The Rolling Review NOVEMBER 2011
233D TC
949th TC DET
821st Transportation Battalion
129th TC
1452nd TC
203rd TC DET
163D TC DET
“SAIL ARMY”
“SAND DEVILS”
ISSUE TWO
651st THOD
709 th TC DET
COMMAND & CONTROL
821st Transportation Battalion Com m an d e r ’ s Cor n e r Lt. Col. Rodney Sell November: The Month of Gratitude It’s hard to believe we’re closing in on two months since arriving in theater on October 8. The tempo of our operation has been blistering fast as we approach the deadline for completing our exodus from Iraq. In our first 30 days on the ground, we executed more than half the missions than the preceding battalion did in ten months. I got to see firsthand what our convoy teams go through a couple of weeks ago, as I rode along with Staff Sgt. Shannon Klemme, Staff Sgt. Justin Whitmer and their crews from the 129th and 1452nd Transportation Companies, on a nine-day trip to Kirkuk in northern Iraq. On the return trip, we hauled some extremely large loads for the roughly 24-hour drive back to Kuwait. Living conditions at the various Contingency Operating Bases along this route are becoming more austere by the day as facilities close down, and a pleasant autumn shower at Adder delivered plenty of good old Army mud just to liven things up. Ask any transporter where they’d rather be, though, and they’ll tell you they can’t wait to get back out on the road. Every time I have an opportunity to see the roadside villages where so many Iraqis struggle to live and work, where little children beg for water and chem-lights from our passing convoys, I’m struck by a profound gratitude that I was raised in America. In all the ways that matter, these people are just like us, and they deserve so much more. Our problems back home seem so small in comparison to what they deal with every day. I believe a person can’t really appreciate America until they’ve had to leave her behind for awhile. We are blessed with the greatest nation in the history of mankind, but it could not exist without the courage, tenacity and sacrifices of our military personnel. Veterans Day and Thanksgiving both fall in November. Maybe that’s because, while we have so much to be thankful for in America, our Soldiers are at the top of the list. Thank you for all you do and for the positive attitude with which you do it. I pray you and your loved ones will enjoy peace, prosperity and gratitude this holiday season.
Fr om Th e De sk Of Th e Com m an d Se r g e an t Major Command Sgt. Maj. Alma Ocasiosantiago The Soldiers of the 821st Transportation Battalion should be proud of all their accomplishments up to this point in their deployment, but the mission is far from over. We are all part of a historical time in our deployment and careers; we need every Soldier to stay focused and mission-oriented. SAFETY! You have heard me preach SAFETY since we arrived in theater. I need every Soldier to put SAFETY first in all we do. I have noticed some vehicles speeding through our motor pool. I want to remind everyone each Soldier in the Battalion is a Safety Officer. If you see a speeding vehicle, a tactical vehicle without a ground guide or Soldiers without their reflective belts, it is your duty to confront and correct the situation. If you are unable to stop the speeding vehicle, get the license plate number and report it to your Safety Team. SAFETY is every Soldier’s responsibility. Let’s enforce SAFETY, practice good Composite Risk Management and everyone return safe from a needless incident. Every Soldier Matters!
821st Headquarters Detachment
Capt. Jonathan Schneider “What are we doing after the December deadline?” Not surprisingly, I get this question all the time. At this point, nobody quite knows what the picture early next year will look like. We do know that there are big changes coming that will affect our operations in Kuwait. However, I firmly believe the HHD will remain for the duration of our tour. While I cannot say anything about next year with certainty, I do know this: the HHD, 821st Transportation Battalion is conducting itself professionally and with great pride. This month, we redoubled our efforts to support the line companies working so hard to complete the responsible drawdown of the mission in Iraq. I am extraordinarily proud of the work you do every day. The HHD has not had a single notable accident or disciplinary problem. No commander could ask for a better group!
