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| A-1-8 Chapter of the 4th Infantry Division |
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President, Americans Remembered, Inc. - http://www.americansremembered.org
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Past President/Historian - Nat'l 4th Inf Div Assn - http://www.4thinfantry.org
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4ID/TF Ironhorse Welcome Home - April 22, 2004
Several of you have asked for more details on the April 22 4ID/TF Ironhorse Welcome Home Ceremony scheduled for April 22, 2004 at Fort Hood, TX. The following was provided by 4ID HQ to include in this update:
On April 22, the 4th Infantry Division in conjunction with Ft. Hood Morale, Welfare and Recreation will host a day of fun, food and carnival rides for the soldiers who have deployed, their families who have endured their absence and the community who supported them. It is the best way to thank everyone involved for his or her sacrifices and loyalty throughout the past year.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with the official military ceremony at Cameron Field that uncases and returns the 4th Infantry Division's 'colors' to Fort Hood. Soon after, the spirit shifts from the pageantry of a military ceremony to a celebration of a job well done; there will be no shortage of festivity as this free event continues through the day and into the night.
At 11 a.m., the block party gets rolling. There will be activities and specialty acts for the children to enjoy. Local franchises and food vendors have generously donated food and soft drinks for partygoers to enjoy. The sponsors include El Chico, Burger King, Blimpies, and more.
At noon, the entertainment brings together local, national and international stars from the world of music, comedy and dance that have volunteered their time to provide non-stop excitement on two stages.
The children will have a stage for their specialty acts all to themselves. In addition to entertainment acts, there will be jumping castles, climbing walls, carnival rides and contests throughout the day.
The event will take place entirely within the 4th Inf. Div. area and is intended for Soldiers of the 4th Inf. Div. and those people close to them. Invitations, which will be mailed the last week of March, are required to obtain passes. Family members of soldiers can obtain passes at the Clear Creek gate up to a week prior to the event. All bags and vehicles are subject to a security search. The 4th Inf. Div. wishes to thank everyone involved from sponsors and organizations to volunteers for making this welcome home celebration possible.
Interested media can contact the Public Affairs Office at 254-287-7014 to arrange for on-post passes. Specific information on acts included in the schedule will be available 15 April.
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Many of you will remember Ed Timms, the Dallas Morning News reporter who was the last of the original embedded reporters to leave the 4ID in Iraq last June. Embedded with G Troop, 10th Cav, he wrote excellent articles that appeared in our early updates. Now that 4ID is back in Texas, he is once again reporting on our troops. Here is his first report:
From fallen Saddam statues rise honor to U.S. Bronze is recast for memorial to Fort Hood soldiers killed in Iraq
09:15 PM CST on Friday, March 26, 2004
By ED TIMMS / The Dallas Morning News
It's an Iraqi version of beating swords into ploughshares. When soldiers of Fort Hood's 4th Infantry Division first arrived in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, two kitschy bronze statues of the dictator topped the twin towers of the front gate to his main palace.
Mr. Hussein and a bronze double, a sword in one hand, astride horses flanked by a small arsenal of bronze missiles, gazed towards the horizon. The statues were toppled in July by combat engineers, cut up and later melted down. One of the Iraqi artists who'd made the originals then reused the bronze to create a statue that will honor 4th Infantry Division soldiers who've died in Iraq.
The soldier who first suggested the idea of a memorial, 1st. Sgt. Glen Simpson, posed for a photograph that served as the model for the artist. The original concept called for the artist to create, in bronze, a grieving soldier kneeling before the traditional symbol of a fallen U.S. soldier: a helmet atop a rifle thrust into the ground bayonet-first behind a pair of boots.
"We started looking at it, and there was something missing," Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Fuss, the division's senior enlisted soldier, said from Tikrit. "We needed something more." The finishing touch is a young Iraqi girl who is consoling the grieving soldier. "You can even see in the face of the child the sorrow, and the thankfulness for our American soldiers being over here and doing what they've been doing," Sgt. Maj. Fuss said.
The statue was paid for with contributions from the division's soldiers, who were asked to each donate a dollar. "There was no arm-twisting," Sgt. Maj. Fuss said. "They were more than happy to do it."
