Guard Medico: 25% of Vermont Deployers have PTSD

According to news reports, a medical spokesperson for the Vermont National Guard claims that 25 percent of that state's citizen-soldiers deployed to Afghanistan in 2009-2010 may be diagnosable with various symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P.T.S.D.). Approximately 3,000 Vermonters deployed to Afghanistan with 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.). One of those soldiers, Pfc. Joshua Pallotta, 25, committed suicide last month. His family cites PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (T.B.I.), injuries sustained during his deployment.

"We want people to know that our son took his life because he was struggling with PTSD that he couldn't get out of, he couldn't see another way out and we just don't wan't this to happen to another veteran ever again," his mother Valerie Pallotta told WCAX-TV in this Sept. 29 story.

An Oct. 3 news report from TV station WPTZ reads:

Col. Martin Lucenti, the Vermont Guard's chief medical officer, said earlier this year that about 25 percent of the 3,000 soldiers who were part of the Guard's 2010 deployment to Afghanistan have PTSD symptoms of varying degrees. [...]

Lucenti said another Guard suicide since Josh's is under investigation. Over the past decade, guard officials have tallied 10 suicides; nine from the Army side and one from the Air side, he said.

Lucenti estimated about 25 percent of service members returning from deployments have experienced some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. While that is a contributing risk factor to suicide, medical and behavioral health experts said there are many other risk factors, including stressors like employment, housing, and alcohol and drug abuse.

The 86th BCT was one of only three U.S. National Guard brigade-sized units ever to manage full-spectrum operations for assigned provinces while deployed to Afghanistan. The unit was followed in 2010-2011 by Iowa's 2nd BCT, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, and in 2011-2012 by Oklahoma's 45th Infantry "Thunderbird" BCT. The units' areas of responsibility included varying configurations of provinces within Eastern Afghanistan.

Pallotta served as a mortarman in Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry, a unit headquartered in Jericho, Vt. Again according to news reports, most of his deployment was spent at Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya Province, along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. At least two Vermont soldiers lost their lives fighting there in August 2010: Sgt. Tristan Southworth, 21, of Walden, Vt. and Sgt. Steven Deluzio, 21, of Glastonbury, Conn.

Pallotta committed suicide Sept. 23, 2014. A funeral was conducted Sept. 29.

Working together with the non-profit Blue Star Mothers of Vermont, the family has created a fund to assist citizen-soldiers who have been diagnosed with PTSD and/or TBI. The postal mailing address is: P.O. Box 195, Bakersfield, VT, 05441. A Facebook page is here. Or visit: www.bluestarmothersofvermont.org

A recent Facebook post by the organization reads, in part:

Donations have been pouring into the Josh Pallotta Fund, which will be used to help our Vermont Veterans who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. For those who would like to donate through our website, the donation page has now been set up so you can designate specifically where your donation will be targeted. For those who have already donated, please be assured that those donations have been targeted specifically to the Josh Fund. Acknowledgement letters will be sent out as soon as possible. The Pallotta family and the Blue Star Mothers of Vermont are humbled by the support that is being received.

An oft-cited 2012 Veterans Affairs study estimates that up to 22 veterans a day commit suicide. The Pallotta family has also expressed hope that the story of their son would motivate individuals who are considering suicide to instead reach out to resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line.

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

According to the Veterans Crisis Line website:

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

Obituary: Iowa 'Red Bull' Sgt. Jacob Hutchinson, 24

Editor's note:

I didn't know Jacob Hutchinson personally, but I can read the papers. I know you can, too.

I know we once wore the same patches on the same uniform. I know that, in 2010-2011, he deployed to Eastern Afghanistan with Iowa's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division. He was assigned as a member of 2/34 Brigade Special Troops Battalion (2/34th BSTB), and was injured in a May 18, 2011 bomb attack while on vehicular patrol with three other soldiers, also injured, of Iowa's Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment (1-133rd Inf.).

I know that friends of mine have this week called him both a friend, and a fighter. They call him "Hutch" and "Doc." They use the latter term out of respect, and familiarity, and love.

I know that we are losing too many of our soldiers, our veterans, our friends. You expect death in war. You do not expect death at home.

In this moment, I don't know what to else to do but to note his passing by reprinting his obituary. Pray comfort for his family and his friends. Pray for soldiers fighting the same fights. It does not seem like enough, I know. But it is something.

Memorial donations in Hutchinson's name may be made to:

The Center for the Intrepid
3851 Roger Brooke Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78234

*****

OBITUARY: JACOB A. HUTCHINSON

Sgt. Jacob A. Hutchinson, 24, formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died on April 22, 2014 in Bloomington, Ind.

