Insid

e COMMENTARY . . . . 2SATELLITE . . . . . 3ST. BARBARA . . . . . . 4SEABEES . . . . . 5DAYTON REVIEW . . 6-7HANUKKAH . . . . . . 8STEEL . . 10-11

Talonthe

Serving the soldiers of Task Force EagleOperation Joint Endeavor, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Volume 2, No 48 Friday, December 13, 1996

See NCO, page 12

Sgt. Janet S. Peters

Neither snow nor rain nor dark of night keeps Staff Sgt. Samuel T. Ngaropofrom patrolling the Eagle Base internal perimeter with his scouts.

EAGLE BASE — Thanks to CrocodileDundee the United States Army has an-other top-notch noncommissioned officerin its ranks.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand, StaffSgt. Samuel T. Ngaropo of 4th Battalion,3rd Air Defense Artillery, spent his child-hood on a dairy ranch doing chores andplaying rugby with his friends and broth-ers. Graduating high school at 15, theyoung athlete from “down under” got thechance to go to America.

“I came to the states on a school rugbyteam when I was 16,” Ngaropo said.“When I got to California, the CrocodileDundee movie had just come out and peo-ple were fascinated with my accent. I de-cided to stay.”

Ngaropo began working for an irriga-tion company and eight months later methis wife Clarita. In 1990 the 19-year-oldNgaropo joined the U.S. Navy to see theworld. He spent the next three years inPanama, the Persian Gulf and Somaliaas an avionics technician.

“I decided that I had seen enough ofthe world and not enough of my family, soI decided to apply to the California High-way Patrol,” Ngaropo said. “I was accept-ed, but the academy date was 11 months

By Sgt. JANET S. PETERS350th MPAD

“Dawg Thunder” keeps factions at bay

CAMP DOBOL — With a fresh blan-ket of snow covering the ground, mem-bers of Team Delta, Task Force 1-26did what they do best — drive tanks.

Four M1A1 Abrams Main BattleTanks, led by 1st Lt. Carlos A. Rivera,rolled down the road, squeezing by on-coming cars and buses.

By Spc. J. CRAIG PICKETT350th MPAD

The roads were slick, and at times,it was slow going, but once the crewsbecame familiar with the conditions,it was smooth sailing.

Delta Team soldiers said the “DawgThunder” run shows people that, nomatter the weather conditions, Amer-ican soldiers are ready to roll.

“Going out on tanks is the best

See DAWGS, page 12

High speedNCO creditsearly mentor

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996

THE TALON is produced in the interest of the servicemembers of TaskForce Eagle, headquartered at Eagle Base. THE TALON is an Army-fundednewspaper authorized for members of the U.S. Army overseas, under theprovision of AR 360-81. Contents of THE TALON are not necessarily theofficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or Task Force Eagle. THE TALON is published weeklyby the 1st Infantry Division (Task Force Eagle) Public Affairs Office, Eagle Base,Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina APO AE 09789, Telephone MSE 551-5230. E-mail:condert@pop-email.5sigcmd.army.mil. Printed by Print Com Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Circulation: 4,500.

The Talon

Page 2

1st Infantry Division Commander . . . Maj. Gen. Montgomery C. MeigsEditor in Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. William L. DuPont100th MPAD Commander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maj. Victoria D. WoodOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capt. Terry L. ConderNCOIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff Sgt. Patrick SummersEditor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Daniel M. PaschallDesign Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sgt. 1st Class Stephen M. LumFeatures Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spc. Aaron Reed1st Infantry Division PA NCOIC . . . . . . . . . Sgt. Gregory W. BinfordTranslator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arijana Sabanovic

CommandSgt. Maj.

James W. Laws1st Infantry

Division

Teamwork, cooperation, and re-spect should be the cornerstones ofour military mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Recently, I have been made awarethat some soldiers have been criticiz-ing the jobs of others as not being asessential to the mission as their own.

I can most assuredly tell you thatis not the case. I have been in thisArmy an awful long time and my ex-periences have demonstrated to methat every soldier is important.

The organization of the militaryis predicated upon each individualbringing his unique talents and skillsto make us strong as a whole.

Yet on that same token, the Armygoes to great lengths to ensure thatwe are all trained to the same stan-dards. No matter what the militaryoccupational specialty, each soldiermust meet height and weight re-quirements, pass physical fitnesstests and succeed at weapons quali-fication.

These are no small accomplish-ments. Often times, we might take

LAYING DOWN THE LAWS

SAFETY

“We have invested a lot in thepeace process in Bosnia. To walkaway from that would be stupid.”

— Carl Bildt,top international civilian envoy

overseeing implementation of thepeace agreement in Bosnia

“Partner nations have prov-en themselves in Bosnia,and NATO should welcometheir help in future opera-tions.”

— William Perry,Secretary of Defense

Wha

t th

ey�re

say

ing

“There are times when onlyAmerica can make the dif-ference between war andpeace, between freedomand repression, betweenhope and fear.”

— President Bill Clinton

“If somebody were to try tolaunch a military offensive,we would know about itway ahead of time.”

— Brett Boudreau,IFOR spokesman

such standardsfor granted, butlook aroundyou. You arepart of an elitegroup of indi-viduals who allpossess theskills andknowledge thatqualifies you asa United Statessoldier.

We are thestrongest, most successful military inthe world. Such a distinction hascome about by design, not accident.We are powerful because we workhard and respect each other. We don’ttear each other down. We bring eachother up.

Like a continuous circle, we mustcontinually rely on each other to getthe mission done. If that circle is bro-ken, we all lose. It all boils down toteamwork, cooperation, and respect.For when you respect your fellow sol-dier, you respect yourself.

“Sooner or later, the parties in Bos-nia are going to have to make theirown way.”

