April Battlecry by 172nd Infantry Brigade

The Battlecry APRIL 2012

THE OFFICIAL DEPLOYMENT MAGAZINE OF THE 172ND SEPARATE INFANTRY BRIGADE

The Battlecry APRIL 2012

Editorial Team MAJ Joseph Buccino

Editor-In-Chief TF Blackhawk Public Affairs Officer

SSG Charles Crail

Editor/Writer/Photographer TF Blackhawk Public Affairs NCOIC

SPC Robert Holland

Writer/Photographer TF Blackhawk Public Affairs Specialist

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“A man is a god in ruins”” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

IN THIS ISSUE Letter from the Editor 3 Blackhawk Briefs 5 Black Knights 9 Soldiers Turn the Tide 11 Future of Super FOB 15 Soldier Spotlight 17 Black Scarves 19 Breaking the Darkness 21 Black Lions 23 IED Awareness 25 Soldier Spotlight 27 Mortarmen Range in Spring 29 Black Talons 31

Paktika Air New MTBI Recovery Center Gilas Road to Victory Keeping Rushmore Rolling Soldier Spotlight Falcons ANA Certify Artillery Change of Command and Authority Leading fromt the Front Best of the Best Re-Up Soldier Profile

33 35 37 39 41 43 47 49 51 53 55 56 57 2

Letter from the editor Two months. A mere 60 days. Time, now a small measure of it, is all that stands between you and your Soldier. We will be home soon enough, back in Germany with you by the end of June. This month, Soldiers will begin flowing back to Germany as the initial phase of our redeployment and then soon enough it will all be over. This edition is all about our operations this spring in clearing out insurgent areas and keeping the pressure on the enemy to give some breathing space to the new team. We have two editions remaining and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue to keep you informed of our progress as we close out this mission. As always, we greatly appreciate your continued support and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll continue to give you great coverage of the brigade in both Paktika and Ghazni.

THE BLACKHAWK

MESSAGES FROM THE 172ND SEPARATE INFANTRY BRIGADE

COL Edward T. Bohnemann

ith less than 60 days remaining until we relinquish operational control of Paktika province to the incoming unit, we are officially in the home stretch. The images you will see in this edition of Soldiers packing connexes and preparing equipment for movement back to Germany are uplifting for all of us. I can assure you, however, that no one is getting complacent here and we are focused on closing out our mission with the same aggression and passion that has carried us thus far. There is still work to be done and we are still getting after the enemy. This tactical focus is reflected in this issue as well. As you will observe throughout the pages of this issue, we are still focusing on getting out in sector and denying the insurgents access to Paktika province. We are also focused on the most important mission in Afghanistan right now: aggressively training, partnering with, and mentoring

the Afghan forces so that they can assume responsibility of security in this area. You should know that the brigade’s efforts in Paktika serve as an example of incredible success in eastern Afghanistan to all of the American and Afghan leadership here, both military and civilian. When American General Officers wish to highlight the success of the counterinsurgency fight in Afghanistan, they point to what your Soldiers have done in Paktika. Places such as Sar Howza and Yaya Khel in West Paktika and Naka and Zerok in East Paktika are much safer and more stable than they were when we assumed this mission on August 7, 2011. In the ultimate measure of progress, places such as Kushamond, Waza Kwha, Gomal, and Terwa are either ready for transition to unilateral Afghan forces or have already transitioned. Your Soldiers have done a great job our here in Paktika and continue to

do so. We’ll finish strong here and be back to you soon enough. In the meantime, we have two editions of the “Battle Cry” remaining. The May “Battle Cry” will feature your Soldiers receiving their end-of-tour awards and the June edition will feature the transition-of-authority ceremonies which will signify the completion of our mission in Paktika. Thanks for your continued support and we will all be with you soon enough.

Edward T. Bohnemann

BRIEFS CSM Michael W. Boom

ight now in the TF Blackhawk AO of Paktika there are lots of moving pieces and a lot going on. We’ve got Torch and ADVON moving back to Germany, Soldiers packing equipment and leaders making final preparations to send Soldiers home. However, we are still vigorously in the fight with the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the lead. We are still patrolling our villages and districts, blowing IEDs where they lay with a tremendous find rate and delivering lethal fires at those insurgents who choose to pick a fight. Do they not know they are messing with the US Army and our Coalition partners? It does not usually turn out well for them! As we close out our mission we remain vigilant, just as we have for the past 10 months. Our energy is still focused on a simple powerful statement of intent: “the people are the prize”. This attitude requires a tremendous amount of personal discipline and compassion for others from every Soldier in the BDE. The “People are the prize” focus is possible only through Valor and Courageous Restraint your Soldiers display every day. Courageous Restraint is very important here where a Soldier has mere

few seconds to go through escalation of force and rules of engagement before making a decision that could have strategic level implications or cause a major set-back if we get it wrong. These young men and women I have the honor of seeing at places like Marzak, Rushmore, Yoshef Khel, Zerok, Tillman, Borris, Andar, Bande Sarde, Sar Howza, and OP Twins are displaying a measure of dignity few units have ever demonstrated in the face of an insurgency that hides among the population, strikes from the shadows and goes as far as cowardly men who wear women’s dresses to hide in plain sight. Recently this Brigade suffered the tragic loss of SSG Billy Wilson from Apache Company, TF 3-66 who we will never forget. He was undoubtedly one of the very best squad leaders in this Brigade. He always put his Soldiers, the training of the ANSF and the mission first. Apache has been able to move on and continue to get after it in the honor and memory of SSG Wilson as this is what he would want his Brothers to do. While American news outlets were consumed with a few negative stories and insinuating the bleak chances of success here, SGT Anthony Merino, the Senior line medic for

Blackjack/3-66 was quietly saving the life of a 8 year old boy, the Son of a Taliban leader. SGT Merino did what American Soldiers do and immediately rendered aid, saving the boys life. The savagery of our enemy and our Soldiers doing “the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason, when no one is looking” is staggering when you consider the boy was injured by an IED that his father was preparing to use on a roadway against the Soldiers of Blackjack. The actions of SGT Merino from Blackjack and Apache Company in the aftermath of SSG Wilson’s death are typical of all of Team Paktika. We’ve got the top 1% of America out here fighting, standing up the ANSF to unprecedented levels of proficiency, representing you and doing it with honor. I hope you enjoy this edition of the “Battle Cry” and the final two editions. It won’t be long until you can reunite with your Soldier in the gym at Schweinfurt or Grafenwoher. I am sure all of our supporters will be there welcoming our Soldiers home for the Heroes they are.

Michael W. Boom 6

Stand Alone Photo

3D Security

Many photos of Afghanistan feature vast vistas of arid terrain or towering mountains with patrols meandering through. Seldom seen, and seldom felt, are the heartpounding moments of traversing narrowly packed villages arranged like a chaotic game of Tetris. In a war where the enemy blends seamlessly into the population, searching a town or village becomes an arduous task of searching endless passageways, nooks and crannies where the turn of the next corner could reveal a trapped and cornered insurgent, desperate for escape. 8

FULL SWING

DIVING INTO SPRING HEAD FIRST TO FINISH STRONG

reetings Black Knights fans, families, and supporters. Anybody who follows football will tell you that the real quality of a team is defined by how they perform in the fourth quarter of a game.

