U.S. Army Maj. Robert A. Kneeland (right), 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) commanding officer and Chief Warrant Officer Kevin W. Jordan, both UH-60A Black Hawk pilots, prepare to do a run up aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. Run ups for the UH-60A Black Hawk are done to ensure that all the equipment, and the helicopter itself, is working properly before going out on missions. The company is deployed as part of Multi National Forces-West in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Al Anbar province of Iraq to develop the Iraqi Security Forces, facilitate the development of official rule of government reforms and continue the development of a market based economy centered on Iraqi reconstruction, Aug. 6, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone


U.S. Army Maj. Robert A. Kneeland, commanding officer of 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) also a UH-60A Black Hawk pilot writes down information after landing aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. After landing, pilots will write down information about the flight, equipment problems inside or outside, and other pertinent information that other pilots need to know. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone


U.S. Army Spc. Bryan J. Lowney, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) sits atop a UH-60A Black Hawk as he checks the main rotor blades while stopped at Al Taqqadum, Iraq, Aug 6, 2007. These checks are done to ensure that the UH-60A Black Hawks have not sustained any damages and that they are ready at any moment to take off. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone



U.S. Army Spc. Megan M. McKinzie, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) straps her helmet in preparation for a run up aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone


U.S. Army Spc. Megan M. McKinzie, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) stands by in preparation for a run up aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone


U.S. Army Spc. Megan M. McKinzie, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) looks out the window of a UH-60A Black Hawk as they take off during a run up aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Aug, 6, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone


U.S. Army Spc. Bryan J. Lowney, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) sits atop a UH-60A Black Hawk as he checks the main rotor blades while stopped at Al Taqqadum, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. These checks are done to ensure that the UH-60A Black Hawks have not sustained any damages and that they are ready at any moment to take off. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone



U.S. Army Sgt. Ryan P. Zimmerman, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) checks the engine hoses of a UH-60A Black Hawk while at Al Taqqadum, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. Equipment checks are done often on UH-60A Black Hawks to ensure that they are ready at any time to take off for a mission. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone



A flight medic assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) stands by as a UH-60A Black Hawk shuts down on the flight line in Balad, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. The flight medic will standby until the aircraft is entirely shut down to ensure that the area around the Blackhawk is clear, and that the main and tail rotor are slowing down properly. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone



U.S. Army Sgt. George C. Young III, a crew chief assigned to the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) looks towards the rear of a UH-60A Black Hawk to ensure all clear before taking off from Balad, Iraq, Aug. 6, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maryalice Leone



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Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, 45th Medical Company, Air Ambulance, Balad, Blackhawk, flight medics, helicopter, Iraq, photo essays, UH-60A, US Army

LAUNCH READY — U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Marcus R. Galvan, a crew chief with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, stands by to prepare a CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter to launch for a mission out of Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, July 18, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Sheila M. Brooks

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, aircraft, Al Asad, CH-53D, helicopter, Iraq, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, Sea Stallion, USMC

Scanning his sector, Pvt. Destry Mulloy, 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, pulls guard on the roof of his compound in Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, May 12. Mulloy was deployed to Iraq almost immediately after basic training and has had to quickly adjust to his new life. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ben Fox, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 051307-04
May 13, 2007

By Pfc. Ben Fox
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

KHAN BANI SA’AD, Iraq (May 13, 2007) – Brotherhood – it is a major factor in keeping units together before they deploy so that Soldiers can learn to trust each other. It doesn’t always work out that way though.

Pvt. Destry Mulloy is a new Soldier who went to basic training and was then immediately deployed to Iraq.

He shipped out to basic combat training Sept. 28, 2006 and graduated January 26. After spending a short time with the rear detachment at Fort Hood, Texas, Mulloy deployed to Iraq March 2.

Now, Mulloy is trying to fit into a brotherhood that has spent the last eight months in Iraq together, but he tries to look at things with a positive light.

“I had the chance to actually be in the field,” said Mulloy. “When I get back I will have a (Combat Infantry Badge) and combat experience, which will be better for promotion points.”

His new brothers at the unit treat him like the “new guy” at times, he said, but for the most part they try to help him out.

“You get the natural little bit of jokes because you’re the new guy,” said Mulloy.

Not only is Mulloy the newest guy to the unit, he is also one of the youngest.

“I turned 18 right before I graduated basic training,” he said, as he talked about having to learn many things on his own.

“A lot of the stuff I didn’t know, I picked up as I go,” he said.

For the most part, though, Mulloy has had help from his leaders as well as his peers.

