vol. 1, issue 7 june 2008

Rakkasan ReviewRakkasan ReviewA monthly publication of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)

Volume 1, Issue 7

Rakkasan Review June 2008

Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo3rd BCT commander

Command Sgt. Maj.Gregory Patton

3rd BCT command sergeant major

Capt. David BolenderPAO

Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa HardyPAO NCOIC/ editor

Pvt. Christopher McKennaJournalist

Staff Sgt. Desiree WrightBroadcaster

The Rakkasan Review is an author-ized publication of the 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 101st Airborne Division.It is produced monthly by the 3rd BCTPublic Affairs Office.

Contents of the Rakkasan Review arenot necessarily the official views of, orendorsed by, the U.S. Government, De-partment of Defense, Department of theArmy, or Fort Campbell, Ky.

We welcome the submission of newsitems, articles and photographs. Submis-sions should be made to the 3rd BCTPublic Affairs Office via e-mail at:[email protected].

Rakkasan ReviewRakkasan Review

Public Affairs StaffPublic Affairs Staff

Pvt. Christopher McKennaSoldiers with Troop A, 1-33rd Cav. Regt., carry school supplies into theSaad School for distribution May 21. Spc. Robert Kurtz’s mother organ-ized the items and had them shipped for distribution to Iraqi children fromFairfield, Pa. See story on page 9.

On the cover:A team of Soldiers from Co. A, 3-187th Inf. Regt., patrols the EuphratesRiver during a demonstration at PB Kemple May 5. See story on page 5.(Photo by 1st Lt. Jodi Krippel)

We are at the point inthis deployment wherechange is good.

We have added ninenew first sergeants and 15new company commandersto the brigade combatteam.

We continue to makegains in security, gover-nance and economic stabil-

ity in our area of opera-tions in southwest Bagh-dad.

It is more importantthan ever that we staysharp and focused. Theenemy is still out there andit comes in many differentforms - everything fromextremist activity to cuttingcorners, becoming toocomfortable with our sur-roundings and failing toadhere to proper safetymeasures.

We have been success-ful up to this point by es-tablishing standards andholding our Soldiers tothese standards.

I want to thank theRakkasan team at home forall their continued support.And, like all of the great187th Infantry RegimentSoldiers who came beforeus, we are committed toour mission accomplish-ment.

Rakkasan 7

It has been a busy month for theRakkasans. Operation MarnePiledriver was a huge success and thecitizens of the Mahmudiyah Qada arereaping the benefits.

The articles in this edition of theRakkasan Review detail the work ourSoldiers and the Iraqis completed dur-ing the operation.

We are looking forward to the chal-lenges ahead.

In July, the Iraqis begin their elec-tion process and we will expand ourbattlepace and welcome Leader Battal-ion back into the Rakkasan fold.

I do appreciate the hard work ofour rear detachment personnel, ourFamily Readiness Support Assistantsand all the families and volunteers.

Rakkasan 6

Rakkasan ReviewJune 2008

Rakkasan 6 NotesRakkasan 6 Notes

Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Patton

Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo

By Command Sgt. Maj.Gregory Patton3rd BCT CSM

By Col. Dominic J. Caraccilo3rd BCT commander

Rakkasan 7 NotesRakkasan 7 Notes

Piledriver ends, projects continueOperation Marne Piledriver kicked

off in earnest April 15 with an IraqiArmy-led air assault and clearing op-erations in the Mahmudiyah area,about 26 kilometers south of Baghdad.

Although the IA has led air assaultsin the past, this particular missionshowcased its abilities.

“This … showed that Iraqis are se-curing the area, ridding it of the lastbastion of [al-Qaeda in Iraq] and si-multaneously injected projects, bothUS- and Iraqi-funded, such as clean

water, agricultural and other businessopportunities and [aimed] to grow thetrust in Iraqi Security Forces,” saidCol. Dominic Caraccilo, commanderof 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101stAirborne Division (Air Assault).

Piledriver is the first major opera-tion initiated by Task Force Marne thattargeted capacity building throughoutthe Mahmudiyah Qada.

