'Journey to Normal' Film Features Iowa Red Bulls

In its Iowa premiere, the 2017 documentary "Journey to Normal: Women of War Come Home" will be shown in an exclusive, one-time engagement on the Boone, Iowa campus of Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) at 7 p.m., Thurs., March 22, 2018.

A Q&A session with producer and director JulieHera DeStefano will follow the 93-minute film.

Hundreds of women service members were interviewed for the film project, and plans call for their stories to be archived and made available to researchers via the non-profit Journey to Normal website, producers say.

"Since 2001, over 280,000 women have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan," the documentary says. "Journey to Normal shares 8 of their stories so that we might reflect on the individual experiences of all who serve."

Two of the eight women featured in the film are originally from Iowa. Featured in the documentary are:

• Jessica Astorga Dayton, a U.S. Air Force nurse from Dayton, Ohio
• Abby Brookbank Allen, a U.S. Army National Guard combat medic from Ida Grove, Iowa
• Ivonne Daly, a U.S. Army Reserve surgeon from Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Jill Finken, a U.S. Army National Guard attorney from Souix City, Iowa
• Christine Mau, a U.S. Air Force F-15 pilot from Mountain Home, Idaho
• Judi Reeves, a U.S. Army Reserve surgical technician from Middletown, N.Y.
• Devon Reyes, a U.S. Army Military Intelligence officer from Fort Knox, Ky.
• Amy Sinkler, a U.S. Army truck driver from Chadbourn, N.C.

The event is the last installment in the inaugural "In Their Boots Film Festival," a three-month series of film presentations intended to foster conversations about military service, veterans issues, and social reintegration. The event is co-sponsored by the DMACC-Boone student group In My Boots 5k, and the Central Iowa non-profit Paws & Effect. The festival is made possible by a generous grant from Humanities Iowa.

"Because we train service dogs for veterans, we recognize that 'coming home' from a wartime deployment can be a journey, not a destination," says Nicole Shumate, executive director of Paws & Effect. "Reintegrating into our society and with our families doesn't just happen overnight, and it doesn't happen without hard work and continued support. We are extremely proud to celebrate the lives and stories of the veterans depicted in 'Journey to Normal'—and all who have walked these paths."

In 2010-2011, in what was described as the largest deployment of Iowa troops since World War II, the Iowa Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) sent more than 3,000 citizen-soldiers overseas as part of the "Afghan Surge." The 2-34th BCT is headquartered in Boone.

Randy Brown, a Central Iowa-based freelance writer and editor of "Reporting for Duty," a collection of U.S. Army public affairs reports from the Iowa brigade's deployment, says that "Journey to Normal" uniquely captures some of what it was like to deploy to Afghanistan—and what it is like to return to family, friends, school, and work following a wartime deployment. "All of these stories are important—individually and collectively," says Brown. "To most of us, this is a depiction of war far more 'real' and relevant than popular movies about snipers and drones."

Interviews with at least three "Red Bull" soldiers are featured in the documentary. Each appears multiple times on-camera, in settings both downrange and "back home." Abby Brookbank was a combat medic assigned to 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.), and was based at Forward Operating Base ("FOB") Gardez. Jill Finken was an attorney assigned to the brigade headquarters, which was based at Bagram Airfield ("BAF") during the 2010-2011 deployment. Martha Kester, a chaplain with 334th Brigade Support Battalion, also makes a number of appearances throughout the film.

For more information about "Journey to Normal," visit here. A Facebook page is here.

To view an early (2011) trailer about the film, visit here.

There will be a freewill donation pasta dinner fund-raiser preceding the movie, starting 6 p.m. in the DMACC-Boone food court area. Proceeds will go to support the "In Our Boots 5k" run, walk, and ruck fund-raiser event April 14, 2018. The 93-minute movie "Journey to Normal" will be shown in the adjacent auditorium starting 7 p.m.

A Facebook page for the "In My Boots 5k" student group is here. A website is here.

A registration page for the April 14, 2018 5k run, walk, and ruck event is here.

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.

Mil-blogger Surveys Iraq, Afghan Wars Through Arts

http://acolytesofwar.com/

"Time Now," a military blog that reviews "The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars in Art, Film, and Literature," has been added to the Red Bull Rising blog-roll. It appears in the right-hand column of the webpage, under a new "Military Arts and Culture Blogs" category. In past posts, blogger Peter Molin has considered topics including contemporary war poetry and literature, photography and cinema, and theatrical and dance productions.

Molin, a U.S. Army officer who served on Embedded Training Team in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktiya provinces in 2008-2009, also maintains an archived of his deployment experiences at "15-month Adventure."

Red Bull Rising blog readers may remember that Paktiya Province was the area of operation of the Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Battalion, during the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division's (2-34th BCT) deployment in 2010-2011.

Unlike the standard "the views herein do not reflect those of the U.S. Army" boilerplate, Molin's disclaimer regarding his deployment is clear, conversational, and worthy of duplication by other mil-bloggers. Note how he blends both his blog's mission and intent:

I am an active-duty Army officer. I started this blog to keep friends and family informed about my deployment to Afghanistan in 2008-2009 as the leader of an "Embedded Transition Team." I have kept it going since because it gives me a chance to reflect on the experience and because at least some people say they still enjoy reading it. My intent is to write in interesting and original ways about the war without being critical of the US or the Army, without compromising security or operations, and without saying anything remotely unflattering about the great military personnel and civilians with whom I served.

Here are some of Molin's reviews of contemporary mil-poetry collections:

• Walter E. Piatt's "Paktika." Piatt deployed to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once, when he was a battalion commander in Eastern Afghanistan Paktika Province. He is a past commandant of the U.S. Army Infantry School, and is currently a deputy commanding general with the 10th Mountain Division. Unfortunately, "Paktika" seems to be out of print, but his 2003 collection titled "She Came to the Door to Wave Good-bye" is still available here.

• Paul Wasserman's "Say Again All." Wasserman is an Army Aviation NCO. His chapbook is available through Lulu.com here.

• Elyse Fenton's "Clamor." Fenton is the wife of a combat medic. The 2010 collection is available on Amazon here. Another review of her work, suggested by another Red Bull Rising blog reader, appears here.

*****

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.

