president’s message - sfa chapter 16chapter xvi sfa william r. card chapter mee ng minutes...

M A R C H 2 0 1 6 V O L 6 2

President’s Message

Chapter 16 Newsle er Organiza on and Responsibili es:

Editor: Glen Craig Sec ons:

Message from the President: Dave Shell Treasurers Report: Kevin Pa on Sec. Rpt (Staff Mee ng Minutes): Paul Bagshaw Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall Blast from the Past: Glen Craig Special Recogni on: Paul Bagshaw Upcoming Events: Paul Bagshaw Calendar: Dave Shell Human Interest Story: Chapter at large SFA Na onal HQ Update: Dave Shell A er Ac on Report: Jim Lessler Membership Info: Roy Sayer Adver sements: Glen Craig

Suspense:

Newsle er published (Web): 1st of each odd numbered month Input due to editor: 20th of each even numbered month Dra due to President: 27th of each even numbered month Final Dra due 29th of each even numbered month

As with any benevolent veteran’s organiza on, our ability to live up to our na onal charter, local SF community expecta ons and Chapter agenda is largely based on our ability to fundraise throughout the year. We are fast approaching the me of the year when the Chapter brings in most all of the monies we use to fund ini a ves like the SF Scholarship Fund, the Menton Social, the Chapter Picnic, Chapter mee ngs, 1st SFG(A) Organiza on Day, the Wounded Warrior Cruise, Memorials and Funerals for the ac ve duty and re red, Superla ve Awards, Commemora ve Plaques, etc. In a nutshell, we put our money where our mouth is with 100% of every dime collected going to support these ini a ves. In fact, some Chapter XVI members spend money out of their own pockets to support in the form of fuel, food and drink, office supplies, and other sundries, not to men on me away from work and family. I am sending a gentle reminder to all of you in the hope that you find the me this year to join the few who make our fundraising efforts a success.

Our biggest fundraising ini a ve is the Chapter XVI Raffle, and VP Eric Heid is ge ng the prizes and ckets together this month and will be asking you to help sell them. If we sell every cket it will generate approximately 10k in earnings for the Chapter. This is huge and is what allows us to fund most of the good things we do. Eric men oned that this year we will likely cut the number of ckets down from 300 to 150 total, but double the price from $50 to $100. Some may gasp at this, but if you are a gambler you will quickly see that the odds are much more favorable than past raffles, and certainly be er than the 3000 ckets most organiza ons sell for a $5 chance on a $400 pistol. Our raffle gives away over $4000 in prizes to a single winner. Even if you don’t win, you can feel posi ve about the fact that the money goes to goods and services that support those things that are most important to our core values as service members and veterans. In addi on, you can be confident that when you come to mee ngs and socials that we will not squeeze you for money to support these things outside of the window for purchase of a raffle cket that might be a winner. Our second biggest ini a ve is the Maytown coffee stop on I‐5. Carey Pennington has us set up for the Labor Day weekend, which is prime dona on me due to the large number of travelers. Because it’s over Labor Day we have cut the number of days we man the stop, lessening the burden on our members. We do need volunteers to man the concession, which operates 24‐hrs a day (three 8‐hr shi s). I have been suppor ng this for some years and my personal experience has been very posi ve. It’ s not every day that you get to sit around with Walt H. and swap lies for eight hours or spend some personal me with a brother who can’t get out as much as he used to. For the record, shi s are always manned in pairs, though we welcome larger teams if folks just want to keep company. Let

Carey know soon if you are able to help and if you have a running buddy who you prefer to team up with. Surprisingly, our Chapter auc on, which is conducted at the Chapter XVI picnic generates quite a bit of money, and I believe it to be in the neighborhood of $1000. This one is easy to support; we ask that you donate usable items, good books, military items of interest, and curiosi es. Most folks have things laying around that fit these criteria that they intend to get rid of, but haven’t taken the me to do so. Please start se ng those things aside now with the intent to bring them to a chapter mee ng and hand them off to Mike and Joy Cassidy who will consolidate and bring them to the picnic for recycle. You can also bring items directly to the picnic if you like, but if you cannot a end or want them out now, ge ng them to Mike and Joy ahead of me is the next best thing. It’s a great cause and helps to unclu er your space at the same me. Worthy of note, high end items do not do well at the auc on. My experience is that people don’t like spending more than a few dollars or $20 bucks at the most. If you do have something special to offer we can start the bidding at a fair price and if it does not sell we can return it to you if you like. If you just do not have the me to help fundraise and s ll want to do something, you can always donate directly to the Chapter. Every li le bit helps and you never know when one of the beneficiaries of our efforts might be someone or something that is important to you on a deeply personal level. As always we appreciate you for your service and your comradeship and know that you can be counted on to do what you can to support this truly great and selfless organiza on. DOL, Dave

