1st Engineer Battalion November Newsletter
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Transcript of 1st Engineer Battalion November Newsletter
The Battalion
Commander’s
Corner
A L W A Y S F I R S T , D I E H A R D ! Issue 1
November 01, 2012
Inside this issue:
BN Commander 1
BN Sergeant Major 2
HHC-HAMMER 3
FSC—WORKHORSE 4
111TH– ASSASINS 5
41ST—BULLDOGS 6
72ND—COLD STEEL 7
AWARD & RE-UPS 8
DIEHARD PHOTOS 9
of these units and their Soldiers. Each has dem-
onstrated an unrivaled degree of professional-
ism and dedication that has set the standard for
deploying units. I know that their performance
would not have been possible without the su-
perb support of our Diehard Families and
friends.
Over the next several months we will face
numerous challenges such as poor weather,
evolving missions and a determined enemy, but
I have complete confidence that our Soldiers are
up to the task.
As a final note, I would like to take the oppor-
tunity to thank each and every one of you, Sol-
diers and Family members, for your sacrifices
and commitment. Your support is our strength.
Always First!
LTC Tom Hairgrove
LTC THOMAS B. HAIRGROVE, JR.
Since our depar-
ture from Fort Riley
in early Septem-
ber, the Soldiers of
the 1st Engineer
Battalion have
been incredibly
busy and have al-
ready proved
themselves as combat ready. Soon after de-
ploying, the battalion moved to its final desti-
nations and began a rigorous process of in-
theater training and transition tasks in prepa-
ration of assuming our diverse missions.
On 14 October 2012, the 1st Engineer Bat-
talion, now Task Force Diehard, conducted
the transfer of authority (TOA) with the 7th
Engineer Battalion, Task Force Red Devils. In
the days prior, each company likewise as-
sumed their missions across eastern Afghani-
stan. The 72d Engineer Company and the
111th Engineer Company are each assigned
to the 178th Engineer Battalion, Task Force
Prowler while Task Force Diehard has grown
to include HHC, FSC, the 41st Engineer Com-
pany, the 102d Engineer Company, the 264th
Engineer Company, the 289th Engineer
Company, and the 857th Engineer Company.
I cannot express how proud I am of each
The Engineer!
The 1st Engineer Battalion Color Guard after
the TOA Ceremony on FOB Shank.
The Battalion
Command
Sergeant
Major’s
Corner
A L W A Y S F I R S T , D I E H A R D ! Issue 1
November 01, 2012
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all
of the TF Diehard families for their support to our Sol-
diers here. With the holiday season upon us you will be
in our thoughts and in our hearts as we continue our
mission. I would like to personally wish all a safe and
happy holiday season.
DIEHARD!
CSM Keith L. Evans
CSM KEITH L. EVANS
The Diehard Battalion hit the
ground in Late September
and your Soldiers have done
a phenomenal job quickly
learning their mission from
our Engineer brethren from Task Force
Red Devils (7th Engineer Battalion) from
Fort Drum, New York. We conducted our
transfer of authority on October 14th and officially assumed our
mission. Along with your Diehards I would like to welcome the
102nd Engineer Company (Sapper) and 264th Engineer Com-
pany (Clearance Company) from Fort Bragg, NC and the 289th
Engineer Company (Vertical) and 857th Engineer Company
(Horizontal) from the Mississippi National Guard to the Task
Force Diehard family. We look forward to serving alongside
them during our time here in Afghanistan.
Since assuming mission I have been on battlefield cir-
culation with the 41st Engineer Company where I conducted a
night clearance mission and observed them training with mini
unmanned aerial vehicles. There is no doubt they are prepared
for the mission ahead of them. I also visited the 111th Engineer
Company for their transfer of authority ceremony and got the
opportunity to see how the Assassins were living. Even though
they are located on a austere Combat Outpost their morale was
high and the Soldiers were eager to get busy conducting clear-
ance operations. I visited with the 264th and 289th Engineer
Company’s and was impressed with how they were making
their missions happen. I will continue to go out and visit our TF
Diehard Soldiers on a monthly basis and give updates in future
newsletters.
