Unofficial 1st Infantry Division Magazine of Soldiers and Families

July 2009 www.riley.army.mil

Duty First!

•	A Day in the Big Red One

•	Soldier Races at Heartland Park

•	75th Fires Welcomes New Commander
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Creed

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

never fail my team, for I maintain the standard. My conduct and selfdiscipline set the example for others to follow.

HONORis 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.

1

The Big Red One No Mission too Difficult. No Sacrifice too Great.

July 2009 www.riley.army.mil

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 317

Fort Riley, Kan. 66442. 

Telephone number

COM 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

Ty Abney

Gary Skidmore

Jordan Chapman

Illustrator 

Tammy Dinger

2

Contents

Danger 6 ... 3

Danger 7 ...4

In The News ... 6

1st BDE ... 7

1st SB ... 9

1st CAB ... 11

2nd HBCT ... 13

3rd IBCT ... 15

4th IBCT ... 17

Soldiers Ease Tension ... 19

Racing ... 21

Combatives ... 23

BRO History ... 25

3rd IBCT Redeployments ... 26

D-Day Events ... 27

1ID at War ... 29

75th Fires COC ... 30
3 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

Commanding General Danger 6

 Heavy Brigade 

 Uses Soft Power

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks

When you think of a “heavy” brigade, 

usually Abrams tanks, Bradley Fighting 

Vehicles and heavy artillery power comes 

to mind. Training small groups of advisors 

isn’t typically on the task list. But for the 

past three years, our 1st Brigade has traded 

its big guns and heavy firepower for a 

different skill set – one of soft power. 

Since 2006, Camp Funston has served 

as the sole location for training transition 

teams consisting of Army, Navy and Air 

Force personnel. These teams of about 

a dozen advisors train at Fort Riley for 

60 days, then deploy for a year to Iraq 

or Afghanistan. In theater, these teams 

advise, teach, mentor and coach the host 

nation’s security forces.

While this training focuses on basic 

Soldiering skills such as knowing the ins 

and outs of weapons systems and combat 

lifesaver skills, transition team training 

also focuses on cultural awareness and going against the 

traditional Army mindset of “leading from the front.” Instead, 

they train deploying Soldiers to “lead from behind,” allowing 

their Iraqi and Afghan counterparts to take control of their own 

security and ultimately, their own destiny.

One of the challenges 1st Brigade has faced in the past three 

years is the ever-changing battlefield. 

Insurgents are constantly adapting and 

changing their tactics. But the “Devil” 

Brigade has overcome that challenge 

by constantly adapting and changing its 

training tactics to defeat terrorism.

Devil Brigade Soldiers work around 

the clock on this no-fail mission; and 

because of their tremendous efforts 

and first-rate training, our 1st Brigade 

Soldiers can certainly take credit for the 

accomplishments of the teams they train. 

These teams play a key role to our success 

in Afghanistan and Iraq. As our troop 

numbers draw down in Iraq, these advisory 

roles become even more critical.

This training mission will transfer 

to Fort Polk, La., in September. As that 

transition happens, the Devils will begin 

returning to their core tasks as they build 

into a heavy brigade combat team.

The Soldiers of 1st Brigade deserve 

tremendous accolades for their yeoman’s work in one of our 

nation’s most critical military missions. They have set the 

standard high and continue to exceed it. They have proved that 

this mission is not too difficult. Their round-the-clock operations 

tell us there is no sacrifice too great. They have placed this key 

mission – their duty – first.

4

Command Sergeant Major Danger 7

Division Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Champagne

Big Red One Soldiers 

Impact History

For the past 92 years, Big Red One 

Soldiers have had the opportunity to shape 

the history of many countries around the 

world. 

In World War I, Sgt. Michael Ellis of the 

28th Infantry Regiment undertook the most 

dangerous of missions – that of working 

in advance of the rest of his company to 

eliminate enemy machine gun nests. Ellis 

was later awarded a Congressional Medal 

of Honor for his actions. It is the courage 

of Big Red One Soldiers such as Ellis, who 

fought to restore peace in France, which 

lives on in stories told to the grandchildren 

of those who lived there.

During World War II, the division flexed 

its strength in the D-Day landings, and 

endured months of fighting during battles 

such as Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of 

the Bulge. Big Red One Soldiers forever 

changed the course of history for many 

European countries by their efforts during the two world wars.

Big Red One Soldiers were the first division element called to 

fight in Vietnam, where they not only battled an enemy, but also 

sought to bring aid programs to the people of South Vietnam. 

During Desert Storm, division Soldiers defended Kuwait from 

a brutal dictator.

That is our past.

Our present has been peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and 

Kosovo; and counterinsurgency operations 

in the Horn of Africa, Iraq, and Afghanistan. 

Often, our Soldiers have paid dearly for our 

efforts to rid these areas of terrorists and 

protect peace; however, those sacrifices 

have purchased a new lease on life for the 

countries involved and for the people who 

call them home.

Each time Big Red One Soldiers have 

answered the call, they have changed the 

lives of thousands of people by making a 

safer, more peaceful way of life possible.

In this edition of the magazine, we 

highlight a day in the life of Big Red One 

Soldiers who work in the areas of explosive 

ordnance, supply, aviation and medical – 

only the beginning of the jobs routinely 

carried out by Big Red One Soldiers.

Today’s Soldiers shoulder many

different responsibilities. The 

noncommissioned officers of the Big 

Red One perform at their highest level ever, carrying out 

duties once considered those of a company commander or 

platoon leader. Command sergeants major and sergeants 

major easily perform the duties of field grade staff. 

As always, we carry out those responsibilities with courage 

and honor. Very few people have the opportunity to alter history. 

Each of you who wear the Big Red One patch on your sleeve 

has that opportunity.

Now...get after it!

Duty First!
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Join in the activities during 

Victory Week July 27-31

Tug Of War

Flag Football Boxing, 

weightlifting

and combatives 

basketball dodgeball

volleyball

10 Mile run and 

111 mile relay

softball

Golf 

and 

soccer

unveiling of 

fallen soldier 

stones

Contact your unit command

5 6

4 IBCT Soldiers Return from NTC

Soldiers in the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team returned 

to Fort Riley in mid-June following a 30-day rotation at the 

National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif.

During their time at NTC, Soldiers participated in numerous 

exercises and drilled in various components of full-spectrum 

operations, including combat patrols, combined operations and 

battle drills. The NTC rotation is the culmination of training in 

preparation for the brigade’s upcoming deployment.

The “Dragon” Brigade, which has about 3,400 Soldiers is 

scheduled to deploy to Iraq from Fort Riley in late summer.

1 ID Welcomes New Chief of Staff

The 1st Infantry Division honored Col. Ricky Gibbs for his 

service as division chief of staff and welcomed incoming chief 

of staff, Col. Richard Piscal, with a Victory Honors ceremony 

June 5 in front of the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters 

Building at Fort Riley.

Gibbs served as division chief of staff since May 2008, and 

helped oversee the transformation of the division headquarters 

into a state-of-the-art, modular and deployable organization. 

Prior to that, Gibbs commanded the 4th Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., during its 15-month tour to Iraq 

from 2007 to 2008.

Piscal spent the past two years as commander of the United 

States Army Garrison, Fort Riley. He assumes chief of staff 

duties as the division headquarters prepares to deploy in support 

of Global War on Terrorism operations in Southwest Asia.

