Wolves' Den

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HOME OF THE 1ST STRYKER BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION ―ARCTIC WOLVES‖ VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 July 2011

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The monthly newsletter highlighting the successes of the 1st stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Transcript of Wolves' Den

Page 1: Wolves' Den

HOME OF THE 1ST STRYKER BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM, 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION

―ARCTIC WOLVES‖

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1

July 2011

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CTZ Commander

Col. Todd R. Wood

Families and Friends of the Arctic Wolves:

I want to start this letter by saying how proud I am of our soldiers who are serv-

ing here in Afghanistan and back at Ft. Wainwright, their professionalism and

dedication has allowed us to deploy and assume this mission in Regional Com-

mand South (RC-S). Our soldiers are currently deployed across the entire area

doing everything from combat missions of providing security to local popula-

tions, training the Afghan security forces, to assisting the village, District, and

Provincial leadership in providing a stable environment. The Arctic Wolves are

having a positive impact everywhere they are deployed, providing people opportunities they would have

never had under Taliban rule. These opportunities include access to medical and education services, ability

to travel safely around the country, the ability to conduct commerce trade, farming, and work. This is all due

to the hard work and presence of our soldiers.

We all mourn the loss of soldiers from the Brigade Troops Battalion (73rd Engineers), 1-24 IN, and 1-5 IN—

and the many wounded we have evacuated back to hospitals. Our thoughts and prayers are with those fami-

lies and friends that have been affected by these tragic events. The soldiers here in those units continue to

honor our fallen by dedicating our daily service to their memory and our continued determination to accom-

plish the mission is our commitment to them and the legacy they leave behind.

The Arctic Wolf Team has grown in many ways here in Afghanistan with the addition of a Romanian Bri-

gade Headquarters with 2 Infantry Battalions, a Joint Provincial Reconstruction Team, multiple Special Op-

erations Force elements, Battalions from 2 different Afghan National Army Brigades, and over 2,000 Afghan

Police---all working together to improve the security and quality of life here in Zabul and Kandahar Prov-

inces. We have been very busy in establishing ourselves on over 56 different Forward Operating Bases and

Company/Platoon Operating Bases. We are reducing the IED threat levels, training newly recruited Afghans

to take up policing in their villages, reducing the leadership of the enemy cells operating in the area, and

maintaining our COIN and war fighting focus at every turn. Very proud of how hard everyone has worked

and how successful we have been in a very short time.

I want to give a ―special‖ thanks the Rear Detachment Command for performing very well in the load out,

movement, reception, and operation supporting the families which have allowed us to focus on the mission

in Afghanistan. I want to thank the many FRG Advisors and Leaders and countless volunteers who support

the Arctic Wolf units and families on a daily basis. Further, I want to thank the greater Fairbanks Commu-

nity and the local leaders who look after the welfare of our families while we‘re deployed. Deployments are

truly a team effort and it is a great comfort to all of us deployed to know we have such great people at home

supporting us so well.

Thank you all so much for everything you do. We Continue Mission, Arctic Wolves!

COL Todd Wood

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CTZ Command Sgt. Maj.

CSM Bernard L. Knight

To the 1/25 SBCT Family and Friends:

Our first thirty-days here in Afghanistan, or even longer for some, have been

very fast and furious. The Soldiers of the Arctic Wolf Brigade have been very

busy providing peace and stability for the Afghanistan people with the help of

the Afghanistan government. Your Soldiers are performing their missions with

very well with a high degree of discipline and morale. There has not been a task,

order, or mission that has gone out where our Soldiers have not set the standards

for others to follow and I am very proud to serve among them!

The Arctic Wolves are currently spread out across two Afghan Provinces and twenty districts, we work long

hard days and sometimes through the nights to accomplish the mission. This is a harsh and demanding envi-

ronment that requires our Soldiers take care of themselves and each other. Most outposts provide a very good

quality of life for our Soldiers. We do our best to ensure there is internet and phone service to stay con-

nected to our families back home. The food is very good at some FOBs and just ok at others, but there is no

shortage of food or water.

I want to again thank each and every one of you for the outstanding support for our Soldiers. The outpouring

of letters, care packages, e-mail, Skype sessions, and telephone calls that we receive never ceases to amaze

me. This kind of support allows us all to perform at our peak thanks to added motivation. I have always said,

―A connected Soldier is a happy Soldier and a happy Soldier is a mission-effective Soldier!‖

Our mission has not come without a cost. It is with heavy hearts when we reflect on the losses of PFC Mel-

ton, Private Tucker, and Private Pressley of the 73rd Engineer Company, as well as SSG Self, of 2nd Stryker

Cavalry Regiment. We also continue to mourn the more recent losses of SSG Sherer of 1-24 Infantry and

PFC Larson of 1-5 Infantry who taken from us after given their all in defense of our country and in the hope

of bringing a brighter day to Afghanistan, its people and to the world. I also would like to add our heartfelt

condolences to the families of two of our Romanian Army partners, CPLs Ionel and Laurentiu of the Roma-

nian 26th Infantry Battalion ―Red Scorpions‖, who also paid the ultimate sacrifice in the short time we have

been here. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of our Warriors and know they will never

be forgotten in the Arctic Wolf Brigade.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Arctic Wolves‘ Community, please keep our Soldiers in your thoughts and

prayers. They will keep the blanket of freedom strong for all Americans to sleep under tonight and every

night!

ARCTIC WOLVES!

Command Sergeant Major Bernie Knight

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FORWARD OPERATING BASE LAGMAN, Afghani-stan –Two highly deco-rated Army units gathered in Zabul province to cele-brate a momentous occa-sion May 18 as the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment “Dragoons” relinquished command of the Afghani-stan province of Zabul, to the Arctic Wolves of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Divi-sion during a transfer-of-authority ceremony.

