Unofficial 1st Infantry Division Magazine of Soldiers and Families October 2009 www.riley.army.mil
1 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 2

The Big Red One

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

never fail my team, for I maintain the standard. My conduct and self-discipline set the example for 

others to follow.

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.

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

October 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 213

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

Jordan Chapman

Shelley Roten

Illustrator 

Tammy Dinger

Contents

Danger 6 ... 3

Danger 7 ...4

1st Brigade ... 5

Combat Aviation Brigade ... 9

2nd Brigade ... 13

3rd Brigade ... 15

4th Brigade ... 17

Combatives Team ... 19

Big Red One Mentors ... 21

Best of the Best ... 23

Changing Enviroment in Iraq ... 25

Challenges in Afghanistan... 28

Cover: Four Soldiers rappel 

from a UH-60 Black Hawk 

Sept. 24 as Soldiers on the 

ground act as belaymen, a 

safety precaution used to 

ensure those descending 

don’t fall.

(Photo by Jordan Chapman,

 Duty First!)
Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

It was also the first time Fort Riley 

was able, with the help of a mobile 

training team from Fort Benning, Ga., 

to host the Air Assault course. Doing so 

allowed Soldiers to stay closer to home 

and near to their Families. 

The fact that Fort Riley is able to 

host a course such as this demonstrates 

the priority we place on providing our 

Soldiers quality training opportunities 

that will better our Soldiers and our 

fighting force. 

Hosting the course also allowed the 

Soldiers who participated from Fort 

Riley the opportunity to spend precious 

moments of down time at their homes 

and with their Family. It is only with a 

Family’s support that Soldiers are able to 

give their all to their mission.

Congratulations to the 143 Soldiers 

who earned their wings. You give 

yourselves, your units and your division reason to be proud of 

you!

Now...get after it!

3 4

Commanding General Danger 6

 Change

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks

It was a long 12 months, but our 2nd Brigade “Daggers” 

are finally home. I hope you had a chance to welcome these 

brave warriors back from combat and congratulate them on a 

valiant effort in the name of protecting and 

preserving freedom for the Iraqi people 

and allowing them to take back control of 

their own nation’s security. 

To all of our Daggers, welcome home 

and a job well done! Now that you’ve 

completed your mission successfully in 

Iraq, it’s time to focus on a new mission 

– one that we as Soldiers should focus 

on constantly. That mission is resiliency 

– physically, mentally, emotionally and 

spiritually. As Soldiers, we must be able 

to handle day in and day out the rigors 

that come with everyday life, and also the 

challenges that can come with serving in 

today’s Army.

Resiliency is one of those characteristics 

that can come naturally. But it’s also 

something you can, and should develop. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and 

bustle and high tempo. Work can very 

easily consume your life, if you let it.

If we allow our jobs to completely consume our lives, before 

too long, our productivity begins to actually decrease. We get 

burnt out, don’t want to come into work in the morning, find 

ourselves unable to focus and take care of business. It can also 

affect us at home. We may argue with our spouse, get short with 

our kids or even our hobbies or things we enjoy begin to feel 

like chores. When these things happen – you’re losing fitness.

We may be Soldiers 24-7, but that doesn’t mean we work 24-7.

Our bodies, our spirits and our emotions, not to mention our 

social connections and our families cannot handle that. This is 

why we need to take time to recharge, to focus on our own 

physical, emotional and spiritual health so that we can do our 

jobs right and enjoy our friends and Families.

So, how do we do that? How do we make sure that we 

are resilient and fit in all of these areas? Well, you might 

think the physical part is easy. We’re in the Army, we do 

PT every morning. But you have to make sure that you’re 

challenging yourself every day. Don’t just go through

the motions and settle for the status quo. Make sure you’re 

constantly pushing yourself to get to that next level.

Physical resilience is more than just exercise. It means taking 

care of your body. Eating right. Drinking 

right. Doing things that are healthy. We 

need to make sure we’re taking care of our 

bodies because it’s the only one you are 

going to have! 

How about spiritual resilience? 

Spiritual resilience is something that 

ties into both our physical and our 

mental being, and as such, it’s extremely 

important. Being spiritually resilient 

allows us to achieve a sense of peace and 

balance in our lives. 

However you choose to practice – or 

not practice – it’s important to make time 

to focus on your inner being and a power 

much greater than us, whether you do that 

by attending Mass every week, studying 

on your own, getting some insight from a 

chaplain or simply kneeling down to pray 

with your kids each night to reflect and 

be thankful for what God has given you. 

Be sure that you’re creating time in your 

schedule to focus on your own spiritual resiliency.

Being emotionally resilient is probably the most important 

facet of resiliency for us to focus on. If we are not emotionally 

resilient, we can’t properly function, whether that’s at work or 

at home. It brings me back to the first point I made about not 

letting work consume your life. You have to take time to focus 

on you and keep your mind sharp, or you’ll start to notice that 

you’re less effective.

Each of us has our own way of taking a “mental vacation,” 

of clearing our heads and just taking some time to get away 

from things. When we do those things – when we work on 

building our emotional resiliency – we come away refreshed 

and renewed, able to focus again and be truly efficient.

If we take the time to focus on these things – being physically, 

spiritually, emotionally, socially and family resilient – it makes 

us not only better Soldiers, but better people, who are able to 

take both the good and the bad in stride.

Duty First!

Command Sergeant Major Danger 7

Division Command Sgt. Maj. Jim Champagne

Air Assault Soldiers 

Showcase Strength

After enduring two weeks of grueling 

training which pushed their minds and 

bodies to the limit, 143 Soldiers earned the 

coveted Air Assault Badge at the end of 

September.

The course began with an early run and 

obstacle course required to seal the Soldier’s 

entrance into the course. From there, 

Soldiers trained in slingloading, rappelling 

and combat assault. They graduated the 

course after completing a 12-mile ruck 

march in full battle rattle.

With each new task Soldiers in the Air 

Assault course completed, they pushed 

themselves and demonstrated to the best 

of their abilities the stanza of the Soldier’s 

creed to be disciplined and mentally and 

physically tough.

The Soldiers, from many 1st Infantry 

Division units, survived some of the toughest 

10 days in the Army and earned themselves 

bragging rights as Air Assault Soldiers and demonstrated the 

Big Red One motto of ‘no mission too difficult, no sacrifice too 

great, Duty First!’
5 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 6

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, hands Col. Eric Wesley, commander 

of the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, the Army Superior Unit Award during the Remissioning Ceremony Sep. 

23 at Fort Riley. The ceremony marked the brigade’s change of mission from training transition teams back into a 

combat unit ready to train and deploy. 

1HBCT PAO/Kim

I believe that the strong connections we have in the community 

will help make this transition smooth for all of us,” Wesley said.

