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SEPTEMBER 2011

P O C F O R T H E G L A D I A T O R A R E N A I S C P T M A R I A I G E A T M A R I A . I G E @ U S . A R M Y . M I L

GLADIATOR 6/9 2

CHAPLAIN & S4’S CORNER 3

SPARTANS IN ACTION 4

OUTRIDERS IN ACTION 6

BLACK KNIGHTS IN ACTION 8

GHOSTRIDERS IN ACTION 10

Inside this issue:

Competitors for the Soldier and NCO of the 4th Quarter board pose with Gladiator 6 and Gladiator 9.

(Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Siphra Tchoua)

As we enter October here in sunny southern Iraq, the temperature has dropped to a pleasant 103 during the day and a chilly 73 at

night. We all have wagers on which Trooper will be the first to don their high speed green fleece! The last of the Gladiators are

currently on leave and we will soon have the entire battalion present for duty in time to make our final push to transition full respon-

sibility to the capable government of Iraq and its security forces—mission accomplished. Yet there is still much to do before we

arrive at that point. Since the last newsletter we completed company changes of command and company changes of responsibility.

The new command teams are doing fabulous work improving every aspect of their mission. Our NCOs continue to take care of our

Soldiers through training, physical fitness and mission focus. The Soldiers absolutely amaze Command Sergeant Major Wallace and

I every single day. Because of our mission, we have asked them to do more with less and they have never disappointed us. They are

the bedrock the GREYWOLF Brigade operates on — providing intelligence, communications, safe roads, and a safe place to sleep

every night. They are truly humble professionals that exceed every expectation.

The question on everyone’s mind, in the States and deployed, is ―when will we be back at Fort Hood?‖ Many of you have seen

the letter sent out by Colonel Crissman, if you have not, I recommend you go to the Gladiator Facebook page and read it. In sum-

mary, we are thankful for any opportunity to get Soldiers home before February 1st, 2012. We believe our brigade will redeploy

over a 6-10 week time frame beginning in early November and running through early January. The Gladiators will be toward the

end of the redeployment window. It is our intent to redeploy Soldiers as early as our mission allows with the goal of getting as many

home before the Holidays as possible. I expect to see Gladiators crossing the 1st Cavalry Division parade field throughout the month

of December with a small group arriving in early January. The preponderance of Soldiers arriving first will be from A and B Com-

panies as we transition their responsibilities first. HHC and C Company will also have representation, but in significantly smaller

numbers. As the redeployment plan solidifies, so will dates. We are not at that point yet. As we gain clarity, we will narrow the

window and notify you through rear detachment channels. We will use the eArmy Messaging System to send specific dates and arri-

val times so please ensure your FRG leader has your most current contact information.

Upon arrival at Fort Hood, Soldiers will be given a 4-day pass over the first weekend they are home. We are required to conduct

a series of mandatory reintegration tasks before resuming normal duty days or taking leave. Upon completion of these tasks, we will

be afforded the opportunity to take a 2-week block leave period. It is our hope that this first leave period encompasses all or some of

the Holidays. In addition to this leave period, we have scheduled another 2-week block leave period in March—concurrent with

Spring Break for local schools. This will afford Soldiers the opportunity to have a second leave period and allow sufficient time to

make travel arrangements should they desire.

Upon our return to Fort Hood, the duty schedule will include ample 3-day and 4-day passes to ensure proper reintegration. We

will not be going to the field any time soon! However, as Soldiers, we will still train. We will train from 6:30 AM until 5:00 PM

daily as there will be much to do in reestablishing our home station systems and areas. We will also conduct a battalion ball and

week of sports competitions that family members are encouraged to attend.

I ask for your continued support as the deployment continues. We are close to finishing what our Nation has asked of us, but

not yet...not yet. Thanks to all the family members who are sacrificing for a proud and grateful Nation and a special thanks to all our

volunteers and rear detachment—we could not do it without you. Be proud of your Trooper—we certainly are!

Sincerely,

LTC Jack Vantress

Gladiator 6

September was a very productive and busy month for the Gladiator team. I am proud of the hard work of our Officers, NCOs

and Soldiers have done and will continue to do to make this a successful deployment. The battalion is rolling full steam ahead into

October without missing a beat. Our NCOs and Soldiers, have excelled in everything we have asked of them in these last 9 months.

