2nd Ed., Vol. 3: Oct.-Dec. 2011

Holiday Edition

In accordance with AR 360-1 and the regulations set forth by the U.S. Army Public Affairs Center, the Air Cav Journal is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of Air Cav Journal are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry Division or the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. All editorial content of Air Cav Journal is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office. The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office is located in Camp Marmal, Afghanisian

Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela

Commanding OfficerCol. John E. Novalis, II

Public Affairs NCOIC/EditorStaff Sgt. Joseph Armas

1st Air Cavalry Brigade

Public Affairs Layout/DesignSgt. Richard Wrigley

Public Affairs VideographerSgt. Felix Acevedo

1st Air Cavalry Brigade

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Commander’s CornerSoldiers and Families of the 1ACB,

First and foremost, your Soldier is safe and sound in Afghanistan! It is difficult for me to articulate how proud I am with the performance of our unit to date. The ACB is more than just a disciplined formation; it’s a unit that conducts its wartime mission flawlessly. We’re doing the big things right: air assaults, convoy coverage by attack teams, MEDEVAC, and VIP movements. We’re doing the little things right as well: refueling aircraft, water production, mess hall operations, and aircraft maintenance. The focus on discipline and mission accomplishment enhances our reputation and it is indicative of a high performing unit. As most of you understand, the ACB supports not only U.S Soldiers but Soldiers from a multitude of nations. As for the countries that comprise the coalition, their interac-tion with the United States centers around the aircraft and Soldiers of the ACB. I cannot tell you how many times I am stopped and told how impressed and amazed they are of the crews and Soldiers. You should all be proud as we are truly ambassadors of the United States. We are leaving a lasting and positive impression on all NATO countries. You are a part of history in the making. On 1 January 2012, we have five months left in this rota-tion. It sounds unbelievable in many respects. There are many leaders who believe if you discuss re-deployment too early your Soldiers will lose focus on the current mis-sion. Though this is true in most units, we are not like most units. Re-deployment and reintegration are both be-ing discussed and briefed almost daily. This is a great unit that can plan for the future and continue to conduct ruth-lessly precise and safe missions at the same time. Again, this is indicative of a high performing unit. Concerns and “the plan” for redeployment will be on the street within the next 30 days. The accomplishments here in Afghanistan are truly amazing, but the Soldiers and families at Ft. Hood are also executing the rear detachment and family readiness mis-sion equally as well. I want to thank both of these organi-zations for your mission support, conduct, and continued excellence. We could not do our job without you. Thank you! The holidays are never easy for Soldiers or Families. Nothing I can say will change this fact, but I want to at least thank you all for your sacrifices to our country which help to protect the freedoms and ideals that make our na-tion second to none. Thank you for your patriotism and selflessness.

Mary and I would like to wish you all a blessed holiday season. Thank you for your selfless sacrifice to our nation. God bless.

v/r COL John E. Novalis II1ACB, Commander

csM’s CornerHappy Holidays from Camp Marmal, Afghanistan!

The season is upon us once again and even though our Soldiers are not with you at home this year, we continue to keep all of you in our hearts and prayers. I ‘m truly honored to serve as the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Com-mand Sergeant Major and Im even more proud of all the accomplishments our Soldiers have made thus far. In keeping with the traditions of giving specific mean-ing to the start of each New Year, I would like to once again declare 2012 the “Year of the Air Cav Trooper”. I personally believe that 2012 will clearly show and demonstrate the talents of our outstanding Soldiers and their dedication to maintaining the highest standards in the 1st Cavalry Division. Our Soldiers continue to show that the ACB upholds the highest standards of perfor-mance, professionalism and dedication to our country. To cap off 2011, the ISAF Senior Enlisted Advisor, CSM Marvin Hill was the guest speaker for our NCO in-duction ceremony that was held on the 10th of Decem-ber. This event not only promoted esprit de corps within the NCO ranks, but it also displayed an example of what our junior Soldiers should emulate and strive for. This was an exceptional event and I hope our brigade is able to continue this fine tradition in the coming year. Often times, a new year brings on resolutions that are meant to improve our lifestyle and overall well be-ing. I challenge our Soldiers and Families to commit more time to Family oriented activities, especially ones that include physical fitness and promoting a healthier lifestyle. This will enable our Soldiers and Families to spend maximum time together upon our awaited return to Fort Hood, just in time for the summer season! From all of us in Afghanistan, I hope this past year served you well. 2012 will be better for all of us, as we are currently in the third quarter of this deployment, as I would like to consider it. As you all anticipate our safe return, the accomplishment of our mission is first and foremost on our minds. Please continue to keep our Soldiers in your hearts and prayers as we do the same on a daily basis.

On behalf of all the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Soldiers,

First Team, Team First. Warriors!!!

CSM Glen VelaWarrior 9

From left to right: Col. John E. Novalis II, Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill, Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela

Soldiers of the 1st ACB may have been 8,000 miles away from central Texas this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean that the holiday spirit didn’t grace them in Afghanistan.

Some of the Soldiers marked Halloween with a pumpkin carving contest that put their creativity to the test.

He got a taste of the hard work that was put forth by the 1st ACB’s food service personnel.

The Thanksgiving turkey (SGT Giles) greeted the Soldiers as they en-tered the DFAC. They enjoyed a feast of abundant and traditional Thanksgiv-ing fixings.