From refurbishing schools, clinicsand water treatment facilities to reju-venating the poultry and fish indus-tries, the operation has yielded severalprojects to improve quality of life forIraqis on many fronts.

“I think [the Iraqis have] benefiteda lot, and I think they’re only seeingthe beginning of the benefits,” saidVince Valle, team leader for the em-bedded Provincial ReconstructionTeam. “The idea is to help them getsome self-sustaining projects that willgenerate economic activity and possi-bly … generate jobs. We are seeingthat already, and we’ll see that a lotmore as the activities develop.”

While all the capacity-buildingprojects provide essential services tothe local populace, Caraccilo said themost critical improvement is providing

By Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa Hardy3rd BCT PAO NCOIC

See Piledriver, Page 4


clean water to the people of the qada. “If you have clean water you can

have just about anything; it’s the base-line for all needs,” Caraccilo said. “Werecognize that and, more importantly,the [Government of Iraq] in this qadarecognizes that. That’s why they’refunding the Qaqa Water TreatmentPlant which provides 40 percent of thewater to the entire qada.”

Plans are still in progress to run anine-kilometer pipe from the MushadaWater Treatment Plant, which willprovide another 30 percent of theqada’s water supply to Mahmudiyah.Once the water projects are complete,Caraccilo said 85 percent of the qadawill have clean water.

“Water is important even when itcomes to produce or livestock, as wellas human beings,” said Lt. Col. LindaCapobianco, deputy team leader of theBaghdad-4 ePRT attached to 3rd BCT,101st Abn. Div. (AASLT). “It’s the in-terconnectivity between each of theprojects.”

Almost as important as the projectsthemselves, Caraccilo said it is neces-sary to have GoI and local agencies in-volved in the process from start tofinish. So delays, like the start of thewater pipe, are okay because it meansthe government is working throughhow to make it happen.

“It does no good for us to justcome to the rescue and give themclean water. We can do that, but it’s atemporal fix,” Caraccilo said. “A tem-poral fix is not what this countryneeds; it needs people engaged in theprocess.”

It’s easy to get frustrated when so-lutions are not immediately evident,but Caraccilo said these growing painsare necessary.

“Sometimes the means are more

important than the ends,” he said. “Aslong as [the government] is engagingand talking to [others in] its hierarchalstructure, having meetings, debates …I have no doubt they will eventuallylay that pipe.

“The government processes …have to be allowed to take theircourse,” he said, adding that he is con-vinced the process will improve everytime. “They’ll get better and better atwhat they do and provide essentialservices to the people and then thetimeline will shorten every time.”

In addition to the water-improve-ment initiatives, Operation MarnePiledriver resulted in the delivery oftwo ambulances to the Lutifiyah Med-ical Clinic, the reopening of the Yusi-fiyah Wholesale Market which hadbeen closed since 2004, the establish-ment of two radio stations in Mah-mudiyah and Yusifiyah to entertainand inform local citizens and the grandopening of the Yusifiyah Iraqi PoliceStation.

The purchase of 95,000 eggs ofDutch descent has re-energized thepoultry industry, which had been dor-mant for several years.

“[We] imported eggs for a better-quality chicken … and feed was im-ported to feed the chicks after theyhatch,” Valle said. “But we’ve beenworking to eventually move over to asituation where the eggs and … feedwill be produced locally, the chickenswill be slaughtered locally and will befresh halal chickens, which we thinkcan compete quite favorably withsome of the imported frozen chick-ens.”

Valle said the poultry industry hasdeep roots and a long history in Iraqand hopes thousands of jobs will formby this re-energizing effort.

Other projects include 16 fish

farms that have been identified for re-furbishment; 50 solar-powered pumpshave been ordered to oxygenate thewater for the fish ponds. Work on theYusifiyah power substation is almost80 percent complete. Training fornahia and qada council members is on-going.

“A lot of things didn’t come toconclusion during the operation butthey will continue to go on and a lot ofthem will lead to other projects,”Capobianco said.

