FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Friends, Coworkers and Family of Staff Sgt. Mark Schoonhoven gathered at Soldier?s Memorial Chapel Jan. 30 to say goodbye to a fallen warrior.

While on a convoy Dec. 14, 2012, Schoonhoven?s vehicle was attacked by an improvised explosive device. He was airlifted to Germany then eventually to Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he died Jan. 20.

Schoonhoven was stationed on Fort Carson Feb. 10, 2010 and was assigned to 32nd Transportation Company, 43rd Sustainment Brigade.

1st Lt. Natalie Lopez-Barnard, rear detachment commander, 32nd Trans. described him during her remarks at the memorial service.

?He very much lived our brigade's motto: ?Make it happen,? I knew I could put Staff Sgt. Schoonhoven in any position and the results would be great.?

Master Sgt. John Gutierrez, Schoonhoven?s platoon sergeant while they were both stationed at Fort Bragg, told a story of a previous deployment where Schoonhoven refused to be relieved from his sentry duty where he was manning a tower.

?I asked Schoonhoven, ?What are you doing?? Without looking at me, he replied, ?Sergeant, I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.? (Quoting the Army?s First General Order.) ?Schoonhoven said ?Sergeant, there were two people that shot expert at the .50 Cal Range, Hernandez and me, Hernandez is my relief and I can wait until he?s off sick-call.?

?At this point I was going to rip Schoonhoven?s head off, but he quickly said ?Sergeant, there are a lot of people depending on us, their safety is relying on my ability. I can stop a vehicle. My relief may not be able to, I can wait for Hernandez.? At this point I realized Schoonhoven was right. I said, ?Schoonhoven, great job up there. Thanks for reminding me that I need the best on the gun.?

Schoonhoven was born on June 13, 1974, in Plainwell, MI. He joined the Army January 2006 as a motor transport operator.

He is survived by his wife Tammi, and his children Ava 7 months, Anjelika 6, Sheeshta 9, Sylvia 17 and Forrest 22.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Domestic violence is an unfortunate truth of society and Fort Carson is no exception.

To curb the domestic violence numbers Army Community Service offers classes to service members and their Families.

ACS strives to not only prevent domestic violence, but to enhance quality of life for troops in various aspects, according to victim advocates at Army Community Service.

?When you really look at it, everything that ACS does can fit under (domestic violence) prevention,? Steve Frost, victim advocacy coordinator, Family Advocacy Program, ACS, said.

Ken Robinson, a former Air Force and Army chaplain, who currently serves as a Family Advocacy Program Specialist for the Soldier and Family Readiness Program, ACS, describes two typical forms of domestic violence crimes. The first is the classic power control where one spouse uses emotional distress or physical violence to control the other. The other form is situational domestic violence, which arises from conflicting personalities between spouses.

Frost added that situational domestic violence is more common in the military than the classic power control.

To help educate Families and prevent violence in the home, ACS offers programs directed to change the lifestyle of its attendees to improve the relationships with their spouse and children.

?ACS?s primary job within Family Advocacy is prevention,? Frost said. ?Just like a heart attack, it?s easier to change the lifestyle than to treat the heart attack during the crisis.?

The ACS classes are designed to enrich Family ties and strengthen bonds.

?These workshops are not just to prevent domestic violence, but to build relationships,? Robinson said. ?I teach most of these classes and our goal is to help couples fall deeply in love with each other, have deeply satisfying relationships, and have a strong commitment to each other.?

The classes can range from a single day, like ?The 5 Love Languages? marriage workshop, to the 12-week Nurturing Parenting classes.

To help parents, ACS offers the following resiliency classes: Nurturing Parenting Programs, Cooperative Parenting and Divorce, Infant Massage, Single Parent Support and Boot Camp for New Dads. In addition, ACS offers a new parent support programs which offers prenatal and hospital contacts, home visitation, weekly playgroups and a mom?s support group.

Classes for couples include the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program, ?The Five Love Languages? workshop, Relationships 101, Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, Intimate Allies I and II, and Couple?s Resilience Workshops.

?I ask people two questions,? Frost said. ?What would you be willing to do to protect your spouse and what would you be willing to do to protect your kids? This is how you really protect your Family. Go to a relationship class.?

Additional information and schedule of classes can be found on the Fort Carson ACS website at community.carson.army.mil/ACS/

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? A free ?Be My Valentine? couples seminar is being offered by the Army Community Service?s Family Advocacy Program at the ACS Nurturing Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 14.

Fort Carson Soldiers, spouses and even those who are dating are encouraged to attend the lunch which will be served on location.

?It?s a day we bring couples in for a short, fun workshop for love,? Ken Robinson, Family Advocacy Program Specialist, Soldier and Family Readiness Program, ACS, said. ?We?ll be teaching them a model for loving each other a little better. It?s educational, but it?s still a fun event.?

The participants will learn about the many facets of love, the top ten principles for deepening love in intimate relationships, and an opportunity to focus on what is important between partners, said Robinson.

?We want the couples to come out with deeper levels of love for each other,? Robinson said.

The seminar?s focus on relationship also provides tools for conflict resolution.

?What we know is that when couples get involved in programs, they reach out and get help when something happens in the relationship,? Steve Frost, victim advocacy coordinator, Family Advocacy Program, ACS, said. ?They realize the classes are about having a good time with their spouses.?

To register for the "Be My Valentine" class call (719) 526-8747. For more information concerning the class call Ken Robinson at (719) 524-1991.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Quick thinking, auctioneer like speaking ability, and high awareness skills were needed for four air traffic controller specialists from 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, who were the first from the new unit to currently train to be certified as control tower operators at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 25.

The Soldiers, all from Company F, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment attended the training to become certified control tower operators.

The program is designed to train first-time air traffic controllers and recertify or rate control tower operator cardholders. Three of the four Soldiers are first-time controllers training for 154 days, in which the students must attend class at least four hours a day. Staff Sgt. Burnell is a recertifying CTO cardholder that is training at his own pace until program requirements are met. Certification for air traffic controllers is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

?The specific purpose of this training is to educate air traffic controllers to take this training they are receiving here at Butts Army Airfield to a tactical environment anywhere in the world,? said Greg Bean air traffic control specialist lead instructor at BAAF. ?Soldiers will use this knowledge of sequencing and separating aircraft on a regular basis. We are giving Soldiers a solid training program to build knowledge out of the FAA regulations along with Army regulations. Our instructors could not have asked for a better group of controllers coming from F Company.?

