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MARCH 29, 2010 1 PAGE 1 THE VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 UNITED STATES DIVISION - CENTER MARCH 29, 2010 Engineers attend JOC opening Story by Spc. Brian Johnson 1434th Eng. Co., 16th Eng. Bde.,USD-C BAGHDAD – As leaders from 6th Iraqi Army Division and the U.S. Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, celebrated the grand opening of a new joint operations cen- ter at Contigency Operating Location Constitu- tion March 15, leaders from 16th Engineer Bde. and 101st Eng. Battalion celebrated getting them to this day. “This structure provides the ability for our IA partners to work side-by-side with our 4-2 SBCT brothers and train them how a tactical operations center should function,” said Brig. Gen. Glenn Hammond, III, commander of 16th Eng. Bde. According to Hammond, the JOC provides a Photo by Spc. Luisito Brooks, 4th SBCT PAO, 2nd Inf. Div., USD-C picture of the current battlefield to both forces, U.S. and Iraqi military leaders walk through a display of recently seized weapons after a ribbon-cutting allowing Iraqi forces better command and con- ceremony for the new Joint Operations Center March 15 at Contigency Operating Location Constitution. trol across their battle space while providing American forces an opportunity to see the effec- tiveness of their supporting role. 6th IA, 4-2 SBCT open new JOC “This is exactly what our mission is here in and reconnaissance capabilities of the U.S. and Iraq; enable the Iraqi Army to protect their nation Story by Sgt. Bryce Dubee & Spc. Luisito Brooks Iraqi militaries under one roof. and eliminate the threats,” explained Hammond. 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., PAO, USD-C These combined assets were put on display for Planning for construction of the new JOC the guests and media present at the ceremony in took over a month to complete. Engineers from BAGHDAD – After months of planning and the form of a simulated operation which showed both nations worked on construction of the JOC, construction, the 6th Iraqi Army Division and the U.S. and Iraqi service members working in the the U.S. engineers assisted members of 6th IA 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry JOC, coordinating operations with troops on the Field Eng. Regiment to hone their construction Division held a ribbon-cutting for the recently ground. skills, said Lt. Col. Charles Cody, commander of completed Joint Operations Center at Contigency Watching aerial surveillance footage of U.S. 101st Eng. Bn. Operating Location Constitution March 15. and Iraqi troops approaching an objective, a U.S. The U.S. engineers, from 101st, 621st Survey “This JOC will prove to be an invaluable asset Soldier working in the JOC communicated di- and Design Team and 1434th Eng. Co., worked in the effort to provide security to the Iraqi peo- rectly to the troops on the ground, sharing the lat- alongside their Iraqi counterparts another two ple,” said Lt. Col. Darron Wright, deputy com- est intelligence with them and providing updates months after the planning phase to finish the manding officer of 4th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. to other staff members in the command center. project. While the new facility, designed to be the cen- One row ahead of him, an IA officer relayed “This joint operations center will be a shining tral node for the sharing of information between updates to his fellow Iraqi Soldiers as they de- example of the continued partnership between U.S. and Iraqi forces in western Baghdad, had tained two men and prepared to assault a build- our nations and militaries,” said Cody. been in operation since before the March 7 Iraqi ing. Upon completing his communication to the Leaders from the U.S. engineers said they National Elections, the ceremony represented the field, he too provided an update to the rest of the were very proud of the effective partnership – official opening of the operations center. JOC. the proof was in the building. With a quick snip of a pair of gold-handled The demonstration showed the close level of Hammond said that when it is time for the U.S. scissors, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Hashim Aouadi, com- side-by-side coordination the facility is capable engineers to go home soon, their indelible mark manding general of the Baghdad Operations of, and its use in combining efforts on the battle- upon this land will be demonstrated in more than Command, cut the ribbon on the state-of-the-art field. just the tracks they have laid in the sand. center, which brings the intelligence, surveillance See ~ JOC Pg. 17 Facts & Issues..........Pg 2 Air Cav....................Pg 18 Pages 14-15 Civil Capacity............Pg 4 Devils.....................Pg 20 Training....................Pg 6 Homefront.............Pg 