Unoffi cial 1st Infantry Division magazine for Soldiers and Families

February 2008

www.1id.army.mil March 2008

www.1id.army.mil

Unoffi cial 1st Infantry Division magazine for Soldiers and Families

Daggers’ mark on the pages of history pg 7 aggers’ mark on the pages of history pg 7

75th Fires celebration honors St. Barbara pg 16 5th Fires celebration honors St. Barbara pg 16

Battlefield medicine for CAB Soldiers pg 13 eld medicine for CAB Soldiers pg 13
March

/BRO Creed

/www.1id.army.mil

Cover photo by Dustin Roberts

 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. 

 is the foundation of the Big Red One. I shall 

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

self-discipline sets the example for others to follow.

The BRO

II have learned to , 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. 

ed to , to thr

eality of combat gives me th

ning I am physically and me

IWe are one in the Big Red One. Our 

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. 

. Our 

o any objective and accomplish the

done before us. I live the legacy of

 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. 

 is my priority. To be read

anytime, anywhere. My business is first-class tr

high standards of care and equipment, weaponr

My is my strength. The BRO is 

bigger than any one individual. It gives me purpose, selfconfidence, competitive spirit, intestinal fortitude, and the desire 

to fight with all my heart.

My is my strength. Th

bigger than any one individual. It gives me purpose,

confidence, competitive spirit, intestinal fortitude, 

Duty First!

No mission too dif

fi cult.

No sacrifi ce too great. 
2 Contents 

Duty First! is an unoffi cial 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 photo submissions are welcome and 

should be sent to 1st Infantry Division, Public Affairs Offi ce, ATTN: Editor, 

Bldg. 580, Fort Riley, KS 66442. Telephone number 785-239-8126 or 

785-239-2402, DSN 856-2402 or DSN 856-8126, fax 785-239-2592, 

or e-mail francisca.vega@conus.army.mil, or visit Duty First! Online 

at www.1id.army.mil.

1

st Infantry Division Commander:

Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin

1

st Infantry Division PAO:

Lt. Col. Christian Kubik

Editor:

Pfc. Francisca Vega

1

st Infantry Division CSM (acting):

Command Sgt. Maj. James Savitski

1

st Infantry Division PAO NCOIC:

Master Sgt. Amanda Glenn

Assistant Editor:

Laura Stroda

Duty First! Magazine

Danger 7: Caring through leadership...........................pg 4

Photo by Spc. Nathaniel Smith

Springfi eld, Mo., native Pvt. Jeremy Letner, an infantryman on the 4th Infantry 

Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division personal security detachment, 

hops back in his Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle during a mission in 

southern Baghdad's Doura Region. The 4th IBCT "Dragons" have been deployed 

to Forward Operating Base Falcon in the Rashid District since February 2007.

Danger 6: The Importance of Caring...............................pg 3

Devils advance their skills...... pg 5

Sustaining fuel farms....... pg 6

The mark Daggers left................ pg 7

Bulldogs and pups................. pg 9

Death knocking on your battle’s door?............ pg 15

Diamonds keep tradition alive.........................pg 16

Dukes learn new Army device, pg 10

Just another day as a Dragon.... pg 11

Cover Photo: Transition Team 

members practice combat-lifesaver 

skills on one of Fort Riley’s simulation 

ranges. 

Correction: The article titled “Blogs” in the February issue was incorrectly 

attributed. The correct author of the article is April Blackmon, Fort Riley’s 

Community Relations Specialist. 

CAB trains in battlefi eld medicine..........................pg 13
3 March

/Danger 6

/www.riley.army.mil

From the Commanding General:

1st Infantry Division Commanding General

Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin

Our Army and the Big Red One have accomplished much 

in six years of war. There is no doubt that we are training 

and maintaining as well as we ever have, and I am proud 

of how the Big Red One continues to 

lead from the front in all aspects of 

combat. 

As it always has been in the history 

of the 1st Infantry Division, our 

success is a direct result of the service, 

sacrifi ce and courage of Soldiers and 

their Families. Big Red One Soldiers 

have slugged it out in many wars, 

most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Our Families endure these hardships 

with resolution, commitment and 

patriotism. I cannot adequately express 

my admiration and respect for you, the 

1st Infantry Division Soldier and your 

Families. 

What I can do, though, is work to 

provide you and your Family with 

support, services and a quality of life commensurate with 

you and your Family’s service, sacrifi ce and courage. I call 

this “Caring.” 

“Caring” is my highest priority, the division’s top priority 

and Fort Riley’s top priority. This doesn’t mean that training 

and maintenance aren’t important. In fact, nothing is more 

important at the brigade, battalion, company and platoon 

levels. But at the division and installation levels, I am 

focusing much energy and many resources toward Caring. 

This means that I am going to ensure our Warrior 

Transition Battalion is the very best in taking care of our 

wounded and injured Soldiers; that these Wounded Warriors 

get everything they need and much more. Caring means 

that single Soldiers will see signifi cant quality of life 

improvements in the form of new barracks, new support 

facilities, new outdoor recreation facilities and high-quality 

fi tness centers. Caring means that Families see new housing, 

new and more child care facilities, a new PX and an expanded 

Commissary. 

Support in the form of new buildings and facilities is 

important. But Soldiers and Families deserve even more. 

Caring goes beyond bricks and mortar – Caring is a culture of 

vibrancy and enthusiasm in providing 

the very best overall quality of life for 

Soldiers and Families. It’s not what we 

must do; it’s what we want to do. Caring 

is what Soldiers and Families deserve, 

and it’s what good leaders want. 

Caring means that the “tie goes to the 

runner.” In baseball, this means that if 

the play is too close to call, the umpire 

rules in favor of the base-runner. The 

same goes for our support for Soldiers 

and Families. If leaders face a tough 

decision, I want us to lean in favor of 

supporting Soldiers and Families. In 

the past, we have been conservative 

in our decisions; now, if there is any 

leeway, I want leaders to tip the scales 

in favor of Soldiers and Families. 

Additionally, when it comes to 

Caring, exceptions to policy should become more routine. 

Why? Many of the regulations that govern support for 

Soldiers and Families were written in peacetime. We are not 

at peace; we are at war and have been for more than six 

years. Thus, leaders must consider regulations, but should 

gain exceptions to policy when those regulations or policies 

don’t make sense in today’s environment. 

