Unofficial 1st Infantry Division Magazine of Soldiers and Families | www.riley.army.mil

Aviation Soldiers ready for move in Iraq

‘Dragon’ Brigade Soldiers put boots back on Fort Riley
 Duty First! May 2010 

|1

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 set the example for others to follow.

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

for my country. My loyalty 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 enthusiasm 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.

Duty First!

The Duty First is an unofficial publication pro-

duced under the provisions of AR 360-1, pub-

lished 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. Circu-

lation 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, KS 66442 

Telephone number

COM 785-239-6821 

 DSN 856-6821 

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

1st Infantry Division Commander

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks

1st Infantry Division CSM

Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Champagne

1st Infantry Division PAO

Lt. Col. Matt Hackathorn

Editor

Anna Staatz

Staff Writers

Jordan Chapman

Stephanie Hoff

Illustrator

Justin Angeles

Photo by jordan chapman, duty first! magazine 

No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great.

May 2010 | www.riley.army.mil

Cover: Spc. Anthony Giroux and Spc. Robert 

Malone, both members of 1st Squad, 3rd Pla-

toon of Warrior Leader Course Class 707-10, 

remain alert as they rehearse their entrance 

into a building before they simulated an assault 

on a mock IED factory.

CONTENTS

Departments

Features

Danger 6

ARFORGEN policy 

meeting demands Danger 7

Re-enlisting helps 

Families remain stable Danger Forward

Soldiers hand off 

base to Iraqis Man’s best friend

Mine-detection dogs 

having a ball training 

Schooling never stops

Soldiers reap benefits of 

educational opportunties Doing a ‘dirty’ job

Brigades keep equipment 

in tip-top shape

Always on the lookout

Warrior Leader Course 

targets young NCOs Families reunited

First ‘Dragon’ Soldiers 

arrive at Fort Riley

Building from scratch

1st HBCT Brigade moves 

from ground zero up Going digital

Computer technology takes 

Army training to new level

1st Sustainment Brigade deploys

Commander: Crawl, walk, run 

approach made unit successful

27–29 2

22

648

10

12

16

20

Veteran of two armies

Canine Soldier readies 

for his sixth deployment
The needs of the Army often take 

its Soldiers many places. Generally, following a deployment, 

a Soldier returns to a post long enough 

to help a unit begin its reset, then they 

pack up their Family and head to a new 

duty station to start all over.

That constant process isn’t just hard 

on a Soldier—it’s hard on their Family 

and their unit, as well. Opting to stay in 

the Army and re-enlist for their present 

duty assignment gives both the Soldier 

and the Army some benefits that can’t 

be overlooked.

Soldiers work hard to establish solid 

reputations which can assist in building 

their career. Often, a successful work 

record will help them in finding a follow-on assignment. For many Soldiers 

in the Big Red One, service at the battalion level can lead to service at the brigade level, which can feed into time 

working at division headquarters. And 

that’s a good thing—the Big Red One 

then retains quality people who continue to help the division excel. There’s 

also something to be said for familiarity—once you get to know an installation, regardless of the assignment you 

receive there, you have all the necessary 

knowledge to capitalize on your new 

position.

Staying put for longer periods of 

time is important for Families, as well. 

It allows a Soldier’s spouse and children to put down roots in an area—

find a church, get involved in youth 

programs, or discover a favorite recreational activity. Children get to stay in 

the same school system and develop 

friendships that aren’t quickly torn 

apart by a move. When a Family stays 

at a duty station for more than a couple 

of years, a spouse can find a job and 

add to their work record, finish out a 

educational degree, and establish a 

network of support in the area. A stable Family is a Family in a better position to handle their Soldier’s deployment and training—because they will 

have had the opportunity to create a 

home for themselves.

When it comes to the Big Red One, 

history is important. The 1st Infantry 

Division has always been a name to 

reckon with when it comes to fighting 

on our nation’s front lines. The Soldiers 

of today stand on the shoulders of those 

who came before us. That’s why it’s important to choose to stay with the 1st 

Infantry Division. The Soldiers who put 

the time into taking the Big Red One 

onward have a deeper appreciation for 

what they have created and what they 

continue to fight for.

Talk to your unit retention office 

about finding a way to reap the benefits 

of staying with the 1st Infantry Division. They will help you find a way to 

better your career and your division.

Now, get after it!

Duty First!

I

n less than three years, the Army 

has successfully implemented the 

greatest transformation to its 

force generating system since the beginning of the Cold War. The impetus for 

this change was primarily driven by the 

complex nature of today’s threat, the 

reality of preparing forces on compressed time lines for extended deployments and the imperative to preserve 

the all-volunteer force. 

While we are in an era of persistent 

conflict, we continue to generate forces 

as the global demand for land forces exceeds the available supply. Despite this, 

our nation and the combatant commanders expect the Army to produce a 

sustained supply of trained and ready 

forces—and, since 2003, we have met 

those expectations. 

This demand for forces, along with 

the conversion to modular formations 

and our use of the reserve components 

as an operational force on a recurring 

basis, required the Army to adapt its 

force generation model. In 2006, we replaced the Cold War-era linear model 

based on tiered readiness and sequential deployment with a 21st-century rotational model based on progressive 

readiness and capable of cyclical deployments. We call this force generation model and process Army force 

generation (ARFORGEN), and it applies to both active and reserve component units.

In recognition of the uneven, but 

continuous, global demand for capabilities, the Army made the decision to 

adapt its force generation construct into 

one optimized to deploy trained and 

ready forces on a rotational basis. In 

2005, the Chief of Staff of the Army approved the ARFORGEN model for concept development. A year later, the Secretary of the Army approved the implementation of ARFORGEN. 

Since then, ARFORGEN has proved 

to be a flexible force generation construct. 

For instance, reinforcement of Multi-National Force-Iraq in early 2007 involved 

readying the five brigade combat teams, 

a combat aviation brigade, a complement 

of combat support units, and a division 

headquarters on a greatly accelerated 

time line that could not have been accomplished as effectively with the legacy 

system. Without ARFORGEN, we would 

have bulled our way forward, albeit 

more slowly, with greater friction and 

with less alacrity. The success of synchronizing the Army systems to accomplish this surge of forces while simultaneously sustaining already deployed 

forces is without parallel in the Army’s 

recent history.

The ARFORGEN cycle is ever present in the 1st Infantry Division and Fort 

Riley and we have specific goals laid 

out in the Fort Riley 2015 Campaign 

Plan to help us better synchronize our 

ARFORGEN process. This includes 

standardized training schedules, which 

ultimately results in more predictable 

calendars for Soldiers and Families. We 

are an Army at war, and though I would 

like to see that change, I don’t anticipate 

it happening anytime soon. ARFORGEN is one of the necessary tools that 

helps us prepare for the fight. 

Duty First!

2| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |3

Commanding General DANGER 6 Command Sergeant Major DANGER 7

ARFORGEN meets demands Stay in, stay home

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks Division Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Champagne
ARFORGEN RESET

4| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |5

When a brigade returns from a deployment, their work is long from finished. 

They have 180 days to reset 97 percent of 

their on-hand equipment. For the 2nd 

Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry 

Division, that has been 22,000 pieces to 

clean, inspect, fix and make ready for reliable use in the field.

As of April 2, they deemed themselves 

ready for the train-ready phase of the 

Army Forces Generation Cycle, but how 

was it done? It wasn’t simple.

According to Maj. Jason Mead, 2nd 

HBCT S4 and logistics officer, equipment 

reset takes the dedication of countless unsung heroes that can do their job efficiently 

and effectively, though he noted that the reset phase has to start before they even step 

foot on the plane bound for the states.

The first type of equipment reset is at a 

sustainment level, when the brigade turns 

in a portion of their equipment in Kuwait. 

