TO:

UCLA Department of Military Science 120S Student Activities Center Box 951609 Los Angeles, California 90095-1609

Phone: (310) 825-7381 www.army.ucla.edu

Volume 2 Issue 1

Fall 2006

Newsletter of the

UCLA Dept of Military Science

L o y a l t y • D u t y • R e s p e c t • S e l f l e s s S e r v i c e • H o n o r • I n t e g r i t y • P e r s o n a l C o u r a g e

HOOAH!

The Mighty Bruin

Battalion UCLA Army

ROTC

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FROM THE CHAIR

Dear friends and family of the Bruin Battalion, Wow…where did the Fall Quarter/Semester go? Seems like we just arrived yesterday with approximately 70 cadets ready to learn, train, and beat USC in football. I’m happy to report that we’ve accomplished all three! This Fall Quarter/Semester was highlighted with the fantastic results of our Ranger Challenge Team competing with other southern California schools at Camp Pendleton on 17 NOV. Our team won the Army Physical Fitness Test with a team average of 317 (the 2d place school had a 301 average). In addition, our Bruins took second in the Land Navigation Test…we’re proud of their efforts and expect to be even better next year. The team consisted of Seniors: Ana Baez, Bryce Matson, Austin Liu and Roy Yoo; Juniors: Evan Ching, Tamara Dejesus, Jordan Ritenour, Mike Calegari and Ariel Alcaide; and Sophomores: Amanda Coyle and David Bitter. One of the things that you’ll notice about our newsletter this month is the “Alumni Stories” section (pg. 12). It is very important to our program that we continue to stay in contact with our Alumni….you all remain relevant and instrumental in the development of our cadets. I want to personally thank Mr. Blumberg (’43) and Judge Vincent Okamoto (’67) for their support in making our first annual alumni tailgate a success on Veteran’s Day. Next quarter will continue to be very busy for the Bruin Battalion highlighted with a joint Dining-In scheduled with the UCLA Air Force ROTC program on 19 JAN and our winter quarter Field Training Exercise at Camp Pendleton 26-28 JAN. As always, it’s a great day to be a

Christopher P. Talcott

Professor of Military Science

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M e e t T h e N e w C a d r e

This fall, the Bruin Battalion welcomes several new cadre members. They come from a variety of backgrounds and their skills and expertise will be invaluable resources in training our future Army leaders.

*****

CPT Casey Miner, the new Battalion XO, hails from Manhattan Beach, CA. He joins us from 311th in Los Angeles, where he was Secretary of the General Staff. His past Army assignments have included tours of duty in Kuwait and the former Yugoslavia. A prior service enlisted Soldier, CPT Miner received his commission through the R.O.T.C. program at USC in 1999. He also holds a Masters of Arts degree in Negotiation and Conflict Management. Be sure to let him know how well UCLA blue brings out his eyes!

CPT Urriolagotia “Rio” Miner is a new UCLA Assistant

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16.

soldier and a member of the Bruin Battalion! I continue to be in awe and amazement of our Cadre and Cadets! I appreciate their efforts and commitment to develop the future leaders of our Army and Country and I appreciate your support to the program. My office door is always open…please feel free to contact me at any time if you have questions about the program. God bless and have a safe and wonderful Holiday Season. Christopher P. Talcott Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army Professor and Chair

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2 L T S p o t l i g h t : S u m m e r

C o m m i s s i o n e e s

The UCLA Department of Military Science is very pleased to announce the commissioning of three new Second Lieutenants over the summer. CONGRATULATIONS 2LT AVINA, 2LT COSTA AND 2LT PARK!

SECOND LIEUTENANT JORGE AVINA 2LT Jorge Avina will serve in the Military Police branch in the United States Army Reserve. He is assigned to the 314th Military Police Company in Irvine, CA. 2LT Avina is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice.