The Engineer!
CSM Evans with newly promoted SFC James Eddings on FOB
Shank.
1SG’s Column
HAMMER 7
First, I want to say thanks to the
family, friends, and Soldiers of
HHC. The unwavering support
that you are providing and the
continued sacrifices that you
make daily has not gone unno-
ticed. Words will never express
the appreciation that the com-
mander and I have for you. I
would like to also say thanks to
the command team of HHC, 7th
EN BN. The professionalism
you displayed made our transi-
tion into FOB Shank a smooth
one. The Soldiers have settled
into their roles and responsi-
bilities here and their efforts
have gone a long way to make
this a very productive deploy-
ment.
1SG Charles A. Chappelle
Commander’s Column
HAMMER 6
Hammer Soldiers completed
a successful Relief In Place
(RIP) with their counterparts
from HHC, 7th EN BN (TF Red
Devils). Now, with our Red
Devil brothers-in-arms rede-
ployed to their home station
(Fort Drum, NY), and Hammer
Soldiers settled into their roles
on FOBs Shank, Fenty and BAF,
we continue our mission to sup-
port the other companies in TF
Diehard, and enable them to
accomplish their missions. A
special thank you goes to our
Red Devil brothers, who
worked diligently to ensure our
success, and to our Families,
who constantly support us in all
our endeavors.
CPT Oscar Schneegans
A Hammer Soldier’s training is never done. The new fleet
of vehicles means drivers’ training for all Soldiers. SSG Mo-
hammed, the Battalion Master Driver, trained Hammer Sol-
diers on Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.
Hammer Soldiers also conducted Combat Life Saver (CLS),
Cold Weather and Winter Driving training. FSC’s Mainte-
nance Platoon instructed Hammer Soldiers in the fine art of
snow chain installation on an MRAP (thank you, FSC!).
HHC
Bring The Hammer Down! TF Diehard’s 1st Reenlistment
SGT Curtis D. Rose, a native of Mobile, Alabama, and
a signal support Non-Commissioned Officer, pledged his third
oath at FOB Shank, Afghanistan, October 8, 2012. SGT Rose be-
came the first DieHard to raise his hand and take the oath of
enlistment during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 12-13.
He reenlisted for a future assignment to Fort Lewis, Washington.
When asked why he chose to reenlist he simply said, “I enjoy
serving my country and love my MOS.” SGT Rose also chose to
have LTC Hairgrove, TF DieHard Commander, swear him in, “It
was phenomenal to be able to reenlist SGT Rose. He and I have
been together since Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-10. It was an
honor to have the opportunity to reenlist him.” On October 8,
2012, TF Diehard retained one of its best and brightest Non-
Commissioned Officer to serve within the ranks for years to
come. - SFC David Barrera III (S-2)
FOB SHANK, AFGHANISTAN
WORKHORSE family and friends, we have finally made it over the
half way mark. It is nice to know we are on the downward slope of Page 4
FSC, Workhorse
FOB SHANK, AFGHANISTAN
WORKHORSE family and friends, we are
about to officially complete our first month
here in Afghanistan, and it has definitely been
a busy one. After finally making it to Bagram
Airfield Afghanistan, the company immedi-
ately began mandatory training. There was a
three day blur of all day classes and trips to
the range to verify all of our sharpshooting
skills. Many Soldiers were immediately sent
to classes to learn how to operate vehicles,
weapons systems and various types of war
fighting equipment. It took almost an entire
month to get the whole company back to-
gether at FOB Shank.
A few long days and late night flights later,
the Company was at FOB Shank and ready to
work. Every leader was tasked with shadow-
ing their counter part in the 7th Engineer
Battalion. There was a lot to learn in a short
period of time, but
every Workhorse Sol-
dier jumped right in to
learn their role in our
mission.
