Issue #4
April
Inside: COL Reginald E. Allen and CSM Jonathan J. Hunt
Operation New Dawn Update Those Behind the Scenes Promotions Squadron Stories FRG Events MWR Events Feature Story Catch The Bug!
SGT Sanford of Lion Battery distributes a weapon and magazine of blanks to an Iraqi Army Troopers from Lion Battery observe as Iraqi Army Soldiers move during a training lane in Numaniyah.
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Greetings from COL Allen Brave Rifles Soldiers and Families, I want to thank you first and foremost for your perseverance through the deployment thus far. We have completed seven months of the 3d ACR’s deployment in support of Operation New Dawn, and our courageous Family members and Troopers of the Regiment are proving themselves worthy of the 164-year, time-honored traditions of the Brave Rifles. I had the distinct honor recently to present one of our heroic Troopers with the Purple Heart medal, which is awarded on behalf of the President of the United States to service members who are wounded in action. Spc. Kevin Gallagher, a medic with Tiger Squadron, sustained a crushed sternum after his vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Disregarding his own pain and injuries, he proceeded to treat other wounded Soldiers before accepting treatment himself. This brave Trooper embodies the warrior spirit that I see in our team members both at home and across our formations in Iraq. On the front lines of OND, I see such courage and strength of character in our Soldiers, who daily risk their lives in a mission that is still very dangerous, all for service to our great country and the citizens of Iraq. I cannot, however, laud the courage of our Troopers without echoing the same praise for the brave sacrifices of the Families back home. Someone once penned the following insightful refrain: The bravest battle that ever was fought; Shall I tell you where and when? On the maps of the world you will find it not; It was fought by the mothers of men. I would only add to this poignant quotation the inclusion of wives and daughters, fathers and sons. Every member of our Troopers’ Families are
Greetings from CSM Hunt Troopers and Families of the Regiment, as we enter the beginning of the last months deployed in support of Operation New Dawn, we have been successful in our mission and are now reaping the th rewards from our hard work. 8 Iraqi Army Soldiers here are receiving the finest training the Brave Rifles can offer. Specifically, the IA Noncommissioned Officer Corps has made significant progress in their abilities to protect and secure their country by leading junior Soldiers. I have traveled throughout our area of operations and have seen firsthand the progress made by these Soldiers, all guided by the steady hand of our Brave Rifles NCO Corps. CSM Raathi Jebber th Samea Al-Karawy, 8 IA Command Sergeant Major, and I have reviewed the th capabilities of the Soldiers in the 8 Iraqi Army, and I can say that under his
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guidance, the unit will continue to advance and learn. CSM Raathi and his NCOs have my full confidence to conduct security operations successfully. I would like to congratulate all of those promoted in the senior NCO category across the Regiment. Remember promotions are not given; they are earned, and I ask that all NCOs ensure that the opportunity is given to each Soldier to demonstrate their ability to lead. Also, don’t forget to keep in contact with your Family members back home and keep them informed. Tell them about our Facebook and YouTube sites. It is a great source of information about the Regiment.
“earning their spurs” through their continued support to our deployed Soldiers. Whether on the front lines or back on the home front, I applaud you all for your efforts to stay positive and strong – Rifles Strong. Together you are the heroes of a grateful nation. This past month saw the advent of our ambitious training program for the Soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division at An Numaniyah Military Training Base in Wasit province. The training, named “Eagles Rising” after the 8th IA’s majestic bird symbol, is unlike any training being done in Iraq. Thanks to the hard work of Sabre Squadron, our Stability Transition Team members and a group of professional cadre from the Iraqi Army, the Regiment was able to train 438 Iraqi Soldiers in a wide range of critical Soldier skills and collective unit tasks. The performance of the Iraqi Soldiers has been impressive. Iraqi Army unit leadership, particularly the noncommissioned officers, are taking a lead role in guiding their Soldiers through each of the training lanes. Our units have taken all necessary measures to protect themselves as we conduct this training and will continue to do so. As we observe the training, it is apparent how far the Iraqi Army has come since is was formed just a few years ago. We are confident that these “Eagles” will continue to rise as they grow in strength and capabilities to secure the country. Tiger, Thunder, and Muleskinner, as well as our separate troops/companies/batteries all continue to move the ball forward here in Iraq in amazing and unique ways. Our efforts continue to pay off in meaningful ways as we strive to finish strong in our mission here. So, keep moving forward, keep working hard and keep supporting your fellow team members. Together, we will leave a legacy in Iraq that we can all be proud of. Brave Rifles!
