The Expeditionary Times Proudly serving the finest Expeditionary service members throughout Iraq Vol. 3 Issue 14 February 24, 2010 http://www.hood.army.mil/13sce/ Pit stop 107 Soldiers become US citizens at Al-Faw Palace weeks prior, and I couldn’t do it STORY AND PHOTO S BY without the help of the profes- SGT . JOHN STI M AC sional (noncommissioned of- EXP E DITIONARY TIM E S STAFF ficers) that I have working with VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, me,” he said. Soldiers travel miles for Iraq – The United Baker said new citizens tell States Forces – him their naturalization cer- students’ smiles Iraq command staff emony marks the best day of held its 16th nat- their life, and he is proud to be a uralization cer- part of that. Page 5 emony Feb. 15, “We had 107 Soldiers that welcoming 107 new U.S. citizens we naturalized today, from 44 in Al-Faw Palace at Victory Base different countries,” he said. Complex, Iraq. “Today, we had 12 Iraqi citi- Lt. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., zens serving in the Army be- Mud flaps the deputy commanding general come U.S. citizens. I think it for operations with USF-I and adds special meaning for all the a Detroit native, presided over Soldiers to do this in a combat the ceremony and gave a coin to zone.” each Soldier. Pfc. Edilma Martinez, a In his speech, Jacoby said he transportation logistics spe- was proud to go through this cialist with the 612th Move- process with the candidates and ment Control Team, 49th told them they demonstrated Transportation Battalion, 15th their patriotism by serving in the Sustainment Brigade, 13th U.S. military before they gained Sustainment Command (Expe- citizenship. ditionary), was born in Guata- “I am tremendously proud mala and has lived in the U.S. of you for the contributions you since she was three years old. Mississippi Guardsman have made,” he said. “Congratu- “I thought this was a great uses ingenuity to protect lations on achieving a significant opportunity for me,” she said. milestone.” “This means a lot to me. I never convoying Soldiers Maj. Robert Baker, officer in had the chance to vote in the charge of plans and policies with last election and now I can.” USF-I and a Cincinnati native, Martinez, an Inglewood, Ca- Page 8 One hundred and seven Soldiers raise their right hand as they take the said coordinating the event was lif., native, said her family came oath of citizenship in a ceremony Feb. 15 in Al-Faw Palace at Victory Base Complex, Iraq. Soldiers representing 44 countries became citizens in the no easy task. to the United States with hope 16th United States Forces – Iraq naturalization ceremony. “It starts out eight to nine SEE CITIZEN ON PAGE 4 Election prep Provider command staff briefs incoming replacements STORY AND PHOTO BY Brig. Gen. Mark Corson, the com- SPC . MICHAEL V. CA M ACHO manding general of the 103rd Sus- EXP E DITIONARY TIM E S STAFF tainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Maryville, Mo., native, and JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – Command Sgt. Maj. LeRoy Haug- Command staff land, the senior enlisted adviser and leaders with with the 103rd ESC and a Cresco, the 13th Sustain- Iowa, native, attend a command ment Command staff meeting for the 13th ESC and (Expedition- the 103rd ESC Feb. 13 at Joint Base ary) and the Balad, Iraq. The 103rd is scheduled to take over sustainment command New entry control point 15th Sustainment Brigade, met operations in July. to ease congestion in with their replacement coun- terparts, the 103rd Sustain- The four commands ad- Baghdad area ment Command (Expedition- dressed operations and the ad- ary) and the 3rd Sustainment aptation of their mission dur- Page 12 Brigade Feb. 13 at Joint Base ing the upcoming drawdown Balad, Iraq, during their initial of U.S. forces and equipment, pre-deployment site survey. SEE BRIEF ON PAGE 4 PAGE 2 EXP E DITIONARY TIM E S February 24, 2010 Balad Blotter Chaplain’s Corner: learn to respect February 12 - February 18 BY LT. COL . GARRY W. LO S EY One day his hands trembled more than usual. 13TH ESC CHAPLAIN He dropped his bowl and broke it. The young fa- STRAY ROUND: ther yelled, ‘If you’re going to eat like a pig, you’re A complainant entered the Joint Defense Operations espect should be a big part of our going to eat out of a pig’s trough.’ So they made Center Feb. 11 and reported a stray round at H8 hous- Rlives. the old man a wooden trough, put his meals in it, ing. Patrols were briefed and dispatched. The complain- Not just respect others because we and told him to eat out of it. And he did. ant said, after returning to his room after work, he found feel they deserve it, but respect others Not long after that, the couple came upon their a small hole in the ceiling and drywall dust on his bed. because that is who we are. Respect four-year-old son playing out in the yard with Upon further investigation, he located a stray round that them in spite of their differences. some scraps of wood. His father asked him what was protruding from his mattress. The room was unoc- Do to others as you would have them do to you. he was doing. The little boy looked up, smiled, cupied at the time of the incident. No injuries were re- Learning to respect others is one of the first les- and said, ‘I’m making a trough, to feed you and ported. sons my parents taught me and I am sure they were Mamma out of when I get big.’ The next day, the not alone. old man was back at the table eating with the PATROL RESPONSE: This is a story that I found in Grimm’s fairy tales family from a plate, and no one ever scolded him A complainant entered the Law Enforcement Desk Feb. that I thought might give us some insight into the or mistreated him again.” 11 and said he has not been receiving payment for his true meaning of respect. I believe that this quote by Jackie Robinson work and that his employer owed him $7,000. Officers “One of Grimm’s fairy tales is about a little boy might be something we want to take to heart. initiated an Air Force IMT 1168/Statement of Complain- who lived with his father, his mother and his el- “I'm not concerned with your liking or dislik- ant and the Turkish complainant used an interpreter to derly grandfather. The grandfather was feeble and ing me … All I ask is that you respect me as a hu- say he and five other employees have not been receiv- his hands shook. When he ate, the silverware rattled man being,” he said. ing payment for work from AZ Trade. The complainant against the plate, and he often missed his mouth. It is not that we have to be best friends with said he was supposed to be paid $1,000 a month and has Then the food would dribble onto the tablecloth. everyone, but we do have to give people respect. only received payments of $1,500 in June 2009, $1,700 Some say, “If you want to get my respect, you in September 2009 and $4,000 in November 2009. The This upset the young mother because she didn’t complainant’s temporary ID card will expire Feb. 12. want to have to deal with the extra mess and hassle must first give me a reason to respect you.” This complaint is under investigation. of taking care of the old man. But he had nowhere The golden rule in Matthew 7:12 says, “So in else to live. everything, do to others what you would have PHYSICAL ASSAULT: So the young parents decided to move him away them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the A complainant telephoned the Law Enforcement Desk from the table, into a corner, where he could sit on Prophets.” Feb. 14 and reported an assault had occurred at the H-1 a stool and eat from a bowl. The young mother said, Do you want others to treat you with respect? housing bathroom. A patrol was briefed and dispatched. ‘From now on, you eat over there.’ And so he did, al- Then it has to start somewhere with someone. The victim said, via Air Force IMT 1168/Statement of ways looking at the table and wanting to be with his That somewhere is now and that someone is you Suspect/Witness/Complainant, she heard the individ- family but having to sit alone in the corner. and me. ual, described as a Caucasian male, enter the lock code to the female bathroom and enter the bathroom. He ap- proached her and slapped her in the face before running out. All posts and patrols were told to look for a Cauca- sian male wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black Army physical training shorts. The patrols conducted a sweep of H-1 housing but found nobody. The victim received aid and the emergency medical personnel said she had slight bruising to her face. They provided her with an ice pack, terminating medical response. She was released to her supervisor and provided with a Depart- ment of Defense Form 2701/Victim/Witness Assistance Program pamphlet. KBR, Inc. personnel were contacted to change the combination to female bathrooms in H-1 housing.