1-22 Update 01-06 Page 3

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Unit Updates
2006

D Company, E Company

January 15, 2006

D COMPANY – DEATH DEALER

The deployment has gone well for the Death Dealers. We have completed the Reception, Staging,
and Onward Movement portions of RSOI and are currently integrating with 2^nd Brigade, 101^st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
The company has moved from Fort Hood, Texas to Kuwait, and then north into Iraq without any injuries.
That makes this operation a resounding success to this point.

The majority of the company arrived at Camp Buehring, Kuwait while I was in Taji, Iraq,
attending a Counter-Insurgency Course to better prepare the unit for our mission. As Soldiers arrived,
they immediately fired their weapons and conducted country inbriefs and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) classes.
The squads and platoons immediately began small unit level training while waiting for their equipment
to be unloaded from the ships and transported to Camp Buehring.

Once the equipment arrived, we began the process of returning it to operational state since the long trip had taken its toll
on the maintenance status. This included all of the Soldiers working on their tanks in the cold rain on Christmas Day.

The company also fired all of our tanks and machine guns, trained on rapid, urban firing techniques at the range,
and conducted training on the Engagement Skills 2000 which prepared them for dismounted squad operations.

Once we were complete with all of our training and maintenance of our vehicles, weapons, communications,
and digital systems, we were ready to conduct our movement north to Forward Operating Base (FOB) FALCON.
The company moved to FALCON in many different ways. Most of the company flew on multiple types of aircraft
to arrive at our new FOB, while others had to escort and ride in armored semi trucks along the long route into our area.

Once we arrived, we continued the process of preparing our vehicles for operation and acquired more equipment
to help us complete our mission. The company now has the ability to use both tanks and armored HMMWVs in our sector,
which will be very essential. The company is also completing some integration training with our new Brigade—
called the Strike Academy—to familiarize ourselves with the area and learn the important techniques that are working here.

I would like to welcome both old and new members to our family.
The Delta CRT (our mechanics), Medics, and Fire Support Team are attached to us for the coming year.
We also have 3^rd Platoon of Bravo Company, mortars, and a sniper team attached to us for the time being.
Every one of them is a Dealer in my eyes. Unfortunately, our 3^rd Platoon will be away from us
and detached to B Company for the time being. We don’t know how long it will be, but they are still Dealers.
We will keep all of you family members updated through both companies as to how they are doing.

Motivation is high among the Soldiers in the company and they are prepared to complete whatever mission we will be given.
Your loved ones miss you and I am sure they are taking the opportunities to keep in touch.
I will keep everyone informed as we transition into operations in our area in the next month.

—Captain Jared Rudacille (“Dealer 6”)

**********************

E COMPANY – KILLER

I would like to start off by thanking all of the families and friends of the Soldiers of Echo Company.
I, along with all the Soldiers in this company, appreciate your love and support that you provide for us
while we are deployed far from home. It is almost hard to believe that it has been over a month since we landed in Kuwait
and started preparing for our mission up north.

The Soldiers have accomplished a lot in a relatively short period of time.
In less than nine days, the Soldiers accomplished the following:

Received and accounted for all of their equipment arriving from the port
Conducted maintenance on all of their vehicles and had all vehicles fully operational prior to loading their vehicles
for the move north to Iraq
Checked and repaired all communication systems in the company
Trained with and fired all of the weapon systems in the company
Participated in driver’s training for Up-armored Vehicles
Completed first aid training
Participated in three days of convoy live fire training and two days of route reconnaissance training

Our company then completed the move north and has been temporarily located at FOB FALCON.
This upcoming month will continue to be full of many challenges as we prepare for our move to FOB STRIKER
and begin our missions here in Iraq.

I am proud of the hard work that all of the Soldiers have already put forth in deploying the company to Iraq
without any accidents or injuries. I pray that our Soldiers will continue to remain focused on the mission at hand
and that all of our Soldiers come home safely.

On behalf of the Soldiers in our company, I wish you all a Happy New Year.

—Captain Patsky Gomez (“Killer 6”)

**********************

A Bradley of E Company with reactive armor

KILLER RECEIVES REACTIVE ARMOR

E Company was the first in the battalion to install additional protection on their Bradley Fighting Vehicles this week.
The crews worked hard, assembled the necessary components, and emplaced “reactive armor” blocks
around the hull and turret of each vehicle. The blocks are designed to prematurely detonate any projectile fired at the vehicle
and are proven in combat as additional protection for the men inside.

Reactive armor blocks in place on A Bradley of Echo Co.

**********************

BACK