1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
1st Battalion Newsletter
August 2013
Company D, E/FSC, Rear Detachment
Death Dealers are over the
halfway mark and remain motivated, busy and mission focused as
ever. Since last
newsletter, we have completed mounted platoon live fires, call
for fire simulator training, Virtual Battle Space 2 simulator
training and Delta Companys first-ever, Tanker
Stakes competition. Tanker Stakes was an awesome training
event which
tested the Soldiers on certain 19K level 1 and 2 core tasks some
of which were: land navigation, weapons knowledge, estimate
range, services tank replenisher, create sketch card, and
identify and employ hand grenades to name a few. Overall, this
event
increased Esprit de Corp among the Soldiers and brought Delta
Company closer as a cohesive combat team. Congratulations to
SGT Roantes for winning top tanker, SPC Lawrence, SGT Mitchell,
and SPC Ruiz for winning top tank crew, and all of 2nd
Platoon for winning top platoon.
Congratulations to SFC Mitchell and SPC McCubbin and PFC Allaire your promotions, job well done.
With redeployment around the
corner, I look back and reflect on all the training Delta Company
has accomplished, and
I am extremely proud and honored to have served with the Soldiers
of Death Dealer. I couldnt ask for a better team.
To the families and friends,
thank you for the tremendous support. Without you, we could not
do what we do. Keep
us motivated as we close out our last months here and get ready
to redeploy back to our loved ones.
CPT Christopher A. Reed
Death Dealer 6
Once again hello to all Death Dealer company friends and family from hot, sunny Kuwait.
It seems like just yesterday
that we were arriving here in Kuwait but were almost at the
six month mark already. We
continue to be busy every day with our Soldiers working hard to
accomplish every mission they are given.
Over the last couple of months
we have completed several great training events, the latest of
which
was Tanker Stakes. Due to heat in excess of 115 degrees daily the
company has been on a reverse training cycle
working nights to take advantage of the cooler temperatures. We
took advantage of this reverse cycle by planning
Tanker Stakes which was a warrior skills competition combining
tanker level 1 and 2 common skills tasks with demanding
individual, crew and platoon physical training challenges. At the
end of a week of train up and then a
week of testing only the best tankers were left standing and
declared the winners of the 2013 Tanker Stakes. Congratulations
to SGT Roantes being named top tanker for this event. With his
physical challenge bonus, SGT Roantes
finished with a perfect score in over 20 demanding events. He far
exceeded his peers and was therefore the
runaway winner of the competition. Top crew went to D21 with SGT
Mitchell, SPC Ruiz, and SPC Lawrence taking
the title of top tank crew. 2nd Platoon finished strong in all
events and was the overall winner for top tank Platoon.
This event was challenging, but the Soldiers learned a great
deal, had fun and continued to build bonds with
their fellow tankers making the company stronger overall.
After coming off a great couple
of weeks completing tanker stakes the company went straight into
services
continuing to work nights and sleep during the hot days. Services
is a three week long intensive maintenance
on all of the companies individual and collective equipment
focusing mostly on the tanks. After three weeks the
tanks should be in much better overall condition allowing us to
accomplish any mission the Army may ask us to do
or to turn the equipment over to our replacement unit here in a
few months.
While it has been an overall
busy few months and we find the deployment starting to wind down,
the
company still has many training events and tasks to accomplish
and we will do it the right way as we always do.
Thanks again to all the families and friends back home awaiting
the day when we return to Fort Carson. Your
support is never forgotten.
Death Dealers
Dealer 7
1SG Noyes, Jon D.
Since last I wrote, the Soldiers
of Headquarters platoon have been busy training and adapting to
the rigorous reverse cycle
schedule in order complete tank services and stay out of the
scorching 100-plus degree heat . Other training has included
elements of call for fire simulator training, which was an
excellent opportunity to cross train with Field Artillery,
virtual battlefield
simulator, and tanker stakes. These events tested our Soldiers
physical fitness, critical thinking, and common core task
proficiency
of a 19K.
Aside from training,
headquarters platoon took advantage of the morale, welfare, and
recreational opportunities such as,
golfing, trips to Qatar, camp Ali al Salem, and camp Arifjan.