Remember the Names; Tell Their Stories

This new Red Bull Rising post originally appeared as a guest opinion in the Iowa City (Iowa) Press-Citizen May 28, 2012:

I joined the Iowa Army National Guard because I wanted to serve God, country and community. What I didn’t realize was that, in addition to paying for my education and giving me a part-time (and sometimes full-time) job, I’d receive a lifetime of “war stories” in return.

In 1993, I slung sandbags in Cedar Rapids. My wedding in 1997 was nearly postponed by a deployment to Bosnia. [The wedding happened, the deployment did not.] In 2000, I monitored levees on the Mississippi River, protecting some of my old high school haunts. In 2003, I ran a movie theater, and radio and TV stations on a beach in Egypt. During the blizzards of 2007, I worked the night shift in the state operations center. In 2009, I helped prepare 1,000 troops for a short-notice mission to support a U.S. presidential inauguration.

When I first raised my right hand to enlist, I couldn’t have predicted any of that. Lots of stories.

In 2010, I prepared to deploy with 3,000 Iowans of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry “Red Bull” Division (2-34th BCT). It was the largest deployment of Iowa National Guard troops since World War II. Paperwork got in the way of my deployment, but I went later as a civilian reporter. That, too, makes for a good story: "Middle-aged Midwestern Boy meets Afghan deployment, boy loses deployment, boy goes to Afghanistan anyway."

Some war stories I tell to entertain others. Some of them I don’t. Sometimes, I change the names, especially on the goofy ones. Sometimes, however, the names are the essential part of the story: 

• Sgt. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Honey Creek. Killed April 11, 2011, in Paktia Province, when an Improvised Explosive Device detonated under the armored vehicle in which he was positioned as gunner. 

• Spc. Donald L. Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock. Killed April 13, 2011, in Laghman Province, when an IED detonated under the vehicle in which he was traveling.

• Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, 32, of Grimes. Killed April 23, 2011, by small-arms fire in Kapisa Province, during an helicopter-borne mission to secure the position of a downed U.S. attack helicopter. 

• Sgt. First Class Terryl L. Pasker, 39, of Cedar Rapids. Killed by small-arms fire July 10, 2011, when a rogue Afghan security officer attacked at a makeshift traffic stop in Panjshir Province. 

Maher was a husband, a father of three and worked an Omaha auto dealership.

Nichols was engaged to be married; his brother, a U.S. Army Reserve soldier then also deployed to Afghanistan, escorted the body home.

Justice—his nickname was “Juice”—was a hardworking NCO who fought to go on the deployment even after the Red Bull had left Iowa in August 2010. He arrived in country in February 2011. He had a wife Amanda, and a daughter named Caydence.

Pasker? After a year in the “safest province in Afghanistan”—U.S. soldiers in Panjshir didn’t drive armored military trucks, out of respect to their local hosts — he was planning to retire, go back to building homes, and start a family with his wife, Erica. His unit was just days away from returning to Iowa when he was killed.

People don’t have to visit a cemetery to celebrate the lives and sacrifices of our citizen-soldiers, nor should they forget the friends and families who bear scars and burdens long after the trumpets play. They do, however, have to remember. And people can’t remember if we don’t talk about the fallen. We have to say the names. We have to tell their stories.

The 2012 feature film “Memorial Day”—available on DVD and Blu-ray May 29—tells the story of a Minnesota boy who confronts his grandfather with a dusty World War II footlocker, filled with souvenirs. Actor James Cromwell’s character tells 13-year-old Kyle: “I didn’t loot. And I didn’t steal. I collected things that would help me remember.”

Me? I collect stories.

Kyle grows up to wear the same 34th Division “Red Bull” patch currently worn by many Minnesota and Iowa National Guard soldiers. Like thousands of other Midwestern veterans and citizen-soldiers, I proudly wore that patch on my shoulder. So did Maher, Nichols, Justice and Pasker.

After I retired, I packed my own footlocker, after my wife asked me to rid the house of my surplus Army baggage. Into a single government-issue box, I put 20 years of uniforms and boots, along with patches, pins, and other paraphernalia.

One day, I’ll tell my kids about what’s inside. I will tell them about the Red Bull. I will tell them about giving back, and putting your life on hold to serve country and community. I’ll tell them about making each day count, and never taking anything for granted.

Especially coming home.

Signs of Our Times

Like an old tactical radio, Sherpa's personal Facebook net has crackled to life recently, with traffic regarding 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT), Iowa Army National Guard soldiers killed in Eastern Afghanistan last year. Anniversary stories make for lazy journalism, but they're also easy emotional handholds—especially for those of us either back home or left behind, who are struggling with What It All Meant.

"All gave some, but some gave all." With all the clutter and din of daily life, that's sometimes a little too easy to forget. I don't know about you, but I appreciate the occasional emotional radio-check. Helps maintain one's perspective, and priorities.

Three of the four 2-34th BCT fatalities in Afghanistan occurred in April 2011. It was a cruel month:

• Spc. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, Iowa. Killed in IED attack, April 11, 2011, Paktiya Province. Member of 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.).

• Spc. Donald L. Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa. Killed in IED attack, April 13, 2011, Laghman Province. Member of 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.).

• Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, 32, of Grimes, Iowa. Killed by small-arms fire, April 23, 2011, Kapisa Province. Member of 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1-113th Cav.).

Operation Never Forgotten, a non-profit organization based in Saline, Mich., promotes patriotic messages that encourage others to celebrate and remember military personnel and their families. Through its "Billboards for Heroes" program, the organization helps memorialize fallen soldiers through the production and placement of digital public-service advertisements.

The larger-than-life pictures portray the soldiers not only as military men and women, but as parents, partners, and members of a community.

Starting Mon., April 9, some 14 Des Moines, Iowa metro area billboards owned by Clear Channel Outdoor have borne the image of Staff Sgt. James "Juice" Justice and his daughter Caydence, along with the caption "My Dad, Your Fallen Hero." In one, he wears a fleece cap bearing the logo of his beloved University of Iowa Hawkeyes. The graphics rotate with other advertisements for colleges and cellphones, staying on screen for approximately 10 seconds each time they appear.

In an April 6 television news report, his wife, Amanda Justice, told WHO-TV/Channel 13 that she hopes the billboards remind people of the sacrifices borne by few, as well as the losses we collectively share:

Even if it makes someone think for five seconds while they're driving get to work [...] Or if it brings tears to your eyes [...] I hope it makes people remember and feel something, and just take a second to think about what someone is willing to give up for them [...] I just don't want any of them to be forgotten.