The HQ Platoon had
an abundance of new
vehicles, communica-
tions systems and re-
ports to learn about.
SSG Eddings and his
Soldiers spent many
days in drivers training and radio classes to
ensure the entire company operations section
is always ready to support maintenance and
distro. SPC Lathan, the Company postal clerk,
picks up and distributes mail to the Soldiers
daily, which is one of the biggest boosts to
morale.
The new NCO leadership in the Main-
tenance Platoon, SFC Curry
(Maintenance Platoon Sergeant & Main-
tenance Control Supervisor), SSG Ellis
(Motor Sergeant), and SGT Moore (Shop
Foreman) have been hard at work reor-
ganizing the motorpool and implement-
ing systems to make operations more
efficient such as: improving service
packets and effectively tracking non-
mission capable equipment to increase
unit readiness. The newly appointed
Squad Leaders; SPC Rosario, SPC Robin-
son, and SPC Broom are working hard to
learn the ins and outs of their positions as
first line supervisors. The platoon started
off by preparing all FSC and HHC vehicles
for winter, and SGT Eales taught a class on
snow chains for all operators. Next, they
focused on conducting
technical inspections
to catch faults before
any vehicles went out
on mission. SGT
Daley and her team of
clerks have been
working long hours
ensuring all three
SAMS-1E systems are
to standard. The pla-
toon has also been
busy with combat life saver’s class and
driver’s training on the different Mine Re-
sistant Ambush Protect (MRAP) vehicles.
Everyone is learning a lot and growing
even closer as a platoon.
As soon as Distro Platoon arrived at
FOB Shank, they began learning about
their Area of Operations (AO) and how
crucial their job is to Task Force DIEHARD.
The Platoon is tasked with delivering mis-
sion essential equipment and supplies to all
units within the Task Force. Simply stated,
they drive all over RC-East. The Diablo
(Distro PLT’s nickname) Soldiers attended
driver’s training for five types of vehicles,
winterization classes, cargo securing class
and various ranges to ensure they were
ready for their first mission. Somehow,
work and training, Distro found time to take a
break for the re-enlistment of SGT Stephens
and the promotions of SSG Cass and SPC
Leitchman. In this first month alone, Distro has
already covered over 1250 kilometers, and that
number is sure to increase steadily until it is
time for all of us to go home.
- CPT Derek Benz, Commander, FSC
Greetings to All,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
all the Family members for supporting their
Soldier before we deployed to Afghanistan.
The Soldiers spent long days at work prepar-
ing for this deployment and family time was not
as long as we hoped. The commander and I
believe in taking care of families and encour-
age you to participate in the Family Readiness
Group. I would like to thank Mrs. Russell for
volunteering to be the Family Readiness
Leader. Over this last month, the Soldiers con-
tinue to perform maintenance on vehicles and
conduct convoys transporting supplies to other
units across Afghanistan in support of Task-
force Diehard. We had two NCOs reenlist, SGT
Daley and SGT Stephens. We also had SGT
Cass promoted to Staff Sergeant and 2LT
Habermaas promoted to First Lieutenant. May
God Bless you and continue to pray for our
safety.
-1SG Vaughters
FSC Soldiers conducting Driver’s Training in the
TF Diehard Motorpool
Newly promoted 1LT Habermaas and Soldiers from
her Platoon
A word from the Company
The Assassins have come to Af-
ghanistan and have already made
history with the 111th Engineer Com-
pany now having been deployed to its
tenth theater of conflict. Upon arrival
in Afghanistan at Combat Outpost
(COP) Zormat the Company’s call sign
of Assassin was replaced by Rebel
due to the RC East naming convention
guidelines. We will be called the RE-
BEL until we return to Fort Riley
The Sappers of 111th have
been busy with their relief in place
(RIP) with the 642nd Engineer Equip-
ment Company from Fort Drum, New
York. These tasks include learning
the routes and tactics used to clear the
roads of the Zormat area that the Com-
pany will be required to clear in sup-
port of 1-187 Infantry Battalion (Air
Assault) the Rakkasans and of the COP
Zormat life support task such as guard
duty, local national escort, and force
protection improvements.
