The Grey Wolf - Defense Video & Imagery Distribution … Forces. Greywolf 6 PAGE 2 AUGUST 15, 2007 Commander’s Column ... “It was very good to have Lt. Wassim seeing patients so

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The

GGrreeyy WWoollffhowl

INSIDE:Operation Olympus Secures Town Pg. 3

‘Bootleggers’ Rock Baqouba Pg. 4

‘Chargers’ Recognized for Valor Pg. 8

Soldier Brings Hobby to FOB Paliwoda Pg. 9

‘Man’s Best Friend’ Saves Lives Pg. 10

6-9 SKT Dominate Battlefield in Diyala Pg. 11

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

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

Sniff, sniff…What’s that smell peopleare talking about at FOBsthroughout the Greywolfsector? Some people seemto smell it and others don’t.It is rumored to be the smell

of the Bravo-Alpha-Romeo-November. That’sright, the barn.

Some people seem to smell it; others are im-mune to this malaise. I tell you that if you thinkyou can smell the barn, sniff again. There ain’t abarn. You ain’t in Kansas anymore Toto. You canwake up and smell the coffee if you want, butthere ain’t a barn.

Smelling the barn is a de-habilitating illness;it results in no good to anyone. We as a unit havesuffered from its effects in the last week. Smellingthe barn is the metaphoric equivalent of compla-cency. Complacency is an illness than we can notafford at this or any point in a deployment. In thelast week we have suffered a number of injuries,and regrettably a death, from accidents that couldhave been prevented. We have had a thumbsmashed from a hammer, a torso caught in a ro-tating turret, a negligent discharge of a blastingcap, a lost weapon, a Soldier fall from a truck andget impaled on a piece of metal, and most unfor-tunately, a death from inappropriate ammunition

handling. I full heartedly believe that each one of these

could have been prevented. Aim the hammer(slow is smooth, smooth is fast), combat lockevery time, proper utilization of ammunition-han-dling techniques, sensitive items accountabilityand three points of contact. No lost time, no lostweapon, no lost lives.

It is a fact that most accidents are caused bya violation of a known discipline standard. In lightof this fact, they are not accidents at all - they havea cause and effect. The cause is preventable withknown, published and enforced safety disciplinestandards.

Think about it… If a Soldier drinks anddrives, fails to wear a seat belt, speeds, drives toofast for conditions and falls asleep; is it an accidentwhen he has a fatal “accident.” I don’t believe itis. It is unfortunate, especially when it happens toa Soldier on his 30 day leave home from Opera-tion Iraqi Freedom. It happened to a GreywolfSoldier after our previous deployment.

It is the same for situations in the combat the-atre of operations. Failure to adhere to publishedstandards of performance can result in preventableaccidents. We see it here. We see it at home. Wecan prevent it. NCOs are a critical piece in thisformula. NCOs enforce standards. By doing so,they save lives. They get the mission accom-plished. It is leadership in action.

Many leaders do these things because theytruly care for their subordinates. Some do them

because they know enforcing the rules is the smartthing to do to accomplish the mission. Some be-cause of both. I don’t really care why a leaderdoes it, I just care that they do it.

Leadership in the Army is focused on twothings – accomplishment of the mission and thewelfare of the troops. We are concerned aboutwelfare so that the Soldier is capable of contribut-ing to the accomplishment of the mission. It’s notabout the Soldiers’ comfort or convenience. It’sabout mission accomplishment.

Sounds harsh – it is reality. The best thing a leader can do for the welfare

of the Solider is to train him or her to standard intheir combat critical tasks. That way the leaderprovides the best opportunity for mission accom-plishment and the survival of the Soldier. If you,as a leader, can give your Soldiers hot chow, airconditioning and a real bed; that’s icing on thecake. Leaders who enforce standards are leaderswho care. They know that the best thing they cando for their Soldiers is to provide the disciplinethat will keep them alive.

There is no barn. That smell you smell is thesmell of body odor developed by a hot sweatytorso wrapped in OTV, baked in the summer heatof the Middle East desert, kickin’ ass and takingnames.

It is the smell of victory.

Live the Legend,Greywolf 9

By Col. David W. Sutherland3BCT, 1CD Commander

Grey Wolf!

As we move even closer toour redeployment day, afew significant issues arebeginning to surface withinour formations. Safety in-cidents are on the rise,

property is being misplaced or not handled prop-erly, and a very few Soldiers are demonstratingprofessional apathy. These issues affect the over-all unit. It would be very unfortunate if prevent-able lapses tarnished the outstandingachievements of our great Soldiers here in Iraq.

Taking shortcuts in job performance cancause injuries to Soldiers. It is the charge of theimmediate supervisor to ensure Soldiers performtasks to standard. Direct and personal supervisionis a leader’s duty to his or her subordinates. Everyleader in this brigade should have the safety of

our Soldiers high on their list of concerns.Some of these incidents have cost Soldiers

their lives or resulted in serious injuries. I havesaid this in numerous occasions—this is anNCO-run brigade. Strong NCO leadership is thebest way to manage risk and prevent safety inci-dents from affecting our Soldiers.

