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Re-Enactors
84th Annual
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2007
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WWII Memoirs-
3rd Infantry
Division
d o g
f a c e
s o l
d i e r s
A photographic
journey of the
Third Signal Co. of
the 15th Regiment
of the U.S. Third
Infantry Division-
WWII
by Denis Toomey
7th Inf.
Regt.
Association
15th Inf.
Regt.
Association
15th Inf. Regt.
Local Webpage
65th Inf.
Regt.
Assn.
10th
Field Artillery Regt. Association
30th
Inf. Regt.
Association
WWII Memorial
and Arlington
National Cemetery
OP Harry
Survivors
Association
All Rights
Reserved
©Rich
Heller
1997-2008
Calendar for 2008
January 26, 2008
Outpost 22 Meeting
Home of Jack and
Anita Sneddon
February 24, 2008
Outpost 15 Meeting
Brothers Cafe-11:00am
Peoria, Arizona
April 3rd - 6th, 2008
Outpost 2 Reunion &
Meeting
Quality Inn
Heritage Park,
Kissimmee, FL
April 13, 2008
Outpost 18 Spring
Meeting
Holiday Inn Select-
11:00AM
Hook & Ladder Room
Appleton, WI
April 26, 2008
Outpost 22 Dinner
Meeting
Home of Jack and Anita Sneddon
May 1-4, 2008
Anzio Beachhead
Veterans of WWII
St. Louis, MO
Contact: John Boller
631-691-5002
1 Harbor North,
Amityville, NY
11701-3810
May 3, 2008
3ID Gate Rededication
Ceremony
Camp Pike , AR
POC - David Madison
1-501-771-8722
May 3-4, 2008
Outpost 12 Spring
Meeting
Country Inn & Suites
Albert Lea, MN
May 4, 2008 (Tentative)
Plaque Dedication
Ceremony
Berchtesgaden, DE
POC Monika Stoy
1-703-912-4218
May 4, 2008
Outpost 5 Spring
Meeting-11:30 AM
Bath American Legion
Post
278 Race Street,
Bath, Pennsylvania
May 17, 2008
Outpost 13
-
Spring meeting
at 12:00 noon at
Bakers of Milford,
Milford, MI
May 2008
Anzio Beachhead
Veterans of 1944 WWII
Washington, D.C. area
Contact Clyde E. Easter
276-728-7293
299 Panorama Drive,
Fancy Gap, VA
24328-2751
May 25, 2008
WW1 Marne
Campaign Ceremony
Chateau-Thierry
POC Monika Stoy
1-703-912-4218
May 26-June 5th, 2008
64th Anniversary
Battlefield Tour
of Italy
Clyde E. Easter at
276-728-7293
299 Panorama Drive,
Fancy Gap, VA
24328-2751
May 30, 2008
Outpost 7 Meeting-
3:15 PM, Friday
Arlington Natl.
Cemetery
Washington, DC
June 12-15, 2008
OP Harry Survivors
Association Reunion
Renton, WA
POC Jerry Cunningham
1-803-783-4491
June 27-28,
2008
Audie Murphy Days
Greenville,TX
www.cottonmuseum.com
1-903-450-1990
July 12, 2008
Outpost 22 Annual
Picnic
Yorba Reg. Park, CA
July 27, 2008
Korean War
Anniversary
Ceremonies
KW Monument-
9:00 am
Arlington Cemetery -
2:00PM
POC Monika Stoy
1-703-912-4218
August 15-17,
2008
Operation Dragoon
60th Anniversary
Provence, France
POC Monika Stoy
1-703-912-4218
September 18-21,
2008
89th Annual Reunion
Society of the 3ID
Columbus Airport
Hotel
Columbus, GA
October 26, 2008
Outpost 18
Fall Meeting
October 2008
Cubs Win World Series
100 Year Drought Ends
Chicago, IL
Nov. 11, 2008
Veterans Day and
WWI
90th Anniversary
Chateau-Thierry,
France
POC Monika Stoy
1-703-912-4218
Nov. 11, 2008
Veterans Day
OP 7 Ceremonies
Arlington Cemetery
POC John Insani
1-703-370-4586
August 10-23, 2009
65th Anniversary
Battlefield Tour
For the Society of the
3rd Infantry Division
Italy, France |
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Operation Iraqi Freedom
2007-8 Tour
of the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq
Last Update
April 21, 2008
Older Deployment News and Stories
on OIF 2007Old2
Click Here to go to
www.warfoto.com/OIF2007Old2.htm
Operation Iraqi Freedom I-III
and Older Stories from December 2004
Can be found on our OIF Archives Page
Fort Stewart
Dedicates Trees to Five Fallen Comrades
Bomb adds Five Trees to Warriors Walk

A soldier returns to his place after removing the cover from granite
marker honoring a fallen soldier,
part of Thursday tree dedication. Joe Parker Jr. / Coastal Courier
April 18, 2008 - The five soldiers
honored in Thursday's tree dedication ceremony at Fort Stewart were
all killed in a single incident in Iraq on March 10.All were members
of Delta Company, First Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, Second
Brigade, Third Infantry Division and died of wounds suffered when a
suicide bomber detonated a bomb near them.
Staff Sgt. Ernesto G. Cimarrusti, 25, of
Douglas, Ariz. Cimarrusti, with Co. D, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was a
tanker. He joined the Army in March 2001 and arrived at Fort Stewart
in August 2001.
Staff Sgt. David D. Julian, 31, of Evanston, Wyo. Julian,
with Co. D, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was a tanker. He joined the Army in May
1998 and arrived at Fort Stewart in August 2005.
Cpl. Robert T. McDavid III, 29, of Starkville, Miss. McDavid,
with Co. D, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was a tanker. He joined the Army in
January 2006 and arrived at Fort Stewart in June 2006.
Cpl. Scott A. McIntosh, 26, of Houston, Texas. McIntosh, with
Co. D, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team,
3rd Infantry Division, joined the Army in March 2003 and arrived at
Fort Stewart in July 2003.
Sgt. 1st. Class Shawn M. Suzch, 32, of Hilltown, Pa. Suzch,
with Co. D, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team, 3rd Infantry Division, was a tank commander. He joined the
Army in August 1994 and arrived at Fort Stewart in June 2002.
Your Rating
The addition of a memorial tree for each of these fallen Soldiers
will bring the total number of trees on Warriors Walk to 398. These
Eastern Red Bud trees planted on Warriors Walk serve as a living
monument to the great men and women of the U.S. Army, the National
Guard, and the 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers who were immortalized
by their sacrifices. Thursday's ceremony honored these soldiers:

Widow Iliana Cimarrusti and daughter Vivianayn attach
flower to tree memorializing their husband and father
during Thursday's dedication on Warriors Walk.
Joe Parker Jr. / Coastal Courier |

