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Active Division
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84th Annual
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85th Annual
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86th Annual
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87th Annual
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88th Annual 2007
Reunion  Page 1

88th Annual 2007
Reunion Page 2

88th Annual 2007
Reunion Page 3

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.
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15th Inf. Regt.
Local Webpage

65th Inf. Regt.
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ssn.

10th Field Artillery Regt. Association

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All Rights Reserved
©
Rich Heller
1997-200
8

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

 

 

  Operation Iraqi Freedom
Archive 2007-8 Stories & Photos
 2007- 8 Tour of the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq

Last Update April 21, 2008  

Recent Deployment News and Stories on OIF 2007
www.warfoto.com/2007OIF.htm

Operation Iraqi Freedom I-III and Older Stories from December 2004
Can be found on our OIF Archives Page

Read all of these publications and more on
TF Marne on the WEB

http://www.taskforcemarne.com/
 


Click Here to read the latest daily version of The Dog Face Daily

 


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Honoring valor: Soldiers, Marines receive commendations
as America's War on Terror enters sixth year

Pamela E. Walck  

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/415641

 
Purple Heart medal bearing the silhouette profile of George Washington.  (Photo: John Carrington)

FORT STEWART - December 15, 2007 -It isn't sought out, expected or desired. Yet, many recipients become legendary when they receive one - members of an elite club they never asked to join. And their numbers are rising. Since Operation Enduring Freedom began in 2001 - and then Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 - some 400,000 U.S. soldiers and 8,000 Marines have been honored for their valor on the battlefield. Some awards, such as the Medal of Honor, remain so sacred, few receive it. Others date back to America's Revolution. Although America's War on Terror is going into its sixth year, the number of soldiers and Marines honored still pales compared with the more than 2.8 million military awards presented during Vietnam.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, pins a Purple Heart on one of 10 soldiers during a ceremony at Fort Stewart who were presented the medal on Sept. 20 for injuries they suffered during combat in Iraq.  (Photo: John Carrington)

Army Spc. Christopher Hayes' chest puffed out in pride. Dressed in civilian clothes, a purple pin dangled from his shirt collar. Last Tuesday, the soldier became the 3rd Infantry Division's latest recipient of the Purple Heart after an improvised explosive device - or an IED - struck his Humvee while it was leading a convoy through the streets of Baghdad. For Hayes, Nov. 16, 2007, will be a day he won't easily forget.

Spc. Milton M. Mitchell Jr., left, stands with his 8-year-old son Anthony and fellow soldier Spc. Zacharie A. Nelson in the receiving line after a Sept. 20 Purple Heart medal ceremony at Fort Stewart. The two soldiers were among 10 troops who were presented the Purple Heart for injuries suffered during combat in Iraq. 3rd Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, who was home for his two-week leave, pinned the medals on each of the recipients.  (Photo: John Carrington)


The 3rd ID's 4th Brigade Combat Team was participating in a relief-in-place with the 25th Infantry Division - a formality on the battlefield that marks the end of one unit's deployment and the beginning of another unit's 15-month rotation. Hayes, a scout with the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry, was seated in the gunner's spot in the lead vehicle, behind the barrel of a loaded .50-caliber machine gun. When the IED exploded, the power of the blast threw the 22-year-old into the gun, knocking him unconscious and shattering his wrist and thumb.
"Honestly, in that moment, I thought I was going to die," said Hayes, who was on his second tour in Iraq. Hayes has a four-month recovery ahead of him - and an honorable discharge in his future. He and his wife, Johanna, have begun planning life after his four and a half years in the Army. "This is one of those awards I never wanted to get," Hayes said. "But now that I am still alive ... well, I'm proud."

Johanna Hayes wipes away a tear as her husband, Spc. Christopher Hayes, speaks to the audience attending an award ceremony in which he was presented a Purple Heart and a Combat Infantry Badge. Fort Stewart Garrison Commander Col. Todd Buchs, right, presented the awards to Hayes. (John Carrington/Savannah Morning News) (Photo: John Carrington)

Before pinning the medal to Hayes' chest, Col. Todd Buchs, the garrison commander at Fort Stewart, praised the soldier and his wife. "There is nothing more important than taking time out to honor a great hero," Buchs said. "On behalf of a grateful nation and a grateful Army, thank you." Hayes said the comments were overwhelming, and while it feels good to be honored, he hasn't lost sight of war's reality. "Soldiers die every day," he said. "But when it happens to you ..."

History of valor
Military history documents Gen. George Washington as the first to issue a "purple heart" to soldiers who fought with valor during the American Revolution. Washington only issued three such awards, each presented in purple cloth and pinned to a soldier's uniform. The Continental Congress asked him to stop in the summer of 1782. It would take 150 years before the honor was revived on Feb. 22, 1932. The fabric heart was replaced with metal, but it remains America's oldest military award in use. Since America's War on Terror began, 7,738 Marines and 7,159 soldiers have been awarded Purple Hearts.

But it is far from being the only military honor. The highest award anyone in uniform can receive remains the Medal of Honor. Two such medals have been issued since 1.4 million men and women began deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq. The first went posthumously to Sgt. 1st Class Paul Smith, 33, who served with the 3rd ID.
On April 4, 2003, Smith's platoon of combat engineers was charged with building a holding area for Iraqi prisoners near the Baghdad airport, when more than 80 members of the Iraqi Republican Guard attacked. Smith was credited for fighting off the attack, protecting his platoon and killing countless Iraqis with an open-mount .50-caliber machine gun before a round took his life.

A year later, on April 14, 2004, along the Syrian border, Cpl. Jason Dunham, 22, was fighting hand-to-hand with a suspected insurgent when the Marine saw the Iraqi had a grenade. Dunham quickly threw his helmet over the grenade and leaped onto the helmet. The helmet was destroyed and the Marine was severely injured. He spent a week in a coma before dying, but the Marine Corps credits his quick action with saving the lives of three comrades. Dunham reacted the way so many soldiers and Marines do, said William Daugherty, an associate professor of government at Armstrong Atlantic State University and a former Marine.
"I've watched the shows and read the books, and to a man, they all say, 'I was just doing my job,' " he said. Living recipients "are the first to say it was their colleagues who were the real heroes."

Daugherty also is quick to note the military branches have very different approaches to honoring men and women in uniform. For example, during the military operations in Grenada in 1983, Daugherty said, the Army issued some 5,500 awards, a majority of which were Bronze Stars. "A vast majority of those went to people working in the Pentagon," he said. "A lot was made at the time of the fact that so many Army folks in the Pentagon received medals that, perhaps, were questionable."

