Gratitude & Prayers

Job well done, 6-4 CAV supporters

2009-02-28T18:53:00.003-06:00

I've got some other posts I owe you guys, but Chap Ron sent this today.

I received an email from the 6-4 CAV chaplain, this morning. He had removed his name from anysoldier a while back.

"We have reached saturation point on care packages, the troops do not want to take any more from us! If you could make a note that the generosity of America was greatly appreciated by
The Raiders!"

He's asking that there not be any more care packages sent to the chaplain's office for 6-4 CAV. That's Maj. Ron Cooper, 6-4 CAV. Does not affect most anysoldier supporters, since we send directly to specific contacts within the units, but at one time Maj Cooper had been set up as a main contact for all of 6-4 CAV, too. They are very very grateful, and do not doubt, now that Americans support them. Good job, everyone. Again, this only affects those packages sent through the Chaplain's office at Maj. Ron Cooper, TF 6-4 CAV.

Speaking as one of many who have been involved with people in "the forgotten" war OEF in Afghanistan for years, the response of Americans this year has been very emotional, and appreciated. Thanks to all, from me, too. 6-4 CAV does not doubt that they have our gratitude and prayers

C Troop 6-4 CAV bridge access for Remote Afghans

2009-01-26T11:46:00.004-06:00

Notice the credits for the pictures.

Army 2nd Lt. Michael Herndon and his squad provide over-watch security for workers below while they construct a bridge and improve a three-mile stretch of road in the Lal Por district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jay Bessey

Army Staff Sgt. Olen Ice operates a Bobcat to widen, smooth and harden stretches of road between Lal Por village and Reneh in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jay Bessey

Local Afghans stand by as Army Staff Sgt. Olen Ice lifts a plank to be used for a bridge in the Lal Por district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.

U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jay Bessey

Afghan security forces, local residents and U.S. soldiers lay planks for a bridge in the Lal Por district of Afghanistan's Nangarhar province.
U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jay Bessey

U.S. Soldiers Bridge Access for Remote Afghans
By Army Spc. Brandon Sandefur Special to American Forces Press Service

JALALABAD AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2009 - U.S. soldiers are building roads to remote areas in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province that are opening doors to a better way of life for local Afghans.
Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team are improving accessibility into the province's Lal Por district by building a bridge and improving three miles of road. Prior to the construction, access was limited to small vehicles and pedestrians, isolating the villages in the district's Reneh and Parchaw areas.
"Isolation creates a situation that can and will be exploited by enemies of the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan," said Army Lt. Col. Patrick Daniel, Special Troops Battalion commander. "People who are not reached by the legitimate government will be reached and exploited by the enemies of the government in an insurgency."
Since the completion of the project, mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles and large cargo trucks now can enter the area, enabling NATO's International Security Assistance Force to reach out to local people who may not have seen them before.
Daniel further explained how projects like this help establish trust and confidence in the Afghan government and the U.S. forces assisting them.
"The best way we can counter the enemies of Afghanistan in these areas is by assisting the government in creating access and reaching the people of remote areas like Reneh and Parchaw," he said. "This operation was a definite positive step in that direction."
Despite terrain and security issues, the project was completed in three days by soldiers from Charlie Troop, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment.
The troops also helped to widen, smooth and harden stretches of the road between Lal Por village and Reneh while working with Afghan security forces to establish security along the route.
"Because the road has been so restrictive, the government has not been able to provide large-scale projects in the area," Army Capt. Jay Bessey, officer in charge of the project, said. "As a result of this inability, the people have felt abandoned.
"We wanted to use this project to show them that, at the behest of their sub-governor, we could and would support them," said he continued. "Hopefully, this project ties them closer to the government and opens the door to increased security through a prolonged [Afghan security forces] presence."

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2009-01-18T12:05:00.003-06:00

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DOD Announces Units for Afghanistan Force Rotation and Deployment

2009-01-16T12:03:00.004-06:00

DoD Announces Units for Afghanistan Force Rotation and Deployment

The Department of Defense announced today that the 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, based in Fort Richardson, Alaska, is scheduled to deploy as part of the next rotation of forces in Afghanistan. The 25th Naval Construction Regiment, based in Gulfport, Miss., will deploy as an additional unit in support of coalition operations in Afghanistan.

This announcement involves approximately 4,000 service members, and their deployments are scheduled to begin in February 2009.

The 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division will replace one active duty brigade currently on the ground, and continues the current U.S. commitment to providing three brigade combat teams in support of Regional Command East.

The 25th Naval Construction Regiment will provide additional expeditionary engineering and construction support to coalition forces in Afghanistan. This regiment was originally scheduled for deployment to Kuwait, but will now deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

In consultation with Afghan officials and NATO, commanders continue to assess the situation to ensure sufficient force levels to best support the Government of Afghanistan, perform counter-terrorism operations, assist with reconstruction, and train and equip the Afghan national security forces. Afghan security forces continue to develop capability and assume responsibility for security, and this U.S. force rotation and deployment may be tailored based upon changes in the security situation.

Santa Rides a Chinook to Eastern Afghanistan

2008-12-26T16:00:00.004-06:00

A US Army Apache helicopter flies past snow covered mountains during a re-supply mission in eastern Afghanistan's Kunar province December 23, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

A U.S. Army Chinook helicopter prepares to drop supplies during a resupply mission in eastern Afghanistan December 25, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

U.S. Army soldiers with 6-4 Cavalry keep watch from a lookout tower at Observation Post Hatchet near the Pakistan border in eastern Afghanistan December 25, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Lemuel Leach with the 6-4 Cavalry stands next to boxes of Christmas mail at the Observation Post Hatchet near the Pakistan border in eastern Afghanistan December 25, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

US Army personnel hold candles during a Christmas Eve church service on Forward Operating Base Bostick in eastern Afghanistan December 24, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

Soldiers with the US Army's 6-4 Cavalry stand around a bonfire and sing Christmas carols at Forward Operating Base Bostick, near the Pakistan border, December 25, 2008. REUTERS/Bob Strong (AFGHANISTAN)

Tree Lighting Ceremony at FOB Fenty

2008-12-24T10:08:00.002-06:00

Col. John Spiszer, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, takes a moment to talk with the crowd before lighting the Christmas tree.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

By Combined Joint Task Force-101

JALALABAD AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, conducted a tree-lighting ceremony Dec. 22 at the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Afghanistan.

The ceremony was led by Col. John Spiszer, Task Force Duke commander, and hosted by Lt. Col. Bradley White, 201st Brigade Support Battalion commander.

“You are doing something important for yourself and for the Afghan people,” Spiszer said as he addressed Soldiers in attendance. “Take this time to think about the ones out on the frontline.”

The lighting ceremony not only afforded service members the opportunity to remember their fellow comrades spread throughout the country of Afghanistan, but to reflect on their family and friends back home as well.

Mail arriving at COP Lowell

2008-12-11T06:03:00.003-06:00

I will be able get you a detailed list later, just wanted to say thank you for everything you are sending to us. These pictures are not even ¼ of what we received.

v/r
Frank Hooker

CPT, CAV

APACHE 6

Servicemembers prove themselves in ambush

2008-12-08T10:45:00.003-06:00

Dec 08, 2008

BY 2nd Lt. Zack Moss

Lt. Col. James Markert, commander of 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, receives a Bronze Star Medal for Valor and a Purple Heart Nov. 27, 2008, for his actions during an attack on their convoy in northeastern Afghanistan.

Photo by Sgt. Charles Brice

Lt. Col. James Markert, commander of 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, and Sgt. 1st. Class Jody Thompson, 6-4 CAV, stand ready to receive their awards from Col. John Spiszer, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. They both received awards for acts of heroism in times of combat.

Our Fallen Comrade in Arms, Capt. Robert Yllescas

2008-12-08T04:21:00.003-06:00

Our Fallen Comrade in Arms, Capt. Robert Yllescas
Story by Sgt. Charles Brice
Posted on 12.08.2008 at 02:00AM

By Sgt. Charles Brice3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
JALALABAD AIR FIELD, Afghanistan –

“Tip of the Spear” is an area well known to Bravo Troop “Blackfoot”, 6th Squadron, 4th Calvary Regiment in the Kamdesh District of the Nuristan province. The troops of 6-4 CAV have been in the area since 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, took over the area of operation in support of Operation Enduring Freedom IX.

“Capt. Robert Jose Yllescas watched over the Soldiers and the locals of Keating District,” Lt. Col. James Markert commander of 6-4 CAV, Task Force Raider, said. “He cared for those who were in need of help and security. Bringing what is so far apart and putting them closer together.”

During his time in service, Yllescas served under 1st Armored Division as both tank platoon leader and executive officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom I 2003 and returned and served again as a Military Transition Team Detachment commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom IV 2006.

“Yllescas was an extraordinary person to be around,” Markert said. “He brought that ‘lead from the front’ mentality into the work he was doing.”

After serving two deployments with 1st Armored Division, Yllescas was assigned to 6-4 CAV. He took command of Blackfoot Troop, who is now in support of Operation Enduring Freedom ending his career, when an improvised explosive device exploded near his unit during a foot patrol in the Kamdesh Valley. He later passed in the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, leaving behind a wife, Dena Yllescas and two little girls, Julia and Eva, from Osceola, Neb.

“Capt. Yllescas distinguished himself as the commander of Blackfoot Troop; putting his Soldiers first is how he works,” Markert said. “He proved to be a good solid man and a loving husband and father and a strong, courageous leader.”

Blackfoot Troop was chosen to serve in an area that was notorious for enemy attacks. Every Soldier knew the risk it would take in order to complete their missions daily. Yllescas pushed the belief that Keating can someday become a wonderful place where all can meet in peace.

“Capt. Yllescas immediately garnered the respect of his Troops,” 1st Lt. Joseph T. Mazzochi Blackfoot Troop, 6-4 CAV, TF Raider, said. “He was more of a visionary than a leader, because we are sitting here in his honor and respecting his wishes as our mentor and friend.”

“When Blackfoot Troop arrived at Combat Outpost Keating, they had very little to work with in bridging the gap between them and the locals,” 1st Lt. Ronald Briley Marine Embedded Training Team 7-3, said. “Yllescas brought together the Soldiers of Black Troop to build a building and dedicate it to the area, so we can all come together as a symbol of unity.”

“The building dedicated to the people of the Keating District will not just serve the purpose that we are here for today, but will be put to use amongst the relationship we will gain over the time here,” Briley said. “This was Capt. Yllescas’ vision for us all, to step forward and bring the people together.

6-4 Families just keep the support coming

2008-12-07T18:15:00.004-06:00

Today, I received an email from a 6-4 CAV B Troop wife.

"I was just emailing you to let you know that there are about a 100 fleece blankets on their way over to the troops. They were donated and sent by Ministry to the Armed Forces of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Saint Louis, Missouri. They also got a few other donations of things but as far as what else I am not quite sure as I was out of town when the rest was sent out. "

The families keep the support flowing to their warriors.

We as Americans owe so much to the valiant warriors on the home front. They are our silent, sometimes unnoticed heroes. Their loved ones are away from them, and they carry the burden of their absence. Still, they get up every day, carry on with the life they have planned with their deployed warrior, and just keep spreading the word about the deployed warriors needs.

Thank you for reminding us there are so many families out there, and reassuring us there are more Americans doing their part for these deployed warriors.

Please know there are so many Americans helping to physically support your loved ones, and even more praying for all of you.

We will never forget. It is our duty as citizens. We owe all of you a debt that can never fully be repaid. You have all earned our enduring gratitude.

Today our hearts are heavy.

2008-12-04T16:00:00.000-06:00

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Funeral Information
I just got word that Rob will be flown to Nebraska on Saturday. We will have a wake for the public on Sunday Dec 7th from 1-3pm in the Osceola Downtown City Auditorium. The funeral will be at 10am on Monday December 8th also at the Osceola Downtown City Auditorium. The address for this will be below. Also, I've got myself a PO Box while I'm at my parents for mail to be sent to me so you don't have to email me for the address. It is posted on the side of the blog. Again, thank you so much for all the support and prayers you've shown for Rob and our family.

Osceola Downtown City Auditorium
361 Central StOsceola, NE

Change of Address
Dena Yllescas
PO BOX 96
Osceola, NE 68651-0096

The blog has received emails asking for an update on the Marine who was injured with Cpt Yllescas. His wife has emailed that "He is almost completely recovered from his injuries and only has a headache here or there. . . He will be home VERY soon."

Today our hearts are heavy.

Rob is with God now.

http://yllescasfamily.blogspot.com/2008/12/rob-is-with-god-now.html

Computer Virus Hits US Military Base in Afghanistan

2008-11-29T09:33:00.004-06:00

Computer Virus Hits U.S. Military Base in Afghanistan

U.S. military officials speculate the cyber attack may have originated in China
By Anna Mulrine
Posted November 28, 2008

KABUL—The largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan was hit by a computer virus earlier this month that affected nearly three quarters of the computers on the base, U.S. News has learned.
This wasn't the first such cyberattack, and officials said that earlier incarnations of the virus had exported information such as convoy and troop movements here. It was not clear precisely what information, if any, was being pulled from Department of Defense computers by this latest virus, they said.

Officials familiar with the computer attack characterized it as extremely aggressive and said that it originated in China. However, they haven't been able to determine whether the viruses are part of a covert Chinese government effort or the work of private hackers.

