Dreadnaught Newsletter-September

Dreadnaught Newsletter

Family and Friends of the Dreadnaughts,

Fear God and Dreadnaught!!

LTC Chris Kidd

Dreadnaught 6

Friends and Family of 2-34 AR,

As our newsletter is only monthly, I am certain the news on our early redeployment has spread

like wildfire throughout the Families. CSM McDwyer and I did our best to brief every platoon,

squad and Soldier about our change to a January redeployment (albeit B Company had to wait a

few extra days as they had some missions ongoing). I know everyone back home is very excited

and perhaps are not worried about why the change, but I can tell you that the Army is very in-

terested in bringing all of 1st Brigade back together again after it was split between Iraq and

Afghanistan and with battalions on completely different timelines. Our Mortar Platoon, which

left early in January 2011, will return with 3rd Brigade in December 2011 and the rest of the

battalion (with our other Mortar Platoon here in Maiwand) will be back in early/mid January

2012.

In the meantime, the men and women of the battalion continue to impress everyone here with

their drive and motivation. There is great energy in Maiwand and it is because of the Dread-

naught Soldiers that are fighting or supporting the fight to make this a safer place. As I type

this, the month of Ramadan has ended and the people are celebrating their “Eid” holiday in

which families gather and do not worry about much more than simply being with family. These

last two days have been nearly violence-free in Maiwand and it is wonderful to see the Afghan

people living a normal life without the worry of intimidation or attacks.

All six companies and all seven hundred plus Soldiers continue to be very busy as our focus has

not shifted at all. We see progress every day and the proof is in the smiles of the children sur-

rounding our Soldiers every day. The photos below are from a new playground that FSC and C

Co helped to build and set up for the kids in Hutal, the central city in our district. For all these

kids, this was the first time they had ever been on a swing set, a merry-go-round, or a see-saw.

Lots of smiles.

Fear God, Dreadnaught!!

LTC Chris Kidd

Company

Articles

Pg 2 -

Pg 9

Rear D. Pg 10

Home front

pictures

Pgs 11

Inside this issue:

Battalion Commander

September 2011

2-34 Armor CAB

7006A Siebert Street

Fort Riley, KS 66442


HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY 2ND BN 34TH ARMOR REGIMENT

SEPT 2011

HOPLITE HOMECOMING NEWS

As many of you now know,

our battalion is projected to

re-deploy earlier than we

thought. This has caused us

to change the way mid-tour

leave was allocated. We en-

courage families to contact

their Soldier if they have any

questions regarding mid-tour

leave or the actual battalion

redeployment. Right now the

last NCO’s will take leave no

later than 1 September 2011

and the final cut-off date for

Soldiers will be 1 October

2011. If you have any ques-

tions please contact the Rear-

Detachment Commander

CPT Ricky Brown.

Most Dreadnaughts should be

home by the second week of

January 2012 from this deploy-

ment. This is an estimated

timeline, and anything could

change.

In other news, Hoplites continue

to perform with distinction in

Afghanistan. Hundreds of Hop-

lite Soldiers have been nomi-

nated for awards including

Army Commendation Medals

and Bronze Star Medals. These

awards are completely deserved

and reflect the outstanding per-

formance HHC Soldiers have

demonstrated.

TOP LEFT: SSG Perkins missing home

TOP RIGHT: SSG Kirk congratulates recently promoted

SSG Bradish

BOTTOM LEFT: SSG Henegar does some Military Work-

ing Dog training Commander’s Corner

Greetings Hoplite Nation!

Since our last newsletter a lot has certainly changed with our deployment time-

line. The article above hopefully outlined everything for you but if some things

are still unclear I encourage you to speak with your spouse and have them ask

their chain of command. We still have a long way to go with this deployment.

We are only about half-way done. Soldiers of HHC have been busy capturing

Taliban leaders, participating in helicopter air assaults, protecting the local citi-

zens and improving the quality of life for the people of Maiwand. 1SG Peterson

continues to improve the living conditions for HHC Soldiers. The Forward Oper-

ating Base we live on is one of the nicest in all of Southern Afghanistan! Hoplite

Soldiers continue to work hard each and every day.

