1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Newsletter April 2008

Well it is official. We are here and we are in the fight. 1-22 IN conducted a Transfer of Authority ceremony
on 12 APR 08 with 1-28 IN. The Blacklions of 1-28 IN did an incredible job
in their time here. They were leading the way in Iraq with reconciliation and all the stability
it brings. The Regulars, by God will continue what they started and continue to help our Iraqi brothers
and sisters take charge of their own destiny. The enemy knew that there was a change of units
about to happen and they began to test us immediately upon our Transfer of Authority
of AO Blacklions to AO Regulars. I am proud to say that your Soldiers did a great job
of taking the fight to the enemy and controlling our Area of Operations.
We wish the Blacklions the very best as they redeploy back to Ft. Riley Kansas
for a well deserved rest and recuperation.

During our preparations to take over the AO, the Regulars were tasked to help other units
in MND-B take control of their area. So we had to send the Bear Company
and the Dealer Company away to other units. I really hated to lose them
but I know the standards and discipline that they will bring to their new area will only improve
the unit that they are attached to. I know that they will represent the Regulars very well
and live our motto of “Deeds not Words”. Quietly and professionally getting the tasks at hand
done to standard every time. They will be sorely missed but they will never be forgotten.
They are close enough for CSM Guden and I to reach out and touch and I promise
to make sure that they are well taken care of by the units that they are attached to.

So we are tasked to do more with less in Northwest Rashid but I know we are up
for the challenge. Your Soldiers are very busy improving the security and the quality of life
at our COPs and JSS. We are taught from the very beginning to continue to improve our positions
and the NCOs have taken it to heart. They have done an incredible job in very little time
and I can assure you that your Soldiers are as safe as they would be if we were on a FOB.

The quality of life is not bad but can be better and we are working towards that everyday.
My goal is ensure that your Soldiers are living at the same quality of life as their counterparts
at the FOBs. We have a long way to go but we will get there.
In AO Regulars the change has been dramatic since the last time we were deployed.
The citizens of Northwest Rashid are beginning to really not tolerate extremists in their neighborhoods
and it is so refreshing to see. They are beginning to take on issues for themselves
and don’t expect us to help. They still want us around but they want to make the decisions
and take the actions that are necessary to stabilize their area.

Shia and Sunni are moving back into the same neighborhoods. In the Copperhead AO
we saw Shia neighbors who had been pushed out of the area come back to the open arms
of their Sunni neighbors. It was so great to be a part of that and I hope to be a part of
many more ceremonies like that one.

My Iraqi Army counterpart is one of the absolute best Iraqi Officers that I have ever met.
He has taken on the security of our area and will not tolerate sectarianism within his ranks
or within his area. We still have some that either by choice or by threats
affiliate with the extremists but the will of the people of NW Rashid will slowly squeeze them out.
The extremists will have two choices in our area. Stay and get detained or leave.
It will be that simple and the citizens of our area will be a big part of stabilizing our area.
True and lasting security will only happen when all the citizens refuse to tolerate any extremists
in their neighborhoods and with the help of the Regulars standing side by side with them
we will secure our area and with it bring jobs and income to the people
and ultimately get to an irreversible momentum of prosperity throughout NW Rashid and AO Regulars.

I and the Soldiers of this great Battalion will never ever be able to thank all of you enough
for keeping the “home fires” burning bright as we stay focused on our mission at hand.
I ask that all of you stay engaged with your FRG leaders and never be afraid to ask questions.
They will get you an answer.

Thanks again so much for loving and supporting your Soldier while we are deployed.
May God bless all of you, the Soldiers of 1-22 IN and the United States of America.

First of all, let’s knock out my introduction, considering you probably have no idea who I am
or how I am associated with your Soldier. Not to mention, you will be hearing from me quite a bit,
at least monthly (because the Boss said so).
My name is CSM Guden and I am the senior enlisted advisorn to the Commander.
I keep the Commander informed on Soldier issues concerning administrative, morale, welfare,
discipline and a few others. I am originally from Wisconsin, but have not lived any of my adult life there.
My wife, Anne, and our four kids just recently left the Fort Hood area and moved back
to our residence of 14 years in North Carolina, just outside of Fort Bragg.
Even though she is there, she is still available through the FRG for any assistance.

Well, the Battalion has been deployed for just over a month now and since that time
we have hit the ground running! We spent a little over a week in the desert of Kuwait
conducting some mandatory training, going to some shooting ranges and preparing equipment
for movement to Baghdad. The facilities there were quite adequate for a short stay
with plenty of bottled water and “three hots and a cot”. The “hots” being three hot meals a day
(sometimes four) and the “cot”, let’s just say there were about 85 cots in each tent
which made for real close quarters. Everyone worked very hard and believe it or not,
we were all ready to get out of Kuwait, get to Baghdad, and get busy with executing our mission.

