Wearing their wartime service on their sleeve: MND-B troopers don First Team combat patch

Transcription

1 Multi-National Division Baghdad First Team...Team First Friday, March 13, 2009 Wearing their wartime service on their sleeve: MND-B troopers don First Team combat patch By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp MND-B PAO CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq A former commanding general for the 1st Cavalry Division, Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli who now serves as the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, once said that wearing the 1st Cavalry Division First Team patch changes its wearers to some extent, making them walk a little prouder and talk a little louder because of the pride they feel for their unit. With this description as an underlying theme, approximately 80 Soldiers from the Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cav. Div., Multi-National Division-Baghdad along with troops from an attached unit, the 211th Public Affairs Detachment, donned the division s combat patch on their right sleeve for the very first time during a patch ceremony here March 10. DSTB Soldiers are serving a 12-month tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and receiving the combat patch is always a major honor while serving in the combat zone, according to Lt. Col. Matthew Karres, commander, DSTB. It definitely means a lot and it s significant in the fact that they ve definitely earned it, said Karres. This signifies their sacrifices and to some extent their families sacrifices as it s earned while they re away from their families. Prior to the Soldiers receiving their patches, the First Team band played Garryowen, the official tune of the 1st Cav. as Soldiers attending the ceremony clapped along with the music. Once the music faded, a history of the patch was read explaining its symbolism. Designed by Col. and Mrs. Ben Dorsey when Col. Dorsey was the 7th Cavalry Regiment commander at Fort Bliss, Texas, the Army first approved the patch for shoulder sleeve wear in the early 1920s. Yellow in the patch represents the sunset with black representing iron and the cavalry s transition from horses to heavy armor and tanks. The stripe represents a baldric, similar to a Sam Browne belt which was a belt worn over the right shoulder and flowing to the opposite hip. Finally, the horse head harkens to the cavalry s original mounts and its original structure. During the Vietnam War, a subdued version was adopted for combat uniforms as both a unit patch, worn on the left sleeve, and as a combat patch, donned on the right. Karres addressed the crowd during a By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp, MND-B PAO During a combat patch ceremony on Camp Liberty, Lt. Col. Matthew Karres, commander, Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, affixes the 1st Cav. Div. First Team combat patch to the right sleeve of San Antonio native Staff Sgt. Susan Au (far left), an intelligence analyst with Company B, DSTB, March 10 speech, emphasizing a few of the other things that the patch represents which were not mentioned during the reading of the patch history. I m very proud and challenge each of you to live up to the responsibility of being part of the First Team family, said Karres. [The patch] is a symbol of selfless service and you are forever a member of the First Team. Toward the end of the ceremony, the Soldiers stood with shiny new patches on their right sleeves and joined in singing the Army Song as the 1st Cav. Div. Band played the tune. See PATCH Pg. 2

2 PAGE 2 March 13, 2009 For many Soldiers the ceremony represented their first time receiving a combat patch PATCH, From Pg 1 For many Soldiers the ceremony represented their first time receiving a combat patch denoting their first time in a combat zone. For others who have served with previous units it was their second or third, and in some cases, fourth time receiving a combat patch but their first time while serving in the Cav. Pfc. Rosanne Robinson, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist for Co. A, DSTB said the ceremony was one of the highlights of her tour and something that she has been looking forward to for quite some time. This is definitely one of my short-term goals so it s just one more thing to mark off my list, said Robinson, who hails from Granite City, Ill., explaining that she is keeping track of all the significant events that will take place for her during this particular deployment as it is her first time in a combat zone. Versailles, Ohio native Spc. Chaene Kingrey, an intelligence specialist with Co. B, DSTB, said the experience is one he would not have missed for the world. I m very excited and I can t put into words the emotions that I m feeling, Kingrey said. And I m looking forward to the rest of the deployment. You can always hear what it s like here in Iraq but until you ve actually experienced it you really don t feel like you re part of the Cav, Kingrey added, explaining that getting the combat patch makes him feel much more like part of the First Team. Although receiving a combat patch might seem like By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp, MND-B PAO With shiny new 1st Cavalry Division combat patches on their right sleeves, Soldiers from the Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cav. Div. and attached troops from the 211th Military Public Affairs Detachment, sing the Army Song during a combat patch ceremony March 10 at Camp Liberty. something commonplace, the Soldiers said it represents something much larger it is a symbol for the reason they are serving in the combat zone. Our mission here is a good thing and something I definitely believe in, said Robinson. This is what I ve wanted to do since I was a contractor working in Iraq in 2005, but I was too old. But when the age limit [to join the Army] was raised, I jumped in and wanted to be a part of history. The military as a whole we ve really come a long way with the things we ve accomplished since OIF I, said Kingrey. As more things are turned over to the Iraqis it shows those of us deployed and the folks back in the states that we re one step closer to coming home. I like what we re doing here, added Kingrey. I see the mission as a whole as worthwhile and we re making a difference. Immediately following the ceremony, DSTB leadership hosted a cake-cutting ceremony for the newly initiated First Team combat patch holders and also presented them with certificates indicating that they are authorized to wear shoulder sleeve insignia for former wartime service. Iraqi engineers get a taste of the Big Easy By Sgt. Rebekah Malone and Scott Flenner 225th Eng. Bde., PAO, 1st Cav. Div. BAGHDAD Soldiers of the 225th Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Multi- National Division Baghdad, didn t get enough of Mardi Gras on the actual holiday so they celebrated two weeks late with their Iraqi engineer partners in Baghdad March 7. Or 50 weeks early, depending on your outlook. Engineer Call, a monthly social intended to bring both U.S. and Iraqi Army engineers together in a casual atmosphere, aims at forging a strong relationship between both groups. This month s social, the first held by the Louisiana based engineers, did not disappoint. Gumbo, the 1st Cavalry Division Jazz Band, hundreds of colored beads and an indescribable, almost electric spirit, created a night in Iraq the 6th Iraqi Army Engineers would not soon forget. When everybody got there, See BIG EASY Pg. 3 Courtesy photo by Julie Dermansky Members of the 225th Engineer Brigade, share a little bit of funk and Louisiana spirit with members of the 6th Iraqi Army Engineers during a Mardi Gras themed engineer call on Camp Liberty, March 7.

3 PAGE 3 March 13, 2009 Iraqi Colonel says he wants to go to the real Mardi Gras one day Courtesy photo by Julie Dermansky Col. Ahmed Saddam, commander of the 6th Iraqi Army engineers, shares in dance with his Louisiana National Guard partners from the 225th Engineer Brigade during a Mardi Gras themed engineer call on Camp Liberty. BIG EASY, From Pg 2 they could feel the atmosphere was different, Lt. Col. LaDenna Piper, originally from New Orleans said. We shared a part of our state with everyone and they got to see the best Louisiana has to offer; the joy of friendship, the joy of song, and the joy of life. That s what Mardi Gras is all about. Piper explained Iraqis have the same love of family and religion that is celebrated during Mardi Gras. We should use that sameness to bridge our differences. We re more alike than you think we are and that s what we need to focus on, she said. Col. Ahmed Saddam, commander of the 6th Iraqi Army Engineers, told the crowd of several hundred Soldiers he would Courtesy photo by Julie Dermansky Brig. Gen. Owen Monconduit (right), commander of the 225th Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, shows off his dance moves to members of the 6th Iraqi Army Iraqi Army engineer Soldiers during a Mardi Gras event. never forget the Mardi Gras experience and it had touched his heart in a special way. He also said it is a life goal of his to make it to a genuine Mardi Gras in Louisiana one day. Donations from Operation Overseas Mardi Gras, established by the group, Soldier s Angels, assisted in transforming the plain courtyard area on Camp Liberty into Bourbon Street for the evening. Hanging lights, street signs and colorful décor created an ambiance reminiscent of many evenings spent in the French Quarter. The street signs were perfect, they gave it a New Orleans feel to it, said Piper. Putting the jazz combo next to one of the lamp posts struck a cord. The sunset was beautiful and the music just touched me. Cav Round-Up radio newscast available MND-B PAO BAGHDAD The Cav Round-Up is a three-minute radio newscast from Baghdad covering military units and events across Multi-National Division Baghdad. Today s Cav Round-Up, No. 21, was produced by Sgt. Lisa Heise, MND-B Public Affairs Office. The March 11th newscast includes the following three stories: 1. The MRAP is big, tall and heavily armored to keep Soldiers safe. But some resourceful MND-B Soldiers have found a way to mitigate hazards posed by low-hanging electrical wires. 2. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, turns the Shulla neiborhood in Baghdad back over to the Iraqis. The 6th Iraqi Army Division took over the area. 3. The Army s senior medic, Command Sgt. Maj. Althea Dixon, visited Camp Liberty and discussed the role of non-commissioned officers regarding the newly released Army Medicine Strategic Map. Go online to the following links for instant access to the Cav Round-Up and other products. NIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up SIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up Check out other MND-B products, such as the weekly 1st Team Update video news program, and the latest print stories at the 1st Cavalry Division s homepage:

4 PAGE 4 March 13, 2009 Hunting in harm s way: 731st EOD Co. Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell MND-B PAO BAGHDAD On the roads of Baghdad, a Soldier s heart pounds as his convoy halts, having just spotted a suspected improvised explosive device. But he makes a call and relief is in sight. When Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces roll up on potential IEDs, a call is made to the 731st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company from Fort Stewart, Ga. You have to have a little crazy in you to go down to an IED, exclaims Spc. Lyle Poss, an EOD technician and native of Lake Ozark, Mo. Somebody s got to do it, so it might as well be someone who s well-trained. Though the personnel of the 731st EOD might be a little crazy to be able to muster the courage to dismantle bombs, they are definitely proficient at what they do. You re not going to take a Joe and have him poke around with an IED, continued an animated Poss. Our job is to render safe and dispose of any ordinance that causes harm in country. That means anything from unexploded artillery shells to explosively formed penetrators to weapons caches. No two calls are ever the same, said Sgt. Helen Petithory, an EOD technician from Mobile, Ala. It s never boring as long as you have something to do. In this operating environment, the passionate EOD personnel are always on-call. We re extremely specialized and the only ones able to mitigate the risk to the troops, said Poss. Also, we really help protect the local populace, not just the lives of the Iraqi Army, Iraqi Police and the Coalition force, but local nationals. Protecting people is foremost in an EOD technician s job. A kid could find an unexploded grenade and pull the pin, Poss continued. Doing our jobs protects people from not having to go into their backyard and find an artillery shell that s going to blow them away. In Baghdad, unexploded ordnance from years of conflict could harm innocent people or be used against CF or ISF. The 731st EOD Company s commitment to diminishing this threat leads to long hours either waiting for an IED report or traveling down treacherous, uneven dirt roads. Out here when I m doing my job, I m actually doing something good, expressed Petithory. Mainly when we go out, we re making sure someone s not going home missing an arm or a leg. Regardless if it s us or an [Iraqi Soldier] or an [Iraqi police officer] - somebody s going to actually survive intact and that gives me a warm fuzzy. The EOD team not only helps protect ISF, but also works as partners with Iraqi EOD. Iraqi EOD and us - we have a pretty good working relationship, said Poss. Lots of times we go out to a site and they re already there, we just kinda take an over watch position and make sure they re doing it right. When EOD arrives on scene and safely disarms a device, they analyze the situation and compile a report. The knowledge that the EOD technicians amass proves that courage isn t the only talent that these explosives specialists possess. Poss pointed to his head stating, This job is a lot more about what s up here. He then flexed, pointed to his biceps and said, Than about what s right here. By Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell, MND-B PAO Air Force Staff Sgt. Lazaro Acosta (right), assigned to the 731st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, receives information from the Iraqi Army after being called out to dispose of an improvised explosive device Mar. 3 in Baghdad. By Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell, MND-B PAO Staff Sgt. Clayton Hendricks, a combat engineer from Placerville, Calif., assigned to the 731st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 2nd BCTeam, 1st Infantry Division, takes time away from searching for bombs with the EOD technicians to say, Hi to a friend Mar. 3.

5 PAGE 5 March 13, 2009 On This Day In Military History On this day, March 13, in 1945, a Soldier s courageous actions on the battlefield in France earned him the Medal of Honor. Tech Sgt. Morris E. Crain of Kentucky was serving in the 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, in Haguenau, France, when his unit became involved in heavy urban combat against German soldiers. Tech Sgt. Crain led his platoon against German infantry backed by tanks and artillery in order to enlarge a bridgehead across the Moder River. With great daring and aggressiveness, he spearheaded the platoon in killing 10 enemy soldiers, capturing 12 more and securing its objective near an important road junction. Although Tech Sgt. Crain and his men were the targets of artillery, mortar and rifle fire, he moved about among his men during the day, exhorting them to great efforts and encouraging them to stand firm. He carried ammunition and maintained contact with the company command post, exposing himself to deadly enemy fire. At nightfall, the enemy barrage became more intense and tanks entered the fray to cover the German infantry. As buildings were being blasted the Germans, the American Soldiers fell back from house to house. Tech Sgt. Crain deployed another platoon and then rushed through murderous tank and small arms fire to the foremost house, which was being defended by five Soldiers. With a tank firing at the house and the Germans attacking from an adjoining room, Tech Sgt. Crain ordered his men to withdraw while remained and stood his ground, killing three more Germans. Tech Sgt. Crain fought to the death, and was finally killed when the house was destroyed. David Letterman s Top Ten Least Popular Stores At The Mall 10. Big, Tall & Gray 9. Ahmedinejad & Fitch 8. Denistry Shack 7. Burlington Goat Factory 6. Old Gravy 5. Frederick s of Trenton 4. Billy Dee Williams-Sonoma 3. Just Croutons 2. Larry King s Suspenders World 1. Sleepy s Infested Mattresses Iraq 3-Day Weather Report Today 86 F 69 F Tomorrow 78 F 55 F Saturday 77 F 53 F

6 PAGE 6 March 13, 2009 Pvt. Murphy by Mark Baker Quote For Today Be loyal to people in their absence. Then watch how others begin having more faith and confidence in you, because they know you won t be talking about them behind their backs. Stephen Covey American author, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People PEGASUS OASIS DFAC HOURS BREAKFAST 0530 TO 0830 LUNCH 1130 TO 1330 DINNER 1700 TO 2000 MIDNIGHT CHOW 2300 TO 0100 SUNDAY ONLY BRUNCH 0730 to 1330 DINNER 1700 to 2000 MIDNIGHT CHOW 2300 to 0100 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. 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. Jon Soles 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 Spc. Howard Alperin 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 jon. soles@mnd-b.army.mil