1. COP Jaghato, being the newest COP in the AO (Area of Operation), is currently a little more austere than all other
COPS with in the Task Force. Originally the COP was nothing more than the Jaghato District Center. Now however, after
the Talon construction and security effort, the new COP has nearly doubled in size. The construction included things such as
perimeter security, guard towers, renovated “hard stand” buildings for living space, a hard stand command center, and even an
outside showering station just to mention a few additions.
Even though the Troopers still currently eat MRE‟s everyday, the living conditions inside the COP are improving
daily. I would venture to say that within a month, the Troopers will have the living conditions at this new COP built up to
equal most other COPs in Afghanistan.
The success of the construction and maintenance of the COP is the direct result of the hard work and dedication that
your Trooper has displayed in just the short time they have been there. COP Jaghato will provide a new source of security for
the people of the Jaghato district. –Written by SGT Samuel Sohm
DEPLOYMENT SPOTLIGHT: COP JAGHATO
TF TALON HEADQUARTERS MOVES TO FOB SAYED ABAD
1ST BATTALION (AIRBORNE), 503RD INFANTRY
The OFFICIAL Newsletter of TASK FORCE TALON 1 June 2010
THE TALON TIMES
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
ATTACK/LEGION/ 2
MOD/DOG 3
HOTEL/EASY 4
RCP/CA 5
JALREZ VALLEY 6
USEFUL INFO 7
COMMANDER/
CHAPLAIN
9
FRSA 8
PICTURES FROM
THE FRONT
10/11
COP Sayed Abad has been the home of Attack Company, 1-503D since our
arrival into theater back in December. Just recently however, COP Sayed Abad has
taken on more Troopers as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-503D
has moved to Sayed Abad.
With the move comes the need for more infrastructure. Thanks to units like
the Navy Seabees and a detachment from the 379th Engineer Company out of
Massachusetts, the move and expansion of the “COP” has been completed in a much
quicker fashion. Lots of new living space had to be built, such as “B” and “C” Huts in
order to accommodate the influx of Troopers. Sixteen new living tents, a new
Tactical Operations Center, laundry and shower facilities, and offices for all the
battalion staff are just a few more of the many additions that were put in place by such
units mentioned.
In addition to the increase at FOB Sayed Abad, COP Carwile also has taken
in a large number of Troopers as well. The remainder of the Battalion Headquarters
as well as our support company has taken up residence at COP Carwile which is
located not too far away.
With the moves now complete, everyone is settling into their respective
areas and have begun to conduct business as usual. Everyday the Troopers at COP‟s
Sayed Abad and Carwile continue to make positive changes and are excited to be
pushing forward.
-Written by SGT Samuel Sohm
2. PAGE 2 THE TALON TIMES
WHAT’S NEW AT COP SAYED ABAD !
Now that the Headquarters Platoon has entered into its fifth month of the deploy-ment,
every member has become accustomed to their specific job while deployed. Most
members are required to do more than just their specific job, many are used because they
hold certain skills that are beneficial to all on this COP. We have plumbers, electricians,
builders, landscapers and etc amongst us. These skills allow for COP improvement projects
to occur when assets are not readily available. Even though most believe that members of the
HQ Platoon stay only on the COP, recent patrols have incorporate these special MOS‟s into
a rifle platoon patrol. Reactions from these members are all the same; they love going
“outside the wire” because it helps break up the monotony of everyday life here. Also re-cently
a select few have been given the task of accompanying the Afghan National Army
(ANA) on air assault missions as an Embedded Training Team (ETT). As a few of your loved ones have already realized we have started the
rotation of R&R leave. This is a welcomed break by all and personally I cannot wait to see my wife! We also have video game tournaments
in the mortars b-hut, and Ops has movie night with the CO to help offset constant working. Since the civilian internet has been down, most
have not been able to talk to their loved ones on Skype but this issue is getting fixed! All-in-all, the Headquarters Platoon is a major player in
facilitating the mission. Without these dedicated warriors we would fail. Now this in turn relates to the FRG. With your support we suc-ceed
because a happy loved Soldier is a focused Soldier. We would like to thank all the loved ones for the packages, letters, and emails ex-pressing
your love and support. Sky Soldiers! -Written by CPL John Gailey
AN UPDATE FROM ATTACK
WHAT’S NEW AT COP NERKH!
Friends and family of Legion Company, greetings once again. The month of May has brought significant change to the season and surroundings of
Nerkh District. The rocky, snow covered terrain the Paratroopers of Legion Company were once forging a path through is now covered with green, dense
vegetation as the “rainy season” has officially started. Legion has maintained its focus on achieving tangible and recognizable progress within Nerkh District.
Significant progress has been made in the areas of security, development, and governance by the tireless effort and sweat of your Legion Paratroopers.
The constant presence of Legion Paratroopers in the local villages of Nerkh District has directly affected security progress. Nerkh locals continue
to actively pursue their own security as they call Legion Company with their concerns and actionable intelligence. Due to the concern of IEDs being em-placed
on the roads of Nerkh, Legion, along with our Afghan National Army and Police partners, conducted a 15 mile clearance operation utilizing Route
Clearance Engineers in order to clear the two busiest roads within Nerkh. The operation was a huge success, the roads were safely cleared of all dangers and
civilians across the district were extremely happy to see the men of Legion. In the area of development, Legion Paratroopers have dedicated themselves to
effectively combining smaller, “quick win” projects with larger, resource-intensive projects. One of the smaller projects involved improving the quality of
education for Afghan children, the future of Afghanistan. Legion Company delivered countless boxes of school supplies to the local schools of Nerkh Dis-trict,
in hopes of ensuring a steady future for the children of Nerkh, free from the worries that
plague a war-torn nation. A much larger, complex project that is currently ongoing within
Nerkh District is the widening and paving of the two main supply routes. Legion Paratroopers
have spent countless hours securing the road construction crews and escorting various engineers
to ensure the construction will be completed properly. Although there are many more, these
two examples show the Paratroopers of Legion Company understand that economic growth is
the key to success in achieving sustainable development within Nerkh District.
As always, your Legion Paratroopers never cease to amaze me. By the time you read
this article Legion Company will be half complete with the deployment. Often during this time
Soldiers can find themselves in a complacent mode, used to the surroundings and events of their
deployment. I assure you that the men of Legion Company are as vigilant and stead-fast as the
day they arrived into country. The fight in each of them is a testament to the support and love
you give them. Thank you for all you do for the men of Legion Company.-CPT James Siebert
FROM LEGION 6
3. THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF TASK FORCE TALON PAGE 3
WHAT’S NEW AT COP CARWILE!
Greetings from COP Carwile, Wardak Province, Afghanistan. This past month your loved ones performed magnificently, and
worked through an array of complicated missions which required every ounce of their imagination. The Task Force was tasked to establish a
new Combat Outpost in Jaghato District, which is to the west of COP Carwile. This mission required Dog Company to provide support in
the form of resources, manpower, and also for the Task Force to use COP Carwile as a staging base. Everyone worked in a concerted effort
to make this mission a success. I was profoundly humbled observing the Paratroopers of this incredible company accomplish this monumen-tal
task. Know that the Paratroopers of Dog Company have been putting forth all of their energy in continuing to support the Paratroopers
of Task Force Talon that are still occupying COP Jaghato. Jaghato itself was part of Dog Company‟s Area of Responsibility since our unit‟s
arrival, and has had little US presence. This mission will be vital for the long term success of governance, development, and security in that
area. The Paratroopers of Dog Company understand the importance of this mission, and continue to push forward in supporting this under-taking
with zeal and determination. The village of Salar, which is in direct vicinity of COP Carwile, continues to be the main focus of our
efforts while performing current operations. This village and its surrounding area are contentious, but have an enormous amount of poten-tial
for our company‟s ability to connect with the local populace. Your loved ones con-tinue
to work every day in this village to provide security, and to partner with AFGHAN
Security Forces.
Finally, this will be my last Talon Times update. I will be changing command
11 June 2010. CPT Dave Panian will be taking the helm for Dog Company. It‟s been my
distinct honor and privilege to be the commander of this fine company. It‟s personally
been one of the best experiences in my 19 years of military service. I‟d like to extend to
each of you my deepest gratitude for all your support and dedication you provided my
family and I. If there is anything I can assist you with in the future I‟m only an e-mail or
phone call away. May God forever bless you and your family in the journey ahead.
SKY SOLDIERS!! CPT James D. Ryan, DOG 6
A FINAL WORD FROM CPT RYAN
WHAT’S NEW AT COP TANGI!
