Vol. 1, Issue 3 January 2006 Citizens of Bayji Island wait outside their homes as Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, search for insurgents during an air assault mission Jan. 5.

photo by Spc. Matthew Wrzesinski Inside... In every issue... Deep in the heart of Iraq Page 5 Health and Fitness: Page 9 Celebrities visit Soldiers Christmas Day Athlete’s Foot

Iraqi Army trains in IED detection Page 6 BOB on the FOB Page 21 Your new favorite cartoon! Soldier shot in head, walks away Page 7

Sexual Assault: Not in our Army Page 8 On the cover... Crew chief Spc. Bobby Escarciga, 5th Battalion, 101st Com- Extraordinary care packed in ordinary Page 10-11 bat Aviation Brigade, mans the M60D machine door gun dur- tents: Balad theater hospital takes ing a flight over Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 2. care of troops

Iraqi Air Force visits FOB Speicher Page 12

Shadow finds lurking evil Page 13

Cache Hunters Page 16-18

3-69 Armor leaves Samarra Page 20

Rebuilding Iraq: One village at a time Page 22

TF assumes control of north Page 23 photo by 4ID takes control in Diyala Province Page 25 Sgt. Ryan Matson Soldiers shoot the breeze

Specialists Greg Carnathan (right) and Shawn Wilcher, from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, fire arrows on the unit’s recently-built bow and arrow range at Forward Operating Base McHenry. A shooting competition will be hosted on the range in February.

photos by Spc. Barbara Ospina

TF Band of Brothers PAO Band of Brothers is published month- Lt. Col. Ed Loomis ly by the Task Force Band of Brothers Public Affairs NCOIC Public Affairs Office, HHC 501st STB, Master Sgt. Terry Webster 101st Abn. Div., FOB Speicher, APO AE Editor-in-Chief 09393, DSN 849-2118. Sgt. Dallas Walker Band of Brothers is an authorized Copy Editor publication of the Department of De- Spc. Joshua Hutcheson fense. It is distributed free to members Contributors 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Det. of TF Band of Brothers. Circulation is TF Band of Brothers Commander 1st BCT, 101st Abn. Div. PAO 10,000. Major Gen. Thomas Turner 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. PAO Contents of Band of Brothers are 1st BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO not necessarily the official views of, or 3rd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div. PAO endorsed by the U.S. Government or the TF Band of Brothers CSM 101st CAB, 101st Abn. Div. PAO Department of the Army. Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Grippe Cartoonist/Illustrator Editorial content is the responsibility Sgt. Albert Merrifield of the TF Band of Brothers PAO. the nameofFriedrich Wil group ofmenfightingawaragainst a barefoot, off asarag-tag,andoften a lotinthelast231years.Whatstarted arrived atValleyarrived Forge and, helm Augustus vonSteuben well-formed anddisciplinedArmy.well-formed the Americanrebels intoa quired duringhislifetoturn German andFrenchGerman didn’t work,heused yelling andcursing attheAmericansin but hedidn’t letthatstophim.When muskets. Steubendidn’t knowEnglish, the commandstofire andreload their and fire instep,aswell simplified program. He taughtthemhowtomarch ers. 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Your You are therole model their nation’s security. of takingthereigns of improve inpreparation continue totrainand only fear. nation thathadknown birth offreedom ina birth you were there forthe always remember that that happen.You will Our Iraqi partners Our Iraqipartners - and skillstaughtbyitsAmericanbroth old IraqiArmy, andthenewtechniques willreflect amixturenew Army ofthe what ittakestodefendandprotect. This they do for our great country onadaily they doforourgreat country our troopers mysincere thanksforwhat a HappyNewYear. Pleasepass onto with asenseofparental pride.Justas back andwatchtheIraqiArmy, perhaps wewillbeabletostand before theyrun, policy through force ofarms. you personallyproject Americanforeign oneofyouas God blesseachandevery future andournationswas onterror. have apositiveeffectonthis country’s oneofusmustensure thatwe every ment foroperationsinIraq.Eachand for thissuccess. asours.Eachofyouare thereasonArmy witnessed amore professional andlethal basis. America,northeworld,hasever we havemade. von Steubendid,over200yearsago,dur that we have done here and the history that wehavedonehere andthehistory will lookbackandbeproud ofthework Soldier the endofthisdeployment,every firststepsofAmerica.At ing theshaky ers-in-arms. ers-in-arms. Division Command Sergeant Major Division Command Sergeant Command Sgt. Maj.Frank Grippe The year2006willbedefiningmo I wouldliketowisheachoneofyou As wewatchtheseSoldierscrawl have aclearsenseofthecommuni Forces. than 30installationstoIraqiSecurity to thepeopleofIraq,oneinstalla become more familiarwithyoursur ties andpeopleinourarea. Asyou over thesecurityoperationsofmore Division. WeArmy havenowturned to 3rd Battalion,2ndBrigade,4thIraqi of Forward OperatingBaseBernstein Divisionhavegivencontrol Airborne Regiment,101st 320th Field Artillery together, theSoldiersof2ndBattalion, 600missions tion atatime.After vigilant andwatchoutforeachother. lapse insituationalawareness. Stay The enemyisthere, waitingforthat roundings don’t becomecomplacent. We havebeenhere longenoughto Air Assault! Band ofBrothers ------The stars at night, are big and bright... Deep in the heart of Iraq Maj. Gregory Bishop 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

KIRKUK, Iraq -- Typically, when Sol- diers see stars in Iraq, they see them in the clear desert night sky. But this Christmas Day, despite the clouds and cold, rainy weather blanketing north- central Iraq, Soldiers on Forward Op- erating Base Warrior got a special visit from some stars you might only see in Hollywood. Actress Kelly Hu, most known for her roles in X-Men 2 and CSI: New York, and rock star Mitch Allan from the band SR-71 spent their Christmas with Soldiers and Airmen of FOB Warrior while on a two-week morale visit spon- sored by the Ambassadors of Holly- photos by Spc. Barbara Ospina wood and the Army’s Morale, Welfare Singer Mitch Allan, from the band SR-71, and actress Kelly Hu, most known for her role and Recreation program. in X-Men 2, pose with Spc. Stephen Judd during a USO visit to Forward Operating Base After arriving via helicopter, the duo Warrior Christmas Day. and their entourage went to the din- ing facility for a quick bite to eat amid “I love the band SR-71 and Kelly Hu stares and double-takes by mesmer- is really hot,” Judd said. “It was pretty ized troops. Later they stopped by the cool that Mitch Allan signed his auto- 1st Brigade Tactical Operations Center graph to my 4-year-old son. He even for a surprise visit to see one of Hu’s knows who [SR-71] is.” biggest fans – Maj. Scott Hooper, op- Judd added, “It was nice of them to erations officer. come here. It shows their patriotism. “This is awesome, thanks for stop- They could have stayed home with ping by,” Hooper said with a boyish their families, but they decided to grin on his face, right before he literally spend Christmas with us.” swooped Hu off her feet for a photo op- Hu and Allan stayed until every portunity of a lifetime. Soldier and Airman made it through The celebrities made their way to the the line. “Clamtina,” the FOB’s after-duty place- Both of these stars have personal to-be, where Allan performed a few of connections with the military. Hu’s his band’s songs and some of his own father served in the Army and her solo pieces. brother is currently a lieutenant colonel Following the performance, Hu and stationed in the Pentagon. “I’ve made Allan signed countless autographs and it to Iraq and he hasn’t,” she joked. took pictures with the troops, many Allan’s father served in the Air Force. of whom brought their personal Kelly “I thought I’d take the opportunity to Hu posters and cut-outs of Hu’s photo support the troops since I didn’t have a spread from the July 2005 edition of chance to serve,” Allan said. Maxim magazine. Hu said she loved getting the chance The line of eager Soldiers and airmen to see first-hand what Soldiers are go- coiled around the Clamtina and troops ing through. waited for hours for their moment to “It makes me appreciate them even meet the two stars up-close. more and it really puts everything in Specialist Stephen Judd, a fire sup- perspective,” she said. port Soldier in the 1st Brigade Combat “For me,” Allan added, “it confirms Allan plays a few of his bands hits as well Team, 101st Airborne Division, said it that CNN is full of [rock star exple- as a solo for Soldiers and Airmen at FOB was worth the wait. tive].” Warrior on Christmas night.