— Samuel Berger,Clinton’s national security advisor

“If we are to master events ratherthan be mastered by them, we mustbe forward-looking in our thinkingand flexible in our tactics.”

— Madeleine Albright,nominee for U.S. Secretary of State

By Robert MenteTFE Safety Office

Vehicle accidents are a major haz-ard in the IFOR’s area of operations.From Nov. 20 to Dec. 5 IFOR record-ed over 72 incidents. Major factorsinclude unfamiliarity with civiliantraffic behavior, road conditions, in-dividual carelessness, and weather.

Leaders need to know USAREURPamphlet 385-15, Safety - LeadersForce Protection Guide.

Tactical vehicle drivers musthave a valid and current 346.

Drivers must be trained to drivein adverse weather, including ice,snow, fog and rain.

Convoy drivers must get 8 hoursof rest for every 10 hours they drivea tactical vehicle within a 24 hourperiod. Leaders need to develop a

warfighter management plan.Convoy commanders must brief

all drivers, assistant drivers, and se-nior occupants on hazardous areasand conditions.

TCs must understand their role.They are not there to nap.

All drivers should have a stripmap. Vehicles must be properly dis-patched. Check form 5988E. Driversshould know traffic control signs andknow their meanings.

Every vehicle should have basicissue items, to include pioneer tools,highway warning devices and fireextinguishers.• Clean all drive lights, turn signals,windshields between PMCS checks.• Use service lights at all times.• Secure baggage.• Use ground guides.• Wear seatbelts!

The TalonFriday, December 13, 1996 Page 3

News briefs

Weekly weather forecast HIGH/LOW CHANCE RAINToday 28/41 HighSat 30/42 HighSun 29/40 HighMon 28/42 ModerateTue 29/41 ModerateWed 29/43 ModerateThur 27/41 ModerateProvided Nov. 20 by Internet Access Weather

MARS patches home

SLAVONSKI BROD, Croatia — Communi-cating while on a road trip or convoy, goesbeyond the technology of cellular phones. Asunits process through the Camp WolverineRedeployment Staging Base, they are pick-ing up the Euro-tracking system (Euro-tracs).This system enables them to stay in con-stant communication with division rear asthey move out of the area of operations en-route to the Intermediate Staging Base inTaszar, Hungary.

The system, which consists of a receiver/transmitter set on a magnetic base, ismounted on top of the selected vehicle whilethe computer keyboard is set up inside nearthe assigned operator. Personnel assignedto operate the system are given instructionson how to use the system and where to turnthe system in at the ISB. The Euro-trackingsystems will be transported back to the RSB,and used again by the next units moving out.

Although the Navy has been using thesystem, also known as the Defense Trans-portation Tracking System for some time, itis now being implemented by Task ForceEagle to track units as they leave the areaof operations.

“The operations section at division rearis able to track convoys by pulling up routemaps on the computer,” said Sgt. Peggy J.Anderson, 15th Movement Control, 27thTransportation Battalion, III Corps SupportCommand, noncommissioned officer incharge of Euro-tracking, “If the unit convoyruns into a problem we’ll know about it al-most immediately,” Anderson , a residentof Avoca, Neb., said.

“An advantage to this system is that, notonly do we get information quickly, we also

know exactly where the convoys are locat-ed,” Anderson said.

Spc. Steve P. Seegers, a cavalry scoutassigned to operations at division rear istasked with relaying communications to thepersonnel in the convoys using Euro-tracs.

“As soon as the convoy moves out on theroad they let me know and I log the time, andfollow them on the computer,” Seegers said.

The convoys have pre-designated routesthey travel. “I basically just watch over themlike big brother does,” said Seegers, a mem-ber of the 280th Support Command.

Some of the data he acquires from theconvoys includes road construction, and traf-fic information that can be passed on to thenext convoy. An FM radio can be used to re-lay this information as well, although insome situations the terrain becomes a fac-tor. “In this area of operation there are a lotof hills, valleys and some mountains whichdisturb the signal,” Seegers said. “Over sat-ellite, it’s not disturbed.”

In many cases the units are large withmany vehicles and have to convoy in smallersegments, or “serials” as they’re referred toby movement control. A commander mustget all of his unit to its final destination andhaving the serial spread out along a routepresents a challenge that Euro-tracs is prov-ing able to overcome.

One of the officers redeploying sent thefollowing message to Seegers in reference toEuro-tracs. “The system is outstanding,”said Capt. John E. Burgess, commander,Headquarters Support Company, 94th En-gineer Battalion (Combat), 130th EngineerBrigade, V Corps. “I would not be able tocommunicate with my other two convoy ele-ments without it, given the distance. Satel-lite is the wave of the future,” said Burgess,of Powhatan Point, Ohio.

By Staff Sgt. ANNA M. PRUSAITIS100th MPAD

Satellite keeps convoys on track

Staff Sgt. Anna M. Prusaitis

Pfc. Shawn A. M. Hayden, a fuel and electrical systems repairer with CompanyB, 123rd Main Support Battalion, installs a Euro-tracs into a vehicle.

Free MARS radio “patches” backto your home are being offered tothe troops this holiday season start-ing Dec. 19, 1996 and lasting untilJan. 4, 1997. MARS, the U.S. ArmyMilitary Affiliate Radio System, is aDOD sponsored program managedand operated separately by theArmy, Navy and Air Force. It is madeup of volunteer licensed amateurradio operators interested in mili-tary communications on a local,national, and international basis asan adjunct to normal communica-tions. The Heidelberg CommunityMARS Station and Amateur RadioClub is providing this service. Call373-9082 or 06221-179082 betweenthe hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to takeadvantage of this offer.

Operation M.A.L.E.

Operation Make a Life Enrichedwill try to do what they can to helpsoldiers’ stay in Bosnia-Herzegov-ina. OM is a support organizationwhich wants to ensure that soldierswho want mail, receive mail.

