navy lends hands to army’s vehicle hardening

FEBRUARY 9, 2005

PAGE 6

NAVY LENDSHANDS TO ARMY’S

VEHICLE HARDENING

2 Desert Voice February 9, 2005

Volume 26, Issue 26The Desert Voice is an authorized publication for members ofthe Department of Defense. Contents of the Desert Voice arenot necessarily 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 notaffiliated with CFLCC. All copy will be edited. The Desert Voiceis produced weekly by the Public Affairs Office.

Page 3 Command messages

Page 9 Washrack war stories

Pages 6&7 Vehicle hardening

Page 8 Our new friends

Page 4 Personnel recovery

Page 10 Cheap stays for R&R

Page 11 Community

Back page Poems & Cartoons

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeldoffers his thoughts on the continued suc-cess of Operation Iraq Freedom followingthe Jan. 30 elections.The Commander of the Coalition ForcesLand Component Command Lt. Gen R.Steven Whitcomb is fed up with negligentdischarges, and we should be too.

Less than two decades ago, Bulgaria wason the other side of the Cold War, but nowwe find them fighting with us in Iraq.

As they prepare to head home, many troopsfind themselves at the washrack, trading sto-ries as they wash away a year’s grime.

Ahead of schedule, the 276th MaintenanceCompany, with the help of more than adozen Navy welders, is helping to ensurethat no vehicle rolls into Iraq without armor.

The military sponsors a number of optionsfor its troops. Those going on rest and recu-peration from Operation Iraq Freedom geteven better deals than usual.

Cartoons by Lt. Col. Michael Verrett andCapt. Paul Nichols. Poems by Maj. YvetteRose and Sgt. 1st Class Phyllis M. Brown.

On the Cover The flow of Level-1 up-armored vehicles into Kuwait has led to asharp decrease in the need for fabricatedLevel-3 armor in Operation Iraq Freedom.Photo by Spc. Curt Cashour Photo Illustration by Sgt. Matt Millham

CONTENTS 26CFLCC Commanding GeneralLt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb

CFLCC Command Sergeant MajorCommand Sgt. Maj. Julian Kellman

CFLCC Public Affairs OfficerCol. Michael Phillips

Commander 14th PADMaj. Thomas E. Johnson

NCOIC 14th PADStaff Sgt. Sheryl Lawry

Editor Sgt. Matt Millham

14th PAD WritersSpc. Curt CashourSpc. Brian TrappSpc. Aimee Felix

BroadcastersSgt. Scott WhiteSpc. Chase Spears

Page 5 I beg your pardonAmnesty boxes offer troops in Kuwait onelast chance to stay out of trouble 4

6

5

9

What would you do if captured by terroristsor Soldiers from another country?

Tennis tournament signups, Black HistoryMonth 5K run, Valentine’s Day 5K run,President’s Day 5K run, Dance competition,Bravo Theater Company.

3Desert Voice February 9, 2005

by Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeldfrom the American Forces Press Service

On Jan. 30 in Iraq, the world witnessed animportant moment in the global struggleagainst tyranny, a moment that historiansmight one day call a major turning point.America’s men and women in uniform, whowere instrumental in the liberation of Iraq,were there to witnessthis moment as well.

During the struggle tobring freedom to Iraq,many of you have faceddifficult times far fromhome. I suspect therehave been momentsalong the way whensome of you may havewondered whether ornot the effort would beworth the cost, orwhether, even, the peo-ple you were trying tohelp truly stood with you.

Last Sunday, the Iraqipeople answered thoseunderstandable ques-tions in a resoundingway, just as voters hadin Afghanistan lastOctober. The world isexperiencing a globalstruggle between freedom and fear, and youare on the side of freedom. That’s the side tobe on. And the people of Afghanistan, and

now the people of Iraq, have chosen to standwith you.

Consider the courage it took for the Iraqipeople to go to the polls when they had beenwarned that the act of voting could cost themand their family members their lives. Think ofthe determination they must have possessedto risk becoming targets for bombings orbeheadings.

And yet the Iraqis voted— millions of them. Voters arrived on crutchesand donkey carts, passingby graffiti warnings on thewalls that said: “You vote,you die;” Iraqis came to apolling station to vote evenafter a rocket attack hadkilled three people severalhours earlier. Childrenwaved Iraqi flags as theywitnessed the birth of theirnew, free system, elderlywomen with tears in theireyes held up their votingcards, and voters displayedtheir ink-stained fingers asbadges of honor in the fightagainst extremism.

Iraq’s security forcesalso deserve recognitionfor their bravery and theirwillingness, despite the

threats, to wear their country’s uniforms and toprovide security on Sunday for both the mil-lions of voters and the thousands of election

workers. These are

times of conse-quence. In thepast fewmonths, 50 mil-lion free peoplein Afghanistanand Iraq havebegun to buildnew futures.They haverejected theextremism that fuels attacks on civilized peo-ple. And you have made that possible. Haveno doubt: the courage and sacrifices of U.S.forces have helped to create the environmentin which Afghans and Iraqis are developingthe ability to take hold of their countries.

Now these free people continue to seekyour help in building free, democratic andpeaceful nations in some of the world’s mostviolent regions. No one treasures peace morethan you who have endured the horrors of war.

So to all of you who are serving on free-dom’s front lines, and to your families, I offermy deepest appreciation and respect. Tothose who have lost friends or loved ones dur-ing this conflict or who have been injured indefense of our freedom, find comfort in know-ing that your sacrifices have historic meaning.And know that one day, the people of Iraq andAfghanistan will find a way to thank you, as Ido, from the bottom of my heart.

May God bless you and may God bless theUnited States.

The negligent discharges have to stopby CFLCC and Third U.S. Army CommandingGeneral, Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb

Though the environment in Kuwait isgenerally safer than the environment inIraq, we are not immune to terroristattacks as the recent aggressive actionsby extremists here have demonstrated.While our safety is put in jeopardy at thehands of terrorists, it should not be jeop-ardized by our own lack of vigilance.Recently, some troops in Kuwait havebeen negligent in their duty by not adher-ing to the arming stance or weapons clear-ing procedures, and they have done so atthe risk of injuring not just themselves butothers as well.

