Multi-National Division Baghdad First Team...Team First Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Soldiers deliver food to orphanage By Sgt. Philip Schratwieser 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf. Div., PAO BAGHDAD Soldiers of Company C of the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, Paxton Rangers, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad conducted a combined patrol through Abu Ghraib June 25 to disrupt insurgents in the area and improve their relationship with their Iraqi counterparts. The area they patrolled is called the 1st of June as Iraqis often name areas after significant dates in their history. Leading the patrol was a platoon from the 24th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. As a result of the agreement between Coalition forces and the nation of Iraq all combat operations are now conducted jointly. One of the goals of these joint operations is training, another is to show the people that there is a transition happening as Coalition forces begin pulling back. Part of today s mission was to take a small step in attempting to improve those relationships. Under the guidance of Co C of the 2-112 Paxton Rangers dozens of bags of beans, rice, canned meat, bottled water and other supplies were given to the Iraqi Army Soldiers. As they began their patrol, they stopped at a number of houses handing out these bags and holding brief conversations with the residents. They were surprised as they came to an unofficial orphanage and were surrounded by kids. Finding an orphanage right away was really good, said Staff Sgt. Andrew Fox from Reedsville, Pa., 2-112th. We were really able to help some needy people. Medical issues were discussed and the location was marked in order to bring back supplies and a medic. As is often the case, once word starts getting around that things are being given away, a crowd starts to develop as the Soldiers came upon a medical clinic, little more than a small drug store next to a shop selling automotive fluids. Stryker s and Iraqi Army trucks were setup around the area to provide security as Soldiers were sent in all directions in order to keep an eye out for possible attack. Dozens of bags of food were unloaded as people started coming from all directions. The Iraqi Army soldiers kept order and quickly formed the people into a line. The residents thanked the soldiers as they left. Within just a few minutes the food was gone. Well, it s important to help get the community back on its feet. We work with the Iraqi Army in joint patrols, said Sgt. Sean Rawlings from Clearfield, Pa. We re kind of like role models. Seeing the kids is the best part. They re a lot of fun. Photo by Sgt. Philip Schratwieser, 2nd HBCT PAO Staff Sgt. Joel Oravitz from Beaver Falls, Pa., and Spc. Mark Laird from Phoenix, Ariz., both of the 2nd Bn., 112th Inf. Regt., Paxton Rangers, 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf. Div., load bags of food onto an Iraqi Army truck. The food was distributed to residents of the 1st of June area of Abu Ghraib during a joint foot patrol on June 25. Photo by Sgt. Philip Schratwieser, 2nd HBCT PAO Sgt. Andrew Fox from Reedsville, Pa., of the 2nd Bn., 112th Inf. Regt., Paxton Rangers, 2nd HBCT, 1st Inf. Div., MND-B, shows the contents of one of the food bags being distributed by the joint Coalition force and Iraqi Army foot patrol to a newly discovered orphanage.
PAGE 2 June 30, 2009 Dagger lifeline: Moving on the streets of Iraq By Staff Sgt. Peter Ford MND-B PAO BAGHDAD Much like blood that flows through the human body, Soldiers of the 299th Brigade Support Battalion Lifeline, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division move through streets of Iraq in the silence of night to support forward operating bases throughout the Baghdad area. Missions are done at night because there is less traffic, said 1st. Lt. Harris Malik, a native of Strongsville, Ohio, and convoy commander for A Company, 299th BSB. Coalition forces are less visible at night and chances of having an accident are much smaller, he added. Lifeline troops quietly transport vital equipment to FOBs every night; protected by Soldiers who provide security to ensure requested items arrive at their destinations. The U.S. troops weave through the streets of Baghdad with the satisfaction of knowing they are making a major contribution to each mission on the FOBs. I like to use the analogy of a football team when it comes to my Soldiers, said Command Sgt. Maj. Julia Kelly, a Pryor, Mont., native and ammunition specialist assigned to the 299th BSB. We are like the line and the combat Soldiers are the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receiver, who get all the glory, but the line of the football team knows the star players can t score without the blocking in the trenches. The lifeline quietly moves food, water and parts to supply FOBs with the necessary