Issue #4
April
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Your Questions, Our Answers Q: What are ways I can save or invest all of this extra money from deployment? A: There are two great options the military provides to help you to be smart with your money, the Savings Deposit Program and the Thrift Savings Plan. These were presented at the start of the deployment, and many Soldiers have taken advantage of them. It’s not to late to start either program now.
Savings Deposit Program (SDP): The SDP allows Soldiers to deposit an amount up to their current un-allotted pay into a government savings program that earns 10% annual interest. The program pays interest on amounts up to $10,000.00. Active duty Soldiers may contribute through allotments (preferred method) or cash deposits. Reserve Soldiers may only contribute through cash or personal checks. Eligibility to make deposits terminates on the date of departure from theater. Interest stops 90 days after redeployment; therefore it is recommended you withdraw funds NLT 90 days after redeployment. Write to DFAS-CL, ATTN: Code FMCS, 1240 E. 9th Street, Cleveland, OH 44199-2055 to withdraw your deposited money, or FAX request to DFAS-Cleveland Center at 216-522-6924 or DSN 580-6924.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): As a member of the uniformed services, you have the opportunity to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Below is a brief overview of the TSP, mainly taken as excerpts from the August 2010 “Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan” booklet at https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tspbk08.pdf. If you would like more information, go to http://www.tsp.gov. The TSP is a retirement benefit that is offered to employees of the U.S. Government. It is similar to “401(k)” plans available to many private sector employees. The purpose of the TSP is to give you the ability to participate in a long-term savings and investment plan. Saving for your retirement through the TSP provides numerous advantages, including: • • • • •
before-tax contributions and tax deferred investment earnings automatic payroll deductions low administrative and investment expenses a diversified choice of investment options, including professionally designed lifecycle funds a portable retirement account that can move with you when you retire or leave Federal service
Participating in the TSP can significantly increase your retirement income, but starting early is important. Contributing early gives the money in your account more time to increase in value through the compounding of earnings.
Employee Contributions Regular Employee Contributions are payroll deductions that come out of your basic pay before taxes are withheld. Each pay period, your agency or service will deduct your contribution to the TSP from your pay in the amount you choose (or the automatic enrollment amount of 3%). Your agency or service will continue to do so until you make a new TSP election to change the amount of your contribution or stop it, or until you reach the IRS contribution limit. If you are a member of the uniformed services, you can also contribute from 1 to 100 percent of any incentive pay, special pay, or bonus pay — as long as you elect to contribute from basic pay. However, you cannot contribute from resources such as housing or subsistence allowances.
The SDP is a program solely offered to deployed Soldiers and the TSP offers special provisions for those deployed to a combat zone. Enrollment in TSP can be done through MyPay at https://mypay.dfas.mil. Talk to your local finance office to enroll in the SDP. 3
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Operation New Dawn Update As March began, we saw demonstrations among the populace in the Regiment’s operational environment that tested the Iraqi Security Forces. The ISF demonstrated restraint and a keen ability to handle the protests and protect the citizens’ rights to to free speech and peaceful assembly. The professionalism of ISF leaders in planning and executing security missions in our five provinces has been remarkable as they showed their ability to control such situations and prevent them from degenerating into bloodshed. Our focused efforts on advising and training the ISF are reaping significant benefits. Tiger Squadron and their partners continued to forge good relationships as ISF requested and received support in the form of quick reaction forces and aerial reconnaissance assets after direct fire attacks against Iraqi Army positions in northern Babil. The 31st IA Brigade’s elements in the area have made several substantial arrests and cache recoveries, which demonstrates their commitment to the security agreement with U.S. Forces, just as our QRF demonstrates our support to them. In Sabre’s operational environment, the Regiment’s efforts to improve the function of the ZPOE continue as Sabre Squadron Troopers taught classes in first aid and riot control. The squadron began training companies from the 8th Iraqi Army Division in a major exercise called Operation Eagles Rising, designed to help improve ISF’s conventional combat capabilities. Thunder continued to develop its ties with local investigative judges, the ATU, and the new Qadisiyah Provincial Chief of Police, BG Majid, allowing the squadron to conduct investigative training, specifically on collecting and exploiting fingerprint evidence. This will result in better conviction rates across Qadisiyah Province.
