Volume II, Issue 11 Aug. 14, 2005Your relationships that you have are valuable and important. Some...

Volume II, Issue 11Aug. 14, 2005

B Co., 703rd FSB’s missionkeeps them on the FOB butis mission essential.

The markets in Abu Dschirare just one example of animproving economy.

After a raid, U.S. and IraqiSoldiers reach out to thecommunities.

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2 Vanguard Point Aug. 14, 2005

InsIde the poInt

The partnership betweenIraqi Security Forces and

Coalition Forces continuesto grow stronger each day.

For E Co., 216th AirDefense Artillery and the

1st Bn., 4th POB, their part-nership demonstrates thecombined strength of ISF

and coalition forces .For story and photo by Spc.

Dan Balda, see Page 6.

To the Point: Voices and viewpoints fromaround the brigade

Chaplain’s Corner: Searching for the onePeople choose to be single for many different reasons.

Chaplain (Maj.) Blake Bowers explains how to start a relationshipthe right way. Page 3

Around the Point: Stories from around theBrigade

Keeping the IZ runningSoldiers from B Co., 703rd FSB have a very important mission

in the International Zone -- provide support to all the units andactivities in the IZ. Page 4

Markets improving life in NeighborhoodOne of the signs of an improving neighborhood is the amount

of trade occurring on the streets. In the markets of Abu Dschir, the

markets are very active bringing new trade and optimism to thebusinesses there. Page 5

Bagging bad guys, bringing smiles1-184 Inf. is working hard with the ISF to bring in the bad guys

and then the next day meeting with the people in the neighbor-hoods to foster good relations after they accomplish their mis-sions. Page 6, 7

Soldiers bring food for residentsSoldiers from 4-64 Armor brought food, cooking utensils and

cleaning supplies to help Kindi residents. Page 8

3-3 ACR continues legacy of excellence3-3 ACR recently became a part of the Vanguard family and

have a long history dating back to the mid 1800’s. Page 9

ACR remember, honors fallen comrades3-3 ACR came together to remember their fallen comrades in

two separate ceremonies. Page 10, 11

SharpshootersPhotos from around the brigade by the Soldiers of the brigade.

Page 12

The VANGUARD POINT is produced in theinterest of the servicemembers of the 4thBrigade, 3rd Infantry Division. The VAN-GUARD POINT is an Army-funded newspaperauthorized under provision of AR 360-1.

Contents of the Vanguard Point are not nec-essarily the views of, nor endorsed by, the US..government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or the 3rd InfantryDivision. Circulation: 2,500

4th Brigade CommanderColonel Edward Cardon

4th Brigade Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj Louis Torres

4th Brigade Public Affairs OfficerMaj. Alayne Conway

4th Brigade Public Affairs NCOICStaff Sgt. Raymond Piper

Staff WriterSpc. Dan Balda

Broadcast JournalistPfc. Nakisha Fonoti

On the cover: The Kevlar, riflesand ID tags offour ACR Soldiersstand as a silenttestament to theirsacrifice.

Chaplain (Maj.) Blake Bowers4th BCT Chaplain

Your single, you're lonely, and you'relooking for a member of the opposite sex.When you're single you may be looking forsomeone who will understand you, be yourfriend and accept and love you for who youare, which could lead to marriage.

Some people choose to be single for allsorts of reasons. Some feel they can betterserve God by being single. The Apostle Paulin I Corinthians 7 said that for some beingsingle was a gift that came from God.

They could handle the pressure of notbeing married and without fulfilling theirsexual desires. The plan that God has for sin-gles is that they remain virgins and pure untilmarriage. Their passions are under the con-trol of the Spirit of God.

I know some of you are saying well chap-lain you’re off your rocker, this is a new cen-tury and a different time. I am well aware ofall the arguments you could give me.

Just know this: Study after study, both bysecular and religious based organizations,have shown that couples who remained vir-gins until they married, had a far greater suc-cess rate in their marriages . In some studies well over 70 per-cent of those who were engaged in sex prior to marriage andthen married, were divorced. That also holds true for those who“shacked up.”

If you're looking for a long-term relationship that could endin a marriage for you consider a few things.

H. Norman Wright, a well know counselor in the field ofrelationships, in his book "Relationships That Work and (thosethat don't)" speaks of 12 steps of a lasting relationship. Withoutgoing into a whole lot of explanation they are as follows: eye tobody, eye to eye, voice to voice, hand to hand, arm to arm,shoulder to shoulder, arm to waist, face to face, hand to head,hand to body, mouth to breast, hand to genital, and genital togenital.

These are paths that Wright has seen relationships take afteryears of research and counseling with people.

Each stage leads to a different aspect of the relationship andpossibly to intimacy. Each stage gets a little more personal andinvolved.

The problem comes in when these stages are skipped. Whenyou go from stage one to stage nine and higher in a night or afew short weeks you have entered a relationship that is built onchemistry.

You know little to nothing about theperson you are with. Sexual needs havebeen met but the other needs you are tryingto fill inside you are still vacant. The rela-tionship consists of nothing substantial.

Wright says in his book that "It's likebuilding a bridge over a gorge and leav-ing out the concrete and steel founda-tions. Just as the structure will bedeformed, so will the relationship."

Shortcuts are not what it takes to builda healthy relationship. If it turns out arelationship is not for you, you can moveon and build again.

