The Bayonet - December 2014

theBAYONETVol 2 // Issue 10

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES FOR SAPPER STAKES?

MAINE GUARDSMEN COMPLETE 9TH ANNUAL TRIBUTE MARCH

PART 2 : ON THE WAY!

NEW UNIFORMS

OPERATION TIMBERHOOK II ARMY AVIATORS ASSIST BAXTER STATE PARK WITH DELIVERY OF MATERIAL TO REMOTE LOCATIONS AT THE PARK

THE BAYONET GETS YOUR TAKE ON THE CHANGES

THE HISTORY OF THE 152ND FIELD ARTILLERY

Adjutant General

Command Sergeant Major

Public Affairs Officer

Managing Editor

Photojournalists

Contributors

Layout and Design

the BAYONETBRIG. GEN. JAMES D. CAMPBELL

COMMAND SGT. MAJ. RICHARD HANNIBAL

CAPT. NORMAN J. STICKNEY

SGT. 1ST CLASS PETER MORRISON

SGT. ANGELA PARADY

SPC. ADAM SIMMLER

CHAPLAIN (COL.) ANDREW GIBSON

LT. COL. JOHN BEATTY

1ST. LT. JONATHAN BRATTEN

CAPT. NORMAN J. STICKNEY

The Bayonet is produced by the personnel of the Maine Army National Guard, and is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense.

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, nor the Maine Army National Guard.

All pictures are Maine Army National Guard photos unless otherwise identified.

Questions and feedback:

Public Affairs Office, Building 8, Camp Keyes, Augusta, ME 04333Phone: (207) 430-5759

Email: [email protected]: www.me.ngb.army.mil

IntroWe are pleased to present you with the December 2014 edition of the Bayonet magazine. There are mul-tiple changes to the format and release schedule of the magazine, but we hope you still enjoy the Soldier provided content along with some of the improvements we are now able to implement.

Inside this quarter’s installment of the Bayonet, you will find some excellent training coverage of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Pack-age (CERFP) and 11th Weapons of Mass Destruction – Civil Support Team (WMD-CST). There is also ex-citing partnership training cover-age between our Army aviators and Baxter State Park staff, and the 251st Engineer Company (Sapper) annual best squad competition.

Keep your eyes peeled for chang-es to policy and uniforms as we implement a section to advise of Army-wide changes on the horizon.

-Public Affairs OfficerCapt. Norman Stickney

Front Cover: Army aviators deliver material to remote locations as part of Op-eration Timberhook II at Chimney Pond, Baxter State Park. (Photo courtesy of Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jon Campbell)

Back Cover: The crew chief surveys the ground prior to take off at the Caribou Pit, Baxter State Park. (National Guard Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Peter D. Morrison)

The Maine State Select

Honor Guard represents the

MEARNG at one of the many

events honoring Veterans,

November 11. We thank all

Veterans for their dedication,

perseverance and determi-

nation in securing our free-

doms and values every day.

(National Guard photo by

Sgt 1st Class Pete Morrison)

The Montenegro Chief of

Defense Admiral Dragam

Samardžić, visits with Gov.

Paul LePage in a recent

trip to Maine, as part of the

MEARNG State Partnership

Program with the young

democracy. Dragam dis-

cussed future endeavors with

the Governor and Brig Gen.

James D. Campbell.

(National Guard photo by Sgt

1st Class Pete Morrison)

INSIDE THIS ISSUEA Message From The Adjutant General

“On the Way” Part 2A History of the 152nd Field Artillery

Ready to RespondNew England’s CERF-P

New Pattern on ACU Soldiers to Receive New OCP Unforms by 2015

9th Annual Tribute MarchMaine Service Members Pay Tribute to the Fallen

New Army PT Uniform34 Changes are the Result of Soldier Feedback

Sapper Stakes A Tradition of the 251st Engineer Company

Your OpinionFeedback from the Field on Uniform Changes

Operation Timberhook IIAviators Support Baxter State Park Staff with Hoist Capability

The Chaplain’s Word

The Inspector General The Importance of Ethics

Earlier this month, I was honored to be present as several of our units,

Soldiers and Airmen were recognized at a public event for their support to the Boy Scouts of America. Prior to the event, one of our former Governors approached me and asked why I have such a commitment to support the Scouts. The question has an easy answer – we support any organization which shares our deeply held values of leader-ship, character and service.

Events like this one and the recent parades, and other ceremonies held

around the state in honor of Veterans’ Day should serve to remind all of us in uniform of what we as the Maine Na-tional Guard stand for. It’s not hard to make a quick search of doctrinal publications or other official literature to find statements of values and attri-butes we want Soldiers and Airmen to have. These statements are fundamental to who we strive to be – Service Before Self, Trust, Loyalty, Integrity, Teamwork, Respect, Courage, Candor, Excellence in all That We Do – these are just a few of the foun-dational elements of character we want in all of our Soldiers, Airmen and units.

Sometimes it is easy to merely rattle off these attributes, and then feel good that we have memorized them and can use these words to set ourselves apart from other

institutions in our society. It is a more difficult thing to under-stand these words, know their true meaning to ourselves and our comrades, and genuinely work hard at making them a visceral part of our own lives and character. Certainly nobody is perfect and it is only rarely that we encounter someone who fully embodies these noble attributes in every aspect of his or her life. But it is our personal responsibility, indeed a calling for us all as members of the Military Profession, to work both

individually and as a team to achieve that high standard.

