2BSTB Newsletter

1. Highlander Family,
Sincerely,
Ruddie Ibanez
Captain, Field Artillery
Company Commander
2ND BRIGADE SPECIAL
TROOPS BATTALION,
2ND BRIGADE
COMBAT TEAM,
10TH MTN DIV
(LIGHT INFANTRY)
30 JAN 2012BATTALION NEWS
Helpful Phone
Numbers:
 HHC Company Commander
CPT McCall
HHC Company 1SG
1SG Ward
772-4509
 A. Company Commander
CPT Boyles
Alpha Company 1SG
1SG Volz
772-7410
 B. Company Commander
CPT Keay
Bravo Company 1SG
1SG Pasol
772-7412
 C. Company Commander
CPT Remillard
Charlie Company 1SG
SFC Gruby
772-7429
 HHC BDE Company
Commander
CPT Freeburg
HHC BDE Company 1SG
1SG Maciag
772-2492
 Battalion Staff Duty:
772-5100
 Brigade Staff Duty:
774-2199
 FRSA:
Decima Chiasson
772-9166
Who’s Who
In the
FRG
Advisors
Amy Cox
HHC FRG Leaders
Lori Bogutskie
Alpha FRG Leaders
Kim Boyles
Bravo FRG Leaders
Stephanie Burke
Jennifer Limerick
Charlie FRG Leader
Teri Remillard
HHC 2BCT FRG
Leader
Sarah Freeburg
You can make a
difference in your
FRG!
Call your FRG Leader
to volunteer or for
more information.
Please let the FRG
know if you have
moved or changed
phone numbers so we
can keep our
records up to date!
Thank You!
Headquarters, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion
10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry)
10120 North Riva Ridge Loop
Fort Drum NY 13602
30 January 2012
Letter to the 2nd
Brigade Special Troops Battalion Family and Friends:
I hope everyone enjoyed our well earned Holiday block leave and the Holidays with your Families
and friends. The North Country winter has finally here. Please ensure that your vehicles are win-
terized and be prepared for future colder temperatures and lake effect snow storms. We have
been fortunate thus far as this North Country winter has been mild.
The Battalion is conducting final training and preparations for our March Rotation to the Joint
Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana. As we prepare for JRTC, it is just as
important for our Families to prepare. Many of the companies have had Family Readiness Group
(FRG) meetings involving the Military Family Life Consultant (MFLC) and the financial MFLC. The
Battalion JRTC pre-deployment brief is scheduled for the 16th
of February at 3 PM in the Multi Pur-
pose Auditorium (MPA). There will be a flyer circulated soon with this information. The pre-
deployment brief will provide you with information such as the dates Soldiers depart and return, the
training area they are deploying to, and Fort Drum resources available. Please take the time to
join us for this briefing and ask questions that you may have.
On the 18th
of January we had the opportunity to thank one of our FRG volunteers at the Division
Volunteer of the Month Ceremony, Mrs. Jennifer Limerick, Bravo Company FRG Leader. A special
thank you to Jennifer for all that she has done for the Badgers and others. I am truly grateful for
everyone who steps up to volunteer in the FRG as they provide invaluable help for our Soldiers
and Family members.
The Battalion executed Range week from 23 to 27 January. Great work from all the companies
ensuring that our Soldiers qualified and re-qualified on their assigned weapons. Congratulations to
SSG Carrizales from our DFAC section for the highest qualification on the M4 Rifle. HHC MPs and
CBRN security section executed close quarters marksmanship and situational training exercises,
while the Sappers continued their preparations to execute route clearance patrols at JRTC. Char-
lie Company executed a series of communications exercises to prepare to install and operate the
Brigade’s communications network. Lastly, Bravo Company supported 2-14 IN with unmanned
aerial vehicle support, the HUMINT platoon received outstanding training and provided our fellow
battalions with capabilities briefs, the SIGINT Platoon continued certification and preparation for
JRTC, and the ISR Platoon continued their study of our future operational environment.
February will prove to be a busy month as we load out our equipment and prepare to “get after it”
at JRTC. Gladiator Soldiers and Families continue to inspire me every day with your steadfast
dedication to our Nation, Army, and fellow Soldiers.
Strength and Honor!
RHETT R. COX
LTC, MI
Commanding

