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Greetings Steel Warrior Family. The past few months have been extremely busy for this unit. The battalion has successfully completed our month long off post training event at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. The Soldiers were extremely motivated to complete live fire exer-cises, MOS training and multiple weapon systems qualifications. I am proud of the training we accom-plished while at Fort Chaffee and appreciate the hard work from the Soldiers. We arrived back to a wonderful welcoming party and spent long nights recovering our vehicles and equipment. After our recovery period, the battalion is ready for the holiday season. After Thanksgiving, the Steel Warriors will conduct
overnight field training exercises, continuing to train on their assigned weapons and mission essential task lists. Also prior to Christmas, Alpha Battery will be traveling to Fort Hood December 5
th-14
th to teach the functions and operation of
the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems to units on the installation. The Command encourages all Soldiers to spend the maximum amount
of time during block leave with their Families. Block Leave will run from 17 De-cember 2012 through 2 January 2013. At this time those Soldiers not on block leave will work half day schedules.
During the holiday session, many Families may experience an increased level of stress due to money, traveling, and school closings. The Steel Warrior Battalion, along with Fort Sill agencies extend various resources to help with any issues that may arise. Our Brigade Military Family Life Consultant and Family Readiness Leaders have been trained to identify any agencies or resources that are available to make it easier to survive the holiday session. Also, feel free to check the 1-14
th Family Readiness Group Facebook for updates on all battalion
holiday celebration events or your unit’s FRG Leader.
“Steel Warriors!” LTC Will Johnson Steel 6
Issue 4 December 2012
Steel Warrior
A , 1 - 1 4 F A
From 25 September-19 October, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 14
th Field Artillery Regiment
conducted a month long field training exercise (FTX) in Fort Chaffee, AR. The training focus was centered towards executing various ranges and qualifying platoon leadership by testing Platoon Leader’s reaction to IED attacks, ambushes, evacuations, and a number of wartime scenarios. The culminating event was a night fire where we shot 12 rockets down range, and a BN BBQ to congratulate the Soldiers on all their hard work and participation.
We used the knowledge gained and lessons learned from the Fort Chaffee deployment to execute our own Platoon FTX from 27-29 No-vember here at Fort Sill with 2
nd Fires Platoon
lead by 2LT Young and SFC Barker. The dy-namic duos led their Soldiers through convoy operations, ranges, and tactical scenarios which enforced the training obtained while at Fort Chaffee. Concurrently, the team conducting training at Fort Hood HIMARS Support Mission
was also finalizing the last requirements of training. From 30 November to 14 December, the Fort Hood Mobile Training Team will provide instruction and train the 2-20 FA Battalion on equipment and provide subject matter expertise on our HIMARS system for their unit sustain-ment training prior to their deployment. The Assassins would like to congratulate CPL Dickson, SGT Holmes, SSG Hughes, and PFC Rodriquez for their participation in the 214
th Fires BDE Combative Tournament held at
Honeycutt Fitness Center on 15-16 November. CPL Dickson received 1st place in the Middle-
weight division and SGT Holmes received 3rd
place in the Welterweight division. Lastly, we will end the quarter with a Holiday Dinner provided by our Battery FRG at LETRA on 29 November. Soldiers and their families are encouraged to attend and celebrate the up-coming holidays so we can welcome the start of a new year with new feats to accomplish. Thank you and all your families for their support and we wish you a wonderful holiday season.