Sgt. Maj. Fuss said the artist who made the statue also sold souvenir oil paintings to division soldiers at their recreation center in Tikrit. "He said he didn't have an option when he was told that Saddam wanted those [original] statues; he had to take care of his family," Sgt. Maj. Fuss said.
While willing to produce the new statues for the memorial, the artist worried that having American vehicles around his place might make him a target from Hussein loyalists. "We had to be very careful when we were bringing him the bronze so that there were no repercussions," Sgt. Maj. Fuss said.
The statue has been shipped from Iraq to Fort Hood and is in storage. Ultimately, it will stand near a Memorial Wall at the Army post that will feature the names of the soldiers who died in Iraq while part of "Task Force Ironhorse" – the 4th Infantry Division and other units under its command in Iraq. About 80 soldiers in the task force died.
"I think every unit has been touched with some type of casualty," said Lt. Col. Bill McDonald, a spokesman for the division. The 4th Infantry Division has operated in the Tikrit area, Mr. Hussein's traditional power base, since April 2003 and played a key role in the capture of the former dictator. The 1st Infantry Division assumed control of the area this month.
Ted Kostich, president of the Fort Hood chapter of the 4th Infantry Division Association, said the goal is to have the memorial completed in time for the division's formal homecoming in late April.
Members of the Central Texas Home Builders Association donated much of the materials and labor for the construction of the memorial. "They came forward and said, 'We'd like to help,' " said Mr. Kostich, a retired Army colonel who once served as the division's chief of staff. "It was overwhelming."
He said the association is seeking donations to pay for additional items, including the plaques and stained-glass windows. "We must remember our great soldiers who lost their lives over here," Sgt. Maj. Fuss said. "But I hope Americans remember that what we're doing over here allows our country to be free."
E-mail etimms@dallasnews.com
(Editor's Note: I saw the statue while in Fort Hood last week, it is an excellent memorial to our fallen soldiers).
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The 101st families are about a month ahead of us in readjusting from the deployment, thought you would find this article of interest.
Fort Campbell Families Adjusting to Newfound Togetherness
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2004 — The emotional reunions are almost over, with all but a few hundred of Fort Campbell's 20,000 troops now home from Iraq. Yellow ribbons are slowly coming down from trees and telephone poles around the Kentucky post at the Tennessee border, and around the surrounding communities. Many military families have left town while units enjoy block leave. Those who have stayed pack local restaurants at night, celebrating their newfound togetherness.
It's what Marianne Erdman, a Family Advocate Program specialist at Fort Campbell, calls the "honeymoon period" that typically follows long military deployments. But Erdman said honeymoon periods don't last forever. In fact, she said, they all too often end in divorce, domestic violence and even suicide attempts.
"Redeploying is a crisis time," Erdman said. "In fact, deployment is easier than redeployment. With deployments, everyone's spirits are up. There's the excitement of going away to a new place, using your training to serve your country."
Not so with redeployments, she said. Redeployments force families to confront change, including a spouse's new sense of independence and new ways of doing things. They face emotional issues: Am I still loved and needed? Has my spouse been faithful to me? Will my children accept me?
In addition, many families face financial crises. And any problems a family was having before the deployment are likely to resurface even before the "welcome home" signs have come down, Erdman said.
To help returning soldiers prepare for these challenges, military units provide mandatory classes for all returning soldiers. Fort Campbell's Family Advocacy Program also offers military families a 90-minute session called "Getting Back Together: A Homecoming Reunion Seminar."
Leona Ferrell, Fort Campbell's family readiness coordinator, said she's witnessing what she calls a promising trend: more soldiers and their families are seeking free, confidential counseling the military provides. "There are a lot of expectations involved in redeployment," said Ferrell. "Some families deal with it really well, but some have a hard time adjusting."
Among them is Master Sgt. Floyd Fennel, a re-enlistment noncommissioned officer from Division Support Command's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. Fennel said he and his wife had already endured two long deployments, and both seemed to actually strengthen his marriage. But Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said, "put more of a strain" on his family. "We're still adjusting," he said, five months after being sent home from Iraq with kidney stones. "She was in charge, then I came in and took over. Things were kind of rough."
Sgt. Milton Cummings with the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry "Rakkasans" said he and his wife are having more disagreements than before he deployed. "Over there, I was in charge of people," he said. "I came home and felt like it was the same thing, but my wife has her own way of doing things."