 Both Soldiers and their leaders are now looking to the future 

of the brigade and the mission they have been entrusted with. 

“I think what you’ll see is a spring in the step for every 

Soldier here and the reason I say that is not because they didn’t 

have a love for their prior mission, but every Soldier that comes 

into an organization like this, he seeks the essence of the role of 

that Soldier,” Wesley said. “That means being able to train and 

deploy in order to defend this country.”

“And now going through this transition these Soldiers will 

be at the leading edge of that ability and that capacity, so they’re 

looking forward to coming back online with the rest of the 

division,” he added.

the TTs and are now prepared to accelerate right into the training 

associated with a heavy brigade combat team,” Wesley said. 

Some of the benefits of training others for battle are that the 

lessons being taught have an impact with both the teachers and 

the students as they can become integrated and used by both. 

“Having been training those teams that embed with foreign 

security forces for the last three years has created a culture 

within the brigade that understands those tactics and techniques 

that we will use ourselves when we are called upon to deploy,” 

Wesley said. 

The new mission of 1st HBCT also affects local communities 

as the number of Soldiers within the brigade will jump from 

800 to 3,500.

“This will have a significant economic and social impact for 

both Junction City and Manhattan as we continue to grow, but 

1st Brigade 

gets new mission

BDE

ST 1

back into a combat unit which will be prepared to go to 

Iraq or Afghanistan and engage the enemy,” said Col. Eric 

Wesley, commander of the newly remissioned 1st HBCT. 

Under the watchful eyes of the Soldiers in the brigade, more 

than 16,000 military personnel and 1,300 teams were trained 

in everything from intelligence to medical operations before 

the Army decided to shift the mission over to Fort Polk, La.

While transitioning from a training unit back into a combat 

brigade has its own unique set of problems, Wesley stated that the 

Soldiers in the unit were able to overcome the obstacles in order 

to get the job and are now eager to undertake this new mission. 

“The overlapping missions tended to pull a little bit on our 

resources, but I think we’ve been able to finish strong with training 

By Sgt. Scott Kim

1st HBCT Public Affairs

Change is something that all Soldiers experience in 

the military but rarely on the scale that occurred Sept. 22 

at Fort Riley’s Custer Hill Parade Field as 1st Brigade, 

1st Infantry Division, was transformed into the 1st 

Heavy Brigade Combat Team, facing a new mission.

From November 2006 to September 2009, 1st HBCT 

had been training transition teams made up of Soldiers, 

Airmen and Sailors to advise security forces in Iraq and 

Afghanistan in various combat skills. However, after three 

years of teaching, 1st HBCT has been turned back into 

a combat unit ready to train and deploy to a war zone. 

“What we’re doing now is changing this organization 

A ceremonial cannon is fired at the beginning of the remissioning ceremony for the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat 

Team.

1 HBCT PAO/Kim
7 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 8

Pilots Assist in Air Assault Training

CAB

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

Behind the scenes work and countless hours of preparation 

culminated into 10 days of hard work, adrenaline and fun for 

13 Air Assault Instructors from the Warrior Training Center out 

of Fort Benning, Ga., and ultimately 143 graduated Air Assault 

students from Fort Riley and surrounding states. However, 

without the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to provide rappel 

lifts 90 feet above the ground, all of that preparation would 

have been for naught.

Though the course was held Sept. 15 to 25, the work for 

Combat Aviation Brigade pilots began Sept. 14. 

Flying into a field just north of the confidence course on 

Custer Hill, Air Assault instructors were surprised to see the 

new UH-60M model in use at Fort Riley and were eager to help 

pilots receive certification that morning for rappelling activities.

Soldiers, too, were excited to see the two Black Hawks 

coming over the trees Sept. 17 for local orientation flights, Sept. 

20 for sling load training and Sept. 24 for test day rappels.

“The rappelling, that’s what everyone likes to come to the 

school for,” said Air Assault Instructor Sgt. 1st Class Brian 

McCarthy, which could clearly be seen as Soldiers finished up 

any kind of hands-on training dealing with the helicopter, ahead 

of their own rappel out its side door during the last day of the 

course.

While the Soldiers had their own goals and excitement to 

look forward to, the pilots controlling the aircraft were simply 

happy to assist in Fort Riley’s first-ever Air Assault course. 

“It’s good to be involved and it’s nice to be a part of Fort 

Riley’s history,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jaime Heuirre, Jr., 

of the 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment.

“It’s a good opportunity for these Soldiers and the school 

that we can compliment it with this newer aircraft,” said Chief 

Warrant Officer 2 Rob Ness also of 3rd AHB, 1st Avn. Regt., 

explaining the new “M” model would make the training more 

efficient because it makes the pilot’s job easier when compared 

to the older UH-60L.

“The (L) model had all pressure gauges and older avionics 

that required a higher work load on the pilot. The (M) model 

is digitized ... and ideally should lesson the work load of the

Soldiers exit a UH-60M Black Hawk after taking an orientation flight Sept. 17 as part of the Air Assault course held 

at Fort Riley Sept. 15 to 25.

Duty First!/Chapman

each of the pilots can still hover manually, and were well trained 

to correct any mid-air failure of computer systems to insure the 

safety of their fellow Soldiers behind them.

“This is a rewarding opportunity,” Ness reiterated again 

before he stepped into his helicopter to take the first load of Air 

Assault Soldiers up for their test rappels.

“It’s a fun training mission. We’re glad to be out here helping 

out,” Heuirre seconded.

Two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters were used on Custer Hill Sept. 20 as Soldiers participating in the Air Assault 

Course conducted sling load training. 

Duty First!/Chapman

pilot,” he said, citing the automatic hover as one example of a 

higher efficiency in the cockpit.

“There is a coupled feature on this new aircraft so that the 

aircraft will hold itself at a hover by itself,” he said, explaining 

that while the aircraft is hovering the pilot’s attention can focus 

on many different areas at once.

Both Ness and Heuirre were quick to say, however, that
9 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 10

SB ST 1

It was Sept. 20 and the day’s sling load training, however, 

that allowed Gerena to work with the helicopter in flight for the 

first time.

“That’s where you move equipment underneath helicopters,” 

said Air Assault Instructor Sgt. First Class Brian McCarthy. 

“We teach them how to prepare six loads that are common to 

this area.”

Gerena felt the most difficult part about this training was 

the attention to detail, but there was no denying the excitement 

felt as the Black Hawk slowly approached and hovered right 

above Gerena, his partner and the instructor waiting to attach 

their cargo.

Gerena most looked forward to the actual rappels out of the 

Black Hawk, an event that he and every other Soldier trained 

for by completing numerous training rappels off of the rappel 

tower.