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 5 Increased security leads

Spc. Lee Elder 133rd Mobile Public to growing economy Affairs Detachment

MUKAYSHIFAH, Iraq -- The resurgence of the Iraqi Po- Standing on the roof of a rebuilt police station, Capt. lice and a growing Iraqi Army presence have led to an Dene Leonard, commander, Company D, 2nd Battalion, economic revival in the Mukayshifah community, near 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, looks over Tikrit, Iraq. his area of responsibility. “I’ve got 14 new stores going in over there,” Leonard said. “I’ve got 120 being occupied and I’ve got over 30 being built. The security here is important and it plays a major role in that.” Police must remain vigilant. Their station is often the target of would-be drive-by snipers, even though armed guards are constantly stationed on the roof. U.S. forces give the police logistical support as well. Lights are being installed on the station roof and new radios will allow the station to remain in communica- tion with officers who are patrolling in the community. The local police are also more confident in their abili- ties during this time of economic rebirth. “When we first got here, you had a hard time get- ting them to come out of their building,” said Staff Sgt. James Currence, platoon sergeant. “Now, they are out conducting patrols all the time and people call them if photo by Spc. Lee Elder they see anything suspicious.” As the local police become more confident in their Sergeant Miguel Arellano, Company D, 2nd Battalion, role and the community feels more secure, additional 7th Cavalry Regiment, assists an Iraqi Police offi cer with Tikrit communities will experience a similar economic mounting a rifl e atop the police station. renaissance.  IA Soldiers train in IED detection Spc. Anna-Marie Risner Those chosen to receive the training 133rd Mobile Public were hand-selected for the mission Affairs Detachment by Lt. Col. Fuad Jihad Reda, Bomb Co. commander, and Capt. Jay Cook, KIRKUK, Iraq -- Improvised explosive commander, Co. A, 326th STB. Many devices are the deadliest methods of of those selected for the unit had attack in Iraq by terrorists. One group personal experiences with IEDs and of Iraqi Army combat engineers has were motivated to work with coalition been working with Soldiers of 1st forces, Cook said. Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne “One [Iraqi] Soldier was on his day Division, to combat this problem. off and saw someone planting an Soldiers with Company A, 326th IED,” Cook said. “He took his own Special Troops Battalion, 1st BCT, weapon, chased down the individuals spent three weeks training select … disabled their vehicle … and ended members of Bomb Company, 2nd up apprehending the [terrorists].” photo by Spc. Anna-Marie Risner Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, on Iraqi Soldiers were trained on basic the finer points of IED hunting. Iraqi IED awareness and driving several Major Gen. Anwer Hamed Amin, com- troops were taught how to recognize vehicles, which will aid in counter- mander, 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Di- placed explosive devices as well IED missions. Troops also practiced vision, stands with a Soldier from IED as the materials used to make the mounted and dismounted patrols with Platoon (center) during a graduation cere- bombs. U.S. forces.  mony at Forward Operating Base Warrior.

6 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers One child’s hero... Sgt. Dennis Gravelle 138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq -- On the morning of Dec. 15, he was just a medic with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st In- fantry Regiment. By the end of the day, he was one child’s hero. Specialist Lucas Crowe was out on patrol during the Iraqi elections when he saw a man holding the lifeless body of his baby boy. The child had just been pulled out of the water in the flooded basement of their home and was not breathing. Crowe noticed the child had a blue tone to his body and instinctively began first aid on the 2-year-old boy. His father knelt beside him, watch- photo by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle ing Crowe with his lifeless son. Within Specialist Lucas Crowe, medic, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry moments, the child became responsive Regiment, helps save the life of an Iraqi child in Mosul, Iraq, Dec.15. and coughed up water. The crowd that had gathered to watch cheered when Staff Sgt. Clinton Johnson, HHC, 172nd mas Eve, Secretary of Defense Donald they heard the child cry. SBCT, “and are even happier that Rumsfeld awarded Crowe the Bronze “I just happened to be there,” Crowe the boy is breathing again.” Star for performing a heroic act in a said, “I am glad that I was there to help Johnson was not the only one im- combat zone. save the boy, but it was in God’s hands. pressed with Crowe’s actions. Crowe visited the child and his family “We’re very proud of Crowe,” said While visiting Soldiers for Christ- two days after the incident. Soldier shot in head, walks away Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski and truck commander to ask who was 133rd Mobile Public firing. Affairs Detachment Then he saw the Kevlar particles fly- ing around. As he jumped down in the TIKRIT, Iraq -- For many Soldiers, the vehicle, he wondered if he was dying. Kevlar helmet is a necessary evil. He removed his Kevlar and felt around It can be cumbersome when in the on his head -- there was no blood. The dining facility trying to handle a tray of round, most likely a 7.62mm from a food. sniper rifle, ricocheted off the upper left Sergeant Shawn Snyder of 3rd Infan- side of the helmet, shredding the out- try Division’s 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry side and slightly cracking the inside. Regiment Scout Platoon, is one Soldier “I didn’t get a concussion, didn’t even who will never complain about wearing get a headache,” Snyder said. his helmet again, and with good reason Snyder is married with a 13-month- -- it saved his life. old son. When he told his wife what Snyder’s mission was to serve as an had happened, “she took it as best as escort for an explosive ordnance dis- a wife could, knowing a round almost posal team. killed her husband a month before he He said he was standing up in the got home.” turret of his humvee, scanning his sec- Snyder immediately returned to duty, tor and waving off traffic, when it hap- having sustained no injuries. photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski pened. He recalled hearing a shot and As for the helmet, Snyder will get to feeling “a little jerk.” keep it upon redeployment to serve as a Sergeant Shawn Snyder shows off the Snyder quickly called out to his driver reminder of what could have been.  bullet hole in his Kevlar helmet.