Every member of this battalion has the right to be proud of their accomplishments and the battalion’s accomplishments. We have

completed another quarter with great success, we will continue to have the same success this quarter. I would like congratulate our

4TH Quarter FY 2011, NCO and Soldier of the quarter, SGT Copeland of HHC and SPC Bowman of C CO. The competition was

great and very challenging for the NCOs and Soldiers. Our Soldiers and NCOs continue to accomplish their personal goals, in the

month of September, 11 Soldiers received promotions ranging from PFC to SGT. In the month of October, 16 Soldiers received

promotions from SPC to SFC. SSG Clark and SSG King were promoted to SFC on 1 October. We had several great Soldiers re-

enlistment last quarter. Not only do we reenlist a NCO or Soldier, we reenlist their family. In keeping with tradition the Gladiator

1SGs and I will host our second NCO induction ceremony on 20 October. We will induct 30 new NCOs into a time honored corps.

In closing, thank you to the family and friends of the Gladiators. We owe you so much for your outstanding support and love. 1SG

Scott we welcome you and your family to the Gladiator Team.

CSM Ricky Wallace

Gladiator 9

THE GLADIATOR’S CORNER

BY GLADIATOR 6 AND 9

Chaplain, would you pray for me to be the leader that God wants me to be, not the leader man wants me to be?‖

It was late one Sunday night. I could tell this NCO was tired from a long day. Weary and a little dirty, he still found the time to ask for

prayer. I gave him a little more than that.

―Do you know what you are asking for?‖ I challenged. ―What if God really answers that prayer? Do you realize what might happen? It

might put you smack dab in the middle of an awful situation. You might have to make an unpopular decision. It’s a noble request, but are you sure

you want it?‖

―Roger, sir.‖

And so we prayed. We prayed that God would give him wisdom to know the right thing to do. We prayed for courage to do it. We

prayed that God would provide strength to endure any unexpected or unpleasant consequences.

I call this NCO’s request an ―I dare you‖ prayer. ―I dare you‖ prayers challenge us to reject the mediocre. They challenge us to trust God

with even more leadership of our lives. They eliminate excuses. They are the steroids of spiritual growth. They are where God says, “I dare you

to pray this way.”

Consider these bible verses:

―Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.‖ Psalm 86:11

―Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious

thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way

everlasting.‖ Psalm 139:24

What if God gave you a completely undivided heart? What would change?

What if you actually gave God permission to evaluate your life and tell you what’s

wrong?

I dare you.

God will answer that NCO’s prayer. My guess is somewhere along the way

he’ll wish to pull back the request. It won’t be easy, but in the end, he will emerage

as a true leader, his Soldiers will be blessed and the Army will be better for it.

The s4’s corner

Cpt Meghan schrader

THE CHAPLAIN'S CORNER

Ch (cpt) James Souza

As the sun begins to raise over Tallil, Iraq, the Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, up since 4 a.m., have their equipment

laid across the desert for their final inspection before loading it up in large shipping containers destined for Fort Hood, TX. These Soldiers are

sending equipment they are not using back to Ft Hood early as part of the Responsible Drawdown of Equipment in Iraq.

Leading the way are the Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion S4 staff section, which plans and synchronizes all major

logistical movements for the battalion. SPC(P) Katherine Heredia coordinates the daily operational support requirements for Soldiers clearing the

Main Supply Routes and running the Contingency Operating Base (COB) Adder Entry Control Points. While SPC(P) Heredia supports the current

requirements, SPC(P) Kamella Givans coordinates for the turn in of equipment. She spends countless hours scrubbing and analyzing Property

Books to input all the information into a specially designed theater wide system. This system allows the Army to be as fiscally responsible as pos-

sible, by pushing equipment to Afghanistan and other areas where it can continue to be used. SPC(P) Givans has imputed over 1200 items - each

one with a smile. ―Our job is to make sure our companies turn in as much as possible so they can go home to their families,‖ Givans says.

