Victory Times Vol. II, Issue 115 Telling the Camp Victory story Oct. 12, 2006 Physicians Assistants week celebrated in Iraq Story by Spc. Sean C. Finch anyone who applies has the chance to dis- Army. MNC-I PAO cover their potential and to help their fellow When physicians assistants are in a de- Soldiers, said Tozier. ployed environment, there are three differ- Friday marked the beginning of Physi- Applicants must be enlisted, warrant or ent types of environments in which they cians Assistants Appreciation Week in the commissioned officers with a minimum of must work. United States. The Vic- three years ser- “Level one is the closest to the point of tory Base Complex physi- vice. Other eli- injury, supporting the combat medic with a cians assistants were able gibility criteria battalion aid station. These PAs are primar- to meet for a dinner at the include a gen- ily involved in trauma care,” said Tozier. Sports Oasis Dining Facil- eral technicial Physicians assistants work hand-in-hand ity. score of 110 or with doctors in everything they do, but The dinner was, in part, greater on the there are times when places become full a celebration, but more Armed Services of patients and the care of an additional importantly a passing of Vocational Apti- trained professional can mean the differ- knowledge between ser- tude Battery, 60 ence in someone’s life. vicemembers who had semester hours Level two facilities, such as the tempo- been in country and new of post-second- rary medical clinics on Camps Victory and arrivals. ary school edu- Liberty, service many of the same needs as But, who are the people cation which patients in a non-deployed environment. who become physicians must include six “Being on post, we see a lot of ortho- assistants? What purpose hours of Eng- pedic injuries resulting from sports-related do they serve in a deployed lish, six hours of accidents,” said Maj. Todd M. Kreykes, a environment? humanities, six physician’s assistant at the Golby Troop “We have a slogan that hours of general Medical Center on Camp Victory. “But we rings very true that most chemistry, three are a level two facility, so we do see trauma people have never heard,” hours of human victims who we have to stabilize and then said Col. William Tozier, anatomy, three transport to other facilities.” senior physicians assis- hours of human While accidents from sports are some- Photo by Maj. Bobby Hart; 3rd MEDCOM Public Affairs tant, 3rd Medical Com- p h y s i o l o g y, times unavoidable, illness represents some- Maj. Todd Kreykes checks on an Airman during his mand, Multi-National rounds at sick call at the Golby Troop Medical Clinic three hours of thing that has afflicted most servicemem- Corps-Iraq. “We are from on Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq. college algebra bers at one time or another. the line and we are for the or higher math, “This is a very dusty environment, so we line.” and three hours of psychology. get a lot of upper-respiratory ailments,” said This quote is in reference to the origin The applicant is then looked at for selec- Capt. Brian J. McKeon, physicians assis- of each physician’s assistant. They can be tion, and once accepted, begins their train- tant, 3rd Medical Command, Multi-Nation- selected from any unit, anywhere in the ing at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, al Corps-Iraq. “I think almost everybody Army, and in some cases, return to that unit Texas. here will suffer through at least a few days to serve as a physician’s assistant. The course is fast paced and lasts only feeling the effects of the environment.” The PA Corps is made up of Soldiers two years; but, graduates receive a master’s “Level three medical care is the combat from every method of specialization. They degree from the University of Nebraska and support hospital. Currently no PAs are as- are hand-picked from every location and are commissioned as first lieutenants in the See PHYSICIAN, page 2

In today’s Victory Times: Page 2: This Week in Military Page 3: Camp Victory Three- Page 4: Army officer promoted in History Day Forecast, Chap- special ceremony lains Corner Page 2 Victory Times Oct. 12, 2006