A memorial service with military honors will be held 2:00 p.m. Sat., Apr. 26, 2014 at the First Lutheran Church officiated by the Rev. Steven Knudson. Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m. Fri., Apr. 25 at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids. Inurnment will take place at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery, near Van Meter, at a later date.

Jacob was born March 7, 1990 in Ames, Iowa. He received his associate of arts degree. He served honorably as a combat medic in the Iowa Army National Guard. He sustained an I.E.D. injury while deployed to Afghanistan. He was awarded a Purple Heart medal and a Combat Medic Badge for his service, caring for his fellow soldiers who were also injured. He spent nineteen months at the Center for the Intrepid in Texas, where he underwent more than 20 surgeries. He was a good soldier and took great pride in serving his country.

Jacob enjoyed socializing and was often the life of the party. He never met a stranger, and counted many as his close friends. He enjoyed going to the shooting range, loved working out, and training his dogs.

He is survived by his mother, Sela Gonlubol of Cedar Rapids; sister Maya Gonlubol of Cedar Rapids; maternal grandmother Charlotte Kirkegaard of Osage; aunt Sarah (Mark) Campbell of Osage; uncle Scot (Kenny) Kirkegaard of Dallas, Texas; aunt Ayse Gonlubol (Greg Guthrie) of Beaverton, Oregon; uncle Ali (Lale) Gonlubol of Florida; cousins Christian, Simon, Chloe, Kemal, and Leyla; ex-wife and friend Alexandria Young of Cedar Rapids; his beloved dogs Brownie and Nito; as well as girlfriend Alanna Blake of Bloomington, Indiana.

Jacob was preceded in death by his step-father Ahmet Gonlubol; maternal grandfather the Rev. Anton Kirkegaard; and paternal grandmother Munire Gonlubol.

In Eastern Iowa, Two Exhibits Explore Military Themes

Two current art exhibits in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, present a mix of difficult and challenging images related to military service.

Dan Eldon's "Touching Hands"

The first, an exhibit of the photojournalism of Dan Eldon, depicts the U.S. military in 1990s Somalia, along with scenes of poverty, starvation, and violence. The 23-year-old Eldon was one of four journalists stoned to death by a Somali mob, shortly before the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. That battle was later depicted in both the book and movie "Blackhawk Down."

Eldon's multimedia journals have themselves been talked about as potential feature-film material.

The Eldon photos are part of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art's' ongoing series "The Restless Nation: American Art from the Collection." Alongside artwork on themes of "The Nation Votes" and the "The Nation Settles," Eldon's work explores a theme of "The Nation Wars." Approximately 20 photos are presented.

Photo: Survivors Empowered Through Art, Inc.

The second Cedar Rapids exhibit opened this week at the recently renovated Veterans Memorial Building. There, a Wisconsin-based organization called Survivors Empowered Through Art (SETA) presents a collection of artwork related to sexual assault in the military.

Featured in the exhibit is "Stepping Stones," a path of internally lit glass blocks, on which are illuminated the words and works of survivors of Military Sexual Trauma.

“Our art shows both the struggles of being sexual assault survivors and the journey to healing,” SETA founder Rachel Beauchene recently told the LaCrosse (Wis.) Tribune. “We hope to raise awareness about the epidemic of sexual assault in the military as well as the long-term effects of sexual trauma."

“The art encourages viewers to see sexual assault through a different perspective,” she said.

For more information about the life and work of Dan Eldon, including some on-line photographs, visit here.

For more information about SETA, visit the website here. A Facebook page is here.

M.R.E. Journalism Winners Tell National Guard Stories

In the Military Reporters and Editors' (M.R.E.) 2013 journalism contest, retired Nevada Army National Guard soldier and mil-blogger Steven Ranson has been recognized for his coverage of citizen-soldiers deployed to Afghanistan. Ranson's work was often featured in the Lahontan Valley News of Fallon, Nev., where he is also general manager and editor.

"[Ranson's] prolific coverage of Nevada Guardsmen and women serving in Afghanistan succeeded in what he said was his goal: To 'put a face to the name' while embedding with the units, even paying his own way to the war zone," judges wrote.

Closer to 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (34th Inf. Div.) territory, Minneapolis (Minn.) Star-Tribune reporters Mark Brunswick and McKenna Ewen were recognized runner-up in the 2013 contest's On-Line category. The distinction recognized the team's video coverage of a Wisconsin National Guard soldier's struggles with mental illness and the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital system.

"This well-reported, nicely written news feature and accompanying moving video will leave you infuriated and perplexed about how help was sought — but didn’t come [...]" judges wrote.