In The News Magazine 

Explores a 

Day in the Life 

of 1ID Soldiers

With wars in two countries and numerous missions elsewhere 

around the world, the modern Soldier is asked to be proficient 

at a wide variety of tasks and skills. This increased flexibility 

among our nation’s troops is what makes us successful in an 

intense environment that poses many unique challenges. 

In this month’s issue of Duty First! magazine, we have 

highlighted a day across the 1st Infantry Division. On May 19, 

our staff shadowed a Soldier in each brigade – a medic, a driver, 

a pilot, and members of a personal security detachment.

Each Soldier’s day was very different. While some were 

here at Fort Riley, others were working at the National Training 

Center or deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Their day took them 

out on convoys, up in the air and out on an urban operations 

range.

It is amazing what is accomplished every day by Big Red 

One Soldiers. While their days may seem routine and ordinary 

to them, all those actions, skills and responsibilities together 

allow the 1st Inf. Div. to carry out extraordinary things.

While Soldiers work hard, they also play hard. In taking time 

to write about their daily jobs, we also looked at some of the 

recreational activities they enjoy. Things such as video games, 

combatives and physical fitness and street racing are activities 

that ease the stress of a long day.

I hope you enjoy reading about each of these unique Soldiers 

as well as the talents and skills they utilize on a daily basis. It is 

because of their willingness to use those abilities without fail or 

fatigue that we get to enjoy the fruits of our great nation.

Anna Staatz

Editor

Col. Richard Piscal Col. Ricky Gibbs
7 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

BDE ST 1

By Gary Skidmore

Duty First! 

Magazine

Cpl. Richard 

Woolard, 38, a 

member of the 

Virginia Army 

National Guard, 

M e c h a n i c s v i l l e , 

Va., is at Fort Riley 

preparing for a yearlong deployment to 

Iraq as a Transition 

Team member. He’s the 

team medic. 

Woolard and his team 

are in their final phases 

of training. One of the last 

training missions they must 

complete is day 3 of the Urban 

Operation, a situational training 

exercise scenario requiring the team 

to move in a mounted combat patrol and 

negotiate scenarios using interpreters, battle 

drills and combat life-saving skills. 

07:45, May 19, Camp funston

Woolard and the rest of the team are given a convoy safety 

briefing before they leave the parking lot where their three 

Humvees are parked. 

During the briefing, speed limits and distances between 

vehicles are discussed.

Woolard is a medic and would normally not drive, but the 

team is short-handed. Their team leader is TDY, which means 

Woolard will have to drive.

08:15

Woolard is driving a cargo Humvee today. It’s not the vehicle 

the team will drive in Iraq. This vehicle is not up-armored. It has a 

cloth top and an open rear area. The gunner mans an M240 machine 

gun and sits on the passenger bench when the convoy is rolling.

Team Tidewater, as they refer to themselves, have to link up 

with another team – Team Neptune – at the fire point on their

 Camp Funston Forward 

Operating Base. Both teams are going through the same training 

and will convoy together to their link-up point at the Tactical 

Training Base, where they will meet with a situational Iraqi 

Army commander to discuss their missions.

08:40

Woolard and his team arrive at the TTB and are directed 

to a tent that will be used as a meeting and planning place 

for their upcoming mission. There are aerial photos of 

villages the team will visit today spread out on a table.

Medic Trains on Transition Team

8

The Iraqi army commander and an interpreter enter the tent. 

The team gathers around the table for their planning session but 

first go through the customary introductions.

Tidewater’s deputy team leader, a major, introduces everyone 

on the team, then himself. He asks the traditional questions of 

the commander: “How was your trip? Are you married? Do you 

have children?.” The Iraqi commander asks the same of the 

major and then the planning session can begin.

09:00

Two villages are discussed during the planning session: 

Urban Clusters Two and Three. The Iraqi commander tells the 

team leaders that there may be a weapons cache at UC Two, 

but the mayor of the town would be better able to tell the teams 

where. The commander also worries there may be an insurgent 

in the village and warns the team to take precautions.

 At the end of the session, the Iraqi commander asks if the 

team has their warrant for the search. Warrants are a relatively 

new requirement for Americans deployed to Iraq. Though 

Americans attempt to bring peace and improve the bonds 

between the two nations, warrants are now required as a sign of 

respect for the law and the authority 

of the Iraqi government before 

they can search a village and 

every home or building in it. 

The team acquires one.

During the briefing, routes 

to each village are discussed, 

and since the Iraqi commander 

wants to conduct the search with his own Soldiers, he asks that 

the American team leader accompany him and the rest of his 

team be placed around the village for security.

The focus of the planning session then turns to UC Three. 

The Iraqi commander knows there is an armed insurgent hiding 

out there. Through intelligence sources, he’s identified which 

building the insurgent is located in and plans his search and 

security vehicle placement.

Woolard’s vehicle is to be located on the outside perimeter 

of each village.

10:15

The convoy leaves the TTB for UC Two. The team leader and 

the Iraqi commander are in the lead vehicle. Woolard’s vehicle 

is number two. There is a little tension in the air. No one really 

knows what to expect at the village. Everyone knows something 

will happen, but no one knows what. Woolard says this is the 

part he hates most. He feels responsible for each team member’s 

health and fears one or more of them may be wounded or worse. 

Before leaving the TTB, he moves his medic bag closer to the 

tailgate of the Humvee so he can get to it faster. 

10:30

The convoy arrives at UC Two. The Iraqi commander’s 

vehicle goes straight into the middle of town, accompanied 

by his Soldiers. Woolard and the other trucks take up support 

positions outside of town at their predetermined points. Photo: Cpl. Robert Woolard keeps and eye on the village 

where his transition team is assisting the Iraqi army in 

locating an insurgent. (Duty First!/Skidmore)

10:40

Woolard’s worst fears are realized when a civilian pickup 

carrying Iraqi insurgents speeds through the village and fires 

randomly at the Soldiers. The gunner in Woolard’s vehicle is 

wounded in the arm. 

The medic flies into action by applying a pressure dressing 

and treatments for shock. The gunner says he’s in good enough 

shape to continue the mission. Woolard makes the decision 

to not MEDEVAC him. At the same time, the Iraqi villagers 

begin to mill around the Soldiers, and the team leader makes the 

decision to leave the village as quickly as possible. The Iraqi 

soldiers have located and seized the cache of arms and leave 

the village as well. They depart for UC Three, the next village 

on the mission.

11:20

The convoy arrives at UC Three and immediately sets up 

their security perimeter. 

Eyes scan the village because they know there is a bad guy in 

there and they can only suspect exactly where he is. The major 

calls for Woolard’s vehicle commander to come to his location, 

leaving Woolard and the wounded gunner alone. Woolard is 

really nervous now. He keeps an eye on the gunner and at the 

same time keeps his weapon pointed into the village. 

Then, gun shots ring out. A call comes across the radio 

asking for the medic to come to the center of town where one of 

the team has been wounded. 

Woolard makes the decision to leave the gunner alone, grabs 

his bag and runs into the village where the wounded Soldier is 

laying.

The wound is to the leg. Woolard applies a tourniquet to 

stop the bleeding and moves the Soldier with the help of a team 

member and an Iraqi Soldier back to his vehicle. Woolard starts 

an IV, treats the Soldier for stress and prepares to move back to 

the FOB, away from danger.

12:10

The team arrives back at the TTB for their after action 

review. The observer/controller said overall the team did well 

on the exercise but notes several areas that need improvement. 

Woolard raises his concern with leaving a wounded Soldier to 

treat another Soldier in a hostile village. The OC acknowledges 

the issue and recommends next time Woolard is replaced at the 

vehicle before moving to the wounded in town. The OC also 

recommends everyone use the “battle buddy” plan and never 

travel as individuals. 