According to Families of Iowa's Fallen, the Des Moines locations of billboards honoring Staff Sgt. Justice include:

• S.W. 9th St, 500 ft. north of Morgan St., east side of street
• Fleur Dr., 10 ft. north of Porter Ave., east side of street
• Keo Way, 100 ft. west of 12th St, north side of street
• Fleur Dr., 700 ft. north of Bell Ave., west side of street
• Fleur Dr., 200 ft. south of McKinley, east side of street
• University Ave., 100 ft. E/O East 27th Ct, south side of street
• Merle Hay Rd., ES 270 ft. N/O Douglas, east side of street
• Interstate-80/35, one-half mile east of East 14th St, south side of street

At least one of 14 fatalities suffered in 2011-2012 by 45th BCT ("Thunderbird") has also been memorialized through the Billboards for Heroes program. In July 2011, the Oklahoma National Guard unit replaced Iowa's 2-34th BCT in Eastern Afghanistan, and returned home earlier this month.

The Constant State-by-State of War

When I started the Red Bull Rising blog in late 2009, I was preparing to deploy as a member of the Iowa Army National Guard. My buddies and I kept a digital ear out for news of Vermont's 86th Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), the unit we planned to replace. We sifted and scanned Vermont newspaper and television reports, U.S. Army public affairs releases from Afghanistan, and posts from mil-bloggers and Facebookers.

The 1,500-member 86th BCT had originally deployed as the command-and-control headquarters for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, a U.S. and coalition training mission that had been in place since 2003. (A quick review: In Army speak, the term "combined" means "U.S. plus allies." The term "joint" means one or more branches of the armed forces: Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard. A "task force" is an group of disparate units organized around a specific mission.)

The CJTF Phoenix mission was to advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces (A.N.S.F.), including various forms of Afghan police and military units. It controlled 8- or 16-person Embedded Training Teams (E.T.T.). Coalition partners call their ETT personnel "Operational Mentor Liaison Teams" (OMLT, pronounced "omelette").

An additional irony? Such Foreign Internal Defense ("FID") training missions have traditionally been considered a core mission of U.S. Special Forces. The National Guard, on the other hand, often has to battle "second-string" stereotypes when encountering active-duty soldiers in the field. Even after more than 10 years of deployments, and transformation into an operational reserve.

That U.S. National Guard soldiers tend to have civilian-acquired work experiences and skills is often touted as an advantage in the advise-and-assist context. Citizen-soldiers who are law enforcement professionals back home can be used to mentor Afghan National Police, for example. Teachers and coaches, business owners and managers can be more familiar with non-military mentorship models. With the possible exception of the National Guard’s joint Agribusiness Development Teams (A.D.T.), however, in which citizen-soldiers and -airmen are deployed based upon their civilian-acquired agricultural skills, it’s hard to move such assumptions and assertions beyond the anecdotal.

In 2009, in the middle of a foreign country, a deployment, and a war, Vermont's 86th BCT reconfigured to a mission in which they would act as "battlespace owners" for the provinces of Parwan, Panjshir, and Bamiyan Provinces. Two more U.S. National Guard brigades—each approximately 3,000 personnel each—would follow. Rather than being sliced up into smaller companies and battalions, and assigned to support active-duty brigades, the National Guard brigades were kept relatively whole.

Iowa's 2nd BCT, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) deployed to Afghanistan from October 2010 to July 2011. It took over the mission in Parwan (where Bagram Airfield is located), Panjshir, and Laghman Provinces. One Red Bull battalion, the 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.) was attached to active-duty brigade in Paktiya Province. A 400-member Nebraska Army National Guard unit with historical ties to the Red Bull, the 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry (1-134th Cav.), deployed alongside the 2-34th BCT. Based at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, the 1-134th Cav. deployed as mentors and trainers for Afghan National Police.

Oklahoma's 45th BCT ("Thunderbird") took over the Red Bull's mission in July 2012, maintaining responsibility for Laghman Province and other areas. After the Thunderbird took over, my Red Bull buddies and I again took to the Internet, this time watching for Oklahoma newspaper and television reports, U.S. Army public affairs releases, and posts from mil-bloggers and Facebookers. As of this week, nearly all of the Thunderbird units have returned home to Oklahoma. Rather than hand-off to another U.S. National Guard unit, in February the Thunderbird transferred authority to an active-duty unit.

Watching a war through the lens of brigade-sized deployments, state by state, is an accessible way to perceive the ebb and flow of the past 10 years. In the beginning, it was team after 16-person mentor team. Occasionally, a state would get tapped for the CJTF Phoenix mission—a brigade's worth of headquarters staff, plus yet more advise-and-assist teams. Then, for a grand and glorious moment, the states were asked to muster fully trained, fully resourced fighting brigades. Newspaper reporters wrote sentences like, "the largest deployment of Iowa troops since World War II."

Now, with American resolve, purpose, and troop numbers waning in Afghanistan, U.S. political and military leaders have taken to describing a "new" mission of advising and assisting Afghan forces, and withdrawing troops by 2014. Given that the advise-and-assist mission started in 2003 and never stopped, this latest language seems like rhetorical repackaging. Meet the new mission, same as the old mission.

During mobilization in 2011, Ohio's 37th BCT ("Buckeye")—was re-configured to fulfill an advise-and-assist mission in Northern Afghanistan. It arrived Afghanistan in February 2012.

The Red Bull Rising crystal ball is currently in for servicing and recalibration, but it seems as if the moment of brigade-sized deployments might be over. Perhaps National Guard units will be more likely to deploy piecemeal as companies and battalions, or as 16-person mentor-and-trainer teams. Even the National Guard-specific Agribusiness Development Teams (A.D.T.) may be winding down. In a recent ceremony in Paktya Province, for example, the outgoing Nebraska ADT transferred its responsibilities to the co-located Provincial Reconstruction Team (P.R.T.).

During the Association of the United States Army (A.U.S.A.) annual convention and trial-balloon festival last fall, there was much talk of assigning the advise-and-assist mission to the Reserve Component. (Other, contradictory balloons: Assign to the U.S. Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve most or all of the heavy/armored and field artillery forces.) Proposals to create and train specific advise-and-assist capability, whether in the active- or reserve-components, seem to have stalled. The consensus seems to be that the military will continue to take such teams ad hoc and out of hide, rather than create specific organizations or structure. Every soldier wants to grow up to be Patton or Schwarzkopf; few aspire to be Lawrence of Arabia.