"[Iraq War veteran] Blake Uddin was sent home, apparently because it wasn’t felt he was suicidal, and told to return in a week. Days later, he tried hijacking a car and succeeded with another, then wound up pulling over and running in traffic on a busy highway, listening, he said, to the voices in his head.“ He was eventually hit, taken the hospital and arrested. (A judge three months later ruled that Uddin was not responsible for his actions that day because of his mental illness).

For a full list and citations of 2013 contest winners, click here.

Awards will be presented at the organization's annual 2-day conference in Washington, D.C. Also on the conference agenda are panels on:

• "Defense Compensation Reform and the Quadrennial Defense Review
• Authors discuss successful book publication
• "The Asia-Pacific Pivot — strategy and force requirements"
• An off-the-record roundtable with military Public Affairs Officers (P.A.O.)
• "Twice betrayed: Military sexual assault"
• "Women in combat – An update from the services"

For more information on the conference agenda, click here.

Calling it a "Furlough Special," the MRE board of directors recently announced reduced the price of the 2013 conference to $50 for both members and non-members. Click here for registration information.

*****

UPDATE: On Fri., Oct. 11, the MRE organization announced the 2013 conference would be cancelled due to the effects of the continued governmental shutdown on Department of Defense presenters.

Theater Group to Present on Military Sexual Trauma

The Telling Project, an Austin, Texas-based non-profit organization that has presented more than 20 grassroots theatrical presentations of veterans' military experiences nationwide since 2007, has announced a play focused on sexual assault in the military. Titled "Uniform Code," the play will premiere January 2014 at the Library of Congress' Coolidge Auditorium in Washington, D.C.

The group is currently fund-raising toward a $50,000 goal toward the play's production.

Organizers see the event as an opportunity to inform both the public and policy-makers: "The U.S. military has seen a thirty-nine percent rise in reported incidences of [Military Sexual Trauma, or M.S.T.] since 2010. Congress is currently deliberating on our nation's way forward in addressing this critical situation."

According to a project description on the crowd-funding website Indiegogo:

The Telling Project will bring a cast of [Military Sexual Trauma] survivors and survivors' family members to Washington, D.Cc to develop, rehearse and premiere UNIFORM CODE. UNIFORM CODE will be these individuals telling their own stories, a three-act, play constructed through interview, transcription and scripting, rehearsal and ultimately performance [...]

$50,000 will bring the cast and critical staff to Washington, D.C. for the two weeks necessary to assemble this performance. It will pay for the best artistic, production and promotion personnel that the vibrant District of Columbia theatre scene has to offer. And it will underwrite an outreach campaign through congressional offices, constituents and networks inviting, urging and, where necessary, pressuring congressional representatives to attend the premiere of UNIFORM CODE.

For more information and updates, visit the group's Indiegogo project page, or visit the Telling Project website.

In 2011, the Telling Project presented "Telling: Iowa City." In 2012, it presented "Telling: Des Moines." Iowa Public Radio interviewed a portion of the cast and crew here. One of three announced 2014 productions will be conducted at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis; details are pending.

Program Celebrates Purple Heart History, Recipients

A program celebrating veterans who have received the Purple Heart medal will be held on Sat., Aug. 10, from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. at the Iowa Gold Star Museum, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. A complimentary lunch will be served, provided by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Fareway Stores.

The medal was first created by Gen. George Washington on Aug. 7, 1782. Originally called the "Badge of Military Merit," the award recognized an individual soldier's bravery and fidelity. In keeping with that history, an image of Washington appears on the modern heart-shaped medal, and the words "for military merit" appear on the reverse. The award is presented to members of the U.S. armed forces, regardless of branch of service, who have been wounded or killed by enemy actions during combat operations.

For more facts about the Purple Heart, click here.

The "Purple Heart Day: Celebrating Iowa Veterans" program will be led by Navy veteran Larry Spencer, a Purple Heart recipient and former prisoner of war. Vocalist Shawna Beeman will sing the National Anthem. Pastor Craig Ferguson of the Johnston River of Life church will provide the invocation.

Speakers scheduled include:

• Douglas Biggs, professor at the University of Nebraska, Kearney, Neb.
• Tony Powers, former WHO-TV broadcaster, author, Purple Heart recipient, Vietnam War veteran
• Matt Harvey, director of Fort Des Moines (Iowa) Museum and Education Center
• Mary Ellen White, nurse in Vietnam at Long Binh, 1967

After the program, Powers will also be available to sign his books, which include mysteries featuring a Vietnam-era veteran protagonist. His titles include "Murder On the Opinion Page," and "1st & Dead"

According a news release, attendees are also invited to tour the museum:

The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum’s permanent exhibits tell the stories of Iowans who have served in defense of their state and nation, from the early settlement of the state in the 1840s to present day. An extensive exhibit honors the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division, which holds the distinction of serving the most continuous days in combat of any division in the European Theater of Operation during World War II.

