Lonestar Dustoff Co. sets the standard for MEDEVAC crews in Iraq

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1 EAGLE February 2009 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION Iron Eagle Brigade parners wih IAF for missions over Baghdad skies Lonesar Dusoff Co. ses he sandard for MEDEVAC crews in Iraq SPECIAL PHOTO REPORT: Clydesdales slingload he big guns MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION-BAGHDAD

2 EAGLE February 2009 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION 4 5 NEWS BRIEFS News abou he Iron Eagle Brigade a Camp Taji, Iraq in suppor of Operaion Iraqi Freedom LEADERS FORUM Exper advice and opinions from a selecion of he Iron Eagle Brigade s veeran leadership Page 6 6 Parners in Securiy CAB parners wih Iraqi Air Force for several missions over Baghdad skies 10 Air Assaul wih he Big Guns Clydesdales slingload an M777 Howizer during air assaul raining on Camp Taji Page Seing he MEDEVAC sandard CAB s Lonesar Dusoff Company leads he way for MEDEVAC operaions in Iraq IRON EAGLES COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE 4h infanry division Page 12 Page Milesones Iron Eagle ransporaion plaoon complees 500h mission in suppor of OIF School opens despie pas violence Iraqi Securiy Forces, CAB, 4h Inf. Div., and 2-25 SBCT provide securiy for hisoric even News Briefs More news abou he Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division COPIES IN CIRCULATION: 1500 The Eagle Talon is published in he ineres of he Soldiers, Family members and civilians of he Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division-Baghdad, from Camp Taji, Iraq. BRIGADE COMMANDER Col. Parick Tierney BRIGADE CSM Command Sg. Maj. Archie Davis PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCOIC Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun STAFF WRITER/EDITOR Sg. Jason Dangel U.S. ARMY PUBLIC AFFAIRS U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. Jason Dangel ON THE COVER: A UH-60 Blackhawk helicoper from he 3rd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, flies side-by-side wih a UH-1 Huey from he Iraqi Air Force s 2nd Squadron during a combined aviaion mission over Baghdad Jan. 15. In accordance wih AR and he regulaions se forh by he U.S. Army PA Cener, he Eagle Talon is an auhorized publicaion for members of he Deparmen of Defense. Conens of he Eagle Talon are no necessarily he official views of, or endorsed by he U.S. Governmen, or he Deparmen of he Defense, Deparmen of he Army, III Corps or he 4h Infanry Division. The Eagle Talon is published monhly by he Comba Aviaion Brigade Public Affairs Office, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division- Baghdad, and is disribued o uni members and affiliaes and is posed elecronically on Deparmen of he Army and Deparmen of Defense Web sies. 2 EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

3 Musang medic named op NCO for Muli-Naional Division - Baghdad Sory by Pfc. Lyndsey Dransfield, MND-B PAO Muli-Naional Division Baghdad s fines Soldiers gahered ogeher a Freedom Res in Baghdad s Inernaional Zone o compee in he Division s annual Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of he Year compeiion. The compeiion was he culminaion of a busy day for he Soldiers and heir leaders; prior o he compeiion, he conesans bore winess as 40 of heir fellow Muli-Naional Division Baghdad noncommissioned officers were induced ino he Sergean Audie Murphy Club. To compee in MND-B s Soldier/ NCO of he year compeiion, each Soldier had earlier claimed op honors during he Soldier/NCO of he Monh and Soldier/NCO of he Quarer compeiions a he company, baalion and brigade levels. The ask a hand oday is o idenify he bes of he bes, said Command Sg. Maj. John Gioia, a naive of Buffalo, N.Y., he senior enlised leader of MND-B and he 4h Infanry Division and MND-B, as he welcomed he 16 Soldiers seleced o compee. To ge o his level requires rigorous sudy, discipline and commimen, said Sg. Thomas El Far, a naive of Bruceville, Texas, who serves as a peroleum supply specialis wih Company E, 1s Baalion, 4h Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Inf. Div. This is my firs ime geing his far, he said. I has been an unreal experience and a lo of hard work, dedicaion and preparaion. (While deployed), you have o work your 12- hour shif, find ime o ea, go o he gym, ake your laundry in and sudy i akes consan sudy. As he Soldiers waied paienly ouside, sudying wih heir sponsors, U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun Saff Sg. Jamiell Dominguez, medical secion noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Headquarers and Headquarers Company, 2nd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Avn. Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, poses for a phoograph wih her baalion commander, L. Col. David Fleckensein, afer being awarded he U.S. Army Commendaion Medal for being named he NCO of he year for Muli-Naional Division - Baghdad during a ceremony a he Clydesdales Baalion Headquarers on Camp Taji. heir names were called one by one. They proceeded ino he building and repored o Gioia, he presiden of he board. Afer presening hemselves, hey were handed off o a single member of he board, who asked a series of quesions based on muliple miliary caegories. As he Soldiers answered he quesions, he oher six judges graded hem based on heir responses and heir professional composure. Also aken ino consideraion were each compeior s physical finess raining and weapons qualificaion scores. The Soldier and NCO wih he highes overall scores were chosen as Muli-Naional Division Baghdad s Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of he Year for Operaion Iraqi Freedom Spc. Brian Mouon, a medic wih Headquarers Baery, 3rd Baalion, 29h Field Arillery Regimen, 3rd Brigade Comba Team, 4h Inf. Div., earned honors as he MND-B Soldier of he Year. Sg. Jamiell Dominguez, who serves as medical secion NCOIC wih Headquarers Company, 2nd General Aviaion Suppor Baalion, CAB, 4h Inf. Div., earned recogniion as he MND-B NCO of he year. For Dominguez, a Seale, Wash. naive, he pressure of he board is somehing she is saring o become accusomed o since earning recogniion as Soldier of he Year in To be able o represen your uni a any level is an incredible opporuniy for personal and professional growh and developmen, she said. I s given me an opporuniy for a self assessmen o reflec on where I am as an individual and wha I need o improve on. Leader s Forum Briefs News For leaders and Soldiers alike, safey is an imporan facor in he success of any mission. Wheher a Soldier is on or off duy, miigaing risk remains relevan in everyhing he or she does hroughou he day. I is easy o disregard safey when daily rouines in comba become monoonous, and if his happens is up o leaders o ensure heir Soldiers are safe and ready for he mission. This monh we asked four of Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division s company commanders how hey miigae he risks hey are faced wih daily and wha heir bigges safey concerns are here in he comba zone. Safey firs! Wha is your bigges safey concern as par of your company s responsibiliy o he mission? How do you miigae he risks you are faced wih daily? As he commander of a mainenance company, my bigges safey concern is ensuring ha my Soldiers follow all of he proper safey procedures as hey complee mainenance on he baalion s aircraf. My Soldiers work hard every day in an unforgiving environmen o ensure ha he aircraf are mainained and he baalion is able o accomplish all of is assigned missions. However, under such harsh condiions misakes and accidens can easily happen. Wih such a large company working 24/7, I have o rely on my junior NCOs o supervise heir Soldiers a he lowes level in order o sop an acciden before i occurs. - Cap. Nick Ryan, commander, Co. D, 2nd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg., 6.5 years of experience, from Espanola, N.M. As he commander of an air raffic services company, my bigges safey concern is ensuring ha my Soldiers have consan airspace awareness and make air raffic advisory calls early and ofen. Forgeing a small deail will ge an air raffic conroller in rouble. My Soldiers are consanly challenged wih mainaining a safe ye efficien flow of raffic all while prioriizing CAB aircraf according o heir individual missions. Inexperience is anoher safey concern for my company and wih my NCOs. I am always working o achieve an ideal crew mix. Similar o he crew mix in a helicoper, junior air raffic conrollers mus be balanced wih seasoned and experienced conrollers. Finally, ensuring he proper amoun of crew res is achieved while in a comba environmen is criical. My Soldiers work longer shifs han hey would a an insallaion ATS faciliy and my company leadership is regularly reviewing he schedule o deermine wheher individual Soldiers are geing enough res. -Cap. Amanda Violee, commander, Co. G, 2nd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg., 8 years of experience, from Nobleboro, Maine My bigges safey concern is complacency. By now, we have done our bes o miigae and foresee possible safey risks while coninuing o improve safey sandards across he board. As planning begins for re-deploymen, oo ofen, Soldiers and leaders focus on he end of he race and forge abou he hear-and-now. Deploymen is a marahon and we mus coninue o plan for he fuure while ensuring he leaders and our Soldiers focus on he mission a hand unil we se foo on he plane going home. Beween wo operaing sies, we roae personnel regularly o mix hings up and ensure Soldiers don ge in a ru. My officers and NCOs ensure we are consisenly looking for ways o improve how we do business. I feel we ve se he bar high and reached i and if we don ry o push he bar even higher, we ve already failed. There is always somehing we and everyone can do o improve as an organizaion and eam. -Cap. Chris Wingae, deachmen commander, Co. C, 2nd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg., 5.5 years of experience, from El Paso, Texas As he commander of a supply disribuion company responsible for providing world class logisical suppor o he Iron Eagle Brigade, my bigges safey concern is ensuring ha all Senry Soldiers are following esablished safey policies, sandard operaing procedures and incorporaing risk managemen ino our daily missions o include he Forward Arming and Refuel Poin, Transporaion and Disribuion Plaoon, he Supply Suppor Aciviy, and he Headquarers Plaoon o include he Ammuniion Transfer Holding Poin. The Senry Soldiers are he cener of graviy for all logisical suppor o he brigade and our mission requires a 100% commimen from all Soldiers while conducing 24 hour operaions 7 days a week. In order o susain he highes sandards, I expec every leader o be ou fron checking and ensuring ha all missions are conduced wih safey a he forefron. Sandards, No Compromise Cap. David Kelley, commander, Co. A, 404h ASB, 16 years of experience, from Panama Ciy, Fla. 4 EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

