Public Meetings Cover Iowa 'Red Bull' JRTC & Follow-on Deployment

Col. Eric Soults, 2/34 Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander, speaks at the Boone Readiness Center, Boone, Iowa, Mar. 13, 2025. The brigade hosted a town hall to speak about their upcoming deployment and answer questions from community members. Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Annalise Guckenberger 

Corrected Mar. 17, 2025 re: Oelwein & Iowa Falls times: 7:30 a.m. is correct, not p.m.

BOONE, IOWA—In a "town hall"-style event conducted Thurs., 9 a.m. Mar. 13 at the Boone National Guard armory, representatives of the Iowa Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division conducted the first of 18 statewide events regarding the upcoming June 2025 rotation of approximately 3,300 Iowa soldiers to three weeks of simulated combat training at Joint Readiness Training Center (J.R.T.C.), Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk), Louisiana, with a follow-on 12-month deployment of 1,800 of those soldiers to Operation Inherent Resolve (O.I.R.) to various locations and missions, including those in the Middle East.

"We're training to fight something like World War 2—that's the type training they do at JRTC," said brigade commander Col. Eric Soults. "I'm excited for the opportunity to show what we can do." Regarding the 12-month deployment, however, he cautioned the public from regarding the mission as an urgent response to global news headlines. "We'll be helping to maintain security in the region," he said. "It's not related to any contingency mission. [Operation Inherent Resolve] is an enduring mission that's been there since 2014."

While details are still forthcoming, send-off ceremonies are anticipated to be scheduled for afternoons between May 28 to May 30, 2025. Mobilizing soldiers will depart directly from Louisiana—a first for JRTC, according to brigade leaders.

The panel-style "town hall" events are intended to provide family members, employers, educators, and other community members with initial information regarding timelines, policies, and resources. Family readiness and employer-support experts were on-hand, as well as local business and community leaders. Subsequent events will be conducted in armories across the state. Family members are encouraged to attend any of these meetings, regardless of their soldier's unit affiliation. A digital brochure regarding the events is here at this link. The events may also be live-streamed via the brigade's Facebook page.

• March 25: Fort Dodge armory, 10:30 a.m.
• March 25: Davenport armory, 6 p.m.
• March 26: Mount Pleasant armory, 6. p.m.
• March 31: Dubuque armory, 7:30 a.m.
• April 1: Waterloo armory, 7:30 a.m.
• April 2: Iowa City armory, 7:30 a.m.
• April 3: Esterville armory, 10:30 a.m.
• April 4: Sioux City armory, 9 a.m.
• April 4: Le Mars armory, 12 noon
• April 8: Council Bluffs armory, 6 p.m.
• April 8: Carroll armory, 6 p.m.
• April 8: Red Oak armory, 6 p.m.
• April 8: West Des Moines armory, 6 p.m.
• April 9: Oelwein armory, 7:30 a.m.
• April 10: Iowa Falls armory, 7:30 a.m.
• April 14: Camp Dodge "Freedom Center" armory, building S70, 7:30 a.m.
• April 15: Cedar Rapids armory, 6 p.m.

Stoults said the upcoming rotation and deployment was a recurring part of the U.S. National Guard's role as an operational reserve within the nation's armed forces. Units train on a roughly 5-year cycle, and are made available for missions in the years in which they are most-ready and -capable. "This will be some of the hardest training we can do, and also the most rewarding," Soults said of the Joint Readiness Training Center rotation.

While the brigade will be "in the box" for three weeks of simulated combat, the JRTC rotation will also involve additional Iowa troops in training-support roles. For realism, soldiers "in the box" will not have access to outside communications, including personal cell phones, during the 3-week rotation.

According to Soults, the Iowa brigade will be joined by a company from the Kosovo Security Force (K.S.F.), reflecting the state's long relationship with Kosovo via the U.S. National Guard's State Partnership Program (S.P.P.). The Iowa brigade will also be joined by a brigade from Colorado, along with a company of that state's counterparts from the country of Jordan. Companies from Minnesota and Alabama are also anticipated. In all, Soults said, approximately 6,000 troops will be participating in the JRTC event.

Soults noted that the Iowa brigade of 3,300 citizen-soldiers comprises approximately 165 full-time active-duty personnel, which will be supplemented by another 116 traditional citizen-soldiers starting  temporary activity-duty by the end of May 2025. Armories will continue to be open during the 12-month deployment.

Soults encouraged families of deploying soldiers to start working on household details such as automatic bill-payments, lawn care, and snow removal. "Now is the time to get things ready."

He encouraged soldiers and families to establish good and clear communications. "Don't assume that your soldier is deploying unless they specifically tell you," he said. "On the other hand, don't assume that your soldier is not deploying until they tell you, either."

Two 'Red Bull' Soldier-Writers Featured in New Book!

Featuring more than 60 leading and emerging writers of military- and war-themed fiction, non-fiction, journalism, poetry, and more, the anthology "Why We Write: Craft Essays on Writing War" launches TODAY, Dec. 10, 2019 in both print and Kindle e-book formats! The Middle West Press LLC project is in partnership with the Military Writers Guild. Contributors include service members past and present, as well as scholars, historians, journalists, and civilians with experiences in international relations and national security.

The book coincidentally features a number of current and former Iowans—including two former members of the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. Steven L. Moore, author of "The Longer We Were There: A Memoir of a Part-Time Soldier," served in Laghman Province during the brigade's 2010-2011 deployment to Afghanistan. Anthology editor Randy Brown helped produce a print collection of the brigade public affairs journalism from that same deployment.

The anthology's title echoes Frank Capra's patriotic "Why We Fight" films of World War II, the cover by illustrator Paul Hewitt of Battlefield Design reinterprets propaganda poster images from the same era.

Response to the anthology from other war writers has been overwhelming and positive:

"Page by page, line by line, these men and women—veterans and civilians of various eras and nations—speak the truth about what it is like not just to fight, but to write," notes U.S. Army veteran Doug Bradley, author of "Who'll Stop the Rain: Respect, Remembrance, and Reconciliation in Post-Vietnam America" as well as other non-fiction and fiction about that war. "'The power of a good story is as important as the sharpest policy paper,' writes one Vietnam-veteran senator's son. As a U.S. Navy chopper pilot who himself flew in Afghanistan, he couldn't be more accurate. Read this book and discover what he means!"