Iliana Cimarrusti, 26, right, places a rose at the root
of a tree at Fort Stewart on Thursday that is dedicated
to her husband, Staff Sgt. Ernesto Cimarrusti, who was
killed in Iraq with four other soldiers in his unit
during a foot patrol. Their daughter, Vivianaiy, 6,
watches.
Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News |
Col. Todd Buchs, Fort Stewart garrison
commander, briefly eulogized each tanker. Cimarrusti, a tank
commander, loved the Army and his job in armor, but dreamed of
becoming a helicopter pilot.
SSG and Mrs. Cimarrusti made their home in Glennville with their
daughter Vivianayn, 6, and the sergeant is buried in the veterans'
cemetery there. Ms. Cimarrusti said local people "have been just
wonderful to me, everyone is so good," and she appreciates the small
town environment. She felt a special kinship with her husband
because they had both joined the Army together.
|

Tiffany McDavid, 29, and her mother Ginger Thornhill,
57, left, weep for Tiffany's husband, Cpl. Robert
McDavid III, as a tree is dedicated to him at Fort
Stewart on Thursday. McDavid was killed in Iraq with
four other soldiers in his unit during a foot patrol.
Hunter McRae/Savannah Morning News |
McDavid loved tanks and had played with toy tanks as
a small child. He loved the outdoors and Nascar racing.
McIntosh was a Texan with five years of service and spent much of
his free time on church work. He had just re-enlisted for seven
years.
Suzch was a man who set and achieved goals, such as joining the Army
and marrying his wife. He had recently returned to Iraq from leave,
determined to lead his soldiers to a successful and safe homecoming.
Julian, a veteran of deployments to Macedonia, Korea and three tours
in Iraq, had a daughter born in December.
Buchs said, "So long as we have soldiers who make the ultimate
sacrifice in this righteous fight, we will have a place for their
trees here at Warrior's Walk. Young and old, soldier and civilian
alike will walk these paths. They will pause and read their names
and reflect on the sacrifice they made for freedom."
http://www.coastalcourier.com/news/article/6694/
http://savannahnow.com/node/482162 |
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Gilbert Wins MacArthur Leadership Award
By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd InfantryDivision

Capt. Brian Gilbert, from Boise,
Idaho, commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry
Regiment, speaks with a local leader following a security meeting in
Tameem, Iraq, March 2. Gilbert will receive the Gen. Douglas
MacArthur Leadership award in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on
May 13.
FORWARD OPERATING
BASE HAMMER, Iraq – April 6, 2008 - Capt. Brian Gilbert, the
commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, will
receive the Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership award in the Hall of
Heroes at the Pentagon on May 13. The award is given annually to the
top company-grade officers who demonstrate the ideals of duty, honor
and service to country. Gilbert, a native of Boise, Idaho, is one of
14 active duty officers who will receive the award.
“I was extremely surprised when I found out I would be receiving the
award,” Gilbert said. “I didn’t think I had a chance. It is very
humbling to be one of the recipients.” As surprised as Gilbert is to
receive the award, his subordinates are not.
“I think he is very deserving of the award,” said 1st Lt. Daniel
Bell, executive officer of Company D. “He is a great commander. He
never loses his cool and is very knowledgeable. He is one of the
most technically and tactically proficient officers I’ve ever been
around.”
Bell, from San Antonio, Texas, credits Gilbert with many of the
lessons he has learned during his current deployment. “He has always
been available when I have had questions,” Bell said. “When he went
home on leave, I had to try and fill his shoes; ‘try’ being the key
word. I never realized how hard he worked until I had to do it. I
have the utmost respect for him.” First Sgt. James Woody, from
Portsmouth, Va., has worked side by side with Gilbert since he took
over Company D in September.
“When I found out
I was coming to Company D, I was excited,” he said. “Everyone I
talked to told me how lucky I was to have him as a commander and
they were right. We talk about everything and line up our plans. He
is great about giving all his leaders the task and purpose, and
letting them make their decisions.” Woody described how Gilbert
directed his company on March 26 in Jisr Diyala, when they were
ambushed during a combat patrol.
“He was on the ground with his troops within 15 minutes of them
being ambushed,” Woody said. “He was directing five different
elements at one time. To listen to it over the radio was amazing. It
says something to your troops when their commander is there with
them on the ground.” For six hours, Gilbert and his men fought
criminals through the streets of Jisr Diyala. At the end of the
engagement, 11 enemy fighters were dead and 24 were detained. Three
of Gilbert’s men sustained minor injuries and returned to duty. “In
my opinion, if you have troops in contact, your place as a commander
is out there with them,” Gilbert said. “That is really the only way
you can assess what is going on.”
Bell chuckled when he heard Gilbert’s explanation. “Capt. Gilbert is
born for this fight,” he said. Woody said what makes his commander
stand out is his ability to listen. “He is very low-key person, but
he has the ability to listen and take in information,” he said. “He
has been very successful with the local leaders here. He says what
he means and means what he says. He never makes promises he can’t
keep ... He is just as effective dealing with local leaders as he is
in a kinetic operation.”
Bell said all the Company D Soldiers like and respect Gilbert.
“Everyone loves him,” Bell said. “He has proven to them time and
time again that he will make the right decision. He has always been
fair when making decisions on rewards and punishments. “ That
respect and admiration has translated into performance, said Woody.
“Our Soldiers have remained professional throughout this
deployment,” Woody said. “The locals know we are operating in Jisr
Diyala. We treat people with respect. The Soldiers have carried
themselves like the professionals they are at all times when we have
gone outside the wire. All of local leaders have noticed that. Capt.
Gilbert is constantly complimented by them for that.” In turn,
Gilbert credited his Soldiers’ performance for the award. “Your men
make you who you are as a leader,” he said. “It really isn’t hard to
be a company commander when you have Soldiers like we do.”
Gilbert’s commander, Col. Wayne W. Grigsby, Jr., from Prince
George’s County, Md., commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team,
congratulated him on winning the award. Grigsby won the same award
in 1987. “He told me he was proud of me,” Gilbert said. “It meant a
lot coming from him. As a former winner of the award, it helped set
him up for success. I hope I can emulate him and his success.”
Grigsby said Gilbert is deserving of the award. “Brian Gilbert is a
combat leader, who always leads from the front and has the mental
toughness to deal with the complexities of a COIN
(counterinsurgency) fight,” Grigsby said. “Simply put, he is the
best.”
The 1-15 Inf. Regt., currently attached to the 3rd Squadron, 1st
Cavalry Regiment, is assigned to the 3rd BCT, 3rd Infantry Division
from Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007. |
|
Bravery Under Fire: Remembering
Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith
5 Years After Earning the Medal of Honor