Overseeing and tracking the movement of the battalion’s equipment across Southern Iraq, Kuwait, and back to Fort Hood is an incredibly

challenging job. While difficult, 1LT Andre Williams makes it look easy. His key to success is to create a detailed plan ahead of time. ―This job

can be very difficult without an effective plan,‖ he says. Leading them and running the operations within the shop is SFC Sheronda Phillips, the

Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge. ―She is an integral part of everything we do here,‖ says CPT Meg Schrader. ―The S4 is the hub of the

battalion for everything involved in the Reduction of Forces. They are required to synchronize assets

available and streamline the flow of equipment out of Iraq‖ says MAJ Mark Gunther, 3rd Brigade Special

Troops Battalion Executive Officer, ―they are our Main Effort.‖

At the end of the day, as the sun begins to set across Iraq, the Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Special

Troops Battalion are one step closer to responsibly leaving Iraq due to the continuous efforts of the S4

section. Chaplain James Souza says it best: ―right now, there is not much that will give a Soldier more joy

than turning in equipment – with every piece we turn in, it means we are one step closer to going home.‖

Seven months have passed and the 75% completion mark is quickly approaching! The Spartans of HHC continue to work hard as the

summer heat begins to cool. Our company has experienced several exciting changes over the summer months in preparation for the last quarter of

our deployment in support of OPERATION NEW DAWN. Since our last newsletter we have welcomed our new Commander, CPT Mark Askew,

his wife Jackie and newborn Nathaniel to the Spartan Family. After ten months in command, CPT Cyr moved across the hall to take the guidon of

Ghostrider 6 for Charlie Company. In addition, HHC welcomed the return of our Military Police Platoon to COB Adder upon their end of mission

in support of detention operations at Camp Cropper.

Changing Faces

CPT Askew is a native of Florida and graduate of the United States Military Acad-

emy at West Point. His wife Jackie is a native of New York, where they met during his time as

a cadet. CPT Askew is an Armor Officer and commanded a tank company with Warhorse of 3

-8 Cav at Contingency Operating Station Garry Owen. OPERATION NEW DAWN is his

second deployment to Iraq, his first being to Mosul as a platoon leader and executive officer

for the 3rd ACR’s Ironhawk Troop. While on mid-tour leave, CPT Askew and Jackie wel-

comed their first child. Already, CPT Askew’s guidance and experience, in both life and the

military, are having a great impact on our formation and we as a company are looking forward

to his leadership for the road ahead.

In a few short weeks, we will be bidding farewell to 1SG Helbert Izquierdo. After

two and a half years as Spartan 9, he will be handing off that title and while the Soldiers joke

that his Reign of Terror is ending, they say it with a fondness that tells you that they too will

miss him. Replacing him is 1SG Randall Scott. He comes to us from Fort Benning, Geor-

gia, and has already hit the ground here on COB Adder and is running. With this change

comes the reminder of an old phrase: The only thing in the Army that doesn’t change is that

there will always be change.

MP’s Control Access to COB Adder

After a successful completion of their mission to support the detention of high

value prisoners at the Camp Cropper Theater Internment Facility in Baghdad, the Mili-

tary Police Platoon has now returned to the company and has begun charging forward on

their new mission. Like the Spartans working at the COB Adder Visitor Control Center,

the MPs have taken over control of the base’s convoy gate, ensuring ease of access for

all military and logistical traffic for COB Adder and ensuring the safety of its residents.

Within days of their arrival, and while they were still not sure the fastest way to the din-

ing facility, the MPs began training on the systems and procedures in order to ensure

they were able to complete their assigned task. They trained on new battle drills and

equipment and within days, they were able to successfully take over operations at their

Entry Control Points (ECP).

SPARTANS IN ACTION

Setting High Standards

Across the board, the Spartans are continue to do great things. In the motor pool, our mechanics have been working twenty-four hours

each day, despite the heat, in order to keep the battalion’s fleet fully mission capable. They have become subject matter experts on all of the unique

pieces of equipment that provide intelligence, signal, and route clearance support to the battalion and the brigade. At times, they have found ingen-

ious ways to keep those vehicles running. From manufacturing parts from scratch to repairing what was thought to be unrepairable, they have be-

come miracle workers. On top of the maintaining portion of their job, they have managed to complete annual services for the battalion’s entire

fleet, a task completed over a month and a half ahead of the brigade’s deadline and weeks ahead of our sister battalions.

The medics are trucking along as well, supporting not only our own Soldiers but several attached units. Each day, you’ll find only one-

third of the medics in the Aid Station because the rest are working at our ECPs, supporting route clearance packages, or supporting Soldiers living

at outlying stations. The one constant when you walk down the HHC hallway is that there is always laughter coming from inside their office.

Ah, the cooks. Probably the least appreciated of our sections but when we take a closer look, we find that they might just have it rougher

than most. We find them doing PT at three in the morning and still, they’re greeting us at dinner 15 hours later. Our Soldiers working in the Class

I Yard? If you think it’s hard grocery shopping for your family, imagine supplying the food for 10,000 Soldiers and civilians for three meals a day.