“Everybody here has experience and they kind of make sure you’re not doing something stupid,” he said.

Sgt. Patrick Miller, Mulloy’s NCO, said, “It’s probably pretty tough for him because he came over here and didn’t know any of us.”

Miller tries to help Mulloy out as much as possible, but also encourages him to learn from his peers.

“I’ve taught him as much as I can,” said Miller.

Mulloy said Miller treats him well and tries to help him out by disciplining him.

“He gets onto me every once in a while… but that’s my fault,” said Mulloy. “He keeps me squared away.”

Miller said he tries to be understanding though that Mulloy doesn’t understand everything that goes on yet, and that it will take some time before he does.

“I learned so much in those couple of months that I had before I went to Iraq,” said Miller. “He didn’t really get that time.”

Mulloy knew he was first heading over when he arrived at his duty station.

“They officially told me when I got to Hood,” said Mulloy, who previously anticipated the deployment before being officially notified.

“I knew I was going to Cav. and Cav. was already over here,” he said.

Mulloy said his initial reaction to his hasty deployment was disappointment, but he tries to look at the brighter side now.

“At the moment I thought it sucked, but now I don’t regret it,” said Mulloy. “I’ll have plenty of time to spend when I get back.

“If I were to stay in garrison, I would’ve actually known the guys a little better before I came over here,” he said.

“It hasn’t affected me so far, not knowing the guys when I got here,” Mulloy said. “Plus I’m over here getting on the job training.”

Mulloy’s parents’ initial reaction was shock, he said, but they understood that he had to go.

“It surprised them a little bit that I was coming over here so quickly, but they were already adjusted to the fact that I would be going sooner or later,” he said.

As for Mulloy, he has accepted his deployment with a sense of duty.

“I joined the Army, and I joined the infantry for a reason,” he said. “I knew Iraq was going on, so I knew pretty much that I was coming here.”


Pvt. Destry Mulloy, 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, pulls guard on top of his compound in Khan Bani Sa’ad, Iraq, May 12. Mulloy was deployed in the middle of his unit’s deployment and has quickly adjusted to life with his platoon. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Ben Fox, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

Labels: 1-12 Combined Arms Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Cavalry Division photos, 3BCT, heroes, Iraq, Khan Bani Sa'ad, US Army

GOTCHA COVERED — U.S. Army Pfc. Ryan Cole of Miami, Fla., a paratrooper with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, pulls security during the dedication ceremony for a renovated school in Al Beida, Adhamiyah District, Baghdad, April 21, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael Pryor

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, 2-325 Airborne Infantry, 2BCT, 82nd Airborne Division, Adhamiyah District, Al Beida, Baghdad, Iraq, US Army

CORDON AND SEARCH - An Iraqi army soldier leads the way to search the roof of a house during a cordon and search with U.S. Army soldiers in Ameriyah, Iraq, April 27, 2007. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tierney Nowland.

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, Ameriyah, Iraq, Iraqi Army, US Army

Soldiers in Baqubah use smoke as concealment to move through the neighborhood of Buhriz, Iraq, April 10. Soldiers with Company A, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., took part in a three-day battalion-sized effort to clear the Buhriz neighborhood of terrorists. After the operation, Soldiers along with Iraqi police and Iraqi army continued to maintain a presence in the neighborhood to maintain security for the local people.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 0416-05
April 20, 2007

By Staff Sgt. Antonieta Rico
5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BAQOUBA, Iraq — Soldiers with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment continued their systematic attack on terrorist forces in Baqouba with another clearing operation in the city April 10.

In this latest effort, Soldiers of 5-20 Inf. Regt., 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., spent three days clearing the neighborhood of Buhriz, described by Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Bruce Antonia as “al-Qaida’s battleground.”

When the Stryker battalion first arrived in Baqouba in March, it encountered resistance from the neighborhood’s insurgents in the form of roadside bombs, rocket propelled grenade fire and small arms fire.

During the mission, Soldiers operating alongside Iraqi Security Forces conducted house-to-house searches for terrorists and weapon caches. They learned from residents that many terrorists had fled Buhriz in the face of the advancing battalion.

“We’ve pushed al-Qaida out of here,” said Sgt. Matthew Benzshawel, with 2nd Platoon, Company A, “We are a pretty lethal force. When (insurgents) see a battalion’s worth of Strykers coming, (they) usually move out.”

Nonetheless, the battalion reported that coalition forces detained about a dozen suspected insurgents, including one man described by the unit as a “high-level” terrorist.

