i g e rs ta ff w rite r: s p c . e rin r o b ic h e a u x e rin .ro b ic h e a u x @ id 3 .a rm y .m...

256th Brigade Combat TeamPublic Affairs Office

JJuullyy 11,, 22000055 VVoolluummee 22........IIssssuuee........55D

esig

ned b

y:

Spc.

Chris F

oste

r

i g e rr

a

c

k

s

TF

RE

E M

AIL

To:

Commander’sGuidance..............................................................................................................page 3Chaplain’sCorner.................................................................................................................page 4Iraqi Army, Tiger Brigade capture significanttargets.................................................................................................................page 5 Birth announcement,Baptism................................................................................................................page 6Iraqi Army leaders graduate from NCOAcademy...............................................................................................................page 7Soldier survives sniperattack..................................................................................................................page 8Morning raids, Second attack on MCU abust.....................................................................................................................page 9Tiger Brigade welcomes units, EOinformation...........................................................................................................page 10Iraqi and American forces successful, Iraqi citizens help theirSoldiers................................................................................................................page 11Did YouKnow?.................................................................................................................page 12War veteran scholarships, IA leaders graduate(cont.).................................................................................................................page 13Families’ contributions, Fourth ofJuly................................................................................................................page 14,15CourtMartials..............................................................................................................page 16Activity outside the wire (256th BCT PhotoAlbum).................................................................................................................page 17Local musicians supportSoldiers...............................................................................................................page 18Families of the TigerBrigade................................................................................................................page 19

This Editi

on

This Editi

on

PPaaggee 22

CCoommmmaannddiinngg GGeenneerraall:: BBrriigg.. GGeenn.. JJoohhnn BBaassiilliiccaa,, JJrr..

EEddiittoorr:: 11LLtt.. TTaayysshhaa DDeeaattoonn

PPhhoottooggrraapphheerr:: SSggtt.. TThhoommaass BBeennooiitt

SSttaaffff WWrriitteerr:: SSppcc.. EErriinn RRoobbiicchheeaauuxxeerriinn..rroobbiicchheeaauuxx@@iidd33..aarrmmyy..mmiill

MMeeddiiaa DDeessiiggnneerr:: SSppcc.. CChhrriiss FFoosstteerrcchhrriissttoopphheerr..ffoosstteerr@@iidd33..aarrmmyy..mmiill

TThhee TTiiggeerr TTrraacckkss iiss aa ppuubblliiccaattiioonn oofftthhee 225566tthh BBrriiggaaddee PPuubblliicc AAffffaaiirrssOOffffiiccee.. TThhiiss SSoollddiieerr aanndd FFaammiillyy

SSuuppppoorrtt GGrroouupp nneewwsslleetttteerr ccoonnttaaiinnssooffffiicciiaall iinnffoorrmmaattiioonn aanndd ccoommpplliieess

wwiitthh tthhee pprroovviissiioonnss ooff AARR 336600--8811aanndd AARR 2255--5511.. QQuueessttiioonnss oorr ccoonn--cceerrnnss ccaann bbee ddiirreecctteedd ttoo tthhee eeddiittoorr

aatt ttaayysshhaa..ddeeaattoonn@@uuss..aarrmmyy..mmiill oorrSSoollddiieerrss ccaann ccaallll VVOOIIPP 224422--44664444..

TThhee TTiiggeerr TTrraacckkss SSttaaffff

TT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SSTT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SS July 1, 2005

TT aa bb ll ee oo ff CC oo nn tt ee nn tt ss

Soldiers and families ofthe Tiger Brigade, we aremaking history everydayand working hand in handwith the Iraqi Army. Youare making a difference inthis country and taking thetime to train and mentorthese Soldiers even withthe language barrier.

We are spendingtime training the NCOs to be good leaders, and what it isall about is making sure they do the correct thing. Withthat being said, I’m proud of each and every one of youand the job you are doing. Keep it up!

Leaders, you must focus on the correct uniformand safety standard for your unit. I have been seeingthat some leaders have been slipping in their duties,regarding these areas. We must, at all times, keep push-ing for safety and one standard from the Soldiers. AsNCOs, do not accept anything less from your Soldiers.

Help me help you in this matter. As leaders you

must get out and walk the pad, go to the motor pool, theDFAC, and anyplace your Soldiers may be. Check theirsensitive items serial numbers daily. Pay attention toyour leadership duties.

--Tiger 7

EE dd ii tt oo rr ’’ ss NN oo tt ee ::EE dd ii tt oo rr ’’ ss NN oo tt ee ::

Dear Soldiers and Families,

I would like to get more feedback from all of you.What do you want to see more or less of in the

Tiger Tracks? Please remember this publication isyours. If you have photos, story ideas, or evenyour own submissions, please feel free to emailthem to us or bring them by the PAO office.

Please keep in mind, that not all submissions willbe printed, but we will showcase as much of yourwork as possible. I know Soldiers would like tosee pictures and submissions from their families,

as much as families need to know what is happening with their Soldiers.

1Lt. Taysha Deaton

256th BCT PAO

The Tiger Brigadecontinues to apply con-stant pressure on insur-gent cells across thezone. Enemy attackshave been largely inef-fective and our offensiveactions have had a dis-ruptive effect.

We must maintain thisoffensive posture andcontinue to assist our

Iraqi partners in their efforts to assume a greater share ofthe security mission. This issue of the Tiger Tracks has sev-eral stories which cover the success of these offensiveoperations.

These stories also highlight the tremendous courageand tactical competence of the 256th BCT as it makes apositive difference everyday for the Iraqi people.

Also in this issue is a story about another first for the1st IA Brigade; the graduation of its first class from an NCO

Leadership Academy. The development of a professionalNCO Corps is critical to the long term success of their Army.They have taken ownership of the concept and the process.This is another very positive development.

Planning has begun for the re-deployment of the256th BCT. Much of the work is focused on the long leadtime tasks in the logistics and personnel areas. This is anecessary and prudent part of the deployment experienceand it is proceeding on schedule. As firm re-deploymentinformation and time tables become available, I will makethat available to soldiers and their families. However, thisis not a reason to lose focus on our mission and especiallyon force protection. In fact, it is more important than ever toremain vigilant and avoid complacency. Complacency kills,and there is no place for it in the 256th BCT.

Similarly, I would ask every Soldier in the BCT torenew their focus on security of sensitive items. It is imper-ative that we secure our weapons, night vision devices,communications gear, ammunition, protective equipment,vehicles and classified materials. Our continued successdepends on it.

TIGER BRIGADE!

CSM James Mays 256 BCT Sergeant Major

BG John Basilica, Jr.256 BCT Commander

PPaaggee 33

TT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SSTT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SS July 1, 2005

TT oo tt hh ee FF aa mm ii ll ii ee ss aa nn dd TT rr oo oo pp ssTT oo tt hh ee FF aa mm ii ll ii ee ss aa nn dd TT rr oo oo pp ss

Lt. Col. Robert Baker, Jr256 BCT Chaplain

Patriotism, fireworks, barbeque, mom and applepie (with a little ice cream on top.) These are some ofthe things I think of when thinking about the 4th of July.As a country, we are about to celebrate our 229thanniversary. We get so involved in the celebrations thatwe forget what this holiday is really about. It is aboutsacrifice, good citizenship, saluting the flag, war, thedeath of some Soldiers and Soldiers who will carry per-manent scars—both physical and emotional—for therest of their lives.