It’s easy to give 100% at the start; only the best can sustain that energy for four quarters. The same is true of the Black Knights. We are well into the fourth quarter of our deployment and the light is shining brightly at the end of the tunnel. This is where we separate good units from great ones and good leaders from our very best. These past few weeks have been busy for TF Black Knights. The month of April marked the transition to Afghans leading all operations. Just as our campaign slogan says that our success is tied to the quality of Afghan Security Forces that we leave behind, we continue to work ourselves out of a job if we train the Afghans to replace us as the dominant security force in the Province. Our enemy is tough and resilient, but the Afghan Security Forces have consistently shown the ability to stand toe-to-toe with the best that they can deliver. Everywhere that we focus our efforts we see progress and improvement. Our challenge now is to ensure that this progress can be sustained by our Afghan counterparts after we leave. We look forward to getting home soon to Family and loved ones and I know for many of us, that day could not come soon enough. At the same time, CSM Robbins and I have told our leaders that our legacy will be defined by the quality of the relief in place that we conduct with the incoming unit. That will be our very first priority. Our goal is to sprint across the finish line and give the new battalion the momentum they need to succeed against the enemy for the rest of the summer fighting season.

reetings, Black Knights. We are coming up on the end of our deployment! We have had great success here in Paktika. I urge all the leaders to stay strong and vigilant. We have reached the point where we can see the end of the road. Please keep the standards high and don’t forget to stay safe. We had a great Easter here in Paktika. Please check the facebook site for pictures. I would like to take the time to congratulate a few members of the Black Knights for their accomplishments. 1SG Joel Spicer has taken responsibility of B/3-66 AR from 1SG Sammie Reynolds who is now responsible for HHC/366 AR. MSG Dante Reese moved into the position of operations sergeant major after leaving HHC. SSG Jonathan Ray from B/3-66 AR won the 172 BDE NCO of the Quarter and was selected to be indicted into the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. Please be sure to congratulate them. We lost a dear member of the Black Knights and Apache family with the death of SSG William R. Wilson III on 26 March 2012. SSG Wilson was a true American Hero and an inspiration to us all! Please keep his family and friends in your hearts, thoughts and prayers throughout this ordeal. I also ask that you look after the entire Black Knight Family. SSG Wilson had a huge impact on this task force and had lots of friends and fellow Soldiers in our unit who are feeling his loss. I look forward to seeing you all at our redeployment ceremonies as the Black Knights return to their friends and families in the Grafenwohr area! Thank You all for your continued support and God Bless you all!

Daniel Robbins

Most importantly, I would like to extend my condolences to the family and friends of SSG William R. Wilson III. His loss was a tragedy with ripples across the battalion. Billy Wilson was laid to rest in his home town near Buffalo, New York at a ceremony attended by over 3,000 people. That says a great deal about the type of man that he was and about our nation’s continued support for this war effort even after a full decade of fighting. Staff Sergeant Wilson was absolutely one of our very best and he leaves us with a legacy of selfless sacrifice, honor, and professionalism that all of us would do well to emulate. Rest in peace brother- you will forever be a Black Knight!

Curt Taylor 9

Black Knights! Mounted and Ready!

KNIGHTS

Soldiers turn the tide inYosef Khel

here are no vacation destinations for U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan. As far as living conditions go, Bagram Air Field is probably as good as it gets. Amenities, like it’s tiny overused coffee shop and fast food counters, are luxuries Vietnam and World War II-era soldiers could never have imagined – but it’s still not exactly Club Med. Most soldiers live in B-Huts, which are basically glorified plywood forts like kids build, with all the comforts of a tree house. The summers are hot and choked with dust, and the winters bitter cold and muddy. Work, sleep, and life in general are interrupted regularly by rocket attacks from insurgents. Out from the large airfields like Bagram, Salerno and Sharana, there are smaller forward operating bases, where life as a soldier in Afghanistan only gets more grueling; the enemy more daring. FOBs in turn get smaller and more isolated until they become combat outposts. The logistics of getting food, supplies and mail to these COPs become much more difficult, so soldiers learn to do without. The only food is often meals, ready to eat; the only showers are cold and in places, the only toilets are PVC pipes stuck in the ground or plastic bags. These small outposts pose some of the toughest challenges for U.S. soldiers to spend their deployment.

COP Yosef Khel, in Northern Paktika, is one of these places. Life is stark and stressful for the Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk, who have been stationed at COP Yosef Khel for eight months — but you might be surprised at what they have to say about it. “To be honest with you, we’d rather be out here,” said 1LT John Tilley, 1st Platoon leader. “As infantrymen this is where we belong.” “I prefer a COP because there’s not so much brass walking around, so you’re more focused on the mission,” said SGT Benjamin Harris, who is from Frederick, Md. “Socks are like money out here,” he added, laughing. “In jail they trade cigarettes, out here we trade socks.” “Really, you kind of take pride in it,” said 1LT Justin Deleon, 2nd Platoon leader. According to Deleon, this is the first deployment for a lot of his soldiers and being stationed at the smaller COP is challenging, but it’s a challenge that he and his soldiers look forward to because it legitimizes their occupation as infantrymen.

It might be difficult and dangerous living out in the wild lands like they do, but the mission they were tasked to execute is so important that the hardships of living like you’re on a one-year camping trip are incidental, said Tilley. COP Yosef Khel lies in a desolate alpine valley that stretches out from the western slopes of the Hindu Kush mountains that separate Afghanistan and Pakistan. For years insurgents would creep over the mountains on a spider web of goat trails and use the small villages in the valley as staging grounds to transport weapons, supplies and personnel deeper into the heart of the country. It and its sister base, Forward Operating Base Super FOB, were built to put an end to that activity by winning over the villagers, establishing a local police force, and blocking off the insurgents’ supply routes. In a testament to the resiliency of the soldiers of Company A, according to Deleon, the overall mission is on the brink of being a huge success. The village of Yahya Khel, was a hotbed of Taliban activity despite being a stones-throw away from the COP, until Company A decided to put an end to it. “When we first got here, there were Taliban flags all over the place. Now there’s ANA and [Afghan Uniformed

Police] flags,” said Harris. “The actual mission was to win the hearts and minds, it wasn’t to come out here guns blazing, and I think it’s been successful.”

It’s a challenge because you can’t tell the difference between the locals and the insurgents, and yet these soldiers continue to reach out,” said Tilley.

“These soldiers in the last three months have completely turned the village around,” said Tilley. “We’ve opened up a route that’s provided commerce, and we’ve stood up the Afghan Local Police. The people are starting to support the government. The village that once was the most dangerous and volatile in the area is literally on the verge of completely turning, with schools prepared to open within a month.”

“At this point it’s a complex war, especially in this area because both platoons here have been in a lot of fights and seen a lot of [improvised explosive devices], but at the same time we have to help the Afghan people. There have been times when we might go up to Yahya Kehl and get in a four-hour firefight, and then the very next day you have to go through and drink tea with the same guys that were probably shooting at you,” said Deleon.

“If we do nothing else, what we accomplished in Yahya Khel has made the deployment worth it,” said Deleon. “There was no government in Yahya Khel, and we set up a government there and stood up the local police. The ALP are from the people in the town, fighting for the people. That’s very important.”

“What’s awesome about the guys here is, they’re able to one day have the adrenaline pumping, shooting back and calling in medevacs, seeing people get hurt real bad, and then the next day go in there and conduct themselves very professionally, not hating people,” added Deleon.

The mission in Yahya Khel came at a very high price for America, as two soldiers from battalion, and two from the neighboring provincial reconstruction team, were killed in the fighting there – something that is never absent from the minds of those who continued on to finish the mission.

“These soldiers are doing what their country has asked of them, and they’re doing it extremely well,” said Tilley. “Our goal here isn’t to get in a lot of fights and kill people. We want to know that it was worth us coming here, that this country is better off for us being here.”

“These guys are making incredible sacrifices to support the ANA and the AUP, and also to reach out to the local villages.

Recently, Company A, along with platoons from the ALP and AUP, constructed another ALP check point in the

center of Yahya Khel, about 50 yards from the spot where Tilley’s vehicle was hit by an IED only a few months earlier. The new check point is the third one they have built in the settlement, completing it’s transformation from a volatile haven for the Taliban to a relatively peaceful town governed by a local force that the citizens can trust. The soldiers of Company A are rightly proud of their accomplishments. When asked if they feel unlucky that they didn’t get sent to one of the larger COPs or FOBs, they overwhelmingly insist they wouldn’t have wanted to spend their deployment anywhere else. “It sucks being away from home,” said PFC Nathan Burton, who is from Shawano, Wis. “But I consider myself very lucky. We’re doing something worthwhile – to help awaken a country.”