The battalion also reported that it found and destroyed more than 20 small weapon caches, which included a Dishka machine gun, grenades, mortar rounds, rocket propelled grenade rounds, sniper rifles, AK-47’s and ammunition.

Soldiers from the battalion say they have managed to make the area safer for the local people with their continuous efforts against al-Qaida in Iraq.

“We’ve denied them the terrain,” said 1st Lt. James Dobis, 2nd Platoon leader, Company A. “They have not been fighting with anybody, they have not attacked us … they have not attacked any civilians.”

The assault into Buhriz served as a catalyst to secure a foothold in the area. Iraqi Security Forces, along with Soldiers from Troop B, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, which is attached to 5-20 Inf. Regt., plan to maintain a permanent presence within the neighborhood by collocating troops at an Iraqi police station in Buhriz and continuing to patrol the area.

Battalion leaders plan to continue their assault on al-Qaida in Iraq forces in and around Baqouba.

“We have taken their battleground,” said Antonia, after the operation. “We are going to keep the pressure on the enemy. That is the only way to push them out.”


More photos here

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, 2ID, 3SBCT, 5-20 Infantry, Baqubah, Buhriz, Iraq

Unit supply specialist Pfc. Alice Stokes, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, watches as Spc. Dwayne Jones, automated supply specialist, A Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., moves Stokes’ unit supplies to her vehicle April 12 on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq. Stokes makes the journey to the Supply Support Activity warehouse daily to pick up valuable supplies for her unit. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 041507- 52
April 15, 2007


By Pfc. Bradley J. Clark
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs


FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq— The Soldiers of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, are always in need of supplies to make their jobs run smoothly. It’s the job of the automated logistical specialists of A Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion to make sure the Soldiers get the supplies they need in a timely manner.

Company commander, Capt. Courtney Sugai, is in charge of the Supply Support Activities warehouse here and says the almost 4,400 items that the SSA stocks regularly, helps provide direct support to the 230 Department of Defense Activity Address Codes in the 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. area of operations.

The 230 different DODAACs each represent a different company’s supply sergeant or motor pool.

“After a soldier has requested something from their supply sergeant, the supply sergeant puts the order in the SARSS (Standard Army Retail Supply System),” said Sugai. “Once the order is in the SARSS, we check to see if it’s one of the items that we stock, if it is, then the storage section takes it over to the issue section and they put it in the unit’s pick-up box. If we don’t stock the item, then the SARSS system sends out the order to the company to have it shipped,” said Sugai.
Once an item has been ordered, it gets shipped to the SSA warehouse and the Soldiers in the receiving section are the first to see it.

“We wait for the trucks to come in,” said Spc. Margot Sinti, who works in the receiving section. “After the trucks come in, we pull the pallets down and sort through everything. After we sort through it all, we take it to where it needs to go, the storage section, the issue section, or the turn-in section. We do this pretty quickly. Sometimes it only takes us 30 minutes.”

“We have 24 hours to get everything to the different sections, but normally it only takes us a few hours,” said Pvt. Andre Barbosa, who also works in the receiving section, “We try to have everything ready the same day it comes in because we have customers that come in everyday. We get five to six trucks a day, seven days-a-week, at any time of the day. When the trucks come in, we have to check everything to make sure it’s accurate. If a box says it has 100 screws in it, then we have to count all 100 of them.”

After an Item has made its way through the receiving section, if it is something that the SSA warehouse stocks, it heads over to the storage section.

“When we get an item, we find out what it is and stock it in its proper location,” said Sgt. Theresa Sutton, storage section noncommissioned officer-in-charge. “If an item doesn’t have a certain location, then we create one for it, put the location in the SARSS, and then put the item in that location. After we see that a supply sergeant has placed an order for something that we stock, we send it over to the issue section so they can pick it up. We used to get 97 percent of the items that the receiving section would process, but now we only get about 5 percent of the items that come in due to authorized stock increases.”

The final stop an item makes before a supply sergeant can pick it up, is the issue section.

“After items have been received and checked in, they get brought to us,” said Spc. Dwayne Jones, who works in the issue section. “When we get the items, we sort them and put them in the proper customer pick-up areas. We have customers that come in everyday and then we have some that come only once a month because they are always in the field.”

When it comes to items that stand out in the SSA warehouse, the crew has thousands to choose from.

“We get anything from nuts that cost 1 cent to circuit cards that cost $20,000,” said Pfc. Ivan Martinez, also a member of the issue section. “Those circuit cards come in small boxes and you don’t think it’s anything, but it’s something.”
Even though the little items make a big impression in the storage and issue sections of the SSA warehouse, it’s the big stuff that stands out in the receiving section.
“We get everything from pens to engines,” said Barbosa. “The thing that amazed me the most was a tank engine that took up a whole pallet.”