Many of the returning soldiers said they're learning to reshuffle family responsibilities and reestablish their places within the family. "My wife did everything for a year," said Staff Sgt. Edward Owen Heath with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 327th Infantry. "I realized that I couldn't just jump in and take charge." Heath said regular contact with home by letters and phone calls, and later by e-mail, helped him maintain a strong relationship with his wife and two teenage daughters while he was deployed. Even so, he acknowledged, "You can't just take over where you left off. You have to start over in many respects in terms of your relationship."
Children can have particular difficulty getting reacquainted with a parent who's been gone for an extended period. Cummings said his 2-year-old daughter "wouldn't even look at me" when he held her for the first time after arriving home. He said his battalion temporarily is working three-day weeks to give soldiers and their families the time they need to readjust.
Four-year-old Timber Falin, too, is getting used to having her father, Sgt. William Falin with 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery, back home. Timber said she loved the family's welcome home celebration at a local child-oriented pizza restaurant, with the seemingly endless supply of tokens her dad offered for rides and games. But at home, if she wants a snack or drink, it's still her mom Timber turns to, she said.
Sgt. William Holmes with B Company, 326th Engineers said that after three long deployments, he's learned the secret to readjusting to life with his wife and 11-year-old son, Detarian. "Take it real slow," he said. Since returning to Fort Campbell four weeks ago, he said he's playing "Mr. Mom," giving his wife the break he said she deserves and catching up on "honey- do" chores around the house. After setting up a new trampoline in the back yard, he said he's looking forward to taking his son fishing. "I'm trying to catch up on the things we all missed when I was gone," he said.
Staff Sgt. John Mulrooney with the 801st Main Support Battalion's B Company has dealt with more family separations than most soldiers, with seven months in Afghanistan before deploying to Iraq for 11 months. During the past five years, he figures, he's been gone "more than three years and 10 months." But rather than putting a strain on his family, Mulrooney said the deployments seem to strengthen his family. "Every time I come home, it's better than the last time," he said. The secret, he said, boils down to communication. He admitted it wasn't always easy giving up sleep to stand in a four-hour line to call home, but he said it went a long way toward helping him stay active in the lives of his wife and two toddlers.
Now that he's home, he said, he's enjoying the little gestures that will give his children memories and keep the romance in his marriage, like taking the kids into the back yard to pick daffodils for their mother. "I'm trying to keep every day interesting," he said.
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OEF/OIF VA Benefits site for returning veterans
FYI. This site may be of value as many of our mobilized members are now
returning veterans and may need assistance or guidance on their benefits and
entitlements.
http://www.vba.va.gov/efif/index.htm
Welcome to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) web site for returning
Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members of Operations
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. We honor the opportunity to provide
benefits information and assistance to eligible veterans who honorably
fought and served in our Nation's armed forces.
COL James L. "Scotty" Scott, II
Director, Individual & Family Support Policy
Office of the Asst Sec of Def for Reserve Affairs
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59 Years Ago Today - 4ID in Germany:
28 March 1945 - D+296
The Commanding General directed that the provisions of paragraph 2 Memorandum No 13, Looting and Fraternization in Occupied Territory, would be made known to all personnel of the Division and strictly adhered to.
The 4th Infantry Division remained in the vicinity of Neustadt, Germany, and conducted cleaning of vehicles and equipment. Movement of the tank and tank destroyer battalions to the Division area was completed.
29 March 1945 - D+297
Orders were received for movement of the entire Division across the Rhine river. This movement was begun over the heavy pontoon bridge at Worms and the units were all enroute to the new Division sector in the vicinity of Heppenheim at the close of the period.
Thanks to Philippe Cornil at www.revive-it.com.
