THE EAGLE LIFT LEDGER
Sixth Edition September 2011 1LT Kelly Barton, Executive Editor
Commander‘s Corner Hello once again from Kandahar. Well, it‘s September now, which means we have five months to go for this deployment. For those of you back home, September is the transition month from summer to fall. Kids are back in school across the country, and you should be starting to see some cooler days in the forecast. September is a transition month in Afghanistan as well. The religious observance known as Ramadan (or ―Ramazan‖ in the local language) concluded on August 29th. Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, during which Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking during daylight hours. Typically, September is the end of the peak ―fighting season‖ as well, as insurgents and foreign fighters tend to reduce their activities in preparation for winter. This September is a historic month for all of us. September 11th will mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks on America that started this war. Ten years ago, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes, crashing two into the Twin Towers in New York, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth into a field in Pennsylvania, killing almost 3,000 victims in the process. While I do not intend to discuss the politics of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, one thing for sure is the fact that our continued presence in Afghanistan has prevented alQaeda from using it as a staging base for future attacks on our country, and provided our special operations forces the opportunity to launch a raid that killed Osama bin Laden. It‘s still too soon to tell what Afghanistan will look like in 10 or 20 years, but for now the Soldiers of Task Force Lift continue to provide outstanding aviation support to ground forces across southern Afghanistan. For future deployments, the Army is considering reducing deployment lengths to 9 months instead of 12. We do not yet know whether this will apply to aviation units, but one thing for sure is that it won‘t change our current deployment! If deployments are reduced to 9 months in the future, the good news is that our Soldiers would only be gone for 9 months at a time. The bad news is that Soldiers would not be entitled to R&R leave, and the dwell time (time between deployments) would be shorter. So for now, we‘ll watch and wait for some guidance from the Army. In the coming months we will begin planning for our redeployment and for activities and training events in 2012. For the Ft. Campbell units, our FRGs will distribute calendar information for key events by the end of September. My goal is for all Families to be able to plan ahead for a quality block leave following the deployment. For now, thanks to all of you once again for all of your support to the unit and our Soldiers. Sincerely, Scott Gerblick Task Force Commander
The CSM‘s Foxhole Hello from Kandahar! The Soldiers of the Task Force Eagle Lift have successfully completed another month of deployment and the light is starting to show at the end of the tunnel. Our Soldiers continue to accomplish every mission given to them and I’m confident that the next five months will pass by quickly. The past month of August was a great month for several Soldiers, their Families, and the Task Force. Four out of five Battle Field Promotions (BFP) within the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade came from Task Force Eagle Lift. Charlie Company 1-52d (MEDEVAC) received two BFP’s this quarter, resulting in the promotion of Sergeant Daniel Sherwin to Staff Sergeant and PFC Bradley Cline to Specialist. Bravo Company 7101st received one BFP and promoted Corporal Cory Browne to Sergeant. Echo Company also received one BFP and promoted Corporal Jeremiah Bayliss to Sergeant.
The Task Force also had two outstanding Senior Non-Commissioned, SFC Grant Potter and SFC Billy Sargent promoted from Sergeant First Class to Master Sergeant 01 Aug 2011. MSG Potter shared the special occasion with his Family back in Ft. Campbell through video-telephone conference (VTC), while MSG Sargent opted to be promoted on the flight-line where he earns his stripes everyday! Congratulations to everyone on their promotions!
Once again, I want to thank all the Families and friends for your continued support and generosity! JP Thomas Task Force CSM
HHC — Fighting Griffins SEPTEMBER 2011
SEPTEMBER 2011
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6
Cresting the Half-Way Mark The weather report for Kandahar could best be described as: dusty. Hot and dusty. In a strange mix of meteorological circumstances, this week treated us to a uniquely uncomfortable mix of very hot, very dusty, and humid conditions. Where did the humidity come from? Apparently there were some rain showers across the border in Pakistan; we didn’t get any of the benefits of the rain, just the humidity. Overall, it was a fairly quiet month for HHC. I know that’s hard to believe, but it felt like a nice lull. It was almost as if everything was in its own groove of low-drama, business as usual. I wouldn’t want it any other way. The S4 section may disagree with me, however. They filled the month with endless projects, inspections, and purchases. CPT Mark Kinsey and SFC Bradley Cord inspected supply sections throughout the Task Force for their Command Supply Discipline Programs. This is an important and time consuming inspection, especially in the midst of a combat deployment, as it checks to make sure that supply personnel are not only getting the job done, but getting it done properly and with the correct record-keeping procedures. This also required them to travel to outlying FOB’s, where some of our MEDEVAC, med-chase, and Chinook crews from other companies in the Task Force hang out. Here around the headquarters, the S4 shop installed an expansive, plastic deck across the main thoroughfare between all the office buildings. While the plastic, snap-together,
