DESERTDESERT VOICEVOICEServing the U.S. and Coalition Forces in KuwaitFebruary 8, 2006

Paving theroad less

traveledPages 6 & 7

Back page Super Bowl dismaySpc. Michael R. Noggle

Sgt. Rob Clark wathes in dissappoint-ment as the Seattle Seahawks lose tothe Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-10.

CFLCC Commanding GeneralLt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb

CFLCC CommandSergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Franklin G.Ashe

CFLCC Publ ic Affa irs Off icerCol. Barrett King

CFLCC Publ ic Affa irsOff icer , ForwardLt. Col. Debbie Haston-Hilger

Commander, 1 1th PADCapt. Chevelle Thomas

NCOIC , 1 1th PADStaff Sgt. Kerensa Hardy

Desert Vo ice Ed itorSgt. Jonathan M. Stack

Desert Vo ice AssistantEditorSpc. Robert Adams

Desert Vo ice Staff WritersSpc. Janine CooglerSpc. Debralee P. CrankshawSpc. Michael R. Noggle

1 1th PAD BroadcastersSpc. Christina BeermanPfc. Jheridiah Anderson

2 Desert Voice February 8, 2006

Volume 27, Issue 29The Desert Voice is an authorized publication for membersof the Department of Defense. Contents of the Desert Voiceare not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, theU.S. Government or Department of the Army. The editorialcontent of this publication is the responsibility of theCoalition Forces Land Component Command Public AffairsOffice. This newspaper is published by Al-Qabandi United, aprivate firm, which is not affiliated with CFLCC. All copy willbe edited. The Desert Voice is produced weekly by thePublic Affairs Office.

PPaaggee 33 Working as a team

Page 9 Brazilian Jujitsu

Pages 6&7 K-Crossing

Page 8 Victory security

Page 4 2nd BCT awaits call

Page 11 Community Events

Command Sgt. Maj. Ashe tells troops whata great job they are doing in Kuwait andhow proud the leadership is of them.

2/128th Inf. Soldiers man the ECP, thetowers, perimeter patrols and QRFwatching over the large numbers ofSoldiers redeploying through the camp.

The Camp Arifjan Combat Jujitsu Cluboffers servicemembers the opportunityto learn a hybrid of martial arts centeringon jujitsu.

A joint-service construction effort isunderway at the Kuwait and Iraq border.The K-Crossing project will be the futuresite of military border operations.

CONTENTS 29

Page 10 Teaching Kuwaitis343rd Ground Ambulance CompanySoldiers teach Tactical Combat CasualtyCare Course to Kuwait National GuardMedical Company personnel.

44

6

2nd BCT Soldiers currently positioned atCamp Buehring are continually training atthe Udairi Range, waiting to be called for-ward into Iraq.

Here are upcoming events: Black HistoryMonth Jazz Night, Black History Monthart contest, Valentine’s Dance,Valentine’s Day runs.

DESERTVOICE

EditorCFLCC PAO/Desert VoiceCamp ArifjanAPO AE 09306

jonathan.stack@arifjan.arcent.army.mil

Find us online at www.dvidshub.net

1100

Page 5 Spotting speedersPMO, BSB - North began running radar onthe outskirts of the northern base campsin late December. Their goal is to keepservicemembers safe.

On the coverNavy Chief David Barrett

Navy Seabees begin to pave a sectionof K-Crossing, which will become thenew border for convoys entering andexiting Iraq.

66-77

3Desert Voice February 8, 2006

As most of you cheered foryour favorite team in the SuperBowl, the Third Army teamdeserves to be cheered as it con-tinues to do an outstanding job inAtlanta and in the CentralCommand area of responsibility.

Military and civilian personnelalike are going above and beyondas they carry out tasks in theirrespective fields.

Troops are remaining aware oftheir situation, incorporatingsafety into all aspects of whatthey do and paying attention todetail. As a result, we’re on trackto set a new record for the num-ber of days that have gone bysince our last negligent dis-charge. We also haven’t had anytactical vehicle rollovers or acci-dent-related fatalities in Kuwaitthis year.

Positive things like this don’thappen by accident; they come

about because Soldiers and lead-ers are taking care of each other.Good things happen because wemake them happen by lookingout for our battle buddies andupholding the standards.

