FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Family, friends and comrades of 4th Engineer Battalion welcomed home Soldiers of 576th Engineer Company, returning to Fort Carson after a yearlong deployment, during a ceremony at the Special Events Center, July 19.

As the ?No Slack? Soldiers stood in formation, Lt. Col. Daniel Hibner, commander, 4th Eng. Bn., thanked the sappers and their Families for their sacrifices in defense of the nation.

?Thank you to all the wonderful Families in attendance, some of whom, like these proud Soldiers, came all the way from overseas to share in this great moment,? Hibner said.

?Ladies and gentlemen, I give you these rough men of the 576th Eng. Company, back from the very tip of the spear,? he said.

At the command of "Dismissed," the Soldiers and their loved ones sprinted across the floor to embrace one another.

?It feels great to be back home with my kids and my wife,? said Sgt. James Penelton, combat engineer, 576th Eng. Company. ?I'm going to spend as much time with them before I head to (the Sapper Leader Course). My son is even going to help me train; he's going to ride his bike, and I'm going to run behind and try to keep up with him.?

Penelton's wife, Krystal, said she has trouble describing how happy she is to have her husband home.

?It?s just so amazing,? she said. ?I?m speechless.?

In Afghanistan, the 576th Eng. Company worked with the 14th Engineer Battalion in the Helmand province, conducting route clearance missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

?They created safe passage for thousands of U.S. and coalition service members, and no doubt prevented countless injuries and deaths through the execution of their mission,? said Hibner.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers assigned to 576th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, arrive at the Fort Carson Special Events Center to the sounds of cheers during a welcome home ceremony, July 19, 2012. The 576th Eng. Company Soldiers returned to their loved ones and friends after a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan, where they conducted route clearance missions in Helmand province.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Families and friends of the 576th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, welcome their Soldiers home from a deployment with cheers during a ceremony at the Fort Carson Special Events Center, July 19, 2012. During their yearlong deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the combat engineers conducted route clearance missions, ensuring the safe passage of thousands of U.S. and coalition service members.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers assigned to 576th Engineer Company, 4th Engineer Battalion, render honors to the nation during a welcome home ceremony at the Fort Carson Special Events Center, July 19, 2012. The 576th Eng. Company Soldiers returned to their loved ones and friends after a yearlong deployment conducting route clearance missions in the Helmand province of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, participated in a pilot program designed to help troops identify and combat post-deployment post traumatic stress during training at Veterans Chapel on post, July 19-20.

?This particular product was a collaboration of a number of individuals, including prime researchers from the mental health advisory team,? said Maj. Thomas Jarrett, chief of special subjects, Department of Behavior Health Systems, U.S. Army Medical Center and School, out of Fort Sam Houston, Texas. ?It was designed to be a program to explain the different responses following combat, not just (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) but post traumatic stress.?

On the first day Jarrett trained an initial 10 Soldiers from across the brigade, whom in turn, will train additional members in the organization. Participants were required to have deployed and be either a combat medic or a behavior healthcare specialist to become certified instructors.

The Soldiers received training on how to effectively give a two-hour presentation, how to create conversations with the audience, and how to respond to different scenarios that could arise during training.

?Dialogue is the most important part,? said Staff Sgt. Douglas Wilson, the noncommissioned officer in charge of the Department of Behavior Health and Science, assigned to 187th Medical Battalion, 32nd Medical Brigade, out of Fort Sam Houston. ?We want to get Soldiers to talk about their experiences, not just while they were deployed but since they?ve been back.?

?Part of the training is to normalize the experience of individuals and to help them realize there is a percentage of individuals that will not require intervention. There is a percentage that will require some coaching, and some will require counseling, but we firmly believe that the majority of individuals will get through their experience ? especially if they attend treatment early, instead of languishing and waiting,? Jarrett said.

?Essentially, as they go through this training, they?re realizing that there is an almost predictable cycle of emotions and feelings. The majority of individuals are not going to develop a PTSD diagnosis and the majority of individuals with post traumatic stress are going to carry on to where it is no longer traumatic for them and eventually something they will grow through.?

During the second day of training, approximately 200 2nd BCT Soldiers trained on how to react if they or a fellow Soldier is showing signs of PTS.

?I think Soldiers will gain some insight on why they get sad for no reason: why they are feeling the way they do, why they are getting so angry, why they are so jumpy, anxious or keyed up,? said an instructor, Spc. Jefferey Villar, a behavior health specialist with Company C, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd BCT. ?With understanding, you can start to change things,?

The training will help Soldiers understand their feelings and know when to ask for help, said instructor, Staff Sgt. Ernest Galindez, a section sergeant for the medic platoon with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Calvary Regiment, 2nd BCT.

?If the Army continues with this type of training, they can help a lot of Soldiers,? Galindez said.

The training is in its preliminary stages and is still being validated, said Jarrett. All Soldiers completing the training are required to complete surveys.

?We are doing pre- and post-surveys to see if we imparted the information we wanted to,? Jarrett said. ?We are also going to ask for feedback from the Soldiers and instructors.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Major Thomas Jarrett, chief of special subjects for the Department of Behavior Health Systems, U.S. Army Medical Center and School, out of Fort Sam Houston, emphasizes a training tenet while Sgt. Chase Wiggs, a combat medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, gives his undivided attention July 19, 2012. Jarrett taught 10 brigade combat medics and healthcare specialists on how to teach a new class on Post Deployment Post Traumatic Stress Training.

FORT CARSON, Colo.?Staff Sergeant Katyuscka Deblanc, a behavior healthcare specialist with Company C, 204th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division reads over material during Post Deployment Post Traumatic Stress Training July 19, 2012. Deblanc learned how to instruct Soldiers on the difference between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and post-traumatic stress.

FORT CARSON, Colo.? Sergeant Mike Dade, a senior level medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division passes out surveys during Post-Deployment Post Traumatic Stress Training July 20, 2012. The training is still being validated, so each Soldier who attended the training had to fill out a pre- and post- training survey.