Soldiers were able to watch new movies, go for a swim in an
Olympic size pool, and enjoy some rest and relaxation.
I would like to thank the
Soldiers of headquarters platoon for all of their hard work and
commitment to Operation Spartan
Shield. I especially would like to thank the friends and families
for your support. We couldnt do it without you!
1LT Jonathan Harper
&
SSG Benjamin Morales
The Soldiers of 1st Platoon have
taken part in numerous training events that have kept them sharp
in their Soldiering skills.
They took part in a dismounted machine gun range and were able to
qualify on two different weapon systems the
M249 SAW and M240B. This was done in order to prepare them for
their secondary role as an infantryman.
After the dismounted automatic
weapons ranges, 1st Platoon Soldiers took part in Tanker
Stakes.
This event consisted of one week of train-up and one week of
testing. The Soldiers were tested on
numerous tanker-related tasks, to include: weapons testing, land
navigation, CBRN operations,
searching a detainee, throwing hand grenades, radio testing, and
mounting a mine plow. Im proud
of all the Soldiers in 1st Platoon for their dedication and for
performing well.
Over the next few weeks 1st
Platoon will continue to be busy. They will conduct services on
their
tanks. They will also conduct several live-fire exercises. This
includes a Company CALFEX and a joint
partnership live-fire exercise with the Kuwaiti Army.
Congrats to the recent promotion
of PFC McCubbin to the rank of Specialist and PV2 Elley to the
rank
of Private First Class! Id like to thank 1st Platoon for
always doing a great job. Id especially like to
thank all the family members back home that have shown support to
1st Platoon. Thank you for all the
care packages. It is greatly appreciated.
1st Platoon Leader
1LT Derek Harris
With our deployment over the
halfway mark, the soldiers of 2nd Platoon, Dealer Company are
still hard at work. Weve got services
lined up for the next three weeks on our tanks to ensure they are
combat-ready for any mission that may arise. Due to the heat
during
the day, however, we have transitioned to reverse cycle in order
to get the mission done. Once services are complete we
will prepare for our final culminating live fire with the
Kuwaitis and then prepare our connexs for redeployment
to Fort Carson.
Since the last newsletter, 2nd
Platoon has been training hard and making a name for ourselves.
In June we conducted a mounted Platoon
Live Fire, that allowed the Platoon to demonstrate our lethality
and proficiency. 2nd Platoon performed admirably and even
received
commendations from the BN Commander who oversaw the entire
operation.
In July, Death Dealer created
and conducted the first ever Tanker Stakes, a
competition that tested every Soldiers physical and
mental limits. After a week of training, the Soldiers were put to
the test for three days straight with academic and physical
challenges.
Prior to each night of testing, an intense PT session took place
that was designed to build team cohesion. At the end of testing
with
little surprise, 2nd Platoon took all three titles. SGT Roantes
was named top tanker, D21s crew was named top crew, and
2nd Platoon won top Tank Platoon. Tanker Stakes was a great
morale booster and an event that will surely be conducted every
year from now on.
Once again thank you again for all your support and care and Stay Regulars.
2nd Platoon Leader
1LT Travis Gerbatsch
3rd Platoon, Dealer Company has
now spent five months at Camp Buehring, during which they have
conducted
a multitude of training events aimed at developing the Platoon
into a mounted and dismounted lethal
force. These training events began with small arms ranges in
March, continued with Table VI Tank Gunnery,
and have most recently, an M240/M249 machine gun range and the
use of virtual training aids like the
Call for Fire Trainer and VBS2.
The month of June began with 3rd
Platoon conducting a Platoon Live Fire Exercise with enablers, a
training
event that culminated in a live fire run with indirect fire
support. This event allowed the Platoon to put into
practice the training they had received through all of Tank
Gunnery and Maneuver Training the month prior,
and certified the Platoon as a lethal combat force. The Platoon
then moved to small arms ranges later in the
month, qualifying 30 Soldiers on dismounted M240/ M249 weapon
systems, a Delta Company first since
last deployment.