On top of that, they also support multiple outlying stations. While we might often forget about them, we applaud them for their professionalism.

Then there’s the hodge-podge of a section that runs the Visitor Control Center. Too big of a mission to be supported by any one of our

elements, CPT Kramer and SFC Ochs are running a tight ship just like always. Like our MPs, we are putting our safety and the safety of our com-

rades in their hands and we have yet to be let down. The amount of contraband they prevent from coming onto this base is astounding! While 99%

of what they confiscate has no real sinister purpose behind it, they each are aware that it only takes 1% for mission failure, so they take their daily

mission serious.

The Fourth Quarter

So, there it is. The Spartans are doing what they do best. Anything and everything.

In the near future, we will begin reposturing our force in support of the drawdown. While we don’t know what exactly that is going to

look like or when we will be coming home, those of us here in the command team are certain that your loved ones will perform as they always

have, with professionalism, tenacity, and determination. All we ask is for your continued love, support, and understanding.

- SPARTAN 6 AND SPARTAN 9

CPT Askew

1SG Izquierdo

SPARTANS IN ACTION

OUTRIDERS IN ACTION

Greetings to the families, friends, and Soldiers of the Outrider and Gladiator extended family. On 1 September

2011 CPT Derek M. Kamachi relinquished command of Alpha Company ―Outriders‖ to CPT Lester C. Deaver during a

change of command ceremony at COB Adder, Iraq. We would like to extend Derek and Pearly Kamachi best wishes as

they leave the Outrider family and transition into the Spartan team. Derek and Pearly’s commitment to the Outrider

family was immeasurable over the last year and every member of the team truly appreciates all their hard work, support

and dedication.

The incoming command would like to take this opportunity to provide an update to the families of the Outriders

as we come closer towards redeployment. It is our intention to attend to the informational needs of the Outrider families

as often as possible to maintain the widest dissemination of all pertinent information and ensure the welfare, morale, and

safety of our Troopers.

Overall, the Outrider team here in Southern Iraq is remaining vigilant and resilient as we progress towards even-

tual redeployment. We recently conducted the loading and inspecting of a shipping container destined for Fort Hood;

this small but essential task was a welcomed foreshadowing of things to come. As we take these small steps towards

reuniting with the home team, the Outrider leadership is sustaining the positive attitude towards our uncertain future and

we ask the families at home to maintain their support as well. The final decision of when we will come home and how

we will go about it is reserved at the higher levels of leadership both here in Iraq and at home in Washington, DC. Our

Army has not redeployed from a major theater of operation in recent history. The very nature of this logistical endeavor

has leaders at all levels considering every aspect of our return and we assure the families at home we will keep you in-

formed of the decisions that affect our Troopers. We commend the families for their steadfast support of our Troopers

and we pledge to continue the effort from our end.

Recurring tasks and events continue during deployment. Our Soldiers

recently competed in the battalion Soldier and NCO of the quarter board with 1st

Platoon’s SPC Archuleta taking second place overall for the Soldier category.

This rigorous individual event tested Soldiers physical, mental, and technical

expertise in current Soldier wartime tasks to include a timed six mile foot march

in full combat gear, a hand to hand combatives tournament, hands on first re-

sponder testing, the Army Physical Fitness Test, and multiple weapon qualifica-

tions, to name a few. All these events were capped off with a comprehensive

evaluation board testing the Soldiers knowledge of Army regulations, policies,

procedures, and technical expertise. Congratulations and good luck to SPC

Archuleta, as the runner up he will compete in the Brigade Soldier of the Quarter

competition as the 1st place finisher will be unavailable.

OUTRIDERS IN ACTION (CONT)

The Outriders recently participated in the COB Adder Strongman competition hosted by the MWR House of

Pain gym. This event measured strength and endurance across three weight classes with a tire flip, HMMWV (or hum-

vee) pull, and sandbag carry as the events. It is worth men-

tioning the tire flip used a tire from an LMTV (five ton

truck). The tire measures approximately four feet in diameter

and eighteen inches wide; with the rim in place for the event,

the total weight was in excess of 200 pounds. The objective

for the tire flip was as many flips as possible in one minute.