HexaDeck plates made the area look slightly like a LEGO playset, it did eliminate the crunching ankletorture of the large gravel everyone has trudged over for months. It’s all part of their goal to “improve the foxhole,” making sure that our replacements will have an even better set-up than we enjoyed upon arrival. S4 also got their hands on a few, cargo-sized parachutes that they plan on stretching over the compound as sun shades. These parachutes look to be well over a hundred-feet across…I’m not sure how they plan to secure them over the two-story complex, but it’ll be amusing to watch them try. In addition, SGT Shavonde Chase kept the entire Task Force stocked with ammunition, and SFC Daniel Fucella stayed busy submitting paperwork to retire next year. Among all their many projects, I am personally thankful for the newish chair S4 acquired for me after my last round of office furniture betrayed me; causing a quite public dust landing that tested the G-limits of my rear end and the impact resistance of the floor. Thanks, crew! Another member of the S4 gang was promoted this month. Carlos Sipin is now wearing Specialist rank. You may have seen his name in this newsletter before, and it’s no mistake, for Carlos’ supervisors think he has been doing such a great job that they recommended him for a waiver to the next rank, making this his second promotion of the deployment. In the next office building over, the S6 section also has one more Soldier to stand at parade rest for. Congratulations to SGT
Charles Williams on his latest promotion. Charles is a quiet professional, and is extremely knowledgeable about his job. He’s also one of the physical fitness cornerstones of his office, encouraging Soldiers to hit the gym with him everyday. It’ll be a pleasure to watch him grow as a Non-Commissioned Officer. Finally, Grant Potter - our Operations NCOIC in the S3 section - is now a Master Sergeant. This is an impressive promotion and it’s hard to think of someone who is more deserving. Since joining the Griffins, Grant has been a welcome and constant presence in the TOC, providing direct, hands-on leadership for the S3 Soldiers. His professional conduct and superb example are very appreciated. I would like to offer a special thanks to Kim Nardi this month, who hosted a Half-Way Pool Party for our FRG friends and Families in the Fort Campbell area. I have heard nothing but good things about the party…so, as an expression of my sincerest thanks, I just put Doc Nardi on a plane and sent him on R&R!
- CPT Gabe Morris Griffin 6
Highlights: All Quiet Supply Griffins Promotions and Parties
HHC — Fighting Griffins
Our Soldiers in Pictures
This is where everyone hangs out.
They let this guy reenlist? Please don't look at me.
Hey S6, could you fix my phone?
Oh I see your busy.
A CO Rude Dogs
SEPTEMBER 2011
VOLUME 1
Rudedog Family and Friend‘s, It is that time again. Another month has passed, feeling like an eternity for us, as it seems Afghanistan is some kind of warp zone where time stands still. However, our spirits are high as we are now past the 6 month mark for this deployment which is a huge morale booster for our Company. Over half of the Rudedogs have now departed and returned on R&R traveling all over the world to countries like Croatia, Australia, and of course back to the States! Those who haven‘t gone yet are anxiously awaiting their turn as those who have returned share stories of great times with Family, amazing food, and cold ―beverages,‖ things we all go without on a daily basis. It has been a busy month for the Company and an extremely hot one. The Afghanistan environment continues to prove itself as a formidable enemy. Temperatures have continued to rise in spite of the Air Force Weather Officers telling us that we have reached our peak for the year and we haven‘t seen a drop of rain in months. Despite the sweltering 110 degree and up heat we continue to regularly fly all of our aircraft on a daily basis. Our pilots, crew chiefs and door gunners continue to exceed the expectations set by our command as we cover down on missions from other companies and maintain our own internal missions. You should all be proud of the hard work your loved ones are accomplishing here in Afghanistan. Congratulations are in order for SGT Antonio Fogle who was promoted from SPC to SGT earlier this month. He is originally a refueler, but was sent to us months prior to the deployment to serve as a door gunner and has been an exceptional addition to our team. Congratulations also go to our Warrant Officer promotions. The long awaited list that has been driving our pilots crazy with anxiety for weeks has finally been released. Congratulations to CW2 Aldins, CW2 Boehm, CW2 Moser, and CW2 Thorley who all made the list for CW3! We hope everyone is doing well back home and enjoying the last few days with Family prior to the start of the new school year as all of our proud parents wish they could be home to see off their little ones. We thank you for your continued support and love as we all are eager to return home. Until next time... 1LT Wesley Emery
A CO Rude Dogs Photos
B 7-101 Varsity SEPTEMBER 2011
The Varsity September Chronicle.
VOLUME 1
Hello again to all our Friends and Loved ones back home, One month behind us and one more closer to being home. This month has met its fair share of challenges, and without waiver, Varsity has consistently exceeded the standards. Your soldiers are in fact above the best and you should be proud to know that they have built a well oiled machine. A recent awards ceremony and SGT Browne’s battle field promotion is a testament to all of the great things that this Team, this Family, is doing. ~ Your continued support is greatly appreciated! ~ ~CPT FLANIGEN
~1SG BRYAN
SPEAK, HEAR, AND SEE NO EVIL!!!
Maintenance is always BATTLEFIELD PROMOTION!!! working... CONGRATS SGT BROWNE AWARD CEREMONY!!
