2nd Ed., Vol. 1: June/July 2011

SPECIAL ISSUE: AIr CAv EmbArkS on fIrSt dEPLoymEnt to AfghAnIStAn

In accordance with AR 360-1 and the regulations set forth by the U.S. Army Public Affairs Center, the Air Cav Journal is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of Air Cav Journal are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, the 1st Cavalry Division or the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. All editorial content of Air Cav Journal is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office. The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade Public Affairs Office is located in Camp Marmal, Afghanisian

Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela

Commanding OfficerCol. John E. Novalis, II

Public Affairs NCOIC/EditorStaff Sgt. Joseph Armas

Public Affairs Layout/DesignSgt. Richard Wrigley

1st Air Cavalry Brigade

Follow the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade at:

1st Air Cavalry Brigade "Warriors"Our Brigade Facebook page, where you can read all about our latest endeavors, and see all the latest pictures of the Warriors you’ve come to know and love. Just type in the link below and you’ll soon be immersed in the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. Don’t have a Facebook account? Don’t worry! It’s a public government page, and as such, does not require you to have a Facebook account to view!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/1stAirCavalryBrigadeWarriors

In this issue...

1st Air Cavalry cases the colors

1st ACB Soldiers arrive in theater

The fleet arrives

Page 8

Page 9

Page 10

In this issue...

1st ACB uncases the colors

1st ACB gets patched on July 4th

1st ACB Soldiers rebuild the fleet Page 23

Page 25

Page 26

Commander’s CornerDear Families and Soldiers of the 1st ACB,

First and most importantly, everyone is safe and sound to date. Two holidays down: Father’s day and 4th of July. Just think of next year’s 4th of July cel-ebration!!I would like to start with a big thanks to our rear de-tachment and all the Soldiers who helped the entire ACB deploy into theater. It was the best run operation I have experienced in my career. It is obvious from our training and more importantly the discipline of our formation that we can handle the mission. I am confident in our Soldiers and Officers. I was able to fly to each Task Force within the last few weeks and I can honestly say we have a lot of work to do, but the Soldiers I saw are passionate, disciplined, and tackling every issue straight on. The uniqueness of each TF location will make the ex-perience over the next year different for everyone. TF Attack has the high altitudes, moderate summer weath-er, but will also get 4-6 feet of snow during the winter months. TF Lobos and Coldsteel have the 20 minute travel to work each day, and the 110-120 degree heat of northern Afghanistan. TF Spearhead literally feels the brunt of the 120 days of winds. Just in the last few days, they’ve sustained winds of 40 knots. Finally TF Guns are getting the opportunity to build their area from scratch!! I told CSM Vela that each TF has their own unique “suck”. The mission is demanding and the terrain and weath-er are unforgiving but I could not be more proud of the operations to date. We have successfully integrated into the ground force commander’s scheme of maneu-ver and we are already seeing great results. Whether it is emergency resupply by CH-47, MEDEVAC mis-sions for NATO Soldiers, Americans, and Afghans, or air weapon teams protecting forces on the ground with lethal fires, the work every Soldier is conducting is im-portant. It’s important not only for the Afghan people but also for the coalition forces as well. It truly is a combined operation from every person in the brigade. I am personally humbled by the dedication of our Sol-diers and the families supporting the home front. Our Army is amazing because of amazing people. If you get the chance to visit the Air Cavalry Warriors facebook page, please do so. Our folks in the public

affairs office are doing an outstanding job capturing the ACB happenings with plenty of good pictures and stories. Thank you for your selfless sacrifice to our nation. God bless.

Very Respectfully,

COL John E. Novalis II 1ACB, Commander

csM’s Corner

Greetings to all the Air Cav Families and friends:

I am once again proud to say that the Air Cav has hit the ground run-ning, picking up where the 4ID‘s Combat Aviation Brigade Iron Eagles have left off. As you know, this time it is Afghanistan and not Iraq!! First let me say, we could not have gotten out of Ft. Hood without the tremendous support of our Rear Detachment and our Family readiness groups. To all who helped, thank you for an outstanding job pushing us out the door. Our transition from Texas to Afghanistan in support of Operation En-during Freedom is a lot different than what we have done in the past. This deployment we will be partnered with 22 countries that are a part of NATO in Regional Com-mand North Afghanistan. We have started building relationships with our Eu-ropean partners and look forward to working with

all of them in the future. Believe it or not, this part of Afghanistan is very beautiful; we have moun-tains to look at instead of the flat deserts of Iraq. An-other big difference in this deployment is the distance between the units. We have Soldiers operating in all corners of Afghanistan. We have Taskforce At-tack, with LTC Brockhard and CSM Smoots, operat-ing in Regional Command East. Taskforce Spear-head, with LTC Alexander and CSM Pitkus, is oper-ating in the West. We also have Taskforce Guns, lead by LTC White and CSM Greene, in RC North not too far from us. Here at Camp Marmal, we have LTC Huff and CSM Soliz leading Taskforce Lo-bos. Also on Camp Mar-mal, is the mighty Cold Steel Battalion, with LTC Hooks and CSM Durant at the controls. As you can see, being spread out as we are, we have some new challenges ahead of us. The weather here is very similar to Texas; so what I’m saying is, “It’s hot!”

