Apache Post 4 MAY 2012

WE ARE THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION

WE ARE THE 1ST COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE

WE ARE THE 1-1 ATTACK RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION

WE ARE THE FIRST UNIT EQUIPPED WITH THE APACHE BLOCK III

….WE ARE FINALLY HOME FINALLY FROM A SUCCESSFUL TEST OF THE

NEW AIRCRAFT!!

Gunfighters, friends, and Families,

What an incredibly busy spring! We have had members of this battalion spread out

between Fort Riley, Barstow California, Edwards Air Force Base California, and Mesa

Arizona for the last 5 months. And the workload at Fort Riley increased at the same

time as the Companies showed their flexibility and resilience in tackling the huge Divi-

sion level missions of the Reset Assistance Visit and Operation Victory Sweep. Just

like any great organization, we not only accomplished our missions, we exceeded the

standard. The Division Inspector General rated the Gunfighters as the best unit in

the Division on the Reset Assistance Visit statistics, and through Operation Victory

Sweep I have never seen the unit look better with equipment readiness and account-

ability.

Spring is the season of change and the

changes are in full swing. We com-

pleted the first change of command in

the history of Gray Eagle Unmanned

Aircraft System Company as CW3 Jeff

Stokes relinquished command to CPT

Joe Difrancesco. Both leaders had

Family attending the ceremony, and it

was a great day to honor the next

phase in a great company.

We also had the opportunity to recog-

nize our fantastic and selfless volun-

teers from across the battalion. Over

70 Certificates of Appreciation from

the Commander, Command Sergeant

(Continued on page 2)

From the Cockpit...

I N S I D E

T H I S I S S U E :

Front page

News

2

HHC

„BountyHunters‟

3

A CO „Devils‟ 4

B CO

„Wolfpack‟

5

C CO

„Ghostriders‟

6

D CO

„Desperados‟

7

E CO

„Outlaws‟

8

F CO „Fenix‟ 9

Pictures from

the Last Quarter

10-12

FRG

Information

13

Fort Riley

Events

14

About 1-1 ARB 15

1 - 1 A T T A C K

R E C O N N A I S S A N C E

B A T T A L I O N The Apache Post 4 M A Y 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

P A G E 2 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

Major, and Chief Warrant Officer of the Battal-

ion were given out, but what was really im-

pressive was three Presidential Level awards

were given out! Two were received by our

own Mandi Harris and Candace Kattes!

It is great to have all of the battalion back

home and together again as we have had mem-

bers of the battalion gone for almost 90 days

straight! But they have come back as the pre-

eminent Apache Block III unit in the

world. There is no one that knows more

about this new aircraft than these tremendous

warriors. Their foundation will help the rest of

the battalion get up to speed on the new Tac-

tics, Techniques, and Procedures that were

developed over the last few months in

California. We will send 10 pilots a month

to Mesa, Arizona through August to get

our pilots trained, and thankfully all of our

maintainers will be trained here at Fort

Riley over the same timeframe.

Thanks again, for all of your support to our

Army and the Soldiers in this battal-

ion. We couldn’t do it with out you!

LTC Ed Vedder

CSM Mike O’Donnell

CW4 Ron Porter

(Continued from page 1)

From the Cockpit… continued from Page 1

Above: Apache Block III aircraft in flight against the rugged back-drop of the Mojave Desert, home to the National Training Center and Fort Irwin.

Above: The Gunfighter test crews who spent the better part of three months con-ducting this mission for the US Army. Well done! At left: The newest member of the Gun-fighter Family, the Grey Eagle Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in flight. The Grey Eagle, which is flown by our “Fenix” Com-pany, provides key intelligence to Apache crews during missions .

P A G E 3

Bounty Hunter Family and Friends,

For those who have not met me, Greetings! I am CPT Wilford A. Rose III, the new

Commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Company “Bounty Hunters”. Since the last

Apache Post there has been a great deal of work completed by your Soldiers. The work they

have done they should all be very proud of; work that includes the battalions fielding of the

Apache Block 3, NTC Rotations, Red Cycle Taskings, Operation Victory Sweep, and ARMS in-

spections. Needless to say your Soldiers have been on the move these past few months, but for

very good reason, as their effort were crucial to the Battalion’s Mission Accomplishment of

Apache Block 3 IOTE and FDTE at Fort Irwin California. Well Done Bounty Hunters!

