November 28, 2003Vol. I No. 3 Task Force 1-501st PIR, FOB Salerno, Afghanistan

Task Force 1-501st PIRengineers helped build astronger relationship be-tween the Americans atFOB Salerno and the neigh-boring town of Khowst.

The Headquarters Com-pany soldiers used their skillsto ensure a prayer site wasfree of mines. Around20,000 Muslims were ex-pected at the site Tuesdayto celebrate Eid-al-Fitr, atime for pray and to eatsnack food after Ramadan,a month of daylight fasting.

The Afghanistan MilitiaForce requested assistancefrom TF 1-501, in hopes

of stopping any attempt bythe anti-coalition militia todisrupt the celebration inorder to show that the newgovernment and militarycould not protect its ownpeople.

“We went to clear the areabecause of their festival,”said Spc. AntonioRodriguez, Engineer pla-toon. “It was a good mis-sion to me, we used the minedetectors a lot, plus we gotto help the Afghans.”

The engineers used fourteams to clear the area. Thefirst team member walkedthe site, which was largerthan three football fields,and swept it with an AN/

PSS-12 mine detector.When a metal object wasdetected in the ground thearea was marked with redspray paint.

This brought into play thesecond member of the team,who using a probe and theirhands cleared away the dirt

to expose what had set offthe detector. The majority ofthe hits turned out to be nailsor aluminum – no mineswere found.

“Since we didn’t haveEOD with us, the plan wasto blow any mines we foundin place,” Rodriguez said.

The sappers were not theonly ones that put them-selves in harm’s way to en-sure a peaceful celebration.While the engineers werebusy clearing the area, sol-diers from 2nd Platoon,Company C and 1st Pla-toon, Detachment D pulledsecurity around the site.

“They did a good jobkeeping the people awayfrom us, we were able to doour job without worrying

Sappers ensure safe celebrationStory and Photos by Staff

Sgt. Jeff Troth

Gunner Spc. Ramone Rodriguez and Pfc. Bryce Standley,both Company C, guard against an anti-coalition militia attack.

Spc. Ernesto Rojas sweeps for mines while Spc. Antonio Rodriguez probes a possible contact. See MINES page 3

The GeronimoNovember 28, 20032

This is an unofficial Army newsletter, authorized under the provisionsof AR 360-1, and published by the 1/501st PIR Public Affairs Office. Edito-rial views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of theDepartment of the Army or the 1/501st PIR. All submissions to TheGeronimo are subject to editing.

The Geronimo can also be found at: www.usarak.army.mil/1501.Questions or comments should be directed to: 1/501st Public Affairs

Office. DNVT 318-580-3067.Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Harry C. Glenn IIIEditor Staff Sgt. Jeff Troth

News briefs

The World

Laundry DaysLaundry drop off procedures have changed. Soldiers

are no longer authorized to drop off their own laundry.Due to the increased number of personnel on FOB Sal-erno laundry will be dropped off with your unit supplythe day prior to your unit's day, which is listed below.

Saturday FSC and Attached UnitsSunday HQ CompanyMonday Company ATuesday Company BWednesday Company CThursday Detachment D and Battery E

Free BooksBooks and magazines are available for your reading

enjoyment at the Hard Rock Cafe. Once finished withthem bring them back so that others may read them.

If you have any books or magazines you are throughwith, instead of throwing them away, recycle them at theHard Rock Cafe. Help out your fellow task force sol-diers.

Defense BillPresident Bush signed a $401.3 billion defense bill,

which includes a 4.15% pay rise.

Debris hits space stationThe U.S.-Russian crew of the international space sta-

tion heard what sounded like a "tin can" being crushedagainst the outer hull, but Russian space officials saidthe men were safe and there were no immediate signs ofdamage.

Tiger pops questionTiger Woods and his Swedish girlfriend, Elin

Nordegren, are engaged. He proposed while in Fancourt,South Africa for the President's Cup.

Dolphins feast on CowboysJay Fiedler and Chris Chambers connect for three

touchdown passes and Fiedler ran for another, leadingthe Miami Dolphins to 40-21 victory over the DallasCowboys Thursday.

The GeronimoNovember 28, 2003 3

Story and photo byStaff Sgt. Sharon McBride

U.S. Army Alaska PAO

FORT RICHARDSON — Thechildren of Ursa Minor are as busyas elves doing up care packages forsoldiers of the 1-501 Airborne TaskForce, which recently departed forAfghanistan.

As a part of the “Adopt-A-Platoon” program that originated atthe school, students are creating giftbags, goodies, personal letters andpoems and other items that will bringthe small comforts of home a littlecloser to the soldiers while they arein Central Asia.

“The goal is to send somethingover every one to one-and-halfmonths for the duration of theirdeployment,” said Lori Patin, FamilySchool Services coordinator.

Out of 250 students whoattend Ursa Minor, 40parents are now in CentralAsia participating in Opera-tion Enduring Freedom.And so far, the program hasbeen a great success, notonly for the troops but forthe children and spouseswho have been left behind.

“It’s turned into a greatway to talk about the deploy-ment in a positive way, and toassure (the children) that theirparents are being taken careof,” said Patin.

Because of the program,more spouses of deployedtroops have begun volun-teering at the school.

“Some spouses that haven’t beeninvolved with volunteering at theschool before are now coming inevery day,” said Patin. “It’s makingthe time go by faster for them.”

Dionne Jones, wife of Sgt.Edward Jones, is one of them.

“This is our first deployment, but

Always onmy mind

Angela Arroyo along with other children of UrsaMinor Elementary School make Christmas cardsfor TF 1-501st PIR soldiers in Afghanistan.

this is why he joined the military,”said Jones, adding that she doesn’tmind volunteering at the schoolbecause three of their five kidsattend Ursa Minor.