Chapter XVI SFA William R. Card Chapter

Mee ng Minutes February 13, 2016

Call to Order: Chapter Vice President Eric Heid called the mee ng to order at 11:02 at the 1st SFG(A) Regimental Mess. All present took part in the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of the Ballad. Opening Prayer: Chaplain Butch Hall led the Chapter in the opening prayer giving special wishes to Walt Hetzler during his recovery from surgery. Welcome and President’s Report: Eric took this opportunity to thank the ladies that were present. He offered them all a rose and they were presented by Addy Heid. Happy Valen ne’s Day to all. Members Present: Eric Heid, Wendy Heid, Paul Bagshaw, Dennis Guiler, Jim Lessler, Keith Looker, John Gebbie, Glen Craig, Carey Pennington, Bill Gates, Bill Nichols, Ed Booth, Nick Marvais, Jim Beisley, Steve Kubiszewski, Willi Linder, Thomas Morgan, Butch Hall, Steve Epperson, Mike Barkstrom, Mike Cassidy, Jesse Basher, Ken Garcy, Mark Nelson, Mike Sherlock, Rich Wahl, Wayne Karvonen, Charles Higbee. Wives present: Erma Booth, Steph Gates, Regina Hall, Pa Lakey, Sharon Epperson, Joy Cassidy, Elaine Lessler. Guests present: Addy Heid. Sick Call – Chaplain Butch: Walt Hetzler is recovering from surgery and appears that he should be released in the next day or so. It was men oned that Bud Lawson has been homebound lately and Reed “Cadillac” Johnson, who commanded in the highlands, was not well. Prayers out to them. Mike Mierau passed away last month. It was brought to the Chapter by Eric Heid that a plaque of Bronze Bruce in a frame be presented on behalf of the Chapter to members passing away. Other than Mike Cassidy sta ng that he wouldn’t want the thing over his dead body, there weren’t any objec ons. Treasurer’s Report: Kevin Pa on was unable to a end and Paul Bagshaw gave an update on the financials. The Chapter is in good financial standing; however we spent more than we took in over 2015. The lack of raffle sales contributed to this deficit. Quartermasters Report: Mike Cassidy stated that the new Chapter XVI hats were in and available. He was taking all reasonable offers on polo shirts that have been on the books for a while. Jackets were able to be rented for the mee ng as the temperature in the RMF was a chilly 57 degrees. Old Business: Eric Heid began with reminding the group that Chapter XVI elec ons are to be held at the next mee ng. He prepped his point by leaning two chairs onto the head table, each represen ng vacant posi ons to be on the board. He then asked Paul Bagshaw to stand and lean his chair onto the table demonstra ng the Secretary’s posi on becoming available as well. Paul Bagshaw has accepted a job overseas and will not be available to con nue his du es as the Secretary. All total, three out of four posi ons will be vacant for the upcoming elec ons. Eric also took the opportunity to reiterate the need for volunteers during our events. Access to JBLM was the next topic of Old Business. The Chapter was trying to work a deal with JBLM using the rapid gate system. Due to breaches in the Rapid Gate system, it has been suspended. Also men oned was the fact that Washington State Driver’s license is not being accepted at US Navy bases to include in Washington and that JBLM’s policy is under review. New Business: It was announced that the 1st SFG(A) Scholarship process is open for the upcoming 2016‐2017 Academic year. Rich Wahl took the opportunity to share that the Wounded Warrior founda on has some heavily paid directors and that there have been some watch dog groups that are keeping a sharp eye on that charity. It was also brought up by Charles Higbee that the SF Scholarship fund is managed by volunteers and that 100% of the money goes to the kids. During the conversa on, Ed Booth wanted to clarify that the 46th Chapter’s Wounded Warrior Cruise was not affiliated with the Wounded Warrior Founda on. Steve Kubiszewski men oned to the group that there are over 45,000 chari es that are affiliated with Veterans. Rich closed his comments to reiterate to the group if you donate to the scholarship fund, make a note on your check “For 1st SFG(A)” , this way it will go directly to the children of 1st Group. The conversa on closed with a personal account of Eric Heid’s son who is a Scholarship recipient and therefore was able focus on academics while a ending school rather than working to help pay for expenses. Eric took the opportunity to tell all that if they needed a tax statement for dona ons to the Chapter to get up with him. Steve Epperson took the floor to inform the Chapter that he is the President of the O.A.S.I.S Group. He gave a lay down of what they can provide. He stated that they have visited all of the SF Groups as well as the Seals on both coasts. He wanted to inform the chapter that there will be two charity events coming up in the next year. In July, a Golf Tournament at the Capitol Golf Course in Olympia and an Auc on/Wine

Tas ng in September, more to follow with the details. The final ques on he answered was “how can Vets overseas get assistance?” He replied they can receive assistance via postal service and emails. Ken Garcy took the floor to speak of the upcoming memorial for SFC Ma hew Mclintock who was killed in Afghanistan in early January. He succumbed to his wounds while enroute to medical care a er a 16 hour gunfight. He was assigned to A/1‐19th SFG(A) at Buckley Washington and was a former member of 1st SFG(A). The Memorial will be at the JBLM North Fort Chapel on 25 February at 1400. There will be refreshments at the Regimental Mess following from 1700‐2000 for those who can a end. There was a vote to spend chapter funds on the event and all members were in favor, none against. Eric Heid brought up the issue of the annual raffle cket prices. He revisited the issue that we didn’t sell all of the ckets this year. He proposed to raise the price to $100 a piece but only sell 150. There were a couple of folks that didn’t feel that they would be able to get others to buy, but the collec ve body didn’t have any major issues with the proposed change. Pastor Butch took the floor to float the idea (all pun intended) of a Chapter Cruise to Alaska. It would be for 7 days, September 3‐10 or 4‐11, with mul ple stops along the way to include Canada and Alaska. He did some research on the ma er and decided that Princess Cruises would be the best bet. He had quotes for two types of rooms: Room with a view ‐ $1500 per person; Room with a balcony ‐ $1700 per person. Butch provided Glen Craig a copy of the brochure and it should be posted in this month’s newsle er. One point that was discovered a er the mee ng adjourned that the proposed dates would interfere with the annual Coffee Stop volunteer program to receive dona ons. This needs to be brought up at the next mee ng to come to a consensus. For the Good of the Order: Wayne Karvonen took the floor to give a quick shout out for the First In Asia organiza on. He stated that the organiza on maintains the grounds around 1st SFG(A) Memorial Wall, has the names engraved as necessary, provides the Menton Wreath, provides shadow boxes, as well provides paver stones for the walk way. He gave their website: firs nasia.org and their Facebook page: First In Asia. They get their money from purchases of prints and the sales of knives. Cary Pennington announced that CSM(R) Gary Baura was organizing a 10th SFG(A) reunion at Fort Devens this summer. Cary will get the details out to the Chapter. Bill Nichols took the opportunity to shed light on the recent Office of Personnel Management breach of informa on. He stated that it was due to contractors being hired to protect the informa on and their plan to alleviate the issue was to hire more contractors to conduct credit monitoring. Dennis Guiler stated he will be represen ng the Chapter at the Massing of the Colors on 21 FEB 2016 at 1500. It located at Stadium High School at 111 N E St, Tacoma, WA 98403. Closing Prayer: Chaplain Butch gave the closing prayer and blessing of the food. Mee ng adjourned: 12:34 followed by a potluck and socializing. Respec ully Submi ed: Paul M. Bagshaw, Chapter XVI Secretary. “Free Pineland”

J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast, 1‐2‐16 The following members and guests were present: Ed & Erma Booth, Inge & John Gebbie, Glen Craig, Vin Brown, Dennis Guiler, Mike & Joy Cassidy, Nick Marvais (IMO Jerry Hampton), Butch & Regina Hall, Duyen Yu‐B & Chien, Jim & Elaine Lessler (IMO Dan Kayonen), and Wayne & Yoko Karvonen.

Dinosaur Luncheon 1/29/2016 The following members and guests were present: Glen Craig & Pa Lakey, Walt & Lynda Hetzler, Mike & Joy Cassidy, Johnny King, Ralph (Butch) Saner, Bill & Steph Gates, John Gebbie, Steve & Sharon Epperson, Ron Rismon, John “Jumper” Bi ers.

J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast, 2/6/16 The following members and guests were present: Alvin Li le, Ted Wicorek, Dave Barnes, Ed & Erma Booth, Bob Head, Mike Sherlock, John & Jenny Gebbie, Glen Craig & Pa Lakey, Walt & Lynda Hetzler, Dennis Guiler, O o Liller, Jim & Elaine Lessler, Butch & Regina Hall, Wayne & Yoko Karvonen, Nick Marvais, and Mike & Joy Cassidy. Chapter 43 members present: Skip E nger.

