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By Spc. Erin Robicheaux256th BCT PA Staff Writer
S g t .
Photo
Iraqi National Guard Takes Control
1/69th Recognizes Their Own
Insurgent Cleansing
256th Brigade Combat TeamPublic Affairs Office
Tuesday, March 1, 2005 Volume 1.....Issue 14
FREE MAIL
To:
Please forward to your lovedones...Seal with tape or staples
Photo by Sgt. Thomas Benoit
TIGERTIGERTracksTracks
Agricultural Distribution
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Soldiers of the Tiger Brigade, this is the timeof year to work
on your 4100 for Enlisted PromotionSystem (EPS). All battalions
have a copy of this andnow is the time to get them right for the
2006 promo-tion list. Here are some of the items that you need
tolook at:
1. Heading iscorrect (Time inGrade, Time inService, andSocial
SecurityNumber)2. All awardsare posted andthat your pointsare all
there.3. All collegecredits are post-ed 4. APFT
andWeaponsQualification
5. All other options that will help to boost yourpoints.
It is on you to ensure that this is completed. Ifyou have any
questions or issues, see your PlatoonSergeants, they are there to
help. Your battalion Sgt.Maj. and 1st Sgt. can also help and
explain theprocess in more detail to you. The cutoff date isJune
1st, so help me help you on this.
A n o t h e rhistoric eventtook placehere in Iraqsince the
lastedition of theTiger Tracks.As you willread about inthis issue,
the40th Brigadebecame thefirst unit in thenew Iraqi Armyto
assume
responsiblity for its own battle space. This is a most
significant event, in that it con-
tinues the momentum from the highly successfulelections and
further demonstrates the willingness,desire, and commitment of the
Iraqi people to deter-mine their own destiny. Again, the 256th BCT
fig-ured prominently into this development.
Our Task Force Bengal led the way in trainingthe 40th Brigade
staff and assisting them in all areasto assume their mission. This
was accomplished in
a very short amount of time and was another strate-gic victory
for the Iraqi people. This developmentalso sets the stage to focus
our efforts in the comingmonths to helping the Iraqi Security
Forces to winthe fight against the insurgents as opposed to
win-ning it for them.
The 3rd Inf. Div., “The Rock of the Marne,” isnow firmly in
charge of Task Force Baghdad. Weare proud to join the 3rd ID team
that led the coali-tion in defeating Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Wethank the 1st Cav. Div. team for their support andwish them
Godspeed in their redeployment to FortHood.
As part of the changes in the hand off fromone division to the
other, the 256th BCT will assumegreater responsibilities and
additional battle spaceacross TF Baghdad. This is another clear
indicationof the confidence that Division has in the capabilitiesof
the Brigade.
We will play a critical role in maintaining notonly the
continuity, but pressure on the enemies offreedom during this
transition. Keep up the greatwork. Continue to watch out for one
another.TIGER BRIGADE!
To the Families and TroopsBG John Basilica, Jr.256 BCT
Commander
CSM James Mays 256 BCT Sergeant Major
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 2
The Tiger Tracks is a publication of the 256thBrigade Public
Affairs Office. This Soldier andFamily Support Group newsletter
contains officialinformation and complies with the provisions of
AR360-81 and AR 25-51. Questions or concerns canbe directed to the
editor [email protected] General: Brig. Gen.
John Basilica Jr.Editor: 1Lt. Taysha DeatonPhotographer Sgt. Thomas
BenoitStaff Writer/Co-editor: Spc. Erin
RobicheauxPhotographer/Video Editor/Graphics Designer: Spc. Chris
Foster
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Chapel ScheduleSunday:0900 Roman Catholic Mass - Sanctuary1030
Contemporary Protestant - Sanctuary1230 Gospel Protestant -
Sanctuary1500 Traditional Protestant - Sanctuary1900 Non
Denominational Christian -
Sanctuary2000 “Purpose Driven Life” - Prayer Room2130 Evening
Christian Service - Sanctuary Monday:0900 “The Gospel of Matthew”-
Prayer Room 1730 “Rosary” - Prayer Room1900 “R.C.C. Catechetical
Instruction”- Prayer
Room2000 “Tough Questions Bible Study”- Sanctuary2100 “The
Gospel of Matthew” - SanctuaryTuesday:1900 “Purpose Driven Life” -
Prayer Room2000 Lenten Series - Sanctuary (Feb 15)2000 “Wild At
Heart” BS - Prayer Rm (Feb 15)Wednesday:0900 “HIS Story – O.T.
History as it
Prophecies Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King” - Prayer
Room
1030 EML Briefing - Sanctuary1500 “Chaplet of Divine Mercy -
Prayer Room1800 Catholic Choir Practice - Sanctuary1900 Midweek
Worship Service - Prayer Room2000 “HIS Story – O.T. History as
it
Prophecies Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King” - Prayer
Room
Thursday:0900 “Revelation – Church Victorious” - Prayer
Room1900 Praise Team Practice Session -
Sanctuary1900 “Revelation – Church Victorious” - Prayer
Room2030 Evening Service Musician’s Practice-
SanctuaryFriday:1900 Bible Study- Prayer Room1900 Gospel Choir
Practice (Instr. Only)-
Sanctuary2000 “Marriage Enrichment” - Prayer
Room2000Prayer G r o u p -Sanctuary
Saturday:0900 Lutheran Worship Service- Prayer Room1030 EML
Briefing- Sanctuary1800 Women’s Bible Study- Prayer Room1900
Catholic Mass- Sanctuary1900 Intercessory Prayer Group -
Counseling Room2000 Gospel Choir Practice- Sanctuary2100 “So You
Call Yourself A Man”- Prayer
Room
LTC Robert Baker,Jr256 BCT Chaplain
I just returned from my 2 weeks R&Rand, prior to leaving, I
was looking forward to see-ing my family. As I anticipated seeing
and hearingfrom them in person, I was reminded how God likesto hear
from us.
The Bible says that HE inhabits our praises,that we are the
apple of HIS eye and that He givesfavor to those who, by faith,
have accepted HISgrace into their lives.
In the Old Testament, in the book ofNumbers, the Lord instructed
the priests of Israelto confer upon them a preistly blessing.
By doing this, the nation of Israel could besure they were
called by HIS name and that Hewould bestowe upon them all of the
Blessings, thatGod had to offer them.
The following is the that Blessing:“The Lord bless and protect
you;
the Lord make HIS face shine on you, and be gracious to you and
give you peace.”
I would like to offer this blessing to the256th Brigade Combat
Team. May the blessings ofthe Lord be upon you and yours.
Chaplain’s CornerChaplain’s Corner
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not rely on your
own understanding;think about Him in all your ways and HE will
guide you on the right paths.”
-Proverbs 3:5-6
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 3
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By Spc. Erin Robicheaux256th Brigade Combat TeamPublic
Affairs
A long running joke in theUnited States Army is that theterm
"military intelligence" is amajor oxymoron. However, theprocess of
capturing insurgents,gathering information, and send-ing them
through the legal sys-tem lays that claimto rest.
The overallspectrum is not asmall one, and ittakes many
ele-ments and very dif-ferent pieces tocome to the onecommon goal
of get-ting the bad guys offof the streets. Thepersonnel
involvedhave various pointsof view, but in theend their goal is
onein the same.
"It all starts with target-ing."
Col. Ronnie D. Johnson,Deputy Brigade Commander forthe 256th
Brigade Combat Team(BCT) oversees the targetingprocess and
coordinates theseizure development, known as"cordon and
search."
He says that the two mainelements are combat operationsand the
intelligence that is gath-ered on the target.
"We round up as muchinformation as we can from asmany sources as
we can," hesaid, "Information can come frominformants, people just
comingup to us in the streets, or it cancome from our
commanding
Division, or other highersources."
The information is givento intelligence analysts who deci-pher
it and determine who thetarget will be. All angles of theperson's
affiliations are consid-ered and if he is deemed as a
potential asset, the decision ismade to take the case
higher.
The analysts then presentthe information to Johnson, andif he
agrees with the content, hewill, in turn, present it to theBrigade
Commander for the finalapproval. Once it is decided thatthis is a
target that the militaryneeds to pursue, the project isthen turned
over to one of thetask forces. The process startsall over again,
only this time, atthe battalion level.
Staff Sgt. Chris Hebertfrom Lafayette, La, is the
MilitaryIntelligence non-commissionedofficer for 2nd Battalion,
156thInfantry Regiment, and says thatno matter how much
planning
goes into an operation, it's thepatrols on the ground that
makeor break the outcome.
"We rely heavily on thepatrols to bring back most of the
information that we need to makethe arrest," he said, "and
that'ssimply because they're out there
and they're the onesthat have the con-nections in
theneighborhood tomake it happen."
In the process ofgathering the infor-mation, Hebert saysthat
patrol leadersand their Soldiersare usually the bestway extract
it.
"Many times apatrol leader willknow the specifichouse and
evenhave relationships
with people in the area," he said.Before the task force can
go after the target, the personnelmust make sure that they
haveenough information to identifythat the target is, without
adoubt, their man of the hour.
To do this a team, orpatrol, is given the task to gathermore
information. The size ofthe team is dependent on themission and
varies depending onthe size of the area that needs tobe covered.
The information togather may be different eachtime, as well.
After the final piece is col-lected, the intelligence team,
incollaboration with the battalion and company commanders, put
Part IThe Capture
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 4
Process of EliminationProcess of Elimination
“...just capturing the sus-pect in and of itself is a
victory.”
--Col. Ronnie D. Johnson
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The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 5
together the actual cordon andsearch.
When the patrol executesthe operation and makes thearrest,
Hebert says that it's cru-cial that they gather the evi-dence
needed to keep the insur-gent in custody.
"Evidence collectionand photographs are a bigdeal to the Iraqi
govern-ment," he said, "they willtake a photo of the weaponwith the
owner next to itabove scientific evidenceany day of the week."
Pictures, along withsworn statements from thepertinent parties
involved inthe cordon and search, arethe key to good
evidencecollection. Everything goesinto a packet to build acase
against the target.
Johnson says thatthe success rate of the256th is steady.
"About 60% of thetargets that we execute, weget the person," he
said, "andjust capturing the suspect in andof itself is a
victory."
What is particularly sig-nificant and impressive, though,is the
number of detainees thatremain in custody and are fur-ther
processed into the AbuGhraib Prison.
Brig. Gen. John Basilica,Jr., commander of the 256thBrigade
Combat Team, praisesthe Soldiers of the TigerBrigade, and credits
them forthe success.
“This is a direct result ofthe quality of the packets
puttogether by the capturing unit,”said Basilica. “The TigerBrigade
has a better than 50%retention rate, which insuresthese insurgents
are off thestreets for the remainder of our
tour here in Baghdad.” A lot of times the patrol
will execute a cordon andsearch, and the target in ques-tion is
nowhere to be found.Sometimes it happens, though,that they'll wind
up arresting
someone else connected to thattarget.
For example, in a recent operation, the 256th conducteda cordon
and search and target-ed seven suspects. They onlyarrested two of
the targets, butalso an additional eight whothey were not
specifically after,who just happened to be at thewrong place at the
wrong time,or the right time for the 256th.
There are also missionsthat don't require such
intricateplanning. Enduring missions,like being on the lookout
forrocket men and improvisedexplosive device (IED) in-plac-ers,
implore the use of severaldifferent tasks because theactivity isn't
driven by any par-ticular timeline.
Sometimes snipers may
be placed where it is believedsomeone may be wiring IED's ora
patrol may cover a generalarea where a rocket man maybe launching
rocket propelledgrenades (RPG's).
On Dec. 3, 2004 aninfantry scout platoon ofHeadquarters Co.
1stBattalion, 69th InfantryRegiment, was on a routinepatrol on the
lookout forsuspicious activity. They hitan IED and the
attackwounded three Soldiers andkilled Staff Sgt.
HenryIrizarry.
The gunner on the truckin front of Irizarry's saw thetriggerman
and, along withair support and the quickreaction force (QRF),chased
him and his brother,who was acting as a decoy, into a house andheld
them until they couldbe detained.
Once they had beenarrested, the triggerman,
Ziyad Hassin Ali Hammadi, andhis brother, Falah Hassin
AliHammadi, were brought to theBrigade Interrogation Facility(BIF)
to be questioned.
Now it falls into thehands of the Judge AdvocateGeneral's office
(JAG) and theTactical Human Teams (THT) toextract information from
the twoinsurgents. In conjunction withthe patrol's evidence packet,
thelegal process of keeping thekillers of an American Soldier offof
the streets has begun.
Since arriving in Baghdad, Soldiers of the 256thBrigade Combat
Team have captured manyweapons caches, due to well planned and
exe-cuted cordon and search missions.
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By: Spc. Erin Robicheaux256th Brigade Combat Team Public
Affairs
For months, a group of Soldiers of the256th Brigade Combat Team
(BCT), also knownas Task Force (TF) Bengal has been
trainingSoldiers of the 40th Infantry Brigade of the Iraqi
N a t i o n a lGuard (ING)on combatand staffopera t ions .On
Feb. 21,2005 thetorch waso f f i c i a l l ypassed dur-ing a
trans-fer ofa u t h o r i t y(TOA) cere-mony, andthe colors ofthe
40th INGw e r eu n c a s e d .
The Iraqi Soldiers became the key-holders totheir own country's
security.
In the words of Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli,commander of the 1st
Cavalry Division and afacilitator of the ceremony, "This is just
the begin-ning."
He continued, encouraging the Soldiers ofthe 40th ING to be
responsible for their areas ofoperation as the first brigade to
assume their ownsector.
"You are the pioneers of a nation that isfree at last," he
said.
Historically, the road to independence hasnever been an easy
one. The ING has trained formonths in order to bring them to this
one moment,the moment where military authority is transferredto
their own control.
Cpt. Steven Finney, from New Orleans,La., is the operations
officer for TF Bengal. Hesays that the training has been intense
and theIraqi Soldiers have learned a lot. They receivedhands on
training within their sectors and also
on the logistical side of the military procedures"We taught them
staff and supply functions
and then tested their knowledge through threeCommand Post
Exercises. "Following the finalexercise at the end of December the
40th INGwas given the green light to take operational con-trol of
some of their units. The brigade is alsotaking over the command and
control of the 301stand 302nd ING Battalions.
Brig. General Jaleel Khalaf Shwail, com-mander of the 40th
Brigade, showed immensegratitude to Chiarelli as he received the
commandwith open arms.
"This is a historical event and a turningpoint in our country,"
he said, "the 40th Brigadeand its battalions have reached a very
high levelof training and are ready to fight terrorists."
Following the TOA, Chiarelli presented aplaque to Jaleell in
memory of those men whogave their lives on Jan. 31st to ensure that
allIraqi's were free to cast their vote in the first dem-ocratic
election. Fourteen members of combinedsecurity forces, including
ING Soldiers and IraqiPolice, were killed trying to protect their
people."We dedicate this plaque to the martyrs, yourbrothers in
arms," he added, "they are heroeswhose great work will not be
forgotten.
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 6
40th ING TOA
Passing the TorchPassing the Torch
Soldiers of the 40th Infantry Brigadestand at their official
acceptance of
authority for their sector.
Soldiers of the 40th Infantry Brigade smile forthe camera after
the Transfer of Authority
ceremony was a successful event.
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The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 7
By Spc. Erin Robicheaux256th Brigade Combat Team Public
Affairs
Legend has it that when Gen. George Custerfirst heard the tune
to the jovial Irish folk song,"Garryowen," he liked it so much that
he had histroops sing it regularly.The song also becamethe
unofficial battlehymn of the 7thCavalry, and hasdescended among
theranks of the 1stBattalion, 69th InfantryRegiment's graces. On
Feb. 11, 2005,Soldiers of the 1/69thInf. Bn., 256th BrigadeCombat
Team (BCT)had a reason to cele-brate, and the legacyof "Garryowen"
was alla part of it.
The 1/69th isan involved infantrybattalion, with many ofits
noncombatanttroops participating inmissions beyond theircertified
fields. Cooks,administrative special-ists, and mechanics, are only
the tip of the iceberg ofthe Soldiers who have performed in combat
opera-tions. Even before the plan for the Close CombatBadge
(CCB)--which is awarded to those Soldierswho find themselves in
combat missions, though arenot MOS qualified--was made known, the
leadershipof the 1/69th wanted their Soldiers to be recognizedfor
their contributions. The collective group of 1stSergeants, along
with the Bn. Sgt. Maj. andCommander, came up with a design for the
plaquethat is inclusive to all of the recipients, no matter
whattheir job is.
Spc. Jason Garcia, from Manhattan, New York,is a personnel clerk
for Headquarters Co. 1/69th. Hehad a personal hand in designing the
plaque and said that the fact that it was a collaborativeeffort of
all of the leadership makes it that much morespecial.
"All of the 1st Sergeants came up with the ver-biage, and they
wanted it to be just right," he said.Garcia also claims that the
project kept grow
ng bigger and bigger."At first it was going to
be a certificate, some-thing that the Soldiercould frame," he
said,"but everyone felt that itshould be more." Spc. Mike Timblin
of
North Tonawonda, N.Y.,was awarded the plaquefor a mission where
hebecame combat support. "I drove the colonel on
one of his missions andwe hit an IED (impro-vised explosive
device),"said Timblin.Luckily, the IED wasn't
prepped for detonation,so they escaped majoractivity, but the
mission wasn't over with yet."Later on we also took
small arms fire and werehit with an RPG (rocket
propelled grenade)."Timblin says that he has also had a few more
engage-ments since then.
The plaque, which reads, "Task ForceWolfhound Recognizes You as
an Infantryman inWord and Deed," was awarded to approximately
140Soldiers. On the bottom is the infamousterm,"Garryowen."
The song is commonly heard among Irish her-itage units, and
according to Garcia, Lt. Col. GeoffreySlack, commander of the
1/69th, was adamant abouthaving the term printed on their
plaque.
"Lt. Col. Slack came up with the idea to put iton there," said
Garcia, "it's a part of our history thathe's proud of and wants us
to be, too."
1/69th Award
Garryowen CelebrationGarryowen Celebration
Spc. Mike Timblin preps the Blue Force Tracker beforerolling out
on a patrol. Timblin, who is a tanker and not eli-gible for the
Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), was presented aplaque by the
leadership of the 1/69th for his role in combat
operations.
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By Spc. Chris Foster256th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs
The 256th Brigade Combat Team (BCT),continues to assist the
Iraqi people with humani-tarian projects to improve the
agricultural aspectof their economy. While the 1088th Eng. Bn.
of256th oversees water pipeline projects, they arealso helping the
199th Forward Support Battalion(FSB) to plant a seed in thefarm
lands of Iraq.
In a warehouse inSadr City, sits farm equip-ment that has lain
dormantfor the past three years. Itwas purchased during thereign of
Sadaam Hussein andhis regime. The 199th is coor-dinating the
movement anddistribution of the equipmentto the units of the
256th.With the help of Iraqi workers,Maj. Andre Vige,
OperationsOfficer of the 199th FSB,loaded a New Holland tractoronto
a trailer that would takeit to Camp Liberty, Iraq, andeventually,
to a local farmer.
"I don't know what kind of intent SaddamHussein had," said the
St. Martinville, La. native,"but I do know that the intent of the
256th is tomake sure that the co-op farmers get the equip
ment they need for agricultural growth."In only two days time,
the 199th and
1088th Battalions successfully delivered 37 oper-ational
tractors and 72 irrigational water pumps toa holding area at Camp
Liberty. Soon they will bedistributed among the units of the 256th
BCT togive out to the co-op farmers. Agricultural entre-preneurs
will be able to sign out the equipment touse in the process of
developing their crops, andit will be returned when they are
through.
With these new assets, Iraqi farmers havethe ability to
expediently cultivate and expandtheir land, therefore increasing
the amount of pro-duce grown. Soldiers of the 256th are hoping
thatthis project will cause the local economy tostrengthen,
therefore giving the Iraqis a betterfuture.
Cpl. George Well from Effie, La. is a gun-ner for the 199th FSB
and was involved in main-taining security for this project.
"I love what we are doing out here," hesaid, "it's like sowing a
seed and watching it grow;years later you come back to check on it,
and it
has grown into a strong tree."During the loading of the
equipment, Well and gunnersfrom additional trucks scannedtheir
sectors looking for anyAnti Iraqi Force terrorists thatwould try to
disrupt their mis-sion.
"I would rather be out herehelping these people insteadof doing
nothing (about it),"said Well.As the 256th continues toassist the
Iraqi people to seekgrowth in their own economy,the country is
becoming anation that can stand on itsown. Years from now
Soldiers
of the Tiger Brigade will be able to see the fruitsof their
sacrifice and hard work, and will know thatthey planted a seed that
became a tree.
AgriculturalDevelopment
Planting Iraq's FuturePlanting Iraq's FutureThe Tiger Tracks
March 1, 2005
Page 8
Sgt. Leo Geautreaux, from Erwinville, La.,and Sgt. Joseph
Thomas, from Baton
Rouge, La. both with HHC 1088th, secureone of the 37 tractors
that were convoyed
to Camp Liberty.
Operations Officer, Maj. Andre Vige, fromSt. Martinville, La.
and Sgt. 1st Class DerekShire from Heska, La. both with 199th
FSB,load tractors onto trailers so they can be
secured.
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By Spc. Erin Robicheaux256th Brigade Combat Team Public
Affairs
Thirteen improvised explosive devices (IEDs),five mortar
attacks, and one vehicle born improvisedexplosive device (VBIED);
this may sound like aninsurgent Christmas Carol, but it is actually
the scorecard of Sgt. 1st ClassPatrick Sandel.
A Soldier withC Co., 3rd Battalion,156th InfantryRegiment,
attachedto 1st Battalion,156th ArmorRegiment, thisDeRidder, La.
nativehas faced encoun-ters more times thanany one Soldier inthe
256th BrigadeCombat Team(BCT). He countshis blessings every-day
that he is stillhere.
“That first IEDscared the (you knowwhat) out of me,” he said
with a reflective grin.
Sandel says that his inaugural mission outsidethe wire was a
prophetic vision into what laid aheadfor him and his Soldiers. The
very first time he ven-tured into his area of operation he was met
with a mor-tar attack. A few days later, he hit the first IED,
andonly now has it begun to slow down.
“November and December were busy for us,”he said, “right now
it’s been three weeks since I’vebeen hit and that’s the longest
I’ve gone without in awhile.”
According to Sandel, his platoon’s reaction toan attack has
improved with each incident, and is, infact, now second nature to
them. Whether they areconducting mounted or dismounted patrols, if
some-thing happens, they shut it down immediately andbegin sweeping
the area for threats. He says thatalong with incorporating the
training that they received
at Ft. Hood, they have a strategy that works best forthem and
within two seconds of getting hit, they areout and scanning their
sector.
“It’s just like brushing your teeth now,” he said,“we have this
processdown to an art.”
Recently, theplatoon lost Sgt. SethTrahan, fromCrowley, La., to
anIED attack. Sandelsays that until thishappened, getting hitseemed
normal andlike it was just part ofthe job. The Soldierswere
clearing anintersection and asTrahan rounded thecorner, the
devicewent off, instantlykilling him andwounding two others.
“We weren’tcomplacent on thepatrols, by anymeans,” says
Sandel,
“but until it killed somebody, getting hit was a
routinething.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Stuckey fromShreveport, La. is the Sgt.
Maj. for 1/156th AR. Hefeels that Sandel’s spirit and enthusiasm
for his jobhave not diminished over time, even in the face ofsuch
adversity.
“A lot of the guys who get hit by IEDs getscared and start to
wear down, but Sandel has not,”said Stuckey.
Stuckey says that the leadership that Sandelhas shown is
exemplary and shines through in hisown attitude for his job, and
also in the attitude of hisSoldiers toward him.
“He never stops and he’s always high spirited,”said Stuckey,
“his Soldiers like to go out with Sandeland I think they’d do
anything for him.”
Counting Blessings
InvincibleInvincibleThe Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 9
Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Sandel of “CharlieRock” 3/156th,
attachedto 1/156th, on patrol in his Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
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Page 10
256th Court Martials
1. PV2 Ryan K. Bell C. Co. 1088th Article 91(3 Charges)
Specifications of Assault of a noncommis-sioned officerArticle 91(1
Charge) Specification of Disrespect of a noncommis-sioned
officerArticle 134(2 Charges) Specifications of Communicating a
ThreatPunishment:Reduction to E1, Forfeiture of $700 per month for
6months, 90 days confinement2. SPC Charles Richard B Co.
1088thArticle 92(1 Charge) Violating 256th BCT General Order No. 1
byconsuming alcoholArticle 121(1 Charge) Specification of wrongful
appropriation of amotor vehicle (LMTV)Article 128(1 Charge)
Specification of assault consummated by abatteryPunishmentReduction
to E1, 90 days confinement, and Bad ConductDischarge3. SPC Kyle
Johnson, B Co. 1088thArticle 92(1 Charge) Specification of
Violating 256th BCT GeneralOrder No. 1 by consuming alcoholArticle
121(1 Charge) Specification of wrongful
appropriation(LMTV)PunishmentReduction to E1, 90 days confinement,
and Bad ConductDischarge4. SPC Jeremy Ventress, B Co. 1088thArticle
92(1 Charge) Specification of Violating 256th BCT GeneralOrder No.1
by consuming alcoholArticle 121(1 Charge) Specification of wrongful
appropriationArticle 111(1 Charge) Specification of physically
controlling a vehi-cle while drunkPunishmentReduction to E1, 120
days confinement, and Bad ConductDischarge
5. PFC Lee Cox, A Co. 2/156th INF BNArticle 92(1 Charge)
Specification of Violating 256th BCT GeneralOrder No.1 by consuming
alcoholArticle 112a(1 Charge) Wrongful possession, use and
distribution of acontrolled substance (Valium)Article 121(1 Charge)
Theft of properrty from a vendor at the CampLiberty
Bazaar.PunishmentReduction to E1, 60 days confinement, and Bad
ConductDischargeConsequences of a Bad Conduct
Discharge:-Deprivation of all benefits of the Dept. of Veterans
Affairs
-Adversely stigmatizes the character of your mili-tary service
and will limit your future employment,civil service preference, and
educational opportu-nities
-May adversely affect your future with regard tolegal rights,
economic opportunities, and socialacceptability
-Terminates military status and will deprive you ofany military
retirement benefits
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
For Your InformationFor Your Information
Marne Tax CenterOpens 7 March 2005
Hours of Operation: Monday through Saturday 0900-1630 and
1800-2000
Located in the Legal Services Center (Bldg C25)
Services include free e-filing Federal and StateIncome Tax
Returns (the fastest way to get yourrefund!)
