Black Knights, ISF promote education

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1 Multi-National Division Baghdad First Team...Team First Monday, June 29, 2009 Black Knights, ISF promote education Photo by Sgt. Shejal Pulivarti, 1st BCT PAO Waltham, Mass. Native Capt. William Murphy, team leader for the Civil Affairs Team attached to 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division and Iraqi Maj. Nassir from the 42nd Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, cut the ribbon together symbolizing the successful completion of the school s renovation June 25 in Adhamiyah, northern Baghdad. By Sgt. Shejal Pulivarti 1st BCT PAO BAGHDAD Mirroring the adopt-a-school program in the United States with local schools, the 1st Black Knight Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division initiated a partnership program with four schools in their area. The four companies of the Black Knight battalion partnered up with a local Iraqi Security Forces unit jointly selected a school and began a dialogue with the school head minister or headmistress. After identifying a school in need of assistance, the Black Knight Soldiers and their ISF partner, processed a contract to renovate the building to improve the facility. The first such school to be completed is the Al Areej Kindergarten in Adhamiyah. From the time we started the process, this school took a little under 60 days to fully renovate, stated Waltham, Mass. native Capt. William Murphy, the civil affairs team leader. The Civil Affairs Team attached to the Black Knights visited the kindergarten, assessed the conditions, developed a scope of work and began the contractor-bid process. The project renovated the floors, the latrines, repainted the entire school, and removed all the debris from the playground that surrounds the school, Murphy said. During this project, the ISF continued visits to the school to check on progress and interact with the children. By being involved in the renovation process, the children were able to interact with the ISF unit that secures their area and build a relationship with them. The renovation of the school is to provide the children a safe school that will promote education while giving the children access to the ISF, Murphy shared. The renovation is funded by the Commander s Emergency Response Program (CERP), which is a decentralized fund for commanders to use in providing humanitarian and reconstruction services in order to assist Iraq s return to normalcy. Under CERP, schools are rebuilt, medical facilities, water and sewer facilities are constructed and social programs implemented. The funding is an easily accessible source of funds that produces great benefits, stated Murphy. Many of our projects are aimed at providing the local populace with a long lasting effect not just a band-aid, but a repair of the overall system and structure, Murphy said.

2 PAGE 2 June 29, 2009 UAVs help protect ground forces By Spc. Alun Thomas 1st ACB PAO TAJI, Iraq Day and night they can be heard at the airfield their distinctive hum akin to that of a lawnmower starting as operations take place around the clock, supporting ground forces throughout the greater Baghdad area. These rumblings belong to unmanned aerial vehicles, remote controlled planes which help cut down the threat of Improvised Explosive Devices and mortar attacks to convoys, through camera technology which helps detect enemy activity. The Camp Taji airfield, just north of Baghdad, is the main launching pad for UAV s in and around Iraq s capital city, sending the aircraft to assist in missions [several] times a day, said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Thompson, from Sweet Home, Ore., first sergeant, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi-National Division Baghdad. A UAV is a small plane with a 39 horsepower engine, and right now we have [many] of those which fly every day, Thompson said. We launch [several] missions a day with the help of five units which are attached to second battalion. We don t fly the missions; the main thing we do is launch UAV s and recover them, Thompson said of the mission at Camp Taji. When the UAV is launched it flies into a different zone and our sister unit picks it up and takes over the mission. During the missions the UAV s camera, named the payload, can be used to look at things on the ground, which may include people planting IEDs or simply a building that looks suspicious, They can zoom in and spot hazards and eliminate (Soldiers) going into that area, Thompson said of the personnel at the airfield controlling the UAV by remote control. The sister unit then flies the UAV back into the Taji airspace where it is picked up by personnel at the airfield, who land the UAV, recover it and perform maintenance on it to prepare it for the next mission, Thompson explained. The process of launching a UAV and following its progress is much more complicated than people think, said Capt. Tyler Espinoza, from Grand Junction, Colo., commander, Co. G, 2nd Bn., 1st ACB, with all the regular safety procedures of normal aviation being followed. We have checklists like you would for a Black Hawk and all the maintainers, mission commanders and pilots do inspections before a launch, Espinoza said. A lot of people forget that a UAV is still an aviation mechanism. Surveillance and reconnaissance are the key words for the UAV mission at Camp Taji, Espinoza said. We provide direct protection for the ground guys, Espinoza said. Situational awareness of the battle spectrum as well as giving guidance, that s what we do. This is why the motto of the unit is guardians, Espinoza added. Thompson said the mission of guarding the combat troops has been running according to plan since the 1st ACB took over UAV operations. So far we haven t had any incidents or accidents since we ve been here, Thompson said. Usually in the winter there might be more mishaps because it gets cold and they have icing problems with the engines and the carburetors, but so far we haven t missed a mission. Should a UAV experience difficulties during a mission, there are safety measures installed within the UAV to prevent extensive damage, In some instances UAV s have lost their signals, but they have an automatic parachute that can be activated which flips the aircraft upside down to protect the camera when it does land, he said. The aircraft lands itself through something known as a tactical automated landing system, The tower will pick the aircraft up but the computer will actually land the airplane, Thompson continued. There have been instances of a UAV losing signals with the tower and having a hard landing into the safety net. So far, knock on wood, it hasn t happened during this deployment, As for the UAV s distinctive motor which is a mainstay of the airfield? You can hear it all night long, People will say those UAV s, there they go again! Photo by Sgt. Travis Zielinski, 1st ACB PAO Going 0-60 knots in less than a second, a UAV from the Pennsylvania National guard, attached to the 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div., clears the launch ramp on its way to conduct a June 25 aerial reconaissance mission around the greater Baghdad area, at Camp Taji, Iraq, which is north of Iraq s capital city. Photo by Sgt. Travis Zielinski, 1st ACB PAO Prepping for a launch, Sgt. Donald Melvin (left), an unmanned aerial vehicle mechanic, from Columbus, Miss., and Spc. Stephen Cantrell (right), from Wichita Falls, Texas, a UAV mechanic, both 1st Inf. Div. Soldiers attached to 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div., set a UAV onto a ramp that will help propel the aircraft into flight.

