sion and then prepare to tran-
sition the area so that no more
US forces will have to deploy
to this area again.
Due to some heavy
snow falls (think Fort Drum
Winter Lite) we still may
have some movement of
forces around the battlefield
before we are set. All Soldiers
should have already contacted
home via email or phone.
Living conditions are good.
Our Afghan hosts are wonder-
ful, and everyone remains
excited to get the mission
underway.
Thank you again
for all of your support.
Remember to contact the
Rear-Detachment com-
mand team or any of our
Family Readiness Advisor
is there is anything we can
do for any of you. It is
humbling to lead this ex-
emplary unit to Afghani-
stan for the first time in our
history. It is all the more
exciting because of the
Troopers (that you support)
who fill our ranks, and who
are poised to excel at every
task.
Ready Now! Com-
mandos! Climb to Glory!
Greetings from
Western Paktika, Province, in
the southeastern part of Af-
ghanistan! It is truly a great
honor to sit in command of
such wonderful Troopers un-
der the colors and battle flag
of Combined Task Force
Wolverine.
The entire Task
Force is in country, though
not all are at their final desti-
nation quite yet. I cannot
thank all the families enough,
friends and supporters who
spent those countless
hours ensuring we began
this journey knowing we
have your full support.
The strength of our family
support system remains
humbling to the command
and will always be a foun-
dation of who we are,
critical to all of our suc-
cesses.
On 03 February,
we assumed authority and
command for US opera-
tions in Western Paktika. We
inherited space about three
times the size of Rhode Island
from the Army’s most accom-
plished cavalry unit, 1-4 Cav-
alry out of Fort Riley Kansas
as part of the Army’s 4BCT,
1st Infantry Division. The
Troopers of 1-4 CAV have
really done a remarkable job
working with the Afghan Se-
curity Forces to keep the en-
emy in check. Our task is to
finish the job.
Over the duration of
our tour, we will work to en-
sure that the Afghan National
Army’s 1st Kandak (Battalion)
and 6th Kandak of their 2nd
Brigade, 203rd Corps, are
able to operate independently
and have the programs and
systems in place to be a for-
midable military force in sup-
port of the national govern-
ment. Along with the Afghan
Uniform Police and other
security entities, our Afghan
brothers in arms are good
enough to keep the enemy at
bay. In our advisory role;
we’ll make them better. With-
out a doubt, the leaders and
Soldiers of the entire Task
Force will complete the mis-
GREETINGS FROM AFGHANISTAN
I N S I D E
T H I S I S S U E :
Promotions 2
RIP/TOA
Ceremony
2
Battle Bud-
dies: Not just
for Soldiers
5
D E P A R T M E N T O F
D E F E N S E
The Growler F E B R U A R Y 1 5 , 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 I I
S P E C I A L
P O I N T S O F
I N T E R E S T :
Greetings
From
Afghanistan
B, C, D Troop
Updates
A letter from
the Chaplain
How to send
care packages
P A G E 2
CSM Jusino and an
ANSF Partner
Promotions a Plenty
The Sergeant Major Corner Hello to all the friends and
families of the CombinedTask
Force Wolverine from West-
ern Paktika, in the southeast-
ern part of Afghanistan. It’s
been a long trip for the men
and women of the Task Force
but most of us have arrived at
out final destination.
The Squadron Commander
and I would like to thank all
the friends and loved ones for
supporting their Soldiers dur-
ing the final send off at the
Brigade Support Battalion mo-
tor pool at Fort Drum.
The support system
remains awe-inspiring to the
unit and will keep our Soldiers
focused on the task at hand.
It’s important that our Soldiers
balance mission while still stay-
ing connected with their
friends and families back home.
Soldiers have a variety of ways
to stay connected to home.
Although it can vary by loca-
tion, mail is received regularly
in our area of operations. You
can expect upwards of 10 to
14 days for your Soldier to
receive their package. Please
be aware of the restricted
items while your Soldier in
theatre. If you have any ques-
tions please feel free to con-
tact your FRG. So keep the
packages coming, I know the
Soldiers appreciate that.
As always I like to put in a
good word in for our FRG.
Please stay plugged in; it’s the
Squadrons direct link to the
ones who support our families
while deployed. Please do not
hesitate to contact our out-
standing FRG leaders. They can
direct friends and family mem-
bers in the right direction if
assistance or information if
needed. Thanks for all that you
do to support our Soldiers
while deployed on this historic
mission. It’s an honor and a
privilege to be the Command
Sergeant Major of such a great
organization, be safe,
Ready Now! Com-
mandos! Climb to Glory!
