1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Update 3-15-06 Page 1

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Unit Updates
2006

1-22 BN CO, CSM, HHC, Chaplain

March 15, 2006

FROM THE COMMANDER

Hello once again from FOB FALCON in southern Baghdad!
Time continues to race by and we are already at the end of our third month.
The task force is doing incredibly well and I am very proud of our Soldiers for all that they have accomplished.
I wish that I could tell you all of the successes we have had in our area in the past month –
but they will have to wait for the history books.

This past month, we have engaged and killed terrorists with direct fire, detained insurgents, found caches,
discovered and disarmed IEDs, dropped bombs from air force aircraft, fired counterfire with our mortars…
and the list goes on. Our Soldiers have earned their Combat Infantryman’s Badges, Combat Action Badges,
Combat Medical Badges, and, unfortunately, some Purple Hearts as well.

While the combat operations are important, we are also helping rebuild the infrastructure of our area
through funded projects that are identified and initiated by our Soldiers. For example, we are helping repair roads,
renovate schools and provide them with supplies, clean canals, establish wells for fresh drinking water,
repair electrical lines, and provide supplies to medical clinics. Suffice it to say that the insurgent population is in rapid decline
due to our combat operations while we continue to gain greater and greater support from the Iraqi people.

Although sectarian violence has spread throughout most of Iraq and the national media sometimes talks
of an imminent civil war, our area of operations has remained relatively quiet
and our have forces have ensured that security prevailed. Together with the Iraqi Security Forces,
we have kept the ethnic tensions down through focused combat operations,
surging our combat power to potentially volatile areas, engaging local leaders
and reiterating our expectations of their support, and showing the people of Iraq that a better way of life exists.
We have seen great improvements in the past month and are encouraged by the many signs of progress.

As mentioned above, we have spent a great deal of time this past month finding the leaders in each community
and meeting the tribal leaders – the sheiks. Although official government structures exist,
the continuing thread of the Iraqi culture is the tribal system and, at least for now,
the tribal leaders exert more influence on the population than the democratically elected government.
As a result, we are engaging both the formal government and tribal leaderships
to gain their cooperation in bringing stability and security to the area.

Our Iraqi Army partners continue to share the hardships and risks associated with counterinsurgency warfare
and their commitment to Iraq is encouraging. We do not execute any mission without them
and their integration is critical to the long-term goals of this region. They improve each day
and will soon be able to conduct independent operations as part of our overall plan for the area.

Unfortunately, D/2-502 IN was detached from us this month and sent back to serve with their parent headquarters
for a specific mission. I have personally missed DAWG Company but they are returning to serve with us again
in the coming days. As I have stated before, they are composed of great leaders and Soldiers.

We are all very proud of each one of our Soldiers that reenlisted this past month –
we have had 28 great Americans raise their right hand and recite the oath.
Any reenlistment is special and shows a commitment to our Army and to the nation,
but reenlistment in a combat zone is even more distinctive and shows that our Soldiers knowingly
and willingly accept the risks and hardships associated with our service.
It is an affirmation that they are willing to fight and die for the ideals of our nation.
I want to thank all of the family members of those who have reenlisted as well.
Thank you for continuing to support your loved one as he continues to serve –
you all have sacrificed as well and I thank you for your commitment and support.

If you have any concerns or need assistance, do not hesitate to contact the Rear Detachment Commander—
CPT Warren Litherland. His duty is to assist our loved ones in the states while we conduct our mission here
and he is doing a great job for all of us.

As always, you have every right to be proud of the Regulars and I am humbled to be associated with them—
I consider it a privilege to lead them each day. Our efforts and success are only possible through your support
and I cannot overstate how important it is to us. I also cannot tell you thank you enough
for what you have already shown us. A special thanks goes to all of the ladies who continue to serve
as Family Readiness Group leaders. Your dedication to our unit and to our Soldiers is instrumental in what we do
and words cannot express the thanks and admiration I have for you.
Please keep all of the Regulars in your thoughts and prayers.

Regulars, by God! Deeds, Not Words.

— Lieutenant Colonel Craig A. Osborne (Regular 6)

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FROM THE COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR

Hello Folks,

Hard to believe another month has come and gone, but the time seems to be passing rapidly here.
We are officially one-quarter complete with our deployment,
and, again your “Regulars” have accomplished another month of exceptional performance here in Baghdad, Iraq.
Each day that goes by, your Soldiers are getting better and better at their jobs, learning the area of operations,
and refining their skills necessary to complete this mission. Again, I am incredibly pleased and proud of all of them.