Weapons Summary

NUMBER OF ITEMS REPAIRED, 2HBCT:

M16 — 296

M4 — 3,302

M203 — 278

M9 — 285

M249 — 285

M2 — 1

M240B — 6

M500 — 150

M40A1 — 2,920

Optics Summary

NUMBER OF ITEMS REPAIRED, 2HBCT:

M68 — 2,557

M145 — 119

ACOG/M150 — 188

M22 — 159

M24 — 205

M25 — 27

Lasers Summary

NUMBER OF ITEMS REPAIRED, 2HBCT:

PEQ-2 — 29

PEQ-15 — 466

Gas Masks Repaired — 1,023

Weapon Systems Observations

M-4: Generally good condition. Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs include failing trigger 

pin hole failing gaging, buffer detent hole cracked

M-16: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

M-203: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs include cracked receivers, QRB mount screws 

stripped, breech hole chipped out. Two referred to DS to have the breech glued.

M-9: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs include stripped grip screw bushing, cracked lower receiver

M240: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

M249: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs include cracked receivers, Sling hole broken 

out, front mounting lugs cracked, rail mounting holes distorted, bent magazine well, and 

a bent and cracked charging handle rail.

M500: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs include cracked receivers.

M68: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs included the on/off switch broken or bent, lens 

scratched, an unable to install battery cap.

M145: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

M150: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs included damaged elevation/traverse turret

M22: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

M24: Normal wear and tear. Dirty. Code outs included loose hinge assembly.

M25: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

P2A: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

P15: Normal wear and tear. Dirty.

Terms used to categorize weapon conditions 

Having just returned from a deployment, a Soldier 

knows when and where to turn in equipment for repair. They walk in the door, drop off their items and get 

it back in new condition. But that’s not the half of it.

After repairs are made, the equipment 

comes into the brigade’s Supply Support 

Activity, which then gets handed back to 

the unit. If it’s a vehicle or generator to be 

repaired, the equipment is sent to the Vehicle Processing Yard at Camp Funston 

where units can pick it up.

Another option open to brigades is to 

have equipment sent off to Fort Hood, 

Texas, for repair, and then to be sent 

back once it is deemed ready.

Equipment is also sent to different organizations on Fort Riley to be repaired, 

which is a practice known as field-level 

reset. Soldiers within the Army Forces 

Field Support Battalion could receive this 

equipment, or Small Arms Repair and 

Evaluation Teams (SARET) are brought 

in to repair weapon systems and optics.

“They came in and set up ... the units 

showed up, dropped off their equipment, it went through a process where 

(the teams) inspected the items, replaced 

it, coded out parts, cleaned it, fixed it, set 

it down and got it back to the unit,” 

Mead described, noting that these 

SARET teams completed their task in a 

mere three weeks, reiterating that it is in 

all these ways that resetting brigades are 

receiving repaired equipment from multiple sources.

Mead explained once equipment is 

returned, new “fieldings,” or upgraded 

equipment or software; need to be added to existing equipment.

“People will come in, they take the old 

stuff, they give us new stuff and if there is 

new training with it, then (Soldiers) will 

be trained up on that new system. So if 

there is a new version or different features 

on a system, then they will run them 

through a class,” he explained.

Once the brigade has repaired 97 percent of their equipment on hand, units can 

then begin conducting their own repairs.

“The importance of the reset phase is 

to ensure we can hit the train-ready phase 

with (the entire) mission essential equipment ready to go,” Mead said. “It’s been 

an eye opener ... there has been a lot of 

impressive work done by a lot of people, 

repair teams, Army Material Command, 

everyone in the brigade, 3,000 people ... 

Story & photos by Jordan Chapman it’s been phenomenal,” he said.

Reset Humvees and Light Medium Tatical Vehicles wait to be picked up by 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Soldiers in Fort Riley’s Vehicle Processing Yard.

Wear and tear guarding against `normal ́
who are in need of enhancing their 

knowledge in a desired discipline. 

A plethora of courses await Soldiers 

and those within the Army family at 

the Military Schools Facility, buildings 

8388, 8388A and 77692 which house 24 

classrooms, each with computer stations and video tele-training 

capabilities.

Courses such as bus driver, fuel handler, ammunition 

handler, field sanitation, level 

one and two combatives, unit 

armorer, combat lifesaver and recertification, lifeguard, CPR and 

more can be accessed by contacting the 

facility.

All courses are offered free to Soldiers and could count toward college 

credit at Barton County Community 

College.

For a complete listing of all courses, 

individuals should visit www.riley.

army.mil and look up military schools 

under the education and training and 

services tab.

Inquiries also can be directed to the 

program manager at (785) 239-5454.

For NCO Professional Development 

or off-post schools, inquiries should be 

directed to the training coordinator at 

(785) 239-1290. However, a FR Form 28 

must be filled out and sent to rile.dptmsmsts@conus.army.mil for off-post 

and sustainment training. This form 

also can be found at the provided link.

More educational opportunities exist through Fort Riley Education Services, including scholarship and tutoring assistance as well as a testing center. To gather more information, interested persons should either visit www.

riley.army.mil or contact Education 

Services.

Educational opportunities also extend out to surrounding colleges and 

universities. A partnership between 

Barton Community College and Fort 

Riley offers Soldiers the chance to earn 

a Certificate of Applied Science in Military Technologies (C.A.S.), which prepares students with the skills required 

for successful executions of duties in 

the fields of military leadership, logistics and dangerous material handling and 

response. 

The partnership is not limited to just the CAS, though. Soldiers and 

their Families are welcome to attain any 

of the degrees offered through the college. Central Texas College, Upper Iowa 

University, Kansas State University, Central Michigan University, Southwestern 

College and University of Mary also partner with Fort Riley to offer Soldiers and 

Family members opportunities to further 

themselves educationally.

6| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |7

ILITARY SCHOOLS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED at Fort Riley have two objectives: to supplement job and unit functions by providing required training 

specifically designed to support current combat operations 

and to support unit reconstitution after returning from a 

deployment.

To do that, 25 instructors and support staff within Fort 

Riley Troop Schools who have more than 300 years of combined military experience are at the beck and call of Soldiers 

Courtesy photo

ABOVE: A 1st Infantry Division Soldier tests her skills at bus driving during a course offered at Fort Riley in August of 2009. OPPOSITE: Big Red One 

Soldier holds his pride high after receiving his diploma at graduation in January. 

By Jordan Chapman | Duty First! Magazine

Army and Soldiers 

both reap rewards 

from educational 

opportunities

Education 

Services

Main Post Learning Center: 785-239-6481

Learning Center #1: 785-239-9485

Tutor Center: 785-240-3617

Testing Center: 785-239-6482

Partnered 

Colleges and 

Universities

Barton Community College

Phone: 785-784-6606

http://fr.bartonccc.edu/

Central Texas College

Phone: 785-784-6240

www.ctcd.edu/continental/ftriley/index.

htm

Upper Iowa University

Phone: 785-784-5225

www.uiu.edu/eu_students/nationwide/

fortriley.html

Kansas State University

Phone: 785-239-0685

www.dce.k-state.edu/military/ftriley.shtml

Central Michigan University

Phone: 785-784-4402

www.cel.cmich.edu/ftriley/

Southwestern College

Phone: 785-784-9930

www.southwesterncollege.org/frw

University of Mary

Phone: 785-239-6792

www.umary.edu/um/
8| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |9

Whether an up-and-coming junior 

Soldier or a young noncommissioned officer, in order to know 

success, a Soldier has to know how to 

be a leader. That’s where Sgt. Maj. Steve 

Murphy and 17 Warrior Leader Course 

instructors come in.

