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| A-1-8 Chapter of the 4th Infantry Division |
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Bob Babcock - "Deeds not Words"
President, Americans Remembered, Inc. - http://www.americansremembered.org
President, 22nd Inf Regt Society - http://www.22ndinfantry.org
Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn - http://www.4thinfantry.org
babcock224@aol.com
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>From CentCom news release dated 1-13-04:
4TH ID’S 24-HOUR ACTIVITY
TIKRIT, Iraq – Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse have, over the past 24 hours, conducted 155 patrols and five raids, and captured 43 individuals.
Twelve of the patrols were joint operations conducted with the Iraqi Police, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps (ICDC) and the Border Guard in order to continually improve the safety and standard of living for the Iraqi people.
Weapons and equipment confiscated in raids and patrols throughout the Task Force Ironhorse area of operations include one 90-millimeter recoilless rifle with two 90mm recoilless rifle rounds, seven AK-47 assault rifles, two machine guns, two rifles, one shotgun, four rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers, 46 RPGs, seven grenades, 12 mortar tubes, nine mortar rounds, five S-5-K rockets, 70-feet of detonation cord and two improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
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Good news - replacements are on the way...
>From Honolulu Advertiser - Posted on: Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Schofield soldiers departing for Iraq
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
The first waves of 4,800 Schofield Barracks soldiers were expected to leave early today and Friday for a year of duty in northern Iraq.
The deployment — along with the departure of more than 4,500 soldiers to Afghanistan in March — marks a new chapter in the diverse history of the 25th Infantry Division (Light), and means an extended period away from loved ones and friends.
"I think me and my soldiers are excited. We have a lot of confidence in our unit and our senior-level leadership," said 1st Lt. Walter Cartin, 23, who's with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, and headed to Iraq. "Morale is actually pretty high for what's getting ready to go on. The soldiers want to go."
Groups of soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team will leave for Iraq through Jan. 26, when the last of the chartered flights leaves Hickam Air Force Base.
A typical route will take Hawai'i soldiers to the Mainland, Germany and then Kuwait for staging and rendezvous with a supply ship before the six-day, 600-mile convoy trek to the region around the oil-producing city of Kirkuk. The 25th will patrol an area more than double the size of the Big Island.
Today's planned departure of about 250 soldiers from Hickam at about 2 a.m. was expected to be low-key, with families saying goodbye at home rather than at the base.
"The command is taking care of all the soldiers, giving them plenty of family time," said Cartin, who will leave on one of the later flights. "We've kind of done all of our preparation, and we're waiting on the boats to go."
Deploying soldiers — whether single or married — have been spending time getting things at home in order once the necessary work is done for the day, Cartin said.
"It's important to get (soldiers) home to take care of their families, take care of their personal business, because we do realize the gravity of a year — it does wear on families fairly heavily," the platoon leader said.
The Hawai'i soldiers will fall under the 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized) for several months, and then the 1st Infantry Division in a 9,200-square-mile area now patrolled by the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Schofield Barracks officials said the area is north of the so-called "Sunni Triangle" north and west of Baghdad, where many of the attacks on U.S. forces have occurred.
Truck bombs have killed civilians in Kirkuk, where thousands of Kurds demonstrated on Dec. 22 in favor of incorporating the city into the northern autonomous region.
The 25th Division has a wide range of experience in its history, and the Iraq deployment adds to that legacy.
The division fought on Guadalcanal, the North Solomon Islands and the Philippines during World War II, and drove into North Korea and then was forced back in 1950.
The last time the 25th deployed as a division was during the Vietnam War. In 1965, the movement of the 3rd Brigade and 2,000 tons of equipment to the northern province of Pleiku in operation "Blue Light" was the largest movement of soldiers and equipment by military aircraft in history. (Editor's Note: Later, in August 1967, this brigade transferred into the 4th Infantry Division until their return to Hawaii in late 1970).
Several platoons took part in the first Gulf War, more than 3,700 Schofield soldiers deployed to Haiti in 1995 for peacekeeping, and more than 1,000 soldiers were sent to Bosnia in 2002.
Charlie Company, 1-21, is moving out of the Lightning Towers barracks this weekend ahead of the Iraq deployment, and soldiers leaving later this week and next week are packing up belongings and doing weapons maintenance.