SECOND LIEUTENANT RUBEN COSTA 2LT Ruben Costa will serve in the Infantry branch on active duty. He is currently training at Fort Benning, GA and will be assigned to Fort Campbell, KY. 2LT Costa is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Science in Physiological Science. SECOND LIEUTENANT JASON PARK 2LT Jason Park will also serve in the Infantry on active duty. 2LT Park’s training is being conducted at Fort Benning, GA. He will be assigned to Fort Drum, NY. 2LT Park is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

The Park family poses proudly with their new lieutenant.

Jorge Avina has his gold bars pinned on.

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Pass the smores! Summer means one thing for R.O.T.C. and that thing is camp. While most juniors (MS III’s) are required to attend Warrior Forge/Leadership Development and Assessment Course, a number of students also elected to attend optional training

opportunities such as Airborne School, Air Assault School, Leader’s Training Course and Cadet Troop Leading Training.

WARRIOR FORGE Warrior Forge is the most important training event for a cadet. The 33-day training event incorporates a wide range of subjects designed to develop and evaluate leadership ability. The challenges are rigorous and demanding, both mentally and physically. “The most important thing I learned at the camps I've attended, and in my Army ROTC career, is the importance of peer interaction. People follow people, not ranks. In the Army, the leader is always held responsible for the success or failure of a mission regardless of any externalities. Therefore, as almost all missions are team based missions, you have to earn the respect of your peers for mission success.” — Jesse Enjaian “My advice to cadets who will attend LDAC next year is pretty simple. Take ROTC training seriously. The training given out in labs and classes is pretty much exactly what you'll get tested on at camp. Master what we're taught on campus and you'll be a stud at camp.” — Kevin Sykora “Also, make sure you prepare yourself technically and tactically as much as possible prior to going to camp. Your peers will look to you for advice and as a major asset throughout camp. This is especially true if you train to become an expert in one or two areas because your team will come to rely on your special contribution. For example, you may train to become proficient with first aid and you will be in the primary first aid for the lanes. Similarly, you may be comfortable with cadences and getting up in front of CONTINUED ON PAGE 18.

H a p p y C a m p e r s

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T a i l g a t e 2 0 0 6

On November 11, 2006, the Bruin Battalion held it’s first annual Veteran’s Day Tailgate. Alumni from 1943 through 2005, as well as friends and supporters of the Bruin Battalion, joined the cadets and cadre for hot dogs and hamburgers as the UCLA football team prepared to take on the Oregon State.

Although the weather turned a bit chilly, attendees had a great time reuniting with old friends and making new ones. Highlights included rooting for fullback and ROTC cadet Dan Nelson as he and his teammates walked through the tailgate area and cheering with cheerleader and ROTC cadet Bridgette Tuquero.

At halftime, Judge Vincent Okamoto, the first non-UCLA student to be commissioned through the UCLA ROTC program, was honored as the 2006 UCLA Veteran of the Year. Judge Okamoto is our most decorated alumnus from the Vietnam-era. He was wounded in action three times and received 14 combat decorations, including the Distinguished Service Cross. In addition to his military service, Judge Okamoto has continued to serve the community on various Veterans boards, in Gardena city government and currently as a California Superior Court judge.

Photos by CDT Tamara DeJesus

Above: Bob Overpeck’s son, Bob Overpeck (1943) and Lew Blumberg (1943)

Above: CDT Stahlke mans the grill.

On our cover: The Mighty Bruin Battalion and friends get ready to cheer the UCLA football

team on to victory over Oregon State!

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ALUMNI VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We are looking for 2-3 alumni to serve on a steering committee to establish a formally recognized UCLA Alumni Group. The steering committee will work with the Department of Military Science to finalize the alumni group charter

and organize a meeting in the spring to elect officers. If you have some spare time, this would be a great service to your fellow alumni! Please contact

Victoria Sanelli at (310) 825-7381, or via email at vksanelli@ucla.edu.

Too busy to serve on our committee? See page 14 for another volunteer opportunity for WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and Cold War vets.

Left: Lew Blumberg (1943), Harriet Furuya, Ken Furuya (1964) and Lester Yamamoto (1964) at the 2006 Bruin Battalion Tailgate.