4 FLIGHT PATH Sory and Phoos by Sg. Jason Dangel In Securiy In 1990, he Iraqi air force was he larges air force in he Middle Eas consising of more han 40,000 men and 900 aircraf. Thireen years laer, and afer he U.S. led Coaliion oppled Saddam Hussein s regime, he once impressive air force became virually non-exisen. Since he 2003 U.S. led invasion of Iraq, a lo has changed, and similar o he success of he Iraqi army s ground forces, he IAF roary wing forces are also making grea srides as hey coninue o rebuild and rain for he responsibiliy of aviaion operaions. In a show of parnership beween he Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division Baghdad and he IAF, pilos from boh counries flew muliple personnel ranspor missions and a leafle drop over Baghdad Jan. 15. While sharing he same airspace over Taji every day, and observing one anoher conduc missions over Baghdad, his was he firs ime he unis conduced aviaion suppor for MND-B ogeher. As he sun began o rise in he early morning horizon, Iraqi L. Col. Shamkky Abbas, a pilo and raining officer for he IAF s 2nd Squadron a Camp Taji, led he operaion brief as he pilos from he CAB s 3rd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen confirmed mission planning before prepping heir aircraf for he combined fligh over he Iraqi Capial. Soon hereafer, an IAF UH-1 Iroquois helicoper, and a UH-60 Blackhawk helicoper from he CAB s 3rd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comanche, ook-off from he airfield a Camp Taji for heir firs mission ogeher. A UH-60 Blackhawk helicoper from he 3rd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Avn. Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, flies side-by-side wih a UH-1 Huey from he Iraqi Air Force s 2nd Squadron during a mission over Baghdad skies Jan. 15. During he day he wo aircraf parnered ogeher for hree differen personnel ranspor missions o various desinaion around he viciniy of he Iraqi capial. The missions were he firs conduced beween he wo unis. Planning and preparaion for more are already underway as he IAF coninues o grow and mold ino a legiimae securiy force all over Iraq. During he combined aviaion mission over he Iraqi capial, he Iroquois, piloed by Abbas, led he way as he wo aircraf made sops a various Coaliion bases in he greaer Baghdad area. These aviaors have done very You canno deny heir capabiliies when Iraqi aircraf and Iraqi pilos lead a coaliion fligh and execue he mission perfecly. L. Col. Seven Palmer commander, 3rd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg. Comanche well in a shor period of ime, said Las Vegas naive and 3rd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg. commander, L. Col. Seven Palmer, of he IAF pilos saioned a Taji. You canno deny heir capabiliies when Iraqi aircraf and Iraqi pilos lead a collaion fligh and execue he mission perfecly. Palmer and oher Iron Eagle Brigade leaders described he even as posiive for all paries involved and reieraed he imporance of ineracion beween Coaliion roops and heir ISF counerpars. I hink his even demonsraes anoher example of he coninuing growh and mauriy of he IAF, said Maj. Michael Bes, execuive officer, CAB, from S. Peersburg, Fla. I is a posiive even when we can parner wih he IAF, he coninued. Jus as i is imporan for he ground Brigade Comba Teams 6 EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

5 FLIGHT PATH o have coninuous ineracion wih heir ISF counerpars, he CAB is now being afforded he same opporuniy as he IAF re-esablished iself. Wih help from boh he Air Force s 721s Air Expediionary Advisory Squadron, also known as a Coaliion Air Force Transiion Team, and he CAB, he IAF a Camp Taji is once again beginning o resemble a force capable of providing securiy and sabiliy for he people of Iraq. The significance of his mission is he speed in which he air force is progressing, said Air Force L. Col. Michael McNerney, commander, 721s AEAS, from Grand Gorge, N.Y. I hink his even demonsraes anoher example of he coninuing growh and mauriy of he IAF. Maj. Michael Bes execuive officer, CAB, 4h Inf. Div. While he ground forces have received a large amoun of resources and aenion for over five years, he air force has received very lile unil abou a year and a half ago, he coninued. The Iraqi roary wing force has made grea srides in he las year and a half and is ready o accep a much larger role in he couner-insurgency effors. Obaining hese criical resources for he IAFs roary wing componen a Taji is a responsibiliy ha ress solely on he members of he 721s AEAS. The 721s