Varsity Photos
SEPTEMBER 2011
C 4-101 Blackwidows VOLUME 1
Greetings Blackwidow Families! It has been another busy month for the Blackwidows. Despite the long hours and inescapable heat, we all know we are one month closer to going home. The Blackwidows continue to excel and demonstrate our capability in accomplishing any mission. Despite a high operational tempo and an unforgiving operational environment, the Blackwidows continue to lead the way. Always know that the Blackwidows stand together and are committed to our mission. We look forward to the day we return home and until then, we will continue to keep our loved ones in our hearts and minds. Join us in congratulating SPC Horton, SGT Adair, SGT Steveson, SGT VanBuren, and MSG Sargent on their promotion on 01 August. The Blackwidow Family is honored to have such outstanding Soldiers and NCOs leading the charge. Additionally, congratulations are in order for CW3 Brian Lackey on his selection for CW4 and CW2 Ray Andrel and CW2 Kevin Howey on their selection for CW3. NEW ADDITIONS: Let’s welcome 1SG Barber promotes SFC Sargent to Master Sergeant
the newest member of the Blackwidow Family, Hailey Chain. Congrats to the Chain Family!
MSG Sargent promotes SPC VanBuren to the rank of Sergeant
Presenting SGT Matthew Adair
C 4-101 Blackwidows A day in the life of a Blackwidow...
BLACKWIDOWS
THERE SHE GOES...
NO EXPLANATION NEEDED
C 4-101 Blackwidows
CPT BRIAN “THE BOSS” MARCOTTE PROMOTES SGT STEVESON AND SPC HORTON WHILE 1SG BARBER LOOKS ON FONDLY
D CO 7-101 Aviation Regiment
HEADQUARTERS PLATOON Motivated by news of a new addition to the Family and a shot at warrant officer school, Soldiers within the ranks of the Headquarters Platoon at D Co 7th Battalion, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade are upbeat midway through the deployment. Orderly Room NCOIC SGT David Starks welcomed the birth of a new baby girl born in early August. She entered the world as her dad traveled through Kuwait heading home. Congratulations to Production Control NCOIC SFC Teudy Tapiacesar who was recently selected to attend Warrant Officer School at Fort Rucker, AL. The folks over at Tech Supply and Quality Control also expressed good spirits at the six-month mark adding that the new Soldiers from Alaska 1-52 and the Colorado and Nebraska National Guard have meshed quite well with our operations. “We can support all aircraft [comfortably] with all of the augmentees,” Tech Supply NCO SGT Amanda Santos-Spencer said. Quality Control NCOIC SSG Kincaid agreed. “Alaska and the National Guard are fitting together very well,” he said. Finally, 1SG David Conklin and SGT Darren Brooks put their exemplary carpentry skills to the test and constructed a magnificent outdoor deck, tables and benches for D Co Soldiers to relax and feel at ease. A true taste of home, no doubt. HOOAH! -SPC Robert Mitchell Orderly Room
New Dragon CP Deck
QC Shop with outgoing Hawaiians
Page 13
D CO 7-101 Aviation Regiment SHOPS PLATOON As you all know, we’ve recently hit a huge milestone—we’ve successfully completed over six months of the deployment. Now that we’re past the half-way mark, everyone seems to have gotten their second wind as we approach the downhill slope. I believe the next few months will start to fly by as we all anxiously look forward to our return to the U.S. and our supportive friends and Family. We’re proud to announce three promotions within the platoon this past month: SGT Kenneth Shenberger, SPC Tyler Callahan, and SPC Jeffrey Merryman. We’d like to congratulate SGT Billy Johnson and his wife Jackalyn on the birth of their little baby girl. Speaking of new additions, we warmly welcomed 19 new Shops Soldiers from 1-52 out of Alaska and 2135 Colorado and Nebraska National Guard. These new Soldiers have brought a wealth of knowledge and experience and are going to be a great new addition to the Shops team. The platoon has been busier than ever with the addition of several more CH-47 Chinook helicopters to the fleet. However, when the guys and gals of Shops do find the time to unwind, you can find usually find them hanging out at the First Cup Coffee House, playing a variety of video games, or partaking in a little friendly game of volleyball with the new court setup in the hangar. You can usually find all maintenance personnel cruising around the flight line on their John Deere Gators, but the Shops platoon has found a way to outshine all others and stand out from the crowd. And how exactly have they done this? Shops platoon has begun accessorizing in uniform. That’s right, these tough and rugged Soldiers have created hard hats that would make construction workers and architects look twice. While the Avionics section can be seen sporting either a festive light-up hat or a poindexter-type propeller hat, the Airframe section went with a Spartan inspired helmet, complete with mohawk plume, worthy of Leonidas. And one of the airframe repairers, SPC Harry Thompson seemed to be inspired by the Halo video game, when he created his helmet from scratch. Not only can we fix any powertrain, powerplant, hydraulic, avionics, electrical, or airframe problem that you might have, we can also do it in style. We greatly appreciate all that everyone is doing on the home front as well as your continued support.