Maintaining these character traits is not just an arbitrary goal.

It is a requirement for us to be successful as a military force. Without these traits our nation’s leaders and citizens will not entrust to us the lives of our young people, and they will not tolerate an amoral, politi-cized or undisciplined military any more than Americans will tolerate a US Army or Air Force which does not win decisively on the modern, complex battle-field. We all must continue to view the maintenance of the Maine National Guard as a values and ethics based, highly disciplined and professional force as the primary compo-nent of our military readiness – without these attributes, we cannot justify ourselves to our citizens.

We in Maine are the inheritors of an extraordinarily proud tradition of military excellence, courage and service. All of you in our current ranks are

daily working hard to live up to those same high ideals and standards set by our predecessors. As we face the challenges and stresses of our daily work, along with seeking opportuni-ties during this time of change and transition for the entire US military, I would like all of us to recommit ourselves to staunchly adhering to all of those core values and traits of character and discipline which remain deeply engrained strengths of our profession. I know we will, and that is one of the many reasons why I remain so honored to serve with all of you.

Bayonets, Forward!

the adjutant generalA Message From

“A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state…” -Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

“on the way” the history of

As part of the 1942 reorganization, the headquarters company of the 152nd Field Artillery Regiment had become the Headquarters Company, 203rd Field Artil-

lery Group. The 203rd was now an artillery brigade headquarters that would have various artillery battalions assigned to it throughout its wartime service. After initial training, it landed at Norman-dy on Utah Beach on 3 and 4 September, 1944. It promptly assumed the command of three artillery battalions and began combat operations. It coor-dinated fires on German troop and armor concen-trations, as well as on enemy defensive positions. They also fired interdiction and counter-battery missions. During October, the Group participated on the drive into the Verdun Region and the re-duction of the defenses of Fort Driant. During this time, they traversed the same ground the 103rd Infantry had in World War I.

As time went on, the 203rd Group began encounter-ing stiffening enemy resistance as well as ammunition shortages for their battalions’ guns. To solve this, they integrated German 155mm guns into their batteries and used captured shells to supply them. By October, they had helped take the fortress at Metz and were firing into Germany itself, supporting the advance of the 90th and 95th Divisions. They were engaged in supporting these divisions as they breached the Siegfried Line, crossed the Saar River, and then pushed further into Luxem-bourg and Belgium, when the Germans counterattacked in the Ardennes on December 17, 1944.

The 203rd assisted in checking the German advance into the Bulge, with fires on troop concentrations, and then with were integral in throwing the attackers back. They assisted the 26th Division Artillery with supporting fires on the south flank of the German incursion and by the end of the month were on the offensive again.

Part 2: The 203rd Field Artillery Group in World War II

They were specifically targeting German transport vehicles to deny them the opportunity to haul their artillery out of danger. During this period of the Battle of the Bulge and counterattack, the 203rd Group’s battalions fired 19,665 rounds in December and 39,971 rounds in January, more than double their monthly average to date. The Group received commendation as part of the III Corps from 3rd Army commander, General George S. Patton, jr.

Through the spring, the 203rd Group continued supporting the advance of the VIII Corps and the 6th Armored Division into Germany. Fire missions were called in for destroying enemy pillboxes or artillery positions. In March, the 203rd crossed the Rhine River and threatened the Ruhr Valley, a German in-dustrial center. During April, the Group was advanc-ing so swiftly that they abruptly ran into a heavy German force of armor and infantry. The battalions dropped trail where they were and began firing off of estimated calculations using makeshift Fire Direction Centers. The Group commander himself directed artillery fire, operating off of a map opened on the hood of his jeep. Remarkably, the artillery placed accurate and immediate fire on the German force, destroying it entirely. By May, the German army had collapsed under the Allied attack and Germany had surrendered. The

Right: Master Sgt. James E. Downes, Communica-tions Chief, 203rd Field Artillery Group, near Brettn-ach, France, November 27, 1944. Downes was responsible for preserving the unit’s after action reports, from which this article was written.

Left: An 8 inch howitzer from the 578th Field Artil-lery Battalion fires on the Germans near the Seine River, in 1944. The 578th was one of the 203rd Field Artillery Group’s subordinate battalions.

Image Legend

203rd took up a position in Eisenach, Germany for occupation duty on May 12. The 203rd Group was dis-banded upon its return from the European Theater of Operations. Its lineage is currently carried by the 133rd Engineer Battalion.

1st. Lt. Jonathan Bratten is a contributing editor of the Bayonet and serves as the Maine

National Guard Historian.

He is always looking for photos, documents, andstories from past and current deployments.

Contact him at [email protected]

the 152nd field artillery

The Bayonet Vol. 2 // Issue 10

Aviators from Company

C, 1st Battalion, 126th

Aviation Regiment

fly toward Mount Katahdin on

October 31, as part of Opera-

tion Timberbook II. The Aviators

used eight UH-60 Blackhawk

helicopters, and moved over 30

loads of

equipment to sites difficult or

impossible to reach by ground

vehicle at Baxter State Park.

