volume 2, no 21 friday, june 7, 1996 the - defense … · volume 2, no 21 friday, june 7, 1996...

the TalonVolume 2, No 21 Friday, June 7, 1996

Serving the soldiers of Task Force Eagle

MINE SNIFFERS SEE ACTION

Operation Joint Endeavor, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Insid

e COMMENTARY...........2A JOINT ENDEAVOR......4GENERAL GOODBYE.....5TASK FORCE STRIKER...6CHANGING FLAGS.......8BUNKERS-TO-GO.......10PERSONALITY PAGE....11

Dogs, engineers clear training areaBy Staff Sgt. AMYGUNNERSON203rd MPAD

GLAMOC � Mine-detectingdogs and their handlers recentlyteamed up with engineers forthe first time since the VietnamWar to detect mines around theairfield and proposed tempo-rary living area here for the 2ndBattalion, 227th Aviation.

The Army expects more outof the dogs today than ever be-fore.

The mines and explosive de-tection rate for canine teams inVietnam was 70 percent.

The goal of the canine teamattached to the 18th MilitaryPolice Brigade is 90 percent.

That percentage can beraised to 99.9 percent when thedogs work with an engineerteam consisting of a remote-con-trolled mini-flail, a metal minedetector and a prober, saidCapt. Frederic A. Drummond,commander of Company A,16th Engineer Battalion.

The unit is a one-of-a-kindoutfit that provides engineersupport to the NATO command.

Drummond�s engineers andthe canine team attached to the18th MP Brigade had 2 1/2 daysto ensure the airfield and pro-posed tent area, ammunitionstorage and fuel storage areaswere free of mines andunexploded ordnance.

This unique combinationwas developed by U.S. ArmyEurope during the early stagesof Operation JOINT EN-

DEAVOR, and it is still a testprogram.

From the Army�s 13 bomb-detecting dogs, five dogs were

selected to be re-trained asmine-sniffing dogs and havebeen training with their han-dlers since October.

�This is the way (mine detec-tion) is supposed to be done �slow and deliberate,� said Sgt.1st Class James Jackson, ken-nel master for the 18th MP Bri-gade canine unit as he watchedthe dogs go down the lanes.

Jackson deployed from the53rd Area Support Group inBad Kreuznach, Germany.

�When you have the time andhave troops and million-dollaraircraft in this area, there is noreason to take the risk,�Drummond said.

Even though risk analysisput the area at a low threat formines, Drummond said the air-field was hotly contested dur-ing the war.

A nearby ridgeline regularlydrew mortar fire.

As he walked, Drummondpointed out to the field which israndomly punctuated with cra-ters and dents in the airstripfrom �mortar splat.�

The area was proofed with acombination of the remote-con-trolled mini-flail � whichcleared the large open areaswhere aircraft will be parked� and the canine mine-detect-ing and probing team in thesmaller tent areas. The range

Staff Sgt. Xavier Sandoval’s dog, Reza, searches forunexploded ordnance at the Glamoc airfield.

Staff Sgt. Amy Gunnerson

AAFES to expand services

Pizza, Whoppers and hand-dipped ice cream are comingto Task Force Eagle.

The American fast-food favoritesare among a series of new productsand services the Army and Air ForceExchange Service plans to add this

month, said Bob Van Loan, AAFES re-gional manager.

�We�re just trying to make everydaylife a little more fun for the soldiers,�said Van Loan, who works out ofLukavac. �Our mission is to providegoods and services to the soldiers wher-ever they happen to be.�

By Capt. JOHN GOHEEN29th MPAD

See AAFES , page 12

See DOGS, page 12

Friday, June 7, 1996 The Talon

From the top

THE TALON is produced in the interest of the servicemembers of TaskForce Eagle, headquartered at Eagle Base. THE TALON is an Army-fundednewspaper authorized for members of the U.S. Army overseas, under theprovision of AR 360-81. Contents of THE TALON are not necessarily theofficial views of, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense,Department of the Army or Task Force Eagle, commanded by Maj. Gen. WilliamL. Nash. THE TALON is published weekly by the 1st Armored Division (TaskForce Eagle) Public Affairs Office, Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia-HerzegovinaAPO AE 09789, Telephone MSE 551-5230. E-mail: [email protected] by Print Com Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Circulation: 8,000.

Avenger Scout ............................................................ Sgt. Najee T. ShabazzEditor-in-Chief ....................................................................Maj. John E. SuttleProduction Staff ...........................29th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentCommander ...............................................................Maj. Robert L. GouldManaging Editor ..............................................................Capt. John GoheenEditor ............................................................Sgt. 1st Class Bettina E. TilsonLayout Editor/Journalist .........................................Spc. Cesar G. SorianoPhoto Editor ........................................................................ Spc. Bryan DriverJournalist .................................................................................Sgt. Ed RollinsSignificant Contributors ...203rd, 358th Mobile Public Affairs Detachments

The Talon

Civilian media re-porting, in its zeal tosell newspapers andboost ratings, hasdone an injustice tothe Army�s commit-ment to root out racialand sexual bias.

As a NationalGuardsman � who incivilian life is a journal-ist for a stateside dailynewspaper � I think I am qualifiedto make this assessment.

Sensational reports of ra-cially motivated shootings atFort Bragg, N.C., notwithstand-ing, the Army is far ahead ofgeneral society in teaching sen-sitivity to and appreciation forthe ethnic, cultural and regionaldifferences among people.

Its most effective tool is the

Spc. GeorgeRoache

29th MPAD

Leadership is foundation for NCO Corps

Command Sgt.Maj. Wilbur S.

Graham Jr.22nd Signal Brigade

ViewpointSeminars help Army set pace in war on discrimination

Equal OpportunityLeadership Seminar.

At one such semi-nar recently at the4th Air Cavalry Bri-gade, I saw how effec-tively it teaches hardlessons.

In a mock job in-terview, two prospec-tive female employ-ers taught one malesoldier how sexual

harassment felt.Bend over and pick up that

pen, they said. Stand up and turnaround. Take off your shirt andflex your muscles. Are you mar-ried? Are you in shape?

He felt belittled.More importantly, he ac-

quired an appreciation forhow women feel when sub-

jected to sexism.Soldiers should make judg-

ments about individuals aspeople and cultures based ontheir own experiences, not whatthey hear.

They also need to be skepti-cal of the media-perpetuatedstereotypes.

The seminar�s role-playingand other exercises were de-signed to expose how people re-act in a given situation.

Helping soldiers recognizepotentially racist or sexist be-havior in themselves and oth-ers will hopefully make thembetter people as well as moreeffective leaders.

None of them are going tochange the world as far as equalopportunity is concerned. But ifthey can modify their own behav-

ior and carry that over into theirunits, they�ve done a great deal.

Things will never be perfect.This is because the Army drawsfrom a society where individu-als have learned their basic val-ues and outlooks as children.

Real or perceived, discrimi-nation is a virus that will de-bilitate unit morale, efficiencyand fighting ability.

The key is fair treatment ofall soldiers based solely onmerit, fitness, capability andpotential.

That�s the seminar�s � andthe Army�s � loftier goal.

The society that condemnsthe Army for isolated instancesof violence would do well to takelessons from how the militaryteaches its servicemembers toget along.

Editor�s Note:Command Sgt. Maj.Jack L. Tilley is at-tending the ArmorConference at FortKnox, Ky. He hasasked his fellow com-mand sergeants ma-jor to fill in for him.

When I talk tononcommissionedofficers, I often usewhat I call �TheNCO VictoryModel� for buildinga house that is constructed witha foundation, four walls and aroof. This house, if built cor-rectly, will produce the finestqualities an NCO can possess.

Leadership is the building�sfoundation. Leaders are thesingle most important factor inachieving military victory.

Therefore, to lead isto be out front, showthe way, be theguide and motivate.Don�t drive your sol-diers, lead them.Soldiers are led, notmanaged. Do some-thing � lead, followor get out of the way!

Training is anNCO�s No. 1 prior-ity, and serves asour first wall .NCOs must use

performance-oriented training,which includes explanation,demonstration, applicationand examination.

Training is a way of life be-cause it develops confidence,high morale and ultimately cre-ates success.

The second wall is caring.

We must care for our soldiersand their families as we do forour immediate family. Soldiersknow the difference betweencaring because �it�s a job� andcaring because you are genu-inely concerned. We must keepthe welfare of soldiers and theaccomplishment of the missionequally balanced.

The third wall is mainte-nance, which is caring of a dif-ferent nature. The key to suc-cess is how well our equipmentperforms. We must train oursoldiers how to maintain theirequipment.

Resources is the fourthwall. It�s important that we con-serve everything, including ourtime. We must be able to oper-ate with less � less people, lessequipment and less basic sup-plies. STOP waste and abuse.

Influence of Higher Head-quarters is the roof of thisbuilding. It�s something youhave little or no control over sodon�t get overly concerned aboutwhat your higher leaders aredoing. Provide input, but stayon top of those things over whichyou have control.

The welcome mat at the doormust be our Warrior Spirit �our pride. NCOs must developesprit de corps within theirgroup. A certain amount ofboasting that you are the bestis good for morale. But don�t letit be just idle gossip.

If you build your house on asolid foundation with straightwalls, a good roof and a welcomemat, you will be able to takecare of your soldiers and accom-plish all your missions.

�Doing to do better ... .�


News briefs

Aerobathon raises moneyWhat began as a simple idea

ended with a local charitable organi-zation receiving a $1,800 donation.

Twelve people took part in a nine-hour aerobathon, organized by Sgt.1st Class Ann Hoople, 18th MilitaryPolice Brigade operations sergeant.The event was held in March at Co-manche Base.

Members of the 4th Aviation Bri-gade, 709th Military Police Battalionand the 18th Military Police Brigade’sHeadquarters and HeadquartersCompany also participated.

Money raised during the marathonwas placed in the care of the 432ndCivil Affairs Battalion, which donatedthe money to “Feed the Children,” anagency that has spent the last fouryears in the former Yugoslavia.

“That’s the whole reason I decidedto do the aerobathon,” said Spc. KellyVan Den Heuvel of the 432nd.

Laura Jennings, Tuzla projectmanager, said the donation wouldgo to help build a kindergarten nearDoboj.

Preventing heat injuriesWith temperatures on the rise,

Task Force Eagle soldiers and theirleaders must take steps to preventheat injuries, say medical experts.

They advise drinking at least twoquarts of water an hour when tem-peratures break 90 degrees. Thisadvisory pertains especially to sol-diers working in armored tactical ve-hicles and on hot surfaces such asairfields and motor pools.

Soldiers should also know heat-injury symptoms. There are threetypes of heat injuries: heat cramps,heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The symptoms of heat crampsare cramps accompanied by ex-cessive sweating. Treatment iseasy: move soldier into a shadedarea, loosen clothes and slowlydrink water.

Heat exhaustion is more serious.Besides cramps, sweating is moreprofuse and leaves cool, moist skin.Victims suffer headaches, nausea,chills and a loss of appetite.

Heat stroke victims usually havehot, dry skin. They have stoppedsweating and have other symptoms.In severe cases, victims have sei-zures, lose consciousness and ex-perience breathing problems.

For heat exhaustion and heatstroke cases, seek medical atten-tion immediately.

Laundry serves field troops

STEEL CASTLE � Along with hot foodand showers, a way to launder clothes makeslife in the field a little more bearable.

Many soldiers were pleasantly surprisedto learn they wouldn�t have to do their ownlaundry while on the peace enforcementmission to the Balkans.

�The laundry service is great,� said Spc.Brian L. Lonto, 362nd Engineer Company(Combat Support Equipment), Fort Bragg,N.C. �I did not expect this kind of service inthe field � I thought I would have to do myown laundry by hand.�

�We have lots of positive feedback on thelaundry system,� said Philip Parenti ofBrown & Root Inc.

There were some problems at the begin-ning with the start-up phase, but �now, themajor laundry service at Lukavac is doing afine job,� he said.

The laundry here is taken to Lukavac to bewashed. On the average, 150 bags a day areturned in with a two- to three-day turn around.

That doesn�t mean all soldiers are punc-tual in picking up their laundry.

Recently, a soldier picked up laundrythat had been washed and was on the shelffor two months.

�He came in to pick up a recently pro-cessed bag of laundry, I remembered hisname, and gave him the other bag. He justforgot he turned it in,� said Adaleta Avdich,laundry service supervisor.

Along with that volume, many soldiershave left items in their pockets.

�We have found keys, ID cards, dog tags,wallets, money, pictures of families - lotsof stuff,� Avdich said.

Found items are returned to the laun-dry, who then takes them to local Brown &Root offices, which returns the item to theindividual.

One soldier said he left his ID tags in hispocket and thought they were gone for good.

�I was surprised when they were re-turned to me about two weeks later,� saidStaff Sgt. Istvan Cernik Jr., 501st Mili-tary Intelligence Battalion.

Sometimes the bags don�t get out of thebuilding. Recently, a soldier came runningin, asking for his bag.

�He remembered he left his wallet inhis in his dirty clothes,� said Avdich, whothought nothing of digging through themound of dirty laundry for his bag.

The laundry tries hard to make eachsoldier�s visit a pleasant one. Their goal isto have each soldier leave laughing. Onesoldier told Mevlija Pozhegich, laundryworker, the laundry was his favorite placeto visit here.

�I have found the soldiers to be very politeand never have had any problems in dealingwith the Americans,� Pozhegich said.

Jasmina Bajrich was nervous when shestarted working at the laundry.

�I have never been in contact with theAmericans before and didn�t know howthey would behave,� Bajrich said.

She added that her friends have askedher how U.S. soldiers are, what they arelike. �You Americans are very friendly, verypolite,� she said.

By Sgt. 1st Class JACK LEE203rd MPAD

Hard day�s night

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 12th Mechanized Infantry, unload a HEMTTlate in the day at the life support area at the Glamoc range during arecent live-fire training exercise.

Spc. Glenn W. Suggs


T he phrase �joint en-deavor� became morethan the name of a peace

enforcement operation for someTask Force Eagle engineers re-cently.

Ahmet Imamovic andHusein Osmanovic, two Bos-nian engineers, joined taskforce Engineer Brigade soldiersto conduct a bridge reconnais-sance along portions of routesSkoda, Utah and New Jersey.

The reconnaissance wasconducted to verify current in-formation on the routes� bridg-es and to collect any new infor-mation on these routes for fu-ture use.

�The information they gath-ered will help us determine ourbridging requirements in thefuture,� said Capt. Peter Stur-divant, Task Force Eagle Engi-neer Brigade plans officer. �Thebiggest benefit of hiring localengineers is that they are theones who are responsible for theupkeep of the bridges.�

This gives those responsiblefor the local highway system agood idea of the many roads andbridges that need attentionthroughout the country, he said.

Osmanovic is a masonry expertwho helped build some of the struc-tures that were tested, and Isam-

ovic is with the Civil EngineerBuilding Institute of Tuzla.

�They are subject matter ex-perts,� Sturdivant said. �(Os-manovic) even knew who thecontractors were that builtsome of the bridges.�

Sturdivant said that theknowledge local engineers havemakes it much easier to judgework quality.

They assisted U.S. Army en-gineers in calculating the con-dition and height restrictionsof many bridges.

They used a Schmidt Ham-mer, Austrian engineeringequipment that sends soundwaves through a structure tomeasure concrete density.

Many key personnel took partin the reconnaissance. Measur-ing bridge conditions involvesgoing below the structures.

Two soldiers of the 20th Ord-nance Detachment (ExplosiveOrdnance Disposal) also joinedthe soldiers to make sure thebridge sites were free of unex-ploded ordnance and possiblemined areas.

Staff Sgt. Michael A.McKimmey, a technical engi-neer supervisor with the 94thEngineer Battalion, ensuredthe two local engineers weredoing proper classifications onthe bridges, as well as observ-ing the different tests andmethods they used.

�I enjoy working with profes-sionals, and those guys weredefinitely professionals,�McKimmey said. �They defi-nitely knew their job.�

The feeling was apparentlymutual.

Imamovic � who is about toreceive his doctorate fromZagreb University � and Os-manovic spoke highly of theprofessionalism the U.S. sol-diers displayed during the re-connaissance mission.

They said they felt very safeduring the mission, especiallywhen they rode through thezone of separation. They saidit had been seven years sincethey set foot on the Republikaof Srpska side.

Although the reconnais-sance missions in the futuremay not involve local engineers,the joint endeavor was viewedas very positive.

�I hope we set the basis of agood relationship so we can usetheir expertise in the future,�Sturdivant said.

He said the local engineers�construction knowledge andtechnical expertise is vital be-cause they helped build thebridges.

�It�s more than a gesture,� hesaid. �(The relationship be-tween the locals and IFOR) im-proves when they are a part ofsomething like this. It leaves alasting impression.�

By Spc. WENDY M.FIRESTONE203rd MPAD

Bosnian engineers help inspect bridges

Panther mine roller clears area for new Sava bridgeBy Spc. WENDY M. FIRESTONE203rd MPAD

SLOVANSKI BROD� A PantherMine Roller found another mine here onMay 27.

Company B, 16th Engineer Battalionwas proofing an area for the placementof a Hungarian military float bridge onthe Sava River near the city of BosanskiBrod.

The Panther mine roller was proofingareas near three boat ramps for thebridge, where 21 anti-tank and anti-per-sonnel mines were found.

Twelve were blown up in place whilethe Panther was brought in to proof forthose that remained.

While in the process, the Panther hita mine covered by the muddy terrain.

The vehicle sustained some damage,but the dr iver got away without ascratch.

Sgt. Dennis Mitchell of Company B op-

erated the Panther when it hit the previ-ously undetected mine.

�It did exactly what it was designedto do,� Mitchell said. �It destroyed the

mine and not the driver.�The Panther can be manned from in-

side the vehicle or can be operated by re-mote control from a distance.

A Panther mine roller was damaged after striking a mine near Slovanski Brod.Spc. Richard F. Cancellieri

Ahmet Imamovic (right in black shirt) and HuseinOsmanovic inspect a bridge with engineer soldiers.


Spc. Frank C. Johnson had faith.On a cold morning nearly three months

ago, Johnson and the rest of the scout pla-toon, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry madequick work of some bunkers along the zoneof separation south of Tuzla.

Blew the bunkers to smithereens, he said.Brig. Gen. Stanley F. Cherrie, along that

day to observe, was so impressed that hepromised to one day return and presentcoins to the entire platoon.

On Sunday, the assistant 1st ArmoredDivision commander for maneuver madegood on that pledge.

Johnson said he never doubted Cherriewould return.

�(Cherrie) looked at me and said,�Johnson, you didn�t think I would come backdid you?�� said the 24-year-old Lexington,Ky., native. �But I always knew he would.He always took the trouble to see us andtalk to us back in Baumholder (Germany).I knew he would come back and see us onemore time before he left.�

Cherrie is scheduled to leave Tuesday foran assignment at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

He is spending many of his final days inTask Force Eagle much like he did Sundayat Lodgment Area Demi � visiting soldiers.

The Mauricetown, N.J., native has seenunits from Olovo near the task force�s south-ern boundary to Gradacac in the north.

He visits offices, motorpools and remotecheckpoints. He gives away coins, shakeshands and poses for pictures. He talks. Heasks questions. He listens.

In most cases, it�s not his first visit, butit will be his last.

It�s all his way ofsaying good-bye.

More impor-tantly, it�s his wayof saying thank you.

� ( O p e r a t i o nJOINT EN-DEAVOR) is thesingle most impor-tant thing I�ve donein 32 years of mili-tary service,� saidthe Vietnam andOperation DESERT STORM veteran. �Atthe height of the war 400 people a day werebeing killed. We�ve stopped that.

�We�re literally saving a country,�Cherrie said. �What�s happening here ismiraculous. Kids are going back to school.The mom and pop stores have reopened.People are walking the streets. And it�s thesoldiers who�ve made it all possible.

�I just want to thank them for whatthey�ve done; what they are going to do.�

Cherrie says every soldier here is spe-cial. But he was a little extra affection forthe soldiers from Baumholder, his homebase since joining the 1st Armored Divi-

sion in November 1994.�I lived with them. I saw them at the PX.

I met their families and kids,� he said.�They�re the ones I know the best.�

The admiration is mutual, say soldierswho call Baumholder home.

�He attended our unit awards ceremo-nies back in Germany. This coin is the fourthtime I�ve received an award or somethingfrom him,� said Sgt. Alan J. Goetzinger, 25,of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and a scout from4-12th. �He takes the time to tell us whatwe are doing is important. It�s nice to beacknowledged.

�He also remembers your name, yourface,� Goetzingersaid. �He doesthings that youwouldn�t expectfrom someone inthat position. Healso gives you thefeeling that hewouldn�t make youdo anything thathe wouldn�t do. It�sa drag he�s leav-ing.�

�You can approach him, talk to him,� saidSgt. Jeff S. Schlieve, 27, a member Com-pany A, 4-12th from Sunnyside, Wash. �He�sjust a real down-to-earth person.�

Cherrie takes such comments in stride.�I think that if you want to find out what�s

going on that you have to get out and spendtime with the soldiers; live with them, talk tothem,� he said. �And I want to be approach-able. I try not to forget my roots. I have a com-mon background. My dad was a mechanic.�

Maybe that�s why he seems so at easearound soldiers, regardless of rank, spe-cialty or duty location.

�I love being around soldiers in the field,�

Cherrie said. �I love the fact that they justdo it because it�s the right thing to do. Theynever complain. They don�t mind gettingdirty.

�And the soldiers here have far exceededour expectations,� he added. �It�s far, farharsher here than we thought. We knewthese guys were good. We just didn�t knowthey were this good.�

Cherrie likes to share the praise for U.S.soldiers he received from Bosnia-Herze-govina Army II Corps Commander Brig.Saed Delic at the B-H Independence DayCelebration March 1 at Tuzla Stadium.

�He told me that U.S. soldiers alwayslooked so professional, ready to take care ofbusiness,� Cherrie said. �He told me thatevery soldier he saw was in proper uniform,every convoy he saw had four vehicles, everygunner was alert and ready. He touched hiseye and said �We notice that.�

�About 4,500 of his troops were on thefield that day,� he said. �And he says to me,�My men are fighters. They aren�t soldiers,yet. You have soldiers.��

Cherrie has been in in Bosnia-Herze-govina since the 1st AD�s Assault Com-mand Post arrived on Dec. 17.

He says leaving will be tough � in partbecause this will be his last assignment toa tactical unit.

�I will now always be engaged to whathappens in Bosnia-Herzegovina, just like Iwas after Vietnam,� he said �I was with thefirst wave to cross the Sava, and I will watchvery closely what happens over here untileveryone that�s here now returns home.�

Cherrie will become the Assistant DeputyChief of Staff for Training, Training and Doc-trine Command. He will oversee the Centersfor Army Lessons Learned, the NationalTraining Center and the Joint ReadinessTraining Center.

Brig. Gen. Cherrie bids adieu to task forceBy Capt. JOHN GOHEEN29th MPAD

�(Operation JOINT EN-DEAVOR) is the singlemost important thing I�vedone in 32 years of militaryservice.�� Brig. Gen. Stanley F. Cherrie

Brig. Gen. Stanley F. Cherrie speaks with 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry scouts.Staff Sgt. Joseph Garrison


TThey are the eyes and

ears of Eagle Base.From exteriorperimeter foot

patrols to reconnaissanceconvoys in surroundingneighborhoods, the soldiers ofTask Force Striker areconstantly on the watch,protecting the headquartersbase of Task Force Eagle.

Task Force Striker iscomprised of soldiers from fivebatteries of the 5th Battalion,

3rd Air Defense Artillery; plusinfantrymen from 3rd Battal-ion, 12th Infantry; andmilitary police officers from212th MP Company.

TFS soldiers also make upthe Quick Reaction Force. Theyare supplemented by interiorroving guards from almostevery unit at Eagle Base.

Everyone pulls his share forbase security.

Task Force Striker wasorganized in February tohandle security when the 3rdBattalion, 325th Infantryreturned to Vicenza, Italy,said Capt. Michael �Mic� S.Sisley, a Uvalde, Texas, nativewho is TFS�s assistantoperations officer.

Sisley said Task ForceStriker is smaller than 3-325but has twice the capability.The difference is in high-techequipment.

�We make up for our size byusing electronic means as

much as possible such asAvengers (an air defenseartillery system) with nightcapability,� he said. TFS alsohas increased its fields of fireby clearing brush and buildingnew guard towers.

The exterior perimeter isnearly 10 kilometers incircumference. Soldiers watchthe perimeter using a combi-nation of guard towers,bunkers, Avenger positionsand MP checkpoints.

�Since we�ve been here, wehave had no successfulpenetrations of the wire,�Sisley said.

Foot patrols are thebackbone of force protection.At any given time in anyweather condition, soldierswalk the muddy exteriorperimeter trails, which snakethrough wooded terrain,swamps and cut throughfarmers� fields. The trail isenclosed by layers ofconcertina wire with tripflares and high-tech motionsensors.

The squads carry heavyfirepower and maintain constantcommunication with TFSheadquarters. Everyone is cross-trained, mostly as infantrymenand Avenger scouts.

�We�re like a mini specialforces unit. Everyone iscombat medic qualified,� saidSgt. Michael Leache fromSavannah, Ga., squad leaderfor Team Renegade.

During a patrol by Team 3-Alpha-1, soldiers encountereda family farming in an areathought to contain mines. The

patrol called in an interpreterto explain the dangers to thefarmers, thus avoiding apossible catastrophe.

When they aren�t patrol-ling, soldiers are manningbunkers, doing force protectionor training.

TFS soldiers also rotatefrom patrols to being on QRFstatus. It also has its ownmotor pool, where mechanicsmaintain their manyHMMWVs, Avengers andtracked vehicles.

TFS recently grew with theaddition of Battery A, 5-3ADA, originally based atLodgment Area Lisa.

�This has been a greatlearning experience for thoseof us who have never beendeployed,� said Cpl. Eivind O.Forseth, while showing off thecapabilities of his Bradleyvehicle modified for airdefense artillery.

A Bradley gunner fromBillings, Mont., Forseth said,�Seeing a new culture, youcan�t help but realize how easywe�ve got it as Americans.�

Pfc. Jeff Stebbins fromCape Cod, Mass., is anAvenger scout and M-249squad automatic weapongunner for Team Renegade.

As he walks in the 90-degree heat, he wipes thesweat off his face and smilesat children waving at him.�This is the best part �seeing the little kids� facessmile as we walk by them �seeing the good stuff we�redoing for these people who havebeen through a lot,� he said.

Unit serves as eyes and ears of Eagle BaseBy Spc. CESAR G. SORIANO29th MPAD

Sgt. Rick Roth

Spc. Cesar G. Soriano


Task ForceStriker

Spc. Cesar G. Soriano

Spc. Cesar G. Soriano Spc. Cesar G. Soriano

Clockwise from top: Pfc. JeffStebbins pauses during anexterior perimeter patrol; Pfc.Erik J. Arnold and Cpl. ManuelS. Salazar make their wayacross a makeshift foot bridge inthe swampy area of the easternperimeter of Eagle Base; TeamRenegade walks the northernroute of Eagle Base, which cutsthrough several farm fields; Cpl.Richard Anaya of TeamRenegade points out a feature toSpc. Suzanne Anaya while onexterior perimeter patrol; Cpl.Andrew J. Williams scans hissector from atop an Avenger atObservation Post Bravo.


Clamshell tent serves as helicopter repair stationSpc. GEORGE ROACHE29th MPAD

Spc. Jordan Walma said itis easier to do structuralrepairs to Black Hawk

helicopters indoors.�There�s too much rain and

dust for fiberglass work on theflight line,� said the CompanyD, 7th Battalion, 227th Avia-tion sheet metal worker.

Thanks to the Clamshellhangar on the Eagle Base flightline, the Company D mainte-nance troops are sheltered fromthose concerns.

�The Clamshell is a god-send,� said Sgt. James Wright,a technical inspector who en-sures maintenance work is doneproperly. �It helps keep uswarm and dry in the winter andallows us to stay cool and com-fortable in the summer. We cando heavy maintenance without

being out in the rain.�Technically a large area

maintenance shelter, the can-vas-and-steel-beam enclosuregets its �clamshell� nicknamefrom its looks.

At 200-feet long and 75-feetwide, it provides one roof underwhich Company D�s sections canwork closely together.

�There�s ample space,� saidChief Warrant Officer Bob Morrill,production control officer whoschedules maintenance.

�Everything is co-located. Allthe parts are here. ProductionControl and Quality Control areside-by-side. The orderly roomis right in the Clamshell. Wedon�t have to go very far for any-thing,� he said.

Although most maintenanceis performed on the flight lineto save time, the Clamshell hasadequate room for a BlackHawk needing major work � a

Joulwan joins reflagging of 1-26 InfantrySgt. KELLY C. FISCHER358th MPAD

CAMP COLT � The Supreme AlliedCommander, Europe made a special trip toBosnia-Herzegovina to visit soldiers whoseunit was redesignated to a battalion heserved with and commanded.

In a reflagging ceremony May 31, Com-pany D, 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regi-ment officially became part of the 1st Bat-talion, 26th Infantry Regiment. Gen. GeorgeA. Joulwan flew here for the ceremony.

When the 3rd Infantry was deactivated inApril, its units were reflagged under the 1stInfantry Division. In a ceremony in Schweinfurt,Germany, the 2-15 became the 1-26.

But Company D had been deployed toBosnia-Herzegovina since January in sup-port of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR.

The company is attached to 4th Battal-ion, 67th Armor, 1st Armored Division.

Because of the deployment, Company Dwas not able to participate in their parentbattalion�s redesignation.

�The importance of the reflagging is thatit is a formal ceremony for our company withone great unit, the 2-15 Infantry, changingits designation to another great unit, the 1-26 Infantry,� said Company D CommanderCapt. Peter J. Badoian.

Following the ceremony, Joulwan askedsoldiers to gather around him in the shadeof an M1A1 Abrams tank.

Joulwan had the soldiers remove theirkevlar helmets and the atmosphere turnedinformal as he told soldiers of his experi-ence with the 1-26.

Joulwan served in Vietnam as commander

of Company B, 1-26 from June to November1966 and as battalion operations officer fromNovember 1966 to July 1967. He was battal-ion commander in Bamberg, Germany, fromJuly 1975 to March 1977.

�You served two great units that I amvery familiar with, the 16th Infantry �CanDo� and the �Blue Spader� 1st of the 26thInfantry,� said Joulwan.

�I can tell you that your mission here inBosnia is every bit as important as anymission that the 26th Infantry has hadsince its foundation in 1901.�

Joulwan�s words became heavy withemotion as he spoke. He talked about a

memorial located outside of Mons, Bel-gium, to the soldiers of the 26th Infantry.�The dead listed there of the 26th Infantry� they are with you today, and don�t youever forget it.�

The 1-26 soldiers seemed touched.�When he came over here and gave his

speech � that�s when you felt something,� saidSgt. Scottie J. Magrum, 25, Company D, 1-26dismount leader, from Loveland, Colo.

�I kind of took it deep in my heart,�Magrum said. �When you could see thathe was getting choked up, I�ll be honestwith you, it started to get me a littlechoked up too.�

generator gone bad,rotor heads to be re-moved or a maintransmission thatmust changed.

After they pullout an engine oridentify what�s bro-ken, the componentrepair platoon doesthe specializedwork.

�We break thehelo down to its dif-ferent systems �electrical, avionics,p o w e r t r a i n ,powerplant, airframe, hydrau-lics,� said Sgt. 1st ClassClarence L. Gates Jr., platoonsergeant. �We troubleshoot,test and repair or replace thatpart or item.�

The Clamshell lets themkeep their 1,000 different itemsand 862 parts out of the

Soldiers repair part of a helicopter inthe Clamshell at Comanche Base.

Spc. George Roache

Soldiers retire the flag of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry.Sgt. Kenneth Glenville

weather.�We have a lot more space

than in the rear and workingout of a tent here was a hassle,�she said. �Now we�re more or-ganized. Instead of stuff beingpiled up outside, we have loca-tions in a storage unit we cango to.�


GUARDIAN BASE � One did not haveto know Sgt. 1st Class Curtis D. Wilson,92nd Military Police Company, to under-stand what kind of soldier he was.

More than 300 NCOs, officers andfriends attended his memorial service June1, many of them spilling outside the doorsof the conference center here. They paid hima final, living tribute by recounting not onlyhis heroic sacrifice in saving another life,but his everyday deeds that made him, intheir words, a �soldier�s soldier,� �leader,�and �friend.�

Soldiers of the 18th MP Brigade basecamps and Lukavac, where Wilson�s MPplatoon was based, gathered to honor thememory of the man who gave his life to savea cook caught in a fire in the Lukavac din-ing facility May 7.

Wilson, 35, of Farmhamville, Iowa, diedof his injuries May 28 at Brooke ArmyMedical Center at Fort Sam Houston,Texas.

Soldiers in Wilson�s unit said that heawoke with others before dawn when anexplosion occurred as Pfc. Tiffany N.Frazier, 21, of Detroit, was lighting a stoveto cook breakfast.

A gasoline-fueled burner exploded, set-ting off a chain reaction of explosions thatincluded nearby burners, gas cans and smallarms ammunition.

Wilson ran to Frazier�s aid and receivedsecond and third-degree burns in the sec-ondary explosions. Frazier continues to re-cover.

At the dignified ceremony here, as scrip-tures were read and memories shared, theonly emotion expressed more than admira-tion for their fellow soldier was love.

According to 1st Sgt. Merle D. Jones, thepain of Wilson�s death could be slightly

eased knowing he had died doing what heloved � helping soldiers.

�He wasn�t the type of NCO to get a cupof coffee and watch soldiers work. He wasthere helping soldiers work. He was asoldier�s soldier,� he said.

Jones said he hoped the memorial ser-vice would help soldiers accept Wilson�s deathand make the best of a terrible situation.

Part of moving on, he said, will be sup-porting Wilson�s widow, Andrea.

�He taught people how to get along, nomatter what rank,� said Pfc. Dara Day, whoworked with Wilson in HHC.

Sgt. Gwendolyn Robinson, a food service

sergeant with the 92nd MP Company, re-membered Wilson as �a friend and bigbrother � all in one. From day one, I knewhe was a great guy. He put soldiers first.He was a guy you can�t forget.�

She said Wilson was always willing togive her a ride so that she could attendchurch before working on Sundays.

As the ceremony concluded, the speaker�sthoughts seemed to echo all as he said, �Youhave had a long fight. Rest in peace now,my friend.�

In addition to his widow, Wilson is sur-vived by his father and mother, Jack F. andEula M. Wilson of Farmhamville.

Soldiers mourn loss of leader, friendBy Staff Sgt. AMY GUNNERSON203rd MPAD

Sgt. William A. Fleeger, 92nd MP Company, waits outside a conference roomto line up the company’s rifle team for a 21-gun salute.


Red Cross helps soldiers handle deployment issuesBy Staff Sgt. BRIAN BOWMAN203rd MPAD

World War I. World WarII. Korea. Vietnam.Operation DESERT

STORM.During every major U.S. mili-

tary deployment this century,the American Red Cross hasbeen there. That tradition ofservice continues during Opera-tion JOINT ENDEAVOR, withseven American Red Crossworkers now in Bosnia and twoin Hungary.

�We brought people in fromall over the world,� said WilliamWright, the team director of op-erations for the current 90-day

rotation of Red Cross workers.Wright said the nine memberscame not only from the UnitedStates, but from military basesin Germany, Korea and Japan.

The No. 1 function of the RedCross is emergency communica-tions. �We�re the main sourcebetween military and civiliansfor emergency communica-tions,� Wright said.

Wright said that one of themost important things theagency does is verify the emer-gency leave situation.

�We�re here to provide infor-mation to the units so they canauthorize a soldier�s leave,�Wright said. �If we do our jobproperly (the servicemember)

gets to go home quickly and takecare of business. It gives us asense of worth.�

During Operation JOINTENDEAVOR, the AmericanRed Cross has helped process627 emergency leaves for deathsand 1,046 emergency leaves forillnesses. The organization hasprocessed more than 7,000messages, working not only withU.S. soldiers but also civilians.

The Red Cross is headquar-tered at Lukavac, but workersget out to the entire task force,as well as to U.S. soldiers andcivilians in places like Saraje-vo and Split, Croatia.

During one typical week re-cently, Red Cross members vis-

ited 11 different U.S. basecamps.

�If the soldiers can�t get tous,� he said, �we get to them.�

Locally, the office is open 24hours a day, offering books, cof-fee and playing cards.