There has been a lot of discussion this month about the future of the 4^th Infantry Division
and its projected upcoming move to Fort Carson, Colorado. The Soldiers have been presented with seven options
of which they have been asked to choose one. These options are very broad-spectrum and incredibly generous in nature.
I would have personally expected to be presented with only two options – “Stay in and go where we tell you”
or “Leave the Army”, but the generosity of the division and the Army has impressed me on this one.

Just to recap the choices, here are the options:

Stay at Fort Hood with 3^rd Squadron of the 3^rd Armored Cavalry Regiment – this unit will soon be moving to Fort Hood
and will need good Soldiers to fill their ranks. This option is best for someone looking for at least three more years
on Fort Hood.
Stay at Fort Hood with another unit (other than 3^rd Squadron, 3^rd Armored Cavalry Regiment) –
anyone wishing to stay with our beloved 1 BCT “Raider” Brigade should choose this option,
or the Soldier can request any other unit that he/she desires to stay at Fort Hood with.
If selecting to stay with 1 BCT, understand that this will mean a shorter stay on Fort Hood
with an eventual move to Fort Carson, perhaps by 2008 or 2009.
Move to Fort Carson – to become part of the first 4^th Infantry Division units standing up at Fort Carson.
This option would provide the quickest move to Fort Carson for anyone desiring to go there quickly.
Move to Fort Carson as part of the Division Headquarters – this option would provide the same move to Fort Carson,
but at a slightly later date, perhaps by the summer of 2007.
Move to a new duty station – this option gives the Soldier a chance to select a new duty station of his/her choice.
Note – there are no guarantees on this choice. This is completely dependant on availability of assignments
to the duty station of choice and MOS compatibility at that duty station. But, you never know until you ask.
PCS to a new duty station at the needs of the Army – for any Soldier who desires to leave Fort Hood
and would rather let the Army pick an assignment for him/her, than this is their option.
ETS or Retire – for any soldier whose future plans include either ETS or retirement prior to January of 2008,
then their desires should be honored by selecting this option. For any Soldier whose planned ETS or retirement
occurs after January 2008, then he/she will have to choose one of the first six choices.

Our division is asking that all of our Soldiers and families consider these options carefully.
Initially, we were asked to provide our choices not later than the 15th of March; however,
that has been pushed back to a date later in the deployment so that Soldiers and families can have more time
to make their decision. In any case, the earliest most Soldiers can expect to change units or duty stations
should be March of 2007. And lastly on this subject, there are no guarantees given for any of these choices.
The needs of the military will always come first and foremost.

My advice to all, when considering the choices above, is to concentrate on getting through this deployment first.
Consider your options, discuss them with your spouse or family members, but concentrate on the task at hand –
getting these great American Soldiers home safely upon completion of this very important mission here.
The Soldiers of the Regular battalion are doing outstanding work over here and you should be proud of them all.
Until next month, thanks for your great support to the battalion, and may God continue to bless America.

— Command Sergeant Major Richard Beal (Regular 7)

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HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS COMPANY – HAMMER

The men of Hammer Company continue to impress me each day with their professionalism, resourcefulness,
physical stamina, determination, and commitment to the mission. They are asked daily to perform tasks
than many other men would shrink from, but each time they rise to the occasion with great enthusiasm
and with equally impressive results. I am proud to command and serve with them.

The Scout Platoon continued to provide the Personal Security Detachment (PSD) to the battalion commander
and served as his security element as he traveled the battlefield. They have recently visited many local sheiks,
assisting greatly to help maintain security throughout the region. Our scouts and snipers attached to B and D Companies
have contributed greatly to capturing and killing some very dangerous insurgents.
Their quick thinking and decisive action allowed the battalion to capture an enemy mortar team,
several would-be bomb makers, and led to the detention of the number one terrorist in our local area.

-----

The Mortar Platoon conducted many escort missions for the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team
as they destroy IEDs that our battalion finds throughout our area. They also conducted patrols during the last week
to help prevent Shia vs Sunni violence from erupting in the aftermath of the Golden Mosque bombing in Samara.
Additionally, the mortars conducted several counter fire missions at enemy mortar positions that attacked our forces.
They provide lethal, long-range fire support to the battalion and are extremely accurate.

The Medical Platoon continued to treat our wounded and helped keep the rest of us healthy
through education and preventive medical procedures. We execute our missions with the confidence
that our medics are superbly trained and will provide the best possible medical care should we require it.

The Bradley Fire Support Teams attached to each company have made great progress this month
by identifying basic needs in many villages and recommending projects to improve the quality of life of the people.
Though their efforts, the battalion submitted 18 projects to enhance the local economies
and increase the quality of life in each village. The Fires and Effects Coordination Cell supervised several
counterfire missions this month – creating uncertainty and fear in the hearts of the enemy mortar teams.
Since our counter fire missions began, the battalion has seen a decrease in indirect fire attacks against us.

