Vol. 1, Issue 8 Published for the Soldiers and Families of the Falcon Brigade July 25, 2005

Teamwork has been, and will con-tinue to be, the key to our successthroughout this deployment.

Like any big organization, theArmy, and specifically the FalconBrigade, is dependant on many MOSsexecuting their skills to standard to col-lectively accomplish the mission ofsupporting the Brigade Combat Teams.

Our success is also tied to manySoldiers accomplishing critical, butseemingly mundane, basic Soldiertasks like guard duty. The Brigade isfull of Soldiers doing great things,Soldiers that work hard every day andnight behind the scenes to make it hap-pen.

The weather has limited our abilityto keep aircraft in the sky to supportour brothers on the ground. We havebeen forced to take a break from flying,which has allowed our crewchiefs tofocus on unscheduled maintenance,working small deficiencies off theirairframes.

However, the weather down daysdoes not impact our daily efforts towork scheduled maintenance - we havethe same numbers of Soldiers workingthese tasks regardless of weather con-ditions - and they have been executingmaintenance to standard since wearrived in theater.

This is very important to our fami-lies at home. Our families find comfortin knowing that Soldiers are executingmaintenance to standard because ourair crews fly these aircraft to the limitsof their capabilities.

From a ground Soldier's perspec-tive, it is comforting knowing thatsomeone is overhead watching the areaaround him and knowing the Apachecan provide additional fire when theenemy grows a backbone. The groundSoldiers find additional comfort in

see COMMANDER, page 2

Pvt. Demarcus L. McMillan closes a panel after fueling “Shark 6”. McMillanpumped the millionth gallon of fuel for 3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment(Attack Reconnaissance) on July 7, marking a milestone for the unit. Pg. 8

Photo by Spc. Jennifer D. Fitts

Page 9Page 4Page 3

1-3Supply Reps Weather TeamCrew Chief

Commander’s Column:Tiger shark milestone:

One million gallons andcounting for 3-3 AHB

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

2

The Falcon Flyer is published in the interest of the servicemembers of the 3rd Infantry Division's Aviation Brigade.

The Falcon Flyer is an Army-funded newsletter authorizedfor members of the U.S. Army, under the provision of AR360-1. Contents of The Falcon Flyer are not necessarily theofficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government,Department of Defense or Department of the Army.

3ID Commander: Maj. Gen. William G. WebsterAvn. Bde. Commander: Col. Ronald D. TuggleAvn. Bde. PAO: Maj. David J. WeisTeam NCOIC: Staff Sgt. Tad A. Browning Writer, Editor, Photographer: Spc. Jennifer D. Fitts

knowing that Med Evachelicopters are only aradio call away. Formany, all they see is theend state...a flight ofApaches, Black Hawksor Chinooks providingsupport across theDivision battle space.What they don't see areall the longs hours ofdetailed maintenance thatthese complex aircraftrequire on a daily basis.

It takes a combinedeffort by the maintenanceteam to ensure that air-craft are maintained,serviced and missionready.

This includes thecrew-chiefs, the engineshop mechanics, sheet-metal, avionics, arma-ment, the parts clerk,prop and rotor, produc-tion and quality control,and the close watchfuleyes of the technicalinspectors and the main-tenance test pilots mak-ing the final checks.

Additionally, we havea very talented group ofcivilian contractors hereto assist in this effort.This contracted workforce is extremely pro-fessional and they are theones that enable thebrigade to maintain thehigh OPTEMPO we havebeen able to provide theMarne Division.

Once the aircraft isready for flight, the air-crew still requires addi-tional assistance to suc-cessfully accomplish themission. The aircraftrequires fuel before, dur-

ing and after a missionand our 3/5 (class III &V) Soldiers at theBaghdad InternationalAirport FARP, TajiFARP, and manning therefuel trucks providingcold fuel on the flight-line, remain missionfocused 24 hours a day.

To date, they have dis-pensed over 4 milliongallons of JP-8, withoutaccident or incident.

The air-traffic controlspecialists who man theTaji tower, WashingtonHelipad, and BaghdadRadio assist the aircrewsby enhancing their situa-tional awareness.

The helipad controlteam keeps the Soldiersand cargo moving aroundthe battle space by mani-festing and loading theaircraft.

There is another groupof Soldiers manning tac-tical operations centers atbattalion and brigadegathering, analyzing, andproviding the crews criti-cal information - changesto mission priorities andintelligence concerningthe enemy's activities.

There are many non-aviation specific MOSsthat enable the brigade toaccomplish many tasksthat are all linked to ourability to accomplish ourprimary mission - keep-ing aircraft in the air.

I thank all the Soldierswho make our mission asuccess. The pride andprofessionalism you dis-play in your work everyday is a testament to your

dedication to your fellowSoldiers.

You truly are the"Unsung Heroes" of theFalcon Brigade.

I also want to take thisopportunity to extendcongratulations to Capt.Stephanie Carter. Capt.Carter, who is currentlythe Brigade ChemicalOfficer, has been select-ed to command theDivision's ChemicalCompany.

Like many of you, Ihate to see her go, but Iwill always support aSoldier's opportunity forcareer progression,whenever the missionallows. Capt. Carter -thank you for your hardwork and all of us wishyou the best of luck.

Finally, I want to con-gratulate all of those indi-viduals who re-enlistedand to those that werepromoted this month andlast.

Congratulations! Youwill be given increasedresponsibility and I chal-lenge you to remain mis-sion and safety focused -know and enforce thestandard.

To those that haverecently re-enlisted,thank you for your con-tinued service to yourArmy and our greatnation.

COMMANDER: “UNSUNG HEROES”continued from page 1

“WINGS OF THE MARNE”

COL TUGGLE

Reenlistmentsfor June 2005

Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, Avaiation Brigade:

Sgt. Marty Galvez Staff Sgt. Manuel Alcantara

603rd Aviation SupportBattalion:

Staff Sgt. Joker BotinSgt. Anissa Southwell

Staff Sgt. Tarrus RandleSgt. Akera Wilkerson

Spc. Robert BatesSgt. Eldon James

Staff Sgt. Joseph EalySpc. Krystal A. Cotton

1st Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (AttackReconnaissance):

Spc. James M. SaylorSgt. Patrick L. JamesSgt. Herman Keese

Spc. Brian G. MuellerSgt. Christopher M. PiersonSgt. John F. GarzonVasquez

2nd Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (General Support):

Sgt. Simon Ford

3rd Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (AttackReconnaissance):

Staff Sgt.Justin MaukSgt. James E. Palmer

Staff Sgt. Jennifer CrowleyStaff Sgt. Eon Phillips

Sgt. 1st Class Michael ChadwickSgt. Conrad J. Meek

4th Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (Attack Helicopter):

Sgt. Pablo G. SoteloSgt. Joseph Howard

Sgt. Christopher JonesSgt. Anthony R. Davis

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

3

A Chinook helicopter sits on the far side of the forwardarming refueling point. Soldiers and civilians lie on theground or stumble around in confusion, some are still insidethe aircraft.

As the sun beats down on the concrete pad, Soldiers fromthe FARP carrying litters race towards the waiting helicopter.As they move among the Soldiers on the ground and in air-craft, they assess injuries and begin to move Soldiers awayfrom the aircraft.

Thankfully, this was not a real emergency, but a joint masscasualty drill conducted on July 8 by Headquarters andHeadquarters Company (HHC), Aviation Brigade, 603rdAviation Support Battalion, and HHC 3rd Battalion, 3rdAviation Regiment (Attack Reconnaissance).

Training of this type is conducted quarterly, said Maj.Christopher K. McGraw, HHC, Avn. Bde., to practice formedical emergencies and to test the systems used to handlethose emergencies.

There’s no real way to predict an exact emergency situationsaid McGraw, “but this gets people to think about what mighthappen.”

Location and simulated emergency weren’t the only thingsswitched up in this training. With so many aviation assets atCamp Taji, any badly injured Soldiers or civilians would betransported by helicopter to combat area support hospitals(CASH) in Balad or the International Zone.

For this exercise, however, weather conditions were said tobe too dusty to fly. Not being able to fly the injured Soldiers

There are literally thousands ofmoving parts on a Black Hawk heli-copter. Each part plays a key role ingetting these birds off the ground tocomplete essential missions for theaviation brigade. If a part isn't there,it can impair performance and mis-sion readiness.

Not all of those critical parts aremechanical. Some of them areSoldiers working with the mechanicalequipment to keep each helicopter onschedule, maintenance- and paper-work-wise.

Crew chiefs, such as Sgt. DesmondA. Schultz, with A. Co, 2nd Battalion,3rd Aviation Regiment (GeneralSupport), are such parts.

For Schultz, joining the Army wasanother step in an adventure thatstarted when Schultz, originally fromGuyana, South America, left hishometown on a spur of the momentadventure and never looked back.

Schultz, who enlisted four yearsago, had been in the United States forabout five years when he decided tolook up an Army recruiter. "I knew Iwanted to fly," said Schultz, "but I

didn't know anything about the air-craft until I got to Ft. Eustis."

Arriving around two hours beforethe scheduled lift-off time, Schultzand his fellow crew chief go over theaircraft with a fine-toothed comb.Even with post-flight inspections,unexpected problems can pop up,especially with the extreme tempera-tures here.

Fluid levels, such as hydraulicfluid, transmission fluid and engineoil are checked constantly. If needed,new fluids are added.

Fuel samples are also taken beforethe mission, to make sure the fuelisn't contaminated by water or dirt.An amount as small as ten parts permillion will keep a helicopter on theground.

Additionally, crew chiefs act asdoor-gunners. Part of Schultz's pre-flight routine includes mounting a240 heavy machine gun on the swing-ing arm in front of his seat. Crewchiefs are required to qualify with the240 machine gun during both groundand aerial ranges, and must knowhow to clear and fix any malfunc-tions.

A day in the life: Spc. Jennifer D. FittsAviation Brigade PAO

Photo by Spc. Jennifer D. FittsSgt. Desmond A. Schultz, A Co. 2-3GSAB inspects an engine on his BlackHawk during pre-flight checks.See CHIEF, page 12

Photo by Spc. Jennifer D. FittsSPC Yancey O. Devoy (left), and Spc. Donald S. Dedmon,HHC, 603rd ASB, asses a patient during the exercise.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsAviation Brigade PAO

see EXERCISE, page 10

Aviation medics respond during exercise

a crew chief in the air and on the ground

4

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

For an aviation brigade, shooting,moving and communicating are essen-tial to completing the mission. If theability to move isn’t there, communi-cating and shooting becomes difficultor impossible.

B Company, 603d Aviation SupportBattalion provides additional mainte-nance support for all of the wheeledvehicles needed to keep the brigademoving on the ground, from five-tontrucks, to fuel tankers and forklifts tocranes to lift rotor blades for installa-tion on helicopters.

Whether it’s performing regularlyscheduled maintenance or repairingunexpected problems both fall in thescope of B Co. operations. “Operatorsare very important to the unit’s mainte-nance program,” said Chief WarrantOfficer 2 John A. Johnson, DirectSupport Officer for 603rd ASB, “that’sthe heart of it.”

Vehicles come in for a technicalinspection, including a monthlyPMCS. The vehicle is road-tested tomake sure that the engine starts right,the brakes work, and nothing is leak-ing. If the vehicle is dirty, the road testincludes a trip to the wash rack at theforward arming refueling point.

During the service, any parts thatwere ordered and have been receivedare installed. Operators install whatthey can, and help mechanics installany parts that are beyond what the

operator can do.After the services are completed, the

vehicle is put through another road testand a quality assurance checklist.

During this rigorous inspection, “Allparts must be installed, everythingmust be done by the book, everythingtorqued to specification and any dead-lines verified by an NCO or above,”said Sgt. Daniel Munoz, a recoveryspecialist from Paterson, N.J.

“Vehicles such as cranes are load-tested as part of the final inspection,”said Munoz, “usually by suspending aJersey barrier a few feet off the groundovernight.”

Keeping track of PMCS and neededparts through a computerized system ispart of Spc. Lakesha N. Lundy’s job.The automated logistics specialist,from Tipton Ga., spends her days mak-ing sure parts that have been deliveredare picked up and distributed to theright sections, and that PMCS formsare kept up to date.

Lundy has no doubts as to her job’simportance. “Without us, basically,there would be no parts to fix the vehi-cles that are broken, and keep the bat-talion’s strength up,” she said.

Any parts needed that aren’t onhand are ordered through the StandardArmy Retail Supply (SARS) system.Sometimes a motorpool in another unitor camp may have the part B Co. needsto get an Aviation Brigade asset work-ing.

The automated PMCS systems andSARS become especially useful if a

critical battalion asset goes down.“We’ve got 24 hours to get that assetrepaired,” said Johnson, “24 hours todiagnose, order parts and repair it.”

Generator repair and service is alsopart of the ground support maintenanceshop. Providing the power for thebrigade is exactly what Spc. Lisa R.Medeiros, an air-conditioner mechanic,does on a daily basis.

Between repairs and services thegenerator shop sees between three andfour generators per week.

“We see a lot of problems becausepeople let them (generators) run out offuel,” the Dalton, Neb. native said,“and if all the operators were doingregular PMCS it would help us out alot.”

Medeiros knows how important hersection is to the brigade. “We supplytheir mechanics with power,” she said,“A lot of the places out here (in thebrigade) run off our generators.”

Being able to see in the dark isessential to keeping the brigade safe.Spc. Krystal A. Cotton, a special elec-tronics device repairer in the communi-cations and equipment (C&E) shopmakes sure night vision devices usedby Avn. Bde. Soldiers are workingright.

“We service 20 pairs a week,” saidCotton, “usually they don’t turn on.” Ifthe goggles don’t need any specialparts, C&E shop can get them back outto the Soldiers in a day. Devices thatneed parts are usually turned around intwo weeks.

Despite being away from family andfriends, Soldiers in B Co. maintain anupbeat attitude. Knowing that they arean essential asset keeps them focusedon the exacting job they do for thebrigade.

“We all take care of each other,”said Cotton. “The company’s beenpulling together…over the last fewmonths.”

Cotton is enthusiastic about her job,and the Army, and knows that she’saccomplishing great things.

“The Army is what makes us differ-ent from other countries. Without peo-ple putting their own time, their ownlives, their own spirit into what we’redoing, we wouldn’t have freedom.Somebody has to do, might as well beme.”

Munoz echoed Cotton, with a slight-ly smaller focus. “Nothing around hereworks without the motorpool,” he said.“If the motorpool shuts down, every-thing shuts down.”

Ground support maintenance: Keeping aviation’s wheels rolling

Photo by Spc. Jennifer D. FittsSgt. Terrence N. Moore, a mechanic, adjusts a lever while working on a wrecker inthe maintenance bay. Moore, from Brooklyn, N.Y. is with B Co., 603rd ASB.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsAviation Brigade PAO

It can be easy to take the little things for granted. Manypeople don’t give a second thought to realize who provides thewater we drink, the pens we write with, or the cartridges weuse for our printers. It is the job of supply personnel to ensurethat Soldiers are well stocked with essential equipment need-ed to do their day-to-day job. The supply office representa-tive’s responsibility includes the distribution of pen and paper,but it also entails larger items such as vehicle parts, fuel orammunition. The personnel of the 1st battalion 3rd AviationRegiment (Attack Reconnaissance) supply room inHeadquarters and Headquarters Company have been makingsure that the Soldiers of the battalion are well prepared to dotheir duties, whether it is at the office, motor pool or flight line.

The 1-3 ARB supply office has a representative for eachcompany in the battalion. This ensures that a Soldier is pay-ing attention to each of the companies’ supply needs. Carson,Ca., native Spc. John Atwater, HHC 1-3 ARB and B Companyrepresentative, says that the his responsibility extends to morethan giving out pens and paper.

“Each representative tracks the supply needs of their com-pany, whether that is Class 2 items like pens or Class 5 itemslike ammunition,” said Atwater. “We also have to handlehand receipts, equipment inventory and process the requests ofthe company.”

Representative Pfc. Nathan George ensures that all the sup-ply needs of D Company are taken care of. The Little Rock,Ark., native feels that hand receipts are the most important partof supply.

“In here we handle all supply related issues like issuing,receiving, adjusting the property book and hand receipts,” saidGeorge. “Hand receipts are very important here in supply. Itholds people accountable for all equipment.”

In order to receive certain supplies, Soldiers fill out a sup-ply request which goes through the appropriate supply repre-sentative. The representative will either send the request to theS-4 for approval, or provide the item himself if it is readilyavailable.

“We go over the supply request and provide the items thatwe have on hand, and if those items are running low we ordermore,” said HHC 1-3 ARB representative Spc. JonathanMitchell. “We usually check the warehouse daily to see if ourorders come in. Each representative is responsible for theshortages of their respective company.”

One very important service the supply representative pro-vides for the battalion is providing water. At least three timesa week the representatives pick up bottled water, a service thatA Co. representative Pfc. Juachaun T. Cogdell feels is vital.

“Our water runs are very important because of this over-whelming heat,” said the Lumberton, N.C., native. “Water ismore essential now than ever. The summer time is when peo-ple should be extra conscious of staying hydrated.”

While staying hydrated during the summer heat is impor-tant, Mitchell recognizes that the representatives’ water runsare important all year round.

“On my pick up day I usually get six pallets of water for mycompany, and I think it is important to maintain that standard,”said Mitchell. “Hydration is important all year round. Youcan dehydrate during winter just as in the summertime; I thinkthat is often overlooked by Soldiers.”

Being a companies’ supply representative can come withsome challenges, but for Cogdell, it is all a learning experi-ence.

“It can be hard to handle the last minute requests, like ifsomeone requests a radio by 0600 the next morning and itsalready 2200 at night,” Cogdell said. “But I am learning a lotout here. I think I have become more organized and disci-plined. When you have to handle so many supplies, you learna lot about organization.”

Each unit supply specialist received eight weeks of special-ized training to handle and maintain the supplies they issue.The representatives received three weeks of familiarization ofsupply forms, instructions and reports; two weeks of learningan online automated system for hand receipts, and the lastthree weeks of an armorer school, a learning experience thatMitchell feels is very valuable in his line of duty.

“In the armorer school we learned about different type ofweapons, how to identify them and how to break them down.In the end we have the knowledge to become assistant armor-ers,” Mitchell said. The training is important because it allowsthe representative to identify the items that they are supplying,he added.

No matter what class of supply they are issuing, the supplyrepresentatives of HHC 1-3 ARB all seem to agree that theyplay an integral role in the battalion’s mission.

“We do what we can to help out the companies. Everyoneneeds supplies, from the Soldiers in the office to the mechan-ics on the flight line,” Atwater said. “Everyone here plays apart in supporting the battalion. Without us, the mission can’tbe done.”

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

5

1-3 Supply reps provide essential service

Spc. Jonathan Mitchell (left) and Pfc. Nathan George, go oversupply forms in the battalion supply office.

by Spc. Derek Del RosarioAviation Brigade PAO

Photos by Spc. Derek Del RosarioPfc. Juachaun T. Cogdell (left) and Pfc. Diyuan C. Robins,unload supplies to be stored in a Connex box.

6

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

AviationBrigade atwork....

Photo by Combat Camera3-3 ARB Apache helicopter fires rockets while conducting a com-bined live fire exercise in Iraq with U.S. and Iraqi forces .

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsCapt. Mary Beth Thompson, HHCAnn. Bde. runs through pre-flightchecks before taking off.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsLt. Col. Morgan M. Lamb, commander 3-3 ARB says afew words before awarding coins to Soldiers whopumped the millionth gallon of fuel for 3-3 ARB.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsSpc. Glen B. Ordinario, HHC 3-3 ARB, treats a“casualty” during the mass casualty exercise.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsEarly morning light peeks over a barrier on the flighline, backlighting aBlackhawk, as the crew goes through a pre-flight inspection.

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

7

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsChief Warrant Officer 3 Kenneth Evans, B Company, 3-3ARB, looks out of his Apache after another successfulmission.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsWarrant Officer 1 Jim G Arnold, HHC Avn. Bde., looks overpaperwork in the brigade S-1 office.

Photo by Curtis ComptonSGT Jason Donner, a crew chief from C Co. 4-3 AHB, mans his240H heavy machinegun over Baghdad.

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsStaff Sgt. William J. Ogden, D Co., 1-3 ARB works on anApache helicopter in the 1-3 ARB hanger.

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

8

Fuel trucks may be aneveryday sight along theflight line here but it isn’tevery day that the Soldierswho keep the fuel flowingare met with “champagne”toasts. It isn’t every daythat Soldiers hit the milliongallon milestone, either.

For Pvt. Demarcus L.McMillan and Staff Sgt.Teresa A. Carter,Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, aglass of sparkling applejuice rewarded their part inpumping the millionth gal-lon of fuel for 3rd Battalion,3rd Aviation Regiment(Attack Reconnaissance).

“Aircraft don’t fly with-out fuel,” said Capt. DerekP. Story, HHC, 3-3 ARB,“and a million gallons isabout 10,000 flying hours.”

This is the second time aunit in the brigade hasreached this mileston. The603rd forward arming refu-eling point reached a mil-lion gallons earlier this yearrefueling aircraft from allover Iraq.

These million gallons,

however, have gone solelyinto supporting Tigersharkmissions.

With a fast and furiousoperational tempo, the bat-talion flies around 2,500hours a month, said Story,and his fuel handlers arethere to support them with

around the clock operations.“We’re only six months

into the game,” said Carter,“for us, it’s a big deal.”

It’s a big accomplish-ment for younger Soldiers,who haven’t operated in awartime situation before,said McMillan, from

Newport News, Va.Neither Carter nor

McMillan has any doubtsabout how important thefuelers are to the battalion’smission.

Although operationsrarely slow down, Carter is

Tiger sharks reach millon gallon milestoneSpc. Jennifer D. FittsAviation Brigade PAO

Photos by Spc. Jennifer D. FittsPvt. Demarcus L. McMillan closes a panel on an AH-64 Apache helicopter from 3- 3 (AHB).McMillan pumped the one millionth gallon of fuel put into 3-3 ARB aircraft.

see MILLION, page 10

Headquarters andHeadquarters Company,

Aviation Brigade

Staff Sgt. Matthew McCrossenSgt. Denise Alonso

1st Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (AttackReconnaissance)

Capt. Brian WirtzChief Warrant Ofiicer 2 Russell Mills

Sgt. Kenn DescoteauxSgt. Craig KauzlaricSgt. Ryan Orourke

Sgt. F. OrtizAlvarado

2rd Battalion,3rd AviationRegiment (General Support)

1st Lt. RileyChief Warrant Officer 4 McIntyre Chief Warrant Officer 2 Gonzales Chief Warrant Officer 2 Holsinger

Chief Warrant Officer 2 WareSgt. Bryan Dicus

4th Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (Attack Helicoper)

Chief Warrant Officer 2 AnthonyProbasco

Sgt. Adam BarnettStaff Sgt. Miguel Hernandez

June and July PROMOTIONS

3rd Battalion, 3rd AviationRegiment (AttackReconnaissance)

Chief Warrant Officer4 Scott ReaganMaster Sgt. Rethia Lord

Staff Sgt. Quincy PearsonSgt. Ifeany Rapu

603rd Aviation SupportBattalion

Sgt. Russell CanadySgt. Christopher Fick

Sgt. Christopher HancockSgt. Phillip Martinez

Sgt. Chelse StephensSgt. Demetriu Taylor

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

9

The forecast for Baghdad: hot and dusty.While this prediction might seem obvious, the process of

forecasting the weather is a science that combines a highlevel of training, a lot of practice proficiency, with a bit ofluck thrown in for good measure. The weather controls oureveryday decisions, from what we decide to wear to ourdaily activities. For pilots and Soldiers of the aviationbrigade however, knowledge of the weather can be informa-tion that is a matter of both missioncompletion and life or death.

The Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, AviationBrigade Weather Team is made up offive Airmen trained to anticipateweather patterns in order to help thebrigade in their everyday missions.Savannah, Ga., native Tech. Sgt. JulieMoretto, 15th Expeditionary AirSupport Operations Squadron and theNCOIC of the Weather Team, feelsthe Team holds many responsibilities.

“The weather team is in charge ofobservation of current weather,” saidMoretto. “We also forecast the weatherfor the aviators, and keep the Tactical Operations Center andbrigade informed on the weather so they can better makedecisions regarding missions.”

The weather team plays a vital role in the well-being ofpilots. It is the job of the weather team to make sure pilotshave essential weather information that is pertinent to theirmission.

“We give a heads up on weather that can affect futuremissions, and whether flights will be delayed or on time,”Moretto said. “For every helicopter that goes up, we pro-vide that pilot with a briefing. We inform pilots on suchinformation as temperature, pressure altitude, visibility,solar data and such hazards such as turbulence. Without thebriefings, aviators won’t know what to expect. We basical-ly help provide safety for the pilots so they can get the mis-sion done.”

The environment and weather of the Middle East hasbeen a challenge the weather team has been handling.Jacksonville, Ark., native Senior Airman Thomas Hughes,154th Weather Flight, found forecasting the Iraq weatherpatterns a difficult and unique experience.

“The dust here is quite a hassle,” said Hughes. “It isalmost impossible to forecast. I have never worked in anenvironment with this much dust.”

Moretto agrees that the dust in Iraq can make her job dif-ficult. She has been to Iraq before, but this is the first timeshe has worked with dust of such severity.

“The summer weather pattern is one of the hardest toforecast,” said Moretto. “No two dust storms are alike.They all differ in thickness and visibility. I have not seensuch intense dust storms as I have for this deployment.”

The weather team uses sophisticated equipment to handlechallenges such as dust storms to help in their forecast. Theequipment allows the team to gauge such important facets offlight such as visibility, atmospheric pressure, temperatureand lightning detection.

“We have very good communication systems and weath-er models,” Moretto said. “Satellite dishes and tacticalobservation equipment allows us to get minute to minuteweather updates.”

There equipment is located on the roof of the TacticalOperations Center, where members of the weather teamcheck for updates often.

“We check the system, power supply and equipment atleast once an hour, sometimes more during degraded weath-er conditions,” said Moretto. “We also check the visibilityboth by the automated system and the human eye. We liketo see the weather for ourselves for verification.”

The weather team personnel take great pride in what theydo. For Hughes, it is job that is very self-gratifying and well

worth the six months of training atforecasting school.

“It is great, technical work whereI get a lot of job satisfaction,”Hughes said. “If we miss a step, itcan be hazardous for the pilots, butwhen we are right (in our forecast) itmeans the pilots get to fly and dotheir mission.”

Moretto couldn’t agree more.For her, job satisfaction comes inthe form of peace of mind knowingthat a pilot returns safely from amission.

While the weather can be unpre-dictable, what is easy to forecast is

the steadfast nature of the weather team and their commit-ment to the mission, and for the safety of the brigade avia-tors.

“This job is very challenging but at the same time veryrewarding,” Moretto said. “I get my satisfaction knowingthat I did my job correct and that I played a part in a pilot’ssafe return.”

Photo by Spc. Derek Del RosarioTech. Sgt. Julie Moretto (left) and Senior Airman StevenHollatz, both of 15th Expeditionary Air Support OperationsSquadron, check their observation equipment on the roof ofthe Tactical Operations Center.

“We basically help providesafety for the pilots so theycan get the mission done.”

-Tech. Sgt. Julie Moretto, HHC, Avn. Bde.Weather Team

Spc. Derek Del RosarioAviation Brigade PAO

Forecasting for successful missions

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

10

enthusiastic about her unit and the rolethey play in accomplishing the missionin Iraq. “Without POL (petroleum, oil,lubrication), all pilots are pedestrians,”said Carter, a native of Maple Hill,N.C.

Carter and McMillan are proud ofwhat they’ve been able to accomplishas fuel handlers in a tightly-knit unit.

“We do a great job in this platoon,”said McMillan. “That helps to keepour morale high.”

After presenting McMillan andCarter with battalion coins and certifi-cates for pumping the millionth gallonof fuel for his battalion, Lt. Col.Morgan M. Lamb, 3-3 ARB com-mander, stressed how critical his sup-port troops are.

Fuel handlers may not have themost glamorous or high-profile jobs,said Lamb, but they do have one of themost essential jobs in the battalion.

They “facilitate:”the application ofcombat power in support of the people

of Iraq and the ground forces of the3rd Infantry Division said Lamb.

It takes a special breed of Soldier toexcel in an environment like that, saidLamb.

“They’ve never failed us, nevercomplained.”

“These Soldiers should inspire allof us,” said Lamb. “There’s no gloryin what they do, but their professional-ism allows us to continue our mis-sion.”

GALLON, continued from page 8

Photos by Spc. Jennifer D. FittsStaff Sgt. Teresa A. Carter and Pvt. Demarcus L. McMillan prepare to open celebra-tory bottles of sparkling grape juice after pumping the one millionth gallon of fuelfor 3rd Battalion, 3rd Avaition Regiment (Attack Reconnaissance).

Tiger shark Soldiers toast first million gallon milestone

out forces the medics to evaluate patients more closely, saidMcGraw, to see whether patients can be stabilized for a con-voy to a CASH.

After the exercise started, the Soldiers at the FARP notifiedthe Airfield Defense Operations Center (ADOC), which thennotified the Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC), andfrom there to the various supporting troop medical clinics(TMC), as well as Camp Taji emergency services.

Letting the ADOC know what had happened was just thefirst step for FARP personnel. After clearing the aircraft, casu-alties were evaluated. Casualties who could walk or couldhelp others were directed to a staging area away from the“burning” aircraft. Litter crews hurried to move Soldiers whowere too badly “injured” to move themselves.

As the first medics arrived, casualties were sorted into cat-egories, from worst to least injured, loaded on field litterambulances and whisked away to various TMCs.

Arriving on the scene to observe the combat lifesavers andmortuary affairs, 2nd Lt. Tammy K. Guillet took the reins asmedical incident commander (MIC) after realizing theappointed MIC hadn’t arrived on scene yet. Camp Taji emer-gency services had appointed an incident commander, but hadnot appointed a triage, treatment or staging officer.

“The lack of communications equipment on the ground was

frustrating” said Guillet, since she couldn’t communicate withthe various TMCs to determine how many patients each couldhandle.

Despite that, Guillet was impressed with the response.“The evac guys were taking to each other,” she said, “andeveryone came together as a team.” Guillet also praised thefirefighters for their quick, professional response.

The lack of communication between the ADOC, BDOCand TMCs proved to a valuable lesson learned in this exercise.

Despite initial confusion as patients were evacuated, Spc.Glen B. Ordinario, Headquarters and Headquarters Company,3rd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment (AttackReconnaissance) was pleased with his TMC’s response.

“We did well responding and reacting,” said Ordinario. “Igot to do treatment in the FLA, which was good training forme.”

Working together to stabilize patients at the TMC was goodexperience because “it gets the flow going, and shows youwhat equipment you have, what works, and what deficienciesyou have” said Oridinario.

“I think it went very well under the circumstances,” saidOrdinario.

Despite some initial confusion, medics gained confidenceas the exercise progressed, said Guillet.

“This was a huge team effort,” said Guillet.

EXERCISE, continued from page 3Camp Taji medics respond during “casualty” exercise

After toasting the millionth gallonpumpled, Carter and McMillan pour“champagne” on each other.

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

11

A college class on ecological sciences taught me thatnature recycles all natural resources over the course of time.The water cycle is the most commonly observed one. Waterevaporates to then come back in the form of precipitation.As impressive as the cycles are, there isone thing that nature does not recycle,and that is time.

Time is one resource that we do notrecover. The more we hoard it, the lessof it we have left. We will never againhave another today. Once the present isgone, it’s gone for good. The ApostlePaul encouraged the Colossians (4:5) tomake good use of the time allotted tothem. Although time cannot be stopped,stored, or recovered, it can be managedby those who guide their lives with pur-pose and direction.