FORT CARSON, Colo.? Sergeant Mike Dade, a senior level medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division instructs during a Post-Deployment Post Traumatic Stress Training July 20, 2012. The training taught Soldiers to recognize difference between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and post-traumatic stress.

FORT CARSON, Colo.? Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division fill out a survey after receiving Post-Deployment Post Traumatic Stress Training July 20. The training that teaches Soldiers to differentiate between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and post-traumatic stress is still being validated so each Soldier who attended the training had to fill out a pre and post training survey, said Maj. Thomas Jarrett, chief of special subjects, Department of Behavior Health Systems, U.S. Army Medical Center and School, out of Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sgt. 1st Class Angel Santiago received the ?Mountain Mover? award from Rod Chisholm, deputy commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson, on behalf of the post?s Environmental Quality Control Committee July 19.

The committee recognized Santiago, an artillery mechanic with Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, for maintaining environmental guidelines and encouraging proper waste management within his unit.

According to Edward Tebo, environmental management coordinator, Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division, members of the EQCC have the opportunity to visit every unit on Fort Carson at least once a month for evaluation.

The committee chose to recognize Santiago after evaluating his area of responsibility, he said.

?We just saw that his unit stands above the others, through his efforts and the support of his command,? said Tebo. ?It makes everyone?s job easier ? if we manage our materials and our mission up front, we won?t have bad end results.?

Santiago, who is the motor pool noncommissioned officer for the ?Pacesetters? Battalion, also serves as the unit?s environmental protection officer, responsible for overseeing the unit?s environmental compliance and safety, and educating Soldiers on spill prevention and response, including the unit?s handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials.

The handling of hazardous materials is one of the major elements of environmental preservation, said Santiago.

With the possibility of severely harming organic life and contaminating the site of operation, it is imperative that Soldiers are mindful when dealing with hazardous materials such as fuel and motor oil, he said.

Although Santiago received the award, he credited the entire battalion for earning the recognition.

?It?s thanks to my (Soldiers),? he said. ?One NCO would take care of this, and another Soldier would take care of that. We were awarded together in this.?

Receiving award. FORT CARSON, Colo. - Sgt. 1st Class Angel Santiago received the ?Mountain Mover? award from Rod Chisholm, deputy commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson, on behalf of the post?s Environmental Quality Control Committee July 19. The committee recognized Santiago, an artillery mechanic with Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, for maintaining environmental guidelines and encouraging proper waste management within his unit. The EQCC visits every unit on Fort Carson at least once a month for evaluation, and the ?Pacesetter? Battalion motor pool was consistently the best well-kept motor pool on post.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant 1st Class Angel Santiago, an artillery mechanic with Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, speaks to the Environmental Quality Control Committee concerning his success as the environmental protection officer for the ?Pacesetter? Battalion, July 19, 2012. Santiago received a Garrison ?Mountain Mover? award from the EQCC for maintaining environmental guidelines and encouraging proper waste management within his unit.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Colorado Springs community leaders accepted an invitation from Maj. Gen. Joseph Anderson, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, to visit the military installation and tour its facilities, July 19.

The tour began in the morning at the Elkhorn Lodge, where local community leaders sat down to eat breakfast with Anderson, who welcomed the distinguished visitors to the post.

?Thank you for coming to join us,? Anderson told the group. ?We appreciate the partnership, and we here on Fort Carson feel that we are a part of Colorado Springs. That?s why it?s very important we get to know and interact with you.?

Fort Carson holds a tour for community leaders every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

Following breakfast, the tour group visited the 4th Inf. Div. Headquarters, where the commanding general spoke about leadership, the units assigned to Fort Carson, and training, both on post and in the surrounding community.

Fort Carson trains its leaders to perform to the best of their ability, so they can train Soldiers to be successful in the Army?s overall mission, said Anderson.

?We?ve trained, deployed, and sent people all over the map,? said Anderson. ?Now that we?ve returned, we?re going back to the fundamentals of leader development, accountability, programs and systems to put ourselves together again and sustain over the long haul.?

Finishing the meeting with the commanding general, the tour group moved to the Training Support Center, where they experienced part of a day in the life of a Soldier, receiving hands-on Army training.

The group participated in a class where they learned the rules and procedures a forward observer needs to follow to call for fire, and also learned about different types of improvised explosive devices and the measures the Army employs to counter IEDs.

?By the end of this tour, we hope community leaders gain a greater appreciation of the military and their Families, their sacrifices, how Soldiers train, the equipment they use, and finally, how Soldiers impact the local community as a whole,? said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Manny Ortiz, division fires coordinator, Company A, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Inf. Div.

The group?s excitement peaked during marksmanship training at the Engagement Simulator Trainer 2000, where each participant received the opportunity to shoot M16 training rifles at simulated targets on the wall-sized screen at the training center.

?The weapon simulators were amazing. I never realized how heavy the weapons were,? said Sonia Esquivel, academic advisor and assistant professor of Spanish, U.S. Air Force Academy. ?This tour has given me insight and a greater appreciation for Soldiers and what they do.?

The tour then headed to the Robert C. Stack Jr. dining facility for an Army lunch. As an added surprise during the meal, community leaders each paired with a noncommissioned officer or junior officer to talk to them about their experiences in the Army.

?My favorite part of this entire day was lunch,? said local business leader Greg Welch, senior vice president, Compass Bank. ?I sat down with Soldiers who have seen multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and talked about their experiences; and got the opportunity to thank them for everything they have done.

?The simulations and vehicles were great to see, but really being able to interact with the Soldiers had the biggest impact on me,? Welch said.

After lunch, the group went to 1st Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div.?s motor pool to tour a static display of military vehicles.

Esquivel said she couldn?t believe that four people could fit into an M1A2 Abrams tank when she climbed onto one to get an inside look.

