Serving the U.S. and Coalition Forces in Kuwait. May 10, A Soldier s rodeo. Page 6 & 7

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1 DESERT VOICE May 10, 2006 Serving the U.S. and Coalition Forces in Kuwait A Soldier s rodeo Page 6 & 7

2 DESERT 42 CONTENTS VOICE Volume 27, Issue 42 The Desert Voice is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the Desert Voice are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or Department of the Army. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Third U.S. Army Public Affairs Office. This newspaper is published by Al-Qabandi United, a private firm, which is not affiliated with Third U.S. Army. All copy will be edited. The Desert Voice is produced weekly by the Public Affairs Office. 4&5 6&7 8 Page 3 1st TSC stands up 1st Corps Support Command case there colors recently during an inactivation ceremony Apr. 18 ending an era and starting a new one as the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) stood up. Pages 4&5 Going Under Soldiers from the 544th Engineer Dive Team, out of Fort Eustis, Va., take care of business under water and on land as they spend their year long deployment at Kuwait Naval Base. Pages 6&7 Truck Rodeo Soldiers from 180th Trans. Bn. compete in a series of events for bragging rights as the best driver at the LTF 180 Truck Rodeo Thursday and Friday. Page 8 Customs check Navy Customs Battalion Quebec wants to make sure servicemebers going to or coming from the United States meet all the customs requiremen and explain what is not allowed to leave Kuwait. Page 9 Navy Leadership Continuum During the Navy Leadership Continuum course begining May 1 at Zone 1 library, sailors develop leadership skills to improve their careers. Page 10 RC racing in Kuwait Sgt. Matthew Bailey is one of many servicemembers involved in radio controlled car racing in Kuwait. He is able to pursue this passion while deployed. Page 11 Community Events Upcoming events: Texas Hold em tournaments, Mother s Day events, Silly Sports Day Challenge, Softball leagues and Racquetball tournament. Back page Cinco de Mayo Photo by Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw Servicemembers enjoy Cinco de Mayo festivities throughout Kuwait. Some events included burrito building, dance competitions and pinatas. Third U.S. Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb Third U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Command Sgt. Maj. Franklin G. Ashe Third U.S. Army Public Affairs Officer Col. Barrett King Third U.S. Army PAO, Forward Lt. Col. Debbie Haston-Hilger Commander, 11th PAD Capt. Chevelle Thomas NCOIC, 11th PAD Staff Sgt. Kerensa Hardy Desert Voice Editor Sgt. Jonathan M. Stack Desert Voice Assistant Editor Sgt. Robert Adams Desert Voice Staff Writers Spc. Janine Coogler Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw Spc. Michael R. Noggle 11th PAD Broadcasters Spc. Christina Beerman Pfc. Jheridiah Anderson Editor Third U.S. Army PAO/ Desert Voice Camp Arifjan APO AE jonathan.stack@arifjan.arcent.army.mil 6 Find us online at On the cover Sgt. Robert Adams Spc. William Thomas and Staff Sgt. Jessie White, 243rd Engineer Company, hook up a M915 truck to their wrecker during the truck rodeo. Desert Voice May 10, 2006

3 COSCOM makes long awaited transformation into 1st TSC Spc. Jerome Bishop 1st TSC PAO FORT BRAGG, N.C. - After nearly 34 years of logistical support to the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, the 1st Corps Support Command furled its colors during the 1st COSCOM Inactivation Ceremony Apr. 18 at Seay Field here marking the end of an era and the birth of a new one. Brig. Gen. Kevin A. Leonard, the 1st COSCOM commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Luis Lopez, the 1st COSCOM command sergeant major, were joined by the commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, Lt. Gen. John R. Vines for the retirement of the 1st COSCOM colors. The men and women of the 1st COSCOM have performed bravely, Vines said in an address to the Soldiers of the former 1st COSCOM before retiring the colors. The 1st COSCOM has support brilliantly the policies of our nation, the strategies and operations that our military has tasked to support. Moments after the 1st COSCOM colors were furled, Lt. Gen. Steven Whitcomb, Third U.S. Army commanding general, joined Leonard and Lopez in unfurling colors never before seen during the activation of the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater). The furling and unfurling