Wild Times 1/34 BSTB December 2011

Vol 1, No. 8

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Critical Life Support Services

Provided by Minnesota Soldiers

Camp Arifjan, Kuwait (Dec. 11, 2011) The key function of the

Zone 6 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is to form the

nucleus of the crisis action center for Zone 6. It is the focal

point for coordination and flow of critical information to the

commander and units operating in the Zone 6 area of

responsibility (AOR).

“We provide the necessary support to tenant units that just do

not know where to go to get help” said Sgt. 1st Class Derek

Bronson from Eagan, MN. Sgt. 1st Class Derek Bronson is the

non-commissioned officer in charge (NCOIC) of the day to day

operations of the Zone 6 EOC at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The EOC is a huge responsibility as it operates 24

hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

In addition to providing life support activities to Zone 6, the EOC assists with force protection actions by

deploying a roving patrol nightly to ensure the safety and security of the personnel in Zone 6, ensure all gates

are secured, and all lights are operational. This patrol is made up of personnel that reside in Zone 6. Each

night the roving patrol meets to receive their pre-mission brief. Once all the Soldiers have been briefed, they

deploy to patrol the zone to ensure that all force protection measures are up to standard and report anything

that is out of the ordinary or appears suspicious.

While the EOC is a busy place, they still find time to make their area feel a little more like home. Staff

Sgt. Sarah Rice from Hanover, MN started a garden in front of their office space. She said she planted the

garden for two reasons, “It's one of my favorite summer hobbies at home and I would have missed it too much

to go a whole year without it and there was a part of me that had to know that things could actually live in this

crazy extreme environment.”

Staff Sgt. Jerold Huntington from Minneapolis, MN also built a water

fountain in front of the EOC. It was built from supplies that Staff Sgt.

Huntington acquired and stored until he had all the necessary pieces

to make it happen. The waterfall creates a calming atmosphere for all

who need the EOC’s assistance. This has been a welcomed landmark

by all the tenants of Zone 6.

By: 1st Lt. Aaron Rindahl

Staff Sgt. Sarah Rice stands next to her over four foot

tall corn plant. Staff Sgt. Rice enjoys gardening back

home and was happy to continue the hobby during

her deployment to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

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Bring on the Pain!

Kuwait Naval Base, Kuwait (Dec. 23, 2011) - On the morning of December 23rd, 2011, Six teams set out on a mission to complete a Commander’s Challenge competition organized by the 7th Engineer Dive Team Commander, Capt. Scott Sann who wanted to “test the unit’s physical and mental strength while simultaneously building esprit de corps through the unified shared experience of pain.” The teams consisted of US Army divers, Navy explosive ordnance disposal, and soldiers from the 1/34 Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team.

The event kicked off with the first team beginning the first event of push-ups and sit-ups. As a team, they needed to complete 500 push-ups and 500 sit-ups before moving onto the three mile run. The weather on race day was a cool 60 degrees, a welcomed break from the 120 degree heat that is normal in Kuwait during the summer time.

Upon completion of the three mile run the teams conducted a casualty buddy carry and a litter carry. With teams having to carry two of their teammates on their back, this was one of the most difficult events. There were many different techniques used from the popular fireman carry to a piggy back style carry. Teams switched passengers during the event to save energy. With the event covering nearly one mile, strategy played a big role in achieving efficiency.

Keeping with the “challenge” theme of the race, the next events were not much easier. Competitors had to complete a tire flip then drag the tire for 75 meters. The tire was

approximately four feet in diameter and weighed over 200 pounds. Giving the competitors’ legs a break, they moved into upper body strength events. The teams had to complete 125 pull-ups as a team, hold a set of scuba tanks in each hand for one minute. With the already fatigued bodies, many competitors were struggling and short of breath during the pull-ups.

Just after the competitor’s legs had started to lose weariness, they had to spring into action again. All of the competitors transitioned into boots and strapped on a 35 pound rucksack and took off down the trail on the 6 mile ruck march. The terrain was a mix of sand and asphalt, as well as running on the Kuwait Naval Pier into the Arabian Gulf. The end of the ruck march brought the finish line closer, but it was not time to let up yet. A full sized pick-up truck was waiting for the teams to push down the road.

Having completed all of this made the last three events seem easy. After pushing the truck, the teams made a one mile dash for the Kuwait dive pool. To finish the challenge, teams had to jump into the frigid pool water, tread water for five minutes, and swim to the bottom of the 20 foot deep pool and claim their coins. Once all coins were collected, the team’s time would stop.

