TheTHE OFFICIAL DEPLOYMENT MAGAZINE OF THE 172ND SEPARATE INFANTRY BRIGADE

SEPTEMBER 2011

Conflict&Creativity

Battlecry

REFLECTIONS OF LIFE AND WAR IN

PAKTIKA

BattlecryTheSEPTEMBER 2011

Editorial Team Joseph BuccinoEditor-In-ChiefTF Blackhawk Public Affairs OfficerJoseph.buccino@172battlecry.com

Ryan DecampAssistant EditorPaktika Provincial Reconstruction Team

Charles CrailEditor/Writer/Photographer 2-28 Infantry, TF Black Lions Public Affairs Officer

Makenzie LangPhotographerPaktika Provincial Reconstruction Team

Robert HollandDesigner/Photographer3-36 Armor, TF Black Knights George HuntPhotographer55th Combat Camera

Jakob KohrsPhotographer55th Combat Camera

Ken ScarWriter/Photographer7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Contact EmailStaff@172Battlecry.com

Postal Address:Task Force Blackhawk Public Affairs OfficeFOB SharanaAPO, AE 09311

Want a hardcopy? If you would like more information on how to purchase a hardcopy version of The Battlecry, at cost, go to: www.172battlecry.com Print service is provided by Hewlett-Packard and is neither funded nor hosted by the 172nd Infantry Brigade.

Letter From The Editor

I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for

the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the

love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought: So the darkness shall be the light, and the

stillness the dancing. -T.S. Eliot

Paktika Province: The Thing With Feathers

To the outside observer, the history of US intervention in Afghanistan is a microcosm of the history of Afghanistan itself: a long-running tragedy interspersed with a series of catastrophic events. This narrative is, like Shakespeares shortsighted Friar Lawrence, completely unmindful of future events. As Task Force Blackhawk, joined with her Afghan and civilian partners under the moniker Team Paktika, continues to shape her area of operations, there are reasons for hope for our cause in

Afghanistan that are laid out in the pages in this magazine.As we continue to push the insurgents further away from population centers, our efforts allow the Afghan Uniform Police to establish checkpoints ensuring that the enemies of Afghanistan are unable to freely move back into these areas after our departure. Meanwhile, Paktika Governor Moheebullah Samim continues to work to establish a system of governance that will offer his constituents an element with which the Taliban cannot compete after 2014: hope for a peaceful, prosperous area; or, at least, a province with an advantageous civic position.The government and Afghan forces have made such strong gains here since ISAF emplaced a surge force in Loya Paktia that the insurgency no longer has popular support in Paktika. While I believe they never really had any actual patronage, since 1996 the Taliban, in all of its embodiments, has been able to manipulate the Pashtuns using fear as its weapon.

With the recent uprising of the Afghan Local Police, Afghan Uniform Police, and Afghan National Army, the icy fingers of trepidation are giving way to the twin paramours of optimism and, dare believe it, capitalistic intent.While I am admittedly biased, of this there can be no doubt: there is strong reason for optimism in Paktika province. A people defined by their past no longer need be afraid of their future. The legacy of Task Force Blackhawk in Afghanistan will be one of social capital projected into the future. Paktika has an appointed tryst at the intersection of fate and ascendancy. Ill meet you there.

Joseph Buccino

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www.172Battlecry.com

01Blackhawks 19 Black Scarves 25Black Lions 29Black-Knights 35Falcons First 43Gilas 49Black Talons 75Blackhawk Shoutouts

03In Memoriam 21 Man Versus Beast 23Break-ing the Fast 27Great Escape 31Taliban Hunting Club 45The End of the World 53Communicat-ing Love 59Paktika Justice Conference 63Spirit & Sacrifice 66Bandwith on the Battlefield 67A Helping Hand 69Manning the Big Guns 73Com-bat Support Training is Key 74Incoming!

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features

BlackHawk 6 Col. Edward T. Bohnemann 172nd Sep. Inf. Bde

Blackhawk friends and Families, thank you for the great support you have shown our Soldiers while they have been deployed this past month. I can tell you first-hand the Soldiers love receiving all of the mail that is arriving from home. As Command Sgt. Maj. Boom and I move around Paktika province to see our Soldiers, we are impressed by their high morale, esprit de corps, and resilience during this very busy month. There are many enemies of freedom that move through this province and attempt to create chaos and destruction by attacking the Afghan Security Forces and Coalition Forces, killing innocent civilians, and disrupting the government in the performance of their duties. Yet each day, our Blackhawk Soldiers are out conducting operations with their Afghan partners, standing shoulder to shoulder with them, training them, and countering the negative influences brought on by the insurgents.

There is much to be proud of. I see greatness in the way our Soldiers conduct themselves daily. Whether I am checking on Soldiers in our remote Combat Outposts such as OP Twins, COPs Margah, Tillman, Waza Khwa, or Kushamond or driving around FOB Sharana, I see the same dedication to duty and high standards. Mechanics, infantrymen, artillerymen, cooks, intelligence analysts, truck drivers, engineers, clerks, and so many more are all working towards the same goal here. Our NCOs are continually out front, taking care of our Soldiers and leading our units on every mission. I am absolutely thrilled with this great team before me. As always, I would like to say a special thank you to the wonderful group of spouses back in Schweinfurt and Grafenwoehr that sacrifice so much of their own time to take care of our Blackhawk Families. All of the leaders across the Brigade realize what a tremendous part of this unit the Family Readiness Group Leaders and other

volunteers play in our success. I want to also thank the leadership within the Grafenwoehr Community and across United States Army Europe for their continued focus on our Families. Thank you for your continued support. Finally, I would ask all to take a moment to again focus on why we are here. This weekend is the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks that that initiated this war in Afghanistan. Please keep all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in your prayers, always keeping the great memories of them and their Families in our hearts. BLACKHAWKS!

Edward T. Bohnemann

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Command Sgt. Maj. Michael W. Boom 172nd Sep. Inf. Bde

Your Soldiers continue to provide security for the people of Paktika, take the fight to the enemy and mentor their Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) partners. The ANSF in return find their fair share of IEDs which make the roads safer for everybody and provide security in their villages and towns.

Over the past two months, our Soldiers have received great compliments from observers outside the organization. We get our fair share of VIPs who come down to visit the Blackhawks. These Generals, General Officer CSMs and embedded reporters all depart Paktika complimenting the Blackhawk Soldiers. Perhaps the reporters who have been writing great things about our Soldiers represent the greatest compliment of all. They have no interest in conjecture; they simply report what they see.

They have been out to all of our Combat Outposts and Forward Operating Bases and saw firsthand what right looks like.

Our Soldiers who understand counterinsurgency and treat all with dignity and respect.

Our Soldiers on a mountaintop observation post pulling security over insurgent infiltration routes 24/7 for a week, and are motivated about doing this .

Our Soldiers on the roads conducting Route Clearance Missions or Combat Logistical Patrols providing needed supplies to their brothers and sisters in arms.

Our brave pilots flying over mountain passes in adverse weather to pick up a wounded Blackhawk or provide

supporting fires when we get in a dicey situation.

All Blackhawk Soldiers working in our myriad of occupational specialties that are supporting the fight seven days a week with a smile on their face and a gleam in their eye.

Where do we get these guys and gals?

From my perspective, with Soldiers like this how can we not accomplish our mission, get the ANSF in the lead and WIN this thing!

BlackHawk 7

Michael W. Boom

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INMEMORIAM

INMEMORIAM

Sgt. Matthew HarmonCpl. Joseph VandruemelStaff Sgt.Daniel Quintana

ISgt. Matthew Harmon

Cpl. Joseph VandruemelStaff Sgt.Daniel Quintana

II

I have met neither Matthew Har-mon nor Joseph VanDreuemel. I can, however, no longer avoid the feeling, after observing their Hero Salute at Forward Operating Base Sharana and their subsequent me-morial at Super FOB, KKC, that I knew them both.

Harmon, I learned, was an intellect. An analytical thinker who yearned to write a book, he was as adept at vehicle maintenance as he was at physics and philosophy. He seemed the type of man Soldiers loved to work for. Introspective while intellectually combati-ve, Matthew Harmon was a rare mixture of knowledge and humor. Matthew was a runner. He ran cross coun-try at Fosston High School in northern Min-nesota, I would find out. At his funeral in St. Paul, Minnesotta, a classmate recalled the same traits identified by his peers in tha Black Knights: He was always a positive guy; always in a good mood. And as far as track goes, he worked as hard as anyone on the team. So, he definitely put forth the effort.

