the black scarf standard

THE BLACK SCARF
STANDARD
NEWS FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS & SUPPORTERS OF TASK FORCE BLACK SCARVES
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Four Black Scarves Graduate Ranger School
By 1LT Alex Willard, B Co Executive Officer
While the Black Scarves qualified on the ranges of Grafenwoehr and
maneuvered through the terrain at Hohenfels, four task force Soldiers
distinguished themselves back in the States. In May, SGT Joseph England,
SGT Tyler Fillion, CPL Andrew Roberts and CPL Colin Weingart were
sent to Ft. Benning, GA, to attend the Army’s pre-eminent leadership
course, Ranger School. While weathering through the intense nine weeklong course, they battled the mental and psychological stress and pushed
through the physical fatigue. As a result of their outstanding physical and
mental qualities, and their utmost determination, all four graduated,
earning their Ranger tab on the 25th of July.
Continued on PG 2…
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
1LT Willard congratulates our
newest Rangers during
Ranger
School Graduation at Fort Benning,
Georgia. Pictured Left to Right: SGT
England, SGT Fillion, 1LT Willard,
CPL Roberts, and CPL Weingart
This issue…
Ranger Grad Cont.
Fisher House
Medics Spirit Soars
BC & CSM
Pictures from Graf
From the Chaplain
2
3
3
4
5
6
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
Page 2
…Continued from PG 1
It is not uncommon for Soldiers with Ranger
tabs to report to the formation; however, this
is the first time in roughly four years that the
Battalion has pushed Soldiers to Ranger
School. We have SSG Patrick Purcell to thank
for his relentless drive to acquire these slots.
Such an accomplishment would also not have
been possible without the Pre-Ranger
program initiated by CPT Timothy Palmer
and his Pre-Ranger instructors and support
team.
In addition to the recent four
graduates, there are currently 5 Black Scarf
Soldiers in various stages of Ranger School.
Photos from the Ranger Graduation
Top Right: 1SG Carlsrud and SGT England at FOB SUMMERALL
in Hohenfels following Ranger Graduation. Above: CPL Weingart
makes Ranger Graduation a family event. Right: CPL Roberts and
CPL Weingart pose with former Black Scarf CPT Miletich. Bottom
Left: Roberts and Weingart prepare for their promotion to CPL
following Ranger Graduation. Bottom Right: SGT Fillion and SGT
England pose with CPT Timothy “Ranger” Palmer in front of the
“Charlie Rock” at Hohenfels
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
Page 3
Fisher House: Help in a Time of Need
By Captain Joshua Buchanan, D Co Commander
After a long sleepless trans-Atlantic flight—full of worry
about their wounded Warrior—the last issue on any
family’s mind is living accommodations near Landstuhl.
The Fisher House offers help. Located directly adjacent to
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), the Fisher
House program is a unique partnership that supports
America's military members and their Families in their
time of greatest need. Internationally, the Fisher House
Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the
grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These
CPT Buchanan and members of the Sentinels’ Team visit the
homes provide Family members a “home-away from
Fisher House during rear-detachment training at LRMC. Left to
home” so that they may be in close proximity to their
right: Mrs. Buchanan, CPT Buchanan, Mr. Mike Sleeper from
USAG Schweinfurt, Mrs. Carlsrud, and Mrs. Miska
wounded loved ones. By law, there is no charge for any
Family to stay at a Fisher House. The Fisher Homes have 19 rooms with a bath/shower included. Each of
the two houses also features a kitchen, dining room, laundry room, living area, and computers with
internet access. The Black Scarves and Task Force Shield are working hand-in-hand with the medical
professionals at LRMC and the generous employees of the Fisher House, ensuring first-rate care for
wounded Warriors and their Families.
More detailed information about the Fisher House Foundation may be found at http://www.fisherhouse.org/.
With the Medics, Spirits Soar
By 2LT Adam Seybert, Medical Platoon Leader
What’s better than ground evacuation assets that can
get a Soldier from point of injury to a treatment facility
in less than 30 minutes?... Air assets that can do it in
half the time. During the Hohenfels rotation, our Black
Scarf medics, as well as a handful of our Black Hawk
First Responders got the opportunity to enhance their
skills in air evacuations.
Through classroom
instruction and hands-on static-load training with onsite UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, our medics built
their awareness of air assets available for evacuations
while simultaneously learning the techniques and
procedures to quickly and safely evacuate
our
wounded brethren.
Doctor in the Platoon Provides Lifesaving
Capabilities and Instruction
Since arriving to the Medical Platoon in mid-August,
there haven’t been enough hours in the day for our
medics to absorb the knowledge radiating from
Captain Jody Hefner.
Our medics—hungry for
wisdom—devour his instruction. Moreover, as a
certified D.O., CPT Hefner provides all our Soldiers
with topnotch medical care and consultation. CPT
Hefner is a board certified pediatrician currently
assigned as a staff physician at Fort Leonard Wood,
MO. We welcome his expertise and his experience.
Above: Black Scarf Medics and
Black Hawk First Responders
conduct static load training with
UH-60s during Hohenfels rotation.