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 7 Sexual

ASSAULTby Master Sgt. Rodney Bottoms 101st Airborne Division Equal Opportunity Offi ce

exual assault is a crime. It is defined as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, physical threat, or abuse of Sauthority. Sexual assault includes rape, non-consensual sodomy, and indecent assault -- unwanted, inappropriate sexual contact or fondling. Sexual assault can occur without regard to gender or spousal relationship or age of victim. photo illustration by Sgt. Dallas Walker Reporting process There are several response groups for sexual victims are given the choice of receiving medical assaults. They include Unit Victim Advocates treatment, a forensic examination, advocacy (UVA), Sexual Assault Response Coordinators services, and referrals for counseling. (SARC) or Deployed SARC, health care personnel, law enforcement and criminal investigators, judge Restricted reporting advocates, and chaplains. Restricted reporting allows a Soldier who There are UVAs in all battalions and SARCs at is sexually assaulted to disclose the assault the Division level or higher. to specifically identified personnel without They will be available as long as the victim triggering an investigation, and maintain needs medical care and support throughout the confidentiality throughout the process. process. The UVA will also advise victims of their To make a restricted report, the victim must reporting options. notify the SARC, UVA, health care provider or The victim has two options when reporting chaplain. One of the four responders will help sexual assault -- restricted and unrestricted. the victim seek medical treatment and a forensic examination. Unrestricted reporting Law enforcement will not be informed nor The preferred reporting option is unrestricted does the chain of command become involved, reporting. A Soldier who is sexually assaulted thus eliminating the opportunity for offender and desires an official investigation of his/her accountability. If the victim notifies anyone else, allegation should make an unrestricted report. the report will automatically be an unrestricted This report initiates the investigative process and report. 

If any Soldier becomes aware of an incident of sexual assault, he/she should immediately -- within 24 hours -- report the incident to the fi rst lieutenant colonel in the chain of command, the Criminal Investigation Division, or the military police. This policy applies to incidents that occur on or off post and while deployed. Failure to report is inconsistent with the Army Values and is punishable under Uniform Code of Military Justice.

8 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers HEALTH & FITNESS: Athlete’s Foot Athlete’s foot is a common fungal infection that Soldiers in a toenails and the soles and sides of your feet. Changing socks, deployed environment are particularly prone to. The condition keeping your feet dry and alternating boots all help to prevent easily spreads in public places such as communal showers, athlete’s foot. Often, athlete’s foot responds well to over-the- locker rooms and fi tness centers. Usually this condition af- counter treatments you can apply to your skin. More severe fects the spaces between your toes, but it can spread to your cases may require oral medications. Symptoms: • Most commonly itching, stinging and burning between your toes, especially the last two toes • Itching, stinging and burning on the soles of your feet • Itchy blisters • Cracking and peeling skin, especially between your toes and on the soles of your feet • Excessive dryness of the skin on the bottoms or sides of the feet • Nails that are thick, crumbly, ragged, discolored or pulling away from the nail bed Causes: Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungus (Tinea species; aka: fungus amoungus). Although a fungus is the causative agent, laziness and general lack of situational awareness contribute to the severity of the infection and the length of time it takes to get rid of the infection. An ounce of prevention... Also called tinea pedis, ringworm of the foot and dermatophytosis, athlete’s foot is closely related to other fungal skin conditions, most These tips can help you avoid athlete’s foot or ease the with similar names. Tinea is a type of fungus, and pedis is the Latin symptoms if infection occurs: word for “foot.” Other common tinea infections include: ringworm of • Keep your feet dry, especially between your toes. the body (tinea corporis), jock itch (tinea cruris) and ringworm of the Take your shoes off and expose your feet to the air and scalp (tinea capitis). sunlight. • Go barefoot to let your feet air out as much as pos- Treatment: sible when you’re back at the “hooch.” • Wear socks that are made of natural material, such For mild conditions, your doctor may advise you to apply a prescrip- as cotton or wool, or a synthetic fi ber designed to draw tion or over-the-counter antifungal ointment, lotion, powder or spray. moisture away from your feet. Most infections respond well to over the counter topical agents. If • Change your socks and underwear every day. If your your fungal infection is severe or doesn’t respond to topical medi- feet sweat a lot, change your socks twice a day, this cine, your doctor may give you a prescription oral medicine. will also reduce the stench your feet emit and improve OVER-THE-COUNTER TOPICAL AGENTS relationships with co-workers. • Clotrimazole • Wear light, well-ventilated footwear. Avoid footwear • Terbinafi ne made of synthetic material, such as vinyl or rubber. • Miconazole • Alternate pairs of boots. This allows time for your • Tolnaftate boots to dry. PRESCRIPTION ORAL AGENTS • Protect your feet in public places. Wear waterproof • Itraconazole (Sporanox) sandals or shower shoes in communal areas. • Fluconazole (Difl ucan) • LOOK AT YOUR FEET!!!! Especially if they itch. • Terbinafi ne (Lamisil) • Treat your feet. Use an antifungal powder daily on your feet and in your boots. The oral medications listed above have the potential to cause se- • Don’t borrow boots. Borrowing risks spreading a vere, life threatening adverse reactions and must be used judiciously fungal infection, besides why would you put your feet in and only under the supervision of an experienced provider. anyone’s stinky boots? • Dry your feet carefully (especially between the toes) Should you see a doctor? after showering. If you have a rash on your foot that doesn’t improve or worsens after you’ve taken self-care steps, see your doctor. See someone sooner Capt. Mark Maneval if you notice excessive redness, swelling, drainage or fever. 101st Airborne Division Pharmacist

