The Ivy Leaf, volume 1, issue 12

Volume 1, Issue 12 January 21, 2011

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KIRKUSH MILITARY TRAINING BASE, Iraq – With the onset of Operation New Dawn, U.S. Division-North Soldiers transi-tioned from combat operations to an advise and assist role, as-suming the mission to hone the capabilities of Iraqi Army Sol-

diers and provide skills to create a self-sustaining force.Soldiers assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd

Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, are working closely with Iraqi Army soldiers through January at the Kirkush Military Training Base.

“The purpose of KMTB is to strengthen the 5th Iraqi Army Divi-sion,” said Staff Sgt. Cedric McKethan, platoon sergeant assigned to

Company A, 1st Bn., 21st Inf. Regt. “We are shaping this training base into our version of Fort Benning, as this will be an infantry

training school.”Participating in a 25-day training cycle, 3rd Battal-

ion, 21st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division is training as part of Tadreeb Al Shamil, Arabic for All Inclusive

Training, an Iraqi initiative directing IA battalions to train their units to conduct individual and

collective training, developing multiple in-fantry techniques and battle drills.

Before sunrise, Iraqi soldiers

‘Gator’ Soldiers train Iraqi counterparts at KMTB

Soldiers assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, observe Iraqi soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 21st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, conducting platoon movement exercises near Kirkush Military Training Base, Jan. 18, 2011. Beginning at team level, the Iraqi forces are training to improve soldier and leadership skills as part of Tadreeb Al Shamil, Arabic for All Inclusive Training, an Iraqi-directed initiative to train Iraqi battalions to function as a whole, becoming a self-sustaining force at the individual and unit level.

Sgt. Coltin Heller109th MPAD

USD-N Public Affairs

See KMTB, pg. 4

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Coltin Heller, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

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The Ivy Leaf January 21, 2011

U.S. Forces cannot afford to simply check a block in their ongo-ing mission to advise, train and assist Iraqi Security Forces.

When an Iraqi Army battalion commander requested that his troops be trained to sustain their tactical and technical competency, battery commander, Capt. Brian Deiffenbach, looked across his ranks to find a good candidate for the task at hand.

Based upon the recommendation of senior noncommissioned officers assigned to Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Deiffenbach said he selected an NCO with a reputation for taking training to the next level.

Sgt. Nicholas Hellen, a cannon crewmember assigned to Bat-tery A, earned recognition as “Ironhorse Strong” Soldier of the Week for his professionalism instructing Iraqi soldiers of 1st Bat-talion, 17th Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division to correctly conduct unit training.

In preparation for his assignment, Hellen conducted research on the topic, searching online for different approaches to teaching the class.

The NCO, from Ironwood, Mich., also reviewed after action reports from other units and incorporated lessons learned into his training plan.

Once Hellen completed planning, he began training the IA sol-diers, employing a hands-on approach to prepare the Iraqi units to conduct personnel and vehicle searches, and more important, con-tinue the domino effect of a well-executed train-the-trainer style class.

“He’s a very good NCO,” said 1st Sgt. Marvin Walters, Bat-tery A, 2nd Bn., 11th FA Regt., 2nd AAB, 25th Inf. Div. “He has a reserved demeanor and a professional attitude; we use him a lot to train.”

Walters said Hellen knows how to motivate Soldiers and teach-es in a way that keeps the students involved to make sure everyone is paying attention and absorbing the information.

Hellen puts in the time and effort to make sure the class is as informative and effective as possible, he said.

A direct reflection of his attention to detail and professionalism, Hellen set his Iraqi partners on a path to success, said Walters.

Hellen’s commitment to the mission and his exemplary attitude made him this week’s “Ironhorse Strong” Soldier.

THE Ivy LeafThe Ivy Leaf is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army. Contents of The Ivy Leaf are not necessarily official views of, or endorsed by the U.S. Government, Department of the Army or the 4th Infantry Division. The appearance of advertising in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron. All editorial content of The Ivy Leaf is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the United States Division-North Public Affairs Office.

Do you have a story to share? The Ivy Leaf welcomes submissions from readers. Send to the USD-N PAO at [email protected]. The Ivy Leaf reserves the right to edit submissions selected for the paper. For further information on deadlines, questions or comments, email USD-N PAO or call DSN 318-849-0089.

Commanding General – Maj. Gen. David G. PerkinsCommand Sergeant Major – Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Dailey

TF Ironhorse PAO – Lt. Col. Steve WollmanTF Ironhorse PA NCOIC – Master Sgt. Carmen Daugherty-Glaze

The Ivy Leaf Layout & Design – Spc. Thomas Bixler

2nd Advise and Assist Brigade

25th Infantry Division

1st Advise and Assist Task Force

1st Infantry Division

4th Advise and Assist Brigade

1st Cavalry Division

Task Force Ironhorse

Task Force Ironhorse Public Affairs

Page 5 Page 6 Page 8 Page 9

Iraqi, U.S. forces search for extremists in Mosul

IA soldiers participate in Tadreeb Al Shamil, conduct

live-fire exercise at KMTB

‘Wolfhound’ Battalion provides 350 students with an essential-service: Hope

NCO Corps ushers in newly promoted sergeants with

time-honored tradition

Sgt. Nicholas Hellen, a cannon crewmember assigned to Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, planned and conducted thorough training with his Iraqi counterparts to foster good relationships and a professional approach to the advise, train and assist mission. His attention to detail and comprehensive approach to the “train-the-train-er” mission earned him recognition as the “Ironhorse Strong” Soldier of the Week.

