Task Force Sapper Eagle Quarterly Newsletter #2

FROM THE TASK FORCE COMMANDER

TASK FORCE SAPPER EAGLE

Notes From The

Eagle’s Nest

24 JUNE 2011. An extremely warm welcome to all of our Fam-ily and Friends from Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Time has flown since the 326th Engineer Battalion (minus the 887 EN Company) departed from Fort Campbell in late January. Since that time, we have become fully operational in Iraq with expanded responsibilities of running the last remaining engineer battalion task force – rest assured that we are meeting and succeeding at all of the challenges that this deployment brings to us. Our Soldiers continue to impress me and CSM Hart every day with their dedication to each other, to our mission here in Iraq,

and with their devoted service to our Army and our great Nation. Whether

on a bridge or construction site, on a convoy getting supplies from one point to another, in the motor pool maintaining vehicles, or doing a myriad of other jobs, our Soldiers are get-ting the job done every day and are doing extremely well. CSM Hart and I routinely travel around to visit the companys that work directly for Task Force Sapper Eagle – here are just a few things to share with you from those visits:

591ST EN CO – The “We Strike” company is excelling and its Soldiers are ensur-ing the roads are clear of IEDs. Congratulations to SPC Hutchinson and PFC Mead – we recognized PFC Mead who earned the Combat Medic Badge for his actions following an IED strike on one of our vehicles several months ago, and we also recognized SPC Hutchinson with the Combat Action Badge (CAB) for his actions following an IED strike. Additionally, 1LT Gustavson was promoted to Captain.

299th EN CO/74th EN CO – We recently said goodbye to the 299th EN CO, the

Task Force’s lone bridging company. They performed superbly while de-ployed here and we recognized all Soldiers with their end of tour awards. We welcome the 74th EN CO Soldiers – the “River Rats” - and know that they will succeed and do well – they recently spent one day removing a military bridge that had been in place for several years in northern Iraq. SGT McCravey from Killeen, Texas was an indis-pensable leader throughout this entire mission.

511th EN CO – We recently recognized the change of command where CPT Cory Hoeksema relinquished command

to CPT Brian Walker. The “Reapers” of the 511th continue to do great things by working closely with Iraqi Army Engineers to build their capacity. PFC MacMillian and SPC Smith, R, recently received a commander’s coin for success on mission; SGT Vargus and SPC Velishek earned NCO and Soldier of the Month honors, respectively; SPC Artz was also a previous Soldier of the Month winner and he earned the 2/1 BDE Soldier of the Quarter. Recent promotees include CPT Putnam, SPC Ames, SPC Peay, SPC Morris, SPC Reed, and PFC Olsen. Recent

HHC 4

FSC 5

34th Sapper Co 6

74th MRBC 7

82nd ESC 8

391st Sapper Co 9

511st Sapper Co 10

591st Sapper Co 11

Chaplain 12

Doc’s Corner 13

CSM/PAO 14

Inside this Issue

Volume 1, Issue 2

JULY 1, 2011

Above: LTC Kinsman gives a speech before the 591st

Sapper Co.

Volume 1, Issue 2

awardees include CPT Putnam - Army Commendation Medal for great work at the NTC, SPC Dalton for great work during this deployment, and PFC Woodruff for upgrading a vehicle antenna to improve

capability. Great job to all!

617th EN CO / 82nd EN CO – In April, we welcomed the 82nd EN CO from Hawaii who replaced the 617th EN CO. The 82nd EN CO got to work right away and is making a difference across Iraq by conducting upgrades on our bases and checkpoints used by our Soldiers. CPL Collins is a vehicle operator and has been doing great work by moving construction equipment safely to where it is needed. Additionally, we recently attended an award and promo-tions ceremony; PFC Brownell was promoted to Specialist, and the following Soldiers earned the Good Conduct Medal: SPC Fortier, SPC Gomez, SPC JonMichael, SPC Robinson, SPC Swank, SPC White, SPC Wilson, SPC Osorno, and SGT Dillon. 391st EN CO – Team “Hollywood” continues to excel. CPT Strong invited us to a surprise party and BBQ honoring 1SG Paulin – we celebrated his 50th birthday and the completion of 30 years of ser-

vice in the Army (1SG Paulin: “1981 baby…great year!!”). CSM Hart and I also recognized the following Soldiers with the award of the Combat Action Badge: CPL Andrews, SPC Ray, SPC Weyn, PFC

Watts, SPC Christensen, SPC Ellis, PFC Engel, 1LT Putnam, and PV2 Bailey. All of the Soldiers are doing great, but I want to recognize SPC Ray; during a mission in May to retrieve an Assault Float Bridge on the Tigris River, SPC Ray eliminated an enemy insurgent who had attacked the bridge removal crew. His ac-tions on this day, his dedicated work ethic, and his constant positive attitude set the example for all of us – job well done!

FSC – The "Gorilla Pack" has been busy supporting the Task Force with maintenance, transportation, and DFAC

operations. The "Distro" platoon has been essential in moving large equipment and supplies between bases. The maintenance platoon continues to do an incredible job keeping our vehicles and other equipment opera-tional. I recently spent a morning working with SGT Stoves and SPC Turner, Robert, performing an annual service on one of our large Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles - MRAPs - and came away with an increased appreciation for all of the great work done by our mechanics!