Task Force Marne Soldiers, who organized a remembrance ceremony on
April 4 for Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, stand in the courtyard
where Smith gave his life in defense of others five years ago. For
his selfless service, Smith was posthumously awarded the Medal of
Honor in 2005.
Date Taken: April 4th, 2008
Location: Camp Victory, IQ
Photographer: Sgt. Jasmine Chopra
302nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment |
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Married
Troops Can Live Together in Iraq
By BRADLEY BROOKS and
RUSS BYNUM BAGHDAD (AP) — When American soldiers get off duty in
Iraq, the men usually return to their quarters, the women to theirs.
But Staff Sgt. Marvin Frazier gets to go back to a small
trailer with two pushed-together single beds that he shares with his
wife.
In a historic but little-noticed change in policy, the Army is
allowing scores of husband-and-wife soldiers to live and sleep
together in the war zone — a move aimed at preserving marriages,
boosting morale and perhaps bolstering re-enlistment rates at a time
when the military is struggling to fill its ranks five years into
the fighting.
"It makes a lot of things easier," said Frazier, 33, a helicopter
maintenance supervisor in the 3rd Infantry Division. "It
really adds a lot of stress, being separated. Now you can sit
face-to-face and try to work out things and comfort each other."
Long-standing Army rules barred soldiers of the opposite sex from
sharing sleeping quarters in war zones. Even married troops lived
only in all-male or all-female quarters and had no private living
space. But in May 2006, Army commanders in Iraq, with little
fanfare, decided that it is in the military's interest to promote
wedded bliss. In other words: What God has joined together, let no
manual put asunder.
"It's better for the soldiers, which means overall it's better for
the Army," said Command Maj. Mark Thornton of the 3rd Infantry.
Military analysts said this is the first war in which the Army even
gave the idea any serious consideration — a reflection not only of
the large number of couples sent to war this time, but also of the
way the fighting has dragged on and strained marriages with repeated
12- and 15-month tours of duty. While some couples were also sent
into the 1991 Gulf War, the fighting was over before their living
arrangements became an issue, said Lory Manning, a retired Navy
captain who studies how military policies affect women for the
nonprofit Women's Research and Education Institute. More than 10,000
couples are in the Army. Exactly how many are serving in the war
zone, and how many of those are living together, are not clear. The
Army said it does not keep track.
But Frazier and his wife, Staff Sgt. Keisha Frazier, are
among about 40 married Army couples living together on "Couples Row"
at Camp Striker, which is on the outskirts of Baghdad and is one of
more than 150 U.S. military camps in Iraq. Similarly, a Couples Row
opened in October at nearby Camp Victory, though it has trailers for
only seven of the many couples who have requested them.
Husbands and wives are still prohibited from public displays of
affection, under the same strict regulations that govern unmarried
men and women in uniform. Holding hands and kissing, whether on duty
or in the chow hall, are against the rules. "It's rough on marriages
when, over the course of years, you don't see each other," Manning
said. "It would make sense, certainly from a morale perspective and
for the Army, to try to preserve marriages." The only downside of
married soldiers sharing sleeping quarters, she said, would be an
increased risk of pregnancies.
John Pike, director of the military think tank Globalsecurity.org.,
said: "I think they are looking under the sofa cushions for anything
they can do to improve retention. They spend a lot of money getting
these people trained up."
After spending the first five months of their 15-month deployment on
separate bases in tents with up to 15 other soldiers, all of the
same sex, the Fraziers prize the small degree of privacy and
intimacy they gained after moving in together in October. Still
newlyweds, Sgt. Amanda Christoper, 25, and her husband,
Sgt. Matthew Christopher, 22, said the change in rules has been
a blessing for their nearly year-old marriage, four months of which
has been spent in Iraq. Both work at the military hospital in
Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, where Amanda is a licensed practical
nurse and Matthew is in patient administration, which can include
mortuary duties.
"Some of the stuff I've seen, if she weren't here, I'd be a lot less
cool about it," Matthew said as the pair sat inside their
potpourri-scented living quarters — a mere 120 square feet, with a
TV set atop two black lockboxes, an impressive collection of stuffed
animals and a Chicago Bears plaque. "There was one night in
particular, I saw something and I just thought, 'Oh, God.' I came in
here, talked to her for a few minutes, went outside, took a deep
breath and I was good to go." Because of the prohibition on public
displays of affection, the Christophers declined even to put their
arms around each other for a photo. "It's not like in the civilian
world where if you see your boyfriend at work you can just go, 'Oh,
hi, Babe,'" Amanda said. "We're in uniform, and we have to maintain
a professional demeanor at work."
Capt. Jessica Hegenbart and her husband, Chief Warrant
Officer Brian Hegenbart, had to live separately for two months
when they arrived at Camp Striker because all the trailers for
couples were full and were mostly allotted by rank. They finally
moved in together in June. "It's nice to come back to our trailer. I
just feel bad for all those guys who don't have that to come home to
every day," said Brian, a 32-year-old Black Hawk helicopter pilot.
Living together, however, doesn't stop the Hegenbarts from worrying
about each other's safety. Sometimes, it can make it harder.
"Because we're so close out here, we know to the hour when our loved
one's supposed to be home from a mission," Jessica said. "So if
they're late, our brains starts going to that place where you start
to wonder what went wrong. That happens more often than I'd like to
admit."
Associated Press writer Russ Bynum reported from Savannah, Ga. AP
writer Bradley Brooks reported from Baghdad. |
|
New U.S.
Policy Allows Married Couples
Serving In Iraq To Share Same Sleeping Quarters
April 1, 2008
Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News Writer
Baghdad, Iraq
(AHN) - Two years after it was quietly implemented, the U.S. Army is
now reaping the fruit of a little known Army policy by helping
strengthen military marriages and keeping more married soldiers
enlisted. The policy, implemented on May 2006, allowed
soldier-couples to share the same quarters while serving in Iraq Now
quartered in trailers, several couples are enjoying the reversal of
an Army regulation that prohibited male and female American soldiers
from sharing sleeping quarters while in war zones.
Prior to the lifting of the prohibition, married troops bunked in
all-male or all-female quarters. Third Infantry Command Sergeant
Major Thomas Thornton explained to the Boston Globe the
rationale behind the policy change. "It's better for the soldiers,
which means overall it's better for the Army," Thornton said.
The protracted Iraq war led to a rethinking of the policy,
particularly the effect of long separations on Army marriages. There
were some couples deployed to the Middle East in the 1991 Gulf War
but the battle was short-lived that living arrangements of married
soldiers then was not an issue, said Lory Manning, a retired now
doing military policy studies for the Women's Research and Education
Institute.
There are 40 married couples on Couples Row at Camp Striker and
another 7 at Camp Victory.
Army couples are not, however, allowed to show public display of
affection including hold hands or kissing while on duty or at the
mess hall.
Manning pointed out it is rough on marriages if couples rarely see
each other over the years. "It would make sense, certainly from a
morale perspective and for the Army, to try to preserve marriages,"
Manning said.
Copyright © AHN Media Corp - All rights reserved. |
|
1st BCT cases
colors, bids farewell to Ramadi
Spc. Ricardo Branch 1st BCT Public Affairs

1BCT Cases Colors Mar 20, 2008
Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division
held a casing of the colors ceremony March 20 at the Morale Welfare
and Recreation building on Camp Ramadi. The ceremony marked the end
of the deployment for the 1st BCT as well as a transfer of authority
to Regimental Combat Team 1, who will be controlling the Ramadi are
after the brigade’s departure. “Today is a very important day, today
is a day the members of the 1st Brigade thought would never happen,”
said 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Ground Combat Element Commander
Brig. Gen. Richard Mills. “After 15 long, hard months they are going
home with the mission accomplished, and many thought they’d never go
home on a day where there is security in Al Anbar province.”
He said security came from the brilliant performance by the
Soldiers and members of this brigade. “This unit was brilliant on
the battlefield; within days of taking over, they were in urban
combat in a tough fight in the city of Ramadi,” Mills said. “Their
brilliant performance was signified by their continued success
against the enemy.”
1st BCT commander Col. John Charlton echoed the word of security
along with the brigade’s other goal for their mission in Ramadi.
“When we arrived here last year, we had two goals: one was to clear
Ramadi of terrorists in eight weeks, and the other was to make this
area secure enough, so we would be the last brigade combat team to
serve in central Anbar,” he said.