For the Paratroopers and Officers of March or Die Company, May 2010 was a month that saw both expanded partnership between the
Company and the Afghan National Army as well as new challenges in developing and strengthening the security situation in the Wardak Tangi. The
foreboding words of village elders who said, “We want no development until there is peace,” were driven home to the Company as the security
shura held on 12 May was interrupted by sustained effective insurgent fire. As the men of MOD maneuvered and the enemy fled, it was apparent
that Counterinsurgency in the Tangi would involve a strong security focus in addition to the other lines of effort. Fortunately, we found ready part-ners
in both the people of the valley and our partnered ANA. Pre-mission planning and rehearsals became very important for both American and
Afghan forces. Insurgents‟ attacks grew bolder by directly targeting the ANA as they conducted resupply operations, also the local Nation-als‟
(villagers) patience grew thinner. Sources and informants from among the population became more numerous, and their information became
more valuable.
On 25 May 2010, a combined cordon and knock operation in a dangerous area near the town of Zamuch netted a significant find: one
complete 82mm mortar system along with five rounds and three RPG rockets. Two nights later, another local led a combined patrol to a cave hid-den
two kilometers in the western mountains. This cache contained three mortar rounds, one 107mm rocket, and an IED. Finally, the month
ended with an ANA and NDS-led operation into Zamuch to find several criminals who were detained after firing upon Afghan forces. During this
operation, our Paratroopers established isolation and provided security while the Afghan soldiers and police officers took care of business. Increased
security led to an increase in dialogue and the potential for greater development and partnership opportunities between locals and the American and
Afghan Forces. Construction of the school in Kameran Khel continues to progress, with no threats reported by the teachers there. Locals in many
villages, especially those closer to COP Tangi, were more inclined to talk with both American and Afghan soldiers at length. While the fighting
season continues, it will be this partnership with the people that will prove to be the decisive point in our Counterinsurgency campaign. –Written
by 1LT Christopher Coda
FROM MOD 5
4. PAGE 4 THE TALON TIMES
WHAT’S NEW IN EASY COMPANY!
Easy Company Cooks have been doing an outstanding job in support of
Task Force Talon. Each Forward Logistics Element (FLE Team) has Cooks attached. These
Cooks are ordering, storing, and cooking for every FOB and COP throughout the AO. Easy
Company Cooks are truly leading the fighting by feeding the Task Force Talon Soldiers.
Distro Platoon is running combat logistical patrols almost daily in support of the growing
Class I demand. The line of supply starts with the Cook NCOIC. He orders the supplies needed
at the individual COP or FOB. After the order request comes the Food Operations NCOIC SSG
Byrth. He is located at FOB Airborne. “Each of the COPs order Class I through FOB Airborne,
we do our best to not only give them all three meals but also to provide them with gatorade
shakes, chips, and ice cream”, says SSG Byrth. The Cooks at each FOB cook three square meals a
day for 200-300 personnel. Former Legion Company XO CPT Bailey says his cooks at his COP
do a great job cooking for his soldiers, “SGT Cooke and his guys continue to do an outstanding
job feeding the Legion Company Soldiers. They even made me a couple farewell cakes when I
left the COP”, says CPT Bailey.
Easy Company Cooks will continue to do an outstanding job feeding the force. As the deployment progresses the
cooks are evolving with the fight. They continue to maintain and update their supply shortages and cook for the growing force.
-Written by 1LT Joseph Kornhoff
EASY COMPANY COOKS FEED THE TASK FORCE
WHAT’S NEW IN HOTEL COMPANY!
The role of the Airborne Infantry Medic is in-tensive
and often diverse, requiring both brain and brawn to be
successful. The medics from Hotel Company are no exception,
as they have been called to serve in a multitude of roles and in
literally every location in the province. Where infantrymen go,
Medics go too, providing medical support and the assurance that
if needed, they‟ll be there. Back on each of the FOBs and COPs,
medics are found manning Aid Stations to provide basic health-care
to their brothers in arms, and remaining sharp on their skills
in case they are needed. Throughout the province, medics are
actively training their Afghan partners in basic medical skills and
developing them to the point where they are now actively engaged in the treatment and evacuation of their own
wounded. Hotel medics are a vital key element to everything First Rock does. As the Troopers of the First Rock
leave the wire every day, each of them has the satisfaction of knowing that the member of their team they call “Doc”
is there to make sure they‟re taken care of. –Written by 1LT Colin Fulbright
A LOOK AT THE MEDICS OF TF TALON
5. WHAT’S NEW WITH CIVIL AFFAIRS
TF Talon would like to welcome the 404th Civil Affairs Detach-ment
from Fort Dix, New Jersey. These brave Soldiers are sure to
do an excellent job under the capable leadership of Major Peter
Fechtmann. Good Luck to all the new Civil Affairs Soldiers!
