CAMP BLUE DIAMOND,

Iraq — Warriors from 1st

Marine Division and Jim Hake,

founder of Spirit of America,

have similar aspirations: to help

the Iraqi people and to build better relations between Americans

and Iraqis.

But that’s easier said than

done.

According to the Spirit of

America Web site, www.spiritofamerica.net, the Los Angelesbased non-profit charitable

organization is helping to reach

these goals by donating several

tons of medical equipment,

school supplies, carpentry tools

and Frisbees.

“Jim Hake approached the 1st

Marine Division about donating

goods to the people of Iraq,” said

Lt. Col. John Lutkenhouse, the

division’s plans officer for economic development.

Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, 1st

Marine Division commanding

general, accepted Hake’s “generous” offer.

Nearly 10,000 school supply

kits, 3 tons of medical supplies

and 2 tons of Frisbees were

sent to Iraq’s Al Anbar

province, where the division is

conducting security and stabilization operations.

“Right now, Civil Affairs is

a big part of the division’s mission here,” added Lutkenhouse,

of Sunnyvale, Calif. “We are

working to improve the lives

of the Iraqi people. If we

befriend them and show them we

want to help there’s a less likelihood that at they will try to

undermine our efforts.”

He said the supplies are currently being divided amongst the

division’s subordinate units in

the area for distribution.

Units like 3rd Battalion, 11th

Marine Regiment have already

begun delivering the goods.

During a recent visit to the city

of Nukhayb, 2nd Lt. Robert L.

Nofsinger was in charge of getting some of the equipment to

the citizens.

“We donated about 30 boxes

of medical supplies and sporting

goods,” Nofsinger, of Overland

Park, Kan., said. “We’re planning to come back in the future

to give out more of the medical

supplies that were given to us by

Spirit of America.”

Children in the city received

some of the charity’s Frisbees

with the word “friendship” written in both English and Arabic. 

The organization was founded

in order to “help Americans

serving abroad improve the lives

of people in need.”

On the Web site, Hake states,

“It was clear to me that expanding positive interactions on the

front lines could both assist

those in need and help America

further reflect and perpetuate the

ideals for which it stands.”

His actions have not gone

unnoticed.

In a thank-you letter to

Hake, Mattis wrote, “Spirit of

America’s gifts will reduce

adversarial relationships and

bridge cultural gaps. You

have significantly impacted

our ability to do good and I

fervently hope reduce the potential for combat.”

Vol. 2, No. 16 Baghdad, Iraq Apr. 16, 2004

Inside this week ...

Artillery unit recognized

Battery C, 1st Bat., 37th Field Artillery

Regiment tries for the Knox Award

Page 4

Reserve Marines in Iraq

Reserve Marines bring civilian skills to

fight for freedom in Iraq.

Page 10

Helicoptors provide security

Helicoptors sweep the cities looking for

bad guys on the ground

Page 13

Civil affairs rebuilding Iraq

Civil affairs supports Iraqi elementary

school in Baghdad.

Page 16

SCIMITAR

COALITION

British hostage

released in Iraq

Gary Michael Teeley, 37, from

Northampton was escorted from the

Italian Coalition Force in Talil by a Royal

Air Force Chinook helicopter. 

He was flown to the 22nd Field Hospital

based in Shaibah, where medical officers gave him a thorough examination

to ensure he was in good health.

Gary works as a laundry system consultant for a QIT, laundry systems supplier for Coalition forces in the

Nasiriyah City area. 

In a message to his family, Gary said,

“Please don’t make the parties too big!”

He was extremely keen to get home to

Photo by Gary Wort (Royal Air Force) see family and friends.

Donated goods lift spirits in Iraq

Story and photo by 

Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

1st Marine Division

Iraqi children show off their new frisbees given out by Marines from 3rd Battalion, 11th

Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during a visit April 6. The frisbees were donated

by Spirit of America, a charity organization based out of Los Angeles.
Page 2 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqis

and 1st Armored Division

Soldiers attended the reopening

ceremony of a refurbished clinic

outside Sadr City.

The renovation of the clinic is

part of an Army Civil Affairs

project aimed at bettering the

welfare of the Iraqi people.

“This is just the first step in a

long road we will share together,

to improve the people’s lives in

Iraq,” said Lt. Col. Gary J.

Volesky, commander 2nd

Squadron, 5th Cavalry

Regiment, Task Force 1st

Armored Division.

With a medical staff consisting

of a doctor, a pharmacist and

three nurses, the clinic serves a

neighborhood of 4,500 people,

said Capt. Jeff L. Hembree,

Alpha Company, 478th Civil

Affairs Battalion commander.

Once known as Saddam City,

Sadr City is named for the Imam

Mohammed Sadr, an Iraqi religious leader killed by Saddam

Hussein. According to estimates, there are about two million people living there in a sixsquare mile district, about as

many as there are living in

Houston, Texas.

The clinic is located in one of

Sadr City’s more impoverished

neighborhoods.

“Proper medical care for Iraqis

is a high-priority,” said

Hembree. “We only had to come

out here to Sadr City to realize

that improving this clinic would

have a positive impact on the

community.”

About $10,000 was invested

into the clinic, he said. The clinic was closed for about six weeks

for renovations, obtaining supplies and staff training.

Groundwork for the clinic’s

renovations was started by a

German non-governmental

organization, called Anamur. 

“My Civil Affairs guys have

been working with Anamur on

this. You need to give them credit because they were the ones

who came in and really started

this foundation,” said Volesky.

“We’ve just expanded on it.”

Volesky said the existing work

on the clinic was expanded by

hiring Iraqi contractors to work

on the refurbishing project.

“Our Civil Affairs guys developed the project by looking at

what the Germans had done and

developed plans to expand it in

order to work with local contractors to try and create employment for the people who are

unemployed,” said Volesky.

“This engages the Iraqis and gets

them involved in improving their

own infrastructure.”

Doing this fosters the goodwill

of the people and helps build

confidence, he added.

“This lets them say that

they’re getting back on their

feet,” Volesky said. “They can

say, ‘This was built by

the Germans with help from

the coalition, but it was really

the Iraqis who put the final

touches on it’.”

Humanitarian projects such as

this will be carried on into the

future, Volesky said.

“We will be focusing on the

basic needs of the people: food,

water, electricity and trash

(removal),” said Volesky. “I will

maximize every resource I have

because those are the things that

really have an impact on the people when they see it. They are

most important.” 

According to Volesky his

unit’s priority is to maintain and

build upon the secure environment that the 2nd Armored

Cavalry Regiment provided for

the community over the course

of the last year.

“We will take it to the next

level and start to show the Iraqi

people that the coalition is working with the Iraqis to improve

their conditions day to day,”

Volesky said.

The units are not just focused

on the short term, he said. The

goal for all of the projects is to

successfully integrate Iraqis into

the planning process, so that they

can then take the projects and

determine the long-term solutions on their own.

“The biggest goal for us is

two-fold,” Volesky said. “One:

Show the people we really do

care about them and that everything we said we are going to do,

we will do. Two: Take the Iraqi

institutions such as the Iraqi

Civil Defense Corps, the police

and the government, and develop

those systems so that they can

become self-sufficient.” 

Story by Sgt. Dan Purcell

and Pfc. Erik LeDrew

122nd Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Clinic fulfills community goals

Immediately following the re-opening of a refurbished clinic outside Sadr City, Iraq,

mothers and children wait to be seen by the clinic’s doctor. The renovation of the clinic

is part of an Army Civil Affairs project aimed at bettering the welfare of the Iraqi people. 

Words of Wisdom

In virtually everything,

except for going through the

chow line, you need to lead

from the front... Think what

your actions say to your soldiers. They don’t want someone too cool for school.

Especially in combat, they

want a serious, focused,

competent leader.

— Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus

101st Airborne 

Division Commander

“

”

Photo by Pfc. Erik LeDrew
Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 3

Unsung Heroes 

Marching the extra mile across Iraq

Sgt. Becker

Sgt. Lucas Cpl. Perkins

Sgt. Torres

CJTF-7 PAO

Col. Jill E. Morgenthaler

Managing Editor

Sgt. Brian Stockhoff

Editor

Spc. Jeffrey Hillery 

Marine Cpl. Anthony Pike

CJTF-7 Commander

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Command Info Chief

Capt. Adam W. Hackel

Staff Writer

Sgt. 1st Class Bill Sutherland

Coalition Scimitar is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this

paper are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government or Department of Defense.

The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office of the Combined Joint

Task Force-7. Stars and Stripes newspaper is not affiliated with CJTF-7 and acts only as a distributing source for

Coalition Scimitar. Questions and comments should be directed to the editor at (914)360-5067 or

cpiccmdinfo@baghdadforum.com.

Coalition Scimitar 

welcomes units to submit 

their own Unsung Heros.

Photos and short summaries

of accomplishments should 

be sent to

cpiccmdinfo@

baghdadforum.com

Sgt. Gene Janet Torres, 32, is the

administration noncommissioned officer. She is from Layton, Okla. and is

assigned to the III Corps Headquarters

Command Group, at Ft. Hood Texas. 

Torres has been in the Army for 6

years and has been in Iraq for four

months. She is married and has two

children; her husband is also in

Baghdad, at Victory Base.

“My experience here has been a

good experience,” she said, “I've done

things that a lot of people don't get to

experience to get to do.” 

