April may 2013 newsletter

the DEVIL’S CORNERAPRIL/MAY 2013 EDITION

APRIL/MAY 2013 the Devil’s Corner 2
The ‘devil’ brigade
7232 NORMANDY DRIVE
FORT RILEY KS 66442
‘Devil’ PAO
Email: 1stid.devil.pao@gmail.com
Read the Post paper online! http://www.1divpost.com/
KEEP INFORMED AND UPDATED WITH 1ST BRIGADE BY FOLLOWING US ON
THESE WEBSITES:
1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley: www.riley.army.mil.
Click on Units, 1ID Brigades, 1ABCT or just click on this link:
http://www.riley.army.mil/UnitPage.aspx?unit=1bct
Facebook: www.facebook.com/1HBCTDEVILBRIGADE?v=wall&ref-sgm
vFRG website: Family Members and Approved Personal can also go onto the vFRG and log into
their Soldier’s BN’s vFRG site, where more information can be found. www.armyfrg.org
1/1 ABCT Commander
Col. Michael Pappal
1/1 ABCT Command
Sergeant Major
CSM Mark A. Kiefer
Public Affairs Officer Public Affairs NCO/Journalist
Maj. Tony B. Crumbey Sgt. Kerry Lawson

6D
no mission too difficult. no sacrifice too great. duty
first.
devil 6
To all of the Devil Soldiers, Family
Members, and Friends:
I am finally taking time to write
this note while sitting in the
Brigade TAC watching my staff
synchronize and coordinate fire
missions as part of our Fire
Coordination Exercise. This is the
culmination of over a year of
planning and training with the
Brigade’s TOC/TAC conducting
mission command, 1-5 FA out
shooting the big guns, 101 BSB
conducting squad convoy lanes
while supporting the units in the
field. The 4-4 CAV and COLTS
conducting call-for-fire missions,
and BSTB supporting the TOC’s
communication and flying UAS
missions. Everybody is doing a
great job and learning at all levels
is amazing. This is only one the
outstanding training events out of
the many across the battalions. The
Pale Riders completed their first
platoon-level STX, and showed
their ability to sneak and peek
across the battlefield during the
night.
Congratulations to 4-4 CAV
Gainey Cup team who represented
the Devil Brigade, and the Big Red
One at that Army Scout
Competition at Fort Benning, GA.
The tank companies within the Iron
Rangers and Dreadnaughts
completed tank gunnery closing
out the OPNET. Great shooting by
those crews as well as all of the
Bradley crews who preceded them.
It is good to know that we are
an Armored Brigade with lethal,
steely-eyed crews. Our Joint
Forward Observers had the
opportunity to control A-10 Ground
support aircraft from the South
Dakota Air National Guard last
week. This was the first time in
over 10 years that anyone has
controlled and dropped bombs
from Air Force planes on Fort
Riley.
Be sure to check the Devil
Brigade Facebook page for some
great pictures. Even with less
money we are able to conduct some
hard, and valuable training to hone
our perishable warfighting skills.
Keep up the great work, stay
focused, and disciplined as the
weather begins to get nicer
(hopefully). Take care of your
buddies, your family, and yourself.

D7
no mission too difficult. no sacrifice too great. duty
first.
devil 7
As we close out the second
quarter, begin the third quarter; and
look forward to Spring, the Brigade
is getting busy with training
and rebuilding long lost skills.
Late at night the sounds of artillery
from Hamilton’s Own were heard
all over the post as they completed
Table VI. The Scouts from Pale
Riders are completing their NET
gunnery and produced some
outstanding crews in the process.
Now, the tanks are moving into
position to begin their final leg of
NET and qualify all 58 crews. By
the time this goes into print, so I
would like to say thanks to all the
leaders and Soldiers who put in the
time and effort to learn and relearn
all the equipment. To all the
maintainers and those that provided
the fuel, parts, and all the other
tangibles to make this all
synchronize, thank you for the hard
work.
The message this installment is
geared to the Sergeant and
Soldier relationship. Some believe
the pairing is one requiring stern
leadership, while others rely on a
relaxed atmosphere of friendship
and a mutual coexistence. The
Task Master is often ineffective
in building effective teams, while
the casual leader approach is easy
to take advantage of. So which of
these is the better suited leader? I
think it’s better to have these traits,
but not necessarily use them
unless truly needed. My leadership
advice to the most inexperienced in
the formation is to learn from those
most effective in the unit. The
authentic leader is what is needed
most today. My description of the
authentic leader is that they are
R.E.A.L…. RESPECTFUL,
ENCOURAGING,
APPROACHABLE, and LOYAL.
If we do a little self analysis
periodically, we might ask
ourselves if we are respectful to
those we lead and those that
command. Respect is as easy to
spot as disrespect. Soldiers will
gravitate to it. Encourage our sub-
ordinates to excel and
contribute to the team. A simple pat
on the back goes a long way and
lets a soldier know they are
appreciated. An approachable
leader will get more done than
anyone else. A leader that is not
approachable will find those in
their charge going elsewhere for
advice and direction. A soldier
needs an outlet for all things,
whether personal or technical.
Make yourself approachable and
see how much busier you get as a
result. Loyalty is an Army value
and absolutely necessary for
success. Any leader who doesn’t
exhibit the loyal attributes to the
Soldier, Unit, or the Army as an
institution will be very
transparent to a Soldier; can expect
to be marginalized. I am always
looking at leaders and talking to
Soldiers about what they want. A
Soldier wants a credible leader who
does what he does and asks
nothing of them that they don’t ask
of themselves. My final bit of ad-
vice is to always ask for feedback
from multiple levels since it is way
more important that a leader know
how they are seen as opposed to
how that same leader sees things.
You may be surprised at what you
learn in the process. If you read
this, I would like some feedback on
the content and whether or not you
found it useful to you in any way.

Chaplain’s Corner
At the age of thirty-eight, Bonnie Booth may have taken extreme measures to solve one of her problems. In
February of 1996, the Muncie, Indiana, resident had unsuccessfully tried to remove a callous from her foot with
a razor so she resorted to more drastic measures. She drank a bottle of vodka and had two or three beers before
doing “surgery” in her backyard with a .410 shotgun. She was afraid the callous was getting infected because
of some severe pain so she opted to try shooting it off with a shotgun. Needless to say, she not only ended up in
the emergency room, but also the psychiatric center as well.
While we might see Ms. Booth’s attempt at problem solving somewhat comical and lacking in the common
sense department, I wonder if people examined our attempts at problem solving would they too snicker and
shake their heads in dismay at our efforts. Perhaps you have not taken a shotgun to your foot for callous
removal but I am sure many of us have done other strange things to get our lives straightened out.
The Bible reminds us to turn over our problems to God because He cares for us. The first step in problem
solving for people of faith is just that—faith. As chaplains we provide the resources for people to seek
spiritual and religious care. We are the person in the Army community that exists to openly and honestly talk
about spiritual resilience. Our spiritual resilience is strengthened each time we turn a problem over to God and
we discover that He gives us what we need to handle the situation. He might give us a great Behavioral Health
counselor (or Military Family Life Consultant, social worker, or chaplain) who is caring and compassionate at
just the time we need it. Or a battle buddy who takes the time to show genuine care for our problems. As we
see God give us the resolve and strength we need in the situation our spiritual resilience becomes stronger and
more vibrant. This in turn instills in us the confidence in our self that with God, we can handle whatever He
allows into our corner of the world.
Many of you have heard by now that the funding for the Strong Bonds marriage and single soldier retreats
has been greatly reduced. It is true. For the remainder of this fiscal year only units returning from a deployment
or about to deploy will have funds for Strong Bond retreats. Stay tuned for more developments.

Peace,
Chaplain Don Carrothers
Office: (785) 239-2513
Cell: (785)307-0514
Unit Chaplains Contact Information
BDE CH (MAJ) Carrothers: 785-239-2513
BSTB CH (CPT) Ball: 785-279-6836
BSB CH (CPT) Adriatico: 785-239-9530
1-16 CH (CPT) Ball: 785-240-3111
2-34 CH (CPT) Parks: 785-240-2444
1-5 CH (CPT) Jung ---- No Number
4-4 CH (CPT) Remy ---- No Number
1 EN CH (1LT) Sanders: 785-240-5972

Retention’s Corner
Retention in First Brigade is well on pace for a successful year. Currently, the Brigade sits at 98% completion
for the mission ending on 30 Sept 2013. The Army has been trying to get Soldiers to make a decision earlier in
their career rather than the last minute and our Soldiers have taken that message to heart. The future of Army
retention will be a lesson in aggressively seeking career advancement. The Brigade Retention team just finished
identifying Soldiers who would be adversely affected by the Feb. 21 bonus change. Sometimes this results in
more reenlistments but the primary mission is to make sure every Soldier understands what is available and
what it is changing to. Several bonuses went from $5k+ to $0. The Division Retention program has set us up
for success by ensuring that counseling Soldiers is important. Soldiers make their best decisions when they
know all the options available to them. One change we are making is to the transfer of the 9-11 GI Bill.
Retention asks that no one goes online and transfers their benefits on their own. See your Career Counselor
and inquire to your eligibility first. The Career Counselor can then brief you on the rules for transfer and assist
you with transferring your benefits quickly as well as approve the transfer once the requirements have been met.
The Career Counselor is the approving official for transfers of enlisted personnel.
1st ABCT, Senior Career Counselor
MSG Brian Byington
Office: 785-239-8757

Equal Opportunity’s Corner
The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance as our nation’s annual commemoration
of the Holocaust and created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a permanent living memorial
to the victims. Holocaust Remembrance Day is Monday, April 8, 2013. The Museum designated Never Again:
Heeding the Warning Signs as the theme for the 2013 observance. In accordance with its Congressional
mandate, the Museum is responsible for leading the nation in commemorating the Days of Remembrance, and
for encouraging and sponsoring appropriate observances throughout the United States.
“STRENGTH IN DIVERSITY”
SFC Frank Desario
Equal Opportunity Advisor
1ABCT, 1ID
Office: 239-0560
Cell: 760-900-7946

