Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 13, 2006 Mantle passedVol. 4, No. 2 Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 13, 2006 U.S. Air Force...

BAGHDAD – As Iraqi Army and coalition partnerswatched, the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions commemo-rated the completion of their transfer of authority duringa ceremony at the Multi-National Division-Baghdadheadquarters last week.

Maj. Gen. William Webster Jr., the commanding gen-eral of 3rd Inf. Div., along with Command Sgt. Maj.William Grant, officially cased the “Marne” Division’scolors, signifying the successful completion of the divi-sion’s mission as Multi-National Division-Baghdadfrom Feb. 28, 2005 through Jan. 7. The division colorswill again be uncased during a ceremony after its rede-ployment to Fort Stewart, Ga.

Maj. Gen. J.D. Thurman, the commanding general of4th Inf. Div., along with Command Sgt. Maj. RonaldRiling, uncased the “Ironhorse” Division’s colors, signi-fying the division assuming the mantle of responsibilityas Multi-National Division-Baghdad. The division casedits colors before deploying from Fort Hood, Texas, dur-ing a ceremony Oct. 28.

Lt. Gen. John Vines, the commanding general ofMulti-National Corps-Iraq, served as the reviewing offi-cer for the ceremony. Also attending were several seniorArmy leaders from throughout the theater as well asGen. Babader Zebari, the chief of staff of Iraqi ArmedForces; Lt. Gen. Abadi, the deputy chief of staff, Iraqijoint staff; and Maj. Gen. Mobdir, commander of the 6thIraqi Army Division.

“This ceremony symbolizes the transfer of authority.There’s another symbolism of course – the Soldiers whoserve under those colors are conducting operationsthroughout Multi-National Division-Baghdad sector,”said Vines, commenting on the fact the 3rd and 4thInfantry Division Soldiers were continuing to conductoperations even as the ceremony progressed.

Baghdad is the most complex environment in theworld, he said. Both divisions have served brilliantly inthe Iraqi theater.

Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 13, 2006Vol. 4, No. 2

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andre Bell

The Business End: Staff Sgt. Brian Ornstein, 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, stands readybehind a GAU-2B minigun while alert on a HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter.

Story by Master Sgt. Eric LobsingerTask Force Ironhorse

Iraqi Iraqi Army celebrates its anniversay in Baghdad, page 8Army celebrates its anniversay in Baghdad, page 8

Mantlepassed4th ID takes overfor Marne Division

The Secretary of the Army OK’d the reimburing ofSoldiers who purchased body armor and other protectiveequipment for use in Operations Noble Eagle, EnduringFreedom or Iraqi Freedom.

Soldiers can also be paid for these items if the items werepurchased for them by someone else, such as members oftheir family. Soldiers on active duty, including those in theArmy Reserve or National Guard, former Soldiers, and sur-vivors of deceased Soldiers may now file claims and receivereimbursement for privately-purchased protective equipmentif the Soldier was not issued equivalent equipment by theArmy prior to deployment.

The Army will reimburse Soldiers for protective bodyarmor, combat helmets, ballistic eye protection, hydrationsystems, summer-weight gloves and knee and elbow pads. ASoldier may be reimbursed for the purchase of a completeouter tactical vest, or for the separately-purchased compo-nents of an OTV, to include small arms protective insertplates. To qualify for reimbursement, the equipment musthave been purchased after Sept. 10, 2001, and before Aug. 1,2004, and all equipment for which reimbursement is soughtmust be turned into the Army at the time a claim for reim-bursement is filed.

The amount of reimbursement for a given item dependsupon whether the claimant produces proof of the actual pur-chase price. A claimant who provides proof of purchase willbe reimbursed the full purchase price plus shipping costs for

each item, up to $1,100 for any single item. If no proof ofpurchase is provided, the claimant will be reimbursed at arate pre-established by the Army for each item. For example,the Army will pay $551.60 for a complete outer tactical vestif no purchase receipt is submitted with the claim.

Active duty or active reserve component Soldiers who seekreimbursement should complete and file a DD Form 2902with the first field-grade commander in the Soldier’s chain ofcommand. With the completed DD Form 2902, the Soldiermust provide a copy of proof of deployment (such as deploy-ment orders or a DD Form 214 noting deployment) andcopies of all receipts or other proof of purchase for the itemsclaimed. The Soldier must also turn in all reimbursable itemsto his or her unit at the time the claim is filed.

Although the claims process has been designed to ensurerapid settlement and payment of claims, potential claimantsshould not wait too long to file claims, as all claims must befiled by Oct. 3.

ScimitarPage 2 Jan. 13, 2006

Capt. John V. RodriquezChief, Client Services, Multi-National Corps - Iraq

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Chad WatkinsBALAD AIR BASE — Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Charles Baldwin, Air Force Chaplain Service chief, visits anIraqi child who is being treated at the Air Force Theater Hospital for injures from a terrorist mortarattack.

Silence is Golden

Army Secretary approvesbody armor reimbursement

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill

Sgt. Stephen Phillips of Company A, 490th CivilAffairs Battalion helps a local child with repairs tohis book bag during a visit to the recently con-structed schoolhouse in Husseinia.

Payback for SoldiersSome approved items:

— outer tactical vest $500— groin proctector $57— throat protector $13— combat helmet $342— summer-weight gloves $18— knee pads $20— ballistic eye protection $63— hydration system $24

$

Someone once told me “You’re not a civilian anymoreDeLoach, you’re a veteran.” I never thought of thatand the word veteran never crossed my mind in that

way, I was moved.Everyday I wake up with thoughts of where I’ve been,

what I’ve done and what I have and will become. I lookback to the days of war, I see myself asking “What have Ibecome?”

I remember one night we were invading a town south ofBaghdad, it was dark that night. The desertair was dry and cool with a warm breezeyou could hear bullets fire for milesaround. When the Iraqi Army heard of ourmission they quickly sent out signals start-ing with tracer rounds in the sky. You couldsee the thousands of tracers go straight upto the heavens; flares flew and lit up ourposition. It was hell in the making.

Hundreds of Soldiers – young, old, lowranking and high ranking - made their wayto the town not knowing what we were get-ting into. It was the first day of combat.Time stood still for us that night.

I was with the first wave heading infrom the west. We entered the town only tosee broken vehicles and small fires that lit up the road. TheSoldier who was on point scanned the road ahead. We fol-lowed scanning the roofs and windows above. Creepingthrough the narrow alley, skirting the walls, bouncing fromcover to cover.

When we got to the first door it started.BANG! The Iraqi soldier flung the door open. BANG!

BANG! I took him out, two to the chest, and I watched himfall. To me that is when the war began for me, the first kill.

As we entered the building, like roaches the enemy scatteredfrom the light of our M-4s.

At the ready we fired our M-4’s with a vengeance shootingthrough the couch they hid behind. We went from room toroom like exterminators, looking for them in hiding. Stacked,barrels first, we charged the rooms over furniture, throughdebris. It was hell and our night was just beginning. TwelveIraqis died in the first building, five of us entered, five of usexited. We met up with the Alpha element and left twoguards to signal the rest of the force as we kept on moving.

Most people don’t understand that fighting in an urbanenvironment, you need momentum. It is the fire and the fuel

to keep things going. Once you stopmomentum you die. Adrenaline is firstthing to go, without that you get tired andmove slower. Your body gets exhaustedand slows down. When your adrenaline ishigh you run full force for a longer time.

I could go into the whole raid, tell everydetail, but I won’t. The raid lasted 72 hours.We had the shits, no clean uniforms, limitedamounts of water and food and we weretired. This was the average day for us, forinfantrymen. It’s what we do, and what wedid. We fought and killed together.

That was the first conflict we had duringthe war. All of us remember the first one -

the day we all tested our fears, and we all succeeded.With every victory some things may come out well, but

we all have scars.I still have nightmares from the first one; they haunt me to

this day. Some nights I wake up screaming. We were wound-ed in some way, either mentally or physically. We all had alittle something inside us die.

War is hell and I’m not talking of just being in a combatzone, I’m talking about actually engaging the enemy. Peopledie in war; bullets fly with the intention of hitting their tar-

gets. Sweat gets washed away with blood. Forever you willremember war. I was 21 years old killing men twice my agefor freedom and democracy. I’ve led men into harm’s way,yet stilled got them out safely.

I can only ask God for forgiveness in the things I havedone. I pray that no man has to deal with the things I’vedone; or remember the things I’ve seen for I know of manylike me that wish to hide in the shadows of another life, onlyfor a moment of internal peace. One night of peace is all weask as Soldiers.

Some say they understand or “I know what you meanman.,” But do they?

I walked into a bar one night after the war in Iraq startedtalking to a guy about the Army when another man interrupt-ed our conversation with “President Bush sucks.” As aSoldier I defended Bush.

The man got into my face like he wanted to fight. If onlyhe could see the things I have, right that very moment, seethe war through my eyes. What would he do? What if heknew that I killed for a living? Better yet, what if they allsaw me through my own eyes?

At that moment, I felt the whole bar stare at me. I left.When I got to the car, I cried. I felt like a book that can’t beread; then I thought, if it could who would want to. Whenthe guy I was originally talking to stepped out, he saw thetears fall from my face, walked up to me and patted me onthe shoulder. He said “Your not a civilian anymoreDeLoach, you’re a veteran” We talked for hours. He was aveteran from the Gulf War.

I learned something that night. The only person you cantalk to when you get home is another Soldier, another veter-an, for they are the only people who understand. When youstare at them you see yourself in their eyes. If you’re a trueveteran from combat there are never too many stories to telland never will you leave a man behind.