The HMMWV was an 1151 series armored vehicle, easily

over 13000 pounds, and the competitors had to grab hold of

the vehicle without the use of a rope or harness and tow the

vehicle as far as they could in two minutes. The sandbag was

a full size punching bag weighing approximately 50 pounds

which the competitors had to bear hug and run as far as they

could in one minute. Headquarters Platoon’s SPC Wroda and

4th Platoon’s PFC Patterson won first place in their respective

weight classes, securing the COB Adder trophy for the Company. Job well

done by our Troopers!

One of the focuses during a deployment is increased physical fitness.

With fewer distractions and continuous amounts of work to be done, Soldiers

rely on exercise as a means to stay combat ready, resilient, as well as a means

to manage tension while deployed. Although fitness is a non-negotiable com-

ponent of the Army lifestyle, the Outriders have elected to exceed the standard

and distinguish themselves whenever possible. Based on the Outriders domi-

nation of recent physical events, it is safe to say their efforts are not in vain.

We are all eagerly anticipating our return home, it is in these critical days leading up to our departure that are the

most crucial. We must remain focused on the mission here to ensure the safe return of all our team members as well as

maintain our responsibilities to the loved ones at home. Rest as-

sured we are doing everything within our means to provide for

the well being of our Nation’s greatest resource, its sons and

daughters. Thank you all for your continued support and we look

forward to reuniting the Outrider family.

-OUTRIDER 6 AND OUTRIDER 9

CPT Deaver

1SG Easton

Hello Black Knight families! First I would like to start off with a big THANK YOU to the

FRG. You all have been doing an amazing job at taking care of the families back home and we

truly appreciate it. Also, we received the phone cards and those will definitely come in handy for

Soldiers to make morale calls back home. Lastly, great job

on the car washes. I wish we could have been there to

help. The photos were great and it definitely looked like

you all were having fun.

In the last three months, there have been many

great things happening. We had SPC Kale Gallo re-enlist

and re-class. He is a 94F, Special Electronic Devices Re-

pairer, and he decided after working closely with our Sig-

nal Soldiers to request 25S, Satellite Communication Sys-

tems Operator Maintainer. He has been doing an out-

standing job already working as the Command Post Node

Team Chief, so there is no doubt he will do great and enjoy being a Signaleer.

In addition, we had seven Soldiers promoted to various ranks. Four were promoted to Spe-

cialist: Narciso Hurtado, Brett Pittsley, Kantrell Reeves, and Gaylyn Slack, two were promoted to

Sergeant: Abou Alio and Houston Corcolis, and SFC Wilker Boyles was promoted to Master Ser-

geant. Also, seven earned their promotable status by attending the Battalion Promotion Board.

Those are SPC Brian Brown, SPC Dreamis Burton, SPC Lauren Fassold, SPC Kale Gallo, SPC Ja-

son Richards, SGT Ahmad Alexander, SGT Jason Sauve,

and SGT Derik Williams. Congratulations to them all!

Black Knights have been going above and beyond

their duties. From manning an Entry Control Point to being

a member of a Personal Security Detachment, everyone is

working hard and keeping busy.

Both 1SG Vasquez and I were happy

to hear that Gladiator 6 felt the same

way and awarded three Soldiers with

impact Army Achievement Medals.

Those Soldiers were SPC Heather Betts, SGT Rychar Nelson, and SGT

Zane Schoonover. SPC Betts was in charge of the Gradcast, which allowed

over 40 Soldiers throughout the brigade to watch their teenagers graduate

high school and ensured this mission went flawlessly.

BLACK KNIGHTS IN ACTION

Black knights IN ACTION (cont)

SGT Nelson and SGT Schoonover were acknowledged for their accomplishments at COS

Garry Owen. Both volunteered to restore critical communication services for the Rapid Aerostat

Initial Deployment Tower system. Their efforts allowed the installation's Base Defense Operations

Center (BDOC) to regain real-time video visibility of key perimeter locations from the 3rd Battal-

ion, 8th Cavalry Regiment (3-8 CAV) Tactical Operations Center. In addition, they integrated the

Command and Control Vehicle into the GREYWOLF tactical communications infrastructure ena-

bling the 3-8 CAV Commander to become the first maneuver commander to have reliable, secure

digital voice and data services while on the move across the four provinces that comprise the

GREYWOLF Area of Operations.

Unfortunately, the Black Knight family had to say goodbye to two

great NCOs: SSG Sanchez and MSG Boyles. SSG Sanchez received

orders to Germany (lucky him) and needed to return to Ft Hood so he

could prepare his family for the overseas move. Due to MSG Boyles’

promotion, he is now the Noncommissioned Officer in charge of the

BDOC on COB Adder. We wish them the best of luck in their new as-

signments!