SPC Parker’s Spartan Hardhat
-CPT Kaitlin Cooper
New Dragon CP Deck
D CO 7-101 Aviation Regiment UH-60 MAINTENANCE PLATOON Well it’s been a hot and busy month and we are now starting the down slope of our deployment. LT Lacy and I would also like to send out a special thanks to all the Families back home for their support and dedication to the Soldier’s of D Company. I would like to say that the Tango section has been doing a great job in supporting aircraft maintenance for the Task Force. I would like to personally send out my appreciation for their dedication and hard work. Our team has returned from a month long mission at FOB Dwyer and I have heard nothing but great things about their support in that mission. Special thanks to SGT Washington, SPC Killian, SPC Howard, SPC McMains, SPC Russell, and PFC Lands, job well done. I would also like to say congratulations to SSG Bible, SPC Sheets, SPC Fuge and their wives for their newborn babies. It’s always a joy to see our Tango Family grow. Our Soldiers continue to strive for excellence and push forward to accomplishing our mission; they are a dedicated bunch and have really developed a cohesive team. I would also like to say a farewell to SGT Washington as he prepares for his separation from the Army and heads back home at the end of the month. Your presence will be missed. Thank you for all your support. Well to say it in a nut shell we are looking forward to completing our mission and returning home soon. Once again thank you for all your support; Soldiers and Families! Tangos! Newborn Babies in the Platoon: Baby Girl! Amelia Bible Baby Boy! Phoenix Fuge Baby Girl! Cloe Sheets Farewell to SGT Henri Washington! -SFC Christopher Pry UH-60 Maintenance Platoon Sergeant
Farewell to SGT Washington
SEPTEMBER 2011
“Outside the CP” 1LT Marcus Harold CPT Blake Jenkins 1SG Ronnie Simington
CONGRATULATIONS! Promotions SGT Baker SGT Bayliss CPL Smith SPC Richmond SPC Thomas 10th Mountain IG Coin SGT Mapes SPC Hadden SPC Richmond PFC Eguizabal
Certificate of Achievement SSG (P) Newman
Battalion Coin SSG (P) Newman Birthdays PFC Conti—3 AUG SGT Woolbright—5 AUG SPC Buccilli—6 AUG SPC McCray—13 AUG 1SG Simington—20 AUG SPC Thomas—21 AUG PFC Carter—25 AUG SPC Turley—29 AUG
The “No Worries” Update
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6
Greetings Iron Dog Family and Friends! I hope this email finds you all in good health and high spirits. The months of July and August have been what I would characterize as the "dog days.‖ The weather has been hot and the dusty days long, but your Soldiers continue to push through the challenges and make missions happen! Despite our most recent summer burdens, we have surpassed a significant checkpoint along our deployment route, the half-way point! Soon, the weather will begin to cool down and all the necessary preparations for redeployment will begin. However, I need your help. Although we are now on the downhill slope and daily life and mission seem relatively unchanged and perhaps a bit mundane, your Soldiers are at risk. Anytime we allow ourselves to become complacent with our environment and focus too far forward on the battlefield, we might miss something at our feet that could harm us or our battle-buddy. And for this reason, I ask you all to stay engaged with your Soldier and help your loved one maintain an ever vigilant mind set. Again, reaching the half-way point is exciting, but we still have a ways to go. We thank you for your sacrifice, patience, and endurance. There are numerous promotions to report over the last month. SGT Jeremiah Bayliss, SGT Cynquinthia Baker, and CPL Mathew Smith join the NCO Corps this month, fulfilling the Army‘s most vital leadership position as the first line supervisor. We also congratulate SPC Shamar Thomas and SPC Caleb Richmond on their well deserved promotions, as they continue to strive for excellence on their way to becoming Non-Commissioned Officers. In other news, the POL/Distribution platoon came through in a clutch situation when called upon to conduct an emergency Jump FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point). Upon receiving the order, the leadership initiated immediate movement that resulted in a flawless and timely execution of an absolutely critical task and mission. Your Soldiers effectively supported the war fighters by saving their mission and reducing risk to those Soldiers and their aircraft. A brigadier general from the 10 th mountain Inspector General‘s office was surveying the Task Force Area of Operations and was led into our consolidated arms room. He was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism and dedication to the support mission, and awarded the Gunslingers with coins to recognize their excellence. I hope everyone enjoys the remainder of summer and stays safe! The leaves will soon be changing colors and we will be that much closer to coming home to you. Take care, God Bless, and until next month ―No Worries‖ ―Air Assault‖ IRON DOG 6
Headquarters - Prowlers
Page 2
Greetings once again from the Headquarters platoon. We‘re halfway there and then some! Our Orderly Room has continued to successfully process our Company‘s administrative needs as well as our mail. SGT Espinoza has been proving that she deserves her newly pinned Sergeant rank, as she has handled the Orderly Room tasks almost single handedly since SPC Jenkins went on R&R. Our Supply section is raising the bar for expectations, completing their mission set to standard. Through the efforts of the supply personnel, the Soldiers of E Co. have been able to maintain their uniforms, equipment, and vehicles. For the Gunslingers Section (the arms room), this month brought on an increase in business with the integration of new units to the task force and an increase in flight activity. An abrupt arms room move allowed the NCOs and Soldiers to show off their adaptability, showcasing the mission-first mindset of the Iron Dogs. The arms room move saw the Gunslingers relocated to a bigger room necessary to store the ever growing Task Force‘s weapons. The Soldiers, NCOs, and Officers of HQ Platoon would like to thank you for your care packages, cards, and prayers. Your support from the rear is vital to our mission success and greatly appreciated! No Worries! GOOD AFTERNOON SGT ESPINOZA!
“’Instruction manual?’ Nope never heard of it...now hand me the whatchamacallit.”
