Iowa Brigade Welcomes New Command Team

Commanders of Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, past and present. From left to right, Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Orr, the adjutant general of the state of Iowa; Col. Ronald Albrecht; Col. Benjamin J. Corell, the outgoing 2-34th BCT commander; Col. Michael G. Amundson, incoming 2-34th BCT commander.

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Editor's note: Earlier this month, elements of the Iowa Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) conducted annual training at Camp Ripley, Minn. and Camp Dodge, Iowa. This was the first "normal" annual training since 2009.

At annual training in 2010, some 3,000 citizen-soldiers of the 2-34th BCT prepared for deployment to Eastern Afghanistan. The unit returned in July and August 2011, too late for those soldiers who had deployed to conduct annual training.

The 2-34th BCT often informally calls itself as the "Ryder" brigade, a reference both to its peacetime radio call sign and to World War II division commander Maj. Gen. Charles Wolcott Ryder. Ryder commanded the U.S. 34th Division from May 1942 to July 1944, through operations in the North African and Italian campaigns.

In U.S. Army radio-telephone tradition, the commander of a unit is usually designated by the numeral "six." Hence, the 2-34th BCT commander referring to himself in this article as "Ryder-6."

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'Ryder Brigade Welcomes New Command Team'
By Staff Sgt. Chad D. Nelson
2-34th BCT Public Affairs
Iowa Army National Guard

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT), held consecutive "change of command" and "change of responsibility" ceremonies June 18, 2012, during annual training at Camp Ripley, Minn.

Col. Michael G. Amundson took command from Col. Benjamin J. Corell. Command Sgt. Maj. William L. Adams assumed responsibility for the soldiers from Command Sgt. Maj. Joel M. Arnold.

Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Orr takes the brigade colors
from a smiling Col. Benjamin J. Corell,
outgoing 2-34th BCT commander.
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Chad D. Nelson

Assisted by Arnold, Corell commanded 2-34th BCT when the unit deployed to Eastern Afghanistan. It was the Iowa National Guard’s largest deployment since World War II.

During a 2005 to 2007 deployment with Minnesota's 1-34th BCT to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Corell and Arnold had also previously served as command team of Iowa's 1st "IRONMAN" Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.), headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa. Arnold was also first-sergeant of Bravo Company , 1-133rd Inf., when Corell commanded the unit on a 2003-2004 peacekeeping rotation to Sinai, Egypt with the Multinational Force and Observers (M.F.O.).

Arnold was recently assigned as the 34th Division's command sergeant major. The unit is headquartered in Rosemount, Minn.

The Camp Ripley event was unique, in that it consisted of both a change of command and a change of responsibility. However, Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Orr, the adjutant general of the state Iowa and previous 2-34th BCT commander, was quick to note how it was a fitting marriage: “It isn’t about individuals, it’s about teams.”

During his speech, Orr commended the outgoing command team of Corell and Arnold. “Your duty performance was just absolutely outstanding,” he said. Orr noted the challenges of moving more than 3,000 troops to Afghanistan, and leading them in the execution of "full-spectrum operations"—everything from training Afghan police to closing with and destroying the enemy.

“You brought that brigade,” he said. “You prepared it, you organized it, you trained it and you led it into combat. You took care of the soldiers, you brought them home and you reset them,” Orr said.

Orr also addressed the capabilities of the incoming command team.

This is a team that has been around awhile; they grew up in the brigade,” Orr said. Amundson, Corell’s “right-hand man,” deployed to Afghanistan as the deputy commanding officer of the brigade. Adams most recently served as the command sergeant major for the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry (1-168th Inf.), Council Bluffs, Iowa. During the Afghan deployment, Adams served as command sergeant major for 334th Brigade Support Battalion (334th BSB). Both the 1-168th Inf. and 334th BSB are 2-34th BCT units.

“This brigade is in great hands,” Orr said.

The incoming command team plans to build upon the foundation created by the outgoing team.

Col. Benjamin J. Corell presents a saber to incoming Command
Sgt. Maj. William L. Adams in a "change of responsibility"
ceremony conducted June 18 at Camp Ripley, Minn.
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Chad D. Nelson

“[Arnold and I] sat at Bagram Air Base and talked a lot about the things he did to improve the brigade. I will stand before you and tell you those things are going to continue. The standards we lived up to, we’re going to carry on and improve upon,” Adams said.

“[Corell’s] mentorship and guidance over the last two years has been instrumental in my development as an officer and a future commander,” Amundson said.

Arnold also took note of Corell’s guidance and sense of teamwork.

“From the very first time we worked together, Corell said, ‘We are a team; we make it happen together.’”

Arnold also took this opportunity to impart some final words of wisdom.

“The road is now yours ... You’re going to take your own road, but remember: Excellence is contagious and success breeds success.”

During Corell’s remarks, he reflected on the tremendous responsibilities involved in deploying a U.S. National Guard infantry brigade combat team.

“Major muscle movements ... seminars, Leadership Training Programs, individual medical and training requirements, collective training requirements, logistical validations, issuing equipment, Rapid Fielding Initiatives, the list seemed to go on and on,” he said.

After moving 3,000 citizen-soldiers to annual training at Camp Ripley, Minn. in June 2010, to mobilization station at Camp Shelby, Miss. in July 2010, to Fort Irwin, Calif. and the National Training Center in September 2010, and to combat in Afghanistan and back, Corell looks back fondly on his command.

“It has been a great ride. It’s time for me to move on. For the last time, ‘Ryder-6, out!’”

Omaha Paper Follows-up Red Bull Stories

Three Iowa and two Nebraska citizen-soldiers were profiled in anniversary stories that appeared in the Omaha World-Herald, Sun., April 1, 2012. The soldiers were part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) deployment to Eastern Afghanistan, from August 2010 to July 2011. Omaha World-Herald reporter Joe Morton and photographer Alyssa Schukar embedded with the units, first at Fort Irwin, Calif. in fall 2010, and again in Afghanistan, spring 2011.

The soldiers' stories are a compelling mix of text, photo, and not-to-be-missed video coverage. They include:

• Alexis Trucke: "I'd like to deploy again, someday"
• Jeremiah Afuh: Finding a job is "like everything else. You have to fight for it."
• John Kerschner: "I believe in our freedoms, and I believe in taking personal responsibility for them"
• William Gomez: "My dream has always been to become a soldier"
• John Matheson: "Say something nice about my wife. ... She's a hero in my book"

According to an April 3 report, Schukar's Afghan photo work won awards in two different large-newspaper categories in the 2012 Great Plains Associated Press (A.P.) News and Photo Contest. Forty member North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska newspapers in three circulation categories competed:

In Feature photos, a first-place photo depicting a young Afghan boy amidst a sea of women wearing blue burkas, awaiting a wintertime humanitarian delivery of flour, sugar, cooking oil, and tea by Nebraksa's 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1-334th Cav.).

In the Spot News category, a third-place photo depicting an Iowa cavalry trooper smoking a cigarette after a firefight with insurgents in Parwan Province. The caption reads: "With the blood of an insurgent fighter on his hand, Spc. Brandon Dykun smokes a cigarette shortly after engaging in contact with two insurgents in a dry ravine near the village of Walli Kalay on April 7, 2011." Dykun was deployed with Iowa National Guard's 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1-113th Cav.) Both the Nebraska and Iowa cavalry units were part of 2-34th BCT deployment to Eastern Afghanistan, from August 2010 to July 2011. Approximately 3,000 citizen-soldiers participated in the deployment.

Schukar's work has been previously mentioned on the Red Bull Rising blog here. In a "Viewfinder" blog entry that serves as a companion to the World-Herald's most recent coverage, she describes her own motivations in revisiting the Red Bull soldiers:

Some of the best feedback we received from our time spent as embedded journalists with the Nebraska and Iowa soldiers there came from simple portraits of soldiers with quick question-and-answer interviews, which we posted almost daily to our At War, At Home page.

I found that family members were eager to hear any news of their deployed loved ones, and soldiers were quick to take the opportunity to talk about why they joined the National Guard and who was waiting for them back home.

The time changed me in surprisingly positive ways. I wanted to see the soldiers again, to learn how Afghanistan affected them and what their lives were like now.

In the past few months, I revisited five of the 60 soldiers whose portraits I took while I was embedded. Talking with them was very rewarding. We spoke of our shared experiences in Afghanistan and adjustments to life back in Nebraska and Iowa.