The Marine Corps takes pride in knowing it issues fewer honors. "Awards, there is a significance to them," said Russ Abolt, Chatham County's manager who served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps. "The expectation, as a Marine, is never to win awards or to seek individual glory. It's based on what you become: You become a Marine." For many, Abolt said, that is enough. 'This must be it'

A flood of decades-old memories crashed over Eugene Harmon as he watched Hayes receive his Purple Heart. "They awarded me mine from a hospital bed," said Harmon, a civilian post employee who attended the ceremony. "Yeah, it brings back a lot of memories." A special ops soldier during Vietnam, Harmon was assisting in the training of South Vietnamese Rangers at Kham Duc when the airfield was attacked by the North Vietnamese Army. Later, it would be estimated that about 1,000 allied forces were surrounded by some 10,000 North Vietnamese. "We were written off," he said. "They called us the walking dead." During the second day of battle, Harmon took a bullet in the shoulder. The tech communications chief continued to work until a grenade went off nearby, and he was hit a second time. Then, when medics were trying to airlift him out, Harmon was hit a third time, in the side. He figures it must have been a sniper. It all happened between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 12, 1968. "When I got hit the third time, I figured, this must be it," he said.
Instead, three days later, Harmon was presented a Purple Heart from his hospital bed."I still carry the metal,'' he said. "There's a lot of it inside me still.
"I remember going over there saying, 'I do not want a Purple Heart, I do not want to get shot,' " Harmon said. "But it happened so quickly. It's just one of those things that's bound to happen (in war). "It does give you a feeling, being recognized for something that happened. You don't want it, but at the same time, it is something George Washington started, and it was given to me."
© 2007 SavannahNOW and the Savannah Morning News.


 

Honoring 3rd ID Soldiers for the Holidays

By Alaina Anderson- WSAV-TV on your side


A little girl hangs a bell on one of the trees. Photo by Lewis Levine.

Dec 08, 2007 - Unfortunately, not all of our loved ones can be with us for the holidays. Saturday, Fort Stewart held a Bells for Trees Ceremony – hanging bells on each tree on Warriors Walk. It's done in memory of 3rd Infantry Division soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice – their lives.
"We want their family members and the rest of the United States to know this is an active memorial. These soldiers are not forgotten just because they have fallen," says Kathleen Thornton.
The bells were hung by spouses who are members of Support3rdID.com. It's a forum that supports family members of soldiers serving overseas.

Bells of blessing go up at Warriors Walk
Lewis Levine |


 


Brooke Dinkins gives her son Patton Dinkins a lift as he places a camel bell on one of the Eastern Redbud trees
that line Warriors Walk on Fort Stewart. (Photo: Savannah Morning News)

HINESVILLE - December 9, 2007 -If Kathleen Thornton has her way, the soldiers immortalized by Eastern Redbud trees in Fort Stewart's Warriors Walk will never be forgotten. On Saturday morning, Thornton and several members of the group Support3rdid.com hung tiny camel bells on the fallen soldiers' trees that had little or no decorations adorning them. The bare trees line Cottrell Field - the site of numerous homecomings for deployed soldiers.

Thornton talked beforehand about the somber Saturday mission. "We will be hanging bells on trees less visited because family members may be far away," she said. "We want their family members and the nation to know this is an active memorial." Fighting back her emotions, Thornton said the trees that make up the solemn memorial stand for soldiers who should always be remembered. "These soldiers are not forgotten just because they have fallen and paid the ultimate sacrifice," she said.

One by one, those in the group of eight adults and three children walked to each tree and suspended a camel bell on one of the branches. The bells, which normally are worn around the mane of a camel, are believed to provide the animal with a blessing and keep it safe in its travels. The organization purchased $600 worth of silver bells. Warriors Walk contains 373 trees in honor of fallen 3rd Infantry Division soldiers. Thornton is the wife of 3rd ID Special Troops Battalion Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Thornton, who is in Iraq as part of the division's third deployment there since the war began in March 2003.

Bells for Trees Ceremony at Warriors Walk

http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7471820&nav=0qq6


 

HINESVILLE, GA--It was an emotional day on Fort Stewart, family and friends of soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice, honored their loved one's with a bells for trees ceremony along Warrior's Walk. For families who live too far away, volunteers made sure the wind passed through a bell for each 3rd ID soldier no longer with us. It's a walk, most would say is too long.

"I'm blessed to live across from Warrior's Walk. I'm blessed to be a guardian of the walk," said support 3rdID.com member Kathleen Thornton. Kathleen Thornton's husband is a member of 3rd ID. She is very familiar with Warrior's Walk. "I come by every night, water the trees and check on David's tree," said Thornton. David is a soldier whose wife lives across the country. Kathleen and other members of support 3rd ID dot com hung bells on each tree along the walk in a special ceremony this morning.

"We want the family members of U.S. soldiers and the U.S. to know this is an active memorial. "It's an honor to do this.to remember our soldiers," said support 3rdID.com member Tara Pivotto. Tara Pivotto is a military wife as well and she was joined by Kathleen and other wives. They hung the camel bells attached to satin cords on the trees as a tribute and in memory of fallen soldiers. "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets it's wings and it's important for us to do this," said Pivotto.

Each bell represents a father, mother, son or daughter, or other family members lost defending our country. Kathleen says the bells may not last forever. but their memory will. "They made a sacrifice and when the wind touches these bells it would be as if someone was here touching the soldier," said Thornton.

The military wives are members of www.support3rdId.com, which is a forum created to help support spouses and other family members. The bells were bought through donations to the website.

 

 

 

 


More Support is on the Way for 3rd ID Troops

A kissing pillow.

SAVANNAH, GA-Nov. 13, 2007-More support is on the way to our 3rd ID troops.
The Savannah Needle Point Society gave the 3rd Infantry Division Senior Spouses some 300 kissing pillows. It's their way of showing our troops just how much they love and appreciate the work and effort they are giving. Families of the soldiers will kiss the pillows and send them to their loved ones overseas.
"I think it will be a wonderful support system from them. The Savannah community is very supportive of all of our troops and it will show them how much they truly are cared about in their hometown of Savannah," said Senior Family Readiness advisor Sarah Lynch.
Sarah Lynch is wife of Major General Rick Lynch and says sometimes soldiers put these kissing pillows in their helmets, carry them into battle, or keep them close by at night.
Reported by: David Hall, dhall@wtoc.com


4th BCT deploys first wave of Soldiers in support of OIF
Pvt. Jerome Arp / 4th BCT PA

The first body of Soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team deployed to Kuwait Oct 10.
Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which is the first wave of Soldiers to deploy in the Brigade to help with mission-oriented preparations and ease stress of the flow of incoming and outgoing Soldiers in theater.


Spc. Aracelio Perez, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, is surrounded by his loved ones prior to him deploying Oct. 10. His Family members include his wife Hilda, son Bryan, and daughters Zahira and Nushka. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th Brigade Combat Team.

Families and friends of the deploying Soldiers gathered at their respective companies to say goodbye and wish the Soldiers luck.
Although the Soldiers will be thousands of miles away from their Families, 4th BCT offers many different means of communication and assistance.
“We stay in touch through letters, e-mail and the telephone,” said Hilda Perez, wife of Spc. Aracelio Perez, who is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. “I prefer talking to him on the phone so I can hear his voice.”

Soldiers with Battery B, 1st Battalion, 76th Field Artillery, run through a pre-deployment equipment check Oct. 10. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th Brigade Combat Team.

For many, this isn’t their Family’s first deployment and they’re familiar with the techniques and stress involved with separation.
“This will be his third deployment, and I’ve learned you have to take the good with the bad,” said Wendy Bush, wife of Sgt. 1st Class Terry Bush, an infantryman with HHC. “I’ll write him often and always enjoy holding and re-reading his responses.”

Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, form a “chain” to more efficiently load the gear of deploying Soldiers Oct. 10. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th BCT.

The Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) within the Brigade are groups of volunteers responsible for maintaining the critical communication link between Families and the Soldiers during deployment.
4th BCT Soldiers and their Families have attended numerous FRG meetings and are familiar with support the group offers.

Sgt. 1st Class Terry Bush, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, spends some time with his family before deploying Oct. 10. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th BCT.

The Main Body of 4th BCT is scheduled to deploy in late October and the Trail Party, the remainder of 4th BCT Soldiers, is scheduled to deploy in early November.

Terry Roney, father of Maj. Christine Roney, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, helps his daughter carry her gear as the two spend some time together before her deployment Oct 10. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th BCT.

Family members watch as 4th Brigade Combat Team Soldiers pre-stage equipment at the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th BCT company area Oct 10. Approximately 60 Soldiers were part of the Torch Party, which was the first wave of Soldiers to deploy for the 4th BCT.
Photos by Pvt. Jerome Arp  

 

Lynch: Attacks, casualties down in 3rd ID area in Iraq
 October 8, 2007

BAGHDAD - During September I was lucky enough to return to the United States for my R&R. As soon as I returned, my wife, Sarah, and I visited West Point where I addressed my class during our 30th reunion. I also addressed some of the Corps of Cadets - the future of our Army's leadership.

When I returned to Georgia I spent some more time with the family as well as some time with local Savannah and Hinesville media and leadership. I wanted to take the time to tell the story of how well our soldiers are performing in Iraq. I also met with leaders and soldiers of our Fourth Brigade Combat Team, who are expected to join us in Iraq next month.

Before I returned to Iraq, I visited our wounded warriors at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Being with those soldiers was the most humbling experience I've had while wearing this uniform. Their injuries ranged from wounded hands and legs to double amputees. In every encounter, the soldiers were not complaining about their struggles but thinking of their fellow soldiers. They were asking about their unit, their buddies, and when they could get back in the fight. I was amazed to talk with these young men and women - they are truly America's heroes.

When I returned to Iraq I was absolutely amazed at the progress that had been made in the three weeks I was gone. Attacks have dropped drastically across the entire area and casualties are down. The 3rd Infantry Division suffered two losses in my absence. We also lost Specialist Christian Neff to an IED attack on his tank in Baghdad on Sept. 19. Christian had become the hometown hero in Lima, Ohio, where the town's number one priority is to make tanks to support the war effort. Thousands showed up to his funeral and we keep his parents, William and Nancy, in our prayers.

Sgt. John Mele paid the ultimate sacrifice when he was killed by a pressure plate IED while conducting a dismounted patrol with a concerned citizen. Sgt. Mele was a great American and served under the legendary Sergeant First Class Paul R. Smith, one of two medal of honor recipients from Operation Iraqi Freedom. During the initial invasion into Iraq, Paul and John served side by side when Paul paid the ultimate sacrifice. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jennifer and his daughter, Clarissa.

The concerned citizens program has grown in the 3rd Infantry Division from no concerned citizens in June to over 20,000 recognized volunteers this week. Over 20,000 Iraqis have said they do not approve of violence and have stepped up to secure their local neighborhoods. These 20,000 concerned citizens come from 32 groups that actively oppose al-Qaida. These Iraqis do not only secure their neighborhoods, but clean canals, clear fields, secure critical infrastructure, and train with Iraqi police and Iraqi Army units.

Concerned citizens reach out across sectarian lines - Sunnis and Shiites have joined together to tackle the violence in their communities. In Muellah, a mixed are along the Sunni-Shia fault line 25 miles southeast of Baghdad, Sunni and Shia leaders are planning for combined checkpoints along main route through the center of the area. These leaders are also working together to help resettle both the Shiite and Sunni families that left the area as a result of previous violence.

Most importantly, the concerned citizens are coming forward with actionable intelligence. Because they know they can trust Coalition Forces, they are leading our soldiers to IEDs, caches, and the houses of insurgents. Concerned citizens are responsible for turning in four of the Division's high value targets - insurgents that are now in prison. Also while I was gone, our soldiers worked to build three more patrol bases. By living amongst the Iraqi population with Iraqi Army soldiers, we are working to ensure insurgents have no where to hide.

Rock of the Marne!

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch is commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, which is based at Fort Stewart and is deployed in Iraq. Capt. Allie Weiskopf Chase contributed to this column. http://new.savannahnow.com/node/371342
© 2007 SavannahNOW and the Savannah Morning News.


 

Soldier's Recovery Inspires Comrades
by
Spc. Ben Hutto of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office


Saul and his wife Sarah. While at WRAMC

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq - An injured infantryman is inspiring the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team here with his rapid recovery and his determination to become a better, stronger Soldier.
Spc. Saul Martinez, a gunner with Headquarters Troop, 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, was the only survivor of an attack May 8 that left two other Soldiers dead.

"When we pulled up to the vehicle, it was one of the worst things I've ever seen in my whole life," said Staff Sgt. Michael Henderson, Spc. Martinez's section sergeant. "I thought for sure everyone in the vehicle was dead."

"When I put my hand under his body armor vest, I was praying that he was breathing," said combat medic Pfc. Stephanie McCulley. "I was worried about a million things. I was trying to keep him talking so he wouldn't go unconscious again. In the back of my mind, I was worried he would lose his legs, but I focused on what I was doing."

Spc. Martinez's legs were both severely damaged by multiple lacerations and shrapnel wounds. Heavily sedated for nine days after the incident while doctors removed one leg, he can't remember his medical evacuations to Baghdad or Germany. He does remember most of the incident itself, especially Staff Sgt. Henderson and Pfc. McCulley.

"They were my two angels," Spc. Martinez said. "I remember lying there asking God to help me, and they were there. "I woke up and my wife Sarah was next to me at Walter Reed," he added. "The doctors told me I was on the verge of dying every hour of every day. I was really close to not being here."

Two days after regaining consciousness, Spc. Martinez had to decide whether to keep his other leg or have it amputated. "I would not be able to roll my heel, move my toes or walk on it. I told the doctors I would rather be up walking with my wife on two fake legs than limping through life. It really wasn't that hard a decision," he said. "I felt terrible for him," said Pfc. McCulley. "It wasn't until I talked to him that I felt better. He told me, 'I made the decision to walk again. I can heal now.' He helped me realize it was the best decision for him."

Spc. Martinez said his recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was a good experience and has nothing but good things to say of his care. "If I'd gone anywhere else in the world, I would have died," he said.

Soon after his last surgery, Spc. Martinez was transferred to the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif., to begin his physical therapy, which consists of three hours of strength training every day. After only four months, he is already walking on his new legs. "I didn't think he would be walking in four months," Staff Sgt. Henderson said. "It shows you how strong-willed he is. He is walking because he wants to. His determination has made that happen. I think that says a lot about him."

Spc. Martinez wants to do more than walk, however. He wants to stay on active duty and become a better, stronger Soldier. "He's a Soldier," Pfc. McCulley said. "He's always been a Soldier. He still believes in what he does after everything he's been through. That is motivating and the Army needs motivating people."

