Triple Nickel Tribune
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Triple Nickel Tribune “Willing and Able!” NEWSLETTER OF THE 555 TH ENGINEER BRIGADE JOINT BASE LEWIS - M C CHORD, WASHINGTON Winter 2014 www.Facebook.com/555enbde Message from Changing of the Commander the Guard Colonel Timothy Holman, “Able 6” Triple Nickel Team, At A Glance… TRIPLE NICKEL HQ AND 864TH Welcome to the winter edi- ENGINEER BN. RETURNED FROM tion of our Brigade newsletter, AFGHANISTAN IN OCTOBER where we honor the wonderful REMOTELY STATIONED BATTALIONS— accomplish- 1ST, 4TH AND 52ND ENGINEERS— ments of our NO LONGER ASSIGNED TO 555TH 555th Eng. Bde. Commander Col. Timothy Holman (left) returns a Soldiers and TRIPLE NICKEL NOW FALLS UNDER Families in the salute Nov. 25 as the brigade headquarters company marches past. COMMAND OF NEWLY ESTABLISHED 555th Engineer 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION Brigade. 555th welcomes new leaders, BRIGADE PREPARING FOR MAJOR My wife BJ and I are glad to CHANGES AS ARMY RESTRUCTURES be part of the team. In the three reflects on accomplishments AND REDUCES ENGINEER FORCES months since taking command, I have been impressed with the Story by Jake Dorsey Major General Stephen R. BRIGADE COMMANDS FOUR outstanding quality of our Sol- Northwest Guardian Lanza, 7th Infantry Division com- BATTALIONS AND ADDITIONAL diers and Families. BJ and I look mander, took time before the cere- ENGINEER DETACHMENTS AT JBLM forward to meeting Spouses and JBLM — Command authority mony to award Katers and Bryan Families at future FRG meetings. and senior enlisted advisory respon- each the Legion of Merit, praising The Triple Nickel also looks sibility for the 555th Engineer Bri- Katers for leading the 555th Engr. forward to a busy year ahead, as gade changed hands during a Nov. Bde. through its January deploy- Inside we work to reset units and pre- 25 ceremony here. ment. pare to deploy elements of the Colonel Nicho- “I’ve been impressed Katers will be this issue… 14th Engineers to Afghanistan las W. Katers and with this unit since I headed to Fort Bragg COMMAND SGT. MAJ.’S CORNER. 2 and elements of the 110th Command Sgt. Maj. arrived at JBLM, and to become the next Chemical and 3rd EOD Battalions Kevin W. Bryan U.S. Army Forces to the National Training Center. stepped down as the Soldiers continue to Command engineer. SOLDIERS SUPPORT SCIENCE FAIR 3 This year will be a time of Triple Nickel leaders show me why they’re one Lanza announced TRIPLE NICKEL RUCK MARCH BRINGS 4 many changes, as we prepare to after a two-year stint of the best engineer Bryan would stay on IN TOYS FOR HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE transform the Brigade. We will that included a nine- at the installation as TH JOINS WITH ITY OF OY brigades in the Army.” 555 C R 5 transfer the 14th Eng. Bn. to the month deployment the new JBLM com- TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS 2nd Stryker Brigade. Still other to Afghanistan. Colo- mand sergeant ma- -Col. Holman 14TH ENGINEER BATTALION PAGE 6 units will be transferred or even- nel Timothy W. jor. tually inactivated as the Army Holman and Command Sgt. Maj. In remarks to the battalions in 864TH ENGINEER BATTALION PAGE 7 restructures and resizes. Stanley D. Hood took charge as the formation and distinguished guests Our priority is keeping you new command team. (Continued on page 10) 3RD EOD BATTALION PAGE 8 informed throughout this time, so stay tuned for more information Need to 110TH CHEM. BATTALION PAGE 9 and a town hall meeting to dis- Changes coming BRIGADE HHC UPDATE 10 cuss these transitions and field Know: Active duty engineer units are being any questions you may have. ENGINEERS SUPPORT STRYKERS 11 Thank you Soldiers and reduced across the Army, and some are being transferred to Stryker Brigades. 12- Families for all you do. MEDICAL & CHAPLAIN NOTES Willing & Able! How it affects us: Page 2 13 - Col. Holman, ‘Able 6’ Page 1 Triple Nickel Tribune Winter 2014 Command Sergeant Major’s Corner Command Sgt. Maj. Stanley Hood, “Able 7” 2014: A Year of Change Triple Nickel Family, for the Triple Nickel Eleecia and I are thankful to The Army is restructuring and reducing the overall “I thank you for the everyone in the brigade for such a size of the Active Duty force. This means big changes warm welcome. The Triple Nickel sacrifices you’ve already team has shown made and for your for many brigades, including our 555th Engineers. the Hood Family continued support to So what does it mean for our units, and for you? nothing but the your Soldier.” best and we are By U.S. Army Capt. Spencer Garrison The brigade’s 506th Fire Fight- grateful. We are 555th Eng. Bde. Public Affairs ing Detachment will inactivate excited about during this same period. serving with and JBLM, Wash. — The 555th The Pacemakers’ 617th Hori- being a part of the conscious decision to restruc- Engineer Brigade will see substan- zontal