The professionalism and discipline of a unitis apparent in how it maintains its equipment andaccounts for its property. Misplaced, lost, or un-accounted for property affects our ability to per-form our mission. The Army provides you andyour unit property solely because that item con-tributes, in some way, to your accomplishmentof your mission. Commanders are responsiblefor conducting sensitive and periodic property ac-countability to standard. All property must behand-receipted down to the individual level.Good property accountability is a trait of a greatunit. And as I have said many times, there isgreatness in our formations.

Lastly, professional apathy can lead to lapsesthat discredit both the individual Soldier and the

sacrifice and accomplishments of our fallen com-rades. The Army is a values-based organization.We cannot allow our Soldiers to become com-placent and forget the values that brought themthis far with so much success. Our Soldiers needto understand the reasons we are here. They mustknow how their accomplishments contribute tothat goal. The responsibility for these messagesagain lies on the shoulders of our exceptionalleaders. The mistreatment of Iraqi civilians onlyspawns hatred. We must live up to the Army val-ues and treat the Iraqi people the way we wish tobe treated in our own country or elsewhere.

I would like to conclude this message by ex-pressing my gratitude to our families. They haveremained supportive of our Soldiers and our mis-sion. We cannot thank them enough for thestrength they have shown during this difficult de-ployment. Their sacrifice does not and shouldnot ever go unnoticed. May God continue to blessour families, our country, and the United StatesArmed Forces.

Greywolf 6

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Commander’s Column

‘Hooah’ Corner

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Operation Olympus Opens Route, Secures TownsBy Pfc. Ben Fox3rd BCT Public Affairs

Two key towns were held captive by a ter-rorist threat in the Diyala province, effec-tively blocking a supply route for manycitizens in the Diyala River Valley.

As the anti-Iraqi forces continued toterrorize the towns, many of the citizenswere displaced and became refugees inthe nearby town of Anbakia, overpopulat-ing the town and creating an even furthershortage of food and services.

That all changed July 22 with Opera-tion Olympus. Early in the morning, IraqiArmy Soldiers on foot, and teams of para-troopers from the 5th Squadron, 73rdCavalry Regiment, attached to the 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion, air assaulted into the towns andcompletely destroyed the terrorist cellswithin.

“Our operation attacked these twovillages that were harboring these terror-ists, isolating them and bringing overallcombat power to destroy them,” said Lt.Col. Andrew Poppas, the 5-73 Cav. com-mander.

“This was a number of campaigns inan overall campaign plan to bring safetyand security to the Diyala River Valley,”said Poppas.

“Previous intelligence-driven opera-tions have been specifically directed atdestroying anti-Iraqi forces in this re-gion,” he said. “We have been extremelyeffective… at destroying the enemy inorder to supply safety and security to thearea.”

The operation also fo-cused its efforts on Anbakia,the town that held all of therefugees.

The operation emplaceda civil military operationsteam to deliver initial sup-plies and services, such asfood and medical specialists,said Poppas.

The number of refugeesstressed the town’s alreadymeager rations and capabili-ties to address the popula-tion’s needs, he said.

Capt. Henry Shih, thebrigade surgeon for 3BCT,held a combined medical en-gagement in the town with Lt.Wassim from the Iraqi Army.

“It was very good to have Lt. Wassimseeing patients so they could see the faceof the Iraqi Army,” said Shih.

Shih said Wassim did a good job be-cause he had knowledge of medicine andwas in good spirits. He also served par-tially as an interpreter for Shih because heknew English.

The patients the combined forcetreated had problems ranging from dia-betes and heart problems to rare chronicand congenital illnesses, said Shih.

The IA medic also helped the localpopulation with the Coalition’s overallgoal.

“We are trying to push them to bemore reliant on the Iraqi Army for secu-rity and other services,” said Shih. “Theywill have to be more independent when

we leave.”The mission was

an example of the IAand 5-73’s ability tohandle complicatedmulti-faceted opera-tions.

“Simultaneous ki-netic operations havebeen conducted withnon-kinetic operationsaimed at establishingeffective, representa-tive local govern-ments, repairing andrebuilding physical in-frastructure of localcommunities and theestablishment of basicservices necessary forall communities,” saidPoppas.

In addition to the combat, food andmedical support provided, 5-73 Cav. alsocleared the entire route connecting thesetowns.

“This operation is indicative of theduality of a mission profile in which wehave anti-Iraqi forces which try to attemptto deny freedom of movement for coali-tion forces and freedom of movementalong the entire route,” said Poppas.

On their way up to Anbakia, theCMO team conducted route clearance, re-moving IEDs, barriers, and illegal checkpoints in order to allow Iraqis to use themain road to travel between Baqouba andKhalis, said Poppas.

