by 1LT Betsy Arndt 204th Brigade Support Battalion Public Affairs Officer 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

The military ball is a tradition that has been celebrated among all the US Armed Forces and many other services around the world. LTC Bertulis and the Soldiers of the 204th Brigade Support Battalion of the 2

nd Brigade Combat

Team held a Military Ball on 31 March 2011 at the Crowne Plaza in Colorado Springs, CO where nearly 340 Soldiers and family members dined and danced in celebration of history and military tradi-tion. The evening began with a recep-tion and receiving line where LTC and Mrs. Bertulis as well as CSM and Mrs. Dugan greeted their guests. A call to mess was sounded with a bugler, Miss Kate Ward, niece of the Battalion’s Fam-

ily Readiness Support Assistant. The Color Guard was dressed in historical Army uni-forms depicting various eras of military ser-vice. The guest speaker was BG Gustave Perna, Commanding General of Joint Munitions & Lethality Life Cycle Management Command and Joint Munitions Command. BG Perna discussed the value of support from families and friends as well as support from leaders. “It’s great to be able to see the real Soldiers of the Army,” said BG Perna. After dinner and BG Perna’s speech, the

Rough Riders toasted to their history with

their own military grog, a cocktail with ingre-

dients representing a specific event in the

past that the Battalion was involved in. Sol-

diers capped off the night with music and

dancing and many took advantage of the

Colorado Springs Designated Driver Pro-

gram.

204th BSB Rough Rider Ball

2 0 4 T H B R I G A D E

S U P P O R T B A T T A L I O N

Rough Rider Connection A P R I L 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

Rough Rider

Ball

Company

Articles

Town Hall

Meeting

Snapshots

Contributors:

1LT Betsy Arndt

2LT Christine Breckenridge

SSG Misha Williamson

Mrs. Barbara Young

2LT Allison Jeffery, a Transportation Officer and the new-

est, youngest Lieutenant of the Rough Rider Battalion

tests the Grog to ensure it is fit for consumption.

Left to right: LTC Todd Bertulis, BG Gustave Perna, COL John Kolasheski

This newsletter contains official and unofficial information. The inclusion of some unofficial information in this

newsletter has not increased the cost to the Government, in accordance with DOD 4525.8-M

P A G E 2 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1

Any Soldier will tell you that their families and loved ones are the strength behind mission accom-plishment. In preparation for the upcoming deploy-ment, the 204th Brigade Support Battalion took time to celebrate and enjoy their families during the 204th BSB Marriage Retreat held March 11-13, 2011 at the luxurious Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. The Broadmoor Hotel has a history of pro-viding five-star services for over 50 continuous years to its famous guests ranging from past Presi-dents Bill Clinton and George Bush to celebrities such as Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe and most recently, 24 couples from 204th BSB.

Once a quarter the 204th Unit Ministry Team and Chaplain (CPT) Joel Payne hosts a marriage re-treat to assist couples and families to reconnect and spend much needed quality time together in a vacation-like atmosphere. The marriage retreats are centered on one common goal: assisting cou-ples in learning new techniques to open the lines of communication. During this retreat, the couples learned how to “Laugh Their Way to a Better Mar-riage,” based on the teaching of Mark Gungor. In these very funny but poignant DVD lessons Mark Gungor used comedy to bring up very important issues that plague many marriages, speaking on topics ranging from the differences in the male and female brain to intimacy. As couples sat through these lessons, they were able to enjoy the com-pany of their spouse while interacting with other couples within the Rough Rider family.

When the couples were on their own during “date time,” they enjoyed a variety of activities such as sightseeing at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, hiking at the nearby Garden of the Gods Nature Experience and Seven Falls Nature Experience. Couples took advantage of the Broadmoor Estates by golfing on the world famous golf course that will be hosting the 2011 US Women Open later this spring. They also spent the afternoon shopping and eating at some of the 75 shops, boutiques and restaurants on site. For the cou-ples that preferred to relax, they indulged in a couples’ massage and spa treatment offered at the resort. For quiet time, couples walked around the Broadmoor Es-tates to soak in the beautiful serenity of the Broad-moor Gardens and swim in the indoor heated pool.

Just because it was a marriage retreat does not mean the children were left out. Childcare was pro-vided onsite for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. The Broadmoor staff provided excellent care of the children while in “Bee Camp”. The children did a vari-ety of activities from ceramic painting, playing board games, coloring and interacting on the Wii video game system for older kids. Overall this retreat ca-tered to the entire family. The only complaint was that the families couldn’t stay longer.

204th BSB Marriage Retreat

by 2LT Christine Breckenridge Alpha Company Unit Public Affairs Representa-tive, 204th Brigade Support Battalion

The Alpha Company Supply Support Activity

(SSA) received numerous accolades while at

JRTC for being one of the first SSAs to bring an

authorized stockage list (ASL) to the training cen-

ter. With 1,000 lines of Class IX (repair parts)

and over 24,000 items on hand the SSA was able

to support the entire brigade with the necessary

repair parts throughout the JRTC rotation. By

analyzing each battalion’s 026 reports (Deadline

reports) CW2 Vega was able to forecast which repair

parts would be mission essential. Through his vigi-

lance and the determination of the 92As (Supply Spe-

cialists) of the SSA Platoon, they were able to keep all

Class IX items stocked and ready for the receiving

unit. When the time came for Class IX pushes, the

SSA was already prepared and made running class IX

combat logistics patrols (CLPs) more predictable and

easier for the gaining unit. It is due to the SSA dedi-

cation to resupply and maintenance that we can re-

main successful in any fight.

Alpha Company Remains Prepared

by SSG Misha Williamson Chaplain’s Assistant 204th Brigade Support Battalion

204th BSB

Town Hall 19 April

McMahon Auditorium

1800—2000

Come out to the 204th BSB

Town Hall and Deployment Brief

At McMahon Auditorium!

Come learn:

Deployment Location

Living Conditions

Gear

Resources Available

Financial Allowances

For more information or questions regarding the

204th Town Hall, contact the 204th BSB FRSA at

526-4172 or barbara.ann.young1@us.army.mil

This is your opportunity to learn

Information you have been asking for!

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2 Rough Rider Snapshots P A G E 4

R O U G H R I D E R C O N N E C T I O N