Version 2-Raptor Times, Vol 1, Issue 1

8/3/2019 Version 2-Raptor Times, Vol 1, Issue 1

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From the Commander:

From the Command Sergeant Major:

Raptor Times

Inside this issue:

HHC 2

Company A 3

Company B 4

Company C 5

Special points ofinterest:

Raptor Day Celebration

UH-1N Retirement Cere-

mony

Change of Responsibility

Aviation Safety Award

2916TH Aviation Battalion, Issue 1

Raptors,I am humbled and honored to serve as Raptor 7 in this excellent organization. It is a privilege to be

given this opportunity and one I do not take lightly. To me, Soldiers and their Families, which includes singleSoldiers and their Families, are the cornerstone of any organization and therefore require that little extra fromall leaders to ensure we can all put forth 100 percent effort in all we do. I am a Family oriented leader. Mywife Tina and I look forward to meeting all of you as we begin to become fully integrated amongst the largerRaptor Family. Tina, and our five children, Cory, Zachary, Alexandra, Jacob and Noah are thrilled to be hereat Fort Irwin and the National Training Center. Tina and I are Californians, born and raised, and see this as-signment as one of excitement and a bit of a homecoming.

Both of us grew up in Long Beach and have already made the trip through the Pass to the coast andare looking forward to the short trip to the east to see the lights just across the state line. We are looking for-ward to Spring and Summer, to get out and see the many sites and participate in the many activities availableto all those serving at Fort Irwin. If I was asked to suggest one thing to do for someone coming here, I wouldhave to say get out and travel. The mighty Pacific Ocean is 2.5 hours away, the mountains are 1.5 hours orless, and there are places like - Hollywood, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, San Diego Zoo, Sea World, vine-

yards, citrus farms, Queen Mary, redwoods, Pacific Coast Highway, etc There is so much to do and all ofthat is in California.

I never realized what I had when I was here as a young man until I left. It may not be one persons

cup of tea but I am positive that there is a place nearby that is exactly the right cup of tea for everyone. Okenough of the travel brochure. I want to thank all of the Soldiers who participated in and executed the Changeof Responsibilities for Sergeant Major John Morales and me. I truly felt welcomed and accepted as a memberof the mighty 2916th Aviation Battalion. I look forward to the days, weeks and months ahead as we provideworld class aviation support to Fort Irwin and the National Training Center.

Humbly yours,Command Sergeant Major

William (Will) and Mrs. Tina Elliott

My family and I would like to wish everyone and their Families a very Happy New Year! The timeoff during Opportunity Leave was well deserved and I am grateful everyone remained safe during the holi-days. That said, I ask each of you to remain vigilant on and off duty to avoid accidents and mitigate risk ineverything you do. We will need a full team for 2012. We should be proud of the many accomplishmentsTeam Raptor achieved in 2011!

Thank you for a seamless transformation of our battalion while simultaneously executing aviationoperations to ten challenging rotations-without any degradation in mission support. Continue being true pro-fessionals! I would also like to say farewell to CSM John Morales and his family. Over the past six months,CSM Morales has been instrumental in every line of our operations. On behalf of Team Raptor, we wish youand Crystal the best of success and luck in your battalion at Fort Knox. Also, please join me and welcomeCSM William Elliott and his wife, Tina to Team Raptor. Please give them the same outstanding support andfriendship as youve done in the past.

We have a great opportunity to build on our achievements of last year and have a safe and successful2012. Raptors Rock! Thought for the Quarter: What we give our attention tostays with us. What we let

go ofwill let go of us. Focus on what is important.

LTC Hielke Hike Welling

LTC Hielke

Welling

CSM

William Elliott


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Headquarters & Headquarters Company:

Page 2 Raptor Times

The HHC conducted its annual FRG meeting /Christmas party on 16 DEC 2011 where theSoldiers of HHC shared in a pot luck lunch with a variety of food and drinks. The Soldiers alsoshared in a Secret Santa gift exchange that was a lot of fun and a huge success.

HHC participated in the 1st Annual Battalion Raptor Day


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Page 3 Raptor Times

Alpha Company:

A Company Rotational Support

A Co. 2916TH Aviation Battalion Red Tails was very busy this quarter in support of rotations 12-01, 12-02, and 12-03. A-Company averaged 70 missions accounting for 270 flight hours in support of each rotation. While the Red Tail mission is

extremely diverse, our main focus is VIP Movement, Jingle Air, CASEVAC, and Aerial RECON. The Red Tails goal is to main-tain a 100% mission success rate for each rotation that comes to Ft. Irwin.