of unit colors was much more than a symbol of the Army s transformation. The Soldiers of the former 1st COSCOM will be taking part in the birth of a new and unprecedented support unit. The 1st TSC is the first theater sustainment command to exist in the active duty Army, said Col. Ferdinand Samonte, 1st TSC chief operations officer. There s no manual or doctrine on being a theater sustainment command, he said. For the young Soldier, they will be at the forefront of Army change. As the 1st TSC, logisticians of the former 1st COSCOM will no longer be supporting the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg as it has been doing since June 1972, but will instead provide logistical oversight in a new area of responsibility. Our mission will be the logistics for all of the [U.S. Army Central Command theater of operations], Samonte said. Our responsibility will begin in the Horn of Africa all the way to Afghanistan. The CENTCOM Theater, which falls under the control of the Third Army from Fort McPherson, Ga., includes troops stationed in Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Israel, and Spc. Jerome Bishop Brig. Gen. Kevin A. Leonard (right), 1st Corps Support Command commanding general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Luis Lopez, 1st COSCOM command sergeant major salute Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, Third U.S. Army commanding general during the activation ceremony of the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) at Fort Bragg, N.C. other Middle Eastern nations. We re going from several thousand Soldiers down to about 400, Samonte said. While deployed, the Soldiers of the 1st TSC will not actually conduct logistical operations as they did when they were Soldiers of the 1st COSCOM. Their primary mission will be to supervise, observe and contribute knowledge from experience to the other logistic units deploying to the CENTCOM Theater of operations, said Samonte. The transformation from a COSCOM into a TSC isn t only affecting the Soldiers of the unit but also of those from other units stationed on Fort Bragg. Units like the former 46th Corps Support Group and the Corps Distribution Command, which were once part of the 1st COSCOM but were inactivated as part of the transformation, both were key players in the support of units on Fort Bragg. Now the XVIII Airborne Corps will receive most of its logistical support from the 507th CSG, which will continue to receive leadership from the 1st TSC until it becomes an independent corps asset in October Retired Command Sgt. Maj. James Washington, command sergeant major of the 507th CSG from 1992 through 1997, said he was sad to see the 1st COSCOM go away. I hate to see them leave, Washington said. But it s time for change due to the war situation and they re going to support the Middle East. The Army could have gone to [the 13th COSCOM], III Corps in Fort Hood, Texas, but they came for the 1st COSCOM instead, he added. Other 1st COSCOM veterans came to the ceremony to witness the transformation, and shared the same bittersweet emotions. [The 1st COSCOM] always got the job done. I enjoyed being a part of that, said Retired Chief Warrant Officer Billy Flanagan, a former maintenance officer from the 189th Corps Support Battalion who served with the 1st COSCOM at the end of World War II and the Korean War. I hate to see them go, but I want to see the transformation. The most obvious change to the Soldiers of the 1st TSC will be that the former 1st COSCOM s airborne status will not be joining the 1st TSC after the transformation. This means the Soldiers of the 1st TSC will don the standard black beret worn by the majority of Soldiers in the Army instead of the maroon beret worn by the Soldiers of airborne units. It s emotional because the [Soldiers] are switching from the maroon beret to the black beret, said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph R. Allen, XVIII Airborne Corps and previous 1st COSCOM command sergeant major. A lot of our guys came up to me said You left because you saw this coming, he added with a laugh, but he was still sadden by the inactivation of the 1st COSCOM and the XVIII Airborne Corps loss. We re losing an asset, Allen said, but we ll see how it goes. Today as we write the last few sentences in the final chapter of the history of the 1st COSCOM, we ll hear the last shout of the old and the cry of the new, Leonard said. It is fitting that as the 1st COSCOM takes its last bow here at Fort Bragg - it breathes life into the 1st [TSC] of the Third Army and Southeast Asia. Desert Voice May 10,