“Caring” occurs only through effective leadership at all 

levels of command in the Big Red One, Partner Organizations 

and our dispersed units such as 3rd Sustainment Command 

(Expeditionary), Fort Knox, Ky., and 75th Field Artillery 

Fires Brigade, Fort Sill, Okla. This is why “Leadership” 

is my next highest priority, and one I will explain in the 

next issue of Duty First!, and Command Sgt. Maj. Savitski 

addresses in this issue.

Until then, make it your personal mission to live the 

Division motto: No Mission too Diffi cult. No Sacrifi ce too 

Great. Duty First!

The Importance of Caring
4March

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From the Command Sergeant Major:

Caring through Leadership

1st Infantry Division Command Sgt. Maj. (acting)

Command Sgt. Maj. James Savitski

All Soldiers deserve outstanding leadership. Do you 

provide that leadership? The most important person in a 

young Soldier’s life is his or her fi rst-line leader or supervisor. 

This is not an opinion- it’s a fact I’ve seen proven over and 

over in my almost 30 years in the United States Army. 

Therefore, this column is directed at all the 1st Infantry 

Division’s fi rst-line leaders and supervisors. 

First, I have to clear up a misconception: fi rst-line leaders 

aren’t just sergeants. If you rate a Soldier 

– offi cer or enlisted – you are a fi rst-line 

supervisor. If you are a squad leader, 

platoon sergeant, fi rst sergeant, company 

commander, sergeant major, battalion, 

brigade or division commander, you are 

somebody’s fi rst-line supervisor.

So, fi rst-line leaders and supervisors, 

what have you done today to develop 

and train your Soldiers to make our 

Army better? What have you done today 

to ensure that your Soldiers know what 

right looks like through your personal 

example? 

What have you done today to prepare 

them to be better Soldiers and leaders? 

What have you done even this week or 

month to help them grow professionally 

and personally?

I’m talking about taking time out of your busy day to 

mentor, counsel and train. Are you taking time on a daily 

basis to ensure your Soldiers know why we do things the 

way we do? Are you taking time to ensure they know how 

to do things correctly - within Army and Big Red One 

standards? 

Now is the time to train your Soldiers to understand 

why following orders can sometimes make a difference 

in life or death situations. This takes time. It also takes a 

compassionate, caring leader in today’s Army. Help them 

understand the Soldier who follows your orders today will 

be the fi rst-line leader tomorrow. In training them, you are 

training the future of the Army. 

The same goes for counseling. counseling is an integral 

part of molding our Soldiers into future leaders. Counseling 

– good, bad, monthly or event-oriented – is for the benefi t 

of everyone involved. Verbal counseling should be done on 

the spot, but documentation is still important. If as leaders 

you don’t document important incidents, you missed an 

opportunity to teach, learn and grow as a supervisor. If it’s 

important, write it down.

Monthly counseling allows you to get to know your 

Soldier and set realistic, obtainable goals. It shows them 

exactly what you expect of them on a daily basis. It gives 

them direction to achieve and improve in those areas. It 

takes time on your part as a leader to sit down and document 

everything that happened during that month, and also shows 

your Soldiers that you care about their welfare.

We all know that time is precious and 

how we spend it is important. When you 

choose to give time to one thing, you are 

deliberately neglecting something else. 

That’s not always a bad thing, it’s just 

reality.

If you’ll give me some of your time, 

I’d like to focus on two opposing yet 

prominent messages in our Army 

culture. 

“Get back to work!” and “What are 

you still doing here?” Leaders, you are 

sending mixed messages if you release 

your Soldiers and overload them with 

missions at the same time.

 The Army will keep you busy 24/7 

if you let it. Some leaders try to almost 

achieve that. 

I saw a sample of an NCOER that 

was giving a positive bullet to an NCO for putting in 80-

hour weeks. My thought was, “What kind of leader is he 

really if all his time is consumed with his job? What does 

that say about the rater if he sees an 80-hour work-week as 

something to admire?” 

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for hard work, but what about 

mental down time, Family time, relaxation, recreation and 

restoration? You can run on empty for only so long and it 

will catch up with you physiologically and psychologically. 

Set realistic dealines and reasonable expectations so Soldiers 

can spend time relaxing and come in each day refreshed and 

ready to go.

So, fi rst line supervisors are you up to the challenge? I’m 

willing to bet most of you are more than ready. We can all 

learn from each other everyday. Ask, talk and confi de in 

your fellow peers. 

All Soldiers deserve outstanding leadership, Will you 

provide that leadership? Take care of your Soldiers. They 

are America’s sons and daughters. Give them the most 

important resource you have – your time.
5March

/1st Brigade

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5

What it takes to be a TT Member

By Spc. Dustin Roberts, 1st BDE PAO

FORT RILEY, Kan.- The exit strategy for the U.S. 

Army in Iraq and Afghanistan requires amazingly fl exibility. One versatile solution is Transition 

Team training at Fort Riley. 

What does it take to be a TT member entirely trained and 

ready to advise Iraqi Security Forces or the Afghan National 

Army on various tactics, techniques and procedures? 

It all starts at Forward Operating Base Army Strong on 

Camp Funston, Fort Riley. 

The 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, runs the TT show. 

Trained 1st Brigade cadre crawl, walk and run TT trainees 

through everything that the team members need to know in 

60 days. 

Teams deploying to Iraq average 11 Soldiers, Sailors or 

Airmen while teams deploying to Afghanistan average 16 

servicemembers.

Each servicemember has a specifi c 

advisory mission within the group. 

They train their counterparts in 

logistics, basic Soldiering, leadership 

principles, intelligence, combatlife-saver skills and communication 

equipment.

“All the training that they do here keeps them 

safe in theater,” said Spc. Michael Weber, validation 

noncommissioned offi cer in charge. “The training also 

makes them better teachers and advisors to our counterparts. 

We want Iraq and Afghanistan to be able to sustain their 

own forces and without this training we won’t get to that 

point. It’s a constant learning process and we adjust what 

we do to make sure teams are getting the latest and greatest 

of training.”

What the servicemembers learn together at FOB Army 

Strong are the seven core competencies of Transition Team 

training: 

1. Team support processes

2. Combat skills

3. Force protection

4. Technical and tactical training

5. Advisor skills

6. Understanding the culture

7. Counterinsurgency. 

“These are the crucial things we tell them to focus on 

for their upcoming mission,” said Maj. Peter Shull, 1st Bde. 

operations offi cer. 

Teams train more than 70 hours on a variety of weapons 

such as the MK-19 grenade launcher, the M240B, M-249 

and M-2 .50-caliber Machine guns. 