The point of contact for OM is PatDwigans.

The following information is need-ed to get your mail started:

- Rank, name, address in Bosnia-Herzegovina

- Hometown- Birth date- Marital status- Religion and race, if you wish (not

necessary)- Something about you, family,

hobbies, etc..- E-mail address (if you have one)This information should be sent to:Patricia “Pat” Dwigans5088 Old Smith Valley RoadGreenwood, IN 46143h t tp : / / pages .p rod igy.com/

ompage/home.htmE-mail: XZLU15A@prodigy.com

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996Page 4

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 7th FieldArtillery Regiment celebrated SaintBarbara’s Day recently.

The dining-in honored the patron saintof Artillery and four Redlegs were award-ed the prestigious Order of St. Barbara.

According to legend, St. Barbara livedaround 300 AD and was the daughter ofDioscorus, a wealthy pagan who lived nearNicomedia in Asia Minor.

A very jealous man, Dioscorus lockedhis daughter in a tower, fearing her handwould be demanded in marriage becauseof her exquisite beauty.

Shortly before leaving on a journey, Dios-corus commissioned a bathhouse to bebuilt for his daughter, approving the de-sign before he departed. Meanwhile, Bar-bara was listening to stories about theChristian faith.

Looking out over the countryside fromher tower windows, Barbara decided toshun her parents idols of wood and stone,and accept Christianity.

In her father’s absence, Barbara hadher bathhouse redesigned, adding a thirdwindow to symbolize the Holy Trinity.

When Dios-corus re-turned, heasked Bar-bara why therewere three

windows instead of two. When Barbaraprofessed her new-found faith in Christ,Dioscorus became very angry and or-dered her to renounce Christianity.

When she refused, he dragged her tothe Roman magistrate, who mercilesslytortured her. Barbara still refused to re-nounce her faith, and she was sen-tenced to die. Frustrated by her resolve,Dioscorus volunteered to carry out thesentence himself. He beheaded her.

After killing Barbara, Dioscorus wason his way home when an unexpectedstorm approached. Lightening struckDioscorus, con-suming his body.

The legend ofthe lightning boltcaused St. Bar-bara to be regard-ed as the patronsaint in time ofdanger fromthunderstorms,fires and suddendeath.

When gun-powder was firstintroduced to the Western world, artil-lery pieces often blew up. Saint Barbarawas invoked to guard artillerymen fromexplosions, becoming the patroness of

artillery.Throughout American histo-

By Cpl. LEN BUTLER100th MPAD

Cpl. Len Butler

An M-109 155mm Howitzer from 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery stands at the ready during a recent weaponsinspection near Han-Pijesak. The Order of St. Barbara recognizes excellence in the branch.

ry, St. Barbara’s Day has been celebrat-ed with a feast and the award of the Or-der of St. Barbara to soldiers exhibitingexcellence in field artillery.

The day is a way of establishing a broth-erhood of artillerymen, past and present.The award is a reflection of selfless ser-vice, commitment and sacrifice.

Receiving the award at the 1/7 FA cere-mony were Staff Sgt. Carroll W. Arnette,34, of Lakeview, S.C.; Capt. Robert W.Rooker, 30, of Starkville, Miss.; 1st Sgt.Frederick J. Tobey, 41, of Murray, Ky. andCapt. Tim J. Daugherty, 31, of Anniston Ala.

Presenting theaward were Brig.Gen. Reginal G.Clemmons, assis-tant division com-mander, maneuver,Col. Robert L. Smith,commander of 1stInfantry Division Ar-tillery and Lt. Col.Ken J. Bergner,commander of 1/7Field Artillery Battal-ion.

“It’s an outstanding award,” Arnettesaid. “I hope this will help me pick up ser-geant first class soon.”

Rooker said the award is what manyartillerymen strive for. “It is a great cap-stone for all field artillerymen,” Rookersaid. “It is most appropriate for me to re-ceive this award here in Bosnia-Herze-govina. That makes it a lot morespecial.”

n STEEL ON TARGET

Saint honored in December ceremonySt. Barbara’s Day tradition alive and well for deployed field artillerymen

“It is most appropriatefor me to receive thisaward here in Bosnia.That makes it a lot morespecial. ”

— Capt. Robert W. Rooker

The TalonFriday, December 13, 1996 Page 5

EAGLE BASE — Beam bybeam, panel by panel, thenewest clamshell shelter atTuzla Air Base is painstak-ingly built by the land-boundsailors of Company D, 40thNaval Mobile ConstructionBattalion.

Unfortunately, most oftheir days are dominated byfog, drizzle, and a chillingwind as they build their firstclamshell from scratch.

This project will be theirlast before they return to theiroriginal deployment site atRota, Spain.

“It’s nice to build somethinginstead of always tearingthings down,” said Petty Offic-er 3rd Class Steve R. Widger,22, of Portland, Maine.

“This puts us in a differentmind set; now we can be con-structive instead of destruc-tive.”

Clamshell shelters, oftenused for aircraft protectionand maintenance sites, arerelatively new. They have onlybeen used since OperationsDESERT SHIELD andDESERT STORM.

Petty Officer 3rd ClassChristopher L. Kidwell, 25, anelectrician, believes this expe-rience is beneficial, despitethe cold daily working condi-tions.

“None of us Seabees haveever been around these clam-

By Staff Sgt. BRENDA BENNER100th MPAD

shells before,” said Kid-well, of Las Vegas, Nev. “It’stedious work, but as long aswe know where all the piec-es go, then it’s not too bad.We have to take our timeand be very careful whenwe’re raising it up. Every-one has to have their tim-ing together because if aboard slips, then the wholeset will fall down.”

