After a Year at War, 68Th CSB Returns to Cheers, Admiration Story and Photo by Sgt

Vol. 63, No. 44 Published in the interest of the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson community Nov. 4, 2005 Visitisit thethe FortFort CarsonCarson WWeb site at www.carson.army.mil After a year at war, 68th CSB returns to cheers, admiration Story and photo by Sgt. Matt Millham 14th Public Affairs Detachment After waiting almost a year for their Soldiers to come home, the families and friends of the 68th Corps Support Battalion couldn’t help but glance at the door every few seconds Saturday. Any minute now, they were told, the unit would walk through those doors and into Fort Carson’s Special Events Center for their welcome home ceremony. A flurry of colored balloons, handwritten signs and hundreds of friends and family members — some in Halloween costumes — would be there to greet the Soldiers. When the doors finally opened, the center erupted as neat columns of Soldiers dressed in desert gear marched before the crowd. Maj. Gen Robert W. Mixon Jr., commanding general of the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, and an old hand with events like these, kept his remarks under 50 words, telling the 68th, “We’re really, really proud of all of you.” The Army Song never seemed so long as the Soldiers, their families and friends tensed up for the dash to embrace. When the ceremony ended a moment later, the Soldiers and families collided with a year’s worth of pent-up emotion. In that swell of emotion, it was hard to find anyone who could muster more than a few words to Staff Sgt. Zachary West and his wife, Kelley, reunited Saturday after almost a year. The couple’s describe their reunion. first child, Kathryn, was born after West left for Iraq, and is now 10-and-a-half months old. “It’s excellent. It’s unbelievable. It’s indescrib- Though he often talked about wishing he could be home with his family, Kelley said her husband able. I’m just so glad to be here,” said Staff Sgt. was passionate about the Army, and he re-enlisted for six more years while in Iraq. Zachary West, who deployed barely a month before his first child, Kathryn, was born. West’s to get out of Iraq and back home. have any drive.” wife, Kelley West, said the deployment was stressful, “It’s been difficult,” said Sandoval’s wife, As the oldest child, Levi said he had to pick up but she handled it with the help of her friends. Jacqueline Sandoval. “I’ve never been a single parent. the slack by watching the other two children, helping When her husband called home from Iraq, he I don’t like it very much,” she said. them with their homework and taking care of his mom. didn’t talk about the war or the country — he mostly With dad gone to the war in Iraq for a year, the He’s eager to give these responsibilities back to his talked about the baby and how he wanted to come rest of the Sandoval family had to sacrifice a lot in father, he said, and added he’s looking forward to home to be with them, she said. his absence. school a bit more now. Here, there was no hint of the danger the unit The family couldn’t wait to have their patriarch Dallas, Sandoval’s youngest, had a better school faced in Taji, Iraq, where it provided support to back to do all the things he used to do with them — experience than his brother. For him, the classroom Multi-National Force-Iraq. Four of the unit’s watch football with his daughter, ride the dirt bike with was a nice distraction from the war and everything else Soldiers were killed in Iraq, all from vehicle acci- his youngest son, and help out with his oldest son’s he had to pitch in or give up for a year. dents while on convoy. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps activities. With his mother working, Dallas couldn’t play Staff Sgt. Daniel Sandoval said goodbye to his “I got into trouble quite a bit,” said Levi, soccer, and he had to do chores around the house like wife and three children — ages 9, 12 and 15 — when Sandoval’s oldest. the unit left last year. His family couldn’t wait for him “I didn’t want to be involved in school. I didn’t See 68th, Page 10 INSIDE THE Feature Happenings MOUNTAINEER ‘Progress Opinion/Editorial through Celebrate Native Americans during November. Page 2 Partnership’ Military Community Sustainability Members of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Conference Wednesday Combat Team case their colors. Page 5 Call 526-9777 for details. Community A safe explosion? Yes, when Farish is a treasure — a mountain Choices for Soldiers. Page 11 conducted by the 44th Engineer resort that may be used by Post Weather hotline: Sports Battalion. Mountain Post Team members. Defending champs repeat. Page 29 See Pages 24 and 25. See Pages 35 and 36. 