4ID STB Update

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Update from 4ID STB (Special Troops Battalion)

January 4, 2006

Greetings from Iraq . The soldiers of the 4^th Infantry Division’s Special Troops Battalion have been doing a great job transitioning from our counterparts
in the 3^rd Infantry Division’s STB. We are a few days away from our Transfer of Authority, but already performing many of the critical functions
in support of the mission here. We have a new addition to the Battalion – A Company, 1-22 Infantry, 1^st Brigade Combat Team, from Fort Hood
is now attached and performing security missions for the Battalion.

We welcomed A Company, 1-22 Infantry over the last week. The Gators of A Company are proud to be serving alongside their comrades
in the 4^th Infantry Division’s Special Troops Battalion. They have been quickly integrated into the battalion and already feel like a part of the team.
The company is based at Camp Liberty here in Baghdad with the rest of the STB. Along their journey, they made a stop in Kuwait for a couple of weeks
to work on some things that will help to ensure their success throughout our deployment. They spent numerous days preparing their Bradley Fighting Vehicles, improving their marksmanship on small arms ranges, and training on the missions they are sure to encounter many times over the next year.
Throughout it all, the soldiers of Alpha Company have maintained high morale and the focus that is required to stay safe and healthy.
A few of the Soldiers have experienced the bothersome coughs and congestion that are common when moving to a new region of the world,
but it’s nothing that some common medications can’t remedy.

Sincerely, LTC John Baker

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Weekly Update from 4ID Special Troops Battalion

23 January 2006

Greetings from Baghdad. Trust all is well with our family members and supporters back in the United States.
We continue to be engaged daily in operations here. Every week our troops are improving their proficiency at their jobs,
making their work areas more efficient, and maintaining their equipment, vehicles, and combat systems.
Most of the mud from the last two weeks has dried up. The temperatures dipped over the last few days, but are back to normal.
We'll be sending our first soldiers home on Environmental Morale Leave (EML) in February. Soldiers will fly from Baghdad to Kuwait .
For soldiers going back to the United States, they will board a chartered aircraft to Atlanta or Dallas. From Atlanta or Dallas ,
they will fly to their leave destination on commercial aircraft. All their tickets will be processed in Kuwait for their aircraft connections
(both charter and commercial). For soldiers going to Europe or other destinations outside the United States , they will fly to Frankfurt Airport in Germany
and from their, forward to their leave destination. Soldiers are authorized 15 days of EML with the leave date starting the day after arrival
at the commercial airport nearest the soldier's leave address. Enjoy this leave with your soldiers. All of you – both soldiers and family members - have earned it.

Now on to some news from each of our units…

The HHC InnKeepers are setting the standard within the battalion. … (a Soldier) of the S2 shop, received my Battalion Commander's Coin of Excellence
this week for his hard work and "never quit" attitude. He is responsible for tracking all of the intelligence and updating the computer system
that my staff and I use to brief the Commanding General. In addition to all of this, he is responsible for making the access badges that allow entry
into the Battalion and Division Headquarters… (Another key Soldier) is a 63B, light wheel mechanic, but has been working outside
of her military occupational specialty since arriving in Iraq. She has been working in the Division Mailroom handling all of the Official Mail for the entire Division.
Even though this is not the job she was trained to do, she has proven herself through her hard work and dedication…
Each and every Soldier in HHC is doing an outstanding job supporting the Division Headquarters. As always, thanks again to each of you.
Your letters, boxes, and emails brighten every day. Now let's check in with the fine soldiers of the Division Troops Company.

The Division Troops Company had another busy week. You should all be proud of the proficiency and steadfastness that the company has been demonstrated
as we work to complete their mission here in Iraq. We'll highlight the Soldiers in the Ironhorse Visitors Bureau this week.
Their job it is to prepare and welcome all distinguished visitors who come to see the Division Leadership.
We get a lot, thus these Soldiers are working especially hard. They work the visit agenda's, transportation coordination, and event and location set-up.
These troops are often the first and last Ironhorse Soldiers our visitors see when they visit. It's a team effort on each of these visits,
but the key players in the Visitors Bureau are… All have been doing a great job making the Division shine for our important dignitaries and guests.
Great job, troops! …

Hello Family Members of the 4ID Band! They've been Busy, Busy, Busy! The Jazz Combo and the Brass Quintet performed
during the Martin Luther King, Jr. luncheon at two local dining facilities. The music was well received and the dining facilities prepared an excellent feast
that added a touch of home. I wish I had a recording to send you, because the groups were in rare form. On another note, (no pun intended),
they have a newly formed Rock Band who's name is still a secret…this group already rocks. The Rock Band will be performing their premier show
in February on one of the neighboring base camps. Although they are working long hours, the morale of the band is very high.
Please continue to send your care packages and love, because these are the elements that are needed to help sustain these troopers during this tour.
The 4ID Band sends their love and asks that you remember them in your prayers...

The hardworking Soldiers of the MPAD continue to seek out new and interesting stories about the 4^th Infantry Division soldiers and their mission!!
Part of their job is to tell the story of how great your Soldiers are doing. But another part of their job in this operation is to show the successes
of the Iraqi security forces, mainly their army and police. We are also showing the many improvements going on across the country.
They have been writing and producing stories on the growth of the Iraqi government to include improvements on their essential services,
such as schools and hospitals; and how much the people here appreciate having our help getting their democracy started.
One of the great broadcast journalists we have is the newly-promoted SGT… he is a news videographer from New York City .
He has been in the Army Reserve for three years. Since we arrived he has done stories on the Iraqi Army, Soldier promotions
and a joint medical team visit to a neighborhood in Aqurquf. He has enjoyed learning about the culture and meeting the Iraqi people.
We hope you get a chance to see their stories and read about your Soldiers in The Ivy Leaf newspaper.

Now over to A Company, 1-22 IN to finish up our weekly update.

The past few days have been remarkably similar for the Gators. They are in control of all of their responsibilities and have set into a rhythm
of daily activity. Except for a couple of minor injuries – pinched finger, bumped head - the troopers are all safe and living well…
the living conditions and services are remarkably better on our FOB… Thank you to all the friends and family who have sent packages and letters.
They have started receiving mail now and it has made a notable change in the motivation of the troops. Thanks for your support.

Well, that's all for this note. Again, thank you for all your support, Emails, letters and packages.
Be proud of your Soldiers here on the ground in Iraq – they are all doing a phenomenal job in very demanding conditions.
Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we are keeping you in ours. Continue to look after one another every day...

LTC John W. Baker

Baghdad , Iraq

23 January 2006

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4ID Special Troops Battalion (STB) Newsletter – 1-30-06

The Alpha Company Gators (A/1-22 IN) are rolling along with the mission. This week they handled security for some VIP visitors,
conducted several combat patrols in the Baghdad area, performed maintenance on their fleet of vehicles, and continued to train on important tasks
that keep them battle focused… The troopers continue to get situated in their living and work spaces
and are representing themselves well as part of our Battalion…

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4ID Special Troops Battalion Weekly Update 2-08-06

The Gators of A Company, 1-22 Infantry have completed another successful and safe week of missions.
Just as they got settled into the routine of daily activities, we decided to change it up a little bit. 2^nd and 3^rd platoons flip-flopped responsibility,
and now 2^nd has security at fixed sites and 3^rd has the battle squad responsibility. It was challenging to make the switch
while still accomplishing all of their assigned tasks, but the Soldiers did a remarkable job...
We are fortunate to have everyone in the company in good health, and happy to be able to talk, write, and email you regularly.
How was your Groundhog’s Day back in the United States ? It appears that we’ll enjoy more rainy, muddy weather for a while here in Iraq .
Have a great week Gator families.

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2-13-06

This week the troops of A Co, 1-22 IN were surprised with some very special support from their extended Gator family in the United States .
Vietnam Veterans Chapter 310 from Ann Arbor , Michigan sent some packages for 1 ^st platoon. They eagerly await more for the rest of the company.
And, they received an extra generous supply of Girl Scout cookies and Valentine's greetings from the Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School in Pottstown ,
Pennsylvania . It is wonderful to have the support of friends, families, and an entire elementary school! …
The Gators hope you all have a very enjoyable and safe Valentine's Day.

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5-24-06

Our Infantrymen (A/1-22 IN) have finished transitioning with their replacements from Ft. Bragg , NC , our new Air Defense Artillerymen.
They are doing an outstanding job of learning the tasks that they will perform over the next year, and the Gators are beginning to think about our next mission
under the headquarters of 1-22 Infantry. They'll have a lot of skills to refresh on, but the Soldiers and leaders are ready for the next challenge.
The platoons are working extra hard on common infantry skills. Everyone needs refresher training, but luckily we have a solid NCO corps
that is extremely capable of training and leading our soldiers...

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