You all have heard the expression in the Army about hurrying up and waiting.
That definitely came to light with us leaving Kuwait. Almost all in the Battalion flew out of Kuwait
a day or two early only to arrive at Baghdad International Airport and sit for 2-3 days
waiting on night-time helicopter flights to FOB Falcon. Even though the FOB is only a 30 min drive
from the airport, it was necessary to wait for the helo flights in order to make sure
that we all moved in smaller groups under the cover of darkness.
All Regulars made it safely to the FOB. Once at the FOB, we linked up with our counter-parts
from 1-28 IN, the “Black Lions”, and started our transition with them.
Initially, we were using their same equipment and buildings, which made things a little cramped.
But, as they started to redeploy back to Kansas, we started to completely move in and take over.

During this time we experienced a lot of changes in plans.
One major change being the loss of two companies, Bear and Dealer, to other units.
Dealer we actually had planned for, but adding in the loss of Bear was not in the equation.
Bear Company is now attached to the 2nd BCT of the 101st and Dealer at least stayed in our BCT,
being attached to 7-10 CAV. Don’t worry about your Soldiers in Bear and Dealer,
they will be taken care of. Both companies have very good leadership
and will ensure that the “Regulars” are squared away. Besides, the Commander and I
are only a phone call away from helping them out. Families of Bear Company Soldiers,
please keep in mind that the address for your Soldier is not the same as the rest of the Battalion’s.
This information has already been made available, but if you still need it, contact the FRG.

For the most part, I can’t honestly see the need for much more than we already have available
in regards to the quality of life. Yes, some of the Battalion are still sleeping in tents,
but we will improve that. Some of the locations that your Soldiers are living at
don’t have the best for latrines and/or hot showers. But they at least have something for now
and as with the tents, we will fix that. And not everyone gets the same amount of “goodies”
with chow (goodies = desserts, additional beverages, breads and salt/ pepper).
The salt and pepper was specifically from me. Boy, I’ll tell you, I have had the hardest time
having salt and pepper around when I need it! See, that was a perfect example
of just how decent we have it here. If I (or anyone else) have time to complain
about salt and pepper, then I would say that we don’t have much to complain about at all.

Every single one of our Soldiers that conducts missions outside the FOB are equipped
with the best equipment the Army has to give us. And it works also!
One of the jobs I have is to enforce the standards. One of them being uniform standards
and I will be glad to tell you that there hasn’t been one violation of any Regular Soldier
not wearing his/her combat gear. Everyone understands the importance of the gear we have been issued,
regardless of how much it weighs or how much we sweat in it.
Within the next few weeks, we will be getting issued Fire Resistant ACUs.
These new uniforms will be worn mainly by Soldiers who conduct mounted missions/patrols outside the FOB.
This is another great piece of gear that you will not hear any grumbling from anyone who needs to wear it.

I’ll finish up by asking you to continually support and encourage your Soldier and his/her squad,
section, platoon and even company while they are deployed. Even though you may not get
very many letters from them (as my wife will attest), mail is a very high morale booster!
So continue to write letters and also send those care packages. Most Soldiers in the Battalion
have the capability to send and receive email and everyone is authorized a 15 minute morale call weekly.
Continue to pray for your Soldier’s protection and safety and the safety of the unit.
Those prayers do help and I’ll tell you that they are very much welcomed by all.

Thanks for supporting your Soldier and the Battalion.
God bless all of our families and God bless the United States.

1LT Hall (Hammer 5)

1SG Dean (Hammer 7)

It is with a solemn, but honored heart that I write this memoriam about CPT Andrew Pearson.
I am honored that I had the opportunity to work with him as his company executive officer,
as well as the opportunity to learn from him as a human being. He encompassed all the characteristics
of an ideal leader. He was tactically and technically proficient and relentless in all tasks put before him,
but above all shined his undeniable dedication towards looking out for the health and welfare of his subordinates
and his family. To say that CPT Pearson was tactically and technically proficient is an understatement.
He had the unique ability to walk into any training exercise and be able to fully explain the intent of the training
and how each event related to potential real world experience. Glimpses of his enlisted days would often shine through
as he would spend countless hours on the ground explaining to even the lowest ranking Soldiers
why their jobs were crucial on the battlefield. It was not only CPT Pearson's wealth of knowledge
that made him a rare Officer, it was his exceptional ability to spread his experiences.
From the lowest ranking private to the highest Lieutenant, all of us have improved as Soldiers
due to the direct influence and guidance presented by our commander.
CPT Pearson's devotion to mission accomplishment and his commitment to the company had no boundaries.
His deliberate, detailed planning and execution on all tasks and missions brought a positive outlook for HHC.
Soldier's, who once felt slightly distanced from their peers, emerged as proud members
of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company team. CPT Pearson's pride and dedication towards the unit
was instrumental in the company's preparation for our deployment to Iraq. His work ethic and ability
helped Soldiers grow stronger and leaders gain the strength necessary to lead troops in combat.
It was his attention to detail and guidance that molded the company into a proficient team
able to accomplish all tasks at hand. His selfless service and dedication towards leadership development
will forever be embedded in the leaders who worked beneath him. CPT Pearson constantly took an active role
in identifying the personal needs of his subordinates and their families.
Long after Soldiers and most leaders were done, he would take the time to listen, mentor, and counsel key leaders
and their subordinates on personal and family issues. He constantly sacrificed his personal time
for the welfare of his Soldiers and their families. No issue was ever too small, and his door was always open.
CPT Pearson will forever be remembered as a hard working, dedicated Officer,
who loved his family, his country, and his men.