“It’s not easy, but it’s a lot of fun,” Gerena said while he had 

the chance to momentarily rest after getting down from the 45 

foot tower. The helicopter rappels occurred at twice that height.

“Something about stepping out into the air out of a helicopter 

sounds exciting,” Gerena said, adding that when he got in and 

was hooking up his equipment he never took the chance to look 

down.

“When I looked out I was surprised about how high it was 

but my adrenaline was high and when I jumped out, it was crazy. 

I had fun with it,” Gerena said. “It was an amazing sight,” he 

added, describing the view of the helicopter above him as he 

rappelled to the ground.

Before he officially graduated, though, Gerena had to 

complete a 12-mile road march in less than three hours with a 

35 to 40 pound pack on his back.

“That was definitely the hardest part,” he commented, adding 

further that it was essential to have Pvt. First Class Santiago 

Dazuri, Sgt. Frank Morales and Sgt. Marcos Vaez, all of the 1st 

Sustainment Brigade, nearby to keep each other motivated and 

on task.

By the end of the day that teamwork and encouragement 

boosted Gerena and 142 other weary faces onto the Barlow

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

Since he first entered the United States Army, Sgt. Ulysses 

Gerena of the Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment 

Brigade, has wanted to earn his Air Assault wings.

When he found out that Fort Riley was going to host its 

first course on post from Sept. 15 to 25, he immediately got 

involved.

“I’ve always had more respect for people that had air assault 

training,” Gerena said a few days before the course started. 

“It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around to often. I know 

they go through a lot. You really have to want to do it and you 

have to have motivation. That’s what I want to be like.”

According to Air Assault Instructor Cpl. Robert Summers 

and the 12 other cadre from the Warrior Training Center out of 

Fort Benning, Ga., that motivation was key in completing the 

course, but being motivated didn’t make it easy.

Gerena, along with 219 other Soldiers from Fort Riley and 

installations from surrounding states, each had their will tested 

beginning with the first early morning on Custer Hill Parade 

Field, where they met their instructors, listened to their rules 

and did push-ups ... lots of push-ups.

The morning wasn’t over, though. Immediately following a 

very kinetic roll call, each Soldier had to run two miles in under 

18 minutes and complete the Confidence Course on Custer 

Hill, a portion of the course that Gerena had to complete to be 

officially enrolled in the course. He wasn’t intimidated.

“The obstacle course itself was pretty easy,” Gerena said, 

explaining that the difficult parts were the exercises to be 

completed in-between each obstacle. Such exercises included 

the bear run, “hobble hop,” crab walk and various other 

coordination activities that many Soldiers had to go back and 

re-do if an instructor didn’t think it was done well enough.

Each Soldier that made it into the course then completed a 

series of classroom sessions before taking orientation flights 

in UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters Sept. 17, a section of the 

course that introduces each Soldier to the helicopter they will 

be working with.

Theater stage for graduation. 

After receiving his wings, Gerena felt that no matter the 

task’s difficulty within the course, “toughest 10 days in the 

Army” ultimately bettered him as a Soldier.

“A lot of times during Air Assault you have to wake up and 

be challenged, but you got to continue anyway. I know that in 

the future if I’m challenged or if something is hard for me, I’ll 

be able to get through it was well,” Gerena said.

Photos Duty First!/Chapman

Sgt. Ulysses Gerena, 1st Sustainment Brigade, climbs over an obstacle of the Confidence Course on Custer Hill 

Sept. 15 as part of the Air Assault Course at Fort Riley Sept. 15 to25.

Adrenaline Rush
11 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 12

Under the watchful eye of Air Assault Instructor 

Staff Sgt. Damon Russell, Sgt. Ulysses Gerena, 1st 

Sustainment Brigade, completes an obstacle of the 

Confidence Course on Custer Hill Sept. 15.

Sgt. Ulysses Gerena, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 

tackles the first obstacle of the Confidence Course 

on Custer Hill Sept. 15.

Sgt. Ulysses Gerena, 1st Sustainment Brigade, concentrates during his sling load training Sept. 20 as a UH-60M 

Black Hawk helicopter creeps closer to be hooked up to its cargo.

Sgt. Ulysses Gerena, 1st Sustainment Brigade, prepares to rappel from the rappel tower on Custer Hill Sept. 23 as 

part of the Air Assault Course at Fort Riley Sept. 15 to 25.

Sgt. Ulysses Gerena,1st Sustainment Brigade, gets the go ahead from Air Assault Instructor Staff Sgt. Justin 

Lampert during rappel training Sept. 22 and 23.

Photos Duty First!/Chapman

Toughest 10 Days in the Army

 Fort Riley hosts Air Assault Training
13 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 14

NDHBCT 2

By J. Parker Roberts

1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs

In November 2008, the “Dagger” Brigade aimed to protect 

lives and improve conditions in northwest Baghdad while 

working with Iraqi Soldiers and police. Now, the Soldiers are 

home, and Col. Joe Martin, commander, 2nd Heavy Brigade 

Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, is quick to point out their 

tour of duty was an “extraordinary experience.”

“We have now seen energetic young Americans become 

battle-hardened veterans of America’s ‘Big Red One,’” he said.

Martin, along with 2nd HBCT Command Sgt. Maj. Donald 

Battle, addressed members of the local media at Fort Riley 

Aug. 28 during a video teleconference from Iraq, updating 

them on the in-theater achievements of 2nd HBCT, and inviting 

reporters to meet the Soldiers during the unit’s colors uncasing 

ceremony Oct. 22.

Since the brigade arrived in Iraq in 2008, the Daggers 

witnessed 14 separate changes to the operating environment, 

Martin said. Those changes were complicated by “a ruthless 

enemy that’s determined to see you and the new Iraqi 

government fail.”

During their deployment, Iraqi security forces began to 

take the lead in their nation’s security. On July 1, the Daggers 

left operations bases within Iraqi cities and “are now fully 

partnered in command and control centers with our city-bound 

Iraqi partners, while continuing to target and capture insurgents 

in the countryside out in Abu Ghraib,” Martin said. “I’m the 

proudest leader in Iraq to be in command of such an amazing 

organization.”

2 HBCT/ Dustin Roberts

Col. Joseph Martin, commander, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, shakes the hand of Naeem Abaob, the deputy 

mayor of Baghdad, after they signed the paperwork handing over the Hurriyah Public Works Sub Station to the 

local government in Kadhamiyah. 

Martin said some of the unit’s greatest accomplishments in 

theater were improving local services and utilities in their 

area, spending some $25 million on more than 200 civil action 

projects and reducing the number of attacks in their area of 

responsibility from more than 30 per day to about 1.5 per day.

Battle added he felt the Daggers’ greatest accomplishments 

included getting to know the Iraqi Soldiers and civilians. “Just 

going out and meeting people and just working together side 

by side with our Iraqi counterparts,” he said. “It’s been a great 

experience for me.”