The museum is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays. Admission is free.

'Grimm Fairy Tales' Comic Benefits Wounded Warriors

"Grimm Fairy Tales Wounded Warriors Special" (Cover A) by Zenescope Entertainment

Grimm Fairy Tales
2013 Wounded Warriors Special
Cover A

Huey helicopters don't have three blades. Marines don't call themselves "soldiers." Still, while military veterans might get all kit-picky about some of the artwork and vocabulary, for the most part, this one-shot special issue of the comic book Grimm Fairy Tales hits the right targets. And it's aimed at a good cause.

The storyline features some familiar fast-tropes: Supernatural Good Gal "Sela" gets knocked out of commission on Page 8. Marines have to protect and evacuate her safely. Meanwhile, despite demon-powered hordes harking at the gates, a CIA operative debates the lead sergeant regarding what's at stake, and what it means to sacrifice.

In a must-read one-page editorial facing the story's end-page, Zenescope Entertainment President Joe Brusha double-taps the moral:

As a parent, I can barely imaging sending my child off to a foreign land to serve our nation, where they would be in almost constant peril. But countless families do that every day. Not all of those children come home. Some of those that do return come back with mental and physical injuries that no person should ever have to endure.

Proceeds from the $6.99 book will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The issue first hit comic book store stands on Wed., July 24, 2013. The issue may also be available via Amazon and other online retailers. Digital download is available via Comixology.

Grimm Fairy Tales
2013 Wounded Warriors Special
Cover C

On a lighter note, I purchased the cheesecake pinup Cover A by Sean Chen and Ivan Nunes. Thanks to them, I will never look at flak jackets in the same way again. Had it been available at my local store, however, I might've opted for Jamal Igle and Simon Gough's equally blouse-popping Cover C, which features a fatigue-wearing Sela dropping the devil for push-ups.

"Drop and give me 20 eons"?! And you thought Boot Camp was hell ...

*****

An earlier draft of this review was posted at the iFanboy comics website here.

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

April 23 Fund-raiser for Injured Red Bull Soldier

A permanent "Help Our Soldiers" web page has newly been posted on the Red Bull Rising blog. (Click here for link). During its deployment to Afghanistan, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division has experienced two combat deaths, and eight combat injuries reported by the media.

The web page was inspired by Red Bull Rising readers, who had asked for specific names and news of injured soldiers for inclusion in prayer or meditation. Wherever possible, the page also includes notices of fund-raising, memorial, and other events. For example:

Cpl. Adam Eilers, 21, of Garber, was one of three soldiers wounded in Afghanistan's Laghman Province during a Feb. 21 Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.) attack. Eliers is a member of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Battalion.

As of Feb. 23, Eilers was reported to be located at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. In subsequent news reports, family members indicated injuries to Eilers' brain, liver, spleen, and stomach.

A fundraiser event on behalf of the Eilers family is scheduled for 4 to 8 p.m., Sat., April 23, at the Lakeside Ballroom, 1202 N 4th St, Guttenberg, Iowa. The event includes a free-will donation pork-sandwich dinner, raffle, and auction. The auction will begin at 6 p.m. A dance will follow at 9 p.m., cover charge $5.

For more information, click here for the April 23 event's Facebook listing.

Send monetary donations to:

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

There have certainly been more than eight combat injuries on the deployment. As of April 14, for example, Iowa National Guard officials noted that a total of 12 Iowa "Red Bull" soldiers had been medically evacuated from Afghanistan. Further, this number does not reflect any evacuations having taken place within the 1st Squadron, 134th Cavalry Regiment (1-134th Cav.), a Nebraska Army National Guard unit taking part in the 2-34th BCT deployment.

To the general public, updates on injured soldiers can seem arbitrary and sporadic. Initial reports can take hours or days to process and validate. Then, there are privacy concerns. According to Iowa and Nebraska National Guard spokepeople, medical statuses of injured soldiers are not officially releasable unless soldiers have authorized disclosure of private medical information.

Also, healing and recovery can take weeks, months, and even years. There's a difference between the public's want to know and an individual's need to heal. Each soldier and family must focus on their own priorities, and on their own timelines.

Consider this media morality tale from Staff. Sgt. John Kreisel, a 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (1-34th BCT) soldier who in 2006 lost both legs in an IED attack in Iraq. In "Still Standing: The Story of SSG John Kriesel," Kriesel tells of taking a media call on Christmas Day 2006, when he was still in an Army hospital:

Nothing is ever perfect in this crazy world, and even this perfect day suffers a blemish when a news reporter manages to call my room, doing a "Christmas wrap-up on Minnesotans in the War." After agreeing to not ask about Bryan [McDonough] or Corey [Rystad], she jumps right into asking how I feel today about losing two close friends. I start to respond and break down in tears. Pulling myself together, we redo the interview after she promises me that she will not use the part where I choked up. Of course, when it hits the air, my crying is the focus of the story. [p. 171]

Send event notices and news items, updates and corrections regarding the "Help Our Soldiers" page to: sherpa [AT] redbullrising.com.

