COB Speicher

COB Speicher
Inside this
issue:
SEABEEs!/Ali 2
AB
Hammer/
Sharana
3
Baghdad/Al
Udeid
4
Bagram
5
Stone
6
Al Asad
7
What’s Up
Doc?
8
Shirt’s Shots
9
CC Corner
10
Between promotions,
award winners, graduations, and two proud new
fathers, June has been a
busy month at COB Speicher. Then there are our
projects. It has taken the
combined efforts of every
shop to “make it happen”
this month. Each new
challenge has inspired new
solutions.
plex, unless they actually
live there. Even Army soldiers need their beauty
rest.
On the other side of the
base, closer to the REDHORSE compound, crews
are working two airfield
projects. The Taxiway
Project replaces flexible
plastic matting to create a
Earlier this month we
closed out the 1.5 mile
North Housing Loop Road
Repair project with flying
colors. This project re-
moved and replaced extremely poor condition
asphalt pavement with a
new smooth road used by
over 1000 vehicles per
day. Now large trucks and
tactical vehicles can bypass the parts of the com-
concrete helicopter taxiway over 880 feet long.
Ten individual lanes connect the taxiway to each
helicopter parking pad.
From the air, the project
looks like a tree in winter,
all limbs and no leaves.
Due to the summer heat,
one team prepares the
forms during the day and
the other team places concrete at night. The “60
Crew” is now two thirds
complete and can finally
see the light at the end of the
tunnel. Upon completion, the
displaced “birds” will come
home to roost.
On the opposite side of the
runway, the Parking Apron Project crew places alternating
strips of concrete like so many
pieces of Wrigley’s chewing
gum. The day crew prepares
330 foot long lanes of formwork for the night crew. Until
now, the crew has placed these
stand alone pilot lanes in order
to get the most labor intensive
tasks completed first. Now the
gaps between these pilot lanes
are getting filled in to form a
continuous, brand new parking
area. Now it is mostly a matter of staying safe and focused
on the job.
Until next month, rest assured
all hands are hard at work, day
and night, at Camp Dusty, Iraq.
- Maj Ashley White
Page
2
RED HORSE and the 17th NMCB Navy
SEABEES Mix it up at Balad!
The beat goes on as RED HORSE constantly shifts and adjusts it's manning
requirements throughout the AOR. Recently relocating 10 personnel from the
Balad Operations Team to Ali AB. This
left behind only a few to take on the
largest mission for Balad HORSEmen of
their TDY thus far. Undermanned and
with looming deadlines, a change to on
the job training seemed to be just the
fix. Recently the RED HORSE Ops Team
stationed at Balad, led some joint train-
ing while constructing a 150'x 60'KSPAN . Ten Navy SEABEES under the
leadership of CMC(scw) NEAGLE JL
TFS ALPHA-6 NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION 17, joined in
to see first hand the intricate details
of K-SPAN construction. From the
onset the SEABEES were very enthusiastic and excited to participate. The
time lines were set as the project
began to take shape. The knowledge
gained by the Navy was extraordinary,
largely due to the fact that their team
here has little knowledge of K-SPAN
structures. As the construction moved
forward the questions began rolling in
from our Navy counter-parts. Such as,
How do you figure out the arch or
angle to bend the steel or the overall
length? How many do you seam together to make a hoist for the crane
to lift? As the days passed and the
tasks changed we moved folks from
Ali AB, Iraq
June has been a busy month for RED HORSE
in Tallil Iraq...There were no vehicles, tools,
land, or HORSEmen in Tallil at the start of
the month and at the end of the month we
have full vertical, horizontal, and support
teams in place as well as three projects underway.
The month started with the arrival of the advanced
echelon team. The team found an office space, a material storage area, and a vehicle maintenance area.
They set up all of the communication equipment and
lodging areas. They started with nothing and by the
end we had all of the support equipment necessary to
start the projects. The ADVON team
also began the large task
of receiving material and
vehicles.