U.S. Army Photo

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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Risk management is a methodology of assessment. Applying risk management to everyday tasks and mis-sions allows us to control the probability of accidents or the impact of negative events.

Our goal is to eliminate or mitigate, when possible, all hazards and as such all accidents. Eliminating all hazards from any given course of action is not always pos-sible; however, it is possible to take mea-sures to mitigate all risks.

There are two types of resources that we are concerned with when we talk about accident prevention: human resources and material resources.

Human resources are the troops, civil-ians and contractors that we have on the ground. The human resource is the most valuable resource; it is valued by us, our leaders, Families back home, and the American people, who through the course of the last nine years have invested much into our success.

Material resources are equipment, weapon systems, vehicles and the money invested into our gear. The American peo-ple have provided us with excellent equip-ment with which to do our jobs.

It is imperative that we do not let these resources go to waste due to preventable events. Both human and material resources are extremely difficult and costly to re-place; losing either in any capacity due to a preventable loss is an avoidable burden on our troops, the American people and our nation.

The loss of resources, human or materi-al, is what we must eliminate, or at the very least, strive to take measures to mitigate.

There have been 43 recordable acci-dents in U.S. Division-North since the 4th Infantry Division assumed command of the region. The vast majority, 70 percent of the accidents recorded in U.S. Division-North, fall into the injuries category.

Personal injuries can be sports-related, a result of improper use of equipment or failure to maintain alertness and situational awareness. Injuries to human resources are the most costly to mission accomplishment.

Accidents involving Army motor and combat vehicles are almost always the most costly, from both a monetary and hu-man standpoint. Most vehicle-related acci-dents are caused by excessive speed, lack of driver-experience and the inability to effectively maintain control of the vehicle.

Upon compiling data based on accidents reported to this point in U.S. Division-North, we found certain age and rank de-mographics with disproportionately high numbers of accidents.

The 21 to 33-year-old age group ac-counts for nearly 82 percent of all accidents reported; this is a very wide range.

We analyzed all accidents in U.S. Divi-sion-North in relation to pay grade, and the results are as equally disproportionate as the age demographic. More than 70 percent of all accidents incurred were between the military pay grades of E-3 and E-6.

Another area of focus is specific loca-tions and work environments. Of the many locations where accidents occurred, the majority, 41 percent, occurred in mainte-nance facilities—both established facilities and unit parking areas where operator-level maintenance takes place.

This is due in part to Soldiers’ improper use, or total lack of use of personal protec-tive equipment. Failing to take known pre-cautions, such as using two people to re-move armored body panels from vehicles, or failing to maintain situational awareness when working around areas that could po-tentially become pinch points, increases the risk of injury when an accident occurs.

These are things that are easily mitigat-ed through increased awareness and com-mand enforcement of accident prevention efforts in the workplace, whether it is the motor pool, the office or at a checkpoint.

Not reporting accidents hinders our abil-ity to prevent the same accident from hap-pening again. An estimated 90 percent of all accidents are never reported.

When accidents are not reported there is no documentation of the incident so no data can be analyzed for trends; as a result, no action is implemented to prevent or miti-gate similar accidents from occurring.

We believe that such an overwhelming majority of accidents are not being report-ed for two reasons. First, when an accident results in an injury, Soldiers do not report

the incident out of embarrassment, or fear of punishment from their command. The other, Soldiers and units simply do not un-derstand which circumstances require an accident investigation and report, or they are unaware of the process.

If an accident resulting in an injury oc-curs, and the injury cannot be properly handled within the “confines” of your med-icine chest, it should be reported, investi-gated and documented. Additionally, if a piece of equipment is damaged, the cost of repairs may warrant investigation and documentation.

The fact is, we are going to have some accidents; the goal is to prevent them from taking place, and at the very least, mitigate the risks to reduce the severity or cost of an accident.

No one wants their actions to reflect poorly upon themselves or their unit, which is understandable; however, when you fail to report accidents, no matter how embar-rassing or insignificant, you are actually doing a disservice to your unit and your fellow Soldiers.

Accidents are not always the fault of the Soldier. There are instances where bet-ter training, improved equipment and in-creased awareness are the solution to help the Soldiers improve their ability to do their job and accomplish the mission.

A great example is the large number of vehicle rollovers resulting in injury early in Operation Enduring Freedom and Opera-tion Iraqi Freedom. Those accidents were reported correctly and as a result, there has been an Army-wide effort to use rollover trainers, rollover prevention training and many other initiatives to prevent these ac-cidents from happening.

Our resources, especially the human, are much too valuable to be squandered and lost in accidents that could have been prevented through pre-combat checks, edu-cation and situational awareness.

The important lesson to take away from the research, the results, the awareness and the instruction is that in order for accident prevention methods to be effective, every-one must do their part. Doing your part means being aware of the standard, making your troops aware and perfecting that stan-dard. Reporting accidents should be a stan-dard operating procedure, not an option.

Numbers don’t lie, one is too manyPaul BurnsSafety DirectorU.S. Division-North

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conduct physical training with guidance from “Gator” Sol-diers of Company A, 1st Bn., 21st Inf. Regt. Physical training varies each day, focusing on improving muscle strength and running endurance.

