the talon talon

The Talon

Talon

See VOTE, page 12

See IFOR, page 12

Insid

e COMMENTARY . . . . 2PATROLS . . . . . 4ROCK AND ROLL . . . 5ELECTIONS . . . 6-7R A I L R O A D . . . . . 9HISPANIC MONTH . . 10PEACE PILLOWS . . 11

U.S. Reps. John Murtha, R-Pa., PeterKing, R-N.Y. and Minnesota State Rep.Mike Jaros, D-Duluth, along with mem-bers of the State Department and De-partment of Defense were members of oneof two U.S. delegations observing the elec-tions.

Arriving at Tuzla airfield, the delega-

tion was briefed by Maj. Gen. William L.Nash, then whisked away aboard twoUH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to checkout polling stations in Tuzla and Kalesi-ja.

Security was tight as soldiers of 1st

By Cpl. Len Butler100th MPAD

Why my vote was important

As a Tuzla native, I will rememberSeptember 1996 as one of the most im-portant times of my life. It is the monthI voted for the first time in my life.

I am writing this to tell you how I feelabout the elections.

When I marked my ballots, I felt forthe first time like just maybe I could

change something. I felt like maybe Icould have some control of my destiny,my future.

I didn�t think a lot about politics. Ijust thought that my ballot means some-thing. Someone will look at my ballotand read what I marked. What Imarked!

That was what I was thinking about

By Arijana SabanovicTalon Staff

Another chapter in the General Frame-work Agreement for Peace closed Saturdaywith national elections determining whowill lead Bosnia-Herzegovina into the fi-nal few years of this century.

Volume 2, No 36 Friday, September 20, 1996

the

Serving the soldiers of Task Force EagleOperation Joint Endeavor, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Photo by Master Sgt. Richard D. Glynn

A soldier from the 411th MP Co. mans an MK-19 grenade launcher in the zone of separation near Luke Sept. 14.

IFOR eyes elections

The TalonThe Talon

From the top

Iron Soldiers made peace possible

THE TALON is produced in the interest of the servicemembers of TaskForce Eagle, headquartered at Eagle Base. THE TALON is an Army-fundednewspaper authorized for members of the U.S. Army overseas, under theprovision of AR 360-81. Contents of THE TALON are not necessarily theofficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or Task Force Eagle, commanded by Maj. Gen. WilliamL. Nash. THE TALON is published weekly by the 1st Armored Division (TaskForce Eagle) Public Affairs Office, Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia-HerzegovinaAPO AE 09789, Telephone MSE 551-5230. E-mail: [email protected] by Print Com Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Circulation: 8,000.

The Talon

Viewpoint

Tracked vehicle mechanic . . . . . Pfc. Lisa Marie BallentineEditor in Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. John E. Suttle100th MPAD Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. Victoria D. WoodOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capt. Terry L. ConderNCOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff Sgt. Patrick SummersEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Daniel PaschallDesign Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. LumPhoto Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Aaron R. ReedTechnical Advisor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Bryan DriverStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Teresa L. UngerStaff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arijana Sabanovic

Task Force Eagle headed for winning season

On the night of theBosnia-Herzegovinaelections I was speak-ing with my goodfriend, 4th AviationBrigade CommandSgt. Maj. John E.Lawrence.

We both felt a greatdeal of pride concerningthe role that our IronSoldiers had played inthe successful comple-tion of the election process.

Lawrence recounted a story to me inwhich a young soldier asked him early inthe deployment why the U.S. troops hadbeen sent to the former Yugoslavia. He ex-plained to that troop that we are here as

part of a bigger picture, much bigger thanjust our individual jobs.

Iron Soldiers must realize that each andevery one of us is filling a role that is help-ing to ensure peace in what was once a na-tion paralyzed by the ravages of war.

Ethnic animosity has run deep in thispart of the world for hundreds of years. In1992, this hatred bubbled to the surfaceand let loose some very brutal and savagekilling.

However, since late 1995 when the Day-ton Peace Accord was signed and TaskForce Eagle troops began arriving, the fight-ing has virtually stopped.

For the first time in many seasons, farm-ers are able to harvest their crops and par-ents feel safe enough to let their childrenout of their homes again to play.

With football season athand, I thought perhaps wemight take a look at Task ForceEagle�s �score� and field positionas we move into our fourth quar-ter. Looking back, it�s been onehell of a game and Task ForceEagle is holding strong. We�reahead by a healthy margin butwith the team a little tired it�snatural to want to cut cornersand not run out all plays aspracticed. Now is not the timefor reckless behavior on thefield. We must not let poor deci-sions diminish our lead.