An unforeseen task that the
Company has come across is the re-
built and force protection improve-
ments of COP Zormat after a VBIED
attack on the Afghan National Army
(ANA) side of COP Zormat. This at-
tack caused significant structural
damage to many buildings on the
COP but resulted in no significant
injuries to US personnel. The rebuild
has been going very smooth with the
arrival of Construction Engineers to
which we are now augmenting to
speed up the repair time.
REBEL 6
6
COP ZORMAT, Afghanistan
Page 5
111th EN Co (REBEL), ASSASSINS
The 111th Sapper Crest placed on the COP
Zormat water station
1st Platoon (RCP 2)
filling sand bags and
HESCOs increasing
the Force protection
of the barracks
1SG Overby celebrates his 8th “29th”
birthday!
SPC Kiss and Ybarra of RCP 48 prepping
their MRV for mission
1LT Spinelli on route with a local national
tractor surfing on the back ground
Page 6
41st Engineer Company
Family and friends of the Bull-
dogs, we have finally made it
to our home away from home,
FOB Airborne .
After long training events,
several days of inventories,
and a “right and left seat
ride” the 41st Engineer Com-
pany has now officially taken
over the Route Clearance
mission here in Afghanistan.
We have gotten here
just in time for the changing
of the seasons and a notice-
able drop in the temperature,
and you can even see snow
forming on the peaks of the
surrounding mountains.
Maintenance has
jumped in with both feet by
working long hours to en-
sure our equipment is op-
erational. There has been a
non stop stream of vehicles
rolling in and out of the
maintenance bay on a daily
basis. Our Maintenance sec-
tion continually receives
praise and commendation
for the significant impact of
their efforts in keeping the
fleet operational.
The Route Clearance
Platoons did great job
adapting to their environ-
ment and current mission.
They have been very busy
executing patrols and con-
ducting internal training with
their new equipment to ensure
they can handle any situation
that may arise while on patrol.
We are extremely proud of our
Soldiers and the dedication
they display on a daily basis.
We all miss our families
and appreciate your continued
support to make it through the
remainder of our deployment
with you all standing behind
us.
CPT Matthew J. Keesling
-Bulldog 6-
Bulldog Promotions:
PFC Arroyo to Specialist
PFC Bazinette to Specialist
PFC Moore, C to Specialist
New Additions to the Bulldog Family:
Kairo James Corgile 8lbs 7oz, 19 in.
Maddie Danielle Reed 7lbs 3oz, 19.5 in.
FOB AIRBORNE, AFGHANISTAN
SPC Downey repairing air-lines under
an MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Pro-
tected Vehicle
(2nd Platoon prepares for the pending snow-
fall by training on how to properly install
snow chains)
(1st Platoon preparing to conduct mainte-
nance on their equipment)
Page 7
72ND MAC, Coldsteel
Coldsteel Family and Friends, greet-
ings from Afghanistan! As you proba-
bly know, we took the reigns from our
predecessors during our transfer of
authority (TOA) ceremony on 6 OCT
2012. We are all settled in and accom-
plishing the mission.
The Soldiers are doing great!
Currently the Company is located at
FOB Sharana along with 1st Platoon and
the Field Maintenance Team (FMT).
2nd Platoon is temporarily located at
FOB Orgun-E in support of operations
there. We are task organized under
Task Force Prowler (178th Engineer
Battalion out of South Carolina.)
Though we don’t fall under the 1st Engi-
neer Battalion for the deployment, we
continue to maintain regular contact
with them and still receive great sup-
port and guidance from the command
team and staff.
