"The Monitor" newspaper center layout, designed by Katrina Chandler.

1. FORT BLISS MONITOR • AUGUST 27, 2009 • 5B
It’s home
SWEET home
PHOTOS BY MAJ. DEANNA BAGUE / Fort Bliss Public Affairs
A Guardsman from the 3rd
Battalion, 133rd Field
Artillery Regiment, 56th
Infantry Brigade Combat
Team, returning from Iraq
Spouse shares joy, father recounts
Saturday reaches out to a
family member at Biggs son’s brush with IED attack
Army Airfield.
MAJ. DEANNA BAGUE labor. I was very proud of him.”
Fort Bliss Public Affairs Raul Jr. had just returned from a pre-
Hundreds of Texas Army National vious deployment three months earlier,
Guardsmen from the 56th Infantry so he waived his two-year stabilization to
Brigade Combat Team continued their deploy with his father a month later.
return home this weekend from their “I was pretty excited,” said Raul Jr. “I
Staff Sgt. Robert Dubowitz from nine-month deployment. Among the didn’t think I would get a chance to serve
the 3rd Battalion, 133rd Field returnees were members of 3rd in something so grand as deploying to
Artillery Regiment, 56th Infantry Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Iraq with someone like my father. It was
Brigade Combat Team, greets his Regiment, a unit based out of El Paso. fulfilling.”
mother Leticia and brother “Once you’re back in Texas, you’re Smith faced one of the most-feared
Edward at Biggs Army Airfield home,” said Lt. Col. Richard Blair, bat- occurrences in theater: His son was
after his return from a nine- talion commander of the 3-133 FA Regt. involved in an improvised explosive
month deployment to Iraq. “I’m really proud of the job the Soldiers device attack. Smith was in the tactical
did. It’s been a great experience and I’m operations center when a fellow Soldier
never going to forget it.” asked about his son.
The Guardsmen were welcomed “He asked me, ‘Have you heard from
home by family members and friends your son?’ And I said, ‘No, what hap-
Spc. Jonathan Rodriguez of the 3rd who were waiting anxiously at the pened?’ He said, ‘Oh, well his vehicle
Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Departure/Arrival Airfield Control got hit this morning,’” recalled Smith.
Regiment, 56th Infantry Brigade Group at Biggs Army Airfield for their “In the interim of finding out what went
Combat Team, meets his 5-month- arrival. Lizeth, the wife of Spc. Adam on – the first thing [one thinks] is, of
old daughter Briannah after his Ortiz of the 3-133 FA Regt., was full of course, oh my gosh, I’m going to have to
return from a nine-month deploy- emotion as she and her two children, 7- call home. But fortunately he came out
ment to Iraq. year-old Ashley and 1-year-old Adam OK. Coming back home helps you to
D., saw Ortiz deplane. appreciate that much more, what we
“I couldn’t go to sleep,” Lizeth said. have here.”
“We hardly slept because we were so The 3-133 FA was designated as Task
excited. We are going to invite family Force Defender while serving as part of
Pvt. Rachel Woods of the 3rd from out of town and host a party [to cel- the 56th IBCT in Iraq. The task force
Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery ebrate] his arrival.” Lizeth said she is comprised 11 companies from the all
Regiment, 56th Infantry Brigade grateful for the support she received over the state of Texas.
Combat Team, jumps for joy as from her family readiness group leader, “You couldn’t get much more diverse
she walks in front of family and Angelique Lopez, who kept her than what we had,” said Blair. “I think
friends who welcomed home informed about her husband’s deploy- the diversity of people and backgrounds
her unit from Iraq at Biggs ment. Lopez’s proactive stance in pro- that we had actually made us a stronger
Army Airfield Saturday. viding family members constant details unit in the end.”
about the Guardsmen’s well-being while Blair’s unit performed traditional tac-
in Iraq helped her address the anxieties tical missions such as convoy operations,
her children experienced from her hus- but as time elapsed, the Guardsmen
band’s absence. became more involved in civil-military
“She kept me updated,” said Lizeth. operations. Some of the goodwill proj-
Spc. Adam Ortiz from “She would call me [and] text me; she ects included providing assistance to
the 3rd Battalion, 133rd was real nice to me.” schools. Throughout the tour, Iraqi par-
Field Artillery Regiment, The Smith family awaited the return ticipation increased in carrying out the
56th Infantry Brigade of two loved ones – a father and son who CMO missions, said Blair.
Combat Team, visits served together in Iraq. Staff Sgt. Raul “We always had toward the end an
with his 1-year-old son Smith and his son Raul Jr. said the expe- Iraqi presence, whether it was the Iraqi
Adam D. as his 7-year- rience was equally rewarding for both. Police or the Iraqi army,” said Blair. The
old daughter Ashley “I think it’s something unique,” said Iraqis demonstrated enthusiasm in per-
watches. Smith. “Not many fathers get to have the forming humanitarian missions and were
pleasure of seeing the fruits of their able to see the benefits as well, he said.