As a whole, we have per-formed with superior skill. Let�skeep it up, for in this quarterwe�re still playing both offensiveand defensive positions. It�stime for increased concentra-tion, well thought-out moves,and high physical and mentalenergy as we hit the field again.Our game plan is to play

we have had few accidents or in-juries. Lately, however, ourrecord is slipping. We have justbegun our redeployment and wehave already experienced seri-ous equipment loss due to road-way accidents. Remember, 80percent of all Army accidentsare due to human error.

Overconfidence, inexperi-ence, inattention, and fatigueare a few human factors thatcontribute to accidents.

Each day we receive new in-dividuals full of enthusiasmand ideas. It is our responsibil-ity to explain the �rules of theroad� to them. If we take a lack-adaisical attitude about ourduties or act tired or uncaring,others will soon follow suit andour overall performance willsuffer. Each and every one of usmust continue to perform ourtasks with an active mind.

Think back to how many

times you have driven thatsame route or cleared your weap-on and have had a close call.

Now look around and askyourself, how many people do youknow who have had accidentsperforming an identical task? Itis our mindset that keeps ussharp, not our comfort level.Sure, preventative maintenancechecks and services, weaponscleaning and handling, and liv-ing space improvements are notthe most exciting activities.However, they are the foundationon which everything else is based.

Soon you will be asked toload up your belongings and en-ter an unfamiliar environment.You will be asked to performadditional tasks at which youmay be a little rusty. This com-bined with your increased workload will put bring about stress.Now is the time for individualmental preparation.

Friday, September 20, 1996

Iron soldiers, your sacrifice has not beenin vain. The holding of last Saturday�s elec-tion (an event which seemed hardly imag-inable just one year ago) and the peacefulday-to-day life of the country is testimonyto your hard work, professionalism, anddedication to duty.

However, our job is not yet finished.Sept. 14 represented a turning point for thedeployment. We must stay focused on thetask at hand� redeployment.

We have come too far and accomplishedtoo much to let our guard down now. As weprepare to head home, don�t let complacen-cy take over. NCOs ensure that standardsare maintained as we head down the homestretch.

Iron Soldiers take care of each other.Hooah! Hooah! Hooah!

through tothe finish.

W i t hthis inmind, youmay askyoursel fwhy don�twe juststick withthe proce-

dures we currently have? Weneed to remember that changesin force protection are designedfor our safety.

You may feel perfectly safein your particular base camp orarea of operation. However, col-lectively, there may be a riskbrought about by acts unfamil-iar to us or those around us.

A loss of focus can be the un-doing of this successful mission.More than 20,000 Americanplayers have participated inTask Force Eagle thus far, and

Capt.Todd D. LyleTFE Safety

CommandSgt. Maj.

Jack L. Tilley1st Armored

Division

The Talon

4. Charge the pistolthree more times;watch for ejectingrounds. Reholsterweapon.

1. Unholster weaponand point it at theclearing barrel.

2. Put the weapon onsafe and remove themagazine.

3. Lock the slide to therear. Look into thechamber to verify thereare no rounds. Let theslide ride forward.

Clear it right

1

3

2

4


Source: Task Force Eagle G-3 office

PISTOL9MM

The Talon Friday, September 20, 1996

As Bosnian workers head home fromEagle Base and soldiers call it a dayand retreat to their hootches, a

squad from Company C, 3rd Battalion,12th Infantry gears upfor a patrol.

�These patrolsmaintain base securi-ty,� Staff Sgt. Bobby J.Jernigan, 36, of Chica-go said. �The patrolalso is a show of forceto the local popula-tion.�

�Local reaction to thepatrols has been verypositive,� said Cpl.Christopher M. Tay-lor, a 29-year-old nativeof Green Acres, Fla. �Theylike us a lot, especially thechildren. They always rushto see us.�

Taylor recalled alady cutting rosesfrom her garden infront of her home

and giving them to each soldier on patrolthat evening.

The patrol stops at designated check-points along the route. Security is alwaysthe top priority.

Upon reaching a checkpoint, soldiersimmediately form a 360-degree perime-ter, then perform equipment checks to

make sure all gear is account-ed for.

�I try to save as much ofmy back strength as

possible atthese check-

points,� Taylorsaid.

In additionto his regu-lar gear he

had the addedweight of the ra-dio, starclusterflares and smokegrenades.

�When we getto a checkpoint, we likethe local townspeopleto see us.So we take our timea little before we pro-

ceed to the next checkpoint,� Jernigan said.�Going on patrols is a lot better than

having to sit in a guard tower for 12hours,� said Spc. William A. Klemish, a21 year-old from Tacoma, Wash. �Patrolsgive us a chance to go out see how thelocals live.�

�Peace means a lot for all parties, in-cluding us,� Pfc. H. Robert SchumacherIII, 19, of York, Pa. said.

�It affects our lives as well as theirs.Peace cannot be kept by force. It can onlybe achieved by understanding.�

Pfc. Christopher E. Richie, 21, of Tex-arkana, Texas said he thought IFORshould tread cautiously over the next fewweeks.

�Even though we have the power tomicro-manage every aspect of this coun-try, I think we should allow the factionsto slowly start taking control in order towork together,� Richie said.

Pfc. Brian J. Leyva, 19, of Los Ange-les, said the only thing he cares about isdoing his missions.

�As far as I�m concerned,� Leyva said,�only time will tell what�s going to hap-pen to this country.

�As for Co. C, 3-12, we�re going to dothe time, and not let the time do us.�

As checkpoints go, Char-lie really isn�t much tosee. Right now, it�s quiet

in this northeastern section ofthe zone of separation.

But the guardians of Check-point Charlie know that eachpassing hay wagon or motoristcould shatter the fragile peace.

Sandbags, tents, guardshacks and the imposing barrelof an M1A1 Abrams Main Bat-tle Tankguard theapproach

to the checkpoint.Armor adds sharp teeth to

the soldiers who watch trafficalong the road called RouteHawk.

Geographically, Charlie is ina perfect spot to play traffic cop.It is situated at a crossroads inthe ZOS.

The checkpoint also acts as aneutral zone for Bosnians whowant to reunite with family andfriends on the oth-er side of theZOS.

�The desire for Serbs to movewest toward Muslim areas is al-most nil,� 2nd Lt. Schley �Jake�Frazer said. �But there has beenquite a bit of Muslim movementto the east.�

Daily patrols from Check-point Charlie hope to con-vince the different fac-tions that it�s OK totravel across theInter-EntityBound-

Perimeter patrol provides protectionBy Cpl. LEN BUTLER100th MPAD

Checkpoint Charlie: Life in Bosnia�s hot zoneBy Sgt. 1st ClassKEVIN L. ROBINSONArmy News Service

ary Line.�We spread the word that

they can cross the IEBL, and theycan go anywhere they want, andnobody will stop them,� Sgt. 1stClass Leon Snyder said. �Some

will come to the checkpoint,stop, and ask if they can

stay here and wait fortheir family to come up.

There�s still a lot of hateand fear to overcome.�

Illustration by Spc. Theresa L. Unger

Photo by Spc. Cheryl A.Kraning, Digitized by Capt. Terry l. Conder

The Talon

Steel Castle was the placeto be recently, as Hun-gary�s top rock band,

EDDA muvek, thundered intothe camp to entertain Ameri-can, Hungarian and Italian sol-diers.

�The band�s performance isa thank you from the Hungari-an government to IFOR troops,�said Col. Janos Isaszegi, Hun-garian armed forces inspectorgeneral.

�This is the hottest band inHungary right now, if not in allof Europe,� Isaszegi said. Andjudging by the reaction of thetroops, he was right.

After an opening act by theone-man band, Péter Gerendás,whose set included a Hungari-an version of Louis Armstrong�s�Wonderful World,� EDDA mu-vek blasted the audience withsome classic rock tunes.

The band�s noise level wasn�ta problem; the crowd was full ofartillerymen and combat engi-neers who are used to deafen-ing noises.

Hungarian soldiers were ec-static over the band�s perfor-mance. As the evening pro-gressed, U.S. soldiers joined theHungarians at the edge of thestage.

�This was definitely worth

freezing my butt off for out heretonight,� said 20-year-old Pfc.Aimeé E. Zins, Company B, 94thEngineer Battalion.

Lead singer Attila Patakycame off the stage to sing a loveballad to Zins.

Despite the language barri-er, the band members didn�thave much trouble getting their

message through to the troops.�We are here to perform for

the best troops in IFOR. With-out you there would be no peacehere,� said Master of Ceremo-nies Csaba Màrtou.

The soldiers roared theiragreement.

As a light rain started to fall,Hungary�s hottest female vocal-

ist, Sarolta Zalatnay, belted outsome crowd favorites, includingJanis Joplin�s �(Won�t You BuyMe A) Mercedes Benz.�

Zalatnay recently suffered apainful knee injury, but she in-sisted on performing.

EDDA muvek is originallyfrom Miskolc, Hungary, but nowcalls Budapest home.

Hungary band feeds on Steel frenzyBy Capt.MICHAEL H. MIETZNERCoalition Press InformationCenter Tuzla

Soldiers impress presidential delegation


Illustration by Spc. Theresa L. Unger

American soldiers join Hungarian rock band EDDA muvek on stage at Steel Castle.Phloto by First Sgt. Major Benoit Roosen

A presidentialdelegation led byAmbassador Rich-ard D. Holbrookewas happy withwhat they saw onelection day in Bos-nia-Herzegovina.

�Our country canbe proud of whatAmerican soldiershave done here,� Congressman Steny H.Hoyer, D-Md. said.

The delegation flew to McGovern Base,home of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry,where soldiers conducted business as usu-al on the historic day.

And business as usual meant patrollingmain supply routes, meeting with local of-

ficials and ensuring free-dom of movement.

In the days before Sept.14, soldiers deliveredsealed boxes of ballotsand neutral voting mate-rials. They also put uptents for polling stations,and made radio checks.

�The Organization forSecurity and Cooperationin Europe doesn�t have thelogistics we do,� said Capt.Kevin McAllister, 28,

Company A commander, a native of Bridge-ton, N.J. �Without us, they probably wouldn�tbe able to do this. We�re glad to help.�

While politicians and OSCE officials fo-cused on election issues, soldiers went abouttheir work.

�The bottom line is all the lives we�vesaved. I let the higher-ups worry about the

elections,� said Sgt. Hank Lezon, 27.Lezon said that on patrol, his squad of-

ten meets kids. �Kids are able to go toschool now without worrying about gettingshot,� he said. �That didn�t happen untilwe got here.�

Carl Bildt, High Representative for theimplementation of the General FrameworkAgreement for Peace, said American soldiershave played an important role in Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially during the elections.

�IFOR has been extremely important.The U.S. contribution has been immenselyimportant, both politically and militarily,�Bildt said.

In the highly contested city of Brcko, vot-er turnout wasn�t as large as anticipated,and there were no incidents.

�This has been a great day for freedomand democracy,� said Col. Gregory A. Fon-teneau, 1st Brigade commander. �Peace isa good thing.�

By Cpl. Rob Glenn367th MPAD


September

14, 1996

1) Writing on the w2) IFOR troops bri3) Voters line up a

Warrant Officer Giuseppe Melillo

Cpl. Rob Glenn

Cpl. Rob Glenn1

2

3 4

The TalonFriday, September 20, 1996

To the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians of Task Force Eagle �

Congratulations on your magnificent performance in supporting the general elections of Bosnia-Herzegovina.You have shown the world that there is no mission too great, no challenge too tough for you to overcome.Saturday�s achievement � of which you can be justifiably proud � is historic in scope and provides hope for thepeople of this troubled region.

Over the last several months, you have endured hardship and sacrificed much to do what many thoughtimpossible � you have stopped the killing and given the Bosnian people a chance for peace. Today, the leadersof the world stand in awe of what you have accomplished.

Your nations are extremely proud of you and so am I. Working together, you have earned the respect of thoseyou came to help. I am truly honored to serve with you. You are a great credit to the profession of arms.

Well done � and thank you.

WILLIAM L. NASHMajor General, USACommanding

Troops make history

Cpl. Rob Glenn

4) A bus moves voters to polling stations5) Honorable Richard D. Holbrooke answersthe press near Brcko.

wall says it all.ing reassuring presence.at polling station.

Cpl. Rob GlennMaster Sgt. Richard Glynn 5


Whiskey 30 guards MississippiBy Spc. CRAIG PICKETT350TH MPAD

CHECKPOINT W30 � Checkpoint whis-key-three-zero had humble beginnings,but now it�s a model site.

Whiskey 30 is responsible for keepinga peaceful separation along Route Mis-sissippi between the factions in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The checkpoint is located in the mid-dle of the zone of separation. Soldiersfrom 1st Platoon, Company A, 2nd Bat-talion, 68th Armor, monitor the route 24hours a day, seven days a week.

�When we first arrived, it was prettybad,� Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Clark, 31,from Brunswick, Ga., said. �We were liv-ing in a building infested with rats. Butthings have gotten better and better sincewe�ve been here.�

The checkpoint has two sleeping tents,a mess tent and a recreation tent.

The recreation tent houses a ping-pongtable, a fussball table and a dart board. Italso has a small collection of weights. Foodis delivered twice a day.

Whiskey 30 was so well designed, Ho-henfels modeled its training checkpoint af-ter it.

�It�s not that bad, living out here,� Spc.Gary E. McDowell, 26, from Fulton, Miss.,said. �I�ve seen worse at other checkpoints.This one is set up nice.�

The mess tent is usually the center ofactivity. That�s where soldiers congregateto talk, eat and play board games.

But it�s not all fun and games at Whis-key 30. Soldiers spend a great deal of timetraining and working the checkpoint.

Having the unit together provides an ide-al training opportunity.

�Being here gives us a good chance forcrew training,� Staff Sgt. Tony Garrison, 33,from Knoxville, Tenn. said.

Most days are uneventful, and not muchtraffic flows down Mississippi except forArmy convoys and civilian-contractedtrucks.

�After eight months in Bosnia, this isa pretty smooth operation,� Garrisonsaid.

�We did a lot of training prior to cominghere, so we were prepared. We keep thetraining up and don�t lose sight of what we�resupposed to do,� said Pfc. Jadon C. Hart-mann, a 21-year-old from Oklahoma City,Okla.

Living and working in a small area hasbrought unit members closer together.

�When you�re living with your soldiers,you build teamwork. No one here goes homeat 1700,� Garrison said.

While soldiers of the40th Engineer Bat-talion are busy im-

proving main supply routes andworking construction, me-chanics of Company B, 47thForward Support Battalionmake sure trucks keeptrucking and tracks keeptracking.

�We are the highest eche-lon of maintenance in theBosnian theater,� Spc.Michael Barcena, 21, of Mi-ami said.

Company B provides di-

rect support for everythingfrom HMMWVs to armoredpersonnel carriers.

And Company B mechan-ics still make housecalls tohome bases and MSRs to fixbroken-down vehicles.

�Other than the normalwear and tear on the vehicleswe haven�t many problems,�Barcena said.

However, winter couldchange things in a hurry.

�The mixture of snow andice makes a dangerous com-bination,� Pfc. Troy P. Mill-er of Chicago said.

Add the bare tar exposedfrom worn pavement of the

Bosnian roads, and it makesdriving even scarier.

�You really can�t judgehow things can go on an icyroad,� Barcena said. �Themost dangerous road condi-tion is a patch of �black ice�,which is transparent ice.

�Most of the time whenyou hit black ice, it�s alreadytoo late. All you can do ishold on,� he said.

Engineers say soldiersshould take responsibilityfor making sure their vehi-cles are in good shape.

And with winter justaround the corner, heaterswill be especially important.

�Heaters keep driversalert, and keep windowsclear,� Barcena said. �Snowchains will also be impor-tant.�

�They are the best equip-ment we have to keep vehi-cles on the road,� Miller said.

Company B mechanicsbelieve a level head can geta soldier through even themost dangerous of situa-tions.

�We�d like to see everyonetake it easy on the roads,�Barcena said. �If soldiers staycalm and alert for any changein traffic or road conditions,it should be a good winter.�

By Cpl. LEN BUTLER100TH MPAD

Engineers give hot tips for cold weather

Sgt. Lance M. Kamisugi


When Capt. Luca Ap-pollini and his 21-carReggimento Genio

Ferrovieri work train rolled intothe Zvornik train station at Kar-akaj, Republika Srpska, it gavea whole new meaning to the oldtune �I�ve been working on therailroad.�

As part of IFOR�s plan to re-store rail links in Bosnia, thisunique unit, under supervisionof Hungarian engineers, wastasked to restore the rail linebetween Zvornik and Zivinci.

The railroad company of Reg-gimento Genio Ferrovieri isbased in Castel Maggiore, Bo-logna, Italy. It has 21 railwaycars, nine of which are rentedfrom the Italian Federal Rail-way. The military train includes12 cars: an operations/commu-nications car, a briefing andconference room car, three sleep-er cars, one dining car, a kitchencar, two storage and servicingcars, two 6,000-liter non-pota-

ble of serving 300 meals a day,generating its own power andcommunicating by HF, VHFand UHF radio, INMARSATtelephone link and TACSAT.

The train also has an inter-nal water purification system.

About 100 men, split intotwo platoons, deployed with therailroad company. The unit issupported by an Italian para-troop platoon which providessecurity.

�This is the only regiment-sized unit of this type in all ofNATO,� Appollini said. �TheFrench and Spanish have simi-lar smaller platoon- and sec-tion-sized units, but theywouldn�t be able to take on anoperation of this magnitude.�

The Italian soldiers havetheir work cut out for them. Theyare responsible for 45 kilome-ters of track that has not beenmaintained since the Balkanconflict started four years ago.The soldiers started by clear-ing brush, weeds, small treesand other debris from thetracks and immediate area. Atwo-man Italian explosive ord-nance disposal team, support-ed by Hungarian EOD, worksone day ahead down the line,ensuring the area is free ofmines, unexploded ordnance

and booby traps. The teamclears 10 meters on both sidesof the tracks.

Work on the tracks is com-plicated by the need to repairsections where bunkers andfighting positions were dug intothe railway bed and in somecases right under the tracks. Inother areas sections of rail weresimply blown apart, renderingthe track unusable.

In yet another place, a 50-meter section of track had to beremoved and replaced becausethe section had a serious bendor �snake� in it caused by tanksand other tracked vehicles cross-ing the rails. A massive land-slide blocked another section oftrack, requiring the removal ofdebris almost entirely by hand.

The Italian soldiers expect tofinish the job by the end of Sep-tember. Their goal is to restorethe main line to minimum mil-itary standards. This meansthat only military rail trafficcan use the line, until function-ing signals and communica-tions are added. Further up-grading will be the responsibil-ity of national authorities.

The deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina is the first foreigndeployment for the unit in over50 years.

ble water tanker cars and thediesel engine.

It is a completely self-suffi-cient air-conditioned unit, capa-

Italians on track to peaceBy Capt.MICHAEL H. MIETZNERCoalition Press InformationCenter Tuzla


Cpl. Piergiorgio Balbi (left) and Cpl. Giuseppe Balestracci repair a section of track,while Cpl. Francesco Paone provides security.


A paratrooper from 1st Battaglione Armamento e Pomtipulls security at Zvornik train station in Karakaj.


n REDEPLOYMENT READJUSTMENTS

What is foremost on the mindsof many soldiers is redeployment. As soldiers get ready to re-

deploy, reunion with family, friends andloved ones will take a high priority.

It is the goal of the command that allsoldiers go through reunion briefings. Mostsoldiers will be briefed by their unit chap-lain before they leave their base camps andwill go through an abbreviated brief at theIntermediate Staging Base.

The purpose of the reunion briefings isto bring an awareness to soldiers and fam-ily members what to expect upon comingback together. This article will look at com-mon topics for all soldiers.

An obvious observation by all of us isthat �things change.� Each of us has gonethrough some changes the last severalmonths. Eating habits, sleeping hab-its, hairstyle, gain or loss of weightare just some of the changes thatmany have gone through.

Whether or not thesechanges were intention-al or just happened,we are not thesame as wewere prior tothe deploy-ment. Itcan behelpful ife a c hpersona c -

cepts rather than being critical of thesechanges.

A warning for those being redeployed isto take it slow. Do not try to make up for awhole year in one day or in one week.

There is a lot that has happened andmaking things right or catching up withwhat has been missed will take time.

Take it slow and enjoy catching up overseveral weeks when you get back.

Another concern is to avoidthe general tendency toward

excessiveness: Eating,fast driving, alcohol

consumpt ion ,spending, and

sex are justsome of

t h ear -

eas soldiers should experience in modera-tion.

Another area of concern that all of us willexperience is some awkwardness with thosethat were left behind. It may be a spouse, achild, or our friends. Whoever was left be-hind may have some initial uncomfortable-ness upon return. Work on getting reacquaint-ed with one another.

This deployment has brought out a vari-ety of emotions in everyone. It is helpful toacknowledge those mixed feelings. Some ofthe strong feelings are the following: Pride,anger and resentment, joy, cynicism, desireto forget, hurt, loneliness, accomplishment,tiredness and relief.

The last area in this article that will bementioned is the opportunity to tell your sto-ry. It is important to take the time to tellyour story of the past few months with some-one who cares and is interested.

There can be a lot of stories and it cantake months to recall them. When you tell

your story, recognize the one you aretelling your story to also has a story

to tell you.Listen to their story withthe same interest you want

them to give yours.It is hoped thatyou will considerthese areas asyou prepare forredeploymentand reunionwith yourloved onesback home.

Prepare now for family reunionsBy Chap. (Lt. Col.) Scott F. New18th MP Brigade

Hispanic Heritage Month Ac-tivities:

Steel Castle: Sept. 21 Lati-no Night; Sept. 25 HispanicCatholic Mass; Oct. 11 LiveMusic with Latin Jazz Combo.

Eagle Base, Tuzla: Spanishbasic language classes throughOct. 15; Sept. 27 Fiesta Night.

Slavonski Brod: Oct. 4 Sal-sa Night.

Contact these individualsfor more infomation:

Sgt. 1st Class Ramon Feli-ciano, 557-0114;

Sgt. 1st Class Gilbert Minor,551-4010;

Sgt. 1st Class Danny Mi-genes, 558-5826;

Sgt. 1st Class StevenMechar, 558-5727.

Hispanic heritage earns proclamation

WHEREAS, fromthe earliest daysof our nation, His-

panics have played a centralrole in our country�s develop-ment. First as explorers, thenas settlers and today as lead-ers in all segments of society;and

WHEREAS, our HispanicAmerican communities con-tinue to grow with our nation.They share with our nationdeep pride in their languageand culture, and sense of jus-tice and compassion whichnurtures our democratic sys-tem and keeps it progressing;and

WHEREAS, the history ofHispanics is one of proud ac-

complishments, thus providinga unique flavor to American his-tory; and

WHEREAS , Hispanicshave distinguished them-selves and brought honor tothis nation by serving admi-rably in its defense through-out the world; and

WHEREAS , Hispanicscontinue to make significantand enduring contributions toour society, enriching us intel-lectually, spiritually, and cul-turally; and

WHEREAS, it is importantto set aside recognition of His-panic influence and contribu-tions, with a sense of unity, inwhat this group has given tomaintain the social, political,

and moral strength of this Na-tion.

Now, therefore, be it re-solved that I, Major GeneralWilliam L. Nash, Command-er, Task Force Eagle, do here-by proclaim Sept. 15 throughOct. 15, 1996 to be �NationalHispanic Heritage Month.�

I urge all soldiers and ci-vilians to recognize and appre-ciate all Hispanic contribu-tions, both past and present,to the betterment of ourArmed Forces and great na-tion.

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

n

WILLIAM L. NASHMajor General, USA

Commanding

Jacqueline Kline, 1, stands on the 1AD logo in Ray Barracks gymnasium in Friedberg, Germany


n PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

CAMP MOLLY � The radiosquelches and a call comes intothe tactical operations center.Pfc. William C. Hare gets intohis role as a radio operator andanswers the call.

�I look at everything likeplaying a role,� the 26-year-oldformer actor from Pinole, Calif.

By Spc. Craig Pickett350th MPAD

said. �Out here you�ve got a lotof people under stress, so some-times you have to think like anactor. Being a radio operator islike a lot like acting. You playyour role the best you can tosupport the big picture.�

Hare got his start in actingas an extra on the televisionshow, �Unsolved Mysteries,�and he eventually earned aspeaking role. The acting bug

bit him and he decided to try itas a career. He quit college andmoved to Los Angeles and be-gan doing some theater.

His big break came when hiswife, Jordan, helped him get apart on the show �The WonderYears.� Hare did five speakingepisodes, and he worked as astand-in and an extra.

�In the credits I was usually�The boy in the hall,�� he said.

Hare also appeared on BobEubanks� show, �Infatuation.�He�s been in a beer commercialand a few movies. The most no-table movie he appeared in was�Philadelphia Experiment II�with Dennis Quaid.

�I got to play a guard and yell� stop, stop � and shoot somepeople,� Hare said.

A string of bad luck followed.His agent�s business folded andthe Los Angeles earthquake of�94 destroyed his home andshook up his life. Hare movedin with his parents, Bob andBetty Hare in Lake Havasu,Ariz. He started waiting tablesand wondering what to do. Thenone night while watching �Sat-

urday Night Live� he saw anArmy spot advertising $30,000for college and decided that�swhat he would do � enlist.

�They didn�t have a job as anactor so I took a combat armsposition, hoping to see Europe,�Hare said.

Hare is normally assigned toa tank platoon and drives anM1A1 Abrams Main BattleTank. He likes being part of afour-man tank team. �With asmall group you get some goodchemistry,� he said.

Now Hare is a member ofHeadquarters Troop, 1stSquadron, 4th Cavalry fromSchweinfurt, Germany.

�Being the radio telegraphoperator, you represent the bat-talion as a whole,� Hare said.�You have to know a lot and bewell-versed in what�s going on.�

Hare is unsure whether he�llreenlist, but he definitely plansto finish college and somedayreturn to acting.

For now, Hare plays his roleas an Army soldier in Bosnia-Herzegovina, manning the radioand keeping people informed.

Actor turned soldier scores biggest role

Spc. Craig Pickett

Pfc. William C. Hare uses his skills as an actor to man theradio in the tactical operations center at Camp Molly.

A roof over your head, awarm bed and a pillow to lay your head on � the

simple things that make life en-joyable. Some soldiers in Bosnia-Herzegovina may have a leaky,canvas roof and hard cots to sleepon, but thanks to school childrenin Rockville, Md., some soldiersnow have a �peace pillow.�

When Naomi Mezebish, aMeadow Hall Elementary Schoolfifth-grade special educationteacher, heard about the livingand working conditions for themilitary serving during Opera-tion JOINT ENDEAVOR, she in-vented the �peace pillow.�

�When I found out about the military inBosnia, sleeping in the rain, sloshing aroundin the mud, I wanted to do something to helpthem,� Mezebish said during an interviewwith the Aspen Hill Gazette.

She remembered the horse-shoe-shapedpillow she had used on a trip to Alaska, andcame up with a similar pattern, custom-

Peace pillows comfort Iron Soldiersformer unit, the 709th MilitaryPolice Battalion, 18th MP Bri-gade, still stationed at GuardianBase. The gifts were then distrib-uted by Chap. (Capt.) Mike E.Yarman.

In his note, Begosh said the pil-lows were something from the kidsto let soldiers know that people inthe U.S. are still thinking aboutthem and supporting what theyare doing in the war-torn country.

Battalion Commander, Lt.Col. Timothy J. Lamb appreciat-ed the sentiment.

�It was good to hear from Spc.Begosh,� he said. �Even eightmonths after the incident he isstill thinking of us. And it was apleasant surprise to hear we stillhave people in the states think-

ing of us.� Yarman added, �It was neat toopen the box and see all those pillows withthe creative drawings.

�As uncomfortable as it can be to ride allday in a HMMWV, the pillow is a great pieceof camouflaged equipment to have along. Allthe soldiers of the battalion thank the kidsfor showing us that they care.�

By Sgt. JANET S. PETERS350th MPAD

Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. Lum

Pfc. John P. Eledge from the 536th MP Company wearsa neck pillow made by school children in Rockville, Md.,hometown of Spc. Martin Begosh, the first Americanwounded in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

made for soldiers with camouflage on oneside. The other side is full of drawings andmessages created by students

Over the next four months the entire com-munity got involved in the project, includingSpc. Martin Begosh, the first Americanwounded in Bosnia. Begosh, who lives in near-by Aspen Hill, sent 50 of the pillows to his


Battalion, 10th Special Forces escortedthe delegation.

�I�m glad to see that the lines are longand that people are voting,� Jaros said.

Jaros has a special interest in the Bos-nian elections. He was born and raised innorthwestern Bosnia- Herzegovina, even-tually immigrating to the United Statesin 1960.

The delegation made stops at three poll-ing stations, stopping to chat with citizenswho had voted or were standing in line, wait-ing to cast ballots.

�One of the things I have noticed hereare the smiles on the faces of these people,�King said.

�They are truly excited about takingpart in a very historic event.�

The delegation was greeted in Tuzla byMayor Selim Beslagic.

He said all the polling stations were run-ning smoothly and the situation was peace-ful in Tuzla.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Murthasaid, �We appreciate your hospitality. Maj.Gen. Nash and all American troops expresstheir appreciation for your cooperation withthe United States.

�We hope we will be able to leave soon,and let you get on with your future as quick-ly as possible.�

Beslagic replied that he would like tosee IFOR stay a bit longer.

After leaving Tuzla the delegation board-ed helicopters and flew to Kalesija.

In Kalesija the American politicianssaw the ravages of war.

As he walked to the polling station,King said he was surprised to see par-tially destroyed buildings still being in-habited.

�It�s a shame these people were subject-ed to such a horrible war,� he said.

The polling station was a small build-ing crammed with people waiting their turnto vote.

Even though the line was long, most vot-ers were smiling.

The delegation toured the polling sta-tion, then walked across the street to theOrganization for Security and Cooperationin Europe election committee headquarterswhere they met Norman Pender, an OSCEofficial.

�I think today has been excellent,� Pend-er said.

Miles Fischer, another election supervi-sor, said voter turnout had been so good athis polling stations, extra ballots had to bebrought in.

�I work five polling stations,� Fischersaid. �And ballots were running low at ev-ery location I�ve been to.�

Citizens who were not on the initial listwent to the OSCE headquarters and quick-

ly resolved the problem.�We had this gentleman come in here

who wasn�t on the initial list. It turns outhe was in the army fighting in the war, soobviously there was no way he could havemade the initial list.�

�However, he went to the committee of-fice, filled out the necessary form and wasready to vote in minutes,� Pender said.

The American delegation left the poll-ing station for the flight back to Eagle Basesatisfied with what they had seen.

�I initially opposed any deployment tothis area of the world,� Murtha said. �I feltbeing a part of IFOR, it would be a disasterfor Americans.

�However, I�ve opened my eyes, and I havecome to realize that this deployment hasbeen a marvelous success.�

when I marked my ballots. I feltexcitement when I put my bal-lots in the boxes. I felt like peo-ple were staring at me wonder-ing who I voted for. But that is asecret. I had a strange feelingwhen I left.

I went to the polling stationafter work. It was about 6:30p.m. The place was at a school.

First they put a special lighton my hand to see if I had al-ready voted. Election officialssprayed an invisible ink on thefingers of people who voted.

Next they asked my birth-day. I showed an ID and theygave me four ballots. Each bal-lot was a different color. One

Photo by: Spc. Rob Glenn

Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Cavalry patrol a road near Brcko Sept. 14.

IFOR from page 1

VOTE from page 1was for the Presidency of Bos-nia-Herzegovina. One was forthe Federation House of Repre-sentatives.

Another was for the Bosnia-Herzegovina House of Repre-sentatives. The last ballot wasfor my canton.

I voted in private. No onecould see what I marked. I fold-ed the ballots and I put them inboxes.

At first I was a little con-fused. Each ballot had a differ-ent color. You put the ballot ina box that had the same color.So the orange ballot went in theorange box.

Now the election is over. Ihope the elections will meansomething. At first, I didn�t

think it was so important if Ivoted or not. Now, I am glad thatI did.

I wish that our situation wasdifferent. But we can�t go backand change what has happened.This is our destiny.

Our future depends on thepeople who voted. I think theelections were fair, but I thinksome people did not vote be-cause they were afraid to goback to their hometown.

There were also some prob-lems with voter lists, but thatwas a problem that local elec-tion officials handled.

Many people helped makethe elections happen. I thinkIFOR has done a lot. They haveshown a lot of patience.

S&S is looking for sol-diers who served in Bos-nia-Herzegovina beforeIFOR arrived. If you servedwith the United Nations orany agency supportingoperations in the formerYugoslavia, a journalistwould like to talk to youabout your experiences.Kevin Dougherty, a BosniaBureau reporter, is thepoint of contact for any-one who is interested.PTT 0038-775-821-037.

Stars and Stripeswants longtimers

the talon talon

Documents