the grey wolf - wounded warrior familywoundedwarriorfamily.net/graywolfhowl.pdf · thegrey wolf...

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GGrreeyy WWoollffhowl

INSIDE:‘Grey Wolf’ HQ Runs TOC Smoothly Pg. 3

‘Chargers’ Provide Support to al-Hakeem Pg. 4

‘Gladiators’ Recognize Newest Leaders Pg. 8

3-8 CAB SCelebrates Regiment’s Birthday Pg. 9

FA Battery Rises to the Top Pg. 10

Soldiers Stronger than Superman Pg. 11

CDR/CSM Corner Pg. 2Soldier on the FOB Pg. 5Chaplain’s Corner Pg. 5Grey Wolf in Action Pg. 6-7FOB Photos Pg. 12

By Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Felt3BCT, 1CD CSM

HOOAH!Don’t count the days…makethe days count!!!

It’s true - our days arenumbered. And that number isgetting smaller everyday. How-ever, don’t let that fool you. Youcan’t let your guard down or get

complacent. Keep training, keep rehearsing, keep in-specting. Keep on top of your game. The enemy willbe counting on you to do otherwise.

And, although we have seen significant improve-ment in the Diyala province in our year here, we stillhave a lot of work to do. We are still fighting in someareas, constantly patrolling and working hard on civil-military projects at the same time. Theamount of improvement in the Iraqipeople’s standard of living is remark-able. It couldn’t have been done withoutthe hard work that you have enduredthroughout the year. We are at the tip-

ping point in this conflict. Your efforts are really start-ing to payoff.

In B. F. Skinner’s Hierarchy of Needs, securitycomes first. Then other needs gain importance. Wecan see a living example of this theory as we drivearound Diyala. Just the other day, I saw a mural thathas been painted on the wall outside the Ministry ofEducation. It is a perfect example of what you have ac-complished. The people would not be painting suchthings if their needs at the basic level have not beenmet. A few months ago, anyone would have beenkilled trying to paint this mural.

That being said, we can’t rest on our laurels. Givethat Greywolf effort until the last day. Everything wedo from here on out makes it that much better for thepeople of Diyala, and the Soldiers following behindus. And that makes our mission that much more suc-

cessful. Thanks for all you do. Be safe,be focused and be professional until theend.

Live the Legend,Greywolf 9

By Col. David W. Sutherland3BCT, 1CD Commander

Grey Wolf!

We have officially sur-passed the one year-marksince our deploymentbegan, and it makes meproud to see how much this

province has changed since our arrival. EverySoldier leaving the wire can attest to the changestaking place throughout Diyala, but especially inBaqubah. That said, it could not have happenedwithout your hard work, dedication and devotionto your mission here in Diyala. Earlier this year,CNN called Baqouba, “The most dangerous cityin Iraq.” Today, five months later, this city is avery different place. The people of Baqubah areswarming the markets, people are going to work,kids are attending school, and the people are nowbecoming a part of the solution.

Because of the vast improvements in the se-curity situation, the people of Diyala are now fo-cusing on reconstructing their cities andrebuilding the infrastructure and essential servicesthat suffered years of neglect under Sadaam’sharsh dictatorship. They are no longer plaguedby a constant fear of death or kidnapping, and

have grown increasingly tired of the hatred, deathand destruction of al-Qaida and other extremistorganizations.

Also because of improved security, the Pub-lic Distribution System, which is the Iraqi subsi-dized food program, is functional in all five Qadasin the province. Local businesses are beginningto open and jobs are now becoming available. Atotal of five flour mills in Baqouba are now oper-ational and are currently producing flour that isavailable throughout the province. Rice is alsobeing produced locally and is now available tothe citizens. A work program to clean the city ofBaqubah is underway and producing great resultsas they clean the streets and the rubble producedduring the past several years. They are becomingthe definers of their own definition of democracy.

As I said, these are the fruits of your labor.The peaceful people of Iraq, and especiallyDiyala, are grateful for what you have given them-- the hope of a better future for them and theirchildren. You have continuously demonstratedto the people of Iraq and the world what a greatArmy can achieve. I thank you for what you havedone, and for what you will continue to do untilit is our time to leave Diyala.

There truly are not enough words to describethe pride I have for each and every one of you onthe Greywolf Team. Every chance I am given, I

brag about your accomplishments and how theprogress we are seeing would not be possible if itweren’t for you. Whether you work behind thescenes in support of combat operations, or are aSoldier conducting patrols and combat opera-tions, your contribution to this fight is vital andnecessary. You have gone where no man orwoman should ever have to go, and have seenand experienced things no man or woman shouldever have to. For your service and your sacrifices,I thank you. It is truly an honor to not only leadyou, but to serve along side you.

I know our families back home are amazedat what we have achieved, but I believe I speak forevery Soldier when I say that we are moreamazed at how our families have supported ourmission by showing such strength during this de-ployment. We would’ve not achieved such suc-cess had it not been for the constant support we’vereceived from our loved ones back home. We canonly dream of the day we can embrace them onceagain.

While our mission is coming to an end, keepin mind we still have many kilometers to go be-fore we can drop our rucksacks. God continueblessing our families, our Soldiers, our ArmedForces, and our nation.

Greywolf 6

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Commander’s Column

‘Hooah’ Corner

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Non-headless ‘Chickens’ Run TOC in BaqoubaBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

When you watch a modern-age militarymovie with high explosives and crazydoomsday-like machinery running aroundthe battle field, there are always scenes ofcommanders and their staff running aroundlike chickens with their heads cut off in adark, secret-looking room with maps on allthe walls and glowing computer screens onevery table.

Also, there always seems to be oneyoung Soldier who turns to the acting com-mander and spouts a line like, “Sir, we havea real big problem here.”

That’s exactly the scene inside the tac-tical operations center forthe 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 1st Cavalry Division,only, instead of everyonefreaking out and runningaround like headless chick-ens, the Soldiers inside of“Grey Wolf’s” intelligence-driven TOC runs smoothlyand professionally, just as abig-budget Hollywoodmovie wouldn’t want it to.

“The TOC is thebrigade’s tactical operationscenter, which enables thecommander to gather infor-mation from his subordi-nate units, correlate thatinformation and present itto him in a manner he easily understandsand make rational decisions when it comesto combat operations,” said Greywolf’s op-erations sergeant major, Sgt. Major DarrylGill, a native of Springfield, Ohio.

“The TOC is the fusion cell where allthe battle information comes in for thebrigade commander,” adds Capt. MikeLaramore, Brigade Chief of Operations –Battle Major for Grey Wolf.

“We process all reports and informa-tion on everything that’s happening in thebattle space, consolidate it and get it to thecommander, giving him a clear and concisepicture of what’s going on in his battlespace throughout the day so he can makethe right decisions to help keep the Diyalaprovince moving,” Laramore said.

“It also allows us to make tactical deci-sions and send indirect fire [and other sup-port elements] to the battalion level so they

can exploit the enemy with those systems,”Gill said.

“If we didn’t have an operation centerlike this, we might as well pack up and gohome,” he added. “There’s no way that wecould take the fight to the enemy.”

And taking the fight to the enemyis a strenuous, arduous job which takes theright Soldiers to properly handle every as-pect of battle.

“My job is to ensure those Soldierswhose boots are on the ground outside thewire have the assets available to destroy theenemy,” said Gill. “That’s what we do; wehelp them destroy the enemy.

“[The Soldiers inside the TOC] helpplan missions; we help coordinate the assets

needed for those missions,” he continued.“We are in everything. This is a 24 hour-a-day operation that needs top-notch Soldiersbehind the scenes running the show.”

And with every Soldier in the TOCstanding behind every mission, giving theirall, when a Soldier looses their life, it is feltby all.

“There isn’t one Soldier inside thisTOC that hasn’t been affected by the loss ofanother Soldier,” said Gill. “As hard asthose losses are, my guys have to sharethose losses with the units. All those lossesaffect us directly.”

Many of these Soldiers inside the TOCare in the midst of their second deploymentto the Middle East. A vast array of themwere in combat-related jobs, going out onmany dangerous missions, making their un-derstanding of mission successfulness in-side the TOC a must. But before their trek

into the TOC, many of these Soldiers didn’tfully understand its importance.

“Before I started working in the TOC,I never really understood why we had one inthe first place,” said Spc. Jason Maher,Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rdBCT, and a native of Penn State, Pa.

“Now that I see both sides of the mis-sion, it’s a lot more important than I thoughtback in my last deployment,” he continued.“There are a lot of steps that you have to gothrough to make sure the missions whichare ongoing move smoothly.”

“As an 11B [infantryman], I’ve gottento see both sides of deployment,” said StaffSgt. Larry Green, daytime battle NCO, anda native Gainesville, Fl.

“The side I didn’t get tosee in the beginning [of thefirst deployment] was themoving pieces of the battle-field that was handled by thebrigade in the TOC to helpout our missions,” said themember of HHT, 3rd BCT.

“The coordination of airassets and other essential as-sets to make the battlefieldwhat it is and properly work,without the TOC, none of ourengagements would movefluently or be successful,”Green added.

“Seeing both sides,being on an [infantry] lineand being in the TOC, you

see everything that has to happen to makesure thing go off without a hitch,” addedSgt. Michael Hudson, HHT, 3rd BCT. “Yousee why certain decisions are made that youmight not fully understand while on theground.

“Being in a brigade TOC is like beinga head coach or general manager of a foot-ball team,” Hudson explained. “We call allthe shots, make all the plays and pass all theinformation to the surrounding units andbattalions, otherwise known as the playerson the team, so that the game, also known asthe overall mission, is won.”

Overall, Gill says he’s proud of hisguys working with him and for the brigade.

“This is a great bunch of guys who areincredibly dedicated to what they’re doingwho work hard to make sure all the mis-sions are a success.”

Photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3BCT Public Affairs

Members of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Divisiontactical operations center pose for a group photo. The TOC is thecenter of operations for the “Grey Wolf” Brigade during their de-ployment to Diyala province in support of OIF 06-08.


3rd BCT CommanderCol. David Sutherland

3rd BCT PAOMaj. Raul Marquez

[email protected]

3rd BCT PAO NCOIC/EditorSgt. Serena Hayden

[email protected]

3rd BCT PAO Staff WritersSpc. Ryan Stroud, Pfc. Ben Fox

The Grey Wolf Howl is published in the interest of theSoldiers, families and friends of the 3rd Brigade Com-bat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Contents of The GreyWolf Howl are not necessarily official views of, or en-dorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of De-fense, Department of the Army or the 1st CavalryDivision. All editorial content of The Grey Wolf Howl isprepared, edited, provided and approved by the 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Af-fairs Office.

On the cover ...Useful Iraqi PhrasesStay where you are.ibqa ib-maka-nak

Spc. Damon Cobbs, a Soldierfrom C Company, 1-12 CombinedArms Battalion, pulls guard dur-ing a humanitarian assistancedrop in al-Hakeem, Iraq, Sept. 17. USAF Photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller, COMCAM

Al-Hakeem Residents Build Ties With CFStoryBy 1st. Lt. Richard Ybarra115th MPAD

Coalition Forces distributedhumanitarian aid in the villageof Al-Hakeem Sept. 17, justnorth of Baqouba. The verynext day, with the support ofthe village leadership, they as-sisted in the establishment of aConcerned Local Nationalneighborhood watch group.

“We recently started pres-ence patrols and established an

outpost in Al-Hakeem. Thepeople have been open and theleaders were willing to discussstarting a relationship withCoalition Forces” said 1st Sgt.Ron Ramsdell of “CrazyHorse” Troop, 1-12 CombinedArms Battalion, 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 1st Cavalry Di-vision.

More than 30 prospectivemembers of the Al-HakeemCLN were screened in addi-

tion to receiving reti-nal and fingerprintscans to cross refer-ence in a database forknown and suspectedterrorists before beingallowed to join.

Coalition Forceshave been able tofocus outside ofBaqouba as stabilitytakes hold in theprovincial capital. Akey to Baqouba’s suc-cess has been the es-tablishment of CLNs,armed neighborhoodwatches that provideboth Iraqi and U.S.forces with earlywarnings and intelli-gence.

CLN groups havebeen successful inBaqouba neighbor-

hoods such as Kahtoon,Burhiz, Kana’an and Baqoubaproper. ”People are now ableto go to markets and farms be-cause CLNs have helped keepthe areas secured,” such asschools, hospitals and othervital resources to the commu-nities in which they live, saidCapt. Josh Southworth of 1-12CAB.

The motivation for thenew CLN group in Al-Hakeemis no different than their fel-low Iraqis in the larger city tothe south, simply the prospectof improved security througha collective effort.

“We have agreed to helpfor our own families’ security,so they may sleep well atnight. All that we want ispeace,” said Fasil Shihn Nas-sif, the muhktar of Al-Ha-keem. “If we all do our part,maybe all of Iraq can knowpeace.”

A humanitarian aid visitwas also made to the nearbyvillage of Al-Karya on Sept.18, which has an establishedCLN group. The combinedshipment of supplies to thetwo villages, consisting offlour, rice and bottled water,totaled 10 tons of aid.

The humanitarian aid

shipments to both villageswere done in the spirit of Ra-madan and goodwill, saidRamsdell.

“Our goal is to drive awedge between al-Qaeda inIraq and the population, whilethe citizens take ownership oftheir villages,” to help themsee the situation for what it is,said Capt. Clayton L. Combs,commander of C Co., 1-12CAB. “I have asked several ofthe village leaders if al-Qaedahas ever helped them, the an-swer is always ‘no.’ Then Ishow them that we care, thatwe can help them, help themto help themselves.”

The approach is working,as new CLN groups acrossDiyala province continue to befounded and the more estab-lished groups cement their tieswith their local communities,Iraqi Security Forces and theCoalition Forces. The resulthas been an improved securitysituation in the province incomparison to six months ago.

“The turnout today in Al-Hakeem was good. Wheneveryou see villages like these takeownership, take responsibilityfor themselves, their familiesand their neighbors, it is a stepin the right direction,” saidCombs.

Photo by 1st Lt. Richard Ybarra, 115th MPADA young man of Al-Hakeem carriesa bag of rice to distribute to fellowresidents Sept. 17.

Grey Wolf Team, It is wonderful to be able to serve you and your families as your Brigade

Chaplain. It is an exciting time to transition during this period of the deploy-ment cycle. Soldiers are actively engaged in combat operations. At the sametime, Soldiers and families are preparing for redeployment and all the re-quirements that are necessary to bring all our people home. Families are in-volved in school, work, and home activities; while children are back in schooland actively involved in sports, band, and other extra curricular activities.Certainly, our families are moving in a number of directions, but our goal isto again unite the Soldiers and families of the Greywolf Team. In preparationfor redeployment a number of things are being planned.

First, Soldiers are receiving training on issues to include: reunion, com-munication skills, and transition from combat to home. All of our Soldiers,DA civilians, and contractors have been changed by the events they have ex-perienced during deployment. The majority of our Soldiers have been in ahostile environment for fifteen months. They have experienced the loss ofother Soldiers, civilians, and the many of the difficulties of war. Many ofthe things that they have experienced can only be experienced in the midst ofcombat. As a result, they may have a difficult time expressing their experi-ences with those who have never experienced war, even those closest to them.Redeployment training provides support for Soldiers and families, and pro-vides a level of insight that will facilitate a smooth transition from Iraq tohome station.

Second, families are receiving support from the Rear-detachment andthe Family Readiness Groups, but for these to be effective, spouses of ourSoldiers must actively participate. Classes are provided to support familiesin preparing for a smooth transition from a time separation to a time reunion.Spouses and families have had to reorganize and adjust to life apart from oneanother. Many families have grown and experienced a level of independencethat they never thought was possible. Many of those experiences have madethe family ever stronger. Nevertheless, dramatic changes have taken placewithin our Grey Wolf families. Adjustments for reunion of the family will re-quire the help and support of every family member. Many of our families alsocontinue to provide ongoing support to other families within the Grey WolfTeam; for this, we are extremely grateful. Upon the return of the Soldiers,classes will be provided to reinforce and support our families. I highly en-courage as many of our families as are able to attend these family building op-portunities. In addition, many Soldiers will participate in block leave,allowing families and single Soldiers to unwind and take some time outsidethe military environment.

Third, upon the conclusion of block leave, our Unit Ministry Teams willlead “Strong Bonds” training for single Soldiers and families. These will beoff-site events where our families and singles will be able to unwind and ex-perience valuable training, supporting the bonds of friends, family, andspouses. The current plan for these events is on the training calendar, sched-uled to take place in the February and early March time frame. Please contactyour unit chaplain for these scheduled times.

In conclusion, it is exciting to be a part of the mighty Grey Wolf Team.May God continue to bless you and your families at this time of reunion andtransition. During this time of transition, let each of us do our part to assurethat our upcoming reunions are a tremendous success.

Chaplain (Maj.) Robert Wichman3BCT, 1CD Chaplain

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Soldier FOBon the

“What are you going to do onyour 30-day block leave?”

Sgt. Robert ZufallB Co., 1-12 CAB

“Go on vacation with mywife and daughter. Prob-ably take my daughter to

Disney World.”

Sgt. Kelvin GrayHHC, 1-12 CAB

“Go home and do somefamily maintenance.We’ve been separated along time and now it’stime to do some makingup for lost time.”

Spc. Meghan HesselgraveHHC, 3rd BSTB

“I’m going to take mydaughter to SeaWorld.Oh, and I’m going to eat

some Taco Bell.”

“First, take my wife to abed-n-breakfast, and thengo on a Disney Cruise.”

Spc. Angelito AbejuelaHHT, 3rd BCT

“Spend Christmas withthe family and then go toVegas for the New

Years.”

Sgt. Charlotte HowardHHT, 3rd BCT

By Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3BCT Public Affairs

Chaplain’s Corner

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GGrreeyy WWoollff In Action

Above, Pfc. Michael Strausbaugh and Spc. Carlos Livingston, 1-12 CAB, hurry throughan intersection during a joint mission with the 5th Iraqi Army Division, Sept 22. Iraqiforces focused on clearing structures while Coalition Forces provided security for themission in the industrial section of southern Baqouba.

At right, Spc. David Cordick, 2-23 Inf. Div., attached to 3rd BCT, sets up a 60mm mortartube during an ongoing operation to remove al-Qaida in Muqdadiya, Iraq, Sept. 18.

U.S Air Force photo by A1C Christopher Hubenthal, Joint Combat Camera

Above, Spc. Garrett Vogland, 1-12 CAB, provides security for Iraqi soldiersduring an Operation Rock Wrench in the industrial section of Baqouba.

At right,Staff Sgt. Yair Cardona, A Co., 1-38 Inf. Regt., attached to 3rd BCT,peers through the window of an abandoned building in an attempt to locatea sniper firing on fellow Soldiers in Baqouba, Iraq, Sept. 20. Photo by Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th MPAD

Photo by Pfc. Kirby Rider, 115th MPAD

Photo by 1st Lt. Richard Ybarra, 115th MPAD

Photo by 1st Lt. Richard Ybarra, 115th MPAD

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Grey Wolff IInn AAccttiioonn

Photo by Pfc. Kirby Rider, 115th MPADSoldiers of 1-12 CAB, partnered with members of the 5th Iraqi Army Division, run as they begin con-ducting a presence patrol through the market region of Buhriz, Iraq, Sept. 2.

Photo by Sgt. Patrick Lair, 115th MPAD

Photo by Pfc. Kirby Rider, 115th MPAD


3 BCT Senior Counselor Master Sgt. Jeffrey Helmes3rd BSTB Staff Sgt. Luis Carter 1st-12th CAV Staff Sgt. Jason Folmar

Staff Sgt. Alegray Hamer215th BSB Staff Sgt. Annamarie Conklin

Staff Sgt. Margaret Smothers3rd-8th CAV Staff Sgt. Don Jewell6th-9th CAV Staff Sgt. Richard Erickson

Staff Sgt. Keston Dyer2nd-82nd FA Staff Sgt. Daniel Beltran

‘Grey Wolf’ Retention Team

‘Gladiators’ Celebrate Unit’s Newest LeadersBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

Taking the step from junior en-listed to becoming a non-com-missioned officer in the U.S.Army is one which scares manySoldiers. Thoughts of, “Am Igood enough?” or, “What if I dothings wrong?” often enterthose Soldier’s minds.

But a group of ten Soldiersfrom the 3rd Brigade SpecialTroops Battalion, 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 1st Cavalry Di-vision, stationed in Baqouba,Iraq, in support of OperationIraqi Freedom 06-08, have an-swered the call and have earnedthe right to be called leaders.

These Soldiers were wel-comed into the brotherhood of

other NCOs with the “Gladia-tor” Battalion’s very own NCOInduction Ceremony Sept. 15, atFaulkenberg Theater, on For-ward Operating Base Warhorse.

“Today, we conducted our4th quarter NCO Induction Cer-emony,” said 1st Sgt. HaroldHall, first sergeant for CompanyB. “We had ten Soldiers whowere officially inducted, sevensergeants and three corporals.”

“It’s an important cere-mony because it officially rec-ognizes the transition from thelead to a leader,” Hall passion-ately continued. “Officially, asa corporal and a sergeant, youare a leader. It is now your dutyto take care of Soldiers.”

Each Soldier inducted intothe NCO Corps was announced

to the audience in attendancewhile the Soldier’s sergeant an-nounced the approval of the rec-ommendation. The Soldiersthen marched onto the stage andproudly recited the NCO Creed.

After a speech was givenby Hall, each Soldier wasgreeted by the audience as 3rdBrigade’s newest NCO in-ductees.

“It was better than I ex-pected,” laughed Dillon McCal-lister, Headquarters andHeadquarters Troop, and a na-tive of Colorado Springs, Colo.“It is different being recognizedfor something like this, but it isinteresting at the same time.”

“It’s a time-honored thing,”added Sgt. Noel Reeson, Co. B,and a native of Blanchardville,Wiss.

“When you get inductedinto the corps, it shows yourtransition from Soldier to NCO,showing people you have whatit takes to lead Soldiers,” sheadded. “When I put on the rank,I felt really good. This is a bigaccomplishment and a huge re-sponsibility.”

Hall said he was proud ofevery inductee and hoped eachSoldier took at least one mes-sage from his speech.

“I think the key thing Iwould like these Soldiers to takefrom my speech was leading byexample,” Hall said. “All youhave to do is live your life bythe Army Core Values, the Prin-

cipals of Leadership, the Traitsof Leadership and the NCOCreed; and passively, you aretaking care of Soldiers becauseyou are teaching them the rightway to conduct yourself as anon-commissioned officer and aleader.”

For Reeson and McCallis-ter, they both admit to being upto the challenge of being anNCO and understand the re-sponsibilities which follow.

“You learn a whole lot onceyou become an NCO,” saidReeson. “As a [junior enlisted],you often think, ‘Why are wedoing this?’ But as an [NCO]you finally understand why cer-tain things need to be done.Once you’re in the role of aleader, it’s like everything fi-nally becomes clear.”

“Being an NCO, you havea different view of the Armyand how you have to conductyourself and what is important,”added McCallister. “It’s aboutputting yourself second, if notlast, to make sure everythinggets done and things are takencare of.”

“I’m a new father, so thiskind of goes [hand-in-hand]with [becoming an NCO],” hecontinued. “I’m learning abouttaking care of my kid, and Sol-diers are also like my kids, theyneed help and guidance to makesure they are properly takencare of. That’s what I’m herefor.”

First Sgt. Harold Hall, first sergeant for Co.B, 3rd BSTB,and Command Sgt. Maj. Arthur Swingler, battalion com-mand sergeant major, congratulate a new inductee intothe NCO Corps during a ceremony, Sept. 15.



Photo courtesy 3-8 CAB

SGT Terry WagonerB Trp. 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

CPL Todd MotleyB Trp., 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

By Sgt. Joshua R. Ford3-82 BCT Public Affairs

History has and always will be an im-portant part of our lives. Whether it isworld history, the history of the stateyou’re from, or your family’s history, his-tory impacts most people in one way oranother.

For the Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion,8th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Com-bat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, the historyof their regiment is held deep in theirhearts. And although the Soldiers of the“Warhorse” battalion were deployed insupport of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08,they did not allow that to stop them fromcelebrating the 141st birthday of their reg-iment at Forward Operating Base Pali-woda in Balad, Iraq, Sept. 21.

In honor of their regiment’s birthday,the Soldiers took a break from their rigor-ous deployment routine for a rest and re-fitperiod to enjoy challenging activities andgood food.

Soldiers were treated to a barbequeand music during the occasion. They alsoparticipated in a strong-man competitionto prove their mettle and enjoy the broth-erhood they share with the buddies theyserve alongside on a daily basis.

With the temperature still soaringaround 100 degrees, the Soldiers were

physically taxed after competingin the events, which included aLight Medium Tactical Vehicletire flip, track pull and truck pull.

First Lt. Benjamin Harrowof Wilmington, N.C., placed firstin the event; Pfc. Kyle Bushey ofMooers Forks, N.Y., placed sec-ond, and Sgt. Darius Heard ofDetroit, placed third overall.

The battalion is in its twelfthmonth of combat and stabilityoperations in Salah Ah Dinprovince, charged to work withlocal Iraqi Security Forces toprotect the people of Balad, Du-jayl and the surrounding com-munity.

Lt. Col. Kevin Dunlop, bat-talion commander, said, “It hasbeen a tough ride, but one where ourtroopers have served honorably and donevery well. We have fought hard here tobring stability to this area. We are usingthis day to remember where we came fromand celebrate who we are.”

The day’s activities concluded with anawards presentation and cake-cutting cere-mony. Pvt. Jonathan Aguirre from LasVegas, the youngest trooper in the battal-ion, assisted Dunlop in cutting the ceremo-nial cake.

“This is an opportunity to allow Sol-

diers to celebrate the history of their unit

by enjoying some well-deserved breakaway from their daily mission set,” Dun-lop continued. “After 12 months in coun-try, we saw it necessary to celebrate ourachievements and mentally prepare our-selves to complete our mission.”

“[The Soldiers] continue to show metheir ‘no quit’ attitude every day. There isstill a long way to go on this deploymentand we will continue to stay focused,” hesaid.

Soldiers Celebrate Regiment’s Birthday in Iraq

In Memory Of...

A Soldier from 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regi-ment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Di-vision participates in the truck pull event of thestrong man competition as the unit celebratesthe 141st birthday of the 8th Cavalry Regimentin Balad, Iraq, Sept. 21.

View All Issues of the Grey Wolf Howl at:http://pao.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/units/3bct/index.htm

CPL Jonathan RivandeneiraB Trp., 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

PFC Christopher McCloudB Trp., 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

SSG Donnie DixonHeadquarters Troop

3BCT, 1CD

SSG Kevin BrownA Trp., 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

SPC David Watson2-23 IN4BCT, 2ID

PFC Luigi Marciante Jr.2-23 IN4BCT, 2ID

SPC Jonathan Valentine2-23 IN4BCT, 2ID

SPC Nicholas Olsen2-23 IN4BCT, 2ID

SPC Joseph Landry2-23 IN4BCT, 2ID


Best of the Best…‘Grey Wolf’ FA Battery Rises to the TopBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

It is not every day a unit in theU.S. Army achieves one of thehighest standards set in relationto their specific mission, andeven raises the bar on those stan-dards while deployed to Iraq.But when a unit does, whetherformally recognized or not, thereis a sense of accomplishmentamong the team.

Battery A, 2nd Battalion,82nd Field Artillery, 3rd “GreyWolf” Brigade Combat Team,1st Cavalry Division, is Multi-National Division-North’s bestand most respected field artillerybatteries operating in northernIraq today, said Lt. Col. TonyBryant, MND-N’s fires and ef-fects officer in charge.

“We have fired almost4,300 rounds of artillerythroughout this deployment,”Capt. Sean O’Keefe, the bat-tery’s executive officer humblyadmitted when discussing an ac-complishment normallyachieved by a battalion-sizedfield artillery unit.

Proudly discussing the ca-pabilities of his battery, O’Keefesaid, “We’ve conducted moremissions and fired more roundsthan [any other battery] in[Multi-National Division-North],” he added after confir-mation of this information byBryant.

Firing the most rounds as abattery-sized element is not theonly accomplishment for theseSoldiers said Bryant. They arealso the first battery in MND-Nto fire an Excalibur round, a GPSguided ammunition, in theatrecombat responding to troops incontact, while running 24 hour-a-day operations in Diyalaprovince.

“We provide 24-hour ar-tillery fire coverage in the Diyalaprovince,” said O’Keefe, a na-tive of Yonkers, N.Y.

“We’ve got men on the gunline, men in the Fire DirectionCenter, so we have fires avail-able whenever anyone needs amission – we are never closed,”

he added.“Anyone who calls for fires

through Grey Wolf, as long asthey have the clearance… wesend [ammunition] downrange,”Staff Sgt. Donald Whann, amember of A Battery, and a na-tive of Modesto, Calif.

“Every challenge we’vebeen faced with, we’ve alwaysdone what we could to help outthose around us and never turnanyone away. We’ve risen to theoccasion each time,” O’Keefesaid.

“The Excalibur round is away to bring back artillery andaccuracy into the fight. We, as abattery, have been given athumbs up to firing into a citywithout the Excalibur round be-cause of how accurate we are,”O’Keefe said.

“The Excalibur round is agreat piece of ammunition usedto help keep us in the fight, butit’s been our exceptional firingthat has kept us in,” he contin-ued. “We were the first to firethe round in Iraq during an oper-ation and we’ve fired the mostExcalibur rounds out of theMND-North.”

A Battery’s success hasn’tcome from luck-of-the-drawSoldiers coming to the unit; it’scome from countless hours oftraining and preparing for the un-thinkable.

“Some people get off days;we never really do,” said Whann.“As soon as the day begins,we’re training. We are con-stantly on our toes.”

“Everyday wehave to make surethat our weapons havebeen [maintained],”he continued. “Main-tenance is so very im-portant. That weaponcannot fire if you don’ttake care of it.”

“Training is impor-tant because it keeps ourSoldiers on such high levelof standards,” Whann added.“They have to know how to con-duct each person’s job just incase something ever happens. If

something ever happened to me,I know [my guys] could pick upwhere I was and continue to sendrounds downrange.”

Whann’s unique trainingmethods molds his Soldiers intobeing battle-ready fighters.

“There will be times whenwe’re training and I’ll just fall [tothe ground],” joked Whann.“My guys will be like, ‘What areyou doing, Chief?’ I’ll just liethere, playing dead, and thenthey know they need to rotatepositions and keep running themission. That forces the guys toreact, adapt and finish the mis-sion at hand.

“With us staying [up-to-date] with the standards, we’reready for any call to come downto us,” he said. “We’re ready foranything that could be thrown atus.”

These artillerymen are notonly ready for anything; theythoroughly enjoy their jobs. ABattery pride themselves on ex-ceptional performance theystrived to attain while in supportof Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08.

“This job really is motivat-ing at times,” said Spc. JesusPerez, a native of Bovina, Texas.“When a fire mission comesdown, you run to the guns readyto shoot. You’ve been waitingfor your chance and now you’reall pumped up.”

“It is motivating,” Spc. Em-manuelle Reyes, a native of

Bronx, N.Y.,agreed. “Youget your energygoing andy o u

k n o wthat you’re

helping troops in contact, try-ing to make a difference.Knowing that we might be

blowing up a building that theenemy is hiding in to help ourguys get the job done is really agreat feeling.”

Reyes’ noted one of themost important accomplish-ments his unit has achieved is thegreat numbers his unit holds.

“We pride ourselves onspeed and safety,” he said. “Youhave to be fast at your job be-cause peoples’ lives could be onthe line, but safe at all times.”

Though the battery’s de-ployment is coming to an end,these artillerymen said they willstay focused until they are on theplane home. They said it’s beena hard deployment at times but asuccessful one.

“This is an unbelievable ex-perience that I’ve gotten to workwith the Soldiers in this platoonand in our battery,” saidO’Keefe. “We’ve had all differ-ent kinds of missions thrown atus and been given the opportu-nity to prove what we can do andhow good we are at our jobs.”

“We have proven that ar-tillery still has a significant posi-tion in modern militarybattlefield,” he continued. “MySoldiers have risen to the occa-sion every time and it’s com-pletely humbling to be in chargeof guys like this.”

O’Keefe smiled and spokeconfidently about his Soldiersand how proud he is of them.

“I am absolutely proud ofmy guys,” said O’Keefe. “Theunit before us shot 1,000 roundsin the same location we quadru-pled that [amount of roundsfired]. I’m very proud of that

and the fact that my guyshave been able to han-dle everythingthrown at them.”


Soldiers Show Greater Strengths than SupermanBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

Superman was known for hisdaring feats of greatness, hisability to fly as fast as a locomo-tive and his ability to exhort un-believable amounts of strengthwhen the citizens of Metropolisneeded to be saved.

While the Soldiers of the3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1stCavalry Division, are not aliensfrom the planet Krypton, norcan they fly as fast as a speedingtrain – or fly at all, they do pos-sess the same amounts of phys-ical strength Superman does – afeat they proved at the ForwardOperating Base WarhorseStrongman Competition, Sept.9.

With events like the tire flipand the humvee pull, where theSoldiers flip a tire just undertheir height and drag a humveedown a road across a finish line,these Soldiers stationed inBaqouba, Iraq, in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom 06-08,proved they are just as strong, ifnot even stronger, than the great“Man of Steel.”

“We are here participatingin the FOB Warhorse Strong-man Competition to help buildmorale and let loose and havesome fun,” said Capt. Michael

Anderson, Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, 215thBrigade Support Battalion, anda native of Griffith, Ind.

“It’s a mixture of Soldiers,NCOs and officers joining in aday of camaraderie, showing offour physical strength and en-durance, and just hanging outtogether and having a goodtime,” he continued.

“This is all about teams andcompetition,” added Spc.Joseph Armstrong, HHC 3rdBrigade Special Troops Battal-ion. “It’s also about individualstrying to prove who the best ofthe best is. It’s just everyonetrying to be all that they can be.

“I’m competing in the indi-vidual competition. I’m com-peting in the tire flip, the chainpull… and the humvee pull,”said the Freeport, Texas native.

All the competitorswere in top physical shape,ready for both the physical andmental challenges that lie aheadof them.

“This is the first time I’veever done an event like this,”Armstrong said. “I thinkthey’re all going to be tough andmentally challenging. You re-ally have to go out there andpush yourself to give it yourall.”

In pushing himself to his

max capabilities, Arm-strong spoke about theburning pain one can feelin their muscles and howto overcome those circum-stances.

“I don’t think of thepain,” he said after com-pleting the chain dragevent. “When I get outthere, it’s an adrenalinerush. With your adrena-line pumping, all the paingoes away.

“When I’m gettingready for an event, I don’tthink about nothing butme and accomplishing myobjective,” he continued.“I don’t focus on anythingelse out there, just me.”

With Soldiersfrom all over Warhorse at-tending the event as spec-tators, proudly cheeringon their fellow battle bud-dies as they performedfeats of strength, Soldier moralewas highly on display, helpingthe competing Soldiers to pushthemselves further to achieve ahigher goal.

Events like these that raisemorale are just what Armstrongand Anderson said they enjoyabout competing.

“Events like these do helpmorale because it gets the ath-letes and the [spectators]pumped up,” said Armstrong.“You got your brothers and sis-ters competing so you root forthem just as much as you rootfor yourself.

“You want to see peoplesucceed in events like these,” hecontinued. “Everyone’s givingtheir all and you have to respectthat; and that’s why you supportand root for everybody.”

“These events are very im-portant because all day we aretrapped inside these gates of theFOB and we get to go out on theroad and hangout outside thewire for a little bit, but this is

still nothing like being back athome,” said Anderson.

“This is important becausethis brings Soldiers together,gives them an event that theymay watch or participate inback at home, and gives them achance to let loose a little andhave fun,” he said.

And it’s these kinds ofevents which both Soldiers saidwould like to see more of.

“I think it would be verygood to have more events likethese out here because you’renot just challenging others, youare challenging yourself andwhat you can accomplish,” saidArmstrong. “It helps improveyour mind, body and spirit.”

“All these events are greatfor the Soldiers and I’m veryhappy that we are able to let goof some steam today,” Andersonagreed.

“Sometimes, this is what’sneeded to help us get by,” hesaid.

Spc. Joseph Armstrong, HHC, 3rd BSTB, uses all his en-ergy to lift a large tire down a road. The fastest time tothe finish line was declared the winner of the event atthe FOB Warhorse Strongman Competition, Sept. 9.

Capt. Michael Anderson, HHC,215th BSB, carries an extremeamount of weight across the fin-ish line during the Forward Oper-ating Base Warhorse StrongmanCompetition, Sept. 9.




Cpl. Daniel Speers, 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 1st Cavalry Division, prays with fel-low Soldiers during a prayer breakfast atForward Operating Base Warhorse,Baqouba, Iraq, Sept. 11 in remembrance ofthe 9/11 attacks.

EAGLE CASH CARD

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