Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. Vol. 2, Issue 4 February 14, 2014

Table IX gunneryPhotos by Sgt. Marcus Fichtl2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

Two Soldiers from “Beast” Co., 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., spring between cover during a squad dismount gunnery at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 10.

Soldiers from Co. B, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., set up inside a building during a squad dismount gunnery at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 10.

Bradley Fighting Vehicles from Co. B, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., race across the sand during a squad dismount gunnery at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 10.

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Spc. Alexandria Perez , health care specialist, Co. C, 204th BSB, reaches out toward her husband Sgt. Eduardo Perez , behavioral health specialist, Co. C, 204th BSB, as they ride to their living quarters after a day of work on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 11.

A deployed love affairStory and photos by Sgt. Marcus Fichtl2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT – It’s a love story like any other, boy meets girl, they fall in love, they grow old together in a combat zone.

Spc. Alexandria Perez, a health care specialist, and Sgt. Eduardo Perez, a behavioral health specialist, met six years ago at “Charlie Med,” Company C of the 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, two privates as new to each other as they were to the Army.

One from Los Angeles the other from Laredo, Texas, one a lover of Tejano music the other joining the Army straight out of fashion school, culturally, two people as different as you could find anywhere. But in the Army, both hundreds a miles from home, they found a family in their unit and with each other.

“We connected on paper,” said Alexandria. We didn’t have much in common, but both coming from big Mexican families we shared values of faith and family.”

And seemingly, Eduardo’s Texan chivalry meshed with

Alexandria’s Californian openness.“He was always saving me and keeping me out of trouble,” said

Alexandria. “He would help me with my ruck or always have a spare of whatever I forgot to formation.”

“We grew on each other,” said Eduardo. If I needed to someone to talk to or vent, I went to her, she would understand me.”

A few months into their stay on Fort Carson, they received the word that they were deploying to Iraq.

“When we deployed to Iraq we were here on Camp Buehring, the list came out for the two different locations we were deploying to,” said Eduardo. “She went to (Forward Operating Base) Kalsu; I went to Camp Echo, and the moment we were away from each other that’s when it hit me, that’s when I realized I was falling in love.”

The couple exchanged emails and phone calls while apart, but a couple of close calls on Camp Echo and a non-combat related medical evacuation for Eduardo pressed him to action.

“I realized how real everything was and how precious our time

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Photos by Sgt. Jarrad Spinner2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

here was,” said Eduardo.New Years 2009, during their rest and recuperation, surrounded

by Alexandria’s family, Eduardo’s knee hit the ground as the clock struck twelve.

“I said, yes, oh my God, get up, get up, what are you doing, you just met my family,” laughed Alexandria.

Lost in the sea of commotion, Alexandria’s family didn’t even notice. They wouldn’t learn about the engagement until after Eduardo returned to Iraq the next day.

A year later they married at the Colorado Springs courthouse, and four years after that, they’ve found each other once again on Camp Buehring, their second deployment together.

“We’ve definitely grown as a couple,” laughed Alexandria. “He eats sushi, now.”

“I finally converted her to be Dallas Cowboys fan,” said Eduardo.

But while their competitive spirit and culture clash still defines their relationship through games of chess and heated dinner conversations at the dining facility. Their thoughts focus on their two children Sebastian, 3, and Eduardo Jr., 2.

“Our friends here think we’re funny, the way we banter back and forth,” said Alexandria. “We still get real passionate about everything we talk about. But what we’ve really missed this deployment is our children.”

The long emails and late night phone calls to each other in between the IEDs and mortar attacks of 2008 have been replaced with video chat sessions with their children, who are just beginning to understand what their parents do.

“Deployment’s still tough,” said Eduardo. “Being away from our family for so long, it makes it tough for a dual-military family like

ours. We try to video chat with our kids two or three times a week.“They tell everyone we’re doing work,” said Alexandria.A love forged in Iraq and now refined in Kuwait, the Perez’s are

proud of what they’ve made together.“I hope our kids will see our service as something to be proud of

when they get older that our family, just like everyone who has served after 9/11 is a small part of history,” said Eduardo.

The two plan to watch a movie for Valentines Day, which they will undoubtedly argue about, but also a video chat date with their children that they will cherish.

Spc. Alexandria Perez, left, health care specialist, Co. C, 204thBSB, and her husband Sgt. Eduardo Perez, behavioral health specialist, Co. C, 204th BSB, play a game of chess after a day of work on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 11.

Spc. Alexandria Perez, Co. C, 204thBSB, and her husband Sgt. Eduardo Perez, behavioral health specialist, Co. C, 204th BSB, play chess after a day of work on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 11, 2014. This is the pair’s second deployment together.

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – “Exercise, Exercise, Exercise, All medical personnel report to your stations,” echoed over the loudspeakers setting the conditions for a camp-wide mass

casualty joint training exercise on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 13.Soldiers of 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry

Division, worked in cooperation with military police, emergency medical services, firemen and medical personal to test standard operating procedures and validate response teams.