But, this day also has spiritual roots. The UnitedStates was founded upon Christian principles, in spitewhat political organizations and some media outletsmay say. All the signers of the Declaration of Independence believed in THE LORD GOD AND THESAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. Like us, some of them

were more zealous than others. Patriots such as Patrick Henry, in his famous

utterance of “Give me liberty or give me death,” remind us that freedom and liberty must always be guarded,and sometimes it means going to war to preserve whatwe have. We are familiar with only a small portion ofMr. Henry’s quote. If we read the rest of the speech hemade that day, we could clearly see that our early patri-ots founded our country upon Christian principles, anda personal belief in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings andthe Lord of Lord’s.

I challenge Americans who are in the good oldU.S.A., as you enjoy this upcoming holiday to take a lit-tle time on July 4th to remember past and present patri-ots. May God Bless You and Yours as we all celebratethis great holiday.

PPaaggee 44

C h a p l a i n B a k e r ’ sC h a p l a i n B a k e r ’ s D a yD a ySgt. Thomas Benoit

On Sept. 28, 1949, a child was born in Stonewall,La., with a type of bone cancer never cured by doctors.

He was unable to walk and his skeleton could notsupport his body. His parents carried him around on a pil-low for the first two-and-a-half years of his life, until theday he became a part of medical history.

Destined for great things since birth, Lt. Col.Robert S. Baker survived, and now serves as chaplain forthe 256th Brigade Combat Team.

In honor of Chaplain Baker, Brig. Gen. JohnBasilica Jr., from Baton Rouge, La., commander of the256th BCT, officially made Father’s Day “Chaplain RobertS. Baker Jr. Day.”

His parishioners surprised Baker at a noon massheld at the Tigerland Chapel on Camp Liberty.

During the service, they gave him several gifts.Staff Sgt. Natasha L. McZeal with Headquarters andHeadquarters Company, 256th, read a letter from homewritten by Mrs. Baker that depicted the life of her son.

The highlight of the ceremony came when Capt.Samuel James, an ordained minister and youth pastor forthe Elm Grove Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La.,washed Baker’s feet.

The ritualistic washing of the feet dates back tobiblical time when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at thelast supper. It has become one the highest honors givento members of the cloth. It is not given freely; therefore, itis rarely witnessed.

It was an event that left Baker openly weeping and very emotional.

“It is a humbling experience and an honor to perform the ritual,” said, James.

The 256th also showed a video presentationwhich paid tribute to Baker’s life.

Five father-and-son teams from the 256th BCTalso celebrated this Father’s Day at the Tiger Den DiningFacility. The staff prepared a special meal and a cake fitfor the occasion.

On this day, in this combat zone, war stories werenot told. The families only brought up childhood memo-ries, and some sent those around the table laughing.

“I was the only child in my neighborhood who hadto pay an electricity bill,” said Sgt. Peter Moss, fromAnacoco, La., with B Company, 199th Forward SupportGroup, 256th.

“It was fitting punishment for leaving the lights onin the house,” came the quick rebuttal from his father,Master Sgt. John Moss from Leesville, La., with HHC,256th.

Several years ago, Peter asked John what hewanted for Father’s Day.

“All I want is for you to cook a meal for me—that’sit,” John told him.

Ever since, Peter continues to ask the samequestion with the same response from John. Without fail,Peter buys a gift for his father every year instead of mak-ing him dinner.

“Again this year, here in Iraq, Peter dodges cook-ing for me again,” said John.

CC oo rr nn ee rrCC oo rr nn ee rrCC hh aa pp ll aa ii nn ’’ ssJuly 1, 2005

By Spc. Erin Robicheaux

On June 25 the 256th Brigade Combat Team CivilAffairs, and 199th Forward Support Battalion, 256th BCT,collaborated efforts and brought 15 tons of food, two tonsof school supplies, and over 2000 beanie babies to thelower income population of the Khadamiyah area inBaghdad. The items were gifts from the Association ofKorean Americans and Operation Iraqi Children. The localGovernment Information Center connected the Soldierswith various charity organizations to help distribute thesupplies to citizens of Khadamiyah and Sadr City.

Maj. Adam Shilling from Denham Springs, La.,256th BCT civil affairs officer, said the food packs aredesigned for emergency situations, and he wanted tomake sure the less fortunate citizens in the district weretaken care of in case one should arise.

“Each pack weighs five tons and includes rice,beans, spaghetti, cooking oil, noodles, and cannedgoods,” he said.

It took about a week to coordinate the project, andShilling said Soldiers from A Company, 199th FSB pickedup the supplies and took them out to the site, and escort-ed the convoy for the operation.

First Sgt. Gilbert Matthews, senior enlisted non-commissioned officer for A Co. 199th FSB, from BreauxBridge, La., said his Soldiers were very excited about themission and it all ran smoothly.

“Everything went well. It was a large task, but wemade it happen,” he said.

The 199th is no stranger to missions of this kind.As a support battalion, it is their job to ensure Soldiers inother camps who fall under the 256th BCT receive thenecessary supplies to keep daily operations functional.

“We’re always bringing the basic necessities, suchas water, food, and basically anything that needs to behauled to other sites,” claimed Matthews.

Staff Sgt. Michael Gaudet, from Lafayette, La., anon-commissioned officer for the 256th BCT civil affairsteam, said the reaction of a female manager of the GICstood out among all others.

“Whenever she saw all of the food, she could bare-ly talk. She kept saying, ‘my heart, my heart!’” he said.

Once she saw the school supplies and how theSoldiers were helping the children in the area, she couldnot contain herself.

“We brought her outside and showed her all of theschool supplies, and she actually cried,” said Gaudet.


Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigadecontinue to step up to the plate to ensure for a safer, moresecure way of life for the Iraqi people. During the past sev-eral days, with assistance from 1st Battalion, 156th ArmorRegiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, the Soldiers con-ducted a series of cordon and search missions in theGhazaliya and Bachira districts of Baghdad, in order toneutralize the insurgency. Since June 20, they captured27 insurgents and confiscated materials used for acts

against Iraqi and Coalitions Forces. The detainees captured were significant targets, andincluded one man suspected of shooting a Soldierfrom 1-156th AR just one week ago. The 2-1 IA alsoarrested a known financier and weapon supplier, andtwo men who physically conducted improvised explo-sive device, or IED, attacks against Iraqi SecurityForces and US Soldiers.

Capt. Randy Green, from Bossier City, La., thesenior advisor for the 2-1 IA, with Headquarters and

Headquarters Company, 1-156th AR, said theSoldiers of 2-1 displayed strength and independencethroughout the past several missions, as well as dur-

ing previous cordon and searches. “They conducted excellent operations, and the

missions were well planned and executed,” he said.The 2-1 IA was initially trained by the 2nd Brigade

Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and the 1-156thAR continues the training.