That's not to say that operational deployments are over, or that war isn't still a dangerous business. While 70 headquarters soldiers of the Indiana National Guard's 76th BCT ("Night Hawks") were engaged in send-off ceremonies to Afghanistan last January, the Hoosier state simultaneously learned of the loss of four Indiana combat engineers assigned to the 713th Engineer Company, Valaparaiso, Ind.

Sobering times.

War beats on.

*****

For additional insights into the history of the advise-and-assist mission, see Jeffrey Courter's "Afghan Journal" and Benjamin Tupper's "Greetings from Afghanistan" and "Dudes of War." Also, check out former U.S. Marine officer Jonathan Rue's "Build a House and Burn it Down," in which he reflects on his experiences training Iraqi soldiers. And Joseph Trevithick's insightful attempt on Tom Ricks' "Best Defense" blog to untangle the historically convoluted U.S./coalition command structures in Afghanistan.

2012 Condition of the Iowa Guard Speech

Echoing the tradition of the U.S. presidential "State of the Union" address to Congress, the state of Iowa engages in a series of annual speeches from various governmental leaders. The best known is the governor's "State of the State" address—now more likely called the "Condition of the State" in public and in the press—to Iowa legislators. The state supreme court justice annually delivers a "Condition of the Judiciary" speech. In what may be a practice unique to the Hawkeye State, the highest ranking officer of the Iowa National Guard delivers a "Condition of the Guard."

In 2011's Condition of the Guard address, Maj. Gen. Timothy Orr spoke of more than 3,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and elsewhere. Those soldiers included the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) and the 734th Agri-business Development Team (A.D.T.). Orr is the adjutant general of the state of Iowa, and a former commander of 2-34th BCT. In this week's 2012 address, Orr reported that, for the first time since 2001, most of the Iowa National Guard's approximately 10,000 soldiers and airmen had returned home.

Orr also talked about the National Guard as a cost-effective supplement to active-duty military forces, celebrated developing state military partnerships with Kosovo, and pointed to employment and education efforts that support citizen-soldiers and veterans.

The complete text of Orr's Jan. 18, 2012 address appears below.

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'PERFORMANCE AND PROMISE OF OUR HOMETOWN MILITARY – THE IOWA NATIONAL GUARD'

It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here today and report on the condition of our Iowa National Guard, an organization that continues to be “Mission Focused and Warrior Ready.” With the exception of about 90 soldiers and airmen who are currently mobilized as individual deployers, nearly all of our personnel were home for the holidays. And for the first time since 2001, I can report the Iowa National Guard does not have any units currently deployed overseas.

Last month, the final contingent of American soldiers departed Iraq, bringing to a close this extraordinary chapter of American military history. As in previous military campaigns and conflicts, the Iowa National Guard played a prominent role and served with honor and distinction.

I am so proud of those who served and sacrificed in Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn. They helped liberate and secure a country and gave hope to millions of Iraqis. Getting to this day was not easy. It tried our political and military leadership in ways unseen since the challenges of Vietnam. Despite these extraordinary circumstances, the men and women who served there did not falter. They carried out their duties day-in and day-out, many on multiple deployments, to ensure mission success.

Company B, of the 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, our last Iowa National Guard unit deployed to Iraq, returned home in November after flying more than 7,100 hours in support of Operation New Dawn. As the last CH-47 "Chinook" helicopter unit in Iraq, Company B played a critical role helping to remove personnel and equipment in support of the President’s efforts to have all American forces out of Iraq by the end of 2011, transporting 49,000 passengers and over four million pounds of cargo and equipment on more than 1,800 missions.

We thank the more than 7,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers and airmen who served in support of these operations. And to their families who sacrificed in order that our Warriors may serve, we are eternally grateful for all they have done and endured.

Success in Iraq came with a heavy price. We will always honor and remember the brave Iowa National Guard warriors we lost there, our Gold Star families, our wounded warriors and all those whose lives have been forever changed by the adversity of war. We are grateful that so many were willing to serve and sacrifice in spite of these challenges. It is a testament to the character and values of the men and women who serve our state and nation in uniform.

I am so incredibly proud of our Iowa National Guard family—our soldiers, airmen, families, employers, volunteers, and our communities. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude for all they have done to make a difference in this noble endeavor.

The deployments of the last 10 years were unprecedented in recent memory as nearly 15,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers and airmen mobilized for overseas contingency operations. These missions demonstrated the performance and promise of the Iowa National Guard which is truly your hometown military. Tough, reliable, resilient, adaptable and above all, ready when called—the Iowa National Guard played a vital role in helping defend the Nation during a critical time in our history.

Though busy overseas, we did not lose sight of our most critical mission—homeland defense and support. In fact, we responded to numerous disasters both here in Iowa and across the country that were often exceptional in both size and scope. In doing so, we fulfilled our statutory and constitutional responsibilities to help defend the nation and provide the governor with a state emergency response force.

We are able to protect communities here in Iowa and help defend the United States overseas for approximately one-third the cost of active-duty soldiers and airmen, making the National Guard the “best value for America.”

Two weeks ago, President Obama outlined his Defense Strategic Guidance for sustaining U.S. global leadership in the 21st Century. Based on this guidance, U.S. defense priorities are being reviewed. Part of this process will include looking at the mix of active and reserve component forces. In doing so, we must ensure the National Guard continues to play a vital role as an operational complement to our active duty services.

The most logical option for the nation to preserve its military capability, capacity and depth in times of fiscal constraints is through continued reliance on the National Guard. To do this, the National Guard must remain a modern force, capable of rapidly mobilizing, deploying and integrating into ongoing and future contingency operations.

Since the founding of our republic, the United States has been and continues to be a “militia nation.” This tradition is embedded in our culture and enshrined in our Constitution. With the exception of the large standing military necessitated by World War II and the confrontation with the Soviets during the Cold War, we have traditionally maintained a small active duty force backed up by a strong militia, the successor of which is today’s National Guard.

We are fortunate that [Iowa] Gov. [Terry] Branstad currently serves as the co-chair for the President’s Council of Governors. The council provides a forum for governors to exchange views, information or advice with the Department of Defense, Homeland Security and other federal agencies concerning matters of mutual interest regarding National Guard, homeland defense and civil support activities. This council is intended to strengthen the partnership between the federal, state and local governments to better protect our nation, and provide governors, who serve as the commander and chief of the individual state National Guard forces, a voice in the process.