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As the month progressed, the Regiment began Operation Eagles Rising, an operation focused on Iraq Army collective training across a variety of basic Soldier skills. Sabre provided trainers and expertise at Numaniyah, and these trainers laid the groundwork for training five companies from across 8th IA Division. Sabre Squadron conducted training in a variety of different areas, everything from rights training to dismounted movement to treating casualties. All of the training was coordinated and agreed upon with ISF to lay the groundwork for the ISF to take over its own training in the future. The Regiment’s Troopers set up classes to teach various subjects and practical exercises that both tested the IA and gave them a training example which will help them train better in the future. All this bodes well for the future of Eagles Rising as well as the 8th Division and the IA as a whole. The Regiment had a string of successes in disrupting enemy elements during the middle of the month, when it detained the operational component of an indirect fire cell targeting one of our bases as well as two separate sets of triggermen along Highway 1 in southern Iraq. These events proved the vast capabilities of the Regiment to bring a wealth of combat power to defeat terrorism in our provinces. Through coordination with Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi Highway Patrol, and U.S. reconnaissance and aviation assets, we were able to protect the lives of U.S. and Iraqi forces and local Iraqi citizens by getting dangerous criminals off the streets in Babil Province. Through the hard work of our Troopers, the Regiment is making a positive impact across our five provinces. In interactions with our ISF partners or assistance to the Iraqi people, our Cavalry Troopers are showing a strong dedication to the mission at hand.
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April
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By CPT Joshua Siefert WASIT, Iraq - In the Sabre Tactical Operations Center on Contingency Operating Base Delta, there is a team of Soldiers who are working diligently, day and night, to ensure that operations within Wasit, continue to run smoothly. The Soldiers of the Sabre Squadron TOC are assigned to the plans shop within the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop and come from a variety of jobs. Artillerymen, tankers, scouts, and engineers all work together to maintain control of the squadron. “The Soldiers we have are some of the best around,” said Staff Sgt. Adam Taylor, a shift supervisor in the TOC. “We are doing more with fewer people than in any previous deployment I have been on." Due to the drawdown of troops in Iraq, the squadron was limited in the number of personnel who could be deployed. In a job that must be manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the difficulties associated with this are readily apparent. In addition to running the TOC, Soldiers from the plans section work as liaison officers at bases all around the country for the
required, publishing daily orders that assign tasks to the subordinate units, and tracking the completion of these tasks. In addition to this, they must ensure that all of this information is then passed on to their higher command unit, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
flow of information to key facilities throughout the theater of operations. This in addition to the continuous cycle of mid-tour leave means that the Soldiers of the TOC sometimes go for months on end working 12-hours a day without a single day off. Staff Sgt. Adam Taylor spoke to this, saying, “The Soldiers we have are some of the best around. We are doing more with fewer people than in any previous deployment I have been on." The TOC controls all day-today operations within the squadron. The duties performed by these men include tracking all missions that leave the base, coordinating their escort with the Wasit Police, directing the Quick Reaction Force and recovery assets when needed, setting up flights to move personnel around the country as
The Soldiers of the Sabre TOC not only complete all of these tasks to standard, but manage to do so without losing motivation and morale. After 6 months of spending at least 12 hours a day around the same group of people, it is expected to have an ebb and flow of conflict between them. The Soldiers here, however, seem to be immune to this and are in fact one of the strongest, most cohesive teams in the unit. While the tasks are difficult and repetitive, these Soldiers are able to find the value in what they do. “I know that my job is really important to the squadron. At any time I have to know where everyone is and what they are doing,” said Pfc. Hehn, who works as a radio and Command Post of the Future operator. “If we’re not tracking this, then if something happens, we won’t be able to send the help that is needed.”