Sgt. 1st Class Dennis Crump, HHD, 821st Transportation Battalion, I would like to congratulate Sgt. 1st Class Trent Cain, Sgt. 1st Class Judy Smith and Pfc. Morgan Buturlia on their promotions. I would also like to congratulate Sgt. Adam Linck, Spc. Michael Campbell and Spc. Bradley Rice for being selected for promotion by the 642nd Regional Support Group. As November continues to be a busy month for the 821st Transportation Battalion, remember to not let yourself or your battle buddies become complacent. Stay vigilant, especially in the area of Operational Security, or OPSEC. Although we are in final phase of the responsible drawdown of Iraq, there are still enemies out there that jump at any chance to hurt us and our loved ones. I send my condolences and prayers to those in our ranks who have recently lost a family member. We are a team and when a part of our team hurts, we all hurt with them. May God be with you and give you the comfort and strength to persevere. As the holiday season approaches, please ensure each and everyone is in good communication with their family. Although we are thousands of miles apart, with today’s communications, we can seemingly close the distance a little and continue to make our relationships stronger. I hope that everyone is doing so. “One Team, One Fight”
“SAND DEVILS”
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821st Headquarters Detachment 821st Transportation Battalion Patch Ceremony Story and photos Spc. Prentes Potts CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - Soldiers of the 821st Transportation Battalion gathered in the motor pool on zone 6 to perform a formal Former Wartime Service-Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Ceremony. The traditional “patch” ceremony is a commemorative function deeply rooted in military history. Designed to instill pride and recognize the deployed unit, the ceremony was conducted to commemorate the unit’s deployment to a theater of operation for more than 30 days. The 821st Transportation Battalion and Headquarters Detachment has been tasked with managing part of transportation mission in support of the presidential mandated responsible drawdown of equipment out of Iraq by the end of 2011. The 89th Infantry Division, also known as the “Rolling W”, was formed in 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I and participated in several major battles throughout “The Great War.”
The Division's nickname is based on the division's insignia. Created during World War I, this insignia utilized a letter "M" inside a wheel. When the wheel turns, the "M" becomes a "W”. The letters "MW" signify the Midwest origin of the troops who formed the 89th during World War I. The division was also known as the "Middle West" division, another variation on its origin. In attendance were the Command Group from the 821st Transportation Battalion and leadership from the battalion’s subordinate units. Sgt. 1st Class Tammy Miller of the battalion’s operations section said, “It was nice to see the other commanders and (noncommissioned officers) from our down trace units attend. It was a really good showing.”
“SAND DEVILS!”
129th Transportation Company
Maj. Dwight D. Dickerson November has been a demanding month for the ”Knights of the Road,” as the Soldiers of the 129th Transportation Company continue to perform with distinction and pride in the largest drawdown since World War II. In just a little over 3 and a half months of running Combat Logistics Patrols, Soldiers of the 129th have safely lead and conducted over 100 disciplined convoys accumulating nearly one million miles. As we celebrate Thanksgiving while seven CLPs on the road, I am thankful for the Soldiers of the 129th. The hard work, dedication and professionalism displayed has made the most challenging month successful. Keep up the good work and let’s continue to look after and care for each other, as I believe this has been the key to your success.
“Knights of the Road”
129th Transportation Company Convoy Commanders “Leaders of the Road” By Sgt. Luther Hall The convoy commander is a Soldier selected and entrusted by Platoon Sergeants and Platoon Leaders to lead and control missions while in theater. Convoy commanders amongst the line platoon’s soldiers have many responsibilities and duties to ensure mission completion and Soldier safety during Operation New Dawn. The drawdown of military equipment has missions leaving camps throughout Kuwait and Iraq more than ever, making the convoy commander’s job and preparation much more vital. Staff Sgt. Michael Swenson, a Buffalo, Minn., native and convoy commander for 3rd Platoon, 129th Transportation Company, headquartered in New Century, Kan., is relishing the opportunity to experience the real world situation of the drawdown. As a convoy commander, Swenson has many duties to perform to help ensure a successful mission. These duties include convoy briefings, safety briefings, making sure Transport Movement Requests are correct and making sure all his Soldiers needs is met. Before each mission, Swenson’s crew has a squad prayer to start each mission. “The more the Soldiers know, the more mentally prepared they are and the better they perform,” said Swenson. This is his third tour overseas and his second as a convoy commander. The main focus of Operation New Dawn is the responsible clearing and closing of U.S. bases within Iraq. With the assistance of maintenance and soldiers from other platoon’s, the 129th’s 1st Platoon was sent
up north to support the withdraw of military equipment. One of the convoy commanders was Staff Sgt. Ryan Kratt, a cross level Soldier from the 478th Engineer Battalion and Cleveland, Ohio resident. This is Kratt’s third tour, but his first as a convoy commander. With bases closing in northern Iraq, Kratt and his Soldiers did a lot to overcome not having normal luxuries. Kratt commented, “To help keep Soldier morale up, I tried to get my hands on extras for my Soldiers!” These extras included energy drinks, food, sleeping accommodations and more. Kratt continued, “Mission and Soldier safety was always priority one.” Kratt and 1st Platoon fell under Joint Task Force Hickory, headed by the 230th Sustainment Brigade, the senior leadership for the 129th’s commanding 821st Transportation Battalion. Kratt contributes the experience of being up north to a great learning experience, raising his own abilities and his soldiers’ to adapt to changes. Throughout the mission of the Task Force, Kratt saw Soldiers working hard and created a good bond with maintenance. Convoy commanders have a great responsibility to the overall mission and safety of their Soldiers. Commanding officers, as well as frontline Soldiers, count on the convoy commanders to be ready mentally, physical and emotionally to handle the mission ahead. According to Kratt, “Every successful mission and safe return is a great credit to our Army’s convoy commanders who sacrifice their time to prepare and inform their Soldiers to ensure that the mission is accomplished.”
