Task Force Newsletter

Wolfpack lated our Soldiers for their out-

standing work this past year by

presenting end of tour awards.

The company has been ex-

tremely busy maintaining a

high tempo of daily operations

while simultaneously preparing

for redeployment. The Task

Force is counting on our Com-

pany to manage all movement

operations, to include each of

the following major tasks: pre-

paring, inspecting, and ship-

ping equipment; executing

redeployment briefings to all

deployed Soldiers; preparing

manifests; and loading Soldiers

and gear onto airplanes.

Our team will soon begin “left

seat, right seat” rides with their

replacements to ensure that Task

Force Ready has the tools and

knowledge it needs to succeed in

Afghanistan. Our big focus now is

to answer questions and instill

our experiences to the men and

women who will follow us.

In our opinions, the Wolfpack FRG

is the best in the Task Force! Your

ceaseless efforts and amazing

generosity have made a huge

difference to our Soldiers. We

cannot thank you enough for eve-

rything you’ve done for us, and

we cannot wait to see you soon.

Volume 3, Issue 4

30 April 2012

ment movement, instruct their replacements, and continue to

dominate their daily tasks.

As we face our mission’s conclu-sion, one cannot help but reflect

upon the amazing accomplish-ments our Soldiers have made

over the past 11 months. Our brave and highly skilled aircrews

have completed over 14,000 flight hours and executed over

3,100 combat missions during this deployment. We have trans-

ported 16,000 passengers and 1.4 million pounds of cargo

around the battlefield. Our avia-tion maintenance company con-

ducted 7 phase maintenance inspections and executed

16,000 maintenance man hours to keep our fleet in the air. Our

forward support company pumped 2.8 million gallons of

fuel, executed 20,000 man hours of vehicle maintenance,

and served over 600,000 meals,

while our air traffic controllers safely directed more than

330,000 aircraft movements at four airfields. Through it all, our

team of under 600 deployed Sol-diers has been recognized with

nearly 1,500 awards for valor, outstanding achievement, and

meritorious service. Most impor-tantly, those combined efforts

provided US, NATO, and Afghan ground units premier combat

aviation capabilities that directly led to major victories against the

insurgency and a remarkable increase in security in RC-North.

In closing, Command Sergeant

Major Soliz and I recently pre-sented service awards to every

member of the Task Force. These awards recognized phenomenal

accomplishments, and provided us an opportunity to look each

Soldier in the eye and thank them

for their service to the nation

during a time of war. In addition, let me take this opportunity to

express the deep gratitude that we feel for each Family member

of our Soldiers. Your incredible sacrifice, love and generosity, as

well as your overwhelming sup-port of our mission in Afghani-

stan have directly resulted in our Soldiers’ individual and collec-

tive successes. Further, our Task Force could not have suc-

ceeded without the selfless ef-forts of our great Family Readi-

ness Groups, led by incredible volunteers, that contributed so

much to the support and stabil-ity of our Families back home.

From the start, this deployment has been a team effort, and your

actions have allowed us to an-swer our country’s call to arms

during this important time in our history. - LOBO6

Featuring updates from:

HHC/Wolfpack 1

A CAC/Vultures

A ASLT/Werewolves

B CO/Blackcats

2

B ATK/Reapers

C CO/Witchdoctors

D CO/ Outlaws

3

E CO/Renegades

F CO/Ravens

Rear Det/Rear Guard

4

April has been another great

month for the Soldiers in HHC.

In addition to our efforts sup-

porting the combat operations

of Task Force

Lobos, we also

began executing

redeployment

operations, and

have even

started receiv-

ing the first

wave of Soldiers

from Task Force

Ready. In addi-

tion, COL No-

valis congratu-

Command Sergeant Major Soliz and members of the Wolfpack

stand in formation after receiving end of tour awards.

The concluding weeks of our de-

ployment are upon us, and with them, Task Force Lobos enters the

home stretch of Operation Endur-ing Freedom 11-12. In addition to

a blistering pace of daily opera-tions, our mission has expanded

to encompass redeployment of equipment and personnel as well

as Relief-in-Place training of our Task Force Ready counterparts.

Our Soldiers display tremendous professionalism and versatility as

they juggle redeployment require-ments, execute aircraft and equip-

Task Force Commander

TASK FORCE LOBOS Task Force Lobos, Regional Command-North, Afghanistan

Vultures

The Vultures’ 11th month in the great coun-

try of Afghanistan has been busier than ever

as we conduct air movement operations,

redeploy equipment and personnel, and

train aircrews from 12th Combat Aviation

Brigade to assume our mission. As the de-

ployment comes to an end, we will remain

constantly engaged until the day we hand

over our mission. Every day presents new

challenges and opportunities to excel.

In the midst of the many changes, we set

aside some time to present deployment

medals to every member of the company.

Brigadier General (ret.) Chuck Yeager, an

experimental test pilot most famous for

breaking the sound barrier, presented 1LT

Kassel, 1LT Paul, and CW3 Harrington with

Air Medals to commemorate their service in

Afghanistan. The rest of the Company re-

ceived end of tour medals at a ceremony

conducted by the Task Force Lobos com-

mand team. LTC Huff thanked each Soldier

for a job well done, and provided encourage-

ment for the closing days of our tour.

The warm weather of April has been wel-

comed by all of the Vul-

tures, making mainte-

nance easier to accom-

plish. CW3 Orama, CW2

Fyffe, and all the main-

tainers have been working

non-stop to keep the air-

craft fully mission capable

for the final stages of our

deployment. Our Unit

Movement Officer, CW2

Thornburg, has been ex-

tremely busy these last

few weeks preparing our equipment for ship-

ment.

The Vultures appreciate the amazing encour-

agement received daily from our supporters

back in the states. Without the incredible

support of our friends and family none of our

success would have been possible.

April has been an exciting month for the Black-

cats. This month we began executing many of

the redeployment plans that we’ve developed

Blackcats

Werewolves

The Werewolves have enjoyed their last full

month in Afghanistan, which included an

increased tempo in daily operations, suc-

cessful mission accomplishment, and a

visit from a prominent American who in

turn increased the Company’s morale. In

addition to our daily air movement and air

assault mission, our Company focused its

efforts on training the few Task Force

Ready aviators and crew chiefs who arrived

at Camp Marmal this month. Our sights

are set on the next two weeks, during

which we’ll receive the rest of our replace-

ments and begin the relief in place process

in earnest.

Towards the end of the month, the Were-

wolves hosted a true American Hero.

Page 2

The Vulture Team outside of the company command post on Camp Marmal.

and look forward to our upcoming reunion on

the 1st Cavalry Division Parade Field.

Retired Brigadier General Chuck Yeager poses with

members of the Werewolf team at Camp Marmal.

A Blackcat flight crew pauses for a photo on the

Camp Marmal flightline before a night mission.

Several Task Force Ready Soldiers have

already arrived at Camp Marmal, and the

main bodies are expected to arrive shortly.

The few aviators and crew chiefs who have

arrived have started training on the flight

profiles and procedures they will experience

in Afghanistan. Our goal is to fully equip

them to confidently assume our mission.

In conclusion, please accept the sincere

thanks of every member of the Blackcats

company for your continued support and

kindness throughout our deployment. Your

generosity and outstanding actions made

huge impacts on our ability to conduct our

operations in Afghanistan. We sincerely

appreciate your efforts.

Brigadier General Chuck Yeager, the first

man to break the sound barrier, spoke to

members of Alpha Assault Company during

a recent visit to Camp Marmal. Most of us

grew up listening to the legendary stories of

General Chuck Yeager from our parents or

grandparents. His visit reignited a spark of

passion in our hearts, and helped us all

remember our purpose as members of this

hallowed profession. General Yeager ended

his visit by awarding two Werewolves with

Air Medals earned during this deployment.

Please accept the heartfelt thanks of every

member of the Werewolves team to the

outstanding volunteers and Family mem-

bers whose phone calls, letters, and care

packages have made this deployment so

special. We truly appreciate your efforts

over the last three months, and have started

the slow process of preparing to shift our

mission to Task Force Ready. The mission

requirements have not changed as this

handover occurs, and the Backcats continue

to conduct nonstop operations in Regional

Command-North.

Our Soldiers spent much of their non-flying

hours packing containers, consolidating

living areas, and receiving equipment be-

longing to 12th Combat Aviation Brigade as

it arrived in theater. Our Soldiers excitedly

began disassembling two of our CH-47s to

prepare them for shipment to America, and

our crews showed great teamwork preparing

these aircraft.

Volume 3, Issue 4

30 April 2012

Outlaws

As the weather continued to improve, and new

unit patches from the 12th Combat Aviation

Brigade began populating Camp Marmal, the

Reapers grew closer to our long anticipated

return to Fort Hood. It was a busy month for

the Reapers, spent executing our 24-hour

attack weapons team mission and preparing

for the arrival of the incoming Brigade and

Task Force Ready.

In preparation for redeployment, the Reap-

ers completed an aircraft transfer with one

of our sister companies. This transfer took a

great deal of preparation and a number of

months of anticipation. Our crew chiefs and

maintenance test pilots did a great job mak-

ing sure the aircraft we transferred met all

maintenance and flight hour inspection re-

quirements.

One of the biggest highlights of April was the

visit of retired Brigadier General Chuck

Yeager. Several of the Reapers had the

opportunity to meet him at a variety of

events he attended while at Camp Marmal.

Additionally, the Reapers took advantage of

the opportunity to proudly show off one of

to our company. All Outlaws proudly received

commendations for maintenance and lead-

ership throughout the deployment. More-

over, both Boeing and Skirosky presented

awards for superior maintenance service.

As the month ended, we anxiously awaited

the arrival of the bulk of 12th CAB from Ger-

many. Already, the Task Force Ready aircraft

and advanced party have arrived. We have

reduced our footprint in the housing area to

open up living tents for our replacements.

Delta Company has also started preparing

aircraft for departure back to the U.S. Ten

aircraft have already been folded and loaded

and we continue to pack and load contain-

ers. Every Soldier is working hard to ensure a

With a great change of command ceremony

and the steady approach of return flights to

Fort Hood, April marked a great month for the

Outlaw family. The Soldiers remained engaged

in their mission, and have rising spirits with the

end of the deployment in sight.

With weather becoming increasingly more

pleasant and aircraft flying more missions, the

Outlaws’ daily responsibilities also have in-

creased. We continued to solidify our reputa-

tion as the best aviation maintenance company

in the Army.

LTC Huff recently presented end of tour awards

The Witchdoctors of Charlie Company are

staying busy across RC-North as we prepare

our equipment for shipment back home

while providing seamless MEDEVAC cover-

age from five operating sites. We were hon-

ored by a visit from Brigadier General Chuck

Yeager, the first aviator to break the sound

barrier, an American hero, and true icon in

the aviation community. He met and spoke

with Soldiers here, relaying anecdotes and

stories from his experiences flying in both

war and peace. It was a great blessing to

host him and his visit lifted morale during a

period of intense work and long hours.

In Charlie Company, excitement is now on

the rise; members of 12th Combat Aviation

Brigade have already put “boots on the

Page 3

SGT Royster and Brigadier General (ret.) Chuck Yeager.

our aircraft to General Yeager during his visit

to the flight line and provide him with a ca-

pabilities brief.

As we make final preparations for the arrival

of Task Force Ready, the Reapers consoli-

dated into two living tents this month. We

also welcomed the TF Ready ADVON to

Camp Marmal, and began training flights.

Their arrival gave us the opportunity to test

our reception and integration processes that

we’ve set in place, and we all look forward to

the arrival of the Battalion’s main body

flights to officially begin the transition.

The Reapers wish to thank all those at home

for their continued support throughout this

deployment. We look forward to seeing all of

our friends and family in the upcoming

weeks on the parade field at Fort Hood.

Reapers!

Reapers

The Reapers’ day shift poses for a photograph

beside an AH-64 Apache helicopter.

Witchdoctors

solid handover to 12th CAB to facilitate a

seamless transition of maintenance and sup-

port.

Again, the Soldiers would like to thank you for

your support. Indeed, the Outlaws couldn’t

have made it through this deployment without

the love

from family

and friends.

We look

forward to

seeing eve-

ryone on

the parade

field.

The Outlaws stand in formation.

ground” in Afghanistan, and have started

integrating with our crews. We have already

conducted orientation flights across the area,

and have conducted important training to

prepare these men and women to assume

our mission in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, our crew chiefs have already

folded a few of our aircraft for shipment,

sealed several containers of equipment, and

packed the majority of our personal belong-

ings. Morale in the Company has never been

higher with the prospect of returning home at

the front of our minds. We temper these

emotions with caution and vigilance in order

to keep ourselves safe these last couple of

weeks, as we continue to execute our essen-

tial mission in Afghanistan.

Thank you for your endless support as we

execute a strong and safe end to our mission.

April continued to challenge and excite the

Renegades as we continued preparations for

our return. Despite an increased workload,

our Soldiers are committed to safely working

hard to complete the mission.

Maintenance Platoon packed, inventoried,

and sealed 12 large freight containers of

property for shipment to Fort Hood. Your

Renegades also performed technical inspec-

tions on all Company vehicles, and completed

services for every piece of Battalion equip-

ment. We offer a special congratulations to

SGT Corbridge, SGT Anderson, and SPC

James for reenlisting, and PFC Castleberry for

his promotion to Specialist.

The Distribution Platoon issued over 75,000

gallons of fuel and processed numerous am-

munition transfers to keep up with the TF

Lobos mission. The new platoon work areas

are complete, due in large part to the efforts

of SPC Rutherford and SPC Davis. We have

conducted numerous safety and re-

integration classes to assist the platoon with

our return to Fort Hood. Congratulations to

SFC Fitzgerald, SSG Washington, and SPC

Ducksworth on their promotions; SSG

Washington deserves recognition for his

selection for a rare battlefield promotion.

Headquarters Platoon said goodbye to all

of our vehicle drivers, as they returned to

Distribution Platoon to drive our fuel

trucks. We now feed over 2,000 people at

the DFAC daily, a number that will increase

as our replacements arrive over the next

weeks. We congratulate newly promoted

SPC Rutherford on his advancement.

In closing, we express our deepest thanks

to our many supporters who have gone to

such great lengths to positively impact our

morale throughout our deployment. Your

efforts are much appreciated, and we can’t

wait to thank you in person next month.

Renegades!

Renegades

fer of authority with F Company, 5-158 Avia-

tion Regiment. After a year in Afghanistan,

we look forward to seeing the Task Force

Ready patch on the sleeves of our replace-

ments around the Camp. Our intent is to

provide each incoming Soldier with an initial

set of training at Camp Marmal, and then

transport them to their permanent duty loca-

tions where they’ll conduct in-depth on-the-

job training.

The Transfer of Authority process is not al-

ways the easiest, but our Soldiers are keep-

ing positive attitudes with the understanding

that the end state is reunion with our Fami-

lies. In closing, allow me to again offer my

sincere gratitude to the incredibly supportive

family members and FRG volunteers who

have done so much to support our Troopers

throughout the deployment. As we’ve said

before, your support has made a huge differ-

ence in our ability to conduct our mission in

Afghanistan. From every Raven, thank you

for everything you’ve done.

Ravens

The Task Force Lobos Rear Guard is a

flurry of activity as we make final prepara-

tions for the return of our great Soldiers

from Afghanistan. This past month, the Sol-

diers of Rear Detachment painted the admin-

istrative offices and hangars in an effort to

spruce up many of the Fort Hood Army Airfield

facilities. The Fort Hood Department of Public

Works assisted us with renovations to several

buildings, including providing carpenters to

install walls, windows, and doors. When our

heroes return from downrange, the Rear

Guard is prepared to provide exceptional

workspaces for the garrison missions they will

soon commence.

As many of you know, we recently welcomed

the first wave of returning Soldiers to Fort

Hood. Along with long-awaited reunions with

family members, many friends and former co-

workers from the Rear Guard happily reunited

with these returning Soldiers and have eagerly

welcomed them back to Fort Hood. Having

Rear Guard

The last two months of a deployment are

certainly among the busiest, and your Ra-

vens are showing that they have the ability

to multitask like the professionals we

known them to be. Your Soldiers have

staged and packed equipment while con-

tinuing to operate our control towers at the

busiest airfields of northern Afghanistan.

We recently began training the first Task

Force Ready Air Traffic Controllers on the

equipment and procedures used in Af-

ghanistan.

With the bulk of our replacements arriving

over the next week, we’ve been aggres-

sively planning equipment and personnel

movements to support the upcoming trans-

SPC Dykes, PFC Morris, SPC Reardon, and PFC

Bullock, food services Soldiers at the Lobos DFAC

pose for a photograph on Camp Marmal.

Several Ravens stand before the Task Force

Lobos mural on Camp Marmal.

returned from leave, these Soldiers hit the

ground running, and have already begun

occupying company offices. They also are

assisting with cleaning, organizing, and pre-

paring for the reception of our forward ele-

ments over the next few weeks.

The most up-to-date information regarding

redeployment ceremonies can be obtained

on the 1st Cavalry Division website via:

http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/

redeployment/.

The Rear Guard can be reached via the fol-

lowing email addresses: CPT Fritz Beck at

[email protected] and SFC Kort Hurley

at [email protected]. Telephone

calls can be directed to the Lobos Staff Duty

at (254) 287-4877.

SFC Hurley, the Rear Detachment First Sergeant,

stands before his company during a payday uniform