Dinosaur Luncheon 2/26/2016 The Following Members and Guests were Present: Glen Craig & Pa Lakey, Butch & Regina Hall, Mike & Joy Cassidy, Ed and Erma Booth, Jessie Basher, John (Jumper) Bi ers, Roland Nupui

Chapter XVI North There are a number of Chapter 16 SFA members who live North of Sea le and don’t usually make the drive down to Tacoma for the Mee ng here but they do get together the second Saturday of every Odd Numbered Months in the a ernoon or evening. On 6 January 2016 they met at Applebee’s in Lynnwood, there was a good showing and an enjoyable get together.

What Can 200 U.S. Commandos Actually Accomplish in Iraq? By Paul McLeary and Dan De Luce January 22, 2016 3:26 PM A deadly U.S. special opera ons raid on a top Islamic State commander last May that swept up a trove of intelligence has become the gold standard for how the Obama administra on envisions the secre ve war against the militants. But the White House may be overburdening the limited number of American commandos on the ground with unrealis c expecta ons of turning the de in Iraq and Syria. Fewer than 200 U.S. special opera ons forces make up the Pentagon’s much‐touted “expedi onary targe ng force” that recently arrived in Iraq to take the fight to the militants, but only a few dozen will take part in raids, according to U.S. officials. An even smaller team — about 50 special operators — has deployed to Syria. The Pentagon rarely discusses the secre ve missions of U.S. commandos that the Obama administra on calls a crucial part of its bid to “intensify” the war against the Islamic State. Yet in announcing their deployment to Congress, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the elite American troops will “conduct raids, free hostages, gather intelligence, and capture” Islamic State leaders in both Iraq and Syria.

Their deployment “puts everyone on no ce in Syria: You don’t know at night who’s going to be coming in through the window,” Carter said.

The plan During the night‐shrouded raid in eastern Syria last May, U.S. Delta Force troops killed Islamic State financial guru Abu Sayyaf and as many as 11 of his henchmen a er a short firefight. They also captured his wife, Umm Sayyaf, and loaded computer hard drives and stacks of financial documents from his compound into their Black Hawk helicopters before flying back across the border to Iraq. Over the following days, the records revealed cri cal details of the Islamic State’s oil infrastructure in Syria. But the real prize was Umm Sayyaf, who could provide much‐needed context to the files and a living, breathing source on how the terrorist group funds its opera ons. Within months, ac ng on that informa on, airstrikes began targe ngIslamic State oil opera ons across eastern Syria, depriving the militants of millions of dollars worth of revenue. But the a ermath of the raid that nabbed Umm Sayyaf also pointed to one poten al Achilles heel in Washington’s plan: the need for deten on facili es. The U.S. military shu ered all of its American‐run prisons in Iraq before it le at the end of 2011, and without a place to con nue holding Umm Sayyaf, U.S. officials were forced to turn her over to Kurdish authori es last August. There are no plans for American forces to reopen deten on centers in Iraq, a U.S. defense official told Foreign Policy. “Interroga on details are s ll being worked out, but generally we’ll only observe and the Iraqis will share” informa on, said the official, who spoke on condi on of anonymity. That means the new U.S. counterterrorism mission in Iraq will likely miss out on collec ng cri cal pieces of informa on from detainees who might be more willing to talk a er weeks or months behind bars. “If you capture high‐level people, what do you do with them, and all of the informa on that comes from them?” said Aki Peritz, a former CIA counterterrorism analyst and co‐author of Find, Fix, Finish: Inside the Counterterrorism Campaigns That Killed Bin Laden and Devastated Al‐Qaeda. “If we can create an intelligence‐driven mission, that’s great,” Peritz said. “But we can’t detain anybody, and that’s the No. 1 source of informa on.” Reliable informa on has become harder to come by with fewer U.S. forces on the ground. In Afghanistan, where the Obama administra on is also leaning heavily on a small number of special forces, a tragic Oct. 3 opera on in Kunduz underlined the risks of opera ng with incomplete intelligence. That night, a team of U.S. Green Berets, who had spent long days figh ng alongside Afghan special forces, called in an airstrike on a nearby building where Taliban extremists were believed to be hiding. But a lack of constant informa on sent to the AC‐130 gunship overhead resulted in the air crew iden fying the wrong building. The blistering hourlong a ack instead targeted a charity hospital, killing 42 medical staff and pa ents, and leading to accusa ons of war crimes. U.S. military officials are currently weighing punishments for several of the soldiers involved. The rela vely small military footprint in Iraq and Syria, down from a high of nearly 170,000 U.S. troops in Iraq during the height of the surge in 2007, has put firepower at a premium. But experts said equally as important — if not more so — are surveillance drones and intelligence gathered on the ground. “You turn that on, and it makes a huge difference,” said re red Col. Stu Bradin, a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer who helped establish the NATO Special Opera ons Forces Coordina on Center in Afghanistan and served as director of a fusion cell there. He said round‐the‐clock surveillance from the air and ground intelligence help military planners seamlessly juggle raids and other opera ons, while building a picture of the network of insurgents like what senior U.S. commanders painstakingly created in Iraq and Afghanistan at the height of those wars. “Just the size of the intelligence side of the house alone is massive,” Bradin said. “You can only do some of it from a distance — you really have to have intelligence staff co‐located with the operators [on the ground].” He said it took at least three or four intelligence analysts and support staff to run a special forces opera on for every one soldier on the ground. McChrystal’s way As head of the Joint Special Opera ons Command, now‐re red Gen. Stanley McChrystal transformed the way American commandos wage war. McChrystal oversaw the missions that tracked down al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al‐Zarqawi and, most famously, Saddam Hussein. During the height of the U.S. war in Iraq, McChrystal and Gen. David Petraeus created so‐called fusion centers where intelligence analysts and special opera ons forces together pored over informa on to help plot the next mission. The analysts were “cri cal to fusing the various pieces of intelligence as the operators picked them off the ba lefield,” said Linda Robinson, an analyst at the Rand Corp., who has wri en several books about special forces. “They would go out and do the raid, and they would — this is very important — capture versus kill the individuals on the target and then be able to gain human intelligence from them.” McChrystal’s collabora ve approach remains a model for the ongoing missions in Iraq and Syria, several U.S. officials told FP. But now, officials noted, the effort is drama cally smaller, with dozens of commandos instead of thousands in the ba le zone. And this me, U.S. commandos will be opera ng jointly in partnership with Kurdish and Iraqi counterparts. President Barack Obama, who when elected pledged to end wars not start them, had long resisted sending special opera ons forces to Iraq or Syria. And un l recently, the Obama administra on relied on air power and the training of local troops for full‐fledged combat against the Islamic State. But as the U.S. military campaign came under moun ng cri cism, Obama reversed course — op ng for a tac c honed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the Pentagon last month, Obama lauded the role of special forces in warning that Islamic State leaders “cannot hide.” “Our next message to them is simple: You are next,” Obama said. This month, Carter suggested more commandos may soon be headed for Iraq and Pentagon officials are pushing European allies to deploy their own commandos. “The more we use it, the more we’ll learn about addi onal uses for it,” Carter said of the new con ngent of special opera ons troops. “The more we do, the more we learn what more we can do.” But with only a handful of U.S. ground troops, and lacking consistent, reliable local partners, it’s unclear whether American special opera ons forces can seriously damage the Islamic State. It will fall to Kurdish and Iraqi fighters to act on intelligence gathered by the United States. Yet U.S. officials are only cau ously op mis c about the Kurds’ ability and privately admit the Iraqi Army remains plagued by leadership and morale problems. It’s also uncertain whether local troops will be capable of coming to the aid of American special forces who may find themselves pinned down in a fight. That was less of a concern in the past, when commanders could rely on nearby rescue units to jus fy taking more risks, analysts said.