During the ceremony the 2nd SCR colors where cased signaling the end of a yearlong deployment while the 1/25 SBCT un-furled theirs. This time honored tradition is used to signify the official trans-fer of authority among the two command groups.

Maj. Gen. James L. Terry, commanding gen-eral of Regional Com-mand South, 10th Moun-tain Division (LI), spoke on the significance of each unit’s sacrifices, as well as their past mis-sions and future chal-lenges.

“Today, partnered patrols, new infrastructure, and an emerging Afghan base of governance and security solutions provide a frame-work that never previ-ously existed,” Terry said. “Through it all the Dra-goons have helped the district provincial govern-ment work with represen-tatives to improve govern-ance and development. With Afghan partners they

built a foundation for safer and stronger communities that will free them from in-surgent influence.

“Due to the Dragoons effort we start this next season in a much better place,” Terry said. “The Dragoons now hand the home field advan-tage to the Arctic Wolves.”

After honoring the mile-stones set by the 2nd SCR, Terry turned his attention to the mission that lays ahead for the 1/25 SBCT Arctic Wolves.“The Arctic Wolves have a proud history reach-ing all the way back to World War II and coming up through Vietnam and most recently through a year of hard fighting in Iraq,” he con-tinued in his remarks di-rected to the 1/25 SBCT leaders.

“Welcome to the RC-South team. Colonel (Todd) Wood and Command Sergeant Major (Bernie) Knight, you are in command of one of the most versatile, powerful, and mobile fighting brigades

in the Army, you have a proven history, and have sustained a legacy of com-bat in the proud 25th Infan-try Division, “Tropic Light-ning”, and I know you will carry Task Force Dra-goons mission forward through the pending fight.”

After the Speech, Col. James Blackburn, 75th Regimental commander of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, expressed his admiration for his Afghan counterparts and welcomed his succes-sor.

“We are proud to share a

common history with the

1/25 SBCT yet once again

and we are privileged to

serve with such heroes,”

said Blackburn.“The 1st

Stryker Brigade is commit-

ted to working with the gov-

ernment and leaders to

assist the security forces to

protect the people of Zabul

province and to assist the

province in its growth,”

Wood said.

Arctic Wolves again provide relief to Dragoons Story and photos By: Spc. Thomas Duval 1/25 PAO

WOLVES DEN WOLVES DEN

US ARMY

1-24 IN TOA 4

2-8FA TOA 5

Operation Kenei 5

K9 Story 6

Father son Feature 7

Running with the

Pack 8

Memorial Run 9

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Army mom is

Army Strong 9

RETENTION

UPDATE 10

2-8FA Operation 11

Army Birthday 12

5-1CAV Operation 13

Human Resources 14

On the Homefront

On the Homefront 15

16

Remembering our

fallen 17

Purple Heart Re-

cipients 18

U.S. Romanian

Partnership 19

Contact Informa-

tion 20

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WOLVES DEN

FORWARD OPERATING BASE

LAGMAN, Afghanistan – Soldiers

from the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry Division, opened a

new chapter in the battalion‘s history

during a transfer-of-authority ceremony

held May 8 at Forward Operating Base

Apache, Zabul province, Afghanistan.

After a brief invocation, Lt. Col. Jeff

Stewart, commander of Task Force

Legion, participated in the time honored

tradition of unfurling the unit‘s colors,

signaling the formal transfer of author-

ity for this sector of the 1-25th area of

operations, to 1-24th Infantry and bring-

ing to an end the deployment of the

Germany-based 2nd Squadron, 2nd

Stryker Cavalry Regiment.

During the ceremony, Col. James

Blackburn, the 75th commander of the

2nd Cavalry Regiment, praised the suc-

cess of 2/2 SCR and expressed his ap-

preciation and gratitude for the Cougar

soldiers and their tireless efforts during

the regiment‘s 12-month deployment.

―The full-spectrum force of the Cougars

did it all … whether it was killing and

capturing the enemy or putting a pencil

in a school child‘s hand,‖ said Black-

burn. ―Thank you.‖

―What you see in front of you is the

epitome of full-spectrum warriors we

expect on the counterinsurgency battle-

field,‖ said Blackburn, referring to the

formation of soldiers who stood with

pride and with smiles emblazoned on

their faces as testimonies to their ac-

complishments as they were recognized.

Although much of Blackburn‘s speech

focused on the accomplishments of 2/2

SCR he admitted that a heavy presence

of International Security Assistance

Forces is still needed throughout Zabul

province, but said he is confident the 1-

24th soldiers are up to the challenge.

Zabul Provincial Governor Mohammad

Ashraf Naseri, and many other key

leaders have worked side-by-side with

2/2 SCR, including Maj. Gen. Ja-

maludin, commander of the Afghan

National Army 2nd Brigade, 205th

Corps, who was in attendance for the

ceremony to honor and say farewell to

Lt. Col. Omar Jones, 2/2 SCR com-

mander and his soldiers and

Stewart, who addressed the crowd en-

tirely in Pashtu, the primary language of

southern Afghanistan and spoke of the

possible challenges ahead for him and

his ―Deuce-Four‖ soldiers. Stewart‘s

speech was met with warm applause

from the large

crowd as he spoke of the future partner-

ship between the 1-24th, the Afghan

National Police, and the ANA

Task Force Legion ready to launch operations in Afghanistan Story and Photos By: Spc. Thomas Duval 1/25 SBCT PAO

welcome their new partners of Task

Force Legion.

Stewart said he is happy for the opportunity

to work beside the ANA and ANP and he is

looking forward to the continued relation-

ship between ISAF and the Afghan forces.

