Iron Advisor Volume I Issue III

8/8/2019 Iron Advisor Volume I Issue III

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Volume I, Issue III August 31, 2010

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Page5 Page11 Page15

Blackjack, Pacesetter Soldiers win Iron Stakes

competition at COS Garry Owen

Sgt. William McLaurin of

Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field

Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade

Combat Team, 4th InfantryDivision, and Spc. Kyle Ingle, of

Headquarters and Headquarters

Troop, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry

Regiment, were selected as the

warrior noncommissioned ofcer

and Soldier of the quarter for the

entire brigade Aug. 20.

McLaurin and Ingle were

selected after earning rst place in

their respective categories in the

Iron Stakes Competition held Aug.

16-17 at COS Garry Owen.

Task Force Eagle, 1st Battalion,

8th Infantry Regiment, 3 rd BCT,

4th Inf. Div., sponsored the event,

consisting of several physical and

mental challenges, along with a

formal military board.

I entered the competition

as a challenge to myself, said

McLaurin, a native of Waterford,Mich. I had the support and

encouragement of my chain of

command. I was just excited

to know that I was given the

by Pvt. DeAngelo Wells3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., Public Affairs Ofce

Photo courtesy of Sgt. Dale Harris

Sgt. William D. McLaurin of Battery A, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Comba

Team, 4th Infantry Division, of Waterford, Mich., carries two 5-gallon water jugs on a trail during the

Iron Stakes Competition at COS Garry Owen.

opportunity to compete in it.

The nine competitors were tested

on pushups, box jumps, squats,

pull-ups, burpees, and a stair

climb. The stair climb involved

carrying two ve-gallon waterjugs, then an 80-pound dufe bag,

and lastly a 100-pound ruck sack.

Competitors were then challenged

with a 50-meter stretcher drag and

an 800-yard run.

The physical tness test was

like a normal Army standard pt

test but on steroids. All the events

were hard, but I got through them.

My platoon leader was also outthere to motivate me every step of

the way, so I was pretty happySee Competition on Page 3


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August 31, 2010Volume I, Issue III

Page 2

CSM Miles S. WilsonBrigade Command Sergeant Major

3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Family, friends, and Soldiers of the Iron

Brigade,

The time has come for another Iron

Advisor and that means we are all one

month closer to reuniting. That is great

news! So too, are the stories in the

pages of this newsletter. The Soldiers,

NCOs and ofcers of this great brigade

continue to do phenomenal work here in

Iraq. I remain both proud and humbled to

be a part of such an outstanding unit of

American Warriors.As the sun sets on August 31, Operation

Iraqi Freedom will ofcially end and

Operation New Dawn will begin for the

50,000 U.S. Soldiers that remain. Combat

operations also end August 31, as Im

sure everyone is well aware of. Those two

pieces of information have caused much

confusion for some Iron Soldiers and

our loved ones at home. I can personally

guarantee that what your Iron Soldier

does during Operation New Dawn will

not be any different from what they have

done the last ve months.

We will continue to do our primary

mission of training, advising and assisting

the Iraqi security forces. We will continue

to assist Provincial Reconstruction Teams,

the UN, and other non-governmental

organizations dedicated to building Iraqi

civil capacity. And, if needed, we will

partner with and provide enablers to help

Iraqi security forces maintain pressure on

extremist networks.The most important thing that will stay

the same is we still have the right to

protect ourselves with lethal force. Our

Iron Soldiers completely understands

their right to self-defense. I know my

words cannot erase all of your fears, but I

hope everyone is more informed and less

confused about Operation New Dawn.

We are just days away from Labor Day

and the unofcial end of summer. That

means our children will be walking, riding

a bike, catching a bus or driving back to

school. We will greatly miss helping with

homework, running the kids to band,

cheerleading or football practice, or just

walking our little ones to school. Im sureI speak for all the deployed Moms and

Dads when I wish all of our children a

safe and enjoyable school year.

I wish everyone a safe Labor Day

weekend. For our Families and friends,

its another holiday we will spend apart.

Thanks for all that you do! For us here,

it is exactly what we will be doing that

day - working!

Iron Strong!!

Greetings again from Southern Iraq,

As we enter September, we close inon the half-way mark of our deployment

- a signicant milestone. September 1st

marks another important transition that

you may have seen in the news recently:

the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom and

the beginning of Operation New Dawn. I

wanted to take a moment to explain what

that change means to the Iron Brigade.

Operation New Dawn marks the end

of combat operations in Iraq. This isnt

a huge change for us as we have been

doing stability operations from the time

we arrived. We are supporting our Iraqi

Security force partners, but they are in

the lead for all operations while we serve

as coaches, mentors, and role models.