Capt. Thomas Melton, her supervisor said, “Sgt. Torres is a great NCO,

she sets the example and is a real

professional!”

Sgt. Michael A. Lucas, from Tampa,

Fl., is with the 555th Engineer Co.,

and is attached as a military driver for

Command Sgt. Maj. William Gainey's

staff. He's been in Iraq since January

2004.

Lucas, 25, has been in the Army for

five years. He is single with two sons. 

“I enjoy being here because I

feel like I'm making a real

contribution,” said Lucas. “Personally

I feel proud and being here is a

positive thing, to help the Iraqi

people to have the same opportunities

as we do.”

“Michael Lucas is a highly motivated soldier always showing professionalism in every situation. He keeps

us all morally up,” said Staff

Sgt. Medina. 

Cpl. Adam Perkins, 23, is part of

III Corps, and is from Nebraska. He

is stationed at Headquarters,

Headquarters Company, III Corps at

Fort Hood, Texas. 

Perkins has been in the Army two

years and is an artillery soldier but

works as a driver for Command Sgt.

Maj. William J. Gainey. Perkins’ wife

of a year and their baby boy are staying with her parents in Iowa. 

“I think its been educational more

then any thing else. The driving is

great, its sometimes long hours, but

its going out there that's exciting,”

said Perkins. 

Staff Sgt. Medina, his supervisor

said, “he (Perkins) is a new father, a

dedicated soldier, showing pride in

all that he does.”

Sgt. Shane Becker, originally

from Colorado, is assigned to III

Corps and stationed at Headquarters,

Headquarters Company in Fort Hood,

Texas. Sgt. Becker is married and has

one daughter. 

Becker is a driver for Command

Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey.

“The experience so far working

for Command Sgt. Maj. Gainey has

been very educational. I've never

been deployed before, so I'm learning

a lot from the Sgt. Maj.,” said Becker. 

“We have been prepared for most

things that happen out there. I feel

that by going through this, its something I can take with me.”
Page 4 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

Al Rafae students go back to school

Students pose for a picture at the school in the town of Al Rafae with soldiers from Logistics Support Area Anaconda. School supplies were

donated to the children of Al Rafae by students from Pepperdine University in California. 

MOSUL, Iraq - Close only

counts in horseshoes and hand

grenades, as the saying goes, but

for the Soldiers of Battery C, 1st

Battalion, 37th Field Artillery

Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd

Infantry Division (Stryker

Brigade Combat Team) it also

counts in Field Artillery awards. 

The Fort Lewis, Wash. unit

was recently named runner-up in

the Knox Award competition

that recognizes the best field

artillery batteries in the Army.

Notification of the award

reached Charlie Battery by mail

in Iraq, where they are serving

with Task Force Olympia providing force protection and security in Mosul. 

The annual Knox Award is

a competition open to all field

artillery units in the active

component. According to the

submission requirements distributed by the Proponency Office

at Fort Sill, Okla., no more

than one battery can be nominated by the commanders of each

field artillery division, brigade

or separate battalion. Each unit

is evaluated on mission completion rates as based on their

Mission Essential Task List.

Battery C’s evaluation covered

training from September 2002 to

September 2003.

According to Capt. Jerome S.

Morrison II, Battery C

Commander, Charlie Battery

received this award because of

their hard work and dedication

to a training schedule that had

the Soldiers in the field for a

total of 220 days during the 2003

training year. During that period,

the Soldiers of Battery C traveled to the National Training

Center in Fort Irwin, Calif.,

where they conducted live fire

missions with their M198

Howitzers, then to Fort Sill,

Okla., to receive their air load

certification. They moved to the

Joint Readiness Training Center

at Fort Polk, La., for more live

fire exercises and then to

Yakima Training Center in

Washington for mobilization

preparation. They returned to

Fort Lewis to train with the

Stryker Brigade in time to

deploy to Iraq in September.

“The Soldiers and noncommissioned officers’ ability to

meet the commander’s guidance, provide fire support and

stay flexible while adapting

to the situation is, in my opinion,

why this unit came out on top

over other very competitive

units,” said Morrison, as he

reflected on his unit’s achievement. “No matter where we

trained, we always impressed

the instructors and exceeded

the standards.”

“During the 2003 training

year, we were again and again

tasked with missions that could

be viewed as impossible for a

battery-sized unit. We did so

much with so little for so long

that ultimately we were recognized for our achievements,”

said 1st Sgt. Robert Clark,

Battery C senior noncommissioned officer. 

“Our attention to detail and

flexibility, along with the leadership of our battery commander

and NCOs, is why we are successful,” Clark said. 

Both Morrison and Clark recognize that this award is not only

for the Soldiers of Battery C but

also for their family members.

They both agree that the families

sacrifice the most during training exercises. Without their support, this recognition would not

be possible.

“This award is for the families

as much as it is for the soldiers

because of all they endured during the year (2003) and all they

are currently enduring during

our time in Iraq,” said Clark. 

Although Battery C is performing force protection in Iraq,

a non-traditional mission for

artillerymen, they are performing the mission with the same

dedication and enthusiasm that

earned them national recognition

in the Knox Award competition.

Soldiers from Battery C, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, recent runners-up

in the Knox Award competition, pose for a picture before shipping off to Iraq.

Story by 

Sgt. Joseph Sanchez

139th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Artillery unit is ‘King of Battle’

Photo compliments of Battery C, 1-37 FA

Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt Aaron D. Allmon II
Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 5

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Their day begins just

before sunrise.

Just as jagged rays of light creep through the morning haze, gunners check their weapons while the drivers start their vehicles.

It’s time to run another gauntlet. 

They are the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s convoy security detail.

“Our job is to provide security,” said Sgt. Rand M.

Hultz, convoy escort team chief, Headquarters and

Headquarters Troop, 2nd ACR, Task Force 1st

Armored Division. “As convoy security, our job is to

be out front where people can see us,” Hultz said.

“We control the road.”

A typical security team consists of a team chief,

gunner and a driver. There are four three-man teams

in the regimental headquarters, explained Hultz.

As the convoy rolls out the forward operating base

gate, Hultz can be heard reminding his driver and

gunner to remember to pay attention to the overpasses and not to let anything pass them on the road.

“Communication is imperative and we must all

think and act alike,” he said. “When my driver is

moving left to right through traffic, just by the pitch

of the vehicle I know exactly what he is trying to do.

I can just look at my driver and gunner and see if

something is wrong and they can look at me and

almost see what I’m thinking,” he said.

“When you work that well together there isn’t a lot

of talking but everyone knows who and where and

how,” Hultz said.

The driver is responsible for vehicle maintenance,

knowing the routes and completing load plans, said

Spc. Dan K. Hartley, security detail driver. “I basically know everything Sgt. Hultz knows as far as pulling

security for the front or the rear of the convoy.” 

“I often use my rearview mirror to look for fast

drivers. I have to, I can use my truck as a one and half

ton roadblock. It’s how we stop speeding vehicles

from getting around us,” he said.

Some days are better than others. There’s always an

element of danger every time the team goes out, said

gunner Spc. Bendigo P. Agnew. 

“When it rains or hails it’s bad to be a gunner.

When it gets hot in August, it’s like a blow dryer

in your face,” he said. “The only real down side

is when people throw rocks or you get behind a

truck hauling sand. Fortunately, people don’t throw

rocks anymore.” 

The team has logged almost 15,000 miles since

they first left Kuwait about a year ago, Hultz said. 

At their busiest, the team completed three or four

missions daily, Hultz said. They would roll seven

days a week, starting out at daybreak and returning

well after dark. 

“Convoys are not just supply runs,” he said. 

As team prepares to turn their missions over to their

replacements, they remain wired-tight until its time to

leave, he said. 

Throughout their time in country, Hultz insisted

that his teams show respect for the Iraqi drivers they

encounter on the road. 

“We should consider how to handle people without

hurting them,” explained Hultz.

Hultz then took this philosophy and turned it into a

training plan for the regiment.

Cavalrymen use hand and arm signals to communicate among the team and the vehicles they are escorting. They use the truck as a mobile roadblock to control traffic coming in from behind.

“Everything we trained for was designed to get

control of the situation before it escalates into something else,” he said. “You have to remember that the

Iraqis are a free people and we have a responsibility

to consider their customs and courtesies when we are

out on the road.”

Sgt. Rand M. Hultz, Headquarters, Headquarters

Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, locks

and loads his weapon before the convoy leaves. 

Story and photo by Sgt. Dan Purcell

122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Escort team provides

convoy security 

— Iraq is slightly more than twice the size of Idaho. 

— There is 58 km of coastline

— The estimated population is 24,683,313 (July 2003 est.). 

— The average life expectancy in Iraq is 67.81 years 

males: 66.7 years females: 68.99 years (2003 est.) 

— 4.52 children born/woman (2003 est.) on average in Iraq. 

— 97% of Iraqi’s are Muslim. Of that 97%, 60%-65% are Shi’a, 

32%-37% are Sunni and 3% are Christian or other.

— The languages used in Iraq are Arabic, Kurdish (official in 

Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian languages.