Lastly, all the Soldiers are staying motivated and cannot wait to see their families. The

Black Knights continue to provide communication services to the brigade and are staying safe. We

have had no safety incidents (knock on wood) this past quarter. Good job!

- Black Knight 6 and Black Knight 9

CPT Elmore

1SG Vasquez

“To Hell and Back”

The GHOSTRIDER Update

Change of Command

The GHOSTRIDERS of Charlie Company bid farewell to CPT Frankie Edens on July 22nd and thanked him for his 17 months of leadership and service. Meet the new GHOSTRIDER-6, CPT Matthew T. Cyr, in this month’s issue.

Sappers Climbing to New Heights

SPC Doxton Johnson climbs the Sapper Tower with a 40lbs ruck sack before completing a 6-mile ruck

march on September 5th

Thanks to the hard work and ingenuity of two GHOSTRIDER

Sappers, Charlie Company now has a 20-foot rope climbing

tower. Under the leadership of SGT Chad Keith and the welding

skills of PV2 David Poirier, the “Sapper Tower” was con-

structed in early August and has been providing the GHOS-

TRIDERS with another challenging means of physical fitness

training. To date, the tower has seen over 150 climbs – each

instilling confidence and physical toughness in the Soldiers of

Charlie Company. Designed after the rope tower at the Sapper

Leader Course, it has also become an invaluable training tool

for those GHOSTRIDERS who aspire to earn their Sapper tabs.

The greatest feature about this tower is that it is fully collapsi-

ble, allowing the company to bring it back from Iraq and con-

tinue their training at Fort Hood.

Operation New Dawn September 2011

Operation New Dawn September 2011

“Standards… Aggressiveness… Determination…” To the Families and Friends of

the GHOSTRIDERS,

I would like to start by saying

what an honor it is to serve as the

Commander of Charlie Company.

I am truly privileged to be serv-

ing with such a highly motivated

and dedicated group of Sappers,

and I am thankful for the oppor-

tunity to work side-by-side with

your Soldiers for the remainder

of our deployment. In the first

two months of command, I have

seen first hand the level of com-

mitment that each of your

Sappers brings to the fight on a

daily basis. Sappers who protect

their battle buddies, overcome

physically demanding challenges,

and continue their unrelenting

drive to clear the way for the re-

mainder of our brigade make me

extremely proud. First Sergeant

Ratliff and I are dedicated to

maintaining the high standard

that this company has set over

their first eight months in Iraq

and safely redeploying your Sol-

dier in the upcoming months.

When we return to Fort

Hood, Charlie Company is going

to hit the ground running: Demo-

litions training, rock climbing,

ruck marching, helocasting, and

weapons ranges are just a few of

the tasks we plan on incorporat-

ing into our training calendar.

As you look forward to your Sol-

dier’s return home, I ask that you

continue to provide them with

your overwhelming support as

we finish out our tour.

“SAPPERS CLEAR THE WAY!”

GHOSTRIDER - 6, out. CPT Cyr

Operation New Dawn September 2011

From the Desk of GHOSTRIDER-9

To the Families and Friends of the GHOSTRIDERS,

It has been an honor to serve as your Soldier’s First Sergeant for our first eight months in Iraq. You can expect great things out of your Sol-dier because I will hold them to a standard above all others. Everyday I am impressed by their motivation, dedication and level of commit-ment to each other and our mission.

Many of our Soldiers are serving their first overseas combat tour on this deployment. Fortunately, they all have some very experienced Platoon Sergeants, Squad Leaders and Team Leaders who are commit-ted to training them on the necessary tasks to accomplish our mission. CPT Cyr and I will do everything within our scope to ensure that your Soldier is fully prepared for each and every mission.

Charlie Company’s current operational tempo is one of the highest and most demanding in Iraq. Our missions typically cover over 100 miles each day, averaging 8 - 10 hours per patrol. Your Soldier has dedicated himself to clearing routes of hazards that endanger the local populace, U.S. forces, and coalition supply convoys.

I ask that you continue to wholeheartedly support your Soldier throughout the remainder of this deployment. They are truly doing great things for their unit, their family, and their country.

GHOSTRIDER - 9, out. 1SG Ratliff

COB ADDER: 28 OCT 11

COB BASRAH: 31 OCT 11

Last Day to Send Mail: