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Soldiers Earn Degrees While Deployed Camp Arifjan, Kuwait (January 15, 2012) History is showing that the job market in today’s economy has seen better days. Many people in the United States are out of work and it is difficult to find a job with good pay and benefits. While on deployment, soldiers in the Army National Guard have a steady paycheck and benefits while on a deployment. But
what happens when they return home and their military obligation goes back to one weekend a month, and two weeks in the summer? The 1/34 Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, currently deployed in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, will be heading back to Minnesota in late spring. Approximately 50 percent of the soldiers in the Bloomington, Minn. based unit, do not have a job waiting for them at home. Many soldiers have been using their free time, and military college benefits while deployed to take online classes in order to earn a college degree. They know that having a degree will help to get a good job upon returning home. Spc. Melissa Rolfes, a Billeting Specialist from Coon Rapids, Minn. says “I decided to take classes while deployed to get a jump start on my bachelor’s degree.” Spc. Rolfes takes online classes at American Military University, where she majors in Criminal Justice. During the course of her deployment, Spc. Rolfes will have completed 16 credit hours towards her degree. Several other members of the 1/34 Brigade Special Troops Battalion are taking online classes through American Military University who cater to deployed service members. The college mails free text books to Army Post Office addresses and allows flexible schedules to allow soldiers to focus on mission first. The company commander, Capt. Chris Lotzow of Eagan, Minn. is pursuing his Master’s Degree in Intelligence Studies. Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Thingvold, Sr. Human Resources Sergeant, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team will have completed at least 15 credit hours towards
finishing her bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Sgt. 1st Class Thingvold would ultimately like to earn a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management for employment after she retires from the military. “The National Guard has the advantage of an array different civilian experience levels and I have received some assistance from teachers and other subject matter experts – it’s incredible to see everyone reach out and offer help” said Thingvold from Waverly, Minn. Spc. Rolfes says she chose to attend American Military University because she “like(s) the option of a 16 week or 8 week course.” Several soldiers are also taking online courses at schools that are closer to home. A few attend Metropolitan State
University in St. Paul, Minn. Sgt. Kassandra Rutherford is working
towards her Master’s Certificate in Information Assurance. Sgt.
Rutherford earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Metro State so she
decided to go for her Master’s at the same school. 1st Lt. Mark
Griebel, a resident of South Dakota, is working on his Master’s in
Education Technology through the University of South Dakota. When
the soldiers who attend a local university get home and the new school
year starts, they have the option to return to a traditional classroom
environment to finish their degrees or just pick up where they left off
with their online education.
By: Sgt. Lindsay L. Mackie
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Fire in the Hole!
Udari Range, Kuwait (December 28, 2011) – It was a
cool windy morning on the 28th of December, 2011
when the 788th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
Company, stationed out of Fort Campbell, KY, started
their operation at Udari Range in northwest Kuwait.
The 788th EOD Company’s mission was to help the
Kuwait military destroy ordnance that has been in
inventory for over thirty years according to 788th
EOD Commander Capt. Amir Abu-Akeel.
The 788th EOD Company worked with the Kuwait
Ground Forces EOD unit commanded by Capt.
Michal, as well as a civilian who works for the Kuwait
government named Claude Doppagne to arrange the
Kuwait facilities needed to dispose of the code H
ordnance. Code H means that the ordnance is no longer serviceable and needs to be de-militarized. On December
28th, there were five holes in the desert that would be filled with 500 pounds of code H ordnance to be detonated in
each hole.
While destroying a large amount of explosives may seem like an easy task, it takes a lot of training, practice, and
experience to detonate it safely and effectively. The 788th EOD Company has been in Kuwait for three months and
they have been gaining extraordinary experience in their EOD teams.
Spc. Matthew Geier was in charge of constructing one of the five stacks of ordnance to be disposed of. The ordnance
to be destroyed included high explosive rounds, white phosphorous rounds, and British bar mines. Spc. Geier had to
ensure that all of the ordnance was stacked neatly and in the correct position in order for it all to be destroyed once the
stack was detonated.
Once all five of the holes were filled, the EOD technicians placed one block of Composition 4 (C4) to initiate the
detonation of the old weaponry. Once the range noncommissioned officer in charge, Staff Sgt. Jonathon Guisto, made
sure that all five detonation locations were properly stacked, connected to the detonator, and all personnel were out of
the area, he moved to a pre determined location were the 788th EOD Company used a radio controlled detonator to
initiate the 5 detonations in sequence.
Staff Sgt. James Van Elsacker was the range safety officer (RSO) that day. Once Staff Sgt. Guisto gave the RSO the
green light, Staff Sgt. Van Elsacker took accountability to make sure all personnel were present and at a safe distance
from the detonation site. The remote detonators were
armed and after calling, “FIRE IN THE HOLE, FIRE IN
THE HOLE, FIRE IN THE HOLE” the first site
exploded in large cloud of fire, dust, and smoke.