CPT Andrew Pearson------------------------------------------------------------------- -- CPT Pearson (center)

SPC Ronald Tucker

SPC Ronald Tucker
(on left)

It is with a heavy heart that I write about the life of SPC Ronald J. Tucker
for the brief period I was privileged enough to have known him. I first met SPC Tucker
while I was on rear detachment during the unit's last rotation in Iraq. He had, unfortunately, been shot in the eye
with a paintball gun, and I had to help out with some of the paperwork for that incident.
When the unit redeployed, I was assigned as the Mortar platoon leader, and SPC Tucker was now one of my Soldiers.
I truly feel privileged to have known him and to have been able to watch him grow and develop as a Soldier.
SPC Tucker had a unique sense of humor about him. He had the uncanny ability to make light of any situation.
Sometimes I would see him being disciplined by his NCOs for some mistake he made, with sweat pouring down his face;
he would still bear that goofy Ronnie Tucker grin on his face. That was just SPC Tucker's personality.
SPC Tucker was the driver and radio-telephone operator for our Fire Direction Center vehicle.
This was the only vehicle to come back from Iraq with the platoon after the last deployment.
This was also the worst tracked vehicle in our platoon's inventory. Being the driver for this track,
and responsible for the bulk of the maintenance on this vehicle, SPC Tucker had his work cut out for him.
He spent countless long hours working on his vehicle to get it fully mission capable.
I told him that this vehicle must be completely ready to go by the time we go to the National Training Center
in California. He often came to me seeking different Technical Manuals for different parts of the vehicle,
but sure enough, he had it fully mission capable for NTC. During these times, though, he would sit down
and talk to me about life. SPC Tucker often confided in me and would ask me questions about my life in general.
I remember him talking about his girlfriend with me. He would ask me things about relationships
and I would usually make some joke that I'm definitely not the person to be asking about advice on relationships
but I thought of something that a great family man, Captain Andrew R. Pearson once told me.
Captain Pearson and I would often debate the single life versus married life. I would always ask him,
"How do you know when you are with the right one?" Captain Pearson told me,"Matt, when you know, you just know,
and you'll know, believe me you will know." So I passed those words of wisdom on to SPC Tucker,
and from the things we've talked about here, I think that SPC Tucker knew.
SPC Tucker always looked for ways to improve. He would come up to me several times a week
asking what he could do more. Last week he came up to me to get the Technical Manual printed off
for the generator on his vehicle to fix the fuel line on it. We talked more about life, relationships, and careers,
both of our futures. There is no doubt in my mind that SPC Tucker would have excelled in the army,
or in anything that he chose to do in life, because he was doing so right in front of my eyes.
On the afternoon of the 30th of April 2008 the world lost two of its finest young men.
These men will not be forgotten. Their contributions, to the people that loved them,
and even to people that did not know them, will not be forgotten. There is an Old Norse proverb
in a book I just finished reading that states, "Animals die, friends die, and I shall die, but one thing never dies,
and that is the reputation we leave behind at our death." The reputations each of these men left behind
are both unquestionably solid. It is now our duty to remember Specialist Ronald Tucker and Captain Andrew Pearson
for their greatness in life and to honor their sacrifice for our freedom.

The other day I was in the DFAC and over heard a Soldier grumbling that he couldn't eat his omelet
because they ran out of mushrooms. I thought to myself, I wonder if he has taken a cold shower,
slept in a tent on a cot, or only ate one hot meal a day; once he's done that, then he has something to complain about.
If you think about it, during our lives we have all lived without and with an over abundance.
But what is our attitude during these times? Do we grumble when we are without or are we thankful
because our bellies are full, the rent/utilities are paid and our spouses are home and we are making it
from paycheck to paycheck? Or during our deployment, you could look at it as a time of plenty;
we all have extra money in our paychecks and we are not spending over $300.00 dollars per month
in gas driving back and forth to work; I even overheard one Soldier as he was departing FOB Falcon,
he saved over $38,000! Truly, this is the time of excess.
Apostle Paul, while he was in prison penned these words,
I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much,
with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.
Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.
(Phil 4:12-13 MSG)