HHC – The Headhunters are continuing to support with the staff and through the PSD – the Personal Security

Detail for CSM and myself – in other words, the Soldiers that ensure we get around Iraq safely. We attended several recent promotion and awards ceremonies: recent promotees to Sergeant include SGT Magofna (who reenlisted as well), SGT Kolb, SGT Dixon, SGT Phillips, and SGT Reichlin; recent promotees to Specialist include SPC Romo, SPC Henderson, and SPC Hoffman. SPC Henderson was recognized with an Army Achievement Medal for fantastic support on several missions with the PSD. SPC Johnson and SPC Vega earned the Good Conduct Medal for three years of exemplary service. Congratulations to all!!

34th EN CO – Team “Titan” continues to do great things – they conducted a successful move to a new base in

southern Iraq and are ensuring that the roads are clear of IEDs. 1LT Plotkin arrived to take over 3rd Platoon and is now on the job; he replaces newly promoted CPT Wyatt who works in our S3 shop. Critical to operations in the 34th has been CPL Barker who has performed superbly working in the company opera-tions center – his positive attitude and commitment to getting the job done correctly have solved numerous challenges. Additionally, SPC Berry has done a fan-tastic job by utilizing his extensive knowledge of con-struction to help the 34th become fully operational. Job well done!

Above: LTC Kinsman stands with 1LT Waters watch-

ing the attaching of chains to a bucket loader.

Right: LTC Kinsman talks with local Iraqi children

during a large operation in the area.

Task Force Commander

Notes From The Eagle’s Nest

Task Force Sapper Eagle Leader’s Conference – We re-cently brought all company commanders and first sergeants to Balad for a leader’s conference. After briefings during the day, we recog-nized the following Soldiers during the leaders dinner: newly promoted to Captain: CPT Stephen Kraus, CPT Jon Parnell, CPT Paul Wyatt, CPT Bobby Howell, CPT Jim Hankins, and CPT Drew Blakemore. I also recognized CSM Hart for successful completion of 49 years (Happy Birthday!)…of which 29.22 years were in service to the Engi-neer Regiment. And lastly, I recognized MAJ Steve Rhudy’s out-standing performance in over 16 years of service to the Engineer Regiment by presenting him the Bronze de Fluery Medal. On Sunday the 19th in recognition of Father’s Day, we sponsored a 5 Kilometer run open to all units here on Joint Base Balad.

So, all in all, you should be proud of your Soldiers serving here in Iraq. They are incredible young men and women and every day I am in awe over their tremendous selfless service for a cause greater than themselves. While violence is much reduced when compared to several years ago, Iraq remains a dangerous place to serve. As you may have read in the news, many different factions in Iraq are currently vying for some measure of control upon the departure of US Forces at the end of year. We continue to make every effort to protect our Soldiers through continued training, proper rehearsals, and ensuring that we always wear our protective gear when leaving our bases. Speaking of departure, over the last month, I have talked to almost all of the Soldiers in the Task Force about the future. I’ve reinforced to them that as members of the US military, we must remain flexible and ready to respond to change. And as of this writing, we are finalizing our plans to ensure that all US troops are out of Iraq by the end of Decem-ber. What this means for us is that some base facilities will be closing which means that life will become more austere and a bit more difficult – services like the movie theatre, internet connectivity, coffee shops, and even the PX will close as we get closer towards the end of our mission. However, if a political agreement is reached between the US and Iraq, then we could end up keeping a troop presence in this country – which will mean that our plans will adjust as necessary. Either way, we are all planning on a one year deployment. Regardless of any political changes, we will complete our mission and get the job done well! We continue to utilize the Army’s Rest and Recuperation (RnR) program to allow for a much needed break. RnR is a risky time for our Soldiers – and I try to emphasize to them that they should not try to fit “everything” missed out on since the beginning of the deployment into a 15 day leave period. Think moderation and be safe! Lastly, I want to say thank you to all of you – the devoted families and friends of all of our Soldiers. I strongly be-lieve that our families and friends serve as well and I’m grateful for all you do at home that allows us to focus on our mis-sion here in Iraq. You are the ones that are keeping the home fires burning as most of you pick up additional responsibili-ties that our Soldiers have left behind – whether it’s the additional “jobs” of being both Mom AND Dad, maintaining the fam-ily finances, mowing the lawn, or the countless other small things…we THANK YOU for your service, your help, and for being a wonderful part of our Engineer Family. Best regards from Joint Base Balad. Sapper Eagles! Pat Kinsman LTC, EN Commander, Task Force Sapper Eagle

Left: LTC Kinsman crossing the finish line at the

Father’s Day 5K Run

Right: MAJ Morgan stands next to the recent promotees

CPT Kraus, CPT Parnell, CPT Hankins, CPT Wyatt, CPT

Howell, CPT Blakemore.