One way we hope to support and adapt to the changing environment is through the National Guard’s State Partnership program (SPP). The March 2011 selection of the Iowa National Guard with the Republic of Kosovo, as the newest state partnership program in the National Guard, will enhance civil and military relationships and strengthen partnership capacity between the United States and Kosovo. The current focus of the program is on noncommissioned officer and officer development activities as well as cooperative initiatives in the disaster response and emergency management arena.

Partnering with Kosovo is a natural fit for the Iowa National Guard and the state of Iowa. Our relationship with Kosovo is not new, over the course of the last 10 years we have deployed hundreds of Iowa National Guard soldiers there as part of NATO’s peacekeeping security force. The most recent unit, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 147th Aviation, returned home from Kosovo in April, where they successfully flew more than 150 missions supporting 15 different NATO countries. One of their greatest accomplishments was building strong relationships with Kosovo communities by providing English instruction to local students and helping them with college entrance requirements.

Our goal is to build a “Whole of Iowa” to “Whole of Kosovo” relationship. An example of this approach would be in the area of education where the state of Iowa is a national leader. The Iowa-Kosovo SPP is off to a fast and productive start with engagements with the Kosovo Security Forces, Kosovo’s minister of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Agriculture, Health and Education. We currently have conducted over 12 exchange events with Kosovo since March 2011.

One of our near-term goals is to establish a sister-state relationship and foster several sister-city relationships to further enhance this partnership. Working with our communities and the Iowa Sister States’ program, we want to establish relationships that will be of mutual interest to the citizens of Iowa and Kosovo.

Today, I am pleased to introduce Maj. Gen. Kadri Kastrati, the commander of the Kosovo Security Force, who is with us this morning as my honored guest. I asked him to be here today to help highlight this critically important relationship, observe our legislative process and meet some of our key leaders.

Please join me in giving Gen. Kastrati a warm Iowa welcome.

Gen. Kastrati, thank you for making this journey to join us here today. We are honored to be partnered with Kosovo and we look forward to a strong and productive relationship in the years ahead.

Since its inception in 1989, the Iowa National Guard’s Counter Drug Task Force, which is federally funded through the Department of Defense, has played an important role in helping reduce both the supply and demand of illicit drugs in the state of Iowa. It adds value to our communities by making them safer, leverages unique military skills and dual-use equipment, and serves as another example of the performance and promise of your hometown military.

By providing professional, military analytical support to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state, we have assisted with thousands of cases leading to nearly 1,700 arrests and the seizure of over $38 million in illicit drugs as well as more than $1.7 million in cash and assets. Our Counterdrug Aviation Detachment helicopter support section provides aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, integration, and command and control to support law enforcement drug interdiction efforts.

The Midwest Counter-Drug Training Center, located on Camp Dodge, provides critical training at no cost to law enforcement officers, military personnel, and prevention and treatment professionals. Last year, the Midwest Counter-Drug Training Center conducted 340 courses, training over 13,000 students from across the United States. This program is especially important for small or rural law enforcement agencies that do not have the funding to pay for this type of training.

A year and a half ago, we deployed nearly 3,000 Iowa National Guard soldiers from every corner of the state to Afghanistan for our largest deployment since World War II. This deployment, which took nearly one-third of our force, was a tremendous undertaking for our entire organization. We pulled soldiers and units from across the state to augment the 2nd Brigade, [34th Inf. Div.], relied heavily on our state headquarters and other supporting commands to assist with mobilizing soldiers, moving equipment and taking care of families while their loved-one was away. It was truly a statewide effort.

The 2nd Brigade, [as] Task Force Red Bulls, conducted a complex mission in a very challenging part of the world. For only the second time in recent memory, a National Guard brigade combat team assumed responsibility for “battlespace” in Afghanistan. From the relative peace of Panjshir province, to the complex operations of Bagram Air Field and the instabilities of Laghman Province, Iowa National Guard Soldiers distinguished themselves in accomplishing their mission.

They participated in one of the largest airborne assaults and clearing operations conducted by the 101st Airborne Division, doing so without suffering any battlefield injuries. They established a new district center in the Galush valley bringing security and government services to a remote population threatened by Taliban insurgents.

They hunted down and removed high value targets from the battlefield, helping to lessen roadside bomb and rocket attacks on our forces. They worked to train Afghan soldiers and police officers, doing so with the unique skills that only a citizen-soldier can provide.

With only a few hours to prepare, they flew into a dangerous corner of Nuristan Province with their Afghan National Army partners to reclaim a police station overrun by Taliban insurgents. Though outnumbered, these Red Bull soldiers fought off a determined enemy force for more than eight hours. Reinforced by U.S. Special Forces and Afghan Commando elements, they retook the district center, and suffered no friendly casualties.

When the call came out to secure a downed helicopter, it was Iowa Red Bull soldiers who responded, helping to stop insurgents from overrunning the crash site and allowing friendly forces to recover the crew.

And perhaps most importantly, TF Red Bulls led the way in developing transition plans for much of its area of responsibility including Panjshir and Parwan Provinces as well as the Mehtar Lam municipality. These were critical steps in preparing these areas to assume greater responsibility for their own security, development efforts and governance.

While Task Force Red Bulls was securing its corner of Afghanistan, the 734th Agri-business Development Team, also known as Task Force Hawkeye, was busy conducting operations in Kunar Province. This joint Iowa Army and Air National Guard team initiated or expanded demonstration farms in six different districts; they implemented Veterinary Outreach Sustainment Programs which helped Afghan veterinarians treat nearly 40,000 head of livestock; they underwrote the planting of more than 70,000 trees for orchards and reforestation; they facilitated, or conducted training of hundreds of Afghan men and women on tree nurseries, orchard planting, greenhouse growing, row crop production, veterinary professional development, and basic livestock care; they funded cash-for-work canal cleaning projects that made possible the irrigation of thousands of acres of agricultural land; and through their Female Engagement Team launched a range of micro-entrepreneurial projects for Afghan women including soap-making, in-home sewing and small-scale poultry production.