That day changed my life forever.Editors Note: Spc. Donald DeLoach served with 2ndBattalion, 502nd Infantry, 101st Airborne Division inOperation Iraqi Freedom 1. He is now with the DelawareNational Guard in the 280th Signal Company.

Editor............................................Sgt. Jeffrey M. Lowry

Assistant Editor.......................Spc. Richard L. Rzepka

Staff................................................Spc. David J. Claffey

The Scimitar is an authorized publication for members of theDepartment of Defense. Contents are not the official views of theU.S. Government or DoD.The editorial content is the responsibility of the Public AffairsOffice of the Multi-National Force - Iraq. Stars and Stripes news-paper is not affiliated with MNF-I and acts only as a distributingsource for the Scimitar. Questions and comments should be direct-ed to the editor at [email protected].

Scimitar welcomes columns, commentaries, articles and letters from

readers. Send submissions to [email protected]

We reserve the right to editfor propriety, clarity and space.

The Scimitar can also be viewed on theWeb at http://www.mnf-iraq.com/

publications_theater.htm

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

MNF-I Commanding GeneralGen. George W. Casey Jr.

MNF-I PAOCol. Dewey G. Ford

Combined Press Information Center DirectorLt. Col. Barry A. [email protected]

Command Information ChiefCapt. Bradford E. [email protected]

Command Information NCOICSgt. Jeffrey M. [email protected]

ScimitarJan. 13, 2006 Page 3

PERSPECTIVES

Spc. Donald DeLoach54th Signal Battalion

No longer a civilian, now a veteran

“Most people don’tunderstand that fight-ing in an urban envi-ronment, you needmomentum. It is thefire and the fuel tokeep things going.Once you stopmomentum you die.”

Soldier remembers his first tour in Iraq

Scimitar Jan. 13, 2006Page 4

BALAD AIR BASE — Airmen from the 46th AircraftMaintenance Unit take great pride in ensuring Predatorpilots at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and Balad areable to continuously maintain an eagle’s eyes view ofthe ground in Iraq.

The U.S. and Royal Air Force Airmen assigned tothe 46th AMU work to guarantee their MQ-1 Predatorsare able to provide interdiction, surveillance, targetacquisition and conduct armed reconnaissance againstcritical and perishable targets.

The aircraft’s ability to loiter over an area for a longperiod of time, strike targets and provide real time-video keeps the technicians busyaround the clock, said Maj. JosephGiuliani, 46th AMU officer-in-charge.

The information is sent to Soldierson the front lines, operational com-manders or any where in the world viasatellite links, siad Guiliani.

The Airmen who come from a widevariety of specialties work in unisonto reach one key objective — to makecertain their Predators are prepared tofunction at 100 percent during aerialpatrols, which frequently last morethan 20 hours.

The 46th AMU is staffed with air-craft avionics, tactical aircraft mainte-nance, weapons, ground communica-tion, aerospace ground equipment andsupport Airmen, Giuliani said. “TheseAirmen are responsible for the safeand effective launch and recovery,inspection, servicing and repair of ourassigned remotely piloted aircraft.”

All Airmen working at the 46th AMU deployed herefrom Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Some of the Airmenhave been here before and others are serving at Baladfor the first time.

This unit does not fall under the normal air and spaceexpeditionary force rotation cycle, Giuliani said. Thereare only a few Predators, and they are in high demand.Creech is the only base sending Airmen to fill this role.

Some of the Airmen deploy twice during a 15 monthcycle.

Being deployed brought a new perspective to Airman1st Class Rachael Hillman, 46th AMU avionics techni-cian.

“I have learned a lot already about my job and whatthe plane does,” Hillman said. “I had to adjust to theatmosphere and the amount of maintenance that goeson here, compared to back home.”

Predators require more maintenance in theater,because the missions keep them flying for longer peri-ods of time.

Scheduling aircraft maintenance to ensure a Predatoris available to fly when needed is the most challengingpart of this job, Giuliani said.

Because lives depend on the pres-ence of a Predator, it is importantevery aircraft flies its scheduled mis-sions.

“We are very connected with whatis happening on the ground outside ofthe base, and the impact we have onthat,” Giuliani said. “If we can’t getan aircraft in the air, it can directlyimpact other forces on the groundwho are counting on us.”

Despite the long maintenancehours, the 46th AMU Airmen are sat-isfied.

“I enjoy seeing the role of thePredator in a wartime environmentand what it can do,” said SeniorAirman Chris Thompson, 46th AMUavionics technician, deployed toBalad for the third time. “It feels goodknowing that my job is directly linkedto keeping the base safe and taking

out the ‘bad guys!’” “Watching a Predator you just worked on fly off to

conduct a mission that could save someone’s life is avery rewarding feeling,” Hillman said.

The pride felt by those in the 46th AMU has had animpact on the unit’s leadership.

“Seeing the satisfaction our troops get from their joband knowing that their efforts are helping to bringdemocracy to Iraq has meant a lot to me,” Giuliani said.

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Tammie Moore332nd Air Expeditionary Wing

Predators keep skies safe

Kingpin managesairpower over Iraq

BALAD AIR BASE —When Soldiers and Marines call in an airstrike on terrorists in Iraq, the 727th Expeditionary Air ControlSquadron tracks airpower and allocates airspace for the mission.

Kingpin, as the 727th EACS is more commonly known, is a forwarddeployed radar control and identification agency responsible for iden-tifying all assets that fly in the 270,000 square miles of airspace overIraq and provide airpower to support the democratic efforts on theground war.

The 727th EACS is deployed in three separate locations through thearea of operations ensuring rapid identifications of all air traffic, tacti-cal or civil, creating a real-time “air picture” that the Combined AirOperation Center uses to maintain control of tactical air assets, saidCapt. Keven Coyle, 727th EACS deputy officer.

When a confrontation with anti-Iraqi forces occurs, Kingpin Airmenwork directly with the Air Support Operations Center to send airbornefighter assets to support the troops on the ground. Kingpin also estab-lishes mission airspace to all tactical aircraft including UAVs, and alsotankers, fighters and electronic warfare assets, Coyle said. The unit

passes along tactical guidance toand from the CAOC and prioritizesairborne fuel and tankers whenneeded.

“There are special considera-tions, such as, how much is toomuch airspace to take at any onetime,” Coyle said. “Our numberone priority is supporting the tacti-cal mission. We are fighting a warhere, but we must take into accountthe needs of all airspace users.”

More than 170 Airmen from var-ious career fields keep Kingpinrunning.

“We are a self-sustaining organi-zation that deploys with everything we need to operate and survive,”said Tech. Sgt. John Palmer, 727th EACS. “Our maintenance functionkeeps our $60 million complexes running like a finely tunedmachine.”

The Airmen cover the entire scope of maintenance functions: powergeneration and maintenance, heating ventilation and air conditioning,vehicle maintenance, supply, radar maintenance, satellite communica-tions, network operations, radio maintenance, technical control, digitalsystems maintenance and a variety of maintenance support functionsto accomplish the mission, Palmer said.

Story and photo by Senior Airmen Bryan Franks332nd Air Expeditionary Wing

“We are very con-nected with what ishappening on theground outside ofthe base, and theimpact we have onthat. If we can’t getan aircraft in the air,it can directly impactother forces on theground who arecounting on us.”

Maj. Joseph GIuliani

“Our number onepriority is supportingthe tactical mission.We are fighting a warhere, but we musttake into account theneeds of all airspaceusers”

Capt. Kevin Coyle

Senior Airman Neal Eastwood, 46th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, uses a heating tool to secure ayaw string, used to determine wind direction, on a Predator.

Airman 1st Class Sam Hauptly cleans an antenna connec-tion as Senior Airman Gil Stephens holds it in place. BothAirmen are deployed with the 727th Expeditionary AirControl Squadron as ground radio technicians.

BRASSFIELD-MORA — When most Soldiers think ofa command sergeant major, they think of someone who isa standard bearer for all enlisted personnel. They think of a hard-charging, motivating role model.

The 3rd Infantry Division’s 3-69th Armor Battalion’scommand sergeant major is just this type of individual,but with more to offer.

Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick W. Muskevitsch, a nativeof New London, Wisc., is the pinnacle of what an non-commissioned officer should strive to be, but he alsodoes sewing and alternations for his Soldiers on a dailybasis here at FOB Brassfield-Mora.

Soldiers of the battalion are still wearing DesertCombat Uniforms and haven’t been issued Army CombatUniforms. During his current deployment, he has man-

aged to make alterations on about 800 Soldiers uniforms.“All they do is put their uniforms on a hanger and hang

them on my door,” said Muskevitsch. “When I’m not ona mission, I just pull out the old sewing machine andsew.”

Muskevitsch doesn’t charge his Soldiers anything. Hejust wants his Soldiers to look squared away.

“People talk about Soldiers looking unprofessional andnot staying in uniform, you have to help them,” saidMuskevitsch. “These kids get their uniforms shredded,torn-up and shot-up; they bring them to me, and I fixthem.”

The closest place Soldiers can get alternations done isat FOB Speicher, about 35 miles away, and, even then,not all of the Soldiers can get there.

“Send a kid on the road just to get his patches sewnon? I don’t think so,” said Muskevitsch.

Some of the Soldiers know how to hand sew their

patches, but they only stay on for so long before theystart to fall off again. Muskevitsch knows this because heis on his fourth deployment.

“About half way through the mission, Soldier’s patchesstart to fall off because they’re washed so many times,”said Muskevitsch. “I want my boys to look good whenthey get home.”

“Muskevitsch’s hobbies are building monster trucks,hunting and fishing. He is truly a “jack of all trades.”

“If you don’t find me in the tactical operations centerI’m in the shop welding, or I’m out doing mission withmy infantry guys,” said Muskevitsch.

He said he liked working with Wisconsin NationalGuard Soldiers because they brought so many differentskills to the table.

“When you’re in an environment like this, you need tofind people who have special skills like carpenters andelectricians,” said Muskevitsch.

The holidays in war-torn Iraq can be astressful time for any-one, but for 48thBrigade Combat Team

Soldiers who serve at the radiorelay points, separation is evenmore significant because of theaustere environment they findthemselves.

The small group of Soldiersfrom Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, andCompany C, 148th SupportBattalion at RRP 11 realize theyare here to do a job even though itfeels like they are out in the mid-dle of nowhere.

An RRP is a small island ofland surrounded by sand-filledbarriers. The amenities are few,but these Soldiers have all thecomforts of home. They haveshowers and toilet facilities, inter-net access, satellite TV, someweights for exercise and trailers inwhich to live. They may not haveeverything other Soldiers have likea PX, but they do have somethingthat many of their fellow Soldierswish they had, solitude.

“Its OK out here,” says StaffSgt. Willie Lackey of Covington,Ga. As the noncommissioned offi-cer-in-charge of the site, he isresponsible for the daily operationsof the relay point, which includesmaintaining the radio link betweenthe RRPs in close proximity. Healso conducts security patrolsaround the site.

Daily activities might includeresponding to a broken downtruck, or even a local Iraq citizen

requesting assistance. It happenedonce when the local Iraqi Policebrought a man requesting medicalassistance for a contaminated gun-shot wound to his cheek.

“The wound looked like it was acouple months old, and it wasinfected so I provided some antibi-

otics for the infection and we senthim on his way,” said Sgt. JeryPollock.

Soldiers rotate standing guardaround the small facility. The non-commissioned officers monitor theradio for six hours at a time.

“I’d rather be here than at

Tallil,” said Sgt. Charles Canter, ofTignall, Ga. The majority of theirunit is located at Tallil and CampAdder.

The Christmas weekend, at RRP11, was a cold and rainy time. Butthe Soldiers maintained their watchin the guard tower and monitoredradio traffic from the various sta-tions, sending any message for-ward that needed to be passedalong.

“My children didn’t want to cel-ebrate Christmas, but I told themjust because I wasn’t there you stillneed to have Christmas,” saidCanter.

Canter, a full-time maintenancetechnician for the Georgia NationalGuard, said when he returns fromdeployment he will become asmall business owner. “I plan toopen a small engine repair shop,”Canter said. His plan is to usesome of the money he is saving toget his shop started.

“Its something that I’ve beenthinking about for a while” Cantersaid. “People are always coming tome to fix their equipment.” He hasalready talked to various equip-ment manufacturers about being anauthorized dealer for them.

Spc. Walter Marion, the foodservice specialist at the RRP, has adifferent routine than the others.As the resident chef, he is respon-sible for preparing the meals.

“I’ve learned what they all liketo eat, so I cook what they want,”said Marion, a police officer fromDublin, Ga. “I learned to cookfrom my mother. I even consideredgoing to culinary school.”

Marion keeps himself busyeither preparing meals or cleaningup after one.

Every Sunday, Marion and a

couple of the other Soldiers meetfor religious services presided overby Spc. Jerriod Allen of Conyers,Ga. who is an ordained ministerand the resident barber. Soldierstook time to express their blessingson this holiday.

“I am thankful for friendship,”said Pollock, an occupational ther-apist from Savannah, Ga.

“God is present and God iseverywhere and God saw fit for usto be here,” said Lackey, whoworks in materials distribution inCovington, Ga.

Scimitar Page 5Jan. 13, 2006

Story and photo bySgt. David Bill48th Brigade Combat Team

Story by 2nd Lt. Anthony D. Buchanan133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

148th Support Battalion Soldiers maintain continuity

Sewing command sergeant major keeps them in stitches

Sgt. Charles Canter of Tignall, Ga. guards radio relay point11 in southern Iraq. He is a mechanic for the 148th SupportBattalion, 48th Brigade Combat Team.

HHoollddiinngg tthhee lliinnee ......

Remembered

In the vast nothingness of thedesert, a radio relay point doesnot keep Soldiers from the trag-

ic side of war. On Dec. 2nd, Sgt.Phillip L. Travis of Snellville, Ga.Spc. Marcus S. Futrell of Macon,Ga. and Spc. Phillip Dodson ofForsyth, Ga. were traveling alongthe main supply route and werekilled in a vehicle accident.

They were assigned to RRP 11.These brothers and friends of thosestationed at RRP 11 are not forgot-ten. Their memory is forever intheir hearts and the hearts of every-one affiliated with the 48th BrigadeCombat Team.

“They were great friends,” saidSgt. Willie Lackey.

The Soldiers who remain contin-ue to do their duty and carry onwith the mission.

Their determination will remainas RRP 11 continues to hold theline. That is the greatest legacy48th Brigade Comabat TeamSoldiers can uphold for their fallencomrades.

BAGHDAD — For manySoldiers, family is the drivingforce, a channel of support dur-ing hard times.

Going home to be with fami-ly, as most Soldiers wouldattest, is the ultimate rewardafter a long deployment in acombat zone.

As the 4th Brigade CombatTeam, 4th Infantry Division,assumes control from 4thcBrigade Combat Team, 3rdInfantry Division, one Soldier,Spc. Taries Walker, discoveredhe doesn’t have to redeploy tohave that support. He said hewants to stay another year, andhis reason is … family.

“I thought about staying herefor another year when I foundout he was coming here – andespecially when I found out hewas going to be on this FOB,”said Taries of Las Vegas.

After completing a year-longdeployment in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom, the20-year old medic assigned tothe 3rd Inf. Div.’s 1st Battalion,76th Field Artillery Regiment,4th Brigade Combat Teammade the decision after hearinghis older brother’s unit wouldrelieve his battalion, operatingout of Forward Operating BaseUnion in the International Zone.

If Taries’ stays, it couldprove to be a test for his newfamily. Taries and his wife,Shantell, were married beforehe left for Iraq in Jan. 2004. Healso has a 2-year-old daughter,Saniya.

“When we were growing up,it was just basically us brothers,and we didn’t see much of ourcousins or anything,” he said.“If I were able to stay andchange over to his unit, ourkids would be growing up rightaround each other.”

Spc. Marquis Walker, a radioand communications specialistassigned to the 704th ForwardSupport Battalion, 4th BCT, 4thInf. Div., arrived at FOB Unionthree days before Christmas,where he was greeted by mem-bers of his brother’s unit.

“It was funny, because whenI got here people were tellingme, ‘Hey, your brother is here.He’s looking for you,’” said the23-year-old Marquis. “It was

really weird to see him.”Marquis, a native of

Thomaston, Ga., sent e-mails tohis brother virtually everydayfrom Fort Hood, Texas until hisdeparture for Kuwait.

He didn’t realize within thecoming weeks he would reunitewith Taries in Baghdad.

“I kept looking on the vehi-cles for the numbers, and Inoticed the ‘1-76 (FieldArtillery),’” Marquis said, look-ing up at his brother and laugh-ing. “I remembered that it washis unit, but I really didn’t thinkI’d end up seeing him here.”

A former Marine, Marquisknew the importance of stayingin touch with his younger broth-er, who deployed with the 3rdInfantry Division in Jan. 2004.

“I had a ton of questionsbefore I got here,” Marquissaid, “and some of the informa-tion that he gave me I wentahead and passed it on to mybattle buddies.”

With a year of work in thecombat zone already under hisbelt, Taries took every opportu-nity to help his brother out withany questions he had about hisdeployment.

“I wanted to pass my knowl-edge onto him,” he said. “Ispent a whole year out here,and I figured I could tell himeverything I know before hegot here.”

The Walker brothers havebeen best friends for as long asthey can remember. Their closebond stems back to childhood.

Their father served 15 yearsin the Army and their motherfour. Like many military fami-lies, the Walkers moved as theirfamilies changed duty stations,constantly redefining what thebrothers called “home.”

When Marquis graduatedhigh school and left home forthe Marine Corps in 2000, thebrothers didn’t drift apart, but

became closer than ever.After three years of splitting

time between college, theMarine Corps and his wife,Marquis joined the Army andfollowed in his younger broth-er’s footsteps.

“I figured it was the bestthing to do at the time,” saidMarquis, who attended theUniversity of Mexico. “I waskind of burnt out and wantedmy life to get started.”

While Taries had alreadycompleted his basic combattraining and advanced individ-ual training, his brotherMarquis just started his tenurein the Army.

The former Marine attendedhis AIT at Fort Gordon, Ga.,and coincidentally, his youngerbrother was stationed just fourhours away at Fort Stewart, Ga.

“I didn’t know that I wouldend up at Fort Gordon for myAIT,” Marquis explained. “Weended up hooking up almostevery weekend at my dad’shouse. It was pretty nice.”

Two years later, the Walkersonce again find themselvestogether in a military setting,but this time under entirely dif-ferent conditions.

As if one year deployed in acombat zone wasn’t enough,Taries wants to stay in Iraqwith his brother and is pushinghard to put the “Ivy” Patch onhis left shoulder.

“I was a lot more ready to gobefore he got here,” Taries said.“I mean, I want to go home tomy family, but I kind of feellike if I left I would be aban-doning him.”

As much as Marquis wantsTaries to stay, he believes hisbrother deserves to go homeand be with his family.

“He’s been over here a year,and no matter how much I feellike I’m the big brother, he hasthe experience,” Marquis said.“Whatever he says can helpme, and it holds some weight.”

“Obviously, he was doingsomething right because he’ssafe and sound, but truthfully, Iwant him to go home andspend time with his wife anddaughter,” Marquis explained.

As Taries awaits word onwhether his request will beapproved, both brothers agreeupon one thing.

They are family, they areSoldiers, and they have a job todo.

BRASSFIELD-MORA —They have justa few more weeks to go.

Soon, they will have their own cars,they will eat wherever and whenever theywant. They will spend their free time withtheir family and friends in the comfort oftheir homes.

These are a few of the pleasures in life atank crew from the Company C, 3rdBattalion, 69 Armor Regiment, 3rdInfantry Division will be able to enjoywithin the coming weeks when they returnhome.

“Being away from the family and kids isthe worst thing about being deployed,”said Spc. Mike Rauch, the tank crew’sgunner from Mariposa, Calif. “We’ve putour lives on hold for the past year, and theworld keeps spinning, even though ourlives are on hold.”

The entire crew agreed with Rauchabout the bad things while deployed, butthey also spoke about the good things.

“We fight over here, and it’s not inAmerica,” said Rauch. “People that arehome, like my family, don’t have to seewhat I’ve seen. That’s the best part aboutbeing over here.”

“You build a better bond with yourSoldiers,” said Staff Sgt. Benjamin

Ormand, the crew’s tank commander fromSomerville, N.J.

“We’re not a tank crew, we’re a family,”said Pfc. Andrew Queen, the loader fromOcala, Fla.

A year of constant attacks on the tankcrew’s home, the M-1 tank, has onlystrengthened this family and pulled themcloser together.

“We’ve been through just about every-thing the enemy could throw at us,” saidOrmand.

Rauch and Queen concurred.The crew has been hit by 4 IEDs, 2

RPGs, 1 land mine, and small arms firenumerous times. They consider themselveslucky and strive to keep their tank ready.

Company C has had no deaths.“We have had no loss of life due to

good training and watching each other’sback,” said Ormand.

“Every platoon in our company under-stands that if you slack off, if you let theseguys get an inch, not only does it hurt you,it hurts the platoon you’re relieving andthe platoon that’s going to be relievingyou,” said Rauch.

Soon, the tank crew will return homeand everything will be normal again, butdon’t think for a second that these guysare going to let their guard down. They’llfight until they’re told not to - for theircountry, their loved ones, and for theircrewmembers, their family.


Story and photo by2nd Lt. Anthony D. Buchanan133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Story byPfc. Jason W. Dangel4th Brigade Combat Team,4th Infantry Division

Tankers become family

“I was a lot moreready to go beforehe got here. I mean,I want to go hometo my family, but Ikind of feel like if Ileft I would be aban-doning him.”

Spc. Taries Walker

Soldiers of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor, 3rd Infantry Divisionperform maintenance on their M-1 tank.

AA ffaammiillyy aaffffaaiirr

U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Matthew CliftonIraqi Policemen and 108th Military Police Company, 16th MP Brigade,Soldiers and hand out supplies to local Iraqi school children. "The IPs per-formed professionally and helped establish a necessary connection withthe local children,” said Sgt. John Olsen, an MP with the unit. Every timethey successfully complete a mission their confidence increases, he said.

Walker brothers cross paths


LSA ANACONDA — Nobody argues that Soldiers on theground have the toughest job in the Army. However,Soldiers in the air do what they can to offer support to theground guys, especially the Apache pilots of 3rdBattalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.

“The mission is to support the ground guys,” said Capt.Ryan Kelly, the battalion’s operations officer. “Theground guys are the ones knocking on doors.”

The unit is responsible for force protection and provid-ing deterrence against enemy forces that would hinderground units from doing their mission, Kelly said. Inaddition to their primary mission, the unit also providessecurity for the LSA and escorts VIPs flying on thebrigade’s other lift helicopters.

“Our whole job in life is to support the guys on theground,” said Chief Warrant Officer Dale W. Miller,instructor pilot for Company A. “That’s our favorite mis-sion. If they need us, we’ll be there.”

The unit is comprised of 24 attack helicopters armedwith 30 mm guns, 2.75- inch rockets and Hellfire mis-siles, Kelly said. One company of Apaches is stationed onthe LSA, with another company supporting units in thenorth and another in the south.

The flight schedule is based around intelligence reportsand requests from ground units, he said. The helicoptersare used to support ground maneuver units in the countermortar and IED fight, as well as with other deliberateoperations aimed at insurgent forces.

“We make ourselves known,” Miller said. “It’s a realshow of force. If you mess with them [troops on theground], you mess with us. You can tell in the groundguys’ voices, they’re glad we’re there.

“Those are the guys taking all the fire,” Miller went on.“Those are the guys we have the most respect for.”

Capt. Ryan Eisenhauer, Company A platoon leader, saidthe Apaches are mostly a deterrent for LSA force-protec-tion missions and their presence has lessened the amountof mortar attacks on the LSA.

“The mission is pretty much ideal for what we havearound here,” Eisenhauer said. “The addition of the caval-ry assets will make us more effective and lessen theload,” he added referring to 2nd Battalion,17 Cavalry, aunit of OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scouts attached to the bat-talion.

The Apache pilots have optical capabilities allowingthem to look at suspicious objects on the ground in orderto help determine if the object is a threat that should befired upon. But what makes their airpower most effectiveis communication with the ground units, F-16 pilots andunmanned aerial vehicle controllers.

“It integrates everything for better coverage,”Eisenhauer said. “Force protection as far as the FOB isconcerned has worked very well.”

The battalion arrived in Balad in September, a monthahead of the rest of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade.

Kelly said he thinks the mission is going well so far.There have been a few key days when terrorist activitywas expected to be high, so the unit planned ahead withmissions.

Very little happened on those days, such as the day ofthe referendum vote because of prior planning and thepresence of the helicopters, Kelly said.

The battalion is often deployed and has been involvedin operations in Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Operation IraqiFreedom. Kelly said 3rd Battalion “just always knows it’sgoing to be deployed.”

Most of the Soldiers are very experienced.“Working under another brigade is really a fluid

process for us by now,” Eisenhauer said. “We have noproblem working with whoever needs us at the time.”

“We’ll do it and we’ll exceed the standard,” Kelly said.

Story and photos by Sgt. Susan Redwine159th Combat Aviation Brigade

Eagle Attack brings Eagle Attack brings Two AH-64 Apaches from 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment taxi down the runway at LSA Anaconda. The Apaches are an vital part of the LSAs security.

A pilot from 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment,prepares for take off in his AH-64 Apache with theAmerican Flag by his side.

firepower to Anacondafirepower to Anaconda


BAGHDAD — Soldiers represent-ing Iraq's 10 Army Divisions stoodproudly along with high-rankingofficers and dignitaries Jan. 6 tocommemorate Iraqi Army day atthe Tomb of the Unknown Soldierin the International Zone here.

The event, organized by theMinistry of Defense, was thelargest affair orchestrated heresince the inception of the war,marking a milestone in the progressof Iraq's security forces and sym-bolizing the unity of Iraq's Army.

As Iraq's Minister of DefenseSaadun al-Dulaimi stood somberlybefore a battalion of sharplydressed Iraqi Soldiers, a wreathwas placed at the centerpiece of thetomb marking 85 years since thebeginning of the Iraqi Army.

Iraqi Army Soldiers are carryingon a proud tradition of militaryservice and take pride in knowingthey now serve the people insteadof a tyrannical despot.

The tomb also holds specialmeaning for the Soldiers.

"Today's festival has a specialmeaning and it is not like the previ-ous ones," said Dulaimi. "Today weserve the nation and not theleader," he said, speaking ofSaddam Hussein.

"It's the face of our country," saidAli, a Soldier with the specialpolice force. "I am happy to beserving my country. If we do notprotect our country, then who willprotect it," he asked.

As dark clouds spanned the sky,Ali and hundreds of other Soldiersfrom various units sounded off withthe Iraqi Armed Forces oath; a newmantra for the Amy.

"I swear in the name of God andon my honor to protect the land ofIraq and its people from all aggres-sion and to be loyal to the princi-ples of the Constitution," theyroared in unison.

The cohesion of the Iraqi Army,whose presence now is greater thanever, is apparent as they are takingon a larger role in keeping the citi-zenry safe from terrorists and fight-ing under one flag.

"There are Sunni, Shi'ite andKurdish Soldiers here," said anIraqi Soldier. "It makes no differ-ence, we are one Army."

The Soldier said the strength andunity of the Army is better now

than before and they havevolunteered to protect all ofthe Iraqi people from ter-rorists.

"Nobody has forced usto be in the Army likebefore," he said. "We arelike one hand, all of us arebrothers."

Story by Spc. Rick RzepkaScimitar Assistant Editor

IraqI army celebDignitaries, Soldiers from 10 divisions c

Iraqi Soldiers stand at attentionUnknown Soldier in Baghdad Janattended the ceremony along with

Iraqi Soldiers on flag detail march to the sounds of the Army’s band.The Soldiers then sounded off with the Iraqi Armed Forces Oath inwhich they swore to protect the land of Iraq and its people.