4 Army Engineer Dive Team goe Spc. Michael R. Noggle Third U.S. Army PAO/11th PAD A diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it s sunk, he brings it up. If it s in the way, he moves it. If he s lucky, he will die young, 200 feet beneath the waves, for that is the closest he ll ever get to being a hero. -Robert De Niro, Men of Honor They aren t breaking down doors, jumping out of planes or transporting supplies to another destination. They are Army engineer divers - rescuing, fixing and recovering all that goes into the water, doing what no other can accomplish. While there are no wars being fought at sea, the 544th Engineer Dive Team, as in other conflicts since World War II, has been along for the ride. Anything that needs to be done in the water, we take care of, said Staff Sgt. Christian Normandy, salvage diver. We support the missions in Iraq as the only Army dive team in theater. Based out of Kuwait Naval Base, the Soldiers clear the harbor, conduct surveys and make repairs underneath Army vessels on a daily basis. However, in a combat zone, they are the security team for possible improvised explosive devices in the water and they also recover dead bodies. There s nothing we can t handle, Normandy said of his duties as a diver and engineer. We stay focused on the job when we re underwater until the mission is complete. The unit out of Fort Eustis, Va., considers itself as having one of the most hazardous duties in the military. The Soldiers see the opportunity of being a diver as a positive thing. Sgt. Erich Wagner, second-class diver, said he saw being an engineer diver as an opportunity to go from working indoors as a communications repair specialist to getting outside. I felt I was up to that level, he said. If anyone was going to do something exciting it s going to be me. Everybody has a different reason as to why they want to be an Army diver, Normandy said. My personal reason is I love being around the water. I thought if I can incorporate a job where I would be near the water and be able to dive, it wouldn t be a job. No matter what the reason for being a diver, teamwork is not only important to complete their mission, they all rely on one another to keep each other alive. Everybody s job knowledge is important, said Spc. Nicolas Marr, second-class diver. From the divers turning wrenches underwater to the guys who fill the air in the canisters and prep the equipment I would never do a mission unless it was somebody I trusted, and these are guys I trust. p w w w b m u p s A 4 Desert Voice May 10, 2006

5 es under While each diver said there is a lot of preparation before anyone steps foot into the water, they are also comfortable knowing what needs to be done and how to do it. Each Soldier has his own mission to perform that could mean a completed mission or a lost life. It s like most jobs in the military in which you train for that tense moment, Marr said. Sometimes it s 10 feet under scraping barnacles off the bottom of the boat or any mission, it can get tense really quick. The team is scheduled to remain in theater until winter and there weren t too many complaints from them. After all, when they have the chance to stay in the water and wear t-shirt and shorts during the summer in Kuwait, who would object? Courtesy photos Divers from the 544th Engineer Dive Team search through shallow waters in Iraq for lost equipment. The Soldiers are the only Army dive team in theater. Sgt. 1st Class Marlo Mendoza, 544th Engineer Dive Team Master Diver, welds some metal off the side of a boat at Kuwait Naval Base. The dive team also helps with the some repairs of incoming vessels at the harbor. Desert Voice May 10,

6 Soldiers size up truck Sgt. Robert Adams Assistant Editor Soldiers from the 180th Transportation Battalion are on the road moving supplies into Iraq daily in support of the warfighter. The battalion gave Soldiers not on missions the chance to display their driving skills and vehicle knowledge during the Logistical Task Force 180 Truck Rodeo Thursday and Friday. We want to build esprit de corps and have healthy competition between the units, said Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Adams, 180th Trans. Bn. command sergeant major. The truck rodeo is a chance for the Soldiers to show off the skills they have learned during the tenure of their deployment. Each unit selected Soldiers to compete for bragging rights