Construction of a greenhouse is un-derway, with plans for three more inthe future. Cell phone towers and im-provements to produce chillers,slaughterhouses, feed mills and poul-try houses are also on the horizon. Ad-ditionally, billboards are being placedalong the main supply routes that pro-vide information on Iraqi SecurityForces and the GoI.

Caraccilo said all these effortsmesh to show the Mahmudiyah Qadacan flourish on its own.

Although progress is evident, morewill come before the government canstand on its own and meet the needs ofits people without support from out-side sources.

“The GoI, right now, functions atthe grass-roots level, and until wehave elections at the provincial level… there will always be a challengeuntil you get that hierarchy in place,and it has to be an elected hierarchy,”Caraccilo said. “Right now there is aGoI that is sovereign and there is alocal government. They’re just twodifferent flavors – at some pointthey’ll be the same flavor.”

Such progress takes time.“Democracies don’t grow

overnight,” he said. “Democraciesdon’t grow in five years; they growover dozens of years.”

From page 2Piledriver

BEAT THE HEAT. DRINK WATER.

Most Soldiers who join the Armycan honestly say they would havenever imagined patrolling the Eu-phrates River in a boat.

Some Rakkasans will soon be ableto say they’ve done just that.

Company A, 3rd Battalion, 187thInfantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Com-bat Team, 101st Airborne Division(Air Assault), is training to operateboats the unit received May 2.

“I’m pretty excited,” said Cpl.Tomas Montoya, Co. A, 3-187th Inf.Regt. “I never thought I’d have the op-portunity to work on boats over here inIraq.”

The boats will create new opportu-nities and capabilities in their opera-tions along the Euphrates River, saidLt. Col. Andrew Rohling, commanderof 3-187th Inf. Regt. “They bring asense of security, strength and versatil-ity the local populace has not alwaysseen from the water.”

The boats add invaluable dimen-sions to the unit’s ability to conductfull-spectrum operations, said Maj.Curtis Crum, 3rd BCT operations offi-cer. “The boats give the brigade aunique capability that is not typicallyresident in this type of unit’s arsenal.”

The unit’s predecessors, 4th Battal-ion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2ndBrigade Combat Team, 10th MountainDivision (Light Infantry), ordered theboats in November 2007 to conductriverine operations along the Eu-phrates to deter insurgent activity. Theboats were delivered to 3-187th Inf.Regt., in January.

Since river operations are usuallyoutside the scope of Soldiers’ duties,the battalion sent eight Soldiers toKuwait in January to train on operat-ing the vessels.

“It was excellent, they did greattraining,” said Pfc. Travis Baldridge ofthe Army divers and Coast Guardsmenwho taught the course. Baldridge saidthe three-week course in Kuwaittaught boat docking, engine repair,man-overboard drills, driving the boatunder varying conditions, docking theboat and repairing major malfunctions.Now, almost four months later,Baldridge is in the instructor’s seatpassing on the knowledge he gained inKuwait.

Baldridge is one of five in Co. A,3-187th Inf. Regt., training other Sol-diers in the unit on boat operations.

“It feels really good to be involvedin this,” he said. “I’m new to theArmy, I’ve been in for two years andit’s nice that they expect me to go

above andbeyondthe stan-dards andto train upother peo-ple.”

Atrainingplan wasestab-lishedbased onthe battal-ion andcompanycom-

manders’ guidance and input from theeight Soldiers who certified in Kuwait.

“The first thing in our mind is thesafety of personnel in the boat,” saidStaff Sgt. Clifton Sanders, lead in-structor for a five-day course designedto ensure all Soldiers who man theboats are physically and technicallyqualified for the task.

The first day, each Soldier has tocomplete a 50-meter confidence swimwhile wearing their Army CombatUniform and boots. They also have totread water for three minutes wearingACUs, the improved outer tacticalvest, advanced combat helmet and apersonal flotation device.

“No weak swimmers or non-swim-mers will be allowed on boat opera-tions,” Sanders said firmly. Those whodon’t meet the standards the first dayhave an opportunity to retest at the endof the course.

The remaining four days of trainingcover boat preparation, operation ofthe boat, battle drills and practical ex-ercises that help prepare Soldiers forsituations they may encounter duringriverine operations.

