Tflr newsletter 6 apr2013
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LONGRIFLEs WEEKLY A publication of the 2/138th FAR I realize that most of you have seen in the news senior enlisted members and officers of the military being reprimanded for inappropriate actions. And I know some of you have been asking, “Well if they can act that way, then why can’t I act that way too?” However, I want to remind you that you cannot and will not act in that way. First off, you are better than that. Secondly there are very many senior enlisted NCOs and Officers in this battalion who are positive role models and have shown you how to act correctly. Most of our senior leaders in this battalion are good shepherds of the young flock of Soldiers they look aſter and try every day to impart the knowledge and wisdom they have acquired from their extensive military careers and previous combat tours. I see how you emulate these senior leaders and admire them by wanting to become NCOs or go to OCS when we return from our deployment. For our young enlisted Soldiers I ask that as our time grows shorter here you continue to adhere to the Army Values and strive to do what is right both during your time on shiſt and your liberty time. Do not bring discredit upon yourself, this professional Artillery Regiment, or the great state of Kentucky. For our senior enlisted NCOs and Officers I want to make very clear that your personal life is very much public and I ask that you continue to do what is right and always know that Soldiers watch everything you do. ~Capt. Christopher Fitzwater CPT’s Corner Although we have plenty leſt to do here with our current mission, we are closing in on getting back to the states as well. To a lot of you Soldiers that means finding employment. ere are several ways to get started right now. Don’t wait until you are home to start looking for a job! e Kentucky National Guard has set up a website specifically for us here in Africa to help you find employment: http:// operationhiredjibouti.com/ is website will walk you step-by-step through the job hunting process. You will be assigned an employment-counselor that will review your goals and objectives, then review your current military and civilian skill-sets to help you find a job in your desired field. Remember, ‘if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.’ Ask for help if you need it. Also, Lt. Lowry can help you put a resume together. ~ 1st Sgt. Ray Fortier 1SG oughts CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 > > > Warrior Leader Course a Success for KYARNG Soldiers in Africa Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler, 2-138th FAR PAO April 6, 2013 Volume 1, Issue 24 CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – e heroic portrayal of an individual is called hagiography. So allow the indulgence here as we are very proud to announce that the Distinguished Honor Graduate for the Warrior Leader Course (WLC) here was from the 2-138th Field Artillery Regiment! Every enlisted Soldier Army-wide, who wants to continue be- ing promoted and more importantly, to eventually lead Sol- diers must at some point attend WLC. Task Force Longrifles is proud to announce that 58 out of 62 Soldiers graduated from the intensive, March 2013 edition of WLC, conducted here at Camp Lemmonier. WLC is usually a month-long course that teaches Soldiers the basic skills to lead small groups of Soldiers. It is also a course that is offered at sever- al locations in the US, but this is only the second time in 10 years it has been offered here. e Texas National Guard and the Kentucky National Guard were the only organizations to make the school available to their Soldiers while here at Camp Lemonnier. CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - Sgt. Bradley Osbourne, a Danville Ky. native, was the Distinguished Honor Graduate for the Warrior Leader Course here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler 2-138th FAR PAO) CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - New graduates of the Warrior Leader Course wait to receive their graduation certificates. (Photo by Capt. Chris Fitzwater)
Transcript of Tflr newsletter 6 apr2013
LONGRIFLEs WEEKLYA publication of the 2/138th FAR
I realize that most of you have seen in the news senior enlisted members and officers of the military being reprimanded for inappropriate actions. And I know some of you have been asking, “Well if they can act that way, then why can’t I act that way too?”
However, I want to remind you that you cannot and will not act in that way. First off, you are better than that. Secondly there are very many senior enlisted NCOs and Officers in this battalion who are positive role models and have shown you how to act correctly. Most of our senior leaders in this battalion are good shepherds of the young flock of Soldiers they look after and try every day to impart the knowledge and wisdom they have acquired from their extensive military careers and previous combat tours. I see how you emulate these senior leaders and admire them by wanting to become NCOs or go to OCS when we return from our deployment. For our young enlisted Soldiers I ask that as our time grows shorter here you continue to adhere to the Army Values and strive to do what is right both during your time on shift and your liberty time. Do not bring discredit upon yourself, this professional Artillery Regiment, or the great state of Kentucky. For our senior enlisted NCOs and Officers I want to make very clear that your personal life is very much public and I ask that you continue to do what is right and always know that Soldiers watch everything you do. ~Capt. Christopher Fitzwater
CPT’s Corner
Although we have plenty left to do here with our current mission, we are closing in on getting back to the states as well. To a lot of you Soldiers that means finding employment. There are several ways to get started right now. Don’t wait until you are
home to start looking for a job! The Kentucky National Guard has set up a website specifically for us here in Africa to help you find employment: http://operationhiredjibouti.com/ This website will walk you step-by-step through the job hunting process. You will be assigned an employment-counselor that will review your goals and objectives, then review your current military and civilian skill-sets to help you find a job in your desired field. Remember, ‘if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.’ Ask for help if you need it. Also, Lt. Lowry can help you put a resume together. ~1st Sgt. Ray Fortier
1SG Thoughts
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 > > >
Warrior Leader Course a Success for KYARNG
Soldiers in AfricaStory by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler, 2-138th FAR PAO
April 6, 2013Volume 1, Issue 24
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti – The heroic portrayal of an individual is called hagiography. So allow the indulgence here as we are very proud to announce that the Distinguished Honor Graduate for the Warrior Leader Course (WLC) here was from the 2-138th Field Artillery Regiment!