Photo By: Spc. Thomas Duval

Photo By: Spc. Thomas Duval

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The 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery

Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry Division, became

the latest unit to begin combat opera-

tions in Afghanistan May 17.

The unit led by Lt. Col. Sean Bateman,

assumed command for the Daman dis-

trict in Afghanistan during a transfer-of-

authority ceremony in Kandahar, Af-

ghanistan.

"We have some of the best trained Sol-

diers in the United States Army,‖ said 2

-8 FA Command Sgt. Maj. Alexis Shel-

ton. ―They've trained hard for this mis-

sion and they're ready to do whatever is

necessary to accomplish our goals."

The 2-8FA takes over command from

Fires Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry

Regiment.

The artillery regiment will support the

Government of Islamic Republic of

Afghanistan, in an effort to combat

insurgents and will work with coalition

forces to provide a more stable govern-

ance throughout the district, said Capt.

Angela Chipman, the unit public affairs

representative for the 2-8 FA.

The battalion, which started its deploy-

ment in mid April, is scheduled for a

yearlong deployment and brings with it

months of training and preparation for

the upcoming challenges it will face,

Chipman said.

laid the foundation of a relationship that

will allow us to conduct future com-

bined operations,‖ said 2nd Lt. Sam

Palmer, a platoon Leader for the 1-

24IN.

―The ANA are a competent force capa-

ble of operating independent of [U.S.

Forces],‖ Palmer praised.

The success of the operation was found

not just in the capabilities of the soldiers

involved, both Afghan and American,

but in the deep partnership that is al-

ready growing between them.

All aspects of the operation were

planned by both ―Arctic Legion‖ Sol-

diers as well as their Afghan counter-

parts and were rehearsed together as one

team.

Capt. Jeremy Medaris, Charlie Com-

pany‘s commander was satisfied the

long hours of prepare Capt. Jeremy

Medaris, Charlie Company‘s com

FORWARD OPERATING BASE

LAGMAN, Afghanistan— The deploy-

ment of the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry Division, which is

centered around fostering lasting solu-

tions in southern Afghanistan, presented

its first signs of success recently as the

Alaska based unit partnered with the

Afghan National Police (ANP) and the

Afghan National Army to conduct their

first major combined operation dubbed

as Operation Kenai.

While the Soldiers of the ―Arctic Le-

gion‖ have conducted multiple patrols

with their Afghan partners during the

last few weeks since assuming opera-

tions in Zabul Province, this operation,

marks the first major operation con-

ducted together by all three organiza-

tions.

―During this operation we had our first

opportunity to work with the ANA and

The „King of Battle‟ has arrived

Task Force Legion conducts Operation Kenai

mander was satisfied the long hours of prepa-

ration and hard work had paid off during the

mission.

―The U.S and Afghan partnership proved

highly effective in bringing security to an

area that sees minimal Coalition or Afghan

presence and also proved a good opportunity

for the Afghans to provide a beneficial gov-

ernment presence to an isolated populace,‖

Medaris said.

As the Soldiers of 1-24 continue to make

their presence known amongst local insurgent

groups, they know that their partners of the

Afghan National Security Forces become

ever more capable of conducting operation to

lead on their own.

Shoulder-to-shoulder, this is Combined Team

Zabul and it continues to strengthen the secu-

rity and stability of Zabul Province every

day.

During the deployment the 2-8FA and

the 1/25 SBCT will work under Re-

gional Command South and will

partner with the local Afghan National

Police and Afghan National Army to

conduct daily operations.

Photy By: Capt. Angela Chipman 2/8 FA UPAR

Story By: 1st Lt. Mathew Rogers

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval

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WOLVES DEN

Story and Photos By: Spc. Thomas Duval

1/25 SBCT PAO

ZABUL, Afghanistan-- As the war in

Afghanistan enters its tenth year; IED‘s

remain a major threat to the thousands

of men and women in the armed forces.

The military continuously seeks to em-

ploy the latest technology to counteract

this hazard with creations such as spe-

cialized vehicles including Mine Resis-

tant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehi-

cles and innovations such as electronic

countermeasures.

While such technological advance-

ments undoubtedly contribute to save

the lives of many U.S. and coalition war

fighters, soldiers stationed in at Forward

Operating Base (FOB) Lagman, in Za-

bul, Afghanistan don‘t hesitate to put

their faith and ultimately their lives in

the hands, or more specifically, the

paws of ‗man‘s best friend‘.

Studies have shown that a dog‘s sensi-

tivity to smell to be greater than 10

times that of a typical human, The U.S.

military‘s current crop of the Canine

(K9) corps can follow their noses to

smell concentration levels 100 million

times lower than the human nose which

allows them to protect Soldiers in a way

that no man-made equipment can.

―There isn‘t a piece of equipment that

can do what a dog can do,‖ said Air

Force Tech Sgt. Richard Duvall, a

Tulsa, Okla., native and Kennel Master

assigned to the United Kingdom based

48th Security Forces Squadron.

According to Duvall, a dog‘s ability to

interact with its handler and its ability to

adjust to the surroundings puts them a

―paws and shoulders‖ above even the

most advanced robots.

Although there are a number of breeds

of dogs that make the perfect pet, there

are very few that can perform at the

intense level the military requires.

Some of the more popular breeds se-

lected by the military for combat opera-

tions include the German Shepherd,

Dutch Shepherd and Belgian Malinois.

K9‘s, or military working dogs

(MWDs) can detect chemicals used to

make IED‘s, narcotics, mines, and

weapons caches better than any other

animal, especially with the addition of

their specialized training, Duvall said.

An average military working dog spends

more than a year training to detect such

hazards before being assigned to a unit.

