Vol. II, Issue 68 Friday’s Online Edition September 5, 2008

victory timesonline

Story by 

Pfc. Eric J. Glassey

13th Public Affairs 

Detachment

Prayer Shawls started in 1998 when two 

women, Janet Bristow 

and Victoria Galo, created a heart-felt ministry which combined 

compassion, the love of 

knitting/crocheting and 

prayer to reach out and 

comfort those dealing 

with hardship and tragedy. The Prayer Shawls 

movement has bloomed 

as a ministry to the depressed and down-trodServicemembers minister with needle, prayer

den all across the United States over the past 

ten years.

At Camp Victory, a 

similar ministry has 

formed. A group of servicemembers work in 

their spare time to create shawls with a prayer 

in every stitch for those 

who have made the ultimate sacrifice. 

“We send these shawls 

home to families of fallen comrades,” said Staff 

Sgt. Lani Yearicks, band 

member, 10th Mountain 

Division. “They are not 

forgotten.”

“The people who reLt. Col. Melinda Jackson, nurse practitioner and officer in charge, 547th Medical Company, Golby 

Clinic, and Staff Sgt. Lani Yearicks, band member, 10th Mountain Division, crochet prayer shawls 

Aug. 31 at the Mini-Chapel on Camp Victory.

Photo by Pfc. Eric J. Martinez, 13th Public Affairs Detachment

ceive these are happy 

and grateful,” said Lt. 

Col. Melinda Jackson, 

nurse practitioner and 

officer in charge, 547th 

Medical Company, Golby Clinic.

The reward is not just 

for those who receive but 

for those who give their 

time and energy making 

these shawls. For many, 

this isn’t their first time 

in such a ministry.

“I am involved in a 

similar ministry back 

home in Puyallup, Washington,” Jackson said. “I 

enjoy making things. It 

is a relaxing activity in 

the area we live.”

The first dedication 

service for sending out 

the prayer shawls will 

be Sunday at the 10th 

Mountain Division Honor Chapel.

Prayer Shawls is an 

open ministry for anyone who can or is interested in knitting or crocheting. Every Sunday 

at 1 p.m. in Building 

24F, the mini-chapel, 

servicemembers come 

together to share ideas 

and fellowship as they 

continue to minister to 

those who need it the 

most.

Spc. Cheryl Thomas, band 

member, 10th Mountain Division, knits a prayer shawl to 

send home to families of servicemembers who have died 

in Iraq. Prayer shawls can be 

made by either knitting or crocheting.

Photo by Pfc. Eric J. Martinez, 13th PAD
Page 2 Victory Times September 5, 2008

News

 

MNC-I Commanding General: Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III 

MNC-I Public Affairs Officer: Col. Billy J. Buckner 

MNC-I PA Sergeant Major: Sgt. Maj. Sharon Opeka

MNC-I Command Info Chief: Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante

Editor:Spc. Samuel J. Phillips

Staff: Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Crisp, Cpl. Frances L. Goch, Spc. 

Christopher M. Gaylord, Pfc. Eric J. Martinez and Pfc. Eric J. 

Glassey

The Victory Times online welcomes columns, 

commentaries, articles and letters from our 

readers. Send submissions or comments to 

joy.pariante@iraq.centcom.mil. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for security, 

accuracy, propriety, policy, clarity and space.

The Victory Times Online is an authorized 

electronic publication for members of the 

Department of Defense. Contents of this 

electronic publication are not necessarily 

the official views of or endorsed by the 

U.S. Government or the Department of Defense. The editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of the Public Affairs 

Office of Multi-National Corps-Iraq.

Story by Pfc. Eric J. Glassey 

13th Public Affairs Detachment

First human relations conference held

Equal opportunity representatives came from across Iraq 

to attend the 2008 Human 

Relations Conference at Al 

Faw Palace Aug. 28-29.

“This event was the first opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas, think 

about our craft in new ways and 

hear presentations by experts that 

deal with the human component,” 

said Lt. Col. Lynn S. Jackson, equal 

opportunity program manager and 

sexual assault response coordinator, Multi-National Corps – Iraq.

The conference included presentations from the Criminal Investigative Division and subject matter 

experts from legal, the chaplain’s 

office and behavioral health. 

They worked on group projects 

to help share ideas and methodology on solving problems like sexual 

harassment and sexual assault. They 

also discussed healthy climates 

versus unhealthy climates in the 

military. These activities give equal 

opportunity personnel a better idea 

of how to brief this information to 

servicemembers, Jackson said.

“We want to get all the equal 

opportunity advisors and deployed 

sexual assault response coordinators to help make the program 

better,” said Master Sgt. Paul 

Pinkney, operations noncommissioned officer in charge, MNC-I. 

“We also want to help commanders get better information out.”

The HR Conference helped 

representatives learn new tactics to disseminate knowledge 

to all personnel in their area of 

operation and to work with other 

EO advisors in their area.

“We are here to help the EO program be stronger, help commanders 

be more knowledgeable and empower these people,” Pinkney said.

Servicemembers spent two days in the ballroom of the Al Faw Palace learning from each 

other and subject matter experts during the first Human Relations Conference in Iraq.

Photo by Marine Cpl. Frances Goch, MNC-I PAO

Photo by Marine Cpl. Frances Goch, MNC-I PAO

The Human Relations Conference was 

opened by Master Sgt. Paul Pinkney, operations noncommissioned officer in charge, 

MNC-I, at Al Faw Palace Aug. 28.
News

September 5, 2008 Victory Times Page 3

Story and photos by 

Spc. Christopher M. Gaylord

13th Public Affairs Detachment

XVIII Airborne Corps activates new unit

Lt. Col. Bill Wanovich, commander, Special Troops Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, unfurls the Company B guidon with Capt. Christian Robbins Aug. 29 at the Joint Visitors 

Bureau, just moments before Robbins took command of the company. 

Company B, Special Troops Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, was 

activated during a ceremony at the 

Joint Visitors Bureau Aug. 29. 

The company will provide sustainment and intelligence support 

to Multi-National Corps – Iraq and 

Multi-National Force – Iraq, and 

consists of sections C1, C2, C4, C8 

and the surgeon’s cell.

The activation of Company B is 

a small part of a larger transformation the Corps is making to realign 

its staff.

“This is a provisional company 

that was stood up to be the intelligence and sustainment company, 

so this is just another milestone 

in that transformation,” said Capt. 

Christian Robbins, who took command of Company B during the ceremony. “Basically, we’re following 

the mold for the transformation of 

XVIII Airborne Corps, which will 

be August of 2009.”

“We’re getting it done in preparation for when we go back, so the 

teams are all in place going back,” 

said Lt. Col. Bill Wanovich, commander, Special Troops Battalion, 

XVIII Abn. Corps. “It makes for a 

smoother transition.”

First Sgt. Michael Canada, who 

previously served as the chief of 

inspections for the Corps Organizational Readiness Assessment 

Team, will be the company’s senior 

noncommissioned officer.

The responsibility of Company B 

is an important one and will greatly 

benefit the Corps’ mission. 

All across the companies being 

stood up, there are many missions 

they’re accomplishing in support of 

Corps and Force, Wanovich said. 

“[The company B Soldiers] do a 

tremendous job every day supporting the warfighter out there in the 

divisions and the brigades, and just 

providing the support that helps us 

fight our mission,” Robbins said.

Commanding a unit will be a 

new experience for Robbins, but 

one he’s greatly looking forward 

to.

“XVIII Airborne Corps’ history 

dates back to World War Two, so 

it’s got a lot of background, and 

since this is a new unit, just becoming a part of that background is 

great,” Robbins said. “Being able to 

build the company basically from 

the ground up with First Sergeant 

Canada will be a tremendous and 

challenging opportunity, but we’ll 

do our best and we’ll definitely 

make it happen.”

“Leading Soldiers is a trememndous opportunity and I’m looking 

forward to it,” Robbins said.

First Sgt. Michael Canada and his new Soldiers of Company B, Special Troops Battalion, XVIII Airborne Corps, stand in formation Aug. 29 just before the activation of 

the company at the Joint Visitors Bureau.
Page 4 Victory Times Online

Feature

September 5, 2008

Servicemembers “Read for the Record”

Story and photo by 

Pfc. Eric J. Glassey

13th Public Affairs 

Detachment

Maj. Brian Tribus, chief, media relations, Multi-National Corps – Iraq, reads Corduroy on video for his four children, Aug. 29., at the Mini-Chapel.

One hundred-fifty books 

were requested by servicemembers from Victory 

Base Complex who are 

involved with Jumpstart’s 

Read for the Record 

Campaign at the MultiNational Corps – Iraq 

Chaplain’s Office at Camp 

Victory. The campaign’s 

goal is to bring attention 

to the importance of early 

education by encouraging children and adults to 

read this year’s official 

campaign book, Corduroy.

The program works similar to the chaplain’s United 

Through Reading program 

where an individual reads 

in front of a video camera 

and sends home the DVD 

and book to their child, 

younger sibling or any other family member or friend 

to watch and read along.

The Chaplain’s Office 

will stop filming Reading 

for the Record videos by 

Sept. 15, to ensure servicemembers have enough time 

to mail their recorded DVD 

and book home to their 

children and family members to watch on October 2.

“The book and the 

DVD are free,” said 

Staff Sgt. Lesly Torres, 

noncommissioned officer in charge, MNC-I 

Chaplain’s Office. “All 

you need to do is take a 

bit of your own time.”

“I think it is a great 

program,” said Pfc. 

Arverna Jackson, chaplain 

assistant, Iraqi Assistant 

Group. “Your family 

can see you on video.”

“The kids start jumping and they talk back 

to the TV,” Torres said. 

“Most of them want you 

to read it again. The kids 

are so excited about it.”

Appointments can still 

be made by contacting 

Torres at 822-5641 or 

Jackson at 822-7093. The 

MNC-I Chaplain’s Office is at the Mini-Chapel, 

Building 24F, next to the 

Camp Victory bus stop.