Once all the scores were tallied, it was a tight race. The first place overall team, 3rd Squad, lead by Staff Sgt. Jeb Dunham, 7th Engineer Dive Team, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team finished with an impressive time of 3:04:05. The second place team, Dream Crushers, lead by Capt. Scott Sann, 7th Engineer Dive Team, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team was very close with a time of 3:04:20. After all the teams completed, there was a BBQ at the 7th Engineer Dive tent followed by an awards ceremony.

By: 1st Lt. Aaron Rindahl

Second place overall of the 7th Engineer Dive Team Commander’s Challenge “Dream Crushers” hold their trophy at

the awards ceremony. The Dream Crushers finished the challenge with a time of 3:04:20.

Proudly showing their completion coins after the last event of the Commander's Challenge. The last section of the grueling three hour

event was to tread water in the Kuwait Navy dive pool for five minutes and then retrieve their coins off the bottom of the 20 foot deep pool.

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1/34 BSTB Families, Happy Holidays to all of you.

Thank you everyone back home for the tons of cards, letters and boxes of Christmas cheer. The

things you sent definitely brought a smile to the face of your Soldier, I witnessed several as they exited

the S1 for mail call. I even got to sample some of the goodies. Whoever sent the Oreo balls, MAJ

Leppert's Mom, WOW!! My wife will need that recipe Ma'am. Christmas wasn't the same here but

your Soldiers made the most of it. With the end of the mission in Iraq, things have not slowed for us.

Each of our Companies are focused and the staff is working hard to maintain the base and execute

training. I'll close out with a simple thanks to the

7th Dive Team. They will be heading home next

month after a very successful deployment. You are

an excellent Company, you are well led, and you

executed some very difficult missions in the utmost

professional manner. Best of luck to you as you

head home and on to new assignments.

CSM Bruce Stowe

1/34 BSTB

Command Sergeant Major

Friends, Families and Soldiers of the Brigade Special Troops Battalion,

As 2011 draws to a close, I’d like to express my thanks and appreciation to all of

you for the great work you’ve done and for your support to the Battalion, Brigade

and Army missions. As I write this, every BSTB unit has Soldiers deployed to

either Kuwait or Afghanistan. For those of us in Kuwait, we have been able to be a

part of history – the end of the war in Iraq. The C Company “Earthpigs” logged

over a quarter million miles and escorted thousands of trucks carrying equipment

out of Iraq. HHC has supported the effort by running a small city and providing

essential services and equipment to the Soldiers coming out of Iraq. The

A Company MI Soldiers are providing valuable Military Intelligence and

Unmanned Aerial Surveillance support in Afghanistan. B Company Signal Soldiers

are providing critical communications support in Kuwait and Afghanistan. All of

our Soldiers have risen to the challenge. As a result, our Battalion and the Red

Bulls enjoy an excellent reputation.

In a few short months, our deployments will be ending and we’ll be returning to the

life of a Citizen Soldier. I encourage each and every one of you to take advantage of the time remaining. The successes

we have enjoyed so far are not by accident, they were the result of planning and preparation. I encourage all of you to

put the same level of planning and preparation into the final phase of our deployment – reintegration.

Thanks for everything you do and Happy New Year!

Ante Up -- All In!

Lieutenant Colonel Gary Mundfrom

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Camp Arifjan Uniform Program

Cpl. Horace Roach, Supply Specialist, B Troop 1/150th from the West Virginia National Guard, has been running the Uniform Collection Program for Zone 6 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait since August. Cpl. Roach is attached to 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 34th Infantry Division which is based in Bloomington, Minn. The 1/34 BSTB are deployed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait as the Camp Command Cell in Zone 6 in support of Operation New Dawn. Cpl. Roach recently received a coin from Brig. Gen. Jonathan Ives from the 364th Expeditionary Sustainment Command for his hard work and dedication to the uniform program. Receiving a coin in this manner is a great honor for soldiers and sets those that receive the coin apart from others. The Uniform Collection Program starts with soldiers discarding uniforms and boots in collection boxes that are placed throughout Zone 6. Cpl. Roach collects the uniforms twice a week and takes them to tent A-25 where he sorts them according to branch of service and size. Uniforms and boots that are no longer fit to be worn are packed up and taken to the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office to be redistributed or destroyed. Many of the items collected by the 1/34 BSTB are able to be re-used. Some are brand new with the tags still on them. When soldiers return home from a deployment they typically like to pack light and send as little home as possible. Instead of throwing the uniforms away, soldiers will dispose of them. The Uniform Collection Program allows soldiers to dispose of unwanted or unserviceable uniforms without violating policy and simply throwing them away. Soldiers in Zone 6 can come to the uniform tent A-25 to get uniforms if they need them. Cpl. Roach refers to

tent A-25 as a “free thrift store.” If a soldier’s size is not available, the 1/34 BSTB keeps a detailed waiting list

of the items needed and can contact the soldier when the uniform becomes available. The Uniform

Collection Program in Zone 6 has saved more than $660,000 by redistributing uniforms that would have been

thrown away.

