The Red Warrior Path

May 2015

Volume 3, Issue 2

1 S T B AT TA L I O N 1 2 T H I N FA N T RY R E G I M E N T

Red Warriors On The Move

http://www.facebook.com/one.twelve.infantry
one.twelve.infantry/info

Page 2

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Command Team Update

by LTC Michael S. Avey and CSM Steven A. Brown

Pinon
Canyon will
be a great
training

opportunity
for our
Soldiers

LTC Michael S. Avey

Battalion Commander

Greetings Red Warrior Families

and friends!
Spring is upon us and the Red
Warriors are as busy as ever! In
just a short time since the last
newsletter, there have been numerous changes. It has been
known for a while that the Battalion would be supporting Cadet Summer Training (CST) at
Fort Knox, KY. The requirement has increased a bit as we
send more Soldiers than expected. The reason behind the
change is that another unit currently supporting CST will be

deploying much earlier than

expected. The Red Warriors
have taken the change well and
are already in execution mode!
With help from across the Battalion, several members made
the deployment for 2-12IN a
reality. Six Rail Load teams, 4
platoons, and the distribution
platoon spent three days loading
rail cars full of vehicles and
equipment without incident.
This may not seem like a big
deal, but deployment operations
are fairly dangerous and when
something goes wrong, it usually
goes very wrong. On top of the
normal hazards, the Soldiers
braved high winds, rain, thunderstorms, and hail!
Several Soldiers, to include the
Battalion Staff, will deploy to
Pinyon Canyon for about two
and a half weeks to assist
1Stryker Brigade Combat Team
(SBCT) with their brigade level
exercise OPERATION
RAIDER FOCUS. The battalion has the responsibility to
evaluate several of the 1SBCT
units to prepare them for a
pending rotation to the National

CSM Steven A. Brown

Battalion CSM

Training Center this fall. This

will be a great training opportunity for our Soldiers as we will
be testing and validating several
of our systems that we will utilizing later this summer when
our training is in full swing.
Lets take an opportunity to
congratulate several Red Warriors for their outstanding individual accomplishments. SFC Choay was the only Infantryman in
the entire 4th Infantry Division
to be selected for promotion to
Master Sergeant. He will be assuming responsibility of Black-

LTC Avey leads the officers of 1-12 through a grueling PT session

THE RED WARRIOR PATH is published by 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment for the families and friends of Red Warrior Soldiers. 1-12 Infantry
is part of Task Force War Horse (2 IBCT, 4 ID). Contents of THE RED WARRIOR PATH are not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the
U.S. Government or Department of Defense. Please send all questions or comments to SGT Seth Price at seth.a.price7.mil@mail.mil.
ON THE FRONT COVER: Arrowhead Company finishes a 10 mile tacticle movement at the conclusion of 2 weeks of marksmanship training.

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 3

Command Team Update (continued)

by LTC Michael S. Avey and CSM Steven A. Brown
Our leaders
and Soldiers
are prepared
for the

challenges
that lie
ahead

foot Company later this summer. SGT Brown and SPC Simmons were the winners of the
April Red Warrior NCO and
Soldier of the Month Competition and went on to dominate as
the Brigade NCO and Soldier of
the Year.
As the summer approaches, we
will be sending Soldiers to various training locations across the
country. Some Soldiers will go
to Fort Sill, OK to train with a
National Guard unit. This will
be a great opportunity to get
away from Fort Carson and
accomplish some good training
while assisting the National
Guard with their training objectives. The battalion will also
have 32 leaders and numerous
soldiers go to Fort Knox for
Cadet Summer Training. This is
a critical mission and our NCOs
will be responsible for training
the next generation of Officers
to be sworn in as Army Officers

next year. The impact that our

leaders can have on the Cadets
(from various schools across the
nation) is significant. For many
of the young Cadets, this will be
their first experience with cadre
other than is what is at their
school. Looking at the various
missions we have over the next
few months, there will be limited collective training, but our
leaders and Soldiers are prepared for the challenges that lie
ahead. It may seem like we are
only supporting other units, but
there is plenty of training value
in all the mission that we are
executing as an organization. I
am sure that after block leave in
July when we start collective
training, we will be a better battalion functioning at a much
higher level of proficiency.
Red Warriors!

LTC Avey presides over the promotions of Captains Poist and Kapacinskas with their wives by their sides

Page 4

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Arrowhead CompanySharpening the Arrowhead

by CPT David Michelson and 1SG Buddy Tucker
We conducted
training and
qualification on
nearly every
weapon that the
platoon has
from M4 rifles
to Anti-tank AT4 rockets

1st Hitman Platoon,

Arrowhead Company has had a
productive Spring thus far. We
reenlisted several NCOs in the
platoon, sent Soldiers to a variety of schools and began team
training. SGT Marquise Glascoe and SSG Sam Camerano
reenlisted at the spring FRG
event at Iron Horse park. SSG
Eric Green departed for the
Armys Advanced Leader
Course at Fort Benning, SSG
James Woodham departed for
Drill Instructor school, PFC
Angel Maldonado completed
Combatives Level II and PFC
Ian Schnauder completed several courses on radio operation at
Fort Carson.
In between reenlistments and schools, the company
caught the end of the ski season
with a trip to Loveland Ski Area.
Following the ski trip, we conducted training and qualification
on nearly every weapon we employ from M4 rifles to anti-tank
AT-4 rockets. After shooting a
variety of weapons we began
training for the battle drill Enter
and Clear a Room to prepare
for future urban operations

1st Platoon Soldiers take part in a ski trip to Loveland Ski Area as part of the Warrior Adventure Quest Program for Soldiers and units in post-deployment reset

training. As part of the urban

operations training, members of
the 10th Special Forces Group
based at Fort Carson taught
several Soldiers how to safely
and effectively breach a door
utilizing tools, shotguns and
explosives as well as how to
properly detain suspects inside a
building. In the upcoming
weeks and months, Hitman
platoon will be focusing on urban operations and then transitioning to support 1st Brigades
mission in Pinon Canon as well
as Cadet Summer Training at
Fort Knox, Kentucky.

2nd Platoon, Arrowhead Company has had a busy

month full of weapons qualification, practicing battle drills, and
preparing for upcoming summer training. The biggest things
happening within the platoon,
however, stem from the Soldiers
that are PCSing and ETSing the
Army. The platoon has thus far
lost seven Soldiers from the
platoon and plan on losing another four in the very near fuSSG Dornbrook, SSG Collins, SGT Barrion, ture. Change is inherently a large
and SGT Curry receive instructions on how part of the Army culture but
to use detonation chord when building their
this unit has lost some incrediexplosive charges

ble leaders and Soldiers that

have helped to mold the platoon
and company. Some of those
Soldiers include SSG Reilly
(recruiting school), SGT Glover
(ETS), SGT Techera (PCS to
Hawaii), SGT Boles (PCS to
Hawaii) and SPC Bramlett (PCS
to Ft. Campbell). The Soldiers
prepare for a new page in the
platoons history as it looks to
rebuild the force with a completely new set of leadership and
Soldiers.
The way ahead for 2/A
is very promising though as SFC
Honaker, SGT Clark, and SGT
Ellehsohn begin training their
men for the rigors of the upcoming training to include live
fire exercises, field training exercises, NTC and deployment
early next year. Although the
Platoon may have lost good
leaders, the classes and training
conducted daily by the platoon
is a tribute to the dedication and
effort of the young leadership
stepping up to fill the shoes of
their predecessors and accomplish the mission.
(Continued on page 5)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 5

PFC Poffenberger and assistant gunner

SPC Reed at a qualification range

Arrowhead Company says its farewells to SGT Carlos Techera and SPC Kristopher Bramlett as they go off to serve the Army in bigger and better ways.