III

IV

IVVanDreumel was a dedicated leader of men, who opened his home to single Sol-diers under his care. A man who made E-4 pay while raising two kids lent money to his subordinates. Here was a throwback to a time when leaders cared more for the well-being of the young men under their care then they did for themselves. VanDreumel was the type of junior leader I experienced as an enlisted Soldier in the mid-1990s; selfless, focused on Soldier development, caring. The expression they dont make them like that any more applies to Joseph VanDreumel.

Their faces say it all. The taught jaws clenched with emotion. Strong, bold warriors faced with danger every day walk slowly to say farewell to their fallen comrade. Many of them were there when he fell, they fought like lions to save him. Spending just a few short hours at Combat Outpost Mar-gah, stories of his leadership fall from the lips of everyo-ne. Stories of his personality, his playful way of making you laugh with anger. Stories we shared of his willing-ness to sacrifice for a friend in need, both his time and himself. The Soldiers at his memorial cried and laughed remembering their friend, their brother.In the twilight hours of Sept. 10, 2011, a group of Afghan insurgents lay in wait for the men of Charlie Company 2-28 Infantry, Spartans. As the bullets began to crack through the air, this band of Spartans took to the battle like the animals of war they are. Fire from the enemy was accurate and intense; it crac-ked from seemingly every direction. One Soldiers optics was shot from his weapon, inches from his face. He retrieved it and continued to fight.

Through this hail of fire, Staff Sgt. Daniel A. Quintana charged ahead to the forward edge of battle to do what

noncommissioned officers are expected to do; he lead from the front. He had assessed the situation; he knew what he had to do. He had to be in the front with his men. Over the course of the fight Quintana fell to the enemy, but many more enemy fell to the Spartans. They fell because of men like Quintana. Men who set the exam-ple, lead from the front, and fought with tenacity seldom withstood by men unlike them. A leader to his men, their brother in arms, also a father and husband. Quintana cannot be replaced as a man, but every Soldier he touched will emulate him and pass on to the Soldiers they lead the lessons and qualities they learned from their leader.

Epilogue:Staff Sgt.Daniel Quintana

pilogue:Staff Sgt.Daniel Quintana

FALLEN HEROES

FALLEN HEROES

FALLEN HEROES

FALLEN HEROES

PAKTIKA PROVINCE,

Afghanistan- Pfc. Thom

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Company 2-28, 3-66 Ar

mor, 172nd Separate In

fantry Brigade, Task Fo

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Blackhawk finds a

quiet space to pra

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Combat Out Post Mata

Khan Aug 30. (Photo by

Kuni Takahashi for The

New York

Times)

Filling the Silence

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The torch has been passed from the Panthers of 1-61 CAV and now the Black Scarves are guiding Afghan National Security Forces and the civil government of western Nangahar closer to becoming solely responsible for their future. Black Scarves Soldiers teach and mentor their Afghan National Army counterparts while on patrol on a daily basis. It is obvious that the warrior toughness and consummate professionalism of the Black Scarves is starting to rub off on the Afghan National Army Soldiers they mentor.

Additionally, the Black Scarves are building relationships with local leaders and initiating projects aimed at dramatically improving the quality of life and capacity of the government in the area. It is humbling to witness the incredible effect our Soldiers have on the people in the area. Our team is truly part of an effort greater than any individual.

The relative ease of transition from garrison to deployment is a testament not only to the professionalism and skill of Black Scarves Soldiers, but also to their Families and friends who provide the support needed to keep every Soldier focused on the mission. I could not be more proud of the Soldiers and Families of Task Force 1-2. In the long months ahead of us, I know these attributes will be what makes our unit successful both on patrol and back home.

I cannot overstate how proud I am of the work our Soldiers continue to do, and I know that without your love and support it would not be possible. Thank you for keeping our Warriors focused on the fight. We look forward to when our mission is complete and we can reunite at home with the ones we love.BACK IN BLACK

BlackScarves

Earl Higgins

Lt. Col. Earl Higgins, 1-2 Infantry

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Our Soldiers have done a tremendous job transitioning to Afghanistan and beginning counterinsurgency operations in Nangarhar Province.

We are now fully operational and our presence is felt in the area by friend and foe alike. As we continue to strive to streamline our operations and maintain our high levels of discipline, we will continue to grow more effective at protecting the population and ensuring a stable Afghanistan.

Safety remains the primary concern for the Soldiers and Families of 1-2 Infantry. Downrange, Soldiers rely on prior planning and coordination in order to minimize unnecessary risks while on mission.

Nothing has improved the Soldiers morale like letters and packages from our loved ones back home. The steady stream of mail from our Families provides a constant reminder of what we are here to defend.

Napoleon is oft cited as having said an army marches on its stomach, and the homemade goods you send ensure that our Soldiers can march up and down the Tora Bora Mountains to complete their missions. Thank you for your continued support.

Facebook photos are one way we try to connect our Soldiers with Family members. If you are not seeing the section or platoon you wish to see, please have your Soldier drop off digital photos to me and I we will get them posted.

BlackScarves

Brian Woodall

Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Woodall, 1-2 Infantry

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Man Versus BeastThroughout history, dogs have been involved in warfare. From Attila the Hun to the Roman empire, canines have been used by man to facilitate conflict. The Lydians were said to have had offensive formations consistently solely of mongrels. The struggle between man and his tail-wagging mammalian nemesis is one that cuts to the heart of armed combat. So too, in Paktika. Military working dogs play an important role in clearing operations in Paktika. Trained dogs, used in rural areas of Paktika, are capable of detecting explosives and narcotics. Here a vicious insurgent of a beast attacks our editor. Mans best friend? Hardly.

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Breaking the FastDuring the Islamic month of Ramadan, pronounced Ramazan in Pashtun, Muslims break their daytime fast with a communal iftar meal at sunset. Ramazan, the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, occurred in August of this year. In a display of religious deference, the brigade celebrated a traditional iftar at the provincial governors compound on August 19th. The violence surrounding both the Americans and the Paktikans served as a backdrop against which both parties celebrated their shared struggle against the Talibs.

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Greeting to all the Families, friends, and supporters of the Black Lions. Over the last two months we have arrived safely and assumed control of eastern Paktika province, Afghanistan.

Our Soldiers are doing great. All the tough training we went through, from the mountains of Romania and Bulgaria last summer through gunnery and winter training in Germany, has definitely been worthwhile. The Soldiers and Leaders have the leadership attributes, discipline, standards and skills to accomplish every mission assigned to the Task Force. All of the eight company-level formations across our area of operations are performing magnificently and you can truly be proud of their service to our nation.

We have adapted to the rugged and austere environment here in Afghanistan. The leaders are doing exactly what they are supposed to do: lead our Soldiers. The Soldiers have taken to their mission of conducting combined operations with the Afghan Security Forces and are helping to transition those forces into a professional, capable force that will take the lead in Afghanistans future.

Make no mistake, we are operating daily in some of the toughest terrain imaginable in some of the most remote locations in Afghanistan. But regardless of the conditions, the attitude of the Soldiers is truly incredible. On every outpost and patrol base the morale is high .

Fortunately we are part of the most disciplined, well equipped and supplied fighting force on earth and are provided all the tools we need to operate here as well as communicate with our Families and friends back home. Since the time of Alexander the Great, historians have proclaimed the difficulty of supplying armies fighting in Afghanistan. No other military in the world is more capable of delivering the supplies our Soldiers need than the American military. From ammunition to food to mail from back home in America and Germany, we are receiving resupply as quickly as possible.

On behalf of all the Soldiers, I personally want to thank you, the Families and friends on the home front, for the overwhelming outpouring of support you have provided to the Soldiers of Task Force Black Lion. You too are sacrificing daily so we can execute the mission our nation has called upon us to perform. We will win while serving with honor and are looking forward to the day we return home.

Love of Country Conquers!

BlackLions

John Meyer III

Lt. Col. John V. Meyer III, 2-28 Infantry

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Family and friends of the Black Lions, the train up for Afghanistan began well before we had orders to deploy. From the mountains of Romania and Bulgaria, to the long winter training in Germany, the Black Lions have focused on three primary objectives in their training in order to take the fight to the enemy and win: leadership, basic infantry skills, and enduring discipline. The Black Lions arrived in Paktika ready to fight. Operating in a mountainous region of Afghanistan with an average elevation of 7,400 feet, the Soldiers landed in Paktika physically fit and prepared to climb these mountains every day, taking the fight to the enemy. The terrain here is tough, the living conditions are spartan at best. From COP Curry in the deep south of our battle space, through COPs Boris, Tillman, and Margah along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, to COP Zerok in the high mountains to the north, the Black Lions have risen to every challenge our mission has thus far put before them.Each location in our area of operations has its own unique fight, and the high standards established in the train-up and while in the rear have carried over into deployment. If I was the Taliban, I would be very afraid. These Soldiers are tough, ready, and aggressive. I am immensely proud to be their command sergeant major in this fight and call these Warriors, my Warriors. From partnered operations with our Afghan allies to enduring the harsh realities of the Afghan winter, these men and women will be challenged every day. I know they will succeed and you at home should be proud of all they have set out to accomplish this year. Love of Country Conquers!

