Insid

e SPORTS . . . . 2TRACKING . . . . . 3A IR . . . . . . . . 4NIGHTHAWK . . . . . 5QUICK . . . . . . 6-7DEAR SOLDIER . . . 8BLACK HAWK . . . 10

Talonthe

Serving the soldiers of Task Force EagleOperation Joint Guard, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Volume 3, No. 16 Friday, April 18, 1997

BRCKO, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- Pvt.Keith Ragsdale has a lot to carry onhis shoulders lately.

Armed only with a squad assaultweapon, and protected by a sandbagwall and some concertina wire, the Ca-seyville, Ill. native stands guard at theentrance of a bridge whose existenceis guaranteed by the White House,NATO and the United Nations. A lotof important people to answer to, but

Ragsdale takes it in stride.�I love it,� said Ragsdale, an in-

fantryman with Company D, 2ndBattalion, 2nd Infantry. �I�d ratherbe part of something important.�

And Brcko Bridge is important.The blue, 800-foot structure is oneof only three bridges that span theSava River from Bosnia-Herzegov-ina to the outside world. Crossingfrom the north bank, the bridgeleads into Brcko, a city that seems

By Spc. David Boe364th MPAD

Bridgeovertroubledwaters

See BRIDGE page 12

Staff Sgt. Darryl C. Ford, BradleyFighting Vehicle commander,Company D, 2nd Battalion, 2ndInfantry, observes traffic during guardduty at the south end of Brcko bridge.

Photo by Spc. David Boe

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997

UP FRONT -- THE REAL ENEMY

THE TALON is produced in the interest of the servicemembers of TaskForce Eagle, headquartered at Eagle Base. THE TALON is an Army-fundednewspaper authorized for members of the U.S. Army overseas, under theprovision of AR 360-81. Contents of THE TALON are not necessarily the officialviews of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or Task Force Eagle. THE TALON is published weeklyby the 1st Infantry Division (Task Force Eagle) Public Affairs Office, Eagle Base,Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina APO AE 09789, Telephone MSE 551-5230. E-mail:talon@pop1-email.5sigcmd.army.mil. Printed by PrintComTuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Circulation: 6,500.

The Talon

Page 2

1st Infantry Division Commander . . . Maj. Gen. Montgomery C. MeigsEditor in Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. William L. DuPont364th MPAD Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. Frank PartykaOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1st Lt. Robert M. InouyeNCOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sgt. 1st Class Daniel M. WareEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sgt. William L. Geddes1st Infantry Division PA NCOIC . . . . . . . . . Staff Sgt. Gregory W. BinfordTranslator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arijana Salihbasic

Stup

id S

ports Quo

tes

The real enemy is not asecret. In this environmentand with a peace enforce-ment mission, the real ene-my is YOU. If you allowyourself to become compla-cent, that threat is real, it iscontagious and it is deadly.

The best way to combatthe enemy are the simple basic sol-diering and combat skills learned inbasic training, supported by a solidset of values.

This means being able to takecare of yourself and/or influence oth-ers. The buddy system is a great wayto do this. I want all soldiers to workunder this system and have a TaskForce Eagle buddy.

Peacemaking, peacekeeping andpeace enforcement. Many arguethat these types of missions requirethe formation and development ofnew tasks. My experiences in So-malia and Haiti, have convinced meit is not new tasks, but the execu-tion of several basic soldiering andcombat skills. Furthermore, thescope and responsibility of the sol-

dier and junior leader associ-ated with each task becomesmore important.

It is very important thatwhatever we do, we do it rightthe first time to the estab-lished standard. I am askingall of you to do this. We needto start doing all the easy

tasks better. From uniform appear-ance, to boot care, tent living, driv-ing, cleaning windshields, clearingweapons, weapons and vehicle main-tenance, we must all do what is right,not what is convenient and certain-ly not what is easy.

We will do all the big things well,and in some cases, extremely well.However, it is the little things thatwill carry us over the top, making usa cut above the rest. Attention todetail is the name of the game. Thatis my focus; to do as many littlethings as well as we can. Juniorleaders, I am holding you personal-ly responsible and accountable. Seeyou Up Front!

What is the most important responsibility of a leader? Takingcare of soldiers. Our business as noncommissioned officers is train-ing the soldier to standard. The current environment demands well-trained soldiers who can function as a cohesive team. This is ac-complished by ensuring that soldiers and leaders do their jobs cor-rectly and safely.

