1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Newsletter Jan 2010 Page 1

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

1st Battalion Newsletter

January 2010

1-22 CO, HHC, Chaplain

Soldiers, Friends, and Families of the Regulars,

This is our first newsletter for the Regulars for 2010.
If you are new to the unit, let me welcome you to Fort Carson…"The Best Hometown in the Army".

I hope each and every one of you took advantage of the time off to spend time with Family and friends during the holidays.
There have been quite a few changes within the Battalion since our last newsletter published just before Thanksgiving.
We’ve had over 200 new Soldiers and Families arrive in the Battalion, three companies changed command,
and we’ve entered our intensive training cycle in preparation for our upcoming Mission Rehearsal Exercise
at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).

Since Christmas break alone, we’ve conducted dynamic training including a train the trainer session
with the Military Athlete Program (you can see what the Soldiers went though at: www.militaryathlete.com),
Raider First Responder (medical lifesaving aid), squad live-fire exercises, mortar training and support to B Company,
3rd Ranger Battalion, Joint Fires Observer (JFO) training, and two leader seminars designed to get leaders familiar
with Afghanistan. We are steadily advancing towards making your Soldiers part of the best trained
and most prepared organization heading into Afghanistan.

Although the next few months will take your Soldiers away from home for extended periods of time,
it’s our obligation as leaders to ensure that your Soldiers are trained to anticipate and react to the incredible opportunities
and inherent dangers associated with a deployment. To help Families deal with issues that may arise while your Soldiers
are out in the field, we are standing up our Rear Detachment commanded by CPT Brandon Chapman and SFC Battaglia.
Their mission is to facilitate information flow to Families, care for Families in our absence, strengthen the
Family Readiness Group (FRG) team, and prepare Families for our upcoming deployment. Brandon is
looking forward to the opportunity and I hope you get involved with your company’s FRG…they are there for you!
I continue to be amazed by the number of spouses who have volunteered for leadership and “point of contact” positions
within your FRGs. I’m also grateful to volunteers who have stepped forward to assist as we build our Regular CARE Team.
Both FRG and CARE Team volunteers embody “selfless service” and are helping build a strong foundation
that will carry us through our deployments (both to JRTC and Afghanistan).

On a somber note, our Battalion will hold a memorial service for PV2 Anthony Prantalos on February 11 at 1000
in the Soldier Memorial Chapel on Main Post. PV2 Prantalos arrived in our unit just before Thanksgiving
and passed away on December 30, 2009. Our prayers and sympathies continue to go out to his mother and Family.

In closing, we’re an organization that continues to thrive in uncertainty based on our core competencies and self-confidence.
I could not be more proud of being a member of such an incredible organization of professional Soldiers,
Non-Commissioned Officers, and Officers. I am proud of our unit as we continue to live out our motto:
“Deeds not Words”. I encourage each of you to become a “fan” at our Facebook page: “Regulars by God.”

There’s no doubt that we will continue to succeed, regardless of the mission. May God bless all of you,
the Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, our Families, and the United States of America.
Deeds not Words!!!

LTC Clay Padgett
“Regular 6”

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From the Commander’s Desk

The Holiday season has come and gone for Hammer Company. I hope everyone had the opportunity
to see their families and friends during the season. We now begin a very important training period for the company.
Physical fitness and alertness will come to play an important facet in our lives. I will conduct a company run
once a month to help me assess the fitness level of the Hammer Soldiers. SSG Ogle of the Mortars
supported the company by arranging to bring in a drunk driver simulator to show the affects of what happens
to your body when you consume alcohol.

The month of January started off the second quarter of 2010 training. The Scouts have already spent a lot of time
out in the field. The platoon conducted a day and night buddy team live fire on the Fort Carson ranges
honing their skills employing automatic weapons and moving as a unit. The Soldiers also had the opportunity
to fire multiple AT-4 simulator rounds at another range. The AT-4 is a great anti-tank weapon that makes a big explosion.
Several new Soldiers arrived to the platoon during the holidays and are being integrated in to the Scouts
as their lungs adjust to the mountain elevation in Colorado during PT sessions.