13:00 

The exercise is over. The convoy returns to Camp Funston 

and prepares for their graduation the next day.

Everyone on the team is taking a few days leave before 

deploying, except Woolard, who says he wants to take a 30-day 

leave when he returns from the deployment.
9 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

STSB 1

By Tyler Abney

Duty First! Magazine

Spc. Kyle Maggart, 24, 774th Explosive Ordnance Disposal 

Company, 84th EOD Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, has 

been serving his country for the past five years. 

The Dayton, Ohio, native joined the Army because he 

thought it would be fun and most of the men in his family were 

service members at one time or another.

06:30, May 19, custer hill

Maggart arrives with the rest of his unit to begin his Tuesday. 

For the first time in 21 days, he wouldn’t be hitting the range for 

a demolition or field training exercise. Today, urban operations 

are the name of the game. Maggert and the rest of the Soldiers 

from 774th will put their military operations on urban terrain 

skills to the test by clearing rooms, setting perimeters and 

eliminating the enemy at one of the urban clusters on Fort 

Riley.

As the day begins, Maggart, once an artillery and infantryman, 

goes through a course taught by a member of his unit on how to 

successfully stack-up outside, breach and clear a building.

09:00

The unit heads to the training area. Maggart said he reclassed to EOD because he had gotten “tired of jumping out of 

airplanes.”

The urban cluster the team will use today is approximately 

100 yards long by 40 yards wide and comprised of several 

connexes stacked on top of one another to simulate buildings. 

Windows and balconies were created in the boxes to give the 

Soldiers the impression that they are in a village in Iraq or 

Afghanistan.

09:30

Maggart helps the other Soldiers from his unit unload 

weapons, ammunition and water for the day’s training. The 

weapons and ammunition however, were not that of standard 

military issue. Instead, paintball markers replaced the M4 while 

green, red and orange paintballs were used for ammo. Several 

wooden crates were filled with air canisters and mock AK-47s.

With all the gear on the ground, the unit broke into two teams 

of six and was told to find separate conexes on opposite ends

of the soon-to-be battle ground. Once inside the box, Maggart 

changed out of his army combat uniform and into a desert 

combat uniform and paintball mask then discussed strategy for 

taking the field with his team. 

Five orange flags and five green flags were placed throughout 

the cluster with the idea of teams capturing each flag and 

returning them to their respective starting points. 

Maggert suggested splitting into groups of two or three and 

scattering around the field. At the shout of “go,” Maggart and 

his teammates raced out of their conex and began finding secure 

positions throughout the cluster. Each team used the training 

they earlier received to provide cover for one another while 

moving from building to building. 

Between each iteration, Maggart and his team would return 

to their conex, do a quick review of why things did or didn’t 

work and devise another strategy for success. 

Spc. Kyle Maggart makes a final check of one of the

unit’s Humvees. Soldiers had to do an inspection of 

vehicles they would take to the field the next day.

Photos: Duty First!/Abney

10

12:30

By noon, the unit had gone through six or seven 

iterations. A variety meals ready to eat provided a much 

needed boost of energy. Maggart sat in the shade of one of 

the conexes joking with the rest of his unit about who had 

killed who and which strategies worked and which didn’t. 

By 1:15 p.m., everyone was ready to get back on the field. 

Since the margin of victory by one team over the other was so 

lopsided in the first round, teams were redrawn and a few of the 

rules changed. 

Maggart said it was nice to use paintball as a way to have a 

good time, while at the same time getting something out of it in 

terms of combat training.

14:15

On arrival back at the company headquarters, Maggart 

assisted in unloading gear and began performing afteraction checks and services on vehicles. He moved about 

the Humvee, ensuring everything was in working order. Wheels 

were checked and vehicles serviced. 

15:30

Near mid-afternoon, the day was beginning to slow down, 

but one more task was at hand. Members of the 774th shot an 

“EOD” recruiting poster. Several members of the unit dressed 

in full battle gear and a bomb suit posed in front of one of the 

unit’s vehicles, with weapons and the robots used to assist with 

deactivating explosives.

16:15

The final 45 minutes of the day were dedicated to cleaning 

the company headquarters, making one last check of the storage 

bay and vehicles for the next day’s mission. Maggert helped 

straighten up the headquarters’ entryway by picking up gear 

and sweeping the floor. 

At 5 p.m., the unit met one more time to discuss the next day’s 

events and then Maggart made his way home to eat dinner.

EOD Soldier Takes On Urban Ops
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CAB ST 1

11

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

1st Lt. Sarah McNair 

didn’t have a Family 

history that drew her 

to the Army and really, 

she didn’t plan on an 

aviation job. Growing up 

in an affluent suburb of 

Philadelphia, she decided 

she didn’t want to “skate 

by” and take the regular 

route to college. So she 

headed to West Point.

“My dad was kind of 

like... ‘you want to do 

what?’ when I first told 

him, but they’ve been 

very supportive of me and 

my sister,” McNair said. Her younger sister followed McNair’s 

choice and also opted for West Point, graduating in May.

“I wanted to join the Army because I wanted something 

challenging and character building,” McNair Co. A., 2nd 

General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation 

Brigade said. 

She chose aviation because it was one of the more challenging 

branches available to 

women who join the 

Army.

“About10 percent 

of my class went 

aviation,”McNair said. 

“I wanted to do it because 

I thought it would be 

interesting and a good 

challenge.”

06:30, May19, 

King Field House

This morning’s 

physical training takes

a break from the usual 

with a class at King Field 

House. The hour-long class 

is a combination of Pilates 

and yoga, punctuated 

with some good-natured 

teasing as the Soldiers in 

McNair’s unit work out 

some muscles that don’t 

get used too often.

08:45, Marshall Army Airfield

After a shower and quick breakfast, McNair heads to her 

office. The first item on the agenda is a production control 

meeting. During the meeting, each company talks about what 

aircraft will have flights that day and what aircraft are receiving 

maintenance.

09:15

McNair slips out of the meeting early to meet with Chief 

Warrant Officer 3 Morgan Fouliard and go over the afternoon’s 

flight procedures. Today, McNair and Fouliard, along with 

Sgt. James Shively, crew chief, will fly an instrument flight 

to Topeka. There, they will meet up with Lt. Col. Christopher 

Prather, battalion commander, for a 

return flight.

12

10:15

Flight plans reviewed, McNair heads to a company training 

meeting. During the meeting, upcoming training, classes and 

sergeants time responsibilities are reviewed.

10:45

McNair heads out to the Black Hawk she’ll be flying for 

a pre-flight inspection. Working with Fouliard and Shively, 

McNair checks the aircraft for any problems. In between checks, 

she talks about how she and her husband, a Black Hawk pilot 

for 3rd Assault Helicopter Bn., 1st Aviation Regt., met while 

at West Point. Both came to Fort Riley at the same time and 

deployed to the CAB mid-way through the unit’s deployment. 

Once a pre-flight check is done and the necessary flight briefings 

reviewed, McNair heads back to her office for lunch.

“Everyone be back by noon or so,” Fouliard says. “That way 

we can take our time with things.”

12:15

McNair slides into the cockpit and begins pre-departure 

procedures and radio checks. Today, she and Fouliard will be 

dealing with a strong tail wind as they fly, and they talk out the 

best way to liftoff from the airfield.

