1 gives each platoon a chance to change things up. “We find ourselves trying hard to fight complacency,” Hurd said. “With this in mind, I developed a strong mission rotation allowing a different platoon each week to rotate onto the Guardian Angel mission.” That doesn’t mean the other companies are playing in “Kandyland” when they are not doing Guardian Angel missions. “This also allows time for the platoons to train and refit for when it is time for them to when it is time for them to rotate back onto SECFOR missions,” Hurd said. “The Soldiers have done a great job taking advantage of the opportunities to take online college courses as well as army distance learning courses.” But Dagger, being the largest entity in support of Regional Supper Command-South, also operates its own command post while providing personnel to the RSC-S command center. SEE DAGGER PAGE TWO Dagger’s stab at rotating works in Kandahar KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – They call it “Kandyland” because the air base in the southern part of the country has been built into a small city, complete with a boardwalk that offers everything from donuts to pizza or everything from electronics to cigarettes. There is even a TGI Friday’s there. Soldiers from other parts of Afghanistan even go to Kandahar Airfield for a couple of days of rest and relaxation. But for the Soldiers of Task Force Centurion Prime’s Dagger (Delta Co. out of Sylacauga), working out of Kandahar is no picnic. Between training and helping secure the nearby Afghan National Army Kandahar Regional Medical Hospital or taking on a host of Guardian Angel and security movement missions, Dagger’s time in Kandahar is more about work than play. Capt. Will Hurd, Dagger commander, said he has implemented a curfew to help minimize the distraction of the boardwalk and other diversions. He has also put into place a rotation on the company’s Guardian Angel missions that gives Task Force Centurion Prime’s Dagger (Delta Co.) is commanded by Capt. Will Hurd (left) and 1 st Sgt. Ricardo Melendez.
February 2013 newsletter of Task Force Centurion Prime (1st of the 167th Infantry, "Fourth Alabama") deployment in support of OEF.
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Transcript
1
gives each platoon a chance to
change things up.
“We find ourselves trying
hard to fight complacency,”
Hurd said. “With this in mind, I
developed a strong mission
rotation allowing a different
platoon each week to rotate
onto the Guardian Angel
mission.”
That doesn’t mean the other
companies are playing in
“Kandyland” when they are not
doing Guardian Angel missions.
“This also allows time for the
platoons to train and refit for
when it is time for them to
rotate back onto SECFOR
missions,”
when it is time for them to rotate
back onto SECFOR missions,”
Hurd said. “The Soldiers have
done a great job taking
advantage of the opportunities to
take online college courses as
well as army distance learning
courses.”
But Dagger, being the largest
entity in support of Regional
Supper Command-South, also
operates its own command post
while providing personnel to the
RSC-S command center.
SEE DAGGER PAGE TWO
Dagger’s stab at rotating works in Kandahar
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan
– They call it “Kandyland”
because the air base in the
southern part of the country has
been built into a small city,
complete with a boardwalk that
offers everything from donuts
to pizza or everything from
electronics to cigarettes. There
is even a TGI Friday’s there.
Soldiers from other parts of
Afghanistan even go to
Kandahar Airfield for a couple
of days of rest and relaxation.
But for the Soldiers of Task
Force Centurion Prime’s
Dagger (Delta Co. out of
Sylacauga), working out of
Kandahar is no picnic.
Between training and
helping secure the nearby
Afghan National Army
Kandahar Regional Medical
Hospital or taking on a host of
Guardian Angel and security
movement missions, Dagger’s
time in Kandahar is more about
work than play.
Capt. Will Hurd, Dagger
commander, said he has
implemented a curfew to help
minimize the distraction of the
boardwalk and other diversions.
He has also put into place a
rotation on the company’s
Guardian Angel missions that
gives
Task Force Centurion Prime’s Dagger (Delta Co.) is commanded by
Capt. Will Hurd (left) and 1st Sgt. Ricardo Melendez.
2
Dagger’s medics have also set
up a small clinic to see Dagger
and other RSC-S Soldiers with
minor injuries and ailments.
Dagger’s work supporting security
at the KRMH has earned high
praise from officials of the most
active hospital of its kind in
Afghanistan.
The reason the hospital is so
active is because Kandahar
remains one of the most active
areas for enemy activity in
Afghanistan. Dagger is adjusting
its operations even as coalition
forces begin a drawdown of forces
in Kandahar and other parts of
Afghanistan.
“One of the biggest challenges
that we have faced is constantly
adjusting to the evolving situation
on the ground with the enemy
adjusting TTPs to combat ours
and the transition of training bases
as we drive forward with reducing
the total force structure in our area
of operations,” Hurd said.
It’s hard to imagine anything in
Kandahar has been reduced when
one looks at how busy
“Kandyland” is on any given day.
Thankfully, Dagger seems able to
tune out the distractions and keep
the mission first.
DAGGER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
The platoons of Task Force Centurion Prime’s
Dagger (Delta Co.) rotate between Guardian
Angel and movement security missions at
Kandahar.
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Soldiers, families and friends of Task Force Centurion Prime,
I must be honest; I procrastinate. My bride, Cyndi, is smiling already in agreement with
my statement. Of course, she is probably also shaking her head wondering what I am about to
say next. Here it is the day after MAJ Tomberlin’s newsletter deadline and I am just writing
this message to you all. Please understand; it is not because I don’t believe that this is an
important document. I simply find it difficult to keep up with all the necessary and important
requirements in addition to the daily pop-up events that catch me completely by surprise.
As I think about my struggle to keep up, it occurs to me that many of our Soldiers in
Afghanistan and absolutely every spouse and teenage son or daughter back home are feeling
the exact same way! Just this past week, I was talking to my son, John Allen, as he finished
the laundry so that he and Cyndi would have clean clothes for the next day. What caught my
attention as we talked was that it was almost 10 p.m. at home on a school night and he still had
a lot to do. Our family is no different than yours and I am sure that you each have examples of
family members stepping in to keep up with the extra burdens created by our absence.
All the extra burdens and requirements will naturally bring a greater level of stress into
our lives. How we choose to manage that stress can have significant impact on our physical
and mental well-being and a direct affect on the sounds our neighbors may hear coming from
our homes. Our ability to recognize that stress is inevitable may be the first step in reducing its
effects on our lives. For me, success means continually refining my coping skills as well as
adopting new ones to control the stress and then setting aside some time to implement them. I
personally use many of the time-proven methods like prayer, reading, exercise, fellowship and
laughter along with some time management techniques and carefully considering priorities.
Let me emphasize, in this area I am definitely the student and not the teacher! You can go to
many sources to get ideas on your own stress-coping skills including our Family Readiness
Support Team and www.militaryonesource.com.
Although we are way over the hump on this deployment, the risks, and the stress, will be
present until the very last day. We will do everything possible to manage both on this side of
the Atlantic and we are counting on everyone at home to do the same. Although those of us
wearing the uniform get the most recognition, I remain firmly convinced that it is the family at
home who bears the greatest burden. We are truly families who serve our Nation together.