Lately there have been a rash of convoy accidents, and the caus-es are usually the same -- driving too fast, following to close andinattention or failure to stay alert. Prior to convoy operations, it isimportant to have a thorough safety briefing. At a minimum, cover:

· Responsibilities of the vehicle commander· Convoy speeds and road conditions· Safety belt use· Unexpected narrow points, intersections along the route

and unlighted tunnels· Proper distance between vehicles during convoy movement· Pedestrians on the shoulder of the road· Local national driving· Expect the unexpected

Command Sgt. Maj. S.L. Kaminski1st Infantry Division (Forward)

By Sgt. 1st Class D. L. Matthews -- �Safety Through Knowledge�

Safety

"I know the Virginia players aresmart because you need a 1500SAT to get in. I have to drop breadcrumbs to get our players to andfrom class"-- George Raveling, WashingtonState basketball coach

"You guys pair up in groups ofthree, then line up in a circle"-- Bill Peterson, a Florida Statefootball coach

"You guys line up alphabetical-ly by height"-- Bill Peterson, a Florida Statefootball coach

"I play football. I'm not trying tobe a professor. The tests don'tseem to make sense to me, mea-suring your brain on stuff I haven'tbeen through in school."-- Clemson recruit Ray Forsythe,who was ineligible as a freshmanbecause of academic requirements

"Why would anyone expect him to comeout smarter? He went to prison for threeyears, not Princeton."-- Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tysonhooking up again with promoter Don King

"That's so when I forget how to spell myname, I can still find my #%@# clothes."-- Stu Grimson, Chicago Blackhawks leftwing, explaining why he keeps a color pho-to of himself above his locker

"I can't really remember the names of theclubs that we went to."-- Shaquille O'Neal on whether he had visit-ed the Parthenon during his visit to Greece

"I'm going to graduate on time, no matterhow long it takes."-- Senior basketball player at the Universityof Pittsburgh

"Nobody in football should be called a ge-nius. A genius is a guy like Norman Ein-stein."-- Football commentator and former playerJoe Theismann

Read and pass along -- a Talon is a terrible thing to waste

The TalonFriday, April 18, 1997 Page 3

News briefs

CAMP COLT -- What goes up, must comedown. We have all heard this saying, butfor Stabilization Force troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina, it is a saying that can takeon a whole new meaning. In fact, it can bea matter of life and death.

Through periodic weapon storage siteinspections, warehouses full of mortars,rockets and artillery rounds have been doc-umented by SFOR soldiers. These muni-tions could be launched on targets at anytime without warning.

The members of the 139th Field Artil-lery Target Acquisition Battery, an Indi-ana National Guard unit based in India-napolis, are on duty in Bosnia-Herzegovi-na for exactly that reason. Twenty-fourhours a day, seven days a week, they searchthe air of northern Bosnia-Herzegovinawith their fire finder radar systems look-ing for any rounds which may cause harmto SFOR troops or which may indicate theformer warring factions have decided to dobattle once again.

�It is a big force protection thing. TheArmy puts a high priority on it. No matterwhere they fire them (rounds) from, we canpick them up,� said Staff Sgt. Gary Knapp,radar section chief. �Our unit motto is, �Be-fore the round hits the ground�, whichmeans that while the round is in the air,we can determine where the round wasfired from and where it is going to hit.�

Last December, the 139th FA TAB ra-dar section replaced a regular Army radarunit at Camp Colt and have shown theirability to perform their duties as well asovercome obstacles.

�Because we are required to be opera-tional all the time, maintenance has beena challenge,� said Spc. Christopher Daniels,

radar operator. �We are up most of the time-- we have been very fortunate. We place alot of emphasis on overall battery mainte-nance.�

The 139th FA TAB uses powerful radarantennas that pick up objects in the areathey are scanning. This data is fed into acomputer which analyzes it using criteriasuch as speed, trajectory and size. If theobject matches characteristics of a round,the data is sent to the unit�s target process-ing section located at Eagle Base near Tu-zla and SFOR officials can then determinewhat course of action will be taken.

Another capability of the 139th FA TABis to direct fire for friendly forces. They cantrack an artillery round, tell exactly whereit landed and relay the data back to thefiring battery so the next round fired willbe directly on target.

�It is amazing how quick and accuratethese radar systems are. We get very closeto the exact spot consistently,� said Knapp.�The radar systems also have the capabili-ty to direct fire onto a target from a greatdistance away.�

Sgt. Carl Tinsley, a senior radar opera-tor said that his section has tracked hun-dreds of targets since arriving at CampColt. Most targets are interference, aircraftor celebratory small arms fire.

�The regular Army soldiers say we arereally professional -- most even thought wewere (regular Army too,)� said Tinsley. �Ofcourse I can�t wait to get home, but it�s beena neat mission.�

Knapp said he is very pleased with hissection at Camp Colt. He said that they arevery professional and have really come to-gether as a team. �They have come herefrom all walks of life and taken over fromthe regular Army and have done a greatjob,� said Knapp.

Spc. Paul Hougdahl129 MPAD

What goes up...

Spc. Christopher Daniels,a 139th Field ArtilleryTarget Acquisition Batteryradar operator at CampColt, records data.

Photo by Spc. Paul Hougdahl

Stay off airfieldJogging is not permitted within

the confines of the airfield at TuzlaMain. This includes the runway, alltaxiways, grass areas between thetaxiways and grass areas surround-ing the airfield. The only area nearthe airfield where jogging is allowedis the road leading to the west gate.