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 9 Extraordinary care packed in ordinary tents Theater hospital at Balad Air Base tak care of troops Sgt. Dallas Walker the battlefield before.” of a casualty’s arrival at the hospital. 101st Airborne Division The hospital boasts a staff of sur- Most of the casualties treated at the Public Affairs geons that specialize in procedures on hospital are brought in on a medevac the brain, heart, bones and soft tissue. flight. BALAD, Iraq -- In a sea of tents and It has six operating rooms and nearly “I give all the credit in the world to trailers on Balad Air Base in northern everything a standard hospital has -- the flight medics,” said Air Force Staff Iraq, bomb fragments are being surgi- all in the heart of a combat zone. Sgt. Jalkennen Joseph, emergency cally removed from a limb, medics are Bringing medical care to the battle- room medic. “I’ve never seen anyone racing to stop someone from bleed- field increases a casualty’s chance for perform their job above and beyond ing to death, and another life is being survival, Powell said. Although, he like they do. They do things you only saved from wounds inflicted on the does not credit the hospital as being see in movies or read about in books. battlefield. solely responsible for saving lives. They do it on a daily basis and they do It is that sea of tents that houses it well.” the Air Force theater hospital, where First responders The medevac crews try to get service members and civilians get the “Medics and what they do, basic and casualties to the hospital within the most advanced medical care possible advanced first aid, is where life saving “golden hour” -- the first 60 minutes in the Iraqi combat zone. begins,” he said. after injury. Run by the 332nd Expeditionary The life of a combat casualty de- “Getting patients here quickly, Medical Group, the hospital offers pends largely on the first echelon of keeping them warm, and stopping the both trauma and specialized medical medical care. The most important bleeding are the keys to life saving in care throughout Iraq and serves as the aspect of that care is stopping the trauma,” Powell said. theater aeromedical evacuation sup- bleeding. Within minutes of landing on the port hub. “The number one cause of prevent- hospital helipad, the medevac crew “If you arrive here alive, you have able death in Iraq is exsanguination and hospital staff take the casualty to about a 96 percent chance of leaving – bleeding out,” Powell said. “If Sol- the emergency room. here alive,” said Col. (Dr.) Elisha Pow- diers don’t stop the bleeding and use ell, commander, 332nd Expeditionary the tourniquets put in their first aid The ER Medical Group. kit, then [the casualty] probably won’t “This is [the casualty’s] first stop in The availability of specialized care make it to us.” the hospital,” Joseph said. “Our job at the hospital is like nothing seen in is to stabilize the patient. We check a combat zone in the past, making it Dust off – Arriving at the hospital the ABCs. We check their airways, we easier to save lives, Powell said. The sound of medevac pilots calling check to see if they are breathing, and “What makes this hospital so suc- in their status echoes as Army and Air we check their circulation.” cessful in Iraq is that we push technol- Force medics in the patient administra- Doctors assess the casualty in the ogy so far forward,” he said. “We’ve tion office of the hospital prepare for emergency room to determine the ap- never pushed specialties this far onto their landing – the crucial first minutes propriate course of action, Joseph said.

10 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers (Left) Air Force and Army medics rush to unload a casualty from a UH-60 Blackhawk. (Center) Medics prepare a casualty for the emergency room. (Above) Medics rush a casualty into the emergency room. Next stop… The hospital staff prides themselves on quality rapid care – stabilizing patients and getting them out of the hospital. “If a patient requires surgery to survive, it will be done here,” Joseph said. “Most of the patients we care for don’t even know they were here. Most of them are severely injured and unconscious. We stabilize them and send them to [Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in] Germany as quickly as possible.” Patients stay at the theater hospital the shortest amount of time possible, Powell said. The goal is to perform what- ever measures necessary to save their life and send them to a facility geared toward long-term care. photos by Sgt. Dallas Walker The patient Colonel Elisha Powell, commander, 332nd Expeditionary The hospital provides care and treatment to anyone Medical Group theater hospital, and Col. Jack Ingari operate wounded in combat. U.S. Army Soldiers are treated more on a 101st Airborne Division Soldier after an IED attack Dec. than anyone else and Coalition Forces make up 60 percent 3. Both are orthopedic surgeons at the theater hospital at of the patient load. Balad Air Base. The remaining 40 percent of patients seen at the hospital are local nationals, terrorists and detainees injured during seph said. “People here are selfless and go out and do their combat. job. Most of the people we treat got injured serving their “We give [Iraqis] the same medical care as anyone else,” country. It brings me so much more joy to care for those Powell said. “We’re not MPs, we’re not [military intelli- patients.” gence], we are medics. Detainees get the same healthcare as the Soldiers, as the Iraqi Police, as the Iraqi Army. Our Put to the test job is to provide the highest standard of medical care.” It was a day that most medical units only train for – the day that 29 severely injured Iraqi civillians came in the The team hospital after multiple car bombs exploded in Balad. The hospital is a mostly U.S. Air Force staff, with support “It was really chaotic because there were just too many teams from the U.S. Army and Navy as well as the Austra- patients,” Joseph said. “I think at first it overwhelmed the lian Army and Air Force. There are more than 350 medical staff.” personnel assigned to the theater hospital. The staff made it through, successfully. After more than “We have all really clicked working together,” Joseph 80 operations by 19 military surgeons, the same 29 civil- said. “We run this place smoothly, doing the same mission. ians that came in to the hospital severely injured, left the We live by the hospital motto, ‘One team. One mission.’” hospital alive. A majority of the U.S. Air Force personnel assigned to the In the sea of tents, another life is being saved by a hard- theater hospital, including Powell and Joseph, come from working medic or an experienced surgeon with the best Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio – one of only combat medical care available in Iraq. two military hospitals that treat civilian trauma patients. “It’s an honor to be able to care for the wounded out “Most of the patients back at Wilford Hall are drunk and here,” Joseph said. “It’s a lifetime experience. I can’t stress just got into an accident and maybe killed somebody,” Jo- enough, it’s what we are proud and happy to do.”

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 11 Iraqi Air Force visits FOB Speicher Spc. Lee Elder to assist in the security of the critical He said his unit has six aircraft and 133rd Mobile Public infrastructure of northern Iraq.” 15 officers who have flown more than Affairs Detachment Both units share the mission of pro- 1,000 hours, most of which are recon- tecting infrastructure in northern Iraq naissance missions. He was grateful that is essential to the country’s future for U.S. support and looked forward TIKRIT, Iraq -- The 101st Combat by ensuring it is not destroyed by in- to a deepening relationship with his Aviation Brigade hosted members surgents and other criminal elements. Coalition counterparts. of the fledgling Iraqi Air Force’s 3rd The partnership between the two “We are just rebuilding our Air Squadron at Forward Operating Base units is a good fit, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Force,” Ali said. “The most important Speicher Dec. 21. The objective was to Dave Schlesinger. He is head of the thing is that we cooperate with each share the two unit’s capabilities and Coalition Advisor Support Team in other for the security of our country.” see each unit’s aircraft. Kirkuk that assists the Iraqi Air Force’s The meeting marked the beginning rebuilding effort in that area. of a partnership between the two units “Since we share the air space, one of and is part of ongoing efforts to help the biggest benefits is to learn where the Iraqi Air Force become self-sus- the 101st is flying,” Schlesinger said. taining. During their visit, the 14 Iraqi “It works out well since we’re doing squadron members were briefed on the same mission -- protecting the the brigade’s intelligence and opera- infrastructure of the country.” tional capabilities and saw the aircraft In two-and-a-half months, brigade of the 101st CAB first-hand. aviators have flown nearly 2,700 mis- “We both may learn from each other sions and logged more than 20,000 and share our common experiences to flight hours. Among these missions help build a more secure Iraq,” said were 10 air assault missions with Iraqi Col. Warren Phipps, commander, 101st Army Soldiers, Phipps said. Combat Aviation Brigade. “We can le- Phipps’ counterpart is Staff Col. Ali verage both the capabilities of my bri- Salim, who is the acting commander of gade and the 3rd Air Force Squadron the 3rd Squadron.

photos by Sgt. Ryan Matson Colonel Warren Phipps, commander, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, greets members of the 3rd Squadron, Iraqi Air Force shortly after they arrived at Forward Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, for a historic meeting with the 101st CAB Dec. 21. (Top) Captain Rich- ard Feltzer, 6th Bn., 101st CAB shows a group from the Iraqi Air Force some of the features of the CH-47D Chinook helicopter.