Soldiers need to bring:(1) Military Identification Card (2) W2
and other tax documents (3) Legal documents as necessary.
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Staff Sgt. Sara L. PartlowB/134 SignalEast Grand Forks,
Minn.
“I am truly honored to be aSoldier serving our country.Being
deployed has been avaluable, exciting and chal-lenging experience.
Living ina country occupied by theless fortunate, serves as a
constant reminder of why weas Americans should appreciate the
freedoms we have.”
Sgt. AlfredSchneiderA Co. 3/156th St. Bernard, La.
“I’ve heard thatthe 3rd ID is high speed. I knowthat there will
be a lot of changesand I’m prepared for them.”
Spc. Tab MerkelD/101 CAVPine Bush, N.Y.
“I expect the sameeffect as from 1stCav. They will com-
bine the problems of both the National Guardand the Regular
Army.”
Sgt. Shane GarcieA Co. 1/156thNatchitoches, La.
“The war haschanged since they
were here the first time, and I hope that theycan adapt to
that.”
Staff Sgt.Robert WilliamsHHC 1088thBaton Rouge, La.
“I was in 3rd ID along time ago and I know that there are going
tobe a lot of changes. They’re pretty strict, and asthey put their
foot in the ground there will be alot of noticeable
differences.”
In Their Own Words
Soldier’s VoiceSoldier’s Voice
Page 11Photographs by Erin Robicheaux
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
What are your expectations with the tran-sition from 1st Cav to
3rd ID?
Staff Sgt.Chris G.NappierB Battery1/141 FAChalmette, La.
“Deployment has been good so far.Just getting to know my Soldiers
morein depth than what I could on a regu-lar drill weekend has been
great.”
In general, how has this deploymentexperience been for you thus
far?
-
Sgt. Joshua M. Ransonet a,Medic, and Spc. Zebe N.Ransonet, a
scout, both withHHC 2/156th are brothersfrom Lafayette, La.
1Lt. David L. Bourgeois,Executive Officer for B Co.1/156th AR
Bn., and Sgt. GaryW. Bourgeois, Tank Commanderfor C Co. 1/156th AR
Bn., arebrothers from Bossier City, La.
Spc. Jennell M. Joseph and Spc. Edmond L. Jr.Joseph, from
Donaldsonville, La. are siblingswith 1088th A Co. En. Bn, and
serving together inOperation Iraqi Freedom III.
One Big HappyFamily
256 BCT Families256 BCT Families
Capt. Mark Carbo, a Physician’s Assistant for CCo. 199th Forward
Support Battalion, is serving
in Baghdad with his brother, Sgt. 1st ClassGreg Carbo, a Sr.
Mechanic for A Co. 199th.
Both brothers live in Alexandria, La.
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Page 12 Photographs by Thomas Benoit
Sgt. Thomas M. Cappetta and Spc.Christopher J. Cappetta, with E
Troop 101Cav, are brothers from Rochester, N.Y. Herethey link up
with their uncle, Maj. Anthony N.Cappetta, with 416th ENCOM FET-22,
fromYardley, PA.
-
A released Iraqinational gladlytakes a cigarettelighter with
thetips hotline numberengraved on it, onFebruary 17, 2005,during a
detaineerelease done by the 256th Brigade CombatTeam.
First Sgt. AlbertVan Zant, fromNatchitoches,La., is with A
Co.,1/156th ArmoredBattalion, helpsSoldiers of hisunit
distributefrozen chickensto the locals in
their area. Here,Van Zant is unloading boxes forhis Soldiers to
hand out.
Faces in theBrigade
256th BCT256th BCT Photo AlbumPhoto Album
Page 13
Maj. Brad Sonnier, from St. Martinville, La.,Civil Affairs
Officer for 2nd Battlion, 156thInfantry Regiment, hands out school
bags tothe students of different schools in theirsectors.
3rd Battalion, 156th Infantry Regiment and ETroop 101 Cav, hand
out chalk boards to schools inIraq, so the students will have a
better learningenviorment.
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Over the past several months, units of the256th Brigade Combat
Team (BCT) have beenbuilding relationships with the local people
and arehelping the United States to win the war on ter-ror.
In addition to medical clinics, blanket dis-tributions, and
bringing school supplies to areaschools, the Soldiers have also
handed out frozenchickens and fuel. Larger projects that
areimproving the quality of life include construction ofwater
pipelines, and building additions to business-es and clinics.
-
At the Saba Al Boor Police Station, Spc. JadeBernard from
Abbeville, La. with HHC 256thMilitary Police Platoon, along with
Dept. ofDefense Police Advisors, train the Iraqi Police inproper
techniques for apprehending and searchingan Iraqi female
suspect.
Command Sgt. Major Steven Stuckey, Sgt. 1st ClassGerald Giles,
and 1st Sergeants Lumus St Julien, AlbertVanzent, Jeffrey Gore, and
Sgt. Major Kelly Craig of the1/156th Armored Battalion, present
Command Sgt. Maj.James Mays with $2,600.00 for the 1st Cavalry
Division’sBronze Memorial Fund. The memorial honors all the
fallenSoldiers of units attached to 1st Cavalry Division
inOperation Iraqi Freedom II. The money was raised by theFirst
Sgts. and Sr. Leadership of the 1/156th AR, who col-lected it from
the soldiers of the 1/156.
Staff Sgt. Michael Dugas, from Lake Charles, La. andCommand Sgt.
Maj. Gary Ermantinger, from NewOrleans, La. of 3rd Battalion, 156th
InfantryRegiment, uncase their Battalion’s Colors during aceremony
to signify the recognition of HHC 3/156th.
Faces in theBrigade
Page 14
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
256th BCT256th BCT Photo AlbumPhoto Album
(left) Brig. Gen. John Basilica, Jr., commander of the 256th
Brigade Combat Team, presents a farewell gift to1st Cavalry
Division’s commandling general, Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli on
February 25, 2005. (right) The Sr.
Leadership of the 256th BCT, take a picture with the plaque that
was presented to them by Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli.
-
The Sporting News
Free Subscriptions!!!
Free one year (60 issues) subscriptions of TheSporting News are
being offered to servicemen
and women of the armed forces. The gift isbeing provided by
FirstSwing (www.firstswing-
camps.com), and will begin arriving in six to eightweeks, but
will not automatically renew at the end
of one year. To request a free subscriptionSoldiers should email
FirstSwing at
[email protected] and provide their firstand last name,
mailing address and zip code.
**FirstSwing has agreed not to use the personalinformation of
the military recipients for any
purpose other than for sending the gift subscriptions.**
FRIENDS OF BILL W
Meetings Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8 PM
Camp Tigerland across from the Mayor Cell BusStop at Tiger
Plaza
In the big green tent marked (A)For information try
www.geocities.com/baghdadaa
or for help try [email protected]**AA Meetings are also
open to Al-Anon (friends
and family of persons suffering from alcoholand/or drug
addiction), and to anyone who feels
they need help coping with dependency.
The Tiger Tracks March 1, 2005
Announcements
Attention Soldiers!!!Attention Soldiers!!!
Page 15
Attention: Soldiers and Family MembersIf you would like to
express yourselves or have something you would like to share (ie.
poems, stories, issues youwould like to address, quotes, pictures
from home, etc). Please send us your submissions for the next
edition,Feel free to email us at [email protected] or any
of the PAO staff members. We want your VOICE!
-
In Loving Memory
FFallen Soldierallen Soldier
Sgt. Seth R. TrahanStaff Sgt. Nicholas J. Olivier
A Soldiers Story
I was that which others did not want to beI went where others
feared to go And did what others feared to do
I asked nothing from those who gave nothingAnd reluctantly
accepted the thought of eternal
Loneliness.....Should I failI have seen the face of TerrorFelt
the stinging cold of fear
And enjoyed the sweet taste of a moments Love I Have Cried,
Pained, and HopedBut most of all I have lived times
Others would say were best forgottenAt least I am able to say
that
I Am Proud of what I was....A Soldier
-Anonymous
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