SUPPORT 

OUR TROOPS

SPRING/SUMMER 2007

ARMY RESERVE 

TRANSFORMATION

Army Reserve Future Force

Two New Soldiers Hotlines 

Driving Away Soldiers Stress

AR Re-enlistment Kicks off 100th Anniversary
ON THE COVER

Transformation means future force 

relevance and readiness. 

(PHOTO: U.S. ARMY)

Also on the cover: The yellow 

ribbon symbolizes our commitment to honoring those of our 

Army Reserve Soldiers who have 

fallen, those who are missing and those 

who are serving around the globe. It will 

appear on each issue until they all 

come home.

NEWS

Two New Hotlines Help Soldiers 

Resolve Medical Issues ............. 4

$2K Referral Bonus Program Can Help 

Unit Recruiting ................... 4

43 Army Reserve Soldiers Re-enlist 

at U.S. Capitol .................... 5

THE CHANGING ARMY RESERVE

Commander’s Intent Guides Force to 

Desired End State .................6

WELL-BEING/FAMILY READINESS 

Meeting the Needs of Army 

Families ........................ 11

ARMY RESERVE 

TRANSFORMATION

Army Reserve Transformation Means 

Future Force Relevance, Readiness .. 14

143rd TRANSCOM Moving Forward 

With Transformation ............. 17

Transformation to Bring New Role 

to CSTC ........................ 18

94th RRC Begins Transformation ....19

Wildcats Break Ground for New 

81st Facility ..................... 20

Army Reserve Magazine

is an authorized Department of 

the Army publication, published 

quarterly by the Chief, U.S. Army 

Reserve, ATTN: DAAR-ZXP, 2400 

Army Pentagon, Washington, DC 

20310-2400 in accordance with 

Section 10210, Title 10, USC. 

The Secretary of Defense has 

determined that the publication 

of this periodical is necessary 

in the transaction of public 

business as required by law. 

Use of funds for printing this 

publication was approved 

by the Secretary of the Army 

on September 2, 1986, 

IAW provisions of AR 25–30. 

Opinions expressed herein 

do not necessarily reflect those 

of the Department of the Army 

or the Chief, Army Reserve, nor 

should they be construed as official policy or directive in nature. 

Local reproduction of all 

materials is approved, except for 

copyrighted articles or photos.

MAGAZINE

ARMY RESERVE

Since 1954.

2 ( Army Reserve Magazine

LTG Jack C. Stultz .................................................................. Chief, Army Reserve

CSM Leon Caffie ...............................................Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve

COL Dorothy A. Perkins .............................................. Director, Army Reserve Communications 

COL Burt Masters .........................................................Deputy Director for Public Affairs

LTC Matt Leonard ..................................................... Chief, Command Information Branch

Paul R. Adams ............................................................ Editor, Army Reserve Magazine

The Madison Design Group ............................................................... Design Services

13 17

(
UPDATE ON OPERATION 

IRAQI FREEDOM

Rough Riders Provide Convoy 

Security ......................... 26

CA Unit Assists in Rebuilding Iraqi 

Infrastructure .................... 28

Soldier’s Intuition, Situational 

Awareness A Lifesaver in Iraq ...... 29

Repairing Uniforms Fulfills Soldier 

in Iraq .......................... 30

Vietnam Vet Helps Deployed Soldiers 

with Combat Stress ............... 31

Driving Away Soldier Stress in 

the Gulf ......................... 33

RT NCOs Meet Reenlistment Needs 

Around Baghdad ................. 34

FEATURES

Vet Centers Help Soldiers, Families 

Make Healthy Transition to Civilian 

Life ............................ 36

Army Reserve Makes Ground 

Breaking Entrance into Culinary

Arts Competition ................. 37

W. Va. USAR Center Street Dedicated 

to Soldier Killed in OIF ........... 39

99th RRC Soldiers Brighten Holidays 

for Pittsburgh’s Hospitalized Vets ... 40

Fire Fighting Det. Faces Hazardous 

Missions in Iraq .................. 41

Schoonover Airfield Now C-17 

Capable at FHL .................. 42

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 3

Volume 52, Number 4

Army Reserve Magazine online: www.armyreserve.army.mil

SUBMISSIONS • Army Reserve Magazine invites articles, story ideas, photographs and other material of interest to members 

of the U.S. Army Reserve. Manuscripts and other correspondence for the editor should be addressed to Commander, U.S. Army 

Reserve Command, Attn: Public Affairs (ARM), 1401 Deshler Street, SW, Fort McPherson, GA 30330-2000, telephone 404-464-

8500 or dsn 367-8500. All email submissions should go to usarcmag@usar.army.mil. All articles must be submitted 

electronically or on disk or CD. Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will not be returned. Query by letter.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS • Do not write the magazine. TPU Soldiers should notify their Unit Administrator or Unit Clerk. Members 

of the IRR and IMA should contact their Personnel Management Team at HRC-STL, 1 Reserve Way, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200. 

AGRs should contact their PMO/PMNCO. Paid subscribers should forward their address change to the Superintendent of 

Documents, Attn: Mail List Branch SSOM, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Special military distribution 

recipients may write the editor directly.

SUBSCRIPTIONS • Army Reserve Magazine is distributed free of charge to members of the United States Army Reserve. 

Circulation is approximately 320,000. Paid subscriptions are available for $14.00 per year domestic, $19.60 foreign. Single 

copy price is $5.50 domestic, $7.70 foreign. Mail a personal check or money order payable to the Superintendent of Documents 

to: New Orders, Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954, or fax your order to 202-512-2233. 

Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

PEOPLE

94th RRC Soldier Receives Medal 

for Heroism ..................... 44

CA Officer, Combat Veteran Earns 

Sixth Highest Military Honor ...... 44

89 Year-Old Volunteer “Re-ups” to 

Serve Country, Family Readiness ....45

INSIDE BACK COVER

Army Reserve Honor Roll ...........46

We Will Never Forget ..............47

BACK COVER

Warrior Leader Course students take 

part in a situational Training Exercise. 

The course was taught by the 84th 

Training Command NCO Academy at 

Fort McCoy, Wis.

(PHOTO: LOU ANN MITTELSTAEDT)

20 26 43
4 ( Army Reserve Magazine

NEWS

TWO NEW HOTLINES HELP 

SOLDIERS RESOLVE MEDICAL 

ISSUES

By Chuck Prichard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

A

TLANTA — Army Reserve Soldiers 

with deployment related medical 

issues now have two more 

resources to help them resolve problems.

The Medical Holdover Ombudsman 

Program is available 24 hours a day, 

seven days a week, to assist any Army 

Reserve Soldier in a Medical Retention 

Processing status. Soldiers can call toll 

free at 1-866-908-2762 or send an e-mail 

to ASAMRA-Ombudsman@HQDA.

ARMY.MIL.

The ombudsman hotline is staffed by 

personnel who are knowledgeable in 

the processes and procedures associated 

with Soldiers placed in a medical holdover status.

The Army has also opened a new call 

center to help Soldiers find their way 

through the medical care system. The 

Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline 

gives wounded and injured Soldiers 

and their Family members another way 

to resolve medical issues.

The hotline provides an information 

channel for Soldiers’ medical-related 

issues to go directly to senior Army 

leadership in order to improve the way 

the Army serves the medical needs 

of Soldiers and their Families, said 

the commander of U.S. Army Human 

Resources Command, MG Sean J. 

Byrne.

The Wounded Soldier and Family 

Hotline can be reached from 7 a.m. 

until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

at 1-800-984-8523.

Officials stress that both new hotlines 

are not designed to circumvent a 

Soldier’s normal chain of command. 

The new lines should be consulted 

if routine procedures do not appear 

to be resolving issues in a reasonable 

manner.

$2K REFERRAL BONUS 

PROGRAM HELP CAN HELP

UNIT RECRUITING

By Chuck Prichard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

A

TLANTA — Army Reserve Soldiers 

can help their units and themselves by taking advantage of a 

new program that pays $2,000 for referring a successful enlistee.

“Everybody wins. The new recruit 

reaps all the benefits of military service. 

The referring Soldiers get a substantial 

amount of money. And the unit gets 

two highly motivated members,” said 

SFC Susan Kostovick, an Active Guard 

and Reserve recruiter who works in 

Beaverton, Ore.

Soldiers, future Soldiers, retired 

Soldiers and Department of the Army 

civilian employees may receive the 

$2,000 bonus for referring eligible 

recruits who have never served in the 

military and who have not previously 

met with a recruiter. Restrictions 

preclude the referral of an immediate 

Family member, including a spouse, 

parent (or step-parent), child (natural, 

adopted, or step-child), brother or 

sister.

Additionally, the referral must be 

made via the program’s official web 

site—https://www.usarec.army.

mil/smart/—or by calling 1-800-USAARMY, extension 181.

Referrals for the regular Army and 

Army Reserve may also be made 

by calling U.S. Army Recruiting 

Command’s toll-free number: (800) 

223-3735. Referrals to the National 

Guard may be made by calling the 

Guard’s toll-free number: (866) 566-

2472.

Those who are not eligible to receive 

a referral bonus include Soldiers 

assigned to the U.S. Army Accessions 

Command, U.S. Army Recruiting 

News Briefs

✂
Command, Cadet Command, U.S. 

Army Reserve Command-Retention 

and Transition Division, National 

Guard state recruiting commands, and 

any other member of the Army serving 

in a recruiting or retention assignment. 

Soldiers and Army retirees who are 

serving as instructors or administrators 

in the Junior Reserve Officer Training 

Corps program are also not eligible 

to participate in the referral-bonus 

program. Also ineligible are members 

assigned to duties regarding which 

eligibility for a bonus could, as determined by the secretary of the Army, 

be perceived as creating a conflict of 

interest.

Payment of $1K will be made when the 

applicant ships to basic training and 

another $1K when the Soldier graduates from advanced individual training 

(AIT).

The bonus is also available for successful referrals to the regular Army and 

the National Guard.

Kostovick touts the program as a good 

incentive for Army Reserve unit commanders to offer their troops.

“I don’t know anybody who can’t use 

an extra $2,000,” Kostovick said.

She points to an event put on in March, 

2007, by the 320th Psychological 

Operations Company, an Army Reserve 

unit headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., 

as a good example of how the new 

bonus can energize a unit-sponsored 

recruiting program.

Members of the 320th took two military vehicles to a local high school 

auto mechanics class to show students 

how the Army Reserve employs people 

with the skills they are learning. The 

students responded well to the Soldiers. 

As a result of that visit, one of the 

students signed up to join the 320th, 

Kostovick said.

“That kind of event can be successful 

just about anywhere,” Kostovick said.

“Unit commanders can send 

out a couple of their younger 

troops—the ones who recently 

got back from AIT—and let 

the students meet some of their 

peers who are enjoying success in 

uniform,” Kostovick explained.

“And, if the Soldiers play it 

right, they can talk to the students and make themselves a 

couple of thousand dollars for a 

referral,” she said.

43 ARMY RESERVE SOLDIERS 

RE-ENLIST AT U.S. CAPITOL

By Chuck Prichard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

WASHINGTON — Almost 100 years 

after a group of dedicated 

Americans volunteered to serve 

the nation, a group of modern-day 

patriots gathered near the nation’s 

Capitol to show that the pride and 

spirit of Army Reserve Soldiers has not 

diminished after nearly a century of 

service.

More than two 

dozen members of 

the Army Reserve 

raised their right 

hands and again 

took the oath 

during a reenlistment ceremony 

held on April 23, 2007. The ceremony 

served as the kickoff of an extended celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 

establishment of the Army Reserve.

“I’m re-enlisting because I know I 

made a difference in Iraq helping 

to rebuild local communities as 

a civil affairs Soldier,” said SSG 

Judith Aiksnoras, 411th Civil Affairs 

Battalion, Danbury, Conn. “Through 

the Reserve, I’ve gained discipline, 

self-respect and mental and physical 

strengths I don’t think I could have 

learned in the civilian world.”

The 43 re-enlisting Soldiers included 

several who earned Bronze Star and 

Purple Heart awards for their service in 

Iraq and Afghanistan. They are part of 

a very different Army Reserve than the 

organization formed a century ago.

The U.S. Army Reserve traces its 

beginnings to April 23, 1908, when 

Congress passed Senate Bill 1424. This 

act authorized the Army to establish a 

reserve corps of medical officers. The 

Secretary of War could order these 

officers to active duty during time of 

emergency. This was the nation’s first 

federal reserve. Four years later, a provision of the Army Appropriations Act of 

1912 created the Regular Army Reserve, 

a federal reserve outside the Medical 

Reserve Corps authorized in 1908.

From that start, the Army Reserve of 

today has grown to a force of 200,000 

Soldiers who play a vital role in our 

nation’s defense. More than 102,000 

Army Reserve Soldiers have mobilized 

since Sept. 11, 2001, to support the 

Global War on Terrorism. Attrition is 

at its lowest point since fiscal year 2000, 

and the Army Reserve is exceeding all 

retention goals.

“Today’s Army Reserve is no longer

a strategic reserve,” said the Chief, 

Army Reserve, LTG Jack C. Stultz, 

who administered the oath of enlistment. “Instead, it is an operational 

force and an integral part of the world’s 

greatest Army.”

Several events will be held throughout 

the coming year to celebrate the Army 

Reserve’s centennial of service.

NEWS

LTG Jack C. Stultz re-enlists 43 Army Reserve Soldiers in front of the 

U.S. Capitol building.

PHOTO: SGT CHRISTOPHE PAUL

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 5
COMMANDER’S INTENT GUIDES FORCE 

TO DESIRED END STATE

WASHINGTON — When I joined the Army in 1974, we were a nation that had just 

come out of a lengthy war and was beginning a major transformation. There 

was great turbulence in the force, and public opinion of military service was not 

very high.

Over 30 years later, we find ourselves engaged in another long war — the Global War 

on Terrorism. The Army today is implementing the most substantial and complex 

transformation and modernization since WW II to meet changing demands. Currently, 

there is a lot of turbulence with manning the force, and public opinion about the war 

is mixed.

But today there is a significant difference. Today this nation holds our military service 

men and women in the highest esteem. They appreciate the selfless nature of our 

Soldiers and the sacrifices they make to protect our nation from those who would do 

us harm.

Today, we are facing a different kind of enemy, and America needs an Army that can 

sustain military capabilities for the long haul. We will be engaged in the Global War 

on Terrorism for the foreseeable future, and the nation will continue to call upon our 

warrior-citizens to serve.

I am extremely proud of how superbly our service men and women have performed. 

I am also very grateful to each and every one of them for their understanding of the 

complex and dangerous threat we face and their willingness to continue to stand up 

and serve the nation.

THE CHANGING 

ARMY RESERVE

By LTG Jack C. Stultz

Chief, Army Reserve

Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command

(((

Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command, LTG 

Jack C. Stultz, speaks to Army Reserve Soldiers deployed 

in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom during his visit to 

Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

PHOTO: MAJ MICHELE SUTAK

6 ( Army Reserve Magazine
As the leader of almost 200,000 warrior-citizens, it is my responsibility to ensure Army 

Reserve units and individual Soldiers are prepared to continue to deploy as an integral 

part of an operational military force. To foster unity of effort throughout our formations, 

I have published my vision for the Army Reserve and Commander’s Intent.

My vision statement articulates who we are as an organization and the value we bring to 

the nation. “The Army Reserve is a community-based federal operational force of skillrich warrior-citizens providing complementary capabilities for joint expeditionary and 

domestic operations.” This statement communicates both internally and externally to 

the Army Reserve where the organization is headed to support the Army, Department 

of Defense, and America.

My commander’s intent articulates to both internal and external 

stakeholders the areas where we must focus as an organization 

to realize this vision. By clearly communicating the purpose 

and direction, every Army Reserve Soldier should understand 

what they must do and why. It is the single unifying guidance 

that will help our Warrior-Citizens integrate their efforts personally, with their Families, their employers, and the Army.

Issued and distributed in November 2006, my commander’s 

intent also communicates the end state. This is the objective we 

must collectively reach.

The bottom line is that we must successfully shape and implement The Army Plan to ensure that the Army Reserve continues 

to provide relevant joint war fighting capabilities wherever and 

whenever the nation requires. This is a simple statement, but 

again, the key word is “relevant.” Relevancy relates to where 

the Army is headed in the future and the kinds of capabilities 

needed to defend the nation. We must make sure that what we 

are doing in terms of transformation and shaping the Army 

Reserve is going to be relevant for the future. Otherwise, we 

become a resource that is wasteful and does not provide the 

capabilities the nation requires.

As an operational force, the Army Reserve will:

Sustain a robust capacity and commitment to train, alert, and deploy units and individual Soldiers for expeditionary operations.

As an operational force, the Army Reserve must sustain individual and collective readiness of our Warrior-Citizens. Successful implementation of the Army Reserve training 

strategy is critical to remaining ready and relevant in expeditionary force rotation 

requirements. This will include conducting training prior to being alerted, which has 

traditionally been done post-mobilization. Commanders and their staffs must be familiar with what it means to be a ready operational force vice a strategic reserve and the 

implications for successful sustainment. Understand it. Develop your plans around it. 

Execute it.

Provide Title X first response capabilities for domestic operations.

In addition to expeditionary missions, the Army Reserve has capabilities the nation 

needs to respond to domestic natural disasters and federal capacity in the event of a 

weapons of mass destruction attack on the homeland.

End State

An Army Reserve with a culture 

that embraces continuous transformation is capable of predictably 

and perpetually providing relevant 

operational forces to combatant 

commanders, and maintains strong 

mutually supporting WarriorCitizen relationships among 

Soldiers, Families, employers 

and the Army.