Many different taskshave won the award formost tedious. Kidwelldreads the installation ofthe doors, while Petty Of-ficer 3rd Class Don L. Car-roll, 25, of Parkersburg, W.Va., nominates the beamstructures themselves asthe most time consuming.

“Each beam has elevenpieces of arches, and eachpiece requires a lot of pinsthat we must pound intothem,” Carroll said.“That’s a lot of pins, sincethere’s seventeen beams tothis shelter.”

These construction ex-pert sailors, well im-mersed into day four of ananticipated five-dayproject, put in long, physi-cally demanding days asthey jackhammer anchorsinto the ground, connecthurricane cables and haulthe 250-300 pound canvaspanels around the mud boggedsides of the shelter.

“It’s a slower process whenwe are cold,” Widger said. “All

Seabees build clam shell on land

Staff Sgt. Brenda Benner

Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher L. Kidwell, an electrician,drives in an anchor for attaching cables.

CAMP DEMI — Elements of 2nd Platoon,Battery C, 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artil-lery were called upon to assist Implemen-tation Forces in a weapons storage andcommunications site inspection recently bytraining their 155mm Howitzers on thesites.

Based at Camp Demi, two guns of 2ndPlatoon rolled onto a hilltop where CampLisa stood only weeks before.

In spite of rain and cold temperatures,the guns were in position hours before theweapons and communications inspectionslocated at Han-Pijesak and Mount Zep tookplace.

First Lt. Stephen M. Smith, a “damn

By Cpl. LEN BUTLER100th MPAD

Aggie” from Beaumont, Texas said the pla-toon sometimes has to be split in order tostay consistent with artillery’s overall mis-sion.

“To maintain effective fire mission capa-bility, we will sometimes have to move outhalf of our platoon and keep our other half atCamp Demi to ensure our other objectivesand responsibilities associated with the 1stInfantry Division,” Smith said.

Staff Sgt. Anthony J. Tablazon, 29, fromOrchard, Wash. said the concept of two guns,instead of the normal battery strength is alsomore practical when speed is key to success.

Smith said that while the weapons in-spection was taking place, constant commu-nication was maintained with 1/26 Infantryas well as the 720th Military Police Battal-ion and 2nd Platoon’s Fire Direction Cen-

ter.“Our FDC needs to know what’s going

on with the site inspections.“We need to monitor the actual inspections

so we can compute data that may be neededto respond to a fire mission,” Smith said.

Information about the inspection wasalso passed on to the gun crews.

Smith said it was important that every-one from the commander to the crewmanwere briefed to the latest news in the eventthat if a situation arose, a response wouldhave been made quickly.

With the morning drawing into the after-noon, weather conditions didn’t get any bet-ter, as rain kept falling, and temperaturesremained cold.

“This is definitely artillery weather,” saidStaff Sgt. Charles R. Bazzy, 37, of Detroit.

Big guns keep watch over site inspections

the guys have been soakingwet and cold at some time oranother. We realize it couldeasily be worse.”

“The cold won’t win,” Car-roll said. “As long as we keepbusy and keep moving, we’llbe all right.”

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996Page 6

The U.S. 1st Armored Divisionarrived here 20,000-strong inlate December last year as part

of NATO’s peace implementationforces. With the help of U.S. Air ForceRed Horse engineers, they quicklyturned a former Yugoslavian air baseinto Task Force Eagle headquarters,bustling with troops, vehicles, equip-ment and supplies. Base campssprouted throughout the American

What a difference a year makessector of northern Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Setting up was the first step. Secondwas implementing the military aspects ofthe Dayton peace agreement. Working withmilitary counterparts from 32 nations, in-cluding Russia, the American troops sep-arated warring factions, divided disputedterritory and sent warring troops andheavy equipment to cantonment areas.

They helped the struggling nation holda national election. NATO’s peace imple-mentation force, known as IFOR, gaveBosnia its first year of peace since civil

war erupted in 1991.

Today, all of the initial 20,000 1st Ar-mored Division soldiers who crossed theflooded Sava River on a pontoon bridgehave rotated back to their base in Germa-ny. IFOR’s job is nearly finished.

On Dec. 20, NATO’s peace implemen-tation force can officially say “missioncomplete.” U.S. Defense Secretary WilliamJ. Perry said IFOR did a spectacular job.“Every military task outlined in the Day-ton peace accords [was done] effectivelyand on schedule,” he said. “You’ve ex-ceeded everyone’s expectations of the ef-fectiveness and efficiency of your mission... What a difference a year makes.”

Dayton paves the road to peaceq Feb. 29, 1992 � Bosnia-Herzegovina declares inde-pendence from Yugoslaviaq April 1992 � Bosnian Serbs lay siege to Sarajevoq May 24, 1995 � 71 people die in a mortar attackon Tuzla, a U.N.-declared safe havenq July 11, 1995 � Bosnian Serb army overruns Sre-brenica, a U.N.-declared safe havenq Aug. 30, 1995 � U.S. leads NATO airstrikesagainst Bosnian Serbsq Nov. 1, 1995 � Dayton peace talks openq Nov. 21, 1995 � Parties sign Dayton PeaceAgreementq Dec. 14, 1995 � Parties sign General Frame-work Agreement for Peace in Parisq Dec. 20, 1995 � United Nations ProtectionForce transfers authority to IFORq Dec. 24, 1995 � 1st U.S. tank crosses theflooded Sava River into Bosnia-Herzegovinaq Jan. 19, 1996 � Parties to the agreementwithdraw from zone of separationq Sept. 14 � OSCE, with IFOR assistance, spon-sors successful nationwide electionsq Nov. 10 � 1st Armored Division transfers au-thority to Big Red One covering force

By LINDA D. KOZARYNArmed Forces Press Service

Gorazde in flames

Bosnian refugees flee fighting near Tuzla

A destroyed building in Mimici U.S. F-16s lead NATO airstrikes

The TalonFriday, December 13, 1996 Page 7

Keeping watch on the zone of separation

First U.S. tank crosses the SavaU.S. soldiers support democratic elections

A Bradley stands guard in rugged Republika Srpska terrain1st Infantry Division crosses the Sava

IFOR has given the children of Bosnia, like Radzica andGeorge, a year without war, and hope for a peaceful future.

