1A HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION POST 1DivPost.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 Vol. 7, No. 43 FORT RILEY, KAN. Soldiers conduct exercise in Kuwait By Pfc. Aiden Flack 1450TH TRANSPORTATION COMPANY Camp Buehring, Kuwait — The 3rd Platoon of 1450th Composite Truck Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, with Soldiers from other platoons within the company, conducted tactical convoy operation training Sept. 15 to 18 at forward operating base Gerber. The company used this as a chance to train junior leaders to step up and lead, with many of the convoys headed by upcoming noncommissioned officers or Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis | 1ST INF. DIV. recently promoted NCOs. Col. Tom Bolen (center), commander, 1st Infantry Division Artillery, salutes Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st “Because of the deployment Infantry Division and Fort Riley commanding general, during the 1st Infantry Division Artillery activation ceremony of many staff leaders being sent Oct. 16 at Cavalry Parade Field. While the ceremony marks DIVARTY’s official return to the Big Red One, Soldiers on other missions, we were given and leaders were in place months ago to move the mission forward. The unit is still to building and is expected to the rare opportunity to let junior be at 90 percent strength by January, according to information from the DIVARTY officials. leaders lead,” said Sgt. 1st Class Robert McClure, 1450th CTC, third platoon sergeant and a native of Fleetwood, North Carolina. “Taking advantage of the opportunity, we focused Division Artillery returns on troop-leading procedures. We increased the stress on the training environment to give … a real-world feel to the missions ‘An amazing history:’ Division Artillery they were given. All convoy commanders and assistant convoy commanders performed returns to ‘Big Red One’ well. I feel that everyone took something home from the training event.” By Amanda Kim Stairrett “Our DIVARTY, During the training, they 1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS were introduced to one of the like all of our hardest obstacles for a convoy to As the 1st Infantry Division Artillery was re- experience, which is integrating activated at Fort Riley Oct. 16, it was welcomed units, will both convoy escorts and back with the boom of big guns from a distant logistical elements along with range. conduct tough, Soldiers from other platoons. The DIVARTY Soldiers, leaders and family realistic training In order to accomplish the members were officially greeted with a traditional difficult task, Soldiers had to ceremony — complete with ceremonial cannon, that will build study convoy tactics, techniques salute battery, “Big Red One” band and the and procedures. Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard capable and “I ran the third run as the — while one of the division’s field artillery adaptable leaders convoy commander,” said Sgt. battalions conducted gunnery in a training area Derrick Cavenaugh, 1450th far from the parade field. to face the future.” CTC, the company armorer The Big Red One’s DIVARTY was inactivated and team leader within third MAJ. GEN. WAYNE W. Staff Sgt. Jerry Griffis | 1ST INF. DIV. 10 years ago in Germany, and the Oct. 16 activa- Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st platoon and a native of Wilson, GRIGSBY, Jr. tion signified the Army’s effort to bring brigade Infantry Division and Fort Riley North Carolina. “It was headquarters-sized units back to its 10 divisions. 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION commanding general, speaks during the wonderful. I liked how it felt AND FORT RILEY 1st Infantry Division Artillery activation like a real-life mission. (It) gave See DIVARTY, page 10 COMMANDING GENERAL ceremony Oct. 16 at Cavalry Parade Field. me a feel for what it would be See EXERCISE, page 10 Annual meeting shows pride in ‘Big Red One’ Story and photo 14. Civilians who make up that’s all I’m talking about,” 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley by Amanda Kim Stairrett the Fort Riley-Central Kansas Grigsby said of his message. could support their respective 1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS AUSA chapter stood alongside During his time in missions. Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Washington, the commanding Those missions boil down WASHINGTON — The Jr. and Command Sgt. Maj. general talked with key leaders, to one thing: building combat message to the Army’s top Joseph Cornelison, the 1st Inf. including Eric Fanning, who readiness, Gen. Mark A. leaders was clear: the “Big Red Div. command team, and Col. was nominated as the next Milley’s, the Army chief of One” is the premier warfighting Andrew Cole and Command Secretary of the Army; Hon. staff’s, No. 1 priority. division and Fort Riley is the Sgt. Maj. Jason Schmidt, the Katherine Hammack, assistant The goal at the AUSA best place to live, train, deploy garrison command team, Secretary of the Army for Annual Meeting was to let from and come home to. among other current and Installations, Energy and everyone know the division was, It was a declaration 1st former division leaders, to talk Environment; Gen. Daniel B. through its world-class training Infantry Division, Fort Riley about the subject they know Allyn, Army vice chief of staff; facilities and ranges, building Maj. Gen. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr., 1st Infantry and local community members best: the capabilities of the post Gen. Frank J. Grass, National combat readiness at Fort Riley Division and Fort Riley commanding general, carried to the nation’s capital and division and the strength of Guard Bureau chief; and Lt. and, through partnerships with thanks Lefty Clark, a Navy veteran from Arizona, when they attended the 2015 its surrounding communities. Gen. David Halverson, U.S. the local communities and for his service Oct. 14 at the Vietnam Veterans Association of the U.S. Army “Everybody I see out Army Installation Management Memorial in Washington, D.C. Annual Meeting Oct. 12 to walking around the hallways, Command, about how the See MEETING, page 10 SAFETY HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS ALSO IN THIS ISSUE The next USAG Resilience Day Off will be: As of Thursday, Oct. 15 NASCAR TROOPS TO TRACK BRINGS 1ST NOV. INFANTRY DIVI- 0 5 9 SION AND FORT RILEY SOLDIERS days have passed since the last 13 vehicular fatality at Fort Riley. TO KANSAS CITY Sixty four more and the post will SPEEDWAY FOR celebrate with a safety holiday TOUR AND MEET to take place at each unit’s AND GREET, SEE GET INSIDE LOOK AT POST OFFICE discretion. PAGE 15. STAFF, SEE PAGE 11. 1DivPost.com 2A 2 | OCTOBER 23, 2015 HOME OF THE BIG RED ONE K-State faculty, students visit Fort Riley to observe Soldiers Story and photo by Maria Childs “The benefit of faculty and students coming 1ST INF. DIV. POST out here to the range is that they see the Soldier’s perspective instead of just seeing them as The Douthit Gunnery Complex staff was vis- someone who fills up a chair in a lecture hall,” ited by Kansas State University faculty members Youngman said. Oct. 13 as one piece of the Fort Riley and K- While Youngman and his colleagues were State partnership, which was re-signed Sept. 17. visiting, they presented Fred Siebe, manager of the Daryl Youngman, associate professor at K- Douthit Gunnery Complex, with a certificate of State, was one of the faculty who visited. He appreciation to the range staff for their effort and worked with division and brigade leadership support in sharing the Fort Riley experience with to develop a joint academic and military cur- numerous K-State faculty members and students. riculum that uses K-State faculty and graduate Youngman said K-State also has programs students to support training Soldiers for future for family resiliency, transitioning families and deployments. Dagger University, which he partnered with 2nd “We agreed to share resources with each oth- Armored Brigade Combat Team leadership to er to advance each other’s missions,” he said. “I develop. have been coordinating pre-deployment lectures Over the last number of years, the percentage and lectures to various active units about culture of military-connected students at K-State has in the area they are going to be deployed.” increased drastically, according to Youngman. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor He said it is important that the staff at K-State Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, understands the Soldier’s perspective and Fort 1st Infantry Division, showed their tactical Riley provides an outlet to do that. vehicles to the staff and students while they were The range staff is one piece of that puzzle be- observing the training environment. cause they promote community involvement. The Douthit Gunnery Complex invites K- “We really enjoy showcasing our Soldiers to Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat State faculty and students to the training envi- the community,” said Gary Smith, range liaison Team, 1st Infantry Division, greet faculty members and students from Kansas ronment so they can get to know Soldiers and at the Douthit Gunnery Complex. “We’re so State University Oct. 13 at the Douthit Gunnery Complex to observe training and their atmosphere better. proud of these guys and the work they do.” get to know what the Soldiers do every day. Seminar discusses possible hazards to Fort Riley water system Story and Photo by Hannah Kleopfer departments to prepare for the case of a similar, 1ST INF. DIV. POST real-life event. “Evaluating the emergency response plan is Departments on installation and partnering effective in identifying deficiencies that need to departments off installation came together be prevented and what the corrective actions are,” Oct. 9 for a table top seminar to discuss the said Mike Witmore, directorate of Public Works.