BlackLions

Joseph Cornelison

Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph C.Cornelison, 2-28 Infantry

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Great EscapeBlackhawk Soldiers make creative use of their free time. Sporting events and physical training allow deployed Soldiers to escape the stress of combat operations.

Photo by Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times)

Photo by Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times)

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Black Knight Families : thank you for a great send-off in July for our Soldiers as we deployed to Afghanistan. In August we went through a very professional relief-in-place operation run by the Red Currahees of 1st BN, 506th Infantry from Fort Campbell and, as of August 7th, assumed responsibility of Western Paktika. Command Sgt. Maj. Robbins and I have been extremely impressed with the professionalism, discipline, and positive attitude of our Black Knight Soldiers. Since August we have seen first-hand that the Taliban is intent on occupying this area of Afghanistan. We are not going to let them do that. The population desperately wants our protection and, more importantly, the protection afforded by their own security forces. We are employing every resource that we have to build a strong, professional Afghan security structure that can take over this fight after we leave. Please know that your Soldiers are fighting an honorable and just fight against unspeakable evil that seeks to terrorize one of the poorest populations in Asia. We are making progress over here every day and see the Afghan Security Forces gradually approaching the point that they can defend their own country against these monsters. We have had the opportunity over the last month to serve with many brave and heroic Afghans who are intent on building a better future for their own children.This month we mourned the loss of two great Black Knight troopers, Sergeant Matthew Harmon and Corporal Joseph VanDreumel who gave their last full measure of devotion on 14 August working to recover their fellow Soldiers from an ambush when they were killed by a roadside bomb. They are a true definition of the word hero. They were laid to rest in two separate ceremonies back in the United States with hundreds if not over a thousand American citizens, politicians, and leaders in attendance. It is encouraging to see that, even after 10 years of war, our nation still stands behind us and takes the time to honor our fallen as we lay our heroes to rest. I want to specifically thank the Soldiers of our rear detachment and our Families back in Germany who have worked so hard to care for Nicole Harmon and Sarah VanDreumel and their children.There is no doubt in my mind that the strength and drive of our Soldiers to accomplish this mission is based on the support we receive from our families and friends back home. You are the ones that give our brave Soldiers the strength to fight and keep fighting until this mission is complete and the Black Knights return to Germany. Thank you for everything you do.Black Knights!

BlackKnights

Curtis D. Taylor

Lt. Col. Curtis D. Taylor, 3-66 Armor

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Greetings Black Knight Soldiers and Families! Task Force 3-66 Armor is here in West Paktika, Afghanistan. We received a warm welcome from Task Force Red Currahee, 1-506 Infantry out of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. The entire organization at all levels was dedicated to ensuring a smooth transition. We held a nice transfer of authority ceremony that reflected the rich history and fine traditions of units working together. Our Black Knight Soldiers are getting integrated and acclimatized to the tough Afghan environment. It is quite a transition from the weather of Bavaria, Germany. As I travel throughout our area of operations and spend time with our Soldiers, I am amazed at how fast they are able to adapt. As you know, our Black Knight units and Soldiers have trained for this over the past nine months and are ready to make a difference. It makes me happy to recognize the young generation of Soldiers we have defending our freedoms and our way of life. Some of these Soldiers are as young as 19 and are doing a great job on their first deployment. Many of them participated in our combat patch ceremony on the 10 th anniversary of 9-11.We cannot thank you enough for everyones support as we deployed from Germany. Our task force rear detachment has taken on an extraordinary mission as well and has really proven to be successful in a short period. We thank the Friends of the Black Knights organization for their untiring support. The entire community stood behind us and we appreciate the fact that we have so many people who are watching and following the Black Knights over the next year. The support of the many that get our messages out on our unit websites and Facebook pages is absolutely inspirational. Our mission is great, but our resolve is strong. You can be certain that the Black Knights are on point for our nation!

BlackKnights

Daniel Robbins

Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel V. Robbins, 3-66 Armor

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PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AfghanistanIn eastern Paktika along the border of Pakistan there is a small band of men lead by one man called Commander Aziz. Their mission is simple, support the Goverment of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by stopping those who threaten their country through any means necessary. For them, killing Taliban fighters is their business; business is very good.

TalibanHunting

Club

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atet, velit, quat, sit nos nos diat nullan ulla facidunt inciliscilit at. Rit luptatum do odolesto conulpu tatisis alisci esto odo ent prat. Nim iriurem elessequat autat. Equismodo euis autat nullutat. Ut ipsumsan eu feugait la facing ex ea autpat. Unt nostisi blandio do consed euis del utat. Odolobor se

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Commander Azizand the Talib Killers

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In July, the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment departed Germany as Task Force Falcon, leaving our loved ones to support the Blackhawk Brigade in fulfilling its mission of facilitating governance, security, and economic development in Paktika province. Our role is to provide timely and accurate indirect fires, train the Afghan National Army (ANA) to effectively employ and maintain D30 howitzers, and conduct base defense.As the Falcons First Soldiers began to arrive in Afghanistan, they immediately started the relief-in-place with our counterparts from the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, TF Glory, from Fort Campbell, KY. The transition between Glory and Falcon was at once swift and exhaustive. Indeed, some of our Soldiers immediately began conducting fire missions when the helicopters carrying them to their combat outposts touched the ground. Our initial focus was to develop procedures for firing indirect in a decentralized, mountainous environment. TF Falcon is now able to adapt to this fight and provide excellent support to the Black Knights and Black Lions. Our Soldiers are adapting to the rigors of long working hours, dust storms, and separation. As we continue to work towards mission accomplishment, the battalion maintains the sense of pride that comes with providing accurate and timely fires. We are constantly improving our positions at our combat outposts and training our Soldiers to be the best artillerymen in the Army. The care packages are helping our Soldiers to adjust. For this we thank you. It is the love and support of the families that carries us through our mission. We thank you again for your constant encouragement, love, and understanding. FALCONS FIRST!

FalconsFirst Lt. Col. Christopher Cardoni, 1-77 Field Artillery

Christopher Cardoni

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I just returned from two weeks of battlefield circulation. During this period, I had the privilege of traveling throughout the brigades area of operations to spend time with each of our firing batteries. The Soldiers are doing well, as they are well-trained and cared for. Our Soldiers are living in well-equipped Forward Operation Bases (FOBs) and Combat Operation Posts (COPs). However, we will continue to build upon the FOBs and COPs that need improvement. The Soldiers remain in high spirits largely due to the support from our Falcon families back home. To the Family Readiness Group back in Schweinfurt, thank you for your constant support, hard work, and dedication. You will continue to see outstanding growth from our firing Batteries, Service Battery, and Headquarters Headquarters Battery. Platoon sergeants and Platoon leaders are doing an outstanding job training these fine Soldiers and making sure they remain motivated and dedicated to the mission. We continue to keep the Soldiers morale high by allowing them to participate in various Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) deployment projects such as the battalion T-shirt and belt buckle designs. We also send care packages made from donations by sponsoring organizations. Again, we thank you for your support of the 1-77 Field Artillery Battalion. Please continue to keep encouraging them because your love is the driving force behind our great Soldiers.

FalconsFirst

Jerome S. Sligh

Command Sgt. Maj. Jerome S. Sligh, 1-77 Field Artillery

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PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan Soldiers from Apache Company 2-28, 3-66 Armor, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk prepare to fire a 120mm mortar round for distance adjustment at Combat Out Post Mata Khan in Paktika Province in Afghanistan on Aug 31.( Photo by Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times)

Prepping The

Mortars

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To the Soldiers, Families, and fans of Task Force Gila, greetings from Paktika province, Afghanistan. I Trust everyone enjoyed their summer, had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend and those with school-age children have returned to the classroom. In this edition of the Blackhawk Brigades Battle Cry, we will share the stories and pictures of your remarkable Soldiers, sappers, signalers, collectors, analysts, and policemen as they continue to develop the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

Task Force Gila is tasked with conducting combined action with the ANSF across Paktika. Our Soldiers conduct focused security force assistance and assure freedom of movement for our Afghan partners. To this end, we are committed to improving the administrative and logistics systems of the ANSF as well as their leader development programs. Through combined action patrols and training we have already made progress with the provincial police department and the ANA engineers.

