BAGHDAD, Iraq — One hundred and

thirty-seven students, aged four to sixteen, at the Institute for Deaf in Karadah

District, Baghdad were visited by the

478th Civil Affairs Battalion of Miami.

The soldiers came bearing gifts of clothing and toys for the thankful children.

Team Leader Maj. Danny Hassig of

Blountstown, Fla. said, “I mentioned to

my sister, Stephanie Moravek, on the

phone when I was first assigned to the

Karadah District that the children here

could use everything they could get in the

way of clothing and toys. Everyone in

Blountstown responded and they sent a

lot of love to these children.

Twenty-five individuals and organizations donated clothing to include shoes

and huggable items. The donations could

have started a medium size clothing store

back home according to Hassig.

The elementary, middle and high

schools of Blountstown donated generously to the drive and the Leadership

Class at the middle school conducted a

drive that funded the postage for the items

to arrive in Iraq.

On hand to deliver the first box of

clothing was the 478th Civil Affairs Bn.

Commander Lt. Col. Wilfredo Rosario

who noted, “These are special kids and

the citizens of Blountstown are very special people too. Our unit is happy to link

the two together.”

Spc. Halbert Thomas helped open

boxes full of shoes. He said, “the children

taught me the hand sign for ‘I love you.’

But I saw the thanks in their eyes”.

Sgt. Alicia Castellion of Miami, commented, “my visit to the institute has been

the best day I have had since coming to

Iraq in February. The visit touched me

deeply and I hope I get a chance to come

back and visit again.”

The 478th Executive Officer Maj. John

Uharriet said, “Many of our soldiers have

children at home that we really miss. Our

visit gave us a chance to interact with kids

and hopefully we will be able to establish

a long term relationship with them.”

Vol. 2, No. 17 Baghdad, Iraq Apr. 23, 2004

Inside this week ...

478th receives patches

Battalion earned four combat patches

during Operation Iraqi Freedom

Page 2

U.S. Army advisers check out S.W.A.T team

Infantry Soldiers assess Iraqi Police

Special Mission Teams. 

Page 6

Marine maintenance crews at work 

Camp Pendleton’s crew keeps Light

Armored Vehicles functioning.

Page 10

Pumpers keep choppers fueled

Soldiers at Forward Area Refueling

Points work is harder than it looks.

Page 15

SCIMITAR

COALITION

Gen. Richard Myers visits Camp Babylon

Gen. Richard Myers United States

Air Force – Chairman, Joint Chiefs

of Staff visited the Multinational

Division Center-South located at

Camp Babilon, Al-Hillah.

Maj. Gen. Mieczyslaw Bieniek, commanding general of the MND (CS),

briefed Gen. Myers on the structure

and mission of MND (CS); the current situation in the area of responsibility and discussed the future

plans for the Iraqi Civil Defense

Corps: its equipment, training

Photo courtesy of Public Information Office Multinational Division Center-South issues, tasks and organization.

Florida community cheers up children of Iraq

Story by Sgt. 1st Class 

Clarence Kugler

478th Civil Affairs Battalion 

Public Affairs Office

From left to right: Maj.Danny Hassig, Spc. Alicia Castello, Sgt. Joseph Alonso, look on as their commander, Lt.

Col. Wilfredo Rosario finds a reminder of the 478th ‘s hometown.
Page 2 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

478th receives

combat patches

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Several thousand miles of family separation failed to

darken the sapphire blue skies over

Baghdad’s Green Zone on Easter

Sunday morning 2004. At a 9:00am

ceremony, the 478th Civil Affairs

Battalion received their wartime service

unit patches. 

Every 478th Civil Affairs BN. soldier

was awarded four patches, each representing a unit that the 478th supports.

The units are the 1st Armored Division,

the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd

Armored Cavalry Regiment, or United

States Army Civil Affairs Psychological

Operations Command.

Lt. Col. Wilfredo Rosario who ahles

from Virginia Beach, Va., honored his

troops in saying, “As your commander,

I want to take this opportunity to tell all

of you how pleased I am by the intensity and motivation displayed by the soldiers, non commissioned officers, and

commissioned officers in this unit. I

have personally visited with each of the

brigade commanders that our companies

support out in the field. During these

visits, I have repeatedly heard the same

refrain, the overwhelming satisfaction

of these active duty commanders with

the caliber of Soldiers and officers that

Civil Affairs continues to commit to this

mission.” 

Rosario then pinned wartime service

patches onto the right sleeves of soldiers

called which represented their sections.

Specialist Jonas Bogdon represented the

personnel administrative section, Sgt.

Amy Smolik represented the military

intelligence section, Sgt. 1st Class

Samuel McConney represented the supply section and Maj. Enrique Nazario

represented the officers of Headquarters

Company. 

The ceremony marked yet another of

many milestones in the career of the

Battalion Command Sergeant Major,

Command Sgt. Maj. Mark B. Duwel.

“Earning a wartime service patch after

31-years of service was worth the wait.

It probably would’ve been more exciting had I received it as a young soldier

but it’s still every bit as much an honor,”

said Duwel.

Duwel explained that, “The history of

unit patches dates to the Civil War.

Groups of Soldiers would informally

design their own symbols depicting

things such as their hometowns or their

ethnic heritage. Soon they incorporated

these symbols into patches that they

sowed on their uniforms. Later in World

War I, a division commander observed

that practice and decided that it would

be a moral booster to design a formal

patch for the uniforms of the entire

unit.” 

Duwel further explained, “A combat

patch has always stood for valor,

courage, and honor.

Every unit’s patch has an interesting

history. The 478th Civil Affairs BN. can

take tremendous pride in a history that

far surpasses symbols, emblems, and

patches. 

“Our unit’s history is a distinguished

one. Initially constituted in post World

War II Japan, the unit’s mission was

similar to the one facing us today:

reestablishment of essential services,

governance, and implication of democratic institutions” said Rosario. 

“The unit has participated in

Operation Just Cause in 1989 and

Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm

in 1989-1991. Soon after being designated as a battalion in 1992, the unit

provided humanitarian assistance activities in the wake of Hurricane Andrew,”

said Rosario. 

478th personnel also assisted in relief

efforts in Central America following

Hurricane Mitch in 1993. Since then,

the unit has deployed soldiers to Bosnia

and had participated in Operation

Enduring Freedom, with unit members

recently returning from Afghanistan and

Djibouti where they conducted civilmilitary operations in concert with the

local populace and international organizations working to enhance long-term

stability to those regions.”

At age 59, Sgt. 1st Class Clarence

Kugler of Deerfield Beach, Fla. who

received his first combat patch in

Vietnam from the American Division is

the unit’s most seasoned soldier; 

Pvt. Darwin Caceres of Miami, Fla., is

the unit’s youngest soldier at only 20-

years-old and less than two-years of

military service. “Much of my military

pay goes to support my mother back

home. In many ways I felt that she was

with me sharing my pride as I received

my patch. I feel that being In Baghdad

Iraq, for Operation Iraqi Freedom and

the War Against Terrorism is now a part

of me. My training with the unit in

Camp Shelby, Miss., Ft. Hood, Texas,

and Ft. Bragg, N.C., was very challenging. I know that I have the best training

and I’m the best at what I do. I’m also

confident because I’m with others who

are well trained to keep each other safe,”

sadi Caceras. 

Today represents an important day in

478th Civil Affairs BN. history: past,

present, and future,” said Rosario. “We

look forward to the challenges that we

will face together. These experiences

will teach us how to better serve both

the American and Iraqi people as we

make a safe, stable environment, and

promote the democratic process in this

society,” he said.

Representatives from each section of the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion

have their combat patches pinned on by their commander, Lt. Col.

Wilfredo Rosario. They are eligable to wear patches from the 1st Armored

Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and

theUnited States Army Civil Affairs Psychological Operations Command.

