TF 3-197 NEWSLETTER I S S U E
Commanders talk
A Co conducts a new type of training
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BY: CPT Christopher Thompson
about their units
J A N
Sharpening The Tip of the Spear
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
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MWR kicks off 2011 USO concerts
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Alpha Company TF 3-197 (ARES Co.) is nearing completion of specialized training as a Tactical Combat Force (TCF). Upon completion ARES will be the first Company in the Task Force to be trained in one of the many potential mission sets directed by the 1st TSC and the 197th Fires Brigade. ARES Company started the training with a weeklong infantry based training set getting its leaders prepared to teach their squad and platoon members how to shoot, move, and communicate as a cohesive team with little to no infantry experience as a whole. The training consisted of advance rifle marksmanship, close quarter combat, and team and squad level movement. This training package designed by 3-
197 BN and L-3 MPRI was well received by all of the ARES soldiers. Week two
The beautiful Kuwaiti desert
was focused on the ARES leaders training their Soldiers on the same tasks. The train the trainer concept empowered the squad and team level leaders to build stronger relationships with their Soldiers while learning all of their team’s strengths and weaknesses. The first two weeks
B Co Checks In
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HHC supports the BN
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D Co “So far so good”
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C Co Chimes In
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Guard Families
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TF 3-197 Promotes 50 Soldiers
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Right: ARES Co. prepares for movement at the armor
MWR Kicks off 2011 concerts
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of God.
Left: Soldiers from 2nd platoon ARES Co. move through one of the TCF lanes .
were in preparation for a nine day platoon level operational training set consisting of site security, screening operations, and platoon attack. Each of the platoon leaders and platoon sergeants were responsible to work with MPRI to teach their Soldiers the basics of what it takes to operate as a mechanized infantry platoon. The training as a whole has been a tough learning adventure embraced by the Company. ARES Company is widely known for its willingness to embrace challenges and overcome obstacles and this TCF training was no exception. The Company is now preparing to reset to continue to support the Battalion convoy escort mission.
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B Co TF 3-197 at FT McCoy WI
Bravo Co Checks In Hello fellow friends and Family of Bravo Company. I’d like to take this opportunity to discuss what makes Bravo Company unique. First the baseline. Bravo Company is composed of Rhode Island and New Hampshire Army National Guard soldiers. We have soldiers from Alpha, Bravo and Charlie BTRY, 1-103rd FA, RI ARNG, 1207th FSC, RI ARNG, C BTRY 3-197th FA (First to Fire), B BTRY 3-197th FA, and HHC 3197th FA, all NH ARNG. Digging one level further, we actually have Soldiers coming from all New England states except VT. This
gives Bravo Company a unique opportunity to share experiences with Soldiers from different regions, history and lifestyles. Many of us will create bonds and friendships that will extend across multiple state lines. Bravo Company Soldiers are settling in very well at Camp Buehring. Many are taking advantage of the educational services here as well as some online courses. There’s a nice gym that many of our Soldiers are taking full advantage of and getting into shape, maintaining their physique or further conditioning themselves. A typical day runs from 1300hrs to 0100 hrs and consists of various du-
HHC Supports the Battalion
CPT Heath Huffman promotes PVT Joshua Giles to PFC after the recent patch ceremony
TF
3-197
For those reading this unfamiliar with HHC (Headquarters Company) operations, we provide the support and Battalion management functions for the line units (A, B, C and D Companies). These functions include S1 (Personnel), S2 (Military Intelligence), S3 (Operations), S4 (Logistics and Supply) S6 (Communications which includes computer and networking operations) Medical, Chaplain services and Maintenance. One of the interesting aspects of an HHC is that we are a modular force providing our same services regardless of the actual mission the line units are conducting. Naturally, the mission will dictate the types of vehicles the maintenance section NEWSLETTER
works on and the intelligence the S2 section is scrubbing for, but no matter the mission, the troops need financial support (S1), Medical, Chaplain, etc, so our job is to be here for your troops no matter what mission or issues arise. All of the sections within HHC are busy and providing excellent support to the 3rd Battalion units and troops. Above and beyond their regularly scheduled duties, Soldiers are participating in training that will enhance themselves and their careers. At any given time we have troops going through Combat Life Saver medic training, Warrior Leader Course, independent Higher Education opportunities and distance learning classes. Leadership is highly supportive of Soldiers taking advantage of this active
BY: CPT Michael Butler ties from maintenance of equipment to attending training. The Chow Hall serves four meals a day and some Soldiers choose to take advantage of an occasional Subway Sub or a Starbucks Coffee. Most Soldiers have easy access to internet and there are plenty of phones to call home with. The PX has all the essentials and rarely runs low of supplies. All in all, this is a pretty good place to live. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to serve with the men and women of B Co, and together we are doing great things. KNIGHT RIDERS!!!
