Mountain View Serving Task Force Mountain August 5, 2008
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The Mountain View Serving Task Force Mountain August 5, 2008 Education excellence recognized in Wasit Colonel Richard M. Francey, Jr., commander of the 41st Fires Brigade, welcomes the representative for the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Dr. Hassan Akif, to Forward Op- erating Base Delta July 31. Akif addressed attendees at the Wasit University during an awards ceremony recog- nizing excellence in educa- tion. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Thompson Recruiting drives held for former Iraqi Army Soldiers 4TH BCT, 3RD INF . DIV. 4 writing exam, go through a medical examination and FOB KALSU – The Ministry of De- show proof of prior service fense and 8th Iraqi Army held Mobile in the IA. Recruiting Drives at the IA compound “These people are on Forward Operating Base Iskan July starved for jobs, but even 27 and Patrol Base Diyarah July 28. some well off individu- The Mobile Recruiting Drives aimed als are showing a large to recruit officers and noncommis- amount of interest and sioned officers from the former Iraqi pride in the IA,” said 1st regime. Lt. John Buckner, a Still- Photo by 1st Lt. Travis Hayes A total of 335 personnel were pro- water, Okla., native and Approximately 335 former Iraqi regime Soldiers par- cessed during the recruitment drive at Military Transition Team ticipate in an IA recruiting drive at the IA compound FOB Iskan; 67 officers and 159 NCOs 0842 officer-in-charge. at FOB Iskan July 27. passed the initial entry requirements. The officers’ paperwork Approximately 200 personnel were will go to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri ful of the opportunity to serve in the processed during the drive at PB Di- Kamel al-Maliki, and they will be hired IA,” said Lt. Col. Timothy Newsome, a yarah; 42 officers and 131 NCOs passed when needed by the IA. The NCOs will Homerville, Ga., native and command- the initial entry requirements. be shipped from Hilla to attend training er of 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regi- Each former IA Soldier had to fill in early August and placed in the IA. out an application, take a reading and “Everyone seemed upbeat and pride- See DRIVE, page 3 Page 2 • August 5, 2008 The Mountain View War bride, military mom … and Soldier too SGT . DAVI D TURNER 4 4TH BCT, 3RD INF . DIV. FOB KALSU – Two years after the Army’s raising of the maximum age limit for enlistees, it is not uncommon to find Soldiers over the age of 40 in the junior enlisted ranks. Some served in their younger years; some always wanted to serve. Some are parents of children who serve – and found their motivation from them. One Soldier’s story stands out as being particularly special. At the age of 41, with four children – two of them already serving in the Army – Spc. Gina Keller (then private) gradu- ated basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., and entered active duty. She said it was Photo by Sgt. David Turner the realization of a dream she had for Specialist Gina Keller shares a meal with her husband, Sgt. Kevin Keller, at the FOB more than 20 years. Kalsu dining facility. “I always wanted to join the service. I tried at 18, but because of family values An Army recruiter called her the next day After basic training, Keller completed and respect for my family, I chose not to,” and asked her if she still wanted to join. her Advanced Individual Training, quali- she said. “I was always hoping and praying fying as a wheeled-vehicle mechanic. Keller’s parents didn’t think joining somehow I’d make this goal, this dream, Then, a strange twist - Keller received or- the military was the right move for her at happen,” said Keller. ders to report to her new unit, the 92nd that time. In the meantime, she started a Her son, Isaac, just joined the National Engineer Brigade, her son Andrew’s unit. family of her own and put her dream of Guard; mother and son shipped off to ba- “He said, ‘You can’t be coming here.’ military service on hold. Her children, sic training within days of each other. He I said, ‘Yes, I am;” she recalled with a three sons and a daughter, came first, she went to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Keller laugh. Keller said Andrew pleaded with said. But she always hoped the chance to left for Fort Jackson. his company’s first sergeant, “You can’t serve would come again. Despite the rigors of basic training, let that happen – I can’t have my mom “I still knew that if someday it came Keller proved herself in a group of young- here.” around, that I could do it,” she said. er recruits. Drill sergeants didn’t treat her Worries of standing next to mom in With her oldest son, Isaac, already any differently, she