1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Unit Update Dec 2008 Page 1

Friends and Families of the Regulars, Happy New Year to you and yours.
The Regulars have been settling into our new mission set and getting to know our new expanded Area
of Operations. There are many challenges that we face not only in our new area but our old area as well.
As always I am confident that we are up for the task.

The biggest challenge we will have is coming on line with the new Security Agreement that goes into effect
on January 1st. The Iraqi Security Forces will be in the lead with all of our operations.
This is a HUGE step forward and our partnered Iraqi units are ready for the task.
Although there are many things we would like to change or improve, they are ready.
The “challenge” is coaching, teaching and mentoring, rather than doing it all for them.
Again I am confident that they will maintain the security that we have fought so hard to achieve.

This past month I had the opportunity to go on EML. It was great to see a lot of you
and I got a real appreciation for the challenges that you have endured while we are deployed.
I thank all of you that attended our December FRG meeting and I hope that I gave you
at least a little “flavor” of what and how we are doing here. I had a chance to talk
to most of our FRG leaders as well and it confirmed for me that they are doing a terrific job
of trying to get out all the information that they receive to keep all of you informed
on a myriad of topics that come out from all the different agencies on post.
Again I ask to not hesitate to call your FRG leader, our FRSA, or our Rear-D Commander
if you have any questions.

One of the greatest things I learned while I was away on EML was that this Battalion is truly a great unit.
As the commander I always worry when I am away from the unit. However,
what I learned is the professionalism, and traditions of the Regulars, ensures
that this unit will always continue to lead the way in all that it does. No matter who is in command.
I am just thankful and proud to be a part of it.

Your Soldiers are making history here every day. Since our deployment into West Rashid
the aggressiveness of this Battalion has allowed security to take hold in what was one of the worst areas
in Baghdad and allowed the people to take charge of their own destiny. I see it every day.
In the beginning they would look to us for help and now they are figuring it out on their own.
People are not afraid to let us know when bad people come into their neighborhood.
Even better they are working with their own security forces to maintain the peace
throughout West Rashid and our ISF partners are responding. It is an incredible time to be here
and your Soldiers have been the catalyst for all of this to happen. Again I am so proud
to be a part of this unit and so honored to be able to command one of the most professional
and disciplined Army Battalions in our Army today.

As I stated up front I wish all of you the very best in the coming New Year.
Thank you for all the love and support you give to your Soldier. It means so much to all of us.
May God bless all of you, the Soldiers of 1-22 IN, and the United States of America.
Deed not Words!!!
Regular 6

To the Families of 1-22 IN Soldiers,
Here are a few examples of what the great Soldiers from this Battalion are doing everyday.
It is because of their hard work and determination that each passing day brings success
to our mission here. They all deserve to be recognized for their contributing part in this deployment.

SGT Arvind Ram is assigned to HHC and serves as the company’s Chemical NCO
and Assistant Training Room NCO. Not only is he signed for over 800 pieces
of chemical gear and equipment, but he also ensures that all administrative actions that are required
for the company’s dispersed personnel are accomplished in a timely manner. With a degree in civil engineering,
SGT Ram not only does his job very well, but he can also complete complex tasks routinely,
making his role in the readiness of the company very critical.

Assigned as a mechanic for Team Gator is SPC Jon Shelley. SPC Shelley has spent many hours
in the blazing heat of the summer, the rainy down pours that come out of nowhere
and the dusty and windy conditions that surround the outdoor maintenance area of Alpha Company.
Constantly in greasy coveralls, SPC Shelley has shown great versatility in keeping all the
different types of vehicles in Gator-land fully mission capable and ready to move at a moments notice
to support the Soldiers in the company.

SGT Austin Fabacher is assigned to Bear Company’s Third Platoon as a Fire Team Leader.
He is a young, hard charging NCO that is constantly on the move and leading by example.
He has lead numerous combat missions as the dismount leader on the ground
which has resulted in him taking part in the capture of 12 wanted bad guys. SGT Fabacher is an NCO
that can be given a mission and when he is done, you know it
will be completed and executed to standard.

From Company C is SPC Leonard Waters, a medic assigned to the Third Platoon from Alpha,
which is attached to Team Snake. As with most of our medics,
‘Doc’ Waters is more than a medic, he is one of the guys out on the ground, walking the patrols,
clearing the buildings and searching for caches. But because he is a medic, he takes pride
in his primary duty in which he demonstrates daily as he medically treats Iraqis, both civilian and
Security Forces, and U.S. Soldiers alike.

