Volume 1, Issue 91 June 4, 2010 Stingray crews complete ‘no-fail’ missions for VIPs regardless of weather conditions By Staff Sgt. Mike Alberts sions for the most experi- sion. tion Diamondback in Mosul, 25CAB, 25th Inf. Div PAO enced combat aviators. The Stingrays transport . They are doing it with For the air crew of the some of the most senior UH-60L Black Hawk heli- On a May afternoon at “Stingrays,” A, and influential personnel copters modified for their Contingency Operating Base 3-25th General Support throughout U.S. unique mission. Speicher in Iraq, visibility Aviation , 25th - North. It’s a “no-fail” mis- Each primary helicopter diminished from three miles Combat Aviation , sion and, by all accounts, one contains an Army Airborne to one in less than an hour, 25th Division, the the unit has performed flaw- Command and Control Sys- enough to cancel all but the extreme weather amounted lessly since arriving in Iraq tem, also referred to as the most critical aviation mis- to another challenging mis- almost nine months ago. A2CS2, and an experienced “Our primary mission is signal support systems spe- to support the cialist to operate it. Marne and USD-N Com- The A2C2S functions like manding General, Maj. Gen. a mobile tactical operations Tony Cucolo; the TF Marne center. In addition to multi- Deputy Commanding Gen- band and satellite radios, this eral for Maneuver, Brig. airborne command and con- Gen. Patrick Donahue; and trol system contains Com- the TF Marne Deputy Com- mand Post of the Future and manding General for Sup- Blue Force Tracker capabili- port, Brig. Gen. Thomas ties, among other systems. Vandal, as well as [certain] Both CPOF and BFT give the other general support mis- aircraft’s general officer pas- sions,” explained Capt. Bon- sengers unprecedented com- nie Wood, commander, Co. munication ability and situ- A, 3-25th GSAB, and a native ational awareness in flight. of Artemas, Pa. “The mission Since October 2009, the is critical because we allow Stingrays have flown more Task Force Marne’s senior than 700 missions, accumu- leaders to move around their lated more than 5,000 flight battle space quickly, safely hours, and have earned high and efficiently.” praise from TF Marne’s most The Stingrays have ac- senior leader. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Alberts, 25CAB, 25th Inf. Div. PAO complished their mission “Alpha Company and my Sergeant John Stefanik (top left), crew chief and mechanic, Sgt. Es- with about 50 Soldiers from particular pilot and air crew tevan Gonzales (right), signal support systems specialist and A2C2S two locations, COB Speicher, are absolutely invaluable to operator, and Pfc. Rebecca Pottebaum (left), crew chief and mechan- ic, all assigned to Co. A, 3-25th GSAB, conduct pre-flight checks and near Tikrit, Iraq, and Con- inspections on a UH-60L Black Hawk at COB Speicher, May 20. tingency Operating Loca- See FLIGHT, Page 3 The North Star Page 2 • June 4, 2010 Promotion reunites father, son in Iraq By Pfc. Jessica Luhrs, command were very sup- Rider has been there for his his son on the back. 1BCT, 1st AD PAO portive and did everything son throughout his military “It is an honor to have my they could to help arrange career. “It means the world dad here,” said Sgt. Miller. A smiling son and a this, Sgt. 1st Class Rider to do this. I was there for “Other than having my wife father, beaming with pride, said. him when he enlisted, when here to see me getting pro- stood next to Mine Resis- Sergeant Miller also he left for basic and now to- moted I couldn’t have asked tant Ambush Protected agreed that his supervisor day the day he crosses over for anything more than for vehicles on Forward Operat- was very helpful. “When to be an NCO,” said Sgt. 1st my dad to be here promot- ing Base Warrior, Kirkuk, my chain of command got Class Rider, while he patted ing me.” Iraq, saying their goodbyes, a phone call about my dad after reuniting for the first wanting to promote me, no time in over a year. questions were asked, they After a month of plan- just wanted to make it hap- ning and help from his pen,” he said. chain of command, Sgt. Upon Sgt. 1st Class 1st Class Steven Rider, a Rider’s arrival to FOB War- native of Lowville, N.Y., the rior, he was reunited with brigade battle noncommis- his son and they spent their sioned officer in charge with time hanging out, when Sgt. 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Miller got off work. , out On their third and last of , N.Y., boarded day together, June 1, Sgt. 1st a flight to FOB Warrior, Class Rider had the oppor- to see and promote, his tunity to pin his son from son Sgt. Timothy Miller, specialist to sergeant. a team leader with Alpha Sergeant Miller has only Battery, 2nd Battalion, 3rd been in a little over two Field Artillery, 1st Brigade years and he is already an Combat Team, 1st Armored NCO, as a father, Sgt. 1st Photo by Pfc. Jessica Luhrs, 1BCT, 1st AD PAO Division, out of Fort Bliss, Class Rider, said it made Sergeant First Class Steven Rider (right), 2nd BCT, 10th Mtn. Div. battle NCOIC, poses with his son Sgt. Timothy Miller, a team leader Texas, May 30. him really proud. with Btry. A, 2/3 FA Regt., 1st BCT, 1st AD, after pinning the sergeant Both of the chains of Sergeant First Class rank on him, June 1. 