In closing I would like to add that anything can change but keeping an open dia-

logue with your Soldier is the best way to be prepared.

I ask that families remain ready for anything.

Captain Benjamin Ryder “Hoplite 6”

[email protected]

THE HOPLITE HERALD

ABOVE: From left,

1SG Peterson, CPT

Ryder, CPT Abaldo

Soldiers, Family Members, and Supporters of the Orphans, Greetings! Time continues to fly by as we are more than four months into our deployment. I’m sure that everyone was

delighted to hear the news that we will be redeploying a full three months early with most everyone expected to be back home in

America by the middle of January. While this is great news, there is still much work to be done over here. The month of Rama-

dan has presented its own unique dynamics but we continue to move forward with the help of our Afghan Partners and interac-

tions with the local populous. Our thoughts and prayers are with PVT Matthew Leyva, his wife Raelyan, and his whole family as

he works through recovering from his injuries at BAMC. Our other wounded warriors, PFC Musolino and SPC Shelton are recov-

ering back at Fort Riley with SGT Sweet just recently returning to us at our COP after receiving treatment for the gunshot wound

he sustained. While at times it seems like we’re taking two steps forward and one step back, the company continues to impress

me with its resolve in executing missions and fighting to make our country and that of the Afghans safer.

-CPT Donald E. Sedivy, “Orphan 6”

Orphan Families and Friends, Another month has come and gone, hope everyone is doing well. First, I would like to thank all the spouses who put to-

gether the August boxes for all the Soldiers here. Hope you all are enjoying your spouse as they return for 15 days of R&R, re-

member don’t make plans until your spouse is home. A lot of dates change, flights get cancelled and emergency leave takes pri-

ority. As you all should know, we are redeploying sometime in January, which means all R&R ends around the end of October.

Yes, I know, some of your spouses will not get to come home until we redeploy. I’m trying to push as many Soldiers home as

possible so bare with us. As you all know, one of our own was severely injured, PVT Leyva, please keep him and his wife in your

prayers as we are. Continue to push forward from the rear and we will do the same from our end. - Orphan 7 out.

-1SG Tony Reese “Orphan 7”

Alpha Company - ORPHANS

Talking with local leaders to talk possible solu-

tions to water irrigation and security Wishing elders a safe and joyful end to the

month of Ramadan

Bravo Company - BLACK DRAGONS


Dragon Families,

This month instead of me telling you how great the soldiers are doing, I thought I would let their platoon leaders tell you instead.

DRAGON Company is lucky to have such fine Army Leaders within its ranks. Let’s let

them tell a bit of their stories:

Families, Friends, FRG;

Can you believe that fall is almost here? It may not feel like it on either side of the ocean,

but as the days of August wind down, school starts for many of our number, and the seasons

begin to shift marking the close of the growing seasons and the initiation of harvest. In Af-

ghanistan too, we await the fall and the cooler temperatures that come with it. Currently

we are still experiencing highs in the 100’s but cooler days are coming.

The men of 1st Platoon have not ceased to impress me with their resiliency and resolve.

Whether tirelessly training our partnered Afghan National Security Forces of the Afghan

National Army and Afghan National Police, or conducting force protection and enemy area

denial measures such as installing barbed wire along supply routes, your soldiers are put-

ting it out there every day. With the recent news of our redeployment I have seen a new

zeal in the platoon and indeed myself. Recognizing we are now at roughly the half way

point of the tour and through the warmest part of the year, the men’s morale has picked up

significantly.

I want to express to you with utmost gratitude for the support that you provide to your soldiers on a daily basis. Though the communication

channels between us and our families are at times unreliable and unavailable, the recent upgrade of our MWR facilities should allow for

more frequent communication back to the states.