Iraqi Minister of Defense Saadun al-Dulaimi and Iraqi Armed Forces’ Chief Babkir Bederkhan AlZibari return to their respective positions after inspecting troops during Iraq’s Army Day, Jan. 6.Al Dulaimi said, “Today’s festival has a special meaning and it is not like the previous ones.”

"Today's festivalhas a specialmeaning and it isnot like the previ-ous ones. Todaywe serve thenation and notthe leader.”

Saadun al-Dulaimi, Iraq’s Minister of Defense

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Rick Rzepka

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Rick Rzepka


brates 85th yearconverge on Tomb of Unknown Soldier

n while a wreath is placed at the Tomb of then. 6. Dignitaries from several different countriesh Iraqi and western media.

U.S. military personnel ascend to the crest of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad Jan. 6 as preperations werebeing made to begin the ceremony. Al Jundi al Majhool was built in 1982 and was designed by the famous Iraqi artistKhalid Alrahaal. In addition to the Tomb, the site contains a museum which features various weapons used by the IraqiArmy since the Babylonian and Ashurian eras along with more modern weapons. The first unknown Soldier tomb wasbuilt in Alfirdos square during the presidency of Abdul Kareem Kasim in 1959.

An Iraqi colonel presents arms while facing Iraq’s Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Chief during Army Day Jan.6. More than 800 Iraqi Army Soldiers participated in the event.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Orlando Claffey




Monday is the typicalday for Soldiers ingarrison to conduct

weekly primary maintenancechecks and services, alsoknown as PMCS, to ensuretheir vehicles and equipmentare functioning properly.

For mechanics ofHeadquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 101st SustainmentBrigade, their mission and dailyroutine gives them a challengewhile deployed at Q-West BaseComplex.

“We have over 200 vehiclesand [pieces of] equipment toinclude vehicles, forklifts, gen-erators, air conditioning unitsand trailers,” said Staff Sgt.Ronald Malone, motor poolsupervisor, from Russellville,Ala.

Malone is in charge of morethan 30 Soldiers, who arespread out to accommodate theworkload the mechanics faceeveryday. Some mechanics areresponsible for maintenance atthe motor pool and some ensurethat the generators are operat-ing to provide the power need-ed.

A selected few are on theconvoy support team. The sup-port team provides security forthe brigade commander and the101st Brigade Troops Battalioncommander when ground mis-sions are scheduled.

“We are always tasked outand not many people can do myjob,” said Spc. Alvaro Nino, anexperienced mechanic fromMiami.

Nino is training on the elec-tronic technical manual, a pro-gram designed to find parts thatneed to be ordered when a vehi-cle is found to have a deficien-cy.

“I’m always learning some-thing,” said Nino as his fingershit the keyboard.

Motor pool Soldiers are oftenseen with their uniforms cov-ered in dirt or drenched ingrease.

“This week I gather oil, Idump the old oil and supplynew oil,” said Pfc. SeanDonnelly, who is from Buffalo,

N.Y. “Next week I will beordering parts.”

Donnelly separated fluidsinto four barrels as they sat sideby side ready to be filled.

Other mechanics such as Spc.Cody Stafford, from BatonRouge, La., and Pfc. PaulMolan from Chardon, Ohio, areutilities equipment repairers.

“I’ve been deployed beforeand this is the first time I get todo my job,” said Stafford. “I getto fix air conditioning units.”

Stafford and Molan areresponsible for ensuring theheating and air conditioningunits in the brigade and battal-ion buildings are functional.

For generator mechanics atthe motor pool, the primary jobis to ensure the generators pro-vide power for all communica-tions within the 101st BrigadeTroops Battalion. Pfc. AxelArriaga, a generator mechanicfrom Los Angeles, is eager tobecome more efficient in his

skills. “You have to know the equip-

ment,” said Arriaga. Pfc. Jeffrey Seymour, a

Missouri native, assistedArriaga in changing the ther-mostat on a 5-kilowatt genera-tor behind the motor pool.

“I’m the recovery team,” saidSeymour, who is among the fewmechanics who assist with theconvoy support team. “My jobis to hook up the tow bar within10 minutes when a vehiclebreaks down.”

“Our sole purpose is to pro-vide security, and if I have todo another tour, I want to haveexperience,” said Sgt. CynthiaTaylor, from Oak Grove, Ky.

“I’m not in it for the glory,”said Taylor, “I just want tomake sure our people are safe.”

“The mechanics do an out-standing job,” said Malone, ashe gave all the credit to hisSoldiers for their daily accom-plishments.

Story and photos by Sgt. Patricia Tso101st Sustainment Brigade

Wrench turnerstwist bolt heads

TIKRIT — It’s often the littlethings that get overlooked by peo-ple in a fast-moving environment,but little things can lead to bigresults in Iraq.

Spc. Michael Leinweber, fromWilloughby, Ohio, has a mission inIraq that revolves around smallgadgets. Leinweber is a medicalmaintenance technician in the 626thBrigade Support Battalion, support-ing the Rakkasans of the 3rdBrigade Combat Team. Hedeployed to Iraq in September andspends his days working on the del-icate wires, circuits and gadgets inmachinery.

Recently, as the sole medical sys-tems maintenance technician for thebrigade, he flew to nearby FOBSummerall to support a surgicalteam that was in need of his servic-es. The surgical team’s generatorshad a power surge that damagedelectrical systems on critical med-ical equipment.

“This makes it sound a lot sim-pler than it is, but in this case … afuse popped,” said Leinweber. “Youjust replace the fuse, and sometimesyou have to replace a circuitboard.”

Leinweber worked 36 hours straightto ensure the vital medical equipmentwas up and running. Before he quit, thesurgical team asked him to look at theirX-ray machine, which was taking poorimages.

A few hours after Leinweberfixed the machine, a patient wasrushed to the team. The team took achest X-ray of the patient revealinga collapsed lung. Initially the med-ical team did not think his lung hadcollapsed. It was only after usingthe recently repaired X-ray machinethat they were able to see the col-lapsed lung.

The team later informedLeinweber and his first sergeantthat, thanks to his continuous dedi-cation to complete the repairs, hehad helped save the Soldier’s life.

“It feels good knowing the stuff Ifix impacts somebody’s life,” saidLeinweber. “You take more pride inyour work.”

Pfc. Felix Cedano, HHC mechanic, from New York operatesa forklift at the motor pool

Story and photo byPfc. Cassandra Groce133rd Mobile Public AffairsDetachment

Handyman doesn’toverlook little things

Spc. Michael Leinweber, a native of Willoughby, Ohio, removes thepanel from a generator so he can work on the interior. Leinweber isa Medical Equipment Repairer and has been deployed to Iraq sinceSeptember.

Today’s Soldiers must operate intricatecomputer-controlled systems; quicklyidentify threats in a complex environ-

ment; and be ready to react on a momentsnotice. As the number of requirements placedupon us increases, typically the amount ofsleep we get decreases. Although sleep is themost effective way to ensure we continuefunctioning at a high level, in reality gettingeight hours of sleep a night is often a luxuryonly dreamt about.

People’s need for sleep varies greatly, someSoldiers function fine on as little as 5.5 hoursof sleep, while others may require as many as9.5 hours for optimal performance. If youcontinually operate on seven or less hours ofsleep a night your performance, both physicaland mental, may suffer.

Sleep is the best way to restore a decreasein mental and physical performance causedby sleep deprivation. Several studies havefound napping for as little as 15 minutes canresult in a marked improvement in mentalfunctioning. However, if you are unable toget enough sleep at night or take naps, caf-feine may help improve both your physicaland mental performance.

Before deciding to consume caffeine as aperformance enhancer you should first con-sider the potential side effects. If you haveelevated blood pressure, or are taking med-ication to reduce your blood pressure, usingcaffeine is not a wise choice. Additionally, if

you have a family history of high blood pres-sure you may want to avoid large doses ofcaffeine especially during times of stress, asthis combination increases the likelihood ofyour blood pressure becoming elevated.

Combining caffeine with ephedrine orsynephrine and yohimbine also can result inelevated blood pressure, even in people whousually have normal blood pressure levels.This combination can also elevate your rest-ing heart rate and significantly increase yourheart rate during exercise.

Another factor to consider before takinglarge doses of caffeine is your ability to main-tain adequate hydration levels. Because caf-feine increases your urine output, it increasesyour risk for becoming dehydrated. If operat-ing in a hot environment and using caffeineyou should implement a sound hydrationstrategy and closely monitor your hydrationstatus.

When consuming caffeine you should alsomonitor your calcium intake. Although themajority of studies have not found a relation-ship between caffeine and osteoporosis, caf-feine can, at least temporarily, increase calci-um excretion. This becomes a problem ifyour calcium intake is low.

If you usually consume at least three serv-ings of dairy products each day you are prob-ably meeting your calcium needs. If you con-sume little to no dairy products you shouldstart consuming more dairy products or con-sider taking a calcium supplement.

So now that you have considered the sideeffects and decided to try using caffeine as a

performance enhancer how much should youtake? If sleep deprived, doses of 100-600 mgmay improve cognitive function. TheCommittee on Military Nutrition Researchrecommended in it’s book, Caffeine for theSustainment of Mental Task Performance:Formulations for Military Operations (2001),limiting caffeine consumption to no morethan 600 mg. Doses of caffeine more than600 mg can degrade your cognitive function;negatively effect mood, and can make sleep-ing difficult when you finally get to rest.

