Unofficial 1st Infantry Division Magazine of Soldiers and Families November 2008

www.1id.army.mil

Legacy Of Strength

Duty First!
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil 1

The Big Red One Creed

TEAMWORK is the foundation of the Big Red One. I shall

never fail my team, for I maintain the standard. My conduct and 

self-discipline sets the example for others to follow.

HONOR is what I stand for-an American Soldier on duty

for my country. My loyality is intense. I display care for

my fellow Soldiers and my chain-of-command through courage,

respect, integrity and compassion.

I have learned to ENDURE, to thrive in adversity. 

The harsh reality of combat gives me the enthusiam for

realistic training. I am physically and mentally strong to

meet the demanding situations my unit encounters.

We are one in the Big Red One. Our BROTHERHOOD

gives us strength to fight on to any objective and accomplish the

mission as our veterans have done before us. I live the legacy of

my division.

READINESS is my priority. To be ready for any mission,

anytime, anywhere. My business is first-class training and living

high standards of care and equipment, weaponry and tactical

and technical competence.

My ORGANIZATION is my strength. The BRO is bigger 

than any one individual. It gives me purpose, self-confidence, 

competitive spirit, intestinal fortitude and the desire to fight

with all my heart.

2

1st Infantry Division Commander

Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins

1st Infantry Division CSM

Command Sgt. Maj. James 

Champagne

1st Infantry Division PAO 

Maj. Nathan Bond

Editor

Gary Skidmore

Assistant Editor

Anna Staatz

Illustrator

Tammy Dinger

November 2008 www.1id.army.mil

No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great. contents

The Duty First is an unofficial 

publication produced under 

the provisions of AR 360-1, 

published by Soldiers of the 

1st Infantry Division. Editorial 

views and opinions expressed 

are not necessarily those of the 

Department of Defense, the Army 

or the 1st Infantry Division. All 

photos are Army photos unless 

otherwise noted. Circulation is 

6,000 per issue, printed monthly. 

Story and photos submissions are 

welcome and should be sent to: 

1st Infantry Division

Public Affairs Office 

ATTN: Editor 

Bldg. 580

RM 317

Fort Riley, Kan. 66442 

Telephone number

COM 239-8857 

 DSN 856-8857 

or visit Duty First online at 

www.1id.army.mil.

Duty First!

Command

Danger 6...... 3 

Danger 7...... 4

 

Features

BRO History ... 13

Veterans.... 17

9/11 Ceremony.... 20

Cantigny Museum.... 21

 

Brigades

1st SB...... 5

3rd IBCT...... 6

2nd HBCT...... 7

 4th IBCT..........9

3rd ESC.....11

1ID at War ... 15

 TT Mission......16
3 Duty First Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

Commanding General Danger 6

Traditions Of Bravery

Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins

With the onset fall, the changing colors, and crisp temperature, 

comes a day when our nation pauses and pays tribute to the 

sacrifices made by all our veterans, those that are with us and 

those that have passed. It is by their courageous service that 

our nation and its ideals of liberty and democracy have endured 

and prospered throughout the world. On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, 

we honor their contribution to America and enduring legacy. 

The birth of our nation is marked with the 

Declaration of Independence, however that 

independence and the ideals it proclaimed, 

would have been nothing but a noble 

aspiration if it were not for the courage 

and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. 

Each successive generation of veterans 

has risen to defend the freedom and 

prosperity of our nation. You can read the 

triumphs of each of these generations on the 

countless battle and campaign streamers 

adorning the Army colors. Names like 

“Saratoga” – where our veterans won 

a decisive victory over the British after 

a period of unremitting setbacks, and 

“Antietam” where tens of thousands died 

in the terrible struggle to preserve the 

Union and break of the chains of slavery.

On the division’s colors you will find 

the campaigns streamers of MeuseArgonne, Lorraine and Picardy from the 

Great War, marking the first chapter of 

our division’s illustrious 91 year history. You will also find 

the streamers of Tunisia, Normandy and Ardennes-Alsace 

from World War II, the Tet Counteroffensive in Vietnam, the 

Liberation of Kuwait from the Gulf War, and most recently Iraq.

The streamers are awarded for the courageous actions of the 

regiments, brigades, and our division. They illuminate the 

tumultuous history of our nation and the price of freedom. 

Some battles you might recognize, some are long forgotten. But 

the legacy of the veterans who fought in those battles and all 

veterans who served can be seen in the continuing freedoms of 

Americans, in the position America holds as the leader of the 

free world, and in the stable and prospering 

democracies throughout our world.

Our veterans fought for independence, 

defended America’s shores, fought to 

preserve the Union and rid it of slavery. 

They have toppled tyrants and fanatical 

regimes. Confronted and defeated the 

communist empire, and spread the 

universal ideals of freedom and democracy 

throughout the world. They achieved 

victory as liberators, not conquerors, and 

shaped a better world, a more peaceful 

world – in Europe, Japan, and the Balkans. 

The most recent generation of veterans 

are securing our victory and hard-earned 

peace in a sovereign and free Iraq and 

resolutely battling Al Qaeda and the 

Taliban in Afghanistan. 

These traditions of bravery live on today 

in our Big Red One Soldiers stationed 

here at Fort Riley and deployed forward 

in Afghanistan and Iraq. These traditions 

live on in heroes like SPC Ross McGinnis – a “Blue Spader” 

who paid the ultimate sacrifice when he threw himself on top 

of a grenade to save the lives of four comrades. These traditions 

live on in our 1st Inf. Div. Soldiers who return from combat with 

injuries – some visible, others not – but they continue 

to fight and make sacrifices for their country.

 This Veterans Day more than 1,000 Big Red One 

Soldiers marched with veterans from all the services in 

the Manhattan Military Day Parade. Marching together 

represents how our nation’s military and the 1st Inf. 

Div. move “Danger Forward” on the path blazoned by 

our veterans. We pay tribute to the veterans’ service 

and sacrifice not just on Veterans Day, but in our duties 

and conduct everyday as Soldiers. 

No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great. 

Duty First! 

Command Sergeant Major Danger 7

Division Command Sgt. Maj. James Champagne

Veterans!

4

This Veteran’s Day, we remember the men and women who 

have served in the 1st Infantry Division, the United States 

Army and all veterans who have served in the military. 

The veterans of the Big Red One have continually defended 

America when its borders, its people and its way of life have 

been threatened. It has always been the Soldiers of the 1st Inf. 

Div. who have been willing to stand up and be counted. 

Our most potent weapon in war, without 

a doubt, is the men and women in uniform. 

They come from all across America, from 

small towns and big cities and from as 

many backgrounds as there are people, but 

they all have one thing in common: they 

volunteered and answered their nation’s 

call to duty. 

They are the men and women who serve 

today in the 1st Inf. Div.; the same Soldiers 

who sweat in the sands of Iraq and patrol 

the borders of Afghanistan. 

Every morning we wake up on free land, 

we do so because of the men and women 

who have served in the Big Red One, the 

Army and all of our nation’s branches of 

service. 

Veteran’s Day is a time to thank and 

honor the Americans who have answered 

the call to duty, especially those who have 

served during times of war. 

Since Operation Iraqi Freedom and 

Operation Enduring Freedom began, a vast number of the 

Soldiers serving on Fort Riley and the 1st Inf. Div. today have 

deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism. These 

men and women have always done, and will continue to do, 

uncommon things.

The Soldiers of the Big Red One have crouched in the muddy 

trenches of Europe, confronted the enemy from Sicily and 

struggled up the sandy beaches of Normandy. They steamed in 

the jungles and the rice paddies of Vietnam. They’ve endured 

the harsh terrain of Kosovo and then chased terrorists over the 

mountain tops of Eastern Afghanistan and squinted against the 

dusty wind on the bleak, empty landscapes of Iraq. 

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Society of the 

1st Infantry Division reunion. While there, I met hundreds of

veterans of the Big Red One. Veterans like retired Command 

Sgt. Maj. Bill Ryan, a World War II veteran who survived the 

Normandy Beach landing. 

I met Harley Reynolds, another World War II veteran. He 

survived all three landings we made in World War II.

Ronald Mackedanz was a Soldier in Vietnam assigned to 

Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. Like 

the others who attended the reunion, he was 

modest about his tour of duty in that far off 

jungle, yet proud to have been in the Big 

Red One, as he should be. 

After the Revolutionary War, President 

George Washington said, “We owe these 

veterans a debt of gratitude, indeed a debt 

of honor.” 

So, this month, all across the nation, 

Americans are gathering together to 

remember and pay tribute to our veterans. 

It is not just our Soldiers who sacrifice, but 

their Families as well. Our Families’ service 

is marked by the unwavering support to 

their loved ones who are in harm’s way. The 

call to duty is answered by our Families who 

support our Soldiers, honor their service and 

welcome them home. They may not carry a 

rifle, but they carry the weight of worry and 

added responsibility until their loved one 

returns home. 

We have always embraced and 

professionally executed whatever mission comes our way. 

No matter where we go, or what the mission, we will always 

retain the integrity of our great division, our heritage, our 

organizational values and our commitment to our Soldiers and 

Families. 

The men and women serving in the 1st Inf. Div. today 

are ordinary people who have been placed in extraordinary 

circumstances, and they, like all veterans know the true 

meaning of courage.

While history records the valor of the American Soldier in 

terms of units and armies and forces, the role of the American 

Soldier is the story of each individual who accepted the call of 

duty. For 91 years, Soldiers of the 1st Inf. Div. have accepted 

that responsibility and lived by the motto: “No Mission too 

Difficult! No Sacrifice too Great! Duty First!

Now ... Get after it!
5 Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

By Staff Sgt. James E. Brown Jr.

1st SB PAO

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – One by one, a half-dozen Mine Resistant 

Ambush Protected vehicles entered a gravel parking lot outside 

the 1038th Horizontal Construction Company motor pool. The 

Soldiers jumped out and went to work filling coolers with fresh 

bags of ice, water and Gatorade to ensure there was plenty of 

fluid to drink throughout the day. 

The Soldiers of the Arkansas-based company fall under the 

1st Squadron, 152nd Cavalry Regiment, an Indiana National 

Guard unit attached to the 1st Sustainment Brigade out of Fort 

Riley, Kan. What makes this unit so unique is their diverse 

mixture of military occupational skills. It has Soldiers who are 

combat arms, combat engineers, supply specialists and human 

resources, to name a few. 

Each day before they begin their missions, vehicle 

commanders ensure Soldiers conduct pre-combat inspections 

to ensure all equipment is present and working properly. The 

mission is briefed and contingency plans are reinforced. 

“Our job is to become a known deterrent for any insurgents 

who plan to attempt an improvised rocket assisted munitions 

attack on Camp Taji, Iraq,” said Staff Sgt. Terry Burdin “We 

also enforce the no parking policy along the borders of Camp 

Taji and investigate any suspicious person or vehicle within our 

area of responsibility.” 

The group did encounter a stranded driver a few hours into 

their patrol. One of the Soldiers spotted a disabled van pulled 

off to the side of the road. They approached the driver and asked 

him about his situation and if he’d seen anything suspicious or 

any abnormal activity within the area.

“I try to keep in mind every person or vehicle we deal with 

are friendly. We treat every person as we would want to be 

treated given the same circumstances. We remain professional, 

polite, but prepared to use force if necessary,” Burdin said. “I 

believe strongly in ... making good, lasting impressions with 

the local populace.” 

 

Deterring The Enemy

STSB

1st SB PAO/Brown

(Top) Spc. Tadd Eli, points out to a fellow Soldier a 

suspicious person observing their patrol from a roof 

top.

(Middle) Spc. Robert Sherrouse drives a Mine Resistant 

Ambush Protected vehicle.

(Bottom) Spc. Jose Ramirez looks inside a broken 

down bus to ensure there are no additional passengers 

hiding in it.

6

By Staff Sgt. Adora Medina

3rd IBCT PAO

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – Those who reside in the 

smaller villages of southern Afghanistan have limited or no 

electricity. Even though rows of power lines stretch for miles 

across the desolate sands of the region, major cities are the only 

ones to actually benefit from these sources. 

U.S. forces joined with Afghan national security forces 

and the International 

Security Assistance 

Force late last month, 

to participate in an 

operation that would 

lead to the eventual 

establishment of 

power for the smaller 

communities. 

The combined forces 

transported a new 

turbine 180 kilometers 

across southern 

Afghanistan to the 

Kajaki dam, located in 

the Hellmand district.

Soldiers with 2nd 

Battalion, 2nd Infantry 

Regiment, escorted 

the turbine as it passed 

through their area of 

operations. The light 

infantry unit cleared 

a path and secured 

approximatly 30 

kilometers enabling 

safe travel within the 

Maywand district of 

Afghanistan. 

The vast open area 

presented a challenge 

for the light infantrymen 

who just recently began

operations in the district.

“We’re still not sure what villages are pro-ISAF or proTaliban or where some of the areas along the route are worse 

than the others,” said Capt. Trevor Voelkel, commander, 

Company C, 2nd Bn., 2nd Inf. Regt.

To familiarize themselves with the area, Voelkel’s company 

went out to perform reconnaissance prior to the operation. When 

they reached a certain portion of the district, Voelkel recalled 

being rocketed twice within an hour. To alleviate unnecessary 

risks on the day of the 

operation, Kiowa and 

Apache helicopters 

circled the district, 

providing air support 

to the joint convoy. 

The 1st Inf. Div. 

Soldiers shadowed the 

convoy for about 10 

hours, encountering 

only one incoming 

rocket round, which 

landed north of their 

perimeter. As the 

convoy departed 

from the district, 2nd 

Bn., 2nd Inf. Regt.

Soldiers transferred 

responsibility to Task 

Force Hellman, who 

led the convoy the 

remainder of the way.

Despite Taliban 

attempts to deter the 

operation, the turbine 

safely arrived to the 

Kajaki dam where 

engineers would begin 

the construction 

process to provide 

electricity for the remote 

A 1st ID Soldier, secures a main road in the Maywand district of areas of Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan as a Kiowa scans the area below.

3rd IBCT PAO/Medina

RD IBCT

Troops Assist In 

Turbine Movement

RD
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

K-State Basketball Team Shares 

Bond With “ First Lightning” Soldiers

7

NDHBCT

By Spc. Dustin Roberts 

2nd HBCT PAO

Although the phrase, “firing from long range” has two 

different meanings in the areas of collegiate basketball and 

Army field artillery, two organizations from both realms came 

together to share a common goal: victory. 

The Kansas State University basketball team visited the 1st 

Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade 

Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division on Sept. 11 to build a 

relationship between the organizations before the brigade 

deployed to Iraq. 

“Something I have been intrigued with in the two years I’ve 

been here is to form a bond with a group of Soldiers,” said 

KSU basketball head coach Frank Martin. “It’s a way to show 

our guys that they can take the freedom and the peace we live 

with for granted sometimes.”

The basketball team traveled to Fort Riley to view the Sept.11 

remembrance ceremony, participated in a simulated Humvee 

convoy and got the chance to see how field artillery Soldiers 

practice before the big game. 

The idea was sparked when the KSU football team built a 

partnership with the 1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., 4th Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team, in January 2007, before the brigade deployed to 

Iraq in support of the Global War on Terror, said Lt. Col. Robert 

Bailes, commander, 1st Bn., 7th Field Art. Regt.

“The basketball team and coach Martin were very interested 

in establishing a partnership with our unit here at Fort Riley; we 

met with the coach and got to hear him talk to some Soldiers 

Junior guard Dennis Clemente of the Kansas State University basketball team 

laughs while conducting Humvee simulator training at Fort Riley.

2HBCT/Roberts

in the Warrior Transition 

Battalion,” Banks said. 

“We realized right away 

that he and his program 

would be perfect for our 

program here.” 

Of the day’s events, 

the Sept. 11 remembrance 

ceremony, was the most 

emotional for the players 

and Soldiers alike.

“The ceremony 

brought back memories 

for all of us; we were all 

young when the attack 

happened. You remember 

where you were when you 

saw it happen on the TV 

screen and you thought 

about family and loved 

ones,” said Darren Kent 

senior power forward. “It 

makes us remember all 

the people who lost their 

lives that day, and all the 

Soldiers who are fighting 

for what happened.”

K-State Basketball Team Shares 

Bond With “ First Lightning” Soldiers

8

After the ceremony, the group moved on to experience what 

the players thought was an expensive and giant video game. 

In the Humvee convoy simulators, the players got to “play” 

Soldier for an hour or so by putting on body armor and getting 

quick lessons on how to hold, load and fire M-4 Carbine 

rifles. 

A few players even had the chance to sit in the driver’s 

seat or man the .50-caliber machine gun in the turret of the 

Humvee.

During the training, four video screens surrounded the 

Humvees to give players the effect that they were actually 

driving in Baghdad and fighting the enemy. 

“It was so great to go in the Humvee and actually carry a 

weapon (and fake-shoot the enemy in Baghdad;) it was pretty 

fun,” Kent said. “I think it’s very realistic; to get the physical 

feeling of the training, getting to wear the actual gear and firing 

the weapons kept my heart rate up. This is a great tool to use 

for the Soldiers and it was a big video game for me.”

Kent said his teammates were excited and thankful for the 

opportunity to see what Soldiers do on a day-to-day basis. 

“We just want to thank the Soldiers for everything that they 

do for us,” Kent said. “Hopefully they stay safe and positive 

when they are over there [Iraq]. My wish is that they can see 

a few of our games this season so they can relax and kind of 

just get away from the war and get their minds on basketball, 

family and friends.” 

Bailes said the Soldiers are very proud of what they do and 

were grateful for the opportunity to show-off what they do. 

“I think they [KSU basketball team] had a vision of what the 

Army life was before they got here, and we’ve been able to turn 

that around and show them what a positive experience this is 

for our Soldiers,” he said. “This is a great opportunity, and we 

are so thrilled to have the basketball team in this partnership.”

Soldiers from the battalion also had the chance to visit the 

team on campus in Manhattan, to see how the student athletes 

practice in the classroom and on the basketball court. 

Bailes said the visit was also to help strengthen the 

already solid bond between the two organizations.

“Hopefully it will pave the way for other units here on 

post to establish similar partnerships with other teams at the 

university,” he said. “We’re going to carry this relationship 

forward even when we get to Iraq and as the team goes

through their season.”

As the players and Soldiers shared laughs and conversation, 

it was easy for Bailes to see what the day meant for everyone.

“We have a lot of similar characteristics in both of our 

organizations,” Bailes said.

“We are both about success, whether it’s on the battlefield or 

on the basketball court.” 

Junior Center Luis Colon of the Kansas State basketball team 

tries on a Fort Riley Soldier’s body armor before conducting 

Humvee simulator training.

2HBCT/Roberts
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

PT Competition

October Iron Dragons

Of 63 Soldiers who completed the Iron Dragon physical fitness challenge, the following 15 made the cut:

 TOTAL

 PUSHUPS SITUPS PULLUPS DIPS RUN SCORE

2nd Lt. Ben Juvinall 89 98 20 26 20:58 358

2nd Lt. Lauren Gore 104 97 16 35 20:14 386

2nd Lt. Samuel Greulich 100 95 14 27 18:57 381

2nd Lt. Benjamin Porath 92 91 12 29 19:30 364

Spc. Adrain Espadas 93 94 10 27 21:16 346

Spc. Luis Figueroa 108 89 11 35 21:30 363

Pvt. Erik Parrilla 96 88 10 25 18:45 366

2nd Lt. Jacob Armstong 90 90 15 30 20:25 345

1st Lt. Lawrence Csaszar 84 87 10 20 20:14 333

Staff Sgt. Samuel Pearson 83 88 10 20 21:27 321

2nd Lt. Thomas Henegar 82 87 12 21 21:45 319

Sgt. Jayson Johnson 85 86 10 23 20:24 334

2nd Lt. Ryan Orbinson 85 95 13 28 20:05 355

2nd Lt. Nichlos Grodevant 92 97 10 30 20:56 361

Pfc. Carlos Medano 106 86 13 36 19:38 380

9

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

In combat, one of the things that helps get a Soldier through 

the day is his or her physical fitness. How strong the body 

is often determines one’s ability to physically and mentally 

respond to challenges.

With that in mind, Col. Henry Arnold, III, commander of 

the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, 

offers his Soldiers a monthly fitness challenge.

Arnold developed the fitness challenge as a battalion 

commander, modeling it after a similar program used by Gen. 

David Patraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command. To 

compete in the challenge, Soldiers must go above and beyond 

normal Army physical fitness test standards.

A little more than 60 Soldiers in the Dragon Brigade came 

out early Sept. 30 to test their fitness skills. The test started 

with push-ups. For men, the expectation is 80 push-ups in two 

minutes, each push reviewed by a grader. Push-ups are followed 

by at least 85 sit-ups; 10 pull-ups and 20 dips (standards are 

adjusted accordingly for female Soldiers).

Once those were out of the way, Soldiers took off on a 

threePT Competition

THIBCT

UNIT

2nd Bn,. 16th Inf. Regt.

2nd Bn,. 16th Inf. Regt.

2nd Bn,. 16th Inf. Regt.

2nd Bn,. 16th Inf. Regt.

2nd Bn,. 16th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt.

HHC, Special Troops Bn., 4 IBCT

HHC, 4 IBCT

1st Bn.,7th Field Art.Regt.,2 HBCT

NAME

mile run, which must be completed in 22 minutes or less (25 

minutes for female Soldiers).

Only a small percentage of the Soldiers who show up for the 

test actually meet the standard.

“It’s a good test of physical strength and physical endurance,” 

Arnold said. “It’s tough to make the standard.”

The real goal, Arnold said, was to positively promote physical 

fitness excellence 

“These people [who are named Iron Dragons], we recognize 

them publicly with certificates and a trophy, and they go back 

and represent physical excellence within their organizations,” 

Arnold said. “And that’s what it’s about. Physical fitness is a 

part of readiness - it’s about survival on the battlefield.”

As word has spread about the competition, more and more 

Soldiers have shown up to take on the challenge. In August, 48 

Soldiers took the Iron Dragon test. Only eight made the cut. At 

September’s event, 63 participated and 15 passed.

Arnold said Soldiers in units throughout the division are 

encouraged to come and participate as well.

“It’s a great event, and it’s open to the entire division,” Arnold 

said. “You all can come; you’re welcome to the challenge.”

October Iron Dragons

Of 63 Soldiers who completed the Iron Dragon physical fitness challenge, the following 15 made the cut:

10

RDESC

By Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc

165th CSSB, 1st SB

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - If it rolls, the mechanics of the 536th 

Maintenance Company can probably fix it. The unit from 

Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, is playing an important role 

within the 165th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 1st 

Sustainment Brigade, and is vital to the overall mission of the 

Soldiers stationed at Camp Taji.

“I have a good team of professionals here,” said Sgt. 1st Class 

Phillip Foster, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the 

536th’s Automotive Base, a maintenance bay which represents 

a good chunk of the heavy-lift capacity of the company. 

Foster’s maintenance bay has completed 204 major jobs 

since they arrived in Iraq, all of which were labeled as ‘high 

priority.’ “We handle mainly big-ticket items here, like engine 

replacement and complete overhauls,” explained Foster.

His shop isn’t limited to repairing vehicles however; it’s 

also where Sgt. Jamie Cadman, an armorer with the 536th 

Maint. Co. works. 

“We can repair any 

small arms in the 

Army’s arsenal. 

And we even repair 

some weapons for 

the Iraqi army on 

the other side of 

the base, such as 

their .50 caliber 

machine guns,” said 

Cadman.

The 536th 

as a whole has 

c o m p l e t e d 

thousands of jobs 

since they arrived in 

country last year.

“The shops have 

averaged about 635 

jobs a month since 

their arrival in 

December 2007,” 

said Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Calvert, the non commissioned 

officer in charge of the 536th’s Shop Office. “That’s over 4,400 

jobs, at least, in the last seven months. Some jobs are definitely 

more time consuming than others, but in the end, every job has 

to be completed with the least downtime possible,” he said. 

Calvert went on to explain that the shops of the 536th 

“provide direct support, as well as organizational support to 

14 units within the 1st Sust. Bde. and the 165th CSSB, and 33 

external units, from various MiTT Teams to Special Forces. 

We also provide 24-hour support to the Convoy Support Center 

for any unit needing maintenance repairs passing through the 

greater Baghdad area.”

In addition to being the most robust maintenance operation 

on the base, the 536th is also responsible for the operation of the 

largest warehouse complex in the country, capable of handling 

all classes of supply. The 536th has recently fielded a gun 

truck platoon, capable of conducting convoy security for the 

numerous combat logistics patrols organic to the 165th. Further, 

they also provide tactical tow trucks to every convoy organic 

to the 165th, making 

them the only unit 

within the battalion 

to be represented in 

such a fashion.

“My Soldiers 

understand that 

the armor they 

upgrade, the trucks 

they repair, and the 

electronic warfare 

kits that they install 

save lives, and they 

take pride in that,” 

said Foster. “I can’t 

tell you how many 

Soldiers have come 

back to us from off 

the road and told us 

about how something 

we did helped them 

return home safe.”

165th CSSB/Leblanc

The 536th Automotive Base has completed 204 major jobs since they 

have arrived in Iraq. They handle many big - ticket projects like engine 

replacement and complete overhauls.

WE CAN FIX IT
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil 11

By Bill Armstrong

Fort Riley Post

The Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard brought 

several awards home to Fort Riley following the 2008 National 

Cavalry Competition Sept. 17-21 in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Events for the annual competition included jumping 

over obstacles, mounted saber target strikes and military 

horsemanship. The competition is open to all horsemen, 

including living historians, re-enactors, active, Reserve and 

National Guard military riders and uniformed mounted law 

enforcement officers. Entrants register at levels representing 

novice, intermediate or advanced equestrian skills.

“Even with the small amount of time that we had to really 

prepare and focus on specific events, they performed just 

outstanding, ” said Capt. Richard Martinson, 

CGMCG commander. 

Some of the competitors return each year to ride in the same 

events. That may seem like an advantage, but Martinson said 

his troopers come to the event with a winning attitude backed 

by effective training.

“We’re really fortunate because we have a really great riding 

program that’s enforced by my civilian trainer, Ron Roller, 1st 

Sgt. (Dean) Stockert and all the guys who’ve come before us 

here that tweaked our program to be what it is today. I get guys 

for a year, and maybe they get to do two competitions. They 

come in there and have never seen a cav competition before, and 

they still go there and take away a lot of blue and red ribbons,” 

Martinson added.

Twelve members of the CGMCG traveled to Cheyenne with 

an equal number of horses in a caravan of brightly painted 

trucks and trailers. 

Awards won during the Cavalry Competition. Fort Riley Post/Smith

12

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Children who lose a parent in combat while assigned to the Big 

Red One are eligible for up to $10,000 in scholarship funds from 

the 1st Infantry Division Foundation.

The foundation is part of the Society of the 1st Infantry Division. 

It was established in 1966 as a mechanism to collect funds to 

care for the Families of servicemembers killed in combat. The 

establishment of the foundation was pushed by Maj. Gen. William 

DePuy, who sent a letter to division Soldiers asking how they felt 

about establishing a fund to help with the educational costs of the 

children of Soldiers who died fighting for the Big Red One.

Collection began during Vietnam. DePuy scholarships 

currently allow for $10,000 over four years for children of Big Red 

One Soldiers killed in combat. Since the foundation was started, 

more than 1,100 scholarships have been awarded. To date, more 

than 170 children of a Big Red One Soldier have lost a parent in 

Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Rosemary Wirs, of the 1st Inf. Div. Foundation, said that when 

a Soldier is killed in combat and there are surviving children, a 

letter is sent to the widow explaining the scholarship program.

“We ask that the widow complete the enrollment form, basically 

the names and birthdates of the children, and return it to us along 

with one signed copy of the by-laws,” Wirs said. “We then issue 

certificates of award for each child, which are either mailed to the 

widow or presented to her at an award ceremony.”

The foundation is funded by contributions from members of 

the Society of the 1st Infantry Division, active duty Soldiers and 

organizations which have an interest in supporting the children of 

Soldiers killed in combat.

For more information, visit www.1stid.org.

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

“It was a great chance to take what we do in ceremonies and 

what we do in demonstrations and put those skills to actual use 

and get the fruits of our labor,” Stockert said.

In a field of more than 60 competitors, Fort Riley’s troopers 

brought home the most awards. The team won six first-place 

ribbons, 18 for second place and three for third place. 

Other events were mounted pistol, platoon drill, cavalry 

bugler, authenticity and historical impression and Major Howze, 

an event in which teams ride in formation with period clothing 

and equipment and use sabers to strike targets. The Director’s 

Cup was an advanced finals event testing skills in saber, pistol 

and field jumping.

Trooper Michael Manning brought home an engraved, silver 

plate for being named best overall rider in Level II. As a result, 

the Army specialist was invited to compete with Level III’s 

advanced riders in the Director’s Cup competition.

“It was nice to be asked to ride in it because I was a Level 

II rider and really wasn’t supposed to compete in a Level III 

event. I really wanted to win one event – that was my goal. 

So it was nice to take pistols, jumping and overall Level II,” 

Manning said. “It was all the horse I just hung on.”

Spc. Jesse Doggett and his horse, Winchester, won the 

Pegasus award. The award is based on the horse displaying the 

best stance, hoof care, bone structure and other criteria.

“The competition was great. Every year, they throw 

something new at us and we adapted and overcame everything 

they threw,” said Staff Sgt. Randy Hubbard, CGMCG platoon 

sergeant. 

The CGMCG already is making plans to compete in next 

year’s cavalry competition. Based on lessons learned in 

Cheyenne, the team will focus their training less on group and 

more on individual events in an effort to bring home even more 

awards in 2009, Hubbard said. 

1st Inf. Div. PAO/Howard Cavalry Salute

CG’s Mounted Color Guard 

Wins Multiple Awards
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil 13 14

By Ty Abney

Duty First! Magazine

Before the spring of 1918, American troops, specifically 

the 1st Infantry Division; played a minimal role in World 

War I. With the British and French already deep into battle 

with the Central Powers, American Soldiers had not yet been 

given the opportunity to prove their worth to the Allied forces. 

That would all change May 28, 1918, in a small French village 

known as Cantigny.

Located approximately 75 miles north of Paris, the German 

army had taken over the village during their assault along 

the Aisne River. On the Cantigny 

plateau, the city’s location served 

as a key surveillance point which 

allowed the German army to see 

everything and everyone around 

them. The Germans took the 

village in March 1918 and Allied 

forces wanted it back.

“In the spring of 1918, the 

Allies were under great pressure 

on the western front by the 

German spring offensive,” said 

William McKale, director of the 

1st Infantry Division and U.S. 

Cavalry Museum, “The British 

and French had been fighting for 

four years and needed some help 

– a shot in the arm for morale 

purposes. The Americans had 

landed the previous summer, had 

been training and used in a very 

limited way in providing security 

in different sectors of Allied lines. 

As the spring came on, the British, 

French and American commands 

wanted to insert Americans into 

the battle plan.”

McKale said Gen. John J. 

Pershing felt the German salient 

located in Cantigny seemed 

like the perfect place to employ 

American troops and give them a 

“test by fire.”

The plan was for 

the regiments’ three 

battalions, each with a 

specific job, to attack 

three separate locations 

in and around the 

village.

The center battalion 

was to use support from 

the Schneiders to attack 

the primary German 

position in Cantigny, 

clear it and eventually 

move past the village. 

The northern 

battalion was given 

the task of protecting 

the left flank of the 

center battalion, while 

the southern battalion 

maneuvered to the south 

edge of the village. The 

southern battalion was 

then to clear their zone 

and set up a perimeter 

to protect against a 

German counterattack 

from the southeast. 

Amazingly enough, 

the Allies faced little 

resistance as they 

successfully reached 

their objective point 

by 7:20 a.m. With the 

village in their control, 

the doughboys dug 

in for the German 

counterattack. 

Over the next two 

days, German forces 

would try their hand at recapturing the vital village, but were 

held off by the relentless efforts of the 28th Inf. Regt.

By May 30, the German counterattack was completely 

halted and the Americans had successfully secured the village 

of Cantigny. 

Since the Americans had yet to see action, their performance 

at Cantigny would be assessed two separate ways. The first 

involved deciding exactly what the United States’ role in the 

rest of the war would be. The second was proving to the rest of 

the Allies they were a strong battle unit and could be counted 

on. An American success would signify the United States could 

operate independently, rather than serving as replacements for 

British and French forces. Failure meant continued pessimism 

about American abilities. 

The 1st Inf. Div. was eventually inserted into the Somme 

Sector in late April 1918, where they spent most of the time 

taking on enemy artillery and gas barrages. Orders were 

eventually given to prepare for 

an assault on Cantigny. 

The importance of this 

initial battle was so great in 

deciding America’s role in 

the Great War that Pershing 

addressed the officers of the 

28th Inf. Reg. (now the Black 

Lions) personally, saying, “You 

will represent the mightiest 

nation engaged. Our future 

part in this conflict depends on 

your action.”

Finally, at 6:45 a.m. on May 

28, 1918, men from the 28th 

Inf. Regt., led by Col. Robert. 

L. Bullard began the challenge 

placed in front of them.

Twelve French Schneider 

tanks rolled forward as French 

pilots provided air support 

from above. The Germans 

responded by firing a barrage 

with the 75-millemeter gun 

in the tanks’ direction. As 

the Schneiders crept passed 

the front-line trenches, 4,000 

American soldiers, better 

known as ‘doughboys’, fixed 

their bayonets, grabbed extra 

gear and proceeded to follow 

their rolling shield across the 

empty field. 

With an increased 

number of American 

casualties, the men of 

the 28th Inf. Regt. were 

relieved by the 16th Inf. 

Regt.

Even though the 

Germans had been 

defeated, they gave 

the American troops 

everything they could 

handle. What started 

as a regiment of 4,000 

Soldiers was cut to 

approximately 3,000 

men in the grueling 

three-day battle. 

“Over the course, 

the regiment took the 

objectives, took the 

town, reduced the salient 

and then they beat 

back German counter 

attacks,” McKale said. 

“This proved to the 

British and French that 

the American soldier 

had a fighting spirit and 

that they could be used 

in broader offensive 

actions that would 

eventually take place in 

the summer and fall of 

1918.” 

What started out with 

a regiment in charge of 

security ended with a 

regiment that showed 

the rest of the Allies 

what the American spirit 

is all about. In the grand scheme of World War I, Cantigny was 

a small battle, but was one of the most significant in the history 

of the United States Army. 

It sent a message to both the Allies and Central Powers – 

The Americans are here, and they can fight. 
15 Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

1st Infantry Division at War

1st Infantry Division

Oldest continuously serving division in the United States Army. Over 8,000 Soldiers 

in three brigades and multiple subordinate units deployed.

Primarily located in Fort Riley, Kan.; training responsibility extends to three other 

states: Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas.

The Division is scheduled to modularize in Fall 2009.

1st Brigade, Fort Riley

Trains transition teams. So far more than 8,000 servicemembers have trained and 

deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 1,200 have redeployed.

Transition Teams live and work with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Afghan National 

Army (ANA).

Scheduled to modularize FY09.

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Riley

Currently resetting at Fort Riley, Kan., the brigade is training for a second 

deployment to Iraq. The Department of Defense recently issued deployment 

orders for 2009.

1st Sustainment Brigade, Iraq

Recently provided logistic, human resource and financial management for 80,000 Soldiers 

and 20,000 civilians and contractors throughout Multi-National Division-Baghdad and 

area support for Multi-National Division-Central.

The brigade is scheduled to re-deploy to Fort Riley, Kan., in late 2008.

1st Combat Aviation Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

Nearing the end of a 15 month deployment to Iraq, the brigades 2,800

Soldiers will re-deploy to Fort Riley, Kan., throughout November and 

early December 2008.

75th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill

Integrates attached ground and air maneuver forces and on 

order functions as a maneuver headquarters in support of 

full spectrum operations. Separate battalions currently 

deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 

Afghanistan

One of the Army’s newest brigades, its Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Enduring 

Freedom in June 2008. The deployment is scheduled to last 12 months, during which 

Soldiers will conduct counterinsurgency and stability operations.

4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood

The MEB is a new concept in area operations and stability operations. The 4th MEB unique 

staff is composd of engineer, military police, chemical, cells and organically has a brigade 

support battalion and a signal company.

The brigade was activated at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., in October 2008.

3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Iraq

Provide theater logistics command and control for the theater commander 

supporting the Army Forces (ARFOR) and Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) 

mission. Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom May 2008.

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Riley

Currently resetting at Fort Riley, Kan., the brigade is training for a second 

deployment to Iraq. The Department of Defense recently issued deployment 

orders for 2009.

1st Sustainment Brigade, Iraq

Recently provided logistic, human resource and financial management for 80,000 Soldiers 

and 20,000 civilians and contractors throughout Multi-National Division-Baghdad and 

area support for Multi-National Division-Central.

The brigade is scheduled to re-deploy to Fort Riley, Kan., in late 2008.

1st Combat Aviation Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

Nearing the end of a 15 month deployment to Iraq, the brigades 2,800

Soldiers will re-deploy to Fort Riley, Kan., throughout November and 

early December 2008.

75th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill

Integrates attached ground and air maneuver forces and on 

order functions as a maneuver headquarters in support of 

full spectrum operations. Separate battalions currently 

deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Recently provided logistic, human resource and financial management for 80,000 Soldiers 

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 

Afghanistan

One of the Army’s newest brigades, its Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Enduring 

Freedom in June 2008. The deployment is scheduled to last 12 months, during which 

Soldiers will conduct counterinsurgency and stability operations.

1st Combat Aviation Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood

The MEB is a new concept in area operations and stability operations. The 4th MEB unique 

staff is composd of engineer, military police, chemical, cells and organically has a brigade 

support battalion and a signal company.

3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Iraq

Provide theater logistics command and control for the theater commander 

supporting the Army Forces (ARFOR) and Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) 

mission. Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom May 2008.

2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

The brigade departed Fort Riley, Kan,. in October 2008 on a 

scheduled 12 month deployment in support of Operation 

Iraqi Freedom.

16

Transition Teams advise, teach, and mentor Iraqi Security Forces and 

the Afghan National Army.

Transition Teams provide direct access to Coalition capabilities such as 

air support, artillery, medical evacuation and intelligence gathering.

Transition Teams are critical to the transfer of security responsibility 

to the Iraqi and Afghan governments.

The consolidation of training at Fort Riley provides standardization of 

high quality training and effective use of resources.

Dedicating the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters and one of the 

Division’s Brigades to the Transition Team mission demonstrates full 

commitment by the US Army.

 
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil 18

were women. They were just skeletons,” he said. “We liberated 

as much food as we could and gave it to them, but found out later 

that we shouldn’t have done that, they had to be fed carefully. 

We were just trying to help those poor people.”

Altogether, Ryan served with the division more than 11 

years throughout his 30-year career.

“The 1st Infantry will always be the best division in the 

Army as far as I’m concerned,” said Ryan. “It’s the unit I was 

first bloodied with, and you never forget the first unit you were 

in combat with. I’ve met a lot of people through the division 

and the camaraderie is fantastic. We’re all brothers in the Big 

Red One.”

Harley Reynolds

Harley Reynolds is also a World War II veteran and a 

survivor of D-Day, a remarkable feat in itself. Reynolds also 

made all three of the division’s beach landings during World 

War II, North Africa, Sicily and Normandy and was on the first 

assault wave of each. 

“We were all scared on that first landing,” said Reynolds. 

“There was a lot of fear everywhere. None of us had been in 

combat before and didn’t really know what to expect, but it

Ryan said during the assault on the beach, his and all four of 

the landing crafts around him, were hit by mortars and sunk. 

He said the only reason he survived was because he had an 

additional life preserver around his body.