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 7
8 ( Army Reserve Magazine

We will ensure our capabilities are positioned, trained and exercised to respond at 

home and abroad wherever the Army has a requirement to provide federal military 

capabilities.

Provide capabilities to train the Army, joint, and foreign forces.

The Army Reserve plays a critical role in the Army’s generating force. We are an 

essential element of America’s training base and provide the capacity that enables the 

nation to train foreign forces involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring 

Freedom, and security cooperation programs of combatant commanders. We will continue to provide these capabilities essential to training the Army and other services as 

well as the ability to train foreign forces in support of joint operations.

Develop and deploy unique value-added individual capabilities to complement joint 

force requirements.

Develop and deploy unique value-added individual capabilities: Our Soldiers bring 

value-added skills from their civilian employment and experiences. We will continue to 

leverage civilian skills to complement our military capabilities. The Army Reserve will 

develop and deploy standard military and “unique skills” relevant to supporting joint 

force requirements.

Execute ARFORGEN.

The Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) model provides predictability for the 

Army, Soldiers, Families, and employers to plan for and manage future requirements. 

However, the model in its current form was developed around the brigade combat 

teams. To sustain capacity for the Global War on Terrorism, the Army must fully 

implement ARFORGEN across the entire force. This includes driving force design 

changes across all components and managing the implications of Base Realignment and 

Closure (BRAC) on force generation. We will continue to press the Army to implement 

ARFORGEN and organize, equip, train and man our forces accordingly. Commanders 

and staffs must ensure their systems and processes are transformed to successfully take 

units and individuals through the ARFORGEN process.

Execute transformation.

We all must understand that transformation is not an end state. It is a process and 

cultural mindset. When we talk about transformation, we develop initiatives and implement decisions that improve our capacity to effectively deliver capabilities to the nation. 

Significant transformation initiatives that affect the Army Reserve include BRAC, Army 

Reserve Command and Control (ARC2), and rebalancing the force across and within 

active and reserve components.

Commanders and staffs will implement BRAC, ARC2, and Army Campaign Plan decisions. We will also work diligently to press the Army and Department of Defense to 

continue force rebalance efforts to resource the appropriate operational depth required 

to execute ARFORGEN. We will advocate the design of formations that optimize joint 

capabilities instead of redundant service structures.

The Army Reserve already deploys effectively in support of joint formations, but

we must better organize the force mix of combat arms, combat support, combat

service support and non traditional skills across all components and services and train 

as a joint team.

“We all must 

understand that transformation is not an end 

state. It is a process 

and cultural mindset.”

— LTG Jack C. Stultz
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 9

My intent is that the Army Reserve exercise leadership in these venues to ensure the 

nation has the depth necessary to sustain joint expeditionary and domestic operations. 

Develop our leaders.

Our Soldiers are the centerpiece of our formations, and we must ensure we continue 

to improve their agility and adaptability. As Warrior-Citizens, all Army Reserve 

leaders—officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and junior enlisted 

Soldiers—must be prepared to lead in an environment with constantly changing conditions. It is part of our ethos and culture.

To sustain our operational force in the long war, we owe those leaders predictability at 

home and a commitment to deploy once every five years. We also owe Soldiers robust 

human-resource-life-cycle-management and leader-development systems that help them 

develop effectively as warriors and citizens. This includes expanding cultural-awareness, 

educational and self-development opportunities, and partnering with employers.

My intent is to ensure we continue to invest in developing the leadership skills of our 

warriors and returning them to their communities as complete citizens who positively 

influence their Families, their employers and the nation.

Improve and grow the mutual support between the Army, Families, and employers.

We must rededicate ourselves to acknowledging the sacrifice and commitment of 

Families and employers. Although we can always do more for Families, the Army as an 

institution understands the connection and has instituted some robust Family support 

programs. When it comes to employers, however, we ask much of them, and we must do 

a better job of articulating that it is good business to employ our Soldiers. We must show 

the nation that, in addition to providing leadership in our formations, Army Reserve 

Soldiers and their Families are leaders in their communities and places of employment.

It is my intent to initiate a comprehensive outreach campaign to ensure Congress and 

the military services clearly understand that Family and employer support are not just 

reserve component issues. It is in the nation’s interest and critical to the capabilities of 

all services to have better relationships between employers and the military.

It is also my intent that this campaign lead to stronger cooperative agreements with 

employers. Our Soldiers bring leadership, commitment, character and skills that will 

make a difference to their employers’ bottom lines. Mutual support between Soldiers, 

Families and employers, and the military services makes the Warrior-Citizen a critical 

capability of the nation.

Communicate our contract with the American people.

The Army Reserve is a community-based force that is rich with skills gained from military training and education and experience in the civilian sector. We have a contract 

with the American people to support and defend the Constitution of the United States 

and defend the nation from all enemies foreign and domestic.

We must show the people in our communities what that means and ensure that

fellow citizens in both the public and private sectors understand the implications of 

this war.

This is not just about a recruiting and retention initiative. This is what Creighton Abrams 

and military theorists from Sun Tzu, to Clausewitz and Mao talk about when they 

articulate the connection of the military with the will of the people. Our military is an 

“As Warrior-Citizens, 

all Army Reserve 

leaders—officers, 

warrant officers, noncommissioned officers 

and junior enlisted 

Soldiers —must be 

prepared to lead in 

an environment with 

constantly changing 

conditions. It is part of 

our ethos and culture.”

— LTG Jack C. Stultz
10 ( Army Reserve Magazine

all-volunteer force that needs a stronger connection with citizens in grassroots America 

and our Army Reserve communities are critical nodes in that support network.

It is my intent to initiate an effective community outreach program, and I need every 

leader in the Army Reserve to participate in this initiative.

Secure and Optimize Resources: Structure, Manpower, Equipment and Finances.

Consistent with the Army Plan, we will communicate our organizational needs to key 

institutional stakeholders to drive planning, programming, budgeting and execution to 

reflect requirements and needed resources associated with a viable operational force vice 

a strategic reserve.

This is not just money I am referring to. When I talk about resource processes, I mean 

structure, manpower, equipment and dollars. We have to push the Defense and Army 

systems and processes to ensure resources support strategic objectives. We must do this 

more effectively. We currently participate in these processes but not in a way that will 

drive us to field a sustainable operational force.

My intent is to use the strategic planning processes to reflect our way ahead. Shaping 

and setting our force structure is among my most important objectives. Successful 

implementation of ARFORGEN requires that we aggressively defend key equities in 

operational force structure and constrain our overhead in the generating force while 

providing viable military and civilian career paths. It also requires that we realistically 

program and budget for costs associated with the Army Reserve as an operational force.

My intent is to implement BRAC as swiftly as possible and drive the Army in force 

design and the Total Army Analysis process to transform our formations to a future 

that positions the Army Reserve as a sustainable joint force capability provider. We also 

need Human Resource Life Cycle Management processes that effectively manage our 

Warrior-Citizens based on ARFORGEN and include industry-friendly mechanisms to 

facilitate—not constrain—Soldiers’ military careers when their employers move them 

to different locations across the nation. The resource processes are the Army’s center of 

gravity, and we will press synchronized efforts across the structure, manpower, equipment and funding domains to deliver to the nation our war fighting capabilities as an 

operational force.

The Way Ahead.

We have been entrusted with the mission to defend the nation and our Warrior-Citizens 

have answered the call. I have provided my intent to my commanders in the field and 

staff directors. I expect Army Reserve leaders to ensure each Soldier in their chain of 

command fully understands what they are working toward and why it is critical to attain 

these objectives.

What’s in it for Soldiers.

Finally, my message to each of our Warrior-Citizens, their Families, and employers is 

this; as I stated before: This nation has the utmost respect for what you do, and we all 

appreciate your service and continued commitment. You are all heroes and we must do 

everything possible to retain you and provide you the opportunity to continue to serve. 

Working together to achieve my vision for the Army Reserve and execute my intent, we 

will provide more predictability in your lives, minimize your post mobilization training 

time, and provide you tools to continue to serve as both a warrior and a citizen defending 

this great nation.

“Successful implementation of ARFORGEN 

requires that we 

aggressively defend key 

equities in operational 

force structure and 

constrain our overhead 

in the generating force 

while providing viable 

military and civilian 

career paths.”

— LTG Jack C. Stultz
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 11

MEETING THE NEEDS 

OF ARMY FAMILIES

By Michael Sick

Marketing Consultant

DefenseWeb Technologies

“...We recruit a Soldier and retain a Family.”

The obvious truth of these words by LTG Jack C. Stultz, Chief, Army Reserve, has 

been evident over the past few years. The frequent deployment of Army Reserve 

Soldiers has brought home the fact that the Army Reserve is no longer a strategic 

force in reserve but an active operational part of the Army. Recent deployments have 

had an obvious impact on Army Reserve Families.

Transformation is a theme for the Army Reserve’s current re-invention of itself. The 

Army Reserve Family Programs office has been going through its own transformation for a number of years now. In the face of an increase in mobilizations since the 

Global War on Terrorism began, Family Programs had to rethink how it would meet 

the needs of the Families it serves. With the rapid ramp-up in deployments and

with key Family Programs staff members who are also reserve members sometimes 

getting deployed themselves, many changes were needed and a number of initiatives 

were approved.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 80 percent of Army Reserve Soldiers have been 

deployed and about 22,000 Army Reserve Soldiers have deployed more than once. 

For every deployed Soldier, there may be a spouse, child, parent, employer or other 

who may need information or access to benefits. In order to deal with the significant 

increase in services requested, Army Reserve Family Programs had to rethink a 

number of its business processes.

WELL-BEING/ 

FAMILY READINESS
12 ( Army Reserve Magazine

needs help with benefits, pay issues or legal support, we want 

the Soldier to feel confident that the Family programs staff is 

taking care of the Family back home.”

“Providing community-based activities for the children of 

deployed Soldiers is a key priority for the Child & Youth 

Services (CYS) program,” said Pamela McBride, CYS program 

manager. “We have 13 staff members, geographically located, 

who are involved in a number of programs like the Army 

Reserve Teen Panel, childcare services, summer camps and 

partnerships with organizations like Sesame Street and the 

Boys and Girls Clubs. We have heard from Soldiers that the 

well-being of their children is one of their top concerns and 

our group works hard to address this issue.”

Army Reserve Soldiers have always had a different experience 

from their active component counterparts. When active-duty 

Soldiers return from deployment, they are often still with their 

unit and living on or near a military base where they can easily 

access the information, benefits and services they need.

In contrast, Army Reserve Soldiers come home to their 

Families and focus on returning to civilian employment and 

reintegration. They must be aware of the benefits, various programs and services available within the community they live.

In addition to the information available through the web 

portal, the Army Reserve Family Programs staff fills any 

gaps by being available in-person, by phone, and by e-mail to 

answer any questions and provide information and referrals for 

Soldiers and their Family.

Soldiers who are reassigned to another unit for the purposes 

of mobilization may further complicate some of the communication issues. These Soldiers and their Families often have 

different information needs than the balance of their unit. For 

example, sometimes these Soldiers meet up with their new 

unit at the mobilization station after the unit already received 

the mobilization briefings. Providing a point of contact to 

A web portal, www.arfp.org, was launched in 2005 in order to 

provide Families access to the information they need—24 hours 

a day and seven days a week. Thousands of Soldiers and Family 

members visit the portal every day to get answers to questions 

they may have about mobilization, deployments, benefits or 

other topics. Also, through the use of the portal, many of the 

Family Programs’ administrative and recordkeeping tasks have 

now been automated, thereby providing additional efficiencies 

and more time to help Family’s particular needs.

Family programs have also seen the composition of its staff 

change from Soldiers who were part of the command structure 

but not available for deployment to civilian contractors who 

are encouraged to make a long-term commitment to serving 

Soldiers and their Families. Many of the current Family 

Programs staff members are former Soldiers or spouses of 

Soldiers. “With ongoing staff training and the launch of the 

web portal we are well-positioned to meet the needs of Soldiers 

and their Families,” said Lee Ratliff, director, Army Reserve 

Family Programs.

The current structure of the Army Reserve’s 10 Regional 

Readiness Commands (RRCs) is also going under transformation. The RRCs are being inactivated and Family Programs 

will realign with the new command structure. Family Programs 

staff members are already working closely with commanders, 

Family readiness groups and individual Soldiers and their 

Families to prepare them for mobilization and deployment.

“We now have a team of about 150 staff supporting Army 

Reserve Families,” says Michael Evans, regional Family programs manager. “That may sound like a lot, but we are trying 

to stay in contact with tens of thousands of Families geographically dispersed throughout the United States and overseas. The 

Family programs staff is involved with command consultation, 

education, training and awareness briefings, and requests for 

information and assistance. If the Family of a deployed Soldier 

We have heard from Soldiers that the 

well-being of their children is one of 

their top concerns and our group works 

hard to address this issue.”

— Pamela McBride, 

CYS program manager

“If the Family of a deployed Soldier 

needs help with benefits, pay issues or 

legal support, we want the Soldier to feel 

confident that the Family programs staff 

is taking care of the Family back home.”

— Michael Evans, 

regional Family programs manager
CPT Carlos Ramirez, 597th Quartermaster Company, is joined by his wife Zoraya Diaz and son Carlos Gabriel, after returning from Iraq from a 13-month deployment. Army Reserve Family 

Program staffs answer Soldiers and their Families’ questions and provide them information and referrals on benefits, various programs and services available within the community they live.

individualized needs is a focus area of Family Programs as the 

Army Reserve continues its transformation.

Recent deployments have also created strains on the relationship with Soldiers’ civilian employers. As the Army Reserve 

is transforming into more of an operational force with regular 

mobilizations, new incentives and arrangements will need 

to be developed to ensure that civilian jobs are secure when 

Soldiers are demobilized. With the Army Force Generation 

model, Soldiers will be available for mobilization once every 

five years. This will provide Soldiers and employers with 

greater predictability in the mobilization cycle.

This transformation will require some new models and 

approaches. Perhaps employers could receive incentives to hire 

PHOTO: JEANNETTE AYMERICH

five Soldiers to fill four positions, knowing that one employee 

may be mobilized at any given time. This approach could take 

the training and teamwork that Army Reserve Soldiers bring 

to the workplace to a whole new level. Increased complexity 

and advance planning are likely to be in the future for the 

Army Reserve.

Whatever changes do occur in the Army Reserve, one thing 

that won’t change is the commitment to the Family. For 

America to be able to count on an all-volunteer force of 

Warrior-Citizens our Soldiers must be able to count on us to 

support their Family. Freedom and the Family are the two 

things that Soldiers always hold dearest in their hearts.

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 13
14 ( Army Reserve Magazine

TRANSFORMATION MEANS FUTURE FORCE 

RELEVANCE, READINESS

By Gregory Nell

Operations Officer

Army Reserve Transformation Integration

LTC Matt Leonard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

A

TLANTA — The Army continues to pursue the most comprehensive transformation of its forces 

since the early years of World War II. Army Transformation produces evolutionary and 

revolutionary changes intended to improve Army and joint force capabilities to meet current 

and future full-spectrum requirements. The Army Reserve (AR) is moving forward as an operational force capable of adapting to future requirements by streamlining our command and control 

headquarters. This includes realigning structure from our Table of Distribution and Allowance 

(TDA)-type organizations into our Modified Table of Organization and Equipment (MTOE) 

deployable force. In so doing the AR will increase MTOE structure from approximately 128,500 

to 145,500 positions.

Successful major change management initiatives can often take 5 to 7 years to create what is needed 

to ensure success. The Army Reserve has committed its resources towards aggressively pursing 

the required change to support a more expeditionary force. By 2010, the Army Reserve will be 

much better poised and more efficient to carry out its mission to support future joint operational 

requirements.

Operational and Functional Commands

A major change to the Army Reserve is that structure is being shifted from its TDA organizations 

and is being placed under Operational and Functional (O&F) Commands.

The O&F commands now inherently provide training and readiness oversight functions for 

their subordinate units. Current O&F Commands are: Army Reserve Medical Command, Civil 

Affairs and Psychological Operations Command, Military Intelligence Readiness Command, 11th 

Aviation Command, 311th and 335th Theater Signal Commands, 200th Theater Military Police 

Command, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, and 412th and 416th Engineer Commands. 

The 200th Theater Military Police Command will stand up in April 2008.

AR TRANSFORMATION

ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANS
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 15

and implement signal support plans, policies and procedures. 

Install, operate, maintain, and protect command, control, communications, and computer (C4) systems and networks, strategic 

and tactical, in support of U.S. operations.

200th Theater Military Police (MP) Command

The 200th Theater Military Police Command will provide 

command and control for the execution, planning, supervision, coordination and integration of MP combat support and 

Internment/Resettlement brigades and other military police 

units engaged in theater-level Army, joint and multinational 

military police operations in support of the Army/Combatant 

Commander’s priorities.

377th Theater Sustainment Command

The 377th Theater Sustainment Command will provide 

command and control of all assigned, attached and operational 

control (OPCON) units. It provides sustainment planning, 

guidance and support to forces in an area of operation. This will 

become the largest command in the Army Reserve. Assigned 

under the 377th will be five general officer Expeditionary 

Sustainment Commands (ESC): the 103rd, 143rd, 310th, 311th 

and 316th ESC’s. The ESCs are a critical component to the 

Army Reserves theater sustainment role, designed to forward 

deploy in an austere theater and provide combat service assets 

and services.

Engineer Commands

The 412th and 416th Engineer Commands provide theater-level 

engineer operations in support of assigned theater commanders. 

These units participate in joint and combined regional contingency operations. They also support continental U.S.-based 

engineer requirements as directed.