Arrowhead Companys
3rd platoon participated in many
ranges over two weeks of range
density. Weapons squads also
participated in a Battalion wide
competition in which they were
extremely successful, securing

the Companys best weapons

squad placard. M249 and
M240B gunners showed their
accuracy during the day on the
machine gun qualification range
followed with a difficult night
qualification. The platoon also

honed their marksmanship at a

Known Distance Range which
included firing at 400m targets
and using their infrared lasers at
night to acquire targets. After
many hours of training and
thousands of rounds, the platoon learned valuable skills they
will use in training on Ft. Carson
and in future deployments.
3rd Platoon has made
notable changes to the way daily
PT is conducted, consolidating
the squads for Platoon centralized PT. The results have been
exceptional with a post deployment Platoon average higher
than the other platoons, warranting the Platoon being awarded with best APFT placard. 3rd
Platoon is filled with athletes
who showed their competitive
spirit at Brigade Family Day as
well as on the volleyball court of
our latest FRG BBQ event.
3rd Platoon Arrowhead Soldiers
continue to strive for excellence
in everything they do from training to recreational activities.
Arrowhead 6 & 7

Arrowhead Company finishes a 10 mile tactical movement at the conclusion

of 2 weeks of marksmanship training.

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Page 6

Blackfoot CompanyConducting a Vital Mission

by CPT Alex Tisdall and 1SG Russell ODonnell
Soldiers gained
experience and
knowledge in
shooting targets
out to 600 meters
that will provide
vital dividends
during combat
deployments

Blackfoot Company
Soldiers, Families, and friends, I
hope this letter finds you well
and you are all enjoying the
wonderful Colorado spring
weather. Over the last month,
your Soldiers have been hard at
work preparing for upcoming
training and operations. The
main focus of this last months
training was weapons proficiency. Blackfoot Company Soldiers
conducted Close Quarters
Marksmanship, engaging targets
- both day and night - in preparation for our upcoming Battle
Drill 6 live fire training. Your
Soldiers gained experience and
knowledge in shooting targets
out to 600 meters that will provide vital dividends during combat deployments. Lastly, mem-

COL Pearl commends SGT Reeves for his bravery over the last deployment,
presenting him with his Purple Heart

bers of Blackfoot Companys

weapons squad competed in a

First Platoon Soldiers conduct MEDEVAC training scenarios, specifically training on

hoist procedures, helping both the Blackfoot Soldiers and the MEDEVAC aircrew
maintain their skills

grueling week long competition.

Weapons Squad Soldiers conducted day and night qualifications with their M240s, stress
shoots, and a demanding 10
mile ruck march with all squad
equipment. 3rd Platoons weapon squad, led by SSG Bethea,
placed first out of nine squads.
A job well done by all.
Over the last month,
Blackfoot Company has conducted vigorous training and
been hard at work, but with the
help of the Fort Carson Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation (MWR)
we were able to enjoy a day
playing paintball. The Warrior
Adventure Quest program,
sponsored by MWR, gives deploying and recently re-deployed
units the opportunity to relax
through a wide variety of activities. After several hours of
paintball, Soldiers and Families
gathered for a FRG BBQ. This
trip was a well deserved and
earned day of rest and fun.
This summer, many
Blackfoot Company Soldiers will
assist in the training of many
units. In the months ahead,
Blackfoot Company Soldiers will
(Continued on page 7)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

be entrusted in the training of

ROTC cadets at Fort Knox,
Kentucky. Their mission is vital
to the training of future leaders
in the United States Army.
While many Blackfoot Company
Soldiers will be at Ft. Knox, the
remaining Soldiers will provide
valuable training and feedback
to an Oklahoma National Guard
unit. In the coming weeks,
these Soldiers will head to Fort
Sill, Oklahoma where they will
be responsible for establishing
lanes and playing enemy combatants for the National Guard
unit to get realistic training in
preparation for future deployments.
If you are not involved
in the Blackfoot Company Family Readiness Group and are
interested please email bravo112frg@gmail.com for more
information.

Page 7

(Above) 1LT Andrew Yacovone, former Platoon Leader, B Co, 1-12IN moves to cover
during platoon vs. platoon paintball competition.
(Below) Blackfoot Soldiers return fire while conducting a round of capture the flag
during company Warrior Adventure Quest paintball trip

Blackfoot 6 & 7

(Below) A Blackfoot Soldier utilizes Individual Movement Techniques to advance on the

opposing team

Page 8

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Comanche CompanyIn Honor of Their Service

by CPT JB Brown and 1SG Joseph Gaskin
Once again,
our Comanche
Soldiers
proved to be
some of the

best shooters
in the whole
brigade!

SSG Wagner instructs Soldiers on Air Assault Cold Load Procedures on a CH-47 at Butts Army Airfield

Greetings to friends
deployment to Pinon Canyon to
ble for presenting the family of
and families of Comanche Comhelp our fellow Soldiers in 1st
fallen Soldiers with a folded flag
pany. Since our last newsletter,
Brigade prepare for their future
in honor of their service, playing
Comanche Company has been
combat deployment.
Taps on the bugle to signify
busy! Over the past month, we
that they can begin their rest,
In addition to training,
have been qualifying Soldiers on
and finally providing a firing
Comanche Company was selecttheir assigned weapon systems,
squad to render a 21 gun salute.
ed to serve as the divisions futo include: M4 Carbines, M249
The 21 gun salute is a time honneral support team. Our SolSquad Automatic Weapons,
ored tradition that can be traced
diers are responsible for serving
M240 Machine Guns, and M320
back to earliest of wars. This
as an active duty honor guard
Grenade Launchers. This is in
gesture signifies the passing of a
for active duty and retired Solpreparation for our squad and
warrior to grant them peace.
diers that request a military fuplatoon maneuver training
neral. Our Soldiers are responsiAlthough Comanche
which will occur at the end of
the year. Once
again, our Comanche Soldiers proved
to be some of the
best shooters in the
whole brigade! In
the next couple
weeks, Comanche
Company will be
going through fire
team maneuver
training to master
the basics of moving and assaulting.
Following our live
fire training, we will
begin preparations
for our upcoming
(Continued
on page 9)
C CO, 2-4 GSAB, 4th Combat Aviation BDE, instructs MEDEVAC cold load training to Comanche
Soldiers

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 9

Comanche Company on the slopes of Loveland Ski Area

Company has been hard at

work, we had an opportunity to
relax and take a ski trip to Loveland Ski Resort, on April 10th.
This event, hosted by the Morale Welfare and Recreation
office, was part of the Warrior
Adventure Quest program,
which allows Soldiers returning
from deployment to decompress
and enjoy the beautiful country
we protect. This great event
introduced many Comanche
Soldiers to a new sport and
highlighted the many opportunities the local area has to offer.
Lastly, Comanche
Company would like to issue a
warm welcome to 1SG Joe Gaskin, his wife Brenda, and their
sons Caleb and Shane as they
join the company. We are excited to have such an experienced
army family join our own!
Until the next time, Comanche
Company is Getting After It!

C CO, 2-4 GSAB, 4th Combat Aviation BDE, Instructs MEDEVAC cold load
training to Comanche Soldiers

Comanche 6 & 7
PVT Pettus, of Comanche Company, engages a 400m target with the M249 while being coached by
SFC Maldonado

Page 10

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Dog CompanyHeavy Weapons in Action

by CPT Jim Lee and 1SG Keiven Favor
The Company
conducted a
TOW Missile
range, allowing
8 gunners in the
Company the
opportunity to
fire a TOW
Missile.