Safety Comments
How to use your Safety Officer:
I was the incoming battalion
commander and it had been a
wonderful couple of days
familiarizing myself with what
appeared to be a great unit. After
reviewing the brigade command-
er’s Officer Evaluation Report
support form in preparation for my
initial counseling, I noted the usual
comments about meeting or
exceeding standards for the
commander’s unit status report,
individual weapons qualification,
Army physical fitness test and the
unit’s successful external evalua-
tion. However, what I hadn’t seen
before was an objective to “imple-
ment and maintain an effective
unit safety program supporting unit
readiness and combat capability.”
During my counseling session
with the brigade commander, Col.
Green, she asked how I planned to
implement and maintain an effec-
tive unit safety program. I confi-
dently replied that my safety officer
would lead that effort. Not satisfied
with my response, she asked me if I
knew how to use my safety officer.
I said that I would simply ask the
safety officer to prepare seasonal
and holiday safety messages for
me, make appropriate comments at
command/staff
meetings, provide last-minute
safety tips and keep me abreast of
safety-related issues.
That’s when Green offered some
guidance and mentorship. I learned
that my unit had experienced a rash
of accidents both on and off duty
during the last seven months. One
in particular involved a 21-year-old
Soldier killed on a motorcycle. The
Soldier ran a stop sign and was hit
by a car. Another accident involved
a Soldier that sustained a serious
back injury while lifting a heavy
pelican case. That Soldier spent
more than 3 ½ months on conva-
lescent leave and is now pending
possible medical
retirement.
Green made it clear that unit
readiness and combat capability
depended on the use of my safety
officer and their ability to imple-
ment and
maintain an effective unit safety
program. She said safety was a
command team responsibility and
informed me that I was required to
attend her safety council meetings
and that I needed to link up with
her safety officer.
I met with the brigade safety
officer and he gave me a lot of
valuable information on how to
breathe some life back into my
safety program. He recommended
that my additional duty safety
officer serve as a member of my
personal staff. He also said that
I should appropriately empower
the ADSO, allowing him or her
to monitor key command support
programs; observe and participate
in unit operations; participate in the
military decision making process;
manage the unit safety program;
document and track hazards, action
officers and suspense dates; and
handle accident reporting and trend
analysis.
Armed with ideas and guidance,
I met with my command team sev-
eral times and we developed a plan
on how to set up and effectively
manage a unit safety program.
I appointed a new ADSO, Capt.
Johnson, and assistant ADSO, Sgt.
1st Class Stevenson. I briefed them
on my expectations and, heeding
the brigade safety officer’s advice,
I let them know they’d serve on my
personal staff, reporting directly to
me.
Four months later, my unit
experienced one Class C, two Class
D accidents and some close-call
events that could have easily re-
sulted in a serious injury or fatality.
This
definitely wasn’t the precedence on
safety I wanted to set.
Soon after, the ADSO and
assistant ADSO returned from the
Ground Safety Officer course with
fresh ideas. Before my next safety
council meeting, Johnson and
Stevenson suggested we administer
a safety survey. The survey they
explained, along with analysis of
unit accident trends, would help
validate areas where the unit was
performing well and expose the
areas that needed improvement.
After the unit completed the
survey, my executive officer set a
date and time for the safety council
meeting that happened to conflict
with my schedule. I directed the
XO to chair the meeting. That’s
when
Johnson met with me and
respectfully requested that I chair
the meeting. Then I thought about
the brigade commander’s “imple-
ment and maintain an effective
unit safety program” performance
objective. I chaired the meeting.
My unit was three weeks out
from conducting a field training ex-
ercise that included live-fire lanes
training. Following the FTX and
live-fire lanes rehearsal, Johnson
and Stevenson emailed me two DA
Form 7566
Composite Risk Management
worksheets — one for the FTX and
the other for live-fire lanes training
— for my review and signature.
The FTX and live-fire lanes
training went off well with no ac-
cidents,

injuries or damaged equipment.
During the after-action review, I
was surprised to see both CRM
worksheets included on the AAR
agenda. Clearly, Johnson and Ste-
venson were onto something, and I
attribute the success of the mission
to them.
I firmly believe that
implementing and maintaining an
effective unit safety program and
effective use of my safety officer is
the key to a successful command.
However, this will require
continuous effort by me, my com-
mand team, Leaders at all levels,
Soldiers and even their Families
to maintain readiness and combat
capability. At my safety council
meetings, the
performance metrics reflect an
accident rate reduction with zero
off-duty privately owned vehicle
accidents. My last CUSR submis-
sion also showed considerable
improvement. Morale seems
greatly improved and, most impor-
tantly, we haven’t lost anybody to
accidents.
Editor’s note: The names of the
Soldiers in this article are fictitious.

Need to contact your
Family Readiness Support Assistant? (FRSA)
1-5 FA
BarbStanley
785-240-1652
babs.stanley@us.army.mil
1ABCT
HelenDay
785-240-4337
helen.day@us.army.mil
1-1 BSTB
HelenDay
785-240-4337
1-1st ENG
BarbStanley
785-240-1652
4-4 CAV
HelenDay
785-240-4337
101st BSB
BarbStanley
785-240-1652
1-16 IN
LizTripp
785-239-6687
Elizabeth.tripp1@us.army.mil
2-34 AR
LizTripp
785-239-6687
Elizabeth.tripp1@us.army.mil

Financial NCO comments
The Thrift Savings Plan has warned its participants against using a free iPhone app being offered through the
Apple store, saying it is not an official offering of the 401(k)-style program for federal employees.
The app, called TSP Funds, asks account holders for their account login information, but providing that in-
formation “could result in a security risk to your account,” the TSP said.
The TSP’s own access portal requires users to enter account identification and a password. It also provides
information about steps investors should take to protect their accounts.
The TSP last year disclosed that a 2011 hacking incident had been discovered in which Social Security num-
bers and other personal information on more than 120,000 account holders were compromised.
For more information visit: https://www.tsp.gov/index.shtml (you will find a link to the warning on the right
side of the TSP home page)
SSG Airial Dandridge
1st ABCT Command Financial NCO
785-340-5184

SHARP’s corner
There are SHARP qualified personnel distributed thorughout the brigade. Each company and battalion has
a primary and alternate SHARP qualified person. The Brigade Sexual Assault Coordinator (SARC) and Victim
Advocate (VA) serve in their positions full time. If someone finds themselves a victim of sexual assualt or
sexual harrassment they are free to talk to anyone SHARP qualified. DoD also has a program called Safe
Helpline which provides an additional channel where adult Service members of the DoD community can seek
sexual assualt resources and crisis support securely and anonymously:
With the DoD Safe Helpline, users have three ways -- “click, call or text” -- to get confidential support.
o CLICK: Logging on to www.SafeHelpline.org allows users to receive live, one-on-one confidential help
with a trained professional through a secure instant-messaging format. The website also provides vital
information about recovering from and reporting sexual assault. This service can also be accessed via a
format for mobile phones.
o CALL: Calling 877-995-5247 allows users to speak with trained Safe Helpline staff for personalized
advice and support. Safe Helpline staff can transfer callers directly to installation-based Sexual Assualt
Response Coordinators (SARCs)/ On-call SAPR Victim Advocates, civilian rape crisis centers. Military
OneSource, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The “warm hand-off” process personally connects
the user with a resource representative for furter assistance. Staff will transfer the caller to any resource at
the location of the caller’s choice. For example, a caller may want to speak to the SARC at the location
where their unit is based, not where they are currently located. If the contact is unavaiblable at the time of the
“warm hand-off,” the Safe Helpline staff will offer contact information to the caller to follow-up with sup
port personnel at a later time.
o TEXT: Texting a location or zip code to 55-247 in the U.S. and 202-470-5546 outside the U.S. allows users
to receive contact information for the SARC; medical, legal, spiritual, and military police personnel; and
Department of Veterans Affairs personnel at their installation or base.
For more information, questions, or concerns feel free to contact the 1st ABCT SHARP Office:
SARC - SFC Sheryann Omarrow 239-9528
Victim Advocate - SSG Airial Dandridge 785-340-5184
1st ABCT SHARP Hotline (to report a sexual assualt): 785-307-0107
1st Inf. Div. SHARP Hotline: 785-307-9338

SFC Rod Anderson
HHC,1st ABCT
My family,definitely.Without them
having my back,life would be a lot
more difficult.
SPC Jacob Craig
HHC,1st ABCT
My wife.Also my peers from basic
training that are stationed here.
WO1 Katrina Davis
HHC,1-1 BSTB
My religion and family.
MAJ Jenevieve Murphy
HHC,1st ABCT
My husband and son.When times
are tough,my family helps me to get
through them.
WHAT MAKESYOU STRONG?

courts-martial
in 1st abct
Unit: Company B, 1st Bn., 16th IN
Charges: Articles 129 - Burglary;
121 - Larceny x4; 108 -
Destruction of Government Property
x2; 86 - AWOL
Punishment: Reduction to E1;
Confinement for 6 months; Bad
Conduct Discharge
Unit: Troop D, 4th SQDN, 4th CAV
REGT
Charges: Article 86 - Failure to
Report; 112 - Drug Use x2
Punishment: Reduction to the E1;
Forefeiture of $768 for one month, and
confinement for one month
Unit: HHC, 1-1 BSTB
Charges: Article 120 - Rape; 134 -
Adultery
Punishment: Reduction to E1,
Confinement for 5 months, bad conduct
discharge
Unit: Troop B, 4th SQDN, 4th CAV
REGT
Charge: 86 - AWOL
Punishment: 14 days restriction

Devil Stakes Winners for FY13 2nd Quarter
Place ASIP into Operation
1st Place: HHT, 4-4 CAV (Streamer)
SGT Stephen Durall,
CPT Nelson Lamb
2nd Place: HHC, 2-34 AR
3rd Place: Company B, 2-34 AR
Call for Indirect Fire
1st Place: HHB, 1-5 FA (Streamer)
SGT Alvin Anderson,
SPC Leonardo Rubio
2nd Place: Company D, 1-16 IN
3rd Place: Company B, 101st BSB
Hand Grenade Assault
Course
1st Place: Battery D, 1-5 FA
(Streamer)
2LT Alan Coleman,
SPC Timothy Loomis
2nd Place: HHC, 101st BSB
3rd Place: Company F, 2-34 AR
Obstacle Course
1st Place: Company C, 1-16 IN
(Streamer)
1LT Alexander Jackson,
PVT Zachariah McCoy,
PVT Shea Curley,
PVT Wayne Jensen
3rd Place: HHC, 1-16 IN
Top Company
1st Place: Company B, 2-34 AR
3rd Place: Company A, 2-34 AR
Top Battalion
1st Place: 2-34 AR
2nd Place: 1-16 IN
3rd Place: (Tie) 4-4 CAV & 1-5 FA
Top Chef Cook Off
1st Place: Company E, 1-16 IN,
SPC Ehran Schooler
2nd Place: Company D, 2-34 AR,
SPC (P) Thavrith Meas
3rd Place: HHC, 1-5 FA,
PFC John Powell
Top Tank Crew
1st Place: Company D, 2-34 AR
SFC Jaime Herrera, SGT Scott
Richards, PFC Steven Cutler,
PFC Cisto Reyes
2nd Place: Company C, 2-34 AR
SFC William Coultry,
SGT Gregory Scully,
PFC Charles Anderson,
PVT Christopher Deam
3rd Place: Company C, 2-34 AR
2LT Christopher Brown,
SGT David Kapppel,
SPC David Schull
Top Bradley Crew
1st Place: HHC, 2-34 AR
SSG Toloai Sosene,
PFC Thomas Hurley,
PV2 Michael Delgado
2nd Place: Company A, 1-16 IN
3rd Place: Company A, 1-16 IN
TOP Paladin Crew
1st Place: Battery D, 1-5 FA
SGT Casey McGee,
SGT Richard Phillips,
SGT Michael Hoehn (PCS),
PFC Dennis Murry,
PV2 Trevor Turner,
PV2 Frank Soto
2nd Place: Battery A, 1-5 FA
3rd Place: Battery A, 1-5 FA