People jogging on this road arerestricted from entering the east-to-west parallel taxiway where helicop-ters are parked.

Anyone who jogs near the perim-eter of the base should exercisecaution so as not to enter any areaof the airfield.

Air Force Security Police willstop anyone jogging within the air-field confines.

RodentsTo keep little critters out of liv-

ing areas, soldiers should keep allfood items out of tents and sleep-ing areas. Keep areas neat andclean. If rodents are found, soldiersshould call the field sanitation team.

All areas near garbage dump-sters should also be kept clean, andmake sure waste disposal contain-ers close properly.

Do you mine?With the influx of new soldiers

into Bosnia-Herzegovina and themission becoming routine, soldiersare cautioned not to forget the threatof mines.

�There are about 750,000 to onemillion mines in Bosnia-Herzegovi-na,� said1st Lt. Kevin Pettet, MineAction Center. �In the U.S. area ofoperation, there are over eight thou-sand minefields.�

Pettet said the most importantthing for soldiers to remember is notto leave marked routes. �Stay on theapproved roads and sidewalks.That�s where you walk. You don�twalk on the grass or through fields.�

Soldiers are warned that thereare still mines in base camps. �Themines in areas where soldiers liveor work have been cleared,� Pettetsaid. �However, you must treat basecamps as though you were outsideand be aware that the mine threatexists.�

�If you see a mine, figure outwhere you are, mark the place wherethe mine is and notify the divisionengineers. Remember, if you didn�tdrop it, don�t pick it up,� he added.

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997Page 4

MCGOVERN BASE -- Something is in theair.

Is it love? Tension? Sleeping bag fumes?Or just particulates from vinyl chloride?

Whatever it is, it�s up to 2nd Lt. DereckL. Irminger to find it.

Irminger, 24, an environmental engineerfrom the Center for Health Promotion andPreventive Medicine, Direct Support Activ-ity West out of U.S. Army Garrison Fitzsi-mons, Aurora, Colo., is on temporary assign-ment to McGovern Base. His mission: con-duct several consecutive days of air sam-pling.

�We�re looking for is what is in the airthat our soldiers are breathing,� said theSmithville, Mo., native. �Anything that�s inthe air.�

To help him in his endeavors, Irmingeruses three machines which sample differ-ent-sized particulates and compounds inthe air.

The TO-1 is the smallest of the ma-chines, measuring no larger than a VHSvideotape. It�s a modified EPA Toxic Or-ganic Ambient Air Monitoring Method us-ing Supelco Corbosieve 300 sampling tubeswhich collect compounds from vinyl chlo-

ride to naphthalene.Sound confusing? Basically what it does,

said Irminger, is look for toxic material,such as fumes from gasolines, solvents andpaint thinners. �That kind of stuff,� he said.The TO-1 operates over an eight-hour pe-riod, twice a week,

The Total Suspended Particulates is alittle larger, and looks like one of thoseplastic kitchen trash cans with the swing-ing doors. It doesn�t collect garbage, though;it collects particulates over a 24-hour peri-od using filters, which are pre-weighed andweighed again after sampling.

The PM-10 is the largest machine, look-ing not unlike some metallic unmannedMartian surveyor. It collects particulatesin the air that are 10 microns or smaller.

After the surveys are complete, Irmingersaid, all material is sent to the Center forHealth Promotion and Preventive MedicineHeadquarters at Aberdeen ProvingGrounds, Md. There, the material is ana-lyzed, and any results are sent back to theindividual camp commanders. If there areair quality problems at a particular camp,Aberdeen can make recommendations,such as using face covers when driving , orrepositioning fuel containers. But, he said,the camp commanders have sole authority

to implement changes.Four teams are conducting tests in Bos-

nia-Herzegovina, said Irminger, one eachat four different base camps. The tests, hesaid, are similar to the ones conducted lastyear over a six-month period.

Irminger said the air tests are just onepart of an overall medical surveillance pro-gram the military is conducting to find outwhat soldiers are eating, drinking andbreathing.

�We want to know what our troops areexposed to,� said Irminger.

This is the first time Irminger has beendeployed overseas since coming into theU.S. Army in May. His normal duty areacovers a 22-state region west of the Missis-sippi River.

While he has at least one machine work-ing 24-hours-day, the actual process of col-lecting the particulate samples isn�t a nine-to-five job. Because of this, said Irminger,he spends time helping the base�s aid sta-tion with preventive medicine problems,and, on occasion, goes out with a patrol intoBrcko. The latter, he said, has helped himunderstand the mission being performedin Bosnia-Herzegovina.

�This is very different,� said Irminger.�It�s been very interesting, very informative.�

air

Some inthe

thing

By Spc. David Boe364th MPAD

Photo by Spc. David Boe

2nd Lt. Dereck L. Irminger, 24,takes out the filter of the PM-10particulate collector.