By: Sgt. Lindsay L. Mackie

Cpl. Horace Roach removes discarded uniforms

from a collection container in Zone 6. The uniforms

will be redistributed by the Supply Section of the

1/34 BSTB. The Uniform Collection Program has

saved more than $660,000 by recycling and

redistributing discarded uniforms.

The Army Family Readiness Group (Army FRG)

website provides a secure environment in which

information, resources, and support are available to

Soldiers and their Family Members 24 hours a day,

regardless of their geographic location. The 1/34

BSTB vFRG site promotes a community feeling by

providing a place that is customized to the Battalion

and contains content that is controlled at the Battal-

ion and unit levels. Army FRG website provides all

of the functionality of a traditional FRG in an ad-

hoc and on-line setting to meet the needs of geo-

graphically dispersed units and families across all

components of the Army. A homepage is dedicated

to each company in the Battalion for unit specific

information and events.

SIGN UP FOR THE VIRTUAL FRG SECURE WEBSITE

1. Go to http://www.armyfrg.org

2. Click “Find an FRG”

3. On the map click “Minnesota”

4. Click on 1/34 BSTB

5. Choose to subscribe as a Soldier or family member.

6. If you are subscribing as a Soldier, once your account is set up

you can invite family members or loved ones to the website. All

you need is their name and email address. They will be approved

automatically.

7. If you are subscribing as a family member and your Soldier has

not registered you will need your Soldiers full first and last name

and the last 4 digits of their SSN. The vFRG administrator will

need to verify the information before approving and granting

access.

8. Once your subscription is approved, login at

http://www.armyfrg.org.

9. Select “1/34 BSTB” from drop down box and click “View”

1/34 BSTB vFRG Includes:

Unit Home Pages

Announcements

1/34 BSTB Calendar

Document Downloads

FAQs & Forums

Resource Links

News

Photo Galleries

Surveys

and MUCH MORE!!!

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!

For updates and photos go to the link below and “like” our page to

get continuous updates on Soldiers in the 1/34 BSTB.

Check us out at the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/134-Brigade-Special-Troops-

Battalion/197347730301711

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Wild Times 1/34 BSTB December 2011

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Coach J Robinson of the University of Minnesota Wrestling program visited Kuwait in September 2011. Coach Robinson’s list of accomplishments is amazing. He was the distinguished honor graduate of both his ROTC program at Oklahoma State, and his class at Ranger school. After a tour in Vietnam, Coach Robinson wrestled in the 1972 Olympics, was a National Freestyle & Greco Wrestling Champion, and was later inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. As coach of the Gophers, his teams have won the Big Ten

Championship six times, and he has been selected as the Big Ten Coach of the Year six times. Coach Robinson has served twice as an Assistant Olympic Wrestling Team Coach, and twice been selected as the NCAA National Wrestling Coach of the Year. He is also the owner of the J Robinson Intensive Sports Camps, serving over 25,000 campers in 33 years. But none of these accomplishments came without challenges, and none came without hard work. When Coach Robinson was here, he shared his philosophy on goal-setting. The philosophy is based on two absolutes: 1) Life is Difficult, and 2) It’s Hard Work. The first absolute originates from the bestselling book, “The Road Less Traveled.” Accept this premise, and adapt to what life throws at you. You can do whatever you want to do. It will not be easy, but nothing worth having is easy. How do YOU deal with it? HARD WORK!! The second absolute is no secret: life takes hard work. You can outwork 90% of all Americans and be in the top 10% of everything you do. Unfortunately, less than 10% of Americans have actually written their goals down. Have you? What are your goals for 2012? Author Michael Hyatt has some suggestions for this important practice:

1. Keep them few in number. Productivity studies show that you really can’t focus on more than 5-7 items at any one time. This is a recipe for losing focus and accomplishing very little. Instead, focus on a handful of resolutions that you can almost repeat from memory.