The hardest part of the course is to know the layout of airfield that the controller is working on, said Bean. He said each runway, taxi way, piece of pavement and grass area has a name; controllers have to know all these names to properly direct aviators to get them safely to their correct locations.

Bean and the three other instructors for the course have a 100 percent success rate qualifying controllers.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Burnell, air traffic controller noncommissioned officer in charge and team leader for the course, Company F, 2-4 GSAB, 4th CAB, 4th ID, is already a CTO card holder, and is recertifying. Burnell has been an air traffic control specialist for five years.

Burnell said a controller?s job is the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. He said all of his Soldiers are doing very well progressing through the program and retaining the knowledge regarding rules, regulations and airspace and the layout of airfield.

?I love being an air traffic controller and it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, because you get to hear the pilots say: ?thank you,?? said Brunell. ?When pilots are flying around, they can?t always see everything. We make traffic calls trying to save lives. It?s a rewarding job because everyone gets to go home safely.?

After the 154 day training program, the Soldiers will take the training they learned and use it to set up airfields in tactical environments and teach other air traffic controllers that may come to 4th CAB.

Air traffic control tower at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 28, 2013. The tower controls all air traffic for BAFF.

Steven L. May, left, air traffic controller specialist instructor, evaluates Staff Sgt. Joshua Burnell, Spc. Joesph Arigo, Pfc. Zachary Jellins and Pfc. Jason Dopler from Company F, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 25, 2013. The Soldiers are learning to become certified control tower operators.

Pfc. Jason Dopler, air traffic controller specialist, Company F, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, scans and monitors the airfield for incoming aircraft at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 25, 2013. Dopler is a first-time air traffic controller going through certification at BAFF.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Burnell, air traffic controller specialist noncommissioned officer in charge, Company F, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, directs aircraft at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 25, 2013. Burnell has been an air traffic controller for five years in the Army.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Beef tenderloin marinated and stuffed with sweet carrots, cheesecake made from scratch, gourmet bread pudding ? these are just a few of the dishes prepared by Soldiers who competed in the 4th Infantry Division Best Chef cook-off held here, Jan. 24.

Dressed in their ?cook-white? and camouflage uniforms, two-man teams from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Brigade Combat Teams, 4th Inf. Div. competed in the event. A team from 214th Fires Brigade from Fort Sill, Oklahoma and a team from the10th Special Forces Group here also competed.

The teams competed against each other to create a gourmet three-course-meal which consisted of an appetizer, main course and a dessert, from a mystery basket of food items. Dishes were judged by a panel of four judges who made evaluations in categories such as taste, food handling procedures, cooking techniques, and consistency in recipes.

Representing 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., in the quarterly competition, were food service specialists Pvt. 1st Class Bettie Mays, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, from Julius, Arkansas, and Specialist Jarvis Gill from Company F, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, from Chicago, Illinois.

?It was a learning experience,? said Mays, who competed in the competition for the first time.

?I think it?s a great opportunity for Soldiers to get outside of the dining facilities and practice their skills that they would use in the (food) industry,? said Gregory Joell, Fort Carson installation food program manager and Army food service retiree, compared the competition as the Army?s version of ?Iron Chef.?

?It gives them a chance to crossover freelance in preparing and plating dishes, which aren?t normally done in dining facilities because of regulations,? said Joell ?It gives them the opportunity to think outside the box and be creative.?

Contestants were judged based on the American Culinary Federation criteria according to Thomas Schaefer, competition judge, American Culinary Federation Pikes Peak director of operations and Pikes Peak Community College chef instructor.

The winners were, Specialist Michael Hatton, Group Service Support Company, 10th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment, and Sergeant Cecil Lee Parker, Headquarters Support Company, 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Regiment here.

?These competitors are the cream of the crop,? Schaefer said.

?We had a great time,? Hatton said, after the competition was over.

?What helped us out was the fact that we work well together,? Parker added.

Although Mays and Gill did not win, one of their dishes was given special mention during the announcement of the winning team.

?One amazing dish I want to (mention) is Gill?s and Mays?s cheesecake,? Joel said. ?That was a great dish.?

Medals and incentives for the winners will be awarded on a date to be determined.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Jarvis Gill from F Co., 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rdBrigadeCombat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Pvt. 1st Class Bettie Mays, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, receive constructive criticism from Chef Thomas Schaefer, competition judge and Pikes Peak Community College chef instructor, upon presenting their main-course meal to the panel of judges during the 4th Inf. Div. Best Chef Competition.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Jarvis Gill from F Co., 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rdBrigadeCombat Team, 4th Infantry Division, prepares beef tenderloin to be marinated during the 4th Inf. Div. Best Chef Competition. Gil and Pvt.1st Class Bettie Mays competed in the competition representing the 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Pvt. 1st Class Bettie Mays, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, places sliced beef tenderloin in a marinade made of red wine as she prepares her team?s main portion of a three-course meal. Mays and Specialist Jarvis Gill, F Co., 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, competed in the 4th Inf. Div. Best Chef competition while representing the 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? A battalion physical training challenge on Fort Carson Jan. 23 was dominated by four junior officers, who completed the six-event competition in 1 hour, 3 minutes, 35 seconds.

First Lieutenant John Riggs, executive officer, and platoon leaders, 1st Lt. Andrew Woolen, 2nd Lt. Nathan Winnech and 2nd Lt. Chandler Rochelle, all from Battery B, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, attributed their win to teamwork.

?We are all leaving for deployment in the next month, so the name of the game for this event is team building,? said Riggs. ?Whether we are doing PT or going out to fire rounds, we do everything in this battalion as a team. Most of these events would be almost impossible as an individual, and I think that is a good lesson for us, as well as our Soldiers.?

The PT challenge kicked off with a run, beginning at the battalion?s motor pool and snaking up Commo Hill, where teams regrouped, before heading back down to the company operating facilities. Each member of the four- or five-person teams had to cross the finish line before the team could begin the round robin stage of the challenge.

?The run is where we really excelled,? said Riggs. ?All four of us are pretty strong runners, so we were able to stick together. I think that set us apart, because some of the other teams had to wait until slower members caught up at the top of the hill or at the finish line.?

Following the run, the leaders tested their strength and endurance during a five-event, round robin style gauntlet.

After the run, competitors executed eight-count push-ups, pull-ups, litter carries, tire flips, and a Humvee drag, completing each event as a team; dividing repetitions and labor between team members to conserve strength.

?The Humvee pull was the toughest event for us,? Rochelle said. ?We had to pull the thing 100 yards then pull it back to the starting location. The way back was brutal.?

The competition served a greater purpose than simple bragging rights for the winners or building cohesion within the battalion?s leadership, said Rochelle.

?As leaders we can?t slack off,? he said. ?We can?t ask our Soldiers to do anything we ourselves wouldn?t do. I believe by participating in this challenge we are leading by example, showing our Soldiers that being in top physical shape is an important part of being a professional.?

As teams began to flood back toward the start point, challenges complete, friendly jibes and handshakes were given, but no one received a trophy or a blue ribbon.

?This is about esprit de corps,? Olson said. ?It?s about setting an example for the Soldiers of this battalion and bringing pride to the Straight Arrow Battalion.?

The leaders of the Straight Arrow Battalion did not compete for rewards or public recognition, but to exemplify what it means to be a strong army leader.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant First Class Harris Jones, Capt. Tim Seacrest and Sgt. John Pierre of Battery G, 4th Battalion, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, flip a tire during the Battalion?s physical fitness challenge, Jan. 23, 2012.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant Jonathan Overtance and Staff Sgt. Joseph Donovan, cannon crewmembers, Battery B, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, pull a Humvee during the Battalion?s physical fitness challenge, Jan. 23, 2012.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? First Lieutenant Andrew Woolen, platoon leader, Battery B, 42nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, performs chin-ups during a battalion physical fitness challenge, Jan. 23, 2012.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? The Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza buzzed with excitement and anticipation as more than 100 future Soldiers took the Oath of Enlistment, Jan. 25, during the Colorado American Legion Mid-Year Conference.

Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, administered the Oath of Enlistment, which the recruits recited in front of Families, friends, and Soldiers, both retired and still serving.

?These soon-to-be Soldiers represent the future of our nation, to protect our homeland, and defend our interest around the world,? said Rogers. ?You?ve all chosen to continue the legacy of our nation?s sons and daughters. You?ve chosen the road less traveled, and we as a nation owe you a debt of thanks. I look forward to serving with you.?

After the keynote speeches, some new recruits received promotions, and were pinned by Rogers.

?It feels good (to be promoted), it?s one of those things where you don?t expect it, but when it happens, you?re like, ?this is really cool,?? said Quinten Ziegler, who was promoted to private second class, and is enlisting as a cavalry scout. ?It?s mostly about accomplishing something, doing something not only for myself, but for the people around me.?

Ziegler said the ceremony was nerve-wracking. The induction marks the next step in his life, and he?s ready for it.

Another inductee, Matthew Cavanaugh, is enlisting as a satellite communication systems operator/maintainer.

?I believe the Army?s a great opportunity to develop as a human being, and in general, make me a better person,? said Cavanaugh. ?My grandfather was in the Army during World War II, both my parents were in the Air Force, and my brother joined the Marines? so it?s been throughout my Family, a military history.?

As the recruits finished reciting the oath, they returned to their Families and friends, one step closer to becoming a full-fledged Soldier.

?We had a swearing in by a general, and it?s a big event for all the future Soldiers in the area,? said Cavanaugh. ?I?m excited to be here. I?ve never seen a general before, so it?s been a great experience and opportunity.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Colorado?s newest Army recruits file into their seats for the beginning of an induction ceremony, at the Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza, Jan. 25, 2013, during the Colorado American Legion Mid-Year Conference. Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, administered the Oath of Enlistment, which the future Soldiers recited in front of Families, friends, and Soldiers, both retired and still serving.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, welcomes the future Soldiers and their Families to the Army?s Family, during an induction ceremony at the Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza, Jan. 25, 2013. ?These soon-to-be Soldiers represent the future of our nation, to protect our homeland, and defend our interest around the world,? said Rogers. ?You?ve all chosen to continue the legacy of our nation?s sons and daughters. You?ve chosen the road less traveled, and we as a nation owe you a debt of thanks. I look forward to serving with you.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, promotes Matthew Cavanaugh to specialist, during an induction ceremony at the Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza, Jan. 25, 2013. Cavanaugh is a recent graduate of the University of Colorado, and joined the Army to be a satellite communication systems operator/maintainer.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, promotes Quinten Ziegler to private second class during an induction ceremony at the Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza, Jan. 25, 2013. Ziegler is enlisting as a cavalry scout, and has a Family history of military Service. Ziegler?s dad is currently serving in the Army, and is stationed at Fort Carson.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Colorado?s newest Army recruits recite the Oath of Enlistment during an induction ceremony, at the Colorado Springs Crowne Plaza, Jan. 25, 2013, during the Colorado American Legion Mid-Year Conference. Brigadier General Darsie Rogers, deputy commanding general for support, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, administered the Oath of Enlistment, which they recited in front of Families, friends, and Soldiers, both retired and still serving.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Camouflaged by the natural woodland, the turret of an M3A3 Bradley fighting vehicle rotates to scan its sector near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 25.

Inside the vehicle, cavalry scouts of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, wait to engage simulated enemy forces.

?Bison? Soldiers are getting back to the basics of decisive action training after conducting counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

?These guys have spent the last 10 years or so fighting the war on terror,? said Staff Sgt. Justin Bottomley, cavalry scout, Troop A. ?What our squadron, brigade and elements above us have started to say is that we need to get back into the doctrinal fight of high intensity conflict.?

During the training, the sections worked in small knit groups and focused on working as a team.

?We get to do our first, second and third level tasks and learn our jobs,? said Bottomley. ?Normally we don?t get a chance to work purely at the section level, and the last couple of days it has just been me and my wingman, and that builds up teamwork.?

The Soldiers practiced some of those tasks by camouflaging and positioning their vehicle in a defensive posture, to prevent the enemy from moving north.

?The problem with using a Bradley as a recon vehicle is that it is very tall, very loud and gives off a lot of signatures,? said Bottomley. ?One thing we do is use the terrain to our advantage. We get our weapon system above the high ground to be able to engage the target and hopefully see the enemy before they see us.?