“We conduct close quarter combat drills, maneu-vers, things like that,” said Green.

The training paid off for the 2-1 over the last fewdays. Their operations went smoothly and the targets didnot put up a fight. According to Green, they just gave up.

“They were caught and they knew it,” he said.

TT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SSTT II GG EE RR TT RR AA CC KK SS

PPaaggee 55

Photo by Staff Sgt. Jorge Rodriguez

Iraqi Army Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi ArmyBrigade, searching a house in the Ghazaliya district with

the assistance of 1st Battalion, 156th Armor Regiment.

IIrraaqq aanndd UU..SS.. ffoorrcceess ccaappttuurree ssiiggnniiffiiccaanntt ttaarrggeettss

CCiivviill AAffffaaiirrss,, 119999tthh FFSSBB ddeelliivveerr ttoonnss ooff SSuupppplliieess ttoo tthhee ccoommmmuunniittyy

July 1, 2005


PPaaggee 66

BaptismSundayin Tigerland

Capt. Tyler Wagenmaker1-156th AR, Chaplain

There’s so much activity outside the wire on Sunday after-noons in Iraq, and on a recent Sunday afternoon it was easy not noticea congregation of people at the Tiger Chapel for a unique get-together. Itwasn’t a typical Sunday worship service; rather, it was the second baptismservice that was held by the Unit Ministry Teams of the 256th BCT. I say “nottypical” because it was a gathering of Christians there to witness the baptismof fellow soldiers.

Baptism has different nuances for different Christian denominations. TheBaptists hold to an understanding of it a bit different than the Roman Catholicswho hold to a different understanding of it than the Lutherans, who hold to…youget the idea. But together on that Sunday afternoon, Christians of different back-grounds gathered to witness newly-professed Christians receive the mark ofwater, signaling to all present that they are followers of Jesus Christ. In the lifeof the Christian church, this is reason for rejoicing.

Many soldiers had different goals coming to Iraq for this deployment. I’mnot sure what your goal was. Maybe it was to save up money for a down-pay-ment on a house. Perhaps it was to get in better physical shape. But a Baptismservice like the one held at the Tiger Chapel on a recent Sunday afternoon isanother reminder that a noble and worthy goal for soldiers in this war zone is thatof spiritual growth…even the start of a new journey down Jesus’ pathway. Forthat reason, Soldiers like those who underwent baptism can testify that this timeof testing away from home has, for them, turned into a life-long blessing.

Dear Ms. Sharon,

On behalf of the 256th Brigade CombatTeam, we want to express our happiness athearing of your new family addition, KristianEngeldrum. We are especially excited, since itwas Christian’s wish to have a daughter.

Your husband, and Kristian’s father, ison our minds and in our hearts everyday, as wecontinue the mission that he began. Pleaseknow that we all feel protective of Kristian andare ready to help you ensure that she knowshow exceptional her father was, and howstrong his memory remains. She is his legacy,and comes from very noble roots. Thank youfor your continued support and sacrifice and asalways, you remain in our prayers.

Very Respectfully,

June 30, 2005

John Basilica, Jr. Brigadier General, U.S.ArmyCommanding

July 1, 2005

In another sign of the growing strength of the IraqiArmy, Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigadegraduated from the first organized Iraqi Army LeadershipTraining Course at Forward Operating Base Justice.

“This is just another important step forward andanother first for this outstanding Iraqi Brigade,” said Brig.Gen. John Basilica, Jr., commander of the 256th BrigadeCombat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. “The development ofa professional noncommissioned officer corps is critical tothe combat readiness of the unit.

“This is the first of many courses that will be con-ducted to train the NCOs of the 1st Iraqi Army Brigade,”Basilica added. “What is especially important is the cadreduties were also shared by the Iraqis and thus their own-ership of this program is established from the beginning.”

Sgt. Nihad Hifdhy Abdlameer was a school teacherbefore he joined the Iraqi Army and said his experience inthe field allowed him to teach Soldiers, but until this coursehe did not know how to lead them.

“When I taught at the school, I was very firm withthe students, but after this course I understand that getting to know your students and Soldiers andspending time with them is a good thing,” he said.

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal with Headquartersand Headquarters Company, 256th BCT, the seniorinstructor and coordinator for the seven-day leadershiptraining class, said he was not quite sure what to expect atthe beginning of the course. “I had a lot of anxiety beforeit started and I was unsure of how it would go. I had peo-ple tell me that the Soldiers wouldn’t show up at all or that

they would leave the first time I gave them a 15-minutebreak, but that just didn’t happen.”

As an instructor at the U.S. Army’s PrimaryLeadership Development Course in his home state ofLouisiana, the Alexandria native has seven years of lead-ership training to his credit. This, however, was his mostrewarding experience. He said the focus of this trainingwas not to teach certain Soldiering functions, but rather, toteach the importance of ensuring the functions get done.

“Leadership is the main focus, and the goal was tomake sure these new Iraqi Army leaders understand howcrucial it is that tasks are accomplished,” he said.

The NCOs sat through a series of classes cen-tered on vital military skills like map reading and physicalfitness and its importance to leadership.

Rachal said he wanted these leaders to under-stand that how they feel as people will affect the Soldiersthey lead. He claimed it was about more than leader-ship—it was about them as people, their values, theirnorms, and how what they believe in will relate to theirrelationships with their Soldiers.

Command Sgt. Maj. Mustafa Jamal Shareef, sen-ior NCO for the 2-1 IA, worked hand-in-hand with Rachalthroughout the duration of the course and will take overafter Rachal goes back to the U.S. Mustafa said hisSoldiers have come far and will need the leadership skillsthey acquired as a result of this training. “They’re notSoldiers, they’re NCOs and they need more experienceleading Soldiers.”


PPaaggee 77

Iraqi Army leaders graduate from historic course

Continued on Page 13

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal in the class-room with the NCO Academy students.

A Soldier from 2-1 Iraqi Army Brigade receives a diplomaand congratulations from Command Sgts. Maj. James.Mays, William Grant, Hassan Abid Khadim and IALTC

instructor, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Rachal.By Spc. Erin Robicheaux

July 1, 2005


PPaaggee 88


When Sgt. Jason Glasscock dressed in his bodyarmor on June 15 for a route clearance mission in anM1A1 Abrams tank with his unit, C Company, 1stBattalion, 156th Armor Regiment, 256th Brigade CombatTeam, 3rd Infantry Division, chances are he wasn’t think-ing that this was the day he would get a second chance atlife.

Hours later, his gunner was screaming,“Glasscock’s been shot! Glasscock’s been shot!”

The crew was at a stand-still for close to an hour-and-a-half when Glasscock stood up in the turret to grabsome gear from the outside of the tank. The next thing heknew, someone shot him in the ribs, just below his chest.He said almost before he felt it, he heard a loud noise thatsounded like a baseball hitting a catcher’s mitt. It knockedhim backwards and he felt a sharp pain, like someonejammed him in the ribs with a lead pipe. Just as quicklyas it happened, his instincts, as well as those of his crewkicked in.

“My gut reaction was to get down (in the turret) andI tried to grab the charging handle on my 50-cal. The gun-ner heard the shot and turned around to help me,” he said.