Your Soldiers will continue to be busy as this month as the company is focusing on the

FORSCOM Arms inspections. This will be a crucial assessment of our unit to determine our

overall readiness. Following the ARMS inspection there are no Battalion Level training events on

the horizon until Aerial Gunnery, and HHC Company will follow suit with readiness training and

squad level training for the duration of the summer. We hope that there is opportunity for all

Soldiers to take sometime this summer to take leave and conduct R&R with their families.

Our FRG is a crucial element of readiness, unit cohesion and esprit de corps, and something that

my FRG Leader (Michele Clay), my First Sergeant (1SG Williams) and I take very seriously. We

are looking to rebuild our ranks and foster a team atmosphere. We are meeting monthly at the

company orderly room at 1700 every first Wednesday of the month. We have already taken

part in the BN Easter Egg hunt which was great fun, and we are hoping to get enough members

to conduct company independent functions. We need your help to get this team rolling. If you or

anyone you know would be willing to assist with the HHC Co FRG please email my FRG leader

at [email protected].

The Company is also in the process of saying goodbye to a good deal of HHC Soldiers before

the next Apache Post comes out. With a heavy heart we will be saying good bye to; SFC How-

ard, SSG Mohammed, SSG Royal Williams, SSG(P) Eberhardt, SGT Ashdown, SGT Tims, SGT

Parra, SGT Adams, CPT Arbogast, and CPT

Cimellaro, SPC Oakley, SPC Aderman, and PFC

Cano as they will be moving on to bigger and

better things. We will be welcoming SPC Berry-

hill, SPC Brown, PV2 Dekkert, PV2 Waters and

LT Storey.

Until the next Post, … BOUNTY HUNTERS!

Right: 1SG Williams

stands with “CPT

Bunny” and SFC Howard

at the BN Easter Party

Far Right: CPT Bunny,

a.k.a. CPT Rose, handed

over the suit to the capa-

ble hands of “1SG

Bunny.” They did a

great job!!

T H E A P A C H E P O S T


Alpha Company

has been very

busy the last few

months. We

were split be-

tween NTC and

our home opera-

tions the majority

of the time but

accomplished our

mission due to

the efforts from

the Soldiers of the A Co Devils. We also said goodbye to

several families and regretfully have more leaving soon.

Prior to the NTC rotation, A Co conducted a Field Train-

ing Exercise (FTX), a week of operations in the field in-

volving Aviators and Maintainers. We executed missions

from simulated downed aircraft and evasions to patrolling

operations involving a Downed Aircraft Recovery Team

(DART). The end result was an awesome training event

that got everyone out of the normal every day routine

and out putting to practice what we do.

We then sent eight Aviators and five Maintainers with 5

Block II Apaches to the National Training Center (NTC)

in California in support of Apache Block III (AB3) testing.

The Soldiers from Alpha Company helped make the op-

eration a huge success by providing a table for compari-

son between the two aircraft platforms to analyze the

capabilities of the new airframe versus the old. We look

forward to the upcoming months as we send our Devil

Aviators and Maintainers to the AB3 Training as we move

into the era of the Block III.

NTC was not the only major event happening lately.

Those Devils that stayed at FT Riley have been busy with

Operation Victory Sweep (OVS), the equivalent of going

through boxes in the garage/attic and getting rid of unnec-

essary material, through which we saved over $50,000

from A CO alone. (No, you do not get to take a cut

home) Our supply technicians and remaining Soldiers did

awesome work accomplishing the goal even though short-

handed and fully tasked. In conjunction, the Aviation

Resource Management Survey inspection (ARMS) is still

ongoing. This is an inspection on how we operate as an

Aviation Unit. Once again, the Devils took readily to

the task and already have achieved a “GO” in all areas.

In everything we have done and continue to do, we have

our families to thank for all they give to allow us to ac-

complish the mission. Thank you to all of our families

for your unconditional support. Devils!