AEAS, or CAFTT, is responsible for aiding he developmen of he IAF helicoper forces a Camp Taji in order o creae an organizaion ha is a credible and effecive conribuor o he securiy of Iraq, McNerney said. Combined aviaion missions wih he CAB are an imporan par of he IAFs growh. Join aviaion operaions beween he CAB and he IAF are expeced o coninue as he force coninues o grow. I look forward o Iraqi led air assauls in he fuure, Palmer said. As I see heir professionalism grow so does he confidence in he Iraqi Air Force from he people of Iraq. As he IAF coninues o forge new abiliies and works o assume full responsibiliy of aviaion operaions in Iraq, he Iraqi people are beginning o ake noe of he growing force as aircraf marked wih he Iraqi Naional Flag fly overhead. Almos anyime hey fly over, he Iraqi people come running ou of heir homes and wave a he aircraf, said Cap. Hank Luke, Chief of Training, 721s AEAS, from Indianapolis, Ind. I hink he people feel a sense of pride and securiy in seeing he Iraqi flag on he helicoper s belly over heir heads, he coninued. Knowing ha he (Governmen of Iraq) is projecing is securiy forces hroughou he counry is absoluely criical o keeping he insurgency a bay, and displaying Iraqi airpower is an imporan piece of he securiy plan. I hink he people feel a sense of pride and securiy in seeing he Iraqi flag on he helicoper s belly over heir heads... U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. Jason Dangel 8 EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

6 AIR ASSAULT wih he big Guns Sory by Sg. Jason Dangel An aircrew from he 2nd Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division and Soldiers from he 2nd Bn., 11h Field Arillery Reg., 2nd Sryker Brigade Comba Team, 25h Inf. Div., successfully sling loaded an M777 Howizer during an air assaul raining exercise held on Camp Taji las monh. The 2nd Bn., 11h FA Reg. was he firs field arillery regimen in he Army o field and fire he M777 in comba on Jan. 2, 2008 in suppor of Operaion Iraqi Freedom. The unique raining even validaed boh he CAB s air assaul versailiy and he FA baalion s abiliy o work wih aviaion asses o accomplish a wide array of heir fire missions in Iraq. When we go here we waned o validae our abiliy o air assaul he howizers, said Cap. Brian Jununen, commander, Baery C, 2nd Bn., 11h FA Reg. A siuaion where we could use his is if we have a arge ha is ou of range of our howizer, such as our wesern boundary or norhern boundary. We could move he howizers forward wih an air assaul like his, fire a a arge in suppor of a larger brigade mission or baalion mission, he said. The helicoper used for he even was he CH-47F Chinook Improved Cargo helicoper. The CH-47F is also new o comba. The CAB is he firs aviaion uni o bring he new, sae-of-hear aircraf o he war and has proven is worh during he brigade s 7 monhs in he comba zone. The aircraf weighs approximaely 30,000 lbs. wih he capabiliy o haul 20,000 more. The helicoper is an upgraded cargo helicoper which replaces he 20-year old CH-47D model. The digial crew saion is redesigned o include a digial map, glass cockpi and enhanced communicaions and navigaion equipmen for beer siuaional awareness. The Iron Eagle Brigade uses he aircraf primarily for logisical and personnel ranspor and occasional air assaul missions. 10 EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

7 IRON EAGLE SPOTLIGHT CAB s Lonesar Dusoff leads he way Co. C, 2nd Bn., 4h Avn. Reg. seing he MEDEVAC sandard in Iraq Sory and Phoos by Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun Medical evacuaion Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Baalion, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division Baghdad, he Lonesar Dusoff company, have one mission save lives on he balefield. During heir firs six monhs of he deploymen, he For Hood, Texas, based Soldiers have achieved a 96 percen operaional readiness rae, flown more han 1,227 paiens in need of reamen, medically evacuaed more han 465 urgen and 312 prioriy paiens. The company has also consisenly exceeded he 15-minue call o launch sandard leading he way for Muli-Naional Corps Iraq MEDEVAC companies Jan. 10. We are he heaer MEDEVAC company for MND-B and pars of Muli-Naional Corps Iraq, said Chief Warran Officer 4 Dennis Flecher, aeromedical pilo from Sunnyvale, Calif. We respond o any nine-line MEDEVAC call o us. On average, we respond o a call in nine minues and ha s from geing he call o wheels up. The company performs is duies much like a regular ambulance company in he U.S. Soldiers roae on shifs, being on call, for 48 hours a a ime and hen hey are off for 24 hours. A MEDEVAC crew consiss of wo pilos, one crew chief and one fligh medic. The crew sars heir day by making sure heir aircraf is ready o go a a momen s noice. As an essenial par of heir fas-paced lifesyle, mainenance checks are compleed, medical supplies are socked and personal proecive gear is always wihin arm s reach. Then once he crew ges he call, MEDEVAC, MEDEVAC, MEDEVAC I s ime o sprin o he waiing helicoper and save a life on he balefield. Today, was my firs day on he 48 hours shif, said Sg. Donald Jones, fligh medic from Lawon, Okla. For he firs mission on