Heroes of the Battalion
The following individuals
will be awarded a coin for
being selected as the
Heroes of their Battalions:
Company B, 101st BSB:
SPC Jacob Olszanski
Company A, 1-1 BSTB:
SGT Craig Buyaki
Company B, 2-34 AR:
SPC Norman Decelles
HHC, 1-16 IN:
SPC Eduardo Jimenez
Troop B, 4-4 CAV:
SSG Logan Johnson
Battery A, 1-5 FA
PFC Patrick Hernandez
NCO and Soldier of the
2nd Quarter
Troop C, 4-4 CAV:
SGT Richard Treanor
HHC, 1-16 IN:
PFC Michael Ellis
Division NCO and Soldier
of the Quarter
Company B, 1-16 IN:
SGT Ian Williams
HHT, 4-4 CAV:
PFC Aaron Duncan

AER kicks off to ‘take care of own’
By Julie Fiedler, 1ST INF. DIV. POST
The 2013 Army Emergency
Relief campaign is set to kick off
March 1. The goal of this year’s
campaign is two-fold, according to
Stacy Johnston, program manager,
Financial Readiness and AER.
“First and foremost, it’s to raise
awareness so that Soldiers know
there’s a place that they can go to
get some financial assistance,
instead of going off post and
looking for that quick fix that will
end up costing them more in the
long run,” Johnston said.
The other goal is to help raise
money for the Army-wide fund,
the sole purpose of which is to help
Soldiers, retirees and Family
members in need, she said.
Fort Riley’s installation-wide
goal is to raise $250,000 during the
campaign, which runs from March
1 to May 15.
Senior leadership is actively
engaged in the effort, which will
hopefully lead to greater
awareness, Johnston said.
“Having the senior leaders that
involved … Hopefully, that equates
to greater awareness … (So)
Soldiers know exactly what we can
help with and where to find us, and
how to go about getting the
assistance,” she said.
AER provides interest-free loans
to Soldiers, Family members and
retirees, and has grants available in
cases where loan repayment would
cause undue hardship. Assistance
also can be provided as a part-loan
and a part-grant.
Last year, $1.8 million in
assistance was provided to 1,640
Soldiers, Family members and
retirees at Fort Riley alone. Of that
sum, $87,000 was provided to help
cover funeral expenses.
“Those days where you walk out
feeling like you’ve made a
difference are tragic cases,”
Johnston said, citing examples
where Soldiers have lost children
or gone through messy divorces.
“We can step in and provide
that assistance … (So) in the end,
it takes some stress off of them,”
Johnston said. “Those are the tough
days, but the days that you know
that that person probably
appreciates the help.”
AER assistance is offered across
a variety of categories, with new
categories added each year.
Last year, four categories were
added, including replacement
vehicles, Family member dental
care, furniture assistance and rental
vehicles.
“One of the new categories of
assistance that AER opened up is
being able to provide assistance
for a replacement vehicle in lieu of
repairs, in the event that repairs
exceed the value of the vehicle.
That has made a tremendous
difference for a lot of Families,”
Johnston said.
Furniture assistance can help
Families just setting up a
household or help tide Families
over if they are waiting on
insurance reimbursements,
Johnston said.
Johnston said Soldiers, Families
and retirees should never hesitate
to ask for help.
“Never assume that we can’t
help,” she said. “Always ask us.
I don’t want Soldiers or Family
members to get discouraged if they
don’t find exactly their situation on
the (AER) website and think that
it’s not something we can help with
because there are so many different
ways that we can help.”
In addition to interest-free loans
and grants, AER offers scholarships
that provide up to several thousand
dollars of assistance per academic
year for books, tuition and more.
“The scholarship program is
fantastic,” she said. “It’s for both
spouses and dependent children.”
Soldiers and retirees can help
other Soldiers by contributing to
the AER fund and spreading the
word about AER assistance.
Donations are tax deductible, and
forms are available at Army
Community Service.
While the fundraising campaign
is focused on Soldiers and
retirees to help take care of their
own, unsolicited donations also are
accepted.
For more information, call
785-239-9435 or visit
www.aerhq.org.

Posting on social media sites can be
dangerous
By Dena O’Dell, 1ST INF. DIV. POST
What is too much personal
information to post on a social
media site? Is posting birthdates,
addresses, phone numbers,
deployments, redeployments or
troop locations too much
information?
Pat Burch, installation
antiterrorism officer, Fort Riley,
offered the following example of
how posting too much information
on a social media site can put a
Family at risk: A garrison
commander cancels classes at an
installation school due to
inclement weather, but does not
close the installation. As a result,
parents have to find child care for
their children, so they can still
report to work. One parent uses a
social media site to complain about
the situation. In her complaint,
she discusses the fact her children
are home alone because she has
to work and the other parent is
deployed. What dangers did the
parent just pose?
Using information from the
parent’s profile, the Family’s home
address could be located through
people search engines like
www.veromi.com, www.pipl.com
and www.zabasearch.com.
Additionally, more than 900
registered sex offenders live in the
local area. Although the children
were of legal age to be home alone,
the information the parent posted
revealed an address and a
window of opportunity. In addition
to putting her children at risk by
her post, Burch said, it also
provided a window of opportunity
for theft.
What resulted from the parent’s
post was:
• Critical information
concerning Family, lifestyle and
location was available on social
media websites to adversaries
• Family, personal and
professional lives could be
endangered through the open forum
• The apparent desire to be
heard combined with the lack of
knowledge of the risks inherent
with the use of social media sites
presents unnecessary risks to
Family members
Those using social media sites
should consider the secondary
impacts of posting personal
information, Burch said. The
following are some tips when using
social media sites:
• Social media users should
never assume only individuals they
know are reading their posts
• Update social media privacy
and account settings; don’t rely on
default settings to secure posts
• Balance a unit’s use of social
networking against the risk of
providing information to criminals
and adversaries
• Educate the workforce and
Families of the dangers of social
media; it is not about avoiding it,
but using it intelligently
• Regularly check, and, if
necessary, update privacy and
account settings on social media
websites
• Conduct regular operational
security reviews of official
Department of Defense social
media web pages for posted
comments by service members and
their Families
A parent’s reaction to a
garrison commander’s decision to
close school could have placed the
spouse’s unit and Family at risk.
Assume adversaries are
monitoring social websites. Before
posting anything, assume what
would happen if the information is
available to adversaries, including
terrorists and criminals, Burch said.

Motorcycle season around corner, time
to prep
GARRISON SAFETY OFFICE
Motorcycle season is almost
here! To steer this riding season in
the right direction, review the tips
below before hitting the open road.
BEFORE YOU RIDE
• Read your owner’s manual, as
it will give you many specifics that
you will find helpful in
understanding and
maintaining your bike. Always
have your owner’s manual with the
bike. It can tell you what to do in
emergency situations.
• Check the tires – the tires are
the most important parts of your
bike. Check the surface for cuts,
foreign objects, and tire pressure
with a good gauge.
• Check the controls – cables
are strong and rarely break, but
check for kinks or stiffness.
• Check your lights, turn
signals, horn, and mirrors.
• Check the oil, fuel, and if
your bike is liquid-cooled, the
coolant levels.
• If your motorcycle has a
chain-drive to the rear wheel, make
sure that the chain
Is properly tensioned and in
good shape.
• Make sure that the side-stand
and center-stand fold up and stay
up.
• Check your brakes as you roll
off. Make sure they work.
WHILE ON THE ROAD
• Scan around you for potential
hazards.
• Evaluate any possible
hazards, such as railroad tracks,
turning cars, etc.
• Make sure you can see others
and they can see you, as much as
possible.
• Intersections are particularly
dangerous. Always check for
traffic coming from the side and
from behind. Make sure no one is
about to run up your tailpipe.
CARRYING A PASSENGER ON
YOUR MOTORCYCLE
• Review the motorcycle
owner’s manual for tips on
preparing for riding with a
passenger.
• Make sure the motorcycle is
designed to carry a passenger.
• If you decide to carry a child,
make sure the child is mature
enough to handle the
responsibilities, can reach the
footrests, wears a helmet and other
protective gear, and holds onto you
or the passenger hand-holds.
• Instruct your passenger to
keep his or her legs away from the
muffler to avoid burns and all
moving parts. Instruct your
passenger to limit movement and
talking.
• Remember that the extra
weight from carrying a passenger
can affect braking procedures,
starting from a stop, and riding
through a corner.
• Do not exceed the weight
limitations specified in the manual.
PROPER PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
CG Policy Letter 13 states,
“Anyone who operates a
motorcycle on an Army
installation, to include
government-owned motorcycle,
shall successfully complete an
approved Motorcycle Safety
Foundation Course. It also states
the following PPE must be worn
while operating or riding as a
passenger:
• Helmet: Personnel riding
motorcycle and ATVs at Fort Riley,
their helmets shall be certified to
meet DOT Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 218. All
helmets shall be properly fastened
under the chin.
• Eye Protection: Designed
to meet or exceed ANSI Z87.1,
reference (z) for impact and shatter
resistance includes goggles,
wraparound glasses, or a full-face
shield – properly attached to a
helmet. Amber or clear lens are
encourage for night riding.
• Foot Protection: Includes
sturdy over-the-ankle footwear that
affords protection for the feet and
ankles – durable leather or
ballistic-type cloth athletic shoes
that cover the ankles may be worn.
• Protective Clothing: Includes
long-sleeved shirt or jacket, long
trousers, and full-fingered gloves or
mittens made from leather or other
abrasion-resistant material. For full
details on PPE, refere to the policy
letter.
Remember, CG Policy Letter 13
directs that all motorcycles,
mopeds, motor scooters, dirt bikes,
specialty vehicles, and ATVs be
licensed and/or registered by
appropriate civilian authority in
order to operate at Fort Riley. Per
the Senior Commander’s
directive, it states service members
who have not properly registered
their motorcycle will not permitted
entry to Fort Riley. The Fort Riley
Garrison Safety Office offers rider
courses to all active duty
personnel and reservist free of
charge. For more information about
enrollment, please contact
(785) 239-3391.