July training quickly shifted to
a digital focus, with the Platoon conducting VBS2 missions at
Platoon and Company
level. Next was the Call for Fire Trainer, which allowed soldiers
to call for indirect fire support and hone
their skills in shifting fires and map reading. The end of July
was dedicated to Dealer Company Tanker Stakes
competition comprised of various ten-level tasks performed
as an individual, crew, or Platoon. These events
focused on land navigation, communications, sector sketches,
weapons testing, NBC Operations, hand grenade
identification and employment, and range estimation.
3rd Platoon remains hard at
work, with field time scheduled in September, as well as a
planned partnership
mission with Kuwaiti forces in early October.
3rd Platoon Leader
2LT Joshua Reed
**********************
ELIMINATOR FAMILIES & FRIENDS:
Greetings from Kuwait. Since you
last heard from us here in Kuwait the temperatures have risen
significantly to between
115° and 120° daily. We have altered our work schedules to keep
your Soldiers out of the heat as much as possible and
maximize the time we work in the cooler parts of the evenings.
The company has continued to
provide the world class service and support 1-22IN has come to
expect.
We provided all food, water, fuel, ammunition, and maintenance
support during Operation Desert Centurion,
a joint exercise conducted with our Kuwaiti partners as well as
live fire and maneuver training for each
company. The Eliminators answered the call again while the
battalion conducted training for the Expert Infantry
Badge, delivering water, food, and ice to keep training going
during the harsh summer heat.
We increased our proficiency in
our ability to conduct and defend tactical convoys. Led by a
great drivers
training program developed by SFC Johnson, all Soldiers in the
company became more experienced with operating
their vehicles during daylight and night operations. Even though
the training area was closed for unexploded
ordinance removal your Soldiers yet again rose to the challenge
and created tough realistic convoy training
right here on the camp.
We are now on the home stretch
and are finishing our final 90 days here strong, leaving a
lasting mark on Camp
Buehring. I want to thank you all again for the sacrifices that
you make on a daily basis while your loved one is
deployed. It is an honor to lead your Soldiers every single day
as they continue to do great things for the Army
and our nation.
ELIMINATORS!
DAVID A. KLINE
CPT, LG
Commanding
ELIMINATOR 6
ELIMINATOR FAMILIES & FRIENDS:
Greetings FRG, family, and
friends of Eliminator Company! The last couple of months have
been non-stop
which is a good thing for us out here as it has made the days go
by very quickly. The Company has worked
extremely hard on a day to day basis conducting much needed
Warrior Skills and Battle Drills training and
getting back to the basics. Not only do we conduct training, but
support missions are ongoing daily
by the Distribution Platoon supporting training and exercises for
the Battalion. Maintenance Platoon has been working split
shifts in order to conduct maintenance on vehicles fixing
anything and everything ensuring that all vehicles are up and
running.
I couldnt be more proud of the Soldiers that I have the
opportunity to serve with in this great Company. We couldnt
have done any of these things without our family members support
so for that I also commend you as well!
Since being out here in Kuwait
the heat has been excruciating the past few months with
temperatures reaching 125 degrees
on a few days. The Commander and I relooked the increase in
temperature and moved physical training up an hour
which was hard for all of us. I will tell you this waking up an
hour earlier was very hard for the first few weeks but it seems
like we all have adjusted well to the time change. Its
taken a lot of hard work and countless hours in getting our
equipment up
to standard from the Distribution platoon conducting Preventive
Maintenance Checks and Services to the Maintenance platoon
repairing vehicles with limited parts and resources. I cant
leave out the Soldiers behind the scenes with our Headquarters
Platoon taking care of the administrative records and tracking
training thats been conducted to the DFAC Soldiers who are
responsible for feeding and over watching the dining facility to
ensure the camp and Battalion gets fed.
Soldiers, NCOs and Leaders
are getting after it out here in all aspects! I want to recognize
PFC Applegate for winning the Soldier
of the Quarter board and representing the company. He was
commended by the Battalion Leadership and presented an
Army Achievement Medal.
Thanks for all the support from the ELIMINATOR families as we move forward!!
CHRISTOPHER D URRUTIA
1SG, USA
First Sergeant
Greetings Family and Friends of Eliminator Company!
