Multi-National Division Baghdad First Team...Team First Tuesday, March 10, 2009 MND-B Soldiers provide humanitarian aid in Radwaniyah By Spc. Kevin Holden, 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. Calumet, Mich. Native, 1st Lt. Michael Johnson (left), a platoon leader with Company C, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, speaks with local Jari village residents and listens to their comments and gratitude during a humanitarian aid mission to villagers in Radwaniyah March 6. By Spc. Kevin Holden 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. BAGHDAD Multi-National Division Baghdad Soldiers from Company C, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment; Radwaniyah Iraqi Police; and local sheiks joined together to provide food supplies, school bags and blankets for residents in Jari village March 6. Sheik Abed Ali Mansor, city council chairman, estimated that 350 parents live in Jari village and will benefit from this humanitarian aid supply. There have been humanitarian aid supplies to the Radwaniyah region before, but this is the first humanitarian aid supply to the people of Jari village, said Sheik Mansor. Sheik leaders from surrounding villages were also present to discuss how to provide school and food supplies for the other families in the region. Building good relations with local sheiks and tribal leaders has been an important mission to Coalition forces to make our humanitarian aid efforts a success, said 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, of Calumet Mich., a platoon leader with Co. C. The 445th Civil Affairs detachment attached to Co. C has performed multiple humanitarian events like these in southern Baghdad since October 2008. The Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Jim Bradford, works with the 445th Company C, Civil Affairs Team to make all our missions a success and to assist the Iraqi people with humanitarian issues in their communities, said Sgt. Alexi Rodriguez, of Tustin Mich. By Spc. Kevin Holden, 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. Sheik Abed Ali Mansor, Jari city council chairman, passes out humanitarian aid supplies to families of the Radwaniyah region in Jari March 6.
PAGE 2 March 10, 2009 MND-B Soldiers attend grand re-opening of school in Lutifiyah Spc. Jamie Vernon 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. BAGHDAD Teachers, students and Soldiers from Company A, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division Baghdad, met for the grand re-opening of Almuwifikia School in Lutifiyah, Mahmudiyah Qada March 3. The jubilant school children greeted the Soldiers when they arrived, waving flags and holding flowers. The Soldiers handed out back packs to the students, filled with school supplies and teaching aids for school s teachers. The event highlighted the $127,000 refurbishment project funded through the Commander s Emergency Response Program. The repairs to the school included new glass in the windows, electrical work and repairs, fresh paint, plumbing for the restroom, new roofs and various other needs around the school. Sheik Mohey Sadoon Muhammed, the principal of Almuwifikia School said the two-month venture signals a new beginning for the citizens. This was a big step in rebuilding our community. I am very thankful to have Coalition forces working together with us against the enemy, said Muhammed. The local leaders have created a Sons of Iraq checkpoint in the neighborhood near the school providing additional security for the students. The SoI has played a significant role in improving and maintaining security in the area with attacks and violence at their lowest levels in years. The grand re-opening of a school gives the students hope for a better future. The headmaster is trying to show the students that Coalition forces are here to help and the children s future will be better, said Portage, Ind. native Spc. Keisha Barajas, Civil Affairs Team 31, 1-63 CAB. By Spc. Jamie Vernon, 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. Jubilant Iraqi students fill the hallways during the grand re-opening of Almuwifikia School sponsored by the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment in Lutifiyah, Mahmudiyah Qada March 3. By Spc. Jamie Vernon, 2nd BCT PAO, 1st Armd. Div. Portage, Ind. native Spc. Keisha Barajas, Civil Affairs Team 31, 1st Combined Arms Battalion 63rd Armor Regiment, hands a teacher a bag of school supplies during the grand re-opening of Almuwifikia School in Lutifiyah, Mahmudiyah Qada March 3. The two-month, $127,000 refurbishment was funded by the Commander s Emergency Response Program and provides a more conducive environment for the Iraqi school children. The headmaster stated that in the past the students turned to Al-Qaida for help and false hope for a better living and future. The headmaster is teaching the students right from wrong and showing them how to take care of what they have and to appreciate it because sooner or later it may be gone, she said. The school decided to hold the grand reopening event to celebrate the major renovations that have been completed to give the students of Almuwifikia School a more conducive learning environment. Philadelphia native, 1st Lt. Chris Fluellen, 3rd platoon leader, Company A, said he was glad to see the school do a complete 180 degree turnaround, adding that it s good to see the children in an atmosphere where they can learn about culture and the world. I m happy my platoon had a small part in this and I will definitely take the memories with me, said Fluellen. The Soldiers of 1-63 CAB are currently working on another school renovation in the Lutifiyah area.