First Class roles both at home
and currently while deployed.
In addition, on 09
February 2013 SGT Jeffery
Grahn, Bravo Troop, was also
promoted to Staff Sergeant.
SSG Grahn who has been with
the unit for most of his Army
career has a major impact on
the Soldiers not only in Bravo
Troop but across the Squad-
ron. Congratulations to you
both from everyone in the
Wolverine Family! Ready
Now!
On 01 February
2013 SGT Spencer Toth,
HHT Medic, was promoted
to Staff Sergeant (SSG). SSG
Toth has served as one of
the senior NCOs in the
Medical Platoon and while
deployed will be serving as
the Medical NCO for all med-
ics. SSG Toth has performed
above and beyond the call of
duty, serving in senior Sergeant
N E W S L E T T E R T I T L E
Keeping Your FRG Informed Are you leaving town on a trip? Perhaps you’re going back home for a
few months. Not only does the Squadron wish you the very best but we’d love to
keep you all informed! If you’re leaving town please let your FRG leaders know so
they can send you information about the Squadron.!
P A G E 3
Bravo Troop - Black Hawk mander. There time however
is spent on more than just
formations and ceremonies.
SPC Nicholas Ott
and PFC Gilbert Lee, mortar
men for Black Hawk Troop
state, “[we] are holding down
the mortar pit. Waiting for
people to go on mission to get
a hot gun. We are establishing
Black Hawk Troop is
hard at work establishing their
battle rhythms and fortifying
their positions at Super FOB.
On 09 FEB 13 Soldiers gath-
ered for a promotion cere-
mony (see Page 2), a visit from
Wolverine 6 (the Squadron
commander) and Major Gen-
eral Mayville, RC-East Com-
our [Standing Operation Pro-
cedures] and getting into good
rhythms.”
The two mortar men
are amongst the dozens of
Black Hawk Troopers that
wish there families the best
and “[they’ll] be home when
our mission is complete.”
SPC Ott and PFC
Lee at Super FOB
N E W S L E T T E R T I T L E
Combined Task Force Wolverine Takes the Lead
On Sunday 03
February 2013 Combined
Task Force (CTF) Wol-
verine assumed responsi-
bility of West Paktika.
LTC Matthew Cody,
Commander of 1-4 CAV
and CSM Matthew
McDowell spent the last 9
months training our ANSF
(Afghan National Security
Forces) partners in numerous
Soldier skills from patrolling to
medical support.
“Transition will be
[LTC Griggs’] biggest chal-
lenge, reducing the footprint.”
LTC Cody reiterated that he is
confident in our units role as
advisors and has great faith in
our unit. TF 1-4 CAV, over a
number of months, has helped
the Wolverines transition into
our combat role through what
is called a RIP/TOA (Relief In
Place/Transfer Of Authority).
LTC Griggs and CSM
Jusino are looking forward to
the nine months ahead. They
have repeatedly stated they
are prepared for the challenges
that lie ahead but are confident in
their Soldiers.
Seated amongst the
distinguished guests at the RIP/
TOA ceremony were the Wolver-
ines’ Afghan counterparts, 1/2 and
6/2 Kandak(Afghan Battalions)
commanders and Sergeants Major.
Our ANSF partners are as eager
to work with us as we are with
them and feel by the end of the
next nine months they will be able
to conduct unilateral operations
without US support.
Command Teams for
TF Raider 1-4 CAV
and CTF Wolverine
How to Contact Your Soldier Many of you have asked ‘how can I send my Soldier care packages?’
Though we cannot give out individual mailing addresses without Soldiers’ permis-
sion we have included the generic mailing address for all Soldiers. We will collect
all the packages at this location and distribute it to all your Soldiers! Until then we
recommend digital communication with your Soldier.
Joe Snuffy (no rank)
“Troop (which ever one your Soldier’s in)” 1-89 CAV, 2BCT, 10MTN DIV
APO AE 09311
Charlie Troop - Crazy Horse
P A G E 4 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 I I
Charlie Troop Soldiers
are beginning to arrive at FOB
Rushmore from Bagram Airfield.
The few that have been on FOB
Rushmore for the
last week have con-
ducted numerous
training events in
preparation for the
rest of the Troop
arriving. Soldiers
have done training
on dozens of combat and logistical
vehicles to include the 10K forklift
and various others.
Soldiers have also been
busy with the RIP process with 4-1
BSTB from Fort Riley, Kansas. The
4-1 Soldiers have been a huge help
and assisted our Soldiers with all of
their duties and Charlie Troop is
beginning to take over the respon-
sibilities of the FOB.
1LT Daniel Warner, ex-
ecutive officer of Charlie Troop
states, “[We are] currently con-
ducting a RIP with 1-4 CAV, secu-
rity operations as-well-as retro-
grade operations for the FOB.
Charlie Troop is looking
forward to continuing the hard
work that 4/1 BSTB displayed and
beginning our own part here at
FOB Rushmore.
Element at both Super FOB and
COP Sar Howza. These two ele-
ments will have the important job
of directly supporting Bravo and
Alpha Troops from fixing vehicles
and weapons to cooking chow.
A lot has happened in the
past month, but Delta is motivated
and excited to face the challenges
this deployment has put in front of
us so far. We look forward to re-
ceiving care packages and any mail
from our loved ones. Sharana has
limited personnel internet access
that we have to pay for, but Sol-
diers at all three places will have
access to free internet at the
MWRs or USOs on each location.
Thank you for all your support, we
hope that everyone is doing well
back in the states.
It has been a month since
the first group of Delta Troop Sol-
diers began to depart for Afghani-
stan. On 08 Feb 13, all Delta Sol-
diers have made it to Afghanistan.
Delta Company Soldiers
are based out of Sharana, the cen-
tral hub of our area. From Sharana,
Delta is just now beginning to plan
and prep our support of 1-89 CAV.
We will have a Forward Logistics
1LT Dan
Warner if
front of the
Arms
room.
Delta Company - Dark Horse
P A G E 5
“Our presence is
to ensure a
smooth transition
for not only the
Afghans but the
US Forces as well.”
-1LT Jason Sexton
Civil Affairs
Battle Buddies: Not Just for Soldiers B Y : C H A P L A I N D A N I E L M O E N
T H E G R O W L E R
“deploymate” and go do some-
thing for them or with them.
Your reward is the satisfaction
that you’ve helped someone else
and it provided a brief distraction
from your own issues. Believe it
or not, you can actually find joy
in life when you spend time help-
ing others.
So if you haven’t found
a battle buddy or a “deploymate”
yet it’s not too late. You can find
them at the FRG meetings, the
monthly prayer meeting, they
volunteer at the USO or around
the community. “Deploymates”
are everywhere, you just have to
look for them.
Ingrained into the mind
of an enlisted Soldier’s basic
training experience is the con-
cept of having a battle buddy. I
still remember my battle buddy
from my enlisted days. I was an
18 year old kid from Long Island
and my battle buddy was a 20
year old from a rural part of
South Carolina. I loved music and
he loved tractor trailer trucks. It
was an odd match for sure, but
we made it work well. Time man-
agement is a constant stressor in
basic training; you almost never
get a break. But with the battle
buddy system you could get most
of your tasks done. Every morn-
ing I made our bunk beds while
he waited on line to fill our can-
teens with water. Together we
always made it to our first forma-
tion of the day on time. Without
each other it would have been a
long 8 weeks.
The battle buddy sys-
tem can be applied to the greater
military community to include
spouses and kids too. The con-
cept is simple: two people with
similar stressors that help each
other out can endure those
stressors better than dealing
with them alone. I’ve heard
some spouses call it
“deploymates”, two friends
that are loyal to each other
throughout the deployment of
their Soldier spouse. They
may do dinners together,
watch each other’s kids, give
rides when needed or just call
them to say, “How’s it going?”
Those spouses and families that
have “deploymates” tend to en-
dure the separation with less
stress and anxiety. The wisest
man in the Bible, King Solomon,
wrote this observation about life,
“Two are better than one, be-
cause they have a good return
for their work. If one falls down,
his friend can help him up. But
pity the man who falls and has no
one to help him up...A cord of
three strands is not quickly bro-
ken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
There is no doubt that
the battle buddy system works,
but it requires courage and coop-
eration from both individuals. It’s
a commitment to each other that
we will stick through this adven-
ture together. Sometimes you
may not feel like reaching out or
going the extra mile, but those
who are quick to help and go out
of their comfort zone get to
experience the rewards of the
battle buddy system. The best
way to deal with your own loneli-
ness, sadness, stress or anxiety is
to reach out to your