-Devil 16

LT Tim Brown

Announcements

SPC Clark and his wife had their baby Bentley Cash-

ton Clark, 8lbs 8oz, 20.5 inches long

CW2 Steve Hill and his wife Michelle Hill welcomed

Julia May Hill weighed in at 7lbs 10 oz and is 20’’

long

We farewelled SGT Porter and his wife Danielle as

they prepare to PCS to Germany

We farewelled SGT Schwab and his wife Ally as

they ETS

We farewelled SPC King as he ETS’s and goes to

college in AZ

Above: ‘Devil 6’, CPT Bolton, on the flightline.

Above: A CO Apache crews stopping to refuel on the way home from NTC in Raton, New Mexico.

P A G E 5


Once again time has seemed to fly

by, the weather is starting to warm

up, and as summer approaches we

will be full swing into the new air-

craft, Apache Block III, training for all

our pilots and maintainers. As you

all may or may not know, the rest of

the Battalion recently re-deployed

from their National Training Center

rotation and Apache Block III testing

in California. We were fortunate enough to remain home supporting the battalion by hold-

ing down the fort while they were gone. Now that everyone has returned, our focus has

turned to preparing for a large Operational inspection called the

ARMS inspection. All the Soldiers’ hard has not gone unnoticed

and their efforts will lead to the ultimate success of our unit. Next

month we will start change of command inventories in preparation

for the B CO Change of Command scheduled for June. Our Com-

pany organizational day was a success! We also have planned for

the Second annual Wolfpack golf Tournament to happen on the 8th

of June. I truly appreciate the Families and their continued support.

I recognized the sacrifices and am thankful for our Wolfpack family.

Key events that have happened: Congratulations are in order for

SPC Winner and his wife on the birth of their new baby girl, Kinley

Marie. Congratulations to SPC Thrailkill and SPC Rodriguez on

their reenlistments. Dates and times for their ceremonies are still

to be determined. CW2 Lanter-14th and SPC Miller 9th both cele-

brated birthdays this month, make sure to tell them Happy Birthday!

Above: Mandi Harris and CW2 Michael Harris man the Johnsonville Sale that the Battalion participated in in March. The sale made over $1600 for our FRGs.


Good To Be Home

By CPT Adam Marr, Ghostrider 6

Good to be home indeed. The Ghostrider team has been hard

at work undergoing split operations at Fort Riley and Mesa/

Barstow. The Company performed immaculately while deployed,

learning and mastering the upgrades and nuances as the first unit

equipped with the Army’s new Apache Block III. At home sta-

tion, Charlie Company lead the way on several major inspections

while working to help meet the needs of the Battalion and the

rest of Ghostriders deployed. As we transition to the upcoming

summer months we will be focused first and foremost on ensur-

ing maximum time off for soldiers, helping to build resiliency after

the long deployment. For the rest of May we will be busy at

work preparing for another major inspection at the end of the

month. For June and July the company’s focus will be on the

completion of AB3 training at Mesa, AZ and Ft. Riley. 1SG and

myself are looking forward to seeing everybody at the Company

Organizational Day at Moon Lake on May 11th. Ghostriders!

Announcements

-Congratulations to Patrick and Elvia Burg. Patrick was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant officer

3 effective 1 April 2012.

-Charlie Company Organizational Day May 11th 2012 from 1100-UTC at Moon Lake on post. Come

out and help us celebrate the completion of AB3 training as we get ready to welcome in the summer.

We will be grilling out, fishing, and enjoying the Kansas weather with the Ghostrider friends and family.

-Charlie Company Hail and Farewell June 1st

at 6:30pm. Location TBD

-We would like to recognize Charlie Com-

pany FRG Co-Leader Lauren Stewart. Lauren

and her husband will be transitioning to

HHC. Thank you for your hard work and

dedication to our company! We have been so

fortunate to have you on our team!

At Left: One of our new Apache Block III aircraft mak-ing its way back home to Fort Riley Marshall Airfield.

Above: Nothing like training in NBC gear!! This Ghostrider seems to think this is a piece of cake.