“When we got blown out of the water, I had a terrible 

concussion and was knocked unconscious,” he said. “The only 

reason I lived was the extra floating device I had around me.”

Ryan said he doesn’t know who dragged him to shore, but 

remembers lying on the beach during the entire battle.

“I was there until 10 p.m.,” he said. “While I was waiting to 

be taken off the beach, I was put on the detail of policing up the 

bodies, but I was in and out of consciousness so much of the 

time, I don’t remember a lot.”

Ryan was eventually sent back to England, recovered from 

his injuries and then returned to the 82nd Airborne Div., where 

he jumped into Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden.

He then returned to the 1st Inf. Div. as a replacement after 

the battle for Aachen and proudly states he walked all the way 

to Czechoslovakia with the Big Red One. 

One of the most memorable experiences for Ryan was when 

he and his unit liberated the labor camp at Falkenau.

 “There were bodies stacked up. When we first saw them 

you thought they were men lying there.... We didn’t know they 

Duty First!/Skidmore

Twelve members of Co. C, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., who all served together in Vietnam go over photos of the time 

they spent together.

17

By Gary Skidmore

Duty First! Magazine

Beginning with America’s war for independence, more than a million men and women have 

died in battle fighting for the freedoms of the American people. 

Members of the 1st Infantry Division have always demonstrated valor, honor and compassion. 

Though separated by time and place, these Soldiers are unified in character and deed. 

Today, 1st Inf. Div. veterans of every era and every background have certain things in 

common. They live by a strict code of discipline. They understand the meaning of personal 

accountability, loyalty and shared sacrifice. They are a band of brothers who have faced an 

enemy on the beaches of Normandy, in the jungles of Vietnam, and the desert of Iraq. Through 

the 91 years the division has existed, the men and women of the Big Red One have made a special 

family. The camaraderie only few in a lifetime experience. 

Bill Ryan

Trained as an airborne Soldier, Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Bill Ryan was transferred to the Big 

Red One after the division lost so many in the fight for Sicily. “They took 100 of us from the 82nd 

Airborne Division and put us in the 16th Regiment for the invasion of Normandy.”

Duty First!/Skidmore

Veteran John Parmonter, Co. D, 1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., speaks 

with Spc. Ronald Minick and Sgt. Jon Dorsey of Co. A, 1st Bn., 

28th Inf. Regt.
Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil 19

joined a very large family.”

Lou Francis

About four years ago, Lou Francis and his wife, Gail, were 

looking at an old photo album from his Army days in Vietnam 

when he decided it was time to reconnect with the surviving 

members of Company C, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt.

“We found 68 guys from the company,” said Francis. “Most 

of us hadn’t seen one another for 40 years or more but it was 

worth the try.”

At the most recent Society of the 1st Infantry Division 

reunion in September 2008, 13 members of the company and 

their wives got together and remembered their youth through 

old stories, photos and the occasional tear.

“We all did time at the 

same place,” said Francis. 

“We called it the Holiday 

Inn, but it wasn’t a holiday; 

we lost a lot of good men 

there.” According to Francis, 

the place was in the Iron 

Triangle, a hot spot for the 

company.

Francis said the place was 

an old French fort that had 

been bombed out. “Charlie 

had been bombing that place 

for years so it didn’t take 

them long to figure out we 

were there and start bombing 

us,” he said. “After all those 

years of firing at the fort, 

Charlie had that place zeroed 

in and knew exactly where to 

lay in their shells.”

Francis said that although 

they weren’t all in the same 

platoon, they were all in the 

same company in that old fort at the same time and managed to 

live through it. “They even tried their best to overrun us a time 

or two,” said Francis.

Francis and the few members of his company that attend the 

reunions remember those who didn’t make it home and celebrate 

those who have.

“We live those dark days now with solemn celebrations, 

laughter and tears,” said Francis. “We are brothers.”

Francis, Williams, Reynolds and Ryan didn’t serve at the 

same time in the Big Red One. There is a gap of more than 

30 years between them. But Ryan considers Francis, Williams 

and Reynolds his brothers because they had all served in the 

division, in peace and in battle. Their bond has roots that date 

back to that first battle in World War I when the division’s blood 

was spilled at the battle of Cantigny. Their bonds have roots in 

the Hurtgen Forest during the Battle of the Bulge. It has roots 

in the Iron Triangle and the dense jungles of Vietnam. The 

division’s roots can be traced to Kosovo, Africa, and are now 

found in Afghanistan and Iraq. Someday, the Soldiers of today 

will meet at a reunion with Francis, Williams, Reynolds and 

Ryan. They too are part of that family of brothers and Big Red 

One family.

only takes a few bullets flying past your head to make you 

realize what was going on.”

Reynolds said the landing at Normandy was already 

different because they hadn’t heard much about the place.

“Everything was so secretive; no one knew anything about 

it until we got aboard ship. Then they only told us about the 

terrain. We really didn’t know anything about the beach until 

we got there.”

Reynolds said he landed on the section of Omaha Beach 

called Easy Red.

“There was absolutely nothing easy about Easy Red,” he 

said. “It was one of the hardest, most dangerous beaches to 

assault the water was red with blood.”

Reynolds said one of the greatest heroes on the beach was 

a guy with a Bangalore 

torpedo.

“We were pinned down 

right there on the beach. 

We had bodies stacking up, 

people were getting shot 

everywhere and it looked 

like we weren’t going to 

get off that beach alive”, 

Reynolds said. “This guy 

shows up with a Bangalore 

torpedo. All of our guys 

that carried them had been 

killed. We didn’t even have a 

pair of wire cutters, so when 

this guy showed up, there 

was hope.”

Reynolds said the Soldier 

pushed the Bangalore under 

the wire and set it off, creating 

a passageway through the 

wire. “We started to break 

through when I looked 

down, the guy was looking 

straight at me, but was dead. To me, he was the greatest hero on 

the beach. He saved a lot of Soldiers’ lives that day.” 

David Dennis Williams

David Dennis Williams had been looking for something 

his whole life. He had been raised with four sisters and didn’t 

really have any close friends in high school or college, so when 

he joined the Army, he felt like he’d found what had been 

missing from his life.

“I was in the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry in Vietnam. We 

were the Black Lions,” he said. “We had seen a lot of combat 

together and that really brings people closer.”

 Williams found friends in Vietnam and during his time in 

the Army. “But they are more than friends,” he said. “They are 

the closest things to having real brothers I’ve ever come to. We 

use to say, we were brothers from a different mother.”

Williams stays in contact with his brothers in arms each 

year by attending the Society of the 1st Infantry Division 

reunions. 

“Reunions are for any veteran of the Big Red One,” he said. 

When you are assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, you have Ryan. They too are part of that family of brothers and Big Red 

Duty First!/Skidmore

Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Bill Ryan discusses his D-Day 

landing with Charles Shay, another D-Day survivor.

20

By Lyndsey Born

The Fort Riley Post

“Sept. 11, 2001, is a day Americans will never forget. I 

am sure a number of you can remember exactly where you 

were and what you were doing when you saw or heard about 

those hijacked jets as they slammed into the World Trade 

Center or Pentagon or when Flight 93 crashed into the field 

near Shanksville, Penn.,” said 

Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, 1st 

Infantry Division and Fort 

Riley commanding general,

during the Fort Riley Global 

War on Terrorism memorial 

ceremony. 

“The granite pentagon base 

and black marble twin towers 

symbolize the unexpected 

and catastrophic attacks on 

Sept. 11 that fully committed 

the United States to fight and 

win the war on terrorism,” 

Col. John Dvoracek, deputy 

garrison commander for 

transformation said.

“Today we remember that 

ominous day seven years 

ago when evil reared its ugly 

head and attempted to rob this 

nation of its very freedoms. 

Today we remember those 

ordinary heroes, those dressed 

in police and firefighter 

uniforms, business suits, blue 

jeans and T-shirts, those who 

rushed to the defense of a 

great nation,” Wiggins said. 

“The terrorists attacks of 

9/11 shook the foundations of 

some of the largest buildings 

our nation had, but the 

terrorists soon learned that 

they could not touch or shake 

the foundations of America or 

its people.”