?In general, being able to not only see but climb inside all the tanks and vehicles was exciting,? Esquivel said.

The group visited the Survivor Outreach Services, and then made their way back to The Hub to conclude their tour.

The event concluded with Anderson hosting a graduation ceremony where each key leader received a certificate and became 4th Inf. Div. alumni, allowing them to visit Fort Carson whenever they choose.

?Growing up in Colorado Springs, I?ve always had a great appreciation for the military, but I think when people look at the Air Force Academy, they look at Fort Carson a bit differently,? said Welch. ?But Fort Carson is not a small base. It has always been welcoming to the community, and is a huge part of what Colorado Springs is.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sonia Esquivel, academic advisor and assistant professor of Spanish, U.S. Air Force Academy, looks through training binoculars to find the target on a screen as part of a forward observer class in the Training Support Center during a Fort Carson Leadership tour of ?The Best Hometown in the Army,? July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour for community leadaership every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Local community and business leaders from Colorado Springs look through training binoculars to identify a simulated target on a screen as part of a forward observer class in the Training Support Center during a Fort Carson community leadership tour of the military installation, its units and Soldiers, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a leadership tour every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Colorado Springs community and business leaders test their marksmanship skills with training M16 rifles during a Fort Carson Leadership tour of the military installation, its units and Soldiers, at the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 located in the Training Support Center, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a leadership tour every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Local Colorado Springs businessman, Todd Dierdorff, account executive, AmNet, tests his marksmanship skills using an M16 training rifle at Training Support Center, to engage simulated targets from the prone supported position during a Fort Carson Leadership tour of ?The Best Hometown in the Army,? at the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour for Fort Carson leadership every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ?Colorado Springs local community and business leaders eat lunch with a Soldiers at the Robert C. Stack Jr. dining facility, during a Fort Carson Leadership tour of ?The Best Hometown in the Army,? July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a leadership tour every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Local Colorado Springs businessmen, Toby Gannett , left to right, president, Palisades at Broadmoor Park; Todd Dierdorff, account executive, AmNet; and Vince Rusinak, president, Rusinak Real Estate, sit inside of an M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle during a tour of static displays of military vehicles at the 1st Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division motorpool, part of a Fort Carson Leadership tour of the military installation, its units and Soldiers, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour for community leaders every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sonia Esquivel, academic advisor and assistant professor of Spanish, U. S. Air Force Academy, gets inside the driver?s seat of an M1A2 Abrams tank during a tour of static displays of military vehicles at the 1st Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division motorpool, part of a Fort Carson Leadership tour of the military installation, its units and troops, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a leadership tour every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant Joseph Fassler, a wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, explains the mechanics of a High Mobility Mulit-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, or humvee, to local Colorado Springs businessman, Vince Rusinak, president, Rusinak Real Estate, during a tour of military vehicles and equipment at the battalion motorpool, during a Fort Carson Leadership tour of ?The Best Hometown in the Army,? July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour for local community leaders every quarter to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private Jose Sosa, an armor crewman assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assists Sonia Esquivel, academic advisor and assistant professor of Spanish, U.S. Air Force Academy, off of an M1A2 Abrams tank during a tour of military vehicles and equipment at the battalion motorpool, part of a Fort Carson Leadership tour of the military installation, its units and Soldiers, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour every quarter for local community leaders to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private Jose Sosa, an armor crewman assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assists Sonia Esquivel, academic advisor and assistant professor of Spanish, U.S. Air Force Academy, off of an M1A2 Abrams tank during a tour of military vehicles and equipment at the battalion motorpool, part of a Fort Carson Leadership tour of the military installation, its units and Soldiers, July 20, 2012. Fort Carson holds a tour every quarter for local community leaders to strengthen 4th Inf. Div.?s partnership with the local community and foster a growing relationship between the Mountain Post and the Front Range community.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? For years, the Fort Carson Army Community Service center has provided military Families with services and programs to promote Family wellness and enhance overall quality of life for Soldiers and their loved ones.

One particular branch of ACS, the Soldier and Family Readiness Program, tailors its mission specifically to military Families, providing classes and services ranging from childcare to relationship enhancement courses.

?I believe the military saw that Soldiers, marriages and Families were struggling, so the SFRP was created to help couples deal with their troubles, communicate and relate better,? said Ken Robinson, Soldier and Family Life educator, Family Advocacy Program, ACS.

Families play a vital role in Soldiers? performances and their quality of work, so ensuring Soldiers have a healthy relationship with their Family is important to 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson?s mission, he said. The SFRP represents society and teaches Soldiers and spouses how to be the person their family needs them to be.

The SFRP assists in resolving relationship issues by providing strength-based education, teaching people to develop existing strengths and gain new skills to cope with everyday stresses, said Robinson. Whether as a parent or spouse, the overall goal is for Families to become more resilient and create stronger bonds.

The program also provides services specific to Family members and features a dedicated staff eager to assist military spouses with adjusting to the military lifestyle.

?A few years ago, my husband was the only one (of us) enlisted, and I knew nothing about the Army or its programs,? said Pfc. Shannon Rodriguez, a healthcare specialist assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div.

Rodriguez soon visited ACS, which quickly became a support system for her, as she learned about Family-oriented services provided on post, such as the Family Readiness Group.

ACS works to incorporate military Families into the Army community by improving communication between Soldiers and their Families, she said.

Rodriguez took advantage of the services, enrolling in classes to learn military acronyms, so she could effectively communicate with her husband.

?Before I enlisted, when I tried talking to my husband about work, I would often get lost in translation, because I never understood the military terms he used,? Rodriguez said. ?Once I learned the acronyms and terms, it opened up avenues of communications, and we could talk about his work day.?

Rodriguez said the SFRP helps spouses understand their Soldiers by opening their eyes to the second life Soldiers live every day.

ACS also provides self-help programs, such as the Tobacco Cessation class, where Soldiers and spouses can go to overcome problems with tobacco.

The class helps countless Soldiers with their tobacco addiction, like Sgt. Joel Bartell, an infantryman assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., who decided to quit smoking for his wife and two children.

?I knew it was a problem but didn?t think I could do it on my own, so I used (the program), which helped me through (quitting) every step of the way,? said Bartell.

SFRP also helps Soldiers enhance their Family bonds by assisting them in finding ways to better relate to each other.

?I usually try to keep my work life at work and home life at home, but since I started taking the SFRP communication programs with my wife, I?ve been more open with her and able to talk about issues,? said Bartell.

Programs are also available for fathers who will soon have, or already have, children, such as Boot Camp for New Dads, commonly referred to by Soldiers as Daddy Boot Camp.

Bartell said when he had his first child, Daddy Boot Camp helped him understand his responsibilities and what to expect as a new father, as well as taught him how to be the father and spouse his Family needed him to be.

ACS developed these programs with the mission to improve military quality of life by developing and coordinating services which help Soldiers and Families with the skills, knowledge and support needed to face the challenges of military life.

?I have worked with thousands of people in my career, and I believe programs like this, that teach Families and couples to communicate well and stay committed, help Families and relationships thrive,? said Robinson.

For more information on Fort Carson ACS and SFRP Programs, call (719) 526-4590, or visit http://community.carson.army.mil/ACS.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Colonel Omar Jones, incoming commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, receives a Family Advocacy briefing, outlining services offered in the Soldier and Family Readiness Program, from Gail Hollis, victim advocate, Family Advocacy Program, Army Community Service, as part of in-processing at Fort Carson, July 20, 2012. Army Community Service?s Soldier and Family Readiness Program offers programs to improve military quality of life by developing and coordinating services which help Soldiers and Families with the skills, knowledge and support needed to face the challenges of military life.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Fort Carson Army Community Service invites active duty military, their Families, retirees and Department of the Army civilians into a world of education, opportunity and discovery. Part of Fort Carson Army Community Service, the Soldier and Family Readiness Program offers programs to improve military quality of life by developing and coordinating services which help Soldiers and Families with the skills, knowledge and support needed to face the challenges of military life. Its programs and classes are designed to fit the diverse and mobile community. Core programs include:

• Family Advocacy Program
• Victim Advocacy Program
• Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
• Post Traumatic Stress Program
• Exceptional Family Member Program
• New Parent Support Program

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? The Soldier and Family Readiness Program offers a variety of resources designed specifically to support military Families, providing classes and services ranging from marriage enrichment to dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The program provides services specific to Family members and features a dedicated staff eager to assist military spouses with adjusting to the military lifestyle.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? ?Sergeant Rivera, I?m trapped!? Pfc. Ashley Fleury yelled in a panicked voice.

?Hang in there Fleury,? Sgt. Defra Rivera yelled back. ?I?m with you.?

Soldiers and their companions lay sprawled with simulated injuries to their spines, arms and legs, next to an overturned humvee, resting on its roof, wheels to the sky, on the side of a road in the Fort Carson Training Area.

Soldiers assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, joined the Fort Carson Fire Department and air medical evacuation assets from Colorado Springs and Pueblo to validate medical evacuation procedures during an exercise in the Fort Carson Training Area, July 12.

Fort Carson and Front Range community medical professionals planned the event for months to develop and streamline the post?s medical evacuation procedures in the event of a real world emergency, said Capt. Edwin Pierce, commander, Company C.

?This exercise helps all of us become more comfortable working together,? Pierce said. ?I want my Soldiers to see how all of these recourses should come together when responding to a real-world situation.?

The Company C medics, role-playing as a combat unit conducting a routine training exercise, staged a vehicle rollover. Three health care specialists, with simulated bruises and broken bones, acted as if they were thrown from the vehicle, while a fourth, represented by a mannequin, lay trapped under the vehicle.

With the casualties in place, the rest of the role-players sprang into action, triaging, or evaluating, injured Soldiers, conducting basic first aid, and contacting range control to coordinate with emergency services.

?The initial triage was actually pretty easy,? said Sgt. Shavonna Gonzales, a health care specialist assigned to Company C, who conducted the initial triage. ?We have all done that kind of training before, but this time we weren't training for deployment, we were focused on an event here at Fort Carson. That meant working with other local agencies, which we don't have as much experience with.?

When Fort Carson Fire firefighters and paramedics arrived on scene, the ?Charlie Medics? briefed the status of the four casualties.

?Communication between the units was pretty seamless,? said Capt. Ryan Jones, head of training, Fort Carson Fire Department. ?The Soldiers had already done an initial triage, which saved a lot of time. Everyone seemed to work very well together.?

The emergency responders loaded the patient with a broken arm into an ambulance, and contacted medical evacuation helicopters at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs, and St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo, Colo., to transport one notional casualty with a spinal injury and another who received an injury to the right leg, respectively.

Fort Carson and Front Range community medical leaders will evaluate the exercise to refine communications between post units and civilian emergency responders in the area, said Jones.

Gonzales said working with non-military agencies gave her a better understanding of how her role as a first responder fits into a casualty?s overall care.