This Week in Military History with Lt. Tom Lewis, Australian Forces A reader asked how I knew whether trebuchets were effective after I slighted them in a recent article. A good question, for any historian is only as accurate as his sources, and stuck here in the great sandpit, mine are not much good. But having visited around 50 in the United Kingdom, and many years of reading middle age accounts in the past – plus simple logic – have led me to conclude using machines against strong stone castles was not very effective. A in concept is pretty simple. First, find your hill. Some of the best defensive spots are on hills, simply because your enemy has to expend lots of energy getting up them; and when fighting with edged weapons the person who has the height has the added advantage of gravity to give his sword some more impetus. The downhill chap is going to get tired more quickly. Once you have your hill – some castle makers simply built their own mounds – put a stone wall around the top of it. Inside, put a good strong building. The concept is quite an ancient one – what may have become known as Camelot is to be seen on Cadbury Hill in south England, where King Arthur and his friends may have established a hilltop castle of considerable size in the late 500s. Of course, occupying a fortified hilltop could be a trap – your enemies might surround you and wait it out. But you anticipated that with good supplies, and preferably a well. The height would allow you to see the enemies coming, and also signal more easily to your friends in their castles to come and raise the siege. The trebuchet is one of several siege machines designed for attacking fortified positions. The classic design uses an arm with a weight on one end; the other end is pulled down and a projectile is placed on that end. When the projectile end – much lighter than the weight – is suddenly released, the pent-up kinetic energy flings the projectile forward in an arc. Variations on range and the size of projectile can be gained with longer arms and bigger weights, and the construction materials used also have varying effects. Although simple in concept, the trebuchet gets complicated as its size increases. The heavier the projectile, the stronger the material needs to be for the arm. The more force held in check in the restrained arm as the projectile is loaded, the stronger the restraint material – usually rope – needs to be. The bigger the whole machine gets, the heavier it gets, and the more difficult it is to move. Indeed, moving a trebuchet would be so laden with difficulty – particularly on inclined ground, that many may have been built on the spot as necessary. This practice however, exposes the engineers and carpenters and laborers to the fire of the castle’s defenders, the range of the machine being less than that of many bows. And a spoiling raid against a halfway-built trebuchet could result in much destruction in a short time. Once the machine was built, its ability to fling a missile was also of dubious value. Although a 100 pound rock on top of the defenders’ heads would be a definite success, the missile was slow and easily avoided. The inbuilt inaccuracy of the trebuchet – its parts wore out quickly as it fired, and it moved itself with each discharge – meant that the machine’s ability to batter down a wall, as later gunpowder weapons could do, was not feasible. And although the oft-quoted idea of flinging a dead cow over the ramparts, to introduce germ warfare was probably tried occasionally, however, the meat would probably be better used as steaks for a good storming party. Although, a possible idea against small castles with timber walls, a decent stone castle really put an end to any idea of trebuchet triumph.

PHYSICIAN and share stories and knowledge signed to CSHs, although some from their experiences. may occasionally be attached “One of the important things as part of a special that came out of this (dinner) requirement,” said Tozier. was the chance for some of the In total, there are more than people who just got into country 120 physicians assistants de- to meet some of the experienced ployed in support of Operation people and pick their brains,” Iraqi Freedom. said Tozier. “The Soldiers Most are in level one stations, who have been here for the past and continue to do a fantastic year have gained an incredible job of both treating trauma and amount of knowledge and they illness-oriented patients as well are more than willing to pass that as keeping the medics around along to their counterparts.” them sharp and well-trained to Through their initial training deal with the situations that may and passing of useful infor- arise, said Tozier. mation, physicians assistants Over the last week, physicians throughout the theater are trained assistants have had an opportu- and ready to help Soldiers con- nity to meet with one another tinue their mission. Page 3 Victory Times Oct. 12, 2006 Chaplain’s Corner Ariadne’s Thread interesting things, stamps, coins, pistols, objects, expensive garments, polished rifles, NASCAR commemorative drivers armor and gilded chariots. Unfortunately, By Chaplain Charles Herring series plates. these collections ended up in the hands of MNC-I Chaplain Office The other day I was reading about some their enemies. Command them to do good, to be rich collectibles that were not your ordinary Timothy, in contrast, tells me to be “rich in good deeds, and to be generous and every day collectible. There was a man in in good deeds”. Honestly, I realize that willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18 Minnesota who has collected string since is the only collection that lasts – good 1950. His ball of string measured over deeds. A collectible collection of good I have several different collections at 10 feet in diameter and weighed 5 tons! deeds to give away is indeed priceless. In home and here. In Heidelberg, there is a There was the dentist who collected teeth the book of Acts, Dorcas had a collection big basket on top of our refrigerator with – 2,000,744 of them. Then there was the of clothes she made for the poor (Acts bottle caps. Here I collect cigar bands. I man who collected hotel keys – more than 9:36-43). know the world has seen some strange 10,000 hotel keys from around the world. In my devotion tonight, I pray that God collections. There must be something The prophet Isaiah spoke to the unfaithful will help me collect “good deeds” and innately part of my human nature that kings who had stored up the wealth of all share with people throughout the day. causes me to want to collect stuff. There the nations they had conquered. There Is anyone interested in the Mark Martin are others like me who collect all sorts of were huge storehouses of gold and silver Commemorative NASCAR plate?

Camp Victory Three-day Forecast

Friday Saturday Sunday

Partly cloudy Scattered T-storms Sunny High: 99 F High: 98 F High: 95 F Low: 74 F Low: 75 F Low: 70 F Page 4 Victory Times Oct. 12, 2006 Army officer promoted in special ceremony Story by Sergeant 1st Class Jennifer Schwind Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade. He has been in theatre U.S. CENTCOM PAO for 13 months, after the original year-long tour was extended an additional three months. Army officer Andy Cornett from San Antonio, Texas, was “As I told our mom, it’s bittersweet, actually, because I got promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel during a ceremony in the a chance to see him here versus him being gone,” said Lt. Col. Al Faw Palace at Camp Victory, Iraq, last Cornett. Sunday. His brother, 1st Sgt. Juan Cornett, “The other part about it, Fairbanks, Alaska, did the honor of “pin- the Army part, is that the ning” his brother, making the ceremony Strykers will still be in special for the deployed brothers. town. Knowing that the “It is so rare that any of us will ever Strykers are here and my see siblings together, deployed someplace brother is in the Strykers serving their country in combat, and this gives the personal rapport is one of those special moments that all of that’s awesome to have in us feel good being part of,” said Brig. Gen. the event something was Dana Pittard, commander of the Iraq Assis- to happen,” Lt. Col. Cor- tance Group, as he opened the promotion nett added. ceremony. “This is outstanding,” Both brothers are deployed in support of said 1st Sgt. Cornett Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lt. Col. Cornett about pinning his broth- Photo by Spc. Curt Squires; MNC-I PAO recently arrived to Iraq with the 2nd Battal- er’s new rank on him in Lt. Col. Andy Cornett, team chief, National Police Transition Team 6273, Iraq ion, 7th Brigade, National Police Training Assistance Group, receives the rank of lieutenant colonel from his brother, 1st one of Saddam Husse- Team 6273. He will serve as a team chief of Sgt. Juan Cornett, first sergeant, Company A, 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regi- in’s former palaces. ment, 172nd Stryker Brigade, while Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, commanding gen- an 11-man embedded transition team which eral, IAG, looks on. The opportunity to get will advise, coach, teach and mentor the promoted in a place like Iraqi Security Forces. this and I get a chance to spend a couple more months with my 1st Sgt. Cornett is a member of A Company, 4th Battalion, 23rd brother is outstanding, his brother added. Page 5 Victory Times Oct. 12, 2006

Operating hours

Coalition Cafe Breakfast 5:30 - 8:30 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dinner 5:30 - 8 p.m. Midnight Dining 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. Sports Oasis Breakfast 5:30 - 8:30 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Dinner 5 - 9 p.m. Shopette Open 24 Hours Camp Liberty Post Exchange Everyday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Fitness Center Open 24 Hours MNC-I STB Mailroom Monday - Sunday 9 a.m. - noon 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. Golby Troop Medical Clinic Sick Call Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - noon Dental Sick Call: Monday - Friday 7:30 - 10:30 a.m. Saturday 9 - 10:30 a.m. Mental Health Clinic: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. - noon Post Deployment Health Briefings: Monday - Friday 1 p.m. Pharmacy: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon, 1 - 4:30 p.m. Saturday & Sunday 7:30 a.m. - noon Legal Assistance/Claims Saturday - Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Personnel Service Support Centers Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. ID Cards Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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New Location For Army National Guard MNC-I Commanding General: Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli MNC-I Public Affairs Officer: Lt. Col. Michelle L. Martin-Hing Retention Office MNC-I PA Sergeant Major: Sgt. Maj. Paul J. Stevenson MNC-I Command Info Chief: Sgt. 1st Class Laurence R. Lang NOW LOCATED IN AREA 51 MNC-I Production Chief: Staff Sgt. Jason B. Baker GO INTO AREA 51 PAST FUEL POINT TURN LEFT AT BUS STOP Layout/Design: Spc. Curt Squires GO THROUGH FENCE ON LEFT SIDE OF MWR Victory Times Staff writers/ photographers: Sgt. Brian James Anderson, LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM PBO TRAILER 51TR8 Spc. Curt Squires, Spc. James P. Hunter, Cpl. Jessica Kent, Spc. Sean Finch

STOP BY AND CHECK OUT YOUR OPTIONS Victory Times is an authorized electronic publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this electronic Sgt. 1st Class JOHN GRAY, THEATER RETENTION NCO publication are not necessarily the official views of or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the Department of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of Multi-National Corps Iraq.