Spartan Times Vol 5 - Usarak - U.S. Army
Spartan Times Vol 5 - Usarak - U.S. Army
Spartan Times Vol 5 - Usarak - U.S. Army
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793d Military Police Battalion<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
FALL 2011
793D MP BN “SPARTAN” Newsletter<br />
Page 2<br />
Fall 2011 Fall 2011<br />
U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
<strong>Vol</strong>ume: VI<br />
Inside this issue:<br />
BN CDR 6<br />
CSM 7<br />
HHD, 793rd MP 8<br />
28th MP CO 9<br />
164th MP CO 10<br />
472nd MP CO 11<br />
545th MP CO 12<br />
Special points of<br />
interest:<br />
Tribute to Fallen<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong>s<br />
The <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion<br />
recently achieved phenomenal<br />
success during<br />
Warrior Leader<br />
Course Class 11-13<br />
hosted at JBER between<br />
19 -- 30 September<br />
2011. SPC Adam<br />
Holly and SPC Michael<br />
Fuentez each earned<br />
top title awards during<br />
the September WLC<br />
Class.<br />
During WLC Class 13-<br />
11 SPC SPC Holly a Motor<br />
Transport Operator<br />
within the 793D MP BN<br />
graduated top of his<br />
class. He was awarded<br />
the Distinguished Leadership<br />
Award which is<br />
793D MP BN Soldiers Excel at WLC<br />
presented to the top<br />
student in the course<br />
who has demonstrated<br />
an understanding and<br />
who practices outstanding<br />
leadership<br />
abilities. Along with the<br />
Distinguished Leadership<br />
award, SPC Holly<br />
also made the Commandants<br />
list.<br />
SPC Fuentez, a team<br />
leader assigned to the<br />
545th MP CO also received<br />
a top tier award<br />
during the WLC Class.<br />
SPC Fuentez earned<br />
the coveted Iron Warrior<br />
Award for achieving<br />
the highest score in all<br />
physical events during<br />
the course’s APFT. SPC<br />
Fuentez arrived to the<br />
793D MP BN in August<br />
and initially worked as<br />
part of the S3 Staff<br />
prior to attending WLC.<br />
He is currently assigned<br />
to the 545th<br />
Military Police Company<br />
as the 2nd Platoon,<br />
1st Squad Charlie<br />
Team Leader.<br />
MP WLC Honors<br />
164th MP CO<br />
Deployment<br />
Pictures from<br />
Afghanistan<br />
Career<br />
Counselor’s<br />
Corner<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong> Heroes<br />
Above: SPC Fuentez conducts PMI on the M249<br />
SAW prior to attending a live fire range.<br />
Above: SPC Holly in his ASU prior<br />
to a company uniform inspection.<br />
Cover: Soldiers from the 28th MP DET<br />
conduct room entry training in support of<br />
the law enforcement mission at Fort Wainwright.
FALLEN HEROS<br />
Page 3<br />
Robert Lee Voakes Jr.<br />
Specialist, U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
26 February 1990 — 4 June 2011<br />
L’Anse Michigan<br />
Christopher Roger Bell<br />
Sergeant, U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
5 January 1990 — 4 June 2011<br />
Golden, Mississippi<br />
Devin Arielle Snyder<br />
Sergeant, U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
7 August 1990 — 4 June 2011<br />
Virginia Beach, Virginia<br />
Joshua David Powell<br />
Sergeant, U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
9 September 1982 — 4 June 2011<br />
Quitman, Texas<br />
Sadly the last few months have been wrought with grief in the <strong>Spartan</strong> Community as SGT Joshua Powell, SGT Christopher Bell,<br />
SGT Devin Snyder and SPC Robert Voakes were all killed June 4 2011 in Afghanistan’s Laghman Province while on patrol. The<br />
Soldiers deployed with the 164th MP CO in March of 2011 and were conducting military operations in support of Operation Enduring<br />
Freedom when their vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device. On June 22nd the 793D MP BN held a memorial ceremony<br />
at JBER to honor the fallen hero’s.<br />
―I think the memorial service was really a feeling of pride, a sense of honor for our fallen comrades,‖ said LTC Stephen E.<br />
Gabavics, commander of the 793D MP BN. ―Obviously there was a sorrow of having the loss of these heroes, but I think largely it<br />
was a celebration of their life and what they brought to this battalion and to all the Soldiers that knew them.‖<br />
Though our fellow <strong>Spartan</strong>s are gone, they will never be forgotten, especially to the people close to them. SGT Powell, was more<br />
than a friend and more than a fellow Soldier to those around him. To his fellow Soldiers SGT Powell will be remembered as a big<br />
brother and a best friend, who would tell you something you needed to hear even if you didn’t want to hear it. SGT Powell, who was<br />
fond of hunting in fishing found a true home in the Alaskan Community of JBER.<br />
Exemplifying what it means to be an NCO, SGT Bell was a model for leadership to his fellow Soldiers as he constantly looked out<br />
for the welfare of other Soldiers before looking out for his own. SGT Bell would go out of his way to help those who needed it,<br />
would never hesitate to lend a hand to those in need, and always looked to help struggling Soldiers by putting complex tasks into<br />
terms they could understand. SGT Bell was also a dedicated family man who would constantly tell others about his baby daughter<br />
and loving wife.<br />
A smile is what defined SGT Devin Snyder. SGT Snyder always had a positive and upbeat way at looking at life and its challenges<br />
and that energy often picked up the morale of her fellow Soldiers. Even with her loss SGT Snyder continued to impact her entire<br />
community as thousands of people lined the streets of her small Virginia town to pay their respects, mourn her loss and celebrate her<br />
life.<br />
SPC Robert Voakes felt a calling to serve his country in time of need. He aspired<br />
to earn a degree in criminal justice and work within his tribal police department,<br />
naturally he was drawn to the MP Corps for service. Though still new<br />
to the military SPC Voakes was considered one of the rising stars and was developing<br />
into the type of Soldier and leader the <strong>Army</strong> desires.<br />
Though these Soldiers have left the ranks of the <strong>Spartan</strong>s they will never be<br />
forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of these<br />
Soldiers.