“Our first mission will be … riverreconnaissance,” Sanders said, an avidswimmer and certified lifeguard whovoiced commitment to retraining allweak and non-swimmers.

Before executing any actual mis-sions, Soldiers will identify potentialhazards, determine loading and depar-ture points and seek out areas fre-quented by criminal factions.

“The boats allow the Rakkasans todeter illegal activity and deter insur-gents from potentially using the riverto transit weapons and personnel,”Crum said. “As a BCT, we have addedto an already incredible capability, andthis ensures, as we continue to assistthe Government of Iraq and Iraqi Se-curity Forces in stabilizing acceptablesecurity levels, it will also foster sys-tems that set conditions for long-termIraqi self-reliance.”



Rakkasans prepare to patrol waterways

1st Lt. Jodi KrippelA team of Soldiers from Co. A, 3-187th Inf. Regt., patrols the EuphratesRiver during a demonstration at PB Kemple May 5.

After nearly threemonths of reconstruction,Sayafiyah residents cele-brated the simultaneousopenings of the SayafiyahGovernance Center, Veteri-nary Clinic and HealthClinic May 20.

“This is their day,” saidCapt. Joe Johnson, com-mander of Company C, 1stBattalion, 187th InfantryRegiment, currently at-tached to 2nd Brigade Com-bat Team, 3rd InfantryDivision.

All three of the projectswere a result of teamworkbetween Soldiers from the3rd Brigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division(Air Assault), and the civil-ian population.

“They are great peopledown here who want to helpthemselves,” said Sgt. Je-remy Johnson, a medic withHeadquarters andHeadquartersCompany, 1-187th Inf. Regt.“They put a lotof hard work intothis,” he said,pointing to therestored healthcenter. “Before,it was just rub-ble.”

Like thebuildings, thecommunity itselfhad been in direstraits. Once asafe haven for al-Qaeda in Iraq,the community

was held in bondage out offear, said Lt. Col. R.J. Lil-libridge, 1-187th Inf. Regt.commander.

The tide turned for thebetter with the arrival of the5th Squadron, 7th CavalryRegiment, 1st BrigadeCombat Team, 3rd InfantryDivision in January.

With the support of thisunit, the beginnings of aSons of Iraq program tookshape. However, due to theend of their deployment, the5-7th Cav. Regt. could notpursue any long-term recon-struction efforts in the areabefore handing responsibil-ity over to the 1-187th Inf.Regt.

When the 1-187th Inf.Regt. first arrived, Capt.Johnson said his unit beganto strengthen the recently-risen SoI program and as-sess the area’s needs. Thoseneeds, in addition to thehealth and vet clinic, in-cluded restoring two water

pump stations, two watertreatment plants and twoschools, he said.

But most importantlywas the need to establish agovernment structure in thearea.

“We want to see Iraqipeople taking care of Iraqis,and the Iraqi government fa-cilitating the needs of theirrepresentatives,” said Capt.Johnson, of Baton Rouge,La.

Achieving this requiredthe creation of a city counciland linking them withhigher government organi-zations, he said.

Currently, Sayafiyah hasan 11-member city council,with the council head re-porting to the RasheedNahia council. From there,concerns are sent to theMahmudiyah Qada and fi-nally to the central govern-ment, Lillibridge said.

“It’s little governmentreaching up to big govern-

ment,” said Lillibridge, anative of Smithfield, R.I. “Itis a positive sign. Before wesolved all their problems,now we’re letting themsolve their own.”

The work has begun topay off, and the yield isshown by recent Govern-ment of Iraq involvement.The GoI rural service com-mittee chairman, Mr.Mashadanni, has visited thearea, as well as members ofthe Ministry of Education,Lillibridge said.

Besides instilling confi-dence in the people abouttheir government, thesecommitments pave the wayfor considerable relief toAmerican taxpayer involve-ment. Originally, projectssuch as the building of thehealth clinic, vet clinic andgovernance center werefunded by Commander’sEmergency Relief Programfunds, Lillibridge said.