We assist them as they provide security

for their own people, and we provide our

expertise where we can to make themeven more successful.

One part of the recent news reporting

may have been confusing to people

back in the United States, as a lot of the

stories talked about the last combat troops

leaving Iraq. I want to assure you that

while the Iron Brigade is no longer in a

combat role, we are still combat capable.

Every U.S. Soldier has the inherent right

of self defense, regardless of the mission.

We will continue to do everything in our

power to protect the force and accomplish

our assigned mission.

I continue to be impressed with the

outstanding support of our families and

friends at home. You make it possible for

Col. James E. RaineyCommander


us to do what we do here. I would also

like to take just a moment to wish all the

students the best as they start the new

school year. As always, thank you for

supporting your Soldiers and our country.

Iron Strong!


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Page 3

Competition: Accepting the challenge,

succeding with determinationContinued from Page 1

about that, said Ingle, of South

Bend, Ind.After the physical tness part of

the competition, contestants were

timed on their ability to assemble

three weapons, and then tested on

their marksmanship. Soldiers were

then evaluated on several Warrior

tasks and drills such as transporting

casualties and measuring distance

on a map, while the NCOs were

tested on weapons functions checks

and selecting movement routes on

a map.

The last and longest event for

the contestants was the formal

military board, during which each

contestant was tested on various

Army tasks and manuals.

I was too exhausted from the

events to be nervous about the

board, said Ingle. They caught

me on not wearing my belt

because I forgot to put it on aftercombatives. Luckily I nailed all the

other questions after that incident,

but once again my motivation was

not staying out in that hot sun doing

[entry control point] duties for the

remainder of the deployment.

Ingle and Mclaurin will be

heading onto the Victory Stakes

Competition at Contingency

Operating Base Basra in

September, and will compete for

the United States Division-South

noncommissioned ofcer and

Soldier of the Quarter.

I feel that this competition

will be much harder due to the

competitors, said Mclaurin on

the upcoming Victory Stakes

Competition.

Photo courtesy of Sgt. Dale Harris

Spc. Kyle Ingle, of HHT, 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav.Reg., 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., of South Bend, Ind., poses for

a photo with Command Sgt. Maj. Wilbert Engram, 1st Bn., 8th Inf. Div., and Command Sgt Maj. Miles

S. Wilson, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., holding his award for winning the Iron Stakes Competition.


4/16

Maj. John LimBrigade Chaplain



Page 4

God created Adam and put him

in the Garden of Eden. God sawthat it was not good for a man to be

alone so he made a woman from

the rib he had taken out of man.

Thus, we have the rst husband

and wife who formed the very rst

family of mankind, as recorded in

the book of Genesis.

As we come of age, we nd our

lifes mate and establish our own

family which brings us a measure

of happiness and satisfaction.Everyone longs for a meaningful

relationship that will set them on

a path of delight, yet we encounter

many instances where that fountain

of unimaginable joy and happiness

has turned into the very source of

our anguish and despair. How is it

that weve allowed this to happen?

Obviously, the idea of two

strangers coming together to form

a unit called family is a difcult

concept without love, is it not?

Love is not merely a word that

embodies the emotional tug of the

heart, but it is also an active verb

that embraces the multitude of

imperfections in the other person.We can never love as God loves us

unconditionally, but in a marriage,

we can attempt to learn and

practice this unconditional love.

God always loves us

unconditionally. If we model this

love in our own relationships,

I imagine we would be able to

resolve most of our problems. And

in greater extent, we can apply

this same lesson in regards to ourchildren and friends.

In friendship, we must cultivate

and develop this fragile bond to

make it stronger. It takes time to

nurture friendship that can last for

a lifetime. How is it that we dont

look at the friendship in marriage

the same way?

Even when we dont feel like it,

we would set aside what we were

doing and do our best to help our

friend. When our lifes partner

asks us for a small favor, would we

refuse because it is inconvenient?

The more we are willing to work in

building our marriage, the greater

happiness and satisfaction we willbe able to draw from it.

As we go through this

deployment, lets nurture our

relationships with care and

compassion.

After the deployment, we should

be glad that we stood by each other

in our times of challenge. When

we truly attempt to live out this

unconditional love within our own

relationships, we begin to get aglimpse of that unconditional love

shown to us by God.


5/16


Page 5

Photo by Staff Sgt

Christopher Jelle

One of the Iraq

Army students

looks on with an

instructor as one

of the mechanics

tightens down a

radiator hose on

a humvee during

a maintenance

training class

The class was

held at the

14th Iraqi Army

Divisions Field

Factory on Camp

Wessam.