Generating Forces

Institutional Training Commands

The current six Divisions (Institutional Training) will realign 

under three new training commands: 80th Training Command 

(The Army School System), and the 108th Training Command 

(Initial Entry Training) and the 84th Training Command 

(Leader Readiness). The various brigades within the current 

Div. (IT) s will be reorganized by specialty and re-aligned under 

a general officer training division headquarters.

The 80th Training Command (TASS) will have three subordinate general officer commands; the 102nd Division (Maneuver 

Support), the 94th Div. (Force Sustainment) and the 100th 

Division (Operations Support). These are responsible for 

administering the Army Schools System, across the entire 

United States.

Army Reserve Medical Command (AR MEDCOM)

AR MEDCOM will re-align into two deployable headquarters; 

the 3rd and 807th Medical Deployment Support Commands. 

These commands will provide command and control of assigned 

and attached medical forces. They bring the ability to deploy 

worldwide in support of contingencies; coordinating and synchronizing force health protection and Health Services Support 

between U.S. services, coalition forces, and host-nation as allocated by the theater commander, in order to deliver first-class 

combat healthcare.

U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations 

Command (Airborne) USACAPOC (A)

Effective Oct. 1, 2006, Headquarters Department of the Army 

realigned command and control of the USACAPOC (A) and 

all Army Reserve Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations 

units and Soldiers from the U.S. Army Special Operations 

Command to the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC). 

As a direct reporting unit to USARC, USACAPOC organizes, 

trains, equips, validates and prepares Army Reserve Civil Affairs 

and Psychological Operations forces for worldwide support to 

regional combatant commanders, U.S. ambassadors, country 

teams and other agencies as directed.

USACAPOC also provides forces, resources and expertise 

in civil affairs and psychological operations in support of 

the regional commanders-in-chief, joint task forces, and U.S. 

ambassadors and country teams. Civil affairs and psychological operations units and Soldiers perform missions around the 

world in support of U. S. foreign policy.

Military Intelligence Readiness Command (MIRC)

The MIRC enables the ongoing intelligence requirements of 

the U. S. Army, combatant commands, combat support agencies, and other services by providing trained and ready Soldiers; 

mission-tailored teams and units; and state-of-the-art intelligence production and training facilities.

11th Aviation Command

The 11th Aviation Command provides air traffic services, airfield management, aero medical evacuation, combat aviation 

brigade reinforcement, theater aviation support and coordination of aviation staging and onward movement in order to 

support corps, Army or joint operations in theater.

Theater Signal Commands

The mission of the 311th and 335th Signal Commands is to 

provide communications support in the theater of operations 

to the Army Service Component Commander, Army Forces 

(ARFOR), joint and coalition forces. They provide command 

and control of all assigned and attached signal units; formulate 

FORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY
16 ( Army Reserve Magazine

The 85th TSD Headquarters will transform into the Regional 

Support Group (RSG) for AR TSD West. The 87th TSD 

Headquarters will transform into the RSG for AR TSD East. 

The RSGs will provide administrative support to the Army 

Reserve units and Soldiers within the AR TSD commands.

Regional Readiness Sustainment Commands (RRSC)

In September 2006 four newly-created Regional Readiness 

Sustainment Commands (RRSC) entered carrier status within 

the Army Reserve. These will take the place of the current 10 

Regional Readiness Command (RRC) headquarters in providing 

base operations support to Army Reserve units in their respective regions. The new commands, designated as the 63rd, 81st, 

88th and 99th RRSCs will provide personnel, information and 

resource management, facilities and equipment support to the 

AR units in their geographic area. The new RRSCs will be fully 

operational no later than FY 08. The former RRC missions of 

command and control, and training and readiness oversight are 

shifting to the O&F Commands.

The 88th RRSC will be organized at Fort McCoy, Wis. Its 

geographical area will include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, 

Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South 

Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, 

Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. 

The 63d RRSC will be organized at Moffett Field, California. Its 

geographical area will include California, Nevada, Arizona, New 

Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

 The 99th RRSC will be organized at Fort Dix, N. J. Its area 

will include Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New 

Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, 

New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont and Maine.

The 81st RRSC will be organized at Fort Jackson, S.C. Its 

geographical area will include Kentucky, Tennessee, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, 

Mississippi and Florida.

Future Force

The transformation of the Army Reserve actions are part of 

the overall transformation plan that will better align our units 

with the Army Campaign Plan and modularity transformation 

initiatives.

Once complete the AR will be able to provide 60 support

brigade equivalents and 10 Civil Affairs/Psychological 

Operations brigade equivalents to support the missions of the 

active component.

 The 108th Training Command (IET) will have two subordinate general officer commands; the 95th Div., responsible for 

the IET units in the western United States and the 98th Div., 

responsible for the IET units in the eastern United States. These 

units administer initial entry training for new Soldiers at installations across the nation.

The 84th Training Command (LR) will have two subordinate 

general officer commands: the 70th Div. (Functional Training), 

responsible for administering functional training and the 104th 

Div. (Leader Training), responsible for administering professional development courses for officers and non-commissioned 

officers.

Training Support Commands

Another key part of Army Reserve transformation is the redesign of the Army Reserve collective training capability within 

the Training Support Divisions (TSD).

The five current Army Reserve TSD headquarters and their 

subordinate units will re-align under several new headquarters 

including: Army Reserve (AR) TSD East; AR TSD West, 75th 

Battle Command Training Division (BCTD), 78th Operations 

Group and the 91st Operations Group.

The headquarters, AR TSD East and AR TSD West will provide 

the Army Reserve staff augmentation for the First U.S. Army’s 

Division East and Division West respectively, and will be under 

the operational control of the First U.S. Army, an active component Army headquarters. The Army Reserve training and 

logistical support battalions previously subordinate to the five 

legacy TSDs will realign geographically under AR TSD West 

and AR TSD East. They will support the training and readiness 

oversight mission of the First U.S. Army by conducting pre- and 

post-mobilization training support to all National Guard and 

Army Reserve units. 

The 75th TSD Headquarters will transform into the 75th 

Battle Command Training Division (BCTD). It will retain its 

current 1st Brigade, a Battle Command Staff Training (BCST) 

Brigade and will also assume command of the BCST Brigades 

of the other four TSDs. Battle command training involves staff 

command post exercises supported with computer simulations 

which enable staffs to improve their operating efficiency and 

effectiveness.

The 78th TSD and 91st TSD Headquarters will transform into 

the 78th and 91st Operations Groups respectively. These operations groups will provide realistic, scenario driven training for 

combat support and combat service support units up to brigadelevel. The scenarios will use live fire exercises and opposing 

force elements in contemporary operating environments and 

will also integrate virtual and constructive simulations and 

simulators during unit training.

ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANS
FORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY

These and other initiatives currently underway are essential for 

the Army Reserve’s readiness and relevance as a federal force in 

support of our national security strategy.

(Editor’s Note: Please see the accompanying tables and graphics 

on pages 22–25 for more information regarding the Army Reserve 

“Future Force” units and locations.)

143RD TRANSCOM 

MOVING FORWARD WITH 

TRANSFORMATION

By SSG James Martin

Public Affairs Office

377th Theater Support Command 

LTC Matt Leonard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait — Following its successful five-year 

tour in Kuwait the 143rd Transportation Command 

(TRANSCOM) (Forward) is moving ahead with transformation. In September of 2007 the entire 143rd TRANSCOM will 

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 17

PHOTO: SSG JAMES MARTIN

re-activate as the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) 

with it’s headquarters in Orlando, Fla.

Last December the forward of the 143rd TRANSCOM, stationed in Kuwait de-activated. This inactivation is one of many 

force structure changes the Army Reserve is undergoing in its 

transition to an operational force. It is all part of Army transformation.

During the ceremony MG Dennis Hardy, Third Army/U.S. 

Army Central Deputy Commanding General said, “This is the 

first step in the transformation of the 143rd as we case the colors 

of the forward element today leading eventually to summer 2007 

when we case the colors of the 143rd Transportation Command 

back in the United States.”

With the deactivation, the roles and responsibilities the 143rd 

TRANSCOM (Forward) have been transferred to the 377th 

Theater Support Command (Forward).

“We are preparing for the future,” said MG Thomas Robinson, 

377th Theater Support Command (Forward), commanding 

general. “The mission has not changed. The warfighter still 

needs supplies and equipment. Those on the ground will not see 

any difference in the level of services we’re providing.”

The 143rd TRANSCOM (Forward) begins its transformation as BG Keith L. Thurgood, center, and CSM Michael Schultz, left, case the units colors as MG Dennis Hardy, right, observes during 

the deactivation ceremony held in December, 2006, at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
change. It marks the beginning of a transformation as we move 

from a transportation command to a sustainment command in 

support of the Army’s modular structure.”

TRANSFORMATION TO BRING 

NEW ROLE TO CSTC

By Amy Phillips

Public Affairs Office

Combat Support Training Center

F

ORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. — With Army Transformation in 

full swing, reorganizations and new commands are the norm 

these days within the Army community. Commanders 

everywhere are faced with new challenges and opportunities, 

and the U.S. Army Combat Support Training Center (CSTC) 

is no exception.

Transformation brought about a new mission for the CSTC 

to support the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) model. 

Robinson was the commanding general of the 143rd TRANSCOM 

in the United States until he took command of the 377th TSC 

(Forward).

“We are moving toward multifunctional units capable of, for 

example, transportation, ordnance and quartermaster roles,” 

said Robinson. “This is ultimately more efficient.”

Held at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, the deactivation ceremony 

included Soldiers and Sailors from the 143rd TRANSCOM 

(Forward) subordinate commands. The unit had been on the 

ground since the start of Operation Enduring Freedom and was 

already present at the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 

143rd rendered transportation support to Third U.S. Army and 

U.S. Army Central Command operations in the Middle East.

“The 143rd TRANSCOM, supported by the units here today 

as well as the units and rotations before us, has accomplished 

a logistics feat that only rivals the enormous effort that were 

essential for success in World War II,” said BG Keith Thurgood, 

143rd TRANSCOM (Forward), commanding general.

During his address, Thurgood drew an analogy between his 

unit and the famous Red Ball Express. This unit was a 

convoy system set up in 1944 that moved supplies and 

equipment over hundreds of miles to ensure the Allies 

had what they needed to continue the fight.

“At its peak, the Red Ball Express delivered 12,000 tons 

of supplies forward to the depots daily. When the Red 

Ball Express ended, our truckers had delivered 413,000 

tons of supplies,” Thurgood said. “Today we deliver 

16,000 tons of supplies daily, across lines of communication that are over 600 miles long, from the ports, up to 

Iraq and back again.”

Some accomplishments of the 143rd TRANSCOM 

(Forward) during the last five years include conducting 

138,000 convoys that covered more than 100 million 

miles. The unit also unloaded more than 600 ships and 

moved more than eight million tons of cargo.

“Every truckload we deliver brings us closer to victory. 

Without our logistics capabilities, the fine men and 

women at the tip of the spear would not be able to 

accomplish their jobs and the overall mission would 

fail,” Thurgood said. “[This change] will make us more 

agile, more flexible and more capable to support the 

warfighter.”

 “Today is a sad day, and it’s a happy day. It is a sad 

day because it marks the end of the [Transportation 

Command’s] forward element which has been here for 

five years as an enduring unit,” said BG Keith Thurgood, 

143rd TRANSCOM (Forward), commanding general. 

“It’s a happy day because it marks the beginning of 

ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANS PHOTO: AMY PHILLIPS

Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management and Commanding General IMCOM, LTG Robert 

Wilson, discusses strategies to enhance services at the U.S .Army Combat Support Training Center 

(CSTC), Calif.

18 ( Army Reserve Magazine
Based on this model, Army Reserve units will require a place 

to conduct large-scale collective training during the years three 

and four of the ARFORGEN cycle. This is where Fort Hunter 

Liggett’s (FHL) expansive 165,000 acres of theater-like terrain 

comes in. FHL is the Army Reserve’s largest installation, and 

the eighth largest in the Army’s inventory. CSTC will fully 

utilize the Simulation Center at Camp Parks in conjunction 

with the maneuver areas and ranges at FHL to conduct real 

world collective training for units in the validation phase of 

their ARFORGEN training cycle.

“Fort Hunter Liggett has a long-standing and proven history 

of support for Soldier training. The new CSTC mission gives 

the installation an even more important role in Army transformation and providing high quality services to our Soldiers 

and their Families,” said LTG Robert Wilson, assistant chief 

of staff for installation management and commanding general 

Installation Management Command (IMCOM).

In February 2007 the CSTC hosted a meeting with the key 

leaders from the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for 

Installation Management, IMCOM and the U.S. Army Reserve 

Command (USARC) at FHL. Wilson led the meeting with 

USARC Chief of Staff BG Oscar Anderson, ACSIM Army 

Reserve Director COL Jorge Santiago, IMCOM-West Deputy 

Director COL Douglas Biggerstaff and both the current and 

incoming CSTC commanders, COL. W. Scott Wood and COL 

Kevin Riedler, respectively.

Wilson, along with the other key players was able to brainstorm 

ideas to further enhance services at the CSTC. He then immediately began to coordinate the action items. One action item 

which was immediately decided upon was moving the headquarters from Camp Parks to FHL effective May 2007. Some 

key staff positions had already been relocated to Fort Hunter 

Liggett prior to that time.

The group got an aerial tour of the installation and many

of them also visited the Moffett Field enclave which the

CSTC oversees. The Moffett Field enclave will be home to

the new 63rd Regional Readiness Sustainment Command, 

an armed forces reserve training center and a military entry

processing station.

“The aerial tour provided me a good perspective of the vast 

potential of this installation. The terrain is theater-like, and has 

ideal maneuver space for today’s brigade combat team-based 

Army,” said Wilson.

“The outcome of the meeting was successful beyond my wildest 

dreams, said Wood. I look forward to getting the additional 

support that will enable me to provide top-notch services to the 

Soldiers training at the CSTC, and the military Families living 

at our sites.”

94TH RRC BEGINS 

TRANSFORMATION

By SPC Micah Wright

PFC Matthew Wisnieski

362nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

D

EVENS, Mass. — “By order of the Department of the Army, 

effective Sept. 16, 2006, the 167th Corps Support Group 

(CSG) is hereby inactivated,” read COL Andrew Barclay, 

commander of the 167th CSG during the unit’s inactivation 

ceremony held at the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area.

As his words rang out across the training ranges, and the Soldiers 

cased the colors and guidons of five units, it was obvious to 

everyone present that the proceedings heralded change for 

Soldiers of the 94th Regional Readiness Command (RRC). 

It is an oft-quoted saying that change is the only constant thing 

in life. This is especially true in today’s Army Reserve.

According to officials with the United States Army Reserve 

Command (USARC), the Londonderry, N.H.-based unit was 

one of the first units to undergo the command’s transformation 

process, which is designed to rebalance the Army Reserve’s 

warfighting capabilities.

Even though units are being restructured throughout the 94th 

RRC and the USARC, retaining Soldiers is the top priority for 

each commander. “We’re trying to make sure all Soldiers have a 

position,” said Barclay. “We need and want everybody.”

Soldiers will continue to receive opportunities to lead and make 

a difference. “Soldiers will have to know each other’s job to 

adapt and the unit will be trained on a lot of jobs,” said SPC Eric 

Munro, with the 167th CSG S-1 section.

“Not only will the depth of each Soldier’s experience increase, 

but also the breadth of his or her knowledge,” said Munro.

While the 167th CSG is now a part of military history, Barclay’s 

closing remarks at the ceremony emphasized the group’s continued heritage.

“The Army is undergoing one of the greatest transformations in 

its existence, converting its forces to be lighter, more mobile and 

faster to changing fluid situations. While the group no longer 

exists, her tradition carries on within the 167th Combat Support 

Sustainment Battalion,” stated Barclay. “Links of Strength.”

Barclay will remain involved in the transformation by serving 

at the brigade level as the inaugural commander of the 302nd 

Combat Support Brigade, which is scheduled to stand up in 2008.

“It (the 302nd), like the combat support sustainment battalion 

FORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 19
ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANS

20 ( Army Reserve Magazine

The 801st Quartermaster Company, Brockton, 

Mass., and the 530th Engineer Detachment, 

Somersworth, N.H., were activated.

The 167th CSG Headquarters converted 

to the 167th Headquarters, Headquarters 

Detachment CSSB under the 655th Area 

Support Group, which converted to the 655th 

Regional Support Group (RSG). The 401st 

Chemical Company converted from a smoke 

generation chemical company to a chemical 

detection company under the 655th RSG. 

The 439th Quartermaster Company under 

the 334th Quartermaster Battalion converted 

from the 167th CSG to the 655th RSG.

WILDCATS BREAK 

GROUND FOR NEW 

81ST FACILITY

By SPC Micah Wright

PFC Matthew Wisnieski

362nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

F

ORT JACKSON, S.C. — On March 10, 2007, 

members of the 81st Regional Readiness 

Sustainment Command (RRSC) of 

Fort Jackson, S.C., and the 81st Regional 

Readiness Command (RRC) of Birmingham, 

Ala., joined to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for one of the Army Reserve’s newest 

Armed Forces Reserve Centers. The event 

took place at Marion Avenue and Ewell Road 

on Fort Jackson, the site of the new home for 

the Wildcats.

Featured speakers at the event were: The 

Honorable Addison Graves (Joe) Wilson, 

U.S. Representative from South Carolina; 

MG Charles E. Gorton, commander of the 

81st RRSC, and Ian Headly, regional director for South 

Carolina’s Republican Senator, Jim DeMint.