The VIP movement missions we support are always different and exciting. We support commanders, foreign dignitaries, con-gressional delegates, and the occasional celebrity. We usually pick up the VIP at a civilian airport in the local area. We then takehim or her to Ft. Irwin for a meeting, Box Tour, etc. This quarter, we provided air transport for General Rodriguez, LTG Brom-berg, BG Ferrell, as well as Congressman Buck McKeon. VIPs transported by A-Company consistently compliment on the pro-fessionalism and expertise of the Red Tail pilots.

The Jingle Air missions consist of troop movements from Forward Operating Bases (FOB) Santa Fe, Miami, Denver, andSeattle. We run two circuits, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. On a recent Jingle Air mission our 100% mission ratewas put to the test. We weathered a perfect storm of problems to ensure the mission would be salvaged. We had aircraft breakand had to keep jumping to spare aircraft. Finally, after multiple attempts we were able to take off and complete the mission andtrain the rotational unit.

The CASEVAC missions we support give rotational units the ability to train to respond to a medical emergency requiring airevacuation. We give each rotational unit 12 hours of coverage daily. We stage at Main Post Helopad and respond to 9 line*MEDEVAC from across The Box. During Decembers rotation, the A-Company CASEVAC crews responded to over two dozen

notional 9-lines providing valuable real-world training for the rotational unit.We at A Co, 2916TH Aviation Battalion support a broad spectrum of training tasks for the National Training Center . We

accept requests for a wide variety of missions and try to do our part to ensure that each rotational unit receives the best training

possible. From everyone in A Co. we look forward to working with you on the next rotation.

*9-Line is a request format used by Soldiers to request a MEDEVAC

A Company Simulated Training Exercise (STX) Lane

The keys to success in Army Aviation are preparation and training. The elite Red Tails of A Company 2916th Aviation Battalion, as the culmi-nating event for the first quarter of FY12, were called upon to plan and execute a training mission that coincided with the comp anys Mission Essential TaskList (METL). This exercise, a simulated VIP movement in the LA Basin, proved crucial to the company as they prepare the junior aviators of A-company tolead a real world VIP movement in the future.

The STX lane was organized to simulate a mass VIP transport from Main Post Helipad (MPH) to Bakersfield and then to Santa Barbara airport.

The lanes involved two serials of three aircraft. The first serial of three aircraft flew to Ft. Irwin and picked up LTC Welling and CSM Morales, our VIPsfor the movement. The Raptor command team was transported from MPH to Bakersfield in serial one, while the second serial flew straight to Bakersfieldand linked up with the first. At Bakersfield all crews re-fueled their aircraft and switched the VIPs from the first serial to the second. As with any goodtraining event, this scenario wasnt without its twists. After landing in Bakersfield, the pilots were tasked to re-plan from Santa Barbara to Fresno, simulat-ing that the VIPs, who were supposed to land in Santa Barbara, had to redirect to Fresno. The young aviators spread out their maps and within 30 minuteshad a plan to fly IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) to the new destination. The junior pilots were required to complete all of the necessary paperwork and fuelcalculations required to fly to the new destination. CW3 Joel Manfred supervised the revised product and said, The new pilots did a superb job at adjustingfire to the revised mission.

After an updated mission brief at the Bakersfield airport, The Air Mission Commander, CPT Saad, decided to don the crews Night Vision Gog-gles and return both serials back to Barstow Daggett Airfield instead of going to Fresno. The weather was starting to come in and with safety always beingthe number one priority, CPT Saad made a wise call. Of the training he said, Our aim was to train and safely execute a Distinguished Visitor movement toand from the National Training Center. Im very satisfied with my companys ability to accomplish the task and think on the fly with the revised mission.The two serials returned, under lower than usual visibility, back to Barstow Daggett with the second serial stopping back at Ft. Irwin to drop off the Battal-ion Commander and the Command Sergeant Major.

In addition to the simulated scenario change, the members of A-Company also had to deal with a real-world mission contingency. A fuel leakfrom one of the aircraft was noticed upon arrival in Bakersfield that could not be remedied. The Pilot-in-Command (PC), CW3 Morelan, decided to air onthe side of caution and leave the aircraft in Bakersfield until the next day when proper maintenance could be performed. The downed crew rode along withchalk three of serial one back to Barstow Daggett. A recovery team was sent out the following morning along with the knowledgeable Sikorsky mechanicsthat were able to repair the leak and return the wounded bird safely back to Daggett.


