SPRING 2005

SUPPORT

OUR TROOPS

PROFOUND CHANGE: WARFIGHTING IN 21ST CENTURY

Significant Improvements for TRICARE

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Deploys to Iraq

Winning the Fight Before It’s Fought
ON THE COVER

Soldiers from the 100th Battalion,

442nd Infantry conduct training in

Military Operations in Urban Terrain

(MOUT) at Fort Bliss, Texas. 

(PHOTO BY PAUL ADAMS, U.S. ARMY RESERVE)

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

TRICARE Benefits Improved

Significantly for Reserve Soldiers. . . . . . 4

ROA Grants Free Membership

Extentions to Mobilized 

Reserve Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

84th Army Reserve Readiness

Training Command Locates at

Fort McCoy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Deployment Cycle Support Program

Benefits Soldiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Army Reserve Engineers Improve

Roads for Border Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Safety First, Plan Ahead Before 

Driving Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Young Citizens Learn What It 

Means to be a Patriot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

PROFOUND CHANGE

Chief, Army Reserve Addresses

“Courage to Change” in the 

Army Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Army Reserve Chief Hears from 

Soldiers in Kuwait . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Phased Mobilization Readies 

Unit for War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

★

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. 11

2 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

21

LTG James R. Helmly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief, Army Reserve

CSM Michele Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve

COL Geoff Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director, U.S. Army Reserve Public Affairs

LTC Robbin M. Rutherford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief, Communications Division

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

Design Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Madison Design Group
WELL-BEING/FAMILY READINESS

Winning the Fight Before 

It’s Fought: “Well-Being” of the 

American Soldier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The Rest and Recuperation (R&R)

Leave Program Enhances

Quality of Life and Well-Being

for Participants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Duo Collects Cameras for 

Troops’ Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

UPDATE ON OPERATION 

IRAQI FREEDOM

Army Reserve Aviation Units 

Mobilized to Support Operation 

Iraqi Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Father, Nursery, Shipping Company

Team Up to Donate Christmas Trees 

to Troops, Facilities in Iraq . . . . . . . . . . 24

Army Reserve Civil Affairs Unit 

Assists in Developing Iraqi’s

Infrastructure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Transportation Company’s Trucks 

Keep Hauling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Army Reserve First Responders

Form Reserve Team in Iraq. . . . . . . . . . 32

FEATURES

“Go For Broke” Soldiers Become

U.S. Citizens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Historical Perspective:

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry 

Past and Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

JRTC Training Prepares 

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry 

for Iraq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Spring 2005 ★ 3

Volume 50, Number 4

Army Reserve Magazine online: www.army.mil/usar

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 e-mail submissions should go to usarmag@usarc-emh2.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 450,000. 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.

31 39

PEOPLE

Army Reserve Soldier Becomes 

First Female General Officer in 

Judge Advocate General Corps. . . . . . . 40

Patriotism Never Retires . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Reserve Chief Reenlists 

Soldiers Throughout Afghanistan . . . . 41

AROUND THE GLOBE

Ceremony in England Honors 

American Service Members from 

World War I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Army Reserve Officer Attends 

French Army Military School. . . . . . . . 43

INSIDE BACK COVER

We Will Never Forget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

BACK COVER

Team leaders of the 100th Battalion,

442nd Infantry conduct After-Action

Reviews with squad members following

their training in Military Operations in

Urban Terrain (MOUT). (PHOTO BY PAUL

ADAMS, U.S. ARMY RESERVE)

44
TRICARE BENEFITS 

IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY 

FOR RESERVE SOLDIERS 

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense 

T

he National Defense Authorization

Act for fiscal 2005, signed by

President George Bush, improves

significantly the overall health benefits

available to Army Reserve and National

Guard Soldiers and their families and

makes permanent several of the TRICARE

benefits authorized “temporarily” under

defense legislation last year while

extending secretarial authorization 

for others.

“Our reservists and guardsmen who are

called to duty and their families deserve

these great new benefits for their service

to their country,” said Dr. William

Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of

defense for health affairs. “We welcome

these new TRICARE provisions as a

means to improve active and reserve

component force readiness and to

enhance family member access to care.”

For reserve component members with

delayed effective date orders to serve on

active duty in support of a contingency

operation for more than 30 days, the

new legislation permanently authorizes

TRICARE eligibility for up to 90 days

prior to member’s activation date for

eligible members and their families. It

also makes permanent a 180-day transitional TRICARE health benefit after

deactivation for Transitional Assistance

Management Program (TAMP) eligible

members and their families. Members

must also now receive a comprehensive

physical examination prior to separating

from active duty service.

The legislation also authorizes waiver 

of the TRICARE standard and extra

deductibles of reserve component family

members for members ordered to active

duty for more than 30 days and

authorizes TRICARE to pay nonparticipating providers up to 115 percent

of the TRICARE maximum allowable

charge, which enhances continuity of

care for these family members with

their civilian providers.

Members of the reserve component

called after Sept. 11, 2001, to serve for

more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation, who served or will

continuously serve for 90 or more days,

are now given the opportunity to purchase TRICARE standard healthcare

coverage for themselves and their family

members after they demobilize. The

member must sign an agreement to continue serving for a period of one year or

more in the selected reserve after their

active duty ends. For every 90 days of

consecutive active duty service, the

member and family member may

purchase one year of TRICARE standard coverage for the same period they

commit to serve in the selected reserves.

Members will be able to purchase the

new TRICARE standard coverage on

a self-only or self and family basis. The

TRICARE standard coverage under this

program will begin once the member’s

eligibility for 180 days of transitional

TRICARE coverage under the TAMP

program ends. Members who served on

active duty in support of a contingency

operation for 90 days or more on or after

Sept. 11, 2001, and were released from

active duty before Oct. 28, 2004, or

within 180 days of that date, may enter

into an agreement to serve continuously

in the selected reserve for a period of

one or more years and begin participation in this program at that time. These

members must enter into this agreement to serve in the selected reserve

within one year of Oct. 28, 2004. 

Congress requires implementation of

the new TRICARE standard enrollment

program by April 26, 2005. 

Winkenwerder stated, “We have already

begun working on these provisions and

will implement them on time.”

Additional information on the new 

permanent TRICARE provisions to

include start dates, benefits and

requirements under each of the

new permanent provisions will be

posted on the TRICARE Web site 

at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/

and the reserve affairs Web site 

at http://www.defenselink.mil/ra

as soon as each is ready to begin.

ROA GRANTS FREE MEMBERSHIP

EXTENSIONS TO MOBILIZED

RESERVE MEMBERS

WASHINGTON — The Reserve Officers

Association (ROA) is extending free

memberships for up to two years to

members who have been mobilized to

support Operations Noble Eagle, Iraqi

Freedom, or Enduring Freedom. ROA’s

Executive Committee unanimously

approved the program to show the

Association’s appreciation and support

to Reserve members serving their

country on active duty.

“As a military-based association 

committed to national security and

the members who provide that security,

extending free memberships is the least

we can do for Reservists,” said retired

Air Force Reserve MG Robert Nester,

president of ROA. “The last thing we

want our members and their spouses

worrying about while they’re serving

their country on active duty is the status

of their memberships,” Nester added.

As part of the new service ROA will

extend memberships free of charge for

up to two years, the maximum time for

which Ready Reserve members can be

mobilized when the President declares 

a national emergency. The only benefit

suspended is that the extended members

will not receive the paper copy of the

association’s magazine, The Officer, while

they are deployed. The magazine is still

available to them and all ROA members

at www.roa.org.

4 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

NEWS

News Briefs

“We have already begun

working on these provisions

and will implement 

them on time.”
NEWS

Extended members will have to renew

their memberships when they return

from active duty or become life members

to continue to receive the magazine.

“What a great way to show appreciation

for our service!” said MAJ John C.

Jacobi, an Army Reserve Soldier who

just returned from a 369-day deployment to Iraq and took advantage of this

special offer. “It’s gestures like these and

the work ROA does for all of us on the

front lines in Washington while we are

fighting for our country that I belong 

to the association and became a life

member when I returned (from Iraq),”

he added.

“I know that the ROA has given its

members a lot and continues to fight to

eliminate disparities between Reservists

and the Active Component,” Jacobi

said. “This is why it is so important for

the ROA to work with and educate our

elected officials in Washington D.C.,

surfacing issues to change that which

make sense for the Total Force.”

To initiate an extension of membership,

members or their next of kin should

call ROA headquarters at (800) 809-9448,

ext. 727, or e-mail the ROA Membership

Director LTC Mike Boone at

mboone@roa.org. ROA continues 

its long tradition of “Serving Those

Who Serve.”

The Reserve Officers Association is a

member-based association with 75,000

members from all of the uniformed

military services. Located on Capitol

Hill, the Association was founded in

1922 and advocates for rights and benefits of its members and for a strong

Reserve Component in support of

national defense.

84TH ARMY RESERVE 

READINESS TRAINING 

COMMAND (PROVISIONAL)

LOCATES AT FORT MCCOY

Public Affairs Office

84th Army Reserve Readiness

Training Command (Provisional)

MILWAUKEE — The Global War on

Terrorism is causing the U.S. Army

Reserve to change its structure and

methods of training.

As part of this change, effective Oct. 

1, 2004 the 84th Division (Institutional

Training), headquartered in Milwaukee,

became the 84th Army Reserve

Readiness Training Command

(ARRTC) (Provisional) with 

head-quarters at Fort McCoy.

The 84th Division (IT) no longer will

be a division but a “Military School and

Training Center.”

The new 84th ARRTC (Prov) will be

comprised of five directorates: Schools,

Training Development, Strategic

Training, Leadership Development and

Advanced Distributive Learning. The

mission of the 84th ARRTC (Prov) is 

to develop, sustain and deliver a wide

spectrum of military courseware and

leader development instruction.

It will be commanded by MG Charles 

E. Gorton, the commander of the 84th

Division (IT). The transition is a result

of an Army-wide reorganization effort.

The goal of the transformation is to

produce a more ready and trained force.

The transition culminates after a year’s

worth of planning.

The 84th ARRTC (Prov) will command

the U.S. Army Reserve Noncommissioned

Officer Academies at Fort Dix, N.J.;

Fort McCoy; and Fort Lewis, Wash. It

will help develop training for the U.S.

Army Reserve in concert with the U.S.

Army Training and Doctrine Command

and its schools for Engineer, Military

Intelligence, Military Police, Signal,

Chemical, Civil Affairs, Personnel

Services, Transportation, Quartermaster,

Transportation and Ordnance located

throughout the country.

The new command also will oversee

Army Reserve leader-development

training, development of Web-based

training and distance learning and

coordination of training done in other

services and government agencies.

The major subordinate commands 

of the 84th Division (IT) located in

Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,

Minnesota, Ohio and Indiana will

merge with the 100th Division (IT),

headquartered in Louisville, Ky. The

merger is targeted to be complete by

October 2005. All current members 

of the 84th Division (IT) will retain 

a position and most will continue to

train in their current location.

The 100th Division (IT), which also is

being restructured, will merge a portion

of its units to the 108th Division (IT).

This merger plan will help maintain a

regional U.S. Army Reserve presence

and improve manning and personnel

readiness levels for the Army Reserve.

DEPLOYMENT CYCLE SUPPORT

PROGRAM BENEFITS SOLDIERS

When Soldiers redeploy from an 

overseas operation or complete a

CONUS-based mobilization, they have

a strong desire to get home as quickly 

as possible. In the redeploying process,

all Soldiers go through the Army’s

Deployment Cycle Support (DCS)

Program, but they don’t fully appreciate

what they are experiencing. “Because 

of their intent to get home quickly, they

may not be in a listening mode at a 

critical time in the redeploying/demobilizing process,” says Terrance Spoon,

Well-Being Program Manager with 

the U.S. Army Reserve.

“This is unfortunate because many

(Soldiers) don’t fully understand the full

range of benefits available to them, and

the support that is in place to help them

deal with readjusting back to civilian

life,” Spoon said. “This support can

Spring 2005 ★ 5

“I know that the ROA has

given its members a lot and

continues to fight to eliminate

disparities between Reservists

and the Active component.”
provide reunion help with spouses and

children, employment/reemployment

assistance, medical treatment, and 

personal social readjustment.”

DCS is a Commander’s program and

Sergeants’ business. It is the Army’s

three-phased personnel operation plan

for the return of all mobilized and

deployed Soldiers and DA civilians. Its

purpose is to reintroduce Army personnel into pre-conflict environments to

facilitate reconstitution of families,

Soldiers’ and deployed civilians’ individual lives, and the force. Its major

components are education, assessment,

and processing.

According to Spoon, DCS is conducted

in-depth. Phase I (Redeployment) begins

when the unit is released from its mission

and reports to the rear assembly area in

theater. Phase 2 (Demobilization) involves

executing five to seven days of reintegration training at the Power Projection

Platform from which the unit mobilized.

Phase 3 (Reconstitution) occurs at Home

Station during unit battle assemblies and

consists of a series of sustainment tasks.

All tasks on the DCS checklist must be

completed. Any task not completed in 

a previous phase must be accomplished

during the next phase.

Spoon points out that effective two-way

communication between in-theater

commanders and their rear detachments

is essential for successful completion of

DCS. As the primary conduit for information between forward deployed units

and their Family Readiness Groups

(FRGs), rear detachments are responsible for communicating redeployment

travel plans to families. 

Additionally, Rear Detachment 

Commanders (RDCs) are responsible for

the completion of all actions identified

in the DCS Concept Plan for Global War

on Terrorism Post Conflict/Mobilization

Personnel Operations, otherwise known

as the DCS CONPLAN, that are to be

accomplished by Army Reserve families

to facilitate their reunion with returning

Soldiers. This includes reintegration

training for spouses and family members,

marital assessments, the identification of

high risk spouses and family members,

and ensuring behavioral health assets 

are available to provide assistance in

individual reconstitution.

Army One Source (AOS) is a great tool

that is available 24/7 at 1-800-464-8107.

It provides personalized support for 

any issue with private consultation in

person or over the phone, and referrals

to military and community resources. 

The full range of medical and dental

benefits is significant. Soldiers need 

to know what they are entitled to. To

receive assistance, Soldiers and family

members may call TRICARE at 1-800-

700-8646, M–F 8 a.m.–7 p.m. (EST). 

Soldiers are eligible for Army Career

Alumni Program (ACAP) services,

including one-on-one career counseling,

resume assistance, and workshops, for

180 days after release from active duty

(REFRAD). ACAP help is available at

1-877-722-2270, M–F, 7:30 a.m.–3:00

p.m. (EST). 

ARMY RESERVE ENGINEERS

IMPROVE ROADS FOR 

BORDER PATROL

By SGT Chris Pisano

361st Public Affairs Detachment

On one side there is Mexico. On the

other there is the United States of

America. Belonging to both countries yet

separating them is the city of Nogales,

Ariz. While Border Patrol agents work to

keep illegal immigrants and drugs out of

our country, especially in a high activity

area like Nogales, sometimes they run

into road blocks — literally.

Enter Army Reserve Combat Engineer

Soldiers from the 328th Engineer

Company (Light), 77th Regional

Readiness Command, from Northfield,

NJ, who are clearing the way.

On the unit’s third and final rotation 

to Nogales, the mission to support the

efforts of the Border Patrol continues.

Once finished, this final group of troops

from the 328th will be responsible for

having cleared out a half-mile stretch of

raw road that runs along the fence line

separating the United States from

Mexico, and the city of Nogales.

“Our mission is to level this stretch 

of road and solve all of its drainage

issues,” said SFC Thomas E. Cavileer

Jr., Noncommissioned Officer in Charge

with the 328th. “We’ll be giving the

Border Patrol a smooth road so they

can get from point A to point B faster,

which is critical to their mission.” 