You build not from a sexual base butfrom a sound mature base that may takeyou to marriage which is reserved for themost intimate contact. Your relationshipwill be built on reality and not fantasy.

Take your time in the relationship toexplore values, feelings, emotions,virtues, common interest. Have thosedeep long conversations that explorefamily background and values. Limityour sexual boundaries and save that formarriage.

Your relationship will be more bal-anced and lasting. Wright shares eight

standards that someone can use to determine if they are in ahealthy relationship. They are as follows:

1. Are you in this relationship because you clearly choose tobe or do you feel you "must" or "have" to be with that person?

2. A healthy relationship is characterized by mutual strength,support and equality - you help each other grow, to be the bestyou can be.

3. Are you able to be objective with each other as comparedto wearing blinders?

4. Is there a balance between other friends and exclusiveattention to your partner?

5. Healthy relationships have a high degree of trust.6. Those that are open to change have more opportunity to

operate or function as they should.7. A healthy relationship moves conflicts toward resolution

and uses disagreements as a means of growth.8. A healthy relationship makes you a stronger person, both

when you're with you're partner and when you're not.Your relationships that you have are valuable and important.

Some of you wonder why your relationships don't work. It maybecause they are too shallow. Take the time to build depth and getto know the person you're interested in. The time spent doing thismay very well save you lots of grief down the road.

Aug. 14, 2005 Vanguard Point 3

to the poInt: voIces and vIewpoInts from around the brIgade

Chaplain’s corner ...

Do you have a letter to the editor, photo or story to send in? Send it to [email protected] include your full name and rank. If you send a photo, include what’s going on in the photo, full names of people, rank,

units and date.

Looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right - the right way


around the poInt: storIes from around the brIgade

Spc. Dan Balda4th BCT PAO

Some might call them “Fobbits,” a crude term for a Soldierwho does not leave the FOB or forward operating base. But whatthe Soldiers of B Company, 703rd Forward Support Battalionshould be called is mission essential.

“We don’t go out on patrol,” said Capt. Billy Eckstein, BCompany commander. “For the most part our life is here on theFOB.”

But that doesn’t mean their job is not important. WithoutEckstein’s company, the well oiled machine that is theInternational Zone would grind to a screeching halt.

The Greenville, S.C., native’s company was originally called tosupport all of the units assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team.His unit’s mission has now evolved into supporting “everybodyand everything in the IZ,” to include the combat support hospital,Marines, the Georgians and anybody else who calls the GreenZone home.

B Co. has twice the workload of any maintenance company inthe 3rd Infantry Division, Eckstein said.

“Here in Iraq everything is focused around the forward operat-ing bases,” said Lt. Col. Jack Haley, 703rd FSB battalion com-mander. “We are asking them to do a lot more than the battalionsare designed for, but they have risen to the challenge. It’s a lot ofwork.”

“My Soldiers are awesome,” Eckstein said. “I say this not justbecause I am the company commander, but this is a great group ofpeople to work with.”

The “great group” includes 27 different military occupationalspecialties, covering a wide variety of tasks, such as night visiongoggle repair, machinists, turret repair and TOW missile repair.The company is able to maintain their high workload because,according to Eckstein, each Soldier can perform any job in theirsection, regardless of rank or time in service.

He attributes the cross training to the fact that 65 percent of hiscompany deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I.

“It helps me as a commander because I have experienced peo-ple working for me,” he said. “We’ve worked together for a longtime as a team. Our (noncommissioned officers) and the otherexperienced Soldiers have really taken the lead in making sure theless-experienced Soldiers know what to expect are trained to han-dle the difficulties of a deployment.”

Having the salty NCO’s also helps keep the deployment in per-spective for the Soldiers who are new to Iraq.

“Yeah it stinks that the internet costs what it does, and it’s slowand sometimes it goes down,” Eckstein said. “Sometimes thewater goes out, my cell phone doesn’t work all the time, and I did-n’t enjoy dinner tonight. Then you’ve got the guys who were herelast time saying, ‘knock it off, you didn’t live in your truck forthree months and eat (meals ready to eat) everyday.’”

Eckstein credits his maintenance company with helping to keepthe accommodations above usual deployment levels.

“The great thing about traveling with a maintenance companyis that whatever I want these guys will find it or build it,” Ecksteinsaid. “Most of our stuff was built by our people. They set up ouroffices, put in air conditioning and built me the best arms room on

this FOB.”Like the old adage, “Idle hands are the devil’s plaything,” the

Soldiers of B Company are in no danger of getting in trouble anytime soon.

“One of the good things about a deployment is that it keeps theSoldiers busy,” Eckstein said. “The first thing I hear out of theirmouth is, ‘This makes the time go faster.’”

Sgt.1st Class Greg Nettles the maintenance control sergeantagrees with his commander.

“Everybody in the unit knows their mission,” said the Linden,Ala., native. “Everybody is focused in getting their job done, it’shard work but we know that the more we work, the busier we stay;the faster our time here will go by.”

Although Eckstein’s Soldiers rarely leave the InternationalZone their job can be just as difficult as any other Soldiers’.

“It’s hot as hell, and 80 percent of my company works outsidein this heat,” Eckstein said. “What a lot of units don’t understandis if I have a guy working all day on a transmission or on NVGs,he still has to be able to ruck up and go guard a tower as well asbe proficient with his weapon.”