After the fifth and final detonation, Staff Sgt. Guisto and
Staff Sgt. Van Elsacker went to the detonation sites to
ensure that all ordnance was disposed of and there was no
longer any dangerous materials left in the area.
The 788th EOD Company is stationed out of Fort
Campbell, KY and is attached to the Brigade Special
Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team for their
mobilization.
by: 1st Lt. Aaron Rindahl
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1/34 BSTB Soldiers, families and friends we are definitely on the home stretch of our deployment. One
constant message we tell the Soldiers is to be safe. Accidents seem to increase towards the end of an exercise
and/or deployment. Stop, think, slow down and re-think before you act. The same goes for the families back
home. As we get closer to returning, take extra precautions as you drive and go about your daily business.
Your Soldiers here have been very busy over the past 30 days and it will continue to ramp upwards as we
work through the next 90. We will be losing the Soldiers who stayed on from the previous deployment to
work with us in the days to come. Best of luck to all of you.
THANK YOU for your hard work. If you want to be a Red
Bull, give me a call we'll find a home for you. Welcome to
the 569th Dive Team replacing the 7th. I am sure your
deployment will be just as rewarding as it was for the 7th
Dive. We're looking forward to working with you.
Stay focused everyone. Work hard and be safe.
CSM Bruce Stowe
1/34 BSTB
Command Sergeant Major
Friends, Families and Soldiers of the Brigade Special Troops Battalion,
Planning. As the 1st Brigade and the 1/34 BSTB enter the final 100 days of our deployment the theme is
planning. Planning to prepare for the unit that will take over the mission from us. Planning to get all of
our Soldiers and equipment from Kuwait back to Minnesota in an orderly manner. Planning for the 30,
60 and 90 day reintegration events. Plus there's a lot of planning that's taking place on a personal level —
plans for family vacations, plans to start or return to college, plans to return to work or look for a new job
to name a few.
As your plan and prepare for our return home I would offer a few bits of advice. First, be realistic with
your expectations. Don't assume that everything is going to be a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting.
Next, be flexible. The Soldier that deployed nine months ago has changed and so has the family that
stayed behind. Be mindful of these changes and be prepared for some give and take when making
decisions. Finally, take it easy and be safe. Wear your seatbelts. Don't drink and drive. Wear your
protective gear when motorcycling. Don't try to catch up on all the things you missed in the first couple
months that you're home.
The Family Readiness Academies that are coming up the
first two weekends in March are a great opportunity to
help you plan and prepare for our return. Please contact
your FRG leader for more info.
Thanks for everything you do!
Ante Up -- All In!
Lieutenant Colonel Gary Mundfrom
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Kuwaiti Engagement
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Sergeants Time Training
Camp Arifjan, Kuwait (Jan. 22, 2012) – While the Minnesota based Brigade
Special Troops Battalion’s soldiers are busy maintaining the grounds and
providing life support for the thousands of troops that occupy Zone 6 of Camp
Arifjan Kuwait; four hours every Wednesday, it is back to the basics. Required
Sergeant’s time training is in full force with a wide array of topics that cover
weapons qualification, to equal opportunity training to Army warrior tasks. It
is vital for soldiers to maintain the mandatory standards that the Army
requires even while deployed in support of a contingency operation.
Besides qualifying on Kuwaiti weapons ranges with different weapons systems,
throwing hand grenades, individual movement techniques – the things we first
learned in basic combat training, the troops have had the great opportunity to
gain knowledge on personal and professional development. The level of
civilian and military experience the Brigade Special Troops Battalion has is tremendous that has helped
many citizen soldiers in different areas. Capt. Carl Thunem, Contracting Officer Representative, Brigade
Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team of Minneapolis, Minn. instructed a class on building a
résumé and has since gone even further to reach out to employers within Minnesota to expose the
Minnesota National Guard soldiers and their experience. “I think it's very important to do what we can to
prepare Soldiers for success after this deployment” said Thunem.
Keeping strong bonds with family and friends back home is as important in keeping in tune with the
mission the Army has presented to the soldiers. Master Sgt. Brian Newcomer, Operations Sergeant, Brigade
Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team of Anoka, Minn. instructed mandated Resilience training
to the Soldiers of the Brigade Special Troops Battalion and has certified 19 Resilience Training Assistants.
Being one the master resilience trainers of the state of Minnesota, he helped soldiers convey their top
strengths in life and use them to their advantage while also being able to identify weaknesses with an end
result of comprehensive soldier fitness. “Resilience training is sergeants’ business. We need to train and
empower our first line leaders to give soldiers tools that can help them when times are tough. Resilience
training is not a sign of the Army getting soft, it’s a sign of the Army adapting to the changing needs of our
soldiers in order to accomplish the mission. In fact, resilient soldiers are capable of withstanding the mental
rigors of difficult situations more effectively than less resilient
soldiers” said Newcomer. The Army has focused a higher level of
awareness and training on mental health more than ever with the
increased suicides since the beginning of the war on terror. Suicide
prevention/awareness, sexual harassment and equal opportunity
are all amongst ongoing training the Brigade Special Troops
Battalion has instructed.