Col. John Charlton, Commander 1BCT
Click here to read Col Charlton's transcript
Charlton said the brigade didn’t achieve their goals like they
planned because it took them only six weeks instead of eight, and
the success was in large part due to the partnership with the Iraqi
Security Forces. “We have always said that together we can do
anything, and we proved that,” he said. “This effort did not come
without a cost. During our deployment, 29 Coalition troops, 13 Iraqi
Army Soldiers, and 59 Iraqi Policemen paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
In January 2007, downtown Ramadi laid in ruins. Half of the
buildings were destroyed and just about every structure in Ramadi
showed signs of battle damage. The insurgents had such a
stranglehold on this city; they conducted a parade in downtown
Ramadi, declaring it the capital city for Al Qaeda in Iraq. “Central
Al Anbar averaged between 30-to-35 attacks a day,” Charlton said.
“Ramadi was easily the most dangerous city in Iraq, if not the
entire world.” Today, the city of Ramadi and Al Anbar province have
been reborn. In a little over a year, the city has gone from the
most dangerous, to one of the safest in Iraq.
All of the major damage has been repaired and only a few small signs
of the fighting remain. The electrical system has been completely
restored and hundreds of water and sewer pipes have been fixed.
Children play outside and go to school and the economy is growing at
a massive rate in the city. Charlton credits the success of Anbar to
the people standing up against the oppression and violence brought
about by terrorists. “To understand how this happened, we must start
with the tribes of Anbar,” he said. “Starting in 2006, and led by
Sheik Sittar Abu Risha and many other brave sheiks, the sons of
Anbar stood in defiance of the terrorists and fought back to protect
their land, their families and their way of life.”
Many including Sheik Sittar gave their lives for the cause of
freedom, which inspired the people to join the Iraqi Security
Forces. “They joined by the thousands,” Charlton said. “Tribes of
Anbar formed a close friendship with the Coalition Forces and
together we fought the terrorists.” Terrorists received no support
from the people in the province after the tribes joined with the
coalition. The combined efforts of the partnership got rid of the
hold Al Qaeda had in the province.
Charlton said, “Without question it was the tribal leaders of Al
Anbar who created the “Awakening” that is now spreading across the
country and giving hope for a united and peaceful Iraq.”
He went on to talk about the Coalition and Iraqi Security Force
units, which helped take back Ramadi and the countryside from
terrorists before reminiscing about the strong emotions this
deployments has caused. “This has been a tremendous experience for
the Raider Brigade, but we leave here with mixed feelings,” Charlton
said. “It’s a happy day for us because the Soldiers will soon go
home to their families after a tough 15-month combat tour. For many
of these Soldiers it’s their third deployment to Iraq and they and
their families have sacrificed much, however, it’s also a sad day
because we leave behind so many of our Iraqi friends.
He added, “We all have developed many close friendships with all of
the Iraqis that we’ve worked with and it will be tough to say
goodbye. We know that our friends will be in good hands … and that
the close partnership between the Iraqis and Coalition Forces will
grow even stronger.”
-30- |
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Lynch: 3rd
Infantry Division marks fifth year of war in Iraq
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch | Monday, March 17, 2008

The Marne Division that led the initial attack
into Baghdad is now leading stability efforts for the Iraqi people.
BAGHDAD - Five years ago, the first unit to cross the Kuwait-Iraq
border was the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Squadron, 7th Calvary
Regiment. The days following were the most rapid advance in the 3rd
Infantry Division history, outpacing even the World War II invasions
of Sicily when the Division advanced 100 miles in 12 days, and
southern France when the Division advanced 400 miles in a month.
By March 31, 2003, the 3rd Infantry Division was within 50 miles of
Baghdad. The first 10 days of April 2003 were the most crucial days
of this initial campaign, and the Division became famous for its
brave "Thunder Runs." Our First Brigade Combat Team seized the
Saddam International Airport from the Republican Guard after 12
hours of heavy fighting. Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith of the
11th Engineer Battalion was killed while manning a .50 caliber
machine gun, and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. By
April 9, 2003, Baghdad fell, and the 3rd Infantry Division was
awarded the Presidential Unit Citation - the first awarded since
World War II.
The 3rd Infantry Division returned to Iraq in 2005. But rather than
overthrow Saddam Hussein and his regime, the Division oversaw the
transition from Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's interim government to a
freely and fairly elected representative Iraqi government. During
this deployment, "dog face soldiers" protected the new Iraqi
Transitional National Assembly which wrote the first
popularly-ratified constitution for Iraq and oversaw the transition
of Iraq to a government democratically elected by the Iraqi people
of all ethnic and religious persuasions in a free and fair election.
When the President announced the surge in January 2007, the 3rd
Infantry Division answered the call again. The Division Headquarters
deployed six months ahead of schedule, and the Second and Third
Brigade Combat Teams accelerated their deployment time lines. The
Division stood up Multi-National Division/Center to focus on
Baghdad's southern belts and the southern provinces. Attacks in this
area decreased from over 25 per day in March 2007 to under two
attacks per day in March 2008, and civilian casualties are down 75
percent.
Now, 3rd Infantry Division soldiers no longer "commute to work."
They live in forward patrol bases with the Iraqi people. They not
only secure them, but work hand-in-hand to provide essential
services and a stable way of life. They are focused on all lines of
operation equally. For the first time in the division's history,
Operation Marne Piledriver will kick off next month to solely focus
on the capacity building of the Iraqi security forces, Iraqi
government, and Iraq's economic stability. The advantage of the
division's multiple deployments to Iraq is that progress is evident.
Unlike the Iraqis of 2003 who lived in fear, the will the Iraqis of
2008 has turned against the insurgency and toward freedom. Iraqi
security forces share the cost of defending their country, currently
suffering casualties at a rate three times that of coalition forces.
Iraqis are truly fighting for their country. Our soldiers are
working at the local level - building schools, health clinics and
governance centers. Sectarian divides have gone away and Sunnis and
Shiites are working together to seek legitimacy at the most grass
roots level.
The division's current campaign plan focuses completely on capacity
building. A year ago I spent my time on large combat outposts
planning major kinetic operations - operations requiring lethal
force as the main effort. Now I walk through the local markets,
visit fish farms and spend my time eating with and engaging the
Iraqi people. I always tell the soldiers they have a choice in life
- they can either read history or make history, and dog face
soldiers are making history every day. They have set the standard
for operating in a counterinsurgency environment.
When the division returned in 2007, it unfurled its colors on Iraqi
soil for an unprecedented third time in four years. The Marne
Division led the initial attack into Baghdad and is now leading
stability efforts for the Iraqi people. At the heart of the
division's history is its soldiers. They are doing amazing work
every day.
Rock of the Marne!
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch is the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry
Division from Fort Stewart, now deployed in Iraq. Captain Allie
Weiskopf Chase contributed to this column. |
|
Local Shul (Temple) supports the
troops
By Lois Goldrich
 