12 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers Shadow finds lurking evil

photos by Spc. Waine Haley Specialist Corey Menshouse and Spc. Justin Scott, both crew chiefs on the Shadow 200 with Company B, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, prepare the UAV for a mission. (Below) The Shadow RQ7B UAV is launched with a beefed-up slingshot.

Spc. Waine Haley requires operational experience. 133rd Mobile Public After completing their training in August, they re- Affairs Detachment turned to Fort Campbell before being deployed overseas. “In September we were deployed to Udari Army Air- BAYJI, Iraq -- Who knows where evil lurks? The Shadow field in Kuwait,” Gourley said. “We were the first unit to knows. fly the Shadow in Kuwait.” The Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crews of the “We’re lucky to get to do this [job]. This type of re- Rakkasans’ “Voodoo Platoon,” Company B, 3rd Special sponsibility is usually left to officers and upper enlisted,” Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Air- said Sgt. Jeffery Llamas, TUAV Operator. “These aircraft borne Division, are the fortunate Soldiers that get to op- cost well over $700,000 each.” erate the surveillance aircraft known as “The Shadow.” “We have a great bunch of troops here,” Gourley said. The Shadow relays real-time reconnaissance and “These guys have a big responsibility and they live up to surveillance information for combat units to assist them it every day.” with raids and air assaults. The aircraft also provides intelligence to ground com- manders without the enemy knowing they are under sur- veillance. They do this by flying at an altitude of several thousand feet, allowing for a low presence signature. “It gives [ground troops] a better chance to see what’s going on without people being aware we are watching them,” said Capt. Jim Gourley, platoon leader. The recently formed Voodoo platoon is comprised of Soldiers from many different job fields throughout the Army. The technical expertise and levels of training and responsibility required to support this mission is high. “Some of the obstacles new units face is training is- sues,” Gourley said. The company was moved to Redstone Arsenal, Ala., for “new unit training” on the aircraft. Field training in- creases familiarity with the Shadow 2000 system, which

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 13 FACES OF IRAQ

photos by Spc. Michael Pfaff

Soldiers perfect art of finding weapons caches Sgt. Dallas Walker 101st Airborne Division Public Affairs Office

BALAD, Iraq -- They were the last platoon from their com- pany to start doing patrols. Composed of cooks, communication specialists, medics and a couple of infantry guys, the Soldiers of the Cobra Black One platoon, Company C, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regi- ment took to the streets outside of Logistical Support Area Anaconda with not much of a mission at all. “We were like the black sheep of the battalion,” said Sgt. Alika Naluai, Co. C section leader. “We would just sit on a route and pull security.” After a couple of weeks, someone gave them an idea -- one they weren’t thrilled about in the beginning, but ended up paying off in the long run. Master Sgt. Beau Tatsumura, from the battalion S3 shop, helped show the platoon the ropes of hunting for weapons caches in June. “He really motivated and encouraged us to go out and find weapons caches,” Naluai said. “We figured we’d give it a try.” The platoon spent several weeks searching, but to no avail. “We really hated doing cache searching at first because we had no method,” said Spc. McHuy McCoy, Cobra Black One medic. The team would go out and find nothing. They ended up getting advice from 1st Lt. Ranjan Singh, Co. B platoon leader, Naluai said. His platoon had led the bat- talion in caches found at that point. Singh’s platoon started out much like Cobra Black One did – unsuccessful. “We decided we needed a system,” Singh said. According to Singh, his platoon was out on patrol one day photo by Sgt. Dallas Walker and saw something they thought could be used to mark an Private 1st Class Elise Lalmyen, Company C, 100th Battalion, area for future reference. They saw a pile of brush near the 442nd Infantry Regiment, assembles a metal detector prior to marking. Underneath it, they found a mortar tube. a mission in the Alby Krawar village outside Balad, Iraq, Dec. From that point on, they looked for areas with similar mark- 4. Lalmyen is a part of a group of Soldiers that searches and ings and soft dirt, Singh said. secures weapons cache sites in the area. “We didn’t have mine sweepers at the time, so we would look for soft dirt and stab at the ground with bayonets,” he said. radio and said they think they found something. Everyone Singh’s platoon found 44 weapons caches, mostly between got excited and waited by the radio to hear what was going April and June. on,” McCoy said, who was pulling security at the time. “Then “It kicked off a cache craze,” Singh said. “Everyone wanted they pulled out a mortar. Then they pulled out 10 mortars. to check out a mine sweeper and look. Of course, they found Then they pulled out 30 mortars.” nothing.” According to Naluai, there were 49 mortar rounds in that They found nothing because they didn’t know what to look first cache -- 30 60mm rounds and 19 82mm rounds. for, Singh said. “After that, we were hooked,” Naluai said. “We would sit Singh and his Soldiers changed missions to finding high on a route pulling security and decide to search a canal road.” value individuals, so he decided to share his secret to finding Since that first find in July, the platoon found more than 50 caches with the Soldiers of Cobra Black One. caches. “We had to prove ourselves to the battalion,” Naluai Then it happened. It was a day that these Soldiers would said. “After we started to find the caches, our status has never forget -- July 27. risen among our peers and our command.” “Sergeant Naluai and 1st Lt. [Sam] Tagavilla came over the Con’t on Page 18

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 17 Sergeant Alika Naluai, Co. C, 100th Bn., 442nd Inf. Reg., searches a roadside for weapons caches in the Abu Krawar village outside of Balad, Iraq, Dec. 4. Naluai is a part of Cobra Black One, a group of Soldiers whose mission is to find and remove weapons caches.

Finding caches became second nature to the Cobra Black trick to success is to think like [the enemy]. You have to learn One Soldiers. It was the main focus of their daily mission, to read the land to know how they would find it again.” McCoy said. The team found that not every mission was one where “We find scrap metal all the time. All day, you long for a they return with a large stash of weapons, but every mission cache. Finally, you hit something and you hear that clunk. was one where they make their presence known in the vil- Now you have to dig a little more [carefully]. Eventually, you lages they patrolled. find that burlap bag. Everyone comes and waits with antici- “I can truly say it has reduced enemy activity in our area pation to see what’s in the bag,” McCoy said with a smile. tremendously,” McCoy said. “We are coming from a point “Then it comes across the radio, ‘Cobra Black has done it where we were dealing with [a lot of] IED attacks a week.” again!’” McCoy said the number of attacks has decreased tremen- The platoon was so successful at finding caches, they end- dously. “It has made [terrorists] back out of this area.” ed up sharing the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures they On more than one occasion, the platoon has come across a developed on finding weapons caches with other platoons, site that freshly dug up, indicating they are putting pressure including the one who helped them get started. on the enemy to move their activity, McCoy said. “It’s beginning to work because elements who have never Starting off their deployment as the “black sheep” platoon, found a weapons cache before are beginning to find them,” with a mix of military occupational specialties, the Soldiers McCoy said in December. He produced the presentation the of Cobra Black One made their time in Iraq invaluable to company uses to learn how to find caches. many. The platoon redeployed in early January knowing they “For us, it’s exciting. It’s like a treasure hunt. It made us made an impact on their area. feel like we were contributing to this war,” Naluai said. “Being a medic, this job is far from what I thought it “That makes less ammunition on the streets and less IEDs would be,” McCoy said. “I’m okay with it because we have that can be made.” cooks driving and we have commo guys gunning. This war “It’s hard work,” Naluai added. “This is the glory of cache is different. As a medic, taking IEDs off the street, I am still hunting. Sometimes you get it. Sometimes you don’t. You saving lives, just in a different way. To me, that’s satisfying have to be self motivated. It’s a job with no glory. I guess the enough.” 