‘Red Devils’ keep IZ running

Spc. Dan Balda

Pfc. Seville Shedrick, a special device equipment repairspecialist assigned to B. Company, 703rd ForwardSupport Battalion and a native of Port Arthur, Texas, loadsa radio to troubleshoot it.

Maintenance continued Page 8


Spc. Christopher MallardA, 425th CA Bn.

Along Market Street in the Abu Dschirarea of south Baghdad, shop owners areopen for business.

Appearing at times more like a prome-nade with long pedestrian walkways, theold dilapidated stucco shops are set farback from the street. Color-tiled plantersline the meridian and separate oncomingtraffic. Snarled power lines, propped upin some places by leaning poles, bringelectricity to the shops.

In the heat of mid-day, Iraqis gatherfrom the surrounding neighborhoods.They are not surprised to find new appli-ances for sale, along with householdwares and tools.

Next door is a display of pre-paid cellphones, while outside against the curb afruit stand offers dates, watermelon,apples and grapes from the agriculturalsector of Arab Jobour.

Across the street and below a wide bill-board, where a woman is shown modelinga bridal gown, a man in a traditional whiterobe sits on a stool sipping a smoothie,blended from this same locally grownfruit.

This is one of the more economically-challenged neighborhoods, or “muhallas,”that make up Al Rasheed.

July 14 marked the anniversary of theBaathist rise to power. After a decade of

sanctions, the economic effects on thecountry are still evident and are well doc-umented. But often overlooked, with themedia focus on large-scale reconstructionprojects, is a smaller revolution of com-merce that is taking place in the neighbor-hoods around Baghdad.

With the toppling of the regime alsowent the command economy. MostIraqis had adjusted to the dramatic declinein goods and services offered during thisera. But a dual economy, which has allbut disappeared in the last two years sincethe Central Bank began printing the newdinar, has dramatically shrunk the black-market which existed for years.

According Mohammed A Chehouriworking as an interpreter and who alsoholds a Masters Degree in Political

Economy, “This was a situation thatresulted in an abnormal economy, therewas no organized balance of revenue andinflation made it nearly impossible to pur-chase even the most basic goods.”

Today, when you walk into one ofthese shops along Market Street in AbuDschir, there are Chinese vacuum clean-ers for sale, Korean television sets andKuwaiti bottled soda. Border countriessuch as Syria, Jordan, Turkey and Kuwaitprovide most of the products to Iraq.Long-time associations with China andKorea can still be seen in the display ofproducts.

During Saddam Hussein’s reign, most

of the manufacturing base was used forthe production of military products result-ing in a current balance of trade, which tothis day still remains heavily tilted towardimports.

“Competition is a sophisticated mind-set after 20 years of a stifled bureaucraticprocess and will take time before it cantake root,” Chehouris said.

Cheap products were the first to makeit to these new markets but experts believegreater diversity of products is on its wayand will be seen in the coming years assecurity is improved.

Security, however, is still the biggestfactor in building up the local markets. Ithas become an issue that is vocalized atDistrict Council meetings and discussedby commanders in the field.

Along Market Street, unexploded ord-nance and improvised explosive deviceshave been found and there is active debateas to whether the “squatter” stands nearthe curbs are too close to the moving traf-fic and should be encouraged to relocate.

More than a year ago, the U.S. Army,with the help of local contractors, helpedconstruct nearly 168 market stalls whichcould be used for commercial and retailpurposes.

But in a country where the tradition ofthe bazaar has been around for more than1,000 years, it is slow to convince mer-chants to back away from the street wherethey are familiar and comfortable doingbusiness, even if it is for their own safetyas well as that of multinational forces.

Adding to the security issue is thebreak down in essential services, especial-ly garbage collection. A Company, 425thCivil Affairs Battalion, a unit out of SantaBarbara, Calif., is currently working thisissue with 1st Battalion, 184th InfantryRegiment.

At a recent Neighborhood Councilmeeting, 1st Lt. Cameron Murphy, assis-tant civil affairs officer of 1st Bn., 184thInf. Bn., named trash collection as thenumber-one problem facing this muhallaand said he is convinced that his brigadewill approve a project to employ roughly75 people.

If approved, the trash clearing willfocus on the area of Abu Dschir, especial-ly Market Street and Power Line Road,which officials said appear to be theworse sectors for dumping and debris.

With unemployment still hoveringaround 60 percent, finding young menproductive ways to occupy their time is

Baghdad neighborhood shows signs of recovery

An Iraqi boy stands in front of a candy stand at the Abu Dschir market in AlDora in July. The activity at this marketplace is a positive sign for Iraqis thatnormalcy is returning to their country and that they are on the path to econom-ic recovery.

Market continued Page 8


One thing every Soldier assigned to Iraq wants to hear is “TheIraqi Security Forces are sufficiently trained and tested to take con-trol of the future of Iraq.” Any Soldier who hears this knows the nextorder would be a redeployment order, one that would send them homeuntil their country calls for them again.

Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. The bad news is that theArmy will still be here until the mission is complete. The good newsis that every day the ISF gets closer to being able to take over.

This is no more apparent than in the partnership between ECompany, 216th Air Defense Artillery, a National Guard unitdeployed out of Cloquet, Minn., and the 1st Battalion, 4th PublicOrder Brigade, an Iraqi Special Police unit.