During the training, new Soldiers assigned to the squadron learned their vehicles capabilities.

?It?s a big learning experience,? said Pfc. Robert Baker, cavalry scout, Troop A. ?For the most part I don?t know much about the system, so I have my team leaders and section sergeant to help me out and guide me in the right direction.?

?As a driver, I am learning the ins and outs of what the vehicle can do,? said Baker. ?Knowing the vehicle and the maintenance required is a big part of the training.?

Fresh Soldiers are not the only ones who learned new things during the training.

?Everyone is learning troop leading procedures,? said 1st Lt. Samuel Thode, executive officer, Troop B. ?Platoon leaders are going through and working with their noncommissioned officers to figure out how to put together a mission, execute a mission, finish it, and see; here?s what we did, what we thought was going to work, why it didn?t work, and here is how we can fix it.?

The scouts are conducting the training in preparation of future events that will eventually lead to deployment.

?The end state of the training is the Soldiers are competent at putting together a mission, executing it, and ready to do the same down the line in Pinon Canyon (Maneuver Site), and later at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin,? Thode said.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sergeant Justin Bottomley, cavalry scout, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, looks out for enemies during platoon scout training near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 26, 2013. Bottomley and his crew, consisting of three other Soldiers, set up their M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle in a defensive posture in preparation to deny enemy movement.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers of Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, drive their M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to reach a phase line, where they will move into a defensive posture, during platoon scout training near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 26, 2013. Soldiers of Apache Troop used squad level tactics to enhance the overall platoon mission to contact simulated enemy forces and deny their movement north.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Robert Baker, cavalry scout, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, camouflages an M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle during platoon scout training near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 26, 2013. Baker and his fellow Apache Troop Soldiers attempted to make the vehicle almost undetectable to the enemy?s eye by using branches, tree limbs and natural foliage.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Since late 2001, Coalition Forces have inhabited Afghanistan, with the intent to eliminate terrorist activity within the country. For nearly 10 months, the 43rd Sustainment Brigade has been training and preparing to put boots on the ground for a third time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The 43rd SB, ?Rough Riders,? are set to begin a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan in February to provide assistance in closing operations in the country by shutting down and consolidating the many elements of the Coalition Forces infrastructure, such as vehicles, equipment, and entire installations.

?We?re going to close down as much as Afghanistan as we can close down,? said Col. Todd Heussner, brigade commander. ?We will be busy. We will have a lot of responsibility, and we will be spread all over the country? handling a number of tasks that need to be completed simultaneously.?

With this large-scale responsibility, the brigade has been making sure that each Soldier, officer and enlisted, are prepared for the challenge at hand.

Elements of the unit have gone through widespread training, including command post exercises at Fort Lee, VA. Also, the Rough Riders were the first sustainment brigade in history to train at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif. An all-encompassing training schedule was necessary to not only prepare elements of the unit for unexpected events, but for the significant scale of their primary missions.

?We?re falling in on a mission that is theatre-level, meaning for the entire country,? said Capt. Nicole Bell, brigade intelligence officer. ?Normally, a mission like this would fall (on a division) with a staff of about 150 people for one province. We are going to cover the entire country with four personnel, including myself.

?That?s going to be the biggest challenge that we?re going to face,? said Bell. ?We?re going to have to take on multiple jobs, and we?re going to have to work long hours. Also, we will need to communicate with our subordinate and adjacent units while in country to get the job done.?

Currently the brigade is progressing through its final stages of plans and provisions, with Soldiers fulfilling their pre-deployment requirements and preparing their Families for their departure. The training for this deployment, while intense, has paid off for its Soldiers.

?I?ve never trained so extensively in preparation for a mission,? said Heussner. ?And I?ve never been more confident.?

As President Barrack Obama recently said during his second inaugural speech, ?A decade of war is now ending,? and the 43rd Sustainment Brigade is trained and ready to deploy to assist units in the draw-down of forces, as America?s combat role dwindles.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Roaring booms of powerful helicopter engines announced the arrival of the first 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters at Butts Army Air Field on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 20.

In addition to the Blackhawks the first three CH-47 Chinook helicopters for the new unit arrived Jan. 22 and more helicopters are scheduled to come in throughout the year.

Capt. Joshua Meyer, commander, Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion (Ground Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th CAB, 4th ID, coordinated getting the helicopters to Fort Carson. He and his Soldiers worked through the weekend to make sure there was a smooth transition when the helicopters arrived.

?It?s a big deal for us because it marks the arrival of the CAB here at Fort Carson, Colorado,? said Meyer. ?A lot of people from the company, battalion and brigade have been working hard for the last six months. It means a lot to the Soldiers because they?re going to be working on and flying them. They have been very busy working to meet the requirements so that these aircraft can arrive; establishing and validating our systems and procedures for maintenance and flight operations. We are looking forward to flying them and maintaining them at the company level.?

With the new helicopters, the brigade can start working toward full activation and completing its mission to provide attack aviation, air assault, heavy lift and medical evacuation aviation operations in support of 4th ID and other division sized units, said Maj. Jason S. Davis, brigade executive officer and acting brigade commander, 4th CAB, 4th ID. .

Davis stepped in as brigade commander in June 2012. There were only 50 Soldiers when he first arrived to the unit and now the brigade has more than 850 soldiers, he said. He added that the brigade is projected to be completely manned and activated, including subordinate units, in April 2014.

?We are ahead of schedule in a lot of areas, and areas that we face challenges in are going to be areas that any unit faces in the Army today, with funding and facilities,? said Davis. ?I am really pleased with the progress we?ve made.

?We?ve gotten a great number of people in, and the vast majority of people coming to the 4th CAB are excited to be here, ready to work and they dive into whatever their task is,? he added. ?They start building the systems and processes that we need.?

In addition to the arrival of new Soldiers, aircraft and equipment, training for the brigade is vital to becoming mission ready.

Upcoming training includes basic Soldier training such as weapons qualification, Soldier tasks and drills and other skills that all Soldiers need to be proficient at, said Maj. George A. Hodges, operations officer, 4th CAB, 4th ID.

To house the brigade?s equipment and Soldiers, new structures are being built at Butts Army Airfield. Fort Carson Department of Public Works is working to get the CAB?s building contracts approved and get approved CAB construction projects built. The biggest of the CAB?s construction projects is a complete renovation of Butts Army Airfield.