Throughout July and August, Task Force Gila completed its deployment to Paktika Province, supported operational requirements to both Wardak and Nangahar Provinces and completed its Transfer of Authority (TOA) with the 4th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. As soon as our Soldiers stepped foot on the ground, they embraced our partnership with the ANSF adhering to the 3xBs Building relations, Bridging the cultural divide and Breaching along routes to clear the way for economic growth and protecting the people with our ANSF counterparts. From Sharana to Sar Hawza, Khayr Khot Castle to Kushamond and Orgun to COP Curry, your Soldiers have and will continue to remain vigilant, reliable and strong.

Operational highlights over the last 30 days include a series of combined action

patrols by both our sappers and military policeman with our ANA and Afghan Uniform Police partners along critical routes and amongst the population to assure safe travel and a physical security presence within key population centers.

Meanwhile, our signal and intelligence specialists have installed, operated and maintained the brigades complex and continually evolving communications and intelligence architecture across an area the size of Massachusetts -- a herculean task. We also had the unique opportunity to host the Commander, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan (NTM-A) earlier this month, affording us the opportunity to showcase our NATO partnership with our Polish Allies.

Most recently, in a combined and joint operation in support of Task Force Black Knight, our Gilas conducted their first hasty river /w adi crossing in nearly half a century with elements of 2d Platoon, Bravo Company, 9th Engineers leading the way just as they did at the Remagen Bridgehead on March 7, 1945 over 66 years ago. The combined and joint Task Force executed the mission with great skill, coordinating and integrating ISAF and ANSF ground and air assets to secure the area, establish multiple fording sites and re-assemble on the far-side to continue the mission. Of note, the stalwart NCO leadership and recovery expertise efforts of the Black Knight and Gila mechanics (Callsigns Knight & Sapper Wrench) worked feverishly to winch and secure trucks and vehicles for over six hours they were the true unsung Heroes of the Day!

In closing, whether you are a spouse, parent, child, or Family member, your role in the units ability to achieve and sustain its combat readiness is vital and requires your continuous support and active participation. We remain committed to the success of the family readiness program,

for it provides us the best way to ensure the accurate and timely forwarding of information and care of our Families. This will ensure our Soldiers, Sappers, Signaleers, Collectors & Analysts and Policemen downrange remain focused on our mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XI- XII.

Again, we thank you once again for your sacrifice and support as we continue to forge ahead building Afghan sustainable institutions for security the BASIS of our mission here in Afghanistan. -- First to Cross! Blackhawks.

GILASLt. Col. Jayson C. Gilberti, 9th Engineers

Jayson C. Gilberti

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Assalamu u alaikum (as-salam-u-alay-koom), Good day peace be with you from Afghanistan. First, I would like to convey my thanks and appreciation for the immense support for the Gila Soldiers from the Families and friends back home in Germany and Stateside. I was very proud to see the strength of the Soldiers and Families as we said our final goodbyes and departed. I would also like to say thank you for giving me the opportunity and your trust to take your Family members and lead them into combat. It is a responsibility I take very serious and reflect on every day.

As you are already aware of our travel pattern, we landed in Manas to a warm welcome. It was definitely scenery we will not forget. The high mountain ranges surrounded the area with snow caps, even with the intense heat. The most significant site was seeing the mass of troops depart the aircraft with their heads high and looking well prepared and motivated to take on the mission that lied ahead. It was a 24 hour delay until we departed and arrived in Bagram Air Base (BAF) where the Task Force began to split up for our final destinations. The Task Force began to receive change of mission and task organization was altered to meet mission requirements.

During the next week the Task Force continued to receive shipped equipment, pushed units to outlying combat out post and began right seat left seat training with the outgoing unit. It has been over a month now that the Task Force has assumed authority and responsibility of operations. It has been a nonstop high OPTEMPO since assumption of authority.The Task Force Commander and I have had the opportunity to get out and see the Soldiers at FOB Sharana and COB Curry and have been impressed with the work your Soldiers have been doing. Even with some of the Soldiers being so far out without the comforts of larger FOBs, the Soldiers are still motivated and willing to take on the hard work to meet the objectives. The 504th MI Company has been nothing but impressive with their intelligence collection and analyst efforts and have already proven their value in the fight. The UAS platoon has been flying missions and preparing the new airfield for future operations. The 57th Signal Company has been sliced out all over the province and faces many challenges to keep communication and automation up across the AO. They have faced each challenge with well thought out and executed plans to enable the Brigade to function.

HHC Brigade has been combating the many challenges the Division and the subordinate units have put before them. From planning operations to all the logistical support to take care of your Soldiers.Alpha Company has been operating in partnership in conducting route clearance operations and has had major success. This success is due to the extensive training, motivation and dedication the Soldiers have. Bravo Company has taken on a remote COP and has already made vast improvement to their foxhole while conducting dismounted and mounted patrols in the mountainous region. They have already proven very valuable to the Infantry Task Force 2-28. Charlie Company is still arriving to their final destination as they will begin to operate with 5-25 FA in a Northern Province.As always, we are very proud of the Soldiers of the Gila Family and their performance. You can be proud of each Soldier for they have clearly demonstrated they are ready and willing to take on the mission with great success and prove this everyday with their hard work. ---First to Cross! Blackhawks!

GILAS

Command Sgt. Maj. Jason W. Stewart, 9th Engineers

Jason W. Stewart

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THE END OF THE WORLD: EXTINCTION AND THE REEMERGENCE OF LIFE

George Orwell, 1984

What happens to memory when the world comes to an end? In Cormac Mccarthys Pullitzer-prize winning novel The Road, a man and his son travel post-apocalyptic America in search of beauty and purity; elements, they are to find, that no longer exist in a violence-ravaged world. The boy, born after the destruction of humanity at the hands of its own, knows nothing of peace, of a world of altru-ism and acceptance. The Red Queen Effect has replaced our materialistic existence with a biblical fury, perhaps the unavoidable, natural circumstance of man at his end. The father is simply unable to explain to his son what the world was like before the onset of its trenchant, terrifying state. Life before the nuclear holocaust, he realizes, exists only in the minds of those who inhabited it. Thus, at the end of the world, the world no longer exists. Reflecting on his inability to explain the past to his son, the father resigns himself to the following conclusion:The frailty of everything revealed at last. Old and troubling issues resolved into nothingness and night. The last instance of a thing takes the class with it. Turns out the light and is gone. Look around you. Ever is a long time. But the boy knew what he knew. That ever is no time at all.So it is with the children of Afghanistan. Anyone here younger than thirty knows nothing of peace,

nothing of the time when Loya Paktia was a lush agricultural society that actually exported its excess food to Southeast Asia.The image, now sewn into the American collective as part of Afghanistans narrative, of a permanently dysfunctional state, is not factual. It is true, how-ever, to those to whom the past does not exist.The mainstream medias reporting of Afghanistan is a real-life manifestation of Platos Allegory of the Cave; the shadows of that which we have never seen establish the most penetrating kind of reality we know.Anyone here born after October 7th, 2001 knows nothing of a time before the road networks of Mata Khan were patrolled by Americans in green uniforms, body armor, sunglasses, gloves, helmets. Robotic constructs of man armed with rifles to protect the villagers from the unspeakable.From the earliest moment of the cognitive memo-ries of most Paktikans, violence, depravity, and evil were their reality. For the elders of Paktika province, the past represents an unavoidable conundrum: even though memory connects them to beauty and goodness, it only reminds them that those things no longer exist.

Tragedy, he perceived, belonged to the ancient time.Battlecry 45

George Orwell, 1984

nothing of the time when Loya Paktia was a lush agricultural society that actually exported its excess food to Southeast Asia.The image, now sewn into the American collective as part of Afghanistans narrative, of a permanently dysfunctional state, is not factual. It is true, how-ever, to those to whom the past does not exist.The mainstream medias reporting of Afghanistan is a real-life manifestation of Platos Allegory of the Cave; the shadows of that which we have never seen establish the most penetrating kind of reality we know.Anyone here born after October 7th, 2001 knows nothing of a time before the road networks of Mata Khan were patrolled by Americans in green uniforms, body armor, sunglasses, gloves, helmets. Robotic constructs of man armed with rifles to protect the villagers from the unspeakable.From the earliest moment of the cognitive memo-ries of most Paktikans, violence, depravity, and evil were their reality. For the elders of Paktika province, the past represents an unavoidable conundrum: even though memory connects them to beauty and goodness, it only reminds them that those things no longer exist.