BY: CPT Heath Huffman duty time to expand their horizons, so hopefully when they return home they will be even more adaptable to “the real world” than when they left. Also worth mentioning is that many of the Soldiers are taking advantage of our close proximity to the 24 hour gym and are getting in the best shape of their lives. The S1 section ran the Company’s first PT test this week and I am very happy to report that all Soldiers who participated have made excellent improvements in their fitness over the last 4 months. Our hope is that when we return your Soldiers to you later this year, they are in better mental and physical fitness than when they left.
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Delta Co. “So far so good” Delta Company has been very busy since we got here. The company has completed 12 missions and has driven nearly 47,000 miles in Iraq. The Soldiers are staying busy and being safe. The RIP with 1-124 went very well; all the Hurricane Soldiers were professional and helpful. We have settled in to a good rhythm. The Soldiers do maintenance on their vehicles and equipment every week when they are not on missions, as well as training on convoy and other mission related tasks. The Soldiers also have free time and spend it in a variety of ways; some Soldiers are attending college, others play intramural sports, and some volunteer around post . The leave periods are beginning and everyone is looking forward to coming home on leave. The Soldiers have all worked hard and deserve this break. We are fortunate to be able
to have time to send them home to visit with families and friends. The Soldiers continue to excel at all tasks they are given and do it without complaint. MAJ. Hall We all at Delta Company have remained very upbeat with the mission here in Kuwait and Iraq. Many hours have been spent training and preparing for our missions. Most soldiers love to be on the road doing missions and are very pleased with the equipment and training we have received. The RIP training with the 1-124 IN BN was well organized and gave us all a great start.
playing many sports and attending college. There are many things for them to do to occupy their time. Camp Buehring has a lot to offer the Soldiers and leaders. I would like to thank the families of the Soldiers here who support us all in this tour of duty. Without the support, the mission would be much more difficult ! 1SG Miller
We have performed many formations to hand out Promotions and Awards with many more to come. Soldiers take time for themselves and with their teams to break up the rigor of the days on mission by
1SG Miller serves the TF Christmas dinner.
Charlie “Sheppard” Co Chimes In It's been quite a few months since Charlie Company arrived here at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. We've conducted a Relief in Place with an outstanding unit from the Florida Army National Guard (Thank you Combat Company!). We've conducted our Transfer of Authority, officially taking the role of Convoy Escort Security for long haul convoys into Iraq, had our first taste of combat and risen to the occasion. We've been awarded our "Combat Patches" (officially known as Shoulder Sleeve Insignia - Former Wartime Service.) Phew... it’s a lot just thinking about it! The Soldiers of Sheppard Company continue to demonstrate that they
are outstanding performers in an outstanding battalion. I couldn't be happier with every Soldier's incredible commitment to the unit and the mission. We're getting ready now to transition into a training period where we will stop conducting missions for a short while. This will give us an opportunity to get some world class training provided by subject matter experts that we would never be afforded back in the States. I just want to impart to everyone back home how proud myself and 1SG Ferland are of all of our Soldiers. These troops in particular have been called on to do something far outside their normal
BY: MAJ Steven Hall
By: CPT Adam Burritt
scope of military service, and everyone has done an excellent job not only becoming proficient in their new duties, but excelling at them.
C Co begins TCF training
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Serving in the Guard A Family Affair BY: CPT Brian Calhoun
Sunset at camp Buehring can be quite a sight if you can look past all of the sand
TF3-197 is anything but a typical National Guard unit. There are Soldiers from field artillery units, a signal unit, a forward support unit, and distribution and maintenance companies of a Support Battalion. This makes the TF very well rounded and able to do many missions well. One thing in particular that strikes me as both interesting and as a testament to the Nation Guard family is just that, family. In TF3-197 we have many sets of siblings including two sets of twins, several fathers and sons, an uncle and niece, cousins, a mar-
ried couple, and many relatives by marriage. What makes this special also makes it even more difficult for the families of these Soldiers. While the Soldiers benefit from the close bond of family to help them through the deployment, their families carry a larger burden than the rest of the TF. The families of most of the Soldiers deployed with the TF have to deal with the separation from a single loved one; the families of these soldiers are dealing with separation from two or in some cases more loved ones. Below is a list of Soldiers that are cur-
rently deployed with another member of their family. I’d like to say thank you to the families of these Soldiers for dealing with the extra burden of having them here at the same time. As any Soldier who is here or who has ever deployed can attest, it is far easier on us being deployed then it is on our families who are at home keeping things running. (This list is as close as I could get to complete and I apologize if I left anyone out.)