Martin said even as the Daggers returned home, the campaign 

wasn’t finished – the last phase of their campaign, he said, is 

reintegrating Soldiers into their homes and Families.

“When we return, we have a host of tasks that we will undergo 

where each of the Soldiers are provided a list of resources 

available at Fort Riley,” Martin said. “The reintegration phase 

of this campaign is deeply important to what we’re doing now, 

and that’s what we’ll be focusing on for the first 60 days when 

we return.”

Martin also said he was “very encouraged” with the progress 

the Iraqi government and security forces have made in taking 

control of their country and people. 

“Our Iraqi security partners are competent and continue to 

improve every day,” he said. The local and national governments 

“have shown great improvements since we’ve been here. It’s 

pretty promising.”

Martin said he, his Soldiers and those who come after them 

will continue to work with Iraqi governments. “It’s important 

for Iraq to become a strategic partner for the United States,” he 

said. “That’s why we need to continue our work here. It is not 

done, but we’ve seen great progress and we’re very happy with 

what we’ve seen here.”

First Lt. Justin Casey, Joint Project Management 

Office, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, gets a look 

at a generator being used to train Iraqi workers in the 

Kadhamiyah district of northwest Baghdad July 29. 

2HBCT/ Dustin Roberts

Brianna Tuttle, 5, hugs her dad, Capt. Brian Tuttle, 

299th Brigade Support Battalion, following a 

redeployment ceremony Sept. 28 at Fort Riley. 

Duty First!/Staatz

Daggers Look Back at Deployment Success
15 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 16

Are You Board Ready?

Review your ERB or ORB to make sure 

everything is up-to-date.

Get your uniform ready. Make sure it fits 

correctly and all patches and stripes are 

correct. Take the uniform to the cleaners.

Make sure all awards and decorations 

are on your uniform correctly according to 

what is listed in your ERB or ORB. Only 

the unit awards listed can be worn. No 

leadership tabs, no cord or ropes except for 

the Schutzenschnur. The distintictive unit 

insignias (unit crests) MUST BE WORN.

Have your command check to make sure 

your uniform is correct.

Call or go to the Fort Riley VISC (Photo Lab) 

to make an appointment for a DA photo. 

785-239-3871 or Building 222 on Custer 

Avenue, Main Post. Photo appointments 

are considered an appointed place of duty 

just like medical and dental. Last minute 

cancellations or no shows will be reported.

Report for your photo about 15 minutes 

prior to the appointment.

Note

VISC is limited to the number of photos that 

can be taken in a day. No walk-ins or standbys will be accepted. Each year a large 

number of Soldiers wait until the last two 

weeks prior to their board and then want 

to get a photo. VISC recommends to make 

your appointment now and make sure your 

photo is looked at by the board. VISC will 

only take one DA Photo per person each 

12 months.

DA Photos are important to 

each Soldier, be considerate 

of each other. A good leader 

is prepared and doesn’t 

wait till the last minute...

NOTE: The new ASU (Blues) 

may now be worn!

IBCT RD 3

RD 3‘Duke’ Command Changes 

Hands

By Staff Sgt. David Hopkins

3rd BCT Public Affairs Office

FORT HOOD, Texas – Another page in the history of the 

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, was turned 

on September 10, at a ceremony on Cooper Field at Fort Hood, 

Texas. 

The “Duke” brigade, which stood up at Fort Hood on April 

19, 2007, changed command of the brigade and its six battalions 

and then cased the colors in front of a crowd of Soldiers, Family 

members and visitors.

“We extend our congratulations to the Duke Brigade, and 

experience with you this transition of distinguished combat 

leaders out of the formation to bring in new leaders, and with 

them a new chapter in the history of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry 

Division,” said Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general 

of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley.

After two years and one deployment to Afghanistan in 

support of Operation Enduring Freedom IV under the command 

of Col. John Spiszer, the Duke brigade is moving to Fort Knox, 

Ky., to train for future endeavors. 

“The Soldiers built, trained, deployed and fought in 

combat, overcoming all obstacles,” Spiszer said. “We ended 

up deployed in the toughest and most dangerous fight of any 

brigade combat team in the Army over this last year and we rose 

to the occasion.”

During the ceremony, the commanders and sergeants major 

from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 6th 

Artillery Regiment; 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment; 

6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment; 201st Brigade Support 

Battalion; and the Special Troops Battalion stepped forward 

and passed their colors off to the incoming commanders, 

relinquishing their command. Spiszer also handed the brigade 

colors off to Brooks, who passed them to Col. Christopher 

Toner, incoming brigade commander. Toner most recently 

commanded the 2nd Regiment of the United States Corps of 

Cadets, West Point, N.Y.

Brooks gave praise for the achievements of the outgoing 

commanders and spoke of his confidence in the incoming 

leadership when speaking to the crowd.

Col. Christopher Toner, incoming commander, 3rd 

Brigade Combat Team, and Command Sgt. Maj. Drew 

Pumarejo, incoming command sergeant major, case 

the Duke Brigade colors. 

3rd IBCT/Medina

“I want every Duke Soldier and every Duke Family member 

to know how proud your division and your Fort Hood family 

also are of your remarkable achievements and your gallant 

service,” Brooks said.

Toner completed the ceremony with remarks of faith for the 

brigade, stating the experience of its Soldiers will continue to 

lead the unit to great things.

“A spectacularly gifted group of commanders and command 

sergeants major assume the mantle of responsibility today,” 

Toner said. “They and their wives share the same passion and 

selfless service for our nation, our Soldiers and our families. 

Their talents amaze me and collectively they will continue to 

raise the standard of this brigade to new heights.”
17 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 18

IBCT

4

Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Mosites, operations command sergeant major 

for the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and Sgt. Julie Mosites, human 

resources noncommissioned officer with 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry 

Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, reunite with each other at Camp 

Buehring, Kuwait. They are deployed together in support of Operation Iraqi 

Freedom. 

By Spc. Shantelle J. Campbell

4th IBCT Public Affairs Office

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – As some 

Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat 

Team, 1st Infantry Division, said goodbye to 

their Families back at Fort Riley, others were 

given the opportunity to reunite with their 

loved one and say hello again.

Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Mosites, 

the operations command sergeant major 

for the “Dragon” brigade, reunited with 

his daughter, Sgt. Julie Mosites, the human 

resources noncommissioned officer with 

2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th 

Combat Aviation Brigade out of Schofield 

Barracks in Hawaii, upon his arrival in 

Kuwait. 

 “It’s sort of odd and different because 

you’re a parent and you’re also a Soldier,” 

Michael said. “So, for her to be a part of 

our task force is unique because she’s close 

enough that I can still stay in touch, and we 

can both talk back and forth. We can both 

take care of each other while we’re over 

there.