Tragedy, he perceived, belonged to the ancient time.Battlecry 46

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Every day out here the population gets a vote. They can either choose the insurgents or they can choose us. They must choose us. We must win. -Lt. Col. John V. Meyer III

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The Black Talons are thankful for your thoughts and prayers as we transitioned from Bavaria, Germany to Paktika Province, Afghanistan. From my fox hole, I think the Relief in Place and Tranfer of Authority with the 801st Brigade Support Battalion from Fort Campbell went very well. We officially took over the responsibility of sustaining all forces in our area on 3 AUG, but weve had elements of our great team on the ground since 1 JUL and have been fully operational since 25 JUL. Our Soldiers are doing amazing things and have not missed a beat despite the robust logistical and medical challenges that the mission here presents. I recently heard a General Officer here say, There is no harder place in the world to practice sustainment. I agree. Task Force Black Talons is full of Soldiers that have brought honor to our nation by deploying into a combat zone and setting their minds to achieve our three lines of effort: First, we will sustain the force; this is why the support battalion exists. Our commitment to support is best expressed by the words of former President Bush, We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Our second line of effort is to partner with the Afghan 5th Kandak (Battalion), 2nd Brigade, 203rd Corps. We will work together to improve capacity and sustain all Afghan security forces in the province. Before our tours end, every Black Talon Soldier will participate in our historic partnership- because we all have talents that we can offer and build friendships that can make the bonds with our Afghan counterparts stronger. Our 3rd and final line of effort is simply to tell our story to help our leaders and the American people, including our dear

BlackTalonsLt. Col. Brad Eungard , 172 Support

families and friends, see what we are doing here and learn about our Afghan kandak partners and their courage and progress. In all three lines of effort, we seek to work Shohna by Shohna shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan security forces. Let me close by telling you about the great things the Black Talons Soldiers are doing in support of TF Blackhawk. Since our arrival, we moved over 2,500 passengers, over 750,000 pounds of general supplies, and nearly 200,000 pounds of mail aboard contract rotary wing aircraft. Weve executed over 24 aerial delivery (parachute drops) missions with an additional 1.2-Million pounds of supplies and 7 ground resupply missions with over 872,000 gallons of fuel to the Blackhawk Team. Over 452 maintenance work orders have been completed which has allowed us to maintain our mission essential equipment. Lastly keeping our Soldiers healthy and mission ready our Medical Treatment Facility has seen over 1,560 patients. I am extremely proud of each Black Talon in the ranks.CSM Burton and I want to share our genuine appreciation for all the Black Talon families that continue to represent the strength of our unit. We could not have accomplished all we have done without your support, thoughts and prayers.

Brad Eungard

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BlackTalons

Command Sgt. Maj. Terry Burton, 172 Support

On the 3rd of August 2011, we officially took control and authority of our mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12. We are continuing the partnership with our fellow Afghan comrades, lead by our TF Commanders vision.Task Force Black Talons and Black Talon Family members, as always I must thank you and the families for what you do for our Task Force, the Army, and our community back home. I am so blessed to have the honor and privilege to be your Task Force Command Sergeant Major. While making my rounds either on foot, through air, or by convoy; checking on the morale, welfare, safety, spiritual, physical, and mental health of the organization, I am continually impressed by the TF Black Talon Soldiers and Leaders. I am always amazed by the dedication and sacrifices the Soldiers give through their duty and honor for our country and still maintain a focus to care and communicate with their families while in harms way. Much of the success that we have achieved from the start can be attributed to the 801ST BSB

of the 4th BCT, 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, KY. Their command leadership and team have most definitely laid out the blue print and a foundation for us to build upon. Therefore the sky is the limit for our warriors, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters here in Afghanistan.Our Black Talon Soldiers strive everyday to live The Seven Army Values and practice our four Warrior Ethos. Our Task Force is building a great reputation we are filled with honorable Soldiers and supportive and loving family back home it is truly amazing to observe the type of first class sustainment support that the Black Talon Soldiers provide to the War fighters.

The Black Talons play a large role in Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12 as we build our partnerships and relationships with the Afghanistan Army. Our partnership is increasing their training capability and quality of life for the Afghanistan Soldiers and their Army. As the CSM for this battalion that is a privilege and not a right. So, if I had not been given a chance to deploy with this prestigious Brigade, I myself would not personally have seen the true impression

that our organization is leaving on this country and its Army. The hard work our Soldiers are putting into this operation is history in the making our future children will read about them one day!

Terry Burton

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Soldiers from Apache Company 2-28, 3-66 Armor, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk fire 120mm mortar for distance adjustment at Combat Out Post Mata Khan Aug 31. (Photo by Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times)

Catching theexplosion

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Long distance relationships are never easy and are always riddled with challenges. When you are thousands of miles away and you want to be able to express your genuine love to your spouse, significant other or kids, it is complicated and takes real work and constant effort. Most people separated by deployment think that the only thing they can really do is to say I love you when talking and to write I love you when sending an email or letter. But is that really the only thing you can do?In the book, The Five Love Languages, Dr. Gary Chapman, author, has, identified five primary ways, which he calls languages, that people express and receive love in a close relationship. The five methods are Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Gifts, Quality Time and Physical Touch. Let me provide a brief description of each here. For a fuller understanding please get the book. If you would like a copy of the book, please see your unit or rear detachment chaplain. He or she will be more than happy to get one to you.Words of Affirmation are for those people who like and need to be verbally affirmed. They like to hear they did a good job and they like to be told things that are designed to build them up. Acts of Service is the conduct of actions designed to show love. These actions may consist of simply doing things around the house to assist the one you love. Gifts are just as the name implies, the giving of items in the forms of gifts to express your love for another. They can be large or small gifts. Quality Time is being able to spend dedicated and protected time with the one you care about doing this such as just being together to talking or enjoying a mutual activity. Physical Touch is giving the full range of physical touch to the one you love in a wayChapman says that all people primarily like to receive love in one of these five languages, and conversely they like to express love in the same love languages. The goal for all relationships is to learn how to speak the other persons love language. Learning to speak your spouses or significant others love language when you are together takes discipline, but it is not hard. Learning to speak his/her love language when

you are apart takes creativity and motivation. Not all love languages can be fully expressed while apart. This is especially true for physical touch and quality time.I have this conviction in my soul that I have a fundamental obligation to be the best husband to my wife and the best father to my children every day of the year whether I am in their presence or half way around the world. Deployment never changes my obligation to my family in terms of meeting their needs. If anything I have an obligation to work even harder to shrink the distance to the greatest degree I can. Please do not get me wrong; there is no way that I will minimize all the difficulties of meeting my familys emotional needs while we are separated by deployment. At the same time, I cannot neglect my responsibilities while I am deployed. I have figured out my wifes love language is touch. Her secondary love language is quality time. If you are reading this and you know her, please give her a hug from me. On the surface it would seem I am stuck on this one. There is just not that much that I can do, right? Well, no. There are still things I can do to express my love to her in a way that fills her.

One thing that we do is a pillow exchange. We each sleep with a pillow for a few days and then mail it to the other. This way we can touch and smell something that the other touched and used. Touch is not my primary love language, but I really enjoyed sleeping on the pillow she sent me. It was very comforting to enjoy the smell of my wife. I was surprised by how comforted I felt from it. Additionally, I try to express things to my wife that communicate touch. So, one of the things that I would do to express that to her is create a slide show that uses pictures of touch. Usually I find pictures of animals in cute poses together or things of that nature. On each slide, I include some type of caption that expresses my love and a desire to be near to her. It does not replace the touch, but it frees the mind to roam and think of those times we have been able to embrace one another. It is not much, but she lets me know that it does help, and she

Communicating

MAJ (CH) KEVIN FORRESTER

LOVEFrom Afar

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does appreciate it. As for her quality time needs, again there is only so much I can do. One thing I try to do is to start each morning and end each day with a quick email. I try to let her know several times a day she is on my mind even if it is a three-word note. I have skyped a few times so far, but on that one I am convinced that there is such a thing as too much exposure while deployed. I believe caution is required when trying to decide how much to call or Skype. There must be a sustainable balance and each familys situation is different.My son is also a touch kind of person. I could send him a picture of a cute dog and cat snuggled up together, but that would hardly meet his need. He is a boy in every sense of the word. We have created some really wonderful games t I cannot honor those special gamess while deployed. However, I can meet the intent of these days because these days and others we have are all about physical touch and laughter. Though I cannot make him laugh through touch, I can make him laugh through other means. One of the things I do for him is send him the link to some funny video clips online. I am extremely careful in what I send him. My favorite that I know makes him laugh is some of Mr. Beans clips. They

are clean; they are fun; and he enjoys them. They make him laugh. Even though he is not laughing because of me tickling him, he is still laughing because I sent him something that makes him laugh. He responds very well to it, and I enjoy knowing I helped him laugh.My daughter is the easy one in the family. Her love language is gifts. Every time I receive a box from home, it is full of

pictures or other crafts that she has included as gifts for me. All I need to do for her is send her the occasional gift, and she is feeling loved and affirmed.

I do not always spend money on the gifts that I send her. One of the things she really wants is to get a horse when we get

There is no such thing as a day off in marriage

back to the states. She took riding lessons while we were in Schweinfurt and has really fallen in love with horses. So one thing I do for her is make slide shows with horses. She really wants a palomino horse because I had one as a teen. It does not take much time to make a slide show with all different palomino horses on it. It is a gift she can keep enjoying. I do buy

her some gifts as well. The trick is finding the balance. You may now know more than you ever wanted to know, but that is not really my aim here. My desire is that you will be able to take some of the things I have shared and think of creative ways to share your love with your loved ones from

whom you are separated. Again, I remind you that if we have those we love, we have obligations to continuously share our love and do all that we can to meet their needs. The idea is to do so in a regular way and to have some fun with it as well. Creativity counts.

I have not touched on two love languages because they do not reflect my family. Let me quickly mention them here. Words of Affirmation is not a difficult one to meet because cards, letters, emails and Skype can all meet that need. However, it is important to use plenty of words that

build up and edify with the one who has this love language.Acts of Service really will take a level of creativity. If my wife were Acts of ServiceI could do things like arrange for a friend or neighbor to watch the kids so she could go have some me time and do things that she wants to do. I could set things up for her to get the royal treatment at the local spa or I could hire the neighbor to mow the grass instead of her doing it.The goal is to find things that are meaningful to her. If it is not something she would like, I have missed the mark. I also acknowledge that I have more opportunities to arrange for a service for her than she does for me. Still creativity counts so be creative.Separation from loved ones is made more bearable when I work to meet their real needs for love and affection from afar. There is no such thing as a day off in marriage and there is likewise no such thing as a day off in parenting. I have obligations to my family, and in truth, they have obligations to me. It is important that each of us is working to express our love and meet one anothers very real emotional needs.

Battlecry 55

I have a fundamental obligation to be the best husband to my wife and the best father to my children

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In conjunction with the Afghanistan Justice Sector Support Program (JSSP), the government of Paktika, Afghanistan, held a provincial justice conference at the governors compound bringing district, provincial, and national justice system experts together to expand rule of law within Paktikas districts.On Sept. 12 and 13, the government presented more than 160 delegates from 19 districts, with information and discussion on policing tactics, prosecution of crimes, court procedures and human rights. We must get this right, we must bring justice to the people of this province, said Moheebullah Samim, governor of Paktika. We have an Afghan constitution, now we must bring rule of law to our constituents.The conference was an overwhelming success, with representatives from the Afghanistan Ministry of Interior, Justice Department, and Appeals Court attending from Kabul and every district sub-governor in Paktika present, a significant measure given the nearly impassable terrain throughout the province.

The Americans gave us great support, but their time is running out, Judge Abdull Hakim, Paktikas chief justice told the crowd. For Afghanistan to succeed we must do this and we must do this on our own. The Afghan legal system is simultaneously complex and rudimentary, with a series of encumbrances, both natural and manmade, limiting access to justice citizens in rural, impoverished, and largely mountainous areas such as Paktika. Effective governance has never been established in the isolated villages of eastern Paktika. Rather, these villages have had a tribal system of justice, an outgrowth of Islamic sharia law, operating effectively for thousands of years. Tribal elders, respected for their wisdom and experience, rendered decisions on matters in dispute.The law of huquq formalizes this system, bridging the gap between formal and informal, and brings tribal conflict resolution into the provincial

government. Since taking office in April 2010, the provincial government of Paktika has focused on evolving both the traditional, tribal rule-of-law system and the formal, governmental judicial program. With shuras focused on both systems, the government is slowly expanding the rule of law to all districts. This conference is an example of a positive step forward, as both tribal elders and formal governmental appointees attended and discussed a way forward.When Americans talk about Afghanistan, they will not define us by failure, said Shah Wali Khan, Paktika provincial National Directorate of Services. We can do this and we will.

Joe Buccino, TF Blackhawk

Paktika government hosts justice conference

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LEFT PHOTO:PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AfghanistanMoheebullah Samim, the governor for Paktika province, addresses more than 140 representatives from 19 districts across Paktika province at a two-day provincial rule of law conference, in Sharana Sept. 12. The Paktika provincial government planned, organized and executed a two-day provincial rule-of-law conference focused on application of the Afghan constitution.

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AfghanistanTribal elders from across Paktika province listen as the provincial attorney general discusses rule of law, in a small group discussion, at a two-day provincial rule of law conference in Sharana Sept. 12. The Paktika provincial government planned, organized, and executed a two-day provincial rule-of-law conference focused on application of

When Americans talk about Afghanistan, they will not define us by failureBattlecry 60

S oldiers from Apache Company 2-28, 3-66 Armor, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk patrol the

Afgan town of Sar Howza Aug 28. Photo by Kuni Takahashi

for The New York Times)

In The Reflection

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In The Reflection

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For the vast majority of Americans the War on Terror is a decade old and a world away, but for the Soldiers living and fighting on Forward Operating Base Tillman, a small fortress etched into a high mountain valley near the Pakistan border, it is on their doorstep every minute of the day, every day.

At FOB Tillman the enemy is never far away hidden among the rifts and crumbling peaks of the broken terrain that surround it on all sides. Once, twice, sometimes five or more times a day they make their presence known by firing rocket propelled grenades toward the base. Then they disappear back into the wilderness. Then the Soldiers of FOB Tillman go looking for them.

On Sept. 7, three platoons of Soldiers from C Company, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, Task Force 2-28, 172nd Infantry Brigade, along with dozens of their brothers in arms in the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Patrol stepped outside the wire to find bad guys once again.

The destination was a small observation post six miles out. Established by coalition forces on the Eastern shoulder of a mountain nicknamed Big Nasty that rises 1500 steep, scree-infested feet off the valley floor, the OP had been manned only sporadically for some time, allowing insurgents to use it as a point of origin for several rocket propelled grenade attacks. The American/Afghan warfighters were to put a stop to that nonsense.

The area around Big Nasty is known to be some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth to navigate by footCharlie company avoids the few existening foot trails and take the rough ground, shouldering over 100 pounds of body armour, weapons, ammunition, water and other supplies.

All the weight makes you feel like

Robocop when you walk, said Spc. Ryan Debellis, a Radio Telephone Operator for TF 2-28 from Tamaqua, Penn.Theres nothing light about the light infantry, quipped Staff Sgt. Gregorio Florez of Abilene, Texas, a platoon leader for TF 2-28.

The main body stepped out the gate before dawn, hiking quietly past small camps of nomadic tribesmen dotted with wagons, tractors and colourful tents. Herds of camels and sheep stamped and grunted as they filed by.

As the sun rose, the contingent passed a small picturesque village carved like green and red steps into a mountainside, connected by irrigation canals from which the pleasant sound of cascading water could be heard. Children laughed and played in the terraced fields of corn, unaware of the forces moving across the hillsides above them.

Eight hours of arduous trekking later the column paused in a dry riverbed to take water and rest before beginning their ascent up the rocky backside of Big Nasty. They dont get to rest long.

A group of insurgents, perhaps hoping to ambush the contingent as it continued upstream and then being thwarted when the entire element halted, attack with small arms fire and RPGs from behind several boulders 250 meters away.

The U.S. and Afghan teams immediately respond with a wall of bullets and mortar rounds. The entire fire fight lasts maybe five minutes. When the dust and smoke settle the attackers had fled, perhaps realizing that they had bit off a lot more than they could chew.

Afghan National Army, Afghan Border Police and U.S. Soldiers smile, slap backs and high five each other. They have been fighting this war together for years.

This mission, however, had only just begun. It would go on for another 26 brutal hours. By the time it was over the element had climbed and descended thousands of feet of elevation, endured blazing hot afternoons and spent a long frigid night on top of Big Nasty, subdued yet another small arms attack by insurgents, and put nearly twenty hard miles under their feet.

The Blacklion Soldiers and their Afghan partners took it all in stride. To them it was just another day on the job, another day outside the FOB.

The Soldiers out here are doing an outstanding job, not only for their country but for each other, said 1st Sgt. John Orbe, from Brooklyn NY., Co. C, TF 2-28. Americans may be getting complacent about the War on Terror after ten years, he said, because they dont see it on the news every day but at FOB Tillman its as real as ever.

There are [still] thousands of Soldiers putting their lives on the line out here every day from my boys on patrol doing their missions to all the Soldiers at the satellite FOBs, to the Soldiers that are back on [larger bases] kicking boxes onto aircraft to make sure weve got food, ammunition and fuel, he said.

In June of 2012 there will be another ten-year anniversary, one that wont be marked like 9/11 but that will have particular significance to all the troops, past and present, engaged in the War on Terror. June 2002 was the month Pat Tillman the FOBs namesake - gave up a career in the NFL and joined the Army instantly becoming an American icon.One cant help but believe he would be proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with his fellow American heroes who continue to sacrifice and sweat it out across the foreign landscapes of Afghanistan to keep his principles alive and finish the fight.