18 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers Re-enlistment Division bonus increases SOQ Spc. Jeanine Kinville Zone A for a private first class 101st Airborne Division or higher with an active-duty Public Affairs service period between 17 WINNERS months and six years receives Soldiers who have not yet tak- 1.5 plus their increase. The finest Screaming Eagles from en the opportunity to re-enlist Zone B for sergeants and the 101st Airborne Division throughout in Iraq are in luck. The selective higher with six to ten years of Iraq landed on Forward Operating Base re-enlistment bonus for Soldiers active duty will have 1 plus Speicher Dec. 15 and 16 to compete in the with an end of term in service the increase and Zone C is for Division Soldier and Non-Commissioned between Jan. 6, 2006 and Sept. sergeants with ten to 14 years Officer of the 2nd and 3rd Quarter board. 30, 2007 has added points to of active who are eligible for .5 Winners were as follows: their bonus multipliers. with an increase. The bonus is Soldiers scheduled to leave then calculated depending on 2nd Quarter the service now until Sept. 30 the time already served and Sgt. Jeremy Howell are eligible for their designated amount of time left in the exist- Co. C , 563rd Aviation Support Battalion, category multiplier to increase ing contract in relation to the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade by .5 and those slated to exit be- number of proposed years in the tween Oct. 1 and Sept. 30, 2007 re-enlistment. Pfc. Carlos Salcedo can add 1.5 to their number. “This would be a good time Co. B, 7th Battalion, “If an eligible Soldier has not to re-enlist for Army retrain- 159th Combat Aviation Brigade re-enlisted yet, I would say now ing or assignment of choice is the time to jump on it,” said and receive even more money 3rd Quarter Sgt. 1st Class David Burgoon, than last month,” Burgoon said. Spc. Ken Fritsch career counselor and head “With more options showing in Co. A, Special Troops Battalion, of operations for the division our system, an increase is just 1st Brigade Combat Team retention office. “The increase the thing to benefit the Soldiers will also provide a larger cap here.” Sgt. Chris Matthews on the bonus maximum, de- For more information, visit Co. A, Special Troops Battalion, pending on the category they your local re-enlistment office or 1st Brigade Combat Team fall under.” unit representative. VFW passes resolution to support war in Iraq News Release “You can’t support the “Our servicemen and troops without support- women recognize the ing their mission and importance of their mis- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Veterans the president as they sion because they are of Foreign Wars of the U.S. passed work to bring security witnessing positive a national resolution to support the and stability to a re- changes every day in president and the war in Iraq as part gion of the world that the lives of the Iraqi of the larger global war on terrorism. is the centerpiece of people and the future VFW Resolution 440 also stipulates the war on terrorism,” of the Iraqi nation. that American forces should remain said VFW Command- They ask for nothing in Iraq in sufficient numbers until er-in-Chief Jim Muel- less than America’s Iraqi forces can provide security for ler, a Vietnam veteran unwavering support so their own nation. from O’Fallon, Mo. that they can remain fo- The out of session move by Amer- “Once the decision is made cused on accomplishing that ica’s largest organization of combat to commit our forces, our nation’s mission,” he said. “To withdraw our veterans to support the war is meant number one priority must be to forces prematurely would be a win to get the nation refocused on sup- support the troops so that they can for the enemy and a real threat to the porting the troops instead of arm- accomplish their mission and return rest of the Middle East and to the chair quarterbacking the how and home to their families with their American homeland.”  why the war in Iraq began. heads held high,” he said.

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 19 3-69 Armor leaves Samarra in good hands Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski ture and detain the anti-Iraqi forces and get the level of enemy activity down 133rd Mobile Public to a point where competent, capable Affairs Detachment Iraqi security forces can step in [and] take the lead,” Wald said. “We have the SAMARRA, Iraq -- The 3rd Infantry enemy activity down to such a signifi- Division’s 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor cantly low level that we can now transi- Regiment has wrapped up their year- tion Iraqi security forces currently in our long tour and handed over their area area of operation to take the lead where of operations in Samarra to the 101st coalition forces are now in support.” Airborne Division. Captain Matthew McCain, fire sup- photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski The unit has been in Iraq for 11 port officer for the incoming unit from months and has seen their share of Specialist Julio Castillio, 3rd Battalion, the 101st Airborne Division said, “We combat hostility. 69th Armor Regiment, pulls security from are looking forward to working with the They have also seen the Iraqi Security his turret while patrolling the streets of Iraqi security forces and building upon Forces make noticeable changes in their downtown Samarra in preparation of the the great job that the 3-69 Armor has abilities to protect their people from Dec. 15 elections. done in this area.” anti-Iraqi forces. The Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 187th Lieutenant Col. Mark Wald, com- eleven months of their deployment. Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne mander, 3-69 Armor, is excited about “When we first arrived here in Febru- Division, will take over operations in what his unit has done here in the past ary of 2005, our mission was to kill, cap- Samarra.  JNN increases battlefield communication capabilities 1st Lt. Jacqui N. Prusczinski more reliable than the “comms” we offered in my last deploy- 101st Combat Aviation Brigade ment working with MSE in the Node Center,” said Sgt. Lay- Public Affairs Office ton Flynn, Company C, 96th Aviation Support Battalion. “JNN as a whole seems to have a much stronger backbone.” TIKRIT, Iraq -- As the War on Terrorism continues to change, Flynn is one of the Soldiers who works with the new sys- so too, have the methods of battlefield communication in Iraq. tem on a daily basis in Iraq. Currently the 101st Airborne Division and signal units JNN is in its first phase. The operators have had limited around the Army are employing new equipment, developed class time with it and are learning many of the capabilities by General Dynamics, to communicate in Iraq. The newly- and limitations first hand as they go along this deployment. integrated system, known as Joint Network Node, was first The 101st will be the first division to use the JNN system for used by the 3rd Infantry Division during their recent deploy- the entire duration of the deployment.  ment. The 101st is now using it throughout Iraq. The new system is internet-inspired, and uses commercial satellites to allow units to communicate well beyond the line- of-sight capabilities. JNN allows for an increase in bandwidth, which in turn, in- creases the reliability of communications. It also supports the use of Voice-over Internet Protocol or VOIP, a satellite-based phone. This again is believed to be a more efficient use of bandwidth. Video conferencing is also supported by the JNN and has become a popular means of communicating between leaders when at different camps. “Signal has come a long way,” said 2nd Lt. Kashe Brooks, platoon leader with 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. “We don’t lose links as much [as before]. We can set it up and leave it. We’re not constantly playing with it.” The JNN system is replacing the long-standing Multiple Subscriber Equipment, which used line of sight capabilities along with government owned satellites. It was a self-con- photo by Sgt. Ryan Matson tained military network using strictly military assets. The use of commercial satellites comes with the benefit of using Sergeant Layton Flynn, Company C, 96th Aviation Support Bat- outside resources for greater communication advantages and talion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, connects a fiber cable also further improvement in the system. to the brigade junction box on the Joint Network Node shelter “The [communication capabilities] are better, steadier and on Forward Operating Base Speicher.