Lately, we have been av-eraging above 100 de-grees. Because of this, we are aggressively stressing the importance of staying hydrated and eating well balanced meals every day. COL Novalis and I are committed to keeping our Soldiers safe and healthy; it’s our number one prior-ity. From the north to the south, from the east to the west of Afghanistan, and

from everywhere in be-tween; from all of us to all of you, we hope you enjoy the Air Cav Journal.

Please keep all our Troop-ers in your prayers, as we are doing here for you.

AIR CAV!

“Warrior 9”

Welcome to Afghanistan, where we believe in Family, Discipline,

Competence and Safety!!

WARRIORSACB takes first step toward Afghanistan

Col. John Novalis II (left), a native of Williams Port, Pa., brigade commander of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and Command Sgt. Maj. Glen Vela (right), a native of Fort Worth, Texas, 1st ACB, case the the Brigade’s colors during a ceremony here at Cooper Field, May 13. The ceremony marked the official begin-ning of the brigade’s journey to Afghanistan.

U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Alun Tomas

FORT HOOD, Texas -- A little over a year since returning from Iraq, the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade found itself in familiar surroundings and circumstances, as they held their color casing ceremony at Coo-per Field, May 13, in preparation for their upcoming deployment in support of Opera-tion Enduring Freedom. The ceremony marked the culmination of months of training, as the brigade prepares to set foot in Afghanistan for the first time, with several dozen Air Cav servicemem-bers having already left Fort Hood earlier in the week to set up advance operations in their new surroundings.Overseeing the ceremony was Canadian Brig. Gen. Peter Atkinson, deputy com-

manding general of III Corps and Fort Hood, who presided over the commander of troops, Col. John Novalis, 1st ACB com-mander and the five battalions within the brigade. The ceremony featured the traditional elements of a color casing ceremony, with the 1st CD horse detachment leading their ‘cavalry charge,’ accompanied simultane-ously by a flyover of UH-60 Blackhawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters.Novalis said the ceremony represents all the hard work put forth into preparing for the deployment, which figures to be criti-cal, in terms of mission success and adapt-ing to unfamiliar territory. “This is the brigades first deployment in support of OEF and one which we must hit

the ground running in,” Novalis said. “We have little time to adapt; the first few weeks will be critical in determining how the de-ployment plays out.”There is no doubt the ACB will live up to the expectations and pressure, Novalis add-ed, with the casing of the colors a time hon-ored and symbolic gesture that represents the end of one journey and the beginning of another. “When we unfurl these colors in Afghani-stan, they will be held high and proudly,” Novalis said. “We will protect the Afghan people the same way we did the Iraqi’s, with vigor, determination and confidence.” “Another chapter in the storied history of this great brigade is soon to be written,” he added.

Story by 2nd Lt. Alun Tomas

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – As the sun sets on one Army aviation unit’s time in Afghanistan, a new dawn is on the hori-zon for another. The first wave of Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade began streaming into northern Afghanistan in May, setting the stage for the pending transfer of author-ity of U.S. aviation operations in Regional Commands North and West from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade to the 1st ACB. According to Maj. R.J. Garcia, from San Antonio, the executive officer for 1st ACB, as the transition process begins, the brigade’s plan centers around three main objectives. “Our initial focus right now is on building our combat power in theater, train-ing and understanding our new operational environment, and establishing our logisti-cal footprint to support our operations as we move forward,” he said. The Soldiers of the 1st ACB began prep-aration for this deployment last fall, with training that focused heavily on conditions and scenarios often encountered in Afghan-istan. Training ranged from aerial gunneries back at Fort Hood to a three-month, high altitude training exercise near Fort Carson, Colo. Garcia noted that once training was com-plete and combat readiness established, the focus turned to the families, who are en-during a short dwell time since the brigade returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom last year. “We wanted to make sure our families had the tools to help them deal with the added stresses that arise with deployments, especially with this short dwell time,” he added. Moreover, one junior non-commissioned officer, on his second deployment and first to Afghanistan, acknowledged the efforts

of the outgoing element during the transi-tion process. “We really appreciate everything 4th CAB did to usher us into theater,” said Sgt. Curtis Hopper, a CH-47 Chinook helicop-ter mechanic from Peru, Ind. “It’s obvious they’ve worked hard to make improve-ments to the living conditions here.”Garcia echoed that sentiment. “They [4th CAB] have been tremendous in assisting us throughout this transition,”