“We’re helping out the Border Patrol

so they will have a clear path to better

react to any individuals or incidents

along the border,” said CPT John A.

Coppola, 328th company commander.

“This is our annual training — with an

emphasis on training. Joint Task Force

(JTF) 6 put the request in for this

mission, and the 328th was glad to

answer the call.”

JTF6, operating as a part of the

Department of Defense, provides missions for military units to volunteer to

support local, state and federal support

for counter-drug agencies, said Cavileer.

6 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

NEWS

PHOTO: USAR

Soldiers of the 328th Engineer Company reshape a rough

and hilly landscape into a smooth road.

“This support can 

provide reunion help with

spouses and children, 

employment/reemployment

assistance, medical 

treatment, and personal 

social readjustment.”
NEWS

However, the 328th has seen its share of

action. Having completed missions in

places like Germany and Guatemala,

they are more than able to perform their

duties. While not a part of this Annual

Training (AT), a section of the unit just

returned from a nine-month deployment

to Afghanistan, and some of the unit’s

troops are currently serving in Iraq.

Due to the mobilizations, the unit’s

equipment was unavailable for the

Nogales mission, which is why civilian

machinery was being used. Even armed

with an array of bulldozers, cranes and

other heavy equipment, the unit’s task

of reshaping a rough and hilly landscape

into a smooth road was no Sunday afternoon drive.

“Our work has been cut out for us,

though,” said Cavileer. “You should

have seen this area when we first

arrived. It was simply impassable. We

got here and hit the ground running to

change that.”

The 328th will only be charged with 

the task of making the rugged borderline land a passable path, said Coppola,

while the Border Patrol will eventually

pave the road. And in a display of true

professionalism and commitment, the

interaction between the Soldiers of the

328th and the members of the border

patrol has been a perfect marriage.

“They’ve been nothing but excellent to

us,” said Cavileer. “They are looking out

for us, providing safety. They’re happy

with our support, and we’re happy to

give it.”

“As members of the military, we can’t

get involved in any policing actions

along the border,” said Coppola. “So

anything we see out here we report to

border patrol and let them do their job

while we do ours.”

A job indeed — pulling over two weeks

worth of 12-hour days of non-stop road

work under the unforgiving, broilinghot Arizona sun.

“The weather here has been over 100

degrees Fahrenheit for the past four

days,” said SPC Laiping Tse of the

328th. “I am going through a 70 ounce

camelback every four hours. Yes, we do

go through a lot of water out here.”

SGT Duane A. Graves, a supervisor 

in the 328th, was the sole member of 

the contingent that returned from its

deployment to Afghanistan to take part

in the unit’s annual training. According

to him, coming straight from the desert,

the Arizona heat is a breeze. 

“Sure it’s hot here, but this is nothing

compared to Afghanistan. We get the

troops to drink water and watch out for

each other, so it’s really no sweat out

here,” he said.

“Things have been going incredibly

well,” said Coppola. The temperature

may be high, but so is the morale.”

“I absolutely love this work. In fact, this

is my 23rd AT doing this,” said Graves,

a long-distance truck driver in the civilian world and family man with a wife

and three children. “I’ve never been to

Arizona before, so I had to see what it

was like. I really love the Army. In fact,

I just signed on for four more years.”

“It’s a really good project here in

Nogales. This work is right up my

alley,” said Cavileer, a former superintendent of a demolition company —

this being his first time to Arizona as

well. “I’m having a lot of fun out here.

We’re happy to be working for two

weeks. It’s exciting to be here on the

border. And it’s great for the new

Soldiers to get this real world experience,” he said.

“I just came home from advanced individual training three months ago, and

now I am actually here on a real world

mission,” said PFC Christopher C.

Slininger of the 328th, who actually

does this work in the civilian world.

“This is great. I would not have it any

other way.”

“A lot of the troops do this type of work

on the civilian side,” said Coppola. “So

even if he’s a private, he can show other

Soldiers what to do as well. It’s a very

good atmosphere for unit cohesion.”

However, since there are new Soldiers

in the unit on this AT who aren’t as

experienced, one of the challenges has

been getting them experience on the

equipment.

“Getting enough stick time with Army

Reserve Soldiers, especially new ones, is

always a challenge,” said Graves. “Sure 

I can talk to them about how to operate

the machinery, but they need to learn

how to do it for real. So annual training

like this is ideal.”

“This mission is good for the new 

Soldiers in the unit,” said SSG Jose 

M. Leon of the 328th, a New Jersey

corrections officer who has 10 years of

working with heavy road equipment.

“This gives them hands on experience.

There is no better training than that.”

Spring 2005 ★ 7

Soldiers of the 328th Engineer Company clear out a halfmile stretch of road that runs along the fence line separating

the United States from Mexico, and the city of Nogales.

PHOTO: USAR

“Getting enough stick time

with Army Reserve Soldiers,

especially new ones, is 

always a challenge.”
“We do not get to use our equipment as

much as I would like on our drill weekends, so being here is a definite plus,”

said SPC Martha Bialkowski of the

328th. “The days are long and hard, 

but it’s all worth it in the end. You 

don’t stop until the job is done.”

“In the 328th, Reserve duty doesn’t end

at five o’clock on the Sunday afternoon

of drill weekend,” said Graves. “We constantly read the manuals in our free

time. We talk with each other and ask

questions. The training goes beyond 

the weekend.”

“We’re definitely a road crew.

(Engineer) Combat Light is capable 

of dropping anywhere in the world 

and do anything within our means,”

said Cavileer. 

“When this project started here, there

was nothing but dirt and rocks,” said

Leon. “Now there is a road that makes

it easier for the border patrol to do their

job and keep America safe.”

“From blueprints to end results, it’s all

about serving your country, training and

being able to drive on,” adds Graves.

Cavileer seconds that. “The end results

will speak for themselves. The members

of the 328th know what they’re doing.”

Said Coppola, “Building combat roads

and trails is what we do.”

SAFETY FIRST, PLAN AHEAD

BEFORE DRIVING OFF

By Paul Leach

Safety Office

U.S. Army Reserve 

With the OPTEMPO remaining high, a

growing trend is for Soldiers to attempt

to drive several hours home after a long

duty day. If this is you, then you are at

risk as you become more fatigued, the

roads straighter and more deserted, and

the night becomes longer. While it is

understandable that you would want 

to maximize your time at home before

leaving the country for several months,

having a Privately Owned Vehicle

(POV) accident, which can result in

serious injury and/or death to you or 

a passenger, is a definite possibility.

This may sound harsh, perhaps even

alarmist, but the fact is that too many

young Soldiers are dying on highways 

in their POV on the way home for what

they believe may be their last opportunity to visit their family. 

The other side of this coin is that 

some Soldiers are leaving home very

early in the morning to return to their

duty station or to go to their battle

assembly. The results of having a 

POV accident while fatigued can 

be catastrophic.

Leaders have a duty to ensure their

Soldiers are in good shape when they

leave the unit. Not only should they

check their Soldiers’ vehicles, they

should ensure they are well rested and

up to the drive they’re about to make.

But it’s up to you, once you leave the

unit, to make sure you stay fit for the

drive. Leaders must ensure their

Soldiers complete the POV Risk

Assessment, ASMIS-1 prior to departing the unit. The POV Risk Assessment

can be located on the Army Safety Center

Web site https://safety.army.mil and

then select “Tools.”

Here are some examples of accidents

that could happen while driving tired:

■ Driving off the road into a ditch, 

a tree or power pole.

■ Crossing the centerline and striking

an oncoming vehicle.

■ Entering the interstate highway

going the wrong direction and 

striking an oncoming vehicle.

■ Wandering from lane to lane as you

drive and striking a passing vehicle,

or one that you are passing.

■ Being unable to negotiate corners.

■ Missing a stop sign, red light, 

or other traffic signal or sign.

■ Driving too fast as your foot relaxes

and presses down on the gas pedal.

There are many more things that can

happen as a result of driving tired, but

the bottom line is the same: the risk of

having a serious accident is too great to

accept. So, what can you do about it?

■ The ideal solution is to be well

rested before driving a long distance.

■ Stop for a nap when you 

become tired.

■ Take frequent breaks.

■ Take a friend to keep you company

or help drive.

■ Give yourself plenty of time to make

your trip to allow for breaks and

naps. Plan accordingly!

Get the idea? We, and your family,

would rather have you safe than not 

at all.

8 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

NEWS

“From blueprints to end

results, it’s all about serving

your country, training and

being able to drive on.”
NEWS

YOUNG CITIZENS LEARN WHAT 

IT MEANS TO BE A PATRIOT

By David Watson 

Public Affairs Office

94th Regional Readiness Command

LEOMINSTER, Mass. — A group 

of young citizens living in middle

Massachusetts have been learning that

Americans enjoy their freedom because

of the personal sacrifices of patriots —

veterans who stood in the gap to 

guarantee freedom’s continuance.

Home school students of the

Montachusett Area Christian Home

School (MACH) group gathered with

their families at the Veteran’s Center in

Leominster, Mass. on Oct. 29 to honor 

a group of veterans who came to share

their experiences with them.

Opening the event with the Pledge of

Allegiance and a prayer of protection for

our country’s service members, attendees

listened intently as eight veterans

shared the experiences of their service

to our country.

“It is good exposure for kids to know

what our Soldiers do for us, and why we

are able to have the freedoms we have,”

said Darlene Burns, one of the event’s

coordinators. “It makes it very real for

us to hear first-hand from the Soldiers

who protect us.”

Wide-eyed children listened intently 

as SGT Tammy Shiffer, 23, of the 94th

Regional Readiness Command (RRC)

Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (OSJA)

shared the experiences of her deployment

to Balad, Iraq as a Soldier with the 325th

Military Intelligence Battalion.

In between stories of enduring sand

storms and 130 degree temperatures, 

she spoke about the desire she had as a

teenager to defend that which was most

precious to her — the freedoms and

liberty she has as an American. 

“[The decision to enlist] was something

that I had to do. I just felt it was important,” said Shiffer.

“It makes me feel proud to know that

there are kids like these who want to

know what it is like to serve,” continued Shiffer. “I think that it is good for

kids to know what it is like to serve in

the military.”

She also spoke about how women in Iraq

are treated and what it is like to serve as

a female Soldier in the Army Reserve.

In contrast, Don Mulry, a 79-year-old

decorated veteran of the 94th Infantry

Division and the European battlefields

of WW II spoke about the necessity to

answer our nation’s call to arms. 

He related the difficulties of battlefield

survival and talked about the necessity

for young Americans to develop an 

individual sense of patriotism. 

“It is important to inculcate into 

the minds of our nation’s youth the

importance of patriotism,” said Mulry. 

“It is satisfying to see school children

interested in patriotism and to know

that the future of our country is learning its importance. [The parents] are

doing a great job with those kids,” 

said Mulry.

Other veterans spoke about serving 

our country during peacetime and 

how important it is for citizens to 

make sacrifices for their freedom. 

They spoke about how each American

must one day weigh in their minds

whether it is more important to have 

a comfortable bed to sleep in or to be

one of those who makes it possible for

others to have that sense of comfort.

Meeting weekly since the start of the

school year, the MACH home school

students have been studying the impact

of patriotism on our freedoms and 

liberties, while memorizing important

patriotic songs including those representing each branch of our country’s

armed services.

The project was conceptualized by

Betsy Feidler, a parent and member 

of the home school organization. “We

started by learning patriotic songs

including the Star-Spangled Banner

and the Battle Hymn of the Republic,

and the history and sentiment behind

them,” said Feidler.

Feidler went on to talk about how the

students learned the history behind why

the songs were written and each

author’s biography. 

To further enhance the lessons, students

were encouraged to bring in photographs of veterans known to them and

to tell their stories to their classmates. 

At the event’s climax, students wearing

shirts they had tie-dyed red, white and blue,

honored each veteran with their service

song and gave them cards of appreciation.

“I was impressed with how the children

sat with such rapt attention as each veteran

told their story. It was amazing how well

they paid attention,” concluded Feidler.

Speaking about the tribute given 

to him, Mulry stated, “While I was

fighting that war, I never in my wildest

dreams thought that I would ever

receive the kind of appreciation that 

I get from people today. [The event] 

was a wonderful experience for me. 

I thoroughly enjoyed it.” 

Spring 2005 ★ 9

“While I was fighting that 

war, I never in my wildest

dreams thought that I would

ever receive the kind of 

appreciation that I get 

from people today.”

“It is good exposure for kids to

know what our Soldiers do for

us, and why we are able to

have the freedoms we have.”
10 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

THE CHIEF, ARMY RESERVE ADDRESSES

“COURAGE TO CHANGE” IN THE 

ARMY RESERVE 

LTG James R. Helmly

Chief, Army Reserve

Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command

We are an Army Reserve serving an Army and a Nation at

war. Tens of thousands of our Soldiers are serving courageously around the world. Army Reserve Soldiers are

either deployed, preparing to deploy, or returning from deployment.

Today, a call to active duty is no longer a remote possibility, but rather

an expectation for which all of our Soldiers, their families and

employers, must prepare. 

Make no mistake — our Soldiers know that service involves sacrifice. Any success attributed to the Army Reserve in the Global War

on Terror is due to our Soldiers’ sacrifice and courage, both at

home and abroad. They have bravely answered their Nation’s

call to duty and they have sacrificed as they trained, mobilized and

deployed. More than anything, I am extremely proud of every

Army Reserve Soldier. I am grateful for their service to our Nation,

and I tell that to every audience I speak to, from reporters and

members of Congress to employers and industry executives. I am

honored and humbled to be among them.

Profound Change

PFC Patricia Henry, 9th Theater Support Command, returns fire on enemy personnel while 

conducting a raid during Exercise Samurai Sword. The exercise is designed to provide warriorPHOTO: SFC JOHN VALCEANU

focused training for enlisted combat service support Soldiers.
Spring 2005 ★ 11

In January, I traveled to Central Command and met with Soldiers from Army Reserve

units who are deployed to Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Qatar and Bahrain. These

remarkable men and women are tough, resilient and disciplined warriors. They are

dedicated to accomplishing the missions they were called to perform. Despite the strain

and danger of demanding operations, enemies, long hours, and the unforgiving environment, they told me time after time that they are proud to serve our country. They

are truly the American heroes of our generation. My greatest ambition is to ensure that

the Army Reserve continues to attract and retain Americans of this high caliber. 

As I talked with our deployed Soldiers, I heard comments about mobilization, extensions, equipment, pay, cross leveling between units, re-enlistment bonuses, and family

support — all valid and important issues that are being addressed. As I listened, I noted

that each of these falls into one of the following areas: organizing, manning, training,

equipping, mobilizing, and resourcing, which are Title 10 U.S. Code responsibilities

assigned to the Chief, Army Reserve. Over the past three years, I have focused my

efforts on changing these areas to accommodate the new realities of warfighting in the

21st Century and how we go to war. In some areas we are modifying what exists, such

as the command and control of Army Reserve units. In other areas, we are starting

fresh, such as the Federal Reserve Restructuring Initiative we implemented in 2003. 

Why change? It’s simple. We have to change because the conditions of warfare and how

we approach it have changed. We are fighting in a global war, rather than in a theater

“Why change? It’s simple.

We have to change because

the conditions of warfare

and how we approach 

it have changed.” 

Special Recognition Ceremony. The first Army Reserve Soldiers to receive the new “Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen Award,” SPC Christopher S. Lunsford, SSG Juanita Wilson and SSG Joseph L.