"I want to be able to do my job and show everyone that everything is okay," said Spc. Martinez. "If I could motivate one Soldier, I would be happy. There is life, no matter what happens. I was hurt doing something I was proud to do, and I'm looking forward to coming back. I want to carry an 80-pound ruck on a 20 kilometer march. I want to run in the brigade run. I can be a better infantryman than I was before."

Article URL on Military.com: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,148106,00.html 

Hello Fellow Marne Riders and Society Members,
While the Marne Riders were in DC attending Rolling Thunder, we had the opportunity to meet Saul, his wife Sarah, and his parents: Elise and Renaldo as well as the other wounded heroes of our Marne Division. We were deeply impressed with the high morale and high Esprit de Corp that Saul and the other Marne soldiers displayed considering what they just went through a few weeks earlier. Clearly, a strong indication of the Divisions training , Leadership, and high Esprit de Corp.
Saul, who is also interested in motorcycles is being mailed a Marne Riders T-Shirt and will provide a gift Marne Rider membership on top of his Society gift membership.
Ride Safe and Rock of the Marne!
Dennis R. Noes
Marne Riders M/C, Director
3ID Society Active Duty Liaison

 


1-10 Artillery rejoins brigade
Combat unit was guarding detainees at Camp Bucca
BY MICK WALSH-Posted on Sat, Oct. 13, 2007
mwalsh@ledger-enquirer.com

So long, Persian Gulf. Hello, Baghdad.

The 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, which has augmented the prison guard staff at the Camp Bucca detention center for the last six months, has been reunited with its brothers in arms, the 3rd Heavy Combat Brigade Team.

Brigade commander Col. Wayne W. Grigsby Jr. was so happy to see the return of one of his main combat battalions from the port city of Umm Qasr that he threw a lobster dinner for them at Forward Operating Base Hammer this week.

"We're so glad to get you guys back here," Grigsby said to his audience. "It's incredible what you've done. I still hear about the great work you guys did down in Bucca."

The 1-10, under the command of Lt. Col. Mark Sullivan, wasn't originally scheduled to go to Bucca, located in the port city of Umm Qasr, tucked on a sliver of land between Kuwait and Iran.

"As late as the fourth week in March, we were programmed to join the rest of the brigade in the Baghdad area," Sullivan said. "We were subsequently redirected and given the mission of detention operations. We certainly hadn't anticipated a job of guarding detainees."

Now that they are back in the fold, they'll soon be doing the job they were trained for.

"Pat yourselves on the back today, tomorrow and maybe the day after that," Grigsby told the 1-10 soldiers. "But get ready to get out there and start doing your job. It's time to get your game faces on."

The brigade will remain in Iraq until next June when it is scheduled to complete its 15-month deployment.

 

'You can sense the momentum'

By Kimberly Dick · The Herald - Rock Hill, SC
Updated 10/10/07
Special to The Herald

Lt. Col. Randy Martin, a 1985 graduate of Rock Hill High School,
is a public affairs officer of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division.

Lt. Col. Randy Martin's job is to tell the story of the soldiers in Iraq. His second trip to the country has surprised him.
Martin, a public affairs officer of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, is a 1985 graduate of Rock Hill High School.
He's based at Fort Stewart, Ga., where his wife, Amy, and three children call home. In March, Martin started his second tour in Iraq, the fifth deployment in his military career.
He talked with Herald reporter Kimberly Dick by phone from Iraq on Monday.

Q: What's surprised you about this trip in Iraq?

A: "After I returned the first time, I noticed you really didn't have a sense of what was going on watching it on TV. Now that I'm here, beneath all the bad news, there is a glimmer of hope. You can sense the momentum in the right direction.
"The number of attacks on U.S. forces has gone down, and the number of people trying to help us, up. You see more lights; more commercial airplanes departing. You see cars; you see kids that are running around and enjoying life the way kids are supposed to. It's been an enlightening experience this trip."

Q: Why did you join the Army?

A: "Growing up, I was impressed by people who served in the military. I remember going to the Tomb of the Unknown Solider in Arlington, Va., and being so impressed with the soldiers on guard. I remember going through family albums of my dad, who was in the Army in the 1950s and in Korea. Those were my heroes. As soon as I could join the Army, I did. And I have been doing it ever since."

Q: What does your job entail?

A: "I work for Major Gen. Rick Lynch. I am the leader of a team of about 23, responsible for outreach with American and Western media. As director of internal communication, I'm responsible for producing a newspaper, newsletter and Web-based newscast for our divisional task force, totaling about 18,000."

Q: What's your typical day like in Iraq?

A: "It begins about 5:30 a.m. After breakfast, personal hygiene and a visit to the chapel, I go to our operations center and talk to the folks I have manning the battle desk to assess anything that happened overnight that may need to be reported in the news. I take whatever steps necessary to get it on radio, TV, newspapers. That's how I fight my fight for the rest of the day."

Q: So that's pretty similar to how I spend my day?

A: "Except you don't hear explosions; I do."

Q: How did you get a public affairs gig?

A: "For several years, I rode on tankers like my dad. As my career progressed, I reached the point where the Army said, 'We need officers to look at career options.' After several years of doing what they told me to, here the Army was now asking me what I wanted to do."

Q: What's the most interesting situation you've found yourself in since you went to Iraq?

A: "Well, the toughest experience in my Army career thus far is dealing with the real-life drama of having missing soldiers. There was an attack on soldiers who were part of our task force by al-Qaida. In the attack, five men lost their lives, and three weren't accounted for. Five days later, we found one, but two still remain missing -- months later. We commit ourselves to never leaving a fallen comrade behind. Think about their families at home."

Q: When are you coming home?

A: "June or July 2008. I just returned home on leave in September for about three weeks, and that was wonderful and fun. Until you've served, you really don't appreciate all of the goodness you have in America: family, freedom to go where you want, to do what you want to do."

Q: Anything we should be doing as Americans to help?

A: "Never forget why we are doing what we are doing. Continue to support us, and take care of our families while we are gone. Learn as much as you can about why we are fighting."

-- Kimberly Dick

 


Ambassador Visits Ramadi

August 9, 2007
Press Release: 8-9.1
RAMADI, Iraq – Legislators and citizens of Ramadi were surprised when the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq paid a visit to the capital of Al Anbar province today.
U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker spent the entire afternoon meeting local legislators including Anbar’s governor and provincial council, Ramadi’s mayor and city council, as well as touring a city market.
This was the first trip to Ramadi as the ambassador and comes approximately one month before he will provide an assessment to the U.S. Congress on Iraq’s state of affairs.
Maj Lee Peters
lee.peters@mnf-wiraq.usmc.mil
 


U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, greets Ramadi embedded Provincial Reconstruction
Team leader Kristin Hagerstrom, at the Ramadi Municipal Coordination Center.
 

 


13th SMA the Soldiers and Leaders of TF Marne

 

 

Five Star Iris entertains troops in Ramadi
Spc. Ricardo Branch
1st BCT Public Affairs

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq (July 12, 2007) – Troops and civilians alike gathered in the Morale Welfare and Recreation facility for a special concert July 11 at Camp Ramadi. Five Star Iris, an Atlanta, Ga., rock and roll music band, made a special trip to Iraq as part of a four-day MWR concert for military servicemembers operating in the Middle East.
“This was our chance to show our support the best way we could,” said Alex Winfield, Five Star Iris lead singer. “This is our third military tour, and it’s our first time in Iraq. It’s been an unforgettable experience.”