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What Our Families Are Hearing From Our Soldiers in Iraq:
1) Finally my baby (A/2-8 IN) has come home!!!!! Thank GOD....... Words can not explain how I feel, because truly it is great to have our son home. It is good to hear his voice when I call his house, I think I just call his house to hear his voice. I wore a picture of him with a yellow ribbon tied around it for the year he was gone. When I returned to work on Monday and I did not have it on, so many of my co-worker knew my son had made it home because that picture along with the yellow became a part of attire daily, even my Sunday attire. I wore the picture in support of my son and the yellow ribbon in support for all our soldiers. I still have my yellow ribbon on my mailbox at my desk because we still have soldiers at war and I will not take that one down until all our soldiers are back in the United States even if I have to change it for the next couple of years. ... While my son was in Iraq my daughter-in-law took on the role of head of household and also gave birth to my grandson while her husband was away, so I have to love my daughter-in-law even more, because I got a chance to know her better while my son was away. She has truly been a supporter to my son and I could not ask for a better daughter-in-law. I have told her that so many times and I want to tell the mothers and fathers out there learn your daughter-in-law or son-in-law and you will find out they love your son/daughter and they support them and they too, also had to give up a lot and take on more. So when you get a chance let your daughter/son in-law know you appreciate them and give them support.
2) Just came back from Texas after visiting with my son. He looks thinner and maybe a little taller. But, my wife and I are very glad to have him back. We let him talk when he felt like it and I found it very interesting. All the while, he has been telling me that nothing ever happens and that he just got from his duty section to the Palace. ... He talked about one of the convoys he led going into Baghdad and what his thoughts were. I said it must have been scary, he said not as bad as Fallujah. So much for him doing nothing. I knew he would edit whatever he said, this way Mom & Pop would not worry. Been there – done that.
3) My son is home! Or at least Ft. Carson. He is with 1-68 Armor, C Company. Our first most wonderful call was the call he was in Kuwait. There had been rumors of when he might be back so we had been waiting impatiently for word on his flight out of Kuwait. We had decided we were not going to be able to go there to welcome him because of the short notice we would get. Then my husband took the second most wonderful call that he'd be there Sunday, March 21. We hesitated, about a minutes worth and said, "let's go!". I happened to have Monday, the 22nd off, which never happens. We were able to work it all out on free airmile tickets too. It was like a miracle it all worked out so well. I am so glad to have gotten to not only see him but experience all the reunions all around me. It was really something. My boy is all grown up and has a different air about him. But I was relieved to see he's still my same goofy kid.
4) It has been a wild week so far. We got a call from our son Tuesday, 4ID 3BCT out of Balad, saying he would be leaving Kuwait Wednesday morning and arriving at Fort Carson 25 hours later. We had reservations to fly out next week based on his earlier estimate of returning around April 1st. United would not cut us any slack so we were hit with some hefty ticket changing fees..... We arrived early at the Special Events Facility at Fort Carson this (Thursday) morning. The buses arrived on time at 5:45am. As the soldiers came marching in the crowd went wild. While I've always been a hard as nails Dad, the tears were flowing big time. I was so happy to know he was finally safe again. We were not able to pick our son out in the sea of desert camo. Once the soldiers were dismissed our son found us. I was crying so hard by now my son asked me if I was ok. I told him I was 'just fine.' He doesn't know how 'ok' I was getting to put my arms around him! We have had such a wonderful day with him. He is sleeping peacefully at our hotel as I type this.
5) My son (890th EN BN from Gulfport, MS) came home last Sunday to a cheering crowd and to a heros' welcome. As a National Guard unit, they had spent a week out-processing at Fort Stewart, GA for what turned out to be the longest week of my life as I awaited his return all the way home! ... We have a big party planned for him in about a month where we will have areas decorated for each holiday he had to miss while he was gone. His aunts are helping me, since he was gone a whole year, so I won't have to do the whole thing by myself. So far, he seems to appreciate all the attention we have been showering on him, because we have also been giving him some "alone" time. Our joy is tempered with concern for the soldiers still in Iraq, however, especially my son's best friend who we believe is in the Mosul area.
6) Our son is back in the States (588th EN). What a relief. My wife says she feels better today that she has felt in a year, best nights sleep in a long time.
7) The 1/17th FA from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma should be coming home soon. We have received confirmation they all made it to Kuwait without incident. We know they may be in Kuwait a week or so but this is just one step closer to being home. We look forward to the homecoming of our wonderful heros from 1/17th FA, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
8) From a 4ID vet, the bodyguard for BG Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. who landed in the first wave on D-Day, June 6, 1944: Must have been some treat to meet those guys as they came back. I sure would have loved to be there too. Hope you gave them THE BEST for me too. Any time you can congratulate them for me do so. Just an old 84 year old survivor of the first wave in the Normandy beach head. I'll bet that would
surprise them. Enjoy all the good stuff you are doing too. Great reading. I still think I
would be trigger happy were I in on some of their doings.