The CAB is getting five hangars, new brigade headquarters building, runway and apron, control tower and barracks, said Maj. Eli Adams, an Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project manager at Fort Carson. He said there are currently nine authorized projects out of 27 proposed construction projects. All projects are expected to be complete by 2020.

Adams said the structure that stands out most to him is the first hangar to be completed for the Aviation Support Battalion, 4th CAB. The ASB hanger will be built to consume zero energy over the course of a year. Most of the projects are proposed to be netzero developments.

?The need is there to rebuild that airfield,? said Adams. ?The facilities that we provide will be top quality and will be a great contribution to Fort Carson. Our teams of engineers, who are working with the contractors, are highly professional. The CAB has a lot to look forward to with the facilities that they are going to get and when they see the work completed, it will be a transformed Butts Army Airfield.?

4th CAB Soldiers worked quickly to put away their first helicopters in the hangar and are continuing to work on the helicopters to make sure all preventive maintenance, checks and services are done, so they can be ready to train and perform missions.

4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division receives first UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 20, 2013. The helicopters are the first to arrive to the new combat aviation brigade.

4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division receives first CH-47 Chinook helicopters at Butts Army Airfield on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 22, 2013. The Chinooks are the first CH-47s to arrive to the new combat aviation brigade.

Maj. Jason S. Davis, brigade executive officer and acting brigade commander, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, gives briefing to new Soldiers arriving to the brigade at the CAB?s reception building on Fort Carson, Colo., Jan. 8, 2013. Davis explains about the phases of the unit and answers questions by new Soldiers.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sore feet and cramped muscles from a full day of training and marching were ignored by Staff Sgt. Anthony Vasquez as he leapt into the pool in his full Army Combat Uniform, determined to make high marks for the Best Ranger Competition, at the Iron Horse Sports and Fitness Center.

Forty-one Ranger-qualified infantrymen from various units in the 4th Infantry Division began a six-week group training regimen, for the ultimate goal of filling one of six spots on the team representing Fort Carson at the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22.

The team will go to Fort Benning, Ga., April 12- 15, to compete in the 30th Annual David E. Grange, Jr. Best Ranger Competition.

The first day of training consisted of two minutes each of pushups and sit-ups, a five-mile run, pull-ups, a 12-mile ruck march, and a 250-meter swim in full ACUs to see where the competitors stood.

?The first part was pretty cake, but the ruck-march is what killed everybody,? said Vasquez, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

Sergeant Major Alan M. Gibson, plans and operations noncommissioned officer in charge, 4th Inf. Div., put the training together to determine who the top six rangers will be.

?We know Fort Benning hosts the competition in April every year, and we have some teams that want to do it, so I started a trial for them to make the teams,? Gibson said.

There are some rangers who have competed in the BRC in the past.

?I competed in 2010 and I want to win it,? said Vasquez. ?I placed 17th out of 45 teams in 2010 and I feel like I could have done a lot better. Now they are giving me another opportunity; I am jumping all over it.?

The contest is designed to test the mettle of all its participants.

?It is going to be a grueling event,? said Gibson. ?Their training is going to be intense. They are going to push themselves to the very limit, because it is a three-day event with no sleep.?

For individuals interested in future competitions, the only requirements are to be Ranger qualified, and willing to fight for one of the cherished six spots that represent the best Rangers Fort Carson has to offer.

For more information on the competition go to bestrangercompetition.com

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sgt. 1st Class Justin Larson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, is swimming 250 meters in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sgt. 1st Class Justin Larson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, is swimming 250 meters in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sgt. 1st Class Justin Larson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, is swimming 250 meters in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sgt. 1st Class Justin Larson, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team 4th Infantry Division, is resting during the 250 meter swim in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sgt. Ray Dowell, Jr., Company B, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is focused during the 250 meter swim in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sgt. Ray Dowell, Jr., Company B, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is focused on trying to make the top of the list during the 250 meter swim in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sgt. Ray Dowell, Jr., Company B, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, catching his breath during the 250 meter swim in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sgt. Ray Dowell, Jr., Company B, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, is focused on trying to make the top of the list during the 250 meter swim in full Army Combat Uniform as part of the training for the Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 22, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Rangers, 4th Infantry Division, start a five-mile ruck-march as they prepare for the 30th Annual David E. Grange Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 25, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Rangers, 4th Infantry Division, start a five-mile ruck-march as they prepare for the 30th Annual David E. Grange Best Ranger Competition, Jan. 25, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Unmanned aerial vehicles soared through the sky under the control of 16 ?Raider? brigade Soldiers during QR-11 Raven training on Fort Carson, Jan. 7-18.

During the two-week training certification course, Soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, in a variety of career fields, learned how to launch, maneuver and land the small, unmanned aircraft in a variety of situations including aerial security during movement operations, terrain reconnaissance and target acquisition during night operations.

?The benefit of this training can?t be overstated,? said 2nd Lt. Theresa Ross, intelligence officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st BCT. ?The Raven is small, lightweight, and portable. We use it for everything from site reconnaissance to target acquisition, so having several Soldiers trained and qualified to operate it is a huge combat multiplier.?

The hands-on approach to the training helped the Raiders get a feel for the tactical importance of the unmanned aerial vehicle, as well as a solid understanding of its capabilities and limitations, said Ross.

?Not a whole lot of intelligence officers get the chance to learn about this hardware first hand,? she said. ?Because I have first-hand knowledge of the Raven, I will have reasonable expectations of what we can accomplish with it during a combat deployment.?

The Raven is designed for quick assembly and deployment at the lowest levels of the military structure. Weighing only four pounds and operated by remote control the Raven can gather video or photographic intelligence, or direct forces to a target using an infrared laser.

Having Soldiers from both combat arms and support career fields participating in the training ensures that no mater what the situation, U.S. Forces can always get an ?eye in the sky,? said Steve Rocovitch, small unmanned aerial system instructor, Rally Point Management.

?The Raven is a great asset to the military, but only if it is used properly,? Rocovitch said. ?I have confidence that these Soldiers can take what we?ve practiced these past two weeks and implement them in a complex deployed environment.?

While one Soldier flew the Raven via remote control, others viewed the UAV?s flight on a laptop, implemented flight patterns and controlled its cameras and other tools.

