Unofficial 1st Infantry Division Magazine of Soldiers and Families | www.riley.army.mil | facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision
 Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |1

Duty First!

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 313

Fort Riley, KS 66442 

Telephone number

COM 785-239-4696 

 DSN 856-6821 

or visit Duty First online at www.riley.army.mil.

1st Infantry Division Commander

Maj. Gen. William Mayville

1st Infantry Division CSM

Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Sasser

1st Infantry Division PAO

Lt. Col. Sophie Gainey

Editor

Stephanie Hoff

Staff Writer

Mollie Miller

Illustrator

Justin Angeles

Mollie miller, duty first! magazine

No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great.

Family Issue 2011 | www.riley.army.mil

COVER: Pfc. Jordan Boswell and his wife, 

Tifany, hold their 9-day-old son, Connor, 

following a welcome-home ceremony Oct. 

21, at Fort Riley, Kan. Boswell and more 

than 250 of his fellow Soldiers from 1st 

Battalion, 7th Field Artillery Regiment, 

2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division were returning from a 

12-month deployment to Iraq.

C O N T E N T S

Departments

Features

Around the Division

4th MEB refocusing 

on its combat role

Danger 7

New DCSM offers keys 

to effective leadership 

PICTORIAL

Healthy Family units lead 

to strong Army units 

Forging a stronger bond

Resiliency program helps 

Soldiers, couples and Families

Fort Benning honors Soldier

Medal of Honor recipient’s 

memory continues to live on 

Advice from the first lady

Shares tips for fellow 

mothers at Fort Riley

Family there for wounded son

Family witnesses Soldier’s 

recovery in small steps 

BRO runners tackle 10-miler

10 division runners earn top 

spots at 27th annual race

2

14

10

8

4

12

Check the Big Red One out at: 

facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision

Follow us today! 

Be a part of the Big Red One!

The 1ID Facebook page provides you with 

up-to-date information about what’s going on 

throughout the Division. Want to find a friend? 

See photos of the most recent ceremony or 

video of past Division events? It’s all there!

Want the latest information about what your Soldier is up to, both here and abroad? The 1ID 

Facebook page is your best resource. From video 

messages to news reports, the page helps Families feel connected no matter where they are.

Check the Big Red One out at: 

facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision

Follow us today! 

Be a part of the Big Red One!

The 1ID Facebook page provides you with 

up-to-date information about what’s going on 

throughout the Division. Want to find a friend? 

See photos of the most recent ceremony or 

video of past Division events? It’s all there!

Want the latest information about what your Soldier is up to, both here and abroad? The 1ID 

Facebook page is your best resource. From video 

messages to news reports, the page helps Families feel connected no matter where they are.
First and foremost, let me say that I 

am proud to be here as Danger 7. 

We have a great team that is wellrounded and will take the mission here to a 

higher level than ever before. Never forget 

that lots of great folks have preceded us 

here in the Big Red One and there have 

been many sacrifices. As I get around I will 

be taking a hard look at a few things. Before I cover that let me say that the mission 

always comes first and I am here to support it and will always solicit down to the 

lowest level on ways we can do it better. 

Let’s take care of our own.

We as officers, warrant officers, noncommissioned officers and Soldiers of 

the mighty 1st Infantry Division must 

work together to ensure all troopers are 

not being deprived of the care and leadership they deserve. You may hear me 

say from time to time, “If it’s important 

to me, it better be important to you.” I 

am never above recommending to the 

boss how we can do things better as long 

as it does not conflict with the guidance 

put in place by our leadership and our 

regulations and policies. 

In my mind, discipline and morale 

are the two most important ingredients 

in a unit. They go hand-in-hand and feed 

off each other. Be proud of yourself, your 

service and your unit. Our service members do not want to be a part of an organization with low standards. Sometimes 

that means tough love in order to ensure 

they are safe and doing the right things. 

It starts with the command teams and 

continues down to the lowest level. We 

are professionals—less than one percent 

of one percent of the nation.

Standards such as serviceable equipment, appearance, haircuts, uniform, customs and courtesies along with many 

more are a part of our proud history that 

we will not ignore. Don’t get caught short. 

We are not looking for perfection, but we 

are not rookies. We are professionals. 

Create, maintain, and most of all, enforce 

our standards. Notice I did not say my 

standard or the commander’s standard. 

Embrace them—they are our standards. 

Loyalty is the most important Army 

Value to me, and it goes both ways. It includes honesty when there’s been a slipup because bad news does not get better 

with time so keep the chain of command 

informed. Never bad mouth a unit or service or anyone in it. If you don’t have anything good to say keep it to yourself. If 

you lose trust it must be earned back.

Certain additional duties are required 

on Fort Riley. It’s all part of the mission and 

will be taken seriously. You are representing your units, service and nation. You are 

the Unit. You are the Service. You are the 

2| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |3

Command Sergeant Major DANGER 7

Maintaining high standards 

Division Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Sasser

Lead the way

Lead by example

Own up to mistakes

Don’t make excuses

Support the Chain of Command and NCO 

Support Channel 

Are always learning

Are always teaching

Are tough and fair

Know how to make corrections

Know how to reinforce standards

Know how to apply corrective actions/training

Counsel

Leave things better than they found them

Leaderchecklist

Nation. Be a team player, watch your lane 

and let the right level of leadership address 

their issues. Administrative and logistical 

requirements never stop. Don’t allow our 

service members to get behind their peers 

in other units. Encourage everyone, Soldiers and Family members, to improve 

themselves as time permits through good 

fitness, education and other opportunities. 

We want them to be tough, smart and wellrounded. Maintain weapons proficiency. 

We must all strive to be experts. Know all 

your weapons systems.

We are always representing. Look, act 

and think like a professional at all times. 

Think through every decision and everything you say. Keep your billets and 

work areas clean, neat, functional and secure. Take pride in your areas. Don’t forget Families. They are just as important 

as our tasks and missions and must be 

well-informed and taken care of.

Duty First!

Jordan Chapman, Duty First! Magazine

Soldiers of 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Combat Aviation 

Brigade, compete in Victory Week’s Color Guard Competition in front of 1st Inf. Div. headquarters 

in June.

In my mind, discipline 

and morale are the two 

most important 

ingredients in a unit. 

They go hand-in-hand 

and feed off each other. 