2. 27 January 2012
Dear Sapper Families and Friends,
I am very happy to have the entire company back together following a much needed Christmas vacation.
January has been a very busy month, as our Sappers have participated in multiple qualification ranges as
well as several platoon training events, most notably 1st
Platoon’s Land Navigation training a couple weeks
ago.
The Family Readiness Group reconvened to talk about the upcoming JRTC deployment and several of the
services provided by our Military Family Life Consultant, Marsha Caraway, and the Fort Drum ACS. It was
great to see everyone again and we look forward to spending time together in the New Year. We hope to
have a family day sometime in March while the company is deployed to JRTC.
The company also had the opportunity to promote several Soldiers from the rank of E1 to E2, as well as E3.
It is always a good day when our Soldiers get recognized for their hard work and dedication.
In family news, two Mountain Sapper spouses welcomed newborns to their families since our last update.
Eric and Tara Fjalstad welcomed their daughter Isabelle to the world on December 18th
and just yesterday
Brenton and Meghan Winterbower had their son William. Congratulations from all of us in Alpha Company.
Until next time, Mountain Sappers!
CHESTER D. BOYLES
CPT, EN
Commanding
Page 2HHC BRIGADE COMPANY
27 January 2012
HHC/2BCT Soldiers and Families,
Time has flown since the last time I wrote. The first month of 2012 is almost behind us. I hope everyone
enjoyed their holiday season. The train continues to move at a high rate of speed as we’re currently gearing
up for a rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, LA. Our Brigade Staff is in the
planning phase and as we head into February, the company will focus on equipment pack up and load out.
More predictable timelines will be published as we get closer to our JRTC departure date. All I can accu-
rately state at this time is that we’ll be gone for the majority of March. We are also having a Company FRG
meeting and bowling event at the Pine Plains Bowling Center on 09 February 2012. Price is $1 per person.
For more information you can contact my wife, Sarah, at 915-588-8052.
V/R,
MATTHEW W. FREEBURG
CPT, AD
Commanding
ALPHA COMPANY

3. 23 January 2012
To the Badger’s and their Families,
The month of January has been nothing short of demanding since we’ve come back from block
leave. Our first week upon return consisted mostly of gathering ourselves back into the daily battle
rhythm of work and figuring out where we actually left off last year. We also conducted PRT twice a
day in an attempt to regain our forward progress of physical fitness before two weeks of vacation. It
helped, but physical fitness continues to be an uphill battle with our organization as a whole.
Leaders in this Company strive every day to help and encourage our younger Soldiers, but it isn’t
always easy and it surely isn’t a quick fix. But it is part of our number one priority here, readiness to
deploy. Perhaps GEN Dempsey, the 37th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it best “Upon
notification to deploy I was able to requisition nearly everything my unit needed. What I couldn’t
requisition was trust, discipline, and fitness. These qualities have to exist in every unit and in every
Soldier of our Army all the time.” Readiness also entails quality time with family (the vacation was
long, but very needed) and training, which we eventually got to. After the first week we received
word that the March JRTC training opportunity was solidified for 2-10 MTN and we continued right
where we left off. UAS has been supporting 2-14 IN (one of our maneuver battalions) during their
Platoon level live fire exercises throughout this month and working long hard nights. When weather
doesn’t allow flight, they continue their operators progression with a simulator from Huntsville, AL, in
order to ensure they have the proper crew endurance to support the BCT’s expectation for JRTC.
SIGINT has been ensuring their equipment is ready to train on for March and following up on all
training requirements. IEW has been supporting throughout this process. ISR continues to be the
Brigae’s think tank and is already setting the conditions for our JRTC rotation by providing the senior
leadership information on the operational environment. HUMINT has reached a culminating two
week course that the Army Operations Group is conducting. They are receiving training from all
facets of HUMINT, from understanding the legalities of interrogations, to cultural integration with the
Afghan populace, to interpersonal skills for their collectors. Last to mention is our HQ’s Soldiers,
they continue to help me keep this machine running, ensuring that your Soldiers receive the
resources and support they need for successful and effective training to accomplish our mission.
I look forward to finishing up January and moving into February as our FRG leaders have put some
great events on our Calendar. Until next write up,
V/R
CPT Keay, Barclay
Commander, B Co/2 BSTB
Page 3 BRAVO COMPANY

4. Page 4CHARLIE COMPANY
20 January 2012
Dear Families and Friends,
I would like to take this time to welcome everyone back from block leave. I hope that this time with your Sol-
dier was a great and much needed break for the holidays.
Currently the Company is participating in the training necessary to be proficient in our assigned duties prior
to our deployment to JRTC in March. Many Cobras are conducting training to remain proficient in their re-
spective skill sets, dealing with satellites to computers and phones, but most importantly how to get every-
thing to work together. They are doing great and we as a Company are on track for a successful JRTC rota-
tion. Due to the amount of people leaving our formation, the company is going to start relying on its more jun-
iors Soldiers to get the network architecture up and running. I believe they are up for the task, and it will be a
great learning experience for all.
Speaking of the departure of so many Soldiers, in recent weeks there have been new spouses appointed to
key FRG positions and I would like to take this time to thank them for volunteering. The names are as fol-
lows:
Tina McCLendon – HQ Key Caller
Heather Rector – 1st
Platoon Key Caller
Wendy Greene – 2nd
Platoon Key Caller
Lisa Distenfield – Treasurer
Samantha Gruby – Assistant Treasurer
The following Soldiers will be leaving the Cobras in the upcoming month and we wish them the best of luck
in all their future endeavors:
SGT Corey Boucher
SGT Brandon Cathey
SPC Jeremy Kaiser
SPC Joshua Newill
Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Sincerely,
Frank D. Remillard
CPT, SC
Commanding