(Photo courtesy of Chief

Warrant Officer 4 Jon Campbell)


EXETER, R.I. - You never know when disaster will strike your community, but you can always count on the Na-

tional Guard to be ready to respond at a moment’s notice, and that’s what the Na-tional Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radio-logical, Nuclear, Explosive Emergency Re-sponse Force Package (CERF-P) is there for.

During the week of Oct. 24, CERF-Ps made up of Air and Army National Guardsmen from Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Is-land met in Exeter Rhode Island to train and keep their skills sharp, in order to be bet-ter prepared for a real life scenario. The units met at the State of Rhode Island Fire

ready to responD

Academy and set up operations near a rub-ble pile used for search and extraction training.“We’re here to assist with local law enforcement, EMS, and fire services,” Said Staff Sgt. Travis Pond, a motor transport operator with the 521st Troop Command, from New Sharon, Maine. “We’re like a three-ring binder, if you’re the inci-dent commander, we come to you and say ‘this is what we offer, let us know if we can help.”

The CERF-P teams are a key element of the Depart-ment of Defense’s overall program to provide mili-tary support to civil authorities in the event of an in-tentional or accidental incident involving CBRNE or Weapons of Mass Destruction in the United States. The CERF-P is designed as a homeland response

ready to responD

package, and is capable of quickly responding to anything from mudslides to hazardous gas inci-dents to a ten-kiloton nuclear disaster, said Pond.The units from across New England came togeth-er to train and be evaluated on their proficiencies to see what areas they can improve. Every day the CERF-P showed up with their equipment packed away in trucks and trailers. They set up the entire operation to be prepared to rescue, decontaminate, treat wounds and evacuate ac-tors posing as injured civilians. After the exer-cise was complete, everything was packed up, ready to be redeployed for the next scenario.

“It’s good training for the Armed Forces to be able to respond to different situations,” said

Christopher Trinidad, a New Bedford, Mas-sachusetts resident who volunteered to play an injured civilian during the exercise. ”If something tragic happens the National Guard will be a little more prepared to do some-thing, and I feel much safer because of it.”

Pond concluded, “Even though we have the barriers of each state’s job here, it’s like being in any other unit, when everybody shows up, you’re all excited to see each other, because you have a combined mission. I hope this reassures the community that we’re ready for any sort of disaster, whether it be a mudslide, or a larger scale terrorist attack, we’re prepared and ready.”

By Spc. Adam Simmler

New England’s CERF-P

Discharge Effects on GI Bill Benefits Honorable Discharge: Soldier not deployed…lose ALL benefits upon discharge, will get back if they rejoin Military within 12 months of ETS.

Honorable Discharge: Soldier de-ployed….retain benefits

for 10yrs (Ch 1607) or 15yrs (Ch 33) from

discharge of title 10, depends on the benefit they are using. If transferred benefits to dependents,

Soldier HAS to serve out their

time or money will be recouped and VA

will go after Soldier for recoupment.

Medical Discharge: Soldier deployed/not deployed …keeps MGIB, Kicker (if eligible) for 10yrs upon discharge.

General Discharge: (honorable condi-tions or other than honorable conditions) Deployed/Non-deployed Soldier looses ALL GI Bill benefits upon discharge not to get them back (ever). 100% recoupment of used Ch 33 transferred benefits to dependents; VA will go after Soldier for recoupment. Uncharacterized Discharge: Soldier never gained benefits (Those who are discharged in Basic/IADT). In ad-dition if a Soldier is discharge with other than honorable the Soldiers loses all VA benefits period. This includes health, pharmacy, disability compensation, and all other VA assistance programs.

Concerning Your GI Bill BenefitsFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSCommon questions Are VA Education Benefits Taxable? No. Any veterans’ benefits paid under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should not be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

I am enrolled in school. When will I receive my benefits from VA? Once your school submits your enrollment information, it must be entered into the system by VA. Because VA is generally over-whelmed with enrollments at the start of each semester, it could take up to 6 weeks to process an enrollment during those times. VA will process all of the enrollments in order by the date received. If you are receiv-ing benefits under MGIB-AD (Chapter 30) or MGIB-SR (Chapter 1606), you must also verify your enrollment at the end of each month in order to receive payment for that month. Benefits are paid after each month of school is completed.

How do I verify my enrollment? If you’re receiving the Active Duty or Reserve GI Bill, REAP, or VRAP use the Web Automat-ed Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) or call our toll free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone line at 1-877-VA-ECERT (1-877-823-2378) to verify your attendance. If you’re receiving Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits you don’t need to verify your attendance.

What if I receive a failing grade? If you fail a class you receive what is called a “punitive grade” for that class. A puni-tive grade is a grade that doesn’t count as earned credit, but is used in determining a student’s progress toward graduation requirements. This means that the grade you receive counts in your overall degree progress, albeit negatively. Since this grade counts towards your graduation progress you are not required to repay any GI Bill money you received for that class. You may take the class again in an attempt to receive credit towards graduation or raise your grade for it and you may receive GI Bill pay-ment for the retaking of the class.

QIUCK REFERENCES Chapter 1606 (MGIB-SR) Applies to all reserve component Soldiers with a 6 year contract. Must complete high school and AIT. FY15 full time rate $367/mo.

Chapter 1607 (REAP) Applies to Reserve component Soldiers who have been mobilized since September 11, 2001. Continuous 90+ day mob w/General discharge or higher. Or less then 90 day mob w/medical dis-charge. FY15 full time rate $1,373.60/mo.