The results of our missionsare nothing short of amazing. Atany given time, Third Army isdoing many big things, making alarge impact and causing thingsto happen. I and the rest of thesenior leadership notice andappreciate the effort put forth byour servicemembers on a dailybasis to get the mission accom-plished.

We need to bear in mind thatthis is a long-term war and tocontinue to be successful, wemust stay focused and continueto take care of each other. It’s amust that we keep operating as ateam.

The military is a team-orient-ed organization and it requires allof us to work together to makethings happen. The success ofthe military hinges on the drive

and dedication of the people thatcomprised it. It’s not aboutweapons systems, trackingcharts, radios or rifles. It’s aboutthe people who put all thesethings together to get the jobdone.

The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen,Marines and civilians who havelost their lives or have beenwounded supporting the GlobalWar on Terrorism remain a partof that team. We should remem-ber their losses and acknowledgethe sacrifices made by their fami-lies.

The troops who have passedon have not been lost in vain.They died supporting a cause anda team they believed in, and aspart of that team we will honortheir memories and their sacri-fices by doing the right thing.Their spirit— the spirit of dutyand determination, is with us aswe push forward to accomplishour goals.

I want servicemembers to beproud of who they are and to take

pride in their accomplishments inthe military. It takes a great dealof discipline and fortitude toleave our loved ones behind todefend the ideals of our nation. Iwant to take this opportunity tothank each and every one of you.Continue to look out for eachother and be safe as you accom-plish the mission. THIRD …ALWAYS FIRST.

Super teams are built on dedication, commitmentCommand Sgt. Maj.Franklin G. AsheThird U.S. Army/CFLCC/ARCENT Command Sergeant Major

Command Sgt. Maj. Franklin G. Ashe

Spc. Jonathan MontgomerySoldiers from 3rd Infantry Division work as a team to clean vehicles at the Camp Arifjan washrack prior to redeploying.

4 Desert Voice February 8, 2006

Awaiting call-up from Iraq, the 2ndBrigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division,isn’t wasting time sitting around at CampBuehring.

With the possibility of being summoned ata moment’s notice, the Germany-based unitcontinues to train and adapt to an environ-ment to which they are not accustomed.

“It’s a different environment here whichmakes it more realistic. This is the environ-ment they can go into in Iraq,” said Lt. Col.Richard Anderson, 2nd BCT, 1st AD, execu-tive officer. “We get good training inGermany but this environment makes it morerealistic for the Soldiers.”

Currently, the unit is serving as a call-for-ward force to be sent to Iraq, Andersonexplained. They could be called upon todeploy at any time, but in the meantime con-tinue to train and prepare for Iraq.

“We’ve been out here training hard,” said1st Lt. Justin Philippi, Battery C, 4thBattalion, 27th Field Artillery fire directionofficer. “The Soldiers feel we’ve been push-ing them too hard, but it’s good, real-worldtraining.”

“The training has been more frequent thananywhere else,” said Pfc. Anthony Smith,Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4thBn., 27th FA radio operator. “Other than thistraining, we’ve done some convoy live fire,

maintenance of vehicles and weaponsranges.”

Prior to their arrival in Kuwait, Smith saidhe knew there would be a 50/50 chance onwhether the unit would get into the fight.

“We weren’t too sure as to what toexpect,” he said. “You have to come herewith an open mind…. Right now we’re onstandby to go north; in the meantime we arehere, doing what our mission calls for.”

The Soldiers from Battery C are preparingfor a battalion “Top Gun” competition inwhich units will compete in a field artillerycontest in the future.

“The Top Gun determines the best in thebattalion,” Philippi said. “It consist of firingmissions, uploading ammo, land navigation,written tests - things we use to evaluate thefield artillery Soldiers.”

Others within the brigade have been main-taining their Soldiering skills as well, accord-ing to Command Sgt. Maj. Jose A. Santos,2nd BCT command sergeant major. Whetherit’s zeroing weapons, performing mainte-nance checks on vehicles or sitting in on mil-itary classes, the Soldiers are constantly onthe move.

Since November, they have conductedtraining that would take other units close to ayear to complete, he said. These Soldiers areready to go to fight.

Santos said he remains optimistic therewill be a mission for his brigade somewheredown the road.

“There’s a possibility for anything,” hesaid. “Today I can tell you we are not goinganywhere and tomorrow might be a differentstory. We are ready for any course of actiongiven to us.”

While there is no word as to when theunit might see Iraq, Anderson tells hisSoldiers to remain patient and feels as thoughthere is a positive side to their deployment.