Nearly 100 volunteers turned out to stuff care packages for
soldiers in Iraq.
Noah Herskovitz, a 22-year-old combat engineer in
the U.S. army’s 3rd Infantry Division, now stationed outside
Baghdad, felt a bit uncomfortable receiving so many more care
packages than the other members of his unit. Nearly 100 volunteers
turned out to stuff care packages for soldiers in Iraq.
"He told me he was getting self-conscious," said his mother, Linda
Herskovitz, a member of Netivot Shalom in Teaneck, who has had sons
serve in both the U.S. and Israeli military. "On one hand, I was
proud of the Jewish community for reaching out to Jewish soldiers;
on the other, I felt that it wasn’t right that the others weren’t
getting anything. They’re doing the same job." To rectify the
situation, she resolved to send a package to each of the 77 soldiers
in her son’s unit. But after she mentioned her plan to shul
president Pam Scheininger early this year, another idea took root,
leading to participation by the entire synagogue.
On Sunday, Netivot Shalom congregants, together with student
volunteers from the Frisch School as well as other members of the
community — adults and children — gathered at the synagogue to
assemble what Scheininger described as "substantial" care packages.
"We even have extras left over," she said, noting that in a short
time, the volunteers collected or bought large quantities of candy,
cookies, powdered drink mix, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste,
books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, and basic tools.

Noah Herskovitz at work, as the gunner in a tank unit.
"We were glad to find a substantive way to support the brave
soldiers serving in Iraq," said Weininger. "The personal connection
stemming from the fact that one of our congregant’s sons is in the
unit makes the project even more meaningful. The response from the
congregation and the community at large has been overwhelming." "I’m
still smiling," said Herskovitz, noting that some 100 volunteers
turned out to help stuff the packages. "I was very surprised at the
numbers, and degree of support, we received." In addition to filling
boxes, volunteers, mostly children, wrote letters and drew pictures
for the soldiers.
Congregant Richard Dukas said that it was only when packing simple
items like batteries that he began to "feel a connection to the
soldiers. I got a chill," he said. "We usually think of them as
nameless and faceless." By pure chance, said Herskovitz, her son
Noah — while not at Sunday’s event — had just been home for a
two-week visit, during which he was invited, as a Frisch graduate,
to address seniors at the school. "They were interested to know why
an Orthodox Jewish boy joined the army," she said, adding that the
talk went so well, the Frisch administration and parents association
began to encourage participation in her care-package project.
"Originally it was an internal project," she said. "We posted a
notice on TeaneckShuls when we realized the scope of what would be
involved in filling 77 boxes." Not only did the posting help bring
in the required items, but "I received calls from people who said
they wanted to help support us financially," she said. "I’m
overwhelmed by how many people seemed to get excited about his
project."
The project "snowballed after Noah’s visit to Frisch," she added,
resulting not only in additional supplies but in more than 10
additional volunteers for Sunday’s event. "We originally conceived
of the project as a youth activity," said Herskovitz, pointing out
that Noah had mentioned how moved the soldiers were by letters and
drawings from children. "They have such a beautiful, innocent way of
expressing themselves," she said. While the project ultimately
became a social action event, targeted to the whole shul, a special
room was reserved for young children, who were encouraged to write
letters and draw pictures.
"I think it is important to write to the soldiers because they are
in the middle of the war, and if we send them nice pictures and
letters it will help take their minds off of the bad things," said
Josh Dukas, age 8, of Teaneck. "We put one letter in every package,"
said Herskovitz. The boxes will be picked up by the post office and
delivered to an APO address, awaiting shipment to Iraq. "Noah isn’t
telling the other soldiers about it," she said. "He can’t wait to
see their faces when the packages arrive."
Noah will be in Iraq for another year, said his mother, indicating
that it was likely that the members of the unit would appreciate
receiving another package before then. "We may do this again in the
fall," she said. "I hope we do it again," said Scheininger. "It’s a
great feeling. The shul never did anything like this before. It was
an opportunity to look outside of ourselves to see and address the
needs of other groups. It says a lot about the shul that the idea
was so enthusiastically received."
"More than anything, the brave men and women serving in Iraq need to
know that the people back home are thinking about them and care
about them," said Herskovitz. "Because the number of Jewish soldiers
in Iraq is so small, the American Jewish community has been able to
shower them with many packages, which is wonderful, but it made me
realize how important it is to show our support of all the
soldiers—regardless of background."
Copyright 2008 - The Jewish Standard |
|
Soldier in Iraq sends message to mom in St. Pete
By: Kathryn Bursch
St. Petersburg, Florida – The troop
surge in Iraq is working. Compared to 10 months ago, there are fewer
attacks on U.S. forces and more cooperation from the Iraqi people.
That’s the word coming from U.S. Army officials in Baghdad Wednesday
during satellite interviews arranged by the military. And one of the
people pushing that message is Major Alayne Conway.

Maj. Alayne Conway
”We’re making progress every day,” says Conway, a public affairs
officer for the 3rd Infantry Division. “It’s tough being over here,
but the soldiers are doing great, morale is high, so we want to make
sure the folks back home know that.” Conway, whose mother Mary
Hoover lives in St. Petersburg, is based at Camp Victory in Baghdad.
Her job is to help journalists connect with military leaders and
soldiers in the field.
“We do media events and I get to facilitate those, but a lot of
times I’m either chained to the desk or chained to the phone.”
And even though her days are busy, Conway says there are lighter
moments. One photograph she e-mailed Tampa Bay’s 10 News shows her
at her desk wearing a tiara for her birthday celebration.
And unlike most soldiers living in outposts, Camp Victory offers
some advantages. When weather gets warmer there’s even some pool
time. “I like to hang by the pool for a couple hours on Sunday
before I go into work and collect my thoughts and get ready for the
week ahead,” says Conway.
Conway is nearing the end of her 15-month deployment to Iraq and
like most soldiers, she says it’s difficult to be away from home.
This week she’ll miss her mom’s birthday, but she was able to send
this message via Tampa Bay’s 10 News.
“She’s the best mom, my heart goes out to her and I love her very
much.”
Kathryn Bursch, Tampa Bay's 10 News
© Copyright 2005-2008 WTSP-TV.
|