"We're ready to go and we're just pretty much tying up loose ends," said Staff Sgt. Eric Salmond, 25.
Capt. Bill Venable, who commands the approximately 140 soldiers of Charlie Company, said soldiers have been shown real aloha as they prepare to leave Hawai'i.
"The Military 'Ohana Day this weekend was excellent and very much appreciated by everyone that I talked to," Venable said.
More than 1,500 people turned out at Kapi'olani Park to show support for the deploying troops.
An "adopt a soldier" program also was started so that soldiers can get mail from Hawai'i residents.
"I think what we've experienced here is probably the exception rather than the rule," Venable said. "I don't think that most units are fortunate enough to have this kind of send-off by the local community."
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
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R&R Program funds more travel, fewer flights
By Spc. Lorie Jewell
January 9, 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Army News Service, Jan. 9, 2004) – Soldiers coming home on rest and recuperation leave will now have their travel expenses covered to the airport closest to their R&R destination.
The policy change came with the Dec. 19 approval to fund the onward travel program by Charles Abell, principal deputy, under secretary of defense for Personnel & Readiness. Congress recommended spending $55 million of the Army’s Operation and Maintenance funds to cover the cost of expanding the program, according to a Department of Defense news release.
Until now, service members and DoD civilians participating in the R&R program received free transportation from Kuwait City to Rhein Main Air Base in Germany, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport or Atlanta International Airport. From there, they had to cover any remaining airline travel expenses.
Now, the program will cover the cost of travel from BWI to a commercial airport closest to their leave destination, said Col. Paris Mack, chief of the R&R leave program task force.
As of Jan. 1, Soldiers make travel arrangements and receive airline tickets to their final R&R destination at the travel office in Kuwait, said Mack. Those who paid for airline tickets between Dec. 19 and Jan. 1 can get the cost reimbursed on the travel voucher they submit upon their return to Kuwait from R&R leave, Mack said.
While the program is expanding in the area of onward travel, it is paring back on the number of debarkation ports. When the program kicked off in September, Soldiers were flown either to Germany or BWI. In November, Dallas and Atlanta airports were added to the program. Those two airports will no longer be used as debarkation ports, Mack said.
“With the way units are rotating now, there aren’t as many people eligible to participate in the program, so we don’t need as many ports,” said Mack.
Future plans are to add Dallas and Atlanta back to the program as of June 1, and possibly Los Angeles at some point after that, Mack added.
To be eligible for the R&R program, a Soldier must have served at least three months but no more than 11 months in theater.
Editor's Note: These are links to articles regarding R&R Reimbursment. Any travel prior to 19 DEC 03 will not be reimbursed.
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_army_011204,00.html?ESRC=dod.nl
http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=5573
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A Few Words From Bob:
Response has been positive on the first set of "Redeployment Tips". Keep your experiences coming and I'll keep including them. Our next five tips are included today and more are ready for tomorrow. We need to hear from parents and family members as well as wives - let me know your redeployment experiences so we can pass them on to other parents and family.
Also, I used a poor choice of word yesterday when I talked about "resuming the rivalry" with 1st Cav when they get home. I should have said, "let's resume the team work." I used the word "rivalry", because the person in that paragraph used that word. Great work has been going on over the past several months to end the rivalry at Fort Hood; especially since we are going through a time when it is so important to work as a team and support each other. Commaraderie over the last 5 months has been excellent. 4ID formed sister brigades with 1CAV and we have been helping them with lessons learned and experiences. 1CAV have included 4ID in their ceremonies and had a family movie day for us. We will do the same for them once the 4ID comes back. So - teamwork is our key word, not rivalry.
Don't get too impatient on wanting to know exact dates when the troops will be home. I know many of you want to be at Fort Hood or Fort Carson or Fort Sill or Fort Lewis or Fort Leonard Wood or wherever your troops return to. It is far too early to know exact dates on individual unit returns. Every unit/plane load of soldiers returning will have a short welcome home ceremony. Unit arrival dates and times will not be announced until 24-48 hours out because flight schedules are subject to change. The announcement of arrivals will be made by FT Hood, FT Carson, FT Sill, FT Lewis, FT Leonard Wood, etc. Be patient - I'll announce return news as quick as I hear concrete information. And accept the dates your soldiers are giving you as target dates, not carved in stone dates.