Offered at Fort Riley now for a little 

more than a year through a partnership 

with Camp Ashland, Neb., the WLC is 

a 15-day course of 196 hours that trains 

and prepares junior-enlisted Soldiers to 

shoulder the responsibilities of being a 

NCO by teaching them basic warrior 

tasks such as leadership, drill and ceremony, physical fitness training, combat 

operations in an occupied area, how to 

give commands, how to lead a squad in 

various environments, leading a 12 to 

13-man patrol, management skills and 

much more.

“It’s the first formal training an up 

and coming NCO or sergeant ... gets as 

a noncommissioned officer,” Murphy 

said, explaining each student is placed 

in their own squad of Soldiers who each 

have their own background and military occupational specialty, who will 

then be taught by 17 instructors who 

also have differing backgrounds and 

work experiences.

Murphy said there was an extreme 

benefit in getting to group Soldiers and 

instructors with diverse histories into a 

cohesive unit while going through the 

course.

“I think you get a different perspective from all around the Army,” Murphy said. He noted that some Soldiers 

who may do well in the situational 

training exercise may need assistance in 

teaching a class. 

“We have (instructors) that have at 

least three deployments, sometimes 

four deployments, who have a little experience that they can share with those 

young guys just coming in to the 

Army,” Murphy said. 

What Soldiers take out of the course 

is all based upon their own personality, 

initiative and experience, Murphy 

said.

“Some of them gain confidence to 

get out in front of their peers ... teaching a class or getting up in front of their 

peers leading a patrol. Some haven’t 

been given or had the opportunity before ... and they become a better leader 

because they took the time to learn,” 

Murphy said. “I’ve never had a Soldier 

say they didn’t learn something while 

they were here.”

The young WLC graduates are not 

the only ones progressing forward. The 

Fort Riley WLC can handle 135 Soldiers 

during each training cycle, a number 

that has grown from 48 when the course 

first started last year. 

For more information on the WLC, 

Soldiers can visit http://www.riley.army.

mil/UnitPage.aspx?unit=WLC or check 

out the WLC on Facebook.com.

Jordan Chapman/Duty First! Magazine

ABOVE: Spc. Lucas Guerrero, 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon of Warrior Leader Course Class 707-10, keeps his sight trained in front of him while his squadmates perform medevac procedures behind him March 23rd after storming a mock IED factory. OPPOSITE (FROM LEFT): Future and young noncommissioned officers a part of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, of Warrior Leader Course Clas 707-10, “stack” on a mock IED factory entrance before they 

storm inside and clear the rooms; members of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon of Warrior Leader Course Class 707-10, make their way through a smoke 

grenade they threw for cover while coming upon a mock IED factory; a Soldier of 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon of Warrior Leader Course Class 707-10, 

keeps his sight trained on a mock IED factory while his squadmates come up behind him for the assault during a WLC test day; Spc. Richard Garrison assists a “wounded” Spc. Lucas Guerrero out of a mock IED factory. 
10| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |11

“The buses are here,” were the 

words that preceded numerous 

cheers and claps from Family 

members anxiously awaiting the 

return of their Soldiers.

Fort & families celebrate 

return of Dragon Brigade 

from deployment to Iraq

Stories & photos by Stephanie Hoff | Duty First! Magazine

Approximately 150 Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, returned to 

Fort Riley in a redeployment ceremony April 26. The 

Soldiers were comprised of companies from the 2nd 

Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 

“Dragon” Brigade’s advance party. 

“I’m ready to scream; I’m probably going to tackle 

him when I see him,” said Jenna Mitchell, wife of 

Spc. Roger Mitchell of 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt. “This 

is the longest that we’ve ever been away from each 

other in the seven 

years that we’ve 

been married.” 

The “Dragon” 

brigade deployed to 

Iraq in September 

2009 and assumed 

control of the Salah 

ad Din Province in 

early October; a location approximately the size of New 

Jersey. 

While deployed, 

the unit’s primary 

mission was the responsible drawdown of U.S. forces 

out of Iraq through 

partnered efforts 

with the 4th Iraqi 

Army Division, the 

U.S. State Department Provincial Reconstruction Team 

and the provincial 

government. 

Currently, there 

are 100,000 service 

members deployed 

to Iraq and this is 

scheduled to decrease to 50,000. As 

part of the drawdown of U.S. forces 

in Iraq, the brigade 

has closed or transferred 10 bases over to the Iraqi government and Iraqi Security Forces, with six remaining 

before the entire brigade returns to Fort Riley.

The brigade also has focused efforts on anti-corruption measures at Bayji Oil Refinery, reconstruction efforts 

for the Samarra Golden Mosque and joint ventures with 

Tikrit University and the Tikrit Women’s College.

Since October 2009, the brigade has submitted 159 

projects to improve local infrastructure and boost the 

local economy, spending more than $18 million to 

support the people in the Salah ad Din Province. In 

many situations, U.S. funds have been matched with 

Iraqi funds.

The brigade previously deployed to Iraq in 2007. 

Forty percent of the brigade’s Soldiers are preparing 

to complete their second tour with the unit. “Unlearning skills and adjusting themselves to a post-surge, 

less violent, Iraq has 

been an adjustment 

for most Soldiers,” 

said Col. Henry Arnold III, brigade 

commander, in a 

March 2010 video 

t e l e - c o n f e r e n c e . 

“Soldiers returning 

to Iraq can observe 

first-hand the improvements to the 

country’s economy 

and security forces.” 

“The war has been 

won and the Dragon 

Brigade has played 

an essential part in 

setting the condition 

for a successful transition of U.S. forces out 

of Iraq,.” Arnold 

added. 

The brigade’s 

first redeployment 

ceremony was concluded by a token of 

appreciation to the 

Soldiers from Brig. 

Gen. David Petersen, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley 

deputy commanding general–rear. 

“I want to thank 

you for your service. 

I tell you what, you served in a time in Iraq where it’s 

very historic and quite honestly, we’re all proud of 

you,” Petersen said. 

The approximately 3,500 Soldiers of the Dragon 

Brigade are expected to redeploy to Fort Riley in phases through July, with the entire brigade scheduled to 

be back at Fort Riley by August.

ABOVE: Staff Sgt. Christopher Hurd of Co. B., 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., greets 

his family April 26 in building 88312 following a redeployment ceremony for 

approximately 130 Soldiers of the 4th Inf. Brigade Combat Team. OPPOSITE:

Private 1st Class Roberto Vides, Co. D, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., hugs his wife, 

Jenn, April 26 at building 88312 following a redeployment ceremony for approximately 130 Soldiers of the 4th IBCT. 
For the past three years the 

mission for the Soldiers of 1st 

HBCT was to train the Soldiers 

who had been assigned to a Military Transition Team. The brigade handed over a majority of 

its equipment and vehicles and 

decreased its once 3,000-Soldierstrong population to a little more 

than 300. The unit was then no 

longer an official brigade, but referred to by the Army as a Table 

of Distribution and Allowances. A TDA is generally a small group of Soldiers who comprise 

non-combat and non-deployable workload 

based units. 

In September 2009, the MTT training mission was transitioned to Fort Polk, La., and the 

“Devil” Brigade began to rebuild its resources 

and train for an upcoming deployment, scheduled for this fall. 

“This is a fundamental shift for brigade. 

We are no longer a cadre providing training 

to others; we are now a team rehearsing our 

own skills to carry out assigned missions as a 

unit,” said Col. Eric Wesley, brigade commander. “Additionally, whereas our focus 

during the MTT mission was solely focused 

on small-unit fighting skills and advisory 

principles, we are now training operations 

that integrate warfighting functions up to the 

battalion and brigade level to carry out fullspectrum operations.”

The first major undertaking for the brigade’s leadership was to organize the rapid 

arrival of Soldiers and equipment assigned to 

the brigade. 

