SFAT TEAM 33 NEWSLETTER Special points of interest: Each Page.
Amber Cycle Training & future SFAT MWR
Team Leader “Rest and Recovery vs. Amber Cycle Training” NCO’s “Train the Trainer”
Greetings again!
Your Soldiers Pics
Another month almost in the bag! I hope August has been good to you and the families back in the States. I enjoy seeing pictures of the kids heading back to school and all the new cloths and stories. My two girls were very excited to head back to school to see all their friends again. I’ve been reading about the weather back at Fort Sill, and not a whole lot of relief in the temperatures. The weather is slowly changing here as we’ve reached the peak temperature season. We have nicer cooler weather to look forward to now. The last couple of weeks are known to the Muslim community as Ramazan or Ramadan. It is the holiest of times in the religion. It’s a time of fasting all day and prayer. As you can imagine not eating or drinking anything all day would make anyone irritable, and still having to do your job all day. These Afghans are dedicated people! At the end of Ramadan, they have a three day celebration, which is where we are right now. Imagine Christmas vacation time where there are limited people at work. Same situation here. Once all the ANCOP are back, we will resume the Amber Cycle training.
MAJ Crooks prepares to drive some nails into the plywood flooring of the future ANCOP outdoor training classroom “I have my hammer”
As the ANCOP are executing the Amber training we put together, we are also planning our movement back into a new area. This move won’t take place for another several weeks, but we have to plan all the little moving pieces to ensure we don’t forget anything. Kudos to the staff (CPT Martin, CW2 Johnson, LT’s Horvath, Schwen and Ostruske) for developing the plan to get us back out to the field. And yes, being the solid NCO’s that they are, SFC Darrow and Caldwell are making sure we don’t formulate plans to take over the world! They are keeping us straight! We are not alone in our mission. There are other teams sharing Mentor Village too. See page 3: “MWR in the works” 1LT Schwen, 1LT Horvath, and CW2 Johnson enjoying...
MAJ Crooks sits with CPT Martin, and SFC Caldwell at ANCOP dinner.
A F G H A N T E A
BUSHMASTERS
Operation Enduring Freedom 2012-2013
Volume 1, Issue 4 1 September 2012
Page 2
SFAT TEAM 33
NCO’s: Training the Trainer To the Friends and Family of SFAT Team # 33. As we draw to the end of another month here in Afghanistan we can definitely tell that fall is around the corner as the days are getting shorter and the evening temperatures are getting cooler. It has been another busy month for all of us as our ANCOP counterparts returned from their leave and we started the Amber “Training” cycle prior to our joint upcoming deployment. Our Afghan counterparts completed Ramazon with an Ede luncheon on the 20th to end their month of fasting during day light hours. While our counterparts have been on leave the Team has been busy accomplishing multiple tasks to stay Vigilant, some of the Soldiers completed the “Police Training Course” with the civilian contractors to sharpen their skills and prepare them to mentor our ANCOP counterparts on their duties and responsibilities when they deploy, which included a Live Fire range conducted on the 23rd. The entire team got the opportunity to do a transition Live Fire range on the 17th where we all got the chance to do some shooting which included the transition from firing our rifles to our pistols. An exceptional training event, as many have never had the opportunity to fire their weapons in this type of situation. Many improvements have been made to “Mentor Village” as well, soldiers got to move into better living areas and we also implemented a 24 hour duty to improve our own security at all times, with a surveillance system and other improvements, and we also rehearsed Battle Drills in the event a Real World situation arises. There are continuous improvements to our “footprint” here with the ANCOP as we build on our relationships daily to ensure that our counterparts have all the Tools needed to sustain a free Afghanistan.
SFC Darrow Assisting with the building of the ANCOP outdoor classroom and SPC Rodriguez helping move sheets of plywood
SGT Hooper allowing the ANCOP Students to review their books on Drivers Training before Questions are asked.