Other training the battalion has completed include classification,
leader development, Army physical fitness and drug testing, award
writing, react to contact, move under fire drills and several safety
exercises and training.
By: Sgt 1st Class Brittany Thingvold
The Army Family Readiness Group (Army FRG)
website provides a secure environment in which
information, resources, and support are available to
Soldiers and their Family Members 24 hours a day,
regardless of their geographic location. The 1/34
BSTB vFRG site promotes a community feeling by
providing a place that is customized to the Battalion
and contains content that is controlled at the Battal-
ion and unit levels. Army FRG website provides all
of the functionality of a traditional FRG in an ad-
hoc and on-line setting to meet the needs of geo-
graphically dispersed units and families across all
components of the Army. A homepage is dedicated
to each company in the Battalion for unit specific
information and events.
SIGN UP FOR THE VIRTUAL FRG SECURE WEBSITE
1. Go to http://www.armyfrg.org
2. Click “Find an FRG”
3. On the map click “Minnesota”
4. Click on 1/34 BSTB
5. Choose to subscribe as a Soldier or family member.
6. If you are subscribing as a Soldier, once your account is set up
you can invite family members or loved ones to the website. All
you need is their name and email address. They will be approved
automatically.
7. If you are subscribing as a family member and your Soldier has
not registered you will need your Soldiers full first and last name
and the last 4 digits of their SSN. The vFRG administrator will
need to verify the information before approving and granting
access.
8. Once your subscription is approved, login at
http://www.armyfrg.org.
9. Select “1/34 BSTB” from drop down box and click “View”
1/34 BSTB vFRG Includes:
Unit Home Pages
Announcements
1/34 BSTB Calendar
Document Downloads
FAQs & Forums
Resource Links
News
Photo Galleries
Surveys
and MUCH MORE!!!
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!
For updates and photos go to the link below and “like” our page to
get continuous updates on Soldiers in the 1/34 BSTB.
Check us out at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/134-Brigade-Special-Troops-
Battalion/197347730301711
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Wild Times 1/34 BSTB January 2012
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One of the best things the Army has done in the past 5 years is recognize the
importance of providing Servicemembers with resources related to healthy
relationships.
With apologies to David Letterman, I offer:
TOP 5 SIGNS YOUR RELATIONSHIP MAY BE IN TROUBLE
5. You've started sleeping in separate beds, in separate houses, in separate time zones
4. You're so unhappy together that the only thing that cheers you up is seeing the hilarious new movie "The
Break-Up," now playing at a theater near you
3. You look back at the drunken, bottle-throwing fights as "the good times"
2. Her response to your marriage proposal: "I guess."
1. She keeps asking, "Why can't you be more like Brad Pitt?"
Let’s be honest: Relationships are tough. Half of all marriages fail and most fail needlessly. Success and
contentment in relationships is often fleeting, which has a negative effect on units at home and those who are
deployed, hampering our ability to provide a competent, ready force for our state and nation. Married soldiers
often say with regret, “if I had only known more ahead of time…”
Strong Bonds Retreats are basic and straightforward. They have provided hundreds of Minnesota
Servicemembers with an educational and practical opportunity to learn what works in marriage and what
continues to make marriages last, focusing on communication skills. The weekend retreat is completely free and
held at beautiful local venues throughout Minnesota. We'll offer four
separate Strong Bonds retreats this summer.
In the past, Single Soldiers have felt overlooked when it came to
relationship resources. The good news on that front is that we’re
offering a free weekend in Brainerd for single soldiers this
September 7-9, 2012, with 30 slots still available for signup as of
late January.
To sign up for a Strong Bonds Retreat or for more information, see
your unit Chaplain, or visit http://www.beyondtheyellowribbon.org/
strong-bonds-marriage-retreats.
If you keep doing what you've been doing, you're going to keep
getting what you've been getting. I strongly encourage you to engage
this free and helpful resource to keep you on the right path in a
crucial area of your life.
For God and Country, CH (MAJ) Buddy Winn
Chaplain’s Page
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7th EDT Transfers Authority to the 569th EDT
CPT Sann and 1SG Baumgartner exchange departing gifts with LTC Mundfrom and CSM Stowe.
Pictured from left to right is 1SG Baumgartner (outgoing 1SG),
1SG Vance (incoming 1SG), CSM Stowe, LTC Mundfrom, CPT
Evans (incoming CDR) and CPT Sann (outgoing CDR).
Kuwait Living—Life as we know it
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