“Some of the advisors are not familiar with these weapon 

systems,” Shull said. “With small teams like this, if they 

get into any trouble down range, they all have to be very 

technically profi cient with all of their weapon systems.”

TT’s can spend a lot of time on the road when in Iraq or 

Afghanistan. To prepare for that combat experience, teams 

spend a total of 48 hours in driver’s training and mounted 

combat patrols. They also train with frequency jammers 

used to defeat road-side bombs or improvised explosive 

devices. 

Along with the advanced “Shoot, move and communicate” 

skills of Soldiering, TT’s must learn as much as they can 

about the culture of their counterparts. 

“Being an advisor is nothing more than being a great 

leader,” Shull said. “To be a good leader with foreign forces, 

you have to build a good rapport and connection with 

them.”

Since there can be words and 

meaning lost in the translation 

of their Iraqi or Afghan 

counterpart, the proper use to 

an interpreter is essential when 

solving problems and training 

troops. 

This is why TTs spend 24 hours in cultural awareness 

training, 32 hours in advisor training and about 44 hours 

learning their host nation’s language. 

“Once an American advisor can make a connection with 

his counterpart, 

they will start 

listening to him,” 

Shull said. “If there 

was one thing that 

I could focus on 

while I was here, 

it would be the 

cultural awareness 

training.”

At the end of the training, each class participates in a 

96-hour-long mission readiness exercise. In the MRX, the 

servicemembers are tested in everything they learned in 

like-real scenarios and missions. 

When the MRX is over, TT’s are as ready for the realworld mission as they can be. They out-process, turn in 

equipment and prepare to be combat advisors; making 

progress towards a more stable and profi cient Afghanistan 

and Iraq. 

 “To be a good leader with foreign 

forces, you have to build a good rapport 

and connection with them.”

Maj. Peter Shull
6 March

/1st SB

/www.1id.army.mil

By Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude, 1st Sust. Bde. PAO

VICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Iraq – One year ago, the bulk fuel farm at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, was dirty, ineffi cient and in serious need of 

repair. Today, thanks to the hard work and diligence of 

some dedicated Army Reserve Soldiers, the bulk fuel 

farm is clean, orderly and highly effi cient. 

The Reserve battalion falls under training and readiness 

oversight of the 1st Sustainment Brigade.

“This place was in shambles,” said Spc. Chris Griffi th, 

a native of Stockbridge, Mich., and fuel specialist with the 

192nd Quartermaster Company, 68th Combat Sustainment 

Support Battalion out of Milan, Ohio.

“I think we hauled over 30 tons of 

trash out of here in our fi rst month,” 

recalled Sgt. 1st Class Wilfredo 

Velez, the platoon sergeant for the 

192nd QM Co. “This place was 

neglected for years.”

In the process of cleaning up the 

farm they separated materials into 

different categories like vinyl, wood, 

plastics and aluminum, and returned 

an estimated $100,000 worth of 

discarded equipment back to the 

Army supply system. 

The problem ran deeper than trash 

though. The fuel farm is the sole source for aviation fuel, 

diesel and gasoline for the greater Bagdad area, and at the 

time it was operating at about 25 percent of its capacity. Very 

few pumps worked properly, and the berms surrounding the 

fuel bags were in severe need of repair.

“When we arrived, six pumps worked,” Velez said. 

Early on the team went to work on the pumps. They 

1st Sustainment 

 transforms 

 fuel 

 farm

increased the number of pumps from six to 12 and doubled 

the capacity of each individual pump allowing 24 trucks to 

receive fuel at once instead of six. 

“We went from one truck taking three hours to get 

fuel to fi fteen minutes ... on a bad day,” Velez said 

proudly. 

The goal of Maj. Phil Sharp, commander of the 

192nd QM Co., was to focus on increased customer 

service and improving the overall look and functionality of 

the farm. 

With just 34 Soldiers and 24 civilian contractors, the 192nd 

QM Co. did the work required by 100 people. They worked 

12 hour shifts, traveled back and forth to work by bus, ate 

most of their meals at the farm and rarely complained. 

“Their motivation comes from within,” Velez said. “They 

would be standing out in 130-degree temperatures working 

and still have a smile on their face.”

As they prepare to leave Iraq, the Soldiers of the 192nd 

QM Co., talk about the things they are looking forward to 

most upon their return home, such as driving, shopping and 

fi nishing degrees. When asked what they are most proud of 

they all agree, “The fuel farm.” 

The largest fuel farm in Iraq serves customers all over 

Baghdad, and thanks to the hard work and diligence of 

the 192nd QM Co., the fuel farm has been completely 

transformed into a clean, orderly and highly effi cient 

operation. 

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude

Spc. Chris Griffi th, a native of Stockbridge, Mich., and fuel specialist with the 192nd 

Quarter Master Company, fuels a truck at the bulk fuel farm Victory Base Complex, 

Iraq. 

Photo By Staff Sgt. Bryant Maude

The bulk fuel farm at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, one year 

ago when the 192nd Quarter Master Company arrived. 

The fuel berms were collapsing, the six fuel pumps were 

a jumbled mess, and the amount of trash in the area was 

estimated at 30 tons. 
By Laura Stroda, 1st Inf. Div. PAO

Dagger (n.) – a sharp pointed knife for stabbing.

A dagger can serve as a deadly 

weapon in combat and the 1st Infantry 

Division’s “Dagger” Brigade has been 

exactly that for nearly a century. 

The 2nd Brigade has a long 

history of fi ghting for and defending 

freedom – serving since World War 

I as a deadly weapon of the Big Red 

One.

The Soldiers of Dagger Brigade were fi rst thrown into 

the fi ght in May 1917, when the brigade was constituted 

as part of the First Expeditionary Division – later known 

as the 1st Infantry Division. 

Dagger Soldiers earned numerous campaign credits 

during “The Great War,” including the Meuse-Argonne 

Offensive – the fi nal offensive of World War I. It was 

the biggest operation and victory of the American 

Expeditionary Force in that war.

Daggers lead the way on D-Day

Soldiers from the Dagger Brigade’s 16th and 18th 

Infantry Regiments led the push on the beaches of 

Normandy during the morning hours of June 6, 1944. 

They landed at Omaha Beach, one of the most heavily 

fortifi ed beaches along 

the French coast. 

Col. George Taylor 

led his 16th Inf. Regt. 

troops ashore at Omaha 

Beach that day, uttering 

a famous D-Day quote 

– “Two kinds of people 

are staying on this 

beach! The dead and 

those who are going to 

March

/2nd Brigade

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7 Daggers contribute to histo

die! Now, let’s get the hell out of here!”