P A G E 7

Check out the

‘Desperado’

Facebook® page!

http://

www.facebook.com/

pages/1-1-

Desperados/2576326909

14290?sk=wall

Family and Friends of the Des-

perados,

We have been extremely busy

the last few months. Forty-

three squared away Soldiers

recently returned from the

Apache Block 3 fielding test in

California. These Soldiers

worked for 3 months just as

hard as they would during a

deployment. While in Califor-

nia, our Desperados had plenty

of Generals and dignitaries visit

them to emphasize how impor-

tant the test and the develop-

ment of the new Apache Block 3 is for the Army.

Our Soldiers are truly on the tip of the spear when

it comes to developing new standards and proce-

dures for the newest aircraft in the Army inventory.

Each and every one of them did the Desperados and

the Gunfighters proud.

While those Soldiers were in California, the rest of

the company remained on Fort Riley and prepared

for Operation Victory Sweep. In today’s budget-

conscious Army, we all need to conserve spending

and ensure that unused equipment goes to units

that can utilize it. Altogether, the Desperados

turned in over $270,000 worth of equipment that

other units can use. This was done by identifying,

cleaning, and organizing our hangar, offices and con-

tainers. A lot of Soldiers put in hours of hard work.

Delta Company received congratulations from

Brigadier General MacWillie himself. He was espe-

cially impressed with SGT Kizzie, SPC Jenkins, PFC

Dudley, PFC Cordero and PFC Lewis who gave the

General outstanding briefs on how their shops

conduct business.

As for senior leaders in the company, we said

goodbye to CPT DiFrancesco who left the Desper-

ados to take command of Foxtrot Company, our

new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Company.

CPT Mike Schreckenbach is now our Headquarters

and Shops Platoon Leader. Welcome to the team!

The future still holds much work as we continue

training on the Apache Block 3 and prepare for an

Aviation Resource Management Survey (ARMS)

inspection. We will also have an Organizational

Day on May 4th at Frank Annaberg Park in Manhat-

tan. We are also planning a Company FRG Meet-

ing for June 5th. Details to follow via email

and our “1-1 Desperados” Facebook page.

Once again, thank you to our friends and

families for your support. Our many accom-

plishments since the last newsletter would

not be possible without you. DESPERADOS!

CPT Dan O’Donnell

Desperado 6

[email protected]


Above: The ‘Desperados’ AB3 Crew in Barstow-Daggat.

At Left: SPC Davis and PFC Santiago working on the rotor system of one of the AB3’s .

mended by the Operational Test Com-

mand (OTC) staff on their professional-

ism and work ethic. Our Soldiers did a

phenomenal job while they were out

there and I take pride in being a part of

their formation.

Back here at Fort Riley we have contin-

ued to train in order to become more

proficient in our Warrior Tasks and Bat-

tle Drills. We just conducted our first

company NBC Chamber in which the

Soldiers learned how to properly wear

their M40 mask and built confidence with

how the mask functioned during practical

use. We also conducted weapons train-

ing on the MK19 (automatic grenade

launcher) and M203 (single grenade


Hello Outlaw family!

We have had an eventful month that

proved our Company’s potential as a

Forward Support Company. Our Sol-

diers have finally returned from the Na-

tional Training Center in California and

made history by providing logistical sup-

port to the field testing of the new

Apache Block III Helicopter. Because of

their support the Army now has all the

data it needs to make a concise decision

on whether or not to purchase these

helicopters. Your Soldiers worked long

hours providing first class fuel, ammo,

and vehicle maintenance support ensur-

ing that all the logistics was provided to

these aircraft. They were also com-

launcher) at the Engagement Skill

Trainer (EST). The EST is like a life size

video game that allows you to shoot life

size weapons at targets on the screen.

This was done in preparation for the

two ranges we will be conducting at the

end of this month. Our Soldiers are

becoming more efficient every day in

their jobs and Battle Drills ensuring we

are prepared for future deployments.

