Air Cav Update—Allied Spirit VIII Heroes of the Month Latvian Scouts Learn First Aid From Air Cav Letters from Battalion Command Teams
‘Live the Life Be a Legend’ Volume 1 Issue 3 January 2018
We are the “AIR CAV”! AIR CAV 6
AIR CAV 7 CW5 Donald M. Greer III Brigade Command Chief Warrant Officer
COL Phillip C. Baker Brigade Commander
AIR CAV 9 CSM Lucio C. DeAnda Brigade Command Sergeant Major
Troopers and Families of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, This month the brigade began its first multi-battalion, multinational training exercise, Allied Spirit VIII, out of the Joint Multinational Training Command (JMRC) Hohenfels Training Area (HTA) in Germany. Allied Spirit VIII consists of elements from every battalion within the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, and ten different nations, to include Albania, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and the United Kingdom. The exercise began with units conducting movement to HTA on January 15th and will conclude on February 5th. The exercise provides hands-on experi-
ence and provides NATO allies and partners the opportunity to work together and build a stronger Europe. For this specific rotation, Poland’s 12th Mechanized Brigade commanded the multinational brigade headquarters, to include Air Cav! Since arrival at HTA, Air Cav has conducted downed aircraft recovery training (DART) and recovery training for the safe recovery of vehicles that become disabled due to rollovers or harsh terrain. Additionally, Air Cav conducted forward arming and refueling point (FARP) training with a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and petroleum specialists in order to refuel an M1 Abrams tank from 2nd Armored
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Troopers will continue to test their capabilities during Allied Spirit VIII, and strengthen NATO and key partner interoperability, build readiness and strengthen relationships across warfighting functions. Live the Life, Be a Legend! Air Cav!
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January 2018
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1st Air Cavalry Brigade Newsletter
January 2018
HERO OF THE MONTH JUNIOR ENLISTED HERO OF THE MONTH SPC Michael Bruno, C/3-227 AHB, has excelled in his duties as a crew chief, maintainer and Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) representative. Recently, he spot checked aviation foot lockers, returned voided tools, remained on standby for maintenance test flights and completed maintenance tasks while preparing the TMDE ARMS program for inspection. In addition to all these duties, SPC Bruno prioritized online classes in pursuit of a Bachelors degree. His efforts and continued positive attitude make him a tremendous asset to the team, and helped to ensure that the company and battalion perform with distinction during our ARMS inspections.
NCO HERO OF THE MONTH From the early planning stages of Allied Spirit VIII, SGT Brewer was tasked with providing Retransmission in support of the 1-227 mission, ensuring he could align those capabilities and assets with on-going 1ACB needs at Illesheim Army Airfield. SGT Brewer assessed the situation and requirements in order to provide seamless coverage for 24/7 communications, at both locations. SGT Brewer’s team is emplaced on a high-elevation observation post near Hohenfels Training Area, living austere, in order to provide communication for the whole BDE footprint through February 5th. His hard work and dedication to the mission are an embodiment of the Army Values.
WARRANT OFFICER HERO OF THE MONTH CW2 Darren Maye serves as the Communications Security Officer for C/1-227 ARB “Vampires.” As the COMSEC Officer, CW2 Maye worked tirelessly to ensure that the Vampires are prepared to Shoot, Move, and Communicate during the Allied Spirit VIII exercise. Darren’s focus on Over the Horizon Communications will be critical to the Vampire’s success at the multi-national and joint exercise at JMRC. Additionally, his initiative and drive resulted in success in leading the Task Force with respect to secure communications in an austere environment.