Just how many opera ons American commandos have conducted in recent months, or exactly what they’re doing across Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, is unknown. Only four missions over the past year have received any public scru ny: the Abu Sayyaf raid, Kunduz, and two more that resulted in the deaths of Americans. Last October, Delta Force Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler was killed in a raid on an Islamic State prison near Hawijah, Iraq. And earlier this month, on Jan. 5, a firefight in Afghanistan’s Helmand province killed Staff Sgt. Ma hew McClintock, wounded two other Green Berets, and disabled an American helicopter. Early a empts to bolster U.S. troops in the Helmand firefight failed a er one helicopter broke a rotor blade on landing, and another was chased away by Taliban fire. It wasn’t un l hours later, a er dark, that a rescue mission finally made it to the team. That opera on highlighted the dangers and difficul es special opera ons forces now face as they stage raids with an imperfect intelligence picture, limited air power, and a small military footprint. Recent reports say a small con ngent of American special operators has set up opera ons at the Rmeilan Air Base in the Syrian Kurdish region near the country’s borders with Iraq and Turkey, but U.S. officials have declined to comment. “Because of the special nature of these forces, it’s very important that we not discuss specifically where they’re located,” Col. Steve Warren, the U.S. military’s spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters. “It puts those forces at increased risk.” Five or 10 years ago, with tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Afghanistan or Iraq, commando units were opera ng at full thro le. An es mated 12 special opera ons raids happened across Afghanistan on the same night SEAL Team 6 killed Osama bin Laden in May 2011. And the successful manhunt that took out Zarqawi in June 2006 came only a er the United States “went a er dozens of guys first to get to him,” said Peritz. And even in an unrelen ng war of that magnitude, during which a steady march of militant leaders were killed or captured, the United States s ll fell short of fully defea ng al Qaeda in Iraq, which has since morphed into the Islamic State. “A purely counterterrorism opera on is not effec ve — unless you have the intel piece to back it up,” Peritz said.

Pentagon Loosens Rules of Engagement Against ISIS in Afghanistan

In this undated file photo released by a militant website, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP repor ng, militants of the Islamic State group hold up their weapons and wave its flags in a convoy. (Militant website via AP, file) Fox News | Jan 22, 2016 | by Lucas Tomlinson The Obama administra on has loosened the rules of engagement for U.S. forces striking the Islamic State and affiliated groups in Afghanistan, allowing them to target militants just for being associated with the terror network, a senior defense official confirmed to Fox News. The new authoriza on now puts ISIS in the same category as al‐Qaida in Afghanistan. Previously, the militants could be targeted only if they showed what's known as hos le intent. "Now," a U.S. official told Fox News, "we can kill ISIS in Afghanistan just for wearing the T‐shirt or waving their flag." The Wall Street Journal first reported the change. The development comes a er the State Department designated the affiliate "ISIL‐K," or Khorasan, as a foreign terrorist organiza on earlier this month. Despite the new authoriza on allowing the military to more easily target ISIS supporters, the U.S. has been going a er the militants in Afghanistan for months. The U.S. military has conducted dozens of drone opera ons against ISIS affiliates in eastern Afghanistan beginning this summer in order to protect Afghan, U.S. and foreign forces.

Chris an mothers, wives take up the fight against ISIS, whose women serve as suicide

bombers and slaves By Hollie McKay Published January 18, 2016 FoxNews.com Female fighters like the Kurdish women are being joined by Syriac Chris an women in the fight against ISIS. (Reuters) The second class of the all‐female Syriac Chris ans Brigade proudly took its place earlier this month on the front lines in the fight against ISIS, whose own increasing use of women as suicide bombers offers a sharp contrast between the two sides’ visions. Known as the “Female Protec on Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers” – in reference to the stretch of tradi onally Syriac‐inhabited land between the Tigris and Euphrates, the all‐volunteer unit consists of Syrian mothers, wives and professionals who pray in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus. "I'm a prac cing Chris an, and thinking about my children makes me stronger and more determined in my fight against Daesh (ISIS)," one fighter named Babylonia, who graduated with the first class in December, told AFP. She said her husband, also a soldier in the same war, encouraged her to leave their children behind to fight for their future – and "against the idea that the Syriac woman is good for nothing except housekeeping and make‐up.” The women, the first of whom graduated from a training camp in Al‐Qahtaniyeh in August, are primarily focused on protec ng Chris an areas. Pa erned a er the highly successful female Kurdish People’s Protec on Units (YPG), the unit has already seen ba le, most recently in the fight to retake the northeastern town of Al‐Hol a er two years of ISIS rule. “ISIS will recruit from any social strata, and using female terrorists in general and suicide bombers in par cular are only going to increase. ”Shaul Gabbay, Global Research Ins tute But while these women are figh ng to protect their families and homeland, their female counterparts figh ng for ISIS have a much different role in advancing the terrorist group’s bleak and barbarous cause in the war that has engulfed much of Iraq and Syria. Sources from Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, an undercover group of ac vists based inside ISIS’ Syrian stronghold, told FoxNews.com that the terrorists recently formed an all‐female volunteer suicide bombing squad. Wives of ISIS jihadists recruit the city’s females to the grim duty

with tales of the “paradise” that awaits them for giving their lives to defend the caliphate. Recruiters ensure their prey that their families will be taken care of a er death – with a significant sum of money handed over before the mission date to seal the deal. “The females go through proper training at a camp with weapons and learn how to do a proper suicide bombing,” a member of Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently told FoxNews.com. “These are women who choose to do this, women of all ages. Even teenagers.” Before being pressed into the task of recrui ng for and carrying out suicide a acks, the women of ISIS were typically deployed as the “Shariah police,” known as the Al‐Khansa Brigade. The brigade was comprised exclusively of armed women who patrolled the streets of Raqqa and other towns and villages occupied by ISIS, terrorizing and punishing other females for sharia viola ons as minor as wearing a niqab that fits too closely, therefore showing the outline of a woman's body. Whether based on need or a twisted take on progressivism, ISIS is working hard to emphasize that its cause transcends social status and gender barriers, said Prof. Shaul Gabbay, execu ve director of the Denver‐based Global Research Ins tute. “The idea that ‘everyone is part of our mission’ is also part of the terrorizing, that the enemy can be a acked from anywhere at any me by anyone,” he said. “ISIS will recruit from any social strata, and using female terrorists in general and suicide bombers in par cular is only going to increase.” While women figh ng for freedom in Iraq and Syria is rela vely new, ISIS is following a terrorism tradi on in tapping females to kill and be killed for radical Islam. The concept of Islamic female jihadists, stabbers, bombers and “burka brigades” – while undergoing something of resurgence – is not new.