As the month went on the
main body arrived and
began work on three projects simultaneously. The
projects are repairing two
taxiways and constructing two KSpans, one for the logistics squadron
and one for the civil engineer squadron. The schedule is tight and work hours are long,
one aspect of the job to another.
It was as if you could feel the confidence growing and a new team
really coming together. One that
still wore two different uniforms
but stood side by side, getting the
tasks accomplished. From the
short time we spent working with
each other, until now, less than
one month later, the respect and
support for each other is incredible. From ground breaking to constructing the footers to all the
steel arches standing. The information and knowledge swapped
back and forth while never missing
a beat, truly defines the word
TEAMWORK! I would like to thank
our Navy counter-parts, the
"SEABEES", for all their support
and say we couldn't have got this
far this fast with out you! Thanks
again "SEABEES" - MSgt Walton
but the team is pulling
together and getting work
done. They have really
pulled together to work
through many material and equipment problems. In
addition, Tallil with its high winds, high temperatures, and fine gravel covering have even made
normal work a struggle.
As always, RED HORSE will get it done and get it
done right…the team is staying motivated and continues to exceed expectations…the support staff is
working around the clock to get material and equipment shortfalls filled and the customers are grateful for all of the support for
their mission.
It is hard to say where the
Tallil mission is moving but
there are a lot of exciting new
projects that have been talked
about….we will keep you informed with future newsletter.
We appreciate all of the support from home!
HAMMER TIME!
Can you believe we’re at the half way
point? Times going buy fast here at FOB
Hammer and its sure been a busy
month.
We were finally able to
get the contract going for
asphalt and paved a 2,400
foot roadway. This was
the first new asphalt laid
here on Hammer since the
FOB was established a
little over a year ago.
Needless to say, the Army
was extremely happy with
the new road. TSgt Clow and the rest of
the Dirt Boyz battled the relentless
wind, dust and over 115 degree temps
to put down 2,600 tons of asphalt.
The Dirt Boyz are also in the process
of receiving 50,000 cubic meters of
gravel. Another monumental undertaking, but everyone is chipping in to
get it done. MSgt Garza and the
Utilities shop have done everything
from running the water truck for
dust control to operating dump
trucks.
The Structures shop,
led
by
MSgt
Heinemann,
is
just about
complete
with
the
new convoy reception center facility. If all
things go as planned, they should be
done within the next week. Our Kspan projects have run into a few
minor delays due to materials and
high winds, but we should start
slinging steel in the next few weeks.
P a g e are
3
no interruptions. The vehicle mechanics
keeping our vehicle fleet running and our supply
guys are doing their best to keep the materials
and supplies rolling in.
All of us
here
at
FOB Hammer would
like
to
give
a
special
thanks to
all the family and friends for their generous
care packages. Our TOC looks like the snack
section at a convenience store with all the
goodies around…good thing we’re doing PT six
days a week. Stay safe and we’ll do the same.
You’ll hear from us again next month.
Of course none of this could be possible without all the support from
our Logistics Section and Tactical
Operation Center (TOC) personnel.
MSgt Luvert has spent the last few
weeks coordinating lunch deliveries
for the asphalt crew. This has enabled them to continue paving with
My SHARANA, AFG
The team at Sharana has completed the
first water well. To say it exceeded expectations would be an understatement. The
chances of getting water
in Sharana were classified as poor. If we hit
any water at all it would
be in small quantities.
We were able to persevere and were able to
produce 165,600 gallons
in a single day. This was
more than 400% of the
anticipated production.
This was a major victory for the water well
team. Their hard work and perseverance
paid off. With no rest the crew moved
onto the next site and set up for the next
well. The Brigade leadership was pleased
and made a trip out to the well site. Brigadier General Crandall presented the entire
team coins for their efforts and thanked
them for the hard work. In other happenings on FOB Sharana, TSgt Laidlaw is
making friends everywhere he goes.