TF TALON WELCOMES NEW CIVIL AFFAIRS DETACHMENT
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF TASK FORCE PAGE 5
WHAT’S NEW WITH THE 401ST MPS!
As it appears to be the beginning of a long and a soon to be ever-changing
12 month deployment, the question becomes, “What brought us
to this moment?” No deployment ever begins with a plane landing in Ba-gram
Airbase or a dismounted patrol in the Jalrez District. It begins much
sooner during that 6 to 8 months prior to the plane taking off, when sen-ior
leaders begin to make their “Road to War” training plan. It begins
with non-commissioned officers taking the lead to explain and instruct
new and sometimes veteran Soldiers on those individual tasks that nobody
can be successful without. The 401st Military Police Company was no
different!
After 12 months of continuous law enforcement operations back at Fort Hood, the United States‟ largest
military installation, the 401st began its senior leader planning and “Sergeants-Time Training”, as well. The task to
prepare a unit of Soldiers begins with simple individual tasks and blossoms into collective tasks at the squad and pla-toon
level. It is often grueling and never-ending collection of tasks followed by countless changes. To keep it simple
it‟s “exhausting”. So as the 118th departs to return to Fort Bragg , the 401st happily embraces the new journey or the
culmination of everything it has thought-about and trained-on for the last 6 to maybe even 8 months
-Written By 1LT Trent Butler
AS 118TH DEPARTS, 401ST BEGINS IS JOURNEY
6. PAGE 6 THE TALON TIMES
WHAT’S NEW WITH ASSASSIN BATTERY
During the month of May, Alpha Battery 4-319th AFAR continued executing
their busy schedule. Paratroopers began preparing for their move to new Combat Out-posts
in Wardak Province, as well as re-certifying on the M777A2 and M119A2 howitzer
systems. Both 2nd and 3rd Platoons continued to improve the quality of life for local
Afghan nationals in Jalrez Valley, while 1st Platoon continued to provide effective fire in
support of Task Force Talon.
Assassin Battery‟s preparation for its transition to training the Afghan National
Police and returning to the gun-line kept its Paratroopers busy during May. Soldiers
from Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd IN (ABN) arrived to Jalrez Valley in early
May to relieve a small amount of Assassin Battery Soldiers. The arrival of Chosen Com-pany
served as a reminder that in about one month, Alpha Battery Paratroopers would
support Task Force Talon from five different Combat Outposts (COP) in Wardak Prov-ince,
Afghanistan. One Section from 3rd Platoon began re-training its Soldiers on basic
Field Artillery skills in order to provide fires at COP Jaghato, while one section from 3rd
Platoon began shifting its focus to that of a mentorship role in order to effectively train
the Afghan National Police (ANP) at COP Jaghato. Both Sections from 2nd Platoon will train the ANP from COP Chak and FOB Airborne, and 1st Platoon
will continue to support Task Force Talon with fire support from COPs Sayed Abad and Nerkh.
The month of May also saw Alpha Battery improving the quality of life in both Jalrez and Maiden Shar Districts, Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
The combined efforts of 2nd and 3rd Platoons resulted in the payment of nine small scale, quick impact projects. Projects included many mosque refurbish-ments,
a small foot bridge, and solar panels to provide electricity to Alakhel village. 2nd Platoon also hosted a ceremony with local leaders to commemorate
the opening of a mosque in Maiden Shar District, while 3rd Platoon partnered with local ANA Soldiers to present a new generator to Akundakhel village in
order to provide much needed electricity to the largely populated village. -Written by 1LT Jeffrey Wade
ALPHA BATTERY — RETURN OF THE RED LEG
26 March 2003– 1000 Paratroopers from the 173rd ABCT boarded C-17’s and flew off into the night.
Their mission was to secure Bashur Airfield and hold it while establishing the northern front in Operation
Iraqi Freedom.