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Bravo Company:

Page 4 Raptor Times

The retirement of the UH-1 marked the end of an era for an aircraft which began its service to Fort Irwin in

1980. The UH-1 served initially as a MEDEVAC aircraft but evolved to the SOKOL (opposing force) aircraft for units

training at the National Training Center. Over 150 people from Ft. Irwin, the local community, veterans, and Soldiers

attended the event held at the Barstow-Daggett Airfield. The guest speaker, CW5 John Harris gave a remarkable speech inwhich he was able to recall with great detail some of his stories about the UH-1.

Co B received their first streamer for the retirement of the UH-1. The pilots, crewmembers and main-

tainers for the UH-1 were given plaques to recognize their hard work on a historical aircraft in our nations his-

tory. The event concluded with a fly over by the UH-1 pilots and crewmembers of Co B, while the firefighters

provided the arches for the water salute. Special thanks to CW4 Pratt for putting together such a great event and

giving the UH-1 such a graceful departure.

Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear (CBRN) Training Event was a great joint exercise with Co C

that began at the Main Post Helipad with Co B flying in as part of a downed pilot scenario. The three mile ruck

march with litter to a downed pilot showed great unit morale as a company conducting collective training. Upon

arriving at the downed pilot, Soldiers maintained 360 degree security, while others evaluated the casualty and

called for MEDEVAC via the 9-line* request. The capstone event ended with Co B. conducting their annual CBRN

training by entering the CS (tear gas) Gas Chamber. The entire company maintained unit integrity and high mo-

rale throughout the training event.

*9-Line is a request format used by Soldiers to request a MEDEVAC

UH-1 in foreground with UH-72 in backgroundat Barstow-Daggett Army Airfield. Picturetaken by Skip Robinson


5/14

Charlie Company:

Page 5 Raptor Times

Charlie Company Families participated in several fun events recently. In November many came out tosupport the first annual Raptor Day. Highlights from the day included cheering on the Soldiers in various

sporting events, a BBQ lunch, some Pie-in-the-Face fun, and kiddies activities to include face painting, bouncehouses, and a piata.

In December the FRG and Soldiers held the annual Santa Fly-In fundraiser. Hundreds of familiescame from around post to take pictures with Santa, his elf, and his amazing helicopter. This years photos wereexceptionally beautiful thanks to the professional photography skills of Family Member Anja Perkins ofAnja

Perkins Photography.The final capstone of a great year was the Annual Christmas Party held this year at the Coyote Activity

Center. This allowed approximately 80 Soldiers and Families to attend thanks to its proximity to the flightline. On this fun day the Soldiers and families played games while the children moved among craft activitytables and the basketball courts. Hawaiian BBQ catered the delicious main foods, and many others helped pro-vide a huge selection of the best sweet treats on post! After a piata and White Elephant gift exchange, com-

plete with the friendly theft of other peoples gifts, C Co. departed for some much-deserved slower tempo win-ter weeks.

C Co was also glad to welcome SPC Crook , SPC Stuart, SPC Le, SGT Raines, SGT Hernandez, CW3Hildebrandt and CW2 De Vaney. We said goodbye to SSG McDonald, SSG Purser, SGT Killian, and CW2Hess. We wish them the best of luck at their new duty stations and sincerely appreciate their dedicated serviceand the unwavering support of their families.

Santa Visits Main Post Helipad! Raptor Day Pie CasualtiesPiata Excitement

Christmas Crafts Ready for the Big Hit Evasive Maneuvers


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RAPTOR DAY HIGHLIGHTS

Page 6 Raptor Times

Raptor DayNovember 23, 2011

SGM MORALES- RAPTOR DAY STARTING FORMATION

LTC WELLING HANDING OUT BRAT CERTIFICATES

LTC WELLING PRESENTS MRSROBINSON WITH A CIVILIANAWARD

LTC WELLING AND SGM MORALES CUT THE FIRST ANNUAL RAPTOR CAKE


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RAPTOR DAY HIGHLIGHTS

Page 7 Raptor Times

The 2916th Aviation Battalion raised $1,000 for the Wounded Warrior Pro-gram with their Pie-in-the Face contest.