“The phenomenon of female jihadists has been growing for many years now,” said Kamran Bokhari, senior analyst at Geopoli cal Futures and author of “Poli cal Islam in the Age of Democra za on.” “Females go through the same technical tradecra with respect to guns and explosives, and the ideological training is very similar in that they are promised heaven should they carry out their mission.” Female jihadists have taken up arms all over the globe, including Israel, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Kenya, Chechnya and even the U.S., in last month’s deadly a ack in San Bernardino, Calif.. But in Iraq and Syria, the so‐called “burka brigades” are mee ng their match in Chris an and Kurdish women who fight for hope and for their homeland. "I was afraid of the noise of cannons firing, but the fear quickly went away,” an 18‐year‐old member of Female Protec on Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers told AFP. “I would love to be on the front line in the fight against the terrorists."

Further, Faster with More: Special Forces Appreciates Osprey’s Capabili es

One commonality of these professionals is a penchant for jumping out of a perfectly good airplane ‐or a helicopter – or both. By Mr. Richard L Rzepka (USAG Okinawa) TORII STATION, Okinawa (May 28, 2015) — Among the first special operators to commence the opening salvo against terrorists in Afghanistan, Oct. 19, 2001, were Green Berets, from the 1st Ba alion, 1st Special Forces Group, whose mo o, “First in Asia,” is par cularly apt. Since then, these professional Soldiers have been consistently engaged in the war on terrorism in areas throughout the globe. Their headgear, as dis nc ve as their mission‐set, was hailed as “a symbol of excellence, a badge of courage, a mark of dis nc on in the fight for freedom,” by President John F. Kennedy, who was a proponent of the unconven onal style of warfare, which would define these ar sans of war. One commonality, of these professionals, is a penchant for jumping out of a perfectly good airplane – or a helicopter – or both. Recently, a group of U.S. Army Special Forces Soldiers partnered with Marine Corps aviators on Okinawa to conduct sta c line and military‐freefall parachute opera ons from MV‐22 Osprey military aircra using the drop zone on Ie Shima island. The Osprey, a lt‐rotor aircra with ver cal takeoff and landing capabili es, is one part whirly bird and one part turboprop, which makes ge ng there first, the fastest, and with more, a breeze. “MV‐22s conduct missions that normally require both fixed‐ and rotary‐wing aircra ,” said Maj. Pat, a Green Beret commander, whose last name has been omi ed due to opera onal security. “With its one‐of‐a‐kind combina on of speed, range and opera onal flexibility, it gives special opera ons an advantage no other figh ng force in the world can employ,” he said. The MV‐22 Osprey is prevalent throughout many areas of responsibility and being familiar with the aircra and its opera onal capabili es allows the Green Berets of 1st Ba alion to not only feel more comfortable with the aircra , but the Marines, who pilot it as well – allowing for seamless interoperability between the two forces. The Department of Defense announced, May 11, plans to sta on a special opera ons squadron of CV‐22 Osprey aircra on Yokota Air Base, Japan. The deployment of lt‐rotor aircra will provide increased capability for U.S. special opera ons forces to respond quickly to crises and con ngencies in Japan and throughout the Asia‐Pacific region, including humanitarian crises and natural disasters, according to a news release. “The CV‐22 Osprey is a highly‐advanced aircra with unique capabili es and an excellent opera onal safety record. The deployment reflects the United States’ steadfast commitment to defend Japan and to sta on its most advanced capabili es forward as part of the Asia‐Pacific rebalance.” “As an Army ground unit, we rou nely rely on other services to provide capabili es for us that we do not have organically … it is rou ne for us to work with the Air Force, Navy and Marines not only for airli support but also for Explosive Ordinance Disposal, Joint Tac cal Air Controllers and mari me support,” Maj. Pat said. “Special opera on forces are usually part of joint headquarters when forward deployed, which also provides us the opportunity to work with our sister services. Being on Okinawa makes forging these rela onships fairly easy since we are all in close proximity to each other and work together o en.” The “First in Asia” Ba alion came to be a part of the military community on Okinawa in March 1984, when the need for special opera ons forces in the Pacific again became apparent. For more than 30 years, it has been a staple of U.S. forces on the island, which offers an unrivaled training environment to the operators.

“Training on Okinawa allows us to train in Asia‐specific terrain on world‐class facili es and work closely with our incredible Japanese partners,” Maj. Pat said. “The terrain and opportuni es that Okinawa provides are unmatched throughout Asia and make for an incredible pla orm to train.” As special forces Soldiers, being able to appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of various cultures is an a ribute that is cri cal to opera ng on foreign soil. “[1st Ba alion, 1st Special Forces Group] has a long history on Okinawa and enjoys being part of the community,” Maj. Pat said. “Some of our elements recently conducted a tour of the Ryukyu’s for cultural familiariza on … respect is one of the Army core values and as special forces operators we pride ourselves on adap ng to new cultures and environments. Our experiences in Okinawa are no different.”

Jolly gets VA to make Changes to stop Wrongly Declaring Veterans Dead “This is a problem that has gone on far too long and I applaud the VA for taking steps to prevent these types of mistakes from happening in the future. As we have seen, wrongly declaring a veteran dead can create financial hardships and it is extremely disconcer ng,” Jolly said. In a recent le er sent to Jolly, the VA says it erroneously stopped benefits to 115 people between July 7, 2014 and April 1, 2015. The Tampa Bay region has seen at least 6 cases in the past 18 months where the VA declared a veteran dead when they were s ll alive. Following two high profile Pinellas County cases and Jolly’s pointed inquiries the VA says it is ins tu ng a new process to help verify a veteran is truly dead before hal ng benefits. The VA says under the new guidelines, beneficiaries like Clearwater’s Mary Ann Clough, who was incorrectly declared dead last fall, will have an opportunity to correct an error before the VA terminates their monthly benefits. Jolly had Clough’s benefits restored and the VA records corrected shortly a er being no fied of the error. In November, Jolly helped Michael Rieker of Dunedin a er the VA mistakenly said he was dead and terminated his benefits. A er receiving na onal a en on for his work on this issue, Jolly was recently contacted by a Vietnam veteran from California with a similar problem. Carl Colamonico says the VA told him their records showed he was already dead and buried at Riverside Na onal Cemetery in Riverside, CA. The VA also informed Colamonico that their records actually showed he served during World War II and was at one point a Prisoner of War. At Jolly’s urging, the VA has conducted a review and now says Colamonico’s records are accurate. “It is extremely difficult to hear from veteran cons tuents not only living in Pinellas County but from across the country whose records have been erroneously altered by the VA. These are very human stories with serious consequences and I am hopeful the new protocols mplemented by the VA will ensure these errors never happen again,” Jolly added. On November 4, 2015 Jolly wrote VA Secretary Robert McDonald highligh ng Rieker’s situa on and asking what steps the VA was taking in conjunc on with the Social Security Administra on (SSA) to prevent future cases of veterans wrongfully being declared dead.