Chapter 30 (MGIB-AD) Applies to active duty service (or AGR) who paid into it ($1,200.00.) 100% benefit at 3yrs con-tinuous service. FY15 full time rate $1,717.00/mo.

Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) Applies to all soldiers who have been mobilized since September 11, 2001. % based on cumu-lative months of deployments (100% at 3 yrs) Must apply for benefit and give up another GI Bill chapter. Only benefit eligible to transfer to dependents.

Tuition and fee cap is now $20,235.02 an academic year. Book stipend cap remains up to $1,000 an academic year.

MHA is based on E-5 BAH w/dependent at the location of school. Transferability to Dependents (Post 9/11) Only if eligible for Chapter 33 Dependents must be in DEERS Must have 6yrs of service Must extend for 4yrs to transfer benefit (must be retainable) Must be currently serv-ing to transfer benefit Once transferred, dependent/student must apply to begin using benefits through VONAPP (VA 22-1990E)

Did You Know:In a recent 2013 RAND Study on

MGIB those Soldiers who

separated and had higher AFQT scores

were more likely to use their GI Benefits

after their ETS. Why wait? Use it now

to maximize your other education

benefits available while still on

your current contract!


The Army has confirmed what Soldiers have been hearing rumors of for months now -- a new camouflage pattern for combat uniforms is on the way with a number of improvements.

Beginning in the fall of 2015, the Army will begin issuing to new Soldiers an Army Combat Uniform that bears the Operational Camouflage Pattern. That same uni-form will also become available in military clothing sales stores in the summer of

2015.

Soldiers are expected to retire their current uniform and begin wearing the new pattern by the summer of 2018.

The uniform bearing the new pattern will be largely the same as what Soldiers wear now, except that the lower leg pockets will be closed by a button instead of the “hook and loop” fabric fastener on the cur-rent Army Combat Uniform, or ACU. Soldiers complained that fastener made too much noise in combat environments, officials said. The insert pockets for knee pads and elbow pads will also be removed from the new uniform, according to Program Executive Office Soldier.

Currently, Soldiers wear ACU with the Universal Camouflage Pattern, or UCP. By 2018, they will be wearing an Army Combat Uniform with the “Operational Camouflage Pattern.” The fabric of the uniform, the cut, the placement of pockets and other details, for instance, will remain the same. It is only the geometry and palette of the camou-flage pattern printed on the fabric that will change.

The cost of uniforms with the new pattern will be comparable to the current uniform. At the Fort Myer, Virginia, military clothing sales

store, for instance, an ACU top now sells for approximately $45. The pants sell for around $45 as well. A cap sells for about $8.

Soldiers will have about three years -- the time between the first avail-ability of the uniform in military clothing sales in 2015 and the time they are required to wear it in 2018 -- to transition the contents of their cloth-ing bag to the new look.

The new pattern is different, but visually compatible with what Soldiers wear now in Afghanistan. It does have the same acronym, however. In Af-

ghanistan, Soldiers wear the “Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern,” called OCP for short. The new uniform pattern is also called OCP.

“The Army is naming the pattern the Operational Camouflage Pattern to emphasize that the pattern’s use extends beyond Afghanistan to all combat-

ant commands,” said one senior Army official in a July 31 press release.

The new pattern is borne from efforts to meet a 2009 directive by Congress to develop a camouflage uniform suitable for the Afghanistan environment. That

initiative, along with Soldier feedback, led the Army to develop the Operational Camouflage Pattern.

As part of that program, the Army was directed to develop and evaluate camouflage patterns that will provide effective concealment in a wide va-riety of terrains and environments. The Operational Camouflage Pattern is a result of that effort. As part of the program two “bookend patterns”

Operational Camouflage Pattern By Army Public Affairs

of OCP are being optimized and evaluated for possible use on Flame Resistant ACUs that would be worn by Soldiers deployed in either arid or heavily wooded terrains.

All organizational clothing and individual equipment, re-ferred to as OCIE, such as MOLLE gear, protective vests, ruck sacks and plate carriers and non-flame resistant ACUs and will be offered in the OCP pattern only.

The Army has also said that following rigorous testing and evaluation, the OCP was proven “the best value for the Army. Soldier force protection and safety was the Army’s primary decision criteria,” a senior Army official said.

“The Army has selected a pattern as its base combat uni-form camouflage pattern,” explained the official. “The Army has confirmed through testing that the pattern would of-fer exceptional concealment, which directly enhances force protection and survivability for Soldiers.”

The senior official said the Army’s adoption of OCP “will be fiscally responsible, by transitioning over time and simply replacing current uniforms and OCIE equipment as they wear out.”

Soldiers to get new camo uniform beginning next summer

Elimination of the mandarin collar and replacement with a fold-down design.

Change of the infrared square identifica-tion for friend or foe, known as the IFF tab.

Removal of one of three pen pockets on the ACU sleeve.

Elimination of the drawstring on the trouser waistband.

Other changes that will be considered by the 2015 Army Uniform Board include:

These last four potential changes have not yet been ap-proved but are being considered, according to PEO Sol-dier.


MAINE SERVICE MEMBERS PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN

By Spc. Adam Simmler

In the dark early hours of Sunday, Oct. 5, the quiet morning sunrise of Portland’s Back Bay was broken with the boom of a cannon, signaling the early start of the 2014 Maine Marathon, and the start of the Maine Marathon Tribute March.