PAGE 3 March 10, 2009 Poor economy, re-up rates prompt changes in retention By Staff Sgt. Peter Ford MND-B PAO CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq At a time where our economy back home is ailing, the Army is having unprecedented success at retaining its Soldiers; especially in view of the new, flexible GI Bill and the job security that military service holds. That success has ushered in changes to how the Army conducts its retention business for the rest of this fiscal year. The booming flow of bonus money many Soldiers have come to expect may begin to trickle. Currently, the Department of the Army is reviewing a myriad of changes in the retention program, one being the bonus, said Sgt. Maj. Garrett Luplow, of the 1st Cavalry Division retention office. The Army uses retention bonuses as incentives used to help keep the force strong, explained Sgt. 1st Class Donna Schwann, an Army Reserve career counselor. The same reasons that drive Soldiers to re-enlist also drive changes in the retention process. When the number of personnel in the Army gets too low, bonuses are reconsidered and published two times per year. Conversely, when Army retention personnel meet or exceed strength quotas, so does the cash. A projected change for the active Army program is a decrease in the number of military occupational skills on the list for bonuses, said Luplow. However, in some of the most critical MOSs there will be an increase in the amount of money being paid. The last day for Reservists to re-enlist under the current bonus was March 5, 2009, said Schwann. Once the new list is published, those bonuses from the new list will be used. The robust bonus payment system used in the current retention program has also made an enormous impact on changes in the retention process. The bonus has been the deciding factor for many to re-enlist while the economy was strong, said Luplow. Soldiers are now reenlisting regardless of the bonus because of the weak economy. The active Army component is doing very well in retention. The last time I checked stats Feb. 27, the active Army had already completed 61 percent of its annual retention mission, Luplow added. The Army s annual retention goal for fiscal 2009 was set at 65,500. According to Luplow, the Army has already reenlisted over 40,000 Soldiers in just the last five months. Soldiers who are thinking about re-enlisting should make prompt decisions about their careers in the military. Because the Army is ahead of its retention goal, expect restrictions, said Ludlow. One of the restrictions is the implementation of the 90-day window. The 90-day window means if any Soldier gets within 90 days of their current reenlistment, they will not be able to re-enlist without an exception to policy letter. Soldiers should know their end time service date 24 months prior to reenlistment, said Luplow. If a Soldier does not take action before those 90 days, the Department of the Army retention figures the Soldier probably does not want to re-enlist. We are keeping more Soldiers than expected, said Luplow. This could possibly be the last deployment here for the 1st Cavalry Division, which can be a huge factor in the decision of many Soldiers who want to re-enlist. One of the biggest things Luplow hears from Soldiers is they love the Army, they love what they are doing for their country, but their biggest problem is the strain multiple deployments are putting on their families. Soldiers who re-enlist said they enjoy receiving bonuses but that the bonuses are not the only reason they re-enlist. The re-enlistment bonus is a plus, said Staff Sgt. Lalance Richardson. I love my job, I love the job security and I love to travel. I think the retention bonuses that the Army has offered us are great but I am grateful for the Army, because it has provided me an opportunity to advance personally and professionally, said Staff Sgt. Darryl McNealy, a native of Madisonville, Fla., an air traffic controller with Alpha Company, Division Support Troop Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. According to Luplow, the retention program is not just a tool to keep Soldiers in the Army; it is used to aid Soldiers in career progression. For example, if a military occupational skill is being phased out and the MOS is over-strength, the Soldier should see their unit career counselor to steer him down the right path to a successful, rewarding career, said Ludlow. The new version of the GI Bill is also expected to come out soon, added Luplow. The new GI Bill will allow Soldiers to transfer part of it to their dependents; where before, only a portion could be transferred and a portion of your bonus would be taken away if you were to transfer it to a family member, he said. New changes in retention are expected by June 2009. Soldiers looking to stay Army should adapt to these expected changes. The bonuses Soldiers may be shooting for might be well out of reach or have new restrictions placed on them. Luplow recommends that Soldiers should take a proactive approach to their military