?In addition to learning how to operate the Raven, I gained a better understanding of all the things going on in an operating environment,? said Pfc. Glen Default, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT.

?When I fly I have to be aware of everything going on in my airspace and know what is going on groundside to accomplish my mission. It?s a much bigger picture than I have been exposed to.?

The Raider Soldiers will continue to train in preperation for an upcoming deployment in support of U.S. Army Central Command.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private Mart Webber, aviation operations specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, assembles a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a two week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013. During the two-week certification course, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers from a variety of career fields learned how to launch, maneuver and land the small, unmanned aircraft in a variety of situations including over-watch during movement operations terrain reconnaissance and target acquisition during night operations.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Second Lieutenant Theresa Ross, intelligence officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, launches a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a two week training course at the Fort Carson Training Area, Jan, 17, 2013. The Raven is designed for quick assembly and deployment at the lowest levels of the military structure. Weighing only four pounds and operated by remote control the Raven can gather video or photographic intelligence or direct forces to a target using an infrared laser.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? A QR-11 Raven Unmanned Ariel Vehicle under the control of Private Mart Webber, aviation operations specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, comes in for a landing during a 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private Mart Webber, aviation operations specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and 2nd Lt. Theresa Ross, intelligence officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st BCT, assemble a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a two-week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Alston Tatum, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Second Lieutenant Theresa Ross, intelligence officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., launches a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle into the air during a two-week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Glen Dufault, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operates a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle via remote control during a two-week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Shawn Broussard, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, uses a Laptop to send commands to a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a two-week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Shawn Broussard, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4nth Infantry Division, and Spc Alston Tatum, infantryman, Company B, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT monitor information gathered by a QR-11 Raven Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during a two-week training course on Fort Carson, Jan, 17, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Former Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha, Section Sergeant, Company B, 3rd Sqdn., 61st Cav. Reg., 4th BCT, is scheduled to be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barrack Obama, Feb. 11, in Washington, D.C. for his heroic actions at Combat Operating Post Keating, Afghanistan, on Oct. 3, 2009.

According to Master Sgt. Ronald Burton, operations noncommissioned officer in charge, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, who was the first seargeant at COP Keating at the time of the attack, and excerpts that the Army Times used from ?The Outpost,? by Jake Tapper, the engagement began as insurgents launched a hail of gunfire, interspersed with rocket fire, during the early morning hours. The Soldiers in the COP reacted smoothly and efficiently with battle drills honed and battle tested by 45 attacks in the four months prior.

Unlike previous attacks, which had lasted five to 10 minutes, and typically involved insurgents shooting a few rifle and mortar rounds and retreating, the attack remained focused, with 300 insurgents assaulting the post of 50 American Soldiers and two Latvian Soldiers, breaching the perimeter, and securing the mortar pit.

The nearby Observation Post Fritsch, with 19 American Soldiers, was simultaneously attacked, preventing them from supporting the COP.

It was during this attack that Romesha took charge and earned the prestigious award.

?The biggest thing for him that day, he was all over the place,? said Burton, of Romesha. ?We have our battle drills, but when things began to change, he took charge. He reported into us, and then he went back out, took part of the base, then defended it.?

Romesha leading the charge and retaking of the mortar pit may have been instrumental in the successful defense of the COP during the ten-hour fight, but his actions didn't stop there.

According to the Army News Service, he took out an enemy machine gun team, and continued to engage another one, even while injured from shrapnel due to a generator exploding from a rocket-propelled grenade. He also directed air support that killed 30 insurgents.

The Army Time's recounting of Romesha's citation adds even more detail to his actions that day.

When COP Keating was informed that OP Fritsch had injured Soldiers requiring medical assistance, Romesha provided covering fire that allowed those Soldiers to reach the aid station. He also traversed 100 meters under withering fire to secure the bodies of fellow Soldiers who had fallen during the fighting.

The long anticipated award was announced Jan. 11.

?It's been a long time coming,? said Burton. "When it finally came out Friday, I was just excited."

Romesha's reaction to the news included some mixed emotions.

"I don't think you ever sit there and expect this to come, it's bittersweet," said Romesha. "It's a great opportunity to tell all the great things that happened that day; one team, one fight."

Romesha considered the award an opportunity to accomplish some things he wanted to do that may not have been possible otherwise.

He said it allowed him, "To be able to get back into contact with such great friends and Family members, and share in the experience of it; to get the message of teamwork and dedication that everyone showed that day, such courage and honor, has really meant a lot to me."

Romesha also sees the award as an opportunity to tell the Soldier?s story.

"You don't really wake up in the morning and think; 'today I'm gonna go try and be awarded the Medal of Honor,?" said Romesha. "And for me, I hold true to that. I believe there's so many Soldiers out there, that if they were given the opportunity that we had faced that day, they would have done what I did.

"It's the small things that people don?t see that Soldiers do every day; the getting up early, putting that uniform on," said Romesha. "Saying goodbye to their Families for a year and kind of putting Family life on hold, those are the every-day heroes, this is what that award means to me."

Looking into Romesha's Family, it might seem as though Romesha had heroism bred into his bones. His grandfather was a World War II veteran, his father a Vietnam veteran, his oldest brother has served in both the Army and the Air Force, while the second oldest was in the Marine Corps. He said the military was something he always knew he wanted to do.

Romesha credits his grandfather for instilling in him the qualities that made him so effective during that battle.

When asked about what other Soldiers could do to emulate his success, he replied: "I would resort back to my grandfather, who has always been my personal hero, and one of the great life-lessons he taught me, and I've always held true, is that your actions will speak for you: don't just talk the talk, but actually walk the walk, and dig down deep into that warrior spirit every one of you have, and execute."

Romesha's wife, Tamara Romesha, has also been adjusting to the news.

"I'm still a little star-struck, awe struck," said Tamara Romesha. "I've always known he could do amazing things; he is a very capable, great guy, but you guys are walking in and seeing him as he is now. I still think back to when we were in high school together, so it's a little new for me to think of him as a recipient."

Romesha is currently separated from the Army, working out of Minot, North Dakota, with KS Industries as a quality assurance team member, and lives with his wife and three children.

During his service in the Army, from 1999 to 2011, Romesha was stationed in Germany, Korea, and Fort Carson, Colo. He deployed twice to Korea, twice to Iraq, and once to Afghanistan.