Thanksgiving came, and Lt. Gen. Curtis Scaparotti, the commander of ISAF Joint Command, paid a visit to the 1st ACB Soldiers.

December arrived and snow left a white blanket on the mountainous landscap e and the flightline, setting the stage for a winter wonderland in Afghanistan.

Christmas brought cheer and celebration throughout the theater, which was seen in many events, such as the Coalition caroling that happened at the German atrium, numerous Christmas parties and visits by Santa and his helpers, and a grand Christmas day meal.

The Christmas season came to a close when the 1st Cavalry Division Band came to Camp Marmal to put on a special Holiday concert for the Soldiers of the 1st Air Cav.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

AMERICAN 300’s RANGER TOURBy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

AMERICAN 300’s RANGER TOURBy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

'Mad Max' Mullen, a former Army Ranger and veteran of the U.S. led invasion of Grenada in 1983Retired Col. Danny McKnight. He was a convoy commander the day of Oct. 3, 1993 in Somalia during the battle of Mogadishu. His character was portrayed in the movie “Black Hawk Down”.

hether it was enduring a 500-foot combat jump onto the small island of Grenada, patrolling the jungles of Viet-nam, or navigating the streets of battle-ravaged Mogadi-shu, Danny McKnight, Keni Thomas, Max Mullen, and Charlie Manis have had experiences that few others can account for.The Ranger Tour, comprised of these four former Army

Rangers, touched down in northern Afghanistan to visit Soldiers of the 1st Air Cav-alry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Oct. 4-5. The tour was the first of American 300’s Warrior Tours that highlights profiles in extreme courage and it gave the Rangers a chance to visit Afghanistan to see first-hand what Soldiers of this current generation are experiencing. “One of the greatest privileges I could ever have is to visit these Soldiers over here to tell them thanks for everything that they do for us back in the U.S.,” said McKnight. McKnight was a convoy commander the day of Oct. 3, 1993 in Somalia during the battle of Mogadishu. His character was portrayed in the movie “Black Hawk Down”.Thomas was involved as well in that battle, fast-roping from a UH-60 Black Hawk into the streets of Mogadishu. Since then, he has become a county-music artist and often goes overseas to sing for and interact with the troops. This occasion was no different for Thomas, who varied his musical set with a song that rendered a somber tone and then followed that up with one of his more lively singles, “Another Mexico Song” that brought laughter and a plethora of applause from the 1st ACB troopers. Thomas touched on his interaction with the troops afterwards. “It never fails,” said Thomas. “The conversations I have with Soldiers in combat zones always are the same. Within three to five minutes, they start talking about their fellow brothers in arms over here…It’s never about them.” Thomas added, “As someone who used to wear the uniform, I understand how much this means to the Soldiers to have someone come over here and talk to them.” Thomas, along with the rest of the Rangers, has a busy schedule back in the states, and that was a fact that did not go unnoticed by the Soldiers who they visited. “The fact that they recognize what we are doing over here… that they would stop their busy lives to come and show their appreciation…it means a lot to me,” said Spc. Janice Gonzales, a signal support systems specialist, assigned to Company C, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, originally from San Antonio. The dates of the tour coincided with the anniversary of the battle of Mogadishu.As he tried to contain his emotions, McKnight talked about the importance of spend-ing the anniversary with Soldiers for the first time. “Eighteen years ago, I was fighting in the streets of Mogadishu, and to be able to spend this anniversary with Soldiers here in Afghanistan…it’s really special for me.”Throughout the tour, as they interacted with Soldiers, McKnight, Mullen and Thom-as often referenced their fellow comrades who made the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ during their tenures in the Army. Thomas added, “I’ve lost friends in combat and I owe it to them to tell their sto-ries.” An event held at one of the 1st ACB hangars was staged as town-hall where the Rangers sat at a table in front of the audience and talked about their experiences. That set-up quickly disbanded though, as the rangers relished the opportunity to have close interaction with the Soldiers. Gonzales added, “It was really cool to hear firsthand about their experiences and see how they have grown from them,” she said. Finally, McKnight talked about how impressed he was with the Soldiers he en-countered during his visit, and said he would pass that message to everyone back in the U.S. “When I return home, I’ll be able to tell everyone about the professional demeanor and hard work ethic of the Soldiers I had the privilege to spend time with,” said McKnight.

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'Mad Max' Mullen, a former Army Ranger and veteran of the U.S. led invasion of Grenada in 1983

Former U.S. Army Ranger Charlie Manis

Story by: Staff Sgt. Joseph ArmasPictures by: 1st ACB

ight-thousand miles separated them, but an event with rich cavalry traditions managed to bridge that distance gap for one day at least.

Deployed Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, currently in Afghanistan, along with their spouses back at Fort Hood, con-ducted a joint spur ride, Oct. 6. The spur ride consists of a series of tasks that are designed to test the physical and mental fortitude of an individual. The events in Afghanistan kicked off prior to the break of dawn as the Soldiers embarked on their quest to be inducted into the “Or-der of the Spur”, their reward for successful completion. Simulated medical evacuation scenarios and a land navigation exercise were just a few of the events that tested both the Sol-diers’ and spouses’ abilities to perform under pressure. Despite the early morning start, troopers from the 1st ACB were poised to tackle their pending challenge head on.