3 PAGE 3 June 29, 2009 Clinic keeps service members smiling By Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke MND-B PAO BAGHDAD The tools and weapons Soldiers use to accomplish their missions are wellknown. A rifle, bayonet, body armor, helmet, uniform and boots Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke, MND-B PAO Capt. George Hoggan, a dentist with the 464th Med. Co. (DS), 421st Multifunctional Med. Bn., 44th Med. Cmd., MND-B, works to build up a Soldier s dental core in preparation for a crown. make up the basic issue. While on their mission, Soldiers may forget about another set of weapons that are essential during a deployment: a toothbrush and dental floss. Oral hygiene sometimes falls under the not too important category for Soldiers who are on a forward operating base. The Camp Liberty Dental Clinic on Victory Base Complex, staffed by Soldiers from the 464th Medical Company (DS), is fully capable of handling just about any dental issue that may arise. The 464th is attached to the 421st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 44th Medical Command of Landstuhl, Germany, and the clinic here supports the Soldiers of Multi-National Division-Baghdad and surrounding FOBs. Our mission is to perform dentistry services in theater to all servicemembers and Department of Defense civilians, said Sgt. 1st Class Ralph Hewgley, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the clinic, who is from San Antonio. From fillings and cleanings, to oral surgery, we have a seven chair office, digital X-ray capability, and a fully operational lab that can handle just about any Class I or Class II situation and we also Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke, MND-B PAO Sgt. David Dickinson, who hails from Salt Lake City, assigned to the 464th Med. Co. (DS), 421st Multifunctional Med. Bn., 44th Med. Cmd., MND-B, heats up a tool that gathers and molds wax to hold in a partial denture, June 24 at Camp Liberty. do crowns which is Class III dental work, he said. Every year, you have to have a dental exam or you ll be dropped to a Category IV, said Lt. Col. Jeffery Callin, the division surgeon for the 1st Cavalry Division. Callin explained that a Category IV rating requires extensive dental procedures but it also means that you haven t had a dental exam that year. Every brigade support battalion has Level II capability and Soldiers can go there for a Category IV exam and it doesn t take long, added Callin who is from Belton, Texas. In the operating area of the clinic, the proof was in the smile as Spc. Christopher White of Company A, 628th Area Support Battalion, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, slowly stretched his mouth into a small smile to get a feel for his new teeth. White, who is from State College, Pa., was medically evacuated from the dental facility in Talil, Iraq, after it was determined that the clinic there could not help him. This clinic has been a big help since Maj. Beilhardt referred me here for treatment, the National Guardsman said as the high-pitched sounds of dental drills and suction tubes filled the office. I didn t want to miss work so I didn t go to the dentist when I needed to and now I m here, he continued. White had surgery to replace his front teeth with an upper denture. Maj. Ralph Beilhardt, who is from Jonesboro, Ark., and officer in charge of the clinic has worked in dentistry since Talil didn t have the materials and lab to handle Spc. White s situation, so I referred him here, he said. The Camp Liberty dental clinic is one of five here in Iraq, all staffed with Soldiers from the 464th Med. Co. (DS). Soldiers who come to the clinic are not only able to benefit from dental services and cleanings, but they can also have mouth guards and partial or full dental inserts created within a very short time thanks to the two-person dental laboratory. Here, the lab supports all the dental clinics in Iraq. This lab is non-stop, said Spc. Bruce Williams, a dental lab technician from Chicago, as he mixed a gooey substance that will end up as a mold for a mouth guard. We can make partials and bridges that are sent via Federal Express to Fort Gordon, Ga., and Germany that get back to the Soldiers very quickly, he added. Having the clinic here is a huge asset and helps keep Soldiers ready to fight, said Callin. Look at it like a preventative maintenance checks and service (PMCS). You have to PMCS your vehicles and you should to do the same with your body. The clinic is open Monday through Saturday and the sick call hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. each day. Appointments are booked for the afternoons. Since January 2009, the dental clinic here has seen more than 31,000 patients and the work the Soldiers of the 464th has performed has saved their patients more than $13 million worth of dental services. If you take good care of your teeth by brushing and flossing, it cuts down on plaque buildup which lets you preserve what you have longer and your yearly cleanings won t be traumatic, said Callin. It s recommended that Soldiers take the time to exercise good dental hygiene while deployed and make sure they get a dental exam while in theater. It keeps records current and prevents complications later when Soldiers redeploy. That toothbrush and dental floss may seem like cheap plastic but they can save you what can amount to thousands of dollars in dental care if used every day.

4 PAGE 4 June 29, 2009 On This Day In Military History Confederate General Robert E. Lee attacks Union General George McClellan as he is pulling his army away from Richmond, Virginia, in retreat during the Seven Days Battles. Although the Yankees lost 1,000 men twice as many as the Rebels they were able McCLELLAN to successfully protect the retreat. George McClellan spent the spring of 1862 preparing the Army of the Potomac for a campaign up the James Peninsula toward Richmond. For nearly three months, McClellan landed his troops at Fort Monroe, at the end of the peninsula, and worked northwest to Richmond. The Seven Days Battles were the climax of this attempt to take the Confederate capital. Although he had an advantage in numbers, McClellan squandered it and surrendered the initiative to Lee, who attacked the Yankees and began driving them away from Richmond. As McClelland retreated, Lee hounded his army. When the Union army moved past Savage s Station a stop on the Richmond and York River Railroad and the site of a Union hospital Lee ordered an assault on the troops screening the retreat. This was a chance to break McClellan s flank and deal a shattering defeat to the Yankees. But although Lee s strategy was sound, it was complicated, requiring precise timing on the part of several generals. The Confederates inflicted serious damage on the Northerners but were not able to break the rear guard. Fighting continued until nightfall, when a torrential rainstorm ended the battle. Famous Feats of Chuck Norris Did you know? MND-B Pic of the day! Photo by Sgt. Joshua Risner,MND-B PAO BAGHDAD 1st Lt. Justin Casey, from Ogdensburg, N.Y., assigned to the Joint Projects Management Office, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, hands out candy to Iraqi children in the Nasir Wa Salam neighborhood here, June 25. Children seemed to come from every direction when Casey pulled out a bag of candy, all clamoring for a piece. Chuck Norris can lick his elbow.

5 PAGE 5 June 29, 2009 Pvt. Murphy by Mark Baker Quote For Today Life s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, Inventor Iraq 3-Day Weather Report Today 111 F 87 F Trigger s Teasers The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. There are three very simple constraints to follow: Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9. Every Sudoku game begins with a number of squares already filled in, and the difficulty of each game is largely a function of how many squares are filled in. The more squares that are known, the easier it is to figure out which numbers go in the open squares. As you fill in squares correctly, options for the remaining squares are narrowed and it becomes easier to fill them in. Tomorrow 114 F 89 F Wednesday 113 F 87 F Yesterday s Answers Multi-National Division - Baghdad Public Affairs Office Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. Philip Smith Public Affairs Chief: Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner Editor: Spc. Howard Alperin Staff Writers: Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke Sgt. 1st Class Joel Quebec Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp Staff Sgt. Peter Ford Sgt. Joshua Risner Sgt. Jon Soles Spc. Laura Johnson Spc. Phillip Adam Turner The Daily Charge is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Daily Charge are not official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of the Army, or the 1st Cavalry Division. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry, or The Daily Charge of the products and services advertised. All editorial content of The Daily Charge is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Multi-National Division Baghdad Public Affairs Office. Do you have a story to share? The Daily Charge welcomes columns, commentaries, articles, letters and photos from readers. Submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs NCOIC nicholas.conner@mnd-b.army.mil and include author s name, rank, unit and contact information. The Daily Charge reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the paper. For further information on deadlines, questions, comments or a request to be on our distribution list, the Editor at howard.alperin@mnd-b.army.mil