U.S. military officials on the base took the step of prohibiting the use of portable flash memory, or "thumb drives," as they learned more about the virus. The move reflects the concern that the portable drives can inadvertently spread viruses through separate computer networks in the field. Late last week, Pentagon officials also banned the use of thumb drives because of concerns that they were spreading a virus through the Department of Defense computer networks.
U.S. military spokesmen at Bagram declined to comment, citing operational security.
But privately, U.S. military officials express grave concerns. The Chinese "learn a lot from these attacks," says one U.S. military intelligence official. "Like how our logistics and other systems work."

Duke Brigade Leading Charge to Charity

2008-11-26T20:14:00.005-06:00

"You make a living by what you get.
You make a life by what you give."
Winston Churchill

By Pfc. Charles Wolfe
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The Soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, are donating some of their pay to help others and they are breaking records doing it.

3-1, dubbed the “Duke Brigade,” has pledged more than $86,000 to the Combined Federal Campaign in five weeks, surpassing their annual goal with three weeks left in the annual charity drive.

“I’m always about helping people and giving myself to others to help people,” said 1st Lt. Joy Crowder, a native of Harker Heights, Texas. “There are people out there who really need that money for whatever it may go to - healthcare or food, whatever it is.”

To stress the importance of the chance for so many to donate to a worthy cause, Crowder turns to one of her favorite historical figure

“I would have to quote one of the great leaders of our time, Winston Churchill, who said, ‘You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give,” Crowder said.

Crowder is just one of many Soldiers who donated to the CFC this year. The CFC ensures the Soldiers’ money goes only to the charity of their choice. There are 2,260 organizations in the CFC’s most recent catalog, giving participants in the drive a wide range of causes to support. According to the CFC’s official website, an organization need only be recognized as a tax-free, non-profit group by the Internal Revenue Service to apply for a spot in their roster of charities. With groups supporting everything from medical supplies for poor countries to saving music programs in public schools, the CFC is the largest annual workplace charity campaign in the world. Federal employees working in all corners of the world can find the right outlet for their philanthropy.

Deployed throughout Eastern Afghanistan, Soldiers from 3-1 are focused on a broad mission, supporting Operation Enduring Freedom and the Afghan people. However, they continue to support important causes back home.

These troops have surpassed last year’s earnings and have a chance to lead all Fort Hood units for the second straight year. Soldiers from all over the brigade are making their contributions felt.

“I know Duke Brigade Soldiers are into giving because they give 100 percent every day,” said brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald Orosz. “The program is successful because leaders are contacting Soldiers and telling them about the Combined Federal Campaign.”

With the CFC drive not yet over for 3-1, Orosz encourages his Soldiers to continue their generous streak.

“With a little more than two weeks remaining, I know the Duke Brigade can be number one at Fort Hood and throughout Operation Enduring Freedom,” Orosz said.

More Love and Support from the 6-4 FAMILY

2008-11-22T20:44:00.004-06:00

Our son is part of 6-4 CAV.

I wanted to let you know that to date we have sent 33 pair of size large socks to Keating and asked that they be shared. This way you can update your numbers.

We would also like to tell you and Tankerbabe "THANK YOU" for all that you have and will do for our soldiers.

Please let us know if there is anything that we can do for you.

Proud Parents and Sister

Thank you and your family for your service to our country. We appreciate you and your family. It has been wonderful to see how all the 6-4 CAV families, no only support their trooper, but go the extra mile for their comrades. You are all an inspiration.

For you and the other military families, please accept our Thanksgiving prayers.

http://www.cpmsglife.org/tg/2006tdm1.html

Briefing with Col Spiszer, from Afghanistan

2008-11-18T17:14:00.001-06:00

Presenter: Commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Colonel John Spiszer
November 18, 2008
DoD News Briefing With Colonel John Spiszer, Via Teleconference From Afghanistan, at the Pentagon Briefing Room, Arlington, Va
COL. GARY KECK (director, Department of Defense Press Office): Well, good morning, everyone. According to my watch it is 9:30.

And as you all probably know here, I'm Colonel Gary Keck, the director of the Press Office. And Mr. Whitman asked me to moderate this press conference for him today with Colonel John Spiszer, who is the commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. He and his men and women of Task Force Duke are responsible for security and stability operations in the northeastern area of Afghanistan, along the Pakistan border.

Colonel Spiszer has been commanding his unit in Afghanistan since July of this year. And this is his first briefing with the Pentagon press corps. He is speaking to us from Forward Operating Base Fenty, in the Nangarhar Province in Afghanistan.

Let me just make sure Colonel Spiszer can hear us. John, can you hear me okay?

COL. SPISZER: Yeah, I hear you great.

COL. KECK: Super. All right. Then, as is our normal format, we'll turn it over to Colonel Spiszer for some opening comments and then we'll go into Q and A.

So with that, let's turn it over to Colonel Spiszer. Go ahead, John.

COL. SPISZER: Okay, good. Good morning. I'm Colonel John Spiszer, commander of Task Force Duke, as already stated. And we hail from Fort Hood, Texas, where we built this brigade starting in April of last year and we deployed it here in June.

We're responsible for four provinces here in the northeast, which is known as N2KL, which includes the Nangarhar, Nuristan, Konar and Laghman provinces. This area here is important because of its resources. These include water and agriculture, timber, gems, its dense and relatively well-educated population of 3 million and its strategic location, which links Kabul and Islamabad and ultimately the west to the east through the historic Khyber Pass.

We're conducting a counterinsurgency mission here in Afghanistan, focused on the security, governance and economic development and information activities. We're doing the security mission essentially with four brigades, which include the 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps of the Afghan National Army, the first zone command of the Afghan Border Police, the district and provincial Afghan Uniformed Police and, of course, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

In addition to the elements that we brought with us from Fort Hood, Texas, we also have the 1st of the 178th Infantry of the Illinois Army National Guard, four Provincial Reconstruction Teams and an Agribusiness Development Team here from the Missouri Army National Guard, the first of its kind.

We have very high hopes for our area. We see great potential in N2KL. A lot of progress has already been made through CERP and by good coordination and the hard work of all of our PRTs, which just rotated over the past few weeks.

In FY 2008, they worked numerous projects to the sum of $160 million toward the advancement and development of Afghanistan.

All the provinces were very heavy into road building, as was Nangarhar, which was also focused on some of its irrigation projects and bridges. Kunar developed a trade school to teach Afghans necessary skills for carpentry, painting, road construction, welding and masonry. Nuristan has started a forest conservation program. And Laghman is working on its agricultural capabilities. It has three rivers that actually run through it, that have water in them year round.

So we didn't want to overpromise. But progress is definitely in motion, despite the ongoing combat operations. Concerning that combat, most of our fighting takes place in the remote areas of N2KL, including Kunar's Korengal Valley, which has been in the news quite a bit lately, the Kamdesh district in Nuristan and sometimes in the foothills of the Tora Bora and Spin Ghar mountains in southern Nangarhar.

This is due to the mountainous and rugged terrain, along the border and in the Hindu Kush mountains, which offers protection for the enemy and a challenge for us to move in, due to the lack of roads and helicopter landing zones.

In these areas, the enemy is able to hide, move and continue resupply of weapons and money that they need to operate. But they are largely in the remoter capillary valleys, where there are few people, and farther from where progress is occurring.

While at this time, we can't fully prevent them from operating in these remote areas, it is easier to fight them there than these mountains and capillary valleys, because it's away from the populace. And we can safely bring to bear our advantages in artillery and combat air support.

While the Kunar province by itself accounts for one-third of all kinetic activities, in Regional Command East or CJTF-101's area, and is also the most violent province in RC East, at this time, the violence is occurring away from the vast bulk of the population, which is protected.

(Audio break.)

Furthermore in our area of operations, the border is becoming less and less of a transit zone, as Afghan national security forces, U.S. troops, the Pakistani military and the Pakistani frontier corps continue to conduct complementary operations against our joint enemy.

Speaking of that, we began Operation Lionheart this past month, where we're conducting these complementary operations with the Pakistani military and the frontier corps. The objective is to share intelligence and prevent the enemy from transiting the border, as they continue operations to defeat the insurgents in Bajaur agency.

By conducting near-simultaneous operations on both sides of the border, we're making it difficult for the enemy to operate and eliminating his essential safe havens. I just had a very successful meeting yesterday at the border with the Bajaur Scouts commander and the ABP zone commander as we work to further improve coordination and prepare future operations.

We're also executing more aggressive combat operations throughout CJTF-101's winter campaign -- (audio break) -- partners to keep the pressure on the enemy and prevent his preparations for the next fighting season. We're continuing our operations along the border and in the capillary valleys and mountains throughout the winter to give the enemy no respite, and along with the ANSF further development and the arrival of elements of the 3rd Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division, we will present the enemy with a transformed environment next spring where he will be hard pressed to operate.

As mentioned earlier, we've done a lot for development, but we've also done quite a bit with governance. We have a sound relationship with all four governors in our provinces. Governor Wahidi in Kunar has done a fantastic job, including handling a mini refugee crisis that began in September, when the Pak -- Pakistani military began their operations, where we had approximately 30,000 displaced civilians come into his province from Pakistan's Bajaur agency. Also have noticed the tremendous job Governor Sherzai has done this past year of making Nangarhar a poppy-free province.

This month we also successfully completed voter registration in Kunar and Nuristan despite the ongoing combat. It has been very rewarding to support the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as they prepare for their elections, which come up this next year. Our primary role in voter registration was to aid in providing materials for site protection, such as wood, sandbags, concertina wire, security wands; and also to provide security with quick-reaction forces if required, which they were not.

We also assisted in the movement of personnel and supplies to remote locations. These resources allowed all 24 voter registration sites within these two provinces to fully function in a secure manner for over a month. Also, the Afghans and the Independent Election Commission did the vast bulk of the work.

I'm happy to say that voter registration in these provinces went very well. We had over 130,000 people register in Kunar and over 20,000 in Nuristan, which represented about 34 percent and 20 percent of their total populations. Now, you got to note that they also have registration that's still current for the -- most of the voting-age population since 2005.

Also in December we kick off voter registration in Nangarhar and Laghman, where we anticipate even greater success.

Okay. I'll be glad to entertain your questions at this time.

COL. KECK: Okay. And as usual, please let him know who he's talking to and what news organization you're from, because he can't see us.

Jeff, go ahead.

Q Colonel, Jeff Schogol with Stars and Stripes. I'm interested to know, are you working with a human terrain team, and if so, what value do they -- does the data they provide bring you?

COL. SPISZER: Well, yes, we do have a human terrain team, got a very good officer on my staff who in his training prior to this point had some good relationships with those guys as they formed out of Fort Leavenworth and out in Monterey. And it's a been a great value added to us. It provides kind of the critical element to our staff that we need to help us understand and gather some of the data that we need to get a full picture of the environment that we're operating in.

The counterinsurgency environment is all about the people, and understanding how to connect to the people, to provide them security and to provide them good governance. And without that understanding, we have a really hard time. And these guys are giving us some of that critical effort.

The thing that we've done mostly is to push them down to the lower unit so they could start interacting and engaging in gathering that information that we need, so that we can further our plans and coordination.

But there's definite value added, and I wish I had more of them, in fact.

COL. KECK: Jim?

Q Colonel, this is Jim Mannion from Agence France-Presse. You said that the -- of -- a brigade from the 10th Mountain Division will help you transform the environment in your area by the spring. What is it that they -- you know, what it is that they're going to be doing that can't be done now?

COL. SPISZER: Okay. Yeah, the 10th Mountain -- the brigade from the 10th Mountain coming in, they're not going to be doing anything different, certainly not in my area, than what we're doing now. They're just going to provide us more capacity to do it and, I think, will give us the capability to do things faster, to make a difference quicker.

I think we're making great progress, but there's just too few of us. I think the potential is there. We're moving forward. But with the additional troops that they're going to bring, it's going to get us into some of the areas that we're a little bit challenged right now -- kind of a little bit of economy of force.

And it's going to be able to allow us to put the pressure on the enemy in more places. So instead of doing sequential-type operations and attacking things slowly over time, we're going to be able to do many more things simultaneously.

For us here, I definitely anticipate being able to do much more along the border. Most of where we have problems now is further inland in the Konar Province and in Nuristan Province. What we haven't done -- what we have a challenge with is working to interdict along the border. And that's put a stretch on us as we work with the Pakistan military as well, but we're doing a lot more there now. But I anticipate when we have some additional forces from the 10th Mountain that we're going to do a much better job, both with our partners across the border and also interdicting and lessening, ultimately, the conflict that we have further inland in our AO.

COL. KECK: Jim.

Q Colonel, this is Jim Garamone, from American Forces Press Service. Two questions, really. Do you have the coordination centers set up where you work with the Pakistani army and Frontier Corps? And second, what's the trend in violence right now? Has the winter sort of cut down on the number of violent episodes in your AO?

COL. SPISZER: That was a little hard to understand. I think you're asking me if I've got the Border Coordination Center in my area. Is that correct?

Q That's right.

COL. KECK: Yes.

COL. SPISZER: Yeah, the Khyber Border Coordination Center isn't in my area. Khyber Pass and Torkham Gate fall into my area, and they are actually co-located, essentially, on one of our forward operating bases, Torkham Base, right there. The actual site itself for the Border Coordination Center falls under the command of the Regional Command East and we provide them support.

That being said, I'm out there pretty frequently. There are -- there are representatives of obviously the coalition there -- our guys, including a couple out of my brigade. There's representatives from the Afghan National Army, the Afghan Border Police, the -- (off mike) -- that operates across from us and then the Frontier Corps.