as the best M915 truck, M1114 humvee or M984 recovery vehicle driver. They had the chance to earn 7,000 combined points based on: a written exam; a primary maintenance checks and services; an inranks inspection, and an additional 7,000 points during the obstacle course, said Spc. Steven Valentin, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 180th Trans. Bn. The Soldiers began the rodeo Thursday with an in-ranks inspection, where Adams looked over every Soldier. This is your chance to show off your skills, Adams said to the Soldiers after the inspection. I appreciate all of you stepping up to the challenge. Soldiers first took to the classroom to take the written exam, which tested their vehicle knowledge. From there the competitors went to battalion motor pool and graders tested them on how they perform a PMCS on their vehicle. The PMCS is the backbone of the Army, especially in transportation, said Staff Sgt. Allen Wilson, 406th Trailer Transport Point, 180th Trans. Bn. motor sergeant, who was a M984 recovery vehicle PMCS judge. If you don t do a proper PMCS your equipment is going to fail on the road. Battalion Soldiers gathered at Patton Army Airfield to cheer on their fellow comrades as they battled for points on the obstacle course Friday. Soldiers are tested on how fast and how well they maneuver their vehicles through the obstacle course, said Sgt. Jackelyn Manassa, 6 Desert Voice May 10, 2006 Photos by Spc. Robert Adams Pvt. Pete Brown, 406th TTP truck driver, hooksup the trailer during the coupling section of the obstacle course while Sergeant 1st Class Dennie Allen, B Battery, 1-12 FA judges during the LTF 180 Truck Rodeo Friday. HHD, 180th Trans. Bn. It can be a challenge for Soldiers who have just started driving during this deployment, but for the drivers who have done this for years and this will be nothing for them, Manassa said. Drivers maneuvered trucks with 40-foot trailers, up-armored humvees, and wrecker vehicles pulling a truck through four obstacles that tested their turning, parking, braking and reverse-driving abilities in between and around cones. The course helps Soldiers judge distances and teaches them to know when and when not to turn when on the road, said Sgt. David Hart, 5th Battalion, 113th Field Artillery Regiment, who competed in the M915 truck competition. It helps you become more aware of your surroundings, which is very important. You ve got to know what s around you at all times. Most of the Soldiers are experiencing a truck rodeo for the first since the battalion consists of non-traditional transportation Soldiers. The battalion is made up of both National Guard and active-duty units with field artillery, quartermaster, engineer and combat service support backgrounds. They aren t truck drivers by trade, but they have been doing this the whole deployment, so what better way than to culminate the deployment with the skills they have learned along the way, Adams said. A few 180th units received three months of truck driver s training prior to deploying, while others received it from the driver s academy. But Sgt. Ronny Sanders, 31st Forward Support Battalion, said that no matter how much experience you have, there is always something you can pick up on and do better. The main thing is practice. Soldiers of the 180th have driven approximately 18 million miles on roads threatened by improvised explosive devices and smallarms fire attacks that have claimed four 180th Trans. Bn. Soldier s lives since the unit deployed in August. One Soldier, Staff Sgt. Michael J. McMullen, received the Silver Star after he was killed by a secondary improvised explo-

7 rodeo (Left to right) Spc. Christopher Westbrook, B 1/12 FA, and Spc. Nathan Forgues, 406 TTP, take the written exam Thursday at the 180th Trans. Bn. classroom. Spc. James Korges, 31st Forward Support Battalion, misjudges the breaking distance and hits a cone during the M1114 humvee obstacle course. Command Sgt. Major Richard Adams, 180th Trans. Bn. command sergeant major, inspects the dog tags of Spc. Nathan Forgues, 406 TTP, Thursday. sive device while performing first aid on a Soldier burned by an IED explosion and while taking small-arms fire, Adams said. Transportation Soldiers are on the road five to seven days a week, depending on what the mission dictates, said Sgt. Marcell Green, Battery B, 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery Regiment. Anything can happen to prolong a mission, whether it s maintenance, weather or insurgent attacks but we complete them all. Sergeant 1st Class Arnold Bryan, A Battery, 5th Battalion, 133th Field Artillery Regiment, ground guides Staff Sgt. Kenneth Krise, 5-113th FA, during the two-man M984 recovery vehicle competition of the truck Rodeo Friday. Desert Voice May 10,