U.S. Marine veteran and literary agent Tracy Crow says: "A notable first, 'Why We Write' delivers immeasurable, experiential wisdom from an impressive range of military voices regarding the power and impact of writing—on the self, on the truth, and ultimately on the world. […] The courageous contributors within 'Why We Write' are filling a disturbing void for humanity by expressing a sense of urgency and historical reflection about the complexities of war—whether writing and reflecting on the insanely humorous, or the insanely atrocious."

Crow also serves as president of the national non-profit MilSpeak Foundation, Inc., and is the author of six military-themed fiction and non-fiction titles, including "On Point: A Guide to Writing the Military Story."

The "Why We Write" anthology comprises four sections, each loosely organized around a theme:

• Calls to Action, Calls to Arms: Stories of how-to and inspiration toward engaging the public and/or the military profession through writing!

• War Stories: Stories of writing success and lessons-learned!

• Building Bridges & Platforms: Stories of how-to and inspiration toward building connections, communities, organizations, author platforms, etc.!

• The Arts of War & Writing: Essays about writing literary fiction, genre fiction, poetry, history, and more!

Women make up approximately one-third of the anthology's contributors. Approximately two-thirds of the contributors are past or present members of their respective countries' armed forces, with the remaining one-third being "civilians"—journalists, scholars, historians, and more. Military Writers Guild members comprise approximately one-fifth of contributors.

To order the $19.99 (U.S.) print version via Amazon.com, click here!

To order the $9.99 (U.S.) Kindle e-book version, click here!

To order via an independent bookstore, contact Beaverdale Books, Des Moines, Iowa at: 515.279.5400. Phone orders only. Shipping & Handling approximately $4 (U.S.).

Anthology co-editor Randy Brown is an award-winning war poet (Welcome to FOB Haiku: War Poems from Inside the Wire) and U.S. Army veteran who embedded as civilian media in Afghanistan in 2011. A former newspaper and magazine journalist, he previously edited the book Reporting for Duty: U.S. Citizen-Soldier Journalism from the Afghan Surge, 2010-2011.

Widely published in literary journals and anthologies, he has also written the Red Bull Rising military blog since December 2009. He writes about military-themed writing techniques and markets at The Aiming Circle blog. He is a member of the Military Writers Guild. On Twitter, follow him at: @FOB_Haiku

Steve Leonard is a retired U.S. Army strategist, a program director in organizational leadership at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and the creative force behind the web comic Doctrine Man!! He is published widely, including in the anthologies Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict, and Winning Westeros: How Game of Thrones Explains Modern Military Conflict. He is a member of the Military Writers Guild. On Twitter, follow him at: @Doctrine_Man

Established in 2017 for the purpose of promoting professional collaboration in the practice of writing, the national non-profit Military Writers Guild has grown to comprise more than 150 past and present service members, as well as civilians with experiences in international relations, national security, journalism, and intelligence.

Middle West Press LLC is a Johnston, Iowa-based editor and publisher of non-fiction, fiction, journalism, and poetry. As an independent micro-press, it publishes one to four titles annually. “Why We Write” is the first of its projects conducted in partnership with an association, and the fifth of its titles involving war and military themes.

Red Bull Veterans & Others to Share Stories on Stage

Five Iowa military veterans—four of them alumni of 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division—will share stories of their respective military experiences in the last installment of the Des Moines Register's "Storytellers Project" 2018 season. Stage performances are 5:30 and 8 p.m., Thurs., Dec. 6. 2018 at The Tea Room, 713 Walnut St. No. 600, Des Moines, Iowa.

Ticket information is here.

Previous 2018 performances in the series have included themes on rural life, siblings, and everyday miracles. Included in the line-up of "War Stories" cast members are:

• Brian Lenz, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who became an environmental scientist. 

• Sara Maniscalco Robinson, a senior non-commissioned officer in the Iowa Army National Guard, and founder of Iowa Veterans' Perspective, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that documents veterans' stories. Maniscalco Robinson served with Iowa's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Battalion during a 2003 deployment to Egypt. 

• Jodi Marti, an Iowa Army National Guard officer who served as commander of Echo Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Battalion during the unit's 2010-2011 deployment to Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan. 

• Miranda Pleggenkuhle, an Iowa Army National Guard officer who served as part of Task Force Archer in Bagram, Afghanistan, during the 2010-2011 deployment of Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. 

• James Suong, a non-commissioned officer in the Iowa Army National Guard, who once served in Iowa's 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry while on a 2003 deployment to Kosovo. Before immigrating to America, he spent some of his youth in a Cambodian child-labor camp.

Book Captures 'Red Bull' Stories from Afghan Surge

At the height of the Afghan Surge, more than 100,000 U.S. and coalition troops were committed to a counterinsurgency (COIN) mission of "clear, hold, and build" on behalf of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Clear the countryside of insurgent fighters. Hold the terrain, alongside Afghan security forces. Build infrastructure, commerce, and rule-of-law.

As part of this wave, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) deployed more than 3,000 citizen-soldiers to Eastern Afghanistan. It was the largest call-up of Iowa troops since World War II—and one of the only times a U.S. National Guard brigade was designated as a "battlespace owner" during Operation Enduring Freedom. They called themselves "Task Force Red Bulls."

Johnston, Iowa-based Middle West Press LLC announces the November 2016 publication of "Reporting for Duty," an historical collection of U.S. Army public affairs articles and images released during the 2-34th's 2010-2011 deployment as Task Force Red Bulls. The fully indexed, 668-page trade paperback features more than 285 easy-to-read articles, and more than 360 black & white newspaper-quality photos. Retail price is $27.99 U.S. The book is available via national on-line book vendors, such as Amazon here.

A 60-second promotional book trailer is here, and below this blog post.

"Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs produced an amazing amount of content while in Afghanistan—easily more than 1 million words, and hundreds of images," says book's editor Randy Brown. Brown is a retired member of the Iowa unit and a former Iowa community newspaper editor. In May-June 2011, Brown also embedded with the 2-34th BCT for a few weeks in Afghanistan. "During the deployment, readers of individual news articles probably couldn't appreciate the scope and the scale of the missions at hand. Each story related to the larger "clear, hold, and build" mission of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan."