Romesha's other awards include: the Afghanistan Campaign Medal w/ Campaign Star, Iraq Campaign Medal w/three Campaign Stars, Bronze Star Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, Purple Heart, five Army Achievement Medals, Valorous Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon w/ Numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon w/ Numeral 5, NATO Medal w/ Bronze Service Star, and the Combat Action Badge.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Fort Carson medical professionals from battalion aid stations across post began training at Evans Army Community Hospital Jan. 7 to Feb. 8, to develop and enhance their medical proficiency, as well as update and sustain their clinical skills.

Medical skills training, which started in March 2012 as a 15-day course, is now a 24-day training period which allows Soldiers to train longer and go more in-depth into working in a clinical environment.

?Basically, this training helps medical Soldiers to build on the skills they already have, when they?re fresh out of advanced individual training," said Sgt. 1st Class Jimi Harris, Department of Emergency Medicine noncommissioned officer in charge, Evans Army Community Hospital. ?They learn what it really means to do their job when they get to their unit."

This training provided Soldiers with training different from what is available at the battalion level.

"When they?re deployed, they get to do more things under the license of a provider, but in the garrison environment, they?re limited and can only do certain things,? said Harris. ?Coming here and doing this rotation, it gives the Soldiers the opportunity to do a little more than what they would usually do in their aid stations. For the most part, they already have the medical knowledge. This is enhancing their skills and adding what they normally wouldn?t (receive) in their battalion aid stations, and benefiting their units when they go back, because they have this knowledge that they can call upon both when they are in garrison and downrange.?

During training medics learned and performed tasks such as putting in sutures (stitches), operating an electrocardiogram, blood draws, throat cultures, glucose testing, escorting patients and a variety of other clinical tasks.

?This training gives us a variety of new skills that we wouldn?t have learned if we weren?t in a hospital setting,? said Pvt. Zachary Lutz, healthcare specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. ?It builds upon things we have already learned during our other training and advanced individual training, so we are able to treat and help more patients in more types of situations than we were beforehand. Also, if we were to get detached to a hospital, we would have some experience in a hospital setting.?

As the Soldiers? skills improve, they will advance in their training and perform more complex tasks and operations.

?Once (the instructors) get the confidence that we can perform more tasks, we?ll start moving to the next level,? said Lutz. ?The way it?s taught to us is, we watch a procedure, we do what is taught to us, then we teach, meaning we need to be proficient enough to teach what we?ve learned.?

In addition to valuable skills gained, Lutz expressed the importance of staying calm in intense situations.

?No matter what situation you?re in, you need to stay calm, be collected and have a very clear line of communication with one another,? said Lutz. ?We need to keep a cool head, because that can make all the difference when it comes to performing a successful medical task.?

When the medics return to their units, they can use the knowledge they?ve gained to mentor the Soldiers in their units, so they too can become more proficient in their skills.

?The vast majority of what we have learned we will be able to use at our clinics, but we will also be able to apply it as field medics,? said Spc. David Holmes, healthcare specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div. ?This training is geared more toward the Soldiers who don?t work in the hospital, and allows us to expand our knowledge of medical procedures, but we can use it to teach others so they will be prepared in future situations.?

Through this training, Soldiers gain a wider perspective of tasks medical professionals accomplish, and expand their medical goals

?When it comes to medics, there are two separate sides; there are the line medics and the clinic medics,? said Spc. Joe Rodriguez, healthcare specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Bn., 16th FA Reg., 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. ?I?m trying to go into nursing, so this is a good eye-opener for me to get more practice. Being in a line unit, I don?t really get to learn their role, but being here, I can see more of what they do.

?When this opportunity came, I jumped on it; I?ve been trying to come the hospital for as long as I can,? Rodriguez added. He joined the training to serve as a stepping-stone to his ultimate goal, being a sports medicine practitioner, but training with civilian patients has given him a new perspective and foundation, broadening his plans for the future.

The program has received praise from the Soldiers, expressing the advanced skills and greater confidence it has instilled in them.

?I didn?t know exactly what I was getting myself into when I started this program, but I?m so glad that I?m part of this,? said Rodriguez. ?It helped me get the confidence I need to do procedures in the future, and the knowledge to teach other Soldiers in my unit become even better at their jobs. We?ve been here six days and we?ve learned a lot, and there is so much more to learn.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Miran Bae, medical laboratory specialist, Company B, 10th Combat Support Hospital, works with a patient?s antibodies during patient testing, in the Evans Army Community Hospital Pathology lab Jan. 17, 2013. Fort Carson?s medical professionals are participating in medical skills readiness training at Evans Army Community Hospital Jan. 7 to Feb. 8, to develop and enhance their medical proficiency, as well as update and sustain their clinical skills.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant Carla Garrett, patient administration noncommissioned officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reviews patient files with Spc. Kimberly Beatty, patient administration specialist, Company C, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., at Evans Army Community Hospital Jan. 17, 2013. Fort Carson?s medical professionals are participating in medical skills readiness training at Evans Army Community Hospital Jan. 7, through Feb. 8, to develop and enhance their medical proficiency, as well as update and sustain their clinical skills.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Thirteen Raider Brigade Soldiers trained to become proficient with the 118,500 pound Kalmar Rough Terrain Container Handler-240 during an 80-hour course Jan. 7-18 on Fort Carson.

The two-week course began in a classroom where students learned container safety, vehicle maintenance, lifting and transporting procedures before conducting practical exercises with the Kalmar RT-240 in the 4th Brigade Support Battalion motorpool.

?As soon as I saw a picture of the Kalmar I was intimidated and I never thought I would be able to operate it, but we learned everything step-by-step, from lifting and dropping to stacking containers three high and now it?s a piece of cake,? said Spc. Charlene Fellows, motor transport operator, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

The training these Soldiers are getting will help their units, explained Training Specialist Wendell Crawford, course instructor, who has 20 years of cargo container movement experience. Once trained on the Kalmar, they have the capability to off-load their equipment and get it to their units without having to wait on someone to come move it for them.

?This class is very useful when you deploy and have to build a Forward Operating Base or deliver supplies that are essential to the mission,? said Fellows. ?If I can operate the Kalmar I can get these supplies to my unit.?