The airborne operation, which was the first in more than a decade, was the start of the Army’s Op-eration
Northern Delay. It was designed to open a new front of the war and force the Iraqis to maintain as
many troops in the area as possible in order to provide relief for advancing coalition forces who were cap-turing
Baghdad from the south.
With the Troopers successfully on the ground and the airfield secure, the 173rd continued to ham-per
Iraqi efforts and delay the approximately six Iraqi divisions stationed around Bashur from circulating
to the rest of the country and providing support to the enemy.
It was due to the efforts of the Paratroopers of the 173rd that Operation Northern Delay was a suc-cess
and Operation Iraqi Freedom continued to succeed as well as it did. For their heroic efforts during the
combat jump, every Soldier who took part was awarded the Combat Parachutist badge with bronze com-bat
star signifying that he had conducted a jump into a combat zone.
–Written by SGT Samuel Sohm
7. THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF TASK FORCE PAGE 7
Militaryonesource.com
A website designed to assist military
members and their families with
everything from Deployment
support to podcasts for Soldiers and
Family members. An excellent re-source
with many topics recom-mended
by service members and
their Families.
Militaryhomefront.dod.mil
A DOD sponsored website with links to
services such as, personnel location, plan-ning
your PCS, DFAS for financial issues
and much more!
www.milspouse.com
Get information on deployment,
vehicle maintenance, education and
career opportunities and more!
Military.com
A one stop website for almost everything
military related. Travel information, bene-fits,
finance, career options and an online
message board to ask almost any military
related question are just some of the many
things you will find on this great website.
NEW MAILING ADDRESSES!!!!
If your trooper stayed with his current company then their will
be no change in his mailing address. Please continue to use the
following:
First Name MI Last Name (no rank)
___PLT/Section ___CO/1-503D IN (ABN)
FOB Shank (COP ________)
APO AE 09364
8. PAGE 8 THE TALON TIMES
FRSA SECTION
Our mobilization and deployment specialist recently held a luncheon to recognize and thank
FRG volunteers. She shared a tale that was given to her years ago by a general‟s wife. I liked it so
much that I want to share it with you. I do not know its origin, but it sends an important message:
A young woman, a lover of flowers, had set out a rare vine at the base of a stone wall. Though it
grew vigorously, the woman noticed that it didn‟t bloom despite the good care she lavished on it day
after day.
One morning, as the young lady stood disappointedly before it, her infirm neighbor, whose
backyard adjoined her own, called her over and said, “You can‟t imagine how much I am enjoying the
blooms of that vine you planted.” The owner looked on the other side of the wall. She saw a mass of
blossoms. The vine had crept through the crevices and flowered where the neighbor could enjoy the
beauty.
There is a lesson for everyone here. Often we cannot see the fruits of our own labor and think
they‟ve been lost. But in the service to others, somewhere, all our efforts bear their fruit and some
hearts receive their blessings.
THE VINE THAT DIDN’T BLOOM
Visit www.Armyfrg.org today for more information about FRG programs in your area!
There are several incentives you could be
missing out on by holding off on your re-enlistment.
Deployment bonuses, duty
station of choice, stabilization, these are
just some of the options you have to
choose from.
See your Re-Up NCO TODAY!
FOB– Forward Operating Base
ANA– Afghan National Army
COIN– Counter Insurgency
IED– Improvised Explosive Device
USAREUR– U.S. Army Europe
NATO– North Atlantic Treaty Organiza-tion
I/O– Information Operations
KLE– Key Leader Engagement
ISAF– International Security Assistance
Force
ANSF– Afghan National Security Forces
ABCT– Airborne Brigade Combat
Team
AFAR– Airborne Field Artillery
Regiment
AO– Area of Operations
COP– Combat Outpost
9. Commander:
LTC Matthew McFarlane
Command Sergeant Major:
CSM John Bagby
1ST BATTALION (AIRBORNE) ,
503RD INFANTRY
Task Force Talon
CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
Greetings from AO Wardak. We are coming to the end of our “rainy season” here in our area of Af-ghanistan.
From what I read and hear, sounds like you folks in Italy have seen much rain as well. Even
though Afghanistan is considered “High Desert”, they do receive quite a bit of rain during April & May.