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996Page 8

The lighting of the first candle of theMenorah marked the official beginningof the Hanukkah holiday. This obser-

vance officially commences on the 25th dayof the Hebrew month of Kislev. For TaskForce Eagle soldiers and civilians support-ing Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR on Ea-gle Base, the lighting of the first candle ofthe Menorah occurred in a special ceremo-ny at the Post Chapel Dec. 5.

Hanukkah is the eight day Jewish festi-val of lights which recalls one of the first fightsfor religious freedom in history. Although theholiday is most commonly shared with fam-ily members, the ceremony drew an im-promptu “family” together. The family, al-though not related by blood, grew tightly knitthrough their common bond in faith andshared personal experiences from their pre-vious Hanukkah celebrations.

The origin of the holiday dates back to thesecond century BCE (Before Common Era,the time in the Jewish faith before the calen-dar year 0, and all time references after theyear 0 are referred to as during Common Era,or CE). When the Jews rejected King Antio-chus’ claim of being God, the king retaliatedby invading Jerusalem on the day of the Sab-bath. He burned the Books of the Law, dese-crated the altar of the Temple with idol-wor-ship and slaughtered and enslaved manyJews.

The priest Mattathias led a revolt againstAntiochus and the Jewish Hellenists whowere trying to spread Greek culture and reli-gion. Upon his death in 166 BCE, Mattathi-as’ son, Judah the Maccabee, followed himin leading the revolt.

Judah and his forces recaptured Jerusa-lem and purified the Temple and rededicat-ed it to their faith.

The celebration that occurred after thisvictory lasted eight days because the pureoil which was found in the Temple, enough toburn for only one day, miraculously burnedfor eight.

The Menorah is placed in the window ofhomes to advertise the miracle. All familymembers take part in the lighting, accompa-nied by blessings and the singing of Maoztzur (“Rock of Ages”).

The ceremony at the Eagle Base Chapelwas organized by the combined efforts of the1st Infantry Division Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Don-na C. Weddle and Lt. Col. Kenneth J. Tan-nen. Tannen, from San Antonio, Texas is aJewish lay leader at Fort Sam Houston whois currently working for the Center for ArmyLessons Learned. He led the gathering inprayer and stories from his Hanukkah expe-riences. “Hanukkah means dedication. Ac-tually it refers to the rededication of the

By Sgt. GREGORY W. BINFORD1st ID PAO

Temple in Jerusalem. During the obser-vance of the holiday it is customary to eatoily type foods like potato pancakes or do-nuts which have been cooked in oil. Thissymbolizes the miraculous oil in the Tem-ple,” Tannen said.

The ceremony drew a gathering of ninepeople who made plans to return each nightfor the lighting of the additional candles onthe Menorah. Pfc. Aaron B. Grimes, Head-quarters and Headquarters Team, 2nd Bat-talion, 6th Cavalry said, “To me this meansa lot, I haven’t done this in a while and to-night when the Menorah was lit it helpedbring back tradition. I really appreciate thefact that the Army offers programs whichhelp people to identify with their religion.

Another of the members of this family-in-faith, communications officer Michael J.Passar, a DOD civilian said, “I’ve been veryimpressed with the type of people I’ve beenworking with and to have this opportunity toshare a religious holiday here on the baseis really heart felt to me. It really brings

back some memories for me. Even thoughit has been tough with the weather and theenvironment, we are all survivors and we’repitching in and making the best of it. I thinkit is a privilege being here at this time ofyear. This is really a once in a lifetime op-portunity and I’m glad to be a part of themission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.”

Weddle also wanted to extend an invita-tion for others to join in the celebration oftheir faith. “Every Friday at 7 p.m. we have aJewish congregation in the chapel on EagleBase and we also have regularly scheduledservices for the Christian and Muslim reli-gions.

“We encourage as many participants aspossible to attend. Each chapel in Bosniahas a complete schedule posted for all itsservices. For the soldiers at other basecamps, please contact the chaplains who cancertainly inform you of the specific times.During the holiday season it is more impor-tant than ever to maintain our strengththrough faith.”

Post ceremonystarts Hanukkah

Sgt. Gregory W. Binford

Communications officer Michael J. Passar, a DOD civilian, lights candles onthe third night of Hanukkah. He uses a servant candle to light the others.

The TalonFriday, December 13, 1996 Page 9

Access the new Big Red Onewebsite at:

http://www.1id.army.milThe P.O.C. for questions or com-

ments about the page is Chief War-rant Officer Kathleen Grote at G-6AMO. MSE 552-1107.

Big red One websitecollecting hits on net

EAGLE BASE — They werethere with American fightingforces during the WorldWars, Vietnam, and Oper-ation DESERT STORM.

Now they’re here.Over the last century,they’ve worn everythingfrom blue pinstripesand sneakers to fa-tigues and combatboots.

The American RedCross has transformedin ways far more im-portant than changinguniforms.

The mission of theRed Cross has re-mained the same sincethe organization evolved in1881.

One of their purposes is tofurnish volunteer aid to the sick andwounded of the Armed Forces in timeof war.

Robert W. Greenslade Jr., assistantstation manager said their intent forthis operation is to provide 24-houremergency communications betweenservicemembers and their familiesback home.

“Our network is the official link. Wehave chapters all over the world. Wher-ever there are soldiers, you will findthe Red Cross,” said Greenslade, 57,from Pensacola, Fla.

In addition to performing their cus-tomary mission, their services are vast-ly expanding on a daily basis.

“We are leaning toward doing morepersonal things to fill the voids in thelives of soldiers,” Greenslade said.

At Eagle Base, the hub of their op-erations, they have established thetraditional personnel office where theyhandle all of the personal affairs of thetroops.

However, they have added a newupbeat twist to their curriculum.

In Building 16, soldiers can enjoya little extension of home in what hasbecome known as the Canteen.

Once an office, it is now a cozyhangout area where soldiers gather tonibble on snacks and sip hot apple ci-der.

Savoring the taste of refreshments,troops can browse through a selectionof over 750 videos and socialize.

All of these things are appreciated

im-mense-

ly by thesoldiers, but

their true gratitude is revealed when arepresentative offers them care pack-ages sent from people all over the world— proving to them that the service-members of Operation JOINT EN-DEAVOR have not been forgotten.

Through this generous donation of theAmerican people, troops are experienc-ing a little touch of home away fromhome.

“Every day, we receive an overwhelm-ing amount of gifts and cards wishingthe troops happy holidays,” Mrs. RitaA. Bonamego, team leader, said.

“We encourage everyone to stop byand pick something up — after all, thegifts are for them.”

Although the American Red Cross isa civilian organization, its role in today’smilitary is essential.

It is their goal to give American ser-vicemembers and their families peaceof mind.

“Whether the bearer of good news orbad news — I have heard more thanonce, ‘It’s reassuring knowing the RedCross is there with my son and daugh-ter because if something happens, Iknow I can reach them through you,’”said Bonamego, 53, from Vicenza, Ita-ly.

Giving people this peace is wherethe representatives find their fulfill-ment.

“Even though sometimes our job is sadif a soldier can turn to us and find com-fort, it’s well worth it,” Bonamego said.

By Spc. CHERYL A. KRANING100th MPAD

Red Cross changesstripe but not mission

Regardless of your rank or dutyposition, you may be faced with anethical dilemma. Gifts from localnationals, particularly in a countrylike Bosnia-Herzegovina wherethere is a strong tradition of hospi-tality, present special ethical prob-lems.

The standards of ethical conductfor employees require soldiers andDOD civilians to avoid even the ap-pearance of unethical or illegal con-duct. When offered a gift, ask your-self two questions: Would accept-ing the gift cause someone whodidn’t know me to question my in-tegrity? Can I refuse the gift withoutgiving offense?

For example, if a patrol assistsa Bosnian farmer by getting hiscart out of the mud, and he thanksthem by offering the soldiershome-baked goods, the soldiersmay accept. On the other hand, abase camp mayor who is offeredgifts by a contractor seeking ac-cess to the camp for his businessshould refuse. Even though refus-ing the gift might cause offense,giving the appearance the US of-ficials might accept favors fortheir services presents an evengreater risk.

Ethics counselors are availableto advise soldiers about the re-quirements of the Joint Ethics Reg-ulations. When in doubt, ask if youfollow the advice of an ethics coun-selor, you are protected from ad-verse consequences. Remember,an ethical violation may be as haz-ardous to your career as a mine-field could be to you.

Standards of conduct

Viewpoints wantedThe Talon welcomes v iew-

point articles from soldiers in thefield. Please drop off a hard copyat our office on the 2nd floor ofBldg. 17, Eagle Base, or send usyour viewpoint to:

The Talon100th MPAD-JIBAPO AE 09789

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996Page 10

EAGLE BASE — Equipped withlaser range finders, night visiongoggles, and tape measures, aspecialized team of soldiers ex-amines the general layout ofbase camps and the overall ap-proach to day and night opera-tions.

Since their first mission Aug.2, the Force Protection Assess-ment Task Force has evaluated81 major locations from Hunga-ry to Macedonia; including basecamps, observation posts, hillsand many other sites.

The task force formulates as-sessments and provides advice

By Staff Sgt. BRENDA BENNER100th MPAD

to the command and individualunits within the Balkan region.

This multifaceted team con-sists of six members represent-ing specialties such as militarypolice, intelligence, engineersand special forces.

“We have an approach whichbegins from the inside out, andfrom the ground up,” said Staff Sgt.Lance T. Hinds, the Special Forc-es engineer sergeant. Hinds, 36, ofSan Antonio, concentrates on vul-nerabilities regarding mortar fire,artillery, sniping, explosives andterrorist activities.

“We look at the basic layoutof the camps, how they are guard-ed and where assets are posi-tioned within the camp,” Hinds

said. “Riding with the convoysalso allows us to check securitypractices along the movementroutes, on the buses and at theentrance gates.”

Maj. Fausto A. Natal, the taskforce officer in charge, is im-pressed with the precautionarymeasures taken across the the-ater.

“I’ve observed that all thebase camps have a high empha-sis on force protection; from thecommand level to the individualsoldiers,” Natal said. “Everyoneis conscientious, alert and pre-pared for any possible adverse in-cident.”

As the latest member to jointhe task force, Capt. Christella

Staff Sgt. Brenda Benner

Capt. Christella J. Chavez, specializing in military police security matters, measuresstake distances as part of her force protection assessment. Chavez is from the 607thMilitary Police Battalion, Fort Worth, Texas.

Team assesses force protection

McGOVERN BASE – “I hear this is whereyou come to get smart.”

That statement from a soldier in TaskForce 1-18 brought joy to the heart of Sus-an C. Prengel, the guidance counselor atMcGovern Base. She yearns to see soldiersbetter themselves, whether through civil-ian or military education.

Prengel, 56, is a DOD civilian employeefrom Kirch-Goens, Germany, who volun-

By Sgt. TIM PINKHAM350th MPAD

J. Chavez, 29, of Santa Fe, N.M.,utilizes her training as a mili-tary police officer to evaluatephysical security. She deter-mines the effectiveness of entrygate security procedures, looksfor possible avenues of approachinto the perimeter, and reviewscontrols on sensitive items.