23 INSIDE Morale.....................Pg 8 The Lighter Side.....Pg 24 Iron Castle..............Pg 12 Crossword..............Pg 27 Raider.....................Pg 16 Military History.......Pg 28 www.1ad.army.mil www.facebook.com/1st.Armored.Division PAGE 2 Facts & issues MARCH 29, 2010 March: Brain Injury Awareness Month Story by Sgt. Teri Hansen 366th MPAD, USD-C Common causes of traumatic brain injuries BAGHDAD – Even when every safety precaution is taken, injuries can still happen and they can result in head trauma. To ensure people know the risks, signs and symptoms of brain injuries, March is annually recog- Other Falls nized and promoted as Brain Injury Aware- 21% 28% ness Month by the Brain Injury Association Suicide of America. 1% This year’s theme is: “A concussion is a Assault brain injury. Get the facts.” March 17 was 11% designated as Brain Injury Awareness Day. Motor vehicle This day marked the launching of a yearlong Struck accident campaign that will include public service an- (Inc. Sports) 20% nouncements, distribution of awareness kits, 19% special events and other promotional events in an effort to educate people about brain in- juries and encouraging them to seek help for Source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC them. The Department of Defense has classi- fied traumatic brain injuries as “signature the event. Soldiers should use the acronym ulation suffers long-term effects and needs injuries” of the current conflicts in both Iraq HEADS (Headaches that were not present help performing day-to-day activities due to and Afghanistan. The DoD defines a TBI as before the injury; Ears are ringing; Altered multiple TBIs. a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating consciousness; Double vision or dizziness; A person does not have to hit his or her injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Something is just not right) when looking for head in a blast to sustain a brain injury. The In 2009, military service members sustained a TBI, explained Sawyer. blast wave can cause damage without a solid 20,199 TBIs and not all of them were com- According to the DoD, the severity of TBIs impact to the head, said Sawyer. There are bat related. Many of these were can range anywhere from mild studies being conducted to determine exactly sustained during motor vehicle to severe; the majority of how blast waves work and the safety mea- accidents, physical training, head injuries tend to sures that can be taken to combat them. sports and falls. fall in the mild cat- Current policy dictates anyone in a vehicle “A TBI can happen just HEADS egory – generally blast or within 50 meters of a blast must be by smacking your head Headaches concussions. The evaluated for a TBI as soon as possible. If on a generator or tak- Ears ringing severity of the inju- a brain injury is suspected the Soldier will ing a hard hit in a game ry will determine a rest and recuperate for 24 hours and then be of football,” said Capt. Altered consciousness course of action and re-evaluated by a physician. If a TBI is con- Mason Sawyer who is Double vision or dizziness treatment. firmed, depending on the severity, the Sol- assigned to 1st Armored Something isn’t right A single concus- dier will continue evaluations and not be re- Division and is the U.S. sion can be easily turned to full duty status until they are fully Division – Center se- treated in most cas- recovered, which can take several weeks. All nior physician as- es and the person will be efforts will be taken to keep a second such sistant. “The most fine, but a Soldier can suf- injury from occurring. important thing for fer long-term, even life- Not all head injuries lead to brain injuries, a Soldier to do is seek long, effects if they suffer multiple TBIs, but the DoD recommends Soldiers be evalu- evaluation after a head injury.” said Sawyer. ated after a head injury. Signs and symptoms of a concussion vary The Center for Disease Control and Pre- “Don’t try to ‘suck it up,’” advised Saw- and may not be noticeable until days after vention estimates 2 percent of the U.S. pop- yer. “Get help.” The Iron Guardian is an authorized Commanding General Writers & Photographers publication for members of the Maj. Gen. Terry Wolff 366th Mobile Public Affairs Detach- U.S. Army. Contents of The Iron Public Affairs Officer ment/ 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Guardian are not necessarily of- Lt. Col. Eric Bloom Cavalry Division/ 4th Stryker Bri- ficial views of, or endorsed by, the Command Information Supervisor gade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry U.S. Government, Department of Master Sgt. Eric Pilgrim Division Public Affairs Office/ 16th Defense, Department of the Army or Engineer Brigade Public Affairs Office/1st Advise and Managing Editor the 1st Armored Division.