N O V E M B E R 2 4 , 2 0 2 0 / I S S U E 1 3 THE ANVIL INSIDER A Newsletter from the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade Photo by Cpl. Zach Mateja Sgt. Reynaldo Galarza and Soldiers with Alpha Company, 628th ASB recently conducted transportation training in Kuwait. ICYMI News around the Army IN THIS Battalion Updates Holiday mail reminders ISSUE Homefront Heroes ICYMI Single mother deploys as family suffers COVID-19 at home KUWAIT -- U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Taryn Harris deployed in July with the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade amid a stressful time marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months in to her deployment, things got a lot more stressful when her only child, Maddy, tested positive for COVID-19. “It killed me not being home, and the very first time being away from her when she’s sick in 12 years,” said Harris. “It was very hard calling her and having her cry, asking for me to come home.” Harris’s mother, Linda, then tested positive for the virus too which forced both her parents, who are currently caring for Maddy, to be quarantined for four weeks. With her daughter sick, secluded and lonely, and her mother stricken with the virus, her father, Courtesy Photo/Staff Sgt. Taryn Harris Butch, stepped up and did his best to take care of them both. Harris will miss her daughter’s elementary school “I had to call my daughter and mom separately graduation. Even still, she is proud to be on this because they had to seclude themselves to their deployment. She is doing what she “signed up to do” bedrooms for 10 days from diagnosis,” said Harris. and serving with her brothers and sisters in arms. It “My dad had a shower curtain hanging in the hallway also helps that she has a great support system at for my daughter and then when my mom was home that helped Maddy and Linda get back to full diagnosed, he had to hang one on her bedroom door health. too, being able to slide their meals under the curtain.” “Knowing I have a sick child and sick mother, over the Many other people came together to help them get age of 70, with underlying health issues already, my through that time. Harris’s company command team, father and mother both managed to put me at ease Capt. Mark Ruffing and 1st Sgt. Nancy Paul, checked in with daily updates and reassuring me everything was daily and gave her some emotional support. Harris’s going to be okay,” said Harris. “They have been my brother, Brett, video chats with Maddy to help her with rock, stepping up and keeping her schedule as normal school and homework. Harris’s aunts and uncles as possible while I am gone. I am truly blessed to have would shop for groceries and leave them at the door. such an amazing support system back home.” Harris credits the people outside her family for their Harris is an automated logistical specialist currently support as well. Maddy’s teachers and superintendent deployed with Headquarters Support Company, 628th were patient and understanding and checked in Aviation Support Battalion, 28th ECAB, serving in regularly. Butch’s employer worked with him remotely support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation while he had to quarantine and take care of Maddy Inherent Resolve. and Linda. NEWS FROM AROUND THE ARMY Army efforts save lives following historic hurricane By Thomas Brading, Army News Service SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras -- As Hurricane Eta pummeled through much of Central America earlier this month, a joint disaster relief response leapt into action, saving at least 289 lives and delivering life-saving supplies to the storm-ravaged region. Eta was the deadliest storm to hit the region in two decades. Its forceful winds and torrential rainfall left a trail of destruction in its wake, resulting in deadly floods and mudslides, especially in Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, and Guatemala. On Nov. 3, the historic storm made landfall as a Category 4 Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Elijaih Tiggs hurricane in Nicaragua and left countries reeling, said Col. John “We are all Americans, and I know that they would do the same Litchfield, commander of Joint Task Force-Bravo, or JTF-Bravo. for us if the roles were reversed,” he added. “[We] maintain a high level of readiness to respond to crisis, particularly hurricanes and other disasters that require military Once the storm made landfall, Litchfield said his troops were support. able to get out and save lives. “The first 72 hours were almost exclusively on search and rescue,” he said. “People who were ”JTF-Bravo began operations in Honduras on Nov.5, followed trapped, and in very dire circumstances.” by Panama on Nov. 7 and Guatemala on Nov. 10, as each country declared a national state of emergency and requested After the initial lifesaving efforts, “we started to transition to the U.S. government’s help. places where people were isolated and needed to be extracted or needed life-saving supplies,” he added. Around 250 troops from JTF-Bravo, U.S. Army South, U.S. Special Operations Command South, and other U.S. Southern JTF-Bravo then expanded its mission, which concluded over Command teams were deployed to Central America's hardest- the weekend, from rescue to delivering life-saving supplies and hit areas. humanitarian aid to stranded communities. The first round of humanitarian aid was delivered Nov. 9 to the Cortes “We’ve been able to help out partners in Central America,” said Department of Honduras. 