"It's been amazing to pull all of those narratives together, and to re-order them chronologically," Brown says. "With everything collected as a book, the Red Bull's deployment year becomes this epic story—with a beginning, middle, and end."

While digital archives such as the Defense Video and Image Distribution System (DVIDS, pronounced "DIH-vids") continue to operate, Brown notes that many deployment-specific websites and social media channels have proven less permanent. "Websites such as 'IowaRedBulls.com' and 'CJTF-101.com' simply no longer exist," he says. "This on-line history needed to be preserved in print."

With assistance and new insights from former members of the Task Force Red Bulls Public Affairs, Brown compiled, edited, and indexed 2010-2011 Army news coverage from "Area of Operations Red Bulls," which includes Parwan, Panjshir and Laghman provinces, along with a portion of Nuristan.

Also included is similar coverage from Paktya Province—"Area of Operations Lethal"—where Iowa's 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.) was deployed "Task Force Lethal" under a different brigade's control. Coverage includes a full-spectrum of activities and actions by Red Bull units and their partners, including Provincial Reconstruction Teams (P.R.T.), Agribusiness Development Teams (A.D.T.), Embedded Training Teams (E.T.T.), and more.

"I'm particularly pleased that we were able to successfully index the coverage," says Brown. "Readers can look up soldiers by name, to find family and friends in every story or photo in which they're mentioned. This is a great research tool. I particularly hope this book finds its way into community, school, family, and museum libraries."

In 2017, the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division celebrates its 100th anniversary. "Middle West Press will be looking at additional projects involving Midwestern voices and history. And continuing to tell the Iowa National Guard and 34th Inf. Div. stories will, no doubt, be a large part of that effort," says Brown.

Middle West Press LLC is a Central Iowa-based independent press, with a mission of preserving and promoting new voices and visions of the American Middle West. For information:

Middle West Press
P.O. Box 31099
Johnston, Iowa 50131-9423

Or visit: www.middlewestpress.com.

'As You Were' Posthumously Publishes 'Red Bull' Poem

Just a week before the second-ever Military Experience & the Arts Symposium—this one, to be held May 14-17 at Cameron University, Lawton, Okla.—the Kentucky-based non-profit has released a second volume of the rebranded literary journal "As You Were." The 156-page publication is now available FREE as a downloadable PDF here.

The publication notably includes a "Once Again to Be a Little Boy," a poem written by Dillion Naslund, 25, and posthumously published at the request of his parents, Lisa and Jeff Naslund of Galva, Iowa.

Dillion Naslund died of a self-inflicted gunshot Dec. 10, 2012. He had deployed as an infantry soldier to Iraq in 2007-2008. He had also returned from a 9-month deployment to Eastern Afghanistan's Laghman Province in July 2011. Back home, in addition to being the member of a close family, he was active in the local fire department, and worked a concrete construction job.

The poem reads, in part:

[...] For we all are proud to have suffered this burden together, alone
It’s a priceless honor you can’t get without being selfless
It will never be found priced together amongst low budget electronics or twenty-one flavors of ice cream [...]

Dillion was a former member of the Iowa National Guard's 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.) and 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.). Both are units of Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division.

"Dillion had felt he was alone," his mother Lisa told the Red Bull Rising blog in 2013, "but we quickly found out that he wasn't." In the days and weeks following his December 2012 funeral, she said, more than a handful of other soldiers have independently contacted her family. They told her that Dillion's example had inspired each to seek help in their own struggles. "Dillion's legacy can be to save lives," she says. "He's already saved lives."

Through efforts such as Operation Engage America, and the 2013 television documentary "Dillion," the Naslunds have been active in promoting awareness and education regarding veteran suicides.

In February 2015, the Naslunds were interviewed by Military Experience & the Arts president David P. Ervin. Read the article here.

A webpage for Operation Engage America is here.

A Facebook page is here.

On June 20, 2015, the group plans activities in Des Moines, Iowa and San Diego, Calif. A Facebook page for the Des Moines event is here.

*****

The Veterans Crisis Line is a toll-free and on-line resource staffed by trained Department of Veterans Affairs personnel, who can confidentially assist soldiers, veterans, families and friends toward local help and resources.

According to the Veterans Crisis Line website:

1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

'Through a Soldier's Eyes' Tails 'Red Bull' in WWII Italy

A 26-minute documentary depicting the travels of present-day members of the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division on a tour of that unit's World War II battlefields in Italy will debut on Minnesota public television channels Fri., Nov. 7, at 9 p.m. Central Time. For a 25-second trailer video, click here.

(In Central Iowa, "Through a Soldier's Eyes" will air 8 p.m., Nov. 4 on Iowa Public Television Channel 11.3.)

Luke Heikkila PHOTO: Twin Cities Public Television

Produced by Twin Cities Public Television producer Luke Heikkila, "Through a Soldier's Eyes" is part of an ongoing commitment by the station to tell the stories of Minnesota service members, families, and veterans. Heikkila embedded with Minnesota troops in Iraq in 2009, and in Afghanistan in 2012.

The 34th Inf. Div. was originally comprised of citizen-soldiers from Iowa, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. The unit's distinctive "Red Bull" patch is still worn by National Guard troops in Minnesota and Iowa. The project was previously mentioned on the Red Bull Rising blog.

Earlier in 2014, Heikkila followed Staff Sgt. Dillon Jennings and other current members of the 34th Inf. Div. on a trip to Italy. The group toured battle sites such as Anzio, Monte Cassino, Volturno River, Hill 810, and others.

Jenning's great-grandfather, Bernard Bonnema, also served in the 133rd Infantry Regiment, one of the "Red Bull" units deployed to World War II Italy.

A veteran of two overseas deployments himself, Jennings didn't make the connection between his own service and that of his great-grandfather, until after participating in the record-breaking 22-month deployment of 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division (1-34th Bde.) to Iraq in 2006-2007.

Air-times and channels for "Through a Soldier's Eyes" are listed here, as well as below. The program will also be made available on-line veterans.tpt.org, and via the PBS World Channel.

Twin Cities Public Television, Channel 2.1

• Fri., Nov. 7 @ 9:00 p.m.
• Sat., Nov 8 @ 3:00 a.m.
• Sun., Nov. 9 @ 4:00 p.m.

