Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Soldiers On A Mission
  
|
Yankton-Based Charlie Battery Shipping Out To Kuwait
BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
randy.dockendorf@yankton.net
After being on alert for 18 months, the soldiers of Yankton-based Charlie Battery are on a mission.
That mission will take them in the coming days to Kuwait, where they will perform a year-long security mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The deploying unit is made up of 130 soldiers based out of Mitchell, Salem, Sioux Falls, Watertown and Yankton. They were alerted for deployment in December 2007, one year after Charlie Battery returned from a 16-month duty in Baghdad, Iraq. The unit mobilized again in April of this year.
The soldiers received a four-day pass this week after completing two months’ training at Fort Hood, Texas. Many of the soldiers returned to Yankton, while others had their families join them in Texas.
The pass provided the soldiers with the final chance to say good-bye to loved ones, said Sgt. 1st Class Brooks Schild, platoon sergeant and unit public affairs officer.
“It’s been nice to have that kind of time,” he said. “We appreciate being with our family and friends. You take any moment you can get.”
The troops have returned to Fort Hood, preparing for an overseas departure that Schild can only disclose as “very soon.”
“We have been deployed close to 90 days,” he said. “We are heading out in early July. Then, we’ll get after it.”
Combat Ready
Charlie Battery is no stranger to deployment, as the unit is undertaking its third mission is six years.
Sixty percent of the 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery — which includes Charlie Battery — has previously deployed, Schild said. That combat experience will serve the soldiers well in the upcoming mission, he said.
“During our first mission, we performed route security and trained Iraqi police. It was intense,” he said. “We were at Baghdad, which was the worst place for danger. It had the most attacks at the time.”
Charlie Battery sustained four fatalities, along with serious injuries, during the last mission, Schild said. “Unfortunately, we had losses, but they bring you together as a unit,” he said.
One of those fallen soldiers was remembered during the training in Fort Hood, Schild said. Charlie Battery members gathered to honor the third anniversary of the death of Staff Sgt. Greg Wagner, who was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED).
“We just went down to the picnic area, and we gathered at a table,” Schild said. “We smoked a cigar, because Greg liked to have a cigar, and told stories about ‘Wags.’”
As Charlie Battery departs on their mission, they also remember the other fallen soldiers, Schild said. Besides Wagner, those fallen soldiers include Sgt. First Class Richard Schild, Staff Sgt. Daniel Cuka and Sgt. Allen Kokesh Jr.
“We try to keep alive and honor their memories,” Schild said.
This time, Charlie Battery is headed for a less dangerous — but no less vital — mission, Schild said. The unit will again provide security, albeit in a different role, he said.
“We aren’t in the hornet’s nest, but we still have a very important mission. We are the pipeline for the equipment, supplies and other support for Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait,” he said. “The war runs through us. We won’t see gun fighting, but we are important to the Middle East campaign.”
The Iraqi theater has seen more stability, but the stakes remain high in the region, Schild said. Security remains a major concern in maintaining the flow of soldiers and supplies, he said.
“We need to get it right every time,” he said. “The bad guys only need to get it right one time.”
Much has changed in the last two years of combat, Schild said. The training has adapted to the continuing changes of warfare, he said.
“In the training we did before activation, we worked more on our individual skills. As a brigade, we trained for more collective tasks and practiced our mission,” he said. “Some days, we were up at 3:45 a.m. and ready to go by 4:30 a.m. At times, we would go 24 hours straight.”
Charlie Battery soldiers — along with soldiers from sister unit Alpha Battery of Aberdeen and the Headquarters Battery of Watertown — will complete all training necessary for certification and deployment. A Mission Readiness Exercise replicates each battery’s role in Kuwait.
The training over the past two months all comes together with an exercise involving all 2,500 soldiers of the 115th Fire Brigade, based out of Cheyenne, Wyo. All of the batteries under each battalion conduct practical training exercises relevant to their mission over an eight-day period.
Earning High Praise
Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Dave Chase commended the professionalism of the Charlie Battery soldiers.
“I just rode with Charlie Battery through a live fire range. It is incredible to see the amount of teamwork and how well trained these soldiers are. They continue to set new standards wherever they go,” he said in a press release.
“Being two months into the deployment, these soldiers have such high motivation and morale. They just stand out in our brigade. They are a credit to their good South Dakota up-bringing.”
Charlie Battery has set new standards of battle preparedness, according to Acting Battery Commander Capt. Scott Green. He took over the helm of Charlie Battery after a pre-activation injury to Capt. Kerry Nilson.
“The Charlie Battery soldiers have taken the standard of ‘No one is more professional than I’ to a whole new level,” Green said in a press release. “As we continue to train, proficiencies increase, confidence grows and soldier readiness is at an all-time high. The training we have received is second to none for this mission, and we are ready to deploy.”