he said. Everyone is working together to try and get them [4th CAB] back home and get our Soldiers settled in so we can be ready to execute the mission, said Hopper. Hopper noted that one of his challenges as a leader gearing up for this deployment was getting his Soldiers to be in the right frame of mind, especially those who had

deployed previously to Iraq with the unit. “It seems like two different worlds: Af-ghanistan compared to Iraq,” he said. Garcia added, “It’s a different environ-ment that’s far more complex, but our Sol-diers are excited about this new challenge.”Hopper provided his prediction for the up-coming year. “This will probably be a tougher deploy-ment than the last one…but this is what we joined for, and it’s nice to finally be out here and get the ball rolling,” he said.Not surprisingly, after nearly a year away from their friends and family while sup-porting the Coalition’s efforts in Afghani-stan, 4th CAB Soldiers welcomed the ar-rival of their 1st ACB counterparts.

“Just like any other Soldiers, see-ing our counterparts make their way into theater is a great feeling, because it means we are that much closer to coming home and being with our loved ones,” said Master Sgt. Vicente Mendoza, 4th CAB’s food service supervisor, originally from Mexico. “We started from scratch when we got here, and hopefully all of our

hard work will pay off for the incoming unit,” he added. Finally, Garcia foresees a successful de-ployment for the 1st ACB, and credits the brigade’s preparation and training efforts for his assessment in that regard. “It’s a long and tough road ahead in a tough environment, but there is no doubt in my mind that we are ready for it,” he added.

1st ACB Soldiers begin journey to AfghanistanStory by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. PAO

“It’s a long and tough road ahead in a tough environment, but there is no doubt in my mind that we are ready for it”

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, arrrive in theater May 27.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

WARRIORSOn the ground…not for long

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan — A CH-47 Chinook helicopter from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion, is downloaded off of a U.S. Air Force C-5 aircraft, here. Once fully as-sembled and mission ready, the cargo helicopter will be utilized for missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joe Ar-mas, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs)

WARRIORS...

...In Action

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan Above: Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, depart a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft May 23. The brigade will soon take charge of U.S. aviation opera-tions in Regional Command North. Left: A crew chief with the 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, performs maintenance on a Ch-47F Chinook cargo helicopter May 29. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

WARRIORS

FOB SHARANA, Afghanistan --Right: A Soldier from Task Force Attack performs maintenance on an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter June 24. Below: Lt. Col. Doug Brockhard, com-mander, Task Force Attack, poses with Spc. Abdulhadi Azouz, command group administrative assistant, 1st ACB, June 23.

WARRIORS

FOB SHARANA, Afghaniatan -- Above: An AH-64D Apache attack helicopter from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, flies along the snow-capped mountains of northeastern Afghanistan June 23. Left: A Soldier from Task Force At-tack performs maintenance on a UH-60A Black hawk helicopter June 24.

TF Attack

Soldiers, Families and Friends of Task Force Attack,

First, I have to say that I’m humbled and awe struck by what I’ve seen to date. Everyone has every reason to be extremely proud of what our Soldiers have accomplished so far and we’re still just getting settled. We have placed the bar high and it will be hard for the other Task Forces within the Air Cavalry Brigade to meet the standard we have set so far. We deployed 363 Sol-diers and over 200 pieces of equipment without incident. We have been busy getting settled in to our new work spaces, getting our systems established and while it may not be as pretty as we would like, we’re getting better ev-ery day. Since the first Sol-dier hit the ground, we have been in the fight. The tempo of operations is very high and everyone has done a fabulous job adapting to the pace and the envi-ronment. We assumed responsibility for the mission on June 24th from TF Gam-bler (4-4 AVN, 4ID) but that is not to say in any way that we were not involved prior to that. The aircrews are getting accustomed to the terrain and growing more and more confi-

dent in their abilities and the abili-ties of the aircraft they employ. We could not do this without the hard work and sacrifices of everyone in the Task Force. It takes everyone in the Task Force to rid the world of a single insurgent. The distribu-tion platoon is ensuring we have the fuel and ammunition we need, the meals are outstanding, the motor pool makes sure everything stays rolling, maintenance is providing the aircraft, and the staff is synchro-nizing it all. We’re still getting our feet firmly planted and as soon as we get all of our equipment in, we’ll be rock-ing. We have received all of the

containers that we shipped early on that contained non-mission essen-tial “creature comforts” which has helped morale despite the fact that some of the containers were riddled by gunfire as they moved through Pakistan and Afghanistan on trucks. I feel particularly bad for the poor soul who had his favorite pillow shot and then soaked with detergent