SSgt Crum gets lots of mail so the FET is
busy shuttling packages for us, they had
to upgrade from a gator to a Toyota
Hilux to keep up. After a while our
hedgehog “Scratchy” had to be let
loose. He
missed his
family and
decided he
was tired of
the deployed
life. SSgt
Alsup said his
goodbyes and
asked
“Scratchy”
to please not
look back when he left. SSgt Cisneros
wonders silently how he ever got stuck
with this group of guys and has vowed
never to drill a water well again. SSgt
Pena was caught climbing a citrus tree
and was asked to not steal any more
fruit. The phone bill from SSgt Mayfield
and SrA Pullum has depleted all base
resources and we may not be able to
continue work in the AOR. SSgt Blount
received his guitar in the mail today
along with his lifetime subscription to
lessons from Esteban. After seeing a
wanted poster in the Post Office and
bearing a strong resemblance to the
perpetrator SrA Day decided to shave his
moustache. MSgt Grambo has taken up
the banner of pacifism and sits all day in
the TOC listening to Simon and Garfunkel songs. All joking aside morale is
pretty good for the well team in Sharana. We have had great success for the
first well and look forward to providing
more results for the FOB.
Page
4
Living the Dream…in Baghdad, Iraq
The HORSEmen at BIAP are truckin’
along and approaching the
half-way mark, we think. No
one will tell
us when
we’re coming home
yet, but we
keep hoping
that we are
almost half-way done.
It continues to get
hotter and dustier
every week. The temperature has hit 115 degrees the past
few days and it’s only getting hotter.
Don’t worry – we are being safe and
drinking plenty of water…usually about
8 bottles of water a day, (which means
we are also making frequent trips to the
porta-potties).
The team has
started a new
project…another
K-Span. There
seems to be a
common theme
with RED HORSE
and K-Spans! We
were lucky
enough to get to do some demo work
in order to start the project. We attacked 4 tents and tore them down,
and then we tore up
a lot of concrete.
After 80 trips to the
dump to get rid of
all the trash and
concrete, we had a
clean construction
site to start the KSpan. We’ve
started to do some
site work and will
start hanging steel in a few weeks.
We have a little bit of fun at BIAP as
well. The RED HORSE basketball team
at BIAP recently won the Sather Basketball Tournament. We are hoping
to win the Sather Volleyball Tournament in a few weeks as well. There
are also several HORSEmen at BIAP
that enjoy a nightly game of Guitar
Hero, (Capt Hamlyn is usually one of
them) or watch movies in the evenings to relax. On the weekends,
there are frequent trips to the “Big
BX” on Camp Liberty or to a different
Dining Facility for lunch or dinner,
(the food is the same, but a change of
scenery is sometimes nice). There
are plenty of opportunities at BIAP
for the HORSEmen to see different
sites of Baghdad without leaving
the base. There are several of
Saddam’s palaces that we’ve had
the opportunity to take tours of.
And some of the troops have even
found the pools on their day off.
Overall, the RED HORSE team at
BIAP is working hard, enjoying the
new experiences, and learning
something new everyday...we are
living the dream!
1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group, Al Udeid
TF Margaritaville
June was a blur. The group here at
Al Udeid focused on supporting new
construction first and foremost.