A Co 1SG Scott Canavan (Brother) SFC Matthew Canavan HHB 197th FiB SPC Anthony Tropea (Twin) SPC Joseph Tropea A Co SFC Beliveau (Daughter-In-Law) PFC Deslie D Co and (Son) expected soon as a replacement B Co 1LT Jeffery Seavey (Brother In-Law) SPC Michael Judkins C Co PFC Anthony Iapicca (Brother) SGT James Giggey 1207th FSC SGT Juan Ocampo (Brother) SPC Biran Ocampo B Co SGT Brandon Westgate (Son) PFC Jordan Westgate A Co SPC John Turner (Brother) PFC Nicholas Dumont B Co
When learning to navigate the camp everything is based off of its location from the water tower.
TF
3-197
C Co SFC Edward Wiggin (Cousin) SGT Darin Briggs C Co SPC Brandon Hughes (Brother) SPC Cody Leonard C Co SGT Charles Crocker (Married) SPC Jacinta Guerreiro C Co SPC Chad Martin (Brother) PV2 Jonathan Brouillard C Co SPC Kaitlin Rorick (Twin) SGT Anthony Rorick TF 3643rd CCC PFC Colin Ladd (Brother) PV2 Daniel Ladd D Co SPC Tyler Mailhot (Cousin) PFC Andre Mailhot D Co D Co SFC David Penn (Son) SPC Kenneth Penn C Co SFC Donald Fortier (Niece) PFC Theresa Fortier D Co HHC SGT Gregory Zieroff (Son) SPC Zachary Zieroff NEWSLETTER
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TF 3-197 Promotes 50 Soldiers TF commanders were very busy this past month catching up on promotions that have taken place since the start of the deployment. Fifty Soldiers, from all five companies, were promoted in separate formations held recently. What that means is one in twelve TF Soldiers are wearing a new rank. The dates listed below next to each name are the Soldier’s new Date of
Rank (DOR). That is the official date they were recognized at their new grade even if the actual pinning on of the new rank took place on a different date. The DOR is used for many things in the Army such as pay, time in grade for seniority over Soldiers of the same grade, and for meeting minimum time in grade requirements before being promotable to the next
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By: CPT Brian Calhoun
grade. Being promoted is always a big deal whether it’s from PVT to PV2 or Captain to Major. Congratulations to all of the Soldiers and keep up the great work.
Promotion List TF 3-197 PFC to SPC
20091219
HHC
AYERS, JOHN
PV2 to PFC 20101221
C Co.
KEY, JEFFREY
HHC
GILES, JOSHUA
PV2 to PFC 20101113
HHC
PVT to PV2 20101209
SWEENEY, JEFFREY BELL, KENNETH
PFC to SPC 20101026 PV2 to PFC 20101102
A Co. A Co. A Co.
LACOMBE, RUBENCE SWAN, NICHOLAS ESTAVILLO, BYRON PLAISTED, ROBERT
C Co. C Co.
PV2 to PFC 20101026 PV2 to PFC 20110106 PV2 to PFC 20110119
C Co.
CLARK, JEREMY
PV2 to PFC 20101116
C Co.
DAY, BENJAMIN
PFC to SPC
20101027
C Co.
LABELLE, SHAUN
PFC to SPC
20101026
A Co.
COMBS, DONALD
PFC to SPC 20101223
C Co.
MINARD, TROY
PFC to SPC
20101026
A Co.
NASH, RYAN
SPC to SGT 20101208
C Co.
HEATH, JASON
PV2 to PFC 20101101
A Co.
COLCORD, RICHARD
SPC to SGT 20101214
C Co.
SADIK, MUSTAPHA
PFC to SPC
20110122
2LT to 1LT
20101110
A Co.
MOREL, DANIEL
SPC to SGT 20101208
C Co.
SCHWAB, ANDREW
B Co.
PAQUIN, ZACHARY
PVT to PV2 20101026
C Co.