his shif, we had a EPW (enemy prisoner of war) wih a gunsho wound o he leg which was urgen. We were off he ground and ou of here in eigh minues. Everyone in he company has heir own piece of he puzzle, and hey undersand ha wihou he Dusoff eam coming ogeher, he mission doesn happen. Cap. Chrisopher Wingae Taji MEDEVAC Commander, CAB, 4h Inf. Div. The company faciliaes he safes and mos rapid evacuaion of all casualies o include Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, civilians and even prisoners of war. Some of he heir evacuaions ake hem o he mos dangerous pars of he balefield including rescuing casualies from roadside bomb aacks, force agains force casualies and suicide bomb aacks. Wha I love mos abou his job is I m helping make a difference in someone s life when hey are injured, added Jones, who is on his second deploymen o Iraq wih he MEDEVAC company. Menally, you jus ry blocking all he drama ou when someone is injured and do your bes when you MEDEVAC someone. Tha s when he raining kicks in and you are focused on saving heir life. This is a difficul job, bu i is very rewarding. In addiion o coninuing o ge more efficien in heir launch imes, Soldiers from he company have been rewarded for heir hard work and dedicaion. On July 18, 2008, wih only hree days under heir bel afer assuming he mission from he 12h CAB ou of Germany, four Soldiers from he company responded o a rescue mission where four Iraqi Naional Police Officers were rapped on op of a burning building in easern Baghdad. In a daring rescue using he helicopers hois as a sep, he air ambulance crew medically evacuaed he rapped policemen and ranspored hem o a comba suppor hospial for furher reamen. For heir heroic acions, Chief Warran Officer 2 Mahew Nall, aeromedical pilo from Lubbock, Texas, Saff Sg. Chrisina Marinez, fligh medic from Alamogordo, N.M., and Spc. Lakwan Bonsu, crew chief from Bronx, N.Y., were awarded he Air Medal wih Valor from Army Chief of Saff Gen. George W. Casey a Camp Taji Dec. 22. Chief Warran Officer 3 James Frederick, aeromedical pilo from Lubbock, Texas, is scheduled o receive he Disinguished Flying Cross for his heroic acions ha day by he 4h Inf. Div. and MND-B commander, Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond. Our foundaion for success is our passion and commimen o he Soldiers ouside he wire on he srees of Baghdad, said Cap. Chrisopher Wingae, execuive officer of he company and commander of he Camp Taji operaion. The CAB s MEDEVAC company has Soldiers operaing a boh Camp Taji and Forward Operaional Base Kalsu. Our crew chiefs commimen o excellence and aenion o deail ensures our aircraf sand ou above every oher aircraf and are able o launch a any given ime, Wingae said, who hails from El Paso, Texas. Our operaions personnel manage muliple missions while conducing AWT (air weapons eam) suppor when needed and bale rack our aircraf from he receip of he nine-line unil he mission is complee. Our medics consanly analyze paien rends in our AO (area of operaions) and improve reamen echniques in order o ensure he paien receives he bes enroue care possible, he added. Our pilos fly anywhere and land on he side of he a road and consisenly hink and respond o las minue changes, someimes in fligh wih minimal informaion while muli-asking and mainaining siuaional awareness of he enire balefield in he busies airspace in heaer. Everyone in he company has heir own piece of he puzzle, and hey undersand ha wihou he Dusoff eam coming ogeher, he mission doesn happen EAGLE TALON FEBRUARY

8 IRON EAGLE SPOTLIGHT CAB ransporaion plaoon complees 500h mission in suppor of OIF Sory and Phoos by Sg. Jason Dangel A fresh winer rain from he previous nigh has urned Camp Taji ino a cesspool of we, sicky mud Jan. 12. Comparable o he slippery blizzard condiions experienced in some pars he Unied Saes, he slick mud on he large camp causes raffic o become lehargic, and Soldiers can be seen wearing waerproof boos; walking gingerly hrough he slosh as hey make heir way o work. Everyhing slows down. Sg. Craig Pries, now on his hird deploymen o Iraq, knows he rainy season beer han mos, and while mos of he operaions on Camp Taji become sluggish because of he muddy condiions, i s jus anoher day in he suck for Pries and he res of his ransporaion plaoon from Company A, 404h Aviaion Suppor Baalion, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division-Baghdad. As he CAB s only pure ransporaion asse, he 31-man plaoon is responsible for any and all ground ranspor required by he Iron Eagle Brigade, said 2nd L. Clayon Eiland, ransporaion plaoon leader, from Whiehouse, Texas. These operaions can be as simple as moving a few ires from one poin o anoher and can be as complicaed as moving hundreds of 4,000 pound blas barriers o differen locaions around he brigade area on Camp Taji. Rain or shine, day or nigh, Pries s plaoon is always on he move. The seven-year veeran s ypical workday sars around 8:30 a.m., and I love spending my ime ouside all day working wih he vehicles, working wih he Soldiers, because ha s jus he ype of person I am, Sg. Craig Pries ransporaion NCO, Co. A, 404h Avn. Sp. Bn. wihou delay he checks he plaoon s mission racker o see wha s