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Promotions PV2 Brenneman, Jason PV2 Estes, Chadwick PV2 Marrasqin, Victor PFC Abernathy, Stephen PFC Ashcraft, Brandon PFC Fatnani, Pranav
SPC Hinderer, Kelly
PFC Helmer, Cody
SPC Jaquez, Antony
PFC Leak, Dalton
SPC Jones, Tyler
SSG Zizelman, Richard
PFC Miller, Daniel
SPC Kahla, Priscilla
SFC Baines, Twanna
PFC Montes, Eulogio
SPC Kirkpatrick, Joshua
SFC Jones, Leon
PFC Olson, Andrew
SPC Ledesma, Marcos
SFC Milam, Justin
PFC Perez-Pantaleon, Elvis
SPC Lomboy, John
PFC Petersen, Travis PFC Scott, Matthew PFC Sweat, Aaron PFC Welborn, Jeremy PFC Yeauger, Daron SPC Aery, Brian SPC Badey, William SPC Bates, Matthew SPC Collins, Stephen SPC Delavega, John SPC Dellerman, Dustin SPC Fenton, Kimberly SPC Gilliam, James SPC Glover Donya SPC Gregorio, John
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SSG Staggs, Justin
SPC London, Allistair SGT Ammon, Noel SGT Campbell, Michael SGT Dye, Matthew SGT Huffman, Albert SGT Johnson, Joshua
What do you most often do with your spare time? “I like to play a lot of sports and some video games too.” SPC Cory Stargard, RPSD
SGT McKanney, Omar SGT Slease, Brian SGT Swindell, Brandon SGT Valentine, Donald SSG Bradley, Darren SSG Garcia, Daniel SSG Graham, Walter SSG Hawkins, Xeomar SSG Perez, Michael SSG Rowell, Matthew
“Go to the gym and watch movies in my room and stay out of trouble.” SFC Gregory Malone, B 63rd “Go to the gym and play sports like basketball.” 1LT Menchie Diaz, Med Troop
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April
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Tiger “BIG GUNS” GO BIG AT FOB HAMMER Story by 1LT Andrius S. Ma!eika BESEMAYAH, Iraq – Force Protection missions have been one of utter importance for Tiger Squadron, and among the units conducting these missions is King Battery. The Battery size element has been working around the clock in areas surrounding COS Kalsu, but simultaneously, King Battery has successfully been able to complete a Howitzer Gunnery at FOB Hammer and Besemayah Range to certify not only three artillery sections, but the Squadron’s fire support element as well. Leading one of the artillery sections is SSG Scott Marvick of White Platoon, a section chief who had the privilege to fire the first artillery round down range since Tiger Squadron deployed. “Given the fact that I had a new gun section to work
with, I was proud of our overall performance,” said Marvick, a native of Dallas, Texas. He also added that, “[King Battery] had to overcome the challenge of keeping up our artillery training and [the] ability to do our true MOS related skills while at the same time maintaining a full time force protection patrol.” Spotting the rounds downrange, the Fire Support Element (FSE) from Headquarters and Headquarters Troop (HHT) also successfully certified as forward observers. Leading the forward observers was SSG Ronald Aguilar of Killeen, Texas. The forward observers “successfully completed fire missions using digital communications,” said Aguilar. “My Soldiers were able to gain more experience after this gunnery, especially for one of my Soldiers in particular who has yet to participate in a live fire since finishing Advanced Individual Training.” When asked what sort of challenges the forward observers faced, SSG Aguilar described that the weather in the region presented a problem as well as the challenges that were
presented from working with the Iraqi Army and one of King Battery’s new Fire Direction Centers. “The weather was one of the biggest challenges, especially when heavy desert haze rolled in for nearly a day,” said Aguilar. “The IA Range Control also presented some minor challenges, but we had to try to work with a new FDC. Fortunately, our Soldiers were able to work around the issues we had with digital communications by voice instead.” In spite of these challenges, King Battery and the FSE traveled to FOB Hammer, and both were able to certify in a fashion that would not disrupt their own operations tempo and continue their force protection missions.