USAEC
WASHINGTON – The
Department of the Army has
completed a final Programmatic
Environmental Assessment and
draft Finding of No Significant
Impact for Army force structure
reductions and realignments that
may occur from fiscal years 2013
to 2020.
The Programmatic
Environmental Assessment, known
as a PEA, evaluates and assesses
the environmental impacts of
potential adjustments to Army
forces at 21 installations. The Army
has completed the analysis to
support future anticipated changes
and reductions to its forces that
are necessary to reduce spending,
while maintaining critical national
defense capabilities.
The Army’s proposed action
evaluated in the PEA is to reduce
the Army’s active-duty
end-strength from 562,000 at the
end of FY 2012 to 490,000 by
FY 2020. The PEA analyzes two
primary alternatives – Alternative
No. 1: Implement force reductions
by inactivating a minimum of eight
brigade combat teams, or BCTs,
and realign other combat, combat
support and service support units
between FY 2013 and FY 2020;
and Alternative No. 2: Implement
Alternative 1, inactivate additional
BCTs and reorganize remaining
BCTs by adding an additional
combat maneuver battalion and
other units.
The PEA also analyzes a No
Action alternative, under which the
Army would not reduce the size of
the force. The implementation of
Army force realignment will occur
during the course of several years
to arrive at an optimally configured
force in 2020. Reductions in Army
Soldiers also will be accompanied
by some reduction in civil service
employees.
These actions are being
undertaken to reshape the Army’s
forces to meet more effectively
national security requirements,
while reducing the Army’s
end-strength.
Force realignment and some
level of force reduction will impact
most major Army installations.
The implementation of this force
rebalancing is necessary to allow
the Army to operate in a reduced
budget climate, while ensuring the
Army can continue to support the
nation’s critical defense missions.
After more than 10 years of war,
the nation is facing new challenges
and opportunities that call for
reshaping defense priorities.
Concurrent with a reduction
and realignment of the force, the
Army proposes to reorganize and
restructure its forces using lessons
learned during the past 10 years,
information about what the future
global security environment will be
like and results of previous brigade
combat team studies to reshape the
Army into a force capable of
supporting the full spectrum of
military operations.
In the PEA, the Army has
evaluated the environmental
impacts that may occur at 21
installations that will likely
experience changes in Soldier
populations as part of Army’s 2020
force structure realignments and
force reduction decisions. Force
reductions that may occur as part
of the proposed action include the
inactivation of Army BCTs and
combat support and combat service
support units at Army and joint
base-stationing locations. The
decisions on how to best
implement Army force reductions
and force structure changes from
FY 2013 to 2020 will be made over
the course of several years to arrive
at an optimally configured force in
2020.
Alternatives considered in the
PEA evaluate the largest growth
potential scenarios at installations
that may occur from BCT
restructuring, as well as the
greatest force reduction scenarios
that could occur as a result of Army
force drawdown. The range of
potential installation reduction and
growth – ranging from maximum
losses of 8,000 military personnel
to maximum increases of 3,000 at
the Army’s largest installations –
was chosen for the environmental
analysis to provide flexibility as
future force structure realignment
decisions are made.
The PEA is designed to inform
decision-makers of potential
socioeconomic and environmental
impacts associated with proposed
actions, as the stationing decisions
are made in the coming years. The
specific locations where changes
will occur have not been decided.
Stationing sites that were
included in the PEA are those sites
that could experience a change in
Soldiers and civilians that exceeds t
total of plus or minus 1,000
military personnel. Sites considered
in the PEA include: Fort Ben-
ning, Ga.; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort
Bragg, N.C.; Fort Campbell, Ky.;
Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Drum,
N.Y.; Fort Gordon, Ga.; Fort Hood,
Texas; Fort Irwin, Calif.; Joint Base
Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska;
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.;
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.;
Fort Knox, Ky.; Fort Lee, Va.;
Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; Fort
Polk, La.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort
Sill, Okla.; Fort Stewart, Ga.; U.S.
Army Garrison Hawaii; and U.S.
Army Garrison Fort Wainwright,
Alaska.
Environmental impacts
associated with implementation of
alternatives evaluated in the PEA
See Impact, page 28
Army assesses impact of changes to force

PEA.
Members of the public can
review the PEA and draft FNSI
and submit comments on the draft
FNSI until Feb. 19. An electronic
version of the PEA and draft FNSI
will be available for download at
http://aec.army.mil/usaec/nepa/top-
ics00.html.
Comments or questions on the
PEA should be submitted to: Public
Comments USAEC, Attn: IMPA-
AE (Army 2020 PEA), 2450 Con-
nell Road (Building 2264), Fort
Sam Houston, TX 78234-7664 or
emailed to USARMY.JBSA. AEC.
MBX@mail.mil.
For questions or additional
information about this PEA, call
210-466-1590 or email
USARMY.JBSA.AEC.MBX@
mail.mil.
IMPACT Continued from page 27
include impacts to air quality,
airspace, cultural and
biological resources, noise, soil
erosion, wetlands, water resources,
facilities, socioeconomic impact,
energy demand, land use,
hazardous materials and waste,
and traffic and transportation. No
significant environmental impacts
are anticipated as a result of
implementing either alternative
associated with the proposed
action, with the exception of
socioeconomic impacts.
Socioeconomic impacts are of
particular concern to the Army
because they affect communities
around Army installations.
Therefore, the PEA has a
comprehensive analysis of the
socioeconomic impacts to inform
the decision makers and
communities. Impacts could
include reduced employment,
income, regional population and
sales and some of these impacts
could be significant.
The completion of an
environmental assessment results
in one of two outcomes – either
significant environmental impacts
are identified and a Notice of Intent
to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement, or EIS, is issued,
or, no significant environmental
impacts are identified and a FNSI is
signed.
Significant socioeconomic
impacts alone do not require
preparation of an EIS. The Army
study finds there are no significant
environmental impacts with either
alternative evaluated in the PEA;
accordingly, a draft FNSI has been
prepared.
Final decisions as to which
alternative to implement and which
installations will see reductions
or unit realignments have not yet
been made. Those decisions will
be made based on mission-related
criteria and other factors in light
of the information contained in the

Soldiers compete in Devil Stakes cookoff
By Amanda Kim Stairrett
1ST INF. DIV. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The pace quickened when it was
announced that just six minutes
remained. The stress level seemed
to increase, and the chatter
decreased.
Spoonfuls of peas splashed onto
plates, and chicken was peeled off
baking sheets. The cooks rushed to
make sure their four plates were on
the judges’ table, as Sgt. 1st Class
Denise Felton counted down the
final seconds.
The 1st Armored Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division hosted its first cookoff
Friday, March 1, as part of its
regular Devil Stakes series to
recognize top Soldiers.
Spc. Ehran Schooler, 1st
Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment;
Spc. Tara Erickson, Special Troops
Battalion; Spc. Michael Couto, 2nd
Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment;
Pfc John Powell, 1st Battalion, 5th
Field Artillery Regiment; and Pfc.
Charles Anfield, 101st Brigade
Support Battalion, represented their
units in the competition at Devil’s
DenDining Facility.
Participants were required to
prepare meals made of a starch
and vegetable of their choice and
chicken in one hour, 10 minutes.
A panel of judges, including the
food service noncommissioned
officers and Maj. John Casiano, the
brigade’s Executive Officer, then
sampled the plates.
Anfield’s secret weapon was his
homemade barbecue sauce, which
he first created at his first duty
station in Korea. Developing the
recipe started as a hobby, he said,
but the more he tasted it, the more
he liked it, and experimentation
followed.
It got so popular at the dining
facility that diners would ask for it,
even when he wasn’t at work.
“I love to cook,” Anfield said
after the competition. “It’s a lot of
fun.”
He enjoyed the cook-off, he said,
because “it felt good to go in the
kitchen and cook freely.”
Schooler’s dish, which included a
cheesy potato, honey/orange/
barbecue-flavored chicken breast
and broccoli, was the cook-off’s
most garnished plate. It included
a large flower cut from a tomato.
Casiano said the dish had the best
presentation of the five.
Schooler, who often cooks
for his mother and grandmother,
considers himself an all-American
kind of cook. His favorite thing to
make? Steak.
Schooler’s commander, Capt.
Erik Anthes, attended the
cook-off to watch his Soldier
compete. Army cooks are often
underappreciated, he said, though
they work the longest, most
difficult hours.
“They do a lot of hard work, and
we tend to take for granted,” he
said.
Casiano said he was impressed
with the cooks’ work, adding it was
what they enlisted
to do.
“You clearly have excelled at it,”
he told them.
Cooks rarely get to show off
what they do, and the cook-off
was their opportunity, Felton said.
It also was a way to recognize the
Soldiers. When others may get
days off because of weather, Army
cooks still have to work just as hard
to make sure their fellow Soldiers
can eat, she said.
She said she wanted the cooks
to know they were important – key
even – to the brigade.
Competitions like this also show
the cooks and other Soldiers there
is more to food service than just
working in a dining facility, Felton
said, adding she has spent 17 years
in Army food service, which has
See COOK, page 55
Amanda Kim Stairrett, 1ST INF. DIV.
Pfc. John Powell of 1st Bn., 5th FA Regt., plates his chicken March 1 at the Devil’s Den
DFAC during a cookoff, which was part of the brigade’s regular Devil Stakes series to
recognize top Soldiers.

COOK Continued from page 54
been fueled by her passion and love
of the craft.
In that time, Felton said she has
participated in nine cookoffs, and
said she hopes to continue hosting
similar competitions at the brigade
level.
The cook-off’s winner and run-
ner-up will be announced at a later
date, and those Soldiers are set to
be recognized by brigade leaders.
Soldiers don’t have to leave the
‘hoo-ah’ behind
By Lt. Col. Delwyn Merkerson
USARC
It may be time, but sometimes
it’s hard to leave the hoo-ah
behind. Military skill sets gained
and deployment experience, along
with the camaraderie built with
fellow Soldiers can make the
prospect of transitioning to
civilian life daunting. And that’s
even before you factor in the
struggling economy and job
market.
Even if “one weekend a month,
two weeks a year” isn’t what you
had in mind, you can still maintain
your Soldier-connection and hone
your military proficiency and
hard-earned skills, while
striving for the career of your
dreams through the Individual
Mobilization Augmentee Program.
A unique aspect of the program
is you aren’t locked into a “drilling
reservist” schedule. You can
continue Soldiering on a part-time
basis – earn pay and credit toward
retirement, receive benefits and
entitlements,all while maintaining
the flexibility to pursue your career
and Family aspirations. In the IMA
Program, how you serve can be
tailored to your work and school
schedule, giving you greater
flexibility to plan your service
around your busy schedule.
WHAT IS THE IMA PROGRAM?
The IMA program is designed to
facilitate the rapid expansion of the
active-Army wartime Department
of Defense structure and other
government departments or
agencies. IMAs help the Army
meet military manpower
requirements in the event of
military contingency,
pre-mobilization, mobilization,
sustainment and/or demobilization
operations. Soldiers are currently
serving on a part-time basis in
more than 73 Army Agencies
throughout U.S. and overseas in
Europe and Korea. IMA Soldiers
serve in Special Operation
Command, Intelligence and
Security Command, Central
Command and the Office of the
Secretary of Defense, just to name
a few.
IMA Soldiers are required to
perform a minimum of 12 annual
training days each fiscal year and
may be authorized to perform up
to 48, four-hour periods of inactive
duty for training. The IMA
Soldier coordinates directly with
the agency IMA coordinator to
schedule the AT and IDT periods.
While serving in the IMA program,
you can work with your
coordinator to do all your training
requirements at one time, or spread
them out over the year.
For more information about the
IMA program, visit www.hrc.army.
mil/STAFF/IMA%20Program%20
Overview.
Search available IMA position
vacancies using the online search
tool on the HRC My Record
website by visiting
www.hrcapps.army.mil/portal/;
logging in and clicking on the
“Tools” tab on the top right of the
screen; choosing the “VACANCY
SEARCH” link; and selecting
“Vacancy Type: IMA” and inputing
your desired filter criteria.
Every Soldier making the
transition from active duty needs
to think about the value of their
service. You don’t have to leave the
hoo-ah behind. The Army Reserve
allows you to continue your service
to the nation and derive all of the
benefits that compelled you to join
in the first place.