“It’s sort of unique to me because I want 

to make sure she’s safe from a father’s point 

of view, but I also know she’s here doing her 

job with the 25th CAB.”

For Julie, the deployment means she’ll 

be able to spend some time with her dad, a 

rarity for the two Soldiers.

“It’s actually kind of cool because not very many people 

can say that [they] get to see [their] family while [they’re] over 

there,” Julie said. “Most people are without their Families for a 

year. We at least get to touch basis and see each other.”

Michael admits that he was surprised when Julie told him 

that they would be deploying together. He also says that he is 

very proud of her and her accomplishments because all of her 

accomplishments are her own.

“It’s sort of a surprise,” he said. “I found out at NTC when 

she told me we’ll be deploying as part of the same task force 

going north to Iraq. 

“It’ll be kind of interesting because since she’s joined the 

Army, I’ve only seen her three times, and she’s been in since 

2001,” he added.

“I’m proud of her and everything that she’s accomplished 

because she’s accomplished it basically on her own,” Michael 

said. “She’s in the military doing her part for her country, and 

I’m proud of her.”

For Julie, having her father deploy with her will make getting 

promoted more special especially if he’s able to be the one who 

pins on her rank.

“It’s nice,” she said. “I’m really hoping that when I get my 

staff sergeant, he’ll come down to pin me.”

4 IBCT/Campbell

Father and Daughter Meet 

in Iraq
19 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 20

Combatives Team 

Takes Third

Staff Sgt. Lonnie Kincaid of Fort Riley puts the squeeze on Sgt. Ryan McCracken of Fort Hood during the match 

for third place in the heavyweight division at the all-Army Combatives Tournament Sept. 20 in Fort Benning, Ga.

Duty First!/Staatz

By Anna Staatz

1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

FORT BENNING, Ga., – Fort Riley fighters took third place 

in the all-Army combatives tournament at Fort Benning, Ga., 

Sept. 18-20. Fort Campbell, Ky., raked in the first-place trophy 

– the first team win for the post – and the 3rd Infantry Division 

placed second.

“These guys did awesome,” said Sgt. 1st Class Antonio 

Lynn, team noncommissioned officer in charge, on Sunday. 

“They are real warriors. Nobody ever quit during the past three 

days.”

Staff Sgt. Lonnie Kincaid placed third in the heavyweight 

bracket, gaining the highest place finish of the Fort Riley team. 

Kincaid took on Sgt. Ryan McCracken of Fort Hood in the 

match for third place in the heavyweight bracket, winning by 

knockout.

Other top finishers included Pfc. Alberto Cruz, Division 

Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, fifth place in the 

heavyweight bracket; Staff Sgt. Brandon Brewer, DHHB, fifth 

place in the lightweight bracket; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric 

Dietrich, 101st Forward Support Battalion, sixth place in the 

Individual Results

Listed as name, unit, win-loss 

record in the tournament:

Flyweight: Dietrich, 101st FSB, 3-2; Standridge, 2nd Bn., 

16th Inf. Regt., 3-2; Gilmore, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 3-2.

Lightweight: Keen, DHHB, 2-2; Garrett, 5th Sqdn., 4th 

Cav. Regt., 2-2; Brewer, DHHB, 5-2; Andrade, 2nd Bn., 16th 

Inf. Regt., 2-2; Cardwell, 101st FSB, 1-2.

Welterweight: Sizemore, 1st Bn., 34th Armor Regt., 0-2; 

Jacob, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1-2; Welborn, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. 

Regt., 0-2; Borge, DHHB, 2-2.

Middleweight: Andrews, DHHB, 5-2; Maroney, 1001st 

CID, 2-2.

Cruiserweight: Moungey, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 3-2; 

Gualtieri, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 2-2.

Light Heavyweight: Kay, 1st Sqdn, 4th Cav. Regt., 2-2; 

Sexton, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 2-2.

Heavyweight: Kincaid, 1st Engineer Bn., 6-1; Cruz, 

DHHB, 3-2.

flyweight bracket; Staff Sgt. David Andrews, DHHB, 

seventh place in the middleweight bracket; Staff Sgt. Jeremy 

Gilmore, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, seventh 

place in the flyweight bracket.

Big Red One Soldiers filled two teams in the tournament 

– a 1st Inf. Div. team and a Fort Riley team. 

The 22 Soldiers qualified for the teams through various 

combatives tournaments held on Fort Riley in the spring 

and summer. The Soldiers spent several months with their 

primary focus on training for the all-Army tournament, 

which had more than 300 participants. Cruz said one of the 

hardest parts of preparation was the conditioning.

“Being a big guy, the conditioning is hard,” he said. “But 

it’s a nice experience to come here and represent our post 

and division.”

Lynn added that participating in a tournament as big as 

the all-Army tournament is a great confidence booster for 

Soldiers.

“They work hard, train hard for something. It changes 

everything they do after that,” Lynn said. “The way they 

approach boards, the way they train with their units. It builds 

confidence in themselves and what they can accomplish.”

Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Lynn, noncommissioned officer 

in charge of the combatives team, cheers on one of his 

fighters at the all-Army combatives tournament in Fort 

Benning, Ga.

Duty First!/Staatz
21 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 22

‘BIG RED ONE’ LEADERS 

MENTOR ROTC CADETS

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley, poses with Wheaton College 

ROTC cadets Sept. 14 at the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park. Pictured from left to right are Benjamin Boyle, 

Jake Hovde, Drew Ziccardi, Brooks, David Holck, John Kiehl and Steve See. Not pictured is cadet Steve Young, the 

ROTC battalion commander. 

1st Inf. Div. PAO/Stroda

By Laura Stroda

1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

WHEATON, Ill. – Young ROTC cadets from Wheaton 

College had a unique opportunity to hear words of wisdom and 

ask questions of senior 1st Infantry Division leaders Sept. 14 at 

the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park.

Though the cadets often tour and conduct research at the 

museum – located just a short drive from the college – it was 

the first time they had a chance to sit down with active duty 

leaders of the “Big Red One.”

“We use the facility quite often, especially for studying 

military history,” said Lt. Col. Steve Anderson, Professor 

of Military Science at Wheaton College. “But we’ve never 

done something like this before. It’s a really neat enrichment 

opportunity and gives the cadets a chance to hear from senior 

leaders what’s expected of them as second lieutenants.”

Maj. Gen. Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the 1st 

Inf. Div. and Fort Riley, said when cadets are assigned to their 

first unit, they should come prepared to lead and be proficient in 

the technical skills required of a leader in battle.

