FORT DRUM

The Howler
July 2011

Be Silent and Act

LTC Taylor

Inside this issue:

LTC Taylor 1

Numbers of Interest

GOLF

Alpha

HHB

Bravo

MFLC Information Chaplain

To the friends and Families of the Wolfpack, Since our last letter the battalion has stayed busy and like any good Field Artillery unit, we continue to improve our position daily. We continue our daily security patrols, meeting with local citizens and leaders and continuing to improve the security and quality of life for those around us while we work with our Afghan Army partners. As Im sure youve heard from family members or friends that deployed with us, we are in a rural area so most of the citizens here are farmers, and weve had success helping the farmers by improving irrigation as well as crops through our Farmers Assistance Kits, which contain a wheelbarrow, crates for their grapes, and some other essentials for growing healthy crops as well as harvesting them. Ive eaten a few grapes as weve been out on patrol, and the grapes that Kandahar is famous for live up their billing, they are delicious. As you know, we are in our leave window and many of you have seen your Soldiers. Every Soldier that is here more than 270 days gets the opportunity to take leave and it is all well deserved, and I encourage all of you to enjoy your time together with your Soldier. Weve continued to improve our living conditions in the past few months. Both of our Combat LTC Chris Taylor Outposts now have running water, showers, and laundry facilities and the Soldiers work hard to keep them clean and serviceable. At FOB Azizulah and

COP Azimjan Karez weve either moved into or installed new dining tents, which give the Soldiers more room and are a much more comfortable place to eat and relax. Though weve not gotten one up on the hill at Ghundy Ghar yet, all the pieces are falling into place to get a new Dining Facility installed there as well. The Soldiers have made an enormous effort improving theses Combat Outposts but it is well worth it, and we will continue to improve our position daily. As Im sure youve heard, last month we said good-bye to Captain Jeff Dupree and his wife, Witney and we welcome Captain Ben Roark and his wife Aimee. The Duprees will be missed and we wish Jeff and Witney best of luck as CPT Dupree purses his Masters Degree and transition to Operational Research. Our adopted Company, B/2-34 out of Fort Riley continues to add flexibility to our formation and they are an outstanding addition to our Task Force, they are superb Soldiers. The Soldiers of the Task Force continue their phenomenal work every say, and the support we get form our families and the Family Readiness Group is a significant factor in our success and morale. Once again thank you for all your hard work and well see you soon.

Numbers and Websites of Interest

5

BN Staff Duty - 315-774-2176

Calendar 6

Rear Detachment Commander LT Yager315-775-8123 Rear Detachment 1SGAaron Trask 912-271-1798

Family News and Info

Family Readiness Support AssistantSarah Lorenzen 315-772-6509 FT Drum American Red Cross - 315-772-6561

Wolfpack Gear

Toll Free American Red Cross - 1-877-272-7337 http://www.armyfrg.org http://www.facebook.com/425fa http://www.drum.army.mil/Pages/index.aspx

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GOLF Gladiators
Strength and Honor