Dropping Hate

The screeching whistle of the rocket brings screams of â&#x20AC;&#x153;IN COMING!â&#x20AC;? as Soldiers sprawl and dive for cover. It flies wide, the accompanying thump anticlimactic against the adrenalin rush moments before. While most scramble for bunkers and hard shelter, the mortar crew from Company B, TF 3-66 move to their guns to return the favor of dropping hate on the insurgents. Six high explosive rounds later, the sun has set these infantrymen from the mortar section have earned their coveted combat infantrymenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s badge. The insurgents who tempted fate have met thier demise. 13

The future of Super FOB takes shape

After years of planning and logistic challenges, the largest base of operations for Afghanistan’s growing security force is nearing completion. Forward Operating Base Super FOB, so named because of the sprawling complex being built there, will eventually host 4,000 Afghan National Army and 400 coalition soldiers, who will be advisers and trainers. Modern steel and stucco buildings line the smoothly paved streets of the 1,150 square meter site, an uncommon appearance in this land where the vast majority of structures are made from mud. The new additions to the operating base include a sleek dining facility that can seat 1,000, with 10 wood-burning stoves being built to cook traditional Afghan cuisine, a powerplant with nine giant diesel generators that can crank out 8.1 megawatts of power, enough to sustain a small city, and even a jail house with ammenities in each cell that are nicer than

most Afghan homes. Building an installation on such a grand scale in a country plagued by the Taliban and the Haqqani Network proved to be just as huge a challenge as one might imagine. “This is the most resource-wasting job we’ve ever done,” said Simon Jabbour, logistics manager for Nassar Group International, the Lebanese company that won the bid to build the base. “It has taken a lot of energy.” When the construction of Super FOB first started four years ago, there were no coalition forces present in the area, and Jabbour and his workers faced challenges with the Afghan government, insurgent groups and tough working conditions which contributed to the lack of progress for the company. Jabbour, Pierre Nassar, the owner of NGI, and their security teams overcame some daunting difficulties, including be-

ing hijacked, blackmailed, trying to get supplies and equipment across the Pakistan border, and even being put in jail to keep the project from moving forward.

struction of Super FOB has been the turn-over of the hundreds of Afghan workers employed by NGI, said Jabbour. “Our work force has turned over three times so far, because they get scared after rocket attacks,” he explained. “For so many reasons, you see, this project has not been easy.” It has been a tedious process for Jabbour and his team, but when it’s complete it will be the largest ANA hub in Afghanistan, strategically located in the middle of one of the most volatile border regions in the country. “This is the most dangerous area in west Paktika, and they’ve built a super fortress here” said Littel. “It’s amazing.”

Many of the materials used in the project, such as the huge power generators and pre-fabricated metal buildings, were too large to air lift to the build site, so dozens of treacherous convoys from Pakistan had to be arranged. To get the materials across the border, it meant dealing with insurgent groups, and the dangers associated with them. Today, with a much greater U.S. presence at the FOB and increased ANSF security capabilities, work is going much faster and more smoothly than when they began the project, said Jabbour, noting that the first immigration of ANA soldiers into the new facility is slated to begin within two months. To help keep an eye on the four-year project, Jabbour and his team have lived at Super FOB since the beginning. Deep in the interior of northern Paktika, their living compound, located on the grounds of the build site, is a maze of lived-in shipping containers and cabins heavily fortified with stacks and stacks of sand bags. “The senior members of the company are here – they live here and don’t see their families for years,” said CPT Andrew Littel, Super FOB commander. “That’s how important this project is.” “We live here to boost the morale of our employees,” said Nassar. “They see us here every day and say, okay, if they can be here so can I.” Another challenge that faces the con-

] 6 6 3 [Soldier_Spotlight:] _ B _ , o n i r e M _ y n o h t n A _ t n a e g r [Se

n the morning of March 14, in an event representative of American efforts here, Sergeant Anthony Merino saved the life of Mateen, an eight-year-old boy in Kushamond district severely injured by an IED, his eyesight, dreams, and face savaged by the blast. SGT Merino’s heroic actions in stabilizing Mateen were not lost on the local populace and by March 16th, a groundswell of support for SGT Merino began to develop within the Western media. The incident in Kushamond district was first documented by military sources. Soon Blackfive.net, a website with a largely pro-military following, ran the story. The Albany Times Union, a small, local newspaper in upstate New York, followed with a similar report on SGT Merino’s actions. Finally, on April 1st, the break though: the New York Times Sunday edition, an outlet with 3.7 million print readers and another 4.3 million online readers, published Mateen and SGT Merino’s story

under the headline “Good Deeds in Afghanistan Interrupt the Grim Narrative.” The New York Times is an international media powerhouse with the ability to influence policy. Publication of this story is testament to the emotional power of SGT Merino’s actions. Since the New York Times article, readers across America have reached out to SGT Merino to offer their appreciation. Active Army Soldiers, retired veterans, and taxpaying civilians have all expressed their gratitude for his actions which demonstrated the humanity, dignity, and professionalism of the American Soldier. SGT Merino, from Smithville, Texas, is the senior medic for B/3-66. He is married with three children. SGT Merino served as a medic during Bravo company’s deployment to Diyala Province, Iraq in 2009. SGT Michael Torres and PFC Cody Sandstrom from B/3-66 should also

be lauded for their role in saving Mateen’s life. SGT Torres and PFC Sandstrom escorted the boy to Bagram and remained with him until his return to Kushamond following completion of his surgery. It is a historical fact that no conventional military has ever acted with the nobility and kindness in the face of an insurgent guerilla force that the American Soldier has demonstrated in Afghanistan for more than a decade. It is the actions of men like SGT Merino that will serve as a shining example of American magnanimity to the children of Afghanistan long after we are gone. “What this American Soldier did is heroic, but it is typical of the action of Colonel Bohnemann’s forces here,” explained the Honorable Mohibullah Samim, Governor of Paktika Province. “This unit [Task Force Blackhawk] joined with us as a team and we joined with them. They are part of our community and together we are one family.”

BLACK SCARVES WORKING HARD AND WINNING

he Black Scarves are working very hard as Soldiers begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our Soldiers have worked extremely hard and remain diligent in all their efforts to support the mission of supporting Afghan National Security Forces. The Task Force has made a great impact in Ghazni Province and has been extremely successful in working with our Polish counterparts, Task Force White Eagle. The impact that our Soldiers are making in Afghanistan will have a lasting value to the security of this Country.

future. It brings us great joy to be able to reunite family and friends, as we know every Soldier and family member has stayed strong through this long time apart. As Soldiers begin to take block leave, we want everyone to know that this time off is well deserved after the countless sacrifices that everyone has made. We want families to enjoy their block leave, but most importantly, to stay safe. Block leave can be a time to let loose, so we ask that everyone remain safe and always have a plan when taking this time off.

With just a few more months to go and the Task Force Legacy Ball around the corner, it is clear that everyone is anxiously awaiting an exciting reunion with their family and friends. We are happy to announce that all the tickets for the ball have been sold, and the support from family and friends is greatly appreciated. We also want to give a special thanks to those who have put in many hours of hard work to make this event a true legacy ball.

The final topic that we want to address is the 172D Brigade deactivation. We are sure most families have heard that the Brigade will be deactivating in the summer of 2013. There will be many moves within the year of the Task Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s return from deployment, so we want to thank you for all that you have done for your Soldiers, for the Black Scarves, and for Task Force Blackhawk.

As many families already know, the Blackhawk Brigade will begin redeploying Soldiers in the near

Earl B. Higgins Brian Woodall

SCARVES 20

hile most of the world is fast asleep the Soldiers of Roughneck platoon, Able Company, 1st Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, mingle within their squads talking about Tucker Max’s latest exploits chronicled in his recent book, they sing their own out of tune renditions of the latest popular LMFAO song, and share their favorite Chuck Norris jokes. For the Soldiers, this is business as usual. A mixture of excitement and nervousness always fills the cold midnight air before missions. First Lieutenant Alexander Nikssarian, the Roughneck platoon leader and West Point graduate, moves group-to-group making sure every one of his guys is ready. The young lieutenant takes his responsibility seriously and the guys respect him. The joes can tell he cares. He is their leader. Breaking the darkness, the tips of their cigarettes glowing. Each drag transforms the cherry-red tip to a bright orange. The last group has arrived. Nikssarian weaves his way around the groups of Soldiers and greets Captain Z, his Afghan National Army counterpart with a firm handshake and a broad smile.

Captain Z, a man in his thirties, could easily be mistaken for a special forces Soldiers. He stands six feet tall, physically fit, and could easily blend in as an American. He is a graduate of the ANA military school in Kabul. Z is a disciplined warrior, a professional soldier. “Ask him if he is ready?” Nikssarian says to the 18-year-old interpreter who will be joining them on the mission. The young interpreter translates Z’s native tongue: Pashtu.

A light chuckle emerges from the Afghan soldiers. It’s evident from the glow of the cigarettes that large grins have enveloped their faces. Communication is hardly an issue with Z and his men; they speak little English but are learning more each day, with every patrol they practice new phrases with the American Soldiers. It is a symbiotic relationship though; the American Soldiers are learning Pashtu too. The Soldiers try out their newly learned Pashtun phrases on Z’s men. “He says they are more than ready,” the interpreter relays. “They are looking forward to kicking some ass with their American brothers.” “Good, that is what we like to hear,“ Nikssarian responds. The Roughnecks greet the ANA Soldiers as if they hadn’t seen them in ages. Both sides care for each other, they share a special bond, one that a language barrier, cultural differences, and a decade of war cannot break. The lively greetings come to a close when the bass-filled drone of the helicopters descends from the sky. The cigarettes are put out, the night-vision goggles turned on, and weapons are

Z’s men are efficient and in less than five minutes the property has been cleared. Z welcomes Nikssarian at the door letting him know it’s ok for the Americans to enter. The tone of this mission has been set. The ANA has taken charge and will take lead in executing the mission effectively and efficiently.

double and triple checked. Everyone is ready now. “These guys lead the way when they are on patrol,” Nikssarian says. “ They aren’t afraid to take control of a situation and respond appropriately.” The platoons as a whole, Nikssarian says, has really bonded, and merged together as one incredible team. Intermingled, the American and Afghan Soldiers file onto the waiting Chinooks as one united team, a special band of brothers. The sentiment shared by Nikssarian is common throughout the platoon; all the guys sing their praises for their Afghan brothers. NCO’s and junior enlisted alike have nothing but praise for them. “They take their job seriously, we have

learned just as much from them as they have from us,“ Roughneck SPC Joe Speict says. “I know when we leave that Z will be able to continue to keep the Afghan people safe, he is awesome.” The helicopters touch down in a field near the outskirts of a town that has a reputation of being an insurgent safe haven. Z, and his men are the first off the birds; they quickly set up a defensive perimeter as the roughnecks dismount. Z is calm and levelheaded; he is now in his natural environment. Just as fast as the birds landed they are gone. The platoon left in the open in unfriendly territory. A switch has flipped in all the Soldiers; stone-cold warriors have replaced the young adults jokingly singing about how sexy they are. Both commanders jump into action, Nikssarian and Z play off each other’s skills and develop a game plan in less than a minute. They operate as a single well-oiled machine maneuvering their troops into position without losing the element of surprise.

The teams of Soldiers bounce throughout the village, clearing and searching numerous homes as well as gathering information from the villagers until the sun sets behind the rugged Afghan mountains. Close to 22 hours after they set foot on ground the birds come back to take them home. The mood on the birds is jovial again; the roughnecks are impressed with how the mission turned out. “Hey tell them they killed it today,” a random Soldier yells out to the interpreter as they dismount the birds. “They made me proud!” Outside the wire, Z says, language barriers, nationality, and religious beliefs don’t matter. It is one-team one-fight with the ANA and ISAF forces fighting side-by-side for the safety and the future of the Afghan people. “I am not afraid of the insurgents,” Z said. “ I fight for the future of the Afghan people and so that our children can grow up free from war and violence.”

The ANA takes the lead of the formation and effortlessly navigates the rough terrain in the heart of the darkness. They reach their first objective, a qulat on the perimeter of the village, in a matter of minutes. Nikssarian has the roughnecks assume a defensive position while the ANA prepare to search the kalat. Z wants to be the first to enter, so that he can explain to the families why they must searched. He also wants to send a message that the ANA means business and will do everything in its power to secure the safety of the Afghan people.

BLACK LIONS

amilies, friends and supporters of the Black Lions:

Spring is finally here and for the past few weeks, the temperatures have steadily increased, and soon the summer dry season will be upon us. As the weather has shifted, our focus has as well… from training with our Afghan partners over the winter to them taking the lead in conducting operations in the spring. The Task Force is busy supporting our partners while also starting re-deployment operations for our return home. Over these final weeks of our tour, we will be setting the stage for our replacements so they can continue the momentum we have achieved in the development of the Afghan National Security Forces while giving the population hope and faith for a better future. Our efforts will ultimately be successful once the population starts choosing their security forces and government over the insurgents. As I write this newsletter, our TORCH and ADVON Soldiers just departed to start their re-deployment back to Germany in order to prepare for our arrival starting next month. At this phase of our deployment, there is a temptation to lose sight of our mission, and to only look forward to our return home. I know that each of you is excited about your Soldier’s imminent return, but please do not listen to the rumor mill regarding specific dates. Our Rear-Detachment Commander, Major Dean, will provide official information as it becomes available. Recently Major General Allyn, our Division Commander in Afghanistan, visited some of our Soldiers to award Combat Infantryman Badges, Combat Action Badges and Purple Hearts. While here, he praised our Soldiers for their efforts while encouraging them to stay focused on closing out this mission successfully. Our Soldiers have truly performed outstanding and we should all be proud of their selfless service. I would also like to thank you for your continued support throughout this past year. Finally, please keep the family and friends of SPC Daquane Rivers in your thoughts and prayers. Daquane was, and always will be, an American hero who passed away while deployed to defend those values which make our Nation great.

John Meyer 23

FIGHTING TO THE END

ith the weather improving, it looks as if the fighting season is upon us. As the days get longer and the skies clear we will be taking the fight to the enemy, to drive them out and enable our Afghan partners to expand their government’s control in East Paktika. This mission is vital so that we can give our replacements the time and space they will need to acclimatize and get oriented as they begin their deployment. As we enter the final 60 days of combat operations, I and all of the leaders of this Task Force will be increasingly vigilant to ensure our Soldiers stay focused on the mission, and their safety. The last months of any combat deployment can be the most dangerous if Soldiers get distracted by thoughts of going home, and we all are going to work hard to prevent this from occurring within our formation. I am very proud of each of our ‘Black Lions’, and we are all working hard to complete this deployment successfully. The goal of all of our Non-Commissioned Officers is to complete our mission, and second, to bring all of our Soldiers safely home to Germany. We will do both by continuing to instill discipline and enforce standards. We have two months to go, and we can’t let off the pedal yet.

Joseph Cornelison

LIONS 24

MPs train AUP in IED awareness

said Herring. “We try to get them to react like it’s a real life situation and get them to move a safe distance away from the deadly range of the IED.”

n the remote mountains of the eastern Paktika Province, improvised explosive devices continue to be one of the primary methods used by insurgents to attack coalition forces. Methods of implementing IEDs are constantly changing and the counter IED training is constantly evolving right along with them.

One member of the AUP currently being groomed for the role of instructor is Asadullah Shabaz, a radio telephone operator for the AUP. Shabaz has trained with the Polish MP’s and is very knowledgeable in the Zerok district about enemy protocol.

“The whole idea is to make these guys self-sufficient and what better way to do that then to teach some of them to be instructors,” said Herring. U.S. Army SGT Ricardo Mercado, from Philadelphia, helped conduct the IED lane. “I love coming out here and training these guys, they are very willing to learn and we have a great rapport, they respect us and we respect them,” said Mercado.

“It was very good training and I’m glad Members of the Afghan Uniwe are doing this trainformed Police along with Soldiers ing,” said Shabaz. “In from the 554th Military Police this area we frequently Company out of Stuttgart, Germa- face IED’s and we need ny, held a counter IED exercise at to know how to react Combat Outpost Zerok, March 15. properly when we encounter one. I will Their goal, according to U.S. Army be very happy to train SFC J. Scott Herring, MP platoon my own AUP countersergeant, is to teach the AUP to parts; it is a very big react to and implement counter opportunity for me. measures when encountering an IED. They are also trying to Herring said that develop members of their AUP Shabaz helped them counterparts to be instructors in by giving them insight the future. into the methods used by insurgents in the “We walked them through an area, methods that IED lane and taught them what even they were not to look for and be aware of and aware of. how to fully react to the situation,” 26

GT Jason Wolfington, combat medic with Company B, “Spartans”, TF 2-28, is a quiet reserved man, the epitome of silent professional. The 40 year-old former construction worker is methodical in his work. Before missions he checks to ensure every Soldier in the patrol has an IV bag and tourniquet, be it their first patrol or 100th. He will not let chance play any more role in a patrol than it needs to. When his company first sergeant asked for a volunteer on Thanksgiving Day 2011, to make the routine walk up to the observation post, he didn’t hesitate. There was work to be done. Soldiers man this small observation post 24/7. Crews rotate out every few days and others travel up and down the steep rocky cliff face daily. The walk up is so steep, it is only one step below needing a ladder. The hill towers a few hundred meters above the combat outpost of Margah and maintains dominance over the entire

valley. As SGT Wolfington and 1SG Rayne Jones walked around the perimeter checking on the defenses, they came around a small rocky outcropping that sits above a small depression in the hillside. This is when chance reared its head just on the other side of the concertina wire ringing the hilltop. Standing not 150 meters away were three men. One held a rocket propelled grenade and two carried AK-47 assault rifles. In broad daylight, both groups of men stared in disbelief for what Wolfington later described as feeling like minutes. “I was surprised they had gotten so close,” recalled 1SG Jones. “The last thing we expected to find up there were three insurgents up to no good.” What felt like minutes were actually mere seconds and the Spartans reacted first.