AND THERE WAS PIE, LOTS ANDLOTS OF IT


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UH-1N Retirement Ceremony

Page 8 Raptor Times

Official UH-1 Retirement CeremonyOn December 13, 2011, the 2916th

Aviation Battalion held a retirement ceremony for the UH-1 at Barstow-Daggett Airfield


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Change of Responsibility

Page 9 Raptor Times

Change of ResponsibilityOn January 6, 2012 the 2916th AviationBattalion held a Change of Responsibility Ceremony for SGM John

N. Morales and CSM William G. Elliott

2916TH Aviation Battalion Command TeamSGM Morales, LTC Welling and CSM Elliott (left to right)

Passing the NCO Sword SGM Morales passing the NCO Sword to LTC Welling,relinquishing his responsibility for the battalion

LTC Welling passing the NCO Sword to CSM Elliott,assuming his responsibility for the battalion

1SG Martinez receives the NCO Sword back fromCSM Elliott


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Page 10 Raptor Times

Change of Responsibility (cont)

LTC Welling makes his departing comments for SGM Moralesand welcomes CSM Elliott

SGM Morales makes his departing comments welcomes CSMElliott

CSM Elliott makes his comments thanking the Command Teamfor this opportunity and wishes SGM Morales farewell

BG Ferrell wishes SGM Morales farewell Col Bosley wishes SGM Morales farewell


11/14

Aviation Safety Award


FORSCOM Aviation Safety AwardOn 11 January 2011 the 2916thAviation Battalion was presented with this award by the FORSCOM

Commander General Rodriguez


12/14

WED-25 JAN 12, COMBO MEAL

BOWLING, Buy a combo meal at the

Strike Zone and bring your food receipt

to the Bowling Center Counter and

your bowling is on us. Monday thru

Friday, 11:00-13:00 and 17:00-19:00,

shoe rental applies. For more informa-

tion call 380-4249

FMWR Trips:

Fort Irwin Events:

Page 12

Mammoth Mountain Trip

Come on Down, Tickets and Tours is taking a

trip to Mammoth Mountain, trip transportationcost is $40.00, lift tickets are $72.00 (with mili-tary ID Card), snowboard rentals are $30.00 (20%military discount available) and snow apparel willbe available to rent at the facility. Lodging will beavailable for $50.00 per person based on doubleoccupancy. Departs February 2 at @10:00 a.m.and returns February 3 @11:00 a.m.Pick-ups in Barstow, last day for sign up will be16 January 2012. So tell your friends, and lets

have some fun.

Raptor Times

MON-23 JAN 12, BOSS Meeting.From 1:00 pm-2:30 pm at the GarrisonConference Room, POC is SGT Davisat (760) 380-3586

WED25 JAN 12

MST CollegeTrip

The Teen Center will be taking a college trip to SanDiego State University on Wednesday, January 25thleaving at 6 am and returning by 6 pm. This is a freetrip for CYSS registered high school youth to get thecollege experience with a guided tour and entrancerequirement information. Youth need to bring moneyfor lunch, snacks, and any souvenirs. SVHS studentswill be excused. Permission slips due to MST byJanuary 20th. Spaces limited. Call MST at 380-3732

for more information.

WED-8 FEB 2012There will be a Fort Irwin Com-munity Town Hall meeting at17:00, 8 February in the Sandy

Basin Community Center (760)380-8917

SAT-25 FEB 2012Mardi Gras will be coming toFort Irwin, see flyer for details

SAT-28 JAN 12, STARZ DANCE,

Various dance classes offered on Tues-

day-Thursday and Saturday (every

other) We offer classes for all ages 1.5

to 18 years old. Cost is $35.00 for the

month and $20.00 for weekend classes.

For more information call 380-7751

WED-1 FEB 2012, Draw Your

Favorite President, Draw yourfavorite president and win aprize. Categories are: Ages 4-6,

7-10, 11-13. All entries need tobe submitted to the Arts andCrafts by close of business on24 Feb 2012. Foe more informa-tion call 380-3431


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Unit Service Coordinator:

Silvia Moreno

Employment Readiness Program Man-ager

Army Community Service

Bldg. 548, Second Street

Fort Irwin, CA

Useful Links and FRG Information:


916th Support Brigade is now

on Facebook!Become a fan and receive updates on Brigadeevents and more

Facebook search for 916th Support Brigade and click

Or go directly to h ttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Irwin-

CA/916th-Support-Brigade/273421670237

FRG Leaders and Upcoming Meet-

ings

HHCFRG Meeting:FRG Leader:Email:Phone:

CO AFRG Meeting:FRG Leader: Stacey GoeppingerEmail:Phone: 931-933-1468

CO B:

FRG Meeting:FRG Leader: Sarah PlutoEmail:Phone: 334-447-1806

CO C:FRG Meeting:FRG Leader: Julie CummingsEmail:Phone: 254-6302596

Ft Irwin Employee AssistanceProgram

Bldg 573 Third StreetPhone: 760-380-9092Fax: 760-380-3403Email: [email protected]

Army Emergency Relief (AER)- Provides interest-free loans or grants during times ofemergency. Examples are loans for eviction, vehicle repossession, emergency travel,

funeral expenses, repair of soldiers only essential vehicle, etc. Soldier or family mem-bers must visit with their Command Financial NCO prior to coming to ACS, with excep-tion to a Red Cross message.