From there the pups receive more ad-

vanced training to hone in on one of nine

military specialties, many of which are

highly guarded to maintain operational

security.

Once equipped with the right training and

skills, Duvall said our four-legged allies

can help change the outcome of any mis-

sion.

Duvall recalls during a previous deploy-

ment to Iraq, one MWD whose mere pres-

ence was enough to strike fear in the

hearts of insurgents who were known to

refer to the all black German Shepherd as

the ‗grim reaper‘.

Despite being perceived as aggressive

animals because of the nature of their job

MWDs are also highly disciplined, some-

thing the military puts great emphasis on

whether it comes to Soldiers or canine

counterparts.

―Our dogs are very disciplined…we treat

our dogs just like a new Airman or new

Pvt. In the Army,‖ said Air Force Staff

Sgt. April Lorah, a dog handler assigned

to the 673rd Security Forces, stationed out

of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Alaska. ―The more they behave during

our training and the longer we work with

a dog the more we can release them with-

out a leash and trust them with more re-

sponsibility. Kind of like an airman or

Pvt. works to become a NCO,‖ She

laughed.

Together Duvall, Lorah, and the rest of

their team mates have more than twenty

years of experience handling dogs making

Combined Team Zabul‘s K9 team one of

the best. They have also managed to bring

together almost every military service to

include the Air force, Army and the Navy.

Down through history, the K9 teams of

the U.S. military have easily helped save

the lives of thousands of soldiers, sailors,

airmen, and Marines. However, the mis-

sion of freedom‘s forces far from home

continue, so this is no time to celebrate

and Lorah feels confident that the future

is much brighter with the help of her com-

bat canine companion.

Although MWDs have been receiving

some long-overdue headlines September

11, 2001, the concept of using dogs in

war is definitely not new. Many histori-

ans have pointed out that dogs have been

used in combat as early as 628 years

before Christ.

Between 1525 and 1580, Henry VIII and

Queen Elizabeth I sent more than 1,200

dogs to war. Fast forward to May 2,

2011 and another MWD, or perhaps

more appropriately, a canine commando

burst into the spotlight. U.S. Navy

Seals, on that day of infamy, accompa-

nied by a Belgian Malinois, by the name

of Cairo, executed their now-world-

renowned raid to kill 9/11 mastermind,

Osama Bin Laden, making Cairo the

poster pup for a star-spangled success in

the war on terror.

Photo By: Spc. Thomas Duval

Photo By: Spc. Thomas Duval

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N.Y., native. ―I get to see my best friend

every day.‖

―If he was in another location and I didn‘t

have eyes on him I would worry,‖ Brian

said. ―Knowing that we have the ability to

see each other every day makes it easier.‖

On June 1, Daren and his dad shared a

once in a lifetime experience for them as

the young specialist pinned his dad with

the rank of master sergeant.

―It‘s the best feeling in the world to have

your son promote you in a combat zone,‖

Brian said.

The promotion not only symbolized a life-

time of dedication by Brian but also set the

bar for Daren.

―Seeing how everyone in my dad‘s office

respects him and how they view him is

definitely motivating,‖ the imagery analyst

said. ―(His promotion) definitely gives me

something to work toward.‖

Although they both agree that the deploy-

ment together has strengthened their bond

there are still times where the line between

being a dad and a senior noncommissioned

officer is tested.

―Growing up I would get the NCO talk and

then five minutes later I would get the

dad talk,‖ Daren laughed.

―There are the normal things you see

as a dad that you want to step in and

help but I know I can‘t. I have to let

him find his way,‖ Brian said. ―At the

same time I haven‘t ever had to inter-

vene because of his outstanding lead-

ers.‖

No matter how gray or thin the line

may get for the Crist battle-buddy

team, the expectations from father to

son are still clear.

―As a parent you want your child to do

the best they can,‖ Brian said. ―As an

enlisted Soldier I want him to be mas-

ter of his craft, know what his

(military occupational specialty) is and

strive to be the best.‖

Just like every story, the Crist family

deployment will have an end but it‘s a

story they look forward to retelling in

the years to come.

―To be able to sit down in 10 or 15

years and talk about our deployment is

going to be an exciting experience,‖

Brian said.

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LAG-

MAN, Afghanistan – For as long as there

has been an Army there have been stories

of triumph, stories of loss and often time-

embellished stories told by a grandfather

to his grandchildren or a father to a son or

daughter who sat wide eyed hanging on

every word.

Many children will grow up to remember

these stories for what they truly were, a

faint memory embroidered with heroics

and relived at family gatherings. But for

the Crist family the stories told and

memories cherished will be those of a

deployment shared by a father and son.

Like many children, Spc. Daren Crist

followed in his father‘s footsteps making

sure not to fall too far behind.

―I wanted to follow the same path as my

dad,‖ he said.

After enlisting in the Army in 2008,

nearly 30 years after his dad Master Sgt.

Brian Crist, the soon to be imagery ana-

lyst was shipped off to basic training in

Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., followed by

advanced individual training at Fort Hua-

chuca, Ariz., and then his first permanent

duty station at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Daren‘s path was headed in a different

direction than his father‘s, who had

enlisted in 1987 to be a wheeled vehicle

mechanic, but it wasn‘t long before the

two paths would realign.

As his original commitment to the Army

entered its final two years, a window

opened for Daren to serve next to his

father. He jumped at the opportunity de-

spite the fact that his dad‘s unit, the 1st

Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th In-

fantry Division, based out of Fort Wain-

wright, Alaska, was gearing up for a de-

ployment to Afghanistan.

―It‘s not every day a Soldier gets the op-

portunity to deploy with (his) dad,‖ the 20

-year-old said.

