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Morale, Welfare and Recreation, abbreviated MWR, is a network of support and leisure services designed for use by U.S. soldiers (active, Reserve, and Guard), their families, civilian employees, military retirees and other eligible participants.

MWR in history started on the battlefields of World War I, where behind the lines, Salvation Army sisters and Red Cross volunteers ministered to the needs of soldiers as the forerunners of today's morale, welfare and recreation specialists. After the war was over, funding stopped and morale

programs were mothballed. It wasn't until July 1940 that the Morale Division - later named Special Services - was established within the Adjutant General's Office.

For the members of the 623d, currently deployed to Southwest Asia, they have taken MWR activities under their own wing. . Extracurricular events are vital to the mental health of the Soldier while deployed.

TTHHEE VVIIDDEETTTTEE

1st

Bn 623d Field artillery

Individual Highlights:

Cover Story 1

Commander 2

Law & Order 3

Memorial Day 3

Chaplain’s Corner 4

S4 4

First Aid Station 5

Motor Pool 5

Genius Bar 5

Cover Story Cont. 6

15 JUN 2013

Vol. 1 Issue 6

MWR…SO MUCH MORE THAN A MILITARY ACRONYM

Our Soldiers often have the opportunity to interact with some of the locals, as SSG Scott did with this child at a nearby tourist attraction.

Photos

Layout/Design/Photographer

1LT Gordon Deming

Writer/Photographer SGT Bryan Ploughe

Photo by SGT Bryan Ploughe

Continued on Page 6

By SGT Bryan Ploughe

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COMMANDER’S WORDS LTC Timothy Fanter

“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” - Henry A. Kissinger

Greetings to our Soldiers, families, friends, and supporters of Morgan’s Men. Our operational tempo continues to increase at the Joint Training Center. From the last issue, we successfully moved forward with our Military Transition Teams to their Forward Operating Bases for Task Force 240B, finished our Mission Rehearsal Exercise and are preparing Task Force 222I for onward movement partnered with Military Transition Teams to their respective Forward Operating Bases, and the multi-national exercise Eager Lion 2013 is being conducted with the Battalion assisting in a support role.

As we approach the halfway point in our deployment and that may be an exciting thing to think about, it can also create some significant issues if we are not careful. I expect everyone to continue to be mission focused and take care of your battle buddy every day, but it will be even more important now. You have to remain vigilant and professional every day. Complaining may feel good at times but to make a real impact you need to find a solution and present your ideas to your chain of command. As the Battalion Commander, I really Morgan 6

appreciate my Command Teams when they can identify an issue and have taken the time to develop a solution when they bring it to my attention. There won’t always be an easy solution to all issues, but living the Army Values means doing the right thing, and sometimes it can be very challenging and take time.

I will close with a few words on sacrifice. I know that deployments are challenging for families back home and for us in multiple countries in the CENTCOM area of operations. It is one of the sacrifices we all make while serving our country. I thank you all for your service to our country. I am proud of what you have accomplished and honored to serve with you.

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LAW & ORDER A Little Common Sense Goes a Long Way.

Due to several reasons our Soldiers are often required to go off post in our area of operation. We have standard safety requirements that must be followed when we leave post, but off post we are not protected by tower guards, ECP’s, rovers, and other ways that standard Army posts provide. Always keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings. Most locals do not automatically dislike Americans, but there are dangerous people and extreme groups here just like at home. Also, the stereotypes many Americans have against foreigners from Islamic Nations exist here in reverse. When off post do not draw attention to yourself, and expect to be treated differently than locals. It’s human

nature for a local police officer to watch us a little closer than locals who they’ve known for years. We may not qualify for discounts that others do at local tourist sites or restaurants. Do not create a scene when things like this happen. If you’re charged more to get into a tourist site than you think you should be, you can pay it or just leave. Thus far, we’ve been lucky to have few off post incidents. Common sense and patience with the locals, can get us through the second half of our journey even smoother and avoid needless legal issues.

CPT Nicholas Carter

Soldiers of the 1-623d FA memorialize their fallen fellow Soldiers on Memorial Day in Jordan. With a somber prayer 1SG Boyles prays for the Soldiers and their families that paid the ultimate sacrifice serving their country. Each Soldier had their own cross, and wreath dedicated to them during the ceremony.

Memorial Day Ceremony 2013

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CHAPLAIN’S CORNER CH (CPT) W. Ryan Steenburg

Although the exact last day is not etched in stone, we have

reached what most would consider the half-way mark in our deployment. The sun is rising sooner and setting later. The days are hotter than when we first arrived and I am afraid will only increase before they taper off again. We have successfully completed one phase of our mission and are gearing up to enter the next. The food in the CHOW hall seems to be the same as it was last month, and yes, you are still waking up to the reality that communal living has its ups and has its downs.