“Focus hard on the business of leadership,” he told the seven 

cadets. “Start as a leader from day one. And the ones who are 

the best at that are the ones who are listening, especially to their 

noncommissioned officers ... They don’t expect you to know 

everything and they’re willing to teach you, if you’ll let them.” 

Managing and leading Soldiers is one of the key things NCOs 

can teach young officers, said Col. Robert Risberg, commander 

of the 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Leonard 

Wood, Mo. “It doesn’t matter what the mission is. It’s your job 

to take people from all different backgrounds and bring them 

together for a common cause, and NCOs have a real knack for 

that,” he said.

Cadet Steve See, a senior planning to join a combat arms 

branch, asked Risberg and 4th MEB Command Sgt. Maj. 

Fort Riley Garrison Commander Col. Kevin Brown (right) and Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Ian Mann (left) visit 

with Wheaton College ROTC cadet John Kiehl Sept. 14 at the First Division Museum at Cantigny Park. Kiehl is a 

freshman cadet at Wheaton College. 

Gregory Rogers what makes a good officer stand out from the 

rest. Both Risberg and Rogers said great leaders don’t just give 

orders and tell Soldiers what to do – they get out front and show 

them what to do. Risberg said it’s key to maintaining credibility 

with the troops.

“It’s all about showing your Soldiers that you won’t ask them 

to do anything you wouldn’t do ... You can’t say fall in and 

then take two steps back,” Rogers said. “Once your Soldiers 

understand that you’ll do anything for them and their family, 

they’ll knock down the wall for you.”

1st Inf. Div. PAO/Stroda
Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil

Henderson has been in 

the service for two years 

and serves as a 35F10, All 

Source Intelligence Analyst. 

His military awards and 

achievements include the 

Army Commendation Medal 

(2); Army Achievement 

Medal (4); National 

Defense Service Medal; 

Korean Defense Service 

Medal; Global War on 

Terrorism Service Medal; 

Army Service Ribbon; 

and Overseas Service 

Ribbon. Henderson attends 

the American Military 

University and is pursuing 

an associate’s degree in 

intelligence analysis and 

research. He is a native of 

Longmont, Colo.

23 24 1st cab

By J. Parker Roberts

1st Infantry Division Public Affairs

A self-described “shy, soft-spoken person,” Spc. Clancey 

Henderson has a new descriptor – 2009 Soldier of the Year.

After being named U.S. Army Forces Command 

Soldier of the Year this past summer, Henderson of 

the 193rd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Maneuver 

Enhancement Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, participated 

in a grueling competition Sept. 28 to Oct. 3 at Fort Lee, Va., 

to determine who would be named the 2009 Best Warrior. 

“It was odd,” he said of the moment when his name 

was called. “They have great competitors out here.”

The specialist went up against 11 other hopefuls in 

such activities as combatives, board interviews, physical 

fitness, written exams and urban warfare simulation.

On Oct. 5 at the AUSA convention in Washington, 

D.C., it was announced that Henderson was the recipient 

of the newly-named Sergeant Major of the Army Jack 

Tilley Award, designating him the Soldier of the Year. Also 

winning the award in the noncommissioned officer division 

was Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Beckman of U.S. Army, Europe.

Both winners walked away with an impressive prize package 

that included donated items like military gear, savings bonds, 

running shoes, a vacation and a laptop computer, but Henderson 

said that prizes weren’t on his mind when he entered the competition. 

“You hear things about different prizes and incentives, 

but that’s not what the competition is about,” Henderson 

said. “Obviously they’re welcome additions, but you 

come to the competition to demonstrate what you’re 

capable of and how well your command has trained you 

and, overall, what the Army expects of its Soldiers.”

During the competition, Henderson set the PT test record, 

including a 10 minute, 26 second two-mile run timesomething 

he attributed at the time to simply trying to do his best. 

“To understand what ‘do your best’ is, you have to 

understand how I was raised. My parents have always 

encouraged me to put forth every effort I can into what I’m 

doing,” the specialist said. “In the Army, they emphasize 

PT a lot, so obviously that’s something I really get behind.”

Throughout the competition, Henderson 

said he simply did what he could.

“I don’t get down on myself when I fail at something,” he said. 

“I look at it as an opportunity to assess myself, see what I did 

wrong and get back at it. Throughout the competition, I had that 

same mentality. I do everything I can, and if I mess up, I figure out 

what I did wrong and go back at it. That’s what carried me through.”

Henderson said he was “awestruck” to be named 

Soldier of the Year. “They had some really great 

competitors this year, the best the Army has to offer,” 

he said. “I’m absolutely humbled and honored.”

The specialist also said he made friends with his competition. 

“I didn’t make any enemies this week,” Henderson said. “We 

became great friends. Part of me wanted them to win, because 

I was excited for them and I know they’re good people.”

Despite the physical hardships that he was about 

to be confronted with, Henderson said the part of the 

competition he was most worried about was speaking

Spc. Clancey Henderson high-fives a young visitor to 

the Kansas State fair.

Courtesy Photo

Best of the Best: 1st Infantry Division Specialist 

Named 2009 Warrior of the Year

Spc. Clancey Henderson, sets his sights on a terrorist in 

a hostage scenario. 

Army News Service/Bell

Army News Service/Perry

Spc. Clancey Henderson receives some last minute adjustments from Staff Sgt. Justin 

Puls before appearing before the board of six command sergeants Major and the Sergeant 

Major of the Army on Sept. 28.

before an Army board. “It’s always been my weakest 

area, just because I’m a very soft-spoken person,” he said, 

adding that shy Soldiers could still go far in the Army.

“Going into this board, I thought about it, and I was like ‘I 

shouldn’t be nervous, I’ve done this before. These people aren’t 

here to critique me and find fault with me, they’re here to figure 

out who I am.’”

Going in with that mentality, Henderson said he was loud 

and confident. “My concerns were swept under the rug.”

Now Spc. Henderson’s concerns shift as he takes on the role 

of the Army’s top warrior.

“I’ve learned a lot preparing for the competition and 

participating in it,” he said. “I see the Army a little bit more 

broadly now; how it functions and what role I play. So going 

in with that understanding will definitely affect how I approach 

my work.”

Beckman said his new title would increase his visibility. 

“Now I’m in the spotlight,” he said. “Every little thing I do is 

going to be scrutinized.”

Henderson’s parents, whom he credited as the source of 

his work ethic, weren’t able to make it to the ceremony, but 

his 15-year old brother was there to shake his hand and offer 

congratulations.

“I’m very excited that he was able to be here,” Henderson 

said. “I try to be a good role model to him, obviously, and it’s 

definitely important to me what he chooses to do with his life. 

“I just hope I set a good example for him.”
25 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 26

U.S. Army Master Sgt. Robert Eplee, a member of the 6th Iraqi Army Military Transition Team, demonstrates how to 

enter a room under the cover of a smoke grenade, on Joint Security Station, Kdhimiya, Iraq. 