They're -- they are really working through their procedures now. And the linkages now exist from all areas along the border to flow through there. And what it really does is it provides us -- if we can't connect across the border from where the actual problem may be -- the border is covered in 10,000-foot-high mountains -- we are able to go to the Border Coordination Center and reach through them and figure out what's going on and coordinate our activities.

So I think there's a lot of potential there that we can make use of, and better, in the future. But so far, it's doing pretty good.

And the other aspect of that was the winter decline. I think here it's a little bit different every year, and there's a number of factors in that. When winter arrives -- winter has arrived here. I just flew up to Nuristan, and there's snow on the ground. Many of our passes are probably closed above the 7,000-foot level, which closes a pretty good number of them up in Nuristan and in the Tora Bora mountains, Spin Ghar mountains.

But I have not seen a real reduction in the level of violent acts. But it -- you know, I compare it from last year to this year, and May and June were higher. July and August were lower. September was about the same, and October was actually higher. So this past month in my area it was actually higher, despite what was going on with the Pak military in the Bajaur Agency. I think part of that is because of what's going on. Initially we saw a drop when they started their operations, and now I think they might actually be pushing some guys back this way, which might account for some of the rise.

So it's hard to categorize when you compare from one year to the next, and it's also a matter of qualitative differences. Many of the contacts we see now are much less in duration or intensity as well, almost more just -- just to do something is kind of how I characterize it. They're out there just trying to do something. They haven't had very great effect on us at all, in fact, in the last month, despite the levels.

So overall we've had a slightly more this year than last year, but it's been different. I think one of the reasons October was more was that Ramadan was in September. So Ramadan moves two weeks earlier each year, and what happens is, is that in the past years here, Ramadan's fallen up close to winter, so they can't do many operations afterwards. This year there was a significant -- a whole month of good fighting weather after Ramadan, and I think they took advantage of it in October.

So it's hard to characterize, and like I said, the operations Pakistan's doing is having an impact, both good and bad. And then Ramadan had an impact. But now I think the early winter coming here is going to have another impact, and I think -- (audio break) -- could change.

So I hope those -- that answers your questions.

Q Thank you.

COL. KECK: Gordon?

Q Sir, Gordon Lubold from the Christian Science Monitor. You mentioned roads earlier. Do you see a change at all in the tactics of the insurgents, whereby they have begun to target the newly paved roads as much as they were the unpaved roads in the past?

COL. SPISZER: In our area -- I think every area here -- you've got RC South and then you've got southern RC East and you've got northern RC East; I think it's a little bit different in each area because of -- you're facing a different type of enemy.

In our area they have not targeted the paved roads, although we did have a couple of culverts in southern Nangarhar destroyed just recently. But those are the only ones since we've been here for five months now. We had one other instance up in the Pech River Valley in central Kunar where an IED was turned in that was in a culvert, and that's it. That's the entire sum (of ?) attacks against our paved roads: three since we've been here.

So I think that there's a -- one, there's a great value in the infrastructure that's going into this area that the local populace is placing on it. They see the difference it makes in their lives very rapidly; they haven't had these roads in the past, and there's a lot of people who want them. And they've created an environment where the enemy so far has not been able to impact them.

Now, I am worried that as the enemy becomes more desperate, he's -- he might be willing to try and do that. But so far up here, the roads have been relatively sacrosanct once they've gone in. So we see the IEDs mostly in the dirt roads, and unfortunately, that's mostly in the narrow roads, very hard to operate -- places we can't take MRAPs. So one of the changes that we've seen this year in the tactics of the enemy is an increase in the lethality of the IEDs on the dirt roads in our area. And that has been problematic.

But overall, though, the paved roads -- and what we see here is the people see them as progress and they help protect them. And they're also furthering our ability to provide security, and they're also furthering the ability of the government to get out and do things for the people.

COL. KECK: David?

Q Colonel, this is David Morgan from Reuters. Would it be accurate to say that one of your main objectives is to make it difficult for militants to spend the winter in Afghanistan, in order to head off a larger spring offensive next year?

And what have you been seeing in terms of attempts by militants to supply those that are already in Afghanistan from safe havens in Pakistan? What sorts of movements are you seeing?

COL. SPISZER: Yeah, I had a hard time understanding the first part of that. I think I got it, though, about making it difficult for the enemy to stay here in the winter. I would like to do that.

Unfortunately, I think what we're going to see is us -- our ability -- and we actually designed some operations to drive the enemy out of Afghanistan. And unfortunately -- or fortunately, I guess, in some ways, the Pakistan military's doing operations that really, ultimately, are in some ways designed to drive them out of Pakistan. So working together, somebody's -- you know, they're running out of options on places to go, which I think is a great thing in the long run.

In the short run, I think that some of the places that he's operated in the summer in our central areas in the (capillary valleys ?) of Kunar might end up being where he is for the winter, which, as General Schloesser said, he anticipates potentially some more of these guys staying around and possibly -- and we are certainly going to continue our offensive operations in the winter. So we may see some increased violence trends over the winter that we haven't seen in the past. But I think if that is the case, it'll be because the Pakistan military is taking away their safe havens in Pakistan.

So that's going to be a great thing for us in the long run. It may make it a little bit more challenging for us, in the short term, but I think we've got the plans and the capabilities in place to deal with that, and it would -- just -- as we further synchronize our efforts with the Pakistan military and develop our capabilities along the border, any of that trans-border movement -- which includes weapons and money, which is really what they need is weapons and money, when we start interdicting that, then these guys are going to start dying on the vine.

And what was the second part?

Q Can I follow up? If you could -- can you please tell us what sort of volumes you're seeing in terms of militants coming across the border? And are they Afghan, Taliban returning to Afghanistan? Are they foreign fighters? Who are they?

COL. SPISZER: Okay, well, if I saw them all, they wouldn't be around anymore. So I can't give you real definitive figures on what I see happening there. We have a very broad mix up in this area.

In the south, we have what's called the Taliban front, or, correction, the Tora Bora front, which is kind of successors of the Hezb-i-Islami Unis Kalis (ph) faction. We also have a lot of drug smuggling. Then as you work your way up to the eastern side, we have TNSM, which is a Pakistani -- Islamic fundamentalist group that's associated with the Pakistan Taliban. Then we also have Taliban and we also have LET (ph) the Kashmiri separatists.

And they all kind of come across and do different things. Some of them come over here and basically train. They fight us to train to go do things in Pakistan or in Kashmir. Some of them come here because they're paid to. So there's a lot of different reasons and different groups here that don't coordinate their activities very well, which in fact gives us an advantage here.

But I don't see large numbers of foreigners. We hear lots of rumors of foreigners. And you got to remember, up in Nuristan, a foreigner is anybody not from that valley. So it gets very hard to sort some of that stuff out, because it's very isolated. But, you know, and a foreigner is definitely a Pakistani or Punjabi, which we -- is not what we're thinking of when we talk about it. We're talking about Arabs and Chechens and Uzbeks. We hear about them quite a bit, but finding good, solid evidence is very rare.

That being said, I think most of the guys that'll be here in the winter will be Afghans, and most of the Pakistanis will be elsewhere and there'll probably be some other folks here and there. I think what I might not see this year is the Afghans that go to winter in Pakistan. I think they're going to stay here.

Q Hi, sir, it's J.J. Sutherland with National Public Radio. My question is, the Khyber Pass is in your area, and given that it was closed briefly and just reopened recently, I was wondering, what is your view on the security of the Khyber Pass? And also, just as a separate question, you mentioned the refugees that came into your area recently. And I was wondering, what happened to them? Are you seeing more, or how is that playing itself out?

COL. SPISZER: Well, obviously, the Khyber Pass is pretty vital, and it has been for thousands of years. Fortunately, it was only a very limited interdiction. We do get lots of reports of what happens there, because we're right across the border.

I have not, we have not seen anything since we've been here significant enough to cause me any great concern.

The Pakistani military promptly has taken action to ensure the security of the convoys that come through there that are pretty much essential for the ISAF forces here. In addition, the logisticians here have done a great job. We are really not too worried that if there is -- if it does get any worse that we wouldn't be able to handle it.

So I feel pretty confident about both the Pakistanis taking care of it, and also if there is a little bit more of an interdiction that our forces here will be able to take care of it as well over here, we'll be able to handle the (situation ?).

As to the refugees that came in, I think that's a tremendous success story. It highlights some of the capacity that's grown here kind of unnoticed over time. And I think it has to do with President Karzai, and he's got a new Cabinet, function (of the ?) IDLG, the independent directorate of local governance, and they've started getting some really superb governors, both Governor Mashal in Laghman and Governor Wahidi in Konar are appointees of the IDLG within the last year; in fact, Governor Wahidi's been on the job for one year.

And granted, with some of the PRTs' mentorship early on this year, they prepared their disaster relief committee to handle flooding because they've got the Konar River, they traditionally have spring floods and summer floods from the snow melt. That didn't really materialize this year, but they had the structure in place.

So when the refugees started coming across from Bajaur because of the combat operations in Pak -- (audio break) -- Wahidi formed his council on his own, they determined where the refugees were and where they were coming, they contacted UNHCR and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, and said, hey, we need some help, we need some relief efforts. They coordinated with the local authorities, found these people places to stay without having to develop camps -- a lot of tribal connections on both sides of the border -- and they have, so far, since September, been able to keep them fed and clothed and housed successfully.

Now, I think they might be at the limit of their capacity, and fortunately, it's topped out at about 30,000, but I think it's a great success story so far. And unfortunately, also I think it's something that they're probably going to have to continue dealing with through the winter. As the snows are falling, I don't think they're going to go home before spring, especially since the Pakistan military is still doing operations in those areas.

COL. KECK: Come back to Luis.

Q Colonel, it's Luis Martinez with ABC News.

I had a specific question about -- there was a report about a joint U.S.-Pakistani operation called Operation Lionheart. And just wanted to see if that is actually an accurate report, sort of like talking about increased ISR links with the Pakistanis and with your forces and that your forces, in turn, are pretty much doing blocking efforts from the Bajaur operation.

COL. SPISZER: Roger. Yeah, no, Operation Lionheart has taken place in our area. We are in coordination on a daily basis with the Frontier Corps. It has been a challenge for us because we are largely committed. It's not like I've got a lot of extra troops available. But what we have done is work very hard to refocus our ISR assets, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance assets, to do everything we can to identify transiting across the border. And with that information with -- (audio break) -- we do have available, predominately mobile forces, we're working along the Konar River Valley and up into some of the passes to interdict and ambush any enemy forces that are either coming this way, trying to escape Pakistan, or going that way, trying to reinforce into Pakistan.

The biggest success I'll tell you straight up is the cooperation and coordination that's developing between the Pakistani military. I wish I had more resources to devote to it, and we will have more over the -- over the coming months, but it's also paving the way in this cooperation. Yesterday, when I met with the commander of the Bajaur scouts, we had a very good meeting up at Nawa Pass, which is basically in the center of the Konar province, and the 170 kilometers of border between Konar and Pakistan. That's about the central point, significant place there that we're building a new road to connect to Pakistan, a bridge across the Konar River, probably the third border coordination center, it will end up going up there. And we are starting to really -- they've had good connections in the past, and we're taking those to the next level with Lionheart: the sharing of the intelligence, the contact numbers, company commanders meeting face-to-face up there at Nawa. Can't do that many other places because, I mean, there are some pretty forbidding mountains, but where we can we're doing that.

We're getting ready to -- we -- this has spilled over into cooperation further to the north. I've had commanders in meetings north of Bajaur, north of Konar, that hadn't been meeting in the past because of this. And I think it's going to spill throughout the border area and in cooperation between both the ISAF forces and the Pakistani military and the ANSF, more importantly the Afghan forces and the Pakistan forces.

So I think Lionheart provides us a good start.

It's starting to work, and more importantly, it's going to be better in the future for whatever comes after Lionheart.

COL. KECK: Courtney.

Q Hi, Colonel. This is Courtney Kube from NBC News. Two very quick questions.

With the exception of the terrain, which is an obvious impediment to security along the border, what is now your biggest hindrance when it comes to stopping interdiction across the border and security in that area?

And then also, we've heard reports of an increase in attacks on convoys, supply convoys. Are you seeing that all in your area? And can you quantify that if you are?

COL. SPISZER: Well, I -- you know, along the border, terrain's a pretty big impediment. (Laughs.) Everything else seems to pale beside the terrain.

We've got -- let me take a look at my -- 470 kilometers of -- (audio break) -- N2KL and virtually all of it's above 5,000 feet. So it can't get much worse than that. And then you've got about 10 kilometers of mountains stretching into Pakistan and 10 kilometers or so stretching into Afghanistan. So it's a pretty big mountain range with very few roads and trails through it.

And then, like other places, the enemy's actions as he goes through there and attacks different sides, it makes it hard for them to trust each other and work together because they're never sure who's who. It's very difficult. So the enemy's actions themselves in targeting the border posts make it the next most difficult thing, I think.

We're going to -- the border's going to drastically change in N2KL. Our predecessors made great strides with the Afghan border police, tripling their capability in the -- (audio break) -- in this area.

I think General Cone talked to you a couple of days ago. Focused border development is ongoing. We've sent out of this area -- 400 out of the 2,400 border police that we currently have are in training right now. We're going to train the entire force, plus recruit the additional 400 or so that we need. So we're going to increase the numbers and the capabilities of the border police over this winter.

In addition, the Afghan National Army is growing in N2KL and they're predominately going to be down in the Nangahar area of the border, whereas the biggest increase of the border police is probably going to be in the Konar area.