26th BSB surgeon awarded for service in White House By Master Sgt. Duff McFadden the staff at any one time – two from 2BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO the Army, two from the Navy and two from the Air Force – the Army Medical It’s a long way from the hallowed Branch nominates six physicians. This walls of the White House to the dusty list, in turn, is scoured by the Depart- environs of northern Iraq, and for Col. ment of the Army and then passed Daniel Parks, the 26th Base Support along to the White House, who selects Battalion surgeon, its been a wild ride. three personnel for interviews. From September 2001 to March Those selectees underwent three 2009, this Canton, Mass., resident days of interviews at the White House served as one of the six White House and the following day, Col. Parks physicians for U.S. Presidents George received the phone call stating the job W. Bush and Barrack Obama. was his. “I was totally excited. I mean, Quiet and professional, Col. Parks this was an opportunity of a lifetime.” recently received the Defense Supe- His first day of work was Sept. 11, rior Service Medal for his duties as a 2001 – he quickly learned the ropes. Photo by Master Sgt. Duff McFadden, 2HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO White House physician in a ceremony After undergoing Emergency Medi- Colonel Daniel Parks, battle surgeon for 26th with the 26th Base Support Battalion, cal training and Nuclear, Biological BSB, 2nd HBCT, 3rd ID, is presented the De- 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd and Chemical training, he began work- fense Superior Service Medal for his duties as a White House physician, during a cer- Infantry Division, in Mosul, Iraq. emony at COS Marez in Mosul. With six White House physicians on See AWARD, Page 3 The North Star Page 3 • June 4, 2010 Continued from FLIGHT, Page 1 my mission,” said Maj. Gen. Cucolo. extraordinary depth of experience of “I love this mission because you re- “We operate in a huge battle space, the unit’s aviators and air crews. ally feel like you are part of the game so much of which is only accessible by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Bo- so-to-speak, not sitting on the side- rotary-wing aircraft. ley, instructor pilot and primary CAC lines,” explained Sgt. Stefanik, a native Many of the locations I need to go pilot, and Sgt. John Stefanik, crew chief of Houston, Texas, who now calls Pen- are only accessible by rotary wing. As and UH-60L Black Hawk mechanic, are sacola, Fla., home. the commanding general, I simply must two Co. A, 3-25th GSAB Soldiers with “We’re successful because we have have the ability to pick up and move prior CAC experience in combat. all done this before. We understand the quickly. Alpha Company provides me Both appreciate the role the Sting- unique equipment requirements … that that ability. rays play in facilitating TF Marne’s a general officer needs. We make sure “They also bring much needed mission throughout USD-N. we’re professional and just do what we agility,” continued Maj. Gen. Cucolo. “I am an instructor pilot, but my are all trained to do during every mis- “There have been instances, for ex- primary job is to facilitate movement of sion.” ample, where I will be meeting with a the commanding general anywhere he Sheik in far western Ninewah province needs to go,” said Chief Warrant Offi- and, over the radio, my aide-de-camp cer 3 Boley, a native of St. Louis. will receive word that I am needed in “Most of us have done this type of Kirkuk province. mission before. We understand the It won’t be something that’s part of need to be flexible and dynamic, and to the day’s flight plan, but the pilots and take the general wherever his mission air crew who I have are capable of ad- dictates. justing. “I do mean anywhere,” he continued. They do it every day, and they bring “For instance, there are times when a level of credibility that makes me feel Maj. Gen. Cucolo needs to land in the like I can really do anything, anytime, middle of the desert and link up with anywhere. They have done a fantastic a ground unit operating somewhere in job for us. They are all great Soldiers USD-North. So, really, whether it’s an Photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Alberts, 25CAB, 25th Inf. Div. PAO and I am proud to serve with them.” established forward operating base or Task Force Marne Commanding General According to Capt. Wood, her unit’s a simple grid location in a remote lo- Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo, communicates