Capt. Justin Rodgers, the E Co. commander said his unit has beenworking with the POB since the June 1. The POB is sufficientlytrained on the basics of soldiering, so the teaching has been mainlydone through joint missions and planning with the leadership of thePOB.

This partnership performed a joint operation during the earlymorning of Aug. 4. During this operation the POB’s ability to do mostof the “heavy-lifting” was in full view.

“When we go out with (the POB) we usually just provide perime-ter security, while they perform the actual strike mission,” said Sgt.Derek Gunderson, a surface to air missile operator.

According to Gunderson, a native of St. Louis, Minn., it can be

hectic and tiring, working night operations with the POB, but it’s still“cool” to work with them.

“We get to learn their culture and some of their language,”Gunderson said. “One of the guys had a new baby and we broughthim some stuffed animals for the baby. They appreciate the things weteach them.”

“(Working together is) good for us and good for them,” Rodgerssaid. “It gives them a chance at joint operations and different kinds ofoperations like traffic control points and strikes. It’s good for usbecause we get the extra training, and we get to see the ISF in action.”

During the Aug. 4 mission, the POB had 17 targets the Ministry ofthe Interior had culled from Operation Thunder. Seven targets weredetained, though not from lack of training. In the first house that wasraided, the POB just missed their target as evidenced from the lightsbeing left on and the water still running. A search of the house turnedup some large caliber shells as well as a grenade.

At another target site, a sewage plant, two men were detained assuspected insurgents for using the plant as a car bomb factory.

The POB is a little more methodical in their raids, said Rodgers, anative of Maple Grove, Minn. “They do more of the investigativepolice-work type stuff, try to make sure who they’ve got is on theirlist.”

Rodgers is certain that the cooperation between the two units ismaking a difference in Iraqi and in the Iraqi peoples’ perception of theISF.

“The big thing is that detainee ops is always a concern,” Rodgerssaid. “We want to make sure they are treating (the detainees) well.

The POB is definitely more aware of it, they understand the concerns,and are quite upset when they see other units masquerading as a partof their unit and their reputation is soiled when the imposters mistreatdetainees.”

Sometimes the MOI will call the POB complaining that some ofthe detainees have been mistreated. The POB commander answersthat all this trucks have been in the compound, under his control allday and there was no way the detainees were harmed under his watch.

“Other units will say they are a part of the elite units (i.e. POB orWolf Brigade), put on the same uniform and then turn around and

abuse these guys, they get therap even though it wasn’t them.”

Rodgers said that it’s sad that ISF forces are still trying to learn todial down their anger directed towards the terrorists that are killingthe innocent Iraqi civilians, but is heartened to see the POB careabout their reputation and the way they are perceived by their fellowcountrymen.

The only problem Rodgers sees with the POB is their highturnover rate.

“Two of the reasons they struggle with maintaining their membersis the living conditions and theirpay rate,” Rodgers said. The POBSoldiers get paid the equivalent of$250 a month while their policecounterparts make as much as$450 a month. Even the POB com-mander makes roughly $400 amonth.

“They are making great strides,but the turnover is killing them,”Rodgers said. “They reach a highlevel of proficiency and then theycan’t afford to stay with the unit.”

Both Gunderson and Rodgersseem heartened by the progress thePOB is making in securing thefuture of Iraq. The unit was alreadybattle-ready when Rodger’s batterystarted working with them. Soonenough, they will run all their mis-sions by themselves.

Gunderson, like most Soldiersworking with the ISF, has no prob-lem seeing the Iraqis working sohard.

“They are doing a good job,” hesaid. “I’m glad to see that they aredoing more than us.”

One day, hopefully soon, theywill be doing it all, while we asSoldiers cheer them on from theStates.

Aug. 14, 2005 Vanguard Point 76 Vanguard Point Aug. 14, 2005

Capt. Raymond Hill and Staff Sgt. Ronald Eberhardt 1-184th Inf. PAO FSNCO/PAO

Iraqi Soldiers from the Public Order Battalion and the Wolf Brigade,as well as Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 184 Infantry Regimentconducted Operation Thunder in the Al Dora area of Baghdad July 25and 26.

During the early morning hours, more than 250 1-184 Inf. Soldiersestablished a cordon around the densely populated neighborhoodsusing Humvees and tanks. The cordon was established around homessuspected of providing safe haven to numerous insurgents and crimi-nals.

A secure cordon ensured that suspects had no escape and car bombscould not get in to the area attempting to injure or kill Soldiers. At theprescribed hour, the gates of the Iraqi compounds burst open and thestreets were flooded with the familiar blue and white pickups.

The pickups filled with Soldiers raced off to their targets, in order tohelp secure the safety of Iraq from those who would destroy it.

It wasn’t long before the first target was hit and the men of the PublicOrder Battalion, Wolf Bde., and 1-184 went through the houses thatwere identified by the units intelligence cells.

They went through the numerous targeted houses looking for evi-dence of terrorist activity and wanted people. In all, they were able toarrest 57 people for possible criminal and terrorist activities in theneighborhood.