Because of the unique nature of the Ag Development Team’s mission, several Iowa organizations provided support to their deployment by assisting them with pre-mobilization training and reach-back capability while they were in Afghanistan. I want to mention and thank the following organizations for their assistance and support to this important mission:

• The Iowa Department of Agriculture
• Iowa State University
• Living History Farms
• The Agribusiness Association of Iowa
• The Amish community in Edgewood, Iowa
• Coe College
• Cutting Edge Martial Arts in Washington, Iowa, and
• White Oak Vineyards

The 132nd Fighter Wing was also busy supporting overseas contingency operations. They provided five, F-16 aircraft and 54 airmen to assist another fighter wing with its Air Expeditionary Force rotation to Afghanistan and sent 34 expeditionary combat support airmen to 11 locations in Southwest Asia.

This past year, the wing flew more than 3,700 hours, which is 103 percent of their allocated flying hours, doing so with the lowest funded maintenance package in the Air National Guard. Because of this, they have the second lowest cost per flying hour compared to all ANG F-16 units and are the only Air National Guard wing to reduce energy costs four straight years. Perhaps most impressive and important is their safety record. They have amassed a phenomenal record of nearly 94,000 flight hours without a serious mishap and have one of the best maintenance groups in the Air Force as demonstrated by winning the 2011 Air National Guard Maintenance Effectiveness Award.

The Des Moines Airbase’s 132nd Distributed Training Operations Center provides daily tactical Distributed Mission Operations training events on 18 types of weapons systems to nearly 70 different sites across the country. Last year, this one-of-a-kind capability supported 4,700 events, trained 9,600 war fighters and fulfilled over 20,000 training requirements, providing a significant cost savings to the Department of Defense training budget.

In Sioux City, the 185th Air Refueling Wing built on its outstanding record by winning the Airlift Tanker Association's Maj. Gen. Stanley F.H. Newman Award for being the best tanker wing in the country.

They deployed 370 airmen in support of contingency operations at 24 overseas and two stateside locations including two simultaneous deployments to Al Udeid Air Force Base in Qatar and Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. As one of the first Air National Guard units tasked to support hostilities occurring in Libya, they flew nearly 590 hours during 65 missions in which they provided more than two million pounds of fuel to aircraft supporting Operations Odyssey Dawn and Unified Protector.

They conducted three, two-week Aero-Medical Evacuations missions out of Bagram Air Field. helping to evacuate 177 wounded warriors from combat operations in Afghanistan. They also flew three air evacuation missions stateside, safely transporting 75 critical care patients throughout the United States, and executed seven missions in the Pacific theater evacuating more than 100 injured patients from that area.

While we are grateful so many of our Iowa National Guard Warriors have returned home after a busy year of deployments, we must not forget those still recovering from injury or illness related to their mobilizations. More than 100 of our wounded warriors are still receiving medical care, either at military treatment facilities across the country or from health care providers in their local communities. For us, these deployments are not truly over until the last of our wounded Warriors return home. It is our solemn obligation to keep faith with those who served and sacrifice and ensure they receive all the support and assistance they require.

On the domestic response front, we provided Iowa National Guard assistance to combat unprecedented flooding along the Missouri river. While not our largest state response mission, it was by far our longest, lasting more than 100 days. During the course of this emergency, we put nearly 1,000 soldiers and airmen on State Active Duty to assist.

Starting in May, we provided a UH-60 “Blackhawk” helicopter through a mutual-assistance mission to help local authorities place large sandbags in the Dakota Dunes area of Southeastern South Dakota.

In support of the Homeland Security Emergency Management Division, we set up a Joint Task Force and dispatched Iowa National Guard alumni to coordinate with county-level civilian emergency managers and officials. We also dispatched Critical Infrastructure Assessment Teams, which consists of uniformed National Guard personnel familiar with civil constructions topics, to provide assessments on ongoing infrastructure issues.

Starting June 4, levee breaches in Missouri required the mandatory evacuation of 600 citizens from Hamburg, Iowa. We provided helicopter support to place sandbags to shore up the failing levees. On June 10, we provided Iowa Air and Army National Guard personnel to monitor levees in Sioux City and Pottawattamie and Mills Counties. By the mid-August operational peak, we had approximately 284 Guard members on duty to support civil flood response efforts. When five inches of rain and hail in the Council Bluffs area caused local flooding, we provided six high-water tactical vehicles to assist with emergency rescue operations, helping to evacuate 24 children from a school bus stalled in four feet of water, as well as seven people and two pets.

One reason we’ve been able to maintain our position as a national leader among our fellow states is because of our National Guard Educational Assistance Program (N.G.E.A.P.). This critical recruiting and retention tool helps ensure our readiness. Without it, we couldn’t have mustered the necessary personnel to meet all of our overseas and in-state mobilization requirements over the last 15 years. NGEAP is also a great benefit to our soldiers and airmen. Each year approximately 1,100 to 1,200 of our members attend Iowa colleges and universities through this program. It keeps young people here in the state and through their service in the Iowa National Guard helps deepen their Iowa roots. We greatly appreciate the assistance provided by the Governor, the legislature and the Iowa College Student Aid Commission to ensure we help to meet the education needs of our Iowa National Guard Warriors in exchange for their service to our state.

Most of our members come back from deployment and return to what they were doing before they left. They return to work, go back to the farm, enroll in school or pursue new opportunities. However, some find this transition difficult. They may have been unemployed or underemployed before deploying or returned to find their positions eliminated due to the economic downturn. Others may simply want a new challenge after their deployment experience. Whatever the reason, nearly 10 percent of our returning Warriors are looking for work. And we have an obligation to help.

Working with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (E.S.G.R.) and our Job Connection Education program, we are actively working to assist our soldiers, airmen and their spouses to find gainful employment. We have partnered with Iowa Workforce Development and local human resource management groups to assist our members. Through this process we have developed a one day course designed to assist returning service members searching for work. We assist them with writing resumes and cover letters in order to translate their military experience into meaningful civilian skills. We work on interviewing techniques and practice interviewing skills and we prepare them for job fairs.

Through our partnerships with Iowa Workforce Development, we have placed computers kiosks in our armories to assist our members with finding and applying for job openings. Last October we supported with other state and federal agencies a veterans’ job fair and have begun posting job openings, targeting veterans on websites like the National Guard’s Jobs Connection Education Program and Employer Partnership.

Despite our largest deployment since World War II and the lengthiest state mobilization in recent memory, the Iowa National Guard continued to demonstrate the performance and promise of your hometown military. Regardless of the challenge, we will remain “Always Ready and Always There” for the citizens of our great state and the defense of America.