“The Army Reserve has my support and the support of the 

American people as it restructures to play the role we need 

it to. I am certainly proud that this restructuring has led 

to a homecoming for the Wildcats,” wrote DeMint. “South 

Carolina has a long and proud military tradition. Fort Jackson 

and the Midlands of South Carolina will make a great home for 

the 81st Regional Readiness Sustainment Command.”

(CSSB), is designed to ‘plug’ into operational formations commanded by corps or division commanders to support brigade 

combat teams, once deployed,” explained Barclay.

During the ceremony, six units were inactivated: the 411th 

Quartermaster Company, Brockton, Mass., 947th Quartermaster 

Company, Somersworth, N.H., 283rd Transportation 

Company, Fairfield, Conn., 821st Transportation Detachment, 

Londonderry, N.H., 884th Transportation Detachment, 

Providence, R.I., and the 1205th Transportation Battalion, 

Middletown, Conn.

PHOTO: LINDA A. JELENIEWSKI 

Soldiers of the newly converted 167th Combat Support Sustainment Battalion (CSSB) Headquarters, Headquarters 

Detachment stand at ease as one Soldier holds the new unit’s guidon during a ceremony held in September, 2006.
FORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 21

As part of the Army Reserve’s transformation, the 81st RRC 

will inactivate in October 2008. The 81st RRSC gained carrier 

status in September 2006, paving the way for assigning personnel as the transformation effort continues. The RRSC will 

retain the RRC’s name and lineage of the Wildcats. It will 

move into the brand new 80,000 square-foot facility at Fort 

Jackson. The new Reserve Center will cost $14.2 million and is 

expected to be ready for occupancy in spring 2008.

Early in the ceremony, George W. Goldsmith, Jr., Dr. Robert R. 

Nash, and James J. Cardo, Jr., were inducted as Army Reserve 

Ambassadors. MG Goldsmith retired from the Army Reserve 

after serving as commanding general of the U. S. Army Reserve 

Readiness Command. Nash retired from the Army Reserve as 

the command sergeant major of the 108th Training Division. 

Cardo retired from the Army Reserve as a colonel after serving 

as assistant division commander of the 108th.

The 81st RRSC will be composed of approximately 300 people, 

including 217 full-time civilian employees, 38 full-time Active 

Guard and Reserve Soldiers, and 45 troop program unit Army 

Reserve Soldiers. The command’s eight-state area of responsibility (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, 

North Carolina South Carolina, and Tennessee) will be 

increased to include Louisiana.

The mission for the new RRSC will include providing personnel, information and resource management, facilities and 

equipment support to the unit’s commands in its geographic 

area. The training and readiness oversight functions currently 

performed by RRCs will be done by those functional and 

operational commands.

These changes in the Army Reserve are based on recommendations by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission. The 

resulting transformation is the most comprehensive modernization of the force since World War II. The 81st RRSC will 

serve as part of the foundation and an architect of tomorrow’s 

Army Reserve.

PHOTO: MSG MALCOLM WOLF

From left to right: MG Charles Gorton, commanding general, 81st RRSC, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, S.C., Ian Headley, regional director for U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, S.C., CSM Luis A. Blanco, 81st 

RRSC and MG James W. Rafferty, commanding general, 81st RRC take the ceremonial first shovel of dirt as part of the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new RRSC building on Fort Jackson, 

slated to open in May 2008.
22 ( Army Reserve Magazine

TWO STAR GO CMD ONE STAR GO CMD BDE CMD (COLONEL) HQ LOC ST

Operational & Functional Commands FY 08–09 (BDE and Higher)

311th Signal Command (Theater) Ft Shafter HI

335th SC (Theater) East Point GA

209th Regional Support Group Belton MO

650th Regional Support Group Las Vegas NV

359th SIG BDE Ft Gordon GA

415th CM BDE Greenville SC

200th Military Police CMD Ft Meade MD

11th MP BDE Ashley PA

300th MP BDE Inkster MI

800th MP BDE * Uniondale NY

412th ENCOM Vicksburg MS

302nd CSB (ME) Westover MA

411th EN BDE Newburgh NY

926th EN BDE Montgomery AL

416th ENCOM Darien IL

301st CSB (ME) Ft Lewis WA

372nd EN BDE Ft Snelling MN

420th EN BDE Bryan TX

MIL INTEL Readiness CMD Ft Belvoir VA

11th Aviation CMD Ft Knox KY

244th Avn Bde Ft Dix NJ

USACAPOC

2nd PSYOP Group Parma OH

7th PSYOP Group Moffett Field CA

350th CA CMD (Theater) Pensacola FL

358th CA BDE * March AFB CA

351st CA CMD (Theater) Mountain View CA

321st CA BDE San Antonio TX

364th CA BDE Portland OR

322nd CA BDE Ft Shafter HI

(assigned to USARPAC / PACOM)

352nd CA CMD (Theater) Ft Meade MD

354th CA BDE Riverdale MD

360th CA BDE Ft Jackson SC

353rd CA Command (Theater) Staten Island NY

304th CA BDE Philadelphia PA

308th CA BDE Homewood IL

377th THEATER SUSTAINMENT CMD New Orleans LA

103rd Expeditionary Support CMD Des Moines IA

89th Sustainment Brigade Wichita KS

300th Sustainment Brigade * Grand Praire TX

164th QM Group Broken Arrow OK

208th Regional Support Group Ft Sam Houston TX

211th Regional Support Group Corpus Christi TX

561st Regional Support Group Omaha NE

644th Regional Support Group Ft Snelling MN

647th Regional Support Group El Paso TX

649th Regional Support Group Cedar Rapids IA

651st Regional Support Group Aurora CO

143rd Expeditionary Support CMD Orlando FL

321st Sustainment Brigade Baton Rouge LA

207th Regional Support Group Ft Jackson SC

641st Regional Support Group St Petersburg FL

642nd Regional Support Group Decatur GA

310th Expeditionary Support CMD Indianapolis IN

90th Sustainment Brigade Little Rock AR

206th Regional Support Group Indianapolis IN

640th Regional Support Group Nashville TN

643rd Regional Support Group Columbus OH

645th Regional Support Group Southfield MI

646th Regional Support Group Madison WI

648th Regional Support Group St Louis MO

311th Expeditionary Support CMD Los Angeles CA

96th Sustainment Brigade Salt Lake UT

304th Sustainment Brigade Los Angeles CA

652nd Regional Support Group Helena MT

653rd Regional Support Group * Mesa AZ

654th Regional Support Group Tacoma WA

316th Expeditionary Support CMD Coraopolis PA

55th Sustainment Brigade Ft Belvoir VA

77th Sustainment Brigade Ft Dix NJ

165th QM GRP Ft Belvoir VA

475th QM GRP Farrell PA

38th Regional Support Group Cross Lanes WV

301st Regional Support Group * Butler PA

655th Regional Support Group Ft Devens MA

166th Regional Support Group Ft Buchanan PR

210th Regional Support Group Ramey PR

657th Regional Support Group Ft Shafter HI

(Yellow denotes Direct Reporting Cmd) * Denotes future location

Command and Control Structure as Projected for Fiscal Years 2008–09
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 23

TWO STAR GO CMD ONE STAR GO CMD BDE CMD (COLONEL) HQ LOC ST

3rd Medical Deplo Support CMD Tampa FL

807th Medical Deplo Support CMD Seagoville TX

2nd MED BDE (COMMZ) San Pablo CA

8th MED BDE (COMMZ) Staten Island NY

330th MED BDE (EAC) Ft Sheridan IL

332nd MED BDE (COMMZ) Nashville TN

338th MED BDE (CORPS) Chester PA

804th MED BDE (COMMZ) Ayer MA

5th MED GRP Birmingham AL

139th MED GRP Independence MO

176th MED GRP Garden Grove CA

307th MED GRP Blacklick OH

331st MED GRP Wichita KS

334th MED GRP Grand Rapids MI

Sustainment & Training Commands FY 08–09 (BDE & Higher)

Regional Readiness Sustainment Cmds

63rd RRSC (Southwest) Moffett Field CA

81st RRSC (Southeast) Fort Jackson SC

88th RRSC (Northwest) Fort McCoy WI

99th RRSC (Northeast) Fort Dix NJ

Training Commands

80th Training CMD (TASS) Richmond VA

94th TNG DIV (Force Sustainment) ** Ft Lee VA

1st BDE (QM) 94 DIV Charleston WV

2nd BDE (TC) 94 DIV Harrisburg PA

3rd BDE (OD) 94 DIV Indianapolis IN

4th BDE (PS) 94 DIV Decatur GA

5th BDE (MTFB) 94 DIV Puerto Nu PR

LOG SPT BDE Oklahoma City OK

100th TNG DIV (OPNS SUPP) Ft Knox KY

1st BDE (MI) 100 DIV Devens MA

2nd BDE (SC) 100 DIV Sacramento CA

3d BDE (CA/PO) 100 DIV Ft Totten NY

4th BDE (HS) 100 DIV Ft Sam Houston TX

102d TNG DIV (TASS) (Maneuver SPT) ** Ft Leonard Wood MO

1st BDE (EN) 102 DIV Tulsa OK

2nd BDE (MP) 102 DIV Ft Snelling MN

3rd BDE (CM) 102 DIV West Hartford CT

84th Training CMD (LR) ** Ft Knox KY

70th TNG DIV (Functional) ** Ft Knox KY

1st BDE (SCHS) 70 DIV ** Ft Knox KY

2nd BDE (TNG DEV) 70 DIV ** Ft Knox KY

104th TNG DIV (Leader Training) Ft Lewis WA

1st BDE (PD) 104 DIV Aurora CO

2nd BDE (PD) 104 DIV Waukegan IL

3rd BDE (PD) 104 DIV Ft Belvoir MD

108th Training CMD (IET) Charlotte NC

95th TNG DIV (Initial Entry TNG) Ft Sill OK

1st BDE (IET) 95 DIV Lawton OK

2nd BDE (IET) 95 DIV Vancouver WA

3rd BDE (IET) 95 DIV Salem VA

4th BDE (IET) 95 DIV Buffalo NY

98th TNG DIV (Initial Entry TNG) ** Rochester NY

1st BDE (IET) 98 DIV Spartanburg SC

2nd BDE (IET) 98 DIV Ft Jackson SC

3rd BDE (IET) 98 DIV Lexington KY

4th BDE (IET) 98 DIV Beaver Dam WI

75th Division (BCTD) Houston TX

1st BDE (BCTD) 75 DIV Houston TX

2nd BDE (BCTD) 75 DIV Ft Dix NJ

3rd BDE (BCTD) 75 DIV Arlington Heights IL

4th BDE (BCTD) 75 DIV Birmingham AL

5th BDE (BCTD) 75 DIV Ft Hunter-Liggett CA

AR Support CMD (1A) Ft Gillem GA

AR TSD East Ft Meade MD

Regional Support Group (AR TSD-E) Birmingham AL

AR TSD West Ft Carson CO

Regional Support Group (AR TSD-W) Arlington Heights IL

78th Operations Group Ft Dix NJ

91st Operations Group Ft Hunter-Liggett CA

(yellow denotes Direct Reporting Cmd) ** final stationing action pending approval
24 ( Army Reserve Magazine

ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANS

United States Army Reserve — Future Force — Direct Reporting Commands

Army Reserve “Future Force” as projected for Fiscal Year 2011

Legend

RRSC / RSG / MSE

OP/Func Cmd

Tng Cmd

*=future HQ location

RSG

/MSE

TS

DIV

RSG

/MSE

RSG

/MSE

TS

DIV

AR SPT CMD (1A)

*ROCK ISLAND, IL 88th RRSC

*FT McCOY, WI 416th ENCOM

 DARIEN, IL

84th Tng CMD

*FT KNOX, KY

11th AV

FT KNOX, KY

200th MP

FT MEADE, MD AR TSD East

FT MEADE, MD 99th RRSC

*FT DIX, NJ

MIRC

FT BELVOIR, VA

80th Tng CMD

RICHMOND, VA

HQ USARC

*FT BRAGG, NC

USACAPOC

FT BRAGG, NC

81st RRSC

*FT JACKSON, SC RSG / MSE

KAISERSLAUTERN, GE

108th Tng CMD

CHARLOTTE, NC

AR TSD West

*FT CARSON, CO

75th BCTD

*ELLINGTON FIELD, TX

412th ENCOM

VICKSBURG, MS

377th TSC

NEW ORLEANS, LA

335th TSC

EAST POINT, GA

3rd MDSC

*PINELLAS PARK, FL RSG / MSE

SAN JUAN, PR

807th MDSC

*FT DOUGLAS, UT

311th TSC

FT SHAFTER, HI

63rd RRSC

*MOFFETT FIELD, CA

RSG / MSE

FT SHAFTER, HI

SPT

CMD

MP

CMD
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 25

FORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY RESERVE TRANSFORMATION ARMY

Army Reserve “Future Force” as projected for Fiscal Year 2011

United States Army Reserve — Future Force — GO Subordinate Commands

EN

BDE

RSG

TSD

RSG

TSD

100th Tng DIV

*FT KNOX, KY

70th Tng DIV

*FT KNOX, KY

310th ESC

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

3/75th BCTB

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL

RSG TSD-W

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL

300th MP BDE

INKSTER, MI

316th ESC

CORAOPOLIS, PA 11th MP BDE

ASHLEY, PA

411th EN BDE

NEWBURGH, NY

353rd CA CMD

STATEN ISLAND, NY

78th Ops Grp

*FT DIX, NJ

2/75th BCTB

FT DIX, NJ

352th CA CMD

RIVERDALE, MD

94th Tng DIV

*FT LEE, VA

415th CM BDE

GREENVILLE, SC

359th SIG BDE

FT GORDON, GA

3rd MDSC (OCP)

FT GILLEM, GA 143rd ESC

ORLANDO, FL

98th Tng DIV

*FT BENNING, GA

926th EN BDE

MONTGOMERY, AL

350th CA CMD

PENSACOLA, FL

RSG TSD-E

BIRMINGHAM, AL

1/75th BCTB

*ELLINGTON FIELD, TX

420th EN BDE

BRYAN, TX

807th MDSC (OCP)

SEAGOVILLE, TX

95th Tng DIV

FT SILL, OK

800th MP BDE

LOS ALAMITOS, CA

311th ESC

LOS ANGELES, CA

5/75th BCTB

*FT HUNTER-LIGGET, CA

351st CA CMD

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA

91st Ops Grp

*FT HUNTER-LIGGET, CA

104th Tng DIV

FT LEWIS, WA

102nd Tng DIV

FT LEONARD WOOD, MO

103rd ESC

DES MOINES, IA 372nd EN BDE

FT SELLING, MN

4/75th BCTB

BIRMINGHAM, AL

Legend

RRSC / RSG / MSE

OP/Func Cmd

Tng Cmd

*=future HQ location
Convoy commander 1LT Randy Shields, 108th Training Division conducts a convoy briefing 

prior to departure to Taji, Iraq. Every convoy begins with a briefing to reiterate rules of 

engagement, current intelligence reports, rally points, order of march and overall safety.

26 ( Army Reserve Magazine

UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON

ROUGH RIDERS PROVIDE 

CONVOY SECURITY

By MSG Anthony Martinez

Army Reserve Public Affairs

INTERNATIONAL ZONE, Iraq — Get in, sit down, buckle up and 

hold on! That’s what the sign on the motor pool building for the 

1st Provisional Motorized Infantry Company here says. And if 

you’re a smart Soldier you’ll do exactly as the sign says because 

you really are in for the ride of your life when you shut that 

armored Humvee door and set the battle lock.

Mobilized with several platoons of the Army Reserve’s 108th 

Training Division, the company, nicknamed “Rough Riders,” 

provides convoy security operations for the Multi-National 

Security Transitional Command—Iraq (MNSTC-I) in the 

International Zone in Baghdad.

A mission with the Rough Riders in Baghdad is a bit like going 

for a drive on the freeways in Los Angeles during rush hour. Oh, 

and a couple of other things. “We see 70 to 100 events in Baghdad 

alone, every day. Of those there are probably a half dozen vehicle 

born improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), two dozen IEDs, 

small arms fire or rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). It keeps 

you on your toes,” said SFC Thomas Brittain, truck commander 

(TC) for the lead vehicle in the convoy lineup.

For convoy driver SSG Benjamin Moroni, who works as maintenance supervisor back home in Highpoint, N.C., it is not a walk 

in the park. “It’s hectic out there. It’s nothing like back in the 

UPDATE ON 

Operation Iraqi Freedom PHOTO: MSG ANTHONY MARTINEZ

(Editor’s Note: MSG Anthony Martinez, SFC Steve Opet and LTC 

William Nutter traveled to Iraq as the U.S. Army Reserve Public 

Affairs Acquisition Team and filed the following stories on Army 

Reserve units deployed in Theater.)
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 27

108th Division from Fort Jackson, S.C. who works as a production manager back home.

“We’re constantly talking to the driver and the TC, as well as 

looking out for the bad guys – trying to find some of the obvious 

things like possible IED locations and stuff like that. It’s not just 

sitting behind a gun,” said Grivois.

Not only does Grivois talk with the team in the Humvee, but 

you can hear him yelling at the locals on the street too. Telling 

them to move out of the way and waving them off with his 

hands. And when they don’t listen, he elevates the situation. “A 

lot of times the local people may not see us coming or they think 

they can run with us so we have to shoot a flare out either along 

side the vehicle or over the vehicle to let them know. If they 

don’t see us at first, they’ll see the flare,” he said.

Listening in on the headsets, the radio banter 

seems chaotic—each Soldier calling out potential danger spots they see like cars, people on 

roofs, animal carcasses—whatever might seem 

out of place or pose a threat. At the same time 

they are all looking for seams in the Baghdad 

traffic—places that will allow the convoy to 

keep moving.