“Besides going to college andtaking care of the kids, it helps topass the time,” she said.

about getting shot by theenemy,” Rodriguez said.

For the infantrymen thismission was different thanothers the Task Force hadalready done.

“This was a request fromthe AMF, they set the loca-tion, the time and the route,”briefed Company C Com-mander Capt. JasonCondrey, to his troops be-fore they rolled out the gate.“Assume that the missionhas already been compro-mised.”

This put the soldiers on aheightened sense of aware-

ness for the drive throughKhowst and on location.Luckily nothing occurredand once the engineers com-pleted their job, Condreyhanded off the cleared areato the AMF, who guardedit until the Eid-al-Fitr cel-ebration.

“The mission was an ab-solute success, there wereno incidents and we clearedtheir prayer site for the fes-tival,” Condrey said. “Itshows that we are here tohelp the people and to pro-vide a safe and secure areafor them.”

Cont. from page 1Mines:Spc. JesseE n o s ,HeadquartersCompany (onladder) andPfc. AaronJ a c k s o n ,Detachment D,put thef i n i s h i n gtouches on theG e r o n i m ocrest, whichadorns thefront of theTask Force 1-501st PIRT a c t i c a lO p e r a t i o n sCenter.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Jeff Troth

The GeronimoNovember 28, 20034

Thanksgiving Dayfestivities at FOB

The soldiers of Task Force 1-501st PIR spentThanksgiving Day on the gridiron. Battery Ewalked away with first place in the flag footballcompetition. Headquarters Company garneredsecond and 1st Platoon, Company A took third.After the championship game the task forceofficers defeated the NCOs 14-7. (CLOCKWISEFROM ABOVE) The NCOs battle through theofficer's offensive line on their way to the QB.Spc. Kalvin Lewis and Spc. Adam Loera,Forward Area Refueling Point block a passintended for 1st Lt. Joe Dutcher, SurgicalHospital. Sgt. Dywane Ford, Battery E, headsfor the end zone. Sgt. Kory West, Bat. E, isunable to hold onto the ball as Pfc. ChristopherFrazier, Headquarters Company, defends him.During the officer/NCO game, Sgt. First ClassAlexander Barnett's run ends as he is touched.

Photos by Staff Sgt. Jeff Troth

The GeronimoNovember 28, 2003 5

(CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE) During the officer/NCO game, Sgt. TchackaCain, catches a pass in the end zone. Cpt. Brent Morrow quarterbacks forthe officers. Sgt. Frank Mucci puts corn-on-the-cob in the water. TaskForce members chow down on their Thanksgiving Day dinner. Spc. JamesYoho slices up turkey. After losing the game, the NCOs serve dinner.

The GeronimoNovember 28, 20036

Afghan citiesHow many of the following Afghanistan cities/townscan you locate in the puzzle?

LDDABLALALAJRAR

SNZAMLALANDAYYN

IHOKALUTRDASAEY

BEIKGHAZNINUEAT

AZGNOMEYMANEHTR

MKONDUZDMEYDANA

IRGLEAOTKHOWSTB

AORJUANDONDAIAD

NKABULGDNKUNARU

QGEBEANADTZADOR

HOMRRHLEANAABQZ

DDRDNHARANOAROA

AKEGGNEARYRANMM

YYSAUHKANDAHARO

ZABBZNNSARHADDE

BaghlanBamianGarceyzGhazniHeratJalalalbadKabulKandaharKhowstKonduz

LandayMeydanMeymanehMoqorOrgunRudbarSarhaddShindandTokzarTulak

Ask MSG NordstromAsk MSG NordstromAsk MSG NordstromAsk MSG NordstromAsk MSG Nordstrom

If you have a questionfor MSG Nordstrom, dropit off at the ALOC.

Maybe he’s doing it for theRon Jeremy look-a-likecontest that the FST isholding next Thursday night.

MSG N

Dear MSG Nordstrom,I am having trouble zeroing

my PEQ-2 and my CCO. Canyou give me some tips?

Dear MSG Nordstrom,My window for reenlist-

ment has just opened and I waslooking to reclass. Everyday Ipass by the TOC and I noticeyou always sitting outsidesmoking cigars and drinkingcoffee. How exactly do I reclassfor that MOS?

Signed, SPC I Work for aLiving

Dear SPC I have too muchtime on my hands,

DO PUSHUPS!MSG N

Dear MSG Nordstrom,I haven’t been able to sleep

since drinking a cup of yourcoffee at last week’s BUB. With

the upcoming mission andplanned lack of sleep, I waswondering if I could get yourrecipe – exactly how manyparts turpentine do you usewith cups of water?

Sincerely, Sleepless inSalerno

Dear SIS,I don’t use turpentine –

it’s a special blend ofStarbucks that I get at theNorth Gate Mart, along withthese discarded bottles ofammonia I find beside mybunk each morning. Enjoy!

MSG N

Dear MSG Nordstrom,What is that out of control

growth on the BALO’s upperlip? I didn’t think that officerswere authorized to growmustaches.

Signed, 2LT Baby Face

Dear MEDO,First of all, you couldn’t

grow one if you wanted. Giveit another 5 years. Secondly,all pilots wear mustaches. Ofcourse, the BALO isn’t a pilot,so I’m not too sure either.

After dropping off personnel and supplies, CH-47 Chinooksleave FOB Salerno with a HMMWV slung below.

Photo by Staff Sgt.. Jeff Troth

Sincerely, PFC Lost at theRange

Dear LATR,I feel your pain; I have the

same troubles myself. Pull out acrossbow, however, and I’ll getyou straight. I wrote the TM onthat thing.

MSG N