Throughout April,
Dog Company has completed
numerous individual and crew
training events, as well as undergone numerous leadership
changes. The Company conducted a Section PT Competition, which 3rd Platoon won.
Following the competition, the
Company held a FRG barbecue
in the Delta Company COF.
The following week, the Company conducted a TOW Missile
range, allowing 8 gunners in the
Company the opportunity to
fire a TOW Missile. This was
the first time in over 2 years the
Company had conducted a
TOW range. Following the
TOW range, the Company has
turned its efforts to establishing
and training truck crews in preparation for gunnery conducted
from May 11th through the
15th. The Company has utilized
the Close Combat Tactical
Trainer simulators to allow
crews to practice fire commands
and target engagement in a vir-

tual environment, prior to live

gunnery.
On April 8th, the
Company said goodbye to 1SG
James Edling, as he turned responsibility for the Company
over to SFC Keiven Favor. 1SG
Edling had served in Delta
Company for over 3 years, and
he and his familys contribution
have made a lasting impression
upon the Company. SFC Keiven Favor, his wife Katie, and
son Coben were welcomed to
the Company, and we look forward to his leadership and their
involvement in the Company
through the coming months.
Additionally, the Company welcomed 1LT Josh Dragnett to the
Company as the 3rd Platoon
Leader.

ing elsewhere in the Army, the

Company is exceptionally proud
to see these Soldiers continue
their service.
Dog 6 & 7

Finally, Dog Company

would like to congratulate SGT
Kyle Baldwin, SPC Andrew
Crotts, and SPC Eddie Bell on
their reenlistments. Whether
staying at Fort Carson, or mov-

A Dog Company Soldier fires a TOW Missile during the Companys 10 April TOW Range. During the range,
Soldiers in the company were able to refine their skills at engaging targets with the missiles and verify the functionality of all the
Companys ITAS systems.

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

(Above) 1SG Edling and SFC Favor following the Change of Responsibility for Dog Company on April 8th
(Below) SGT Labroski trains Dog Company Soldiers during the BN Machine Gun Squad Competition. The competition offered Dog
Company Soldiers who dont normally serve in a traditional Infantry Weapons Squad the ability to refine their
dismounted machine gun skills.

Page 11

Page 12

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Geronimo CompanyKeeping the Red Warriors Moving

by CPT Ralph Mora and 1SG Joseph Davis
Every Soldier in
the platoon has
been instrumental
in keeping the
battalions
equipment

running as we
lead up to a full
summer of
training.

What a busy month its

been for Geronimo Company!
Along with springtime in Colorado, April brought a training
schedule full of events. On top
of the battalion range density
weeks and the start of rail load
operations for Cadet Summer
Training, Geronimo Company
had a lot of other events going
on.
Maintenance Platoon
has stayed busy supporting the
battalion maintenance mission
along with other taskings. Every
Soldier in the platoon has been
instrumental in keeping the battalions equipment running as
we lead up to a full summer of
training. During the range density weeks, SPC Shackleton
(91F) supported the battalion by
assisting in small arms repair
issues on ground at the ranges,
fixing any problems on the spot
to allow companies to continue

1SG Joseph Davis leads Geronimo Company in formation at the Change of

Command Ceremony for CPT Ralph Mora

their training. The recovery

team conducted two recovery
missions, providing support to
units whose trucks had gotten
stuck in transit to or from training.
Distribution Platoon
has been busy this past
month, not only supporting our battalion through
range weeks but also assisting 704BSB with railhead operations and 1-41
Infantry with the transportation of their ammo.
All 15 Soldiers are doing
an outstanding job completing a wide variety of
different taskings and
missions. During our
battalion range weeks,
Distro PLT Soldiers
transported companies to
and from the ranges using
buses, transported small
arms ammunition, mortar
rounds, and TOW missiles to various ranges,
New Geronimo Company Commander CPT Ralph successfully completing
Mora with his family at his Change of Command
multiple drops and
Ceremony. His wife, son, daughter, and grandson
pickups throughout the
joined him for the event

two weeks. On top of that, SPC

Yuldashev (92F) and PFC Isabelle (88M), both newly assigned
to the weapon system, went to
the MK19 range and both qualified expert on their first time
firing the qualification table.
The Field Feeding
Section worked tirelessly in
Warfighter Dining Facility to
provide nutritious meals to all of
2IBCT. Additionally, Soldiers
participated in various culinary
events. PFC Johnson went to
Fort Lee for a culinary competition in which she participated in
three events: classic cuts, individual dish, and a cold table
setup. She won the bronze
medal for the first two events.
PV2 Gildo and PFC Bradley
both participated in the food
enhancement course for two
weeks here at Fort Carson.
During this training, they were
both certified SERVSAFE,
meaning they demonstrated that
they are responsible to prepare
food without supervision. At
(Continued on page 13)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 13

diers and their families attended

and were able to welcome our
new Commander, CPT Ralph
Mora, and his wife, Irma, to the
company with an evening of
fun. The change of command
between CPT Matt Howard and
CPT Ralph Mora occurred on
April 24th. Although it was sad
to see CPT Howard go, the
company is excited to have CPT
Mora and his family as a part of
the Geronimo Family.
Geronimo 6 & 7

PFC Brandon Isabelle from Distro Platoon fires the MK-19 grenade launcher during
range density week, qualifying expert
(Continued from page 12)

the end of the course they each

prepared a five course meal,
demonstrating the different
methods of cooking they

learned during their training.

Additionally, Geronimo Company conducted an
FRG event at the Fort Carson
Bowling Alley on April 10th,
which was a success. Many Sol-

PFC Mears, a Geronimo Company mechanic makes rapid repairs at the railhead on a brake line

Page 14

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Hatchet Company Train and Execute

by CPT Jaylen Smith and 1SG Matthew ONeil
HHC conducted
its Scout Platoon
Assessment to
find the absolute
best Soldiers to
serve in the
Battalions
Reconnaissance
Platoon

HHC has been a crucial part of the Battalions training over these past few months
as we have transitioned from
post deployment leave into
training at full speed towards the
next combat mission.
EIB
The first major training
event that HHC attacked this
spring was the Expert Infantry
Badge (EIB) qualification test.
In late March, over 600 Soldiers
throughout the Brigade trained
for several weeks to compete for
their EIB. To qualify for the
EIB, Soldiers had to score over
70% in each event of the APFT,
qualify expert with their M4
Rifle, and complete a 12 mile
foot march in less than three
hours. During the week of rigorous testing Soldiers were required to master day and night
land navigation, assemble and
disassemble numerous weapon
systems within a strict time
standard, and flawlessly execute
daily training lanes designed to
test their professional
knowledge as Infantrymen as
well as their physical and mental
strength. In the end, only 23