Bowser, (left to right in civilian clothes), stand with LTG James R. Helmly, right, Chief, Army Reserve, and CSM Michele Jones, far left, command sergeant major of the Army Reserve and CSM

Nicholas Piacentini, command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Reserve Command. Each Soldier received an encased American flag, a specially-designed commemorative coin and certificate, a lapel pin set for the Soldier and spouse, and a Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen flag.

PHOTO: PAUL ADAMS
12 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

of operations. We are fighting on an asymmetrical battlefield, rather than on a linear

battlefield. We are fighting a continuous, protracted war, rather than a war with a discrete start and finish, such as the first Gulf War, and operations by Army units are the

norm, not the exception. We are deploying parts of units, rather than whole units.

Mobilizing the Reserve Components is no longer the exception, but the norm. Our

Army is rapidly transforming to meet these new conditions. To remain relevant, the

Army Reserve must also seek change — deep, lasting, and profound change. 

I shared with our deployed Soldiers that Army Reserve leaders have been working diligently to implement new strategies in organizing, manning, training, mobilizing and

equipping that lay the foundation for change that will lead to several outcomes: 

■ change that leads to resolving their concerns sooner rather than later;

■ change that improves our ability to provide trained units and qualified Soldiers to

the Global War on Terror; and

■ change that prepares our force for future conflicts in which we will inevitably be

called to serve. 

We are using the energy and urgency of Army transformation and the demands of the

Global War on Terror to change the Army Reserve. We are overhauling our organization

from a technically focused, force-in-reserve to a learning organization that provides

trained, ready, “inactive duty” Soldiers poised and available for active service, ready as

if they knew the hour and day they will be called. To make these changes happen, the

Army Reserve is working closely with Forces Command (FORSCOM) and the

Department of the Army staff to gain the support, resources, and authority that will

help us change the Army Reserve. I’d like to review some of our strategies here.

Since America was attacked on September 11, 2001, the Army Reserve has mobilized

more than 126,000 (as of Jan. 26, 2005) Army Reserve Soldiers for the Global War.

Never in the history of our 96-year old organization has this country depended on the

Army Reserve more than they do today. Yet, the experience of the last three years shows

the Army Reserve must re-structure to be the agile, adaptive, and rotationally-based

force that the Army and Joint Forces need. 

To do this, we are changing, or optimizing, our force from one that supported a Cold

War Army to one that is integral to the Army’s future force. Starting with the structure

of our force, we are first converting or eliminating units that are less relevant and too

costly to modernize. As we make these changes we will maintain our current endstrength. While the Army Reserve will remain the same size in number of Soldiers, the

composition of our force will change dramatically. Like all change, this force optimization will undoubtedly cause some turbulence in our ranks for a couple of years. But be

assured, we need every Army Reserve Soldier who is currently in the ranks to re-enlist

and stay with us. While changes to your position, unit, or training location may occur,

you will always have a place in the Army Reserve as long as you want to serve and you

meet Army standards. 

To sustain the numbers of Army Reserve units and Soldiers needed to meet the continuing requirements of the Global War on Terror, we are implementing the Army

Reserve Expeditionary Force (AREF) (see Figure 1), a dynamic new readiness, training, equipping and resourcing strategy that revolutionizes our force so that we can

better mobilize, train and equip Army Reserve units for the fight. Through the use of a

five-year rotation cycle, AREF offers increased predictability to our Soldiers, their families and employers. 

“While changes to 

your position, unit, or

training location may

occur, you will always

have a place in the Army

Reserve as long as you

want to serve and you

meet Army standards.”
Spring 2005 ★ 13

With this concept, the majority of Army Reserve units are assigned to one of ten Army

Reserve Expeditionary Packages (AREP)(See Figure 1). While units in Year One (left

side of Figure 1) are prepared, trained and equipped to mobilize and deploy wherever

and whenever needed, units in Year Five (right side of chart), on the other end of the

cycle, are reconstituting after returning from a deployment. Under AREF, resources,

such as equipment, are aligned according to where units are in the rotation cycle.

In conjunction with the new AREF strategy, the Army Reserve is also implementing a

new equipping strategy that is synchronized with the AREF. As units progress through

each year of the five-year cycle, their state of readiness increases. Units in Year One,

those ready to deploy, are at the highest level of readiness. Units in Year Five, those

reconstituting from a deployment, are at the lowest level. In Year Two, the year prior to

deployment, units receive full complements of modernized equipment compatible with

AC equipment. This influx of equipment allows Army Reserve units to train up on

their go-to-war systems prior to mobilization and deployment. This way, we locate the

equipment where it is needed the most — going with the units heading for deployment. 

The deployed Soldiers with whom I met in the desert reinforced the value of our Army

Reserve training philosophy — that every Soldier we deploy must be battle-ready. In

this war, there are no secure rear areas. Our Soldiers must be Warriors always and must

train that way! Tough physical training, frequent qualification on personal and crew

served weapons, and constant battle drills hone the skills our Soldiers require to accomplish these difficult missions and return home safely to their families and employers.

Training is the “sine qua non,” or essential element, of a ready force. 

“In this war, there are 

no secure rear areas. 

Our Soldiers must be

Warriors always and 

must train that way!”

(Figure 1) AREF offers increased predictability to Soldiers, their families and employers through the use of a five-year 

rotation cycle.
14 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

The Army Reserve’s “Command Training Guidance” in 2005 focuses commanders on

preparing their Soldiers for war, rather than training only on their technical specialties. We will test proficiency with semi-annual weapons qualification, annual Warrior

Task Training (WTT), semi-annual physical fitness tests, nuclear, chemical and biological proficiency, and battle drill programs. Mobilization is no longer an unexpected

event, so we are striving to reduce post-mobilization training to less than a month and

focusing it on critical collective unit tasks, theater-specific training, mission

rehearsals, and validation.

During 2004, the Army Reserve pursued many changes to regulations, policies and, in

some cases, statutes to meet the human needs of our force in the 21st Century. To that

end, the Army Reserve is working with the Department of the Army staff to update

antiquated policies on: Selective Reserve Incentive Program; new authorities for

officer and enlisted incentives; special pays; Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) enlistment and reenlistment bonuses; and, assignments and attachments of Army Reserve

Soldiers. The Army Reserve is striving to obtain much stronger and vastly improved

authorities and bonuses for its Soldiers, equitable with those the Active Component

currently possesses.

To recognize and express appreciation to Army Reserve Soldiers who have served in

Operation Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom, the Army Reserve initiated the “Army

Reserve Warrior-Citizen Award Program.” Through this program, we will convey in a

small way our Nation’s gratitude for our Soldier’s selfless service and sacrifice to the

Global War on Terror. Within 90 days of demobilization, unit commanders will conduct

a formal “welcome home” ceremony for returning Soldiers and their families.

Commanders and Command Sergeants Major will present Soldiers with an encased

American flag, specially-designed commemorative coins, a lapel pin set for the Soldier

and spouse, and a “Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen” flag. The ceremonies will be open

to families, employers, co-workers, community leaders, civic organizations, elected officials and the media.

We in the Army Reserve honor the lives of our fallen Soldiers by remaining strong and

focused on mobilization, readiness, training and deployment, and on families and

employers. The changes I have described are far-reaching and even startling to some.

But they are necessary to ensure that the U.S. Army Reserve is capable of continuing to

fulfill its mission as mandated by Congress and the American people. 

Our responsibilities under Title 10 U.S. Code have not changed, but the world has

changed and the Army we support is transforming rapidly. We cannot afford to delay

— our Soldiers and the American people deserve better. As an institution, the Army

Reserve must have the courage to change. 

However, regardless of structure, size and mission responsibilities, the Army Reserve is

part of the Army serving a nation at war. And the success of the Army Reserve rests,

always, upon our Soldiers, employees, their families, and employers. They are the heart,

soul, conscience, and foundation of our institution.

“We in the Army 

Reserve honor the lives 

of our fallen Soldiers by 

remaining strong and

focused on mobilization,

readiness, training and

deployment, and on 

families and employers.”
Spring 2005 ★ 15

Helmly was just as honest with the troops when fielding their

questions. On the subject of the type of operational tempo

Reserve Soldiers can expect in the future, Helmly said he could

make no guarantees. 

When asked about possible downsizing of the force by CPT

Mike Walker of the 146th Quartermaster Company from Fort

Totten, N.Y., Helmly admitted that some Reserve slots will be

eliminated in the future, but Reserve end strength, which hovers

around 200,000, will not be affected.

Eliminating slots in certain areas will enable Reserve officials to

bring understaffed units to at least 90 percent of their capacity,

Helmly said. He emphasized that he’s made it clear to commanders that there will always be spaces available in the Reserve

for willing Soldiers, as long as they meet Army standards.

ARMY RESERVE CHIEF HEARS

FROM SOLDIERS IN KUWAIT

By SPC Curt Cashour 

Combined Forces Land Component Command 

Public Affairs

CAMP DOHA, Kuwait — Army Reserve Chief LTG James Helmly

visited Camp Doha, Kuwait, Jan. 17, 2004 to hold a town-hall

style meeting with troops from several Reserve units deployed

to the region.

The meeting, which lasted a little over an hour, was the first of

several town-hall gatherings Helmly scheduled to conduct 

to address Army Reserve-related

concerns during his nine-day tour

of U.S. camps in the Central

Command theater.

Helmly spoke for about 30

minutes before a crowd of more

than 300 Reserve Soldiers, before

taking questions from the troops. 

“I work for you,” Helmly said as he

began to address the Soldiers packed

in the camp’s deployment/redeployment briefing room. He then

thanked Soldiers for their service,

urged them to apply the “Warrior

Ethos” to their everyday activities and acknowledged some 

of the challenges facing the 

Army Reserve.

In his plain-spoken, straight-forward

style, Helmly acknowledged that

Reserve Soldiers have endured multiple problems to include payment

glitches as well as equipment and

manpower issues, and assured the

troops that he and other Army officials are working as hard as they can

to remedy these issues.

LTG James Helmly addresses troops during a town-hall-style meeting at Camp Doha, Kuwait. Helmly was on a nine-day tour of

U.S. military camps in the Central Command Theater to discuss issues with Army Reserve Soldiers.

PHOTO: SPC CURT CASHOUR
16 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

PHASED MOBILIZATION 

READIES UNIT FOR WAR

By SGT Brian Raley

Public Affairs Office 

90th Regional Readiness Command

The terrorist acts against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 led to a more extensive use

of the Army Reserve Soldiers than ever before. The first unit of the 90th Regional

Readiness Command was mobilized 17 days after the attack and was the first of 455

mobilization actions affecting more than 11,100 Soldiers to date. More alerts and mobilizations are still to come.

Some mobilizations have led to under-strength units having to use different methods

to fill their vacancies. The most common method to fill the vacancies has been by “cross

leveling.” This is the taking of Soldiers with the correct rank and military occupational

specialty (MOS) from a unit not scheduled for mobilization and assigning them to fill

the roster vacancies of the mobilizing unit.

Two quartermaster units with mobilization dates were immediately recognized as

posing a potential personnel shortage by COL Randy Erwin, deputy chief of staff, operations for the 90th RRC and his staff. The 340th Quartermaster Company, San Antonio,

Texas, and the 263rd Quartermaster Company from El Paso, Texas, were laundry and

bath units and the problem was a lack of trained manpower.

Erwin said that the 90th had three laundry and bath units with one, the 974th

Quartermaster Company from Amarillo, Texas, already mobilized. The 340th, alerted

for mobilization first, filled its personnel requirement by having Soldiers cross leveled

from the 263rd. It was now classified as a “fixed” unit ready for mobilization.

The 263rd, alerted four months after the 340th, had lost the majority of its trained

Soldiers through cross leveling to help fill the 974th vacancies before it left and, also, to

help fix the 340th. It was now classified as a “broken” unit with only 21 MOS qualified

Soldiers remaining of the 123 required.

“It was apparent from the status of the two units that, in order to prevent mission

failure for the 263rd mobilization, two actions were necessary,” Erwin said.

“First, the 340th and the 263rd mobilization dates need to be reversed, and, second, a

phased mobilization was necessary for the 263rd in order to identify Soldiers for cross

leveling. It would also indicate required MOS training, improve the unit leadership and

help conduct platoon level collective training.”

The U.S. Army Reserve Command operations section was able to get the mobilization

report dates reversed, but a quick review of the 90th RRC and other Army Reserve commands indicated that there were no 92S (laundry and bath specialist) Soldiers available

to cross level to fill the 263rd vacancies.

“The challenge then became finding a source of deployable Soldiers who met the 92S

reclassification criteria for cross leveling into the 263rd and, subsequently, completing

MOS training,” Erwin said.

“The challenge then

became finding a source 

of deployable Soldiers 

who met the 92S 

reclassification criteria 

for cross leveling 

into the 263rd and, 

subsequently, completing

MOS training.”

An Army Reserve Soldier with the 220th MP Brigade

undergoes NBC mask training at Aberdeen Proving

Ground prior to deployment to Kuwait.

PHOTO: U.S. ARMY PHOTO
Spring 2005 ★ 17

leadership Soldiers to attend

92S training. The second

group would consist of 45

more Soldiers. Leadership

and mission familiarization

classes were to be taught concurrently with the MOS

training. The 92S training is 28 days long, consisting of two 14-

day phases. Phase I of the first class began on Aug. 14 and

finished on Aug 27. Phase II of the class ran from Aug. 28 to

Sept. 10. The second class began on Aug. 28 and finished its two

phases on Sept. 24.

The Soldiers completing their 92S training in the first group

would comprise the nucleus of the 263rd. The 21 Soldiers of the

second group of the 263rd would be mobilized separately. They

would be consolidated upon the completion of training of the

former 850th Soldiers.

The training site selected was Fort Bliss, Texas, near the Army

Reserve center in El Paso that housed the 263rd. Its equipment,

also located at Fort Bliss, was identified for the 92S MOS training. The instructors were from the 95th Division and their

instructors also worked in phases to cover all the training

periods required.

Seventy-eight Soldiers from the 850th were cross leveled into

the 263rd on July 12 and were immediately scheduled for the

phased mobilization training. Additional Soldiers were identified for cross leveling and were available for phased mobilization

upon completion of their second class.

Innovative thinking by the 90th staff and enthusiastic

support and acceptance by the 850th’s Soldiers of a method to

stay together made the phased mobilization a success.

Cooperation by the operations, personnel, force development,

training and logistics sections of the 90th and support by the

U.S. Army Reserve Command training played major roles in

the “fixing” of a “broken” unit and assured it would be ready

for mobilization.

Erwin gave credit to all involved, but said the key to the entire

phased mobilization of the 263rd was the town hall meeting

with the 850th Soldiers.

“This meeting set the tone and I think it was the reason for

success,” he said. 

A decision was made that, rather than take Soldiers from several

units, it would be more effective to look at taking Soldiers from

a unit which was no longer needed by the Army and was scheduled for inactivation. Although there would be a requirement

for MOS training and reclassification, the Soldiers would have

already trained together and have established leadership at the

platoon and company levels.

“The unit identified by the 90th’s Force Development was the

850th Service Company from Laredo, Texas which was scheduled for inactivation in 2006. It was a strong unit with good

strength and excellent leadership,” said Erwin.

The decision was made to have a town hall meeting and explain

to the Soldiers of the 850th the personnel shortages for the

263rd and request their cooperation. A further decision had

already been made that, because of the unit strength in Laredo,

a unit would have to be assigned as a backfill upon the inactivation of the 850th. The immediate need for Soldiers for the 263rd

and a future need for a backfill in Laredo helped make an offer

available to present to the 850th Soldiers.

BG Philip Hanrahan, commander of the 90th Regional

Readiness Group from San Antonio, Texas, and 90th RRG CSM

Eddie Coleman accompanied Erwin to a town hall meeting in

Laredo with the 850th Soldiers and their families.