The attacks on Sept. 11 

impacted the entire nation, Wiggins said. People in Kansas,and 

in the Greater Fort Riley Community, suffered the loss of 

friends and loved ones.

“While the attacks of 9/11 were painful for us all, the 

attacks also revealed America’s resolve,” Wiggins said. “It 

demonstrated to the world that America is full of ordinary 

people who responded with extraordinary courage. The 

passengers of United Flight 93 who stood up to the terrorists, 

who refused to let another jet become a weapon of mass 

destruction. The workers of the Pentagon who escaped the 

burning rubble to only turn around to rush to the aid of their 

co-workers. The people trapped stories above the ground in 

the World Trade Center who knew 

they would not escape but turned on 

their phones and still called loved 

ones with final words of comfort and 

love.”

That resolve is still evident as 

U.S. Soldiers continue fighting the 

war on terrorism seven years later, 

Wiggins said. 

“Thousands of our own Soldiers 

from right here at Fort Riley have 

placed boots on the ground in 

countries like Iraq and Afghanistan,” 

Wiggins said. “They have taken the 

fight to the terrorists and they have 

built a strong foundation that creates 

national and international security. “

Some did not return from that 

fight. They gave their lives and 

service to this nation as they stood 

on point for this country and this war 

on terrorism, Wiggins said.

“Their names are etched on this 

monument and they should never be 

forgotten,” Wiggins said. “Courage, 

selfless service, loyalty, devotion 

to duty – to some these are mere 

words, but to these Soldiers etched 

on this stone, those words meant 

everything.”

A wreath was placed in front of 

the memorial during the ceremony 

with a banner that read, “Some gave 

all.”

By Lyndsey Born impacted the entire nation, Wiggins said. People in Kansas,and 
21 Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Whether it’s crawling to the top of one of several military 

vehicles out in front, or wandering the indoor galleries, the 

Cantigny First Division Museum offers a hands-on method of 

interacting with history sure to appeal to the young and the 

old.

The museum complex, located on 500 sprawling acres in 

Wheaton, Ill., features formal gardens, a golf course, restaurant, 

the First Division Museum and the Robert McCormick 

Museum. McCormick, an Army colonel was also the former 

editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The McCormick 

Foundation was established as a charitable trust in 1955, when 

McCormick died. 

Staff at the museum are working on plans for an expansion. 

Paul Herbert, executive director, said he is hopeful that the 

museum’s board of directors will approve an expansion plan 

by the end of the year.

If approved, the expansion could nearly double the size of the 

museum and would take about three years to complete. Herbert 

said the expansion would allow the museum to showcase the 

story of the 1st Infantry Division following Vietnam.

“We do have a little bit on Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 

but this museum was built in 1991 and 1992, so what we have 

is very little,” Herbert said. “We have nothing about all the 

years elements of the division were on peacekeeping duty in 

the Balkans in the 1990s, and we have almost nothing on the 

current war on terror. So the first thing we want to do is bring 

the story up to date.”

Herbert said the museum also had several large artifacts 

which could not be properly displayed outside and thus needed 

an indoor gallery. He particularly noted the recent addition of 

what is believed to be the only surviving landing craft of the 

Normandy invasion. 

“Of course the 1st Division landed at Omaha Beach using 

these watercraft, and we’re very proud of acquiring it,” Herbert 

said.

If an expansion is approved, Herbert hopes that the bulk of 

the construction and remodeling work can be completed by 

August 2010, the museum’s 50th birthday. The expansion will 

most likely not be complete until some time in 2011, Herbert 

said.

A setting in the Robert McCormick museum. The 

museum, McCormick’s former home, has many of his 

collections.

One of the 1st Division galleries depicts the events of D-Day.

Photos by: Duty First!/Staatz

22

“We want to make sure this generation of Soldiers can bring 

their children and grandchildren here over the next 20 to 40 

years and we’ve got their story and we’ve got it right,” Herbert 

said. “They should be able to do that in the same way the World 

War II and the Vietnam vets and even the Desert Storm vets are 

doing today. We feel that expanding this museum is a duty we 

have to the Soldiers who are serving today.”

Annually, the museum hosts more than 100,000 visitors, a 

number that continues to grow, Herbert said. 

The museums exhibits allow guests to interact with history, 

whether it’s by listening in on old radio communications, rifling 

through a supply tent, or walking off a landing craft onto Omaha 

Beach. Herbert said museum artifacts are collected three ways. 

They are either donated to the museum, loaned to the museum 

or purchased by the museum.

One of the most notable donations, Herbert said, is four 

Medal of Honor awards given to 1st Inf. Div. Soldiers. The 

awards were donated to the museum by the Families of the 

Soldiers.

“The Families of Soldiers who received those Medals of 

Honor have entrusted them to our care,” Herbert said. “And in 

each case, those decorations have been accompanied by other 

personal effects that tell that Soldier’s story.”

On the museum’s front lawn is a collection of tanks and 

artillery vehicles, one of the most popular displays, Herbert 

said, particularly with children. Most of the vehicles were 

obtained through a loan from the Army for display.

Herbert said the museum acquires 30 to 40 additions to its 

collections each month. As it begins to tell the story of more 

recent conflicts, the challenge becomes greater.

“When you talk about post-1970 up to the modern time, 

it’s going to be a real challenge to find artifacts to the current 

conflict because all this material is government property, and 

it’s being used by the Army now.”

More information on visiting the museum and events hosted 

by the museum can be viewed at www.firstdivisionmuseum.org.

 If You Go

 The 1st Division Museum is located in the Cantigny 

 Park Complex, Wheaton, Ill.

 Phone: (630) 260-8185 (museum), www.cantigny.org.

MOS Of The Month

Operating Room Technician

Under the direction of a registered nurse, the operating room 

specialist supervises and participates in preparing the patient 

and the environment for surgical procedures. The specialist also 

provides assistance during surgery, supervises and participates 

in preparing and maintaining sterile supplies and equipment for 

patient care. 

The Operating Room Tech also:

• Performs pre-operative skin preps.

• Transports pre-operative and post-operative patients.

• Places and positions patient on the operating room 

 table.

• Assists in the performance of preparing patients for 

 the administration of anesthesia.

• Gathers scrubs, gown, gloves and sets up a sterile field 

 for surgical procedures.

• Applies surgical dressings and fabricates extremity 

 plaster splints.

• Prepares medications for irrigation solutions. 

• Uses and evaluates sterilizer test indicators. 
23 Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Soldiers in the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st 

Infantry Division, have said the last of their goodbyes to 

Families and friends and embarked on a scheduled 12-month 

deployment to Iraq.

During a deployment ceremony Sept. 30, Brig. Gen. Perry 

Wiggins, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and 

Fort Riley, commended the Dagger Brigade on its preparation 

for deployment.

“Preparing to deploy is challenging,” Wiggins said. “For 

the Daggers, there were a number of tasks to complete, like 

equipment to draw, shots to receive, briefings to take, field 

exercises to complete, ranges to execute and piles and piles of 

paperwork to complete.”

Wiggins told the Soldiers and Families in attendance 

at the ceremony that the preparation was more 

than enough to achieve the mission given to them.

“Daggers, your nation has called you,” Wiggins said. “And you 

have answered that call. You will stand on point for this nation in 

its fight against terrorism. And do not be confused.... you are the 

front line in keeping that fight from reaching our very shores.”

The brigade is comprised of about 3,700 Soldiers. It has 

been given the mission of assisting Iraqi leaders and citizens in 

creating a more secure environment.

“Today marks the newest chapter of the brigade’s history as 

we launch into a one year journey to enhance the security and 

prosperity of the Iraqi people in our assigned area of operation,” 

said Col. Joseph Martin, brigade commander.

For Staff Sgt. Robert Tressider and his Family, deployments 

are becoming a routine of life. The deployment with 2nd HBCT 

is Tressider’s third.

“It’s all about the same,” Tressider, 1st Bn., 7th Field Artillery 

Regt., said of leaving. “There’s mixed feelings as to whether it 

will be good or bad, but we have a lot of good guys, so I’m not 

worried about it.”

Tressider’s wife, Rozine, said the couple had spent time at 

briefings and filling out paperwork ahead of the deployment. 