And then the third thing that's going to change is we are going to get elements of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain, and I'm going to focus them on the border.

So despite the difficulties and challenges in terrain, overcoming some of the challenges in coordination, which we're doing now through Lionheart, and the challenges of the enemy's actions, trying to cause us to distrust each other -- (audio break) -- borders in N2KL especially is going to be completely different next spring.

COL. KECK: Jeff, last one.

Q Okay.

Colonel, you're talking about Pakistani military operations. What is it -- what is it that the Pakistanis are doing now that they haven't done before?

COL. SPISZER: Well, I could really only talk about now. I saw things in the news, but I have firsthand knowledge of what they're doing now.

What they're doing now is a sustained operation to clear -- clear, build, hold. They're definitely in the clear phase in the Bajaur Agency right now. And they're working fairly slowly, but deliberately with both regular Pakistan military and the Frontier Corps in a sustained fashion over the course of almost two months now. And the operations aren't done yet, and I anticipate that they'll probably extend -- (audio break) -- to other parts of the border.

So from my perspective, what they've been doing over the last two months is a sustained offensive that's really put the pressure on the enemy in a way that I don't think, from what I've learned in the past, has happened before. So I think that's the biggest change.

COL. KECK: Okay. Well, we are at the end of our time. And we would like to give you an opportunity, Colonel Spiszer, to provide us with any final observations or closing remarks.

COL. SPISZER: Okay. Well, nothing of great import, I guess, but just a couple of thanks.

I'd like to thank the Pentagon press corps and yourself, sir, for helping me to keep the American and international community informed of what we're doing here in Afghanistan.

I'd also like to take this time to thank the families and loved ones who've been taking such good care of us over here with care packages, letters, support that they provide -- (audio break). And that's one thing that -- we have a challenge moving stuff around here a little bit. It's very mountainous. We have to use a lot of helicopters. And the one thing that we're always having a hard time about is all the mail and good wishes, and we've got to get those moved around. And that's a good problem to have. And it's just been really tremendous, all the support that we have over here, and it's very much appreciated.

So thank you very much from FOB Fenty, and duty first.

COL. KECK: Thank you very much. And we hope to hear from you again down the road and get another update on operations.

Thank you much. Thanks for coming.

Commander and supporter of Troop A featured in news article

2008-11-15T20:45:00.004-06:00

http://www.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/opinion/columnists_bryan_mckenzie/article/groups_aim_to_brighten_troops_holidays/31396/

Groups aim to brighten troops’ holidays

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: November 15, 2008

While Washington politicians figure out how to end the Iraqi conflict with peace and honor, the soldiers there and in Afghanistan are still fighting for their lives and those of others.

As long as they’re dodging bullets and rocket-propelled grenades far away, some folks nearby are going to keep finding ways to support them.

Have little, but need much

“I was hoping I could cut back to maybe a soldier or two, but it didn’t work,” said Mary Ellen Wooten, the power behind the one-woman troop support mechanism From Us To You. “I ran across this unit that’s living on rock in Afghanistan, in an area so remote that everything comes in and out by helicopter. These guys have nothing and needed everything, so the next thing you know …”

“Most of us have family members over there or are in contact with troops and we want to do our best to keep up their morale,” said Katherine Warren, of Blue Star Families of Central Virginia. “We want them to know people haven’t forgotten and still care.”

Welcome to the world of the civilian military support organization. Like the soldiers they support, once they get involved, they can’t seem to get out.

For the Blue Star Families, the conflicts and family members in the thick of it are always on their minds. For Ms. Wooten, who has sent specific items to specific troops for five years ago, it’s taken over much of her house and her life.

“I guess I can’t really get out of it until they are,” she said, sounding a bit weary. “They can’t just pack up and leave and I can’t abandon them.”

Both groups, and others, are rushing to get goods out for Christmas. The Blue Star group is sending Christmas decorations to a troop center in Kuwait and packages to other soldiers. Ms. Wooten is shipping long johns to American troops in the Afghan mountains. She’s also working with Starbucks at Berkmar Drive and U.S. 29 to send coffee to the guys in Apache Troop, 6th Battalion, 4th Cavalry of the 1st Infantry Division who are sitting in the rock-pile boondocks.

Every bit helps

“The guys are freezing up there and a $5 donation will get a soldier quality long johns,” she said, adding that Hanes has agreed to a discount and to ship the undies directly to Afghanistan.

Like Ms. Wooten, the Blue Star Families can’t seem to quit until the wars are over, and so they continue collecting goodies and cash donations.

“It’s our way of spreading a little pleasure in what can be a tough situation and providing simple joys throughout the year,” Mrs. Warren said.

For the troops, every little bit means they’re remembered.

“[They] are wonderful organizations that help to remind the soldiers that they are not forgotten and that there are people other than our families that worry and care for us,” wrote Capt. Frank Hooker, of Apache Troop, from its remote Afghanistan post. “The generosity of the American people never fails to amaze me.”

It’s not just the American troops involved in the conflict, Capt. Hooker noted.

“As the winter approaches, anything that can be donated to assist the local nationals in our area would be greatly appreciated,” he wrote.

Donations for 6-4 CAV can be sent to MaryEllen Wooten at fromustoyou@mac.com

Convey for supplying 6-4 CAV and other 3-1 ID Battallons

2008-11-14T01:02:00.007-06:00

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/11/11/robertson.afghan.winter.rush.cnn?iref=videosearch Check out the CNN video with Nic Robertson showing getting supplies into the 6-4 CAV.

Face of Defense: Soldier, 19, Tracks Afghan Airspace

2008-11-13T13:28:00.004-06:00

Face of Defense:

Soldier, 19, Tracks Afghan Airspace

By Army Spc. Brandon SandefurSpecial to American Forces Press Service

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Nov. 13, 2008 – While many young men his age are just thinking about their next step in life, 19-year-old Army Pvt. Ryan Masterson is keeping an eye on the airspace in a combat zone.

Army Pvt. Ryan Masterson, aviation operations specialist with the 1st Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, responds to a call from an outlying unit. Masterson tracks the airspace for all the brigade’s units so they get supplies and air support when needed.

Masterson, from McHenry, Ill., is an aviation operations specialist for the Air Defense and Airspace Management Cell here.

“We track the airspace for our brigade’s area of operations and get real-time video feeds of what’s going on with our airspace,” he explained.

“It gives us a better idea of where each aircraft is and what they are doing so we can track everything a lot better.”

Masterson, who has been in the Army a little more than two years, coordinates air support with troops on the ground via radio and phone systems. He coordinates through a liaison officer to find out what the soldiers on the ground need -- whether it’s air support, supplies or reconnaissance flights from unmanned aerial vehicles.

“We make sure that the infantry soldiers have whatever they need as far as air support,” he said, whether it’s firepower from an Apache attack helicopter or a Chinook helicopter delivery of food or water.

Masterson said he rarely has a free moment while working, but that he finds the job very rewarding. With his limited free time, he said, he likes to watch movies, go to the gym and talk to his family on the Internet.

But when free time is over, Masterson is all business, and he said he feels good about what he does.

“It’s good to know that you played a role in winning a battle or helping soldiers by getting them the air support or supplies they needed,” he said.

“I think it’s a good feeling to know that I may have helped some soldiers and possibly save some lives by getting them what they needed as fast as I could.”

Masterson plays an important roll in the majority of operations that require air assets -- which, considering Afghanistan’s terrain, is almost every operation.

“He is very important to the ADAM Cell and continues to improve on a daily basis,” said Army Staff Sgt. Simeon Burns, from Oakland, Calif., Masterson’s supervisor.

“He’s tactically and technically proficient at his job.”

Masterson said he wants to pursue a career in law enforcement when his military service is finished, but that for now he’s happy to be part of a team that controls the skies over Afghanistan.

(Army Spc. Brandon Sandefur serves with the 1st Infantry Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

Troop A Needs a Shop Vac

2008-11-09T21:54:00.011-06:00

Thanks for all for the suggestions ! ! !

But a special thanks to MIKEenTexas. He's sending what the Commander requested.

Thanks to all who responded with suggestions as to types, and sources. You are all great ! ! !

I've heard from the 6-4 CAV Troop A commander:

Ops NCO tells me that we could use a Shop-Vac (I have noIdea what that is).

Anyone that needs the address to send a shop vac to A Troop, email me, and I'll send you the address.

HWahine2008@aol.com

B Troop 6-4 Cav Trains ANSF forces

2008-11-09T12:02:00.004-06:00

Soldiers in the Nuristan province training Afghan National Security Forces in order for them to eventually be on their own.

If the video says it is unavailable at this time try link: http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=49069

Jingle Bells Not Jingle Trucks

2008-11-03T08:39:00.020-06:00

The FRG elves have been busy at Fort Hood ! ! ! They could be seen scurrying from FRG group to FRG group. Sometimes taking time out to just rest beside the sleighs on the still green grass.

Rumor has it one troopers mother drove from West Texas with a sleigh full of over 70 stockings she had sewn. Those were added to the already accumlated totals of hand stitched, others purchased and donated, all lovingly filled stockings.

What a great group EFFORT.

When are those mailing deadlines?

Thank you God, we love baby steps

2008-11-02T06:30:00.006-06:00

http://www.yllescasfamily.blogspot.com/

So, depending on how he does between now and then will determine if we fly Tuesday. The other update is really quite exciting. They told us this morning that he had been quiet during the night and did not move. However, when I walked into the room and started talking to him, you could see his eyes moving behind his lids and he started moving his shoulders!!!! I couldn't believe it! I talked to him about the girls and he would move them even more. He even had tears coming from his eyes when Barb and I spoke to him. I asked him to squeeze my fingers and he would ever so slightly. The neuro dr came in and examined him and said that with everything he's been through, things are just going to take time. I told him to try to open his eyes. You could see him moving his shoulders up and down like he was trying to get them to open. You can only imagine how heavy is eyes are. They did have to sedate him a little when they thought we were flying, so he did go back to sleep for awhile. But right before we left him so he could go to surgery, I started rubbing his cheeks and forehead with my fingers and he again fluttered his eyes and moved his shoulders! This is such exciting news. I know it's baby steps but anything positive like this is HIGHLY encouraging! So, please keep praying that they will find what's causing his levels to be high and be able to fix the problem and that his neuro status continues to improve. God is good and He will provide.

B Troop Commander, 6-4 CAV, 3-1 ID Cpt Robert Yllescas Injured in IED

2008-10-31T05:00:00.003-05:00

Dena Yllescas has a blog to keep everyone updated on Rob's condition.

http://www.yllescasfamily.blogspot.com/

Rob and Dena have touched so many lives, and there has already been much outpouring for this family.

We all continue to surround Rob, Dena, Julia, and Eva with our prayers.

Holiday Mailing Deadlines

2008-10-29T13:26:00.006-05:00

APO/FPO AE Zips
090-092
Express 18 Dec
1st Class 11 Dec
Priority 11 Dec
Parcel post 13 Nov

APO/FPO AE Zip
093
Express N/A
1st Class 04 Dec
Priority 04 Dec
Parcel Post 13 Nov

APO/FPO AE Zips
094-098
Express 18 Dec
1st Class 11 Dec
Priority 11 Dec
Parcel Post 13 Nov

APO/FPO AE Zips
340
Express 18 Dec
1st Class 11 Dec
Priority 11 Dec
Parcel Post 13 Nov

APO/FPO AP Zips
962-966

Express 18 Dec
1st Class 11 Dec
Priority 11 Dec
Parcel Post 13 Nov

Hoping for Chocolate Cakes THIS MONTH

2008-10-27T00:12:00.005-05:00

UpDate: The October birthday cakes were made, and enjoyed. Pictures promised.

Chaplain Ron says the renovations to the DFAC at Bostick are moving ahead, and asks that we all hope they are finished in time for him to fire up the new mixer (thanks Mary Ellen) for the chocolate cakes for the Oct birthdays.

He's bumping it up to 3 cakes this month, because of pop demand (They love his chocolate cake). I'm with them, especially the chocolate icing.

Okay, enough chocolate talk. It's cool enough we can now send some M&M's, and some other tastes of chocolate.

Speaking of which, I'm off to get a handful of M&M's. I can only take so much chocolate talk, without indulging. Imagine how much they would appreciate some good chocolate.

Hanes online Thermal Underwear DEAL

2008-10-22T21:30:00.002-05:00

I just double checked by phone with Hanes online.

For orders placed online, and shipped to an APO address:
There is no tax, and if the order is over $75, there is no shipping charges.

Hanes online:

http://www.hanes.com/Hanes/Products/Men-Hanes/Men_ShopByCategory-Hanes/Men_Underwear-Hanes/Men_Underwear_thermals-Hanes/HWM04.aspx

They are listed at $9 each for top or bottom.

Brian Williams NBC broadcast

2008-10-21T08:24:00.001-05:00

In case you missed tonight's report with Brian Williams.

Warning, it may be hard to for some to watch.

Come Before Winter

2008-10-16T09:17:00.003-05:00

Until we can load the video, check out our guys on CNN with Nic Robertson:
Reporting about getting aid to Afghanistan before winter.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/10/14/robertson.wv.afghanistan.pt1.cnn?iref=videosearch

MAJ Aylwand and PRT, LTC Petrovia, Col Spiszer. LTC Perez

Improvement Key to Security for Scouts

2008-10-14T12:10:00.007-05:00

Soldiers from 6-4 CAV, 3-1 ID, pack dirt into a barrier along the perimeter of their combat outpost in Northeastern Afghanistan. The barriers are just one of the improvements they are making to enhance their security.

http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=images/images_gallery.php&action=viewimage&fid=121889

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – For the Soldiers in the dangerous terrain of the mountainous Nuristan province of Afghanistan, improving their outposts is important to security and relations in the area.