U.S. forces have an excellentforce protection record consider-ing the enormous scope of opera-tions and the large number oftroops involved.

With new forces in place, timecontinues to separate years ofwar from today’s fragile peace.

“I’d like to see more leadersspend more time talking to thesoldiers out on the line,” Hindssaid. “The most important ob-servations come from those walk-ing the perimeters and standingat the gates. They see and heareverything. They know what isnormal and what is not. Thesesoldiers have a sixth sense andrecognize when they’re in a vul-nerable situation.”

Any location containing U.S.servicemembers is repeatedlychecked to ensure safety is at amaximum level at all times.

“As long as we have U.S. sol-diers here, there will be periodicreassessments of all areas,”Natal said. “Each division hasit’s own teams. It’s important tohave a fresh set of eyes and earson every evaluation.”

“It’s a necessary redundancy,”Chavez said. Our teams rein-force each other. Different teamshave a different mix of skills andspecialties involved to makesure we cover as much as possi-ble. We look over previous assess-ments and reevaluate camps tosee how suggested improve-ments have helped.”

teered to come to Bosnia for three months.Three colleges offer courses to military

personnel stationed in Bosnia-Herzegovi-na, Prengel said.

The University of Maryland providestwo- and four-year degrees in general stud-ies, with an emphasis on business and aca-demic subjects.

City Colleges of Chicago offers a two-year program entirely on video with a busi-ness concentration.

Central Texas College offers a two-yeartechnical degree, with law enforcement

courses the focus for troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Some professors travel between basecamps to teach different classes. Militarypersonnel with master’s degrees who wishto teach classes can apply to become an in-structor.

Although she’ll be leaving Bosnia-Herze-govina in mid-December, Prengel said sheprobably will return sometime since thepeacekeeping mission has been extendeduntil mid-1998. “I’ve always been im-pressed with the Army,” Prengel said.

Continuing education key to self improvement

The TalonFriday, December 13, 1996 Page 11

GUARDIAN BASE — Roaring like thun-der, 120,000 pounds of steel shakes theearth as it penetrates the perimeters of theAmerican base camps in Bosnia-Herzegov-ina.

Since 1st Infantry Division has takencommand, this is a recurring incident forthe soldiers of Operation JOINT EN-DEAVOR.

Until recently units were burdenedwith having to launch convoys out to acentral supply point to meet their logis-tical demands. However, since the arriv-al of 1st ID troops of Service Battery, 1stBattlion, 7th Field Artillery have re-versed that process and are now rollinginto the camps with their palletized load-ing systems, carrying nearly every classof supply required in this theater.

A PLS is equipped with a crane thatcan pick up approximately 45,000 poundsand as a rough terrain vehicle, it has acentral tire placement system with 10-wheel drive. “There’s no way you can getstuck. It can go just about anywhere,”said Sgt. Robert A. McNeely, ammuni-tion specialist.

The PLS convoys move seven days aweek from Guardian Base, the hub of lo-gistical operations, run by the 299th For-ward Support Battalion.

By Spc. CHERYL A. KRANING100th MPAD

“We transport everything for them. Ifyou want it, we’ve got it,” McNeely said.

Second Lt. Charles A. Gentes, trans-portation platoon leader, said the bat-tery has driven over 60,000 miles in onemonth. “That’s more than we drive dur-ing an entire year back in garrison,” saidGentes, 23, from Wilton, N.H.

One of the most difficult challengesthe drivers face while on the road is toavoid pedestrians. “I don’t think they re-alize how much room the PLS needs.They walk right on the edge of the pave-ment and when we drive by they don’teven move,” said Pfc. Abel C. Melendrez,

a 20-year-old cannon crewman from Sun-ny Side, Wash.

For reasons such as fatigue, blindspots, and congested traffic, an alert as-sistant driver is mandatory and extreme-ly important. “An AD is the driver’s sec-ond pair of eyes. If you don’t have a goodassistant, you’re hanging with Elvis,” saidMcNeely, 28, from Ashburry Park, N.J.

The soldiers of service battery findfulfillment in their mission from know-ing they are providing a service that thesoldiers appreciate and depend on. “Webring them all of their food, fuel and wa-ter. We’re their life line,” McNeely said.

Spc. Cheryl A. Kraning

Pfc. Abel C. Melendrez, a cannon crew member of Service Battery, 1stBattalion, 7th Field Artillery, prepares his log book before his convoy departs.

Steel assistssupply train

Soldiers learn first hand why we’re here

“Why are we here?” Manysoldiers in Bosnia-Herzegovi-na struggle with that question,but not two members of the Tu-zla Main aid station.

2nd Lt. Sean M. Hermick,35, and Pfc. Shawna E. Eshen-baugh, 19, each found their an-swer as they traveled into Tuz-la to give a first aid class at theUnited Nations High Commis-sion for Refugees. At EagleBase their mission is to takecare of soldiers and IFOR per-sonnel with everything fromapplying a bandage to puttingin a chest tube. Hermick andEshenbaugh got their chance toget out of the office and sharetheir knowledge with the Bos-nian people, Dec. 2

By Sgt. JANET S. PETERS350th MPAD

The class was requested byrepresentatives from non-gov-ernmental and private, volun-teer organizations that meetevery week at the UNHCR foran IFOR security brief given byMaj. Dave W. Schimsa of the360th Civil Affairs Brigade. Asoperations officer for the CivilMilitary Cooperation Centerat Eagle Base, Schimsa up-dates the NGO’s and PVO’s onsecurity, road and bridge con-ditions and mine strikes.