The TalonFriday, April 18, 1997 Page 5

CAMP COLT -- Nighthawk 12 was in trouble. �Guardian Radio,we�re experiencing severe flight control malfunctions,� reportedthe pilot.

Spc. James A. Earnshaw, an air traffic controller with Compa-ny A, 3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment, knew exactly whatto do. Earnshaw was working at the flight following console at 10minutes past 10 p.m., April 8, when the emergency call came fromthe UH-60 Black Hawk. Nighthawk 12 had just departed McGov-ern Base enroute to Tuzla.

�I collected all the pertinent infor-mation I needed before the aircraftlanded,� said Earnshaw. �The pilot,the number of personnel on board,his call sign, tail number, the natureof the emergency and his intentions.�

The pilot said that he was mak-ing an emergency landing four mileswest of Brcko in an unsecured areaof northern Bosnia-Herzegovina.The terrain there is basically flat andvisibility was unobstructed. Includ-ing the crew, he had 10 personnel onboard, one of which was Brig. Gen.J. Mark Curran. The pilot landed the aircraft safely with no inju-ries and no major damage.

The �life preservers,� Guardian Radio of Camp Colt, were there.Although providing flight service to six other aircraft at the time,Earnshaw �kept his cool.� He immediately became a contact anddistribution point for information.

Knowing Nighthawk 12 is a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1stAviation Regiment, Earnshaw contacted the unit�s Tactical Op-erations Center at Tuzla West. Next he informed the Air SafetyLiaison Office in Tuzla Main of the situation. Earnshaw knewthat two OH-58s from the same unit were in the vicinity. He askedthem to provide area security from the air. Earnshaw then called

McGovern Base and requested that a military police element dis-patch and secure the area on the ground.

�The aircraft had landed and because they were �below my lineof sight� they were unable to talk to me by radio,� said Earnshaw.�So I relayed messages to them through the OH-58s in the air.�

Earnshaw recorded information and acted as a central pointof contact for all the agencies involved. �We had at least four dif-ferent agencies communicating with each other, so it was veryimportant to pay close attention, � said Earnshaw. �The coopera-tion from the crews of the OH-58s really helped me out a lot.�

Two Black Hawks from the 2nd Bn., 1st Avn. Reg. soon wereat the scene. One took the general out ofthe area, the other flew in a maintenanceteam. By 1 a.m. Nighthawk 12 was backin the air, and after a maintenance checkat McGovern Base, the aircraft flew onto Tuzla.

Earnshaw said that their trainingemphasizes handling emergency situa-tions. �That training is embedded in myhead. It allows me to act quickly, effi-ciently and to remain calm,� said Earn-shaw. �Since pilots report to us as theyfly, we�re the first ones to know whensomething goes wrong. We know how to

get the help there.�Sgt. Andrew B. Lecuyer, facility chief of the 58th Avn. Reg.�s

Camp Colt air traffic control site, was on duty when the emergen-cy landing was reported.

�Handling an emergency like this is similar to CPR training.When you actually have to use it, you�d be surprised how much ofit you remember. All our operations have been safe. Safety aware-ness is constantly instilled in all our soldiers,� said Lecuyer. �Wepreach air safety.�

This provides comfort for pilots crossing Bosnia-Herzegovina andCroatia -- knowing the air traffic controllers of Guardian Radio arelistening making sure a life preserver is ready at Camp Colt.

By Staff Sgt. Tim Erhardt129th MPAD

Spc. James A. Earnshaw, aGuardian Radio air trafficcontroller with Company A,3rd Battalion, 58th AviationRegiment, aligns his radarcontrol indicator to theantenna at Camp Colt.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Tim Erhardt

�Handling an emergency likethis is similar to CPR training.When you actually have to useit, you�d be surprised howmuch of it you remember.�---- Sgt. Andrew B. Lecuyer

Nighthawk12�s �lifepreservers�

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997Page 6

CAMP DOBOL -- Four combat-loaded, 70-ton monstersroll out the gate. An imposing display of strength, theyhave the power to control any crisis. This is the QuickReaction Force (QRF) of Task Force 1-41, flexing theirmuscles of might.

The mission could be hostile and is always potentiallydangerous. The objective is to move an armored force asquickly as possible to respond to an emergency. And theoperation begins with the TF 1-41 battle captain.

Capt. Orson Ward is responsible for activating the QRFand briefing the platoon leader of the commander�s in-tent. A live game of chess, he needs to track all the mov-ing pieces on the ground. �We can put a QRF team intoour area of responsibility 24 hours a day in almost anysituation, safely and accurately,� Ward said.

The M1A1 Abrams tanks of Company A maneuver downthe narrow and fractured roads of Bosnia-Herzegovina.With expertise, they weave between zooming cars andhorse-drawn hay wagons. This particular drill consists ofblocking off an intersection to prevent detected, unautho-rized military movement by a former warring faction to-ward base camp.

