On the cover

1st Infantry Division Commander:

MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker

1st Infantry Division CSM:

CSM John D. Fourhman

1st Infantry Division PAO:

MAJ William Coppernoll

1st Infantry Division PAO NCOIC:

MSG Cameron Porter

1st Infantry Division Deputy PAO:

1LT Ryan Gray

Editor:

SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Staff writer:

SPC Joe Alger

Broadcasters:

SPC Bryant Maude

SPC Jesse Granger

1st Infantry Division Public Affairs staff

AIMING FOR THE BADGE AIMING FOR THE BADGE AIMING FOR THE BADGE

2

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Students in Air Assault class 05-01 practice tieing

their rappel seats prior to heading to the rappel

tower. The students were participating in the first

Army Air Assault Course hosted in Germany by

the 1st Infantry Division. To pass the course,

students had to show proficiency at foot

marching, sling-load operations, rappeling and

written tests.

SPC Richard Snader of A Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, successfully tosses a grenade into
 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 quarterly. Contributions are welcome and should be sent to 1st

Infantry Division, Public Affairs Office, ATTN: Editor, Unit 26222, APO, AE

09036. Telephone numbers are DSN 350-6408 or 350-6409, commercial

0931-889-6408 or 0931-889-6409, fax DSN 350-6591, commercial fax

0931-889-6591, or e-mail firstid.pao@us.army.mil, or visit Duty First online

at www.1id.army.mil.

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

In this issue In this issue

3

Memorial dedicated.....6

Fallen Soldier statue and plaques pay tribute to 1st ID

Soldiers lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom I and II.

Eight Big Red One NCOs join exclusive ranks

Morales Club grows....8

New CG takes over....14

MG Kenneth Hunzeker is 1st ID’s 61st commander

Loyal fan rewarded....12

1st ID honors NCO, Soldier of the Year

BRO’s best...........20, 21

CPT John E. Hendricks garners Army-wide honor

PA of Year..................10

Air Assault.................22

Big Red One Soldiers hit the ropes

WW I vets honored .....5

France ceremony remembers War to End All Wars

On down the line.........9

3rd BCT conducts railhead operations

Aviation captain recounts championship while at war

Reunion.....................18

1st ID veterans flock to Washington, D.C.

EIB............................24

Soldiers aim for expert infantryman badge

Transformation..........26

Army, Big Red One on the move

o the designated area during EIB testing.
 4

NCOs have key role in transformation

Proud to be back with the Big Red One

It is with tremendous pride and

humility that I assume command of this great

Division. Since leaving in June of 1999,

I’ve wanted nothing more than to serve with

the Big Red One again, and after six long

years, I’m truly thankful

to be here today! The

1st Infantry Division

has a storied past

dating back to 1917 and,

as you’re well aware,

the Big Red One enjoys

a superb reputation

among veterans,

Soldiers and civilians

alike. You set impressive standards

wherever you serve and your recent service

in Kosovo, Turkey and particularly Iraq has

been no exception.

As most of you know, the Department

of Defense recently announced its basing

strategy for Brigade Combat Teams and

Division headquarters. DoD also

announced its plan to return the Big Red

One to the continental United States in the

summer of 2006. These actions will affect all

of us. Our units will either be inactivated,

converted or return to the states as part of

the overall Global Rebasing and

Restructuring plan. It is critical that leaders

stay engaged with their Soldiers and families

in order to take care of our great Army family

during this turbulent, but exciting time. As

information becomes available we will keep

you informed. I ask that you all remain

flexible during this period and stay focused

on the mission at hand. Taking care of

Soldiers, families and civilian employees will

be a priority during the entire process.

As the Division transitions, it will be

asked to support the Global War on

Terrorism through individual Soldier mission

requirements for operations in Bosnia, Iraq

and Afghanistan. These requirements have

my highest attention and visibility. Each

individual Soldier mission requirement is

reviewed by unit commanders and myself.

We are committed to supporting our Soldiers

and families during these individual

deployments.

I would like to personally congratulate

the 341 Soldiers who recently completed the

grueling Air Assault Course and the 169

infantrymen who earned the EIB during the

last quarter. Your skills as a professional

Soldier have been validated. I challenge all

our Soldiers to continue to pursue

excellence in your professional skills and

all that you do.

As you can see, we continue to push

forward at an incredible pace here in the Big

Red One. It has been said that the only thing

that remains constant is change. While it’s

true that we are indeed seeing and living

change, I would suggest that one thing

does remain constant – the commitment of

the Soldiers and families of this great

Division. I appreciate all that you do, each

and everyday to make this the greatest

Division in the United States Army.

Duty First!

MG Ken Hunzeker

As I travel around the Big Red One

area of operations, I am constantly

impressed with the enthusiasm and

professionalism of our Soldiers and leaders

as they routinely carry out many diverse

missions in this time of change. I don’t have

to tell you that this has been a very busy

summer. Since before the Army announced the transformation

initiatives that

affected the Big Red

One, we began setting the conditions to

execute very complex

tasks that involve

every Soldier and

family in the

Division. The upcoming months will prove

to be very challenging as units in the

Division take on very different missions.

As part of the Army’s latest

transformation initiative, the 1st Infantry

Division headquarters and select

subordinate units are scheduled to return

to Fort Riley, Kan., in the summer of 2006.

Fort Riley is one of the Army’s premier

training, readiness and deployment

platforms. I recently visited Fort Riley, and

I can report that the military and civilian

communities are excited about our return

and committed to setting the conditions to

receive our Soldiers and families.

Many other subordinate units in this

great Division will either covert, inactivate

or enter a period of intensive training to

prepare them should they be ordered to

deploy in support of the Global War on

Terrorism. Throughout this whole process

of deployments and transformation, we are

completely committed to minimizing the

turbulence expected to affect both the

Soldiers and their families.

During this time of transformation and

change, our noncommissioned officers and

Soldiers will be expected to carry out their

missions in support of the Army’s Global

Rebasing and Restructuring plan with the

utmost professionalism and responsibility.

We must remain flexible and stay focused

on the mission at hand. We must always do

what is morally right, remain loyal to those

we serve, take appropriate action in the

absence of orders, and never forget that we

are professionals. Continue to look out for

one another and value your wingman.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the

outstanding accomplishments of so many

1st ID Soldiers in the past couple months. A

big “HOOAH” goes out to the 341 Soldiers

who recently pinned on the esteemed Air

Assault badge after completing 11 days of

warrior-focused training, which was both

physically grueling and mentally

demanding.

Just as noteworthy are the 169

infantrymen who recently earned the right

to wear the prestigious Expert Infantryman

Badge.

Also deserving of recognition is SGT

Edward Klobusaik and SPC James Simpson,

both from the 9th Engineer Battalion, who

were recently selected as the 1st Infantry

Division NCO and Soldier of the Quarter.

Lastly, I want to thank each and every

Soldier, family member and civilian of the 1st

Infantry Division. Without your commitment

to excellence in everything you do, the Big

Red One would not be the great Division

that it is today. Please do not forget that we

still have the 1st Brigade’s 2nd Battalion, 34th

Armor Regiment engaged in Iraq. Please

keep these Soldiers and their families in your

prayers.

No mission too difficult. No sacrifice

too great. Duty First!

CSM John D. Fourhman

Danger 7
5

MEUSE-ARGONNE, France - French

and U.S. Soldiers were given the opportunity to honor the 14,246 American World

War I veterans buried in the MeuseArgonne American Cemetery during a

Memorial Day ceremony May 29.

“As Soldiers and citizens of a free nation, we owe these Soldiers a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay,” said MG

John R.S. Batiste, 1st Infantry Division commanding general. “The greatest tribute we

can pay to those we honor is that today’s

Soldiers continue to be committed to defend the legacy of freedom.”