The War Within: Military Suicides On The Rise Despite Army's Efforts

Huffington post series For those knowledgeable of organiza on psychology, this is a good read. The topic of more and be er integrated service is well covered. A large number of eligible veterans are not using the system and a quoted 50% of those seeking treatment do not return! While outside the scope of the ar cle but crucial to any "veterans focused" approach is the s ll lacking existence of a na onal network of local peer support groups working at the street/neighborhood level to encourage folks to explore their op ons and to stay in a program longer to be er benefit from it. Veterans health and welfare can not be just limited to a clinic or hospital campus.

Our veterans and spouses are a na onal resource; well trained, experienced and mo vated to help themselves and others. Out of the "tens of thousands" of veterans' assistance en es in place, why does there not/not exist a complementary resource network helping to fill the opera onal support gap between the VA and those needing more 24/7 and face to face help? No one agency or group can provide the long term web/local networking we in the mil/vet community, and our general popula on, needs.

For those knowledgeable of organiza on psychology, this is a good read. The topic of more and be er integrated service is well covered. A large number of eligible veterans are not using the system and a quoted 50% of those seeking treatment do not return! While outside the scope of the ar cle but crucial to any "veterans focused" approach is the s ll lacking existence of a na onal network of local peer support groups working at the street/neighborhood level to encourage folks to explore their op ons and to stay in a program longer to be er benefit from it. Veterans health and welfare cannot be just limited to a clinic or hospital campus.

Our veterans and spouses are a na onal resource; well trained, experienced and mo vated to help themselves and others. Out of the "tens of thousands" of veterans' assistance en es in place, why does there not/not exist a complementary resource network helping to fill the opera onal support gap between the VA and those needing more 24/7 and face to face help? No one agency or group can provide the long term web/local networking we in the mil/vet community, and our general popula on, needs.

h p://www.cnas.org/files/documents/publica ons/CNAS_ExpandingTheNet_Carter.pdf

How the 1st Special Forces Group Got Its Own Whiskey Cra bourbon has raised thousands of dollars to help special ops veterans and familiesC

Above — a bo le of 1st Special Forces Group Bourbon. Kevin Knodell photo. At top — Sgt. Maj. Sco Olson and fellow soldiers pose with newly bo led

whiskey. Courtesy photoof dollars to ARMYSPECIAL OPERATIONS February 23, 2016 Kevin Knodell 0 The U.S. Army’s elite 1st Special Forces Group has the dis nc on of being among the first American military units to fight and take casual es in

Vietnam. Now it’s the first special opera ons unit to have its own brand of whiskey. The Heritage Dis lling Company’s 1st Special Forces Bourbon started as small hobby project by one Green Beret, but has since grown into an ambi ous enterprise with hundreds of bo les of whiskey. And the cra hooch has managed to raise about $30,000 for veterans’ chari es. Sgt. Maj. Sco Olson is unapologe c about his affinity for whiskey. A connoisseur of spirits, his explora on of different drinks led him to the Heritage Dis lling in Gig Harbor, Washington. For a fee, the cra dis llery allows customers join its “Cask Club,” giving them their own private 10‐liter oak cask to age a spirit, the ability to select ingredients to their liking and age it to their preferences. “I started to talk to my guys about it and we started playing with the idea of making a whiskey for our company,” Olson said. Soldiers throughout the 1st Special Forces Group learned about the project and began asking how they could get in on it. Olson first intended to dis ll enough whiskey for 110 Special Forces soldiers, but demand — and dis lling costs — grew far beyond what Olson had an cipated. He couldn’t afford to make that much whiskey. The dis llers at Heritage came up with a compromise — if they worked together to make 1,000 bo les they could wholesale it, and if everyone agreed to buy their own bo le they could cover costs. The soldiers designed a special label for the whiskey, and each one has the story of the 1st Group’s lineage printed on the back. With such a large project, Olson and the dis llers decided to use the opportunity to raise money for charity — the proceeds from each sale go towards the 1st Special Forces Group GoldStar Families, the Chapter XVI Special Forces Associa on Scholarship Program and the Special Opera ons Wounded Warrior Program. “It means a lot knowing this is going to a good cause,” said Hannah Hanley, Heritage’s marke ng director. It’s not the first me the company has teamed up for a special charity spirit, but it’s by far the most ambi ous. Olson explained that the charity angle played a key role in making the whiskey a reality, as it became something the 1st Group’s leadership could support. “Without the charitable aspect, I just don’t know if it would have been possible,” Olson said. Here’s the thing about Special Forces troops — they’re warriors and diplomats. U.S. commandos regularly operate around the world working as advisers to foreign soldiers, which makes building rela onships a big part of the job. Depending on the country they’re working in, sharing a drink can be an excellent way to solidify es. “It’s a great gi we can give to host na on troops,” Olson said. The specialty bourbon was a big hit during Menton week last year, an annual event where the 1st Group hosted Canadian soldiers. 1st Group in par cular has a special rela onship with the Canadian armed forces as it traces its lineage in part to the joint Canadian‐American 1st Special Service Force — known by its nickname “The Devil’s Brigade” — that conducted raids against German forces during World War II. Last year was the 70th anniversary of the deac va on of Devil’s Brigade in Menton, France. Hanley said that during Menton week alone, the American and Canadian troops purchased nearly 500 bo les. Outside Washington, Heritage has been selling the whiskey online. Hanley said the dis llery has taken orders for it from all over the country and delivered to whichever states will legally let them ship. Recently, a Green Beret at Fort Bragg made a special order through a liquor store in North Carolina — one of the states where Heritage has distribu on rights. The store manager, well aware that Bragg is the home of Army Special Forces, put in an order for 25 cases. “There’s a huge demand,” Hanley said. Olson and the Heritage dis llers are considering a larger run of Special Forces whiskey that represents all of the Army’s Special Forces — not just 1st Group. They’ve been toying with ideas for different recipes, and Hanley said they’ve been considering changing the recipe for each run to make them unique. “It morphed from just making our own li le batch into this whole new thing,” Olson said. “It’s something by us for us.”