Left: On the field at halftime, from left to right, Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, California Veterans Board Member Randal Bressette, UCLA ROTC Alumnus and Veteran of the Year Judge Vincent Okamoto and 40th Division Brigadier General John Harrell. BG Harrell’s son Cyrus is an MS III cadet at UCLA.

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T h e f i r i n g R a n g e : S h a r e O u r B e s t S h o t s

Above: Cadets work out an FLRC problem during this year’s orientation.

Below: Cadets load and push a Humvee outside Pauley Pavilion in the squad challenge at orientation.

Photos by: CDT Roy Yoo

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Above: Mr. Cope has fun with this year’s initial supply issue at orientation.

Below: From left to right, Maia Trotta, Carlos Adame and Dennis Chiu are sworn in by LTC Talcott at their contracting ceremony.

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Above: The 2006 Mighty Bruin Battalion Ranger Challenge Team! From left to right, CDT Ariel Alcaide, CDT Bryce Matson, CDT Roy Yoo, SFC Keith Gasaway, CDT Michael Calegari, CDT David Bitter, MAJ Manuel Hernandez, CDT Austin Liu, CDT Evan Ching, CDT Amanda Coyle, CDT Ana Baez, CPT Rio Miner, CDT Jordan Ritenour, CDT Tamara DeJesus and LTC Chris Talcott.

R a n g e r C h a l l e n g e 2 0 0 6

Ranger Challenge is designed to test cadets with tough mental and physical competition, enhance leadership, develop team cohesion and provide healthy competition among R.O.T.C. battalions. Ranger Challenge is made up of 8 events: Army Physical Fitness Test, Patrolling Written Examination, Orienteering (Land Navigation), Basic Rifle Marksmanship, M16 Disassembly and Assembly, Rope Bridge Assembly and Crossing, Obstacle Course, 10K Ruck Run and Hand Grenade Assault Course.

Congratulations to the Bruin Battalion Ranger Challenge Team on taking first place in the APFT and second place in land navigation!

Photos by CDT Tamara DeJesus

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Above: Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s down the road we go … Left column, CDT Baez, CDT Alcaide, CDT Bitter. Right column, CDT DeJesus, CDT Yoo.

Below: CDT Ching, CDT Ritenour and CDT DeJesus show off their rope skills.

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A l u m n i S t o r i e s : A V e r y S m a l l P i e c e o f T h e B a t t l e o f t h e

B u l g e , P a r t I ( b y T o m B o y d )

Recently, Mr. Robert O’Neill, an alumnus from the class of 1943, sent us a copy of fellow 1943 alumnus Thomas D. Boyd III’s personal account of his experience at the Battle of the Bulge. The Battle of the Bulge was the biggest and bloodiest single battle ever fought by American soldiers. Although ultimately Allied forces held back Germany’s surprise attack, nearly 80,000 Americans were killed, maimed, or captured. Mr. Boyd passed away at home in Longmont, Colorado in 2003 at the age of 81. With his family’s permission, we will share his story with you over the next few issues and hope it will inspire you to send us your own stories of being a cadet or soldier.

***** For C Company, 422nd Infantry, it started early in the morning of December 16, 1944. We had relieved the 2nd Division’s 9th Infantry positions on December 11th “man for man and gun for gun,” according to the Corps orders, along the forward slope of the Schnee Eiffel ridge, the east slope, directly east of Schlausenbach and deep in the Olzheimer Wald woods. Up on the ridge a couple of hundred yards behind us was a road running from southwest to northeast. A path ran along our company front; where the trees were scattered thinly, and our Company CP and my 3rd Platoon CP, improvised log structures, were tucked into the slope above the path. We had spent the previous couple of days “improving our positions”: adding some spare tarps from supply bundles to our improvised roofs and foxhole covers, bringing up deadwood from the forest in front of us, scouting tentatively down a few winding trails and getting acquainted with our neighborhood. Our outpost was a stout double-walled square log building with an offset entrance protected by log walls to prevent grenades or enemy fire coming in. On one recon jaunt, 1st Lt. Harry O’Neil of the 1st Platoon, on my platoon’s left, and I went down a trail and I gestured ahead with my carbine and hit a trip-wire. A hand-grenade pin floated across the trail and we dashed behind the nearest trees and went down in the snow — and nothing happened. No bang. We waited, well beyond the four-and-a-half second delay. Silence. Gingerly, we stood and saw the