Another scenario played out includes the Tuzla AirBase. Imagine a plane low on fuel, desperately needing toland but unable because of an accident at the airfield. Thetank QRF would secure a strip of road, allowing the planeto land.

Riots can also be controlled by an imposing sign of mil-itary presence. 2nd Lt. Damian C. Marquith, Co. A, 1stBattalion, 13th Armor, TF 1-41, explains that �the QRFrehearsals keep us on our toes. We are the first defensefor Camp Dobol and our area of responsibility.�

QRFs roll out of Camp Dobol regularly. Lt. Col. RobertRush, TF 1-41 commander, has made it clear that force pro-tection is a top priority. Wherever TF 1-41 soldiers may be,on patrol in a village or manning a checkpoint, the QRFwill be there as back up.

Also as a force protection exercise, a direct fire attackwas simulated recently on base. The entire task force se-cured their designated battlestations, quickly and efficiently.

Staff Sgt. Dean Frazier, Co. A., 3rd Plt., 4th tank com-mander, covers the flanks and rear of the column of tanksin motion. �We are prepared for the worst case scenario,� hesaid. �We focus on one day and one mission at a time.�

The platoon is made up of four crews, each of which hasa tank commander, loader, gunner and driver. Pvt. ShawnSinnott, 4th tank loader, has only been in the Army for eightmonths. �Practice makes perfect,� he said. �If somethinghappens and they need us fast, we will be there. My job is toperform preventive maintenance checks and services, pre-pare my station in the tank, load rounds and ensure theradio is operational. When the hatch is open, I also scan toour rear with the M240 (automatic rifle) ready.�

Spc. Daniel Hill is a driver with Co. A, 3rd Plt., 2ndtank crew. �We prepared for this deployment by lots oftraining on the tank trails at Fort Riley, Kan. As a quickreaction force, we know we can do the job.� Hill is a nativeof Oakcliff, Texas.

The tankers never know when they will be called up, soall parts must be in perfect working order. They are. �Oursoldiers are highly disciplined and motivated,� said Mar-quith. �In every QRF we have performed, we have alwaysmanaged to hit our objective in the minimal amount of time.�

Photos and story by Spc. Susanne Aspley364th MPAD

Quick Reaction

Force

From top, clockwise, Platoon, Company Aduring a quick reactithe Armor platoon dAbrams tank after commander with Aon the quick reaBackground, The down the road.

The TalonFriday, April 18, 1997 Page 7

on

ce

From top, clockwise, Spc. Steven M. Mazur, gunner for 2nd crew, 3rdPlatoon, Company A, Task Force 1-41, inside his M1A1 Abrams tankduring a quick reaction force exercise near Camp Dobol...Soldiers ofthe Armor platoon dismantle commo and weapon systems on theirAbrams tank after the QRF exercise...Staff Sgt. Dean Frazier, tankcommander with Armor Platoon, Task Force 1-41, prepares to go outon the quick reaction force exercise recently at Camp Dobol...Background, The M1A1 Abrams tanks from the TF 1-41 QRF rollingdown the road.

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997Page 8

CAMP DOBOL -- A sergeant from Camp Dobolrecently received this greeting in the mail froma 9th grade student. �Dear Any Soldier, Thankyou for fighting in the war. You make Americaproud. Help all those crazy and hungry people.While I�m home, you�ll be fighting to live. I hopeyou don�t die. Dustin Barr.�

The situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina canbe confusing and full of misconceptions tothe people back home. But by writing backto students, soldiers can explain that Amer-icans are not actually at war, but are keep-ing the peace.

�The �Dear Any Soldier� is a very goodpublic relations program for the Army,�said Spc. Yaropolk A. Rohowsky, 101st Mili-tary Intelligence Battalion. �By writing back to thepeople, it puts a human face on soldiers. And it shows the soldierthat someone out there cares. At least they know we are here, and they are

discussing current events with their teachers.�Rohowsky, 28, is a native of Mount Prospect Ill.

Although letters are intended to cheer upa soldier far from home, Sgt. Jerry D. White,101 MI Bn., attached to TF 1-41, recalls someletters leaving a different effect. For exam-ple, �Dear Soldier, My name is Angela andI�m 11 years old. Please excuse my hand-writing but I�ve been in a coma for sixmonths and my hand works a little funny.�

�I think it is good for soldiers to writeback, not just take the candy that issent. The people took their time andenergy to write to us, so we should atleast write back to say thank you.�said Rohowsky.

Any Soldier� mail arrives at TuzlaMain, then is divided among thebase camps. From there, the par-

cels are divided between companies. DuringHolidays, �Any Soldier� mail comes in big bundles, oth-

er times, only three or four letters may arrive. Schools oftenget involved with address-

es posted on the Internet. Often,family members or friends or soldiers con-

nected to various church or civic groups getthe letters rolling in.