“We instill the importance of physical training to them,” said McKethan, who hails from Fay-etteville, S.C. “It’s essential for a military force to have a good physical training program.”

After PT, Iraqi soldiers eat a quick breakfast and head out for the day’s training, consist-ing of individual and squad-level tasks.

U.S Soldiers teach train-ing lessons covering basic rifle marksmanship skills and

weapons maintenance classes, familiarizing Iraqi soldiers with the M16 rifle, said Sgt. Rob-ert Dunleavy, KMTB instruc-tor and team leader assigned to Company A. “Most of them have never used an M16 before, only the AK-47.”

Under the tutelage of U.S. Division-North Soldiers, the Iraqis learn to become profi-cient at maneuvering squad and company-sized elements, con-ducting patrols through urban and open terrain and clearing buildings.

“At first they didn’t have a solid grasp on how to maneu-ver,” said Dunleavy, a Sum-mersville, S.C., native. “How-ever, they understood the

training and the reasons behind it, and before long they were moving efficiently.”

Originally stationed at For-ward Operating Base Warhorse, 1st Bn., 21st Inf. Regt., 2nd AAB Soldiers moved to KMTB to better facilitate training of Iraqi forces, he added.

“It’s just like teaching our Soldiers, even with the lan-guage barrier, which we over-come,” said Dunleavy. “We have leadership skills that we pass on to them.”

During training exercises, such as squad and company live-fires, instructors inform the Iraqi officers what needs to happen, then observe the Iraqis conducting the training, he said.

The 5th Iraqi Army Divi-sion, involved in “The Battle of the Palm Grove,” in Aug. 2010, determined the need for Iraqi squads and platoons to be proficient when operating in wooded environments, said Dunleavy.

At the request of IA leaders, 2nd AAB Soldiers led a platoon exercise with 3rd IA Div., Jan. 18, to train the soldiers how to maneuver around enemy forces concealed in undergrowth.

“We are teaching them to operate in a palm grove type environment,” said Dunleavy. “They build the terrain models and form the plan they want to execute. If it’s good, we let the platoon leaders take charge, and only step in to make on the spot corrections.”

“It’s very much a ‘train-the-trainer’ course,” he added.

In addition to field craft, Iraqi units also learned logisti-cal operations, supplying and supporting their own operations furthering their self-reliance.

“It’s easy to give them sup-plies, but they need to have those enablers in place to be self-sustaining,” said McK-ethan.

As U.S. forces provide Iraqi Army units the tools necessary to provide a secure and stable country, McKethan said he be-lieves the training will not be in vain.

“It’s great to see the strides the Iraqis are making with the training, and that the efforts of the Soldiers is going to a good cause,” said McKethan.

Continued from KMTB, pg. 1

Staff Sgt. Mark Rimi, squad leader assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, conducts an after action review with Iraqi soldiers as-signed to 3rd Battalion, 21st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, after an iteration of platoon maneuvering exercises near Kirkush Military Training Base, Jan. 18, 2011. The Iraqi-led training, part of a 25-day cycle at KMTB, provided Iraqi soldiers skills needed to execute squad-level tactics in a wooded environment. Company A Soldiers are working with ISF conducting individual and collective infantry tactics training as part of Tadreeb Al Shamil, Arabic for All Inclusive Training. Tadreeb Al Shamil is an Iraqi-led directive for Iraqi Army units to train on tactics and techniques at the squad, platoon, company and battalion-levels.


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Iraqi, U.S. forces search for extremists in Mosul

MOSUL, Iraq – Soldiers from the Stabil-ity Transition Team of Task Force Spear, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, partnered with troops of 6th Bri-gade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division to search for indicators of extremist activity in western Mosul, Jan. 19.

Partnered together, the combined force pursued leads and information provided by residents near the al-Harmat neighborhood of the city.

Iraqi soldiers took the lead for the op-eration, establishing a security cordon and knocking on doors with U.S. forces serving in an advisory role.

U.S. Army Maj. Jason Carter, execu-tive officer of Task Force Spear, said the decreasing role of U.S. forces in such op-erations is a testament to the Iraqi soldiers’ increasing ability to act alone.

“Today was a great example of them demonstrating their capability to conduct these operations autonomously,” said Cart-er, a native of Panama City, Fla. “It reduced the amount of safe havens that the enemy may think they have in western Mosul.”

With U.S. forces change of responsibilities in support of Opera-tion New Dawn, security operations in northern Iraq transitioned to Iraqi Security Forces.

During the patrol, Soldiers of Task Force Spear, 4th AAB ob-served their ISF counterparts as part of ongoing efforts to bolster security for the people of Ninewa province.

“We continue to assist them with everything we have,” said 1st Sgt. Jose Rosario, senior enlisted leader, Task Force Spear, and na-tive of San Juan, Puerto Rico. “We’re looking forward to the next few months to continue to enhance their capabilities.”

Acting on information collected from local residents, the Iraqi Army and U.S. Soldiers searched several abandoned buildings suspected of being insurgent hideouts.

In a display of security presence, senior Iraqi leaders greeted local Iraqis and provided contact information in the event the citi-zens witnessed any unusual activity in their neighborhood.

“It shows that they care,” said Carter. “Not only does it force the enemy out, but it also encourages the populace and lets them know that the Iraqi Security Forces are here for them.”

The information paid off as several Iraqi soldiers discovered coils of wire and possible bomb-making materials, as well as a crawl space in an abandoned house at the edge of the city.

Soldiers of Task Force Spear and 4th AAB remain responsible for building ISF capabilities as much as possible, as aggressively as possible, said Carter.

The 6th Bde., 3rd IA Div. soldiers demonstrated that they are fully adept at carrying out missions in their own areas with mini-mal assistance from U.S. Forces.

Sgt. Shawn Miller109th MPADU.S. Division-North Public Affairs

Federal Police from 6th Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, search and clear an abandoned house in the al-Harmat neighborhood of western Mosul, Jan. 19, 2011. The IA partnered with a U.S. Stability Transi-tion Team from Task Force Spear, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, to search the area for possible clues to insurgent activity following tips from local residents.

U.S. Army Maj. Jason Carter, executive officer of Task Force Spear, 4th Advise and Assist Bri-gade, 1st Cavalry Division, examines possible bomb-making material with Iraqi Staff Col. Ali Yousif, 6th Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division, during a partnered cordon and search mission in western Mosul, Jan. 19, 2011. The IA soldiers led the search mission with assistance from the U.S. Stability Transition Team of Task Force Spear following tips from local residents about possible insurgent activity.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Shawn Miller, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Shawn Miller, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

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KIRKUSH MILITARY TRAINING BASE, Iraq – The rain fell steadily as squads of Iraqi soldiers from 1st Company, 4th Battalion, 21st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a training exercise at Kirkush Military Training Base, Jan 16.

The live-fire exercise took place after two weeks of training during a 25-day rota-tion of Tadreeb Al Shamil, Arabic for All Inclusive Training, at KMTB, where Iraqi soldiers developed multiple infantry squad-level techniques and battle drills.

“This was a culmination event using squad movement and squad react to con-tact techniques,” said Sgt. 1st Class Frank-lyn Rosario, platoon sergeant, Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment., 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. “We oversee squad training and train the Iraqi leadership to be more in-volved.”

Soldiers of Company A instructed Iraqi soldiers on several basic individual and collective infantry skills and tasks prior to the squad live-fire exercise.

“We are teaching them formations and techniques we use, then how to adapt it to their own (techniques, tactics and pro-cedures),” said Rosario, who hails from Providence, R.I.

U.S. Division-North Soldiers taught Iraqi units squad movement techniques, how to perform direct and suppressive fire and how squad elements maneuver under fire.

“It’s all put together out here,” said Sgt. Travis Herman, an instructor and team leader assigned to Company A.

“The training starts with dry runs for familiarization, and then moves on to live-fire,” said Herman.

Squads from the company began each exercise in wedge formation, their feet squelching in the mud as the unit moved forward. Simulated enemy machine gun fire signaled the Iraqi squads to react to contact. Without hesitation the Iraqi sol-diers found cover and concealment, or dropped prone in the muck.

Under direction of the squad leader, the lead team provided suppressive fire as a supporting team flanked the objective. Once both teams established their posi-tions, they bounded through the objective neutralizing the opposition forces.

In addition to movement and fire tech-niques, Iraqi soldiers learned to effectively communicate as teams and squads. The units coordinated their actions using ver-bal commands, hand and arms signals and throwing brightly colored flags.

“Communication between units is vital at all levels,” said Rosario. “Nothing gets done without talking. We stressed its im-

portance with each aspect of the training.”In addition to fire and movement tech-

niques, the 1st Bn., 21st Inf. Regt., “Ga-tor,” Soldiers stressed the leadership of noncommissioned officers, facilitating the IA soldiers’ understanding of the role and command of an NCO within the squad.

“We showed the NCOs how to take charge and plan a mission,” said 1st Lt. Philip Kautz, a native of Melbeta, Neb., and platoon leader assigned to Company A, 1st Bn., 21st Inf. Regt. “After we did that, we stepped back and let them run the training.”

U.S. Soldiers operated in an advise and assist capacity, monitoring range safety and letting the Iraqi NCOs conduct the ac-tual training.

“This training is very good for the sol-diers,” said 2nd Lt. Mahmoud, platoon leader, 4th Company, 4th Bn., 21st Bde. “Thanks to our friends, the U.S. Soldiers, we are all learning valuable skills.”

The exercise provided Iraqi soldiers crucial skills, improving their capabilities overall, said Mahmoud.

Kautz, who works closely with Iraqi units at KMTB, said the Iraqi soldiers of 4th Bn., 5th IA Div., impressed him com-pared to other units that have come through the training site.

“They had more of an individual mind-set at first,” said Kautz. “This training fos-tered esprit de corps and a team concept.”

Kautz, who also speaks Arabic, facilitat-ed communication between U.S and Iraqi troops, as did Mahmoud with his knowl-edge of English.

“It helps to understand the language,” said Mahmoud. “(Kautz) can tell me what needs to happen and I can tell the soldiers.”

“Understanding each other makes the training go more smoothly,” Mahmoud added.

Despite the rain, driving wind and at times ankle deep mud, Iraqi soldiers main-tained discipline and a positive attitude.

“Morale was higher than expected,” said Rosario, with his boots caked in mud. “This is good training as (the Iraqis) must be prepared to operate and adapt in any condition.”

Iraqi Army soldiers participate in Tadreeb Al Shamil, conduct live-fire exercise at KMTB

Sgt. Coltin Heller109th MPADU.S. Division-North Public Affairs

Staff Sgt. Nicholas Cademartori, a native of Hanover, Mass., and squad leader assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, instructs Iraqi Soldiers with 1st Company, 4th Battalion, 21st Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, to lock and clear their weapons after reaching the limit of advance during a squad live-fire exercise at Kirkush Military Training Base, Jan. 16, 2011.


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CONTINGENCY OPERAT-ING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Moving from station to sta-tion, disassembling and reas-sembling weapons, perform-ing weapon function checks, and conducting basic dime and washer drills, Iraqi soldiers from the Commando Com-pany, 49th Brigade, 12th Iraqi Army Division, mastered basic marksmanship skills, Jan. 13, at Contingency Operating Site Warrior near Kirkuk.

Soldiers of Company D, “Diablos,” 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division,

from Fort Riley, Kan., part-nered with IA soldiers conduct-ing several repetitions of the exercises to prepare for the cir-cuit training.

“These drills are to build ba-sic soldiering skills,” said Sgt. Daniel Twomey, squad leader, Company D.

Twomey, a Festus Mo., na-tive, served as the lead instruc-tor for the exercises.

“Weapons training is a building block of becoming a soldier, if they don’t know their weapon then it’s useless in combat,” said Twomey, who served as the lead instructor for the exercises.

The “Diablos” set up three different training stations where each IA soldier trained and tested their skills.

Iraqi Commandos paired with U.S. Soldiers who provid-ed assistance through each sta-tion ensuring their Iraqi coun-terparts properly executed the required tasks.

The first station of the circuit consisted of clearing an AK-47, a task necessary for proper weapon safety. Learning to properly clear the weapon, the IA soldiers also learned how to react to possible weapon mal-functions.

U.S. Soldiers also taught the commandos the proper way to check an AK-47 for proper op-eration—a process known as a function check.

The second station consisted of basic dime and washer drills, focusing on the basic funda-mentals of rifle marksmanship.

Each commando assumed an unsupported prone position, while a U.S. Soldier carefully balanced a dime or washer at the end of the barrel of the rifle.

The students then employed the fundamentals of marksman-ship—proper sight alignment, controlled breathing, and slow smooth trigger squeeze—to keep the dime or washer bal-anced on the barrel.

IA soldiers complete sev-eral consecutive iterations of squeezing the trigger with the dime or washer remaining bal-anced on the rifle, before mov-ing to the next station.

At the third station, IA sol-diers disassembled and reas-sembled the AK-47, learning to properly maintain their weapon, conducting cleaning and main-tenance to ensure the weapon works best when needed.

“This training was very helpful. The U.S. Soldiers taught me everything I need to know about the AK-47,” said Raheef Majd Jrah, a commando serving with the 49th IA.

Jrah said he feels confident that he will be able to operate the weapon during a fire fight with the enemy due to the train-ing he received.

“This training was a suc-cess and I hope the IA takes these basic AK-47 rifle skills, masters them, and uses them in their daily duties as Iraqi Army soldiers,” said Twomey.

49th IA Brigade soldiers master the AK-47

Pvt. Alyxandra McChesney1st AATF Public Affairs1st Inf. Div., USD-N

Raheef Majd Jrah, a commando serving with Commando Company, 49th Brigade, 12th Iraqi Army Division, practices a “dime and washer drill” learning basic rifle marksmanship with the AK-47 rifle during training near Kirkuk, Iraq Jan. 13, 2011. Jrah completed the drill successfully three times in succession, correctly employing the techniques of fundamental marksmanship. Led and instructed by U.S. Soldiers of Company D, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, Jrah said after the day of training he felt confident in his ability to use the rifle during combat.

‘Diablos’ conduct weapons circuit training at COS Warrior

U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Alyxandra McChesney, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N

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CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – “Wolfhound” Soldiers assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, attended the opening of a new school in the rural village area of Abu Quodal, southeast of Tikrit, Iraq, Jan 16.

The newly constructed school provides a modern and accessible facility for more than 350 students in the village made up predominately of farming families.

“The local villagers have been grossly neglected in regards to education in the area for quite some time now,” said 1st Lt. Allen Rooney, platoon leader, Company B, 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Regt.

Prior to the Wolfhound Soldiers open-ing the new school, the closest schoolhouse was located in the distant, more urban vil-lage of Ad Dawr Qada, he said.

“In the past, many children did not have easy access to education,” said Assim Ali, an Iraqi contractor, who worked with local Iraqi leaders and the Soldiers of 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Regt. to facilitate the building of the new school.

Due to the distance from any school, most of the children in the rural area could not attend, and focused on farming instead, Ali said.

Upon recognizing the village area’s need for improved education facilities, U.S. forces provided the local Iraqi govern-ment with a grant to support the building of an entirely new school.

The location of the school enables stu-dents to attend class on a regular basis and receive an education from professional teachers, Ali added.

“The project will help mitigate the over-crowding of the schools in the neighboring villages, and greatly decreases the distance that students have to travel to attend class,” said Rooney, a native of Madison, N.J.

A new learning environment means new opportunities, said Ali, also adding that a formal education can help students im-prove their living conditions and circum-

stances for the future.“Hopefully the students will take pride

in their new school and be inspired to con-tinue beyond a basic level of education,” said Rooney. “This project represents so much for these students.

“It immediately improves their qual-ity of life by taking them off of the farm and putting them into a modern, well-kept learning environment each day,” he said. “It also gives them the opportunity for higher education and a significant career.”

Rural farm villages, like Abu Quodal, are far behind the more developed urban areas with regards to living conditions and essential-services, such as education, infra-structure, and water accessibility, said Ali.

Wolfhound Battalion’s contributions are helping in the effort to get these villages the assistance they require, he said.

Following the ceremony, U.S. Soldiers distributed school supplies, collected and donated by Families of 1st Bn., 27th Inf. Regt.

Since deploying in support of Operation New Dawn, Rooney’s platoon assumed re-sponsibility for the area, working with Iraqi Security Forces to provide security for the local communities and overseeing projects like the building of the school.

“This project is kind of like our baby,” said Rooney.

“We have all gotten involved in this, in-cluding our Families back home,” he said. “We are glad to have seen this one through to the end.”

‘Wolfhound’ Battalion provides 350 students with an essential-service: HopeSgt. David Strayer109th MPADU.S. Division-North Public Affairs

Children of varying ages gather together outside one of the classrooms at the newly built school facility in the rural Abu Quodal Village southeast of Tikrit, Iraq, Jan 16, 2011. Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, worked with local Iraqi leaders and contractors to facilitate the building of the new school to provide a place of learning for more than 350 students living in the rural area of the Abu Quodal Village region. Soldiers of 2nd AAB, 25th Inf. Div. supervised the building of the new school, providing elementary to high school age children in the farming community an opportunity for an education.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Strayer, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

9


NCO Corps ushers in newly promoted sergeants with time-honored tradition

CONTINGENCY OPERAT-ING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Senior enlisted leaders of Division Special Troops Battal-ion, 4th Infantry Division wel-comed U.S. Division-North’s newest sergeants into the ranks of the U.S. Army’s Corps of Noncommissioned Officers during an induction ceremony at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Jan. 17.

The sergeants major con-ducted the NCO Induction Cer-emony, the first hosted by the DSTB in more than two years, to demonstrate to the junior NCOs the importance of val-ues and traditions in the Army’s NCO Corps.

The NCO Induction Cer-emony embodies the spirit and tradition of the Corps of the NCO, said Sgt. Maj. Mari Sidwell, 4th Infantry Division and U.S. Division-North Intel-ligence sergeant major.

“It is all about the tradition of the Corps,” said Sidwell. “The ceremony itself cannot be found in any Army doctrine; it is an oral tradition that is passed from one battalion sergeant ma-jor to the next.”

During the ceremony, the inductees crossed the Line of Authority, signed the Charge of the NCO, and signed the Battal-ion NCO Registry.

As each junior sergeant ap-proached the Line of Author-ity, a senior NCO called their name, requesting the Soldier be officially accepted into the Corps of the NCO.

The Line of Authority is a cloth with the ranks of the NCO sewn onto it; stepping over it is

the first part of the induction process, said Sidwell, who or-ganized the ceremony.

“When you cross that line, you are accepting all of the re-sponsibility that goes with be-ing an NCO in the Army,” said Command Sgt. Major Keith Moore, battalion command sergeant major, DSTB, 4th Inf. Div. “You are accepting that you have been chosen to lead and be counted on by your su-periors.”

The DSTB NCO Registry is passed down from sergeant major to sergeant major, re-maining a part of the battalion’s history despite the changing of commands, said Moore, who led the ceremony.

Soldiers who signed the reg-istry during the DSTB NCO Induction Ceremony reserved a place in the history of the bat-talion.

“The ceremony is not only a celebration of the Soldiers who have been promoted, it is a celebration of the NCO Corps and the responsibilities that come with joining the Corps,” Sidwell said. “The (NCOs) go from being the led, to being the leaders.”

“It was a humbling experi-ence to be amongst all of the senior NCOs at once,” said Sgt. William Hoage, forward observer, Company A, DSTB. “The transformation really dawns on you when you ‘of-ficially’ become recognized as being an NCO. There is a lot of pride involved.”

The ceremony concluded with all NCOs present reciting the Creed of the Noncommis-sioned Officer.

The NCO Creed is a corner-stone for all NCOs, explained Sidwell.

No matter the situation, ser-geants can look to the words of the Creed, a cornerstone for all Army NCOs, explained Sidwell.

“The NCO Creed is one guide that I will keep fresh in my memory at all times dur-ing my career as an NCO,”

said Hoage, a native of Arvada, Colo.

At the start of the ceremony, junior sergeants stood before their senior leaders; by the end of the ceremony only members of the Army’s NCO Corps, “the Backbone of the Army,” could be found.

Sgt. David Strayer109th MPADUSD-N Public Affairs

Sgt. Gregory Lefevre, a military intelligence noncommissioned officer, Company B, Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, leads his peers in the reciting of the Creed of the Noncommissioned Officer during the DSTB NCO Induction Ceremony at Contingency Op-erating Base Speicher, Iraq, Jan. 17, 2011. Lefevre, recently selected as the DSTB NCO of the Quarter, took center stage to lead the group of junior leaders in completing a chapter in the history of DSTB deployed in support of Operation New Dawn as part of U.S. Division-North.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Strayer, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

10


CONTINGENCY OPERAT-ING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Members of 256th Combat Support Hospital, working at the physical therapy clinic at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, help keep U.S Divi-sion-North Soldiers at 100 per-cent medical readiness.

The 256th CSH is respon-sible for several medical facili-ties across USD-N including three physical therapy clinics.

“We are a very busy clinic. In fact, we see close to 50 per-cent of all of the patients that come through the CSH here on COB Speicher,” said 1st Lt. Michael Lohse, a physical ther-apist with the 256th CSH.

The clinic serves a vital role in keeping Soldiers in the fight and off profile, said Lohse, a native of Ettrick, Wis.

“We are here for the Sol-diers,” said Lohse. “Our entire mission here at the clinic is to provide Soldiers with the treat-ment they need to overcome in-juries and get back to function-ing at 100 percent.”

The majority of patients seeking treatment at the PT clinic have injuries incurred during physical training, said Lohse.

“Many injuries that occur during physical training or sports activities are prevent-able,” he said. “In fact, injury prevention is a major concern right now in the Army for medi-cal personnel.”

Lohse, who periodically

leads a seminar on injury pre-vention and how the muscu-loskeletal system works, said that core strength and balance training should be incorporated into Soldiers’ physical training schedule.

Core strength and balance training can help relieve lower back pain and prevent injuries to joints like the ankle and knee, said Lohse.

“You have to take care of your body,” said Spc. Brian Neill, a combat medic special-izing in physical therapy with the 256th CSH. “If you want to have the same pain-free body 50 years from now, you have to be conscious of injuries and how to prevent them.”

In a perfect world, all inju-ries would be prevented, but in the real world, if aches and pains are encountered, ex-

plained Neill, it is best to seek advise and treatment before they can become a more seri-ous problem.

While the Army is making a huge push for injury prevention and awareness, injuries are go-ing to occur, said Neill, a native of Columbus, Ohio.

When Soldiers are injured, self-diagnosis and self-medi-cating are not the answer, he said.

“We encourage people to get treatment if they have a prob-lem,” said Lohse. “The best pa-tients we get are the ones who realize they have an injury and want to be rehabilitated, so they can return to 100 percent duty and remain a part of the (mis-sion) in U.S. Division-North,” said Lohse.

Physical therapy clinic keeps U.S. Division-North Soldiers strongSgt. David Strayer109th MPADUSD-N Public Affairs

1st Lt. Michael Lohse, a physical therapist and the officer in charge of the Physical Therapy clinic at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, helps a patient perform stretches to relieve lower back pain Jan. 13, 2011. Lohse discussed core strength exercises with the Soldier as a way to alleviate lower back pain. The 2565h CSH assumed the mis-sion, Dec. 24, 2010, to provide medical services for Soldiers of U.S. Division-North deployed in support of Operation New Dawn.

1st. Lt. Michael Lohse, the officer in charge of the Physical Thera-py clinic at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, suggests possi-ble remedies for lower back pain to a patient Jan. 13, 2011. Lohse, of Ettrick, Wis., is assigned to the 256th Combat Support Hospital, responsible for the operation of the COB Speicher Physical Therapy clinic. The 256th CSH, an Army Reserve unit based out of Twinsburg, Ohio, is responsible for three physical therapy clinics operating in U.S. Division North.

U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. David Strayer, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. David Strayer, 109th MPAD, USD-N PAO

11


All of us will experience grief at some point in our lives. In fact, the truth is that each of us will experience grief many times throughout our adult lives.

Most of us think that grief is something that we go through when someone close to us dies, but grief is much more than that.

A person can experience grief any time they suffer a loss. If someone loses their job, they may grieve. If you suffer the loss of a friendship, you may grieve. Lose your marriage, and you will probably grieve. Lose a Family pet, and the whole Family may grieve.

The intensity of grief is largely determined by the depth of the connection a person feels to that which they have lost. If I lose my job at the burger joint after a week of work, I will not likely experi-ence much grief at all. However, if I lose my military career at the fifteen year mark, the grief may be profound!

Any significant loss causes an invisible injury to our emotional center. Grief is the healing process that helps us recover. This pro-cess is sometimes mysterious, but it does not need to be.

To help us to better understand how we deal with loss, it may be helpful to compare the invisible grief process to the healing process one goes through with a visible, tangible, physical injury.

With a physical injury there is the initial shock, followed by that split second of numbness, followed by a wave of pain.

We have all been there! We then immobilize the injury, bandage it up to protect it, and try to keep from using the injured part as our body gradually heals.

If you can see grief as following a similar pattern, you can take some of the mystery out of the process.

There are five stages to the grief process, and like recovering from a physical injury, it takes time for our injured hearts to fully recover.

Like the trauma often associated with a physical wound, some of these steps are not pretty … but they are normal and should not be stifled.

Here are some guidelines for all of us to remember when it is our turn to grieve, or understand with someone who is grieving:

Do: Talk and express your feelings, even if they are painful.Don’t: Trivialize someone’s loss by saying things like “It is OK.” Do: Understand that grief is perfectly normal and necessary.Don’t: Say…”Don’t cry;” “Don’t be angry.” Do: Allow a person the freedom to go through all the steps at their own pace.Don’t: Push a person by telling them what to think, say, or feel. Do: Eat and rest, grief takes a lot of energy.Don’t: Leave a person suffering from significant grief alone. A few Family members or close friends are essential.

When it is your turn to grieve—and your turn will come—do not go through grief alone.

Whether deployed, or at home, you are never far from people who can help.

In today’s military, your unit chaplains or mental health profes-sionals deploy with you and are always available.

At home you are never more than a phone call away from some-one to talk to.

The best medicine for painful grief is time spent with another person. You may be the right person to help a friend … all you need to do is listen, and be there. No answers required, just a good set of ears and some time. As long as you understand the process, you can be a tremendous help.

Dave Roever brings message of hope to

COB SpiecherDave Roever, a public speaker dedicated to shar-

ing his message of faith, hope and healing to Soldiers and veterans, will speak at the Contingency Operating Base Speicher North Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at 7:00 a.m. Jan. 31.

Roever, who sustained major burns to most of his body while serving in Vietnam, uses his story of faith and recovery to encourage veterans suffering from physical, emotional and spiritual wounds.

An inspirational speaker, Roever demonstrates resiliency to Soldiers all over the world, showcasing man’s ability for post-traumatic growth.

Good Grief!Chaplain’s Corner:

Chaplain Lt. Col. Jeffrey HoustonU.S. Division-North Chaplain

5 Stages of Grief1. Denial: Initial failure to accept the loss, “I cannot be-

lieve this is happening to me!”

2. Anger: Wanting to fight back, anger at God, intense pain.

3. Bargaining: Trying to figure out how to undo the loss. “If only I could have been there.”

4. Depression: Overwhelming feelings of remorse, frus-tration, and sadness.

5. Acceptance: Finding comfort and allowing your heart to heal. Our goals turn toward personal growth.

12


“Hey Doc: I’ve been hear-ing a lot about ‘core stability’ and how it will keep me from hurting my back. I’ve heard that sit-ups are bad for your back and don’t add to core sta-bility? Why are we still doing sit-ups? Are there exercises I can do to strengthen my core?” - signed “Tired of Sit-ups”

Dear “Tired of Sit-ups,”It’s the middle event on the

Army Physical Fitness Test. This two minutes of gut-wrenching effort known as the sit-up has been a part of physi-cal fitness testing for genera-tions of Soldiers.

Training Circular 3.22-20 Army Physical Readiness Training states “the sit-up event measures the endurance

of the abdominal and hip flexor muscles.”

Required to be read before every APFT, it is indeed true … to a point. Although a very good measure of the endurance of some abdominal muscles, it is a very poor test of others that are even more important for high performance and injury prevention.

Let’s set aside tradition and consider a more complete pro-gram for training core muscles.

Your core has muscles that support your spine and pelvis. Skeletal muscles either move or prevent movement at joints around which they live.

Everyone knows that mus-cles create movement. Less obvious, though, is the “brak-ing” force that muscles apply to joint movement. Without braking, nearly all movement would be extremely sloppy and potentially dangerous.

Around the core, the brak-ing action of the trunk muscles is extremely important. First, the spine and pelvis are the base of attachment for many muscles that power the arms and legs.

Without a strong, stable base of support, using these muscles is like pushing an ob-ject while on roller skates. Sec-ondly, your center of gravity is within your core area. Keeping it there leads to balanced, skill-ful movement.

It doesn’t take electrodes and high-speed cameras to see that the sit-up is primarily about movement and not the braking of movement. From the word “Go,” Soldiers pull their trunk off the ground and flop back as rapidly as pos-sible. If this is your only core muscle training, you can’t safely manage forces acting on your spine.

To build core stability, add exercises that strengthen your other trunk muscles. The Army’s new physical fitness manual, TC 3.22-20, introduc-es four new exercises called “Four for the Core”.

Perform these exercises in a slow, controlled manner with emphasis on precision of movement and hold time. Don’t worry about repetitions.

Instead, stop and change exercises when proper form cannot be held due to muscle fatigue.

Second, compensate for the ill effects of doing too many sit-ups, too rapidly. “Unload” your spine through back stretches and prevent muscle tightness in your hip flexors by also stretching those muscles. A perfect stretch to do after sit-ups is the “back extension stretch.”

Since sit-ups will still be a part of the APFT for the fore-seeable future, you still need to do them in your workouts. Add “Four for the Core” exercises and back extension stretching to your training program to prevent injury and maintain medical readiness.

So, Tired of Sit-ups, see your healthcare provider for a handout or contact me if you have any more questions or need more information.

For more information on “Four for the Core” exercises, visit the Official Department of the Army Publications and Forms Web site and download TC 3.22-20 Army Physical Readiness Training at https://armypubs.us.army.mil/doc-trine/DR_pubs/dr_aa/pdf/tc3_22x20.pdf

Work on your core stability, Taskforce Ironhorse, and keep those questions coming!

Hey Doc: What is core stability?1st Lt. Michael LohsePhysical Therapy Clinic256th CSH

A Soldier performs the “Quadraplex,” a “Four for the Core” excercise, by repeating the following steps: The starting position is on your hands and knees with the back flat. Contract the abdominal muscles as described in the bent-leg raise, an exercise to improve core stability. Without rotating the trunk or sagging or arching the spine, straighten the left leg to the rear and the right arm to the front. Hold for at least five seconds, recover to the starting position, then return to the quadraplex. The goal is to hold each quadra-plex position (left and right) for 60 seconds each. Alternate the arm and leg movements on subsequent repetitions, repeating for one minute. The key to this exercise is controlled lowering and raising of the op-posite arm and leg while keeping the rest of the body aligned and still.

TC 3.22-20 Army Physical Readiness Training

The Ivy Leaf, volume 1, issue 12

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