— The major souce of electricity production comes from fossil fuel: 

98.4% 

— The average amount of electricity used is 33.49 billion kWh 

(2001) 

— Iraq’s export partners: U.S. 40.9%, Canada 8.2%, France 8.2%, 

Jordan 7.5%, Netherlands 6.4%, Italy 5.4%, Morocco 4.7%, Spain 

4.4% (2002) 

— Iraq’s import partners: Jordan 11%, France 8.8%, China 8.4%, 

Germany 7.6%, Russia 7.3%, Australia 7.2%, Vietnam 6.6%, Italy 

6.4%, Japan 5.6% (2002) 

* Facts obtained from www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

geos/iz.html

Iraqi Fun Facts
Page 6 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

NUKHAYB, Iraq - Marines from 3rd

Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st

Marine Division spent a little time “kicking it” with citizens from this small Iraqi

community April 6.

Nearly 50 artillerymen of Battery I

played soccer until the sun went down,

but winning the game wasn’t the goal at

the end of the day, according to 2nd Lt.

Robert L. Nofsinger, the battalion civil

affairs officer.

Battery I Marines operate from Camp

Mudaysis, a one-hour drive from the city,

located slightly north of the Saudi

Arabian border. 

During the visit, they also distributed

30 boxes of medical supplies and sporting

goods donated by Spirit of America, a Los

Angeles-based charity.

“Since the Marines are like the new

kids on the block in Iraq, we wanted to get

out there and meet the people,” Nofsinger,

of Overland Park, Kan., said. “A game of

soccer just seemed like the best way to do

that.”

During the invasion of Iraq last year,

Nukhayb was demolished and the 10,000

Iraqis living here had little hope of recuperating, explained Mayor Thamir

Mayflal Hatham.

“After the war ended many of our

buildings were ransacked and looted,”

Hatham explained. “The people had to

start from the zero level. We rebuilt our

schools, hospitals, police stations and

government offices.”

The mayor said the people of his city

had a great deal of support from other

countries, including America.

“The Coalition came here from the very

start and showed us a lot of help and that

they really did care about the Iraqis,”

Hatham said.

The Marines from 3rd Battalion, 11th

Marines are looking to keep the friendly

relationship with the people here strong.

“We want to make sure that the Iraqis

know that we are not just a uniform,”

Nofsinger said. “We want them to know

that Marines are not some strange, mythical creatures, but we are people who want

to help them any way we can.”

Cpl. Jan Pieter Vandenhof, trained

Arabic linguist, said he was excited to get

the chance to interact with the people here

and looks forward to visiting again in the

future.

“I took a basic Arabic language course

before coming out here,” Vandenhof,

from Novato, Calif., said. “I had a great

time being able to talk to the people

because they were shocked when I was

able to communicate with them.”

Ali Tayish, a 19-year-old resident here,

said the feeling was mutual.

“It’s just fun getting to have the

Americans here because it’s all about

building a friendship,” Tayish explained.

“We’re all brothers. We’d play soccer

with them everyday if we could.”

Neither the Iraqis nor the Americans

took the soccer game too seriously but

both groups put forth quite an effort.

Tayish and Sanad Chellab, the captain

of the Iraqi players, agreed that the

Marines played a good game of soccer but

still had room for improvement.

“The Americans did a good job,”

Chellab said. “But maybe they didn’t play

their best because they’re not used to the

rocky ground here. We’d be happy to give

them some lessons.”

Story and photo by 

Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald

I Marine Expeditionary Force

Marines score with soccer match in Iraq

Marines from 3rd Battalion, 11th

Marine Regiment, 1st Marine

Division handed out fresh fruit,

medical supplies and sporting

equipment during a visit to

Nukhayb, Iraq 

Marines play a game of soccer with residents of Nukhayb. Nearly 150

Iraqis showed up to meet and spend time with the artillerymen.

American soldiers of the 501st Forward

Support Battalion and Iraqi civilians are

working side by side completing missions

that influence the readiness of every unit

within the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st

Armored Division. Because of the magnitude of the mission in theater, the command

has hired 15 Iraqi employees. These augmentees work in every section of the SSA:

issuing, receiving, processing and storing

parts. The help provided by the units Iraqi

colleagues enables the SSA soldiers to

deliver provisions and parts from the supplier(s) to the customers whenever and wherever needed.

Beans & Bullets

Courtesy photo.
Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 7

Iraq in Brief

Task Force Olympia detains 27 in two days of operations

MOSUL, IRAQ – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry

Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 27 personnel

suspected of anti-Coalition activities, including five suspected of

planning attacks against Coalition forces, in a series of missions in

northern Iraq today and Monday.

Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, detained

14, including one person suspected of planning attacks against

Coalition forces, early Tuesday morning near Ayn Zalah.

North of Tall Afar, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment conducted a series of cordon and knock operations leading to the

detainment of eight subjects suspected of anti-Coalition activities,

including four suspected of planning and coordinating those

actions.

Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment also conducted a cordon and knock operation in the city of Tall Afar that

led to the detainment of three people suspected of anti-Coalition

activities.

In Qarrayah, Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry

Regiment and 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment detained two

personnel suspected of firing rockets at the forward operating base.

A flight of OH-58s fro 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, Regt. tracked

one suspect fleeing from the scene of the incident and followed

him to a house. A patrol from 5th Bn., 20th Inf. Regt. conducted a

cordon and search operation around the house leading to the

detainment of two as well as two AK-47s, an additional rifle and

seven bayonets.

OP TELIC - ‘GOOD NEWS TUESDAY’

BASRA, Iraq — Massive $250 Million Initiative for Drinking

Water in Basra. Water authorities, supported by the Coalition, are

planning 5 major projects to improve the standard of drinking

water and widen supply to include all parts of Basra Province. The

projects are scheduled to be completed within the next 20 months

at a cost of $250 million.

AS SAMAWAH, Iraq — New Street Lights in As Samawah

Deter Crime. A community association in the Al Sharkee neighbourhood of As Samawah has completed a project to install more

than 200 streetlights in its community, making the neighbourhood

safer for its residents. The lack of streetlights combined with complex passageways and a high concentration of commercial establishments made Al Sharkee a breeding ground for robberies,

assaults, and criminals. The community group was independently

established by local citizens to provide a mechanism to initiate

changes in the neighbourhood. The United States Agency for

International Development supported the planning and implementation of the street light project, with funding from the Coalition

Provisional Authority. The project is part of local governance programme efforts to support civil society organisations with assistance, including development and management training, capacitybuilding, public education and civic dialogue.

Coalition and Iraqi Police detain 12

MOSUL, IRAQ – Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry

Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) and Iraqi Police detained

12 people suspected of anti-coalition activities Tuesday in Mosul.

The brigade is under the operational control of Task Force

Olympia.

Iraqi Police captured three people and wounded one after being

attacked by while securing the site of an improvised explosive

device in Mosul. The IED was destroyed and three AK-47s were

confiscated.

Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14 Calvary Regiment conducted

cordon and knock operations south of Sinjar and detained three

people suspected of planning and conducting anti-Coalition activities. During the search one AK-47, a rocket launcher and U.S.

money was seized. 

During cordon and knock operations in the Al Sukar and Tahreer

neighborhoods, soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry

Regiment detained five people wanted for planning and conducting anti-Coalition activities.

KIRKUK, Iraq - The day following a raid on a

home of a suspected insurgent who has been

attacking Kirkuk Air Base, Soldiers from

Company B, Task Force 1-21 Infantry and Co. B,

65th Engineer Battalion discovered a concealed

weapon cache outside the home.

More than 120 mortar rounds, two Rocket

Propelled Grenade launchers, 81mm mortar tripod,

42 fuses and propellant were all part of the cache

that was found March 31 buried beneath a mound

of sheep manure.

“I think it’s a good find for us,” said Capt. Chuck

Thompson, the S-2 for TF 1-21 INF. “Every cache

we can get off the streets helps stabilize the city

and also protect our troops on the base.”

Spc. Brian Remily, a combat engineer for Co. B,

65th Eng. Bn., who helped excavate the cache, didn’t imagine it would be so big.

“It’s a lot more than I expected. I was expecting

a couple of mortars and maybe a RPG launcher,”

Remily said. “But what I definitely didn’t expect

was for it to be in a pile of feces!”

Staff Sgt. George Garcia, a fire support noncommissioned officer with Co. B, TF 1-21 INF

was the one who discovered the location of the

cache.

“I just happened to walk up to a mound and saw

the end of a RPG round case,” Garcia said. “I starting messing with it and kicked some dirt and saw

a trash bag that contained two RPG launchers.”

After his find, the main effort of the search started digging into the pile of manure where bags of

mortar rounds starting coming out.

Garcia said he and the other Soldiers didn’t like

the fact that the cache was under manure, but knew

it was important to get the rounds out for the safety of the personnel on base.

The cache find was also a gratifying experience

to those Soldiers who go out everyday in search of

them.

“A cache like this boosts the morale of

Soldiers,” Garcia said. “Day in and day out we’ll

do missions and hardly find anything, but something like this helps the guys feel that they are

doing some good.”

The information about the cache came from an

informant who told Soldiers from TF 1-21 INF

about a man who had been using his home as a

launching site for rockets. 

Tips like these are very helpful and hopefully

with this recent cache discovery, news about

rewards for tips will be spread throughout the

neighborhood, Remily said.

Story and photo by Spc. Sean Kimmons

25th Infatnry Division (L) Public Affairs

Weapons cache

uncovered near Kirkuk

Sgt. Justin Lisi, a team leader with Co. B,

TF 1-21 INF, handles a 81mm mortar round

confiscated during the weapon cache

search March 31.