Twin Cities Public Television MN Channel 2.2

• Sun., Nov. 9 @ 7:30 a.m.
• Sun., Nov. 16 @ 1:30 a.m.
• Sun., Nov. 16 @ 7:30 a.m.
• Sun., Nov. 16 @ 1:30 a.m.

Twin Cities Public Television Life Channel 2.3

• Sun., Nov 16 @ 11:30 a.m.

Remember 'Red Bull' Soldier at Aug. 30 Poker Run

The 3rd Annual Donny Nichols Memorial Ride and Poker Run will be held in Eastern Iowa Sat., Aug. 30, 2014. The fund-raising event commemorates Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Donny Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa, killed April 13, 2011 in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. The event will start and finish in Shell Rock.

In 2010, Nichols was deployed with 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) in Eastern Afghanistan. Nichols was a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.), which is based in Waterloo, Iowa.

Each year, event organizers direct funds to military-themed projects. Proceeds from this year's event, for example, will benefit Flags for Freedom Outreach, a Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. non-profit that supports and remembers wounded soldiers during recovery and reintegration.

Among other supporting groups, the 34th Infantry Division Association (34th Inf. Div. Assoc.) will staff a booth during registration for the ride. The organization will donate $5 for every individual who displays an item of "Red Bull" swag to booth personnel—stickers, tattoos, patches, association membership cards, flags, etc.—displayed by any poker run attendee or participant, up to a total of $500. While there, make sure also to register for a giveaway of two replica 34th Infantry Division flags!

In a poker run, registered participants are dealt random cards. While many motorcyclists are anticipated, organizers emphasize that "all types of wheels" are welcome. At the final stop of the day, the participant with the highest poker hand wins a pot of cash. Raffles, T-shirt sales, and other fund-raising efforts will also take place during the event.

Ride shirts may be pre-ordered and pre-paid ($15 each) by Aug. 22, 2014. Contact Jeanie at 319.464.2050. A limited number of shirts will also be on sale at the event.

This year's T-shirts feature a red, white, and blue color scheme. On the front is a photograph of an Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (M.R.A.P) All-Terrain Vehicle, the crew of which is proudly flying the American flag while downrange in Afghanistan.

Registration is Sat., Aug. 30, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at The Cooler, 201 South Cherry St., Shell Rock, Iowa. The ride will begin approximately 11 a.m. Start times may be staggered if numbers warrant.

Each poker "hand" is $15, and dealt at The Cooler. There will also be a 50-50 raffle at the start and possibly (details pending) at the finish. Other raffle prizes will be awarded at the finish, time pending.

Here is the route for the poker run:

• Start: Shell Rock, Iowa at The Cooler

• 1st Stop: Hudson at Federal Pub

• 2nd Stop: La Porte City at PNBS

• 3rd Stop: Waterloo at Buzz's

• 4th Stop: Waverly at Dirty Dog

• Final Stop: Shell Rock at The Cooler

For a Facebook page for the Aug. 30 event, click here.

WWII Vet Joe Boitnott, 92, Conducts Final 'Attack!'

2011 photo by Army Staff Sgt. Ashlee Lolkus

One of the remaining 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division veterans of World War II, Monty Joe Boitnott, 92, died on April 12, 2014, at the VA hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. Tomorrow, April 23, would have been his 93rd birthday.

Boitnott was a welcoming and lively presence at the annual 34th Infantry Division Association reunion and dine-out. Fellow veterans and "Red Bull" family members—young and old—looked forward to seeing him wearing in his Red Bull blazer, and hearing him share his stories.

Boinott grew up in Maxwell, pop. 811, where his mother ran a restaurant. His father was the town postmaster, and owned a jewelry and optical repair shop in the front of the restaurant.

Boinott joined the Iowa National Guard's 168th Infantry Regiment while he was still attending North High School, Des Moines. He started the war as as infantryman, and made three amphibious landings in North Africa and Italy. In September 1944, he transferred to the Army Air Force and served as as a tail-gunner on B-17 "Flying Fortress" bombers, serving until victory in Europe. He continued to serve throughout the Korean War, and retired from the United States Air Force in 1972 at the rank of master sergeant. In total, Boinott served in uniform nearly 30 years.

A full obituary and other funeral details are posted here.

In addition to participating in memorials, museum displays, and television documentaries, Boitnott wrote a short memoir that is available for reading on-line here. (Caution: Music plays as webpage loads, but does not repeat.)

Boitnott was present during some of the "Red Bull" division's greatest milestones, including place-names as Algiers, Salerno, and Monte Cassino. An excerpt from his on-line memoir shows how he could bring history to life:

After Christmas, our unit relieved the 36th Division at San Pietro near the Rapido River at the entrance to Cassino dominated by Mount Troccio, two miles from the town.The river was icy cold. The Germans had the opposite banks loaded with land mines. Plus they blew some ditches and flooded the low area to the rolling hills from the Rapido tributaries of water. My unit's objective was some old Italian military barracks that had shelter from sleet and snow we were encountering.

It took us four days to cross the river due to heavy fighting with the Germans. Finally we reached our objective, and here my squad went close to 70 hours without rations and water.

Our losses were staggering. I really don't know the head count but my unit alone was down less than half strength in manpower. My unit never did reach the town of Monte Cassino, but units of our other regiment, the 133rd, was engaged in hand-to-hand fighting in the town.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to be directed to:

The 34th Division Association
c/o The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum
7105 N.W. 70th Avenue
Johnston, Iowa 50131

Visitation will be held today, Tues., April 22, 2014 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hamilton's Funeral Home, Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines.

Burial with military honors will be held on Wed., April 23 at 2 p.m., Iowa Veterans Cemetery, Van Meter, Iowa.

On-line condolences may be expressed here.

Iowa 'Red Bull' Units Awarded Organizational Honors

By Staff Sgt. Chad Nelson
Iowa National Guard

During a March 2014 ceremony, Maj. Gen. Tim Orr, The Adjutant General of Iowa, presented the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) and subordinate battalions with Meritorious Unit Commendation battle streamers for their performance of duty in Eastern Afghanistan, 2010-2011.