Sabre WASIT, Iraq - The Wasit Provincial Reconstruction Team and Soldiers from the 86th Combat Support Hospital held a Children’s Day event on Contingency Operating Base Delta March 6. The event was the second of its type held at COB Delta and was organized in an effort to reach out to the children of Al Kut, the capital of the province, located southeast of Baghdad. “The Wasit PRT enjoys conducting these events to educate young Iraqi children on personal hygiene and fire prevention,” said Maj. Eric Lanpher, team member of the Wasit PRT. “It is a great way to see American forces in a positive light.” The event welcomed 20 children, from eight to 15 years old, who were escorted by teachers from their local school. The children were given classes on first aid, hand hygiene,
fire safety, and dental care. The children rotated through stations with coloring books, activities, and projects to educate them and help reinforce the information they had been taught. One of the most popular stations during the event was the one conducted by members of the COB Delta Fire Department, who had two of their trucks on hand for the children to see. The kids were allowed to climb inside of the trucks and operate the horn, lights, sirens, and fire hoses. At the conclusion of the event, each of the children was given backpacks with school books, tooth brushes, toothpaste, and additional preventative medicine information for their parents. Maj. Anjali Kunz said that the event was
very successful and that it, “helped relations between the local Iraqis in Al Kut, the Wasit PRT, and the US forces at COB Delta.” With U.S. Forces operating in an advise and assist role in Iraq, events such as this provide an opportunity for them to connect with the citizens of Iraq and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the Iraqi people.
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Thunder DIWANIYAH, Iraq - In a nation where justice used to be administered based upon the whims of a dictatorship, building a legal system based on the rule of law can be a challenge. Yet, that is exactly what the province of Diwaniyah is trying accomplish. In early March, a group of Iraqi investigative judges and police officers in this southern Iraq province invited law enforcement trainers from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment to instruct them in ways to increase their investigative capacity and subsequently improve the capabilities of the Diwaniyah justice system. Lightning Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd ACR, in conjunction with the Diwaniyah Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Kalsu Joint Expeditionary Forensics Facility, scheduled a four-day course held at the Diwaniyah Court House. This course covered basic crime scene investigation, from controlling the scene to processing the evidence, with the intent to provide Iraqi judges and anti-terrorism officers with more tools to combat crime. The training was designed to equip these officers of the law with the necessary skills to build effective cases based upon more than confessions and eyewitness statements. The training began with an introduction to crime scene investigation and set the stage for subsequent blocks of instruction. The
instructors focused on proper crime scene control, from securing the scene, sketching the area and documenting locations of evidence to protecting that evidence from being contaminated before it could be analyzed. “The proper recovery of evidence can spell the difference between having a solid case and not having a case at all,” said Mr. Kris Lulloff, JEFF trainer and police officer from Colorado . U.S. instructors also covered procedures for searching the immediate area around a crime scene, fingerprint and trace evidence analysis, evidence storage and custody procedures and DNA sampling. The trainees not only grasped the material well, but came to realize how important crime scene investigation truly is in modern law enforcement. “The proper recovery of evidence can spell the difference between having a solid case and not having a case at all,” said Mr. Kris Lulloff, JEFF trainer and police officer from Colorado. U.S. instructors also covered procedures for searching the immediate area around a crime scene, fingerprint and trace evidence analysis, evidence storage and custody procedures and DNA sampling. The trainees not only grasped
the material well, but came to realize how important crime scene investigation truly is in modern law enforcement. “I knew little about crime scenes and evidence before this class, but this course has taught me much, and I hope to continue to learn more,” said Lt. Nabil Hamzah Daud, an officer in the Diwaniyah Anti-Terrorism Unit. As the training concluded, Iraqi judges who attended the event asked for additional hands-on training to refine their skills. In this southern Iraq province, this training opportunity formed the foundation for future joint training and served as a step forward for the justice system in Diwaniyah.
RSS Recovery to the Rescue BABIL, Iraq- Across the five northern provinces of southern Iraq, Soldiers from 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment stay busy performing numerous daily tasks in support of Operation New Dawn. One section of Maintenance Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, has the demanding mission of recovery support. This unique support is vital to the mission of both the Regimental Support Squadron and the 3rd ACR. The Soldiers of this section hastily repair or recover any damaged vehicle on any route throughout southern Iraq. “I’ve got a great team,” said Sgt. Adam Bauer a mechanic with Maintenance Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and a native of Thorntown, Ind. “They’re the best. They all have that ‘can-do’ attitude, and I know that they will always get the mission done. That’s what I need.”