According to assistant superintendent

of the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery, Jeffrey

A. Aarnio, the cemetery is reserved exclusively for U.S. World War I Soldiers and is

the largest American cemetery in Europe.

The 14,246 Soldiers buried in the cemetery

include 1,079 1st Infantry Division Soldiers,

nine Medal of Honor recipients and 486

unknown headstones.

“There’s a lot of American tradition and

history here,” Aarnio said. “I don’t see how

someone could come here, visit the cemetery

and not be moved by what they see.”

The cemetery opened in October 1918, and

was built in what had been the heart of the

Meuse-Argonne offensive, which took place

from Sept. 26 – Nov. 11, 1918.

Aarnio said the War Department handed

over responsibility of the cemetery to the

American Battle Monuments Commission in

1923, and the commission has been responsible for the cemetery ever since.

The Soldiers participating in the ceremony

appreciated the chance to honor the fallen

World War I Soldiers.

“This is a great opportunity to show my

respect for our fallen comrades,” said SGT

Ronald R. Weiss, a D Company, 2nd Battalion,

1st Aviation Regiment avionics technical inspector. “It also shows the French people

here that even though the war took place more

than 80 years ago, we’re still committed to remembering our fallen Soldiers.”

Present day Soldiers weren’t the only

ones paying their respects at the ceremony,

as several relatives of Soldiers buried in the

cemetery also attended the ceremony. William H. Garvey and his wife, Paula, made the

trip. Garvey, a World War II veteran, was visiting the cemetery for the first time as an

honored guest after finding out, only months

earlier, that his uncle of the same name was

buried there.

“There’s a park named after William’s

uncle in our hometown, but we never knew

where he was buried at. We found out

through the Internet and the American Battle

Monuments Commission that he was buried

here,” Paula Garvey said.

Once this discovery was made, the

Garveys were invited by Aarnio to visit the

cemetery and attend the ceremony.

“We’re very honored to be here,” Paula

Garvey said. “William was named after his

uncle and never met him. We cried when we

visited his gravestone.”

Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

French soldiers salute at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery during a Memorial Day ceremony.

Ceremony honors World War I Soldiers
6

Story and photos by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 Soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division took time to

honor and remember their fallen comrades June 6.

 In between spurts of rainfall, 1st ID Soldiers

and family members dedicated the Fallen Soldier

Memorial in Victory Park on Leighton Barracks.

The memorial stands in tribute to the 193 1st ID

and Task Force Danger Soldiers, Marines and

Airmen who died during OIF I and II. In

attendance as guests of honor were family

members of 28 fallen Soldiers.

1st ID Chaplain (LTC) Mike Lembke read from

the 91st Psalms, and three wreaths were placed at the

memorial, including one by MG John R.S. Batiste and

CSM John D. Fourhman, the 1st ID commanding

general and the division command sergeant major,

respectively.

Batiste reflected on the sacrifices made by the

service men and women who are honored as part

of the memorial.

“It is indeed fitting that we dedicate this

memorial on the anniversary of the day

that the 1st Infantry Division

stormed Omaha Beach,”

Batiste said. “Today we

honor the legacy of the

heroes of Normandy, and

we pay tribute to the

Soldiers, Airmen and

Marines who gave their full

measure.”

The lives lost were part of a

long struggle the United States

and its allies are fighting

against terrorism and tyranny,

Batiste noted.

“Today we reflect on our

incredible sacrifices and

accomplishments,” the

commanding general said.

“Today, we reflect on our

noble purpose and the

urgency of winning the

War on Terrorism.

Today, we ask

God to be with

and comfort the

families and

loved ones of

our fallen

comrades. I could not be prouder of our collective accomplishments

in Iraq. We truly made a difference. Our fallen comrades did

not die in vain.”

Batiste acknowledged two Soldiers who were integral in

the memorial becoming a reality: SGT Carlos Arguello of the

106th Finance Battalion, who designed the memorial, and CPL

Jared Luera of HHC, 1st ID, who led the fund-raising effort.

Turning to the family members present, Batiste told

them, “It means a great deal to all of us that you all are

with us today. Many of you traveled great distances to

be here. You well understand what it means to lose a

loved one. We grieve with you for your loss and at

the same time are inspired by your indomitable

spirit.”

Batiste reflected on what the struggle in Iraq will eventually

lead to.

“Our comrades died for a great cause: freedom and liberty,”

Batiste said. “They took a firm stand against tyranny and

oppression. It all came together on 30 January 2005 when 64

percent of Iraqi registered voters ... cast their vote. This majority

defied the insurgency and proclaimed a desire for freedom and

representative government. The Soldiers we honor today

contributed in a major way to this watershed event. They

made a difference. Each and every one of these

American patriots died a hero.”

Batiste read from a high school

writing by one of the fallen Soldiers,

SGT Michael C. Carlson.

“He wrote, ‘I want to be known as

the best of the best at my job. I want people

to need me, to count on me. I want to help

people. I want to fight for something, to be

part of something, to be part of something

that is greater than myself. I sometimes

dream of being a Soldier in war. In this war,

I am helping to liberate people from

oppression. In the end, there is a big

parade and a monument built to

immortalize us in stone,’” Batiste said.

“I suspect that SGT Carlson’s

prophetic words written before he

entered the Army ring true for many,”

Batiste continued. “He wanted to make

a difference. He did. He served a

higher calling. He did his duty.

He died for a noble cause.

He died for his country

and the betterment of

mankind.”

Affixed to the ground

leading up to the memorial statue
Lawrence Thomas points out the plaque

dedicated to PFC Markus J. Johnson

following the dedication ceremony.

7

1st ID Soldiers remember those

they served with.

‘I sometimes dream of being a Soldier in

war. In this war, I am helping to liberate

people from oppression. In the end, there is a

big parade and a monument built to immortalize us in stone.’

- Excerpt from a letter written by SGT Michael C.

Carlson, one of the fallen Soldiers

MG John R.S. Batiste and CSM John D. Fourhman walk a

wreath to the memorial’s base.

lay 193 engraved marble plaques. Each plaque is dedicated to a fallen

Soldier, Marine or Airman from Task Force Danger and the 1st ID.

Batiste noted that a memorial is more than the materials poured into

it.

“The fallen Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division and Task Force

Danger, and the thousands of other men and women who serve

today in Iraq, have built their own memorial – a memorial far more

meaningful than we could ever hope to build,” Batiste said. “Their

memorial is in the hearts of 25 million Iraqis who now understand

that freedom, liberty and representative government are within their

grasp. Fallen Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division and Task Force

Danger — we will never forget you. Rest in the knowledge that you

made a difference to the people of Iraq, the United States of America,

and all of mankind. It was an honor to serve with you.”

Following a prayer for the fallen by Chaplain (COL) Rodney

Coleman, attendees made their way across the street to the 1st

Infantry Division museum.

There, they witnessed the opening of the museum’s OIF II

exhibit.
Story and photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 Making the exclusive Sergeant Morales

Club is a highlight of an inductee’s Army

career, but for many of those recognized

July 14 at Leighton Barracks, it was made all

the sweeter by a long wait.

 Because of the 1st Infantry Division’s

operations tempo, most notably a year

spent in support of Operation Iraqi

Freedom II, those who made the club in

2003 were not officially recognized until

nearly two years later.

