Mountain View. Georgians train Iraqi mortar teams. USO tour visits Rakkasan Soldiers. The. Serving Task Force Mountain.

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1 The Mountain View Serving Task Force Mountain It s necessary to have a good relationship with the Iraqi Security Forces and to help them as much as possible, said Lt. Col. Irakli Chimburidze, 1st Georgian Brigade, of their decision to conduct the training. Before this, they (the IA) had a lot July 14, 2008 Georgians train Iraqi mortar teams Sgt. Daniel T. West 41s t FB FOB DELTA Iraqi Army Soldiers participated in a five-day mortar training course with the 1st Georgian Brigade. Iraqi Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 32nd Iraqi Army Brigade s first and second companies trained on mortar procedures and crew drills, culminating in a live fire exercise north of al Kut July sixth to tenth. The need for the training program arose after IA Soldiers found two 60mm mortars in a weapons cache. The battalion brought a request to their U.S. Military Transition Team to supply sights for the mortars. Since the design is not one compatible with U.S. systems, and mortar sights are very difficult to procure, the MiTT team requested assistance from the Georgian soldiers, said Cpt. Paul Santamaria, of the MiTT team. The Georgians offered not only to loan their sights to the Iraqis for training purposes, but to conduct the training themselves, said Santamaria. of theory, he said. We gave more attention to practical information and training. The MiTT team had not worked with the Georgian army before, so they went USO tour visits Rakkasan Soldiers Spc. Justin Snyder 3r d BCT, 101s t Ab n. Div. (AASLT) CAMP STRIKER, Iraq Celebrities paid a visit to Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Camp Striker as part of a United Service Organizations tour July 8. The group included National Football League stars Drew Brees and Osi Umenyiora, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, former college football coach Jack Lengyel, actor Milo Ventimiglia Photo by Sgt. Daniel West An Iraqi mortarman receives his certificate of completion during a brief ceremony following a joint mortar live fire exercise near al Kut July 10. and two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. The stars posed for pictures and answered questions with Soldiers before sitting down to sign autographs. The NFL has a long-standing reputation of supporting the troops, working with the USO for the past 40 years, and was the first sports organization to send athletes overseas when they visited Vietnam in Goodell s participation in this trip marks the first time that a commissioner from any sport has ever visited the troops. See MORTAR, page 4 I am inspired by the many NFL players that, over the decades, have volunteered to visit our troops overseas and have talked about it being a life-changing experience, Goodell said in a recent interview with the Pegasus News. I want to do my part and emphasize that the entire NFL appreciates and supports the work that our military does to protect our country. Brees, quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, was making his third USO See USO, page 2