“Our unit being here has been a plus forthe Iraqi theater operations,” he said. “Itshows that things are working…. The Iraqisecurity forces are taking over; they are doingwhat we envisioned them doing.”

Spc. Michael R. NoggleCFLCC PAO/11th PAD

2nd BCT awaits call from benchPlaying second string?

Pfc. Joshua RameySoldiers from 2nd BCT, 1st AD, prepare to enter and clear a room at the Military Operations in Urbanized Terrain training site.

Spc. Michael NoggleA 2nd BCT howitzer awaits the word to fireat the Udairi Range.

5Desert Voice February 8, 2006

Deployed servicemembers areusually concerned with safetyregarding their weapon and beingfired upon, but they should alsobe aware of vehicle safety.

“The bottom line is we’re hereto protect Soldiers and preventinjury and death due to trafficaccidents,” said Rick Ryan,provost marshal office, BaseSupport Battalion – North,provost marshal.

PMO began running radar onthe outskirts of northern camps inlate December to do this, Ryansaid.

“We started after a large num-ber of accidents and a couplefatalities,” said Chief PettyOfficer Doug Garner, Navy Lawand Order Detachment operationschief. “We set up the traffic-enforcement plan to be out on theroad and stop reckless driving.”

The master of arms sailors setup with one vehicle shooting

radar and another farther up theroad to stop those speeding. Thefirst vehicle radios back with thespeed and description of thespeeding vehicle and the driver.

Having two vehicles servestwo purposes: it allows the MAsto distinguish troops fromKuwaitis and it prevents a pur-suit.

“Pursuit on these roads can bedangerous,” Ryan said.

PMO is not just worried aboutMPs safety on the roads but arerunning radar for the safety ofservicemembers.

“A lot of times people don’trealize the safety issues becausethey’re in the desert,” said PettyOfficer 1st Class Debra Miller,Law and Order Detachmentpatrol officer. “After we stopthem, they realize there are safetyissues in the desert, like there areon normal roads.”

The conditions of the roadsare another concern for drivingrecklessly.

“The roads outside base arenot made for excessive speed,”

Garner said. “They’re dirt roadscut out in the desert. People testtheir limits, and that’s where wehave accidents.”

Garner went on to explain thatthe roads change daily because ofthe weather, people making theirown paths and lack of clearlydefined roads, which also causessafety hazards.

“Because of the roads andexcessive speed, people get intosingle-car accidents that can befatal and catastrophic,” Ryansaid.

Safety is the priority for thePMO, Garner and Ryan agreed.

“We’re not here to slam any-

one,” Garner said. “We’re look-ing for voluntary compliance tomake sure everyone gets frompoint A to point B without any-one hurt or damage to govern-ment property.”

PMO said that accidents andcitations have decreased sincethey began the radar off base.

“I like to attribute it to peopleknowing we’re out there,” Ryansaid. “We’re trying to get volun-tary compliance to follow thespeed limit and, for the most part,we’re seeing that.”

“That’s doesn’t mean we’recoming back in,” he added.“We’re out there to stay.”

Running radar for servicemembers’ safety

With more than 500 troops in Iraq, theJapanese contingent continues to make itsmark with its non-combat humanitarian andreconstruction missions in Iraq as the 9thSupport Group replaces the 8th SupportGroup.

The Japanese contingent’s mission is tohelp rebuild infrastructure, purify water andprovide medicalrelief, said JapaneseCapt. TakahiroKawaguchi, Japanese 9th Support Group liai-son officer.

Leaving Japan after being an artilleryschool instructor, Kawaguchi was given thetask of maintaining the needs of all Japanesetroops deploying and redeploying to and fromIraq, as well as assisting the Japaneseembassy with diplomatic visits and higher-ranking officers.

Like the other soldiers in the 9th SupportGroup, Kawaguchi had the opportunity towork with some of the 8th Support Group

soldiers to learn the responsibilities of hisjob.

“I received the proper guidance of how tosubmit the proper paperwork and get permis-sion to get into Army facilities,” he said.

Before returning home, the 8th SupportGroup was honored with a farewell dinnerJan. 28 to congratulate its soldiers for a jobwell done.

During the dinner, Japanese soldiers wereable to meet their ambassador and take sever-

al pictures withhim.

The soldiersworked hard for six months making theircontribution to the humanitarian aide in Iraq,Kawaguchi said.

