Steel Warrior Issue 1
March 2013
The Steel Warrior Battalion is pleased to announce the joining of a new team member. On 27 February 2013, LTC Jon Paul Maddaloni assumed command of our wonderful, fast paced organization. LTC Maddaloni comes to Fort Sill via Fort Carson CO where he was part of our parent unit 4ID. At Fort Carson, LTC Maddaloni served as 4ID and Fort Carson Chief of Operations (CHOPS) and the G3 FUOPS Chief. The battalion would also like to welcome his lovely wife Avery and his two children Faith and Kate, who will be joining him very soon. The Steel Warrior did not give our new leader a time to take a breath as they took him to the field on 1-4 March for a live field exercise. During this exercise the Battalion learned skills that will help during the upcoming deployment. Speaking of the deployment. There will be two FRG Deployment Briefing on 3 April 2013 at the Kerwin Auditorium in Snow Hall. Once at 1300 and again at 1800. Please try to attend one of these briefs. Mailing address, resources and other information will be given out.
Assumption of Command Color
Guard
Transfer of the Guidon from MAJ Posey to LTC Maddaloni
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Phoenix Warriors and family. The Phoenix News will be sent out every month. It will contain pertinent information on upcoming events in the 578th FSC FRG and in the Lawton/Ft. Sill area. Single Soldiers please let your family know that they are considered part of the 578th FRG. The new FRG Leader is Ms. Vanessa Norman. Please feel free to contact her with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas related to FRG. As we move closer to the deployment, ensure that you’ve made arrangements for someone to manage affairs for you and your family while you are away. Use your time off to be around your loved ones. Remember to be safe and responsible while traveling. Good decision making is vital to an incident free block leave. Phoenix 6
We Need Volunteers! In order to meet your needs, we need your help! Please volunteer for any of the following: FRG Secretary FRG Treasurer Key Callers Care Team Fundraising Committee Event Planning Committee
A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the $20 dollar bill up. He then asked, "who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and tarted to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson," he said, "no matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20." Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened, or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless ... and especially to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. "You are special - Don't EVER forget it." Count your blessings, not your problems. Never be afraid to try something new.
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The past month has been very busy for Bravo Battery, 1-14FA. On 21 February, we conducted a change of command. We said farewell to CPT Brandon Martin and welcomed CPT Justin Thorkildsen as the new Battery Commander. CPT Thorkildsen came from Fort Lewis, Washington where he served as a Fire Direction Officer, Fire Support Officer, Platoon Leader, and Battery Executive Officer. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009-2010. More recently, he deployed to Afghanistan with the 214 FA Security Forces Assistance Teams in 2012. After the change of command, the first FRG meeting was held on 27 February at the Battalion FRG room in order to introduce CPT Thorkildsen and the new Bravo Battery FRG leader, Kristen Custer. Kristen Custer is the wife of 2LT Clinton Custer, 1st Fires Platoon Leader. That week was also when Bravo conducted final preparations for the 1-14 FA Culminating Training Event (CTE). The CTE ran from 28 February to 4 March. Soldiers did an outstanding job throughout, qualifying eight launcher crews, rehearsing air load operations, conducting rocket pod loading and unloading and firing 48 live rockets. With the conclusion of the CTE, Bravo Battery Soldiers are prepared for the upcoming deployment. They unquestionably proved themselves both physically and mentally. With a much earned 2 week leave, Soldiers are catching their breath before the final deployment preparations. The time leading up to deployment there will be a Battalion FRG deployment briefing on 3 April to provide information to families about the upcoming events. Additionally, Bravo Battery FRG will be conducting a meeting on 30 April. At that time there will be a presentation given by the Military and Family Life Consultant on Children and Separation Issues of Deployment.