Soldiers marching the Maine Marathon Tribute March were joined by families of fallen Maine service members at Payson Park in Portland, to walk the last two miles to the finish line. The 26.2 march along the route of the Maine Marathon pays tribute to the 92 Maine service members killed in action since the beginning of the global war on terror in 2001.

Staff Sgt. Michael Darling crosses the finish line of the Maine Marathon at the head of more than 30 soldiers marching in memory of the 92 Maine service members killed in action since 2001. The Soldiers marched as part of the Maine Marathon Tribute March for 26.2 miles along the route of the Maine Marathon in Portland Sunday, Oct. 5.

soldiers met the marchers at Payson Park in Portland and walked side by side together for the last two miles of the marathon to the end of the journey.

“Their support by marching like this is awesome,” said Peggy Dostie, mother of Sgt. Thomas Dostie, who was killed

in Mosul, Iraq, on December 21, 2004. “You just can’t describe how it feels. It’s nice to see the people from the town of Portland come out all along the last mile to support us. To know that there is support from the community means so much.”

“This is really important,” said Pfc. Julian Smedberg-LeBlanc, an infantryman in B Company, 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry Regiment. “It sends a good message, that we have people supporting the families of the fallen troops, it shows our dedication. We always push for-ward, we always honor the fallen, we never forget.”

name of a Maine’s fallen service mem-bers. Most soldiers who took part in the Tribute March carried, one, or more, stones all 26.2 miles through Portland, Cumberland and Yarmouth. Other soldiers attached picture-buttons to their ruck sacks adorned with photos of fallen soldiers.

Six miles in, at the first of three rest breaks, morale was high and the sol-diers were in good spirits. “Everyone is all pumped up and ready to continue on,” said Spc. Paul Turner, a tracked vehicle repairer from Detachment 1, 152nd Component Repair Company. “We care about our fallen soldiers and their families, and we’re glad to get out in the community and show that.”

After a few more minutes of rest, filled with changing socks, adjusting packs and stretching muscles, the marchers continued on, ready to face the next leg of the trip.

Before the finish line, families of fallen

More than 30 soldiers and airmen of the Maine National Guard took part in the annual march to remember each of the ninety-two Maine service members killed in action since the beginning of the war on terror in 2001.

In cooperation with The Summit Project, a Maine non-profit organiza-tion that honors Maine’s soldiers by carrying stones engraved with the

IMAG

E CAPTION

S


New army physical fitness uniform Result of Soldier Feedback

A new Army Physical Fitness Uniform will become available service-wide, beginning in October next year.

Its design is based on Soldier feedback, said Col. Robert Mortlock, program man-ager, Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

There’s a three-year phase-in program and the cost will be about $3 less than the current IPFU, or Improved Physical Fitness Uniform, he said.

The Army Physical Fitness Uniform, or APFU, program was actually initiated because of Soldier feedback. A February 2012 Army Knowledge Online survey of some 76,000 Soldiers found that Soldiers had issues with the IPFU, he said. They liked its durability but believed the IPFU’s textiles had not kept pace with commercially-

available workout clothes. They also had concerns with other things, par-ticularly modesty issues with the shorts, especially in events like sit-ups. Those concerns were expressed by males as well as females.

The issue was of such concern that Soldiers were purchasing spandex-like under garments to wear beneath the trunks, Mortlock said.

Another issue was that there were not enough female sizes in the IPFU, he said, meaning IPFUs that would fit all shapes and sizes.

PEO Soldier worked closely with the Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center to develop a new PT uniform that met Soldier concerns but did not cost more than

the IPFU. The APFU met the goal of control-ling costs and improving performance by adopting lighter high tech moisture wick-ing fabric. The APFU introduces multiple sizes, including female sizing, and has solved the modesty issue, Mortlock said.

The fabric of the trunks will continue to be made with durable nylon fabric, but it is lighter than and not as stiff as the IPFU trunks. Also, there will be a four-way stretch panel inside the trunks, sort of like bicycle pants, which eliminates the need for Soldiers to purchase their own under garments. The trunks include a bigger key pocket and a convenient and secure ID card pouch.

In all, some 34 changes were made to the new APFU,

The APFU has five parts: the jacket and

By David Vergun

pants which resemble warm ups, trunks or shorts, and the short- and long-sleeve T-shirts, he said. The ensemble is modu-lar; meaning parts of the APFU can be mixed and matched, for example, short- or long-sleeve T-shirts with the pants or trunks. During PT formations, the platoon sergeants will determine the appropriate combo.

Soldier feedback not only determined the form, fit and func-tion of the APFU, it also determined its look. The Army made prototypes of the APFU in a variety of colors and designs and taken to a series of Soldier town halls at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Soldier feedback was solicited about the design features as well as the preferred color scheme.

Then, the Army launched a second AKO survey, in which more than 190,000 responded, Mortlock said. Soldiers overwhelm-ingly favored a black T-shirt with gold lettering and a black jacket with gold chevron and the Army logo.

Then it was on to testing.

About 876 Soldiers at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Join Base Lewis-McChord, Fort Bragg, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Hood and Fort Jackson, South Carolina, wore the APFU during PT for a three-month period, providing feedback on form, fit, comfort and so on, Mortlock said. The APFU also was tested for things like durability, laundering, fiber strength, color fastness and color maintenance after laundering.