You see it had been roughly two
months since we arrived and our
nomadic nature took over…people
started moving around readying the
AO for new RH missions at new
sites. So, we energized to ensure
there was material and equipment at these new locations as our
Theater team balanced manpower to execute construction in multiple countries. In fact, we spent nearly $4M of your hard-earned
tax dollars keeping your RED HORSEmen tired and worn out. We
are very proud of our backstage role…kinda the unsung, beerdrinking heroes on this whole 557man “summer vacation” my wife
calls it. But, sometimes the frustration of the heat, terribly short
timelines, Chief Floyd without
coffee, and just living with each
other day in and day out get to a
few of the crew. That’s when we
fight…So, A1C Powelson and A1C
Bachelier settle it old
school with frigg’n balloon
gloves and head gear. The
underlying dispute, the
time honored question
that rocks all RED HORSE
units, which section is
better DOP or DOS. DOP
won this ‘bout’, but I understand DOS is training
hard for the next opportunity…I hear someone’s already promoting the Shakal/Rudd
card!!! Have you played pick up sticks lately, try 4,000 of
these 16 inch steel dowel bars. They will be used to transfer
load from one concrete slab to another once placed at Ali AB,
Iraq, right not, though it’s a big, heavy, flipp’n puzzle. And
for when we are down in the dumps after five Mondays in the
same week; how tough can it really be, when you can wear
pink string in your hair, in uniform and still call yourself a
man. That’s for you Chunk…the TF misses ya, if anyone asks,
you DID receive your beer card
before you left for Ali…
Margaritaville 6, out!
Page
Bagram Happenings
We are now at the halfway point here in our
vacation. Projects are getting started and
completed and we are getting physically fit.
Our basketball team is now in the Playoffs
with hopes of winning the championship and
negotiation the Free Agent deals with the
NBA uIn an overwhelming battle of David
and goliath, Red Horse regained control of
the construction site, as part of the reblueing process the new Aircrew Driver’s Training and Literacy Program was established
here at Bagram
upon their arrival
home.
Strength Training Facility at Camp Cunningham. Many Spectators line the street
to watch this feat with amazement.
Where did all of this dirt come from? Construction begins on the new Consolidated
NDI Maintenance facility PEB. A special
thanks goes to Yuksel for relocating all of
the dirt to our construction site.
Splitting the Crew, Half of the Dirt
Boyz took a sabbatical to a warmer
location where the temperature is 20
degrees warmer then Bagram to construct a new hanger pad.
With the winds
dying down work
continues on the
new Cardio and
Khandahar, AFG
By the time you read this newsletter, our project in
Kandahar will have come to a close and we are on the
way to our next set of challenges. For most of us, this
means packing up and moving to Iraq to join forces
with other RED HORSE Airmen working hard at the
northern base of Kirkuk or
at Ali in the south.
As discussed in our previous
newsletters, we really enjoyed our time in Afghanistan. The biggest plus for
us was the living conditions. Indoor latrines and personal internet connections in our rooms are luxuries
we will undoubtedly miss upon arrival at our next job.
The work we did in Kandahar was something else we
all enjoyed. Our
equipment operators moved over
2.3 million cubic
feet of soil, affording everyone an
opportunity to get
plenty of time in
their favorite
pieces of equip-
ment.
However, the things we will remember most about
our time here are the eccentricities of the Afghani
outpost. Our PT runs invariably took us by the local
burn pit or through the wretched smell of the sewage lagoons. The meals at any of Kandahar’s three
dining facilities always challenged us to try new
things. And the interesting, educational and often
entertaining task of living with troops from other
NATO countries. These unique qualities will stick in
our memories for quite some time…and will allow us
to appreciate our first visit to a KBR dining facility
that much more.
- Capt Powell
REAL WORLD PB STONE – Episode 3
By SSgt Wes McCord
We've reached that time in a deployment when everyone is getting tired of waking up to see their roommate instead of their wife. It's also the time when the
smallest things irritate everyone. For anyone who plans on visiting our resort, let
me go over a few ground rules. Don't ask when materials are supposed to arrive –
they’ll get here when they get here. Shut the cooler door when you are making
your difficult decision between the few beverages there are to choose from.
Don't throw wet wipe containers or wag bags in the burn out cans. If the trash can is full, take it out. Combat showers mean two to
three minutes MAXIMUM. If you follow these rules, you should be able to get along with everyone in the house.
Capt. Askegren was irritated enough to issue paperwork this month. He issued a Letter of Idiocy to SSgt Schillaci who was just trying to make sure that Capt. Askegren could stay fit during his travels. Seems like placing a fifty pound dumb bell in his bag minutes before his chopper arrived wasn’t exactly what he was thinking. We think that he just took his frustration with the contractor
out on SSgt Schillaci. Since he couldn't lift this bag, he had us put up an Alaskan to be used as a gym. It turned out to be quite a
nice improvement to the camp.
TSgt Heck and TSgt Newman switched jobs this month. We are all still trying to figure out which one got fired but both seem to be
doing great with their new positions. TSgt Heck has been working the students pretty hard laying the block guard shack for the
Iraqi Army. TSgt Newman has been managing the building crew on the camps new shower facility so we can stop taking showers in
the mosquitos' breeding ground that we call a shower now. The new addition to the dining facility is now complete which helps
morale considerably. We had real lasagna served out of there earlier this month. TSgt Moyers and SSgt Marshall seem to be making
do with the departure of their daddy, MSgt Kern.
MSgt Brooks and MSgt Wrathell are heading up a supervisor's course for the Iraqi students but for some reason had to call on TSgt
McKeen to help teach it. Msgt Wrathell asked one of his students for a recipe for flat bread he'd seen them eating for lunch and
the student said he didn’t exactly know, but he’d bring him a wife and she would be able to make it. Needless to say, he never got
the recipe for the bread. SSgt Strickland, SSgt King, and SrA Johnson don't just receive water for the camp anymore…instead they
provide it. There’s nothing like some high quality H2O. Since the installation of the well, they have become main source of water
for several surrounding Patrol Bases.
We don't have much more time to irritate each other and are looking forward to the day we can come back home and irritate our loved ones. Thanks for what you are doing at home. We couldn't do what we do here without your support. Congratulations to SrA Sigman and his wife Robyn expecting their first child shortly after we return home. Congratulations to Sra Johnson who
puts on SSgt 1 July.
Page
7
Al Asad, Iraq
It’s still hot and dusty out in the wild
west, at Al Asad Air Base. We’re just
finishing up a 9000 square foot KSpan to
support the Regimental Combat Team
here, and beginning our next KSpan in
support of the Joint Distribution Center.
These projects go a long way towards
getting valuable equipment and people
shelter from the brutal desert elements.
They also literally involve everyone,
from the Dirt Boys pouring concrete, to
the Structures shop swinging steel, to
the Electricians wiring it up, to MSgt
Spiller, our Services NCO, bringing cold,
refreshing Gatorade out to the project
site.
This past week, we completed a pretty
substantial concrete pour for a shelter
that will house Marine helicopters. We
had 12-15 folks slaving away almost
every day in the heat and the dust for
three weeks to get it done. In the end,
we poured 1500 cubic meters of concrete. We pressed on, knowing the conditions we endured those three weeks
were what the aircrews and maintainers
on those airframes endure every day for
7 months without those shelters. Since
our last newsletter, formerly Senior
Airman Clinton York became one of the
Air Force’s newest NCOs by sewing on
Staff Sergeant June 1st.
We’ve already seen him
step into his new rank by
taking on our volunteer
effort in support of the
recent Puddle of Mudd
concert here. He led 12
guys setting up the stage
and grounds of our stadium here to support the
concert. As we creep up
on the half-way point of
our tour here, we’re pushing extra hard to complete
the projects we have remaining, so we can return home with
a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment at a job well done.
- Capt Barnes
Page
8
“What’s
up, Doc?”
“What’s up, Doc?”
This is a common expression that I get as I have made my way from site to site across Iraq since
we have arrived. I thought an article in the newsletter would be good way to communicate
“What’s up,” with keeping you healthy and introduce myself to those of you that I haven’t met
yet.
Many people look forward to a deployment to focus on improving themselves from a physical perspective, whether it’s eating healthier, losing weight, quitting smoking, or working out more. Unfortunately, some people end up gaining weight from the endless desserts in the DFAC, start
smoking again due to stress, or stop taking care of their bodies due to extra long work days and
limited time off.
No matter how busy you are, there are a few things that you can do to continue to keep yourself
fit to fight.
1. If you smoke, consider quitting: I can’t imagine breathing in dust from the sand storms and
smoke from the burn pit, then adding cigarette smoke to that and going to run 3 -4 miles three
times a week. The great news is there is help when you’re ready. Most bases offer some form of
smoking cessation classes and at the minimum can provide you with nicotine patches and/or Zyban.
2. Hydrate/Hydrate/Hydrate: Enough said, we have heard it over and over again, but we are
continuing to see guys go down from heat related injuries. If you are feeling lightheaded, nauseous, or get a headache, STOP what you are doing. Find some shade and hydrate.
3. Exercise: We have this down in Red Horse, but take care of your body. Over-exercising can
hurt your body. Too much can lead to: pulled muscles, stress fractures, knee trauma, and strained
tendons. It is important to know your body and how it reacts to physical activity. The best rule of
thumb here is integrity. If it hurts, don’t push through it. Do another exercise that does not hurt
to allow the injured muscle to heal but don’t use it as an excuse not to exercise. There is always
something you can do. Simply get with the providers and or therapists at your site for advice on
what you can and can not do.
Take care of your feet: The heat and sweat leads to many fungal infections. Try to jump on it
before it spreads with some antifungal foot powder or topical antifungal cream. Many sites have
common over the counter medications available at the pharmacy for free. Simply stop by the
clinic and ask what they have.
I hope this newsletter finds you not only physically fit, but also mentally and spiritually fit. You
all have great clinics at your sites and a few of you are blessed with great medics: SSgt. White/
Speicher, TSgt. Brooks/ Ali, MSgt. Mayers/ PB Stone. I’m at Balad for now, but if I haven’t seen
you yet, I’ll be visiting soon. Feel free to email me with any questions at
Jason.foltz@shaw.af.mil.
Peace, Dr. Foltz
Shirt’s Shots by SMSgt Catherine Yelkin,
First Sergeant
Greetings friends and families of deployed RED HORSE men and women!
It’s hard to believe that we have reached the mid-point of our deployment.
Since our last newsletter, we have taken on projects at yet another FOB. This
FOB looks to be one of our largest undertakings with approximately 20% of our
personnel to be assigned there. Our proud RED HORSE team of engineers, supply, personnel, logistics, airfields, cantonments, medical, safety, financial
management, and chaplain professionals (just to name a few) have come together from various walks of life (AD, Reserve, Guard) and numerous squadrons
(last count was 48) to prove our adage of “Can Do – Will Do – Have Done”.
Many of our RED HORSEmen will continue to move to other FOBs as RED HORSE goes where the work is. And,
we let our work do our talking for us…
By the time you receive this newsletter, many of our RED HORSE will have been notified of their promotion
to TSgt or MSgt. Congratulations to all for their hard work and perseverance!
Also, we say goodbye, good luck, and farewell to a trusted and proven leader, Lt Col Davit will be departing
the theater soon in order to assume command of the 554 RED HORSE Squadron, in Guam. Lt Col Davit will
truly be missed!
Wishing you all the very best!