Words of Wisdom

“One ought never to turn one's

back on a threatened danger and

try to run away from it. If you do

that, you will double the danger.

But if you meet it promptly and

without flinching, you will reduce

the danger by half.”

Sir Winston Churchill

Story and photo by Sgt. 

Gregory T. Glading, 

478th Civil Affairs Battalion

Public Affairs Office

Soldiers of the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion stand in formation as they wait

to be pinned with their combat patch. For some of the Soldiers this is their

first combat patch.
Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 3

Unsung Heroes 

Marching the extra mile across Iraq

Cpl. Lopez

Sgt. Greear Spc. Scholz

Pfc. Garcia

CJTF-7 PAO

Col. Jill E. Morgenthaler

Managing Editor

Sgt. Brian Stockhoff

Editor

Spc. Jeffrey Hillery 

CJTF-7 Commander

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez

Command Information 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 Heroes.

Photos and short summaries

of accomplishments should 

be sent to

cpiccmdinfo@

baghdadforum.com

Pfc. Juan Garcia is a 20-year-old

native of Brownsville, Texas, and is a

mechanic with Company D, 215th

Forward Support Battalion. 

Garcia joined the Army a year and a

half ago and has been serving in Iraq

since March.

He was sent to Iraq three months

after getting married..

“He’ll come to me when he has

completed all his work and ask what

he can do for me,” said Cpl Armando

Lopez, Garcia’s non commissioned

officer-in-charge. “He’s a high speed,

low drag soldier who knows his job.”

Sgt. Robert Greear, Billings, Mont.,

has been in the Army almost six years.

He is 27 years old. He is an infantry

National Guard Soldier with the

1153rd Infantry Battalion in Arkansas.

He joined the Army because he feels

that everyone that lives in America

has an obligation to serve at least a little bit of time in the military for ones

country. 

He also joined for financial stability

for himself and his wife. He has been

married for four years and has no kids

yet.

“He does excellent work and allows

us to interact with the locals and gives

us peace of mind regarding safety,”

said Maj. Danny Hassig, 478th Civil

Affais Battalion Team Leader.

Spc. Erich Scholz, 20, is from

Amarillo, Texas and has been in the

Army for four years. He is a civil

affairs specialist attached to the 478th

Civil Affairs Battalion, but is from

the 413th CA out of Lubback, Texas. 

Scholz is engaged to be married

when he gets back from Iraq. 

Scholz joined the Army for a new

experience in his life, and because he

was going in a direction he didn’t

like, he looked towards the Army to

set him back on track. 

“I think Scholz is a true professional, he works hard and is conscientious

of his surroundings,” said Maj.

Danny Hassig, 478th Civil Affais

Battalion Team Leader. “He understands the Iraqi people and puts their

feelings first. He is part of the team.”

Cpl. Armando Lopez has been in

the Army for 4 years and is serving in

Company D, 215th Forward Support

Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, as a

welder. 

The 22-year-old San Diego, Texas,

native has been in country since

March.

“I look forward to seeing my son,

Armando Jr,” said Lopez. “I haven't

started missing home too much

because I try to keep my game face

on. I stay busy with physical training

and basketball.”
Page 4 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

MOSUL, Iraq — Soldiers of the 3rd

Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker

Brigade Combat Team), were deployed to

Iraq in November to support combat

operations and to eliminate those who

continue to hinder Iraqi progress.

Arrowhead Brigade Soldiers are also

improving the quality of living for the

local Iraqi citizens.

One example is the humanitarian assistance mission being carried out in

Ghazlani Village, located within the city

of Mosul. The village is home to displaced civilians from all over Iraq. 

Ghazlani Village is appealing to these

displaced civilians because they do not

have to pay rent. They have moved into

the abandoned buildings that were once

occupied by the former regime’s military. 

“The camp contains five groups totaling over 2,000 people. Most are Arab

Muslims who were displaced from their

homes last year,” said Maj. Chuck

Hodges, executive officer for 1st

Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, of the

3rd Brig. 2 ID (SBCT).

The 101st Airborne Division (Air

Assault) started the project during their

command of the area and the 1st Bat. 23

Inf. Regt. took control of the area when

the 101st redeployed back to the United

States. According to Hodges, the

Coalition forces surveyed Ghazlani

Village for the major issues the people

still needed addressed.

“There were four concerns the people

of the village had. They were education,

electricity, water and jobs,” said Hodges. 

A school was needed for the children

since most do not attend a school now.

They are not allowed to attend schools

outside their village because they are considered to be refugees. Centrally located

buildings are currently being renovated to

provide 18 classrooms for grades one

through nine, with two classrooms for

each grade. The school is scheduled to

open in the fall, said Hodges.

“I think the key to the future of Iraq is

the children. Twenty years from now the

children will remember what we did

here,” said Hodges, who makes weekly

visits to the village to oversee the work

being done.

Local contractors are hired for the jobs

in the village. This provides the jobs the

people needed and it also gives them a

sense of accomplishment while they work

to better their village.

In order to begin renovations for the

school, new homes had to be built for the

families that were living in the buildings.

A total of 110 homes are expected to be

built or refurbished in the village, Hodges

said.

Water lines that were once in place

were dug up and taken during the war.

The Coalition forces are working to

replace the pipes to provide running water

to the village, and lines are also being run

to provide electricity to the village.

The work in the village does not end

with the structural changes. Staff Sgt.

Christopher Loverro, a California Army

Reserve Soldier attached to the 96th Civil

Affairs Battalion, started a project to provide much needed supplies to the families

in the village.

“When we first got here it was the dead

of winter. We were taken to the village

and I saw two things that upset me. I saw

children walking around with no shoes

and there were no blankets,” said

Loverro, who is a police officer in

Berkeley, Calif. “I emailed my police

department at home and requested shoes

and blankets.”

That one email started Operation

Blanket and Operation Pencil, which provides blankets, shoes, clothing and school

supplies. The project has received donations from all over the United States as

the email is forwarded to more people.

“The Port Townsend Police

Department in the state of Washington

heard about the project and offered their

assistance. With the help of volunteers

from their community they collected

enough blankets, clothing and other items

to fill 112 boxes,” said Loverro. “They

then raised over $2,000 to cover the shipping costs.”

The Berkeley Police Department in

California has contributed supplies and

several individuals, churches, Girl Scout

troops and other organizations have also

pledged their support, said Loverro. 

“Americans are not just helping us with

the project. They are part of the project.

They make the project,” said Loverro.

The people are showing their support by

helping the Iraqis and supporting the

Coalition forces that are here helping

them, he said.

While a majority of the supplies sent in

support of Operation Blanket and

Operation Pencil are distributed to the

Ghazlani Village, they are also distributed

to other schools in the area, said Loverro.

When Soldiers patrol the streets of Mosul,

they often stop at the local schools to give

school supplies to the different classes.

Because of the combined work of the

101st and the 1st Bat. 23rd Inf. Regt., the

village now has a police station, Mosque

and many new homes. A community center is also in the works and the roads connecting all of these are being repaved.

Work is being done every day to help

improve the future of the Ghazlani

Village and the surrounding area. Local

Iraqis, Coalition forces and people from

the United States are all playing a role in

the mission to make Iraq a better place to

live.

Story and photos by 

Spc. Autumn L. Grimsley

139thMobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

U.S. supports displaced Iraqi citizens

Staff Sgt. Christopher Loverro, a California Army Reserve Soldier, distributes supplies to the people in the

Ghazlani Village located in Mosul, Iraq. Loverro, who is attached to the 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, started

Operation Blanket and Operation Pencil by emailing his police department requesting support in providing the

Iraqis with much needed supplies.

Chaplain Darrick Gutting puts shoes on the children’s feet in the Ghazlani

Village located in Mosul, Iraq. Gutting is the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry

Regiment, chaplain.
Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 5

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq -

Marines in the western reaches

of Iraq are getting a helping

hand from an all-volunteer force

of a different stripe.