that was in the same Tuff Box! The fact that my bicycle took a round pales in comparison. While Forward Operating Base Sharana doesn’t have the amenities that many have had on previous de-ployments or on other bases in Af-ghanistan, Sharana is the “Greatest Place”. It is small, out of the way and it is ours. Compared to other locations we have it very nice in terms of weather. It has been in the low 90s during the day and in the mid-60s at night. While we have it good now, we’ll be jealous of the other bases throughout the winter months, as we’ll have a harsher winter at our location in comparison

to others. FOB Sharana also has a great view of the moun-tains, and the stars at night are spectacular. Everyone is focused and doing an incredible job and I’m tickled pink. No one wanted to say goodbye and leave home for a combat tour but we are needed. We are doing very well here and what we’re doing will make Afghanistan a better place. Command Sergeant Major Smoots and I are extremely proud of our Soldiers and have no doubt that we will continue to excel. I’ve said

before that my wife, Melanie, has a tougher job during deployments than I do. I recognize the service and sacrifices of our Families. For that, I thank you.

ATTACK!

LTC Doug BrockhardAttack 06

TF Lobos

First and foremost, I want you to know how proud and honored Command Sgt. Maj. Soliz and I are to serve with the Soldiers of Task Force Lobos and the War-rior Brigade on this historic de-ployment. Once again, our bat-talion has heeded our nation’s call to arms, and we have responded with enthusiasm, discipline, and excellence. Task Force Lobos led the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade as the first Task Force to deploy to Operation Enduring Freedom, and our unique mission will chal-lenge and highlight the abilities and strengths of our aircrews and aviation support personnel. Within a few days of the Lobos arrival at Camp Marmal, Afghan-istan, Soldiers had begun the nec-essary battlefield handover coor-dination and training called Relief in Place. Literally sitting beside members of Task Force Mustang, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade element we were replacing, our Soldiers learned specific tactics, techniques, and procedures for completing their combat mission from seasoned veterans with first-hand experience. These invalu-able lessons were immediately put into practice when, less than 10 days after our arrival, our Sol-diers assumed the driver’s seat and began conducting missions with only token oversight from Task Force Mustang. A dignified ceremony held in one of our maintenance bays along the flight line formally Transferred

Authority from Task Force Mus-tang to Task Force Lobos on June 22nd, 2011. Versatility is a fundamental characteristic of a Task Force Lobos Soldier. At any given time and at each of the five For-ward Operating Bases on which our Soldiers are deployed, Lobos Soldiers can be found display-ing the highest standards of pro-fessional conduct and ceaseless devotion to the success of our mission. Our aircrews are excel-ling in combat missions over the skies of Northern Afghanistan, be it conducting air assaults and ground force exfiltrations, VIP transport, medical evacuation, troop and cargo movement, or enemy engagements. In addition, our extensive support sections are working around the clock to sup-port our flying mission, conduct-ing aircraft and ground vehicle maintenance, providing air traffic control services, serving meals to hungry war fighters, distribut-ing hot and cold fuels to our fleet, tracking missions and controlling our battle space, and other sup-porting staff functions. Clearly, it is never a slow day for the Sol-diers of Task Force Lobos. Our outstanding Family Readi-ness Groups (FRG) and Rear De-tachment have done an extraordi-nary job caring for our Soldiers and Families and handling the many issues that occur during a deployment. Their hard work and selfless service to our men

and women in uniform is much appreciated. I hope you have had the opportunity to become a fan of the 2-227th Aviation Battal-ion Facebook page. On this page you’ll see frequently updated in-formation regarding FRG and Task Force happenings, as well as a variety of recent photographs of our Troopers in action. In closing, allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the Fami-lies of our Soldiers. I know that the days can be long and difficult without your Trooper, and I un-derstand that your Soldier’s de-ployment is just as much a chal-lenge for you who remain on the home front. Thank you for the sacrifices you make, and for sup-porting your Soldier while he or she is away. Your love and gen-erosity can already be seen in the steady stream of care packages that Soldiers carry with them around the Camp. These pack-ages, along with letters, emails, and telephone calls, benefit our ability to complete our mission, and are making a world of differ-ence in the lives of our Troopers.

LOBO6

Lobos Soldiers, Family, and Friends, “Salaam Alaikum” and greetings from Camp Marmal, Afghanistan

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan --Above: An AH-64D Apache attack helicopter pilot with Task Force Guns, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade prepares for a maintenance test flight May 28.Right: Cpt. Roland Pugh, Headquarters Company, 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade, is promoted the rank of Major during a promotion ceremony June 9.

FOB SHARANA, Afghanistan --Below: Soldiers from Task Force Attack perform an aircraft structural repair on an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter, June 25.(U.S. Army Photos by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan --

Top: A Soldier from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade exits a vehi-cle rollover simulator June 16. All Soldiers starting a deployment in Afghanistan are re-quired to complete this rollover training for safety reasons

FOB KILEGEY,Afghanistan --

Middle: Col. John Novails, commander, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, presents a coin to a Soldier from Company C, Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB, June 23 for his hard work.