The band was approached by MWR officials during one of their performances in Texas and asked if they’d like to perform overseas for the military. “A few months ago, we were approached by an MWR promoter and asked if we’d go to Southwest Asia and of course we said yes,” Winfield said. “Then they asked if we’d be willing to go to Iraq. We said definitely.”
The current tour was something the members really wanted to do for the troops and themselves as Americans.
“Not many bands can say they’ve been in Iraq,” Winfield said. “The people here have been really welcoming and appreciative of us traveling here for them.”

Although it’s only three shows in Iraq, the band enjoys the time to travel across the country and see what the troops endure and what life’s like for the men and women of the armed forces.
“We all have a different takes about our experiences here,” said Dan Fishman, Five Star Iris drummer.
He said that everyone has a responsibility to each other as human beings to do what we can to help in any way they can.
“It’s a huge sacrifice,” Fishman said. “It’s not easy to come and serve here, so if we can do something to help out and break the monotony … this was something we needed to do.”

Before even arriving overseas to entertain the troops, the band was receiving emails from their fan base to make the performance a special one for the military. “We’d have fans telling us that coming here was something we needed to do,” Winfield said. “They were telling us to make this concert a memorable one. We didn’t know what to expect coming here so we were a bit nervous. This was one of our only concerts where you saw weapons in the crowd.”

The troops attending the show loved the chance to break away from their daily routines and enjoy a concert in a combat zone. “It gets dull here,” said Pfc. Gary Murdock, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team paralegal. “This concert helped relieve some stress.” He added, “It was a good concert. The band was enthusiastic about being here and created a very fun and uplifting environment for us. Iraq is a very stressful place and having events like this is a great way for servicemembers to have an outlet and escape the reality of what’s going on around them.

When asked what they all thought of their time at Camp Ramadi, the band had one reply, “Awesome. The crowd was really enthusiastic, and appreciative of us. It’s always great to make new fans wherever we go.” -30-
 

 

Adopt a Soldier Creates Empathy
By The Times-Union
Carol Megathlin is a writer based in Savannah

July 5, 2007 - I know a little bit more than I did three months ago about the war in Iraq. That's when I approached Major Gen. Rick Lynch, commanding general of the Third Infantry Division, with the adopt a soldier idea. At Hunter Army Air Field in Savannah, deploying soldiers sign up to be sponsored by a civilian while they are in Iraq. In the back of my mind, I knew that some of the soldiers who boarded those planes at Hunter would not be coming home. I even thought about it as they lined up before my table to ask for sponsors.

Last week, however, things started to get real. All of the soldiers who have been adopted so far are in the Second Brigade or the Combat Aviation Brigade. And a few days ago, those brigades began to take casualties. These good-hearted people have e-mailed encouragement, sent care packages and prayed for their soldier's safety. The soldiers write back when the war gives them a free moment. A shy love is taking root among them.

Over the weekend, the sponsor's message came. One of the three soldiers killed in combat was hers. I don't know her, I didn't know her soldier. But I held in my hand the last request he had made before he flew off to Iraq. Had I earned the right to sit at my computer and cry? Is she qualified to grieve at Fort Stewart's Warriors Walk, where he will be honored in a tree-dedication ceremony?

Some soldiers don't think so. We have not felt the exhaustion, smelled the sweat, put hand to weapon in the wild chaos of a fire fight. Unbaptized by blood, how dare we stand with the dead warrior's brothers-in-arms and blubber our easy tears.
We civilians bear the ultimate responsibility for sending them off to war. We also own the obligation to look into the eyes of the grieving parents, the heartsick spouse, the confused and frightened children.

We don't show up at the memorial service on crutches, our camouflage pants pinned up where our leg should have been, trying to comfort our fallen buddy's family. There is no way we could qualify to witness that. Yet we owe it to the Americans who stepped forward to fight for our country to cultivate our sensibility to the human cost of war. And to learn humility. Most of all, to learn humility. Perhaps the best place to start is at a memorial service for a soldier we never knew. On the back row, with our heads bowed.
Carol Megathlin is a writer based in Savannah.
To adopt a 3rd Infantry Division soldier, send an e-mail: Carol.Megathlin@savannahnow.com .

 

Top US Commander Warns
Against Premature Troop Draw Down

(July 6, 2007)--A top US commander in Iraq is warning that drawing down troops too soon would leave the country "a mess." Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of Multinational Division Center and the 3rd Infantry Division, said Friday at a Pentagon news conference that doing that would lead to more violence.

"You'd find the enemy regaining ground, reestablishing sanctuaries, building more IEDs (and) carrying those IEDs to Baghdad, and the violence would escalate," he said. Lynch said “it would be a mess” if surge forces were withdrawn as part of an early pullout. "Those surge forces are giving us the capability we have now to take the fight to the enemy," the general said. "The enemy only responds to force, and we now have that force."

The comments come as more members of Congress push for a new strategy in Iraq. Republican New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici said Thursday he has already decided that he wants to see an end to combat operations and US troops heading home from Iraq by spring.

A White House spokesman says those remarks are just more "thoughtful discussion," and that it's too early to say if the surge is working.

 

Col. Charlton briefing Gen. Petraeus



Col. Charlton briefing Nic Roberts (CNN)
in a Ramadi Market

Col. Charlton on patrol with
Soldiers and Marines in Ramadi


Col. Charlton receiving an operations brief
 

Col. Charlton briefing at a Reconstruction Conference

Col. Charlton and Sheik Sattar

 

3-1 Cav. finds four weapons caches, detains five
By Sgt. Natalie Rostek, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs
Jul 6, 2007
    


A Soldier from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, that is currently attached to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, stands guard during a raid in Jisr Diyala. (Photos by Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment)


One weapons cache found by Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, that is currently attached to the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, July 5, in Jisr Diyala. (Photos by Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment)

Blackanthem Military News, FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq – Soldiers of 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, and Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, detained five suspected insurgents and found four weapons caches July 5 near Jisr Diyala. Each cache found and destroyed decreases the munitions and improvised explosive device making materials available for insurgents to use against the populace and Coalition Forces, said Capt. Jimmy Hathaway, from Columbus, Ga., commander of Headquarters Co., 3-1 Cav.

The operation resulted in the largest cache seizure for the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team since beginning operations southeast of Baghdad in late March. Unit leaders said Soldiers conducted the five-phase operation to deny enemy sanctuaries and seize caches. Soldiers from 3-1 Cav. and Company D, currently attached to 3-1 Cav., secured and searched four target locations simultaneously during the operation.

“Ultimately, this mission was a step in the right direction towards making Iraq a more secure and safe region,” Hathaway said. “The mission established the standard that Coalition Forces are not going to stand for anti-Coalition Force activity,” said 1ST Lt. Donovan Duke, from New Cumberland, Pa., a platoon leader with Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, from Fort Benning, Ga. “We are here to establish a safe environment in cooperation with the Iraqi Security Forces for the Iraqi citizens.”

The following was seized from the four caches: 8 fuses, four artillery rounds, three rockets, nine hand grenades, 56 mortars, 10 rocket propelled grenades, more than 15 pounds of C4 explosives and miscellaneous bomb-making materials and unidentified explosives.