This plays a big part in the success of the agricultural based economy here in Afghanistan and especially
in our Province. The valleys here in Wardak are filled with orchards and it is the fruit from these or-chards
that brings in most of the income to the local farmers. As we walk through these valleys and see
the local villagers in their farm fields and orchards, we begin to see that these people are just normal
ordinary people, working hard long hours, turning the soil often by hand and shovel, trimming the
apple trees and irrigating the area‟s parcels one at a time with primitive methods. I am convinced that
the vast majority of people here in Wardak desire to have a safe and secure community to where they
can live peacefully. They desire to enjoy the freedoms that we as Americans experience on a daily ba-sis.
It seems that the “Bad guys” choose to use these villages as hiding places to wage war on the security forces. The Villagers are
the ones who suffer from this. Part of your Troopers mission is to continue to enable the security forces to provide the needed
protection to the locals and to rid the Valleys of these “Bad Guys”. Our efforts are working. We see it on a daily basis. Until next
month, stay positive and God Bless, CH Swartz (michael.e.swartz@us.army.mil)
Hello to all Task Force Talon family, friends, and
173rd Association members. This is my first opportu-nity
to write you to attempt to give some perspective
on the tremendous job the Paratroopers of TF Talon
are doing. The Battalion continues to focus on estab-lishing
security in the Wardak province, training the
Afghan National Army, Afghan Uniformed Police,
and assisting in government development. This mis-sion
requires a lot of time and patience. The Troop-ers
of TF Talon have revealed time and again that
they have the tactical patience as well as the aggres-sive
prowess needed to accomplish the mission. The
Troopers continue to amaze me as we enter the 6th month of our deployment. The middle
of most deployments are usually challenging times for units as Soldiers sometimes wear
down from the fast pace environment or become complacent due to a variety of reasons. I
can proudly say that at this point, the Paratrooper‟s of TF Talon have not slowed down or
lost focus on any tasks. In fact, we have more to do now than before as we have moved
Headquarters and Headquarters Company from FOB Airborne to COP Sayd Abad and
moved Easy Company to COP Carwile. Although moving is generally never a fun experi-ence
(especially in combat), the Troopers of those companies executed the task with ex-treme
efficiency. Attack Co and Delta Co made room for both HHC and E Co and wel-comed
them to their new homes. The morale remains high as we cross the half way point
of our deployment. I attribute this to the following three things: 1) The outstanding Para-troopers
and Leaders in the Battalion, 2) The supportive family and friends of the Battalion,
and 3) the 173rd Association„s Trooper support with hospital visits, and care packages. I
would like to thank all those that support TF Talon. There is no doubt that 1st Battalion
(ABN) 503rd Infantry has a proud heritage and we have and will continue to build upon that
legacy during this deployment. Thanks again for your support.
SKY SOLDIERS! Command Sergeant Major John Bagby, Task Force Talon.
Command Sergeant Major’s Corner
BN Rear Staff Duty Phone:
039-0444-71-7509
HHC Rear D:
335-132-6301
A Co. Rear D:
335-120-0965
B Co. Rear D:
334-649-0478
C Co. Rear D:
334-649-0480
D Co. Rear D:
334-649-0477
E Co. Rear D:
335-204-336
11. In memory of SPC Wade A. Slack
SPC Wade Slack was born in Waterville, ME on 22 March 1989. He joined the army on 11 July 2007 as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Technician. He attended basic train- ing at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and advanced individual training at Redstone Arsenal, AL and Eglin Air Force Base, FL. After training he was assigned to the 707th EOD company at Fort Lewis, WA as an EOD Team member. He deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom in Sep- tember 2009. On 6 May 2010, SPC Slack was killed at COP Jaghato, Afghanistan while support- ing Task Force Talon’s mission there.
His awards and decorations include the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge, Army Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. He has been posthumously awarded the Combat Action Badge, NATO Medal, Over- seas Service Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal.
He is survived by his mother, Mary J. Slack; father, Alan D. Slack; and siblings: Ethan Roderick, Jessica Cook, and Meghan, Jesse, Allison, Jonathan, Andrew, Mackenzie, and Lau- ren Slack. SPC Slack served as a true hero and his memory will always be in the minds of those who were fortunate enough to know him. The thoughts and prayers of all Task Force Talon Troopers are with SPC Slack’s family, friends and fellow Soldiers during this time of mourning.