“It was majorly ‘whoosh.’ We had no equipment, more or less, so the Army had to bring all 

the stuff to us. So we went from ground zero 

up; building a brigade,” said Command Sgt. 

Major John Jones, the brigade’s sergeant major. 

“This is one of the last brigades to be built in 

the Army, more or less, from the ground up.”

The brigade now has returned to more than 

3,000 Soldiers and has been busy training and 

preparing its Soldiers, who are returning to 

their original Military Occupational Specialties, Jones added. 

“This build of the brigade and the associated return to our organic weapon systems is 

symbolic of these Soldiers’ return to their essential mission,” Wesley said. “The essence of 

a Soldier is to participate in brigade operations; 

to be assigned to a fighting unit and carry out 

assigned missions in a combat environment.” 

The brigade’s primary focus is to successfully train its units at the platoon level, Wesley 

and Jones both commented. 

“We’re doing all the training at the platoon 

level. If we know the platoons are strong; we’ll 

(continued on page 14)

12| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |13

ARFORGEN TRAIN/READY

Story by Stephanie Hoff | Duty First! Magazine

After three years of training fellow 

Soldiers gearing up to deploy, the time 

has come for the Soldiers of 1st Heavy 

Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry 

Division, to prepare themselves. 

1st HBCT back 

to 3,000 strong, 

training with 

tanks & paladins

The essence of a Soldier is to participate in 

brigade operations; to be assigned to a fighting unit and carry out assigned missions in a 

combat environment.

— Col. Eric Wesley

1 HBCT commander
14| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May2010 |15

Veterans, 

We want you ... to attend

The 1st Infantry Division invites all 

Big Red One veterans to Fort Riley 

for Victory Week 2010. The Big Red 

One always has set the standard as 

a fighting force, and we continue to 

do so, building on the sacrifices and 

dedication of those who wore the 

Big Red One patch before now.

Victory Week is an annual 

event consisting of sporting events 

to showcase the strength of our 

current Soldiers, a Fallen Warriors 

Ceremony to remember those 

who have paid the ultimate price for 

the division in the past 12 months, 

and a division review, when the senior commander reviews a formation representing the entire division. Vietnam veterans—many of 

whom did not receive a welcome 

home greeting when they returned—are invited to participate 

and be recognized during this ceremony. The week will conclude with 

a festival and concert June 18 on 

Marshall Army Airfield.

If you are a Vietnam veteran and plan to participate, please visit 

www.riley.army.mil for Victory Week updates and information, or 

visit the 1st Infantry Division on Facebook.

(continued from page 13)

know the company or battery or troop level will be 

strong,” Jones said. “Because if we know the platoons are 

strong, everybody else will fall into sync and they will be 

strong; getting everything ready to go to (the National 

Training Center). That’s our goal and we will meet that 

with no problem.”

The units, Soldiers and leadership have been readily 

preparing for their upcoming NTC rotation and subsequent 

deployment. In September, the brigade’s Soldiers returned 

to their tanks, Paladins and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and 

by February, things started booming on Fort Riley. 

On Feb. 10, the Soldiers of Soldiers of Company D, 1st 

Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment fired the brigade’s first 

live tank round in more than five years. The brigade’s Soldiers marked another milestone on March 23, when the 

Soldiers of Battery D, 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, conducted the battalion’s first live-fire exercise with a M109A6 

(paladin) Howitzer in more than four years.

“Soldiers love to train; it’s a known fact. The average 

Soldier joined because they want to train, be proud of 

what they do, and represent the United States Army with 

what they do,” Jones said. “They’re loving it. They’re like 

a fat boy on a cupcake.” 

Following the brigade’s scheduled NTC rotation in 

July, the unit is set to deploy in the fall for a yearlong tour. 

The brigade’s leadership is currently reviewing and assigning its team leaders up to battalion commanders to 

ensure each unit is prepared and has proper leadership 

before heading down range, Jones said. Making sure the 

correct Soldiers are assigned to rear detachment details, as 

well as the correct leaders for the Family Readiness Group 

are also a current priority for the brigade, he add. 

“We’re bringing Soldiers to our brigade from all walks 

of life, so everybody brings a different piece of the pie. 

Everybody does it a little different everywhere. The concept is the same but how they accomplish it is always a 

little different,” Jones said. “So you bring everybody’s 

ideas into one and you deliver up your own as a brigade. 

That’s what we’re doing right now.” 

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

TOP: Soldiers of Battery, B, 1st Bn., 5th Field Art., 1st HBCT, fire a live 

round from a paladin howitzer March 23 at Training Area 94. The day 

marked the battery’s first live-fire exercise in almost four years. ABOVE: 

Soldiers of Co., D, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1st HBCT, prepare the battalion’s new tanks for the unit’s first tank live firing Feb. 10 at Range 17. PREVIOUS PAGE: A Soldier of Co., D, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1st HBCT fires the 

first round from a tank Feb. 10 at Range 17. The event marked the brigade’s 

first live tank firing on Fort Riley since 2005.
16

| www.riley.army.mil

By Stephanie Hoff

Duty First! Magazine I

t’s a new Army. A simple training 

mission could once take days, or 

even weeks to complete, but now 

it can be accomplished in a few hours. 

With the establishment of the Battle 

Command Training Center and im-

provements to the Flight Simulator on 

Camp Funston, Fort Riley Soldiers now 

can receive top-notch training that is 

time-saving and cost effective. 

“It’s all about training. From the indi-

vidual (Soldier) training where it doesn’t 

matter about the units, to getting into 

small-unit training,” said Randy Curry, 

BCTC director. “The Soldiers benefit 

from a facility like this because they 

don’t have to spend all the time in the 

field. They can come in here and train. 

They’re not using fuel; they’re not using 

ammunition; they’re saving resources.”

The post’s BCTC has been in opera-

tion for a little more than a year and in 

that time it has served more than 25,000 

Soldiers. It is estimated to utilize more 

than 150 miles of communication wire 

for its daily operations. All the class-

rooms in the state-of-the art facility are 

designed to be rapidly re-configured for 

requested training from individual 

classes to team and unit trainings. 

“The idea in here is: nothing in here 

is set. We set out a room how a unit 

wants,” Curry said. “One good thing is 

the temperature is comfortable in (the 

BCTC). It doesn’t snow in here, it 

doesn’t rain in here. The Soldiers’ train-

ing does not have to be delayed due to 

weather or malfunctioning vehicles.”

The post’s training facilities serve an 

array of students ranging from different 

military occupation specialties to civil-

ian law enforcement agencies. 

“We’re MOS wide. Every MOS, we 

see through here,” Curry said. “From 

morning to evening when (the Soldiers) 

leave, we can see units grow by 300 or 

400 percent sometimes.”

The individual-level training offered 

at the BCTC varies from courses such as 

the Basic Noncommissioned Officer 

Course to training in command opera-

tion systems. The facility offers an array 

of individual training in Army Battle 

Command Training systems, such as in-

telligence, fire support, maneuver and 

logistics, Curry added. 

“The whole intent of this type of learn-

ing is when Soldiers come to a unit in the 

ARFORGEN, they may or may not be pro-

ficient in whatever command system they 

are suppose to be using,” said Scott Fel-

lows, BCTC exercise planner. “We teach 

anywhere from a basic to an advanced op-

erator capability for the system.”

Following the completion of individ-

ual training, Soldiers and units can move 

into small unit and convoy training and 

on to final mission rehearsal exercises 

without ever leaving the building. 

 “One thing about ARFORGEN is 

that units are being put together real 

fast,” Curry said. “This allows them to 

come in and start building that team; to 

start building some cohesion.” 

The BCTC utilizes gaming technolo-

gy for training offered to small unit. The 

classrooms’ tables can be positioned to 

resemble a military vehicle, complete 

with a steering wheel and pedals for in 

the driver’s ‘seat,’ and include comput-

ers for each Soldier in the simulated ve-

hicle. Each Soldier’s monitor is pro-

grammed to display what would be seen 

from their position in the vehicle. Each 

simulated vehicle team can additionally 

be added to a convoy with fellow Sol-

diers in the same classroom. 

“Almost every Soldier out there has 

an Xbox or some type of gaming sys-

tem,” Curry said. “Training doesn’t have 

to be boring. It can be fun,” Curry said. 

“The Soldiers seem to like it. Somebody 

would think that gaming is just plain 

fun. Well it’s not. They really do get a lot 

of training in here.” 

Fellows added that the benefits of 

training Soldiers with the gaming sys-

tem are numerous and include the com-

pletion of more missions in a decreased 

amount of time. 

“So much can be thrown at them in a 

short period of time. You can’t do that 

out on the ground,” Fellows said. “You 

literally waste days of training time, just 

worrying about getting vehicles dis-

patched and prepping to go out and do 

something for just half a day. What you 

can accomplish out there in a week you 

can accomplish in here in a day.” 

Different scenarios and environments 

can be created instantaneously while the 

Soldiers travel through the virtual streets 

of Baghdad or a simulated desert. 

“We try to replicate as many different 

situations as they would experience in 

theater. You can go out in the field and 

go through all the training that you want 

but if a specific scenario never happens, 

then when it does in theater, you may 

have some confusion,” Fellows said. 

“We have all kinds of different scenarios 

and they go from starting off for the nov-

ice, to something real advanced, after a 

squad or platoon have been in here for a 

while. The better a unit is; the harder we 

make the scenarios. We ramp it up to 

keep it challenging as they go along.” 

Fellows added that the simulations and 

trainings offered through the BCTC and 

other simulators cannot take away from 

the benefits Soldiers receive while training 

on their actual equipment and vehicles. 

“The one thing that this facility really 

does is it sets them up to succeed at the 

next step. Nothing will ever replace do-

ing live training, actually going out in the 

vehicle and shooting weapons. But all 

the procedures that they need to practice 

or to develop as individuals and teams is 

what this facility is for,” he said. “They 

still have to experience that out there in 

the real world, but at least we can help 

them learning how to communicate as a 

team; kind of doing that initial training in 

a controlled environment.” 

(continued on page 18) Stephanie Hoff, Duty First!Magazine

FROM BOTTOM: Soldiers utilize personal com-

puters and a projection to complete individual 

training, April 6, at the Battle Command Train-

ing Center (shown on right). The BCTC provides 

individual Soldier training as well as team 

training. Sean Casey (left) and Anthony Grif-

fin, of Co. B., 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt. complete 

training, April 6, at the Battle Command Train-

ing Center. The BCTC utilizes personal comput-

ers and gaming technology in the training it 

offers to individual Soldiers and small units. 
(continued from page 17)

FLIGHT SIMULATION

Military pilots assigned to Fort Riley 

also can run through flight paths and 

scenarios from around the world, without ever leaving the ground. The Fort 

Riley Regional Aviation Simulation 

Center offers pilots a chance to gain 

valuable flight and maneuvering skills 

without having to take flight in an actual helicopter. 

“The controls in our simulators are 

exactly the same as an in the actual helicopter,” said Frank Carbonneau, 

FRRASC lead instructor. “Our facility 

and devices are used to train individual, crew and collective tasks to standard 

in accordance with the aviators Aircrew 

Training Manual.” 

The facility’s simulators are 

equipped with visual systems, sound, 

vibration, radio communication and intercom systems to simulate environmental conditions experienced in the 

actual helicopter. 

Instructors have the capabilities to 

change the environment and weather 

conditions as well as more variables 

instantaneously. The aviation simulators allow aviators and crews to train 

in such scenarios as emergency aircraft 

operations, night vision as well as 

learn the flight requirements for a new 

duty station by flying over that post, 

virtually. 

The FRRASC currently offers the 

UH-60 (Blackhawk) Flight Simulator 

and Aviation Combined Arms Tactical 

Trainer (AVCATT). The AVACTT is a 

mobile simulator that can be easily 

transported and can be reconfigured to 

provide training on six different aircraft 

models that include an AH-64A 

Apache, OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and 

CH-47D Chinook. 

“‘Train the way you fight’ is taken 

literally in the crew’s preparation for 

AVCATT missions,” Carbonneau 

said. “The crews are able to pre-plan 

on their unit’s Aviation Mission Planning System and then use the received 

flight data in the AVCATT Manned 

Modules.”

The cost savings of aviation crews 

training in a simulator versus an actual 

aircraft are estimated to be about 200 percent less than actually flying a helicopter. 

“The cost savings are enormous,” he 

said. “The cost are probably even in 

greater numbers than what we currently have figured.”

The FRRASC is scheduled to receive 

two additional mobile simulators in 

early 2011 with the redeployment of the 

1st Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade. 

“The Soldiers, as well as the aircrafts 

benefit from utilizing the flight simulator,” Carbonneau said. “We are able to 

train our Soldiers in different environments, weather conditions and aircrafts. 

Anytime we can successfully train our 

Soldiers for their assigned mission in a 

way that is not only time saving and costeffective, but can additionally save lives, 

we are doing our jobs successfully.” 

18| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |19

SUICIDE SUICIDE

there’s somebody ready to listen

isnot the answer 

If you are in a crisis situation, call:

Emergency, 911

Fort Riley Suicide Prevention Hotline, 239.4357 (HELP)

Military OneSource Crisis, 1.800.342.9647

Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1.800.273.8255 (TALK)

Army Suicide Prevention Program mission:

The Army Suicide Prevention Program policies are designed 

to minimize suicide behavior; thereby preserving mission 

effectiveness through individual readiness for Soldiers, their 

Families and Department of the Army civilians.

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First!Magazine

ABOVE: Capt. William McGreer from the Nebraska National Guard, right, receives instructions 

from Craig Monte, flight simulator instructor before taking “flight” in the Flight Simulator on 

April 5 in building 724. LEFT: The flight simulator located in building 724 on Marshall Army Airfield simulates the controls and movements of a UH-60 (Blackhawk) helicopter. 

The controls in our simulators 

are exactly the same as an in 

the actual helicopter. Our 

facility and devices are used to 

train individual, crew and 

collective tasks to standard in 

accordance with the aviators 

Aircrew Training Manual.”

— Frank Carbonneau

FRRASC lead instrucrtor
20| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |21 

ARFORGEN AVAILABLE/DEPLOY

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

S

tanding at attention and ready for what may come, the 

Soldiers of 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, cased their colors during a deployment ceremony March 15 in King Field House before beginning the unit’s 

third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the men and women 

before you are up to this task,” said Brig. Gen. David Petersen, deputy commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division-rear and Fort Riley.

Led by 1st Sust. Bde. Commander Col. Donnie Walker Jr. 

and Command Sgt. Maj. Miguel Rivera, each “Durable” Soldier will have a part in driving their unit to success, which 

is to act as the lead brigade in Kuwait responsible for the 

drawdown of coalition forces in Iraq.

Jordan Chapman, Duty First! Magazine

ABOVE: Brig. Gen. David Petersen, deputy commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division-rear and Fort Riley, 

salutes the flag during the National Anthem during the start of the 1st Sustainment Brigade deployment ceremony 

March 15 in King Field House. OPPOSITE: Emma Huang, 4, holds on tight to her father, Capt. Tim Huang, Special 

Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, following the brigade’s deployment ceremony. The brigade will be 

deployed to Kuwait for the responsible drawdown of coalition forces in Iraq.

Such a task has not 

been taken lightly.

Sustainment Soldiers have been in and 

out of the Battle Command Training Center 

since last year to be 

sure every scenario is 

covered and planned 

for, to train each Soldier to the highest level 

of competence and to 

train in an environment that is identical to 

the area they will be deploying to.

“We took a crawl, walk, run approach,” Walker has explained in previous interviews. “When the unit came home in 

2008, we went through reset. We lost virtually 70 percent of our 

formation. We had to get new Soldiers in and basically build a 

new team,” he said, noting it was important for the training to 

be as detailed as possible to insure mission success.

“I’m operating out of Kuwait with transportation missions 

supporting the entire theater,” Walker said. During the training, 

Soldiers also were able to develop personal and working relationships with units they will be supporting while downrange—

the 224th Sustainment Brigade, Army National Guard, out of 

Riverside, Calif., a mobile support battalion out of New Jersey, 

and others who were present during the exercise to understand 

how operations will work when they arrive in theater.

“The relationship we have developed, both personal and 

professional, has been beneficial,” Walker said.

It is a lot of behind the scenes work that a lot of people don’t 

read about, but it is very important,” Walker emphasized during the ceremony, before which he noted that he and his Soldiers also will be supporting the surge into Afghanistan and 

preparing for the start of Operation New Dawn.

As 1st Sust. Bde. Soldiers go forth to complete the task at 

hand, likewise, Families and the community supporters left behind will continue their personal missions.

Kansas State University Women’s Basketball Head Coach 

Deb Patterson said the partnership between her team and 1st 

Sust. Bde. has been more than beneficial for both organizations 

and hopes to continue correspondence while the Soldiers are 

overseas.

“This partnership we have established has been the most 

meaningful and significant aspect of our entire season,” Patterson said. “I think it educated our student athletes and our staff 

about the unbelievable support and mission this unit does for 

our country ... anyone who cannot be fired up, cannot be inspired and cannot be humbled by what these men and women 

do in the military is missing everything there is.”

Col. Jeffery Carra and Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Kenny 

will be the command team in charge of Task Force Durable and 

rear operations during the brigade’s deployment. 

The hidden costs 

of deployment 

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

T h e r o a d 

t a k e n t o 

prepare for 

a deployment is 

long, filled with 

meetings, communication and 

training. For 1st 

Infantry Division 

b r i g a d e s t h a t 

have deployed in 

t h e p a s t f e w 

months, the plans 

made in preparation for their deployment to Kuw a i t c a n b e 

summed up in 

one word: life.

First Sustainment Brigade is 

the most recent 

brigade to exit 

Fort Riley, and 

feel the burn of 

pushing men and 

equipment out the 

door and into a 

deployment.

P e r s o n n e l 

training was a 

constant, but once 

the deployment date neared, it was crunch time. 

Ninety days out, Soldiers and civilians began attending meetings to prepare for actual movement, 

50 days out Soldiers go through household briefings to understand what can be taken with them, 45 

days out Soldiers receive overseas driving licensing, 36 days out the inspection and loading of equipment containers begins, 20 days out the publishing 

of temporary change of station orders occurs and 

finally, three to five days out, Soldiers receive their 

flight schedules.

The personnel are trained and ready to go, but the 

equipment takes a different route.

items 

shipped to 

move 1st SB

to Kuwait

26—20-ft. 11,000 cubic feet 

containers with a max weight of 

50,000 pounds.

4—Quad con sets, which, when 

bundled together is the 

equivalent of a 20-foot 

container.

16—Vehicles

What it took

to get the 

equipment 

in theater:

15—Flat-bed trucks leaving Kansas 

Feb. 27 and traveling 1,200 

miles to South Carolina in 19 

hours.

35—days at sea.

2—days from the boat to the 

destination

Total travel time: 37 Days.

Brigade takes 

a ‘crawl, walk, 

run’ approach

With nearly 70 percent new formation, 

1st Sustainment Brigade deploys 

to act as lead brigade in Kuwait
22| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |23

commands from his handler but also 

hand signals. 

“SSD handlers are selected from a 

pool of combat engineer Soldiers, stationed on Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.,” 

Smith said. “Upon selection, based on an 

initial interview, they are sent to Lackland Air Force Base for the Specialized 

Search Dog course. Once complete, they 

are assigned to the Engineer Canine 

Company, 5th Engineer Battalion.” 

The unit’s MWD are selected from 

Lackland Air Force Base. The installation is located near San Antonio, Texas, 

and houses the Department of Defense’s 

Military Working Dog School. 

The dog selection process “is not as a 

scientific process as one would think is 

involved when selecting MWD,” said 

Brian Nering, course manager for the Fort 

Leonard Wood program. “Because we 

are looking for family-friendly, non-aggressive dogs, the instructor will typically 

walk in front to the dogs’ kennels with a 

tennis ball. If the dogs show excitement 

and not aggression, they will generally be 

a good fit for our program.” 

Upon the MWDs’ arrival to Fort 

Leonard Wood, the next step is to pair 

the dog with the correct Soldier. 

“The personality of both the Soldier 

and dog are very important when matching a team together. If we receive a dog 

who is energetic and playful, we work to 

team him or her with a Soldier of the 

same characteristics,” said Staff Sgt. David Gerts, one of the unit’s senior noncommissioned officers. “Forming that 

initial bond with your dog is critical. You 

are potentially walking into a live minefield with him and trusting him to let 

you know where the dangers are.” 

The company’s canines are friendly 

and enjoy contact from their handlers 

and visitors. Once their harness is on 

them, the dogs know it is time to go to 

work. 

The harness “is a trigger for the dog,” 

said Sgt. 1st Class Harry Franco, noncommissioned officer in charge for the Fort 

Leonard Wood MDD teaching program. 

“It’s supposed to trigger the dog’s mind 

to go from being a dog to it’s actually time 

to work. That’s what it’s there for.” 

The total training time for a handler 

and canine companion assigned to the 

company is a little more than 19 weeks. 

During that period the team is instructed 

on the ability to handle their dogs, maintain their dogs and react to threats in a 

high-threat environment. 

“In preparation for deployment, the 

teams must undergo rigorous training 

standards,” Smith said. “Soldiers have 

been training with their assigned dog 

from as little as six months to as long as 

two years.”

The company is currently set to deploy six handlers and their canines along 

with a headquarters detachment before 

the end of the year. The teams will work 

for engineer battalions in Iraq and Afghanistan conducting area and route 

clearance and providing quality assurance for contractors, Smith said. 

“Having a unit such as the engineer 

canine company greatly fits in with our 

battalion’s efforts of enhancing the protection and efficiency of our forces,” said Lt. 

Col. Hank Thomsen, the battalion’s commander. “And the canines do just that.” 

Story & photos by Stephanie Hoff

Duty First! Magazine

OPPOSITE, ABOVE: Spc. Jason Bourcier, Engineer Canine Company, 5th Eng. Bn., 4th MEB, awards his military working dog, Choby, a mix-breed, with a 

tennis ball after training March 17 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. Choby is designated as a mine-detection dog and is utilized to provide area and route 

clearance and mine field extraction. BOTTOM: Staff Sgt. David Gerts, Engineer Canine Company, 5th Eng. Bn., 4th MEB, trains with his military working 

dog, Axel, a mix-breed, March 17 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz. Canines assigned to the unit specialize in extracting minefields as well as unexploded 

ordnances and casualty-producing devices. The teams are required to complete three weeks of certifications at Yuma Proving Grounds before deploying. 

Games of fetch help cement lasting 

relationships between dog, handler

What could progress into a 

life-long friendship potentially begins with the simple excitement that comes from 

viewing a tennis ball. 

The Engineer Canine Company, 

5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, has continuously had a 

handler and their military working 

dog deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom since 2003. 

“The first mine-detection dog teams deployed in 2003. 