“SGT Wolfington fired first,” Jones said. “Like clockwork he raised his rifle and began placing well aimed fire on the insurgents.” Jones joined in engaging the enemy who immediately disappeared behind the rocks without ever firing a shot in return. It took several minutes for the two Americans to maneuver around the parameter wire to investigate the location, Jones said. When they arrived, the enemy was gone, dropping their weapons a fleeing. Evidence at the scene indicated the fire had been accurate. Sitting in the aid station on COP Margah months later, the infantrymen of the Spartans tease SGT Wolfington that he is the only medic with a confirmed kill. When asked directly, he just shrugs his shoulders. “I prefer to be one of those guys in the background,” Wolfington said. “There are guys here who have done a lot more than me.”

[Soldier_Spotlight:]

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Combat Outpost Zerok mortarmen prepare for spring fighting season

s warmer temperatures arrive and the mountain snow of the Zerok district starts melting, the passageways of Afghanistan are open to insurgent activity. On Combat Outpost Zerok, enemy contact isn’t something that soldiers here prepare for - it’s something they expect. The mortar soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk, conducted exercises to set up target reference points on Combat Outpost Zerok March 17. SGT Joseph Petersbrown, a native of Kansas City, Mo., and a gunner said the reason the target reference points are set up now is so that they can quickly return fire when they take contact. “We were waiting for good weather, so we could set our TRPs,” said Petersbrown.

Mortar soldiers set up their target reference points by firing at a target spot downrange and then adjusting fire from where the round actually hit, until they hit the target, also known as bracketing, according to Petersbrown. With the target reference points in place, the mortars are installed quickly during an attack, which saves valuable time under fire. “We could be in our beds and get the call and have them [TRPs] set up in three minutes,” said Petersbrown. The quick response time allows them to effectively provide a safer perimeter defense around Combat Outpost Zerok, also providing mortar support for neighboring Combat Outpost Twins and Yankees, added Petersbrown. Another gunner, PFC Nicholas Richards, a native of Crossville, Ala., assisted the team in setting up the target reference

points. “I love what I do, it’s fun,” said Richards. “We get to shoot a lot while participate in the majority of the fire missions.” All of the mortar soldiers acknowledge that they truly enjoy their job. For some, they are getting the opportunity to do what they have always wanted to. U.S. Army PFC Ian Soos, a native of Long Grove, Ill., and a gunner, is truly living his dream. “I’ve always wanted to be a soldier. Being out here and doing this is a dream come true,” said Soos. “It’s a lot better than fireworks.”

Booming Economy

There is one certain gauge to the progress TF Blackhawk has made in Afghanistan, it can be measured against the economy. Goods to market, bustling bazaars and free flowing transactions are all byproducts of increased security and decreased insurgent activity. Over the last month we have witnessed a resurgence of capitalism as villagers feel safe to peddle their wares openly on the streets of places like Sharana, Sar Howza, Orgun-E and even Margah.

Stand Alone

SPRING THAW MORAL SOARS WITH TEMPURATURES

lackhawk Family and Friends,

April has come – Hallelulajah! Our morale is beginning to build again thanks to the end of the snow in Paktika Province and to the excitement surrounding our redeployment planning. Soon everyone will be talking about when they are slotted to return to their loved ones after we welcome our replacements and ensure they are trained. The Black Talons continue to provide timely support to the great maneuver task forces of TF Blackhawk. This month we are focusing on two primary missions: pulling out all vehicles, equipment, and containers from a forward combat outpost and assisting all task forces in the movement of redeployment equipment back to Sharana for onward movement to Germany. Thought these missions are primarily ground operations, we are thankful for the warm spring weather that has enabled us to maximize our rotary wing assets to assist in personnel and vehicle movements. On top of these missions, the great Black Talon NCOs hosted a memorable combined NCO induction Ceremony earlier this month honoring new Afghan Army and U.S. Army Noncommissioned Officers and challenging them to lead their Soldiers well while displaying the highest of our services’ values. The Afghan Army’s 203rd Corps Command Sergeant Major and the 172nd Separate

Infantry Brigade Command Sergeant Major attended this event and provided remarks to the combined group of NCO inductees. Also in April, the battalion hosted its first Black Talon Junior Officer Board to increase the competence of our lieutenants and junior captains in the Profession of Arms. The battalion’s officers are also participating in a teambuilding “Stress Shoot” competition in late April. The competition will include five physically demanding events that exhaust the team before they engage targets from multiple firing positions. CSM Burton and I continue to be impressed by the tremendous dedication of our Soldier and family members. We are in our 10th month of the deployment, and we are seeing families take care of families in Germany and Soldiers taking care of Sodliers here. Everyone is doing all we can to finish this deployment well. The end is near – keep pressing on, Black Talon Family! Stay Strong, Professional, and Together! We are on our final lap of the mile run - you and your family have the endurance to make it to the end of this important deployment.

Brad Eungard Terry Burton

TALONS 32

“There are so many challenges; weather, maintenance, contractual issues and small arms fire,” said Peterson. “I could name ten different challenges on any given day.” “Every day involves customer service with our client units and constant reworking of flight plans based on mission requirements,” said Peterson, “then there is also the management aspect of tasking multiple agencies from multiple nationalities.”

n ordinance officer, transportation NCO, two mechanics, a medic and a land combat electronic missile system repairer from the 172nd Support Battalion all have something in common. In the last eight months of deployment, together they have planned and executed the movement 48,269 passengers, 4.9 million pounds of cargo and 1.1 million pounds of mail by helicopter. “We move cargo to 26 locations regularly across three provinces,” said 1LT Paul Petersen, from Kansas City, Kansas. “We also touch every major installation in eastern Afghanistan on a less regular basis.” Peterson is the officer in charge of the six-Soldier shop that coordinates all vertical lift capability for Task Force Blackhawk. The section came together only just shortly before deployment.

them.” The support transportation office (air) coordinates the usage of six helicopters that fly six to nine hours a day, seven days a week. “We transport almost everything in the battle space,” said Tatzel. “From passengers and medical providers, to artillery shells and bottled water. We move it all.” Planning activities are ongoing 24-hours a day by the six Soldiers, said Tatzel, which creates not only an endless stream of work, but also added benefits to the mission. “This [contractor] air provides the only logistical air transportation flexibility in the brigade,” said MAJ Michael Laporte, the support transportation officer in charge for both ground and air logistics. “[Military] air just can’t keep due to their competing tactical mission requirements.”

“We have two types of pilots working for the contract companies; Ukrainian and Columbian,” said Peterson. “The Columbians can’t go certain places, and the Ukrainians take it as an insult if we send them on some missions.” The two types of pilots stem from the two primary contractor air carriers working with TF Blackhawk. AAR Air Lift moves the passengers and some small cargo while Vertical de Aviación is the primary air cargo transportation. Effective short range planning is what keeps the cargo and passengers moving, said Laport. “It might seem silly to some, but our greatest accomplishment was at Christmas,” said Peterson. “We moved a quarter of a million pounds of mail in just four weeks and we never accumulated a back log.” “At the end of the day I leave feeling satisfied,” said Tatzel. “I know we’ve accomplished something each and every day that contributes to the fight here in Paktika. We’ve gotten what is needed to the Soldiers out there.