Task Force Commander

Volume 1, Issue 2

Dear “Headhunter” Family & friends,

As I sit here and write this letter, we are finally at the mid way point of this de-ployment. We continue to face challenges and difficult moments on a daily basis, but our Soldiers continue to come together as a team to get through it all. We have made huge accomplishments over the last few months of the deployment. Recently, our company has undergone some significant personnel changes. I look forward to each of these with enthusiasm, as each new Sol-dier who comes to the battalion brings their own unique experiences and abilities, en-hancing our effectiveness as a unit. Con-

versely, every outstanding officer and Sol-dier who departs our ranks takes the “Headhunter” ethos out to share with the rest of the Army. Again, thanks for all the support from the people back home. Keep sending mail to the Soldiers. Every time mail comes in, the Soldiers are like little children on Christ-mas morning. They can’t wait to see what is in the new packages they have. Thanks again for all the support you provide! -CPT Weaver, HHC Company Commander

Below: CPT Weaver promotes a new NCO SGT Pope.

Right: CPT

Diaz re-enlists

SGT Hayes.

Above: SPC Romo Passes a baton to SPC Johnson during the

Castle Fitness Challenge

Above: PSD poses with Iraqi children during one of their many

missions.

Headquarters and Headquarters Company


Above: FSC outplays HHC during a game of softball on JBB.

Right: CPT Hougnon shakes hands with the newly promoted CPT

Saintjuste.

Forward Support Company

Greetings from the Forward Support Company Commander.

Your Soldiers have made a huge impact on Operation New Dawn. Unfortunately I cannot talk about the specifics, but as you know the Distribution Platoon has been very busy moving vehicles, equipment, and supplies across the battlefield supporting Task Force Sapper Eagle. The Maintenance Platoon has constantly stayed busy caring for and repairing the de-graded and battered fleet of equipment that has endured eight years of Operation Iraqi Freedom missions. We also have our field feeding team that runs an entire Dining Facility, managing the workers that serve thousands of meals every day. The Headquarters Platoon continues to ensure that the mighty Go-

rilla Pack is running smoothly, and gets their mail!

Spirits are high around here, despite that some of the fa-cilities are closing down such as the movie theater and restau-rants. As a reminder to you back home, Iraq is drawing down, so many of the amenities and comforts that we have will go away over time. So keep sending those care packages! Our en-vironment changes rapidly out here, and that means the condi-

tions for the Soldiers will as well. I’ll do my best to keep you informed as to major im-pacts that may or will affect the Soldiers. So far, the reduc-tions are minimal and have not significantly impacted the

quality of life.

Here are some fun facts about the deployment so far: I have had the honor to present 19 Soldiers with awards, promote 15 Soldiers, and we’ve had 5 Soldiers re-enlist. In our limited free time we also play some softball in the league out here. Our team, which has different players on it every week, always plays everyone that comes out so everyone can enjoy our nation’s favorite pastime. We also

had our first official out-of-the-park homerun this month as well, and we beat our rival team, the HHC “Headhunters!” I am looking forward to the rest of the deployment as it is going to

be an exciting time with a lot of changes that you and

your Soldiers will be able to see.

-CPT Hougnon, Forward Support Company

Commander

Above: The Gorilla Pack

Above: SPC Adame buddy carries

his buddy during an exercise.

Volume 1, Issue 2 34th Sapper Company

Titan Families, thank you for the Happy Father’s Day wishes and letters to all the Titan fathers this month! It is al-ways a great feeling knowing our families support us as much as you do. June has been a month of change for the 34th Sap-per Company. Since late May the Titans have been “on-the-run” and the dust has yet to settle (literally and figuratively). Since the May edition of Titan Times, we have settled in a new home, gained another set of bosses, and are in the process of a com-pany change of command in early July. All these changes may have been a distraction to others but for the Titans it has served as a shot of adrenaline into our operational focus and galvanized our sense of pride in completing the mission and en-suring the roads in Iraq are safe.

By the end of May the Titans were told to move in order to provide route clearance support to a Cavalry Brigade in southern Iraq. Packing containers and moving vehicles was not especially fun when temperatures reached triple digits, but the time flew by as we executed the order. In true “Sapper” fashion we packed up our gear quickly, lived out of our ruck-sacks for nearly a month and began setting up in preparation for a new mission for the remaining portion of our deployment. We have a new Company Command Post, new barracks

rooms, and a new chow hall to break up the monotony of THE SAME THING EVERY DAY. Despite the amenities of a new operating base, the excitement, the heat, the sand fleas, and the occasional dust storms the new base reminded us we were still in Iraq, just a little farther south.

Friends, it is going to be hard for me to say goodbye as CPT Toole and I prepare for the upcoming change of command. The 34th has given me so much: laughter, funny stories at NTC, a fired-up First Sergeant, squared-away Soldiers, awesome PT, and especially great leaders whom I know will carry on the Titan legacy throughout their Army careers. I wanted nothing more this deployment than to walk the Titans off the airplane but CPT Travis Toole will be afforded that opportunity. He and his wife Meg bring a new state of mind to the company: one prepared to carry on the Titan’s successes during

the final chapter of Operation New Dawn and into the 2012 back in Hawaii. CPT Toole will be successful because he has a great 1SG, XO, and supporting case of junior leaders and Soldiers prepared to carry on the mission and support him just as they have for me. Despite the changes, the Titans have had quite a few things to celebrate in late May and June. Congratulations to former SPC Kempf who was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 01 JUN 11. In his time in the 34th, SGT Kempf has shown poise and maturity and has proven he is ready for a higher level of responsibility. Addition-ally, SGT Dalia, and SPC Walker received Army Achievement Medals for their hard work preparing and executing the company move. Even though everyone had a hand in the move, those individuals burnt the midnight oil to ensure our equipment and personnel landed in Adder without delay. Finally, we welcomed a new Titan to the 34th Sapper Company family in early June: 1LT Alex Plotkin is now the new 3rd Platoon Leader for the company. He has only been on ground for a couple of weeks but has already had proven himself an instant con-tributor to the company. Thank you for your continual thoughts and prayers, only a few more months to go. -CPT Keith Muehling, 34th Sapper Company Commander

Above: 34th Medic prepares to assist an Injured

Iraqi man on the side of a road.

Above: Two 34th Soldiers prep a line of Det Cord.

Above: 34th Soldiers converse with Iraqi Soldiers

during a patrol.


This is the first installment for the 74th MRBC as we are new here in theater after replacing the 299th MRBC as the sole bridge company in Iraq. The “River Rats” inherited an incredible mission here and each Soldier serves an invaluable role here at Iraq. The 74th

MRBC hails from the heart of Texas at Fort Hood and serve in the 62nd Engineer Battalion under the 36th Engineer Brigade.

Our work in preparation for this deployment began last year at Fort Leonard-Wood, Missouri where our Soldiers conducted bridg-ing and engineer equipment training. After returning home, the 74th began training rigorously for our bridging role here in Iraq completing multiple Mission Rehearsal Exercises (MRX) and weeks of individual training. While we trained for our upcoming deployment, our mainte-nance platoon led the way insuring our equipment met the strict standard re-

quired on Fort Hood for the Left Behind Equipment (LBE) program.

Efforts toward readying hundreds of pieces of equipment, $57M worth, involved many late nights and long hours on the job by everyone in the company. This hard work paid off greatly as the 74th was able to turn in about 99% of its assigned equipment and the civilian agency (MANTECH) in charge of the LBE program recognized the 74th as conducting the best company induc-tion to date on Fort Hood. All of the training and equipment induction proved

vital as we began the relief in place/transfer of authority (RIP/TOA) process

with the 299th “Gators.”

Our initial

days upon

arrival here in

Iraq were well

planned by

the 299th com-

mand team

and had us well on

our way to conducting missions in adherence to the Sapper Eagle stan-

dard. The River Rats were able to conduct missions alongside their prede-

cessors ensuring that any and all valuable lessons learned from the 299th

were captured for future operations.

One recent mission for the 74th involved removing a bridge that was unfamiliar to our team. The bridge removal presented a problem that the River Rats planned for and overcame in our usual spirit. We were able to remove the pieces in about 25 percent of the time initially planned for this mission with the help of many incredible Soldiers in the 74th and

throughout the 326th family. This success serves as a reminder of the exper-tise and outside of the box thinking that characterizes our deployed team

here in Iraq.

The 74th is also serving another role while in theater by training with our Iraqi counterparts on bridging missions they might have to provide for their country someday. This has been an amazing opportunity for our Soldiers to converse and share knowledge with what is

truly shaping up to be an amazing Iraqi Strategic Bridge Regi-ment. The entire team looks forward to our progress with this

professional group of bridge builders.

The 74th MRBC is proud to assume the bridging mission here in Iraq for Operation New Dawn while joining

the 326th Sapper Eagle team under the 20th Engineer Brigade and have proven already in our first month here in theater that the River Rats are ready for whatever challenging missions lay

ahead.

“Bridge the Gap!”

-CPT Miguel Solla-LLorens, 74th Multi-Role Bridge

Company Commander

Right: Members of the SBR dropping one of their

boats for inspection.

74th Multi Role Bridge Company

Above: One of the many bridges the 74th is responsible for

here in Iraq.

Above: 74th in the process of removing a bridge.

Volume 1, Issue 2 82nd Engineer Support Company

Gravedigger/Wolverine Families and Friends, Happy early 4th of July from the Soldiers, NCO’s, and Officers here in beautiful sunny, but not TOO warm, Iraq! The past few months have just flown by. So far, we’ve covered well over 25,000 square kilometers (roughly 9500 square miles) of ground here, working from the far North, to the East, way out West, and everywhere in between. Our Soldiers have been so busy that we go weeks at a time without seeing them as they bounce around the country, building, tearing down, and finishing

up the horizontal construction mission in Iraq. We’ve made sure to stay in touch with the real world as the NBA Finals and NHL Playoffs have come and gone. Some of the Soldiers weren’t too happy about the results of the NHL Play-offs, but they’ll be ok. Go Bruins! In the little free time that we’ve had between missions and maintenance, the soldiers have been hitting the books, preparing for the promotion boards we have every month, and taking classes to better themselves in their ca-reers. 1SG and I are extremely proud of the fact that nearly 95% of our soldiers are currently enrolled, or have taken classes while we’ve been deployed. They all really want to make themselves better in every fact. The Gravediggers have been stretched pretty thin over the past few months. First Platoon has done checkpoint improvements moving T-Walls, fixing drainage at multiple sites across northern Iraq, fixing and emplacing HESCO’s. They’ve also managed to squeeze in weapons ranges, drivers training, and are working right

now on a demolition range to ensure they know how to use explo-sives PROPERLY. Second Platoon has also been very busy, moving to the far eastern part of Iraq to improve checkpoints and force protection at the bases there, building battle positions, fixing damaged culverts and roadways, and also moving T-Walls and filling HESCO’s. As busy as they’ve been with their scheduled projects, 2nd Platoon has also conducted several Recon missions to look at new projects, and support other ongoing missions. Third Platoon hasn’t been seen in a while. They’ve moved from base force protection improvements up north to now working on building battle positions at enduring bases. We’re beginning to think they’d rather stay gone out on mission!! Headquarters and Maintenance have been the silent heroes over the past 90 days. Their efforts in the motorpool, and supporting the line platoons operationally has allowed us to make such positive gains in our projects. Maintenance in particular has done an outstanding job, raising our Operational Rate from 29% when we got here, to over 95% in just a 3 week period. Amazing statistics. Operations continues to keep the platoons rolling with supplies, communication so they can talk, weapons so they can defend themselves, and all the administrative support so the soldiers can execute their mission without having to worry about getting paid, or promoted, or going on R&R. Speaking of which, R&R started in June, and it’s looking good so far, I hope everyone is enjoying their time with their Soldier!! We’ve had some recent additions to the family… Congratu-lations go out to SFC Perry, PFC Fierro, PFC Floydmiller, and their families for the new additions to the Gravedigger family!!! Several of our Soldiers have gotten promoted over the past few months, SPC Cyriac, SPC Lawrence, SPC Brownell, SPC Dickerson, SSG Aquino, and SSG Chilcote. They are the future of our Army, and are doing a great job representing the enlisted ranks. Additionally, we’ve sent over 10 Soldiers to the promotion board, and all of them have picked up a promotable status… at the rate we’re going, we’re all going to be NCO’s when we get home!!! The support from home has been unbelievable, and as we move forward, we thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers as we progress in this historic mission. Until next time, “Clear the Way” 1SG Gutierrez CPT Long

Above: SFC Culpepper shows younger Soldiers how it’s

done.

Above: 82nd ESC Patching Ceremony


Greetings Friends and Families of the 391st. Another month has come and

gone which puts us all a little closer to coming home to our loved ones. These last few

months have seen many events, promotions, awards, and operations. We have been able to

send a lot of our Soldiers home on R&R to date, and we’re working hard to get the rest of

them home to see their families. I want to say a special Thank You to the ladies of the

Family Readiness Group for putting together the Blood Drive that I hear was a huge suc-

cess. The women of the FRG play an important role in supporting our loved ones at home

and our success is directly attributed to their involvement. I would also like to say con-

gratulations to CPL Andrews and his wife on the birth of their new child. We were all glad

that he was able to make it home in time to see the birth and spend that special time with

his family. I would also like to say another Thank You to the Boise Veteran’s Resource

Network for continuously supplying the Soldiers with a little taste of home. It means a lot

to all of them to continuously receive the packages that remind them of why they choose this

career.

One item of interest this month was a small celebration we held for 1SG Paulin, as he

hit his 30 year anniversary for joining the military, as well as his 50th birthday. The party

was a huge success and the guys had a great time grilling, playing bags and stickball, and

just sitting around relaxing and talking with Top. I know this isn’t the ideal location to

celebrate such historic accomplishments, but Top was able to return home shortly after for

R&R and spend time with his family! I consider myself lucky to have 1SG Paulin as my

senior NCO, and rest assured you couldn’t ask for a better leader, mentor, and friend to

your Soldier. Your Soldiers continue to

work hard every day, despite the rising

temperature, and you can all be proud of

the continued good work they do here in

Iraq. As we continue to push through the

summer heat, I know that our Soldiers

eagerly anticipate a return to the cool confines

of the Northwest.

During the latter part of May, your Soldiers were involved in an operation up

near the Northern city of Mosul. Due to the heavy rains and some flooding in the Tigris, a

float bridge became dislodged from its origin and a large chunk of it floated down stream

and got “stuck” on a sand bar. The entire Task Force mobilized its resources to help se-

cure and retrieve the bridge, culminating in a week long operation. At one point or an-

other, almost every Hollywood Soldier was involved in the operation and was directly

responsible for the successful execution of the mission. This operation allowed our Sol-

diers to see a part of Iraq that is largely unknown to most people. The northern portion of

Iraq is geographically not what one thinks of when conjuring up images of this country. This opera-

tion presented an opportunity for our Soldiers to

see the vast array of rolling hills, wheat fields, and

foliage that dots the upper northern section of Iraq.

More recently, we were saddened to say good-bye to our brothers from the 2nd

Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment. They were instrumental in partnering with us for

many missions throughout the local area of operations. We wish them God speed as they

make their way home to Hawaii. We look forward to developing our relationship with our

new maneuver partner, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, or the “Red Dragons”.

We hope to continue the success we had with 2-11 providing stability and security force

operations throughout the remainder of this historic deployment.

-CPT Ryan Strong, 391st Sapper Company Commander

Above: CPT Strong pins on rank to now

SPC Koyle in front of the Company

Above: 1LT Moreno, SFC Bouy, and

SFC Sessions participating in the

Father’s Day 5K run

Above: A soldier of 1st Platoon

hands out some candy to a young

Iraqi boy during a long patrol.

Above: SPC Nieffenegger works on an

MRAP vehicle after a long night of work.

391st Sapper Company

Volume 1, Issue 2

Below: 511th Sapper Company in formation showing off their new company shirts.

511th Sapper Company

511th “Reaper” Families, Summer is in full swing for the Sapper of the 511th. June saw some significant changes in the company, including the transition of leadership within 1st PLT (From 1LT Shaneman to 2LT Bell), 2nd PLT

(From 1LT Ziegler to 1LT Smith) and a Company Change of Command between CPT Cory Hoeksema and CPT Brian Walker. The company continues to serve with the 1-63rd Armor BN and is steadily becoming a stand out part of their team – SPC Artz won the BN’s Soldier of the Month Board. Sappers, Tankers, and Infantrymen are looking forward to conducting missions together in the near future that take advantage of each others’ strengths. As July arrives we look forward to increasing our effectiveness as a company and as part of the larger Task Force Sapper Eagle.

The Reapers continue to work closely with the Iraqi Army Engineers, helping to prepare and

assist them as they continue to take a larger role in the security and support of their country. Our 2nd Platoon, which transitioned this past June from 1LT Reed Ziegler to 1LT William Smith, continues to work closely with their fellow Engineers. The train-ing programs the Soldiers of the platoon put together have been phenomenal. Particular credit belongs to SGT Moe and PFC Scherberger for their “how to”

classes on new pieces of equipment and to SGT Lim and SPC Woodruff for their work with the Iraqi main-tenance section. 1st and 3rd Platoons were out and about early in the month, participating in a non-typical engineer-ing mission that had them conducting two Air Movements, Water Canon Training (which was received with great enthusiasm), and being praised by Air Force,

Army, and Civilian leadership for their flexibility. Both platoons were asked to

assist in the security of a small US compound during scheduled protests as the Iraqi people continue to enthusiastically exercise their rights to free speech and public gatherings. PFC MacMillian and PFC Smith (Ricky) were recognized by the commander of the base for their standout performances and the platoons were told they would be re-quested by name if assistance was needed in the future. As usual the silent Heroes of the 511th continue to work minor miracles on a daily basis in the motor pool, armory, communica-tions shop, and supply room. This past month the unit was host to four other companies within the battalion, all of which required the aid of our excellent support teams to accomplish their missions as the Sapper Eagle Task Force reconstruction effort to an American base. A set of highlights go out to PFC Olson for his marathon repair session on several HHC vehicles and to 1LT Shaneman, who was selected to lead the coordination of the units on the site.

June Promotions: Congratulations to all our Soldiers on their promotions during the month of June: CPT Putnam, SGT Moe, SPC Ames, SPC Gonzalez, SPC Morris, SPC Peay, SPC Reed, SPC Soward, and PFC Olson

“At the Breach!” CPT Brian Walker 1SG Marcus Richardson

Above: Three generations of Reaper 6 were pre-

sent at the Change of Command Ceremony.

Above: SGT Johnston

and PFC Dedmore pre-

pare to release a jet of

water.

Notes From The Eagle’s Nest 591st Sapper Company

WOW- Another blazing hot month has come and gone so fast it seems like it went in faster than a lightning bolt. We have settled in and begun our true operations as the Route Clearance Company we were sent here to be. As we arrived and settled our higher headquarters we are working for switched out. We are now getting to know a little about how to support a Cavalry unit. A small change from working with the Infantry but we all have one common goal- complete the mission and return home safely 100% intact. Additionally, we have stepped up to the plate and be-gun an Advise Train and Assist partnership with an Iraqi Army Field Engi-neer Regiment. Business wise the company feels like “Google” taking off as the 591st is now the talk of the town and we have become high de-mand for our services.

Aside from the route clearance patrols and partnership the com-pany has been very proud of the Soldiers who represent the 591st as we have seen many promotions and E4s getting promotable status to SGT over the last 30 days. It is truly a privilege to see Soldiers being recognized for their performance as leaders. I am going to talk about a Soldier, one of many to be very proud of: PFC Holzinger was promoted to the rank SPC through the orders of the United States Forces Iraq. This is the first time in my 16 year career I have seen a Battle Field Promotion and based on his driven work ethic and leadership potential he is very deserving of a higher rank and responsibility. I hope to see more Soldiers who deserve this honor get the same recognition in the future. By the way, all this came from the hard work and effort of the Soldier, the hard work and effort of the platoon leadership and

most importantly in this stage, the hard work and consistent pursuit of this promotion by 1SG Skidmore. This unit is blessed to have such a fine Senior Noncommissioned Officer lead from the front yet have a working relationship with each Soldier from SFC to PVT.