Iraqis train Iraqis in humvee maintenanceby Staff Sgt. Christopher Jelle

3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., Public Affairs Ofce

Due to the extreme temperatures

in Iraq, a well-maintained vehicleis critical to the operations and

missions of the security forces.

In order to ensure their vehicles

are always ready to support the

mission, soldiers of the 14th Iraqi

Army Division began training

each other in humvee maintenance

August 18.

The Soldiers from the Stability

Transition Team assigned to 1st

Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment,

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th

Infantry Division have trained

roughly 90 Iraqi Army soldiers in

vehicle maintenance over the past

few months. Recently the STT

requested 15 of the top students

from those classes to return and

be trained to become maintenance

instructors.

These 15 new Iraqi instructorswill continue to train vehicle

mechanics in the Iraqi Army and

other security forces, even after

the U.S. forces withdraw.

Honestly, all my soldiers need

now is the experience, said Maj.

Wail Najim Aboud, executive

ofcer, Field Factory, 14th Iraqi

Army Division. We dont need

any more assistance or equipment.

They have everything they need.

Along with more advanced

mechanics training, the hand-

picked mechanics also received

instructor training, complete with

course outlines and presentation

materials. The new instructors

were given time to review the

material and rehearse the classes

they would soon be teaching.

Pvt. Hashim Mohamed, humveemechanic instructor, Field Factory,

14th IA Div., said the Iraqis mustSee Humvee on Page 6

Blood Analyzers bring faster treatment in Maysanby Staff Sgt. Lester Yancey

3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

The Maysan Provincial

Reconstruction Team with support

from Battery A, 3rd Battalion,

29th Field Artillery Regiment,

3rd Brigade Combat Team,

4th Infantry Division, recently

provided the Ministry of Health

with six Beckman Coulter Auto

Blood Analyzers.

Beckman Coulter develops,manufactures, and markets many

products designed to simplif

complex biomedical testing. The

companys diagnostic systems are

found in hospitals and other critical

care facilities around the world.

Physicians use informationSee Treatment on Page 6

Photo courtesy of 2nd Lt. Andrew Mayer

Capt. Sung Hong, of Stanton, Calif., civil affairs ofcer, Civil Liaison Team, meets with doctors from the

Al Sader Hospital to check on a blood analyzer provided by the Ministry of Health.


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Page 6

Continued from Page 5

be prepared to teach and continue

teaching their soldiers. He also

said the Iraqi students all came

with a great eagerness to learn and

do their best.

That will help them to teach

and present the same information

to their own battalions, said

Hashim.

The classes are built into two-

week courses that include bothclassroom instruction and hands-

on training with actual trucks in

maintenance bays. At the end of

each course, the students take both

a written and a practical exam

before a formal graduation.

The [Iraqi soldiers] are very

eager to learn and are very

proactive. They sit in thes

classrooms with no air conditioning

and one little fan and just absorball the information they can, said

Maj. Marc Cichowicz, Stability

Transition Team, 1st Bn. 68th AR.

The Iraqi commanders have been

very supportive of this program

and have sent anywhere from 10 to

20 soldiers to come and be trained.

Its been a real success.

Plans are already being made

to expand the program to include

different types of vehicles and to

train soldiers from the Iraqi Police.

I am proud as an Iraqi to teach

the rst class and also, I will never

forget who taught me and got me

to the level of being an instructor,

said Hashim. I am very thankful

for all they have done for us.

Humvee: Valuable

lessons learned

from their ownContinued from Page 5generated by the analyzers to

diagnose diseases and make life-saving treatment decisions.

By installing this equipment,

other hospitals in and around Al

Amarah will follow the provinces

positive example, said 2nd Lt.

Timothy Lewin, of Pueblo, Colo.,

eld artillery ofcer, 3rd Bn., 29th

FA Reg.

These new analyzers will enable

Maysan hospitals to perform amultiple array of tests on blood

samples in a fraction of the time

it previously took to complete.

These analyzers allow doctors to

run more specic tests and receive

much more accurate data results,

said Dr. Majeed, physician at the

Al Sadar hospital.

These analyzers will likely have

a large impact on the resources and

quality of care Maysan hospitals arenow able to offer their patients, said

Majeed. Without these analyzers,

hospitals in Maysan, that already

suffer from understafng and lack

qualied medical professionals,

would continue to waste manpower

and resources testing individual

samples, only to receive minimalresults.

Instead of conducting one test

at a time, such as testing for a

potassium reading, the analyzer has

the capability to test for sodium,

potassium, chloride and glucose

readings all at once, allowing

doctors to diagnose patients much

faster.

The installation of thisequipment will allow the staff to

maximize their effectiveness,

said Capt. Sung Hong, of Stanton,

Calif., civil affairs ofcer, Civil

Liaison Team, who works with the

Maysan PRT.