“There was a great spirit in the air,” said Maj. Nate Forrester, commander, Company C, Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, originally from Marietta, Ga. Forrester served as a senior spur rider for the event, guiding a small group of Soldiers throughout the duration of the course. “I knew motivation was going to be a key, and you could tell that the Soldiers didn’t lack in that department,” said Forrester. Forrester said the event gave the Soldiers a sense of pride and served as an ode to the storied history of the cavalry. “Events like these remind us where we came from,” he said. “It’s important to take a step back from the day to day mission and garner some perspective on who we are and what it is we’re doing out here,” he added. One of the concepts of this spur ride was to randomly select the teams, setting up a scenario in which Soldiers were forced to partner with other Soldiers with whom they did not work with on a daily basis.

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The Soldiers adjusted accordingly as the event progressed, added Forrester. “At each station, I could see that my group was coming to-gether more and more as a team,” he said.Teamwork was the name of the game as well back at Fort Hood, according to Forrester’s wife Paige, who took part in the event staged there. “We had a great team,” she said. “It was challenging but the ladies I was with made the event a lot more fun.” “It was great for the spouses to come together and get to know one another,” she added. Paige talked about what she saw as the subtle differences be-tween the spur ride conducted in Afghanistan in comparison to the one held at Fort Hood. “The spur ride [in Afghanistan] seemed to be a little bit more grueling and intense,” she added. “There was a lot more laugh-ing and relaxing going on our end.” While Paige acknowledged the spur ride conducted on the

other side of the Atlantic seemed a bit more challenging, she noted that the physical training exercises she endured left her with ‘sore muscles that I didn’t know existed’. As for the concept of the joint spur ride, they both agreed it was a success. “It was definitely a unique concept,” said Paige. “We’re so far away from eachother, but it was cool to know that we were taking part in the same type of event.” “It brought us closer together…even if it was for just that one day,” he added.Ultimately, the day served as an opportunity for the Soldiers to honor cavalry traditions and for the spouses to get a taste of what it’s like to be a Soldier in the United States Army. “Events like this give the spouses a chance to celebrate Army life,” she said. “I was a proud Army wife before this event, but now after see-ing firsthand a small glimpse of what our Soldiers go through, I am even more in awe of what they do.”

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

ask Force Spearhead, 1st Air Cav-alry Brigade, 1st Calvary Division held an Army Ten-Miler race at Forward Op-erating Base Shindand Oct. 9. Each year tens of thousands of runners and spectators go to Washington, DC to participate in the Army Ten-Miler pro-duced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington However, due to the fact that much of the Army’s operations are overseas, many units have started conducting “shadow runs”, setting up ten mile courses in or around their bases in order to boost mo-rale and promote fitness. This allows Sol-diers away from the states to participate in the Army Ten-Miler who would not otherwise be able to. The TF Spearhead Army Ten-Miler co-ordinator, Cpt. Michael Hahn-Conti, said holding the race at FOB Shindand was not just a matter of having a race, but also served as quite a morale booster for the Troops. “The everyday routine out here can re-ally get to people, because it can become such a grind,” said Hahn-Conti. “I really think the best part of this race ended up being the effect it had on everyone’s mo-rale, whether it was the runners enjoying the competition, or just the people who stopped their day to day activities to hang out and cheer people on.”

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By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

Photo By: Sgt. Felix Acevedo

he German President Christian Wulff made a surprise visit to Camp Marmal Oct. 17. While here he visited with the 1st Air cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. Wulff met with some of the 1st ACB’s and German forces’ key leaders, as the 1st ACB command briefed Wulff on how our two great Armies have come together and work in a partnership. After ob-serving some of the 1st ACB’s Aircraft and equipment, and talking to some of the Soldiers of the 1st ACB, Wulff honored the1st ACB with a new streamer for the Brigade’s colors.

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By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

he primary objective of the 156th Military Police Detachment, attached to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, is to keep law and order in Regional Command North. They have done that … and so much more. With just 45 soldiers in the company, it is amazing that they are able to successfully complete this mission, let alone the multitude of other tasks that they take on, said Capt. Kenneth Murray, a native of Fairmont, W. Va., com-pany commander, 156th MP DET, an Army National Guard unit out of Monaville, W. Va. Some of these additional responsibilities include mentoring and training the various Afghan national security forces and helping with the biometric enrollment of Afghan national prisoners, workers and security forces, said Murray. Protecting coalition-forces while conducting route reconnaissance, area and point security, is also a top priority, he added. “All of the Soldiers here have gone to schools and are meant to perform in specialized roles, such as criminal investigators, and traffic and accident investigators,” said Murray. “Generally a law and order detachment is aug-mented by another MP company which would handle the patrolling, but here we’re forced to be the road MP as well as the investigator,” he added.

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To be dealt all the different mission sets that we’ve been assigned, with the minimal amount of people that we have ... [the Soldiers] are doing a terrific job, said Murray. Investigator Shane Bryant, a native of Logan, W. Va., and team chief of investigations at Camp Marmal, also said the unit has made significant advances since the beginning of their deployment. “It’s all about building a strong foundation, and then building on top of that … we’re only the second MP unit to be here [at Camp Marmal],” Bryant said. “Looking back to what it was like when we first got here, and to what it is now, our unit has made leaps and bounds.” Success can also be seen in the relationship that has been fostered between the 156th MP DET and its operational-parent unit, the 1st ACB. “Working with the 1st ACB has been fantastic,” said Murray, “The support we’ve received from the 1st ACB has been outstanding; they’ve taken us under their wing and treat us just like any of their other subordinate units.” The effect of the MP’s has had a positive effect on the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, said Lt. Col. Michael Burns, a native of New Brockton, Ala., deputy commanding officer of the 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division. “The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade has definitely benefited from its relationship with the 156th MP Company,” said Burns. “There is no doubt in my mind that Soldiers and civilians enjoy a safer and more disciplined environment because of the presence of Captain Murray and his Soldiers.”

By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

Photo By: Sgt. Felix Acevedo

FOB TODD...

COOKIN’ UP A STORM

FOB TODD...

COOKIN’ UP A STORMBy: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

hen three Soldiers, all food operations specialists from Task Force Spearhead, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, were placed at a remote FOB in western Af-ghanistan, they were asked to simply perform to standard. They have done more than that though, they have excelled. “Most cooks come out here and su-pervise contractors who do the cook-ing, but these Soldiers are actually get-ting to cook the food themselves and the pride and care they take in doing that is shown by how much the troops out there love them,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Eric Pitkus, a native of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., command sergeant major for TF Spearhead, 1st ACB. When the cooks arrived at FOB Todd, the cooking conditions were less than desirable, said Staff Sgt. Rhonda Rivers, a native of Shreveport, La., and the noncommissioned officer in charge of the food operations at FOB Todd for TF Spearhead, 1st ACB. Not only did they face the chal-lenge of cooking the food that gets air-dropped in to them, they had to build some of their own facilities, renovating the dining and dry food storage areas, as well as acquiring a new cold-storage area, something they did not have when they got there, said Rivers. Working 12 plus-hour days and feed-ing approximately 120 people a day with a cooking staff of three, the cooks at FOB Todd do indeed take pride in their job. “We actually cook meals [out here],” said Rivers. “Nowadays when a [cook] goes out to a field environment like this you’ll see them cooking UGR-A’s (Unitized Group Ration- A Option), which is ba-sically boiling a bag. We don’t do that, we are actually cooking the food from scratch,” said Rivers. “The troops love it,” Rivers added with a smile. Speaking under anonymity due to the secretive nature of his job, one trooper said he spoke for many when he exclaimed how happy they were with the cook’s service. “They do so much with so little, and take care of us so well, they really do a great job for all of us and we really ap-preciate it,” he said.

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LIVE FROM AFGHANISTAN...

...IT’S THE 1st AIR CAV!!

LIVE FROM AFGHANISTAN...

...IT’S THE 1st AIR CAV!!By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

t’s been almost six months since the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade deployed to Afghanistan and it can be assumed for many in

the Fort Hood area it has been that long since the community has heard the voices of many 1st ACB Soldiers. Zack Owen and Jim Cody, hosts of the “Waco 100” radio show, “The Morning Show with Zack and Jim” changed that by letting 1st ACB Soldiers voices be heard throughout Central Texas. Owen came to Afghanistan and from November 14th through the 18th hosted their morning radio talk show live from the 1st ACB’s headquarters at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan. Over the course of the week Owen interviewed hundreds of Soldiers from the 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division, and let them give “shout outs” to their friends and families back home during the four-hour morning radio show. "The Morning Show with Zack and Jim" has been the top-rated music-based morning show in the area, including Fort Hood, for 19 years, said Owen. “We have so many listeners in the Fort Hood area that Jim and I kind of feel it’s our responsibility and our duty to come out here,” said Owen. “A lot of people talk the talk, but Jim and I, and Waco 100 believe that the more we do the better it is for the listeners, and the better it is for the American public, so that’s why we came out here,” he continued.

Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, and the senior enlisted leader in the 1st ACB, praised the shows’ efforts to highlight the brigade’s Soldiers. “These guys tell the Fort Hood story, and they get that story from the guys who are actually out there doing the job,” Vela said. The increase of morale was apparent to everyone involved with the show this week here, Vela added. “Zack came here and put a smile on Soldiers faces every day he was here. That is really hard to do, and all of us here are really grateful for it,” Vela said. The week was a busy one for Zack, as he toured several differ-ent locations in Regional Command North, Afghanistan, to meet many of the Soldiers of the 1st ACB, and to boost morale. One 1st ACB Soldier who noted the positive effect of the show was Spc. Roger Montalvo, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and a human resource specialist who was present for all the shows during the course of the week. “The Soldiers came in looking tired and unsure of what to expect, but shortly after sitting down and talking to Zack, they began to feed off his energy,” Montalvo said. “They would forget they were on air and they’d just have a blast,” “Everyone who went on the show had a great time,” he said.