526-0096 MOUNTAINEER 2 Nov. 4, 2005 Opinion/Editorial Celebrate Native Americans’ contributions to shaping American fabric Commentary by Maj. Gen. Robert W. Mixon Jr. Soldiers like 2nd Lt. Ernest Childers, one of five Denver Indian Family Resource Center, will be our Commanding general, Native Americans in the 20th Century who was guest speaker. There will also be cultural entertain- 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson bestowed our nation’s highest military honor — ment and food available for all in attendance. “The strength of our nation comes from its people. the Medal of Honor. Contact the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson As the early inhabitants of this land the native peoples The legacy of Childers’ bravery displayed on the Equal Employment Opportunity Office at 526-9487 of North America played a unique role in the shaping battlefield in Italy on that February day in 1943 is for more information. of our nation’s history and culture.” also visible today in our men and women fighting — President George W. Bush in the streets of Baghdad, Tal Afar and Rhamadi. The American fabric is comprised of many dif- Childers’ legacy of duty, honor, courage and selfless ferent sizes, shapes and styles. The contour, like our sacrifice lives on in all of us who wear the flag on nation’s landscape, is as diverse as it is unique. our shoulder and serve our country. Whether we are African-American, Asian-American, During the month of November, I want to Hispanic or Caucasian, we all have one thing in recognize the achievements of not only the Native common. We are first, last and always — Americans. American Soldier, but all the men and women who During this month of November when we cele- faithfully serve our great country, go into battle brate Thanksgiving, we also take time to recognize when asked and sometimes even pay the ultimate the accomplishments the native peoples of North price for protecting our freedoms and the freedom America played in shaping our nation’s history and of citizens of other countries. culture. This year’s Native American Heritage Month In 1782, our founding fathers chose our national theme is “Honoring Heritage: Strengthening our motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “out of Nation’s Spirit.” many, one.” Today, this same motto is inscribed on Many Native Americans like the Choctaw, the all our currency. It should serve as a reminder to all Apache, Kiowa or Cheyenne, to name just a few, have us that pluralism and diversity are the hallmarks of played a vital role in making America what it is the American experience and success. We must today. Whether through the arts, education, govern- always remember, regardless of the language we ment or in the military, Native Americans have made speak, the color of our skin or the religion that we Established in 1861 as a means to “promote significant and unique contributions that have practice, we remain — first, last and always — efficiency in the Navy,” the Medal of Honor now enriched our land and culture. Americans, “out of many, one.” stands at the pinnacle of a “pyramid of honor” From the Revolutionary War to the Global War On Wednesday, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at the representing the highest award for valor in on Terrorism, Native Americans have answered the Special Events Center, please take time to celebrate combat. Second Lt. Ernest Childers received call to duty and have served proudly and gallantly. the wonderful contributions made by Native the Medal of Honor for his actions Sept. 22, From the famous Navajo Code Talkers, who through Americans to our nation, our defense, our Army 1943, near Oliveto, Italy. Childers is a full- their native language relayed secret messages that and our communities. blooded Creek Indian who grew up on the turned the course of battle in World War II, to Lance Allrunner, a family case worker with the prairie near Broken Arrow, Okla. Soldier’s commentary: One life lost is one too many by Sgt. Ken Hall the sacrifice of our fallen milestone,” he said. Picking up the pieces in Army News Service troops is to complete the mis- “This is a reality that the wake of war WASHINGTON — sion and lay the foundation of should be left out of semantics Thousands more wounded With Americans killed in peace by spreading freedom.” when we’re talking about in the War on Terror have Operation Iraqi Freedom Heroes are more than real human beings here, not returned home to families surpassing 2,000, many numbers to those left behind numbers.” and communities, some with Americans feel we are News headlines depict What numbers really permanent, life-long injuries.

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