?This is the first time since I have been with this unit that we have done something that involves so many agencies,? Gonzales said. ?They get a chance to see the way we do things ? the initial treatment ? and we got to see what they do as well ? what happens after we hand our patients off for the next level of care.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Health Care Specialists assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, firefighters from the Fort Carson Fire Department and flight medics from St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center in Pueblo carry a simulated casualty to a medical evacuation helicopter, during a multi-agency medical evacuation exercise in the Fort Carson training area, July 12, 2012. During the exercise, Fort Carson and Front Range community emergency personnel tested their response procedures and streamlined communications to ensure cohesion between the various organizations in the event of an emergency. ?The communication between the units was pretty seamless,? said Captain Ryan Jones, head of training, Fort Carson Fire Department. ?The Soldiers had already done an initial triage, which saved a lot of time. Everyone seemed to work very well together.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Health care specialists assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, firefighters from the Fort Carson Fire Department and flight medics from Pueblo?s St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center carry a simulated casualty to a medical evacuation helicopter, during a multi-agency medical evacuation exercise in the Fort Carson training area, July 12, 2012. The emergency personnel loaded their patient onto a Flight for Life helicopter. During the exercise, Fort Carson and Front Range community emergency personnel tested their response procedures and streamlined communications to ensure cohesion between the various organizations in the event of a real emergency.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Health care specialists assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and firefighters from the Fort Carson Fire Department perform first aid on a simulated casualty during a multi-agency medical evacuation exercise in the Fort Carson training area, July 12, 2012. During the exercise, Fort Carson and Front Range community emergency personnel tested their response procedures and streamlined communications to ensure cohesion between the various organizations in the event of a real emergency.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? In the Fort Carson Family, Soldiers and loved ones focus on protecting children from the stresses of the Army lifestyle and marital challenges by providing several services through the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program.

The FAP contributes to overall Family wellness and resiliency by focusing on military youth through its Child Safety Program, providing multiple classes to help Families, students and children of the Fort Carson community develop skills to cope with a military lifestyle.

"These programs keep kids safe and help them as they develop," said Jill Nugin, manager, Family Advocacy Program, Fort Carson ACS.

With military youth involved in these types of programs, Families receive a chance to strengthen their Family bond and overall understanding of the Army, said Nugin.

The FAP?s Child Safety Program provides educational services upon request from schools where at least 50 percent of the enrolled students are military dependants. Instructors teach military and civilian youth important aspects of healthy living.

Students get a realistic look of what it?s like to have a baby as a teenager in the Baby, Think it Over program, having to take care of a lifelike, life-sized infant doll, which cried and needed care from its ?parent? to pass the class.

Baby, Think it Over is not a service exclusive to CSP: it is a nation-wide course taught in many high schools across the country, Nugin said.

The program helps kids make smarter decisions about becoming young parents, she said. They receive first-hand experience on the responsibilities of parenting at a young age, and how much time and energy a baby can take.

After taking care of their "baby," teens returned the dolls, which gave an electronic readout to their instructor, and recorded how well the students did.

Another course provided by Fort Carson?s FAP Child Safety Program, Youth on the Block, teaches students ways to deal with safety, identify abuse and prevent violence.

An important aspect of this service is how it empowers students to make good decisions and feel more confident, said Nugin.

"During the program, we adapt the lesson plan so we can talk to (school-age military dependents) about how they feel about deployment, change and war," said Nugin. ?We make a point to get students to know what their resources are and who they can go to for help when they?re in need.?

In this course, children gain an understanding of child abuse and neglect, learn to identify the indicators, and how to reach out for help, said Sgt. 1st Class Larry Hoedebeck, a maintenance supervisor assigned to Headquarters Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.

?I think it sounds like a great idea to teach these courses in schools, to have these kids and teenagers learn about responsibilities and their avenues of getting help,? said Hoedebeck.

During Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution, children learn skills that enabled them to think through conflicts and difficult problems instead of turning to violence as a solution.

Students participate in role-playing exercises to practice their mediation skills, said Nugin. Students form in groups of three and take turns being a mediator trying to solve a conflict between two people.

?A lot of the time, kids don?t listen to the other person?s perspective, and only think about what they will say next," said Nugin. "The course taught the students how to communicate effectively and to really listen to what the other person is trying to tell them.?

Soldiers are a reflection of the Army, and their performances are greatly determined by their Families, said Mariana Graupmann, victim advocate, FAP.

The Fort Carson Family Advocacy provides special services designed to assist military Families with issues, so Soldiers can concentrate on performing their duties to the best of their abilities.

As part of their effort, Fort Carson CSP offers initial and follow-up training to requesting schools in Colorado Springs. Additionally, local schools offer a variety of classes for children including Anger Management, Expect Respect, Esteem Builders and more.

"These programs provided students, both military and not, with helpful skills such as determining unsafe situations involving strangers, effective communication skills, and coping with bullying," Graupmann said.

Being a Soldier takes a lot of strength and concentration, and if that focus is split between work and Family, Soldiers won?t be able to perform to the best of their ability, said Graupmann. Fort Carson ACS acts to bridge Family relationships with the military lifestyle, working to create a tighter Fort Carson Family.

For more information on Fort Carson ACS, Family Advocacy and Child Safety Programs, call (719) 526-4590, or visit http://community.carson.army.mil/ACS.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Fort Carson Army Community Service invites active duty military, their Families, retirees and Department of the Army civilians into a world of education, opportunity and discovery. ACS offers services which promote self-reliance, resiliency and stability during war and peace. Its programs and classes are designed to fit the diverse and mobile community. ACS offers services in satellite locations. The ACS Center is a fully accredited state-of-the-art facility. Core programs include:

• Army Emergency Relief
• Army Family Action Plan
• Army Family Team Building
• Army Volunteer Corps
• Community Information and Referral Program
• Employment Readiness Program
• Exceptional Family Member Program
• Family Advocacy Program
• Family Enrichment Program
• Financial Readiness Program
• Mayoral Program
• Military and Family Life Consultants Program
• Mobilization and Deployment Readiness Program
• Outreach Program
• Relocation Readiness Program
• Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program
• Soldier and Family Assistance Center
• Soldier and Family Readiness Program
• Survivor Outreach Services
• The Family Connection

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Fort Carson Army Community Service supports the Family Advocacy Program providing services to prevent intimate partner violence and child abuse by improving family functioning, easing the kinds of stress that can contribute to abusive behavior, and creating a community that is supportive of Families. The prevention programs are designed to create community and command awareness of abuse, provide information of existing services, and provide specific educational programs. One such program offered through FAP is Fort Carson?s Child Safety Program. The Child Safety Program provides multiple classes to help Families, students and children of the Fort Carson community develop skills to cope with a military lifestyle, to include Baby, Think it Over; Kids on the Block; and Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution.