5. 23 January 2012
Avenger Family and Friends,
Thank you for another successful month of training. It’s been hectic since our last newsletter just
after Christmas. Since the last update, we’ve returned from block leave and conducted a variety of
training events.
From January 17th to January 19th, we conducted High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle
(HMMWV, pronounced humvee) Egress Assistance Training (HEAT). This training takes place in a
full size mock-up of armored vehicles that we often use while deployed. Soldiers receive training on
what to do if their vehicle turns on its side or upside down, and how to safely exit the vehicle. This
is a critical and lifesaving skill, as bad roads and IEDs can sometimes manage to flip our vehicles
when on patrol. Over 100 Soldiers participated in the training, and we’ll hold it again prior to
deployments.
In addition, we utilized the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) to hold marksmanship training and
“shoot/no-shoot” training for the military police. The system allows Soldiers to use mock weapons
to engage targets on a screen. The system is hooked up to an air compressor to simulate recoil,
and the hits on screen are recorded. This allows Soldiers to practice marksmanship without using
real bullets, and is a great way to train when the weather makes it difficult to train outside. In
addition to marksmanship training, the MPs also used the EST to train on police marksmanship in a
variety of settings. The EST even has scenarios involving actors on screen, to add realism.
Finally, the company conducted several firing ranges. Prior to the range, Soldiers conducted
preliminary marksmanship instruction (PMI) to review marksmanship fundamentals before going to
the range the following week. This training acts as a refresher, especially for Soldiers who don’t go
to ranges often. We utilized the classroom in our maintenance building, a former storage room that
we are cleaning and improving to make it a quality classroom for Soldiers.
This week, we’re conducting a qualification range on the M4 and M320, as well as training on the
M9 pistol, M249, M240 and M2 at ranges run by A/2BSTB. It should be a good training week and a
chance for Soldiers to do what they joined the Army to do.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the Battalion Pre-Deployment brief at the Multi-Purpose
Auditorium, at 1500 on February 16th.
Very Respectfully,
CPT McCall
Commanding
HHC 2BSTB
Page 5
HHC 2BSTB

6. 20 January 2012
Hello all,
Why Church? A while back one of my sons asked me, “Why do I need to go to Church when I
already know everything?” I thought it was a valid question and I told him that I would get back to
him on it. As I thought about the purpose of Church I realized that so many Churches put such an
emphasis on instructing and teaching that we lose sight of the greater purposes of Church. As I
pondered further, I asked myself the question that I hear from so many, “Why do I need to go to
Church when I can worship God just fine by myself.” If you feel that Church is simply educational or
for the purpose of talking to God then there really is no point in going to Church because those
things do not require a community and can be done individually. Moreover, Church is not simply a
service organization. My neighbor is an atheist and he snowplowed my drive for me the other day.
He was acting more like a Christian than most professed Christians or Church goers. So what
makes Church a special place. There are different answers to this for different denominations. For
Catholics and other sacramental denominations, Church is the only place that you can find the
saving ordinances and authorized priesthood authority to perform those sacraments. And through
the communion we can become one with God. I encourage you to go back to Church for the
communion and ritual. For Pentecostals and Evangelicals, Church is a special community that can
invite the Spirit of the Lord with miraculous manifestation. These manifestations of the Spirit come
with more efficacies when the congregation is united in praise. I encourage you to go back to
Church to feel the power and love of the Lord in a unique way. As we go to Church to partake of the
ordinances and feel the love and power of the Lord through community, greater knowledge will
come to us, greater experiential worship will occur, and greater opportunities to serve and be
served will arise. The final result is a happier and more fulfilled individual and family. The final result
is peace and assurance.
Obviously, this is a limited Christian perspective on faith and religion and has the flaws of
generalizations and lack of inclusiveness. I encourage you to look past any flaws in thought and
look to the intent of the message.
Godspeed,
Chaplain James Willis
Page 6
A Word from the Chaplain

7. TRAINING INFORMATION
MOBILIZATION AND DEPLOYMENT (YOU MUST CALL TO RSVP 772-0470)
FRG Leader : MAR 08 0900-1300 ACS
Key Caller: FEB 14 1400-1530 or 1700-1830 ACS
MAR 15 1000-1130 or 1400-1530 ACS
Informal Funds: MAR 08 1400-1500 or 1700-1800 ACS
Care Team Training: FEB 21 0900-1230 ACS
OpSec for Families: FEB 27 1300-1230 ACS
AFTB (YOU MUST RSVP TO 772-6710/9229)
Level 3 FEB 15-16 0900-1600 ACS
Stress Management - For more information, call 772-0593.
FEB 07 1330-1530 ACS
Anger Management - For more information, call 772-0593.
FEB 21 1330-1530 ACS
Conflict Resolution - For more information, call 772-0593.
MAY 29 1330-1530 ACS
WHAT IS HAPPENING: