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3/7 medical aidpage 8

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In this week’s

edition of The Marne

Express

“Mission, Soldiers, Teamwork”

Volume 2, Issue 20 November 20, 2005 Serving the Soldiers of Task Force Baghdad

Iraq contractors make payment transition from dollars to dinarSpc. Derek Del Rosario100th MPAD

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq –Iraqi contractors supportingOperation Iraqi Freedom 3 arenow counting dinars instead ofdollars on payday.

Another milestone in thecountry’s economic develop-ment was reached Oct. 14when a 3rd Infantry Divisionfinance office issued the firstpayment in Iraqi currencywhile in theater.

Local vendors and contrac-tors were previously paid inU.S. dollars. This is the firsttime in all the rotations ofOperation Iraqi Freedom that adinar check payment has beenissued to local vendors andcontractors within the Baghdadarea of operations.

This is a huge step accord-ing to Maj. Richard Santiago,commander of 3rd FinanceCompany, 3rd Soldier SupportBattalion, Division SupportBrigade, who said paying

locals in dinars benefits boththe Iraqi people and CoalitionForces.

“This is truly a win-win sit-uation for all,” Santiago said.“Issuing dinar check paymentsimproves the economic andfinancial stability of Iraq bypromoting the Iraqi bankswhile using their local curren-cy. It also decreases the cashrequirements our financeoffices need in order to meetmission requirements, as weare now able to pay the localvendors and contractors with acheck instead of cash.”

Implementing the dinar pay-ment took a lot of coordinationbetween several agencies.

The 18th Soldier SupportGroup, the Defense Financeand Accounting Service, theOffice of the AssistantSecretary of the Army(Financial Management andComptroller), the U.S.Treasury Department and the3rd Finance Co. were allinvolved.

“We needed approval fromDFAS to set up a LocalDepository Account at theCredit Bank of Iraq in order tobe able to make paymentsusing the local currency,”Santiago said. “Once we hadthe LDA Account set up, wewere ready to make check pay-

ments in dinar. Setting theLDA account at the CreditBank of Iraq will stimulatetheir bank systems and proce-dures, creating the right impactneeded to improve Iraq’sfinancial infrastructure.”

Spc. Derek Del Rosario1st Lt. Tayonia Williams, 3rd Finance Co. dispersing officer, issuesa dinar check to a local contractor at the finance office Oct. 18.

See DINAR, page 12

Pfc. Kelly K. McDowellSoldiers from 526th Brigade Support Battalion unload boxes of bottled waterby hand from the trucks at the “Lion’s Den.” For full story see page 9.

Into the Into the ‘Lions’ Den’‘Lions’ Den’

MPs, IPs reflect on deployment,mission successPfc. Laura M. Bigenho 42nd MP Bde. PAO

BAGHDAD – Traditional Iraqi food, gifts,photos and pleasantries were aplenty atBaghdad Police Headquarters as the 42ndMilitary Police Brigade bid farewell to theirIraqi counterparts. After nearly a year of work-ing together side by side, day after day, the 42ndMP Bde. now passes the torch to the 49th MPBde., their replacement unit from the CaliforniaArmy National Guard.

Col. Rick Swengros, the 42nd MP Bde. com-mander, spoke before dozens of Iraqi Policeofficers and MPs, expressing how proud he wasto have served with them the past year.

“You have a lot to be proud of,” Swengrossaid. “You’ve worked hard to defeat the enemy,and you are succeeding.”

The success of the IPs in the past year islargely credited to the Police PartnershipProgram, also known as P3.

Prior to P3, Iraqi Police Services had prima-rily focused on providing IPs with logisticalassistance. Swengros and Maj. CurtisSchroeder, program’s operations officer, had alarger vision, setting out to develop police sta-tions in Baghdad by concentrating on the policeheadquarters.

Originally planned in December 2004 andimplemented in January 2005, P3 was formallyrecognized by Multi-National Corps - Iraqmonths later after its mission and successbecame more widely known.

It’s mission, “to teach, coach and assist IraqiPolice at the headquarters level in order toenhance police operations throughout

See FAREWELL, page 12

Op/EdPage 2

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Task Force Baghdad Public AffairsOfficeCommanding General: Maj. Gen.William G. Webster Jr.Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. RobertWhetstonePublic Affairs Supervisor: Sgt. 1stClass David Abrams

The Marne Express StaffEditor: Sgt. 1st Class Brenda BennerLayout and Design: Spc. Emily J.WilsoncroftStaff Writers: Sgt. 1st Class PeterChadwick, Sgt. 1st Class David Abrams,Sgt. 1st Class Ken Walker, Staff Sgt.Raymond Piper, Staff Sgt. KevinBromley, Staff Sgt. Russ Rozean, Sgt.Andrew Miller, Sgt. Matthew Wester,Spc. Ricardo Branch, Spc. Ben Brody,Spc. Jennifer D. Atkinson, Spc. DerekDel Rosario, Spc. Brian Henretta, Spc.Maria Mengrone, Spc. GeorgeWelcome, Spc. Daniel Balda, Pfc. JasonJordan, Pfc. Kelly McDowell.

The Marne Express is an authorizedpublication for members of the U.S.Army. Contents of The MarneExpress are not necessarily officialviews of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or the 3rdInfantry Division. All editorial con-tent of The Marne Express is pre-pared, edited, provided and approvedby the Task Force Baghdad PublicAffairs Office.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

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What are you thankful for?

“I am thankfulfor Penn. State

football and howgood they are

doing this year!”

1st Lt. Todd Capobianco3rd Det., 3rd Sig. Co.

Islandtown, Pa.

"God keepingpeople safe, myfriends and fam-

ily for beingthere for me,and my hus-

band, Hyland,because he’s

helped methrough a lot."

“I’m thankful Iam still alive,

things are goingokay here and

I’m going hometo see my family

soon.”

Spc. Kristina Rountree226th Med. Bn.

Buffalo, N.Y.

Sgt. Maj. Israel Martinez3rd Inf. Div. Surgeon NCOIC

San German, Puerto Rico

“God hasblessed me to

see anotherbeautiful day,

and that He haskept my family

strong in myabsence.”

"I am thankfulthat I have God

to carry methrough this

deployment, andthat I have fami-

ly back homewho cares about

me."

Staff Sgt. Richard D. Hegens Jr. HHTC, 1/11th ACRWashington, D.C.

Pfc. Joshua P. Davis602nd ASMC

Lumberton, N.C.

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Maj. Gen. William G. Webster Jr.Task Force Baghdad commanding general

Our Marne Warriors are heroically takingthe fight to the enemy every day while helpingthe Iraqi Security Forces become more profi-cient securing Baghdad while the peopleembrace their new-found freedom.

Make no mistake, we are winning, and weare doing what is right!

The Marne division performed magnifi-cently during the recent success of Iraq’s voteon their Constitutional Referendum.

It was more than historic; it showed theinternational community that the IraqiSecurity Forces are up to the task and that thepeople are serious about taking hold ofdemocracy.

I am extremely proud of our Soldiers’courageous sacrifice and for the extraordinarysupport we receive from our families backhome in this noble cause.

Other challenges lie ahead for the division.The Army as a whole must be prepared forcontingencies that may arise in support of theWar on Terror.

I am fully aware that much has been saidunofficially, and through the rumor mill, aboutwhat is in store for the division upon ourreturn home.

I want you to hear this from me – NO deci-sion has been made on future missions thedivision may be required to execute, althoughall units must plan to be ready.

No unit in the Army ever remains inactivefor an extended period after a deployment.

Every unit must receive new personnel intoits ranks, send officers and noncommissionedofficers to schools, restore physical fitness,account for and maintain equipment, and trainnew teams for upcoming missions and possi-ble deployment. Coupled with Soldiers’ per-

manent change of station moves in, as well asout, personnel turnover across the division isexpected to be significant.

Long before 9-11, the Army’s units alwayshad a mission to be ready to accomplish at amoment’s notice. Our current mission is tosuccessfully complete this deployment andbuild a lead brigade combat team capable ofbeing deployed if necessary.

Currently, the division’s requirement is tobuild a BCT by December 2006.

Once we return from Iraq, 1st BCT will bethe first of the 3rd Infantry Division’s four BCTsto refit and reorganize in preparation for futureoperations.

Keep in mind, as the Army weighs its forcerequirements, the urgency to rebuild 1st BCTmay change.

All four BCTs will refit and reset to combat-ready status in sequence. That is what we do.

Since 1st BCT Soldiers deployed first, theywill be the first to redeploy and take a well-deserved block leave prior to beginning theprocess of achieving full readiness and assump-tion of a Division Ready Brigade status byDecember 2006, or later, if changed.

All other brigades to include the DivisionHeadquarters, Aviation Brigade, and theSupport Brigade, will follow in sequence torestore readiness for future potential missionsworldwide.

More information on block leave and resetwill be provided to you.

The entire Marne team has been successfulbecause of the unfailing support of our fami-lies who have helped us accomplish the mis-sion of bringing stability and democracy onestep closer for the Iraqi people.

We need your continued help in keeping therumors down as we finish our current mission.

Mission, Soldiers, Teamwork“ROCK OF THE MARNE!”

Be prepared for anythingMarMar ne Six Sendsne Six Sends

Spc. Emily J. Wilsoncroft3rd Inf. Div. PAO

“The secret of life is enjoying the pas-sage of time,” sang James Taylor – and Ibelieve he was really onto something.

We’ve all had our share of experi-ences, ups, downs and what have you.Some we see as bad; others we recall

being prettydamn good.Still others, wecan barelyremember –especially ifthey are direct-ly linked to oneof those “prettydamn good”times whichinvolved largequantities ofbeer.

It’s easy toclassify a spe-

cific time of life as being either benefi-cial, detrimental or ineffective in rela-tionship to the way things ultimately“turn out.” For instance, it’s simple forme to reflect back to the day I swore myenlistment oath and shudder, thinking,“Man, if only I hadn’t joined the Army, Iwouldn’t be in Iraq right now … and thatwould certainly be better than, like, beingin Iraq right now.”

But what else would be different forme right now had I not made that deci-sion? What else would be different had Inot made any of the seemingly tiny orlarge decisions I’ve made on a day-to-day basis before and since then?

As I look back on all those choicesand remember what led me to makethem, and what results they gave me, andhow in the world I got wherever I amtoday, another thought pushes its wayinto my brain, settles in, sits back andmakes itself comfortable:

“Who cares?”At this point, I have to answer myself

(not out loud, because I’m not that kindof crazy) with a resounding, “Not me!”

One thing I’ve noticed is that the moreI analyze myself and the things I’vedone, the more difficulties I seem to haveaccepting whatever my current situationis. The more I focus on the “good”things I “could have” had “if only” I’ddone “something” differently, the moredissatisfied I become.

My point (surprise! I have one!) isthat although it’s natural for us to want tocomplain about, oh, everything, at thesame time it’s important to hold on towhatever little things make us happy, orelse life will genuinely suck.

Now, don’t get me wrong – if whatmakes us happy is something like throw-ing sharpened knives at people, we mighthave to look a little harder for those littlethings – since society isn’t known for itstolerance of assault.

But I digress.Most of us, if I may be so bold as to

say so, would rather be spending the

upcoming holidays at home with familyand loved ones. Most of us would rathernot have to carry a weapon around every-where we go. Most of us would rathernot have to wear shoes to take a shower,unless we are just like that – in whichcase, more power to us, as well as to ourvery protected feet.

Still, most of us also can find at leastone thing every day to smile at, even ifit’s just a joke we overhear. We can findone thing to laugh at, even if it’s justsomething stupid that one of our co-workers has done.

We can find one thing to remind usthat all the decisions we’ve made to bringus to the exact place we are now, werethe right decisions.

Because really, we can’t do anythingabout the past, and the future willalways be there, so why waste themoments we have trying to figure outwhat will make them better?

As J.T. said, “Try not to try too hard… it’s just a lovely ride.”

Op/Ed Page 3The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Commentary

Unsung Heroes

It’s the little things we miss the most ...Spc. Brian Henretta100th MPAD

Have you noticed how when you return to yourhometown after leaving for the first time, things are dif-ferent?

Maybe after coming home from your first semesterat college, or basic training, there might be a new restau-rant in town, or the neighbors may have painted theirhouse a new color.

These are nothing major, just little things that mightmake you do a double-take for a while and they let youknow you missed something while you were away. Youmay also notice how much smaller everything seemsafter you’ve been out in a larger world.

I can’t even imagine how different things are goingto be when I return home from this deployment.

I think about that fairly often. I know that I’vechanged in many ways. But I’m sure my home inTexas, as well as America, has changed in ways I don’teven know about. I just hope it’s not too hard for me todeal with it.

It’s been a pretty significant year, if you think back.Since I was activated last summer to get ready for thisdeployment, we’ve seen a president re-elected, a newpope, a wave kill 100,000 people, a major U.S. citydestroyed by a storm, the nation become more dividedpolitically than it’s been since the late 1960s, and theRed Sox win a World Series.

Even with all that craziness going on, I know thebiggest difference for us returning Soldiers will be thecultural shock we experience.

Things seem quite different when I think back aboutthe differences in popular culture since before I wasactivated. Green Day was a washed up punk band thathadn’t done anything significant since the mid-‘90s,Mariah Carey was a joke, and J. Lo and Ben Affleckwere the world’s most popular couple.

Since I’ve been away, I don’t even know what I’vemissed out on. I only recently listened to The Game,and now I understand he is pretty big. I couldn’t tell youwhat songs, movies and TV shows are hot right now.

I’ve experienced this once before when I was in iso-lation for four months during basic training at FortKnox in the spring of 2000.

I emerged to a new world - in which I looked like anidiot because I had never heard of the movie Gladiatoror Sisqo’s Thong Song. I considered myself lucky forthat last one, but people still teased me for being so outof touch, and that was nothing compared to what I’llexperience when I come back this time.

I just hope when my friends see me in the bars whenI get back, wearing some out of style shirt and askingwho is the artist singing the club song that everyone hasheard a million times, they will take it easy on me.

This may not seem like a big deal to most people out-side the military.

However, I’m sure no matter how much you maylove serving the nation in Iraq, you get the feeling thatyou’ve had an entire year of your life pass you by inignorance of the culture that we’ve sworn to protect.

A year of my precious youth has gone by withoutgetting to enjoy it. Who knows how many little thingshave bypassed us that we’ll never find out about?

As many changes as there have been without us athome, they are nothing compared to the changes thathave gone on in each one of us. As a NationalGuardsman who attends a large college in Texas, I won-der how I’ll deal with the relatively insignificant prob-lems of people around me.

I don’t pretend to think I’m anyone special and cer-tainly don’t feel I’m above my fellow students - or any-one else in the civilian world.

However, I’m don’t know what I’ll think the firsttime I hear a girl act like it’s the end of the world whensomeone down the hall in her dorm calls her the b-word,or when I see some guy in the bar who wants to breakanother man’s jaw because he accidentally stepped onhis foot.

Those problems are so petty compared to the raw,sometimes brutal side ofhumanity we see every day. Ithink this new way of thinkingwill be the biggest personalchange for me yet, and I’mglad about that.

Regardless, I’m lookingforward to seeing all the newthings America has to offer -hearing all that new music,seeing what movies have beenout over the past year.

I want more than any-thing to have a normal lifeagain. Our time is comingsoon. Spc. Brian Henretta

Spc. Emily J. Wilsoncroft

Command Sgt. Maj. WilliamM. Grant3rd Inf. Div. command sergeant major

Soldiers throughout theMultinational Division-Baghdad area of operations areworking extremely hard on adaily basis. Their jobs rangefrom combat operations to allof the supporting mechanismsrequired to achieve missionsuccess.

As a result of their efforts,awards are earned by the out-standing Marne Warriors whohave taken their commitmentand execution of duty to thenext level.

Regardless of the level ofrecognition, we shouldembrace the recommendationsof our leaders while under-standing that even thoughwe’re all on the same team, the

roles we play in terms of dutyand levels of responsibilitiesdiffer from unit to unit andSoldier to Soldier.

Remember when you are information receiving yourawards, that it took a team ofdedicated professionals likeyourself to make it happen.

This “shout out” is for all ofthe dedicated Soldiers of theMarne Division’s awards sec-tion who tirelessly keep theflow of medals and certificatesof appreciation coming todeserving military personnel ofall ranks and branches of serv-ice. Whether it’s a Bronze Starwith a “V” device, a PurpleHeart or a certificate of appre-ciation, everyone on the teamgives your award the attentionit deserves.

They have steadily kept upthe pace of processing awards

during their entire deployment,including taking care of all ofthe awards for Soldiers of thenow departed 2nd Brigade,10th Mountain Division; the256th Brigade Combat Teamand for foreign military units aswell.

Now that our deploymentnears its end, our awards sec-tion is even busier than before.On average, there are 1,200awards processed every week.

Nearly a dozen hard-work-ing troops of all ranks are mak-ing sure your awards arelogged in, researched, pre-pared, proof read, and thenreviewed to perfection. This isno quick and simple task.Checking the packets is verytime-consuming and requiresattention to every detail.Everyone in the section worksat a level of excellence to make

sure the citations and the print-ed certificates themselves meetthe highest standards becauseeveryone here deserves thebest.

So far, the tireless teamworkof the awards section has pro-duced more than 25,000 indi-vidual awards! They have cer-

tainly set a high standard forthe next personnel section tostrive for.

The 3rd Infantry Divisionsalutes everyone in the awardssection for executing their mis-sion with excellence.

Rock of the Marne!

... and it’s also the little things that keep us sane

Sgt. 1st Class Brenda Benner(From left to right) Sgt. Brian Redman, HHSC; Sgt. JonathonUlmer, B Co., 3rd SSB; Pfc. Rickita Hightower, HHOC; and Pfc.Lekeshia Bryson, B. Co., 3rd SSB, help their team in the 3rd Inf.Div.’s personnel section process nearly 1,200 awards every week.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 4

Sgt. Matthew Maupin No Soldier left behind

“I will not leave a fallen comrade”These well known words from the Warrior Ethos ring true for

Sgt. Matt Maupin. Maupin is an Army Reserve Soldier from 724th Transportation Company who

was captured April 9, 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2. Sgt. Maupin – we are still looking for you and

we will find you. You have not been forgotten.

Soldiers eulogize 4 fallen comrades at ceremonySpc. Dan Balda4th BCT PAO

FORWARD OPERATINGBASE FALCON, Iraq – TaskForce Baghdad Soldiers andIraqi Security Forces cametogether Nov. 1 to rememberfour U.S. Soldiers recentlykilled in terrorist attacks.

Lt. Col. William Wood,commander of 1st Battalion,184th Infantry Regiment, andCapt. Michael MacKinnon, ACompany, 1st Bn., 184th Inf.Regt., were killed by an impro-vised explosive device Oct. 27.Wood was posthumously pro-moted to colonel the day afterhis death.

Two more 1/184th Soldiers,Capt. Raymond Hill and Spc.Shakere Guy, were killed inaction after their humveestruck an IED Oct. 29.

Col. Edward Cardon, 4thBrigade Combat Team com-mander, began the ceremonyby quoting Wood: “Soldiershave fallen, but the line holdssteady.”

Cardon reminded the audi-ence of nearly 1,500 Soldierswhy they were at the memorialceremony.

“We’ve come to mourn theirdeaths, but more importantly tohonor their lives and to affirmour resolve,” he said.

One by one, the fallen broth-ers-in-arms from 1/184th –nicknamed the Nightstalkers –were eulogized by their leadersand fellow Soldiers.

The four came from allwalks of life and exemplifiedthe diversity that makes up theArmy. Guy was from Jamaicaand MacKinnon was awardedhis commission after graduat-ing from West Point, said Lt.Col. Everett Knapp, 1/184thBn. commander.

“They have given theirhearts, lives, sweat and bloodto fight for freedom for theIraqi people,” Knapp said. Hefinished with a quote from thelegendary boxer Jim Corbett:“Fight one more round. Whenyour feet are so tired you haveto shuffle back to the ring, fight

one more round. When yourarms are so tired you can hard-ly lift your hands, fight onemore round. Remember thatthe man who fights one moreround is never whipped.”

Lt. Col. David Funk, com-mander of 3rd Battalion, 7thInfantry Regiment, saidhe’d only had the pleasureof calling Wood a friendfor the last couple ofmonths. They had run intoeach other at various timesduring their militarycareers, but had neverreally developed a closefriendship.

That all changed onceWood was assigned to1/184th.

“Bill Wood is a greatAmerican, a superb fellowbattalion commander, atrue and loyal friend and mybrother,” Funk said.

He bemoaned the fact ittook a war to bring the two ofthem together.

“We have been as close astwo brother commanders canbe in war,” he said. “He lovedbeing ‘Nightstalker 6.’ He hada great sense of history and agreat feeling of pride at beingpart of this battalion.”

Getting to know Woodtaught Funk a valuable lessonhe was more than happy toshare with everyone.

“I ask that you learn fromour example and not wait toolong to get to know theSoldiers next to you as Bill andI almost did,” Funk said. “Lifeis too short for pretense andpride. I am a richer man todayfor having known Bill Wood.He made me a better com-mander, a better friend and abetter person.”

MacKinnon was remem-bered by his friend Capt.Danjel Bout as a man who usedhis powerful will to take some-thing that was broken andmake it new again.

“From the moment hearrived (at A Co.), he treatedevery Soldier with dignity,grace and respect,” Bout said.“And for that, we loved him.”

Bout said MacKinnon per-sonified America not as it is,but as it aspires to be. Thatmanifested itself in everythinghe did and everything hetouched. Bout shared a storyto illustrate how MacKinnonwas viewed by the Iraqi peoplehe came into contact with on adaily basis.

“We were visiting a townwhose sheikh had recently diedand the townspeople had gath-ered to vote on who the nextsheikh was going to be,” Boutrecalled. “Each of the villagersoffered up their suggestionsand each one got booed down.

Until one person said, ‘I thinkCapt. MacKinnon should bethe sheikh.’ As soon as he saidthat, everyone’s face lit up andthey all agreed. Mike kept say-ing ‘No, no,’ and then he final-ly asked them, ‘Why do youwant me to be the sheikh?’They said the same thing:‘Because you are the only onewe can trust.’”

1st Sgt. Mark Barnes of BCompany, 4th Battalion, 64thArmor Regiment shared anoth-er story about MacKinnon thathad the mourners smiling andlaughing in the midst of theirgrief.

“He didn’t like affectionfrom men except in the conser-vative way in which fatherslove their sons. Once on HaifaStreet an Iraqi man kissed himand he looked very uncomfort-able. Especially when I point-ed out to him that from myangle it looked like a kiss onthe lips. I told him often thatwe appreciated him taking onefor the team. When I put it onour company website, he start-ed his own (information opera-tions) campaign to tell every-one that he didn’t kiss anyone,he was the one kissed.”

1st Lt. Cameron Murphyremembered Hill as a kind andgentle man who rarely had aharsh word for anyone. Hillwas originally the battalion firesupport officer and was incharge of plotting for lethalfire.

“Truth was, he took moredelight in plotting the distribu-tion of humanitarian assistancethan in the destruction of his

fellow man,” Murphy said.“His greatest fear was that histwo girls were growing up toofast, that they were too cute fortheir own good and they werestarting to attract boys.

Staff Sgt. Ron Eberhardtsaid that regardless of the mis-

sion before him, Hillwould pack enoughtoys and candy forany lucky children hewould meet. Hill’sfavorite missions in-volved bringing hu-manitarian aid to thepeople of Baghdadand he often posedfor pictures with thepeople he was direct-ly involved withhelping.

Guy was constant-ly going out on mis-sions with Hill. His

friend, Spc. Jose Farias,remembered Guy going to thepost exchange to buy candywith his own money to sharewith the children he was sureto meet while helping the psy-chological operations team.

Guy’s company command-er, Capt. Jeffrey Dirskeremembered him as a fineSoldier who was willing to per-form any task, but a tankerwho never forgot his first love– tracked vehicles.

“He would never let us for-get about his love for thetracks,” Dirske said. “Whenwe first got here, he was part ofthe personal security detach-ment, and I remember theexcitement in his voice andface when he would talk aboutthe tracks.

“What we will never forgetwas his desire to help othersand his commitment to themission,” Farias added. “Hewas committed to his family,his fiancée and daughter aswell as the Soldiers here.”

Cardon’s final note remind-ed everyone that the best wayto honor the fallen Soldiers isto continue their mission.

“While we honor thesebrave men’s deaths, the bestway for us to remember themis to take what they have leftwith us: professionalism,motivation, passion, re-silience – the list goes on andon. Let’s take what they leftus … to continue our mission,to have faith in our victory, topersevere against the enemy,to never quit or accept defeat.That is what we must do.”

Spc. Dan BaldaStaff Sgt. Ron Eberhardt says a prayer for fallen Soldiers duringa Nov. 1 memorial honoring four 1st Battalion, 184th InfantryRegiment Soldiers killed recently in terrorist attacks.

“We’ve come to mourn theirdeaths, but more importantly tohonor their lives and to affirmour resolve.”

Col. Edward Cardon4th BCT commander

Page 5The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Soldiers re-up under monumentPfc. Jason Jordan1/10th Mtn. Div. PAO

BAGHDAD – AmericanSoldiers have the rare oppor-tunity to visit different placesin the world and see things inperson that most people willnever see.

Some Soldiers of 1stSquadron, 71st CavalryRegiment, took advantage ofthis opportunity when theyrecently opted to re-enlistunderneath the crossedswords monument at Sahit al-Shuhada’ Memorial Square inBaghdad.

“It felt great to have thechance to re-enlist here,because I know very few willever have the chance,” saidSgt. Jason Wright after re-enlisting for another fouryears. “For an American tobe standing under such a his-toric monument for the Iraqisis a significant moment.”

The crossed swords, onformer dictator SaddamHussein’s main paradegrounds, was built to symbol-ize his claim of victory in theIraq-Iran war.

The huge monumentincludes two arms holdingswords that cross at an angle.The arms are modeled afterthose of Hussein’s, and theswords are made of the ironfrom destroyed Iranian tanks.The base of the monument issurrounded by speed bumpsmade from the helmets offallen Iranian Soldiers.

“This is my third time toIraq, and I haven’t had anopportunity like this to visitthese monuments,” said Sgt.Charles Beauregard, anotherof the 1/71 Soldiers who re-enlisted. Beauregard signedup for another six-year hitch.

The Soldiers also tooktime to visit Nasb al-Jundi al-Majhul, the monument of theUnknown Soldier.

Although the troops real-ize they are at war, they allhave respect for Soldiers fall-en in combat.

“You have to pay respectto those who have fallen incombat, whether they werebeside you, or out in front ofyou,” said Beauregard.“Maybe many of these menfought under the dictatorshipagainst their will. I’m justglad that we are here to helpprevent that from happeningagain.”

Pfc. Jason JordanCapt. Gregory Stone (left), fire support officer for 1/71 Cav.,administers the oath of re-enlistment for Sgts. Jason Wright,Charles Beauregard and Alex Crowther, all from 1/71, during arecent ceremony at the base of the crossed swords monument.

U.S. Soldiers work with Iraqis to clear east Baghdad junkyard of bomb-making ammoPress Release2nd BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – More than 2,400rounds of unexploded ordnancewere discovered and destroyed ina 12-day operation in rural eastBaghdad.

Soldiers from HeadquartersTroop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry,and nearly 45 Iraqi contractorswere involved in the operationOct. 9-23 to deny terrorists the useof bomb-making material.

A scrap-metal junkyard wascleared of unexploded ordnance,which included 1,135 mortarrounds, 632 artillery rounds, 195rockets, 22 mines and six bombs.

“The operation takes possibleimprovised explosive devices offthe streets,” said Sgt. Frank Neal,the small-arms master gunner forthe troop.

Neal said the operation todestroy the ordnance was com-pleted with a focus on safety andthat none of the Soldiers or Iraqicontractors who helped collect themunitions suffered any injuriesduring the controlled detonations.

Courtesy photoA pile of munitions in rural east Baghdad explodes in flames during a controlled detonation. A scrap-metal junkyard was cleared ofunexploded ordnance, which included 1,135 mortar rounds, 632 artillery rounds, 195 rockets, 22 mines and six bombs.

101st Abn. unit takes overBaghdad sector from 48thSpc. George Welcome2/101st Abn. Div. PAO

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq –The 2nd Brigade CombatTeam of the 101st AirborneDivision formally took con-trol of the southwesternBaghdad area of operationsfrom the Georgia ArmyNational Guard’s 48thBrigade Combat Team Oct.31.

The ceremony was ripewith symbolism as Brig. Gen.Stewart Rodeheaver, 48thBCT commander, and brigadeCommand Sgt. Maj. JamesNelson cased the 48th’s col-ors, which represents the endof their mission and responsi-bility for this area.

Shortly after the 48th’sguidon was cased, Col. ToddEbel, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn.Div. commander, and brigadeCommand Sgt. Maj. BrianStall uncased the colors of the“Strike Brigade,” symbolical-ly accepting responsibility for

the area and the support andsecurity missions it entails.

In his remarks to the troopsin attendance, Rodeheaverexpressed his pride in hisSoldiers and in the job theyhave done while stationedhere since June.

He also wished theSoldiers of the 101st luck andthanked them for their profes-sionalism during the transi-tional period.

Following the general’saddress, Ebel said, “This cer-emony is not about us, butabout Iraq and what we willgive to Iraq.”

He also emphasized theimportance of 2/101’s mis-sion which is “to help bringpeace to people who have notenjoyed peace as we know it,in their history.”

Ebel also praised the 48thfor providing a smooth transi-tion and wished them well ontheir next mission as the the-ater security force for all ofIraq.

Pfc. Kelly K. McDowellThe Soldiers of 2/101st Abn. Div. and 48th BCT stand in forma-tion during the transfer of authority ceremony Oct. 31.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 6

SSoollddiieerrss ffoollllooww ‘‘tteeaacchh aa mmaann ttoo ffiisshh’’ pprriinncciipplleePfc. Luke Allen1/10th Mtn. PAO

BAGHDAD – Little by lit-tle, a U.S. Army civil affairsteam is helping Iraqis learn tohelp themselves.

Going by the saying, “Ifyou give a man a fish, he willeat for a day; but if you teachhim how to fish, you will feedhim for a lifetime,” theSoldiers attachedto 1st BrigadeCombat Team,10th MountainDivision hopethey’ll soon havevillages full offishermen.

The brigadecurrently has morethan 130 projectsunderway, withseveral already upand running.

“They are doinga very good job,”confirmed NahalAbdulgabar, an offi-cial from the Special NeedsInstitute in Khadra. “We areappreciative of these Soldierswho come to provide theseopportunities for us.”

These 10th MountainSoldiers from 1st Squadron,71st Cavalry Regimentdropped much-needed sup-plies to Iraqi neighborhoodsthroughout western BaghdadOct. 25.

Their goal was to helpIraqis help themselves byworking with local officials tocreate jobs renovating dilapi-dated buildings into sprawl-ing community centers.

The first stop for the daywas at a neighborhood com-mittee building in theKhadamiyah district wherethe Soldiers delivered wintercoats and blankets to help thelocal residents make itthrough the cold winter.

The Soldiers here considerit a hand-up and not a hand-out.

Through the neighborhood

committees, citizens canvoice their concerns to thecity council.

According to the Iraqis,results are made and peopleare able to get what they needthanks to the Iraqi neighbor-hood councils. The Iraqismake the decisions on whatthey need, and the Soldiersprovide expertise when it isrequired.

After the Soldiers departedthe neighborhood committeebuilding, they headed to theSpecial Needs Institute inKhadra, a small neighborhoodin the Mansour district.

At the institute, childrenwho are blind, deaf, or haveother special needs canreceive the care they need in asupportive environment.

“What we are doing todayis checking to see how every-thing is going,” said Sgt. 1stClass Dennis O’Connor of the448th Civil Affairs Battalion.“This is our fourth school thatwe’ve done in the last three

months. It feels goodthat we can go in andhelp these kids andsee the smiles ontheir faces.”

The Iraqis havemade many improve-ments to the facility,some of whichinclude new class-room furniture, ceil-ing fans, restroomand shower facilities,a new power genera-tor, an ambulance,and even a swing setin the backyard.

Before a project isstarted, an Army engineeringteam will survey the propertyto assess the situation andprovide advice to the Iraqicommittees.

“There was a very bad situa-tion here before and theSoldiers, along with Iraqi con-tractors, have helped everythingchange for the better,” saidHussin Lalbaryti, Chairman ofthe Khadra NeighborhoodCommittee. “One of the mostimportant changes was theimprovement in our sewage sys-tem and drinking water. We’revery happy to get this type ofresults.”

“There was a very bad situationhere before and the Soldiers, alongwith Iraqi contractors, have helpedeverything change for the better.”

Hussin LalbarytiKhadra Neighborhood Committee chairman

Pfc. Luke AllenSgt. 1st Class Dennis O’Connor, 448th CA Bn., passes a box of blan-kets to a young Iraqi while Sgt. Marvin A. Menjivar prepares to pick upanother bundle from the back of a humvee in Baghdad Oct. 25.

Rusafa water plant expansion provides clean water for millions Spc. Derek Del Rosario100th MPAD

BAGHDAD – The expansion of awater treatment plant in the Al-Rusafaregion has brought thousands of gallonsof fresh, clean water into residents’homes since the 18-month project wascompleted in mid-July.

The Shark Dijlah Water TreatmentPlant project included installation ofmore pipes, the extension of a pumphousing area, and installation of morefilters.

The expansion has increased theplant’s output to approximately 80 mil-lion gallons of water a day – enough tosupply water to nearly 2 million citizens,said Mr. Mazin, chairman of the provin-cial council and government representa-tive of the expansion project.

Mazin said it is the Iraqi govern-ment’s duty to look out for its citizens,and this project is just one way to dothat.

“We have promised our dear citizensthat we will carry out these projects,”Mazin said. “This is just one of the proj-ects we have promised them. We aretrying very hard to expand such projectsand start new ones in other areas to reacha desirable amount of drinking waterbeing pumped to the city of Baghdad.”

The treatment plant was originallybuilt in 1935, according to a project factsheet. The expansion included morethan 42,000 cubic meters of earthworkand more than 23,000 cubic meters ofconcrete, and 4,800 meters of piping, aswell as seven pump machines which

Mazin said are an integral part of thepurification process.

“These pools (of water) surrounded byconcrete are from the Tigris River, whereit undergoes the first steps of purifica-tion,” Mazin said. “The second step ofpurification uses the seven pumpmachines, where it will be put in thelarge pools where they will add chlorine

and other products of sterilization beforeit is pumped into pipe networks. Fromthere, it heads for the Al-Rusafa district.”

The expansion project also benefitedlocal citizens by employing 700 Iraqilaborers during construction.

Mazin said he hopes to continueexpanding projects to areas aroundBaghdad, but wants to gain the support

of the Iraqi citizens during these projectswhich often require patience.

“We just need funds and time to startsimilar projects in other places and weneed the citizens’ patience,” Mazin said.“We want to let the people know that theBaghdad Governorate Council is the rep-resentative of the people and is overlook-ing the process of these projects.”

Photos by Spc. Derek Del RosarioAbove: Additional water pumps and other machinery were installed during theexpansion of the Shark Dijlah Water Treatment Plant. Left: Water from the Tigris River is transferred through these pipes at the watertreatment plant prior to its filtration.

Page 7The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

10th Mtn. brings pipe, Iraqi citizens do the restSpc. Carlos Caro1/87 Inf. PAO

BAGHDAD – Task ForceBaghdad Soldiers deliveredmore than 600 feet of polyvinylchloride pipe to an Abu Ghraibneighborhood Oct. 30.

Thanks to 1st Brigade, 10thMountain Division Soldiersfrom 1st Battalion, 71stCavalry, the citizens of thisneighborhood can now use thePVC pipe to replace the rustedand leaking steel pipes in theircurrent dilapidated water sup-

ply system.“They will do the work

themselves instead of waitingfor the contracting process,”said 1st Lt. James Burnett, 2ndBattalion, 22nd Infantry civilaffairs officer.

The pipe will serviceapproximately 50 citizens.

The 1/71st Cav. Soldiersalso took the opportunity tohand out school books, cloth-ing and toys to the Abu Ghraibresidents, who gratefullyoffered sweet tea to theSoldiers.

1st Lt. Kristofer DenigerAn Abu Ghraib resident unloads polyvinyl chloride pipe delivered by 1/71 Cav. Soldiers Oct 30. AbuGhraib citizens will install the pipe themselves to repair their dilapidated water supply system.

1/10 engineers’ project brings family healthcare to Iraqi neighborhoodsTom ClarksonU.S. Army Corps of Engineers

BAGHDAD – “All too regularly,children are dying from dysentery,right here in metropolitan Baghdad,”said Al Everett, a Quality AssuranceTechnician assigned to 1st BrigadeCombat Team, 10th MountainDivision’s Brigade EngineeringSupport Team. “But modern PublicHealth Centers, like this one, canmake a big difference toward substan-tially improving the overall health ofthe Iraqi population.”

Rob Helmerick, a resident engineerwho also works out of the BESToffice located at Camp Liberty, citedhow this work is a part of the broaderU.S. Army Corps of Engineers andProject and Contracting Office recon-struction mission.

Along with Everett and other engi-neering professionals, Helmerickrecently conducted a final check ofthe new, and nearly complete, 1,155-square-meter, family health carestructure, located in Iraq’s capital.

“Today’s inspection is an importantmilestone for our PHC reconstructionprogram in Baghdad,” said Lt. Cdr.Rod Tribble, the officer in charge ofthe Resident Office. “While this visitcomes near the end of principal con-struction of this facility, it marks animportant, initial step for communityhealthcare.”

He continued, “The Al HurriyahPHC will save Iraqi lives, providefamily medical service at a neighbor-hood level, afford employment forhealthcare professionals, and indeli-bly demonstrate the compassion and

goodwill of the Coalition – in thiscase, particularly, the Americans – foryears to come.”

Project manager Dan Ognanovich,from Texas, said, “This general prac-tice/mild trauma service/dental facili-ty is an excellent example of wellcoordinated, multiple entity coopera-tion between members of theCoalition and the new Iraqi govern-ment.”

According to Ognanovich, manyorganizations were involved in thebudget management, engineering,contract supervision and construction

of the clinic, including many levelswithin the ACE, the 3rd InfantryDivision, the 1/10th Mtn. Div. andthe Iraqi Ministry of Health.”

The project team consisted ofactive duty Army and Navy person-nel, as well as Reservists, govern-ment service professionals, and anarray of U.S. and Iraqi contractors.

The Al Hurriyah PHC will be thefirst of 120 built throughout Iraq offthe same, Type A, architectural plan.

The PHC program was conceivedto provide a network of facilities

from which medical personnel can pro-vide quality medical and dental care tolarge segments of the population whomay not have had access to medicalcare under the previous regime.

All, like the one recently inspected,will fall under the auspicious of theIraqi Ministry of Health as communitybased, neighborhood public healthfacilities.

“This outstanding, new PHC iswhat Iraqi Reconstruction and helpingIraqis help themselves is all about,”Helmerick said.

1/76 FA medics teach Iraqi Soldiers how to treat trauma patientsSpc. Dan Balda4th BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – Combatmedics are used to giving com-bat lifesaver classes to U.S.Soldiers to make sure they areready for any contingency.

What medics from 1stBattalion, 76th Field Artilleryare not used to doing is speak-ing through an interpreter to aclass of Iraqis, eager to learnall they can about saving lives,so they can take their new-found knowledge out to thestreets of Baghdad.

The Iraqi students serve asthe security forces for promi-nent political leaders inBaghdad.

The class covers basichuman physiology, basic med-ical terms, intravenous therapyand – most importantly here inIraq – how to treat trauma.

The battalion commander,Lt. Col. Daniel Pinnell, wantedto pass on his medics’ fieldknowledge to their Iraqi coun-terparts.

Pinnell asked various Iraqiministries and police groups ifthey would be interested insending their personnelthrough medical training,

according to Spc. RyanWalker, Headquarters andHeadquarters Battery, 1st Bn.,76th FA.

The two-week courseincludes classroom instructionas well as hands-on practice onskills like administering an IV.After they finish the lecturesand feel more comfortablewith the training, the Iraqisstart the trauma assessmentwith a head-to-toe exam.

“We have medical equip-ment for them to train on, sothey feel confident with theirhands, which is the mostimportant thing when it comesto medical stuff,” Walker said.“It gives them a better under-standing of how and why theyare learning these skills.”

One of the students is takinghis second class, not because offailure to grasp the material thefirst time around, but because herealizes the importance of thetraining and wants to learn asmuch as possible.

“He is constantly comingback, asking for more trainingand more knowledge,” Walkersaid. “We like to help him asmuch as we can and let him sit inon some classes. He’s actuallysaved a couple of guys’ lives in

the unit he is with.”The only difficulty the

American Soldiers run into whileteaching the class is the languagebarrier, but with patience theymanage to get the important partsunderstood by their students.

“I really have to slow it downa lot to make sure I give the inter-preter plenty of time to throw outthe information,” Walker said.“Sometimes we get a translatorwho has a harder time turning themedical terms into Arabic.That’s why the slides are a lot ofhelp. We have the Arabic wordson there so that helps explain it alittle better.”

Walker, a firefighter/emer-gency medical technician beforejoining the military, said he hasalways enjoyed helping to “fix”people.

Training the Iraqis in lifesav-ing techniques is just an exten-sion of that.

“I like doing these classesbecause if someone gets(attacked) these guys are morethan willing to help and they canassist us with their medicalknowledge as best they can,”Walker said. “I miss going outon the line, but this is going tohelp us and Iraq as a whole quitea bit.”

“The Al Hurriyah PHC will save Iraqi lives, provide familymedical service at a neighborhood level, afford employ-ment for healthcare professionals, and demostrate thecompassion and goodwill of the Coalition ... for years tocome.”

Lt. Cdr. Rod TribbleResident Office OIC

Spc. Dan BaldaSpc. Ryan Walker (center), an HHB, 1/76 FA combat medic,looks on as an Iraqi medic-in-training prepares to give aclassmate an IV.

1st Lt. Kevin Norton3/7 Inf.

BAGHDAD – Armed with medicalsupplies, teddy bears and shoes,Soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division’s3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regimenthelped a predominantly poor neigh-borhood of the Al Rasheed districtNov. 1.

The Soldiers of E Company, 3rdBn., 7th Inf. Regt., spoke with localauthorities in the April 9th Villageabout the need for medical care andsupplies in the neighborhood.

On Nov. 1, approximately 30 fami-lies were given medical screenings byU.S. Army doctors.

One resident, wounded during animprovised explosive device attack,received a wheelchair from U.S.forces.

As the locals streamed in from alldirections, a couple of E Co. Soldiersbegan organizing the crowd.

With the help of two local sheikhs,the Soldiers handed out essentialitems to the families including 100sets of children’s clothes, 200 teddybears and toy cars, 250 pairs of shoesand 100 personal hygiene kits.

Perhaps the most importantmoment came when a man brought his4-year-old son to see the medics. Theboy was born with his intestines pro-truding from his abdomen.

Although he was brave, he was stillscared as he got closer to the medicsconducting evaluations.

The Army medics realized they hada case that needed further attention.

1st Lt. Daniel Sevilla, the battalionphysician’s assistant called for per-mission from Iraqi and U.S. Armyauthorities for the child to be seen byan Army surgeon.

After he got the green light, Sevilla

brought the child and his father forfurther treatment.

One of the platoon leaders from ECo., 3/7 Inf., 1st Lt. Ian Sullivan, waspleased with the outcome of the mis-sion.

“From the initial security phase allthe way through the medical assess-ment, everything went smoothly,”Sullivan said. “It is missions likethese that make me feel like we’remaking a difference.”

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 8

Medical aid, teddybears win hearts in Al Rasheed district

Courtesy photoSgt. Daniel Watson, a Soldier assigned to E Co., 3/7 Inf., makes a new friend in the Al Rasheed district. Watson participat-ed in the medical visit that treated more than 30 families in a predominantly poor neighborhood Nov. 1.

502nd Inf. Soldiers find large weapons cacheMaj. Frank Garcia2/101st Abn. Div. PAO

BAGHDAD – Soldiers from 2ndBrigade Combat Team, 101stAirborne Division discovered a largeweapons cache during combat opera-tions south of Baghdad InternationalAirport Nov. 4.

Members of D Company, 2ndBattalion, 502nd Infantry Regimentdiscovered the cache at approximate-ly 8 p.m.

The search revealed more weaponsand munitions in a total of 18 differ-ent caches before concluding at 5p.m. Nov. 5.

Three terror suspects weredetained for further questioning.

The weapons cache included 9082-millimeter mortar shells, 40 handgrenades, 22 rocket-propelledgrenade rounds, eight rocket-pro-pelled grenade launchers, seven rock-ets, four 155-millimeter artilleryrounds, four 60-millimeter mortarsystems, three AK-47 assault rifles,two automatic grenade launchers, twomortar sights, two sacks of mortarpropellant charges, two pipe bombs,one 120-millimeter mortar round, onecase of 7.62-millimeter ammunition,one improvised rocket launcher, 800grams of TNT, 300 feet of detonationcord, bomb-making materiel, 25 skimasks, and four sets of body armorwith protective plates.

An explosives ordnance disposalteam later destroyed the cachethrough controlled detonation proce-dures.

Courtesy photoSoldiers of D Co., 2/502nd Inf. stand behind someof the munitions and other items found south ofthe Baghdad International Airport. Nov. 4.

Iraqi firefighters to team up with Florida citySpc. Ben Brody2nd BCT PAO

RUSAFA, Iraq – Soldiers from 1stBattalion, 9th Field Artillery; fire-fighters from Fort Wayne, Ind.; andresidents of Kissimmee, Fla., have afriend in Col. Laith Abbas, fire chiefof central Baghdad.

Firefighters from Fort Waynehave given Abbas training aids, whileKissimmee is in the process ofbecoming a “Sister City” to Rusafa.

Lt. Col. Steven Merkel, the 1stBn., 9th FAcommander,who is fromFort Wayne,and Capt.M a t t h e wWheeler, 1/9FA intelli-gence officerfrom Kissim-mee, were instrumental in pushingthe project.

“It really shows that people in theU.S. want to help make things betterhere – it’s a big confidence boost,”Merkel said during a visit to Abbas’station Nov. 3. “I’m extremely proudof the Fort Wayne firefighters – itsays they believe enough in whatwe’re doing in Iraq to donate theirtime and resources.”

Like the military, U.S. firefightershave common task training, whichinvolves a lesson plan and tests.

Among the donated items wereCD-ROMs and training manuals tohelp develop the Rusafa firefighters’skills.

The Soldiers of 1/9 FA have foundat least one small way to lend a handat the Rusafa fire station. Local resi-dents routinely bring unexplodedordnance to the firefighters, and soU.S. troops assist in its proper dis-posal.

“We’re working with Col. Laith toincrease force protection at his sta-tion, and to the dud pit,” said Maj.Jay Sawyer, 1/9 FA operations offi-cer. “We just call (explosive ord-nance disposal Soldiers) to comeover when the dud pit is getting full.”

EOD came tothe station Nov.3 and removedapproximately adozen 155-mil-limeter artilleryrounds, 11 120-millimeter mor-tar rounds andmany smaller

explosives, including hand grenadesand rifle grenades.

The assistance does not run oneway; Abbas and his men have aidedU.S. troops on numerous occasions.

“We will respond to any bombstrike, no matter who is hit –American or Iraqi,” Abbas said. “Wecome to put down the fire, and helpour friends.”

Abbas’ firefighters responded to ablast near Sadr City in which oneU.S. vehicle was damaged, andhelped extinguish the resulting fire.

“We don’t care if the TV camerasare filming, we want to show that wework together and support eachother,” Abbas said.

“We come to put down thefire, and help our friends.”

Col. Laith AbbasCentral Baghdad fire chief

Pfc. Kelly K. McDowell2/101st Abn. PAO

BAGHDAD – Before thesun heated the cool desertsands of Iraq, the Soldiers of526th Brigade SupportBattalion prepared for yetanother mission in support ofthe many elements within thebrigade.

The Soldiers, who support2nd Battalion, 502nd InfantryRegiment, but fall under526th BSB, spent Oct. 29loading trucks and trailerswith supplies for the troopssupporting the Iraqi Soldiersstationed west of the BaghdadInternational Airport. Thesupport battalion is part of2nd Brigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division.

Then, in the early-morningdarkness of Oct. 30, theSoldiers gathered for a prayerand final safety checks beforeembarking on their mission tothe “Lion’s Den.”

“Even though we are main-ly a support element platoon,our pride is extremely high,”said Staff Sgt. LaDaleSumerall, platoon sergeant, FCompany, 526th BSB.

Sumerall said the Soldiersof 526th BSB know they arejust as much in the fight tohelp the Iraqis by performingtheir support mission.

The unit rotates the troopswho are to go on convoys andSoldiers who stay behind in

the different camps. Some spend up to five days

with the Iraqi Security Forcesand Iraqi Soldiers, helpingthem build their camps byfilling sandbags, working onconstruction projects, man-ning checkpoints and improv-ing hygiene facilities.

“This gives us a chance todo our part to support thetroops,” said Sumerall.“Some of the Soldiers maynot be able to get phone calls,e-mail or regular mail, oreven religious services. Wecan go out there and deliverthese things to the fightingtroops, the infantry.”

Sumerall said the companyeven found a way to surprise2nd Bn., 502nd Inf. Regt. bybringing the battalion chap-lain and the chaplain’s assis-tant along in a convoy to the“Lion’s Den” for religiousservices.

The supply platoon alsobrought them hot meals,fruits, juices and energy barsto help give the troops a bit ofcomfort during their longdays.

The Soldiers who havespent days away from thecomforts of Camp Strikerwere high-spirited and posi-tive about their mission.

“It’s good stuff,” said Spc.Michael Remaley, F Co.,526th BSB, as he took a breakfrom downloading cases ofbottled water from the deliv-

ery trucks and trailers. “Weare here helping to better the(Iraqi Soldiers’) way of life.Out here, we have been ableto talk to the Iraqis, get toknow them … and we arebecoming friends.”

Remaley said his days inthe “Lion’s Den” have beenfilled with rewarding work.

“I love it out here,” hesaid. “We work side by sidewith the Iraqi Soldiers. Wehave completed their build-ings, secured the buildingswith sandbags, issued out fueland at the end of the day weall sit by the fire and eat din-ner together.”

As the sun rose over thecamp walls, the convoy hadsuccessfully unloaded at leastthree water buffaloes of bothpotable and non-potablewater, multiple cases of bot-tled water, crates of MREsand comfort items such asfoam mattresses and mailfrom home.

After rolling back into CampStriker, the Soldiers gatheredfor an after action review anddebriefing before heading backto the unit’s building to startplanning for the next mission.

“Our days do not end whenwe return from a mission,”Sumerall said. “We performmaintenance on the vehiclesand begin to prepare for ournext mission which could be thenext morning or four daysaway, you just never know.”

Page 9The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Support Soldiers convoy into ‘Lion’s Den’

Pfc. Kelly K. McDowellSupport troops from 526th BSB download cases of MREs as thebattalion delivers supplies to Soldiers working in the area south-west of Baghdad International Airport called the “Lion’s Den.”

Medal of Honor recipients visit 1/10th Mtn. Soldiers at Camp LibertyPfc. Jason Jordan1/10th Mtn. PAO

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – “For con-spicuous gallantry and intrepidity inaction at the risk of his life above andbeyond the call of duty.”

These words prelude the citation thatis read for Medal of Honor recipients.

Soldiers of 1st Brigade Combat Team,10th Mountain Division had the opportu-nity Oct. 30 to meet two of the men whohave heard those words read in theirhonor.

Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class GaryLittrell and retired Marine 2nd Lt. JohnMcGinty III visited Soldiers serving dur-ing Operation Iraqi Freedom 3 to talk

about the Medal of Honor and to boostthe Soldiers’ morale.

“We were asked last year if we couldsend some representatives from our soci-ety to Afghanistan and Iraq to meet withSoldiers,” said Littrell, president of theCongressional Medal of Honor Society.“The response and enthusiasm of theSoldiers were so overwhelming that wewere asked again to come back thisyear.”

McGinty and Littrell met withSoldiers from each battalion of the 1stBCT and attended a luncheon with themat the Blizzard Inn dining facility.

“I am so proud to be here todayamong these Soldiers,” McGinty said.“It is honestly doing more for my morale

than I think I am doing for yours. I seeno less bravery and honor among theSoldiers today than I did years ago. The10th Mountain Division Soldiers are agreat bunch and it makes me proud to bean American citizen.”

The Soldiers listened to accounts ofeach MOH recipient’s combat action andlater had the chance to ask questions.

“These guys were closer to action anddanger than most of us will ever be,” saidSpc. Michael Simpson, B Company, 1stBattalion, 87th Infantry Regiment.“They stayed brave and risked their livesto save others in the kind of situationsyou only see in the movies.”

Littrell was serving as an adviser tothe 23rd Battalion, 2nd Ranger Group ofthe South Vietnamese Army when hisbattalion came under intense enemymortar attacks and several ambushesstarting on April 4, 1970. Over thecourse of four days, Littrell redirected thebattalion’s fire, called in air support byday and marked enemy locations bynight – all while redistributing ammuni-tion and shouting words of encourage-ment to the Vietnamese in their own lan-guage.

“We got caught in a bad situation thatday,” Littrell said. “I didn’t feel like ahero. I just felt like I had a job to do. Ithink I was only a sergeant doing his jobon that hill. That’s all.”

McGinty was with Company K, 3rdBattalion, 4th Marines, 3rd MarineDivision in Vietnam in July 1966. HisMOH citation describes how his platoonwas providing rear security to protect thewithdrawal of his battalion from a posi-tion in which they had been under attackfor three days.

The battalion came under heavy smallarms, automatic weapons and mortar firefrom the enemy. With each wave ofattack that assaulted his platoon during afour-hour battle, McGinty rallied his mento beat off the enemy.

In one particular assault, two squadsbecame separated from the rest of theplatoon. McGinty charged throughintense enemy fire to reach the squads,where he found 20 men wounded and themedical corpsman dead.

McGinty reloaded ammunition for thewounded and directed their fire at theenemy. He killed five of the enemy atpoint-blank range when they attackedagain, and then he directed artillery fireto within 50 yards of his position – whichhelped rout the enemy.

When asked if he knew that he wascommitting heroic acts that day,McGinty replied, “I never consideredmyself a hero, and I don’t to this day. Iacted upon instinct and training that day.Ten of my fellow Marines died. I don’twear this star for me, I wear it for them.”

The visit made a distinct impressionon the Iraq-based troops.

“You see people like these men,and talk to them – men who have dis-played courage during life-and-deathsituations – and it motivates you,”said Spc. Daniel Nieto, 1st Bn., 87thInf. “These men have seen war asugly as it gets, but they are still happyto be here – motivating us and encour-aging us to drive on. It makes youfeel differently about being here.”

Pfc. Jason JordanAbove: Medal of Honor recipients Gary Littrell (back to camera) and John McGinty III(right) meet with Col. Jeffrey J. Snow (left), 1/10th Mtn. commander, and other leaders. Right: As Soldiers pass around Gary Littrell’s Medal of Honor, the retired sergeantfirst class talks about his actions during combat in Vietnam at Camp Liberty Oct. 30.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 10

Feeding the maFeeding the maCapt. Marc Pelini1/11th ACR PAO

ABU GHRAIB, Iraq - 2nd Battalion, 3rd Iraqi Muthana Brigade ofthe Iraqi Army along with 1st Squadron, 11th Armored CavalryRegiment distributed 5,000 kilograms, equivalent to 12,000 pounds,of food along with clothes and shoes to four local mosques in AbuGhraib.

The distribution was to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, a three day holiday atthe end of Ramadan emphasizing direct charitable actions for thepoor.

"This is the reason we are here and conduct civil military opera-tions," Cpt. Aaron Ashoff said. "At the end of the day, nothing feelsbetter than helping the people that need it and seeing our Iraqi broth-ers succeed."

1/11th ACR

Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Iraqi Army Brigade had repeated opportunities to meet cit

Pfc. Jason JordanSoldiers from 2/22nd Inf., 10th Mtn., pull security at four different distribution points throughout the district during an aid mission conducted by the Iraqi Army.

Capt. Aaron AshoffSoldiers of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Iraqi Muthana Army Brigade, distribute more than12,000 pounds of food and clothes to residents of Abu Ghraib.

Page 11The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Pfc. Jason JordanAbove: A member of the Iraqi Army hands out bags of food to the citizens of Abu Ghraibduring a humanitarian aid mission on Nov. 2. IA Soldiers took control of the operation.Below: Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Iraqi Army Brigade search citizens of AbuGhraib before they enter a secure area to receive food supplies.

assesasses

Pfc. Jason Jordan1/10th Mtn. PAO

ABU GHRAIB, Iraq — Soldiers of the 1/10th MountainDivision’s 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, assistedthe Iraqi Army in a hand out of food supplies in Abu Ghraibon November 2.

The Soldiers provided security and outer cordons whilethe Iraqi Army continued displaying its capabilities as theytook control of the operation.

The Iraqi Army handed out enough beef, rice and sugar tofeed approximately 500 families.

“The day was a real success,” said Sgt. 1st Class DavidLarson, 2/22 Inf. “It was great to see the Iraqi Army han-dling the operation so well for their people, and to see theexcitement of those who came for the help.”

2/22nd Inf.Pfc. Jason Jordan

tizens of Abu Ghraib while delivering food during a humanitarian aid mission Nov. 2.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 12

Santiago foresees the bankingsystem in Iraq will increasinglyshow signs of improvement asArmy finance offices continue tomake payments in the local curren-cy.

“The ultimate goal is to have allthe local vendors and contractorspaid in dinars while maximizing theuse of the local banking system,”Santiago said. “It’s difficult to esti-mate when we will reach this point,but just to disseminate funds in

their currency is a major step inthe right direction.”

Iraqi vendors and contractorsare likely to appreciate the changefrom payments in U.S. dollars todinars because it will help theireconomy, said 1st Lt. TayoniaWilliams, 3rd Finance disbursingofficer.

“Paying Iraqis in their own cur-rency also has the benefit of limit-ing the large amount of cash thatvendors and contractors have to

carry after getting paid for theirsupplies and services,” Williamssaid.

Santiago said the switch todinar will also help the CoalitionForces fight against terrorism.

“By limiting the U.S. dollars inthe region, we are cutting downthe dollars that could possibly beused by insurgents,” Santiagosaid. “These steps are setting theright path for the rebuilding ofIraq.”

DINAR, continued from page 1

Spc. Derek Del RosarioMaj. Richard Santiago, 3rd Finance Co. commander,signs a dinar check Oct. 18.

Spc. George Welcome2/101st Abn. Div. PAO

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – If laughter is the bestmedicine, then Soldiers from 2nd Brigade CombatTeam, 101st Airborne Division were given a healthydose of good humor Nov. 5 as comedians from theComics on Duty World Tour visited Iraq.

The troupe began its 10-day tour to military basesin the Middle East Oct. 29.

The comedians said they felt duty-bound to visitthe Soldiers in the desert.

“I just wanted a chance to try and give back to thetroops,” said Matt Isemann, a licensed physicianwho gave up a career in medicine to pursue stand-

up comedy. “I appreciate what they’re doing, put-ting their lives on the line, so I figured it would besomething we could do to bring them some humor.”

Although the comedians all had different stylesand personalities, they were united by a commonthread – a desire to make the troops laugh.

“I am glad to get a chance to make people laugh,”said comedian Tom Simmons.

Most of the comics said they were surprised tofind the Soldiers were really down to earth andfriendly. They were also surprised at how muchmore built up the camps are than what they expect-ed.

After the two-hour show concluded, the comedi-ans gave away two satellite radios to Soldiers in theaudience. In turn, the comedians were givenbrigade T-shirts and coins by Lt. Col. RichardWhite, the brigade’s deputy commander, who toldthem, “You were our best show … you were ouronly show.”

After all the presentations were made, the troopsfiled onto the stage and shook the comedians’hands.

That’s when Simmons realized the Soldiers’attendance that day was as fulfilling to him as thecomedy show was to them.

“At the end of the show when you are shakingtheir hands, it’s really humbling. I actually feelkind of stupid, (when it’s) them thanking me forcoming,” Simmons said.

“The show was really entertaining and the guyswere all funny,” said Pvt. Matthew Black of 526thBrigade Support Battalion. “I think the event hasboosted people’s spirits. I know it did mine.”

Baghdad,” has brought stability to morethan 120 IP and Highway Patrol stations,Schroeder said.

Using a team of Soldiers specializedin operations, training, logistics, budgetplanning, intelligence gathering andmanaging personnel, progress was any-thing but fast

in the beginning. However, as theMPs were able to break down some of

the obstacles getting in their way, the IPsbegan working harder, transforming intoa stronger, capable force.

“First, we had to understand Iraq’sown current system, which takes a greatdeal of time and patience because you’redealing with a completely different wayof life from your own,” Schroeder said.“Then came automation … that was alsoa huge obstacle.”

When the 42nd MP Bde. arrived inIraq, the IPs didn’t have any method ofautomation; everything was handwritten… and stored in boxes. The MPs taughtthem how to use computers and theInternet for everything; from keepingtrack of personnel and supplies to usingthem as a leadership teaching tool,Schroeder said

“It took an entire year to get standard-ized reports that are actually importantand meaningful to (the IPs),” Schroedersaid. “They’ve seen how beneficial theseprograms are, especially during an eventsuch as the elections or referendum.”

Once the IPs became proficient inautomation, P3 shifted its focus to devel-oping a primary staff, much like the mil-itary police, capable of managing theirown resources, people, equipment andbudget.

“As each section of their staff learnedwhat the other does, they began to realizethat they must work together in order tosucceed,” said Staff Sgt. RubenCovarrubias, IPS logistics noncommis-sioned officer in charge.

“Now they can actually see wherethey are short personnel, weapons, ammoand where the (dangerous neighbor-hoods) are. They’re able to manage theirown people to carry out missions,”Schroeder said.

For a security force that was barely inexistence when the 42nd MP Bde.arrived last November, the progressthey’ve seen has been tremendous andonly continues to grow. Along with man-aging their own personnel, IPs are alsolearning to train their own people. Until

recently, the MPs conducted all aspectsof training. Whether they’re at aweapons range or inside an office typingreports, IPs are gradually replacing theMPs’ roles. Schroeder said their goal isto develop a training program that is tai-lored to their culture and needs, enablingthem to sustain and train their own.

Clearly, P3 has made a significantimpact in the security and developmentof IP forces. The program’s list ofaccomplishments is extensive, yet thereare more goals to be met.

“We stabilized all the police stationsin Baghdad and every place we had mil-itary police,” Swengros sad. “We devel-oped the provincial and director policeheadquarters where they are probablyable to stand on their own two feet withvery little support from CoalitionForces.”

Swengros reassured the IPs that the49th MP Bde. will continue assistingthem in developing their police stations.

“There is still plenty of work to do,”he said. “There will be more challengesin developing the districts and stations aswe’ve developed (Baghdad PoliceHeadquarters) this year.”

As P3 expands beyond Baghdad,Schroeder sees a promising future for theprogram and its police. He said the IraqiSecurity Forces will continue to progressas long as Coalition Forces keep the IPsas a priority.

“This group of professionals has real-ly stepped up in providing safety andsecurity for the people of Iraq,”Swengros said. “They can do anythingonce they put their minds to it.”

FAREWELL, continued from page 1

Pfc. Laura BigenhoMaj. Gen. Abd-al-Razzaq, Baghdad police chief, presents Col. Richard Swengros,commander, 42nd Military Police Brigade, with a gift. The Soldiers were servedIraqi food during a farewell dinner held at Baghdad Police Headquarters.

Photos by Pfc. Kelly K. McDowellComic Jeff Capri entertains the Soldiers of 2/101st Abn.Div. as part of the Comics on Duty Tour that visitedCamp Striker Nov. 4.

Comics bring laughter to combat zone

Pvt. Decassel Sanford, F Company, 526th BSB, laughswith the performers of the Comics on Duty World Tour.

Page 13The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Deployed cops reflect on service to nation, communitySpc. Dan Balda4th BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – For threeTask Force Baghdad Soldiersassigned to 1st Battalion, 184thInfantry Regiment, it wasn’tenough for them to serve theircountry in the Army NationalGuard, they also decided toprotect and serve their localcommunities. Two chose to bepolice officers while the thirdjoined the U.S. Marshals.

Cpl. Tim Scarrott, a policeofficer in Oakland, Calif., hadalways been told by his fatherto have a career where he couldput in an honest day’s work foran honest day’s pay and tostand for something.

“I believe that is what apolice officer does,” Scarrottsaid. “We protect and serve,and I felt it was a worthwhilecareer that would give me theability to help people.”

Once he joined the policeforce, he put his thoughts ofbeing a Soldier by the waysideuntil 9-11.

“After 9-11, the U.S. invad-ed Afghanistan and … therewas a need for people to servein the military,” Scarrott said.“I love my civilian profession,but I felt there was more Icould do for my nation and mycommunity by serving in theNational Guard. I chose theNational Guard because I love

my job … I wanted to help dur-ing a time of need.”

1st Lt. Jon Minnich, a nativeof Las Vegas, and the fire sup-port officer for C Company, 1stBn., 184th Inf. Regt., pursued ajob with the U.S. Marshalswhile enlisted in the Air Force.

“I was coming up on my 10-year point in the mili-tary and I realized thatregardless if I did 20years active duty, Iwould still have to getout and find anothercareer,” Minnich said.

In the mid-1990s, heattended a law enforce-ment job fair and, afterspeaking with a U.SMarshals representa-tive, was impressed bywhat they had to offer.

Like Scarrott, Sept. 11, 2001brought Minnich to a cross-roads and made him rethinkwhy he had joined the military.

“I was getting close to 15,16 years in (federal service)and could have ridden my lastfour years out, retired and beendone with it, but that wasn’twhat I wanted to do,” he said.He chose to become an officerbecause a part of him hadalways stayed with the mili-tary.

Another 1/184th Soldier,Staff Sgt. Richard Sanchez,joined the military at a youngage because he wanted to jump

out of airplanes.His friends told him how

much they enjoyed being a partof the 82nd Airborne Divisionand he followed suit, eventual-ly serving in the SpecialForces. When he came to theend of his enlistment contracthe decided to put himself

through the Rio Hondo PoliceAcademy. From there, hejoined the Compton (Calif.)Police Department where hehas served as a gang detectivesince 1991.

All three men believe thereis a direct correlation betweentheir careers, especially whiledeployed; which is why somany Soldiers choose to con-tinue serving through lawenforcement after getting outof the military.

“I think the taking and giv-ing of orders and the structure(lead to the correlation),”Sanchez said. “Everything has

to be done in a uniform way.You can associate what we aredoing here with being a cop,patrolling the streets, gatheringinformation, building a rap-port, searching vehicles andhouses – everything we dohere is associated with policework.”

For Sanchez, thedeployment has notbeen without its losses– both in Iraq and backin the U.S. His platoonhas been hit hard sincethey have been inBaghdad and, inAugust, he lost hispolice partner of nineyears.

“I’ve taken my losseshere, and I’ve taken acouple back home, but

we came to do a job,” Sanchezsaid. “We came with the possi-bility of not coming homeevery time we go into sector.(In Compton) what are theodds of getting shot or hurt? Itdoes happen, but it’s veryrare.”

“Being a Soldier is a lotmore dangerous and more dif-ficult than any civilian jobback home as far as set hoursand a set schedule; here it is24/7, the hours are longer andthe work is more difficult,”Scarrott said.

In their civilian jobs,Scarrott and Minnich work

either by themselves or with apartner which differs from theArmy’s emphasis on teamworkamong a large group of people.

“As a police officer, you goout on a call and take reports,”Scarrott said. “A lot of yourwork is going to be all individ-ual effort that will later besupervised by a sergeant. Here,as a team leader, I supervise mymen directly and there’s a lotmore teamwork involved.

Sanchez said there are somesimilarities between his tour ofduty here and back inCompton.

“Some of these insurgentsare just like gang members backhome,” he explained. “Theywork in groups. They adapt toour way of working and try tocounteract that. They’re alwaystrying to find a way to beat us.It’s a battle.”

Sanchez compares patrols inIraq to a rollercoaster.

“Sometimes you go outthere and see something youcan laugh about,” he said.“But sometimes … you go outand something happens thathurts your buddies. It’s anemotional challenge being inIraq versus the States. Backhome, you can shut it offwhen you go home after work– turn the power switch andworry about it the next morn-ing. Here, that switch is onall the time.”

Pfc. Jason Jordan1/10th Mtn. PAO

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Several Soldiersfrom the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10thMountain Division’s 2nd Battalion, 22ndInfantry Regiment were recognized for theirbravery and selfless service during a ceremonyOct. 25.

The Army Commendation Medal was awardedto Pfc. Jeffrey G. Morris for saving the life of anIraqi citizen injured during a firefight.

Acting on the skills he learned in the Army’sCombat Lifesaver Course, Morris applied a pres-sure dressing and a tourniquet to the victim’s legto control the bleeding. His quick action kept theman alive until a medic arrived.

Pfc. James S. Carlson was awarded the PurpleHeart Award for wounds received during actionSept. 5 when his vehicle was struck by an impro-vised explosive device.

Carlson, a vehicle gunner, received shrapnelwounds to his face, but climbed back into the tur-ret to continue to cover his sector of fire. Aftergetting medical attention and having the shrapnelremoved from his face, he returned to duty thenext day.

Several Soldiers were awarded the CombatInfantryman’s Badge for participating in groundcombat operations under hostile enemy fire.

The following Soldiers were awarded the CIB:Pvts. Timothy W. Simpson, Gary W. Leafty,Nicholas R. Cournoyer, Jose L. Carrera, James S.Carlson, and Mark D. Borotkanics Jr.; Pfcs.Frank J. Salazar, Michael D. Potts, AlexMartinez, Mernyll A. Manalo, Sofala Maiava Jr.,Ronnie J. Cochran, and Roger D. Anderson;Spcs. Israel D. Martinez, Thomas A. Keller,Robert J. D’Agostino, and Brandon L. Beaver;and Sgt. 1st Class Juan Trevino.

Four Soldiers were also awarded the ArmyAchievement Medal for their technical and tacti-cal expertise provided to their battalion: Pfcs.Stanley Jackson and Sofala Maiava; and Spcs.Christopher A. Shearer and Robert J.D’Agostino.

1/10th Mtn. Soldiers awarded for bravery

Pfc. Jason JordanCommand Sgt. Maj. Brian Carlson, 1/10th Mtn.Div., congratulates Soldiers of the 2/22nd dur-ing an awards ceremony Oct. 25.

Tip leads to discovery of terrorists’ weapons stashCapt. Jon Fausnaugh1/11th ACR

BAGHDAD, IRAQ —Acting on a tip from an Iraqicivilian, Task Force BaghdadSoldiers discovered bombmaking materials Nov 6. in theback yard of an Abu Ghraibfarm house.

The tip led Soldiers from 1stSquadron, 11th ArmoredCavalry Regiment, a unit fromFort Irwin, Calif, to five possi-ble terrorist safe houses.

The search began early inthe morning at about 6 a.m. Itwas not until noon when theydiscovered cell phones withwires attached and a video

camera in a bucket buriedbehind a farm house.

This find led the unit to con-duct a more extensive searchof the area, which netted sever-al more items intended forImprovised Explosive Deviceconstruction.

The Soldiers found one carbattery, 10 cell phones withwires, four voltage regulators,one video camera, a ski mask,eight cell phones wired forIEDs, 15 feet of detonationcord, a washing machine timer,eight sticks of dynamite encasedin rock plaster form, one 60 mil-limeter rocket, two 107 millime-ter rockets, and eight ounces ofplastic explosives.

Capt. Jon FausnaughCell phones rigged for bomb detonation sit on the hood of ahumvee on a rural road in Abu Ghraib Nov. 6.

“I’ve taken my losses here andI’ve taken a couple back home,but we came to do a job.”

Staff Sgt. Richard Sanchez1/184th Inf.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 14

Sgt. Matthew Wester3/1 AD PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Troops whopatrol Iraqi streets encounter a differ-ent culture every time they leave theirbase – unfamiliar customs, food andlanguages are the norm.

However, members of B Company,1st Battalion, 115th Infantry Regiment,29th Infantry Division, don’t have toleave the wire to experience differentcultures or languages. All they have todo is spend some time with their fellowSoldiers.

There are immigrants from 13 coun-tries serving in the diverse MarylandNational Guard unit, which works with2nd Battalion, 70th ArmoredRegiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st ArmoredDivision.

“In our company, we have Soldiersfrom all over the world,” said 1st Lt.Michael Kirtland, a B Co. platoonleader. “In my platoon alone, we haveguys from Jamaica, El Salvador,Germany, Sri Lanka and Korea. It’seducational serving with men from allover. You get to learn many thingsabout all the different cultures. It’salmost like a U.N. meeting.”

The troops are constantly exchang-ing information about their native cus-toms and look forward to learningmore about other parts of the world.

“I’ve been to some of (the otherSoldiers’) homes and they are differentfrom mine,” said Pfc. Enoc Cabezas, aB Co. infantryman from El Salvador.“They live in a different world, but Iwas excited to get to know the people Iwas serving with.”

Spc. Raymond Ritzau is a gunner forB Co. who immigrated to Marylandfrom Hamburg, Germany in 1999. He

said he’s always been interested in dif-ferent cultures.

“I like different languages,” Ritzausaid. “I’ve tried to learn some Spanish(from the other Soldiers). To me, it’sinteresting to talk to people from dif-ferent countries.”

The myriad languages spoken with-in the company have caused a littleconfusion, but also a lot of humor.

Kirtland said during patrols, radiotransmissions are sometimes difficultto understand because the differentaccents of some of the Soldiers makecommunications a little more challeng-ing.

Although the infantrymen jokearound about their differences, whenthey’re patrolling the streets northwestof Baghdad, they work together as ateam.

“We just see each other as Soldiersno matter where we come from,”Kirtland said. “The guy next to youdepends on you, you depend on him.”

“We’re all Soldiers who are gettingalong, just working together,” Ritzauadded.

The foreign-born Soldiers said theytake pride in their adopted country andsee military service as a way to showtheir thanks for the opportunities theU.S. has afforded them.

“A lot of these guys want to returnsomething back to the country that hasgiven them so much,” Kirtland said.

“(Military service) was calling myname. It was something I wanted todo,” said Cabezas, who grew up amidcivil war in El Salvador. “My familylooks up to me. They think I’m doingsomething great for the country.”

Deploying to Iraq for OperationIraqi Freedom 3 has given some of theSoldiers an even greater appreciation

for America.“There are a lot of opportunities in

the United States and I plan on stayingthere for the rest of my life,” Ritzausaid. “If I can make it safer for me andmy family to live there, then I’m proudto do it.”

The U.S. government is rewardingthat sacrifice by allowing immigrantSoldiers who have served in a combatzone for a year to apply for citizenship.

Thirteen Soldiers in B Co. are cur-

rently applying to become U.S. citi-zens.

“They feel like America is theirhome; it is their country,” Kirtlandsaid. “We’re a country of immigrants.When you see a military unit of immi-grants fighting for that country, you’reseeing that representation. We’reshowing the world that there is a placewhere people with different cultures,backgrounds and religions can getalong.”

Diverse infantry company similar to mini-U.N.

Sgt. Matthew WesterCAMP TAJI, Iraq – Sgt. Andy B. Vinh, a team leader for 2nd Platoon, B Company, 1stBattalion, 115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, loads a .50-caliber machinegun before a recent patrol. The Maryland National Guard Soldier was born inVietnam. When he was an infant, his family immigrated to Silver Spring, Md., on oneof the last planes out of Vietnam as Saigon was being overrun.

Sadr City flooded with essential services projectsPress Release2nd BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – The impover-ished neighborhood of SadrCity in eastern Baghdad, oncefilled with violence, is now ben-efiting from millions of dollarspumped into projects designedto improve the basic services ofwater, electricity, sewage treat-ment and trash clean-up.

Residents’ faucets are nowflowing with fresh water, thanksto more than a dozen new waternetworks in the district.

One of the first prioritiesundertaken by 3rd InfantryDivision’s 2nd Brigade CombatTeam to improve the infrastruc-ture was to provide the residentsof Sadr City with drinkingwater.

Prior to the rebuilding effort,clean water had to be brought in

by trucks. The water network, decayed

from years of neglect, did notprovide sufficient drinkingwater for its residents and suf-fered from low pressure andcontamination.

Additionally, residents inhomes without a proper waterconnection resorted to illegaltaps into the network, which ledto a further decrease in pressureand made the network evenmore vulnerable to breaks andcontamination.

All this would soon change.In early October 2004, a

$22.5 million project was fund-ed by the U.S. Agency forInternational Development toprovide Sadr City residents withclean drinking water.

The Parsons Corporation wascontracted to design a networkfor 83 water sectors and install

networks in 14 sectors, whichwould bring water to about200,000 residents.

While Parsons personnelcompleted the design of the net-works, they subcontracted theactual installation to two Iraqicontractors who employed localresidents, making them activeparticipants in the rebuilding oftheir community.

Parsons recently completedthe installation of the 14 net-works.

Nearly 100 kilometers ofmain line water pipe wereinstalled and 15,000 house con-nections were completed.

Parsons and the BaghdadWater Supply Authority coordi-nated to ensure minimal inter-ruption of water service whenold networks are disconnected.

The 14 water networks are amodel for the rest of the net-

work rehabilitation for SadrCity.

The designs for water net-works in the remaining 69 sec-tors are now complete.Contracts for five of these sec-tors were recently awarded tothree Iraqi contractors.

The U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers is managing theseprojects with the help of Iraqiquality-assurance personnel.

A complementary short-termwater project is the installationof 57 compact water purifica-tion units in Rusafa, including27 throughout Sadr City.

Each unit draws water fromdrilled wells and provides near-ly 15,000 liters of clean drinkingwater per day.

This project is intended onlyas a short-term solution to SadrCity’s water shortage until thenew networks are in place

throughout the city, according toLt. Col. S. Jamie Gayton, 2ndBrigade Troops Battalion com-mander.

USACE works closely withBWSA in their efforts. Thispartnership ensures the localIraqi government has ownershipover how the city is rebuilt.

Additionally, the governmentrepresentatives can garner trustfrom the Iraqi people throughthe successes displayed by theirmunicipal authority.

Once the networks are com-plete and accepted by BWSA,responsibility to maintain thosenetworks is turned over to theIraqi government.

The 14 new networks arejust a small part of the effortto provide a better future forIraq, but will have a hugeimpact on the lives of the peo-ple of Sadr City.

Page 15The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Soldiers treated to a few tricks at Halloween bashSpc. Brian Henretta100th MPAD

BAGHDAD – Camp LibertySoldiers performed their besttricks at the Riva Ridge Morale,Welfare and Recreation Center,treating the crowd to a “spook-tacular” Halloween talent showOct. 29.

The show’s format followedthe 1970s TV game “The GongShow,” with three judges givingperformers a score of one to 10,with the truly terrible acts get-ting “gonged.”

The talent show featuredsingers, dancers, poetry readingand even an Elvis impersonator.Acts of all types are welcomedand encouraged at future talentshows.

“You can do anything youwant,” said event judge Maj.Nick Maulden, of 17th FieldArtillery Brigade and the lifesupport area mayor for eastCamp Liberty. “Sing, breakdance, magic, stand-up comedy,anything goes. Soldiers don’teven have to be very good atwhat they’re doing. In fact,

being good might even workagainst them when it comes tothe gong.”

Soldiers were treated throughthe night to singers, both talent-ed and terrible, performingselections such as “MountainMusic,” by Alabama; “KillingMe Softly,” by the Fugees;“Blue Suede Shoes,” by ElvisPresley; “Do Your Own Thing,”by King El the King; andHalloween favorite “TheMonster Mash.”

The winning “spooktacular”performance was a dance rou-tine by the duo Big Moon andJones, composed of Pfcs. DustinMoon and Christopher Jones,both truck drivers with 10thBrigade Support Battalion, 1stBrigade, 10th MountainDivision.

The duo’s showcase ofbreak-dancing, flips and “therobot” elicited a roaring ovationfrom the audience. Judgesawarded Big Moon and Jonesthe event’s only perfect overallscore.

Jones and Moon may havedefeated their talent show chal-lengers with ease, but onlybecause they have spent yearsdancing and building teamchemistry.

“I’ve been dancing for 12years,” Jones said. “(Moon andI) met each other a year and ahalf ago at Fort Drum and start-

ed doing routines together.”“We began practicing and

battling other dancers at clubs inthe area,” Moon added. “After awhile, we gained a great chem-istry as a team, which helped usout tonight.”

Moon said he and Jones feedoff each other’s energy.Although they come from dif-ferent dance backgrounds, theyhave developed such knowledgeof the other’s moves that duringa routine they are able to antici-pate what the other will do andcommunicate with just headnods and other non-verbal sig-nals.

During his 12 years of danc-ing, Jones has taken formal les-sons and been a member of abreak dance crew. Moon saidhe began dancing five years agoafter a neck injury. He taughthimself moves as a way to reha-bilitate his neck and challengehimself.

While Big Moon and Joneswere excited about winning,they look forward to defendingtheir title at future talent shows.

“We had some great competi-tion,” Jones said. “There were afew singers that were amazingand I thank everyone for com-peting. Hopefully next timethere will be another dancegroup for us to battle with.”

Big Moon and Jones’ scorewas just enough to top Pfc.

Erreka Bennett’s rendition of“Killing Me Softly.”

Bennett, an A Co., 10th BSBtruck driver, said she chose thisparticular song because she hasalways loved it and it fits hervoice well.

The Georgia native has sungher entire life, and she said allthe hard work paid off with thepraise she received for her per-formance.

“Like Randy [Jackson] from‘American Idol’ would say,‘Girl, you got it going on,’”Mauldin said as he gave the per-formance a perfect ten.

Although Mauldin wasimpressed by most of the enter-tainers, he had to give out onegong for a botched Elvis imper-sonation.

“I couldn’t let you continueto disgrace the King like that,”Mauldin jokingly said to thecontestant to explain his gong.

He said the evening was agreat time for everyoneinvolved.

“It was awesome, Mauldinsaid. “We had 200 plus peoplein the crowd, eight great actsand everyone enjoyed them-selves. Tonight is just a start.We are going to do this the lastweekend of every month.Hopefully, it will become evenmore popular and we can getsome performers from othercamps.”

Spc. Brian HenrettaPfc. Dustin Moon (left) and Pfc. Christopher Jones, 10th BSB,1/10th Mtn. Div., perform handstands during their break danceroutine at the Riva Ridge Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilityHalloween talent show Oct. 29.

STB mechanics teach tae kwon doSpc. Derek Del Rosario100th MPAD

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Confidence,discipline, passion – these may soundsimilar to Army values, but they are alsothe leadership traits that tae kwon doinstructors Spc. Fred Jean-Francois andSgt. Jean Valnues strive to instill in theirmartial arts students.

Both Jean-Francois and Valnues aremechanics with Headquarters andHeadquarters Operations Company,Special Troops Battalion.

Jean-Francois, a second-degree blackbelt, has nearly 20 years of experience.He began teaching in 1992 in his nativecountry of Haiti, where he has won twonational championships. His interest inmartial arts began as a youth, when aclassmate showed him the passive natureof tae kwon do.

“I was a bit of a trouble-maker as a kidand I would get in a lot of fights,” Jean-Francois said. “One classmate had avery calm character that I admired. I sawhim practice tae kwon do one day and Iwas very impressed, so I became inter-ested as well.”

Valnues first attended Jean-Francois’class in March and was immediatelyinspired. He trained diligently, earnedhis green belt, and is now an assistantinstructor.

“When I first came to the class, it wasthe first time I’d ever participated in taekwon do,” Valnues said. “I was hookedfrom the beginning. I found it very com-petitive and challenging.”

There are two aspects of tae kwon do– form and fighting.

Form is basically like imaginary fight-ing or kata. Fighting is more active andself-defense driven, and it is Jean-Francois’ specialty.

“It is not only a sport, it’s a lifestyle,”Jean-Francois said. “It’s a way of life,like a religion, for me. I think peoplewho study tae kwon do learn self-controlin every aspect of life, and most impor-tantly, discipline.”

The fundamentals of the ancient disci-pline as taught by Jean-Francois havemade Valnues a better martial artist.

“(Jean-Francois) is truly a master ofhis art,” Valnues said. “He makes surepeople understand the moves, he’s veryinformative and takes a step-by-stepapproach to teaching. He remains veryrelaxed and approachable.”

Maj. Susan Robinson, a 602nd AreaSupport Medical Company staff physi-cian, said she takes the class to keep her-self connected with her family.

“I think the class is very fun andinformative,” she said. “The instructorsare very professional. My 6-year-old sonis taking tae kwon do (in the U.S.), sotalking to him about it is a real bondingexperience.”

Jean-Francois and Valnues remaindedicated to their duties as mechanics,but they both agree that tae kwon do hasboosted their moral and helped them staypositive during some of the most tryingperiods of their deployment.

“When it comes to Army life, I haveno stress despite being away from familyor being in Iraq,” Jean-Francois said.“Tae kwon do gives me the discipline tostay positive no matter what happensduring this tour. That’s just the way I am,and I try to pass that positive attitudeonto others.”

Valnues also sees parallels betweentae kwon do and the Army. He is ateacher in the motor pool, but a studentwhen it comes to tae kwon do.

“Tae kwon do has definitely given memore confidence and discipline, which isimportant in the Army,” Valnues said.“The Army structure is very similar totae kwon do, they both have a rank struc-ture and there is a level of respect amongus. (Jean-Francois) is my Soldier atwork, but (in class) we switch positions.I salute him by bowing to show respect.”

Jean-Francois believes that one’sphysical ability is not the most importantcharacteristic necessary to succeed in taekwon do.

“You have to believe in yourself in

order to succeed,” he said. “When Iteach, it doesn’t matter if my class hasone or 100 people. I’m going to staydedicated to teaching, and that mindset iswhat you need to be successful in taekwon do.”

“If your heart is in it, you will get towhere you want to go,” Jean-Francoisadvised. “When life gives you a punch,you have to get back up. Never staydown.”

He said he wants the martial artsclasses to continue for the troops evenafter his tour of duty ends, so to ensurethe lessons and ideals of tae kwon doinspire others, Jean-Francois is work-ing with Pfc. Michael Ross, a black belt

from B Company, 1st Brigade SpecialTroops Battalion, 10th MountainDivision, and will hand over the dutiesof class instructor to Ross when his unitredeploys.

Jean-Francois, who is training toearn his third-degree black belt, plansto open his own school called theHaitian Tae Kwon Do Academy.

Valnues anticipates participating intae kwon do competitions and hopes toearn a black belt rating.

Tae kwon do classes are offered at the3rd Infantry Division gym at 6 p.m. onMondays and Wednesdays, and 7 p.m.on Fridays. Tae kwon do classes areopen to servicemembers and civilians.

Spc. Derek Del RosarioSpc. Fred Jean-Francois, an HHOC, STB mechanic, teaches tae kwon do self defensemoves to Maj. Susan Robinson, 602nd ASMC staff physician, at the 3rd Inf. Div. gym.

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 16

East Baghdad gets wired for reliable electricitySpc. Ben Brody2nd BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – Residents of eastBaghdad should be getting more reli-able electricity after more than 24,000meters of new electrical cable was laid

during a project to connect theAdhamiyah main station with theKriahat substation.

“Adding this feeder line means theMinistry of Electricity will eventuallybe able to provide power to morehomes from the substations,” said

Robyn Thomas, project managementspecialist for Army Corps of Engineers.“It is an added capability, providingredundancy if there is a failure in thepower supply or distribution alonganother line. The project has thepotential to improve service for about200,000 people.”

The project started July 19 andemployed more than 180 Iraqis in eitherfull- or part-time work on the project.An Iraqi engineer and his crew werecharged with quality control of the proj-ect.

“We visited the site about three timeseach week and the workers are doing agood job,” said Ismaeel, an electricalengineer who serves as the deputy resi-dent engineer for east Baghdad. Hewas trained at a Baghdad engineeringcollege and worked as an engineer forthe Iraqi government.

He said that he and his crew “repre-sent the best interests of the Iraqi peo-ple at work sites to make sure the con-tract is being adhered to. The peoplecan have faith that we are monitoringthese projects very strictly.”

In this project, where more than4,000 meters of trench were dug for thecable, checking the standards was veryimportant.

Ismaeel said the trench has to be dugto the correct depth and there is a need

for a specific amount of fine soil underand over the cable. If the cable needs tocross a road, there is a requirement forother material such as gravel to make abase that can handle the extra weight.

In all cases, the contractor must sealthe trench with concrete pavers andthen put fresh soil on top of that.

“The goal is to return the ground towhat it looked like before the diggingtook place,” Ismaeel said, adding thathe feels the job was done very profes-sionally.

Safety is another concern he looks atwhile on the job sites.

“We look to keep the project runningsmoothly, but we also check to makesure the workers are being safe,” hesaid. “We can stop the project if we seeunsafe activity.”

He said he has noticed an improve-ment in the safety procedures on site.

Ismaeel said his role representing thegovernment and the people at the proj-ect sites is fairly new.

“During the Saddam regime, theworkers and managers were govern-ment employees – now we deal withprivate contracting companies,”Ismaeel said. “The competition forprojects means that a contractor mustestablish a reputation for high quality,efficient and safe work. The system isworking well.”

Courtesy photoIraqi workers move cable into a trench during a project in east Baghdad. Morethan 4,000 meters of trench were dug for the electrical cable.

Soldiers locate source of deadly rocket attackMaj. Russ Goemaere2nd BCT PAO

BAGHDAD – After a rocketattack in east Baghdad Oct. 31killed one Iraqi and woundedthree others, U.S. Soldiersarrived at the scene to determinethe rocket’s launching point.

Local Iraqi Police evacuatedthe wounded and secured thesite as Iraqi fire fighters dousedflames caused by the explo-sions.

Task Force Baghdad Soldiersinvestigated the scene and ques-tioned local residents at the sus-pected launch site of the rockets.

“The Iraqi Police respondedvery quickly to this terroristattack,” said Lt. Col. EdwardChesney, deputy commandingofficer, 2nd Brigade CombatTeam, 3rd Infantry Division. “Itis impossible to know who theterrorists were targeting in thisattack, but in the end it does notmatter – they murdered andmaimed innocent civilians.”

A crater analysis team from2nd BCT went to the site thenext morning to verify the typeof munitions the terrorists usedin the attack.

The crater analysis teamoften deploys to the site of anyindirect fire attack to verifywhat the fire direction comput-ers tell the unit about the enemy

fire.“I am 100 percent confident

that the rocket was 127-millime-ter due to the range it was firedfrom and the acquired acquisi-tion,” said Chief WarrantOfficer Chad Barrett, a radartechnician and targeting special-ist with 2nd BCT.

The crater analysis teamuses well-proven devices andtechniques to get their data.

“We use parachute cord tomeasure the intersection of thepoint of impact in the crater, acompass to discover the direc-tion of where the round wasfired and a Global PositioningSystem for confirmation,” saidSgt. Kenneth Sutton, a fire sup-port non-commissioned officer.

Shrapnel discovered at thesite will also provide informa-tion on what type of munitionswere used, he said.

“I wish the terrorists wouldstop shooting indiscriminatelyinto the city and killing inno-cent civilians,” said Sgt. 1stClass Chad Ullery, brigade tar-geting non-commissioned offi-cer in charge. “As long as theydo, I know I can use the art ofcrater analysis to help the IraqiSecurity Forces and ourmaneuver battalions catchmore terrorists in the act ofshooting and help to savelives.”

Courtesy photoChief Warrant Officer Chad Barrett, 2nd BCT, uses parachute cord to measure the intersection of apoint of impact at the site of a terrorist rocket attack in east Baghdad Nov. 1 . Sgt. Kenneth Sutton,also with 2nd BCT, uses a compass to determine the azimuth of the Oct. 31 attack.

Interested in Officer Candidate School?Interested in Officer Candidate School?Boards are scheduled for one week, butmay last longer. OCS application files mustbe sent to Department of the ArmyHeadquarters a minimum of 30 days beforethe start of each board. Late applications will be held until the nextscheduled board.

Dates for OCS selection boards:

-Board one: Jan. 30, 2006 - Feb. 3, 2006-Board two: Apr. 10, 2006 - Apr. 14, 2006-Board three: July 17, 2006 - July 21, 2006

-Board four: Sept. 11, 2006 - Sept. 15, 2006

Mail applications to:200 Stovall St.,

Alexandria, VA 22332-0413

The DA photo can be taken in DCUs andSoldiers can go to the photo lab next to theCamp Liberty PX to have their photos taken.

Page 17The Marne Express, November 20, 2005 Guidance

Chaplain (Capt.) Glenn Palmer2/70 Armor, 3/1 AD

“HEAR INSTRUCTION AND BE WISE, ANDDO NOT NEGLECT IT.” – Proverbs 8:33

“ELISHA KEPT WATCHING AND CRYINGOUT, “FATHER, FATHER! THE CHARIOTS OFISRAEL AND ITS HORSEMEN!” – 2nd Kings2:12

Dear friends,Many years ago when I was a teenager, being

fairly self-absorbed and self-centered likemost teens, I would snap at my father,“Don’t tell ME what to do.”

It’s hard to appreciate the wisdom of otherswhen you are young and know/have all theanswers.

My father, the man who with tears rolling downhis face whispered these words in my ear as I washeading off to Marine Corps boot camp some 25years ago “Be the best Marine you can be. Keepyour ears open and your mouth shut.” This mandied suddenly when I was 26 years old.

Four days prior to his death, he met the womanwho would change my life, my wife Pamela. Onlyby the time of his death did I realize how much hehad offered me in life and how much he truly didknow.

In the above verse from 2nd Kings, a man named

Elisha will take over for the prophet Elijah. In theHebrew language his words are a way of saying“this one who comes before me is more importantthan I am.”

The truth is that it is difficult at any point in lifeto be corrected by others. Even our loving God’scorrection can make our heads and hearts hard;especially when we are full of ourselves, whichreally is sin defined.

When we come to the end of ourselves, wecome to our beginning in God.

Laying aside pride and stubbornness isnot easy. But what a change God works in our

lives, what a witness and glory we give toGod when we listen to and are alert for thehand of our involved Lord, God with us, atwork in our lives

It is a good thing to be around those whohave learned to keep God as the center of their livesand who, in response to God’s grace, have learnedand model patience coupled with wisdom, humili-ty and integrity in their lives.

What a blessing they are. What a gift to have aGod who gives us ears to hear, spirits to receive andwho loves us enough to provide us with his truthand those Saints in our lives who care enough toteach us the ways and beginning of wisdom, the“fear of God.”

God be with you all.

Capt. Chris GlascottMND-B chief of claims

Redeploying Soldiershave several importantissues to consider beforearrving back in the U.S.

Soldiers who plan onshipping personal propertyhome in military containersshould be aware that theArmy will not compensatethem if their property isdamaged or lost. For thisreason, Soldiers are encour-aged to use the UnitedStates Postal Service toship valuable property(greater than $100) home.

The military has a claimsprogram that will compen-sate Soldiers for loss of per-sonal property when theloss was caused by theirmilitary service.

However, this is a moraleprogram, not an insuranceprogram, and as such, it hasvarious lim-itations.

In thecase ofr e d e -p l o y -m e n t ,e v e nthoughy o u rc o m -mander may allow you toplace personal property –such as rugs or electronicdevices – in a military con-tainer, it does not mean theArmy will compensate youif they are damaged duringthe trip.

On the other hand, ship-ping through the USPSallows you the opportunityto insure your goods andprotect your investment.

Other types of personalproperty that you intend tocarry on the aircraft shouldbe well documented.

Be sure to inventory yourpersonal property just asyou inventory militaryproperty before redeploy-ment.

If one of your bags is lostor damaged during trans-port, you should visit theclaims office at Fort Stewartto file a claim. Be preparedto produce receipts anddetailed inventory forms.

Many Soldiers will needoff-post housing uponreturn to Stewart or otherhome bases.

If you have a trustworthyrepresentative available toenter a lease or real estatepurchase on your behalf,then you may be able to getyour residence establishedbefore you are even home.That person will need apower of attorney from youto execute the lease or pur-

chase. Many companies will not

accept a general power ofattorney, so your representa-tive should inquire early tofind out if any specificforms are needed, or if aspecial power of attorneyauthorizing the action willbe accepted.

You may also need apower of attorney for deliv-ering your household goodsand vehicles from storage.

Georgia remains difficultin its vehicle registrationrequirements. If you needto register a vehicle inGeorgia, but you are a resi-dent of another state, thenyou should not have to paythe ad valorem tax onGeorgia vehicles. You willneed a power of attorneyspecifically to register yourvehicle and an affidavit thatyou remain a resident ofanother state, along with arecent leavea n d

earn-ings state-

ment.Once you have

redeployed, you maychoose to recover the pow-ers of attorney you distrib-uted to those you trustedwhile you were gone.

On the other hand, youmay want to allow thosepowers of attorney to con-tinue when you return, ifyour relationships have notchanged and your financialand personal affairsremained in order.

Finally, if your familysituation has changed sig-nificantly, you may want tochange your Servicemem-bers’ Group Life Insurance,and DD Form 93 designat-ing next-of-kin, and yourwill.

Most wills anticipateadditional children in a mar-riage. However, pendingand completed divorces,deaths or incapacitations ofdesignated guardians, orchanges to other beneficiar-ies may increase your rea-sons to execute a new will.

You do not need toretrieve an old will beforeyou execute a new one.Write the new will withyour unit judge advocate,execute it, and mail it toyour designated personalrepresentative or executor.

Eventually, you shouldretrieve and destroy the oldwill, but it is better to havethe new one written uponyour new circumstances.

Consult your judge advo-cate early regarding theseand any other redeploymentissues.

DDDDEEEESSSSEEEERRRRTTTT JJJJUUUUSSSSTTTTIIIICCCCEEEE haplain’s orner

You may be gone, but you’re not forgotten.We will continue the fight.

Spc. Kenny D. Rojas, B Co., 2/7th Inf.Capt. Raymond D. Hill II,HHC, 1/184th Inf.

Sgt. Shakere T. Guy, D Co., 1/184th Inf.Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Tessar, A Co., 2/502nd Inf.

Spc. William J. Byler, A Co., 2/502nd Inf.Pfc. David J. Martin, A Co., 2/502nd Inf.Pfc. Adam R. Johnson, A Co., 2/502nd Inf.Pfc. Derence W. Jack, E Co., 100/442nd Inf.

Staff Sgt. Wilgene T. Lieto, E Co., 100/442nd Inf.Spc. Joshua J. Munger, HHC, 1/502nd Inf.

Spc. Benjamin A. Smith, A Co., 1/502nd Inf.Pfc. Tyler R. MacKenzie, B Co., 1/502nd Inf.Spc. Dennis J. Ferderer Jr., HHC, 1/15th Inf.

Spc. Darren D. Howe, A Co., 1/15th Inf.Capt. James M. Gurbisz, A Co., 26th FSBPvt. Dustin A. Yancey, B Co., 26th FSB

Staff Sgt. Jason A. Fegler, C Co., 1/502nd Inf.Sgt. 1st Class James F. Hayes, A Btry., 1/320th FA

Capt. Joel E. Cahill, B Co., 1/15th Inf.2nd Lt. Justin S. Smith, 3rd Sqdn., 3rd ACR

Staff Sgt. Brian L. Freeman, 3rd Sqdn., 3rd ACRSpc. Robert C. Pope II, 3rd Sqdn., 3rd ACRPfc. Mario A. Reyes, 3rd Sqdn., 3rd ACR

Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C Cashe, A Co., 1/15th Inf.

In Memory of ...In Memory of ...

CCWhen redeploying,make sure belongings comply with standards

The end of ourselves is the beginning of God

Marne Medical Mentor... a prescription for good health from your Docs in the Rock

Lt. Col. Virginia YatesDivision Surgeon, 3rd Inf. Div.

Most veterans who are exposed to combat andcombat environments return from deployment andtransition into civilian life very productively. Combatexperiences can result in changes that benefit ourfamilies and society. Some of these changes weundergo from being in combat include:• Improved sense of own vulnerability• Sense of increased competence and self-reliance • Increased gratitude for relationships with significantothers • More compassion and empathy for others • Greater efforts directed at improving relationships • Greater appreciation for life • Positive changes in one’s priorities • Stronger religious/spiritual beliefs

Unfortunately, research shows that some peoplewho have trouble adapting back to family or societyafter combat do not seek help.

One reason is a fear of the stigma that peers andsuperiors will think we are weak or crazy. The Armyhas a program to address this problem – called thePost Deployment Health Assessment. Every Soldierleaving a combat zone is required to complete aPDHA and review it face to face with a medicalprovider. This is to make sure every Soldier has theopportunity to seek help for mental stress withoutbeing singled out.

Soldiers also receive required briefings beforereturning home, to include medical and chaplainbriefings which teach us and our leaders how to iden-tify whether we or our buddy have signs or symptomsof stress that need professional help.

After a deployment, Soldiers adapt to the stress ofdealing with family and society better if there is aperiod of decompression and reintegration prior togoing on block leave.

Upon returning home, Soldiers are placed on ashort pass then work half-days for couple of weeksattending classes. During this time, Soldiers spendrelaxing time with fellow Soldiers to discuss deploy-ment experiences and go to classes to learn aboutanger management, communication skills, and themany division, community, and anonymous resourcesavailable for help handling stress if needed.

Delaying leave for a very brief period of time afterdeployment for decompression and reintegration is atechnique currently being used by several westernarmies after deployments to reduce stress relatedevents during the block leave period.

And finally, medical studies show that peoplewho are under stress and who have a peer as a buddyreport less anxiety, stress, and depression than thosewho do not have a buddy.

Partnering with another person is recognized inmany weight loss programs because a buddy helps tokeep us motivated and committed to our program.

Gen. George Patton is quoted to have said, “TheArmy is a team. It eats, sleeps, fights, dies as a team.This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap.”

Throughout the history of the Army, the buddysystem has been a way to ensure Soldier safety andwellbeing. Not only do buddies help build trust in aunit, but a battle buddy is another set of eyes for aSoldier to ensure safety.

A buddy looks out for your well being and receivesthe same in return from you. The result is improvedphysical and mental health.

Reducing stress risks for Soldiers heading home

The Marne Express, November 20, 2005Page 18

FacesFaces

&&PlacesPlaces

Spc. Derek Del RosarioAbove: 2nd Lt. Jamie Garcia, A Company, 2/22nd Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade, 10thMountain Division, patrols near the remains of a factory in an Abu Ghraib neighborhood.Top left: Sgt. 1st Class Mark Woelzlein, 335th Theater Signal Command, sings a hit byThree Doors Down during the Camp Liberty MWR center's karaoke night Nov. 3.Left: Staff Sgt. Charles “Chuck” Curry, a member of the 3rd Inf. Div. Dixieland Band and aKentucky native, shows off his trombone skills during a concert at Camp Liberty Nov. 11.

r.st

Sgt. Matthew WesterPvt. Chase R. Cannon, of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division,provides security at a patrol base nicknamed "The Alamo" in Saba Al Bor, Iraq. The unit's infantry-men regularly patrol the crowded streets of the city northwest of Baghdad.

Courtesy photoSpc. Michael Pinter, 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery,opens packages from home at Camp Liberty. Spc. Derek Del Rosario

Spc. Derek Del Rosario

Page 19The Marne Express, November 20, 2005 Sports

Ironman races through VictorySgt. Andrew Miller100th MPAD

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – ATask Force Baghdad Soldiercompleted his own version ofthe renowned Ironman TriathlonOct 17 in Baghdad’s combatzone, shortly after his wife fin-ished in the original event inHawaii.

Capt. Christopher Harris, ofHeadquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 2nd Brigade CombatTeam, 3rd Infantry Division,ran, cycled and swam his waythrough a course of his owndesign. The course, longer than140 total miles, spanned severalbases in the greater CampVictory area in west Baghdad.

Harris began by swimmingmore than 100 laps in the CampVictory pool. After a quickchange of clothes, he was on hisbike and moving hastily towardBaghdad International Airport.Racing around the airport com-plex until he had accumulated112 miles, he then changed intohis running shoes.

His course took him backthrough Camp Victory and intothe adjoining Camp Liberty,where he ran around the instal-lation’s lake until completinghis marathon run. Finishing infront of the Task Force Baghdadheadquarters, he had for the firsttime become an Ironman.

Ironman triathletes refer toany unofficial copycat event asan iron distance triathlon.Harris calls it the ultimate per-

sonal test of physical and mentalendurance.

“I was spent by the end of itall,” he said. “Actually, I wasspent somewhere around mile15 of the run.”

In addition to the rigorsinherent in any iron distancetriathlon, Harris had to cycle hisway through heavy winds.Before long, the winds becamea dust storm.

“Winds and dust kicked upall around, making the bike verydifficult,” Harris said. “It wasnot fun, and the exertionrequired on the bike just to keepit upright really hurt my legs forthe run.”

Harris said he was satisfied tohave finished just one minuteafter his goal of 13 hours,although he failed to best hischief competitor, his wifeAmanda.

Amanda completed theIronman Triathlon, held annual-ly in Kona, Hawaii, in 12 hours,36 minutes. Her triumphcrowns a perfect record oftriathlon victories over her hus-band and friendly rival.

Amanda said her husband isthe faster runner and swimmerand that she doesn’t expect tobeat him forever.

“Now, on the bike, I can beatChris,” she said. “However, hewasn’t that far behind me in thislast race, and his conditionswere much worse than mine.”She added that with more train-ing, he may surpass her on thebike as well.

“But,” she said, “I will makehim have to work at it!”

While his wife’s reign ofdominance is yet unblemished,it hardly deters the 3rd Inf. Div.officer.

“She is a tremendous athleteand the primary motivation formy performance,” Harris said.

Both said their competition isa healthy one, and that it helpsthem deal with the long separa-tions which come with militaryservice.

“I strongly feel that trainingtogether during this deploymenthas made it go by so muchfaster,” Amanda said. “We havebeen able to focus on somethingpositive that we can do ‘togeth-er.’”

Oddly enough, it was theirown story that motivated thecouple to become Iron people.

“In March of this year, mywife was having difficultyremaining motivated for a half-Ironman she was to race at WaltDisney World in Orlando,”Harris explained. “So, to moti-vate her, I promised to race withher in Baghdad.”

He did, and of course, shebeat him. But during their train-ing for that event, the couple’slatest challenge began to devel-op.

“During the prep for the race,Triathlete magazine got wind ofthe story,” Harris said. “Theywrote an article and posted sto-ries on the website.”

A TV producer caught windof the story and proposed that

the Harris couple do the samefor the Ironman Triathlon inKona, Hawaii.

Harris said they were leftwith eight weeks to prepare.

“The first race was for us tobond,” he said. “This race wasto see if we could rise to thechallenge together.”

In line with his goal to crossthe finish line before his wife,Harris draws motivation fromanother challenge. For the last10 years, he has endured a seriesof potentially crippling injuries,he said. An injury in airborneschool, a car wreck, and a med-ical evacuation from the combatzone have led to two spinalfusions and a serious neckinjury.

Harris said he has had to fightto keep his place in the Army.

“When I graduated Rangerschool, it was the same state-ment,” he said. “A doctor toldme on the eve of my first sur-gery, while sitting at his deskin front of pictures of him com-pleting marathons, that myinjury would preclude me fromever running at a competentlevel and that I could neverjoin the physically -demandingInfantry. Is there ever anymore motivation needed thanthat?”

Harris and his wife Amandaare already planning their nextrace. They’ve been invited tocompete in next year’sIronman Triathlon.

“And this time I will do it inlovely Hawaii and won’t haveto face a dust storm,” he said,with his fingers crossed.

Photos by Sgt. Andrew MillerTop left: Capt. Christopher Harris, HHC, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.,swims through the 2.4-mile leg of his Ironman Triathlon Oct. 17.Above: Harris speaks to his chief rival competitor, his wifeAmanda, as he bikes through a dust storm during the Triathlon.

Sgt. Andrew Miller100th MPAD

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – The Camp Liberty Heatexhausted the Camp Victory Bumpers for a 53-49victory during the final match of a Morale, Welfareand Recreation basketball tournament Oct. 31.

The Heat went undefeated in the three-day double-elimination tournament, making this latest win theirtenth tournament victory. The team has participatedin 12 tournaments, with an overall record of 38-3.

While the Heat dominates both tournaments andstatistics, the Bumpers stayed with them until theend. The Bumpers have been the Heat’s strongestrival, owning the two tournament wins given up bythe Heat this year.

“It feels good to win, and especially when we beatSouthside (Camp Victory),” said Stevie Pringle,coach of the Heat. “That makes it even better.”

Pringle, a division fire support sergeant withHeadquarters and Headquarters OperationsCompany, Special Troops Battalion, and all of hisplayers come from within the ranks of the 3rdInfantry Division.

Pringle said this tournament may be the lastappearance of the Heat. With 10 tournament winsand little time left in their deployment, the players areready to go out on top.

“The Heat is officially retired,” said Pringle.“There is nothing left to prove.”

Heat take 10th tourney victory, edge out Victory Bumpers 53-49

Photos by Sgt. Andrew MillerAbove: The Heat’s Byron Johnson sizes up a jump shotduring an MWR basketball tournament.Left: The Heat’s George Tatum shoots “the J” during thedouble elimination competition at Camp Liberty Oct. 31.

Entertainment Page 20The Marne Express, November 20, 2005

Cartoon Corner

Have something you’d like to contribute to the bi-weekly comic strip? Contact emily.wilsoncroft@id3.army.mil.

Reap the spoils of The Constant GardnerSpc. Adam Musil2nd BCT PAO

Not since Sally Struthers sobbed on televi-sion and asked people to spend a dollar a monthin support of a dying child, has Africa ever beenso popular.

For those of you not up on current events;Africa – along with suffering through povertyand bad government-is dealing with an AIDSepidemic.

Once again, this time sans the emotionalspokeswoman, Africa is asking for help andpeople from U2’s Bono to Angelina Jolie arecoming out in droves to do their part.

I roll my eyes whenever I see celebritiescome out “for a cause,” especially when I hearpeople like Bono talk about the need to endworld hunger.

That was the best the man behind “TheJoshua Tree” could come up with? Is there any-one who thinks we shouldn’t end world hunger?

Instead of rambling nonsensically about top-ics they barely understand, I prefer artists puttheir beliefs or world views into their art, andthat brings us to the week’s movie review, TheConstant Gardner.

Based on the novel by John le Carre anddirected by Academy Award nominee FemandoMeirelles, The Constant Gardner is, on the sur-face, nothing more than a better-than-averagethriller about a murdered woman and a corruptgovernment organization.

What makes the film notable is the style andthe setting. Meirelles, known best for the filmCity of God, employs the same use of shakycamera shots and quick edits that made God somemorable.

While this style is overused in many movies,in Gardener it works, giving the film a raw feelas if had just been plucked from the news.

The film centers around two main characters;Justin Quayle a member of the British HighCommission, played by Ralph Fiennes, andactivist Tessa Quayle, played by The Mummystar Rachel Weisz.

The story begins with Tessa, Justin’s wife,leaving on a business trip with an associate withwhom, unbeknownst to Justin, she is having anaffair.

When the two turn up murdered, it is up to

the grieving Justin to figure out why. The first three-fourths of the film is told in a

non-linear fashion with various scenes cuttingin and out, flashback-style.

What begins as a stylish contemporary filmquickly becomes a Fugitive knock off by theend.

However, the film is worth a glance becauseit is topical.

The plight of Africa is rarely dealt with incontemporary film and even if you find thestory contrived, it is hard not to gain more of anunderstanding and sympathy for the Africanpeople with little to no hope of changing theirfate.

If you are looking for a film with good actingand a little more style than your average movie,I suggest you grab a copy of the The ConstantGardner.

In the Movies

“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet onThanksgiving Day.” – Irv Kupcinet, author

“The pilgrims made seven times more graves thanhuts ... nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.” – H. W. Westermayer, author

“I love Thanksgiving turkey... it’s the only time inLos Angeles that you see natural breasts.”

– Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor/politician

“Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be mypants.” – Kevin James, actor

“Thanksgiving dinners take 18 hours to prepare.They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take

12 minutes. This is not coincidence.” – Erma Bombeck, columnist

“It was dramatic to watch my grandmother decapitate a turkey with an axe the day before

Thanksgiving. Nowadays the expense of hiringgrandmothers for the ax work would probablyqualify all turkeys so honored with “gourmet”

status.” – Russell Baker, journalist

“Coexistence: what the farmer does with theturkey – until Thanksgiving.” – Mike Connolly, author

“My mother is such a lousy cook thatThanksgiving at her house is a time of sorrow.”

– Rita Rudner, comedienne

“I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashionedway. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to myhouse, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed

them and took their land.” – Jon Stewart, actor

What is it theysay about

Thanksgiving?