Photog Depicts Red Bulls and Golden Light

For two months in early 2011, Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald photographer Alyssa Schukar embedded with Nebraska and Iowa National Guard troops deployed to Afghanistan, including those of Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" division. In a recent Veterans Day editorial package, the 27-year-old Lincoln, Neb. native reflected upon her experiences downrange:

I met dedicated soldiers who worked relentlessly to improve Afghans’ lives. The soldiers often told me that their efforts were aimed at winning the hearts and minds of the people. It wasn’t like war video games. Rather, their mission was humanitarian.

People often ask if I feared for my life during that time. Though my heart pounded hard a time or two, I never felt more safe than in the company of those soldiers.

As may have been mentioned previously in the Red Bull Rising blog, Schukar shoots with almost fine-art sensibility: Her big-sky landscapes, golden illuminations, and character-infused portraits often evoke something of the American middle west, as much as they depict life and death and waiting in a strange land. For Veterans Day 2011, she presented an online gallery of her Afghan work. Much of it is museum-worthy.

Just as notable, however, are Schukar's behind-the-scenes descriptions of some self-selected favorites. Be sure to check it out here on the still-active Omaha World-Herald "At War, At Home" blog.

Chasing the Red Bull

The U.S. National Guard and Reserves claim lineage dating even earlier than the Minutemen (and women, too) of the American Revolution. It's the image of an Average Joe in a tri-cornered hat, however, that sticks first in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

No longer do we immediately drop our plows to pick up muskets, however. As part of an operational reserve to our nation's defense, our individual paths to war are often much longer than a moment's notice.

In late 2008, for example, some 3,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers and I were nominated for duty in Iraq. In 2009, our units were alerted--one official step up from "nomination for deployment"--instead for Afghanistan. In January 2010, I was put onto stateside active-duty in preparation for mobilization. Our unit wouldn't be "mobilized"--placed into service of the federal government, rather than that of the state--until July.

My role in the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) had been a new job position: "Battle Command Knowledge Officer." Also known as the "Knowledge Management Officer" (K.M.O.). As the KMO, My assigned tasks included integrating and optimizing Army computer systems, archiving organizational records, as well documenting and disseminating "lessons-learned." Lucky for me, I'd previously worked as a lessons-learned integrator within the Iowa National Guard.

What's "lessons-learned integration"? I'm glad you asked:

• A "lesson" is knowledge gained through experience. ("The oven is hot.")

• A "lesson-learned" is knowledge gained through experience that results in a change in individual or organizational behavior. ("Next time, I should really use an oven mitt to protect myself when working with the hot oven.")

• A lesson-learned is considered "integrated" when it is shared with others. ("I recommend that everyone start using oven mitts. Don't have one? Here's how to make your own!")

An additional, implied task for an Army lessons-learned guy? Unit historian.

Two weeks before "M-day," my name dropped off the deployment list. I saw my buddies get on a bus, then found myself still on temporary active-duty, but in a support role--one that wouldn't take me overseas. I followed them first to Camp Shelby, Miss., for 45 days of post-mobilization training. Then we moved to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. for a couple of weeks of realistic combat training exercises. Guess what? Southern California looks an awful lot like Eastern Afghanistan.

In November 2010, the Red Bull finally took over the mission in Afghanistan. The 2-34th BCT is the second National Guard unit ever to "own battle-space" in Afghanistan. That means that "Task Force Red Bulls" (they prefer the plural, because they're a team) is responsible for everything that does and does not happen in the Afghan provinces of Parwan, Panjshir, and Laghman. (Parts of much-contested Nuristan, too!)

In addition to other missions around Parwan, the 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1-113th Cav.) is also responsible for security around Bagram Airfield ("BAF"), the largest coalition military installation in Afghanistan. It's not a sexy mission, but it's an important one. Imagine a military base comprising 30,000 souls--the population of Ottumwa, Iowa. Now, imagine doing everything possible to prevent bad guys from strafing Ottumwa with nightly rocket attacks.

Most of the "town" is run by a smaller Red Bull task force, "Task Force Archer," which combines elements of 334th Brigade Support Battalion (334th B.S.B.) and the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion (2/34th B.S.T.B.).