United States Army Permanent Order #176-07 DATED 25 JUNE 2013 reads:

The Meritorious Unit Commendation is presented to for exceptionally meritorious service during the period 15 November 2010 to 20 July 2011. The Headquarters 2d Brigade Combat Team 34th Infantry Division and the cited units demonstrated the ability to execute counterinsurgency operations and accomplished the mission beyond the call of duty. Their expertise in bringing decisive combat power to bear on the enemy wherever and whenever needed set the conditions for overwhelming victory and represents a phenomenal effort. 

The units’ support of the Afghan government and Afghan National Security Force partners facilitated the creation of a safe and stable environment for Afghanistan’s citizens and set the conditions necessary for sustainable progress in governance, development and agriculture. The dedication and performance of Headquarters 2d Brigade Combat Team 34th Infantry Division and the cited units are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon the units, the 34th Infantry Division and the United States Army. BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY.

The photo above includes the organizational colors with the current command teams, comprising commanders and command sergeants major. These colors represent the more than 3,500 soldiers of the 2-34th BCT:

• 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division – Col. Damian Donahoe and Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Adams

• 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment – Lt. Col. David Nixon and Command Sgt. Maj. Joedy Dennis

• 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment – Lt. Col. Scott Keeley and Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Strasser

• 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery Regiment – Lt. Col. Derek Adams and Command Sgt. Maj. James Cline

• 334th Brigade Support Battalion – Lt. Col. Chad Stone and Command Sgt. Maj. Daniel Collins

• 2/34th Brigade Special Troops Battalion – Lt. Col. Wade McKnight and Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Dreher

• 185th Combat Service Support Battalion – Lt. Col. Joni Ernst and Command Sgt. Maj. David Enright, standing in for Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Newton

The 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Reg. (1-168th Inf.) also deployed with the 2-34th BCT. The unit is commanded by Lt. Col. Tim Sulzner, who is assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Miller, and was was recognized with a Meritorious Unit Commendation as part of the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagle" Division earlier this year.”

Comic Book Tells of Nisei Soldiers' Service, Humility

Oahu-based writer and entrepreneur Stacey Hayashi didn't start out to write a comic book about World War II—particularly one filled with disarmingly cute characters drawn in a style called "chibi." Inspired first by family and friends' war service, she wanted to tell an unflinching story about the Nisei soldiers—Japanese-American soldiers who fought in Italy, France, and elsewhere—as a feature-length film.

If the world is lucky, it might still be a Hollywood movie someday. This is, after all, a story that should be told again and again.

When Hawaii's film economy turned cloudy in the late 2000s, however, Hayashi was worried that years of research into a screenplay would go to waste. "It's not like you can bind a script and have people read it," she says. "And then it hit me ... a comic book! It would be like storyboards, sort of."

The 30-something Hawaii native teamed up with artist and Rhode Islander Damon Wong, to create and publish "A Journey of Heroes"—an educationally accessible and emotionally powerful graphic novel about second-generation immigrants who put their country first, no matter the cost. In the wake of Japan's Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese-American citizens struggled for opportunities to serve their country. Too often, their efforts were met with distrust and racial discrimination.

The Nisei soldiers—the word connotes "second generation"—include the 100th Infantry Battalion (100th Inf. Bn.), and the 442nd Infantry Regiment (442nd Inf. Reg.). In World War II Italy, the 100th Inf. was, for a time, attached to the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (34th Inf. Div.). In addition to wearing the patch, the soldiers even painted the Red Bull symbol on their helmets. The unit was celebrated as the "Purple Heart Battalion," due to the number of its members who had been killed or wounded while fighting the enemy.

The 100th Inf. Bn. trained at Camp McCoy, Wis., and Camp Shelby, Miss, and fought as part of the 34th Inf. Div.'s 133rd Regiment in North Africa and Italy, including battles at Mount Cassino, Anzio, and Rome. After Rome, it became part of the larger 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team (100th/442nd R.C.T.). The unique, combined numerical designation was a special recognition of the 100th Inf. Bn's previous military accomplishments.

Later, at great cost in lives and casualties, the 100th/442nd Inf. RCT would famously rescue a "lost battalion" of Texas's 36th Inf. "Arrowhead" Div.

Nisei soldiers also include those who served with Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.). These Japanese-American soldiers served as translators, and trained at Camp Savage and Fort Snelling, Minn.

In addition to battlefield heroics and tragedies, "Journey of Heroes" also offers moments of humor and light-heartedness. Initially, for example, there are language- and culture-barriers between the "Buddhaheads" from Hawaii and the "Kotonks" from mainland states:

"Jus cuz you soun' like one haole no mean you mo bettah dan me!" 

"How am I supposed to know what you're talking about, you crazy Hawaiian?"

Later, those differences are erased when the troops are taken on a field-trip to visit an internment camp. During World War II, the American government detained Japanese-American citizens in camps, and deprived them of their freedoms and properties. With dinners and dances, the internees hosted the troops. From those experiences, the soldiers took lessons of patriotism, thanksgiving, and humility.

"Some were very angry at being put in these camps, and rightfully so," says the narrator, "but I noticed the Japanese philosophy of 'shikata ga na'—it can't be helped—at work. They also reminded me of my parents at home, who said "Gaman"—to endure hardships with grace. [...] We based a real unit after that. From then on, we were all in this together."

The "Journey of Heroes" comic is drawn as a manga, similar to black-and-white comics originating in Japan. Rather than a gritty or realistic style, Hayashi and Wong opted for cute characterizations, called "chibi."

Using the friendly-looking cartoon characters meant they could soften the story without dumbing down the facts. That was important, because Hayashi's objective was always that "Journey to Heroes" could be used in libraries and classrooms. "Yes, it's a book that's going to have war and violence in it, but I didn't feel that that was the lesson," Hayashi says. "To me, the true story is the story of [the veterans'] character, and what they did in the face of racism and adversity ..."

"Also, because they're so cute—like the vets themselves—as the reader, I think maybe people are sometimes sadder ... like, how can something so awful happen to this guy who is so cute?" she says. "Even when you meet the vets themselves [in person]. Sure, some of them are tough, gruff old men you don't want to mess with, but they are also so friendly, so cheerful, so generous and gracious and playful, it's hard to believe that these guys were also tough soldiers."