They also set up web cams on their computers, so Tressider 

can stay in touch with her and their two children, Robert and 

Kolena.

“We’ve just stayed at home and spent time together,” Rozina 

said. “This is our third [deployment], so it’s kind of becoming 

routine.”

Soldiers in the Dagger Brigade left in increments throughout 

October. About 275 members of the brigade left ahead of the 

deployment ceremony to prepare for the unit’s arrival in Kuwait 

and Iraq.

Daggers Case Colors

Col. Joseph Martin (left), commander, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., and 

Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle case the brigade’s colors during a deployment ceremony 

Sept. 30 at Fort Riley.

Duty First!/Staatz

24

97th MP Battalion

1-28 Black Lions

TO WTB

WTB Changes

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Soldiers headed to Fort Riley’s Warrior Transition Battalion 

will now go through a board process to decide whether they are 

best off at the medical unit or working with their home unit.

A recent Department of Army directive requires all 

warrior transition units to have a board review the packets of 

Soldiers before issuing orders to the unit. At Fort Riley, the 

Triad of Leadership board consists of the post’s commanding 

general, WTB commander, Irwin Army Community Hospital 

commander and their command sergeants major. 

Lt. Col. Michael Dlugopolski, division surgeon, said the 

post’s commander and command sergeant major represent the 

unit and military needs; the hospital commander and command 

sergeant major represent the medical and clinic aspect and 

the WTB commander and command sergeant major can best 

provide input on whether a Soldier would benefit from their 

unit’s resources.

The board reviews each Soldier’s packet, which includes 

four parts, Dlugopolski said. It has a warrior screening 

matrix, used to judge the severity of the Soldier’s medical 

condition; a company commander’s assessment of how well 

a Soldier is functioning in their unit; a battalion commander’s 

memorandum, saying he is in agreement with the case being 

forwarded to the board for review; and the

Soldier’s profile, a physician’s assessment of a

medical condition that can or does interfere

with the Soldier performing their duties.

Dlugopolski said the 

board evaluates 

the Soldier’s medical 

condition, based on how 

long the condition 

will last and how 

much treatment 

or therapy is

required.

“If a Soldier 

has surgery 

for ACL reconstruction,

that’s a pretty common sports injury,” Dlugopolski said. 

“After the surgery recovery, the Soldier maybe goes 

to physical therapy three times a week,” he said. “Do they 

need a case manager to tell them to make their three 

appointments? Probably not.” 

The flip side, Dlugopolski said, is the Soldier who has come 

back during a deployment with hand and leg 

injuries from an improvised explosive device and has some 

traumatic brain injury symptoms. 

“He’s probably going to TBI clinics, has behavioral health 

appointments as well as therapy and care for his hand and leg 

injuries,” Dlugopolski said. “He may have five or six or more 

appointments a week all at different places and may need a 

case manager to be the advocate for the care that he needs and 

help track those appointments.”

Col. Lee Merritt, WTB commander, said before the 

directive for a board came out, there was limited guidance 

about who could come to the WTB. “We had 

everyone from those who were severely injured 

 

 to those who were found to have bad hearing,” Merritt 

 said. “Those Soldiers who have conditions like a hearing

 problem still have tremendous value to their units and 

there is ways for them to have their medical needs met 

 without being sent to the WTB.”

Having Soldiers who do not have long-term or severe 

medical conditions also allows the WTB cadre, case managers 

and physicians to devote more attention to the Soldiers with 

more pressing medical conditions, Merritt said.

The TOL board has also begun requiring that Soldiers 

whose packets are up for consideration be present to answer 

questions and discuss their case if needed. Three packets 

into the Sept. 22 board meeting, Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, 

commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort 

Riley, was already commenting on the positive aspect of 

having the Soldiers there.

“This is the dynamic we’ve been looking for,” Wiggins 

said. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but being able to see 

these guys and talk to them is good.”

The TOL board meets every two weeks, or as needed, 

depending on the number of packets being processed. There 

are currently about 425 Soldiers in the Fort Riley WTB.
25 Duty First www.1id.army.mil Duty First www.1id.army.mil

K-State Fort Riley Day

By Russel Cope

Fort Riley Post

The Kansas State University Wildcats welcomed Soldiers 

and their Families Sept. 6 to Bill Snyder Family Stadium in 

Manhattan for their football game against the Montana State 

University Bobcats. 

The battle of the cats on K-State/Fort Riley Day 

started with a tailgate party in “Cat Town.” From there, 

the action moved to the stadium where Soldiers cheered 

and celebrated a 69-10 Wildcat stomping of the Bobcats. 

Before the game began, the national anthem and taps were 

played while a giant monitor displayed the names of Fort 

Riley Soldiers who had lost their lives in the Global War on 

Terrorism. 

The opening ceremony featured 1st Infantry Division Soldiers 

carrying the division’s colors onto Wagner Field, including 

those cased colors of the units currently deployed in support 

of the Global War on Terrorism. The game ball had previously 

been used by Fort Riley Soldiers in Iraq.

When it was time for the Wildcats to take the field, they 

didn’t rush onto the field in normal fashion. Instead, the players 

marched in military style, led by Command Sgt. Maj. James 

B. Champagne, 1st Infantry Division command sergeant major. 

Just before the start of the game, captains from both teams metat 

the 50-yard line for the coin toss using a Big Red One coin. 

1st Inf. Div. Commander, Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins talks with a fan at the Sept. 6 Kansas State football game.

26

They were joined by Staff Sgt. Mathew Carson, Fort 

Riley’s noncommissioned officer of the year, and 

Sgt. Dallas Lockley, the post’s Soldier of the year. 

KSU paid special tribute to two Army Families selected 

to represent all Army Families in the Greater Fort Riley 

Community. The two Families selected by the division 

command sergeant major met with Brig. Gen. Perry Wiggins, 

commander of 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley, and his wife, 

Annette, on the 50-yard line. The Wiggins’ and K-State 

officials presented gifts of appreciation to the families of 

Lt. Col. Brent Cummings and Pvt. Thomas Newman, both 

of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div.

A boost for K-State 

fans came from Willie the 

Wildcat, KSU’s mascot, 

who performed push-ups 

every time the Wildcats 

scored a touchdown. 

In addition to being Fort 

Riley Day, it also was Band 

Day at K-State. During 

halftime, high school bands 

lined up on the field next 

to bands from K-State and 

Fort Riley’s 1st Infantry 

Division. The bands started 

off the halftime festivities by 

playing “The Army song.” 

After that, they played “Stars 

and Stripes Forever” as Fort 

Riley Soldiers marched 

onto the field carrying an 

enormous American Flag. 

As they entered the field, 

the high school marching 

band split up, leaving room 

for the Soldiers to unfurl 

the flag. When the Soldiers 

had the flag at full size,

it completed the “S” with which band 

members spelled “KSU” in giant, human 

letters.

In the third quarter, after the Wildcats 

scored another touchdown, Fort Riley 

soldiers met Willie the Wildcat in the end 

zone to complete another set of victory 

push-ups.

K-State/Fort Riley Day was about 

strengthening the relationship between 

KSU and Fort Riley. The day also gave 

area residents an opportunity to show 

their appreciation for Fort Riley Soldiers 

and their service to the nation. 

“It was a real good day for Fort Riley 

and K-State. This day shows the K-State 

community that we support them, as well. 

It also shows students and Soldiers that both communities can 

get along and support each other,” said Sgt. Russell Young of 

2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th BCT, 1st Inf. Div.

At the end of the game, Soldiers of the Warrior Transition 

Battalion received the game ball from members of the Wildcat 

football team.

“This is one of many opportunities for Soldiers and their 

Families to enjoy K-State athletics. K-State provides discounted 

tickets to most of their athletic events. This is a fantastic 

example of the support we get from the local community. 

AUSA’s sponsorship of tickets for Soldiers helped provide for 

this day,” said Maj. Nathan Bond, 1st Inf. Div. public affairs 

officer.

Photos/Blackmon

1st Inf. Div. Soldiers march onto the field before the K-State football game.

Willie the Wildcat does push-ups with 1ID Soldiers.