on ap for he day. The racker includes basic informaion such as wha ype of iems hey have o move, he quaniy, and pickup and drop-off locaions. There are days when we have muliple missions, he Georgeown, S.C., naive explained. Our firs mission is almos always conduced in he morning, he second afer lunch, and if a nigh mission is required, we ensure we have personnel ready o complee he operaion. A any given ime, he plaoon has five M1088 Tracor Trucks ready o roll. Each of he plaoon s rucks are equipped wih a large flabed railers capable of hauling anywhere from 22 o 34 ons of convenional or conainerized cargo wihin he confines of he camp. Afer checking he mission racker, Pries sends one of his drivers o prepare he ruck and ensure he vehicle has no deficiencies, and hen personally checks i himself o make sure his Soldier didn miss anyhing before hey se ou for heir mission. Once he wheels are rolling, he res of he mission simply enails meeing up wih he operaor of he cargo loading vehicle, moving o he pick-up locaion, loading he cargo and hen moving i o he drop-off sie. Bu i s no always ha easy. More recenly, in accordance wih he CAB s force proecion iniiaive o ensure he safey of Iron Eagle Soldiers, he plaoon was asked o ranspor more han 100 wo-on cemen blas barriers o differen locaions around he brigade s airfield on Camp Taji. During he barrier mission, we prey much ran operaions around he clock. We had a day shif and a nigh shif o ensure he barriers we placed in he correc areas and were he correc size; ha wen on for abou a week. During ha one-week span, Pries s plaoon averaged abou six missions a day while moving back and forh, picking up and dropping off he 20 fee, 4,000 pound blas walls. Pries described he mission as he busies his plaoon had been since hey arrived las June, and jus like any hardcore ruck driver, he likes o be busy. I love spending my ime ouside all day working wih he vehicles, working wih he Soldiers, because ha s jus he ype of person I am, he said. I d raher be physically acive compared o spending ime in he office. Wih my job here s always somehing new, some new experience. Wheher i is maneuvering he vehicle hrough a cerain area, loading srange equipmen ha requires special ie downs here s jus so much suff involved wih i. You re consanly moving, hinking and accessing he siuaion o ensure everyhing is done correcly. During he Jan. 12 mission, Pries and his 20-year old driver, Pfc. Brandon Geiger from Woodland, Mich., compleed he plaoon s 500h ransporaion mission for he brigade while deployed in suppor of Operaion Iraqi Freedom; a milesone hey originally se ou o accomplish in 12 monhs, bu compleed in abou seven. The fac is, hese guys are busy, bu Pries wouldn have i any oher way. 14 EAGLE TALON

9 IRON EAGLE COMBAT OPERATIONS School opens despie pas violence ISF, Iron Eagle Brigade and 2-25SBCT provide securiy for hisoric even By Sg. Jason Dangel and Sg. 1s Class Chrisina Bhai Approximaely 300 girls in blue jumpers and whie head scarves sood in formaion on he school s couryard as helicopers from he Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division- Baghdad buzzed overhead. The chill in he morning air rose in puffs as hey chaed, happily anicipaing he formal opening of heir new school. Today is a good day, said Sheik Saeed Jassim Hameed al Mashhadani, a ribal sheik in Tarmiyah. This day marks a beginning of educaion for hese girls. The Huda Girls School in Tarmiyah, norhwes of Baghdad, officially reopened is doors during a ceremony Jan. 5. Iraqi Securiy Forces parnered wih Soldiers from he 2nd Sryker Brigade Comba Team Warrior, 25h Infanry Division, and air crews from he 4h CAB provided securiy for he even which feaured speeches, poems and songs performed by he sudens. The 4h Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Gambler Guns provided more han 13 fligh hours of AH-64 Apache aack helicoper suppor, while Warrior Soldiers and he IA provided a securiy cordon around he school s locaion in he middle of he village. The school provides educaion o approximaely 950 girls, who aend a various imes hroughou he day o accommodae he valuable educaion opporuniy. The school has a long hisory of learning. Originally buil in 1982, he building was used as dormiory bu ransformed ino a school for agriculure in Since hen, i has ransformed again ino a primary and high schools specializing in he sciences. This is really somehing big for he people. This is a for of science, said Muhamad Ibrihim Jassim, adminisraive supervisor for he Minisry of Educaion in Tarmiyah abou he opening of he school. This is he larges school in he area. The school has long been recognized by he Minisry of Educaion for is excellence in educaion, bu in 2003, ha excellence was hreaened. The building was he scene of significan violence, said Dr. Malcom Phelps, a naive of Washingon, and senior educaion advisor for he embedded Provincial Reconsrucion Team aached o he 2nd Sryker Brigade Comba Team Warrior, 25h Infanry Division. During major comba operaions in 2003, he school slowly ceased o 16 EAGLE TALON funcion as a for of science and ransiioned ino a for for error. The school, which lies up he road from a Join Securiy Saion, was he U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. 