2 0 4 T H B R I G A D E

S U P P O R T B A T T A L I O N

S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F

I N T E R E S T :

A Message from the

Rough Rider Chaplain

The Black Knights run the

BDOC

Fortitude by the Cobras

An Assassin’s Point of

View

Hails and Farewells

HHC’s SPO

NEWSLETTER STAFF:

CPT Ashlea Cleveland

1LT Betsy Arndt

Rough Rider Connection A U G U S T 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 0

This newsletter contains official and unofficial information. The inclusion of some unofficial information in this

newsletter has not increased the cost to the Government, in accordance with DOD 4525.8-M

Rough Rider Families and Friends- Greetings from FOB Walton. I’d like to take a few moments to let you know what an amazing job your loved ones are doing here and how impressed I am by them every-day. When I arrived at FOB Walton about a hundred days ago I watched in amazement as the Soldiers of 204

th worked endless hours transporting containers and equipment,

maintaining (and improving) vehicles, setting up Aid Stations from scratch and jumping into each office area to plan, analyze and implement tasks from the word go. It was amazing to see the professionalism, coordination and willingness to do “whatever it takes” to get the job done. Well, that was a little over three months ago and I have to tell you that the pace has-n’t slowed down at all here. Everyday a new challenge comes to our Warhorse Brigade and your Soldiers meet that demand without fail. I am truly humbled to be able to work alongside of and provide spiritual support for your loved ones. FOB Walton has an awesome chapel facility and we serve approximately one hun-dred-fifty people on a weekly basis through services and studies. One of the most thrill-ing jobs I have is to go through the hundreds of care packages that organizations from all over the United States and you send. We sort the packages and then give out toilet-ries and snacks to your Soldiers. We have so much that we are actually starting to send out packages to other units that have no store to purchase these items! I wish you could read the letters I receive in these care packages from total strangers thanking your loved ones for their sacrifice and dedication. Over and over I read grateful words from Americans that see your Soldiers as heroes…and they are; every one of them. However, they are not the only heroes. You and your children are heroes too and you provide something that no one can replace. You may never know how much you impact the life of your Soldier by something as simple as a message on Facebook or an email to start our day. On a daily basis I pray for you and your children and thank God that we have you to support us. You are the backbone of what your Soldier does; not a day goes by that we don’t talk about you, brag about our kids or tell a funny story about “back home”. Your Soldier can’t wait to come home to you but you should know that in the meantime they are working hard. They are working hard so that when they do come home they can hold their head up with pride that only comes from a job well done. When 204

th Brigade Support Battalion returns it will have served its Warhorse Bri-

gade and our country with honor, dignity, and pride. Never forget that you at home are serving every day right alongside of us and have that same right to be proud of what you have done. Stay Rough Riders!

P A G E 2

Black Knights’ Base Defense Operations Cell

guidance to towers/ECP under supervision of SSG Bryan Cook the BDOC NCOIC, but also at times getting breakfast, lunch or dinner for the Soldiers guarding the towers. The task may seem very mundane, but just doing that simple task for the Soldiers helps them stay energized and awake while on duty. Tower guard contributes greatly towards the safety of the FOB. All Soldiers manning the towers must take this duty very seriously and remain pro-fessional at all times. Every decision they make while on guard affects the safety of their fellow comrades, not at any-time can they become compla-cent or negligent. “Tower guard is the first line of de-fense for the FOB; the Soldiers on guard are responsible for eliminating the threat of the enemy attack while also alert-ing the rest of the FOB,” says SSG Cook, BDOC NCOIC. Bravo Company not only runs the operations of BDOC, they are also the PSD team for FOB Walton, while also main-taining their daily obligations to the maintenance and repairs of vehicles utilized by many of the Companies on FOB Walton. Bravo Company can definitely be looked upon as the multi-faceted Company, who is ready and willing to commit and complete any mis-sion or task they are faced with.

By SPC Natasha Gaskins, Bravo Company Unit Public Affairs Representative

R O U G H R I D E R C O N N E C T I O N

Mashburn and SGT Jefferey Poston are the SOGs for BDOC. SGT Mashburn takes his job as SOG very seriously, “It is important to make sure that the Soldiers are not becoming complacent, I believe that if you stay alert, you’ll stay alive,” Says SGT Mashburn. The Entry Control Point (ECP) NCOIC controls the personnel and vehi-cles that come on and off of FOB Walton. ECP NCOIC also manages the Four Horsemen international guards. In the recent partnership of 204

th BSB with the lAfghan Na-

tional Army (ANA), Bravo Com-pany provided the personnel that form the Personnel Security Detachment (PSD) to patrol the areas surrounding FOB Walton. PSD consists of Soldiers who are oriented towards the mis-sion of, Operation Enduring Freedom. The Soldiers in PSD will never have a set schedule while here at FOB Walton, they never know when they will have to go out on a mission. Being a part of PSD is very time con-suming and demanding, but the Bravo Company Soldiers com-plete their missions with the utmost professionalism. Even the lower enlisted Sol-diers, who work with BDOC from Bravo Company, play a major role in the operations of BDOC. PFC Nathan Gibbons and PFC Jonathan Staffel help the SOGs with not only doing the daily errands of the BDOC, conducting radio checks, report-ing incidents that happen at the Entry Control Point, providing