PFC Conti: a walking, talking Army recruiting advertisement
- 1LT Harold and SSG(P) Newman
Distribution Platoon - Punishers Page 3 Can you believe it Punisher Family?! We are over half way there! If the deployment is a race then we have hit the turnaround point and are heading home. So much has changed since we first arrived. We have gone from rain to sun, winter to summer, mud to dust. We‘ve changed buildings, commanders, missions, and ranks. However, through it all, one thing has stayed the same, the exceptional performance of your Soldiers. Despite the blistering pace we keep running forward. In July alone, we performed 4 Sling Load missions, 10 movement support missions, and issued 30,000 more gallons of fuel than any previous month! Most exciting of all, we welcomed the newly promoted SGT Baker and SGT Bayliss into the NCO Corps. It truly has been an incredible month. And though the race is not over and a few more obstacles await us, we rejoice to see the finish line in the distance and our loved ones waiting at the end! We love you all! -1LT Eyster and SSG Fournier
Congratulations, SGT Baker!
I’ll have what he’s having.
LTC Gerblick and CSM Thomas congratulate the two newest additions to the NCO corps.
Once more unto the breach, dear friends.
Maintenance Platoon - Pirates Page 4
The Motor Pool having a conference in the classroom.
SPC Ivy furthers his modeling career.
SPC Murphy pins SPC Thomas. Congratulations!
Greetings again from E Co. Motor Pool ―Pirates‖ to all of our Families, friends, and fans back home! Well it has definitely been a long and dusty journey, but we‘ve made it past the 6 month mark of being deployed! It can also be noted that it has been approximately our 5 th month in a row without any rain and temperatures in excess of 100 degrees, but hey, it wouldn‘t be Afghanistan without it. The month has been more fast-paced one for Pirate Platoon: eight services completed along with maintenance being done on forklifts, Gators, MRAPs, fuelers, and generators. The Pirates continue to stay self-motivated, playing hard, and working harder in whatever they endeavor to accomplish. This month the Platoon also had a ―Gator Race‖ involving three Gators that needed their engines swapped out. The contest involved replacing gator engines as quickly as possible while still being to standard. The winning team was SGT Bradley‘s squad: SPC Johnson and SPC Bishop, with a winning time of under an hour-with the vehicle running! The runners up were SGT Foley and SGT Hamacher, following by only a few seconds. Last, but not least was SPC Masters, SPC Moorman, and SPC Ivy. Congratulations to the winners! Though the Platoon is excited that it‘s past the halfway point of the deployment, we remember to keep our focus on the mission at hand, supporting an entire Task Force‘s ground equipment. All of Soldiers have done a great job in accomplishing the mission and have demonstrated a determined work ethic. SFC Reel and I are honored to lead such a fine Platoon of American Soldiers here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Be proud of your Soldiers! Till next month! -2LT Tellez and SFC Reel
Buccaneers “FOX NEWS”
Outgoing Soldiers receive their Service Awards from LTC Gerblick. Left to right: WO1 Sanchez, SSG Altman, SSG Olson, SGT Dodge, SGT Nichols, SPC Grimes, SPC Jones, SPC Lee, SPC Roberts, SPC Hardy and PFC Brown.
SEPTEMBER 2011 Task Force Wings Promotions: SPC McCray
Controlling Traffic during the Tower Move:
Hello Buccaneer Families and loved ones. Things continue to progress at all locations as our Soldiers push forward to do all they can to assist the mission. They regularly work in hot dry temperatures hovering around 110 degrees at times trying to ensure all our equipment is fully functional in order to support all the air assets. Here in Kandahar we‘ve had the opportunity to welcome and bid farewell to our arriving and departing Soldiers. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize our departing Soldiers one last time for a job well done. The Brigade and I are extremely grateful for your selfless service and your drive for perfection. Our newly arrived Soldiers have far superior facilities and equipment due to your hard work and diligence. It was also very refreshing to see all the anxious and motivated faces as they arrived in Kandahar ready to get to work. This was especially significant not only for the Soldiers coming and going but also for those that will be here throughout the entire year as it marks the halfway Moving 7A Cab from old site. point for everyone. The Company footprint at FOB Wolverine has changed quite significantly as the tower and ATNAVICS are now colocated and enabling our shifts to become more New Tower Site. efficient. All the Soldiers in Wolverine are as-
sisting in the Tower right now as we try and revive our GCA and get it up and operational. Our maintenance folks alongside the Field Support Reps continually try new procedures and techniques doing all they can to repair the system. Right now however the Afghanistan dust and heat are proving too much for this precision equipment, but we will unSGT Haines emplacing Tower Cab. doubtedly win in the long run and get the radar working. Our detachment of five Soldiers at FOB Lagman is staying extremely busy as they routinely have over 200 movements on a daily basis. They also patiently await the incoming of our last four Soldiers as they are our last Soldiers to redeploy early. They also welcomed in two Just another day on the job at Lagman. new Dynacorp contracted controllers last week who will be working along with our Soldiers until they take over the facility in the next few months. Know that your Soldiers do exceptional things on a daily basis in support of you and their country. I encourage all of you to communicate as frequently as possible with them and show your support. Thanks again for all that you do we love and miss all of you. Buccaneer 6
Buccaneers “FOX PHOTO’S”
Left to right: SGT Nichols, SSG Kasper, SSG Olson, SGT Haines, SPC Lee, SSG Anderson
1SG and SGT Nichols bring the Frisbee forward as SSG Calhoun protects the goal line.