Hany I. Farag is one of nearly

1,200 Arabic-speaking linguists

who answered the country’s call

for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He’s not a Marine and not even

a soldier, despite the tri-color

desert uniform he wears. He’s a

naturalized citizen as proud of

the U.S. flag sewn on his uniform as any servicemember. 

Today, he’s on duty as an

interpreter for Col. Craig A.

Tucker, commanding officer for

Regimental Combat Team 7.

Farag’s service as an interpreter started when he saw an

Army advertisement seeking

Arabic speakers in his Bayonne,

N.J., home.

“I called and took a test over

the phone,” Farag explained.

“Five days later I received a

package and filled it out. Five

days after that I received a call

saying they wanted me to come

down to Virginia to take more

tests.”

Farag headed to Fairfax, Va.,

to take a final test in person in

order to become a linguist for

the Army.

“They asked me about everything in my life over the past 10

years,” Farag said. “Well, I

passed everything and was hired

on the spot.”

Farag’s journey began in

Egypt where he grew up and

earned a bachelor’s degree in literature before heading to the

United States more than 20

years ago. He said he left the

Middle East pursuing religious

freedoms and the ability to realize personal dreams. “This

country gave me a lot,” Farag

said. “I gained the ability to

work, go to school and achieve

my goals. It opened a door for

me and gave me all the opportunities in the world.”

He gained citizenship in the

early 1990’s and married.

Farag, an assistant administrator

for the engineering department

of sewer management in Jersey

City, N.J., also came within 10

credits of earning his bachelor’s

degree in business before

becoming a linguist for the

Army. 

He began his new career with

the Army’s 2nd Battalion, 5th

Field Artillery Regiment. He

quickly became the “go to guy”

as described by Army Chief

Warrant Officer 2 Terry L.

Ricer, the battalion’s intelligence officer.

“He earned the praise of

everyone around him, becoming

a valuable asset to almost every

effort made to ensure the battalion’s success,” Ricer explained.

According to a letter of recommendation written by Army

Lt. Col. David C. Hill, Farag

became a master at building

positive personal relationships.

He sought advice, input and

assistance of key leaders and

mid-level managers, earning

him the trust of more than 500

soldiers within the battalion.

Farag became the battalion’s

head linguist among 12 others.

He was also trusted as the battalion’s lead negotiator when

dealing with any Arabic-speaking person and saved the unit

nearly $6 million by negotiating

with Iraqi construction workers

without compromising timelines.

Farag even volunteered to join

combat patrols when other linguists shied away. That reputation garnered Farag a request to

stay on and serve with Marines.

Still, Farag thinks there is

more he can do for his country. 

“I think I’ll stay out here

another year, maybe longer,”

Farag said. “I think they’ll need

guys like me for a while.”

He gave up the same comforts

of life as the Marines. He’s got

a family at home, whom he

misses.

“My wife didn’t want me to

go,” Farag said. “But then I

guess everyone’s loved ones at

home didn’t want them to come

here. I had to do it, for the sake

of the country. It was my time

to payback.

“Linguists, I think, are a valuable asset to the country,” Farag

added. “They’re the country’s

voice to the local population and

transcribe valuable information.

But I think we all do it for the

same reason - to give back.”

Story by Lance Cpl.

Macario P. Mora Jr.

1st Marine Division

Volunteer helps Marines speak the language

Hany I. Farag, an Arab-speaking interpreter from Bayonne,

NJ., translates for Col. Craig Tucker, Regimental Combat

Team 7's commanding officer. 

Photo by USMC Sgt. Jose L. Garcia

III Corps' colorful history dates from 1918

when the Corps served in World War I, winning battle streamers for the Aisne-Marne,

Lorraine, and the Meuse-Argone campaigns.

Inactivated in 1919, the Corps was reactivated in 1940 to train combat divisions. During

World War II the Corps was deployed to The

European Theater of Operations and earned

the name "Phantom Corps" by hitting the

enemy when and least expected. It won

campaign streamers in Northern and

Central Europe, and established the

Remagen Bridgehead, enabling the

Allies to secure a foothold in

Germany.

Inactivated in 1946, III

Corps was reactivated in

1951 and served on

active duty until 1959.

Inactivated that year,

it quickly returned to

duty at Fort Hood during the Berlin Crisis in

1961. In 1962 III Corps was designated as part

of the U.S. Army Strategic Army Corps.

During the Vietnam conflict, III Corps

trained and deployed two Field Force

Headquarters and many combat and combat

service support units totaling more than

100,000 personnel.

In recent years, III Corps forces have fought

in and supported operations worldwide, to

include Grenada, Panama, Honduras, Saudi

Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq, and provided

humanitarian support for Operation Restore

Hope in Somalia. III Corps elements provided support for Operation Joint

Endeavor in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For many years, the primary focus of

III Corps was the reinforcement of

NATO. As the world and the U.S. Army

have changed the Corps has also

changed, and broadened it's focus

to be ready to deploy anywhere,

anytime and win.

III Corps major units comprise the 1st Cavalry

Division and 4th

Infantry Division; as

well as the 3rd

Armored Cavalry Regiment, the III Corps

Artillery; and the 13th Corps Support

Command.

Information gathered from

www.hood.army.mil.

History of III Corps 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.
Page 6 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

BULL PATROL BASE, Iraq - Similar

to Special Weapons and Tactics teams

that conduct daring police missions in

U.S. cities, the Iraqi Police have their

own well-trained police force called

Special Mission Teams. 

To improve the abilities of a SMT platoon serving the Kirkuk area, Soldiers

from Company B, Task Force 1st

Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment along

with U.S. Army advisers gave their

insight during a 12-day assessment

course on cordon and search methods

concluding April 5. 

“We assessed and advised as we

watched SMT members perform certain

Military Operations in Urban Terrain

tasks,” one of the Army advisers said. The

biggest aspect we looked for was safety

and muzzle emphasis, he continued. “We

wanted them to get to the point where

they could operate without shooting

another.”

Soldiers and the advisers tried to break

old habits of the SMT members for them

to operate safely. “Their tactics are so

primitive,” said Cpl. Christopher Miller, a

team leader with Co. B, TF 1-21 Inf.

Regt. “Throughout the assessment we

looked for weapon safety and corrected

them. There were a lot of on-the-spot corrections and a lot of push-ups,” Miller

added while smiling. 

Safer and more effective operations are

vital to the Iraqi Police as they gradually

take over cordon and search missions

from Coalition Forces in preparation for

the upcoming government turnover. One

Soldier considered the assessment a part

of the Coalition1s overall mission in turning Iraq over to the Iraqi people. “This is

a stepping stone in completing that mission - by helping the Iraqi Police become

more proficient at their jobs,” said Cpl.

Stephen Reagan, a combat medic with

Co. B, TF 1-21 INF. 

Throughout the assessment period,

Soldiers and advisers touched on different

areas of cordon and search tactics using

buildings on base. They even participated

in the SMT’s training by role playing

friendly and criminal personnel who were

sometimes wrestled to the ground. 

Three SMT officers were in charge of

the training, the Soldiers and advisers

were just there to offer their guidance if

they saw weak points within the teams. A

good point that Miller noticed in the training was how the SMT members grew

closer together throughout the 12 days,

which could help them in future operations. “Not only did they grow as individuals but they were really tight as a team,

especially the leadership,” Miller said. 

The amazing thing about this is that the

SMT team is made up of different ethnic

groups that can be unfriendly toward one

another. “It’s really good to see all those

different ethnicities of Kurds, Arabs and

Turkomen working together in one city,”

an Army adviser said. “Hopefully it will

be spread to other cities.” 

Sgt. Rebeea Abdul Hussein Rebeea, a

SMT member, thought it was essential to

work with the U.S. forces to eliminate

stereotypes and learn from U.S. tactics.

“For me it1s good education and physical

training,” Rebeea said about the training.