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The missions for the service and recovery section range from daily support operations on convoys traveling to bases in the regiment’s area, to short-notice recovery missions to assist vehicles anywhere within a 100 kilometer radius of COS Kalsu. Often, these Soldiers risk their lives by spending hours on the road and outside the protection of their vehicles, hooking up broken down trucks, changing tires, or troubleshooting other mechanical issues that arise during convoys. “Of course our job is tough,” said Spc. Anthony Huggett, a mechanic from Fort Walton Beach, Fla. “Long hours, always busy on the road or servicing our equipment, it never stops. But we’re awesome. That’s how we deal with it.” In addition to repairing the broken vehicles on convoys, their knowledge and expertise is
requested when civilian resupply trucks within the convoys break down or have other types of mechanical issues. Ideally the least used, but one of the most essential support sections in the Army is the recovery section. This group of Soldiers is charged with being wheeled and tracked vehicle recovery specialists. In 3rd ACR, the recovery section is proving itself vital to the mission every day. To date, the Soldiers of this section have completed over 135 missions, logged over 23,000 miles, and made 36 recoveries with their four M948 wreckers, and two M88A2 Hercules track vehicles.
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Family Readiness Groups across the Regiment have made concerted efforts to find ways to connect and stay active as we hit the halfway point of the deployment. The Regimental Town Hall on the 8th of February was a great success. It was attended by over 200 folks and was host to a variety of vendors ranging from American Red Cross, ACS, Military OneSource, MFLC, Chaplain, CYSS and much more. The Regimental Command Team answered questions and concerns from the audience and questions sent in prior to the evening by Family members. If you have a question you would like addressed, please send it to Amanda.rosener@us.army.mil and we will have it answered as soon as possible, your question could be the topic for our next Town Hall, tentatively scheduled for 10 May at Club Hood. We hope to be able to offer it via the web again so that remote Families will be able to view the event live. It has been a great success so far for families geographically separated. The upcoming Denim and Diamonds Event will give all the spouses of the Regiment a chance to kick up their heels and let their hair down as we continue through the deployment. It will be held on April 16th at the Phantom Warrior Center, so come out with your jeans and your bling on and have a great time! Please contact your Senior Spouse or FRG Leader for more details to purchase tickets for this wonderfully fun event. Call 254-286-6729 for more information. The Regiment will be hosting our Spouses Spur Ride May 6. So get ready for your chance to earn your spurs. Prep your teams for competition and start thinking of great ideas for the back of your team spirit shirts! We want to see you come out and have a great time. There will be combat simulators, grenade toss, PT, ruck march, obstacle course and much more. This is your chance to earn your spurs in a fun environment. Cost is $20.00, which will include your t-shirt, spurs, barbeque lunch, and certificate you will receive upon completion. Sign in starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. You must register with your unit rep no later than April 15. Email Amanda.rosener@conus.army.mil for a copy of the registration form and waiver. We can’t wait to see you there! Tiger Squadron has had two video teleconference sessions with forward
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commanders of Crazyhorse and HHT allowing better communication flow with our deployed units. Tiger has plans for another one in March with Bandit. Dragon Company held a Valentine’s Day celebration with spouses and children, gathering together to make and decorate cookies and cupcakes with the owner of the Yellow Bowl Bakery from Indiana. Upcoming events include Apache FRG Meeting April 19, Dragon FRG Meeting March 19, and King FRG Meeting March 14. Sabre Squadron would like to encourage FRG members to come out the first Friday of each month at Meadows Elementary School for a pot-luck dinner and fellowship with your fellow Sabre Squadron spouses at 5:30 p.m. On upcoming events, “Operation Barracks Welcome” has started. It is the start of preparing for our Troopers coming home and ensuring that they come back to a nice barracks room. If you would like to get involved, please contact your FRG Leader or the Rear Detachment Commander. Individual Troops/Companies/Batteries continue to host various events such as Craft Night and fundraising events. An Easter Egg Hunt will be happening in April, more details to follow. The Squadron would like to congratulate Lauren Rainer, from HHT, for being recognized as a Post Volunteer of Merit. Thanks for all your hard work! Thunder Squadron Rear Detachment Soldiers have taken great strides to give back to the military community by assisting with the Military Youth Mock Deployment IV, hosted at Comanche Chapel in February. This was a post-wide event that happens twice a year, allowing children the chance to experience the cycle of deployment that their parents are enduring. In addition, Troops continue to host a variety of FRG events to bolster the readiness of the Families during the latter half of the deployment. The “Half-Way There” Party was an enormous success for the entire Regiment. Volunteers came out and did a fabulous job setting up a fun atmosphere for everyone in the Regiment to enjoy! The attendees had a blast riding the mechanical bull and playing blackjack and poker and line dancing with the fabulous DJ. Loads of snacks and goodies were enjoyed by all who came to this fun event to help alleviate the stress of being a deployed spouse in a relaxed, safe environment. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt April 10 at the Third Cavalry Museum; contact your FRG leader for details. Muleskinner Squadron would like to