“The security briefs are verywell received and attended,”Schimsa said. “I usually readthem the commander’s weeklymessages and press releasesfrom Task Force Eagle. Be-cause of a recent rise in vehicleand mine accidents, they re-quested a class on first aid pro-cedures.”

Hermick, a physician’s assis-tant with 1st Battalion, 7thField Artillery, and Eshenbaugh,a medic with 4th Battalion, 3rdAir Defense Artillery, volun-teered for this job.

“This was nice for us,” Her-mick said. “We’ve been at TuzlaMain for five weeks and this wasour first chance to get out and dosomething meaningful to helpthe Bosnian people. They seemto trust us, but we can’t treatthem unless there is a threat tolife, limb or eyesight. That is frus-trating for us, so this was ourchance to take care of the Bos-nian people indirectly.”

Hermick and Eshenbaughtaught basic life support tech-niques patterned after the RedCross and American Heart As-sociation.

“We weren’t certifying any-

one, but hopefully gave themthe basic medical skills theywould need to sustain a lifeuntil medical help can arrive,”Hermick said.

Eshenbaugh demonstrat-ed CPR and rescue breath-ing with Inge Laernoes ofRed Barnet Danmark — the“Save the Children” of Den-mark.

Since many of the interna-tional and local staff at UN-HCR lack formal training,Schimsa feels that the class-es are not only helpful but costeffective.

“These kinds of classeswill not only save lives butsave IFOR resources,” hesaid. “It’s better to teachabout a mine than have tosend a medevac helicopterout.”

The Talon Friday, December 13, 1996Page 12

NCO from page 1

later. One day I was popping pastthe Army recruiting office andthey pulled me in. They told methey had the same radar job thatI had in the Navy.”

So, in 1994 Ngaropo went toArmy basic training at Fort Sill,Okla., where he was an honorgraduate. From there he went toFort Bliss, Texas to train as anearly warning systems operator.In October that same year he wasassigned to his current unit andmoved his wife and three youngdaughters to Kitzingen, Germa-ny.

It was during his first combatmaneuver training rotation atHohenfels that Ngaropo receivedhis first Army award — a certif-icate of achievement. This was

followed by Soldier of the Monthfor Headquarters and Head-quarters Battery, 4th- Battal-ion, 3rd Air Defense Artillery,Air Defense Association Soldierof the Year for 1995, NCO of theQuarter for the first quarter of1996, and a promotion to ser-geant.

In May of this year Ngaropowent to the staff sergeant pro-motion board with a Departmentof the Army promotion systemmaximum of 800 points. He waspromoted to staff sergeant in Oc-tober and selected as NCO of theYear for 4-3 ADA. Soon after,the 26-year-old soldier was in-ducted into the elite Sgt. Mo-rales Club. Ngaropo credits hissuccess to the superb exampleshown him by a fellow NCO.

“When I first got in the Army,

I didn’t know what to expect,”Ngaropo said. “1st Sgt. Bobby J.Brown was a total professionaland I tried to emulate him. Helaid a foundation for me and apath for me to follow. He’s theone who pointed me in the direc-tion of the Sgt. Morales Club.”

Members of the elite clubstrive to take care of their sol-diers and lead them in the rightdirection. Here in Bosnia-Herze-govina as part of the “ForceHawkeye Scout Platoon,” Nga-ropo does internal and externalpatrols on the perimeter of Ea-gle Base. During the 12-hourshifts he provides opportunitytraining for his soldiers.

After Ngaropo was present-ed with his NCO of the yearaward by Lt. Col. Roger F.Mathews, several of his soldiers

also received recognition.“It’s more important for me

as a member of the NCO corps,to see three soldiers that I men-tored receive recognition for theiraccomplishments on the sameday I did,” Ngaropo said. “It’smore rewarding than any med-al.”

His first sergeant believesNgaropo has shown all the qual-ities of a Sgt. Morales.

“I can’t say enough about theexample Staff Sgt. Ngaropo is forsoldiers,” Brown said. “Heearned promotions, a bachelor’sdegree, and all those awardswhile taking care of his soldiers.

“As a Sgt. Morales club mem-ber myself, I know that he [Nga-ropo] is what the program is allabout. He is everything the Armylooks for in an NCO.”

part,” said Pfc. Jason K. Moore, 19, fromCullman, Ala.

“We’re showing them we mean business;we’re not here to mess around.”

Even when they’re not rolling downBosnia-Herzegovina’s roads in their pow-erful M1 tanks, the soldiers don’t havemuch time to mess around.

Rivera, 30, from Dublin, Calif., said thesoldiers are kept busy with a variety ofmissions — at least a few of which aremore traditionally associated with othercombat specialties. Although they aretankers, the soldiers have conductedwheeled vehicle patrols, checkpoints andweapon storage site inspections.

“We have adapted well to these addi-tional duties. It takes flexibility and team-work,” Rivera said. “It helps the soldiersrealize what the other soldiers go through.”

Spc. Jeff B. Andress, 22, said, “I enjoythe route recons. It gives me a chance to seeblown up buildings.”

The Fort Wayne, Ind., native normallyhas only a narrow view of the road whendriving his 72 ton M1.

Andress said he likes to keep busy, andbetween the various missions and guardduty, that has not been a problem for himor the other soldiers of 1st Platoon.

“We hit the ground running severalweeks ago and have not stopped,” he said.

“There’s a million places I’d rather be,but I know a million people who want mehere,” Rivera said.

The 1st Platoon troopers are carrying outtheir mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, en-suring the Dayton Peace Agreement is fol-lowed by all parties.

In the process, they’re also giving hopeto people who have seen much of their coun-try destroyed by four years of war. Some-times it’s as simple as making a show offorce in four tanks.

DAWGS from page 1

Spc. J. Craig Pickett

An M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank rolls down the road with three other tanksgiving Team Delta, Task Force 1-26, a chance to drive their vehicles and providea show of force.