Consumer Affairs and Finance Assistance Program (CAFAP)- Offers individual or groupbudget counseling, check writing classes, and financial management training. (760) 380-3513 or (760) 380-4784

Financial Management Readiness Training (FMRT)- Financial Management ReadinessTraining offers a wide range of services to assist soldiers and their families to live withintheir means and invest for the future. Emphasis is placed upon money management,proper use of credit, financial planning for deployment, transition and relocation, insur-ance, and check writing principles. The goal is to enlighten soldiers and their families onprocedures in resolving consumer complaint problems and issues. (760) 380-9194

Effective 1 Jan 2012, there are updates and new categories added to the AER Programthat allow soldiers and family members to do more.

Army Volunteer Corps Program (AVC)Army CommunityService (ACS) is the home to the Army Volunteer

Corps, which is the center of volunteer recruitment,

referral, recognition and advocacy efforts for Fort

Irwin. Volunteers are needed in a wide variety of

positions throughout the installation. Through volun-

teer service, individuals can learn or enhance skills,

get to know the community and meet new people,

build their resumes, and more. The Volunteer Coordi-

nator is located in ACS, Bldg 548 on Second Street

and is open Monday through Friday from 0800 to

1630. The office maintains a list of available positions

and job descriptions. Stop by or call for information

on how to track hours to ensure work credit experi-ence and installation credit. Contact Mr Tony Untalan,

760-380-8422. See what opportunities are available at

My Army One Sourcetoday!
http://www.myarmyonesource.com/default.aspxhttp://www.myarmyonesource.com/default.aspxhttp://www.myarmyonesource.com/default.aspx


14/14

Around the Post


January is National Blood Donor Month

January is National Blood Donor month. Why donate blood? The need is con-stant and your contribution is important for a healthyand reliable blood supply. The requirements for giving blood are:

Must be 17 years or olderMust be in good healthMust weigh at least 110 poundsMust bring ID with you when donatingDrink an extra 16 oz of liquid before and after donating.

Here is a list of blood drives in the local area.January 10, 2012- 11 am 5 pm- Four D College; 16534 Victor St; Victorville, CAJanuary 5, 2012 8:30 am 2:30 pm, Holy Family Church; 9974 I Ave, Hes-peria, CAJanuary 20, 2012- 1pm 7pm; Calvary Chapel; 15081 Center St, Victorville, CA

Underage Alcohol Usage: Soaking Gummy Bears in Alcohol is the Newest Trend For Teens

One of the scariest things about raising teens is the possibility that they might be influenced to drink. You can warn them of the dan-gers and consequences until youre blue in the face, but sometimes, peer pressure gets the best of them. The American Academy ofPediatrics found that more than four million adolescents drink alcohol in any month.

And whats more frightening, is how clever theyve become about hiding that act from parents. Once upon a time, teens stole a lcoholfrom their parents, so keeping a close watch on your own liq-uor cabinet was a fine way to curb the problem. But today, their creativ-ity puts the old trick of refilling bottles with Sprite to shame. And the latest trend in under-cover drinking is especially savvy espe-ciallyaround Halloween.

Teens are using gummy candy (bears and worms to be exact) to get drunk. They soak the candy in alcohol, Kel-oland.com reports.Darcy Jensen from Prairie View Preven-tion Services in South Dakota works with school districts to prevent teen drinking as part of theParents Matter campaign. She sent out a warning last week to warn them about the trend. Its important for parents to be aware sothey can spot if their teen has tried it, she says.Maybe someone has offered the candy and they didnt even know. So telling the kids ahead of time this could be some-thing to be

aware of is important, Jen-sen said. And though its hard to see the positive side of teens becoming sneakier when it comes to some-thing as dangerous as underage drinking, a trend like this can be used to open communication on the topic. its a good conversationstarter to talk about the whole issue of alcohol and underage drinking and the hazards, Jensen said.Huffington Post 10/12/11

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Version 2-Raptor Times, Vol 1, Issue 1