OFFICER HERO OF THE MONTH 1LT David Grogan, Echo Troop, 7-17 H-ARS, Troop Executive Officer, provided purpose, direction, and motivation to ensure that the Squadron is prepared to deploy to CENTCOM. He executed seven walkups at different Supply Support Activities (SSAs) on Fort Hood, resulting in 84 pieces of equipment successfully moving from the motor pool to the Rail Operations Center (ROC) with zero mechanical issues. He also coordinated with 15th BSB for the use of night vision purging equipment to ensure that all Night Vision Devices (NVDs) are in compliance with the semiannual service requirements prior to sensitive items being loaded. 1LT Grogan also ensured that 28 million dollars of government property was properly secured and accounted for throughout all phases of deployment preparation. He personally inspected all deploying containers to ensure that the packing lists were properly completed and accurately reflected all deploying equipment. In closing, Lieutenant
Grogan is a go-to Logistics Officer. As a result of his efforts the combat readiness of the 7-17th CAV Squadron has been greatly enhanced. Volume 1 Issue 3
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Latvian scouts learn first aid from Air Cav Troopers of 3-227 Attack Helicopter Battalion (AHB), 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division taught first aid care to Latvian youths January 13th at Ložmetējkalns Scout Camp near Valgundes, Latvia. The event partnered Air Cav Troopers with Latvian National Armed Forces personnel to demonstrate the positive presence of U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies in the community. “Programs like this allow us to be out in the local populace and be seen, not just as a uniform, but as a person who is willing and eager to help with education and learning,” said 3-227th AHB aviation physician assistant Cpt. Jonglen Brown. An UH-60 Black Hawk MEDEVAC crew taught the scouts how to apply tourniquets, dress wounds, and make splints for limbs. They also showed them some of medical equipment used inside of the aircraft. “They were very perceptive to the instruction,” Brown said, “They asked some great questions and wanted to use some of our first aid adjuncts that they had not seen or used.” The Ložmetējkalns Scout Camp also provided classes on survival, equipment, fire building and land familiarization that was taught by Latvian Airmen and the Latvian National Guardsmen. 3-227th AHB’s participation in the camp mirrors part of Atlantic Resolve’s mission to show the U.S. commitment to reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region. “This is a great program and hopefully we have opened the door for more communication and integrated training,” Brown said, “They have already asked us to return in the next few months to work with their camp counselors in teaching first aid.”
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January 2018
1-227 “ATTACK� ATTACK 6
ATTACK 7
LTC Jason T. Cook Battalion Commander
CW4 Scott A. Cotriss Battalion Command Chief Warrant Officer
ATTACK 9 CSM Leon C. Black II Battalion Command Sergeant Major
After some great travel and rest over the Holidays, First Attack started the New Year and the rest of a busy deployment by deploying right into aerial gunnery. On January 8th, your fuelers, maintainers, armament, and headquarters Soldiers deployed from Illesheim to the Grafenwohr Training Area about four hours away and established the Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) for our Apaches. After arming with live 30mm cannon rounds and 2.75" rockets, the aircrews flew out to the range and conducted a series of day and night engagements to test their skills at employing the Apache's weapons systems at various targets, distances, and scenarios. The week of the 15th we also conducted crew-served weapons ranges at Grafenwohr, with your Soldiers doing their annual qualifications on the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, the M320 rifle grenade launcher, and the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher. Also that week, the Charlie Company "Vampires" deployed with 2nd Battalion and a dozen allied nations to Hohenfels Training Area to participate in the annual three-week Allied Spirit VIII training exercise. Finally, the Alpha Company "Avengers" forward-deployed from their outstation in Powidz, Poland to Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria to conduct training and aerial gunnery there. These exercises begin a busy training schedule that will continue through the remainder of our deployment, but your Soldiers are doing what they came to Europe to do and morale is high. Attack!
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January 2018
2-227 “LOBOS� LOBO 6
LOBO 7
LTC Paul B. Eberhardt Battalion Commander
CW4 Robert A. Forney Battalion Command Chief Warrant Officer
LOBO 9 CSM Ronald F. Pegues Battalion Command Sergeant Major
The Lobos of 2-227th Air Cavalry Brigade celebrated the Holidays in Katterbach after a successful month of intense training and preparation for their Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) rotation. The Joint Multinational Readiness Center, is a Europe-based Combat Training Center (CTC) with world-wide training capability. JMRC trains leaders, staff, and units up to Brigade Combat Teams and multinational partners, to dominate in the conduct of Unified FRG banner hangs in 2BN DFAC. Land Operations (ULO) anywhere in the world, now and in the future. Allied Spirit VIII (ASVIII) is the exercise that Task Force (TF) Lobos will be participating in while in Hohenfels. The Task Force is comprised of members from 1-227, 2-227, 3-227 and 615th with 2-227 as the overall TF HQ. Allied Spirit VIII will involve approximately 4,100 participants from 10 nations. The Nations that will be participating include Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Allied Spirit VIII officially began on 15 January with the arrival of TF Lobos personnel by way of convoy and air to Albertshof. Albertshof, is where all rotational training units stay during the beginning of each training exercise. This area slowly came to life as units from all over Convoy departs from Katterbach in Europe began to arrive and set up their footprint. support of Allied Spirit VIII. The initial days provide an excellent opportunity for the different nations and units to work together to solve issues as they settle into their temporary billets. Weather is another obstacle the units must overcome as cold fronts bring in snow, sleet, and high winds. Through it all, the flight companies were able to get almost all of their crew through their mandatory local area orientation (LAO) flights. These flights are essential in providing the aviators with an understanding of the local area, terrain, and no-fly zones.
