Long Knife cases colors Annual AUSA forum hosted, streamed

ACROSS
DOD AA1
LEISURE B1
LIVING C1
SPORTS D1
SecArmy
at AUSA
Inner Space
Caverns
Baby Expo
Killeen vs.
Midway
1ST CAVALRY DIVISION Red Dragons take on new challenge A2
T h u r s d a y , O c t o b e r 24, 2013
71st Year, Issue 42
Standing watch over Fort Hood since 1942
Long Knife
cases colors
NEWS BRIEFS
Town Hall session tonight
Fort Hood Garrison Commander
Col. Matt Elledge will host a twohour Town Hall on the installation’s Facebook site and on Fort
Hood Radio tonight. He will be
joined by subject-matter experts
from across the installation for
the two-hour event, which begins
on Facebook at 6 p.m. From 7-8
p.m., Elledge will answer questions from the community delivered via social media. The Fort
Hood community is encouraged to
take part in the Town Hall session,
engaging installation leaders with
their questions, comments and
concerns. The Fort Hood Facebook
page is www.facebook.com/forthood. Tune into www.FortHoodRadio.com, the installation’s Internet-based radio station at 7 p.m.
tonight for questions selected to
be answered during the hourlong
broadcast.
BY SGT. ANGEL TURNER
1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
Post Trick-or-Treat hours
Fort Hood will host “Trick-or-Treating” from 6-8 p.m., Oct. 31.
Photo by Sgt. Angel Turner, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
INDEX
41st Fires............ A3
Editorial............... A4
Post events........ B3
Across Texas..... B5
Lynch book........ B6
Pet Platoon........ C2
ROC Drill............. C3
Health Works.... C5
HS football.........D1
Couch Potato....D3
www.FortHoodSentinel.com
Col. William Benson (left), outgoing commander of the 4th BCT, 1st Cav. Div., and Command Sgt.
Maj. Christopher Menton, former senior enlisted adviser of the brigade, case the unit’s colors
during an inactivation ceremony at Cooper Field Oct. 17. Activated in 2005, the brigade completed
four deployments – three to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. “The need for the brigade is no longer,
so this should not be a cause for disappointment. The brigade accomplished its assigned mission,”
Benson said. “The efforts of the brigade helped provide the people of Iraq and Afghanistan with an opportunity
for a different future. A better future.”
One day short of its eight-year anniversary,
the 4th “Long Knife” Brigade Combat Team,
1st Cavalry Division, cased its colors during an
inactivation ceremony at Cooper Field, Oct.
17.
“This ceremony is symbolic and yet is a real
initiation in the first step, which is to enhance
the capability of our units here at Fort Hood,”
said Maj. Gen. Anthony Ierardi, commanding
general of the 1st Cav. Div. and Fort Hood
senior commander.
“Long Knife Soldiers, past and present, thank
you for all you have done,” the general said.
“Your legacy and greatness will forever live in
the rolls of Army history.”
The brigade, activated in 2005 at Fort Bliss,
is the first to inactivate as the Army transforms
its overall structure to meet the needs of war.
“The Army has been through organizational
changes before,” said Col. William Benson,
outgoing commander of 4th BCT, 1st Cav.
Div. “Divisions and brigades have come and
gone in an almost cyclical way according to
the needs of the American people and government.”
See Long Knife, A6
Annual AUSA forum hosted, streamed virtually at Hood
BY ERIN ROGERS
Sentinel Staff
The 2013 Association of the
United States Army Military Family Forums took place once again
in Washington, D.C., MondayWednesday with the goal of encouraging Family members to live a good
quality of life in spite of the many
anticipated changes to military Family support programs due to the
Courtesy screenshot
The virtual forums provided a way for Families from individual installations to post
their questions directly to senior leaders in Washington, D.C., through the AUSA
Facebook page for the 2013 AUSA Military Family Forums Monday-Wednesday.
many challenges
taking
place
within the Army
over the past
year and upcoming years.
This
year,
because of the
government
shutdown and
budget cuts, not
every installation
was able to send
Family members
of Army leadership to participate in the conference in D.C.,
so 70 virtual
Family forums
were set up at
posts around the
Photo by Erin Rogers, Sentinel Staff
world, to include
Families
of
leaders
at
Fort
Hood
watch
the
virtual
live-stream
of
the
2013
AUSA
Military Family Forums
Fort Hood.
in Washington, D.C., Monday. Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, assistant chief of staff for Installation ManageThis four-part
ment, spoke at the the conference in D.C. as Fort Hood Families watched from III Corps Headquarters.
event included
two live-streams and two taped view- General of the United States Army included the Military Family Forum
ings of the conference. Monday was Medical Command Lt. Gen. Patricia III-Community Resources: A BeautiMilitary Family Forum I-Voices Horoho; and many more.
ful Day in the Neighborhood, which
from the Top: Senior Leaders Town
Tuesday, Military Family Forum showcased the growing support of
Hall. This forum featured presenta- II-The Performance Triad: A Holistic military Families by civilian organitions and a town hall-style discussion Approach to Self-Care, was held. This zations through public and private
with the Army's senior officials, to forum explored holistic approach- partnerships with the military cominclude Secretary of the Army John es to caring for military Families. munity.
McHugh; Chief of Staff of the Army New programs from the Department
Wednesday concluded with
Gen. Ray Odierno; Sergeant Major of the Army and the Department the Military Family Forum
of the Army Raymond Chandler; of Defense were introduced and
Surgeon General and Commanding discussed. The second day also
See AUSA, A6
Karcher: Disability a series of ‘challenges’
BY HEATHER GRAHAM-ASHLEY
Sentinel News Editor
Col. Tim Karcher defines a disability as a series of challenges, something to overcome. Those with disabilities have the choice about how
to handle the challenges, just as
Karcher did four years ago.
“You figure it out,” he told attendees at Fort Hood’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month
observance Oct. 17 at III Corps
Headquarters, which also included
interactive displays and information
booths. “I have good days and I have
bad days.”
Karcher lost both of his legs above
the knee in June 2009 in Sadr City,
Iraq, when an explosively-formed
projectile tore through the humvee
of the then-2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
commander.
“It was kind of a rough day,”
Karcher said. “It led to a rough summer.”
Since his injury and decision to
continue his Army career, Karcher’s gait and cane have prompted
questions and puzzled looks, but the
Operational Test Command G-3
handles those queries with humor
and directness.
During his remarks at the Fort
Hood observance, Karcher shared
some of experiences he has had with
others who are shocked that he continues to serve following his injuries.
He said events such as Fort Hood’s
observance raise awareness of the
challenges a disabled person faces,
but also highlights what a person can
See Disability, A6
Photo by Heather Graham-Ashley, Sentinel News Editor
Col. Tim Karcher, G-3, USAOTC, delivers remarks Oct. 17 to kick-off Fort Hood’s
Disability Employment Awareness Fair. Karcher is a bi-lateral amputee.