A key part of testing addressed the concern of some Soldiers that a black shirt may cause over-heating. Instrumented tests showed that the lighter weight material and superior moisture wicking fabric more than compensated for any increased heat

from the dark material.

The response to the APFU was “overwhelmingly positive,” he said, particularly with the trunks.

Not only that, Soldiers said they wear the APFU on weekends and off-duty outside the installations, Mortlock said, adding that many said they wouldn’t wear the current IPFU off-duty. That means communities across the country will soon see Army pride as Soldiers do their workouts.

The APFU will come in two types, the Clothing Bag variant, and the Optional APFU, which will be visually the same as the APFU Issue variant, but uses some different materials. The individual items of the two variants can be mixed together. The Optional APFU variant will become available first when it arrives in Army military clothing sales stores sometime between October-December 2014.

The Clothing Bag issue variant will be issued to Soldiers from the clothing initial issue points, starting between April to June 2015, and to Reserve, National Guard, and Senior ROTC from July-August 2015. The APFU will be phased in as the IPFUs are used up and worn out. The mandatory wear date will go into effect approximately October 2017, or about three years after the APFU is introduced.

In conclusion, Mortlock said the Army reached out to Soldiers at “multiple touch points to ensure we got this right. The message is we’re listening to Soldiers. We’re continuing to listen to Sol-diers, and this is the Soldiers’ selection and Army leaders went along with this.”

34 Changes Made to Improved UniformAvailable Service-Wide October 2015


STAKESFor the 251st Sapper Company, the unit’s annual Sapper Stakes competition is a tradition many soldiers look for-ward to, a chance to pit their skills and training against other squads and find out who comes out on top. But for fresh soldiers in the unit, it’s a whole new experi-ence.

“It’s been fun, it’s been physically demanding, stressful and mentally demanding,” said Dutile, a combat engi-neer from Plymouth and a first-time competitor. “The stakes are an opportunity to learn on the fly and see how squad leaders operate in command situations.”

The competition is designed to test the soldiers on the common tasks of a combat engineer, but in a stressful and physically demanding environment.

“It’s pretty tough, but it’s also fun,” said Pfc. Trevor Whitney, a combat engineer from Mechanic Falls, and a first-time competitor in the Sapper Stakes. “It helps you remember a lot of stuff you learned in training, and helps you to improve your awareness and your combat skills.”

The competition began on Friday, September 26 at the home armory of the sappers in Norway, Maine. Soldiers

and squads were tested on physical fitness, and engineering knowledge, followed by a hand to hand combatives event.

“We do anything they need us to do, counter-mobility, mo-bility, survivability basic engineering, and fighting as infan-try,” said Pfc. Lewis Morton, a combat engineer from Casco, and a first-time competitor. “Those are our five tenants and we’re able to do pretty much anything the mission calls for.”

The next day, September 27, first platoon moved to the Au-burn training site at Mount Apatite for a series of challenges, including a test on mountaineering knots and an Improvised explosive device detection lane. Though each event can be challenging, especially for soldiers new to the stakes, all the soldiers agree, the “X-run” event is the hardest.

“The hardest thing so far is the x-run,” said Dutile, “Trying to keep up with some of the fastest guys in your squad, trying to help out in the skill sets, whether it is vehicle maintenance or demolitions or knot tying, it’s really challenging.”

For the “X-run,” each squad starts at the bottom of Mount Apatite and must carry a sked litter loaded with 200-pounds of water and equipment 700 meters to a checkpoint at the top, stopping at skill test stations along the way. The tests include changing a tire on a HMMWV, weapons familiariza-

by Spc. Adam Simmler

tion, assembling a series of demolition charges and map reading.

Despite the obstacles, the soldiers of the 251st stepped up to do what they do best, meet the challenge head on.

“Being a sapper unit, we are the best. Just being a part of the unit itself is an honor and it makes me try to be bet-ter,” said Morton. ”I know where I lack and I’m always go-ing to come back next drill and try to be a better sapper.”

The Sapper Stakes is not just about training, but for first-time competitors it’s a way to see the value in squad unity and strong leadership.

“Sapper Stakes fosters squad morale,” said Dutile. “At a basic level it’s how we function, it gives you squad cohe-siveness, and to a certain degree it allows you to com-pete with other squads, but at the same time we’re also sharing knowledge with other squads. By competing with other squads you also built unit solidarity too.”

The competition gives new soldiers an opportunity for to learn from veteran soldiers in a fast-paced always chang-ing environment. Whitney described his experience, “It’s

pretty tough, but it’s also fun and it helps a lot. Coming into a group of veterans, they know what they’re doing and if I have any questions, they don’t hesitate to answer and they go above and beyond to tell you what you need to know.”

The competition continues on Sunday in Norway, with a 10km ruck march and engineer reconnaissance tests.

Soldiers competing in the Sapper Stakes for the first time learn valuable lessons to build on for coming years, but not just for the competition, but for their careers as soldiers.

Dutile explains, “You fall right into place, your leadership is there to put you where you can do a job and where you can’t, they pick up the slack and show you how to improve. As a combat unit, this is what we strive to do, and we’re proud that as a combat unit we come out here and we do hard things, we stress our bodies, we stress our minds, and we’re proud to do that.”