“Knights of the Road”
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233rd Transportation Company
Capt. Jonathan K. Neal “Heavy Truck” has continued to meet the strenuous demands of the rapidly executed responsible drawdown of Iraq. The operation tempo is high and the Soldiers continue to meet every mission timeline while maintaining the vigilance necessary to keep themselves and our third country nationals safe. Nevertheless, the clockwork of the Army does not stop because of the mission. The Soldiers of 233rd continue to participate in promotion boards and Soldier/Noncommissioned Officer of the Month boards. Our recent winners are Sgt. Jacquez Fletcher (NCO of the Month, 821st Transportation Battalion) and Spc. Malik Haywood (Soldier of the Month, 821st Transportation Battalion). Congratulations to them; it is exciting to see Soldiers rewarded for their relentless efforts. Also, the Company was fortunate enough to have a Thanksgiving celebration amongst themselves. Special thanks to Mrs. Linette Neal, Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Turner, Staff Sgt. Zarita Dickey, Staff Sgt. Bradley Hood, Sgt. Lashon Kinnel and Sgt. Alba Andrade for planning, organizing and executing the event. We had some excellent food, music and decorations and were able to spend part of the evening together as a 233rd family. Of course, the Soldiers missed all of you, but it is important to recognize these absences, as the sacrifices all of you are making on behalf of our nation. That is something to be thankful for during this holiday season. On behalf of Heavy Six, I hope your holidays are great and all is well!
1st Sgt. Kristen Montoya The Soldiers of the 233rd Transportation Company have been working extremely long hours in order to get the demanding mission accomplished without fail. Despite the long workdays and constant mission push, the Soldiers still managed to maintain their physical fitness level and the unit was able to complete the unit Army Physical Readiness Test that was pending for the month of November. Congratulations to the 32 Soldiers that exceeded the standard by achieving an overall score of 270 and above. Well done!!
821st Transportation Battalion
October Newsletter
“HEAVY TRUCK” “SAND DEVILS!”
233rd Transportation Company 233rd Increases Mission Velocity By 1st Lt. Sean Chang
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – As the 233rd Transportation Company continues to maintain the intense operation tempo of Operation New Dawn, the Soldiers continually find new ways to improve and adapt. 1st Lt. Joshua Worth, a platoon leader from Fort Stewart, Ga., and his crew are a sterling example of Soldiers who relentlessly strive to make things better. On his latest convoy, Worth successfully accomplished something not previously done in the 821st Transportation Battalion, 230th Sustainment Brigade; completing a convoy from Camp Arifjan, Kuwait to Victory Base Complex in Baghdad, Iraq in four days. “The convoy really pushed the limitations and capabilities of our equipment,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Emerson, the Convoy Escort Team assigned to provide security for the convoy. “At first, I had some misgivings about pushing so far so fast. But as we went on, we got a good rhythm with the trucks, and we completed the mission.”
While the convoy was one of the fastest seen in the 821st, it was not the intent of Worth to set a new record. With the end of the responsible drawdown of Iraq in sight, the amount of convoys on the road has increased dramatically. Forward Operating Bases are becoming filled with Soldiers convoying in and out of Iraq, extending the already lengthy wait time of entering a FOB. “The main idea was to save my guys the time of dealing with going in and out of FOBs and to help the 233rd generate missions. I figured the faster I got (the convoy) done, the more missions we would be able to take and get all this equipment out of Iraq,” said Worth. With the drawdown coming to a close and the amount equipment still left in Iraq, convoy commanders are required to think outside the box to increase the velocity of their missions in order to meet the Dec. 31 deadline. The 233rd continues to keep with its tradition of meeting and exceeding mission standards while putting safety first.
Soldiers from the 233rd Transportation Company conduct a hasty maintenance halt on the Iraqi roadside in order to determine if the issue with their Heavy Equipment Transport is a quick fix. Photo by Spc. James Crawford.
“HEAVY TRUCK”
1452nd Transportation Company Maj. Teonnie Dotson Situational awareness has been a key point of discussion among the convoy commanders and Soldiers within the 1452nd Transportation Company with the drawdown moving closer. We meet weekly with as many convoy commanders as mission dictates to discuss lessons learned and conduct internal after action reviews. The information received has been beneficial and allows the leadership to have a better understanding of what occurs on the road. With the upcoming holidays fast approaching, Soldiers need to continue to be aware of their surroundings both here and as some depart to go home on leave. For the Soldiers within the company and 821st Transportation Battalion who will spend Thanksgiving with their families, I pray that you will enjoy your time at home. For those of us who remain here, I wish you a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!
1st Sgt. Jeffrey Crisco We continue with the drawdown of Iraq. Soldiers of the 1452nd are running missions into Iraq at a historic pace. Their efforts are greatly needed to complete this phase of the war. We have survived our first holiday, Thanksgiving. The Chow halls were ready and ample with Turkey. As we enter the Christmas season, we are receiving packages at a very alarming rate. We, the Soldiers, really love the aspect that home cares this much about our well being. As we focus on the next phase of our mission, we continue to monitor safety, standards and the military way of life. The weather has changed, and it is now very nice for outdoor activity. We have our usual Sunday night company get together. Last week we met at the Theater for “Moneyball” viewing and all enjoyed our time together. Our basketball and flag football teams are well and represent the 1452nd with vigor. Hopefully the Soldiers we be able to get on MWR tours as they are opened up again. Until December...
“ROUGH RIDERS”
1452nd Transportation Company Big Wheels Keep on Turning Story and photos by Sgt. Odaliska Almonte CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait- The 1452nd Combat Heavy Equipment Transport Transportation Company has been here for two months now, and since we hit ground, the work has been nonstop. While we give a lot of credit to our road warriors who have been going on missions back-to-back, with short rests in between, we cannot forget those who keep those trucks going on the road: our mechanics. The days have been long with an average of 14 hours each day, 7 days a week, to keep those big HET wheels on the road. As many of the different sections that keep our company on mission, the maintenance crew is one of those key components that usually go unnoticed. The maintenance men and women do not go a day without an issue to resolve. The challenge from day one has been the trucks we inherited from our predecessors were trucks that have seen their life cycle 3 times over; which means there’s only so much we could expect these trucks to survive. Our expectations when we arrived were finding a fleet of HETs with a 98 percent of mission readiness. We quickly realized this was not the case. The maintenance issues we found would prove to be a major challenge. As Senior Maintenance Supervisor, Master Sgt Keith Bryant put it, “It was chaos when we arrived. There were not only a lot more issues to fix than expected, there were also less mechanics available to work”.
1452nd Maintenance crew: (Left to right) Spcs. Michael Books, William Britt, Sidney Poteat, Sgt. Ann Moxley, Sgt 1st Class Amanda Hurley take a gear off on an air compressor
When we arrived, the missions kept pouring in, allocating the mechanics to missions immediately, leaving very few mechanics remaining for the maintenance shop. To resolve the issue of the limited amount of mechanics available to work in the maintenance shop, we had to train our heavy vehicle operators as mechanics to help maintenance catch up. In addition, our mechanics, while experienced in more of the typical maintenance issues, like damaged axles and bad compressors, had limited experience with the bigger issues. One of those bigger issues is the dreaded Class III leak around the engine requiring a “Cab Off” procedure. For any regular Soldier who does not know what a “Cab Off” means, it is a job requiring several hours and an average of 5 days of work to complete. Parts have to be ordered, and once received, the arduous task of taking the cab apart begins. Once the problem is fixed, they then have to put it all back together again. Overall, our maintenance team, from those who have to order all the parts to those that have to replace the parts on the HETs, have the difficult job of keeping our missions going, despite all the obstacles they face. As our Chief Maintenance Technician, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Seth Taylor said, “Even with the issues our mechanics have to face, they have adapted quite well to the troubleshooting of the vehicles.”
1452nd Maintenance Crew: (Left to right) Pfc. Spencer Tenhagen and Spc. Matthew Cline, working on a wheel spindle.
“ROUGH RIDERS”
1452nd Maintenance Crew: (Left to right) Sgt. 1st Class Amanda Hurley and Sgt. William Smith. Inspecting for the source of a Class III leak.
651st THOD Watercraft
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Charlene Winters The theme for the next couple of months is “Relief In Place and Transfer of Authority.” Not for us, unfortunately, but for the vessels. The LSV-6 got underway back to the U.S. a couple of weeks ago. The LSV-5 arrived a week ago to replace the LSV-6, which is going to the shipyard for cyclic maintenance. The crew of the LSV-5 will only be here for a couple of months until the crew of the LSV-6 returns to take over again. Phew! Confusing enough?? To add to that, the LSV-8 crew will leave early next year and be replaced by the LSV-7 crew, who will be arriving from Hawaii. Also during the same time-frame, we’ll be exchanging crews for the LCU2018. Members of the 481st Transportation Company from California will be arriving to replace the current crew. Obviously, these exchanges will result in quite a bit of activity as we get them in-processed, complete vessel inventories, and have the personnel complete mandatory training – all prior to any of the vessel getting underway on missions. All we can hope for is the completion of the drawdown in Iraq will be completed by the estimated deadline, giving these new crews the time they need to be mission ready. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual at the Harbormaster’s Office as we continue to support the effort of moving cargo. On a final note, I’d like to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all and safe journey to all of those fortunate enough to be going home on R&R during the holidays.