2 Page 2 July 14, 2008 USO From previous page tour. He traveled to Kuwait in 2007 and Okinawa, Japan, earlier this year. He joked with Soldiers and said he was glad that he could show his support for the service members overseas. I do these trips for these men and women, said Brees. Whatever I can do to show my support whether it s signing footballs or just talking to them is worth it, he said. This was the first tour for Umenyiora, defensive end from the Super Bowlchampion New York Giants. A few Soldiers got the opportunity to wear the championship ring he received following the Giants victory in Super Bowl XLII. The Cowboys cheerleaders, often known as America s Sweethearts, have made 66 USO trips over the years in support of the troops. The two cheerleaders smiled, posed for pictures and talked to the Soldiers. It s always good to see high-profile Photo by Spc. Justin Snyder Capt. Holly Brewer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT), poses for a picture with Milo Ventimiglia, star of the television show Heroes, during a USO trip at Camp Striker July 8. THE Mountain View The Mountain View is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Mountain View are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 10th Mountain Division. All editorial content of The Mountain View is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Task Force Mountain Public Affairs Office. people like that over here, said Capt. Seth Palmer, personnel officer for 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT). It s a very good morale booster. Lengyel is most notably known as the coach who succeeded Rich Tolley at Marshall University in 1971 following a plane crash that killed a majority of the team and the inspiration for Matthew McConaughey s role in the movie, We are Marshall. He said he was glad to be a part of this special trip in honor of our troops. He also spent 14 years working as the athletic director at the U.S. Naval Academy. Before turning to acting, Ventimiglia had an appointment scheduled at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., though, he never went. His family has a long legacy of military service; his father served twice in Vietnam and his grandfather served in World War II. Ventimiglia, who plays Peter Petrelli on the hit show Heroes, said he wanted to do something for the troops for the last three years and was glad to finally get the opportunity to come over and show his support. The tendency is for people to just read the news and talk about the war. That wasn t enough for me, Ventimiglia said. To be able to come out here and say thank you was important to me. It made me really happy to see smiling faces. That s what it is all about, knowing I made their day. For some Soldiers, meeting Ventimiglia helped make what can be a long day at work a little easier. It really made the females in our office s day. He plays our favorite char- The Mountain View TASK FORCE MOUNTAIN PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE Commanding General - MAJ. GEN. MICHAEL L. OATES Command Sergeant Major - COMMAND SGT. MAJ. JAMES W. REDMORE Editorial Staff TF Mountain PAO Lt. Col. Paul Swiergosz OIC, Command Information 1st Lt. Julie Glaubach NCOIC Master Sgt. Stephen Opet Managing Editor Staff Sgt. Amber Emery Assignment Editor Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret Copy Editor Spc. Josh LeCappelain Editor/Design Spc. Sophia Lopez Media queries please contact Task Force Mountain Public Affairs at MND-Center_PAO@iraq.centcom.mil Photo by Spc. Justin Snyder Sergeant Richard High, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT), poses for a picture with Drew Brees, Osi Umenyiora, Roger Goodell, Jack Lengyel, Milo Ventimiglia and two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders during a USO tour at Camp Striker July 8. acter on Heroes, said Capt. Holly Brewer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT) executive officer. All of us are big Heroes fans, and we are always talking about the show. It was really cool to meet him and take pictures. Ventimiglia, who has also been on the popular sitcom Gossip Girl and played Rocky s son in Rocky Balboa, said he was glad to make some Soldiers days. He added, unlike the character on television, he wasn t the real hero. The sacrifices these guys make over here is way more than anything I could ever do on television or in the movies, he said. These Soldiers are the real heroes, and I respect them a lot for what they do for our country. The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to the men and women in uniform. Their slogan is, Until every one comes home, and the organization serves as a way for the American public to support the troops. Contributing Units 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Division (Air Assault) 4th BCT, 1st Cavalry Division 4th BCT, 3rd Infantry Division 7th Sustainment Brigade 41st Fires Brigade 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment 793rd Military Police Battalion Division Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mtn. Div.

3 The Mountain View July 14, 2008 Page 3 Soldiers help children to cultivate love of reading Spc. Tiffany Evans MND-C PAO CAMP VICTORY Chaplain (Capt.) Mike Jones, the Division Special Troop Battalion chaplain, and his assistant, Spc. Annamarie Greenfield are in charge of the United Through Reading Program. This program gives service members a chance to record themselves reading books. These videos can be personalized to send home to a son, daughter, niece, nephew or friend s child. Service members without children are encouraged to utilize the program and read a story to either a younger family member or for children at a local elementary school, Jones said. If they aren t sure of the address we can look it up or I can send it to a school involved in the program. Q. What is the purpose of the United Through Reading Program? Jones: The program helps connect service members and families. As we say, your kids will love it. It also helps to stimulate an interest in reading. When you read to children, you help to develop an interest in reading that will last a lifetime. Kids watch what you do and imitate you. Another goal of the program is to fight illiteracy. Q. How does the program work? Greenfield: You can call us at or come by the Honor Chapel Complex to make an appointment. We are here seven days a week. On your appointment day, I will take you over to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation center where we have a room set up for recording. Service members can bring their own book or use one of the books we have here. Jones: Some Soldiers have brought a book for themselves and one for their children so that the child can read along. When the program is more developed, books will be available for service mem- Photo by Spc. Tiffany Evans Specialist Annamarie Greenfield, Division Special Troop Battalion, chaplain s assistant, records herself reading a book to her 2-year-old nephew, Declan Sage. Greenfield a native of Cape Coral, Fla., made her first video July 4 at Camp Victory. She said, When I m at home, my nephew and I have bedtime reading time, and this is a way I can continue to share this special time with him. bers to read and then send home. Q. So you are still developing the program, what else are you working on? Greenfield: We have a limited supply of DVDs now, so we are allowing service members to make only one video at this time. The DVDs have a limit of 30 minutes. Once we get more DVDs, they will be able to make more appointments. Jones: Our corporate sponsor, Target, is working on getting us our supplies. Without their help, we would not have this program Q. Do you have any creative suggestions for the videos? Greenfield: Use a puppet to tell the story or just change the inflection of your voice while reading different parts. Read a poem you have written. Write your own stories, you can make it a continuing story. Once we get the supplies, you can come in weekly to add to the story. Jones: The more creative you are the better chance you have at keeping a younger child s attention. I have younger children, and I use sock puppets to keep their attention. I hope that making reading fun for them now will help them to see at as fun for the rest of their lives. Q. Is there anything else you want to add? Jones: I have received positive feedback from everyone who has participated so far. Some of the Soldiers have told me that their spouses and children treasure the videos and cannot wait to make more. We encourage anyone who wants to participate to come by; even if your not sure, come by and we will talk more about the program with you. To access 10th Mountain Division photos and articles go to:

4 Page 4 July 14, 2008 MORTAR From page 1 into the training not knowing what to expect, said Santamaria. I didn t know how capable they would be, training the Iraqi army, he said. The Georgians trained the Iraqi Army as well as we could and showed an impressive understanding of the Iraqi culture. For their part, the Iraqi Soldiers participating in the training were very motivated, counting it an honor to participate, said Santamaria. The Iraqis hung on every word, even the ones they couldn t understand, he said. The training was the first training on 60mm mortars provided to the 32nd IA Brigade, and will be the basis of a train the trainer program for other mortar teams, said Santamaria. Submit your favorite photo to Staff Sgt. Amber Emery at amber.emery@ iraq.centcom.mil Soldier photo of the day The Mountain View Courtesy photo Col. Eric Hesse, IG, 10th Mountain Division and Lt. Col. Gregory Jaksec, G-6, 10th Mtn. Div. pose as a helicopter ascends in the background. Yeah, you re cool, but your ride just took off. Opet s Odyssey

5 The Mountain View July 14, 2008 Page 5 Headline Round-up World News: On July 12, North Korea agreed to disable its main nuclear reactor by the end of October and allow international inspections. The U.S., China and three other countries will deliver fuel oil and other economic aid. This decision was reached during a three-day, six-nation talk in Beijing, China. The U.S. announced it will remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism and relax some economic sanctions. Entertainment: On July 12, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt entered this world. The proud parents, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, welcomed the twins, one boy and one girl to their growing family. They already have four children: Maddox, 6; Pax, 4; Zahara, 3; and Shiloh, 2. The babies are doing well, Dr. Michael Sussmann told PEOPLE Sunday. Angelina is in very good spirits. Brad Pitt was at her side. He was there, and all was well. Politics: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the Iranian state TV July 13 that he would welcome the idea of having U.S. diplomatic office in Tehran. They quoted him as saying he would consider an American request to set-up such an office, but that he has not received any official request from Washington. He says he welcomes any move to expand ties. There has not been an embassy in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in Soldiers of Victory Photo by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret Sergeant Andrew Myers, of Cleveland, a Soldier with the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, loads up his gear on a bus at Camp Victory July 2. Military: The Bush administration may withdrawal additional combat forces from Iraq in September, the New York Times reported. No concrete decision has been made at this time, but at least one, and as many as three of the 15 combat brigades could go home. The violence in Iraq continues to drop, and security is improving. In addition, the Iraqi government is asking for a timetable on when forces will leave. Quote of the Day The most terrifying words in the English language are: I m from the government, and I m here to help. Ronald Reagan. Photo by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret Specialist Nelson Corretjer, a Soldier with the 620th Moving Contract Team, 303rd Airborne Battalion, based out of Fort Drum, N.Y., loads weight on a bench press bar while working out at the Paul R. Smith Fitness Center on Camp Victory July 2. S u d o k u from Puzzlers Cave: The online crossword community Solution to Saturday s puzzle: Arabic phrase of the Day (DAYS) Friday C R A T E B B A W L O G A A A E D A S C O U R E D A L O U D N N G M R E B O Y S E L I O N I R N A L B I N O B I N G E D A D L B A B Y E I C K Y A Y B C G R G E S S O A B I L I T Y G I D R Y R E E Y E T Y S L A R V A il joom-aah