The 3-1 Cav. is assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga.
 

 

More than 500 troops re-enlist in Iraq; 160 become Americans
By Drew Brown, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Thursday, July 5, 2007

Drew Brown / S&S
Sgt. Jason Mawhorr, 24, of Rockport, Texas and his wife, Sgt. Yelixa Mawhorr, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y. were among more than
500 U.S. troops who reenlisted Wednesday during a special July Fourth ceremony at Camp Victory, Iraq.



Drew Brown / S&S
More than 500 U.S. servicemen and women reenlisted and more than 160 others
became naturalized U.S. citizens. at Camp Victory in Iraq.

BAGHDAD — When Sgts. Jason Mawhorr and Yelixa Mawhorr first deployed to Iraq in March, they didn’t think they would be seeing much of each other. So when the opportunity came for husband and wife, both soldiers with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, to re-enlist together, they jumped at the chance. “We didn’t think we would have the chance to deploy together,” said Jason, 24, of Rockport, Texas. “So while we were here, we decided it was something to take advantage of.”
The couple, who have two children at home with Yelixa’s mother, both re-enlisted for six more years in the Army; it was another milestone, they said, in what they both hope will be long and successful careers in uniform.

The husband and wife were among 500 service members who re-enlisted Wednesday at one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces, at Camp Victory, adjacent to Baghdad International Airport. The massive ceremony, during which 160 troops from 54 countries also became U.S. citizens, was the biggest of its kind to take place in Iraq. The fact that the ceremony took place on July 4, exactly 4½ years to the date when they met at Fort Hood, Texas, also made the day a special one, said Yelixa, 25, of Brooklyn, N.Y. “We believe that the family who re-enlists together stays together,” she said.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, presided over the ceremony. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., were guest keynote speakers. McCain, who spent more than six years in captivity during the Vietnam War and who is now seeking the Republican presidential nomination, praised the troops for their sense of duty and their commitment to the U.S. mission in Iraq. “We have incurred a debt today that we can never repay in full,” McCain said. “What you have done for us, we can never do for you.”

Although the country is deeply divided over the war, and Congress is pressuring President Bush to start bringing troops home, support from the American people for its service members has not wavered, McCain told the troops.The war “has divided the American people,” but it has not diminished “America’s admiration for you,” he said.

Graham led the troops as they recited the pledge of allegiance. A videotaped message from Bush called the day “a defining event” for those soldiers who’d just become U.S. citizens. “Today,” Bush noted, “the United States is not only your home; it is your country.” Bush’s message was followed by country singer Lee Greenwood’s classic song “Proud to be an American,” which became famous in 1991, during the first Iraq war.

Soldiers then stood at attention and saluted as a speaker read out the names of each of the 50 states and the dates they joined the union. Cannon fire boomed out over the loudspeakers after each state and date was called out. The troops cheered loudly when their home states were mentioned. Shouts of “Hooah!” echoed throughout the marble-tiled palace.

After the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, moved from one small group of soldiers to another, congratulating those who’d just re-enlisted and those who had just become new citizens. More than 180 soldiers from 3rd Infantry Division re-enlisted in the ceremony; 37 of them gained their citizenship.
“It’s an amazing thing, in the middle of a combat zone, for these guys to raise their right hand and decide to stay in the Army,” Lynch said. “People ask how you do it,” he said. “You do it because it’s important.”
 

 

Brigade enters fourth month in Iraq
Sledgehammer soldiers building a better Iraq

BY MICK WALSH
mwalsh@ledger-enquirer.com

The 3rd Heavy Combat Brigade Team began its fourth of 15 months in Iraq on July 1 and things are going better than expected, according to its commander. "I'm amazed at what our magnificent Sledgehammer soldiers have been able to accomplish," said Col. Wayne Grigsby Jr. As the third of five brigades called upon by the Pentagon in early January to "surge" forward into Iraq and implement the Baghdad Security Plan, the 3,800 soldiers from Fort Benning have been right in the middle of some of the heaviest fighting of the war.

And they've done it while finding conditions on their arrival to be a bit, uh, spartan. "What's so astonishing is that we have built everything from the ground up," said Grigsby, who pointed out that no coalition forces had ever occupied what is now Forward Operating Base Hammer or any of the smaller Combat Outposts where brigade soldiers are stationed. While much of the brigade's time is spent disrupting the flow of accelerants into Baghdad and either capturing or killing insurgents, terrorists and criminals, Grigsby also points out that his soldiers have already forged bonds between themselves and the local populace. Over the past week, brigade soldiers have been involved with such things as sponsoring a medical clinic, renovating a youth center, fixing a water pump and meeting with local officials.

Here's a look:

Free medical clinic

Brigade soldiers conducted an outdoor medical clinic earlier this week at a school in Nahrwan. Medics set up three treatment stations under a camouflaged net surrounded by concertina wire while the 3rd Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment's loud speaker broadcast a message to villagers announcing the opportunity to receive free medical care. During the broadcast, villagers from the area began forming two lines, male and female, waiting to be seen. The separate lines were set to ensure female medics were available to see female patients.

According to Pfc. Kristina Sutton, a medic from Springfield, Mass., some patients stood in line for almost four hours. The medics saw ailments such as back, stomach, head, skin and upper-respiratory problems and were able to treat those with medicine bought from a local pharmacist.
The medics saw approximately 225 patients.

New youth center

Elements of the Fort Benning-based 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team are helping to improve life for Iraqi youth by assisting with a renovation project that will cost up to $500,000. Iraqi contractors, youth center leaders and members of the 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment and the 97th Civil Affairs Battalion, which is currently attached to 3-1 Cav, met last week in Jisr Diyala to discuss the planned improvements. Construction is expected to begin in late July and will include renovations to the weight room, sewing room, library and arts and crafts room. Coalition forces are also expecting new computers and exercise equipment for the center.

"The renovations of the youth center will help show the youth of Jisr Diyala that there are other activities out there that can help improve their lives," said Capt. Jimmy Hathaway of Columbus, the 3-1's Headquarters Company commander. "We are going to turn this youth center into a world class facility."

Meetings

Brigade leaders, the Iraqi Security Force and the Mada'in Qada mayor met at Forward Operating Base Hammer this week to increase communication among the three elements. Meeting in the brigade's new Tactical Operations Center, the group reviewed combined operations, lessons learned and future projects in the Mada'in Qada (qada is equivalent to a county in the United States). "I'm glad we had this meeting," Grigsby, the brigade commander, told the group. "We want to assist all of you in getting the help you need and we will use our contacts in Baghdad to do that."

Al-Rubay'l, the mayor of Mada'in Qada, reported that the people in his province are very supportive of coalition forces. He explained that he had witnessed many young men volunteering to join Iraqi Security Forces so they can help expel al-Qaida from the province. "Soon they will be ready to fight and take the lead in operations," explained Al-Rubay'l through a translator. "The people here are willing to help themselves, but we still need support. The insurgents, we must admit, are well equipped and have military training. They are using innocent women and children as shields. Innocent people would become targets. American help is still needed."

Water pump repair

Lt. Col. Ryan J. Kuhn, the brigade's deputy commander, complimented the Qada mayor for his government's work to refurbish the Al Bawi water pump station this week. The pump station was sabotaged in early March, prior to the arrival of the 3rd Brigade. When fully-operational, the pump station provides more than 90 percent of the water needed in the Mada'in Qada.

"Under the guidance of the mayor, we are almost done with the project," said Kuhn. "The pumps are almost up and ready. This is good, but it also makes the station a target. It has to be protected."
The 3rd Brigade public affairs office contributed to this report.

 


MAJ. GEN. RICK LYNCH
TF MARNE COMMANDER

July 4, 2007 - Today America turns 231 years old. It is able to claim so many years of freedom because Soldiers like you keep it free. It was Soldiers who fought for our independence, and it is the Soldiers who answer the nation’s call to be where America needs them.
I am so very honored to be your commander. Every day I witness acts that make me so proud.

Just last week, I went to a memorial service for 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment and reenlisted two Soldiers just before they mourned the loss of their brothers in arms. In the darkest hours they raised their right hands, said “Our nation needs us” and asked to continue to serve America.

What we as Soldiers do is important. Our sacrifices ensure that Americans sleep soundly and live without fear. The anniversaries and birthdays you miss are small sacrifices compared to the freedoms you protect. You are taking the fight to the enemy on the battlefield.
Operation Marne Torch has been and will continue to be very successful.

Soldiers from 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division killed more than 23 enemy insurgents at a Pepsi factory and Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division took out a JAM battalion commander and EFP cell leader.

Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) are engaging with locals in an effort to increase the Iraqis’ willingness to secure their own neighborhoods. Our aviators are crushing the enemy emplacing improvised explosive devices from the sky.

Everything you do has an impact – from a patrol following an intelligence tip, to bringing water to a neighborhood with it, to developing a youth center. Every action has an impact on the Iraqi society, every one of your actions brings the Iraqi people closer to being a free country, one like we sometimes take for granted.

Today Gen. Petraeus will reenlist hundreds of Soldiers right here on Camp Victory. Hundreds of Soldiers are answering our nation’s call and volunteering to continue to give their service. I couldn’t be more proud. Although we close our eyes and think of our families back home, we know they celebrate today because of the work we are doing here. They are celebrating their freedom because you brave men and women keep them free.
Rock of the Marne!

 


Hamilton Native Commands
Multinational Division in Iraq
By Joshua Rinaldi
Staff Writer, Journal-News.com
http://www.journal-news.com/search/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/27/hjn062707genlynch.html
 


MG Rick Lynch,
Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - When Rick Lynch left Hamilton, Ohio for the U.S. Military Academy in 1973, he expected to do his five years in the Army and get out. More than 30 years later, he's a two-star general commanding 20,000 troops. Lynch, a Hamilton native, said he never made the decision to be a career military man, but stayed with it because it felt right. "Everyday, I can look in the mirror and feel like I'm doing something important," Lynch said in a phone interview from Baghdad on Thursday.

Click Here to read full story:

 

10 New Trees Mark Fallen Soldiers
Sean Harder | Friday, June 22, 2007


Staff Sgt. Todd Toomey, left, grieves for Spc. Kyle A. Little, a member of his platoon in 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry. Little was one of 10 soldiers honored during a Warriors Walk tree dedication ceremony at Fort Stewart. (Photo: John Carrington)

FORT STEWART - Army Spc. Kyle Little returned home from his pre-Iraq training in February with a mission: Make a baby with his newlywed wife, Tiffany. "I remember he called me all excited and told me he wanted us to get pregnant," said Tiffany Little. "Miraculously, we did before he left." The 20-year-old Massachusetts native deployed to Iraq in March as soon-to-be father.

In Iraq, Little was hand-picked for his brigade commander's personal security team. A roadside bomb killed him and a fellow soldier on May 8- three months and three days into his marriage and too soon to learn he was going to be the father of a girl. Baby Kylee is expected to be born in November. She one day might visit the Eastern Redbud tree and granite marker dedicated Thursday to the father for whom she'll be named.

The names of Little and nine other 3rd Infantry Division soldiers killed in Iraq were read aloud Thursday morning at Warriors' Walk. Each man was 25 years old or younger. The living memorial's 336 trees bookend Fort Stewart's parade grounds. Each tree represents one 3rd ID soldier killed since the Iraq war began in March of 2003. The division is now serving its third combat tour in the conflict.


Soldiers and other guests stand for the national anthem during the Warriors Walk tree dedication ceremony
at Fort Stewart on Thursday. (Photo: John Carrington)

"Young and old, soldier and civilian alike, will walk these paths," said Col. Todd Buchs, Fort Stewart's garrison commander. "They will pause and read their names and reflect on the sacrifice they made for freedom."

Among those honored Thursday was Pfc. David Kirkpatrick, 20, whose interest in the military began at an early age.Growing up on his family's farm in Matthews, Ind., Kirkpatrick dressed in camouflage, played soldier and read everything military-related he could find, said his father, Kenny Kirkpatrick. "I tried to talk him out of joining, but he wouldn't listen," Kirkpatrick said. "He said 'Dad, what did you think I was going to do?' He knew what he was doing, and he wanted to do it." The Army mechanic was killed by a roadside bomb in Fallujah while recovering a damaged vehicle on April 27 - one month before he was due to return home on leave.

Roadside bombs are a "cheap, highly effective way to kill our boys. And I don't know how they can protect against it," Kenny Kirkpatrick said. Kirkpatrick said he, his wife and their four daughters have been devastated by the loss of their only son. They plan to use his life insurance to pay off the family farm, which they have struggled financially to keep.
"That's what David would have wanted us to do," he said.


Tiffany Little, left, and Tonita Gonzalez, her niece Kyra Tso and son Brennen Gonzalez, right, sit with other family members during the Fort Stewart tree dedication ceremony at Warriors Walk. Their husbands, Spc. Kyle A. Little and Sgt. Christopher Gonzalez
were among the 10 fallen soldiers honored Thursday. (Photo: John Carrington)

More than a month of memorial services, tributes, calls from fellow soldiers and military escorts have left the Kirkpatrick family overwhelmed. But they also have been impressed by how many lives their son had touched. "The Army really has been behind us 1,000 percent," Kirkpatrick said. "It's been so wonderful, yet so horrible. You can't imagine how wonderful and horrible something can be at the same time.
"David did a very honorable thing. No one can say it's not an honorable thing."

*******************************************************


A soldier folds the camouflage cloth embroidered with the name of one of 10 fallen soldiers honored
during the Warriors Walk tree dedication ceremony at Fort Stewart on Thursday. (Photo: John Carrington)

WARRIORS WALK

Here are the names of the 10 soldiers honored at Thursday's tree ceremony:

Pfc. David A. Kirkpatrick, 20, of Matthews, Ind.

Pfc. Nicholas E. Riehl, 21, of Shiocton, Wis.

Spc. Eddie D. Tamez, 21, of Galveston, Texas

Pfc. Jay-D H. Ornsby-Adkins, 21, of Australia

Sgt. Dale Hicks, Jr., 21, of Pantego, Texas

Pfc. Cole E. Spencer, 21, of Decatur, Ill.

Sgt. Blake C. Stephens, 25, of Pocatello, Idaho

Spc. Kyle A. Little, 20, of West Boylston, Mass.