2. Make them “smart.” “New Year’s Resolutions” are really just annual goals. But like all goals, they should be s-m-a-r-t: Specific—your goals just identify exactly what you want to accomplish in as much specificity as you can muster. Measurable—as the old adage says, “you can’t manage what you can’t measure.” Actionable—every resolution should start with a verb (e.g., “quit,” “run,” “finish,” “eliminate,” etc.) Realistic—a good resolution should stretch you, but incorporate common sense. Time-bound—every resolution needs a date associated with it. When do you plan to deliver on that resolution? It could be by year-end (December 31) or it could be more near-term (March 31).

3. Write them down. This is critical. There is a huge power in writing your resolutions on paper or inputting them into a digital device even if you never develop an action plan or do anything else.

4. Go public. Tell your family and friends what you are committed to achieving. Going public creates accountability and leverage. I have 4 goals to accomplish by the end of 2011 that will benefit all 5 dimensions of Resilience: 1) Commit to daily sacred space. 2) Twenty Sunday afternoon dinners with my family after deployment. 3) One date night a week with Mrs. Winn, and 4) Run a 1/2 Marathon.

You and your families remain in my prayers as you head into 2012 – the next time you see me, ask me about my goals!

For God and Country, CH (MAJ) Buddy Winn

Chaplain’s Page

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From the Commander’s Desk by CPT Scott Sann:

Aloha to the friends and families of the 7th Engineer Dive Detachment! As I compiled this, our last deployed newsletter, I

thought it would be fitting to acknowledge those who have made our deployment a success.

Thanks to the 511th Engineer Dive Detachment, whose efforts during the changeover

allowed us to hit the ground running and maintain the high standard of excellence

that previous dive teams have established.

Thanks to the 1/34 Brigade Special Troops Battalion, which has supported us since

arriving in August. We could not have asked for a better unit to serve under, and we

could not have accomplished our missions and training events without you.

Thanks to CPT Adrian Biggerstaff and SFC Andrew Harrison, both of whom rede-

ployed during our tour. Both of you contributed heavily to making the team what it is

today, and that is a testament to your professionalism and dedication to duty. We

wish you both fair winds and following seas in your future assignments.

Thanks to the 65th Engineer Battalion for the support you’ve given us back home; we

look forward to seeing you all when we return.

Most importantly, thanks to all our families and friends, the ones that kept us going

everyday. In many ways your mission was more difficult than ours, and you have our

love and respect. We’ll see you all soon.

7th Dive Team

The 7th Dive Detachment prepares to say farewell

to Kuwait Naval Base and end a successful

rotation.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/7th-Engineer-Dive Team/105525036159201

7th EDT is on Facebook!

Greetings and salutations from the land of sand! Our deployment is finally winding down and the team has accomplished so many things great and

small during the last year that I couldn’t begin to account for all of them now. Suffice it to say that I am proud of how the 7th Dive conducted

itself throughout the year. From the swift and polluted rivers of Iraq to the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, and all points between, the team has

accomplished all that has been asked of it, and they did it with the pride and confidence of a group of men and women who know they are the best

among the best. I will always be proud of all we did here and how well we did it.

This year has given me an appreciation for so many of the things that I have taken for granted in the past. This was my first year long deployment

and only now do I truly appreciate what it means when I talk to a fellow Soldier who has deployed two, three, four times and more. Their continued

sacrifice amazes me and makes me proud to be a part of an organization with so many selfless people.

After having been in the Army dive field for the better part of 20 years, I realize that I have at times taken for granted the privilege to serve my

country in such a unique capacity. Though I have always loved diving, it wasn’t until I deployed that I fully realized the small but important role Army

divers play in assisting all of the services in its goals. Though my time as an Army Master Diver is quickly coming to an end, I know that I will be

among the loudest advocates for Army Divers for some time to come.

Thank you to all of you who take time to read these missives and have supported the team this last year. The care packages, letters, and love you

have shown has meant more than you can possibly know. My thanks also go out to the 511th Dive Team who set us up for success over here and also a

GIANT thanks to the 569th for relieving us! Finally, I would like to thank CPT Adrian Biggerstaff, the former CO of the 7th Dive. The positive

effect he had on our team as a result of his war-time experience and diligent

preparation cannot be overstated.

Well, that about wraps it up, the team and I are more than ready to speed home to

our beloved families and all the normalcy that garrison life brings with it. As I sit

at my desk, I can almost smell the ocean breezes and taste the Jack and Coke that

awaits me. Soon I will hold my wife and kids in my arms once more. There are no

words to express how much I have missed them this year or how happy the

thought of seeing them.

1SG William Baumgartner

Kuwait Living—Life as we know it

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