Laghman is "Task Force Ironman" territory, the overseas home of 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.).

Outside of Task Force Red Bulls turf, an additional Red Bull battalion--the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.)--serves in Paktiya Province. And an attached unit of Nebraska Army National Guard cavalry troopers--the 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1-34th Cav.)--trains Afghan security forces in Kabul.

Members of Iowa's 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery (1-194th FA) have been dispersed throughout the brigade.

Task Force Red Bulls is responsible for helping Afghan national military and police improve security in its area of operation. Sometimes, that means fighting. Sometimes, that means teaching and mentoring. Always, it means standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Afghan allies.

I retired from the Iowa Army National Guard last December, and returned to my civilian career as a freelance magazine writer and editor. I kept up with the war in the news, and with my buddies via e-mail and Facebook.

Last month, I went to Afghanistan to visit my former unit. Not as a citizen-soldier, but as a citizen-journalist. I embedded as civilian media, with an eye toward writing a larger history of the Red Bull. (I prefer the singular, because that's the 34th Infantry Division's official nickname.)

Having trained for the deployment myself, I thought I knew what to expect. Turns out, I was in for multiple surprises.

Granted, I was already a Red Bull fan when I landed in Afghanistan. And--journalism and philosophy students take note of this thesis--the embed process itself skews the reportorial view toward the perspective of U.S. soldiers, rather than Afghan power brokers, or the people they allegedly represent.

That said, here's a sampling of what I witnessed:

• In Parwan Province, I talked to a platoon of young men that had spent more than 4 hours defending against a complex attack focused on a downed U.S. Army helicopter. After just completing a long night of patrolling by ground vehicle, they responded as a helicopter-borne Quick Reaction Force to Kapisa, a nearby province. Upon landing, they found themselves pinned down, but drawing fire away from Air Force rescue teams. Staff Sgt. James A. Justice was killed during that firefight. Some of the guys shared their stories with me, not because they were boastful or proud--although they have every reason to be--but because they wanted to remember Justice, and the sacrifice he and his family made. They also wanted to celebrate Spc. Zachary Durham, who was injured after deliberately exposing himself to fire while seeking out enemy fighting positions.

• In Parwan, I saw other Cavalry troopers working to defeat the local network of insurgents that threatens Bagram Airfield ("BAF"). Attacks are down. Morale and motivation are up. They're still seeking out the bad guys around Bagram. 'Nuff said.

• In Laghman Province, I saw Iowans engaged with a deadly enemy now often unwilling to show their faces in direct attacks. Iowa soldiers there routinely face machine gun and mortar attack, as well as Improvised Explosive Devices (I.E.D.). At the same time, they partner with their Afghan army and police counterparts, U.S. Air Force-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams (P.R.T.), and joint U.S. Air and Army National Guard Agribusiness Development Teams (A.D.T.). The latter specialty are comprised of citizen-soldiers and -airmen deployed as much for their farming-related talents as for their soldier skills. It is a unique mission to the U.S. National Guard. Together, these teams quickly flooded a newly created government district with development projects, after Task Force Red Bulls completed "Operation Bull Whip," the largest helicopter-borne "air assault" in Afghanistan in recent memory.

• In mountainous but relatively peaceful Panjshir Province, I attended a conference in which local and national officials engaged with adventure-tourism experts and investors. The hard but beautiful land may soon appeal to weekenders from Kabul, which is only 2 hours away by car. Some experts thought the area nearly ripe for international tours focused on climbing, caving, hiking, and even kayaking. Panjshir is a vision for what other Afghan provinces might also one day be.

That's great stuff, but the Red Bull ain't done yet.

These Red Bull soldiers--as well as those in Paktiya and Kabul--have achieved plenty and sacrificed much. There's a National Guard saying that "deployment doesn't end with a homecoming parade." After they return from Afghanistan, many of our citizen-soldiers will be challenged to successfully reintegrate with their families and friends, to find employment (more than 21 percent of the deployed Iowa soldiers indicate they will not have civilian jobs waiting for them), and to overcome physical, emotional and mental obstacles stemming from their service.

We should give these modern Minutemen more than our momentary notice. They have answered our country's call, and we should stand ready to hear theirs. Their stories, too.

"Attack!"

