1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Update 5-15-06 Page 3

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Unit Updates
2006

D Company, E Company, E Company (4th SPT BN)

May 15, 2006

D COMPANY – DEATH DEALER

Greetings to all the friends, families, and loved ones of our Soldiers back home.
I hope this newsletter finds everyone well. Spring is officially over here as we see the temperatures climb
over 100 degrees during the daytime. Soldiers already miss the rain we had the past few months
as we continue operations in our area.

The Soldiers of D Company have been really busy the past few weeks.
Along with our normal patrols of our sector, we have conducted cordons and searches in two of our major population centers
and missions along the Tigris River Valley (TRV). Our missions along the TRV have been successful
because our platoons have set the conditions for success in other parts of our area.
We have been able to severely disrupt the enemy by operating for long periods of time in an area
where he wasn’t prepared for us. The company played an integral role in killing the Brigade’s #1 target
and capturing two other high-level operatives in the same terrorist cell. This severely disrupted the enemy
and brought great praise to the Regulars and the Soldiers of this company. Unfortunately, Sergeant Adam Moore
and Staff Sergeant Rodney Nelson were wounded in our recent operations and our prayers go out to those great Soldiers
and their families for a speedy recovery. Sergeant Moore was recognized by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
for his service by receiving the Purple Heart from the SECDEF before being flown home.

I would also like to congratulate First Sergeant Richard Johnson on being selected
as the General Fredrick M. Franks, Jr. Award winner for the Army. He was selected for representing the Armor Branch
as a Mounted Warrior for a Nation at War. First Sergeant Johnson is well deserving of this award
and my congratulations go out to him and his family for all of their hard work and dedication
they have put into the Armor Community and our Army over their years of service.

As many of you have heard, the battalion will be moving again soon.
The Dealers will take part in this move with the rest of the battalion. This is just a sign of the successes
of the coalition in Iraq and can be expected as we continue to hand responsibilities over to the Iraqis.
Our next home will have the same comforts as our current home and I am confident that the Soldiers
of this company will continue to bring success to the battalion no matter what mission we are given.
Every day I am proud of the accomplishments the Soldiers of this company continue to bring to our mission
and I thank God for his blessing and his shield over this company.

—Captain Jared Rudacille (Dealer 6)

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E COMPANY – KILLER

As the fifth month of our deployment comes to an end, I continue to be extremely proud of all our Soldiers
for their dedication to getting the job done and taking care of each other.

This was a challenging month for our brothers in the 1^st Squadron, 75^th Cavalry Regiment
as they dealt with the loss of two exceptional noncommissioned officers. One of those was Sergeant Steve M. Sakoda
from Hilo, Hawaii – a squad leader in Bonecrusher Troop’s 2nd Platoon that was attached to our company.
He worked diligently to help us train the Iraqi Army and secure the main supply route that our friendly forces use daily.
Their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

As the summer months begin here in Iraq, our Soldiers continue to remain hard at work completing their missions,
conducting maintenance on their vehicles, staying in shape by conducting physical training, and moving into their new trailers
on FOB STRIKER. The living conditions here – and at our future location – are a welcome improvement
over previous deployments. Today we have a very good dining facility that even serves “midnight chow;”
air-conditioned trailers that house showers, toilets and sinks with both hot and cold running water; tents and trailers
with their own air conditioning systems; a motor pool; and amenities such as an internet café, phones, PX, Barber Shop,
Burger King, Pizza Hut, Green Bean Coffee Shop, and a free Laundry service – all located within walking distance.
All of these things afford the Soldiers the opportunity to relax and enjoy some of the comforts found back in the States
when they are not out on mission.

This month, I would like to congratulate Sergeant Steven Crayton, Sergeant Lorenzo Franklin,
and Sergeant Jose Gandara for their recent promotions and willingness to continue to take care of our Soldiers
as noncommissioned officers. I would also like to congratulate Private First Class Alexander Peters
for his recent promotion and Specialist Joshua Keyser for his reenlistment.

In closing, our Soldiers continue to do an outstanding job – getting the mission completed
while maintaining a high level of motivation and discipline that has made the company successful to this point.
I appreciate all of the hard work by our Soldiers who are far from home
and the family members and friends who continue to support us in all we do. Thank you.

—Captain Patsky Gomez (Killer 6)

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E COMPANY/4^TH SUPPORT BATTALION – ELIMINATOR

The past 30 days has been an outstanding period of time for the Eliminators.
As we prepare to move from the place we call home, our Soldiers continue to take initiative and improve our area.
Staff Sergeant Mark Overturf continues to do an amazing job designing and building, walls, desks,
and chairs to enhance our living conditions.

The Eliminators continue to remain steadfast and loyal. The Headquarters Platoon continues to coordinate food
and water for our Soldiers and is responsible for all administrative transactions in the company.
The Maintenance Platoon continues to work diligently to sustain combat power for the Task Force.
The Supply and Transportation Platoon provides uninterrupted support to the Task Force
by ensuring all required supplies and fuel are readily available. They also push critical supplies to our forward patrol base
every few days for our Soldiers living outside of FOB FALCON.

In the past month our Soldiers have been really busy. We have completed a multitude of tasks
that include logistics resupply missions, escort missions, mosque monitoring, route improvements,
inspecting Iraqi Police checkpoints, maintenance, guard duty, and barrier emplacement.
The Eliminators have the strength, will, and abilities – regardless of the situation – to provide other Regulars
with any asset that they need to be successful on the battlefield.

Our Soldiers know and understand their mission and have done an outstanding job
providing support to the Task Force. We continue to accept and complete every task assigned to us
and try to build good relationships with the Iraqi Army throughout.
Everyday is unique and different and our Soldiers are proud of what they have accomplished —
we are always ready for the next mission.

—Captain Jennifer McDonough (Eliminator 6)

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