The Soldiers in Headquarters
serve as the central nervous system of
the company. I am continually amazed
on their ability to track so much infor-
mation without dropping the ball and
provide stellar support to our platoons.
Since taking over, our platoons have
made quite a name for themselves
across the area of operations. 1st Pla-
toon (Mad Dogs) is continually relied
upon by 1-4CAV out of Fort Riley to
clear the way for them during opera-
tions. They continually receive praise
from 1-4CAV and TF Prowler for their
professionalism and for keeping the
Soldiers across the area of
operations safe. 2nd Platoon
(Outlawz) is supporting 1-
28IN, also out of Fort Riley,
at FOB Orgun-E keeping the
Soldiers in that AO safe by
clearing endless miles of
routes. We can’t wait to
have them back with us but
they are in good hands and
are being well taken care of.
I continue to receive great
reports of how both platoons are
vital to operations and are doing
an awesome job. Our mechanics in FMT
are doing a superb job in keeping us
rolling. There’s not a moment to spare
when it comes to ensuring our equip-
ment is in tip-top condition and the me-
chanics are completing that mission
perfectly. As I go out on missions with
the platoons and visit the motorpool to
see the mechanics, I am in awe of all
our accomplishments and am truly
proud of all of our Coldsteel Soldiers.
Life on FOB Sharana and Orgun-E is
good. Although it could never replace
being home, we are able to stay con-
nected with family and friends at home.
We are also able to enjoy three hot
meals and a shower a day. Mail also
flows regularly to both FOB Sharana
and FOB Orgun-E. We thank you for all
the care packages. We get them every-
day and they are a great morale
booster.
I want to take moment to thank
our most critical component of the com-
pany, our Family and Friends. I thank
you for all of your support. It fuels our
drive to get the mission done. We are
truly blessed.
COLDSTEEL!
CPT Ashton Shoults
-Coldsteel 6-
FOB SHARONA, AFGHANISTAN
1SG Strassels passes the guidon to CPT Shoults during
the TOA Ceremony
From left to right, Soldiers of 1st Pla-
toon: SPC Henderson, SPC Reyes, S.,
SFC White, SPC Jackson
From left to right, Soldiers of 2nd Platoon:
(back row) SGT Vargas, CPL Luna, SPC
Erdeski, SPC Solis, PFC House, SPC
Esquivel, SSG Leon (front row) PFC Johnson,
J., PV2 Catalan, PV2 Gonzalez, SPC Walker
Page 8
DIEHARDS RE-ENLISTMENT
Congratulations to the following soldiers for you continuing your service in the United States
Army.
SGT Rose, Curtis D. II, HHC
SGT Stephens, William D., FSC
SSG Thomas, Anthony E., 72MAC
SGT Daley, Kadiann M., FSC
SPC Waters, David C., 72MAC
SPC Kirby, John J. 41RCC
SFC Bobbitt, Karen D., HHC
SSG Reeves, Robert L. Jr., 41RCC
SFC Bobbit, HHC, pictured receiv-
ing the oath from 2LT Puccio at FOB
Shank, Afghanistan
SPC Kirby (pictured left) is reenlisted by the
41st EN Co Cdr, CPT Matthew Keesling at FOB
Airborne, Afghanistan.
Page 9
DIEHARDS AT PLAY
2LT Puccio waits for equipment to be slung to its next
location
SPC Kirby’s reenlistment, with the oath offered by Co CDR
CPT Mattew Keesling
Soldiers from the 1st Engineer Battalion working with their
interpreter SFC James Jones, HHC, oversees CLS training on FOB Shank.
Newly promoted 1LT Habermaas with SGT Daley, FSC, shaking hands
after her reenlistment on FOB Shank PFC Rogers receives a coin for excellence as a Husky Operator
for 1st PLT, 111th Sapper Co, pictured here with his PL, 1LT Chew.