K-State ROTC seniors gaining new perspective from Fort Riley
MANHATTAN – Nine officers
and noncommissioned officers met
with seniors in Kansas State
University’s Army ROTC program
last week to give them a brief dose
of what they could expect once
arriving to a unit.
Maj. Karl Butler, executive
officer, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry
Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade
Division, brought leaders from
companies A and B to talk about
administrative and tactical platoon
leader expectations, physical
training, resiliency and how to
resource, train and be prepared for
operations.
K-State’s Army ROTC works
with units from Fort Riley every
year, which includes a
mentorship program for senior
cadets who have received their
branch assignments, said Lt. Col.
Robert B. Dixon, professor of
military science and military
science department head.
“The cadets are partnered with
field-grade officers and open a line
of communication that can extend
well into their careers,” Dixon said.
Interaction with senior
noncommissioned officers and
officers in leadership positions
during events like these are
profound, he said. “The impact of
a first sergeant of a unit passing on
his/her knowledge based on current
experience is priceless, in my
opinion, and reinforces everything
we teach our cadets,” Dixon said.
Because of its proximity to Fort
Riley and its relationship with the
post and 1st Inf. Div., K-State is
one of only a handful of more than
270 ROTC programs across the
country who have these kinds of
opportunities, Dixon said.
The visiting officers and NCOs
talked about planning and
resourcing training, and gave the
cadets a dose of reality: Some of
them will have all the fun stuff to
play with, Butler said, but some of
them would not.
Bottom line is, he said, platoon
leaders will have to find other ways
to train their troops, and creativity
and innovation will be key.
“Simulations are becoming more
and more a prominent part of
training,” Butler said.
First Sgt. Phillip Madrigal told
each of the cadets the importance
of relying on his or her platoon
sergeant.
“He’s there to set you up for
success. I’m going to lead you
down the right road, and I’m going
to set you up for success,” he said.
He told the soon-to-be platoon
leaders they and their sergeants
have each others’ best interests in
mind. When a pair disagrees, they
must close the door, and as soon as
that door opens, they must be best
buddies. Keep those arguments
inside the office, Madrigal said.
Lieutenants’ first experiences with
their platoon sergeants will shape
how they view NCOs for the rest of
their careers, according to Sgt. 1st
Class Joshua Sorton.
Cadet Lawrence Moss, a
seniorin psychology who is set to
commission as an armor officer
in May, said the visit helped
prepare him for what to expect
once he arrived at his first unit.
Innovation regarding training is
something he will have to use, he
said, with the Army’s downsizing
and budget issues. Moss also took
to heart the visiting NCOs’ advice.
“You don’t want to take you
being in charge over their
experience,” he said.
Also during the visit, Maj. David
Ward, executive officer, 1st
Battalion, 5th Field Artillery
Regiment, 1st ABCT, 1st Inf. Div.,
Maj. Karl Butler, executive officer, 1st
Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., speaks to Army ROTC
cadets March 6 about what they
can expect when they arrive at their units
during a visit to K-State, Manhattan.
presented cadets Jacob Gardner
and Anthony Maganelles each with
a congratulatory letter from Brig.
Gen. Brian J. McKiernan,
commandant, U.S. Army Field
Artillery School. The two assessed
the field artillery branch.
Maganelles is set to serve on
active duty, and Gardner is set to
commission with the Kansas Army
National Guard. Both will attend
the Field Artillery Officer’s Basic
Course at Fort Sill, Okla., this
summer.
Manganelles and Gardner also
received Fort Sill welcome packets
to provide them with information
to assist with their first moves in
the Army.

Fort Riley catching the spirit of Easter
By Julie Fiedler, 1ST INF. DIV. POST
Looking for a special way to
celebrate Easter? The hunt is over.
Fort Riley will offer an
egg-stavaganza of activities
including a special sunrise service,
brunch and egg hunt.
EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE
An Easter sunrise service will be
from 7 to 8 a.m. March 31 at the
Outdoor Chapel, which is located
just off 1st Division Road.
“The glory of Easter morning is
that, for all who believe, we have a
Savior who has overcome sin and
death,” said Chap. (Maj.) Michael
McDonald, Family life chaplain,
Garrison Religious Support Office.
“The very first disciples of Jesus
discovered at dawn’s first light …
that the tomb that Jesus was buried
in was empty.
“Many believers all over the
world participate in sunrise
services to re-experience that
glorious revelation – that the true
Light has come into the world,” he
added.
In addition to providing a
beautiful view, the Outdoor Chapel
is an ideal location to watch the
rising sun, McDonald said.
“It provides a beautiful view and
the opportunity to watch the rising
of the sun as we sing hymns of
celebration and receive a special
message from our Installation
Chaplain Chap. (Col.) Harry A.
Rauch ... The sight of the rising sun
adds special emphasis to the
celebration of the Resurrection.”
Blankets will be available as
the temperature might be chilly. In
the event of inclement weather,
the service will be at Morris Hill
Chapel.
“Rain or shine – we will
celebrate at 7 a.m.,”
McDonald said, adding, “all
installation services will hold their
regularly scheduled services that
day as well.”
EASTER BRUNCH
A buffet-style Easter Brunch will
be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 31
at Riley’s Conference Center. “The
brunch is a modestly priced meal
that gives Families an opportunity
to do something different that is
not always available on post,” said
Chris Downs, manager, Riley’s
Conference Center.
The menu selection will feature a
mix of traditional and more
eclectic fare, Downs said. The
menu includes breakfast items such
as sun-dried tomato and asparagus
frittata, biscuits and gravy, French
toast, cheese blintzes and an omelet
station. Lunch options include pot
roast, chicken picatta, salads, sides
and assorted desserts. New this
year is an ice cream station.
“This year, we’re going to
feature a soft-serve ice cream
sundae station with a variety of
toppings,” Downs said.
The cost is $13.95 for adults,
$7.95 for children 5 to 1 years old
and free for children 4 years old
and younger.
Downs said he encourages
patrons to make reservations no
later than March 29.
“Reservations are highly, highly
recommended and encouraged,”
Downs said. “We will
accommodate walk-ins as best we
can.”
The brunch is open to the public.
For more information or to make a
reservation, call 785-784-1000.
EASTER EGG HUNT
The annual Easter egg hunt has
become a tradition at Fort Riley.
“We blow the horn and they go
off,” said Duane Clayton,
recreation programmer, Directorate
of Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation.
The hunt starts at 1 p.m. March
31 outside Riley’s Conference
Center. A hunt time is scheduled
for each age group, and times will
be staggered every 20 minutes to
allow children of all ages the
opportunity to hunt for eggs.
“The egg hunt itself will be
about two hours,” Clayton said.
“(Age groups will) each have
their own hunt time window.”
More than 15,000 eggs filled
with candy and prizes will be
hidden for the event. Additionally
inflatable play stations, face
painting, games and other
activities will be offered to keep
children entertained during the free
outdoor event.
“Every year, we have activities
that are available for kids while
they’re waiting,” Clayton said.
In case of inclement weather,
eggs will be made available to
Families to hide at home.
Check the DFMWR website at
www.rileymwr.com or Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/
rileymwr for updates and details in
the event of rain or severe weather.

‘Devil’ Brigade honors fallen Soldier,
friend at memorial
By Sgt. Kerry Lawson
1ST ABCT PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The 1st Infantry Division and
Fort Riley honored Spc. Mark
Blakey Jr. in a memorial ceremony
March 14 at Morris Hill Chapel.
Blakey died Feb. 23.
SPC. MARK BLAKEY JR.
Blakey was a cannon crew
member for Battery D, 1st
Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div.
“We, in (Btry. D), remember
Mark as a Soldier who desired
nothing more than to cheerfully do
his duty,” said Capt. Andrew
Giesey, Btry. D commander. “He
established his presence
wherever he was; standing at 6
feet, 3 inches tall and weighing
around 250 pounds, it’s not hard to.
But Mark had an immense
personality to match his physical
size, with boundless good humor
and a ready smile, which always
brightened up the room or made the
mission just a little bit easier.”
Blakey’s dedication to the guys
on his left and right was
unwavering and didn’t go without
matched loyalty, said Staff Sgt.
Leonard Caligiuri, Btry. D.
He was assigned to Btry. D, 1st
Bn., 5th FA Regt. in July 2010,
where he served as a crew
member for an 150-mm Paladin
tank. He deployed to Iraq in
support of Operation New Dawn,
from June to December 2011,
where he conducted mounted and
dismounted patrols in and around
Kirkuk city.
“In Iraq, he was personally
selected by the battery commander
to be the gunner on the battery
commander’s personal security
detail.” Caligiuri said. “His
attention to detail with the
commander’s vehicle had the
battery commander out of the gate
on a mission with any patrol, at any
time.”
It is safe to say without Blakey’s
presence, Btry. D wouldn’t have
operated as smoothly, and the
deployment wouldn’t have been as
enriched if he were absent,
Caliguiri said. While Blakey is
deeply missed, his positive energy
remains with all whose lives he
touched, especially his comrades in
arms, and he will not be forgotten,
Giesey said.
All his brothers-in-arms will
carry his memory with them
fondly, no matter where the Army
or life may take them, Caligiuri
said.
“Spc. Blakey will not be
forgotten and will long be loved,”
he said.
Blakey’s awards and decorations
include: the Army
Commendation Medal; Army
Achievement Medal; Good
Conduct Medal; National Defense
Service Medal; Iraqi Campaign
Medal; Global War on Terrorism
Service Medal; Noncommissioned
Officer Professional Development
Ribbon; Army Service Ribbon; and
Meritorious Unit Citation.
Blakey, a native of O’Fallon,
Mo., is survived by his wife,
Shertreashiwa Blakey; his stepson,
Ja’Von Richbow; his father, Mark
Blakey Sr.; and his mother, Cynthia
Blakey.
Spc.Blakey Jr.