The next morning, 1-184 established a similar cordon around the

neighborhoods. The streets of Al-Dora were flooded with Iraqi mili-tary, but this time the purpose was much different. Instead of searchingfor those who would injure the citizens of Iraq, the focus of the opera-tion was to provide humanitarian assistance as well as foster good willtowards the people who so often are targeted by these criminals. Theweapons of choice this day included 2,300 humanitarian daily rations(a military-like meal), numerous cases of bottled water, 1,500 chil-dren’s backpacks filled with school supplies, 540 soccer balls, 600 t-shirts and two cases of medical supplies, along with numerous otheritems for the children of the area.

While the Iraqi military was distributing humanitarian aid in theneighborhoods, civil affairs and psychological operations unitsassigned to 1-184 met with Imams, local leaders, and citizens of thearea to explain the purpose of the operation.

The civil affairs Soldiers handed out claims cards, talked with localleaders, assessed essential services and the support of the populationtowards the military and new Iraqi government. PSYOPS went up anddown the streets using their loud speaker to disseminate the purpose ofthe operation to the neighborhood. These two units helped build Iraqipride and support for the Iraqi Security Forces by also distributingitems, such as soccer balls, t-shirts, and Iraqi flags.

Both phases of this operation ended successfully with countlesssmiles from the Iraqi people, who had been given so much in the pasttwo days. They received not only school supplies and food for theirchildren, but also freedom from the fear that they had been forced tolive under since these terrorists had moved into their neighborhood.

Taking control of their country: one patrol at a time

Members of the 1st Battalion,4th Public Order Brigade, anIraqi Special Police unit, pre-pare to enter a home duringan early morning raid Aug. 4.

Operation Thunder bags bad guys, brings beaucoup smiles

Staff Sgt. Ronald Eberhardt

An Iraqi Soldier is mobbed by children while distributing humanitarian aid tothe Al Dora neighborhood July 26.


one of the more important tasks facingcivil affairs team leaders.

These days, U.S. Army officialshave said their function is to encourageIraqis to find solutions to the mostpressing problems in their own com-munities and provide assistance inworking these issues to assure out-comes that are mutually beneficial.This is all part of the transfer of power.

Maj. Carlos R. Molina, who recent-ly assumed duties as a CA team leaderresponsible for this neighborhood, saidhe is encouraging the InternationalChamber Of Commerce to set up anoffice in Abu Dschir.

At the same Neighborhood Councilmeeting, he explained to members howthe ICOC could be an important tool to“provide training and influence withthe leaders of other governments,bringing greater foreign investmentinto Iraq and at the same time helping

to open markets in these same coun-tries.”

But more importantly, an associa-tion like the chamber of commerce inthe area could open up dialogue,encourage fair business practices, andadd a knowledge base to these smallshop owners as well as public relationsand commercial advertisement.

Revitalizing the local economy isnonetheless underway. Civil Affairsunits said prices are remaining stableand the dinar is presently trading atmore than twice its pre-Operation IraqiFreedom value.

Secondly, consumers are optimistic.The opportunity to purchase, at reason-able prices, air conditioners, washers,driers, a family computer, and thegoods necessary to return to normalcyremains a steady focus for the Army asIraq rejoins the community of nationson the path to economic recovery.

Eckstein is preparing to change command andfeels that up to the halfway-point of the deploy-ment he has done as well as he could to set hiscompany’s new commander up for success whenhe takes over.

“When you take a company on a deploymentyou want to do two things,” Eckstein said. “Geteverybody home safely and set the next guys upfor success.”

Eckstein has done this by giving his counter-parts in the incoming brigade plenty of compactdiscs filled with information to make the transferof authority that much easier.

Eckstein is not content to rest on his or hiscompanies’ laurels.

“We are going to continue to improve, raiseour standards across the board. We’ve done agreat job on everything we’ve been asked to do,”he said. “Our company is called the Red Devils,and our motto is give ‘em hell, which is what wedo everyday.”

Pfc. Dan Balda

Cpl. Byron Rhames, a radio communica-tions security repair specialist assigned toB. Company, 703rd Forward SupportBattalion and a native of Mayesville, S.C.,takes the casing off a radio.

Capt. John J. Agnello4th Brigade Combat Team

Elements of 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th BrigadeCombat Team cooking utensils and cleaning supplies July 22 to res-idents of Kindi, a neighborhood north of the International Zone.

The supplies were delivered in the form of a Rhode pack, a sus-tenance package of more than one ton of food and supplies thatincluded rice, beans, canned fish and meat, vegetables, cookingoil, dessert treats, pots and pans, serving utensils and propanestoves.

“We have delivered other various items to this neighborhoodbefore, but never to this scale,” said Capt. Wiley Hammer, ForceTroop, 2nd Battalion, 278th Cavalry Regiment commander andnative of Knoxville, Tenn. “These people are in need, so we try tohelp them out with whatever way we can.”

There are three different types of Rhode packs: construction, sus-tenance, and office supplies. The sustenance packages can feedmore than 2,600 people a little more than one meal, said Maj. Daniel

Canales, 4th BCT civil-military operations officer. The package hasthe potential of feeding between 600 and 700 families.

The delivery received a warm welcome from the local populaceand much thanks from town leaders. Soldiers from Force Troop,attached to 4-64, headed up the operation, with assistance from thebattalion’s Forward Support Company and Civil Affairs Team.