CH-47 Chinook prepares to takeoff for a LAO.
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Upcoming training opportunities include recovery training for the recovery vehicles, personnel recovery training for the pilots and crew, and HMMWV Egress Assistance Training (HEAT) for drivers. There will also be training for the flight companies to include MEDEVAC, DART, and Air Assault operations. The exercise will culminate at the end of January, with the entire Task Force returning to their respective bases around 5 February. This exercise sets up the Lobos for success for the follow-on exercise, Combined Resolve.
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January 2018
3-227 “SPEARHEAD” SPEARHEAD 6
SPEARHEAD 7
SPEARHEAD 9
LTC Nathan S. Surrey Battalion Commander
CW4 Joshua C. Bare Battalion Command Chief Warrant Officer
CSM Thomas E. Hughes II Battalion Command Sergeant Major
Happy new year Spearhead Soldiers and Families! US Army Europe has designated 2018 as the “Year of Integration.” The main goal for the year is to greatly increase the US Army’s ability to efficiently train and fight with its Allies and partners in the European Theater. 3-227th AHB is a part of that vision while forward deployed in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. Our mindset is one that must be multinational and focused on integrating our force with NATO forces. Spearhead has been planning and preparing for months, and is now executing our mission with great success. In Latvia, Bravo Company has been spending time with local civilians and military units. Last week, Combat Lifesavers hosted a First Aid class for Latvian Boy and Girl Scouts. They visited the Latvian Parliament and museums, and conducted joint flights and emergency response training with the Latvian Air Force. The Jokers conducted extensive Personnel Recovery training which rehearsed survival, evasion, and extraction tactics to be used in the event Soldiers become isolated from their unit during a mission. These types of events are a critical part of the Army’s mission to develop strong relationships with our European allies. In Poland, the Jokers have been busy developing joint and multinational operations with US and Polish forces. This month, they have transported personnel and equipment for our sister-battalion’s AH-64E Apaches moving to Romania for training. Crossborder operations like this have a positive impact on Spearhead’s ability to move and integrate with NATO forces. Additionally, the Jokers planned sling-load operations for the 299th Brigade Support Battalion from Fort Riley, KS. Taskforce Spearhead in Poland will use their recent experiences to support NATO in future air movement and air assault operations. In Romania, Charlie Company Ghostriders supported the Romanian 30th Mountain Battalion with a four-ship air assault, effectively demonstrating their interoperability with their host nation. The Ghostriders continued progression flights and trained on external fuel tanks and a new GPS system. Expanding their footprint at MK Airbase, the Ghostriders prepared to receive AH-64Es from Poland and MEDEVAC aircraft from Germany. Finally, having built a relationship with the Canadian Air Force Detachment located in MK, Charlie Company farewelled the departing detachment by hosting a BBQ and bonfire with their counterparts. In Germany, the operational tempo has increased as Spearhead deployed 5 aircraft and 6 aircrews to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center as part of Allied Spirit VIII, which is a multinational exercise designed to develop and enhance NATO and key partner interoperability and readiness. While at JMRC, the aircrews will train with both US ground forces and NATO forces to respond to modern day threats in the region. Allied Spirit VIII is the first of a string of training exercises, which will increase in complexity, that Spearhead will conduct while forward deployed to EUCOM. This type of training is at the heart of why 3-227th AHB is supporting Operation Atlantic Resolve in Europe and the “Year of Integration.” A US Army that is strongly integrated with NATO allies is a force that is well-prepared to respond to threats and opportunities alike that may present themselves in the future. Thank you, Spearhead, for your continued support as we work towards that goal of a ready-to-fight US force and a Strong Europe.
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January 2018
615 “COLD STEEL” BN CDR PHOTO
COLD STEEL 6
COLD STEEL 7
LTC Randy P. James Battalion Commander
CW5 Steven E. Boehm Battalion Command Chief Warrant Officer
BN CSM PHOTO
COLD STEEL 9 CSM Daniel L. Snyder Battalion Command Sergeant Major
Having successfully maintained mission readiness throughout the holidays, Cold Steel Soldiers were able to enjoy Germany and the surrounding areas during this magical time, with two well-deserved 4-day weekends, and are now back at work, motivated to continue the mission here in EUCOM. 615th ASB deployed the majority of A Co. via convoy to Hoenfels Training Area, Germany (bottom, right) in support of Operation Allied Spirit VIII (ASVIII). Additional elements of HSC and C Co. were also sent to provide ground maintenance support, medical, religious, and network connectivity support for nearly a month’s time. The BN currently has 59 leaders and Soldiers at Hoenfels Training Area, Germany participating in ASVIII while supporting 2-227 GSAB and the Polish Army for their joint training exercise. Similar to a National Training Center (NTC) rotation, Soldiers arrived and prepared for full-scale operations during the first week and will then enter the austere training area where they will be officially evaluated on their expertise and execution of support tasks. While in the training area, Soldiers will conduct simulated missions in real-time, will distribute all classes of supply to U.S. and Polish Forces, and will provide Forward Arming Refueling Point (FARP) support for the aircraft, ensuring they are fully equipped to maintain 24/7 operations. Other supporting personnel from the BN also on-ground are the BN chaplain, physician’s assistant, maintenance contact team, and a team of network support specialists. This month, and for future exercises within EUCOM, 615th ASB is capitalizing on each company’s unique skill set and the BN’s overall ability to conduct decentralized operations. In other words, as some have gone forward as part of ASVIII, other personnel must shift focus and cover-down to continue work at headquarters so the daily mission does not fail. While our sister BNs also sent Soldiers forward, HSC backfilled them by sending five culinary specialists to Katterbach, to keep the 2-227 dining facility running, with B. Co. simultaneously providing a team of eight Soldiers for armament support to 1-227 at Grafenwoehr Training Area, all while completing phase maintenance for three rotary wing aircraft at Illesheim Army Airfield, the first three to be re-set, out of nine for this deployment. Weapons proficiency and personal readiness increased again this month with the completion of a small arms range, and 57 Soldiers qualifying on the M4 rifle at Oberdachstetten Training Area, Germany, despite challenging winter weather conditions (left). To say the least, the Cold Steel battalion is multi-tasking, training its personnel through challenging tactical environments, and experiencing great success with the support of their teammates, all while deterring worldwide aggression against our NATO allies. It is indeed a great time to be a Cold Steel Soldier! Volume 1 Issue 3
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January 2018
7-17 “PALEHORSE” BN CDR PHOTO
PALEHORSE 6 LTC Tim M. McGrew Battalion Commander
BN SWO PHOTO
PALEHORSE 7 CW4 Steve O. Crandall Battalion Command Chief Warrant Officer
BN CSM PHOTO
PALEHORSE 9 CSM Brandon J. Perry Battalion Command Sergeant Major
Happy New Year from the PALEHORSE Squadron! This month has been a refreshing and well deserved break from our usual high tempo operations with our Squadron enjoying Holiday Leave and continuing preparations for aircraft and equipment transfers. Our flight schedule has been lighter than usual with one third of our Aircraft already at Ft. Campbell, KY. We would like to thank the maintainers who worked tirelessly to enable the successful transfer of the remaining aircraft to Ft. Campbell as well as all the Soldiers who helped to make the transfer happen. Due to bad weather, the second and third aircraft transfers were merged into a 16 aircraft cross country mission. Our outstanding aviators and maintainers were the catalyst behind the safe and successful flight from Fort Hood to Fort Campbell. The aircraft transfer was symbolic as 7-17’s last CONUS flight and the next time we “pull pitch” will be in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. With our Aircraft gone, the remaining time here will be spent tying up loose ends, loading our STRATAIR containers, and cleaning and preparing the hanger. 7-17 is officially bidding farewell on February 2nd on Cooper Field where we conducted our Color Casing Ceremony. We appreciate the support of friends and families and thank you in advance for the service and sacrifice! Volume 1 Issue 3
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This newsletter is an official publication authorized under Army Regulation 360-1 and is published monthly. This newsletter provides information of people, activities and operation of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. Views and opinions expressed in this electronic newsletter are not necessarily those of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, or Department of the Army. All photos, unless otherwise noted, are U.S. Army photo’s. We reserve the right to media all material for style to fit available space, to resolve libel, and force protection of grammar. Editor-in-Chief: 1Lt. Jena E. Brown; jena.e.brown.mil@mail.mil Co-Editor: Spc. DeMarco Wills; demarco.j.wills.mil@mail.mil Social Media www.facebook.com/1stAirCavalryBrigadeAirCav http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/pages/units/1acb/default.aspx www.instagram.com/1staircavalrybrigade/