For a first-time passenger all the radio banter, 

swerving around, sirens blaring and flares 

popping can be a little overwhelming, but like 

many Army processes it is controlled chaos 

with an end in mind. “The number one thing 

we do is we try to keep moving,” said Brittain, 

“so you’re not a sniper target. You’re not giving 

anybody time to go pick up their weapon, RPGs 

or whatever and fire it at you. We’re convoy 

security and our mission is to get people from 

point A to point B. We’re not a patrol and we’ll 

do about whatever it takes to keep moving 

through those heavy walls of traffic, without a 

stop,” he said.

For the Rough Riders of the 108th Division, 

another convoy is just another day in bad traffic. 

But they wouldn’t have it any other way. “We’re 

happy to do it, it’s a good job, I think everybody 

here likes the job and that’s job security,” said 

Brittain. “We’d be kind of upset if there weren’t 

people left to move around. We’d get stuck on a 

staff job or behind a desk or something like that, 

just riding the gravy train.”

states. I mean there are no laws out here, people cutting in and 

out, doing crazy stuff. There is a lot to look out for and you’ve 

got to be able to react quickly,” he said. 

To navigate the traffic and avoid the dangers of IEDs, sniper 

fire and RPGs along the convoy route, each Soldier in a Rough 

Rider vehicle is fitted with headphones and microphones so that 

they can communicate with each other about what they see in 

their assigned visual sector.

One of the key players in the communication is the gunner who 

sits atop the Humvee in the gunner’s turret. “As the gunner in 

the lead truck you gotta help the TC make decisions on when to 

swim. When we say ‘swim’ we mean going against traffic on the 

opposite side of the road. We help them find the seams in the 

traffic,” said SGT Craig Grivois, 31, a gunner mobilized with the 

 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION PHOTO: MSG ANTHONY MARTINEZ

Turret gunner SSG Benjamin Moroni, 108th Training Division, conducts pre-combat checks on his equipment and 

radio before his next convoy security mission. Turret gunners are the eyes and firepower behind convoy security 

missions. Capable of a 360 degree view of the convoy, truck commanders and drivers rely on the sharp eyes and 

analysis of the gunner.
“As a civil affairs unit, we are here to assist the Iraqis in rebuilding their infrastructure,” said Davis. “This means the unit deals 

on a daily basis with building, repairing or assisting in projects 

involving schools, hospitals, security, local government, business, power, law and fuel,” Davis added.

To successfully accomplish this vital mission, the 402nd CA 

Bn. became experts in convoy tactics, a crucial skill necessary to 

navigate the dusty highways and narrow streets of Iraq.

“Through experience, we became good enough that our higher 

command, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Combat Brigade, tasked 

us with training their Soldiers in convoy operations,” said Hall. 

“We had been in-country for six months when the 82nd arrived, 

so we had the experience and the know-how to train these 

Soldiers,” he said.

CPT Edwin Sherman, a construction officer with the 82nd 

Airborne, agrees with Hall. “They are really good. Coming from 

the 82nd I want to be ‘hooah’ and I actually get to go out more 

with the 402nd,” he said.

Hall, a combat medic with a previous tour in Afghanistan under 

his web belt, also serves as the unit’s medic. “This deployment 

is just as rewarding to me as the first one. We provided medical 

aid to the Afghan people, and local nationals who were injured, 

and also military personnel. On this deployment we’re actually 

assisting in the rebuilding of their infrastructure, and we get to 

see all of the results of our work,” he said.

Hall said that the 402nd CA Bn. has helped create 

a lot of jobs for the people here. They’ve assisted 

in providing better water and sewage and are now 

working on the electrical system.

All of the units’ Soldiers interact with the 

Iraqis, building a good rapport based on mutual 

respect and trust. Meeting with the governor and 

deputy governor of Tikrit Province, as well as 

local officials and businessmen, is MAJ Christina 

Nagy, Spartansburg, Pa. Nagy, who works for 

the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental 

Protection, is a project manager at Camp Speicher. 

“I meet with local business people and officials and 

hear their proposals for new enterprises,” she said.

After reviewing and discussing the proposals with 

the provincial government, they moved ahead with 

the approved projects.

“I think the most successful project that we’ve 

had—and we’ve had a lot of successful projects—is 

the Ad Dawr textile mill,” Nagy said. “We took 

a basically torn-down, bombed-out building and 

turned it into a functioning, sustaining facility that 

is now employing over 200 people, producing garCA UNIT ASSISTS IN 

REBUILDING IRAQI 

INFRASTRUCTURE

By SFC Steve Opet

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP SPEICHER, Iraq — Riding shotgun in an up-armored 

Humvee as a convoy NCO in charge through the volatile 

streets of Tikrit, Iraq, and riding in a city fire truck back 

home in Meadeville, Pa., are two very different experiences.

However, they are both experiences that belong to Army 

Reserve SFC Darren Hall, a medic assigned to the 402nd Civil 

Affairs (CA) Battalion, based in Tonawanda, N.Y. “I’ve been 

a fire fighter for Meadville for the last eight years,” said Hall, 

who has been in Iraq for close to a year. “The fire department 

has been very supportive of me through my training and two 

deployments,” he said.

Based at Camp Speicher, Hall and his fellow civil affairs Soldiers 

are on the road in convoys several days a week, logging more 

than 165 convoys in their area of operations north of Kirkuk 

and south to Baqubah, an area approximately the size of West 

Virginia, according to SGM Terry Davis, battalion sergeant 

major, Clearfield, Pa.

28 ( Army Reserve Magazine

UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON

MAJ Christina Nagy, a project manager with the Army Reserve 402nd Civil Affairs Battalion, visits a Familyowned bakery in downtown Tikrit in search of sweets for the unit. Whenever the unit goes to the governors’ 

complex, she stops by to check on the Family and how the business is faring.

PHOTO: SFC STEVE OPET
SOLDIER’S INTUITION AND 

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS A 

LIFESAVER IN IRAQ

By CPT Chris Coleman

Public Affairs Office

99th Regional Readiness Command

A

L KISIK, Iraq — The improvised explosive device (IED), 

detonated destroying an Internet café, blowing out nearby 

vehicles’ windshields and launching a portable toilet into a 

50-foot flight arc. Thanks to the awareness and quick actions of 

a 99th Regional Readiness Command (RRC) Soldier, however, 

no one was seriously injured by the attack – and he did this all 

while communicating with his wife on a cell phone.

SSG Martin Richburg is credited with saving the lives of at least 

17 Iraqi Internet café patrons on Mar. 27, 2006, evacuating the 

building prior to the IED explosion and apprehending the IEDplacing insurgent. 

Richburg, a 298th Maintenance Company Soldier and Baltimore 

native, was talking to his wife when he spotted a suspicious 

looking man. His wife, Olethia, heard the entire sequence of 

events in real time, perhaps making her the first “once-removed” 

witness to her husband’s valor.

“I was talking to my wife about an earlier incident at the main 

gate, and told her ‘As a matter of fact I’m looking at a suspicious 

person right now,’” Richburg said. 

Richburg noticed the man peering inside the café and decided 

to pay even closer attention to him. Soon, the man returned to 

the café’s front carrying a package and a plastic chair. The man 

stood on the chair, placed a package on top of the café’s air conditioner and ran away. 

“Because of his suspicious crouching, ducking and peeping, 

once he placed an object on the air conditioner and ran off I 

knew something was not right,” Richburg said. 

Richburg tossed his cell phone on the ground and chased after 

the man. Catching up to the suspect, Richburg kicked him in 

the back of the legs, tripping him to the ground. Richburg took 

out his pistol and used it to scare the man into confessing the 

package was an IED that would soon explode. 

“I knew I would catch him one way or another, and he was very 

cooperative after I gave him a little incentive,” Richburg said. 

Although the cell phone was on the ground, Richburg’s wife 

could hear the incident on her end of the call. 

ments and making a 

profit,” she said.

This project was 

proposed by and supervised by Dr. Kadhim 

Noori, an expert in 

vocational education. 

After getting the mill 

up and running, Noori, 

with the help of the 

402nd CA Bn., has set 

up a pilot adult literacy program with over 

100 graduates in the 

first class. “I have personally tested them all 

before they graduated 

and I am very proud of 

them,” he said.

The 402nd Civil Affairs 

Bn. has performed well 

but there is still a lot 

of work to be done. “We need to improve the hospital conditions more, get more medical supplies and assist in training 

more doctors and nurses,” said Hall. “We do have a joint task 

force working on that right now,” he added. “Soldiers of the 

3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne, are working on nursing schools 

throughout the province to increase the amount of nurses. 

Presently they have 16 students,” he said.

The Soldiers of the 402nd CA Bn. are serving the interests of 

both America and Iraq by bringing their professionalism, experience and motivation to the mission, but it is dangerous duty 

and has a price.

“I earned my Combat Medic Badge (CMB) on my first trip 

outside the wire,” said Hall, who was also awarded the Army 

Commendation Medal with the “V” device for Valor. “Ninetysix percent of the unit earned CMBs and Combat Action Badge 

during our first two months here,” he said.

For the 402nd CA Bn. the price was the loss of one of their own, 

MAJ Alan Johnson, Yakima, Wash., who died on Jan. 26, 2007, 

from wounds sustained when his team encountered an improvised explosive device near Muqdadiyah.

When the Army Reserve Soldiers of the 402nd CA Bn. return 

home to their loved ones they will bring with them many good 

memories of the Iraqi friends they have made and the work they 

accomplished—and, always, the memory of one of their own 

who lies in Arlington, Va.

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 29

 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION PHOTO: SFC STEVE OPET

SGT Nick Wall mans the squad automatic weapon in his 

Humvee’s armored turret during a 402nd Civil Affairs 

Battalion convoy.
Champ, who lives in Philadelphia, Pa. with her three daughters, may have traded scenery, but according to her, the work 

is similar.

“Basically, all of this has been an advantage for me. Believe it 

or not, there’s not that much difference between the two jobs. 

They both complement each other, everything that I do here 

or that I do on my civilian job is the same on either side of the 

gate,” said Champ.

Everything she has experienced and learns in Iraq will help her 

advance in her civilian job and vice versa, she added.

Champ initially enlisted in the Army Reserve to give her advantages which might help her get her out of the secretarial pool.

Champ, a 28-year federal employee, has 20 years of service with 

the Army Reserve. Her career paths in both places have paralleled. She started out as a GS1 secretary for the Dept. of the 

Navy, and as an private (PV1) in the Army. Now she is a GS12 

and up for promotion to sergeant first class.

Champ is assigned to Camp Victory with her unit, the 442nd 

Quartermaster Company, based at Bellefonte, Pa. In Iraq, the 

442nd, commanded by MAJ Jeremy Trout, Lancaster, Pa., is 

under the command of the 541st Combat Support Sustainment 

Battalion.

“Our unit is made up of six teams with over 12 Soldiers each,” 

said Trout. “Right now one partial team has set up shower and 

laundry facilities about 30 miles south of here in Yusuiyah, and 

we’re in the process of setting up in Iskandariyah,” he said. 

“I could hear everything going on in the background. It 

sounded like a bunch of voices yelling, but it was really just two 

– Martin’s and the interpreter’s,” she said.

Richburg rushed into the café – with the man in his custody 

– screaming for everyone to evacuate behind the concrete barriers outside the café. Soon after, the IED exploded, but no one 

was harmed.

Although Richburg’s wife could hear the events take place, it 

was seven minutes before she spoke to her husband again, but 

said she was never worried.

“I never got that sinking feeling in my stomach. A lot of it has 

to do with our faith, of course, but I have a lot of confidence in 

my husband’s ability to take care of himself. I know that sounds 

strange, because ability is no match for a bomb, but our faith 

played a big part,” Olethia said.

After Richburg had evacuated the café, he briefly spoke with 

his wife.

“He was out of breath. He told me ‘it’s a bomb’ and that he 

would call me back,” she said.

Richburg said he was thankful to have evacuated the café in time.

“It was a great feeling of relief because I can’t wait to go back 

home to my love, and those lives that were spared have loved 

ones at home who are waiting for them to get home too,” 

Richburg said. 

Although Richburg gave his wife a personal account of the incident’s beginning, he had to wait until the next morning before 

he could give his wife a full account of what actually happened. 

“I finally got the full story at about 4:30 a.m.,” she said.

Richburg has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal 

with a “V” device for valor and has been nominated for a Bronze 

Star for his thwarting of the IED-attack.

REPAIRING UNIFORMS 

FULFILLS SOLDIER IN IRAQ

By SFC Steve Opet

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP LIBERTY, Iraq — From working as a logistics manager 

for the Department of the Navy in Crystal City, Va., to 

serving as a renovation NCO in charge with the Army 

Reserve at Camp Liberty, Iraq, SSG Gwendolyn Champ has 

traded cherry blossoms for dusty palm trees.

30 ( Army Reserve Magazine

UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON PHOTO: SFC STEVE OPET

SSG Gwendolyn Champ’s hands skillfully maneuver a U.S. Army tape as she sews it to a 

Soldiers uniform.
fire-retardant material) uniforms, which a lot of the combat 

Soldiers wear, and also duffle bags and rucksacks,” she said. 

Champ misses her daughters and home, but she has another 

home full of young Soldiers to keep her busy until she rejoins 

her Family. “Being here to support this effort, and the Soldiers, 

I know I’m doing a major thing for a good reason. It gives me a 

warm feeling, but it also gives my Family a warm feeling because 

they know that I’m over here doing a great thing,” she said.

“They really admire and respect me for it, because here’s 

their mama, carrying a weapon every day and helping defend 

someone, and that helps them cope and makes them proud 

when they tell their friends what their mama is doing here,” 

said Champ.

VIETNAM VET HELPS 

DEPLOYED SOLDIERS WITH 

COMBAT STRESS

By LTC William Nutter

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP VICTORY, Iraq — After three deployments—one in 

Vietnam and two in Iraq—MAJ Ernie Proud has a deep 

understanding and empathy for what Soldiers go through 

in combat. His calm voice and demeanor invite Soldiers to 

express their worries generated by the mundane life of an overseas deployment, by battle fatigue, by troubles on the home 

front and for some of the Soldiers, by the reality of losing a 

comrade in battle.

According to Trout, most of the 442nd Soldiers are stationed at 

Camp Liberty, as is Champ. “She’s always in her shop, always 

working, and always smiling,” said Trout.

Each team has the capability to support 3,500 Soldiers with one 

shower a week and 15 pounds of laundry per Soldier.

With 20 years service under her desert tan Army belt, this is 

her first deployment. “I admit, it’s been a hard adjustment for 

my Family, especially for my youngest daughter,” said Champ 

referring to her 11-year old. “I’ve been away for a week before. 

I travel for my civilian job, and of course two weeks for annual 

training, but this has been a dramatic change for her.” 

Champ says she’s been coping well, though, with the help of

her two older sisters who are 23 and 20 years old. They have 

mostly taken over and run the household while she’s away, 

Champ said.

She is very proud of her girls and how well they are dealing 

with her absence. “This deployment has made me see a mature 

side of them that I’ve never seen before. It’s hard. Sometimes I 

cry myself to sleep because I miss them so much. But, I think 

the Soldiers here, and the positive attitude that I try to keep is 

what is helping me make it through this deployment. Since my 

Family knows how I am, they know I’m doing well,” she said. 

Her job keeps her busy, with her regular duties and the little 

extras she does for her fellow Soldiers.

“I’ve been involved with the laundry portion of my specialty, 

but this mobilization is the first time that I actually get to work 

on the clothing renovation side of it,” said Champ. “It’s been 

nothing but rewarding for me. I’ve had a lot of challenging 

requests from the Soldiers, and I get a sense of fulfillment when 

I provide them with my service and see their gratitude,” she said 

with a smile.

One of Champ’s little “extras” was to design and create a full 

Army Combat Uniform (ACU) for a rubber model of a camel 

requested by CSM Ian Mann. “Once a month Camp Liberty 

has a “Right Arms” night, which is a social get-together for 

sergeants first class and above. Each unit is required to bring 

something unique to the gathering, so the sergeant major asked 

me to equip the camel,” she said with a laugh.

It included a complete ACU outfit including rank, patrol cap 

and even the desert tan combat boots. It was such a hit with the 

Soldiers that Champ has several more orders.

Renovation includes repair to lightweight and heavy-duty 

textiles, but the machines for the heavy work aren’t on post, so 

Champ is working only with the lightweight machinery.

 “I’ve been able to work miracles on the light machines, repairing ACUs, Desert Combat Uniforms (DCUs), the NOMEX (a 

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 31

 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION PHOTO: SFC STEVE OPET

 SSG Gwendolyn Champ uses one of her light sewing machines to attach a U.S. Army tape to 

a Soldiers uniform
As the officer in charge for the Victory Base Camp Prevention 

Team, he works seven days a week utilizing two different offices. 

One of his offices is a typical construction trailer or portable 

housing unit, the kind seen throughout Camp Victory. His 

other “office,” the one in which he feels he works the most effectively, is the Humvee. The mobile Humvee office allows him to 

make scheduled and unscheduled visits to units.

“The focus is to keep our Soldiers in theater and work any potential mental health problems,” said Proud. He believes his unit 

visits are proactive measures which tackle any problem before 

they get bigger. In this way his team contributes to winning the 

overall fight. “When we visit units we present ourselves as force 

multipliers and enablers to accomplish the mission,” he said.

“Prevention is an educational program. We provide educational 

services and address issues that units may have and try to

help maintain unit cohesiveness,” said Proud. Educational 

services may include coping strategies for stress, anger

Proud, a member of the Army Reserve’s 113th Medical Company 

(Combat Stress Control), Stanton, Calif., has a passion and a 

sense of duty to help Soldiers deal with their circumstances 

when they are deployed in Iraq. Proud, who volunteered for his 

mission in Iraq, takes his personal experience from Vietnam as 

a motivator to help Soldiers deal with stress and grief.