Boxes back troops, win Iraqi fans
by TERRY DICKSON, The Times-Union
ST. SIMONS ISLAND- March 9, 2008 - Wednesday
morning, a few lodge members loaded an SUV with boxes of goods they
had collected for the troops in Iraq. John Winslett Sr. and Jack
Renfroe hauled out ramen noodles, Carmex lip balm, pencils, snacks,
batteries, candy and enough toothpaste to supply a convention of TV
news anchors. But most telling was the 144 rolls of Charmin toilet
tissue. Other brands would have worked, so long as they were,
Renfroe said, "un-John Wayne toilet paper.''
Charmin is a brand said to be squeezable. As a rule toilet paper
commercials aren't like those for pickup trucks. Who wants toilet
paper that's rugged and durable? Dependable? Of course, but in a
gentle sort of way, even if you're an Army Ranger.
No man ever got a call on the cell phone from his wife saying,
"Could you pick up some milk and bread on the way home? And we're
out of toilet paper. Pick up a four pack, but be sure it's built
Ford tough.'' This was the third time Golden Isles Lodge No. 707
F&AM had collected and shipped goods off to the troops, Renfroe
said. This time it's for the 1/30th Infantry battalion of the 3rd
Infantry Division.
It was formerly the 3/15th Infantry, whose most
famous member was Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World
War II. Murphy went on to be a successful rancher and actor after
the war. His name lived on at military training posts long after his
death in 1971. If anyone did anything flamboyant in training, such
as standing up and firing at a target, a sergeant would growl, "Get
your -- down. You ain't Audie Murphy.'' Even with a Medal of Honor
around his neck, one imagines Audie Murphy would have appreciated
the qualities of Charmin and similar products.
While the 1/30th is in Iraq, Capt. Eric Motzenbecker commands the
unit's rear detachment. He already did a tour in Iraq. This is
likely among the last shipments the 1/30th will receive. They're due
to come home this summer, and it takes a long time to get the stuff
there, Motzenbecker said. Motzenbecker stressed that troops are
well-supplied, especially at the battalion level, but shipments
offer "comfort from home.'' Some units are on small patrol bases and
those aren't as well-stocked; it's there that goods from home are
most appreciated, he said. Bigger camps have plenty of beverage
choices, but the powdered Gatorade that Lodge 707 sent will let the
soldiers at smaller bases enjoy some sports drinks, Motzenbecker
said. "And everyone likes the newspapers and magazines, like Sports
Illustrated and Maxim,'' he said.
Renfroe made a huge sacrifice in sending his Sports Illustrated
swimsuit edition. By the way, Sports Illustrated must be going
through hard times. They didn't have enough swimwear for all the
models this year. By the time they get to Iraq, some of the
magazines will be old enough to qualify for a doctor's waiting room,
but they're still welcome, as are novels and DVDs, Motzenbecker
said.
The lodge also sent stuffed animals and candy, but
not for the troops. They hand it out to Iraqi children, especially
in new areas. "There are always a lot of kids,'' Motzenbecker said.
"They're always the first ones to approach. It's something to win
over the hearts and minds.'' Kids' hearts and minds can be won with
comforts far from their own uncomfortable homes.
terry.dickson@jacksonville.com
(912) 264-0405
©
Copyright The Florida Times-Union. |
|

U.S. General
Dreams of Austin Retirement
Commander of 20,000-soldier task force
says he sees progress in Iraq.

John Carrington/SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch commands 3rd Infantry
Division.
By Robert W. Gee
INTERNATIONAL STAFF
Saturday, February 16, 2008
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq — Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch,
commander of the 20,000-soldier Task Force Marne and an architect of
the troop surge strategy in Iraq, likes to joke that when he grows
up, he's going to open a bar in Austin. The growing-up part is a
joke, but not the bar. It will be called the Black Lab Inn, he said,
in a nod to his favorite breed of dog. "I've already got the sign
made," he said. "I've just got to find a place to hang it."
Lynch, who has garnered attention for reducing violence and
sectarian tension across a broad swath of south-central Iraq, grew
up in Ohio but spent 14 years stationed at Fort Hood and met his
wife, Sarah, when he was a young captain in Killeen. "I have no
intent to leave (the Army) until the nation doesn't need me
anymore," Lynch said. Come time to retire, though, he pictures
himself on 160 acres in the Hill Country. Somewhere around Wimberley
would be nice, he said. "We're going to have a whole bunch of
Labrador retrievers. We're going to have horses. We're going to have
cattle just to say we have cattle. I wouldn't know what to do with
them."
Lynch, 52, recently marked 30 years in the Army and is in the midst
of his second tour in Iraq. He commands the 3rd Infantry Division.
His office was once an Iraqi mint and was later converted to an
Iraqi army barracks and then into a U.S. Army barracks. Near his
desk stands a life-sized stuffed toy black Labrador, which reminds
him of his two female Labs back home, 14-year-old Harley and
5-year-old Maggie.
The area he controls, like much of Iraq, has witnessed a steady
improvement in security, even if services, such as electricity, are
slow to recover. Attacks on U.S. troops have decreased from an
average of 25 a day to three a day. Civilian casualties have
diminished by 75 percent to one a day, according to Army statistics.
Lynch attributes the improvements to the troop surge strategy of
aggressively pursuing insurgents and moving U.S. forces into patrol
bases in neighborhoods to maintain security gains.
Newly formed volunteer paramilitary forces, predominantly Sunni
Arabs allied with the U.S. military, have also contributed to the
downturn in violence, patrolling neighborhoods and warning of
insurgent activity, he said. But in the same breath, he called the
progress "tenuous." On Monday, the day he spoke, bombers killed 22
Iraqis, underscoring the challenges.
Lynch is scheduled to return home this summer – he lives outside 3rd
Division headquarters in Fort Stewart, Ga. – and is awaiting his
next assignment. His daughter, Susan, 24, is a graduate of Texas
State University in San Marcos, and is now an aspiring actor in
Hollywood. His son, Lucas, 22, is a part-time college student,
part-time bartender in Georgia. Maj. Gen. Lynch said his first job
was busing tables at age 14. He was promoted to grill cook and later
painted houses. "What my parents taught me is a work ethic," he
said.
His parents still live in Hamilton, Ohio, as does his half-brother,
Jim Lynch.
"Ohio is great. But there's winter. I don't do winters anymore," the
General said. "You got to love Texas. You got to love the people.
You got to love the climate." |
|

Top 3rd ID officer: Morale, awareness key to Iraqi war
Andrews says conditions are better but could
turn at any time
BY MICK WALSH -
mwalsh@ledger-enquirer.com --

Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews
Jan.26, 2008 - Even though he's now the 3rd Infantry Division's
top enlisted man, Command Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews still has a soft
spot for his old buddies in the division's 3rd Brigade. "A part of
me's still with the guys I served with on Kelley Hill," said
Andrews, speaking by telephone Thursday from his office at Baghdad's
Camp Victory.
Andrews, a native of Lincolnton, Ga., served as the 2nd Battalion,
69th Armor Regiment's top non-commissioned officer during the
invasion of Baghdad in 2003. Two years later, he was brigade
commander Col. Steve Salazar's "battle buddy" during the unit's 2005
deployment. He served in that same role for Col. Wayne Grigsby up
until two weeks before the 3rd Brigade left for Iraq.
Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, 3rd ID commander, tapped Andrews as his top
NCO last February. "I went from being in charge of about 4,000
soldiers to 20,000 soldiers," said Andrews, 45, who spends much of
his time these days visiting all of the 3rd ID units stationed at 55
forward operating bases and outposts throughout the Baghdad area, as
well as visiting wounded troops at the combat support hospital in
the capital city.
"I can tell you that morale is extremely high, evident mostly by the
high number of re-enlistments," Andrews said. "We've had more than
1,000 so far and another 300 or so will re-enlist in February."
Though casualties have been down in the division's theater of
operations, Andrews warns troops not to let their guard down. "It
could turn on us any day," he said, referring to the insurgency.
"The war is a long way from being over. There are still a lot of
extremists, so we must continue to conduct kinetic operations.
"The good thing is that we know a lot more about our enemy and the
terrain than we did during my first two tours. Our primary mission
in Operation Iraqi Freedom was to terminate the bad guy. Now, it's
to work with Concerned Local Citizen groups -- to help them protect
their own neighborhoods. Some of these people were bad guys just a
year or so ago; they were definitely part of the problem. Now, many
of them want to be part of the solution."
Andrews' old brigade is getting some help in its almost 10-month
fight to tame the Sunni town of Salman Pak, a Tigris River town
about an hour from the brigade's headquarters at Forward Operating
Base Hammer. "We're moving in a battalion of soldiers from Georgia
(the country, not the state) to Command Outpost Cleary, enabling the
1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment to shift to a new place called
Camp Carver," he said. "That will allow the 1-15 to use all of its
combat power to clean up Salman Pak." That former resort town is one
of the few in the 3rd Brigade's theater of operations without a
local citizens group. A majority of the brigade's fatalities have
come in Salman Pak. "The formation of the CLCs, along with putting
our soldiers in outposts right in the hearts of towns, are two big
factors in why our success rates are climbing. Most of the
townspeople are armed and they want to protect their neighborhoods
from extremists," he said.
Andrews, whose wife still lives in Columbus, will return to Fort
Stewart in June with the division. "You'll be seeing a whole lot of
changes this summer," he laughed. "A new division commander, new
brigade and battalion commanders. But I'll be around for a while.
I'll be part of the transition team." |
|

Tree Dedication Ceremony in honor of
Our Fallen Comrades
on
Thursday, the seventeenth day of January 2008
at ten
o’clock in the morning at Warrior’s Walk, Fort
Stewart, Georgia

More trees salute fallen soldiers
Weather mourns too

By Joe Parker Jr.
Contributing Writer
jparkerjr@coastalcourier.com
912-876-0156 ext. 25
Posted: Jan. 17, 2008 2:47 p.m.

Color guard sloshes through ankle-deep water at
rainy tree dedication Thursday.
Joe Parker Jr. / Coastal Courier
The weather matched the tone as Fort
Stewart dedicated eight more trees to fallen 3rd Infantry Division
warriors on a gray, rainy Thursday morning. Col. Todd Buchs, Fort
Stewart garrison commander, said, ”So long as we have soldiers who
will make the ultimate sacrifice for their country, we will have
room for their trees at Warriors Walk.”

Family members of slain soldiers are escorted to Warriors Walk
ceremony.
Joe Parker Jr. / Coastal Courier
One of the eight was Pfc Ryan D.
Christensen, 22, of Spring Lake Heights, N.J., who died at the
Medical University of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., on Nov. 24,
2005, of a non-combat related illness identified in Balad, Iraq.
Christensen was not initially honored at Warriors Walk because an
Army medical investigation indicated his fatal illness was not
related to his deployment to Iraq. Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin
Larson said Christensen's family did not accept this and had
remained in contact with the 3rd ID's commanding general, Maj. Gen.
Rick Lynch, during two subsequent inquiries into the illness. Those
investigations, Larson said, revealed a possible link with
Christenson's deployment. "So now he is honored here, where he
belongs,” Larson said. “This is the right thing to do for Pfc.
Christensen and his family." Christensen was assigned to the 1st
Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Buchs skillfully wove personal information about each soldier into
his speech, honoring the eight young men who died in connection with
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Christensen, Buchs said, had a personal
interest in technology and used his skills to help an Iraqi radio
station while he was deployed.
Sgt. Lui Tumanuvao Sr., 29, of Fagaalu, American Samoa, died
Nov. 7 in Arab Jabour, Iraq, of wounds suffered when he was struck
by an improvised explosive device during combat operations. The day
of Tumanuvao’s promotion was one of the proudest moments for him and
his family, Buchs said. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.
Sgt. Mason L. Lewis, 26, of Gloucester, Va., died in Baghdad
on Nov. 16, as a result of a non-combat related training accident.
Nicknamed as a child “Little Rambo,” Lewis had grown to love the
Iraqi people and culture, and had learned to speak Arabic. He was
assigned to the 26th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat
Team.
Sgt. Samuel E. Kelsey, 24, of Troup, Texas, died Dec. 13 in
Tunnis, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device
detonated. Kelsey is remembered as a high school athlete and an
outdoorsman. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry
Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Sgt. Daniel McCall, 24, of Pace, Fla., died Oct. 30 of wounds
suffered in Salman Pak, Iraq, when enemy forces engaged his unit
with small arms fire and an improvised explosive device. McCall set
a record for the 400-meter at his high school in Florida. His record
still stands. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry
Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, at Fort Benning.
Spc. Rush M. Jenkins, 22, of Clarksville, Tenn., died Oct. 30
of wounds suffered also in Salman Pak, when enemy forces engaged his
unit with small arms fire and an improvised explosive device.
Jenkins has a twin brother, Michael, who received word of his death
on their shared birthday. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 15th
Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Fort Benning.
Pfc. Cody M. Carver, 19, of Haskell, Okla., died Oct. 30 in
Salman Pak, when enemy forces engaged his unit with small arms fire
and an improvised explosive device. Carver is remembered as a good
soldier, who “joined the Army to make a difference. He was assigned
to the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat
Team, at Fort Benning.
Pfc. Dwane A. Covert, 20, of Tonawanda, N.Y., died Nov 3, in
Al-Sahra, Iraq, from injuries suffered in a non-combat related
incident. Covert and his wife have a daughter born last month. He
was assigned to the 104th Transportation Company, 13th Corps Support
Sustainment Battalion, Fort Benning.
© 2006 Hinesville Publishing - All Rights Reserved |
Mail to Our
Troops
Click Here for the Unit Addresses
“The U.S. Postal Service will
not accept mail addressed to "Any Soldier," "Any Wounded
Soldier," or the like because if it did, it could be providing a
conduit for those who might do harm to armed services members.
For more information on this subject, go to
www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp”
Yes, they will NOT deliver mail that has “Any Soldier” on it; that’s
why our mail is addressed to one of the Division POCs.
1LT
Clinton Rountree
(Any Soldier Mail)
1-3 BTB, 1BCT-3ID
Camp Ramadi
APO AE 09396
So in this example, the mail
will go to 1LT Clinton Rountree, but he will distribute it to any
soldiers who don’t have mail.
ER Outposts
2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 52, 60, OP
MARNE, & OP EUROPE 5845
• 1LT Clinton Rountree
(Any Soldier Mail)
1-3 BTB, 1BCT, 3ID
Camp Ramadi, Iraq
APO AE 09396
• LT Demetria Durden
(Any Soldier Mail)
1-3 BTB, 1BCT, 3ID
Camp Ramadi, Iraq
APO AE 09396 |
CR Outposts
1, 12, 13, 17, 18, 33, 35, 57, & 601
• CPT Naomi Johnston
(Any Soldier Mail)
1-41 1BCT, 3ID
Camp Ramadi, Iraq
APO AE 09396
• SGT Tricia Daniels
(Any Soldier Mail)
HHSC, STB - 3ID
Unit #42166
Camp Victory, Iraq
APO, AE 09342 |
WR Outposts
4, 15, 22, 54, 63, & 88
• SGT Tricia Daniels
(Any Soldier Mail)
HHOC, STB - 3ID
Unit # 42167
Camp Victory, Iraq
APO, AE 09342
• SGT Tricia Daniels
(Any Soldier Mail)
3rd SIG, 3ID
Unit #42168
Camp Victory, Iraq
APO AE 09342 |
|
4th
Brigade Combat Team
Ch (MAJ)
Albert Downing
HHC 4th BCT
Unit 40621, FOB Kalsu
APO AE 09312
ANY SOLDIER MAIL (4BCT)
c/o CAPT John Garcia
HHC 4BDE
UNIT # 40620 FOB Kalsu
APO, AE 09312 |
Another way to send it would be to send it to the unit commander,
command sergeant major or chaplain—no name, just the title.
1. Notice that the addresses
do not include “Iraq.” Just use the four-line (or sometimes five-line
address in this Troop Support Addresses (Forward) attachment.
2. The USPS has two sizes (one longer and flat; one narrower and stout)
that have a flat-rate fee of $8.95. That is one good deal. You can stuff
quite a few goodies in either of them—and since the mail is going to an
APO, only the domestic fee applies.
3. Nile Stuart has a good idea about bundling cards/letters. Rather than
sending each item at first class mail rates, put them in a manila
envelope and send is a flat-rate package. He and Marianne have used put
10 letters in an envelope, folded it in half and sent it for between 75¢
to 97¢
4. Troop Care packages: In reference to the Troop care packages, LGT
Gale suggested that the following items:
a. Greeting cards (Blank holiday cards: Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.)
b. Books, magazines new and used no older than 6 months (I.E. Gun,
Hunting, Hot Rod, Truck, Motorcycle, Bazaar for the females) are good.
c. Any kinds of nuts – Pistachios, Sunflowers are good ones, because the
guys fill their uniform pockets with them. He stated that he always had
sunflower seeds on the floor boards and in the gunner’s hatch of his
HumVee while over there.
d. Hard candies/ gum – Jolly Rogers, Life savers, etc. – no soft or
chocolates that can melt.
e. Peanut-butter or cheese-crackers or similar snacks.
f. CDs – Music all kinds new and used ones.
g. DVD Movies – all kinds – new and old ones, Westerns, Dramas,
Mysteries, Comedies. Etc. Also,
LTC Gale suggested the following idea that will put a kudos in the
Societies hat and that is that the Society or Society Chaplin send a
request to the local Movie Studios – Sony Pictures, Paramount,
Universal, etc. asking for donations of new and old DVD movies and
explaining to them the purpose to provide entertainment to the soldiers
while they are off duty. He said they did this a few years ago, and one
of the studios send 2500 VHS tapes to the Division for distribution.
Might be a worth-while project for the West-coast OP 22 members who may
have contacts with or access to visit the Studio PR departments.
h. Play Station II/ III or XBOX Games – new or used.
i. Playing cards with poker chips and board games.
Many of you have emailed and
written asking for addresses or sharing info about your support projects
for our Soldiers. Thanks to all of you for these updates. I am
collecting them on behalf of the Troop Support Committee and keeping
President Chuck apprised.
Also, instead of including troop support updates that are not especially
part of an OP meeting in the OP Reports, I’ve started a short section in
The Watch called “Troop Support Reports” where your project/activities’
info can be published. If you haven’t sent me Troop Support updated,
please start doing that. If you have been sending me updates, thank you
and please keep sending them to me.
The most important thing is THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR MARNE SOLDIERS,
and God bless you and your families at Thanksgiving!
Rock of the Marne!
Cath Bacon