793D MP BN Spouses Day Page 4<br />
Reprinted with Permission<br />
2D EN BDE MEB PAO<br />
The sun hadn't risen yet from behind the Alaskan mountains on that crisp October morning.<br />
Weapons were drawn and the troops assembled into a formation outside.<br />
Sgt. David Grosshuesch of the 793rd Military Police Battalion called the group to attention, directed a "right face" then<br />
"forward march" and the platoon sized element began a forced road march wearing full-battle rattle. This would seem like a<br />
typical morning for a group of Soldiers, but these were Soldiers’ spouses.<br />
The 793rd Military Police Battalion held a spouses day, dubbed the "The <strong>Spartan</strong> Spouses Challenge" Oct. 6 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.<br />
The events included a road march, weapons familiarization training, vehicle roll-over drills, a simulated<br />
range, a ride in the back of a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, or LMTV, and an obstacle course with a dozen challenges.<br />
"The intent is to bring the spouses of our Soldiers in here, male or female, to understand what their Soldier, husband or wife<br />
does on a daily basis,‖ LTC. Steve Gabavics, commander of the 793rd MP Battalion, said. ―To get to see some of the events<br />
that we participate in, to learn a little about the weapons we use, to have some fun more than anything else and get to know<br />
each other."<br />
"One of the opportunities in having the spouses here is that I think it coalesces the unit a little bit better, because now you get to<br />
have that entire integrity of a family beyond what you would normally have with just the Soldier being involved with battalion,"<br />
he said.<br />
The spouses jumped right into the action. They got to see and experience firsthand what their Soldiers do at work. Some of the<br />
spouses found the events challenging as well.<br />
"The most challenging thing we did today was the obstacle course," said Ruth Banks, whose husband is a captain in the 793rd<br />
MP. ―It was really hard to get across, but a lot of Soldiers helped me out, so that was great. I think the whole day was challenging<br />
and I learned a lot about what my husband does at work. The rollover was very interesting and very difficult to get out of."<br />
Some spouses compared the challenge to a kind of G.I. Jane experience.<br />
"Live the life in your husband’s shoes or boots for the day," Nicole Grosshuesch said. "The fun things we get to do is wear the<br />
ruck, getting to do roll-over drills and the obstacle course. A lot of different things we don't get to see our husbands getting to<br />
do."<br />
The spouses received certificates from Lt. Col. Gabavics and Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Epps for their participation.<br />
For more pictures and video of the event, check out the 2d Engineer Brigade Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/<br />
pages/2d-Engineer-Brigade/235979063102397.<br />
Above: <strong>Spartan</strong> Spouses complete a road march with full battle rattle and the Ft. Richardson obstacle course during spouses day.
Military Police Ball<br />
Page 5<br />
On October 7th the 793d Military Police Battalion conducted the<br />
annual Military Police Ball to celebrate Military Police Traditions<br />
and build camaraderie within the force. The night began with traditional<br />
celebrations such as the annual cake cutting, and grog<br />
toast (above), and concluded with dancing, the limbo and the<br />
electric slide (left, and below). Battalion Soldiers and their dates<br />
all enjoyed an evening steeped with classic military traditions and<br />
team building celebrations.