 Inducted were: SFC John Black,

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st

Infantry Division Artillery; 1SG Kenneth

Bryant, HHB, DIVARTY; SSG Mendez Frith,

B Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery

Regiment; SSG Anthony Gantt, C Company,

701st Main Support Battalion; SSG Michelle

Raether, HHC, Division Support Command;

SGT Humberto Moreno, A Company, 1st

Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment; SSG

Francisco Santiago, B Company, 201st

Forward Support Battalion; and SSG

Marcus McClain, C Company, 82nd

Engineer Battalion.

 MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker, 1st ID

commanding general, called the eight

inductees outstanding NCOs who

represent the best in their professions.

 “You have taken the next step as NCOs

and proven you can perform at the next

level,” he said. “This recognizes those who

deserve special recognition.”

 Hunzeker noted that less than five

percent of 1st ID NCOs are in the club.

 “You are the standard setters and the

team builders,” he said. “You are the

epitome of what we want our NCOs to be,

know and do. You are incredibly competent

and always treat everyone with dignity and

respect.”

 Hunzeker noted the NCOs recognized will

help spearhead the Army’s transformation

into the 21st Century.

 “The NCOs we honor today ... know

leadership is an affair of the heart and

understand the value of teamwork and the

importance of taking care of Soldiers and

families,” he said. “I commend you on your

tremendous leadership.”

 Hunzeker also noted the contributions of

the NCOs’ spouses.

 “Your support day in and day out has had

an enormous impact. You are truly part of

the team,” he said.

 The Sergeant Morales Club began in 1975

as a way to recognize NCOs who best

demonstrate leadership and care for

Soldiers, said 1st ID CSM John Fourhman.

 “They exemplify our division motto, Duty

First,” he added. “They possess all of the

attributes the Army expects in our NCOs.”

Eight NCOs inducted into Morales Club

SFC John Black stands with his family after being inducted into the Sergeant Morales Club. At right is

1SG Kenneth Bryant. Besides Black and Bryant, six more 1st ID NCOs were inducted.

Sergeant Morales Club inductees

SFC John Black

1SG Kenneth Bryant

SSG Mendez Frith

SSG Anthony Gantt

SSG Marcus McClain

SGT Humberto Moreno

SSG Michelle Raether

SSG Francisco Santiago

8
3rd Brigade Soldiers conduct railhead ops

Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division’s 3rd

Brigade conducted railhead operations at

Rose Barracks in Vilseck July 13.

 According to CPT Michael James, 3rd

Brigade logistic operations officer, the

Soldiers were loading 20 M1A1 Abrams

main battle tanks and three Bradley fighting

vehicles in order to transfer property

accountability from 3rd BCT to Army

Material Command.

 “We started today at 7 this morning

where the Soldiers linked up with the

equipment at the motor pool. From there

they moved the tanks and Bradleys here

and began loading them on rail cars,” James

said. “Once the vehicles have been put on,

they put them down with blocking and

bracing materials, and from there they’re

ready to ship.”

 One major aspect of railhead operations is

safety, according to Claude Whitney, 3rd

BCT health and safety manager.

 One of the biggest safety concerns at

most railheads is power lines, Whitney

said.

 “Luckily, we don’t have that problem out

here in Vilseck, but a Soldier was seriously

injured by a power line during a previous

railhead,” Whitney said.

 Also, a civilian was electrocuted while

conducting railhead operations in April.

 The problem, Whitney said, is after a

vehicle is loaded onto a rail car, Soldiers

tend to climb up on top of the vehicle. “If

there’s a power line up there, it’s an instant

charge and they can get burned or possibly

killed,” Whitney said.

 Another big railhead safety concern,

Whitney said, is proper vehicle ground

guiding. Whitney said it’s important for

Soldiers to walk forward to their ground

guiding spot and stand still while ground

guiding.

 “They can’t back up on the train,” he

said. “There have been a couple of

instances of people backing up and getting

crushed between vehicles.”

 Other things Whitney said he looks out

for at a railhead include making sure

Soldiers keep at least one train between

vehicles and that they are wearing Kevlar

helmets and high-visibility vests or have

reflective belts on.

 Since part one of the railhead took place

approximately two weeks prior, and it was

virtually the same group of Soldiers at the

site this time, Whitney said they already

had a good grasp on the safety concept.

 “It’s going pretty well so far,” Whitney

said. “I think me just being out here on

point, people see me with my orange vest

on, and they know to take extra safety

precautions. What I’m trying to do is

ensure they’re doing all the safety stuff

when I’m not here.”

Safety key aspect of mission

as Abrams, Bradleys role out

from Rose Barracks

A 3rd Brigade Soldier ground guides an M1A1 Abrams tank as part of the railhead operations in Vilseck.

9
1 0

1-6 FA surgeon reaps Army-wide honor

U.S. Army Surgeon

General’s Office

presents prestigious

service award

Story by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 The Surgeon General’s Army Physician’s

Assistant of the Year award was presented

earlier this year at the Society of American

Physician Assistants convention in

Fayetteville, N.C., to the battalion surgeon

for 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery

Regiment.

 CPT John E. Hendricks, who was

recognized as the Army’s top physican’s

assistant, said he was put in for the award

by his battalion staff.

 “CPT Hendricks performed outstanding

work with 1-6 FA in Baqubah, and he is a

shining example of the fantastic PAs who

saved untold numbers of lives during OIF

II,” said LTC Michael Brumage, 1st Infantry

Division surgeon.

 As part of the recommendation

proceedings, the award nomination was

submitted through the 1st Infantry Division

surgeon’s office before being critiqued by

the Department of the Army. Hendricks said

he felt very humbled to learn he had won

the award.

 “I really didn’t know how many other

people had been put in for the award, so

when they told me it was Army-wide, I

thought they were joking with me at first,”

he said.

 Hendricks gives credit for winning the

award to his team of medics who deployed

to Iraq with him and helped him every step

of the way.

 “They should call this award the ‘medical

team award’ because without the 13 medics

I had with me, it wouldn’t have been

possible,” Hendricks said. He added that

working with medics who understand the

importance of their jobs and who have the

ability to apply their knowledge are the

most important things a physician’s

assistant needs.

 “The medics with me had that sense of

urgency and were willing to learn their jobs

for the whole year,” he said.

 Hendricks completed the physician’s

assistant course at Fort Sam Houston,

Texas, in 2001.

 “I put my packet in to go to that school

when I was still enlisted. I got through the

course, and I’ve been a PA ever since,”

Hendricks said.

 Having been named Army’s physician’s

assistant of the year, Hendricks has no

immediate plans to change any of his

habits.

 “I just want to keep taking care of

Soldiers,” he said.

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

CPT John E. Hendricks, battalion surgeon, 1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, checks to see if the

stiches are ready to come out of PV2 George C. Moore.
1 1 

1st Brigade tackles JRTC rotation

Story by James Tamez

19th Public Affairs Detachment

FORT POLK, La. - - A brigade of Fort

Riley Soldiers has wrapped up about a

month of war preparation at the Joint

Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk.

Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry

Division, and attached units were

scheduled for the pre-Iraq deployment

training throughout August.

“JRTC represents some of the most

sophisticated training the U.S. Army has to

offer,” said COL Bart Howard, brigade

commander. “It is very realistic.”

That realism is part of what makes

training at the readiness center so important,

he said.

“JRTC replicates many things that can

happen in theater. What I’ve told my leaders

is all the bad things that could happen in an

operation will happen here,” Howard said.

Hundreds of role players populated the

replicated villages in the training area. They

incorporate the different actions insurgents

in Iraq have used in the past.

Howard said 1st Brigade Soldiers have

participated in training rotations to the

National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.,

since the 1980s. However, that was when

the unit focused on a conventional threat

that was highly mechanized.