The future remains uncertain. As the challenges of the last 10 years fade, new ones are sure to emerge. Budget constraints and shifting priorities will impact how we operate and what we are asked to do in the years ahead. Despite these challenges, the Iowa National Guard will remain “Mission Focused and Warrior Ready.”

On behalf of our soldiers, airmen and their families, I want to thank you for this opportunity to provide an assessment of the Iowa National Guard. We are so grateful for the continued support we receive from the general assembly, the governor, lieutenant governor, and the citizens of Iowa.

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

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.

Red Bull Funeral, Fund-raiser Updates

JAMES A. JUSTICE FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS ANNOUNCED
A member of the Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Staff Sgt. James A. Justice, 32, of Grimes was killed April 23 during a mission to help recover a downed U.S. Army helicopter in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan. Also injured in the mission was Spc. Zachary H. Durham, 21, of Des Moines.

Services will begin with a visitation from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tues., May 3, at the IKM-Manning Middle School gymnasium, 755 Main St., Manilla, Iowa. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m. for visitation prior to funeral), Wednesday, May 4, IKM-Manning High School gymnasium, 209 10th St., Manning. Graveside service and burial will be conducted at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. at a later date.

Memorials may be made to:

James Justice Benefit Account
c/o Veridian Credit Union
5910 University Ave.
West Des Moines, Ia., 50266

*****

BENEFIT PLANNED FOR INJURED 1-168th INF. SOLDIERS
A "Military Family Benefit" will be held Sat., May 7, from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at the Iowa Army National Guard armory in Red Oak. The event benefits the families of 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment soldiers injured or killed April 11 in an Improvised Explosive Device attack Paktiya Province, Afghanistan.

Killed in the attack was Spc. Brent M. Maher, 32, of Honey Creek, Iowa, posthumously promoted to sergeant. Wounded in the attack were:

• Sgt. 1st Class Nicholas Jedlicka, 31, of Council Bluffs.
• Spc. Justin Christiansen, 24, of Nebraska City, Neb.
• Spc. Dustin Morrison, 20, of New Market, Iowa.

The event will include a $5 spaghetti dinner, silent auction, raffle, and a disc jockey.

Address for the Iowa National Guard Armory in Red Oak is:

RR1 Park West Road Old HWY 34

Red Oak, Iowa 51566

Monetary donations may be made to any Bank Iowa branch office under the "Military Family Benefit / Barb Lombard" account.

For Facebook page regarding the event, click here.

*****

EASTERN IOWANS RAISE FUNDS FOR INJURED IRONMAN
According to posts on its Facebook event page, approximately 1,350 people attended an April 23 benefit for Spc. Adam Eilers, 21, held at the Lakeside Ballroom, Guttenberg, Iowa. The Garber, Iowa soldier was injured in a Feb. 21 IED attack in Laghman Province, Afghanistan. Also injured in the attack were:

• Spc. Caleb Redell, 22, of Erie, Ill.
• Pfc. Andrew Zimmerman, 20, of Camanche.

All three soldiers are members of the Iowa National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry "Ironman" Regiment 1-133rd Inf.).

The event included a hog roast, auction and silent auction, a bake sale, and dance. At times, the ballroom was stuffed to near capacity, as well-wishers chatted with Eilers family and friends, while listening to the patter of auctioneer Jim Funk of Guttenberg. In a sample 5-minute period, Funk helped sell everything from Green Bay Packers tickets, a weekend in a secluded cabin resort, a child's 18-inch bicycle painted in John Deere green and yellow, and a stuffed duck that seemed nearly as big as a prize-winning pig.

Eilers is currently in physical and speech therapy at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Minnesota.

Monetary donations continue to be accepted at:

Adam Eilers Benefit Fund
c/o Garnavillo Savings Bank
P.O. Box 100
Garnavillo, IA 52049

Iowa Red Bull Soldier Killed in Laghman Province

Spc. Donald L. Nichols, 21, of Shell Rock, Iowa, was killed by an Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.) during a routine mounted patrol in Afghanistan's Mehtar Lam District, Laghman Province. The incident occurred approximately 11 a.m. local time, Wed., April 13. The other occupant of the four-wheeled armored vehicle at the time, Spc. Timothy R. Gourd, 24, of Prescott, was injured in the attack. Two other passengers had previously dismounted and were outside the vehicle when the blast occurred.

Iowa National Guard officials made the public announcement at a 7 p.m., Thurs., April 14, press conference at Camp Dodge, Johnston.

Both soldiers are members of Headquarters and Headquarters Company (H.H.C.), 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Waterloo.

Nichols' is the second death of a soldier assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division since the 2,800-member unit arrived in Afghanistan last November. The first was Sgt. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, Iowa, who was deployed 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.). Maher was also killed earlier this week by an IED attack, but in Paktiya Province.

The Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV, pronounced "M.A.T.V.") involved in Wednesday's incident is one of the newest and most-advanced types of wheeled armored vehicles in the U.S. Army inventory. During the press conference, guard officials said the initial information they received did not indicate that there was a gunner in the vehicle at the time of the attack, and did not indicate there was any type of attack other than the explosive device.

Nichols was an Infantry soldier, and a member of the 1-133rd Infantry's scout platoon--a smaller group of soldiers within the battalion, who are specially trained in "sneak and peak" reconnaissance missions. Cadet Andrew Brown of Atlantic, Iowa, was an enlisted scout team leader who served with Nichols before the deployment. "[The scouts were] usually your soldiers who were in better physical shape," he said at the Thursday night press conference. "The 'best of the best,' so to speak."

Brown recalled Nichols as a quick-to-laugh, eager-to-learn soldier. "He always had his notebook out," Brown said. Egged on by Nichols, some of the scouts would routinely conduct all-night poker sessions during drill weekends.

In a written statement made through the Iowa National Guard, the Nichols family said, in part: "We are deeply saddened by our loss, but extremely proud of the honorable way he served America as a leader in the U.S. Army. We will remember him, his sense of humor, his 'snarky' attitude, and his love for his family, friends and his country, with great pride."

According to a report earlier in the day by the Des Moines (Iowa) Register, flags at Waverly-Shellrock High School flew at half-staff in honor of Nichols, who was a 2009 graduate of the school.