Divisional units participated in the Normandy Campaign 

throughout the summer of 1944 and subsequent operations 

across France and Germany until the end of the war. The 

brigade was inactivated on Jan. 15, 1945.

Charging into Vietnam

The 2nd Brigade 

went through a series 

of reactivations and 

inactivations before 

moving in January 1964 

to Fort Riley, Kan., with 

the rest of the 1st Inf. 

Div. The brigade had a 

little more than a year 

to train up before being 

sent to the jungles of 

Vietnam.

On July 12, 1965, the 

Dagger Brigade landed 

at Cam Ranh Bay and 

Vung Tau, making it 

the fi rst element of an 

infantry division to 

arrive in Vietnam.

The brigade earned 15 campaign streamers during 

Vietnam and returned to Fort Riley in 1969. Things were 

relatively quiet for the next two decades, but all that changed 

on Aug. 2, 1990.

Daggers storm into Saudi Arabia

Iraq invaded Kuwait and just a few short months later, 

the Dagger Brigade and 1st Inf. Div. were put on alert for 

deployment. The division deployed more than 12,000 

Soldiers and 7,000 pieces of equipment to Saudi Arabia over 

the next two months.

Dagger Soldiers directly participated in the breach of 

Iraqi defenses in the initial stages of the coalition forces 

attack into Iraq. 

The brigade earned campaign streamers for the defense 

of Saudi Arabia and the 

liberation of Kuwait during 

the 100-hour war. 

Restationing, 

peace-keeping 

become focus

The Dagger Brigade 

moved to its current home 

in February 1996 when 
8

March

/2nd Brigade

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ory and honor of Big Red One

the 1st Inf. Div. cased its colors in Kansas and moved to 

Schweinfurt, Germany – where the 

division stayed for a decade.

A year after the move, the 2nd 

Brigade deployed units to BosniaHerzogovina to participate in 

Operation Joint Endeavor with the 

1st Armored Division. With more 

than 5,000 soldiers, the 2nd Brigade 

participated in Operations Joint 

Endeavor and Joint Guard in Bosnia.

The Dagger Brigade served in 

Kosovo in 1999-2000 and again in 

2002-2003. The brigade deployed 

to the Balkans twice in 1999, fi rst 

as part of Task Force Sabre in 

Macedonia, then in Kosovo as part 

of Task Force Falcon. Task Force 

Falcon served as the U.S. component 

of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) with the mission of 

conducting peacekeeping operations in the Federal Republic 

of Yugoslavia’s Serbian Kosovo province.

The 2nd Brigade rotated to Kosovo again in 2002, this time 

focused on maintaining the secure environment established 

by coalition forces.

Daggers tour twice in support of OIF

In February 2004, the Dagger Brigade deployed to 

Northern Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While 

in Iraq, the 2nd Brigade averaged 90 patrols a day, many 

of which were joint patrols conducted with Iraqi Security 

Forces.

The 2nd Brigade trained hundreds of Iraqi soldiers 

and policemen in an effort to help the Iraqi people help 

themselves. During the year, the 2nd Brigade spent more 

than $17 million and completed more than 318 projects to 

better the quality of life for the Iraqi people. Some of these 

projects included building hospitals, schools, roads, water 

treatment plants, irrigation systems and seed and fertilizer 

distribution programs for the farmers. 

In late 2006, the 2nd 

Brigade deployed again in 

support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom. The Dagger 

Brigade helped transition 

a hostile northwest 

Baghdad from a heavy, 

kinetic and costly fi ght to 

a secured population rid of 

extremists, criminals and 

terrorists, Dagger Brigade 

Commander Col. J.B. 

Burton said during the brigade’s redeployment ceremony 

last November. 

Throughout their 15-month deployment they played a 

vital role moving Iraqis into the political process and the 

formal reconstruction of Baghdad and Iraq. Burton said all 

Iraqis, regardless of sect or religion, received equal municipal 

services, education, opportunity and a total improved quality 

of life.

Moving to new digs

The brigade was 

slated to return to 

the U.S. in 2010, but 

U.S. Army Europe 

announced in January 

that the Dagger Brigade 

move to Grafenwoehr, 

Germany. 

The Soldiers and their 

Families will be moving 

to an installation in the 

midst of a $700 million 

construction boom.

More than 50 percent 

of the upgrade is 

complete, including new 

living areas for single 

and married soldiers, an 

enlarged dining facility, 

a fi tness center, and a PX and commissary complex that is the 

largest in Europe.

This move allows Dagger Soldiers to be closer to the state 

of the art training center in Grafenwoehr.
9March

/3rd HBCT

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Story by Spc. Theresa M. Wiersgalla, 3rd HBCT PAO

FORT RILEY, Kan.- In a hotel conference room 

sat 26 Soldiers with more than just one thing in 

common. Not only were they from the same battalion—

they were also fathers.

Recently, under guidance from Lt. Col. Christopher 

Beckert, Commander, 1st Battalion 41st Infantry Regiment, 

3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, a 

Fathers Seminar was hosted by battalion Chaplain (Capt.) 

Dell Harlow-Curtis.

The Fathers Seminar was used as a force multiplier 

designed to prepare a Soldier for fatherhood and to strengthen 

relationships with his spouse.

“If a Soldier knows his Family is intact and properly 

provided for, he then can ‘keep his head in the fi ght’ and 

properly support his unit without fears of losing his Family,” 

said Harlow-Curtis.

This carefully structured seminar uses Biblically-based 

lectures designed for the specifi c needs of today’s father and 

with those he associates

“I use lectures, movies and music to communicate the 

celebration of the father’s role in the Family and to make 

(Soldiers) aware how society tears down the respect of male 

authority,” said Harlow-Curtis. “Also, I use community 

organizations like the Red Cross to give free instructive 

lectures on how to properly care for children. These classes 

range from diapering a child and holding a newborn to basic 

infant CPR.”

No matter what materials are presented to the participants 

at the seminar, the most critical aspect is the fathers gaining 

a better understanding of their place in the Family. 

“I learned what a proper husband and father should be 

in a relationship and how to interact 

with my children,” said Spc. Jonathan 

Stemple, Co. A infantryman.

Another aspect of the seminar

made participants aware of outside 

infl uences, such as television and the internet, and how these 

outlets shaped their personalities. 

It was an eye-opening experience for these Soldiers when 

they realized how media can infl uence society. 