KARADAH, Iraq — The Iraqi Clothing Center

opened on Sunday, 28 March 04 after a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by local leaders and soldiers in Karadah District, Baghdad. The new workplace will offer jobs and job training to women in

the area. Many of these women are widows of soldiers killed in the Iran-Iraq War.

The Center will immediately employ thirty

women in the making of various pieces of clothing

to be sold at moderate prices in the community.

Some clothing will be donated to the very poor.

There are electric sewing machines throughout the

workplace for work and training.

The Center is funded with the aid of Iman AlSadr, a local religious leader. Iman Al-Sadr’s representative, Amad Aden, was on hand with many

local officials at the ribbon cutting ceremony. LTC

Peter Jones, 1st-6th Infantry Division, and Amad

Aden jointly cut the ribbon to show the cooperation between local leaders and Army leaders in

making the project work according to CPT George

Angle, Assistant Team Leader for the 478th Civil

Affairs Battalion (CA BN), Perrine, FL, now

assigned to the Karadah District.

Team Leader MAJ Danny Hassig of the 478th

CA BN said, “Our main contribution to the effort

was bringing local leaders together. They are the

ones that made the Center happen. We hope to get

the chance to work with the community on a wide

range of projects in the future. This Center is proof

to the local community that projects can work.”

Amad Aden told local leaders that funding for

other projects would be available. He said future

projects include a hospital a tourist center, a

women’s center, a film and book library, and an

orphanage. He said he was looking forward to

working hand in hand with Civil Affairs.

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Clarence Kugler

478TH Public Affairs Office

Women’s training center

opens in Karadah District
Page 8 Coalition Scimitar Apr 16, 2004

MOSUL, Iraq — Every

unit has a critical part in the

Army’s overall mission, but

for the “Arrowhead” Brigade

the responsibility of keeping

units operational is the primary function of the 296th

Brigade Support Battalion.

Whether it is medical, logistical or recreational, the 296th

BSB has it covered.

For the 296th BSB, headquartered at Forward

Operating Base Marez in

Mosul, their deployment in

support of Operation Iraqi

Freedom II has tested the battalion’s ability to adapt to the

Army’s changing force structure.

The 296th BSB is responsible for providing combat service and health support to the

Army’s first Stryker Brigade

Combat Team, 3rd Brigade,

2nd Infantry Division, said Lt.

Col. Dennis M. Thompson,

296th BSB commander.

“The Frontline Soldiers are

aware of our place in time as

we support the Army’s first

Stryker Brigade and lead the

Army’s current efforts to

forge new concepts and procedures of supporting warriors

on today’s and tomorrow’s

battlefields,” Thompson said.

The BSB is comprised of

four companies, each of which

have a very special and unique

role to play in keeping the

6,000 Soldiers of the Stryker

Brigade, mission ready and

battle-focused.

The Headquarter and

Headquarters Company contains all of the staff elements

and oversees the BSB’s support operations, to include

managing logistical convoys,

providing field-feeding teams

for each battalion and managing FOB Marez’s Morale,

Welfare and Recreation activities. Soldiers of the HHC

also oversee force protection

and local national laborers at

FOB Marez.

Sgt. First Class Shannon

Frey, HHC first sergeant, said

these functions are crucial to

the success of the brigade and

to the morale of Soldiers.

“Without us, the brigade

would not be able to shoot,

move or communicate, which

is our basic Soldier’s mission,” he said. “The coordination alone in providing

these services is a 24-hour

a day job and it keeps the

company busy.”

Frey said that the HHC

serves as the bridge between

the war fighters and the logistics support, encompassing all

classes of supply and transportation, and providing the

means of delivery of supplies

to the other companies in the

brigade. This requires the

company to have the ability to

adapt to change.

“We have had to do some

things differently as far as

the support role in ordering

and receiving supplies and

how they are shipped and

tracked from start to finish,”

he said. “We have had to transition to a faster moving battlefield as far as the Stryker

Brigade goes. It is a more

mobile one.”

Currently, the HHC is working to improve the living conditions of Soldiers’ quarters,

as well as refurbishing dilapidated Iraqi buildings for use

by both Coalition forces and

the Iraqi Armed Forces.

However, the Soldiers

of HHC and other brigade

elements cannot reconstruct

or refurbish anything without

the right supplies at the

right time.

The job of getting the right

supplies to the right place

at the right time falls upon the

Soldiers of the Distribution

Company. Serving as the

Brigade’s supply hub, the

DC separates, organizes and

transports items such as

water, food, fuel, ammunition,

building materials and

replacement parts.

“I consider them the

Clydesdales of the brigade,”

Thompson said. “They are the

guys that are on the road

every day, pushing supplies

out to where the units are.”

Supply sergeants submit

request, that are sent through

channels to acquire the

supplies. Once the orders

are filled in the SupplySupport Activity warehouse,

the supplies are segregated

into battalion bins for daily

delivery. In an effort to meet

the demands of the Brigade’s

mission, the Soldiers of the

DC are able to expedite the

supply process with help from

local Iraqis.

“The BSB has a labor force

of local nationals we work

hand-in-hand with everyday.

This provides them with work

and also helps us complete our

mission,” Thompson said.

The DC has vehicles and

Soldiers on the road seven

days a week, as they move

supplies all over the Stryker’s

area of responsibility. They

rely solely on their vehicles to

make their mission successful.

A vehicle that doesn’t run

means some battalion out in

the field may not be able to

complete their mission.

To keep their vehicles on

the road, the Soldiers of the

DC turn to the maintenance

support center . The MSC for

the brigade is the Forward

Maintenance Company, which

provides engineer support,

armored support and service

and recovery operations.

Capt. Pate Fresh, FMC

commander, said that their

unit is called “forward”

because it is the only source

of official maintenance support in the brigade. 

The FMC has five Combat

Repair Teams throughout the

brigade area of operation.

The 20-member teams provide

day-to-day, on the ground

support to other battalions in

the field. Depending upon

each day’s missions, CRTs

work on an estimated 20 vehicles a day.

“We now work what is

called field level maintenance

because the CRTs have the 

Story and photo by 

Spc. Aaron Ritter

139th Mobile Public

Affairs Detachment

296th keeps ‘Arrowhead’

supplied and operational

Capt. Justin Buchanan (left), a general dentist with the Brigade Support Medical Company, 296th Brigade Support

Battalion, removes a tooth from a patient in the dental clinic as Pfc. Jekeva Shelton, a dental assistant, waits with a suctioning hose. 

See 296th, Page 9
same capabilities as the rest of

the company,” Pate said. 

The FMC consists of four

sections, each with a specialized mission.

The Wheeled-Vehicle Section conducts maintenance on

the nearly 1,900 pieces of

rolling brigade stock including 300 Stryker vehicles. It is

also responsible for recovering broken equipment and

returning it to the bay shops at

the forward operating bases.

The Electrical and Missile

Systems Section maintains

and repairs radio systems,

night vision devices, Tow

Missile systems and nuclear,

biological and chemical

equipment. The Armor Repair

Section works on small arms

and Howitzers, while the

Engineer Section repairs

tracked vehicles, excavation,

construction and other engineering equipment.

Since maintenance for the

Stryker combat vehicles is

still contracted out to civilian

manufacturers, many of the

BSB’s nearly 125 contractors

and DA civilians are embedded with the CRTs.

“The Strykers are a specialized piece of equipment, still

new to the Army,” Fresh said.

“These specialists work

specifically on the Stryker,

which allows a little more indepth knowledge of the vehicle while they continue to provide assistance and on-the-job

training to the Soldiers.”

Vehicles and equipment are

kept in good working condition, without Soldiers in good

working condition, the mission would not be successful.

The responsibility of the

Brigade Support Medical

Company is to serve as the

first line of care for the

Soldiers. The medical center

is able to treat basic trauma

injuries and sees 40 patients

during an average day.

“Medical support is imperative to the success of every

unit and our job is to conserve

the fighting strength,” said 1st

Lt. Cara McLean, BSMC(-)

detachment commander. “We

minimize the amount of time

each Soldier requiring care is

away from the fight.”

With the BSMC conducting

split operations between Tal

Afar and FOB Marez, McLean

said it’s a challenge to execute

the same mission with fewer

Soldiers in each location but

the Soldiers and leadership

maintain a positive attitude as

they continue to provide medical and evacuation support.

Firsts in the Stryker Brigade

range from fielding the first

Stryker vehicle to being the

first brigade to deploy a physical therapist and mental

health specialist. Both physical therapy and mental health

services are available at each

FOB on a rotating basis, based

on demand for services.

“Since we are the first

brigade to offer these services,

we like to think we have

the most forward physical

therapist and mental health

specialist in the Army,” said

Capt. Scott Trapman, 296th

BSB surgeon. 

Capt. Terry Martinez, 296th

mental health specialist, said

having these services is a real

benefit to the Soldiers working in a combat environment.

“If these services were

not offered here, Soldiers

needing help would likely

be evacuated to another facility outside of Iraq, where it

could be weeks or months

before they were returned to

duty,” he said. “We want to

treat our Soldiers as close to

the fight as possible and to

help the Soldier normalize his

or her feelings.”

As the brigade continues to

rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure,

the 296th BSB Soldiers will

make every effort to meet the

Brigade needs, accomplishing

its mission by providing combat service and health support.

“The work we do for

the brigade enables them to

focus on returning the security

and self-governance to the

Iraqi people. Our mission

helps accomplish the Army’s

overall mission in Iraq,”

Thompson said.

Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 9

Sgt. William Burgess, a heavy-roller mechanic with the Forward Maintenance Company,

296th Brigade Support Battalion, repairs the differentials on a M984 in the Forward

Operating Base Marez maintenance bay. 

Spc. John Zampich, a radar systems repairman with the

Electrical and Missile Systems Section, Forward

Maintenance Company, 296th Brigade Support Battalion,

repairs a radar set used to track enemy troops at the

Forward Operating Base Marez maintenance facilities. 

Pfc. Donavan Mudayh, a supply specialist with the

Distribution Company, 296th Brigade Support Battalion,

processes packages at the Supply-Support Activity warehouse at Forward Operating Base Marez. 

296th

Continued from Page 8
Page 10 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

AL ASAD, Iraq — In a world where

time is money and the business market

waits for no man, how do you keep your

clients happy when you have to leave

them for an unspecified amount of time? 

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,

2001, thousands of businessmen and

women have climbed down from

America’s corporate ladders to don uniforms and defend the American way of

life as mobilized reserve Marines. 

For two Atlanta-based reserve Marines,

activated to support Marine Wing

Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine

Aircraft Wing, out of Marine Corps Air

Station Miramar, Calif., the transition has

given them an opportunity to employ the

business skills they have honed as small

business owners.

Atlanta natives Staff Sgt. Jeffery S.

Stanhagen, logistics chief, MWHS-3, and

Cpl. Bryan L. Carson, embarkation specialist, MWHS-3, have given a lot of time

to the global war on terror since Operation

Iraqi Freedom began in 2003. Originally

assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 42,

Marine Forces Reserve, the Marines have

both been mobilized twice and sent away

from their homes and their businesses. 

Stanhagen was activated last January to

support Operation Iraqi Freedom. During

his eight-month mobilization at MCAS

Miramar, Stanhagen, worked in several

roles, finally landing the job as the

MWHS-3 Substance Abuse Counselor. In

August, Stanhagen reported back to

Marine Aircraft Group 42, where he

stayed on active duty, and in early

February, was again mobilized to support

MWHS-3. This time, he jumped at the

opportunity to come to Iraq.

“When I was on active duty in Atlanta,

they asked for 25 volunteers to come to

Iraq,” said Stanhagen. “Since I didn’t get

a chance to go forward last year, I felt

obligated to this time, so I volunteered to

come to Iraq for OIF II.”

Stanhagen left his business, Waterford

Development Inc., in the hands of his

family to volunteer for duty in Iraq. As

most reserve Marines well know, there are

inherent obstacles that must be overcome

before and during a deployment. 

“The challenge is making sure everything at home, at the business, stays the

same while you are deployed,” said

Stanhagen. “When you go back, you

know things will have changed. You have

to go through the routine of meeting the

new people and getting back in the swing

of things.” 

Stanhagen believes the skills he uses as

“the boss” at home have helped him complete his mission in Iraq.

“A lot of the managerial tools and

knowledge I have from my business

translate into my Marine Corps job,” said

Stanhagen. “Everything from coordinating working parties to dealing with third

country nationals goes back to the basic

leadership skills I learned from the

Marine Corps and I’ve gotten to practice

in my business.”

Carson was also activated in early

February last year, and he spent four

months at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base in

Kuwait. Deactivating at the end of July

last year, Carson would only spend six

months off active duty. He was reactivated on Jan. 5 and landed back in Southwest

Asia on Feb. 28.

Bryan’s Window Cleaning, the very

definition of a small business, lost its best

and only employee when Carson

deployed to support the war on terror, but

Carson sees value in the lessons he’s

learned working for himself.

“Back in the rear, I’ve got to get my

job done; otherwise, the day isn’t over.

The same goes here. Mission accomplishment is the number one priority,” said

Carson. “Here in Iraq, there are other people to help accomplish the mission, but

you still know, if the job isn’t done, your

day isn’t over.”

While attached to the MWHS-3

logistics shop, the reserve Marines

have done everything from building

gyms and managing Iraqi workers to

fortifying living spaces and sandbagging

work spaces.

“Since I’ve been at Al Asad, it’s been

really busy,” said Carson. “The biggest

challenge for us is understanding the

Iraqis we have working here on base. It’s

hard to get a read on them, but I think they

are really glad we are here.” 

In Iraq, Stanhagen and Carson have

worked on levels in which neither of

them was familiar, but both feel the

time they spend here will pay dividends

back at their businesses. Understanding

people is universal, so getting familiar

with a different culture will help the

entrepreneurs with their future clients,

according to Carson.

For the only two reserve Marines working in a shop with five other enlisted

Marines and one officer, Stanhagen and

Carson have earned the respect of their

peers and leaders alike.

“These two Marines are more mature

than a lot of Marines in their respective

pay-grades,” said 1st Lt. John Siracusa,

logistics officer, MWHS-3. “We could not

complete our mission here without them,

and I think their civilian experience gives

them some perspective to how small

things fit into a bigger picture. They are

really putting to rest any negative myths

about reserve Marines.”

Climbing down from their places in

the American workforce, Stanhagen and

Carson have figured out the secret to

success in business - honesty, dedication

and daring. Those principles, identical

to the “Honor, Courage, Commitment”

credo of the Marine Corps, are the

cornerstone of their success as Marines

and entrepreneurs. 

Reserve Marines

bring civilian

skills to fight

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Rob Henderson

3d Marine Aircraft Wing

Atlanta native, Staff Sgt. Jeffery S. Stanhagen, logistics chief, Marine

Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares to

begin working on a gym floor at Al Asad, Iraq, April 3. 

Beat

the

Heat

Drink

Plenty of

Water

CPA/CJTF-7

Military Pay Office

Hours of Operation

Military pay inquires

Saturday - Thursday

9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Cashier

Everyday but Friday

9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Located in the basement at the rear of the CPA palace. Also located at

the Joint Contracting Finance and Resource Management Office near

the 31st Combat Support Hospital
MOSUL, Iraq — Families of

Iraqi police officers killed or

wounded in the line of duty gathered at Mosul City Police

Headquarters April 7 as part of

the first “Cops Helping Cops”

donation program for the families of the fallen Iraqi officers.

Nearly 20 boxes were mailed

to the Multinational BrigadeNorth Headquarters Provost

Marshal’s Office from police

departments and officers’ families in Fresno, Calif., and Blain,

Wash., the Royal Canadian

Mounted Police in British

Columbia, Canada and a military

police family in Giessen,

Germany. Each box contained

items such as toiletries, stationery, towels, kitchen utensils,

toys and clothing. 

Sgt. 1st Class Dana Lockhart,

Provost Marshal Operations

Noncommissioned Officer-InCharge for Task Force Olympia,

recently took charge of the program when Sgt. 1st Class Tom

Ciota, the military police officer

who initiated the program, redeployed to Fort Lewis, Wash.

from Camp Scania, Iraq.

Lockhart said while the gifts

are small in comparison to the

families’ losses, she hopes these

boxes will make some sort of

a difference.

“I hope this project will let

those families know that the

American people do care and are

behind them,” she said. “We

also want to show them that we

support them in the cause to

rebuild Iraq.”

Chief Mohamad Barhawee,

Mosul Chief of Police, attended

the event and expressed his gratitude for the gifts. He also

extended condolence to the families of the Iraqi police officers.

Amwer Hamed Daood, who

attended the ceremony with her

two sons, thanked the contributing families and Coalition

forces. Daood’s husband,

Ghadida Abdul Khalick volunteered for the Iraqi Police

Service after the fall of Saddam

Hussein. He served as a police

officer for six months before he

was killed on his way to work.

“He was a big part of this family and represented everything

about our family,” Daood said.

“This was a good gesture showing the good will Americans

have and it made us feel that they

will take care of us and our

children here.”

To date, 18 police officers

have been killed in the

Ninevah province but Daood

said she continues to hope for

peace and security.

“There is comfort to know the

Americans are here to take care

of us as well as the Iraqi police,”

she said. “But we are concerned

about the rest of our loved ones,

because we do not want to lose

more than we already have.”

Lockhart said she hopes to

continue projects such as these

so Iraqis may know that

Americans do care.

“From one police officer to

another, I want to let them know

that we are in the same fight with

them,” Lockhart said.

“Hopefully I will be able to do

more projects and eventually

find someone who will have the

inspiration to take charge when

it’s my turn to leave.”

Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 11

U.S., Canadian police comfort Iraqi families

Story and photo by 

Spc. Aaron Ritter

139th Mobile Public

Affairs Detachment

Sergeant 1st Class Dana Lockhart, Provost Marshal Operations Noncommissioned

Officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Corps, hands a care package to a child of a fallen Iraqi police officer.

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq — One

joined during the height of the Cold War.

The other joined long after the Berlin

Wall crumbled. One wears dress blues,

the other, greens. One has more than 25

years of service, while the other – just

barely eight months.

But the two are so intimately connected

that all their differences are outweighed

by their similarities.

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Lawrence

Bakula works as the superintendent of the

Talil command post. His son, James, is an

Army private first class deployed with the

66th Transportation Company.

And while his son’s transport was passing through An Nasiriyah on a supply

convoy, the private’s commander gave

him permission to stay here for two days

to meet with his dad.

“It is so great to see my son again!”

Sergeant Bakula said. “I know he has had

a lot of experiences and has a dangerous

job driving in convoys throughout Iraq.