Omaha Newspaper Launches Red Bull blog

The Omaha World-Herald recently launched a blog titled "At War, At Home," which covers Nebraska and Iowa citizen-soldiers currently deployed to Afghanistan. The blog now appears in the Red Bull Rising blog-roll, at right.

Reporter Joseph Morton and photographer Alyssa Schukar are currently embedded with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) units downrange--the deployment includes the Nebraska National Guard's 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1-134th Cav.)--while reporter Matthew Hansen and editor Cate Folsom are covering the home front. Read more about the blog team's background here.

In October 2010, Morton and Schukar also covered the units' pre-deployment training at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. Click here for more details of that coverage.

The new Omaha World-Herald blog regularly presents eye-catching news photos and portraiture, environmental videos, and question-and-answer sessions with individual soldiers. The editors also promise to regularly post "round-ups" of the newspaper's coverage, to help readers ensure they haven't missed anything. For two such round-ups click here and here.

Recent Omaha World-Herald coverage has included:

• "Nebraska troops deliver food," (Mar. 3). A 1-134th Cav. humanitarian-assistance mission delivers food to Afghan families.

• "Neb. troops make a difference" (Mar. 4). Kabul's police chief is thankful for the assistance of Nebraska National Guard soldiers and trainers, but thinks U.S. presence will still be required for another five to 10 years.

• "Mealtime in Afghanistan" (Mar. 5). How soldiers of Bravo Troop, 1-134th Cav. dine on local delicacies.

• "Troops coax out rural cops" (Mar. 7). How Alpha Troop, 1-134th Cav. uses humanitarian-assistance missions such as "Operation United Front" to bolster Afghan police image and presence.

• "A smokin' oasis for soldiers" (Mar. 12). Cigar-scented "Tiki Hut" hang-outs at Camps Phoenix and Dubs, Afghanistan, serve as places where Nebraska soldiers can blow off steam ... and smoke.

• "Working their way back" (Mar. 13). Veterans groups and other organizations are preparing to assist National Guard members find new employment after they return home from deployment.

• "Marathon man: Gretna Guard member plans to run the 26.2-mile Lincoln race in Kabul" (Mar. 14). Deployed to Camp Phoenix, Afghanistan, Army Maj. Spencer Giles continues to work toward his goal of making the "Lucky 13" club, which is made up of people who have run the Lincoln, Neb. marathon 13 times.

• "Guardsmen's job: Policing the police," a Mar. 15 article describing how Nebraskans daily train Afghan law enforcement personnel, while suspecting that some locals--both police and civilian--may be less than honest.

Here's a friendly reminder: If you find local and regional news coverage of Nebraska and Iowa citizen-soldiers meaningful, compelling, or useful, please be sure to buy some newspapers; make positive reader comments on newspaper and television station blogs; or send editors, reporters, and producers words of thanks via postal mail.

The Quest for the Crests, Part 2

It turns out that the item to which soldiers most commonly refer as a "battalion crest" is technically not a "crest," and isn't necessarily specific to a battalion. Instead, the official term for a unit-specific badge is "distinctive unit insignia" (D.U.I.). Companies, battalions, regiments, brigades, and divisions can all have them.

In the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT), soldiers assigned to the headquarters and headquarters companies wear the division insignia (at right), as discussed in part 1 of this series of posts.

In the warfighting "maneuver" units of the 2-34th BCT--infantry battalions and cavalry squadrons--the distinctive unit insignia are "regimental" emblems. These are symbols of a rarely seen, almost vestigial echelon of organization in the U.S. army.

In today's Army, the technical definition of "regiment" is a unit larger than a battalion, but smaller than a brigade. Unlike a brigade, it comprises only units of similar type. By contrast, today's "Brigade Combat Teams" (B.C.T.) contain every type of unit necessary to conduct tactical operations: infantry and intelligence, medical and logistics, artillery and transportation.

In conversation and newsprint, the term "regiment" often gets swallowed, forgotten, or dropped. Hearing a contemporary Iowa soldier refer to his battalion as the "133rd Infantry," for example, isn't quite correct, given that there could still exist multiple battalions stemming from the same regimental lineage. A soldier assigned to the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1/133rd Inf.) would wear the same regimental insignia as a soldier of the currently dormant 2nd Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (2/133rd Inf.).