“Just watch television for one night’s lineup and you will 

feel convinced that men are uneducated, uncaring, selfi sh, 

self-seeking slobs,” said Harlow-Curtis. 

During this three-day seminar, Soldiers were taught the 

basics of how to be better fathers and learned ways to be 

mature, kind and responsible in their roles.

“This seminar lets you see the reality of how you really 

are at home. I never realized how I was until some of the 

tests (were taken) and (the) information I learned. It was 

good to see other people who were just like you or similar 

and how they are to their wives,” said Pfc. Ricardo Garcia, 

Co. A infantryman.

The Army, Fort Riley and the Big Red One have recently 

shifted their focus to caring for Families. 

Seminars like these are a great example of Soldiers being 

given the opportunity to better their lives at home. But it’s 

still a tough sell for some, Harlow-Curtis said.

“When I found out that I had to come to this seminar, I 

tried everything I could to get out of coming, but my wife 

loved the idea of me coming. I learned everything in life has 

to do with being a well-rounded father and good husband. If 

we incorporate the knowledge from this seminar, we will be 

better husbands and fathers,” said Spc. Eric Christopher, Co. 

F combat medic.

With the seminar complete and a group of fathers better 

prepared to handle their duties as “Dad,” the seminar leader 

was pleased with the opportunity to give back to his fellow 

Soldiers.

“Our unit commander, Lt. Col. Beckert, has tasked me to 

produce the Fathers Seminar because he sees value in teaching 

his men how to be proper fathers and loving, supporting 

husbands, and it is with his guidance that I have the privilege 

in facilitating this program,” said Harlow-Curtis. 

Bulldogs learn to father ulldogs learn to father 

pups Illustration By Spc. Theresa M. Wiersgalla
10

March/3rd IBCT

/www.1id.army.mil

Sgt. Adora S. Medina, 3rd IBCT PAO 

FORT IRWIN, Calif.- The 345th Tactical Psychological Operations Company (Airborne) out of 

Dallas, Texas, assisted the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, during their unit rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Ca. 

The unit arrived Jan. 10, linked up with NTC 

contractors who provided them with two Long Range 

Acoustic Devices for use during the rotation. 

The LRAD works by transmitting sound up to a 

certain range, allowing Soldiers to communicate their 

message to enemy forces, without even 

stepping foot into dangerous ground. 

The LRAD provides options to standard 

line units.

“We can talk an occupant out of a 

vehicle without even getting into the kill 

zone, so if there’s a detonation we’ll still 

be safe,” said team chief Staff Sgt. Paul 

Campbell.

The device is benefi cial to the Army 

because it can be used for many different 

combat operations such as; escalation 

of force, cordon and search, crowd and 

riot control and many other task-specifi c 

missions. 

Though the Navy has already adopted this device 

for use during it’s operations, the Army has yet to put 

this system on the battlefi eld, The 345th (ABN) had the 

opportunity to be the fi rst Army unit to use the device 

while conducting mobile operations. 

Before the unit could test out the capabilities of 

the device, they had to complete a one-week course 

outlining the basic operation of the device.

Once equipped with the LRAD, the unit took to the 

fi eld to fully get a taste of its abilities. Each system 

was operated by a three-man team, accompanied by an 

interpreter. For convoys that don’t have the luxury of 

an assigned interpreter, the device can be hooked up to 

a laptop. The computer sounds pre-recorded messages 

in any language can be sent through the system, as well 

as any other sounds appropriate for the mission.

The device even has the capability of zeroing in on 

a specifi c individual by use of its sights, 

enabling the operator to target a specifi c 

location and control where the sound is 

transmitted. 

“We normally utilize loudspeakers or 

face-to-face communication. But with this 

device, if there’s a crowd in a normal riot 

situation you can fi nd that instigator and 

direct it (the LRAD) toward a more specifi c 

individual,” Staff Sgt. Charles Andrews 

said.

Along with target control, the device also 

allows Soldiers to control the frequency. The 

sound can be turned up to a desired level of 

effectiveness. At maximum frequency the device may 

cause ear damage, and during the Situational Training 

Exercises at NTC, enemy role-players learned fi rsthand 

how powerful the sound can be.

“My teams have integrated well with the battalions 

and are being utilized to their full training capability; 

we’ve also done a lot of teambuilding which has really drawn 

the detachment together,” Andrews 

said, “This is great training for 

the guys that haven’t been down 

range; it’s good to be in this desert, 

mountainous, environment, because 

it accurately simulates our operational 

environment in support of Operation 

Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi 

Freedom” 

 Though the “Dukes” Brigade is 

still not positive of when and where 

it will deploy, they can take with 

them the experience gained at NTC 

and the hope that equipment like the 

LRAD will eventually fi nd its way to 

the battlefi eld and save the lives of 

Soldiers.

345thPSYOP team shows Dukes new Army device PSYOP team shows Dukes ne th PSYOP team shows Dukes new Army device

Sgt. Brandon Hudgins from the 345th Tact. PSYOP (ABN) Co., operates the Long Range Acoustic 

Device at NTC Jan 21. The unit is the fi rst to test the LRAD during Army mobile operations.
11March

/4th IBCT

/www.1id.army.mil

By Spc. Nathaniel Smith, 4th IBCT PAO

BAGHDAD – Benjamin Franklin once said, 

“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of 

a shoe, the horse was lost. For want of a horse, the 

rider was lost. For want of a rider, the battle was lost.

For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost. And all for the 

want of a horseshoe nail.”

Such is the life of a deployed supply section: providing 

the warriors on the ground with every little piece 

of equipment, whether it’s something as simple as a 

screw or as complex as heavy weapons systems.

It’s not a simple task. But it’s one that the Supply 

Support Activity warehouse on Forward Operating 

Base Falcon – operated by Company A of the 610th 

Brigade Support Battalion,, 4th IBCT, 1st Infantry 

Division – has embraced head-on since they deployed 

from Fort Riley, Kan., in February 2007.

Spc. Christopher Sherbak, an automated logistics 

specialist with “Atlas” Co., 610th BSB, said while the 

workload has been a challenge, he sees the silver lining.

“It’s made the deployment fl y by so fast,” the 

Valparaiso, Ind., native said. “We get our breaks every 

now and then, but it’s fun here.”

He commented the momentum blurs the time. 

“We have a huge workload, but that huge workload 

makes the day go by so fast,” Sherbak added.

Part of that huge workload comes from the fact 

that the 610th BSB’s warehouse supports not only 

Task Force Dragon units, but all units on FOB Falcon, 

tallying a total of nine battalions.