Now, 1st Brigade has reconfigured, using

more HMMWVs and allowing the brigade

greater flexibility in meeting mission

challenges. Because of the brigade’s new

operating procedures and the increased

emphasis on asymmetric threats, Howard

felt his Soldiers would benefit more from

training offered at JRTC.

“Here there is force-on-force training, but

with more intricate dealings with the civilians

on the battlefield,” said SFC Dean Stockert,

operations noncommissioned officer with

the brigade’s Headquarters and

Headquarters Company.

“This includes dealing with different

cultures throughout the different villages.

Some of the villages are loyal, some are

neutral and others are anti-Coalition forces.

It really gives a better feel as to what it may

be like when deployed,” he said.

Stockert said numerous mock villages

have been erected throughout the training

areas. Role players fill a variety of roles,

including neutral and hostile factions.

“Training cannot exactly replicate any

and all scenarios we may find,” said CPL

Everett Blanck of Company B, 1st Battalion,

34th Armor Regiment, but “any training with

this mindset will be valuable ... because of

its direct application to what we may be

doing when we deploy.”

Exposing Soldiers to realistic scenarios

before they are in harm’s way and ensuring

their readiness is a priority for brigade

leadership.

“The kind of training we are doing here

is absolutely the best welfare I can give the

Soldiers,” Howard said. “Tough, realistic

training is potentially going to save lives

down the road. It is the best I can do to

prepare them for any future operations.”
1 2

For loyal fan, war is no obstacle

Even in flight, CPT Michael Tilton pays homage to his Red Sox.

Story by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 In 1978, the Boston Red Sox blew a 14

game lead in the last two and a half months

of the season and lost the American League

East title to the New York Yankees.

 Also that year, CPT Michael W. Tilton

was born in Laconia, N.H. So when many

newborns are receiving their infant

baptism, Tilton was instead baptized into

the legion of frustrated Red Sox fans.

 In 1986, as the 8-year-old Tilton was just

getting into sports, his Red Sox came within

one strike of winning the World Series, only

to let it get away.

 Tilton’s father served in the military, but

even when moving around, the younger

Tilton kept his ties to the Red Sox. By 2003,

Tilton was an Army officer and Boston was

again threatening to vanquish its many

ghosts of previous failures. They led the

hated Yankees 5-2 and were just five outs

away from making the World Series.

 Tilton’s sister was serving in Iraq, but

would have her leave in October and it

looked like the family would be able to

watch the Red Sox in the Series as a family.

But, in an all-too-familiar turn, Boston again

folded when it mattered most. No pennant

and, for the Tiltons, no Red Sox-centered

family reunion.

 Just as Tilton’s sister returned from

Iraq, Tilton headed there. He served as

civil affairs officer for Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 1st

Aviation Regiment.

 In Iraq, he kept a web log on his

experiences of following the Red Sox

while in a war zone. This caught the eye

of Boston Globe reporters, who

interviewed Tilton for a story on Red Sox

fans around the world.

 This led to Tilton being featured in

“Reversing the Curse,” a book by

Boston Globe sportswriter Dan

Shaughnessy about the Red Sox 2004

World Championship season.

 In the book, Tilton details his flux of

emotions as the Red Sox first fell behind

three games to none against the Yankees

in the playoffs, then reeled off eight

straight victories to win the World Series

for the first time since 1918. Even though

it meant rising in the middle of the night

and sacrificing already limited sleep,

Tilton played the role of loyal fan and

was rewarded with both the World

Championship and several mentions in

Shaughnessy’s book.

 During October, Tilton split his time

between Forward Operating Bases

Speicher and Danger, but he always

managed to find a television at game time. He

was beginning to ask himself why, as the

Yankees crushed the Red Sox 19-8 in Game

Three and led the series 3-0, a hole that even

the most optimistic Red Sox fans thought too

deep. Tilton tried reverse psychology on

himself, hoping to ease the frustration.

 “I thought, ‘Fine, I’m in Iraq. I didn’t want

them to win it this year anyway,” he said.

 After Boston won Game Four on an extrainning home run, Tilton said he started to

believe, even though the Red Sox still trailed

three games to one to a team that had

tormented them repeatedly over the years.

 “I had hope because the pitching lineup was

more favorable to us after we won Game Four,”

Tilton said.

 Another extra-inning victory followed, then

Boston won Game Six at Yankee Stadium to

force the deciding seventh game.

 In that contest, two early Red Sox home

runs, including a grand slam, staked Boston to

a huge lead, and it won 10-3.

 Buoyed by the momentum gained in the

playoffs, Boston easily swept the St. Louis

Cardinals, and Tilton celebrated with other

Red Sox fans around the world. All in all, it

made for a pleasant October.

 “It certainly made that month fly by,” Tilton

said. “I read all the articles on the Globe

website, and talking to others from the area, it

felt like a little piece of home.”

 He watched the final game of the World

Series with Soldiers from the 323rd

Maintenance Company, a Massachusetts

unit.

 “It was a pretty normal celebration except

one of the Soldiers had an M8 alarm that he

had hidden, and he turned it on,” Tilton

recalled.

 Tilton said it was bittersweet being in Iraq

when Red Sox fans finally got to shed the

prefix “long-suffering.”

 But he wouldn’t trade the experience for

anything, and he will continue to follow the

team.

 There was some thought that if the Red Sox

finally won the World Series, they would no

longer be interesting since the storyline of

curses and chokes would be gone.

 “I probably thought the same thing, but now

that they’ve won it, I certainly don’t see

myself rooting any less or caring any less,”

Tilton said.

 Then he added, “Especially since they’re in

a pennant race with the Yankees.”

Photo by CW2 Jeremy Griffin
1 3

Division welcomes new ADCS

Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 The 1st Infantry Division officially added

the newest member of its command group

to the team Aug. 5.

 BG Peter J. Palmer, 1st ID assistant division

commander for support, was welcomed to

the division in a ceremony at Warner

Barracks.

 Palmer, who was previously assigned as

director of strategic operations branch,

Multi-National Forces-Iraq, will serve as

senior tactical commander for the Bamberg

area. He’s had several past assignments in

Germany, most recently as the 2nd Brigade

commander in Schweinfurt.

 Palmer said Germany has been “like a

second home” to him over his Army career,

and he and his family were pleased and

excited to be members of the Bamberg

community.

 “This is a wonderful community where

Soldiers, civilians, Germans and Americans

work together to make sure they have the

best advantages,” Palmer said.

 With the division moving to Fort Riley,

Kan., next year, MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker,

1st ID commanding general, called Palmer

“the right leader at the right time” for the

division during this upcoming time of

transition.

BG Peter J. Palmer, 1st Infantry Division assistant division

commander for support, renders honors to the colors during his

welcome ceremony.

“He is definitely the kind of leader who will

help the division maintain its focus and

meet future challenges,” Hunzeker said.

See your unit CFC representative or visit

www.cfcoverseas.org

Together, we can make a difference

The combined federal campaign

overseas drive runs from

Oct. 3 - Dec. 2
1 4

1st Infantry Division welcom

Soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division

said goodbye to the commanding general

who led them through Operation Iraqi Freedom II during a change of command ceremony June 20 at Victory Park on Leighton

Story and photos by SGT Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker assumes command of the 1st Infantry Division by taking the colors from LTG

Ricardo Sanchez, V Corps commander, during the 1st ID change of command.

Barracks.

MG John R.S. Batiste relinquished

command to MG Kenneth W. Hunzeker as

Soldiers, civilians and family members looked

on.

Batiste then took time to reflect on his

time as the 1st ID’s 60th commanding general.