“Every time we look on the television we

see Coalition Soldiers, but we don1t know

who they really are. This was a good way

to get to know them on a different level.”

U.S. Army advisers

assess Kirkuk

S.W.A.T. team

Story and photo by 

Spc. Sean Kimmons

25th ID (L) Public Affairs

Iraqi Special Mission Team members clear a room during cordon and

search training.

Fun Facts

Camel Spiders

The Truth abouth this viscious Urban Legend

* They are not spiders; they are Solifugids - sort of a cross between a 

spider and a scorpion.

* They can grow between one and six inches depending on the 

species, sex, and age.

* There are more than 500 species of Camel Spider.

* They do not spin webs.

* Most species do not have venom.

* There is one species that may live in the Southwest Asia area that 

has a type of venom that can cause temporary paralysis.

* All species have four pincher like jaws used for crushing prey.

* The main risk with Camel Spider bites are shock or infection.

* Despite their mean looks they do not try to harm humans. 

If they are backed into a corner they will become aggressive.

* They use three of their four pairs of legs for running.

* They can reach speeds of up to ten miles per hour.

* Camel spiders eat other spiders, scorpions, lizards, mice and 

some small birds.

* They are nocturnal hunters.

* They spend daylight hours in burrows or under objects.

* If they do come out in the daylight the spiders will run from shade to shade.

* Do not try to kill Camel Spiders with bug spray or other chemicals because it will more than likely just make them angry.

* Officials warn against trying to catch a Camel Spider to keep as a pet or a mascot.

* The key to dealing with camel spiders is avoiding them.
Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 7

Iraq in Brief

Marines Capture Terrorists

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - Today Marines captured two

known terrorists and three individuals suspected of terrorist

activity. All were captured in a coordinated raid near Al

Kharma, a small town northeast of Fallujah. They recovered

four AK-47 rifles, two shotguns and three other small arms in

the seizure. Four AK-47 magazines were also recovered, as

well as 3,000 rounds.

In other action, Marines near Al Kharma came under intense

fire from approximately 100 enemy combatants located in

buildings on the outskirts of town. The Marines maneuvered,

returned fire and called artillery and close-air support to

destroy the enemy.

Marines in the western reaches of Al Anbar province, near

the Syrian border, discovered two sets of ImprovisedExplosive-Devices. One set was a series of four IEDs buried

in dirt mounds along a road, and the other was constructed of

two 155mm artillery rounds. Engineers and explosive ordinance disposal technicians responded to both discoveries and

cleared them both. Fortunately, the IEDs did not explode and

there were no Coalition casualties.

Marines maintained the cordon and their defensive positions

in and around Fallujah while upholding the unilateral suspension of offensive operations.

Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition foil IED

attacks, collect weapons

MOSUL, IRAQ – Iraqi security forces and Soldiers from

3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat

Team) foiled two Improvised Explosive Devices attacks and

collected a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq. The brigade is under the operational control of Task

Force Olympia.

Iraqi Police discovered an improvised explosive device west

of Al Wahda neighborhood consisting of a mortar round connected to an initiation device. The IED was removed and no

injuries were reported.

Soldiers from the 293rd Military Police Company discovered an IED connected to a remote detonating system south of

the Wahda neighborhood in Mosul. The IED was removed and

no injuries were reported.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment discovered and removed a weapons cache south of the Mosul

Airfield consisting of 106 60mm mortar rounds and a pre-positioned mortar tube.

Coalition forces conducted a raid in the southern neighborhood of Al Ghizlanic and confiscated 17 60mm mortar rounds

and 19 fuses.

Information regarding attacks on Iraqi civilians, Iraqi

Security Forces or Coalition forces protects your family

because these forces can then better protect you.

Criminal Court of Iraq convicts three

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Three Iraqi men were tried and convicted April 14 by a three-judge panel of the Central Criminal

Court of Iraq for actions against Coalition forces. The men

were each sentenced to 10 years in an Iraqi prison.

The men were detained near Balad Nov. 20, 2003, after being

discovered by Coalition forces in the act of burying an improvised explosive device alongside a road consisting of 12-14

pounds of C-4 explosives in a coffee can-type container.

“The defendants were tried in an Iraqi court with a prosecutor and defense counsel,” said Army Col. Dwight Warren, chief

liaison officer to the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. “This

marks another step forward in the establishment of an independent Iraqi judiciary.

“As a result of their vigilance, the Coalition soldiers not only

saved lives by discovering the IED, but their apprehension of

the three perpetrators will prevent these terrorists from attempting to murder other soldiers or civilians,” he added.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — After

completing eight physically and

mentally demanding weeks of

training, 479 men and women officially joined the Iraqi Police

Service during a graduation ceremony at the Baghdad Police

Academy April 1.

This class was the second to

graduate from the International

Police Academy since the program’s inception in December

2003. So far, 945 academy graduates , men and women , have joined

the ranks of the Iraqi Police

Service.

“You, the men and women of the

Iraqi Police, have chosen the side

of civilization,” said U.S.

Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III,

U.S. Civilian Administrator,

Coalition Provisional Authority,

addressing graduating class.

“Within you and your colleagues,

are the difficult answers to the

shameful barbarians of Fallujah

and Karbala and Najaf and

Baghdad.”

“You follow in the finest tradition of all humanity as you take up

the task of protecting the innocent.” 

Instructors from Iraq, the United

States, the United Kingdom,

Canada, Sweden, Finland, Austria

and Jordan taught the basics of

police paperwork, search techniques, sensitivity training and traffic control. 

Special attention was given to

human rights training. Officers are

taught that they are civil servants;

their primary job is to protect the

people.

In addition to their police training, students were faced with cultural challenges. They had to learn

how to work with members of different religious groups and members of the opposite sex. Members

of the graduating class included

Kurds, Sunni, and Shiite Muslims.

“We must all come together as

one if Iraq is to be a free democracy,” said Col. Hussein Medi, Dean

of the Academy.

Students spend the first four

weeks of training learning the theory of police work and the last four

weeks putting that theory into practical application. 

Once they have graduated, officers spend two weeks in the

Transition Integration Program

working with current members of

the IPS. Upon completion of those

two weeks, they will be given

orders assigning them to their permanent assignments within the

Baghdad Police Department. 

“You have chosen a dangerous

and difficult path,” Medi said. “You

are to be commended. I am proud

of you, all of Iraq is proud of you

and we will stand with you as we

continue on to a safe and meaningful freedom.”

Working for the IPS has become

one of the most dangerous occupations in Iraq because officers have

become the preferred target of

insurgents, Medi said.

Falling under the Ministry of

Interior, the current IPS force contains 67,000 officers. It is the goal

of the academy to graduate 32,000

officers by January 2005, said

Master Sgt. Bill Saccente, academy

operations non-commissioned

office, 415th Military Police

Liaison Detachment.

“You, the finest of the honorable

majority of Iraqi’s men and women

have chosen to confront the evil

doers, to carry the banner of civilization,” Bremer said. “Your

efforts and those of the millions of

Iraqis who support you will make a

difference.”

Cpl. Benjamin Cossel,

122nd Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Graduates join Iraqi Police ranks

FALLUJAH, Iraq -

The gruff bark from the

platoon sergeant was

music to the ears of the

infantrymen of Company

E, 2nd Battalion, 1st

Marine Regiment.

“Your dog-gone packs

are here, now lets get a

working party going,”

said Gunnery Sgt. James

E. Dinwoodie, platoon

sergeant for Weapons

Platoon, Company E.

After days of gunfire,

sweat and grime, there’s

something to be said for

the luxury of changing

into clean socks, shirts

and skivvies. Simple

pleasures in life, such as

sleeping bags and toothpaste caught up to the

Marine who fought

against enemy forces in

the city for more than a

week.

“It’s about time we got

our packs because we

stink,” whispered Cpl.

Jeramy Whitley, an

infantryman in 1st

Platoon. 

Water, meals and other

supplies are arriving more

regularly now. Earlier

supply convoys were

reserved for essentials in

combat -- food, water and

ammunition. Marines,

until now, just had to

make do without. 

“Well, it’s nice to have

our packs now because

we have our sleeping

bags,” said Cpl. Justin M.

Rettenberger, a squad

leader in 1st Platoon.

Still, Marines found

ways to make life as comfortable as possible. They

established shower rotations with a Navy hospital

corpsman’s approval,

after finding running

water in some of the

abandoned buildings in

the city. That water,

though, was only good for

a quick wash. Drinking

water was coveted.

“Now we can shave

and we haven’t brushed

our teeth for over a week,

so it sucked,”

Rettenberger explained.

“But we’re grunts, so

we’re used to it.”

Living without even

regular change of socks

wasn’t a morale breaker,

Rettenberger explained.

Getting the gear though,

boosted spirits. 

“This is a great platoon.

The morale of my

Marines is high,”

Rettenberger said. “We’re

out here doing alright,

and we’re accomplishing

the mission that we got

out here to do.”

Story by Sgt. Jose

E. Guillen

1st Marine Division

Marines’ packs,

socks arrive

Lance Cpl. Steven J. Barnes III reaches into

his pack for clean socks, shirts and skivvies

during the suspension of offensive operations in Fallujah.

Photo by Sgt. Jose E. Guillen
BAGHDAD, Iraq — From the

moment a servicemember steps off the

plane into a combat zone, they become

keenly aware of their surroundings and

the need to maintain a defensive protective posture. Combat zones provide little

relief for the men and women in these

areas. Throughout Iraq, there are many

servicemembers who need a chance to get

away from it all, even just for a few days.

Luckily, the answer is only a few short

flight hours away. The answer is the

Fighter Management Pass Program in

Qatar at Camp As Sayliyah. 

Qatar, a small Arabic country south of

Iraq, is home to Camp As Sayliyah and

the FMPP. Here troops have the opportunity to relax and recuperate for three days

and three nights and see another side of

the Arab culture while leaving their worries behind them. 

Sgt. Maj. George Ponder, installation

sergeant major, said “the program allows

you to be the master of your own destiny.”

He says the mission is to get each individual out of his or her area of operation,

get them rested, relaxed and to get their

heads back in the game sending them

back better than they came to him. 

“We get them out of the real harsh combat zone and this allows them to recharge

their battery,” said Ponder.

Ponder, one of the forefathers of the

FMPP, said it started in July and so far

35,000 troops have experienced the

FMPP and seen what is was all about.

Some of the on-post activities they found

was a state-of-the-art physical fitness center, an Olympic-size pool, hot tub, Chili’s

Restaurant, Burger King and a high-class

dining facility amongst other things.

These amenities allow Ponder and his

staff to “treat them like the heroes that

they are.”

Ponder says that the hero treatment

starts immediately from the time they hit

the ground. Once their flight arrives they

are picked up at the airport within 30 minutes and brought to the camp inprocessing

center where they are given their linen

and are treated to sodas and snacks and

are told about the

opportunities that

are out there.

Mariah

Carey’s song

‘Hero’ signals

the start of the

slide show,

which shows

photos of servicemembers

performing

various

duties during their deployments. This

shows them some of the tasks that have

been performed by military men and

women during Operations Iraqi Freedom

and Enduring Freedom. It helps to show

them that they are true American heroes

and have earned this little bit of rest and

relaxation. When the song winds down

and the slide show draws to a conclusion,

the video briefing begins. 

After this video is concluded, the

crowd of heroes is given the opportunity

to sign up for the trips available on the

following days. The available trips are an

afternoon of water sports, a desert safari

which includes a barbeque, a fishing trip,

trips to the mall, a cruise on a Dhow boat

and trips to local hotels to utilize their

beaches and the rentals available there.

Due to force protection measures in theatre, availability of trips will vary from

day to day.

These trips give troops that come down

for R&R a chance to do something as a

group. It is a good opportunity to bond as

a unit or to get to know each other under

less strenuous conditions. Or if the individual would like to spend time alone,

they can do that as well.

“Anytime we can get away and have

fun with fellow Soldiers is time well

spent,” said Ted Blanford, a water sport

participant, who is stationed outside of

Tikrit at Forward Operating Base Spiker.

“It’s a great experience, it’s good to get

out here and relax and just kick back for a

couple of days,” said Colin Marshall, a

Soldier out of Camp Anaconda in Balad.

“I hope everybody gets the chance to

come out here and enjoy themselves.”

For those who choose not to participate

in the off-post activities there are plenty

of things to keep you occupied on-post.

The Morale, Welfare and Recreation

Center provides an array of activities.

Inside you will find a vast weight lifting

area, a cardiovascular area with the latest

elliptical training machines, treadmills

and bike machines. After a long workout

you can enjoy a nice drink from Orange

Page 8 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

A hero’s welcome in Qatar

Story and photos by 

Sgt. Brian Stockhoff

204th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

The American Flag waves next to the flag of Qatar at Camp As Sayliyah.

A couple of troops get food at the dining facility at Camp As Aliyah.

The high-class dining facility is one of the food options for them.

This banner is one of many that hangs in the dining facility at Camp As

Aliyah showing stateside support for the troops.
Julius, located only a few feet

from the weight lifting equipment. 

“This is not your standard setup,” said Linda Towne, in reference to

the

MWR

Center.

Towne has been

the chief of the

MWR program

at Camp As

Sayliyah for

three months. 

The center also features a

relaxing day spa, where you can

get a massage, manicure, pedicure or a facial. There is a separate movie room with plenty of

couches for all to sit and enjoy a

movie. If video games are what

you desire, there are multiple

stations with both Playstation 2s

and X-Boxes. If you are more

competitive in nature, you can

challenge your buddies to a

game of pool, darts or pingpong. You can talk to your

friends and family back home

by using the phone center or the

internet room located in the

same building. There are

enough activities available to

keep you entertained for hours.

“People get bored here by

choice, you can’t get bored here

unless you really try very hard to

do that,” said Towne. Towne,

whose son is in the Army said

she “feels a personal desire to

help them relax, just as if they

were my son or daughter. So it is really

important to me to

provide them a

quality service and

help them relax so

that they can be

safe and go back to

the fight.”

Another option

for those looking to

get off post is the

American Citizens Host

Family Program. This program

started in October and it allows

the servicemembers to get a

little taste of home. A host

family will place a sign-up sheet

on the board announcing the

events they plan on doing that

day that they would like to

include servicemembers in.. The

family picks up the assigned

people and brings them back to

their home or their destination

point. They can go shopping, sit

on the couch and watch television, go into the old towns, enjoy

a home cooked meal, go out to

an American style restaurant or

play a round of golf or a game of

tennis.

One of the original families

involved in the program is the

Session family from Texas.

They were present at the original

orientation for the program. To

date, they have been host to

more than 30 servicemembers. 

“We enjoy meeting the

Soldiers,” said Stacey Sessions.

“We miss our friends and our

families back in the states and

we enjoy seeing the Soldiers and

we appreciate what they are

doing. We like hearing their stories and they really appreciate

having a day in an American

home with an American family.”

Sessions said that she tries to

provide them with a home-like

environment and she usually

makes cookies or brownies. She

said that she tries to let the

Soldiers do whatever is special

to them, whether it be lounging

on the couch, making something

in the kitchen or relaxing in the

bubble bath for a couple of

hours. The family’s involvement

in the program is also good for

her teenage sons, she said. They

get to see and hear first-hand

what the military is doing for us. 

Cpl. Angela Stearns, 258th

engineer battalion, currently in

Talil Air Force Base was a recent

visitor in the Session household.

She said it was really nice for her

and it was also very comforting.

Stearns added that it is also nice

because you get away from the

everyday stuff and you get that

friendly hometown feeling.

“We all miss our families and

so this kind of takes the place of

that for now,” said Stearns. “It

helps us get through the fact that

we will be away from them for

so long.”

“We get as much out of it as

they do,” Sessions said. “We

think this is a great program and

everyone we know that is

involved, loves doing it.”

All these available options

combine to allow a servicemember to escape from their duties

and responsibilities for a few

tension releasing days. They

have no one to worry about, but

themselves. They control their

own fate and can do as little or as

much as they would like to do. 

“Treat them like the heroes

that they are” is the slogan of the

installation and that is exactly

what they do.

Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 9

Three Soldiers visit the home of the Session family. Stacey Session (2nd from left) has

been involved in the American Citizens Host Family Program since it started in October.

The water sports are one of the many excursions available. From this boat, you can use

a jet ski, ride the banana boat or go para-sailing.

A Soldier on R&R plays a game of pool in the Camp As

Sayliyah Morale, Welfare and Recreaction Center.
Page 10 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

CAMP AL QAIM, Iraq -

They cover the western borders of Iraq, catching and

destroying terrorist forces

from foreign countries and

the surrounding communities, and they do it faster

than any others could.

Camp Pendleton’s 1st

Light Armored

Reconnaissance Battalion’s

Maintenance Company

works day and night keeping

the eight-wheeled vehicles

combat ready. They’re

ensuring the battalion’s drive

to become the most effective

and fastest force the Corps is

fielding in Iraq.

“Our guys travel more in a

month now than they did

while they were in the war,”

said Chief Warrant Officer 2

Richard Ortega, the battalion’s maintenance officer.

The Emmett, Idaho Marine

said the LAR crews patrol

throughout Iraq, averaging

nearly 6,000 miles in a

month in an area spanning

600,000 kilometers. 

Those aren’t highway

miles either. Most of it is

through extremely rough terrain.

“We’re deployed this time

with the same equipment we

had the first time around,”

Ortega said. “It took us

months and millions of dollars to ready these vehicles

to come out here again.”

The maintenance team

developed a system to better

help them do their job - the

Round Robin. The system

contains five different stations checking everything

from the oil to weapons systems. 

A company at a time would

come through and be thoroughly checked before heading out on tactical missions. 

Recently though, operational commitments are making it more challenging to

keep up with maintenance

demands. Crews are out

longer meaning wear and

tear on vehicles has to be

handled on the run.

To better help the needs of

the battalion, the maintenance crew developed yet

another technique. Master

Gunnery Sgt. Pedro Burton,

the battalion’s maintenance

chief, said the company now

checks for trends and teaches

crews to prevent simple damage, giving them a better

system to keep on top of

maintenance issues out in the

field.

“The crews get a bumper to

bumper warranty,” said

Burton, of San Jose, Calif.

“Our guys check over 17

vehicles in a two-to-three

day span.” 

The hard work and dedication of the Marines in the

maintenance company isn’t

lost on anyone in the battalion.

“Right now is a very hellatious time for these

Marines,” said Staff Sgt.

Frank Gratacos Jr., a

Maintenance Company platoon sergeant from

Charlestown, N.H. “These

guys can handle it though,

they’re the best I’ve ever

worked with.”

“They won’t take credit for

a thing,” Gratacos said. “But

we all know the extreme

effort that goes into all of

this.”

Maintenance crews

keep armor rolling

Story by Lance Cpl.

Macario P. Mora Jr.

1st Marine Division

Lance Cpl. Steven B. Crawford, 20, of Caldwell, Idaho with

Weapons Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaisance, 1st

Marine Division, gives the arm and signal to halt while

Lance Cpl. Dale T. Conley, 20, of Yuma, Ariz., with 1st Light

Armored Reconnaisance, connects the tow-bar to another

light armored vehicle. 

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

Tallil Air Base Religious Worship Services

Light armored vehicle mechanics from 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st

Marine Division, inspect the oil on an LAV that broke down just outside of Camp Al Qaim,

Iraq. The LAV's engine ceased just outside of Camp Al Qaim on the way back to base

after being out for 12 days. Marines from Maintenance Company work day and night to

keep vehicles running and prepared for combat.

Photo by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia

Photo by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia
Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 11

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq - “You’re going to

be all right. We’re going to take care of you.”

These were the consoling words echoed repeatedly as the sailors of Bravo Surgical Company,

1st Medical Battalion, 1st Force Service Support

Group tended to wounded Marines from

Operation Vigilant Resolve April 5. 

The sailors, poised on the outskirts of the

restive town of Fallujah, are providing “good

medicine in a bad place.”

“It’s different this year,” said Navy Lt. Kevin

R. Poole, a physician assistant with the surgical

company. “Last year we were removed from the

sounds of war. This year we are trying to take

care of these guys while the mortars are coming

in.”

Despite the persistent distraction of indirect

fire, the surgical company remained poised -

even as ambulances sped down the road to the

medical facility, carrying wounded Marines.

“I call it organized chaos,” said Poole, 36, a

Southfield, Mich., native. 

Sporting flak jackets rigged with surgical scissors, latex gloves, stethoscopes and syringes, the

sailors of Bravo Company lined the road ready to

respond once a tactical vehicle’s tires stopped.

Tan and green tents marked triage quickly

filled with the wounded. The medical staff

resembled bees in a hive as they hovered around

each cot, assessed injuries and busily tended to

the patients.

While doctors and assistants diagnosed

patients, corpsmen checked vital signs, administered medications, took X-rays, filled out field

medical charts and kept track of each Marine’s

personal belongings. All the while, the sporadic

sounds of incoming mortar fire could be heard in

the background.

Inside the tents, voices were hushed except for

an occasional yell of “X-ray!” as a corpsman

alerted the other members of the team to shield

their eyes momentarily. The docs paused, took a

step back and looked away, their hands still on

their patients. 

One patient drew odd looks from doctors as he

answered questions with a raspy voice. Upon

questioning from Lt. Cmdr. Inzune K. Hwang, a

surgical company doctor, Sgt. Kevin M. Smith, a

combat engineer with Combat Service Support

Battalion 1, 1st FSSG responded light-heartedly,

“Yes, sir, I’m waiting for puberty to hit.”

The 26-year-old Toccoa, Ga., native managed

to bring smiles to otherwise tension-wrought

faces and muted laughter filled the room. Even

as the docs and corpsman took in the moment,

they continued their work — bandaging wounds

and tending to their patients. 

Once patients had been treated in the triage

tents, on this day the next step was either the

emergency room or the operating room.

Two Marines were flown to

another hospital to receive

additional care. The rest

remained with surgical company, recuperated for a few days

and then returned to their unit.

Smith later attested to the

skills of the surgical company.

“They did a real good job of

keeping us calm,” he said. “It

was kind of like being on a conveyor belt — I saw so many

faces.”

Smith, an avid power-lifter,

has gained a bit of weight with

pieces of embedded shrapnel

now part of his body, but said

he will have no problem carrying it around. 

“I want to get back to my

unit so I can start working out

again,” he said.

Most of the service members

treated at Bravo Surgical are

patched up and returned to their

units in days. 

However, for the sailors of

Bravo Surgical Company this

cycle will be repeated while

Marines and sailors remain

engaged in the Al Anbar

Province. 

Poole’s goal is simple: to

continue to be known simply as

the “cheaters of death.”

Story By Gunnery Sgt. Claudia

LaMantia and 1st Lt. Sarah Kansteiner

I Marine Expeditionary Force

“Cheaters of death”

assist Marines

Doctors, nurses and corpsmen of Bravo Surgical

Company, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Force Service

Support Group, Camp Fallujah, Iraq care for troops

wounded during Operation Vigilant Resolve. 

Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Claudia LaMantia

A Soldier and airmen with the 506th Expeditionary

Civil Engineering Squadron Explosive Ordnance

Disposal unit, put away an MK-VI bomb disposal

robot after destroying an assortment of munitions

found in the town of Dibbis, Iraq, April 9, 2004.

Photo by Sgt. April Johnson

PUBLIC SERVICE 

ANNOUNCEMENT

Over the next few weeks, segments of highways in Iraq will

be intermittently closed to civilian transit. These closures

are being conducted in order to allow repairs, facilitate

movement of coalition convoys, and enhance security on

Iraqi Highways.

For your safety, watch for closure signs and do not drive

on these segments.

Affected segments of Route One start from just south of

Balad all the way to northern Baghdad. From northern

Baghdad, Expressway One traveling west through Abu

Ghurayb may also be closed at times. Likewise,

Expressway One traveling southeast from Abu Ghurayb to

Khayqan ash Sharqi may be closed.

Civilians who attempt to drive on these roads when closed

may be considered anti-Coalition forces and risk being

subject to attack. If civilians drive on the closed section of

the highways they may be engaged with deadly force.

Analysis of trafficability, safety and security of the highways

will be determined on a daily basis. When the situation

warrants, the roads will be reopened to civilian traffic.

For a map of the closed highway go to

www.cjtf7.com/hwy1_150.pdf
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Within

the city limits of Baghdad lies

an untapped source of enjoyment, education and relaxation.

The Baghdad Zoo, unlike its

surrounding area, has green grass and

trees throughout the park. Children

and adults roam the pathways with

big smiles on their faces. 

The zoo which once housed 400

animals was decimated by the war

and the post-war looters. After all

was said and done, there were only

12 animals left in the zoo and

the facilities were badly damaged.

More than a year later, the zoo is

up and running again and is better

then ever, but still requires a lot

of work by the Iraqi people and

the

Coalition

forces. 

Since

arriving in

Iraq, the

Coalition

Provisional

Authority has

worked with zoo employees to

retrieve missing animals, repair damaged facilities and to improve the

zoo. The CPA has donated approximately $450,000 to rebuild the zoo. 

The zoo has improved greatly over

the past year because of all the help

they received. They now house more

than 70 animals, averages more than

150 visitors a day and have reached

2,000 visitors or more in a day during

festivals and holidays. 

Adel Salamn, director of the

Baghdad Zoo for 13 years, said that

on April 13, 2003 he got into the zoo

and he found the American troops

there. He said they gave him immediate help with whatever they could

do at that time. 

“If they didn’t help us then there

would be no animals in this zoo, we

would have lost all of the animals in the zoo,” said Salamn.

“They (Coalition forces) didn’t

only help the zoo, they have

helped Iraqis everywhere.” 

After seeing the ruined facility

on television, several nations

began to rally support for the zoo.

Salamn said that Kuwait was one of

the first countries to help them out

and they sent lots of needed supplies

with Lawrence Antony. 

Antony, owner of a game reserve

in South Africa, was able to

arrange with the military an appropriate place in the palace to

store the meat.

Capt. William Sumner from

the 354th Civil Affairs

Battalion also played a large role in

getting the animals back to the zoo. 

“He facilitated everything; he

facilitated the transportation of

the animals from the palace to

the zoo and he used to go the

palace every day to get the needed

meat for the animals and bring

it back to the zoo for almost

two months,” said Salamn. “We

were a big team, with the help of

the staff, Capt. Sumner and Lawrence

Antony and everyone else. Things

started to improve.”

Eventually, organizations began

providing support to the zoo. The

first to help was Wild Aid, an organization, which according to their Web

site, works to provide direct protection to wildlife in danger. They fixed

damaged cages and rebuilt the staff.

“It gave them that little something

to push them ahead to do the work

and help the animals and help themselves and we worked with them

hand in hand,” said Salamn. 

Once the facility was prepared,

new animals were shipped in from

a private zoo with the help of the

military forces. They were taken

from the private zoo because the

facilities were inadequate and the

animals were not being taken care

of properly. 

The United States military aided in

the moving of all animals to the zoo

using military humvees and a

Bradley Fight Vehicle to transport

an ostrich, whose head stuck

out of the hatch at the top of

the vehicle. 

The animals were going to be

moved into bigger and better living

environments that were fixed by the

military engineers. 

“Everyone had a good fun time

working with the military,” said

Salamn. “We used to come to work

from eight in the morning to eight at

night.”

Brendan Whittington Jones, a volunteer at the zoo, has been the operations manager at the zoo since May

2003. He has a degree from the

University of Zoology, a wildlife

management degree and has worked

for three years running Antony’s

game reserve in South Africa. 

Page 12 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

Lions and tigers and 

Story and

photos by 

Sgt. Brian D. Stockhoff

204th Mobile Public

Affairs Detachment

An Iraqi child climbs on the jungle gym at the Baghdad Zoo. An Iraqi man ejoys an outing with his two sons at the Baghdad Zoo.
enclosure for the bears, and equestrian center for the Arabian

horses and an education center at

the zoo. 

“The people come here to

relax,” said Jones. “There are

trees here, it’s green, it’s

peaceful and it’s an overall

mental release.”

The zoo, which before the war

had been turned into a military base

and whose ground was covered with

mortars and mines, has been transformed into what Salamn, aspires to

become the best zoo in the Middle

East. One that people will compare

themselves to and reaches international standards.

“I watched the whole

war on national

television, and

I thought

that maybe

there was a

zoo out

there that

needed

help,”

said

Jones. 

His

duties at

the zoo

include

teaching

the Iraqis

how to

take care of

the animals,

the development of new

enclosures

and managing the staff. 

He said that the area of

the zoo that has most

improved is the landscape, after the

war

there was no grass, irrigation or

electricity. Now they have all of

that and more. 

“The military helped a lot with

logistical operations, organized

the rescuing of animals with us,

the engineering units did a lot of

the electrical work here and fixed

the irrigation setup,” said Jones.

“The Soldiers came in on their off

time and built cages, dug holes

and helped fix everything.”

Jones said that there are many

plans for the zoo in the future.

They would like to build a

new lion containment area, bigger

Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 13

bears in Baghdad!!

Soldiers rescued this bear from a small private zoo and transfered it to

the Baghdad Zoo where it has a more suitable enclosure area.

Photo courtesy of the Baghdad Zoo

Visitors at the Baghdad Zoo take a break from looking at the animals to

relax and have fun by using the swings at the park.
Page 14 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

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

Helping Hands builds Baghdad

suburb center to educate women 

AL ASAD, Iraq - The 1st Marine

Expeditionary Force, with the help from

Headquarters Marine Corps, has supplied the Marines, Sailors and support

personnel of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

here with morale, welfare and recreation equipment.

“We have more than $250,000 in gear

out here for the Marines,” said Col. Paul

D. McGraw, assistant chief of staff for

manpower, 3rd MAW. “This was an initiative from HQMC. When large groups

such as a MEF or an air wing deploy,

they should have access to things like

this.”

The things McGraw is refering to are

dozens of different sets of gym equipment, television sets, board games,

books and video game systems, as well

as indoor and outdoor sports equipment.

“We brought all this to help boost the

morale of the troops,” said Warrant

Officer Cynthia Douglas, a 33-year-old

Brooklyn, N.Y., native and MWR officer for 3rd MAW. “We have passed out

the gear to the four groups. Each of the

groups received gear according to their

size.”

According to Douglas, there are also

plans to build a new gymnasium and

recreation center to help support the

steady number of troops already here.

“We are trying to have a gym built

closer to where the Marines are working

and living,” said Douglas. “There are

Marines who work on the flight line and

it is hard for them to get to the (current)

gym or participate in MWR activities.”

McGraw, a 47-year-old from Owen

Sound, Ontario, Canada, had no problem receiving the gear and has had an

even easier time dispersing it.

“All the board games and books were

given to the chaplains and the other gear

was given to the units. We are leaving it

up to the groups to set it up themselves,” he said. “(The individual

groups) are using their field ordering

officers to order satellite television

access for the squadrons.” 

McGraw knows the Marines and

Sailors who have received this gear will

use it and appreciate it.

“All of their hard work is coming

together,” he said. “This is something to

show them they are appreciated.”

MWR gear finds way to troops

Story and photo by 

Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III

Marine Wing 

Headquarters Squadron 3

Cpl. William A. Miller, a 21-year-old Phoenix, native and supply clerk,

Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, plays a

board game with Lance Cpl. Angela B. Wetzel, a 22-year-old Union City,

N.J., native and administration clerk, MWHS-3, 3rd MAW, after a day of

work, April 14. The board game is just one of the many items brought here

to boost the morale of the Marines and Sailors.

More than $250,000 in recreation equipment finds its way

into I MEF hands thanks to

Headquarters Marine Corps.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Young women from the Karadah

District of Baghdad now have the opportunity to learn and

become more independent thanks to members of the

478th Civil Affairs Battalion from Miami. 

The Bent Al-Huda women’s training and education center of the Ka’rada district of downtown Baghdad opened

for business on April 19.

The project was originally shared jointly by the 478th

and an engineer team from the 1st Armored Division, 6th

Infantry Battalion. They joined together to provide assistance and coordinate renovating efforts. 

“We are here to help and hopefully this center will help

them,” said Maj. Danny Hassig, 478th CA team leader.

The center is operated and taught by Mrs. Isimar Koko

who got involved because she volunteered to teach and be

a mentor for the center. Koko also feels that by teaching at

the center she is continuously contributing to the progress

of women’s rights, and in turn, helping her country and

educating those young women for the future of Iraq. 

Koko teaches subjects such as history and home economics. The center is going to educate young women in

various crafts such as homemaking and other functional

educational areas.

This center allows for the future role of women in Iraq

because most of the women here will have a chance to

better themselves. Some women normally would not have

the chance to learn certain subjects; but thanks to the

Shiek Iman Al Sadr, a local religious leader, and the

Americans, the future will be great for the young women

that visit here, said Koko. 

Koko admits that because of the new freedoms they

have, todays Iraqi women can do anything they want. Her

own daughters will be able to progress and be independent. The oldest one wants to become a civil engineer and

the youngest one wants to be a teacher. What’s important

is that they will now be able to become whatever they

want, said Koko. 

“Saddam never allowed us to give the women something like this center, he controlled every thing. God willing both my daughters will go to school and become educated women,” said Koko. 

Story and photo by 

Sgt 1st Class Bill Sutherland

Coalition Press Information Center

Mrs. Isima Koko writes a religious topic in her

new classroom for the opening of the Bent AlHuda women’s training and education center.
Apr. 23, 2004 Coalition Scimitar Page 15

MOSUL, Iraq — Armed with

rockets and .50 caliber machine

guns, a helicopter lands next to

22,000 gallons of fuel with anxious pilots ready to start the next

mission. With the helicopter

blades rapidly spinning overhead, creating gusts of wind and

static electricity sparks, a Soldier

must safely maneuver to the aircraft to refuel it and, if necessary,

re-arm the weapon systems. 

From the outside looking in,

fueling an aircraft may appear

easy, but the petroleum specialists and armormen that work on

the Forward Area Refueling

Points take a risk every day.

“The Soldiers on the FARP are

the unsung heroes of aviation,”

said Capt. David Albright, commander and pilot for B Troop,

3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry, 10th

Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain

Division. “As pilots, we tend to

get all the glamorous missions

and credit for the Squadron’s

accomplishments. But, there

would be no missions if it

weren’t for the FARP Soldiers

pumping hot fuel underneath the

blades of a live helicopter in the

cold rain and heat.” 

Twenty-four hours a day,

seven days a week, the petroleum specialists and armormen of

the 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry

run multiple FARPs used by the

10th Aviation Brigade, 10th

Mountain Division. These

FARPs support all aircraft, both

rotary and fixed wing, conducting missions in support of Task

Force Olympia, the command

and control element for

Multinational Brigade North. 

Since arriving in Iraq in

January, the Soldiers on the

FARPs have pumped well over

50,000 gallons of fuel, that is

five times what they pump in a

year at their home station, Fort

Drum, N.Y.

“To date, our FARP has serviced 500 aircraft and not injured

a single Soldier or helicopter

during these operations,” said

Staff Sgt. Mathew Camoni, the

noncommissioned officer in

charge of the FARP on Forward

Operating Base Fulda in western

Iraq. “This would not have been

possible if it weren’t for our outstanding Soldiers. I can’t say

enough about the job they’re

doing here.” 

When a helicopter lands on a

FARP, another typically lands a

short distance away and the two

birds are fueled simultaneously.

No matter how big of a hurry the

pilots are in, the first priority is

safety.

“All it takes is for somebody

putting the nozzle in too hard or

somebody kicking the weapon

system, and the entire bird could

explode,” said Sgt. Jason Bear,

section leader for the FARP at

the Mosul Airfield. “Our job is

extremely dangerous. That’s

why we take many safety precautions.”

A unique challenge of refueling helicopters is that they generate static electricity with their

rotors. To decrease the chances

of sparks, Soldiers do not wear

polypropylene material, a significant conductor of static electricity. They also drive several

grounding rods into the soil

around the fuel point.

If a spark hits the fuel, the line

has an emergency shutoff valve

where a Soldier is on standby,

prepared to pull the shutoff lever

immediately. The fuel point is

also equipped with heavy duty

fire extinguishers. 

Before Soldiers begin to fuel,

the armormen secure, load or

unload the weapon systems. In

case of an accidental discharge, a

12-foot-tall mound in front of the

helicopter’s weapon systems will

interrupt the round or rocket trajectory.

“We really take every precaution necessary to prevent an

explosion or fire, and we also are

prepared to extinguish flames if

it does happen,” said Pfc. Tim

Heiman, a petroleum specialist

at the FARP in FOB Fulda.

Not only do these Soldiers

manage the risks of pumping

fuel and arming the helicopters,

they also prepare petroleum for

aircraft intake.

“The fuel we use on helicopters and planes is essentially the

same thing that’s used in

Humvee’s, except we put in

additives to make the fuel cleaner,” Bear said. “We also run tests

to check for sediment and water.

If there’s too much of either one,

it could cause the aircraft to

fail.”

According to Spc. Mark

Stappenbacher, a petroleum specialist at the Fulda FARP, it takes

a special person to handle all the

technicalities and complexities

of such a high stress job.

“Anyone who’s ever worked

on a FARP knows how big of a

rush it is to pump fuel while the

helicopter is running. But when

you tell people unfamiliar with

aviation operations, they think

all we do is pump gas and don’t

understand the importance of our

job,” Stappenbacher said. “We

take a lot of pride in our job and

know how much we mean to the

overall mission. In fact, our

motto is ‘Pilots are pedestrians

without the FARP.’”

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.

Story and photo by 

Sgt. Fred Minnick

139th Mobile Public 

Affairs Detachment

Soldiers risk life to pump fuel

Soldiers of the 3rd Squadron, 17th Cavalry refuel and re-arm an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

at the Mosul Airfield Forward Area Refueling Point. 
Page 16 Coalition Scimitar Apr. 23, 2004

Enjoy your R&R in Qatar

Off-Post Adventures Include:

- Desert Safari with a BBQ lunch

- Fishing Trips

- Moon Dhow Boat Trip

- Deep Sea Diving 

- Trips to the Mall

- Trips to Local Hotels

- Tours of the City of Qatar

- American Citizen Host 

Family Program

- Olympic-sized Pool

- Sand Volleyball Court

- Indoor Basketball Court

- Chili’s Restaurant

- Movie Room

On-Post Activities Include:

- Game room

- Interent Room

- State-of-the-art Gym

- Subway 

- Jacuzzi

- Day Spa

- Aerobics Room

- Burger King

- The Oasis Club

Contact your chain of

command for details on

individual eligibility for

the Fighter Management

Pass Program