Killeen, Texas, native Sgt. Deangela Black, the stock 

control specialist 

for the Phoenix’s SSA, 

said on top of supporting 

units on FOB Falcon, 

they assist other bases in 

the area when possible.

“We provide a lot 

of support for units at 

other FOBs. Say another 

base’s SSA doesn’t have 

a needed part, they call 

us,” she said. “If we have 

it on us, we coordinate to 

get them the part.”

Despite all the work 

going on at the 610th 

BSB’s warehouse in their 

little corner of the post, 

the supply Soldiers’ day-to-day duties largely take place 

behind the scenes, often unnoticed by ground-pounders.

Sherbak, who is on his fi rst deployment, said that’s fi ne 

with him.

“Personally, that’s how I like it; I like being the one 

supporting all the guys out there,” he said. “I’ve been supply 

for four years now, and I’ve loved every year.”

Black, who is on her second deployment, said her job 

provides a sense of satisfaction by supporting the troops on 

the ground.

“Even though I’m not going outside the wire, I feel good 

about my job because I know everyone here is supporting 

them with the necessary supplies they need to complete their 

mission,” she said. “I feel good about that. Without those 

supplies, they can’t do what they need to, so we all tie in 

together.”

With 5,500 lines of supplies, it’s no surprise the 610th BSB 

is capable of tying into everything going on in the Rashid 

District, from Aamel to Saha and Saydiyah to Doura. 

Supporting an area of operations roughly equivalent to 

the size of Orlando, Fla., is no small task, and it’s one the 

“Phoenix” has accomplished for the past 11 months. 

Yet Sherbak, who is married and has a 4 month-old son 

waiting at home, has no intention of letting up now and failing 

his fellow Soldiers. Instead, with the end of the deployment 

so close, his philosophy is simple.

“We’ll get there when we get there,” he said.

Just another day as a Dragon

The supply support activity warehouse at Forward Operating Base Falcon in 

southern Baghdad supplies nine battalions. The warehouse is operated by “Atlas” 

Company, 610th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st 

Infantry Division based at Fort Riley, Kan.

Photo By Spc. Nathaniel Smith
1st Infantry Division at War

1st Infantry Division

Oldest continuously serving division in the United States Army. Over 7,500 Soldiers in three 

brigades and multiple subordinate units deployed.

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

(Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas) and a brigade in Germany.

Preparing for modularization in summer/fall FY09, with deployment thereafter.

1st Brigade, Fort Riley

Trains transition teams. As of March 2008, more than 7,000 servicemembers trained and 

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

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

Army (ANA).

Scheduled to modularize FY09.

2nd Brigade, Germany

Played a vital role moving Iraqis into the political process and the formal reconstruction of Baghdad and Iraq.

Moving to Grafenwoehr, Germany to have ready access to Grafenwoehr Training 

Area to prepare for future contingency operations.

Returned from 15 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in December 2007.

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Fort Hood

One of the Army’s newest brigades recently returned from rotation at the 

National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calf.

Prepared for deployment in summer/fall 2008.

3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Fort Riley

Preparing for rotation to the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calf. in 

spring 2008.

Prepared for deployment in summer/fall 2008.

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

Currently conducting combat and civil military operations in conjunction with Iraqi Army 

and Police in the Rashid District of Baghdad to restore and ensure long term peace and 

stability in that region.

Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom February 2007

1st Sustainment Brigade, Iraq

Provides logistic, human resource, and financial management for 80,000 Soldiers and 

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

support for Multi-Nation Division-Central.

Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom September 2007.

1st Combat Aviation Brigade Combat Team, Iraq

Conducts 360-degree battlefield operations with cutting edge 

technology to support ground troops.

Deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom October 2007

3rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) , Fort Knox

Returned from deployment in fall 2006.

Provide theater logistics command and control for the theater commander supporting the 

Army Forces (ARFOR) or Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) mission.

Scheduled to deploy in summer/fall FY08

4th

Cur

and

stab

Scheduled to deploy in summer/fall FY08

75th Fires Brigade, Fort Sill

Integrate attached ground and air maneuver forces and on 

order function as a maneuver headquarters in support of 

full spectrum operations.

Separate units currently deployed in support of Operation 

Iraqi Freedom.

One of

Nation

Prepar

3rd HeavyB

Preparing for r

my 

Moving

Area to 

Returne Retu

1st I

Olde

briga

Prim

(Ken

As of Mar. 1, 2008

12
 Photo by Spc. Michael Howard

Pfc. Trung Van Tran of Company A, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, inserts an intravenous needle into the arm of Sgt. Bobby A. Reyes of 

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 601st ASB. 

13March

/1st CAB

/www.1id.army.mil

BATTLEFIELD MEDICINE ATTLEFIELD MEDICINE

1st CAB trains in st CAB trains in 

By Spc. Michael Howard, 1st CAB PAO

I

t has been said that in the heat of battle, a medic 

is a Soldier’s best friend next to God. If that is 

the case, when the 601st Aviation Support Battalion’s 

“Shadow” Platoon goes outside the wire for a mission, 

they’ve got a lot of best friends. 

This is thanks in part to their recent combat lifesaver 

recertifi cation and situational training exercise, which is but 

one example of the constant training the Soldiers receive 

to ensure that when they go outside the wire, they are as 

prepared as the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry 

Division, can possibly make them.

The Department of the Army requires that 20 percent of 

Soldiers in a unit be combat-lifesaver certifi ed. The 601st 

ASB teams aim to exceed that standard by a factor of fi ve, 

with every Soldier on the quick reaction force capable of 

administering immediate medical care in the event of an 

injury. Consequently, every Soldier from Shadow Platoon 

attended the training one day and the other quick reaction 

force platoon, “Venom,” went the next day.

For Shadow Platoon, the training began at 9 a.m. with 

slow-but vital-refresher training on nasopharyngeal airways, 

tourniquets and physical assessment of the casualty. Sgt. 

Kimberly LaCrosse, a combat medic and shift leader at the 

CAB troop medical clinic and, said that while the combat 

action tourniquet may not be the most exciting portion of the 

class, it is possibly the most vital.
 March

/1st CAB

/www.1id.army.mil

“The CAT is 100-percent effective if put on correctly. 

With the cravat or the other items, it’s not perfect because 

you still have blood that comes out, but the tourniquet is 

100-percent effective,” she said. “It’ll save a life quicker 

than anything.”

The training day continued with recertifi cation on 

intravenous drips. These drips are a vital lifesaving tool 

because they can stabilize a Soldier with massive blood loss 

when nothing else can, said Spc. Ryan A. Moya, a combat 

medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 

CAB. 

The course also covered medical tools of the trade and 

methods that have undergone improvement since Operation 

Iraqi Freedom began. The IVs now incorporate a saline lock, 

which can make it easier to administer an IV to a patient 

with a collapsed vein. Some Soldiers claimed that the IV 

insertion is one of the more diffi cult parts of the course to 

master.

 “It’s hard to get it right. It’s hard to get the needle in the 

vein and get the fl ash and everything. But the training is 

solid, and my partner (Pfc. Michael R. LaPointe) did a great 

job on sticking me. I mean, there was a prick, but it could 

have been a lot worse. He did really well,” said Pfc. Bobbi Jo 

Michalski, a member of the Shadow Platoon.

After the recertifi cation, the team headed outside for a 

situational training exercise. The course was tailored to meet 

the specifi c demands of the quick reaction force team. 

The medics tasked a few Soldiers to role-play casualties, 

and “embedded” them with the other Soldiers. During the 

Photo by Spc. Micheal Howard hoto by Spc. Micheal Howard

14

training, the medics simulated an improvised explosive 

device hit by throwing water bottles at the vehicles. 

The “casualties” then role-played their injuries and some 

of the non-injured personnel fell into their medic roles and 

performed tactical casualty care under fi re. Simultaneously, 

other members of the force pulled perimeter security and 

called in a medical evacuation request before transporting 

the patients to a casualty collection point for evacuation.

During the training, the instructors added pressure to the 

situation by constantly reminding the Soldiers that time was a 

factor. LaCrosse said the reason for cranking up the pressure 

on these exercises is to eventually build the confi dence that 

is vital in a successful medic under fi re situations.

“We want them to learn to be confi dent in what they are 

doing, because if they’re not confi dent they’re going to mess 

up out there, and someone’s going to die if they don’t (use) 

the skills that I know are in them,” LaCrosse said.

Perhaps the most vital component to building both the 

confi dence and skills necessary for the combat lifesavers 

to maintain the CAB’s zero casualties in combat record is 

treating the medical training as a never-ending process.

 “Just tonight, we set up a time where I’m going to go 

over there once a week and keep them fresh on their (IVs). 

The training’s available for them as long as they want it,” 

LaCrosse said.

And there is no doubt that the Soldiers want the training. 

“We go outside of the gate every day, and lives are at stake,” 

Michalski said. “We need the classes and the training – 

they’re vital.”

Sgt. Gyasi Moore of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 601st Aviation Support Battalion, reassures Pfc. Ramos V. Mendoza, who is 

role-playing a burn victim. At the same time Moore opens his combat lifesaver bag to treat the casualty.
Death knocking on 

 your battle 

 buddy’s door? 

Who’s at risk?

• Males are more likely to commit suicide, and of 

them White males are most at risk.

• The most frequent reason for committing suicide is a breakup in a relationship.

• Junior enlisted Soldiers commit suicide most 

frequently.

According to Risk Management Program

ACE

Ask

Care

Escort

Three simple steps to helping out a 

battle buddy in need. 

15March

/Suicide

/www.1id.army.mil

By Pfc. Francisca Vega, 1st Inf. Div. PAO

FORT RILEY, Kan.- Contrary to what most safety 

briefi ngs before weekends would lead you to 

believe, privately own vehicle accidents are not the 

number one cause of non-combat deaths on Fort Riley. 

According to the Risk Management Program, it is suicide.

Since the beginning of this millennium, 

75 Soldiers have died at Fort Riley from noncombat related incidents. Of those, 22 have 

been from someone taking their own life.

Actions follow Soldiers’ thoughts when 

it comes to killing themselves, about seven 

percent more often than civilians, according to 

statistics from Fort Riley’s RMP.

How or why this tragedy occured is 

controversial and up for debate in barracks 

rooms or offi ce, but each individual Soldier can 

do their part to help prevent this loss of life.

“I don’t like to use statistics,” said Chaplain 

David Shurtleff, (Lt. Col.), with the U.S. Army 

Garrison, Fort Riley. “But one I do use is that 

80 percent of those that commit suicide had a 

life wish (desire to stay alive.)” 

Ask, Care, Escort is a process used by the 

U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and 

Preventive Medicine.

 The acronym ACE can help people remember three easy 

steps to take if they fi nd themselves with an opportunity 

to save someone’s life.

Ask your battle buddy fl at-out if they are planning to kill 

themselves. 

Care for them by taking action and ensuring they don’t 

have an opportunity to act on their 

thought.

Escort them to someone that 

is able to help them, such as a 

chaplain or medical assistance.

These steps are obviously not only 

effective on Soldiers, 

but on all those who 

feel overwhelmed with 

life, and feel death is 

the only solution for 

their troubles.

A suicide lowers the 

morale of the unit and 

everyone who depends 

on that Soldier. 

“I believe no man 

is an island,” Shurtleff 

went on. “Everyone 

has someone they will 

impact if they die.”

According to the 

USACHPPM, people 

who think about 

suicide are usually 

surprised to fi nd out 

how many people 

care for them. Be that 

surprise and save a 

life. 

Illustration by Pfc.Francisca Vega, 1st ID PAO
 March

/75th Fires

/www.1id.army.mil

16

By Sgt. 1st Class Kelly McCargo, 75th Fires PAO 

FORT SILL, Okla.-“The theme for our Saint Barbara’s Day Ball was ‘Respecting Our History; 

Honoring Our Future.’ It is the quality of people, our 

solid traditions, and a deep history that distinguish the 

fi eld artillery from other branches,” said Lt. Col. John 

Sims, deputy commander, 75th Fires Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. “These are the foundations upon 

which our success and glory are built.” 

More than 630 Fort Sill 75th Fires Brigade 

Soldiers and spouses participated in the recent 

75th Fires Bde. Saint Barbara’s Day Ball at the Fort 

Sill Patriot’s Club.

The Diamond troops enjoyed an evening of 

dinner and dancing, video presentations and skits 

that profi led the history of the fi eld artillery from 

its earliest conception.

More than 34 Diamond troops were inducted 

into the Order of Saint Barbara for making “a 

signifi cant contribution to the artillery through an 

outstanding degree of professional competence and service 

to the fi eld artillery corps,” said Sims.

Fourteen spouses were also presented the Molly Pitcher 

Award for devoted and faithful service to the fi eld artillery 

community.