Greetings from the States, of course, are notjust limited to kids. �I personally received a let-ter from an 81-year-old woman,� said Rohowsky.� The most letters came at Christmas time. ForValentines Day, I received handmade cardswith cut out hearts and lots of candy kisses.�

�Do you have big Army boots?� �Are thereany groundhogs in Bosnia?� �How many peo-ple have you killed?� �Do you get to eat straw-berries?� Little minds with big questions needto know.

By Spc. Susanne Aspley364th MPAD

Dear any soldier...

The TalonFriday, April 18, 1997 Page 9

EAGLE BASE -- All vehicles need maintenance. That isa reality that requires the Army to employ thousands ofmechanics in every theater of operation.

Vehicles, such as the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter,require constant maintenance. Complex $6 million ma-chines, Black Hawks need experienced and capable crewsof mechanics and technicians to keep flying. At EagleBase, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regimentmaintains a fleet of Black Hawks, a tough task madeeasy by competent and motivated soldiers.

�The guys here have a great attitude,� said Capt.Patrick Boyer, Co. D commander. �The noncommissionedofficers have been doing this for years, probably longerthan I�ve been in the Army. The young guys have devel-oped a sense of teamwork and get the job done.�

Co. D handles the maintenance for all of the BlackHawks of the 2nd Bn., 1st Avn. Reg. One-third of Co.Dhas been deployed to Operation Joint Guard, one-thirdof the soldiers remain in Germany, while the other thirdof the company is supporting operations in Macedonia.

�But there is nothing we can do at home that we can�tdo here,� said Boyer, of Westport, Conn.

The company at Eagle Base performs all levels of main-tenance for the Black Hawks, from scheduled mainte-nance to unscheduled repairs. In a large �clamshell� tenton the flight line, mechanics and technicians perform alltypes of engine and body repairs to keep the Black Hawksas good as new.

�Maintenance on a Black Hawk is like maintenance on anyother vehicle,� said Chief Warrent Officer Armand C. Brasseur,company production control officer of Irasburg, Vt. �We changeengines, check the oil and the transmission, do preventative main-tenance checks.�

However, the mechanical complexity of the Black Hawk re-

quires a level of expertise not found in all maintenance compa-nies. For example, when a Black Hawk recently experienced en-gine trouble, the crew of Co. D had to replace the engine. Theengine, which costs almost $600,000, took several hours to re-place. Then it had to be tested to ensure it provided enough powerto turn the rotors and lift the helicopter off the ground.

Black Hawk maintenance is not limited to mechanics and tech-nicians. Pilots and crew chiefs keep a constant watch onthe aircraft � before, during and after flight. Any prob-lems are reported to Boyer and Brasseur, who determinehow the problem will be addressed. Two civilian techni-cians work closely with Co. D soldiers to keep the BlackHawks airborne.

�The job is a lot of hours. It takes a lot of time anddiscipline,� said Sgt. Mario Valdez, a Black Hawk crewchief from West Covina, Calif. �But as long as you�re work-ing hard as a team you get the job done.�

Deploying downrange has provided the soldiers of Co.D with invaluable training, since there are no distractersto the job of maintaining helicopters.

�They (the soldiers) fare better down here than theydo in garrison because there are less distractions,� saidBrasseur. �They work full-time on maintenance. We havebetter response time with the people we have down herebecause they�re doing what they�re trained to do.�

The Black Hawks of 2nd Bn, 1st Avn. Reg. have com-pleted many crucial missions in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in-cluding escorting high-ranking officials from base to base.Recently, the Black Hawks were called on to fly the secre-tary of defense on his trip to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

�But the actual day-to-day readiness doesn�t vary wheth-er we�re flying the secretary of defense or a load of privates,�said Boyer. �The airplanes always have to be at the samelevel of readiness and that�s what we strive for.�

By Sgt. Steven Collins129th MPAD

Soldierson Black

Spc. Paul Smith, a helicopter mechanic forCompany D, 2nd Battalion, 1st AviationRegiment, conducts a pre-flight inspectionof the tail rotor on a Black Hawk helicopter.

Spc. Jose Berrio, ahelicopter mechanic withCompany D, 2nd Battalion,1st Aviation Regiment,examines an engine from aBlack Hawk helicopter atTuzla Air Base.

Photo by Sgt. Steven Collins

Photo by Sgt. Steven Collins

Hawksteam up

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997Page 10

CAMP DOBOL -- Securing a strong eco-nomic anchor in Bosnia-Herzegovina is avital mission of the Stabalization Force.This involves providing resources and sup-port for small business owners, local farm-ers and displaced persons. In order to pro-vide this channel between com-munities and donor agencies,Camp Dobol recently hosted aNon-Governmental Organiza-tion / International Organiza-tion Fair.