Be proud of yourself, your 

service and your unit.
4| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |5

Division’s first lady offers advice to fellow mothers 

Story by Mollie Miller ▪ Duty First! Magazine

I t starts with the 

very first cry. Almost 

like a light being 

turned on, a 

mother’s worry 

switch is flipped 

with the first 

squeaks of her little 

one’s tiny voice. 

(continued on page 6) Mollie Miller, Duty First! Magazine

Maj. Gen. William Mayville, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, his wife, Shand, and their children, Andrew, Margie and 

Chas, gather for a rare family photo following the division’s change of command ceremony May 25. Mayville’s sons Andrew and Chas are both activeduty Army officers. 
6| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |7

(continued from page 5)

Do they have all their fingers and toes? Are they 

breathing OK? Is their color good?

Through the years, the things moms worry about 

change but the worry itself remains constant. 

“A mother’s protective nature never goes 

away,” said Shand Mayville, wife of Maj. Gen. 

William Mayville, commanding general of the 1st 

Infantry Division and Fort Riley. “It doesn’t matter 

how old the kids are, in our eyes, they are still our 

babies.” 

With ease, a mother’s concerns evolve as their 

babies grow and test their wings. What happens, 

though, when the things moms have to worry 

about change from skinned knees and bad grades 

to improvised explosive devices, enemy bullets 

and ambushes? How do these women make it 

through a year or more wondering if their babies 

are hungry, if they are warm enough, if they are 

safe? What do these mothers go through when 

they lose control of their little ones and have to 

trust that those leading their children in a war zone 

will care for them just as they would? 

Many mothers of Soldiers find it hard to articulate how they make it through the difficult days of 

deployment, often only saying they make it 

through because those young men and women 

they love with all their hearts are counting on them 

to be strong. 

“The hardest thing for a parent is to let go of a 

child and not have any control over the situation,” 

Vicki Cody, wife of former Army Vice Chief of Staff 

Gen. (ret.) Richard Cody, wrote in her book, “Your 

Soldier, Your Army: A Parent’s Guide.” “It’s human nature to want to make everything right and 

protect our kids no matter what their age.” 

Mayville, whose two oldest children are active 

duty Army officers, knows well the difficulties that 

come in the days between a farewell kiss and a 

welcome home embrace. As the daughter of a career Soldier and the wife of a Soldier who has “deployed” more often than she can even count, Mayville thought she knew a lot about how to handle 

the long separations but when it came time for her 

oldest son Chas to leave for Iraq a few years ago, 

she wasn’t ready at all. 

“When it’s your dad or your husband deploying, you are not quite as aware of things,” she said. 

“It is a totally different story when it is your child. 

When I pictured Chas sitting on a cot (in Iraq), I 

still pictured my 7-year-old little boy who used to 

wear animal costumes all the time.” 

In her book, Cody describes the day she sent 

her sons off to war. As her boys headed out to do 

their part to keep the nation safe, Cody wondered 

where all the time had gone and what had happened to the days when her biggest worry was if 

her sons were skipping school or drinking. 

“Suddenly, real world dangers were confronting our young sons and no one could promise me 

they would be OK,” Cody wrote. “At that point, I 

knew that I just had to have faith or I was going to 

drive myself crazy.” 

 Mayville said “keeping the faith” during a deployment, no matter how bleak news might seem, 

is a very important part of staying sane during the 

separation. Understanding that Chas received the 

best possible training, was with the best military in 

the world and was with buddies and leaders who 

really cared about him always gave Mayville a 

sense of peace when she thought about her child 

downrange. 

Packing “really great” care packages gave her a 

little peace as well. 

“Sending Chas care packages made me feel a 

little more in control,” Mayville said. “It was a 

little like packing him a really good lunch, just 

in a bigger lunchbox that was going a further 

distance.” 

LIVE IN THE NOW

Mayville said that today, she knows more parents 

who have lost their children than she knows spouses 

who have lost their husbands and thoughts of these 

parents weigh heavily on her heart. 

“I think about those families every day,” she 

said. “I think about every one of those mothers 

and how they have had their last good night of 

sleep.” 

Mayville said she thinks often of the great price 

these families have paid in the name of freedom 

and how she and the nation must make themselves 

worthy of that immeasurable sacrifice. 

“I carry around a prayer that Eleanor 

Roosevelt carried with her that reads, ‘Dear 

Lord, lest I continue in my complacent ways, 

help me to remember that someone died for me 

today. And if there be war, help me to remember 

to ask and to answer, am I worth dying for,’’ she 

said. “I really do believe it is our responsibility 

to make the sacrifices worth it.” 

This year, for the first time in four years, all of 

Mayville’s Soldiers, including her husband, and her 

little girl will be somewhere in the United States for 

the holidays. Because of this, the Army daughter, 

wife and mother said she will decorate her Christmas tree for the first time in years, celebrate the 

Army family she loves and not think about the deployments that may be just around the corner. 

“In this business, you have to learn to live every 

moment as it comes,” she said. “Don’t get bogged 

down in the ‘what ifs.’ Spend as much time as possible together. Live today and enjoy what you have 

right now. Tomorrow will come soon enough.” 

Despite the challenges and constant worry that 

come with sending her sons off to war, Mayville 

said she wouldn’t trade her life for anything. She is 

incredibly proud of the young men she and her 

husband have raised and of their continuing commitment to the ‘family business.’

“Though it is sometimes tough, it has never occurred to me that I wouldn’t want to be part of this 

life,” she said. “Like Jimmy Buffet said, some of it’s 

magic, some of it’s tragic, but I’ve had a good life 

all the way.” 

In this business, you have to learn to live 

every moment as it comes. Don’t get 

bogged down in the ‘what ifs.’ Spend as 

much time as possible together. Live 

today and enjoy what you have right now. 

Tomorrow will come soon enough.”

— Shand Mayville, wife of Maj. Gen. William Mayville, 

commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division & Fort Riley

Courtesy photos

LEFT: Shand Mayville and then-cadet Andrew Mayville attend a formal event at the United States Military Academy at West 

Point. Andrew, like his older brother Chas and his dad, Maj. Gen. William Mayville, elected to attend West Point and pursue a 

career in the active-duty Army. RIGHT: Shand Mayville and then-Lt. Chas Mayville pause for a quick photo during a family visit. 

Chas was the first of the Mayville children to follow his dad into the family business. 

Courtesy photos

LEFT: With their Army days still a few years off, Chas and Andrew Mayville pose for a picture in Orlando, Fla. RIGHT: Shand Mayville visits with her children following the 1st Infantry Division change of command ceremony May 25. Pictured with Shand are, 

from left, Chas, Andrew and Margie. 
8| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |9

Following his completion of basic 

training at Fort Benning, Ga., in 2004, 

Ross was assigned to Schweinfurt, Germany to serve with the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry 

Regiment.