Whatever it is that Soldiers need, the SSA warehouse makes sure that they get it as quickly as possible.


Automated supply specialist Spc. Dwayne Jones, A Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, moves a pallet of supplies to a customer’s vehicle, April 12. Jones works in the issue section of the Supply Support Activity warehouse on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)


Specialist Dwayne Jones, automated supply specialist, in the issue section of the Supply Support Activity warehouse, loads a pallet of supplies onto a vehicle for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, April 12. Jones is just one of the many Soldiers from A Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. who run the SSA warehouse on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)


Soldiers from A Company, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, like Spc. Dwayne Jones, who is loading a pallet of supplies onto a customer’s vehicle April 12, work in the Supply Support Activity warehouse on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq. The SSA warehouse provides direct supply support to the 230 different companies in the 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. area of operations. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division photos, 2-7 Cavalry, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, 4BCT, FOB Marez, heroes, Iraq, Mosul

Guitarist Pfc. Jamie Holder, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division performs in front of a live audience of fellow troopers, while Spc. Amy McCafferty, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, plays the drums. Holder and McCafferty are two members of the newly-formed band, The Long Knife Edge, performing at the Transformation Chapel April 13 on Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paula Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 041407-51
April 14, 2007

By Sgt. Paula Taylor
4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq—Five members of the newly-formed Long Knife Edge band took to the stage for the first time to entertain their fellow troopers assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, at the Transformation Chapel April 13.

The band, whose concept was originally formed while the unit was still at Fort Bliss, Texas, awaiting deployment orders, had been practicing once-a-week for the past month in order to prepare for the concert.

The band leader, Maj. Marianne Madrid, an automation management officer for the 4th BCT, said the Long Knife Edge was the idea of the brigade commander, Col. Stephen Twitty.

“Colonel Twitty asked, ‘What do you think about getting a brigade band together?’ He knew I had an interest in music and that I played an instrument. I think it was because we were going to be here without our own division band,” she said.
During the hour-long concert, the group played several rock and a few country songs to the cheers of the crowd.

“The songs came from all the band members,” explained Madrid. “Whatever they bring to the table, we all try to learn. We’re going to be working on more country, rock and R & B for the next concert,” she added.

“Every single one of them is very dedicated,” she said. “They all have a great passion for all types of music. It’s stress prevention. It lets them have fun, relax, and it gives them confidence.”

One of those band members is Pfc. Jamie Holder, guitarist and vocalist from Hemphill, Texas, who said his interest in music began when he was a senior in high school.

“My grandfather showed me three chords. From there on, I just progressed,” he said. “When I finally got my first guitar in Germany, my first duty station, I really started playing a lot more. I used to practice every weekend, four or five hours a day. I found people to play with and had a good time with it.”

Aside from being a stress-reliever, Holder said the opportunity has served to break up the every-day routine of his job.

“I’ve always wanted to perform live. Besides doing like a groundhog day-type thing, where everything is the same every day—work eight hours-a-day, go home, watch movies; this keeps me busy. It keeps me entertained.”

Audience member and Abilene, Texas, native, Pvt. Samantha Limones, 18, said she was glad she came to see them play.

“My battle buddy, Holder, is in the band and he told me about the concert, so I wanted to go and see it. It was a great experience to hear music that we listen to. It was a relaxing time that kept our minds off everything that’s happening over here. They were awesome—really hot!”

The group is currently planning their next concert for summer, 2007. They said they intend on performing at least once every quarter for the Soldiers stationed at FOB Marez and would like to arrange to visit other FOBs through the Ninewa Province.

Other members of the band included Spc. Amy McCaffery, drummer, 27th Brigade Support Battalion from New Canery, Texas, Capt. Matt Miller, keyboard player, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment from Dresher, Penn., and Sgt. Chris Mills, bass player and vocalist, 27th BSB from Theodore, Ala.


Members of The Long Knife Edge band perform live during their debut concert at the Transformation Chapel on Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq, April 13. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paula Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs)


Bass player Sgt. Chris Mills, 27th Brigade Support Battalion, keyboard player Capt. Matt Miller, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, and Spc. Amy McCafferty, drummer, 27th BSB, perform in the band, The Long Knife Edge, before a live audience at the Transformation Chapel on Forward Operating Base Marez April 13. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Paula Taylor, 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs)

Labels: 1-9 Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division photos, 27th BSB, FOB Marez 4th BCT, military musicians