1s Class Chrisina Bhai U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. Jason Dangel launching poin of ambushes, improvised-explosive device aacks and sniper fire agains Coaliion Forces and he hen nascen Iraqi Securiy Forces. Afer a cauious sabiliy was reached in he area in 2006, Soldiers from he 1s Cavalry Division began projecs o rebuild he badly war-damaged school. During he process, a major error plan was hwared. According o a Muli-Naional Corps Iraq press release, Soldiers assigned o 2nd Baalion, 8h Cavalry Regimen, 1s Brigade Comba Team, 1s Cavalry Division, discovered a command wire leading from he school s ouer perimeer o one of he rooms. Inside he room, he cavalry roops discovered five arillery shell explosives. The insurgen s planned aack also included wo large explosive-filled propane anks buried underneah he school s floor and numerous projeciles emplaced underneah elecrical conduis in fron of each classroom. This was a major seback, said 1s L. Erik Peerson, a naive of Cenennial, Colo., who is a civil miliary officer assigned o Company A, 1s Baalion, 14h Infanry Regimen, Golden Dragons, 2nd SBCT, 25h Inf. Div. If hey wen off, no only would he building have been desroyed, many lives would have been los. More damage was caused o srucure by removing he explosives, Peerson said. Engineer crews had o deliberaely pull up he floor and ake down walls brick by brick o ensure here was no longer a hrea buil ino he srucure. Evenually hose individuals involved in he plo were capured or killed by U.S. Forces and ISF. Approximaely $300,000 dollars of Iraqi and U.S. funds were spen o rebuild and refurbish he school, which conains 18 classrooms, science labs, an adminisraion suie and an audiorium. Now ha he school is open, i faces many of he same issues plaguing he enire educaion sysem of Iraq. More han jus new schools, Jassim said more eachers are also needed, bu he is confiden in he coming years ha will be easily alleviaed for he Tarmiyah Qada. All of he eachers we currenly have graduaed from his school, he said. They belong o his area. Some of hese girls will do he same hing, and we will coninue o prosper like we did before he fighing. Jassim said he is sure he area is now safe and he fighing done. During he 4h CAB s deploymen alone, almos 11,000 fligh hours of Air Reconnaissance Parols conduced by he Gambler Guns baalion have been commied for aviaion suppor operaions over MND-B skies, a majoriy of which over Tarmiyah and oher areas previously known o be hosile. Apache aack helicoper suppor is considered o be a grea deerren for enemy aacks and has allowed he 2nd SBCT, 25h Inf. Div. s PRT he freedom o operae and complee many infrasrucure build and repair projec. When we show up he bad guys leave, said Chief Warran Officer 3 Jack Hayek, a pilo wih he Gambler Guns Co. A. Our suppor enables he safey of he guys on he ground and i allows hem o ge suff done, he said. Tarmiyah, he coninued, is a grea example of how boh air and ground operaions work ogeher o improve he overall securiy and wellbeing of he Iraqi populous. SECURITY - An AH-64D Apache aack helicoper from he 4h Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen Gambler Guns, soars over Iraqi skies during a mission norh of he Baghdad. The Gambler Guns war bird was asked o provide aerial securiy and reconnaissance for he grand opening of he Tarmiyah Huda Girl s School in Tarmiyah Iraq. The aviaion mission included he Apache and wo UH-60 Blackhawk helicopers, one of which provided Iraqi Army officials a bird s eye view of heir forces on he ground ha were being used for he securiy for he even. U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. Jason Dangel FEBRUARY

10 News Briefs CAB assumes more han 240,000 square miles of Iraqi airspace suppor Sory and Phoos by Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun The 1s Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli-Naional Division Baghdad, officially ook responsibiliy of he 4h Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regimen, Muli-Naional Division Cenral, area of operaions for aack helicoper suppor a a Transfer of Auhoriy Ceremony held a Camp Sryker, Iraq, Jan. 20. Now ha he Dragons of 1s Bn. have assumed auhoriy for pars of MND-C, he CAB has now expanded is aviaion suppor for more han 240,000 square miles of Iraqi airspace and wo divisions on he ground. The Apache helicoper baalion will now suppor he 10h Mounain Div. as i conducs operaions souh of he Iraqi capial wih is Iraqi Securiy Force parners. Inherenly, he CAB will now have operaional responsibiliy of he enire souheasern porion of he counry. CAB aircraf will now occupy airspace as far norh as Balad, which is locaed abou 50 miles norh of Baghdad, all he way down o he Iraq - Kuwai border. Le me be he firs o welcome 1-4 o he 10h Mounain (Div.) Family, said Col. Paul Barbee, com- mander of Task Force 449. I look forward o coninuing o win he peace here. Our work is far from over, and we will coninue o suppor he Iraqi governmen and proec he Iraqi people. Dragons, you mus live up o your moo and keep up your vigilance. The For Hood, Texas, based 4h Squadron, are scheduled