For a review of the units currently comprising the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT), click here.

Generally, a distinctive unit emblem often incorporates the unit coat-of-arms with an official motto. Here are those of the infantry and cavalry units currently assigned to 2-34th BCT:

1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment

Motto: “Avauncez” (French for "advance" or "forward")

Symbolism: The shield is silver, or white, the old Infantry branch color. The Spanish castle, taken from the Spanish campaign medal, is used to represent the military service outside the continental limits of the United States, while the cactus and fleur-de-lis are for Mexican Border and World War service, respectively.

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1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment

Motto: "On Guard"

Symbolism: The shield is white, the old Infantry branch color. The bend in the form of a rainbow shows the service of the 168th Infantry in World War I in the 42nd Division.

The cactus represents the Mexican Border duty and palm tree the Philippine service.

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1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment

Motto: "We maintain"

Symbolism: Yellow is the color traditionally associated with Cavalry. The "red horse," symbolizing the popular name of the regiment, is in a rampant position to denote aggressiveness and is bridled to indicate discipline. The prickly pear cactus represents service on the Mexican Border and the fleur-de-lis signifies service in France during World War I of the original 113th Cavalry.

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1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (Nebraska National Guard)

Motto: "La We, La His" (Pawnee for "The strong, the brave")

Symbolism: The Katipunan sun represents the Phillipine Insurrection and the palm tree the Spanish-American War service. The olla, charged with the bull skull, denotes the World War I service of the organization in the 34th Division.

The snake symbolizes the Mexican border service.

The Red Bull Story So Far: 'Halfway There'

Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry “Red Bull” Division (2-34th BCT), recently marked the "halfway home" milestone on their deployment calendars.

The 2-34th BCT comprises approximately 3,000 Iowa and Nebraska National Guard troops. In the largest single deployment of Iowa National Guard troops since World War II, units comprising the brigade began mobilizing in late July and early August 2010. Red Bull units first trained at Camp Shelby, Miss., before conducting realistic war games at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., in late September and early October 2011.

While most units returned to Camp Shelby prior to phased departures to Afghanistan, the 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry "Ironman" Regiment (1/133rd Inf.) and select brigade personnel launched directly into country from Fort Irwin. According to news reports, 1/133rd Inf. soldiers captured one Taliban fighter just days after arriving in Afghanistan.

Other Red Bull units gradually arrived in Afghanistan through the end of November 2010. The brigade officially relieved the Vermont National Guard’s 86th BCT at Bagram Airfield (“BAF”) on Dec. 4, 2010. The event nearly coincided with a surprise visit by U.S. President Barack Obama.

The mission of “Task Force Red Bulls” marks only the second time a U.S. National Guard brigade has been given responsibility for geographic area of operations in Afghanistan. The brigade is under the command of 101st Airborne “Screaming Eagles” Division, headquartered in Fort Campbell, Kent.

In Army jargon, a "task force" is a battalion-or-larger-sized group of units temporarily organized to address a specific mission. The term can include the addition of personnel from other U.S. and allied armed services, both active-duty or national guard/reserve, as well as civilians.

“[Task Force] Wolverine [86th BCT] was the first National Guard Brigade to serve as a battle space owner here in Afghanistan, and throughout their tenure here, Task Force Wolverine focused on making Afghanistan better for the Afghan people and coalition forces,” said 101st Airborne Division commander Maj. Gen. John Campbell in a Dec. 5 statement. “From partnering with the Afghan National Security Forces ... to increasing capability of local governance ... to implementing and continuing new development programs ... to improving quality of life on Bagram, Task Force Wolverine has set an incredible standard of success.“

He continued, “Their successors, the 2-34 IBCT ‘Red Bulls’ from the Iowa National Guard have some big shoes to fill, but I am confident they will meet the challenges of this deployment with success. I have seen many of the Task Force Red Bulls soldiers on my battlefield circulation, and I have seen first-hand that they are well disciplined and well trained. I am confident that under the leadership of COL Ben Corell and CSM Joel Arnold that Task Force Red Bulls is exactly the right unit to continue capitalizing on the successes of Task Force Wolverine. Welcome to Afghanistan, Red Bulls!”

