educationin this field was great. The instructorswere fantastic,” he said.
Transportation company delivers vital fuelJoining a new unit was challenging at
first for Vasquez.“It took some time to get the feel for
everyone, to see where everybody wascoming from, how they carry themselves,”he said. “But now it’s really smooth.”
Nearly 75 percent of the unit wereSoldiers cross-leveled from other unitsand jobs, Zecher said. This presented anarray of challenges and opportunities.
“One of the first things we did wasthrow out the term ‘cross-leveled’ so therewas no distinction between Soldiers whowere organic to the 146th and everyoneelse who came in,” Zecher said. “I thinkthat helped a lot. We were all just Soldierswho came together for training in order todeploy and do our mission.”
“With the stress everyone endures
here, sometimes tempers can run a littlehigher than normal,” Kirschman said.
To help keep the peace and reducefriction, Kirschman said she constantlytalks to her noncommissioned officers.She also spends a lot of time talking withher Soldiers one-on-one to get a feel forwhat she can do to help.
“It’s hard to send them out night afternight knowing they can face danger,”Kirschman said. “Every once in a while Igo out on convoys with them to see howthey’re doing.”
Zecher said she is constantly amazedby the performance of her Soldiers. Thefirst sergeant was equally pleased.
“They’re doing a fantastic job,”Kirschman said. “There’s no doubt aboutthat.”
Spc. Bryn Lutz, of the 146th Transportation Company, test fires his M2 .50 caliber machine gun before preforming gun truck duties on acombat logistic patrol.
Abizaid says Iraqioperations arestill going well
Justice stays Army
Sgt. Kelechi Uba, 301st Area Support Group, walks through the Noncommissioned Officer arches at the sustainerThreater. He and a number of other new NCOs are recognized as a new NCOs during a combined NCO inductionceremony on Oct. 1.
Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Mullett
PAGE 16 OCTOBER 9, 2005ANACONDA TIMES
AROUND 1st COSCOM
Photo by Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda
Photo by Sgt. Marshall Thompson
Spc. Thomas Keeler, a cavalry scout with the 4th Squadron, 14th CavalryRegiment, burns waste at Rawah.
Soldier winsSoldier winsSoldier winsSoldier winsSoldier winsa nea nea nea nea new Harw Harw Harw Harw HarleleleleleyyyyyDavidson rideDavidson rideDavidson rideDavidson rideDavidson ride A lucky Soldier won a new HarleyDavidson motorcycle in a drawingheld in front of the Burger King onLogistical Support Area Anacondaon Sept. 30. Spc. Andrew Massey, a bridgecrew member with the 814th Engi-neers, was almost smothered by hissquad members when it was an-nounced he had won the motor-cycle. Massey said he and his squadhad sat out a mortar attack the nightbefore musing about what he woulddo it he actually won. “I’m going to keep it,” he said. The contest was sponsored byArmy Air Force Exchange Servicein partnership with Al HomaiziFoodstaff Company, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Ex-change New Car Sales, and Coca-Cola. “It was a good thing to show theSoldiers how much we appreciatetheir job,” Saber Mohamed, theBurger King manager, said. “We tryto make the Soldiers happy asmuch as we can.” The drawing was between sixpreliminary winners who won draw-ings over the last six months. Thosewho did not win the motorcycle won
AAFES gift certificates for hundreds of dollars. Massey said it was great to have the support of his squad who came tocheer him on, and who were, apparently, a good luck charm. He said nowthe only thing he needs to do is learn how to ride a motorcycle.
It could be worse...Photo by Staff Sgt. Engels Tejeda
An Iraqi mother comforts her 9-year-old son at the Air Force Theater Hospital, while Air Force 1st Lt. LoriWalker, a clinical nurse, treats him. He was injured in a terrorist car-bomb explosion in the town of Balad Sept.29. The mother initially believed her child was killed in the blast but found out days later he had survived aftera family friend recognized the boy. After the explosion, about 30 Iraqis were transported here to be treated, with 14 being unidentified. On Oct.2, two Iraqi contractors, who were being escorted by Sgt. Michael Alexander, 939th PMO, asked if they couldlook around the hospital for three friends whose whereabouts were unknown since the bombing. Though they did not find the people they were originally looking for, the contractors were able to identify 10of the injured, including the child. Alexander was able to help coordinate the reunion of the mother and son Oct.3. Doctors say chances are good the boy will make a full recovery.