During the last three years, Batiste

noted the 1st ID spent 14 months in Kosovo,

sent a Task Force to Operation Iraqi Freedom

I and contributed to the Army Forces-Turkey

mission. There were also numerous training

events, which led to the signature moment of

Batiste’s tenure — Operation Iraqi Freedom
13

redeVietnam, and its important to make sure the memories

of all the heroes who have served here are preserved,” McCurry

said.

McCurry also said it’s important for people living in

Germany to understand that the disbanding of the 1-4 Cav.

Aviation elements is part of the aviation transformation plan and

not the relocation of forces in Europe plan.

“Some people might think that this is the beginning of

that plan,” McCurry said. “It’s important for them to realize this

has nothing to do with that.”

The new plan has garnered mixed reactions from the 1-

4 Cav. Soldiers.

“I’ve been with the unit for about a year and a half,” said

Spc. Bryan McGoon, Armament Avionics Specialis, 1-4 Cav.

“They’re a great group of people who I’ve grown very close with

over the past year in Iraq, and it’s kind of sad we have to split up

right when we get back to Germany, but I can handle it.”

“There’s great camaraderie between the aviation and

ground troops in this unit,” McCurry said. “Anyone who’s ever

been with an air cavalry unit feels like this is the end of an era.

On the other hand, everybody realizes the need to go through this

change to make the Army a more effective fighting force in the

years to come.”

1 5

mes new commanding general

II.

Batiste credited 1st ID Soldiers, civilians and family members with meeting all of

the challenges that come with deployments.

“There never has been, nor will there

ever be, a mission too difficult for this amazing team,” Batiste said. “We are surrounded

by great Soldiers ... who are very competent

at what they do and are totally committed to

each other. Our Soldiers were tested under

the most arduous of conditions, and they

repeatedly came out on top.”

Batiste then praised family members,

civilians and the rear detachment personnel

for their contributions during OIF II.

“We are blessed with incredible Soldiers, family members and civilians who well

understand the meaning of teamwork and of

getting the job done to the highest standard,” Batiste said.

For their support over the years, Batiste thanked USAREUR Commanding General GEN B.B. Bell, and V Corps Commanding General LTG Ricardo Sanchez. He also

recalled the many contributions of 1st ID

Chief of Staff, COL Keith Cooper, CSM Cory

McCarty, CSM John D. Fourhman, and the

rest of the division’s senior noncommissioned officers.

“You are the keepers of our rock-solid

foundation and are the secret to our success,” Batiste said. “To our brigade and battalion commanders, thank you. It has been

an honor to serve with you, and I will never

forget your competence and warfighting

spirit.”

Batiste also paid tribute to the 193 1st

ID and Task Force Danger servicemembers

who died during OIF I and II.

“We will never forget these incredible

Americans or their families,” Batiste said.

“They, and our wounded, will forever be in

our prayers.”

Batiste then gave way to his heir apparent. Batiste noted that he has served with

Hunzeker before, and he said the division

will be in good hands.

“He comes very well qualified,” Batiste said. “There is no one I would rather be

standing with here today. Michelle and I are

certainly thrilled for Ken and Patty, but we

are also thrilled for the Soldiers, family members and civilians of the division. You have

all been blessed in ways that you will soon

MG John R.S. Batiste, outgoing 1st Infantry Division commander,

salutes during the The Star-Spangled Banner.

realize.”

Hunzeker served as the commander

of the 1st Infantry Division Artillery in the

late 1990s, and he said that he’s glad to be

back.

“Since leaving in June of 1999 I’ve

wanted nothing more than to serve with

the Big Red One again, and after six long

years, I’m truly thankful and a little amazed

to be here today,” Hunzeker said.

He added he is looking forward to

the Big Red One expanding its legacy.

“The coming months are sure to bring

many changes and challenges for the division, and I have no doubt that the Soldiers

and family members of the Big Red One and

the great teams of the 98th and 100th Area Support Groups will continue to produce superb

results,” Hunzeker said.

He then acknowledged his predecessor.

“I’d like to extend a special thank you

to John and Michelle Batiste,” he said. “Not

only are they turning over a tremendous organization to Patty and I, but they’ve been

wonderfully helpul during the past several

weeks leading up to today.”
COL Bryan G. Watson, left, shares a laugh with his father, retired

MG Gerald Watson, after the younger Watson assumed command

of the 1st Infantry Division Engineer Brigade.

Outgoing 1st Infantry Division Artillery Commander, COL Richard C. Longo, gives marching instructions

during his change of command ceremony with COL Walter L. Gilliam.

COL Timothy J. Edens, takes

command of the 1st Infantry

Division’s Aviation Brigade.

1 6

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow
1 7

Germans, Americans qualify with M16A2 rifles at range

Willkommen

Story and photos by

SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters

Company, 1st Infantry

Division, participated in a

partnership range with

German soldiers from 13th

Panzer Division in

Wurzburg Aug. 9.

While the HHC, 1st ID

Soldiers qualified with their

M-16A2 rifles, 14 soldiers

from the 13th Panzer

Division were also given an

opportunity to fire the

weapon for the first time.

“They’re doing the same

qualification as we do,” said

SSG Larry Gormley, 1st ID’s noncommissioned officer in charge of civil

military operations. “They get 40 rounds to

qualify and get a chance to zero

beforehand. It’s good training for them.

Our goal today is to get everyone qualified

and for everyone to have a good time.”

The 13th Panzer soldiers, who traveled from

Leipzig to attend the range, were provided

barracks to stay the day before the range

by 1st ID. Gormley said this gave them an

opportunity to get a good night of rest

before going to the range.

“It’s a four-hour drive

here from Leipzig, so if they

were to drive up here and

qualify the same day, it

would be pretty exhausting

for them,” he said.

According to Gormley,

even though it was the first

time the German soldiers

had fired the M-16, and all

the instructions had to be

translated for them, they

learned very quickly.

 “They’re doing really

well,” Gormley said. “They

went through the zeroing

part of the range very quickly. If they shoot

that well on the qualification part they’ll all

do fine.”

All of the 14 German soldiers who

participated in the range qualified with the

M-16. Ten of them qualified marksman,

while four qualified as sharpshooters.

MSG Gerd Guring, HHC, 13th Panzer

Division, said the M-16 was similar in

sights to the MG-38 7.62 mm battle rifle they

use, but it doesn’t have as much of a kick to

it, so he was able to fire it very well.

The range was

organized by Gormley and

Guring, and while it is the

first partnership exer-cise

between the two units, it

won’t be the last.

“We were in Iraq last

year, so we didn’t have

any opportunities to do

any partnership exercises,” Gormley said. “The

company fully supports

us doing these kinds of

events, so we hope to do

more in the future.”

One such event,

planned for fall, is the

German Schutzenschur

marksmanship qualification, in which the U.S.

Soldiers will attempt to

qualify using the MG-3 machine gun, MG38 rifle and the P-8 9 mm pistol.

“It’s great training with the German

Soldiers,” Gormley said. “They all seem

very positive about coming out here and

doing this event.”

The German soldiers were equally

pleased with the outcome of the

partnership exercise.

“It was a nice day for shooting, and I

had a good time,” Guring said. “I look

forward to the American

Soldiers coming out and

firing our weapons.”

SSG Larry Gormley, 1st ID’s civil military operations

NCOIC, inspects the Germans’ zero targets.

Left, Gormley

doubles as a

translator as he

gives the Germans

a brief on the

M16A2 rifle.
Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Veterans of the 1st Infantry Division met in

Washington, D.C., July 20-24 for the 87th annual reunion of the

Society of the 1st Infantry Division .

 The reunion not only afforded veterans the opportunity to visit

the sites in Washington and take in a concert by the U.S. Army

Choir, but also to re-kindle old friendships.