Here is a copy of a Christmas card and a photo that I have
just received from the 3ID Chaplain LTC Harlon Triplett thanking
Outpost 2 for sending them the many packages that were received by
him and his staff for distribution to the soldiers. The photo show
the 3ID Unit Ministry Team of six, standing near the sign of
the Honor Chapel in Baghdad, Iraq.
Jim Tiezzi
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Patrol base Kelsey named for fallen soldier
Monday Dec 24, 2007- Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division
named a patrol base after one of their own who was killed while
attempting to render aid to a wounded fellow soldier. Patrol Base
Kelsey was established Dec. 23 and named in honor of Sgt. Samuel
Kelsey, 24, who was killed Dec. 13 during Operation Marne Roundup
southwest of Baghdad near the city of Iskandiriyah.
According to an Army press release, Kelsey, a member of B Company,
3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry, 4th Brigade Combat Team, was killed
when an improvised explosive device detonated nearby while he was
helping another soldier who had been hurt. Within a few days of his
death, the release stated, Kelsey’s fellow B Company soldiers seized
the town of Kidhr only a few kilometers away from where he had died.
Marne Roundup was being carried out with Iraqi security forces as
part of an effort to root out suspected al-Qaida in Iraq fighters in
northern Babil province. Kelsey’s company commander, Capt. Chris
Neels, recommended the new patrol base be named in his honor.
“Naming the patrol base after Sgt. Samuel Kelsey has meant a lot to
the leadership and the soldiers of this company,” Neels said in the
Army press release. “Kelsey was a phenomenal NCO who gave his life
trying to save a wounded comrade.”
From Patrol Base Kelsey, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces
will conduct patrols to provide security and bring stability to the
local population, the release said. “Enough can’t be said of him or
his actions that day. Each time we clear routes in the area or hear
‘Patrol Base Kelsey’ over the radio, we’ll be reminded of his heroic
actions and our friend,” Neels said. |
http://www.taskforcemarne.com/



2008 Calendar

"New"
Women's
Plus Size V-Neck Dark T-Shirt
Women's Plus Size Scoop Neck T-Shirt
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In addition to deadlines, several other factors must be considered when
sending mail downrange. For example, each country has customs
regulations that apply to all incoming mail, pertaining to everything
from food items to reading materials. Furthermore, military units may
also have additional restrictions concerning incoming mail imposed by
unit commanders relative to size and weight to ensure logistics support
can handle the heavy mail load. Finally, all packages and mail must now
be addressed to individual service members as required by U.S.
Department of Defense regulations.
Free Packing Materials
from the US Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is offering free
packing materials to spouses
and families of military members who are deployed overseas.
To take advantage of this service call:1-800-610-8734 and press 1 (for
English &
then 3 for an operator), alternate direct line 1-800-527-1950 and they
will send you
free boxes, packing materials, tape and mailing labels. These products are
to be
used to mail care packages to service members. Make sure you ask for CARE
KIT 4.
You will receive:
5 - 7"x7"x6" boxes
5 - 12"x12"x8" boxes
1 - Roll of tape
15 custom forms
10 address labels
5 - tyvek bags (water proof and non tear)
Call this number to order: 1-800-610-8734
(Press 1 for English and then 3 for operator). |
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