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recognize Kirk Noll, Medical Troop CoLeader for his selection as the Post Volunteer of the Month for the month of December as well as the 3d ACR Volunteer of the Quarter. Thank you, Kirk, for your hard work and dedication to the betterment of the lives of all the Troopers you support. There are many wonderful volunteers, and we look forward to recognizing all of our fabulous volunteers that give so much. Muleskinner will host its monthly meeting, generally the first Thursday of each month, March 3. Upcoming events will be announced after that meeting, to include details about the Spring Easter Egg Hunt. Remington Troop would like to thank our wonderful volunteers and the Soldiers that they support. At the recent FRG meeting, the main focus of the event was Financial Readiness. The attendees were provided a variety of financial planning and tax information to better prepare them for the future and for the current stress of filing taxes alone. Additionally, the tax center on post offers free tax services, and Military OneSource allows you to do your taxes for free through the great services of the H & R Block at Home program. Remington Troop FRG members are looking forward to a spring filled with fun events. If you have suggestions on what you would like to do, please send them to rhht_frg@yahoo.com. Ideas for fun events include: skating, craft night, bowling or spa night. If any of these sounds like fun to you, please drop Casey Lazo, RHHT FRG Leader, a line, and she will be happy to get back to you quickly! We will be hosting our Skating Party April 1 at the skating rink on post from 6-8 p.m. and our Spring Fling May 7 from 1-3 p.m. at Carl Levin Park in Harker Heights to make Mother’s Day gifts and welcome home banners. This is a pot luck event, so bring your favorite dish. More details to come. As you can see, FRGs around the Regiment continue to host fun, fulfilling events to help bolster friendships and a sense of belonging. If you have suggestions for fun events or would like to help with your FRG, then please take the time to give back and become a volunteer!
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M obilization & Deployment Program M arch - June Schedule 2011 Date
Time
Class/Course
1-2 Mar 4 Mar 8-10 Mar 9 Mar 11 Mar 21-24 Mar 22-23 Mar 23 Mar 24 Mar 29 Mar 29 Mar 31 Mar
0830-1430 1130-1300 0900-1430 1730-2030 0830-1430 0900-1700 1730-2030 0900-1430 0830-1430 0900-1100 1200-1430 0900-1430
FRG Leader Course FRG Focus Forum FRG Community Resource Course CARE Team (night) Military Spouse Emerging Leaders Course Rear Detachment Operations (RDO) Course FRG Leader Course (night) CARE Team Course Family Resilience Academy (Day 1 of 5) must be taken in order FRG Fund Custodian FRG Key Caller FRG Leader Advanced Topics Training
April 5-6 April 6 April 7 April 8 April 12-14 April 13-14 April 14 April 15 April 15 April 18-21 April 19 April 21 April 27 April 27-28 April 29 April
0830-1430 1730-2030 0830-1430 1130-1300 0900-1430 0800-1700 0830-1430 0900-1100 1200-1430 0900-1700 0830-1430 0830-1430 0830-1430 1730-2030 0900-1430
FRG Leader Course CARE Team (night) Family Resilience Academy (Day 3 of 5) must attend in order FRG Focus Forum Community Resource Course (Bus Tour on Day 3, 0900-1100) FRSA Course (must be a FRSA employee) Family Resilience Academy (Day 4 of 5) must attend in order FRG Key Caller FRG Fund Custodian Rear Detachment Operations (RDO) Course Military Spouse Emerging Leader Course Family Resilience Academy (Day 5 of 5) must attend in order CARE Team FRG Leader Course (night) FRG Leader Advanced Topics Training
May 3-4 May 5 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May 17-19 May 18 May 19 May 20 May 23-26 May 24 May 25 May 26 May
0830-1430 0830-1430 0830-1430 0830-1430 0830-1430 1130-1300 0900-1430 1730-2030 0830-1430 0900-1430 0900-1700 1730-2000 1730-1930 0830-1430
FRG Leader Course Family Resilience Academy (Day 1 of 5) must be taken in order CARE Team Military Spouse Emerging Leader Course Family Resilience Academy (Day 2 of 5) must be taken in order FRG Focus Forum Community Resource Course (Bus Tour on Day 3, 0900-1100) CARE Team (night) Family Resilience Academy (Day 3 of 5) must be taken in order FRG Leader Advanced Topics Training Rear Detachment Operations (RDO) Course FRG Key Caller (night) FRG Fund Custodian (night) Family Resilience Academy (Day 4 of 5) must be taken in order
March
All students must pre-register. Call 288-2794 to pre-register and enroll. Five student minimum required. Training with less than 5 students will be rescheduled. Most classes are held at the Oveta Culp Hobby Soldier & Family Readiness Center, Bldg 18000. Funded childcare may be available for pre-registered students. Students needing childcare for evening classes must register no later than three business days in advance of the course.