Left: Soldiers from 2nd Squad, 1st Platoon, 251st Engineer Company, Maine Army National Guard pull a 200-pound sled to the top of Mount Apatite in Auburn as part of the unit’s Annual Sapper Stakes competition, Saturday, September 27 at the Auburn training site. The Sapper Stakes is a yearly unit competition to test each squad’s basic combat engineer tasks and skills. Some of the tasks included an im-provised explosive device detection lane and knot tying. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Adam Simmler, 121st Public Affairs Detachment)

Right: Staff Sgt. Abraham Lauze, from Lovell, and Spc. Jonathan Guillerault from Lyman, both combat engineers from the 251st Sapper Company, Maine Army National Guard, disassemble an MK19 grenade launcher during the weapons familiarization portion of the 2014 251st Engineer Company Sapper Stakes Competi-tion, Saturday, September 27 at the Auburn Training Site. The Sapper Stakes is a yearly unit competition to test each squad’s basic combat engineer tasks and skills. Some of the tasks included an improvised explosive device detection lane, knot tying and a 200-pound sled pull, up Mount Apatite in Auburn. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Adam Simmler, 121st Public Affairs Detachment)


YOUR OPINION FEEDBACK FROM THE FIELD

UNIFORM CHANGESThe Bayonet took to the streets to ask a few fellow Soldiers what they thought of the changes to

the new Army Physical Fitness Uniform and the new Army Combat Uniform featuring the Opera-

tional Camoflauge Pattern (OCP).

Command Sgt. Maj. Scott Doyon52nd Troop Command

Staff Sgt. Crystal Ryder286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion

Maj. Christopher ElgeeRecruiting and Retention Battalion

The new ACU is a big im-provement. It looks much better than the older grey

digital uniform and should pro-vide camouflage that is more effective. The current uniform only works if you lay down in the road. I am glad to see they are replacing much of the hook and loop with buttons. This makes much more sense for longevity, financially and tactically. It is great to see the Army is listening to Soldier feed-back and making the requested changes.

The new APFU looks a lot sharper and more modern. The identified changes

will go a long way to ensure the uniform provides a better fit for our female and male Soldiers. The new APFU appears to be more modest and made of higher quality materials. I think the only unfortunate part is during the drawdown we are buying new uniforms when our current one works fine. I would like to see this money spent military schooling and training instead.

The coming ACU has some features I like and others I do not. I like that they are going

to take the drawstring out, as they look unprofessional and can be seen hanging out of the uniform. Removing the knee and elbow pad pockets are a great way to cut down cost. I do not agree with taking out the lower pockets. I question whether these changes are enhancing the ability for soldiers to perform their duties or just unnecessary desires that will cost the government more money.

I feel the new APFU will enhance the Soldiers’ ability to exercise. The current APFU seems to

have some restrictions on the mobility of movement. With the moisture wicking properties it will also limit over heating of Soldiers. The colors changing to black and the reflective material taken out will only lead to problems. Even though PT belts are worn for that purpose, Soldiers don’t always remember them.

I like the ACU changes. I have the button-cuff, button-cargo-pocket ACUs now, and it’s a

step forward. Having an effective camouflage pattern would be a HUGE improvement.

For the APFU, I hope the new t-shirt will be more like the ones CrossFit gyms

sell: much lighter and ACTUALLY moisture-wicking. I am glad they have dropped the quasi-reflective lettering as we are required to wear the reflective belts anyway. Now if only I could find my old black cap.

What’s missing with these changes? A 10-year moratorium on more

changes.


By Sgt. 1st Class Peter D. Morrison

OPERATIONTIMBERHOOK IISoldiers of the Maine Army National Guard raced against the weather to conduct Operation Timber-hook 2, October 31, at Baxter State Park by delivering much needed supplies and equipment to remote loca-tions within the park.

Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 126th Avia-tion Regiment, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation, and the 521st Troop Command Battalion, used eight UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, and moved over 30 loads of equipment to sites difficult or impossible to reach by ground vehicle.

“We want to thank the Maine Army National Guard for the work they did last month, it saved over 250 Ranger hours hoisting those loads,” said a representa-tive from the park.

The continued partnership with the Maine Guard and Baxter State Park provides a unique training opportu-nity for the units, “It is always very fulfilling as a commander to see all the very tired but excited soldiers as they tell all the war stories of the day they

just had. The intangible benefits to these types of events are immeasurable,” said Maj. Nathan Arnold, Commander, Company C. 1st Battalion 126th Aviation Regiment.

Crews trained on external load and hoist operations as well as load generation and receiving sling loads from the helicopters. The flight crews logged over 45 hours of flight time and flew into five different loca-tions within the park, delivering supplies and remov-ing debris.

The partnership between the crews and helicopters of the Maine Army National Guard and Baxter State Park goes back for decades; coordinating their efforts in emergency medical and rescue situations, to missions like Operation Timberhook.

“We

stood in the

darkness of FT Dix at

about 2200 hrs, looking

across a blackened field; it was

so dark you could not see the

hand in front of your

face. “

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those liv-

ing in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born to us a son is given, and the govern-ment will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlast-ing Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establish-ing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:2-7, NIV)

When I was in Basic Training, our drill sergeant taught us a lesson that I have not yet forgotten. We stood in the darkness of FT Dix at about 2200 hrs, looking across a blackened field; it was so dark you could not see the hand in front of your face. About 200 meters away, across the field and unknown to us, stood another

drill sergeant, unseen. The next moment, that far away drill ser-geant lit a cigarette and though he was far away and the flame was small, we could see him as if it were day.