Spirit and Sacrifice Live on at FOB Tillman

RIGHT PHOTO:PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan Members of Company C, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, Task Force 2-28, 172nd Infantry Brigade patrol outside Forward Operating Base Tillman as the sun rises Sept. 7. LEFT PHOTO:PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan Members of C Company, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, Task Force 2-28, 172nd Infantry Brigade begin their decent from the summit of Big Nasty Sept. 7. The unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Police in the mountains near the Pakistan border.

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Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan U.S. Army sniper Spc. James Wanser from Los Angeles, Cali. watches over members of his unit, C Company, 3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, Task Force 2-28, 172nd Infantry Brigade as they tend to a Soldier who injured his knee (lower left). The unit was on a joint mission with the Afghan National Army and the Afghan Border Police into the mountains outside Forward Operating Base Tillman.

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PAKTIKA PROVINCE--An Afghan Child watches Blackhawk Soldiers as they patrol the city of Sar Howza Aug. 19.

RunningWildSgt. Charles Crail, 2-28 Infantry

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Covering a mountainous combat zone the size of Connecticut and crisscrossed by pockets of insurgent activity, the enlisted leadership of 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk have adopted a novel approach, along with other battalions within the brigade, in how they are conducting the monthly promotion board here.Piggybacking on technology used to conduct battle update briefs and planning for operations, the Black Lions have put technology to use to counter the challenges of distance and danger to reach the Soldiers at combat outposts. Since we are separated over great distances and out at the COPs we cant realistically pull large groups of Soldiers off the line at one time, said Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Cornelison, senior enlisted advisor for 2-28 Infantry so we decided to conduct the board over Adobe Breeze.3rd Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment Black Knights is also utlizing the same technology for promotion boards.

Each month the command will bring a different group of first sergeants in from the outlying combat outposts to sit in on the virtual board at the battalion headquarters, Cornelison said, allowing Soldiers to continue manning security and conducting missions, but still having the opportunity to be promoted. We incorporated a photo of them so we can see who we are talking to, Cornelison said, and it worked pretty good.Facing senior non-commissioned officers virtually over the Internet presents its own unique set of challenges. The distance and connectivity issues, Cornelison said, we have connectivity issues through every system we have. So we started with the Breeze, then went to the secure phones and back and forth and we worked it out. All the members of the board got a good chance to get a feel for every candidate out there regardless.Body language is an important aspect of communicating leadership potential at the board that is of course missing when

conducted virtually. To counter this, the board members would ask questions designed to make the Soldiers think and display their mental agility in untraditional ways. If you were made first sergeant of a mechanized infantry company today, what would be your nickname, asked 1st Sgt. Richard Mitchell of Spc. Zacharyh Zenefski.I would be called top, first sergeant, Zenefski answered quickly and confidently.

Wrong! You would be ZZ-Top! Get used to it, Mitchell quipped back to a roar of laughter at the other end of the line. After dismissing Zenefski, Mitchell commented to the Soldiers first sergeant, 1st Sgt. John Orbe, that he was a sharp kid and did great. Orbe responded that had Mitchell been there in person, he would have seen the Soldier shaking like a leaf. When the bullets start flying, and RPGs are exploding, Mitchell explained, the fog of battle quickly adds to the confusion. If there can be just that one

leader there who stays calm, who understands their fear and can overcome it, that added calmness in the face of battle can help bring down the tension a notch, Mitchell continued. The Soldiers feed off this, it is a key aspect of a leader in combat.Raising the stress level at the board, Mitchell said, gives the members of the board a good snapshot into not only how the candidates perform under pressure but also how well they will continue to think under the pressure of leadership in combat.Of the twenty-three Soldiers who went before the board this month, twenty displayed the confidence needed to take their career and leadership to the next level.

TF Blackhawk uses teleconferencing to host remote promotion board

BANDWITH ON THE BATTLEFIELD

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AfghanistanSgt. Benjamin Harvey, infantryman with 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment,172nd

Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk, answers promotion board questions over virtual teleconference

from his remote combat outpost in the mountains of eastern Paktika Province,

Afghanistan.

Sgt. Charles Crail, 2-28 Infantry

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youressentials

ANA lends a helping hand to stuck SoldiersPAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan-- Afghan National Army soldiers help dig out a stuck Paktika Provincial Reconsctruction Team vehicle Aug. 14 . The PRT was on patrol in Eastern Paktika province when the vehicle sunk into the shoulder of the road.

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Battlecry 68

Manning the Big Guns

Ten years ago U.S. Army Pvt. 1st Class Erik Park was 12 years old, growing up in San Mateo, California. When his father told him one September morning that the World Trade Center had gone down, he only had one response. Whats the World Trade Center?Today, a decade after 9/11, Park a 2007 graduate of Alma Heights Chris-tian Academy fights in the War on Terror from Forward Operating Base Orgun-E, a small walled-in fortress dug into an isolated high-mountain valley in eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. The only way in or out is by helicopter, or a 35-mile dirt road to the next-nearest base that takes 18 to 24 hours to navi-gate. One would be hard pressed to find

a place further away from San Mateo in distance or terrain. Even the atmosphere hanging overhead is different, the elevation is a mile and a half above sea level so the air is thin - and that suits Park just fine. Thin air means less resistance against projectiles that fly through the atmosphere to their target.Park - a member of 3rd Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artil-lery Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade is the number one man on a team that operates a massive M-777A2 155mm howitzer. All members of the team are numbered according to their specific job and have synchronized tasks that have to be executed with precision, echoing cannon teams throughout history, par-ticularly British Naval teams from the Napoleonic Wars.

Parks job is to help load, elevate, and aim the triple seven, then pull the lanyard that ignites the charge. In short hes the triggerman.The feeling of being on the gun line with my friends and with my chief is exciting, said Park, explaining that one of the main functions of the Howitzer teams is to react quickly to indirect fire rocket propelled grenades or other ex-plosives that are indiscriminately lobbed at the base by insurgents in the hopes of hitting something. This means they are on call 24/7 for the entire year they will spend on Orgun-E. 3rd Platoon can return fire immediately after the attack begins, often returning fire before the attack is over.When everyone else is in the bunkers, my guys are at the guns, said 3rd

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Manning the Big Guns Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPAD

Platoon leader Capt. Anthony Pearson of Findley, Ohio.The triple seven is a 9,000-pound solid steel goliath that is so well balanced when the barrel is down that its crew can easily rotate it on its two wheels like an I-beam on a Seqway scooter. Once it has been set, however, it is a monster that can launch its engine block-sized rounds over mountains with deadly accuracy.We take everything into account [when aiming], said Pearson. From the wind speeds and directions at different altitudes and the spinning of the round, to the rotation of the Earth.Just as the naval cannons of the Napole-onic wars would blow the wooden walls of enemy ships into millions of pieces of shrapnel, a round from a triple seven will shred everything within 50 meters of its

strike rocks, dirt, trees, vehicles - into a shock wave of deadly projectiles.After only one month at Orgun-E, Park and his team have already sent plenty of rounds over the mountains to wreak havoc on enemy positions.These guys are hungry, said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Powell, the howitzer section chief. They always want to fire. Its a good thing.One month in to his one-year deploy-ment Park is introspective about his mis-sion here, in a war that was started when he wasnt even old enough to know or care what the World Trade Center was.Im glad Ive been to Afghanistan, so I know how it feels, he said. Im glad I can be here to protect people.Hes a good soldier. Hes squared away and dependable. I can see him being a

gun chief some day, said the sections gunner, Sgt.Carl Ellebb.With the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 only a few days away, Park has simpler goals.I just want the people back home to know were still out here fighting for our country.

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PAKTIKA PROVINCE-- A Soldier from Apache Company 2-28, Task Force 3-66, 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade, Task Force Blackhawk, uses his sight to look at a suspicious object in the distance while on patrol. Photo by Kuni Takahashi for The New York Times)

Scanning TheHorizon

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Sgt. Jeremy Truelove is teaching Afghan soldiers everything he knows about vehicle repairs. His goal - work himself out of a job so that he and his fellow American service members dont have to come back to Afghanistan.

Truelove, from Quapaw, Okla., is the maintenance shop foreman at Forward Operating Base Tillman. A veteran of two tours in Iraq and now one in Afghanistan, he is instructing an advanced individual training course for his Afghan National Army partners so they can keep their vehicles running without him.

Its been challenging, said Truelove, because most of the soldiers the ANA have been sending him have no prior experience in auto mechanics. The ANA guys they send here are just drivers, theyre not mechanics so Im teaching them everything about the trucks, he said. Working with the ANA has its challenges, particularly with consistent training attendance, said Truelove, but it is also rewarding. There is a good-sized group that have been attending consistently, he said, and those soldiers are acquiring skills rapidly.