 “It’s great for all the veterans to get together and talk about what

we’ve been through,” said Paul Leifholtz, who served with the 1st

ID from 1966-67.

 “I’ve been to five of these,” said Bill Baty, 1st ID Soldier from 1965-

66. “It’s a healing process to see people you haven’t seen in a long

time. I just wish we could get in touch with everyone who was in

Vietnam with us and get them to come to these things.”

 The bond the attendees shared of being in war also allowed them

to meet new people and share their experiences.

 Leifholtz, who has attended four reunions, said despite the fact

he has not run into any people from his old unit at the reunions, it’s

OK because it’s allowed him to make “piles of new friends.”

 “The people from other units sort of adopted me,” Leifholtz said.

“We served for the same cause for the same division, so we’re all

friends.”

 First-time attendees at the reunion were also welcomed with open

arms.

 “I never felt like a stranger or a first time-attendee because

everyone has been very welcoming to me,” said Joseph Tate, who

served with 1st ID from 1967-68.

 Finding out about the reunion was a revelation for Tate, who had

been trying for years to get together with his comrades from

Vietnam.

 “I had been trying to organize my own reunion, but I hadn’t been

able to get in touch with anybody from my old unit,” Tate said. “A

friend of mine told me about this reunion, and I said I would love to

go.”

 Over the course of the reunion, Tate said he ran into six different

people from his old unit.

 “Seeing them brought back memories of how we used to do

things in the field,” Tate said. “We had a very strong bond.”

 During the reunion, veterans were given opportunities to visit

the Vietnam and World War II memorials, which brought added

significance to the event for the veterans.

 According to John Lang, who served with the 1st ID from 1965-66,

visiting the Vietnam memorial was a “heart wrenching” experience.

“I saw a panel on the wall, and listed were names of people from my

company almost from top to bottom,” Lang said.

 Another important purpose of the reunion, Leifholtz said, is

ensuring the experiences of 1st ID Soldiers are passed on to

younger generations.

 “There will come a time some day when the WWII vets won’t be

with us anymore, and all that knowledge and history will be lost” he

said. “There are a lot of stories there that need to get passed

down.”

 “It’s great that all different generations get to reflect with each

other here,” said retired SFC Jack Durham, who served with 1st ID

from 1964-68. “Everything in war is basically the same since the

Friendships rekindled at BRO reunion

Former 1st Infantry Division Soldiers visit the

Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., as

part of reunion activities.

beginning of time. The weapons may change, but you still have

the same emotions.”

 With all these reasons for attending a 1st ID reunion, Leifholtz

said he couldn’t think of any reason a veteran would not want

to attend next year’s reunion in Phoenix.

 “It’s great that all different generations

get to relect with each other here. Everything

in war is basically the same since the

beginning of time.”

- Retired SFC Jack Durham

1st ID veteran, 1964-68

1 8
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division Color Guard represents 1st ID

Soldiers from each military campaign the division has served in. The Color Guard appeared at the 87th

annual reunion of the Society of the 1st Infantry Division in Washington, D.C.

Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Soldiers from Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division, jumped at the chance

to perform color guard duties at the 87th annual reunion of the

Society of the 1st Infantry Division reunion July 20-24.

 Serving as color guard members were SSG Christopher Barberi,

SGT David Grindle, SGT Grayson Lambert, SGT Sklyar Holman,

CPL Jared Luera and SPC Gabriel Dominguez. The importance of

this assignment was not lost on the Soldiers.

 Besides being in a visibile position throughout the reunion,

Soldiers in the color guard got to hear first-hand accounts from 1st

ID veterans of various wars.

 “It was a real honor to be the color guard in a banquet honoring

all the great Soldiers of this division,” said Luera, 1st ID’s secretary

Hard work pays

off for color

guard in D.C.

general staff administrative clerk. “It was also a great opportunity

to hear their priceless stories and say thank you for all they have

done.”

 According to Barberi, 1st ID’s command sergeant major’s office

noncommissioned officer in charge, his duties included making

sure the Soldiers were on time, on target and looking sharp, and he

was also responsible for ensuring that each Soldier who

represented the color guard held a different job, came from a

different part of the country, had a different background, and had

various militray experiences.

 “We’ve got some infantry men, cavalry scouts and some finance

people,” Barberi said. “Every time we do one of these color guards,

we try to pick people of various jobs as much as possible.”

 Barberi said participating in the color guard not only gave him

and the other Soldiers the honor and privilege of speaking to

veterans of different wars and hearing their experiences but also to

pass on a piece of history.

 “We learn about what they went through back then when they

served and take it back to our units and try to educate the other

Soldiers,” Barberi said.

 To prepare for their color guard duties, Barberi said the Soldiers

put in about 15 hours of practice together. For Barberi and the

other Soldiers, the hard work was well worth it, though.

 “I know the veterans really enjoy the color guard, and the

Soldiers and I would like to do this every time it comes up,” he said.

1 9
1-26 staff sergeant honored as top division NCO

SSG Joshua Grzywa assists a simulated casualty at the V Corps

NCO of the Year Competition.

Photo by SGT Kristopher Joseph

2 0

Story by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 The 1st Infantry Division’s

noncommissioned officer of the year has

received plenty of attention for his feat.

 But SSG Joshua Grzywa would just as

soon have the focus be on his Soldiers and

chain of command in the 1st Battalion, 26th

Infantry Regiment.

 “The board recognizes one individual,

but it’s really about the Soldiers,” Grzywa

said in a strong, even voice. “I think we

have some of the best Soldiers in the 1st

Infantry Division. Blue Spaders are

outstanding young fighting men, and I

wanted represent them.”

 Grzywa, a Bronze Star recipient originally

from Illinois, has been in the Army for five

years and has displayed a work ethic that

has allowed him to move quickly through

the ranks, and which served him well before

the board.

 He presently serves as a mortar section

sergeant in Headquarters and

Headquarters Company. He won company,

battalion and brigade NCO of the year

competitions before taking the top prize in

division.

 For the battalion and brigade

competitions, Grzywa had short notice, so

knowledge he had already accumulated

paid off.

 He had much more notice for the division

board, and he put several hours into

preparation.

 “For the division board, I studied about

an hour or two every night with one of my

buddies,” he said.

 He credits his NCO support channel and

chain of command for the backing they

gave him and the battalion’s Soldier of the

year.

 “I definitely had a lot of support from my

chain of command. They were really pulling

for us, checking up on us,” Grzywa said.

 Each night, Grzywa poured over

prospective questions and rehearsed

board procedures. It all paid off earlier this

summer when he appeared before the

Division NCO of the Year Board on

Leighton Barracks. Grzywa got a tougher

level of questioning than on previous

boards, but he was ready.

 “We knew there would be the standard

questions, but a lot were situational,” he

said. “You had to walk the board members

through and explain so they knew you had

the knowledge. They wanted to see that

you knew how the Army works and could

take care of Soldiers.”

 While Grzywa was the winner, he spreads

the credit evenly.

 “I just did it for the Soldiers,” he said. “I

want to thank the officers and NCOs who

supported me through all this and my

family back home and my girlfriend.”

 Now armed with the Division’s NCO of

the Year award, Grzywa said he hopes to

attend Ranger and U.S. Army Military

Freefall School, and also plans to finish his

degrees in law enforcement and biology.
Administration specialist named Soldier of year

2 1 

Story and photo by SPC Joe Alger

Staff writer, 1st ID PAO

 Hard work, dedication and patience are

qualities needed to be the best at almost

any endeavor.

 But to be recognized as the best from a

group of thousands of individuals takes

even more than that.