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—Bravo Company was selected to take on the operational com-mand of the Base Defense Op-erations Cell (BDOC), for FOB Walton during this 2011-2012 deployment to Afghanistan. To be in control of BDOC is very important towards the safety of FOB Walton. There are many functions and tasks that allow for BDOC to operate. Along with managing the operational command, Bravo Company also provides the non-commissioned officer (NCO) leadership that serves as the Sergeant of the Guard (SOG) and Entry Control Point (ECP) NCOIC, while also providing the Soldiers for the Personnel Detachment Security (PSD) Team. The Sergeant of the Guard (SOG) takes care of the Sol-diers who are manning the tow-ers, while also making sure that the Soldiers stay alert and in-formed of any recent events that may have occurred off of the FOB. SGT Gabriel

PFC Hugo Quillas, a Soldier with the

Black Knights pulls tower guard sev-

eral times a week.

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 0

learned how to say “good morning” in English is priceless. Activities like sitting down with the locals and eating their tasty breads has taught us to understand their customs and family values. We have created a bond with the locals by working alongside them and understanding that we must protect each other. Another aspect of my job that I have enjoyed while being deployed is Tower Guard. While on Tower guard you are the eyes of the FOB, and you must be ready to apply everything you are trained to do. While I’m on guard I make sure that my battle buddy and I become one. Communication is the most impor-tant factor because there isn’t time for mistakes. Tower guard gives me the chance to receive cross

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—As a Soldier in Alpha Company, 204

th

BSB I can say I am proud to serve and defend our nation. Every day we focus on completing our mis-sion which is vital to both nations’ well-being. I have had the chance to work on “Operation Clean Sweep”, the entry control point, tower guard, and even with local nationals. While each new job is a learning experience, working with the local nationals as a cohesive team has been an honor. Despite our differences, both parties are learning from one another, such as understanding each other’s cus-toms, overcoming language barri-ers, and learning their belief sys-tem. The feeling of seeing a local national smiling because he

training on base defense and learn different skills outside of my normal Military Occupational Specialty. This deployment has given me

time to learn new skills and make con-

nections with fellow Soldiers in Alpha

Company which raises the morale of

all of us. We work hard and lift each

other up at the same time. Alpha

Company is a family and I wouldn’t

have it any

other way.

An Essay on Fortitude from the Charlie Cobras By CPT Marshall Glenister, Brigade Nurse, Charlie Company, 204th BSB, 2BCT, 4ID

SPC Gavim Grach is a 92F, Petroleum Sup-ply Specialist w i t h A l ph a C o m p a n y , 204th BSB, 2BCT, 4ID.

group finishes offering up their daily

sacrifice of sweat and tears to Sean

T (The instructor on the work out

video Insanity), SPC Daniel Hill

says with a hint of energy in his

voice, “It’s time for the night club

run.” In symphony, the group lets

out a loud and resounding groan of

displeasure. “C’mon Hill, let’s skip

today,” states CPT Marshall Glenis-

ter. Hill retorts with a grim tone, “Oh

my goodness, I think CPT Glenister

has caught it.” “The diagnosis is

clear,” states LT Laurie Freeman.

Tiny Heart Syndrome, more com-

monly known as THS. THS, an in-

sidious disease process, can affect

even the most Spartan of beings.

The signs and symptoms include:

lack of courage or conviction, faint

heartedness, laziness, lethargy,

feigning sickness or injury and gen-

eral wanton behavior. The slightest

mention of THS revs the group into

a new gear, and off they go into the

twilight of yet another 2 mile jaunt

around the FOB. “Working out with

a group makes you accountable to

a cause larger than yourself,” states

PFC Robert Llamas, a regular

member of The Night Club. “You

don’t want to let down the team, and

in the end you feel good about what

you’ve accomplished,” he says with

a smile, knowing he did his best and

forgot the rest.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—As the great philosopher Tony Horton once said, “Do your best and forget the rest.” That is the physical train-ing (PT) mantra the Cobra team has lived by since arriving at Camp Nathan Smith. Along with the quo-tidian morning company PT regi-men, a vast majority of the Cobra Soldiers have started their own personal fitness routines including: extensive running, weight lifting, swimming and plyometrics. Al-though important, the benefits of physical exertion span far beyond a firm abdomen and well-developed glutes. “It helps main-tain my sanity,” states SGT Perez, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily just after completing a workout i ron ica l l y en t i t led “Insanity”.