Caffeine can be consumed in a variety ofways. The committee recommends using afood bar or chewing gum as the mechanismto intake caffeine. Consuming caffeine-con-taining bars or chewing gum as your caffeinesource enables you to more accurately deter-mine exactly how much caffeine you are con-suming as compared with consuming caf-feine-containing beverages. Using gum canbe particularly advantageous as the saliva yougenerate while chewing gum helps speed caf-feine absorption.

Most of us have heard of, or experiencedthe headaches, drowsiness, and irritabilityassociated with caffeine withdrawal.Obviously these symptoms can negativelyimpact your ability to function at a high leveland should be avoided during critical opera-tions. It is best not to go “cold turkey” whenstopping caffeine intake if you want to avoidcaffeine withdrawal. Slowly reducing theamount you consume or consuming lowdoses (25 – 50 mg) of caffeine should preventthe occurrence of withdrawal symptoms.

Final thoughts: As with any new procedureit is best that you test it out before employingthe technique during a mission. Some peoplemay be hypersensitive to caffeine while oth-ers may be less sensitive. Testing yourresponse to various doses of caffeine prior tousing it on a mission should make sure youare able to perform at peak levels whileavoiding any unwanted side effects.


Story by Capt. Reva Rogers, RD101st Airborne Division Dietician

Caffeine: Staying alert, but staying alive?HEALTH & FITNESS

BAGHDAD – Citizens of Baghdadhave recently seen a new face to theSoldiers driving through their city.

Gunners in convoys have beenpeering through a thick plastic glassmounted on their helmets. This faceshield was designed to give addedprotection to Soldiers “outside thewire,” specifically gunners, whosefaces are exposed to many potentialthreats.

The face shield has receivedmixed reviews from Soldiers inTask Force Baghdad, prompting thequestion, “is the face shield worthit?”

The command group of the 3rdInfantry Division said the answer tothis question is a definite yes, citingthat the face shield providesSoldiers with face protection from awide range of threats.

The 3.5–pound face shield ismade of acrylic and bullet-resistantpolycarbonate materials, and wasdesigned to provide Soldiers with

added protection from small armsfire and shrapnel from explosions.

Lt. Col. Virginia Yates, 3rd Inf.Div. Surgeon, said the face shield’slifesaving potential makes it of theutmost importance to wear.

“The idea to use face shieldswas first suggested by the 86thCombat Support Hospital ophthal-mologist who saw potential to save

the rest of the face not covered bythe ballistic eyewear,” Yates said.“In the division, we track the inci-dents of battle injuries in severalways. One of these ways we trackbattle injuries is by location ofwound on the body. We elected topurchase face shields for the divi-sion based on trends in facialinjuries that might have been pre-vented with face shield coverage,especially coverage for our gun-ners.”

Some of these wound trends sur-rounded fatal facial injuries sus-tained during explosions, sheadded.

Preventing injuries from airbornedebris is exactly the reason why theface shield is absolutely necessaryaccording to Capt. Jason Caboot,Battalion Surgeon, 3rd Battalion,15th Infantry. Rocks or bricksthrown at Soldiers are a big threat,Caboot said.

“The easiest way to measure thesuccess of the face shield is to lookat the number of Soldiers we havetreated at the aid station with facialinjuries,” Caboot said. “We havetreated seven Soldiers this year with

significant enough facial injury thatthey were evacuated to the aid sta-tion.”

Caboot said the injuries were sig-nificant enough that one Soldier, atank commander, had a fracturednose and cheek bone from an airborn rock; and another Soldier wasevacuated back to the U.S. with awired jaw caused by a thrown brick.

While some Soldiers have reser-vations about wearing the faceshield, Maj. Benjamin Ervin, 3rdInf. Div. medical operations officer,said their safety is far too importantto overlook.

“Soldiers have discomfort wear-ing a lot of things, like (mission ori-ented protective posture) suits orprotective masks, but these thingsare issued to help Soldiers,” Ervinsaid. “(The face shield) is kind ofthe same concept. The idea is toprotect Soldiers so they can gethome in one piece. It’s just one wayof how leadership is looking out forSoldiers in order to minimizeinjury.”

Ervin is also optimistic that theface shield will continue to evolve,and that a more comfortable design

could be made while still maintain-ing its protective capability.

“There are always improvementsthat can be made, just like theimprovements to the kevlar helmet,or the switch from flak vests tovests with SAPI plates,” Ervin said.“Like computers, (military technol-ogy) continues to evolve, and wecan only hope the face shield canevolve as well. Perhaps a thinnerglass can be designed so that itdoesn’t weigh so much, but this iswhat we have in the meantime, andI think it’s important for Soldiers’safety.”

No matter what a Soldier’s feel-ings are on the face shield, Ervinsays the ultimate intention is clear:to get the Soldiers home in onepiece.

“Like all of our leaders in the 3rd(Infantry Division), we want ourSoldiers to get home injury free, sowe try our best to get the Soldierswhat they need to protect them-selves,” he said. “We don’t like toread the casualty reports; if there issomething we can do about it, wewill, and the face shield is just oneof those ways.”

Story and photo by Spc. Derek Del Rosario100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Spc. Jeremy Cringle, B Battery1st Battalion, 39th FieldArtillery Regiment, wears thekevlar-mounted face shield.

SSoollddiieerrss ssaavvee ffaaccee wwiitthh nneeww sshhiieelldd

Dosing for Caffeine Gum— Mental performance when adequatelyrested: Start with 1 stick and use as needed.— Mental performance when sleepdeprived: start with 1 stick and use asneeded not to exceed 2 sticks per hour forup to 6 hours.— Physical performance: chew 2 sticks for5 minutes followed by 2 more sticks at thestart of activity. Re-dose every 6 hours.— Combined physical and mental per-formance: follow guideline for physicalperformance re-dosing with 1 stick asneeded.From: Canadian Military Journal,Winter 2003-2004

Caffeine ContentEnergy Drinks, 8 oz 100-116 mgCoffee, 6 oz, brewed drip 100 mgTea, 6 oz, 3 minute steep 36 mgCola, 12 oz 35-50 mgCaffeine gum 100 mgPills, per tablet 100-200 mgFrom: Krause’s Food Nutrition and DietTherapy, and www.erowid.org


Ihave the opportu-nity as theChaplain for theCivil Affairs forcesto travel through-

out much of Iraq visitingCA Soldiers. Travelingallows me see many of the histori-cal and biblical sites here in thisancient land. Let me share a fewexamples of some of these sites.

In my first tour in Iraq duringOIF 1, I was able to visit Babylonwhich is near the present day cityof Hilla. The archeological andbiblical significance of this site isbeyond measure. Being a chaplain,the biblical significance probablyhad the greatest effect upon me.Imagine almost 2,600 years ago,somewhere around 600 B.C.,Nebuchadnezzar ruled from thosevery ruins.

He is talked about at length inthe Biblical book of Daniel.Daniel, a Jew, became one of themost powerful administratorsunder Nebuchadnezzar to the pointwhere the Bible says he was thesecond most powerful person inBabylonia. To see these ruins andwalk where Daniel may havewalked confirmed my faith in Godand in his Word, the Bible.

I had the opportunity to travel toDahuk to visit some of our CAtroops who work in the city.

Dahuk is in north-ern Iraq, a part ofthe Kurdish area,not far from theborder withTurkey. I met sev-eral AssyrianChristians whowere being used asinterpreters andthey shared with

me how the Assyrians came toknow the God of the Bible.

They related to me the story ofJonah, who was given a job byGod. “Go to the great city ofNineveh and preach against it,because its wickedness had comeup before me.” (Jonah 1:2).Nineveh was the ancient capital ofthe Assyrian empire. But Jonahhated the Assyrians because theywere a cruel people and enslavedthe 10 northern tribes of Israel in722 B.C. So Jonah ran from thejob God had given him.

Through a series of incidentswhich you can read about in thebook of Jonah, he eventually cameto Nineveh and preached repen-tance to them. The whole cityrepented in sack cloth and ashes,asking God to forgive them fortheir wickedness.

Present day Nineveh is a seriesof archeological excavations andruins. It’s about 20 miles southeastof present day Mosul. Most mod-ern Assyrian Christians point backto the time of Jonah as the timewhen their ancestors came to know

the God of the Bible. It is hard forme to imagine that some of theseAssyrian Christians trace their lin-eage back more than 2,000 yearsto the time of Jonah. This sense ofhistory is not seen in America,where few of us can trace our her-itage back more than 200 years.

Several of the AssyrianChristians asked if I would like tosee one of their historical sites. Sowe traveled outside Dahuk to amountain where we began toclimb, and climbed, and climbed,until about three-quarters of theway up the mountain we stoppedat an outcropping of rock wherecarvings were visible.

The bas-reliefs were chiseledinto the limestone of the mountain.Eighteen pictographs were carvedinto the rock. The Assyrian saidthese carvings dated about 2,000B.C. and were put there by theirearly Assyrian ancestors. As youcan see from the picture, the carv-ings look very much like earlyEgyptian carvings. I wonder whocame up with this kind of picto-graph, the early Assyrians or theearly Egyptians.

I have shared with you just acouple of the examples of the fab-ulous historical and biblical sitesavailable in this ancient land. Iknow many of you are unable totravel and see these sites, but it isstill nice to know that you are in aland so ancient and so often men-tioned in the Scriptures. GodBless!

CHAPLAIN’S TALK

By Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David H. JonesCivil Affairs

Chaplain Jones

Realizing where you are

Courtesy photo

A pictograph sclupture, carved by ancient Assyrians, near Mosul.

Teaching Iraqis bomb hunting

KIRKUK — Improvised explosivedevices are one of terrorists’ dead-liest methods of attack in Iraq.