with success is due, in large part, to the com- cation it doesn’t matter. We do it and his command and control team and aide-de- petence of the maintenance test pilots I enjoy it.” camp from the rear compartment of a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter maintained and oper- and platoon sergeants who manage a Chief Warrant Officer 3 Boley’s se- ated by Soldiers from Co. A, 3-25th GSAB, 25 variety of daily, scheduled and phase nior crew chief similarly loves perform- CAB, 25th ID, from COB Speicher, near Tikrit, maintenance demands, as well as the ing CAC duties. Iraq, May 20. Continued from AWARD, Page 2 ing side-by-side with the Se- House complex. mission was to coordinate received orders to the 26th cret Service and the Marine “Basically we were a a contingency plan for any- BSB, 2nd HBCT, to serve as One air squadron and the small, special operations thing that could happen. We their battalion surgeon. Air Force One air crews. unit of silent professionals. had to have every possible He deployed to Mosul, There’s always a physi- We had a mission to do, and medical plan in place, no Iraq, with the unit. How- cian and nurse within two we did it.” matter where the president ever, he will redeploy this minutes of the president at While the position had or vice president was.” summer to continue his all times and a physician or its benefits, the hardest part The position is normally duties at . physician’s assistant with had to be the time spent a three-year tour, but he was Besides retirement in an- the vice president at all away from home. asked to extend by Presi- other two years, Col. Parks times. It’s the responsibility “I was away for two- to dent Bush’s administration, said he has no idea what he of every medical responder two-and-a-half weeks a and then he assisted with “wants to do when I grow to keep the president and month. It was a 24/7 job the transition of President up.” He said he’ll probably vice president alive until and I was always on my Obama’s administration. stay in the D.C. area, as he they reach a medical center blackberry, or watching Once the transition was has three children in Mary- or medical trauma center. the TV news. If there was a completed, he began du- land -- twins, a boy and girl Part of their mission also tornado in the Midwest, we ties at the Pentagon Flight who are 15 years of age and consisted of acute care for would have to start planning Medical Clinic, where he another daughter, age 12. the president the vice presi- on how to move assets there served as the Army flight Until then, he will reflect dent and their families, also in case of an impromptu surgeon. on one the most memorable the Secret Service, whether visit by the president. However, within three positions anyone could on the road or in the White “Any time we travel, our months of Pentagon duty he serve in. The North Star Page 4 • June 4, 2010 Task Force Marne Heroes of the North Specialist Ranferi Jaimes, of Wichita Falls, Texas, is with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. He distinguished himself during Operation Chelan by rendering life-saving treatment to six Iraqi soldiers and policemen who collapsed due to heat exhaustion. Specialist Jaimes carried two cases of water more than a kilometer over mountainous terrain in order to rehydrate the fallen Iraqi Army soldiers and Federal Police officers. Immediately upon arrival, Specialist Jaimes began accurately assessing and triaging casualties and prepar- ing litters to transport them to low ground. Once all injured personnel were evacuated from the hilltop, Spc. Jaimes assisted in clearing a landing zone for casualty evacuation aircraft to evacuate injured members of the Iraqi Security Forces. Specialist Jaimes unequivocally demonstrated the Army values and left an unforgettable impression of caring for one’s fallen comrades upon our partnered ISF. His dedication and attention to detail is what makes him today’s Task Force Marne Hero of the North.

Private First Class Joshua Gilbert, of Syracuse, N.Y., is with the 130th Engineer Brigade. His hard work and dedication have been instrumental to his platoon’s success. On April 10 he found an improvised explosive device while conducting route clearance along an alternate supply route. Private First Class Gilbert initially identified a string running across the road. Upon a more detailed investigation, the platoon found a victim-operated IED, consisting of a propane tank filled with homemade explosives. His expert operation of his assigned vehicle allowed his platoon leader to carefully investigate the source of the string in difficult terrain. Private First Class Gilbert’s keen eye and ability to maneuver his vehicle through many obstacles was key to ensuring freedom of maneuver along a key alternate supply route. For his exemplary performance, he is most worthy of being selected as today’s Task Force Marne Hero of the North.