20 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 21 Rebuilding Iraq: One village at a time photos by Sgt. Rachel Brune Major Andy Ingalsbe, Company A, 401st Civil Affairs Battalion, tastes the difference in the texture of grains in the Jedallah Sofia granary Dec. 28 as the mill operator, Muslim Ali Hassan listens and Dr. Mohammed explains the operations. Soldiers of the 401st were present for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the granary as well as a new well and chicken farm in the village. (Below) Moham- med stands in front of the remains of his old house and explains various projects ongoing in the village. Sgt. Rachel Brune facilities in the village -- a chicken farm, 101st Sustainment Brigade granary and well. Public Affairs “This is a great day for my village,” Mohammed said. “[The coalition forces] are doing great things here.” QARRAYAH-WEST, Iraq -- In late April, He said the people of the village will 2003, an elder from the small farming talk about these projects as the actions of village of Jedallah Sofia appeared at the the coalition forces for many generations, gates of Qarrayah-West Base Complex, and explained that people in his village just south of Mosul, with a handwritten still talk about road improvements the request. British forces made when they occupied Sent by Dr. Mohammed, the local physi- the country in World War I as part of the cian, the note asked for help solving a offensive against the Ottoman Empire. water shortage in the village. “From the beginning, [Mohammed] was Lieutenant Col. Frederick Wellman, working for all of the villages in the area,” at that time a major and an operations Wellman said. “He always offered his officer with 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation advice and his reputation to introduce us Brigade, took a team out to the village to to new folks. With his help we ended up meet with Mohammed. building about 23 schools, over 30 kilome- More than two years later, projects ters of road improvements, [and] a clinic that grew from the relationship formed in his village.” between the two men came to fruition Soldiers of the 401st continue the mis- as Mohammed and Maj. Andy Ingalsbe, sion of reconstruction in the Jedellah Company A, 401st Civil Affairs Battal- Sofia village and throughout the Dahuk ion, cut the ribbon Dec. 28 on three new Province.

22 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers Task Force Band of Brothers assumes control of northern Iraq, marks second time for 101st in Mosul Spc. Anna-Marie Risner 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment MOSUL, Iraq -- The Rendezvous continues. Soldiers from Alaska to Korea gathered at Forward Op- erating Base Diamondback Dec. 30 to witness the turn- over of Multinational Forces-Northwest from Task Force Freedom to Task Force Band of Brothers. Major Gen. Thomas Turner, commander, 101st Air- borne Division and Task Force Band of Brothers, accepted responsibility for Nineveh and Dahuk provinces from Maj. Gen. David Rodriguez, commander, Task Force Freedom -- marking the second time the Screaming Eagles have controlled this region. “It is with great pride that the Screaming Eagles return photo by Spc. Anna-Marie Risner to Nineveh and Dahuk provinces and continue our great Lieutenant Gen. John Vines, commander, Multi-national Corps- partnership with the people of this region,” Turner said, Iraq, and Maj. Gen. Thomas Turner, commander, Task Force “a partnership that is certain to make progress within Band of Brothers and 101st Airborne Division, walk together Iraq.” after the transfer of authority ceremony at Forward Operating Turner noted that TF Band of Brothers will pick up Base Diamondback Dec. 30. where TF Freedom left off -- working toward Iraq’s inde- pendence. Much progress has been made in the region “When one looks into the Iraqi peoples’ eyes and search during TF Freedom’s time in Iraq. into their souls, you will know why we are here and why “In that ensuing period [TF Freedom’s command], Iraq we do what we do.” has held two national elections, seated a national assem- In addition, he noted despite their many successes, it bly, drafted a constitution, ratified a constitution, selected was time for his Soldiers to return home and a new group a permanent government, and trained over 100 battalions of leaders and troops to take over. of Army forces and over 100,000 police,” said Lt. Gen. “The Soldiers of Task Force Freedom have done their John Vines, commander, Multinational Corps-Iraq. “The part,” he said, “and now it’s time to transition this battle transition has been absolutely startling and compelling … space to Task Force Band of Brothers.” it’s been unprec- The ceremony marked the final step in battle edented what’s Former MNF-NW space turnover to 101st Abn. Div. com- been accomplished mand. With the Screaming Eagles poised to in a year.” embark on their newest Rendezvous Rodriguez also reflected with Destiny, Vines reminded lead- on the accomplishments of ers of what is needed to truly win his task force, not only in the fight for Iraq’s freedom. battle, but also in working “The freedom and security of Iraq with the people in their cannot be won by force,” he said. “It region. must be won through “Very early on, with the the political process. leadership that we got And because of the to work with, we were sacrifice of the Soldiers able to build a tremen- of Task Force Freedom dous trust and confidence and the Iraqi Army between each other and force, we are well on the Iraqi people,” he said. our way to doing that.”

General area of operations for Task Force Band of Brothers

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 23 THE BEATEN PATH

photos by Spc. Jeanine Kinville

Soldiers from Pathfi nder Company, 4th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, currently attached to 501st Special Troops Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, conduct infantry and marksmanship training at a qualifi cation range Dec. 9, 2005 in Tikrit, Iraq. The Pathfi nders perform sniper operations, conduct patrols within the 501st area of operations, and provide protective services for the 101st command group throughout Iraq while deployed with Task Force Band of Brothers.

24 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers 4th ID takes control in Diyala Province

photos by Spc. Jeanine Kinville (Above) Major Gen. Thomas Turner and Col. Brian Jones stand at attention during the transfer of authority ceremony between 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Divi- sion, and 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The ceremony was held at Forward Operating Base Warhorse Jan. 11. (Right) Colonel Steve Salazar, out- going commander, talks with troops after the ceremony.