The Charlie Battery soldiers have been training on base security skills that will be needed for their year-long mission to Kuwait. They have received training on tasks such as close-quarters combat, hand-to-hand combat, Combat Life Saver (CLS) certification, searching vehicles and individuals, multiple weapon certifications, convoy movements, base security operations and Quick Reaction Force teams.
In one training exercise, soldiers patrol a street in a mock Iraqi city, looking for terrorists. In another exercise, a squad leader directs his troops on an assault/rescue training exercise.
Charlie Battery soldiers brought a high level of preparedness to Fort Hood, Schild said. For example, 98 percent of Charlie Battery soldiers are CLS Certified, far exceeding mandatory requirements and the minimum standard of 10 percent, he said.
“It’s advanced first aid training. You learn about throat breathing, wounds, amputation and IVs,” he said. “The leadership and most of our soldiers are trained in it, many from the first deployment.”
The CLS certification covers life-saving, battlefield skills, Schild said. In one exercise, a soldier gave cover to an injured soldier as his battle buddy gives live-saving aid. In another exercise, troops survey the scene and prepare to treat a simulated victim. Other exercises move “wounded” soldiers over obstacles during simulated mortar attack and other battle conditions.
To help relieve the stress of combat training, Charlie Battery and other soldiers were provided time for Morale, Wellness and Recreation (MWR), Schild said. During one day off, Charlie Battery soldiers enjoyed a trip to Lake Belton, near Fort Hood, for swimming, volleyball and a barbecue.
During MWR time, one soldier found a creative outlet and a great way to interact with local residents, Schild said.
“Staff Sgt. Jay Pipes got down and played with the little kids and made sand castles,” Schild said with a chuckle.
In a moment of good timing, Charlie Battery soldiers enjoyed special entertainment.
Actor Gary Sinise, who has starred in the movie “Forrest Gump” and the television series “CSI: New York”, provided a concert for the 70,000 troops and families stationed at Fort Hood. Sinise and his “Lieutenant Dan Band” played for the appreciative audience.
“Gary Sinise was fantastic. He provides a show of support for the troops,” Schild said. “Gary played a bass guitar, and his band is really good. They played modern country and classic rock for 2 1/2 hours.”
Ready For Action
With their training behind them, Charlie Battery soldiers are ready for their mission, Schild said. They also know that they will miss important moments in their families’ lives during their year-long deployment.
Three soldiers were given leave time while at Fort Hood because their wives had babies, Schild said. Those soldiers appreciated the time back home before shipping out, but they also know they will miss the first year of their children’s lives while on the mission, he said.
In the same vein, Schild has already missed a number of personal moments just during the two-month training at Fort Hood.
“I missed my wife Joan’s birthday, my daughter’s birthday, my son’s high school graduation and our 25th wedding anniversary,” he said.
A Yankton Middle School teacher and coach, Schild will also miss time with his students. He has remained in touch with students on Facebook and other outlets, but he knows that will likely end during his time in the Middle East.
“At the completion of this mission, I will only have taught through a complete school year once in a six-year period,” Schild said. “I told my kids, I left them as eighth graders, and I will be back for their first football practice as sophomores.”
Charlie Battery soldiers appreciate the support back home, Schild said.
“You come home on leave after two months, and you see all those yellow ribbons out there for Charlie Battery,” he said. “The soldiers saw all that support the last time (we were in combat).”
The support during the last deployment included a yellow-ribbon homecoming parade that drew an estimated 32,000 people throughout Yankton. The Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle organization that supports troops, also welcomed home Charlie Battery.
“At first, the soldiers didn’t want the yellow-ribbon parade when we got home because they had been gone for so long. They just wanted to be home with their families,” he said. “But as soon as we got to Yankton, every single soldier was glad to see all those people and yellow ribbons.”
A tradition may have been born, Schild said. “The soldiers ask me now, ‘Sgt. Schild, are they going to put on another yellow ribbon parade when we come home again?’” he said.
Charlie Battery’s homecoming was a far different experience than it was for some veterans, Schild said.
“When my father-in-law, Lloyd Seger, came home from World War II, he just got in a train and car and came home. There was no welcome home,” Schild said. “Lloyd was at our welcome home (for Charlie Battery) a couple of years ago, and he just went with other World War II veterans on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.”
The military will provide a formal announcement when Charlie Battery arrives in Kuwait, Schild said. And for the next year, the Yankton-based unit will carry out South Dakota’s reputation for a high level of professionalism, he said.
“The Coyote Patch (on South Dakota units’ uniforms) means a lot in Kuwait and Iraq,” he said. “Wherever they go, the South Dakota boys are squared away.”