Maintenance continued from Page 4

Market continued from Page 5

Task Force Baghdad Soldiers provide food to residents

Soldiers from4th Battalion,64th ArmorRegiment pro-vided food,cooking uten-sils and clean-ing supplies toresidents ofKindi July 22.Capt. John Agnello



3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored CavalryRegiment has a long and illustrious his-tory dating back to 1846 when theRegiment of Mounted Riflemen wasorganized by Congress. In 1861 theywere redesignated the 3rd United StatesCavalry Regiment.

The 3-3 ACR has seen action in theMexican War, the Civil War, the IndianWars where Geronimo surrendered to ele-ments of the unit, both World Wars,Operation Desert Storm, Bosnia andOperation Iraqi Freedom I. In March,2004, they received redeployment ordersto their home at Fort Carson, Colo.

Upon returning home, ThunderSquadron trained for their next turn inIraq.

In April of 2005, the Squadron rede-ployed to Iraq, as part of OIF III, toForward Operating Base Falcon inSouthern Baghdad, where it’s locatedtoday, focused on building Iraqi SecurityForces, counter-insurgency operations,and setting the conditions for the con-struction of a new Iraqi government.

As of mid-July, 4th Brigade CombatTeam, 3rd Infantry Division acceptedcommand and control of 3rd Squadron,3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

Nobody said war is easy, and that hasnot changed for 3-3 ACR.

“The mission has been very difficultthus far,” said Command Sgt. Maj. GlenDailey, 3-3 ACR’s senior noncommis-sioned officer. “We’ve changed our tacticsto get after the enemy. We started outgoing out with just our HUMVEEsbecause a lot of the areas in our (area ofoperation) have canals and small roadsthat are hard to get through with the heavyarmor. We were getting hit with a lot ofIEDs, so the commander made the deci-sions to get out in our heavier vehicles.”

Their mission has evolved somewhatfrom what the squadron trained for atCarson, but he has no fears regarding hisunits’ ability to adapt, Dailey said.

“Back at home station we trained fora lot of cordon and searches and trafficcontrol points,” the Repton, Ala., nativesaid. “Here is mostly route security,reconing the area to check for IEDs andother attack areas. We are a cavalry unit,we know how to adjust fire and gettrained up on a changed mission with noproblem.”

His Soldiers don’t necessarily like the

new mission, having spent monthstraining for a different mission, butDailey has heard nothing butpositive affirmationregarding the chang-ing of direction.During Dailey’sdeployment in sup-port of OperationIraqi Freedom I, hewas 2nd Squadron’soperations sergeantmajor which gave himdifferent responsibilities. This timeDailey’s job allows him to interact withhis Soldiers on a daily basis.

“With my new responsibilities I ammost concerned with the Soldiers them-selves,” Dailey said. “It’s a differentballgame from operations. I get to bewhere the Soldiers are at, making surethey are doing the right thing and theyare being taken care of.”

Like any noncommissioned officerworth his salt, Dailey prefers to be outwith the Soldiers.

“(Being out with the Soldiers) I canhonestly know what it feels like beingout there working hard in the heat. I getto do what the Soldiers are doing andsee what the Soldiers are seeing.”

According to Dailey, 70 percent ofhis Soldiers have deployed to Iraqbefore the current deployment. This issomething Dailey sees as both a blessingand a curse.

“It’s good because the people knowthe conditions they know what toexpect. And it’s kind of not goodbecause it’s not the same fight that wehad before. They can get the informationdown to the younger Soldiers who werenot here before. I have to tell them,‘Guys this is what we did last time, andthis is what we are going to do now.’They have to differentiate between thetwo fights.”

During 3-3 ACR’s previous deploy-ment, they were in a more rural area,which allowed his Bradley FightingVehicles and Abrams Tanks to get outafter the enemy with their main guns.

The face of the enemy is the biggestchallenge facing the Thunder Squadron.

“Before the enemy would presentthemselves, as they would in a normalbattle. This time the enemy are not pre-senting themselves. We can’t tell who isan enemy and who is a civilian.”

Dailey thinks the hardest thing for theSoldiers is the faceless enemy an IED

presents.“The majority of Soldiers we have

lost has been to IEDs,” he said.“They don’t see anybody

shooting, anybody theycan shoot back at.

The frustrationkeeps building upand building upand building upand it’s tough

sometimes. They tellme, “We cant keep

going out there and getting shotup.”

Dailey realizes their frustrations butmakes it known that Soldiers can’t goout “half-cocked” because they have tobe aware of the civilians they are tryingto help.

“A round might ricochet and hit thosefive little kids playing on the side of theroad or the 50-year-old lady walkingfrom the market. We don’t want to belabeled as murderers because that does-n’t make us any better than the insur-gents.”

Dailey understands the frustration,the “fog of war” builds and he does hisbest to combat it.

“They are keeping focused on themission, that’s part of my job, to makesure they have things available torelease that stress when they come in offa mission,” Dailey said. “I don’t wantthem to just sit there and think about it.I’d rather them go to the gym or watchTV instead of getting angry.”

He knows the squadron needs toachieve tangible results to maintain hisSoldier’s level of motivation.

“We are catching a lot of guys, andthe Soldiers want to see that, they wantto see us making headway against theinsurgents,” Dailey said. “We want tocatch the guys that killed, my friend, mybrother, my sergeant, my Soldier, andsee them face justice. We make sure theguys are maintaining their composure,their professionalism. Each time we losea Soldier it gets harder and harder.”