8 Taking that home? Not so fast... Navy Customs Battalion Quebec has you covered Spc. Michael R. Noggle Third U.S. Army PAO/11th PAD So, you re trying to bring that war trophy home. You have the great plan of hiding it and no one will find it. Wrong. Servicemembers redeploying, going on or coming from rest and recuperation leave are subject to a customs check through the Army Life Sustainment Area, Kuwait. We re not here to be an obstacle, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Paul Tatoy, Navy Customs Battalion Quebec inspector. We re here to get them home without having issues through U.S. customs. As servicemembers arrive at the customs portion of their departure, everyone receives an amnesty brief that outlines everything that is considered contraband. At the conclusion of the brief, each individual can dispose of any illegal items such as ammunition, pornography, war trophies, vegetation or lighters. Some items, such as, knives must be put in checked baggage. Emptied lighters, vitamins and 8 Desert Voice May 10, 2006 supplements in prescription containers are authorized. Most times people aren t trying to bring back ammunition, said Petty Officer 2nd Class John Dawkins, Navy Customs Battalion Quebec inspector. It s one of those things that get mixed around in their bags throughout the year and they don t realize its there. Another item to be aware of are insect cases purchased at the bazaare or Post Exchanges. Insects and vegetation items can carry diseases and can be as much a threat as ammunition or explosives. Just because you bought it at the PX doesn t mean it s good to go back to the United States, Dawkins said. One interesting item that Dawkins pointed out was a goodluck charm from a Marine out of Iraq. I had a guy during the hand search of his baggage show an alligator head, he said. He added, It was his goodluck charm and that he brought from the United States and was trying to bring it back. Having to seize the footballsized reptile cranium, Dawkins Spc. Michael R. Noggle As servicemembers first the enter the customs check area, everyone is required to be have their equipment x-ray and searched. now hangs the item at the entry door on the customs Wall of Shame. It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen, Dawkins said. If it means that much to you then leave it at home. What we don t want to do is remove something a Soldier or anyone else has become attached to, Tatoy said. On some occasions, servicemembers have tried to bring shrapnel that was removed from their bodies. In that case, personnel must first check with their chain of command to fill out the required documents. Dawkins advises servicemembers to mail as much home as possible to reduce the search time lessens the load on customs agents. The customs agents are certified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and act on behalf of the Department of Defense as customs border clearance agents doing pre-clearance inspections. Items prohibited from leaving theater explosives, flammables and white phosphorous matches destructive devices: explosive caps, explosive bolts, tear gas, pepper spray, projectiles, artillery simulators, hand grenades, etc. counterfeits of coins, money, securities, obligations, postage or revenue stamps and colored illustrations of postage stamps of the U.S. or other foreign countries lottery tickets or advertisements for a foreign lottery goods made by convict labor, forced labor or indentured labor under penal sanction. war trophies obscene or pornographic articles, books, pictures, films, communications, videotapes or movies material which is seditious, treasonable, or insurrectionary toward the United States or advocates the forcible resistance to any U.S. law butterfly knives personal effects of enemy soldiers such as body parts, dog tags, letters, ID cards, etc. archeological artifacts and national treasures stones, sand, dirt, gravel, rocks and boulders are prohibited by Central Command authority, regardless of how clean or sentimental they might be controlled substances and drug paraphernalia articles originating from embargoed countries copyright violations restricted articles that have not met the conditions of the restriction green sugarcane, green bamboo and coconuts live insects, slugs and snails and Khapra beetles dried and preserved insects, slugs and snails fresh fruit and vegetables all live plants and parts thereof including seeds, bulbs, roots, leaves, various grains, grasses, straw, hay and house plants foreign meats and meat products, whether fresh, dried, cured, frozen or pickled and all cooked meats bird byproducts including: eggs, feathers and claws milk toxic and poisonous substances