1st Lt. Paige M. Ziegler, a CH-47 Chinook pilot with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, assigned to “In addition to standard [UH-60] Black Hawks, we have several JTF-Bravo. “We’re proud to assist in their time of need.” that are specially configured for medevac missions,” Litchfield said last week. “We also have Chinooks, our heavy cargo For many of the people they helped, it was their first time helicopters, which is our most capable platform in terms of seeing a U.S. Army helicopter, she added. range as well.” “We’re landing in these incredibly remote areas and being able The Navy, Coast Guard, and the British military also supplied to assist them,” she said last week, “and seeing how gracious manpower and helicopters toward the mission, he said. they are for our help has been the most rewarding mission I have done to date.” Military personnel were deployed to some of the most gravely affected communities, Litchfield said, and a daily haul of more Capt. Max Vandervort, commander of Bravo Co., 1-228th Avn. than 378,000 pounds of life saving aid was delivered. Rgt., flew missions around the region, including to Guatemala. “I’m extremely proud of the tireless efforts the men and “It is the unfortunate truth that this country [Guatemala] is women of the Winged Warriors have demonstrated to save extremely versed in handling natural disasters,” Vandervort lives and bring comfort to those affected by this devastating said. “Through all of the mudslides, high-water levels, and storm,” said Lt. Col. Adam R. Bock, commander of the 1-228th illnesses, the Guatemalan people have been so friendly and Avn. Rgt. “What we do here matters, and it’s inspiring to see appreciative. everyone working together towards a common goal.” SPOTLIGHTS Staff Sgt. Dale Mahafkey, a combat medic and medical operations non-commissioned officer, is currently deployed to the Middle East with Task Force Anvil in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve. Dale now lives in Pittsburgh and works full time for the National Guard in the medical readiness section. As to why he serves, Dale said he does it because he loves his country. With this deployment, Dale has reached 18 years of active duty service. Thank you, Staff Sgt. Mahafkey, for being a part of the Task Force Anvil team! Photo and caption by Spc. Stanford Toran Spc. Adam Litwinsky, with Bravo Company, 628th ASB, performs routine maintenance and inspections on UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The work Litwinsky does, and all our maintainers and repairers do, ensures our aircrews are safe on their flight missions. (Photos by Sgt. Francis Calabro) Today's homefront hero is Lily, daughter of 1st Sgt. Frank Palfrey. Lily recently sent over 150 care packages to the Soldiers in her father's unit. Starting in Sept. 2019 and eventually working under the pandemic, she worked with various people and organizations to collect donations, raise funds for shipping, hold packing events, complete customs forms and create shipping labels. The packages all arrived and put smiles on our Soldiers' faces! Thank you for holding down the homefront, Lily! Follow the instructions in the flier below if you know a Homefront Hero you'd like to see recognized. SSPPOORRTTSS Follow the link SSHHOOUUTTOOUUTTSS below for the latest AFN TV schedule https://v3.myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/ Want to send a shoutout to your favorite team? Contact https://www.facebook.com/28ECAB/ your company UPAR or the brigade PAO https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/28cab The Anvil Insider: a publication by the 28th ECAB and Task Force Anvil public affairs office 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade Commander: For the latest Army news, visit Col. Howard Lloyd the Army News Service at https://www.army.mil/ARNews Senior Enlisted Advisor: Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Livolsi 1-137 AHB UPDATE Facebook: @taskforcechickenhawk Motto: 11.23.2020 “Rule #1: Don’t talk about Flight Club.” Issue XIII To all the friends and family of the 1-137 AHB, we would like to thank you for your continued support.