‘Devil’ Soldiers shoot for certification
Soldiers with companies C and
D, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry
Regiment, and 2nd Battalion,
34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division conducted qualification
training on the M1A2 Abrams tank
March 12 at the Digital
Multipurpose Range Complex.
The purpose of the training was
to prepare crews for certification
March 20 to 21.
“This is to qualify the crews and
prepare them to be certified for
future training events,” said Capt.
Jeremy White, Co. C commander.
The Soldiers conducted night
and day-fire exercises, White said.
“This is the first time for a lot
of these crews and Soldiers to fire
live-rounds, aside from their annual
requirement for their individually
Sgt. Kerry Lawson, 1ST ABCT
An M1A2 Abrams tank with 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt. fired its main gun, the 120-mm smoothbore gun, at a mock-enemy target
during the unit’s M1A2 gunnery range March 12 at the Digital Multipurpose Range Complex. The training was in preparation for
platoon-level, live-fire training in the near future.
assigned weapon,” said Command
Sgt. Maj. Matthew McCready,
senior enlisted noncommissioned
officer for the brigade.
The training the unit conducted
was very beneficial, said Pfc.
Michael Cline, main gun
loader for the commander’s tank.
“It’s a little hard, but I love it,”
he said. “The training is designed
to build the proficiency of the
crews within the unit,” McCready
added. “The firing that the crews
are doing now during tables III and
IV will prepare them for when they
try to become certified next week
during Table VI.”
The gunnery range began Feb.
28 and will end about 30 days later
for each company.
The training is in preparation for
platoon-level live-fire training in
the near future.

Gold Star Family members can receive access ID
cards
By Flavia Hulsey
1ST INF. DIV. POST
Eligible survivors of fallen
Soldiers can now qualify for a
military identification card to ease
access to Army installations,
including Fort Riley.
Since March 14, installations
Armywide began issuing Gold Star
installation access cards to
eligible survivors, who do not
otherwise qualify for a military
identification card.
Gold Star Family members are
those who have lost a loved one
killed in action or in hostile
conditions. Eligible survivors
include spouses, parents, children,
siblings, grandparents, foster or
adoptive parents and half-siblings
of fallen Soldiers.
“It will help survivors access
(Army Community Service),
(Survivor Outreach Services) and
post events like memorials. They’ll
be able to more easily participate in
other post activities. Our Families
like to come out for special events
like concerts and carnivals – even
bingo,” said Christina Gary,
survivor outreach coordinator,
SOS.
SOS provides Families with
long-term support after the death of
a Family member, Gary said, and
the new ID card is just one more
way to help Families stay
connected to their loved one’s
military service.
“The Army still takes care of
the Families,” she said. “It lets the
Family know that the Army doesn’t
stop thinking about them. When a
Soldier dies and a Family moves
away or even if they stay in the
area, they may think that they are
forgotten. This is a way or a means
for the Families to feel like they’re
staying connected.”
The Fort Riley SOS is
responsible for survivors in the
state of Kansas and parts of
Nebraska. Gary said SOS staff
members interact with survivors
several times throughout the week,
and that many visit the post often.
An Armywide Survivor Outreach
Vehicle Decal was established in
January 2011, as a way to expedite
entrance to Army installations. As
of February 2013, Fort Riley SOS
had issued 49 decals.
Through Army Family Action
Plan conferences, survivors across
the U.S., however, reported
difficulties accessing installations
when they were not in their decaled
vehicles.
While Fort Riley is an open post,
requiring only a valid photo ID at
access control points, other
installations, including some in
Kansas, have heightened security
requirements for access.
“Our post is an open post, but
there are a lot of other installations
that are not like that, and Family
members have had issues getting
into other installations with just a
decal,” Gary said. “At other
installations, Family members were
frequently required to obtain a
visitor or temporary vehicle pass
after showing things like their
license, registration, insurance to
access the post, and, more
importantly, its services – ACS,
SOS.”
Survivors requested an alternate
means to access the installation –
a more convenient, transportable
method.
“That’s why the Army
implemented the ID card that
would give them easier access
without having to go through a
security checklist,” Gary said.
“(The ID card) is also a
transportable method. If a Family
member doesn’t have their vehicle
with the decal on it, they can still
accessthe post.”
The decal program will continue.
Now, Families will have both a
Gold Star decal for their vehicle
and an identification card, Gary
said.
The card does not confer any
new or additional benefits.
Survivors who did not previously
have Commissary or Exchange
privileges, for example, will not
gain these privileges with the new
Gold Star installation access card.
To receive a card, an individual’s
eligibility will be verified by SOS,
based on their eligibility to receive
a Gold Star lapel button or the lapel
button for next of kin of deceased
personnel.
Gary said an SOS staff member
can guide survivors through the
entire ID card process. SOS
verifies information, and then
works with the local Directorate of
Emergency Services to conduct a
Crime Information Center Check.
Once the check is complete, within
usually less than 30 minutes, SOS
will make an appointment for the
survivor at the ID card center,
where his or her new ID would be
made.
For more information or to
verify eligibility, call SOS at
785-239-5979/1709.

Army to continue sustaining, preserving force
By Gen. John F. Campbell
ARMY VICE CHIEF OF STAFF
Teammates, The Army has
played a central role in the nation’s
efforts during the past 12 years of
war. Our Soldiers, Families and
civilians have demonstrated selfless
service and teamwork, and they
have carried us through these
challenging times.
We are humbled by sacrifices
made. We are duty-bound to honor
our commitments – to those who
have served, as well as to those
who continue to serve.
We continue to support the
66,000 service members deployed
to Afghanistan and thousands
of others serving at home and
abroad. All of us can take pride in
the work we have done and what
we have accomplished together.
As we transition in Afghanistan,
the Army will continue to face an
operational environment
characterized by complexity and
uncertainty. We will continue to
operate under fiscal constraints
for the foreseeable future. We will
continue to face events and
circumstances that will challenge
our Soldiers, Families and
civilians.
While I acknowledge these
challenges, I am convinced there
are just as many opportunities
for the Army to seize that will
prepare us for today and tomorrow.
We are serving at a critical time
in the history of the Army. Our
efforts will sustain and preserve the
strength of our All-Volunteer Army
– the most decisive land force in
the world. There is much work to
be done, and it will require
commitment and teamwork
to do it. I am confident and
optimistic about what we will
accomplish moving forward as a
team.
It is my honor and privilege to
serve with you as the 34th vice
chief of staff of the Army. I thank
you for what you have done, what
you do every day and what you
will continue to do for the Army
and our great Nation. Army Strong!
Fiscal uncertainties will not alter ‘BRO’ commitment
By Brig. Gen. Donald MacWillie
DEPUTY COMMANDING GENERAL
FOR SUPPORT, 1ST INF. DIV.
During the past several weeks,
I have been meeting with post and
community leaders, as well as our
regional media members to discuss
our fiscal challenges and offer a
clear picture of where we are today
and where we may be going
tomorrow.
As the “Big Red One” faces a
period of fiscal uncertainty, I want
to assure every member of our
team we will remain as
transparent as we can as we move
forward and make decisions that
touch our whole 1st Infantry
Division and Fort Riley Family.
The worst thing that could ever
happen is for us to allow rumors
to fester. We simply will not allow
that to happen.
While there are still many
uncertainties in our current
environment, there are a few things
that I do know for certain.
First, we will never
compromise the readiness of our
Soldiers or the support of our
Families. We will never put our
Soldiers in harm’s way if they are
not properly equipped, properly
trained or properly led. We will
slow things down and focus on our
fundamentals, including
developing our Soldiers,
civilians and future Army leaders
and sustaining a high level of esprit
de corps in our organization.
I also know we are doing some
things right. Col. Jeff Broadwater
and Command Sgt. Maj. Chris
Gilpin recently brought their team
from the 2nd Armored Brigade
Combat Team to the National
Training Center and home again,
all under the constraints of our
smaller budget.
Despite the tightening belt, our
“Dagger” Brigade had one of the
most successful rotations in the
Army’s recent history. I am
incredibly proud of every
member of the 1st Inf. Div. team
and how they came together to get
our Soldiers the training they need
to remain ready for any mission.
For more than nine decades, the
Big Red One has been the first for
our nation, the go-to formation to
fight the good fight on battlefields
around the globe.
The current fiscal
environment will not change this.
We will change, but we will remain
a successful organization and a
vital piece of America’s defense
structure. Together with our
community partners, civilians and
Family members, the Soldiers of
the Big Red One will strive to
honor the legacy of the division far
into the future.
We are a team and we will get
through this together.

Mayville heading to DC, Funk to assume
command
SPECIAL TO THE POST
The Army chief of staff
announced March 20 that Maj.
Gen. William C. Mayville Jr.,
commander, 1st Infantry Division
and Fort Riley, will next serve as
the assistant deputy chief of staff
for U.S. Army operations and plans
in Washington, D.C.
Mayville took command of the
“Big Red One” and Fort Riley in
May 2011. He recently returned
from a yearlong deployment to
Afghanistan, where the division led
operations in Regional Command-
East.
It was announced in January the
next 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley
commander is Brig. Gen.
(promotable) Paul E. Funk II, the
division’s deputy commander for
operations. He will assume
command of the Big Red One from
Mayville this spring.
Law Enforcement Academy to begin
enhancements in April
By Julie Fiedler
1ST INF. DIV. POST
Beginning in April, the 10-day
Law Enforcement Certification
training is set to undergo
changes to enhance its curriculum.
“In April, we’re starting a new
(period of instruction),” said Capt.
Kurtis Mohlman, training officer,
Directorate of Emergency Services.
“The course has been redesigned in
order to train a more effective
military police patrol officer on the
road to make them more
comfortable in their training, and
to provide them the knowledge that
they need to handle the situations
they’ll have in front of them.”
A new culminating exercise at
the end of the training will test
Soldiers on what they learned
during the course.
“The highlight of it’s going to be
a patrol incident at the end, which
is an encompassing exercise where
the officers in two-man teams will
respond to a scenario that will …
Test their grasp of the knowledge,
skills and abilities they learned
during the course,” Mohlman said.
The mix of classroom versus
practical hands-on training also
will change. Starting in April, more
than half of the training will be
practical exercises, including role
playing, as well as the culminating
event.
“The things that we’ve added
(include) more practical exercises
and evaluations, actual testable ‘go/
no go’ events (Soldiers) have to get
through before continuing on with
the course. That includes being
able to respond to and process
various violators,” Mohlman said.
The updated training plan also
includes new classes, like
emergency vehicle operations.
“One of the things that is new is
we’re going to start teaching our
officers vehicle operations,
conducting a vehicle operations
course, where we teach them how
to drive the cars,” Mohlman said.
The overall mission of the course
does not change; however, the ap-
proach has been refined to follow a
case from start to finish.
“We call it ‘catching a case,’”
Mohlman said. “They catch that
case, and they have to take it all
the way through to the case being
done. That would include
identifying what charges are
applicable … apprehending
(violators) … and then completing
all the required paperwork.”
Having reworked the curriculum,
the training team is prepared for the
upcoming changes, Mohlman said.
“We’re ready to execute the new
POI,” he said.