Glasscock said his arms and legs went numb ashe came down from the turret, probably from the suddenshock of getting hit. They took off his vest and pulled uphis shirt to see how far the bullet went in. He wasn’tbleeding, but there was a huge bruise, and he said theimpact rubbed his skin raw.

“I just let out a huge sigh of relief,” said Glasscock.The bullet penetrated two ammunition magazines

and went deep into his vest, but did not break through. Itwas embedded so deep into the body armor thatGlasscock could feel it through the inside panel, closest tohis body.

Once they saw he was okay, the Soldiers scannedthe area to see if the sniper was still out there, and usedthe vest to try to determine a general idea of where theshot came from. Reinforcements came on the scene and searched the area, while Glasscock andthe tank crew pulled security for the dismounts. Theynever saw the sniper.

After they arrived safely back at the base, doctorsevaluated him and put him on light duty for a week, just asa precaution. Glasscock was not happy.

“I want to be out there,” he said.The plate in his vest was damaged and though it

disintegrated the round, he does not want his fellowSoldiers to carry a false sense of confidence with the vestand become complacent.

“It obviously works, but it doesn’t make youSuperman,” he said.

Glasscock broke the news to his father the nextday. He said he found it easy to talk to his father about hisexperience because he is a Desert Storm veteran. Whenhe told him what happened, Glasscock tried to break thenews in as light a manner as possible.

“I told him if he gets a call from the Department ofthe Army, not to worry about it, that I’d been shot but I wasalright,” he said.

Glasscock said his father instinctively knew it wasthe vest that stopped the bullet.

Sgt. Jason Glasscockpoints to the spot wherethe sniper’s bullet was

stoppedby his body armor.

AA SSnniippeerr’’ss AA SSnniippeerr’’ss BBuulllleett BBuulllleett

July 1, 2005


Iraqi Soldiers and Coalition Forces,working together and independently,captured 11 known terrorists in aseries of early-morning raids in cen-tral and west Baghdad June 17. Oneother terror suspect was also takeninto custody. The largest operationwas conducted by Iraqi Army Soldiersfrom the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade,6th Iraqi Army Division shortly aftermidnight in Abu Ghraib. Soldiers of2nd Battalion, 130th InfantryRegiment, attached to the 256Brigade Combat Team, 3rd InfantryDivision, assisted as a quick reactionforce.

Three hours after the raid began,the Iraqi Soldiers had detained andpositively identified two terror cellleaders, a safe house owner, a formerBa’ath party member, and a manwanted for kidnapping and murderingIraqi Soldiers, Police and civilians.

The Iraqi Soldiers also apprehend-ed a major criminal in the Abu Ghraibdistrict, three lesser criminals and aman believed to have participated inan attack on an Iraqi Police station inthe area. All of the men were takeninto custody for questioning.

Capt. James Alexander, currentoperations officer for 2-130th Inf.,from Columbus, Ohio, said the 3-1-6IA were in and out of the area in onehour and in the end the mission waswell planned and executed.

“They moved onto targetaccurately, with deliberate and pre-cise actions, and they knew what theywere going after,” said Alexander.

In another early-morning operation,Iraqi Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1stIraqi Brigade, seized a known mem-ber and financier of a foreign terrorcell in the Harbiya district of centralBaghdad. The man is also thought tohave killed religious leaders inBaghdad’s International Zone.Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 156thInfantry Regiment, 256th BCT, provid-ed a search team and security on theouter cordon.

Staff Sgt. Dan Davis, fromShreveport, La., is a patrol leader withB Company, 1st Battalion, 156thArmor Regiment, attached to 2-156thInf., said the unit provided a protectivecircle around the perimeter while the2-1 IA Bde. interacted with the people.He explained that the Iraqi peoplehave grown to respect their own Army

and would rather see them than foreign forces.

“You could see the confidence inthe Iraqi Soldiers. Once they realizedthe detainee was a target, they exe-cuted deliberately,” said Davis.

When they successfully captured atarget; Davis and his Soldiers couldsee the positive attitudes and motiva-tion in their faces.

“These Iraqi Army Soldiers are ournew heroes.” said Davis. “They arepatriots of Iraq who decided enoughwas enough.”

Later, around 3 a.m. Task ForceBaghdad Soldiers conducted anotherraid to capture members of a knownterror cell in the Khadra district of cen-tral Baghdad. One member of the cellwas killed, and the Soldiers tookanother member into custody forquestioning. They also recovered aweapons cache.

“We are gaining the initiative bykeeping the upper hand, which willensure the enemy remains off-bal-ance. Iraq’s armed forces are wellunderway to taking the lead in defeat-ing the insurgency,” said Maj. WilliamBorel, a native of Metaire, La., 256thBCT chief of current operations.

PPaaggee 99


Iraqi Security and Coalition Forces disrupted anattack against the Baghdad Major Crimes Unit on theevening of June 22, resulting in the capture of 13 terror-ists. One Iraqi Policeman and five Iraqi Soldiers werewounded in the failed attack.

A patrol from the 36th Engineer Group, 3rd InfantryDivision disrupted a blocking position being established byterrorists at 7:15 p.m. Elements of 1st Battalion, 156thArmor Regiment, 256th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Inf.Div. quickly secured the site and drove the AIF from thearea.

At about the same time, elements of 4th Battalion,1st Iraqi Army Brigade, and 3rd Battalion, 156th Inf., and1st Battalion, 69th Inf. Regiment, both of the 256th BCT,interdicted a mortar team and squad-sized elements ofterrorists moving towards the MCU from the west and south.

Within 30 minutes, Iraqi and Coalition Forcesgained the upper hand and forced the terrorists to give up. Sweeps of the area captured terrorists trying to flee fromtheir foiled attack.

Earlier, sources told 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi ArmyDivision officials of a planned attack against the MCU,which was immediately reported to Coalition and ISFpatrols in the vicinity.

This is the second failed attempt by terroristsagainst the MCU. On May 29, Iraqi Police successfullydefended their complex during the first attack.

“Iraqi Security Forces continue to demonstratetheir courage and ability to gain control of their own secu-rity and to protect critical facilities by working together asa combined team,” said Brig. Gen. John Basilica, Jr., com-mander of the 256th BCT.

Early-morning raids ....Early-morning raids ....

E n e m y f a i l s i n s e c o n d a t t a c k o n M C U

July 1, 2005

The 256th Brigade Combat Team welcomed twonew additions to the Tiger Brigade family. Though the 2ndBattalion, 130th Infantry and 1st Squadron, 11th ArmoredCavalry Regiment have only been with us for one month,they already successfully won battles in the war on terror-ism. This is no surprise, considering the lineage of theirunits.

The 130th can cite many successes and significantmoments in time, including participation in the War of 1812as the Illinois Militia, serving under Maj. Zachary Taylor, laterthe President of the United States. For their service, the130th received their oldest battle streamer.