“An artillery wife, Mary Hays-McCauly—better known 

as Molly Pitcher—shared the rigors of Valley Forge with 

her husband, William Hays,” said 

Sgt. Denitra McDowell, 100th Brigade 

Support Battalion, Fort Sill Soldier of 

the Year.

McCauly was said to have braved 

active battlefi elds to bring water to 

Soldiers from battle position to battle 

position. Then fatefully, she witnessed 

her husband getting injured during 

a battle, so she quickly took up his 

artillery gun crew position to rally the 

remaining crewmen during an entire 

battle.

“For her heroic actions General 

(George) Washington himself issued 

her a warrant as a noncommissioned 

offi cer,” said McDowell. “A fl agstaff 

and a cannon stand at her gravesite 

at Carlisle, Penn. A sculpture on the 

battle monument commemorates her 

courageous deed.”

“The Saint Barbara’s Day Ball is 

not only about honoring our 

lineage but commemorating 

Field Artillery Soldiers and 

their spouses,” said Col. 

Dominic Pompelia, 75th Fires Bde. commander. 

“On this night, I salute the Diamond Brigade family 

and want to thank each of them for their service to 

our country during this time of war. I’m proud of the 

Diamond Brigade for all of our accomplishments 

world wide. Tough As Diamonds!” 

Maj. Gen. Peter Vangel, Fort Sill Garrison 

commanding general, encouraged all in 

attendance to be proud of their fi eld artillery lineage 

and understand how many oppressed people throughout 

the world are encouraged by the prospect of liberation by 

American forces.

He also took a few minutes to recognize the military 

spouses in attendance.

“To the spouses here tonight, you have my most sincere 

admiration and respect for your service,” Vangel said. “All 

of us in this room have known for years how valuable you 

are as military spouses. I hope you will continue to fi nd 

the Army experience an enriching one for you and your 

Families.”

The Fort Sill Garrison commanding general fi nished with 

warm wishes for inductees into a prestigious group.

“And congratulations to those of you being inducted into 

the Order of Molly Pitcher tonight—a great honor and welldeserved recognition,” he fi nished

As the evening progressed, Sims invited all of the 630 

attendees to raise their glasses and salute the fi eld artillery 

corps with a toast to “the King of Battle.”
17March

/Current News

/www.1id.army.mil

By American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Bush recently called on 

Congress to reward the contributions servicemembers and 

their Families make every day through better services and laws 

that let them share unused education benefi ts and give military 

spouses hiring preference for federal jobs. 

Addressing both houses of Congress during his seventh annual 

State of the Union address, the president also urged passage of 

Dole-Shalala Commission recommendations to ensure wounded 

warriors receive the services they deserve. 

The president acknowledged the great sacrifi ces military 

Families make as their loved ones serve, and announced new 

proposals to show appreciation. 

“Our military Families also sacrifi ce for America. They 

endure sleepless nights and the daily struggle of providing for 

children while a loved one is serving far from home,” Bush 

said. “We have a responsibility to provide for them. So I ask 

you to join me in expanding their access to child care, creating 

new hiring preferences for military spouses across the federal 

government, and allowing our troops to transfer their unused 

education benefi ts to their spouses or children.” 

Bush urged Congress to approve legislation that allows 

servicemembers to transfer unused Montgomery G.I. Bill 

benefi ts to their spouses and children. The G.I. Bill provides 

up to 36 months of education benefi ts to eligible veterans for 

college, technical or vocational courses and other job training. 

Currently, the Army is the only service that allows its members 

to transfer those benefi ts to their children. 

The president said he wants all veterans to be able to transfer 

benefi ts they have earned to their spouses and children. 

Bush also asked Congress to pass a bill creating new hiring 

preferences across the federal government for military spouses. 

Under current law, only veterans themselves are entitled 

to preferences over others in competitive hiring for federal 

government jobs. 

“Our military Families serve our nation, they inspire our 

nation, and tonight our nation honors them,” he said. 

The United States owes that same honor to its veterans, Bush 

Caring for 

 military Families, 

 wounded troops:

Our nation’s priority
1

8February/Current News/www.1id.army.mil

said, particularly those wounded in the war on terror. 

He urged Congress to enact reforms recommended by the 

President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning 

Wounded Warriors to ensure they are able to “build lives of hope, 

promise and dignity.” 

The Warrior Transition Battalion on Fort Riley was activated 

Jan. 23.

“We let our Soldiers down,” said Maj. Gen. Robert Durbin, 

commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort 

Riley. “These Warrior Transition units are our Army’s way of 

making things right and ensuring this will never happen again. I 

guarantee you it will never happen at Fort Riley.”

The battalion’s mission is to establish and promote conditions 

for healing and assist Soldiers with the transition either to civilian 

life or back to a military unit. 

About 35 Warrior Transition Units currently exist and the 

mission of healing Soldiers, physically, psychologically and 

emotionally is a mission that is high on the Army’s priority list. 

The president created the commission in March to conduct 

a comprehensive review of the services returning wounded 

warriors receive. The commission, co-chaired by former Sen. 

Bob Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary 

Donna Shalala – both of whom attended January’s address – 

released its fi ndings in July. 

Some of the commission’s recommendations have been put 

into effect already, but others require legislative action. Measures 

already taken or in the works include: 

1. Hiring of the fi rst federal recovery coordinators to 

help guide wounded servicemembers through their 

recuperation; 

2. Establishment of a pilot program establishing a single 

comprehensive disability exam to replace separate exams 

in the Defense Department and Department of Veterans 

Affairs; 

3. Creation of a new National Center of Excellence for PostTraumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury in 

the Washington, D.C., area; 

4. Efforts to create a single Web portal so wounded 

servicemembers and veterans can track their medical and 

recovery records, get information and apply for benefi ts 

and services; 

5. Proposed regulations to update the disability schedule for 

traumatic brain injury and burns; and 

6. Use of special authorities to retain the best health 

professionals working at Walter Reed Army Medical 

Center until it closes. 

The president said he remains committed to the well-being 

of America’s men and women in uniform and is keeping his 

commitment to provide for veterans. 

“America is a force for hope in the world because we are a 

compassionate people, and some of the most compassionate 

Americans are those who have stepped forward to protect us,” he 

said. “We must keep faith with all who have risked life and limb 

so that we might live in freedom and peace.” 

Editor’s note: Contribution to this article is from Anna 

Staatz, Fort Riley PAO.
Find out what your division is doing.

Visit www.1id.army.mil