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59 Years Ago Today - 4ID in Luxembourg:
14 January 1944 - D+223
Enemy activity on the west side of the Sauer river was confined to small patrols and maintenance of outposts.
Under cover of darkness, 13-14 January, Company G of the 22nd Infantry Regiment successfully cleared a small group of the enemy who had crossed the Sauer river and established themselves in bunkers in the vicinity of Hill 236. This small enemy force was destroyed.
Thanks to Philippe Cornil at www.revive-it.com.
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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) In response to the dog tags with the soldiers picture on it. My future in laws had one made for me a few months after my soldier left (B/2-20 FA) we had this made in Fort Hood and I wear it everywhere I just change the chain to fit the outfit I am wearing that day...I wear it as a choker or on a long chain depending on what I am wearing that day..and it keeps him close to my heart.
2) I talked to my husband this morning. He talked a lot about reenlistment options and what he'd like to do with his career. Since he's been over there, he's had a lot of time to think of his/our options as far as getting out, staying in, advancement opportunities (and lack there-of), and just where he wants to be down the road. He said it is busy as usual there; they did another mission last night and came back in time for a quick rest then back out for checkpoint patrol. He was tired and hungry (he was getting ready to go to chow) but doing well. .....everyone is looking forward to coming home. It's normal for them to get a little burnt out after so long and such a heavy situation. It is encouraging to them that the replacements are on their way. (1-66 AR)
3) I wanted to let you know that my soldier finally made it home this morning and we were able to pick him up around 5:30 am. We had been on post since about 11 pm when we finally found out where they were dropping the few soldiers off that were coming back to Ft Hood. I wanted to let you know that he is back and in a great mood with only a few battle scars and tons of stories. I appreciate all your help through my very first deployment. Hopefully it is my last.
4) My husband is in 2-20 FA in Taji. He has been able to email a lot recently. He emailed yesterday and today saying that the phones are down. Fortunately, the Internet is still up and running. The satellite phone that the unit uses was passed around today so he was able to call his mom for her birthday (a day late, but still very much welcomed).
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Families Share R&R Moments:
1) My son is a Corporal with the 4ID. He assists in tracking rebuilding of Iraqs infrastructure and tracking IEDs (improvised explosive devises). I am sharing that because I am just a mom who wanted her son home for the holidays (and everyday after) and then realizing that he has such an important job, just as all of our troops do. I wanted to thank him and all of the men and women who sacrifice every day to get a job well done. This is my Christmas story. My family (mom, brothers and sister in law) were insisting that I go to Virginia for the holidays so that I would not be alone. They understood that I was feeling really sad that my son would not be here for this time. I went and spent my time with my beautiful nieces. In the back of my mind I was wondering how my son was and if he would be alone for the holidays. I tried not to let on that I was feeling really bad without him. On the evening of December 26th my brother says he needed to talk to me (he looked very serious), I was scared. We went to the porch (this is were the "family meetings " are held). I asked him to put the light on because it was pitch black outside. It was so quiet, dark and scary. When he put the lights on I thought I saw a ghost. My son was standing there very proud, in his uniform. I was screaming so loud and crying that I felt my chest hurting as though I would have a heart attack. When I went to my son he said, " Yes,Mom it's really me". As I touched his face in disbelief he wiped the tears from my face and asked me to sit down. I was a mess. I held on to him and cried like a baby. I did not let anyone near him for a few minutes. Eventually, I had to let go. My mom and son put this surprise together (it took him three days of travel to get to Virginia) and I will forever be grateful. It was the best Christmas present I could have ever received. We came back to NY and spent the rest of the time with family, friends, eating, crying and my listening to stories that had me inspired and compassionate for so many of our men and women. My son continues to show that I did a great job raising him and I want to thank the Army, his battle buddies, and God for keeping him safe to the best of their ability. Thanks and God Bless.