SCHULTZ, HALEY
PV2 to PFC 20110119
B Co.
HEINCY, DONALD
PV2 to PFC 20101026
D Co.
DELISILE, MORGANA
PV2 to PFC 20101026
B Co.
FOURNIER, NICHOLAS
PFC to SPC 20101024
D Co.
CAREY, ZACHARY
PFC to SPC
20101112
B Co.
LABONTE, TRENT
PFC to SPC 20101026
D Co.
THOMPSON, KEVIN
PFC to SPC
20101216
B Co.
LABOSSIERE, MICHAEL
PFC to SPC 20101026
D Co.
LADD, DANIEL
PVT to PV2 20101109
B Co.
DONOVAN, WILLIAM
PVT to PV2 20101026
D Co.
BARR, JENSINE
PV2 to PFC 20101026
B Co.
HANSON, ERIK
PFC to SPC 20101112
D Co.
BURKE, BRIAN
PV2 to PFC 20101109
C Co.
FAUCHER, JARRET
PVT to PV2 20101111
D Co.
MAILHOT, ANDRE
PV2 to PFC 20101026
C Co.
PEACE, BRYAN
PVT to PV2 20101102
D Co.
VANWINKLE, CURTIS
PV2 to PFC 20101109
C Co.
LADD, COLIN
PFC to SPC 20101213
D Co.
MASON, NICHOLAS
PVT to PV2 20101107
C Co.
JOHNSTON, ETHAN
PFC to SPC 20100731
D Co.
PENN, KENNETH
PFC to SPC
C Co. BROUILLARD, JONATHAN PV2 to PFC 20101028
D Co.
KAZAKIS, STEVEN
PV2 to PFC 20101028
C Co.
BUTLER, GARY
PV2 to PFC 20101101
D Co.
PLANTIER, MATTHEW
C Co. C Co.
CHANDLER, JENNIFER SOUCY, WILLIAM
PV2 to PFC 20101027 PV2 to PFC 20101027
D Co. D Co.
BLAD, ROBERT HALL, STEPHEN
PFC to SPC
20101109 20101026
SFC to MSG 20101216 CPT to MAJ 20101216
TF 3-197 is made up of several units from NH including 3rd BN 197th FA, 744th
AWARDS SGT Jeremiah Crosby - Army Achievement Medal (AAM) SSG Trevor Small - Army Achievement Medal (AAM) SPC Joseph MacDonald - Army Achievement Medal (AAM) SGT Jason Westcott - Army Achievement Medal (AAM)
FSC, A & B COs 3643rd Brigade Support BN, and 372nd Signal Company. It has also been augmented by members of 1st BN 103rd FA, RI ARNG and soldiers from the 1st BN 124th IN, FL ARNG that volunteered to stay on for another year.
Stay tuned for more awards in the coming issues. They take time to process and we have several on the way.
If there is anything you would like to see in our future issues please contact us and we will try to oblige.
TF 3-197 Contact Information CPT Brian Calhoun HHC TF 3-197 Camp Buerhing, KU APO AE 09330 BRIAN.P.CALHOUN@kuwait.swa.army.mil
A Rock-N-Country Good Time On Sunday January 9th the MWR concert series returned to Camp Buehring as country star Kellie Pickler and rock and roll legend Joan Jett shared the stage in front of a large crowd of Soldiers and Marines. Kellie Pickler wowed the crowd with her incredible voice and genuine support for the troops playing several of her hits including “Best Days of Your Life” and “Red High Heels” acoustically. “Red High Heels” was sung as a duet with a Marine picked from the audience and let me say I hope he’s a better Marine than a singer. Joan Jett and a single Blackheart (Kenny Laguna) closed the show doing several of her rock hits. As she took the stage the MC stated this is her 30th tour with the USO and man can she still bring it. Soldiers of all ages were singing along to “I Love Rock and Roll”, “Crimson and Clover”, and “I Hate Myself for Loving You” while clapping their
hands to the beat of the songs. It was truly great to see the Soldiers and Marines stationed here having a genuinely good time. Joan Jett has dedicated a lot of her time to U.S. Soldiers and for that I salute her! Here’s to many more years
Joan Jett rocks Camp Buehring
BY: CPT Brian Calhoun of Joan Jett and to what I hope will become a tradition for Kellie Pickler as well. I think there’s hope for that because she and her husband did spend their honeymoon with several thousand of her fans here in the desert.
Kellie Pickler belts out some lyrics during her set