… an historic day for Louisiana Army National Guard … “This honor is bigger than me. Many great Soldiers have come before me to allow this event to take place today, and many more will follow.” BG Owen W. Monconduit LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD 225TH ENGINEER BRIGADE FEBRUARY 25, 2009 VOLUME 1, ISSUE X Page 2 THE ENGINEER EXPRESS CCOMMANDEROMMANDER’’SS CCOMMENTSOMMENTS BG Owen W. Monconduit Thanks Engineer Soldiers for spectrum engineering opera- tributions in support of MND-B the promotion to Brigadier tions in Baghdad. Too, we and compile daily events into General! Decades of hard work proudly held a combat patch weekly measures in meeting by great Engineer Soldiers per- ceremony on 20 Feb. to recog- your monthly objectives. Too, forming numerous federal and nize your military service signi- repeat this process with your state missions have fied by displaying personal goals. led to the increase of the 225th’s Shoul- Again, the Brigadier General this command posi- der Sleeve Insignia position is really an achieve- tion from colonel to on both the left ment of the many great men brigadier general. and now right side. and women who built the 225th This promotion is We are only in our Engineer Brigade into the credentialed by the first month of op- world class, valued based or- non-commissioned erations in Bagh- ganization it is today! Let’s officer corps, and dad, so, ready continue to execute our engi- justly so, 2009 is yourselves for a neering missions in the tradi- The Year of the high OPTEMPO tion of outstanding NCO per- Non-Commissioned and dynamic mis- formances and a great safety Officer!! sions in support of 1st Cavalry record, Safe Deployment = Engineers, February 2009 has Division, FIRST TEAM. Re- Safe Return. resulted in outstanding full cord your daily significant con- CASTLE 6 MMESSAGEESSAGE FROMFROM CCASTLEASTLE 77 CSM Joseph Major Greetings Engineer Soldiers, traffic signs, don’t speed, fice area or Containerized Since SAFETY is a major don’t drive recklessly, and Housing Unit (CHU) with priority for us, I would like to watch out for other people. too many appliances or continue with the safety • We have a mixture equipment. This theme from the last newslet- of Soldiers, contrac- could become a ter. On the Forward Opera- tors, and local na- fire hazard. Use the tions Base (FOB) there are a tional citizens work- proper adapters multitude of safety concerns/ ing on the FOB, so and extension issues. Following are just a be extremely cau- cords. If you have few I would like to review tious. a question about and offer guidance: what adapter or • Be careful in the extension cords are • Make sure you wear a office and housing correct, please con- reflective belt while run- area because there tact the TF Safe in ning or moving around at are a lot of rocks and the 225th Engr Bde night. We don’t need uneven walkways; use a Headquarters. anyone hurt or hospital- flashlight watching where ized because of an easily you step and walk. Bottom line… watch out for avoidable mistake. your fellow Soldiers and Battle • Runners, make sure you run Buddy and help keep them safe. • When moving around the into the traffic flow, not with FOB either by walking, it. Safe Deployment = riding a bicycle, or driv- • Electrical safety: don’t over- Safe Return ing, always observe the load the circuits in your of- CSM Joe Major LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARD Beetle Bailey By Mort Walker On the Cover: How the Air Force Dealt with Military Cutbacks ... The Semi-Monthly Newsletter for the Newly promoted 225th Engineer Brigade Brigadier General Editor: Owen W. Moncon- Sgt. Rebekah Malone —————-—Vol. I, Iss. X——————— duit displays a coin Contributing journalists: presented to him by 2 Comments from Castle 6 Scott Flenner 1st Cavalry Com- 2 Message from Castle 7 mander, MG Daniel 1st Lt. Janeene Yarber P. Bolger Sgt. Catherine Graham 3 Chaplain’s Corner (Photo courtesy of 4 46th modifies vehicles Julie Dermansky) 5 Recovery Class Begins 6-7 Soldiers in Focus 8-9 Soldiers celebrate Mardi Gras Chaplain’s Corner 10-11 Newest general in Louisiana By Chap. (MAJ) Jeff Mitchell National Guard Love and Respect negatively react to we each 12-13 COL Mustard in the kitchen Marriage Series other?” The energizing cycle 14-15 Meet the command Our marriage enrichment series answers the question, “how do will be based on the Love and Re- we motivate a spouse?” The spect marriage conference material Reward Cycle answers “what presented by can we do when a spouse Emerson and doesn’t respond?” Quiz Sarah Eggerich. Please take advantage of this 1. What Krewe was the first to introduce A great time to animated floats? series no matter what your A) Mid-City learn and reflect marital status in order to be B) Proteux on how to be a equipped for the present or the C) Rex better spouse is 2. Which Krewe is credited for having the first future. celebrity King? when you are Check out the resources at A) Bacchus apart. Obvi- B) Orpheux C) Endymion ously, those that D) Zulu are married and 3. On July 8, 1988, the Louisiana here together are welcomed. It is http://www.loveandrespect.com Legislature passed bill #SB188 in response to one Krewe’s problem. based on the verse in Ephesians The series will be at the Divi- What is the bill 5:33 "Nevertheless let each indi- sion Chapel on the 2nd and 4th commonly known as? vidual among you also love his A) The Mardi Gras Bill Thursday of the month starting B) The Carnival Relief Bill own wife even as himself; and let 26 March at 1800 hours. This is C) The Coconut Bill the wife see to it that she respect one of the best series I’ve seen D) The Mardi Gras Relief Bill Name two wars that saw a halt of her husband." This material pre- in years. Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans while they sented via DVD deals with three CH (MAJ) Jeff Mitchell were in progress? areas: the crazy cycle, the energiz- A) The Civil War & WWII B) The Korean War & WWII ing cycle, and the reward cycle. C) Persian Gulf War & Vietnam War The crazy cycle answers “why we D) WWI & WWII Page 4 THE ENGINEER EXPRESS 46th modifies vehicles to ease travel through Baghdad streets By Staff Sgt. Maria Martinez-Glory Direct Support Platoon, Platoon Sergeant The mine resistant ambush pro- tive of Canoga Park, Calif. and nor improvements to be made tected vehicle, an armored fight- Stephen Green, a native of Cit- but in the end, the vehicles ing vehicle designed to survive ronelle, Ala., provided the in- were successfully completed improvised explosive devices, is genuity and skills essential to with the best product from the the preferred method of move- tackle this dilemma. The ment for many Soldiers conduct- Soldiers undertook the ing convoys in Iraq. However, project to protect the bat- the large vehicles have been talion’s vehicles by fab- known to get caught in tight spots ricating the design that on some of the narrow streets in became the standard for Baghdad, and are threatened by the 46th Eng. Bn. low-hanging electrical wires. To Thrailkill, who special- help with this issue, maintenance izes in welding, pro- Soldiers of the 46th Engineer duced the template for Combat Battalion (Heavy), 225th the metal brackets that Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry hold the mounts in place. Division, Multi-National Divi- Soldiers conduct a test of the wire mitiga- sion - Baghdad, figured out a me- “I understood the mag- tion system by passing an mine resistant chanical solution to divert the nitude of the mission ambush protected under low-hanging wire over the vehicle. when I noticed how wires. many brackets I would The direct support platoon of have to fabricate to complete the 46th Eng. Bn. developed a direct support platoon and its just one vehicle,” said welders. Once again, the main- solution that would quickly pro- Thrailkill. vide a safe and cost efficient so- tenance team of the 46th Eng. lution. Green, who is also a welder, While other units developed spearheaded a their own solutions, Chief War- team of volun- rant Officer 2 Langston Washing- teers from the ton, a native of Houston, Texas, battalion to place noticed that other wire mitigation the kits on all the devices needed more coverage. vehicles. “Instead of starting at the Green said, bumper of the vehicle, [wire miti- “Some of the gation devices] started at the top brackets were too of the cab which offered little flimsy to with- protection if it were to come into stand pressure contact with power lines,” said from power lines Langston. or any other His solution was to start at the sources.” Spc. Stephen Green, welder from Citronella, Ala., front bumper of the vehicle to As a result, he welds a wire mitigation kit on one of the mine re- allow the coverage to continue to requested stiffer sistant ambush protected. the back of the vehicle. When the PVC pipe that power lines come into contact, would hold up during any con- Bn., proved that with creativ- they would flow right over the tact with the hanging power ity and hard work any chal- PVC piping. His welding team lines. Some vehicles had to lenge can be overcome. led by Spcs. Paul Thrailkill a na- come back to the shop for mi- Page 5 VOLUME I, ISSUE X Combat mechanic recovery classes opens Photo and article by Sgt. Catherine Graham Combat mechanics and support troops “I felt that accurate information from the 890th Engineer Battalion, from the equipment operator is a Safety 225th Engineer Brigade, took the oppor- vital to the success of a recovery By 1st Lt.