I am proud of his accomplishments

and hope that his remaining time in Iraq

will be safe.”

It was especially poignant for the

father-son team to be together because

Private Bakula’s mother’s birthday was

March 27.

“We got to talk to my mom and my

grandma,” the private said. “It was good

to talk to them.”

The last time the family was together

was at Christmas, just before the young

private deployed to Iraq.

“When we talked to her, my wife told

me to take lots of pictures, and to make

sure James was taking care of himself

mentally and physically,” Sergeant

Bakula said. “She’s definitely worried

about him, and it’s not easy for her with

both of us gone.”

Unlike Sergeant Bakula, whose deployment is for about 90 days, his son will

stay in the region for 12 to 18 months. 

When asked what the most challenging

part of his job is, Private Bakula said,

“I’m just trying to get through this part

first. I will get my (rest-and-recuperation

leave) in September; so, I’m looking forward to that. I’ll get to see my girlfriend,

Lauren, and see my family.”

The private’s unit motto is “Raise Up!”

and he said, “My unit definitely raised up

to get me here to see my dad. I’m really

thankful to them.”

The 19-year-old Soldier has seen a lot

in the short time since he joined the Army,

his father said. 

“James has been through a lot of

danger and has seen things that I

have never been exposed to in my 25

years of military service,” Sergeant

Bakula said. “He’s probably done more

for his country in the past four months

than I have in my whole career. I’m really proud of him.” 

Story and photo U.S. Air Force 

Capt. Susan A. Romano

407th Air Expeditionary Group

Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Lawrence Bakula command post superintendent and his son, Army Pfc. James Bakula, 66th Transportation

Company, reunite at Tallil Air Base.

Two Generations,

One Common Cause
Page 12 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Wounded warriors from the 2nd

Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, and the healers

who cared for them were honored at a ceremony April 5.

In addition to honoring individual soldiers for the heroism, the “Gunners” battalion was recognized for its service during Operation Iraqi Freedom with a Presidential

Unit Citation.

With the battalion assembled in front of its headquarters building, a former palace of Uday Hussein, Col.

Peter R. Mansoor, 1st Brigade Combat Team commander, 1st Armored Division presented 16 Purple Heart

Medals, nine Combat Medical Badges and aided Lt. Col.

William S. Rabena, the battalion’s commander, with

attaching the Presidential Unit Citation to the battalion

colors.

Established during the Revolutionary War by General

George Washington, the Purple Heart Medal recognizes

Soldiers who sustained injuries during combat operations. Soldiers of 2/3 FA received wounds from a variety

of sources ranging from Improvised Explosive Devices,

mortar attacks, and gunfire while patrolling the

Aademehiya district of Baghdad. 

Three of the Purple Heart Medals presented were

awarded posthumously.

For every soldier wounded, there’s a medic who patches them up and gets the soldier back on the front lines. 

The CMB was established at the end of Word War II to

recognize the field medics who served alongside and care

for their infantrymen comrades on the battlefield. 

The events of the day provided a rare opportunity for

the members of 2/3 FA to recognize current and past

heroes. In addition to honoring present-day Soldiers for

their bravery, the battalion was recognized for its service

during World War II. 

The battalion added the “Luxembourg” battle streamer

to its colors for its accurate fire and Soldiers’ heroism

during the battle of Bastogne.

The Gunners helped halt the German’s advance into

the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge in December

1944. The battalion’s precise fires prevented the

German’s advance into Luxembourg and allowed greatly

outnumbered infantrymen to hold their ground against

the onslaught. 

“Supported by outstandingly responsive and accurate

fire of it’s artillery battalion, this widely dispersed

force stopped every attack for six days until its

surrounded infantry were ordered to fight their way

back to them,” Lt. Col. William S. Rabina said

quoting the orders awarding the battalion 2/3 FA

a Presidential Unit Citation. “Firing over 3,000 rounds

per day for six days, the actions of the 3rd Field Artillery

Battalion are of special note.” 

With the order of “Present Arms,” the battalion colors

were lowered and Col. Peter R. Mansoor and Rabina

attached the Luxembourg streamer to the battalion colors.

“To the awardees today and to those from our history,

your nation is grateful, and I am honored to serve on this

battlefield with you,” Mansoor said. “Thank you, continue mission. Ready First.” 

‘Gunners’ recognize heroes 

Story by Cpl. Benjamin Cossel

122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Lt. Col. William S. Rabina, 2nd Battalion, 3rd

Field Artillery commander, attached the

“Luxembourg” Battle streamer to the unit’s colors during ceremonies held April 5. The unit

also presented the Purple Heart Medal and the

Combat Medics Badges to soldiers of the 3rd

Field Artillery.

Kirkuk Airbase

Chapel Schedule

FRIDAY

5 a.m., 7 p.m. — Islamic Prayer

9 a.m. — Catholic Mass (Sky

Soldier chapel)

SATURDAY

7 p.m. — Catholic Mass

SUNDAY

8 a.m. — Gospel Service

9 a.m. — Catholic Mass (Sky

Soldier chapel)

10 a.m. — General Protestant

11:30 a.m. — Catholic Mass

1 p.m. — Latter-Day Saints

2 p.m. — Catholic Mass (Sky

Soldier chapel)

7 p.m. — Protestant Service

TUESDAY

6:30 p.m. — Growing as a Chrsitian:

Studying the Book of James

WEDNESDAY

8 a.m. — The Bible in Light of

Current History and Local Events

5:30 p.m. — Building Your Faith:

Studying the Book of Hebrews

*All services are held at the Ten Days

From Tomorrow Chapel unless otherwise noted. Times subject to change.

Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and others

should contact chapel administration for

updates of their religious requirements

and support.

Making Iraq a

safer place

Marines of Weapons Platoon, Company E, 2nd

Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine

Division, dig in while they wait to go in and patrol

the city of Fallujah, Iraq, April. The Marines cut off

traffic to the city in an operation to isolate and root

out terrorist forces responsible for attacks on

Coalition Forces. 

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Madden III
Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 13

MOSUL, Iraq - Just below the clouds

and above the power lines in northern Iraq

fly helicopters that give criminals and terrorists no place to hide. On raids, reconnaissance and security missions, the pilots

of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and UH60 Blackhawk helicopters are sweeping

through the cities and over the hills, finding more and more bad guys every day. 

“Anytime we fly, we have the ability

to see everything on the ground.

What we’re mainly looking for is

non-compliant forces or indirect firing

positions,” said Maj. Andy Kaufman,

operations officer for 3rd Squadron,

17th Cavalry and pilot of a Kiowa

Warrior helicopter. “With infra-red

technology, we can see people’s body

heat and identify if they’re doing anything

suspicious. When we see these things,

we will either engage the enemy or call

in a grid coordinate to the infantry.”

Just the ominous sound of the helicopters is sometimes enough to scare enemies

out of their hiding positions Kaufman

said, recalling one incident near an

ammunition supply point.

“We were just flying back to fuel

up, and this guy turned the headlights

off his motorcycle. He threw it in the

ditch and took off running,” he said.

“We called the activity in and he

was picked up. Turns out, he was trying

to steal mortars.”

Since November, the 3rd Squadron,

17th Cavalry, 10th Aviation Brigade,

10th Mountain Division from Fort

Drum, N.Y., has been attached to

3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division

(Stryker Brigade Combat Team), currently under the operational control of

Task Force Olympia. The Cavalry has

provided air support to 90 percent of

the planned raids conducted within TFO’s

area of operations.

When the non-compliant forces take

off because of the presence of an

aircraft, there’s usually an infantry

patrol nearby to capture them. According

to the infantry Soldiers, it’s nice having

eyes in the sky. 

“The helicopters are a huge asset for us,

because they clear our routes and can confirm or deny enemy activity before we get

there,” said Capt. Eric Olson, commander

of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 3rd

Infantry Regiment, who utilizes aviation

support on every raid and counter-mortar

mission. “The Cavalry’s aviators have

done a superb job supporting us.”

To date, the 30 plus helicopters of

the 3/17th have flown 7,500 hours over

an area the size of the state of Kansas,

providing security, transportation and

reconnaissance support. In just three

months, the unit has already surpassed its

normal flight hours logged in one year by

6,000 hours.

With extensive flight hours, the pilots

gain unprecedented experience.

“We have flown every inch of this

area, and all the pilots have memorized

the locations of every building, road

and power line,” said Capt. David

Albright, Kiowa Warrior pilot for

B Troop, 3/17th. “Our knowledge of

the area helps us relay enemy positions to

higher and the infantry, and it also helps

us during the planning phase of the mission. Most of the time, we can choose the

best route to the objective without even

looking at a map.”

Designed as attack helicopters, the

Kiowa Warriors work in teams to provide

optimal flanking maneuverability. They

are armed with rockets and .50 caliber

machine guns, and are capable of traveling 3 to 4 kilometers a minute. 

The Blackhawks have a different mission than the Kiowa Warriors. While the

Kiowa seeks and destroys, the Blackhawk

transports personnel.

“But if the Blackhawk pilots see anything suspicious on these or other missions, they are trained and ready to

engage the enemy with their manual automatic machine guns or call in a grid coordinate of the enemy location,” said Lt.

Col. Reggie Mason, commander of the

3/17th. “All of our pilots and gunners

have done an exceptional job on every

mission, especially those that encountered

enemy activity.”