Const. Co. will inactivate the 555 EN BDE Family. ture the brigade, a process we are tial changes to its organization during this fall and winter, as well My battle buddy (COL working to make as smooth and during 2014, as the Army adjusts as the Brigade’s 84th Survey & Holman) and I realize the most simple as possible. and, in some cases, reduces the Design Detachment. important and valuable asset to Once again, I’m excited to join size of Active Duty brigades. The battalion’s 585th Vertical the brigade are the Soldiers and, the 555th team, and I look forward Current plans call for a num- and 28th Concrete Section will even more important, their Family to working with the senior and ber of changes within the Triple inactivate some time later, in the members which have served and junior Leaders to better develop Nickel, including the following. spring and summer of 2015. The are still serving in the 555th. Your and serve our great Soldiers who Construction companies 531st Explosive Hazards Team will great support to your Soldier is key make this the best Engineer Bri- within the 864th Engineer Battalion also inactivate during this time. to accomplishing our mission and gade serving our country. “Pacemakers” will eventually inac- Elements of 14th Engineer it’s too often taken for granted. I tivate, although the process will be Battalion will transform this sum- thank you for the sacrifices you’ve gradual. The first Pacemaker com- mer into a new Brigade Engineer already made and for your contin- Willing and Able, pany to inactivate will be the 557th Battalion for 2nd Stryker Brigade ued support to your Soldier. CSM Hood, ‘Able 7’ Horizontal Construction Company, Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Divi- We are an organization in which will occur over the course of son, also located on North Fort. transition, as the Army has made this summer. This will affect just the 14th’s Head- quarters and Headquarters Com- pany (HHC) and Forward Support Company (FSC). The combat engineer compa- nies within the 14th will become part of the 864th. Brigade leaders will keep This newsletter belongs to the Soldiers and Families fully informed WILLING AND ABLE members of in the lead-up to these changes and throughout the process, ac- the 555th Engineer Brigade… cording to Col. Timothy Holman, the brigade commander . The Triple Nickel Tribune is an authorized “Our priority is helping our newsletter for members of the 555th Engineer Brigade, a subordinate unit of 7th Send us photos, stories, and ideas for Soldiers and Families fully under- Infantry Division, I Corps. Contents are not stand and navigate these changes, necessarily endorsed by the Dept. of the future coverage, and see your unit’s and determine the way forward.” Army, DoD, or U.S. Government. Content is accomplishments highlighted on our Col. Holman said. reviewed, edited, and approved by the To help with this, the Brigade Brigade Public Affairs Officer. Facebook page and in future editions will arrange a town hall meeting in For questions, comments, or submissions, the spring; attendance will be open please contact the Brigade PAO. of the Triple Nickel Tribune! to all Soldiers and Families affected Public Affairs Officer: CPT Spencer Garrison by these changes. [email protected] Facebook.com/555enbde More information will also be available on the Brigade Facebook Email: [email protected] page and in the spring newsletter. Page 2 Triple Nickel Tribune Winter 2014 In the Community: Soldiers support science fair By U.S. Army Spc. Leon Cook 20th Public Affairs Detachment LAKEWOOD, Wash. — The basis of the scientific method is simply asking the question, “If I do this, what will happen?” Six years ago, when the science department of a local middle school asked themselves, “What will happen if we invite Soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord Photo by U.S. Navy MC1 Daniel Garas, TF True Grit Public Affairs to judge our science fair?” they Seabees assigned to NMCB 15 work to expand an active runway in began an experiment that has eastern Afghanistan, even as coalition aircraft fly close overhead. continued ever since. Soldiers with the 555th Engineer Brigade spent the day judging science fair entries at Mann Middle School in Lake- wood, Wash. Jan. 15. Once a scientist has asked a question, he or she forms a hy- pothesis which is their best guess about how their experiment will 7th grader Mitchell Sattinger explains how he tested bridge strength for his science project. turn out. “My hypothesis was that if I entries. Judges learned how to really nice. After the first judge, I “I like how the Soldiers are brought in Soldiers, the kids evaluate projects based on how was more confident.” helping and showing their appre- would feel nervous talking to closely they followed the scien- “All the students were a ciation for the community,” Hag- them, but they’d become com- tific method, oral presentation, little nervous,” said Spc.