The Japanese troops have built mainroads, hospitals, public facilities and watersupply facilities.

Although Japan does not need any extratraining in Kuwait, its liaison officer mustcoordinate with Task Force Gator countryofficers so rotating troops have transportationand tents while in Kuwait.

Maj. Greg Willingham, TF Gator country

officer, traveled to the Japanese area ofresponsibility several times to meet with theleaders and find out any way TF Gator couldassist the Japanese contingent.

“We work together to complete all thebackground work to make sure operationshave what they need to transport equipment,provide quarters for troops and accomplishmissions,” Willingham said.

Because the Japanese contingent has a liai-son officer in Kuwait, Willingham said itmakes his job less stressful.

“They pretty much take care of every-thing, and I just help point them in the correctdirection to achieve their goals,” Willinghamexplained.

In an effort to help stabilize Iraq, the 9thSupport Group headed to Iraq prepared tocomplete humanitarian and reconstructionmissions.

Kawaguchi said he is proud to have theopportunity to help the Japanese contingentreceive proper equipment, transportation andanything else needed to complete missions.

He added, “We believe the Iraq recon-struction will be a success.”

Japan contingent rotates troops throughout theater

Spc. Debralee CrankshawPetty Officer 3rd Class Sean Chaney, Law and Order Det. patrol-man, checks the speed of a passing vehicle by using a radar.

Spc. Debralee P.CrankshawCFLCC PAO/11th PAD

Spc. Janine CooglerCFLCC PAO/11th PAD

“We believe the Iraq reconstruction will be aJapanese Capt. Takahiro Kawaguchi

6 Desert Voice February 8, 2006

Joint-service project paves way for warfighter

What do you get when youask Air Force designers, Armyengineers and Navy Seabees tobuild a new border crossing intoIraq?

A 2.5 million square footmovement-control facility.

Also serving as a convoysecurity checkpoint, the facilitywill create a faster and saferroute into the heart of the fight.

Once completed, the $16.5million Khabari AlawazemCrossing project, nicknamed K-Crossing, will replace the currentmilitary border crossing at CampNavistar and will make the U.S.presence in Kuwait less visible.

Onsite Army and Navy unitswork side-by-side, sharing equip-ment and providing a differentengineer aspect to the construc-tion process.

The K-Crossing project beganin October 2005 when the 844thEngineer Battalion and 63rdEngineer Company began clear-ing desert and building the sur-rounding berms.

“It’s amazing that you cantake the desert and turn it into arest stop for Soldiers headingnorth into Iraq,” said SeamanRichard Martin, Naval MobileConstruction Battalion-3 builder.

Arriving in Kuwait afterspending 45 days in Egypt sup-porting Operation Bright Star, 1stPlatoon, 63rd Eng. Co. Soldierstook over all earth-moving workfrom the 844th Eng. Bn., whichredeployed in November.

Their primary mission at K-Crossing deals with horizontalearthwork to include leveling,grading and excavating.

They are also cross-trainingon asphalt work with the NavySeabees.

After a month on site, the63rd Eng. Co. welcomed active-

duty Seabees from NMCB-3 andreserve Seabees from NMCB-21to the K-Crossing project inNovember.

The Seabees’ major activitiesinclude surveying, fine grading,pavement, conduit installationand concrete placement.

“Prior to the K-Crossing proj-ect, NMCB-3 was conductingconvoy and construction mis-sions in Iraq so we tapped intothat recent experience,” saidNavy Lt. j.g. Sean Donohue,NMCB-3 Detachment Buehringoperations officer, whose detach-ment has overall responsibilityfor the K-Crossing project.

NMCB-21, which is attachedto NMCB-3, is comprised of con-struction trades journeymen,some with more than 20 years ofunion, industry and military con-struction experience.

“This project has a broaderknowledge base than most proj-ects you will find anywhere inmilitary or private sector,”

Donohue added.Though there have been cul-

tural differences between the twoservices, each has had the oppor-tunity to learn a lot from eachother.

“The key is to not ignorethose differences, but rather max-imize what each entity brings tothe table,” Donohue said.

“The 63rd Eng. Co. worked innorthern Kuwait several yearsago and some of its noncommis-sioned officers know the soilsand materials around here betterthan anyone,” Donohue said.“Mission after mission, they getthe job done and done right… Ihave come to rely on them heavi-ly.”

Since there are a variety ofconstruction aspects to the proj-ect, many Soldiers and Seabeeshave gotten the chance to cross-train and learn from their leadersand fellow servicemembers.

“My Soldiers have all had thechance to use and become effi-

cient on every piece of equip-ment here,” said 1st Lt. TobyMcIntire, 63rd Eng. Co., 1st pla-

Spc. Robert AdamsAssistant Editor

Next stop: Iraq

Spc. Robert Adams(Left to right) Petty Officer 2nd Class Jared Rutt and Seaman Richard Martin, NMCB-3 builders, float aconcrete pad at K-Crossing Jan. 30.

Spc. Robert AdamsPetty Officer 3rd Class DaurellWinchester, NMCB-3 utilities-man, directs concrete mix overa metal grid Jan. 30.

7Desert Voice February 8, 2006

toon leader. “Most Soldierswon’t have the opportunity to dothis, especially on a large-scaleproject.”

“This is the first chance toenhance my operating skills. Iget to come out and get on equip-ment every day,” said Pfc. KyleFlegel, 63rd Eng. Co. heavyequipment operator.

One Seabee said he haslearned a great deal from hiscrew leader during this project.

“He has taught me everythingfrom grading, sloping, form

working and leveling,” Martinsaid. “On future projects I willbe able to build small concretepads and it will help out with mydream of building my ownhouse.”

The project leaders alsounderstand the importance of get-ting the project done on time andto standard.

The Seabees have qualityassurance specialists who per-form daily quality control checksand safety reports.

In addition, Navy, Army and

Air Force engineer leaders holdweekly progress report meetingsalongside Army Corps ofEngineer representatives andcivilian contractors working onthe project. During these meet-ings they discuss and make fielddecisions.

“Though most of us wouldlike to be fighting up north, weknow that the best way to con-tribute to the war is right here atK-Crossing,” said Petty Officer

1st Class Douglas Jumper,NMCB-21 equipment operator.“Troops have worked late attimes to get the job done, withoutcomplaint, because they under-stand the importance of this proj-ect.”

“Hopefully this will set theprecedence of how business isdone in the future,” Jumperadded. “K-Crossing will be aprototype for future border-cross-ing projects around the region.”

Spc. Robert AdamsA bird’s-eye view of K-Crossing shows equipment and completedroad work at the project site Jan. 16.

Navy Chief David BarrettPetty Officer 3rd Class Sanjay Prakash, NMCB-3 steel worker, ties together metal grating which is used to support a concrete pad.

Spc. Robert AdamsSpc. Carl Price, 63rd Eng. Co. crane operator, levels dirt with a bull-dozer on the southbound side of the project Jan. 30.

8 Desert Voice February 8, 2006

Golden junk found(Left) Spc. Debralee P.

Crankshaw(Right) Sgt. Jonathan M.

StackThe U.S. Armyhelped out theKuwaitis by mov-ing a junked tug-boat that wasfound to theshore. Once it wasmoved theKuwaitis plannedon using the tug-boat for scrapmetal.

Protecting Camp Victory is a large task,especially during the surge when anincrease of redeploying troops is filter-

ing through.The job of protecting Victory, which can

house approximately 17,500 troops duringthe surge, is held by Company B, 2ndBattalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, fromHartford and Oconomowoc, Wis.

Their security responsibilities include theentry control point, a roving patrol around thecamp perimeter and a quick-reaction force.

At the ECP 2/128th Inf. Soldiers checkidentification, check lists and badges of everyperson entering or exiting the camp as well asconduct a thorough vehicle inspection.

They are searching for alcohol and drugs,potential weapons, other contraband and any-thing out of the ordinary.

Due to the threat of a vehicle-borneimprovised explosive device Soldiers performa thorough search of the inside and undercar-riage of the vehicle checking for anythingthat looks suspicious.

“Nothing has gotten through since wehave been here,” said Pfc. Robert Formolo,

2/128 Inf. rifleman.“Soldiers inside can feel safe,” he said.The Soldiers and their leadership aren’t

going to take any chances and are continu-ously training and changing their search tac-tics and procedures.

“We cross-train Soldiers on how to runevery function of the inspection process,”said Staff Sgt. Ricardo Buckley, 2/128th Inf.squad leader.

“I remind them to stay alert on a regularbasis and we do battle drills once a week sono one gets too complacent,” he said.

“I also rotate my Soldiers between the dif-ferent jobs and change the way we performtasks,” Buckley added.

Soldiers also rotate out on roving patrolsaround Victory’s perimeter.

The patrols look for suspicious vehicles,people and items outside of camp.

In addition the camp has towers observingroads and provides the first-line defense.

The camp’s entrance road is designed sothe towers can watch approaching vehiclesfor an extended period of time.

That way if anything happens no one willget hurt.

“If we slack on our job then we are lettingour fellow Soldiers down,” Formolo said.

First-line defense

Infantry unit keeps Victory secureSpc. Robert AdamsAssistant Editor

Spc. Robert AdamsSpc. Joel Schneider, 2/128th Inf. saw-gun-ner, checks the undercarriage of a van forwires, obstruction or anything unusual.

9Desert Voice February 8, 2006

In a scene similar to Basic CombatTraining Army combative training class, ser-vicemembers clinch their arms around theiropponent’s neck, slowing the flow of blood tothe head.

Alternating playing the submissive oppo-nent, more than 15 servicemembers tookturns throwing, choking and mounting eachother during a Brazilian jujitsu class Jan. 31at the Zone 6 gym.

The Camp Arifjan Combat Jujitsu Cluboffers classes three times a week and incorpo-rates a variety of martial arts. This hybridform of martial arts mixes Brazilian jujitsu,elements of Judo, Muay Thai kickboxing,wrestling and U.S. Army combative training.

Although the club combines martial artforms, its main focus is Brazilian jujitsu, saidPeter Quinones, the club’s training assistant.

Brazilian jujitsu consists of three forms:sport, self-defense and vale tudo. In sportjujitsu students practice with rules favorablefor competition. Self-defense jujitsu focuseson movements which will help a person getout of submission. Vale tudo, which isPortuguese for “everything goes,” is a full-contact competition with limited rules.

The club’s instructors focus their teachingon sport and self-defense jujitsu.

Keita Lyles, a club member, said shejoined the club to put variety in her fitnessschedule, learn new techniques and havesome fun.

“I’m a rookiewhen it comesto all this, butback in Germany I took a few classes so Iknow a little of the basic concepts,” Lylesexplained.

The club members’ skill levels vary, saidJosenel Soto-Merced, training assistant.

Charlie Litchfield, a club member as wellas an amateur martial artist, studies mixedmartial arts, which incorporates stand-upfighting, kickboxing and ground game.

Litchfield said he appreciates being able towork on his ground game during his deploy-ment.

“I was surprised to find out they offeredthis here,” Litchfield said. “I sent for myequipment and have been coming to theclasses since November.”

From beginner to experienced fighters, theclub finds ways to satisfy the needs of all itsmembers, Quinones said.

Although there are experienced fighters in

the club the beginners do not feel left out.The trainers take their time to teach the

fundamentals such as the basic-choke andmount moves to the newcomers.

“I show the group different techniques toreact in submission fighting,” said Staff Sgt.Jason Eggleston, the club’s instructor.

During instruction of mounting, Egglestonteaches clubmembers how toget out of thesubmission

position from underneath the opponent. Stepby step, he slowly explains and provides avisual demonstration for the members towatch.

“Each step is critical in positioning theopponent; it is not about strength, it’s aboutleverage,” he explained to the class.

Students are taught to redirect the attack-er’s force and use it to their advantage insteadof resisting and struggling against the attack.

After several practices of different mount-ing techniques, Eggleston began instructingdifferent techniques of choking.

Brazilian jujitsu has two types of chokes:blood and air. The blood choke, also knownas the sleeper, slows down the flow of bloodto the opponents head causing the opponentto pass out.

The air choke is a type of asphyxiation tothe opponent.

During the class, safety is extremelyimportant. Tapping is the universal signal tostop the jujitsu move. In addition to the tap-ping, members are asked to practice self andopponent awareness.

“Everyone knows their limits, so we tellthem to tap out once they feel faint, don’t tryto see how long they can hold it,” Soto-Merced said.

“And the person performing the techniqueshould stop once submission is achieved, andnot try to overdo the move,” he said.

Club members are required to executetechniques in a slow, controlled manner. Theproper form of movements is the main focusrather than the speed.

At the end of every class, club membersare able to apply their lessons during six-minute sparring sessions.

“This is different because they are fightingunwilling partners,” Eggleston explained.“Submission over the opponent is not agiven.”

Although the club can’t award belts to par-ticipants, the practice will help, Quinonesexplained. If members decide to go to a jujit-su school when they return home, they willbe more advanced than other students.

He added, “The club provides service-members with an opportunity to enjoy martialarts in a relaxed atmosphere, learn new tech-niques and have fun.”

Brazilian jujitsu grabs hold of troopsSpc. Janine CooglerCFLCC PAO/11th PAD

Spc. Janine CooglerDuring a jujitsu demonstration, Jason Eggleston positions his body in preparation to getout of submission position and mount his opponent, Peter Quinones.

“Each step is critical in positioning the opponent,it is not about strength, it’s about leverage.”

Staff Sgt. Jason Eggleston

10 Desert Voice February 8, 2006

As the sounds of gunfire bel-lowed through the outdoor pavil-ion, the senior medic called outto his security element, “Prepareto move the patient!”

The transporting of patients tothe casualty collection point bythe Kuwait National Guardsmenmarked the culminating events ofthe four-day medical trainingexercise.

The 343rd Ground AmbulanceCompany, 1st Medical Brigadetook on the role of teaching theTactical Combat Casualty CareCourse to the Kuwait NationalGuard Medical Company Dec.11. This evolution of training,which started Jan. 22, marked thesecond of several rotations thatwill be conducted in the comingmonths.

Bob Pilipick, a retired infantrylieutenant colonel and CombatService Support Command train-ing consultant for the KuwaitNational Guard Division SupportCommand, expressed an interestin exchanging medical tech-niques and procedures with theUnited States Army on Oct. 16.The Soldiers of the 343rd wereready for the task.

In support of the Coalition

Forces Land ComponentCommand commander’s intent tostrengthen the U.S. and Kuwaitirelationship, the CFLCC Surgeonsection teamed up with the 343rdto instruct the Kuwait medicalcompany personnel on advancedmedical techniques.

“This was a fantastic opportu-nity to showcase the U.S. Army’smedical skill sets to our hostnation as well as establish a base-line for a long-lasting relation-ship with the Kuwaitis” said,Capt. Miguel A. Marcos, 343rdcommander.

Current combat operationsrequired the Department ofDefense to establish mission-spe-cific combat casualty carerequirements. These requirementsnecessitated the implementationof new and innovative casualtyresponse training methodologiesand equipment to aggressivelydecrease preventable combatdeath at the point of wounding.These are the tenets taught to theKuwait National Guardsmen.The students have different med-ical specialties that range fromregistered nurses to licensedemergency medical technicians.

During the course the studentswere given a day and a half ofinstruction, which covers patientassessment, care under fire, tacti-

cal field care and combat evacua-tion care techniques.

“One of the key themes we tryto stress to the student is that themedic is a combat multiplier andthey need to destroy the enemybefore they move from careunder fire to tactical field care,”said Sgt. Leonardo Mijares,343rd instructor.

In the late morning on the sec-ond day, the students conductedpractical exercises covering thetopics taught in the classroomand went through scenario-basedlane training on the third day.

“We try to make things asrealistic as possible for the stu-dents,” said Staff Sgt. David M.Crowley, 343rd instructor. “Weattempt to stress the students bymaking it as real as possible and

we use recordings of gunfire andmultiple patients with multiplewounds to meet this objective.”

On the third day, the studentsand instructors spent approxi-mately two hours conducting aninformation exchange about localcustoms that deal specificallywith patients, military tactics andadvanced medical techniques andprocedures. On the fourth daythe instructors and students helda small congratulatory ceremony.

CFLCC, along with itsassigned units, will continue tosupport Kuwaiti requests forassistance when it can to aid inmaintaining a unified relationshipwith our host. Currently the343rd is planning to teach fourmore Tactical Combat CasualtyCare training rotations.

Army shares knowledge with Kuwait National GuardCapt. Alejandro Gonzales CFLCC Surgeon

Capt. Alejandro GonzalesDuring the TC3 Course, Sgt. David Mijares coaches two KuwaitiNational Guard students on the proper placement of a tourniquet.

Lookin’ goodSpc. Jonathan Montgomery

Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winterinspects more than 20 Sailors of theQuarter Jan. 27 at Army Logistical SupportArea. Winter is the 74th secretary of theNavy, sworn into office on Jan. 3. Winterleads America’s Navy and Marine Corpsteam and is responsible for an annualbudget in excess of $125 billion and almost900,000 people.