�Our desired outcome of thismeeting is to find the best fit be-tween projects and programs tointernational donor agencies,�said Maj. Joe Morgan, TaskForce 1-41 civil affairs teamleader. �This event creates theperfect environment for provid-ing all people working in thisarea an opportunity to network. The cur-rent levels of aid are decreasing to near zeroin one year, so this is a very critical time.We want the country�s infrastructure to beable to take care of itself in both the pri-vate and public sector.�

The keynote speaker, Douglas Merca-do from the World Food Program, set the

tone for the meeting. He presented theschedule showing food aid being reducedthroughout 1997. Other agencies continuedthe theme of changing their aid programsthis year from emergency aid to develop-mental programs.

�I feel both sides need to put aside theirdifferences and work together to better thelocal economy,� said Sgt. Brendan Stone,

CA specialist with the 413th CA Bn. basedin Lubbock, Texas. �The former warringfactions relied on each other before the war,and now that there is peace, they shouldbe able to rely on each other again.�

Discussions were animated and produc-tive. According to Morgan, Dzevad Tosun-begovic, the mayor of Kalesija said, �It

seemed like everyone got something out ofthe meeting.� This comment was echoed bymany others in attendance.

�The purpose of this meeting is to pro-vide local town and SFOR civil affairs rep-resentatives accurate, up-to-date informa-tion on each organization, their focus andintent of funding for calendar year 1997.The meeting was very successful.� said

Morgan. �Over eight donor orga-nizations came to share with oth-ers what their organizations doand what their plans are for1997.�

Representatives from nine dif-ferent municipalities from boththe Republic of Srbska and theFederation attended. Additional-ly, Joint Commission Observersand Civil Affairs teams fromCamp Bedrock and Demi werepresent.

Currently there are 323 CivilAffairs reservists serving in Bos-

nia-Herzegovina supporting OperationJoint Guard.

Task Force 1-41 will host another NGO/ IO conference tentatively scheduled forMay. It will be an open format so that allrepresentatives and interested parties canobtain specific information about their ar-eas of interest and needs.

By Spc. Susanne Aspley364th MPAD

�The current levels of aid aredecreasing to near zero in one year,so this is a very critical time. We wantto get the country�s infrastructure tobe able to take care of itself in boththe private and public sector.�---- Maj. Joe Morgan

Factions� financial fare furtheredPhoto by Spc.Susanne Aspley

Maj. Joe Morgan, Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, passes outtoys received from International Relief Committee,one of the many organizations providing relief andinfrastructure support to Bosnia-Herzogovina.

The TalonFriday, April 18, 1997 Page 11

fMfM

aFaFRadio & TV101.1

NRadio & TV101.1

NI was countrywhen countrywasn�t cool.

Cpl. Cory Check0900-1100/Mon-Fri

Country Connection

Is there someone in the unit that thinks they know everything?Of course there is -- every unit has one. Give them this quiz, thenwatch them start to sweat.

1) What U.S. company spent the most money on advertising in1995?

2) What television series topped the annual ratings the most times,according to Nielsen Media Research?

3) What were the names of the castaways on Gilligan�s Island?

4) What North American country celebrates its Independence Dayon Sept. 16?

5) Which state is known as the Granite State?

6) What are the ingredients of V8?

7) How large an area does the principality of Monaco cover?

What do you know?

1) Procter & Gamble ($1.507 billion), 2) All in theFamily (five), 3) Gilligan, the skipper (Jonas Grum-by), The millionaire and his wife (Thurston HowellIII, Lovey Howell), The movie star (Ginger Grant, andthe rest (Professor Roy Hinkley, Mary Ann Summers),4) Mexico 5) New Hampshire, 6) A tasty beverage, V8has the juices of tomato, spinach, celery, beetroot, car-rot, parsley, watercress, and lettuce. 7) .73 squaremiles (465 acres), 8) �Video Killed the Radio Star� bythe Buggles. The next nine were: PAT BENATAR YouBetter Run, ROD STEWART She Won�t Dance WithMe, THE WHO You Better You Bet, PhD Little Sus-ie�s On The Up, CLIFF RICHARD We Don�t Talk Any-more, THE PRETENDERS Brass In Pocket, TODDRUNGREN Time Heals, REO SPEEDWAGON TakeIt On The Run and STYX Rockin� The Paradise 9)Harriet Quimby (Ticket No. 37, 1911) 10) Japan (79.7years), 11) Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina,Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Jer-sey, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Mas-sachusetts, Connecticut 12) South Dakota, 13) Egyp-tian, 14) 20th and 35th, 15) China (1,210,004,956)India (952,107,694) 16) 830

8) What was the first video played on MTV?

9) Who was the first U.S. woman pilot?

10) What country has the world�s highest life expectancy?

11) What are the 13 original American Colonies?

12) What state is known as the Coyote State?

13) Apis, Isis and Ra can be found in which mythology?

14) A gift of an emerald is most appropriate on which weddinganniversaries?

15) Which two countries had larger populations than the UnitedStates in 1996?