This quarter has been very
eventful for your HQ soldiers. Our biggest event was supporting
Joint Training
exercise Desert Centurion. Desert Centurion was a Company level
live fire exercise with our Kuwait Army counterparts.
While we had no soldiers taking part in the live fire portion, we
led the way in ensuring the company had
the means to support the mission. This was the only large scale
exercise for the quarter as the Udairi Range
complex is closed while the government searches for oil.
Since the closing of the range,
the platoon has been keeping busy with events on Camp Buehring.
One
such event was the 1-22 Infantry Regiment Organizational day.
This day involved several sports competitions
followed by a BBQ coordinated through our field feeding section.
We are being as creative as possible to maximize
training opportunities on the camp, while maintaining company
functions. Weve sent several of our soldiers
through our new drivers training program in which soldiers are
certified to drive a wide array of vehicles to include
Humvees and Medium Tactical Vehicles. Safety is always first
which is why weve also conducted several
Combat Life Saver classes so your soldiers are ready to take on
medical emergencies if necessary. On top of
these weve been practicing mounted battle drills to prepare
for our upcoming Convoy live fire exercise (if the
ranges reopen).
Though there hasnt been
much downtime as the cooks are consistently in the Dining
Facility, supply works
to fill shortages and the training room performs daily functions,
there have been some opportunities for fun.
On several weekends weve been beating the heat by going to
the pool. We do everything we can to finish this
last leg of the deployment until we make it home!
Eliminator 5
Greetings Families:
We are 2/3 of the way through!
As the vast majority of you could have already guessed, the pace
of the Distribution
Platoon has remained extremely high. Although we have not been in
the field as much as usual, we have found
numerous other ways to keep our Soldiers engaged on a daily
basis. This is not only to better each and every one of
them individually, but also to improve the Platoon as a whole. At
times it may be difficult for every Soldier to see
the benefits of the constant training, but at least we can all
agree that it is helping to make the time go by faster while
we wait to come back to you!
We have not been in the field as
much as usual because at the current time there is no field to go
to! The brigade
has focused its efforts on cleaning up and disposing of
unexploded ordinance in the training area. It is quite a pleasant
change of pace, but as we stated above there are still plenty of
other current operations. We have been supporting
the Battalion throughout the Expert Infantry Badge selection
process with food and water, fuel, and ammo.
The logistical resupply for this training was executed in the
most efficient manners possible by all three of the Distribution
Platoon sections. When it comes to bettering ourselves, the
training received has been top notch. Almost
every Soldier in the Platoon is in the process of being
recertified on drivers training. This is an important step
in
ensuring safety, which is our utmost goal and responsibility. We
also enrolled a large number of our Soldiers in the
Combat Lifesavers Course. The skills learned will be used
every Saturday morning while we conduct battle drills during
our Sergeants Time Training events. The battle drills will
in-turn be utilized during our upcoming Convoy Live
Fire Exercise, which will be the culminating event of this
deployment.
We would like to conclude this
months newsletter by welcoming our new Soldiers, PV2 Blake
and PV2 Chamberlain,
and their families. Also, a very deserving congratulations to SPC
Seger and SPC Whitsett and their wives, all of
whom have recently became parents. Finally, we wish farewell to
SGT Juarez and SPC Short. SGT Juarez served as our
POL Section Sergeant for approximately seven years, and SPC Short
served two hard years with our Ammo Section.
To our families - we are so grateful for all of you, and this
mission would not be possible without your continued love
and support. Thanks much.
-1LT Matt Long and SFC Harold Kramer
Families of the Eliminator Company,
First of all, I would like to
thank you for your support that is provide continuously to your
loved
ones. Every day you supply them with the support and motivation
to complete the mission without
fail. I often hear how much they miss you all. Stay strong
because they will be coming home to you soon.
The last few months for the
Maintenance Platoon have been very busy. June, we prepared to
conduct sling load operations, successfully completed an M4
range, and supported the Battalions
maintenance needs. The guys pushed hard to finish all their
annual maintenance services ahead of schedule.
In July a few of our most
promising Soldiers were promoted and others received much
deserved
awards. Promotion Boards were conducted and our Soldiers proved
to be up to the task. The
Platoon also participated in a Battalion Organizational Day. We
trained on Convoy Battle Drills in
preparation for future operations.