“To know you are able to help Soldiers get back to life, and to 

function well and provide those services that were not allotted to 

Vietnam veterans, is a satisfaction for me,” said Proud. He cites 

the problems experienced by Vietnam veterans as the reason 

why the Army became more committed to providing services 

to help Soldiers deal with combat stress, post traumatic stress 

disorder and grief.

After serving in Vietnam, Proud left the Army to complete 10 

years of medical schooling. Remarkably, after a 22 year break in 

service, he decided to join the military again this time to use his 

education to benefit Soldiers on the battlefield.

32 ( Army Reserve Magazine

UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON

MAJ Ernie Proud waits in his mobile office, a Humvee, for his departure to visit his next client on Camp Victory, Iraq. Proud is a member of a prevention team that provides mental health 

counseling and guidance for Soldiers in Iraq.

PHOTO: LTC WILLIAM NUTTER
He looked out toward the vast range of barren desert dirt that 

stretches as far as the eye can see. He saw hundreds of small 

craters dimpling the ground, like an impact zone of an artillery 

field. But Sifferd knew that God had a better plan for this. And 

he knew that if he built it, they would come.

So with the help of some earthly carpenters and a little help from 

his friends, all fellow disciples, his vision became reality.

Now, amongst the occasional sound of small arms fire, perhaps 

a mortar explosion once in a while and the constant echoes of 

Apache helicopters ripping through the sky, you may also hear 

a minor expletive murmured. All these sounds are at home on 

the golf driving range at Camp Victory.

Soldiers stand upon the 60-foot wooden deck, the tee box, and 

drive away their stress, one ball at a time. The deck, built by 

Sifferd and fellow POTF Soldiers, would win the envy of most 

golf enthusiasts. And the sight is now a signature peculiarity on 

Camp Victory.

When Sifferd began this project he found support from faraway 

fairways as well.

management, how to deal with a loss of a Soldier, command 

climate surveys and Soldier education to overcome tension and 

human relation conflicts.

Proud acknowledges his civilian job as a clinical psychologist 

with the Anaheim School District in California as an enabler 

to provide assistance for Soldiers dealing with stress situations 

back home. “The most common problem that occurs over here 

is home front issues. They talk about the difficulties about being 

gone,” said Proud. He thinks his experience in dealing with 

absentee parents in his civilian job has similar repercussions 

and this helps him provide the right tactics to help Soldiers deal 

with their issues.

Proud believes the Army Reserve Soldier typically is a more 

“mature Soldier” who like himself, offers such things as 

increased education, multiple deployments and different civilian occupational backgrounds. “I think the Reserve Soldier has 

a vast wealth of experience to bring to the unit, because it’s with 

a variety of people, and skill sets that the Reserve Soldier brings 

to the front,” said Proud.

Almost half way through his tour in Iraq, Proud is especially 

happy about his accomplishment of keeping Soldiers in theater. 

“No Soldier has returned home and that is what we are trying to 

achieve here,” he said.

According to MAJ Nancy Torres, executive officer for the 113th 

Med. Co., Proud is one of the top performers in the preventive 

mission for mental health. And you can be sure that Proud’s 

Humvee office will keep rolling along to reach out to any 

Soldiers in need.

DRIVING AWAY SOLDIERS 

STRESS IN THE GULF

By LTC William Nutter

LTC Matt Leonard

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP VICTORY, Iraq — There are lots of ways to relieve stress 

in the harsh, austere environment of Iraq. There are 

movies, video games, e-mail, morale calls and exercise; all 

things which help relieve stress and bring a piece of home to the 

Soldiers stationed far away. Thanks to an enterprising officer 

with the Psychological Operations Task Force, Iraq (POTF), 

now there is one more thing which can truly help Soldiers drive 

stress away.

After spending many days and nights wandering in the desert, 

CPT David Sifferd, a chaplain with the POTF assigned here 

from the 15th Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Battalion 

based in Cincinnati, Ohio had a vision.

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 33

 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM UPDATE ON OPERATION PHOTO: LTC WILLIAM NUTTER

Army Reserve Chaplain (CPT) David Sifferd drives a golf ball onto a makeshift driving 

range on Camp Victory, Iraq. Golf manufacturers and American citizens have sent 

Chaplain Sifferd more than 10,000 golf balls and a variety of golf equipment to support 

Soldiers in Iraq.
Sifferd. He believes every single golf ball is a blessing and a gift 

from God and he and the Soldiers are amazed at the generosity.

Despite the fact that this may arguably be the biggest sand trap 

in the world, and players cannot shoot over it, the range is still 

viewed as a morale booster, and a way to have fun.

Sifferd also believes that golf is an important factor to enhancing 

combat capabilities in Iraq. 

“This driving range is a combat multiplier because it relieves 

stress and Soldiers are ready to go back to their jobs,” said 

Sifferd. He knows it makes a difference.

So even given the distant sound of enemy fire, Sifferd feels it 

still provides some pleasure for his Soldiers stationed in a very 

dangerous place.

Sifferd credits it all to the incredible support of the American 

people. And now when he looks out on that dimpled desert 

it is no longer barren; multi-colored golf balls stand out like 

twinkling Christmas lights. “We don’t take this generosity for 

granted and appreciate every golf ball we are able to hit,” said 

Sifferd.

RT NCOS MEET REENLISTMENT 

NEEDS AROUND BAGHDAD

By MSG Anthony Martinez

Army Reserve Public Affairs

C

AMP VICTORY, Iraq — What the U.S. Army needs is volunteers. That is what makes the force so unique among 

the world’s military forces: the fact that we are an “All 

Volunteer Force.” And Army recruiting and retention will 

search the world over to find them.

Nestled among the labyrinth of roads and buildings on Camp 

Victory, Iraq is a small maize-colored brick building. Just inside 

the arched wooden door, sitting at a weathered desk, is SFC Elsa 

Cardoza, an Army Reserve retention NCO. Her job is to track 

down those volunteers and reenlist them for another stint in the 

Army Reserve.

“We help Reserve Soldiers pursue their military career by reenlisting them, guiding them in the process from reserve to active 

duty, if they choose to do that, or by helping them with the 

direct commission packet to become an officer – whatever they 

need to make a change in their affiliation with the Army and 

their status,” said Cardoza.

Cardoza is just one of 11 Army Reserve retention and transition 

NCOs in the Central Command theater tasked to find deployed 

“I have a friend who works for the Golf Channel, a writer for 

them, and he wrote me an e-mail asking me if there was anything I need,” said Sifferd. “I told him if you know anyone that 

has some old golf balls tell them to send them to us.”

His friend decided to write an article for the Golf Channel and 

put the chaplain’s address in the article.

About two weeks after the article ran, boxes of golf balls started 

hitting the green zone in Iraq. This was only the beginning—

golf manufactures heard the call and sent more than 10,000 golf 

balls in addition to golf mats, driving cages and various golf 

accessories. In addition to donations from golf manufacturers 

and individuals, more than 30 community organizations sent 

out clubs and even more golf balls.

“Most boxes have a letter of encouragement in them, saying who 

the golf balls are from and thanking us for serving and letting 

us know they will try to send more golf balls in the future,” said 

Army Reserve Chaplain (CPT) David Sifferd provides Soldiers of the Psychological 

Operations Task Force Iraq with spiritual guidance, personal counseling and religious 

services during their 12-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

PHOTO: LTC WILLIAM NUTTER

34 ( Army Reserve Magazine
Army Reserve Soldiers in order to meet reenlistment needs. 

According to the Theater Operations NCO in charge, SFC Jose 

Malave, stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, it is not an easy job, 

but the success is well worth the effort.

“It is a challenge because we don’t actually know who is in need 

unless we go out of the office,” Malave said. “We go out and visit 

the units and make sure that when they get here we talk to them 

and ask, ‘Hey, are you an Army Reserve Soldier?’ Retention is 

not an office job like people think,” he said, “In theater you have 

to go out and find the Soldier.”

Success is apparent as Malave claims that, in FY 2006, retention 

and transition officers (RTOs) in the theater accounted for 20 

percent of reenlistments in the Army Reserve—an astonishing 

feat considering the circumstances under which these Soldiers 

are serving. He believes there is a good reason for the success.

“Soldiers do it, because like me, we believe in what we’re doing,” 

Malave said. “Of course there is an incentive out there for money 

and tax relief and all that, but nobody is going to be happy for 

the rest of their life for $15,000. If you do it, you do it because 

you like the Army, you like the way of life and you believe in 

what you’re doing. If you believe in what you are doing, you are 

going to reenlist. It’s that simple. It’s hard—deployments are 

hard for Soldiers—but they’re still doing it.”

One of those Soldiers is SGT Alan Gibson, 42, a chemical 

specialist deployed to Camp Victory with the 329th Chemical 

Company, Orlando, Fla. After working with Cardoza, Gibson 

signed on for another six years.

“There are two reasons I reenlisted. First, I’ve have 14 years in 

the service and I’m not about to let all that go to waste. Second, 

I’ve noticed that throughout my career, that one person—no 

matter what kind of effort it is—one person can make a difference,” Gibson said. He believes his efforts and Army Reserve 

affiliation will help his fellow Soldiers learn from his experiences 

and that, likewise, he will be a better person because of it.

“I’ve been in 14 different countries. I’ve experienced a lot of 

growth spiritually and mentally just from the people I’ve met 

and also from the culture I’ve 

absorbed. I think it’s made me 

a better person as far as understanding people. Not only that, 

but the Army’s been good to 

me,” he said.

And Gibson emphasized this 

point, through his actions 

recently when he raised his 

right hand and, on the roof 

of one of Saddam Hussein’s 

former resort bungalows, under 

the Iraqi sky, restated the Oath 

of Enlistment.

For Cardoza, Gibson is just one 

of 400 Soldiers she’s helped 

reenlist over the 12 months 

she’s been in Iraq. It has not 

always been easy. On some days 

she hunkers down in the little 

brick building she calls home, 

trying to avoid some of the stray 

bullets that occasionally make 

their way into her area. She too 

is a volunteer and, when it’s safe 

to go back outside, she makes 

her way through the maze of 

roads on Camp Victory and at 

other forward operating bases 

around Baghdad finding volunteers willing to raise their hands 

and be counted—again.

PHOTO: MSG ANTHONY MARTINEZ

SGT Alan Gibson (right), 329th Chemical Company, Orlando, Fla., raises his hand and restates the Oath of Enlistment as recited by Platoon 

Leader 1LT Greg Hoel.

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 35
36 ( Army Reserve Magazine

excessive anger and possible abusive behavior, feelings of

hypervigilance, poor quality sleep and restlessness, and even 

substance abuse, according to Frame.

When deployed, if not engaged operationally, Soldiers typically 

spend much time by themselves. This is a common way combat 

veterans relax or recharge between combat operations. And 

when one returns, this habit can persist as a way of recharging. 

This can lead to isolation from others and produce feelings of 

misunderstanding and rejection.

Frame said that it is common for veterans who served in combat 

to still feel hyper-alert, for this is what they used in combat 

to survive, but it is brought home with them and can affect 

quality of life. Many combat veterans experience a decrease in 

their quality of sleep and may find themselves feeling either 

depressed, or a bit anxious. These issues commonly affect a 

veteran’s readjustment back to civilian life.

Frame speaks from experience. He is a disabled veteran now, 

going through his own rehabilitation. An Army Reserve officer 

who has served in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, then COL 

Frame was leading a civil affairs public health team in 2003 

while working with the Iraqi Ministry of Health. His team was 

ambushed and all members were wounded. As a result, Frame 

and his wounded team members were evacuated from theater 

and he spent more than two years as both inpatient and outpatient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in medical hold and

going through the medical board processes.

VET CENTERS HELP SOLDIERS, 

FAMILIES MAKE HEALTHY 

TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE

News Service

Department of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Coming home from war is a remarkable experience. Many veterans recall the emotion of 

flying home and the excitement of seeing their Family 

and friends after being away for so long. This is the beginning 

of a readjustment or re-familiarizing phase: “picking up were 

we left off.”

As a veteran returns home and tries to settle in, many experiences and significant relationships with Family and friends can 

feel unfamiliar. “While the veteran is surrounded by people and 

places that he or she has known and loved for years, it may feel 

as though it is a totally new setting with people we recognize but 

do not know and are unable to connect with,” said Dr. Robert 

Frame, liaison for the National Operations Iraqi/Enduring 

Freedom (OEF/OIF) Returning Warriors with the Department 

of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vet Center. His office is located in San 

Antonio, Texas.

Frame briefed the Army Reserve surgeon, COL Randy Richter 

and his staff on March 8, 2007 at the U.S. Army Reserve 

Command headquarters on Fort McPherson, Ga. regarding 

Vet Centers helping Soldiers and their Families’ transition to 

civilian life. Also in attendance were senior Regional Readiness 

Command surgeons.

Compounding this feeling of unfamiliarity, a combat veteran 

may be overwhelmed by many other emotions. Some of these 

may include the frustrations of trying to communicate with 

friends and Family unsuccessfully, feeling misunderstood, 

FEATURES
“To me the significance of what I and my Vet Center colleagues 

do is that I am a combat veteran with a Purple Heart, serving 

my fellow combat veterans and their Families. I was where they 

are now,” Frame said.

The VA welcomes home war veterans with honor by providing 

readjustment counseling in a caring manner.

“Vet Centers understand and appreciate veterans’ war experiences while assisting them and their Family members toward 

a successful post-war adjustment in or near their community,” 

said Frame.

The passage of Public law 96-22 in 1979 established the VA Vet 

Center Program to provide readjustment counseling to combat 

veterans in comfortable community-based settings, easy for

veterans to access. The pressing need at the time was to address 

the unmet service needs of Vietnam veterans, an alienated 

veteran population who had been home from their war for

a decade or more. Since then, Vet Center services are open to all 

combat veterans.

Vet Centers serve veterans and their Families by providing a 

continuum of quality care that adds value for veterans, their 

Families, and their communities. Care includes professional 

readjustment counseling, community education, outreach to 

special populations, the brokering of services with community 

agencies. “We also try to facilitate access between the veteran 

and other services within the VA, said Frame.

The goal of the Vet Center is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services to help veterans and their 

Family members make a healthy transition to civilian life. 

There are currently 209 Vet Centers nationally.

“The Vet Centers understand the importance of privacy and confidentiality for veterans and Families,” Frame said. “Veterans’ 

The Vet Center services include:

• Individual counseling

• Group counseling

• Marital and Family counseling

• Sexual trauma counseling

• Spouse/Significant Other Group

• Anger Management counseling

• Bereavement counseling 

• Referral for benefits assistance

• Liaison with VA and community agencies

• Substance abuse information and referral

• Community education

• Employment guidance and referral

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 37

information will not leave the Vet Center without the veterans 

signed consent. This means the veteran has privacy from the 

military and from his or her employer.”

The Vet Center hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 

8– 4:30 p.m. All that is needed for services is a veteran’s most 

recent DD-214, and he or she can walk in during hours of 

operation and speak with the next available counselor. “We are 

committed to easy access to care,” Frame said.

The Vet Centers employs veterans—a great majority of which 

are combat veterans. From 2005 through 2006 more than 100 

OIF/OEF combat veterans were hired by the Vet Centers to 

reach out to returning OIF/OEF returning warriors. This allows 

the veteran to walk in and speak with counselors who understand and honor the service and privacy of the nation’s veterans 

and who are familiar with his or her concerns.

The Vet Center extends it services not only for when the combat 

veteran leaves active duty, but also for the rest of his or her life. 

“We believe Families are an important part of the readjustment 

process and we are committed to assist any Family who has 

lost a loved one in combat through the bereavement process,” 

concluded Frame. 

Vet Centers are located in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, the 

Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, and Guam. There 

locations are listed in the White, Yellow and Blue (government) 

Pages and on the Web: www.vetcenter.va.gov.

ARMY RESERVE MAKES 

GROUND-BREAKING 

ENTRANCE INTO CULINARY 

ARTS COMPETITION

By T. Anthony Bell

Public Affairs Office

Fort Lee, Va.

F

ORT LEE, Va. — The U.S. Army Reserve Command could 

never muster enough interest to field a team in the U.S. 

Army Culinary Arts Competition.

Until now.

Thirty-two years and many efforts later, an ad hoc team of 

citizen-Soldier food service specialists stepped up to the plate for 

the groundbreaking opportunity to represent the Army Reserve 

in the country’s most prestigious military cooking contest held 

at Fort Lee, Va., March 5–16, 2007.
“It was awesome,” said the San Bernardino, Calif. native. “It’s 

amazing how much I’ve learned and how much I’ve been 

exposed to.”

Nieves said that although the event provided a great learning 

experience for the team, they still were able to stand up to their 

competition. At the awards ceremony held March 16, 2007, 

the Army Reserve team walked away with one silver medal, 

12 bronze and four honorable mentions. “Not bad for a team 

making its first appearance,” said Sholes. “I can’t say enough 

about their efforts, he said. “They did extremely well.”

Team member SGT Joseph Parker said the Reserves’ competitiveness is an indication that the Reserve can no longer be 

considered a reserve, but a true operational element on par with 

the Active Army.”

“We want people to know that we are the USARC,” said Parker, 

assigned to the 841st Engineer Battalion in Miami, Fla. “We 

also want them to know that we can fight like them and cook 

like them.”

38 ( Army Reserve Magazine

CW3 Kelly Sholes was the manager for the Army Reserve 

team. The 104th Division food service professional said the

team’s participation in the event was a milestone for the Army 

Reserve, but more importantly, a substantial training opportunity for Soldiers.