SFC Argent, the Mortar Platoon Sergeant, and Red Warrior kids experience
the M2 Machine Gun at the Brigade Family Day

completed the testing and

earned the prestigious Expert
Infantry Badge. HHC was ex-

Scout, recon, and Sniper teams refine new skills as rail ops teams

tremely proud that four of our

Soldiers earned their EIBs, CPT
Thomas TC Bowcutt, 1LT
Andrew Nieminski, 1LT Jeff
Lee, and 1LT Vytas Kap Kapacinskas. We are also proud
that HHC had more soldiers
earn their EIB than any other
company in the Brigade.
Best Ranger
Soon after EIB, 1LT
Nieminski teamed up with 1LT
Tim Robberstad to complete in
the Best Ranger Competition at
Fort Benning GA. This was the
32nd annual running the Best
Ranger Competition which is
regarded as of one the worlds
most difficult military competitions. 1LT Nieminski and 1LT
Robberstad finished 18th overall
of the 51 teams who began in
(Continued on page 15)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

this incredibly difficult three-day

competition; only 24 teams actually finished. Their success in
the competition is a remarkable
achievement for these two Officers. They did an outstanding
job in their first attempt at Best
Ranger, and proudly represented
not only the Red Warrior Battalion, but also the Brigade and the
Division.
Scouts
In the first week of
April, HHC conducted its Scout
Platoon Assessment to find the
absolute best Soldiers to serve in
the Battalions Reconnaissance
Platoon. Every Company sent
highly motivated Soldiers who
volunteered for a week of grueling physical and mental assessment for a chance to serve as
our Battalions Scouts. These
Soldiers will conduct reconnaissance operations for the Battalion, often requiring them to
push beyond the front lines of
our Rifle Companies to provide
vital information about the enemy and the battlefield. The
Recon Platoon Sergeant, SFC
Branden Velazquez, was responsible for planning the assessment, and all members of the
current Scout Platoon took part
in selecting the new Scouts.
After a tough week of training,
11 new Soldiers were selected

Page 15

and we look
forward to
serving with
them over the
next months.
Conclusion
With
individual
training complete, HHC
stands ready to
tackle the upcoming challenges of collective training
as we move
into the summer months.
We are starting
with Fire
Team validation this May,
and then folCPT Benjamin Hooker is presented his guidon by 1SG Matthew
lowed by
ONeil prior to departing FT Cason for his next assignment
Squad validagades Pinon Canyon exercise.
tion in June. This training will
Further, HHC is also supporting
certify that our Soldiers can
the Installation Reaction Force,
shoot, move, and communicate
taking part in the vital role of
together as a lethal team. Also
security of Fort Carson. We all
we will send many of our Sollook forward to these busy and
diers to support other training,
exciting months as we charge
such as ROTC Cadet Summer
ahead towards the next deployTraining in Fort Knox Kenment.
tucky, and the 1st Stryker Bri-

-Hatchet 6 & 7

Soldiers from Hatchet Company take a break during their Safety Check Ride
to eat lunch and discus the return route to Fort Carson.

Page 16

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

S1 A Privates Life for Me
by PFC Tianna McDonald
Undeterred, I
eagerly filled out
the sheet. That
week I enlisted in
the U.S Army to

serve as a Human
Resources
Specialist

Most people assume

that being a Private in the military is simple. You do what you
are told to do, when you are told
to do it, and how you are told to
do it. That is a pretty accurate
statement, but there is a little
more to it. I am Private First
Class Tianna McDonald and this
is my experience in the Army
thus far.
I signed up for the Army
in November of my senior year
in high school. I had committed
to Eastern Washington University on a cheer scholarship when
an Army Recruiter came into my
finance class. I listened to his
speech and was intrigued by the
presentation. The recruiters
message was filled with what I
suspected were normal catch
phrases intended to persuade

my peers to join, such as, Only

1% of America can do this,
You can have free schooling
and good benefits, and the
familiar Be your families hero. Despite the colloquial nature of these sayings, my attention was caught by the fact that
he was only talking to the males
in the class. All the signup
sheets that he had passed
around the classroom somehow
found their way to the football
players, the wrestlers, etc, so
when he was finished I raised
my hand and asked for a sheet.
He looked surprised, bewildered
that a four foot tall high school
cheerleader would want to join
the military. Undeterred, I eagerly filled out the sheet. That
week I enlisted in the U.S Army
to serve as a Human Resources

Specialist. The rest of that year

was filled with naysayers; many
people made remarks about how
I had a made huge mistake by
joining, that I would fail out of
basic training, that I would quit
or even worse, make it through
and hate it. Many of these detractions came from my teachers, but all the negative remarks
only motivated me. The satisfaction of proving everyone wrong
was what really made me decide
to fully commit myself and put
my all into the decision. I was
determined to give the Army
everything I had, whether it was
sweeping a sidewalk in 90 degree
heat, making copies, or inprocessing a new Soldier. I
would do it to the best of my
abilities. That summer I shipped
off to Ft. Jackson, South Caroli-

PFC Tianna McDonald holds a tray of awards being presented to Red Warriors by LTC Michael Avey

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

na, where I graduated Basic

Training and Advanced Individual Training. Upon completion
of my training I received assignment orders for my first duty
station, Ft. Carson, Colorado,
where I was assigned to the 2nd
Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
My first day as a Red
Warrior was a culture shock.
Having just come from Basic
Training as a brand new E-1, I
was still in the dont speak unless spoken to mindset. However, when Specialist Miranda, a
Battalion S-1 Clerk, brought me
from reception to the battalion
headquarters, I was surprised by
the degree of respect I was given
despite my limited time in the
military, as compared to the
majority of the unit who had just
returned from Afghanistan to
Ft. Carson. I started to train as
the new S1 Leaves and Finance
clerk the next day. Being in that
section helped me to gain a solid
understanding of the basic S1
tasks, including the many different forms we work with, where
to find them, how to organize
my office space, and many other
things that helped me get acquainted with the large amount
of Soldiers we support.

Page 17

Because I performed well

I have been moved to the
Awards section; a very visible,
on- going, and demanding section. My job is to ensure that all
the awards in the battalion are
processed correctly and swiftly.
This requires me to work closely
with the leadership of the companies and battalion. I believe
that this gives me an insight not
usually afforded Soldiers of my
rank into what leaders handle
and how to operate at higher
levels. As a PFC, it is a huge
responsibility, but I am grateful
for the chance to take charge of
the section and show that rank
does not always determine skill.
One of my main observations, especially being a female
in an Infantry Battalion is that
SHARP is taken seriously. In
Basic Training my counterparts
and I were briefed frequently,
but most of the time my fellow
Privates did not take the subject
seriously. I was frustrated by
their lack of maturity. This is
why when I became a Red Warrior, I was amazed by the vigilant attitude displayed by my
leadership and the communal
respect afforded to everyone.
One of my favorite things about

being a Red Warrior is how

courteous everyone is towards
one another and how leadership
is always willing to help Soldiers
out in any situation. I know that
the NCOs and Officers around
me would always help me or get
me to the right person if need
be.
Being a private in an S1
shop has proven to be difficult.
I am given a large responsibility
and expected to perform, to take
care of customers while handling current work in my and
others sections, and to learn new
skills every day. At times it can
seem a bit overwhelming, but
even now I can see in part the
value in my position. I can honestly say that I do not regret
joining the Army. I have enjoyed my time in the Red Warrior Battalion and look forward to
what the future holds. And if
you need an award processed,
now you know who to call.

PFC Tianna McDonald, 1LT Eric Brauninger, SSG Lashawn Grooms, and SGT Adrian Rushing wait for the start of
Command and Staff

One of my
favorite things
about being a

Red Warrior is
how courteous
everyone is
towards one
another

Page 18

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

**Disclaimer**
As an Infantry Unit
Intelligence Section
in garrison, training
for analysts comes
through researching
and analyzing terrorist threats around the
world. None of the
opinions or analysis
within this article
constitute Army or
national policy. This
essay by SPC Hodges
was developed for
training purposes. It
is included in the
Battalion newsletter
to demonstrate the
staffs intense training that will eventually yield critical support to our infantrymen on mission.

S2 The Islamic State Threat

by SPC Nicholas Hodges
The Islamic State (IS)
has rapidly risen from a small
insurgency to a global threat.
The organization has become a
lead Islamist terrorist group in
the world and has done so
through a level of violence towards civilians that most rival
groups would not dare approach. As IS becomes more
powerful, America and its allies
may be forced to take action
beyond airstrikes and training
advisors.

The creation of IS
started as a fantasy of Jordanian
born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi,
who fled from Afghanistan to
Iraq in 2001. Shortly after the
U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003,
Zarqawi started Jamaat al
Tawhid wal-Jihad (the forerunner of IS) with the help of Samir
Abd Muhammad al-Khlifawi.
Khlifawi was a former member
of Saddam Husseins army and
was a major factor in the formation of the principles behind

the group. Papers found after

Khlifawis death indicate he may
have been the actual founder of
IS. Zarqawis organization approached radical Islam differently than most groups as they targeted Shia Muslim civilians
much more than the
Westerners that most groups
were targeting. In 2004, Zarqawi
decided to join forces with Osama bin Laden and renamed his
organization Al-Qaeda in Iraq
(AQI). Soon, however, AQIs

A flow diagram of countries from which residents or citizens have reportedly gone to fight for the Islamic State.
(Continued on page 19)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 19

Territory controlled by Islamic State as of the beginning of 2015

targeting of civilians created a

rift between the two organizations. By 2006, Zarqawi began
to have aspirations of becoming
more than an insurgency leader.
He began to see himself as a
spiritual leader and insisted that
Iraqi Sunnis adhere to his interpretation of sharia law. However, these ambitions were cut
short when Zarqawi was killed
in a 2006 U.S. airstrike. By 2011,
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had taken
control of AQI and being Iraqi
allowed for more sympathy and
support from Iraqis. Additionally, the group rebranded itself as
the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI).
With a larger force at his disposal, Baghdadi decided to begin
targeting Shia Muslims supportive of President Bashar Assad in
Syria. ISI was then renamed the
Islamic State in Iraq and the
Levant (ISIL). In 2014, Syrian
forces delivered a large blow to
the rebels when they retook the
city of Homs, the heart of the
uprising. Baghdadi, however,
had larger plans in Iraq and ISIL
took the city of Mosul which
demonstrated ISILs ability to
seize and control large territories
in Iraq. Baghdadi then used this
opportunity to declare a caliphate and rename the group the
Islamic State (IS).

The Islamic State has

expanded their influence to several other countries beyond Iraq
and Syria. Additionally, IS claims
territory in Libya, the Sinai Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen,
Algeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Members are also in Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey,
Israel, and Palestine. This influence is due to insurgents in
these areas pledging allegiance to
Baghdadi and IS. Furthermore,
approximately one fifth of the
foreign fighters joining IS have
migrated from Western and
European countries.
The Islamic State is
very devoted to a very strict
version of Sunnism called
Salafism. The group seeks absolute control over the Muslim
world as the only caliphate and
wishes to purify the world by
death to all infidels. IS intends
to turn their controlled territory
into a state where they control
everything to include education,
policing, and taxes. This state
would increase the power and
wealth that already partly motivates IS leadership. Furthermore, the organization has a
very medieval view on life from
warfare and slavery to how they
speak. Additionally, the organization firmly believes that an

apocalypse will come soon.

Many of their actions are in
preparation for the end of the
world, such as capturing the
religiously significant Syrian city
of Dabiq. The reason for this is
that Koranic prophecies state
that this city is where the
Armies of Rome will set up
camp and be met by the
Armies of Islam.
In order to accomplish
their main goal of implementing
a legitimate caliphate, the Islamic State must continue to capture
and maintain territory. To be
legitimate to Muslims, a caliphate must have territory in
which to fully enforce Islamic
Law. IS must also continue to
garner support from Sunni Muslims around the world. They can
accomplish this by ensuring
strict adherence to the Koran in
an attempt to instill fear as well
as continue their jihad against
infidels and apostates
(Muslims whom do not adhere
to the Koran).
The Islamic State is a
very structured organization
whose leadership allows IS to
quickly respond to issues. The
organization has a commanderin-chief, who also serves as the
(Continued on page 20)

**Disclaimer**
As an Infantry Unit
Intelligence Section
in garrison, training
for analysts comes
through researching
and analyzing terrorist threats around the
world. None of the
opinions or analysis
within this article
constitute Army or
national policy. This
essay by SPC Hodges
was developed for
training purposes. It
is included in the
Battalion newsletter
to demonstrate the
staffs intense training that will eventually yield critical support to our infantrymen on mission.

Page 20

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

**Disclaimer**
As an Infantry Unit
Intelligence Section
in garrison, training
for analysts comes
through researching
and analyzing terrorist threats around the
world. None of the
opinions or analysis
within this article
constitute Army or
national policy. This
essay by SPC Hodges
was developed for
training purposes. It
is included in the
Battalion newsletter
to demonstrate the
staffs intense training that will eventually yield critical support to our infantrymen on mission.

S2 The Islamic State Threat (Continued)

by SPC Nicholas Hodges

Structure of Islamic State Leadership

(Continued from page 19)

caliph, which has a council of

advisors. Under the commander
-in-chief are deputies for both
Iraq and Syria with 12 governors
responsible for specific areas for
each country under each deputy.
Each governor is in charge of
eight councils: financial
(managing the sale of oil and the
purchase of weapons and supplies), leadership
(implementation and drafting of
laws), military (defense of the
territory), legal (crime and punishment), assistance (ensuring
fighters are adequately resourced), security (internal policing), intelligence (information
gathering) and media (releasing
statements and propaganda, and
overseeing militants' use of social media).
The commander-inchief of IS and proclaimed caliph is Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The deputy of Syria is Abu Ali al
-Anbari and the deputy of Iraq
is Abu Muslim al-Turkmani.
These deputies make many key
decisions and oversee each re-

spective country. Other key

members include military council members Abu Ayman al-Iraqi
and Abu Ahmad al-Alwani, Ahmad Abousamra (lead propagandist) as well as Abu Fatima alJaheishi (formerly in charge of
IS operations in Southern Iraq).
Important cabinet members
include Bashar Ismail alHamdani (head of prisoners),
Muafaq Mustafa Mohammed alKarmoush, known as Abu Salah
(head of finances in Iraq), Abu
Hajar al-Assafi (head of internal
messages), and Abdullah Ahmed
al-Meshedani (in charge of the
arrival of foreign fighters' arrival).
The terrorist group
that has most influenced IS is alQaeda (AQ). Although the two
have recently had disagreements
over the targeting of civilians, alQaeda had a major impact on IS
in its early years. Abu Musab alZarqawi pledged allegiance to
Osama bin Laden and for a
while named his organization
after al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) also

provides financial support and

fighters for IS. The group also
has connections to terrorist
groups throughout the world
that have pledged allegiance to
Baghdadi. Countries that have
reportedly helped finance IS are
Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, although Saudi Arabia has
now passed laws against financing terrorist groups.
In the early days of IS,
the group utilized foreign suicide
bombers and not much else. For
the past few years, IS has built a
formidable, well-trained and
equipped army which can seize
and control cities that were previously held by the Iraqi military.
Although IS has recently lost
territories, such as Tikrit, they
still control much of Mosul,
parts of Fallujah and Anbar
Province. The Islamic State is
able to control this territory
through mass executions, public
beheadings, suicide attacks, and
a strong military. While some
Sunni Muslims do support IS, it
is through these tactics that they
(Continued on page 21)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 21

area.
The Islamic State is
now a global threat and a danger
to global society as a whole. The
groups strict interpretation of
the Koran, financial revenue,
and continued support means
that any prospect of peace is
very unlikely. As their influence
spreads around the world, the
U.S. and its allies will likely be
forced to take more serious action to mitigate this threat.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi leader of the Islamic State

instill fear and chaos as a measure of control.

The Islamic State presents one of the greatest current
threats to the Middle East of any
religious/terrorist organization.
The group is more sophisticated
and organized than at any time
in its history and still evolving.
While they do not currently pose

a large threat to the U.S. or allies, save Israel, the potential is

there. Recent arrests throughout
the U.S. and Europe prove that
IS could potentially exploit these
assets and have them carry out
more attacks abroad. Additionally, recent high-profile attacks in
Libya and France dictate ISs
intent to broaden their threat

Islamic State Fighters with captured Iraqi Trucks and Weapons

**Disclaimer**
As an Infantry Unit
Intelligence Section
in garrison, training
for analysts comes
through researching
and analyzing terrorist threats around the
world. None of the
opinions or analysis
within this article
constitute Army or
national policy. This
essay by SPC Hodges
was developed for
training purposes. It
is included in the
Battalion newsletter
to demonstrate the
staffs intense training that will eventually yield critical support to our infantrymen on mission.

Page 22

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

The S-3 Shops

current
planning
priority is the
platoon live

fire exercise set

to take place in
August

S3Plan and Plan Some More

by 1LT Andrew Nieminski
As the Red
Warriors progress deeper into
their training schedule, the Battalions S-3 Shop is running a
mile a minute to ensure 1-12
Infantry is amply prepared for
the battles ahead. At the end of
April, the Red Warriors conducted range density week. 1-12
Infantry had every Company
actively engaged in training and
perfecting their craft as Infantrymen, shooting almost every
weapon system in our arsenal.
As the origin of every
operation coming through the
battalion, the S-3 Shop is always
looking to take down the 300
meter target. The S-3 Shops
current planning priority is the
platoon live fire exercise set to
take place in August. With the
battalion stretched thin over
three different states by extensive manning taskings for the
Cadet Sumer Training in Fort
Knox, Kentucky, the Exportable
Combat Training Capability in
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the
1SBCT supported training at
Pinon Cannon Maneuver Site in

Southern Colorado, staying

ahead of the game has become
decisive to success. 1LT James
Lockett, the Project Officer for
the field training exercise in
August , has already began
wrangling the field trainings
initial planning, ensuring all tactical, doctrinal, and logistical
concerns are addressed.
1LT Zach Rossow has
been busy developing the railhead plan of action for the brigade to be used for the vehicular
movement to the Cadet Summer
Training and the brigades upcoming logistical movement to
the National Training Center
this fall. 1LT Tim Robberstad
and 1LT Andrew Nieminski
recently returned from Fort
Benning, Ga where they represented the 4th Infantry Division
at the Best Ranger Competition.
Despite a condensed 4 week
train up, they managed to place
18th out of 51 teams. The 60
hour, 60 mile plus competition
was originally developed to test
each Rangers mental, physical,
and technical fortitude and, ulti-

1LT Tim Robberstad and 1LT Andrew Nieminski evacuate a casualty through an
obstacle course during the Best Ranger Competition

mately, recognize the top Rangers and the units they represent.
Throughout the rigors of this
Ranger Olympics, only 24 out
of the 51 participating teams
were even able to finish the contest. Having two Soldiers from
the same Battalion compete as a
Division team against the
Armys best is a testament of the
caliber of Soldiers that make up
the Red Warrior Battalion.
Although the work
seems to be exponentially increasing, the S-3 Shop is going
through some extensive personnel changes. In the coming
months, the S-3 Shop will be
losing their officer in charge,
Maj Christopher Hallows, who
will be taking the Brigade S-3
position. 1LT Tim Robberstad
will be filling a position on the
4th Infantry Division staff. 1LT
Michael Poist will be permanently changing duty stations to
attend the Special Forces Career
Course in Fort Brag, NC. 1LT
Marco Garcia will be taking a
Platoon as for Blackfoot Company, Blackfoot 16. SFC Samuel
Bethea will be helping 1-41
Infantry stand up their Medical
Platoon. SSG Jacob Haag and
SSG Scott Kuenz will both be
going to Recruiter School and
moving to their respective districts upon completion- and the
Army keeps rolling along.
Before the S-3 Shop, as
we currently know it, becomes
reassembled, Maj Hallows will
be taking the shop on a half
marathon run during Physical
Training. During long run days,
the Shop has been increasing
mileage to build up for this culminating PT session.

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 23

Before the S-3

Shop, as we
currently know it,
becomes
reassembled, Maj
Hallows will be
taking the shop on
(Above) MAJ Hallows leads the S3 shop officers on a tactical foot march
(Below) 1LT Nieminski oversees 1-12 Soldiers while they unload rail car spanners during preparations for rail head operations

a half marathon
run during
Physical Training

Page 24

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

S4 Regimental Birthday Celebration
by CPT Vytas Kapacinskas
In recognition
of the birthday,
Soldiers of both
battalions
participated in a
3-mile
regimental run
through the 2nd
Brigade area
The company guidons of the 1-12 Infantry Regiment stand in front of the battalion formation

On April 30th the Red

Warriors joined together with
our sister battalion, the Lethal
Warriors of 2-12IN, to celebrate
the 154th birthday of the 12th
Infantry Regiment. Although
May 3rd marks the official birthday of the 12th Infantry Regiment, the celebration took place
early due to the upcoming weekend. In recognition of the birthday, Soldiers of both battalions
participated in a 3-mile regimental run through the 2nd Brigade
area which was followed by a
ceremony on the 2nd Brigade
parade field.
During the ceremony,
the brigade commander and
both battalion commanders
commended the Soldiers of the
regiment for their actions, both
past and present. The company
commanders of each battalion
retraced the units lineage by
reading historical accounts of
12th Infantry Regiment Soldiers
during major conflicts over the
last 154 years. The end of the
celebration was marked by the
cutting of the birthday cake.
The cake was cut by the Command Sergeants Major of each
battalion as well as the youngest
Soldier from each battalion. 112IN was represented by CSM

Steven Brown and PFC Anifah

Bradley, 18, of Geronimo Company.
The event also received coverage by Tom Roeder
of the Colorado Springs Gazette. The following excerpt
was published in The Gazette on
May 3rd:
Last month, the unit
switched names, dropping the
4th Brigade Combat Team moniker in favor of the new title,
which belonged to a unit that
was folded this year in the face
of Pentagon budget cuts. But,
with a birthday celebration, the

unit reclaimed its history. It's

about the guys who came before
us, Maj. Michael Starz said. To
reconnect with those forefathers, the brigade celebrated the
154th birthday of the 12th Infantry Regiment, which includes
two 2nd Brigade battalions. The
regiment had its origins in the
Civil War and a history that includes service in nearly every
conflict that followed. They
put this regiment in the hardest
places in the hardest times in
our history, brigade commander
Col. Brian Pearl told more than
2,000 troops who gathered on a

The youngest Soldiers in the regiment were chosen

to cut the regiments birthday cake under the watchful eyes of their CSMs

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 25

parade field to celebrate the

regiment after a long morning
run.
The ceremony gave the
Red Warriors insight on the rich
heritage that they come from as
they continue to write new pages in the history of the 12th Infantry Regiment.

LTC Avey shares a brief history of the 12th Infantry Regiment

COL Pearl addresses the Soldiers of the 12th Infantry Regiment,

discussing the 154 years of honorable service to the nation

Geronimo 1-12 cooks created a massive cake for Soldiers to enjoy after the ceremony

Page 26

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Battalion Staff Sections

S6 Say Again, Over
by SSG Charles Howard
Were more
than aware of
the difference of
having effective
communications

and having the

ability to
communicate

Preparing for operations, whether at home station

or deployed to an austere environment, is no small task. A lot
of planning and preparation is
required to ensure that equipment is resourced and in working order. The CNR (Combat
Net Radio) section has to install
radios and JCR (Joint Capabilities Release) systems in vehicles,
conducting functions checks on
the different communications
systems and train Soldiers on
conducting and setting up a
retransmission station. While
this is happening, the automa-

tions section works on the plans

to set up the computer networks
to allow the use of the internet
and emails by arranging LOS
(line of sight) shots to communication towers or to satellites.
As all this is happening, the S6
OIC and NCOIC conduct recons, coordinating with outside
agencies, and attending briefings
to plan the operation. But, no
matter how much planning and
preparation is done, there is
always the possibility of a breakdown in communication systems and a breakdown in communicating. We know this as

SGT Lener Warden, PVT Rosevelest Stegal, and SPC Clarissa Arndt
work with a 117 G TACSAT Radio

the human variable.

As members of the S6
were more than aware of the
difference of having effective
communications and having the
ability to communicate. Have
you ever tried to relay a message
or give an update on the radio,
but you cannot understand the
person on the other side? At
some point we have all gathered
around a radio trying to decipher
the transmission, asking each
other What did he say?, or
asking them to Say it again.
over and over. I sometimes
think that commanders find
humor in assigning a Soldier
with speech impediments,
strong accents, or Soldiers
whose second language is English as their RTOs (Radio Transmission Operators). Being in S6
means that you sometimes get
tasked with the job to provide
effective communications to
those who cannot effectively
communicate. To give a better
illustration, here is an actual
conversation that happened in
Iraq between a Battalion Commander (Regular 6) and his Tactical Operations Center (Regular
Main) during the Iraqi elections.
Regular 6: Regular Main, I need
an update on the polling stations, Over.
Regular Main: Regular 6, All 35
polling stations are manned and
prepare for the elections to start.
Over.
Regular 6: Regular Main, I did
not ask for that. What is the
status of the polling stations?
Over.
Regular Main: Regular 6, Our
Soldiers have linked up with the
Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police at all
35 polling stations, break. We
have 4 polling stations with Ti(Continued on page 27)

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 27

In the past our

ability to
communication was
dependent on
distance, terrain, and
weather. It used to
take days or even
weeks to relay
PFC Micah Weber, SPC Michael Sampedro, SPC (P) Kent Witzens, and SPC Clarissa Arndt
enjoy Brigade Family Fun Day with their Rockstar Energy Drinks

gris teams prepare to search

female local nationals, and are
prepared for the elections to
start in 2 hours. Over.
Regular 6: Regular Main, NO..
NO.. NO.. You are not listening. You need to shut up and
listen. Over
Regular Main: Regular 6, Roger. Over.
Regular 6: Regular Main, See.
See. See. You are still talking and
not listening. If you are talking,
you are not listening. So you
need stop talking and listen.
Over
Regular Main: ..
Regular 6: Regular Main, You
will respond when I am talking
to you. Over.
Regular Main: (BN XO overhearing the transmission enters
the TOC and takes the microphone from the confused RTO.)
Regular 6, this is Regular 5, all
polling stations are manned and
ready. Over.

Regular 6: Regular 5, that a

good copy. Thats all I needed.
Thanks, Nothing further. Regular 6 OUT.
Battle Captain: Somebody go
get S6, the radio is broken and
the commander cannot understand us.
During the course of
history, the task of a signal soldier has changed dramatically.
We constantly have to change
with the advancement of technology. In the past our ability to
communication was dependent
on distance, terrain, and weather. It used to take days or even
weeks to relay information over
long distances. This is no longer
the case. With the advancement
of technology, we have been
able to overcome most of those
obstacles. This means that signal soldiers have to be trained
for todays operational environment. Even though, as the Ar-

my we have vast communication

assets at our disposal to include
high frequency radios, satellite
communications, government
cell phones, and of course the
internet, we have to remember
that the device is only as effective as the operator.

information over
long distances. This
is no longer the case.

Page 28

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Chaplains Message Fueling Your Marriage

by Chaplain (CPT) Jeremie Vore
In my seven years of experience as a pastor, minister, and Army chaplain, I have worked with a
number of couples and their relationships. Some have been seriously
dating, others engaged, many have
been married and some have come
to my office seeking counsel on the
unique challenges of sharing parental
responsibility with someone else
who they are not in any kind of relationship with. This accumulated
experience certainly doesnt make
me the expert on marriages and relationships. You only have to look as far as my own decade-long
marriage to realize that I dont have it all figured out! However,
my work with couples and their relationships has afforded me
some insight that I didnt carry with me seven years ago when I
graduated from seminary and became ordained as a pastor.
One of the challenges I regularly see young couples facing in their relationship is the struggle to transition from being in
a romantic relationship to being in a committed relationship.
Often this hurdle comes around the same time that couples make
the transition to being married to one another. It often strikes
me that there is an enormous difference between being in love
and being bound to another person for life.
Dont get me wrong, Im not suggesting that all committed relationships are superior to romantic relationships. Im also
not suggesting that theres nothing romantic about the love a
devoted couple shares with one another. In fact almost all marriages in our society start as some kind of romantic connection
that blossoms into something deeper and more enduring. Thats
a simple fact, and yet the simplicity of it often belies the complexity of actually undergoing that transformation.
When relationships are in the earlier and more romantic
stage, we often try to capture the magic of those blissful feelings
and keep them in our hearts forever. Many young marriages
struggle because couples fail to realize that their love wont always
carry the electricity of a lightning bolt. Love in those early stages
can be so instantaneous and captivating, zapping us to grab our
attention and infusing us with surging emotions and energy for
our partner. The excitement of the electricity of that young love
can even feel like a dangerous rush, and almost always feels like
an exclusive privilege that we cherish deeply and want to hang
onto forever.
I dont know if youve ever tried to hold onto electricity,
though. Lightning isnt very easy to capture in a bottle. We try to
hold onto those romantic jolts that carry our relationships
through the early years, assuming that the romance will be just as
strong and the passion will be just the same if we only contain the
magic of the moment in jars of good habits and sweet kisses. But
love doesnt only exist in those lightning bolt moments, and lasting love rarely keeps the form of that electric and thrilling lightning strike.

At some point almost all successful marriages that started as a brilliant flash of heat and romantic electricity simmer into
a fire that burns through the dark and cold nights of life, nights
of separation and anxiety, nights of sickness and despair, nights
of challenge and frustration. Romance still comes about and the
passion ebbs and flows as the fire burns hotter or the cold draws
closer. But couples who rely on the passion of the lightning bolt
to get them through difficult times often find themselves in my
office and disappointed that the romantic jolt they tried to capture just isnt there when they need it.
Theres no magic recipe for how to navigate the blossoming of romance into commitment. But as you go about that
journey, as you notice the spark of your romance starting to settle
into a fire and burn with embers that take vast amounts of water
and time to extinguish, I hope you will do the things that need to
be done in order to tend to that fire.
Anyone who has camped or tended to an old-fashioned
fireplace knows that it takes work to keep a fire going. Fires have
to be fed new fuel and energy to replace the ashes that are spent
and no longer provide life. Relationships have to be replenished
from time to time with new vigor and experiences, new energy
and excitement. Fires also have to be kept under control or they
run the risk of overwhelming the caretakers and consuming more
than we can manage. Relationships, too, can run out of control
with too much of a good thing, lacking the focus and slow, deliberate growth that keeps the fuel burning hot and through the
night.
As you carefully care for your spouses and your loved
ones, I pray that you will notice that the embers and coals deep in
the base of your relationship burn hotter and brighter than any
lightning bolt of passion might provide. I encourage you to never
treat your relationship or your marriage as a completed project or
something that will always be magically sustained by the passion
of your honeymoon.
Keep working on this marvelous opportunity you have
to always make your relationship richer, more fulfilling, and better
for both of you. Pay attention to your fire, and when it seems to
be flaming out in one area after years of frustration or challenges,
focus on that and stoke the coals back into something that wont
go out so easily.
Tend to your love, keep it fueled, and never give up on
it. If you do so, I pray that it will burn hotter than any challenge,
any separation, any deployment or any difficulty you might face.