From the BN Commander Page 6<br />
The final quarter of the fiscal year has been an eventful time for the <strong>Spartan</strong>s. While<br />
the 164 th MP CO continues to conduct operations in support of Operation Enduring<br />
Freedom, the 545 th and 472 nd MP Companies and the 28 th MP Detachment continue<br />
to train and conduct law enforcement operations on JBER and Fort Wainwright.<br />
Sadly, last quarter was met with great loss within the 164 th MP Company and<br />
the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion Family when on the 4 th of June we lost four of our heroes.<br />
While conducting combat operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,<br />
SGT Joshua Powell, SGT Christopher Bell, SGT Devin Snyder and SPC Robert<br />
Vokes made the ultimate sacrifice when the vehicle they were operating in was struck<br />
by an improvised explosive device. The Battalion had the honor of hosting the families<br />
of all four fallen heroes on the 23 rd of June at JBER. Our thoughts and prayers<br />
are with the families and loved ones of these fallen Soldiers. The Arctic Enforcers<br />
(known as the ―Outlaws‖ in Afghanistan) continue to focus on their mission of training the Afghan Police as<br />
the Battalion focuses on providing care and support to the Families at home.<br />
The Gladiators of HHD continued to provide support to the operational companies while conducting<br />
training in preparation for next year’s deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The Gladiators<br />
completed a week long FTX training on mounted and dismounted operations, weapons training and individual<br />
Soldiering skills. The HHD and its great Soldiers are well on their way to achieving tactical proficiency.<br />
The 28 th Military Police Detachment, Arctic Guardians, recently completed Law and Order Certification<br />
and continue to provide world class law enforcement support to the Fort Wainwright and Fairbanks community.<br />
The Det’s Soldiers set the example daily of what professional Military Police bring to the community;<br />
Assist, Protect and Defend. Additionally, the 28 th deployed SSG Hastings and his Military Working Dog in<br />
support of Operation Enduring Freedom<br />
This past August, the 472 nd MP CO augmented with a platoon from the 545 th MP CO, conducted training<br />
at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in Fort Polk, LA.; while the HHD and 28 th MP Det provided<br />
17 senior NCOs and Officers to Train and Mentor the Units during their rotation. At JRTC, the two MP units<br />
focused and trained on traditional MP functions such as Area Security, Police Development, route reconnaissance<br />
missions, convoy security and other operations in support of the 4/25 Airborne Brigade Combat Team;<br />
thus assisting the Brigade in its preparation for deployment to OEF.<br />
In September, the 472 nd and 545 th MP Companies each represented the 793 d MP BN competing in the<br />
Warfighter competition during the Military Police Regimental Week at Fort Leonard Wood. Both teams demonstrated<br />
exceptional drive, motivation and dedication battling through 72 hours of nearly continuous physical<br />
and mental tasks. These Soldiers’s actions and efforts honored all <strong>Spartan</strong>s past and present.<br />
Following the MP Warfighter Symposium, CSM Epps and I had the distinct honor of attending the<br />
793d MP Battalion Association’s annual reunion in Atlanta, GA. This event connected Soldiers past and present<br />
to include five of the original members of the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion who were in Camp Maxey, TX in 1942<br />
and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth to Europe in January of 1943. It was a tremendous honor and a humbling<br />
experience to spend time with these great Americans and <strong>Spartan</strong> heroes who spanned the past 70 years. I<br />
highly encourage all of you to visit the association’s website at www.793rdmpassoc.com..<br />
As always, the successful mission accomplishments of the 793 d MP BN could not be completed without<br />
the continued support of <strong>Spartan</strong> Families. The dedication, sacrifice and support you provide to your Soldiers<br />
continues to make the Battalion Successful. My personal thanks to all of you. SPARTANS!<br />
Facta Cum Honore<br />
Steve Gabavics<br />
LTC Battalion Commander
From the BN CSM<br />
Page 7<br />
Let me begin by saying thank you to all of the Soldiers and Family Members<br />
who sacrifice so much to serve the nation. As this is my final newsletter<br />
submission as the Battalion CSM for the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion, I’d like to take a moment<br />
to reflect on our time in Alaska.<br />
The Epps family’s experience here in Alaska for the past 2 years has been<br />
unforgettable. Trading sunny Georgia for frigid Alaska was not my idea of a<br />
bargain. However, we can honestly say that we are grateful for the experience<br />
and are better off for it. I still do not know who to thank for scheduling me to<br />
attend the Cold Weather Orientation Course in January. During our brief stay<br />