“It’s was a very high privilege and honor to represent the 

U.S. Army Reserve in the show,” said Sholes, based out of 

Washington state. “It was an opportunity that allowed these 

Soldiers to take what they’ve learned back to their units.”

The Army Culinary Competition is a skills showcase that aims 

to motivate participants to further their careers in military food 

service. The event is sanctioned by the American Culinary 

Federation and has been featured over the years in various 

media to include the Public Broadcasting System, CNN and the 

Washington Post.

CW2 Bob Nieves, a professional chef based in New York and 

Army Reserve Soldier assigned to the 8th Medical Brigade in 

New York, noted that the Reserve’s entrance in the competition 

represents the culmination of more than a year of coordination 

and planning.

“It’s been a goal of the Reserve for a while,” said the team 

captain. “It was just a matter of getting everything coordinated 

because you’re dealing with so many subordinate units. It’s not 

like having an active-duty post where you have Soldiers there all 

the time. You have (Reserve) Soldiers working only two weeks 

in the year and one weekend a month.”

The team is comprised of nine Soldiers from units based in New 

York to California and points in between.

Because Soldiers were scattered at locations all across the 

country, the team didn’t have much time to prepare for the 

competition. It wasn’t until January 2007 that team members 

could gather here for about two days to get acquainted with one 

another and learn to function as a team. Nieves said it was a

big challenge.

“Granted we could have used months to practice and months 

working together,” he said. “But we have people who were 

dedicated. We had people purchasing all the items, practicing stuff at home and bringing equipment here. We had one

Soldier drive all of her equipment here just to make sure she 

had everything.”

For many of the team members, the competition was an enlightening and enriching experience. Just ask SSG Joseph Branch. 

Assigned to the 63rd Regional Readiness Command in Los 

Alamitos, Calif., Branch never heard of the competition but 

wished he had because he absorbed so much knowledge during 

of the event. SSG Joseph Branch, U.S. Army Reserve Team, prepares to cook seared turkey cutlets in an 

oven during the field cooking category of the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition on March 

9, 2007.

PHOTO: JORGE GOMEZ
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 39

The medal tally for the participating Soldiers included: SSG 

Joseph Branch, one bronze; SFC John Brown, three bronze; 

SPC Holly Dunn, one commendable; SGT Julian Scott, three 

bronze, one commendable; SSG Jeffrey McClaughlin, two 

bronze, one commendable; SGT Joseph Parker, one bronze, one 

commendable; SPC Patrick Alveranga, one silver, two bronze.

W. VA. USAR CENTER STREET 

DEDICATED TO SOLDIER 

KILLED IN OIF

By CPT Chris Coleman

Public Affairs Office

99th Regional Readiness Command

WHEELING, W.Va. — SGT Joseph Nurre entrusted a friend 

to deliver a final letter to his parents if he died in Iraq. 

The letter—delivered after his death in Iraq in 2005—is 

a window into the soul of a kind, fun-loving and thoughtful 22 

year-old man. The letter reminded his parents of the good times 

the Family spent together, humbly requested they don’t “make 

too much of a big deal” about his funeral and asked for people to 

pray for his soul and the Notre Dame football team.

To the Soldiers of the 99th Regional Readiness Command’s 

(RRC) 463rd Engineer Battalion who served with Nurre in 

Iraq, honoring his life was a big deal. Therefore, in the Summer 

2006 they named a previously unnamed county road outside 

their reserve center, SGT Joe Nurre Lane, creating a permanent 

memorial to honor the 463rd Soldier who died in Iraq. 

Nurre died after an improvised explosive device detonated near 

his M916 tractor outside Samarra, Iraq on Aug. 21, 2005. 

To illustrate the impact Nurre’s life had on them, Soldiers from 

the 463rd Engr. Bn. escorted Nurre’s parents from Washington 

for the dedication. 

Leigh Nurre, SGT Nurre’s mother, said her son would be “surprised, but thrilled” to be honored by the 463rd, and said the 

dedication was meaningful to the Nurre Family. “When you 

lose your only child, you want to keep his memory alive. This 

contributes to his memory,” she said. 

Charles Nurre, SGT Nurre’s father, said it was nice to meet the 

Soldiers who served with his son. “It is nice to meet the people 

we saw in the pictures, see their personalities and hear their 

memories of Joe,” he said.

After the new road sign was unveiled, Brooke County 

Commissioner Bernard Kazienko presented Nurre’s parents a 

copy of the county proclamation changing the road’s name. 

COL Bruce Hackett, commander of the 463rd Engr. Bn., when 

it was deployed in Iraq, presented Nurre’s parents with a facsimile of the road sign and a 463rd commemorative coin. 

“SGT Nurre touched my life and the lives of the soldiers who 

served with him, and it was an honor to serve with him,” 

Hackett said.

Although the Wilton, Calif. native was transferred into the unit 

shortly before the 463rd Engr. Bn. deployed to Iraq, Nurre’s gregarious nature quickly made him one of the unit’s most popular 

Soldiers. Soldiers described Nurre as a high-spirited Soldier 

with a positive attitude and a cache of funny stories. 

Leigh Nurre stated that her son enlisted in the Army Reserve on 

the second anniversary of the September 11th attacks and was 

proud to serve because he believed his service was beneficial. 

As an only child, Nurre naturally sought out large group 

activities, playing high school football and joining the Delta 

Chi fraternity as an undergraduate student at California State 

University at Sacramento, according to Nurre’s mother.

Leigh Nurre said that her son quickly grew close to his new 

unit, and serving in the Army Reserve was another outlet for his 

appetite for group activity. 

“He loved the Soldiers of the 463rd. They were like Family,” 

she said.

Soldiers said learning that Nurre had died was shocking

and traumatic.

SGT Joe Nurre Lane is officially unveiled by the Operation Iraqi Freedom Commander of the 

463rd Engineer Battalion, COL Bruce Hackett (right), SGT Nurre’s parents and West Virginia 

Brooke County Commissioner Bernard Kazienko. Nurre was killed-in-action when an IED 

detonated near his tractor. The unit was assisting in repairing Iraq’s infrastructure near 

Samarra, Iraq.

PHOTO: MSG KELLY LUSTER
of patients, some of whom are in long-term care. And most of 

the veterans this year were surprised to be greeted by a special 

guest that was not Santa Claus.

“It’s humbling to see their continued pride in the service 

they provided to the nation,” said 99th RRC Commander MG 

James Snyder, “especially when so many of them are confronted with extreme physical challenges resulting from that 

service. We who serve now are standing on the shoulders of 

their service.” Snyder’s wife, Kimberly, made a special trip to 

Pittsburgh to experience the holiday visit and was surprised 

when she encountered a veteran who had served in the same 

theater as her father had in WW II.

“The service of the WW II Veteran is hard to comprehend,” 

Kimberly Snyder said. “The scale and duration of the service 

is why they are called ‘The Greatest Generation.’ It’s very 

rewarding. And I’m proud of these young Soldiers who have 

volunteered to come here and honor them, as well as (visiting) 

the Vietnam Veterans – many of whom returned unrecognized 

or to disdain. They (99th Soldiers) are part of the new generation serving in the Global War on Terrorism.”

SSG Matt Rhodes feels especially close to the older vets, even 

though he wears the right shoulder patch of the First Cavalry 

Division from his service in Iraq.

“I’m filling a void of my own,” said Rhodes. “My grandfather 

was a Marine who fought in Korea. He was well-decorated, 

including a Purple Heart from shrapnel. My ‘Pap’ passed away 

when I was five years old so we never had the chance to discuss 

our experiences. Wearing his dog tags and visiting someone 

else’s grandfather gives me some closure and somehow brings 

me closer to him.”

Another young sergeant who has made time two consecutive 

years to visit veterans is also a monthly volunteer.

“I feel it’s the least I can do,” said SGT Sarah Williamson. “I’m 

happy when I see the veterans’ eyes light up when we walk into 

their rooms or sing Christmas carols. We talk about whatever’s 

on their minds—either the weather or what’s on television 

—whatever. Some have stories to tell us.”

Williamson said that allowing the veterans to talk about their 

experiences is intriguing and that, while she is saddened by 

some of their health conditions, she always arrives and departs 

wearing a smile.

“Some seem shocked to see us—that we take the time to think 

about them,” Williamson said.

“The holiday visit is the most heartwarming time of the year 

for me and the other volunteers,” said Warnes. “And, while it’s 

uplifting, it can also become emotionally complicated. I almost 

quit once when a long-term patient passed away. I even hoped 

40 ( Army Reserve Magazine

“We were all so close. It was like losing a sibling or relative,” 

said SSG Nicole Sefsick, Company B, 463rd Engr. Bn. 

Soldiers said they were proud to honor Nurre’s sacrifice.

“After we are gone, people will see the sign and ask who Joe was, 

and they will learn about his service – and his memory will live 

on,” Sefsick said.

99TH RRC SOLDIERS 

BRIGHTEN HOLIDAYS FOR 

PITTSBURGH’S HOSPITALIZED 

VETS

By Jack Gordon

Public Affairs Office

99th Regional Readiness Command

P

ITTSBURGH — An annual program first established in 

Pittsburgh several years ago continues to bear traffic on 

a two-way street. For the veterans hospitalized over the 

Christmas holidays in one of the city’s three Veterans Affairs 

(VA) hospitals, the visits from Army Reserve Soldiers now 

serving with the 99th Regional Readiness Command (RRC) 

often generate smiles, and sometimes tears, of thanks. For the 

Soldiers making time to visit those who served before them, it’s 

a time to brighten spirits, to honor and to learn from listening.

“Have you ever heard the saying that everyone has a story?” 

asked SSG Heather Warnes, who has spearheaded the campaign 

for the past seven years by gathering gifts and organizing fundraisers year-round to ensure there will be enough gifts, cards and 

treats for those vets either unable to be with Family and friends 

or are now alone in the world.

“This is apparent at a VA 

hospital,” Warnes continued.

“If you take the time to sit and 

chat with these veterans—to 

really listen—you’ll receive

a lesson in humanity and 

humility.”

The VA has embraced the 

program with the 99th RRC, 

which also features monthly 

visits to vets from Soldiers 

who volunteer to participate 

in the program. The hospital’s 

staff welcomes the Soldiers’ 

efforts to enhance the morale 

PHOTO: JACK GORDON

Each veteran has hundreds of stories.
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 41

to be with him during his final days so he would know he was 

sincerely cared for by someone, but fate had another plan.”

“Mr. Pickens is what drives my volunteer work, and we had 

a bronze plaque made in his honor. It hangs here in the VA,” 

Warnes said. “When people see that plaque, they’ll know that a 

veteran profoundly changed my life. He served as an Army cook 

in both world wars.”

Rhodes spoke of visiting one veteran who was a double-amputee, 

deaf in one ear and blind.

“As he opened up to me, we discussed our common experiences 

fighting on foreign soil,” Rhodes said. “It really chokes me 

up to see these forgotten heroes in their last days. Afterwards, 

the nurse told me he hadn’t spoken that much to anyone in 

months. Unfortunately, their stories and experiences will go 

with them.”

Perhaps, since all stories eventually come to an end, but for 

as long as these 99th RRC Soldiers spare their personal time 

to visit Pittsburgh’s hospitalized veterans, a few more of their 

stories might yet be told ... and heard.

FIRE FIGHTING DET. FACES 

HAZARDOUS MISSIONS 

IN IRAQ

By Kathryn Roe Coker, Ph.D

Office of Army Reserve History

A

L ASAD, Iraq — For the 323rd Engineer Detachment (Fire 

Fighting), an Army Reserve unit based in El Dorado, Kan., 

mobilization meant 14 months of hazardous, dangerous and 

critical real world missions for the 20 Soldiers that deployed into 

theater. At least half of the Soldiers were professional firemen in 

their civilian careers.

Mobilizing on Jan. 24, 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom, the 323rd deployed to Kuwait on April 13, 2003 and 

arrived the next day at Camp Wolf, the theater’s processing 

point for all incoming and outgoing Soldiers. The Soldiers then 

moved to Camp Virginia, a border staging area for units preparing to push north into Iraq. While there the 323rd served as the 

camp’s fire department and responded to several vehicle crashes, 

trash fires and at least one tent fire.

At last in May 2003, after a hazardous convoy trip, the unit 

arrived at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Webster, also known 

as Al Asad, a former Iraqi air base located some 120 miles 

northwest of Baghdad. The unit became the Airfield Crash and 

Rescue Team as well as the base fire department.

In its role as the airfield crash and fire rescue unit, the 323rd 

executed a number of missions. Probably the most daring event 

involved aircraft near Fallujah and two of the units Soldiers.

On Nov. 2, 2003, the Soldiers were flying in one of two CH-47 

Chinook helicopters to Qatar for rest and relaxation. Suddenly 

the lead helicopter came under enemy fire from an insurgent’s 

surface-to-air missile and went down. The trail helicopter, with 

323rd’s SSG Charles Elliot and SGT Ken Miller on board, 

quickly landed near the crash site. Miller took charge of providing site security when he manned the helicopter’s machine gun. 

He then turned that duty over to another Soldier and began 

removing deceased and injured Soldiers from the wreckage and 

providing aid to others. Elliott, a trained emergency medical 

technician and professional fireman, directed the medical treatment of the injured until the commander of the 571st Medical 

Company relieved him. These actions earned both Soldiers the 

Soldier’s Medal, the highest military award for heroism in a 

non-combat situation. Miller later said, “I just felt like I was in 

auto-drive, doing what needed to be done.”

The unit assumed additional responsibilities when wide body 

aircraft came onto the base. The Soldiers had to prepare for the 

support and certification of the airfield. The 323rd Eng. Det. 

carried out a number of other tasks. One involved a large bunker 

covered in several hundred gallons of burning diesel fuel. 

Explosive ordnance disposal teams were disposing of an unexploded U.S. cruise missile warhead that pierced the bunker’s 

roof. “The building was critical,” the commander later wrote, 

“because it housed the entire power distribution network for the 

base. Extinguishing the fire before it could damage the wiring 

and [electrical] busses were critical to [the bases] operation,” he 

said. It took the firefighters two days to put out the fire.

Another extraordinary event came on Aug. 15, 2003 when two 

of the unit’s Soldiers freed a Soldier trapped in the wreckage of 

a 5-ton Army truck, near the Iraqi town of Hit. It looked like 

SSG Heather Warnes spends her spare time ensuring aging and hospitalized veterans are 

remembered.

PHOTO: JACK GORDON
42 ( Army Reserve Magazine

 SCHOONOVER AIRFIELD NOW 

C-17 CAPABLE AT FHL

By Amy Phillips

Public Affairs Office

Combat Support Training Center

F

ORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. — Two years of planning came 

to fruition on Oct. 16, 2006 for the U.S. Army Combat 

Support Training Center (CSTC), the Army Corps of 

Engineers and the U.S. Air Force when the C-17 Globemaster 

III test aircraft touched down at Fort Hunter Liggett’s (FHL) 

Schoonover Airfield.

The landing signified another milestone for CSTC by enhancing and expanding its infrastructure to support Army, joint, 

multi-component, interagency and expeditionary force training. 

FHL in Monterrey County is one of four sites in California 

under the command and control of the CSTC. The CSTC plays 

a crucial role in providing training grounds to Soldiers in years 

three and four in the Army Force Generation model.

“We are now C-17 capable,” said CSTC Commander COL W. 

Scott Wood.

The Air Force’s C-17 Systems Group (SG) based at WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is conducting tests on different 

types of soils in order to expand their C-17 semi-prepared runway 

performance database from 6% to 65% of the earth’s surface. To 

date, the C-17 has only been tested on soils in the deserts of the 

Southwest United States which only represent 6% of the worldwide soil types and climates.

The objective of the tests is to produce consistent data for takeoffs and landings on semi-prepared fields, and to compare and 

assess runway condition and aircraft performance in varying 

degrees of wetness. The data collected during the eight weeks at 

FHL is being used in conjunction with tests at other locations.

On a broader spectrum, the data collected from the tests will 

enable the U.S. Air Force to better plan for the construction of 

semi-prepared airfields in theatre, accurately assess how the aircraft performs on different semi-prepared runways in the world, 

and how well the runways hold up to the aircraft’s payload. The 

C-17 is capable of carrying payloads up to 169,000 pounds, has 

an international range and ability to land on small airfields.

The airfields built enable the C-17 to directly transport cargo to 

forward areas in theatre, eliminating cargo transfers at several 

staging airfields and having to use multiple C-141 and C-140 

aircraft. The C-17 is capable of carrying a wide range of cargo, 

ranging from paratroops, Abrams tanks, Apaches helicopters, 

Humvees, to bulk air-drop pallets.

his leg would have to be amputated. The 323rd Soldiers flew in 

a medical helicopter to the area. They managed to extricate the 

Soldier without him losing his leg.

While in Iraq, the 323rd executed other exceptional actions such 

as extinguishing a pipeline fire started by an explosive device 

set by insurgents. The 323rd traveled 70 miles through hostile 

territory to extinguish the fire southeast of the Haditha Dam 

located in western Iraq. The firefighters managed to put the fire 

out within 90 minutes.

Other actions involved a burning MIG airplane that was parked 

some two miles outside the gate and a burning shack full of 

ammunition and magnesium aircraft parts. The Soldiers extinguished both fires.

There were usually three to four missions a week for the 323rd. 

These included conducting building and structure inspections 

for over 1500 structures on the base and carrying out reconnaissance missions to ascertain needs and facilities within 

the Al Anbar region. The 323rd also supplied security water

distribution to homes and medical clinic services for women 

and children.