“During the mission rehearsal exercise, none of trained in this job,” said Peterson. “My left seat right seat training in theater lasted all of two days.” “During the [mission rehearsal exercise],” said SSG Lance Tatzel, from Sparta Wis., and the only formally trained air transportation Soldier in the section, “I was focused al on land transportation.” “Coming from a heavy brigade combat team,” said Tatzel, “we never expected to have this many helicopters, let alone use

Sharana medics open new

MTBI recovery center he Department of Defense estimates that 22 percent of all combat casualties from Operation Enduring Freedom are brain injuries. Of those, the majority are mild traumatic brain injuries. Victims of MTBIs don’t have the extreme symptoms of the more serious TBI, but even mild damage to the brain can last a lifetime. Fortunately, sufferers of MTBI have an excellent chance at making a full recovery if the injury is treated properly within the first 72 hours, so treating MTBI has become increasingly important to health care professionals in the field.

The medical treatment facility at Forward Operating Base Sharana now has a posh new facility to treat those casualties during the most crucial time in their recovery, the first 24 hours. “Within the first 24 hours is when the brain is going to heal the most, so we’ve tried to give them a simple place that’s quiet to sleep,” said SSG Laura Camacho, from New Braunfels, Texas, the non-commisioned officer-in-charge of the facility. “The brain is healing when they’re sleeping. If they’re thinking, reading, writing, playing a computer game – the brain is working. We don’t want any stimulation – just stillness. I hate to say it, but we almost offer a spalike retreat.” Comacho explains the careful planning put into every detail of the new facility as she leads a tour through the immaculate rooms of the center, all simply decorated with comfortable beds and chairs, dimly lit with strings of Christmas lights, and walls painted with a muted burnt

umber color which, she explains, helps to prevent headaches. Creating this refuge for injured soldiers has been a labor of love for the soldiers of Company C, 122nd Aviation Support Battalion, Task Force Blackhawk, who currently operate the Sharana Medical Treatment Facility. “Our soldiers have worked really hard to make this place better than when we received it,” said SSG Lucas White, of Coffeyville, Kan., who is the NCOIC of the Sharana MTF. “There was nothing wrong with how we received it, but you always want to make a mark where you’ve been. “We’ve seen approximately 140 MTBI’s since we’ve been here,” he said, noting that the unit is about nine months into their one-year deployment. “We return the large majority of them to duty after 72 hours.” “83 percent are returned to duty,” said Comacho. “We are giving them the best place we can to recover, and that’s pretty important.” The new facility is a vast improvement from the last building they used, which was the typical FOB plywood structure with no separate rooms and little temperature control, Comacho said. The new MTBI recovery center has separate, centrally heated and cooled accommodations for up to 10 patients. “This is a huge, huge improvement because if you don’t give them a comfortable environment, they’ll do whatever

it takes to get out of here,” Comacho added. “They may not be 100 percent, but tell you that they are because they just want to get out. With this place, they’ll wait until they are well and we feel good letting them go.” “Now we can provide a nice, quiet, comfortable environment that will allow their brain to rest,” said CPT Cindy Dean, from Fort Belvoir, Va., the officer in-charge of the new center. “It’s so inclusive and comfortable in here sometimes it’s hard to walk outside into the light,” she added, laughing.

didn’t have a slot for that – but they had plenty of infantry and tanker and forward observer positions. I said, okay just take me home then.” He grins mischievously as he tells the story, “Five minutes later they said, fine we have your slot.”

Medic saves lives by just being himself

gt. Richard Davies wanted to be Soldier, specifically, an infantry sniper, since he was two years old. It was a dream that stuck with him through the years as he grew up up in Longview, Wash. As fate would have it, when he was 19 the U.S. Army came calling – for his younger brother, Spencer. “Richard was at home, being a 19-yearold, doing nothing,” said his mom, Tammy Davies. “[An Army recruiter] called for our other son, Spencer. My husband had answered the phone and said, Spencer isn’t here right now do you want to talk to Richard?” That serendipitous phone call was just the push he needed to jump into the life he’d always wanted. Although they were proud of his decision to join the military, his parents pleaded with him not to go in as an infantry grunt. “My parents talked me out of it at the last second. I was getting ready to join the infantry and they said, you’re going to go to Iraq and get shot and come back with no education,” said Davies. “So I fought to become a medic. I went to the recruiters office and they said they

Being an Amy medic is not exactly a job that keeps a Soldier out of the line of fire. As a member of Co. C, 172nd Support Battalion, Task Force Blackhawk, Davies see the worst of war more often than most front-line infantrymen. Fit and chipper as a star high school quarterback, Davies has a natural exuberance that serves him well in the field. “I’m out with somebody else every month,” he said. “Doing supply routes, route clearances, finding IED’s, helping to revamp aid stations at the little COPs I go to, working in combat support hospitals. Out where I’ve been going, we get mortared in almost all the missions. It gets crazy sometimes.”

Nine months into his deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, he’s seen his share of wounded troops, both U.S. and Afghan. “He’s treated a lot of [Afghan] counterparts for combat casualties,” said U.S. SSG Lucas White, of Coffeyville, Kan., the non-commissioned officer in charge of the Sharana Medical Treatment Facility. “You have to be autonomous out here, and be able to make quick and competent decisions. SGT Davies performs very, very well.” “The first time you see a casualty, it’s kind of rough,” explained Davies. “But I’ve been doing it for two years. I have no feeling towards the severity of the wounds any more. The Soldiers are strong dudes. They’re out there doing their job and get hit – it sucks. The more I can do for them the better.” “He’s always willing to volunteer for the most ardous missions,” said White. “He’s like a mountain man. Back home he’d hike up into the mountains of Washington and stay there for days at a time. He’s a hard charger. I hope more NCO’s like him come into the Army.” “As his mom, I really wasn’t worried [when he joined the Army],” said

Ms. Davies. “He has always been very independent. He once took off for three months and hitchhiked down to Montana, just to do it, and he was fine.” Davies takes great pride in his profession, she said. “Whenever he puts his uniforms on, his regular one or his Class A’s, they have to be perfect before he’ll go out.” With one deployment to Iraq and three quarters of the current one behind him, his co-workers marvel at how Davies perpetuates a positive attitude despite the unavoidably heart-wrenching nature of his job. “He’s a good morale-booster,” said SPC Eusebio Cordero, who hails from Bradley Beach, N.J., and is the patient administrator for the Sharana MTF. “Whenever he comes in it’s like ‘Awesome, SGT Davies is here!’” “He’s totally professional. He always has a smile on his face – even when he’s angry. It’s weird,” he added, laughing. “He does tend to laugh a lot,” confirmed his mom. “He’s always been that kind of person.” “The best part of the job is saving lives,” said Davies. “When you do that kind of stuff you know you’ve [justified] your existence. You feel like you’re doing something way above yourself.” He might get such a thrill from saving lives because he has such a knack for it. While he’s been involved, as part of a team of medics, with treating casualties who did not pull through, he says he’s never lost a patient that he’s had to work on alone. “He’s a great medic. He’s the guy to go to when you need something done,” said Cordero. For Davies, his time as an Army medic will be defined by the Soldiers he’s saved, and also by making his four-yearold daughter, Delilah, proud. “I want her to know everything about me – so she doesn’t think I’m just making up stuff. People think we come over here and don’t do anything, but we’re still getting blown up and shot at.” “He’s a good father,” said Cordero. “He talks about [Delilah] a lot. If she could know one thing about her dad, I would tell her he saves lives – he puts the BandAids on the booboos.”

TF GILA

BUILDING AND BREACHING, READY TO BRIDGE

o the Friends, Families, and Fans of Task Force Gila, Happy Easter!

Our time in Afghanistan has gone quickly, yet the strength and abilities of our Afghan National Security Force partners has grown immensely over the Fall and Winter of 2012 as demonstrated by their superb effects this spring in offensive operations across Paktika Province. Much of this success boils down to three basic principles: teamwork, engagedleaders and our disciplined Soldiers. We have a great Task Force and whether it be at home or in Afghanistan, everyone has been selfless in their support and commitment to the mission and one another as a unified team “Shonha ba Shonha” with our Afghan partners. It’s our leaders recognizing that our profession, the profession of arms, is not just a job but a calling to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, that ensures the best care for our Soldiers and their families. And perhaps most importantly, it’s the dedication and discipline of our Soldiers day-in and dayout who plan, prepare and execute missions while advising our Afghan partners, building relationships that bridge cultural gaps and forge security capacity and a lasting Afghan security primacy to enable all our Soldiers to return home. The month of March included fond farewells to our Polish Army Military Police and Special Forces allies and partners as they returned to Poland, although we are certain to meet again whether it be in Poland or Germany this coming summer or fall. We also had the opportunity to award and promote several deserving Soldiers and Sappers from across Task Force Gila, and conduct changes of command for Bravo & Charlie Company, 9th Engineers. We trust this news and information finds all our Gila Family members in good health and spirits, enjoying the warmer weather and spring-time atmosphere. We are proud of all our Soldiers and their sustained effort to exceed all performance expectations, no matter the task.