―He left his cushy assignment at Fort Sam

to re-enlist and come to the Stryker Bri-

gade and deploy to Afghanistan,‖ the 24-

year Army veteran and senior career

counselor for the 1/25 SBCT said. ―It

makes me feel great.‖

Since deploying to southern Afghanistan

in April the two have continued their

commitment to one another, making sure

to see each other every day.

―It‘s awesome,‖ said Daren, a Governor,

Father-son team deploy to Afghanistan

WOLVES DEN

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval 1/25 PAO

Page 7

Master Sgt. Brian Crist and his son Darren Crist pose for a photo at Forward

Operating Lagman. The two are currently deployed together. Photo By:

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allowed us to come together as a team

and honor and remember those that we

have lost.‖

―We will never be able to fully repay

those who have gone before us but we

hope that by remembering their sacri-

fices and paying tribute to all the men

and women we can help keep their leg-

acy alive,‖ said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin

Allen, fire support senior NCO , 1/25

SBCT.

While many people will gather this day

to remember and pay tribute to the men

and women of the armed forces, the

observance took on a greater level of

importance for the 1/25 SBCT Soldiers,

who lost three Soldiers to an IED earlier

this month.

―They paid such a large price and we

just want to try to do our smart part in

thanking them and their families for

their dedication,‖ Allen said.

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval

1/25 SBCT PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LAG-

MAN, Afghanistan-Service

members from all branches of the mili-

tary gathered at Forward Operating Base

Lagman in southern Afghanistan Sun-

day, May 29, to pay tribute to all the

men and women who have paid the

ultimately price for freedom, during a

Memorial run. The distance each ser-

vicemember ran depended on the indi-

vidual runner, with the longest being a

10K.

―We just wanted to have an Informal

event to remember all our brothers and

sister who have gone before and paid the

ultimate sacrifice,‖ said Chief Warrant

Officer 3 William Steele, 1st Stryker

Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry

Division targeting officer. ―The run has

Stryker Soldiers remember fallen with Memorial run

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval

ZABUL PROVINCE, Afghanistan -

Growing up in Las Cruces, N.M., Pfc.

Bridget Cooper faced many challenges

but never met one she couldn‘t over-

come. But shortly after joining the

Army in 2010 she was faced with a

more difficult challenge: deployment.

"After joining I could remember think-

ing about how much I had learned while

going through training and the chal-

lenges I faced while trying to adjust to a

new lifestyle,‖ said Cooper a supply

clerk with Headquarters and Headquar-

ters Company, 1st Stryker Brigade

Combat Team 25th Infantry Division.

"With the leadership I had I was able to

overcome that obstacle and by doing

that they were able to mold me into the

soldier I am today in which what pre-

pared me for my first deployment."

"I'm going to be honest,‖ said Cooper,

"coming in as a new soldier I didn't

know what to expect, but now I‘m start-

ing to apply the skills that I have been

taught and make the necessary adjust-

ments that I need to make it through this

deployment."Cooper turned to her bub-

bly personality having support the sup-

port of my family,

friends, and fellow soldiers are a really

big help during times like these but

having to be apart from my family and

friends is also very hard," said the Las

Cruces native. Another thing is that not

only do I have to worry about myself

but my husband as well who is also

serving here in Afghanistan but in a

different area of operation."

Although deployment is new to Cooper,

she has realized that a very important

element to success during a deployment

is taking it one day at a time and taking

advantage of the little things that make

her happy.

"On my spare time I enjoy video chat-

ting with my kids, and hanging out with

the friends I have made here. Other than

that I do my Job and work towards per-

sonal goals that I have," said Cooper.

While planning to continue her educa-

tion cooper also looks forward to an-

other short term goal."I think that she is

going to be just fine," said Staff Sgt.

Stephanie Nye, a Greensburg, Pa., na-

tive and a supply sergeant with 1/25th

SBCT. ―As her supervisor I am here to

mentor her so that she can someday

become a leader and I also look forward

to her being promoted soon.‖

Army Mom is Army Strong

Pfc. Bridget Cooper looks at a picture of her

four kids. Photo By: Pfc. Andreka Johnson

Story By: Pfc. Andreka Johnson

1/25 SBCT PAO

Page 9

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WOLVES DEN

Eligible Parameters: Soldiers with an ETS prior to 30 Sept. 2012 are

eligible to re-enlist during this current FY

Over-strength MOSs: Soldier who chose to re-enlist and who currently possess

one of the following as their PMOS will be required to re-class. All MOSs are in

regards to SL 1 unless marked otherwise with a (2)

11B,12B,12K,12R,12T,12V,12W,13B,13D,13F,13M,13P, 13R, 13T,13T(2), 13T,

14S, 14T, 15B, 15D, 15F, 15G, 15H, 15J, 15N, 15P, 15R, 15S, 15 T, 15U, 15Y,

19K, 25B, 25C, 25F, 25 L, 25M, 25N, 25P, 25P(2), 25Q, 25Q(2), 25U, 25U2,

25W, 27D, 31B, 35G, 35M, 36B, 36B(2), 56M, 68A, 68E, 68G, 68H, 68J,

74D,74D(2), 88H, 88H(2), 88K, 88M, 88M(2), 88N, 91A, 91B, 91E, 91G, 91H,

91H(2), 91J, 91J(2), 91K, 91K(2), 91L, 91P, 91P(2), 92A, 92F, 92F(2), 92G,

92G(2), 92L, 92S, 92W, 92Y, 94A, 94D, 94E, 94E(2), 94F, 94F(2), 94H, 94M,

94P, 94T, 94X, 94 Y

Re-enlistments: Spc. Brett M. Schoellkopf Sgt. David K. Hunsperger

Spc. Jerald R. Berry Spc. Alexander T. Dreher

Spc. Zachary T Ivie Sgt. Ryan R. Shumate

Cpl. Ricardo E. Siqueiros Spc. Nicholas A. Eilers

Sgt. Dustin L. Miller Spc. Tsotonenome Djogbessi

SSG. Ryan A. Waldrop Spc. Isaac Carrillo

SFC. Douglas J. Shelby Spc. Charles R. Mazzullo

Sgt. Jorge C. Webb SSG. Damien D. Leslie

Sgt. Antwan L. Young Sgt. Joseph N. Page

Sgt. Dustin R. Hassler

Stryker Retention Update

Page 10

Page 12: Wolves' Den

WOLVES DEN

ghan National Security Forces, Sol-

diers from ‗Task Force Automatic‘,

assisted in the delivery of much

needed schools supplies.