Dailey believes his Soldiers willcarry the day, partly for selfish reasons;they want to go home having completedthe mission, but more importantly, foraltruistic reasons.

“We are not here to destroy the Iraqicommunity or the Iraqi people, we arehere to give them the support to see howthey can live and evolve to running theirown country.”

3-3 ACR legacy continues in OIF 3

Sgt. 1st Class Donald SparksNCOIC, 3rd ACR Public Affairs

The four men honored by Killer Troop and 3rd Squadron, 3rdArmored Cavalry Regiment at Forward Operating Base Falcon July29 were sons, fathers, future fathers, husbands, friends and brothers-in-arms. Each Kevlar and each pair of boots basking in the eveningsun were reminders that theywere gone.

Staff Sgt. JasonMontefering, Sgt. MiltonMonzon, Pfc. Ernest Dallas,and Pfc. Ramon Villatorowere killed in action July 24after their Bradley vehiclewas struck by an improvisedexplosive device outsideBaghdad.

1st Lt. Todd Arnold, execu-tive officer, Killer Troop, 3-3ACR, somberly took themicrophone and addressed theaudience of nearly 300 troop-ers in attendance.

“Whether it was theirnoted calm demeanor, some-times fiery mentality, or abili-ty to make you laugh evenwhen you didn’t feel like it,each one of them affectedevery one of us, and their sac-rifice on the field of the warwill never be forgotten,” said Arnold as he struggled to fight backtears.

One by one, each of the four cavalry scouts were eulogized byleaders and troopers of Killer Troop.

For Sgt. Chris Fasold the loss of Montefering, the two long-timefriends were stationed together in Germany as privates, was painfulas he recalled the times the two shared together.

“He was by far the most selfless man I have ever met, and Ibefriended him immediately,” Fasold said. “I admired Jason foreverything that he was and everything that he wasn’t. He was amongthe best of people, a master of his life.”

Montefering, from Parkston, S.D., entered the Army on June 18,1997, and after concluding his One Station Unit Training at FortKnox, Ky., he was awarded the Primary Military OccupationalSpecialty of 19D, Cavalry Scout.

In 2002 Monterefing arrived to Fort Carson, Colo. where hewas assigned to Killer Troop. He deployed with 3rd ACR to Iraqin March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.Monterefing is survived by his mother Lorraine and his fatherAllen who reside in Parkston, S.D.

Labeling Monzon as “among the greatest men I’ve ever known,”Spc. Timothy Buchalski had immense pride for serving in the sameranks as his fallen brother-in-arms. He shared how Monzon lovedplaying guitar and learning new languages.

“He was an outstanding linguist and a wonderful guitar player,”Buchalski said. “Both were hand and hand. He would hear a song,and a half hour later play it for you, and he spoke English andSpanish fluently.”

Buchalski also described the love Monzon had for his wife,Christy.

“I knew them as boyfriend and girlfriend, as fiancée’s and as new-lyweds,” he said. “After all of that I knew that he found a soul mate.He reenlisted before deploying to buy an engagement ring and wasgoing to take her on a honeymoon upon our return.”

Monzon, from Los Angeles, entered the Army Aug. 6, 2001, andafter concluding his OSUT at Fort Knox he was awarded the MOSof 19D, Cavalry Scout. In January 2002, Monzon arrived to Killer

Troop where he laterdeployed with 3rd ACRto Iraq in support of OIFI. He is survived by hiswife, Christy who residesin Los Angeles.

When Pfc. RichardGuard wrote his tributeabout his good friendDallas, he reflected on afunny story to share withthe troopers of ThunderSquadron. He shared astory about Dallas gettingswindled on a deal to gethis car painted back atColorado Springs.

“For $200 he wasgoing to get a completepaint job on his HondaCivic,” Guard said. “Thepainters picked up shopand left something thatresembled a Civic, theyeven painted his exhaust

pipe. It looked like crap, and even though we gave him a hard timeabout it, he still blew it off in classic Dallas fashion.”

Dallas, from Mesquite, Texas, entered the Army Nov. 18, 2003,and after OSUT at Fort Know, was awarded the MOS of 19D,Cavalry Scout. In May 2004, Dallas arrived to Killer Troop anddeployed to Iraq in March in support of OIF III.

Dallas is survived by his mother, Charlene A. Sauseda.The final Soldier to be eulogized, Villatoro, was described as

competitive, a team player and a family man by Pfc. Marco Morales.The two occasionally spent time together on duty in Iraq, in whichVillatoro talked about his new wife, Amanda.

“He would keep me up all night talking about his wife,” Moralessaid. “He was so proud of her. He looked forward to going home inNovember; to see his wife give birth. He always looked at the sono-gram of his son, and always would brag about him and say, ‘I‘mgonna have a Jr.’”

Villatoro, from Bakersfield, Calif., entered the Army on July 28,2003 and after concluding OSUT at Fort Knox he was awarded theMOS of 19D, Cavalry Scout. In January 2005, Villatoro arrived toKiller Troop and deployed to Iraq in March in support of OIF III.

He is survived by his wife, Amanda, who resides in Bakersfield,Calif.