Since that original deployment, there has always been Soldiers of the Engineer Canine Company deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring 

Freedom,” said Capt. Jennifer Smith, the company’s commander. The company “is the only unit in the U.S. Army 

that offers this asset to maneuver commanders.”

The unit’s canine teams are comprised of two different types of military working dogs, each with a separate 

specialty. Spc. Jason Bourcier’s dog, Choby, a mix-breed, 

is categorized as a mine-detection dog. Choby’s category 

of military working dogs specialize in area and route 

clearance and mine field extraction. The dogs are trained 

to detect unexploded ordnances and casualty-producing 

devices. 

“MDDs undergo a prescriptive training regimen,” 

Smith said. “This includes various type of detection 

work on routes, open areas and casualty extraction. 

Teams must meet all requirements before they are considered for validation and certification that is conducted 

in Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz.” 

Specialized search dogs, like Staff Sgt. Jon Parsons’ 

black Labrador retriever, Buddy, are trained to detect 

firearms and ammunitions and can assist with clearing 

buildings and vehicles. Unlike the MDDs, who conduct 

their searches on leashes, Buddy’s occupation requires 

him to work off-leash and to not only understand voice 
24

| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! February 2010 |25

HE HAS HONORABLY SERVED 

IN THE MILITARY FOR TWO 

COUNTRIES AND IS CUR-

RENTLY GEARING UP FOR HIS 

SIXTH DEPLOYMENT ... AND 

HE’S DONE IT ALL ON FOUR 

LEGS AND WITH A LONG, 

BUSHY TAIL. 

Mina, a 10-year-old black Labrador 

retriever, is the oldest military working 

dog assigned to the Engineer Canine 

Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th 

Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 1st In-

fantry Division, stationed at Fort Leon-

ard Wood, Mo. 

“He’s the 

oldest dog we 

have in our ken-

nels,” said Sgt. 

Corey McCourt, 

Mina’s handler. 

“Considering 

he’s 10 years old 

and is still capa-

ble of doing this 

job... he’s prob-

ably one of the 

best dogs we 

got.”

Mina’s name, 

when translated 

i n S p a n i s h , 

means a mine, 

subterraneous 

canal or cavity 

in the ground. Despite being categorized 

as a feminine noun, often causing him to 

be called a female, Mina’s name accu-

rately identifies his designated occupa-

tion. Mina is categorized as a mine-de-

tection dog and specializes in area and 

route clearance and mine-field extrac-

tion. The dogs are trained to detect unex-

ploded ordnances and casualty-produc-

ing devices.

Mina began his military career with 

the British Army, where he deployed 

twice to Bosnia for support in mine de-

tection operations. After a transfer to the 

United States Army in 2004, he was as-

signed to the Engineer Canine Company 

at Fort Leonard Wood, where he is now 

gearing up for his sixth deployment. 

“He’s got more deployments than I 

have total time in the Army,” said Mc-

Court, who joined the U.S. Army in 2005. 

“I’ve learned a lot with him. I would like 

to think that I’ve taught him a lot but be-

ing as old as he is, I doubt I have taught 

him as much as he’s taught me.” 

Most MWDs generally begin their 

military careers around the age of 2, Mc-

Court said, which makes Mina the com-

pany’s oldest dog by nearly three years. 

In human years, he would be estimated 

to be approximately 62 years old. 

“It’s kind of weird. (The other dogs) 

can see that he’s old and they just don’t 

bother with him,” McCourt chuckled. 

“It’s kind of like you have two kids and 

one just started college and one just got 

out. The one who’s just gotten out of col-

lege is no longer drinking and partying; 

that’s kind of how he is.” 

Before joining the Engineer Canine 

Co., McCourt was previously assigned 

to and deployed with the 5th Eng. Bn., 

4th MEB. His and Mina’s upcoming de-

ployment will mark the second trip 

overseas for the duo, which have been 

paired together for nearly three years. 

Deploying with Mina in 2008 “was a 

lot different from my first deployment. 

You come from doing route and build-

ing clearance to standing in a live mine-

field,” McCourt said. “There’s nothing 

like that feeling. It’s a completely differ-

ent aspect. There’s nothing else in the 

world like it.”

During the team’s first deployment 

together, they successfully cleared tens 

of thousands of meters of land in Af-

ghanistan.

“Busy; very busy. For a long time we 

were the only certified dog team out 

there. It was very busy,” is how McCourt 

describes the deployment. “Some of the 

younger dogs would get heat exhaus-

tion or worn out by the environment and 

it would just be me and the old, crusty 

one still trudging along.”

So far, no re-

tirement date is 

scheduled for Mi-

na’s foreseeable 

future. The mili-

tary currently has 

no predetermined 

age for a MWD to 

be retired, al-

though it general-

ly occurs when 

the dog reaches 

around seven 

years of age, or 

even younger if 

the dog begins to 

show signs of no 

longer wanting to 

or being able to 

work, McCourt 

said. 

“He’s 10 years old. If he doesn’t want 

to work; he’s old enough to make that 

call. If he wants to stop working; then 

he’ll stop working,” he said. “He’s good 

at his job. It’s like me — I hope to some-

day be a sergeant major. I would be tre-

mendously mad if they tried to retire 

me, because it’s the only thing I’ve ever 

done. I think he’s the same way.” 

Mina’s undetermined retirement date 

set aside, his living arrangements for his 

“golden years” are already being prepared. 

“It’s kind of sad because he is the old-

est dog and he’s still doing this. But I’d 

like to see him retire and I’d like to take 

him home,” McCourt said. “We argue 

sometimes, but I love him. He’s my bud-

dy. He’s my dog.” 

Stephanie Hoff | Duty First! Magazine

Teaching an old dog

NEW TRICKS

Canine Company veteran of six deployments 

continues to learn new tricks of the trade

ABOVE: Sgt. Corey McCourt, Engineer Canine Company, 5th Eng. Bn., 4th MEB, poses 

with his military working dog, Mina, a black Labrador Retriever. The team have been 

paired together for nearly three years and are gearing up for their second deployment 

together. OPPOSITE: McCourt and Mina compete in the 2009 Military Working Dog 

Warrior Police Challenge at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The event marked the first year 

the unit could compete in the predominately military police canines competition. 

Stephanie Hoff, Duty First! Magazine

Photos courtesy of AceK9.com. 
22| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |27

‘Ranger’ Battalion closes base

By Spc. Shantelle J. Campbell

4th IBCT Public Affairs Office

BAYJI, Iraq—As the U.S. continues the 

responsible drawdown of troops in Iraq, 

the most important and considerably the 

biggest task for U.S. forces is returning 

bases to the Iraqi government. 

Since the fall of 2009, Soldiers of the 

2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 

have been working hard at this mission. 

The “Ranger” Battalion already has 

turned over two smaller bases in its area 

of operation and now is concentrating 

on returning Forward Operating Base 

Summerall.

“(The Soldiers) have done everything 

from counting every Hesco barrier to 

counting T-Walls,” said Capt. David 

Lawburgh, assistant operations officer 

with Headquarters and Headquarters 

Company, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt. 

“There’s been a lot of work, and it’s 

going to be a continuing project as we 

draw down and start closing out the 

American footprint on these facilities that 

we’re turning over,” Lawburgh said. 

The Soldiers of the battalion’s F Company are responsible for coordinating the 

movement of the equipment from FOB 

Summerall and consolidating it at Contingency Operating Base Speicher. 

Staff Sgt. Chris Hoffman, Standard 

Army Maintenance Sytems-Enhance and 

Consolidated Redistribution of Supply 

Program noncommissioned officer in 

charge, said millions of dollars worth of 

equipment already has been recovered 

and turned back into the Army supply 

system.