The Pakistan border is a common entrance into Afghanistan for terrorists.

Building relationships with local residents helps deny the terrorists sanctuary along the Pakistan border, said Sgt. 1st Class Donald Couch, an outpost platoon sergeant from Smithville, Texas.

Units along the border patrol through villages to meet with the locals and show them they are there to help. But, where the locations of the outposts are good for interaction with villagers, they are also targets for insurgent attacks. The Soldiers who live and fight in these outposts have to constantly improve their boundries to stay safe so they can continue to help the locals in the area.

Soldiers from the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, make any improvements that can be made to their positions, and when necessary the Soldiers improvise with building supplies.

Improvising includes using whatever construction materials are available. Ammo cans are used for steps and nearby timber is used to build walls and improve fighting positions.

The Soldiers are not only improving their situation, but are getting a sense of satisfaction from their work.

“The best thing about being on the OP is seeing the improvements and the satisfaction of knowing you made the OP better,” said Sgt. Brian Creed, squad leader from Siloam, N.C.

Couch has similar feelings about the many improvements on the Ops, and feels they have improved their ability to fight and defend.

Having a good fighting position and the ability to defend it is important, but the Soldiers need something to boost their morale as well.

“Improving Soldiers’ morale is really important, too, especially up here, because we're kind of away from everything,” Couch said. “We now have Internet and phones up here so the Soldiers have contact with home when they have time.”

The Soldiers have also made changes to assist the Afghan national security forces who fight by their side. This helps develop the OP and builds relationships.

“We've done several things for the [Afghan national army] and [Afghan security guards] as well as the locals. We've built new fighting positions for the ANA and ASG and we're currently in the process of building barracks for them as well,” Couch said. “We have a good working relationship with the Afghan national security forces and we want to keep improving that.”

The Soldiers are constantly working to improve the OP to make sure they have everything necessary to complete their mission. Improving the OP guard tower, routine patrols around the OP and fire missions are just some of the tasks Soldiers do as part of their daily routine.

Winter Comes Early

2008-10-12T09:41:00.009-05:00

Life and nature caught me flat footed. Winter has come to Afghanistan.

TankerBabe prepared the following suggestions, and I've added a few comments.

Blackwater Gear Balaclava Carhart
Price: $5.88 Style #A161 Face Mask
http://www.uscavalry.com/Productinfo.aspx?productID=9292&TabID=548 Regular Sizes
Price $15.00

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&productId=54272&storeId=10051&langId=-1&cm_cr=Default+Carhartt+Campaign-_-Web+Activity-_-All+Pages-_-ProductDetailPage-_-ProductDetailPage

All caps, head protectors must fit under their head gear.

THROW BLANKET (NEF50X60)
Our best seller, also known as the stadium blanket. Size 50" x 60" with matching whipstitch edges will cover from head to toe. Ideal for corporate gifts and promotions. Always perfect for fundraisers, schools, and hospitals.
In-stock colors: ivory, royal, gold, orange, red, purple, silver gray, charcoal, black, hunter, burgundy and navy.
NEW by the case pricing!!!
24 Throw Blankets per case
1 to 9 cases
$5.99 per blanket 10 to 19 cases
$5.50 per blanket 20 or more cases
$4.99 per blanket
• Broken Case Pricing: Add $2 per blanket. 12 blanket minimum.
http://www.northeastfleece.com/products.htm#04

I and several other supporters have purchased fleece blankets at WalMart for less than $4.00.
They are already rolled up.
A note to be careful, as this year they have a very fluffy one, but it catches too much dirt, etc.
The ones we purchased are perfect to roll up and carry on patrols. They are the same size as the ones on line, and have a flat seam, too.

Please, please no fringe.

Carhart
# A211
Men’s Heavyweight Wool Boot Sock
Black, Gray, Moss
$ 16.00

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10051&productId=74116&langId=-1

Last year I purchased "FoxRiver trekking Wick & Dry heavy weight socks" and "FoxRiver liners wick&Dry ultra light weight liners" at ACADEMY.
Almost every store manager gave me a %15 discount and one made a special order.
I sent hundreds, but Tankerbabe arranged for thousands of the carhart socks to be sent.
All were greatly appreciated.

Little Hotties Hand Warmers Adhesive Toe Warmers
Box of 40 Pairs $ 29.99 Box of 30 Pairs $39.99

http://www.littlehottieswarmers.com/Hand_Warmers_p/lhw1-40.htm http://www.littlehottieswarmers.com/product_p/lhw4-30.htm

Hand/foot warmers can also be purchased at WalMart, and outdoor/sporting stores. But these online are a very good price.

Hanes can be purchased at many places, be sure to send greys or dark colors.

http://www.hanes.com/Hanes/Products/Men-Hanes/Men_ShopByCategory-Hanes/Men_Underwear-Hanes/Men_Underwear_thermals-Hanes/HWM03.aspx

http://www.hanes.com/Hanes/Products/Men-Hanes/Men_ShopByCategory-Hanes/Men_Underwear-Hanes/Men_Underwear_thermals-Hanes/HWM04.aspx

Hanes Long-Sleeve Thermal
Henley underwear

Flat No Rub Seams’
Tops Style HWM03 $9.00

Pants Style HWM04 $9.00

Colors: Charcoal Heather
Grey Heather

An easy layer of warmth as the mercury begins to drop.
• Flat No Rub Seams for added comfort.
• Minimal shrinkage for a lasting fit
• Smooth elastic waistband
• Traditional fly front
• 28 ¾” inseam
• 65% Cotton, 35% Polyester

An update: Snacks and food seem to have been sent in abundant quantities. And all greatly appreciated.

BUT, there is a great need for personal hygiene products.

REMEMBER, this winter, resupply is not always going to be possible, so we need to get a back up supply for personal hygiene supplies. They are being fed, even if it is MRE's, but there is no PX, and not resupply of Personal hygiene products.

Baby wipes, baby wipes, baby wipes. (Cold showers, take on a whole new meaning during the winters in AFGHANISTAN)
Men's body wash (Suave has a great one), good razors and replacement blades galore, shaving cream, foot powder and more foot powder.

I hope these suggestions help you and your troopers.

Haole, out.

6-4 CAV Bostick Fiddler's Green

2008-10-09T22:15:00.005-05:00

6-4 Cav opened the new MWR facility on FOB Bostick this Thursday. Fiddler’s Green was assembled from lumber recycled when the floor boards of tents were recovered prior to the start of our latest barracks construction project. Recycled materials were key to the project to allow it to be built rapidly without “stealing” wood from barracks construction projects on the forward Ops.

Members of all of the organizations on FOB Bostick were present for the event, from the left Roland from KBR, Lance CPL Maltry from the USMC ETT, LTC Markert, 1LT Mayberry who runs FOB Bostick for the Squadron, SSG Baker who supervised the project for the Mayor’s Cell, and SSG Winger from our supporting EOD team.

The new facility provides access to TVs, tons of books, a great movie room, and place to play games, and a porch outside for BBQs and such. It is a significant improvement over the tent that it replaced.

Our thanks to the Soldiers who suggested it and everyone who had a hand in getting the hard work required to build it completed.

Soldier’s from 6-4 Cav check out the new MWR center named Fiddler’s Green in recognition of our Cavalry heritage.

The origin and author of "Fiddler's Green" is unknown. It was believed to have originated in the 1800's and was composed as a song sung by the soldiers of the 6th and 7th Cavalry. Its first known appearance in published form was in a 1923 Cavalry Journal.

"Fiddler's Green"

Halfway down the trail to Hell,
In a shady meadow green
Are the Souls of all dead troopers camped,
Near a good old-time canteen.
And this eternal resting place
Is known as Fiddlers' Green.
Marching past, straight through to Hell
The Infantry are seen.
Accompanied by the Engineers,
Artillery and Marines,
For none but the shades of Cavalrymen
Dismount at Fiddlers' Green.
Though some go curving down the trail
To seek a warmer scene.
No trooper ever gets to Hell
Ere he's emptied his canteen.
And so rides back to drink again
With friends at Fiddlers' Green.
And so when man and horse go down
Beneath a saber keen,
Or in a roaring charge of fierce melee
You stop a bullet clean,
And the hostiles come to get your scalp,
Just empty your canteen,
And go to Fiddlers' Green.

2008-10-03T22:56:00.010-05:00

Staff Sgt. Daniel Krause, calling in adjustments to practice mortat fire, is one of four soldiers in the reconnaissance platoon who has served previous dedeployments.
Michael Gisick

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=57881

Friday, October 3, 2008

Recon soldiers carve out life at Hatchet

By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, October 4, 2008

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan — A few of the soldiers in the reconnaissance platoon say they can see the image of a wolf in the rocks on the mountainside across the ravine. But Pfc. Byron Norris isn’t one of them.

"I don’t know," the 19-year-old says. "Sergeant Leach says he can see it."

"I can’t see it," Pfc. Jonathan Wilson, a baby-faced, cigar smoking Californian, chimes in from his vantage point a few feet away. "I cannot see that wolf rock."

Over the past three months, Wilson and Norris estimate that they’ve spent an average of about eight hours a day staring out from a fortified position on their mountainside, watching the other mountainside. They look for movement, change, anything that hasn’t always been part of a landscape they’ve all but memorized, wolf rocks or not.

And inevitably, in all those hours, they daydream about seeing something else on the mountainside: their enemy.

"I just want the experience, to know what it’s like," Norris says. Wilson adds that maybe it would be good to get attacked, but preferably only once.

It’s one of the great cliches of a war zone — the young soldiers hoping to see action, while the troops who have tell them it’s nothing to hope for, but say it in such a way that it sounds like they’re keeping a secret.

"Being still a wet-behind-the-ears lieutenant, I’m anxious like a lot of these guys to see what it’s all about," says 2nd Lt. Damien Kuhn, a 23-year-old West Point grad.

"I’m not," says Staff Sgt. Daniel Krause, the platoon sergeant, sitting nearby as he and Kuhn share the overlapping hours of their respective day and night shifts in the outpost’s command shack. If this were one of his two prior tours in Iraq, Krause adds, he "probably would have gotten blown up like 10 times by now."

The reconnaissance platoon, part of 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, arrived at Combat Outpost Hatchet in July. Another U.S. outpost a few miles away was attacked several times in early September. But despite Hatchet’s location a few miles from the Pakistani border, all has been quiet. With the other outpost set to close, and a nearby U.S. checkpoint turning over to the Afghans, Krause says that could change, though he thinks Hatchet would be a tough place to attack.

And it’s not going to get any easier. Besides their guard shifts, the soldiers spend hours a day improving the base, which was set up just a few months before they arrived.

They’ve filled hundreds of sandbags and dozens of Hesco barriers, sometimes using duffel bags. They’ve cleared brush, leveled ground and dug paths out of the mountain. Helicopters are their only source of supply, bringing everything from food and water to lumber and generators. Helicopter day tends to be an especially long one.

"We don’t get a lot of sleep, but I guess that’s the usual side effect of a deployment," says Spc. Brandon Koellecker, 22, of Hiawatha, Kan.

All the work has led the soldiers to jokingly refer to their outpost as "the slave camp," though some say they aren’t really joking.

At any rate, it’s certainly no Club Med. Though an engineer unit that arrived recently has built a few latrines and the beginnings of some barracks huts, most of the soldiers are still living not so much on the mountain, as in it. Dwellings go by such descriptions as "the small cave over there," "the larger cave next to the small cave" and "the cave with the blue tarp."

There is a sort of shower, but they have to hike down to the river to bring water, so most stick to baby wipes. There’s no television and little electricity, though a satellite phone allows them to call home every week or so.

"It’s an extra challenge to motivate them to do all the work when we don’t have the looming prospect of getting attacked," Kuhn says. "I mean, we know it’s there, but that sense of reality hasn’t really sunk in."

And Krause, for one, says he hopes it doesn’t have to.

"They don’t know what it’s like to get hit," he says. "They all wish for it, but they don’t really know. And they don’t really want to."

© 2008 Stars and Stripes. All Rights Reserved

Photo Gallery: http://www.stripes.com/08/oct08/hatchet_gallery/

2008-10-01T08:47:00.004-05:00

Chaplain (aka Julia Child, reincarnated) reports on the September Birthday prep:

Nope that ain't no shadow on his upper lip. Does anyone have a hair net for that upper lip?

"Operation Bday Cake went off very well. We used 4 boxes of Pillsbury Plus (chocolate types) in each sheet cake. I made a Hersey frosting that used nearly an entire can of choco (not to worry-we have plenty) I think I will make a HUGE batch off Homemade Hot Chocó for the guys one of these days, all it takes is lots of milk a bit of sugar along with the choco sometimes we add a pinch of cinnamon and to spice things up, the Italians often like to add some cyan pepper. I made the boarder this time, not bad for a first try!
SFC Collins discovered that the COPs cannot bake after all, SPC Judice tried, but it flopped. So “Operation CupCake” is now back on line for all outlying areas."

Afghanistan Memorial Service PV2 Michael Wayne Murdock

2008-09-30T13:34:00.005-05:00

PV2 Michael Wayne Murdock was born on July 7th, 1986, in North Carolina where he spent his youth. He entered the U.S. Army on the 20th of July, 2006.