2) Just wanted to let you know how my husband spent some of his 15 days:) (404th
DASB) He arrived here in Nashville on Christmas Morning! We came home and I
fixed breakfast for him...eggs, bacon, biscuits & gravy while he soaked in a hot bath, I had his towel and washcloth ready for him heated straight from the dryer. Afterwards we took my (our) kids to their dad's house so that we could have some alone time and boy did he eat and sleep. After I would cook for him, nothing from a heat 'em up and eat 'em up variety, he would fall asleep...once for 14.5 hours! He really doesn't remember anything for the first 2-3 days. I basically let him do anything he wanted.... I took him out for a porterhouse steak and long island tea, rented his favorite movies, kept firewood in the house, fridge stocked with food, beer, pepsi, mt.dew, root beer bottles, homemade breads, cookies and different meats
and snacks...he really did have a great time, except when I was at work. :( It was so hard to see him go and as I was standing there watching my beloved pass thru security, another wife came up to me and said with a smiling face, "don't worry, he'll be home before you know it"...and it somehow made me feel at ease, like everything is going to be OK. I love that about the military, I've only been a part of it for 11 months, but I feel like I've been in this "family" all of my life!
3) Hi Bob. We got to spend the weekend with our son and his family. He came home for R&R on the 7th of Jan. You could tell he was still pretty tired, but he had lots of stories and pictures he shared with us. I cooked a couple of his favorite meals so his wife would not have to be tied down in the kitchen and could spend more time with him. He had burned a CD with lots of pictures and we spent part of the day looking at that and hearing stories about the Iraqi people he has met and the other soldiers in his unit. His aunt is a teacher and her 3rd grade class had sent him homemade Christmas cards and letters which he got the day before he left to come home. We all sat at the kitchen table reading these cards and letters and having a fun time wondering what must be going through these little one's minds with some of the things they wrote. We will get to see him a couple more times before he goes back and I keep telling myself he is due home in May......we have made it this far, a few more months won't be so bad. I know it will be hard to see him leave. He will have to leave the day before his wife's birthday so we are wanting to make sure they have quality time together.
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Redeployment Tips
1) From a Vietnam vet: After my last year long deployment I had to realize when I got home that my wife had been the one taking care of everything while I was gone. She had to make all the decisions, be Mom and Dad, bill payer, handyman, and all the little things you just take for granted when you are home. You can't come back after being gone for a year or longer and expect to step back into the same role you were doing before you left. Take things slow and gradually work back into doing the things you were before. The biggest burden on my wife was the bill paying, so I took that over. Making decisions about how to handle things is something else you have to work back into doing. Make joint decisions - discuss the matter then you both decide. Keep open communications - that is the srongest piece of advice someone you can give to someone coming home. Relax and discuss things openly. There will be things you won't want to talk about, and you need to let them know. Just keep an open mind and communicate with each other.
2) From experience of redeployment I think that spouses should be aware that they need to start putting money aside because they will not have that extra income that they are used to having. I would hope that with this deployment finance will stop the extra money without any interruption in our spouses pay, but when my husband returned from Bosnia the extra money didn't stop for a few months and the Army took it back all at once, leaving us with no pay due for a few months. Thank God I was smart enough to realize that we should not have had that money and put it aside for a rainy day.
3) I check out a couple other military websites (of deployed units - my son's friends) and one site notes that when you come back and want to get your vehicle out of Army storage you need proof of insurance. I wonder if anyone knows the details, as I am sure some car registrations have expired too, and knowing the Army (I was a tanker's wife), the paperwork will have to be in order to pick up a vehicle. (Editor's Note: It's not to soon to start thinking about renewing vehicle registration and insuring you have the requried insurance. Better to get the details now than to scramble when your soldier gets home).
4) From a wife who has been through three long deployments: My advice when the soldiers come home and you reunite is to not have a lot of things planned. Go slow. It is a time of readjustment. It's important to not have any unreal expectations. Do the simple things you used to enjoy doing together like sitting on the porch talking, taking the kids to the park, watching a favorite movie on tv, go out to eat or for an ice cream, go to the movies, or take a walk together hand in hand. Keep communictions open. Understand that your soldier may be tired when he/she gets back. Be proud of each other and all that you both have accomplished during the deployment. The soldier should compliment his spouse on how well he/she did while he/she was deployed. Be proud that your spouse may have become more independent and be proud that your spouse has handled things well while you were deployed. If you have children, give them time to also adjust and expect them to test you. The soldier should try to spend alone time with each child when he/she can. Try to keep your routine with the children's activities and school. Be sure to stick to your budget, and not go on big shopping sprees.
5) My reunion tip: Resist the urge to use "fix-it" phrases like "it's ok, you're home now" or "you don't have to think about .... any more, you're home." (I'm a readjustment counselor of vets from the last three wars).
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