RED HORSE AOR WINNERS
AMN: SrA Stephen Myllek; Al Udeid
NCO: TSgt Sol Rios-Montalvo; BIAP
557 ERHS Monthly Award Winners:
SNCO: MSgt Michael Bares; Speicher
AMN: SrA Terrence Franklin; BIAP
CGO: Capt Rachel Hamlyn; BIAP
NCO: TSgt Sol Rios-Montalvo; BIAP
SNCO: MSgt Michael Bares; Speicher
Team: Ashraf IP Academy Bed Down;
Speicher
CGO: Capt Rachel Hamlyn; BIAP
WORK HORSE AWARD
Team: Ashraf IP Academy Bed Down; Speicher
TSgt Rimkus - BIAP
1 ERHG Monthly Award Winners:
AMN: SrA Stephen Myllek; Al Udeid
NCO: TSgt Robert Calmes; Kandahar
SNCO: MSgt Joell Encalada; Al Udeid
CGO: Capt Myles Gilbert; Bagram
Team: Kandahar
SrA Thornton - Speicher CLP Team
PROMOTIONS
CMSGT SCOTT D. RUDD 1-July-08 HAMMER
SSGT ERIC YORK 1-Jul-08 BAGRAM
MSGT SHAWN LAWS 1-Jul-08 AL ASAD
SRA(BTZ) DATUAN FITZ 12-Jul-08 BALAD
TSGT NICHOLAS CALDWELL 1-Jul-08 KANDAHAR
SRA THOMAS FOSTER 30-Jul-08 SPEICHER
SSGT EUGENE P. SCOTT 1-Apr-08 HAMMER
A1C NICHOLAS DOZIER 20-Jun-08 SPEICHER
SSGT JOHN JOHNSON 1-Jul-08 PB STONE
A1C MATTHEW REED 28-Jun-08 KANDAHAR
SSGT CARLO LOPEZCORCHADO 1-Jul-08 SPEICHER
A1C AMANDA SEWEART 1-Jun-08 HAMMER
SSGT SARAH MCCAULEY 1-Jul-08 SPEICHER
A1C JOSHUA STONE 27-Jul-08 ALI
SSGT MACHERIE WEBSTER-DUNBAR 1-Jul-08 ALI
A1C RYAN ALFONSO 6-Jul-08 BAGRAM
SSGT MARVELOUS CHAO 1-Jul-08 ALI
A1C PAUL RUDOLPH 27-Jul-08 SPEICHER
Rapid
Engineer
Deployable
world’s premier Air Force the professional combat engineering forces,
delivering rapid, decisive, selfsufficient, heavy engineering operations and special capabilities
Heavy
...anytime, anywhere.
Operational
Repair
557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron
USAF
BALAD AB
APOAE 09315
1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group
Al Udeid AB
APOAE 09309
Squadron
Engineer
RED HORSE provides the
Lt Col Davit… is outta here!
Lead, Follow or Get the Hell Outta the Way!
www.823rhs.com
Commander’s Corner
Hello RED HORSE Family!!
To echo most of the Sites in this edition…Wow! June was a whirlwind for your
HORSEmen. No matter how long I do this great business, I never stop being in complete AWE of the outstanding accomplishments of our HORSEmen and the uncompromising professional dedication of each and every Airman that makes up this unbelievable team. June 2008 will stand in my mind for a long time as a testament to
this dedication. Together, our planners, designers, logisticians, suppliers, mechanics, life supporters, docs, craftsmen, controllers and leaders managed to move what
seemed like the free-world’s supply of construction equipment, vehicles, tools, materials and people from all over the planet to our newest location at Ali Base
while never missing a beat on keeping our all ready full plate of projects on
Col Hammock
track. It was truly an exciting time. This doesn’t mean it was easy and calm-just sitting in on a few of our normal Daily Update Briefings at the HQ or the
worldwide Site BREEZEs would dispel that theory pretty quickly. But, through all the shouting, cussing, fighting and wrestling,
we came together as one united team to accomplish the mission. When the dust settled, we were proud of our effort, but soon
realized that the hardest work is yet to come as we transition into the last half of our deployment. Have no fear, though,
we’re confident and up for the challenge!
I’d like to add my congratulations to all our award winners and promotees, but more importantly to all those families that have
celebrated a life milestone. Be it a birthday, anniversary or the special arrival of the newest little HORSEman, my heart goes
out to each of you. Please continue to stand strong and take care of yourselves and each other. We are there by your side in
heart and mind knowing you are here with us as well.
Until next time…take care and be safe!
To The HORSE!!