JACOB MILLER A WAR SCARRED HERO Taken from the Daily News Joliet Ill. Wed. June 14, 1911

Thanks to the help of Beverly L. Craig Fossil Ridge Library, Braidwood Ill. Braidwood Veteran Carried Bullet in Head For Many Years A er War

Story of Vicissitudes of the Veteran, Le on the field of Ba le as Dead

Reviewed From His own Biography Receives $40 Month Pension Braidwood is sending to the state G.A.R. encampment today one of the most remarkable hero survivors of the Civil War. His name is Jacob Miller and since Sept. 19, 1863, he has lived with an open bullet wound in his forehead. For a number of years the bullet remained in his head

but piece by piece it fell out ll now. It is thought none of it remains in the wound. During the me it was in the head it at mes would produce a stupor, which some mes would last two weeks, it being usually when he caught cold and produced more of a pressure on the brain. At other mes delirium would seize him and he would imagine himself again on picket duty and would tramp back and forth on his beat, a s ck on his

shoulder for a musket, a pi ful object of the sacrifice for freedom. As these pieces of lead gradually loosened and fell out he regained his usual health and is now at the age of 78 years, one of the most, if not the most, remarkable survivor of the Civil war. The harrowing experience undergone by Mr. Miller is so vividly felt by him even at this late day that it is seldom he can be persuaded to talk of it. But it is my privilege to record from his own hand wri ng wri en for his family the story of his miraculous escape from death at that memorable me under his signature.

Jacob Miller, formerly a private in company K 9th Indiana Vol. Inf. Was wounded in the head near Brock Field at the ba le of Chickamagua, Georgia on the morning of Sept. 19, 1863. I was le for dead when my company when my company fell back from that posi on. When I came to my senses some me a er I found I was in the rear of the confederate line. So not to become a prisoner I made up my mind to make an effort to get around their line and back on my own side. I got up with the help of my gun as a staff, then went back some distance, then started parallel with the line of ba le. I suppose I was so covered with blood that those that I met, did not no ce that I was a Yank, ( at least our Major, my former captain did not recognize me when I met him a er passing to our own side). At last I got to the end of the confederate line and went to our own side while a brigade of confederates came up to their line behind me. There were none of the Union forces found on that part of the field when I passed along. I struck an old by‐road and followed it the best I could, as by this me my head was swelled so bad it shut my eyes and I could see to get along only by raising the lid of my right eye and look ahead then go on ll I ran afoul of something, then would look again and so on ll I came to the Lafaye e Pike near the Kelly house and started towards the field Hospital at the springs. I at length got so badly exhausted I had to lie down by the side of the road. At last some bearers came along and put me on their stretcher and carried me to the hospital and laid me on the ground in a tent. A hospital nurse came and put a wet bandage over my wound and around my head and gave me a canteen of water. I don’t know what me of day they examined my wound and decided to put me on the opera ng table ll a er dark some me. The surgeons examined my wound and decided it was best not to operate on me and give me more pain as they said I couldn’t live very long, so the nurse took me back into the tent. I slept some during the night . The next morning (Sunday), the doctors came around to make a list of the wounded and of their company and regiments and said to send all the wounded to Cha anooga that the ambulances would carry and told me I was wounded too bad to be moved, and if the army fell back those that were le there could a erwards be exchanged. As stated before I made up my mind as long as I could drag one foot a er another I would not allow myself to be taken prisoner. I got a nurse to fill my canteen with water so I could make an effort in ge ng near safety as possible. I got out of the tent without being no ced and got behind some wagons that stood near the road ll I was safely away (having to open my eye with my finger to take my bearings on the road) I went away from the boom of cannon and the ra le of musketry. I worked my way along the road as best I could. At one me I got off to the side of the road and bumped my head against a low hanging limb. The shock toppled me over, I got up and took my bearings again and went on as long as I could drag a foot then lay down beside the road, to see if I could not rest so I could move. I hadn’t lain long ll the ambulance train began to pass, the drivers as they passed me asked me if I was s ll alive, then passing on. At last one of the drivers asked if I was alive and said he would take me in, as one of his men had died back awes, and he had taken him out. Then it was all a blank to me, (Monday the 21st I came to myself and found I was in a long building in Cha anooga Tenn., lying with hundreds of other wounded on the floor almost as thick as hogs in a stock car. Some were talking , some were groaning. I raised myself to a si ng posi on got my canteen and wet my head. While doing it I heard a couple of soldiers who were from my company. They could not believe it was me as they said I was le for dead on the field at the le of Brock Cabin. They came over to where I was and we visited together ll then came an order for all the wounded that could walk to start across the river on a pontoon bridge to a hospital, to be treated ready to be taken to Nashville. I told the boys if they could lead me, I could walk that distance. I started but owing to our army retrea ng the night before, and was then in and around the city wagon trains. Troops and ar llery were crossing the river on the single pontoon bridge. We could not get across un l almost sundown. When we arrived across and up on the bank we luckily ran across our company teamster, who we stopped with that night He got us something to eat A er we ate some (the first I had tasted before daylight Saturday morning the 19th), we lay down on a pile of blankets, each fixed under the wagon and rested pre y well as the teamsters stayed awake ll nearly morning to keep our wounds moist with cool water from a nearby spring. Tuesday morning the 22nd we awoke to the crackling of the camp fire that a comrade built to get us a cup of coffee and a bite to eat of hard tack and fat meat. While ea ng, an orderly rode up and asked if we were wounded. If so we were to go back along the road to get our wounds dressed, so we bid the teamsters good‐bye and went to get our wounds a ended to. We had to wait ll near noon before we were a ended to. That was the first me I had my wound washed and dressed by a surgeon. A er we were fixed up we drew a few crackers, some sugar coffee, salt and a cake of soap and were ordered to get into an army wagon with four army mules, ( God Bless the army mule, the soldiers friend.) We got in and started to go over Raccoon or Sand Mountain to Bridgeport, Ala. To take the train to Nashville, Tenn. A er riding in the wagon awhile I found the jol ng hurt my head so badly I could not stand it so had to get out. My comrades got out with me and we went on foot. I was told it was 60 miles that route to Bridgport, at least it took us four days to get there. Wednesday morning when I woke up I found I could open my right eye and see to get around. We arrived at Bridgeport the fourth day out from Cha anooga at noon, just as a train of box cars were ready to pull out. I got in a car and lay down. I had gained my point so far‐‐and how. As the soldiers term it with lots of sand, but the sand had run out with me for the me being. The next thing I remember I was stripped and in a bath tub of warm water in a hospital at Nashville. I do not know what date it was; in fact I didn’t pay much a en on to the dates from the Friday at noon when I got in the box car at Bridgeport to start to Nashville. A er, some length of me I was transferred to Louisville , Ky. From there to New Albany, Ind.. In all the hospitals I was in I begged the surgeons to operate on my head but they all refused. I suffered for nine months then I got a furlough home to Logansport and got Drs. Fitch and Colman to operate on my wound. They took out the musket ball. A er the opera on a few days, I returned to the hospital at Madison and stayed there ll the expira on of my enlistment, Sept. 17, 1864. Seventeen years a er I was wounded a buck shot dropped out of my wound and thirty one years a er two pieces of lead came out.