There is no excuse for a negligent dis-charge anywhere or at any time. Negligentdischarges are not accidents, they are fail-ures in discipline and to enforce or follow

the standard. They are easily prevented bytraining and by following the clearing pro-cedures posted at every clearing barrel atevery camp across Kuwait. It all comesdown to personal and unit discipline andstandards.

What is truly disturbing to me is that themajority of negligent discharges happenedprior to the recent terrorist activity inKuwait. Now that the terrorist threat iscoming into plain view, we have to beeven more aware of the threat posed toAmerican troops by the negligence of ourown forces as we adjust to the currentthreat. Any change in our Force Protectionposture is not an excuse or an expectationfor an increase in negligent discharges –the standard remains the same – zero.

No leader wants to call the family of aservicemember who was killed by a negli-gent discharge and explain that their loved

one diedbecause ofanother per-son’s lack ofdiscipline.IndividualSoldiers have apersonalresponsibility toadhere to thestandards.Negligent dis-charges arenot taken lightly. We will continue to for-mally investigate every incident, and com-manders will take appropriate action whennegligence is shown.

I have confidence in our troops, and ourleaders and need your help getting to theSTANDARD – ZERO NEGLIGENTDISCHARGES – “Patton’s Own”

photo by Marine Staff Sgt. Chad McMeen

Iraqi voters dance and clap at a pollinglocation after casting their votes in theJan. 30 elections in Iraq.

Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld

Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb

Iraq’s success is your success


story by Sgt. Matt Millham

When Iraq invaded Kuwait in the earlyhours of Aug. 2, 1990, Maj. Martin Stanton,assigned to the Office of the ProgramManager – Saudi Arabian National Guard,was in Kuwait on a four-day pass. “This wasnot the smartest thing I ever did,” saidStanton, who is now a colonel and assignedto the Coalition Forces Land ComponentCommand’s Coalition Liaison Cell.

After watching Iraqi tanks roll into KuwaitCity from his window in the Kuwait Sheraton,the Iraqis arrested Stanton and more than adozen other Western foreigners. He spentthe next several months in captivity, movingfrom one strategic facility to another.

What Stanton hadn’t done beforehis capture is something that U.S.Army Forces Command andCFLCC now require of their troopsand civilians: personnel recoverytraining.

Chief Warrant Officer FrankBissette, deputy director ofCFLCC’s Rescue CoordinationCenter, has spent the past fewmonths briefing the command’s staffsections about personnel recoverytraining and taking digital photo-graphs and fingerprints of the staff.

The photographs and fingerprintsare required as part of an Isolated PersonnelReport, known commonly as an ISOPREP,which also includes important informationsuch as the height, weight, eye and hair colorof military personnel and civilians who are atrisk of capture by enemy forces or terrorists.People filling out the ISOPREP sheet alsoinclude random personal facts that would helprescuers pinpoint who it is they are rescuing,such as the year, make and model of a firstcar or a grade school nickname.

Stanton hadn’t provided the military any ofthis information about himself before Iraqinvaded Kuwait, and he also hadn’t hadSurvival, Evasion, Resistance and Escapetraining, commonly known as SERE training.Still, by adhering to the code of conduct, heand his fellow captives were able to preventthe Iraqis from exploiting them as they tried tofree themselves and provide western govern-ments with information about their where-abouts.

“We took turns walking around bare-chest-ed during the daytime, ostensibly to exercise,”said Stanton. “No Arab walks around bare-chested. It’s definitely a western thing.

“Any adult man with his shirt off looks out ofplace. Just another thing for someone to seeand report.”

“They also tried to get us to make state-ments for Iraqi news, but to a man werefused. They wanted to take pictures of usand the ‘benign’ conditions of our captivity, butwe refused to cooperate. Our most successfulthreat was to take all our clothes off,” he said.“Arab culture does not handle public nuditywell. They took the cameras away. We suf-fered no reprisal.”

Chances are now, though, that anyone cap-tured by terrorists wouldn’t be so lucky as tobe left alone for staging such a show. Afterreceiving a briefing from Bissette, personnelnow have to go through about two hours ofLevel-B SERE training. The training deals“with how to avoid becoming a hostage and, if

captured, what to do to resist and escapehostage takers,” said Bissette.

The dozens of kidnappings in Iraq over thepast 18 months are what drove CFLCC andU.S. Army Forces Command to mandate thistraining, he said.

The training is taught through a series ofself-paced videos available on the Internetand through CFLCC’s Rescue CoordinationCenter, said Bissette. The deadline to finishthe training in March 28 for all CFLCC andU.S. Army Forces Command personnel inKuwait, he said.

In addition, personnel have to go back andreview the online antiterrorism awareness pro-gram and the information pertaining to receiv-ing a foreign country clearance to travel in andout of other countries, said Bissette.

So far, about 375 of some 700 personnelassigned to CFLCC headquarters havereturned their ISOPREP forms, which is basi-cally the first step in the process. There is noway to guarantee that everyone is goingthrough the SERE video training, which is thenext step, said Bissette. “What we’re askingSoldiers to do is to do it because it’s the rightthing and because it’s valuable training forthem as individuals and for leaders to enforcethe standard.”

“Hopefully we’ll never have to use it at all.We’ve been lucky in Kuwait and not lost anySoldiers to date, but if the activities get worseoff post as we see more extremist activity, youknow the likelihood of something happeningincreases.”

In the early days of Operation IraqiFreedom, a number of American troops werecaptured by Iraqis. Seven of those troopscame from the 507th Maintenance Company,which lost its way in An Nasiriyah and wasambushed by Iraqis. “One of those youngSoldiers was asked to speak at a personnelrecovery conference in Washington D.C. afterthe end of his rotation, and one of the com-ments he made in the conference was that he

knew he was not an aviator or a special oper-ations Soldier, [so] he didn’t think anyone wascoming after him,” said Bissette.

“That’s the mindset that we’re trying to elim-inate and get every Soldier from your basic E-2 private all the way up to understand; nevergive up, that’s what the code of conduct is allabout, and somebody is looking for you.”

Still, while American forces will be lookingfor captives, captured Soldiers and civiliansshould do all they can to escape their captors.

“If you think you see an opening to escape,go,” said Stanton. “Don’t analyze it, don’t overthink it.”

“My mistake was in thinking I had time. Ithought to watch the guards for a few nights,get a little more information about the sur-rounding area by watching during the daytime.

“Idiot. I was moved the next day. Theplaces they took me to were in the middle ofthe country where I really had to plan like ‘TheGreat Escape.’”

Fortunately, after 124 days in captivity, theIraqis released Stanton.

For more information on personnel recov-ery training, contact CFLCC’s RescueCoordination Center’s Capt. Susan Smeltzeror Chief Warrant Officer Frank Bissette atDSN 430-5042 or 430-5309

Left to right: Pfc. Keith “Matt” Maupin was captured by insurgents in April 2004, and his whereabouts areunknown. Paul Marshall Johnson Jr. was abducted and killed by Islamic extremists in Saudi Arabia in June2004. Thomas Hamill was captured by insurgents, but escaped on his own after his life was threatened.


story and photos by Spc. Curt Cashour

Alcohol, pornography and exoticweapons. They’re not just for bar bouncersor street thugs.

For a select group of Soldiers who main-tain amnesty boxes at Kuwait’s U.S. militarycamps, these items are all part of a day’swork.

The amnesty boxes are meant to providea safe, discreet way for servicemembers toget rid of forgotten ammunition and sensi-tive items as well as a number of contra-band articles troops are either prohibitedfrom possessing or transporting back to theUnited States, said 1st Sgt. Robert Carey, ofthe 80th Ordnance Battalion’s Headquartersand Headquarters Detachment from FortLewis, Wash.

Carey is in charge of managing the 26amnesty boxes spread amongst CampArifjan, Kuwaiti Naval Base, the Aerial Portof Debarkation and the PWC wash rackfacility north of Arifjan. With the help of hisSoldiers and Department of the Army civil-ian ammunition technicians from Arifjan’sAmmunition Supply Point, Carey emptiesthe amnesty boxes each week.

One of the most exciting parts of the jobis the fact that the Soldiers never knowwhat might be lurking behind those big, redamnesty box doors. As 80th member Spc.James Morris puts it, “It’s like opening a giftat Christmas.”

Common items that turn up in the boxesinclude different types of small arms ammu-nition, grenades and various illegalweapons, Carey said. But since the 80thtook over the amnesty program lastSeptember, he and his Soldiers have founda little bit of everything, from Iraqi maps anddocuments to alcohol and assorted porno-graphic materials. In the last six weeks,Carey and his team have also found variousrifles and handguns, he said.

Amnesty operations at Kuwait’s othercamps are generally run by camp commandcells, Carey said. According to Sgt. 1stClass James Turner, who runs CampBuehring’s amnesty program, common itemsthat turn up in Buehring’s boxes includeammunition and training rounds. But Turnersaid he’s seen his fair share of pornographyand alcohol in the boxes as well.

Ammo that’s recovered from amnestyboxes eventually winds up at theAmmunition Supply Point at Arifjan. There,

DA civilians and members of the 295thOrdnance Company, a Reserve unit fromHastings, Neb., that runs the ASP, destroyany damaged munitions and put the rest ofthe ammo into storage for eventual reuse,said Earnest Nickell, a quality assurancespecialist for ammunition surveillance at theASP Ammo Surveillance Workshop.

Illegal weapons, which are defined asthose not issued by the U.S. government,are turned over to the 175th MaintenanceCompany, a Reserve unit headquartered atFort Jackson, S.C., whose Soldiers disman-tle and dispose of them, Carey said.

Both Carey and Turner get rid of porno-graphic materials by burning them, theysaid.

While Carey enjoys the unpredictablenature of the job, he said the wide variety ofvolatile items that turn up in the boxes cre-ates a constant potential for danger.

“If somebody drops a frag grenade inthere, if the pull pin and safety clip isn’tthere, and you grab the grenade and thespoon flies off, you have about three sec-onds to decide what you want to do,” hesaid.

To minimize risks, Carey recommendedSoldiers carefully place items in theamnesty boxes, keeping in mind the factthat a variety of explosives and sensitivemunitions often turn up in the boxes.

Also, troops need to refrain from fillingthe boxes with trash and cigarette butts,both of which are fire hazards and couldlead to explosions, he said.

While pulling amnesty duty often makeshim wonder how troops were able to smug-gle such crazy items into Kuwait, Carey saidit’s not his job to ask questions. He’d rather

see servicemembers get rid of thingsthey’re not supposed to have before theyget caught and get into trouble. In his opin-ion, it’s not worth it to ruin a year’s worth ofhard work over a prohibited item.

Turner, however, takes a more hard lineapproach. He said Soldiers shouldn’t evenhave contraband in the first place.Nevertheless, he did recommend for troopsto take any contraband or ammo they hap-pen to find to the nearest amnesty box.

I beg your pardon

Above: A group of weapons collected by amnesty personnel at Camp Arifjan. Left: A hollow point 9 mmround collected from an amnesty box at Arifjan Jan. 29.Hollow point rounds are prohibited under the GenevaConventions.

Are you reaching the end of a deploymentand unsure about what you can bring home?Common prohibited items include firearms notissued by the U.S. government, live ammuni-tion, shell casings of any kind and sand, dirt,shells and rocks inherent to the Middle East,according to officials with the 886thExpeditionary Security Forces Group, an AirForce unit that conducts customs inspectionsin Kuwait and Iraq. The group’s list of prohibitedand restricted materials includes more than 50items. Highlights include:• Fresh, dried or canned meat, fruit or

vegetable products from a foreign country• Human and animal bones, teeth and

body parts• Live insects, slugs and snails• Green sugarcane• Elephant hair and ivory• Products originating from turtles• Camel saddles• Skins from spotted cats, including

Leopards, Ocelots, Jaguars and Lynx• Lizard hide• Milk and cream

For a complete list of items, contact the group


Joeckel, the officer in charge of the276th’s maintenance shop, said his 10-Soldier allied trades shop grew to 20Soldiers almost immediately and as manyas 86 Soldiers were working the mission atits height last month.

The 276th – an Army Reserve fromPuerto Rico, cross-leveled with Soldiersfrom across the United States – took overits mission from the 699th in mid-January.The unit was employing more than half itspersonnel strength as machinists, weldersand inventory-yard workers.

“We canvassed the unit for machinists,for wrecker operators and we trained themall to be metal workers in a couple ofweeks,” Joeckel said. “Then came the bigpush” to get all vehicles hardened. “Wehave never denied a vehicle yet that isheaded north. I can’t say enough about mySoldiers.”

Keeping a factory mindset, the unitadhered to a strict production schedule andconducted a daily inventory of pre-cut parts.It also improved the design of some pieces– for example, stronger hinges – and someof those changes have allowed the gainingunits to install some panels with bolts, not awelding torch.

“We have too many units coming here,”

By Master Sgt. Hak Haskins377th Theater Support Command Public Affairs

On Feb. 4, the goal of the 276thMaintenance Company was to toughen up300 vehicles before the close of business.

That single-day total wasn’t going to setthe benchmark for production; it was just aday’s work.

But had it not been for an increase in theproduction of armored Humvees back in theUnited States, the 276th might have beenpushing 400 freshly hardened vehiclesthrough the door … and the unit did that onmore than one day in January.

Increased production of armored vehiclesrolling off American assembly plant floors,and a hike in the creation of add-on-armorkits that can be installed in the field, are two

of the reasons that the need for the 276th’sspecialty – vehicles hardened with fabricat-ed steel plating – have fallen by about2,000 in February alone.

In January, before the supply of armoredvehicles began meeting the demand, the276th and its companion company addedsteel plating to 6,600 vehicles in a produc-tion system that Chief Warrant RandalJoeckel called “an Army factory.”

In less than three months the three main-tenance companies in Kuwait involved inthe hardening work – the 175th, the 276thand 699th Maintenance Companies – used12 tons of welding rods and 124,000 hard-ened bolts to fashion $27 million worth ofballistic steel sheets into doors and panelsto help keep Soldiers safer while on convoymissions.

photos by Spc. Curt CashourSpc. Blake Boudreaux, a 23-yyear-oold welderwith the 276th Maintenance Company, weldsa Level-33 armor side panel for a LightMedium Tactical vehicle Feb. 4.


said Staff Sgt. Robert E. Cruz, noncommis-sioned officer in charge of the 276th’s main-tenance shop. “I don’t have time to weld (allthe parts) so we came out with a newmodel.”

Even with Army machinists and weldersworking around the clock they couldn’t keepup with the demand. Five Kuwaiti machineshops were contracted to help out.

Then came the Navy. A volunteer crew of15 hull technicians arrived in late Januaryand they were put to work immediately afterunder-going Joekel’s cross training program.

Seaman Apprentice Brett Jones hadseen enough of the water and was ready fora change.

But the Sailor had no idea rain would fallin the desert, or the temperature would dropwith the sun.

He doesn’t care.Jones is one of those who came to

Kuwait from the USS Emory S. Land, a subtender stationed in Italy, to assist the Armyin hardening vehicles.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do out here,more than we thought,” Jones said. “We’vebeen working our butts off out here, andwe’re enjoying it.”

When the Navy was asked to provide acrew to help its Army counterparts it wasn’tshort on volunteers, said Lt. j.g. ChrisO’Leary, the crew’s officer in charge. The 15slots were quickly filled.

“We thought this was a greatopportunity and we took it. And, wewould take another one,” saidO’Leary, who spent 11 years as anenlisted machinist’s mate beforeearning his commission.

The crew members are hull tech-nicians and have the same kind oftraining and skills that Armymachinists and welders possess.

“We don’t have any Humvees,but we do structural work and thewelding is not much different thanon ships,” O’Leary said. “The 276thhas a process, and they showedus. We picked it up fast.”

The Navy’s impact was feltimmediately when its senior chiefpetty officer made a suggestion formodifying one of the steel panelsused for larger trucks. It was adesign change that found its wayinto the template and has beenused since.

The Navy hull technicians alsocame with an advantage, saidMurillo.

“We’re treating them like abrigade welding team even thoughthey will only be here 45 to 60days,” Murillo said. “But there is alittle better teamwork because [theSailors] have no other interest.They are here purely doingmachine work.”

O’Leary’s crew has been split intotwo functional areas: Installing hinges,doors and panels, and producing cornerpieces for 5-ton trucks. It runs a 24-houroperation side-by-side with the Soldiers.

The Sailors are too new in the276th’s maintenance shop to havedeveloped much in the way of socialrelationships, though one Sailor said heand some Soldiers “throw the [football]around” when they take breaks.

But Petty Officer 2nd Class RoddeyZinda, another hulltechnician with fouryears of Navalservice behindhim, said he volun-teered for one rea-son: “It’s a respect-ed job, and it’s mytrade, and I know Iam good at it. And if I can help … it justmade sense.”

All hands on the crew work on the24-hour shift, including O’Leary, whoseface was streaked with sweat and thesoot of spent welding rods.

“When you see the officer and thesenior chief working with the crew itboosts morale,” Zinda said, “and showsus how important this is.”

That sentiment was echoed through

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Helping hands

the ranks.Petty Officer 3rd Class Jessica Curtis

said the result of her work on Naval vesselswas important and may help save a life. Butin Kuwait “you get to see a lot of your workand where it is going. This may help savemany lives, and it has a much greatersense of importance.”

The crew landed in Kuwait near the endof January during a rain storm that turnedmuch of the desert into a temporary floodplain. Making that entrance even more

memorable was acommunication gaffethat sent their person-al luggage back toItaly, then Germany,before it found its wayto Buehring, which isa few miles south ofthe Iraqi border.

Soldiers helped out by providing a fewcreature comforts and the essentials fromtoothpaste to razor blades.

The Sailors noticed.“This is a lot of hard work and under

arduous conditions all the time,” O’Learysaid. “We’re here for 45 to 60 days but a lotof the [Soldiers] are here for a year. I don’tknow how they do it. It makes us appreciatehow good we have it and the sacrificesthese people make.”

Spc. Christian Mena, a 24-yyear-oold mechanic withthe 276th Maintenance Company, uses a plasmacutter to smooth the edges of a Level-33 armorplate Feb. 4.

“I don’t know how they doit. It makes us appreciatehow good we have it andthe sacrifices these peoplemake.” –Lt. j.g. Chris O’Leary


story by Spc. Aimee Felix

In its 126-year history, Bulgaria’s armyhas been more likely to fight the UnitedStates than insurgents in Iraq. Now, 15years after breaking free of the Iron Curtain,the former Soviet republic has joined withthe United States in bringing freedom anddemocracy to Iraq.

As a freshman member of NATO, Bulgariahas become one of the most pro-Americancountries in Eastern Europe. They’vedemonstrated their support by contributingtroops to the War on Terror, offeringBulgarian bases for the United States touse, and working on a rest and recuperationprogram for use by U.S. Soldiers, said Col.Stoyan Milushev, the Bulgarian defenseattaché in Kuwait.

Bulgaria’s contribution to the War onTerror has come in the form of almost 2,000troops since August 2003. Now on theirfourth rotation, Bulgaria’s deployed troopswork under Polish command in Divanyah,Iraq. While mostly supporting the coalitionwith infantrymen, Bulgaria has also con-tributed military policemen and nine doctorsto work under Multi National Division-Central South.

Although Bulgaria has a conscripted mili-tary, the six-month deployments to Iraq arevolunteer assignments. And even thoughBulgaria has lost seven troops in Iraq whilecarrying out peace-keeping and restorationmissions, the Bulgarian military hasn’t facedany problems recruiting soldiers for thesedeployments, Milushev said.

Some of the troops on the presentBulgarian rotation are deployed for the sec-ond time in support of OIF, said Col.Nedialko Anguelov, the Bulgarian deputydefense attaché in Kuwait.

Bulgarian military support doesn’t onlybenefit the coalition, it also helps the contin-uing improvement of Bulgaria’s military, saidMilushev. Bulgarian military leaders hope tobe able to develop new and improved train-ing manuals and strategic exercises basedon their experiences in Iraq. They are alsolooking to improve logistical functions withinthe Bulgarian military, said Milushev.

In 18 months of support, there havealready been improvements, not only in theBulgarian military, but also in relationsbetween the United States and Bulgaria.Milushev and Anguelov first arrived to theBulgarian Embassy in Kuwait right beforethe first contingent of Bulgarian troopsarrived in theater. They became the liaisonsbetween the U.S. and the Bulgarian militarysort of by default, said Anguelov. Anguelovarrived first, and without a clue of where heneeded to go to get his troops’ equipment or

through which means to coordinate a con-voy, he finally made his way to Task ForceGator. With the help of the task force’scountry officers, the adventure eventuallydwindled down to a sound routine.Anguelov, who greeted the country officerassigned to Bulgaria with a heartfelt hugwhen they met last week, said the initialstruggle was worth it considering the long-standing relationships that came of it.

Bulgarian leaders continue reinforcingties with the United States through othermeans as well, such as allowing the U.S.military to use Bulgarian bases to maintainand provide logistical support for pre-posi-tioned equipment, said Milushev. In thispost-Cold War era, America’s priorities havechanged, and Bulgaria is closer to possibletrouble-spots in the Middle East thanGermany is. For this reason, Marine Gen.James Jones, commander of the U.S.European Command, has been looking at afew of Bulgaria’s military bases for futureU.S. military use.

Milushev and Anguelov also continuedoing their part in U.S.-Bulgaria relations bytrying to expose troops to what Milushevrefers to as the beauty of Bulgaria. He andhis deputy are working on getting approvalfor a four-day R&R program in Bulgaria,similar to one the U.S. military has in placein Qatar. There is no word yet on whetherthe program will be approved, saidMilushev.

“The United States needs friends,” saidMilushev, adding that he’s glad his countryis one of those friends. He said futureBulgarian support in the coalition will bedecided by the Bulgarian parliament, whichwill make that decision based on what theframework of the coalition is like in thefuture. But during a recent press conferenceBulgarian President Georgi Parvanov saidBulgaria’s support in the coalition willremain for now.

Bulgaria FactsBulgaria is slightly larger thanTennessee with a population of7,517,973.Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria.Bulgaria held its first multiparty electionsince World War II in 1990.Bulgaria was the only Balkan countrythat made the transfer to democracywith no human victims.Bulgaria has the highest point in theBalkans. It’s Moussala, the peak of theRila Mountains, which rises to an alti-tude of 9,556 feet. Bulgaria has a temperate climate withcold, damp winters and hot, dry sum-mers.The natural disasters in Bulgaria areearthquakes and landslides.“Nazdrave,” the common greeting inBulgaria, means cheers. When said toa Bulgarian you should make eye con-tact. To not do so is taken for disre-spect. Bulgarians nod their head for no, andshake it for yes.Bulgaria is the tenth largest producer ofwine.

Former foe, fast friendsBULGARIA

ROMANIA

TURKEYGREECE

by Spc. Curt Cashour

If you’re rotating through Camp Buehringand in need of some last minute legal assis-tance, you’re in luck. Soldiers from the 3rdInfantry Division’s Judge Advocate General’ssection have set up a temporary legal assis-tance office located in room 106 of Buehring’smorale welfare and recreation building.

Legal assistance staff will be on hand sevendays a week from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.Troops heading north can visit the office to getlast-minute help with power of attorney, willsand other legal issues, said Maj. James

Gibson, 3rd ID’s chief of military justice.The office, which is open all servicemem-

bers, opened Jan. 29 and will continue opera-tions until mid February, when the team will getready to move to Iraq, Gibson said. Until then,the Coalition Forces Land ComponentCommand legal team that normally visitsBuehring Thursday afternoons has suspendedits visits to the camp. There are tentative plansfor the 29th Brigade Combat Team to assumelegal assistance at the camp when 3rd ID staffdepart, however nothing is set in stone. Formore information, call the office at (DSN) 828-1735.

Temporary JAG serves Buehring


story and photo by Spc. Curt Cashour

With thousands of servicemembers head-ing home from Iraq, Kuwait’s washracks arefull of activity.

Every day, troops visit the washracks togive their vehicles and equipment a finalcleaning before the long trip back to theUnited States.

And while Soldiers may manage to washaway the dirt and grime of a year’s worth ofduty in Iraq, the memories of their tour will bewith them forever.

Staff Sgt. Jeremy Kucera, 27, of Winner,S.D., was at Arifjan’s washrack Feb. 2 super-vising Soldiers washing trucks belonging tohis unit, the 153rd Engineer Battalion, aReserve unit headquartered in Huron, S.D.

A squad leader with A Company, 2ndPlatoon, Kucera and his Soldiers conductedearly morning “pathfinder” missions along mil-itary convoy routes in Iraq, checking forimprovised explosive devices and other haz-ards, he said.

“It was a little nerve wracking. Some daysyou wouldn’t find anything; some days all hellwould break loose,” Kucera said.

About a month into their tour, Kucera andthe rest of A Company encountered an IEDattack near Forward Operating Base Chosin,located south of Baghdad.

“We heard a tremendous boom, dust cameup and everything was dark for two to threeseconds,” said 2nd Platoon Squad AutomaticWeapon Gunner Spc. Nick Kruse, a 20-year-old from Pierre, S.D.

It was one of many IED blasts the platoonwould face during its time in Iraq, but the onlyone that resulted in a fatality. When the dustcleared, Sgt. Dennis Morgan was dead. Theplatoon had but a fewhours to grieve untilthey received ordersfor their next mission.

“Everybody just kepton going. We had ourtime of sorrow, but wehad missions to do,”Kucera said.

For Kucera, the most exciting part of thetour was when he and his squad providedengineer support to the 1st Cavalry Divisionduring its assault on Najaf, Iraq, last August.Against a backdrop of small arms fire, mortarand rocket propelled grenade blasts, 2ndPlatoon’s first and second squads built trafficcontrol points, helped maintain security at acasualty collection point and even participatedin house raids.

With a year’s worth of successes behindthem, Kucera said he and his Soldiers are

ready to go home. “We’ve accomplished a lot. It’s time to get

everybody home and let them unwind a bit,”he said.

A few stations up from Kucera, Sgt. RobertKrahler was hard at work rinsing off a flatbedtrailer. In two days, Krahler was scheduled toredeploy with his National Guard unit, the 141stEngineer Battalion from Jamestown, N.D.,which was attached to the 1st Infantry Division.

The 57-year-old Vietnam veteran got hissecond taste of combat during his 10 monthstint at Iraq’s Camp Speicher, which is nearTikrit, Iraq. An equipment operator for the

Guard, Krahler spokeproudly of how he andhis unit helpedenhance Speicher bybuilding new roadsand barriers.

During his deploy-ment, Krahler workedwith and befriended

several Iraqis the military had hired to helprefurbish some of Speicher’s buildings. Overthe past year, Iraqis have improved their out-look on life and begun to open up to U.S.troops, he said.

“The GIs are finally starting to get the peo-ple to trust them,” he said.

Krahler made enough money during hisdeployment to retire – at least from his dayjob stocking shelves at a grocery store. Hestill has two more years left in the Guard,however, and plans to stick it out, he said.

Washrack war stories

Soon after he gets home, Krahler will enterhis reenlistment window and is making plansto take the oath one last time.

Across the way from Krahler, was relativenewcomer Spc. Ashley Van Syckle, 22. Withher face covered in splotches of dirt, she tooka break to discuss what she hopes will be herfirst and last deployment.

Van Syckle and her National Guard unit,the 216th Engineer Battalion from Hamilton,Ohio, spent a year at Camp Speicherattached to the 1st Infantry Division.

On her first day in Iraq, the native ofColumbus, Ohio, discovered that her 25-year-old sister had cancer.

“I just tried to block it out,” she said. “It wasa lot better once I got to go home on leaveand see her.”

Half way through her deployment, VanSykle got bored with her office job as a sup-ply clerk and volunteered for convoy securityduty as a .50 cal gunner. IEDs and small-arms attacks were common during herpatrols, but Van Syckle said fear wasn’t anoption.

“There was no room to be scared. Youcould get hurt or hurt someone else,” she said.

And while she’s ready to go home for amonth of time off, shopping and drinking, VanSickle said her time in Iraq is one of thoseunique experiences she doesn’t want to for-get or repeat.

“I enjoyed being in Iraq. It kind of madeyou feel like you did something worthwhile,”she said.

Spc. Brian Westerhuis, a 26-yyear-oold combat engineer with the 153rd Engineer Battalion, usesa pressure washer to clean the bottom of a water trailer at Camp Arifjan Feb. 2.

“We heard a tremendousboom, dust came up andeverything was dark fortwo to three seconds”–Spc. Nick Kruse


story by Spc. Aimee Felix

If you’re a troop or Department ofDefense civilian looking for an economical,easy and relaxing way to spend your vaca-tion here’s a deal for you.

Three of four Armed Forces RecreationCenter resorts are offering special deals fortroops and Department of Defense person-nel going on rest and recuperation leavefrom deployments in Operations IraqiFreedom and Enduring Freedom or going onblock leave before or after their tours.

AFRC resorts are joint service facilitiesoperated by the U.S. Army Community andFamily Support Center. They are located atideal vacation spots and are available foruse by all servicemembers, Department ofDefense personnel, retired military personneland their families.

Hale Koa Hotel on the beach at Waikiki,Hawaii is one of the resorts. Room rates,which are based on rank, pay grade, dutystatus, and room size and/or location, arenow an extra 30 percent off for deployed,deploying and redeploying servicemembersand DoD civilians. That it’s located approxi-mately 10 miles from the HonoluluInternational Airport is only part of HaleKoa’s many conveniences. “It was easy;everything I needed to plan my vacation wasthere,” said Lt. Col. John Schrader, deputycommander of the 160th Signal Brigade.Schrader stayed at the Hale Koa Hotel dur-ing his R&R leave with his wife after havingbeen deployed for 18 months in Kuwait.Schrader was able to plan his entire vaca-tion from the comforts of Hale Koa Hotel’stourist and travel center and he was able torent a car from their car rental facility.

Aside from the scuba diving and the fan-

tastic luaus and dinner shows Hale Koa hasto offer, Schrader’s favorite part of his staywas the daily delivery of breakfast to hisroom, a convenience that is included in theroom rate. While Hale Koa is great on itsown, its surroundings enhance its appeal. It’slocated on Waikiki’s beachfront where moreentertainment can be found at Hale Koa’sBarefoot Bar, the self-proclaimed home of“Hawaii’s Best Mai Tai.”

If oceanfront is not your style, there’s theEdelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch,Germany. Located at the foot of the Alpswhere southern Germany meets Austria andSwitzerland, its location is perfect for skiers.

But if you don’t make the ski season,have no fear because the resort has more tooffer in the form of hiking in its beautiful sur-roundings. “The view of the Alps from theroom was amazing,” said Staff Sgt. PaulStephen Laue, a Soldier with A Company,319th Signal Battalion, a Reserve unit out ofSacramento, Calif. Laue visited Edelweiss intime for Oktoberfest, after having spent aweek traveling through other Europeancountries. He and his girlfriend had originallydecided to only stay in Edelweiss for threedays, but they ended up staying for eightbecause “you get more bang for your buckwith this place,” said Laue, comparing theresort’s rates to rates in other local hotels inGermany. Laue’s stay in Edelweiss cost only$60 a night, which included breakfast anddinner. The resort offers a variety of toursincluding hiking trips and country tours ofneighboring countries including Italy.

For those wanting to stay stateside, there’sOrlando’s very own military haven, Shades ofGreen at the Walt Disney World Resort inOrlando, Fla. With other resorts in the arearanging anywhere from $100 to $500 a night,

the rates for R&R troops staying at Shadesof Green are definite deals. A single service-member package including breakfast anddinner for four nights and five days costs$262 to $366, according to rank. A doubleoccupancy package ranges from $319 to$424 for the same amount of time.

All of its 586 rooms have a private patio orbalcony, and its location is central to all ofOrlando’s tourist attractions. Guests at theresort get complimentary transportation to allthe Walt Disney Resort attractions. Theresort also has its own ticket sales office,which offers discount tickets to all Disneyshows and studios and to all other popularattractions in central Florida.

All three resorts offer plenty of activitiesfor children as well. For more information onthis and to plan your vacation, visit the AFRCresort travel page at www.armymwr.com/por-tal/travel/recreationcenters. The resorts canbe reached at the following phone numbers:Edelweiss Lodge and Resort, DSN 430-2575; Hale Koa Hotel, DSN 438-6739;Shades of Green, 888-593-2242.

Cheap, easy retreat

A view from Hale Koa Hotel at Waikiki, Hawaii.

Get ready for some free fun.Anheuser-Busch Cos., the parent compa-

ny of Sea World and Busch Gardens, isoffering free admission to servicemembersand up to three dependents for the rest of2005.

During the Super Bowl Jan. 6, Anheuser-Bush began a 60-second television adver-tising campaign that salutes the service ofAmerica’s military men and women, andannounces that from Feb. 7 through Dec.31, any active duty, active reserve, readyreserve servicemember or NationalGuardsman is entitled to free admissionunder the Here’s to the Heroes program.Servicemembers only need to register,either at the website www.herosalute.com or

in the entrance plaza of participating parks,and show a valid Department of Defenseidentification card. As many as threedependents of military personnel also areentitled to free admission.

August A. Busch IV, president ofAhueser-Busch, said the company is givingback to “the brave men and women andtheir families, who make sacrifices everyday for our country,” by offering “a messageof thanks and an invitation.”

The company runs a number of adven-ture parks across the United States, includ-ing Sea World, Discovery Cove, BuschGardens, Adventure Island, Water CountryUSA and Sesame Place. According to acompany website, Busch Gardens

Williamsburg, Sesame Place and SeaWorldSan Antonio are seasonal operations thatwill remain closed until spring 2005. Militarypersonnel interested in visiting those parksshould check operating schedules. Theremaining parks, SeaWorld Orlando, BuschGardens Tampa Bay and SeaWorld SanDiego are open year-round, according tothe site.

Dependents may still take advantage ofthe offer without the presence of their ser-vicemember, but minor dependents must beaccompanied by an adult. This story was compiled from information on

the website www.herosalute.com and areport in the Orlando Sentinel by Jerry W.Jackson on Feb. 4.

Free admission for troops home or abroad


Spearhead/SPOD

NavistarBuehring

Virginia

VictoryKuwaiti Naval Base

Doha

a.m., Power Stretching 10 a.m., Body PumpWorkout 1 p.m., Bench/Step Workout 3 p.m.,Zone 1 gym tentWednesdayBlack History Jeopardy, 7 p.m., CommunityCenterCountry Western Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentCombat Kick Boxing 5:30 a.m., Power Stretching8 a.m., Bench/Step Workout 10 a.m., BodyPump Workout 1 p.m., Zone 1 gym tentFor more information call 430-1202

ThursdayPushup/Situp Competition 7 p.m., gymFridayHip Hop Night, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m., Tent 1SaturdayDance Competition, 9 p.m., Tent 1Spa Day, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tent 1SundaySpa Day, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tent 1MondayBravo Army Theatre Company, 7 p.m., MWR areaFor more information call 828-1340

WednesdayOpen Mic Night “Battle of the Rapper”, 7 p.m.,Frosty’sThursdayBasketball League Signups begin, gymSaturdayValentine’s Day Bingo, 7 p.m., Frosty’sMondayValentine’s Day Dance, 7 p.m., Frosty’sPresident’s Day 5K, 6 a.m., flagpolesTuesdayChess Tournament, 7 p.m., Frosty’sWednesdayBlack Light Billiards Tournament, 7 p.m., Frosty’sFor more information call 438-5637

WednesdayKuwait v. U.S. Sports Day, Soccer, 9 a.m.,Squash, 9:30 a.m., Basketball, 10 a.m.,Waterpolo, 11 a.m., Awards Ceremony, 12:30p.m., all at Kuwaiti GymValentine’s Day 5K, 6:30 a.m., CDR Parking lotSelf Defense 1, 6 p.m., aerobics roomFoosball Tournament, 7 p.m., new gymThursdayTexas Hold’em Poker, 7 p.m., new gymTechno Dance, 7:30 p.m., old temp. gym tentFridayBowling, 4 p.m., bowling alleyLatin Dance, 7 p.m., old temp. gym tentBasketball Tournament, 8 p.m., Kuwaiti gymSaturdayTennis Tournament, 4 p.m., side of Kuwaiti gymPing Pong Tournament, 6 p.m., new gymSoftball, 6 p.m., next to soccer fieldR&B Dance, 7 p.m., old temp. gym tentSundayUltimate Football, noon, Kuwaiti soccer fieldFlag Football, 2 p.m., Field next to gymAerobics, 6 p.m., Kuwaiti GymSelf Defense 2, 7:30 p.m., Aerobics RoomMondayMarine Corps Martial Arts, 1 p.m., TMC

WednesdayTennis Tournament signups, Fitness Center8-Ball Tournament, 7 p.m., Community CenterCountry Western Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWRtentAsh Wednesday Service, Mass at noon andEcumenical service at 7 p.m, Zone 1 ChapelCountry Western Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6Combat Kick Boxing 5:30 a.m., Power Stretching8 a.m., Bench/Step Workout 10 a.m., Body PumpWorkout 1 p.m., Zone 1 gym tentAerobics, 6 p.m., Zone 6 gym tentAerobics, 7 p.m., Zone 2 gym tentThursdayPersian Carpet Seminar, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.,Community CenterCountry Music Night, 7 p.m., Community CenterHorseshoe Tournament, 6 p.m., Zone 6 MWR AreaSpinning Class, 5:30 p.m., Zone 2 gym tentOpen Mic Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR areaKarate Class, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR area Basketball signups begin, Zone 1 gymFridayPersian Carpet Seminar, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.,Community CenterSpa Day, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentSalsa Night, 7 p.m., Community CenterIndoor theatre, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6Lap swimming, 5 to 7 a.m., poolAerobics, 6 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentAerobics, 7 p.m., Zone 2 gym tentSaturdayBravo Army Theatre Company, 4:30 p.m.,Community Center theatreRemember the 70s Night, 7 p.m., CommunityCenterBlack History Month 5K Run, 7 a.m., Zone 1 gymBench Press Competition, 7 p.m., Fitness CenterCombat Kick Boxing 5:30 a.m., Power Stretching8 a.m., Bench/Step Workout 10 a.m., BodyPump Workout 1 p.m., Combat Kick Boxing 3p.m., Zone 1 gym tentLap swimming, 5 to 7 a.m., poolSundaySalsa Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentBravo Army Theatre Company, 6 p.m.,Community Center theatreLap swimming, 5 to 7 a.m., poolBench/Step Workout 5:30 a.m., Super Abs 8 a.m.,Power Stretching 10 a.m., Body Pump Workout 1p.m., Bench/Step Workout 3 p.m., Zone 1 gymtentMondayValentine’s Day Dance, 7 p.m., CommuntiyCenterSpa Day, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Zone 6Country Western Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 2 stagePoker Tournament, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentLap swimming, 5 to 7 a.m., poolCombat Kick Boxing 5:30 a.m., Power Stretching8 a.m., Bench/Step Workout 10 a.m., Body PumpWorkout 1 p.m., Combat Kick Boxing 3 p.m.,Zone 1 gym tentAerobics, 6 p.m., Zone 6 gym tentTuesdayTop 40 Night, 7:30 p.m., Zone 6 MWR tentLap swimming, 5 to 7 a.m., poolBench/Step Workout 5:30 a.m., Super Abs 8

Community happenings for Feb. 9 through Feb. 16

Arifjan

Darts Tournament, 6 p.m., gymChess/Spades/Checkers/Dominoes, 6 p.m., gymBowling, 7 p.m., bowling alleyTuesdayPS2, 5 p.m., new gymSelf Defense 1, 6 p.m., aerobics roomChess/Spades/Checkers/Dominoes, 6 p.m., newgymSelf Defense 2, 7:30 p.m., aerobics roomWednesdaySelf Defense 1, 6 p.m., aerobics roomFoosball Tournament, 7 p.m., new gymFor more information call 839-1009

WednesdayFemale Self-Defense Class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.,MWR tentsThursdayKarate Class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., MWR tentsFridayBravo Army Theatre Company, 7 - 9:30 p.m.,MWR areaSaturdayHorshoe Tournament, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., MWR tentsSundayHorshoe Tournament, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., MWR tentsMondayFemale Self-Defense Class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.,MWR tentsTuesdayKarate Class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., MWR tentsWednesdayFemale Self-Defense Class, 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.,MWR tentsFor more information call 844-1138

FridayValentine’s Dance and BBQ, 7 p.m., MWR areaFor more information call 825-1302

FridayBazaar, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., MWR areaMondayValentine’s Day Mixer, 8 p.m., MWR tentSpa Day, 10 a.m., MWR areaTuesdayBravo Army Theatre Company, 7 p.m., MWR areaFor more information call 823-1033

WednesdayTrivia contest, 6 p.m., MWR tentThursdayPing Pong Tournament, 6 p.m., MWR tentFridayDominoes Tournament, 6 p.m., MWR tentSaturdayUnit Feud Night, 6 p.m., MWR tentSundayCheckers Tournament, 3 p.m., MWR tentMondayRun for you Sweetheart 5K run, 3 p.m., gymTuesdayJeopardy, 6 p.m., Dusty RoomWednesdayHearts Tournament, 6 p.m., Dusty RoomFor more information call 832-1045

EditorCFLCC PAO/Desert Voice Camp ArifjanAPO AE [email protected]

by Lt. Col. Michael Verrett, CFLCC C4

Time we have

by Sgt. 1st Class Phyllis M. Brown390th Personnel Services Group

When I was at home my time was limitedNow that I am in the desert it seems endlessTime waits for no oneI know this is temporarySome Soldiers’ work is exemplaryTime waits for no oneTime will rise with the sun and go down with the moonThat day of time will be gone soonTime waits for no oneDon’t put off for tomorrow what you can do todaySay thank you and remember to prayTime waits for no oneSeasons will come and seasons will goTell me what season you like the mostTime waits for no oneAppreciate your family, friends and loved onesAppreciate your daughters and sonsTime waits for no oneSay I love you as often as you canTime waits for no woman or manLord gives me the will to be strongLord gives me the strength to hold onTime watis for no one

by Maj. Yvette Rose

We’re given one month to remember our history and 11 months toshow our world what we’ve accomplished to move from where wewere to prove that we too can be an entrepreneur.

In those 11 months we attend schools, make inventions, establish policy to prepare us for our one month to prove to theworld that we’re still free to be the company CEO, the school prin-cipal, the hospital doctor holding the degree that’s only a fraction of our 28 days of Black History.

I know it’s one month but it’s enough time for us to tell the world how we built something similar to a heaven and destroyed the manmade hell.

28 days? I know it’s short but we only need a minute to say that yes one month is set aside to honor us but we have decadesof life to go.

So join us or get out of our way.

We’re going places.

Time Waits For No One

by Capt. Paul Nichols, 377th Theater Support Command

navy lends hands to army’s vehicle hardening

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