When "Journey of Heroes" was first published as a 30-page comic in 2012, some 5,000 copies were donated to Hawaiian schools and libraries. The content is suitable for ages 10 and up. A second run of the comic is anticipated in late 2013, with additional new pages. One notable innovation: As individuals and organizations, World War II veterans and their supporters often sponsor distribution of the comics into classrooms—putting history in the hands of today's young people, in a fresh, tangible, and unforgettable way.

An introduction to the book by the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, himself a 442nd RCT veteran, reads in part:

We were unlike most other soldiers because we bore the responsibility of bringing honor to our families' names, and proving that Americanism was not a matter of skin color, but a matter of heart and mind.

To purchase a copy of "Journey of Heroes," visit the website here. Cost is $10 each, plus shipping and handling. There is also a 5-mintute movie-style trailer for the comic book posted on YouTube here, and embedded below in this blog-post.

There is also a Facebook page for the comic book here.

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, visit the website here, or view a 5-minute YouTube video here.

'Dillion' Film Tells Iowa 'Red Bull' Soldier's PTSD Story

The family of a deceased Iowa "Red Bull" soldier hopes that publicizing their story of loss to suicide will help other citizen-soldiers, families, and friends seek help and resources. The 46-minute documentary "Dillion" debuts on Kansas Public Television station KPTS, Wichita, on Sept. 11, 2013, at 8 p.m. CDT.

The subtitle of the documentary is "The true story of a soldier's battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [P.T.S.D.]." The family is seeking other venues and media outlets through which to distribute the film.

Their messages? That suicide is not a rational option, nor is it inevitable. That there is never a single event to which one can trace an explanation of suicide. And that there are others, like their son, who may be suffering depression, PTSD, or ideas of suicide.

Dillion Naslund, 25, of Galva, Iowa, was a former member of the Iowa National Guard's 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.) and 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.). Both are units of Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division.

"Dillion had felt he was alone," says his mother Lisa, "but we quickly found out that he wasn't." In the days and weeks following his December 2012 funeral, she says, more than a handful of other soldiers have independently contacted her family. They told her that Dillion's example had inspired each to seek help in their own struggles. "Dillion's legacy can be to save lives," she says. "He's already saved lives."

According to news reports, eight former or actively drilling citizen-soldiers from Iowa have committed suicide since December 2012. All were between the ages of 18 and 25, and experiencing relationship and/or financial problems. Nationwide, suicide-prevention efforts continue to be a concern of military veterans and families. They are also the focus of programs throughout U.S. military and veterans communities, including the National Guard.

Naslund had previously deployed as an infantry soldier to Iraq in 2007-2008. More recently, he had returned from a 9-month deployment to Eastern Afghanistan's Laghman Province in July 2011. Back home, in addition to being the member of a close family, he was active in the local fire department, and worked a concrete construction job. Naslund died of a self-inflicted gunshot Dec. 10, 2012.

"Dillion wasn't any different than anyone else," Lisa Nasland says. "He had chores, he got grounded. He was just an ordinary kid who went off to war."

Friends and family say that Dillion had changed upon his return. He was no longer upbeat and respectful, and his drinking became destructive. Earlier in 2012, family and friends had picked up on warning signs, and had gotten Dillion to medical help. Once out of in-patient care, however, medical and counseling resources were located more than 2 hours away from Naslund's Ida County home.

"You want something or someone to blame," says Lisa Naslund. "It took me a long time to realize that my argument [with Dillion on the day of his death] wasn't to blame. His girlfriend wasn't to blame. I call PTSD 'the Beast.' The Beast is to blame."

Russ Meyer, a veteran, father of two U.S. Air Force pilots, and former president of Cessna, introduces the "Dillion" documentary in 1-minute trailer here, as well as embedded in this blog post below.

Independent film-maker Tom Zwemke is a Vietnam War veteran, a Naslund family friend, and a current member of the KPTS board of trustees. The documentary was first screened at a private gathering of more than 200 friends and family earlier this summer, at a Western Iowa celebration of Dillion's July 2 birthday.

The Veterans Crisis Line is a toll-free and on-line resource staffed by trained Department of Veterans Affairs personnel, who can confidentially assist soldiers, veterans, families and friends toward local help and resources.

According to the Veterans Crisis Line website:

1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Support for deaf and hard of hearing individuals is available.

Poker Run Remembers 'Red Bull' Soldier Killed in 2011

The 2nd Annual Donny Nichols Poker Run will be held in Eastern Iowa this Sat., Aug. 31, 2012. The fund-raising event commemorates Iowa Army National Guard Spc. Donny Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa, killed April 13, 2011 in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. The event will start and finish in Shell Rock.

In 2010, Nichols was deployed with 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) in Eastern Afghanistan. Nichols was a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.), which is based in Waterloo, Iowa.

Each year, event organizers direct funds to military-themed projects. Proceeds from this year's event, for example, will benefit Retreiving Freedom Inc., a Waverly, Iowa-based non-profit organization that trains mobility service animals for military veterans and children with autism. Last year, proceeds benefited the Shell Rock (Iowa) Soldier Memorial, a project to honor past and present area soldiers.

In a poker run, registered participants are dealt random cards. While many motorcyclists are anticipated, organizers emphasize that "all types of wheels" are welcome. At the final stop of the day, the participant with the highest poker hand wins a pot of cash. Raffles, T-shirt and bandana sales, and other fund-raising efforts will also take place during the event.

Ride shirts may be pre-ordered and pre-paid ($15 each) by Fri., Aug. 23. Contact Julie at 319.415.1144 or Jeanie at 319.464.2050. A limited number of shirts will also be on sale at the event.

On the front, the black T-shirts feature the Red Bull shoulder patch emblem. On the reverse, the shirts feature a shamrock design along with a message in Irish: "Hey, Taliban, Póg Mo Thóin!"

The black bandanas also feature a Red Bull design, and will be sold for $5 each.

Registration is Sat., Aug. 31, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at The Cooler, 201 South Cherry St., Shell Rock, Iowa. The ride will begin approximately 11 a.m. Start times may be staggered if numbers warrant.

Each poker "hand" is $15, and dealt at The Cooler. There will also be a 50-50 raffle at the start and possibly (details pending) at the finish. Other raffle prizes will be awarded at the finish, time pending.