Members of Battery A regularly

escort PRT members like Hong

to the Al Sadar and Al Zahrawi

hospitals to check on the progress

of the analyzers.The analyzer systems are

extremely important for improving

the current health care systems in

Maysan, said Majeed.

Treatment: Blood analyzers to bring

better assistance to Maysan hospitals

Photo courtesy of

2nd Lt. Andrew Mayer

A new blood analyzer

provided by the

Ministry of Health sits

at a Maysan Hospital.

These new analyzers

will enable Maysanhospitals to perform a

multiple array of tests

on blood samples in

a fraction of the time

it previously took to

complete.


7/16


Page 7

The 64th Brigade Support

Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat

Team, 4th Infantry Division,

enlisted council recently conducted

an organizational day on COB

Adder at the battalion motor pool

and the camps volleyball pit.

The enlisted council is a think-

tank of the junior Soldiers from

the battalion who come together

periodically to recommendways to boost morale and build

camaraderie among Soldiers and

leadership.

The organizational day gave

Soldiers a chance to catch-up with

each other. The two-day event

also helped release some tension

and stress for Soldiers, who are

deployed and away from family

and friends.

Mountaineers build bonds and strengthenfriendships with battalion organizational day

by Spc. Deborah Linton64th BSB, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Photo courtesy of Spc. Deborah Linton

Pfc. Laure Betts, of Venice, Fla., multi-tasks by

steering the humvee while pushing. Pushing a

the rear of the vehicle are 2nd Lt. Johnathan

Morgan, Sgt. Jessica Santos, of Englewood

Calif., Pfc. Melissa Lawrance, of Elmsford, N.Y.

and Staff Sgt. Florence Epa, Honolulu, Hawaii

Each Soldier is assigned to Company C, 64th

Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat

4th Infantry Division.

The Mountaineer Battalion

participated in a variety of

activities such as volleyball, a tug-o-war, a humvee push, and a water

balloon ght. While most of the

events held are common with Army

events, the water balloon ght was

the event that helped Soldiers cool

off in the arid environment of Iraq.

The rules of the water balloon

ght were clear. Each company had

two teams of six. If someone was

hit with a water balloon, they wereout. Additionally, two volleyballs

were added into the mix to speed

things along and make the game a

little more difcult.

When the nal match was

complete it became an every-man-

for-himself water ght with the left-

over water balloons. Amazingly, a

few Soldiers managed to stay dry

during the assault.

The organizational day was what

Soldiers needed, according to Staff

Sgt. Ryan Laclair, of Floodwood,

Minn., battalion retention

noncommissioned ofcer. TheSee Org Day on Page 9


8/16


Page 8

Top: Pfc. Drew Martin, of Folsom, Calif., infantryman, 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Bn., 68th Armor Reg.,3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., provides security

along with his new partner during a combined Iraqi and U.S. operation to deliver food and supplies to Iraqi citizens in Basra Province.

Bottom-right: A Soldier of 4th Stryker BCT, 2nd Inf. Div., takes a moment to mull over the task at hand while leading a group of Stryker Infantry

Carrier Vehicles as they stop at COB Adder Aug. 18 to refuel and rest during its convoy from Baghdad to Kuwait.

Photo by Pfc. Khori D. Johnson Photo by DeAngelo M. Wells

Below: A Company B, 64th BSB, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. Soldier refuels a

4th Stryker BCT, 2nd Inf. Div., vehicle at a fuel point at COB Adder Aug. 18.

The Stryker Brigade made a stop at COB Adder to refuel and rest during its

convoy from Baghdad to Kuwait.

Photo by Master Sgt. Qais Khalef Jaabil


9/16


Page 9

Org Day: Humvees, volleyballs, waterballoonsContinued from Page 7

water balloon ght threw it over

the top, and everyone would like

to do it again.

This was an opportunity to open

new doors to new friendships and

solidify pre-existing friends as well.

Even the battalion commander andbattalion command sergeant major

participated in multiple events

with their Soldiers.

Org day was a good stress

reliever and gave everyone a

chance to have fun, said Pfc.

Mark Smith, of Philadelphia,

Pa., company communication

representative.

While the Mountaineers continue

to support the Iron Brigade in their

mission, the battalion enlisted

council is steadily planning for

their next event.

Its good to slow the pace down

sometimes and allow everybody

the chance to recharge their

batteries. I am looking forward to

the next one, said 1st Sgt. Albert

Mecillas, of Pueblo West, Colo.,

headquarters rst sergeant.

Thirteen Medical Service Corps

ofcers from the 3rd Brigade

Combat Team, 4th Infantry

Division, had the privilege to speak

to Maj. Gen. David Rubenstein,

Medical Service Corps branch

chief, via video-teleconference

August 5 on COB Adder.