FOB SHARANA, Afghanistan --

Bottom: Soldiers from S-1 sec-tion, Headquaters Company, Task Force Attack, 1st Air Cav-alry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion … pose for a picture June 23.

(U.S. Army Photos by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

TF SpearheadSpearhead Team,

It has been a little over a month since our main body departed Fort Hood. After stops in Manas, Kyrgyzstan and Kandahar, we arrived at Shindand Airbase ready and eager to take the reins. We officially took over the mission here in Regional Command-West from Task Force Comanche (3rd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regi-ment) during a Transfer of Authority Ceremony on the 27th of June. Regional Command-West Commander General Masiello and many others were in attendance. We have been conducting operations for several weeks now, thanks to the tireless efforts of our Soldiers. We look to settle into our battle rhythm in the coming weeks and set the pace for the rest of the deployment. Along with our Italian and Afghan counterparts we aim to make our mark in the region by supporting the sol-diers on the ground, our loyal customers. There are already wheels in motion to turn Shindand Airbase into a larger hub, including putting in a second runway and building more hardened structures. We currently eat, sleep and work in Alaskan tents. It will be our duty to lay a new foundation that will allow op-erations to continue in this Region for years to come. Like always, I have confidence that we will succeed beyond all expectations and we continue to work hard daily to improve our facilities and quality of life.On the 4th of July, the Spearhead team conducted our

Combat Patch Ceremony. For those unfamiliar with this honor and tradition, the Army authorizes soldiers to wear a unit patch on their right sleeve for time spent overseas in a combat zone. The combat patch is often seen as a symbol of experience. For those soldiers that this is their first deployment, or this is the first time de-ployed with the Air Cavalry Brigade, it is a momentous occasion. I can think of no better way to celebrate In-dependence Day!I wanted to say thank you to our Spearhead families who have been busy with their own operations. The FRG has held two monthly potlucks to socialize and share with one another the experiences of a deployment and they have been a resounding success. These rela-tionships are the foundations upon which our soldiers draw strength and are vital to the success of the Spear-head mission. We owe everyone tremendously for the work that they do behind the scenes with our families, and even more so for what they’ve done to help bond our team as we embark on this deployment. The FRG Walk to Afghanistan effort continues and the TF Facebook page has really taken off! Look there of-ten for updated photos of your Soldiers’ in Action!

SPEARHEAD!

LTC Blake Alexander(Spearhead 06)

TF GUNsSoldiers, Families and Friends of Task Force Guns,

Task Force Guns is now estab-lished in the North at Forward Op-erating Base Kunduz, PRT-Kunduz, Kilagey, and in the South at Kanda-har Airfield. Our task force arrived in Afghanistan, and was split between Regional Com-mand North and RC South as planned. The aircrews, maintainers, sustainers, and staff of TF Guns North hit the ground running to assume the mission and provide essential support that U.S. and Coalition Sol-diers on the ground so richly deserve. Despite not having all their tools, equipment, or parts, the Guns Team has managed to keep all the air-craft flying, the vehicles run-ning and the equipment that we inherited, working. Our Guns Team has also managed to make friends with our In-fantry brothers, enhancing our mission success. Every day the Guns Soldiers continue to make tremendous improve-ments for the team’s working, fighting, and living conditions. TF Guns South, likewise, hit the ground running and immediately started conducting combat opera-tions, even sending out our AH-64D Apache helicopter pilots to RC East in order to support US Special Mission Units. With our southern element facing similar challenges in terms of assuming the dynamic mission set; the Southern Guns have continued to meet every mis-

sion with the enthusiasm, style, and pride, that truly sets the Air Cavalry apart. The pilots, maintenance, and support personnel of TF Guns South quickly earned the respect and ad-miration of the customers they support, as well as the respect and admiration of the 159th CAB Sol-

diers they operate along side of in Kandahar. The aircrews have also received continuous praise and ac-colades from the U.S. and Coalition Forces they support. The outlying stations up in RC North operate out of PRT-Kunduz and Kilegey. They also assumed the mission from the outgoing unit and in short order began to provide immediate medical evacuation sup-port throughout the region. Both

teams have conducted superb aerial MEDEVAC and lift support to the entire NATO team of RC North. Al-though they too, suffer from a lack of parts, tools, and people, their mission focus ensures they will always be ready when the call for help comes in for urgent assistance.