With Best Regards,

1LT Patrick J. Dehnart, Platoon Leader

“GOLD 6”

Families,

With five months down, the 1st Platoon “Mountain Goats” are continuing to excel and are enjoying the opportunity to serve as the “Red Pla-

toon” for the Black Dragons. I attribute the platoon’s stellar performance thus far to a combination of several factors: tough-as-nails soldiers;

outstanding NCOs; the Black Dragon leadership, which accepted the artillery platoon with open arms, and continue to provide caring leader-

ship; and the families back home that consistently support the platoon with packages, mail, and conversation. The Mountain Goats have fed

off of the proficiency, incredible knowledge, the unit pride of Bravo Company, and the unique situation to prove themselves as artillerymen-

turned-infantrymen. While the Goats still hold the Joint Readiness Training Center’s record time for the fastest air assault artillery mis-

sion, that memory has faded with the task at hand, and the desire to excel, for both pride and for the mission. The Mountain Goats would

like to thank the Black Dragons for accepting Red Platoon as one of their own. The platoon’s inclusion for FRG newsletters and updates

demonstrates the extent to which 1st Platoon is a part of the Bravo Company family. Ultimately, the knowledge that the platoon will be

home soon and each soldier reunited with their loved ones gives motivation and keeps morale elevated. Though we may be from Fort Drum

and we have never met, thank you for your continued support and reminding us of home. Thank you also for supporting such a great com-

pany, as their excellence is a testament to your support.

1LT Grant Cuprak, Platoon Leader

Mountain Goat “RED” 6

Bravo Company - BLACK DRAGONS


Dear Families,

The days are passing by quickly with the workload and busy schedule 2nd platoon soldiers are handling. Not only are they up to the task

but they are accomplishing all missions with much success and their efforts and dedication are being noticed by the Black Dragon Com-

pany, 2-34AR Battalion, and 4-25 Battalion here at FOB Azzizulah. 2nd platoon along with the rest of the Black Dragons are raising the

bar higher every day and setting the standard in all of our lines of effort in RC South.

Squad leaders such as SGT Johnson, SGT Lee, and SGT Jankowski are continuously providing guidance to the rest of the team and keep

their men busy. Their hard work on patrols, focus and consideration during meetings or Shura’s with the local nationals and non stop

physical conditioning are all examples for their subordinates to one day aspire to be. Needless to say, some of you back home will be pleas-

antly surprised to see well oiled and physically fit husbands, brothers, fathers, sons, and friends return to Ft. Riley early next year. The

support and care all of you back home give us is a driving force that keeps 2nd Platoon soldiers motivated and determined to keep up the

hard work. The care packages, letters, and time taken out of your days to wait for a phone call early in the morning are priceless factors

in keeping our spirits up. You can not be thanked enough.

The heat out here is starting to level off around the 110 range. The nights are coming sooner and the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan is

coming to a close. It has been a unique experience for us seeing a different culture and way of life. We have built a strong relationship

and team with the local Afghan National Army soldiers we are partnered with. Conducting missions together and training each other we

are certain our combined efforts have made their military stronger with more knowledge to better handle a difficult enemy.

We are staying healthy, well fed, and committed to the mission. We are a family of 32 soldiers looking out for one another and keeping

things humorous; we are blessed with many comedians such as SFC Fisher who keeps us laughing. We look forward to our return in

January to see the smiling faces of our families and friends. Not a day passes we don’t think of our brothers back home especially SPC

Troy Tow who we miss dearly and can’t wait to have him a part of our 2nd platoon team again when we reunite back at Ft. Riley. Thanks

again to all of you who are staying strong and supportive for all of us over here.

Dragons lead the way!

1LT Sean McIntosh

Dragon 26

Families,

3rd Platoon, B Co, 2-34 AR is doing great work here at COP Azimjan Karez. We are conducting patrol bases and dismounted combat pa-

trols most of the time, taking the fight to the enemy and supporting the Afghan people. We are all looking forward to coming home to our

families in January, but until then we are fighting hard and staying motivated. I’d like to thank the families for all their support, it is

much appreciated. See you all in January!