Train the Trainer: CPL Johnson teaching First Aid Training to the ANCOP
We also were given the task to actually “Build” an outdoor classroom that will be a tremendous advantage not just for our counterparts, but for all the ANCOP on FOB JRAC to utilize during their Amber cycle training. The classroom along with the counter IED (Improvised Exploding Device) training lane will help improve our counterparts and teach them the knowledge that they will be able to share and use when needed to save lives. We were fortunate enough to have General Anderson (4th Infantry Division Commander) come to FOB JRAC and visit with the Soldiers and Officers of the ANCOP SFAT teams. He expressed his appreciation and the importance of our mission here in Afghanistan. He was even willing to promote some people and re-enlist SPC Rodriguez at the outdoor classroom that we had constructed. As we prepare our counterparts for their upcoming deployment we as well are looking ahead, and even though our return home is still months away there is the planning process which is already in motion, so that we are able to support our counterparts and set our replacements up for success upon their arrival here in Afghanistan. We all appreciate the support we get from home, with the cards, letters, and care packages. You are not forgotten in our lives, and we all look forward to being home once again. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated, and we send ours to the people back home. We could not do our Mission without your support. God Bless SFC Richard E. Darrow SFAT NCOIC
Volume 1, Issue 4
Page 3
Your Soldiers PICS SPC Rodriguez checking
SPC Buckland and SPC Rani play some
the oil levels on his
X-Box for some Rest and Relaxation time.
assigned vehicle.
PFC Page, PFC Morris,
T
and PFC Ford
E A
conducting the
M
“Police Training Course”
B
MWR in the works
A T T
Major Crooks: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1:
The Mentor Village team: CPT Mann’s Team and the Navy SFAT Team, have been hard at work building the soon-to-be Moral, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) center. We’ve coordinate for some Spawar computers and telephones for all to call home. The other teams have built the facilities and now waiting for the equipment. CPT Mann’s team also added the movie lounge, complete with “coming soon” AFN and an Xbox 360. Our Soldiers built the satellite stand on top of a building for the Spawar to receive its signals. It’s definitely a team effort here and everyone is pitching in to improve the quality of life here. The spirits are high just watching things take shape around here! As things continue to progress in this deployment, we are seeing a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. Next month I will pass some tips regarding mail and other items which will help facilitate redeploying. We will ask in mid October to hold off on sending any other mail to your Soldier as we prepare to transition back to the States. Information like this will be passed to the Soldier as well as forums like this.
L E B U D D I E PFC Ford, and PFC Guerrerovazquez
S
giving their thumbs up. SGT McWilliams: “Raisin Cookies... my favorite!!”
As always, please feel free to send comments or recommendations to Kevin.crooks@us.army.mil . Until next time! Thanks again and have a Steel Warrior day! 1LT Schwen with
Kevin Crooks Major, United States Army Team Leader
care boxes from family and friends.
Your Soldiers PICS PFC Page checking the
1LT
engine on his vehicle.
Ostruske waiting at the Supply yard while holding one of the many boxes. “There is No Room!”
SGT Bashant conducting a class for the Soldiers on the Principles of Army Leadership and its valued importance.
C
R A N G E
A L L H O
T I M E
M E
CW2 Johnson calls home on the SPAWAR phones.
SFAT 33 and the PSD conduct M4 Rifle and M9 Pistol Transition Range to perfect their weapon handling skills and individual marksmanship. CPL Johnson helping with the building of the AN-
SFC Caldwell and CW2
COP
Johnson “Cookie Monster”
To CPT Martin “29 Years Old!!” SPC
PFC Morris, PFC Ford, SGT Hooper and SPC
Buckland
Buckland walking to Brigade to eat Chow.
classroom.
waiting in the vehicle.
Have a Box or Mail for your Soldier?
First Name, Last SFAT TEAM 33 FOB JRAC APO-AE 09355
SPC Rani and PFC Ford eating their meal.