Looking for an opening. SSG Anderson on a lay-in. Left to right: SSG Altman, SSG Kasper, SSG Calhoun, SPC Jones, 1SG Varner
SPC Abraham and SPC Hardy stuffing their faces in a Hot Dog Eating contest.
Left to right: SGT Haines, SSG Kasper, SSG Calhoun (in back), SSG Anderson, SSG Olson.
In Sight, Report Base.
Taking a breather.
WO1 Sanchez in a mid-air collision.
Entering Flight Data. Leading Team Training.
Training Records Maintenance.
Supervising Team Training.
ARCTIC AIRMAIL Chronicles of a displaced MEDEVAC Company
Only in Afghanistan will yesterdays heat wave seem “refreshing” in comparison to todays heat wave.
As the time continues to tick away, we have made it to a much awaited date. August 3rd marks our official 6 months in-country! We’ve crossed over the threshold and it’s all downhill from here ladies and gentlemen. The first 6 months has been fast and furious with an incredible amount of events. We’ve had a bunch of promotions and combat action badges awarded. Aircraft progressions have been steadily continuing and soon we’ll have a whole new bunch of mission ready folks to start flying with. People are regularly going out and back 6 long months ago… packing the deployment pallet at Eielson. from their R&R leave (a very exhausting and frustrating process due to airplanes being delayed/broken/not showing up/showing up at a different time than they told you 2 hours ago/etc). The general consensus from the returning guys and gals is that the leave was AWESOME but after the headache of the return trip, they feel like they need another vacation just to unwind from that fiasco. SPC Sara Nichols, Blackhawk Crewchief and V-22 Osprey holder-upper.
As predicted last month, it’s even hotter this month...SURPRISE! Although it’s (almost) hot enough to melt steel, the good thing about now being in August (besides being 50% complete with the deployment) is that it should start cooling down after this month. The temps will still be warm but they will become more and more bearable as the summer draws to a close. In the areas that have vegetation we’ll see the leaves change from green to the various shades of autumn. The fall season in Afghanistan is short but welcome after such a harsh summer. We’ll start seeing snow on the mountains within a few months and a few months after that, we’ll be home to Alaska to experience a real winter once again. Hopefully everyone kept some cold weather gear unpacked and didn’t stuff it all in the container that’s already been shipped back to Alaska! I guess we’ll find out soon enough. For now we’ll be content with what we have and will continue trying to find new and inventive ways to stay cool. Earlier this year when we still had snow.
Of course the newsletter wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention our recent promotees so we’ll kick off with a guy I missed last month (sorry about that buddy). Congratulations are due to former Private First Class Adam Robinson who has, as of July 1st, been promoted to Specialist. For August, our newest member adding a stripe to his NCO rank is former CPL, now SGT, Carlos Alvarez. In hopes of doing the same thing, we have 3 guys studying like mad to do well on the August Sergeant promotion board. SPCs Stephen Culver, Daniel Denison, and Aaron Halcomb have turned their brains to mush after countless hours of studying and quizzing each other in preparation for the upcoming task. Good luck gentlemen and keep your fingers crossed that promotion Far left: SPC Daniel Denison no doubt ignoring the range safety brief and thinking about the board. points drop! The month of August has brought us a new statistic to top last months statistic of the 1,000th patient flown by the Arctic Dustoff this deployment. Once again, the numbers are in and by all the calculations, the Arctic Dustoff has flown more hours in less than 6 months than our predecessors (C. Co. 6-101 Shadow Dustoff) flew the entire year they were here. The missions come fast and furious but without aircraft, it would be impossible to achieve level of MEDEVAC support throughout our area of operations. A huge pat on the back is deserved for everyone who has played a Fly it like you stole it!! hand in our overwhelming success rate. From operations, to maintenance, to the crews who fly the missions...Job well done! Were it not for the dedication, maturity, and perseverance of our teammates, we would be just another blasé aviation unit, not the Arctic Dustoff we are today. This month has seemingly been a month wrought with shenanigans. Last month’s “Spartan Phalanx” picture had found its way onto the web and caused quite a stir out in Spartan-land. This set the stage for an incredibly hasty, yet very intricate “you’ve been punked” setup. Just like the show, the victim (me...CW2 Grove) was made to believe there was a serious offense committed for which I was going to suffer the harsh repercussions. It was a very convincing argument and I figured I was done for. I’d been in trouble before for things I assumed were innocent and learned likewise after-the-fact. This ended up being all in good fun and my heart finally stopped racing about 5 minutes later. “Hey everybody, I’m Mr. Grove, and I’ve been Punk’d!” CW2 Matthew Grove. I had no idea what was about to go down...