During his time in service, Private Murdock attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Upon completion of his initial training, Private Murdock served as a Fire Direction Specialist in Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-6 Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd IBCT, 1st Infantry Division. In April of 2008, Private Murdock was re-assigned to A Battery, 1-6 Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd IBCT, 1st Infantry Division. Private Murdock deployed to Afghanistan in July of 2008, serving as a Fire Direction Specialist with 2nd Platoon, supporting Task Force Raider, 6-4 Cavalry Squadron, in the volatile Nuristan Province. Private Murdock trained, deployed and fought side by side with his fellow Redlegs in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM IX.
Private Murdock distinguished himself as a courageous and loyal member of the REDLEG Family, and will forever be remembered as a brave hero to us all.

PV2 Murdock’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous), Purple Heart (Posthumous), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ Campaign Star, the Good Conduct Medal (Posthumous), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Ribbon and the Combat Action Badge.

PV2 Murdock is survived by his mother, Jennifer Tripp and his father Walter Murdock from North Carolina.

Raider Family . . . Prepared and Loyal

2008-09-28T09:55:00.012-05:00

I had emailed Cpt Bessey, something to the effect that their far flung troop must sometimes feel like they're re-living the computer program "Where in the World is Carmen SanDiego". I also sent him a Don't Mess with Texas Stickers.

Bessey replied:

"I promise never again to "Mess with Texas" in anyway, shape or form. Speaking of messing with people from that state, 1SG Mancuso is typically on my left hip, barking at me to do this and that. Carmen SanDiego, as I remember, was much saucier than him but lacked his undeniable ability to make stuff happen while caring for hisSoldiers."

From Simone Mancuso's latest caringbridge update, it is apparent the whole Mancuso family have that undeniable ability to "make stuff happen".

Thursday was Patrick's 6 month mark, which is exciting and we celebrated a little.

He's doing well, has a couple issues with his skin, but that is probably from being outside.

I am in contact with Methodist weekly through e-mail or phone and he saw a Doctor from San Antonio this week on Ft Hood and had labs done again. Since he is going to school now they try to keep the trips to a minimum so he doesn't miss to much school and his Doctor lets us see the Oncologist from Wilford Hall at their monthly visit to Fort Hood.

We have to go back to San Antonio on the 7th of October.

I can't say we are back to normal and I know that will still be a while. There is always fear in the back of our minds, but it feels like we are moving in this direction.

We went to Austin today, Patrick has been invited to become a Student Ambassador and go to China next summer.

Nervous about this, but we do not know what the future holds and want him to live, laugh and love.

He had his interview today and absolutly wants to go, so now he's just waiting to find out if he's been accepted, which we probably find out in the next couple of days.

He got the invitation about 2 months back and we went to the informational meeting a couple weeks ago. Since he has to raise part of the money, we will see how bad he wants to go.

On our way back we stopped in Georgetown and my Truck Battery died, nothing.......... What a day, I actually had to call some friends, since we could not jump start it. Anyway, they brought an extra Battery, lucky for us or we still be there.Thanks Brian and Wendy!!! I came home and went straight to Wal-mart to get a new one. I miss my hubby, but on days like this I really miss him.

I know I said it before, but Killeen High School has a Blood and Marrow Drive on Monday and Tuesday, if you can please make some time and go. Patrick is on the Student Counsil now and he will be around on Tuesday.

It is really important to him, so maybe some of you can make it. Thanks!!!

Simone Mancuso

href="http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patrickmancuso">http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patrickmancuso

2008-09-24T20:53:00.004-05:00

Fateful day brings COP Lybert back to war’s reality
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Mideast edition, Thursday, September 25, 2008

(See video at end of story, pictures in previous post.)

NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Fire had swept through the pine forests blanketing the mountains around Combat Outpost Lybert a few years ago, before the Americans arrived.

According to the stories they’ve heard, the fire was set by loggers from Pakistan trying to eliminate their competition. If so, it worked. Broad swaths of scrub, blackened stumps and skeleton trees remain.

The Americans move slowly up through this ghost of a forest in the gray dawn, struggling against the altitude and the incline and their packs and weapons. One of the first things the Marine Corps lieutenant who works with the Afghan soldiers here taught the newly-arrived Army lieutenant was how to tell the Afghans to slow down.

The bullets that rained on Lybert four days earlier came from up this way, at least some of them. But the only presence the patrol finds amid the scattering of abandoned huts and clapboard goat corrals on the mountain is one lone wanderer, wearing brown "man-jammies" and faded yellow shoes decorated with colorful, washed-out polka dots.

This man says he is from Pakistan and has come in search of his lost herd. The U.S. interpreter struggles to understand his dialect, but the Afghan commander, a stubble-faced man with a tattoo of a snake coiled around a dagger on his forearm, doesn’t believe the story.

First this man says he’s a Pashtun, the commander, Taj Mohammed, says. And then he says he is a nomad.

"Next he will say he is British," Mohammed concludes.

"He looks pretty clean to be a goat herder," Army 2nd Lt. Chad Lorenz adds.

The Afghans decide to take him back to the camp for questioning. Escorted by an Afghan soldier with a quiver of rocket-propelled grenade rounds strapped to his back, the man follows the patrol as it heads back up against the mountain, his bound
hands folded in front of him like a monk with a mystery.

A quiet start

Lybert was built in 2006 as the U.S. military began to step up its presence in Afghanistan’s eastern mountains. Like many U.S. bases, it was named in memory of a soldier — Staff Sgt. Patrick Lybert, who was killed in these mountains in June 2006.

Despite its proximity to the border — and to other U.S. outposts that come under frequent attack — until recently the troops at Lybert had seen relatively little action. The U.S. unit that left Lybert earlier this summer reported only a pair of attacks during its year at the COP. A platoon from 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment took over in July, and their first few weeks at the outpost led some to expect a quiet deployment.

"It was like a ski resort without the resort," says Staff Sgt. David Joslin, a medic. "It was just beautiful mountains, scenery, get up and see the patients every morning. It was like a normal day-to-day life."

Through July and August, Joslin’s aid station saw about 500 sick-call patients from the nearby villages. They were simple people, Joslin says. Sometimes the men would get upset when other men received two kinds of pills and they’d only gotten one kind.

Routines set in. Pvt. Michael Murdock, a 22-year-old artilleryman from North Carolina, fell out with the mortar crew, deciding he wanted to reclassify to the infantry. Pvt. Scott Stokes, a 43-year-old single father who’d found out he could still join the Army a year earlier when he attended his daughter’s graduation from basic training, grew close to the young North Carolinian.

"He always told me he wanted to go back home and marry my daughter," Stokes says. "So that was fun."

The first sign of trouble came on Aug. 29, when a trio of bullets narrowly missed soldiers sitting on a porch in front of Joslin’s aid station. Fitful, half-hearted attacks continued for the next week-and-a-half. A mortar round one day, a few gunshots the next, ricocheting down from the surrounding peaks.

But as it turned out, that was only a prelude.

"How I look at it, the Taliban pretty much saw an opportunity that we were trying to calm down and let the [Afghan army] take over a little bit," says Sgt. Ken Dicristofano, a mortarman who had taken Murdock under his wing. "They saw their chance and they went for it."

Sept. 11 attack

The attack started around mid-morning. It was mostly small arms, a few mortars, maybe a machine gun, the soldiers say.

Murdock was in his barracks hut, putting on his body armor, when a bullet cut through the plywood wall and hit him in the side. Along the Hesco barriers and razor wire, the bullets were coming in from three directions while the soldiers fought back. The Afghans manned one end of the camp and the Americans the other. Bullets crashed through the aid station’s window as Joslin and his medics struggled to keep Murdock alive.

"Five seconds can seem like an hour, especially when there’s a soldier in front of you dying, and you’re waiting on a helicopter and you’re trying to do everything you’ve been trained to do to save a life," Joslin says.

The attack continued for two or three hours. Apache helicopters and a slow-flying A-10 arrived and drove the fighters from the mountains, setting new small fires.

Murdock was medically evacuated, and later declared dead at Bagram Airfield.

Reinforcements from Lorenz’s platoon of infantrymen arrived at Lybert two days later and began their dawn patrols in the surrounding mountains. But the decision to close Lybert later this fall had already been announced in the villages, even before the Sept. 11 attack.

Officers say the base is not well situated to guard a nearby pass through the mountains on the border, a fact that might account for the relatively spare history of attacks on the base. And with U.S. troops spread thin across eastern Afghanistan, the soldiers are needed elsewhere.

"When they came down and said we were moving, we were a little upset," says Staff Sgt. Michael Bannin, 27.

The more experienced soldiers say they’ve seen changes in the younger troops since the attack, a new reality setting in. In the last days of COP Lybert, the reinforcements spend many of their evenings talking on the phone and watching DVDs. The artillerymen mostly keep to their barracks hut. Murdock’s corner remains empty.

"Unfortunately, the 11th made it real," says 1st Lt. Ian Lipsitz, 24, who leads the artillery platoon. "Real personal for us, real definite that we’re out here fighting a war."

Pictures from Stars and Stripes

2008-09-24T20:00:00.001-05:00

All pictures Michael Gisick / S&S

Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment prepare for a patrol at Combat Outpost Lybert in Northeastern Afghanistan. The platoon was sent in to reinforce the outpost after it was attacked on Sept. 11, killing one soldier.

Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 6/4 Cavalry Regiment during a patrol in northeastern Nuristan Province near the Pakistani border. Fire swept through thr mountains here several years ago, reportedly set by Pakistani loggers aiming to eliminate their competition.

Sgt Ken Dicristofano, front, ducks away from a mortar blast at Combat Outpost Lybert.

Afghan soldiers question a man found wandering near the site of an attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Afghanistan.

Pvt. Kirk Goff scans the surrounding hills during a patrol near Combat Outpost Lybert.

Operation CupCake Flies Again

2008-09-18T22:51:00.010-05:00

Is it that time, again?

The Operation CupCake "cooks and delivery" troopers are still at it.

For those new to G&P, the 6-4 CAV kicked off operation cupcake, to deliver home made, okay, "FOB Bostick made" cupcakes to birthday troopers out on the COPs, OPs, and firebases.

Thanks to requests from their officers; cup cake condoms, cake mixes, and a hand mixer (yes, they are all mixed with a hand held mixer), cup cake pans, and a lot of love ---- were soon on their way from TankerBabe. The cooks work their magic, and these troopers are treated to a bite of "Happy Birthday" ! ! ! ! Yep, no matter how far out in the boonies their mission takes them.

We Luv You Guys ! ! ! !

Patrick Mancuso - Marrow Transplant Recipient

2008-09-05T21:31:00.010-05:00

Patrick's parents. 1SGT Mike Mancuso Senior NCO Crazy Horse Co 6-4 CAV, 3-1 ID

Simone Mancuso Great mother, and warrior on the home front.

What the press release does not say is that Patrick's Dad, 1SGT Mike Mancuso, deployed to Afghanistan as the Senior NCO of Crazy Horse Company 6-4 CAV, 3-1 ID; as his parents were waiting to hear if the transplant was successful.

The Scott & White Marrow Donor Program is pleased to honor Patrick Mancuso at the Lone Star Circle of Life Bike tour for his efforts in educating the central Texas community about the need for people to join the registry.

Patrick, his friends and his family, worked very hard to add hundreds of people to the registry during the time Patrick needed a transplant.

Patrick continues his support of the National Marrow Donor Program by agreeing to be the Honorary Race Director for the 2008 Miracle Match Marathon to further educate the public as well as raise funds to tissue type people for the registry.

Here is Patrick's story:

"Hello, my name is Patrick Mancuso and I am the first Honorary Race Director for the 2008 Miracle Match Marathon.

I would like to tell you about the race I have been running for the last few months -the race against cancer.

In November of 2007, I began to become very ill. After several doctors' visits, I was told that I was simply suffering from inflammation or growing pains.

After much persistence from my mother that it was something more serious, more tests were done and on December 4, 2007, I was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukemia knows as Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

I was immediately transferred to a hospital in San Antonio where my doctors started me on chemotherapy treatment. After my first round, it was clear that chemo alone did not work and I needed a transplant soon.

My doctors searched for a life-saving marrow donor, while I had to continue to undergo three more treatments of chemo as well as cranial and full body radiations.

As a result, I became very ill and had hard time dealing with the side and after effects. Throwing up and hardly eating became a routine.

My match was found and after all the preparations I received my life-saving marrow transplant at the Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio in March of 2008.

Since then, I have been on the rocky road to recovery and it's been very had at times.

I am still dealing with the after effects of chemo and radiation, which is normal, since recovery can take up to a year.

The good news is that I am recovering better than any one could have imagined and my last count on August 22nd was 100%donor cells!

I was able to start school again and am still trying to be a normal 14 year old, playing XBOX and my favorite sport - football!!!

Recovery has been very frustrating for my family and friends, but I am very lucky to have their love and support.

I am also very anxiously waiting to meet my marrow match. She sent me a card before my transplant, but it has only made me more excited to meet the person who has given me another chance at life.

Check out the Lone Star Circle of Life Bike tour site: http://www.sw.org/web/patientsAndVisitors/iwcontent/public/biketour/en_us/html/biketour_localevents_temple.html

And Patrick's careingBridge site: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patrickmancuso Where you can leave a message for Patrick, his brother and his parents (1SGT Mike and Simone Mancuso)

Operation Cup Cake and Bread Baking Troopers

2008-08-28T10:02:00.007-05:00

"Some of the more than 200 cup cakes the cooks from Dakota Troop, 6-4 Cav prepared and shipped to the forward OPs this week. The cup cakes were shipped forward to celebrate all of the August birthdays, and to give everyone a fresh piece of home baked cake to enjoy the celebration with. Cooking that many cupcakes was not easy, but getting them onto the helicopters was even harder, don’t worry though the Raiders are all about Birthday cake for everyone, even if we have to fly it in. Next month we will try to ship them to C Troop in Goshta!" LTC James Markert

Operation Cupcake
Happy Birthday Troopers !

Chaplain Ron Cooper and LTC Markert worked with the cooks of Dakota Troop to have birthday cakes for the July birthdays at FOB Bostick.

But, they wanted to spread the good times for all of 6-4 CAV. Tanker Babe rushed the necessities for Operation Cupcake to LTC Markert, and the race was on.

What a success ! ! !

How great for the troopers out in the field to have a sweet reminder of their birthdays, prepared and delivered especially for them.

I'm sure they are enjoyed by all the warriors (I'm assuming that the 6-4 birthday troopers shared. LOL), and remind the troopers that they are not forgotten.

Thanks Tanker Babe, http://tankerbabelc985.vox.com/library/post/64-cav-operation-cupcake---nuristan-province-afghanistan.html

and all the warriors who prepared the treats in theatre.

We're hoping for pictures of the new Major (Chaplain) Cooper in his camo apron, as he helps with the preparation of birthday cakes.

FOB Lowell will soon have fresh bread.

Alpha Troop, 1SG Baker, has received a bread machine, bread mixes, small bottle of oil, and various measuring utensils.

Between bouts "taking care of the bad guys", they are reading the bread machine instructions, and I'm sure trying to figure out all the measuring utensils. Pictures are promised.

Some of the mixes were cinnamon raisin, so there should be sweet smells around FOB Lowell, soon.

Next good news from ADAMS and OLD BAY Seasonings.

2 days 7 hours till first UT football game.
Hook 'em Horns !

Gratitude and Prayers,

Haole, out.

Task Force Raider Remembers Fallen Soldier

2008-08-19T08:28:00.014-05:00

The boots, dog tags, weapon, and Kevlar are displayed above a photo of Pfc. John Alexander Mattox of 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division representing his absence during a memorial service paying tribute to the fallen comrade.

Story by Jessica DahlbergPosted on 08.18.2008 at 05:28AM

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — A lone rifle sits on a wooden platform as Soldiers trickle in to find seats. Music softly resonates in the air, and not a word is spoken above a whisper. The sun glints off identification tags hanging on the rifle -ID tags that once belonged to Pfc. John Alexander Mattox.

Mattox, a Soldier and friend of 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, is remembered among the Task Force Raider Soldiers in a service held Aug. 16, 2008.

“Pfc. Maddox is exactly the kind of Soldier I think about when I think about 6-4,” Lt. Col. James Markert, commander, said.

Mattox died on Aug. 9, 2008. His death was noncombat related, but it still leaves an impact on his fellow Soldiers.

During the service, friends of Mattox told about how he was a good, solid man and a strong and courageous Soldier.

According to Sgt. Richard Kaye, Mattox was a good Soldier who was very motivated to do his job and to do it right, and because of his sense of humor it was never boring when Mattox was around.

To honor Mattox, all the Soldiers solemnly stood as his name rang out during the last roll call. When the last echo died out and no one responded, shots were fired to honor the fallen Soldier.

Mattox joined the Army Oct. 17, 2007, and deployed to Afghanistan June 2008 with his Task Force Raider family, who will miss him as they continue to work in Afghanistan.

Soldiers pay their last respects to their fallen comrade, Pfc. John Alexander Mattox, Aug 16, 2008. A memorial service was given to honor the fallen Soldier.

A Soldier hangs his head in prayer during the benediction to Pfc. John Alexander Mattox. The memorial service was given Aug. 16, 2008, to honor the fallen Soldier.

6-4 Medics Helping Locals

2008-08-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

Pfc. Charles Wolfe
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - In the rural mountainous province of Nuristan acute or primary medical care has been nearly nonexistent for the local population in the past. Local Afghans have long been without reasonable means to cure and prevent disease, treat wounds or receive medications.

A multivitamin, something simply attained in the United States, is a distant afterthought in Nuristan. The Soldiers of the 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division’s medical platoon offer a chance to change this traditional deficiency.

“We are really making a difference here,” Sgt. 1st Class Adrian Davenport, 6-4 Cav. Medical Platoon Sergeant, said. “The Soldiers are starting to recognize the locals and when they see the kids at the gate they all wave.”

Armed with bandages, ibuprofen and various balms and creams, the 6-4 medics open a morning sick call for local nationals of every age and gender. The clinic starts with a short screening process, where a medic determines who can be given simple drugs, like aspirin or vitamins, and who needs more attention.

The platoon’s work goes beyond the scope of just health care. By offering free medical services to resident Afghans, the Soldiers build a relationship with locals, thus adding to the positive and progressive work of the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. The Soldiers are reaching out to the locals in the area and the children are taking notice.

“The children go home and tell their little friends about it, and the next morning we have an abundance of kids outside,” Davenport said.

The medics work together with the 126th Forward Surgical Team, who can provide surgical care to Soldiers and locals in need. The Soldiers begin the local national sick call around 9:30 a.m. everyday.

The locals appreciate the medial help, but they get more from 6-4 than just medicine.

“They all appreciate the care we provide,” Cpt. Amanda Cuda, family physician for 6-4 said, “but I don’t know if the kids like the medial treatment or the toys and candy more.”

Necessary is in NEED

2008-08-16T15:48:00.003-05:00

B Troop TF 6-4 CAV has built new latrines. But they need 8 new toilet seats with lids. Yeah, I can just hear the wives and mothers now, LIDS? ? ?; but 1SG thought of it first.

"I had one more thing to add to my last list if you dont mind, we just built a new latrine and don't want to install the old toilet seats because they don't have lids. I was wondering if you could get a hold of 8 new toilet seats with lids. The lids are very important as the new latrine has a vent system in that prevents the odor from collecting in and remaing inside. I know you are probably thinking we are a bunch of men here and we will never remember to put the lid down any way but I think with a little practice and a little yelling on my part we will eventually get it right."

If you have a trooper in B Troop, TF 6-4 -- go ahead and send the requested item to them at their APO address, otherwise, contact us by email with a phone number and we will contact you with the address to send them directly to the 1SGT. HWahine2008@aol.com

I'm requesting pictures from the 1SG. I gotta see all the lids down before I'll believe it.

Haole out

Don't Mess With Texas!

2008-08-14T16:33:00.006-05:00

Below are some pics of the 6-4 CAV Apache Troopers we are supporting. Thank you for the pictures, guys!

Dukes Remember Fallen Four

2008-08-13T16:54:00.009-05:00

Soldiers salute their fallen comrades one last time at the end of a memorial service on Aug. 7, honoring four soldiers who were killed when their vehicle was struck by an IED

U.S. Army/Staff Sgt. David Hopkins

By Staff Sgt. David Hopkins
1st Infantry Division public affairs.

By Staff Sgt. David Hopkins1st Infantry Division public affairs BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — Amongst the bolder-ridden mountain slopes of the Kunar province, soldiers gathered at a forward operating base to pay their final respects to four fallen comrades on Thursday.

“Second Lt. Michael Girdano, platoon leader, Alpha Company, Special Troops Battalion, Spc. William Mulvihill, wheeled vehicle mechanic, Headquarter and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, Pfc. David Badie, combat engineer, Alpha Company, Special Troops Battalion, and Pvt. Jair Garcia, squad automatic gunner, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, died when the vehicle they were in struck an IED in the Kunar province in northeastern Afghanistan on Aug. 1.

"2nd Lt. Girdano, Spc. Mulvihill, Pfc. Badie and Pvt. Garcia’s actions are an inspiration to us all and their names will forever be etched in the history of the Big Red One,” Capt. Brian Corbin, Alpha Company’s commander, said.

One by one, friends and leaders stood before the crowd and spoke of the fallen soldiers’ life achievements within the Army and in their personal lives. The reoccurring theme was that of dedication and sacrifice.

Everyone has to make decisions in life and according to Corbin, the soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division who died Aug. 1 made the decision to sacrifice in order to protect others.

“There comes a time in our lives when we transition from childhood to adulthood, and once we make that transition we are faced with two paths. One path is a path in which freedom and security are provided by the blood, sweat and tears of others. The second is a world in which we make a stand and say: ‘Follow me, for I will protect you from those who mean you harm.’ It takes a special person to choose the second path and most shy away. Lieutenant Girdano, Spc. Mulvihill, Pfc. Badie and Pvt. Garcia not only accepted a challenge, but they embraced it,” Juranek, said. “These men, without hesitation, completed the most dangerous of missions. Their daily endeavors to save lives provided the Blue Spaders with freedom of movement through the most volatile province of Afghanistan.”

According to Corbin, not many people knew Girdano on a personal level because he arrived at the unit on a Thursday and deployed with them on the following Monday, but he said he was a good leader and a good man who was always willing to listen and accept advice from others.

Mulvihill is remembered by a friend as being a dedicated soldier who was ready for his mission and who was proud to follow his family tradition in the military.

“I asked him how he felt about going to Afghanistan, and he said to me that even though he was a little nervous that he was ready and willing to go do his job wherever he was needed. He also explained to me that his siblings were in the military and he was proud to be doing what he was doing.” Sgt. Holly Princevalle said.

Baddie was known by his friends as a caring person who touched the lives of those around him.

“He showed genuine care and concern for those around him,” Henderson said. “You will be missed. We will cherish the friendship. You have put a special mark in our hearts. All those who knew him will never forget him. The platoon will never be the same without him.”

Garcia will be missed by his fellow solders and friends, but he also left behind family that was near and dear to him. “He was a very caring and loving son, father and husband,” said Pfc. Hessbroo.

“He was the kind of person who knew how to brighten your bad day. If you knew Jair Garcia like his close friends did you knew his pride and joy was his 9-year-old son. Garcia instilled in his friends that when things go wrong you shouldn’t go wrong with them. He was an older guy who had a lot of wisdom about things and became a role model for many of us. Jair Garcia is now in a place where the grass is greener and at rest. He will be missed by many and missed by all.”

At the close of the service small groups of soldiers went to where the boots, weapons and identification tags of the fallen soldiers were displayed and they said their good-byes in their own, quiet way.

Even after the loss of their four comrades the soldiers of Duke Brigade are ready to finish what they’ve started.

“To the men of 1st platoon Alpha company, Special Troops Battalion: In my 11 years of service I’ve never met a braver group of men. You, like our fallen brothers, are warriors, guardians of freedom. Let’s remember these brave men by carrying on the work they have begun,” Corbin said. “Let us complete the mission.”

6-4 Cavalry Fends Off Atack

2008-08-13T16:47:00.004-05:00

By Staff Sgt. David Hopkins1st
Infantry Division public affairs

NURISTAN Province, Afghanistan — As the sun descended in the western sky, crouching down on the jagged mountain ridges of the Nuristan province on Aug. 2, 1st Infantry Division soldiers of 2nd Team, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment out of Fort Hood guarded the walls of their Combat Outpost, scanning the rocky slopes for anti-Afghan forces. They are trained to spot danger and act against it to protect their location and their fellow soldiers.

Then on the slopes above their position, a figure appeared, lurking among the boulders. Moments later another appeared. Before long there was a full attack on the outpost and its forces comprised of American and Afghan National Security Forces, were fighting for their lives.

By the time the battle was over, only one Afghan soldier suffered minor wounds while more than 20 insurgents were dead while countless others scrambled up the mountain nursing possibly fatal wounds.

At about 6:30 p.m., Sgt. Ian Boone and Pfc. Marco MaldonadoGacia were guarding the outpost when they first spotted enemy forces.

“I could not identify them as hostile until they bent down and picked up their weapons,” Boone said, recalling the first moments of the battle.

MaldonadoGarcia spotted them soon after and took the first shot, breaking the silence with the defining roar of his M-14 sniper rifle, killing an attacker 700 meters up the slope.

“This was decisive because from that moment on the enemy was on the defensive and no longer on the offensive,” Capt. Robert Yllescas, the unit’s commander, said.

Then Boone began to lay down suppressive fire.

The outpost was attacked by small-arms fire, rocket propelled grenades and PKM machine guns, landing many direct hits inside the camp, but none hitting the soldiers inside.

When the attack started, many of the soldiers were faced with the realities of war for the first time.

“You could see the shock in some of the soldiers’ eyes, as if they were asking the question: ‘Is this another test fire or is this for real.’ You could see fear in others’ eyes as they pondered the question of whether or not they would live to see another day,” 1st Sgt. Howard Johnson Mullens said. “And then, as if a switch was suddenly turned on, everyone was flawlessly executing the training they had received prior to deploying. Soldiers performed the defense drills to perfection. It was amazing; it was textbook execution.”

Field Artillery Soldiers Man "Gun Line in Afghanistan

2008-08-12T16:15:00.001-05:00

Field Artillery Soldiers Man ‘Gun Line’ in Afghanistan
By Army Staff Sgt. Adora Medina Special to American Forces Press Service

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 8, 2008 – From a distance the barrels of the howitzers can be seen above the barriers surrounding Forward Operating Base Kala Gush. The weapons are ready to fire at a second’s notice, providing fire support to the immediate area.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Valdez, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, gun line NCO in charge, gets mission information from the Joint Operations Center on the radio, at Forward Operating Base Kala Gush, Afghanistan, July 30, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adora Medina, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

The “Centaurs” of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, are responsible for manning the “gun line” 24 hours a day. Two artillery teams work around the clock, maintaining their weapons while waiting for fire missions.