Some ask how it is I can describe so minutely my ge ng wounded and ge ng off the ba le field a er so many years. My answer is I have an everyday reminder of it in my wound and constant pain in the head, never free of it while not asleep. The whole scene is imprinted on my brain as with a steel engraving. I haven’t wri en this to complain of any one being in fault for my misfortune and suffering all these years, the government is good to me and gives me $40.00 per month pension. Submi ed by Edgar Miller

US Army Special Ops Gives Paratroopers AK‐47 Training

An instructor with the U.S. Army Special Opera ons Center of Excellence assists a Paratrooper assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division with a foreign AK‐47 rifle, Jan. 22, 2015, during a class at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg, N.C. Special Forces Soldiers with the U.S. Army’s Special Opera ons Center of Excellence taught the Paratroopers about AK‐47 rifles in prepara on of the Paratroopers deploying to Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mary S. Katzenberger/ Released) By Staff Sgt. Mary Katzenberger 3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, Feb. 2, 2015) – Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, took advantage of a unique opportunity to learn about the AK‐47 rifle, Jan. 22, during a hands‐on class at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg. Special Forces Soldiers with the USAJFKSWCS, the Army’s Special Opera ons Center of Excellence, taught the paratroopers about the AK‐47 in prepara on for their deployment to Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi Security Forces. Approximately 1,000 paratroopers from 3rd BCT are slated to deploy in the coming weeks and will work with the ISF to instruct them in a range of military skills to enable them to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The paratroopers, a mix of noncommissioned officers and junior paratroopers, learned the characteris cs of the AK‐47, how to disassemble and reassemble the weapon and how to perform a func ons check. The Special Forces Soldiers also taught the paratroopers how to sight the weapons, priming them for their upcoming mission with the ISF. An instructor with the USAJFKSWCS said he appreciated having the opportunity to teach the paratroopers as they prepare to deploy. “When we are able to exchange knowledge we’re more than happy to do it,” he said. “As a Special Forces weapons sergeant, it’s my job to teach them.” Sgt. Thomas D. Pedigo, a paratrooper assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Ba alion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT, said the class was very beneficial because he had no prior experience handling foreign AK‐47 rifles. “If we’re training host‐na on forces, it’s good to know what type of weapons they use,” Pedigo said. “Just learning a different weapon system [was great].” Spc. Anthony D. Jones, a paratrooper assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 505th PIR, is op mis c the knowledge will help him and his fellow paratroopers perform their advise and assist mission to the best of their ability. “The most valuable part [of the class] is the level of knowledge the instructors have about this weapon system,” Jones said. “I’m glad these guys let us come down here and get the opportunity to get some hands‐on training.”

Pastor Butch’s Corner QUESTIONS FROM THE LORD

If you never felt pain, then how would you know that I am a healer? If you never had to pray, how would you know that I am a deliverer? If you never had a trial, how could you call yourself an overcomer?

If you never felt sadness, how would you know that I am a comforter? If you never made a mistake, how would you know that I am a forgiver?

If you never were broken, then how would you know that I can make you whole? If you never had any suffering, then how would you know what I went through?

If you never went through the fire, then how would you become pure? If I never corrected you, how would you know that I love you?

If you had all power, Then how would you learn to depend on Me? If your life was perfect, then what would you need Me for?

Uncondi onal Love, Christ Jesus

Chapter XVI Special Forces Associa on Quartermasters Store

The Quartermasters Store has Special Forces Crest Uniform and Blazer Bu ons for Sale. They can replace the Army Dress Uniform or the SF Associa on Blazer Bu ons. They really look sharp. The Bu ons are $5.00 a piece. A set of 4 Large and 6 small are $50.00. If you would like them mailed there is a shipping and handling cost of $4.50. We also have a number of other Items of SF interest.

We also have SF T‐Shirts, hats, jackets, SFA Flashes, SF Door Knockers, Belt Buckles, Money clips and numerous other Items of Special Forces interest.

1st SFG(A) Ar facts

The current 1st SFG(A) Commander is solici ng support from former 1st SFG(A) unit members for dona on of ar facts that could be displayed in the units Regimental Mess area at Fort Lewis. He has his PAO officer working on the project and he is asking for items that could be secured in display cabinets for viewing by guests who use the facility for ceremonies, re rements and other ac vi es. Hank Cramer is planning to donate some uniform items that his dad wore in Vietnam and others from SFA Chapter and First In Asia Associa on are pu ng out feelers to our community. If interested, please contact Major Jason Waggoner at [email protected]

Looking For Historical 10th SFG(A) Items ‐ Assistance Requested ‐ for Group Foyer POCs: SSG Ryan Sabin OR Andy Tyler Public Affairs NCOIC [email protected] 10th SFG (A) 719‐524‐4528 [email protected] We are looking for any historical items and photos that will cover the following areas. I a ached the history outline that we will be following. These items will be used in the HHC foyer and we are trying to tell the 10th SFG(A) story. ‐ 1952‐ Ac va on of 10th SFG (A) ‐ 1953‐ Bad Tolz ‐ 1954‐1955 Authoriza on of the wear of the Green Beret ‐ 1962‐ CPT Roger Pezzelle Trojan Horse Unit Insignia ‐ SF Soldiers opera ng in; western and eastern Europe, clandes ne organiza ons in England, France, Norway, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. ‐ Fort Devens ‐ JOINT ENDEAVOR and PROVIDE COMFORT ‐ Opera on Desert Storm ‐ Panzer Kaserne ‐ Task Force Viking

I am delighted to invite you to join me in celebra ng the recent publica on of my book. Titled

Captain Ron Flying Life’s Longitudes and Latitudes

The book Explores the fascina ng life and

mes of Ron Rismon.

I am looking forward to seeing you all enjoy and share my work.

“To Order”

Books will be sold for $66.00 + $20.00 Shipping. Call (253) 670‐2760 Or E‐mail: [email protected]

March 2, 2016 #Explore VA Facebook Chat VA Memorial Benefits Did you know VA provides burial and memorial services for Veterans, their spouses and other eligible family members? These services are provided at VA na onal, state and tribal ceme-

teries to ease families through the loss of their loved one at no cost. Some benefits are also available for Veterans who choose burial in a private cemetery .

You can learn more during the #ExploreVA Facebook Chat with representa ves from VA and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) on Wednesday, March 2 at 2 p.m. EST. Click the bu on below to visit our event page and register for event reminders.

During the hour-long online chat, you can: Get answers to your ques ons on burial and memorial benefits from VA experts. Learn how VA memorial benefits can save families thousands of dollars and offer comfort in knowing their loved one's gravesite will be cared for forever. Share stories about how memorial benefits helped honor a Veteran in your life.

This event is part of the #ExploreVA From Service to Success online event series showcasing how Veterans and their families are using VA benefits to earn degrees, start careers, buy homes, stay healthy, and do so much more in life a er the military.

We look forward to your par cipa on on Wednesday, March 2. Encourage the Veterans you know to join this Facebook chat by sharing this email.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC

president’s message - sfa chapter 16chapter xvi sfa william r. card chapter mee ng minutes...

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