Among the supplies delivered were

pens, paper, books and book bags.

―It feels great to make a noticeable

difference in the lives of the Afghan

people,‖ Said Capt. Angela Chip-

man, 2-8FA unit public affairs rep-

resentative. ―We aren‘t just donat-

ing and delivering school supplies

to the children we are giving the

children of the Daman province an

opportunity to attend school and

learn.‖

She continued, ―It‘s about building

a lasting relationship between the

U.S. Forces and the people of Af-

ghanistan and providing them with

long-term solutions to their prob-

lems.‖

The relationship between the 2-

8FA, the Afghan people, and the

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval &

Capt. Angela Chipman

FORWARD OPERATING BASE

LAGMAN, Afghanistan— Located

in Eastern Kandahar, the Daman

district is just one area suffering

from the ravages of more than 30

years of war.

Like most provinces in Afghanistan,

local villagers focus much of their

time tending to their farms, which

often suffer from a lack of nourish-

ment due to the lack of streams and

the extremely dry land.

For the people of Daman Province,

a lack of schools and hospitals

makes life difficult.

During a recent mission Soldiers

from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Ar-

tillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Bri-

gade Combat Team, and 25th Infan-

try Division came to the aid of the

suffering district.

While partnering with the local Af

Task Force Automatic delivers hope to Daman district

Page 11

Afghan Security Forces has shown sig-

nificant gains in recent weeks said Chip-

man.

With support from their local Afghan

counterparts the 2-8FA was able to

confiscate more than 30 bags of s sub-

stance known to be key component in

home-made explosives used in impro-

vised explosive devices.

1st Lt. Theodore Leakas praised the ef-

forts of the Afghan Border Police, stat-

ing that they have made a great deal of

progress in closing down the trafficking

of dangerous substances throughout their

area.

Sgt. Nathan Kaiser beamed with pride

when the bags of potassium nitrate fertil-

izer were loaded into secure holding

containers.

―Our guys have done great things to get

this stuff off the streets and, in my opin-

ion; I believe we‘ve saved a lot of lives.‖

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, deliver school sup-

plies to a school in Daman District of Afghanistan. (U.S. Army Photo By: Capt. Angela Chipman 2-8FA UPAR

Page 13: Wolves' Den

WOLVES DEN

Story By: Joel B. Anderson 1/25

PAOFORWARD OPERATING

BASE LAGMAN, Afghanistan –

The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat

Team, 25th Infantry Division cele-

brated the Army Birthday here,

Tuesday. After 236 years, there is

an old saying in the United States

Army, ―the more things change, the

more they stay the same.‖ Soldiers

of 73rd Engineer Company, Brigade

Troops Battalion, 1/25th SBCT took

a moment on the Army‘s big day

for a couple of things that have

stayed the same in the throughout

the Army‘s 236 years. Spc. Alex

Dreher definitely did his part to

make June 14 a day he and his fel-

low Sappers would be sure to re-

member. Not only did Dreher re-

ceive a much-deserved promotion

from private first class to specialist,

he also reaffirmed his commitment

to the Army and to the Nation. Dre-

her reenlisted for five more years in

exchange for a bonus and reassign-

ment to Fort Knox, Ky.

According to Sgt. 1st Class Bradley

Hallum, of Ishpeming, Mich., op-

portunities remain plentiful for high

quality Soldiers considering re-

enlistment. ―We have heard that

drawdown may be coming, but Sol-

diers can rest assured that retention

will always be an option, especially

for our first-term Soldiers,‖ said

Hallum. Immediately after 1st Lt.

Matthew Smith, platoon leader and

an Ogden, Utah, native, adminis-

tered Dreher the oath of office, Col.

Todd Wood, 1/25 SBCT com-

mander, addressed the Sappers of

the 73rd Engineers. ―It can‘t get

much better than this,‖ said Wood.

―Reenlisting and getting promoted,

both on the Army Birthday, not to

mention in a war zone, is just al-

most unheard of, so I am really

proud to be here and I am very

proud of all of you here in 73rd En-

gineers. God bless each and every

one of you for all that you do every

day and God bless all of your fami-

lies and friends back home.

During a Deployment Soldiers can be tested both

mentally and physically but every Soldier finds

there motivation in something different. Here‘ s

what drives Spc. Maria Montano.

“My motivation is establishing a bright

future and working towards my degree.”

Tell us what motivates you!

73rd Engineers lead the way during Army Birthday

What motivates me...

―Valley Forge, Custer‘s ranks, San

Juan Hill and Patton‘s tanks …‖

and now on to the mountain-tops of

Afghanistan … The U.S. Army may

now have been plunged headfirst

into the 21st Century with all of its

space-age technology, but the key

ingredient on the battlefield from

age-to-age, the spirit of the Ameri-

can Soldier, is what will really

keep the Army rolling along for

another 236 years.

Page 12

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Page 13 WOLVES DEN

Story By: 2nd Lt. John Conard 5

-1 CAV UPAR

FORWARD OPERATING

BASE FRONTENAC, Afghani-

stan -- Fifth Squadron, 1st Cav-

alry Regiment, 1st Stryker Bri-

gade Combat Team, 25th Infan-

try Division, officially trans-

ferred authority for Checkpoint

18 of Afghan

National Highway Route 617 to

the Afghan National Police

(ANP) earlier this month. The

checkpoint is a mission essential

control point that monitors the

Serband Bridge, a key entry

point into the Shah Wali Kot

district.

The transfer of the checkpoint

marks a major step forward for

the Afghan National Secu

rity Forces (ANSF) in Shah Wali

Kot, evidence of how the ANP

continues to get stronger by the

day.

Checkpoint 18 has been under

the control of International Se-

curity Assistance Forces control

since it was first created.

It sits at a key intersection be-

tween Arghandab and Shah

Wali

Kot and monitors Route Bear,

the only paved road connecting

the two districts.

the only paved road connecting

the two districts.

In the past, Route Bear has been

used as a main avenue for In-

surgents moving from Shah

Afghan National Police assume command of Checkpoint 18

“It is time for us to

stand on our own feet

and take control.” -

ANP officer

Wali Kot to conduct attacks in the

Arghandab District and Kandahar

City. It was ISAF‘s responsibility to

try and curb Taliban movement.

However, thanks to the creation of

ANP checkpoints Route Bear is

relatively safe and free of insurgent

traffic with the last successful IED

strike occurring December 31,

2010. ANSF now controls the secu-

rity along the entire road.

Abdul Rahman, an ANP officer

now appointed to serve as Check-

point 18 commander, believes the

ANP are ready to take control of the

security of Shah Wali Kot. Rahman

recently stated confidently, ―We are

ready to be responsible for the secu-

rity of Shah Wali Kot….It is time

for us [ANP] to stand on our feet

and take control.‖

This historic turnover is yet another

message to the Taliban that the

ANSF are growing stronger and are

ready to secure their country.

SPC Jorge Villanueva, HHSB 2-8th Field Artillery, keeps watch

from the gunners turret at Checkpoint 507 in the Daman Dis-

trict. The unit had been conducting partnered operations with

the Afghan Border Patrol in an effort to reduce illegal smug-

gling in their immediate area.

Checkpoint 18 Commander Abdul Rahman (second from the right) with

his ANP officers overlooking the Serband Bridge, the key entry point

into Shah Wali Kot. (Photo By: Capt. Angela Chipman 2-8FA UPAR)

Page 15: Wolves' Den

WOLVES DEN

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval 1/25

ZABUL, Afghanistan-- There is an

unsung group of heroes in our

Army fighting an endless war.

Their pictures are rarely, if ever

seen on Army recruitment posters

and they are seldom depicted in

Hollywood movies. Nevertheless,

they have dedicated their lives and

make it their duty to battle the never

-ending mounds of paperwork that

seem to mark each milestone of a

Soldier‘s career.

The Soldiers, who embody this ad-

mirable work ethic, are the human

resource specialists of the 1st

Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th

Infantry Division.

Working around the clock, the HR

Soldiers provide a valuable service

that not just any Soldier can per-

form.

Master Sgt. Paul Wayfield, senior

human resources noncommissioned

officer of 1/25 SBCT, a Fort

Lauderdale, Fla., native, leads the S

-1 shop, which is responsible for the

staffing, personnel movement, and

the administrative

needs of more than

4,000 ―Arctic

Wolves‖ Soldiers

currently serving in

Afghanistan in sup-

port of Operation

Enduring Freedom.

As the senior bri-

gade HR NCO,

Wayfield and his Soldiers provide

all aspects of essential services and

support to Arctic Wolves and their

families whether at home station or

in a deployed environment, he said.

The HR team also shoulders the

responsibility of an almost endless

list of tasks most would consider

overwhelming, such as identifica-

tion cards, requests for leave and

earnings statements, promotions,

reductions, and enlisted records

updates.

―We see many things in our job and

the most important part is taking

care of the Soldiers whether that

includes updating ERB‘s or writing

a letter to the family members of

our fallen Soldiers,‖ said Cpl. Sam-

uel Whaley, an Ogden, Utah, native

and the 1/25 SBCT strength man-

agement noncommissioned officer

in charge.

Whaley and Way-

field both agree

their team accom-

plishes these diffi-

cult tasks through a

term commonly

used by Soldiers,

teamwork.

―Respect is earned

… and teamwork

plays a very impor-

tant role,‖ Wayfield said. ―Working

in an operational environment, lead-

ers have an excellent opportunity to

build teams and systems that can be

sustained long after operations tran-

sition back to garrison. In this envi-

ronment Soldiers share many things

that would otherwise not be possi-

ble due to garrison battle rhythms.‖

According to Wayfield the key to

overcoming the demanding work-

load is to ensure that leaders at the

lowest level are involved in their

Soldiers‘ lives and that each Soldier

gives their all everyday – something

he said his Soldiers do very well.

―Knowing the Soldiers, their

strengths and weaknesses helps all

leaders ensure all Soldiers‘ needs

are addressed no matter how big or

small,‖ he continued. ―After 18

years, Soldiers never cease to amaze

me, no matter the conditions Sol-

diers strive to do their best each

day.‖

Wayfield and his Soldiers have

mastered the ability to build a great

team and their battle buddies have

began to notice the importance of

HR specialists.