The organization, started byCivil War nurse Clara Bartonin 1881, has had an affiliationwith the military since the ear-ly 1900s. Walt Disney andErnest Hemingway served theorganization as ambulance driv-ers in World War I. And, thoughthe Red Cross� missions haveevolved through the years, onething remains the same: �We�rehere for the troops,� Wright said.�We enjoy being here.�


By Spc. WILLIAM R. HALL203rd MPAD

The soldiers of the 16th Engineer Bat-talion, stationed at Camp Bedrock,faced a dilemma.

They had been given the mission of provid-ing soldiers living on top of Hilltop 1326 with12 force protection fighting positions and onebunker.

The pre-cut fighting positions and bunkercould not be delivered by vehicle because ofthe narrow road to the soldiers� home, said1st Lt. Bill Tennant, executive officer for Com-pany A, 16th Engineers.

The trek to the hilltop, the highest hill inthe area at 4,250 feet, was impassable to allbut HMMWVs, which were unable to carrythe large load, Tennant said.

The 16th, which deployed from Bamberg,Germany, in December, called on the help ofCompany A, 159th Aviation from Hungary tosolve their problem.

The 16th palletized and slingloaded allthe pre-cut wood, which Chinook CH-47 heli-copters lifted with ease to the site.

The engineers then followed up to as-semble the fighting positions and the bunkeron site, Tennant said.

The soldiers of the 165th and 501st Mili-tary Intelligence Battalions who live on Hill-top 1326 are in the process of trying to con-struct a mini-basecamp.

The air delivery of fighting positions is justa small part of project �Slate Construction.�The effort helped install guard bunkers, pro-

Spc. William Hall

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter deliverspre-cut wood for fighting positions toHilltop 1326.

tective shelters and fighting positionsfor U.S. units all over the sector.

�We started out with a small task-ing and have spread throughout theTuzla Valley area,� said Staff Sgt. JeffMorreli, noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

�When we first started out, we couldproduce two-man fighting positions atthe rate of 15 per day shift and 15 pernight shift,� said Morreli.

To date, they�ve produced 326 of thepositions.

�Production has slowed down now,�said Sgt. Randy Spohn, cutting foreman.�We were building faster than peoplecould sandbag what we built.�

Morreli said that they were preparedfor the slingload mission with the fight-ing positions � they used the sametechnique to deliver sandbags to con-struct the helipad.

�Most of the time, we build them hereand (the units) will come pick them up,�Spohn said.

The unit has taken on the added dutyof overseeing force protection construc-tion at other basecamps, he added. Aplatoon will convoy to other camps andsupervise the placement of bunkers,shelters and ensure they are properlyreinforced.

The 16th sees no end in sight forproject, �Slate Construction.�

�We started . . . and we neverstopped,� said 1st Lt. William Reding,

Pre-made bunkers airlifted to hilltops

Soldiers work to secure a pre-made fighting position atop a HEMTT before it is slingloaded by a Chinook helicopter.Spc. William R. Hall

platoon leader in Company A, 16th Engi-neers. �Right now, it�s going really well.Now the big focus for us is personnel bun-kers.

�We are going to go over 400 (bunkersbuilt), and it�s an operation that can lastthe whole time we�re here.�


PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK

Civil affairs NCO dubbed ‘individualist’

Webster�s Dictionarydefines an individu-alist as �one who as-

serts individuality by indepen-dence of action or thought.�

The word also describes Sgt.Suzanna E. Raker, 48, of the432nd Civil Affairs Battalion,an Army Reserve unit fromGreen Bay, Wis.

Raker is a linguist assignedto the Eagle Base Civil MilitaryCooperation Center.

However, she spent her firstfour months in Bosnia at theNORD-POL Brigade headquar-ters at Doboj.

�I think that Webster wrotethat description with Sgt.Raker in mind,� said StaffSgt. Dave Lukowski, Raker�ssupervisor.

�I guess I am an individual-ist,� Raker said. �I tell peoplethat the thing I like about CAis that we�re the branch of theArmy that really gets to thinkon our feet, and be creative.

�The CA mission is alwaysevolving,� she said. �No matter

what you think your mission isor what you�re trying to do, it�sgoing to change as the civiliansituation changes or as theneeds of the military change.�

Her abilities have helpedher diffuse several potentiallydangerous situations. Whilevisiting a local village, shewas confronted by a group ofmen.

�Being able to think on myfeet, being able to listen and re-spond quickly and accurately intheir language, allowed me toput their fears to rest,� she said.

Raker is a gifted linguist,fluent in Finnish, German, andSerbo-Croatian. She is alsolearning Swedish.

�Speaking the language,even just the simplest phrasesand courtesies like �thank you,�is seen as very respectful andvery cooperative by the peopleon all sides,� she said.

Raker�s diverse backgroundalso serves her well.

She claims she was one ofonly two women to serve with acombat unit in South Vietnam.

She has an undergraduatedegree in English, and an ad-

Sgt. 1st Class STEVE THIESE358th MPAD

vanced degree inforestry, bothfrom Auburn Uni-versity.

She has beena psychologicalevaluator for theArmy, and hasbeen a smokejumper for theU.S. Forest Ser-vice.

Raker andher husband nowown a 120-acrefarm just out-side Calumet,Wis., near LakeSuperior, whereshe raises honeybees and hay.

When on pa-trol with IFORallies, Rakermakes it a pointto visit with localfarmers.

While much CA interactionis with local government andcivilian officials, Raker said itis also important to measurethe feelings of the people.

�It�s the people of this coun-

KIME BASE � Patriotism canbe demonstrated in many differentways.

Some people join the armedforces, some write patriotic songs,and some create drawings or paint-ings.

Jody Harmon decided to show hispatriotism by sending several draw-ings to bolster the morale of soldiersserving in the 1st Brigade area.

A former Armor School soldier,Harmon now is an illustrator for Ar-mor magazine.

He was asked by a sergeant atFort Knox, Ky., if he wanted to do-nate some pictures to send to TaskForce Eagle, so he rounded up a few andsent them off.

When asked in a telephone interviewwhy he chose to send the pictures, he said,�They seemed very patriotic, and they alsohad a lot to do with armored vehicles.�

The pictures included one of the Opera-tion DESERT STORM ground war, one of anApache helicopter, one of Gen. George S.Patton and two of an M1A1 Abrams tank.

�The pictures usually take me about oneor two weeks to complete,� Harmon said.�They are done with a charcoal pencil andthen colored with pastels.

�The one of the Desert Storm ground warwas done before the ground war had evenbegun,� Harmon said. �I took a few tanksand then put them on a desert back-ground.�

He added, �That picture is hanging in

all of our Middle Eastern embassies,and it�s in the Pentagon as well.�

Many of Harmon�s pictures arerecognized Army-wide. His art isshown at the Washington ArmoredForces monument.

�I just published a book of myart work last week. It containsabout 50 different works of mine,�said Harmon.

He said he has always loved ar-mored vehicles.

�I joined the Army as a tanker,but I really wanted to be an illus-trator.

�Since I couldn�t be there, I de-cided to send a part of me to helpwith the mission, and support allthe of the soldiers that are there asa part of Operation JOINT EN-

DEAVOR,� Harmon said.�I think it�s some fantastic art work,�

said Sgt. Ralph B. White, 23rd EngineerBattalion.

�It�s nice to know that civilians arethinking of us. It�s one thing to have yourmother send you a letter, but it�s anotherthing to have a total stranger send yousomething. It�s makes our job a little biteasier,� White said.

Armor magazine illustrator shares art with troops

try who want to put this nationback together, and in the endwill be doing the work,� she said.

�Sure she�s an individual-ist,� Lukowski said. �But that�swhat makes her one damn fineCA person.�

By Pfc. JODY JOHNSTON358th MPAD

Sgt. Ralph B. White, 23th Engineer Battalion, looksat a Jody Harmon print.

Pfc. Jody Johnston

Sgt. Suzanne E. Raker speaks fourlanguages, including Serbo-Croatian.

Sgt. 1st Class Steve Thiese


will be used by the 2-227th during aerial gunnery.While the robot-like miniflail can work for hours without need-

ing a rest or a drink of water, the dogs are able to detect metal,explosives or plastic buried several inches in the ground.

The dogs indicate a possible hazard by a change of behavior,which only a canine handler may notice, said handler Staff Sgt.Xavier Sandoval, 26th Area Support Group, Heidelberg, Germany.

A handler picks up on a change in the dog�s behavior in a cer-tain area, and the dog will go into a final response, which is a sit.Then the engineers� mine-sweeping team comes in with the metaldetector and prober.

�This dog knows what she�s doing,� said prober Sgt. TerrySchutz, Company A, 16th Engineer Battalion, of Reza, Sandoval�scanine partner. �Everything she has sat down on, I�ve found ametal object after probing.�

�If you don�t have faith in the dog, you shouldn�t walk behind thedog, that�s just what I believe,� said canine handler Staff Sgt. Will-iam F. Finch Jr., 100th ASG from Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Finch said time and training is what gives a handler confi-dence in his dog.

�This is what it�s all about,� said Drummond as he pointed tothe day�s finds.

Among the unearthed items were bricks of TNT, safety ringsand springs from anti-personnel mines and AK-47 rounds.

�That AK-47 round could have been the fuse in a mine. Theyhave about the same amount of metal. I�m a believer in the dogs.I�ll work with them anytime,� Drummond said.

DOGSfrom page 1

Other offerings will in-clude additional food, recre-ational items and clothing intheir retail stores, snack andsoft drink vending machinesand photo processing, saidAAFES officials.

AAFES also will open aBosnian souvenir and giftshop near its Eagle Base re-tail facility. A similar store isalready open at Lukavac.

“The new products andservices are part of the nor-mal business planned forthis deployment,” Van Loansaid.

“First we opened the re-tail stores. Then we focusedon the services, sewing andbarber shops. Now we arebringing in the food.”

The fast food will be pro-vided by some familiarnames: Anthony’s Pizza,Baskin-Robbins ice creamand Burger King.

AAFES plans to open apizza stand at Eagle Base,and locate small ice creamcarts at Lodgment AreasAngela and Linda and EagleBase.

Booths selling hot dogs,hamburgers, candy and colddrinks are already open atGentry Base, LodgmentArea Linda and Lukavac.

Van Loan said similar fa-cilities are planned for KimeBase, Lodgment Areas An-gela and Lisa, ComancheBase and Camp Bedrock.

AAFES already has thesame fare available onwheels. Four large snack-bar vans travel from basecamp to base camp.

“Right now we are doinga better job of getting (thevans) to camps near TuzlaValley,” Van Loan said. “ Wewill get the outlying areaswith greater frequency afterwe create our satellitekitchens at Kime and Linda.We also have a fifth truck enroute.”

In addition, AAFES haspurchased a Burger Kingkitchen van for the taskforce area.

Van Loan said it has notbeen decided if the truck willbe mobile or remain at one

location.AAFES also is now install-

ing snack and soda vendingmachines at base camps.

“There is limited refrig-erator space at the PXs,”said Bill Dawson, AAFES’sservices manager forBosnia-Herzegovina.

“This will give soldiersanother source for colddrinks.”

Up to six vending ma-chines will be installed atmost camps, he said.

“We’ll start (installing themachines) in the 2nd Bri-gade and work our waynorth,” Dawson said.

New and coming attrac-tions at base camp retailstores include film process-ing, sporting goods, boardgames, luncheon meats,fresh vegetables, ice, cool-ers and a limited line of per-fumes and cosmetics, saidJohn McGhee, AAFES retailmanager for Tuzla-areastores.

“We also now havewhat we call the ‘Build aBarbecue Kit,’ ” he said.“Tell us how many peoplea few days in advance andwe’ll put together every-thing you need: steak, hotdogs, hamburgers, buns,condiments, charcoal. Allyou need is a cook.”

McGhee also said he ex-pects to see the first of sev-eral new lines of T-shirtslater this month.

“We’re going to try someT-shirts for kids,” he said.“That will be something sol-diers can send home totheir kids. We also havesome amusing T-shirtscoming in and some othersurprises.”

McGhee said businesshas been brisk but AAFESisn’t looking at the bottomline here.

“We’re doing about $1million each month in salesat Eagle Base alone,”McGhee said.

“But we’re still operatingat a loss here. Transporta-tion costs from Germany arevery high. We do this strictlyfor the troops.”

Any proceeds will go toMorale, Welfare and Recre-ation activities and facilities,he said.

AAFESfrom page 1


Sgt. George T. Husby, Company A, 16th Engineer Battalion,uses a metal detector to scan an area for mines.

volume 2, no 21 friday, june 7, 1996 the - defense … · volume 2, no 21 friday, june 7, 1996...

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