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Your FRG Leader Amanda.rosener@us.army.mil
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BRAVE RIFLES SPOUSE SPUR RIDE REGISTRATION FORM
MAY 6, 2011
PARTICIPANT’S NAME:__________________________________________________________________ SOLDIER’S NAME & RANK:_______________________________________________________________ SPONSOR’S UNIT:______________________________________________________________________ (PLEASE INCLUDE SQUADRON & TROOP/CO/BTRY)
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REGISTRATION FEE IS $20.00. PAYMENT IS DUE AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION. REGISTRATION FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE.
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT RECEIVED BY: NAME:_______________________________________________________ POSITION: ____________________________________________________ UNIT:_________________________________________________________ DATE RECEIVED: _______________________________________________ REGISTRATION SUBMITTED TO REGIMENT REGT. PERSONNEL: _____________________________________________ AMOUNT: ____________________________________________________ DATE RECEIVED: _______________________________________________ RECEIVED FROM: ______________________________________________ WAIVER RECEIVED:_____________________________________________
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3rd ACR assists in Kuwait celebration By SSG Mark Albright
KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait – Thousands of Kuwaitis celebrated Kuwait's independence Saturday Feb. 26. The country held a military
parade outside Kuwait City marking the 50 year anniversary of its independence from Great Britain and the 20 year celebration of the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq after Operation Desert Storm. Soldiers of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment had the honor of driving the lead Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles in the
Dawn to help close out the military mission there. “This is a great honor. It’s something that represents the United States, what we have done in the past and what we can do in the future. Hopefully, it can go the same way in Iraq in time, and in 20 years we do the same for Iraq,” Spc. David Arnett, B Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, a Tulsa, Okla., native.
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The 3rd ACR was one of the initial units in Kuwait to free its people. The Soldiers chosen to lead the parade were from the three combat squadrons of the 3rd ACR, 1st (Tiger), 2nd (Sabre) and 3rd (Thunder) Squadrons. These Soldiers manned M1A2 Abrams tanks and M2 Bradley
Operation Desert Storm started Jan. 17, 1991, after the refusal of Iraq to withdraw from its invasion of Kuwait. It culminated in a 32 country coalition that fought to return Kuwaiti independence and push Iraq out of the country.
parade. The regiment was one of the initial units in Desert Storm and is currently serving in southern Iraq in Operation New
being in this parade allows me to see the celebration of the end of it and what we did,” Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Rivera, a Native of Killeen, Texas.
“This is really cool, being able to experience everyone participating, the French, English and Kuwaitis,” said Pfc. Adam Harmon, 1st Squadron, C Troop, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and a Columbus, Ohio, Native. “I think this is great. I actually came to Desert Storm, and I think
Fighting Vehicles. “We have 23 people representing the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which in essence is representing the United States Forces- Iraq,” said Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Snead, a native of Falls Church, Va. “I think it’s an honor to represent the 3rd ACR and USF-I. Something like this doesn’t come around very often, and I think we all are honored to participate.”
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