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 Red Bull Soldier Killed in Paktiya Province

Spc. Brent M. Maher, 31, of Honey Creek, Iowa, was killed while on a routine mounted combat patrol in Eastern Afghanistan's Paktiya Province Mon., April 11. His death was announced by Iowa National Guard officials at a 9 p.m. Tuesday press conference at Camp Dodge, Johnston.

The 32,000-pound "Cougar" mine-resistant vehicle was reportedly rolled over by what Iowa guard spokesman Col. Gregory Hapgood described as a "sizeable" Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.). Maher had been seated in the gunner's position--most likely manning a machine gun in a small, lightly armored cupola located atop the vehicle--when the bomb detonated under the vehicle.

The task of gunner is commonly regarded as one of the more dangerous positions on a mounted patrol. "It takes an amazing amount of personal courage to be willing to get up there and do that gunner job everyday," said Hapgood. "You look at Spc. Maher--just a remarkable young man, well-trained, loved what he did, loved his country, and loved his family. Despite the risks, he was willing to do that, every day."

Also 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.

Medical statuses of the wounded soldiers were not available at the conference. All four soldiers were assigned to the Iowa Army National Guard's Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168 Infantry Regiment (1-168th Inf.). The company is headquartered in Shenandoah.

Maher's former squad leader, Staff. Sgt. Anthony Karr, described Maher as a shirt-off-his-back, go-to soldier. "I would always go to him, because he would get the job done," Karr said at the press conference. Before joining the Iowa Army National Guard as an infantry soldier, Maher had previously served in the U.S. Navy for a total military career of 11 years. During Maher's mid-tour leave from Afghanistan, Karr said, Maher had voluntarily traveled to the Shenandoah armory to take a physical fitness test, working toward a promotion.

Maher will be posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant, Iowa guard officials said. Maher is the 20th combat death of an Iowa National Guard member since 2003.

In his civilian life, Maher was a 1998 graduate of Farragut (Iowa) High School, and had attended Metropolitan Community College, Omaha. He was employed by Woodhouse Auto Family, Omaha. He is survived by his wife Brenna M. Maher, Honey Creek; daughters Elizabeth and Hannah Rose, and son, Matthew Douglas, 8. Through the Iowa National Guard, the family issued a statement asking for privacy while it prepares to receive Maher's body:

We are proud of Brent's accomplishments and those of his fellow Iowa National Guard soldiers and all of the military serving our country. We are forever grateful to the United States military for providing Brent with the opportunities he has experienced for the past 11 years. Brent was making a difference in the lives of the Afghan people, and was proud of it. As shocked as we are by his death, we are deeply appreciative of the outpouring of support shown by his fellow soldiers, his family, his friends, and the community during this difficult time.

Hapgood also expressed empathy for Maher's fellow soldiers. "Losing one soldier is one too many," he said. "It's difficult to lose a buddy and then go back to work the next day."

The 1-168th Inf. is part of the Iowa National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) deployment to Afghanistan. The 600-soldier battalion arrived in Paktiya Province in November 2010, and currently operates under "Task Force Duke," which is organized around the active-duty Army's 3rd BCT, 1st Infantry Division (3-1st BCT). Operating as "Task Force Lethal," the 1-168th Inf. mission is to assist the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and its national security forces to improve conditions toward security, governance, and development in the province.

A portion of Paktiya borders the country of Pakistan, and the area is not contiguous with other provinces for which the 2-34th BCT's "Task Force Red Bulls" is responsible.

Review: 'Still Standing'

'Still Standing: The Story of SSG John Kriesel' by John Kriesel with Jim Kosmo

Minnesota Army National Guard soldier John Kriesel deployed to Iraq in 2006 as part of the 1st Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (1-34th BCT). In December of that year, an Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D) large enough to take out a Bradley armored personnel carrier instead detonated under Kriesel's decidedly less-hardy Humvee. He lost both legs, and two buddies.

This is more than a war story, or a medical memoir. This is a story of a family.