careers and not procrastinate with reenlistment, negating the effects of a 90-day window. Video available for first class of heavy equipment operators graduation MND-B PAO ADL SPORTS CENTER, Iraq A b-roll video package of the first graduating Class of Heavy Equipment Operators, is now available on the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System (DVIDS) at www.dvidshub.net. Young Iraqi men dance in celebration as they attend the first graduation ceremony of the heavy Equipment Class. The class started December 4, 2008 and graduated about 150 students. The first phase of the training was classroom instruction and the second part was hands on. The class targeted former Sons of Iraq members to give them a marketable job skill to help them secure employment and also aid in the rebuilding of Iraq. The students were paid $10 a day to attend the course, received a certificate of completion and will be entered into a job data base, similar to Monster.com, to aid them in finding a job. For the broadcast quality version of this video, please contact the Media Relations Staff with DVIDS at 678-421-6612 or e- mail news@dvidshub.net.
PAGE 4 March 10, 2009 Army s top medic visits Lifeline crew By Spc. Dustin Roberts 2nd HBCT PAO, 1st Inf. Div. BAGHDAD With top leaders in the U.S. Army naming 2009 as the Year of the Noncommissioned Officer, the Army s senior medic flew from Fort Sam Houston, Texas to Camp Liberty to meet with Multi-National Division Baghdad s Army Medical Corps enlisted leaders and Soldiers. Command Sgt. Maj. Althea Dixon, senior enlisted advisor to the Army Surgeon General, U.S. Army Medical Command, paid a visit to medical Soldiers serving with the 299th Brigade Support Lifeline Battalion, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, at the Riva Ridge Troop Medical Clinic on Camp Liberty March 5. One of the [reasons for] my visit was to see our medical people and to take a look at the services they are providing. Everybody knows the great medical support the Soldier s get when they are deployed, said Dixon, who was also there to update the troops on what s going on in the Army medical department. As the senior medic in the Army, I try my best to meet and talk with each and every medical Soldier, or as much of them as I can, and hear their concerns and ideas. To better understand their own rolls as medical NCOs, Dixon informed the Lifeline leaders about the recently released Army Medicine Strategic Map, which shows the key tactics and objectives for the medical corps in terms of leading, guiding and developing Soldiers. I want them to know where they fit in that strategy, said Dixon. Our mission is to train, develop and equip a medical force that supports full spectrum operations. Dixon also detailed the various aspects of being a leader in a Warrior Transition Unit (WTU), where many Soldiers in the Army s medical field may find themselves working. WTU s were created in 2007 to provide critical support to Soldiers wounded in combat and are expected to require at least six months of rehabilitation care and mental health management for themselves and their families. Working in a WTU is one of the toughest leadership jobs there is. In addition to taking care of injuries and medical problems they are taking care of emotional and family issues, said Dixon. There are many challenges to being a leader in a WTU; it s not a take a knee kind of job. Also a stressful but rewarding job, said Dixon, is being a medical Soldier working in combat operations because of the long hours of medical service to Soldiers. I am so proud of what these folks are doing out here. They are well trained, they are highly motivated and they are all about service, so I am really pleased at what I have seen so far. In a deployed environment, Soldiers have to constantly make sure they are combatready and Dixon said the Soldier-medics are one of the reasons why missions outside of the wire are successful. Dixon added that ysometimes the American people wonder why young people are By Spc. Dustin Roberts, 2nd HBCT PAO, 1st Inf. Div. Command Sgt. Maj. Althea Dixon (right), senior enlisted advisor to the Army Surgeon General, U.S. Army Medical Command, shakes hands with Command Sgt. Maj. Julia Kelly, senior enlisted leader, 299th Brigade Support Lifeline Battalion, at the Riva Ridge Troop Medical Clinic on Camp Liberty March 5. By Spc. Dustin Roberts, 2nd HBCT PAO, 1st Inf. Div. Ann Arbor, Mich. native, Staff Sgt. Randy Maurer (right), a medic serving with the 299th Brigade Support Battalion, shows the inside of a Heavy Armored Ground Ambulance to Command Sgt. Maj. Althea Dixon, senior enlisted advisor to the Army Surgeon General, U.S. Army Medical Command not afraid to volunteer to serve knowing that they could possibly be deployed in harm s way. I think one of the reasons why Soldiers don t hesitate to serve is because if they are deployed and should they become ill or injured, there are great medics out there to make sure that they are taken care of, she said. Army medicine helps keep the Army Strong.