13:00

With McNair at the controls, the Black Hawk lifts off from 

Marshall Army Airfield. It isn’t a long flight to the Topeka 

Municipal Billard Airport – about 35 minutes before the crew 

touches down. The crew then settles in to wait for Prather, who 

took off a few minutes after McNair and Fouliard and is flying 

to Emporia before heading to Topeka.

15:00

Prather arrives at the small airport and the crews visit briefly 

while his helicopter is refueled. Back in the cockpit, McNair 

jumps out quickly when a wasp flies out of the control panel.

“I had a traumatic bee incident when I was a child,” she

laughed. Once the wasp is killed, the crew climbs back in and 

starts the engines.

16:00

Both helicopters lift off from Topeka and start back to Fort 

Riley. This time, Fouliard is at the controls and McNair reads 

off navigational checkpoints along their flight path.

When they touch down at Fort Riley, the crew does a “hot 

seat” switch with another crew who is waiting to clock some 

flight hours. On most flights, she would power down the 

helicopter and go through some post-flight checks, but this time 

she, Fouliard and Shively leave the aircraft running and jump 

out with their gear. 

16:45

McNair stashes her flight helmet and equipment in her 

locker. She spends a little bit of time finishing up on tasks 

before heading home, which is in Manhattan. McNair said she’s 

unsure if she will stay in aviation, even though she enjoys it.

“I’d like to go to medical school, so if the Army will put me 

through that, then that’s what I’ll do,” she said.

Photos from left: 1st Lt. Sarah McNair participates in 

a pilates-yoga class during physical training; meets 

with Chief Warrant Officer 3 Morgan Fouliard to go

over flight plans; checks the blades on a helicopter

during a pre-flight

inspection (top 

left); listens in on a 

pre-flight briefing

with Fouliard and 

Sgt. James Shively; 

returns to Fort 

Riley as a second 

aircraft behind Lt. 

Col. Christopher 

Prather; checks 

navigational points 

for Fouliard on the 

return flight; lifts

off from Marshall 

Army Airfield.

(Duty First!/Staatz)
13 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

NDHBCT 2

By Sgt. Brian Tierce

2nd HBCT Public Affairs

Staff Sgt. Galo Roman deployed from Fort Riley in October 

2008 along with the rest of Headquarters and Headquarters 

Company, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.

Roman is the squad leader for the brigade command 

sergeant major’s personal security detachment and is tasked 

with ensuring the CSM can safely traverse the battlefield and 

visit with Soldiers on a daily basis. Roman is currently serving 

his fourth deployment since the start of the Global War on 

Terrorism and has already been accepted into Drill Sergeant 

School following his redeployment from Iraq.

07:30, May 19, Camp Liberty

Roman starts his day on Camp Liberty, a sprawling military 

base, which is a part of the Victory base complex where he 

works. The day is already mapped out for Roman and his 

Soldiers, following a meeting the night before with Command 

Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle.

“We try to make it a point not to surprise the Soldiers or 

the units when we come to visit, we make a plan and then we 

execute the following day,” Roman said.

On this day, the visit will be to see progress being made on 

expanding Joint Security Station Nasser wa Salaam in the Abu 

Ghraib district west of Baghdad. The Dagger Brigade assumed 

responsibility for the area following the departure of the 2nd 

Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, and in an instant tripled the 

size of their operational environment.

“At first when we heard we would have to expand that far 

west, we didn’t know what to expect, but after a few trips, 

we were already getting acquainted with our new routes and 

all the scenery offered by the farm land west of the big city.”

09:00

Roman heads out to the vehicles to ensure his Soldiers are 

performing the required pre-mission checks to get the vehicles 

ready. 

 “These vehicles aren’t just going from point A to point B,” 

Roman said. “We are traversing a combat zone where anything 

could happen and the vehicles and Soldiers need to be operating 

at their peak performance to ensure we accomplish the mission 

of transporting Dagger 7 to each destination safely.”

10:00

When Battle gears up and heads out of the brigade’s tactical 

operations center, it is time for Roman to conduct the mission 

brief to the Soldiers. Everything is discussed, from the planned 

route to escalation of force procedures and beyond.

“We leave no stone unturned with our mission briefs,” said 

Roman. “Before each and every mission, we brief like it is our 

first, so we never lose that sense of urgency or get complacent. 

there is too much at risk to let our situational awareness take a 

break for even a second.” 

10:30

With the vehicles loaded and on the move, the convoy heads 

out of Camp Liberty and onto a military supply route. This 

specific route recently experienced a rather large explosion and 

the first matter of business is take a look at the site and engage 

local Iraqi civilians to see what information they might have 

about the event.

“One of the things we do on missions is speak with Iraqi

Staff Sgt. Galo Roman, of New York, checks a Soldier’s 

weapon prior to leaving the wire on a mission to the Abu 

Ghraib district west of Baghdad.

“Dagger Soldier Leads 

Squad Outside The Wire

14

citizens about the events taking place around them,” Roman 

said. “We show them that we care and we are working to make 

things better. Once Battle has an idea of what can be done to 

better protect the populace, he can pass that information along 

to the brigade commander who can direct support to those in 

need. 

11:30

Once the Soldiers had taken a look at the site and spoken 

with a few citizens, it’s back to the vehicles and on with the 

mission. The drive to their destination does not take to much 

longer and the Soldier arrive in time to get lunch. Their mission 

to transport Dagger 7 is complete, but the mission for the senior 

enlisted leader in the brigade begins when he arrives at the 

JSS.

“CSM Battle’s mission is to take care of Soldiers,” Roman 

said. “When we visit the JSS’s, he gets a feel for what the 

Soldiers’ needs are and gives guidance to the senior leaders in 

the subordinate units.” 

13:00

Once Battle completes his visit to the joint security station, 

the Soldiers of the PSD snap back into action and begin the 

process of moving back to Camp Liberty. Though the Soldiers 

have made the trip numerous times, they know each time is

different and presents its own challenges.

“The situation is always evolving here in Iraq, every time 

there is an attack we have to analyze and make a determination 

of how to react and work to prevent being targeted,” Roman 

said. “We have been successful so far and we hope to keep up 

the good work.”

14:15

After arriving back at Camp Liberty, clearing weapons and 

dropping off Dagger 7, Roman and his Soldiers conduct a last 

round of vehicle maintenance to prepare the vehicles for the 

next day’s task.

“Once we finish a mission, we begin planning for the next,” 

Roman said. “We roll out almost every day, so it is a non-stop 

process of working with the vehicles and Soldiers to keep them 

all mission ready.”

17:00

To finish off a hard day’s work, Roman and a group of 

Soldiers from his squad head to the gym to take care of staying 

in top physical shape.

“Physical fitness is as important – or more important – than 

anything we do,” Roman said. “Staying in shape keeps the 

Soldiers’ mission ready and it just makes you feel better overall. 

At least, it makes me feel better.”

Staff Sgt. Galo Roman of New York walks near the Abu Ghraib market while Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Battle 

engages local citizens about a recent explosion.

2 HBCT PAO/Tierce
15 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 16

IBCT RD 3

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Pfc. Bryan Smitke, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, joined the Army in 2008 

because he wanted to serve his country. The 31-year-old 

Duluth, Minn., native went to school to become a paramedic 

and firefighter, but a slumping job market led him to follow the 

footsteps of his other Family members and join the Army.

“I joined out of a sense of service to my country,” Smitke 

said. “And secondly, it is somewhat of a Family tradition. 

My grandfather, father, two brothers and several cousins all 

currently serve or have served in their lifetime.”