The entire senior leadership throughout the Air Cavalry Brigade is simply amazed ev-eryday at all the great things our Soldiers are doing for the team by accomplishing the varied and diverse missions. The sweat and hard work of the Soldiers who are build-ing walls, desks, bunkers, and even laying down concrete, as well as assembling the very tents they have expanded into, has already paid great divi-dends. The quality of life has continued to improve for our unit, and the support for the Soldier on the ground contin-ues to increase. Even though our team is spread across the entire country of Afghanistan, we are stronger than ever. Dis-tance and separation has not diminished the camaraderie or cohesion of Task Force Guns. Our Soldiers and our families

are our strength, and we greatly ap-preciate the many sacrifices both here in Afghanistan and back on the home-front. Stay positive, stay alert, and take care of each other!

“Guns 6” and “Guns 9”

“GUNS ATTACK!”

WARRIORS

Top Left: Spc. Tyler Thomas, from Oklahoma City, a UH-60A Black-hawk helicopter crewmember and door gunner for Company A, Task Force Lobos, 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade scans the area while flying in Afghanistan June 20. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigley)

Bottom Left: Capt. Richard Mac-chio and another soldier from Task Force Guns, 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade, 1st Cavalry Division, parlay in front of a AH-64D Apache heli-copter June 24. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

Top Right:1st Sgt. Gerald Dave, company C, Task Force Lobos, Talks to a soldier while at a 9mm pistol zeroing range June 7. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

Bottom Right: Soldiers from Task Force Attack, 1st Air Cavalry Bri-gade, render salute during the play-ing of the Star Spangled Banner during a transfer of authority cer-emony June 24. Task Force Attack assumed responsibility from Task Force Gambler, 4th Combat Avia-tion Brigade. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

WARRIORS

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- Gen. Volker Wieker, Germany’s top military of-ficer, visited Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade May 30. During his visit, he met wih 1st ACB’s deputy commander, Lt. Col. Mi-chael Burns as well as key leaders of the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, the outgoing unit. Wieker took to the flightline and witnessed firsthand the aircraft maintenance being done by the 1st ACB’s build teams. Furthermore, he took time to interact with Soldiers from the brigade to re-iterate the importance of the brigade’s pending role in the overall mission of Regional Command-North, which is led by the Germans. (U.S. Army photos by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

Germany’s top military officer visits 1st ACB Soldiers at Camp Marmal

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – Tireless days that turn into tireless nights- it’s full speed ahead for the soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. As the brigade’s aircraft roll into theater, it is the duty of the brigade’s aircraft maintainers and maintenance test pilots to ensure the air-craft are fully mission capable and are safe for the pilots who will take the machines into combat. The process started late last month, as the first batch of helicopters began arriving in country. “It [the maintenance buildup process] starts from the time the aircraft is downloaded and transported to the area where the majority of the initial maintenance is conducted,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Cliff Mead, the bri-gade’s aviation maintenance officer, origi-nally from Redding, Calif.

Story by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. PAO

1st ACB maintainers prep aircraft for Afghan mission

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles Wiggins, a native of Killeen, Texas, and a maintenance test pilot for Company B, Task Force Coldsteel, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade inspects a tail rotor blade of a UH-60A Black hawk helicopter during a post-flight inspection May 26.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- An aircraft maintainer with the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division performs maintenance on an AH-64D Apache helicopter May 26. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas)

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

See 1st ACB on next page

“Then, an initial assessment of the aircraft is made, and the build crews proceed with the initial maintenance,” said Mead. Mead notes that taking extra precautions while moving the aircraft is a must, or risking costly damage to the aircraft or injury to personnel becomes a possibility. Depending on the aircraft, he points out, the maintenance can be relatively simple, or in the case of the CH-47F Chinook helicopter, it can be a drawn out process that requires extensive time and effort. The rigging process for ex-ample, which can be time con-suming, helps ensure the flight controls of the Chinook heli-copter align correctly, so that the aircraft flies the way it was designed to. As for the maintainers, they

each have military occupation specialties that normally bind them to one specific airframe, whether that airframe is a CH-47F Chinook, UH-60L Black Hawk, or an AH-64D Apache, according to Staff Sgt. James Wilson, section sergeant, Com-pany B, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st ACB, originally from Yorba Linda, Calif. With a time crunch that is mis-sion critical, the maintainers have taken a flexible approach to their tasking. They’ve come together as a team to assemble and perform scheduled and un-scheduled aircraft maintenance regardless of airframe affilia-tion. “It’s one team, one fight at this point,” said Wilson. “The goal is for the ground commanders to never notice any transition,” said Mead. “The same level of support they get today from the 4th Combat

Aviation Brigade [the outgoing unit] should be the same that they receive tomorrow from the 1st ACB.” Wilson points out that the less-experienced soldiers in the bri-gade reap the benefits of being part of the build teams. “We have a lot of young sol-diers out here who are relatively new to the Army and they have been doing an outstanding job to this point,” he said. “Everyone is constantly learning and im-proving their craft.” One of those young soldiers is Pfc. Abraham Xiong, assigned to Company D, Task Force Lo-bos, 1st ACB, originally from Minneapolis. Xiong, who is an AH-64D Apache helicopter mechanic, said that he relishes the oppor-tunity to work on different air-frames and expand his knowl-edge about overall aircraft maintenance.

“Everyone seems to have a positive attitude out here,” he said. “It’s been great working with different people and learn-ing about the different airframes in our brigade,” he said. As the maintainers conclude their initial tasks, the baton is then passed to the maintenance test pilots, who take to the skies to ensure proper functionality of the aircraft prior to releasing the aircraft back to their assigned line units within the brigade.Xiong, who is on his first de-ployment, touched on what he sees as the overall big picture in reference to the work he has done along with his fellow maintainers. “When these aircraft come back from missions, to see what they do…saving lives and tak-ing the fight to the enemy, it feels good to know that we’ll contribute in some form to their overall success,” he said.

1st ACB: Build teams push aircraft into afghan footprint

WARRIORS

Comtinued from last page

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan -- Soldiers from 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, unfold a rotor blade of an AH-64D Apache attack helicop-ter May 26, here. The Soldiers formed part of a build team that downloaded, inspected, and performed initial main-tenance on the brigade’s aircraft as the aircraft rolled into theater.

WARRIORS

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – During this past year, Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, trained and prepared for a unique mission in an unfamiliar area of operations. The brigade, with a plethora of combat veterans from the war in Iraq, was faced with a new challenge: deploy and execute combat operations in the rugged and mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. The culmination of the brigade’s training and preparation for this new mission occurred during a transfer of authority ceremony here July 1. During the ceremony, the brigade uncased its colors and officially took charge of U.S. aviation operations in Regional Command North, a role previously held by the outgoing unit, the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. The commander of the outgoing unit, Col. Daniel Williams, took the opportunity during the ceremony to reflect on the accomplishments attained by his unit during the past year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Williams, at times emotional, noted in his speech that his unit flew almost 70,000

flight hours in support of combat operations and that 4th CAB’s medevac crews saved more than 800 lives during the past year. “The Iron Eagles can be justifiably and uniquely proud,” said Williams. “Our mission was to regain the initiative,” he said. “My personal goal and that of our commanders and Soldiers was to return with honor and valor and we did our best to live up that ideal.” Moreover, Williams expressed his well wishes for the incoming command team as he ended his speech. “I wish you god-speed and a successful year in combat,” he said. “You came well prepared with a highly disciplined, motivated and trained force. The 4th CAB regained the initiative and the 1st ACB will raise the bar to the next level.” The commander of the 1st ACB, Col. John Novalis, originally from Williamsport, Pa., paying tribute to the unit his troops are relieving, thanked the Iron Eagles for their efforts during the past year and then assured those in attendance that his Soldiers were prepared for the task at hand. “The Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade are ready for this mission,” said Novalis. “They are men and women who live the virtues of courage, patriotism and honor. They are simply the best.” The 1st ACB is the first brigade-sized element of the 1st Cavalry Division to deploy to Afghanistan, joining the division headquarters as the only other element of the division currently deployed in theater. Novalis, during his address to an audience that included key military leaders from various nations within the Coalition, touched on how trust will foster into success on the battlefield. “We trust in our Soldiers’ training, preparation and discipline to conduct every mission to standard and support the ground commander without fault,” said Novalis. “In turn, the Soldier on the ground can trust that the 1st ACB will always be mission ready when called upon.” The deputy commander of RC North,

Brig. Gen. Sean Mulholland, praised the Soldiers of the 4th CAB for what he said was the tremendous impact they had on overall combat operations within the regional command. Furthermore, Mulholland acknowledged the storied history of the 1st ACB and predicted that this generation of 1st ACB troopers will continue that legacy of distinguished combat service. “I have no doubt that in the next 12 months, the story of the 1st ACB will continue to be one filled with heroism and distinction,” said Mulholland. “You will continue where your predecessors left off and will make Combined Team North better.” Finally, Novalis had a message for his colleagues throughout the Coalition. “To the NATO leaders helping shape the future of this country: the Warrior brigade is honored to fight by your side.”

1st Air Cav takes charge of aviation mission in northern Afghanistan

Story by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. PAO

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan—Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division along with Soldiers from the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, salute the colors during the playing of the national anthem during a transfer of au-thority ceremony July 1. The 1st ACB officially took charge of U.S. aviation operations for Regional Com-mand North.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan—Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, and the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Divi-sion, stand at the position of attention as part of the color guard for a transfer of authority ceremony July 1. During the ceremony, the outgoing unit, the 4th CAB, cased its colors in preparation for its return to the Unit-ed States. The incoming unit, the 1st ACB, uncased its colors and took charge of U.S. aviation operations in northern Afghanistan.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs

WARRIORS1st ACB marks Independence Day

with combat patch ceremonies

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – Any soldier who is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division dons the divi-sion’s patch on his or her left shoul-der sleeve as a formality. For the division’s troopers that fought in the south Pacific to those who scoured the jungles of Viet-nam, the right to don the division’s patch on their right shoulder sleeve

came as recognition of their service in a combat zone. Soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade were christened as ‘First Team’ combat veterans during com-bat patch ceremonies July 4, ap-proximately 235 years to the day America declared its independence from Great Britain. Spaced throughout Afghanistan, each task force within the brigade took the time to commemorate In-dependence Day with a ceremony.