Sgt. Zach Mott Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of the “We have just completed one of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team larger Task Force Band of Brothers, toughest military operations that can 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs which is commanded by 101st Airborne be executed – and that is a relief-in- Division commanding general Maj. place in contact with the enemy,” Rice BAQUBAH, Iraq -- Diyala Province has Gen. Thomas Turner. The unit’s mis- said. “The TOA ceremony means that a new military command overseeing sion includes training the ISF, assisting we’re prepared to take over the mission the provincial reconstruction and build- in the rebuilding of the Diyala Province and they’re prepared to go home.” ing of the Iraqi Security Forces. infrastructure, as well as continuing The Soldiers of 3rd HBCT moved more The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, to root out the anti-Iraqi forces that than 18,000 tons of equipment from the 4th Infantry Division from Fort Carson, inhabit the region. sands of Kuwait through the dangerous Colo., officially assumed responsibil- Provincial leaders, members of the roads of Iraq to their current positions ity of the area of operations from the Iraqi military as well as other coalition at forward operating bases around Iraq. 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry forces filled the FOB Warhorse hangar “The colonel (Col. Brian D. Jones, Division, in a ceremony on Forward Op- for the mid-day ceremony. Many at- commander, 3rd HBCT, 4th ID) and I erating Base Warhorse Jan. 11. The Iron tended to pay respect to the Soldiers are very proud of the Soldiers and what Brigade’s area of operations includes who have helped Iraqi citizens conduct they have accomplished,” Rice said. the former stomping grounds of the 3rd free elections as well as a constitution- “We’ve done all of this without any BCT, 3rd ID as well as areas that were al referendum that is helping form the significant or serious injury to one of controlled by 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne building blocks of a democracy. our Soldiers.” Division, and 278th Armored Cavalry “It is fitting to pause and recognize Although the Sledgehammer Bri- Regiment, a Tennessee National Guard the tremendous accomplishments of gade has been the unit responsible for unit. the Sledgehammer Brigade,” Turner operations in this region, Iron Brigade “We fell in on some excellent pro- said. “Colonel Steve Salazar and Com- Soldiers have been at the tip of the grams and processes that are already mand Sgt. Maj. [Jesse] Andrews and spear in protecting Iraqi citizens since in place throughout this province,” their Soldiers have added to the proud their arrival in December. said Lt. Col. James Rice, deputy com- history of the Marne Division over the “We’ve already had Soldiers in con- mander, 3rd HBCT, 4th ID. “We’ve got past 12 months once again in Iraq.” tact with the enemy,” Rice said. “So the staff and the battalions prepared to A transfer of authority ceremony far, everything has been done with take the great programs … to the next marks a bittersweet change -- the end great safety for our Soldiers and that’s level so we can set up the Iraqis for of one unit’s participation in this war a tremendous record to try to uphold. future success.” while it sparks the beginning of anoth- We’re going to continue working hard The Iron Brigade is participating in er’s. to do that.” 

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 25 Looking to the heavens Staff weather offi cer warns Army pilots of desert dangers Sgt. Ryan Matson For the past four months, Blackwell has 101st Combat Aviation Brigade served as part of the 19th Air Support Op- Public Affairs erations Squadron, which includes an Air Force weather team and is attached to the TIKRIT, Iraq -- There’s not too much 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. in aviation that doesn’t depend on the Blackwell is no stranger to forecasting weather and few people understand while deployed in a desert environment. this better than Air Force Staff Sgt. Lisa During her 11-year Air Force career as a Blackwell. weather craftsman, she has twice been Blackwell is an Air Force weather deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, in addi- craftsman. She forecasts the weather tion to her current deployment to Iraq. and briefs Army pilots assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade on the visibility, sky conditions, winds, and other weather-related issues they may face during their desert flights. Every pilot who departs Al Sahra Airfield on Forward Operating Base Speicher is required to receive a briefing prior to their flight. If the weather is too severe, a flight may have to be cancelled -- especially during the winter when fog and smoke can make flying hazardous, or in the summer when the threat is sand- storms. “It gives me a sense of pride knowing that what we do makes such a difference in so many different aspects,” Blackwell said. “Prior to having this job, I never would have thought [the weather] had a play in so many types of things – ev- erything in aviation all the way down to whether or not you can take a picture.”

Air Force Staff Sgt. Lisa Blackwell takes weather observations with a kestrel at the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. The kestrel measures winds, temperature, altimeter and dew point, which is vi- tal information for aviators planning fl ights. photo by Sgt. Ryan Matson

Protect your digits According to the surgeon general’s offi ce, Soldiers serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Oper- ation Enduring Freedom are experiencing a high number of burns to the hands in relation to other body parts. The risk can be reduced by wearing the fi re-resistant gloves issued during the rapid fi elding initiative. If you did not get the nomex gloves, see your company supply offi ce.

26 -- January 2006 Band of Brothers Air assault operation nets suspects, weapons cache

Staff Sgt. Jesse Riggin 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs

TIKRIT, Iraq -- An air assault mis- sion conducted by 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, resulted in the capture of several sus- pected terrorists and the seizure of a large cache of ammunition in Muslakhah, Iraq, Dec. 23. Elements from Company C, 1- 187, landed in Muslakhah aboard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and began searching the village for individuals listed as being involved with terrorist activities in the area. Within one hour of touching down, they identified and detained two individuals on the list of suspects. “Every day we win small vic- tories,” said Capt. Christopher Judge, commander, Company C. “But when we can get someone on our list, it is a huge boost.” By the day’s end, the unit had apprehended six individuals. During the air assault mission, Soldiers of Company D, 1-187, be- gan an amphibious assault on an island in the Tigris River adjacent to Muslakhah. While patrolling the banks of the island, they dis- covered a cache of more than 100 mortar rounds – 45-82mm rounds and 64-120mm rounds. They also seized 20 rockets and 600 rounds of small arms ammunition. “We are trying to make it dif- ficult for [terrorists] to operate [in Muslakhah],” Judge said. The town of Muslakhah, north of Al Fatah, is located near an oil pipeline that is under con- struction, which will bring much needed revenue to the area when complete. Attacks on the workers have disrupted its construction in the past, but have stopped since the Rakkasans took over the area on November 1st. The Rakkasans continue to work with Iraqi forces photo by Staff Sgt. Jesse Riggin to reduce attacks and safeguard One of six suspected terrorists detained by Company B, 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment the pipeline.  stands behind the weapon and licence plates found during a search of his home Dec. 23.

Band of Brothers January 2006 -- 27 T A S K F O R C E B A N D of B R O T H E R S I N M E M O R I A M Once fi rmly grounded upon this earth, these Screaming Eagles now soar in brighter skies.

December 15 Sgt. 1st Class Jason L. Bishop, 31 Spc. Joseph A. Lucas, 23 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division 3rd Infantry Division Williamstown, Ky. Augusta, Ga. January 7 December 20 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment 1st Lt. Michael J. Cleary, 24 Maj. Douglas A. La Bouff, 36 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, California 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Maj. Michael R. Martinez, 43 3rd Infantry Division Missouri Dallas, Pa. Spc. Richard D. Naputi, 24 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 1st Lt. Jaime L. Campbell, 25 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Ephrata, Wash. 3rd Infantry Division 1st Lt. Joseph D. deMoors, 36 Talofofo, Guam Jefferson, Ala. December 30 Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 Pvt. Jonathan R. Pfender, 22 Chester W. Troxel, 45 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, Anchorage, Alaska 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Spc. Michael I. Edwards, 26 101st Airborne Division Fairbanks, Alaska Evansville, Ind. Spc. Jacob E. Melson, 22 Wasilla, Alaska January 1 Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Vanderhorn, 37 Spc. Clinton R. Upchurch, 31 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division 101st Airborne Division Pierce, Wash. Garden City, Kansas (These are the names that have been released as of Jan. 12)