Jayson Gilberti 37

his month marks the tenth month of our deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XI-XII, this month also starts the beginning of our re-deployment process. From across Paktika Province your Soldiers and Sappers have started cleaning and packing their equipment as we slowly continue with our transition back to Germany. Another great news story is that our Torch element will be heading back to Germany as we start receiving elements from 4-1 BSTB “our replacing unit.” April will finally complete the Task Force’s R&R for our Soldiers, if your loved one hasn’t been on leave yet, he or she will be soon! I know you all look forward to being reunited with your Soldier for a well-deserved break. For the rest, there is not much time left of this tour before we return to home station. In just a few months we will start our changeover with our sister battalion. Please pay attention to your FRLs and to your FRG leaders for the latest and most accurate information. I can assure you that as soon as we can publish specific dates of our arrival we will do so through the FRG channels. Thanks for your continued support and commitment to our Soldiers. As always, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to the excellent Soldiers, Sappers, Signaleers, Analysts & Collectors, Medics, and Policemen in this Task Force for all their hard work over the last month. Without them, the Task Force would not be able to complete its critical mission of assisting our ANSF partners to reach their ultimate goal which is “taking the lead” as we move forward and open a new chapter in history in support of the Paktika community. Finally, thanks to everyone for the phenomenal support over what is typically a difficult time to be separated from loved ones. The outpouring of support from the home front keeps us all in touch during this deployment and I know it means a lot to your Soldiers and Sappers. Your Soldiers continue to perform marvelously at an unrelenting pace as we get closer to completing our mission here in Afghanistan. The mission is not ready until the Task Force Commander and I bring everyone home. From the bottom of my heart “may God bless you and keep you safe.”

Jason Stewart

ROAD TO VICTORY

Building capacity. Building roads. These two efforts of counterinsurgency often work against each other in Afghanistan as American brigades seek to expand the government’s reach, using American money or American engineering equipment to build roads in isolated areas. The roads get built, the desired effect is reached, but the population still views this as an American effort, something that their forces cannot do once we leave. Every time we build or repair a road using our money and equipment, we miss out on an opportunity to train the Afghan Army engineers on one of the most successful counterinsurgency tactics. The Alpha Company “Sappers” of Task Force 9E are splitting the difference between building roads and building capacity by partnering with the engineer coy of the 4th kandak, 2nd brigade, 203rd Corps Afghan National Army. Together, the Sappers and the ANA Soldiers have improved and developed significant stretches of road all over the province, transforming the geography of Paktika while expanding the capability of the coy.

Spearheading this effort for the ANSF is Captain Anwar Yaqubi, the commander of the engineer coy. Cerebral with a razor-ship wit, Yaqubi is perfectly suited to this sort of population-drive combat effort. Evidence of Sapper company’s success here in Paktika was on display this past month as Yaqubi planned and developed a road repair project that focused squarely on the will of his fellow citizens.

On March 26th, he explained its origin: “I was walking to the dentist in Sharana district and as I waited in line, I noticed that the road was terrible,” he said. “This is the biggest bazaar in this province, and we could get more commerce in here and more shoppers in here with a better road,” CPT Yaqubi continued. “So I decided to build a better road.” CPT Yaqubi developed a plan and asked A/9E to help him with the equipment. MAJ Adam Chalmers, Task Force 9E Executive Officer, explained, “While CPT Yaqubi is getting his grater repaired, we are providing him with a grater.” “He is using his dump trucks, hyex trucks and manpower to get the gravel and spread it,” Chalmers said. “This is a project for the people that came from the ANSF, so we are happy to support it.” Over the course of two days, March 26th and March 27th, the partnered engineer companies worked together to develop a construction drainage ditch, grade the road, fill in potholes, and compact the mud. The finishing touch was all Afghans: spreading and compacting gravel to pro-

vide an even, stable surface for cars. Before the construction project, the 300 meter stretch of landmass in front of the Sharana bazaar was an uneven mud pit. Afterwards, it looked like a trafficable road. Sergeant Faheem Ahmed Fahmeed, a horizontal construction engineer for the engineer coy, explained the process. “The most important thing was to make sure that the rain is not able to damage the road, creating potholes and mud,” he said. “We put a small crown or bump in the center of the road, so the water will run off to the sides and not damage the road. Once we did that, we got out and started shoveling, making the entire road smooth with gravel.” Afterwards, the locals were excited about the locals in the bazaar. “This is the first ANA planned construction project we have assisted with,” said CPT Dave Farrar, commander of Alpha, 9E. “Hopefully, this short stretch of road will be the catalyst for the city engineer to begin executing improvements and get the locals to help themselves by maintain the roads in and around Sharana.” Hakim Azizullah, Sharana resident and the owner of a fruit store in the bazaar, said, “this is a great project by the Soldiers of Afghanistan. This small piece of road is very muddy and it is very difficult to pass.” “By repairing this road for us, they are helping our business,” he concluded.

Headquarters Company keeps FOB Rushmore rolling

ocated on Forward Operating Base Rushmore is a fiveman maintenance shop from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 9th Engineer Battalion, 172nd Infantry Brigade that not only keeps FOB Rushmore running, but also trains and mentors Afghan National Army and Afghan Uniformed Police mechanics. “Our missions and tasks range from day-to-day,” said SGT Michael Dean, maintenance shop foreman. “Generators can break down at all hours of the night, we do anything it takes to keep the FOB running. Anything that breaks, [the maintenance shop] can fix it.” In addition to maintaining and repairing a 30-truck fleet of military vehicles, generators, and anything 41

else mechanically that might need repairing on the FOB, the maintenance shop trains and mentors ANA and AUP mechanics. About 50 ANA and AUP Soldiers have graduated from the mechanics course located on FOB Rushmore. The classes consist of teaching the ANA and AUP Soldiers how to maintain and repair the vehicles used in their operational missions, such as M1151 HUMVEEs and Ford Ranger pickup trucks, said SPC Zachary Fritz, a welder and mechanics class instructor. This includes the proper way to perform preventive maintenance checks and services on vehicles before, during and after missions, said Fritz.

“[ANA Soldiers] loved it,” said Fritz. “ANA Soldiers love to get their hands dirty, they love to work on the vehicles and they love to learn how everything works. They listened intently and were great learners.” “I learned that everyone wants to learn; this isn’t a place that is just shooting and fighting all the time. The [ANA and AUP] Soldiers want to learn and make Afghanistan a better place for themselves and their families. [ANA and AUP mechanics] haven’t had mentors for the longest time, and now we’re here to help them,” added Fritz. The training and mentoring doesn’t just take place in the classroom, the mechanics from the maintenance shop are always available to ANA and AUP me-

chanics who need information, advice, or help repairing and maintaining their vehicles, said Dean. “I show them, I do not fix it for them,” said Dean. “They are doing well and we have a good partnership with the ANA and AUP. Together we’re making the mission happen.” The maintenance shop consists of welders, generator mechanics and mechanics. “The way I see it, my team is like a train, we all have a different piece to run the train. We make the train function, that’s how we make the battalion function,” said Dean. The maintenance shop not only repairs military vehicles located on FOB Rushmore, but also makes repairs on any vehicles passing through the FOB on convoys. “Someone needs help, we help them,” said Dean. “This team is flawless at what they do,” said Dean when reflecting on the maintenance shop. “Whatever I tell these guys, they do. I think this goes in line with the Army value of Respect. We have respect for each other, and we make it happen. The best team I have ever had.”

] E 9 [Soldier_Spotlight:] _ A _ , i n i t t a r P _ s e m a J _ t s i l a i c e p [S

lear. Hold. Build Roads.

It is a slight tweak on General David Patreus’ oft-cited counterinsurgency strategy and it is the guiding principle of the Gilas of Task Force 9E. As Task Force 3-66 clears areas like Marzak and then holds them with ANSF, Task Force Gila comes in behind them and builds roads for the populace. The impact is visible virtually everywhere in northern Paktika: commerce flows freely, families move from district to district, provincial government officials get out and influence their constituents. More than a slogan, clear, hold, build roads is a philosophy that is transforming Paktika province from a confederation of tribes to a connected populace with a recognizable government.

