Vol. 65, No. 21 Publishedished inin thethe interinterest of Division West, First Army and Fort Carson community May 24, 2007 Visit the Fort Carson Web site at www.carson.army.mill 3rd BCT heads to NTC Below: Safely guiding an M-577 Armored Personnel Carrier on the rail bed is Spc. Scott Mundy, tank mechanic, Company D, 1st Combat Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, while Spc. Aaron Crewse, nuclear, biological and chemical clerk, Company F, 1st CAB, slowly drives the track vehicle. Right: Soldiers from Company F, 1-68th CAB, make sure the chains are tight for their trip to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. Photos by Spc. Paul J. Harris INSIDE THE MOUNTAINEER Opinion/Editorial Community CG Holiday safety message . .2 Asian Pacific Heritage Month . .11 MOH recipient lauds Soldiers . .2 Community Briefs . .12 Remembering our Soldiers . .14 News Chapel updates . .14 ACOS stresses military Families . .3 Memorial Day safety . .16 $20K captain bonus . .4 Recognizing outstanding volunteers .18 Circus comes to town . .21 Military “Help From Home” . .22 2nd BCT, 2nd ID and Iraqi students . .5 Armed Forces Day . .24 Discovering weapons cache . .6 Commissary appreciation days . .28 Military Briefs . .7 Students quilt for Soldiers . .30 Honoring Carson’s fallen . .8-9 MWR events . .32 Soldier honored in D.C. .10 Feature Training for NTC . .26-27 MUST SEE Photo by Michael J. Pach Sports Fort Carson’s Triathlon . .33 Carson’s top bodybuilders . .35, 37 Memorial updated Athlete of the Week . .36 Tim Carr, Rocky Mountain Memorials, sandblasts names into a stone that is part of the Global War on Terrorism memorial in preparation Happenings Lake Pueblo State Park . .39-40 for the GWOT ceremony today at 10 a.m. The names are first cut Get Out . .41-42 into an adhesive-backed rubber template that is fixed to the stone. The exposed areas are then blasted away to a depth of about Classified advertising (719) 329-5236 one-fourth of an inch and the sand that hits the rubber template Training with the 1-68th CAB. Display advertising (719) 634-5905 See Pages 26-27. Mountaineer editor (719) 526-4144 bounces away. The engraved names are then painted with a Post information (719) 526-5811 lithochrome dye. Carr engraved all of the stones in the GWOT Word of the month: Honor Post weather hotline (719) 526-0096 memorial, which is made of native Colorado flagstone from Masonville. MOUNTAINEER 2 May 24, 2007 Opinion/Editorial Stay safe this holiday weekend Commentary by Maj. Gen. year. Memorial Day is traditionally the most Robert W. Mixon Jr. dangerous of all holiday weekends. commanding general, Division West, First Army Privately owned vehicles, including motorcycles and Fort Carson and all-terrain vehicles, continue to be the leading cause of Soldier fatalities and serious injuries. On Memorial Day, the citizens of the United Excessive speed, fatigue and not wearing a seatbelt States pause to reflect upon the courage and are common factors in fatal automobile accidents. selflessness of the men and women who have given Summer activities require more time on the road. their lives in defense of our nation. These individuals Trip planning, maintenance and rest stops are good paid the ultimate price to ensure that their fellow survival tools for use during the summer season. Americans could continue to live in freedom. We Using defensive driving skills could keep you from owe them our eternal gratitude and must never being the victim of another driver’s mistake. forget their selfless duty and personal sacrifice. Leaders at all levels must stay engaged with Memorial Day also marks the beginning of Soldiers and their holiday plans and do everything summer activities, including vacations, summer possible to make this a safe and enjoyable holiday camps and other fun-filled events with family and weekend. Our thoughts and prayers are with those friends. During the summer months there is a Soldiers and their families in the continuing Global significant increase in risk and the resulting War on Terrorism. We wish them, along with their number of accidental deaths and serious injuries families, a safe return to the Mountain Post. is three times higher than it is the rest of the Army Strong! Mixon Have a safe Memorial Day weekend Medal of Honor Society salutes those in uniform by Gary Littrell and lack of vision of countrymen who Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army will benefit from your sense of duty (retired), president of the Congressional and sacrifices. Medal of Honor Society We know what you are trying to accomplish and how difficult it will be. And You are writing history on menacing we are with you all the way. sand-swept roads, along perilous mountain By the path you have chosen, you are ridges and in towns and villages fraught giving great meaning to your lives, which with danger at every door. now are the only instruments