Thank you for your help, support and

commitment. Without you we would

not be able to function as efficiently as

we do.

v/r

Outlaw 6

OUTLAW 7

1SG Clifford Bell here and I am proud to say that our Warriors are becoming effective Soldiers able to take on whatever situation

comes into their lane of fire. After completing our 60 day NTC exercise our new families in the Army are beginning to feel the mi-

nor effects of what deployments are like. It is imperative that the Warriors and their families learn how to properly communicate in

order to prevent domestic disputes. We unfortunately have had several cases where domestic disputes have arisen in the company

which concerns me.

If something is happening within your household which may turn into some type of major dispute I ask that one of the two parties

involved gets out of there before something major happens in order to protect everyone. There is nothing wrong with taking a

break from the conversation, going to your own place (whether inside the house or even at a local coffee shop) and think about

what is happening. There is no conversation that is worth inflicting harm on the other person and there is no reason that any con-

versation should escalate into a situation in which the local authorities are brought into the picture. Our Soldiers are trained in the

Comprehensive Soldier Readiness module which encompasses five pillars. Those pillars include Physical Fitness, Mental Determina-

tion, Spiritual Foundation, Resilient comebacks, and Family Readiness. If one of those five pillars is hindered then the entire structure

will collapse. Please ensure that your Warriors are taken care of at home and ensure they are also taking care of you. You are our

most valuable assets and we cannot afford to lose you. Remember…life is about choices. The decisions we make today will

affect our tomorrow.

v/r

Outlaw 7

Left and Right: E CO ‘Outlaw’ Soldiers re-

cently conducted train-ing in the Nuclear, Bio-

logical and Chemical (NBC) Chamber to fa-miliarize and refresh knowledge of how to properly don and use

the M40 mask.


April has been a very busy month for Fox Company, 1st Aviation

Regiment. From the press to General Officers, Fenix Company

had a record turn out for the official activation of the unit and

unfurling of the guidon on April 12th. Additionally, Fenix Com-

pany conducted a Change of Command between CW3 Stokes

and CPT DiFrancesco. In the midst of the ceremonies, the Fenix

Soldiers continue to train and study in preparation for the test-

ing phase of the MQ-1C Grey Eagle at Edwards Air Force Base.

Currently the Aircraft Operators are conducting their Readiness

Level progressions; certifying them mission ready in the Army's

most advanced Unmanned Aerial System. The scope of the fu-

ture training is daunting, but easily handled by the high caliber

Soldiers of Fenix company. The support from home and family

drives Fox Company to success.

Respectfully,

CPT Joe DiFrancesco, Fenix 6

Upcoming Events:

The Company will hold an organization day/FRG meeting on 4

MAY out at Milford.

From top and clockwise: LTC Vedder with a Fenix UAV crew out at Edwards AFB; CW3 Stokes and 1SG Black unfurling the company guidon during the activation ceremony; CW3 Stokes and MSG Farinosi, former 1SG of Fenix Company with the new guidon; Fenix Company’s first official company picture after the activation ceremony; CPT DiFrancesco takes the guidon from LTC Vedder in the Change of Command Ceremony.

T H E A P A C H E

P O S T

I f y o u h a v e

s u g g e s t i o n s ,

c o m m e n t s o r

f e e d b a c k f o r

t h i s N e w s l e t t e r ,

p l e a s e c o n t a c t

J u l i e P e t r u c c e l l i

- T r e e n , 1 - 1 A R B

F a m i l y

R e a d i n e s s

S u p p o r t

A s s i s t a n t

( F R S A ) a t

J u l i e . t r e e n 1 @

u s . a r m y . m i l

o r ( 7 8 5 - 2 3 9 -

8 7 2 9 .

P A G E 1 0

A Pictorial Overview of the Last Quarter


At Left: Sunset over Barstow while training with the AB3. At Right: Dust is one thing you can never escape in the desert. As the AB3s lift off for an-other day of training, they kick up the desert dust.

At Left: Firefighters at Fort Irwin train with our AB3 pilots. At Right: The coastline from the cockpit of an Apache. What a sight! Below: The C CO crew who fielded the AB3 for the US Army. Great job!

P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

Above Left: Blue Steel, D CO Above Right: PFC Cruz and PFC Gieselman, D CO, working on a rotor head.