9 Navy Leadership Continuum motivates leaders Spc. Janine Coogler Third U.S. Army PAO/11th PAD Continuing the tradition of the Navy Leadership Continuum, more than 30 Sailors stationed at Kuwait camps learned about leadership, professional interaction, human capital, planning and mission vision during Work Center Supervisor Leadership Course May 1-5 at the Zone 1 library. The Navy Leadership Continuum offers courses to Sailors for leadership development from recruitment to retirement. It is just in time training, said Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Goff, Work Center Supervisor Leadership Course facilitator. They are learning how to be a work center supervisor before becoming a work center supervisor. According to the course is a requirement before advancing to the next pay grade. The Center for Navy Leadership changed the course curriculum and cut the courses from its two-week program to one week. Each day of the week Sailors brainstorm, have group discussions, watch interactive videos, role play and teach back what they ve learned. Each activity allows the student to become the active ingredient in the class, Goff said. The interactive approach to the course allows students to open up, learn and express their opinions, said Chief Petty Officer Michael Beard, Work Center Supervisor Leadership Course facilitator. The old style of teaching, with the instructor at the podium lecturing about leadership, is gone because it was not effective. The course is built around the minds of the students, because each Sailor brings his own experience to the course. Through communication, role play and teach back, students discover ways to become effective leaders at their level, Goff said. Using the interactive approach, students enjoy the course, actively participate and learn from their participation. On the second day of the course, students formed teams to discuss specific scenarios. Through the team project, they listen to each other and learn how people base their leadership decisions on their experiences, how to compromise, work together and brainstorm. After each group determined how to work out the scenario, they made a visual demonstration and briefed the class on their decision. They learn from each other and find different ways to view things, Goff said. They were able to see how perception can influence the decision-making process. Throughout the course students role played counseling sessions and conflicts in the work center. It gives them a chance to test their reactions and learn from their mistakes, Beard said. In addition to learning leadership, professional interaction, human capital, planning and mission vision, the students must give an oral presentation over Navy ceremony cus- Spc. Janine Coogler Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Mathis prepares his groups visual aid. toms and traditions. This way we incorporate basic military requirements and students work on their presentation skills, Goff said. Throughout the course students are given immediate feedback on their presentations, role playing and group scenarios. This is not a class that teaches Sailors how to be proficient in their military trade, it focuses on leadership, Goff said. He added, It focuses on how to affect the human element, how to motivate, train, improve and resolve conflicts. Recruiting bonus available to all Soldiers Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw Third U.S. Army PAO/11th PAD Soldiers can take advantage of a newly formed program and possibly put a little extra cash in their bank accounts. The Army is offering a $1,000 recruiting referral bonus to all Soldiers, regardless of component. The bonus is available for any Soldier who refers an acquaintance. The referred individual cannot be a family member and cannot have already seen an Army recruiter. The program is part of Operation Sergeant Major of the Army Recruiting Team, which was organized to help meet the Army s recruiting mission by encouraging Soldiers to provide referrals. The