That mission will take them in the coming days to Kuwait, where they will perform a year-long security mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The deploying unit is made up of 130 soldiers based out of Mitchell, Salem, Sioux Falls, Watertown and Yankton. They were alerted for deployment in December 2007, one year after Charlie Battery returned from a 16-month duty in Baghdad, Iraq. The unit mobilized again in April of this year.
The soldiers received a four-day pass this week after completing two months’ training at Fort Hood, Texas. Many of the soldiers returned to Yankton, while others had their families join them in Texas.
The pass provided the soldiers with the final chance to say good-bye to loved ones, said Sgt. 1st Class Brooks Schild, platoon sergeant and unit public affairs officer.
“It’s been nice to have that kind of time,” he said. “We appreciate being with our family and friends. You take any moment you can get.”
The troops have returned to Fort Hood, preparing for an overseas departure that Schild can only disclose as “very soon.”
“We have been deployed close to 90 days,” he said. “We are heading out in early July. Then, we’ll get after it.”
Combat Ready
Charlie Battery is no stranger to deployment, as the unit is undertaking its third mission is six years.
Sixty percent of the 1st Battalion, 147th Field Artillery — which includes Charlie Battery — has previously deployed, Schild said. That combat experience will serve the soldiers well in the upcoming mission, he said.
“During our first mission, we performed route security and trained Iraqi police. It was intense,” he said. “We were at Baghdad, which was the worst place for danger. It had the most attacks at the time.”
Charlie Battery sustained four fatalities, along with serious injuries, during the last mission, Schild said. “Unfortunately, we had losses, but they bring you together as a unit,” he said.
One of those fallen soldiers was remembered during the training in Fort Hood, Schild said. Charlie Battery members gathered to honor the third anniversary of the death of Staff Sgt. Greg Wagner, who was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED).
“We just went down to the picnic area, and we gathered at a table,” Schild said. “We smoked a cigar, because Greg liked to have a cigar, and told stories about ‘Wags.’”
As Charlie Battery departs on their mission, they also remember the other fallen soldiers, Schild said. Besides Wagner, those fallen soldiers include Sgt. First Class Richard Schild, Staff Sgt. Daniel Cuka and Sgt. Allen Kokesh Jr.
“We try to keep alive and honor their memories,” Schild said.
This time, Charlie Battery is headed for a less dangerous — but no less vital — mission, Schild said. The unit will again provide security, albeit in a different role, he said.
“We aren’t in the hornet’s nest, but we still have a very important mission. We are the pipeline for the equipment, supplies and other support for Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait,” he said. “The war runs through us. We won’t see gun fighting, but we are important to the Middle East campaign.”
The Iraqi theater has seen more stability, but the stakes remain high in the region, Schild said. Security remains a major concern in maintaining the flow of soldiers and supplies, he said.
“We need to get it right every time,” he said. “The bad guys only need to get it right one time.”
Much has changed in the last two years of combat, Schild said. The training has adapted to the continuing changes of warfare, he said.
“In the training we did before activation, we worked more on our individual skills. As a brigade, we trained for more collective tasks and practiced our mission,” he said. “Some days, we were up at 3:45 a.m. and ready to go by 4:30 a.m. At times, we would go 24 hours straight.”
Charlie Battery soldiers — along with soldiers from sister unit Alpha Battery of Aberdeen and the Headquarters Battery of Watertown — will complete all training necessary for certification and deployment. A Mission Readiness Exercise replicates each battery’s role in Kuwait.
The training over the past two months all comes together with an exercise involving all 2,500 soldiers of the 115th Fire Brigade, based out of Cheyenne, Wyo. All of the batteries under each battalion conduct practical training exercises relevant to their mission over an eight-day period.
Earning High Praise
Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Dave Chase commended the professionalism of the Charlie Battery soldiers.
“I just rode with Charlie Battery through a live fire range. It is incredible to see the amount of teamwork and how well trained these soldiers are. They continue to set new standards wherever they go,” he said in a press release.
“Being two months into the deployment, these soldiers have such high motivation and morale. They just stand out in our brigade. They are a credit to their good South Dakota up-bringing.”
Charlie Battery has set new standards of battle preparedness, according to Acting Battery Commander Capt. Scott Green. He took over the helm of Charlie Battery after a pre-activation injury to Capt. Kerry Nilson.
“The Charlie Battery soldiers have taken the standard of ‘No one is more professional than I’ to a whole new level,” Green said in a press release. “As we continue to train, proficiencies increase, confidence grows and soldier readiness is at an all-time high. The training we have received is second to none for this mission, and we are ready to deploy.”
The Charlie Battery soldiers have been training on base security skills that will be needed for their year-long mission to Kuwait. They have received training on tasks such as close-quarters combat, hand-to-hand combat, Combat Life Saver (CLS) certification, searching vehicles and individuals, multiple weapon certifications, convoy movements, base security operations and Quick Reaction Force teams.
In one training exercise, soldiers patrol a street in a mock Iraqi city, looking for terrorists. In another exercise, a squad leader directs his troops on an assault/rescue training exercise.
Charlie Battery soldiers brought a high level of preparedness to Fort Hood, Schild said. For example, 98 percent of Charlie Battery soldiers are CLS Certified, far exceeding mandatory requirements and the minimum standard of 10 percent, he said.
“It’s advanced first aid training. You learn about throat breathing, wounds, amputation and IVs,” he said. “The leadership and most of our soldiers are trained in it, many from the first deployment.”
The CLS certification covers life-saving, battlefield skills, Schild said. In one exercise, a soldier gave cover to an injured soldier as his battle buddy gives live-saving aid. In another exercise, troops survey the scene and prepare to treat a simulated victim. Other exercises move “wounded” soldiers over obstacles during simulated mortar attack and other battle conditions.
To help relieve the stress of combat training, Charlie Battery and other soldiers were provided time for Morale, Wellness and Recreation (MWR), Schild said. During one day off, Charlie Battery soldiers enjoyed a trip to Lake Belton, near Fort Hood, for swimming, volleyball and a barbecue.
During MWR time, one soldier found a creative outlet and a great way to interact with local residents, Schild said.
“Staff Sgt. Jay Pipes got down and played with the little kids and made sand castles,” Schild said with a chuckle.
In a moment of good timing, Charlie Battery soldiers enjoyed special entertainment.
Actor Gary Sinise, who has starred in the movie “Forrest Gump” and the television series “CSI: New York”, provided a concert for the 70,000 troops and families stationed at Fort Hood. Sinise and his “Lieutenant Dan Band” played for the appreciative audience.
“Gary Sinise was fantastic. He provides a show of support for the troops,” Schild said. “Gary played a bass guitar, and his band is really good. They played modern country and classic rock for 2 1/2 hours.”
Ready For Action
With their training behind them, Charlie Battery soldiers are ready for their mission, Schild said. They also know that they will miss important moments in their families’ lives during their year-long deployment.
Three soldiers were given leave time while at Fort Hood because their wives had babies, Schild said. Those soldiers appreciated the time back home before shipping out, but they also know they will miss the first year of their children’s lives while on the mission, he said.
In the same vein, Schild has already missed a number of personal moments just during the two-month training at Fort Hood.
“I missed my wife Joan’s birthday, my daughter’s birthday, my son’s high school graduation and our 25th wedding anniversary,” he said.
A Yankton Middle School teacher and coach, Schild will also miss time with his students. He has remained in touch with students on Facebook and other outlets, but he knows that will likely end during his time in the Middle East.
“At the completion of this mission, I will only have taught through a complete school year once in a six-year period,” Schild said. “I told my kids, I left them as eighth graders, and I will be back for their first football practice as sophomores.”
Charlie Battery soldiers appreciate the support back home, Schild said.
“You come home on leave after two months, and you see all those yellow ribbons out there for Charlie Battery,” he said. “The soldiers saw all that support the last time (we were in combat).”
The support during the last deployment included a yellow-ribbon homecoming parade that drew an estimated 32,000 people throughout Yankton. The Patriot Guard Riders, a motorcycle organization that supports troops, also welcomed home Charlie Battery.
“At first, the soldiers didn’t want the yellow-ribbon parade when we got home because they had been gone for so long. They just wanted to be home with their families,” he said. “But as soon as we got to Yankton, every single soldier was glad to see all those people and yellow ribbons.”
A tradition may have been born, Schild said. “The soldiers ask me now, ‘Sgt. Schild, are they going to put on another yellow ribbon parade when we come home again?’” he said.
Charlie Battery’s homecoming was a far different experience than it was for some veterans, Schild said.
“When my father-in-law, Lloyd Seger, came home from World War II, he just got in a train and car and came home. There was no welcome home,” Schild said. “Lloyd was at our welcome home (for Charlie Battery) a couple of years ago, and he just went with other World War II veterans on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.”
The military will provide a formal announcement when Charlie Battery arrives in Kuwait, Schild said. And for the next year, the Yankton-based unit will carry out South Dakota’s reputation for a high level of professionalism, he said.
“The Coyote Patch (on South Dakota units’ uniforms) means a lot in Kuwait and Iraq,” he said. “Wherever they go, the South Dakota boys are squared away.”
 |
||
| Rummages, Non-Profits Busy In Current Times |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff before appearing on the Web site.
Not registered yet?