In addition to serving under such military icons asGen. Ulysses S. Grant and Gen. William T. Sherman in theCivil War, the 130th became part of the history of the UnitedStates, when two companies, C and K, received thePresidential Unit Citation for outstanding performance ofduty in an armed conflict with the enemy, for their success-ful campaign in Morotai Island and the Philippines in 1944-45. They also served in Germany and Italy from January toAugust 2002, as a result of the attacks on September 11,2001.

The 2-130th Infantry made history in the summer of2004, when the nation of Bulgaria, a former Soviet BlockNation, was accepted into the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization (NATO). The 2-130th Infantry became the firstUnited States Soldiers to train in Bulgaria. Operation BUL-

WARK was conducted from July 23, to August 14, 2004.Presently, the battalion is mobilized in Baghdad, Iraq, underthe 256th Brigade Combat Team in support of OperationIraqi Freedom III. They are under the command of Lt. Col.Mark C. Jackson and CSM Gary M. Fulk. The 1st Squadron,11th Armored Cavalry Regiment was the force that all unitswere measured against for the past decade, at the NationalTraining Center at Ft. Irwin, Cal., as the opposing force(OPFOR) in exercises designed to train Army battalion andbrigade task forces in tactical and operational level skills innear-combat conditions. The Squadron continued to serveas the Army’s “best-trained mechanized force in the world”until it was placed on orders to Iraq in support of OperationIraqi Freedom III.

On February 1, 2005, 1st Squadron deployed taskorganized with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1stSquadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, B Troop, CTroop, F Troop and G Troop 11th Armored CavalryRegiment to Baghdad, Iraq as part of 3rd Brigade, 1st ArmorDivision for three months and then reassigned to 256thBrigade Combat Team (Louisiana Army National Guard).During the Squadron’s tenure in Iraq, it has been success-ful in securing over 400 square kilometers of Baghdad, pro-tecting 2.1 million people, bringing essential services andfacilities to the Iraqi populace, cultivating a local governmentand bringing numerous terrorists to justice.


iger iger BrigadeBrigade welcomes welcomes SoldiersSoldiers fromfrom

2-130th2-130th Inf. and Inf. and 1-11th ACR1-11th ACR

PPaaggee 1100

TT

A message from the 256th Equal Opportunity Officer,

Capt. Samantha Wade

The 256th Infantry BrigadeSexual Assault Response

Coordinator (SARC) is Capt. Samantha Wade, 242-4936/4774 (day shift or night shift). Sexual Assault is a crim-inal offense that has no place in the Army. It degrades mis-sion readiness by devastating the Army’s ability to workeffectively as a team. The Army Sexual Assault Preventionand Response Program (SAPRP) reinforce the Army’s com-mitment to eliminate incidents of sexual assault through acomprehensive policy that focuses on education, preven-tion, integrated victim support, rapid reporting, thoroughinvestigation, appropriate action, and follow-up. Army policypromotes sensitive care for the victims of sexual assault andaccountability for those who commit these crimes.Restricted reporting and unrestricted reporting gives the vic-tim choices when reporting the offense. Restricted reporting

allows sexual assault victims the confidentiality to disclosethe details of the their assault to specially identified individ-uals and receive medical treatment and counseling, withouttriggering the official investigative process. Only the SARC,healthcare provider, or chaplain will be notified under therestricted reporting. Unrestricted reporting allows sexualassault victims who are sexually assaulted medical treat-ment, counseling and an official investigation of the allega-tion should use current reporting channel (eg.. SARC, chap-lain, UVA, chain of command, CID, and JAG). Unit VictimAdvocates (UVAs) will provide quality support and assur-ance to rape/sexual assault victims. UVAs will ensure sexu-al assault victims acknowledge in writing the victim report-ing preference statement to ensure assault victims under-stand restricted/unrestricted reporting. Sexual assault isincompatible with Army values and the Warrior Ethos. The256th Infantry Brigade has 23 trained UVAs and twobrigade trained Sexual Assault Response Coordinators(SARC) available if needed. This Brigade is over 80%Sexual Assault trained and will be 100% by 10 July 2005.

BE SAFE AND NEVERBE SAFE AND NEVER WWAALLKK AALLOONNEEWWAALLKK AALLOONNEE !!!!

July 1, 2005

From June 20 to June 25, 2nd Battalion, 1st IraqiArmy Brigade, Iraqi Intervention Forces, and elements ofthe 256th Brigade Combat Team including 1st Battalion,156th Armor Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 130th InfantryRegiment, and 1st Squadron, 11th Armored CavalryRegiment, conducted a series of cordon and search mis-sions throughout the Baghdad area. A total of 31 sus-pected insurgents were captured as a result of the oper-ation.

In addition, 2-1 IA confiscated weapons and con-traband including two AK-47s, ten ammunition maga-zines, a cell phone, and a large amount of coalition mate-rials. The mission was intended to deny insurgents in

known hostile areas from attacking IA and coalitionforces.

Maj. William Rachal from New Iberia, La., opera-tions officer for 1-156th AR, participated in several mis-sions with the 2-1 IA and said they progress exponential-ly each time.

“With each operation it is impressive to see theremarkable improvement of the IA as they develop their own intelligence, plan their own operations, execute, andfollow up with continuous operations exploiting informa-tion obtained from the previous one,” said Rachal.

The passage of time also serves to instill a grow-ing confidence throughout the citizens of Iraq, in that oftheir armed forces.

“The civilian population was extremely receptiveof the Iraqi Army conducting operations in their neighbor-hoods,” explained Rachal, “They seem to have a greatdeal of pride, and the population as a whole is eager tosupport them.”

According to officials, this operation showcasedthe 2 -1 IA’s growth as a team. With the recent gradua-tion of ten Soldiers from the Iraqi Army LeadershipTraining Course, an academy for non-commissioned offi-cers, the need for formal NCO professional developmentwas recognized and is being incorporated.

Iraqi Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigadeduring a cordon and search mission in the Ghazaliya

and Bachria districts from June 20 to June 25.

forces find successin joint operations


PPaaggee 1111

I r a q i & A m e r i c a n

Iraqi Soldiers, acting on tips from Iraqi citizens,captured 21 terror suspects during operations in centraland west Baghdad June 27.

Shortly after 5 p.m., an Iraqi citizen walked up toSoldiers from the 5th Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigadeand told them he had seen men responsible for anambush on Coalition Forces hiding in a mosque in centralBaghdad.

Soldiers from Headquarters Co. 2nd Battalion,156th Infantry Regiment, 256th Combat Team cordonedoff the area while the Iraqi Army unit entered the mosque.The Iraqi Soldiers found two AK-47 assault rifles andthree magazines inside. The source then led theSoldiers to a nearby café, where they detained 16 sus-pected terrorists. The detainees were taken into custodyfor questioning.

At around 9 p.m., another Iraqi citizen toldSoldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigadethat men responsible for attacking a 2-156th Inf. patrolwere hiding in a house in the Harbiya district of westBaghdad. The Iraqi Soldiers raided the house andseized five terror suspects with the assistance of 1stBattalion, 156th Armor Regiment.

“Iraqi citizens continue to come forward with tipson the whereabouts of insurgents and locations ofweapons caches,” said Lt. Col. Michael Pryor, 256th oper-ations officer. “The people have confidence in their Armyand Police forces- both are continuing to becomestronger everyday.”