“He was a good friend to everybody,” Thomas said. 

“He was a jokester, he liked to have 

fun,” added Romayne. “He was always 

making the guys in his unit laugh. He 

really cared for them and he would’ve 

done anything for them.”

Just how much Ross cared for his 

brothers in arms became evident one 

fateful day in December 2006. Ross’ battalion had been serving in Iraq since 

that August with assignment in Eastern 

Baghdad. 

In the early afternoon of Dec. 4, Ross 

was serving as a machine gunner in the 

hatch of his platoon’s Humvee when an 

insurgent, positioned on a nearby rooftop, threw a grenade through the hatch 

into the vehicle. Immediately realizing 

the four Soldiers down in Humvee 

wouldn’t have time to escape before the 

grenade ignited; Ross threw his back 

over the grenade, pinning it between his 

body and the Humvee’s radio mount. 

“Grenade ... it’s in the truck," Ross 

shouted. 

According to official reports, then 

19-year-old Ross was killed instantly 

when he absorbed all lethal fragments 

and the concussive effects of the grenade 

with his own body. The other four Soldiers in the vehicle survived the blast.

The warning Ross shouted were the 

last words of an American hero, said 

Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas, McGinnis’ platoon sergeant and one of the Soldiers who was in the vehicle during the 

attack. 

“I looked out of the corner of my eye 

as I was crouching down and I saw him 

pin it down,” Thomas described in interviews following the blast. 

“McGinnis could have escaped the 

blast. He had time to jump out of the 

truck. He chose not to. He gave his life 

to save his crew and his platoon sergeant. He’s a hero. He’s a professional. 

He was just an awesome guy.” 

On June 2, 2008, just days before 

what would have been their son’s 21st 

birthday, Thomas and Romayne accepted the Medal of Honor on behalf of 

their son. Ross was the second U.S. Soldier to receive the honor for their actions while serving in Operation Iraqi 

Freedom. 

“I actually think that every person 

serving in the military now has the 

same integrity that my son had,” Thomas said. “If they’re put in that (situation), they’d have done the same thing. 

It’s just that they aren’t all presented 

with that opportunity.” 

Ross’ remains were laid in their final 

resting place in Arlington National 

Cemetery on March 23, 2007. Tom and 

Romayne were among two busloads of 

mourners who traveled all night from 

Ross’ hometown of Knox, Pa. to attend 

the ceremony. 

Over the years since their son’s passing, the McGinnis’ have been invited to 

attend numerous events and dedications in honor of their heroic son. 

This past September, they traveled 

to Fort Benning, Ga., where Ross officially began his career as a U.S. Soldier. 

On Sept. 23, the post’s leaders officially 

re-dedicated the newly restored headquarters building to honor Ross and his 

fellow Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. 

Jerry W. Wickham. Wickham, just 25 

years old at the time of his death, was 

awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions near Loc Ninh, 

Republic of Vietnam in 1968. 

McGinnis-Wickham Hall was named 

after the two young Soldiers because 

they displayed the bravery and selflessservice desired in today’s Soldiers, said 

Maj. Gen. Robert Brown, commanding 

general of the post’s Maneuver Center 

of Excellence. 

As humbled as they are by the honors that have been bestowed upon their 

son since that heroic day in Eastern 

Baghdad, the McGinnis’ maintain that, 

for their son, the choice he made Dec. 4, 

2006, was a “no-brainer.” 

“He did what he had to do,” Thomas said. “It didn't matter to Ross that he 

could have escaped the situation without a scratch. What mattered to him 

were the four men placed in his care on 

a moment’s notice. One moment he 

was responsible for defending the rear 

of the convoy from enemy fire; the next 

moment he held the lives of four of his 

friends in his hands. The choice for 

Ross was simple, but simple does not 

mean easy.” 

Parents of Big Red One Soldier attend 

Fort Benning dedication honoring late 

son, fellow Medal-of-Honor recipient

Story & photos by Stephanie Hoff | Duty Firsrt! Magazine

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

ABOVE: Thomas and Romayne McGinnis prepare to cut a ribbon Sept. 23, signifying the 

dedication of Fort Benning’s Maneuver Center 

of Excellence headquarters as McGinnis-Wickham Hall. The newly re-opened building received nearly $170 million in renovations and 

is dedicated in honor of the McGinnis’ son, 

Spc. Ross McGinnis, and Cpl. Jerry Wickham. 

McGinnis was serving with the 1st Infantry Division’s 1st Bn., 26th Inf. in 2006, when he 

placed himself over an enemy’s grenade, saving the lives of four of his fellow Soldiers. 

McGinnis was posthumously awarded the 

Medal of Honor in June 2008 for his heroic actions. OPPOSITE PAGE: A plaque honoring Spc. 

Ross McGinnis sits on display outside of Fort 

Benning’s Maneuver Center of Excellence 

headquarters. 

WHEN KINDERGARTNER ROSS 

MCGINNIS WAS ASKED TO 

DRAW A PICTURE OF WHAT HE 

WANTED TO BE WHEN HE GREW 

UP, THE IMAGE OF A SOLDIER 

MATERIALIZED UPON THE PAGE.

A little over a decade later, Thomas and Romayne McGinnis would 

find themselves in a recruiter’s office 

on their son’s 17th birthday, granting parental consent for Ross to enlist in the United States Army. 
10| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |11

 “I started crying like a big baby,” Rene 

said recently as she recounted her son’s 

first words following an explosion in Afghanistan that took both of his legs and 

four of his fingers. “It seemed like forever 

since I had heard his voice so when I finally did, even if it was just a little whisper, it sucked the life right out of me.” 

Rene’s life has been plenty full of moments that have “sucked the life” out of 

her since her cell phone rang Aug. 9, 

while she was preparing dinner in her 

Cicero, New York home. 

THE CALL

“It was about 4:10 p.m. when I answered 

the phone,” she said. “The man on the 

phone asked me if I had talked to Matt 

that day and then told me that there had 

been an accident in Afghanistan and 

Matt was hurt.”

The caller, Capt. Ricky Brown, the rear 

detachment commander for Matt’s unit, 

2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st 

Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div. 

Brown told Rene that Matt stepped on a 

pressure-plate improvised explosive device, lost his right leg below the knee and 

was being treated in Afghanistan. As soon 

as she heard her son was so seriously 

wounded, Rene began crying and handed 

the phone to her husband, Ed. 

 “The captain said he would call again 

as soon as he had more information,” Ed 

recalled. 

After the initial conversation with 

Brown, Ed and Rene received several 

“update” calls, calls that, after awhile, 

Matt’s parents just didn’t want to get. 

“Every time someone would call, 

there would be more injuries,” Ed said. 

 The reports about Matt’s condition 

gradually grew more serious as callers 

told Rene and Ed that the explosion had 

actually caused injuries that resulted in 

the amputation of both Matt’s legs and 

the loss of four of his fingers, two from 

each hand. Soon, the reports turned very 

grave and the Army began making arrangements to send Ed, Rene, Matt’s sister, Ashley, and Matt’s wife, Raelynn, to 

Germany because they did not think the 

21-year-old Soldier was going to make it. 

“Once I heard they were going to 

send us over, I knew it was very bad,” 

Rene said.

‘HALF MY BOY’ 

Rene said she will never forget the moment her eyes locked on her son in the 

hospital room in Landstuhl Regional 

Medical Center in Germany. 

“I just saw my boy, half my boy, laying there with machines all over,” she 

said. “All I could see was his face ... but 

that was all I needed to see.”

Rene said she sat with her son for a 

little bit and told him that he didn’t get to 

leave her yet, that that was just not how it 

was going to happen. After awhile, she 

knew, somehow, that Matt was going to 

make it. 

Ed, a firefighter/paramedic in New 

York, wasn’t so sure though. 

“I knew he was bad,” he said. “I didn’t 

know if he would be strong enough to 

overcome all the injuries. I was trying to 

prepare to be strong for everyone.”

Shortly after Matt’s family arrived at 

Landstuhl, doctors were able to stabilize 

the Soldier enough to transport him to 

Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. The family followed their 

Soldier to Texas ... and, for the most part, 

has been there ever since. 

“The first week in San Antonio was 

very dicey,” Ed recalled. “Matt had a fever 

all the time and his heart rate was very high 

and he just wouldn’t stop bleeding.” 

While Ed was very concerned and 

concentrating on what was going on 

with Matt medically, Rene remained 

calm and focused on her son.

“I just sat with him, whispering in his 

ear and rubbing his head,” she said. “It 

was so hard, I just wanted to take all his 

pain away and I couldn’t.” 

The medical team at BAMC started 

bringing Matt out of an induced coma 

about 10 days after he arrived in San Antonio. Rene said the day her boy finally 

opened his eyes and she could see that her 

son was “still there” was an amazing day. 

“It was still Matt,” Rene said, smiling 

at the memory. 

ROAD TO RECOVERY

Though she admits to “a few” breakdowns, Rene said she maintains a positive attitude during a sometimes “overwhelming” experience because Matt is 

counting on her to be there for him. 

“Seeing his strength makes me feel 

like I can be strong for him,” she said. 

Ed said everything in his life has 

changed since he got the call about Matt’s 

injury. 

“Things like this make you rethink 

your priorities,” he said. “Right now, 

there is nothing more important than 

getting Matt well—nothing.” 

For now, the family is addressing 

Matt’s road to recovery one day at a time, 

celebrating small successes like the first 

time the 21-year-old was able to sit up on 

his own. 

“Matt is my hero for what he is doing 

now,” Ed said. “He is so strong and he is 

not letting anything get him down.” 

Celebrating things like the first time 

Matt sat up and his first words remind 

Rene of her son’s first round of “firsts.” 

“This experience has been a lot like 

the time when he was a newborn,” she 

said. “The first night I saw him in Germany, all I wanted to do was crawl in 

bed with him and protect him just like I 

had when he was small.” 

Though uncertain of exactly what the 

future holds for them and their son, Rene 

and Ed said that for now and for the immediate future, they will remain in San 

Antonio to support their son’s recovery. 

 “Matt has said that as long as we stick 

by him, he’s going to be alright,” Rene 

said. “As long as he needs us, we are going to be right by his side.” 

Courtesy photo

Leyva, with his parents, Ed and Rene, and his sister, Ashley, poses for a picture in early October 

at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. 

This photo was taken the day that Leyva was able 

to sit up for the first time since being injured. 

Family of BRO wounded warrior learns 

to celebrate the small successes

MA, I LOVE YOU.”

Pfc. Matt Leyva’s words came 

out in a breathy whisper barely 

audible above the sounds of the 

busy intensive care unit at Brooke 

Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Across the room, 

Rene Sochia’s eyes locked on her 

son and she wondered if she had 

really heard what she thought she 

heard. 

As Rene moved closer to her 

son’s hospital bed, Matt whispered the same words again and, 

for a moment, the 1st Infantry Division mom from upstate New 

York stopped breathing ... and 

then the tears began to fall. 

Courtesy photo

Pfc. Matt Leyva, with his mom, Rene Sochia Leyva, was deployed to Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor 

Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division when he stepped on a pressure-plate improvised explosive device Aug. 9. The blast caused injuries that cost the 21-year-old Soldier both of his legs and four 

of his fingers. 
12| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |13

T

he Army has determined 

there are five different areas 

of strength—each deemed 

with an equal value of significance 

and importance—required to develop a strong Soldier. The Army’s 

program lists: physical, emotional, 

family, social and spirituality as 

the ‘Five Pillars of Strength.’ 

The 1st Infantry Division’s 

Strong Bonds Resiliency program 

has specialized programs for single 

Soldiers, couples, and Families. In 

three months time, brigade unit 

ministry teams coordinated and 

planned more than 60 Strong Bonds 

retreats at Forts Riley, Sill, Leonard 

Wood and Knox. More than 50 

Strong Bonds retreats are scheduled 

for the upcoming months. These 

three-day overnight retreats, which 

include lodging, meals and childcare, are effective tools that commanders use to increase Soldier and 

Family resiliency.

The Strong Bonds Single Soldier 

program is designed to assist Soldiers with establishing relationship goals and gaining essential 

skills required to make a good 

choice when selecting a partner for 

life. In addition to relevant teaching and skills training, Strong 

Bonds off-site retreats include time 

for relaxation, recreation, fellowship and fun. Soldiers develop a 

deeper understanding and appreciation for why it is important to 

see themselves from another’s perspective.

The Fort Riley Strong Bond 

Couples program is filled with adventure, discovery and ensuring a 

deep recommitment for the couple’s marriage relationship. The 

training is designed to strengthen 

relationships, inspire hope and rekindle marriages; even start the 

journey of healing for relationships 

under fire. Couples can enjoy a romantic and exciting get-away, all 

while engaging in an innovative 

and highly effective marriage relationship training program. 

The Big Red One’s Strong Bonds 

for Families is based on a curriculum designed especially for military Families. Through smallgroup and one-on-one activities, 

Family members learn how to 

maintain closeness during frequent relocation, long separations 

and repeated reunions. For Soldiers and Families who are raising 

children, the challenges of maintaining closeness while raising 

healthy children can seem overwhelming. Strong Bonds Family 

teaches Soldiers, spouses and children to work together in order to 

ensure Army families stay close. 

Children from the age of 8 and older are encouraged to attend a majority of the training. The curriculum inspires and empowers Families to achieve excellence through 

an environment of love, discovery 

and adventure. 

Every family is a work in progress. The unit ministry teams have 

the ability to help identify not only 

the areas of concern in the family 

dynamic, but to also highlight the 

strengths that the family possesses 

so that those strengths can help 

form the foundation of the family 

transformation. 

The BRO’s Strong Bonds program has a support system tailored 

for each individual Soldier and 

Family member. The Strong Bonds 

training assists participants in discovering the principles and skills 

that will give you the tools to overcome life’s obstacles. Through experiential training, with caring facilitators, relaxation and biofeedback sessions and other helpful 

processes, participants will have 

the opportunity to develop skill 

sets to live a healthy and happier 

life. 

1st Infantry Division's Strong Bonds Resiliency program 

tailors itself to the single Soldier, the couple and the Family 

Story by

Lt. Col. David Lockhart

1st Infantry Division Chaplain

Physical

Emotional

Family 

Social 

Spirituality

Five Pillars of Strength
14

| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |15

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

Cpl. David Dyer, a cavalry scout with 1st Squadron, 4th 

Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st In-

fantry Division, escorts his children to their first day of 

school Aug. 15, 2011.

LEFT: Fort Riley welcomed 

home Soldiers of the 1st 

HBCT, 1st Inf. Div. during a 

redeployment ceremony 

Oct. 3 at the post’s 

Building 88312. The 

“Devil” Brigade Soldiers 

were greeted by their 

Family and friends upon 

their return from a 

year-long tour to Iraq. 

RIGHT: The Family Readi-

ness Group of 1st Battalion, 

16th Infantry Regiment was 

all smiles during the ‘Back 

to School Bash’ held at Fort 

Riley’s Moon Lake. This 

fun-filled day consisted of 

free Domino’s pizza, 

bounce houses, watermel-

on, drinks and fun. The 

Families, Soldiers and 

friends were all invited to 

come out and enjoy.

A 2nd Heavy 

Brigade Combat 

Team, 1st Infantry 

Division Family 

gathers for a photo 

following a rede-

ployment ceremony 

Oct. 21 at Fort 

Riley, Kan. More 

than 200 “Dagger” 

Brigade Soldiers 

returned that day, 

some of the first of 

more than 3,000 

that would return 

throughout October 

Mollie Miller, 

and November.

Duty First! Magazine

SGT. Summer Woode, 1st HBCT PAO

Emma Miller, 6, 

catches a ride 

with her dad, Maj. 

John Miller, 

during the 3rd 

Assault Helicop-

ter Battalion’s 

Family Fun Run in 

August. The 

Family Fun Run 

welcomed dozens 

of Nightmare 

Soldiers and their 

Family members 

to morning 

physical training.

staff photo

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

A 1st Inf. Div. Soldier and his son proudly display their 

support for the Big Red One on Oct. 1 at Kansas State 

University’s annual Fort Riley Day football game. 

A Family stops to visit 

with the 1st Infantry 

Division’s Commanding 

General’s Mounted 

Color Guard while 

attending the 2011 Fort 

Riley Fall Apple Day 

Festival on Serpt. 24at 

the post’s Artillery 

Parade Field. More than 

8,000 attendees visited 

the annual event, which 

is intended to offer 

residents of surround-

ing communities the 

opportunity to interact 

with the post’s Soldiers 

and to learn about 

various organizations.

Dena O’Dell, 1st Infantry Division Post

Dena O'Dell, 1st Infantry Division Post

Ware Elementary School students walk hand-in-hand along Mc-

Clellan Loop on Sept. 9 during Ware Elementary School’s sixth 

annual Freedom Walk. The walk commemorated the 10th anni-

versary of the Sept. 11 attacks. 

Courtesy of 1st HBCT PAO
16| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |17

Individual Completion Times

MEN:

Capt. Kevin Power – 1:02:43

2nd Lt. Jonathan Buckland – 1:04:32

Chief Warrant Officer Jason Chase – 1:04:32

Capt. Oliver Highley – 1:05:27

Capt. Alex Tignor – 1:07:58

WOMEN:

Capt. Bridget Robshaw – 1:13:23

1st Lt. Ashley Longaker – 1:17:29

2nd Lt. Amanda Stafford – 1:17:57

Maj. Yesenia Hutcher – 1:20:06

2nd Lt. Kathryn Buckland – 1:27:42

BRO men’s & women’s teams respresent 

division well at annual Army Ten-Miler 

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

Participants in the 2011 Army Ten-Miler raise their hands in celebration as 

they begin the race Oct. 9 in Washington D.C. 

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

Gen. Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, poses for a picture 

with Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division’s Army Ten-Miler team, following 

the completion of the 27th annual Army Ten-Miler. Ten Soldiers of the division represented the Big Red One with top-ranking performances in the annual race. 

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

First Lt. Ashley Longaker, left, and 2nd Lt. Amanda Stafford, begin their first mile of the 2011 Army Ten-Miler, Oct. 9 in Washington D.C. The event 

marked the first time for both Longaker of 4th IBCT, 1st Inf. and Stafford of the 97th MP Bn., to participate in the event, which is celebrated its 

27th consecutive year. The Fort Riley Women’s Team finished with a combined time of 5 hours and 8 minutes, awarding them 12th place in the 

Active Duty Women–Commanders Cup category.

By Stephanie Hoff

Duty First! Magazine

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Ten Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division represented the Big Red One with top performances in the 27th annual running of the Army Ten-Miler. 

The Fort Riley and 1st Inf. Div.’s men’s team placed 39th, 

and the women’s team placed 186th out of nearly 600 teams 

overall. 

More than 30,000 runners from across the globe descended 

upon the nation’s capital Oct. 9 for the 27th annual race, which 

is currently the third largest competitive run in the world. 

“I have a great time competing (in the ATM). I spend a lot 

of time running and conditioning, so getting to run (in the 

ATM) is a great honor,” said Capt. Alex Tignor, captain of 

the men’s team. The race marked Tignor’s second consecutive year representing the BRO in the competition. Tignor, 

who serves in 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st 

Inf. Div., came in 766th place out of the 

race’s 21,914 finishers. He crossed the finish 

line with a time of 1:07:58. 

The Fort Riley and 1st Inf. Div. Men’s 

Team finished with a combined time of 4 

hours and 17 minutes, awarding them 16th 

place out of 47 teams entered in the Active 

Duty Men-Commanders Cup class. With a 

combined time of 5 hours and 8 minutes, 

the Fort Riley’s Women’s Team was awarded 12th place in the Active Duty Women-Commanders Cup 

category. 

“It feels amazing to be here and able to compete in this 

event,” said 1st Lt. Ashley Longaker, STB, 4th IBCT, 1st Inf. 

Div. Her participation marked Longaker’s first time competing in the national event, where she received a personal record with a completion time of 1 hour and 17 minutes. 

The 10 participants selected to represent Fort Riley in the 

race were chosen for the team after capturing top spots in 

either the 10-mile Run during Victory Week in June or the 

10-5-2 Prairie Run in July. Both races are conducted annually at Fort Riley and serve as a qualifier for active-duty Soldiers to represent the Fort Riley and the 1st Inf. Div. in the 

ATM.

The team’s runners said they plan to continue training 

during the upcoming year in hopes of representing the division and Fort Riley in next year’s ATM.
18| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |19

Around the Division — 3rd IBCT

By Spc. John A. Martinez

TF Centaur PAO

KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan—

A radar dish malfunctioned Sept. 15 

near Combat Outpost Chamkani, a 

small outpost located in a remote, 

mountainous region near the Pakistan 

border. A repair team was summoned 

to perform the risky task of mending it. 

In order to restore the broken radar, 

the Soldiers needed to first traverse a 

mountain in one of Afghanistan’s hostile environments. Within an hour, the 

team diagnosed the system, replaced 

the radar and was ready to move on to 

the next mission. 

The team was led by U.S. Army Sgt. 

1st Class Christopher B. Sutton, a firefinder radar operator from Kankakee, 

Ill., with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st 

Infantry Division, Task Force Centaur. 

Sutton, a 14-year Army veteran, works 

with intricate computer systems known 

as lightweight counter mortar radar. 

The main function of the system is to 

detect incoming mortars and identify 

their firing location. 

“I love this job and everything that 

comes with it,” Sutton said. “This job 

saves lives.”

Part of that job is making sure the 

LCMR system is in good working order, he said. The LCMR plays a role in 

detecting the firing location of incoming enemy mortars. 

“The LCMR is a tool well-suited for 

the fight coalition forces who are currently engaged in with insurgents,” said 

Spc. Magella Correa of Kahaluu, Hawaii, 

one of Sutton’s team members and a mechanic from Battery D., 26 Target Acquisition Battery, 82nd Airborne Division. 

“Because of the LCMR’s ability to 

detect and designate where enemy 

mortars are fired, we are able to find 

and counter-fire on the insurgent that 

attacked us,” Correa said.

Sutton said he started his career primarily to “see the world through a secured job.”

As he matured, so did his desire to 

care for his growing family, which now 

consists of his wife, Tiffany, his son, 

Christopher, and his daughter, Icis. 

Working long hours and being constantly on the move isn’t easy, he added. 

For Sutton, however, his Family plays a 

large part in why he does this job. 

“It’ s hard to be away from them, especially missing out on my son’s soccer 

games and my daughter’s gymnastics 

and piano lessons, but they understand 

this is my job,” he explained. “This is 

what I do to take care of them as well as 

the nation as a whole.”

Since Sutton’s team, based out of 

Forward Operating Base Salerno, is in 

constant demand, they are never in one 

spot for long. He stays in contact with 

his family as much as possible via 

Skype. 

“I’m based at FOB Salerno, but I 

don’t live there; I visit,” Sutton joked. 

“Wherever they need us, we go.” 

Most of his time is spent making the 

journey to a number of different COPs, 

Sutton said. They are constantly on the 

move and as a result are given warm 

welcomes at several of the more remote 

COPs, like Chamkani. 

“It’s a great honor to know you are 

recognized for doing good work,” he 

said. 

Being a fire finder radar operator 

isn’t easy. It requires its technicians to 

Courtesy photo

Sgt. 1st Class Christopher B. Sutton, a fire finder radar operator from Kankakee, Ill., with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 

6th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Task Force Centaur, makes adjustments recently to a lightweight 

counter mortar radar system at Combat Outpost Chamkani. Afghanistan. Sutton, a 14-year Army veteran, is entrusted with maintaining and operating the radar system, which is used to detect incoming mortars and to identify their firing location.

be highly knowledgeable about the 

equipment to be able to troubleshoot 

the dish, Sutton said.

“As with most jobs, skills are perishable,” he said. 

For Sutton’s team, they stay sharp by 

staying busy. 

“Most Soldiers get their training 

through classes and reading. We get 

ours through actual hands on experience and in most cases, while under duress,” he said. 

Many people think of their job as just 

a “9-to-5,” but that’s not the case for 

Sutton. 

“Being a Soldier is being dedicated 

to the military lifestyle and our country. It’s more than wearing a uniform, 

it’s about sacrifice, hard work and doing everything you can to wear the 

uniform with pride,” Sutton said. “To 

me, every Soldier’s job is an important 

one.”

“Sgt. 1st Class Sutton is a hard charging, mission-first leader,” said Warrant 

Officer Bryan Nelson of Longview, Texas, also of HHB, 1st Bn., 6th FA. 

“It’s Sutton’s knowledge of the radar 

systems that is so essential to the mission readiness in our (area of operation),” Nelson said. “By keeping the 

radars up to date and operational, Sutton is providing over watch of insurgents indirect fire in all of Task Force 

Duke.”

Sutton credits his family as the ones 

providing him inspiration to do the 

things that need to be done regardless 

of how tired he may be or how dangerous the task.

“My Family looks at me as their 

hero, so I work hard on being that person for them,” Sutton said. “My son 

told me ‘Dad, you’re my hero,’ and because of his words, I do everything I 

can to do things better than before because I don’t want to ever let my Family 

down.”