Rubenstein is the rst-ever two-

star general to serve in the MedicalService Corps and currently serves

as the commander at the Army

Medical Department Center and

Schools in Fort Sam Houston,

Texas.

The video teleconference was

the rst opportunity for many of

the ofcers to interact with direct

questions to Rubenstein and to hear

the future plans for their branch.

The rst order of business for

Armys top Medical Service Corpsgeneral mentors 3BCT ofcers in Iraq

by 2nd Lt. Jon Morgan64th BSB, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Rubenstein was to address the

current and future outlook for MSC

ofcers in the Army, highlighting

that MSC ofcers have been

actively involved in both strategic

and tactical operations supporting

Afghanistan and Iraq since the war

started in early 2002.

Every aspect of the Medical

Service Corps touches the Soldier,

said Rubenstein.

Commissioned ofcers in the

MSC branch can serve in one or

multiple areas of the 24 differentconcentrations offered, such

as medical planner, healthcare

administrator, entomologist,

preventive medicine, social work,

podiatry, pharmacy, optometr

clinical laboratory, or aero medical

evacuation to name a few.

MSC ofcers are the most

diverse ofcers, regardless of

specialty, that enable maneuvercombatant commanders exibility

on the battleeld, said Maj.

Michael Story, of Augusta, Ga.,

3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., medical

company commander. Each

specialty has either a direct or

indirect impact on a Soldiers

health.

Rubenstein spoke about the

retention and promotion rate for

See MSC on Page 10

Photo by Capt. Tiffany Bilderback

Medical Service Corps ofcers of the 3rd BCT,

4th Inf. Div., listen to Maj. Gen. Rubenstein as

he discusses the future of the branch on video-

teleconference Aug 5.

Photo courtesy of Spc. Deborah Linton

Lt. Col. Geoffry DeTingo, battalion

commander, spikes the ball againstan unprepared Company C during

the battalions organization day.


10/16


Page 10

Extending the length of Iraq,

Route Tampa goes right throughthe heart of Iraq toward the Kuwaiti

border and serves as the main

thoroughfare to move equipment

and personnel into and out of Iraq.

In order to make this critical

route safer, U.S. forces from


Infantry Division, United States

DivisionSouth along with their

Iraqi security force partners came

together July 31 for a combinedsafety conference.

Representatives from the Iraqi

army, Police, Highway Patrol,

and Explosive Ordnance Disposal

came together with U.S. forces on

COB Adder for the conference to

promote mutual understanding

of the rules of the road. The

Path to drawdown takes route to safer travelsby Spc. Chastity R. Boykin


Photo by Spc. Chastity R. Boykin

Spc. Kadhim and Lt. Col. Dale Slade, Task Force

Pacesetters, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery

Regiment, discuss a Power Point presentation

that Lt. Col. Riyadh, Iraqi Police CET, Dhi Qar

had brought to discuss at the conference July 31.

Photo by Capt. Tiffany Bilderbac

Medical Service Corps ofcers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division surround thevideo-teleconference image of Maj. Gen. Rubenstein, the MSC branch chief, for a photo opportunity

after a meeting about future opportunities to branch ofcers Aug. 5.

participants also discussed ways

to reduce vehicle accidents and

improvised explosive devices.

The leaders opened the

conference with a basic overview

of events from the last six months.

The most common events were

IEDs, and trafc accidents were the

second most common. The leaders

also discussed the enforcement

of proper speed limits and trafc

laws, and maintaining a clean

highway free of dangerous debris

or other dangerous objects.

Keeping the highways freeof debris, also known as route

sanitation, helps prevent insurgents

from placing IEDs among trash,

broken down vehicles a

miscellaneous objects along the

highway.See Tampa on Page 13

MSC: Mentoring, networking, social interactionContinued from Page 9

MSC ofcers, and according

to him, the MSC branch ranks

second in retention, a great

accomplishment for such a diverse

branch.

Additionally, MSC ofcers see

higher-than-average promotion and

command rates, said Rubenstein.

In order to succeed, MSC

ofcers must have a good balance between Army medical facilities

and operational assignments to

become well-rounded.

He encouraged junior ofcers

to work in multiple positions and

concentrations before deciding on

a specialty.

As the vice-president for

the Silver Caduceus Society [a

professional organization for

MSC ofcers], VTC events

such as this with Maj. Gen.

Rubenstein offer professional

development activities, keep us

abreast of relevant information,

create mentoring and networking

responsibilities, and encourage

social interaction, said Capt.

Tiffany Bilderback, of Milwaukee,

Wis., brigade medical planner.