said, and the female formation subsided right away. Andrew serving in the Army, Keller learned the drill sergeants were the hardest on her. deployed to Iraq, expected to return age limit for enlistment had been raised “I was called ‘grandma’ and ‘old lady’ home in October 2007. He had not seen to 39. She was 40. She sought a waiver to most of the time I was there,” she re- his mother in 18 months, and the day of join the National Guard, but was turned called. his scheduled return turned out to be the down. Her fellow Soldiers helped her manage day of his mother’s departure; she re- “My heart was broken,” she said. “I the stressors of the training. ceived orders to deploy to Iraq too. thought I would never get to do this.” “I got a lot of encouragement from the Things were happening fast for the 42- Months passed. Then she heard the younger (Soldiers) to keep striving and to Army raised the age limit again, to 42. make it,” she said. See BRIDE, page 3 TASK FORCE MOUNTAIN PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE THE Commanding General - MAJ. GEN. MICHAEL L. OATES Command Sergeant Major - COMMAND SGT. MAJ. JAMES W. REDMORE Mountain View Editorial Staff Contributing Units TF Mountain PAO — Lt. Col. Paul Swiergosz 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Division The Mountain View is an authorized OIC, Command Information – 1st Lt. Julie Glaubach 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division publication for members of the U.S. NCOIC – Master Sgt. Stephen Opet 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Division (Air Assault) Army. Contents of The Mountain View Managing Editor – Staff Sgt. Amber Emery 4th BCT, 1st Cavalry Division are not necessarily official views of, Assignment Editor – Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret 4th BCT, 3rd Infantry Division or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department Copy Editor – Spc. Josh LeCappelain 7th Sustainment Brigade of the Army or the 10th Mountain Editor/Design — Spc. Sophia Lopez 41st Fires Brigade Division. All editorial content of The Staff Writer – Spc. Tiffany Evans 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Mountain View is prepared, edited, pro- 793rd Military Police Battalion vided and approved by the Task Force Media queries please contact TF Mountain Public Division Special Troops Battalion, 10th Mtn. Div. Mountain Public Affairs Office. Affairs at [email protected] Task Force 49 The Mountain View August 5, 2008 • Page 3 ‘You’re going to marry me.’ He was telling BRIDE everybody,” she recalled. From page 2 There was little time for courtship, though. Deployed together to Iraq, the Here comes the year-old single parent. She relocated with two were stationed at Forward Operat- her youngest child, now 13, to Fort Stew- ing Base Kalsu, where different jobs and ... war bride? art, Ga., and began preparing for a 15- schedules prevented them from seeing month tour of duty, assigned to the 703rd much of each other. War bride is a term used in reference to Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade In January they decided to do some- wartime marriages, especially - but not Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Her thing about it. Taking leave together, they exclusively - during World War I and commander allowed her an extra 10 days travelled home to the U.S. to get married. World War II. before deploying to spend time with An- Within two days of their arrival, they Allied servicemen also married many drew. Mother and son bonded in a new were officially man and wife. Then, they women in other countries where they way: he helped pack her bags and advised went back to Iraq. were stationed at the end of the war, in- her on her upcoming journey. Serving together as newlyweds has af- cluding France, Germany, Philippines “He knew what I had to face,” she said. forded the two a unique version of mari- and Japan. This also occurred in Korea “He knew where I was going.” tal bliss. Though they do not share living and Vietnam. Keller said the prospect of a long de- quarters, and they work different hours in • During World War II, war brides ac- ployment didn’t discourage her. different places, they enjoy the moments tually came from over fifty countries. “I wanted to try and accomplish the they do spend together. They often share Between 1944 and 1950, 150,000 rest of my goal, which was to come to the meals in the dining facility, and Keller to 200,000 continental European service and to serve the Soldiers. I knew frequently takes iced tea to her husband women married U.S. service men; what the Soldiers had to go through; I on the job. and 50,000 to 100,000 couples were saw my sons go through it, and I wanted Keller currently works at the FOB’s married in the Far East.