Gladiator Family and Friends, Good wishes from FOB Azizullah in Maiwand, Afghanistan! The Gladiators have once again continued to shine since the last time I wrote! Since the last newsletter, we have welcomed our new Company First Sergeant, 1SG Willie G. Williams to the team. We have also said farewell to our executive officer, 1LT Jay Clutter and have welcomed our new executive officer, 1LT Jade Wilson. Jade and his wife Alisia, come to us from Alpha Company, 710 th BSB. Additionally, SGT Delvona Maria has joined our headquarters platoon recently and will be working as our training room NCO. Needless to say, our team is stronger now than it has ever been as we forge on through the deployment! Our Soldiers are tackling all challenges head on and make me proud to lead them. While I cant list every great accomplishment, I will highlight a few of them The month of June saw many great accomplishments for our company and the battalion we support. Distro platoon pushed out on missions nearly every day for the entire month, resulting in our distinguished visitors commenting that our two Combat Outposts where the best in the brigade. Without Distro constantly hauling supplies and building material out, the Soldiers at the COPs would not enjoy the force protection or quality of life that they do. Our field feeding section has been slinging chow, for all the hungry Soldiers in the Task Force since day one. Soldiers in far flung places such as the mountainous Ghundey Ghar, enjoy ice cream, fresh fruit, and steak because of our high caliber mess section and the strong leaders like SSG Conrad who run it. Make no mistake about it, in the month of June, we did not fail in any mission and consistently performed at an exceptional level. Our maintenance section continued to suceed, keeping the task forces trucks and equipment rolling while also recovering battle damaged equipment when the situation warranted. Maintenance Soldiers have rebuilt their motorpool to make it more efficient for their operations and have plans to build a wooden structure complete with offices in it. Even in temperatures well above 100 degrees, our Soldiers drove on without complaint, making things happen for the Task Force and keeping the enemy on his heels. In addition to supporting the Task Force, the Gladiators have also been training the Afghan Army and have been setting the standard for partnership. Whether working on a watchtower in the middle of Maiwand or picking up T-walls along a desolate Afghan road, we have worked so well with our partners that other units have begun to take notice. Our Soldiers, NCOs, and Officers recognize the importance of training our counterparts and it has really shown in recent weeks. We hope to continue running partnered patrols and also continuing to share our successes with our Afghan brethren. Our work on the FOB has continued, and weve made great strides in improving our surroundings. We plan on opening a new dining facility in August here at Azizullah and are currently working on a large deck where Soldiers can play cards and unwind during breaks. Well be sure to keep you updated through pictures on the 4-25 FA Facebook page. I want to take the time to thank each and every one of you for the tremendous support you have given. Our Soldiers know the love and support they have and we fully recognize the sacrifices you all are making on a daily basis. Spouses and Family members of our deployed Soldiers deserve recognition and thanks for their commitment to not only their Soldier but to our great nation. I firmly believe the bumper sticker Ive seen around Ft. Drum that says, Army Spousethe FRG LeaderLindsay Nemec hardest job in the Army. Without you and your support, none of these great triLindsay.c.nemec@us.army.mil umphs are possible. Please know that your Soldiers are doing well and morale is high. Our Soldiers know the jubilance of success here in AO Wolfpack as well as the warming support of their loved ones back home. Strength and HonorGladiators! JAMES M. NEMEC CPT, FA Commanding

It is my honor to command the Men of Steel. In the first 6 weeks since I was given the privilege of leading these men, they have taken the fight to the enemy and have earned a reputation as hard-fighting, hard-working professionals and are the finest Battery in the Battalion. Despite tragedy and loss, difficult missions and extreme heat, they push forward by driving the enemy from their strongholds all while building the best COP in the area. Your husbands, fathers, sons, boyfriends, and brother are on the front lines. They are not only holding their own among their Infantry brethren, they are setting the standard and surpassing expectations. Without your love and support, they wouldnt be the successful men that they are. Thank you for all you do for us and on the homefront. Stay in touch and be safe. Steel! CPT Benjamin Roark-Steel 6
Love you guys, kiss Katherine for me! PFC Beebe Just want to say to everyone back home that Im doing good. Love you baby! PFC Koch

I miss and love you! SPC Rodriguez

!Donna, Satori, Aeris and Sethren, I think about

Its nice to know I have a beautiful wife and kids that are waiting for me back home. I love and miss you guys. SPC Macalinao you guys all the time. I love you my Eternal Family! SSG Policarpo

Alpha FRG Leaders Aimee Roark Aimee.roark@us.army.mil Stacey Sullivan mummie232000@yahoo.com

Look for Alphas battery newsletter where you will see more shout outs, news and pictures!

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HHB Hawkeyes
Dear Friends and Families, It has seemed like forever since I last wrote. I hope all is well back home. I can assure you that everyone here has kept extremely busy which is making the time pass rather quickly. To say that we're already about to enter our fifth month in Afghanistan is both amazing and very welcoming news for all of us. By the time that you are reading this letter, many of you have already had your loved ones home for mid-tour leave. I hope that the time together was very relaxing and a nice glimpse about the eventual homecoming in spring of next year. For those of you that are still looking forward to leave, I hope it's everything you expect it to be. As our time passes here, the Soldiers, your husbands and sons, have grown closer to one another and have truly developed a sense of community, friendship, and family. These bonds help them deal with being apart from their loved ones back home. I think this is yet

another thing that our Soldiers do that we should all emulate. If you are not very involved with the FRG, I suggest you give it a try -building a friendship with people that are going through the same hardships that you are dealing with is the best way to deal with the difficulty of being apart and may even help time pass faster. All of our Soldiers continue to do a phenomenal job in supporting the entire battalion's efforts. Without them, none of this would be possible. I am impressed daily with the drive and determination that everyone demonstrates in accomplishing the mission. Know that your sons and husbands are truly making a difference in this world and all serve a cause that is both noble and just. Know that your sacrifice is worth it and next time you speak to your deployed Soldier, let him know how important his work is and what a difference it will make. That encouragement from you is worth more to him than any awards or adulations that he will receive at the end of the day. V/R, J. Kevin McKittrick CPT, FA Commander, HHB/4-25 FAR FOB Azizullah

HHB FRG Leaders

Emily Goodknecht egoodknecht@hotmail.com Megan Bennett Roxygurl2004@hotmaiil.com

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Dear Friends and Families, The Blackjacks are doing great over here atop COP Ghundey Ghar. Our vista from Alexander the Great's former abode remains the same from my last update. The fields are still green and the farmers are still busy. As I have mentioned in earlier newsletters this is an agrarian society and everything around here revolves around planting, pruning, and picking produce. Two months ago the locals picked their poppy, last month they picked their wheat, and now they've just started to pick their grapes. The grapes around Ghundey Ghar are mainly green with no seeds. There are a few purple grapes, which are really sweet, but unfortunately they have seeds. Personally, I prefer seedless grapes. I have grown fond of warm and dusty grapes while on patrol - I never thought that would happen. It is surprising what motivates you while you're on a long, exhausting patrol. As the heat has increased so has our contact with the enemy, and neither have been able to deter the Blackjacks! Every day we are out trudging through the fields and villages around our COP, meeting with the people and striving to secure the thousands of good Afghans that surround us. Not only are we helping them by driving the enemy from their backyards, but we are also helping them by refurbishing their mosques and providing them with seeds, fertilizer, wheelbarrows, and sickles to farm with. Our quality of life has improved vastly over the past couple of months. We now have a consistent water source so we can take showers, wash and dry our clothes and flush our toilets whenever we want. Our chow has also improved. We had steak and lobster the other day with pralines and cream ice cream. Despite how nice it may seem here, it is nothing like home. We all miss you back in the States and cannot wait to get back there. Our R&R has started and many Blackjacks have already been on leave and have made it back here. It is a great program that the Army has to get us back home for a couple weeks during this long deployment. It is also good for the battery to have Soldiers take a couple weeks off. When they come back here they have a new burst of energy and some great stories to tell. Their recharged batteries are contagious. We are so busy here that time is flying by. Of course, it couldn't go too fast but we'll take what we can get. We have received a ton of support from all of you and we are all very appreciative. Please rest assured that we all think of you often and wish we could be back there in the States with you. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Bravo Battery FRG Leader Melissa Hernandez Sincerely, Kara Dudley CPT Dan Sundberg Bravobattery425@yahoo.com

Military Family Life Consultant Eliane Herdani 315-405-7486 Office hours: Wednesday 1000-1200 MFLC.FtDrum.3BCT@gmail.com

MFLC

t or rpp t wo u umgious Sn-pos Dr li o rt & Re of all Fo ices ing t erv lis p S plete shi or com W ra Fo

This newsletter contains official and unofficial information. Newsletter containing official and unofficial information in this FRG newsletter has not increased the cost to the Government, in accordance with DOD 4525.8M.

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Chaplain Loren Omer

Recently we celebrated the birth of our nation which started with the Revolutionary War 235 years ago. Since that time we have had major conflicts starting with the War of 1812, the Civil War, the War with Mexico, with Spain, WW1, WW2, the Korean War, Vietnam, the First Gulf War and the current war against terrorism. Our forefathers made an astounding declaration to the world in 1776. On July 4 th, after futile efforts to negotiate with the crown, men wrote and signed our Declaration of Independence, declaring We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are en dowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. Knowing their action would result in bloodshed, the declaration ends with, And to support this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred Honor. This was, indeed, a revolutionary document, for, throughout most of recorded history, it had been the king who decided who would prosper and who would not. And because people needed the bread, shelter, and security that the king provided, they often accepted a life of servitude and surrendered their freedom in exchange for these necessities. But then something happened. The common man began to stir and awaken from his slumber. He began asking questions that had before seemed impossible, too dangerous even to consider: Why should we forever be children, dependent upon another for our bread? Arent all men created equal? Can we truly choose our own destiny? Can we live free? From that day to this, the spark of liberty has grown into a bright flame that shines in the souls of millions of men and women throughout the world, inspiring them to create for themselves a life and future of their own choosing. It is fitting that we remember those brave souls who planted the seeds of liberty. We who enjoy the fruits of freedom have a responsibility to future generations to uphold, protect, and preserve those self-evident truths that gave birth to a new era. Though separated by the centuries, we can stand with those who boldly declared that all people everywhere are endowed by their Creator with [the] unalienable Rights [of] Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. May we continue to be resolute in never giving in to the weakness of sitting on the sidelines and letting our liberty gradually disappear because of our lack of commitment to this basic principle granted by our Father in Heaven. As evidenced by the daily actions of the 4-25 FAR Soldiers in Afghanistan, I can testify that the Wolfpack remains resolute. May grace and peace be with you. Chaplain Loren Omer