Above Left: SPC Guertin, SPC Rigby and PFC San Pedro, D CO, working on one of the AB3s. Above Right: SPC Vaughn, D CO, being SPC Vaughn.

Below Left: On the way out in a CH-47 Below Right: The tarmac from the air during a PC Ride

P A G E 1 2


At Above Left: LTC Vedder presents SGT Dominique Scurry with a certificate of appreciation at the recent Volunteer Award Ceremony held on 24 APR. At Above Right: SPC Janice Borja receives a certificate of appreciation from LTC Vedder at the Vol-unteer Award Ceremony.

At Above Left: D CO FRG Leader Amber Weeks receives a certificate of appreciation from LTC Vedder at the recent Volunteer Award Ceremony. At Right: A CO FRG Co-Leader Melissa Bates was recognized at the Demon Brigade Volunteer of the Quar-ter Ceremony for her work throughout January through March 2012.

Above: Just to show that our Gunfighters have some beautiful children, these and many other little ones came out with their Gunfighter moms and dads to the BN Easter Party on 31 MAR. It was a beautiful day and everyone had a great time!

P A G E 1 3

Upcoming Events


4 MAY: F CO Safety Stand Down/Org Day/FRG Meeting, Milford

4 MAY: D CO Org Day, Anneberg Park

6 MAY: A CO FRG Meeting/BBQ, Acorns Resort

8 MAY: Battalion Steering Committee Meeting, 5:30 PM

11 MAY: C CO Welcome Home BBQ, Moon Lake

13 MAY: Mother’s Day—Don’t forget your Mom!!

15 MAY: Quarterly Newcomer’s Coffee, BN Classroom, 1:00 PM

to 3:30 PM

24 MAY: Brigade Family Run, 6:30 AM Airfield

25—28 MAY: Memorial Day Holiday Weekend

1 JUN: Fort Riley Network Meeting, 10:30 AM, Rally Point

6 JUN: HHC FRG Meeting, BN Classroom 6:00 PM

10 JUN: Chris Daughtry Concert, 5:00 PM, Riley’s Conference

Center

For more details on the company level events, contact your FRG Leader!

FRG Leader Information Some of our companies have undergone some leadership changes. Here is our cur-

rent roster of FRG Leaders and their contact information. If you are not sure who

your FRG Leader is, contact the BN FRSA at

[email protected] and you will be pointed in the right

direction.

HHC „Bountyhunters‟: Michele Clay, [email protected]

A CO „Devils‟: Kelly Bolton, [email protected]

Melissa Bates, [email protected]

B CO „Wolfpack‟: Mandi Harris, [email protected]

C CO „Ghostriders‟: Alycia Marr, [email protected]

Ghostriders Email, [email protected]

D CO „Desperados‟: Amber Weeks, [email protected]

Elizabeth White, [email protected]

Jan Cruz, [email protected]

D CO Email, [email protected]

E CO „Outlaws‟: Heather Pugh, [email protected]

F CO „Fenix‟: Lisa McCoy, [email protected]

Fort Riley Events

P A G E 1 4 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 4

Battalion Headquarters

BLDG 802 Marshall Avenue

Fort Riley, Kansas 66442

Find us on Facebook(r) at http://

www.facebook.com/#!/pages/

Gunfighters/113862645304342

1-1 Attack Reconnaissance

Battalion

Gunfighters!

1-1 ARB traces its roots to the formation of the 1st Aviation Company, 1st ID, constituted on 15 February 1957 at Fort Riley, KS. Later redesignated as 1st Aviation Battalion, one of the first aviation units to employ helicopter gunships and reconnaissance helicopters in unison to conduct search and destroy teams, commonly referred to as "hunter/killer" teams. Currently stationed at Fort Riley, the Gunfighters continue to provide invaluable reconnaissance and lethal attack helicopters fires for the Soldiers of the Big Red One. The Gunfighters are commanded by LTC Edward M. Vedder. CSM Michael P. O’Donnell is the senior enlisted advisor. This is the informational newsletter of 1-1 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division that contains both official and unofficial information. The inclusion of non-official information in this newsletter has not increased the cost to the United States Government in accordance with DoD 425.8-M.

News & Politics

Apache Post 4 MAY 2012