SSG David Rudnick is assigned as a Tank Commander to Team Dealer and most recently
was detached for three weeks to serve as an augment Soldier to a National Police Training Team.
During this time, SSG Rudnick took responsibility of the Team’s vehicle fleet, ensuring that they were always
ready to go and by also freeing up the Training Team’s Cadre so they could focus on mentoring
an Iraqi Army Battalion and two Iraqi National Police Battalions. SSG Rudnick was instrumental
in the successful daily operations of the Team, which ultimately strengthens our Iraqi counterparts,

Working as a Construction Equipment Operator for the ‘Killers’ of Echo Company, PFC Christopher Ballard
has distinguished himself as a top-notch equipment operator and instructor of the equipment he uses
during Route Sanitation missions. Even though PFC Ballard has only been assigned to the unit since July
and before that he was learning about the equipment himself in AIT at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri,
he has become an integral part of his platoon and continues to learn and grow. His job directly impacts
the hundreds of patrols executed weekly within the Brigade Combat Team area as he clears
all the major roads of IEDs, ultimately saving our Soldier’s lives.

Assigned to Echo Forward Support Company, ‘Eliminators”, SPC England Phillips serves as a mechanic
for two of the largest companies in the Battalion. He has directly impacted the excellent operational rate
of 95% by working diligently to keep the many various vehicle types up and running.
SPC Phillips also serves as a gunner for a vehicle mounted machine gun as he contributes
to the safe delivery of food, mail, equipment parts and other critical supplies
to the forward deployed companies of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta.
Recently, SPC Phillips has committed himself and his family to continuing to serve in our Army
by re-enlisting to go to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The above mentioned Soldiers have all done a tremendous job and I will present each one of them
with a Battalion Coin as I move around the battle space to thank them for their ‘Deeds, not Words’ attitude
in accomplishing their assigned missions. Each one of them holds a very important place
in the overall success of this Battalion, the BCT, the Division and ultimately, the country of Iraq.
They represent the commitment that our Soldiers have in completing this mission.

Thanks for supporting your Soldier and the Battalion.
God bless all of our families, our Battalion, all of our fellow
military service members deployed and God bless the United States.
Deeds, not Words,
~Regular 7

Hammer 6

Hammer 7

December has been a good month for the Hammers and we’ve gotten a lot accomplished
over the last 30 days. We are all doing well here and even though we are not home with you,
we keep the holiday season alive and hope you are doing the same.

As December winds down, we will rotate the last of our women and men through Environmental and
Moral Leave (EML). Some will spend Christmas at home, just as some of us were able to be at home
for other events such as Thanksgiving, anniversaries, birthdays, and family reunions.
We each take our turn and no matter the time of year, it is always good to be home among
family and good friends.

The Hammers have seen a great month for reenlistment in December. While some of our Soldiers
were eligible for station of choice and various bonuses, some took the school option,
in which he or she will be given the opportunity to go to college for a semester once we redeploy.
This is my favorite of all that the Army has to offer a junior Soldier who reenlists. These Soldiers
will be given the time to earn college credit towards their degrees with as little duty and responsibility
to the unit as possible during that time. My intent is for them to be full time students for their semester.
As a prior enlisted Soldier, I took the school option when I reenlisted so I know how much of a benefit
the protected time can be. I am a big advocate for our Soldiers getting their college education
so I will be monitoring their progress once classes begin.

This month I was simply amazed at the support from all the folks back home. I began to think
we would have to give our mail handlers some additional help, as every day packages arrived from home
and from places across the country with goodies, Christmas cards, and on and on.
We received several boxes from our FRG loaded down with mugs and hot chocolate. We received boxes
from a hospital in Texas, boxes from the YMCA in a small town in Alabama, and boxes from people
no one here seems to know. It is clear that we are still very much in the hearts and minds of our families
and friends – even the ones we haven’t met yet. We appreciate all that you do for us at home.
Your support and care is more important to us than you may ever know.

We wish you a happy holiday season and as always we miss you all and keep you in our thoughts
and prayers. We couldn’t do this without you. Until next month,
keep the Hammers in your hearts and prayers and we will keep you in ours.