here, we had the opportunity to meet and serve with some of the best Soldiers<br />
and families the <strong>Army</strong> has to offer. In the daily grind of providing law enforcement<br />
support, training and doing all we do, we often get so caught up and fail to<br />
take notice of the great people we have serving our nation and recognizing their sacrifice. So to all of the<br />
Soldiers, Leaders, families and civilians that we have had the honor to serve, support and experience<br />
Alaska with, thank you for making our tour in Alaska fulfilling and wonderful. You all are remarkable and<br />
we are better for knowing you.<br />
The <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion has faced a number of challenges over the past year since moving from Germany.<br />
Like its namesake, the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion has risen to meet each challenge and humbly continued to<br />
serve the Soldiers and Families of USARAK. Over the past year, the <strong>Spartan</strong>s have trained and deployed<br />
the 164 th MP Company, Arctic Enforcers. We redeployed, reset the 545 th and the 472 nd MP Companies.<br />
Both of these units quickly assumed responsibility for law enforcement in their respective communities<br />
and have joined the 28 th MP Detachment in providing an exceptional support to USARAK. The Headquarters<br />
Detachment has grown tremendously over the past year and is well on its way in preparing for future<br />
combat operations. However, we all know that providing police support is only a small fraction of what<br />
the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion does. The countless contributions by our Soldiers and Families to the JBER and<br />
Fairbanks communities on and off post have had a lasting impact and are a testament to the American<br />
spirit. None of our efforts over the past two years would have been successful without the incredible support<br />
provided by the 3 rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, now 2 nd Engineer Brigade and the support agencies<br />
at Fort Richardson and Fort Wainwright.<br />
As we move on, to Fort Leonard Wood, we know it will be a bittersweet departure. Every leader in<br />
the <strong>Army</strong> wishes for the opportunity to deploy with his Soldiers and I am no exception. While we look<br />
forward to the challenges Fort Leonard Wood will bring we also long to deploy the <strong>Spartan</strong> Battalion as a<br />
whole. Like everything else in the <strong>Army</strong>, change is inevitable. The 793D is in good hands with the new<br />
command team of LTC Gabavics and CSM Lynch. The <strong>Spartan</strong>s will continue to do great things both in<br />
garrison and when the unit deploys. Wanda and I wish you all well and say so long for now, because as<br />
small as the MP Corps is; we know we will see you again.<br />
CSM EPPS<br />
SPARTAN 7
HHD, 793D MP BN “Gladiators”<br />
Page 8<br />
By SGT Benjamin White<br />
“Gladiators”<br />
HHD CDR: CPT Jordan<br />
HHD 1SG: SFC Groves<br />
This is an exciting time for HHD. As the warm summer air slowly begins to become<br />
frigid, ushering in the inevitable winter and sub-zero temperatures here in<br />
Alaska, we too are beginning a new time. With our upcoming deployment at the<br />
end of next year, our focus has shifted from the recent activation of the battalion<br />
to preparing for war. With that, training events to include weapons ranges, field<br />
training exercises and command post exercises are on the calendar, as well as<br />
family readiness group events meant to foster camaraderie and support amongst<br />
our detachment families. I encourage you all to get involved if you aren’t.<br />
There are lots of exciting things coming up. - CPT Jordan<br />
Above: CSM Richard Epps marches<br />
793rd Soldiers following the <strong>Army</strong>-wide<br />
Military Police Run.<br />
Above: SFC Wade Connett is ―detained‖ by SFC<br />
Ronald Pierce during an Arctic Warrior Time training<br />
event in which a squad cleared and secured the entirety of<br />
building 793.<br />
HAIL<br />
SSG Dorsey - 17th CSSB<br />
MAJ Ritterpusch - Ft. Leavenworth<br />
CPT Particini - 2 EN BDE<br />
SSG Walker - 6th Engineers<br />
SSG Mccollough - 17th CSSB<br />
WO1 Sanders - WOCS<br />
SGT Weaver - 17th CSSB<br />
SFC Groves - Ft. Leonardwood<br />
MSG Meyers - Ft. Lewis<br />
MSG Gibbs - Ft. Sam Houston<br />
SPC Crosby - 545th MP Co<br />
SPC Pearson - 545th MP Co<br />
PFC Sadler -<br />
CPT Porter - Ft. Drum<br />
FAREWELL<br />
2LT Montes - 545th MP Co<br />
CPT Somoza - 164th Rear D<br />
SPC Crenshaw - Ft. Benning<br />
CPT McDaniel - Ft. Leonardwood<br />
SFC Traxinger - Retired<br />
SPC Jacome - 545th MP Co<br />
SPC Holly - 95th Chemical<br />
MSG Lutchka - 2 EN BDE<br />
SFC Pierce - Ft. Leonardwood<br />
SSG Valenzuela - Hawaii<br />
SSG Wimbush - Kuwait<br />
Above: WO1 Julius Mitchell (center) captures two<br />
insurgents (SPC Adam Holly and SPC Daniel Kekipi).<br />
Above: CPT Jacob Jordan and<br />
SFC Ronald Pierce participating<br />
in the 20 kilometer ruck march.
28th MP DET “Arctic Guardians”<br />
Page 9<br />
By 1LT Luke Plante<br />
28th CDR: CPT Flynn<br />
28th 1SG: SFC Rambus<br />
Above: SGT Cross leads a team of Soldiers conducting<br />
MEDEVAC training with Evergreen Helicopters<br />
personnel.<br />
Right: Soldiers from the<br />
28th MP Detachment’s<br />
Traffic Accident Investigation<br />
section training<br />
during a Law Enforcement<br />
Exercise on Fort<br />
Wainwright.<br />
HAIL:<br />
MSG Karnes—Ft. Sam Houston, TX<br />
SFC Edgell—Recruiting @ Dallas, TX<br />
SFC Rambus—Ft. Carson, CO<br />
FAREWELL:<br />
MSG Lingley—Ft. Carson, CO<br />
SFC Jarveaux—U.S. <strong>Army</strong> Reserves<br />
SFC Healy—Ft. Jackson, SC<br />
SFC Kirby—Ft. Hood, TX<br />
Below: SFC Rambus<br />
participates in the unit<br />
FRG’s fundraiser: ―Pie<br />
an MP.‖<br />
Above: SSG Dickenson plays the role of<br />
a criminal during training and allows a<br />
MWD to attack him.
164th MP CO “Arctic Enforcers”<br />
- DEPLOYED -<br />
164th CDR: CPT Gehri<br />
164th 1SG: 1SG Black<br />
793D MP BN<br />
Page 10<br />
Above: SGT Wiley and SPC Rod grilling an<br />
evening meal for 1st Platoon.<br />
Above: SSG Griffiths inquires about recent attacks in the area of<br />
Above: 2nd Platoon’s 1LT Blaisdell-Black and SSG Vetterkind at<br />
the Precinct 2 AUP Station.<br />
Above: SPC Rhynes preparing food for the next meal.<br />
Left: After a hard day in the gym, it is time to eat<br />
and watch the game!
472d MP CO “Arctic Titans”<br />
Page 11<br />
By CPT Andrew Widmeyer<br />
472d CDR: CPT Nelson<br />
472d 1SG: 1SG Suis<br />
Above: Soldiers from the 472d MP Company receive<br />
valuable hands-on MEDEVAC training at JRTC, where<br />
Soldiers learned from flight medics, and MEDEVAC<br />
pilots; even being afforded the opportunity to go through<br />
the complete MEDEVAC process.<br />
Above: Soldiers from 2nd Platoon qualify on the MK 19<br />
40mm Grenade launcher at the FWA Range Complex. 2nd<br />
Platoon was able to qualify all Company MK 19 gunners<br />
during the day’s qualification<br />
Above: Soldiers from 1st and 3rd Platoons conduct Mine<br />
detector training utilizing the AN/PSS-12. This training<br />
was good familiarization for new Soldiers on equipment<br />
currently being used in Afghanistan to combat IED’s and<br />
HME (HomeMade Exploseive) Mines.<br />
Above: CPL Cogan, the Company’s Commo NCO, working<br />
diligently in the Company TOC at JRTC. His hard work kept the<br />
TOC up and running throughout the JRTC exercise.<br />
Above: SPC Cooper is dressed up in Moulage and acts as<br />
a casualty so that Soldier’s can apply what they’ve learned<br />
from both CLS training, and TCCC classes and hands on<br />
exercises.
545th MP CO “Arctic Defenders”<br />
Page 12<br />
By 2LT Andrew Matwijec<br />
545th CDR:<br />
CPT Randolph<br />
545th 1SG:<br />
1SG Solomon<br />
UPCOMING EVENTS:<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong> Week — 3 to 7 OCT<br />
MP Ball — 7 OCT<br />
Above: 545th MP CO Soldiers participate in the Change of<br />
Responsibility from 1SG Ivacic to 1SG Solomon on 17JUN11.<br />
HAIL<br />
MSG Howard, Walter<br />
SFC William, Richard<br />
SFC Landis, Brian<br />
SSG Eggie, Shaun<br />
Right: Soldiers from<br />
3rd PLT,<br />
545th MP CO<br />
depart for JRTC<br />
FAREWELL<br />
MSG Ivacic, Matthew<br />
PROMOTIONS<br />
1LT Malinowski, Ben<br />
NEW EDITIONS:<br />
SGT Fulkerson, Alfred<br />
Spouse: Amber Fulkerson<br />
Baby: Brylee Fulkerson<br />
DOB: May 2011<br />
Left: Soldiers from the 545th<br />
MP CO and HHD, 793rd MP<br />
BN huddle during a flag football<br />
game.<br />
SSG Cline, Timothy<br />
Spouse: Tracey Cline<br />
Baby: Charity Elizabeth Cline<br />
DOB: August 10, 2011<br />
FRG MEETING<br />
3rd Wednesday of the Month<br />
FACEBOOK LINK<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
pages/545th-Military-Police-<br />
Company/151032958290740
Chaplain’s Corner<br />
Page 13<br />
There is a great deal of training<br />
and preparation going on these<br />
days. Several of the spouses from<br />
164 MP CO just finished a Strong<br />
Bonds retreat, where the Ice Spa<br />
was a big hit. We can see the<br />
―termination dust‖ on the mountains<br />
now, telling us to prepare<br />
our homes, vehicles, and wardrobes<br />
for the winter ahead.<br />
Spouses’ Day is coming up, offering<br />
our better halves the opportunity<br />
to walk a mile or so in the<br />
Soldiers’ shoes. By the time this<br />
comes out, the Thermopylae<br />
Challenge will be complete and<br />
our lieutenants may be licking<br />
their wounds. And, of course,<br />
there’s the physical training that<br />
takes place every morning (Thank<br />
you CSM Epps for reminding us<br />
that it’s outside PT until –20 o ).<br />
As an <strong>Army</strong>, we train at home<br />
station to prepare us for combat,<br />
where the margin for error is very<br />
slim. Even non-military personnel<br />
in Alaska understand this simply<br />
by preparations needed for<br />
winter travel… It’s pretty wellknown<br />
that a minor accident or<br />
vehicular breakdown in the wrong<br />
area could prove fatal thanks to<br />
an unforgiving environment.<br />
Oddly enough, many of the important<br />
things in life don’t come<br />
with training circulars. We train<br />
daily on some things. I had a<br />
pretty good idea what marriage<br />
was all about...until I got married.<br />
I thought I had some wellgrounded<br />
information about parenting...until<br />
my daughter, Shana<br />
arrived. So I find my wife and<br />
children training me daily on<br />
marriage and parenting.<br />
Life is no joke! It’s real, and<br />
everything we do has consequences...some<br />
good, and some<br />
quite negative. Every day is real<br />
-life, yet every day is training for<br />
days to come.<br />
Training and preparation are<br />
important events in life. If I<br />
don’t prepare my home for<br />
Alaska’s winter, I can expect<br />
burst pipes. If I don’t prepare<br />
my vehicle, I shouldn’t be surprised<br />
when it doesn’t start. If I<br />
don’t exercise, I should anticipate<br />
failing the APFT.<br />
These are all important, but<br />
since life is real, shouldn’t we<br />
also focus on our spiritual<br />
training? In his first letter to<br />
Timothy, Paul wrote,<br />
―physical training is of some<br />
value, but godliness (spiritual<br />
training) has value for all<br />
things, holding promise for<br />
both the present life and the<br />
life to come.‖<br />
Life is real, and none of us<br />
know what tomorrow holds for<br />
us. We can prepare and train<br />
all we like, but in the end,<br />
whether good or bad comes<br />
our way, it is spiritual strength<br />
which sustains us. It is the<br />
spiritual part of us that allows<br />
us to enjoy our victories and<br />
overcome our defeats. Religion<br />
is not just something written<br />
on our ID tags, just as Bibles<br />
aren’t published to collect<br />
dust on our bookshelves. Invest<br />
in training your spirit, just<br />
like we Soldiers must train our<br />
bodies. It might be just what<br />
you need to make it through<br />
Alaska’s dark days of winter.<br />
It might even get you through<br />
that –20 o PT session.<br />
Chaplain<br />
CPT (CH) Hovan<br />
Chaplain’s Assistant<br />
SGT Daniels<br />
Office Telephone:<br />
907 - 384 - 1388<br />
Left: Single Soldiers of the 793d and HHC 3rd MEB at the Alyeska Resort Center: CH (CPT) Hovan instructing Single Soldiers<br />
on P.I.C.K. Right: Shana Hovan & Ms. Jillian Jackson of Jillian’s Playhouse child Care enjoying arts and crafts while providing<br />
child care for Soldiers and Families attending training.
Family Readiness Support Assistant<br />
Page 14<br />
793rd MP BN FRSA: Schehera Carter, (907) 384-1318, Schehera.carter@us.army.mil<br />
As we near the end of a great year!<br />
Thank you to all, who had a helping hand or participated in the recent Spouses Day<br />
Event. We encourage all military Families to continue supporting our 793rd MP BN<br />
and attending all recent events. We especially appreciate all the continued efforts<br />
made by our spouses and Families. If you have any suggestions for future events<br />
please feel free to contact me.<br />
Respectfully,<br />
- Schehera Carter<br />
Guess Who’s on Facebook!<br />
<strong>Vol</strong>unteer Opportunities<br />
JBER BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Service members)<br />
BOSS program have officially changed their name and created a<br />
new Facebook page to reflect recent changes. Everyone is encouraged<br />
to "like" the new page. The old BOSS page will go<br />
away.<br />
Lend a helping hand!<br />
Each Company within the Battalion has open FRG <strong>Vol</strong>unteer<br />
positions. Please contact your FRG or visit the My <strong>Army</strong> One<br />
Source website listed below. To see current volunteer<br />
opportunities.<br />
www.myarmyonesource.com<br />
JBER<br />
JBER Housing<br />
JBER HAWC<br />
2d Engineer Brigade<br />
Are all now on Facebook.<br />
Fisher House of Alaska<br />
akfisherhouse.org<br />
Go to, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi1ahXctfD0<br />
to find additional information about The Fisher House<br />
foundation and how you can help.