Duncan, Williams earn NCO, Soldier of Year
Pfc. Aaron Duncan was at a loss
for words. That’s saying a lot for
a guy who had an answer to every
question five of the 1st Infantry
Division’s senior noncommissioned
officers threw at him March 11 to
14.
He and seven other Soldiers
from across the division competed
for the noncommissioned officer
and Soldier of the quarter titles at
Fort Riley. Two of the Soldiers –
Sgt. Jacob
Tunnel and Spc. Andrew Lee, both
with the 4th Maneuver
Enhancement Brigade, traveled
from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Duncan, combat medic, 4th
Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment,
1st Armored Brigade Combat
Team, 1st Inf. Div., and Sgt. Ian
Williams, infantryman, 1st Bat-
talion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st
ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., were named
the winners during a March 25
ceremony at division headquarters.
The competition began with a
physical training test and included
day and night land navigation
courses, an M4range and
appearances in front of a board of
the installation’s
top command sergeants major.
Duncan, a 29-year-old native of
Tallahassee, Fla., said the hardest
part of the competition was
believing in himself, but he had
Army leaders and friends who did.
Williams, a 24-year-old native of
Lititz, Pa., said it felt good to win,
but it was a little shocking. His
path to the division competition
started in September when he won
his battalion’s NCO of the month
title.
He encouraged Soldiers
interested in participating in future
competitions to remain confident
and calm.
From left, Pfc. Aaron Duncan, 4th Sqdn., 4th Cav. Regt., 1st ABCT, and Sgt. Ian Williams, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., 1st ABCT, are
congratulated after being named the BRO’s Soldier and NCO of the second quarter, respectively, during a ceremony March 25 at
division headquarters. They and six others from across the division competed for the titles March 12 to 14 at Fort Riley.

Technology prepares ‘Big Red One,’ Fort Riley
for missions
By Julie Fiedler
1ST INF. DIV. POST
Fort Riley’s state-of-the-art
Integrated Training Environment,
or ITE, campus located on Custer
Hill represents more than just cool
technology. It provides a way for
the 1st Infantry Division and Fort
Riley to prepare for tasked, as well
as contingency missions at a
significant cost savings.
Years ago, the training campus
concept was integral to the growth
of Fort Riley’s training
environment because it combined
diverse capabilities – virtual,
gaming and constructive
technologies – in a central and
connected location, according to
Tim Livsey, director, Directorate of
Plans, Training, Mobilization and
Security.
In addition to connecting
facilities on the campus, the ITE
merged with live training on the
ranges and in the maneuver areas,
making training easier and more
efficient as the various systems
interface, Livsey said.
In the current fiscal climate, the
ITE’s advantage is two-fold. First,
the technology enables Soldiers to
prepare for tasked missions more
effectively. Second, it enables units
to retain flexibility by training for
contingency missions that are not
currently tasked.
Most importantly, it achieves
both of these goals with significant
cost savings, said Bill Raymann,
chief, Training Division,
Directorate of Plans, Training,
Mobilization and Security.
FIRST TIME “GO”
Units are resourced to train for
their assigned missions, and going
to the field is a critical component
of that preparation, Raymann said.
When units leverage Fort Riley’s
ITE in combination with live
exercises, their time in the field
runs much more efficiently, he said.
“When (Soldiers) do go to the
field, they’re at a much higher level
of proficiency when they execute
the live training. The higher the
level of proficiency, the more
effective and efficient the
live-training event is,” Raymann
said. “(By doing) this in a
simulated environment, they’ve
already been raised to a level of
training that helps ensure first-time
‘go’ when they go into a live
environment.”
Feedback from squad leaders has
been very positive, Raymann said,
because units are able to exercise
both individual and collective tasks
in a simulated environment before
ever hitting the field.
FLEXIBILITY
Commanders will always have
to prioritize training. Contingency
missions, which take a back seat to
tasked missions, can still be
exercised by leveraging ITE
technology, Raymann said.
“The resources are there to meet
the missions (units) are assigned to
go do,” he said.
“More contingency missions –
levels above what’s required –
(have) not been resourced, and
that’s the part that (ITE) helps us
get to.”
In the current fiscal climate, the
ITE can still deliver training to
maintain a flexible Army, by
enabling units to train for
contingency missions not currently
tasked that they may be called
upon to perform down the line,
Raymann said.
“They can train for those other
contingency missions here very
cost effectively,” he said. “Should
they be asked to get ready for a
new mission, they’re already
partway there.
They’ll already be able to leverage
this stuff and stay full spectrum
of the missions that could come
down.”
ITE TECHNOLOGY
The ITE’s approach involves
three key elements – gaming,
virtual and constructive
technologies, according to
Raymann.
Gaming technology is just that
See TECHNOLOGY on page 69
DPTMS
Soldiers execute a mission in the Dismounted Soldier Training System, a state of the
art training that combines gaming and virtual technology. Soldiers can train together
in real-time using the DSTS as commanders watch and evaluate from monitoring sta-
tions.

TECHNOLOGY Continued from
page 68
– video gaming technology that
introduces Soldiers to
environments and tasks using
controller devices.
Virtual technology leverages a
physical environment with
simulation pieces. The most
common example is a flight
simulator, which recreates a
physical cockpit combined with
virtual imaging of what the pilot
would see outside the windows.
New technology is morphing the
two.
Recently Fort Riley received a
Dismounted Soldier Training
System, or DSTS, which represents
the latest technology that combines
the gaming and virtual pieces.
Soldiers wear sensors and move
throughout a physical space, while
watching their images projected as
avatars in a virtual environment –
all linked to one another.
“It’s really cool,” Raymann said.
The constructive piece ties all of
the elements together in an
integrated environment, which
enables commanders to see all of
the different moving parts at once.
“The big difference with our
gaming is all the machines are tied
together under the control of the
leadership,” Raymann said. “We’re
able to create and construct a con-
temporary operating environment,
where (commanders are) now able
to interface with all levels of
mission command.”
Additionally, trainers record
everything done in the simulated
environments, so units can
playback and review entire
missions.
“A commander can now look
down to an individual Soldier and
point out the things he did right or
wrong, which is part of the collec-
tive task. Then they can go right
back into the devices again and
initiate the mission over again
in a matter of minutes,” he said.
“Where it could take
hours to come back out of a
training event, bring everybody in,
conduct an after action review,
determine what went right and
what went wrong, reset, rearm,
refuel and go back out and do it
again can take hours. In the virtual
world, it’s minutes.”
The review and repetition instills
the training more deeply, so
Soldiers are better prepared for
time in the field, as well as
deployments, he said.
“You could run seven or eight
iterations of a mission in a day in a
simulation device, where you may
only get one or two in the field,”
Raymann said.
Additionally, by clocking more
hours in the ITE, rather than in the
field, the technology also can help
maintain Soldier resiliency with
less time spent away from home.
SPRINT PHASE
Raymann said he would liken
each of the different technologies
to a phase of the crawl-walk-run
training methodology.
The gaming piece provides that
crawl training, Raymann said, by
exposing Soldiers to environments
without physically putting them in
those environments.
The virtual and constructive
elements represent the walk phase,
when Soldiers are rehearsing in
concert with one another, as well as
leadership. The live exercise
represents the run phase.
“The Soldiers still have to go to
the field and execute these tasks in
the environment they’ll be
expected to do, but this helps them
prepare to make that much more
efficient,” Raymann said.
The ability to leverage these
technologies and repeatedly
rehearse missions takes the live
training to a new level – the sprint
phase.
“By the time they’re hitting the
field, if they’ve leveraged this other
technology, they’re not only at their
run, but they’re ready to sprint,” he
said.
INVESTMENT IN SAVINGS
The Army’s investments in the
ITE are already paying off
considerably, Raymann said.
“Fortunately, the Army is
investing in these technologies that
help us get better and help us meet
the needs of the current fiscal
reality,” he said. “It saves fuel. It
saves wear and tear on the
equipment … In the long term,
it pays great dividends in saving
taxpayer dollars.”
In addition to the DSTS, new
technology also provides
route-clearance training similar
to flight simulators. The new
technology is incredibly versatile
and provides training for route
clearance, as well as different
vehicular training.
“The Army has already invested
in these technologies to support
the 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley,”
Raymann said. “We’re hopeful
that the Army will see the value of
virtual and constructive systems,
and continue to invest in them in
the future.”
The training campus concept is
being replicated at other
installations as a model.
“The versatility of the
technology and ability to rapidly
spiral it, allows for replicating the
myriad of contingencies facing our
Soldiers and units in the future,”
Livsey said.
“The bottom line is Fort
Riley is very well postured to help
commanders meet the training
objectives of both their assigned
missions and training for those
contingency- type missions that
may come up in the future,”
Raymann said.
For more information, visit
http://riley.army.mil/UnitPage.
aspx?unit=DPTMS Train.

Fire support specialists train on new software
Fire support specialist Soldiers
with the 1st Armored Brigade
Division attended a training class
on the Forward Observer Software
March 18 to 22 at the Training
Support Center.
About 26 Soldiers with the 1st
ABCT attended the weeklong class,
which was the first class to receive
the new software training in the
Army.
The first three days was
unclassified training, learning the
software. The last two days was
classified training, learning how
precision strikes using the
computer for simulated training.
“I work out of Fort Sill, Okla.,
where we produce the software that
the 13 Fox Soldiers use,” said
Randy Meece, new software in-
structor, CGI Federal. “I travel all
over the world to teach
active-duty, National Guard and
Reserve Soldiers.”
This is new software training on
the FOS software that is loaded on
fire specialist’s tactical equipment
like the advanced field artillery
tactical data systems, standalone
computer unit and ruggedized
handheld computer.
“Over half of the class has never
used this hardware and software
before,” Meece said. “It’s a new
experience for them, but they’re
picking up so fast that it is
amazing.”
The fire support specialists are
the primary students focused in this
class, he said. But a few field
artillery automated tactical data
systems specialists can take the
class as well.
Pictured from left to right, Pfc. Eric Nickels, Spc. Joseph McElfresh and Pvt. Matthew
Cristo all with Co. A, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., look over the new software program
during the brigade’s training over the new forward observer software March 19 at the
Training Support Center, Fort Riley.
“This software deals with send-
ing digital fire missions,” said
Jaime Santos, fire support
noncommissioned officer, 2nd
Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment,
1st ABCT. “It allows the 13 Fox’s
to communicate with the 13 Del-
ta’s. The software is already
compatible with all the equipment
the 13 Fox’s work with, Santos
said.
Learning the software is pretty
easy, said Spc. Joseph McElfresh,
forward observer, Company A, 1st
Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment,
1st ABCT. “As I’m keying in the
data into the fire direction center,
it’s already receiving the
information. It means that they can
start sending rounds downrange a
lot sooner. We have roughly 45 sec-
onds to plot a grid coordinate and
relay that information, so that we
can send those rounds downrange.
It’s my job to send those
rounds in a timely manner.”
The software also allows
Soldiers to indentify friendly forces
a lot easier, he said.
This is the fourth generation of
forward observer software systems,
Santos said.
“This new software enables our
13 Fox’s to send rounds downrange
to get within 10 meters of the
target,” Meece said. “These
Soldiers will only see me again if
there is a new update to the
software.”