CPT Aaron Price

Dragon36

Fighting Aces Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as your new Charlie Company Commander; my name is Captain Keith Gauthier. I have a great wife, RacheI, and three great kids Isaak, Andrew, and Abigail. I started my military career in the Marine Corps; I served 4 years earning the rank of SGT and then decided to attend college. I received my Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Northern Arizona University and then returned to the military but this time as an Army Officer. My first duty assignment was in Schweinfurt, Germany where I was deployed to Iraq as a Platoon Leader. Our unit was then moved to Grafenwoehr, Germany where I was deployed for a second time to Iraq, this time as Company XO. After almost 4 years in Germany, my family and I returned to Georgia for Captains Career Course and then arrived this last December to Fort Riley.

I am looking forward to leading the Fighting Aces as their Company Commander. The Fighting Aces are working hard with our Afghan counterpart to further the security within the Companies area of operation. On a daily basis your soldiers are conducting patrols, training and working with Afghan Police and handing out candy to children. The positive attitude of your Soldier has built an outstanding reputation among the Afghan people. I ensure you that we will keep up the good work for the remainder of the deployment and leave Afghanistan a better place for the next unit. I look forward to meeting you all when we redeploy and don’t hesitate to contact the Rear Detachment and Family Readiness Group if you need anything.

Fighting Aces 6

Charlie Company - FIGHTING ACES

From the Outgoing Commander’s Desk

Friends and Family of DAUNTLESS, Chances are good that by the time you read this, I will no longer be the commander of this great company. The change of com-

mand is scheduled for September 4th, where I will hand the guidon over to Captain Jared Coil.

I have been uniquely privileged with the opportunity to command Dauntless. When most commanders take a guidon, it is for a company

that is already a capable organization with systems in place. The unit already has an identity, and the new commander shapes it to

match his personality. When I assumed command of Delta Company, it consisted of twelve men and four HMMWVs. I, along with

1SG Mosher, had the challenging yet rewarding task of building Dauntless from a small transition team company into a fully functional

tank company, and later a tank and infantry company team. The company had no name, no logo, and no identity. Everything that

Dauntless would become had to be deliberately emplaced.

Because of the amount of emotional time and energy I have invested into Daunt-less, I am incredibly sad to hand the reigns over to a

new commander. I have long been worried about who the next commander would be, and if he would be deserving of such a mag-

nificent organization. I am very happy to report that Jared Coil will be a terrific commander. In the short time that I have known

him, Jared has proven to be a top notch officer who is extremely intelligent and capable. If I am honest with myself, I have to

admit that I believe he will be a better commander than I was. One of my last requests as Dauntless 6 is to ask that you please

sup-port him in the same manner that you have supported me.

There are countless people that I must thank for making this command such a success. The space in this news-letter is far too

short to list everyone that I am indebted to, how-ever there are two people that deserve public recognition.

1SG Mosher has been by my side since my very first day in command. It did not take me long to realize how lucky I was to have a

man of his caliber as my top NCO, and I knew almost instantly that our ideals were very similar and our leader-ship styles would

compliment each other’s perfectly. Top, I cannot thank you enough for how enjoyable you made this command.

Finally, my beautiful wife, Kim. When I took command, Kim had already been a company commander for a year, and I learned more

from her than she will ever know. So that we could both realize our own career aspirations, Kim selflessly assumed the role of a

single mom to our son, and subsequently our new daughter, as she completed the Army Baylor Program at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.

Kim, you are my angel and my hero. Without your strength, my command would have been far shorter and less rewarding.

In closing I ask that you please continue to support each other and your Soldiers. You all have a tremendous amount to be proud

of, and I will miss being in the company of such fine men and their families.

Sincerely,

Timmy Dauntless 6 Ancient

From the Incoming Commander’s Desk

Friends and Family of DAUNTLESS,

My name is Jared Coil, and as the incoming commander to DAUNT-LESS, I would like to intro-duce myself, my wife Alex, and our

three children, Bran-don, Laura, and Jayden, to the friends and families of DAUNTLESS as Timmy Decker and I transition the

Company.