There is heroism here, and humor, with equal helpings of grace and grit. Buddies stop by before an unconscious Kriesel is evacuated from Iraq, and mark their visits by handing off their combat patches to attending nurses. Kriesel's wife works at a global logistics firm, and its employees repeatedly deliver the Kriesels help: expedited passport, Christmas gifts, donated vacation time. In the hospital, an upbeat Kriesel announces he'd like to meet President George W. Bush: "Here's the deal," he tells visitors. "I'm not mad at the president; I love the guy slightly less than I love my wife. I just want to meet him and say thanks for supporting us." [p. 156]

Together with former newspaper journalist Jim Kosmo, Kriesel has written well-paced and engaging account of his experiences in the National Guard. He puts a random IED blast in context of a whole career, and of a continuing commitment to country and community. Readers walk away not only with insights into the high-tech, high-touch medical system that supports U.S. wounded warriors, but also a sense of what any citizen-soldier may face on any deployment, and after any homecoming. Consider:

"In this room full of some of the closest friends I'll ever have, I feel alone," Kriesel says of his arrival in Iraq. "The toughest part of this job isn't leaving the wire and heading into danger, it is realizing what you left at home." [p. 74]

"I'm a lucky guy in many, many ways [...]" he tells a crowd of Minnesota friends, family, and well-wishers after his recovery. "I will never look at any day the same again as long as I live. Each day I get to tuck my kids into bed and kiss them goodnight, and to kiss my wife goodnight. That is a gift!" [p. 232]

Written mostly in first-person (when Kriesel is unconscious, friends and family pick up the story), the book start by covering the usual bases expected of a coming-of-enlistment-age memoir: How I joined the Army; how I deployed for the first time (as a "peacekeeper" to a riotous Kosovo, along with the Iowa Army National Guard's 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment); and how I was almost done with Army until I decided to deploy again.

In Iraq, existence is dusty and life is cheap. Kriesel speaks candidly about how survival seems almost arbitrary: "Our lives may depend on spotting the simple signs set out to warn locals about bomb locations, something as subtle as a brick turned at a different angle, a pop bottle on the ground where there had been none yesterday, or a dead animal." [p. 111]

Midway through the book, when the bomb goes off under his truck, Kriesel reports that the sound of the blast isn't all that loud. Or maybe it's so loud it's quiet. Like the "ringing in your ears a couple of hours after leaving a super-loud concert."

As a writer, Kosmo successfully achieves a balance between providing just enough military-and-medical detail and serving the greater story. In an epilogue, he shares an anecdote of when he workshopped the first few chapters of the book with a group of Twin Cities writers.

[O]ne woman told me I needed to tone down the injuries. She explained that she was a physician working in the emergency room of a nearby hospital and that no one could have survived with the massive injuries I described. I explained that the book was not fiction. But, her comment reminded me of the need to use extreme caution in writing so that your true meaning is clearly understood. [p. 288]

Perhaps in pursuit of such true meanings, Kosmo revisits the voice of Kriesel's wife, Katie, by devoting a short chapter to her words toward the close of the book:

There was a lot of tension between [husband and wife], but it boiled down to was he just didn't know who he was anymore. That caught me off guard. [...] I wish someone had given me some warning that he was going to do that. I had spent so much time holding things together. I expected him to have his life together once we got home. But, instead he went crazy and there was great tension. Looking back I totally understand it, but living though it, I was like, What are you doing? [p. 266]

Today in Minnesota, both Kriesels stand together and on firmer ground. The former citizen-soldier is now a marketing and advertising contractor for the Minnesota National Guard, a motivational speaker, and a state legislator.

"If I can't fight," Kriesel says, "I can still serve."

TV Spots Feature Service Dogs, Iowa Troops

Paws & Effect, a Des Moines, Iowa-based non-profit organization that raises and trains service dogs for Iowa combat veterans, recently launched an award-winning series of four television Public Service Announcements (PSA). Some of the actors featured in the PSAs are actually Iowa National Guard soldiers and airmen, both male and female.

The “We Serve with Honor” Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign depicts how service dogs help veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) negotiate physical and emotional hazards, at home and in public. Copies of these 15- to 30-second television spots are available to media outlets.

Psychiatric service dogs perform such actions as:

• Gently nudging an individual to interrupt flashbacks.
• Keeping others at comfortable distances.
• Checking around corners, and guiding through crowds.

“A service dog is not a pet. It is a medical necessity, just like a crutch, a cane, or a wheelchair,” says PSA writer and director Todd Cerveris of The Woods Productions, New York City. “Some conditions that require service dogs are physical and immediately apparent; others are more hidden. Both deserve to be respected.”

According to the organization, handlers of psychiatric service dogs--and service-dogs-in-training--are granted access rights in the state of Iowa identical to that of handlers of seeing-eye dogs, which enjoy a longer history of recognition and acceptance by the public.