PAGE 5 March 10, 2009 On This Day In Military History On this day, March 10, in 1945, a Soldier s courageous actions on the battlefield in World War II earned him the Medal of Honor. Pvt. First Class Thomas E. Atkins was serving with the 32nd Infantry Division on the Villa Verde Trail, Luzon, Philippine Islands. With 2 companions he occupied a position on a ridge outside the perimeter defense established by the 1st Platoon on a high hill. At about 3 a.m., two companies of Japanese attacked with rifle and machine gun fire, grenades, TNT charges, and land mines, severely wounding Pfc. Atkins and killing his 2 companions. Despite the intense hostile fire and pain from his deep wound, Pfc. Atkins held his ground and returned heavy fire. After the attack was repulsed, he remained in his precarious position to repel any subsequent assaults instead of returning to the American lines for medical treatment. An enemy machine gun, set up within 20 yards of his foxhole, vainly attempted to drive him off or silence his gun. The Japanese repeatedly made fierce attacks, but for four hours, Pfc. Atkins determinedly remained in his fox hole, bearing the brunt of each assault and maintaining steady and accurate fire until each charge was repulsed. At 7 a.m., 13 enemy dead lay in front of his position; he had fired 400 rounds, all he and his 2 dead companions possessed, and had used 3 rifles until each had jammed too badly for further operation. He withdrew during a lull to secure a rifle and more ammunition, and was persuaded to remain for medical treatment. While waiting, he saw a Japanese soldier within the perimeter and, seizing a nearby rifle, killed him. A few minutes later, while lying on a litter, he discovered an enemy group moving up behind the platoon s lines. Despite his severe wound, he sat up, delivered heavy rifle fire against the group and forced them to withdraw. Pfc. Atkins was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman. He returned to his native South Carolina and retired as a farmer. He died on Sept. 15, 1999. Iraq 3-Day Weather Report Today 73 F 53 F Tomorrow 77 F 55 F Atkins Thursday 80 F 62 F Arabic Phrase of the Day: Can you take me to that building? Defined: mumkin taakhudhni l-hadhiich il-binaaya? David Letterman s Top Ten Signs An NBA Game Is Fixed 10. Game begins 20 minutes before visiting team arrives. 9. Tip-off always goes to the player with the highest salary. 8. At the end of the first quarter, the score is 179 to 2. 7. Missed three-pointers count for two points if they re pretty close. 6. One of the Laker Girls looks suspiciously like Pete Rose. 5. Whenever he s open, referee takes a shot. 4. Scoreboard has disclaimer: All Scores Approximate. 3. The team loses even though it led in points, delegates and the popular vote. 2. Jack Nicholson scores 25 points from his seat. 1. The Knicks win. SFC Paul R. Smith Run Pre-registration for the Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith Memorial Run will be held through March 31. The run will be held on April 5, in remembrance of the sixth annivesary of his Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith s death. Send names to michael.stinnett@mnd-b.army.mil.
PAGE 6 March 10, 2009 Pvt. Murphy by Mark Baker Quote For Today The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped me to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity. Ulysses S. Grant 1822-1885 General of the Army of the United States,1866-1872 Eighteenth president of the United States, 1869-1877 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, email the Editor at jon. soles@mnd-b.army.mil