“I work on the gun line, and the mission is pretty much to support any troops outside of the wire with our cannon fire,” Pfc. Eric Coates said. “We’re thoroughly trained, and we can do any mission that they send down to us. [Our cannon fire will] be accurate, that’s for sure.”

The long hours spent on the gun line can seem tiresome, but the Centaurs stay alert and ready to take immediate action. Pfc. Jackie Noah recalled the first fire mission the Centaurs completed during their deployment to Afghanistan.

“We were providing security for our fellow soldiers and keeping the enemies’ heads down, making sure [coalition forces] made it out alive,” Noah said. “It feels good to know that you’re helping the people that are forward of our position and doing everything we can to help our fellow soldiers.”

Many challenges come with the mission; for some on the gun line, it’s adjusting to the long hours. Others say the restricted environment takes some getting used to, but mainly, the soldiers just miss their families.

To cope with these challenges, the artillery soldiers find creative ways to pass the time. Some are musicians; some are artists; and some are writers. Regardless of the hobby, they all manage to come together to throw around a football, hit golf balls into a mosquito net, or swing at a punching bag made of sandbags, rocks and tape.

“Well, for anybody that’s coming to Afghanistan, make sure you bring a hobby with you because the mountains start closing in on you after a while,” Pfc. Thomas Brooks said jokingly. “It gets pretty small so you have to keep yourself occupied. Just keep an open mind, and just trust everybody that’s around you.”

For the remainder of the deployment, the soldiers believe things will only improve as time goes on. Staff Sgt. Anthony Salyer, one of the howitzer section chiefs, said he is grateful to work with such a dedicated team. “

They’re excellent with team work,” Salyer said. “They’re always looking for ways to help out each other, the team and the mission. They’re just a good group of guys, very willing to work, always wanting to learn new things. It’s only going to get better with this group of guys. It’s going to be a cake walk. Friendships are going to build stronger, and we’re going to work better as a team and get the mission done.”

(Army Staff Sgt. Adora Medina is assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.)

Army Staff Sgt. Jerome Edwards, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, looks through the scope of a mortar tube to ensure accuracy, at Forward Operating Base Kala Gush, Afghanistan, July 30, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adora Medina, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

Army Pfc. Thomas Brooks gets mission information from the Joint Operations Center, at Forward Operating Base Kala Gush, Afghanistan, July 30, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adora Medina, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

Rest in Peace

2008-08-12T16:14:00.006-05:00

(Click on image to view larger)

God Speed

Sergeant Douglas J. Bull

Private 1st Class David John Badie

2nd Lieutenant Michael R. Girdano

Specialist William J. Mulvihill

Private Jair De Jesus Garcia

Video: 6-4 CAV Medics in Afghanistan

2008-08-07T19:13:00.007-05:00

Package of important free healthcare provided to local Afghans by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. To see the video:

CLICK HERE

LTC Louis Winkler, MD, USA (Ret), former Brigade Surgeon, 173rd Abn Bde: "The final lesson of Vietnam must be that there is a need for physicians who are well trained in both field and clinical medicine- specialists in combat medicine- to serve as brigade/division/corps surgeons. It is illogical to expect a fully trained pediatrician, internist, or surgeon with only the basic medical officer course to function in this capacity. A highly motivated physician will learn his duties on the job, but this is not optimal nor effective. In order to insure that physicians are prepared for these tasks, formal recognition should be given to the specialty of Combat Medicine just as for Aviation Medicine and Preventive Medicine. A training program and career pattern should be established. This specialty should be encouraged in time of peace as well as times of conflict. Only this way will the lessons learned in Vietnam not have to be relearned in the next conflict."

***God bless our medics.***

Afghanistan Video

2008-08-04T11:40:00.001-05:00

We cannot imbed the video, because the owner of the YouTube will not allow it. But here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oF8oxIA-htc

You will probably recognize some parts of it. It is a very good compilation of video and stills.

Big Red One takes command in northeastern Afghanistan

2008-07-30T15:16:00.004-05:00

Written by Staff Sgt. Adora Medina 3rd BCT, 1st ID Public Affairs
Sunday, 27 July 2008

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 26, 2008) — When the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team paratroopers set foot on Afghanistan soil 15 months ago, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” was just re-activating at Fort Hood, Texas. Throughout the 173rd’s deployment they fought to reform Afghanistan while 3rd BCT, 1ST ID was training to take their place.
On July 24, at Forward Operating Base Fenty, a transfer of authority gave 3rd BCT, 1ST ID the opportunity to put their training to work and continue the mission the 173rd has been doing for more than a year.

“We understand that while [we] have been handed a difficult mission, we are well trained and capable,” said Col. John Spiszer, Task Force Duke commander with 3rd BCT, 1ST ID. “The task is important to our nation, to Afghanistan, to the people of [northeastern region of Afghanistan] and to each other. We look forward to the challenges ahead and will continue the work of Task Force Bayonet.”

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston also attended the ceremony. He came to Afghanistan to assist the Afghan National Army’s Sgt. Maj. of the Army Rashan Safi in developing the Afghan non-commissioned officer corps. Despite his busy schedule he stopped by, attended the ceremony and talked with the TF Duke Soldiers about the mission ahead. “The Army’s been asked to do a tough mission and of course we’ve asked [3rd BCT, 1ST ID] to also do a tough mission,” said Preston. “I’m very proud of all of them and what they’re going to do and accomplish over the next 15 months. I’m very confident that this brigade, the Soldiers and the leadership are going to do a phenomenal job over the course of their deployment.” The unveiling of the Big Red One colors symbolized the beginning of TF Duke’s command over the northeastern area of Afghanistan. As the light infantry brigade picks up where the 173rd left off, they plan to build on the foundation laid by the paratroopers during their time in Afghanistan.

“My intent is to continue on the same path that the 173rd Airborne Task Force Bayonet did, and to continue making improvements, carrying the ball the next ten yards, so to speak, because they’ve got a good plan and a good strategy that they’ve been executing,” Spiszer said.
The paratroopers are now headed home to their families in Europe after executing a mission of sacrifice and perseverance.

“Thanks to the magnificent paratroopers of the 173d and Task Force Bayonet for their blood, sweat and tears; fighting for a noble cause. Never before have I known such a brave group of Soldiers,” said Col. Charles Preysler, TF Bayonet commander. “Their tenacity and resolve, while fighting in some of the toughest terrain on earth, is humbling to me as leader. I am in awe of their accomplishments and am proud to have walked the same ground they have.”

Families tied by war: Brothers in arms cross paths in Afghanistan

2008-07-30T15:09:00.003-05:00

Written by Air Force Staff Sgt. Rachel M. Martinez 455th AEW Public Affairs
Monday, 28 July 2008

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 27, 2008) — Twenty-one year old Senior Airman Matthew Delgado made one last trip home before deploying in May. He was set to deploy to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, and didn’t expect to see his family for months. Half-way into his deployment rotation, he was surprised when someone knocked on his barracks door and told him his brother was waiting for him at the PX here.

Army Pfc. Jerin Delgado, 26, arrived at Bagram July 18 with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, out of Fort Hood, Texas, as they transitioned to a forward operating base in the region. The two brothers, from Cedar Hill, Texas, were able to spend a few days together catching up.

“Of all places to run into your family -- on the other side of the world in Afghanistan -- how often does that happen?” said the Airman. “I felt a little closer to home when my brother came.”

Senior Airman Delgado is deployed to the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron here. Even though he is scheduled to deploy to Iraq in 2009, he volunteered for this deployment.

“I wanted to do my part in the war against terror. I deployed here to [provide] force protection,” said Airman Delgado, who performs F-16 maintenance inspections at his home station, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas. “I feel my mission is very important over here. We are the first line of defense for this base.”

Private First Class Delgado is a combat medic, providing care to injured Soldiers on the front lines. Despite his brother’s dangerous job, Senior Airman Delgado said he doesn’t worry too much.

“We both try not to think about it, because that makes things worse,” he said. “I know my brother knows his job very well and I think that he will be fine.”

Likewise, Pfc. Delgado believes his brother can hold his own. “If anything happened, I know he could handle it,” he said.

Along with being brothers in different armed services, comes some rivalry.

“[We have] all the normal older brother [versus] younger brother rivalry,” said Senior Airman Delgado. “I think it is standard across the board. Of course Army and Air Force – we all know of the rivalry there – but it is all in fun.”

Rivalry aside, the Delgado brothers said they both signed up to serve their country – and that’s what they are doing here with the added perk of serving together.

Can't get enough of these

2008-07-29T12:02:00.002-05:00

Right now, as the troops are settling in, they need flat (not white) bed sheets, and solid colored shower curtains.

They also need all the single serve drink mixes, you can pack into an FRB. Please limit the amount of lemonade you send. For some reason, lemonade is sent the most. Your trooper may request some brands, but if possible send the propel or gatorade (powdered) mixes. These and any of the enriched mixes will help. The altitude these guys will be working in saps their strength, so all the healthy things we can get to them the better. I take the snack size plastic bags, and fill it with an assortment of the individual packages. This way, each trooper will get an assortment, instead of being left with all the lemonade boxes. : )

If you can, the enriched power gels are good. Google gel protein, and you will find some sources. But they are expensive, so warn your trooper to use sparingly. But with the altitude, they exhaust easily, and forget to eat. Hence, the healthy protein bars, and the protein gels.

Baby wipes, Baby wipes, Baby wipes, Baby wipes, Baby wipes, Baby wipes, unscented. I break the larger packages down to single packages. I get the quart bags with the zipper (easier for big hands to use). I put a stack of 3/4 inch to 1 inch in each bag, fold the top over (to remove as much air as possible), and zip them up. This way, the trooper can grab one or two paks to take with him when he is "out and about". Your trooper may advise different. They will become the experts on what works and what does not work for them.

Don't forget ! ! ! If your trooper is "out and about", good quality jerky. Your trooper may have a preference for a local brand. If not, Whittington's jerky in Johnson City, Texas, makes a great jerky, and will send it directly. If you like, I get a wholesale price, and I go down to their store regularly. This way, you will not to have to give your trooper's address out. Remember, do not spread that address widely. Guard your trooper's security, and the spam mail from blogging the mail pipeline. JUNK MAIL thrives on web sites. ALWAYS remember OPSEC regulations, too. More on both of those later.

6-4 CAV has Deployed

2008-07-22T14:20:00.005-05:00

6-4 CAV has deployed to Afghanistan, and have arrived safely.

They are settling in, and moving out to join the fight.

God Bless all of them,

and their families.

"And although we may do our best to avoid trouble, sometimes trouble insists on finding us. When tha happens, warriors flip the switch and act decisively --ruthlessly if necessary -- to preserve and defend the things thay hold dear. and when the fight is over, they turn off the switch and continue to cherish the things they value enough to defend. That's what makes them warriors. And that's what makes them the good guys" --Michael D. Janich

Requests and Happy Birthday

2008-07-19T23:20:00.006-05:00

An angel in desert camo tells how some special cakes were prepared for July birthdays.

". . . Let me tell you how the cook decorated. He took some zip lock bags, we made red frosting (we only have black/red/green food coloring, the liquid, which makes the frosting a runny consistency). So, he filled a zip, cut the corner of a second zip, stuck in the giant tip (very limited tips - most of them are toooooooo big) then squeezed the first bag into the tip of the second . . ."

Clever cook.

I know what you're thinking, but we've already got the supplies covered. Some of us got to clean out our closets of decorating supplies from lives long past (and best forgotten) .

Angel in Desert Camo" WILL have cake decorating supplies for AUGUST.

These requests are the usual type that come in early in deployments. Let’s see what we can do to help these troopers set up house keeping for the LONG HAUL.

Send what you can to the address on sidebar, and we’ll get these things boxed up and off to these warriors. More will be listed as the rest of the 6-4 Trooper contacts check in. It’s going to take some time for me to get used to calling their units Troops.

Small paint brushes 1” and 3"
Bed Sheets
Shower Curtains

The brushes are used for cleaning weapons and “dusting areas”. Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to request pictures of 1SG Johnson “dusting areas”. That I need to see.

The Flat bed sheets are not only used for beds, but seem to come in handy for all kinds things.

Clear shower curtains just are not the best for these guys. For the length of the deployment, it is very important that the guys have some place to go for some personal time. Personal space is hard to come by, but helps recharge. If we can get enough bed sheets, this is one of those “unexpected uses”.

This picture sent from a previous blogger to give you some idea of the uses for the shower curtains and sheets. This was for officers, so don’t expect such luxury for the majority of the troops.

There is a special request for spices to SPICE up the meals that are prepared for these warriors. If possible, large containers of one kind of spice will better serve the purpose, but we’ll send on the regular sized bottles of spices. These people are serious about doing their very best for their people.

Let’s get these warriors settled in and then get down to the support they will need for the long haul. Everything we do helps make day to day living a little more bearable, and reassures these warriors that there are AMERICANS that support them in every way possible.

Lemon Pepper
Lawery Seasoning Salt
Garlic Powder
O’Bay Seasoning
Cajun Seasoning
Kosher Salt
White Pepper
Onion Pepper
Gumbo Powder
Curry Powder
Cumin
All Spice
Paprika
Chili Powder
Thyme
Chinese Five Spice
Tarragon
Nutmeg
Powdered Ginger
Dill Weed
Bay Leaves
Whole Cloves
Cayenne Pepper

From previous deployments, we've been told to please try not send those face shredding disposable razors.

For our warriors, as always,
Gratitude and Prayers.