Coalition Forces also raided a target in west AbuGhraib and took in two more terror suspects.

CCiittiizzeennss sstteepp uupp ttoo hheellpp CCooaalliittiioonn FFoorrcceess

July 1, 2005

Dear Veterans of the 256 BCT,

You, the Veterans of Louisiana, are an elite andspecial group who have been asked to serve your countryduring a most complex , dangerous and difficult time inour nation’s history. Active Duty, National Guard andReserve Forces service members from Louisiana haveanswered the call to defend our nation’s freedom at homeand around the world. Like your forefathers, your commit-ment to duty, dedication and courage is inspiring.

You have achieved the honor of taking your placeamong “The Greatest Generation,” of WWII veterans,Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, the “Cold War”, and nowIraq and Afghanistan. Duty, honor and country is yourwatchword. We at the Louisiana Department of VeteransAffairs (all veterans) are committed to you. Louisiana’sveterans deserve the highest praise and we are commit-

ted to ensuring that Louisiana veterans receive the bene-fits they so justly deserve. Our plan is to serve you bypublishing a periodic newsletter on all Veterans Benefitswhich will be included in the 256th ”Tiger Brigade” newspaper. We will cover the spectrum of pension com-pensation, healthcare, education, memorial Affairs andmuch more information that will be of benefit to you.

Thank you for your service to our nation and thesacrifice you and your family have endured on our behalf.

Sincerely,

Hunt DownerBG, LAARNGAssistant Adjutant General Army

PPaaggee 1122


D I D D I D YY o uo u K n oK n o ww

More to follow.

VETERAN’S EDUCATIONAL

BENEFITS

VA education benefits areauthorized to veterans and qualifieddependents under specific chapters ofTitle 38, US Code. Eligibility for ben-efits can only be determined by theUS Department of Veterans Affairs,except with individuals eligible forChapter 30 or Chapter 1606,Department of Defense determineseligibility. Benefits can be receivedfrom only 1 VA educational chapterat a time, even if there is eligibilityunder multiple chapters. Before ben-efits can be received the program willneed to be approved by the LA StateApproving Agency, which is part ofthe LA Department of VeteransAffairs. The following is a listing ofthe various chapters and their gener-al eligibility requirements:

MONTGOMERY GI BILL - ACTIVEDUTY (CHAPTER 30)

This educational entitlementprovides up to 36 months of educa-tion benefits to eligible veterans. Youmay use this education entitlementprogram for degree programs, certifi-cate or correspondence courses,independent study programs,apprenticeship/on-the-job training,and vocational flight training pro-grams. Remedial, refresher and defi-ciency training are available undercertain circumstances.

Eligibility Requirements

You may be an eligible veteranif you have an honorable discharge,

and you have a High School Diplomaor GED or, in some cases 12 hours ofcollege credit, and you meet therequirements of one of the categoriesbelow:

CATEGORY I

• Entered active duty for the first timeafter June 30, 1985

• Had military pay reduced by $100 amonth for first 12 months

• Continuously served for 3 years, or2 years if that is what you first enlist-

ed for, or 2 years if you enteredSelected Reserve within a year ofleaving active duty and served 4years (“2 by 4” Program)

CATEGORY II

• Entered active duty before January1, 1977

• Served at least 1 day between10/19/84 and 6/30/85, and stayedon active duty through 6/30/88, (or6/30/87 if you entered SelectedReserve within 1 year of leavingactive duty and served 4 years)

• On 12/31/89, you had entitlementleft from Vietnam Era GI Bill

CATEGORY III

• Not eligible for MGIB underCategory I or II

• On active duty on 9/30/90 and sep-arated involuntarily after 2/2/91,

• OR involuntarily separated on orafter 11/30/93,

• OR voluntarily separated undereither the Voluntary SeparationIncentive (VSI) or Special SeparationBenefit (SSB) program

• Before separation, you had militarypay reduced by $1200

AA MMeessssaaggee ffrroomm LLAAAARRNNGG AAssssiissttaanntt AAddjjuuttaanntt GGeenneerraall

July 1, 2005

uture Leaders of Iraq

“What is very important to us is the fact thatwe support our community and make a small differ-ence,” Through the good and the bad, theNorthwest Louisiana cities of Shreveport andBossier City made it a point to support their home-town Soldiers. The music community, in particular,threw several events in the Soldiers’ absences tobenefit them and their families, from organizing freeconcerts before the departure of the 256th BCT, toraising money for much needed care packages afterthe deployment was in effect.

Following the traditions of the past, TanyaShelton and Chris Osborn, of ShelBorn MusicProductions are organizing a July 4th concert eventlarger than any before. It is called “Rock theDistrict,” referring to Shreveport’s newly developedRiverfront District. A maze of sprawling contempo-

rary structures, the area is home to dozens of unique shops and entertainmentvenues located just feet from the Red River.

Mustafa also said they are learning the valueof leadership and beginning to respect theresponsibility that comes with the title.

“They have learned they have specialtasks that go with being leaders, and one ofthem is taking care of their Soldiers,” he said.“They must take care of their Soldiers.”

Rachal said the Iraqi Soldiers were alittle hesitant at the beginning of the courseand not quite sure what to expect. Toward theend of the week, however, their personalitiesshined through.

“They’re no different from AmericanSoldiers at all. We had the class clown, wehad the guy who liked to sleep in class, theguy who always made sure the class wasdoing what they were supposed to be; wehad the smart guy; I even had a guy whocouldn’t read or write, and now he can read atleast part of the NCO Creed,” beamedRachal.

The Iraqi Soldiers come to their basecamp in civilian clothes and change into theirmilitary uniforms once they are safely behindthe walls. Threats are made on their livesand the lives of their family members everyday. Once, one of the Soldiers took twobuses and caught a ride to the base, whichmade him a few minutes late for class.Rachal said this only instilled his appreciationfor what these Soldiers are doing for theircountry.

“Every one of these Soldiers hasbeen shot or shot at. Could you imagine hav-ing to come to work as a Soldier in your civil-ian clothes because of the threat that some-one would kill you or your family if they knewthat you defended your country for a living?”he mused. “These Soldiers and their familiescould be killed, but they do it anyway.”

Rachal said the anxiety he had at thebeginning of the course was put to rest by theend of the seven days.

“It went really well and this class setthe bar high for those who will follow afterthem.” he said.

Amazed that two countries so farapart in both geography and ideals could bequite the same when it came to the outlook oftheir Soldiers, Rachal said,

“We’re not all that different, we justspeak two different languages.”


F Continued from Page 7...

PPaaggee 1133

Festivities at Rock the District willinclude live music, food and fun, andface-painting for the kids. The head-liner will be Ice House recording artistWes Jeans, with several up-and-com-ing local bands opening the show.The music styles vary from SouthernAlternative, Classic Rock, andSouthern Blues.

Shelton said the local musiciansare doing this to contribute to thecause and to support their local serv-ice men and women.

