Vol. II, Issue 63 Telling the Multi-National Corps - Iraq story August 25, 2008

Victory Times

Army Olympian,

Page 8

Back injuries,

Page 6

Change of command,

Page 3

Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Crisp

A dust storm envelopes Baghdad, July 27, as seen from the second floor of the Al-Faw Palace at Camp 

Victory. Dust storms are more prevalent in the area than in years past due to less-than-normal precipitation during Iraq’s 2007/2008 wet season, which occurs during the fall and winter months.

Dust storms, 

See Pages 4-5
Commentary

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, Pfc. Eric 

J. Martinez and Pfc. Eric J. Glassey

The Victory Times 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 is an authorized 

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.

Page 2 Victory Times August 25, 2008

Chaplain’s Corner

Pull the weed of bitterness out by the roots

By Chaplain Pat Opp

11th Psychological Operations

Every year billions of dollars 

are spent worldwide on gifts to express love and appreciation. Yet, 

over time gifts disappear as cards 

get lost, candies eaten, clothing 

worn, and jewelry faded. Yet, 

there’s one gift that displays the 

greatest level of love and it’s free, 

never gets worn-out and is always 

welcome. It’s called forgiveness!

Many marriages, workplaces, 

families and countries would receive long-awaited healing if 

people would choose to forgive 

the wrongs and hurtful things that 

are said and done. However, the 

worst hurt of all is to hold onto 

them. Being unforgiving bitters 

the soul and beats up the body. 

Today, many suffer with heart 

conditions, mental issues, acid reflux, and stress complexes. Bitterness destroys from the inside out. 

Someone has said, “Bitterness 

is the only acid that its container 

wasn’t meant to hold.” It’s true!

The Bible has a lot to say about 

forgiveness and bitterness. They 

are polar opposites. The Apostle 

Paul knew both of these intimately 

as he wrote a letter to the church 

in Ephesus to remind them of 

the amazing power that is in forgiveness. He writes, “Get rid of 

all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh 

words and slander, as well as all 

types of evil behavior. Instead, 

be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as 

God through Christ has forgiven 

See CHAPLAIN, Page 3

What current event back home intrigues you most

“Nothing, I’m interested in what is going 

on here.” 

“The Presidential debate 

and what is going to happen next.” 

“Stuff about military and 

politics.” 

“The price of gas.”

Staff Sgt. Jennifer Coburn, Multi-National 

Corps – Iraq chaplain 

assistant.

Petty Officer 1st Class 

Alicia Bower, personnel 

specialist with Task Force 

134.

Lt. Rimas Breimelis, Individual Augmentee with 

Multi-National Division 

– Southeast.

Spc. Anthony Thornton, 

Food Specialist with 11th 

Signal Brigade

Victory Voices : 
August 25, 2008 Victory Times Page 3

News

Joint squadron changes command on Camp Victory

Story and photo by

Pfc. Eric J. Martinez

13th Public Affairs Detachment

you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). It’s a 

choice.

Years ago in England, I had to 

take care of my lawn to get my deposit back. Dandelions overcame 

my yard and were choking-out 

the grass. It looked bad. I made 

the choice to “get rid” of them so 

I mowed, watered and fertilized 

regularly. Yet the most important 

thing I did was dig-up each dandelion by its roots. When it came 

time to move, my landlord gave 

me back my whole deposit and 

complimented me on how great 

the lawn looked. The decision 

to “get rid” of the dandelions had 

paid-off. 

The same can be said with the 

weed of bitterness. One must 

make the choice to uproot it by 

digging. It will take a cultivated 

Joint Crew Composite Squadron 

1 held a change of command ceremony Tuesday that highlighted the 

accomplishments of the unit under 

the command of Navy Capt. David 

B. Woods, outgoing commander, 

JCCS-1.

“Today’s military fights more 

jointly than ever before,” said Brig. 

Gen. Michael Ferriter, Multi-National Corps-Iraq deputy commanding general operations. “JCCS-1 is 

probably the most joint organization we have in this Corps.”

JCCS-1’s mission is to counter 

all radio operated improvised explosive devices in the theater of 

operations. Radio IED attacks have 

dropped from 600 a month to 60 

since the unit has been operating.

“No other single military organization has had such an impact on 

saving lives as this one.” Ferriter 

said.

The unit is comprised of 620 airmen, sailors, soldiers and civilians 

and operates on 61 forward operating bases.