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TF SPEARHEAD: COWBOYS OF THE THE ‘WILD’ RC WEST

TF SPEARHEAD: COWBOYS OF THE THE ‘WILD’ RC WEST

Story By: 2nd Lt. Alun ThomasPhotos By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

roviding constant aerial support can some-times be an arduous task, as flight crews, medics and maintainers must be fully vigi-lant and aware while protecting the skies and ground below 24 hours a day. This has been the mission for the 1st Air

Cavalry Brigade over the last eight years in Iraq and now Afghan-istan, with this proud tradition continuing to be upheld by Task Force Spearhead of the 1st ACB as they are the only active duty aviation unit in Regional Command West conducting full spectrum operations. The myriad of tasks provided by TF Spearhead is something to be proud of, said Lt. Col. Blake Alexander, from San Antonio, commander, TF Spearhead, 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division, as they work tirelessly supporting their coalition counterparts in various ways. “We cover all of RC-West, all the way down from the north sector down south to the Farah province,” Alexander said. “We fly all the medevacs that work for RC-West, all the heavy-lift and air-assault capabilities for special operations and for conventional units … which include convoy coverage and troops in contact.” The number of ground forces TF Spearhead protects is a vast amount, Alexander said, as it encompasses a large area. “The main U.S. force we support is Task Force Warhorse located out of Camp Stone … and of course we work for the RC-West

commander, who is an Italian brigadier general,” he continued. “We support their special ops and aviation mission. It’s been an awesome experience [working for the Italians], especially for those who have never had the opportunity to work with anyone outside of the U.S. Army.” The partnership with the Italians has been educational for both sides, with both learning from each other and forming a good rela-tionship, Alexander said. “The Italians command just changed out in September, so with their transition we sent our Apaches out to each location to do an air-ground integration brief so we could get everyone baselined on the same standards,” Alexander said. “We wanted them to know how to use us to their best capability.” However there have been challenges for TF Spearhead, Al-exander said, but he feels they have been met so far, despite the obstacles. “The high-altitude training we did before we came here re-ally set us up for success, because of the high-altitude and wind in the mountains,” he said. “The only thing we’ve really had an issue with is getting parts this far out West. The way Afghanistan is structured means parts go from Bagram to Kandahar and now Mazar-e Sharif.” “It really takes interaction with our Brigade to ensure we get those critical aviation parts in a timely fashion to keep our aircraft up and running,” Alexander said.

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See Spearhead on next page

Keeping the aircraft operational has been a non-stop task over the first quarter of the deployment, said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Brown, from Muskogee, Okla., production control noncommis-sioned officer in charge, Delta Company, TF Spearhead, due to the relentless mission. “Our [operational] tempo goes off the hours flown and we’ve just had a bit of a slowdown after an initial surge,” Brown said. “One month we nearly flew 2000 hours and we’ve spent 130 hours on each airframe, which is a significant number.” This leaves little room for errors in scheduling and completing phase maintenance, Brown continued, as delays would mean leav-ing insufficient amounts of aircraft for mission needs. “The more we fly, the faster inspections come around, and you have to manage their flow, so it’s a challenge to keep the aircraft numbers available to meet the missions,” he said. “Next thing you know if you’re not managing this correctly you suddenly don’t have enough aircraft flying.” This problem is averted by the sheer hard work of all the me-chanics and maintainers who work tirelessly on the aircraft, Brown said, making them the reason TF Spearhead is able to maintain their presence in the air a continual sight. “What keeps these aircraft flying are the Soldiers here doing the maintenance, the E-1’s to E-6’s that are turning the wrenches. That’s the only reason. The hard work of these Soldiers,” he added. “Hands down our mission is accomplished by them,” he said.

Spearhead continued:

PUSH IT TO THE

LIMITStory By: Staff Sgt. Joseph AramasPhotos By: Sgt. Felix Acevedo

e stood there poised, ready to put his body to the test. As sweat dropped from his pores, Sgt. Brian Patterson took a deep breath and seemingly released every last grain of physical exertion that lurked inside of him. As he successfully lowered and raised 565 pounds perched on his upper back, camera flashes from a crowd of roughly 100 Soldiers and civilians filled the scene. Patterson was one of the more than 40 participants who took part in a power-lifting competition that took place Nov. 20 at the Camp Marmal Gym. The competition consist-ed of three main categories: squats, bench lifting and dead lifting. The event, that was open to all personnel stationed at Marmal, divided up the par-ticipants by weight category and gender, and rules for the competition were derived from USA Powerlifting Fed-eration standards. “This was a great oppor-tunity for everyone to come out and show what they can do,” said Patterson, a tech-nical inspector assigned to Company B, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, originally from Eff-ingham, Ill. Furthermore, the competi-tion served as an opportunity to enhance espirit de corps among the gym enthusiasts here at Marmal, added Pat-terson, whose workout regi-men consists of six days a week, two hours each day at the gym. The event was organized by Spc. Carlos Figueroa, an aircraft pneudraulics repairer also assigned to Company B, 615th ASB, 1st ACB, from Sacramento, Calif.

Figueroa talked about his reasons for taking the initia-tive to put the competition together. “We wanted something that would promote physical fit-ness, but also an event that would get everyone together to have a good competition that would be fun for all,” said Figueroa. Physical fitness is extremely important when Soldiers are in a deployed environment, said Capt. David Florez, a logistics officer, assigned to Headquarters and Headquar-ters Company, 1st ACB, orig-inally from Premont, Texas. “It [physical fitness] is something that I firmly be-lieve in, and that’s part of what motivated me to help get the word out about the competition,” added Florez, who also helped organize the event. “The turnout among the participants and those who just came to watch was a lot more than we anticipated,” said Florez. “I think a lot of people who attended had never seen a meet conducted like this, and from what I gathered, a lot of them came away impressed with what they saw.” Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves and many of the participants are already asking about the next compe-tition, added Figueroa. Figueroa is planning for the next competition to be held within the next few months, and he hopes the prospect of another competition will mo-tivate the competitors to con-tinue to excel in the area of physical fitness. “Events like this add to the overall competitiveness that you see here in the gym on a daily basis,” said Figueroa. “People have something to shoot for now.”