Nichols is surved by his mother and father, Robert and Becky Pook of Waterloo; his father and mother, Jeff and Jeanie Nichols of Shell Rock; his fianceé, Chelsey Bliss of Waverly; and brothers Joe, an Army Reservist currently stationed in Afghanistan but not on the Red Bull deployment, and Nick of Waterloo.

During the press conference, guard spokesman Hapgood complimented Red Bull soldiers' training and professionalism, and urged they remain vigilant until their return to Iowa later this summer.

"Certainly, when you have 2,800 soldiers in Afghanistan harm's way, every day, we count our blessings that they've had not only a very successful mission, but a very safe mission," said Hapgood. "Up until now, we've only evacuated 12 soldiers with injuries, prior to this week. I think that's very much indicative of the training these soldiers have received, and their expertise at what they do."

"Suffice it to say, it's an extremely dangerous place," he told reporters. "One thing that we stress with our soldiers during a deployment is that, regardless of how much time you have left, you can never get complacent. This [IED attack] certainly crystalizes that. You have to constantly maintain awareness of your surroundings, and use every tool at your disposal. Every day over there is dangerous."

Iowa Newspaper Team Arrives Downrange

Despite yesterday's Red Bull Rising blog post, the Omaha World-Herald isn't the only newspaper with a team in Red Bull territory. This week, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register's writer Tony Leys and photographer Rodney White have reportedly arrived in Afghanistan's Paktiya Province, where they'll begin their on-the-ground coverage of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) troops deployed there since November 2010.

The Register's "Iowa National Guard" blog has long appeared in the Red Bull Rising blog-roll, at right. Leys and White will continue to update the blog with snapshots of soldierly life, duty, and downtime downrange. There's an improved graphic interface featuring the newspaper's past and present coverage of the deployment here. Readers can also follow some of the newspaper's deployment coverage via Facebook here.

Paktiya Province is the area of operation for 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.), headquartered in Council Bluffs.

Unlike other 2-34th BCT units, which are operating at "Task Force Red Bulls" in Parwan, Panjshir, Laghman, and other contiguous provinces, the Council Bluffs unit falls under Task Force Duke, an active-duty organization centered on the guidon of 3rd BCT, 1st Infantry Division (3-1st BCT), of Fort Knox, Kent. Previously in the Iowa National Guard deployment, 1-168th Inf. answered to the 3rd BCT, 101st Airborne Division's (3-101st BCT) Task Force Rakkasan.

While still settling into his own reportorial rhythm, Leys seems to be picking up on a typically Iowan confident-but-cautious vibe. Take for example, this excerpt of his Mar. 16 report:

The battalion’s commander, Lt. Col. Steve Boesen, said the next few months will be a major test of American and Afghan government efforts to protect civilians from the Taliban. “I think we’re going to see some of the heaviest fighting we’ve ever seen in Afghanistan this summer,” he said. “And my guys will be at the tip of the spear.”

However, several soldiers said they don’t want folks back home to get an exaggerated impression of the violence they face.

Armored trucks have hit roadside bombs, and Iowa platoons have been in a few firefights. “But it’s not like we’re storming the beaches of Normandy every day,” said Spec. Josh Gottschalk, a medic from Minden.

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.).

Transitions, Transitions

Benjamin Franklin once famously said, "Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days."

The same thing goes for replacement troops.

When the new guys come to town to take over a mission, the Army calls it a "RIP-TOA" (pronounced "rip-towah"). The conjoined-acronym stands for a "Relief in Place" and "Transfer of Authority."

In theory, there's supposed to be plenty of time scheduled for a "left-seat, right-seat" ride, when the old guys show the new guys around. They drive their successors around for a few days, introducing them to the people with whom they'll be working. Then, they take the proverbial right-hand seat, answering any remaining questions, and let the new guy drive.

In practice, however, there's not always time enough for a good transition. The Army Transportation Fairy is a fickle beast, for example. There are plenty of war stories about replacements shaking hands with their predecessors while passing on the tarmac. One gets off the aircraft, the other gets on. Sometimes, they don't meet at all.

Of course, you can have too much togetherness, too.

"It's like having family over for an extended holiday dinner," brigade commander Col. Ben Corell warned his staff back in August, while his 2nd Brigade Command Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division had not even yet left for Afghanistan. "They're going to be looking at us thinking we're all dorked up and never going to get it right, and we're going to be looking at them wishing they would just leave so that we can get on with doing this mission."

Iowa National Guard spokespeople have said the Red Bull would be in place not later than Thanksgiving. Recently, Vermont National Guard officials announced that most members of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team would be home before Christmas. The transition is obviously well under way. In some places, it may even be complete: Task Force Lethal--made up of Red Bull soldiers from 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment (1/168th Inf.) and others--recently conducted a Transfer of Authority ceremony at Forward Operating Base Gardez, Paktya Province.

Back in August, Corell's objectives were simple: No degradation of capability during the hand-offs between units, with a seamless transition apparent to both outside and inside observers.

Here's hoping that your Thanksgiving holiday went just as smoothly ...

*****

Here's yet another Red Bull blog! Titled "From the Home Front to the Front Line," the blog is co-written by a deployed Red Bull soldier Jake and his wife Emily. This is their second deployment, and they are full of good words and good humor.

As Emily wrote, back in 2000: "Childbirth and skydiving seem like cake to this relationship!"

The picture of a Kevlar-cradled baby is alone worth the price of admission, and I have shamelessly borrowed it here. Emily and Jake invite others to remember our fellow Red Bull families with the words of Psalm 91.

I've listed the blog temporarily under "Love, Honor & Support" until I revise my blog-roll categories in the next few weeks. Perhaps we'll find more Red Bull bloggers?

*****

Speaking of which, if you are a Red Bull soldier or family member who would also like to publicly share a deployment-related blog, please let me know at: sherpa [at] redbullrising.com.

If you are a Red Bull soldier or family member interested in sharing your written thoughts or words about the deployment in the form of a guest blog-post, please let me know at the same address.

Along those lines, I am pleased to announce that former Afghan trainer Jeff Courter, author of the book "Afghan Journal" and the blog "Life, Love & Truth," will present a guest-post on Red Bull Rising next Monday. Courter isn't a Red Bull soldier. After this, however, we might have to make him an honorary one.

He's going to write about the value of the Army values in pursuing the Afghan mission.

Think of it as our own "left-seat, right-seat" ride ...