“Seventeen years ago when I 

flew my first missions over Iraq, I 

never thought that I would be standing here turning over a command,” 

Woods said. “Things have become 

significantly safer since I’ve been 

in Iraq, but there is still a job to do 

and I’m leaving it in good hands.”

CHAPLAIN from, Page 2

To “get rid” of the weed of bitterness you 

have to dig and make a cultivated effort 

with love and determination.

effort of love and determination, 

but it can be done. The ugly alternative is to let the root of bitterness alone and it will grow and 

produce the weeds of rage, anger, 

harsh words and slander as well as 

all types of evil behavior. The end 

result is a life closely resembling a 

lawn overcome with weeds. 

So how does your lawn look? 

Why not do yourself a favor and 

make the choice to “get rid” of all 

weeds and you will have a life that 

resembles a beautiful lawn. Oh 

how our LANDLORD wants us to 

receive His forgiveness and blessings in our lives. When we do, 

we’ll have stronger relationships, 

improved health and a better you. 

Why I can’t think of a better gift 

to show your love than forgiveness...the gift we give ourselves.
Page 4 Victory Times

Dust S

Dust storms cast haze over 

Story and photo by 

Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Crisp

MNC-I PAO

It gets in the hair, eyes and 

even the lungs. It piles up 

quickly on everything in sight, 

and it can even have an effect 

on day-to-day operations. 

The ‘it,’ is dust, and Iraq is its 

breeding ground. When conditions are right, or wrong, that 

dust can become the monster that 

is known as the dust storm. 

The dust that comprises a dust 

storm comes from what is known 

as dust source regions, which are 

abundant in Iraq. Dried lake beds 

or wetlands and the deserts in and 

around Iraq all play home to large 

amounts of dust. When the winds 

pick up, particularly above 15 knots 

(17.3 miles per hour), the dust gets 

picked up with it. If that wind speed 

sustains itself for a considerable 

amount of time, the dust storm is 

born, said Air Force Lt. Col. Jeffery 

M. Cox, a native of Piqua, Ohio, 

and chief of the Multi-National 

Corps – Iraq staff weather office.

“We have lots of fine dust that 

gets picked up by the winds here,” 

Cox said, “and since it is so fine, 

it takes a while to settle down.”

The SWO defines a dust storm as: 

“When visibility is less than 1000 

meters, or 5/8 of a mile,” Cox said.

And the dust storms have been 

happening a lot lately. Cox said 

there have been 18 days in May 

and June where dust storm conditions were experienced. 

“That’s about three times 

more than normal,” he added.

The reason it has been happening more often than in previous 

years is due to an extreme drought 

– stemming from a very dry winter, 

also known as Iraq’s wet season.

“In the winter, there is a wet 

season where we get several inches 

of rain in November, December and 

January,” said Cox, a veteran of 19-

plus years in the meteorology field. 

“What has happened this last fall is 

a very late start to the wet season. 

The first couple of months; October, November and December, we 

typically get a couple inches of rain 

each month. We didn’t get hardly 

any rain in October and November.”

Iraq averages four inches of 

annual rainfall in the western and 

southern desert regions, and up 

to 40 inches of rain in the mountains of the northwest, according to www.globalsecurity.org.

 Only a portion of that average 

occurred this past wet season. 

“We actually received approximately 60 percent of the normal 

precipitation this winter,” Cox said.

That means there are more 

dust storms this year because the 

drought has created “less vegetation to hold the ground together, 

so there is more dust, and there are 

more dried lake beds - which are 

great dust source regions because 

of the real fine silt,” Cox said.

Once a dust storm gets brewing, it can last several days, Cox 

said, with less dust at night. And 

the height and breadth of a dust 

storm can be staggering.

On average a dust storm 

stays at 5,000 feet or less. 

Recently, though, Cox 

said there was a dust storm in 

Northern Iraq which was up 

in the air at 18,000 feet.

“I’ve seen dust plumes big enough 

to cover the width of Iraq,” he said. 

“Many times two-thirds of the country is covered by a major dust storm. 

That’s not usual, but it can be huge.”

And the dust that lingers in such 

storms can take a toll, both on 

equipment and human activity. 

When it comes to equipment: 

“The more sophisticated an electrical system is, the more dust affects 

it,” according to the United States’ 

National Oceanic & Atmospheric 

A guard tower at Camp Victory, Iraq, emplace

area during the May/June 2008 timeframe, ro
Page 5

Storms

August 25, 2008

 Iraq, Victory Base Complex

Administration. “Dust compacts easily, solidifies with little added moisture and combines with lubricants 

– often resulting in clogged and/or 

jammed equipment and machinery. 

Dust and sand storms also set up 

electrostatic discharges that, while 

not typically fatal, can have negative 

consequences in fueling operations, 

computer or electrical systems.”

As to the human element, medical personnel at the MNC-I surgeons 

office say the long-term risk from 

breathing dust in Iraq is thought 

to be low, however, they caution 

against performing strenuous activities when a dust storm is astir. 

A medical safety alert posted in 

July from the surgeon’s office states: 

“You can’t breathe dirt. During 

exercise you breathe many times 

the volume of air (and dust) as 

when you are at rest. Your lungs 

have a natural process for expelling 

the fine particles that are inhaled, 

but until you get rid of the dust, 

your lung capacity is reduced.” 

While the less-than-healthy dust 

storms have a way of clogging lungs 

and machinery; they don’t just sneak 

up on troops in order to do so. 

“We do a pretty good job of 

predicting when dust storms are 

going to happen,” Cox said. 

Making sure troops know when 

dust is on its way are the 137 weather 

servicemembers in country. This 

includes two Polish meteorologists, 

four British, with the rest being U.S. 

servicemembers scattered around 

the country in 24 locations. Their 

main job during the summer is to 

predict dust storms, Cox said.

Once a dust storm is here though, 

it is closely monitored. The surgeon’s office has preventive medicine personnel that test air quality 

and Soldiers exposed to extreme dust 

in order to monitor health effects. 

And after it is gone, there will be 

people waiting for it to come once 

more. For the monster that is the 

Iraqi dust storm will be sure to rise 

again, but it can come and go knowing the staff weather and surgeons 

office at MNC-I will be monitoring 

its every move, and side effect.

ed during Saddam Hussein’s era, now sits a silent vigil in another of Iraq’s dust storms July 27. Eighteen dust storms occurred in the Baghdad 

oughly three times the amount for that same time period in years past. 
Page 6 Victory Times August 25, 2008

Features

Interview and photo by 

Marine Cpl. 

Frances L. Goch

Seniour Airman 

Ryan Wright

Unit: MNF-I SCJS

Job title: Information 

Management Officer

Age: 27

Time in Service: 8 years

Family: “Three dogs: 

Zoey, Koda and Milo.”

Hobbies: “Playing 

and watching sports 

and doing puzzles.”

Person you most 

admire: “My great 

grandfather.”

Why you joined: “To 

help pay for college.”

If you weren’t in the 

military you would be: 

“Working at a crummy 

job from 9 to 5.”

One thing you’d change 

about the Air Force: 

“The PT uniforms.”

Describe your job 

in one word: “A 

humbling experience.”

Unusual fact about 

you: “I am obsessed 

with the Simpsons.”

Something you wish 

everyone would do: 

“Calm down.”

Words of wisdom: 

“Sometimes it’s just 

better not to know.”

By Jesse Martin

Corps Safety Office

Get to know an Airman...

MNC-I PAO

Remember to watch your back

Back injuries are some of 

the worst type of occupational 

injuries you can have. Some, 

the pain and suffering can linger for weeks, months, years, 

and for a small percentage of 

people, it may last a lifetime..

The cause of back pain in 

about 90 percent of the cases; is 

strain or sprain of back muscles, 

ligaments or soft tissue. This can 

be caused by poor posture while 

awake or during sleep, lifting something too heavy or too carelessly 

or from experiencing trauma. 

Some back pain cases are due 

to more serious conditions such as 

herniated or slipped disks in the 

bones of the spine. Many times you 

may not be aware the disk has even 

been damaged as this type of injury 

may take a while to manifest itself. 

If your back is not allowed to heal 

properly after it has been stressed, 

damage may build up and result in a 

bulging or ruptured disk, creating a 

cumulative injury marked by chronic 

pain. Fortunately, back injuries can 

be prevented with proper body mechanics, posture, and physical conditioning, and adequate rest after injury. 

Let’s start with some basics. 

Proper sleeping posture is important to prevent and relieve back 

pain. Do not sleep on your stomach. 

Instead, sleep on your side with 

a pillow between your knees or 

sleep on your back with a pillow 

under your knees. These actions 

help to alleviate undue pressure on 

your spine while you are at rest.

Secondly, poor awake posture 

typically involves bending ones 

head too far forward or not keeping 

your abdominal muscles tight. When 

standing, bend you knees and keep 

your spine angle in an upright position without slouching, rounding of 

the shoulders or overly accentuating the natural curves of the spine. 

Set the example for others and make back injury prevention a top priority.

Goals: “Go to 

culinary school.”

Best thing about being 

deployed: “Meeting 

new people.”

Best Boot Camp 

memory: “Graduating.”
August 25, 2008 Victory Times Page 7

Community

Coalition Cafe

Breakfast 5:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Dinner 5 - 8 p.m.

Midnight Dining 11 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Sports Oasis

Breakfast 5:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Dinner 5 - 9 p.m.

Education Center

8 a.m.-midnight

Camp Liberty Post Exchange

8 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Fitness Center

Open 24 Hours

Victory Main Post Office

Monday-Sunday 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

MNC-I STB Mailroom

9 a.m. - noon

5 - 7 p.m.

Al Faw Palace Post Office

Wednesday and Sunday

1-6 p.m.

Golby Troop Medical Clinic

Sick Call

Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon

Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - noon

Dental Sick Call

Monday - Friday 7:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Saturday 9 - 10:30 a.m.

Mental Health Clinic

Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. - noon

Post-Deployment Health Briefings

Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1 p.m.

Pharmacy

Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - noon; 

1 - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. - noon

Legal Assistance/Claims

Saturday-Monday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Operating Hours

Victory Chapel (Bldg. 31)

Thursday

7:30 p.m......... Latter Day Saints Seminary

Saturday

11 a.m...Seventh Day Adventist Service

8 p.m. Catholic Mass

Sunday

7 a.m............. Liturgical Protestant Service

2 p.m................. Latter Day Saints Service

4 p.m............... Epicopal/Lutheran Service

Mini Chapel (Bldg. 24F)

Tuesday

7:30 p.m............ Latter Day Saints Service

Wednesday

7 p.m...............................Men’s Fellowship

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

11:30 p.m............... Roman Catholic Mass

Friday

1 p.m..................... Muslim Prayer Service

6:30 p.m.............................Jewish Service

8 p.m......................... Women’s Fellowship

Sunday

8 a.m................ Eastern Orthodox Service

10 a.m.............. Protestant Sunday School

3 p.m...................Church of Christ Service

7:30 p.m............ Latter Day Saints Service

Hope Chapel (Bldg 24B)

Monday

12 p.m........... Charismatic Prayer Meeting

Sunday

8:30 a.m...... Collective Protestant Service

10 a.m.................... Roman Catholic Mass

12 p.m............................... Gospel Service

6:30 p.m............. Contemporary Protestant 

Service

Warrior Chapel (Camp Liberty)

Friday

6:30 p.m.............Victory Base Open Circle

Worship Hours

AFN 

Freedom Radio All stations are FM

Do you have an announcement about an event of interest to the Camp Victory community? 

Contact Spc. Samuel J. Phillips at samuel.phillips1@iraq.centcom.mil with the information. 

Information for community announcements needs to submitted at least two weeks prior to the 

event to allow for timely publication.

Announcements

Camp Victory Bible Studies

Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun.

Women’s Bible 

Study 7 p.m.

Bldg 24F;

Gospel Protestant 

Bible Study

 7 p.m. Hope 

Chapel

Women’s 

Bible Study 

7 p.m. 

Bldg 24F

Young Adult

Bible Study

5:30 p.m.

Hope

Chapel

Men’s Bible Study

7 p.m. Victory 

Chapel;

Spanish Bible 

Study 7 p.m. 

Bldg 24F

Foundations 

Bible Study, 

Mini Chapel 

6:30 p.m.

SeventhDay

Adventist

10 a.m.

Victory

Chapel

Men of the

Bible Study

5 p.m.

MLB Room,

Oasis DFAC

Legal Services

Cooley Law School is offering servicemembers free legal consultations, via video-conference, with an attorney to answer 

questions regarding civilian legal matters. 

The first Wednesday of each month: 8-11 

p.m. (Iraq time); Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, 

Nov. 5, Dec. 3, 2008. For more information contact Kathryn D. Hudacek, Director 

of Development, Freedom Calls Foundation at khudacek@freedomcalls.org, www.

freedomcalls.org, (973) 290-7886

CISSP Exams offered

Posting of Certified Information System 

Security Professional (CISSP) Examination 

for interested military of civilian personnel. 

POC is Michael Kahler, 822-2003. 

Story ideas for Victory Times

Do you know of a good story on Camp 

Victory that you think should be covered 

for the Victory Times? Please submit your 

ideas to Staff. Sgt.. Joy Pariante at joy.pariante@iraq.centcom.mil. Please include any 

interesting facts about the topic and point of 

contact information.

R&R Briefings

Reunion and Suicide Intervention 

Briefings are at the Victory Chapel, 

Monday at 3 p.m., Wednesday at 9:30 

a.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. All servicemembers who are going on leave or redeploying must attend this briefing.

Toastmasters

Improve your public speaking skills 

while having fun with creative – goal oriented people. No speaking experience necessary. Capt. Armin Reyes 318-822-7627 

Armin.reyes@iraq.centcom.mil.

The Corps Report

Al Asad ...... 107.3

Ali Base ..... 107.3

Ar Ramadi.. 107.3

Baghdad .... 107.3

Balad ......... 107.3

Fallujah...... 105.1

Kirkuk......... 107.3

Kirkush....... 107.3

Mosul......... 105.1

Q-West ........ 93.3

Taji ............. 107.3

Tal Afar....... 107.3

Taqqadum.. 107.3

Tikrit........... 100.1

The “Corps Report” is a 15 minute monthly television newscast highlighting the stories and events 

happening in the Multi-National Corps-Iraq area of operations. The program airs Sunday at 8:15 pm and 

Monday at 11:15 a.m. on the Pentagon Channel here in Baghdad. The August edition of the newscast will 

feature stories on Hope Chapel at Camp Victory, Logistics Training Advisory Teams at Taji and the Guam 

Liberation Celebration Day at Camp Victory to name just a few. Be sure and catch the latest edition of 

“The Corps Report” and contact the broadcast team here at MNC-I if you have a story idea. (822-8719).
Page 8 Victory Times August 25, 2008

Feature

Story and photos by Tim Hipps

U.S. Army Family and MWR Command PAO

Army marksman wins gold in skeet

U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit shotgun shooter 

Pfc. Vincent Hancock set two Olympic records 

and prevailed in a four-target shoot-off against 

Norway’s Tore Brovold to win the gold medal 

in men’s skeet on the Beijing Shooting Range. 

“Hooah,” Hancock said after receiving several congratulatory hugs from coaches and 

teammates after the Aug. 16 event. “This is 

the best feeling in the world. It’s awesome.” 

Hancock, 19, of Eatonton, Ga., shot an 

Olympic record 121 of a possible 125 targets in five qualification rounds and 

took a one-target lead into the final. 

During the final, Hancock missed his 20th shot 

and finished regulation tied at 145 with Brovold, 

who shot a perfect round to force the shoot-off. 

“It made me more determined,” Hancock 

said of missing the low target flying out of the 

sixth station. “Sometimes I need something to 

boost my determination to get to that next level, 

and that’s what happened. I would have liked 

to have shot 25 and won the gold outright, but 

I couldn’t have asked for a better shoot-off.” 

Brovold drew from a hat to determine 

who would shoot first in the extra session and aligned the stars for Hancock. 

“I actually like going last,” said Hancock, who 

got his wish. “I was hoping that he was going to 

draw first in the shoot-off. I like shooting second 

just so I can have the pressure on myself and not 

have to put the pressure on anybody else. I like to 

deal with the pressure, and this time it paid off.” 

Both of the co-world record-holders hit 

their first two targets in the extra session, 

but Brovold missed one of his next pair. 

Hancock then stepped up and knocked 

down two targets to clinch the gold with a 

final score of 145 (+4). Brovold finished 

at 145 (+3) to win the silver medal. 

“I was hoping that he wouldn’t miss, because 

Tore and I are really good friends, but when it 

comes down to it, I’m glad I got the gold medal,” 

Hancock said. “I wasn’t expecting him to miss that 

soon. It just panned out for me. I saw the targets 

really well those two pairs, and I crushed them.” 

Hancock said he couldn’t have asked 

“to shoot against a better shooter.” 

“He’s right there among the best in the world. It 

was just which one of us had the better day today, and it turned out to be me,” Hancock said.

U.S. Army Pfc. Vincent Hancock was nearly as hot as smoking 

shotgun shells last weekend on the Beijing Shooting Range, Aug. 

16, 2008. Hancock set two Olympic records en route to winning 

the gold medal in men’s skeet competiton.