WHO DARES, WINS! CPT Sean A Grevious
ASSASSIN 6
ASSASSINS
Combative Tournament
November 15-16
Soldiers During
the Fort Bliss
Training
H 2 6 , 1 - 1 4 F A
WOLFPACK
FAMILY READINESS IS TIED DIRECTLY TO COMBAT READINESS
Commanding Officer CPT Heath Bixel 580-442-0277 [email protected] First Sergeant 1SG Robert Solis 580-442-0278 580-917-5951 [email protected] Executive Officer Mr. Bobby Eastwood 580-442-0279 [email protected] Point of Contacts Mirtha Solis FRG Leader [email protected] [email protected] Amber Eastwood 817-629-7249 Welcoming [email protected] Sharon Kedrowski FRG Advisor Cell 580-917-0048 [email protected] Jasmine Alderman FRG Secretary Cell 434-509-3241 [email protected] Shantel Lang FRG Treasurer Cell 760-987-5466 [email protected] Ariel Bergeron Cell 228-369-4651 [email protected] Ashley Schmitz 224-213-5642 [email protected] DIRECT EMAIL LIST: Send email to [email protected]
It is a great honor and privilege to join H-26 FA as your new battery com-mander. The New Year offers many new opportunities for the battery as we continue to train and refine our skills for our wartime mission. My wife Stephanie and I look forwards to starting this new chapter of our lives with H-26. I am from Tucson, AZ and graduated in 2005 from Arizona State University. Following completion of training here at Ft Sill, I served at Ft. Lewis, WA and Vilseck, Germany with the 2
nd Cavalry Regiment, where I worked as a Fire Support Officer,
Target Acquisition Platoon Leader, Headquarters Platoon Leader, and Targeting Offi-cer. I also served at Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD as a ground liaison officer, and prior to command as a Logistics Mentor to the Afghan National Police with the 214
th
Brigade Security Force Assistance Team (SFAT) mission. I have deployed to Iraq in 2007-09, to Qatar in 2010, and just returned from Afghanistan this October. I met my wife here in Lawton in 2010, and married in April of this year, just prior to deploying to Afghanistan. I would like to close by extending my open door policy to all the soldiers, spouses, and family members of H-26. It is important for everyone to address issues with their chain of command; however I am available 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you have issues that you feel are not being addressed or not coming to my attention. I look forward to working with, and getting to know the whole H-26 family. Courage and Action! CPT Heath A. Bixel
Commander, H Battery, 26 Field Artillery (Target Acquisition)
F a m i l y R e a d i n e s s N e w s
Christmas Party We will be having our battery Christmas party at the Twin Oaks Bowling Alley on post. We have had suggestions regarding the location of the party. Some of the families have expressed the desire to hold a pot luck party where the children as well as the adults can participate. We have small children who are not old enough to bowl. We would like your input. Please let me know if you would like to continue with the original plan of the bowling alley.
W e l c o m e
Captain Heath Bixel and wife Stephanie
SPC Robert Underwood and wife Amber Nicole Children: Kayden (4 years old) and Kevin (1 year old)
The last few months have been very busy for the Soldiers of Headquarters Battery as we continue our commitment to excel-lence. Soldiers have continued to excel both on and off duty, win-ning Soldier Boards, Combative Tournaments, and receiving ac-colades from across the Brigade.
The Battery has undergone many changes since CPT McKean joined the team in August 2012. Almost immediately the batter went to the field supporting the battalion’s off post training ex-ercise at Fort Chaffee. The battery spent weeks in the field, and in addition to supporting the battalion qualified our personnel on the M16 rifle and various crew served weapon systems. The Officers, NCOs and Soldiers alike have grown tremendously and look for-ward to the next opportunity to highlight their skills.
HHB has great things lined up in the next couple of months including crew served weapons ranges, convoy live fire and much more. But first, we will pause and allow Families to spend valuable time with their loved ones over the Holiday Season. We are currently preparing for a battalion field exercise in January. The upcoming exercise will support another battalion live fire and allow the battery to showcase its commitment to excellence and maintain their technical and tactical expertise.
The battery would like to extend a warm Hellraiser welcome to the newest members of the team; 1LT Fiol, SGT Parra-Aceves, SPC Gardner, PFC Alipio, and PVT Harmon.
I would like to personally thank Mrs. Chantelle Reynolds, SPC Balcinovic and all of the ladies of our FRG for their help in putting together our HHB Holiday party set for December 7th. I have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of Soldier & Family participation and know our FRG continues to grow and put together great events for the battery. Thanks to the Soldiers and families for your continued support. Have a safe and happy Holiday Season!
CPT Brandon McKean
HELLRAISER 6
H H B , 1 - 1 4 F A
HELLRAISER
Hellraiser Soldiers con-
ducting Military Opera-
tions on Urban Terrain
HHB Assumption of
Command
HHB medics conducting
a mock mass casualty
training exercise
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Army Family Action Plan took place as Delegates, subject matter experts and facilitators gathered at the Graham Resiliency Campus Nov. 13-15 to identify, discuss and prioritize issues of importance to military Families and the Fort Sill community. Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general, was briefed on those issues the delegates deemed im-portant for resolution. Issues that cannot be resolved locally will be sent to De-partment of the Army for resolution.
214th Fires Brigade Run for the Fallen was held on 21 November. Amanda Alexander fired the cannon, signifying the start. Alexander was one of many Gold Star family members who attended the event. “Firing the cannon was amazing and a very loud experience. It was such an honor to be able to start the race,” said Alexander.