Theyre getting pretty proficient. We still have to walk them through a little bit, but if the ANA keep sending the same guys, theyre going to get pretty good. If I can get the [Afghan Border Police] to keep the same guys coming theyll get really good too.

Trueloves course is just one of several training courses the U.S. Soldiers of FOB Tillman have

arranged for their Afghan comrades.

A few hundred feet away, on the other side of one of the hundreds of Hesco barriers here, Sgt. Kane Strait from Lake Elsinore, Calif., teaches ANA and ABP personnel how to be medical first responders.

The ones that complete his three-week class receive combat lifesaver course certificates, just like U.S. Soldiers do. Once enough of them have been certified, he said, it will only be a matter of getting their supply lines running smoothly and they wont need American help at all.

Were going to hook them up with things like CLS bags so theyll have everything they need once they dont have us here, said Strait.

After that, he said, its up to them to wean themselves off the U.S. support system.

For their part, the ANA and ABP soldiers say they enjoy the classes.

We have good conversations, said Sayab Kahn, an ANA soldier in one of Trueloves mechanics classes. These are good guys especially Sgt. Truelove.

The ANA does teach first aid, said Ikram Ud Din, an ANA soldier in one of Straits first aid classes. But it is only in a strict classroom environment. Its not hands-on like we do here.

The partnership training at FOB Tillman supports the goal of making the Afghan National Security Forces self-reliant and able to perform the necessary functions to operate independently as professional organizations.

The U.S. is doing our part, teaching these guys to be self efficient so that when we leave here we dont have to come back. It should be a one shot, one kill-type deal, said Truelove.

With the support and instruction from the Soldiers at FOB Tillman, the Aghan National Security Forces here are making progress through hands-on, performance-based training.

Combat support training key to ANA success

Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPADBattlecry 73

Spc. Ken Scar, 7th MPADBattlecry 74

INCOMING!1-77 FA continues to work with the Soldiers and leaders of the D-30 Battery, 4th Kandak, 2nd Bde, 203rd Corps as they calculate and process fire missions for accuracy. The Falcons First work with their Afghan brethren on fire mission processing, fire mission crew drills, and observer target plotting. Combat in eastern Afghanistan is about four things: high ground, population support, air assets, and indirect fire. If we can develop the capacity for lethal, timely fires before we leave, the Haqqani network will have a hell of a time getting a foothold in Afghanistan after 2014.

It is with great honor and pride that we display this banner in our front yard. The outpouring of sup-port from our neighbors and those passing through and seeing the banner has been tremendous. For-tunately we live in an area of the country where pride for our military and their mission is bountiful! No HOA rules here, just proud Americans ready to offer their love and support to our countries finest! God Bless the 172nd as they begin their deployment and God Bless our country and all the hero's who have served and are serving! Jay and Dianne Voss

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It is with great honor and pride that we display this banner in our front yard. The outpouring of sup-port from our neighbors and those passing through and seeing the banner has been tremendous. For-tunately we live in an area of the country where pride for our military and their mission is bountiful! No HOA rules here, just proud Americans ready to offer their love and support to our countries finest! God Bless the 172nd as they begin their deployment and God Bless our country and all the hero's who have served and are serving! Jay and Dianne Voss

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Stay safe honey-im proud of you! I love you, Janine |PFC Morgan, BrandonWe are so proud of you and all that you do for us! We love and miss you very much! Stay safe SGT PENTON I miss you and Im proud of you! Cant wait till you are back home again! Stay safe! I love you more, Debora | Ssg greening!!! We are so very proud you! Miss you tons and love you to the moon and back! Stay safe and keep your spirits up. | We love and miss you here in Texas. Your in our hearts, prayers and thoughts every minute of every day. I love you boyo. Mom | SPC Jonathan Dold we are so proud of you and miss you very much! Come home safe and soon! We love you past the moon, Juliet and Braeden Dold | PFC Beau, I love you with all my heart. Our family, friends and I are very proud of you. I miss you. One day closer. Be safe and please write. Love, Steph.

your family so proud! You are truly an inspiration. We all miss you... Josh says an extra prayer for you everynight! Stay safe and remember to stay in touch... Love you, dad. | Hey Griffin: Daddy and I love you and miss you. I will send you a care package soon with some snack food. Be glad when you can call us. | SPF Eric ....we are so proud of you. You are in our thoughts and prayers nonstop. We love you so much and miss you tons. Mom, Rick, And baby sisters. | PFC Joseph Guzaj, Im so proud of you honey; keep your chin up & smile. See you soon, stay safe & take care. I love you & miss you. XOXO CATHY G.| 2LT Boothe I have loved you for 11 years now. You being deployed will never change that. It only makes me love you more. The girls and I miss you and cant wait to have you home. We are so proud of you. You will always be our hero. You are amazing. With all our love, Stephanie, Sage, Reegan and Lucy (aka our dog.) | PFC DEHART, I love you and am counting down the days for your arrival. Taya and Ezra are screaming how much they Love you and wants you home soon. Yours, Mrs. De | Aidan Hammond, you are the best! So very proud of you and think of you all the time. Stay safe and close to God. Love you tons. Hugs, Gma | Sam- We are all very proud of you! Love, Mom, Dad, and Joe | SPC Temple, your family and your fianc are so proud of you. You are always in my thoughts. Take care of yourself and come home safe to us. Love, Kenzie | Hi Aidan. Just wanted to let you know how proud we are of you and that we are praying for Gods light of pro-tection over you. Love you, IE and Bob | PFC Althouse, as the journey begins always remember you have mom and dad, along with many others who love you and will be praying for you. We are so proud of you and what you are doing | SPC Matt Peyton. We love and miss u a lot! Go Hawks! | Cookie Ventura. Dad and I are so very proud of you. Miss You. Be Safe, God Bless and See you all later:) | Hello my dear, PFC THURMAN, I love you so much. Your pigs and I miss you a lot. We are all praying for you! Love, Kari

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AfghanistanSunlight shines through

the open turret while a Spc. Sebastian Gomez, PRT Paktika

Security Forces team member, TF Blackhawk keeps an eye on his

surroundings during a convey in eastern Afghanistan Aug 14.

Light Shines Through

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Light Shines Through

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PFC COFFEY I am so proud of you! Stay safe and cant wait for you to come home! I love you!-Youre wife | SGT Luckenbach we are so proud of you! You are a wonderful husband and father! Stay safe love. XOXO Ashleigh and Elijah | PFC. Brent, I love you & miss you so much! We are all here waiting for you & cannot wait for you to be home safe. I love you, my hero, my soldier, my hus-band. Love Amy

everyday and counting down! Stay safe and well stay strong. Love, Melissa, Audrey, and Rocco XOXO | Pfc Garcia, a BIG hello from your little family in sunny Cali. You know we love.. Always have, always will. GOD be with you Always! | To PFC Cavins, I am so proud of you babe! You mean the world to me and even though it gets rough sometimes, I wouldnt have our life any other way. I love and miss you. Forever & Always Rachael | SSG DEFAN..pls be safe and our prayers are with you and your guys.we miss you so much.come home soon.gubadagem boor!melly&aly | PFC Mazzoni, Your wife and daughter are so proud of you baby! Your such an amazing husband, father, and soldier! We love you and cant wait for you to come home! SPC Taschke, I love you and am so proud of you!! I miss you and pray everyday for your safe return!! We love you daddy,we cant wait till you are home. Xoxo Love,All your Girls | SGT Santiago!!! Kilani and Nando say I love you daddy! Stay safe! Hugs & kisses! | SSG Anthony We are so proud of you and know you are doing an amazing job! We miss you very much and cant wait till we will be united again! Stay safe and we love you! Hurry home Sabrina, Isaiah and Kaylah | SPC Andrew Nash, we are so proud of you! Thank you for the sacrifices you are making! Stay safe! Love, Chelsea, Emily and Kaleb | Pvt. Kevin-Your sister and I are very proud of you. Love you and miss you.Stay safe and keep in touch. Love, Mom | SGT TENNEY Stay safe! We are so Proud of YOU! We miss & love you so very much! Cant wait to have you in our arms again, Hurry Home! Love Amber, Madison, Hannah & Jacob xoxo | Shout out to PFC Gabriel Andra-de from your Bebebo and your sons! We are so proud of you and the boys and I miss you very much!! Everyone back home is very proud of you to and say Hello. Please dont forget to write and send us videos! The boys will love that. So please take care of yourself and be safe! See you soon my love! | Sgt. Shay Lomas, My heart is yours, Its you that I hold on to, Thats what I do...I saw Sparks