According to Mason and the other leaders in the Cavalry, their operations have

gone smoothly partly because of their

prior experience with the Stryker Brigade.

“Before entering Iraq, we trained with

the Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis and

Kuwait to get our units as well integrated

as possible,” said 3/17th Command Sgt.

Maj. John Troxell.

Since entering the combat zone in

northern Iraq, the two units have placed

infantry leaders in the helicopter during

raid missions and put pilots in Strykers so

they could understand their counterpart’s

challenges during the mission.

“We are the first aviation unit to work

with the Stryker Brigade in a combat

zone, which is truly an honor for us,” said

Mason, whose Soldiers were recently

awarded the 2nd Infantry Division combat patch. “Therefore, it’s very important

we establish tactics, techniques and procedures that other squadrons can emulate

in the future.”

Together, the Stryker Brigade and 3rd

Squadron, 17th Cavalry are making it difficult for terrorists and criminals to be

successful.

“We are ready for every mission, and

we are all proud to be wearing the 2nd

Infantry Division patch on the right shoulder,” Kaufman said. “We take a lot of

pride, knowing that every day we are

helping find bad people and making Iraq a

better place.”

Story and photos by 

Sgt. Fred Minnick

Helicopters give enemy no place to hide

A UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter flies over the Tigris River, transporting

Soldiers to a Forward Operating Base near Mosul. When transporting

Soldiers, the gunners and pilots are also looking for enemy activity. 

Worship services are at the 332nd Air

Expeditionary

Wing Chapel, unless otherwise noted.

Catholic Daily Mass: Tuesday through

Friday, 6 p.m.

Vigil Mass: Saturday, 6 p.m.

Confessions: 5-5:30 p.m. in the Blessed

Sacrament Room

Sunday Mass: 8 a.m.

POC: Chaplain Martin King at 459-0038

Protestant Traditional: Sunday, 9:30 a.m

Liturgical Communion: Sunday, 10:30

Gospel Service: Sunday, 11:45 p.m.

Contemporary Choir practice: Sunday, 6 p.m.

Contemporary Worship: Sunday, 7 p.m.

POC: Chaplain Michael Warner at 459-

0038

Latter-Day Saints Lay-Led Service:

Friday, 8 p.m.

POC: Chapel staff, 459-0038

Jewish Lay-Led Service: Friday, 8 p.m.

POC: Chapel staff, 459-0038

Muslim (LSA Adder Chapel) Prayer:

12:30 p.m. and sunset daily

Bible Studies

Women’s: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. (chapel)

Men’s: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. (chapel annex)

Catholic (RCIA) Thurs, 6:30 p.m. (chapel

annex)

Catholic Sunday, 6:30 p.m. (chapel

annex) Men and Women

Thursday 7:30 p.m. (chapel annex)

LDS Study Thursday, 7:30 p.m. (chapel

annex)

Tallil Air Base Religious Worship Services
AL TAQADDUM AIR BASE, Iraq -

The weary Marine slowly lowered himself into his chair off to the side of the

flightline in the hot, Iraqi sun.

Cpl. Robert T. Smith, aviation

ordnance technician, Marine Light

Attack Helicopter Squadron 167,

Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine

Aircraft Wing, from Marine Corps

Air Station New River, N.C., has been

up and about re-arming, checking and

re-checking weapons systems on

UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Cobras

every time his squadron’s pilots get

tagged with a mission.

The 21-year-old’s eyes started to close

when he noticed four pilots running up

the flightline, trying in vain to maintain

speed and throw on vests and helmets at

the same time.

Smith and his Marines jumped up

and caught up to the pilots. They got

tagged again.

This is the scene at any particular

moment, night or day, at the flightline

where HMLA-167 has made its temporary home. The maintenance Marines

have been working almost non-stop for

the past three days. The huge workload

came after the squadron sent the Marines

and a group of helicopters, to the area

known as the Sunni Triangle, in support

of Operation Vigilant Resolve.

The different maintenance sections

have come to rely on each other

heavily since the operation began in

the first week of April, said Lance Cpl.

Thomas A. Faga, flightline mechanic,

HMLA-167.

“Teamwork is a very important aspect

of life out here,” the Corning, N.Y.,

native claimed. “Without all the shops,

the (helicopters) couldn’t fly. There’s no

way you could make that work.”

There are four main sections that work

on the light attack helicopters of the

squadron. This includes airframes and

hydraulics, flightline maintenance,

avionics, and aviation ordnance.

The airframes and hydraulics section

handles all the metal work and hydraulics

on the helicopters, according to Cpl. L.

Russell Williams, airframes and

hydraulics mechanic, HMLA-167. His

section is responsible for the looks and

response of the helicopters.

“We work on the hydraulics that control the flight controls of the helicopter,”

he described. “We also rivet together the

metal frame and bend it into shape.”

As for the flightline portion of maintenance, flightline maintenance does most

of the technical, “hard work” on the

planes, detailed Faga.

“We do the hard maintenance type stuff

as far as changing engines and transmissions,” the 20-year-old explained. “It’s

very tedious and time consuming, especially when you have to pull engines. You

have to do everything by the book.”

The weather is creating small problems

with the planes out here, said Faga.

“The weather is becoming a problem,”

he revealed. “It’s hot here and it heats the

systems, causing them to burn-up oil.

Also, the sand will get in and wear down

parts.”

The flightline mechanics and aircrews

perform numerous inspections to make

sure the helicopters are in good working

order before anything begins to break

down or needs replacing, noted Faga.

Avionic technicians then begin working on the electrical, communications and

navigation systems in the planes, said

Lance Cpl. Jared R. Campbell, avionics

technician, HMLA-167.

“We repair and troubleshoot problems

associated with the wiring harness,” he

clarified. “There is encrypted communication equipment on the planes, and we’ll

switch out any components that aren’t

working properly.”

The desert sand is also causing

problems for the avionics Marines, but it

is nothing they cannot work out, according to Campbell.

“The sand is getting in places and

burning stuff up,” he explained.

“The blowers in the systems will get

stopped up and the systems can’t cool

down. It’s one of those things we’re

going to have to work through.”

After everything is operating correctly,

the aviation ordnance technicians start

working on their piece of the light attack

puzzle, Smith declared.

“We work on the armament systems,”

the Knoxville, Tenn., native simply

stated. “If it fires, then that’s what

we work on.”

“We reload everything, such as

expended rockets and bullets,” he continued. “If they pull the trigger and rounds

don’t go down range, we find out why.”

Behind the scenes is an all too often

under-appreciated part of the maintenance shop that helps all other sections

accomplish their missions, claimed Cpl.

Keith F. Diehl, expeditor, HMLA-167.

“We make an impact because if

they don’t have the parts to fly, the

planes can’t fly the missions,” he

explained. “If a plane breaks, the shop

orders a part and I make sure the information is accurate. I then order, track and

get the part to the shop.”

The importance of each shop never

outweighs the importance of another,

because it’s all about working

together because they need each other,

claimed Faga.

“Everyone knows the components on

the aircraft,” he stated. “We’ll need an

avionics guy to take a part off so we can

take out a transmission. Everyone knows

what’s going on and what they need to

do, so we kind of help each other out.”

This teamwork has become more

important to the Marines in recent

days, he added.

In the past few days, the Marines have

been repairing bullet holes, damaged

engine components and wiring, and even

a rotor-head and blades damaged by a

rocket-propelled grenade attack while on

a mission in Fallujah.

As the operational tempo increases in

the Sunni Triangle, the maintenance

Marines of HMLA-167 buckle down for

long hours. There are no complaints

forthcoming because of the necessity of

their jobs, Campbell mentioned.

“We have to work together to get

our planes up because the ground

guys are depending on support from the

helicopters,” he concluded. “The way I

look at it, we’re protecting Marines and

doing our part.”

Page 14 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Nathan K. LaForte

Marine Aircraft Group 16

Aviation maintenance fixes helicopters

during Operation Vigilant Resolve

An aviation ordnance technician checks the missiles of an AH-1W Cobra one last time before it lifts off on a mission. Another ordnance Marine keeps an eye on the pilots to ensure they are keeping their hands off the controls and in the air as a safety measure. All the Marines are from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167,

Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

Servicemembers are encouraged to submit 

articles to the Coalition Scimitar. E-mail submissions to cpiccmdinfo@baghdadforum.com
Apr. 16, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 15

Round two begins for

R&R Soldiers in Iraq

Worship and Prayer Schedule

for 

CPA - Chapel

Daily Islamic Prayer

Tuesday

1630 — Catholic Mass

(Convention Center)

1930 — Ladies Bible Study

Wednesday

0630 — Morning Bible Study

(Chaplain’s office)

1900 — Bible Study

(Ministries Conference Room)

Thursday

1630 — Catholic Mass

Friday

1800 — Jewish (Shabbat) Services

2000 — Contemporary Christian

Gathering

Saturday

1230 — Buddhist Meditation

1630 — Catholic Mass

(Convention Center

Sunday

0730 — Episcopal / Lutheran/Anglican

0930 — Choir Rehearsal

1030 — General Christian

1400 — Latter - Day Saints

1630 — Roman Catholic Mass

1800 — Contemporary Protestant

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The first

group of soldier’s can now take

advantage of the Secretary of

Defense’s rest and recuperation

leave program for Operation Iraqi

Freedom II, of 15 days leave. 

All service members are authorized for R&R leave provided their

orders state 365 days of service. As

in the prior program, the leave is

capped at 15 days. 

“Some of the plans for soldiers

have stayed the same,” said Sgt 1st

Class Vetta Stanley, who works as an

administration noncommissioned

officer in charge at Combined Joint

Task Force - 7 Headquarters and

Headquarters Command at Camp

Victory. The main difference is when

a unit is able to send soldiers home. 

After 90 days in theater, servicemembers may become eligible

for leave.

“The clock doesn’t start ticking

until the soldier reaches the United

States or their destination country,”

said Stanley. It could take upwards

of 10 days to get them out of theater. 

“About 90,000 Army troops

are now eligible for the R & R,”

said Niebeding. 

“That also depends on each unit, if

each soldier goes alphabetically or

not, its unit strength and eligibility.

So basically its first in and first out is

the rule,” said Stanley. 

Some commanders have to consider the unit’s manning rosters. So

each commander might have one or

more soldiers taking leave at a time. 

“That’s depends on the unit,” said

Stanley. 

“On May 1, 2004 soldiers will be

leaving for their gateways out of Iraq

from either Balad or Mosul, or perhaps in special events even regionally,” said Lt Col. Rick Neiberding,

CJTF-7 Chief of Programs. 

As part of the plan, which includes

round-trip travel to and from RheinMain Air Base, Germany, or

Baltimore, they will get a round trip

ticket to and from their home airport,” said Stanley. 

In the past, few soldiers said they

were eager to return to Iraq, but most

said they felt the R&R was well

worth the trip and gave them the

time to go home to be with their family. For others, it offers them the

chance to explore Europe and prepares them to take on their final

months in Iraq. 

Soldiers that elect to travel to

Germany can experience some of

what the Armed Forces Recreation

Center’s Bavarian hospitality has to

offer. AFRC provides Bavarian

alpine “gemuetlichkeit. In winter

AFRC offers skiing and in summer

various sports such golf, and short

one day tours into neighboring countries such as Austria and Italy. 

In November of last year, 479 U.S.

troops a day were leaving Iraq and

surrounding countries on R&R

leave. 

Troops usually become eligible for

such leave halfway through their

deployment. It is something that they

all look forward to and it gives them

a chance to get away and relax.

Story by 

Sgt. 1st Class Bill Sutherland

Coalition Press 

Information Center

FORWARD OPERATING BASE

WARHORSE, BAQUBAH, Iraq -

From the times when Civil War commanders sent intelligence collectors hundreds of feet up and over enemy troops in

hot air balloons until today, tactical commanders have relied on eyes other than

their own to track enemy movement.

Today, this process is provided by

Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to

gather intelligence from a more advantageous position.

“This is a great combat multiplier for

operations,” said Col. David R. Hogg,

commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat

Team at Forward Operating Base

Warhorse. “There are no silver bullets in

combat, but the UAV paints the picture of

what is happening on the ground.”

The Shadow 200 Tactical Unmanned

Aerial Vehicle system operated by the

Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division provides brigade-level commanders with

real-time intelligence of what is happening on the ground - day or night, while

being virtually undetectable.

The secret is its ability to fly at

extremely high altitudes while using

advanced imaging systems capable of

seeing from great distances.

“The Shadow normally flies just over a

mile high and can go over two miles

high,” said Staff Sgt. Marvin O. Ward, a

section supervisor for B Company, 104th

Military Intelligence Battalion.

Although the TUAV may seem like a

mere remote controlled model airplane,

the Shadow is like no toy. Powering the

craft is a Moto Guzzi rotary motorcycle

engine burning 87 octane fuel, said Ward,

who calls Chicago, Ill. home.

Launched from a hydraulic catapult

that muscles the small aircraft into flight,

the aerial vehicle is already traveling 70

knots when it leaves the ground. The aerial vehicle operator then powers the

Shadow to the correct altitude and location from a ground control station. Once

over the target, control is then passed

from the ground control station on the

runway to an operator in the tactical

operations center.

The backbone of the aerial vehicle is a

camera capable of producing color video

in daylight and black and white thermal

images at night. This imagery is transmitted back to the commander so he can see

what is happening on the ground.

“You get a really good picture,” said

Ward. “You can see people moving

around from a long way away.”

Through a series of antennae passing

information and video between the

aircraft and the operators, the TUAV

crew is able to support conventional

combat and raids, perform counter mortar

operations and assist with search and rescue operations. 

“Having this capability at the brigade

level has been the right answer,” said

Hogg, a native of Omaha, Neb. “When

you own it - you control it and you get the

flights you need.”

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Troy Chatwin

367th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Eye in the sky

watches over

Ironhorse

A Shadow TUAV launches from its catapult just prior to an intelligencegathering mission for 2nd Brigade Combat Team in Baqubah, Iraq. At the

end of the catapult, the aircraft, its Moto Guzzi engine and camera package have accelerated to over 70 knots.
Page 16 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 16, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq — One

of the things that make being

an American so great is our

willingness to help out those

in need. Whether it is feeding

the hungry, sheltering the homeless or even giving money to

the poor, Americans are always

there to lend a hand in some

form or fashion. 

For the Civil Affairs section

of the 16th MP Brigade

Headquarters and Headquarters

Company, helping out children

at an Iraqi elementary school

is just part of being an

American Soldier.

“Our mission, as far as civil

affairs is concerned, is to work to

rebuild and support the civilian

infrastructure,” said Sgt. 1st

Class John Reuben Raybon Jr., a

Civil Affairs Noncommissioned

Officer with the 16th MP

Brigade. “Today, we were given

the opportunity to go out to an

elementary school and help the

children out.”

All the things that we as

Americans take for granted back

home, are the things that Raybon

said the civil affairs is focusing

on to rebuild here in Iraq. Some

of the things that Raybon and the

civil affairs section focus on

include police stations, water,

sewage and schools.

“Education is always around

the top of the list of things to

rebuild first, because without

working schools, the country will

not be able to grow and learn

down the road,” stressed Raybon. 

Raybon said that he, along with

other soldiers from the 16th MP

Brigade, were able to pass out

over 250 book bags containing

pencil, paper, rulers, erasers, pencil sharpeners and even threw in a

little candy for good measure to

children at the

Al Taw’n Elementary School

that is located just south

of Baghdad.

“Doing something like this

makes you feel good for the

moment,” smiled Raybon, “but

it is overwhelming knowing

that there are other schools

out there just like this one that

need our help, too.”

Ms. Sundus, principle for the

Al Taw’n elementary school, said

she is grateful for the supplies

and help that the 16th MP

Brigade gave her students.

“I am so thankful for all that

has been given to us,” said

Sundus. “My school and my students don’t have much, but the

Americans have given us some of

the things we need. If we can

improve the school, it will help

the kids in the end, the most.”

Raybon went on to add that he

and the soldiers also provided

one soccer ball per classroom,

and also distributed some chalk

and rulers for the teachers.

“America is getting things

moving and it’s great to be able to

put some of the supplies in the

children’s hands,” Raybon said.

Lt. Col. Larry McCarty,

Chaplain for the brigade headquarters, said that hopefully the

brigade has made an impact on

the children and the staff of the Al

Taw’n Elementary School.

“We have given the children a

gift that will bless them for a long

time,” stated McCarty. “We’re

here to help in any way possible

and we will never forget that the

children are the future of this

country; it was a joy to be here.”

Raybon said that doing something like this is a mission that

everyone can participate in. 

“Folks back home can send

school supplies, toys, and overthe-counter medications to us and

really have a direct impact on the

citizens of Iraq and their children,” said Raybon.

When asked about how the

civil affairs section goes about

finding schools that need supplies

like the ones handed out at the Al

Taw’n, Raybon said that the military police are usually the ones

who give him the information.

“The MP’s usually patrol and

will assess the community’s current situation and then will get the

information to us on what is

needed,” said Raybon. “A lot of

times finding schools or other

places of importance that need

our help is kind of the just luck.”

Raybon said he was very

happy with how the mission

went, and it was great to be

able to put a smile on the

children’s faces.

“It went well. To see the children smiling, I just loved it,” said

a smiling Raybon. “Also, we had

two female Soldier’s working

hand in hand with the males; that

says something about equality to

everyone at the school.”

Whether it is a feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless or

even giving money to the poor,

Americans are always there to

lend a hand in some form or fashion, and for the civil affairs section of the 16th MP Brigade,

helping out children at an Iraqi

elementary school is just part of

being an American Soldier.

Story and photo by Pfc.

Jonathan J. Springer

Civil Affairs

rebuilds,

supports

infrastructure

Students from the Al Taw'n Elementary School happily show off their new bookbags on

March 19; Soldiers from The 16th MP BDE civil affairs section visited the school and distributed bookbags containing various school supplies and even threw in some candy. 

Join us for one of three Special Fulbright

Information Briefings for American military and other

U.S. citizens in Iraq. Briefings will be conducted in

the Baghdad area on three dates: April 20, April 27

and May 4.

To sign up for a briefing contact Leslie Anderson at

andersonln@orha.centcom.mil. Please specify the

preferred briefing date.

Outside Baghdad? If you are unable to attend a

briefing, but are interested in applying for a Fulbright

scholarship, you may access information and applications at www.iie.org/fulbright/us.

Application deadline - U.S. military and civilians

stationed in Iraq may submit their applications either

electronically or via snail mail. The deadline in the

U.S. is October 21.