We have had our share of goodbyes this month as two of our finest SSG Bryant and PFC Holland return to the rear for conditions beyond their control. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Bryant family as they go through a trying time and PFC Holland returns for surgery to his knee, we look forward to getting them back with the team once we re-deploy. Also, we had two well respected Soldiers prepare to leave the service in pursuit of their dreams after the military. We thank them for what they have done as both were recognized prior to leaving theater. These fine young men will achieve anything they set their mind to as they are winners and represented the 591st and 326th with distinction. Good luck to SPC Morton and SPC Diaz, they served this country honorably and that is all I could ever ask as for a commander.

On July 6th, I look forward to seeing as many of the FRG that can make it as I will be back on R/R. We will talk about the current activities of our team, the future considerations of the company while deployed as well as upon our return, and basically have an open forum to talk about the FRG’s future. I have committed myself to get not only the newsletter but pictures of your spouses, friends, sons, and grandsons on the 326th Engineer Battalion Facebook so take a moment and take a look. Last comment on FRG, I want it to be a conduit of information both from the front to the rear and rear to the front, a friendly group who look forward to getting together, and a source of social and military support. Until Next Month,

Take Care, God Bless, and GO PHILLIES….

-CPT Mark Welch, Commander of the 591st Sapper Company

Left: Two vehicles are mov-

ing out to a mission

Right: SPC Hutchinson and

PFC Mead stand before the

company after being pinned

with the Combat Medic

Badge and the Combat Ac-

tion Badge.

Above: 591st soldiers prepare their gear for a mission.

Above: 591st instructs Iraqi Soldiers on how to

use Route Clearance equipment.

Volume 1, Issue 2

Deployments Are Obstacles That You Can Easily Navigate Deployments brings both challenges and opportunities. Being

away from family and friends may make you feel lonely, but deployments

also give you and your family a chance to grow. You may each find new

sources of strength and support in yourselves and others. For example,

household members may need to do extra chores while a Service Member

is away. Sharing new responsibilities provides a chance to learn new skills

and discover hidden interests and abilities!

I would like to advise those deployed away from their home. First

of all, keep in touch. You can help your family, friends, and loved ones feel

closer during deployment by communicating regularly. Letters don’t cost

much, give you chance to think about what you’d like to say, can be saved,

and can be reread at any time. On the internet, you can send an email,

schedule live chats, or set up a family web page. Phone calls are more di-

rect and personal. You can make free 15 minutes phone calls at a time at

the cyber café in our housing area. With the internet, Soldiers can purchase

the ability to call phone numbers in the U.S. or anywhere in the world for

very little money. Skype charges $6.00 a month to make unlimited calls to

the U.S., and for 13 dollars a month, one has unlimited calls to anywhere in the world. Pictures, photographs, and

children’s artwork can be easily carried, proudly displayed, and looked at often. The United Through Reading Program is

also available at the USO. This is a program where you are able to do a video recording of yourself reading to your child.

When you are finished, you send your child the recording and the book. During deployment, strong emotions are normal. These are most common just before and after you leave and re-

turn, but you can have them at any time. To keep your emotional health strong, admit your doubts and fears. Don’t ignore

or hide them. Try to understand how you feel, and how others are feeling, too. Talk about your feelings with a friend, co-worker, etc. If you or your family member can’t cope with painful emotions, talk to someone. If you need counseling, con-

tact a chaplain around you.

Secondly, get ready for reunion. It can be a stressful time. There are some ways you can help make it easier.

Don’t expect things to be perfect at first. Try to be understanding and enjoy each other’s company as much as possible. Remember, open, honest communication can help solve many problems or conflicts. Role changes and responsibilities may

never return to the way they were before deployment. People grow and change as time passes. Talk about how your family

will share responsibilities now, from taking out the trash, to balancing the checkbook.

Thirdly, make your reunion day a happy day. When you return home, there are bound to be surprises for everyone.

She may have a new hairstyle, he may have gained weight, and the kids have probably grown. Go slow and set aside quiet

time during the first few days. A busy schedule of events might be too much for everyone.

In conclusion, deployment is an important part of military life. It can be managed by communicating your

thoughts and feelings during and after deployment, planning ahead, and staying prepared to make the separation and reun-

ion go smoothly.

-CPT Bong, Battalion Chaplain

Above: Chaplain Bong poses before the American

Flag.

Chaplain


The Medics of Task Force Sapper Eagle have been hard at work during this deployment ensuring that all Sol-

diers remain in peak physical and mental condition. During the past six months, we have successfully integrated with the

20th Engineer Brigade Medical Team and completed our change-over with the 724th Engineer Battalion “Task Force

Badger”. Primarily working in the Consolidated Brigade Aid Station, we have ensured that our Soldiers’ health remains at

a high level. Our BN PA, CPT Gottschalk, has provided medical coverage and oversight for over 930 Soldiers throughout Task Force Sapper Eagle. Together, with his Medical NCOIC, SSG Lee, they oversee the entire Battalion Task Force to

ensure proper medical coverage, training, and documentation for all Soldiers. Managing over 30 Medics within Task

Force Sapper Eagle, SSG Lee ensures each unit has the necessary medical coverage, supplies, and serves as a subject mat-

ter expert on medical protocols.