Safety Thought of the Week: Sudoku Answers will be in Monday’s North Star Pinch Points

• Identify pinch points on all vehicles and equipment. • Review hazard areas as part of pre- mission brief. • Label pinch points when possible. • Look out for your Battle Buddy as well as yourself. • Announce the intent to close/open doors and hatches or rotate turrets. • Visually ensure Soldiers are clear before opening/closing doors and hatches. The North Star Page 5 • June 4, 2010 Re g i o n a l He a d l i n e s

40,000 gather to watch 2,000 Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona and Job posting excludes candles float to sea Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. unemployed Honolulu Star-Bulletin Police estimated the crowd at more United Press International than 40,000 people. HONOLULU - More than 40,000 Ito said the idea for the event ATLANTA - A Florida-based people watched some 2,000 floating started 40 years ago, when she and her recruiting company said an Atlanta lanterns drift to sea June 1, from father visited the memorials at Pearl job posting excluding the unemployed Ala Moana Beach, ferrying wishes of Harbor and Punchbowl. is representative of a growing trend healing and peace and honoring those Ito, who succeeded her father as among employers. who have died under hardships. leader of Shinnyo-en upon his death Orlando-based, The People Place The 12th annual Lantern Floating in 1989, said she was grateful for the posted an opening for a Sony Ericsson Hawaii, with the theme “Many Rivers, public support in Hawaii, and she marketing position in Atlanta with One Ocean,” brought together people knows her father would have been a note at the end reading: “No of different cultures and beliefs pleased with the event. unemployed candidates will be yesterday, focusing on harmony and “He would be so happy to see so considered at all,” WXIA-TV, Atlanta, the hope of world peace. many find peace and harmony,” she reported June 1. The lantern-floating occasion, said. “This is a harmonious event, a Howard Lawson, a recruiter for The organized by the Na Lei Aloha collaboration of cultures.” People Place, declined to specifically Foundation and the Buddhist At the end of the ceremony, each comment on the posting, but he denomination Shinnyo-en, is an Asian reusable lantern is collected, cleaned said there is a “growing trend” of spiritual tradition held in Japan at the and restored. companies seeking to only hire the end of summer as a conclusion of the Shinnyo-en, meaning “a borderless currently employed. Obon festival, honoring ancestors. garden of truth,” was founded in the An Atlanta recruiter unrelated As Memorial Day honored the war 1930s by Ito’s father, Shinjo Ito. to the posting said companies are dead in the June The denomination has some 100 employing talent search firms to help 1, Lantern Floating Hawaii also temples and an estimated 1 million find passive job seekers, defined as recognized ancestors and others who members in several countries, currently employed people interested have died in calamities including including the United States, Korea, in taking new jobs. famine, accidents, diseases and United Kingdom, France, and The People Place’s posting for disasters. . the Sony Ericsson job was modified The Rev. Shinso Ito, head of the Honolulu resident Ashley Bosque Monday afternoon to remove the note Shinnyo-en, said Lantern Floating took the opportunity to honor at the end, WXIA said. Hawaii represents the harmonious Dominador Navarro Bosque Jr., “who relationship of the Obon festival and fought a long and hard battle with D-Main TMC Hours Memorial Day. cancer.” The event, opening with a mixture “I miss watching sports and Mon - Sat: 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. of Japanese taiko drumming, Western spending time with you. I miss your 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. music and Hawaiian chant and hula, smiles, hugs, and will always admire For emergencies, visit the was attended by elected officials your strength. I love and miss you 24th CSH, open 24 hours a day including U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, dearly,” she wrote.

THE TASK FORCE MARNE Commanding General - Maj. Gen. Tony Cucolo North Star Command Sergeant Major - Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse L. Andrews Jr. The North Star is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Task Force Marne Public Affairs Staff Army. Contents of The North Star are not TF Marne PAO – Maj. Jeff Allen necessarily official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of TF Marne PA NCOIC – Master Sgt. Marcia Triggs Defense, Department of the Army or the TF Marne Writer- Sgt. Johnathon Jobson 3rd Infantry Division. All editorial content of The North Star is prepared, edited, Editorial Staff provided and approved by the Task Force Managing Editor – Master Sgt. Marcia Triggs Marne Public Affairs Office. Editor- Spc. Michael Adams

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division 2nd Infantry Division 25th Infantry Division 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 135th Mobile Public 3rd Infantry Division 1st Armored Division Affairs Detachment