Here is the route for the poker run:

• Start: Shell Rock, Iowa at The Cooler

• 1st Stop: Aplington at Stinky's

• 2nd Stop: Grundy Center at Johnny Ray's

• 3rd Stop: Dike at JP's 1 More

• 4th Stop: Janewville at The Tap

• Final Stop: Shell Rock at The Cooler

For a Facebook page for the Aug. 31 event, click here.

Nat'l Geographic's 'Eyewitness War' Eyes FOB Kalagush

A recent episode of a National Geographic Channel television series focuses on familiar U.S. National Guard uniform patch, as well as a familiar patch of ground in Eastern Afghanistan.

In an episode titled "Mountaintop Revenge," the 30-minute program "Eyewitness War" depicts the May 2010 actions of a Connecticut National Guard platoon then based at Forward Operating Base ("FOB") Kalagush, Nuristan Province.

The platoon was part of Connecticut's 1st Battalion, 102nd Infantry Regiment (1-102nd Inf.), which deployed to Afghanistan as part of Vermont's 86th Brigade Combat Team (86th I.B.C.T.), approximately November 2009 to October 2010. At the end of its successful rotation, the unit was replaced by Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division.

Through helmet-camera footage, after-action interviews, and computer-graphic reconstructions, the "Eyewitness War" series tells stories of conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq as seen by personnel on the ground. Each program is introduced with the claim that "The footage you are about to see was shot by U.S. military personnel."

To streamline storytelling, details such as units and dates are not always emphasized strongly, and viewers are left to piece together some details for themselves. In the Kalagush episode, the distinctive "deer head" shoulder patch of the 86th BCT is plainly visible, as is the fact that the soldiers are wearing Universal Camouflage Pattern (U.C.P.), rather than the MultiCam pattern uniforms issued to soldiers rotating into theater later in 2010.

The episode depicts an attempt to root out enemy fighters who were then regularly harassing FOB Kalagush in nighttime attacks. One such attack hit a fuel tanker, causing a fiery explosion.

The Connecticut unit decided to take the fight to the bad guys. After dismounting a daytime patrol of foot soldiers in the vicinity of Wadawu village, however, the armored trucks came under fire from three elevated positions.

One driver, Spc. Kyle Schipritt, was outside of his vehicle when a rocket-propelled grenade hit. Despite his injuries, he sprinted back his vehicle and was able to maneuver his truck. Spc. Ernesto Gonzalez engaged targets via the truck's remotely operated gun system.

From his deployment, Shipritt received multiple awards of the Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal for valor.

"Luckily, we were all behind rocks, so we had cover and concealment," says Sgt. Michael Finnegan, leader of the dismounted patrol. "But the guys down below, in the trucks? They didn't have any cover and concealment. They were sitting ducks. They had to get out of there." The trucks returned to base with the wounded, leaving the Finnegan's patrol to walk 7 hours along a ridgeline back to Kalagush.

A 3-minute excerpt of the Kalagush episode is available on the National Geographic Channel website here. The episode will again air in its entirety on Aug. 19, 8 p.m. CDT.

Another "Eyewitness War" episode, "Bomb Squad Booom," involves a combat engineer platoon conducting mine-clearance operations in the vicinity of FOB Mehtar Lam, Laghman Province. (FOB Mehtar Lam is connected by road to FOB Kalagush.) The episode is scheduled to air again Aug. 12, 8:30 p.m. CDT.

For a full listing of "Eyewitness War" episode times and dates, click here.

The National Geographic Channel is also currently broadcasting a number of other war-related documentary series, including "Battleground Afghanistan" and "Inside Combat Rescue."

Recent feature-length National Geographic documentaries include "Inside the Afghanistan War" and "Bomb Hunters Afghanistan."

Have Mil-Blog, Will Travel ... for a Song

The "Bard of the Red Bull Brigade" is bound for Iowa City, Iowa this weekend, for a military writing conference conducted by the "Writing My Way Back Home" organization and the University of Iowa Veterans Center. In addition to engaging in free-fire zone of writing ideas and inspirations, I plan to capitalize fully on the spring weather, the University of Iowa "Hawkeye" vibe, and the walkable distances to many old haunts and menus. Coffee shops, book stores, art galleries, and ... pubs!

I attended the second 'Writing My Way Back Home" conference in fall of 2011. This time, however, I'll be conducting a workshop--on mil-blogging, of course--as well as assisting other writers one-on-one, and auditing other conference offerings.

My workshop battle-buddy is Doug Bradley, a Vietnam War veteran, author, and Huffington Post blogger. Bradley recently wrote "DEROS Vietnam: Dispatches from the Air-Conditioned Jungle", about his time as a U.S. Army journalist in Long Binh, South Vietnam, from November 1970 to November 1971. The title of the book refers to an acronym: "Date Eligible for Return from Over Seas." The book is also available in Kindle format.

Along with University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Craig Werner, Bradley has also been working on a book about music and the Vietnam experience, titled "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." Together, they have been teaching a course titled “The U.S. in Vietnam: Music, Media and Mayhem.”

With my past musings about music and Vietnam, Bradley and I should have lots to talk about. We may even take a page from a writing exercise I first encountered at the 2012 Military Experience and the Arts Symposium. In one session there, participants were asked to brainstorm smells and sounds they associate with their military experiences. I'm planning to prompt participants to tell us about their musical military memories.

"What song or music do you most associate with your experience with the military and why?"

Deployed to Egypt in 2003, I first encountered the music of Coldplay's"God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" as the music behind a regional TV commercial advertising shows such as "CSI Miami" and "Alias." Lots of sunglasses and slow-motion explosions. By chance, I later found the compact disc for sale in the Not Quite Right "Force Exchange." As a multinational force, we didn't qualify for an AAFES Post Exchange, and there was a small and extremely random selection of DVDs and CDs.

Yeah, I know: War is heck. So is international peacekeeping.

The bottom line? I now associate Coldplay's "A Rush of Blood to the Head" album with the Egyptian desert, the Red Sea, and Horatio Cain.

At the National Training Center in 2011, while embedded with the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT), I smuggled into 'The Box' a contraband MP3 player, for the express purpose of trying to find a personal music soundtrack that would be appropriate to the experience. I walked out into the early-morning desert a couple of times--not too far, but far enough for privacy--and tried a couple of songs on for size.