The proposal was explained in detail, covering the cross leveling and training requirements of the 850th Soldiers into the

263rd. The proposal also included the continuation of service

together upon their return as a detachment of the 340th

Quartermaster Company. The proposal was enthusiastically

received and more than 70 of the 850th Soldiers were identified

as meeting the criteria for reclassification as 92S. Several more

volunteered and had to retake their ASVAB to improve the

general maintenance score to meet MOS requirements.

Phased mobilization of the groups would require two training

periods for the first phase. The first period of training for the

initial phase would consist of 45 Soldiers and seven company

SGT Victor Polanco, SSG Carmen Roman,

SFC Omar Rivera, left to right, laundry

and textile specialists from the 597th

Quartermaster Company, U.S. Army

Reserve, practice identifying key and

essential components of the upgraded

Laundry and Dry-Cleaning System (LADS)

during refresher training at Fort Lee, Va.

PHOTO: TRAVIS EDWARDS
18 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

WINNING THE FIGHT BEFORE 

IT’S FOUGHT: “WELL-BEING”

OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER

By MAJ Ted Hart

Well-Being Office

U.S. Army Reserve 

In an on going effort to better support Soldiers and their families, the Army Reserve has

promulgated an update to the Rear Detachment Operational guidance and procedures.

This communication provides refined guidance for all operational areas necessary to

sustain the Soldier, their families, civilian employer relationships and their unit.

In July 2004, The Army Reserve G-1 implemented and sponsored an excellent training program for Rear Detachment Operations (RDO). In calendar year 2004 over 400

RDO personnel were trained on deployment, redeployment, family support, reunion,

information referral, TRICARE/Dental, role of the chaplain, benefits, and other

important areas.

The Rear Detachment Commander (RDC) assumes the house-keeping duties of the

unit commander and maintains regular contact with the commander at the deployment

site. He or she is responsible for overall unit sustainment to include personnel actions

for stay-behind Soldiers, logistics and equipment maintenance of the unit. The RDC is

also the prime military family liaison and civilian employer support conduit.

Commanders should use careful consideration in making the RDC selection.

WELL-BEING/

FAMILY READINESS

By taking care of the Soldier, the Soldier takes care of America

Army Reserve 2LT Johnathan Sowell, 257th Transportation

Company, hugs his wife and daughter after returning

home from an 18 month deployment in Kuwait and Iraq.

Recent initiatives to support families include reunion 

programs to support Soldiers and families in the postdeployment period.

PHOTO: AIRMAN 1ST CLASS DANIEL DECOOK
Spring 2005 ★ 19

■ Family readiness materials posted on various Department

and Service web sites.

■ Additional Family Assistance Centers set up in communities dealing with high levels of deployment.

■ Improved information and assistance for Army Reserve

families transitioning to TRICARE.

■ Increased training and guidance for rear detachment 

personnel.

■ Increased interaction with nearby civilian community 

organizations, including schools.

■ Improved return and reunion programs to support Soldiers

and families in the post-deployment period.

Family Readiness and Employer Support volunteer professionals have been stretched thin over the past two years as they have

had to juggle pre-deployment, ongoing deployment, and return

and reunion support, often simultaneously. Military community volunteers are the front line troops in the mission to ensure

family readiness, thereby necessitating the need for the best

RDC possible.

An RDC must know what resource agencies are available in the

community and should visit them prior to deployment to ensure

there is a good understanding of their capabilities. The RDC

must also understand how to use his military support chain for

unit sustainment, and must be masterful at strategically bringing all resources together to support the RDO. This design will

vary according to unit and geographical location.

Military community volunteers are the 

front line troops in the mission to ensure 

family readiness thereby necessitating the 

need for the best RDC possible.

RDCs are the commander’s unit sustainment overseer, information connection to the families, employers and the first line of

assistance in dealing with the military chain of command and in

facilitating communication with the Soldier.

Rear Detachment Operations is an initiative of the Army WellBeing program. In the Army Reserve, the Deputy Chief of Staff

for Personnel, G-1, has functional staff and execution responsibility for successful implementation of this program Army

Reserve wide.

The intended end-state of RDO and family readiness is to

develop and sustain Soldiers and have self reliant families that

understand and use Army and volunteer support programs

during times of separation.

Communication is the cornerstone in 

allaying some of the stress associated 

with a deployment, especially when the 

unit is involved in a mobilization.

Since taking over management of the Army Reserve RDO

program in early May 2004, the Well-Being Division has successfully lobbied for Army Reserve specific RDO training at

two Army Centers of Excellence (ACE) RDO Curriculum at

Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Bragg, N.C. Coordination for course

instructors and subject matter experts will take place through

the Senior Army Reserve Advisors at the training sites. This

training will focus on sustaining Army Reserve combat power

forward as well as promote self reliant families and Soldiers at

home station.

Although many of the RDCs have been formally trained, the

Army Reserve is listening for better ways to assist them with this

critically important mission. Communication is the cornerstone

in allaying some of the stress associated with a deployment, especially when the unit is involved in a mobilization.

Lessons learned during the first Gulf War and subsequent

operations on how to support Soldiers and their families

while sustaining a viable rear area have resulted in a wider

range of options.

Recent initiatives to support families include:

■ Toll-free information lines.

■ Partnerships with organizations such as the Armed Forces

YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, and 4-H Clubs to provide

additional youth activities and after-school care.

■ Increased after-hours child care available at some 

installations.
20 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

R&R leave periods are limited to one per a 12-month period for

service members who are deployed in a combat theater. Leave

does not start until after arrival at the leave destination. Leave

ends the day before travel begins to return to the theater of

operations. During travel, all service members must wear either

their Desert Battle Dress or Desert Camouflage Uniform.

Alcohol consumption is prohibited while wearing the above

mentioned uniforms.

Leave participants traveling under the CENTCOM R&R Leave

Program receive their tickets at the Kuwait gateway, prior to

departing the CENTCOM Area of Operations for travel within

the United States, its territories, and commonwealths, or to

other leave destination countries. The Government pays for the

tickets. Participants who traveled during the period Sep. 1

through Dec. 18, 2003, before fully funded travel was authorized, and those who traveled after the authorization date but

before official implementation of the onward travel program

(Dec.19–31, 2003) will be reimbursed for their airline tickets.

Retroactive reimbursement is not authorized for DoD civilians.

Instructions for submitting claims are at the following web address:

http://www.armyg1.army.mil/WellBeing/RRLeave/Retro_

Reimb.htm

The R&R program provides the opportunity

for service members and DoD civilians 

serving in a combat theater to take up to 15

days of leave during their deployment.

While on R&R leave, should a personal or family illness or other

personal emergency occur, the service member should call the

contact number listed on the leave form to report the 

situation. For family counseling, call Military One Source at 

1-800-342-9647. For emergencies that may delay the Soldier’s

return to the gateway airport, contact the Rear Detachment

Commander at the number listed on the leave form. For weather

or airport delays, call the Airport Personnel Assistance Point at

the following toll-free numbers:

ATLANTA: 1-800-276-5809

DALLAS-FT. WORTH: 1-800-770-5580

The R&R Leave Program has proven to be an overwhelming

success since its inception. As of Jan. 4, 2005, more than 21,

697 Army Reserve Soldiers have participated. Total service

members and civilians who have participated exceed 151,000.

This program has enhanced the quality of life and well-being

of those brave men and woman who are fighting the Global

War on Terrorism.

THE REST AND RECUPERATION

LEAVE PROGRAM ENHANCES

QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELLBEING FOR PARTICIPANTS

By Jose Mojica, Karmin Jenkins 

and MAJ Karen A. Cottone 

Well-Being Office

U.S. Army Reserve

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) initiated

the Rest and Recuperation (R&R) Leave Program on Sep. 25,

2003 for all service members, Active or Reserve, and

Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees assigned to a

12-month tour of duty within the USCENTCOM area of operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism. The R&R

program provides the opportunity for service members and

DoD civilians serving in a combat theater to take up to 15 days

of leave during their deployment. R&R provides respite from

the stresses associated with the combat mission and allows participants to focus on family and friends when they return home.

The feedback received about the R&R program from participants indicates that the program is beneficial and appreciated. 

All service members and DoD civilians who meet the following

conditions are eligible to participate in the R&R program:

■ Assigned to a 12-month tour of duty in the Central

Command area. Army Reserve Soldiers must be on a 1-year

mobilization and serve at least 270 days of continuous duty

within theater. No one component has priority over another

component. 

■ Serving in an area specifically designated by DoD as an

authorized Imminent Danger and Hazardous Duty Pay.

■ Their commander determined they are eligible. The commander determines priority for personnel who are eligible

for R&R leave based on the aforementioned criteria, as well

as operational, safety, and security requirements. Further,

no more than 10 percent of the force within theater can be

on leave at one time. 

Eligible service members and DoD civilians who participate in

R&R will have the leave taken charged against their ordinary

leave account. However, the Government pays for transportation to and from the leave destination.
Spring 2005 ★ 21

“Being away without my daughter would kill me,” she admitted.

“I can’t imagine the Soldiers who are away from their families

for weeks, months, a year. I don’t know how they do it; they are

much stronger people than I am.” 

Petersen, a professional wedding photographer, said she knew

Goldstone, a community activist, would be eager to help. He had

shown his patriotism in the past. 

Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Goldstone cofounded “Economic Patriotism in Irvine and Coast to Coast,” an

effort he said organized 5,000 tourists to travel by airline to New

York City to help stimulate commerce for the city and to prove

it was safe to fly. 

“I’d love nothing more than our troops 

abroad to be able to hold pictures of their 

families. That is such a powerful, 

motivating factor for boosting morale.”

Goldstone said he was willing to help Petersen in her effort

because he’s been in the photo business for some time and

understands “the impact, and how important a single photographic print is.” 

“They’ve been overseas for a long time now, and nothing would

please me more than to share the power of a photograph with

them,” he said. “I’d love nothing more than our troops abroad to

be able to hold pictures of their families. That is such a powerful, motivating factor for boosting morale.” 

DUO COLLECTS CAMERAS

FOR TROOPS’ FAMILIES

By SFC Doug Sample

American Forces Information Service

WASHINGTON — Jennifer Petersen of Ladera Ranch, Calif., made a

New Year’s resolution to help make the world a better place for

her 18-month-old daughter, Kayla. 

And she is hoping to fulfill that resolution by helping the families of service members who, she said, are “not only protecting

our country, but protecting our world.” 

By the end of February, Petersen, 28, hopes to collect at least

10,000 digital cameras to give to families of deployed service

members so they can share photos with loved ones serving

abroad in the war on terrorism. 

Operation Photo is an effort Peterson co-founded with

Mitch Goldstone of Irvine, Calif., a close friend and owner of a

local online photo service where she once worked. Goldstone

said the cameras will be distributed to families through the military support organization Operation Homefront, a San

Diego-based nonprofit group that aids families of deployed and

non-deployed service members. 

Goldstone said he plans to send an announcement to customers

of his business, asking them to donate their used digital

cameras. He also is soliciting businesses to donate. As a further

incentive to get people to donate, Goldstone said, he is offering

a $25 online gift certificate for developing services at his

company. 

“You hear the stories about servicemembers overseas who have never seen their

children — their wives gave birth after

they deployed,” Petersen said. “So I was

thinking of a way they could still watch

their kids grow up, and digital cameras,

God bless them, are the way.” 

She noted that many people have digital

cameras they are not using. “Rather than

sitting and collecting dust, they may as

well go to a family that could use them to

share memories of their loved ones,” 

she said. 

Jennifer Petersen of Ladera Ranch, Calif., shown with her

daughter, Kayla, hopes to collect 10,000 digital cameras by

February for families of deployed service members.PHOTO: COURTESY
22 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

Update on

OPERATION

IRAQI FREEDOM

SSG Thomas Zawisza, left and SSG David

Dehoyos, crew chiefs with C Co. 1/159th

Aviation Regiment, perform a critical

mission aboard their UH-60 Blackhawk

— hauling ballots from Kurdish sites 

to Mosul to support the Iraqi elections.

PHOTO: U.S. ARMY PHOTO
Spring 2005 ★ 23

ARMY RESERVE AVIATION

UNITS MOBILIZED TO SUPPORT

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM

By Paul Adams

Army Reserve Public Affairs

The Army Reserve will have committed nearly 80 percent of its

aviation assets to the war fight with the arrival of its only two 

UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter companies and one AH-64 Apache

Battalion in the Iraqi Theater of Operations. The three units, D

Co., 158th Aviation Regiment, C Co., 159th Aviation Regiment,

both Blackhawk units, and the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation

Regiment arrived in Iraq by late 2004.

“Aviation is an absolutely essential piece in the Global War on

Terrorism (GWOT) and the Army Reserve plays an essential part

in this,” said COL Tom Caples, commander of the 244th Aviation

Brigade, in Fort Sheridan, Ill.

The 8th/229th is supporting the New York Army National Guard’s

42nd Infantry Division. They will be providing close combat attack

operations, along with main supply route and infrastructure security and reconnaissance. It is the first Army Reserve Apache unit to

be deployed to this theater and the last Flying Tiger unit in the Army.

Department of the Army re-missioned both Blackhawk units to

support the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) after nearly a year

of CONUS-based support at Fort Hood, Texas and Fort Sill,

Okla. for the D/158th and Fort Bragg, N.C. for C/159th.

Following their expected year in theater, they will have been

mobilized for the entire two year period. 

Commanded by LTC Roy Hall, the 8th/229th consists of approximately 350 Soldiers — aviators, crew chiefs, maintenance and

administrative personnel assigned to five companies. After

getting the call for duty, Hall and his units moved from their

home station, Fort Knox, Ky. and reported to Fort Dix, N.J. in

June 2004 for pre-deployment training. “This consisted of all the

standard Soldier Readiness Processing (SRP) for the entire unit

to ensure all Soldiers were qualified to deploy. After the mandatory training was complete the unit conducted limited flight

training to prepare aircrews for deployment.” Hall said.

Following SRP, the unit relocated aircrews, aircraft maintenance

and support personnel to Fort Drum, N.Y. to conduct crew

gunnery training. Twenty-four crews were qualified through a

graded live fire exercise. The aircrews engaged simulated and popup targets to become gunnery qualified. “Crew gunnery

qualification is an important step in qualifying aircrews for

combat operations and in developing the aircrew coordination

required when supporting ground forces in contact,” Hall added.

For the Blackhawk units mobilization has come quickly in their

short history. Both units were stood up in early 2002 and have

already spent a year on active duty supporting stateside missions.

CPT Rex Eiserer’s unit, D/158th, from Victorville, Calif., spent

the majority of 2004 supporting the Presidential mission at

Crawford, Texas while based at Fort Hood, Texas. Toward the end

of the year, the unit re-located to Fort Sill, Okla., for final

OCONUS training and validation before landing in Kuwait in

November 2004.

By the end of December 2004, according to Eiserer, D/158th was

rounding out a UH-60 battalion in 1st Cav and fully incorporated

in the Baghdad area of operations. “The majority of our missions

are to move personnel and equipment in the Baghdad AO by air.

By moving pax (passengers) and equipment by air, we greatly

reduce the improvised explosive devices (IED) threat to our

forces, keeping our troops safe and ready to fight,” Eiserer said.

Utility aviation is fundamental in staying ahead of the insurgent

threat, and Eiserer believes they are going to see a lot more of it

utilized in theater. 

Since the 1st Cav is redeploying and going home having served

their one year boots on the ground, D/158th is not going with

them but are relocating in Iraq to support other operations.