You may not realize this, but Christmas was not always celebrated at the end of De-cember. It has occupied several places around the calendar, but has been pretty standardized for over fifteen hundred years, at least in the West. One of the reasons that December 25th was chosen, is that from that day forward, the days get longer and longer (actually, this occurs on the first day of winter, the 21st, but it only becomes apparent to the naked eye on the 25th). The first day of winter is the darkest day of the year. And it is near that day that we celebrate the light of the Messiah. Only when it is darkest can you see how striking that light is, and only when you trust can you notice the lengthening of days.

This can be a dark time for many of us. Christmas can remind us not only of fond memories, but also of loss and also those who cannot be with us. For some, we experience the sadness of Sea-sonal Affective Disorder (getting depressed by the lack of sun-

The chaplain’s wordlight) Where are you this year? Where is your heart? When Isa-iah wrote the words above, those that listened to him thought

that God must be very far off and that there was little

hope. However, it was just then that

God chose Isaiah to speak to the Israelites, to give them hope in the darkest of times.

It is at these times, both in our per-

sonal lives and in our history, that we must

trust in God. He has always kept His promises and He can be a light for your and our salvation.

The days will get brighter and Christmas and Hanukah (the festival of light) are reminders of the light that only God can give. God Bless You and Keep you; Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukah, and a blessed New Year.

Chaplain (Col.) Andy GibsonJoint Forces Headquarters Maine, Chaplain

The Inspector General on “Ethics”By Lt. Col. John Beatty, State Inspector General

Ethics are the moral principles that guide a person’s or group’s behavior. Ethics provide the moral compass on what one should or should not do based on what is

determined to be right or wrong.

The Adjutant General conducted a “Commander’s Call” to dis-cuss the important topic of ethics with his senior leadership in November. Topics included gifts and gratuities, misuse of gov-ernment equipment, personal conduct, procurement activities, misuse of government funds, and more.

For most units, the ethics counselor is a Judge Advocate Gen-eral officer. Maj. Peter Black is the Maine National Guard ethics counselor, and is responsible for educating the command and advising the Adjutant General on matters of ethics.

While not officially ethics counselors, Inspector Generals, as part of their mission to “teach and train” and as a result of the types of cases they typically receive, tend to be in the busi-ness of helping commanders understand what they should or should not do, according to the appropriate regulations and policies.

A large number of allegations across the entire Inspector Gen-eral system are violations of DoD Directive 5500.7-R, The Joint Ethics Regulation; AR 600-20, Army Command Policy; AR 600-100, Army Leadership; or personal conduct in violation of the UCMJ or appropriate state laws and codes of military justice. Some examples include:

a. Accepting gifts and gratuities in violation of the Joint Ethics Regulation. • Expensive meals from contractors. • Expensive departure and retirement gifts.

b. Misuse of government equipment and employees in violation of the Joint Ethics Regulation. • Requiring dining facility personnel to cater social

functions. • Using government property or personnel to support

private organizations. • Using dining facility food for change of command

receptions or award ceremonies. • Requiring a secretary to make personal vacation travel

arrangements. • Using a driver for personal errands.

c. Personal conduct in violation of AR 600-20, AR 600-100, UCMJ, and the Joint Ethics Regulation. • Adultery. • Improper relationship. • Sexual harassment.

• Public drunkenness. • Fraternization with subordinates. • Verbal abuse of civilians or soldiers. d. Procurement activities in violation of the Joint Ethics Regulation. • Committing the government to an acquisition without

contract authority. • Improperly influencing the acquisition process. • Giving “inside information” to selected contractors.

e. Misuse of aircraft or vehicles.• Domicile-to-duty transportation. • Unauthorized use by spouses. • Use of sedan or aircraft for personal errands. • Transporting personal items on military aircraft. • Supporting private organizations without authority.

f. Misuse of government funds.• Using appropriated funds for unauthorized purposes. • Diverting government funds for personal use. • Claiming pay for duty not performed (drill). • Going TDY principally to conduct personal business or

private association business. • Claiming POV mileage when transported by government

sedan. • Claiming per diem when not in TDY status.

g. Abuse of position or authority• Inadequate or improper response to a subordinate’s impro-

priety, i.e., cover-up or whitewash • Coercion (or the perception of coercion) to join a private

organization. • Disregarding regulatory requirements for hiring, assigning,

and firing subordinates. • Using inappropriate language (cursing) at, or in the pres-

ence of, subordinates.

It is important to note that this information – what NOT to do – is important for all members of the command, not just our senior leaders and commanders. Not only are each of

us on our own path toward those senior positions, but we are also the team members on whom Commanders rely for advice, guidance and a final “double-check” before making their deci-sions. We owe it to them to know the regulations.

For more information about the State Inspector General office and on how to make a complaint, go to:

http://www.me.ngb.army.mil/ig/filing-a-complaint.aspxor email: [email protected], or call (207) 430-6068.

You can also visit the office on the second floor, west corner of Building 7, Camp Keyes, Augusta, Maine 04333.

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The Bayonet - December 2014