Several major local businessesjumped at the chance to support heevent, including G&G Distribution,Eagle Distributing, 98 Rocks, SandBox Recording Studios, StonePie Productions, Mako Designs, and

Photography by Bre. The turnout isexpected to be enormous, accordingto organizers, and will significantlyhelp the 1-156th AR FRG in FamilyReunion Day, which will be held one totwo months after the Soldiers return.

“What is very important to us is thefact that we support our communityand make a small difference,” Sheltonsaid.

“All of these musicians and volun-teers are participating for free, andpartial proceeds from the event will goto the 1-156th AR Family ReadinessGroup.” The 1-156th AR FRG isorganizing a Family Reunion Day atthe Hirsch Coliseum, shortly after theSoldiers return.

July 1, 2005


C o n t r i b u t i o n s f r o m t h o s e b a c k h o m e

“I’ve learned that: goodbyes willalways hurt, pictures can neverreplace being there, memories forgetthe hard times, words can neverreplace feelings, and heroes often gounsung”

~Author UnknownSpc. John Coffman,

You are our hero. We love and missyou and pray for your safe return.

Love always,Your wife and kids

PPaaggee 1144

To Karlene and Staff Sgt. LouisNicolosi for the birth of their babygirl Victoria Nicolosi Born: June 2, 2005 Weight: 5lbs 15oz

To April and Spc. Jeremy Smith for thebirth of their baby boy Kades SmithBorn: on June 10, 2005 Weight: 8lbs 7.2 oz

“Happy 4th of July Daddy!” The children ofMaster Sgt. John Bonin, HHC 3-156,

Isabella, Gracanne, Jude, and Eden, sendtheir

father abig holi-

daygreeting.

Staff Sgt. Darby Quinn,

We love you and areso proud of you. Youare our hero!Counting down thedays until we areable to be a familyagain....

Love,Cammi, Carli and Canaan Quinn

Congratulations

July 1, 2005

Sisters of Sgt.Warren Murphy’sluncheon at Ft.Hood for theunveiling of a

memorial to honor the fallen Soldiers.

Sons of Sgt. 1stClass Kurt

Comeaux, whowas killed in

December with 6other members

of theBlacksheep, and

their newfriends.

PPaaggee 1155


The freedom we share in the USAThe liberties and justice, which exist todayAre results of our Country’s fighting menFor our freedom and rights, they will defendIn seventeen hundred seventy fiveThis fighting force did come aliveProtecting all across the landEvery Woman, Child and ManFor many wars these men have foughtIn the jungles and across the seasGiving their all, when giving the callFor the freedom of you and meEach day is Independence Day and I would liketo sayI’m proud to be an American, and live in the USAI thank you Lord for allowing me freedom and DemocracyProtect our Country’s fighting men,For our liberties, they do defend

May Freedom Ring throughout the landFor every Woman, child and ManKeep our Soldiers safe ‘O’ Lord I prayMay our freedoms remain, which exist today!

Dedicated to our veterans the fallen and the livingThe true unseen heroes.

--Len Wiggins

The Family Readiness Group of “Charlie Rock,” C Co., 3-156th, came together for food and fun for their

Spring Fling Picnic.

The Family Readiness Group of “Charlie Rock,” C Co., 3-156th, wishes their Soldiers a Happy 4th of July!

H a p p y 4 t h o f J u l y !H a p p y 4 t h o f J u l y !May Freedom Ring

~A Memorial to our veterans~

O’Malleywants to wish a Happy

July 4th to her“daddy,” Capt. VaughnLeatherwood of 1-

141 FA.

July 1, 2005

NNeeww SScchhoollaarrsshhiippNNeeww SScchhoollaarrsshhiipp


PPaaggee 1166

By Sgt. 1st Class Gerald H. GilesTask Force Geronimo

On June 24-26 Soldiers of 1st Battalion,156th Armor Regiment, “Task Force Geronimo,”256th Brigade Combat Team hosted the first SgtSeth Trahan Volleyball Classic in Baghdad. Seventeams throughout the battalion participated in theevent, which was planned and coordinated by Sgt1st Class Gerald Giles from Bossier City, La., andSpc. Chris Thibodeaux from Iota, La.

The tournament was in memory of Sgt. SethTrahan, from Crowley, La., who was killed while on a dis-mounted patrol with his unit, C Company, 3rd Battalion,156th Infantry. “Charlie Rock,” as C Co. 3-156th isknown, is attached to 1-156th AR. Soldiers of the unit,including Trahan encountered an improvised explosivedevice on this patrol, and Trahan lost his life.

The classic was based on a double eliminationbracket, and allowed for a team to lose and still come outthe winners. The team, “Big Nasty,” or the 1-156th ARMedics, advanced to the final slot in the winner’s bracketafter beating the “Supporters,” made up of Soldiers fromthe support platoon for the battalion.

The first team eliminated was “Tanker’sNightmare,” the mechanics of Task Force Geronimo.Members of the battalion joked that the mechanics musthave been ready to get back into the motor pool and getto work, since they were the first to go.

The “American Sand Jockeys” were the next vic-tims taken. Comprised of battalion staff members andsenior enlisted Soldiers, they lost their chance at thechampionship after a valiant effort. Fellow Soldiers said they “tried hard, but need to stay on their horses nexttime.”

The battalion commander, Lt. Col. Thomas

Plunkett, from New Orleans, La., headed up the team,“Higher Hitters.” After losing their first game, the teamhad to play “Big Nasty,” which turned out to be just that forthe Hitters—nasty. They moved to the loser’s bracketafter the loss, but won the next game, eliminating the“American Sand Jockeys.”

The Hitters came up against Capt. Michael Hicks,from Shreveport, La., and 1st Sgt. Albert VanZant, fromFt. Mill, S.C., chain of command for A Co. 1-156th AR, and the Soldiers of “Dragoon.” The game pushedDragoon on top after eliminating the Hitters from the tour-nament. They lost their first game to the Supporters in thefirst round of the classic, and history repeated itself whenthey were once again defeated by the Hitters, and elimi-nated from the tournament.

“Charlie Rock” for the tournament, beat the“American Sand Jockeys” during the first round play, butin the end, the Supporters proved to be too much forthem.

Soldiers said it was a Cinderella story for theSupporters and they came back to win the tournament.They beat Big Nasty twice and battled back from two loss-es to the medics.

The support from the Soldiers of TF Geronimowas awesome and the classic proved to build great EspritDe Corps among the Soldiers.

SSoldiers hold volleyball classic in honoroldiers hold volleyball classic in honorof fallen brotherof fallen brother

The Horatio Alger Military Scholarship was launched last week and isreported to be the first national scholarship specific specifically forAfghanistan and Iraq war veterans. The Horatio Alger Association will distrib-ute a total of $10 million in scholarships to honorably discharged Americanveterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. To be eligible, veterans musthave served in Afghanistan or Iraq in 2001 or later and must demonstrateU.S. citizenship, financial need, and the intent to pursue bachelor’s degrees.