 SPC Ella Martin, an administrative

specialist in the 1st Infantry Division’s

intelligence and security office and a native

of the Bahamas, showed she possessed

these qualities by being named 1st ID

Soldier of the year after winning the board

earlier this summer.

 Martin, who was assigned to Fort Knox,

Ky., prior to being in the 1st ID, has been in

the division for two years and recently

reenlisted.

 Her road to being named the Division

Soldier of the year began innocently

enough when she attended a company

Soldier of the month board in order to be

recommended for promotion during the

division’s deployment to Iraq. After she

won that board, Martin said she kept

attending and winning more boards until

she got where she is now.

 In addition to having what he calls a

“steel trap” brain, which allows her to

remember information, SGM Gary Kass, 1st

ID intelligence and security office sergeant

major, said Martin’s self-discipline and

dedication to study set her apart from the

competition.

 “SPC Martin is an excellent Soldier,” Kass

said. “She’s hard working, pleasant, never

gets stressed out and is willing to work

long hours. She’s also the only

administrative specialist working in our

office, and she’s always there whenever we

need her.”

 According to Martin, the key thing to

remember while at a board is to “stay

focused” and “breathe.”

 In fact, unlike most Soldiers, Martin said

the most difficult part of the board

experience for her comes after she is

finished.

 “I’m always second-guessing myself and

worrying that I didn’t do well after I get out

of the board,” she said.

 Martin added that she never imagined

when she went to her first board that she

would one day be the Division Soldier of

the year.

 But the experience has taught her a lot,

and Martin said that even if a Soldier

doesn’t plan on making the Army a career,

attending a board is still something to

consider doing.

 “These boards motivate you and enhance your communication skills,” Martin

said. “Every Soldier should try to go to a

board.”

SPC Ella Martin, an administrative specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry

Division, represents the Big Red One during the V Corps Soldier of the Year Competition. Martin is the

1st ID’s Soldier of the Year.

Photo by SGT Kristopher Joseph
Story by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 Standing in line at the base of a rappel

tower on Camp Robertson, PV2 Gregory

Hernandez said he felt calm. But he realized

that could all change very soon.

 “On the top, it could be a little different,”

said Hernandez, who serves with B

Company, 9th Engineer Battalion, and was a

student in the first Army Air Assault

Course hosted in G ermany by the 1st ID.

 The students’ first bounds down the 52-

foot tower came with a reassuring wall to

fall back on. But next they came down the

other side of the tower, with only their brake

hand and air separating them from the

ground.

Soldiers in Air Assault class 05-01 cross the finish line of their 12-mile foot march at Camp Robertson.

Photo by SPC Joe Alger

Air assault course comes to Germany

 For Hernandez and the rest, the rappel

tower was just one of the challenges to

overcome.

 They also experienced an excruciating

“Zero Day” that saw more than 25 percent

of the class wash out. There were foot

marches, including a 12-miler on the final

day that had to be finished in three hours,

despite lugging 35 pounds of gear and

carrying a rifle.

 “I felt pretty sore and a little beat up,” 2LT

Joshua Hearn said after the foot march.

Hearn serves with Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 77th

Armor Regiment. “It was a pretty good gut

check. I didn’t know the last six miles would

be so rough.”

 Besides marching, there was sling load

operations and lots of written tests, which

took some of the Soldiers by surprise.

 “It’s definitely more mentally challenging

than I originally expected,” said SPC

Christian Smith of Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade. “I

didn’t realize we’d have to remember such a

great quantity of numbers. There’s a lot of

information to take in.”

 Hernandez expressed similar sentiments.

He said he disliked the written tests, and he

described the sling load phase as stressful.

 “It was pretty hard,” he said. “I had a nogo on one of them, but I retested and got it.

It’s been a lot more than I expected. I didn’t

expect it to be so much work.”

2 2
Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

2 3

After finishing a class on how to tie a rappel seat, students in Air Assault class 05-01 run toward the

rappel tower to test their new-found knowledge.

By day seven, students are

ready for the rappel tower.

Photo by SGT W. Wayne Marlow

p

mentally taxing the course proved to be,

they both expected and received many

physical demands.

 Hernandez said he considered Zero Day

more stressful than his first day of basic

training.

 “It was interesting,” he said. “We had a

lot of dropouts, and it was always a lot of

work.”

 The day prior to Zero Day consisted of inprocessing, which convinced Smith the

course would be much more laid-back than

he thought.

 “I expected them to be on us the first day,

and there was nothing,” he said. “So the

next day I was expecting it to be relaxed,

and they were firing smoke.”

 It all served as a lead-in to the rest of the

course, with its foot marches, rappelling

and occasional smoke sessions.

 “I did a lot of marching back in basic

training, but here you have to go a lot

faster. You have to meet a certain time,”

Hernandez said.

g , 

those who come to the course to “be good

at PT and good at testing, and don’t be

nervous.”

 While the testing and sling load

operations caught Smith by surprise, he

found the rest of the course to be very

enjoyable.

 “I’ve rappelled before. I’m not afraid of

heights,” he said. “This is the fun stuff. I’m

really looking forward to rappelling out of

Black Hawks. That’s the main reason I came

here.”

 In spite of the smoke sessions and raised

voices, Hernandez and Smith report the

students had nothing but respect for the

cadre, who are National Guardsmen with

the Warrior Training Center at Fort

Benning, Ga.

 “They’re very professional, but you must

pay attention and pay attention to detail,”

Smith said. “Sometimes it reverts to what it

was like in basic training, but what are you

going to do?”
2 4

Story and photos by SGT Wayne Marlow

Editor, 1st ID PAO

 Showing excellence in physical fitness,

foot marching and land navigation, all while

qualifying as expert with one’s weapon,

would seemingly make for a full week.

 But for Soldiers wanting the Expert

Infantryman Badge, it’s all just a

prerequisite. After showing proficiency in

those areas, the real work starts.

 For the nearly 300 1st Infantry Division

Soldiers who made it through the

preliminaries, testing was held Aug. 23-25

at Camp Robertson.

 There, they tested on 35 infantry tasks,

with little margin for error. Candidates were

allowed only two no-goes among the 35

tasks, and the no-goes could not be on the

same test.

 The Soldiers had put in many hours of

preparation, according to SFC Raymond

Long of C Co., 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry

Regiment. Long serves as his unit’s EIB

representative.

 But all the training could go down the

drain with just a moment’s lapse.

 “The no-goes they get are the result of

just very small lack of attention to detail,”

Long said. “These guys know the task.

They could probably show you right now

how to do it. But when they went through,

they forgot a step.”

 One problem Long noted was what he

called “Iraqisms.”

 “They had to unlearn a lot of what they

did downrange,” he said. For instance,

weapons clearing was different in Iraq than

it is during EIB testing.

 Another challenge was that many of the

newer Soldiers were seeing weapons

systems for the first time.

 Despite these obstacles, most Soldiers

were having success. SGT Evan Johnson

of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry

Regiment, took time between stations to

talk about his testing.

 “We did some training at our unit to get

familiar with the tasks. We ran through all

the stations for two weeks,” he said.

“Without that, I don’t think I would have

gotten any of the tasks right. Everything

has to be do in the exact proper sequence.”

PV2 Chris Turkasz of A Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry

Regiment, hurls a grenade during EIB testing.

Excellence is standard when gunning for EIB
2 5

PV2 Thomas Batchelor plots grid coordinates

during the map reading portion of EIB.

Right, SPC Noah Plumb treats a simulated

lower limb wound during his first aid test.

p, 

he said he will do about half of the tasks in

a given month.

 “There’s a lot of overlaps on the task, too,

and it’s good if you’re downrange,” he

said. “They may say you’re going to be a

240 gunner because the usual 240 gunner

went down, and you’ll have experience on

it.”