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grenade, one of ours, wired to a tree by the trail on our left, at about chest level, and frozen solid in a big icicle that firmly clamped the handle shut without the restraining pin. I replaced the pin and thereafter restrained my gestures, and kept an eye out for fine wires. Around 3 a.m. our outpost reported the sound of motors and creaking treads down in the woods to their left front. Artillery had increased and was falling behind us beyond the ridge, and occasionally directly behind us around the road. The sky to our north was lit by flashes. To the northeast, the intermittent beams of searchlights swept the bottoms of the low-hanging clouds and reflected silvery light behind the silhouetted trees. This continued until the gray dawn, covered by the heavy overcast. Our sound-powered telephone jingled in our platoon CP shelter, and it was the company exec, 1st Lt. Ralph Hawtin, wondering if we had anything going on. He said there were reports of artillery along the front north of us, on our left. Nobody knew what was happening. Shortly after dawn, a fire fight broke out along the 1st Platoon front, which was on our 3rd Platoon’s left. Machine guns and mortars joined in. It was over quickly. As I watched from the front of our CP, with Pvt. John Hampton, a column of about a dozen Germans, with muddy white ponchos over their uniforms marched down the trail, left to right, hands clasped over their heads, with a grim-looking 1st Lt. Harry J. O’Neil, carbine in hand, behind them. (I was told that this group cowered in the woods after the mortar barrage, O’Neil stepped out from behind a tree and snarled fiercely and the Germans all dropped their weapons and raised their hands. I believed it. O’Neil was about six feet and 225 pounds and built absolutely square and could twist his blunt features into a scowling grimace that could frighten anybody. I remember the evening in the BOQ at Camp Atterbury when he made the point that it was time for me to leave his room so he could turn in. He grabbed me under the arms and lifted me roughly—I was 6’2” and about 185 pounds—and deposited me in the hall against the opposite wall, wearing that fright-face. As I bounced off the wall he

“A hand grenade pin

floated across the trail and we dashed behind

the nearest trees . . . ”

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turned it into a grin as he slammed his door. We were still friends. Thank God.) As O’Neil and his prisoners headed down the trail toward the company CP, I headed up to the left to see what had happened. A half-dozen Germans were sprawled in the pink snow below the path and our medics were already among them. A few of our riflemen were standing around, looking into the woods or helping the corpsmen. Out in the woods, in the shallow draw that approached the company front, a voice was calling “Hilfe! Hilfe!” We ignored it for the moment. At our feet was a scrawny old man in uniform, curled up in a fetal position, clutching his stomach, dead. Beside him in almost the identical position was a young boy, blond-haired, also clutching his stomach, blue eyes wide open, also dead. He looked about 15. On his left, lying on his side, was another youngster, this one tall, dark-haired, slender, with a bloody gash in his right cheek and a red hole in his right wrist, flung out on the snow. He looked at me, smiled, and asked me to give him his “handschuhe.” I gawked for a moment, then realized that “handschuhe” meant gloves. They were lying in the snow behind him, and I picked them up and handed them to him and he put the right one over his wounded wrist. I helped him with the other, then picked up his Sturmgewehr out of the snow, and the rifle of the dead blond boy, and tossed them aside out of reach. The medics moved up and took over. They had put two others on stretchers and dispatched them down the trail with some company headquarters people carrying. The saddest sight, and one that still haunts me, was the small youngster sitting in the snow, leaning back against a tree, choking and sobbing through a scarf tied around his face—to hold it up. There wasn’t anything anyone could do for him, except give him a morphine shot. It hadn’t taken effect yet. He was helpless, hopeless, sitting against that tree. (I have trouble writing about this. I have trouble thinking about it. So much for the glory of war. It’s all right, maybe, if you don’t look at their faces.) (And one more nice touch. A guy from company HQ, I

“He should have known that a draw

approaching a defensive

position would have been covered by

mortars and machine

guns.”