The residents of Anbakia have beenloyal supporters of the Coalition and IraqiSecurity Forces, which is part of the rea-son help was sent to them specificallywith their refugees.

“The town had been friendly toCoalition Forces,” said Shih.

“They help us, so we help them,” hesaid. “We will continue to work with themand not just abandon them.”

“Our deliberate destruction of anti-Iraqi forces throughout the entire regionhas set conditions for the repatriation ofthese dislodged individuals,” said Poppas.

The mission ended by setting up ISFsecurity positions in the towns and alongthe routes.

“The combined might of Iraqi andAmerican power” reduced the problemset to one that the ISF can easily maintain,said Poppas.

“The establishment of Iraqi SecurityForces will allow for long-term safety andsecurity, and freedom of movement in theentire region,” he said.

An Iraqi man unloads a bag of rice from a container fullof food rations that were delivered by Coalition andIraqi Security Forces to the town of Anbakia, Iraq, as apart of Operation Olympus, July 22.

Photo by Pfc. Ben Fox, 3BCT Public Affairs

Master Sgt. David Wagner, 5-73 Cav., attached to3-1 Cav., pulls security at a school house duringa combined medical engagement – a non-kineticpart of Operation Olympus in Anbakia, Iraq.



3rd BCT CommanderCol. David Sutherland

3rd BCT PAOMaj. Raul Marquez

[email protected]

3rd BCT PAO NCOIC/EditorSgt. Serena Hayden

[email protected]

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

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

On the cover ...Useful Iraqi PhrasesWhere did you see them?

wein shef-et-hum?

Capt. Henry Shih, brigade surgeonfor 3BCT, checks the heartbeat ofan Iraqi man who complained of aheart murmur during OperationOlympus in Anbakia, Iraq, July 22.


Gina Whitney’s ‘Bootleggers’ Rock BaqoubaStory, photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

With the sun setting in the distancebehind Forward Operating BaseWarhorse, located outside Baqouba,Iraq, Gina Whitney and the Boot-leggers, a country band located inthe United States, took the stage inthe Wood Dining Facility to rock theSoldiers of the 3rd “Grey Wolf”Brigade Combat Team, 1st CavalryDivision, July 5.

The Bootleggers “rocked thesocks off” a packed group of Sol-diers with original material offWhitney’s next album and coveredclassics like Bonnie Raitt’s “Some-thing to Talk About,” Patsy Cline’s“Crazy,” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s

“Sweet Home Alabama.”With this being her third time

overseas in a war zone, Whitney,formally traveling under the nameGina Notrica, said her mission wasstill the same – to entertain the Sol-diers, give them a piece of home andto include them as much as possibleinto her performances.

“Every night, I try to findsomeone to sing ‘Sweet Home Al-abama,’” said Whitney. “It’s an im-portant part [of our show] to havethe Soldiers involved. That’s whyI’m here, to raise morale and takethem away from their setting outhere… and to help them to havefun.”

Whitney’s mission is to alsoshare a special song with the Sol-diers. A track entitled, “Time toGo,” off her next album, called“High Heels in a War Zone,” is asong about her father, who is anArmy and Korean War veteran.

“My dad was in North Koreawhen he received word that mymom, who was pregnant at the time,was having complications with my[unborn] sister,” she said. “Theguys in his unit pulled together themoney to send him home to be withmy mother. Three days later, hiswhole unit was killed in an attack.

“Though ‘Time to Go,’ isabout my father, I would like to ded-icate that song to the Soldiers,”Whitney continued. “That songcame from when I was talking tomy dad about being afraid to fly, andhe told me, ‘When it’s time to go,it’s time to go.’ That’s when I firstheard his story and understood how

he felt and what he had to deal with.“[This song] comes from my

dad being in the Army and the sur-vivor’s guilt he felt,” she said. “Iknow these guys deal with [differentemotions] on a day-to-day basis,that’s why this song is important forme to perform for them.”

While the Grey Wolf execu-tive officer, Maj. Robert “Bubba”Cain, sang the lead to “Sweet HomeAlabama,” Spc. Andrea Guara,Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 3rd Brigade SpecialTroops Battalion, and a native ofDallas, Texas, was also asked tocome up to the stage to sing withWhitney, an experience which wasboth exciting and nerve wracking,said Guara.

“I first met Gina before herconcert and she was a really nice, re-ally sweet lady,” said Guara. “OnceI found that out there was going tobe a concert, I gathered as manypeople as I could to go see the show.

“[Whitney] was singing somereally good music and I got excitedand started singing back,” said theexcited Guara.

“Then Gina started singing‘Redneck Woman’ by GretchenWilson,” she continued. “If you area female from Texas, you have toknow that song.

“I was sitting in the crowd,singing along and Gina pointed meout to come sing with her,” Guarasaid with a huge smile on her face.“I was really scared and really nerv-ous, but it was a lot of fun.”

Guara’s experience was justwhat Whitney was hoping for - a

fun time with a chance to escape,Whitney said.

“It takes you out of a war zonestate-of-mind and makes youhappy,” Guara said.

“It takes you away from Iraqand makes you feel good becauseyou are at a concert and feeling likeyou’re back at home again,” shecontinued.

“The whole experience mademy day,” Guara concluded. “It wasa lot of fun.”

But Whitney wants to makesure the Soldiers know the pleasurewas all hers.

“This means so much to me tobe here and to perform for all theSoldiers,” said Whitney. “I’veplayed in bars and corporate events,and I’m very blessed to be doingthis for a living, but this is the mostrewarding thing I’ve ever done.”

As the concert drew to a close,the Bootleggers packed up theirgear and headed out to catch anotherflight to another destination in Iraq.With more shows to play, Whitneyknows her band’s schedule is tough,but well worth the loss of sleep andhectic traveling schedule they faceto perform for more Soldiers.

“It can be grueling to performnine shows in nine days, but I cansleep when I get home,” Whitneysaid with a big laugh. “But this isworth it; this means the world to me.

“There are a lot of performersout there, but I hope the Soldiersknow how sincere I am about whatthey do and getting the chance toperform for them,” she said.

Country singer, Gina Whit-ney, sings “RedneckWoman” with Spc. AndreaGuara, HHC, 3rd BSTB.

Living in the Same Old, Same Old

When I was asked to write an article for this edition, I was asking myselfwhat I could write about to my Soldiers and their families that will bring thema new perspective in life. During the course of the day I asked another Soldierhow he was doing, to what he responded, “Ah -- the same old, same old”.

I thought about those words. Then I said to myself the worst kind of lifeone can have is a life without purpose, stuck in the same old routine. I thoughtabout our everyday life here in the FOB and realize that for some is anotherday getting out of the same old bed and go to the same old bathroom to lookat the same old face in the same old mirror. Some go to the same old dufflebag or TAC box to choose from the same old ACU’s. Then they sit at thesame old DFAC for breakfast to eat the same old breakfast. Then they go tothe same old HUMVEE to head down to that same old road to that same oldjob. Some just walk to the same old path. Some work all day for that sameold paycheck for that same old supervisor and old co-workers.

Then at the end of what is it seems to be same old day they jump in thesame old HUMVEE to get back to the same old road and back to their sameold CHU. Once they are in what is now the sanctity of their home they sit inthe same old chair to play the same old video games or watch the same oldprograms in that same old television. At the end of the day they go back tothat same old bed and sleep the same old position, so they can get up the nextmorning and start all over again. The same routine; the same old, same old.

God didn’t create you to live a purposeless existence. That should begood news because that tells me that even if you’re searching to find your pur-pose – there’s something out there to search. The things we see here in ourevery day life are not the only thing out there. There is something or someoneworthy to be search. God has a customized plan just for you. Seek it, find it,and live it to the fullest.

Chaplain (Capt.) Jesus Perez 3BSTB Chaplain

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Soldier FOBon the

“In the last 10 months in Iraq,what is the most important les-

son you have learned?”Spc. Jonathan Rivadeneira

B Troop, 6-9 ARS“To not take things in lifefor granted, to appreciatewhat you have and to

make the best of the situa-tion you are in.”

Spc. David LasseterB Troop, 6-9 ARS

“Take care of your battle-buddies and check yourequipment before you roll

out the FOB.”

Spc. Drew StrodeB Troop, 6-9 ARS

“Wash your feet.”

“Don’t take life forgranted. You just never

know.”

Sgt. Frederick HerndonHHT, 6-9 ARS

“The quicker we accom-plish our mission, thequicker we make it

home.”

Spc. Joshua Hanzilk293rd MP Co.

By Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3BCT Public Affairs

Chaplain’s Corner

Leaders Discuss Future with Future Present

Col. David W. Sutherland discusses issues during a meeting withGovernor Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi, Diyala gover-nor, while his niece and nephew listen.

Photo by Sgt. Serena Hayden, 3BCT Public Affairs

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GGrreeyy WWoollff In Action

Above, before meeting with Governor Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi, Diyalagovernor, Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of Coaltiion Forces in Diyala province,passes out toys to children in Sheik Mazen Village, July 28.

At right, after receiving his Purple Heart from Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, MNC-I com-mander, Pfc. Michael Partipilo, C Co., 1-12 CAB, is thanked for his service to his countryat an award ceremony held at a combat patrol outpost in Baqouba, Iraq.

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

Above, Soldiers of Trp. B, 5-73 Cav., walk down a road with a detainee duringa mission in Ar Raqqah, Iraq.

At right, Staff Sgt. Samuel Palmer, a member of the 3rd Brigade CombatTeam, 1st Cavalry Division commander's personal security detachmentpulls guard while visiting the people of Abarah, Iraq.



Photo by Spc. Ryan Stroud, 3BCT Public Affairs

U.S. Air Force Photo by Steve Czyzs, Joint Combat Camera

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Grey Wolff IInn AAccttiioonn

U.S. Air Force Photo by Steve Czyzs, Joint Combat CameraSgt. Thomas Bremer and Spc. Jordan Kotzian of Bravo Troop, 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regi-ment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division provide security on a street corner duringa mission in Ar Raqqah, IraqPhoto by Sgt. Serena Hayden, 3BCT Public Affairs



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

Staff Sgt. Alegray Hamer215th BSB Staff Sgt. Annamarie Conklin

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

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

‘Grey Wolf’ Retention Team

‘Chargers’ Recognized for Heroic ActsBy Sgt. Serena Hayden3rd BCT Public Affairs

Gathered in formation, Soldiers from the 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd BrigadeCombat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, stoodtall and proud at their patrol base inBaqouba, Iraq, Aug. 4, reflecting on past ex-periences during their first ten months ofOperation Iraqi Freedom 06-08.

Day in and day out, the Soldiers haveworked to bring security to the people ofDiyala province, going places no manshould ever have to go, seeing things noman should ever have to see.

Living in austere environments for theduration of their deployment, 18 “GreyWolf” Soldiers gathered with their brothers-in-arms from the “Charger” Battalion to berecognized for past achievements – achieve-ments of valorous and heroic acts thatcaused them to put their lives at risk to saveothers.

“Because of your actions, because ofyour discipline, because of the valor of theindividuals and noncommissioned officers,we have been able to make a difference,”Col. David W. Sutherland, brigade com-mander, said as he spoke to the group ofSoldiers.

“These Soldiers with valor awards rep-resent every Soldier in our formations,”Sutherland said, “because I know that valoris taking place every day.”

The Chargers recognized were 1st Sgt.Ronald Ramsdell, who received a BronzeStar Medal with Valor for actions under fireFeb. 2, dismounting his vehicle, getting hisSoldiers out of danger and continuing re-covery operations for a previous incident.

The other 17 Soldiers, Sgt. DarrelBuck, Staff Sgt. Coy Embry, Staff Sgt. Peter

Wallat, Cpl. WilliamMcGrath, Spc. CoryBarton, Pvt. JasonMeyers, Sgt. DavidKukla, Sgt. DavidKudlo, 1st Lt. Shan-non Meehan, Sgt. 1stClass StephenRoberts, Sgt. Bran-don Duvall, Sgt. 1stClass JoseCenicerois, Sgt.Gabriel Mihuta, StaffSgt. Dennis Wilson,Spc. Orlando Garcia,Spc. ChristopherJankowski and Spc.Stephen Devries,were awarded theArmy Commenda-tion Medal withValor for several acts throughout the de-ployment.

Their acts of heroism include disre-garding personal safety and exposing them-selves to the enemy by trying to open aBradley driver’s hatch submerged in 40 de-gree water temperatures in water that wascontaminated by diesel and oil; destroying asignificant number of terrorists while en-gaged in a high-intensity firefight locatedwithin close proximity of fighting positions;placing themselves at danger to save theirIraqi army counterparts and kill a signifi-cant enemy force; and exposing themselvesto the enemy in order to save their fellowbuddies while medics performed first aid.

“Whether it’s the Soldier monitoringthe radio, the driver in the tank, the Bradleycommander or the rifleman on the ground –there is valor every day and it’s making adifference,” Sutherland continued. “It is

making a difference every day for the 1.6million people in Diyala, it is making a dif-ference for the children who will be serving15 years from now, and it is making a differ-ence for your buddy on your left and yourright.”

“There are a lot of people who mightwonder how the American Soldier mightstand up to a prolonged engagement, a pro-longed conflict,” said Command Sgt. Maj.Donald R. Felt, brigade command sergeantmajor. “I will tell you that it is Soldiers likeyou who have removed that doubt fromanybody that might have ever had it.

“You have demonstrated valor and youmake me very proud,” Felt said.

“There is greatness in this formationand it manifests itself every day in your ac-tions,” Sutherland said. “Your actions don’tgo unnoticed. Your actions are having a re-verberating affect all across Iraq.”

Col. David W. Sutherland awards Sgt. Brandon Duvall, Co.D, 1-12 CAB, the Army Commendation Medal with Valorduring a ceremony at a patrol base in Baqouba, Iraq, Aug.4. Duvall was recognized for his heroic actions and stead-fast leadership in Dojima, Iraq, Dec. 14, 2006.



SSG Joshua Mattero725th EOD3BCT, 1CD

PV2 Michael BalogaA Trp., 6-9 ARS3BCT, 1CD

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

When Soldiers deploy, so do their hobbies.Flying toy helicopters and acoustic guitarsare just some of the things Soldiers seeothers fiddling with on their off time.

When Spc. David Colclasure, multi-systems operator with Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, 3rd CombinedArms Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1stCavalry Division, decided to bring hishobby, it included a $10,000 insuranceplan for the amount of equipment thatwould come to Iraq with him.

Colclaure, a Marrion, Ill., native,said when he is not trying to solvecommunication problems on ForwardOperating Base Paliwoda, he is fusingdifferent beats to songs or creating hisown music.

Sitting behind more than $5,000worth of mixers and computers iswhere Colclasure spends his off time.

He was a disc jockey in the U.S.and has continued to DJ for the Sol-diers in his unit.

At every USO show or unitevent, a Soldier can see Colclasuremixing away behind his equipment.

“It started when I was a kid goingto dances,” said Colclasure. “I was inter-ested in how it worked so I started learn-ing more about it.”

After school he would go home andplay music, constantly looking for differ-ent beats and rhythms to work with.

Over the years his system grew biggeruntil one day his father gave Colclasurehis old stereo equipment that Colclasurehad been asking for.

Once Colclasure had his father’s oldequipment he started performing at par-ties.

Now he is in charge of all sound en-tertainment for USO and ceremony eventsfor his unit.

“We have the system that the Armyuses, and every time we would do a cere-mony it kept messing up,” said Colclasure.“So the commander and command ser-geant major got with my signal officer andtold him to get a new system. My officercame to me and said we will buy whatever you think is best, so we bought the

some of the same stuff I use.“Right now I have a 22 inch rack, 60

different types of lights, two big bandspeakers, and two 22 inch subwoofers,”said Colclasure.

“Sometimes it seems like we are at anactual show because of the way (Colcla-sure) tunes people in and out,” said ScottArtal, communications specialist, 3rdCombined Troops Battalion.

Colclasure wants to continue being aDJ because he enjoys entertaining people.

“Back home I (DJ) for the kids. I’llplay the chicken dance song and musicalchairs, the kids usually like. That’s the funpart,” said Colclasure.

“Music has always been a motivatorfor people. That is how you set moods. Ifyou are playing sad music people will re-member sad moments. If you are playinglove music you are thinking about yourfirst girlfriend or your wife. If you are in abad mood and you start playing some upbeat music people will usually get in a bet-ter mood,” said Colclasure.

Soldier Gets to Play with Hobby On and Off Clock

In Memory Of...

Spc. David Colclasure, multi-sys-tems operator, 3-8 CAB, gives athumbs up while checking and test-ing his sound system July 29, 2007,at FOB Paliwoda, near Balad, Iraq.

Photo by Sgt. Joshua R. Ford, 3-82 BCT Public Affairs

Spc. David Colclasure, 3-8 CAB, sits be-hind his disc jockey equipment during aUSO show at FOB Paliwoda.

Photo by Sgt. Joshua R. Ford, 3-82 BCT Public Affairs

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‘Man’s Best Friend’ Saves Lives in DiyalaBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

A group of Soldiers need toclear a tall, dark building, pos-sibly housing terrorists in thecity of Muqdadiya, just north ofBaqouba, Iraq. The Soldiershave received reports of booby-traps in the area and are unsureif the building itself is a trap.What are they to do?

This is where the Soldier’sfour-legged friend, Nero, comesin.

Nero is a military workingdog serving with Staff Sgt. ZebMiller, his handler, at ForwardOperating Base Normandy, insupport of Operation Iraqi Free-dom 06-08. Nero’s job – searchthe building, its doorway andthe surrounding area, makingsure no explosives are around toharm the Soldiers trying to clearthe building.

With Nero’s efforts, and theefforts of many other militaryworking dogs serving in Iraq,Soldiers’ lives are being savedeveryday.

“Our job out here in Iraq ismainly searching for explo-sives,” said Miller, a member ofthe 7th Security Forces, U.S. AirForce, attached to 6-9 ArmoredReconnaissance Squadron, 3rdBrigade Combat Team, 1st Cav-alry Division.

“Our job is to make a Sol-dier’s job go faster,” Miller, anative of Johnson City, Texas,said.

“A dog can search for ex-plosives ten times faster than wecan because he can smell it,” hesaid. “Plus, if the dog smellsthe explosives, it could save aSoldier’s life.”

Miller started working withNero in March after he volun-teered to serve in Iraq. Once ar-riving, the two became close,inseparable friends.

“I’ve had Nero sinceMarch when I volunteered tocome to Iraq,” said Miller.“This was a nice change beingout here at FOB Normandy withthe Army because the Air Forceis more force protection. Outhere with the Army, I get to goout on missions and take part inthe war.”

But before the duo can takepart in missions, Nero has to ex-ercise and train to stay on top ofhis game.

“On a normal day, we try totrain the dogs to keep them [pre-pared for missions],” Millersaid. “I will take explosives outand train the dog in searchingand finding. We also have a dogobstacle course that we take thedogs out to keep them [healthy]and active.

“At night, I’ll take Nero outand we’ll walk around fencedareas so he can sniff around;simple things to keep the dogsready,” he continued.

These training techniqueskeep Nero fresh and ready to gowhen he’s need for a missioninto the heart of danger, some-thing Miller and Nero are usedtoo.

“Our big thing is palmgrove searches and weaponscache searches,” Miller said.“That’s really big for us; thoseare the main things we look foron missions – buried weapons.

“Nero will also searchdoorways and buildings beforeSoldiers will breach it,” Millercontinued. “[Insurgents] try tobooby-trap doors and Nero cansearch the door to find any ex-plosives waiting.”

But Nero can also be usedfor other tasks to help out theunits in 6-9 ARS.

“Nero is also trained to findpeople,” said Miller. “One mis-sion, we went searching forIEDs and also searchingthrough houses. Nero just tookoff running behind one of thehouses and into the palmgroves.

“What we guess happenedis he smelled someone who hadjust left the house but [wasgone],” Miller continued. “Wefound fresh tracks in the ground,so someone might have beenthere waiting until they heardNero coming.”

With Nero on a mission,Soldiers can trust him to smelland sense things they couldn’timagine. Nero becomes a livingweapon, just like the Soldiers,ready to quickly “get his prize.”

“They say one dog is worthabout ten Soldiers, not in theircapabilities, but in their senses,”said Miller about the impor-tance of military digs during amission.

“These dogs, while search-ing for explosives and otherweapons, can turn a [several]hour job into one hour worth of

work,” he said.But what also makes Nero

an interesting military dog, isunlike some, Nero is extremelyfriendly, something Miller ishappy with.

“The first thing [trainers]tell you is this is not a dog, it’s apiece of equipment,” Miller ex-plained. “But it comes down toeach handler in how they treattheir dog.

“The way I see it, if I lovethe dog, he will love me; and inreturn, he will work for me andpossibly save me when I needit,” he said.

“You’re not supposed to letothers pet the dog either be-cause it’s a bond challenger,”continued Miller. “But, I’drather let the Soldiers pet andplay with him so they are com-fortable around Nero when wego out on missions.

“I also think this helpsNero in case something was tohappen to me out here; anotherSoldier could take him and hewould be okay without mearound to guide him,” he said.

But Miller has no worriesat all about Nero. Miller saysNero knows who his owner isand will listenwhen calledupon.

“I knowNero will listento me even withothers around,”said Miller.“Once youspend everyday together, heknows who Iam; he will lis-ten to me if Itell him to dosomething.”

T h o u g hNero is a calm,mannered dog,Miller said hehas commandsfor Nero whichwill instantlyswitch Nerofrom the politedog he is intoan attack-modedestroyer.

“They’ retwo words Icould use tohave him im-mediately startbarking at you

and if you show any fear, youwould get bit,” he said. “Thesedogs are amazing; they are in-credibly smart.”

When the deployment isover and it’s time to go home,there is a chance Nero will haveto retire, though Nero himselfwill probably have a few yearsof service left before it’s histime. In these cases of retire-ment, the hard-working militarydogs will go through a series oftests to make sure they are readyfor life outside the combat zone.

“The dogs have to gothrough a physiological evalua-tion,” said Miller. “They testthe dog with situations likeneighbors fighting. They testthe dog to see what he will doand to make sure he will be safearound others.

“It’s hard to let go of yourdogs,” Miller somberly ex-plained. “The first dog is al-ways the hardest. But after thedog retires, there’s a possiblythat you can keep your dog.”

Until its Nero’s time to re-tire, he will continue to providehis services to those servingoverseas with him; saving liveson each mission he partakes in.

Staff Sgt. Zeb Miller, 7th Security Forces, U.S.Air Force, attached to 6-9 ARS, pets his mili-tary working dog, Nero. Nero specializes inlocating explosives and helping Soldiers beon missions.



Silent but deadly…

6-9 SKTs Dominate the Enemy in Diyala ProvinceBy Spc. Ryan Stroud3rd BCT Public Affairs

It’s dark and hot outside, so hot the sweatdrips down your face and into your mouth,but you don’t even notice. You’re focused,ready to strike. But you’re quietly waitingfor your moment. You’ll wait for hours ifyou have to. You’re on a mission and thismission won’t end until you say it does.

Those around you are also tired; sweat-ing just as bad as you, but they are also fo-cused and ready. They’re lying in the brushoutside the city of Baqouba, Iraq, with you,waiting for your signal.

Just then, you see a small group of anti-Iraqi forces pull up on a dirt road. They dis-mount their truck and proceed to startdigging a hole in the ground. One personbrings out a small device with stringy wireshanging out of it. It’s an improvised explo-sive device getting ready to be planted intothe ground.

This is your signal; this is what youwere waiting patiently for. You get yourSoldiers on-line with you and prepare foryour attack. But this attack cannot fail.You’re surrounded by your team – a teamconfident in their training, equipment andskills.

You have to be perfect. You cannotmess up. You are responsible for thosearound you and they are counting on you tolead the way.

This is your time. This is your chal-lenge. Can you handle the pressure?

These are the questions and responsi-bilities that face members of the 1st Platoon,B Troop, 6-9 Armored ReconnaissanceSquadron, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1stCavalry Division’s small-kill teams.

This small group of Soldiers is the pla-toon’s best of the best. It’s their job to lo-cate the enemy; then travel into unwantedterritory to disable any missions anti-Iraqiforces could be planning against their broth-ers-in-arms.

But these Soldiers are hard, dangerousSoldiers who are specifically trained to stopand kill the enemy they face.

“We are here to fight anti-Iraqi forcesand other types of terrorists,” said Cpl. CoryWalter, assistant team leader for dismountteams in the SKT. “We have a lot of themin our area and we’re here to stop them.”

“We watch [the enemy] and try to catchthem in acts of placing IEDs, attacking vil-lages, etc. We try to catch them before theycan hurt us or our troops,” said Spc. Andre

Lobban, a native of Brook-lyn, NY.

“When the insurgentsdon’t know you’re in thearea, they will do bad thingsto those around them or toeventually harm us,” addedWalter. “We’ve seen themtry to plant IEDs and firemortars at us. We have tostop them.”

This tactic of fighting isdifferent than most presentin the Army right now, butthese Soldiers know theirmission is important andneeds to be accomplished soother missions of meetingwith leaders can take place.

“This is a different typeof warfare,” said Walter.“This is not typical, but it needs to be done.

“We try to be more aggressive,” hecontinued. “We could drive around all dayand visit people but we feel like we areachieving a different goal this way. We feelwe are really getting things done out hereby stopping [the enemy] from planting IEDsand other things of that nature.”

Though their missions are not secret,these Soldiers know keeping information onthe down-low will help them with futuremissions.

Though their missions are not secret,these Soldiers know keeping a close hold oninformation will help them with future mis-sions.

“We do our best not to be compromisedor compromise those around us,” addedWalter. “You have to be safe and stayquiet.”

“You’re going behind enemy lines, re-porting what’s happening,” Lobban contin-ued. “Once we see something bad happen,we either neutralize the enemy or we callfor backup forces. We watch the enemy.We are the eyes and ears on the ground.”

But with these Soldiers, fully knowingthe dangers standing before them, stillchoose to take on these tasks and head out-side the wire every day.

“We have received extra training andawesome training that gets us ready for somany things,” said Lobban. “We have greatleadership that trusts us to get the job doneand knows we will go out there and give ourall for the mission.

“I thrive on catching things before they

happen, and I know the other guys feel thesame as well,” he added. “I mean, one-wayfirefights are the best firefights.”

“We like to go out there and catch peo-ple off-guard,” Walter said.

“There was a day when we ambushed amortar team,” he continued. “They weresetting up to fire at our Bradley [FightingVehicles] that was located at an Iraqi Armycheckpoint.

“They didn’t even know we were thereuntil it was too late for them,” he said.“That was a good feeling knowing westopped them from harming our guys. Theycould have gotten lucky and gotten a directhit on one of our Brads or killed any IA sol-diers around. But we stopped that fromhappening.

“That’s why we do this, that’s why thisjob is important,” Walter said.

These Soldiers admit to getting scaredat times, but being scared won’t hinder theirjobs as Soldiers, said Walter.

“You could ‘What if?’ yourself all daylong if you want to,” he said. “All you’regoing to do is worry yourself to death. Yougot to focus on what’s at hand and get thejob done.”

And the next day will be no differentfor the Soldiers of their platoon’s small-killteam. They will pack up and head out thegate to another location, searching for theenemy to make one mistake.

“We’re just doing our job,” said Lob-ban. “I think this is a kickin’ job that we getto do. Not everybody gets to go on the mis-sions we do or see the things that we see.We definitely see a different side of Iraq.”

Cpl. Cory Walter and Spc. Andre Lobban, both of1st Plt., B Trp., 6-9 ARS’s small-kill teams, are mem-bers of a small, elite group of Soldiers who attackthe enemy before the enemy can attack their broth-ers-in-arms, in the Diyala province.



Soldiers with the 3rd Brigade Special TroopsBattalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1stCavalry Division, who were promoted duringthe 3rd BSTB Non-Commissioned Officer In-duction Ceremony, line up to be congratu-lated on their recent accomplishments bythe leaders of the “Gladiator” Battalion.

EAGLE CASH CARD

Photos From the FOB...

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The Grey Wolf - Defense Video & Imagery Distribution … Forces. Greywolf 6 PAGE 2 AUGUST 15, 2007 Commander’s Column ... “It was very good to have Lt. Wassim seeing patients so

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