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MEDICS CONDUCT SEMINARS WITH LOCAL FEMALESBy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

MEDICS CONDUCT SEMINARS WITH LOCAL FEMALES

ll across Afghanistan, on a daily basis, Soldiers and other members of coalition forces are making a difference in the lives of the Afghan populace. In northern Afghanistan, three female Soldiers assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, had their opportunity to make a difference by teaching local Afghan women important skills they could use to improve their daily lifestyles. The Soldiers conducted medical seminars with Afghan females near the town of Tapagurghan Nov. 16-20. The seminars mainly focused on the topics of basic anatomy and physiology, reproductive health, child illnesses, and basic first aid, according to Capt. Lynn Gower, a flight physician assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Task Force Guns, 1st ACB, originally from Sublimity, Ore. Gower continued, saying the training was essential and worth-while.“For whatever reason, they never learned these basic skills,” added Gower. “Now, as a result of this training, they know how to tackle common illnesses that affect women and young children.” The training consisted of power point presentations and hands-on exercises that allowed the Afghan women to practice basic first aid tasks. Moreover, the women who took part in the training ranged from midwives to community health workers from around the surround-ing villages. An attentive group of more than a dozen females took the content of the seminars very seriously, said Staff Sgt. Josephine Taototo,

the senior medic for Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, originally from Monterrey, Calif. “They [the Afghan females] seemed really engaged during the whole week, especially when the topic of child illnesses was cov-ered,” added Taototo. At the conclusion of the training, the Soldiers presented the Afghan ladies with certificates of completion. The Afghans, as a token of their appreciation, adorned the Soldiers with a dye that is derived from the henna plant, a tradition that is usually reserved for special occasions throughout the Middle East. Gower said the interaction during the week helped foster trust between the local population and the coalition forces here. “We’re trying to improve their lives while we’re in their country,” said Gower. “These classes that we conducted help garner that trust, even if it’s just a little.” The experience proved to be beneficial and a gratifying experi-ence for everyone involved, Gower continued. “It was a great chance to learn more about the Afghan culture and give the ladies knowledge that they can spread among their peers,” said Gower. Taototo said she thoroughly enjoyed the chance to interact with the local population, an opportunity that doesn’t come often.“I feel like I made more of an impact this past week than I had during any previous time during the deployment,” added Taototo. “I think we really made a difference, and I hope we get the oppor-tunity to do this again.”

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IN THE AIRPhotos By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley Sgt. Felix Acevedo

TF Attack Courtesy Photo

By: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

By: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

n an affirmation of faith, five servicemembers stationed here were baptized Nov. 27 at the Camp Marmal Chapel. Snow-capped mountains pro-vided the backdrop for a frigid late November morning, as inside the chapel, warmth was garnered by a congregation of worshippers who witnessed the five servicemembers publically proclaim their belief in a higher power. At the conclusion of the service, each servicemember was baptized individually, taking a backward plunge into a tub of water that was placed inside the chapel. “This [the baptism] is only the beginning of their spiritual jour-ney,” said Maj. Xuan Tran, chap-lain, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, originally from Vietnam. The symbolic gesture of a wa-ter baptism is about making a total commitment to Jesus Christ and seeking redemption for one’s sins, added Tran. Spc. Todd Phinney, who was baptized on this day, said he turned to faith because he needed to fill a void in his life. “This is something that I felt I needed to do to become complete as a person,” said Phinney, who is a powertrain repairer assigned to Company D, Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, originally from Shef-field, Pa. This sentiment was echoed by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Santiago Torres, a tactical operations offi-cer, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st ACB, originally from New York, who also baptized on this day. “I’ve gone through life not know-ing if I was spiritually fulfilled,” said Torres. “I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on the importance of

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faith, and I realized that following the path of Jesus Christ helps me to be a better person.” Both Soldiers agreed that the timing of the baptism was ideal. “I wanted to reconfirm my dedi-cation to God, and this was an op-portune time to do so,” said Torres. “I couldn’t think of a better time or a better way to do this than right now here in Afghanistan,” added Phinney. “This moment has brought me closer to God, and I think it’s going to have a big im-pact in my life.” Faith has made a big impact in the life of another Soldier who made the decision to be baptized here in Afghanistan. “Faith serves as a guide that helps me live my life the way I want to,” said 2nd Lt. Stephanie Judd, executive officer, Company C, 615th Aviation Support Bat-talion, 1st ACB, originally from Cartersville, Ga. Judd said her decision to be bap-tized was a personal one, and cred-its her faith as a key factor that has helped her endure the stresses of a deployment. “I wouldn’t be as upbeat and positive if it wasn’t for my belief in God,” she said. As for the ceremony, Tran said it was just one example of how ser-vicemembers deployed in a com-bat zone, thousands of miles away from the United States are able to exercise the first amendment rights of the Constitution they vowed to defend. Finally, Tran talked about the importance of religious freedom for troopers here in Afghanistan. Freedom to worship without persecution is a cornerstone in our democracy, said Tran. It is part of what these Soldiers are fighting for.