Sgt. 1st Class Darrell Bell This is the latest news from the Port at Kuwait Naval Base Harbormaster’s Office. It’s amazing how times flies. With the month of October over and November setting in, the 651st has been on ground now for a little over 100 days. During the first 100 days, we have had two Soldiers become fathers. Pfc. Brian Jackson’s daughter was born in August , his first child, and Cpl. Jesse Bennett’s daughter was born Sept. 22, his second child. My hat goes off to both Soldiers as they maintained the Army Core Values and pushed on with the mission, while their wives endured the toughest mission of delivering their daughters into the world without their fathers being there. We have started our rotations for R&R, which is a sign things are moving along and the Soldiers are getting an opportunity to get away and spend time with their loved ones. Our newly promoted Spc. Sean Miller was the first to leave out and married the love of his life. On the vessel side, we have two Soldiers, Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Stack, expecting his first child due in April 2012, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Kinlein of the Logistics Support Vessel number 8 expecting a new addition to his family just as he arrives home from deployment. We have had some vessel repairs done to the LSV-8, the LSV-6 has set sail for home station and we welcomed the LSV-5 upon their arrival in November. Cargo, vehicles and equipment are constantly on the move here at the port. Vessel crews are getting excited as they wait for their replacements to arrive in the upcoming months. We welcome the 821 st Transportation Battalion to Kuwait and look forward to the upcoming successful mission. To the Soldiers and crew members of the Harbormaster and Vessels, stay motivated and keep up the good work.
“SAIL ARMY”
Over the Edge Stories From The High Seas 163rd Transportation Detachment LSV-5 Arrives at KNB By Warrant Officer Jason Milligan KUWAIT NAVAL BASE - Logistics Support Vessel 5, the “Maj. Gen. Charles P. Gross,” left Hawaii as the 544th Transportation Detachment in August 2010, bound for Detyon’s shipyard in Charleston, S.C. The voyage would take the vessel to San Diego, Calif., through the Panama Canal, across the Caribbean, and to its final destination for a complete overhaul. LSV-5 was the first Army vessel of its class to go through the Service Life Extension Program, where it received more than $2 million in upgrades and repairs. The crew traveled to Charleston in June 2011 to
Above and below: The U.S. Army Vessel Major General Charles P Gross, Logistics Support Vessel 5, at Detyens Shipyard, Charleston, S.C., in January 2011. Photos courtesy of Zane Johnston.
complete a month of new equipment training and to take possession of the vessel. As soon as the “Gross” was completed in early July, the crew got to work unpacking the ship’s gear and safety equipment so it could get underway for the voyage home to Hawaii. In addition to the SLEP, the “Gross” was designated the 163rd Transportation Detachment. One week before getting underway, the Department of the Army notified the 163rd there was to be a change of plans, and it was to steam with all available speed to the Persian Gulf. With a stop at Fort Eustis, Va., for rations, fuel and training, the crew prepared the “Gross“ for its first leg across the Atlantic Ocean. On Sept. 9, the vessel cast off its lines and set sail, dodging two hurricanes during a 19-day voyage across the Atlantic. After more than two weeks of 24-hour operations, the crew was ready for their first stop in Rota, Spain. The crew spent a few days taking on fuel and rations and enjoying some well-deserved rest before getting underway again for a seven-day sail to Souda Bay, Crete. The stop in Souda Bay was the last chance to bring on any supplies before the final 18-day leg of the voyage. LSV-5 transited the Suez Canal Oct. 17 and entered the pirate-infested waters of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. By remaining vigilant, keeping outstanding lookouts and practicing force protection procedures and anti-piracy techniques, LSV-5 made it to Kuwait Naval Base Oct. 30. Immediately upon arrival, the crew set to the task of getting in-processed and preparing the vessel to head back out to sea for its primary role in the Army - providing heavy sustainment lift and joint logistics overthe-shore capabilities in an intra-theater environment.