“Since we are a stand alone UH-60 Company, we are able to

round out or assist any Task Force, Brigade, or Battalion, that

needs additional aviation support,” Eiserer said. “From standard

personnel movements for Freedom Rest Flights (R&R) to rapid

night insertions of Marine fire teams, we support the battlefield.”

“Aviation is an absolutely 

essential piece in the Global War 

on Terrorism and the Army Reserve

plays an essential part in this.”

C/159th, commanded by MAJ James Fitzgerald, from Clearwater,

Fla., performed their certification at Fort Bragg, N.C. before going

overseas where they were assigned to the 18th Airborne

Corps command aviation brigade. 

The unit participated in a variety of missions to include air movement, air assault, and cargo transportation. They were tasked to

transport the area infantry Quick Reaction Force (QRF) during

the January 30th elections. C/159th also completed direct action

air assaults under night vision goggles against insurgent targets.

“Some of these Soldiers have trained for their entire careers. This 

is an opportunity to put forth those skills they have learned,”

Caples said.
24 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

FATHER, NURSERY, SHIPPING

COMPANY TEAM UP TO DONATE

CHRISTMAS TREES TO TROOPS,

FACILITIES IN IRAQ

By CPT Marie Saunders

301st Area Support Group

CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq — A gift of 75 Christmas trees wrapped in red,

white and blue ribbon and U.S. Flags were flown in from East

Rockaway, N.Y., bound for the Soldiers of Camp Anaconda, Iraq.

James Adelis, Sr., wanted his son, PFC James Adelis of the

369th Transportation Company (Palletized Load System) stationed at Camp Anaconda, to have a real Christmas tree for

the holidays.

“It snowballed!” said the younger Adelis. His father took the

idea to The Dees’ Nursery and Florist, Inc. in Oceanside, N.Y.

where the idea spawned a spirited donation of 75 live Christmas

trees for the troops. 

“The nursery had wanted to do something to help the Soldiers

but didn’t know what to do,” PFC Adelis said. Then in walks

Adelis Sr., and trees with all the trimmings were on their way to

the desert. 

The trees traveled in tall thin boxes and were bundled in

netting to hold the branches securely down. Boxes of sets of

lights and assorted ornaments arrived with the trees. The trees 

were shipped courtesy of DHL, a packing and shipping

company who also donated its time, effort, trucks, helicopter

and planes to ensure the tree’s safe arrival.

The 77th Regional Readiness Command was contacted about

the delivery and jumped in to help. They notified the recently

arrived 301st Area Support Group, (the new ‘Mayor’s Office’ at

Camp Anaconda) and subordinate units of the 77th. 

CSM Edward Ramsdell, 301st command sergeant major,

arranged the delivery to the units.

“The priority was to get the trees to facilities Soldiers use most,”

Ramsdell said. “After we hit the common areas, we hit the

units.” The deliveries covered Army, Air Force and Marines.

On one cold, rainy evening, Adelis and his battle buddy SPC

Patric Semoy personally delivered many of the trees to happy

units. “They smell like home,” said Adelis as he delivered

the trees.

“The priority was to get the trees to

facilities Soldiers use most. After we hit

the common areas, we hit the units.”

Soldiers, Marines and Airmen were happy to get the trees. SGT

Chris Jenson, 852nd Rear Area Operation Center (RAOC), was

glad to have the tree in the office. “It makes us think of

Christmas,” he said. 

Also enjoying the tree was MSG

Richard Barreda, 852nd RAOC.

“It is awesome to have a little bit

of home in Iraq. We would not

have had this if it weren’t for New

York,” Barreda said referring to

the 301st and the 77th RRC. 

The dining facilities, theater,

gym, new MWR building and

offices, Anaconda chapel, Air

Force theater, hospital, dental

clinic, education center and post

office were just a few places on

Camp Anaconda and Balad Air

Force Base where the trees were

displayed for everyone to enjoy. 

Soldiers at Camp Anaconda, Iraq decorate the

PHOTO: SPC KATE HOIT donated tree they received for Christmas.
Spring 2005 ★ 25

The unit has been working with Iraqis in problem areas, including emergency civil response and correctional facilities. CPT

Felix Acosta is the public safety team chief for the effort and he

has made substantial progress in the province of Nineveh.

“We want to thank CPT Acosta and his team — we have worked

hand-in-hand and our civil defense department is starting from

a good point here in Mosul, especially with our fire and rescue

teams.” said BG Mohammed Mahoud, chief of civil defense,

Nineveh Province. “In the past our system was not so good but

now we have the best team in Nineveh.” 

“In the past our system was not so

good but now we have the best team

in Nineveh.”

Mahoud was proud to display the recent acquisitions the department has made by working with Acosta’s team to address

shortfalls in its mission capability — a thoroughly renovated fire

truck with hydraulic extension ladder, an emergency first aid

vehicle and a heavily armored ordnance vehicle for bomb 

disposal duty.

ARMY RESERVE CIVIL

AFFAIRS UNIT ASSISTS 

IN DEVELOPING IRAQ’S 

INFRASTRUCTURE

By MSG Jack Gordon

Public Affairs Acquisition Team

U.S. Army Reserve

MOSUL, Iraq — The actual force-on-force war here was brief,

but achieving the goal of getting Iraq on its feet and standing tall in freedom is much more difficult. U.S. and

Coalition Soldiers are now confronted with infrastructural

systems that suffer from both damage during bombing campaigns and decades of neglect or underdevelopment. Toss in

insurgent ambushes, car bombs and mortar attacks and you

have a challenge.

This ancient city in the cradle of early civilization is attempting

to find itself after the most dramatic change in recent memory

— a post–Saddam Hussein Iraq — and assisting in the discovery and movement are Soldiers from the 416th Civil Affairs

Battalion, Norristown, Pa.

PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACQUISITION TEAM, U.S. ARMY RESERVE COMMAND

Iraqis training with new equipment to better address situations in the correctional facilities.
26 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

“Our firehouse for training and fire truck are fixed up and

working fine,” Mahoud said, “and we have an EOD (ExplosiveOrdnance-Disposal) truck. All this was made possible by the

cooperation between CPT Acosta’s team and our team. We are

proud to work with him and we will continue working together.”

“These are people who stayed on (in Iraq’s civil service) after

the end of the (Saddam) regime,” said Acosta. They had no pay

for months on end and there was no guarantee they’d keep their

jobs, but they continued responding to domestic emergencies

—they prevented looting — so the people of Nineveh Province

respect them.”

When Acosta and his Civil Affairs team first arrived here, they

studied various aspects of the city to best determine how they

could help.

“If you don’t have a good relationship with the people, you don’t

know what their needs and priorities are, and you won’t get

much cooperation,” Acosta said. “We’re trying to achieve

common goals here, which are public safety and the security of

this area.”

After the focus areas were jointly developed between Acosta and

the chief representatives of Nineveh’s agencies, the work began.

Intentions were outlined, plans were made, equipment was

acquired and training began.

MAJ Addal Mohammed Abdulala serves as the chief of the

rescue team for Nineveh Province. “We had training with CPT

Acosta and now we are ready to rescue anyone using the new

tools,” said Abdulala, “like people inside a building or from the

crashes and accidents. This is the best work — to rescue people,

and we thank CPT Acosta and his team.”

“We had them do practical training on vehicle extrication,” said

Acosta, “ cutting the vehicle and getting the victim out, so these

guys are set. They’re very proud of what they have here now.”

Acosta said that the new uniforms provided to the rescue and

fire crews help identify them to the Iraqi people, and that such

recognition serves to better raise awareness that Iraq is addressing civil services to respond to emergencies.

Statistically, according to Soldiers here, Mosul has a higher rate of

IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) than anywhere in Iraq.

Perhaps it was this perception or fact that provided the team here

with the benign looking truck that is carefully designed to remove

bombs, rockets and other ordnance to safe areas. The teams

heavily reinforced a large truck, building a thick steel blast container in the rear bed of the vehicle. The truck’s exterior

appearance mimics that of every other vehicle in Mosul’s streets.

“They are targeted because of the work they do,” Acosta noted.

“They often respond to bomb situations in civilian vehicles and

clothing to not draw attention. The ports cut into the walls are

to return fire, not for windows or ventilation.”

He said that “bad guys” will attempt to hijack a truck containing any type of explosives that they could turn against Coalition

forces and of late, Iraqis who are enlisting in the ING (Iraqi

National Guard) and IP (Iraqi Police) forces.

“It’s strong enough to withstand an AK-47 round,” said Acosta.

“we tested it.” The truck also carries an ample supply of sand

bags to further contain an unexpected detonation of any ordnance within the truck’s safe area.

“Before,” said Taha Haji Taha, chief of Nineveh’s EOD squad,

“we would always have to call the American team, but now —

since we got the bomb car — we can respond ourselves.”

Acosta said the Iraqis he is working with are anxious to assume

full responsibility for the operations, but are equally receptive to

the assistance and training the U.S. Soldiers are able to provide.

For instance, in unusual or more sophisticated bomb

disposal situations, U.S. forces will closely monitor

the proposed actions.

“It’s the tools, training and the OJT (On the Job

Training) they’re getting — they’re assuming the

mission themselves,” said Acosta. “I’m very proud of

all we’ve been able to do here.”

Another major focus in Nineveh Province is Iraq’s

incarceration system, and the Soldiers of the 214th

Civil Affairs Battalion have worked closely with officials to train guards, and special response teams, and

improve living conditions and alter past practices in

inmate abuse. 

BG Mohammed Mahoud Ibrahim and CPT Felix Acosta prepare to review

PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACQUISITION TEAM, U.S. ARMY RESERVE COMMANDrenovations at a correctional facility in Mosul, Iraq.
Spring 2005 ★ 27

“For the prisoner who does not obey the order, we will start

negotiations. We will ask him to obey the order in the beginning, but if he refuses, our team will take him with as little force

as necessary,” Ibrahim said.

Apparently, the training made operations inside the prison

better. According to Miko, the only two incidents of inmate disturbances were over before they reached critical mass after the

newly trained and team equipped with uniforms, Plexiglas riot

shields and batons were dispatched to the scene, and the prisoners retreated.

The system here may even pave the way as a model facility —

Miko said the Iraqi Dept. of Justice deemed the facility and disturbance action plans the standard.

“CPT Acosta and his team have worked very hard for us,”

Ibrahim said. “Now it is our turn to get all this information and

training out to the other places in Iraq. I hope to make them very

proud of us. I thank everybody. They have worked from the

heart with us. They have a place in our hearts. I will miss them

too much.”

Miko said that seeing the systems his unit has helped develop is

pleasing and rewarding.

“As a law enforcement officer back home, it’s great to come to

another country and make such a difference,” Miko said. “I’m

glad I’m here — I don’t like being away from my family but I

enjoy my job — civil affairs is a great opportunity for a Soldier.

My wife is irritable and my daughter is a little crabby about the

whole thing, but they understand what I’m doing.” 

(Translations from Iraqi officials courtesy of the 214th Civil Affairs

Battalion’s native interpreter.)

“I’m the instructional lead on the (CA)

Public Safety Team,” said SFC Ron

Miko, of the 214th. “Basically, I take

care of the training and day to day correction operations at local prisons in

Nineveh Province.”

Miko said the 214th has matched the

civilian skill sets and military training of

its Soldiers to fit with the programs the

unit is conducting and supporting here.

“The skills we have on the public

safety team are unequaled,” he said.

“We have great people who are very

knowledgeable — our firefighter has

20 years of experience, and most of us

have five to ten years of law enforcement experience in a civilian police force or in corrections.”

Miko has been mobilized for almost two years, first on a tour in

Bosnia and now in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom here.

Before that, he was employed as a policeman on the Reading,

Pa., police force. He said his employer has been supportive of 

his deployments.

His focus here has been training a disturbance response team to

quell problems within the prison.

“We came in with a six-day training outline after we

equipped them. On the second rotation, they took the lead

and started training the next team. We watched them and

made some comments but they’ll soon be running them on

their own. I believe they’ll do very well,” Miko said. His

primary liaison is the captain of the Correctional Officer

Academy, CPT Azhar Ibrahim.

“The civil affairs has made great things for us,” Ibrahim said.

“They bring us this equipment, and the very important thing is

they teach us how to treat the prisoners with all human rights

— not like before. That is very important.” Human rights are

indeed very important to Ibrahim, who said his father had been

a political prisoner under Saddam, and was freed after the

regime fell.

“When the people from outside come now to visit, they see how

we treat the people in here — they see we respect them, and we

respect their family when they visit, so they respect us,”

Ibrahim said. “Not like before.”

These more educated guards are trained to communicate better

with prisoners and if force becomes necessary then minimum

force to achieve the objective should be the rule, not the exception.

PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACQUISITION TEAM, U.S. ARMY RESERVE COMMAND

The Response Team in action drills.
28 ★ Army Reserve Magazine
Spring 2005 ★ 29

“We’re constantly watching for IEDs or any threat — you have

to be vigilant all the time,” said SSG Robert Mitchell, who

serves as a gunner on the unit’s security gun trucks. Mitchell

was cross-leveled to the 630th from the 223rd Transportation

Company in Norristown, Pa. As a civilian, he is a security guard

with ABM Security in Sharon Hill, Pa.

“It’s hard dealing with the heat, and the dusty and the bumpy

ride,” Mitchell said. “It bounces you around a lot in the turret.

By the time we get there, my face is covered in mud, but you

have to be vigilant. It’s very tiring — it’s mentally draining.”

Mitchell is experienced on the gun trucks from many convoys,

but does not allow complacency to set in.

“You can never be off-guard,” he said. “You also have to let them

(Iraqi civilian population) know you’re watching them because if you

look like you’re slacking they’ll take advantage of you. If you look like

you’re ready, they might not want to mess with you — but if you’re

reading a magazine, it could turn out to be a bad day for you.”

Few if any Army Reserve units deployed with vehicles that were

designed or prepared to protect Soldiers on convoys in an actual

shooting war, since by doctrine, Army Reserve units such as the

630th were destined for duty in what were called secure rear

areas. But, Iraq changed all that. The Army, however, is changing with it.

“We’re constantly watching for

IEDs or any threat — you have to

be vigilant all the time.”

“We have quarter-inch steel on the doors, sides and the fabricated turret — it’s a makeshift hardening of the vehicles,” said

Mitchell. The 630th’s gun trucks are modified five-ton cargo

trucks. Aloft in the turret, Mitchell counts on the additional protection of his body armor. The front and rear vest plates are

reputed to be capable of stopping a 7.62mm round — up to three

direct hits. Some of the vests now have a collar and groin protector. Additional “sleeves” for the vests are also in the design

and test phases.

“I feel pretty safe up there,” said Mitchell. “It’s better than nothing.”

There are two sides to combat. Of course the first is self-preservation, but drawing a bead on another human being is fraught

with moral dilemma as well.

“I would never feel good about shooting somebody,” Mitchell

said, “but I will do what I have to. I’ll do what’s necessary.”

Mitchell’s religious convictions run deeper than survival, since

he is a deacon in his church.

TRANSPORTATION

COMPANY’S TRUCKS 

KEEP HAULING

By MSG Jack Gordon

Public Affairs Acquisition Team

U.S. Army Reserve

LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, BALAD, Iraq — Army Reserve 

Soldiers from the 630th Transportation Company from

Washington, Pa. are here for the “long haul,” so to speak. The

unit’s assigned mission is conducting convoys throughout Iraq,

hauling all nine classes of items in the Army’s inventory to

FBOs (Forward Base Operation) in the theater.