―It‘s always easy for Soldiers to

overlook the jobs that aren‘t neces-

sarily combat arms MOS‘s

(Military Occupational Specialties)

but our S1 shop usually works just

as hard as the men on the frontlines

and you never find them complain-

ing,‖ said Pvt. Cody Spradlin, a fire

support specialist assigned to the

Brigade Troops Battalion, 1/25

SBCT. ―They do everything to help

our Soldiers.‖

―Our work is our biggest motiva-

tor… for us to know that we actu-

ally helped someone further a Sol-

dier‘s career or gave a family mem-

ber closure makes all the long days

Behind the Line with Human Resource Specialist

“Our work is our

biggest motivator…”

Page 14

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WOLVES DEN

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN COMRADES

―For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the

Wolf is the Pack‖.

Spc. Bradley L. Melton PFC Cheizray Pressley : PVT. Lamorol J. Tucker

SGT Jeffrey C. S. Sherer PV2 Ryan Larson

Page 17

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WOLVES DEN

PURPLE HEART RECIPIENTS

The following Soldiers were awarded the Purple heart for there

actions in combat during OEF 2011.

PFC. Thedford Fox JR. 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

PFC. Tokailagi Semisi 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

CPL. Keyan Brown 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

PFC. Curtis Bartell 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

PFC. Luke Wedgewort 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

SSG. Joshua Ingram 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

PFC. Fidel Bobadilla 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry

PFC Koontz Christopher 5th Squadron, 1st Cavalry

PVT. Michael Dirisio Brigade Troops Battalion

SPC. Bradley Melton Brigade Troops Battalion

PFC. Cheizray Pressley Brigade Troops Battalion

PVT Lamorol J. Tucker Brigade Troops Battalion

Page 18

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WOLVES DEN

Story By: Spc. Thomas Duval 1/25

PAO

FORWARD OPERATING BASE

LAGMAN, Afghanistan – ―Umār la

umār!‖ is a Romanian phrase, which

along with the Dari phrase, ―Shona ba

Shona,‖ both translate in English to

―shoulder to shoulder‖ and for U.S. and

Romanian Soldiers in Afghanistan, it

has evolved into more than just a

phrase. Instead ―shoulder to shoulder‖ is

the way Romanian and U.S. forces op-

erate daily since July 2003.

This unique partnership could not be

more apparent than in southern Af-

ghanistan along Highway 1, one of the

most dangerous stretches of road in all

of Afghanistan. Here, the Arctic

Wolves, Soldiers from the 1st Stryker

Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry

Division, work hand in hand with their

Romanian counterparts from the 2nd

Battalion ―Cālugreni‖ and 26th Infantry

Battalion ―Red Scorpions,‖ both of the

1st Mechanized Brigade, to aggressively

fight insurgents and help build the ca-

pacity of the Afghan government for the

local populace.

―We have an extremely rare and strong

bond with our Romanian brothers and

sisters in arms – we have these two

Romanian battalions and their command

and control staff here and I am constantly

amazed by how well they integrate them-

selves into our operations,‖ said Col.

Todd R. Wood, commander of 1/25th

SBCT. ―I really want to be sure we get

the word out to people on the home front

… in Romania, but also in Alaska. I

know the folks in Alaska would be in-

trigued by the way we come together in

this challenging environment day after

day up against the insurgents … it‘s a lot

like life in the Last Frontier … Alaska.

It‘s tough here, too … challenging and

extreme.‖

The U.S.-Romanian team, also known as

Combined Team Zabul conducts daily

combat operations together to include

route clearance, patrols and more re-

cently have began joint training for mili-

tary working dog searches.

―We share the hardships, accomplish-

ments, joys and sorrows,‖ Wood said.

Overall, the military partnership between

the two nations is not new, but it is un-

known to most Americans.

―We have been in Afghanistan with our

U.S. partners since 2003 and we also

stood with you in Iraq, as well as Kos-

ovo. This is a long and fruitful partner-

ship that we are very proud of,‖ said Col.

Marius Harabagiu, Romanian brigade

commander.

The history between the two countries

stretches back to 1880 when U.S. and

Romania first began diplomatic relations

and strengthened after 9/11 when the

U.S. lobbied for Romanian acceptance

into NATO. It was those actions that

have since developed the working rela-

tionship into a true ―shoulder to shoul-

der‖ operational partnership.

U.S. and Romanian Soldiers search for improvised explosive devices using K9‘s . Photo By: Sgt. Michael Blalack

“We share the

hardships,

accomplishments, joys

and sorrows.”

Page 19

Page 21: Wolves' Den

STRYKER CREED

"Strike First - Strike Hard!"

Strike Fear in the enemy's hearts and minds; I am a lethal and skilled war fighter

with unmatched intestinal fortitude.

Being a disciplined, professional soldier, I live the army values.

Committed to my fellow soldiers, unit, and country, I am ready to answer my nation's

call - NOW!

Tough, both physically and mentally, and instilled with the Warrior Spirit, I can ac-

complish any mission - anytime, anywhere!

"ARCTIC WOLVES"

Check us out on Facebook:

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1/25 SBCT PAO CONTACTS

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Have photos to share or a story

send us an email!

Battalion Public Affairs

Representatives

* 2-8FA Capt. Angela Chipman

* 1-24IN 1st Lt. Mathew Rogers

*3-21IN Chad D. Wriglesworth

*1-5IN 1st Lt. Mathew R. Burke

*5-1CAV 2 Lt. John Conard

*BTB 2nd Lt. John Conway

*BSB Stephen T. Leader 1LT

MAJ. JOEL ANDERSON

PAO OIC

SGT. MICHAEL BLALACK

PAO NCOIC

SPC. THOMAS DUVAL

PRINT JOURNALIST

PFC. ANDREKA JOHNSON

PRINT JOURNALIST

CAPT. ANGELA CHIPMAN

2-8FA UPAR

1ST LT. MATHEW ROGERS

1-24IN UPAR

“FIRST WITH THE TRUTH”