In a recent Chapel service we sang the hymn, “He Leadeth

Me”. The third verse goes like this:

And when my task on earth is done, When by Thy grace the victory’s won, Even death’s cold wave I will not flee, Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

Despite the allusions to death, the last line of this hymn really struck. Not only is it quite appropriate for where we are stationed, but it is just as appropriate to consider as we look to that day we get to climb off the bus and embrace our families. Notice the verse does not read, “Since God to Jordan leadeth me,” instead it reads that God leads us through Jordan. It’s exciting to think of the day we get to go home knowing we are only traveling through Jordan, not just to Jordan. In the meantime, however, there is still more work to be done. A recent Word of the Day was, “It takes more to plow a field than merely turning it over in your mind”. I think an ingredient to our success thus far is that we have embraced and employed this very idea of working with our hands—no matter the task. As we look to the days ahead and consider that we are only closer to the day we return to our families and loved ones I encourage you not to forget that we still have a job at hand. Personally, I am proud to be a part of the 623rd. I am proud of the work we do on a daily basis. I am proud of the Soldiers who represent Morgan’s Men to other American Soldiers and the Jordanian troops. Seize the opportunity. God Bless the 623rd, CH W. Ryan Steenburg

The supply section continues to excel in our duties. The entire post is dependent on our support. We are supporting all units here and some on other nearby FOBS. They are learning to depend on us and are coming to us more and more as we earn their trust. They are quickly learning that everything that comes and goes on this post from start to finish comes through Supply. We continue to improve on our capabilities on being able to support other Army units as well as the Marines that are currently staged here with us. SPC Toby Turner’s forklift driving abilities continue to make our job easier. When we first arrived he was chosen to be the forklift operator and this post wouldn’t be able to function without him. Things are really picking up supporting the Eager Lion exercise that is currently going on here. They are seeing just how invaluable our section is to all the extra items coming and going from post. Toby has been selected to attend WLC so he will be hard to replace for his forklift capabilities but SSG Austin Hoover will fill in for him while he is gone to school. Good Luck to him and all his classmates.

The section would like to congratulate SGT Shahid Iqbal on the birth of his first son. He was granted emergency leave to be able to be there for the birth of his first child. Both mother and son are doing well. Please keep SGT Marcus Thurman and his father in your prayers as his father is battling cancer and it is a very difficult time for Marcus to be away from his father.

S4 SFC Scotty Turner

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“Combat medics never stand

taller than when they kneel to

treat the wounded saving lives

in the midst of utter chaos.”

-Unknown

FIRST AID STATION

MOTOR POOL

S6

Summer is here, you will need to remember to continue to hydrate with water and make sure you are eating even when you don’t feel like it. As we are out training and going on MWR trips make sure you are protecting your skin with sunscreen and wearing the proper clothing to protect your skin. We have sunscreen in the Aid Station if you need any. It has also been brought to my attention that there have been more sightings of scorpions and snakes. They will be in dark cooler places out of sight protecting themselves from the heat. So when you are picking things up off the ground be careful to look around and make sure they are not under things. Even the non-poisonous scorpions can sting and most people that are allergic to stings don’t realize it until after the fact. How many of us have been stung by a scorpion before? Bees and wasps are in the same boat. People get stung 99 times and then the 100th time the body reacts and you go into anaphylaxis. (not good) With that being said, please leave the wildlife alone.

CPT “Doc” Hayden

In addition to maintenance the 1-623d FA maintenance also supports the battalion and tenant elements operating in the area for recovery support. If a vehicle becomes stuck or disabled we are on the job. Recovery operations require special skill, training, and experience. The 60 years combined experience of our eight person section gives us the know-how to respond to any situation safely and efficiently.

SPC Grover Nichols is the primary operator for the only dedicated recovery vehicle here. He is meticulous with his preventative maintenance checks and services to ensure this equipment is always ready for any mission. These checks included making sure that all lifting devices and equipment are serviceable. That means looking at every inch of cable, checking every link of chain, and hundreds of feet of hydraulic hose. It goes without saying that SPC Nichols knows this vehicle inside and out. In this rocky terrain can be challenging for vehicles to negotiate. When equipment breaks down or gets stuck, everyone knows who to call!

SSG Robert Long

Our little shop spans two countries and puts on multiple hats. In the rear headquarters, SSG Emmitt and SGT Jackson work hard keeping compliance with their network and providing outstanding support. They've also worked hard to liaison for Soldiers arriving to take IT certification tests.

The forward S-6 shop keeps very busy helping with Eager Lion support and the day-to-day requirements of keeping a tactical network operational. The changing requirements of units coming in and out keep us on our toes and force us to come up with creative ways of extending out the network.

1LT Matthew Speer

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If only for a few hours a week, throwing darts, throwing cornhole, or taking a few site seeing tours, it plays an important part in a Unit’s morale. Commanders regard MWR as a readiness multiplier that keeps soldiers physically fit, fosters healthy families, reduces stress, builds skills, self-confidence, and creates esprit de corps. The MWR philosophy is that Soldiers and their families are entitled to the same quality of life as the Americans they pledge to defend. With the advancements in technology and electronics, many Soldiers may choose to escape into a movie on their own personal laptop computer or pair up with some buddies and enjoy some video games. But, the camaraderie and the cohesion that is established in a card game or any other “partner” or “team” type sports in unmatched. The memories that are made, last a lifetime. Normally, within a Unit, there is an individual or two that is assigned to oversee the MWR events. There is an Officer and an NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer). The Officer will typically oversee the funds and advise the Commander as to what the funds can and cannot be used for, in order to “keep him legal”, as well as plan out the events in advance. The NCO will put out the information pertaining to the events, as far as dates, times, location etc. , as well as coordinate any equipment that may be required to help the event go as smooth as possible. These individuals for the 623d, in which control all MWR events for our location, are 1LT M. Engle and SGT S. Iqbal. The two of them work in concert to make events fun, provide variety and offer a bit of “mental escape” for all Soldiers of all branches.

As true Kentuckians, the members of the 623d find themselves partaking in a grueling game of basketball. U of L was not the only team in the final four in these Soldiers minds. By their performance, these members thought that they were on "the hardwood".

MWR Continued

Photo by SGT Bryan Ploughe

The popularity of the "Cornhole game" is primarily one that has swept the United States. But, the Soldiers of the 623d have now made it an international game by taking it with them, while serving in the Middle East.

Photo by SGT Bryan Ploughe