Portions of the above message are quoted from Lloyd D. Newell, Music and the Spoken Word, 5 July 2009.

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August 2011
SUNDAY MONDAY
1

TUESDAY
2

WEDNESDAY
3

THURSDAY
4

FRIDAY
5

SATURDAY
6

Hearts Apart 10:00-12:00 ACS

8 Steering Meeting 4-25 FA BN Classroom! 12:00

10

11

12

13

Connect to Tots playgroup 10-1130 Post Chapel 9-4 16 Connect to Tots playgroup 10-1130 Post Chapel Event Planning 10-11:30 17

AFTB Level I 14 15

Key Caller Training 2:00-3:30 and 5:00-6:30 18 19 20

FRG Ice Cream Social 6:00 Crescent Wood Community Center

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

Connect to Tots playgroup 10-1130 Post Chapel

AFTB Fall Fun Marathon Army Community Service AFTB Level I I 9-4 Army Community Service
28 29 30 31

Fall Marathon ACS 900-1600

Connect to Tots playgroup 10-1130 Post Chapel

Please check your FRSA Flash every Friday for updated activities in your area.

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Guide to the Adirondack Region

Six Flag Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark Enjoy we and wild fun year-round at Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark! Get ready for breathtaking waterslides, surfing, lazy inner tube floats, & fun pool activates for the tots. Ausable Chasm Descend hundreds of feet to walk on natural stone walkways and enjoy amazing natural scenery and adventure.

High Falls Gorge Enjoy spectacular vies across sturdy bridges and manicured pathways in the shadow of Whiteface Mountain. Experience the great out doors along the Ausable River

Adirondack Equine Center Adirondack horseback riding advenLake Nordic Vacation Center ture great for all ages. Right in Lake Offering a Touch of Finland in the Placid at the Lake Placid Club with Adirondack Balloon Flights Adirondacks! Lodging in tupas views of mirror Lake, High peak Moun(cottages), pristine lake with sandy Fly with Phil Jackson, the regions pretains, Olympic Ski Jumps. beach to swim, fish, kayak & canoe; mier and most experienced balloon hiking& mtn biking. In winter, visit our ride pilot with over 30 years and 3000 award-winning cross country ski cenflights in the Lake George area. We ter for the day or overnight! specialize in private and small group balloon rides 518-793-6342. Lapland Lake Nordic Enchanted Forest/Water Safari Vacation Center Are you ready for thrill, spills, action Offering a Touch of Finland in the and excitement? Look no further than Adirondacks!1 Lodging in tupas Depot Theatre the Enchanted Forest/Water Safari! (cottages), pristine lake and sandy With 32 water rides, a total of over 50 Enjoy Broadway shows in friendly and beach to swim, fish, kayak & canoe; exhilarating rides and attractions, relaxed Adirondack style. The Depot hiking & mtn biking. were your best Get Wet bet this sum- Theatre is professional Equity theatre mer. in a charming historic train station a stones throw from Lake Champlain http://www.adirondack.net/ADK/ and steps from the mountains. Activities.cfm
Childrens Books

Military Spouse Books

Married to the Military

H is for Honor Surviving Deployment

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Baskets, Baskets, Baskets!!

ale S

Your Custom "Friendship" Basket Includes Brass Tag, Laser Lid, Cloth Liner & Plastic Protector..11 x 8.25 x 5.5 $45.00

Buy your 4-25 FA Friendship Basket or your 3 BCT Picnic Basket. Please Contact your FRSA Sarah Lorenzen at 315-772-6509 or sarah.lorenzen@us.army.mil to place your orders or check out the vFRG for order forms.

Your Custom "Picnic" Basket Includes Brass Tag, Laser Lid, Cloth Liner & Plastic Protector... 13.5 x 13.5 x 7.5" $60.00