Below: CPT Jody Hefner (BN Doc)
instructs our medics in advanced
medical procedures. Thanks DOC!
Pictured from left to right: CPT
Hefner, SGT Schmierer, SSG
Jimenez, and CPL Hardwick.
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
Page 4
From the Commander
By Lieutenant Colonel Steven Miska, Task Force Commander
Thanks to all of the family members and soldiers involved in making this deployment preparation a
tremendous exercise. We have truly been fortunate to share in an experience that few Americans get to be
a part of. The CSM and I are very proud of this Task Force, comprised of members of 1-2 Infantry and
other teammates from across the 172nd Brigade Combat Team. Your soldiers are trained and ready to
deploy into combat. They have gotten many repetitions of critical skills they will put to use down range.
We are also proud of our phenomenal spouses, children and
community in Schweinfurt. The garrison team, our own D
Company Cadre, and our truly special Spartan FRG Leaders
continue to set new standards in caring for each other,
thriving in uncertainty, and making our Black Scarf Families
a special place to live and grow. Amy and I couldn’t
imagine a more wonderful environment to raise our
children. We will continue to publish our newsletter to send
to family and friends throughout the world. If you know of
anyone that would like to receive this newsletter, please
bring it up through your chain of command or chain of
concern. Thanks for all of your service and sacrifice. Amy
and I look forward to the coming days knowing we walk
amongst America’s finest. We are also proud to come from a
fantastic lineage of the 2nd Infantry Regiment.
Noli Me Tangere! Back in Black!
LTC Miska and SFC Ervine during an After-Action-review at the
platoon live-fire range at Grafenwoehr
Sergeant Major Says…
By Command Sergeant Major Noe R. Salinas, Task Force CSM
Hello from Forward Operating Base (FOB) SUMMERALL!
I hope that this newsletter finds you in good health and
enjoying the last of the summer. We have been exceptionally
busy this past month and are completely immersed in our
operations. The benefit to such a schedule is that time passes
very quickly for us – we find it hard to believe that we have
already been gone for almost all the summer!
The Task Force has undergone some great training events
during the last two months. From our arrival at GTA the Black
Scarves have set the standard for the rest of the Brigade to
follow. We are constantly improving our training and the areas
in which we live. Some of the highlights from the last two
months have been our Small Arms gunnery in which almost all
of our all soldiers qualified on their individual assigned
weapons.
As the Battalion Command Sergeant Major, I could not have
asked for a better opportunity to serve in a better trained and
CSM Salinas and SFC Jarvis listen intently during a
“quick” Command and Staff Meeting at Range 301
led Infantry Battalion.
To all of the families of our Soldiers, friends, and veterans of the regiment – continue to keep us in your
thoughts and prayers. Thanks for all of the great packages of support from home. Soldiers ask for so
very little. Don’t forget us and don’t let our Nation forget us as we accomplish impossible feats for our
country daily. Until next time…
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
Page 5
TRAINED AND READY: Photos from Grafenwoehr Gunnery
Left: B Co Bradley Fighting Vehicles prepared for platoon live-fire
training in Grafenwoehr.
Below: Staff members keep the
Commander updated during the morning commanders update
brief. Pictured left to right, back row: 1LT McQuiston, CPT Torres,
2LT Seybert, SGM Martinez, SFC Hadd, SGT Johnson, SPC
Malpica; front row: MAJ Best, LTC Miska, SFC D’adda. Middle
Left: 2LT Teschner (B Co FSO) uses his interpreter to converse
with role-players during platoon live-fire exercises. Middle Right:
Vehicle operators prepare their BFVs for rail movement from
Grafenwoehr to Hohenfels. Bottom Left: A Co Tanks on-line at
the PLFX site. Bottom Right: 1LT Davidson and 2LT Boscow
(C Co) show trust and confidence in their Combat Lifesavers as
they receives IVs.
AUGUST 2 0 0 8
Page 6
BLACK SCARF STYLE
Inspiring Words from the Chaplains Assistant
TF 1-2 MAILING ADDRESS
By SGT Keith Johnson Jr., Chaplain’s Assistant
“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master
has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put
them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil
throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk
away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a lifeor-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.
Soldier’s Rank and Name
__ Company/TF 1-2
CMR 464
APO AE 09226
______________________________
REAR DETACHMENT COMMANDER
CPT JOSHUA BUCHANAN
REAR DETACHMENT FIRST SERGEANT
1SG BILLY COOK
The Rear Detachment Office is located in
the Battalion HQ. They can be reached at
the following numbers:
DSN: 353-8364
CIV: 011-49-(0)9721-96-8364
T CH FOR LI E
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your
own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that
when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth,
righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn
how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word
is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this
ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters.
Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls
behind or drops out.”
Ephesians 6:10-18
©
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TF 1-2, 172nd BCT
ATTN: TF Black Scarves PAO
CMR 464
APO AE 09226
[email protected]
The Standard is an authorized publication for
Department of Defense members. Contents
of this publication are not necessarily the
official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.
Government or the Department of the Army.
The editorial content of this publication is the
responsibility of the Task Force Black
Scarves Public Affairs Office.
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