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think he was a second cook, spotted a ring on the finger of the dead blond kid. He tried to pull it off. It wouldn’t come. He had his trench knife out and was about to cut off the finger when I stopped him.) One of the wounded the medics retrieved was an officer—a Luftwaffe lieutenant, a flying officer. He spoke some English. He had been grounded two days before and transferred into the infantry because they were running out of aviation fuel. He had a serious wound in his upper chest and, in fact, was dying. His story was that he had had no infantry training; he was just thrown into the outfit to take charge. In his ignorance, he led his patrol—a unit of Volksstrum, old men and boys drafted at the last desperate minute—right into what an infantry officer would have known was a trap. He should have known that a draw approaching a defensive position would have been covered by mortars and machine guns. It was. He was cursing himself and his superiors for putting him and his men in that position, then he passed out. He died later that day before the medics could get him back to the aid station. [Edited for length.] NEXT INSTALLMENT: Stay tuned as things begin to go awry for our intrepid lieutenant!

VETERANS WANTED!

Be a guest speaker and share your wartime experiences with students taking our Military History

Course (Mil Sci 110) this Winter Quarter.

27 February: Battle of the Bulge/Victory in Europe and the Pacific

6 March: Korean War/The Cold War

13 March: Vietnam War

For more information, please contact CPT Casey Miner at 310-825-7381 or via email at cminer@milsci.ucla.edu.

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O k C o m p u t e r : S t u d e n t s E n j o y

U p g r a d e d E q u i p m e n t

Thank you to Dean Scott Waugh and Assistant Dean Marc Mayerson for approving funding to purchase six new computers for the cadets’ computer lab, new chairs (that match!) and a desk. Our classroom, which is utilized by Navy R.O.T.C. and Air Force R.O.T.C. as well as other programs, has also been upgraded with a new projector and laptop.

MEET THE NEW CADRE, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2.

Professor of Military Science (APMS). Over the past six plus years, CPT Miner has traveled the world with tours of duty in Germany, Kosovo and Iraq. CPT Miner was commissioned as an Infantry officer by the University of Oregon R.O.T.C. in June 1999.

SFC Keith Gasaway is UCLA’s new training NCO. SFC Gasaway is from Mounds, OK and has over 12 years of active duty Army experience. His deployments have included Operation Iraqi Freedom III, Operation Iraqi Freedom and SFOR 7 Bosnia. His most recent assignment was Scout Platoon Sergeant, 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment.

CPT George Zuniga is a new CSUN APMS. He received his commission from Kansas State University in May 1997. His active duty assignments included MEPS Testing Officer, Task Force Hawk, Operations Officer and Battalion S1. Now a reservist, CPT Zuniga was deployed to Kuwait for Operation Enduring Freedom and most recently to Ft. Riley, KS in support of Operation Iraqi

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Freedom.

SFC Michael Lemon is the new CSUN training NCO. SFC Lemon’s extensive experience includes deployment to Saudi Arabia, Germany and Korea as well as assignments at Ft. Benning and the Infantry School’s NCO Academy. SFC Lemon most recently served with 5th Recruiting Brigade.

CPT Donald Hong will be joining the staff next quarter as a new APMS. Originally an active duty enlisted soldier, CPT Hong commissioned through the R.O.T.C. program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Technology and an M.S. in Industrial and Technical Studies. Having transferred into the California Army National Guard, CPT Hong most recently was assigned as Alpha Company Commander of the 578th Engineering Battalion. CPT Hong also works for Raytheon Company.