11Desert Voice February 8, 2006

WednesdayBingo Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 CommunityCenterWinter basketball league, through February28ThursdayCountry Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterBallroom dance class, 8 p.m., Zone 1Community CenterBrazilian jujitsu, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 FitnessCenterFridaySalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterSaturdayBlack History Jazz Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1Community CenterBasketball tournament, 3 vs. 3, 7 p.m., Zone6 Fitness CenterTexas Hold ‘em tournament, 7 p.m., Zone 6Community CenterHip-Hop, 7 p.m., Zone 1 food courtBrazilian jujitsu, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 FitnessCenterSundayOld School/Reggae/Carribean Night, 7 p.m.,Zone 1 Community CenterSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stageMondayKaraoke Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterBrazilian jujitsu, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 FitnessCenterTuesdayBallroom dance class, 8 p.m., Zone 1Community CenterWednesdayCountry Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stageFor more information call

430-1205/1302WednesdayHalo tournament, 7 p.m., PalmsWeekly fun run, 10-k, 5:30 p.m., Hole-in-One DonutThursdayPingpong tournament, 7 p.m., Events tentFridayAerobics class, 7 p.m., Aerobics tentKaraoke Night, 8 p.m., MWR stageSaturday

Valentine’s Dance, 9 p.m., Events tentSundayBingo, 7 p.m., Events tentMondayHearts tournament, 7 p.m., OasisAerobics class, 7 p.m., Aerobics tentTuesdayAerobics class, 7 p.m., Aerobics tentCoffee House, 8 p.m., OasisWednesdayTexas Hold ‘em tournament, 7 p.m., OasisWeekly fun run, 7.5 k, 5:30 p.m., Hole-in-One DonutFor more information call

828-1340WednesdaySpades Double tournament, 7 p.m.,Recreation CenterThursdayLatin Dance Night, 7 p.m., Recreation CenterHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterFridayBingo Night, 7 p.m., MWR stageHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterSaturdayYoga, 6 a.m., Aerobics RoomTae Kwon Do, 6 p.m., Aerobics RoomFoosball Doubles tournament, 7 p.m.,Recreation CenterHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterSundayVolleyball tournament, 6 vs. 6, noon,Volleyball courtHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterMondayHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterTuesdayLatin Dance Night, 7 p.m., Recreation CenterHip-Hop Night, 9 p.m., Recreation CenterWednesdayCheckers tournament, 7 p.m., RecreationCenterFor more information call

839-1063

For information call 844-1137

For information call 825-1302

WednesdaySpa Day, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., MWR dayroomBlack History art contest begins1,000-pound Club contest, 3 p.m., GymThursdayVolleyball tournament, 4 vs. 4, 3 p.m., MWRcourtsClassic Rock and Country Night, 7 p.m.,MFTFridayTexas Hold ‘em tournament, 6 p.m., MWRdayroomFlashback Fridays Dance, 9 p.m., MFTSaturdayKuwait City Tour, 8 a.m., Scientific Centerand Kuwaiti TowersHip-Hop and R&B Night, 8:30 p.m., MFTSundayKuwait City Tour, 8 a.m., Al Kout MallLincoln’s Birthday four-mile relay, 3 p.m.,Command Cell TOCMondaySpa Day, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., MWR dayroomSpades tournament, 6 p.m., MWR dayroomTuesdaySpa Day, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., MWR dayroomValentine’s Day one-mile race, 3 p.m.,Command Cell TOCWednesdaySpa Day, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., MWR dayroomBlack History art contest judging, 10 a.m. - 4p.m., MWR dayroom

For more information call823-1033WednesdayUno Night, 7 p.m., Community CenterThursdayPool, 8-ball, 7 p.m., Community CenterFridayBackgammon, 7 p.m., Community CenterSaturdayFlag football, 7 vs. 7, 5 p.m., Football fieldSundayOld-school Jams, 8 p.m., Dusty RoomMondayCheckers, 7 p.m., Community CenterTuesdayValentine’s Day 5-k run, 4 p.m., Dusty RoomBingo, 7 p.m., Community CenterWednesdayCountry Night, 8 p.m., Dusty Room

Virginia

Arifjan

Buehring

Navistar

Victory

Spearhead/SPOD

Kuwait Naval Base

Community happenings for Feb. 8 through Feb. 15

Super Bowl dismay