The Medics of Task Force Sapper Eagle have been busy as well. Each of the medics in every company has flourished during this

deployment, improving their knowledge and skills. Through rigorous

medical training, they have learned new examination techniques, ex-

panded their knowledge in pharmacology, as well as honing the

trauma, sick call, and patient documentation skills. They have received

multiple classes regarding mild traumatic brain injury, operational

stress management, and behavioral health. They have also participated

in numerous training events during the first half of the deployment.

Three Soldiers completed the Field Sanitation Certification Course,

which will prove vital for the road ahead. Three Soldiers have com-

plete MRAP Driver’s training and one Soldier has completed HUSKY Drivers’ Training. They have worked extensively with the each of the

units assigned to Task Force Sapper Eagle, supporting them on multi-

ple bridging, construction, and route clearance missions whenever they

are needed.

Task Force Sapper Eagle Medics have earned numerous accolades while being here. SGT Joshua Reichlin was

promoted from Specialist to Sergeant. SPCs Ethan Hoffman and Sharae Murray were promoted from Private First Class to

Specialist. PFC Christopher Drew received a Certificate of Appreciation from the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade for his

efforts to support their training. SPCs Jarrett Huffman and Jesse Ketzer received coins form the Brigade Commander, COL Richard Kaiser, for their efforts during the Memorial Day 5K Run. SPC Huffman also received an Army Achieve-

ment Medal and a Certificate of Appreciation for his participation in the Castle Fitness Challenge, where his team earned

3rd place. SPC Hoffman and PFC Alejandro Alfaro-Caddes received the Army Physical Fitness Badge for earning scores

of 290 and 300, respectively, on the Record APFT.

All in all, the medics of Task Force Sapper Eagle have proven time and time again that they are a highly skilled

and trained section capable of ensuring that the Soldiers of Task Force Sapper Eagle remain medically ready at all times.

And while the road ahead is fraught with uncer-

tainty, one thing remains certain – Whenever you

need us, a medic is always there!

-CPT Gottschalk, 326 EN BN PA

Above: 391st Medic readying his supplies for the

day.

Left: Medics from HHC Pose in front of a barrier.

DOC’s Corner

Volume 1, Issue 2

Connectivity to Your Soldiers and A Little Bit of OPSEC

A pressing issue to many family members of Soldiers here in Iraq is the

ability to keep in touch. There are many worries that your Soldier will at some point not be able to keep in as regular touch as they have been during their stay in Iraq. This is a legitimate concern because at some point bases will be losing internet connectivity. This will most likely not affect the communications you have with your loved ones. Our Battalion Facebook and Twitter accounts will still be updated all the way until the Battalion comes home to Fort Campbell. So there should be no worries that you will lose all connections to your Soldier or their command while they are still in Iraq and Kuwait. If you do have concerns

about communicating with your Soldiers try to mail them a letter or a package. In many wars a Soldiers only ability to communicate with their loved ones was by mail. Even though face to face communication via Skype or other programs is a morale booster here, there is usually nothing that perks up a Soldier more than receiving mail. You will see the delight a Soldier has when they are lined up to get mail, it must be akin to the look they had on their faces when they have had presents in front of them during various celebrations. So please if you have not already sent you Soldiers some mail, send them some, it really will brighten up

their lives.

One item that keeps popping up is OPSEC (operations security). Too frequently we see pictures that Soldiers post to Facebook that pose some security risk. They usually amount a low security risk, but there is a lot of information that Soldier’s put out to their families and friends that could come to bite them in

the posterior if the information got in the wrong hands. And it all too frequently does by e-mails being intercepted through the various servers they have to pass through to get to America. Postings on Facebook that anyone can get access to and throwing away trash that reveals some information about a Soldier or family member that can help both identity thieves and spies that work on base. The first step to fighting against all this is knowing what not to post in the social media. Never post anything that has to deal with times of business/activity with ad-dresses, illnesses or injuries, recent purchases, or photographs showing where buildings are located. All these items mentioned can be used for something as

low level as someone casing your house to see if it is easily broken into without anyone knowing, to your Soldier being targeted by terrorist activity in the future. The largest way to win in the war against losing sensitive information is not to post or talk about it in a public domain or with social media. Always assume that enemy spies have access to information sent electronically between you and your Soldier. Do not let all this keep you from communicating with your Soldier, just

remember to keep them safe by watching what you say and post.

-1LT Scheuch, Battalion PAO

Join our Facebook page!

www.facebook.com/pages/Task-Force-Sapper-Eagle/142308099170737

...or search for “Task Force Sapper Eagle”

Follow the Battalion on Twitter!

http://twitter.com/#!/326Engin

eer_BN

CSM Hart -“Air Assault” Below: 1SG Guitterez, 1SG Otero, CSM Hart, CSM Ken-

dricks, 1SG Richardson, 1SG Burton, SFC Schwartz.

CSM and PAO

Task Force Sapper Eagle Quarterly Newsletter #2

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Transcript of Task Force Sapper Eagle Quarterly Newsletter #2