Smitke is a member of the battalion commander’s personal 

security detachment. While he enlisted as a mortarman, he ended 

up on the PSD after the unit decided they needed someone able 

to use the mortar system if needed.

05:00, May 19, FOB Blessing, Afghanistan

Smitke is up early and heads to the gym for physical training. 

Once that’s done, he eats a quick breakfast.

07:00

Smitke helps to prepare vehicles for today’s convoy. Lt. Col. 

Brett Jenkinson, battalion commander, is going to Abad.

08:30

After a convoy brief, Smitke and the rest of the PSD start 

their patrol, heading south down the Pesh River Road. Smitke 

said he enjoys being on the PSD.

 “I really couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to 

serve with,” he said. “The majority of the time, we go 

with Lt. Col. Jenkinson to do battlefield circulation 

or go to different meetings in our area of operations.”

Smitke notes that often, the unit escorts Jenkinson through 

“hot” areas. All of the members of the PSD have had heavy 

crew-served weapons training, as well as dismount training.

09:15

The unit has been on the road for about 45 minutes when 

they encounter small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire. 

The Soldiers return fire, and call for artillery support. Smitke 

estimated that there were three to five enemy forces firing from 

a cave in the mountain side. The contact lasts about an hour 

before the unit continues on to Abad.

10:45

Once they arrive in Abad, Jenkinson has meetings to attend. 

Smitke and his fellow Soldiers clean and check their weapons 

from the contact earlier and check over the trucks and weapons 

systems to make sure there is no significant damage and 

everything is working properly. Once that’s complete, it’s time 

for lunch.

“I was really shocked when I saw the living conditions of the 

people here,” Smitke said. “It’s almost like time forgot this area 

of the world. Most people don’t have indoor plumbing, water 

or electricity – all the things we as Americans take for granted. 

Also, the majority of the buildings are made of straw and mud. 

Seeing that really made me appreciate where and how I live.”

I was really shocked when 

I saw the living conditions of 

the people here. It’s almost 

like time forgot this area 

of the world. Most people 

don’t have indoor plumbing, 

water or electricity – all the 

things we as Americans take 

for granted.”

 –Pfc.Bryan Smitke

“

12:30

Smitke is back in his truck, getting ready to leave. About 

13:00, the unit starts back to Forward Operating Base Blessing. 

This time, the trip is uneventful and the Soldiers arrive back 

around 14:30.

14:45

Once the trucks are refueled and parked, the crew goes over 

them one more time and then locks them up for the night. 

Smitke’s duty day is complete about 15:30. He spends his 

evening watching movies with his platoon and chatting with his 

wife and 7 year-old daughter via computer.

“They are my world and the reason above all that I do what 

I do,” Smitke said. “I want them to be safe and if I can shield 

them from the bad in this world by doing this, then I will.”

PSD Soldier Patrols, Escorts In Afghanistan

Pfc. Bryan Smitke, 1st Bn., 26th Inf. Regt., 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, posts security along a street in 

Afghanistan.

Courtesy Photo
17 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

THIBCT 4

By Spc. Shantelle J. Campbell

4 IBCT PAO

FORT IRWIN, Calif. – Two and a half years ago, Pfc. 

Jared Blankenship, now a truck driver and driver for his first 

sergeant with Company A, 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was staring into a computer 

screen, “updating his resume.” Unknowingly, this simple act 

led Blankenship to the military.

With only 17 months in the Army, Blankenship has already 

gone through the month-long Warrior Leader Course at Fort 

Sill, Okla., and made the Commandant’s List. A significant 

accomplishment considering WLC is typically reserved for the 

Army’s newest noncommissioned officers.

07:00, May 19, National Training Center

Inside the sleep tent of A Co., 701st BSB, Blankenship is 

already sweaty from his morning run around the dusty, sandy 

and rocky plains of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, 

Calif. At first glance, one would think that the Rockford, N.Y., 

native’s seemingly boyish facial features meant he could be no 

more than 18 years old, but he is 30 and married, with a 2-yearold son named Jack.

07:45

After he finishes sweeping and making sure he has all of his 

gear, Blankenship heads to the motor pool to check on the status 

of his first sergeant’s vehicle. Along the way, he talks about 

the three years of college and his job with a mortgage lending 

company which was life before the Army.

“I had an attitude problem before I came in,” Blankenship 

said. I didn’t want to join (the military) until I had that under 

control, so I did other things.”

08:00

Blankenship arrives at the motor pool and locates his vehicle. 

He checks on the Soldier who was operating the vehicle, then 

exits the motor pool and finds a place to sit so that he could eat 

the cheeseburger and Twizzlers he bought from one of the many 

food trucks at NTC. 

As he ate his burger, Blankenship admitted his weaknesses, 

strengths and his concern about his impending promotion

Pfc. Jared M. Blankenship, a truck driver with 

Company A, 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th 

Infantry Brigade Combat Team, makes sure every 

door and hood of his Humvee functions properly 

during a pre-maintenance check and service.

Pfc. Jared M. Blankenship, a truck driver with 

Company A, 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th 

Infantry Brigade Combat Team, inspects the trailer 

hitch during a pre-maintenance check and service of 

his Humvee at the National Training Center. 

Hard Work Means 

Early Promotion

18

Photos by 4IBCT PAO/Campbell

to corporal.

“I’m a little nervous, honestly,” he said. “I didn’t know 

that I was getting promoted straight to corporal. There are 

a lot of [specialists] in my company and most of them have 

already deployed. Then here is a [private first class] who hasn’t 

deployed, going straight to a corporal who will out-rank them. 

You have to approach that carefully, because you don’t want to 

offend anyone. ” 

08:47

Along with being the first sergeant’s driver, Blankenship is 

also the company’s public affairs representative. After finishing 

his burger, he heads to his unit’s headquarters trailer to join the 

rest of the battalion’s public affairs representatives for a trip to 

public affairs for media awareness training.

11:33

After the training, Blankenship walks over to a water buffalo 

and fills his Camelbak. Then, he heads to Burger King for lunch. 

12:36

Once he is done with lunch, Blankenship walks back to his 

tent, taking sips from his Camelbak as he takes heed of the 

rising temperatures and the very dry heat.

Inside his tent, the coolness provided by the air 

conditioners is pleasant. But, after sitting on his cot for 

a while, Blankenship makes a call, then heads back to 

the motor pool to check on the status of his vehicle and

perform pre-operation checks and a service inspection.

14:00

Blankenship makes his third trip to the motor pool, except 

this time his mission is different. His Canon Powershot camera 

accompanies him, so he can practice his picture-taking skills. 

When he finishes taking pictures of Soldiers in the motor pool, 

Blankenship goes back to his tent and wanders around, taking 

random pictures of fellow Soldiers.

14:46

Blankenship is called by his platoon leader to help with 

moving equipment.

“I have a lot of respect for my company and they have a lot of 

respect for me,” said Blankenship. “You look at these Diligent 

Challenges that we do and then Dragon Week, no company in 

my battalion had as many people do as many events as we did. 

And, it wasn’t because our leadership made us, it was because 

we just decided to get out there and do it ... that’s why I love 

my company because they have good spirit, camaraderie and 

they try.”

16:38

Blankenship bids farewell as he walks into his tent to change 

out of his Army Combat Uniform and into his physical training 

uniform to go on another run.

“I feel alive when I run,” he said. “It kind of helps with the 

stresses of the day, and it’s like closure for that day ... it’s my 

motivator and my wake up plan.”

Pfc. Jared M. Blankenship, a truck driver with Company A, 701st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team, unloads boxes during a detail on May 19.
19 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

By Tyler Abney

Duty First! Magazine

While the average person’s work 

day is eight hours, a Soldier’s day 

is not done until the mission is 

complete. Long days are simply 

part of the job, but in the off time, 

Soldiers need to find a way to 

escape the routine.

Some Soldiers fish and others 

ride motorcycles, but Sgt. Cody 

Harding, Division Headquarters 

and Headquarters Battalion, 1st 

Infantry Division and Spc. Clint 

Whitfield, DHHB, Operations 

Company, 1st Inf. Div., turn 

to video games for a relaxing 

evening or weekend afternoon.

“The reason for me is to 

break up the monotony of 

the everyday,” Whitfield said. 

“I have a wife and two kids and 

coming here [work] every day.

20

It’s something where you can detox pretty much. It’s 

something to relax and beat the everyday stress.” 

Whitfield said he’s been playing since he was 

old enough to hold the controller and remembers 

starting out on his brother’s Atari playing Pong. 

“It was right when Nintendo was first starting to come 

out,” Whitfield said. “They were like three or 400 bucks. 

He would pull out his Atari and I just remember playing on 

that for hours.”

Over the years, Whitfield said he’s played every gaming 

system, but is currently hooked on the Call of Duty series 

on XBox 360. Whitfield blames that on being stationed at 

Fort Riley. When Whitfield found out he had become part 

of the Big Red One, he purchased Call of Duty 2: Big Red 

One. 

Whitfield said he enjoys the series because of the 

versatility it holds in being able to play online or against the 

computer. Whitfield described himself as a noncompetitive 

person and only plays to relax. 

“I’m not very competitive,” Whitfield said. “I do it just 

for the fun. I deal with so much stress and work, especially 

with two kids at home that I don’t want something where 

I am tense. I just want something that I can actually kick 

back and have fun with.”

While Whitfield sticks mainly to role-playing games, 

Harding said he enjoys a variety of gaming systems and 

genres to explore differences in manufacturers.

“They make a good escape and a decent way to pass 

time,” Harding said. “It’s interesting to see how different 

studios make different games. I play way too much for my 

own good. Not that it gets in the way of the job, but it’s a 

bit of time.”

Harding said he became a game enthusiast at an early 

age when his dad brought home a Commodore 64 gaming 

system and eventually advanced to the Nintendo.

Like Whitfield, Harding said he plays online, but prefers 

playing solo. 

“It’s interesting to see the ‘gamer’ culture from the 

outside,” Harding said. “Before, you had groups of friends 

crowding around a big screen for a Fight Night or a football 

game, and you still do. Now, you have the same groups 

crowding around Halo or Call of Duty. It’s just friends 

getting together to have fun.” Photos by Duty First/Staatz
21 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

Maj. Steve Gerber has a love for cars and speed that takes 

him to the track not quite as often as he’d like.

Gerber has been in the Army 12 years. He served first on the 

enlisted side as a medic before being accepted at the West Point 

Preparatory Academy and receiving a commission. Currently 

a company commander at the Warrior Transition Battalion, 

the newly promoted major will be on one of the last transition 

teams to deploy out of Camp Funston.

Gerber went to Heartland Park in April to participate in the 

Porsche Club high performance driving event and hopes to 

make it to the track a few more times before deploying. HPDE 

races are the Porsche Club races, which are timed and have a

set amount of laps. 

HPDE races have different “levels.” Beginning drivers are 

assigned an instructor to ride with them and offer advice and 

assistance. As a driver becomes more advanced, they race 

in the higher run groups. While HPDE heats have a 

set time length for cars to race laps, individual 

times are not kept. Gerber said all drivers are 

competitive.

“They tell you it’s not a race exactly,” 

Gerber said. “But you end up with a 

bunch of Type A personalities who 

want to go fast. We all know who’s 

doing well and who’s not.”

Gerber and his 2002 Corvette first 

raced in 2007.

“When I bought it, I wanted to get 

into some kind of road racing,” Gerber 

said. “I started looking online and I 

found Heartland Park.”

 Gerber has to balance his race wants with 

the practicality of cost and the fact that his Corvette 

is not just for racing – he drives it to work every day. 

“I’d love to do this more, but it can get expensive,” Gerber 

said. “The entrance fee was $325. Once you start adding in the

Maj. Steve Gerber checks the engine before hitting 

the track at Heartland Park Raceway.

Fast Cars and 

Freedom

22

Maj. Steve Gerber (in the red Corvette) speeds down the straightaway at Heartland Park.

Duty First! Magazine/Staatz

cost of parts, tires and stuff like that, it gets pricey.”

Gerber’s three-day event in April saw him in one of the 

most advanced groups he has ever participated in.

“It was really gratifying in a way to be recognized as 

someone who’s safe and respectful, but can still hang with the 

more experienced drivers and cars,” he said.

While in the garage working on his car before a heat, 

Gerber said sometimes people don’t get his interest in racing.

“To me, if you have a fast car, who wouldn’t want the 

chance to get out there and at least try?” he said. “I don’t 

think there’s any normal, red-blooded male out there who 

doesn’t like the competition, plus the speed and excitement.”
Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

Tap Out or Pass Out

23

Spc. Raymond Moungey, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 

maneuvers for control during the Dragon Week 

combatives tournament.

Spc. Brandon Currie, 1st Bn. 28th Inf. Regt., maneuvers on 

top of his opponent during the Dragon Week combatives 

tournament at King Field House.

By Tyler Abney

Duty First! Magazine

Few things draw a crowd like a good fight. May 4-5, King 

Field House at Fort Riley packed out quickly as Soldiers from 

the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team faced off with each other 

during the combatives and boxing portions of Dragon Week.

Dragon Week featured a wide range of competitions in 

everything from combatives to stress shoots and ruck marches, 

all designed to showcase the physical abilities of “Dragon” 

Brigade Soldiers.

Red mats for the combatives tournament covered one half 

of the gymnasium floor as Soldiers donning Army Combat 

Uniforms and ear phones moved about trying to stay loose for 

their upcoming match. Fans shouted words of encouragement 

to members of their respective units and thundering “OH’s!” 

rattled the gym every time a fighter was slammed to the mat.

The competition had four weight classes, 164 and under, 165 

to 184 pounds, 185 to 204 and 205 and over. The two-day, single 

elimination tournament featured Soldiers using grappling and 

submission skills on the first day and a combination of the two, 

plus open hand slaps on the second. For a Soldier to advance 

to the second day they had to finish the first in the final four of 

their weight class.

Spc. Raymond Moungey

Standing over six-feet tall, Spc. Raymond Moungey, 

2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, began competing 

while at basic training. An ex-football player and wrestler, 

Moungey is no stranger to contact sports, so participating 

in a combatives tournament comes as second nature.

The barrel-chested fighter competes in the heavyweight 

division and possesses a combination of strength and speed which 

allows him to out-maneuver and out-man his opponent. Upon his 

arrival to Fort Riley, Moungey enrolled in and passed both the 

level one and level two combatives courses, making him eligible 

to take the level three course and eventually become an instructor.

As the tournament began, several fighters went through 

their pre-fight routine of stretching and psyching themselves 

up. Not Moungey. Sitting calmly, he kept his eyes focused 

forward as if envisioning the fight before it happened. 

Eventually, his bout was called. Almost lethargically, 

he rose to his feet and went to work on his opponent.

A three-year combatives veteran, this isn’t Moungey’s 

first tournament. In fact, it’s a relatively minor stage to ones 

he’s previously competed on. Besides participating in a prior 

Dragon Week, he took part in two post-wide tournaments at 

Fort Riley in addition to the All-Army tournament in 2006.

 Moungey made it through the first day of the tournament 

unscathed, but lost his first match on day two and took third 

24

place. While winning the tournament would have been nice, 

Moungey said he doesn’t find total success in victory. Instead, 

he views the competition within the sport to be more valuable.

“If I know the guy I’m fighting is really good, it’s an 

adrenaline rush and hypes me up because I know it’s somebody 

who will compete against me,” Moungey said. “If I’m going 

against a guy who just joined the Army, like a private that 

doesn’t really know that much, I try to finish it quick, but also 

help teach them. Even in tournaments, when I’m fighting, 

I’ll whisper in their ear to help them out so they can learn.”

Learning the ropes of combatives and preparing 

properly is crucial to success in the sport. Moungey 

said he spent approximately 20 hours per week in 

the combatives center tuning up for the tournament.

While Moungey’s prior wrestling skills do help, he said he 

altars his fighting style depending on the style of his competition. 

“Being a heavyweight is a challenge because you 

get guys that have technique that can go the distance 

or you get heavier guys that just lay on you. When you 

get to the lower end of the weight class where I’m at, 

you get the guys with more technique and quickness.”

Spc. Brandon Currie

While Moungey may have been an experienced combatives 

fighter, Spc. Brandon Currie, 1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., was trying 

his hand at the sport for the first time. From Cocoa Beach, 

Fla., Currie wrestled all four years of high school and was the 

 189-pound state champion his senior year.

“It’s something I’ve been interested in forever,” he said. 

“When I was wrestling I was interested in MMA [mixed 

martial arts]. I loved watching it on TV and have wanted to do 

something like this since I joined the Army.”

Currie fought in the 185 to 204-pound class, winning his 

first match by points and losing his second by submission. He 

did not advance to the second day of the contest, but said his 

wrestling background helped him be competitive.

“I’m a really good wrestler,” Currie said. “I’ve got really 

good takedowns, so it would be silly not to use it.”

Like Moungey, Currie took a 30-hour combatives course to 

prepare for the tournament, but also used cross-fit exercises to 

get into fighting shape. 

“It’s a blend of cardio, weight lifting and body weight 

exercises,” Currie said. “It’s a really short work out. I don’t 

really have anybody to train the grappling with, so I just try to 

make sure my endurance is where it needs to be. I’d do PT in 

the morning then get off work and do PT again.”

Currie’s wrestling skills and extra work paid off in the fact 

that he didn’t get too winded, but having only a week to prepare 

for his first tournament made him vulnerable to fighters with 

more experience.

“It was fun,” Currie said. “The first guy, I could not get 

to tap and the second guy obviously got me to tap. I don’t 

think I would have lasted ten seconds with out it [a wrestling

 background].” 

Spc. Raymond Moungey, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., puts 

his opponent in a hold at the Dragon Week combatives 

tournament at King Field House.

Spc. Brandon Currie, 1st Bn., 28th Inf. Regt., locks 

in a choke hold during the Dragon Week combatives 

tournament at King Field House. 

Duty First!/Abney
25 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

Compiled by Gary Skidmore

Duty First! Magazine

The 1st Infantry Division was put on alert for deployment 

to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 8, 1990, after Iraq’s Saddam Hussein 

attacked Kuwait and tried to annex the country. The division 

deployed more than 12,000 Soldiers and 7,000 pieces of 

equipment over the next two months. 

Just after midnight on Jan. 17, 1991, President George Bush 

gave the order for U.S. troops to lead an international coalition 

in an attack on Hussein’s army. 

General Norman Schwarzkopf led “Operation Desert 

Storm,” which began with a massive bombing of Hussein’s 

armies in Iraq and Kuwait. 

On the morning of Feb. 24, 1991, under the command of 

now retired Maj. Gen. Thomas G. Rhame, the Big Red One 

spearheaded the armored attack into Iraq by creating the allimportant breach into Iraqi defenses. The breach enabled VII 

Corps units to smash into Iraq. 

“I really wanted the Big Red One to do the breach,” said 

retired Lt. Gen. Tommy Franks, VII Corps commanding general. 

“I knew they had done a lot of work at the National Training 

Center, practicing breach procedures.

“It was a tough mission,” said Franks. “It was a tough 

mission on three counts: one, the actual breach operation 

– clearing 24 lanes for the passage, and then passing the 1st 

British Armored Division through them. Secondly, the logistics 

of the Corps to pass through, and then third, it turns out the 

1st Cavalry Division passed through the breach as well. It was 

a tough, complex mission. It required a lot of rehearsal, some 

new techniques developed and a lot of coordination.”

The massive amount of men and equipment which were 

prepared for the charge was incredible.

“I remember that night before we lit the sky up. We went 

through the berm and I saw the largest tank transfer since World 

War II. We passed the British through,” said retired Chap. (Lt. 

Col.) John Cottingham, 1st Inf. Div. chaplain.

The division broke through enemy defensive lines, decimated 

the Iraqi 26th Inf. Div. and took more than 2,500 prisoners. 

By passing British 1st Armored Division through, it allowed

the momentum of the coalition force’s attack to continue. The 

division then followed and drove to the east deep into enemy 

territory. 

Continuing its attack, the division collided with the 

Tawalakana Division, Republican Guard and the 37th Brigade 

of the 12th Iraqi Tank Division. On the night of Feb. 26, the 

Big Red One destroyed both units. Enemy losses included more 

than 40 tanks and 40 infantry fighting vehicles. 

Following the Battle of Norfolk, the division raced ahead to 

cut of the Iraqi lines of retreat from Kuwait City. BRO elements 

destroyed scores of enemy vehicles and took thousands of 

prisoners as they advanced. 

By 8 p.m., Feb.27, the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 

had seized the main highway leading north out of Kuwait, 

barring the Iraqis’ escape. By the next morning, the rest of the 

division had taken up positions along the highway and fully 

secured it. 

At 8 a.m., Feb. 28, the war was over when a cease-fire was 

called. The Big Red One had fought through 260 kilometers of 

enemy-held territory in 100 hours, destroying 550 enemy tanks, 

480 armored personnel carriers, and taking 11,400 prisoners. 

Eighteen of the division’s Soldiers were killed in the war. 

The division earned three campaign streamers for its colors: 

Defense of Saudi Arabia, Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 

and Cease Fire. 

On Mar. 3, negotiations were held between coalition forces 

and Iraqi leaders to cement the cease-fire agreements. The 

division secured the site of the agreements at Safwan airfield. 

Following this, the division prepared for its return home, and on 

May 10, the Big Red One unfurled its colors back home at Fort 

Riley, signifying its return home.

26

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

In a deployment that has been a testament to the flexibility 

of the modern Soldier, members of the 3rd Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team spent 12 months working with and training 

Afghan Security Forces while 

building and establishing 

infrastructure in four provinces.

The “Duke” Brigade is 

currently redeploying to Fort 

Hood, Texas, from Afghanistan 

and will soon restation to Fort 

Knox, Ky.

Col. John Spiszer, Duke 

commander, determined early 

in the brigade’s deployment 

that the priority projects for the 

unit would be roads, schools, 

agriculture, infrastructure and 

power. Roads were of primary 

importance, said Maj. Skip 

Masterson, brigade S-9, noting 

that in Afghanistan, no roads 

often means no schools, clinics, 

bazaars, or interaction between

“The legacy that Task Force Duke 

will leave for the proud population 

of this area is the opportunity to live 

a full life that is free from tyranny, 

and has an improved quality of life, 

expanded educational opportunities 

for their children, and the potential for 

full realization of a national identity in 

their lifetimes.” 