The campaign was officially launched at a Mar. 28 event held at the Gold Star Museum, Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. “So many businesses and organizations donated time, talent, and resources to this project, we wanted to celebrate this as a shared achievement,” says Nicole Shumate (“shoe-mayt”), executive director for Paws & Effect. “We also wanted to introduce our next litter of puppies, who will be named and trained in honor of the Iowa National Guard soldiers currently deployed to Afghanistan.”

The campaign recently won a Gold “ADDY” from the Des Moines Chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in the Public Service category, and a Silver “ADDY” in a four-state district comprising Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri AAF chapters. The campaign has advanced to national competition.

“Each year, more than 50,000 entries are submitted to the ADDY awards,” says Kathleen Riessen, 2nd lieutenant governor of AAF District 9. “To be eligible to compete among the top 3,000 nationwide is a huge honor and tribute to the high quality of the work.”

Participants and donors in the “We Serve with Honor” PSA campaign and launch event included:

• Uniform manufacturers Propper International Inc., Weldon Spring, Mo.
• The EnAble and Valor employee resource groups of PepsiCo/Quaker Oats, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
• Hy-Vee grocery store: 5750 Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa.
• Canine Craze Performance Center, 3101 104th St. #3, Urbandale, Iowa.
• Off-duty soldiers and airmen of the Iowa National Guard.

In addition to training service and mobility dogs, Paws & Effect provides “Pet Partners” for animal-assisted therapy and activities. It also regularly conducts agility trials as fund-raisers. Because it is a 501(c)3 organization, donations to Paw & Effect are tax-deductible.

For more information on the Paws & Effect organization, visit: paws-effect.blogspot.com

Selections from the PSA campaign, including "outtakes," can also be viewed at: www.thewoodsproductions.com

Bomb-resistant Truck Saves 3 Red Bull Lives

According to news reports and official releases, three soldiers of the Iowa Army National Guard's 2nd Brigade Combat Team (B.C.T.), 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division (2-34th BCT) were wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device (I.E.D.) attack approximately 11:45 a.m. local Afghan time, Feb. 21 in Laghman Province. All survived, thanks in part to a half-million-dollar truck manufactured by a company based in the American Midwest.

The injured soldiers, all members of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry "Ironman" Regiment (1/133rd Inf.)--currently operating as "Task Force Ironman"--were evacuated to a U.S. military hospital at Bagram Airfield ("BAF") for medical treatment. Bagram is also the location of the 2-34th BCT headquarters. News reports attribute to the soldiers' respective family members that each is at least regarded as medically "stable."

The names of the injured are:

• Cpl. Adam P. Eilers, 23, of Garber, Iowa.
• Spc. Caleb J. Redell, 22, of Erie, Ill.
• Pfc. Andrew Zimmerman, 20, of Camanche, Iowa.

See the Des Moines Register's report regarding the injured soldiers here, and the official Iowa National Guard news release here.

According to a previously released news report from 2-34th BCT, one that overviews the actions of Alpha Company, 1/133rd Inf. since it arrived in Afghanistan last November, Spc. Zimmerman had previously been injured in an IED attack near Watangatu, a village south of Combat Outpost ("COP") Najil. Zimmerman had been briefly knocked unconscious and received stitches to his face following the Nov. 29 attack.

Radio Iowa reports that the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP, pronounced "em-rap") vehicle was a newer, smaller version called an "MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle" (M-ATV, pronounced "M.A.T.V."). The heavily armored M-ATV, manufactured by Osh Kosh Corp. of Osh Kosh, Wis., cost more than $450,000 each, and are designed to deflect bomb blasts away from the crew. "Certainly, this vehicle saved these soldiers' lives," Iowa National Guard Army Col. Greg Hapgood told Radio Iowa.

According to open news sources, COP Najil sits approximately 25 Kilometers to North North-West from Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. It sits at the intersection of the Alishang, Dowlat Shah and Mayl Valleys. In a by-lined Army news report filed during the Christmas holiday season, Army Sgt. Ryan Matson described the Alpha Company outpost as "remote, small, and austere." He continued:

The COP is nestled along the base of a mountain, and there is no flat ground; everywhere the servicemembers walk is on a grade. Living conditions are tough, as water for showering and laundry is limited, and the bathrooms are tubes in the ground. There’s no post exchange to be found here; the soldiers are just happy to have power.

In late December, Alpha Company, 1/133rd Inf. successfully defended COP Najil using close-air support ("CAS," pronounced "caz"), skills it first tested the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. (See earlier Red Bull Rising reports about Alpha Company training here.)

In the 2-34th BCT's only other previously reported combat injury, Sgt. Brian M. Pfeiler of Earlsville, Iowa, was injured in early January after stepping on a landmine in Laghman Province's Qarghayeed District. His right leg was amputated below the knee. Pfeiler is a member of Delta Company, 1/133rd Inf.