The deadline for applications is September 1. Stars and Stripes reports that the $5,000 scholarshipsare to be paid directly to the schools in $1,250 increments over four years. More information on thescholarships, including an online application, is available at: www.horatioalder.com

July 1, 2005


PPaaggee 1177

CCWW22 WWiilllliiaamm SSoollmmoo ggeettss aa bbrreeaakk aawwaayy aassSSttaaffff SSggtt.. BBrryyaann KKeerrsshhaaww aatttteemmppttss ttoo ttrraacckkhhiimm ddoowwnn.. TTFF 11--6699tthh hhoooopp iitt uunnddeerr tthhee hhoott

ssuunn..

EEvveenn iinn IIrraaqq,,SSoollddiieerrss ooff 33--115566tthh IInnff.. BBnn..ssttiillll ffiinndd aa wwaayy

ttoo eennjjooyyAAmmeerriiccaa’’ssffaavvoorriitteeppaassttiimmee..

SSggtt.. AAmmaannddaa HHoollmmeess ffrroomm225566tthh MMII CCoo..,, aaddmmiirriinngg hheerr ssuurrpprriissee bbiirrtthhddaayy pprreesseenntt..

IItt’’ss nnoott eexxaaccttllyy SSaakkss 55tthhAAvveennuuee,, bbuutt tthhaatt ddooeessnn’’tt ssttooppSSoollddiieerrss ffrroomm ssppeennddiinngg tthheeiirr

mmoonneeyy..

Photos submitted by Soldiers

July 1, 2005


PPaaggee 1188

J u s t i c e R e i g n s J u s t i c e R e i g n s

1. Pvt. Emily Hamilton, HHC 1088th Eng. Bn. – Convicted of onespecification of failure to report under Article 86, one specifica-tion of making a false official statement under Article 107, onespecification of wrongful possession of a controlled substance(Hashish), one specification of wrongful use of a controlled sub-stance (Hashish) and one specification of wrongful distributionof a controlled substance (Valium), all violations of Article 112a.Sentenced to reduction from E-3 to E-1, forfeiture of all pay andallowances, confinement for one year in a military detentionfacility and a bad conduct discharge.

2. Capt. Joseph Biagas, HHC 1088th Eng. Bn. - Convicted oftwo specifications of violating a lawful regulation (inappropriatesexual relationship with an enlisted person) under Article 92, onespecification of making a false official statement under Article107, one specification of wrongful disposition of military proper-ty (government cell phone) under Article 108, two specificationsof adultery under Article 134, and one specification of fraterniza-tion under Article 134. Sentenced to dismissal, forfeiture of$3,000 per month for six months, and six months confinement ina military detention facility.

3. Pvt. Michael Boudreaux, C Co., 1088th Eng. Bn. - Convictedof three specifications of wrongful possession of a controlledsubstance (Valium, Xanax, and Hashish) under Article 112a, andtwo specifications of violation of general order number one (pos-session of alcohol and pornography). Sentenced to reductionfrom E-5 to E-1, forfeiture of $863 per month for seven months,confinement for seven months in a military detention facility, anda bad conduct discharge.

4. Spc. Patrick L. Bryant, B Co., 1-156th AR - Convicted of twospecifications of violation of general order number two (improp-er relationship with local national and cohabitating with a localnational) in violation of Article 92 and two specifications of dere-liction of duty (failing to safeguard weapon and classified docu-ments) in violation of Article 92. Sentenced to reduction from E-7 to E-4, forfeiture of $300 per month for six months, and con-finement for six months in a military detention facility.

5. Pvt. Ryan A. Leblanc, HHC 256th BCT - Convicted of onespecification of Article 86, absent without leave and and twospecifications of Article 112a, controlled substances. Sentencedto reduction from E-4 to E-2, forfeiture of $1,130 pay, and con-finement for 30 days in a military detention facility.

6. Pvt. Jamie L. Ledoux, HHC 256th BCT - One specificationof wrongful use of a controlled substance and one specificationof wrongful possession of a controlled substance. Sentenced to

reduction from E-4 to E-2, forfeiture of $1,075 pay, and confine-ment for 25 days in a military detention facility.

7. Pfc. Klairone Coleman, A Co., 1-156th AR – One specifica-tion of AWOL, Article 86. Sentenced to reduction from E-4 to E-3 and forfeiture of $847 for one month.

8. Pfc. Paul Dickerson, HHC 1-156th AR – One specification ofviolation of general order number one (alcohol) and one specifi-cation of wrongful possession of a controlled substance (mari-juana), Article 112a. Sentenced to reduction from E-4 to E-3 andconfinement for ten days in a military detention facility.

9. Pvt. Larry Alston, Jr., B Battery, 1-141st FA – One specifica-tion of wrongful possession of a controlled substance (marijua-na). Sentenced to reduction from E-3 to E-1, forfeiture of $411for one month, and confinement for 30 days in a military deten-tion facility.

10. Pvt. Shaun Thompson, HHC 1-156th AR – One specifica-tion of violation of general order number one. Sentenced toreduction from E-3 to E-1, forfeiture of 2/3 pay per month for onemonth, and confinement for 21 days in a military detention facil-ity.

11. Pfc. Dennis Linton, HHB, 1-141st FA – One specification ofAWOL, Article 86. Sentenced to reduction from E-4 to E-3, for-feiture of 2/3 of one’s months pay, and confinement for 30 daysin a military detention facility.

12. Pvt. Terrance J. Tieuel, HHC 199th FSB – One specificationof disrespect toward a commissioned officer under Article 89,three specifications of disobeying a lawful command of a com-missioned officer under Article 90, one specification of disobey-ing a lawful order of a NCO under Article 91, and one specifica-tion of dereliction of duty under Article 92. Sentenced to reduc-tion from E-3 to E-1, forfeiture of $815.00 pay, and confinementfor 30 days in a military detention facility.

14. Pfc. Phillip Hernandez, A Co., 1088th Eng. Bn. – one spec-ification of AWOL under Article 86 and three specifications of dis-respect to an NCO under Article 91. Sentenced to forfeiture of$961.09 and confinement for 15 days in a military detentionfacility.

15. Pvt. Vincent E. George, A Co., 1088th Eng. Bn. – one spec-ification of missing movement under Article 87, one specificationof wrongful use of a controlled substance under Article 112a,one specification of disobeying an NCO under Article 92.Sentenced to reduction from E-4 to E-2, forfeiture of $913.77and confinement for 30 days in a military detention facility.

CCoouurrtt MMaarrttiiaallssin Tigerlandin Tigerland

July 1, 2005

Uriel and Felipe Mayorga, fromMilwaukee, Wis., are brothers servingtogether with B Battery, 126th FA,

attached to 1-141st FA.

Specialists Gerald Bryant and Detrick Jenkins, bothfrom Shreveport, are cousins with HHC 1-156th AR.

Sgt. MichaelBenefield of 1-141stFA, attached to TF 1-69th Inf. Bn. for fire support, with hisbrother, David Benefield, an employee of Radiance Technologies.

PPaaggee 1199

Reese and Ross Baumann, twins fromOak Creek, Wis., of B Battery, 126th FA,

attached to 1-141st FA


F a m i l i e s i n t h e T i g e r B r i g a d e

July 1, 2005

i g e rs ta ff w rite r: s p c . e rin r o b ic h e a u x e rin .ro b ic h e a u x @ id 3 .a rm y .m...

Documents