standing You wear the uniform of the United between civilization and barbarity. States. You live its values. You are its honor. The dangerous, demanding work you do On behalf of my fellow Medal of Honor is your precious gift to our nation, bought recipients, we salute you — we are proud of and paid for by the tremendous personal, you and we are standing at your side. physical and emotional hardships you endure As Americans quietly mark Military daily and by the lives of your fallen brethren. Appreciation Month this May by carrying out Your gift is delivered by the many our daily routines, going to our jobs, shopping, sacrifices of the families standing making dinner reservations and keeping up steadfastly behind you a half a world away with American Idol, it’s you we can thank for and suffering, as they do, the anxiety the privilege of freely leading our lives. of separation. That is their hard-earned We admire your determination to stop contribution to the future of mankind. cold one of the most dangerous, brutal and You are standing in the shadows cast immoral enemies that our country, and all by the legacies of great Americans who nations, has ever faced. This new enemy is fought before you for what was right, no determined to murder indiscriminately and matter the odds. Those who follow you will intimidate viciously to halt progress and have your legacy of skill, determination Courtesy photo erase freedom. and boundless courage to guide them. Gary Littrell was cited for his valor April 4-8, 1970, We understand your will to battle on, Take heart: You are the hope of while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. He was even in the face of criticism, weakness the world. awarded the Medal of Honor on Oct. 15, 1973. MOUNTAINEER This commercial enterprise newspaper is an authorized is published 49 times per year. Military Newspaper Group, 31 E. Platte Avenue, Suite 300, publication for members of the Department of Defense. The appearance of advertising in this publication, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, phone (719) 634-5905. Commanding General: Contents of the Mountaineer are not necessarily the official including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorse- The Mountaineer’s editorial content is edited, Maj. Gen. Robert W. Mixon Jr. view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the ment by the Department of the Army or Colorado Springs prepared and provided by the Public Affairs Office, Public Affairs Officer: Department of the Army. Printed circulation is 12,000 copies. Military Newspaper Group, of the products or services adver- building 1550, room 2180, Fort Carson, CO 80913-5119, The editorial content of the Mountaineer is the tised. The printer reserves the right to reject advertisements. phone (719) 526-4144. Lt. Col. David Johnson responsibility of the Public Affairs Office, Fort Carson, CO Everything advertised in this publication shall be Releases from outside sources are so indicated. The Chief, Print and Web Communications: 80913-5119, Tel.: (719) 526-4144. The e-mail address is made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard deadline for submissions to the Mountaineer is close of [email protected]. to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital business the week before the next issue is published. The Douglas M. Rule The Mountaineer is posted on the Internet at status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other Mountaineer staff reserves the right to edit submissions for Staff Writers: Michael J. Pach http://public.carson.Army.mil/sites/PAO/mountaineer/ nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. If a newspaper style, clarity and typographical errors. Rebecca E. Tonn archives/forms. violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an Policies and statements reflected in the news and The Mountaineer is an unofficial publication advertiser is confirmed, the printer shall refuse to print editorial columns represent views of the individual writers Happenings: Nel Lampe authorized by AR 360-1. The Mountaineer is printed by advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. and under no circumstances are to be considered those of Sports Writer: Walt Johnson Colorado Springs Military Newspaper Group, a private for display advertising call (719) 634-5905. the Department of the Army. firm in no way connected with the Department of the All correspondence or queries regarding advertising Reproduction of editorial material is authorized. Layout/graphics: Jeanne Mazerall Army, under exclusive written contract with Fort Carson. It and subscriptions should be directed to Colorado Springs Please credit accordingly. MOUNTAINEER May 24, 2007 3 NEWS Army chief of staff stresses Family support by Robin Brown Army is trying to accomplish in terms recognition and counseling programs Casey served in Iraq as a comman- Fort McPherson, Ga.