referred Soldiers must complete advanced individual training before the recruiting Soldier can receive the bonus. The bonus cannot be paid for Soldiers who have already completed or don t complete AIT. The best time for Soldiers here to take advantage of this program is while they re on (rest and recuperation), said Sgt. Carla Mansfield, Area Support Group Kuwait retention noncommissioned officer. I suggest focusing on high school students. They ll be more persuaded by you than anyone else. There is no limit to the number of individuals a Soldier can refer. It can t hurt and you can use the money on anything you want, Mansfield said. So far, it s not taxed so if you referred 10 people, that s $10,000 in your pocket. Everybody knows somebody back home who could benefit by coming in the military, she added. To refer an individual the recruiting Soldier must have the name and social security number of the individual and input the information on the SMART web site at The overall program began in January, but only covered active duty. In February, the program was expanded to include Soldiers from the Hometown Recruiter Assistance Program, Special Recruiter Assistance Program and Active Duty for Special Work. It was expanded again in April to include all Soldiers in all components. Desert Voice May 10,

10 Soldier passes on RC racing passion Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw Third U.S. Army PAO/11th PAD When I am grown to man s estate I shall be very proud and great. And tell the other girls and boys not to meddle with my toys. -Robert Louis Stevenson These are sentiments that some servicemembers in Kuwait have with their toys : radio-controlled vehicles. Some here begin a radio-controlled car and truck racing hobby for something to do, while others have pursued this passion since they were children. One enthusiast is Sgt. Matthew Bailey, Area Support Group Kuwait budget noncommissioned officer. Bailey began his fixation when he was 12 and attended a race near his home in Seattle. He said he thought it looked fun and wanted to give it a try. I saved my lunch money for months to buy one, he joked. Bailey and his neighbor built a track in the backyard and raced each other. Four years later he entered into competitive racing. I enjoyed the competition and met a lot of cool people racing, Bailey said. Bailey said he knew there were tracks at Camps Arifjan and Buehring because he found a Desert Voice article about RC racing. Finding out Camp Arifjan had a track didn t surprise him. When I was (Active Duty) Army I raced all the time, Bailey said. A lot of people in the Army are into RC so just about every major base in the Army has one outside the gates. Arifjan, where Bailey races, usually has about 10 racers on Sundays and a few during the week at the track. At Buehring, there are approximately 12 racers on Sunday. Bailey said racing is a popular past time here. 10 Desert Voice May 10, 2006 Photos by Spc. Debralee P. Crankshaw Sgt. Matthew Bailey, ASG-Kuwait budget NCO, works on another Soldier s radio controlled car. Bailey has been involved in RC car racing since he was 12 years old. Warrant Officer Alexander Prewitt said he started because it was something to engage his offduty time. Bailey helped Prewitt by advising him on the car to buy and has been racing with him since January. It s competitive, fun and it kills time, Bailey said. Maintenance is the most timeconsuming part of racing, according to Bailey. For every hour of driving, you have to spend about four working on your car, he said. According to Bailey, although most people here get into the racing for something to do, they stay with it for another reason. Most people stay in it because they like the competition, Bailey said. It s one kind of racing where there is no risk of injuring yourself. Another reason Bailey said he really likes the hobby is that the people involved are competitive on the track and always willing Bailey s RC car flies through the air during a race against other Soldiers at Camp Arifjan s Zone 6 Camden Speedway. to lend a hand with maintenance or give a part to someone who is missing something. Everybody in this hobby is really helpful, he said. The most common misconception is that RC racing is very expensive, but according to Bailey, that doesn t have to be the case. You can get into racing for about $500 and costs can go into the thousands, Bailey said. A lot of people try to win races by spending money, but it s more about practice and effort.