9) Finally, our son arrived in Colorado last night, they landed about 10:30 pm... they arrived on post around 12 midnight, marched in to Toby Keith singing "Angry American", and some dude gave a 1 minute talk, played the National Anthem, and they were dismissed. He looks good. He came back here with us, and was Muggs happy to see him, - he came down the hall of the hotel, whistled for Muggs, his ears perked up and when he saw our son, he just went nutty,,,,, spent the rest of the evening sleeping on his lap... Anyway, all is well, sure wish we could stay longer with him, but he is coming home for Easter,.... so that will not be too much longer. We sat around till 4 am had a few beers with him....
10) You asked me to let you know when our boys (3 BCT C Co 1/8 Inf) got a flight from Kuwait. One will be home to Fort Carson Wed., 3/24, the other will be three days behind. So by the end of the week I should have both my boys back home where they belong. It's been a very long year. I'm so grateful to God for bringing them both home safely. To those with soldiers deploying, with lots of prayers, Kleenex, friends and family, you will get through this next year.
11) OH MY GOD HE'S FINALLY COMING HOME!!!! He'll be here in time for dinner tomorrow! He's finally put in his request for his first dinner back - Chinese. I thought I had everything ready (even had the clothes down to undies & diapers ready for a week now), but I'm now realizing I've got tons to do. I'll probably be too excited to sleep much tonight anyway, so I'll have plenty of time to get it all done. This will be his first time meeting his son - I can't wait!!
12) YEAH!! My boyfriend, A Co. 2-8 In (M) is home. He got into Ft. Hood last night and his parents got there in plenty of time to meet him in the gym. I talked to him a little bit last night, he said coming home was great. (Said it seemed to him what being in the Super Bowl was like... with the DJ and the fog machine) Said it was a great feeling though and that I was going to pay for EVERY picture his mom was taking of him since I couldn't be there. I'm feeling great knowing he made it home, and has all his fingers and toes. I know this.. cause his momma checked. Take care and Thank you for everything. I'll still be reading your updates as long as they keep coming. It's not over until the last soldier comes home! Proud Girlfriend of an AMERICAN Soldier!
13) My boyfriend is home!!!! (C CO 1/8) He arrived at Fort Carson a little after 1 am on Saturday 3/20 after being delayed for five days in Spain due to mechanical problems. He looked fantastic, only lost a little weight. I have never felt such pride for our American soliders as they walked into that gym to Toby Keith's, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue". Each and every solider is to be proud of the job that they have not only done for America but for Iraq. GOD BLESS OUR SOLDIERS!!!
14) Well, it has finally happened! Our son is back from Iraq! We left last Monday (3/15) from Ohio and "drove like the wind" to get to Killeen before him - at that
time we were told he'd be there by "sometime late Tuesday - or Wednesday". After 54 hours of traveling - their C5 plane had to be repaired twice during their trip - our son finally arrived at Ft. Hood on Thursday morning! The gym was packed! SSgt. Mack and all of the others there were wonderful! It was certainly one of the most emotional and memorable experiences of my life. I am so very thankful to have been able to be there to welcome my son and the other soldiers home. It's hard to believe that this long, difficult year is finally over for us..... And, as I complained about the misty rain in Texas the next day, from my son came these most humbling words,
"Mom, the worst day here is still a million times better than the best day in Iraq". Sure makes you glad to be in America!
15) Had a GREAT day Sunday, March 21st at 2:30 pm. Our son (3rd Brigade, 4th ID, 1-68 Armor, Fort Carson) arrived home! WOW, what a day. There is only one way I can think to describe the emotions of that day. It was as joyous as the day my son was born!
16) Just to let you know our son is finally home from Iraq. He is an Apache pilot with the 4TH ID out of Fort Hood. Before we knew his exact arrival date, our granddaughter had told us "all she wanted for her birthday(April 1st) was her Daddy to come home". I told her I would pray he would get home by then but that he might not make it that soon. However, he did get home early and will be here for her B'day.
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