SOLDIER AWARDED FOR HEROISM

SOLDIER AWARDED FOR HEROISM

By: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

Soldier assigned to the 1st Air Cav-alry Brigade, 1st

Cavalry Division, was awarded the Army’s most prestigious peacetime award for valor, the Soldier’s med-al, during a ceremony here Dec. 1. Capt. Dennis Edwards received the award for his efforts to extract two drivers whose vehicles had caught fire during a traffic accident in Killeen, Texas on the morning of Jan. 27, according to the citation. Edwards, from Baton Rouge, La., the assistant operations officer for Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, was on his way to work when he was at a stoplight and two vehicles collided on the other side of the intersection.Edwards, at times emotional, re-counted his initial shock when the crash occurred. “Initially, it took me back for a second,” he said.” I couldn’t believe that both vehicles had burst into flames.” “As I approached the first vehicle, all I could think to myself was that I had to react quickly to get both of the drivers out of those vehicles,” added Edwards. When Edwards approached the first vehicle, his initial intention was to extract the driver from the driv-er’s side door, but quickly learned that would not be the most viable option. “There was too much fire on that side of the car, so I had to resort to the passenger side,” Edwards con-tinued. After extracting the passenger in the first vehicle, Edwards dashed to the second vehicle, and with the assistance of a few individuals who were in the vicinity, he successfully extracted the driver of the sedan which was also in flames. After Ed-wards had repositioned both drivers away from the crash scene, one of the individuals who had assisted him called 911 and fire trucks soon rolled into the area to extinguish the fires. The commander for Task Force Lobos, Lt. Col William Huff, saw Edwards later on that day, and was

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in awe of his subdued demeanor. Huff said Edwards had called in late that morning and hadn’t men-tioned anything about the accident. “Come to find out, he was late because he was saving someone’s life,” said Huff. “He was thinking about his impact on the mission; he’s the epitome of selfless service,” added Huff. Moreover, it took an act of selfless service for Edwards to be awarded the Soldier’s Medal. According to Army Regulation 600-8-22, Ed-wards’s actions must have involved personal hazard or danger and the voluntary risk of life under condi-tions not involving conflict with an armed enemy.” Huff said that he feels strongly that Edwards deserved to receive such an honor. “Without thinking twice about his own personal safety, he ran across that intersection without hesitation to pull both drivers out of those ve-hicles,” added Huff. “It just speaks volumes about his professional-ism.” “He saw a dangerous situation, and responded the way we all would have wanted to,” added Huff. Edwards said that as he looked back almost a year after the ac-cident, the experience was one he would never forget. “I learned a lot from that day, es-pecially to not take the little things in life for granted,” added Edwards. As for the ceremony, Edwards was presented the award by Lt. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander, ISAF Joint Command. “It’s an absolute honor to receive this award,” said Edwards, who joined former secretary of state and retired four-star general Colin Pow-ell as a fellow recipient of the pres-tigious honor..Huff said the award ceremony was a great moment for Task Force Lo-bos. “To witness a humbled and de-serving professional like Edwards receive this award, it’s really some-thing special and I was honored to be a part of it,” added Huff.

NCOs INDUCTED IN TIME HONORED

CEREMONY

NCOs INDUCTED IN TIME HONORED

CEREMONYBy: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

he lights went out at the USO tent, and instantly the room seemed engulfed by a vast blanket of solemnness. Those who were in attendance for the day’s cer-emony sat silently in the dark. Suddenly, a spotlight shined down on a table that was sparsely decorated with the 1st Cavalry division’s patch and three candles. As the narrator began to describe the history of the noncommissioned officer, a soldier wearing a uniform from the Viet-nam-era lit the first candle as a newly pro-moted sergeant stood up in the dark and recited the first paragraph of the “Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer”. This happened two more times. Each time that a Soldier in a different uniform from the past lit another candle, a newly promoted NCO stood up in the dark and sounded off with another paragraph of the NCO Creed. This was one scene played out during the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion’s NCO induction ceremony held Dec. 10 at the USO where 44 recently promoted sergeants were formally inducted into the corps of the noncommissioned officers. Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill, the

senior enlisted leader for the International Security Assistance Forces in Afghani-stan, was the guest speaker for the event. Hill, who has more than 30 years of ex-perience as a NCO, took the opportunity to talk to the newly promoted sergeants about the responsibility that was garnered by their newly acquired level of authority. “This power is given to you by your subordinates…you need to use the power these Soldiers have given to you,” said Hill. “It was easy to get…but it’s as hard as hell to keep,” Hill explained to the inductees that they have three primary responsibilities. He said that they would be successful as lead-ers if they adhered to each one of them. Leaders need to gain their Soldier’s trust, show their Soldiers that they are commit-ted, and let their Soldiers know that they [the leaders] personally care about their Soldiers’ well being, said Hill. One of the inductees, Sgt. Jeffrey Van Camp, a native of Greenville, S.C., and a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crew chief for Company C, Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, said the event reemphasized to him how important NCOs are to the brigade

and to the Army. “There was a lot of emphasis on what it means to be a NCO,” said Van Camp. “It was really good for everyone in atten-dance to hear, whether you were one of the new sergeants being inducted, or one of the junior enlisted watching,” he added. Through out the Army’s history, the NCO corps has had a long and time hon-ored tradition of providing essential guid-ance, training and leadership to junior en-listed Soldiers in order to always ensure mission success, said Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela, a native of Dallas, and the se-nior enlisted leader for the 1st ACB. “The NCO Induction Ceremony shows everyone that the inductees just joined something that is bigger than them,” said Vela. Vela said that the transition from a ju-nior soldier to a NCO is arguably the most difficult transition between ranks in the Army. “ It’s a big step…it’s a lot for them to live up to, and this ceremony gives light to the fact that they are taking on this chal-lenge and carrying the torch for all past NCO’s,” said Vela.

