dnaught Newsletter Drea

December 2011

Battalion Commander
2-34 Armor CAB 8462 Kitty Drive Fort Riley, KS 66442
Inside this issue:

Family and Friends of the Dreadnaughts, As we complete compiling this final newsletter for the deployment, our proud battalion can be found spread between Ft. Riley, Kansas; Manus, Kyrgyzstan; Kandahar Airfield, and FOB Sarkari Karez (Ramrod). Redeployment is very much upon us and we have welcomed our successors here in Maiwand, 3-71 CAV. They have been doing several operations with us for weeks now and stand ready to take on the battlespace. CSM McDwyer and I are completing Command Information Briefs for all Soldiers as they flow out of our FOB and towards home. These briefs have given us the chance to highlight the countless successes during the deployment and all the areas in which they can be immensely proud of themselves and their units. There is not enough space on this page or this newsletter to possibly list all those achievements; I will simply say that the Command Sergeant Major and I are incredibly proud. All the successes for the battalion, especially in the last fighting month of November have come at an incredible cost. Last month we saw three of our best Soldiers, PFC Cody Norris, SFC Dennis Murray and SGT Ryan Sharp, pay the ultimate sacrifice while operating on the farthest reaches of the district. These men were not simply well known, but loved, by most of the battalion - their memories will never leave us. As we bring the remainder of the battalion home, I want to thank everyone for their support and patience during the last nine months. It has been a long enough deployment for Soldiers and Families lives have changed during this period and it will take the next few months of joyous reunion to properly reintegrate. I am firmly convinced that the Families back home have had a much greater challenge over the last year while the conditions were different, the responsibility to care for children and one another can be no greater. Thank you so much and thanks to your peer spouses who stepped up as leaders among you during the hardest times. Fear God, Dreadnaught. LTC Chris Kidd

Company Articles Rear D. Pictures from the Front

Pg 2 Pg 7 Pgs 8 Pg 910

HEADQUARTERS

AND

HEADQUARTERS COMPANY 2ND BN 34TH ARMOR REGIMENT

THE HOPLITE HERALD

DEC 2011

HOPLITES Homeward
Greetings Hoplite Nation! As many of you know redeployment is just around the corner. Your HOPLITE Soldiers homecoming is indeed a special time. Tears of joy will be shed, I love you will be said and hugs will be plentiful. I can say with absolute confidence it has been an honor serving with your Soldier. They are direct reflection of what makes America great. It is humbling watching them in action, in their daily struggles and triumphs. No task is too daunting, as these Soldiers continuously rise to any occasion with the kind of optimism and pride that is distinctly American! When you finally embrace your HOPLITE Soldier once again, know that they have done their job with professionalism and honor. The men and women of HHC have truly made a positive influence here in Afghanistan. Redeployments can also be a difficult time as you and your Soldier. Getting back to normal can take some time. From my own experiences with redeployments, patience and communication are the two most important things you can have with your loved ones. Myself and my company leadership will do all that we can to ensure you and your Soldier have as many redeployment re-sources available as necessary. Getting back to normal can be relatively quick and pleasant for some families. For some families it could just be spending quality time together during an afternoon off. Other families might utilize resources like our Battalion Chaplain and still others might seek out professional help. Regard-less of your situation please remember that we will assist any HOPLITE family as much as necessary. For specific redeployment information I encourage you to contact our FRG Leader, Mrs. Angie Mares or CPT Ricky Brown our Rear- Detachment commander. They hold regular meetings and put out very specific information regarding the dates of redeployment flights, ceremonies, etc. If you are not in the Fort Riley area please e-mail myself or the Rear-Detachment Commander to be added to our e-mail distro lists. We recommend not sending any mail to your HOPLITE after 1 DEC. It will probably not reach your Soldier before they redeploy. Contact your Soldier for specific information on their redeployment timeline. Again it has been an absolute honor to be deployed with your HOPLITE Soldier!

CPT Benjamin Ryder HOPLITE 6

ABOVE: CPT Ryder inside an old British Fort from the 1880s.