11 Community happenings for May 10 through May 17 Ali Al Salem For information call Arifjan Singles racquetball tournament through May 17, Zones 1 Fitness Centers Softball league, through May 31 Saturday Texas Hold em tournament, 7 p.m., Zone 6 Community Center Sunday Mother s Day Fashion Show, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community Center Poolside cinema, King Kong, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Pool Monday Karaoke Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community Center Tuesday Karaoke, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stage Chess tournament, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community Center Mystery Prize Bingo, 7 p.m., Zone 6 Community Center For more information call /1302 Buehring Weekly fun run, 5:30 p.m., Zone 1 Green Beans NBA Live tournament, 7:30 p.m., Palms Softball league, through May 31 Thursday Brown Bag Po-Ke-no, noon, Oasis Pool tournament, 9-ball, 7:30 p.m., Recreation Center Friday Steppers Competition, Eiffle Tower Climb, 5 p.m., gym Karaoke Night, 8 p.m., MWR stage Sunday Bazaar, 10 a.m., Events tent Mother s Day Brunch, 11 a.m., Oasis Ruff and Ready STREND Competition, 2 p.m., gym Bingo, 7:30 p.m., Events Tent RC Monster truck races, 6 p.m., Udayri Speedway Monday Spades tournament, 7:30 p.m., Oasis Tuesday Dominoes tournament, 7:30 p.m., Palms Weekly fun run, 5:30 p.m., Zone 1 Green Beans Texas Hold em tournament, 7:30 p.m., Oasis For more information call Kuwait Naval Base Step Class, 6 p.m., Aerobics Room Thursday Latin Dance Night, 7 p.m., Aerobics Room Friday Bingo Night, 7 p.m., MWR stage Saturday Silly Sports Challenge Day, 10 a.m., Football field Tae Kwon Do, 6 p.m., Aerobics Room Sunday Lewis and Clark Trivia Contest, 1 p.m., Recreation Center Tuesday Latin Dance Night, 7 p.m., Aerobics Room Step Class, 6 p.m., Aerobics Room Chess tournament, 7 p.m., Recreation Center For more information call LSA Horseshoe tournament, 7 p.m., Volleyball area Movie, Grandma s Boy, 9 p.m., Stage Thursday LSA Bazaar, 9 a.m., Sunshade area Spades tournament, noon, MWR tent Darts tournament, 8 p.m., MWR tent Friday Mother s Day Sunset Fun Run 5-k, 6 p.m., ACP Front Gate Subway Dinner and a Movie, King Kong, 7:30 p.m., Stage Subway Dinner and a Movie, King Kong, 9 p.m., Stage Saturday Latin Night Dance Lessons, 8 p.m., Stage Latin Night Live DJ, 9 p.m., Stage Sunday Asian Pacific Sampler Food and Fun, 6:30 p.m., Stage Texas Hold em, 8 p.m., MWR Tent Monday PS2 tournament, noon, MWR Tent Halo tournament, 7 p.m., USO Tent Movie, Casanova, 8 p.m., Stage Tuesday Early Bird Bingo, 6 a.m., MWR Tent Evening Bingo, 8 p.m., MWR Tent Dominoes tournament, noon, MWR Tent Hearts, 7 p.m., MWR Tent Movie, Underworld: Evolution, 8 p.m., Stage For more information call Navistar Euchre, 8 a.m., through Friday, MWR tent Volleyball, 8 a.m., through Friday, Volleyball courts Checkers, 8 a.m., through Friday, MWR tent Monday Texas Hold em, 8 a.m., through May 19, MWR tent Weight lifting, 8 a.m., through May 19, Gym Darts, Cricket, 8 a.m., through May 19, MWR tent For more information call Spearhead/SPOD For information call Virginia Foosball, 7 p.m.,, Community Center Softball league, 6 p.m., Softball field Thursday Pool, 8-ball, 7 p.m., Community Center Softball league, 6 p.m., Softball field Karaoke Night, 8 p.m., Dusty Room Friday Doubles horseshoes, 6 p.m., Horseshoe Pits Dominoes, 7 p.m., Community Center Saturday Basketball tournament, 5 vs. 5, 6 p.m., Basketball court Sunday Mother s Day 5-k Fun Run, 6 a.mn., Community Center Monday Monopoly Night, 7 p.m., Community Center Tuesday Unit Feud, 7 p.m., Community Center Backgammon, 7 p.m., Community Center Softball league, 6 p.m., Softball field For more information call Desert Voice May 10,

12 Cinco de Mayo