The medics continue to support the BN with their medical knowledge. All the Companies in 1-22 are beginning
their squad live fire ranges which have kept them very busy in range support. While still supporting other ranges
the Combat Life Saver Course (CLS) continues to drive on teaching all Soldiers, regardless of rank,
how to treat a fallen comrade in immediate life saving aid. We hope we will never need to use this knowledge
but if something does go wrong everyone in the unit is trained to a standard where they can help.
A special congratulations goes out to SSG(P) Jordon who com-pleted ALC phase 2, and SGT Strahan
who graduated on the Commandant's list from the Warrior Leaders Course.

The mortar platoon has had an awesome opportunity this month to conduct a live fire in support of
the 3rd Ranger BN here on Fort Carson. During the block leave about 15 mortar men were able to hang rounds
during a Ranger FTX. The Rangers flew in from Georgia to conduct the exercise. The volunteers cut their
block leave short to come and conduct the live fire. They have another opportunity to fire live rounds
supporting the Scouts during their 4 day long field exercise. Besides shooting large caliber rounds the mortar platoon
also ran a company 9mm Beretta Range to help make Soldiers proficient on their pistol skills.

The Staff has been busy getting ready to deploy to the field for over 30 days. They have been setting up
the large tent we use to run the BN Tactical Operation Center (TOC) as well as checking all our digital systems
to ensure we have connectivity down to the lowest level. The 1SG and Commander have instituted
a road march program to toughen up their feet for an upcoming 22 mile road march . We are starting low
and building up to the event. So far we have done a 6 mile on post and an 8 mile off post in the Cheyenne State Park.
By the time the 22 miler comes we will be ready.

Congratulations to all the new Hammer newborns out there: Myriam Joleen Moore born 01DEC09 (S6),
Abigail Biggers born 02DEC09(Medics), Caden Lucille Knight born 16DEC09( Mortar PLT),
Marcus Elder born 16JAN10 (S3), and Addison J. Hewett born 21JAN10 (S6).

The company also is proud to announce SPC Rojas is now SGT Rojas in the Scouts
and SGT Morales in S3 now added a rocker to his rank making him a Staff Sergeant.

The next few months are very busy times for training. There will be late nights, over nights, and weekend trainings.
This provides us an excellent chance to test our cold weather gear and prove that it will keep us warm
in below zero conditions. I know being in the field takes away from Family time but it is necessary.
The skills we are learning here will keep us alive in Afghanistan as we fight the War on Terror.
Remember the old saying “The more sweat in training equals less blood in combat.”
I plan on making everyone sweat a lot..

-HAMMER 6

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January 2010
1-22 Chaplains’ Corner: By Chaplain Satterlee

Greetings REGULAR Soldiers and Family Members,

What a great time it is to be called to serve our country. Yet we who wear the uniform,
and those wonderful Family members who sacrifice much that we may do so, know that as part of our chosen profession,
and life in general, tests sometimes come our way.

One of the great questions in life is not whether tests will come our way, for we all can agree upon the fact
that tests are part of life. What these “tests” could entail for each of us is as vast as there is sand on the shore.
However, no matter what the test is, one of the real great questions of life is: How do we respond
when we’re faced with these tests?

What do you do when tests come your way? Do you allow them to consume you in self-pity, despair, or depression?
Do you rely on your loved ones and your faith to bring you through? I truly hope that you answered yes
to the latter of these questions. If so, keep it up. You’re on the right track, for “the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
If you’re one who allows the tests of life to steal the joy from you, then be encouraged that this does not have to be the case.
You can turn your outlook around.

Rather than allow these tests to take you on a downward spiral you can change your outlook on experiencing tests
to just being a part of life. Often times the times we grow the greatest in life are the times when we are tested.
If you doubt me just think about the tests of your past, and chances are, it is during these times that you grew the greatest
be it emotionally, mentally, professionally, or spiritually. Therefore, though tests are often not pleasant experiences
there is much we can learn about ourselves and life in general in the midst of them.

So when the tests of life come don’t run away and don’t be afraid. Rather, face them head-on relying on
your fellow REGULARS, your families, and God to get you through. There is much for us to learn in the midst of these tests.
There is much for us to grow in the midst of these tests. We will overcome every obstacle together as one
in the midst of these tests.

Though life’s tests sometimes come our way, I promise that there is nothing that we REGULARS can’t get through
as long as we rely on each other, our families, and our Creator-God.
It truly is a great time to serve our country!
It truly is a great time to be a REGULAR!
REGULARS BY GOD!
DEEDS NOT WORDS!

Chaplain Satterlee

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