The pilot of an A-10 Thunderbolt of the Air Force National Guard’s 303rd Fighter Sqdn. from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., flies low
over a Fort Riley range March 27, as he provides close air support to artilleryman with the 1st Bn., 5th FA Regt., 1st ABCT.
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Artillerymen with the 1st
Division were at the range recently
for their Table XV gunnery.
Training March 27 included
close air support from four A-10
Thunderbolts of the 303rd Fighter
Squadron from Whiteman Air
Force Base, Mo. The squadron is
an Air Force National Guard unit.
The joint training also included
Airmen from Fort Riley’s 10th Air
Support Operations Squadron.
This is the first time in more than
10 years a Fort Riley unit has
integrated artillery and A-10
support.
The pinnacle point of the
training allowed the battalion’s
joint fires observers to talk directly
with the Air Force.
A training plan for integrated
artillery and A-10 support didn’t
exist, and brigade, division and
Air Force planners worked for six
months to create one. The
battalion’s gunnery continues with
Table XVIII, which is taking place
in conjunction with the brigade’s
fires coordination exercise.
‘Hamilton’s Own’ looks to skies for
joint ops training
Maj. Josef Hatch, fire support officer, 1st
ABCT, 1st Inf. Div., oversees operations in
the tower March 27 at Fort Riley during
the brigade’s Table XV gunnery.

Hagel announces fewer
furlough days for civilians
By Nick Simeone,AFPS
WASHINGTON – The
Department of Defense has
revised the number of days – from
22 to 14 – that hundreds of
thousands of civilian employees
could be furloughed this year
because of the budget sequester,
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel
announced March 28.
Additionally, a senior DoD
official speaking on background
told reporters the start of the
furloughs will be delayed until
mid- to late-June, after more than
700,000 DoD employees receive
furlough notices, now set to go
out in early May. Furloughs would
happen during seven two-week pay
periods until the end of Septem-
ber, when the current fiscal year
ends, the senior official said, with
employees likely to be told not to
come to work for two days during
each of those pay periods.
DoD officials said they are still
working to determine which
employees might be exempted.
Hagel characterized the reduced
furloughs, as well as a revised
estimate of sequestration’s
impact on the defense budget as
good news. The changes follow
recent Congressional approval of
a defense appropriations bill that
prevented an additional $6 billion
in cuts, ordered under
sequestration, from taking effect.
“It reduces a shortfall at least in
the operations budget,” the
secretary told reporters at a
Pentagon news conference. “We
came out better than we went in
under the sequester, where it looks
like our number is $41 billion (in
cuts) now versus the $46 billion.”
But despite a Congressional
reprieve, Hagel said the Pentagon
is still going to be short at least $22
billion for operations and
maintenance, “and that means we
are going to have to prioritize and
make some cuts and do what we’ve
got to do,” including making sharp
reductions in base-operating
support and training for
non-deployed units.
More critical in the long run, he
said, is how budget cuts will affect
readiness and the DoD’s overall
mission. Because of that concern,
he said he has directed Deputy
Defense Secretary Ash Carter and
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey,
chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, to
conduct an intensive DoD-wide
review of U.S. strategic interests,
including how to protect the nation
with fewer resources.
“How do we prioritize the
threats and then the capabilities
required to deal with threats?” he
said. “There will be some sig-
nificant changes; there’s no way
around it.” Dempsey said the DoD
has already exhausted 80 percent of
its operating funds halfway through
the fiscal year and characterized the
current budget situation as “not the
deepest, but the steepest decline in
our budget ever,” and warned it
will affect military readiness into
the future.
“We will have to trade at some
level and to some degree our future
readiness for current operations,”
the chairman said. He called on
elected leaders to give the
Pentagon the budget flexibility
it needs to carry out institutional
reforms.
“We can’t afford excess
equipment,” Dempsey said. “We
can’t afford excess facilities.
We have to reform how we buy
weapons and services. We have to
reduce redundancy. And we’ve got
to change, at some level, our
compensation structure.”

‘Devil’ Brigade MPs protect post streets
Military Police with the Special
Troops Battalion, 1st Armored
Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry
Division conducted military
occupational specialty training with
Soldiers of the 97th Military Police
Battalion March 26 at Fort Riley.
During March, the MP platoon
patrolled the roads on post and
acted as watch commander in
support of the law and order
commitment at Fort Riley.
“This serves as a two-fold
purpose,” said 2nd Lt. Jason
Jordan, platoon leader for the
company. “First and foremost, for
our Soldiers, it gets them
experience with the primary
purpose of their MOS, and it gives
them the opportunity to learn and
develop as military police
professionals, which is something
that has become lost to most BCT
MPs.
For us, we feel as though it is
an important skill that needs to be
developed to ensure that the
Soldiers we are leading are fully
trained and prepared for when they
are leading Soldiers in an MP
battalion.”
The second purpose it serves is it
helps to relieve the pressure a little
bit for the MP battalion and allows
the MPs the opportunity to do more
training and give their Soldiers a
break, while ensuring the safety of
the 15,000 men and women at Fort
Riley is maintained, Jordan said.
“For the month, we are
providing five to six Soldiers a day
to each of the three eight-hour
shifts, and, on occasion, a watch
commander to provide oversight
over the entire police force,” he
said. “The watch commander is
similar to a platoon leader or
sergeant.”
By patrolling Fort Riley, the
MPs with STB also are fulfilling a
training requirement for their
MOS.
“We’re helping out the 97th MP
Bn., partly because they’re
shorthanded,” said Sgt. Sean Smith,
MP, Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, STB.
“Plus, we’re required one month of
MOS service-related training and
time on the road a year.
Twenty-five Soldiers with the
platoon assisted on the three shifts,
Smith said, with the
noncommissioned officers who
had road-experience spread out
throughout the shifts. Some of the
NCOs also provided on-the-job
training for some of the
less-experienced Soldiers, by
having them right-seat ride with
them to learn the ropes, he said.
“This training also acts as a
refresher for those that haven’t
been on the road as much,” Smith
said. “When we come on shift, we
draw weapons, conduct a guard
month, ensuring that we have all
our gear and equipment that we
wear and have with us in the patrol
car. We also conduct a debriefing
and assign the vehicles in relation
to the designated areas that we are
assigned.”
Every time the team is assigned
their vehicle, they will conduct a
preventive maintenance service
checklist before rolling out, he said.
“I love this training and wish
that we could do it more often,”
said Pfc. Bridgette White Hummel,
MP, HHC, STB. “Last month, I did
my (on-the-job training), which
prepared me for this month when
we integrated into the shift
rotations. I like the job definitely.”
Jordan said he hopes they
continue the program.
“We are happy to be able to
assist the 97th MP Bn. and to get
our Soldiers more experience, so
hopefully, with continued positive
relationships between us, we can
continue this program in the
future,” Jordan said.
Photos by Sgt. Kerry Lawson, 1ST ABCT
TOP: MPs with HHC, STB, 1st ABCT and the 97th MP Bn. prepare to rollout after they
conduct weapons draw, debriefing and preventive maintenance service checklists as
part of the oncoming dayshift.
BOTTOM: Pfc. Bridgette White Hummel, MP, HHC, STB, 1st ABCT, double-checks her
information as she prepares to depart for her patrol area March 26 as part of the on-
coming dayshift at the MP station, Fort Riley.

‘Devil’ Brigade conducts fire coordination exercise
Soldiers with the 1st the
Armored Brigade Combat Team,
1st Infantry Division conducted
a fire coordination exercise from
April 2 to 5 at Mission Training
Complex grounds, Fort Riley.
“This exercise validated the
training that the brigade has
conducted up to this point,” said
Col. Michael Pappal, Brigade
Commander, 1st ABCT.
The mission command’s intent
was to enhance and improve the
brigade’s fires support readiness
and decision-making skills on the
battlefield. It also will prepare the
brigade for future operations.
A tremendous amount of work
was put into getting all the assets
from the battalions, as well as air
assets, Pappal said. The exercise
was scaled down, however, the unit
adapted to the changes with
simulated training incorporated
into the exercise.
“The fires and plans guys had to
really change things up when the
financial uncertainty started
happening,” Pappal said. “They put
a lot of long hours over the last six
months in getting everything ready
for this exercise, adjusting to losing
what close air support we wanted
to what we have now.”
The simulated training gave the
Soldiers the ability to cover down
with better ease on the changes,
Pappal said.
“This exercise is a big deal
because it’s the first time the
brigade has done a full-up
decisive-action training event since
its return from deployment to Iraq
in 2011,” said Maj. Josef Hatch,
Brigade Fire Support and Plans
Officer. “In Iraq, the focus was
stability. And that is why this is so
unique – because it’s a
decisive-action exercise.”
In preparation for the exercise,
Soldiers with the 1st ABCT conduct a communication checks within the tactical
command post during the fire support coordination exercise April 2 on Fort Riley.
the unit set up a tactical operations
center and a tactical command post
on the grounds outside the MTC.
“We first put this on the calendar
when we were in Kirkuk in August
2011,” Pappal said of the training.
The exercise highlighted the
coordination of different types of
fires assets on the battlefield, Hatch
said. That was why there were
several rehearsals before the actual
exercise.
“This exercise is the culmination
of those rehearsals and the units
that participated in those
training exercises,” Pappal said.
“The rehearsals showed the
readiness of where we were at and
where we needed to be.”
Each battalion provided key
information that fed the exercise
itself, Hatch said.
The units conducted live-fire,
virtual and constructive training
during the exercise, Pappal said.
The first two days consisted of
live-fire training, and the last two
days were simulated missions in
the brigade TOC.
Each battalion had a role
during the exercise, Pappal said.
The shooting was provided by
Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 5th
Field Artillery Regiment. They,
along with Soldiers from the 4th
Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment,
set up a tactical command post. The
1st Battalion, 16th Infantry
Regiment and the 2nd Battalion,
34th Armor Regiment participated
in the simulated portion of the
exercise.
The simulated mission scenarios
and the close air support were
conducted from the brigade’s
operation center and command
post, Hatch said.
“We’ve integrated and
synchronized the CAS with the
mission command,” said Air Force
Master Sgt. Brandon Peterson,
Joint Tactical Air Controller, 10th
Air Support Operations Squadron,
who is assigned to the brigade.
The live-fire exercises conducted
were the Paladin, Abrams tank and
Bradley gunnery ranges. The
simulated CAS was provided by
A-10s of the 303rd Fighter
Squadron Whiteman Air Force
Base, Mo., and F-16 Fighting
Falcons.

April may 2013 newsletter

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to April may 2013 newsletter

Similar to April may 2013 newsletter (20)

More from 1ABCT--PAO

More from 1ABCT--PAO (20)

April may 2013 newsletter