Paying it forward is always a good thing to do but when it’s unexpected, can make some people a little uneasy. Here in Afghanistan, we have begun following our own agenda to make a difference. August has now seen the birth of our “Hug a Fueler Campaign.” Every time we stop to get gas, our intent is to hug one of the aircraft refuelers and get pictures. Some take it in stride and accept the hug willingly (the guy that 1SG Pinnell snatched up), some act like they’re posing with old friends and ask for the pictures later when we come in for refuel again (Dippity-J, 1SG Jeffery Pinnell: Chief Enlisted Ambassador one of the Operation Hug-A-Fueler refuelers at Sakari Kharez), and others run away shrieking (unnamed guy here at KAF that we couldn’t get a picture of). No matter how our hug campaign goes down that day, it provides smiles for all and helps break up the monotony. With our recently getting issued the Multi-cam camouflage uniforms, I think our chances of sneaking up on the fuelers will greatly increase, resulting in a skyrocketing of the hugs-given-per-refuel-stop ratio. Well, half the deployment is gone ladies and gentlemen. We’ve had a lot of hard times and a lot of fun times too. Ours may deal with broken vehicles and aircraft, heat, sand, and terrible food while yours deals with broken vehicles and houses, cold weather, kids, and bills. The hardships are of a different nature Hug a Fueler Campaign but are no different in importance or impact. Things here are the L to R: SPC Aaron Halcomb, Dippity-J the pygmy refueler, and SPC Pat Wilson. best that can be expected in a combat zone and hopefully things at home are running smoothly as well. Once again, were it not for all the hardships and hassles you’ve diligently attended to in this past 6 months, we would not be the safe, focused, cohesive team we are here. Thank You!
“If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. -Anonymous CW2 Jon Edstrom - Pilot and party animal!!
Big Happenings in august: Birthdays August 2nd - SPC Josh Diehl August 8th - SSG Kyle Clark August 9th - 2LT John Hawkins August 11th - SGT David Harper August 14th - SPC David Stokes August 16th - SPC Dedrick Bellinger August 16th - CW2 Matt Zieher August 17th - CW2 Joel Ramos August 18th - SSG Drexel Miller August 21st - CW2 Jake Christensen August 21st - CW2 James Collins August 24th - SGT Chris Gerecke August 25th - CW2 Evelyn Tanner August 27th - 1LT Nick Potter
Anniversaries August 5th - Patrick & Nicole Morrow August 5th - Jared & Christina Tyler August 13th - David & Marcia Harper August 28th - Richard & Josie Collier
Until next time…
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!! CW2 Matthew J. Grove DUSTOFF pilot and newsletter-writer-guy
I’m a cool cat. And by “cat” I mean “dog.”
Brahmans Photos
Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment Assumes Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment Assumes MEDEVAC Mission Soldiers in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Receive their Combat Patches On August 12, 2011, the Soldiers of Charlie Company, 1-171st Aviation received their combat patches at ceremonies held at four different locations throughout Helmand Province. Each Charlie Company Soldier stood at attention as the Task Force Lift Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Scott Gerblick, walked through the ranks. Lieutenant Colonel Gerblick stopped in front of each Soldier and offered words of congratulations as he attached the 101st Division ―Screaming Eagle‖ patch to the Soldier‘s right shoulder sleeve. Thunder Brigade Commander Colonel Kenneth Royar (known as ―Thunder 6‖) also participated in these ceremonies. Colonel Royar and Lieutenant Colonel Gerblick both addressed the Soldiers after the patches were awarded. Their remarks focused upon what it means to earn a combat patch and, in particular, a combat patch from the 101st Air Assault Division. Both commanders also praised the Soldiers of Charlie Company for quickly taking over the MEDEVAC mission in Helmand Province and for establishing a reputation for excellence. Colonel Royar noted that when a new unit arrives in Afghanistan it normally takes a few weeks or months before that unit gets up to the level of the unit it replaced. But Colonel Royar said that there was ―no degradation in the level of MEDEVAC support‖ in Helmand Province after Charlie Company took over. Every Soldier in the Army wears a patch on his or her left shoulder. The left-shoulder patch represents the major Army or National Guard unit to which that Soldier is currently assigned. But in order to wear a patch on the right shoulder of the Army uniform, the Soldier must have served in a combat zone with the unit identified by the patch. So one Soldier can tell by a quick glance whether another Soldier has ever been in combat and, if so, the identity of the Soldier‘s combat unit. Once a Soldier earns a combat patch from a particular Army unit, the Soldier may wear that patch on his or her uniform so long as he or she continues to serve in the Army or the National Guard. This means that Charlie Company‘s Soldiers now have the right to wear the Screaming Eagle Patch so long as they continue to wear the Army uniform. The U.S. Army (to include the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard) has more than 100 different shoulder patches in use today. Each one symbolizes a major unit or command, and each one has a distinctive design, logo or insignia. But few are as famous as the 101st Division ―Screaming Eagle‖ patch. During the ceremony on August 12, Lieutenant Colonel Gerblick told Charlie Company‘s Soldiers about the origin of this distinctive patch. The patch‘s design—which depicts the head of an eagle–had its origins with a Wisconsin regiment that served in the American Civil War. The regiment adopted a live eagle as its mascot, and it carried the eagle into battle perched on a shield. The Soldiers named the eagle ―Old Abe.‖ Fifty years later, during World War I, the U.S. Army mustered the 101st Division in Wisconsin, and the Army adopted a likeness of Old Abe as the division insignia. The 101st Division never saw combat in World War I, but its exploits during World War II are legendary. Paratroopers from the 101st Division were the first U.S. Soldiers to hit the ground at Normandy. And the television series Band of Brothers is based upon a unit from that division. Since World War II, the division has served with distinction in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment Assumes About one-half of Charlie Company‘s 109 Soldiers had already earned a combat patch—through wartime service in another unit—prior to August 12. Those Soldiers have the option to wear either their original right-shoulder patch or their new Screaming Eagle patch or no patch at all. But as Lieutenant Colonel Gerblick noted, each Soldier in Charlie Company will forever be a member of the ―Screaming Eagle‖ Family. No matter where life‘s travels may take them, these Soldiers can always take pride in having served in combat with one of the U.S. Army‘s proudest and most illustrious divisions.
Three Charlie Company Officers Promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Two Three officers in C Co, 1-171st Aviation recently were promoted from Warrant Officer One to Chief Warrant Officer Two. Carlos Sena, Christopher Toledo and Lucas Amundson finally received their long-awaited promotion orders. As a result of a recent change in federal law, these three officers were not promoted in early 2011, as they had expected to be. They, along with hundreds of other warrant officers throughout the National Guard system, had their promotions delayed for about six months, as the National Guard Bureau implemented a new system for the promotion of warrant officers. We congratulate them on their well-deserved and long-awaited promotions. Shown here in this photograph is the Army‘s newest Chief Warrant Officer Two. CW2 Carlos Sena stands at attention at his promotion ceremony in Camp Dwyer, as company commander Major Chris Holland reads his promotion order.
B CO 1-52 SUGARBEARS Greetings Sugar Bear Family members and friends, In Alaska, the summer is quickly fading and fall is right around the corner. Cooler temperatures will be arriving soon, and it will not be long before leaves turn color and snow begins to fall. We will not see cooler temperatures for a while. We wish the cooler temperatures would come faster. During the day, the temperatures quickly soar to 110 degrees. If you ever wonder what the weather is like in Afghanistan all you have to do is stand in front of a hair dryer and have someone dump sand into the back of it. It is a dry heat but that makes little difference ―IT‘S HOT‖. Several of the Soldiers have displayed their varying carpentry skills. By varying, I mean some are really good and while others need to learn how to use a tape measure and a level. 1SG and several Soldiers built a deck around the rooms. The deck came complete with a parachute sunshade. It reminds me of the movie ―Field of Dreams‖ because if you build it they will come. About half the company works days and the other half works nights. The deck has become a great place for everyone to hang out before shift changes. Most of the company meetings occur on the deck. At night it is not uncommon to see everyone playing ―Washers‖ while being serenaded by the guitar players. Our maintenance Soldiers from D 1-52 and C/123 are doing an incredible job. They work hand in hand with their 101 st and National Guard counterparts. The amount of aircraft they work on is staggering. They bounce from one aircraft to another without missing a beat. Sometimes they even have time to relax on a tool box or take a nap. Team Denali is split between Kandahar, Tarin Kowt (TK), and Wolverine. The two detachments come to Kandahar often. When they arrive it is almost like a Family reunion. We all catch up and talk about how things are going out at the different areas. Everyone at KAF is envious of TK and Wolverine because they have better food and larger rooms. The competitions at TK and Wolverine have started. It is amazing at what Soldiers will do to pass time. Some play cards while others have competitions to see who can fit the most gum in their mouth. Don‘t ask because there is no good explanation. We all hope everyone at home is enjoying the summer and we miss you all. Sincerely, Travis Easterling
B CO 1-52 SUGARBEARS
B CO 2-135 AVN
Greetings from the FNG‘s of Kandahar – the Mile High Muleskinners! Our ―Company‖ is comprised of B, D, E and HHC National Guard Soldiers from both Colorado (Mile High Hookers) and Nebraska (Muleskinners) as part of the 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion. Our mission set has us spread out between Kandahar in RC(S) and FOB‘s Shank and Salerno in RC(E). Many of you have asked what the heck a Muleskinner actually is so here you go – it‘s someone who can drive or ―skin‖ a mule, making it do things it normally wouldn‘t do. As you all know a mule is a beast of burden capable of carrying heavy cargo in terrain other animals dare not go, very similar to our Chinooks. Also very similar to our Chinooks is the fact that mules are naturally stubborn and it takes great skill and determination from the drivers to make them work. Often we feel like our Chinooks just don‘t want to fly so it takes great skill and patience from our maintainers and crewmembers to actually get them moving through the air! We recently passed our first milestone and that was the 30 days boots on ground mark. For the most part we are getting settled into a good routine and familiar with the local economy. A bigger milestone perhaps is the much anticipated arrival of the college football season! I‘ve already briefed LTC Gerblick that during Husker football games he might expect to see all 6 of our Chinooks red x‘d, which actually wouldn‘t be much of a change from the norm! The Soldiers of the 2-135th would like to thank everyone in TF Lift for the support as we worked through the loss of two of our Family members, CW4 Dave Carter and SGT Patrick Hamburger, on 6 August 2011 with the rest of the crew of Extortion 17. It was a rough way to start the deployment, but together we will come through this a stronger and more determined team. Our Soldiers are excited to greet the unique challenges that each day presents us and we look forward to working with everyone in TF Lift.
CPT Wilhelm – ‗Skinner 6 ‘
1SG McBride – ‗Skinner 7