Air Force photo/Owen

Capt. Matthew Johnson, 1st Bn., 63rd Armor Regt., 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, shakes hands with a student 

during the grand re-opening of Almuwifikia School. 

Editor’s Note: The next two stories are thumbnail sketches of the 

two countries many of our Big Red One Soldiers have deployed 

to. For them, these countries are first-hand experiences. For 

the rest of us, Iraq and Afghanistan are news headlines. The 

following stories are by no means a comprehensive look at the 

history and cultures of Iraq and Afghanistan, but instead are a 

quick read of information about the key aspects of each country. 

By Jordan Chapman

Duty First! Magazine

“To control the world is to control Iraq” is a saying that can 

be found in articles, books and encyclopedias and is reflected in 

the country’s history of war for thousands of years.

For 1st Infantry Division Soldiers though, and their 4,500 

fallen friends and fellow Soldiers throughout the Army since 

2003, the mission hasn’t been to control Iraq, but to give the 

land back to its people braced by pillars of democracy, peace 

and freedom.

With a current total of 167,618 square miles of land and a 

population of just under 28 million, Iraq was first known as 

Mesopotamia and gave rise to some of the world’s earliest 

civilizations, including Sumar, Akkad and Babylon.

Since those long ago days, the land, its cities and its people 

have seen countless wars.

In 331 BC Alexander the Great conquered the region and it 

later became a battleground for Romans and Parthians and next 

for the Sāsānians and the Byzantines.

It wasn’t until hundreds of years later that the Arab Muslims 

conquered the land in 7 AD with various Muslim dynasties 

ruling until the Mongols took control in 1258 

up until the 16th Century.

Upon the entrance of the 16th 

Century the Ottoman Empire stepped 

in and ruled over the country until 

the British occupied the land 

during World War I and 

created the Kingdom of 

Iraq. The British also 

occupied Iraq

during World War II.

Following WWII, Iraq’s monarchy was restored but soon 

crumbled after a revolution caused its downfall in 1958, which 

consequently caused a series of military coups led by the 

socialist Ba’th Party, eventually led by Saddam Hussein, who 

took control and established totalitarian rule a mere 10 years 

later.

The Iran-Iraq War occurred in the 1980s, followed by 

the Persian Gulf War in 1990 and 1991 which brought on a 

languishing economy under the United Nations economic 

embargo. 

It wasn’t until 2003 that the United States was once again 

forced into action and entered into Iraq to conduct Operation 

Iraqi Freedom and to drive the Ba’th Party out of power.

To complete their missions in Iraq in 2003 up until today, 

Big Red One Soldiers have trained and studied Iraqi culture 

and are meeting with the country’s Kurds, Shi’ites and Sunnis 

face to face.

Northern Iraq is an area that that the 4th Infantry Brigade 

Combat Team is currently deployed and is also an area Major 

General Vincent Brooks, commanding general of the 1st Inf. 

Div. and Fort Riley, calls an area where “much progress has 

been made but there is still much to do.” 

The Kurds are said to take up about 

17 percent of the Iraqi population, with 

about 300,000 Kurds living in the Iraqi 

capital of Baghdad, 50,000 in the city 

of Mosul and about 100,000 elsewhere 

in southern Iraq. The traditional Kurdish 

way of life was nomadic, revolving around 

sheep and goat herding throughout the 

Iraqi plains and the highlands of Turkey 

and Iran, however the enforcement of national 

boundaries after WWI hindered this way of life 

and forced them back in to an agricultural 

way of life.

Reports from various American 

news networks reported that the 

Kurdish population welcomed 

the American troops in 2003 

continued on page 27

2nd IBCT/Vernon
27 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 28

Big Red One Units Which Have 

Served Deployment Time in Iraq

1st Infantry Division Headquarters

2004: 1st Infantry Division and Task Force Danger, consisting 

of Germany-based 1st Infantry Division units along with the 

30th Brigade Combat Team “Old Hickory,” based out of North 

Carolina and the 25th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat 

Team out of Hawaii, deploy to Iraq.

1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team

2003: 1st Brigade Combat team deployed to support Iraqi 

operations in the fall of 2003.

2005: Received orders to support the Army’s transition team 

training mission, where brigade Soldiers train thousands of 

service members from the Army, Air Force and Navy to become 

Iraqi and Afghan military advisors.

2006-2009: The brigade deployed thousands of Soldiers as part 

of military transition teams, which trained and advised Iraqi 

Security Forces.

2 Heavy Brigade Combat Team

2004: The 2nd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq in March 

2004, where Soldiers operated out of then Forward Operating 

Base Danger, now Contingency Operating Base Speicher.

2008: The 2nd Brigade Combat Team deployed to northwest 

Baghdad to provide security for the Kadhamiyah, Mansour and 

Karkh Security Districts.

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team

2004: Deployed to Iraq only five months after returning from 

Kosovo.

4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

2007: 4th IBCT deployed to southeast Baghdad for 15 months 

during 2007 and 2008.

2009: Currently, 4th IBCT is deployed to Northern Iraq. It is 

scheduled to return in September of 2010.

Combat Aviation Brigade

2007: The Combat Aviation Brigade deployed to Iraq for 15 

months.

continued from page 26

by holding celebrations and dancing in the streets. The area 

controlled by Peshmerga, Kurdish fighters, was expanded and 

Kurds now have effective control in Kirkuk and parts of Mosul.

Furthermore, with the help of the United States, the Kurds 

were particularly successful in the country’s 2005 elections, 

held following the fall of Saddam Hussein and the Ba’th 

Party in 2003, and in mid-2005 the first session of the Kurdish 

parliament was convened in Irbil.

By the beginning of 2006, the two Kurdish areas were 

merged into one unified region.

Most Sunni Arabs reside in central Iraq and represent about 

20 percent of the Iraqi population.

Central Iraq also includes what is called the “Sunni Triangle,” 

an area northwest of Baghdad that encompasses Tikrit, Ramadi, 

Samarra and Falluja.

About half of Iraq’s Sunni Community live in cities and form 

the backbone of the country’s educated middle class. Those that 

live in the cities are secular and believe the constitution offers 

too much authority to Islamic law; however, Sunnis that live 

in the countryside are less educated but are motivated more by 

family, clan or regional interests.

Sunni Islam is also the largest denomination of Islam, just 

above the followers of Shia Islam, who are also called Shi’ites, 

the third and largest sect of people to be found in Iraq.

Basing their teachings from the Islamic holy book, the 

Qur’an, the Shi’ites faith is inclusive of many different groups 

and uses a system that allows for a different interpretation to 

religious and political authority in the Muslim world.