11/16


Page 11

The Maysan Provincial

Reconstruction Team and theBlack Platoon, Battery A, 3rd

Battalion, 29th Field Artillery

Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat

Team, 4th Infantry Division, which

is attached to 1st Battalion, 8th

Infantry Division, held a ribbon

cutting ceremony at the Maysan

central wheat granary to unveil a

newly-built truck lift.

The hydraulic truck lift will be

a valuable addition to the granary,

which can hold upwards of 10,000

tons of grain. Before the lift was

built, workers had to unload grain

trucks using shovels, a task that

took hours to complete.

With the addition of the truck lift,

unloading grain will take a fraction

of the time it did before, said 2nd

Lt. Boykin Lucas, of Camden,

S.C., platoon leader and projectpurchasing ofcer, Black Platoon,

Battery A, 3rd Bn., 29th FAR, 3rd

BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Maysan truck lift speeds unloading, distribution of grain

by Pfc. Khori D. Johnson3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., Public Affairs Ofce

Photo by Pfc. Khori D. Johnson

A newly-built truck lift is demonstrated before a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Maysan central whea

granary. The hydraulic truck lift will be a valuable addition to the granary, which can hold upwards o

3,000 tons of grain.

Governor Muhammad Shayaa

Sabar Hatim al Suddani, Maysan

provincial governor, cut the

ribbon, unveiling the nished

project, after which, the attendees

responded with applause and songsof celebration.

The project was a joint effort

between the PRT, the Government

of Iraq, and the Iron Brigade. The

PRT and the GOI acquired and

installed the truck lift while the

Army assisted with construction.

The Black Platoon visited the

site of the lift over 10 times toensure satisfactory security, safety,

and progress.

Peering into the Task Force

Blackjack conference room on

any given Tuesday, one might besurprised at what he or she hears.

No, the discussions would not

pertain to stability operations or

even civil capacity missions.

On these designated Tuesdays,

Staff Sgt. John Meyer, of

Longmont, Colo., TF Blackjack

protective services detail platoon

sergeant, leads discussions

Ready to stand forward and self-aware with resilience

by Sgt. David Dasilma4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg., 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

between a diverse group of

Soldiers on topics like detecting

icebergs and avoiding thinking

traps, as part of an Army-wide

program called Master Resiliency

Training.

Master Resiliency Training

is a joint initiative between the

U.S. Army and the University of

Pennsylvania, with the goal of

providing Soldiers an opportunity

to improve their well being and

develop their leadership potential.

While Master Resiliency

Training is a positive tool for

helping Soldiers maintain balance

and overcome adversity, it is not a

special device used to avoid basic

soldiering. Attention to detail,

discipline, following orders, and

performing tasks to standar

are still a major part of daily TF

Blackjack operations.

A Soldier who displays

substandard performance is still

going to be disciplined by [his or

her] leader, said Meyer, duringSee Resiliency on Page 12


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Page 12

Resiliency: Bringing balance to Soldiers

Photo by Sgt. David Dasilma

Staff Sgt. John Meyer, of Longmont,

Colo., TF Blackjack protective

services detail platoon sergeant,4th Sqdn, 10th Cav. Reg., 3rd

BCT, 4th Inf. Div., explains a lesson

in the master resiliency training

to Spc. Christian Westervelt, of

Brooklyn, N.Y.


an actively engaged MRT class.

How the leader goes about

communicating with the Soldier

and how the Soldier responds to

the reprimand are the only things

being worked on.

When Meyer rst learned he

was being sent to the University

of Pennsylvania for a master

resiliency instructor class, he

immediately assumed it was some

sort of pilot physical training

program.

One of the major topics inthe MRT program is building

mental toughness during difcult

situations, which for TF Blackjack,

includes its current deployment.

I had better respect for the

material after using it to cope with

the stress my wife was feeling

from me being gone, said Meyer.

Through Power Point modules

and video vignettes, Soldiers learn

about The Velcro / Teon Effect,which is the tendency to notice

evidence that conrms preexisting

thoughts and to miss evidence that

contradicts those thoughts. The list

of skills learned during resiliency

training is vast, and each skill can

be applied within TF Blackjacks

current operation.

They should maybe teach a

condensed resiliency training class

in basic [training] so that Soldiers

have some kind of idea of what

theyre getting into and what to

expect in the Army, said Meyer.

Master Resiliency Training is

meant to be forward-learning as

it works to solve problems long

before they ever occur.

Some of the Soldiers tell me that

the modules are helping them deal

with stress in their family or this

deployment, said Meyer. Afterclass, other Soldiers come up to

me and ask for further information

on how to utilize the materials

covered.

Meyer nds that some of the

more seasoned veterans frown

upon the new Army and teaching

them to adjust their thinking

patterns can be very challenging.