Mr. Romeo Miguel will be joining the staff in December as our new Human Resources Assistant, replacing Sandra Matthews. Mr. Miguel is a retired NCO whose Army career spans over 20 years. Mr. Miguel joins us from the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona where he was the Administrative Support Assistant.

We’d also like to recognize three outstanding young men who have served as Goldbar Recruiters during the summer and fall: 2LT Michael Cummings (2006, UCLA), 2LT Jonathan Stafford (2006, UCLA) and 2LT Matthew Montazzoli (2006, Georgetown).

*****

At the end of August, Sandra Matthews, our Human Resources Assistant for the past 12 years said good bye to the Bruin Battalion. After 35 years of civil service, Ms. Matthews is now enjoying a very well-deserved retirement at her new home in Palm Desert, California. Thank you Sandy for all the support throughout the years!

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HAPPY CAMPERS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4. people so you can help your peers in a leadership position who are not by helping call out cadences to motivate your platoon while marching or running for PT. “ — Ana Baez Other Bruin Battalion Warrior Forge attendees this year: John Abraham Katherine Alexander Johnny Anderson Gericson Carpo Ruben Costa Edwin Cruz Christopher Fields Austin Liu Jackeline Marrero Bryce Matson Jason Park Bryan Pauley Michael Stahlke Sandy Vithayanonth Roy Yoo

AIRBORNE SCHOOL

Three weeks of training at Fort Benning, Georgia, to learn how to jump out of a perfectly good plane. Yikes! The following cadets are now entitled to wear the Army Airborne Badge: John Abraham Tamara DeJesus Jason Henke Austin Liu Bryce Matson

AIR ASSULT SCHOOL Army Air Assault school is a physically demanding 2-week course that teaches air assault skills and procedures. Kudos to Cadet Jordan Ritenour, Honor Graduate!

LEADER’S TRAINING COURSE (LTC) LTC is four weeks of intense classroom and field training held at Fort Knox, KY. This course is an accelerated version of the first two years of ROTC for students who join later in their academic careers. Congratulations to Evan Ching for completing this concentrated Army training course!

CADET TROOP LEADING TRAINING (CTLT) A unique hands-on leadership experience, volunteers selected for CTLT are sent to an active duty unit for three weeks of orientation into the life of an Army officer. Cadet Katherine Alexander was assigned to the Warrior Forge medical unit.

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C o n t a c t I n f o r m a t i o n

Hooah! is published quarterly for friends, family and alumni of the UCLA Army ROTC program by the UCLA Department of Military Science. Please send questions, comments and address updates in

care of Victoria Sanelli.

UCLA Department of Military Science 120S Student Activities Center

(formerly Men’s Gym)

Phone: (310) 825-7381 Fax: (310) 825-1785

Mailing Address: Box 951609

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1609

Professor and Chair of Military Science LTC Christopher P. Talcott talcott@milsci.ucla.edu Assistant Professors of Military Science MAJ Erik Cortes eccortes@milsci.ucla.edu CPT Donald H. Hong TBD MAJ Barry A. Johnson umass@milsci.ucla.edu CPT Brian Johns (CSUN) brian.johns@csun.edu CPT Casey Miner cminer@milsci.ucla.edu CPT Urriolagotia Miner rminer@milsci.ucla.edu CPT George Zuniga george.zuniga.48@csun.edu Senior NCOs SFC Kevin Gasaway gasaway@milsci.ucla.edu SFC Michael Lemon (CSUN) mlemon@csun.edu Enrollment Officer CPT Thomas Higginson higginson@milsci.ucla.edu Human Resources Assistant Romeo Miguel TBD Steven Rose (CSUN) steven.rose@csun.edu Supply Officer Garry Cope gggc@milsci.ucla.edu Management Services Officer Victoria Sanelli vksanelli@milsci.ucla.edu

T O :

UCLA Department of Military Science 120S Student Activities Center Box 951609 Los Angeles, California 90095-1609

Phone: (310) 825-7381 www.army.ucla.edu