o redeploy back o Cenral Texas afer compleing a 15-monh our in suppor of Operaion Iraqi Freedom. The Dragons, 18 EAGLE TALON also from For Hood, have been deployed o Iraq since June This is a grea uni coming up behind us and no only because we come from he same geographical area a For Hood, said L. Col. Kenneh Royar, commander of 4h Squadron. I wish 1-4 he same success we have had. The baalion s Co. C has already moved o Al Ku, in souh easern Iraq, where hey will use he Apache helicoper o proec roops U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun L. Col. Brian Benne, commander, 1s Baalion, 4h Aviaion Regimen, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, righ, hands L. Col. Kenneh Royar, commander, 4h Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regimen, a oken of his appreciaion afer a Transfer of Auhoriy Ceremony held a Camp Sryker, Iraq, Jan. 20. The 1s Bn., will now assume aack aviaion suppor responsibiliies for a porion of Muli-Naional Division Cenral. Iron Eagle Brigade aircraf will now occupy airspace over he enire souheasern porion of he counry, and will be responsible for 240,000 square miles of aviaion suppor coverage. on he ground, engage he enemy and escor air ambulance flighs. This is our second TOA ceremony wih he Longknives, said L. Col. Brian Benne, commander of 1s Bn. Their aenion o deail and hospialiy has been fanasic, he coninued I wish you a safe rip back o For Hood. Col. Barbee, I look forward o working for you. We have he mission. News Briefs Iron Eagle 7 speaks o Soldiers during MLK Jr. celebraion Sory and Phoos by Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun Command Sg. Maj. Archie Davis, senior enlised aviaion Soldier for he Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, Muli- Naional Division Baghdad, spoke wih Soldiers a Camp Taji abou he conribuions Dr. Marin Luher King made during his lifeime Jan. 17. The 10h Susainmen Bde. hosed he even and Davis gave a shor speech how King s conribuion o sociey progressed humaniy owards racial equaliy. On Marin Luher King Day, we honor one of America s greaes for racial equaliy, said Davis, who hails from Houson. Don le oher people ell you can do anyhing, because all hings are possible. Marin Luher King had a dream for a beer place. No maer wha race you are, you are a par of he dream Dr. King had, he added. I (MLK Observance) is no a black holiday, i is a people holiday. Marin Luher King was abou he progression of humaniy. King s conribuion o he progression of humaniy is honored annually in he Unied Saes and in more han 100 naions worldwide. Despie frequen confronaions wih violence and incarceraion, King wasn deerred from speaking ou agains social and racial injusices. During his shor life, King accomplished many grea hings. Mos noeworhy included he organizaion of he Souhern Chrisian Leadership Conference, he Mongomery Bus Boyco and he March on Washingon. In addiion, he was he younges recipien ever, a 35, o be awarded he Noble Peace Prize. King hough is probably bes known hroughou he world for his I have a Dream speech and how he lobbied for civil righs legislaion which resuled in he passing of he Civil Righs Ac of U.S. Army Phoo/ Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun FLIGHT LOG More news and evens from he Iron Eagle Brigade Every Friday here will be Co-Ed compeiive volleyball held a building 621T (Indoor Gym) from The Army Team Soldier cerificaion logo helps Soldiers idenify off-he-shelf iems ha have been Army esed and approved by program execuive office Soldier. For more informaion visi There will be a 4 on 4 baskeball ournamen saring on Feb. 2 a building 621T (Indoor Gym). The ournamen is for baalion and brigade level eams only. To voluneer o be a referee conac Cap. Rene Marinez a rene. marinez@iraq. cencom.mil. ATC Soldiers become cerified by FAA a Camp Taji airfield Sory by Sg. 1s Class Bren Hun Three Muli-Naional Division Baghdad air raffic conrollers have become officially raed for he firs ime in heir careers by he Federal Aviaion Adminisraion a Camp Taji. Spc. Radha Bhramda from New York Ciy, Pfc. Jose Cordova from Phoenix, and Pfc. Sco Vongpradih from For Worh, Texas, assigned o Company F, 2nd Baalion, Comba Aviaion Brigade, 4h Infanry Division, reached he milesone six monhs ino he Iron Eagle brigade s deploymen o Iraq. To become raed by he FAA, he Soldiers had o qualify a he wo-posiion air raffic conrol ower a he airfield on Camp Taji. The qualificaion included 154 days of on he job raining a he fligh daa and local/ ground conroller saions. Being raed means you are proficien a your job, said Bhramda who is serving on her firs deploymen o he region. This faciliy is very busy and he hardes par is keeping everyhing safe and having o muli-ask. Learning how o deal wih muliple aircraf simulaneously is ough. Bhramda works in a company of more han 40 air raffic conrollers who are responsible for safely orchesraing arrivals and deparures of various ypes of fixed and roary wing aircraf. Flighs depar and land boh day and nigh a he airfield norh of Baghdad, and he air raffic conrollers coordinae heir movemens so accidens do no occur. FEBRUARY

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