The Soldiers of the 323rd Eng. Det. executed these and other 

missions before they left the theater on March 16, 2004. They 

arrived back at their home station 10 days later where they 

received a heartfelt welcome. As SSG Lance McCune, the

NCO in charge, said, “We performed a vital mission and we did 

it well.”

PHOTO: U.S. ARMY

Members of the 323rd carry a casualty to a waiting MEDEVAC helicopter.
Spring / Summer 2007 ( 43

the construction was funded by the Air Force and carried out by 

a combination of Army Reserve engineer units, FHL garrison 

maintenance crews, and commercial contractors.

The complex project involved expanding the existing landing 

zone from 60 to 90 feet wide and lengthening it from 4,100 to 

5,800 feet. It was also necessary to reroute streams, a drainage 

structure, construct a culvert, employ erosion control methods 

in the area, and resurface the parking apron and connecting 

taxiway.

“The more complex the project, the harder the environmental 

regulations will be to meet. We met them in near record time,” 

said Gary Houston, CSTC environmental officer. “Lots of 

people helped pull it all together,” he said.

The environmental office worked closely with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, California State Historical Preservation Office, 

Corps of Engineers, Central Coast Regional Water Quality 

Control Board, and the Monterey Basin Unified Air Pollution 

Control District to ensure all regulatory requirements were met.

“This was a great project for all that was involved. It provided 

many Army Reserve engineers with real-world missions that will 

help prepare them for similar missions in theater. It provided a 

place for the Air Force to do their testings, and gave us an 

expanded runway. Now that we can take on C-17 landings, we’re 

aggressively spreading the word to units at distant locations, that 

they too can use our training center,” said Wood.

Fort Hunter Liggett was the first of four test sites that the C17 SG will be using for their project. Other sites include Fort 

Chaffee, Ark., Fort McCoy, Wisc. and an additional location 

that would yield a high-plasticity clay soil and temperature 

climate.

“Fort Hunter Liggett plays an important part in our plan 

because it contains the most common soil type in the world,” 

said the C-17 Test Force Director LTC Robert Poremski.

According to the Air Force, the silty-sand found at FHL represents 40% of the earth’s soil type. FHL also fulfills the Air 

Force’s requirement to test in semi-arid climate. Fort Chaffee’s 

low-plasticity clay soil type represents 11.9% and Fort McCoy’s 

silty-sand represents 21.9% of the earth’s soil type. Both installations have a temperate climate.

 “The overall testing went very well,” said Jeb Tingle, project 

manager from the C-17 Program at Engineering Research and 

Development Center based at Vicksburg, Miss. “We received 

unbelievable support from Fort Hunter Liggett.”

The test aircraft, pilots, and test and support crew came from 

Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Schooner Airfield had to be expanded in order to accommodate 

the C-17 tests. The project design was a collaborative effort 

between six Army Corps of Engineers laboratories from New 

Hampshire, Illinois, Virginia, and Mississippi. The majority of 

C-17 Globemaster takes off from Fort Hunter Liggett’s Schoonover Airfield

PHOTO: ART WATSON
94TH RRC SOLDIER RECEIVES 

MEDAL FOR HEROISM

By Linda Jeleniewski

Public Affairs Office 

94th Regional Readiness Command

C

AMBRIDGE, Mass. — SGT Carlos 

Madden never imagined he would 

be considered a hero after saving 

the life of his neighbor during an attack 

in December 2005, when he was offduty. “It was one of those things I didn’t 

really think about,” said Madden, a 

Cambridge native and current student at 

Framingham State College. “I look back 

on the moment and it just seems like 

one big blur.”

Madden, 22, a member of the 401st 

Chemical Company, was awarded the 

Soldier’s Medal for Heroism on Feb. 

10, 2007, during a ceremony held at 

Cambridge City Hall. COL Stephen 

Falcone, deputy commander, 655th 

Regional Support Group, 94th Regional 

Readiness Command presented the 

award with Madden’s Family and

fellow Soldiers.

On the night of Dec. 22, 2005, Madden, 

alerted by shouts from his 13 year-old 

sister, Mary, endangered his own life 

by confronting and chasing down the 

knife-wielding suspect who had just 

assaulted his neighbor, University of 

Massachusetts (Lowell) professor, Mary 

Elizabeth Hooker, in front of her home. 

Cornering the suspect and putting 

himself into harm’s way, Madden held 

his ground by not allowing the suspect 

to escape until law enforcement arrived.

The suspect, a student of the victim, 

had stabbed Hooker several times. If 

Madden had not intervened, according 

to law enforcement officials, Hooker 

possibly would not have survived.

“If you knew Carlos,” said Hooker, 

“then you would know that this is not at 

all unusual for him. He is such a wonderful young man and neighbor.”

“This young man, is one of Cambridge’s 

own sons – a shinning star,” said Mayor 

Kenneth E. Reeves, “It is an honor to 

present the key to our city,” he said.

Massachusetts Veterans’ Director 

Robert Stevens, representing the city of 

Cambridge presented Madden with a 

proclamation designating Feb. 10, 2007, 

as “SGT Carlos A. Madden Day.”

“I didn’t do anything more than any one 

of you would have done, if in the same 

circumstances,” said Madden. “I would 

like to think you would do the same, if 

it were me.”

The U.S. Army 

Soldier’s Medal 

was introduced 

by a law passed 

by the U.S. 

Congress on July 

2, 1926. The 

Soldier’s Medal 

is awarded to 

any member of 

the U.S. armed 

forces or of a 

friendly foreign 

nation who, while 

serving in any capacity with the U.S. 

Army, distinguishes himself or herself 

by heroism not involving actual conflict 

with an enemy.

CA OFFICER, COMBAT VETERAN, 

EARNS SIXTH HIGHEST MILITARY 

HONOR

U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological 

Operations Command News Service

F

ORT BRAGG, N.C. — A civil affairs 

officer received the Defense 

Superior Service Medal, (DSSM) 

Dec. 13, 2006, at a Pentagon ceremony 

to recognize members of the Armed 

Forces who have rendered superior 

meritorious service to their nation in a 

position of significant responsibility.

COL Michael Stout, an active-duty 

Soldier and deputy commander of 

the 352nd Civil Affairs Command, 

Fort Meade, Md., a subordinate unit 

of the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and 

Psychological Operations Command 

(Airborne) headquartered at Fort Bragg, 

received the DSSM from then-outgoing Secretary of Defense, Donald H. 

Rumsfeld. He was recognized for his 

contributions to the evolution of the 

DoD’s ability to meet the threats of the 

21st century after Sept. 11, 2001.

Stout, a 28-year career military officer 

and Afghanistan combat veteran, was 

recognized for distinguishing himself 

in concept development, deployment 

and implementation of the first three 

Provincial Reconstruction Teams 

(PRTs) in Gardez, Bamiyan, and 

Konduz, Afghanistan.

While serving as deputy commander, 

Combined Joint Civil Military 

Operations Task Force, Joint Task 

Force 180, Afghanistan, from September 

2002 to April 2003, Stout expertly 

advised senior Coalition civilian 

leaders and military commanders, U.S. 

interagency members and key Afghan 

Ministry officials – ultimately securing 

critical support and resources for the 

PRTs. Stout’s analysis and recommendations played a key role in shaping 

both the DoD’s and the U.S. Central 

Command’s approaches to conducting 

future operations in Afghanistan.

The DSSM, the sixth highest DoD 

award, was established Feb. 6, 1976, 

and is awarded to members of the U.S. 

Armed Forces who render superior 

meritorious service in a position of significant responsibility.

44 ( Army Reserve Magazine

PEOPLE

PHOTO: LINDA JELENIEWSKI

SGT Carlos Madden, 401st 

Chemical Company, stands 

before Soldiers of his unit, 

Family and friends after 

receiving the Soldiers Medal 

for Heroism.

PHOTO: U.S. ARMY

COL Michael Stout accepts congratulation from then 

Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld for being 

awarded Defense Superior Service Medal.

People
89 YEAR-OLD VOLUNTEER 

“RE-UPS” TO SERVE COUNTRY, 

FAMILY READINESS

By MSG Scotty Johnson

Public Affairs Office

81st Regional Readiness Command

O

RLANDO, Fla. — Joe Hudgins, 89, a 

former full-time Family readiness 

volunteer for the 81st Regional 

Readiness Command (RRC), has been 

an Army Reserve volunteer from 2002 

to 2006.

At first glance, he could be mistaken 

for a mild-mannered school teacher 

or crossing guard. Don’t be fooled. 

Hudgins has been stepping up to the 

plate for a long time when the country 

is in need.

Flashback to 1937. The American 

economy had yet to begin any upswing 

and was still in the midst of the Great 

Depression. But rumors of a European 

war were circulating so American industry began planning for the possibility

of needing to supply war materials to 

our allies.

At the time Hudgins had already graduated from high school, and was working 

as a bookkeeper and supply clerk at a 

small shipyard and yacht storage facility 

in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. His supervisor, 

Paul Dooley, went to Washington, D.C., 

in search of government contracts and 

was awarded one to build 105-foot Army 

aircraft rescue vessels.

As the shipyard expanded, Hudgins was 

responsible for screening and hiring 

new employees. Within one year of the 

initial contract, the number of company 

employees rose from 35 to almost 600, 

largely due to Hudgins’s efforts. In light 

of his work, he was promoted to personnel director.

During that period, people in key 

civilian job positions were granted 

deferments from serving in the military. 

Hudgins had wanted to join the military 

and tried to enlist on a number of occasions, but was unable to obtain a release 

from his “priority” position at the shipyard.

He was even offered commissions 

with the Army Transport Service, but, 

because of his job, the local draft boards 

would not approve him to join.

Determined to do his part, while 

working sometimes seven days a week 

at the plant, Hudgins volunteered with 

the Coast Guard Temporary Reserve. He 

spent many nights guarding the ships 

docked at Port Everglades. It was there 

that he was placed in charge of ship’s 

carpenters, welders, mechanics and 

other special crews.

With German submarines sinking so 

many ships, it was not uncommon 

to look out over the horizon and see 

plumes of smoke rising from a sinking 

vessel. Because of this, private yachts 

stored at the facility were converted to 

Coast Guard military vessels. His crews 

would go in, paint the yachts grey and 

replace the beautiful interiors with 

crew’s quarters. After being outfitted 

with machine guns, small cannons, and 

depth charge racks, the ships were put 

into use as submarine chasers.

Finally one day he felt that he just 

had to give more. Armed with his own 

deferment hidden in his coat pocket, 

Hudgins went to the approval authority 

for himself. He refused his deferment 

and was inducted into the U.S. Navy in 

March, 1945, where he spent almost two 

years serving as a seaman storekeeper 

technician.

Following a 12-week boot camp, 

Hudgins was sent to Overseas School 

in Carlisle, Pa. Once completed, he was 

stationed at nearby Giant Naval Supply 

Depot in Mechanicsburg until his discharge two years later.

Serving a two-year stint during a time of 

war would probably be enough for any 

man, but not for Hudgins.

When Joe finally retired at the age of 83, 

it was the dawning of a new millennium 

and he told his Family, “I have started a 

lot of businesses in my time, shoe stores, 

hotels, resorts, housing developments, 

but without financial backing, I did 

everything on a shoestring. Well, my 

shoestring finally broke.”

But soon afterwards, American again 

found itself in the midst of a global war 

and Joe couldn’t sit idly by. So, although 

being well beyond the maximum age of 

service, Hudgins, once again, found a 

way to serve.

In 2003 Joe became a Family readiness volunteer with the 81st RRC, 

Birmingham, Ala. There he served as

an assistant to the Family programs 

director.

Hudgins recalls attending a particular 

unit ceremony which moved both he 

and his wife, Eunice. “The importance 

of what we do for Army Families really 

hit me when I helped out at a farewell 

ceremony in Gordo, Ala.,” Hudgins said. 

“Eunice and I watched as a young mom 

and dad, both in uniform, prepared to 

deploy. They had to say good-bye to 

their young baby as they handed him to 

grandma. It brought both of us to tears”.

Hudgins routinely worked as many as 

32 hours per week attending to everything that required attention. Hudgins’s 

efforts earned him the title of Volunteer 

of the Year in 2004. This award recognized his outstanding efforts in the 

Family readiness arena.

Subsequently, Hudgins left the 81st 

RRC and currently serves as a Family 

readiness volunteer for the U.S. Army 

Reserve Command, Atlanta, Ga.

PEOPLE

Spring / Summer 2007 ( 45

PHOTO: MSG SCOTTY JOHNSON

Joe Hudgins shares an embrace with his wife of 68 

years, Eunice..
NEWS

SGT Kevin D. Akins

MAJ Stuart M. Anderson

SGT Roberto Arizola, Jr.

CSM Edward C. Barnhill

SGT Gregory A. Belanger

CPL Mark A. Bibby

SFC Kelly M. L. Bolor

SPC Roy Buckley

SPC Charles E. Bush, Jr.

CPT Paul J. Cassidy

PFC Thomas D. Caughman

SPC Doron N. Chan

SPC Jonathan M. Cheatham

SSG Thomas W. Christensen

SGT Ross A. Clevenger

1SG Christopher D. Coffin

SPC Gavin J. Colburn

MAJ David S. Connolly

SSG Todd R. Cornell

SPC Richard M. Crane

LTC Terrence K. Crowe

SSG Donald N. Davis

SPC Lauro G. DeLeon, Jr.

SFC Robert V. Derenda

SSG Christopher W. Dill

SGT Catalin D. Dima

SPC Jeremy M. Dimaranan

SSG Carlos Dominguez

SSG Richard S. Eaton, Jr. 

SGT Gary A. Eckert, Jr.

SSG Jeffrey J. Farrow

MAJ Gregory J. Fester

SGT Nathan R. Field

SSG Ryan D. Foraker

SPC Kendell K. Frederick

CPT Brian S. Freeman

SGT Bryan L. Freeman

SGT David T. Friedrich

SPC Luke P. Frist

SPC Nichole M. Frye

SFC Dan H. Gabrielson

SGT David J. Goldberg

PFC Gregory R. Goodrich

PFC Devin J. Grella

SPC David E. Hall

SPC Robert E. Hall, Jr.

SGT James W. Harlan

SSG Darren Harmon

SGT Kenneth W. Harris, Jr. 

SFC David A. Hartman

SSG Stephen C. Hattamer

SSG Robert Hernandez

SGT Edward R. Heselton

SPC Julie R. Hickey

SGT Anton J. Hiett

SPC Joshua L. Hill

SPC Benjamin D. Hoeffner

SGT James J. Holtom

SFC Merideth L. Howard

SPC Bert E. Hoyer

SGT Eric R. Hull

CPL Derence W. Jack

CPT Benjamin D. Jansky

SPC Joseph A. Jeffries

MAJ Alan R Johnson

SPC Robert T. Johnson

SFC Matthew R. Kading

MSG Paul D. Karpowich

LTC Paul W. Kimbrough

SPC Adam G. Kinser

SSG Charles A. Kiser

SPC Adam L. Knox

SGT Elmer C. Krause

SSG Mark A. Lawton

SSG Wilgene T. Lieto

CPT Shane R. Mahaffee

SFC Curtis Mancini

SGT Myla L. Maravillosa 

SSG Stephen G. Martin

SGT Arthur S. Mastrapa

SSG James D. McNaughton

SFC Otie J. McVey

1SG Tobias C. Meister

SPC Christopher T. Monroe

SGT Melvin Y. Mora

SSG Richard L. Morgan, Jr.

SFC Lawrence E. Morrison

SSG James D. Mowris

MAJ Michael L. Mundell

SGT Rodney A. Murray

SGT Paul T. Nakamura

MSG Robb G. Needham

SPC Charles L. Neeley

SSG Clinton T. Newman

SPC Allen D. Nolan

SGT Joseph C. Nurre

SGT Larry W. Pankey, Jr.

SGT Evan S. Parker

SSG Robert J. Paul

SSG Ronald L. Paulsen

PFC Luis A. Perez

SSG James L. Pettaway

LTC Mark P. Phelan

SGT Jaror C. Puello-Coronado

SGT Miguel A. Ramos

SSG Joseph R. Ray

SGT Pierre A. Raymond

SPC Brandon M. Read

SGT Regina C. Reali

SPC Ramon Reyes-Torres

SGT Lawrence A. Roukey

1SG Carlos N. Saenz

SSG Cameron B. Sarno

SGT Joshua A. Schmit

SGT Danton K. Seitsinger

CPL Stephen D. Shannon

LTC Anthony L. Sherman

SSG Benjamin J. Slaven

LTC Albert E. Smart

MAJ Charles R. Soltes, Jr.

SPC Carla J. Stewart

SFC Douglas C. Stone

SGT Joshua A. Terando

SGT Jarret B. Thompson

SSG Frank F. Tiai

SGT Tina S. Time

SPC Brandon Tobler

SGT Nicholas A. Tomko

SPC Juan M. Torres

SPC Teodoro Torres

SSG Nathan J. Vacho

SGT Thomas E. Vandling, Jr.

SGT Jose M. Velez

SGT Brandon L. Wallace

SGT Brad A. Wentz

PFC Raymond M. Werner

SGT Cheyenne C. Willey

LTC Peter E. Winston

SGT James Witkowski

LTC Thomas A. Wren

We memorialize these Soldiers’ lives 

by the actions we take as leaders.

A R M Y R E S E R V E H O N O R R O L L 

AS OF APRIL 24, 2007

PRESORTED

STANDARD

US POSTAGE 

PAID

Louisville, KY

Permit #336

Editor

U.S. Army Reserve Command, Public Affairs

1401 Deshler Street SW

Fort McPherson, GA 30330

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