A MAGAZINE by and for the 4TH BCT, 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION the Long Knife
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Long Knife The A MAGAZINE BY AND FOR THE 4TH BCT, 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION LONG KNIFE 4 The Long Knife PUBLICATION STAFF: PURPOSE: The intent of The Long Knife publication is Col. Stephen Twitty to provide information to the Commander, 4th BCT Soldiers and family members of the brigade in regards to our Command Sgt. Maj. Stephan deployment in Iraq. Frennier, CSM,4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. DISCLAIMER: The Long Maj. Roderick Cunningham Knife is an authorized pub- 4th BCT Public Affairs Officer lication for members of the Editor-in-Chief Department of Defense. The Long Knife Contents of The Long Knife are not necessarily the official Sgt. 1st Class Brian Sipp views of, or endorsed by, the 4th BCT Public Affairs NCOIC U.S. Government or Depart- Senior Editor, The Long Knife ment of the Army. Any edito- rial content of this publication Command Sgt. Maj. David Null, top enlisted mem- Sgt. Paula Taylor is the responsibility of the 4th ber, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, hangs his bat- 4th BCT Public Affairs- Brigade Combat Team Public talion flag on their flagpole after his unit’s Transfer Affairs Office. of Authority ceremony Dec. 5. Print Journalist Editor, The Long Knife This magazine is printed FOR FULL STORY, SEE PAGES 10-11 by a private firm, which is not affiliated with the 4th BCT. All 4 A Soldier remembered BN PA REPRESENTATIVE: copy will be edited. The Long 2nd Lt. Richard Hutton Knife is produced monthly 5 Vice Gov. offers optimism 1-9 Cavalry Regiment by the 4th BCT Public Affairs Office. 6 Secretary of Defense visits 2nd Lt. John Ames 2-7 Cavalry Regiment SUBMISSIONS: Any Soldier 8 Marauders prepare to party or civilian assigned or attached 1st Lt. Michael Daschel to the 4th BCT, 1st CD is 10-11 2-12 Cavalry Regiment 27th BSB TOA eligible to submit stories and photos to the editor at: paula. 14-15 Operation Samson a success 2nd Lt. Bennett Freeman 5-82 Field Artillery Regiment [email protected]. Stories must be written in Associated 20 Notes from home 1st Lt. Bridgette Bell Press style writing. Photos 4th Special Troops Battalion must have complete cutline in- 22-27 Around the battalions formation, including; rank, full Capt. Kenneth McGraw name, job title, unit, hometown 27th Brigade Support Battalion and state, and a brief descrip- COVER PHOTO: Sgt. 1st Class Michael Massarelli, tion of what is happening in platoon sergeant, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, Maj. Jerry Sheppard uses a portable radio to communicate with his unit the photo. For questions about during Operation Samson Dec. 14. (U.S. Army Photo by Commander, 4th BCT, Rear submissions, please contact the Sgt. Paula Taylor) Detachment 4th BCT Public Affairs Office. Stories are due no later than 10 BACK COVER PHOTO: Command Sgt. Maj. Stephan Frennier, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. takes a short break days from publication date. between missions. (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Paula Taylor) 2 HTTP://ELPASOTIMES.TYPEPAD.COM/LONGKNIFE JANUARY 2007 security forces. We will continue to lead the people of Iraq in the right direction. I am confident, after having had several meetings and interactions with the local forces, that they will be prepared for any type of mission their country requires them to do before we head home to our loved ones. Shortly after taking over our AO, we lost one of our brave brothers, Sgt. Brent Dunkleburger, Abrams tank crewmember, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, who was attached to the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, when a rocket-propelled grenade impacted his vehicle. A memorial service was held in his honor at the Diamondback Theater Dec. 16. I would like to express our deepest sympathy’s to all of Sgt. Dunkleburger’s family members and friends. Please keep them in your prayers and him in your hearts. The troops of the Long Knife Brigade have been A message from continuously working diligently preparing our Iraqi brothers-in-arms. They have conducted numerous Long Knife 6 combat patrols, cordon and search/cordon and knock ecember brought many new challenges for missions, improvised explosive device lane clearing, the Long Knife Brigade, beginning with the assisted with raids and helped with maintaining traffic brigade Transfer of Authority ceremony that control points. D We will continue to remain vigilant in our mission was held Dec. 8 on Forward Operating Base Marez. The unit we have replaced, the 3rd Stryker Brigade throughout the coming months and look forward to Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division made great strides beginning a great new year. Happy holidays everyone! toward helping to build effective and combat ready Iraqi It’s amazing to see the attitude and are always in the proper versatility of our Soldiers uniform. In addition, I would like and leaders. On any given to point out a group of true heros day, a patrol can go out from that simply amaze me—the route training Iraqi security forces; clearance teams and explosive to reinforcing police stations; ordinance disposal teams that go to killing and capturing out every day to find and clear terrorists, then on the way improvised explosive devices. The home, take time to pass out courage that these Soldiers display candy to the Iraqi children. is second-to-none, and their effort is The morale of our Soldiers saving numerous lives every day. is very high and they take Soldiers do their job for love of pride in their accomplishment country and each other. We couldn’t of the mission. The Soldiers do our jobs without the support performing security and of our families back home. I hope detail missions on the forward that all the families enjoy a great operating base are doing this holiday season and although we are A message from task with confidence. Every not there physically, we will always time we roll through an entry be there in spirit. Long Knife 9 control point, or walk through Merry Christmas and a Happy a security check point, the New Year. Soldiers on duty have a great JANUARY 2007 HTTP://ELPASOTIMES.TYPEPAD.COM/LONGKNIFE 3 Fallen Soldier remembered at memorial Cavalry troops mourn loss of tank crewman, fellow friend STORY AND PHOTO BY Abrams tank crewman from New did. I will always remember him SGT. 1ST CLASS BRIAN SIPP Bloomfield, Penn., was assigned for the smile he always wore, and 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs to C Co., 2-7 Cavalry and attached the effort he put into every task.” to the 1-9 Cavalry, when he was “He lived life to the fullest killed after his vehicle was hit by a and always had a smile,” agreed rocket-propelled grenade while on Pfc. Nicholas Johnson, C Co., a security mission in Mosul, Iraq. 2-7 Cavalry, and one of Sgt. Lt. Col. Eric Welsh, Dunkleberger’s Soldiers and close commander, 2-7 Cavalry, was the personal friends. “His work ethic first to speak to the assembled was amazing and he loved his Soldiers and friends at the family. No matter how long or ceremony, and remembered his first hard we worked, he always made impression of Dunkleberger. “It time for his family. They were the was 18 months ago when I showed most important thing to him.” up (to the 4th BCT). We had no “I would like to say that the money, no equipment, and little enemy may have taken his life, but support in place, but right off the they can never take his memory,” bat, there was Sgt. Dunkleberger, said Welsh. As long as we stay making things happen. In a resolute in our labors, and steadfast [non-commissioned officer] run in our love, his memory will stay battalion, he epitomized what an alive, he added. NCO should be.” “I will always carry him in my Sgt. Brent Dunkleberger heart, and I will never forget him,” A fellow Soldier pays his final respects to entered the Army on Feb. 20, 2003, added Johnson. Sgt. Brent Dunkleberger, 2nd Battalion, attending One Station Unit Training Dunkleberger’s awards include 7th Cavalry Regiment, during a memorial at Fort Knox, Ky. He graduated as the Combat Action Badge, Bronze service Dec. 16 at Forward Operating an armor crewman (MOS 19K) Star Medal, Purple Heart, Army Base Marez, Iraq. and served as a driver and loader Commendation Medal, Army for Headquarters and Headquarters Good Conduct Medal, National Company, 1st Battalion, 12th Defense Service Ribbon, Army FORWARD OPERATING Cavalry Regiment in Fort Hood, Service Ribbon, Iraqi Campaign BASE MAREZ, Iraq – Soldiers Texas. He deployed in support Medal, Global War on Terror from 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry of Operation Iraqi Freedom II Service Medal, Global War on Regiment, 1st Squadron, 9th before his current assignment and Terror Expeditionary Medal, and Cavalry Regiment, and across deployment in support of Operation the Basic Marksman Qualification the 4th Brigade Combat Team, Iraqi Freedom IV. Badge. assembled in the Diamondback Capt. Brian Lambert, Dunkleberger was married Theater on FOB Marez, near Mosul, commander, C Co., 2-7 Cavalry, to the former Lisa Weyant of Iraq, to pay their final respects to a remembers Dunkleberger for his Mechanicsburg, Penn., and they fallen Garryowen trooper during a dedication and professionalism. have three daughters: Belinda, memorial ceremony Dec. 16. “He was an exceptional mentor Kelli, and Zoe. Sgt. Brent William who loved his Soldiers. He always Dunkleberger, a 29-year-old M1 gave 100 percent to anything he 4 HTTP://ELPASOTIMES.TYPEPAD.COM/LONGKNIFE JANUARY 2007 NINEWA VICE GOVERNOR OFFERS OPTIMISM Adm. William J. Fallon, commander, U.S. Pacific Command (center) speaks with Khasro Goran, Ninewa Provincial vice governor (right) in Mosul Nov.