By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky2-3 ID Public Affairs

Sayafiyah celebrates change

Sgt. Kevin StabinskyA Sayafiyah government official cuts the ribbon to celebrate the opening of the Sayafiyah Governance Cen-ter May 20. Besides the center, the Sayafiyah Health Clinic and Veterinary Clinic also opened.

See Sayafiyah, Page 7

More than $3 million was investedinto the area.

Now that Sayafiyah has a voice inthe GoI, Iraqi money is starting tomake its way into the rural agricul-ture-based society. The SayafiyahCouncil has already requested fundsto restore seven additional areaschools.

The funds will come from $8 mil-lion pledged to the MahmudiyahQada, Lillibridge said.

With the GoI finally making an in-vestment into the area, it now worksto protect that investment. Becausenone of the day’s events or other im-provements could have happenedwithout security established, GoI offi-cials are sending troops into the areato help maintain security goals andkeep al-Qaeda out.

In the next 30 days, a company ofIraqi Army Soldiers will take up resi-dence with the 1-187th Inf. Regt. atCombat Outpost Meade, one of sev-eral bases manned by the Soldiers inSayafiyah. A second IA company willfollow sometime in the next threemonths, settling in at Patrol BaseVanderhorn, Lillibridge said.

“It makes our job easier,” said Sgt.Johnson, an Aiken, S.C. native, of theIraqi involvement.

Such ease will help both theCoalition forces operating in the areaand IA joining them, since muchwork still needs to be done in thecommunity to improve standards ofliving, said Col. Terry Ferrell, com-mander of 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. Butfor now, he said it is important to cel-ebrate the progress evident in the newbuildings.

“There’s work to be done, but nottoday,” said Ferrell, of Huntington,W.Va. “Today we celebrate and to-morrow we get back to work improv-ing the community.”


From previous pageSayafiyah

After months of planning andhard work, the Uthman Feed Millcelebrated its completion of refur-bishments in Mahmudiyah, about 26kilometers south of Baghdad, May21.

The finished feed mill nowboasts a sound-proof generator andincreased ability to provide pel-letized feed for the re-energizedpoultry and fish industries.

“My feed mill shows the contin-ued commitment of American forcesto the area,” said Uthman Daheesh,the owner. “Without their assistancethis would not be possible.”

The mill also now has the dyes itpreviously lacked to pelletize feed.

“Syria, Iran and Saudi Arabiahave dyes that are able to producefish and chicken food, but these are(some of) the first to enter Iraq,”Daheesh said. “This is a very impor-tant day for Iraq.”

Feed in pelletized form allowsgrowers to control the amount ofproteins, carbohydrates, vitaminsand minerals in their feed.

“Controlling the diet can ensurethe birds reach optimal growth be-

fore slaughter,” said 2nd Lt. Bron-son Hayes, Uthman Feed Mill proj-ect manager with 3rd Battalion,320th Field Artillery, 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 101st Airborne Divi-sion (Air Assault).

Traditional feeds do not allowfarmers the ability to dictate thediets and often produce birds of var-ious sizes.

The area poultry associationplays an integral role by workingwith poultry houses, processingplants and feed mills in recent ef-forts to boost the poultry industry inthe qada. The association workedwith Department of State agricul-tural experts in the embeddedProvincial Reconstruction Team at-tached to the 3rd BCT, 101st Abn.Div. (AASLT), to identify needs forthe Uthman Feed Mill and ensurenecessary improvements weremade.

“The chicken industry was oncevery big in the area, with the Mah-mudiyah Poultry Association and[Coalition] forces helping, it willhopefully become stronger than itwas in the past,” said Sheikh Ibra-hem Daheesh, brother of UthmanFeed Mill owner and influentialleader in the Mahmudiyah area.


Uthman Feed Millrenovations complete

Got news? Send your story ideas [email protected]


A Military TransitionTeam stationed at FOB Fal-con, about eight kilometerssouth of Baghdad, plays arigorous and important rolein rebuilding the capacity ofIraq.