Elsewhere in Laghman Province this week, Charlie Company, 1/133rd Inf. supported Afghan National Army personnel in "Operation Brass Monkey," an attempt to locate a specific individual in Parwai village, Alingar District. Army news reports indicate that, while the "high-value target" (H.V.T.) was not located, six other persons of interest were detained. The coalition forces also reportedly located explosive device-making materials and intelligence regarding insurgent operations in the area.

Four Things I Learned from My Uncle Sam

I've recently begun listing off all the lessons I've learned while wearing my country's uniform for more than 20 years. Here's a start:

1. 'LIFE, LIMB, AND EYESIGHT.' EVERYTHING ELSE IS SMALL STUFF.

I wish I'd maintained the clarity and perspective I had after I first deployed. Everything was simple, especially when you applied the criteria used for declaring an "significant event" in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC). Downrange, if a soldier or civilian was at risk of losing life, limb, or eyesight, you had yourself an emergency. It was time to coordinate medevac, move people and equipment, and wake the commander up. Otherwise, it wasn't something to get all spun up about.

It works for parenting, too. Especially after some sort of spill.

2. PLAN BACKWARDS

Here's how backwards planning works: Identify the deadline by which something must happen, then identify in reverse each step required to get there. I once thought this was obvious--until I found myself working on a church committee. The group was headed up by fellow congregant who was a professional "process manager." He was very good at identifying "inputs" and "outputs," and not so very good at setting deadlines. Drove me insane.

The Army teaches you how to avoid the trap of analysis paralysis. State the mission--the who, what, where, when--then, plan to make things happen. Then, make it happen.

3. YOUR TEAM NEEDS MORE TIME THAN YOU (NEED TO) THINK

Also known as the "one-thirds, two-thirds" rule: To optimize their chances of success, your teammates need twice as much time as you will in making the plan. Take one-third of the remaining time for yourself, and allow them two-thirds of the available time for preparation and rehearsal. Give people as much information as you can as early as you can. That way, even if your plans change, they'll be further down the proverbial road than if you had horded information until the last possible moment.

The best plan at the last minute will likely fail, because people need time to make it their own.

4. MAINTAIN NOISE AND LIGHT DISCIPLINE

When we were dating, Household-6 took me on a reunion trip with some former backpacking camp counselors. Given my Army training, I spent whole days freaking out about wearing bright colors, banging metal, and traveling in non-tactical formation. After I figured out that we were more likely to be attacked by a bear than with hand grenades, I was able to lighten up a bit. (Get it? "Lighten"? I crack me up.)

In uniform, however, I still try to minimize noise and light while out in the field--even though I'm probably standing right next to the biggest inflatable structure in the forest, along with enough loud-humming power generators to power a small building. Even given these conditions, I trust that my red-lens flashlight will keep me safe, unheard and unseen.

I am like a ninja that way. A ninja who lives in a circus tent.

More tomorrow!

Red Bulls Returning, Part 1

Minnesota Public Radio has recently posted an in-depth, multi-layered, multi-media coverage of the return of the 34th Infantry Division. The U.S. 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division comprises both Minnesota and Iowa units, among others.

It's great and creative stuff, and I can't even begin to do it all justice here. Of particular note, however, are the creative touches such as superimposing the outline of Minnesota over the map of Iraq. What an easy-to-comprehend way to show people the distances involved!

For Red Bull soldiers such as me, who face a potential deployment later this year, the Minnesota Public Radio coverage offers a smorgasbord of insights. Do yourself and your family a favor, and go the overall link right here.

Major topics include:

"Family and War" including discussions of using technology to keep in touch with your family, and Blue Star Mothers (mothers of deployed soldiers) support programs.

"Who are the Red Bulls?" includes discussions of the deployment's effects on recruiting, and the missions pursued by the Minnesota National Guard soldiers.

"Adjusting to Civilian Life" includes two great articles--one on transitioning back to work, one on transitioning back to home. It also covers veterans helping veterans, and even a "VIP center" for soldiers at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport.

"Mental Illness and Treatment" leads off with "new ways to diagnose Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)," and makes the technical more personal with the story of one Minnesota veteran's post-2004-deployment experience. There's a great story on the (lack of?) availability of mental health resources for rural veterans.

"Living with Physical Injuries" includes some good perspective on the types of injuries most often suffered by our troops.

Finally, there's an "Interactive Guide to Coming Home by and for Veterans and Their Families."

Good stuff! I hope that some major news venue in Iowa--the Des Moines Register, perhaps, or Iowa Public Radio--manages to put similar thought and talent to my own unit's deployment. More thoughts to come ...

Part 1 of 3