In the coming months we will
make our final push to the end. Drivers and Combat Life Saver
training will be conducted. This will lead directly to machine
gun ranges; to immediately be followed
by convoy live fire. From there we will start the process to
return home.
Wishing you all the best,
2LT Kyle Davison
Eliminator 3-6
**********************
Regulars, Families and Friends,
Were well on our way to
the closing stretch of the deployment. In a few short months,
everyone will be back and preparing
for the holiday season. Im sure the Soldiers returning
Kuwait wont mind adjusting to temperatures that are well
below triple digits.
Back here on Rear D, our Soldiers continue to conduct maintenance
on our trucks, Tanks and Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
Those not conducting maintenance are getting ready to out-process
from the Army and preparing to transition to the civilian
workforce by participating in the Army Career and Alumni Program
on Fort Carson.
We have a few upcoming events
that I would like to highlight. On Saturday, August 24th at Iron
Horse Park, we will be
celebrating the Raider Brigades 50th Anniversary with an
Organizational Day. There will be plenty activities
and sports for family members of all ages. On September 7th, at
1pm, well be having an Ice Cream Social at the
Special Events Center where youll be able to hear all the
latest updates regarding the Battalions return from Kuwait
and learn
about etiquette for the Battalion Ball on December 5th at the
Antlers Hilton downtown. Spouses can also take this opportunity
to buy ball
tickets. Well also be having another Battalion FRG Meeting
on October 3rd at Brigade Headquarters Building in
Room 140 to discuss final preparations for the redeployment.
Speaking of redeployment, if your phone number
has recently changed, please be sure to contact our Battalion
FRSA, Mrs. Theresa Scott, to get this information updated
so we can contact you when your Soldier redeploys. She can be
reached at (719) .
Weve had a few changes in
battalion and FRG leadership since the last letter. Captain Tony
Thies, formerly the
commander of Alpha Company, has taken over as the commander of
Headquarters & Headquarters Company. His
wife, Mrs. Wendy Thies is now their FRG leader; she can be
reached at gmail.com . Taking over
Captain Thies in Alpha Company is Captain Larry Kay. Captain
Kays wife is Mrs. Jillian Kay and she has been handed
the baton from Mrs. Thies as the Alpha FRG leader; she can be
reached at .com . To help assist
families with Army Emergency Relief loans and grants, Staff
Sergeant Christopher Kincaid as taken over as our
Command Finance NCO; he can be reached at (931) . Finally, last
but not least, we have a new 1st Sergeant:
Sergeant First Class Joshua Fletcher, formerly from Bravo
Company; he can be reached at (719).
If you havent already
liked the Regulars, By God Facebook page,
I highly recommend that you check it out. The
Facebook remains the best place to find regularly updates on the
Battalions deployment, upcoming FRG activities
and Fort Carson events. The Regulars, by God page is
regularly updated by the folks in Kuwait and Fort Carson
and has a great selection of pictures showing what your Soldiers
are up to. Feel free to send us any messages or
questions you may have.
My phone (719-) is always on; in
the event that I can not be reached, please contact Battalion
Staff Duty
(719-8) and they will get a hold of me. Deeds, Not Words!
Captain Oliver Nakad
Rear Detachment Commander
Hi, my name is Theresa Scott
your Family Readiness Support Assistant (FRSA). As an FRSA I will
maintain
continuity and stability of Family Readiness Groups as our unit
undergoes changes from unit deployments,
to our volunteers and leadership. I will provide operational and
logistical support to the Chain of Command,
Read D, and volunteer FRG leaders. I will continue to serve your
FRG leaders by taking on the administration
burdens so that your FRG leaders can concentrate on performing
outreach to soldiers and their families
in the command, thus preserving stability on the home front,
especially during periods of deployment.
You can also find us on Facebook by searching Regulars By
God.
Theresa Scott, 1-22IN FRSA
**********************
Home | Photos | Battles & History | Current |
Rosters & Reports | Medal of Honor | Killed
in Action |
Personnel Locator | Commanders | Station
List | Campaigns |
Honors | Insignia & Memorabilia | 4-42
Artillery | Taps |
What's New | Editorial | Links |