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SUPPLIES FOR THE

SKIESBy: Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

oldiers who work at the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade’s SSA ware-house work around the clock

and play an important role in the brigade’s overall mission. The supply, support and activity platoon provides the 1st ACB’s units with logistical support, handling in excess of 2500 daily transactions that involve everything from office supplies to highly expensive aircraft parts. “Our mission is to provide supplies for the skies,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Lakisha Coles, originally from Baltimore, the SSA accountable officer, assigned to Company A, Task Force Coldsteel, 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division. “The role we play is crucial because air-craft can’t remain in the fight if maintain-ers don’t have the parts to fix them,” added Coles.Coles said the support her Soldiers provide must remain constant in order to meet the customers’ needs. “We always have to be there for our cus-tomers, since you never know when an aircraft is going to become non-mission capable due to a part failure,” said Coles.

Staff Sgt. Alvin Roane, from Baton Rouge, La., the noncommissioned officer in charge of the SSA, A Co., TF Coldsteel, used a football analogy to compare the role of the SSA warehouse platoon to that of an offensive line. “The offensive line protects the quarter-back so he can drive the ball down the field and score,” he said. Essentially, the SSA platoon protects the brigade’s units by facilitating their parts needs and thereby helps them achieve mis-sion success, added Roane. The workflow at the warehouse is steady, as Soldiers routinely perform numerous tasks and take on a vast array of respon-sibilities. “We’re responsible for providing over-sight and accountability for all of the items that are ordered and stored at the ware-house,” said Sgt. Wayne Keller, originally from Port Angeles, Wash., an automated logistics specialist, also assigned to A Co., TF Coldsteel. “The warehouse has a turn in section where customers turn in unserviceable items that we forward to the repair depots so that the parts can be re-integrated back

into our supply system” added Keller. Keller gave some insight into the daily operations at the warehouse. “We receive, break down and process in-coming shipments here,” added Keller. “Once the items are processed, we dis-tribute them to the respective units who or-dered them,” he said. The Soldiers replenish their stock of parts and supplies daily, since a plethora of or-ders are constantly moving in and out of the supply system, said Keller. Moreover, the spotlight rarely shines on the Soldiers who work at the SSA ware-house; a fact that doesn’t bother Coles one bit. “We get so caught up in our work out here,” said Coles. “Everyone understands their job though, and they see the big pic-ture; it isn’t about us, it’s about the units we support.” Roane said teamwork and cohesion en-sure smooth operations at the warehouse, and he gave his Soldiers the credit for the platoon’s daily successes. “They go above and beyond their normal duties, and I wouldn’t trade them for any-thing.”

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The last Christmas Kevin and Tristan Ruark spent together was in their hometown Clarkston, Wash., in 1998. Tristan was serving in the U.S. Marines Corps, and his young-er brother Kevin would soon follow. They remember going to see lights on display at Locomotive Park across the Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho. At the time, neither knew it would be 13 years before they would share another Christmas. They certainly didn’t know they would meet on Christmas Eve in northern Afghani-stan as U.S. Army soldiers. Sgt. 1st Class Tristan Ruark, an adviser with Khanabad District Ad-visory Team, 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 170th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Ruark, an Apache pilot with 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, nearly missed each other this year as well. Tristan’s unit is preparing to return to Baumholder, Germany, in early 2012 after a yearlong deployment. Kevin arrived just in time. “It’s been over a year since we last hung out,” Tristan said. “We’ll go in spurts of being able to see each other.” The Ruarks said there were many

reasons they joined the military. Their grandparents fought in World War II, their father was drafted dur-ing Vietnam, and an uncle and a cousin were Marines. “I used it as an opportunity to get out on my own,” Kevin said. Mainly, they remember playing war while growing up in eastern Washington state. “We took it to the extreme,” said Kevin, who is on his second combat tour. “We went down to the army-navy store and bought [camouflage uniforms]. Then we’d dress up, face paint up and low crawl through the yard. Day or night, it didn’t really matter.” This isn’t the first time Kevin and Tristan have been deployed simulta-neously. In 2007, Tristan was in Iraq while Kevin was in Afghanistan. Tristan, now five years from re-tirement, said his father, “thought we were just going to serve and get out. He’s pretty supportive. He came down to watch my brother graduate from the Apache course. He’s like any parent; he’s worried about having his sons in theater.” For all the soldiers here, Christmas is a rare day off. The Ruarks called their wives and children. Tristan said they’d maybe even “Skype with Dad.”

By: Staff Sgt. Christopher Klutts, 170th BCT Public Affairs

From left, Sgt. 1st Class Tristan Ruark and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin Ruark

WARRIORS: DAY...

...OR NIGHT

WARRIORS: DAY...

Photo By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

Photo By: Sgt. Felix Acevedo

Photo By: Sgt. Felix Acevedo

Photo By: Sgt. Richard Wrigley

TF Lobos Courtesy Photo