The closest I got was a science-fiction version of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." Each, I suspect, had to do as much with the lyrics as the music.

The latter, after all, refers to "Roman Cavalry choirs" and other military-inspired metaphors, while also bemoaning lost power, lost opportunities, or lost times. Remember, at the time, I had been told I wasn't going to Afghanistan.

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

My favored version of "Watchtower" sounds appropriately exotic, Middle Eastern, and mysterious:

"There must be some way out of here," said the joker to the thief. "There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief."

The fact that this version comes from the 2004 reboot "Battlestar Galactica" amuses me greatly. A friend of mine from Egypt recommended the series. Although I was skeptical, I got hooked when we got home and started watching it religiously. Later on, a saying from the show resulted in a fragment of sci-fi serenity, oft-quoted during our 2010 preparations for Afghanistan:

"All this has happened before, all this will happen again."

Said the joker to the thief.

Boonie's Haiku Contest Winners Announced

The winners of "Boonie's Haiku Contest" are announced below. More than 50 entries were considered.

During judging, names were removed from entries. The judges looked first for strict adherence to the 17-syllable format (lines of 5-, 7-, and 5-syllables) specified in the contest rules, then moved on to consider questions of how the poems evoked nature and deployed military life. The best created a surprise of recognition.

First place goes to Mariecor Ruediger, who will receive a $200 boxed set of "China Beach," soon to be released for the first time on DVD. (Due to music rights issues, it was never released on VHS.) Here is the winning entry:

One bare Huế tree
Shields a tower position;
Home is far away.

The judges said: "We liked how the reader is left to determine whether the tree shades the guard tower, provides cover for it, or potentially blocks its view. We also liked how the poem suggested Vietnam."

Second place goes to John Mittle, who will receive an autographed and personalized edition of David Abrams' 2012 novel "Fobbit." Mittle is a contributor to The Duffel Blog.

From dusk until dawn
fighting from my cozy desk,
Bronze Star on the way.

The judges said: "The 'on the way' cracked us up! So did the sudden idea of the Bronze Star as either wishing star or morning star."

Third place goes to Joseph Davidovski, who will receive a "Blue Falcon" coffee mug designed by Doctrine Man!!

Sandstorm blocks out sun
Birds, vics, talibs stay quiet
Still the slides march on

The judges said: "Anyone who has weathered the 'red air' of a no-fly situation will recognize how nature can stop everything but PowerPoint and a staff meeting."

One entry, from tgdrakes, practically created its own category, generated by the power of its laugh-out-loud gravitas. It will be appropriately (?!) recognized with a separate Doctrine Man!! Blue Falcon coffee mug.

Sh-- in the shower?
Why in the f--- would someone
Sh-- in the shower?

The judges said: "Profound. Profane. And, in many ways, a nearly perfect description of the challenges of FOB life."

*****

Honorable mentions included the following, presented here in random order:

By Mariecor Ruediger:

Bleak like grim winter,
Combat makes me spring then fall:
This ain't no picnic.

The judges said: "This one sneaks up on you, like old age and bad knees."

*****

By NavyOne:

Sprint in a flightsuit
Long tarmac, rip my crotch
Warm Iraqi breezes

The judges said: "This is an effective reminder of why 'going commando' is never a good idea, even when wearing Nomex. It also makes us want to sing the theme to 'Born Free'!"

*****

By Travis Martin, founding editor of The Journal of Military Experience:

OD green stretches
White salt stains: Chalk-lined soldiers
Echo restless sleep.

The judges said: "Anyone who has spent a hot, sweaty night on a transient-tent Army cot will recognize the salty-shadowy outlines evoked by this writer."

*****

By Nate Didier:

COP Kalagush night
Raining rockets again right?
Commando will fight!

The judges said: "Rhymes and references to Red Bull territory downrange in 2010-2011 Afghanistan! In this case, 'Commando' is a 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment call sign. 'Attack! Attack! Attack!'"

*****

By mil-blogger America's SgtMaj:

Silly pogue don't know
Gunslingers don't drink lattes
Macchiato sir?

The judges said: "Eskimos allegedly have 17 different words for snow. We imagine there are also 17 different ways to pronounce the 'sir' in this poem, each with its own unique flavor. And sprinkles of sarcasm."

*****

By Tim Kindred:

My mind thinks of home
I'd love a beer and Maid-Rite
Not an MRE

The judges said: "Bonus points for using juxtaposing an acronym and a much-beloved Midwestern brand!"

*****

By Scott McDaniel:

Where is the Kandak?
Alone at the command post.
Oh, it's Thursday night!

The judges said: "We think this lonely letter from an Embedded Training Team member is potentially the first time that 'Man-love Thursday' has been recorded in Western war-poetry!"

*****

By Jim Keirsey:

Eight deployments down
most surreal thing I've seen is
KAF's TGIF

The judges said: "This is the most adept use of acronyms we've seen! And it alludes to the carnival vibe some got from seeing a T.G.I. Fridays restaurant on a downrange boardwalk."

*****

By Raj Bose:

POWs
Nodding a smile to the guards
Through the barbed wire fence

The judges said: "This, like the Mona Lisa, was nicely ... enigmatic. And universal."

*****

By "Dark Laughter" at The Duffel Blog:

This summer sandstorm
Couldn’t blind the first sergeant
To my day-old shave.

The judges said: "This is beautiful! It places the reader in both time and place, and also feels a bit like a Burma-Shave ditty."

*****

By Krystal Miga:

Oh it’s you again
Working, living, together
It’s like we’re married

The judges said: "This writer found a memorable new way to evoke the ideas of 'Groundhog Day' and the 'downrange spouse.' If you have to ask what that means, don't ask."

*****

Finally, a bonus quasi-entry from cp3002, commenting at Tom Ricks' "The Best Defense" blog:

An empty Rip-It,
held to your ear in Helmand
sounds like the ocean.

The judges said: "Marines love the sound of the sea!"

*****
Note: This content regarding military writing is underwritten by Victor Ian LLC, a military media and gaming business. The business publishes Lanterloon, an eclectic lifestyle, technology, and military blog; has a physical retail storefront called "Dragons and Dragoons" located in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and hosts military-writing workshops and other events under the "Sangria Summit" brand name.