Sgt. Allen J. Dunckley, 25, of Yardley, Penn.

Sgt. Christopher N. Gonzalez, 25, of New Mexico


The 3rd ID, which led the invasion of Iraq in 2003, began its third rotation into Iraq earlier this year. The division's 20,000 soldiers will serve extended 15-month tours as part of a troop buildup to stabilize Iraq.
As of Thursday, 28 soldiers from the division have been killed this year in Iraq, according to www.icasualties.org , a Web site that tracks the war's fatalities.

 

'Warriors Walk' memorial at base expected to grow

By GREGG ZOROYA
Gannett News Service
FORT STEWART, Ga.


(Photo: Carl Elmore)

Wednesday, May 23, 2007-A popular war memorial consisting of dedicated trees -- one planted for every soldier lost to war -- presents commanders with a problem. The memorial is running out of space. Its elaborate design -- requiring sidewalks and buried electrical lighting -- has forced Army officials to prepare expansion plans.

It is a delicate issue at a base where thousands of families are sending loved ones off to war again, in some cases for the third time. "The assumption was, unfortunately, four years ago there wouldn't be but two sidewalks worth of trees, and that just didn't happen to be the case," says Michael Biering, the garrison director of public works. The memorial is filled with eastern redbud trees. Those trees were chosen because their pink-purple blossoms appear in the spring, when soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division based here first raced to Baghdad in 2003 and suffered their first fatalities. The division has returned to Iraq twice since then.

Now, 326 trees are planted along sidewalks that border the parade ground, where troops assemble before reuniting with their families after a combat tour. Next to each tree is a granite stone engraved with the soldier's name and a small spotlight to illuminate the branches. The memorial is called Warriors Walk.

"It's sort of bittersweet to return (to the memorial), and it gives me comfort and sadness at the same time," says Birgit Smith, the widow of Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Iraq invasion. She drives six hours from her home in Hollywood, Fla., five times a year to visit her husband's tree. "It's the most hallowed ground on this installation," says the garrison commander, Col. Todd Buchs. He helps preside over tree dedication ceremonies that are a monthly ritual. Family members come. A color guard is there.

The Fort Stewart memorial differs from other military installations that often honor war dead with names etched onto a remembrance wall. The tree memorial was initially one long sidewalk along the south edge of the parade area. As the division returned to combat in 2005 and fatalities mounted, three more sidewalk phases were built along the parade ground's northern edge. The trees were staggered to economize space.

The division is incurring losses on its third tour, and Biering estimates space will run out in about two months. "Part of it is experience," he says of his estimate, recalling a bad month in 2005 when 40 trees were planted. In his office, he keeps blueprints for at least four more parallel sections of sidewalk. It is, he says, a sensitive topic.
"I don't want to get too much out ahead of this because of the potential adverse impact it may have" on installation families, he says.
Many Army families say they understand the grim reality and how expansion plans for Warriors Walk are necessary.
"We're pretty strong people," says Amy Lambert, whose husband, Sgt. 1st Class Scott Lambert, is in Iraq. "This is a fact of life. More people are going to die. Nobody wants it to happen. But it's going to happen until the war ends."

 

IP’s recognized for hard work
Staff Sgt. Raymond Piper - 1st BCT Public Affairs NCOIC

RAMADI, Iraq (May 22, 2007) – It’s arguably one of the toughest law enforcement jobs in the world. Iraqi Police face car and road side bombs, snipers and insurgents bent on breaking there will. Often less equipped than their coalition partners, the policemen are prepared to do their duty on a daily business.
Coalition and Iraqi Police leaders held a ceremony May 20 to recognize the sacrifices and hard work of the Ramadi police.


“Today is a very memorable day and is a day that should make all the people of Ramadi proud of its young men,” said Ramadi Iraqi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Ahmed Khalil. “It is a day for the coalition and Iraq leaders to recognize the brave policemen of Ramadi.”

Col. John Charlton, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division commander, told the gathered policemen that the ceremony was dedicated to the sons of Anbar, who have brought security to the area.
“Every day I see Iraqi police putting their lives on the line to protect the people of this city. It is because of your continued bravery that children can play outside and people can open shops and begin to live normal lives again,” Charlton said.

The path to a more safe and secure Ramadi has not been easy and many officers paid the ultimate sacrifice for security. On the same day as the ceremony, Iraqi Police from the Zangorra station were looking for a truck laden with explosives.
“Those police officers were on patrol looking for the truck bomb because they knew the (terrorists) would attack,” Charlton said. “While they had stopped and were searching the truck, it exploded killing one of the officers and wounding two others.” He added the policemen knew that there would be danger when they stopped the truck, but they set aside personal safety and continued to do their duty. “As a result, no civilians were hurt. Once again the Iraqi Police protected the people of Iraq,” Charlton said.

The Iraqi security forces are one of the primary targets of insurgents because they are what the terrorists fear, Charlton said. “They know the police are the only thing preventing them from coming into the area and taking over.”
Khalil told the gathered police that all of the stations must continue their hard work because they are going through a very critical point of time. He said, “Maintaining victory will be the hardest part, therefore we most continue our hard work during this state of war and stick together as we fight the insurgents.”

 


More Outposts being Built to Accommodate Troops for ‘Surge’
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, May 22, 2007

American troops continue to build small, neighborhood outposts to support the troop “surge” in and around Baghdad, while the final extra Army brigade is poised to arrive in Iraq next month.

Units such as the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, have moved from larger foward operating bases to combat outposts. In the case of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry, three new outposts named after soldiers from the unit killed in combat have replaced their home at Forward Operating Base Hammer. The combat outposts include Cleary, Cahill, and Cashe, in Wahida, Salman Pak, and Tuwaitha, respectively, officials said. “To live with the populace and experience what they experience, you get a better appreciation for the area,” Maj. John Cushing, the battalion’s operations officer, was quoted as saying in a news release.

In one case, a combat outpost was built in a former government building and a set of greenhouses, officials said. The COPs, as the outposts are known, are being outfitted with showers and dining halls, among other amenities. In another area of Baghdad, the eastern district of Sha’ab, officials are touting successes since February, when Iraqi police trucks with blood-stained beds looked “like they had just come from a butcher shop,” one officer said.

But now, the sectarian murders have largely ended, according to Capt. Will Canda, commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment. The battalion patrols an area of the city that includes Sha’ab, Ur, and Sadr City. Some 20 percent of Baghdad’s population lives in the area, giving a ratio of one U.S. soldier for every 26,000 Iraqis, officials said. While acknowledging there is still “a ways to go,” officials have said they’re confronting militias, failed local governments and breakdowns in public services. That unit too operates from a combat outpost, this one named Callahan; it was formerly an upscale shopping center that had been abandoned.


1-15 Infantry Establishes Combat Outposts
By Multi-National Division - Center PAO
May 21, 2007


Spc. Jeff Nutter, 27, Redding, Calif., Pvt. Dillon Bella, 19, Fredrick, Md., and Sgt. Anthony Shuta, 27, Daytona Beach, Fla., all from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, relax in their living quarters May 2, at Combat Outpost Cashe, Iraq.

Blackanthem Military News, COMBAT OUTPOST CLEARY, Iraq — Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team have established three