“The goal was to make sure we exercise communication,” said Capt. Antony Hensel, brigade medical operations officer-in-charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd ABCT. “We want people to know where to be in the quickest time possible.”

As first responders arrived to the scene, bodies, blood and calls for help greeted them.

“In the beginning, it was a little unorganized,” said Spc. Zachary Carmen, an infantryman and a native of Las Vegas, assigned to HHT, 2nd STB. “But towards the end, when the actual Soldiers got involved, it started to figure itself out. Each level of care got increasingly more

Planning for the worstStory and photos by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

Sfc. Terris Kolmorgan, infantryman, HHT, 2STB, , receives simulated medical care from Soldiers assigned to the Camp Buehring Troop Medical Center during a camp-wide mass casualty joint training exercise on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 13.

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Soldiers of HHT, 2STB, play the part of casualties at a collection point during a camp-wide mass casualty joint training exercise on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 13.

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professional and capable.”The leaders observing the training noticed one key element that

would improve everyone participating.“We identified the need to do cross training,” said Hensel. “The

EMS folks may not be too familiar with our tactical vehicles. They have to know how to load them up just like our medics need to be able to load up patients in the civilian vehicles.”

Hensel watched the medics from 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd ABCT access the situation, take charge and work well with their counterparts.

“They reacted really quickly and were also able to take guidance from the folks that were already on the scene,” said Hensel. “Our team did very well.”

One of the medics explained what it is like to be in that situation.“I love doing my job, said Spc. Adela Murphy, a health care specialist

and native of Katy, Texas, assigned Company C, 204th BSB. “We are usually the mediator between life and death. If we don’t do our jobs, it is possible (a patient) could bleed out or stop breathing. We have to sustain them to the TMC.”

For a younger Soldier, the experience was eye opening.“I definitely see there are a lot more moving parts than what I

actually thought,” said Carmen, who acted as one of 15 simulated casualties. “Now I see how much it takes to get from point A to point B.”

This was the first time the “Warhorse” Brigade participated in a camp wide MASCAL exercise, but it will not be the last with a more in-depth training exercise set for March.

“I think overall so far, the system works,” said Hensel. “We have to sit down and crank out all the numbers and the details but what we planned for was well executed and will help us in future events.”

Sgt. Anthony Augon, infantryman, HHT, 2STB, lies lifeless through a reflection during a camp-wide mass casualty joint training exercise on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 13, 2014.

Spc. Adela Murphy, a health care specialist , Co. C, 204th BSB, applies aid to Sfc. Terris Kolmorgan, infantryman,HHT, 2nd STB, during a camp-wide mass casualty joint training exercise on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 12.

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HHT, Change of Responsibility

The Warhorse Pride is produced in the interest of the Soldiers of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Warhorse Pide is an Army-funded news-letter authorized under provision of AR 360-1. Contents of the Warhorse Pride are not necessarily the view of, nor endorsed by the U.S. government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Warhorse Pride is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team

Public Affairs Office. The Warhorse Pride welcomes articles, commentary and photos from readers. The Warhorse Pride reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the publication. All issues of The Warhorse Pride can be viewed online from your home computer at www.facebook.com/2bct4id Submissions should be e-mailed to the editor:andrew.a.porch.mil@mail.mil

Col. Omar Jones IV......................2nd ABCT CommanderCommand Sgt. Maj. Robert Lehtonen 2nd ABCT CSMMaj. Chris Maestas.................................................PAO OICStaff Sgt. Andrew Porch..................................PAO NCOICSgt. Marcus Fichtl...............................Layout and DesignStaff Sgt. Andrew Porch............................................Editor

Warhorse Pride

Photos by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

Crew members inside a Bradley Fighting Vehicle from Company A, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., fires its 25mm cannon during a night fire at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Jan. 26.

1st Sgt., Michael Oliver, outoging senior enlisted leader HHT, 2nd STB, passes the guidon to Cpt. Maria Rinaldi, commander, HHT, 2STB, durring the HHT’s change of responsibility ceremony on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 7.

Staff Sgt. Eric Armes, master gunner, HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. surveys the gunnery range during Company A’s night fire at Udairi range complex, Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Jan. 26.

Company C, 1-67 Armor Reg. RecognitionPhoto by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

1st Sgt. Michael Oliver, outgoing senior enlisted leader, HHT, 2nd STB, speaks to his company one last time during the company’s change of responsibility ceremony on Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 7.

Col. Omar Jones IV, commander, 2nd ABCT, recognizes the Soldiers of Co. C, 1st Bn., 67th Armor Reg., for their support during an exercise in the CENTCOM region, at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Feb. 11.

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Better Opportunities for Single SoldiersPage 8 Vol. 2, Issue 4 February 14, 2014