Over the Edge Stories From The High Seas Kuwait Naval Base Port Relations Story and photos by Spc. Rolando Foster KUWAIT NAVAL BASE—When it comes to working in the Army’s watercraft field, you find yourself working with different branches of service, both foreign and American forces alike. Joint Operations between branches can sometimes be hectic, with chances for miscommunication or misappropriation of resources. In the case of the Army’s 651st Transportation Harbormaster Operations Detachment, it is an everyday occurrence of success when it comes to joint operations. The 651st THOD works alongside the 307th Port Security Unit, a reservist Coast Guard unit from Clearwater, Fla., along with a handful of personnel from the Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 2 from Port Smith, Va. The three units make up an elite mariners team that operates the Kuwait Naval Base port. A good portion of the Army’s logistic fleet is here and operated by the best. The 651st is responsible for maintaining vessel readiness as well as operations. Though the hard work of the 651st would add up to nothing if it weren’t for the 307th and MSRON 2. The objective of these two units is to deny entry into KNB without proper authorization and to protect vessels from sabotage or attack. These three units work
Service members stationed at Kuwait Naval Base inspect a patrol boat’s GPS device before conducting a security patrol in the vicinity of the port.
Service members stationed at Kuwait Naval Base inspect a patrol boat before conducting a security patrol in the vicinity of the port. The 651st Transportation Harbormaster Operations Detachment works alongside the U.S. Coast Guard’s 307th Port Security Unit and the Navy’s Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 2 to ensure the safety and security of all personnel working in the port.
around the clock to make KNB the best port in Kuwait. The head commander of the MSRON 2 and the Coast Guard’s 307th is Navy Commander Kevin Hanson. The two units work as one when it comes to protecting the port. Port security has many tools at their disposal to deter any threat presented. The work horses of Port Security are the 25-foot Transportable Port Security Boat and 34-foot SeaArk boats. With port control and port security being in very close working proximity to one another, vital information between branches is passed with lightning speed. There have been instances where security action was needed from a vessel, and port control was able to notify security and the appropriate actions were taken. The actions on both sides are a clear example of perfect cooperation to complete the objective at hand. Petty Officer 3rd Class Anderson Harrison of the 307th and from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., commented, “It’s like two great businesses coming together to make one heck of a product. Kind of like Coca Cola and Pepsi coming together.” With a good sound relationship like the one at KNB, nothing but excellence is expected and is given.
“SAIL ARMY”
Deployment Life Making the best of our time Manicured Mustaches Mark Month of Movember By 2nd Lt. Bradley Taylor The month of November meant one thing for the service members of the 821 st Transportation Battalion - “No Shave November.” I initially knew nothing about “Movember,” as it has been referred to for the past nine years. According to Wikipedia, the event was conceived by a group of Australian men to raise awareness for men’s health issues such as prostate cancer and depression. They established the Movember.org website back in 1999, and since, extended support globally in places such as South Africa and the United States. Even though the target audience to grow the ‘stache are men, women are also encouraged to show support as “mo sistas” and men as “mo bros”. Rules for participants of Movember are as follows:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Once registered at movember.com each mo bro must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face. For the entire month of Movember each mo bro must grow and groom a moustache. There is to be no joining of the mo to your side burns. (That’s considered a beard.) There is to be no joining of the handlebars to your chin. (That’s considered a goatee.) Each mo bro must conduct himself like a true country gentleman. *Source: Wikipedia.com
The month long event of awesomeness concludes by awarding participants such titles as “International Man of Movember”and “Miss Movember”. Once I heard of all the awesomeness associated with the event, I knew I had to find some troops and assemble a team. Our team collectively came up with the name “Tom Selleck: The Man Behind the ‘Stache.” Selleck, most notably remembered from the ‘80s popular television series, “Magnum, P.I.” is also remembered as having one the most amazing ‘staches of human existence. From there, we began assembling a team by inviting only 821st members, but later decided to branch out and invite troops from the company levels. The only additional troop we acquired was Staff Sgt. Timothy Sharp of the 1452nd Transportation Company. A photo shoot was arranged with the battalion Public Affairs Representative, Spc. Leticia Samuels, on Nov. 23, where we humorously posed for single and group photos. As long as morale is lifted, men’s awareness is recognized and astonishing Movember mustaches are grown, I’d say we completed our mission. The overall goal for the global event will be to raise more than $80.7 million in an attempt to break the record from 2010.
Team “Tom Selleck” sporting their marvelous mustaches
Deployment Life Making the best of our time
Vote for your Favorite “Stache” Team Tom Selleck made mustache magic in the month of “Movember.” If you know a “Mo-bro” or “Mo-Sista” who manicured or fabricated a ‘stache for “Movember,” or someone who sports a serious stationary ‘stache all year-round send us a picture, and we’ll share it with the results of this contest come the next edition.
Pfc. Robert Smoo t
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Staff Sgt. Timothy Shar
Cut out the Mustache Prosthesis and snap a photo of someone here or at home wearing your ‘stache. Make sure we know who it is in the event we print the photo in the next edition. Email us at ajshortbus@gmail.com with your vote and photos. Pvt. Sonny Guild
Staff Sgt. Brad Coates
arcia
nald G Sgt. Do
2nd Lt. Bradley Taylor
TEAM
Master Sgt. Gary Ball
SELLECK TOM
Sgt. Adam Linck Staff Sgt. Andrew Suddock
Riding The AJ Short Bus Personal Observations from Around Camp Arifjan
Above and Left: On my way to chow, I noted this seemingly healthy...er, shrub.
The Hunt For Green By Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kenneth M Wash Jr. A Prize Plant...Hardly. So there I was, minding my own business, strolling along the plastic click-together panels that make up the rudimentary, albeit crooked and noisy sidewalk, when out of my peripheral, I saw something that just didn’t seem right. Across the barren landscape it sat, looking out of place, almost alien. I walked toward the scraggly green clump of growth and eyed it cautiously. I wanted to make sure there wasn’t a string attached to an outstretched plastic limb, waiting to be pulled to yank the greenery from my hand as I bent down to investigate it more closely. I had fallen for the old “string tied to a dollar” trick one too many times to be lured into a complacency garnering some hiding jokester a hearty guffaw at my expense. But this was no joke. Well, not intentionally, anyway. I mean, the weed-like appearance of this overlooked plant life in itself was rather funny, but coupled with the out of place location in one of the harshest desert environments, where water is the most necessary of commodity to humans, and yet somehow this...thing grows through a crust of hardened, sandy earth and reaches upward for...for what, I thought,...sunlight? Well, we certainly have enough of that to go around. My attention to the plant brought quizzical looks from other passersby. They surely wondered why I was taking pictures of this pathetic weed. I looked back at the
few who stopped, rather sheepishly I suppose. All I could think to say was, “Look, a plant!” Those who had been here before, those veterans of the Kuwait desert scene, judged me as a newbie. Surely they had seen this plant before. Maybe they knew where more greenery was, I wondered and asked, no, more like grunted, a single word. “More.” As if I had stumbled into the members of a great secret society, the two Soldiers leaned in closely and nearly whispered there was indeed more. “In fact, a cactus grows close by.” The taller of the two told me, a crooked finger pointing eastward. “One with flat, dark green, prickly petals, that heartily lifts itself toward the sun’s rays.” The second Soldier hissed, “Look beyond where the trucks gather.” I turned to look in the direction of the pointing digit, beyond the barrier walls and the bathroom modules. When I turned back, they were gone, leaving me alone again with the green bush. I pulled my yellow reflective safety belt from my side pocket and fastened its Velcro together. I would go venture forth to find the mythical cacti. I hoped the color was everything they described as I made my way toward my destiny. Next Issue: Across the yonder motor pool doth call thine destiny.
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Riding The AJ Short Bus Personal Observations from Around Camp Arifjan
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Overcoming The Language Barrier By Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kenneth M. Wash Jr. Sometimes, I just don’t hear well. People say things to me, and maybe there is background noise or they speak too low, but I do, at times, misunderstand things. OK, I admit it. But here on this base, I have to say it’s not me. The language barrier here is as wide as the Persian Gulf itself. The Arabic language is not one of those languages where you pick up a little here and there, and before you know it, you are negotiating a deal on an alabaster carving of the Saudi Prince. No, the language is fast and, to me, sounds like a record playing backwards. It is true, that by our standards, the written language here actually is backwards, being read and written from the right to the left, except for numbers. For some reason numbers are read left to right. Which, by the way, tells me they know the letters part is “jacked up.” There is just something not right about reading a page from right to left. Can I do it? Heck no. To me, the written language looks almost like a graph. Imagine trying to read an electrocardiogram, as if the up and down ticks of printed ink were letters instead of being representative of electrical energy. Now, read it backwards. The Arabic language is spoken fast. Too fast. And, I’m sorry, but every word spoken to me sounds like they are saying the word “cheesecake.” If I say, ‘Nice weather we’re having today.” The Local National replies, “Cheesecake.” If I say, “My, that’s a nice camel you have there.” “Cheesecake!” or “Excuse me.” “Cheesecake!” I don’t get it. This becomes more of a problem as I make my way through the chow line. If you don’t know, the servers are from other countries and most speak Arabic. The conversation seems to get confusing quickly. “Potatoes, please.” “Cheesecake.” “No, thank you. Potatoes.” “Cheesecake?” Now it’s a question, but there’s no cheesecake. “Carrots?”, “Cheesecake?” “Chicken?” “Cheesecake?” “GREEN BEANS.” “Cheesecake?” Before you know it, my plate is full of every kind of food they offer. I have no idea what they are asking me, but it must mean, “Do you want to die from heart disease?” because they won’t stop piling it on. The mess hall offers a wide variety of desserts as well, and I do indulge. Usually, a little ice cream or a
couple of cookies. But, the other day I was surprised to see a couple slices of cheesecake. I pointed and said, “I would like some of that please.“ “Cheesecake?” Finally. “Yes, cheesecake. I’ll have some cheesecake.” I smiled as he went toward the chocolate cake. “No, no, cheesecake.” I tapped on the glass. The guy in the white paper hat smiled a big smile and said, “Ahhh, Cheesecake.” “Yes, cheesecake.” I sighed. But this time he sliced me a piece of carrot cake. “No, not carrot cake. CHEEEESSEECAAAKE. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE!” I tapped the glass again and pointed, this time with both fingers, and I jerked my eyes toward my selection, nodded my head and tapped the glass again. He touched the edge of the cheesecake with his silver cake serving thing. “Cheesecake?” he smiled. I was exhausted. “Yes, that one. Cheesecake.” Sounding as though I just ran a marathon. He handed the plastic plate over the glass counter to me as I thought, “It’s not their fault, I know. We are in their country. We are the foreigners here.” I smiled back as if to say “No hard feelings.” and muttered a little “thank you.” The guy released the plate to me and smiled back and replied simply, “Cheesecake.” We were cool. I could tell by the way he said it.
MMMM. Cheesecake. No. Really, this time.
821st Trivia and Fun Facts
Ok, so you have a bag full of stuff to wash, some detergent, and all you gotta do is get up the gumption to get off your...ah... bunk and drag the cumbersome load down to the laundry trailer. Well, here is a tip that I learned several years back that you may not know about. It can help manage an unruly bag of dirty clothes and still keep your hands free to carry that iPad or Nook.
1. Gather the laundry into your bag.
2. pull drawstring tight
5. Now, pull out the corner of the laundry bag like so and slip the loop of the slipknot over the corner of the bag.
8. You can lift and carry like a suitcase or...
3. Make a loop in the drawstring.
6. Once you have lassoed the corner pull the slipknot tight. Repeat steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 this for the other corner and drawstring.
9. ...slip both drawstrings over one shoulder, or...
4. Make a slipknot by pulling the drawstring though the loop.
7. You should now have two “handles.”
10. ...put one over each shoulder to make a handy “backpack.”
Office of the Secret Squirrel SECRET SQUIRREL R&R TRAVEL TIPS Have your passport ready – see S2 for in-country application process New Passport: $135 Renewal: $95 Visit the Travel.gov site to check out the country of your choice – be sure travel to that country is authorized before putting all your time, efforts and money into it Remember your battle buddy. The key to a safe and fun trip – especially when traveling outside the Continental United States (OCONUS)
Secret Squirrel Quiz: Q: What was Secret Squirrel’s secret agent number?
A: Also known as Agent 000 is the James Bond wannabe. His trench coat and hat are laden with all sorts of gadgets to fight evil.
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“SAND DEVILS”
Thanksgiving Collage
Zone 1 Events DEC 6 - Holiday Bingo 1900 Comm. Ctr. DEC 9 - Army/Navy Bonfire Social Fitness Ctr. 1900 DEC 10 - Army vs. Navy Football Game Comm. Ctr. 1900 DEC 13 - Nat’L Guard B-Day 5K Walk/ Run Fitness Ctr. 0600 DEC 23 - Winter Wonderland Carnival PX/Exchange Parking Lot 1900 DEC 25 - Christmas 5K Run/Walk Fitness Ctr. 0600 DEC 31 - New Years Eve Celebration Countdown and Midnight Toast Comm. Ctr. 1900
Zone 6 events DEC 9 - Holiday Movie on Stage 2100 DEC 10 - NCAA 12 Tournament Comm Ctr. 1900/ Army/Navy Football Game 2230 DEC 18 - Jingle Dodge Ball Tournament Tennis Court 1200 DEC 25 - Caroling All the Way Comm. Ctr. 1900 DEC 31 - Blast from the Past New Year’s Eve Bash comm. Ctr. 1900
Open 24/7 Come enjoy a cup of coffee and have some snacks while you watch Sports-center or a movie. Located near 821st ALOC next to the bus stop.
Zone 6 Fitness Center 430-7475 open 24/7 Zone 6 MWR 430-7482 open 24/7 Zone 1 Pool - Lap Swim 0500-0700 / Open Swim 1000-2200 Zone 1 Fitness Center 430-1302 open 24/7 Zone 1 Fitness Tent 430-4607 open 24/7 Zone 1 Library 430-1200 open 1000-2200 Zone 1 MWR 430-1205 open 24/7
I know it has lights, but that’s ok. It’s also wearing a yellow safety belt.