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Dreadnaught Newsletter

Alpha Company - ORPHANS

Soldiers, Family Members, and Supporters of the Orphans,
Time continues to rapidly pass us by as November has come and gone before we know itll be January and well be on our way home. It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of another one of our brothers, PFC Cody Norris, who was killed in action on 09 NOV 11 while working to establish a new COP after we had transitioned our COP last month. We also wish a speedy recovery for PV2 Randall Donovan who was wounded in an IED strike on 21 NOV 11. With our move to Sarkari Kariz this month, weve seen a significant change in our pace of operations and way of living. Now based out of a larger FOB, we are able to get larger support for different things and our operations have changed from focusing on one specific area to moving across several areas to conduct operations. With this change of operations, we are also now temporarily under a new headquarters, 371 CAV. Our reception by their commander, LTC Kirkpatrick, and their staff has been exceptional; they have been very supportive in our integration into the squadrons missions. While these larger operations across the battalion area can be daunting and challenging at times, we continue to execute with a high level of proficiency as we know that we are setting up our follow-on units for success with our hard work and continue to make Afghanistan a better place. While there is still plenty of work to be done, we remain focused on our mission and with a little more than a month and a half left to go, the thought of home continues to keep each man pushing to the end. -CPT Donald E. Sedivy, Orphan 6

CPT Sedivy wishing a fond farewell to Elders at COP Atta Mohammad as we finished our transition to FOB SK .

1SG Reese handling business to make sure the company is ready to accomplish any mission.

Orphan Families and Friends,

Another month has come and gone, hope everyone is doing well. We are now into our last months of the deployment and continuing to push forward until we get home. As most of you know by now we have transitioned over our COP and now consolidated with the BN on Sarkari Karez. Our OPTEMPO will continue as we transition our battle space over to the new owners; please be patient if you dont hear from your spouse in a couple of days. November was a good and bad month for us; a lot more of your spouses got promoted. It was a bad one for us as we had a WIA and one fallen hero. I ask you to keep the loved ones of our fallen Warrior in your thoughts and prayers as we will. All of you should be tracking on the dates of our return home; we will be flying by companies minus the TORCH and ADVON personnel. All hard dates will be published and placed on the VFRG webpage, so if you havent signed up please get with the FRG Leader and do so. As we continue to push forward you do the same and take care of yourselves and each other. - Orphan 7 out -1SG Tony Reese Orphan 7

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Bravo Company - BLACK DRAGONS

DRAGON FAMILIES, This is our last letter from deployment and its amazing how fast the last eight months have gone for Dragon Company. Also, at the time of this writing, the entire company is finally back under one roof. As of last week, 3rd Platoon has moved back to FOB Azizullah and is part of Dragon Company again. We did have to give up our adopted Artillery platoon, but we still see them on a daily basis. Now that 3rd Platoons mission at COP AJK is complete, we have started integrating them back into the Company organization and preparing containers for shipment back to Fort Riley. But our mission is not quite done yet. We still have a few missions that our Soldiers will be pouring more hard work into before its all done. Needless to say, though, that the Dragons are working hard to ensure that we get as much done as we can and set up future units that work here in the Kandahar province with the best possible chance at success. The weather has cooled off here, which makes operations much more bearable, but its no where near as cold as we see from the weather reports from Fort Riley. The Soldiers of Dragon Company are in for a shock when we return home. It seems like we left just when winter was ending and its going to be interesting to come home back into the bitter cold months. But nothing, not even the cold, is stopping the Soldiers from looking forward to being home again. Despite all the hard work and accomplishments over the past eight months, we are still looking forward to being back with our friends and families. And spending some time on Leave! Thanks again to all of our supporters who have helped us through the deployment your encouragement and words have reminded us of what we fight for. Thank you again for all you have done and we look forward to seeing you all again. DRAGONS! CPT Fechter

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Dreadnaught Newsletter

Fighting Aces Families, It has been another busy month for the Fighting Aces here in Afghanistan. This month the Aces conducted numerous air assaults, countless patrols and even had an outstanding Thanksgiving Dinner. There were four Fighting Aces promoted this month; SGT Schoonover (3rd PLT), SGT Doyle (3rd PLT), SGT Elrod (4th PLT), and 1LT Rey (HQ Plt). These Soldiers have performed exceptionally during the deployment and truly deserve their promotions. With all the hard work from the Cooks, Thanksgiving dinner was a big success. As tradition, during Thanksgiving all Officers and Senior Enlisted serve the Soldiers. This year LTC Kidd, CSM McDwyer, and MAJ Ayers came to COP Hutal and served along with the Aces Company leadership. As the month of November comes to a close, we are edging closer and closer to redeployment. I ask all of our Families to stay connected to the Family Readiness Group for the latest and greatest information. December will be, as usual, a very busy time for the Company. We will continue our patrols, pack up equipment, and welcome the replacing unit. I wish everyone a happy holiday season and a happy New Year. Aces 6-

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Delta Company - DAUNTLESS

From the Commanders Desk

Friends and Family of DAUNTLESS, As the month of November has moved past and we move into the holiday season, dauntless has maintained our high operational tempo. Several more Air Assaults have been completed along with a 96 hour operation that finished on the morning of Thanksgiving. Through it all, your Soldiers have proven why they are the most mobile and agile force in the Brigade Combat Team. It pains me to announce the loss of SFC Dennis Murray, who was heroically killed in action. His actions saved many Soldiers. We held the memorial for SFC Murray on the evening of the 26th to a beautiful sun-set, truly fitting the man we memorialized. It will be your Soldiers future actions, endeavors, and leadership that will be the true memorial to him. We also had several wounded in action to include SGT Perez, SSG Alvarez, CPL Sharp, PFC Kemp, SSG Vickers (attached EOD), and 1SG Mosher. We all send prayers for a good and speedy recovery knowing how tough and mentally strong each of them are. There is no doubt that our operations are dangerous, however you must know that each and every Soldier in Dauntless and our attachments have performed flawlessly, with courage and honor. We continue to fight a tough enemy who can only hope to take our fighting spirit away from us in order to intimidate the population of Afghanistan. Through the trials we have endured, encouraging signs abound. Though we are missing several of our key leaders, many younger NCOs and Soldiers have stepped up to ensure our continued success in all of our missions. As we close in on the final weeks of our deployment, I could not be prouder of each and every Soldier in this formation. Your loved ones are truly courageous and have kept the true meaning of DAUNTLESS. Each man has contributed more than his share to our continued success throughout the deployment. Our spirits remain high as the Christmas season closes upon us. Several care packages enclosed decorations that immediately went up after Thanksgiving, just like they would in the U.S. We know that many of us will not be with our families this Christmas, however each of us knows that the family that is Dauntless company will celebrate in every way we can. Our greatest Christmas present will be the upcoming trip home to Ft. Riley. As we look to transition between combat operations and the long trip home, your continued support will be vital in ensuring your Soldiers focus and drive. I can-not thank each and every one of you enough for your sup-port throughout the deployment and I know your work will not stop as we continue our journey. Even as we be-gin to arrive home, the support you provide will need to continue. The enduring test that will continue is how we take care of each other. I will also ask your patience with the redeployment process and know that the FRG will be in touch with our leaders here to ensure the most accurate and upto-date information is being disseminated. Again, I cannot be prouder of each and every Solider in Dauntless. They have shown true faith and courage in the face of battle and will be stronger for the trials they have had while completing this deployment. The work they have done has gone far to save American and Afghani lives. Dauntless Soldiers will forever be written in the history as the most flexible, mo-bile, and agile force in Western Kandahar. I look forward to being able to meet each of you as we come home and maintain the large family that Dauntless has become. Jared

