Greetings Soldiers, Families and Friends of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team: I’m pleased to be able to provide you this short update from our new 76th IBCT website. My compliments to our Public Affairs team, led by Capt. Lisa Kopczynski, for leading the effort on our website design and especially to Sgt. Robert Cooper , who arrived in Iraq in May and jumped right in and got to work. If you have any ideas or more information/functionality that you’d like to see on our site, just let us know.
I want to start this update by expressing my deepest condolences on behalf of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team to the family of Sgt. Joseph Ford. Regretfully, Joe was killed on a combat patrol May 10th, 2008 near Al Asad, Iraq in a vehicle accident. Joe Ford was a great Soldier.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, his parents, his sister and brother, and his many friends. As a Nighthawk soldier, SGT Joseph Ford epitomized the Soldier’s Creed and was truly dedicated to “Point the Way.” We will all miss SGT Ford and will remember his great love for soldiering and Roman History.
The loss of SGT Ford reminds us each day how critical it is that we each focus on our mission. Even though we’re right at about the 50 percent mark, I recognize that there are many days in which our Soldiers here or families back home are missing one another and the time seems to crawl. The key is for us all to stay very busy to keep that time moving. Our timeline remains as I described in a letter to the families July ’07. While we neither know exact dates, nor would be want to discuss them here, we’re still right on track to be back with our loved ones in the first half of December ’08. There has been absolutely no hint or discussion of sending us home early, nor in keeping us longer. Our timeline is pretty much exactly what we’ve been expecting.
There is one change regarding our out processing schedule that I want to make you aware of. In the past, some units have arrived back in Indiana and been given a 3 day pass prior to returning to CAJMTC (Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center) for out processing. Since most units don’t out process so close to home, and in an attempt to expedite the out processing to get Soldiers out on leave and back home with families for the holiday season activities we will not be taking a 3 day pass when we get back to Indiana. We will proceed immediately to CAJMTC for out processing.
It is impossible to know exact dates and times because of the many variables. I ask you to be patient and avoid rumors. As we have information we will get it out through rear detachments, FRGs, and this website.
I could not be more proud of our 76th IBCT Solders. Across the board (and across half of Iraq) our Soldiers are performing magnificently. In each respective area our Soldiers are doing their part to move the ball of progress and security forward. If you haven’t seen it in the news-believe me-just in our short time here, we’ve been able to not only witness the progress here, but to participate in helping the Iraqi people and government defeat those people and organizations that just don’t want the Iraqi people to succeed. The professionalism, capability, and courage of our Soldiers is clearly making a difference. I know our families are even more proud of our soldiers and their accomplishments than I.
One new mission of particular note that the 76th IBCT Headquarters, 76th STB, and 1-163rd FA all have is to help drive business money and jobs to the local Iraqi economies around our respective FOBs. Our teams have jumped on this new task and are really making astonishing rapid progress. It’s been exciting and rewarding to see the hope, energy, and enthusiasm in the local people as real opportunities unfold for them.
Another mission that our team sought and received was something like an 911 dispatch cell. It’s called the Sheriff’s net or cell and it’s a Command Post with several communications and tracking systems that provide backup and immediate response/support to our Soldiers out on convoys. This mission lets us “watch out” and “take care” of our Nighthawk Soldiers as they execute their convoy missions.
Additionally, we’re running a support team to help support our Soldiers from other locations when they are up at LSA Anaconda on missions.
CSM Rhoades and I have been able to travel out to several locations to visit our great Nighthawk Soldiers. In our visits to Victory Base Complex, TQ, FOB Speicher, and FOB Q-West, we’ve enjoyed seeing our Soldiers and seeing the pride and professionalism they display. Their performance demonstrates the skill, talent, and professionalism of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Indiana Army National Guard.
I know families are out on summer vacation now- I ask you to keep safety on your mind in your many activities. Thank you for the incredible support that our families have provided to us here. We recognize all the extra work that each of you is doing- and truly appreciate it.
Point the Way.