For more information on Fort Carson ACS, Family Advocacy and Child Safety Programs, call (719) 526-4590, or visit http://community.carson.army.mil/ACS.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Food service specialists across Fort Carson are working together to create a field dining experience worthy of earning first place in the Philip A. Connelly Awards program, a competition that recognizes excellence in field kitchen operations and food service.

Constructing a field kitchen site, complete with sanitation tent, dining area and trailer-mounted, containerized field kitchen, the team has trained nearly every day since May in preparation for the U.S. Army Forces Command level of the competition.

According to Sgt. Albert Fuentes, a training noncommissioned officer with the 60th Ordnance Company, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, the daily operation of their field kitchen site is centered on the basic elements of food service, such as sanitation, meal preparation and creating an overall positive atmosphere for Soldiers to enjoy.

?We?re here to feed Soldiers,? said Fuentes. ?We try to give them a relaxing environment to have a nutritional meal, so they can head back to training or back to their current mission.?

Fuentes, along with the Fort Carson team noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Staff Sgt. Christian Deane from Group Service Support Company, Group Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, built their team from the best food service specialists from across the post to represent the ?Best Hometown in the Army.?

The Philip A. Connelly Awards program was established in 1968 to recognize superiority in Army food service amongst service members and civilians. The competition was named after Philip A. Connelly, who was the former president of the International Food Service Executives Association.

Preparing for the arrival of FORSCOM representatives to evaluate the kitchen site, the team?s ability to adapt and overcome has been tested multiple times, be it overcoming growing pains or dealing with bad weather.

?We?ve had weather kind of beat up the field site a couple of times,? said Pfc. Michael Hatton, a food service specialist with GSSC, GSB, 10th SFG. ?Rain, wind ? we?ve learned to adapt to pretty much anything.?

Through extensive field training, adaptability, and teamwork, the Fort Carson team stands ready to take on the other seven teams within FORSCOM, vying for first place against rival teams from posts, such as Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Bragg, N.C.

If the Fort Carson team places first at the FORSCOM level of the competition, they will move on to represent the Mountain Post at the Department of the Army level Philip A. Connelly Awards program.

?We?ve been working together extremely well,? said Hatton. ?I?m pretty confident (in our team).?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Michael Hatton, a food service specialist with Group Service Support Company, Group Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, adds peppers and onions to the pepper steak he is preparing in the trailer-mounted, containerized field kitchen located on the Fort Carson team field kitchen site, July 12, 2012. Soldiers from across Fort Carson are competing at the U.S. Army Forces Command-level of the Philip A. Connelly Awards Program, in hopes of moving onto the Department of the Army-level competition. The Philip A. Connelly Awards Program is a competition in which post teams, from all over the world contend for the number one spot in food service excellence.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Joshua Thorbjornsen, a food service specialist with Group Service Support Company, Group Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, carefully prepares gravy in the trailer-mounted, containerized field kitchen located on the Fort Carson team field kitchen site, July 12, 2012. Constructing a field kitchen site, complete with sanitation tent, dining area and trailer-mounted containerized field kitchen, the team has trained nearly every day since May in preparation for the U.S. Army Forces Command level of the competition.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Specialist James Grantham, a food service specialist with Troop D, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, peels cucumber for a salad in a trailer-mounted, containerized field kitchen located on the Fort Carson team field kitchen site, July 12, 2012. Soldiers from across Fort Carson are competing at the U.S. Army Forces Command level of the Philip A. Connelly Awards Program. If successful at the FORSCOM level, the team will have the opportunity to represent Fort Crason at the Department of the Army-level competition. The Philip A. Connelly Awards Program is a competition in which post teams from all over the world contend for the number one spot in food service excellence.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Michael Hatton, a food service specialist with Group Service Support Company, Group Support Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, slices pork tenderloin in the trailer-mounted, containerized field kitchen located on the Fort Carson team field kitchen site, July 12, 2012. Hatton is a member of the Fort Carson team, which is competing in the Philip A. Connelly Awards Program. The program honors Soldiers for excelling in the area of food service. The Fort Carson team will compete against other post teams from across the nation, such as Fort Hood, Texas, and Fort Bragg, N.C., to obtain the honor of being named the number one team in U.S. Forces Command.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Shyla Perez, a military policewoman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, sweeps the floor of the sanitation tent within the field kitchen site of the Fort Carson Team, July 12, 2012. The sanitation tent is one portion of Fort Carson?s entry into the Philip A. Connelly Awards Program, a competition which honors post teams who excel in field kitchen operations. The Fort Carson team is competing at a U.S. Army Forces Command level for the opportunity to compete in Department of the Army-level competition.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? In the midst of training activities across post, Soldiers paused for a day to trade their camouflage and combat boots for life preservers and paddles.

More than 140 Soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, participated in a whitewater rafting trip through Colorado?s Big Horn Sheep Canyon to work on team-building skills and build morale, July 5.

?The command team wanted to put together an activity suitable for a large group of people,? said 1st Lt. Nicholas Costello, brigade adjutant, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div. ?Representatives for Raider Opportunities for Single Soldiers asked Raiders throughout the brigade what kind of event they would like to participate in next, and they chose whitewater rafting.?

The brigade command team then worked with Fort Carson Morale, Welfare and Recreation Adventure program and education representatives to organize the trip.

Getting so many Soldiers down the river took some planning, said Costello. In all, there were two separate trips with 11 rafts making each run down the river.

?I was excited to see how many people signed up for the trip,? said Spc. Elizabeth Erickson, communications specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Special Troops Battalion. ?Having so many people from within the brigade come together for such a fun activity off post gave me a chance to get to know some of the Soldiers I see every day, but don?t get to work with.?

Erickson, who calls Blaine, Minn., home, said she also enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with Soldiers she works with in a less stressful environment, where she could see a different side of each of them.