Task Force Red Bulls comprises:

• Headquarters, 2-34th BCT, Boone, Iowa.

• 334th Brigade Support Battalion, headquartered in Johnston. The 334th BSB is commanded by Lt. Col. John Perkins, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Adams. As "Task Force Archer," the unit is responsible for the operation of Bagram Airfield, an installation of approximately 30,000 U.S. and other personnel. The unit also provides logistical, maintenance, and medical support to the brigade.

• 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB), 34th Infantry Division (2/34th BSTB), headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 2/34th BSTB is commanded by Lt. Col. Allyn Gronewold, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Christine Short. Due to requirements surrounding the Bagram base operations mission, much of the 2/34th BSTB has been task-organized under 334th BSB.

• 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1/113th Cav.), headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, is commanded by Lt. Col. David Updegraff, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Stephen Wayman. As "Task Force Red Horse," the 1/113th Cav. is responsible for security operations around Bagram Airfield and in surrounding Parwan Province.

• Personnel of Iowa’s 1st Battalion, 194th Field Artillery (1/194th FA) have been distributed throughout the brigade. The 1/194th FA is headquartered in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and is commanded by Lt. Col. John Cunningham, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. David Enright.

• 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry "Ironman" Regiment (1/133rd Inf.), headquartered in Waterloo. The 1/133rd Inf. is commanded by Lt. Col. Steven Kremer and Command Sgt. Maj. Marcus Mittvalsky. The 1/133rd Inf. is currently operating in Laghman Province. Ironman soldiers recently described 'average' days in this Army news release.

The other of the 2-34th BCT’s two organic infantry battalions has been attached to units outside the Task Force Red Bulls area of operation: 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1/168th Inf.), headquartered in Council Bluffs. The 1/168th Inf. is commanded by Lt. Col. Steve Boesen, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Duane Hinman. The unit is currently operating in Paktia Province.

Until recently, the 1/168th Inf. had been operating under "Task Force Rakkasan," led by the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (3/101st BCT). The Rakassans were recently relieved by 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division of Fort Knox, Kent., however, and the Iowa unit now reports to "Task Force Duke."

The Nebraska National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1/134th Cav.), headquartered in Lincoln., Neb., also deployed with the 2-34th BCT. The unit is commanded by Lt. Col. Tom Rynders, assisted by Command Sgt. Maj. Marty Baker. As "Task Force Fury," the 1/134th Cav. trains and mentors Afghan police personnel in and around the Afghan capital of Kabul. This National Guard news article describes recent 1/134th Cav. operations.

Iowa soldiers deployed with the 2-34th BCT wear the Red Bull patch on their left shoulders, and are authorized to wear the patch as “shoulder sleeve insignia” (SSI) more commonly referred to as a “combat patch.” Slang terms for a soldier wearing a Red Bull patch on each shoulder can include: “Wearing the ‘Double-Bull’” and “Wearing the ‘Steak-Sandwich.’”

Living conditions for Red Bull soldiers in Afghanistan range from the densely packed Bagram Airfield, in which soldiers are bunked in multi-level stacks of air-conditioned and heated semi-trailer containers, to austere platoon- and company-sized Combat Outposts (“COP”), in which soldiers do laundry in 5-gallon cans filled with river water, lack hot showers and Internet access, and must burn toilet waste.

In early January 2011, the brigade suffered its only reported combat casualty to-date, when Sgt. Brian Fieler, 27, was injured after stepping on a landmine in Laghman Province. The Earlville, Iowa, soldier lost the lower portion of one leg.

The 2010 deployment is not the first time the Red Bull patch has been seen in Afghanistan. In 2004-2005, nearly 1,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers deployed as “Task Force 168,” where they provided security for Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) sites across the country.

In other connections to Red Bull history, 2-34th BCT commander COL Ben Corell and CSM Joel Arnold were in charge of the 1/133rd Inf. during its deployment with the Minnesota’s National Guard’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, 2005 to 2007. Included as part of a U.S. troop "surge," the 22-month deployment was the longest continuous deployment to Iraq of any U.S. Army unit. Members of Nebraska’s 1/134th Cav. also participated in that deployment as part of 1st Squadron, 167th Cavalry Regiment (1/167th Cav.).