Sources used in this article: • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/iz.html#

• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/293631/

Iraq

• http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/

articles/031222on_onlineonly04 FOXNews.com - 

Kurds Rejoice, But Fighting Continues in North - U.S. 

& World CNN.com - Coalition makes key advances in 

northern Iraq - April 10, 2003 

• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/325191/

Kurd

• http://www.cfr.org/publication/9027/iraqs_sunni_arabs.

html?breadcrumb=%2Fpublication%2Fpublication_lis

t%3Fgroupby%3D1%26type%3Dbackgrounder%26fil

ter%3D434

• http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/

religion-shia1.htm

Pfc. Daniel Parker of Jacksonville, Fla., 1st Combined 

Arms Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade 

Combat Team, searches a large sand dune near the 

village of Khadir.

MND-B PAO/Soles

Soldiers with 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, climb a rugged mountain slope 

in Kunar Province during a patrol. The patrol to search for caves and enemy passages was the first done in 

that region in more than two years and was a joint patrol with Afghan National Army soldiers. The unit had been 

receiving enemy fire from this area. 

3 BCT PAO/Hopkins

By Anna Staatz

Duty First! Magazine

It is the crossroads of Central Asia. Afghanistan – a diverse country whose people and 

culture gain their roots from the country’s position astride historic trade and invasion 

routes. Sweeping mountain views and rugged terrain have seen more than their fair 

share of a tumultuous path in history. 

 Since 2001, thousands of Big Red One 

Soldiers have deployed to Afghanistan, 

part of the Global War on Terrorism 

initially, and now Operation Enduring 

Freedom. The country has posed 

some of the most difficult

Continued on page 29
29 Duty First www.riley.army.mil Duty First www.riley.army.mil 30

continued from page 28

economic, social and military challenges American Soldiers 

have ever had to face.

Geographically, Afghanistan is slightly smaller than Texas. 

The country borders Iran to the West and Pakistan to the East. 

Afghanistan’s capital is Kabul, with a population of about 2 

million. Other population centers include Khandahar, Mazare 

Sharif and Herat. Afghanistan’s population is near 30 million 

people, at an average age of 18, with an average life expectancy 

of about 45 years. There are several million Afghan refugees 

located in Pakistan and Iran. Afghanistan has four main ethnic 

groups: Pashtun, the largest group; Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek 

About 80 percent of Afghanistan’s citizens are Sunni Muslims. 

Most of the remaining population is Shiite Muslim. Most of 

Afghanistan’s population lives in severe poverty, and many 

have little, if any, education. The official languages are Dari 

and Pashto, but numerous other languages and dialects can be 

heard throughout the country.

For one 1st Infantry Division Soldier, the living conditions 

in Afghanistan were shocking. Pfc. Bryan Smitke deployed 

with the division’s 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team to 

Afghanistan from 2008-09.

“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.”

 The mountainous terrain of Afghanistan has many natural 

resources, such as coal, copper, petroleum, natural gas, 

semiprecious and precious stones, but Afghanistan is better 

known for being one of the world’s largest producers of opium, 

a crop used to fund militants.

Even without considering the opium crop, Afghanistan is 

mainly an agricultural economy, with crops of wheat, corn, 

barley, rice and cotton. There is limited industry within the 

country, but some small-scale production of textiles, soap, 

furniture and shoes does exist. Afghanistan is land-locked – 

there are no major ports or railways and the country’s roads 

and highways are in need of significant repair. The Amu Darya 

River forms part of the country’s border with Turkmenistan, 

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which allows for some barge traffic 

to and from the country.

Historically, Afghanistan has a turbulent past, spotted with 

violence, war and coups. Modern Afghanistan was born in 1919, 

when the country established its independence from the United 

Kingdom. King Amanullah was the country’s ruler from 1919-

29, but was forced out in 1929, after Kabul fell to Tajik forces. 

A cousin of Amanullah, Prince Nadir Khan, was declared king, 

but he was assassinated a short time later.

A series of rulers followed, each forced out by violence and 

coups. In 1978, the communist People’s Democratic Party of 

Afghanistan initiated a coup and took control of the government. 

The Soviet Union established a military occupation within 

the country in late 1978. As the country’s security situation 

Soldiers with 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, and Afghan National Army soldiers, 

cross a foot bridge over the Kunar River during a patrol April 10. The soldiers were searching for caves and enemy 

passages due to having received recent enemy contact from the area. 

Staff Sgt. Hopkins

Big Red One Units 

Which Have Deployed 

to Afghanistan

1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team

2006-2009: The brigade deployed thousands of Soldiers as part 

of military transition teams, which trained and advised Afghan 

Security Forces.

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team

2008-2009: Deployed about 3,400 Soldiers in support of 

Operation Enduring Freedom. The brigade returned to 

Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 and is currently in the process of 

restationing at Fort Knox, Ky.

The Big Red One Elsewhere

75th Fires Brigade

2008-2009: Elements of the 75th Fires Brigade deployed to the 

Horn of Africa from Fort Sill, Okla.

Sgt. Bradley Vaughn, an infantry team leader, looks out across the Waygul Valley during a patrol near the village of 

Walo Tangi, in Konar province, Afghanistan, April 6. Vaughn is a member of 2nd Plt., C. Co., 1st Bn., 26th Inf. Regt., 

1st Inf. Div.

deteriorated during 1979, Soviet troops and airborne forces 

began to land in Kabul under the pretense of a training exercise. 

The Soviets killed Afghanistan’s president, Hafizullah Amin 

and placed Babrack Karmal, an exiled faction leader, in power.

In the mid-1980s, the Afghan resistance movement, aided by 

the United States, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, pushed the Soviet 

Union into a corner. In 1988, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United 

States and the Soviet Union, signed the Geneva Accords. The 

Geneva Accords called for the United States and Soviet Union 

to not interfere with the internal workings of Afghanistan and 

Pakistan and set up a timetable for the Soviets to withdraw from 

Afghanistan.

As the Soviets withdrew, civil war within Afghanistan 

escalated. In 1996, a group of Islamic students calling themselves 

the Taliban and led by Mullah Omar took over Kabul. 

Since Sept. 11, 2001, coalition forces have occupied 

Afghanistan, helping to establish a more secure government 

and build roads, schools and infrastructure while also fighting 

the Taliban and other militant forces. No one can know for sure 

what the future holds for Afghanistan. But one thing is for sure: 

America’s Soldiers will continue to answer the call and extend 

a hand to Afghans as they strive for a future more stable than 

their past.

Sources used for this article:

• http://abcnews.go.com/International/

wireStory?id=8344975

• http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-andOceania/Afghanistan-POPULATION.html

• U.S. Department of State: http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/

ERC/bgnotes/sa/afghanistan9407.html

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