Fire-finder radar operator says success in 

profession all about sacrifice, duty and pride 
By Sgt. Keven Parry

CAB PAO

As an Army pilot and chief warrant officer, Kevin Francisco is generally use to being the one 

who gives orders. On Oct. 10, he, along 

with several Soldiers of Company B, 2nd 

General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st 

Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry 

Division, fell under a new chain of command; Francisco’s teenage son, Brason. 

Brason, a Boy Scout with Troop 64 in 

Junction City, is currently working to attain the coveted rank of Eagle Scout. For 

his Eagle Project he chose to assist with the 

improvement of the nature trail behind 

the First Territorial Capitol on Fort Riley.

The Eagle Project is a requirement to 

obtain the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scout program. The 

projects serve as an opportunity for 

scouts to demonstrate leadership skills 

while simultaneously conducting a service to the community. 

The trail, which once had spanned 

nearly five miles, has been vastly shortened over the years because of weather 

and lack of resources. Only about a mile 

of the original trail remains functional, 

said Teresa Young, the First Territorial 

Capitol’s site administrator and tourist 

counselor. The usable portion of the path 

crossed a creek bed where a narrow footbridge was the only means available for 

crossing.

The Soldiers of the ‘Demon’ Brigade, 

along with Scouts from Brason’s troop 

and their Family members, widened the 

bridge to allow for more adequate walking space and added hand rails for improved safety. The Eagle Project also reinstalled 11 sign posts along the trail that 

provide information regarding the natural vegetation of the area.

“(We’re) trying to make it interactive so 

more people will come out,” Brason said.

The Eagle Project occurred alongside 

an effort to re-extend the trail. Volunteers also worked to clear much of the 

path that nature had reclaimed.

“There’s more volunteers than I expected,” Kevin said. “It went much faster than I expected due to the large 

amount of volunteers.”

Following the completion of the project, Brason remained a couple of merit 

badges shy from achieving his Eagle 

Scout rank. Once accomplished, he and 

his father already are looking forward to 

assisting his younger brother in moving 

up the organizations ranks as well. 

20| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |21

Around the Division — CAB

Sgt. Keven Parry, CAB, 1st Inf. Div. PAO

Volunteers dig support holes for a bench during Brason Francisco’s Eagle Project on Oct. 10 at the First Territorial Capitol site on Fort Riley.

o p e r a t i o n

Son's project helps improve historic experience at Fort Riley 

Sgt. Keven Parry, CAB, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs

Brason Francisco and his father, Chief Warrant 

Officer Kevin Francisco, stand on the completed 

bridge at the conclusion of Brason’s Eagle Project 

at the First Territorial Capitol site on Fort Riley.

Eagle Scout

Project

The Soldiers of the “Demon” Brigade, 

along with Scouts from Brason Francisco’s 

Troop 64, and their Family members, chose 

to assist with the improvement of the nature 

trail behind the First Territorial Capitol on 

Fort Riley. This project has included widening 

the bridge to allow for more adequate 

walking space and adding hand rails for 

improved safety. The Eagle Project also has 

re-installed 11 sign posts along the trail that 

provide information regarding the natural 

vegetation of the area.
22| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |23

Around the Division — 4th MEB

By Sgt. Heather Denby 

4th MEB PAO

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo.—The 

Big Red One’s 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade added another page to 

its history books Oct. 1 when it culminated its mission of Federal military 

response to a potential Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and 

high-yield Explosives event in the 

homeland.

The brigade relinquished its authority and designation as the Task Force 

Operations component to U.S. Northern 

Command’s CBRNE—Consequence 

Management Response Force, or CCMRF, to the 1st Maneuver Enhancement 

Brigade in a formal ceremony Sept. 30 at 

Fort Polk, La.

The event officially marked the 

end of 4th MEB’s two-year stint as 

one of the lead components to the 

CCMRF mission. Over the last two 

years, the ‘Dauntless’ Brigade provided a variety of personnel and resources needed to assist Federal, state 

and local civil authorities during a 

CBRN response operation, including 

“The same 

leadership, hard 

work and dedication 

that produced such 

successes on the 

CCMRF mission will 

carry the 4th MEB to 

success as they face 

the challenges of 

full-spectrum 

operations.”

Col. Robert Risberg, 

chief of staff for the 

1st Infantry Division

4th MEB 

passes on 

CBRN-response 

mission, 

refocuses on 

combat role

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

Soldiers of the 4th MEB, 1st Inf. Div., run through a mock-scenario Aug. 18, 2010, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The 

simulated training exercise designed to prepare the Soldiers on managing the consequences of a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive domestic accident or incident.

chemical detection, engineering, 

and search and rescue.

October 1 additionally marked 

the transition of the CCMRF to the 

Defense CBRN Response Force, or 

DCRF—a 5,200-person force that 

offers additional life-saving and 

life-sustaining military forces, to 

include CBRN decontamination 

and medical personnel.

Since its designation as Task 

Force Operations, the brigade has 

conducted more than 40 exercises 

nationwide including two command post exercises at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and two mission 

readiness exercises at Camp Atterbury, Ind. The unit was also responsible for directing more than 

25 subordinate units from all 

branches of the military, including 

the Marine Corps’ Chemical, Biological Incident Response Force 

and the Air Force Radiation Assessment Team. 

“The joint service team of Task 

Force Operations has done a magnificent job in providing a critical 

capability to the nation,” said Col. 

Frank Y. Rangel Jr., 4th MEB commander. “Based throughout the United 

States, our Soldiers, airmen and Marines 

have trained over the last two years to 

provide specialized skills when it would 

matter most—during an emergency 

when American lives are at stake.” 

While operating in their CCMRF 

role, the Dauntless Soldiers, led by 

Joint Task Force-Civil Support, operated as the command and control headquarters for CCMRF.

The brigade’s leadership and Soldiers have since been busy focusing on a 

new mission: full-spectrum operations.

“Relinquishing our current mission 

is bittersweet,” said Capt. John Tribe, 

the 4th MEB Headquarters and Headquarters Company commander. “Our 

brigade stood up and was given the 

task to defend the country in the event 

of a domestic terrorist attack in the 

wake of 9/11.”

“My guys have worked hard to 

build a strong, functional relationship 

with state, local and federal authorities 

to provide the support they might need 

if another attack had occurred.” 

Still, the Soldiers of the 4th MEB 

must transition back to a combat-oriented mindset and prepare for future 

tasking as a fully-functional, deployable combat unit after two years of 

stateside training and operations. 