equipment that will enable Soldiers to be self-sufficient and to complete their missions. This week we had the task of supplying FOB Justice with water and ice because they had water issue with the Iraqi water supply, said Malik. Thanks to the dedication of the lifeline, Justice never had to worry about drinking water, or water for personal hygiene. The greatest reward the Soldiers of the 299th BSB say they can receive is the appreciation of their comrades in arms for the contribution they have made to support them over the years, continued Malik. I feel really good when the contributions to the mission are appreciated, he said. Under the cover of darkness, dedicated Lifeline Soldiers of the Spc. Angelica Windley, a supply specialist from Washington, N.C., and Sgt. William Knapp, a logistics noncommissioned officer from Richmond, Va., both of HHC, 299th BSB, 2nd Bde., 1st Inf. Div., load supplies before patrol rehearsal drills at Camp Liberty, June 22. 299th BSB continue to drive the streets of Baghdad to provide vital equipment and supplies to keep the organizations of the Coalition forces fully functional. Dragons public work projects flourish in Diyala By Pfc. Adam Halleck 1st BCT PAO DIYALA PROVINCE, Iraq The streets of Tuwaitha, Jisr Diyala, and Jurf Nadaf West are cleaner than ever now that the 1st Dragons Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division has teamed-up with local leaders in the province, which is north of Baghdad, in order to provide funding for public works projects. Staff Sgt. Nicholas Lien, a native of Whitewater, Wis. and 1st Lt. Douglas Henry, a native of Edmond, Okla. who represent the Civil Affairs Team for the Dragons, selected three separate areas within the Diyala Province for joint public works. The projects are aimed to employ the transitioning Sons of Iraq and disadvantaged residents of the area. The work consists of cleaning up the streets and surrounding areas of trash. Efforts like these increase sanitation standards and will provide protection to local residents and Coalition forces. In Tuwaitha, a local water treatment facility was chosen as the heart of their efforts. Sheikh Mahmood Jablowi, a local leader, was placed in charge of 118 employees as well as day-to-day operations of the project. Prior to the projects inception, the water treatment facility was inoperable and trash ridden. Due to the efforts of public works in recent weeks the facility has become fully operational. The water treatment facility once again supplies clean water to the 100,000 people of Tuwaitha and provid employment to 118 local residents. I ve seen the progress this project has made and I am more than impressed, Lien expressed to Sheikh Jablowi while on a visit to the facility. It is a good feeling to know that this project has been successful in not only employing the residents of your area, but has been able to provide clean water and cleaner streets for your people. In the neighboring city of Jisr Diyala, local leader Abdel Hamid was contracted by the Dragons Photo by Staff Sgt. Peter Ford, MND-B PAO to run the public works within the city. The project allows Hamid to employ 69 residents of Jisr Diyala, which is one of the busiest and most populated cities of the Diyala Province. Their job consists of cleaning the area on a daily basis, ensuring the sanitation and protection of the city. The Dragons hope that by providing work and employment, the citizens will become a valuable asset to the community. In addition, new jobs mitigate the possibility that military age men may resort to terrorist activity in order to earn money. The public works projects are geared toward keeping the coalition forces and the local populous safe. This program has become a blessing for our community, said Hamid when Lien and Henry visited the area to pay the employees. The area is cleaner and our people have jobs. Our city is safer than ever and improving daily. The efforts by the Dragons also extend to Jurf Nadaf West, where local leader Sheikh Qais Shuter and the Dragons partnered to sponsor a project that employs 195 local residents. The area is a mixture of farmland and industry and was riddled with mounds of trash before the project began. The area has become trash-free as a result of the project. Our program is more successful than we could ve ever anticipated, explained Henry during a visit to Sheikh Qais facilities. We ve helped employ almost 400 people and by doing so improved sanitation and increased security within the local cities in Diyala. The projects have provided a steady income to the residents of Diyala, while at the same time cleaning and securing the cities in the province. The joint public works projects have increased security and positively impacted the local economy. Riding the current wave of success, the Dragons plan to continue to work hand-in-hand with the local population on the current public works projects within the area.
