JULY 20, 2005

CHANGINGPERCEPTION,

ONE LISTENERAT A TIME

PAGE 6

2 Desert Voice July 20, 2005

Volume 26, Issue 49The Desert Voice is an authorized publication for members of theDepartment of Defense. Contents of the Desert Voice are notnecessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government or Department of the Army. The editorial content ofthis publication is the responsibility of the Coalition Forces LandComponent Command Public Affairs Office. This newspaper ispublished by Al-Qabandi United, a private firm, which is not affiliated with CFLCC. All copy will be edited. The Desert Voice isproduced weekly by the Public Affairs Office.

Page 3 A re-up family

Page 9 EO vs. IG

Pages 6&7 The ‘right’ message

Page 8 Measuring morale

Page 4 Moving Marines

Page 5 7th Marines hit Iraq

Page 11 Community Events

Back page Troop submissions

A dad and his twins were sworn in togetherfor another three years by the special assis-tant to the director of the Army NationalGuard at Kuwaiti Naval Base.

Chaplains are always there to offer an ear ora bit of sage advice, and because of theirunique position, they are the perfect peopleto gauge the morale of troops. Also on thispage, find out where to get stress relief.

When the chain of command can’t help withyour problems, where do you turn? Figuringout who can help handle your problems canbe as confusing as the problem itself.

Conservative radio talk show hosts broadcastlive from Iraq and Kuwait in an attempt tochange America’s perception of OperationIraqi Freedom.

The Marines with G Company, 2ndBattalion, 7th Marines Regiment are head-ing to Iraq for the second time in less than a year.

Poems by Eliamar Castanon and Sgt. LisaD. Alexander; comic by Maj. James D.Crabtree.

On the coverTrying to change America’s perception of Operation Iraqi Freedom, a group of conservative radio personalities toured Iraq and Kuwait to tell troops’ good stories.Photo illustration by Sgt. Matt Millham

CONTENTS 49CFLCC Commanding GeneralLt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb

CFLCC Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Franklin G. Ashe

CFLCC Public Affairs OfficerCol. Michael Phillips

Commander 14th PADMaj. Thomas E. Johnson

NCOIC 14th PADSgt. Scott White

Desert Voice Editor Sgt. Matt Millham

Desert Voice Assistant EditorSpc. Aimee Felix

Desert Voice Staff WritersSpc. Curt CashourSpc. Brian Trapp

14th PAD BroadcasterSpc. Charles Spears

14th PAD Graphic ArtistSgt. Sergio Exposito

Page 10 I got it at the PXFeaturing the NEAT! Diaper Disposal System,Crayola crayons, Hyland’s homeopathicteething tablets and Surefire’s A2 flashlight.

5

6

4

9

The Multinational Force-West CoordinationCenter – Kuwait is responsible for movingall Marines through Kuwait.

Puerto Rico Day Salsa night, Karaoke, AirHockey tournament, Old School Jams.

3Desert Voice July 20, 2005

Story and photo by Spc. Aimee Felix

Reenlistment ceremonies, visits fromgenerals, and family members deployedtogether are dime-a-dozen occurrences inthe Global War on Terrorism.

When the stars are perfectly aligned,though, and all these things merge into onehour, they make for a pretty unique experi-ence.

A father and his twin sons – all withHawaii National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 487thField Artillery, stationed at Kuwaiti NavalBase – reenlisted for three years July 11,and they were sworn in by a visiting majorgeneral who happens to be a twin himself.

Master Sgt. Mark Shiraishi, 50, and his23-year-old sons Sgt. Brandon Shiraishi andSpc. Cory Shiraishi reenlisted “as a unitything,” said Mark. “I did it to support mysons, and we all did it for the same lengthof time,” he added.

“It’s such a treasure to see them reenlisttogether,” said Maj. Gen Walter Pudlowski,the special assistant to the director of theArmy National Guard. Pudlowski was happyto discover that the Shiraishi boys, like him,are twins. He swore the father and sons inafter he was briefed on the responsibilitiesand tasks of the Shirashis’ unit.

Brandon and Cory, who have been insep-arable since birth, made the decision toreenlist together, a decision that had muchto do with the fraternity they had developedwith the rest of the troops in the battalion.They also did it for the benefits, Brandonsaid.

Brandon and Cory will each receive a

$7,500 bonus and money for collegethrough the Montgomery G.I. Bill. Theirfather, “he’s been in too long to get bonus-es,” said Cory. Mark has served a total of30 years in the Army.

While they made the decision to reenlist ontheir own, Mark is who decided the twinswould enlist six years ago. Mark has been aNational Guard retention and recruiting officerfor the last eight years. He spent the other 22years of his Army career in field artillery – afootstep his sons voluntarily followed when hemade them join the Army.

In the civilian world Brandon is a hotel

receptionist, and just before this deploymentCory joined the Honolulu PoliceDepartment. Brandon plans on going backto college when the 1st of the 487th returnshome in January. And, since he and Coryeach got married right before their deploy-ment, they plan on saving the bonus moneyfor their future homes. Mark will retire fromthe Active Guard Reserve when he returnsfrom this deployment.

Pudlowski had nothing but admiration forthe Shiraishi men, but he did offer Brandonsome advice. “You have to push your broth-er. Get him to the board.”

A family fights, and re-ups, together

Master Sgt. Mark Shiraishi, 50, and his 23-yyear-oold twin sons Sgt. Brandon Shiraishi and Spc.Cory Shiraishi are sworn in July 11 at Kuwaiti Naval Base by Maj. Gen Walter Pudlowski – thespecial assistant to the director of the Army National Guard – who himself happens to be a twin.

A moment pleaseBritish troops observe a moment of silence

as the Union Jack in front of Camp Arifjan’sZone 6 command cell is lowered to half staffin remembrance of those killed in the July 7bombings in London.

At 2 p.m. July 14, members of GreatBritain’s Operational Stand Down and allother British troops staying in Camp Arifjanstood at attention, wherever they were, toobserve the two minutes of silence. Theobservance coincided with a moment ofsilence in London’s Trafalgar Square thatthousands of Londoners participated in.

The attacks, which struck during morningrush hour on three packed LondonUnderground trains and a double-ddecker bus,killed at least 55 people and left at least 700wounded. The attacks are believed to havebeen suicide bombings. An investigation intothe attacks is ongoing. Photo courtesy of British Warrant Officer 1 Mark Phillips

4 Desert Voice July 20, 2005

Story and photo by Spc. Brian Trapp

Catching a ride to or from Operation IraqiFreedom can take weeks, and often doesfor many units.

But Marines moving through Kuwaitaccomplish the task in a matter of hours,not weeks, with the help of the Marines withMultinational Force-West CoordinationCenter – Kuwait spread across CampsVictory, Arifjan, Doha and Ali Al Salem andKuwait City International Airfields.

The MCC-K has moved more than59,000 Marines since January with another44,000 slated to move in the comingmonths.

What makes this feat so remarkable isthat the crew of 110 Marines moves all ofthese personnel through Kuwait in a matterof hours.

The main contingent of the task force, a65 Marine team at Camp Victory, is respon-sible for the reception, staging and onwardmovement of all units attached to the 2ndMarine Expeditionary Force – Forward.

Most Marines spend 24 to 36 hours inKuwait before moving on, said Gunnery Sgt.Frank Bellini, noncommissioned officer incharge of the movement control team atCamp Victory. Some groups of deployershave spent as little as a couple of hours inKuwait before flying to Iraq.

“Sometimes you go to bed and all youcan hear is generators,” Bellini said. “Thenyou wake up the next day and there are2,000 people outside. You wake up a daylater and everyone is gone.”

One reason theMarines can movethrough Kuwait soquickly is that a lotof the things theArmy does in Kuwaitbefore moving intoIraq, like additionaltraining, the Marinesdo at their home sta-tion or in Iraq, Bellinisaid. Another bigreason is the single-ticket program and theMarines’ partnership with Coalition ForcesLand Component Command.

“We don’t operate independently, andthat partnership [with CFLCC] is why we areso successful at what we do.”

The biggest advantage of the single-tick-et program is that instead of waiting forflights that are scheduled to go to a certaindestination, the Marines can scheduleflights for when they need to move troops.

Operating like a civilian airline, the sin-

gle-ticket program gives units a travel itiner-ary that lays out their travel plan from startto finish. Kuwait is just a layover on the jour-ney to or from the war.

The program is for both deploying andredeploying units. The MCC-K starts track-ing the units before they even leave theirhome station, setting up transportation forthem once they arrive in Kuwait, Bellini said.To set up a unit’s schedule, MCC-K takesthe date the unit needs to be at its final des-

tination and startsworking backwardfrom there, hour byhour, figuring outhow long it will taketo move the unit fromone location toanother.

Even though thereare occasional snagsin the schedulebecause of cancelled

or delayed flights, the mission is going wellso far. “We successfully moved all person-nel and equipment and cargo without injury,”Koval said.

Besides scheduling, a large part of theMCC-K mission is transporting the Marinesand their gear from place to place.

Because a jumbo jet bringing troops intotheater carries hundreds of Marines, oneflight of Marines can add up to dozens oftransportation missions.

“The hardest part is making sure every-

thing goes smooth, getting the timeline andmaking sure everything moves at the righttime,” said Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan Best,transportation NCOIC. “The highlight of myday is when the work is done. When every-thing runs smooth, it’s not too bad.”

Best has had not-so-smooth days, likewhen a truck hauling an incoming unit’s lug-gage broke down. Fortunately, they onlyhad to find a new truck and hook it up to thetrailer, rather than having to unload andreload hundreds of bags into a new trailer,Best said.

The Marines’ surge is ramping up andwill continue for the next few months. TheMCC-K is looking down the barrel of a lot oflong hours.

During the last surge, they worked fornearly 10 weeks without a break, Bellinisaid.

“The Marines are either working or sleep-ing. They sometimes even take turns sleep-ing in the vehicles,” Bellini said. “I just try toget about an hour of downtime every nowand then to smoke a cigar.”

With one of the largest rotations ofMarine forces in Corps history behind themand another massive movement coming up,the MCC-K is ready to handle the gargantu-an task.

“One of the things I learned during aleadership class was: how do you eat anelephant? One bite at a time,” Koval said.“There’s no one piece that’s more importantthan the rest.”

Marine Cpl. Ninh Pangting, transportation team leader with Multinational Force-WWestCoordination Center – Kuwait, schedules transportation for the 2nd Battalio, 7th MarineRegiment from Camp Victory to the Aerial Port of Debarkation.

How do you eat an elephant?

“Sometimes you go to bedand all you can hear isgenerators. Then youwake up the next day andthere are 2,000 peopleoutside.” – Gunnery Sgt. Frank Bellini

5Desert Voice July 20, 2005

Beenthere,done that,doing itagain

Story and photo by Spc. Brian Trapp

“I lost a couple family members during9/11, and if I can prevent that from happen-ing to anyone else, that’s a personal gain,”Marine Pfc. Cory Becker said before movingout of Kuwait to Fallujah, Iraq.

About 800 Marines with the 7th MarineRegiment from 29 Palms, Calif., stopped atCamp Victory July 7 before heading on toIraq’s Al Anbar province where the battalionwill carry out security and stability opera-tions and train Iraqi security forces.

The Marines with G Company, 2ndBattalion, 7th Marines Regiment are head-ing to Iraq for the second time in less than ayear. They redeployed from Iraq last August.They return to Iraq well-trained, motivatedand with a wealth of experience, saidMarine Capt. Andy Watson, G Companycommander.

“When we came through the first time, itwas kind of the first time for everyone,” saidMarine Cpl. Shurron Thompson.

During the deployment last year,Thompson was a private first class. Thistime he’s coming back as a leader of hisown squad of Marines.

He knew his unit would return to Iraq atleast one more time, and last week as theMarines waited for their flight to Iraq theMarines faced the anticipation of returningto war.

“I’m comfortable with it, not easy with it.But now I have guys under me, and I haveto be comfortable,” Thompson said.

About 45 percent of the Marinesdeployed with the unit last year, Watsonsaid. “Their experience is only as good astheir ability to teach; it’s a matter of translat-ing that experience to help others.”

Watson returned from Iraq in March andtook over the company a couple of monthsbefore deploying. He has no qualms withthe quick turnaround, saying that leadingMarines into Iraq is “absolutely what I wantto do.”

Only a couple of days from landing inFallujah, Marine 1st Sgt. Joel Collins, firstsergeant for G Company, was ready to startthe mission.

“I felt it’s about time,” Collins said. “We’vebeen anticipating this day for a long hour.”

The troops were wound up to go to Iraqeven before heading out on predeploymentleave, and by the time they arrived in Kuwait,they were overloaded with anticipation.

“It’s like the butterflies you get before thebig game — a little nervousness and adren-aline,” Collins said. “I saw them get on theaircraft and they had a look of confidence intheir faces. They all had their head in theball game. I feel very confident.”

That confidence isn’t just a reflection ofhis Marines’ bravado; almost a full year oftraining plays a role in his positive outlook.

To prepare for what they would face onthe streets of Fallujah the Marines trained inan old housing area that was converted intotraining grounds. The setup mimicked theenvironment and threats the Marines willface while protecting the Iraqi people and

training them to protect themselves.“They were very successful in training

the Iraqis [during the last deployment] andwe’ll need that experience this time,”Watson said. “The goal is to get the Iraqisstood up so they can man Fallujah; that’swhat we’re going for with all of Iraq.”

Becker, a native of Glennallen, Alaska,which has a population of about 800, will beone of the Marines training the IraqiSecurity Forces. It will be Becker’s first timeout of the United States.

“I’ve received the best training the U.S.military has to offer,” said Becker, who hasbeen in the Marines for less than a year. Hefeels more comfortable knowing the Marineshe’s deploying with have already served inIraq.

Active duty servicemembers have theopportunity to request free magazinesubscriptions. In an effort to provideentertainment to deployed personnel whomay not have access to much readingmaterial, Primedia is offering free sub-scriptions to several of their magazines toactive duty personnel who request it.Primedia produces such titles as Gunsand Ammo, Shotgun News and Hunting.Active duty personnel can request freesubscriptions online at:https://store.primediamags.com/soldier2/index.html

Free Magazines

Marine Pfc. Cort Beckerwith G Company, 2ndBattalion, 7th MarineRegiment, cleans his rifle toburn time while waiting atCamp Victory for his flightinto Iraq.

6 Desert Voice July 20, 2005

Sending the ‘right’ signalsStory by Spc. Curt Cashour

There’s an old saying among those in themedia that states, “If it bleeds it leads.”

There’s a reason the motto has stuck: it’sthe truth.

Take Iraq for example. Day after day, sto-ries of car bombings and suicide attacks takeprominence over the many good news stories

happening in the war-torn country.

With this in mind, agroup of radio talkshow hosts took toU.S. military bases inKuwait and Iraq to letservicemembers tellthe other side of thestory.

With stops at Camps Victory andProsperity in Iraq, and Camp Arifjan, Kuwait,the “Voices of Soldiers Tour” featured fiveconservative-minded talk show hosts, each

of whom conducted live broadcasts full ofstories from the frontlines told by service-members themselves. The trip was spon-sored by Move America Forward, a not-for-profit political advocacy group that supportsboth the Global War on Terror and the menand women of the military.

Using a three-tiered approach consistingof talk radio, Internet and grass roots efforts,Move America Forward works to publicizethe good news stories coming out of Iraq thatare often overlooked by mainstream pressoutlets, said co-chairman Howard Kaloogian,a former member of the California House ofRepresentatives. Kaloogian founded theorganization in March of last year to offsetthe steady stream of bad press the U.S. mili-tary was receiving in the wake of the AbuGhraib scandal.

“We’ve all worked in politics and media, socountering established media is somethingwe can do,” said Siobhan Guiney, executive

“It’s good to see that there aremedia personalities that are inter-ested in what Soldiers have to sayand not just getting sensationalphotos for the TV” – Maj. Jane Nealy

Michael Graham, host of “The Michael Graham Show” on AM 630 WMAC in Washington D.C., interviews Chief Warrant Officer Ralph Puma, amember of the 390th Personnel Group from Richmond, Va. Puma, like many of the other interviewees, has family in the Washington D.C. area.

Photo by Pfc. Michael Noggle

7Desert Voice July 20, 2005

director of Move America Forward.“The goal of the [Voices of Soldiers] trip

is to make sure that the mainstream mediadoes not get away with turning Iraq intoVietnam,” said Melanie Morgan, co-founderof Move America Forward and host of the“Lee Rodgers and Melanie Morgan Show,”a talk program on KSFO–AM in SanFrancisco.

Keeping the American public abreast ofall the positive developments in Iraq isimportant, because if the national discus-sion turns to abandoning Iraq, the progresswe have made there will be lost, Morgansaid.

Throughout the weeklong trip, on-air per-sonalities ate in military dining facilities,lived in tents and accompanied troopspatrolling the streets of Iraq. At each stop,the hosts broadcast live programs back tothe United States, often reuniting troops withtheir family members while on the air.

Portions of the broadcasts were carriedon various talk radio programs throughoutthe United States, giving listeners fromacross the nation the chance to call andspeak directly with servicemembers.

The group’s final stop was at CampArifjan’s Zone 6 Community Center. Troopshuddled around Morgan and WashingtonD.C.-based host Michael Graham as theybeamed their programs back to the UnitedStates by telephone.

Maj. Jane Nealy of the 461st PersonnelServices Battalion, a Reserve unit that’sdeployed to Arifjan, waited with anticipation

for her on-air interview with Morgan. Whenshe’s not deployed, Nealy listens to Morgannearly every morning as she navigates traf-fic on her way to work, she said.

“It’s good to see that there are mediapersonalities that are interested in whatSoldiers have to say and not just gettingsensational photos for the TV,” Nealy said.

Although he normally prefers romanticsongs to talk radio, Senior Airman ThomasTruong was also excited to talk about hisdeployment experience on “The MichaelGraham Show.” Truong immigrated to theUnited States from Vietnam in1989.

The radio trip was plagued by badweather and technical difficulties, but all ofthe hardships were worth it. The broad-casts went a longway toward edu-cating ordinary citi-zens about thelives of service-members servingin the war on ter-ror, said Sgt.Alexander Gago of U.S. Central CommandPublic Affairs, who added that the trip alsoopened the eyes of the talk show hosts.

“I had them hiking into tents, up roadsand through dust storms. They’ve had to gothrough some physical and mental chal-lenges that have made them better people,”he said.

“I’ve never worn a Kevlar vest in 120degree heat before. You have to experienceit to understand it,” Kaloogian said.

“We’ve all worked in politics andmedia, so countering establishedmedia is something we can do.”

– Siobhan Guiney

Left: Melanie Morgan, a co-hhost of “The Lee Rodgersand Melanie Morgan Show” from San Francisco, con-ducts an over-tthe-pphone interview with Maj. Jane Nealy,a member of the 461st Personnel Services Battalion, areserve unit from Decatur, Ga.

Above: Graham interviews a Soldier in Camp Arifjan’sZone 6 Community Center. Graham, who travelled toIraq and Kuwait as part of the “Voices of Soldiers” radiotour said he was trying to get the Soldier’s story to theAmerican public.

Photo by Pfc. Michael Noggle

Photo by Spc. Curt Cashour

8 Desert Voice July 20, 2005

By Master Sgt. Hak Haskins377th Theater Support Command

Each week the chaplain stands beforethe 377th Theater Support Command com-manding general and answers a question.

“What’s the spiritual health of the com-mand?” queries Maj. Gen. Paul E. Mock.“It’s a seven, sir,” responds Chaplain (Col.)William L. Brunold.

The Wednesday morning exchangebegan more than 40 weeks ago when theSoldiers of the 377th walked off airplanesand into the desert of Kuwait, the plains ofIraq and the foothills of Afghanistan.

The exchange will continue until thoseSoldiers have boarded airplanes that willtake them home.

Spiritual health is Mock’s term for morale,something most leaders pay close attention to.

And it’s Brunold’s job to deliver the news,good or bad.

One of the issues helping morale is thetime left in theater, which draws toward anend. One of the issues hurting morale is thetemperature, which has hovered around 120degrees Fahrenheit for weeks.

No commander can change the weather,but the spiritual health report does give Mockand his counterparts an overview of thosethings they can change to improve moralewithout compromising the mission. That canbe as simple as ensuring as many Soldiersas possible get a chance to attend organiza-tional days, or as complex as prioritizing theup-armor of vehicles before they are driveninto Iraq.

With less than two months worth of calen-dar pages to turn before the 377th’s currentrotation is a memory, morale in the 377thTSC remains strong, Brunold said. In fact, it’salways been that way in varying degrees.

“Most people (in Kuwait) have not seenthe extremes” caused by the war in Iraq,Brunold said. “We’ve been insulated from thebad stuff.

“I believe the deployment has been suc-cessful. As a whole we have performed andexcelled in a way that was beyond expecta-tions. When you see annual training and seeall the things that go wrong … we’ve had agreat success.”

That shouldn’t be interpreted to meanmorale has reached warp speed on thehappy meter.

Problems exist and persist and many ofthem originated in the States; if there is arecurring theme in the counseling chaplainsoffer it has been for Soldiers vexed by familywoes and tragedies.

That, in turn, affected the morale of indi-vidual Soldiers.

“Conflict between Soldiers here, well,that’s normal. But the deployment has beenmuch more difficult for families than Soldiers.Name the social problem,” Brunold said, “andit was experienced by families back home.”

When a marriage is in trouble, or a childhas become despondent, part of a chaplain’smission is to offer counseling and an emo-tional respite where a Soldier can find somerefuge and relief; the discovery of answers iscommon though not assured.

Occasionally, Soldiers have returnedhome on emergency leave, not for the funer-al of a loved one, but to mend their familiesand themselves.

Not all Soldiers have spouses and chil-

dren. Those who are single have a differentset of worries, the chaplain said.

Concerns about their futures – includingthe decision to reenlist or take a discharge –lead the list, he said.

“I hope those individuals have matured”during their deployment. “But when they gethome they must explain this to their friendswho have no clue what it’s like. I hear youngerpeople saying ‘where do I go from here?’”

Still, the morale gauge for the 377th TSChas never dipped below 6.5 though it sel-dom edged above 8.

“When we see an 8 or a 9 is when we areon the plane” headed west, the chaplain said.

Stressed out? Get some helpFor those who aren’t old enough to

remember, the military used to deal with aservicemember’s personal problems asjust that: personal problems.

You were on your own.The combat stress team, available in

this theater, is a relatively new concept.Briefings that offer guidance and assis-tance on the transition from boots toloafers are less than 10 years old. TheVeterans Administration’s Post-TraumaticStress Disorder agency wasn’t developeduntil 1989.

Even the historic bastion of emotionalstability, the chaplain, was the man youwanted to find just before combat, andthen you prayed there would be no reasonfor him to find you after.

Today’s Army, however, realizes that yourproblems are by default its problems, andan array of programs have been designedand developed for the benefit of all.

“When I joined the Army, it didn’t careabout families,” said Chaplain (Col.)William L. Brunold, of the 377th TheaterSupport Command, who is a formerMarine. “At least that was my impression.The improvements we’ve made are nightand day.”

The Army began aggressively develop-ing family support groups nearly 15 yearsago as part of an effort to keep familiesand Soldiers connected, especially duringdeployments.

Since then the military has expandedinto fields that had been left to the individ-ual Soldier or non-military agencies.

Those include retreats for married cou-ples, on-the-ground counseling for combatstress, and an emphasis on MWR activities.

Being deployed for an extended period,

as most the Soldiers and Sailors in thistheater have, will spawn life changes.Some of those will be subtle – animproved physical fitness program, forexample – while some of them will becomemajor – the dissolution of a marriagecaused by, or blamed on, the separation.

And not all of the changes will appearovernight; they can have a tendency tocreep into one’s life. The AmericanPsychiatric Association calls that post-trau-matic stress disorder.

Brunold, who has 23 years of experi-ence as an Army Reserve Soldier and isthe pastor of a Lutheran church in his civil-ian life, said that servicemembers who aresuffering from any type of deployment orcombat stress shouldn’t try to slug throughit by themselves.

He offered some tips:* Talk to your battle buddy; the Soldier or

Sailor you served with during Operation Iraqi Freedom understands what you are going through; phone cards are cheap, buy one and use it if your buddy isn’t close by.

* Find a clergyman in your hometown, and one with military experience if that is pos-sible.

* Check with the local Veterans Administration; every county in the United States has a VA representative who can help guide you to the nearest counseling center.

* Use your local mental health agencies. More information on PTSD is available online at: www.psych.org/public_info/ptsd.cfm; your unit’s chaplain has information on pro-grams available for married couples, families and individuals.

Measuring morale on a sliding scale

9Desert Voice July 20, 2005

don’t have the authority to hand out punish-ments. They’ll advise commanders of avail-able options for dealing with problems, butthe ultimate decision for dealing with issueslies with the commander.

EO advisors, on the other hand, don’tconduct investigations. If an EO issue war-rants further study, a commissioned officer— preferably one who outranks the personthe complaint was lodged against — will beassigned to conduct an inquiry. After areview of the investigation’s findings, theinvestigating officer can recommend punish-ments for guilty parties, but in the end, theultimate decision for taking action or deliver-ing punishment lies with the chain of com-mand, Walls said.

Although IG and EO Soldiers can providehelp to those who need it, don’t think of theprograms as a way to take your chain ofcommand out of the loop. Smarr, Clausenand Walls all recommend bringing up what-ever issues you have with your superiorsbefore seeking outside help, because thechain of command is always their first stopin investigating complaints.

“There are always three sides to everystory: the side of the one raising the issue,the side of the one the issue is about andthe bare bones facts – usually somewherein the middle,” Smarr said.

To aid EO and IG representatives,

Soldiers with a complaint or issue shouldhave documentation of the behavior inquestion, complete with dates, times, andwitnesses.

“The more information they have, thebetter,” Clausen said.

If an EO or IG investigation finds fault insomeone’s actions, the next highest-com-mander in the guilty party’s chain of com-mand has the authority to agree or disagreewith the findings and determine punishment.

Soldiers who take their issues to IG orEO are covered by the Department ofDefense Whistleblower Act. The act pro-hibits military superiors from taking reprisalactions against someone who files an IG orEO complaint — even if a subsequentinquiry does not find enough evidence tosupport the complaint. The act even givesservicemembers who suspect they are thevictim of reprisals the option of directly con-tacting their military inspector general. Thepreferred method, however, is to try to solvethe problem at the lowest level possible,Clausen said.

Even though EO and IG personnel canprovide help in times of trouble, their pres-ence around an office or unit isn’t necessar-ily a bad thing. EO and IG Soldiers spend agreat deal of their time educating Soldiersand leaders on how to meet their respectiverequirements before problems start.

Story by Spc. Curt Cashour

You’ve probably heard it so many timesthat it’s almost second nature: when youhave a problem, go to your chain of com-mand for the solution.

But what happens if the chain of com-mand isn’t able to help?

In the Army, relief comes in the form ofthe Inspector General and EqualOpportunity Offices. Both assist and edu-cate Soldiers when it comes to fair and ethi-cal treatment, however, each have their dif-ferences.

One of the most common problems forEO advisors and representatives is the factthat many troops don’t know the differencebetween EO and IG. EO handles unfairtreatment issues with regards to race, sex,religion, color or national origin, whereas IGis the place to report unfair treatment notrelated to the above criteria, said Sgt. 1stClass Penny Walls, the Area Support Group— Kuwait equal opportunity advisor.

An EO advisor for the past four years,Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Clausen said most ofthe complaints he receives don’t even fallwithin the realm of EO, which has the solemission of assuring that all Soldiers aretreated fairly, with dignity and respect andjudged on the basis of merit and not race,gender, color, religion, or national origin.

“They’re mostly leadership issues … ‘Ifeel like I’m being harassed, therefore itmust be equal opportunity,’” he said.

In such cases, Soldiers would be betteroff talking to an IG representative, saidClausen, of the 43rd Area Support Group,an active duty unit from Fort Carson, Colo.

But IG is not just an avenue for Soldiers toreport the improper behavior of their chain ofcommand. It’s also a place to turn to for helpwith Army regulations and other bureaucraticproblems that the chain of command doesn’tseem to know how to fix. The primary missionof IG Soldiers is to ensure that Army stan-dards are being met, said Lt. Col. Rick Smarr,the Coalition Forces Land ComponentCommand deputy inspector general (forward).

They do this in four ways: conductinginspections, providing individual Soldierassistance, executing investigations andteaching and training leaders and Soldiersthe proper procedures if they are not ontrack when seeking solutions to issues.

“In a nutshell, the inspector general is theeyes, ears and conscience of the com-mander,” Smarr said.

Many people look at IG Soldiers as the“fix it guys,” Smarr said, but actually that’snot the case. IG troops do in fact investigatecomplaints and issues of concern, but they

EO or IG: what’s the difference?

Armenian Soldiers add their flag to the display of coalition partners’ flags waving in front ofCamp Virginia’s command cell July 16. The troops brought the flag from Armenia to Kuwaitwhen they arrived last week on their way to Iraq. The Armenian unit will serve for six monthsunder the Polish-lled Multinational Division Central-SSouth. This is their second troop rotation.

Armenia raises its flag at Virginia

Photo courtesy of Sgt. Matthew Smiskey

10 Desert Voice May 25, 2005

I got it at the PX

Crayola Washable Crayons Since the start of your military career, you’vedreamt of this deployment. After all, what’smore hooah than fighting for freedom in theMiddle East? The moment of truth has finallyarrived, but there’s only one problem: youforgot to bring your crayons. Don’t worry,though. The solution comes in the form ofthis 24 pack from Crayola.

Deals so hot, you’ll forget about the weather

$3.75

$24.95A team effort involving Spc. Curt Cashour, Pfc. Michael Noggleand Sgt. Matt Millham

NEAT! Diaper DisposalSystem Nothing puts a damper on strategic mili-tary planning like a smelly tactical oper-ations center. There used to be a timewhen the daycare section of the TOCwas a place appropriate for only strong-stomached Soldiers. Boy how timeshave changed. The diaper disposal sys-tem from NEAT! includes everything youneed to keep the office smelling pooh-pooh free. The best part: the three-stepdisposal process outlined on the pack-age makes diaper disposal easier thancommon task training. Keep it NEAT!

Hyland’s Homeopathic Teething TabletsMuch is made of the sacrifices the men andwomen of our armed forces endure to fight forfreedom. But what about the children out there onthe front lines? Despite the threat level, some ofthem are actually teething, you know. This pack of125 teething tablets will free your child’s mindfrom the monotony of molar maturity and let himfocus on the mission.

Surefire A2 Aviator Xenon FlashlightWith it’s hefty price tag, it’s obvious the A2 wasdesigned with the flashlight aficionado in mind.Boasting both low and high beam settings andmicroprocessor control, it’s both the brightestand smartest flashlight on the market. But, ironic

as it may be, you’d have to be both amoron and an idiot to drop $149.95 on

a flashlight.

$2.00

$149.95

What do you mean?I heard the fences were supposed to keep all the bad people away.

OK, I think thiswhole fence thinghas finally gottenout of control

Finally? At what pointdoes something “finally”go out of control? I thinkwe passed that thresholdwhen they fenced in thelaundry facility. I‘d believe that

if they hadn’t beenpaid for by theretention office.

Good point.How many layers ofsecurity do you thinkare around this placenow - 17? 20?

I don’t know, butI’m starting to getthe feeling it isn’tthe kind of securitywe’re thinking it is.

By Sgt. Matt Millham

11Desert Voice May 25, 2005

Victory

Virginia

Spearhead/SPOD

Navistar

Buehring

Kuwaiti Naval Base

Aerobics, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., MWR Tent 4ThursdayWalking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cell flagpoleTae-Kwon-Do class, 7 p.m., MWR Tent 1Friday Walking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpoleSaturdayTae-Kwon-Do Class, 7 p.m., MWR Tent 1SundayWalking Club (10 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpoleMondayWalking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpoleAerobics, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., MWR Tent 4TuesdayWalking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpoleTae-Kwon-Do class, 7 p.m., MWR Tent 1WednesdayWalking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpoleAerobics, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m., MWR Tent 4For more information call 828-1340

FridayBench Press Competition, 6 p.m., MWR gymFor more information call 839-1063

WednesdayAir Hockey Tournament practice, 8 a.m. to 10p.m., MWR centerThursdayKarate class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., basketball courtAir Hockey Tournament practice, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.,MWR centerFridayMWR rep. meeting, 1p.m., MWR officeAir Hockey Tournament practice, 8 a.m. to 10p.m., MWR centerSaturdayAir Hockey Tournament, 6 to 10 p.m.SundayAir Hockey Tournament, 6 to 10 p.m.TuesdaySmoking cessation classes, 10 a.m., Rec. tentEducation/Awareness/Prevention, 1 p.m., Rec.tentFor more information call 844-1137

For more information call 825-1302

ThursdayMWR unit representative meeting, 1 p.m., MWRtentTuesdayVolleyball Tournament, 6 p.m., Volleyball CourtsWednesdayVolleyball Tournament, 6 p.m., Volleyball CourtsFor more information call 823-1033

WednesdayHip Hop Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community CenterSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Food Court Country Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 StageLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolThursdayCountry Western Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1Community CenterMexican Music Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Food CourtR&B/Old School Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stage Cardio kickboxing, 5:30 a.m., Stretch and flex, 8a.m. Circuit weight training 3 p.m., Zone 2 gymLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolFridayTops in Blue, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stageCommonwealth of Puerto Rico Day Salsa Night, 7p.m., Zone 1 Community CenterArifjan Boxing Team, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 gymSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community CenterLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolInterval training, 5:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.Zone 1 gymSaturdayPlay Station 2 Tournament, 7 p.m., Zone 1Community CenterR&B/Old School, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterMexican Music Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Food CourtCountry Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stageAudie Murphy Club study sessions, 3 p.m.,Building 508 Room 25BCircuit weight training, 5:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 1 p.m.and 3 p.m., Zone 1 gymLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolSundayMexican Music Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterHip Hop Music Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Food CourtSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 stageLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolCardio kickboxing, 5:30 a.m., Stretch and Flex, 8a.m., Circuit weight training, 1 p.m., StepAerobics, 3 p.m., Zone 1 gymMondayKaraoke Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community CenterArifjan Boxing Team, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 gym Lap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolLegs, butts and guts, 5:30 a.m., Stretch and flex 8a.m., Step aerobics, 1 p.m., Circuit weight train-ing, 3 p.m., Zone 1 gymTuesday9 Ball Tournament, 7 p.m., Zone 1 CommunityCenterLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolCardio kickboxing, 5:30 a.m., Stretch and flex, 8a.m., Circuit weight training, 1 p.m., Step aero-bics, 3 p.m., Zone 1 gymWednesdayHip Hop Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Community CenterSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Zone 1 Food Court Country Night, 7 p.m., Zone 6 StageLap swimming, 5 - 7 a.m., poolFor more information call 430-1202

WednesdayWalking Club (5 miles), 5:30 a.m., command cellflagpole

Community happenings for July 20 through July 27Arifjan

Earn 1 semester hour in one week forFREE!! Each credit earned can be usedtoward a Military Science Degree with CentralTexas College (CTC), as transfer elective cred-its and promotion points.

CTC is offering the following AdvancedSkills Education Program (ASEP) classes insupport of NCO Professional Development.Each class is held at the Camp ArifjanEducation Center from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Theschedule is as follows:

* July 17-22: Performance Orientated Training* July 24-29: Counseling Techniques

New schedules are posted regularly.Visit the Camp Arifjan Education Center formore details or call 430-1381/1373. Pleasedirect all email inquiries tokaren.elizabeth.rhodes@us.army.mil.

Arifjan Education Center

WednesdayHorseshoes, 4 p.m., Horseshoe pitsThursdayCheckers Tournament, 7 p.m., MWR tentFridaySalsa Night, 8 p.m., Dusty RoomSaturdaySpades Tournament, 7 p.m., MWR tentSundayOld School Jams, 7 p.m., Dusty RoomMondaySpa Day, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., MWRTuesdayUnit Fued, 7 p.m., Dusty RoomWednesdaySpades Tournament, 7 p.m., MWR tentFor more information call 832-1045

New scholarships begin forIraq, Afghanistan veteransFormer U.S. Ambassador to Spain GeorgeArgyros and his wife Julia have founded theHoratio Alger Military Veterans Scholarship,beginning with $5 million from their familyfoundation matched with $5 million fromother donors. The $5,000 scholarships willbe administered by the Horatio AlgerAssociation of Distinguished Americans.Candidates will need DD-214s showing theyhave served in the Iraq or Afghanistan the-aters since September 2001. They alsomust be U.S. citizens or in the process ofbecoming citizens. In addition, they mustintend to pursue a bachelor’s degree at anaccredited four-year U.S. school. And theywill have to show proof of financial needbelow a threshold of $50,000 a year inhousehold income. The application deadlinefor fall 2005 scholarships is Sept. 1. Forapplications and more information, visithttp://www.horatioalger.org/

EditorCFLCC PAO/Desert Voice Camp ArifjanAPO AE 09306jonathan.stack@arifjan.arcent.army.milFind us online at www.dvidshub.net

BaghdadBy Maj. James D. CrabtreeMultinational Corps-Iraq Public Affairs Office

Nine elevenBy Sgt. Lisa D. Alexander 390th Personnel Group

When I first heard about 9/11 I said this can’t be true.This country was founded on the Red, White and Blue.

I fell to my knees with such pain in my heart.I knew something had to be done, but where do we start?

This is supposed to be the “Land Of The Free & The Home Of The Brave”Too many died that day, the others the doctors couldn’t save.

So I asked GOD Why?As I watched the news and continued to cry.

I was angry and felt this was wrong.But I knew I couldn’t keep singing the same sad song.

So I asked GOD to place me where he needed me to be.The Armed Forces made sacrifices so that others could be free.

Our troops are deployed in all parts of the Middle East.Dying and fight so one day they will know peace.

Hats off to our comrades who have gone to HeavenAll as a result of 9/11.

They are the true heroes who were standing tall.Lets remember not 1, not 2, but remember them ALL.

We will continue to pray for those in harms way.So they, too, will return home safe one day.

Put the mission first and remain on trackJust keep in mind that GOD HAS OUR BACK.

By Spc. Eliamar CastanonCamp Cedar, Iraq

Eyes hazingWith the sun blazingSand burning in our facesit makes you only want to move through the pacesduty seems to drag on for hoursbut we’re here to avenge the victims of the towersthe life of a soldier is not filled with luxurybut we still fight fight for freedom with unmatched fury

The night of the desert

By Pfc. Joseph SmuckersCamp Buehring

Sometimes I wonder if the War on Terror gets thirsty.Could it get married and have an anniversary?

What if the war got mad? Would it curse me? I guess I’llnever know. And that’s what really irks me.

I sit and ponder as the time goes by. I wonder why. Youreally should give it a try. Although it doesn’t involve drugsor alcohol,this stuff will get you oh so very high.

When I’m out on the range, I think how things will changewhen folks want to rock this piece my way.

It’s a new sensation. It’ sweeping the nation. It’s that goodtime fun known as personification

An ode to personification

Goodbye*The Desert Voice staff is changingout, and the e-mail address for submissions, queries and letters tothe editor has changed.