The MiTT helps theIraqi Army to operate in anoptimal manner, said Sgt.Chad Highland, Headquar-ters and HeadquartersTroop, 1st Squadron, 33rdCavalry Regiment, 3rdBrigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division(Air Assault).

Soldiers from the MiTT,assigned to 1-33rd Cav.Regt., teach a five-day Iraqibasic training course usingU.S. Army knowledge con-verted into something IraqiArmy Soldiers can execute.

“It’s basically a courseto teach basic Soldieringskills and something to re-fresh what they … alreadylearned in their basic train-ing,” said San Antonio na-tive Sgt. Adam Troxel,MiTT gunner and trainer.

The five-day course,taught monthly, has a capac-ity for 25 Soldiers; fivefrom each of the companieswith 3rd Battalion, 25thBrigade, 6th IA Division.

Before assuming theirduties, the team wentthrough a MiTT course inTaji providing them withguidance on teaching Iraqis,said Highland, from SanClemente, Calif.

The instruction focuseson first aid, guard duty, unitmovement techniques, vehi-cle search, reaction to im-provised explosive devices,rules of engagement andother soldiering skills.

“The course itself at-tempts to focus more towardhands-on training so that theSoldiers can take what weteach them and utilize it outat their battle positions andcheckpoints, which is wherethe majority of the Soldierscoming to us work,” High-land said.

When the MiTT is notconducting classes, the teamtravels to IA checkpointsand battle positions to en-sure the proper procedures

learned are being imple-mented.

“When you actually goout and see them using whatyou taught them it is re-warding,” Troxel said. “Be-sides, we are allnoncommissioned officersand it is our job to train Sol-diers. It’s a reward in itselfto be able to stand here andsay ‘I help train Soldiersfrom a completely differentcountry’s army than ourown.’”

1-33 MiTT teaches Soldier skills to Iraqi Army By Pvt. ChristopherMcKenna3rd BCT Public Affairs

Pvt. Christopher McKennaSergeant Chad Highland, from San Clemente, Calif., MiTT op-erations sergeant for HHT, 1-33rd Cav. Regt., teaches a courseon movement formations and techniques to IA Soldiers at FOBFalcon, Iraq, May 6.

Pvt. Christopher McKennaSergeant Angel Otero, from Washington, D.C., MiTT communi-cations noncommissioned officer in charge of HHT, 1-33rd Cav.Regt., gives a block of instruction to IA Soldiers on sectorsketches at FOB Falcon, Iraq, May 5.


Rakkasan Soldiers distributedschool supplies to the Saad and al-Zuwaiti Schools, about 11 kilometerssouthwest of Baghdad, May 21.

The Soldiers, with Troop A, 1stSquadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 101st AirborneDivision (Air Assault), distributed atotal of nine boxes filled with pens,pencils, erasers, paper, folders andother supplies.

“Basically, anything you wouldsend your child to school with backhome was included,” said Staff Sgt.Michael Wade, native of Auburn,Mass., section sergeant for Troop A.

Schoolchildren and generous peo-ple of Fairfield, Pa., donated every-thing distributed on that day.

“Tammy Kurtz, mother of one ofour Soldiers, a teacher’s aide in Fair-field, contacted us and wanted to dosomething with the students as acivic’s lesson,” Wade said.

Various stores and shops in theFairfield area took interest and alsocontributed to the donation of items.

“My mother asked me what shecould do to help out here, so I gave herdetails on the schools,” said Spc.

Robert Kurtz, a native of Fairfield,Pa., scout for Troop A, 1-33rd Cav.Regt. “Naturally a caring person, shewanted to send maybe a box of schoolsupplies. When people realized whatshe was doing, help started to comefrom all over, growing into a bigfundraiser where I’m from.”

Kurtz’s mother asked for a list ofitems that the Iraqi children could use,which was relayed back to other peo-ple wanting to help.

“It shows a level of understandingby both the children and adults backhome,” Wade said. “One of the fivepillars of Islam is giving to thepoor. Most of the people out herelook at America as rich, and it’snice to know that 8- and 9-year-olds back in the States are help-ing 8- and 9-year-olds in Iraq.

“Maybe on the children themessage is lost, but I think, forthe adults –

especially the teachers – theyrealize that this is actually a bigmoment,” he said.

This is the first time theRakkasans of 1-33rd Cav. Regt.have handed out school suppliesin the area.

“Usually when items are dis-tributed it tends to be things like

water, food and medical supplies,”Kurtz said. “It’s good to know thatpeople who have are willing to give tothose who need.”

Wade said he thinks the effects ofthis goodwill gesture will be felt for along time.

When the Rakkasans arrived inIraq, Kurtz said he didn’t see manychildren commuting to and fromschool during missions.

“Now every time we go out on amission I see children walking thestreets, moving around without fear,”he said.

By Pvt. Christopher McKenna3rd BCT Public Affairs

Sgt. 1st Class Kerensa HardyReady, set...Rakkasans take off at the start of the Asian Pacific Islander Month run at Camp Striker May 25.

Rakkasans hand out school supplies

Pvt. Christopher McKennaA teacher in the Saad School hands suppliesto one of her students during a school supplydistribution May 21. Spc. Robert Kurtz’smother organized the items and had themshipped for distribution to Iraqi children fromFairfield, Pa.


Local government offi-cials visited tribal leaders ofQarghuli to discuss a num-ber of issues May 3.

“The government repre-sentatives approached us tospeak of our concerns,” saidSheikh Mohammed Abdul-lah, who held the meeting inhis home. “This is out of theordinary. We are usually theones going to them aboutour concerns and issues.”

Rakkasan leadership ofthe 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 101st Airborne Divi-

sion (Air Assault), attendedthe meeting but only to ob-serve.

“It’s rare for me to cometo a meeting and not have tomediate, but I didn’t have todo that today,” said Col.Dominic Caraccilo, com-mander of 3rd BCT, 101stAbn. Div. (AASLT). “Thatjust goes to show that thegovernment cares about itspeople and is taking thesteps to move forward in theright direction.”

Many concerns wereraised during the meeting,such as the farmers market,which recently reopened inYusifiyah.

“As a leader for theYusifiyah Nahia, it is myjob to make sure that mypeople’s concerns areknown, and that steps arebeing taken to help thoseconcerns,” said SheikhSomar Abd’al’amer KotherHamdi al-Anbari, YusifiyahNahia director. The town ofQarghuli falls under thegovernment jurisdiction ofYusifiyah.

Abdullah said govern-ment officials came during atime of stability in Yusi-fiyah, which can be attrib-uted to the combinedsecurity presence of IraqiArmy, Iraqi Police and

Coalition forces.“Yusifiyah has become a

symbol for Iraq as to howmultiple tribes can coexistwith one another withouthaving to worry about vio-lence,” Somar said.

He added that monthsago things were much dif-ferent, with violence in thearea at a peak. The nahia iscoming together, Somarsaid, in ways many couldhave never expected.

“Now that good is beingshown on a regular basis, ithas become a convenienceto work hand in hand withthe government,” Abdullahsaid.

By Pvt. ChristopherMcKenna3rd BCT Public Affairs

Two companies from two differentbattalions traded places during a cere-mony at Patrol Base Lion’s Den, about15 kilometers southwest of Baghdad,May 10.

The Soldiers of Company B, 2ndBattalion, 69th Armor Regiment willsoon head back to Fort Benning, Ga.,after a 15-month deployment as Co. B,1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regimentfills in their place.

Company B, 2-69th Armor Regt.,part of the 3rd Heavy Brigade CombatTeam, 3rd Infantry Division, was at-tached to 1st Squadron, 33rd CavalryRegiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),during their deployment.

“You’ve demonstrated the higheststandard of professionalism and honorthat Soldiers share, extending fromwithin these walls … into the localarea,” said Lt. Col. Brian Copper-smith, 1-33rd Cav. Regt. commander.

“We’re proud now topass the mantle fromthe 2-69th to the 1-35th.”

The 1-35thArmor Regt. wasoriginally estab-lished in 1941 as the5th Armored Regi-ment and has servedprevious tours in2003 and 2005 insupport of OperationIraqi Freedom.

“I assure that wewill do everything inour power, with thecooperation of ourIraqi friends, [to]maintain the security in this area andcontinue to improve the quality of lifefor the people of Radwaniyah,” saidCapt. Eric Morton, commander of CoB., 1-35th Armor Regt.

Soldiers of Co. B, 2-69th ArmorRegt., received Combat Order of theSpur certificates, granted to all caval-

rymen who served in a combat envi-ronment.

“I am confident that the relation-ships we built [with the Iraqis] willonly grow stronger with the new unit,”said Capt. Sean Morrow, Co B., 2-69thArmor Regt. commander. “I know thatthey are prepared to take Radwaniyahto the next level.”

By Pvt. Christopher McKenna3rd BCT Public Affairs

Armor companies change positions

Pvt. Christopher McKennaCaptain Sean Morrow, commander of Co. B, 2-69th ArmorRegt., furls the company colors during a transfer of author-ity ceremony May 10 at PB Lion’s Den.

Government comes to people of Qarghuli


What is the most valuable thing your father taught you?“... to be me, no matter what any-body else says.”

Spc. Dorian Garza Headquarters and Headquarters Company,

3rd Special Troops Battalion

“... to always be myself.”Spc. Jeremiah Miron

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Combat Team

“... to do my best at everything in life.”Sgt. Charles Posey

Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment

“... to work hard and take pride inwhat I do.”

1st Lt. Jennifer Van WyckCompany C,

626th Brigade Support Battalion,

4 Rakkasan Soldiers selected for inductioninto prestigious Sgt. Audie Murphy Club

Four Rakkasans from 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 101st Airborne Divi-sion (Air Assault), have been selectedfor induction into the Sgt. Audie Mur-phy Club since the brigade arrived inIraq.

After a series of grueling boards atthe battalion, brigade and division lev-els, these noncommissioned officersproved themselves to be the caliber ofSoldier the board members sought.

Sergeant First Class AnthonyCrisostomo, Headquarters and Head-quarters Company, 3rd Battalion,187th Infantry Regiment; Staff Sgt.Johnny White, HHC, 3rd SpecialTroops Battalion; Staff Sgt. BenjaminRichards, Company A, 626th BrigadeSupport Battalion; and Staff Sgt.Amos Sward, HHC, 3rd BCT, 101stAbn. Div. (AASLT), were recom-mended.

“I think the Audie Murphy Club isa prestigious club made up of NCOs

who wanted to be part of somethinggreat,” White said. “The Army in itselfis a great institution, but within any or-ganization there are a few people wholike to set themselves apart; the AudieMurphy Club presents that opportu-nity.”

Sward likened the selection intothe prestigious board to the Expert In-fantryman Badge.

“It is an individual accomplish-ment that says a lot about your charac-ter,” he said.

The general consensus of the in-ductees is that studying could not belimited to just a few areas, and per-sonal experience counts for a lot.

“Unlike other boards, you can’tjust know the answer,” Sward said.“You have to know the regulation andhow to apply it.”

In a deployed environment, the op-erational tempo is generally higherthan usual, the duty hours are longerand can be unpredictable, making per-sonal time limited. Under these condi-tions, time management and self

discipline are key in preparing for theboard.

While it is indeed a challenge, theselectees encourage others to take partin the board.

“The process … is very rewardingwhether you make it the first time ornot. You learn so much,” White said.“It forces you to read deeply into dif-ferent regulations and manuals, (and)it opens your eyes to a lot of things.”

The Rakkasans’ senior-enlistedmember is especially proud of his Sol-diers and said induction under TaskForce Marne is especially poignant.

“I congratulate these outstandingNCOs for this huge accomplishment,”said Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Pat-ton, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div.(AASLT) command sergeant major.“Being selected for induction into theSgt. Audie Murphy Club is truly anhonor, especially while serving withSgt. Audie Murphy’s own historic 3rdInfantry Division.”

An induction ceremony will beheld at a later date.


vol. 1, issue 7 june 2008

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