PAGE 3 June 30, 2009 Iraqis lead air assault operation MA DAIN REGION, Iraq Paratroopers assigned to K Troop, 5th Sqdn., 73rd Cav., 82nd Abn. Div., and National Police officers cross a trench in order to reach a village during Operation Winged Lion II, an Iraqi-led air assault clearance mission, June 26, in the Ma dain region, located outside of eastern Baghdad. All photos by Sgt. 1st Class Alex Licea, 3rd BCT PAO Paratroopers check their surrounding as a CH-47 Chinook helicopter takes off behind them during Operation Winged Lion II. The clearance operation was in order to deter enemy activity in the region and deny insurgent movement into Baghdad. National Police officers search for any suspicious inside of a home in a small village. More than 240 Iraqi and American personnel conducted the Iraqi-led operation in order to deny enemy movement into the city and seize potential weapons caches in the region. 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 # 99 was produced by Sgt Erik Fardette, MND-B Public Affairs Office. The June 29th newscast includes the following two stories: 1. Ground breaking ceremony at Baghdad Island. It was truly a joint effort by Iraqi and U.S. forces. A lot of work will be needed to refurbish the site. Baghdad Island had been a cultural oasis for the public before the war. It was a place for weddings and celebrations. 2. New program seeks to revitalize dairy industry in south Baghdad. U.S. Army and an Iraqi dairy farming family are spearheading a program to increase dairy farming in the area. By putting some of the small pieces in Paratroopers position themselves in order to provide support fire for their fellow Paratroopers and their Iraqi counterparts as they prepare to clear a nearby village. The Iraqi-led air assault clearance operation was in order to deny insurgent movement into the Iraqi capital. order and teaching Iraqis more about the industry, the government of Iraq should be able to take advantage and build upon the accomplishments of what has already been started. Fresh dairy products are enough incentive for the people. To hear the Cav Round-Up, click on the following links: NIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up SIPR LINK: Cav Round-Up Check out more news at the 1st Cavalry Division s homepage: www.cavcountry.net
PAGE 4 June 30, 2009 On This Day In Military History 1862 - The Seven Days Battles continues at Glendale (White Oak Swamp), Virginia, as Robert E. Lee has a chance to deal a decisive blow against George B. McClellan s Army of the Potomac. Lee s Army of Northern Virginia had already won the Seven Days Battles, but the Confederates attempt to rout McClellan cost many Southern McCLELLAN casualties. For two months, the Union army sailed down Chesapeake Bay and then inched up the James Peninsula. In late June, the two forces began a series of clashes in which McClellan became unnerved and began to retreat to his base at Harrison s Landing on the James River. Lee hounded him on the retreat. On June 30, Lee plotted a complex attack on the Yankees as they backed down the peninsula. He hoped to hit the front, flank, and rear of the Union army to create confusion and jam the escape routes. Those attacks did not succeed, as they required precise timing. Lee s own generals were confused, the attacks developed slowly, and they made only temporary ruptures in the Federal lines. Most disappointing for Lee was the performance of General Thomas J. Stonewall Jackson. Jackson was coming off a brilliant campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, but he showed little of his skill during the Seven Days Battles. His corps halted at the edge of White Oak Swamp, and he focused his attention on taking a bridge from the Yankees. His officers located fords that would have allowed his men to bypass the bottleneck, but Jackson stayed put. This allowed the Union to move troops from Jackson s sector of the battlefield to halt a Confederate attack in another area. Lee s failure at Glendale permitted McClellan s army to fall back to higher, more defensible locations. The next day, July 1, Lee assaulted Malvern Hill and his army suffered tremendous casualties in the face of a withering Union artillery barrage. MND-B Pic of the day! Photo by Sgt. Doug Roles, 56th SBCT PAO BAGHDAD Pfc. Amanda Po, of Philadelphia, a geospatial analyst with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, shows Ministry of Water and Ministry of Agriculture technicians features of a mapping program, June 21, during a conference in the International Zone. Po and another Soldier from the Stryker brigade s geospatial intelligence cell presented a week-long course on compiling GIS data related to agriculture. Famous Feats of Chuck Norris Did you know? Chuck Norris was originally slated to play the Terminator, but movie execs decided against it because documentaries traditionally don t make it big at the box office.
PAGE 5 June 30, 2009 Pvt. Murphy by Mark Baker Quote For Today It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man. Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790 American Statesman, Inventor Iraq 3-Day Weather Report Today 114 F 89 F Trigger s Teasers The objective of the game is to fill all the blank squares in a game with the correct numbers. There are three very simple constraints to follow: Every row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9. Every Sudoku game begins with a number of squares already filled in, and the difficulty of each game is largely a function of how many squares are filled in. The more squares that are known, the easier it is to figure out which numbers go in the open squares. As you fill in squares correctly, options for the remaining squares are narrowed and it becomes easier to fill them in. Tomorrow 113 F 87 F Thursday 113 F 91 F Yesterday s Answers Multi-National Division - Baghdad Public Affairs Office Commanding General: Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. Philip Smith Public Affairs Chief: Master Sgt. Nicholas Conner Editor: Spc. Howard Alperin Staff Writers: Sgt. 1st Class Ron Burke Sgt. 1st Class Joel Quebec Staff Sgt. Mark Burrell Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp Staff Sgt. Peter Ford Sgt. Joshua Risner Sgt. Jon Soles Spc. Laura Johnson Spc. Phillip Adam Turner The Daily Charge is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Daily Charge are not official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of the Army, or the 1st Cavalry Division. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry, or The Daily Charge of the products and services advertised. All editorial content of The Daily Charge is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the Multi-National Division Baghdad Public Affairs Office. Do you have a story to share? The Daily Charge welcomes columns, commentaries, articles, letters and photos from readers. Submissions should be sent to the Public Affairs NCOIC nicholas.conner@mnd-b.army.mil and include author s name, rank, unit and contact information. The Daily Charge reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the paper. For further information on deadlines, questions, comments or a request to be on our distribution list, email the Editor at howard.alperin@mnd-b.army.mil