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Dreadnaught Newsletter

Forward Support Company - TWO GUN

December 2011 Newsletter

HQ: Happy Holidays to the family and friends of Headquarters Platoon. During the month of November SSG Michael Tschudi and his family welcomed their new daughter Brittany Joelle. She was born 09NOV11 weighing 8lbs and 19in. Headquarters Platoon has kept very busy preparing for redeployment back to Fort Riley. We recently downsized and moved into a new office location making room for the new incoming unit. The orderly room is now headed up by newly promoted SGT Xuan Zhao and SPC Shoel Uddin is the new orderly room clerk. SSG Shanikque Nappier and PFC Tina Spieghts are working hard to get all of the company equipment ready to be inventoried and transferred so Fox Company can begin movement back to Fort Riley at the end of December. 1LT Nederhoed Auto: Auto Platoon is working hard to finish services and repairs for the battalions vehicle and generator fleet as they prepare for redeployment. Auto Platoon recently completed their most extensive maintenance project, the rebuild of M-ATV Charlie 11. The vehicle had received massive front end damage from an IED and with Bradley mechanic SPC Jared Kuhns leading the project, the M-ATV was rebuilt to like new condition. SPC Donte Sinkler has also kept very busy this month putting his artistic skills to work painting Dreadnaught plaques for the battalion that were welded from scratch by CPL Daniel Wilkinson. These plaques of the Dreadnaught crest took over 15 man hours to compete 1 and this team produced nearly 27 plaques. Over the next month Auto Platoon will continue its hard work in the motor pool and begin to prep for redeployment. 1LT Nederhoed Distro Platoon: Hello again for the last time from FOB Sarkari Karez! Distro Platoon switched gears this month from backhauling equipment at A Co. Orphans old COP, to moving all classes of supply to C Troop 3-71s new home at Pain Kelay. Were continuing to support the Battalion with checkpoint builds, emplacing security barriers, and of course making our regular scheduled logistical runs. One notable project completed this month was the delivery of 1100 bags of wheat seed to the District Center in Hutal. This seed will be given to select Afghan farmers to plant in their fields instead of growing poppy or marijuana. On top of everything that has been going on this month the platoon has had some memorable moments: Congratulations to Mrs. Price and Mrs. Wier on the birth of children and to SPC Wier and SPC Lira for being promoted to Sergeant! 2LT Chris Ciman

Fox Company would like to thank all of our family, friends and sponsors for all of the thoughts, prayers and generous support we have received. We are truly grateful to have such a supportive network of people who genuinely care for our Soldiers. From everyone in the FSC, we collectively say, Thank You.

CPT Swinford
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Rear Detachment - SENTINELS

Friends and Families of the Dreadnaught Battalion, As I look back on November, I cannot help but reflect that it was a long month. Despite the fact that we had two very important holidays during those 30 days, it was a long month. It was a month I will not soon forget and more importantly, I will never forget the men and the sacrifices made during this long month. Id like to take a moment to acknowledge the sacrifices of our fallen heroes, PFC Cody R. Norris, SFC Dennis R. Murray, and SGT Ryan D. Sharp. Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers. These men paid the ultimate sacrifice. Many and more men were injured and I would entreat everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery. The first holiday that was recognized this past month was Veterans Day probably a very poignant holiday for anyone reading these remarks. Originally recognized as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of World War I, it has since become the holiday to honor all Veterans of all wars fought by the United States. For those of us in uniform, it is a day to reflect on what we represent, why we do what we do, and the places we have been. But there is no federal holiday for the families of these proud Soldiers who also have to carry quite the burden of supporting and loving a veteran. We recognized it with heavy hearts and took the time to ponder the meaning of such a solemn holiday. Next, we observed the Thanksgiving Holiday. I, personally, had the opportunity to serve our 2-34 Rear Detachment Soldiers among others from within the Brigade and across Fort Riley, Thanksgiving Dinner in the Devils Den Dining Facility. It was a truly rewarding experience following a long week. I hope you all did as I did and took the time to show thanks for the things we do have and for the Soldiers that serve. Although I, as well as most of the Dreadnaught Soldiers, were away from our biological nuclear families, I, as well as the Soldiers currently in Afghanistan, spent the holiday with adopted family, with our brothers and sisters in arms and gave thanks for the bonds that unite us as Soldiers in the United States Army. Although this is an often thankless job, we continue to serve dutifully because we are an honor bound organization that will never quit until the fight is won! I hope that my words have not been too somber, because we have plenty to be thankful for and rejoice about! Our first set of Redeployers will be coming back within a few short weeks and I truly look forward to welcoming them home. After that, it will only be a few more quick weeks until all Dreadnaughts are home and then we will truly celebrate! Fear God, Dreadnaught! Ricky L. Brown CPT, EN Commander E CO, 2-34 AR Work: 785-239-1763 BB: 785-213-0588

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PICTURES FROM THE FRONT

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PICTURES FROM THE FRONT

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