The hardest part of the

resiliency training is being able toget the guys with the old-school

mentality to sit down and converse

with Soldiers or be open-minded

about the class and absorb some

of the information to use for their

own good, said Meyer.


13/16


Page 13

Tampa: Iraqi and coalition forces come together to make roads

safer for everyone

Photo by Spc. Chastity R. Boyki

Col. James E. Rainey, commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Staff Maj

Gen. Aziz, 14th Iraqi Army Division, commander, discuss matters concerning Route Tampa.


Each side was able to express

its concerns of current and sharedideas in terms of how to share

the road, not only to protect the

U.S. forces, but the ISF and the

local population as we execute

a responsible drawdown out of

Iraq, said Maj. Robert Newbauer,

of Allegan, Mich., plans ofcer,

Headquarters and Headquarters

Troop, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

As the ISF continues to take

more of the lead, the U.S. forceswill coordinate closely with the

appropriate ISF operation centers

with regards to convoy movements

and checkpoints.

It is important that as we

retrograde and draw vehicles

responsibly out of Iraq, we have the

full support of our Iraqi partners as

they not only set up check pointsalong the road they continue to

build upon the gains that they have

made in terms of security and are

able to do things themselves, saidNewbauer.


14/16


Page 14

Pacesetter Battalion helps drawdown forces in Iraq

Maysan farmers

receive grants

by Capt. Andrew Huth3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

by Pfc. Khori D. Johnson3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., Public Affairs Ofce

The Soldiers of Headquarters

Headquarters Battery, 3rd

Battalion, 29th Field Artillery

Regiment, 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 4th Infantry Division,

partnered with members of the

local Iraqi community recently to

take steps to reducing the amount

of excess equipment at COB

Adder.

Soldiers and Iraqis sorted through

the equipment and supplies to be

shipped back to the United States

and be redistributed throughout

the Army.

Our job this morning is to

take all of the equipment that has

accumulated over the years and

sort out what is no longer needed,

said Capt. Don Mills, of Rome,

N.Y., contracting ofcer, 3rd Bn.,

29th FA Reg.

The amount of equipment in Iraq

The Maysan Department ofAgriculture, in coordination

with the Maysan Provincial

Reconstruction Team and 4th

Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment,


Infantry Division, will provide

agricultural micro-grants to 20

farmers throughout Maysan

Province.

The project began August 2during a meeting held at the

Department of Agriculture. TheSee Grants Page 15

right now is staggering, said Mills.

To support the troop reduction

plan, we have to move this

equipment out of the country

in a way that is efcient while

minimizing the impact on the Iraqipeople, he said.

Paying the local Iraqis to help

sort through the equipment has

created jobs, boosted the local

economy, as well as shown the

people of Iraq that the U.S. troops

are serious about leaving the

country, said Mills.

Scattered across a vast empty

eld were shipping containers,

each full of items ranging from

ofce supplies to weapons parts.

The labor-intensive process started

with each container being emptied,

the contents sorted, organized, and

repackaged.

While this was going on, some of

the Soldiers found a way to make

a more tangible impact on the lives

of some Iraqis.

When one of the local workers

truck battery died and efforts to

try to push start it failed, Sgt. Bo

Dryer, of Sulpher Springs, Texas,

directed one of his soldiers to back ahumvee up to the disabled vehicle.

Using ratchet straps, Dryer then

supervised Pvt. Stephen Silva, of

Spokane, Wash., as he pulled the

truck with the humvee until the

driver could get it started.

To the Soldiers of Headquarters

Battery, 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., the

work was long and hard. Despite

this, they viewed the work as a

good sign.

The fact that were moving out

is a testament to the Iraqis ability

to take care of themselves. If they

couldnt handle providing security

for their own country, we wouldnt

be moving [excess equipment] out

right now, said Dryer.

Photo courtesy of 2nd Lt. Abe Payne

A newly installed drip irrigation system stretches across a eld in Maysan Province, Iraq.


15/16


Page 15

Soldiers assigned to the 3rd

Brigade Combat Team, 4thInfantry Division competed in the

Virginia 10-Miler at COB Adder

July 25.

Pfc. Jarred Hall, of Grand

Island, Fla., 1st Battalion, 68th

Armor Regiment, 3rd BCT, 4th

Inf. Div., attached to Task Force

3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery

Regiment won the race with a time

of 1 hour, 6 minutes, 15.0 seconds.

It was a fun race and the

competition was good, said

Hall. I plan on racing in as many

marathons as I can. I enjoyed this

one a lot.

Over 400 competitors came

out for the race that was open for

service members and Department

of Defense contractors. The

1st Battalion, 116th Infantry

Regiment, of Lynchburg, Va.,hosted the run.