Every enlisted Soldier Army-wide, who wants to continue be-ing promoted and more importantly, to eventually lead Sol-diers must at some point attend WLC.
Task Force Longrifles is proud to announce that 58 out of 62 Soldiers graduated from the intensive, March 2013 edition of WLC, conducted here at Camp Lemmonier.
WLC is usually a month-long course that teaches Soldiers the basic skills to lead small groups of Soldiers. It is also a course that is offered at sever-al locations in the US, but this is only the second time in 10 years it has been offered here. The Texas National Guard and the Kentucky National Guard were the only organizations to make the school available to their Soldiers while here at Camp Lemonnier.
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - Sgt. Bradley Osbourne, a Danville Ky. native, was the Distinguished Honor Graduate for the Warrior Leader Course here at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Steve Tressler 2-138th FAR PAO)
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - New graduates of the Warrior Leader Course wait to receive their graduation certificates. (Photo by Capt. Chris Fitzwater)
Longrifles WeeklyPage 2
Chaplain ReflectionsHere are some life lessons I’ve learned from playing golf (oh yeah, and reading the Bible):Focus on the Positive:On the golf course I could choose to dwell on the shots that I missed, and the slow play of the foursome in front of me. Or I
could choose to dwell on the good shots, and the beautiful scenery. Both points of view would be true reflections of my day, but which would be more beneficial? Think of Paul’s words, and don’t spend your time dwelling on the negative: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. – Philippians 4:8Focus on Your Purpose:While on the golf course my purpose was to hit the ball toward the next hole. I only hit the ball well when I focused on the task at hand. When my mind wanders so does my shot. My focus didn’t guarantee success, but it makes it possible. Are you giving your all to the task at hand right here, right now? If not, stop identify your goal, focus on the task at hand and give it your best shot. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. - Colossians 3:23 ~Chaplain Mark Slaughter
WARRIOR LEADER CONTINUED FROM P. 1 > > >
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Soldier to Soldier • The deadline to file taxes is April 15. If you need
to file for an extension, the website to do so is [email protected] . You will need to state that you are a Soldier deployed to Djibouti and qualify for combat zone tax exclusion, and you are requesting an extension for filing and paying your 2012 federal income tax. You will also need to provide your full name, stateside address and zip code from the last tax return you filed with the IRS, DOB and date of deployment to combat zone area.
• Need help filing an insurance claim for flood loss? Go to http://www.jagnet5.army.mil/pclaims
• Soldiers, do not forget to visit http://operationhiredjibouti.com/ This website is designed to help Guardsmen find jobs upon returning from deployment.
The instructors said this group was a little easier to instruct and train than normal. “This unit already had great cohesion and it was evident that the working relationships of the Sol-diers were already established. This made it easier for us be-cause we didn’t have to manage those relationships the way we normally would in the US with a class full of Soldiers who don’t know one another” said Assistant WLC Commandant Master Sgt. Rick Ewert.
Task Force Longrifles Command Sergeant Major Timothy Gividen pushed to get WLC brought to Africa for his Soldiers. He said the reason behind bringing the course to the Soldiers here, rather than waiting until they got back to the US, was simple, “We (leadership) wanted to get as many young Sol-diers through the course as possible.”
WLC is not MOS (military occupational specialty) dependent; every Soldier must attend if they have any desire to be promoted. It’s an intensive school with the primary emphasis on leadership skills. It also prepares Soldiers to advance to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
The Soldiers of Task Force Longrifles were able to attend this course here in Djibouti thanks to the officers and the NCO corps already in place within their unit. The NCOs covered down on the their mission so that the junior Soldiers could attend.
The WLC Distinguished Honor Graduate, Sgt. Bradley Os-borne, is serving here with his brother and two cousins.His father is Sgt. 1st. Class Michael Osbourne of JFHQ-KYNG (currently attached to CBWTU-IL).
His uncle, Francis Osbourne, is a retired Officer and Sgt. Maj. who served multiple tours. He is also someone the story au-thor here (‘yours truly’) admires very much.
CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti - Sgt. Alexa Becerra, a Versailles, Ky. native, and one of the six nominees for Distinguished Honor Graduate, prepares to receive her graduation certificate. Following close behind are WLC graduates Spc. Brandon Bell and Sgt. Travis Berthold. (Photo by Capt. Chris Fitzwater)