Thank you to CPT Decker and 1SG Mosher for allowing me to join this al-ready great organization. They have

built this company from scratch and can be proud of the work accomplished already.

I am proud to serve you and the men of DAUNTLESS.

CPT Jared Coil Dauntless 6

Delta Company - DAUNTLESS


Hello again friends and families of Fox Company. August proved to be another successful month for HQ pla-

toon in our support of OEF. Even though as a whole, HQ accomplished numerous tasks assigned with expertise and im-

pressive expediency. One Soldier stood out as the go to guy and I would like to give recognition to SGT Christopher

Dann aka Dead Hook 1.

SGT Dann had his hands on practically everything to include FOB improvement projects such as gym renova-

tion and equipment set up. He was directly involved in setting up three tents at the flight line to use as AMR office, Pax

Terminal, Transient tent and occasionally one is used as a Holding Facility. SGT Dann spent countless personal hours

improving living areas for Soldiers by putting up camo net for cover, built a rest area for down time and built a giant

deck in front of Soldiers’ room to muffle the gravel noise when people walk thru, so Soldiers can get better rest. He also

traveled to other combat outposts to assist in moving barriers for checkpoints and local soccer field to heighten security

in those locations. His latest project is cleaning up the old ANCOP village for health and safety purposes. SGT Dann is

proficient at his job as a Recovery NCO and definitely is a Jack of all Trades. His enthusiasm and cheerfulness always

motivates us to do more and to do better for ourselves and those that we support.

So please join me in recognition of an outstanding NCO whom we have the privilege to work with and once

again, thank you for your love and support. You are always in our hearts.

Distro Platoon Family and Friends, another month has quickly passed by. We have a new addition to the Platoon

Family. Sergeant Quincy Buckley and family welcomed Aayden Buckley born 23 August at 0443 weighing 7lbs 6oz and

20 inches long.

All of the Soldiers in Distro Platoon work very hard each and every day. However, this month SPC David Lira

went over and above his daily duties. While out on mission the Maxpro that he was driving broke down. SPC Lira had

recently been to a maintenance training class for this vehicle type. The mechanics on site were not able to fix the vehicle.

However, through his recently acquired knowledge SPC Lira was able to trouble shoot the problem, discover the cause

and fix it on site. This saved the Platoon from having to recover the vehicle and discontinue mission. SPC Lira is the

driver for SSG Jeremy Martin who said that SPC Lira takes special pride in his vehicle making sure that maintenance is

completed and the truck is always mission ready.

In other activities this month Distro took part in the Fox Company barbeque and the Soldiers had time to relax

and challenge each other in a friendly game of volleyball. Since the Company arrived at FOB Sarkari Karez the Soldiers

have been weighing in weekly for the Biggest Looser Challenge.

Every Soldier has their individual goal. Some are working hard to

trim down and others are lifting weights to tone up and build

muscle. The gym has really brought a lot of Soldiers together as

they support each other in trying to achieve their individual goals.

Some of the Soldiers are also focusing on self improvement. You

should be very proud of the hard work and effort that your Sol-

diers are putting forth everyday in Distro Platoon.

Auto platoon had a great month and accomplished count-

less tasks for the battalion. Not only has the platoon kept up to

speed on all maintenance tasks, they have been extremely flexible

and accomplished many non-maintenance missions.

CPL Wilkinson had a very busy month of non-stop weld-

ing. He began working on a brigade initiative Culvert Denial

System. This system, which requires hours of welding salvaged

steel and iron, will deny the enemy the opportunity to emplace

IEDs in the culverts under our roads. He also spent countless

hours building “Dreadnaught Field, which is a large pavilion with great overhead cover and will be used

for promotions, training and other battalion functions. This is a sustainable and very well built structure

that future units will be able to utilize for years to come.