 While Johnson cited experience as a plus,

PFC Daniel Taylor viewed his inexperience

as beneficial.

 “I just got out of basic training so I

haven’t learned any bad habits,” said

Taylor of C Co., 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry

Regiment.

 Taylor felt confident about every station

except for grenades.

 “I got expert in basic, but it can go either

way when you’re doing it,” he said. “You

can have one bad throw, and you’re done.”

 CSM Maurice Wharton said Taylor,

Johnson and the rest were aiming for

something that was “difficult, yet

attainable.”

 Wharton serves as EIB command

sergeant major for the 2nd Brigade.

 “The purpose is to recognize any

outstanding infantry Soldier who attains a

high degree of skill, expertise and

excellence, and who can expertly maintain,

ppy p

equipment,” Wharton said. “It’s an

outstanding training tool. We’re

training on everything they’re going to

have to do in combat.”

 Because of the high standards

required to earn the EIB, Wharton said

SGT Justin Martinez of C Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry

Regiment, tackles the Javelin.

g g

excellence.

 “When a Soldier wears an EIB, it lets you

know he has achieved infantry excellence and

that Soldier has achieved a certain amount of

skill,” Wharton said. “He’s an expert and that’s

what the badge is all about.”
2 6

Army transformation to im

Brigade combat team stationing plan announced

 WASHINGTON – As part of its largest restructuring since World

War II, the Army has announced its stationing of active component

modular Brigade Combat Teams.

 The plan includes new organizations being formed and other

units being returned from overseas locations. The return of the

overseas units adds up to 50,000 Soldiers and 150,000 family

members being brought back to bases in the United States.

 In the end state, the number of active modular BCTs will increase

from 33 to 43, enhancing the active Army’s combat power by 30

percent.

 The plan was announced at a Pentagon press briefing conducted

by Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army Raymond F.

Dubois and Army Vice Chief of Staff GEN Richard Cody.

 Cody explained the benefits the Army and its Soldiers will see

from the stationing plan. “What this does for us, is it sets up the

footprint of the United States Army,” Cody said. “It optimizes the

training areas. Posts, camps and stations are structured properly

for the new weapons systems we have. It sets us up for some

great training opportunities. I think, over time, the big winners are

going to be our Army families because we can put a Soldier and his

family at a post, camp or station and leave them there for four to

five years.”

 Cody said the Army’s modular force initiative and stationing plan

will also help the Army meet its strategic commitments.

 He explained that the life cycle management of BCTs will be

stabilized through three-year rotation cycles.

 “The Army will not be moving its people around as much. This

will reduce turbulence in brigades and battalions,” Cody said.

“This will stabilize forces and provide for more cohesion within

Brigade Combat Teams.”
2 7

mpact 1st Infantry Division

Big Red One

headquarters

set for move to

Fort Riley, Kan.

The 1ID units that will return in

FY 06 are:

• HHC 1ID (Minus)

• HHC DISCOM (Minus)

• 1st ID Band

• 1-1 AV (Longbow Transition)

The 1ID units that will inactivate

in FY 06 are:

• HHB DIVARTY

• HHC DIVENG

• 510th Engineer Detachment

(Topographical) (Minus)

• 517th Engineer Detachment

(Topographical) (Minus)

• 701st MSB

• 121st SIG BN (Minus)

• 101st MI BN (Minus)

• 1st MP Company (Minus)

1ID units to be converted in FY 06

are:

• 1-4 Cavalry Squadron (Minus)-

Converts to become the

Reconnaissance,

Surveillance and Target

Acquisition squadron of the

173rd Airborne Brigade

Combat Team.

• 82nd Engineer Battalion

(Minus)—Becomes the

Brigade Troops Battalion for

the 173rd Airborne Brigade

Combat Team.

• 1-33 Field Artillery Bn.—

Becomes the Fires Battalion

of the 173rd Airborne Brigade

Combat Team.

• 4th Brigade Headquarters and

Headquarters Company—

Reflagged as the 12th

Aviation Brigade and converts

to become part of UR Multifunctional Aviation Brigade

(MFAB).

• 2-1 Aviation Battalion—

Reflagged as the 5-158 AVN

Battalion and converts to

become part of UR Multifunctional Aviation Brigade

(MFAB).

• 601st Division Aviation Support

Battalion (Minus) —Converts

to become part of UR Multifunctional Aviation Brigade

(MFAB).

Other actions:

• The 2nd BCT will be assigned

to another USAREUR unit at

time TBD until further

disposition is determined and

announced. The following

units will be attached to 2BCT

for these actions: 1-7FA, 9EN,

299FSB, A/121 SIG, C/101

MI, and 2PLT/1MP.

• The 3rd BCT is drawing down

to cadre, as previously

announced. The following

units are attached to 3BCT

will undergo unit actions with

the BCT: 1-6FA (Bamberg)

and 201FSB (Vilseck).

• The 12th Chemical Co. and

BIDS platoons (Kitzingen) will

be retained as a USAREUR

unit and will move to

Grafenwoehr

The following installations are

scheduled to be returned in the

first quarter of FY 07 (OctoberDecember 2006):

• Harvey Barracks, Kitzingen,

Germany

• Kitzingen Family Housing

• Kitzingen Training Area

• Larson Barracks, Kitzingen,

Germany

• Schwanberg DCS Site,

Kitzingen, Germany

• Faulenberg Kaserne,

Wuerzburg, Germany

• Wuerzburg Training Areas

• Giebelstadt Army Airfield,

Giebelstadt Germany (This

installation includes the

Giebelstadt Tactical Defense

Site and DYA Camp.)

• Breitsol Communications

Station, Wuerzburg Germany

The following facilities will be

retained until they are no longer

needed and eventually returned at

a date to be determined:

• Leighton Barracks

• Wuerzburg Hospital

The Department of Defense

announced July 29 plans to return the 1st

Infantry Division headquarters to Fort

Riley, Kan., in the summer of 2006.

1st Infantry Division units will be

inactivated, converted, or reduced to a

cadre that will be used to reconstitute

the 1st Infantry Division as a modular UE

(x) at a later date.

Soldiers assigned to these units may

be reassigned or reclassified, based on

the Army’s needs.

Specifics as to which individual

Soldiers will be reclassified, which

Soldiers will remain assigned to the

division and which Soldiers will be

reassigned elsewhere in Germany or the

continental United States will be

resolved and discussed in detail with

the affected Soldiers through the chain

of command over the course of the

coming months.

In addition, 11 Army bases will be

returned to Germany in fiscal year 2007.

Leighton Barracks and the Hospital

in Wurzburg have been identified for

return in following years. The hospital

is the only U.S.-operated inpatient

treatment facility in the region, and

Leighton Barracks provides key regional

housing, schools, administration and

shopping facilities. Both will be

retained until those facilities are no

longer needed to support troop

populations.

The entire command leadership is

concerned about the disruption that this

action could cause to Soldiers and

families and is committed to applying all

available assets of the unit and the

community to ensure that these actions

are conducted smoothly.
1st ID Medal of Honor recipient

LTC Charles C. Rogers

When the forward fire base of the 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery Regiment was attacked on Nov. 1, 1968, LTC Rogers led his Soldiers into action. In spite of

wounds, he twice led counter-attacks against hostile penetrations. His exemplary leadership inspired his men to repel the attack. He moved under fire to

a sector threatened by a third assault and noticed a Howitzer out of action because of casualties. Teaming with surviving crew members, Rogers helped

return the Howitzer to action. He was then wounded by heavy mortar fire but continued to give encouragement and direction to his Soldiers.