As the soldiers stood in forma-tion and the ‘cav patch’ was placed on their right shoulders, a common sentiment of pride echoed through-out each individual ceremony. “The patch you now wear on both sleeves of your combat uniform is a historic symbol of military strength, honor and excellence that repre-sents soldiers who have fought in every major armed conflict since the division’s creation nearly a century See Patch on next page

Story by Staff Sgt. Joe Armas 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. PAO

CAMP KUNDUZ, Afghanistan -- Maj. Joshua Teitge, a native of Harker Heights, Texas, and commander of Company D, Task Force Guns, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, places the 1st Cav unit patch on the right shoulder of Cheif Warrant Officer 2 Scott Roney, platoon leader, during their combat patch ceremony July 4.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Wrigley, 1st ACB, 1st Cav. Division Public Affairs

ago,” said Lt. Col. William Huff, commander, Task Force Lobos, 1st ACB. Huff, as he addressed his troopers, touched on the lineage that was es-tablished during the ceremony. “As you wear your combat patch, you are forever linked to the First Team members of the past, present and future,” he said. Many of the 1st ACB soldiers had already seen combat with other units and were receiving the division’s combat patch for the first time. For others, the occasion marked the first time in their careers that they would fashion a combat patch on their right shoulder sleeve. One of the first-time combat patch recipients, Pfc. David Caruana, an aviation operations specialist, as-

signed to Headquarters Company, 1st ACB, saw the ceremony as a rite of passage into a small group of American citizens: those who have served in a combat zone. “Not too many people can say that they have done what we have over here,” said Caruana. Another soldier, Staff Sgt. Chanell Underwood, a paralegal assigned to HHC, 1st ACB, said that she felt a sense of pride and accomplishment following the ceremony. She added, “It’s been an unbeliev-able opportunity to deploy for the first time with the 1st Cavalry Divi-sion.” Furthermore, Caruana elaborated about what wearing the division’s combat patch meant to him. “It’s an absolute honor to wear the biggest unit patch in the U.S. Army on my right shoulder,” he said. Ultimately, while most Americans were watching fireworks, eating hot

dogs and spending cherished time with their families, Soldiers sta-tioned seven-thousand miles away from America’s eastern seaboard celebrated Independence Day in their own special way. One other task force command-er, Lt. Col. Jeff White, Task Force Guns, 1st ACB, talked about the significance of having the combat patch ceremony on this day. The idea, he said, was to high-light the collective and individual accomplishments of his unit’s Sol-diers by having the ceremony on the same day that Americans celebrate the freedom that they enjoy.

WARRIORSPatch: “It’s an absolute honor...”Comtinued from last page

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – The 1st Cavalry Di-vision’s shoulder sleeve insignia is placed on the right shoulder of a Soldier from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division during a combat patch ceremony July 4. The brigade recently deployed to Afghanistan for the first time and is conducting missions in support of the Coalition’s efforts in the country.

CAMP MARMAL, Afghanistan – Soldiers from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, stand in for-mation during a combat patch ceremony July 4. Some of the soldiers had previous combat experience and were awarded the division’s combat patch on their right shoulder sleeve for the first time. Others in the formation were in the midst of their first deployment and receiving the combat patch for the first time.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Armas

Saying Goodbye

I Am An AmErICAn SoLdIEr.

I Am A WArrIor And A mEmbEr of A tEAm. I SErvE thE PEoPLE of thE UnItEd StAtES And LIvE thE

Army vALUES.

I WILL ALWAyS PLACE thE mISSIon fIrSt.

I WILL nEvEr ACCEPt dEfEAt.

I WILL nEvEr qUIt.

I WILL nEvEr LEAvE A fALLEn ComrAdE.

I Am dISCIPLInEd, PhySICALLy And mEntALLy toUgh, trAInEd And ProfICIEnt In my WArrIor tASkS And drILLS. I ALWAyS mAIntAIn my ArmS,

my EqUIPmEnt And mySELf.

I Am An ExPErt And I Am A ProfESSIonAL.

I StAnd rEAdy to dEPLoy, EngAgE, And dEStroy thE EnEmIES of thE UnItEd StAtES of AmErICA In

CLoSE CombAt.

I Am A gUArdIAn of frEEdom And thE AmErICAn WAy of LIfE.

I Am An AmErICAn SoLdIEr.