As the insurgent threat is constantly mutating in size, strength

and cunning, U.S. and Coalition convoys often bear the brunt

of the enemy’s ambush activity. The enemy here is by definition — “insurgent”, but more commonly called by U.S. forces

simply “bad guys.” The bad guys are often making life miserable for troops by inflicting damage and casualties on convoy

operations with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Device) and

VBIEDs (Vehicle-born Improvised Explosive Device). Given

the threat, all convoys are always escorted by force protection

security vehicles.

“We’ve been pretty lucky so far,” said SSG Nick Ellis. Ellis was

cross-leveled to the 630th from another transportation company

in the 99th Regional Readiness Command, the 298th TC from

Franklin, Pa. Before he was mobilized, Ellis was a first year

student in medical school pursuing a doctor of chiropractic path.

“We haven’t had much trouble — we’ve been out of the danger

areas,” said Ellis. The 630th was hit, however, on a recent

convoy — a Soldier sustained injuries from an IED but was

treated within the theater and has returned to duty.

Ellis said the unit’s current mission entails running convoys

from here to a location about six over-the-road hours distant.

It’s a required overnight stay before returning, and for several

reasons the convoys are now running at night.

Night missions also minimize the potential of heat casualties —

the tractor-trailer rigs are not air conditioned and the Soldiers

in the gun trucks are in open sun. The average daily temperature in Iraq now is about 120 degrees. Although the main roads

in Iraq, now called MSRs (Major Supply Route) by the military

are in decent shape, the convoy’s route also takes it across some

not so desirable pavement.

[Left] SSG Nick Ellis awaits the next convoy mission for the 630th Transportation Company.

(PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, U.S. ARMY RESERVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE ACQUISITION TEAM)
SGT Kat Rorah was cross-leveled to the 630th from the 463rd

Engineer Company from Wheeling, W. Va. She likes convoys.

“I’ve only missed one,” Rorah said. She drives the convoy’s

recovery vehicle. It serves as a tow truck if necessary, provides

vehicle maintenance on the road, is responsible for the litter

team if Soldiers are injured or wounded, and maintains communication with the convoy commander from the tail end of the

vehicle string.

“I keep the (convoy) commander up front apprised of what’s

going on in the rear of the convoy,” Rorah said. She said she

loves to drive and that as long as everybody is still moving, the

convoy will keep rolling.

“We’ve been lucky,” said Rorah. “We always come back

through that gate, and that’s what it’s all about, bringing everyone back safe.”

“I rely a lot on my faith in God to keep us safe,” he said. “We

haven’t had any casualties so I thank God for that — I say a

prayer before every convoy.” Serving together now, many of

the Soldiers assigned to the 630th are from distant units, but

it hasn’t diminished the team effort. Such variation in unit

origin may well, in fact, have only served to strengthen the

collective mission.

SGT Lisa Phillips was also reassigned to the 630th from the

223rd, and said she was happy to be with this “new” unit.

“The best part is that there are so many cross-levels here,”

Phillips said. “But we merged together really quickly — and

now we’re really close.” Phillips alternates between driving or

“manning” a 50-caliber machine gun on a 630th gun truck.

“That’s what I’m the most proud of,” Phillips said, “the fact

that there is so much diversity. I would do anything for the

Soldiers in this unit.”

30 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, PUBLIC AFFAIRS ACQUISITION TEAM, U.S. ARMY RESERVE COMMAND 

[Bottom] SFC Class Don Whetzel is the truck master for the 630th — he is a veteran of

Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). 

[Right] SPC Lisa Phillips is at the 50-Caliber Machine Gun of one of the 630th

Transportation Company’s Gun Trucks. The trucks provide force protection on convoys 

in Iraq. (PHOTO: MSG JACK GORDON, U.S. ARMY RESERVE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE ACQUISITION TEAM)

32 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

particular eye out for potential “voids,” small open places where

someone might have survived the building’s collapse. 

“I went directly over to the pile to try to figure out exactly what

was going on, to try and figure out some numbers and get a good

assessment of what was happening,” Taylor said in a telephone

interview with American Forces Press Service. 

He alerted his battalion commander it would be best to call the

as-yet-untested “Rescue 1” team, formed from members of the

458th Combat Engineer Battalion in the unit’s predeployment

phase at the behest of the 1st Cavalry Division, which is responsible for security operations in and around Baghdad. 

Then Taylor got to work on the serious business of saving innocent lives. Over the next three hours — while the rest of the

team of part-time rescuers was notified, assembled and deployed

— Taylor pulled four people out of “the pile” alive. 

When two of the team’s three rescue companies arrived, they

pulled out another — a 22-year-old woman. Taylor and the rest

of the team also recovered several bodies from the rubble. In all,

29 people, many of them Iraqi policemen, died in the attack. 

The Rescue 1 team came about after many hours of planning

meetings at Fort McCoy, Wis., as the 458th, an Army Reserve

unit from Johnstown, Pa., was preparing for its yearlong deployment to Iraq. A group of six individuals with extensive civilian

experience in firefighting, emergency medicine and hazardousmaterials handling planned the 90-member team, set training

tasks, cobbled together equipment from several different

sources, and manned the new organization with volunteers. 

Many team members had little

or no rescue experience before

this mission. They trained

extensively at Fort McCoy, then

some more as the unit was processing through Camp Victory

South, in Kuwait. Since they

arrived in Iraq in February

2003, the team members have

trained together at least once a

month, explained Army SGT

Greg Renko, a medic with the

458th and one of the team’s

original six “officers.” 

ARMY RESERVE FIRST

RESPONDERS FORM 

RESCUE TEAM IN IRAQ

By Kathleen T. Rhem

American Forces Press Service 

WASHINGTON — When Army SGT Joseph Taylor arrived on the

scene of the Dec. 29, 2004 explosion in Baghdad, Iraq, chaos was

the order of the day. 

Insurgents had lured several Iraqi police to a home, then detonated powerful explosives. The homes of at least three families

were destroyed, leaving nothing but piles of rubble. One house

had “pancaked,” a first-responder term to explain that the

building’s walls had collapsed and one floor had fallen on top of

another like a stack of pancakes. 

Despite the devastation, those families were fortunate Taylor

was among the first U.S. servicemen on the scene. And several

people are alive today because he was. 

Taylor is second-in-command of a unique team of Army

Reserve Soldiers with civilian experience in “heavy rescue” —

saving people trapped in collapsed structures. 

While other members of 91st Engineer Battalion, to which

Taylor is attached, began securing a perimeter around the incident site, Taylor began assessing the wreckage, keeping a 

Iraqis and U.S. Soldiers work to rescue people

from the rubble left after an attack that

leveled several houses in Baghdad, Iraq. Army

Reserve SGT Greg Renko was a member of the

team of U.S. rescuers who responded to the

attack site and saved five people buried in the

PHOTO: MAJ ADAM ROTHcollapsed houses.
Spring 2005 ★ 33

there, he kept telling us they were saying how happy they were

that we were showing up to help them.” 

He said the Iraqis knew there were no U.S. casualties at the scene

and were touched that these Soldiers were working so hard to

save the lives of Iraqi civilians. 

Being part of a rescue team in Iraq has unique challenges.

Especially poignant is that the members are deployed far from

their usual support networks and stress relievers. In the civilian

world, veteran first responders devise ways to help them deal

with the horror of seeing people injured and killed. In the aftermath of the recent explosion, the team pulled many bodies from

the wrecked buildings, including several children. 

Taylor explained that when he returns from an incident in his

civilian job as a paramedic firefighter in Norfolk, Va., the first

thing he does is to call his wife, Jennifer, and to talk to his young

sons. Playing with “the boys” allows him to get past the strain of

his job. In Iraq, that outlet is not available to him. 

Added to the routine strain of a deployment and stressful missions, is that Jennifer has given birth to a third son since Taylor

has been in Iraq. She is now caring for 9-month-old Noah, and

Adam, 4, and Zachary, 3, at home by herself until Taylor’s unit

redeploys in the next month or so. And many other men in the

unit are in similar situations. 

“A lot of these rescuers, we’ve had children on this deployment.We weren’t there for that. A lot of us don’t know those

children. I don’t know my youngest,” Taylor said. “It just makes

it that much harder.” 

To help them cope, chaplains are available to the rescuers, and

the more experienced members make themselves readily available to the others — just to talk or to refer them to other help, if

that’s what’s needed. 

And the Soldiers “do what Soldiers do best — you rely on each

other,” Taylor said. 

The team uses “firematic” terms, and many of the so-called officers here are actually Army enlisted men. What’s important in

this context is not their military ranks, but their rescue expertise gained through civilian experience. The team’s commander

is Army MAJ Adam Roth, battalion executive officer of the

458th. Taylor, also a medic with his unit, is the team’s deputy

commander. 

Taylor said seeing the team save lives is an amazing experience

for the six original officers. “It’s almost like it’s your own child,”

he said. “It’s something you’ve created, you’ve helped it grow.

And it’s now mature enough to go out there and be able to do

amazing things.” 

He said the Iraqis knew there 

were no U.S. casualties at the 

scene and were touched that these

Soldiers were working so hard to

save the lives of Iraqi civilians.

In Iraq, the team acts much like a volunteer fire department.

Members each have their normal jobs, not necessarily together.

Members’ day-to-day duties include sweeping routes for roadside bombs, patrolling areas of Baghdad, and construction jobs.

But when they’re notified of an emergency, they meet up and

head out as a team. 

“At any point they can give us a call, and they bring us all back

in, just like a civilian volunteer fire department,” said Renko,

who in his civilian life is a paramedic firefighter in

Monroeville, Pa.

The explosion on the 29th was the first time they actually

deployed to an incident, Renko said. But they’d had plenty of

“false alarms” before then. “We’ve been called up numerous

times where we’d have the vehicles ready to go,” he said. “We’d

be staged, and we’d get ‘called down.’ They didn’t need us, or

there’d be nobody entrapped.” 

Renko and Taylor said they received a grateful response from

the Iraqi police, firefighters and civilians who were at the scene

of the major explosion last month. “The civilians were outstandingly happy we were there. They came up hugging us,

shaking our hands,” Renko said. “The interpreter they had 

Army SSG Magnifico uses a K-12 saw to cut rebar out of a hole so fellow rescuers SSG

Zollinger and SGT Greg Renko could enter the hole to search a collapsed building for any

trapped victims.

PHOTO: MAJ ADAM ROTH
34 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

“Go For Broke” 

Soldiers Become U.S. Citizens

By Paul Adams

Army Reserve Public Affairs

In a December 2004 Naturalization

Ceremony conducted by the Department

of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship

and Immigration Services, 110 Army

Reserve and 17 National Guard Soldiers

took the oath of allegiance to become

U.S. citizens. The ceremony took place at

the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy

at Fort Bliss, Texas. 

With the other mobilized members of the

100th/442nd and 29th Brigade Combat

Team, Hawaii Army National Guard,

looking on, Soldiers filed one by one

across the auditorium stage to receive

their naturalization certificate from

Raymond P. Adams, district director, 

El Paso District, U.S. Citizenship and

Immigration Services. 

“It is an honor and a privilege to 

bestow the ultimate honor, American

Citizenship, on these Soldiers who fight

so bravely and tirelessly to defend the

rights and freedoms of the United

States,” Adams said. 

The ceremony would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of SGT

Daniel Perez, battalion legal NCO and

CPT Paul Carlyle, the 100th’s battalion

adjutant. Perez did the research into expediting the process of administrative

naturalization and coordinated with

Immigration and Naturalization Services

in order to get the process started. “The

process included getting applications and

important documentation together, conducting training classes and interviews

and providing study guides to the

Soldiers for the citizenship tests,” said the

Thomas M. Cooley Law School student. 

Most of the Soldiers being naturalized

were from American Samoa, while some

were from Guam and Saipan. The 100th

is based in those locations as well as Hawaii.

“These Soldiers are from American

Samoa, and as such, are nationals of the

United States,” Adams said. “These are

Soldiers, who are not yet citizens of the

United States, who are willing to defend

this country.”

According to Adams, the Soldiers, as

applicants for naturalization, are eligible

under a very special section of the law.

“The Immigration and Nationality Act

(INA) provides for the naturalization of

active duty service members of the U.S.

Armed Forces who serve in active-duty

status during periods of conflict as outlined in the INA or any additional period

designated by the President in an executive order.”

President Bush signed executive order

13269 on Jul 3, 2002. This executive

order designated the War on Terrorism,

which includes the conflict in Iraq, under

this special section of law.

According to Adams since the signing of

this executive order, more than 19,000

service members have applied for expedited naturalization and approximately

12,000 Soldiers have become citizens of

the United States.

With the ceremony concluding, Perez

paused to breathe a sigh of relief. His

hard work had paid off and now he could

look forward to going off to war with a

127 new citizen Soldiers. 

F

ORT BLISS, Texas — For more than 100 Army Reserve

Soldiers of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment,

going to Iraq to fight the Global War on Terrorism has taken

on new meaning — fighting as U.S. citizens. 

Soldiers of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry sing the

“Go For Broke” Song during Naturalization ceremony for

more than 100 unit members.

PHOTO: PAUL ADAMS
Historical Perspective:

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry

Past and Present

Spring 2005 ★ 35

It is important to recognize the contributions of the Japanese Americans who

served in the U.S. Army’s 100th Battalion

and 442nd Combat Infantry group.

History speaks for itself in documenting

that none have shared their blood more

valiantly for America than the Japanese

Americans who served in these units

while fighting enemy forces in Europe

during World War II. The records of the

100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry are

without equal. 

Because young Japanese men of the

second generation [Nisei] were often

eager to fight against the Axis Powers,

Japanese-American units were created in

the Army. In order to eliminate the confusion that might arise in the Pacific, the

nisei units were to be employed only in

the Mediterranean and European theaters of operation. The 442nd Infantry

Regiment was the largest Nisei unit.

Fighting in Italy and southern France,

the unit was known for its bravery and

determination, as reflected by the unit

motto, “Go for broke!” 

The first all-Japanese American Nisei

military unit was the 100th Battalion,

which was the designation for the unit 

which was formed from the Japanese

Americans who comprised a large part of

the Hawaiian National Guard. These

Nisei were sent to Camp McCoy,

Wis. for combat training and later were

moved to Camp Shelby, Miss. for additional training. They adopted the phrase

“Remember Pearl Harbor” as their motto.

In 1943, the War Department in need 

of manpower reversed itself and sent

recruiters to the relocation camps asking

for volunteers to form a new Japanese

American combat unit: the 442nd

Regimental Combat Team. Volunteers

were also accepted from Hawaii where

12,500 men had volunteered. The Nisei

volunteers were combined with Japanese

Americans still in the military and 

were sent to Camp Shelby, Miss. for

combat training. 

At Camp Shelby, they were formed into

the 442nd Infantry Regiment, consisting

of three battalions plus support companies, the 522nd Artillery Battalion 

T

he 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, is the only remaining

Infantry unit in the Army Reserve force structure. Its headquarters is located at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and its units are

located in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan. Under the

command and control of the 9th Regional Readiness Command, the

100th/442nd’s wartime mission is to be one of the maneuver

battalion’s of the 29th Separate Infantry Brigade, Hawaii Army 

National Guard.

100TH

442ND INFANTRY

BATTALION

The patch worn by Soldiers

of the 100th Battalion,

442nd Infantry
and the 232nd Combat

Engineers. The unit designation was the 442nd Regimental

Combat Team and most of its officers were Caucasians. The 442nd chose

“Go For Broke”, a Hawaiian slang term

from the dice game craps. “Go For

Broke” meant to risk everything, give

everything you have — all or nothing! 

While the 442nd was being formed 

and trained, the 1,432 men of the 100th 

battalion had entered combat in 

Italy, September 26, 1943. The Italian 

campaign bloodied the 100th battalion

and it suffered heavy casualties, earning

it the nickname “Purple Heart Battalion”

as it was depleted down to 521 men by

1944. Replacements came from men who

had finished training with the 442nd at

Camp Shelby. 

On June 2, 1944 the 442nd had landed at

Naples and pushed to the Anzio beaches.

On June 15th the 100th Battalion and the

442nd were merged into a single unit.

The 100th battalion became the first battalion of the 442nd because the original

first battalion of the 442nd had been used

for replacements for the 100th. They

were attached to the 133rd Regiment in the

34th Division.

After heavy fighting at Belvedere,

Luciana, and Livorno, the 442nd was

pulled back for a rest and was presented

with a Presidential Unit Citation. After

fighting at the Arno River in August,

1944, the 442nd moved to France for an

attack in the Vosages Mountains. While

in France, the 442nd was detached from

the 34th Division and attached to the

36th Division of the Seventh Army.

Given the assignment to capture the

town of Bruyeres, the 442nd fought a

bitter house to house battle and captured

over 200 German Soldiers. 

Their bloodiest battle occured during

their rescue of the “Lost Battalion.” The

First Battalion of the 36th Division had

been given the assignment to clear a

ridge deep in the Vosages, but had been

cut-off by the Germans. The battalion,

the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry

Regiment (a former Texas National

Guard unit), had been cut off since

October 24, 1944. The other two battalions of the 141st were unable to break

through. The 100th /442nd was ordered

to rescue the Lost Battalion in a real-life

“Saving Private Ryan” mission (More

men were lost in the 100th/442nd in the

rescue operation than there were to save

in the 1st of the 141st.). 

The 2nd Battalion jumped off at 3 a.m. on

the 26th. Before dawn on the 27th, the

100th and 3rd Battalions were called in,

too. Fire support came from the 522nd

Field Artillery Battalion. Enemy resistance

was fierce; captured German prisoners

revealed that orders from Hitler were to

prevent any relief of the trapped battalion.

The Soldiers of the 100th/442nd fought in

dense woods and heavy fog in freezing temperatures. Late in the afternoon of October

30, scouts from the Lost Battalion spotted

Soldiers in olive-drab uniforms and with

Japanese faces approaching and knew the

442nd had broken through. 

In five days and nights of continuous

combat, the 100th/442nd RCT had suffered more than 800 casualties. In the 3rd

Battalion, Company K had 17 riflemen

left and Company I had eight riflemen

left. Sergeants commanded both companies; all the officers had been killed or

wounded. The 2,000 men on the casualty

list included 140 killed. 

In spring, 1945, the 442nd was sent back

to Italy. The 442nd was made part of the

U.S. 92nd Infantry Division, which also

included the all-African American 370th

Infantry and the all-white 473rd Infantry.

Mounting a diversionary attack in the

Appenine Mountains, the 442nd took

their assigned objectives cracking the

German defensive line. By May 2, 1945

the war was over in Italy. 

These Japanese American units suffered

an unprecedented casualty rate of 314

percent and received over 18,000 individual decorations. Many were awarded after

their deaths for bravery and courage in

the field of battle. Among the decorations

received by the 100th/442nd Soldiers were

one Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished

Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 28 Oak

Leaf Clusters to the Silver Star, 4,000

Bronze Stars and 1,200 Oak Leaf Clusters

to the Bronze Star and, perhaps most

telling of the sacrifices made by these

gallant Soldiers, 9,486 Purple Hearts. The

442nd Combat Infantry group emerged as

the most decorated combat unit of its size

in the history of the United States Army.

For its service in eight major campaigns

in Italy and France, the 100th Battalion

and 442nd Regimental Combat Team

earned eight Presidential Unit Citations. 

Second Lt. Daniel K. Inouye, who

received a battlefield commission in

November 1944, was one of those brave

men. On April 21, 1945, while leading his

platoon in an attack on enemy positions

on Mount Musatello in Italy, Lieutenant

Inouye was wounded in the right arm by

an enemy grenade and in the right leg by

another bullet. For his bravery in leading

the attack while wounded, Lieutenant

Inouye received the Distinguished

Service Cross. His arm proved to be more

seriously wounded than first realized and

required amputation. Inouye was promoted to captain but not released from

the hospital until February 1947. 

President Truman was so moved by their

bravery in the field of battle, as well as that

36 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

These Japanese American units suffered an unprecedented casualty rate of 314 percent and received over

18,000 individual decorations. The 442nd Combat

Infantry group emerged as the most decorated combat

unit of its size in the history of the United States Army.

100TH

BATTALION

442ND INFANTRY
of African American Soldiers during World

War II, that he issued an American

order to desegregate the Armed Forces. 

Although their impeccable service earned

the 442nd the respect of their fellow

Soldiers, they were not perceived in the

same way by American society when they

returned to the West Coast. It is a shameful

legacy in the history of the country that

when the patriotic survivors of the 100th

Battalion 442nd Infantry returned to the

United States, many were reunited with

their parents, their brothers, and their

sisters who were locked up behind barbed

wire fences living in concentration camps.

Immediately following their return, 

the 442nd realized that the attitudes 

of many Americans had not changed.

World War II veterans of Japanese ancestry

were welcomed home by signs that read,

“No Japs Allowed,” and “No Japs Wanted.”

In many cases, veterans were denied service

in local shops and restaurants, and their

homes and property were often vandalized

or set on fire. 

Following post-war occupation duty in Italy,

the Soldiers of the 100th/442nd — who had

once been suspected of disloyalty because of

their Japanese ancestry — came home as

heroes in the summer of 1946. President

Harry Truman, in a ceremony on the Ellipse

in Washington on July 15, 1946, personally

pinned the 100th/442nd’s seventh

Presidential Unit Citation on the unit’s

colors. A month later, the 100th/442nd

was inactivated in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

In 1947, the 100th/442nd was reactivated in

Hawaii as an Organized Reserve unit. 

On June 21, 2000, twenty-two Asian

Pacific American U.S. Army World War II

veterans (or their surviving

family members for those

deceased) received the nation’s

highest decoration for valor, the Medal

of Honor. This action corrected their not

receiving these decorations in World War

II, when the prejudice of the time kept

them from receiving their just recognition

then. Twenty of the 22 recipients were

members of the 100th Infantry Battalion

or the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

This unit (The 100th was attached to the

442nd in June 1944 and fought as the

442nd’s first battalion for the rest of the

war) was already considered the most

highly decorated unit of its size in U.S.

military history. The June 21 ceremony

added a new statistic to the 100th/

442nd’s history: it has 21 Medal of

Honor recipients on its roles, the 20 now

added to its one earlier recipient. 

Spring 2005 ★ 37

CAMPAIGNS

1 NAPLES-FOGGIA

September 9, 1943 to January 21, 1944

2 ANZIO

March 26 to June 2, 1944

3 ROME-ARNO RIVER

January 22 to September 4, 1944

4 SOUTHERN FRANCE

August 15 to September 14, 1944

442d Anti-Tank Co.

5 NORTHERN APENNINES

September 10, 1944 to April 4, 1945

6 RHINELAND

September 15, 1944 to March 21, 1945

7 CENTRAL EUROPE

March 15 to May 11, 1945

552d Field Artillery Battalion

8 PO VALLEY

April 5 to May 8, 1945

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

100TH INFANTRY BATTALION/442 REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM

21

8

33 559 4,000

Presidential Unit Collection

Distinguished

Service Cross Silver Star Bronze Star Purple Heart

9,486

100TH

442ND INFANTRY

BATTALION
38 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

JRTC Training Prepares

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry for Iraq

By MAJ Bill Nutter

Army Reserve Public Affairs

“We are trying to create a scenario of

what they are going to see in Iraq and if

we do our job, every system within the

battalion from team all the way up

through battalion level is tested. Every

combat system, every logistic system and

all the leadership skills are tested and

carried out through fruition,” said 

MAJ John Zavage, a JRTC ObserverController providing assessment and

training guidance for the battalion. 

According to Zavage, realistic training

scenarios include enemy ambushes, drive

by shootings, roadside improvised explosive devices and dealing one on one with

the local culture. “I think they’re (100th)

putting all the pieces together at once. All

their individual skills, collective tasks,

ability to pull it all together from

platoon, company and battalion level is

coming together under time constraints,” said Zavage.

CPT Paul Carlyle, S-1 officer for the battalion, said he can see how the Soldiers

are growing through this type of training.

“It has been interesting. You see a lot

more role players out there, which is

good. A lot more realistic. 

You do have to rely on the interpreters,

which I think we are really finding 

out is good training,” said Carlyle.

Carlyle also added that the training is

pushing leadership at the lowest level

and it is good for leadership initiative.

“You don’t need permission for every

little thing you do. It is very much a

company commander’s war. That

empowerment at the lowest level to make

decisions is what we really got to push,”

said Carlyle

CSM Richard Sylva, the 100th Battalion

senior non-commissioned officer said he

is really happy where the training has

taken the NCOs. “Right now the training

is building confidence in themselves and

harnessing the inner abilities to do the

precise right things at the right

moment,” said Sylva. Sylva also stated

that the Soldiers will be amazed at the

maturity level they will achieve after this

training and deployment.

T

housands of miles away from the tranquil waters of the Pacific

and the pristine beaches of Hawaii and surrounding islands,

Soldiers of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment 

captured a glimpse of the reality they are about to face. In January

2005 they experienced eight days of rigorous training at the Joint

Readiness Training Center (JRTC) located at Fort Polk, La., in

preparation for their deployment to Iraq.

100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment Soldiers

answer questions from local villagers in the village of

Albasha, one of the training village scenarios at JRTC,

Fort Polk, La.

100TH

BATTALION

442ND INFANTRY

PHOTO: MAJ BILL NUTTER
Engaging the opposing force’s bullets

was not the only obstacle the 100th

Battalion Soldiers had to face. They

received the opportunity to fight the

information battle. Information warfare

is an integral part of the JRTC scenario

according to John Beckwith, an observercontroller and trainer, with Public

Affairs JRTC, Operations Group.

“We have had people leave here and

wonder why they had to deal with the

reporter on the battlefield. When they get

over to the real world situation now they

deal with it and understand. It is better to

prepare here then have a reporter come

up and stick a microphone and camera in 

your face and not prepared,” said

Beckwith. According to Beckwith the

100th Battalion commander will conduct

radio interviews with interpreters as well

with village newspapers.

Many of the Soldiers are anxious and

ready to get on with the mission in Iraq

after training approximately five

months for their upcoming mobilization, according to SGT Doveline

Andres, an infantryman with the unit.

“We feel we’re ready to go but the training doesn’t get any better than

what has been conducted at

JRTC,” said Andres.

Andres also believes the

training brings out the best

out of everyone in the unit, but it

also has another meaning to him.

“I’m glad I’m here. Happy to be part of

a voice that everybody calls freedom.

Democracy isn’t cheap. There is no price

tag to it. I’m glad to be part of a team

that’s out there paying a price and I’m

there with a voice, and doing something

about it, not just talking about it,” said

Andres. 

Spring 2005 ★ 39

PHOTO: MAJ BILL NUTTER PHOTO: MAJ BILL NUTTER

[Right] SPC Siatuvai Ioane, an infantryman with the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, inspects a

vehicle for contraband at a check point scenario at JRTC, Fort Polk, La. Ioane is preparing for his upcoming

mission to Iraq by participating in various JRTC scenarios that depict real world situations in theater.

[Bottom] Soldiers of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment test their nerves as they show their

combat presence in a small village riot depicted in a training scenario at JRTC, Ft. Polk, La. The battalion 

is preparing for their upcoming mission in Iraq.

100TH

442ND INFANTRY

BATTALION
40 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

ARMY RESERVE SOLDIER

BECOMES FIRST FEMALE

GENERAL OFFICER IN JUDGE

ADVOCATE GENERAL CORPS

A

rmy Reserve BG Coral Wong

Pietsch, a longtime resident of

Oahu, Hawaii, took part recently 

in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the

“Women Pioneers in the JAG Corps”

exhibit at the U.S. Army Women’s

Museum, located at Fort Lee, Va.

Pietsch is the first, and currently only,

female general in the 228-year history of

the Judge Advocate General Corps. She

is also the first Asian-American female

general officer in the Army.

PATRIOTISM NEVER RETIRES

By MSG Richard Lambert

Public Affairs Office

94th Regional Readiness Command

Alert eyes, a smooth calm demeanor, 

and a deep voice greet you when you 

get your security badge for the 94th

Regional Readiness Command (RRC)

Headquarters building from the acting

Provost Marshall Officer (PMO), MSG

Robert Risner, physical security specialist and senior mobilization NCO for 

the 94th.

After 30 ‘good years’ over a span of 37

years, Risner will retire on paper, but

his spirit will remain on call, and his

patriotism strong.

“It is not one weekend a month, and

two weeks in the summer. It is the

potential to be called up at any time to

fill the needs of the Army world-wide,”

said Risner of the commitment needed

to fulfill the Army service.

“Commitment is the number one virtue

you need to have. It is not about what

the Army can do for me, but what can 

I do for the Army,” said Risner of his

dedication to duty.

Risner monitors the Global Command

and Control System (GCCS), commonly

called ‘Geeks,’ acting as the first-line of

notification in the command for units

being alerted for mobilization and

deployment. In addition he monitors

the world situation. 

As the acting provost marshal and physical security specialist, Risner has been

responsible for the force protection

budget for the 94th RRC. This entails

prioritizing access security projects at

Reserve centers throughout New

England. “Since 9/11, there has been

a huge emphasis placed on physical

security and anti-terrorism issues,”

said Risner.

“Everyone in some way owes this

country for the freedoms we enjoy. I 

do not care how they contribute, but

they should contribute,” said Risner.

Risner’s roots in the military are 

significant, and indicate why his 

patriotism is deep.

“My whole family is green,” said Risner. 

During World War II, Wesley, Risner’s

father, served in the Army as a major

and a PMO in Iceland for three years

where he met Inga, Risner’s mother,

who worked for the U.S. Army as a chief

interpreter during that time, according

to Risner.

“My brother Warren retired after 20

years as a guidance counselor in the

Active Guard Reserve (AGR) and was

also a master sergeant,” said Bob.

“I had another brother, PFC Wayne

Risner, who was killed in Vietnam in

March, 1968. He had just turned 18,”

said Risner.

Tradition for serving his country has

passed down to Risner’s children as well.

“My oldest son, CPT Robert W. Risner,

is serving as a physician’s assistant in

the hospital clinic for the 1st Infantry 

Division in Bamburg, Germany. My

daughter, SPC Jennifer D. (Risner) 

Grant was a medic, and is currently in

the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), 

and her husband was in the Active

Component,” said Risner.

“We all have different experiences to

share. The one thing we all share is our

spouses’ support” said Risner.

Risner’s service included locations

around the globe.

“I spent two years in Korea from

1968–1970,” he said. “I got out of the

Army in the 70’s then went back on

active duty for 12 years in 1976 to

become an Infantry Operations and

Intelligence NCO, earning the Expert

Infantryman Badge in Germany.”

Upon returning to the States, Risner

was assigned to the US Army Recruiting

Command; first as a Field Recruiter,

then Station Commander and ultimately

as a Guidance Counselor earning 

the Gold Recruiter Badge w/3 Star

Sapphires. He attained excellence in

every endeavor he took part in.

As Risner served his country the Army

changed. “Attitude changes, mostly for

the positive, to include no draft,” 

said Risner.

Despite the time spent away from his

family, he has taken his service in stride.

“All gave some, and some gave all. I just

hope that my small contribution has

somehow made a difference” said

Risner. His official retirement date 

is March 12, 2005.

PEOPLE

People

MSG Robert Risner takes a photo for a security badge in

his job as Physical Security Manager.

PHOTO: MSG RICHARD LAMBERT
PEOPLE

RESERVE CHIEF REENLISTS

SOLDIERS THROUGHOUT

AFGHANISTAN

SPC Chris Stump

17th Public Affairs Detachment

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — “I am 

an American Soldier, and I’m terribly

proud to wear that title,” began the

Chief of the Army Reserve during

a reenlistment ceremony Jan. 22, 2005

on Bagram Airfield where he reenlisted 

and promoted a handful of his Soldiers.

“Take great pride in what you are

doing,” said LTG James R. Helmly, who

also serves as the Commanding General,

U.S. Army Reserve Command. 

“Your country is asking a lot of you

right now. I can’t tell you it’s going

to be easy, because it’s not. Uphold the

Constitution and go where your country

tells you,” he added before he pinned

rank on four of the Soldiers gathered

and had the others raise their right

hands and take the oath of enlistment

one more time.

Serving with and for Soldiers is what

Helmly values in his position. And

having the opportunity to see them

make a commitment to stay in is 

something he greatly appreciates.

“It’s about service to you,” he said of his

job as the senior official in the Army

Reserve. “You are being promoted to

leadership positions. Leading is about

service to those you lead, not yourself. 

“Rank comes with deep and enduring

responsibilities,” he added.

Newly promoted SSG Shawn Ryall was

one leader the general was speaking

about — someone committed to the

Army and its people.

“I always knew I was going to be in

the military for a career,” said the 

221st Ordnance Company noncommissioned officer.

“I’m glad I got the chance to be promoted and reenlisted by the general of

the Reserves, but I’m also glad I got the

chance to do it in front of everyone I’ve

served with,” he said.

“I’ve become brothers with the people

here. It’s nice to have them here to see

me make the commitment.”

It’s a commitment many don’t appreciate, both in and out of uniform, he said.

“A lot of people don’t understand what

serving is all about. For me, it’s about

serving my country and my Soldiers,”

said Ryall.

The commitment is also about doing

what fulfills oneself, the reason many

Reservists sign on for one more term.

“I enjoy what I do in the Reserves 

as a civil affairs sergeant,” said SGT

Melinda Dozier, 450th Civil 

Affairs Battalion.

“I get to work directly with the Afghan

people. I enjoy being able to see the effect

we have on the people here,” she said.

Having the oath administered by 

the chief was just an added bonus for

someone who was already getting what

she really wanted — a chance to keep

serving the way she was.

“The Soldiers like what they are doing,

and they’re not afraid to sign on to do 

it again,” said SGM Scott White, Army

Reserve Affairs senior enlisted advisor.

“Most of the reenlisted come to us,” 

he said. “They have positive responses,

they love what they are doing and they

are willing to stay on, even with the 

possibility of doing it again.”

A point Helmly made even before

pinning staff sergeant stripes on Ryall,

or asking Dozier to raise her right hand

and swear the oath of enlistment:

“Keep doing what you’ve been doing,”

he said. “Just as Soldiers have for 229

years before you.”

Helmly traveled to several forward 

operating bases to administer the oath

of reenlistment to other Reserve component Soldiers during his three-day visit

to Afghanistan. 

“You are being promoted to

leadership positions. Leading

is about service to those you

lead, not yourself. Rank 

comes with deep and 

enduring responsibilities.”

LTG James R. Helmly, Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve

(right), reenlists SSG Darryn Dunn (center left), 556th

Personnel Support Battalion, and SGT Joshua Nelson,

367th Eng. Bn., atop “Radar Hill” at FOB Salerno Jan. 23.

Spring 2005 ★ 41
CEREMONY IN ENGLAND HONORS

AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS

FROM WORLD WAR I

By SFC Derrick Witherspoon

Public Affairs Office

7th Army Reserve Command

B

ROOKWOOD, England — As the cold

wind blew like a whisper through

the white cross and star-shaped

tombstones, a sense of honor, love and

respect began to fill the frosty air as

families, friends and guests gathered at

the Brookwood American Cemetery to

pay respect to deceased service members

from World War I. 

Soldiers from the 7th Army Reserve

Command (ARCOM) participated in a

Remembrance Day ceremony held at

the 4.5 acre cemetery in November.

The ceremony, which is supported by 

various American women’s associations

located throughout England, was held

in honor of 563 missing and 468 World

War I American service members laid to

rest in the cemetery. 

“A friend of mine, Mrs. Bella Turner,

came across the ceremony at Brookwood

several years ago and realized that few

people in the American community

even knew about the existence of the

cemetery, much less that there was a

Veterans Day or Remembrance Day

service there,” said Jana Boggus, a

member of the American Women of

Berkshire and Surrey. “At that time,

Bella was a member of the Chiltern’s

American Women’s Club, so she and a

handful of women from that club first

organized the service nine years ago.”

Boggus said Turner got several 

organizations and schools involved

in the ceremony each year and when

Turner moved to Surrey she also joined

the American Women of Berkshire and

Surrey and helped them to get involved. 

“When I moved to England in 2001,

Bella asked if I would like to help 

out with the service,” said Boggus.

“I assisted her in 2001 and 2002, and

then in the summer of 2003, she and 

her husband moved back to the United

States and I took over the organization

of the event.”

Boggus said what really made Turner 

so interesting was the fact that she did

not become a U.S. citizen until 2003.

Although she grew up in Buffalo, N.Y.,

married an American, and her children

are American, it took many years and

lots of unbelievable red tape for her to

finally become a citizen herself.

“I guess the point of that little tidbit 

of information is that the entire time

she was involved in organizing the

American Veterans Day service here,

she wasn’t even an American citizen,”

said Boggus. “I think she always felt so

strongly about our country and what it

stands for that she felt a duty to honor

our veteran’s each year.”

AROUND THE GLOBE

Around the Globe

42 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

BG Richard B. Tabor participates in the Remembrance Day ceremony honoring WW I veterans at the Brookwood American Cemetery in Brookwood, England.

PHOTO: SFC DERRICK WITHERSPOON
Spring 2005 ★ 43

AROUND THE GLOBE

BG Richard M. Tabor, commander of

the 7th ARCOM, said he felt the same

duty and loyalty and was honored to be

invited to be a speaker at the ceremony.

“It’s always an honor to be invited to

participate in anything of this nature

that commemorates our veterans and

particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said

Tabor. “No matter what our involvement is in other operations, such as

Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation

Enduring Freedom, and in the Balkans

still to this day, it’s always important

that we maintain relations with our

allies and that we demonstrate that we

are involved and that we do indeed care;

particularly in such commemorative

events such as Veterans Day, Memorial

Day, and Remembrance Day ceremonies

like the one held at Brookwood

American Cemetery.” 

Boggus said organizations in the United

States who would like to honor veterans

killed in previous or current wars

shouldn’t have any problem doing so.

“I think it would be very easy for any

organization back home to get involved

with Veterans Day ceremonies,” said 

Boggus. “Probably the easiest thing to

do is call the local American Legion

post and find out what services are

planned and where; and certainly, if

they find out that there are none, they

can do it themselves.”

Honor, love and respect was definitely

felt during the ceremony, but as Boggus

said, the most important thing was that

the goal of the ceremony was achieved;

and that goal was to remember the sacrifice of the 563 missing and 468 World

War I service members laid to rest at 

the England-based cemetery.

“I hope everyone back home and all

those Americans living abroad realize

how important it is to honor and recognize our veterans, but that it is even

more important that we pass this on

to our children and our children’s children,” said Boggus. “We want them to

understand the sacrifices that these men

and women have made and continue to

make every day.”

ARMY RESERVE OFFICER

ATTENDS FRENCH ARMY

MILITARY SCHOOL

By SFC Derrick Witherspoon

Public Affairs Office 

7th U.S. Army Reserve Command

SCHWETZINGEN, Germany — For most Army

officers, preparing for and attending the

Command and General Staff College

can be quite challenging, but try attending the same type of course in France

and throwing French into the equation.

That’s just what one 7th Army Reserve

Command (ARCOM) officer did as he

attended the French Army Reserve Staff

College located in Paris. 

Every year the French Army Reserve

Staff College, located at the Paris-based

Ecole Militaire (French term for military school), conducts a three-week

course for approximately 80 French

Reserve Officers in the month of

August. MAJ Robert A. Grumberg,

commander, 7th ARCOM, Headquarters

and Headquarters Company, was chosen

to be the first U.S. Soldier to attend the

prestigious school — which was once

attended by Napoleon Bonaparte. 

“When General Tabor called me and

asked me if I would like to go, I told

him that I would be honored,” said

Grumberg. “I read an after action report

from a mission the 7th ARCOM did

with the school in 2000 and the commandant of the school said he would

like to have one of our Soldiers attend

the French Army Reserve Staff College.

Because of the operations we were going

to be involved in during 2001 and 2002,

we didn’t have anyone qualified to go.” 

Grumberg said in 2004 the French 

military school sent another invitation

to the U.S. Embassy, to U.S. Army

Europe, and then down to the 7th

ARCOM inviting two Army Reserve

Soldiers to attend its French Army

Reserve Staff College. 

“Finally, the 7th ARCOM received

another invitation to send two reserve

officers to the school,” said Grumberg.

“So, when General Tabor called me and

asked if I would like to go, I was more

than ready, but the other officer who

was supposed to go was unable to

attend, so I ended up being the only

one who attended.”

Grumberg was chosen by BG Richard

M. Tabor, 7th ARCOM commander, to

attend the school because of his background in French culture and his ability

to speak the language.

PHOTO: SFC DERRICK WITHERSPOON

468 World War I American service members were laid to

rest in Brookwood Cemetery.

For most Army officers,

preparing for and attending

the Command and General

Staff College can be quite

challenging, but try attending

the same type of course in

France and throwing French

into the equation.
44 ★ Army Reserve Magazine

“I chose Major Grumberg for many

reasons, not the least of which was his

fluency in French, which is a requirement to attend this course,” said Tabor.

“I was certain he would do well,

knowing the caliber of this 

outstanding officer.”

Grumberg said that his background 

in French dates back to his father. 

“My father was born and raised in 

Paris and later immigrated to America,

but he never spoke French at home, so I

learned French at school,” said Grumberg.

“I was also able to take a little French 

in college and when I was stationed in

Baumholder, Germany, I started learning a little more, basically through

self-study.”

Grumberg said his wife, who is from

France, also helped him with his French

and he also had a private tutor that

helped him once a week. He added 

that his training in French helped 

him greatly while he was attending 

the course, which is geared toward

officer development.

“The goal of the course is to certify 

an officer to be qualified to work at a

brigade or division staff level,” said

Grumberg. “It is probably the equivalent of CAS3 (Combined Arms and

Services Staff College) and CGSC

(Command and General Staff College).” 

Grumberg said the course consisted 

of two weeks of classroom training and

one week of a brigade level exercise. He

added that the course was difficult, but

he was well prepared. 

“The course places some weight on your

shoulders, but you just have to look at 

it from a professional standpoint,” said

Grumberg. “I did a lot more homework

on current French political and social

issues, but what also helped me was that

for the last two years I was a language

judge, if you will, in Strasbourg, France,

with the French military, where they send

their Soldiers to get an English language

qualification. So, that helped expose me to

the French military a little more and how

they perform their military operations.”

“I was not surprised when the school

commandant told me how well he 

had done and how impressed he was

with Major Grumberg,” said Tabor.

“Moreover, he asked if it would be 

possible to send Major Grumberg

back next year as an instructor. That’s 

very impressive.”

Grumberg said he was grateful that his

wife and her family were able to attend his

graduation ceremony at the school, but he

was even more grateful for the experience

he gained from attending the school.

“Personally for me, it was very rewarding to be able to give something back 

to France,” said Grumberg. “One of the 

biggest things I learned was that when

you deal with international issues, you

have to work together and understand

that different nationalities approach

similar problems differently.”

Grumberg said that overall, attending

the French Army Reserve Staff College

was a great experience for him and now

the school would like more American

officers to attend the course. They have

also asked to have an American officer

come to the school and be an instructor.

Tabor said because of the necessity to be

fluent in French, it will be challenging

for the 7th ARCOM to find officers to

attend the French Army Reserve Staff

College next year, but not impossible, 

as seen with Grumberg. 

AROUND THE GLOBE

MAJ Robert A. Grumberg (second row, far right) poses 

with some of his classmates from the French Army

Reserve Staff College during a class photo. Grumberg

was the first American Soldier to attend the military

school located in Paris.

PHOTO: MAJ GRUMBERG

“The course places some

weight on your shoulders, but

you just have to look at it from

a professional standpoint.”

“One of the biggest things I

learned was that when you

deal with international issues,

you have to work together and

understand that different

nationalities approach similar

problems differently.”
Spring 2005 ★ 45

AROUND THE GLOBE

English Channel

Strait

of

Dover

North Sea

Bodensee

Lake Geneva

Ligurian

Sea

Gulf of

Lion

Mediterranean Sea

UNITED

KINGDOM

BELGIUM

NETHERLANDS

GERMANY

SWITZERLAND

LUXEMBURG

AUSTRIA LIECHTENSTEIN

SPAIN

ITALY

FRANCE

ANDORRA

MONACO

Paris

Brookwood

PAGE 42

PAGE 43
ARMY RESERVE HONOR ROLL

AS OF FEBRUARY 17, 2005

CSM Edward C. Barnhill

SGT Gregory A. Belanger

CPL Mark A. Bibby

SFC Kelly M. L. Bolor

SPC Roy Buckley

PFC Charles E. Bush, Jr.

CPT Paul J. Cassidy

PFC Thomas D. Caughman

SPC Doron N. Chan

SPC Jonathan M. Cheatham

SSG Thomas W. Christensen

1SG Christopher D. Coffin

SSG Todd R. Cornell

SPC Richard M. Crane

SSG Donald N. Davis

SPC Lauro G. DeLeon, Jr.

SGT Catalin D. Dima

SPC Jeremy M. Dimaranan

SSG Richard S. Eaton, Jr.

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

SGT James W. Harlan

SGT Kenneth W. Harris, Jr. 

SFC David A. Hartman

SSG Stephen C. Hattamer

SPC Julie R. Hickey

SPC Bert E. Hoyer

SGT Eric R. Hull

SPC Joseph A. Jeffries

MSG Paul D. Karpowich

LTC Paul W. Kimbrough

LTC Ira L. King

SPC Adam G. Kinser

SSG Charles A. Kiser

SGT Elmer C. Krause

SSG Mark A. Lawton

SFC Curtis Mancini

SSG Stephen G. Martin

SGT Arthur S. Mastrapa

SFC Otie J. McVey

SGT Melvin Y. Mora

SSG Richard L. Morgan, Jr.

SSG James D. Mowris

SGT Rodney A. Murray

SGT Paul T. Nakamura

SPC Charles L. Neeley

SPC Allen D. Nolan

PFC Luis A. Perez

SSG James L. Pettaway

LTC Mark P. Phelan

SGT Jaror C. Puello-Coronado

SPC Brandon M. Read

SPC Ramon Reyes-Torres

SGT Lawrence A. Roukey

SSG Cameron B. Sarno

SGT Danton K. Seitsinger

LTC Anthony L. Sherman

MAJ Charles R. Soltes, Jr.

SGT Jarret B. Thompson

SGT Tina S. Time

SPC Brandon Tobler

SGT Nicholas A. Tomko

SPC Juan M. Torres

We memorialize these Soldiers’ lives 

by the actions we take as leaders.

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STANDARD

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Editor

U.S. Army Reserve Command, Public Affairs

1401 Deshler Street SW

Fort McPherson, GA 30330

IN THE NEXT ISSUE

➔

REGENERATING THE FORCE