At the heart of this strategy sits hardworking Soldiers such as SPC James F. Prattini, a 28-year-old horizontal construction engineer from Ridgecrest, California. SPC Prattini has worked on Task Force Gila’s two most prominent success, Route Jeep and Route Audi, grading the roads with his 130G CAT road grader. Recently he has been developing Afghan capacity by training Soldiers assigned to the Afghan engineer coy to operate a road grader.

In addition to road repair, he has been instrumental in licensing the Soldiers in his platoon on construction equipment and repairing damaged vehicles. He has successfully conducted more than 45 road repair missions, holding up Task Force 9E’s part of the “Clear, Hold, Build Roads” strategy.

A man of military breadth, in October and November of last year, SPC Prattini served as a team leader for an engineer platoon stationed on COP Waza Khwa to fight as infantry.

“He is our best grader operator and has shown prowess on other pieces of heavy engineer equipment,” CPT Farrar said. “His knowledge, experience, work ethic and drive have been paramount to the success of Alpha Company, TF Gila and the Blackhawk brigade.”

During this time, he conducted over 30 dismounted patrols in Waza Kwha and assisted in the transition of COP Waza Khwa to control of the Afghan Border Police.

According to Captain Dave Farrar, commander of A/9E, SPC Prattini has been an incredible asset to the entire brigade.

Nice catch

There has been a boon in high value target captures over the last few weeks in RC-East, especially in Paktika. As insurgent leaders have begun to attempt to sneak back into their old stomping grounds after a winter vacation, the Blackhawks have been waiting. Aided by eyes in the sky, like this returning unmanned aerial vehicle, and unending vigilance at the ground level from intelligence analysts, the manhunt is on and the harvest is bountiful.

THE GUNS OF SPRING

INSPIRING ON AND OFF THE GUN LINE

s I travel around Paktika and visit firing platoons, battery headquarters and support troops, I continue to be awed and impressed at the teamwork, dedication and professionalism that Falcon Soldiers display in these tough conditions. Whether it’s a gun platoon tracking a patrol’s movement through the mountains ready to provide support at a moment’s notice, or the Soldiers protecting FOB Sharana day in, day out; our Falcons are setting high standards that few units in the Army can match. The battalion has embraced and excelled at a mission that few artillery units have been able to perform in the last several years; provide fire support for maneuver units. The Soldiers and young leaders gaining experience here will go on to form the core of the artillery branch in the future. Their ability to quickly put ‘steel on target’ has contributed to saving lives and has kept the enemy off balance and unable to achieve their goals. Not only are we making a difference for our maneuver units, but we are making

a difference for the Afghan National Army as well. The D30 battery, mentored by Headquarters Battery’s Combined Action Team, has reached a new level of competence, experience and lethality. As the strategic goals shift to developing the ANA into an effective combined arms force, the integration of the battery takes a new significance; a future capability that brings the ANA one step closer to independence. As we enter the final phase of our deployment, I look back at all the things this unit has accomplished as a team. Each Soldier in the formation has contributed greatly to mission accomplishment. On behalf of Command Sergeant Major Sligh and myself, we thanks the Falcon families for their loving support through this tough mission. “Falcons First.”

Christopher Cardoni

FALCONS

FIRST 48

ANA certifies artillery battery for Paktika operations

hile ANSF successes are visit everywhere in Paktika province, the “Falcons First” Battalion, 1-77 FA, had a hand in the most important.

The D30 artillery battery of 4/2/203 ANA, partnered with HHB/1-77 FA, was certified for real-world operations by the Afghan Ministry of Defense following a successful battery-level live fire at FOB Thunder in Gardez, Paktya Province, March 15th.

to truly function as a Battery. Their capabilities have grown and they are now able to provide critical Fire Support in combat” said the CPT Nate Moore, commander of HHB/1-77 FA. During the one-day exercise the eight-gun battery fired 96 high explosive rounds and 41 smoke rounds and will now relocate to Orgun, eastern Paktika province, to integrate lethal indirect fires into CF and ANSF operations along the Pakistani border.

The live fire served as the capstone event for HHB’s four-month training and mentoring program. The training consisted of a three phase cycle starting with a 5 week literacy training program and transitioning into basic operations of the D-30 howitzer. The final phase focused on section / crew training, Call for Fire, Fire Mission Processing, and Registration procedures in order to provide timely and accurate fire support for the ANSF. The main objective and goal was implementing the NATO 6400- mil system and phasing out the old 6000mil operating system.

Capt. Dawood Shah Han, commander of the artillery battery, explained the live fire certification process. “We fired 137 rounds in 16 fire missions,” Han explained. “With a five kilometer range, we were accurate within 100 meters with the first round every time.”

“The D-30 Battery learned the new system very well and have begun

Brig. Gen. Zmaray Khan, commander of the 2nd brigade, 203rd

SFC Christobal Cruz, HHB’s Master Gunner was impressed. “As far as accuracy, the battery’s rounds impacted in a 75 meter spread on the target at around 6 kilometers which is very accurate given their D-30 Russian made system,” he said.

Corps ANA in Paktika province was excited about the practical application of the battery in eastern Paktika. “Previously, we did not have indirect fire support from the Afghan side in Paktika,” Khan explained. “Our D30 artillery is all we need to defeat the insurgents once the Americans leave. With accurate artillery, we will never lose an engagement.” Staff Sgt. Afwhan Attaullah, first gun chief, explained the battery’s proficiency. “We understand deflection, quadrant elevation, and how to make adjustments after the first round,” Attaullah said. “When we get back to Paktika, we will have four guns available to shoot all the time and our fire direction center will always be available.” Staff Sgt. Ahmed Alimzai, second gun chief, spoke optimistically about the battery’s future. “We will fire on the insurgents with pleasure,” Alimzai explained. “This spring, the enemies of Afghanistan will find that they cannot cause problems in Paktika province because of our artillery.

Change of Command Change of Responsibility

This past month the brigade continued to restock the shelves with changes at the top of companies. Some incredible leaders changed out with fresh faces ready to step in and leave their mark on the legacy of Task Force Blackhawk. Captain Chris George and 1SG Michael Lambert, two of the finest leaders in the brigade, have moved on. In their place, Captain Brad Zielinski and 1SG John Orbe have stepped up, ready to lead their units until completion of mission. 52

Leading from the front:

The Brigade’s final Sergeant Audi Murphy Club Indunctees In April 4, more of the brigade’s most capable non-commissioned officers were accepted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club. The club is a private U.S. Army organization for enlisted non-commissioned officers whose leadership achievements and performance merit special recognition. According to FORSCOM Reg. 600-8, paragraph 1, members must

“...exemplify leadership characterized by personal concern for the needs, training, development, and welfare of Soldiers and concern for families of Soldiers.” Each battalion screened, evaluated, and selected the NCO’s that met these requrements. The selected group then went in front of a rigorous board

examination process lead by Command Sergeant Major Boom. In the end, five were awarded entry into the elite group. The following individuals were accepted into the Sergeant Audie Murphy Club on Aprail 4, 2012 and are authorized to wear the distinguished SAMC medallion.

Most Decorated

Audie L. Murphy was the most decorated American Solldier of World War II. During twentyseven months in action in the European Theater he received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign awards including five awards from France and one from Belgium. Murphy’s heroism is legend in NCO circles. He has been the subject of popular music, movies, and books. Audie Murphy always led his Soldiers from the front. Now, five Blackhawk NCO’s fall in line with his incredible legacy.

Best of the Best

UP RE March opened the window for reenlistments accross the Brigade. The following photos highlight just a few of the brave men and women who have decided to continue thier service to the nation.

April soldier Promotions

To the rank of Staff Sergeant: Francisco J. Arce Craig O. Blake Robert C. Bybee Melvin L. Dillard Dylan S. Fessler Stephen L. McCarty Jr. Michael A. Winkie

To the rank of Sergeant: Angelo D. Brown Timothy S. Camp Marcus L. Clay Krasean L. Clayborn Edward G. Gonzalez Derek J. Gordon Joshua J. Grether Zin Htut Joshua D. Hyland Anthony D. Inzitari Greg W. Lockhart Neilsen L. Marquez Ricky P. Pouesi Edwin J. Reyes Francisco Rivera Leslie D. Shrader Galen J. Tackett