16) What is the approximate population of Vatican City?

Due to the BrckoAgreement and diminishingthreat, you can now drink

beer in the Americansector. The uniform will beBDU, weapon and soft cap.

Ever have a dream thatwas too good to be

true?

TURTLES IN THE BOX Featuring Muddy and Dusty By Capt. Peter J. Buotte

The Talon Friday, April 18, 1997Page 12

to symbolize the effort on the part of theinternational community to bring peace tothe war-torn land. It is Ragsdale�s missionto ensure that effort succeeds.

�I think we�re helping out a lot becausewe�re taking over control of the bridge,� saidRagsdale. We�re just another point in theplan and keeping all the operations flow-ing real smooth.�

Stewardship of the Brcko Bridge is un-der the responsibility of Ragsdale�s unit,the Delta �Dogs of War� of Task Force 1-77, recently deployed to Bosnia-Herzegov-ina to replace the outgoing Task Force 1-18. While it has several different missionswithin its sector, Task Force 1-77�s maineffort is securing Brcko Bridge, said Capt.Kevin D. Hendricks, commander, Co. D.

�The purpose is to ensure a secure envi-ronment and maintain critical lines of com-munication for follow-on missions,� saidHendricks. The 30-year-old commandersaid his company is also responsible forthree weapon storage sites -- two in the cityand one outside. But the main priority, hesaid, is the bridge.

Despite the transfer of authority at Brc-ko Bridge and the recent arrival of DeputyHigh Representative Robert Farrand asUN supervisor to the controversial city, itis business as usual at the Sava River.Staring out from behind sandbags andwire, the Delta Dogs keep constant vigil onboth ends of the bridge, strictly enforcingthe SFOR-only travel restrictions. At thesouth entrance, an M2 Bradley FightingVehicle doubles as a mobile gate, periodi-cally reversing to allow a vehicle through,then rumbling forward again to shut off theentrance. Across the street, Serb police helpcontrol the bustling traffic that ebbs andflows through Brcko�s business district.

In contrast to the busy south side, thenorth entrance leads into the quiet Croat-ian town of Gunja, where the only soundsheard are an occasional automobile orrooster.

Busy or quiet, the Brcko Bridge is never-theless a political symbol -- a fact that some-times intrudes on Hendricks� military con-cerns. He said that in addition to securingthe bridge, another implied task is knowingthe local civic, police and military leaders,and working with them on a daily basis.

�I�ve always concentrated on the tacti-cal aspects of fighting a war, and now atleast half of my day is spent dealing withand talking with people in offices,� saidHendricks. �I have to be careful about whatI say, or do not say, and how I representSFOR and the United States.�

Hendricks said the instructions he re-ceives from his commanders are explicit,

yet flexible enough to allow him to dowhat is best when balancing the militaryand political concerns of his mission.

Hendricks said he tries to keep hissoldiers concentrated on the military mis-sion of securing the bridge. He said thatsince taking over the Brcko Bridge mis-sion a few weeks ago, his men�s perfor-mance has been excellent and have hitthe ground running.

�They�ve done improvements on thebridge to increase force protection,� saidHendricks. �They�re the fresh eyes. Theysaw things that jumped out at them, andthey made suggestions or improvements.�

Hendricks said the 24-hour-a-day, sev-en-days-a-week importance of the bridgemeans his men put in a lot of hours --and miles. �Those guys are walking sixto seven miles a day on patrols, andthey�re out on the bridge for 12 hours,�he said. �It�s a long day for them.�

One of Hendricks� soldiers, Staff Sgt.Shawn Alsup, 27, said he enjoys the re-sponsibilities and opportunities thatcome with the mission. In addition to be-

ing a Bradley commander, Alsup also con-ducts daily patrols through Brcko itself. TheCaldwell, Idaho, native said the patrols givethe soldiers a chance to get out of the bun-kers and into the streets, seeing the town andmeeting the Bosnians face-to-face.

�So far it�s interesting to see. This is thefirst time I�ve seen a lot of destruction likethis,� said Alsup. �It�s pretty satisfying toknow that you�re helping the kids and therest of the population try to maintain peaceand rebuild their city.�

However, Alsup said he always keeps themission -- securing Brcko Bridge -- foremoston his agenda. �At our level we know it�s oneof the few links between Croatia and Bos-nia,� he said. �It�s an important piece of thepuzzle and for us down at this level we justdo our job. We do what we�re told and that�sabout it.�

His commander agrees. �I try to focus onthe missions I need to deal with,� said Hen-dricks. �As long as I do what I�ve been toldcorrectly and well, I know in the end my sol-diers and myself will look good. I do what Ineed to do and do the best I can at it.�

BRIDGEfrom page 1

Pvt. Ryan W. Coleman, 19, an automaticrifleman with Company D, 2nd Battalion,2nd Infantry, pauses at the south end ofthe Brcko Bridge while on guard duty. Photo by Spc. David Boe