“(We) consolidate (the equipment) 

into the different classes of supply and 

[we] load it into a connex and it gets 

shipped to (Joint Base Balad),” he said. 

“The equipment is then either put back 

into the supply system to be redistributed 

to other units that are over here or in Afghanistan or even to the States if it’s needed over there. For the stuff that’s unserviceable, they either ship it back to the 

manufacturer or destroy it.”

Hoffman said that he is proud of the 

work of his Soldiers and is in awe of how 

quickly they worked to sort through and 

turn in equipment that had accumulated 

for a period of eight years.

“The Soldiers that I’ve had working 

with me have been outstanding Soldiers,” 

Hoffman said. “We only had four and a 

half months to close down the entire FOB 

and the Soldiers that I had, worked 100 

percent and got everything turned in.” 

The closure of FOB Summerall and 

other bases like it is seen by many as an 

event that will be written into history 

books. For Spc. Ashley Jensen and Staff 

Sgt. Wayne K. Mathis, both motor transport specialists with Co. F, the base closures represent the accomplishments 

and the sacrifices that have been made 

since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom and both are proud to be a part of 

the drawdown.

“It feels awesome for me, personally, 

and I know it feels good for everybody 

else too in knowing that we’re a part of 

something that made a change,” Jensen 

said.

The drawdown “shows that we’re 

making progress and good things are 

happening, big Army’s recognizing it 

and we’re winning,” Mathis said.

Soldiers erase American 

footprints at FOB Summerall 

before returning to Iraqis

Spc. Shantelle J. Campbell, 4IBCT PAO

Soldiers of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat 

Team, 1st Infantry Division, work to unload a Humvee on March 23 at Contingency Operating 

Base Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq. The Soldiers of Co. F took part in one of the largest convoys in transporting equipment from Forward Operating Base Summerall as they prepare to close that base. 

— More Danger Forward stories on pages 28–29

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28| www.riley.army.mil Duty First! May 2010 |29

By Spc. Roland Hale

CAB Public Affairs Office

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait—Clad in 

patrol caps, subdued flags and tactical 

gear, you’d think these Soldiers were at 

war. With desert sand under their boots, 

a bright blue sky and white sun above, 

covered occasionally by an impenetrable 

haze of thick, brown dust, you’d think 

they were in Iraq. But they’re not. Arriving by the hundreds every few days, 

they’re gathering in Kuwait, staging to 

deploy to Iraq. 

After extensive preparation, planning and training, Kuwait is the last 

stop standing between the Combat 

Aviation Brigade and its mission in 

Iraq. Soldiers of the CAB can’t wait to 

“get up North.”

The final staging ground for units like 

the CAB as they deploy to Iraq, Kuwait 

serves to logistically assemble units and 

provide combat essential training before 

troops enter their areas of operation. In 

April, CAB Soldiers were in Camp Buehring, Kuwait, where they prepared their 

aircraft, attended training courses and 

adapted to the adverse conditions of a 

combat tour. 

Duty in Kuwait consists of constant 

training, including courses on combat 

casualty care, IED warfare and vehicle 

rollovers, giving CAB Soldiers combat 

essential preparation before they enter 

Iraq. Soldiers also check their individual 

weapons, making sure they fire properly. The training does not begin, but rather culminates in Kuwait, said Sgt. Maj. 

Gregory Pace, the sergeant major in

(continued on page 29)

Sgt. 1st Class. Jeff Troth, CAB PAO

A CAB Soldier guides one of the brigade’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter in for a landing on Camp Buehring as the brigade’s aircraft begin to arrive from Kuwait City.

CAB ‘not in Kansas anymore’

(continued from page 28)

charge of the brigade’s training and 

operations. 

“Iraq is where the hostility is,” Pace 

said. “We want to make sure everything 

works again before we get there.” 

In addition to the training requirements given to them by the Army, Soldiers also have a personal mission of getting adapted to the reality of a combat 

tour. More than four thousand miles 

away from home, in a drastically different time zone with an equally opposite 

climate, Soldiers must begin to adapt to 

the conditions that they’ll face during 

the length of their deployment. Besides 

obvious changes in sleeping patterns 

and weather, Soldiers must get used to 

lacking the luxuries that they have in the 

United States. Without a car, cell phone, 

independent living quarters, private hygienic facilities or many of the luxuries 

that most take for granted, Soldiers must 

settle into a new type of lifestyle. 

“Some people can’t just be thrown 

into a huge lifestyle change like this,” 

said Spc. Marc Borgia, a medic assigned 

to the CAB. “This (Kuwait) is a good 

chance to prepare for the change before 

going to Iraq.”

During such remarkable changes, 

Soldiers often look to Family and friends 

back home for support—the ease of 

which also has changed.

“It’s hard not getting to talk to friends, 

Family and significant others whenever 

I want,” Borgia said. “Online definitely 

helps a lot, but sometimes you just want 

to hear their voices.” 

Soldiers can't wait 

to get up North

By Spc. David Dyer

3rd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Regt. Public Affairs Liaison

COS ZULU, Iraq—The call for aid 

came early in the evening of March 

28: an Iraqi officer needed help from 

U.S. Soldiers in treating a 2-year-old 

burn victim. 

Maj. Mohammad Ghassan Mohammad, operations officer for 2nd 

Battalion, 32nd Brigade, 8th Iraqi 

Army Division, made the call to B 

Troop, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry 

Regiment, and the U.S. Soldiers responded to help the little girl. The 

unit is located in the southern part 

of Iraq, working under the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters and 

Headquarters Battalion.

“When she arrived (at Contingency 

Operating Station Zulu) we thought 

that she was covered with third-degree burns,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew 

Goodner, one of the medics who assisted with treating the child. 

“Once inside, we found that she 

wasn’t burned as badly as we had 

thought,” he said. “What we initially 

thought were burns were actually 

grounds from coffee or tea.”

Her family reported that the child, 

who is named Rqiah, was burned 

when she fell down and upset a kettle 

of scalding tea. Once Rqiah was 

cleaned up by the medics, they were 

able to identify and treat her burns. 

“The burns covering her face 

made me concerned for her eye at 

first,” Pfc. Skylar Humburd said. 

“Kids are the worst thing to see 

over here. When you see a kid suffering, it is terrible.”

The unpleasant task of cleaning the 

burns was emotionally challenging 

for everyone involved. 

“Some of the things that we have to 

do in treatment are not always pleasant” Spc. Daniel Conklin said. “When 

we treat children, it becomes a great 

deal more personal for us.”

During the treatment, Sgt. David 

Branshaw sang Jimmy Buffet songs to 

soothe Rqiah.

 “I have three children at home and 

I find that singing, even if they don’t 

understand the words, helps to distract them,” he said. “I guess my father instinct kicked in.”

The medics expressed the hope 

that their contact with Rqiah would 

not end with the initial treatment.

“We are going to ask that she come 

back every day, for the next few days, 

so that we can change her dressings 

and monitor her burns” Goodner 

said.

Rqiah’s uncle, Sadeq Mohmoed 

Mriosh, said he was glad that they 

treated her.

“Thank you, I cannot express it 

enough,” he said.

The medics themselves were grateful simply for the chance to help. 

“I love my job, but it makes me feel 

especially great when I can help a 

child,” Humburd said.

Medics of 3-1 Cav apply healing hands

Sgt. David Branshaw, of Chandler, 

Ariz., a medic in B 

Troop, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry 

Regiment, 3rd 

Heavy Brigade 

Combat Team, 3rd 

Infantry Division, 

bandages the burns 

of Rqiah Mriosh at 

Contingency Operating Station Zulu. 

Soldiers come to the assistance 

of a young burn victim

Spc. David Dyer, 3rd Bn, 1st Cav Regt Public Affairs Liaison
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