Two Gun Command Team

Forward Support Company - TWO GUN

2-34 MORTARS Camp Clark, Afghanistan- 2-34 AR Mortars

(MARAUDERS) are still remaining vigilant with their current mission of providing Camp security with

120mm and 81mm Mortars. The Marauders participated in training their fellow National Guard Mortar men of

Task Force Creek on the capabilities and employment of the Army’s newest mortar round the

XM395 Precision Guided Munition (PGM). A few of the Marauders travelled home and had the opportunity to

spend some well deserved rest and relaxation with their families. Let us all congratulate CPL Myers for the US

Army’s decision to select and promote him to Sergeant, as well as PFC Ray’s promotion to Specialist. Well

earned and richly deserved, keep up the Good Work Warriors. I would also like to take the opportunity to rec-

ognize one of our professional Marauders CPLWeber. He was coined by the Squadron CSM for excellence for

delivering precise effective fire during a Squadron Live Fire Exercise. The Marauders are remaining ever vigi-

lant, non- complacent, and mission focused, they’re taking

care of one another, and we will be home real soon. God

Speed!!!

Fear God…

Dreadnaughts!

Felipe H. Brown

SFC, USA

2-34 AR (MORTARS)

Mortar Platoon Sergeant

“Marauder 7”

Raider Review

Mortars Platoon attached to 6-4 CAV - MARAUDERS


SPC Sierra and SFC Fields standing by

SPC Ayala and Plumms

Friends and Families of the Dreadnaught Battalion,

Friends and Families of the Dreadnaught Battalion,

It is now August! Almost 4 months down with the deployment already! This month is a bitter-

sweet one however. We are forced to say farewell to our long-term Family Readiness Support

Assistant (FRSA), Melissa Valdez, as her and her family move on to the next assignment at Ari-

zona State University in Arizona. This is a great opportunity for her and her family and she

will definitely be missed. Melissa practically built the entire Family Readiness Group program

in the Battalion as the unit transitioned from the MTT Team mission to stand up as a Com-

bined Arms Battalion. Melissa has been the organizing force behind making sure our families

were prepared for this deployment as they have shown they are through their resiliency and

volunteerism.

It is sweet though because we get to welcome a new member to the Dreadnaught team. We get

to welcome our new FRSA, Jennifer Farinosi. Jennifer came highly recommended with many

years of experience as an FRSA during her family’s previous assignment in Germany. Like

Melissa, Jennifer was one of the original FRSA’s and helped define what that position was going

to be. Her experience and expertise in this role is going to be very helpful in the Battalion’s

next step as we begin to anxiously look forward to the redeployment and the joy, jubilation, and

hardships that come with that.

August is also going to mark the start of the school year and I personally hope this means the

return of a lot of families who went home for the summer to be with their families. Get the kids

back into school and get back here with the unit. We have some great events scheduled for the

fall to include a Haunted House event at the new Battalion Headquarters in October. It would

be great to see as many Dreadnaught Family Members there as possible.

I know it’s been a hot summer and I hope everyone has been able to beat the heat!

Fear God and Dreadnaught!

CPT RICKY BROWN

Sentinel 6

Rear Detachment - SENTINELS


The Ft Riley Enlisted Spouses Club is hosting a Christmas

Mocktail party from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at McClellan Place

Neighborhood Center on December 15, 2010. There will be a gift

exchange, games, mocktails, and great door prizes. Please bring

a $10 cocktail themed gift for the gift exchange. We are asking

that you com...e in cocktail attire. There is free childcare for all

ESC members to take advantage of during our meetings. Chil-

dren must be registered with the ASYMCA. Please RSVP by

December 8, 2010 to [email protected] or

http://fortrileyesc.web.officelive.com/ (ESC members: Include

names and ages of children if needing the childcare at the

ASYMCA).

Thank you, Tracey Duffy

PICTURES FOR THE HOMEFRONT

Page 11 Dreadnaught Newsletter

http://fortrileyesc.web.officelive.com/

Dreadnaught Newsletter-September

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