While operating stateside, Title 10 

Federal military forces must adhere to 

the Posse Comitatus Act, which stipulates those forces cannot provide law 

enforcement within the U.S., according to the Center for Law and Military 

Operations. 

“Basically, our Soldiers will need 

to learn what they can and cannot do 

to prevent hostile behavior as we prepare to transition to a much wider 

scope of operations including worldwide deployments in support of combat operations,” said Maj. Kari Hadley, the 4th MEB judge advocate. 

During the brigade’s tenure as 

Task Force Operations, the only 

time 4th MEB transferred the CCMRF mission was during the seven 

days following a New Years Eve 

tornado that struck Fort Leonard 

Wood, damaging many buildings 

and some Army equipment. 

Less than two weeks after the 

relinquishment of its CCMRF 

mission, the 4th MEB is scheduled to conduct its first field 

training exercise as a combat-oriented brigade in preparation for 

overseas deployments. 

The training was nearly immediately followed by participation 

in the 1st Infantry Division’s mission readiness exercise at Fort Riley, Kan., where the Soldiers utilized Army Battle Command Systems and practice full Military 

Decision Making Processes. 

“Fourth MEB has done an outstanding job as Task Force Operations,” said 

Col. Robert Risberg, chief of staff for 

the the 1st Infantry Division. “Growing from a brand new maneuver support organization into the premier Defense Support of Civil Authorities unit 

in the Army in only three years was 

not easy and serves as a testament to 

the great men and women of the 

Dauntless Brigade.

“The same leadership, hard work 

and dedication that produced such successes on the CCMRF mission will carry the 4th MEB to success as they face 

the challenges of full-spectrum operations,” he said. 

“The entire Big Red One team salutes 

the 4th MEB and its job well-done!”

Chuck Cannon, Guardian Newspaper

Col. Frank Rangel, commander of the 4th MEB, 1st Inf. Div., 

relinquishes the brigade’s authority and designation as the 

Task Force Operations component to U.S. Northern Command’s CBRNE–Consequence Management Response 

Force on Sept. 30 at Fort Polk, La. The ceremony officially 

marked the end of the brigade’s two-year mission as one of 

the lead components to the CCMRF mission. 
24| www.facebook.com/1stInfantryDivision Duty First! Family Issue 2011 |25

Around the Division — 4th IBCT

By Sgt. Gene A. Arnold

4IBCT, PAO

WHEATON, ILL.—TO CELEBRATE THE 93RD ANNIVERSARY 

OF THE BATTLE OF CANTIGNY, THE 1ST BATTALION, 28TH 

INFANTRY REGIMENT, 4TH INFANTRY BRIGADE COMBAT 

TEAM, 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION, PRESENTED A PAINTING OF 

ITS LATEST WAR OPERATIONS TO THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION MUSEUM ON MAY 28 IN WHEATON, ILL.

Sgt. Gene A. Arnold, 4IBCT PAO

From left, Staff Sgt. Joshua Durbin, of Company A, 1st. Sgt. Brandon McGuire, the senior noncommissioned officer of Company D, and honorary 

Command Sgt. Maj. Ian Field, unveil the 09-11 Operation Iraqi Freedom painting by James Dietz to a crowd of spectators on the 93rd anniversary 

of the Battle of Cantigny on May 28 in Wheaton, Ill.

“There is a doughboy 

statue of a 1-28 Inf. Reg. Soldier, in the reception area of 

the 1st Infantry Division 

Museum, during World War 

I in the Battle of Cantigny,” 

said Cpt. Sean M. Rufolo, 

the commander of Company 

D, 1st Bn., 28th Inf.

Not many know that the 

Battle of Cantigny was the 

first war offensive fought 

by Americans in World War 

I. On that faithful day of 

battle in Cantigny, France 

the 1st Bn., 28th Inf., also 

known as the “Black Lions” 

and the 1st Inf. Div., made 

the ultimate sacrifice in securing freedom. Keeping 

with its valorous tradition, 

the “Black Lion” Soldiers 

continue to defend the 

American way of life in 

many conflicts to include 

Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“(Now) we’ll have another representation of the 

battalion with the (Sept. 

11) Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment painting 

by James Dietz,” Rufolo 

said. 

“We’re adding to the history of the 1st Infantry Division and to the ‘Black Lions’ 

legacy,” he added.

Dietz, a well-known artist who depicts military wars, 

used a consolidation of photos taken by the Soldiers across 

the battalion while on patrol with Iraqi forces in the province of Salah Ad Din, Iraq to create the painting.

A special treat to the presentation, was the attendance 

and co-presentation with honorary Command Sgt. Maj. 

Ian Field. 

Seven-year-old Ian visited the division’s Black Lion Soldiers this past April as part of the Make-A-Wish program.

The bond the Field family has developed with their 

‘Black Lions’ Family continues to strengthen since that 

day.

“It’s great to see Ian 

again,” said 1st Sgt. Brandon 

McGuire, the company’s 

first sergeant and Ian’s Team 

Chief during his “Make-AWish” visit to Fort Riley, 

Kan. 

“It’s a good opportunity 

for (1st. Sgt. McGuire) to 

meet with him again,” Cpt. 

Rufolo said. “I think Ian 

gets very excited when he 

see’s (1st Sgt. McGuire) ...

he’s very comfortable with 

him.”

The Big Red One’s Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard and 1st Infantry Division Jazz band 

also were on hand to participate in the day’s events. 

The spectators who attended the ceremony walked the 

grounds and halls of the museum as a new display was 

added with the new Multi Camouflage Uniform, currently 

used in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

“It’s a good opportunity to be a part of a piece of history 

by giving it to the organization that helped us acquire it,” 

Rufolo said.

“It’s always great to do anything with the community 

and give a good picture of today’s Soldier,” McGuire said. 

“I’m very proud to represent the division and 4th Brigade ... being a part of the Cantigny Museum; the Soldiers 

of the past and today.” 

Sgt. Gene A. Arnold, 4IBCT PAO

Honorary Command Sgt. Maj. Ian Field and 1st. Sgt. Brandon McGuire, of 

Company D, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, walk to the 09-11 Operation Iraqi 

Freedom painting to get a sneak peak before its unveiling May 28.

We’re adding to the 

history of the 1st 

Infantry Division 

and to the ‘Black 

Lions’ legacy.”

Cpt. Sean M. Rufolo, 

commander of Co. D, 

1st Bn., 28th Inf.
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