But it doesn’t stop there. Man

is a social creature and when it

comes to physical training, there is

no exception to the rule. As the

By SPC Gavim Grach, Alpha Company Petroleum Supply Specialist, Convoy Escort Team and Trans Pla-

My Point of View—From an Assassin

P A G E 4

R O U G H R I D E R C O N N E C T I O N

Fond Farewells

Rough Rider Deployment Hails and Farewells

Warm Welcomes

This month the Rough Riders bid a fond farewell to a number of leaders that have made their impact on the battalion and will move on. Clockwise from the bottom left is 1LT Bradlee Spudic who will be moving on to be a platoon leader with Fox Company, 1-67 Armored Regiment. To the right is the newly promoted 1SG Nolan Johnson who will be a first sergeant with Golf Company, 3-16 Field Artillery. Above 1SG Johnson is CPT Jaclyn Adams who will be taking com-mand of Echo Company, 2-8 Infantry. These three leaders will be nearby as they will be a part of forward support companies that work directly with the 204th BSB. To the left of CPT Adams is MAJ Eric Reid who will assist with a team that advises Afghan National Security Forces and will thereafter take a position with the G4 at 4th Infantivi-sion Headquarters. To the left is MAJ Frank Tobin who will be WarHorse 4, the Brigade’s S4 OIC.

The 204th BSB would like to warmly wel-come a few recently arrived leaders to the Rough Rider family. Starting with the pic-ture above on the left, SFC Michael John-son is the new NCOIC in the S1 shop. To the right of him is 1SG Robert Fisher, the current first sergeant of Headquarters and Headquarters Company. Below him is CPT Jeremy Haines—Trailblazer 6, the newly appointed Headquarters and Head-quarters Company Commander. To the right of CPT Haines is MAJ David Guida and LTC Todd Bertulis as he introduces MAJ Guida to the team. Above and to the right is MAJ Matthew Western, Rough Rider 5, the Executive Officer of the battal-ion and below him is CPT Sheila Moffett, the Battle Captain for FOB Walton in the S3 shop. Not pictured but soon to arrive is MAJ Matthew Giertz who will be the S3 OIC. Also not able to make the event are 1LT Laurie Freeman and 1LT James Shearer both Physician’s Assistants with Charlie Company.

Of course the section cannot leave out MAJ Frank Tobin, the out-going SPO, or Legacy Rough Rider 9, who coordinated and ran all operations in SPO since June 2010.

The section welcomes the new SPO, MAJ Dave Guida as he takes on not only a new position, but a team of characters who work hard to provide the best support in Afghanistan.

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1 0

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan—The Support Operations (SPO) section in the 204th Brigade Support Battalion is not only unique because of the Sol-diers that make up the section, but also because of the support they pro-vide. From the top center photo, CW2 Nakita Miner holds a 120 millimeter mortar round, representing his job in the Class V (five) section of SPO where he manages all of the ammuni-tion in the Warhorse Brigade from receipt to distribution to storage. To the right of CW2 Miner is CPT Nathan White diligently working on orders and plans that contribute to the efforts of the SPO section. To the right of CPT White is CW2 Thomas Cook and SGT Demus Rami-rez who provide Class I (one) support for the entire Warhorse Brigade and attached units. Class I is food and water. Below Class I is the Sustainment Automation System Management Of-fice (SASMO) with SSG Oscar Nunez (far left) the NCOIC and SPC Kyle Alley (right) and PFC Luis Marrero-Lopez (center) are the Soldiers that run the shop where they provide sup-port to the Brigade on automation sys-

tems that track and maintain logistical information. Below and to the left of SASMO is CW4 Artis Ponds who conducts SPO duties at Kandahar Airfield where his focus is locating and organizing the delivery of equipment and supplies to 204th in support of the Brigade. To the lower right of CW4 Ponds is CW2 Humberto Vasquez who is the Support Maintenance Technician who provides support and technical assis-tance of all types of equipment to units in the Warhorse Brigade. To the left of CW2 Vasquez is the Transportation section which consists of CPT Jaclyn Adams (seated), SSG Ryan Penaflor (center) and SPC Al-bert Patterson (left). This team organ-izes and oversees the transportation of all equipment and supplies across the battlefield to and from units of Combined Task Force Warhorse. To the left of SPO Trans is SGT Neal Palos who coordinates the distri-bution of Class III (three) which is bulk fuel to units of the Brigade. Left of SGT Palos is SGT Robia Pettigrew the Brigade’s Mortuary Af-fairs NCOIC. In an unfortunate event, SGT Pettigrew ensures our Fallen Heroes are quickly returned to their

loved ones. Above SGT Pettigrew is the Gen-eral Services Operations (GSO) Sec-tion which consists of SSG Misha Wil-liamson, the NCOIC and 1LT Nicholas Greco, the OIC. The GSO oversees the distribution and status of many things from construction materials to fuel to mail. To the upper right of GSO is the Class VIII (8) medical logistics section which consists of 1LT Betsy Arndt and SSG Alejandro Guerra. This section oversees the movement of the Bri-gade’s medical assets.