The Command Group, Staff, and Headquarters Section – in addition to our normal duties –
focused efforts on interaction with local leaders, conducting village assessments, and preventing the outbreak of civil war.
The staff works long hours – well past midnight on many nights. But it is this tireless effort and force of will
that has provided the fuel for the small victories that we win everyday.
In the short time our battalion has been in control of our Area of Operations,
we have significantly disrupted the enemy’s plans, and established promising, cooperative relationships
with many sheiks and local leaders.

Congratulations to the following soldiers who were recently promoted:

· 1LT Kurt Gerfen (HQ) to CPT

· SSG Tiem Ambrose (S3) to SFC

· PFC Matthew Carpenter (Medics) to SPC

· PFC Matthew Snider (Medics) to SPC

· PFC Jacob Lutje (FECC) to SPC

· ------PV2 William Sifford (FECC) to PFC

Congratulations to SGT Steven Miller (S3) and SGT Jason Pollock (HQ) who passed the SSG board this month.

Also congratulations to the following that passed the SGT board this month:

· SPC Timothy Carr (S3)

· SPC Michael Kannitzer (Scouts)

· SPC Brian Keith (S1)

· CPL Michael Petty (Medics)

· SPC Ivan Santillanes (HQ)

· CPL Matthew Shaw (Medics)

· CPL Rodrock Vinson (S4)

Our admiration and thanks go to the following Soldiers for reenlisting and to their families
for their continued dedicated service to and support of our nation:

· SGT Michael Gonzales (HHC)

· SGT Steven Holderby (HHC)

· SGT Steven Miller (HHC)

· SPC Benjamin White (HHC)

· SPC Roberto Villalobos (HHC)

Happy Anniversary to SGT Thomas Gutierrez and his wife who celebrated their anniversary on March 8th.
Additionally, congratulations to PFC Carlos Garcia and his wife Candace, who were married one year ago on March 9th.

Congratulations to SGT Lino Presas and his wife on the birth of their son, Gabriel on March 3^rd.
Congratulations also to SPC Benjamin White and his wife on the birth of their baby girl, Jennifer, on March 6th.

Our hearts are with you as you continue the difficult task of everyday life at home without us there to help.
We admire all of your strength to keep things going. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers
as we continue to defeat a determined enemy in this area.
Know that the men of Hammer Company will live true to our motto of “Deeds not Words.”

God Bless You,

—Captain Craig Childs (Hammer 6)

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FROM THE CHAPLAIN

When we arrived here we knew that in order for 110V electrical appliances to work,
a transformer must be used to convert the 220 volt output to usable 110 volts.
Without this transformer, none of these electrical items can be used here.
Establishing an effective and usable connection is important not only for electrical items,
but also for significant and meaningful relationships.
How do we maintain connection from so many miles away? Is it possible to do this?

Jesus Christ maintains communication and connection with us even though he left earth and is now in heaven.
In Matthew 28:20 Jesus tells us that he is “with us always even to the end of the age.” I believe we too can establish,
maintain and even increase connection with loved ones during this time of geographical separation.
The key for us is finding that “transformer” which allows us proper connection. What is this for you?
Since more communication brings less stress overall, this may be creativity in our communication.
Maybe it is the excitement of present and future possibilities as together we see opportunities instead of obstacles.
Perhaps this “transformer” is living up to the promises we made to each other before deployment.
Whatever this key is, you must find it with your Soldier here.

I talk often with your loved ones about life back home. This reminds us of life outside this current mission
and helps us accomplish our mission better. I can tell you that remaining connected to family is a key issue here.
It is vitally important to the health of your family that this deployment be shared as much as possible.
Realize that your Soldier cannot share operational information, but together you can share in family events, joys,
sorrows and victories since these help us stay connected. Please do not allow this deployment to be a parenthesis
in your family. (A time set aside without each other.) This time can and should be used constructively
to keep connection through communication.

Wise use of this time will help ensure that when we come home the reunion will be so much sweeter
and more enjoyable because we have kept proper connection. I promise you, as the Chaplain here,
that I will keep asking your loved ones how you are doing. This forces responses and prompts actions
which inevitably increases morale for everyone. Please understand our mission here does not always allow us
to communicate with you as often as we might like. We all desire to redeploy back home when the time comes
and staying properly connected will make this deployment more bearable for all of us.
How do you want to feel the day your loved one comes off the plane? Connected or disconnected?
The choice is yours…

—Chaplain (Captain) John Hill

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