Reprinted with Permission<br />
By Staff Sgt. Jason Epperson<br />
3rd MEB PAO VIII Page Page 15 15<br />
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON -- "Duty, Honor, Country - those three hallowed words reverently dictate what<br />
you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be.‖ Those words from an awards speech Gen. Douglas MacArthur delivered in<br />
Are You Prepared?<br />
Family Readiness Support Assistant<br />
All DoD ID card holders are required to be registered in DBIDS by Jan 2012<br />
(Active Duty/Reserve/National Guard/family members/retirees.) You can register at<br />
Bldg 8517 People Center, Room 100 0730-1600 or at the main entrance of the Hospital. You can also register at<br />
the Visitor Center, open 24 hours everyday. Personnel not registered by Jan will cause delays at the gate and<br />
have to go through the Visitor Center to gain access to JBER.<br />
Anchorage School District<br />
http://www.asdk12..org/<br />
School District Information<br />
Matanuska Susitna Borough School<br />
http://www.matsuk12.us/matsu/site/default.asp<br />
January<br />
2 - Winter Break (continued)<br />
16 - Martin Luther King, Jr birthday - No school<br />
February<br />
15 - 16 Parent teacher Conference early release day<br />
17 - State Release Day - No School<br />
20 - Presidents Day - No school<br />
March<br />
9 - State Released grade reporting day - No school<br />
12 - 16 Spring Break - No school<br />
29 - State Testing day<br />
April<br />
3 - 5 State Assigned testing days<br />
May<br />
17 - Last day of school<br />
January<br />
2 - Winter Break (continued)<br />
16 - Martin Luther King, Jr birthday - No school<br />
17 - State Released grade reporting day - No school<br />
31 - Terra Nova Testing<br />
February<br />
15 Terra Nova Testing<br />
20 - Presidents Day - No school<br />
March<br />
9 - State Released grade reporting day<br />
12 - 16 Spring Break - No school<br />
19 - State release day - No school<br />
April<br />
3 - 5 State Assigned testing days<br />
May<br />
11 - State Released grade reporting day - No school<br />
22 - Last day of school<br />
Fairbanks North Borough School district<br />
http://www.k12northstar.org/<br />
January<br />
4 - Winter Break last day<br />
5 - State release day - No school<br />
16 - Martin Luther King, Jr birthday - No<br />
school<br />
February<br />
3 - Early dismissal<br />
20 - 21 Parent teacher Conference early release<br />
March<br />
9 - Grade reporting day - Early dismissal<br />
12 - 16 Spring Break - No school<br />
April<br />
3 - 6 State Assigned testing days<br />
20 - Early dismissal<br />
May<br />
15 - 17 Last 3 days early dismissal<br />
17 - Last day of school
Stay Safe This Fall<br />
Page 16<br />
Fall is a time of change. The air is getting colder, and there are new and exciting hazards to look forward to.<br />
From hunting to space heaters, there are numerous ways to injury yourself lurking at every turn. Below are a<br />
two vignettes to illustrate how easily it is to make a potentially fatal mistake, and some tips to avoid them.<br />
There’s a cold draft circulating through your house that you<br />
trace to the window in the living room. The heavy fabric curtains<br />
don’t stop it, so you pull out the trusty space heater (sweaters<br />
look stupid right?) You logically assert that placing the space<br />
heater as close as possible to the source of the draft will maximize<br />
it’s effectiveness. Now for some TV; but wait, the remote<br />
batteries are dead. “The smoke detector!” you exclaim, proud of<br />
yourself for you ingenuity. You fall asleep watching TV, and<br />
awake in a sweat to the sound of crackling as your house goes up<br />
in flames. Way to go genius, those ideas don’t seem so great now<br />
do they?<br />
Here are some tips to safely operate a space heater:<br />
Keep away from drapes, furniture, and other combustible<br />
material<br />
Radiant heat can ignite nearby material without touching it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Keep a fire extinguisher handy<br />
Don’t leave unattended or on overnight<br />
Only use electric heaters with thermostats or auto-shutoff<br />
Ensure that you fill fuel burning heaters with the appropriate<br />
fuel outdoors<br />
Check smoke detectors monthly<br />
Its been a great day of hunting, but suddenly you encounter an<br />
intense itch right in that spot on your back that you can’t reach.<br />
You look around for assistance and notice your rifle seems to<br />
have been purposely built for this task. Hmm, you think. You<br />
look to your buddy for confirmation and he looks back at you<br />
with a sigh and a shake of the head. Back to the rifle. You stare<br />