One group of Iraqi Army combatengineers has been working withSoldiers of 1st Brigade CombatTeam, 101st Airborne Division, tocombat this problem.

Soldiers with Company A,326th Special Troops Battalion,1st Brigade Combat Team, 101stInfantry Division, spent threeweeks training select members ofBomb Company, 2nd Brigade, 4thIraqi Army Division, on the finerpoints of IED hunting. Iraqitroops were taught how to recog-nize placed explosive devices aswell as the materials used to make

the bombs.Those chosen to receive the

training were hand-selected for themission by Lt. Col. Fuad JihadReda, Bomb Co. commander, andCapt. Jay Cook, commander,Company A, 326th STB. Many ofthose selected for the unit had per-sonal experiences with IEDs andwere motivated to work with coali-tion forces, Cook said.

“One [Iraqi] Soldier was on hisday off and saw someone plantingan IED,” Cook said. “He took hisown weapon, chased down theindividuals … disabled their vehi-cle … and ended up apprehendingthe [terrorists].”

Iraqi Soldiers were trained onbasic IED awareness and drivingseveral vehicles, which will aid incounter-IED missions. Troops alsopracticed mounted and dismountedpatrols with U.S. forces.

Story by Spc. Anna-Marie Risner133rd Mobile PublicAffairs Detachment

U.S. Soldiers become citizens

CAMP LIBERTY — “One nationunder God, indivisible, with libertyand justice for all.”

With their right hands over theirhearts, approximately 80 ofAmerica’s newest citizens complet-ed the Pledge of Allegiance duringa naturalization ceremony at the3rd Infantry Division chapel Dec.17.

For many of the Soldiers the cer-emony marked the realization oftheir dreams to become citizens ofthe country they already serve.

President Theodore Rooseveltonce said “Anyone who is goodenough to shed their blood for thecountry is good enough to be givena square deal afterwards.”

Each of the Soldiers participatingin the Dec. 17 naturalization cere-mony earned that “square deal,”said Brig. Gen. Mark O’Neill,assistant division commander-sup-port, 3rd Inf. Div.

Praising the Soldiers’ commit-ment to their new nation, O’Neilltold the Soldiers they each broughta unique energy to America andthat they had “already shouldered aheavy burden on behalf of your fel-low Americans” by serving in themilitary.

O’Neill reminded the soon-to-be-citizens that “citizenship bearsrights, but also responsibilities.”Although each Soldier is alreadypart of history, and participating inAmerican democracy by joining themilitary before becoming a citizen,O’Neill said the responsibility ofcitizenship would always be there.

Spc. Sakpraneth Khim, Company

C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment, said serving in the Armywasn’t shouldering a burden, but away to “repay a debt of gratitude toa good country.”

Originally from Cambodia, Khimwas a child when his family cameto the United States as refugees 18years ago. “I’ve always wanted tobe a citizen,” said Khim, “but it’s along process.”

Soldiers who are deployed cantake advantage of a “streamlined”process, said Khim, and that helps.

After applicants fill out thepaperwork it becomes a waitinggame, said Khim. Originally,Khim’s interview was scheduledfor May of next year, “but this isbetter,” he said.

Pfc. Habiba Chowdhurry, ofCompany A, 3rd Soldier SupportBattalion, is the first in her familyto become a U.S. citizen. In 1992her parents brought their two chil-dren to the United States fromBangladesh for a better education.

“I wanted to become a citizen ofthe country I serve. I’m fighting forit and I took an oath,” Chowdhurrysaid. She, like Khim, was pursuingher citizenship back in the States,but was lucky enough to be inter-viewed in Iraq.

Chowdhurry also had a pragmat-ic reason for wanting to be natural-ized. “If anything happens here (inIraq),” she said, “I want my motherto be able to say ‘My daughter wasa United States citizen and she wasserving her country.” Chowdhurrysaid her family is excited about hercitizenship, and so is she.

“I’m very proud that I’m not theonly one who wanted this,” shesaid as she looked at fellowSoldiers waiting to take their oath.“I’m having a great day!”

Story by Spc. Jennifer D. Atkinson100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment


SScciimmiittaarr SSllaappssttiicckkSScciimmiittaarr SSllaappssttiicckk

Art by Maj. James D. Crabtree

FFiigghhtt iinn ’’ WWoorrddss

Fightin’ Words solution from Jan. 6, 2005

1 2 6 7 9

13 3 12

14 11

18 10

15 19

5 20

16 4 8

17 21

DOWN1. You can fix anything with it2. Irish fanatics3. Tina’s crazy ex-husband4. Snoop’s status5. Bush, Cheeny, and the Bonesmen6. Isolated incident7. British SF8. Name of One Who Flew Over theCoo-Coo’s Nest protagonist9. Sea-Lab abbreviation10. The “Company”11. Idiot12. Location of LA riots, electricalmeasurement

ACROSS1. Marine teacher5. Southwest state abbreviation6. “Wild Bill” Donovan founded this10. Grunts sleep on these11. First name of “A-Team” character13. Commode synonym14. Selling like “hot ____”15. Lung disease16. Machiavelli strove for it17. Freudian concept18. __________ _______ Arrival19. Stupid person20. Situps and crunches strengthenthese21. Ugly dogs

F E L L O W SR A Y L I M AI R O N E US N O R AB E S T A F NE A L S NE R N E S T A

N E X U S N

Since the Global War on Terror began, manySoldiers have earned combat patche. For oneSoldier a patch was created especiatlly for him.

Staff Sgt. Ronell Bradley lost one of his legsin an IED attack while on a mission and had tohave the other leg removed during surgery atthe combat support hospital in Baghdad.

Bradley’s battalion sergeant major,Command Sgt. Maj. Clarence Stanley, waspresent to make sure he was OK. Right beforeBradley was anesthetized, he told Stanley,“Don’t let me out of the Army.”

The Army will honor Bradley’s wishes; butwhile he is recovering at Walter Reed ArmyHospital, his brothers in Company E, 4thBattalion, 64th Armor do not want anybody toforget what he means to them.

The company designed a patch inscribedwith “Don’t let me out of the Army,” that eachSoldier carries on their person when they goon patrol. It’s their way of taking him out onpatrol even while he recovers.

Sgt. Rayner Lopez, a team leader who wasin the vehicle with Bradley when it was struck,designed the patch. The Miami native wantedto honor Bradley and his sacrifice, but almostas important, he wanted to honor his friendand mentor.

“He was my first team leader when I gotinto the Army,” Lopez said. “He taught meeverything I know, and Iowe all my militaryaccomplishments to him.”

They served togetherduring OIF 1 and made ithome together, and thoughBradley won’t be goingback to the United Stateswith his unit, Lopez willmake sure his patch is fas-tened snugly in his pocketuntil he sees his mentor.

Bradley has already seen the patch that bearsthe unofficial motto of E Company.

Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey wasvisiting FOB Prosperity and a Soldier told himabout Bradley and presented Harvey with apatch. When Harvey returned to the United

States, he visited Bradley at Walter Reed. Hepresented him with the patch and told him howhis brethren in Iraq keep a small part of himwith them.

Capt. Barrett Emenheiser, Bradley’s compa-ny commander, praised Bradley.

“The Army is his life, he is a hardcoreSapper, he is a graduate of the Marine Sapper

Leadership Course, a realtough school,” saidEmenheiser, a native ofLebanon, Pa. “He epito-mizes what a Sappershould be.”

Emenheiser said Bradleygoes the extra mile when itcomes to training hisSoldiers. He thinks itended up saving his life.

“It was his squad mem-bers that pulled him out of the Humvee,administered initial first aid and evaced him tothe (combat support hospital),” Emenheisersaid. “Whenever they had downtime, he wasdoing weapons training, physical training orsomething else to make sure his guys excelled.

He went above the call of duty of any squadleader I have ever seen in my 10 years in theArmy.”

Since Bradley has been at Walter Reed, hehas been visited by Secretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld and President George W.Bush. Emenheiser thinks this may have to dowith his personality.

“He is a great American,” Emenheiser said.“He loves being a warrior and he loves beingwith Soldiers. He is light to everyone. He has abig smile and a huge heart.”

Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Brigham, Bradley’splatoon sergeant and a native of Mannheim,Germany, physically carried him into the CSHand was amazed at how calm he was. He isnot amazed at how hard Bradley has beenworking at Walter Reed. Bradley recently tookhis first step with his prothesis.

Emenheiser can’t wait to see Bradley inaction back at Fort Stewart, Ga.

“He is dedicated, that when we have a divi-sion run or something, (I know) he will be run-ning faster than the fallouts and trying to moti-vate them as best he can. He is a real inspira-tion.”


Physical therapist getsSoldiers back in game

TIKRIT — More than 50 percentof all Soldiers coming to sick callhave muscular-skeletal injuries,making a physical therapist aninvaluable asset in the combatzone.

Capt. Joseph Miller, the physicaltherapist in the Tikrit area, hastrained medical personnel in phys-ical therapy.

Miller’s training began inKuwait, as the 3rd BrigadeCombat Team of the 101stAirborne Division prepared tomove into Iraq. He’s continued thetraining in Iraq, traveling to remotelocations.

The inclusion of physical thera-pists in the combat zone is a newconcept for the 101st in Iraq,resulting from the Army’s overalltransformation to the BrigadeCombat Team design. EachBrigade Combat Team has theirown physical therapist assigned tothem instead of back in a hospital,Miller said.

“I think we are more effectiveon the front line with the Soldiersthan back in the hospital,” saidMiller.

Around 35 percent of injuredSoldiers were sent back to the statesfor treatment during the initial phasesof Operation Iraqi Freedom. Thearrival of physical therapists has

decreased that number by about 5percent, Miller said.

Miller has seen around 700 differ-ent patients since he arrived at FOBSpeicher in September. He and hisphysical therapy technician seeapproximately 80 to 100 Soldiers aweek. They also advise commanders

on training and work loadsto minimize the stress onSoldiers’ bodies.

In addition to five yearsin the Army and six yearsas a Marine, Miller has abachelor’s degree inKinesiology, the study ofmovement.

He attended the Army-Baylor physical therapyprogram at Fort SamHouston, Texas, and gradu-ated with a master’s degreein physical therapy. He isnow three courses from adoctorate in physical thera-py and will have completedthe program by the end ofhis deployment.

Miller is also passionateabout helping his Soldiers.

“My ultimate goal is forthem to not come back,”said Miller. “We do a lot ofconditioning and rehab so aSoldier can take care ofhimself. It’s not just help-ing them, but teaching aswell.”

Miller, remembering apicture of a Soldier aboutto raid a house that he saw

recently on the Army KnowledgeOnline Web Page, said that is a sym-bol of who he is here to help.

“Those guys are the reason we[physical therapists] are here,” saidMiller. “We want to make sure theyaren’t distracted because of pain.”

Pfc. Cassandra Groce133rd Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentCAMP ADDER — In the middle

of a country where medical care istough to come by, a bond wasrecently forged between Georgia’sCitizen Soldiers and local Iraqicitizens.

Ibitisam Hameed Kassar, a 17-year-old woman from the AnNasiriyah area was born with arare blood vessel disorder calledpulmonary hypertension.

This rare condition causessevere shortness of breath as wellas fatigue, chest pain and dizzi-ness. Ibitisam lives in an area ofIraq where the physical ability towork is necessary for all aspectsof life, school included. Her con-dition made it difficult, if notimpossible, to walk to school or towork the small plot of land herfamily calls home. She has spentthe majority of her young lifeinside her home unable to domuch more than smile and keepher mother company.

Hope for any treatment wasremote and unlikely, until the 48thBrigade Combat Team showed upa few months ago. The 48thBrigade’s Civil Affairs team heardabout her plight and arranged forher to be seen at the Camp Adderbase hospital staffed by the 10thCombat Support Hospital based atFort Sill, Okla.

“We arranged it through thehospital (10th CSH) for Ibitisam

to be treated by U.S. doctors” saidSgt. 1st Class William Lawsonfrom Midland, Ga., a platoon ser-geant for the 48th’s civil affairssection.

The road to treatment was along one, Ibtisam’s MotherRahima Abid Lafi said. “It tookthree years to reach theAmericans, and it’s a very goodfeeling to have the help from theU.S. Soldiers.”

Help is what the medical pro-fessionals of the 10th CSH pro-vide and after running tests thedoctors determined she neededadditional treatment at a largerfacility in the International Zoneof Baghdad.

Ibtisam’s short stay at the hospi-tal produced new friends whowere eager to make her comfort-able while she was prepared forher first helicopter ride. 1st Lt.Fernando Mendez, head operatingroom nurse from San Antonio,Texas, said, “It gives the Iraqipeople a new perspective aboutAmericans. We are the final stopfor many of them with regard tomedical care.” “It makes the jobgreat, its medical care and that’swhat it is all about,” he added.

Mother and daughter made thetrip to Baghdad aboard a Blackhawk helicopter for additionaltests and treatments.

“We are mind changers. Whatwe do here today will help bothcountries gain a better understand-ing of each other,” said Mendez.

Story by Staff Sgt. Britt Smith48th Brigade Combat Team

Story by Spc. Dan Balda4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

Medical Soldiershelp Iraqi teen

Capt. Joseph Miller, the physical thera-pist for 3rd Brigade Combat Team,checks a Soldier's lower back for pain.

Soldier honored with patch while recovering from injuries

“He went above the callof duty of any squadleader I have ever seenin my 10 years in theArmy.”

Capt. Barrett Emenheiser


Courtesy photo

Maj. Gen. Othman Ali Ferhood holds a Kalashnikov rifle,presented by MND-CS Commander Maj. Gen. PiotrCzerwinski as a symbol of the 8th Iraqi Army Division'scertification on Dec. 20. “We want to see the Iraqi Armycapable of maintaining the domestic order,” saidCzerwinski. The Iraqi Soldiers will take the lead role incombat and security missions in the area, becoming inde-pendent of Coalition support.

Polish Army photo by Lt. Commander Bartosz ZajdaAn Iraqi school girl holds a bouquet of flowers at the Al Budayr school opening ceremony. PolishSoldiers helped rebuild the school.

Freedom Photographs

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl Bryson K. Jones

An Iraqi Soldier of the 1st IraqiInfantry Division, 2nd Brigade, 1stBattalion works out on a rooftop onFirmbase Castle.

U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James Arrowood

Air Force Capt. Ryan Haden climbs down from an A-10Thunderbolt aircraft after flying operations in support ofOperation Dynamic Weasel, Dec. 2, at Shaw Air Force Base,S.C. Dynamic Weasel is a multi-aircraft exercise imitatingcombat operations taking place in Southeast Asia.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy S. EdwardsSgt. Christopher S. Woodward, a weapons instructor for Personal Security Detail Developmentcourse, observes as an Iraqi Soldier fires his pistol.


Soldiers and Airmen recentlyjoined with Jesse James andthe “Monster Garage” crew

to create a hybrid Humvee.James and crew arrived at

Logistical Support Area Anacondaon Dec. 17 and set up in the 181stTransportation Battalion’s SkunkWerks shop to create their master-piece.

“Monster Garage” is a syndicatedtelevision show that airs on theDiscovery Channel.

The show involves challenges setby James and his crew to createinteresting vehicles. The mechanicshave a five-day window to trans-form their vehicles into machinesthat do things the manufacturernever intended them to do.

The crew brought an 800 horse-power engine with them and cus-tom Jesse James 28-inch and 26-inch wheels to add to the Humveealong with West Coast Chopperpainter Pete Finlan to design thefinal exterior paint job.

The “Monster Garage” crewchose Iraq for an episode to show adifferent side of servicemembers totheir families back in the UnitedStates.

“We set out to come over herenot to focus on a TV show, or me,but on these Soldiers buildingsomething cool. And I think we didthat,” James said.

James also wanted to give ser-vicemembers something else toconcentrate on while in Iraq.

“They were focused on getting apart here or putting a part on thereand worried about completing thischallenge and not about what’shappening out there,” he said.

Several mechanicsauditioned for theshow, but only fivemade the cut afterbeing put through acasting call by the pro-ducers.

Truncating theshow’s normal timeframe from five days tofour days presented achallenge to themechanics involved inthe show.

“These Soldiers hadlittle equipment to workwith and no parts storeto run to,” saidCommand Sgt. MajorCynthia Graham, 181stTransportation Battalionsergeant major.

“We were workinglong hours, and we arein Iraq. This is not youraverage scenario … every minute,every second, every part they puton this truck was a success story,”Graham said.

The ability to work as a team isone of James’ favorite traits in peo-ple and why he is especially fondof servicemembers.

“The military is the ultimateteam aspect. You enter the militaryand everyone is an equal teamplayer. I love it,” he said.

“Compared to the other crewsI’ve worked with, I’ve never seen acrew work as hard as these guys,”said producer Ned Judge.

The servicemembers working onthe project also enjoyed the team-work with James and his crew.

“He didn’t have to come here,

but he did. He came to Iraq to seeSoldiers and servicemembers.Every day he was out here, he hada smile on his face,” Graham said.

After four production days, thecrew performed a test run on theengine.

After blowing a transmission thefirst go around, the crew workedhard to rebuild another one beforethe deadline.

However, after a failed secondattempt 20 minutes before mid-night, James called the mission offand an air of sadness floated acrossthe Skunk Werks shop.

“It was hard coming all the wayout here and not having the chanceto see it work,” James said.

But for most of the servicemem-bers, working together was moreimportant than actually getting thevehicle to work.

“The last four days have beenone of the best moments of my life,and I will definitely take thesememories back with me,” said AirForce Staff Sgt. Jason Gregg, ofDetachment 1058, based at CampSpeicher.

“We bonded and we grew togeth-er. The morale of not only thesemechanics or this battalion, but thewhole installation improvedbecause of this Humvee and him(James),” Graham said.

James and his production crewcame back the next day and gavethe Soldiers some good news - theproject will be completed back inthe United States.

The episode will air as the seasonfinale in late April or early May onthe Discovery Channel.

Story and photos by Sgt. Ty Stafford207th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

JJEESSSSEE JJAAMMEESS VVIISSIITTSS SSAANNDDBBOOXX

Army Sgt. Andy Staeven, 181st Transportation Battalion, and “Monster Garage” star Jesse James examinethe engine before it is installed in a modified Humvee. The team had five Soldiers and two Airmen workingon the project with them.

Tattooed toolmaster soups up Humvee with troopers help

Monster Garage star Jesse James helps fine tune the customengine for the Humvee rebuild. James provided the engine andsignature tires.

Airmen Jason Gregg inspects the undercarriage of the renovat-ed Humvee used in the filming of an episode of Monster Garageat Logistical Support Area Anaconda.

Date post:	09-Mar-2021
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	2 times
Download:	0 times

Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 13, 2006 Mantle passedVol. 4, No. 2 Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 13, 2006 U.S. Air Force...

Documents