This race is the rst battalion-

hosted race brought to COB

Adder, said 1st Lt. William

Wilson, public affairs ofcer,

Iron Soldier wins Virginia 10-Miler in Iraqby Pvt. DeAngelo Wells


1st Bn., 116th Inf. Reg., of

Independence, Mo. The previous

marathons that were conducted

have been all brigade [sponsored].

There was a great turn out to

the [race] today, said Wilson.

Soldiers are always out on

missions and dont always havethe time. For Soldiers to come out

at four in the morning to run when

they dont have to is a good thing

to see.

Soldiers who chose to walk

started at 5 a.m., while the Soldiers

who chose to run the event started

at 5:15 a.m. The route stretched

throughout the northern part of

COB Adder. Roads were blocked

off to guide the runners and protect

them from trafc.

When the race was over, theracers received complimentary

t-shirts for their participation.

The ofcial Virginia 10-Miler

will be held this year in September

in Lynchburg, Va.

Photo by Pvt. DeAngelo Wells

Runners in the Virginia 10-Miler take off from the starting point at COB Adder July 25.


Director General of Agriculture

selected farmers from variousdistricts and the Farmers Union

to ll out their grant application

packets for $5,000.

The grants will provide farmers

throughout Maysan province with

the opportunity to improve yield

of their harvests and will expand

the agricultural development of

the province, said 2nd Lt. Abe

Payne, Maysan provincial project

manager, 4th Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg.The grants will be used for

implementing green house

projects, drip irrigation systems,

seeds, and pesticides.

Drip irrigation is widely

recognized as one of the most

efcient uses of water for crops.

This system will maximize

conservation by focusing the

water to exactly where the plants

are growing with a series of hoses,valves and pipes.

With these affordable elements

in place, farmers can shift from

subsistence production to high-

value production for commercial

sale, in addition to their own

personal food supply.

Grants: Opportunity given to the farmers of Maysan


16/16

Col. James E. Rainey

Commander

Command Sgt. Maj. Miles S. Wilson

Command Sergeant Major

Maj. Alan S. Brown

Public Affairs Ofcer

The Iron Advisor is produced in the interest

of the Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat

Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Iron Advisor

is an Army-funded newsletter authorized under

provision of AR 360-1.

Contents of the Iron Advisor are not

necessarily the views of, nor endorsed by the

U.S. Government, Department of Defense,

Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry

Division. All editorial content of the Iron Advisor

is prepared, edited, provided and approved by

the 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

Office.

The Iron Advisor welcomes articles,

commentary, and photos from readers. The Iron

Advisor reserves the right to edit submissions

selected for the publication.

All issues of the Iron Advisor can be viewed

online from your home computer at:

www.facebook.com/3bct4id

Submissions should be emailed to Spc.

Boykin at [email protected].

Staff Writers

Spc. Chastity R. Boykin

Pfc. Khori D. Johnson

Pvt. DeAngelo M. Wells

Public Affairs Ofce


Page 16

Its expected that a dental clinic

in Iraq would be a primitive place.

However, recently the dental clinic

at COB Adder has constructed a

new four-chair facility that serves

both the military and civilian

contractors.

The clinic not only has the

capability to perform basic

procedures such as llings and

cleanings, but with the new facility

upgrades, they are able to complete

more complex treatments, such as

removal of wisdom teeth and root

canals.

Currently we are evaluating our

patients on sick call, addressing

their immediate needs, in most

cases the same day, and then

completing any additional work

at future appointments, said Maj.George Vessouropolos, of Boston,

Mass., a general dentist.

All dental services performed

in theater are notated online,

allowing a seamless integration to

patients dental records and quick

and accurate reference to their care

upon redeployment.

While most Soldiers avoid or

Top-notch dental service provided to Soldiers

throughout the Iron Brigadeby Staff Sgt. Lester Yancey

3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

would rather not go to the dentist,

those that need dental services are

very happy to nd such a capable

clinic so far from home.The dental team and staff have

been constantly improving the

spectrum of treatment and offer

Soldiers not only emergency care,

but routine treatment normally

seen in a garrison environment.

To provide for the entire brigade,

the dental team travels often to

remote bases.

These trips have been

rewarding, as these Soldiers would

otherwise not have much access to

care, said Spc. Joshua Wonders,of Dayton, Ohio, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf.

Div., dental technician.

While conditions are not as

stable on remote bases, the dental

team operates without any lag in

the quality of their work. Continual

training and improvement of

facilities enables this high-quality

care to Soldiers when deployed.

Photo courtesy of Capt. Aaron Campbe

The forward operating dental clinic in Maysan Province supports 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regimen

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers and civilians.

Documents

Iron Advisor Volume I Issue III