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 29

SGT Anund Roark Red Warrior Medal of Honor Recipient

by 1LT Aaron Pool

SGT Anund C. Roark

The Medal of Honor is

our nations highest decoration
for valor. The medal was first
introduced in 1861 as a means
to recognize gallantry in battle
of enlisted Soldiers within the
Army and Navy. In 1918 Congress authorized the President to
award the Medal of Honor to,
each person who, while an
officer or enlisted man of the
Army, shall hereafter, in action
involving actual conflict with an
enemy, distinguish himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of
duty. From that point forward
the medal was reserved for only
the most exemplary acts of heroism and valor.
Since the awards inception, seven 12th Infantry Regiment Soldiers have earned the
Medal of Honor. All but one
received the medal from the
Vietnam War. The Red Warrior
Battalion was deployed to Vietnam from 1966-1970. Of the
six Medals of Honor earned in
the 12th Regiment during Vietnam, two were earned by Red
Warriors PFC Louis E. Willett,
and SGT Anund C. Roark. Both

Soldiers selflessly sacrificed their

lives while engaging in fierce
combat with a determined enemy to save their fellow comrades. SGT Roark was a native
of Vallejo, California. He was a
young squad leader in C Company, 1-12IN at the time of his
death in Kontum Province, Vietnam on May 16, 1968. He had
just celebrated his 20th birthday
three months earlier. His remains were lost and were not
recovered until November of
1979 when they were subsequently returned to his family
for burial. His Medal of Honor
citation follows as an example of
the tremendous heroism within
our Red Warrior past:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at
the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. Sgt.
Roark distinguished himself by
extraordinary gallantry while
serving with Company C. SGT
Roark was the point squad leader of a small force which had
the mission of rescuing 11 men
in a hilltop observation post
under heavy attack by a company size force, approximately

1,000 meters from the battalion

perimeter. As lead elements of
the relief force reached the besieged observation post, intense
automatic weapons fire from
enemy occupied bunkers halted
their movement. Without hesitation, Sgt. Roark maneuvered his
squad, repeatedly exposing himself to withering enemy fire to
hurl grenades and direct the fire
of his squad to gain fire superiority and cover the withdrawal
of the outpost and evacuation of
its casualties. Frustrated in their
effort to overrun the position,
the enemy swept the hilltop with
small arms and volleys of grenades. Seeing a grenade land in
the midst of his men, Sgt.
Roark, with complete disregard
for his safety, hurled himself
upon the grenade, absorbing its
blast with his body. SGT
Roark's magnificent leadership
and dauntless courage saved the
lives of many of his comrades
and were the inspiration for the
successful relief of the outpost.
His actions which culminated in
the supreme sacrifice of his life
were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service,
and reflect great credit on himself and the U.S. Army.

Page 30

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Range Density Week

by 1LT Michael Hardman
For two weeks in April, 112 IN conducted our first postdeployment range density. A
range density is a series of
ranges designed to qualify Soldiers on all of our organic
weapon systems. The Red Warriors shot AT4 anti tank weapons, M9 pistols, M320 grenade
launchers, M249 light machine
guns, M240 medium machine
guns, M2 heavy machine guns
as well as M4 Known Distance
and Close Quarters Marksmanship ranges. The ranges were
Company internal/self supported or had one Company
tasked to support the entire
Battalions worth of firers.
Range density week also includes a machine gun team
course led by Arrowhead Company which consisted of a familiarization fire at the EST,
day and night qualification at
the range, crew drills and a
culminating late night to dawn
9.6 mile foot march. Range
density proved to be a good
opportunity to certify weapons

SGT Villani and SGT Miltenberger qualify on the M320 40mm grenade
launcher during the Red Warrior Range Density Weeks

PVT Pettus, of Comanche Company, engages a 400m target with the M249 while being coached by SFC Maldonado

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2

Page 31

SPC McMillan engages a target at 10m at the CQM range under the coaching of SSG Long

squad gun crews as well as

conduct a best weapons squad
competition.
Over the span of two
weeks a lot of valuable training
was accomplished. More than
just Soldiers qualifying expert
on the weapons systems for
first time since redeployment,
leaders were challenged to effectively plan, coordinate with
adjacent units, and ensure logistics support, all factors contributing to successful team
building. The schedule over the
past two weeks has been an all
inclusive training event with
many priorities, requiring that
the burden of responsibility
within the Company and Platoons to be disseminated
across all hands. Squad Leaders
and Team Leaders have been
more involved in range operations than ever before, professionally developing them for
the opportunity when they
become that range NCOIC.
Despite the important
training that was being conducted, we as a Company, had
to battle red cycle tasks, making it difficult to get the necessary personnel to the appropriate ranges. Everyone remained
flexible and adaptive throughout the 10 days and we made

it happen. Proper execution

of maintenance before departure had a direct correlation to
effective training. I personally
learned quickly not to cut corners on range preparation.
Whether we went to or ran that
same range the day before, we
still had to run top to bottom
through the range checklist.
Spot checks and Inspections
were the determining factor to
how smooth the range ran each
day.
End state: Soldiers and
leaders gained valuable training
in a short amount of time,
most qualifying expert on their
primary and specialty weapons

systems. As a combined effort

of Companies, the Battalion
was able to achieve our goal of
maximizing the number of
Soldiers trained in the shortest
time possible. Though not
flawless in execution, the end
state has been achieved and the
Red Warrior Battalion is that
much more lethal than it was
two weeks ago.

Arrowhead Soldiers train on close quarters marksmanship during the Red Warrior
Range Density Weeks. SFC Honaker, 2nd Platoon A Co Platoon Sergeant,
leads the company through qualification

Page 32

THE RED WARRIOR PATH

Sergeant Nathan Brown, 2ng Brigade NCO or the Year

SGT Nathan Brown hails from Deltona, Florida. Brown proudly represents the Scout Platoon and the Red
Warrior Battalion as the Brigade
NCO of the Year. SGT Brown
claims he was only able to even get
this far and to earn this title because
of the great NCOs that have invest- SGT Nathan Brown, with members of the Scout Platoon during the last deployment
ed in him. SGT Brown would like
the thank First Sergeant Tucker (former Scout Platoon Sergeant) for giving him so many
chances to prove himself as a Scout and for always leading from the front. He showed SGT
Brown and the Scout Platoon what a true NCO needed to do. SGT Brown would also like
to thank SSG Kreusel for providing an example of leadership when SGT Brown was a new
E-4. It was challenging, but he made sure I always did more than I thought I could. He
was the one who helped mold me into
what I am. Lastly, he wants to thank
SGT Ratzlaff for making sure he had
everything needed for this board, even
if that meant staying till 2030 on a Friday night. He kept me motivated and
reassured me that I was going to win,
no questions asked. He is looking forward to representing 2IBCT at the Division level competition. I want everyone to see what our war fighting battalion produces. Always Red Warriors! SGT Brown said.

SGT Nathan Brown, Assistant Squad Leader in 1-12 IN Scout Platoon, after winning
the 2IBCT NCO of the Year