?The point of the trip was to help some of our newer Soldiers meet each other and develop connections that will assist them both in and out of uniform,? said Costello.

The trip began at the top of Big Horn Sheep Canyon, near Canon City, Colo., where Soldiers split into groups of five and met their river guide.

The guides then briefed Soldiers about the dangers of whitewater and ensured each rafter wore a personal floatation device and helmet.

?Safety was an important part of the entire event because there were a lot of people in the group who didn?t know how to swim,? said Spc. Corrie Buerger, combat medic assigned to Company B, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, and a native of Cleveland.

Buerger said the guide on her raft made the Soldiers feel safe and brought the group together to work as a team.

?When we started the trip, none of us knew how to paddle or steer the raft; but the guide worked with us as a group, and by the end of the trip, we were working as a solid team,? said Buerger.

Erickson also gave a lot of credit to the guide on her raft for bringing everyone together to overcome obstacles on the river.

?At the beginning of the trip, we couldn?t paddle the raft in the right direction, so we kept spinning around in a circle and hitting rocks,? said Erickson. ?At that point, the guide steered the raft toward shore and taught us all how to paddle as a team, then made us row back upriver to run the rapids again!?

Soldiers, like Erickson and Buerger, started the rafting adventure with Soldiers they could only call comrades, and by the end of the day, made new friends.

?It was really great to meet so many new people and feel like I have a support group when I get back to work,? said Buerger. ?When we deploy, these new friendships are going to be a very important outlet and support network.?

Costello said he admired how Soldiers embraced the idea of separating from their friends and choosing Soldiers who were new arrivals to the brigade to go down the river with.

?I was really impressed that our Soldiers came up with the idea to split into groups with people they were unfamiliar with,? said Costello. ?If a Soldier was standing alone when groups were forming up, he was immediately approached by several groups to join.?

Following the whitewater rafting, the 1st BCT Soldiers enjoyed a buffet meal and additional activities together at a local food establishment.

?It was obvious this adventure brought Soldiers from across the entire brigade closer together,? said Costello. ?The support they showed each other during this trip will translate into a more confident team when we are on mission.?

The 1st BCT command team plans to host another team-building opportunity in the near future, giving Raiders Soldiers the opportunity to attend a large sporting event.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers assigned to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, prepare to launch their rafts during a whitewater rafting trip through Big Horn Sheep Canyon, near Canon City, Colo., July 5, 2012. More than 140 Raiders Soldiers participated in the event, organized by the brigade command team and Fort Carson Morale, Welfare and Recreation Adventure program and education representatives, as an opportunity for 1st BCT Soldiers to work on team-building skills and build morale. ?When we started the trip, none of us knew how to paddle or steer the raft; but the guide worked with us as a group, and by the end of the trip, we were working as a solid team,? said Spc. Corrie Buerger, combat medic assigned to Company C, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Running, digging and sweating in 100-plus degree temperatures provided Soldiers the perfect simulated environment for creating the challenges and conditions common to firefighters.

Two task forces comprised of more than 1,000 Soldiers from 1st and 3rd Brigade Combat Teams, 4th Infantry Division, conducted introductory-level wildland fire suppression training under the instruction of firefighting professionals from the National Interagency Fire Center, June 29-July 5.

"If Soldiers deployed to assist in firefighting efforts, they would help with hand-crew operations, which involves (conducting) hand-line operations, mop-up operations and securing control lines," said Michelle Ryerson, National Wildland Safety manager, Bureau of Land Management, NIFC.

Responsible for coordinating the national mobilization of resources for wildland fire and other incidents throughout the United States, NIFC deployed a team of U.S. Forest Service military crew advisers to Fort Carson to train and prepare Soldiers in the event the Department of Defense receives a request to call on units to assist in national firefighting efforts.

Soldiers participated in practical exercises at Fort Carson training areas, focused on teaching Soldiers the basics of wildland firefighting, to prepare for the possibility of providing firefighting assistance anywhere in the nation.

Classroom training covered the academics of wildland firefighting, including organization of a firefighting squad, fire terminology, an introduction to hand tools, fire behavior, line safety and shelter.

Upon completing the classroom instruction, Soldiers advanced to a practical exercise. During eight hours of hands-on training, Soldiers gained a variety of techniques to safely and effectively fight fires.

Soldiers practiced fire-line digging and hand-line construction, which involved stripping land to create a barrier between spreading fire and organic material, or "fuel."

"If you're in the fire, you have to know where your safe points are and keep communications with your group," said Spc. Kheili Williams, communications specialist, Company B, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd BCT. "They are teaching us how to fight a wildfire, and be safe while doing it."

Task Force Raider and Task Force Arrow then applied the same land-stripping technique to make a suitable area free from foliage and other flammable material, clearing a space to lay down a fire shelter. A fire shelter serves as a firefighter's last means of protection from a rapidly approaching fire.

"I feel that Soldiers are getting all of the necessary skills needed to set a sturdy foundation to conduct firefighting operations," said 1st Lt. Edward Olsen, executive officer, Battery A, 4th Bn., 42nd FA Reg.

The instructors have done a very good job of teaching Soldiers basic skills, along with the positive and negative consequences of their actions, he said.

"Living in the area for so long, Soldiers developed ties to the community," Olsen said. "I think Soldiers would appreciate opportunities to help and protect their home."

The pre-mobilization training created a baseline for the 4th Inf. Div. Soldiers to work from if directed by U.S. Forces Command to provide wildland firefighting support to NIFC.

"The training is extremely important with safety being our prime consideration," said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Taylor, military policeman, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd BSTB, 3rd BCT. "It is essential that we learn how to safely operate (at a wildfire) and not cause a larger hazard."

According to NIFC policy, if alerted, the task force Soldiers will deploy within 72 hours to the fire's location, and conduct the necessary follow-on training before beginning firefighting operations.

"These guys will learn a lot more when they get put on the line," said Quincy Chung, a Bureau of Land Management Boise (Idaho) Smokejumper. "There is a steep learning curve when they get out there, but the beauty of the military is they are in good physical shape and they understand command structure. I think these guys could do very well."

The 4th Inf. Div. task forces will stand ready to provide support to wildland firefighting operations on request, augmenting local, state and federal firefighting capabilities, through the month of October.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Private Ruslan Oliynyk, a cavalry scout assigned to Troop A, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, readies his fire shelter as part of a fire drill during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Soldiers assigned to 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, familiarize themselves with practice fire shelters during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center June 30, 2012. A fire shelter protects firefighters from extreme heat, providing a means to safely shield themselves from a rapidly approaching fire. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Soldiers assigned to 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, practice opening, entering and sealing practice fire shelters during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. Firefighters need to be able to drop unnecessary gear, open their fire shelter, and seal themselves inside within a minute to protect themselves from poisonous gasses emitted from a rapidly approaching fire. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Soldiers assigned to 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, dig fire-lines during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. A fire-line separates fire from other flammable material to keep it from spreading to other areas, allowing firefighters to control and contain fire. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Cory Iverson, a wildland firefighting instructor form Bear Divide "Hot Shots," U.S. Forest Service, out of California, shows Spc. Joe Bergner, a cannon crewmember assigned to Battery A, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, the correct way to sharpen a shovel as part of tool familiarization during wildland fire suppression training led by National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. Soldiers learned to perform maintenance on their firefighting tools to ensure they were in working condition. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Private First Class William Groves (right), a military intelligence systems maintainer/integrator, and Pfc. Patrick Hessig, an unmanned aerial vehicle operator, both assigned to Company A, 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, dig fire-lines during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. A fire-line separates spreading fire from other flammable material to keep it from other areas, allowing firefighters to control and contain fire. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. Private First Class Alberto Barragan, a healthcare specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, digs a fire-line during wildland fire suppression training led by the National Interagency Fire Center at Fort Carson training areas, June 30, 2012. A fire-line separates fire from other flammable material to keep it from spreading to other areas, allowing firefighters to control and contain fire. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. J.R. Epps, National Firefighter planner, Bureau of Land Management, National Interagency Fire Center, teaches Soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during wildland fire suppression training led by NIFC at Prussman Chapel, July 2, 2012. Soldiers participated in a six-hour block of instruction where they learned about fire safety, common fire behaviors, and tool familiarization. Soldiers conducted two days of introductory-level instruction led by firefighting professionals from U.S. Forest Service and NIFC, the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. During the classroom setting, Soldiers learned basic, essential skills needed to safely fight and suppress fire, and put those skills to use during field training, where they received hands-on training.

FORT CARSON, Colo. – Soldiers of 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, bid farewell to the 549th Quartermaster Company during a deactivation ceremony at Fort Carson, June 28.

With "Black Knights" Soldiers of the 549th QM looking on, company commander, Capt. William Hall, presented the unit guidon to Lt. Col. Alanna Cook, commander, 68th CSSB, and Command Sgt. Maj. Percy Deering, battalion senior enlisted leader, who cased the military standard, signifying the unit's deactivation from service.

Hall said he was proud of his Soldiers for their accomplishments during his 17 months as their commander.

"Soldiers, thank you for all your hard work, and 'never quit' attitude, regardless of the situation," Hall said. "You take on every duty assigned with pride and excellence. For that, my hat goes off to you, as well as to your Families, for all their sacrifices.

"The experience of commanding this great company in their final chapter has been an awesome journey," he said. "I will cherish the memories and take the lessons learned with me to my next endeavor."

Soldiers of the 549th QM provided shower, laundry and clothing repair services during deployments overseas and large-scale training missions.

Units deactivate for multiple reasons, ranging from manning cuts to new technologies or tactics that render their mission unnecessary, said Hall.

With the U.S. military mission in Iraq complete, and forces in Afghanistan drawing down, the Department of the Army decided to discontinue the shower, laundry and clothing repair career field, deactivating companies like the 549th QM Company.

During the next few months, Black Knights Soldiers will retrain to meet the needs of the Army and join new formations.

"As our Army transforms itself to a more lean combat formation with a restrictive personnel cap, services, such as shower, laundry and clothing repair, will have to be provided through other means," said Cook, who presided over the ceremony as the reviewing officer. "In a time when Army structure must be reduced, it's understandable why the Army reached a decision to reduce field service companies, such as the 549th QM Company."

During their recent deployment to Iraq, the 549th QM Soldiers dispersed across the country, running six laundry sites, laundering more than 100,000 bundles of laundry; and two shower sites, providing more than 5,000 showers.

In addition to tasks specific to their career field, the quartermaster Soldiers also assisted U.S. Forces-Iraq in its mission to draw down forces, operating two fixed-materiel redistribution yards and 10 mobile locations, returning $70 million worth of equipment into the supply system, and properly disposing of another $70 million worth of damaged or outdated equipment.

"American Soldiers are known for their adaptability, flexibility and capability to do anything asked of them. The Soldiers you see before you are the epitome of this," Cook said. "I know I will remember the 549th QM, always. You have a proud history here at Fort Carson, and will always be on the 'Stagecoach' Team."

The company guidon will be returned to the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry for storage, historical documentation and for safe-keeping in the event the unit reactivates in accordance with the needs of the Army.

FORT CARSON, Colo. – From left, Command Sgt. Maj. Percy Deering, senior enlisted leader, 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade; Capt. William Hall, commander, 549th Quartermaster Company, 68th CSSB; and Lt. Col. Alanna Cook, commander, 68th CSSB, case the unit guidon during a deactivation ceremony on Fort Carson, June 28, 2012. The company guidon will be returned to the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry for storage, historical documentation and for safe keeping, in the event the unit reactivates in accordance with the needs of the Army.