– Maj. Skip Masterson, S-9, 

“Duke” Brigade

villages. Near the end of its deployment, the Duke brigade had 

about 450 kilometers of roads under construction, in addition 

to completing construction on new schools, health care clinics, 

wells and power plants. Masterson said while the progress 

meant success, true achievement couldn’t be measured with 

construction projects.

“The legacy that Task Force 

Duke will leave for the proud 

population of this area is the 

opportunity to live a full life that 

is free from tyranny, and has an 

improved quality of life, expanded 

educational opportunities for their 

children, and the potential for full 

realization of a national identity in 

their lifetimes,” Masterson said.

Soldiers in 3rd IBCT also 

worked side-by-side with Afghan 

Security Forces, assisting with both 

training and combat operations.

The brigade is expected to be 

completely redeployed by the end 

of July.

Army Sgt. Levi Bradstream, an infantryman with pulls 

security as Spc. Anthony Janda comes up an ancient 

trail over a mountain in Afghanistan’s northeastern 

province of Kunar April 10. 

An Afghan National Police member treats a simulated 

gunshot wound to the chest of Spc. Alan Bunting, 

527th Military Police Company, May 10. 

3IBCT PAO/Hopkins
Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

Honoring D-Day’s Heroes

27

By 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs

The 65th Anniversary of the D-Day landings 

was celebrated June 6 at the Eisenhower Center in 

Abilene.

The day started with a parade. The 1st Infantry 

Division was represented with Maj. Gen. Vincent 

Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Infantry 

Division and Fort Riley and Division Command 

Sergeant Major Jim Champagne leading the 1st 

Infantry Division Band and elements of the 1st 

Combat Aviation Brigade and 1st Sustainment 

Brigade.

The Eisenhower Center grounds were filled with 

re-enactors representing Soldiers from the World 

War II era and a static display of equipment used by 

the Soldiers of the Big Red One. 

Photos: Duty First!/Skidmore

28

By The 1st Division Museum 

The First Division Museum at Cantigny Park in 

Wheaton, Ill., commemorated the 65th anniversary 

of D-Day on June 6 by holding ceremonies to honor 

those who made the historic assault that day as well 

as all World War II veterans. Approximately 495 

World War II veterans attended, of whom 107 were 

D-Day veterans. More than 6,100 people came to the 

special events that day, which included a memorial 

service and the commemoration service where the 

museum also dedicated its recently acquired rare 

World War II Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel 

(LCVP). Also known as a “Higgins boat” after its 

designer, Andrew Higgins, Cantigny’s LCVP is the 

same type used to deliver soldiers onto the beach in 

Normandy on D-Day in 1944. About 22,000 LCVPs 

were manufactured during World War II but only a 

dozen or fewer still exist.

Active-duty 1st Infantry Division 

Soldiers from Fort Riley also 

participated in the June 6 events. 

The Soldiers arrived aboard three 

different military helicopters and 

some served as the color guard for 

the day’s events. Park visitors were 

able to meet the troops and see the 

aircraft up close. Historic vehicles 

from the First Division Museum’s 

collection were displayed as well. 

Retired Brig. Gen. Dave Grange, 

former Danger Six, was the guest 

speaker.

The First Division Museum is 

part of the Cantigny First Division 

Foundation, which honors and 

remembers the Big Red One.

Photos courtesy of the 1st Division Mu-

seum at Cantigny
Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 30

By Sgt. David Chapman

75th Fires Brigade PAO

FORT SILL, Okla. – Command of the 75th Fires Brigade 

was handed off to Col. Joseph Harrington during a change of 

command ceremony May 19 at post polo grounds Fort Sill, 

Okla. 

Guest speaker Maj. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, commanding 

general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, expressed 

his thanks to the outgoing commander and his family.

“Over the past few years Dominic and Helen Pompelia 

have provided superior guidance, leadership, compassion and 

care for the Soldiers and families of the 75th Fires Brigade,” 

Brooks said. “Dom, I congratulate you and Helen both. I also 

congratulate your headquarters and your units for handling 

such complex challenges with such professionalism. You have 

absolutely made an impact here at Fort Sill and everywhere our 

Army has boots on the ground. We thank you for your service, 

dedication and your care for the families of this brigade.”

Brooks welcomed Harrington and his family to the command 

with some words of wisdom.

“My challenge to you is cherish every day of command. 

While you are leading these valiant Soldiers and families to 

new and greater heights, know that we at the Big Red One are 

always in reach, always in range and always at your service,” 

Brooks said.

Pompelia shared his thanks and appreciation with those in 

attendance for the members of the brigade during his time in 

command.

“I want to especially thank all the Soldiers on the field today. 

Thank you for not only what you are doing today, but for every 

day you are in the Army. I fully realize that each of you has 

choices and you chose to be here in service to our nation,” 

Pompelia said. “The fact that you have chosen to be part of our 

Army speaks volumes about your patriotism, dedication and 

desire to serve our nation. Simply stated, you are our nation’s 

greatest resource.”

Harrington said he looked forward to being a part of the unit, 

noting that it had been in good hands before he got to it.

“I want to publicly thank Col. Dom Pompelia and his lovely 

wife, Helen. It’s obvious the Soldiers of the 75th were in good 

hands under your leadership, and your gracious professionalism 

during our transition has been superb,” Harrington said. “I am 

honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead the Soldiers of 

the 75th and I look forward to being part of the Big Red One 

and Fort Sill teams.”

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of the 1st 

Infantry Division and Fort Riley, accepts the 75th 

Fires Brigade colors from Col. Dominic Pompelia 

Jr., outgoing 75th Fires Brigade commander May 19 

during a change of command ceremony at the Fort 

Sill polo grounds.

FIRES TH 75

75th Fires Brigade PAO/Chapman

Command 

Changes Hands

29

1st Infantry Division at War

1st Infantry Division

Oldest continuously serving division in the United States Army. More than 7,000 

Soldiers from two brigades are deployed.

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

states: Kentucky, Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas.

The Division modularized in fall 2008. Preparing for deployment in early 2010.

1st Brigade, Fort Riley

Trains transition teams. So far, more than 11,000 servicemembers 

have trained and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 

1,800 have redeployed.

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

the Afghan National Army (ANA). The brigade is scheduled to begin in late 2009. 

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Riley

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

deployment to Iraq. The brigade is scheduled to deploy in late summer 2009.

1st Sustainment Brigade, Fort Riley

Provides logistic, human resource and financial management support.

The brigade redeployed to Fort Riley, Kan., in December 2008.

75th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill

Integrates attached ground and air maneuver forces and on 

order functions as a maneuver headquarters in support of 

full spectrum operations. Subordinate battalions currently 

deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Joint 

Task Force - Horn of Africa.

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 

Afghanistan

 Deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in June 2008. The deployment is 

scheduled to last 12 months, during which Soldiers will conduct counterinsurgency and 

stability operations.

4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood

The 4th MEB has unique staff is composd of engineer, military police, and chemical cells and 

organically has a brigade support battalion and a signal company.

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

3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), Iraq

Provides theater logistics command and control for the theater commander 

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

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

2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

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

scheduled 12- month deployment in support of Operation 

Iraqi Freedom.

1st Combat Aviation Brigade Combat Team, Fort Riley

Completed a 15 month deployment to Iraq and redeployed to Fort 

Riley, Kan. in December 2008.
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