Managing our time around moral prin-ciples is one approach. These principles are the moralrealm’s natural laws, and if broken then we detract from ourquality of life. They are not unique to any religious beliefor institution. They are shared by all people. Using theseprinciples provide we can then focus on what is important tous.

In FM 22-100 we find the seven Army values. These val-ues reflect the basic principles that strengthen and nurturehuman relationships throughout the Army. As Soldiers it is

our responsibility to implement these values not only in ourunits but elsewhere. Practicing these values at home mini-mize the loss of time due to conflicts or disagreements.

Loyalty is just as important at home between spouses asit is in a unit. Without it a couple can not develop the trustthat it needs to face the life’s challenges together. Dutyensures that everyone in the family care for its physical and

emotional needs. Respect provides thefamily with the encouragement it needsto develop healthy self esteem. Tryaccomplishing anything of significancewithout a healthy self esteem? Selflessservice at home gives the family confi-dence that you will do what is right forthem.

Likewise, you can expect the samefrom them. Honor provides the familywith a compass to sort out lifestyles andmoral choices. Integrity shows consis-tency between behavior and beliefs. Last,but not least is personal courage.Personal courage means doing what

needs to be done without consideration of the consequencesto oneself. Disciplining an unruly child may make the childdislike you for a while, but in providing guidance you helpthe child stay out of more serious trouble.

We cannot recover lost time, but it is never too late tomake better use of the present. By using our time in supportof our values, we can then live a more fulfilling life. Thereare no regrets for a person who lived life according to thesevalues. What are your values?

Redeeming Your Time: It’s never too late to make better use of the present for the future...

Chaplain (Captain) Nils Juarez-Palma 603d Aviation Support Battalion Chaplain

Photos by Curtis Compton, Atlanta Journal-Constitution , Spc. Jennifer D. FittsAbove-SPC Bryon Williams, C Co. 4-3 AHB, checks the tailrotar on his Blackhawk helicopter under a full moon dur-ing a pre-flight check at day break June 23.

Top right-To demonstrate the many directions the Brigadeis moving, these two Blackhawks “move out” on anothermission.

Right-Spc. Richard L. Lawhord, D Co. 1-3 ARB removesbolts to prep for a wingmount inspection in the hangar.

The Falcon Flyer July 25, 2005

12

Mail your family a copy of the Falcon FlyerFold, Staple and mail the paper back home

FREE MAIL

Pre-flight maintenance alsoincludes making sure the paperworkis up to date. The number of flighthours and inspections must be loggedaccurately for the helicopter to beready to fly.

During the flight, the crew chiefsare responsible for all the passengersand baggage being transported; mak-ing sure everyone and everything issecured for flight.

Flying helicopters requires a lot ofsituational awareness, so Schultz actsas another set of eyes looking out forhazards the pilots can't see. Crewchiefs make sure that the tail rotor isclear when the helicopter is turning,and in the case of a small landing

area, that the rear end of the helicop-ter is actually over the pad duringlanding.

After landing, the crew chiefsmake another thorough inspection ofthe helicopter,

making sure nothing broke duringflight. Said Schultz, the aircraft getslooked at from top to bottom again.

During the post-flight inspection,Schultz climbs up on the aircraft toinspect the blades. Seals and hosesare checked again for leaks and thetires are inspected for pressure andwear. Schultz and his partner cleanup the aircraft, setting it up for thenext flight. Logbooks are closed out,recording the pilots' names, the flightinformation, and the number of hoursspent in the air.

Schultz and his fellow crew chiefsspend a lot of time at work betweenmaintaining the aircraft and flying. "Idon't regret it," said Schultz. "I lovemy job, even if we get stretched alot."

Working long hours doesn't createa lot of friction in the unit, he said."We get along as a family, and wehandle it (the workload) well for theamount of people in the unit."

At the end of the day, there's asense of accomplishment, sinceSchultz knows how important crewchiefs are to keeping the brigade'sBlackhawks in the air.

"I look at the aircraft, and I'm thedriving force behind it," he said."The pilots fly, but because of me thatthis aircraft gets off the ground."

CHIEF, continued from page3

A day in the life; a crew chief in the air and on the ground

Spc. Jennifer D. FittsSgt. Desmond A. Schultz, a crew chief with A Co. 2-3 GSAB, checks the oil level on a Black Hawk engine during his pre-flight inspection.

Aviation History Trivia1907 -- Paul Cornu makes the firstflight in a helicopter, near Lisieux,

France, Nov. 13.1923 -- Spaniard Juan de la Ciervabuilds the Autogiro, which takes offalmost vertically on whirling blades

and flies horizontally on wings using aconventional propeller -- an ancestor

of the helicopter.