at it a bit longer and decide that maybe that is not the best idea.<br />
Great job! You have just made a safe decision. Below are some<br />
other tips to avoid hunting related accidents:<br />
Dress for the worse; make sure you have warm and dry<br />
clothes in case the weather changes<br />
Don’t go alone, and tell others where you will be<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Know the area and the specific hazards for where you are<br />
hunting; animals, terrain, weather, etc.<br />
Maintain muzzle awareness<br />
Assume all firearms are loaded<br />
Obtain positive ID of your target before shooting (remember,<br />
there may be other people in the area)<br />
If you don’t want to kill it, don’t point the weapon at it<br />
Don’t climb or jump with a loaded weapon<br />
Alcohol and drugs don’t mix with hunting and firearms<br />
Get trained; there are numerous hunter safety course options<br />
For more information see your unit Safety Officer or visit USARAK Safety at:<br />
https://portal.usarpac.army.mil/usarak/staff/SafetyOffice/default.aspx
SPARTAN HONORS<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong> Soldiers within the Community<br />
CAREER COUNSELOR’S CORNER<br />
The FY 11 has come to a close and the start of the new FY 12 mission<br />
will start here real soon. The new mission will be done into<br />
phases; Phase 1 concentrating on Soldier with FY 12 ETS (example:<br />
a Soldier has an ETs between 20120101 through 20120930 they are<br />
considered and FY 12). These Soldier will have until 31 January<br />
2012 to reenlist. After that time then they will be unable to reenlist,<br />
so come 1 February 2012 they CANNOT reenlist. For Phase 2 they<br />
will concentrate on Soldiers with an FY 13 ETS (example: Soldier<br />
with an ETS between 20121001 through 20130930 are considered an<br />
FY 13). These Soldiers will be allowed to reenlist on or around 1<br />
March 2013.<br />
Now for reenlistment options most Soldiers want to reenlist to go<br />
somewhere else but for our skill level1 Soldier ie SPC most of the<br />
MOS’s in the BN are over strength at skill level 1. 31B,92Y,92A,92F<br />
etc. The only options these Soldiers can reenlist for is to re-class into<br />
a new MOS. The only exception are for Soldiers who are currently<br />
deployed they can reenlist for option 1 (regular <strong>Army</strong>) and stay in<br />
their current MOS but cannot ask for a duty assignment of choice.<br />
These Soldiers can re-class as well if that is what they desire. Also<br />
there are plenty of school seats out their as well.<br />
Soldiers who are not in a over strength MOS I can get them duty assignment<br />
of choice, all they have to do is tell me where they want to<br />
go and I can try to get it for them, 95% of the time I can get them<br />
their desired duty assignment of choice.<br />
Career Counselor<br />
SFC John Winsor<br />
793D MP Battalion<br />
BLDG 793 ROOM 121<br />
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson<br />
COMM: 907-384-1143<br />
DSN: 317-384-1143<br />
Cell: 907-317-6273<br />
Email: John.T.Winsor@us.army.mil
U.S. <strong>Army</strong><br />
793d Military Police Battalion<br />
724 Postal Service Loop #7200<br />
Fort Richardson, AK 99505<br />
BN Staff Duty: 907-384–2123<br />
Newsletter Editor:<br />
CPT Matthew K. Porter<br />
(907)-384-2402<br />
SPARTAN HONORS<br />
<strong>Spartan</strong> Soldiers within the Community<br />
Left: - October is CFC<br />
Month and Soldiers across<br />
the BN are pledging donations<br />
to various chartable<br />
organizations.<br />
Assist, Protect, and Defend<br />
Left: The 793D MP BN says<br />
goodbye to MSG Ivacic who<br />
will PCS to Fort Sill for a<br />
follow on assignment.<br />
793D MP BN<br />
Upcoming Events<br />
04 Nov — CSM Change of Responsibility<br />
Run<br />
24-28 Nov - Thanksgiving 4 Day Weekend<br />
01 Dec—JBER Christmas Concert<br />
07 Dec—JBER & FWA Christmas Tree<br />
Lighting Ceremony<br />
Recommended Fall Reading:<br />
Military : Afghanistan: A Military<br />
History from Alexander the<br />
Great to the Fall of the Taliban<br />
by Stephen Tanner<br />
Right: On 14 September,<br />
the 793D MP BN, along<br />
with other MP Units<br />
around the world conducted<br />
a simultaneous<br />
Regimental Run to celebrate<br />
the 70th Anniversary<br />
of the MP Corps<br />
Non-fiction: I Heard You Paint<br />
Houses by Charles Brandt<br />
Fiction: Dark Horse by J.R.<br />
Rain<br />
Left: On October 6th 2011 the<br />
793D MP BN hosted the annual<br />
pig bowl during <strong>Spartan</strong> Week.<br />
The event, which consisted of a<br />
cookout, games, and sporting<br />
events builds espirit de corps<br />
within the Battalion.