With the sting of their loss still in the hearts, minds and spirits,Arnold reminded the troopers of Killer Troop to always rememberthe sacrifice of the four Cavalry Scouts.

“Although we say goodbye, we will never forget them, we willremember them by talking trash just to talk trash, by being sternleaders, and by giving each other the shirts off our backs if someoneneeded it just like Dallas, Villatoro, Sergeant Monzon, and StaffSergeant Monty would have.”


Thunder troopers gone, but not forgotten

Sgt. 1st Class Donald Sparks

A Soldier clasps the dog tags of the four fallen cavalry scouts dur-ing a memorial service July 29.


Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper4th BCT PAO NCOIC

The Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 3rdArmored Cavalry Regiment came togetherto honor the memory of their fallen com-rade Aug. 2.

Pfc. Robert A. Swaney, a native ofColumbus, Ohio, was killed by an impro-vised explosive device July 30 while con-ducting a combat patrol.

“As we continue to mourn the passingof Pfc. Swaney and resolve the loss in ourminds, we should remind ourselves tohonor him and avenge his death by fol-lowing in his example of selflessness,goodness, determination and courage,”said Lt. Col. Ross Brown, 3-3 ACR com-mander.

Swaney was remembered for many ofhis qualities, but one of the most memo-rable was his willingness to help people.

Capt. Nicholas Bradford, executive offi-cer for Howitzer Battery, 3-3 ACR, recalledthe first the time he met Swaney in Kuwaitand the impact it made on him.

He said Swaney called the batterytogether in prayer on the hot, dusty stagingarea before they began the drive into Iraq.

Bradford said, “With that big missing-tooth grin, he brought us all together andprayed for us to safely to make it to FOBFalcon. His devotion and unquestionablefaith was an inspiration to us all. He was aphilanthropist; his faith not only spanned

religion but was also deeply rooted inhumanity. He truly believed that he couldhelp people and felt that was his life calling.

“That was just the kind of man Pfc.Swaney was. He would help anybody andtook great pleasure in doing so. He was thetrue embodiment of selfless service,” headded.

“His friends,” Brown said, “told me thathe was always there to listen and offeradvice.”

“The world needs more people likehim,” Bradford said. “I truly believe if theworld was full of Pfc. Swaneys, therewould be no more conflicts or problems.He inspired me with his faith in God and hisfellow man, and I know we are all better forhaving known him.”

“I don’t know why good people like Pfc.Swaney die. I will never pretend to under-stand why things happen the way they do,”Bradford said. “One thing I do know is thathe is in heaven right now looking down onus and trying to help and protect us fromthere.”

Swaney was dedicated to the Soldiers heserved with and strived to do his best at alltimes.

“As a leader you always have certainSoldiers you simply wish you had more of.For me, Pfc. Swaney was one of those,”said 1st Lt. Andrew Valentin, 1st platoonleader. “He was eager to learn and had aheart of gold.”

His Section Chief, Sgt. Sean Dillon, said

he would say “Chief, teach me somethingnew,” and he would learn it and he woulddo it to perfection by the book. He nevertook short cuts and always took the straightline in everything he did.

“When it came to shooting artillery andgoing out on patrols, he was one of the mostmotivated Soldiers in the platoon,” Valentintold the gathered Soldiers.

Dillon said, “Swaney loved his job andloved the Army. He always talked aboutreenlisting when his window opened upbecause he loved the Army. Pfc. Swaneywas a great Soldier and person.”

“His friends told me he approached lifethe same way he must have approachedbeing a linebacker on his high schoolfootball team – with grim determination,”Brown said. “An example of this determi-nation was the work and pride he dedicat-ed to his duties, like being the gunner onthe M114 that everyone wanted.”

According to his friends the fact thatevery leader in his platoon wanted him ontheir vehicle was a great source of pride.

“Although it hurts me deeply to havelost Pfc. Swaney, I can find some conso-lation knowing he died doing somethinghe loved, which is more than most peoplein the world can say,” Valentin said. “Heabsolutely loved the Army and was trulyhappy doing his job. Swaney was an out-standing Soldier and a big reason whybeing in first platoon was such a greatexperience.”

Squadron honors, remembers fallen SoldierSpc. Dan Balda

Soldiers from 3-3ACR pay theirrespects to Swaneyafter the memorialservice Aug. 2.

“His devotion and unquestionable faith was an inspiration to us all.”


sharpshootersPhotos from around the brigade by the Soldiers of 4th BCT

Sgt. PeterLiechti, BCompany, 1stBattalion,184th Infantryand Valencia,Calif., native,makes newfriends at the215Apartments intheInternationalZone.

Soldiers from D Company, 4th Battalion, 64thArmored Regiment patrol the streets of Karrada.

Courtesy Photos

A D Company, 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Abrams tank squeezes through traffic while on patrol in Karrada.

Sgt. Michael Gibson of Simi Valley,Calif., tosses a box of baseball gear toSpc. Jesse Nadolny of Bay City, Mich.The supplies were donated for a pro-gram dubbed Operation Iraqi Baseball.

Sgt. Brian Leiser, B Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment andValley Springs, Calif., native, keeps watch from a tower at a checkpoint.

Volume II, Issue 11 Aug. 14, 2005Your relationships that you have are valuable and important. Some...

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Transcript of Volume II, Issue 11 Aug. 14, 2005Your relationships that you have are valuable and important. Some...