The course certifies the handlers to operate the Kalmar RTCH during logistical operations that transport the brigade?s equipment anywhere in the world.

?We can rely more on our Soldiers within our unit and less on contractors so we become self reliant and expedite the movement of our containers,? said 2nd Lt. John Peake, support operations transportation officer, 4th BSB, 1st BCT.

The training Raider Brigade Soldiers received during the course will be critical to their logistics mission during future deployments.

?This is one of the best classes I have ever attended, I have learned a lot about this piece of equipment and feel very confident operating it,? said Sgt. Michael Villerot, motor transport operator, Company A, 4th BSB.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Luis Saldana, motor transport operator, Company A, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, uses hand and arms signals to communicate with Spc. Charlene Fellows, motor transport operator, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st BCT to a container during the Rough Terrain Container Handler Course, in the 4th BSB motorpool, Jan. 15, 2013. The 80-hour course certifies the Soldiers to operate the 118,500 lbs. piece of equipment to transport the ?Raider? Brigade?s equipment anywhere in the world.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Charlene Fellows, motor transport operator, Headquarters and HeadquartersCompany, 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, stacks cargo containers using a Kalmar RT-240 during the Rough Terrain Container Handler Course, in the 4th BSB motorpool, Jan. 15, 2013. The course certifies the handlers to operate the Kalmar RTCH during logistical operations that transport the ?Raider? Brigade?s equipment anywhere in the world.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Are finger prints hereditary, what type of tape is the strongest, what is life cycle of a fruit, these are just some of the questions asked by students during Russell Middle School?s Science Fair.

Soldiers with 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, volunteered to go to the middle school and judge the science fair projects, Jan. 15.

The science projects, created by children grades 6th through 8th, were assigned in Oct. and had a various requirements that had to be met, said Alex Wade, 8th-grade science teacher.

The judging had two parts, the first was based on the project display and the second was an interview with the student.

?I enjoyed being able to get a chance to see the next generation and see their ideas and how much effort they put into their projects,? said Sgt. 1st Class Craig Butterman, brigade personnel noncommissioned officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd STB, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. ?What surprised me the most was the amount of participants and the students? interpersonal skills.?

Both Soldiers and students said they felt the benefits of volunteering.

?The kids really appreciate it,? said Wade. ?They are seeing all these men and women in uniform and for some of them that is what they want to aspire to. It?s nice too, because I feel like this whole community has a good relationship with Fort Carson.?

During the interview portion, some children seemed nervous but were put at ease quickly.

?I got nervous because I didn?t want to mess up, but after a while the Soldiers are really cool so I loosened up,? said Madison Lemley, 12 years old, science fair participant. ?It?s cool because I respect the Soldiers and I get to interact with them.?

Soldiers were impressed with the projects that students created.

?These kids are very smart, a lot smarter than I was at their age,? said Spc. Robert Cox, air defense battle management system operator, HHT, 2nd STB. ?It?s cool to get to see their experiments.?

Students liked having the Soldiers there to judge.

?I feel like they know a lot, so it?s cool for them to come out and judge us instead of teachers,? said Makayla Hendrickson, 13 years old, science fair participant.

Soldiers said they felt a sense of duty to the kids while judging.

?To me, it feels pretty good to be able to go out into the community and show people that this is what we do and who we are and that we care,? Butterman said. ?At the end of the day, these are our future leaders and I want to make sure we are doing the right thing for them.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist Robert Cox, air defense battle management system operator, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reviews a display at Russell Middle School during a Science Fair, Jan. 15, 2013. Cox was one of about 30 Soldiers and Airmen requested to judge the Science Fair projects. Judges walked through and graded each project based on set criteria and then later students came in, stood by their projects and were interviewed by judges.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant First Class Craig Butterman, brigade personnel noncommissioned officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reviews a display at Russell Middle School during a Science Fair, Jan. 15, 2013. Butterman was one of about 30 Soldiers and Airmen requested to judge the Science Fair projects. Judges walked through and graded each project based on set criteria and then later students came in, stood by their projects and were interviewed by judges.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant First Class Craig Butterman, brigade personnel noncommissioned officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, looks at Makayla Hendrickson?s examples during the Russell Middle School Science Fair, Jan. 15, 2013. Butterman was one of about 30 Soldiers and Airmen requested to judge the Science Fair projects. The judging had two parts, the first was based on the project display and the second was an interview with the student.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Sergeant First Class Craig Butterman, brigade personnel noncommissioned officer in charge, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, turns in his score sheet during the Russell Middle School Science Fair, Jan. 15, 2013. Butterman was one of about 30 Soldiers and Airmen requested to judge the Science Fair projects. Judges walked through and graded each project based on set criteria and then later students came in, stood by their projects and were interviewed by judges.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? During an award ceremony Jan. 10, which honored and recognized more than 370 Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, one award in particular stood out; a small, translucent plaque with the word ?Army Safety Guardian? etched into it.

The Army Safety Guardian award is given to individuals who perform extraordinary actions or skill during an emergency or imminently dangerous situation while preventing damage to Army property, personnel or loss of life to an individual.

Staff Sergeant Donald Sutton was awarded the Army Safety Guardian award after he helped save the life of a man who was trapped in a burning semi-truck during a multi-car crash in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Interstate-25 near Exit 128, March 29, 2012.

Sutton, field artillery system mechanic, Company K, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, saw the wrecked vehicle as he was driving on Bandley Drive, returning to Fort Carson from lunch after a car heading north on the interstate went across the median into the southbound lane, striking another vehicle. The semi-truck, heading south, swerved to avoid the accident and crossed the median, striking a pole on the passenger side and pinning the door on the driver?s side of the vehicle against a guardrail on the outside of the northbound lane.

?I saw the truck hit the guardrail and flames on the side of the truck,? said Sutton, a Lurverne, Ala., native. ?I stopped to see if I could offer any assistance, because it's just one of those things that you know you're supposed to do.?

Jim Herrell, a local citizen, arrived at the crash site just before Sutton, who was running up the small hill to the driver's side of the pinned vehicle.

Herrell said they could both hear the screams of the truck driver becoming frantic as he unsuccessfully tried to kick the driver's side door open.

Sutton and Herrell worked to keep the driver calm as they explained the door was jammed and they would have to pull him out through the window.

?(Sutton) stuck his face right into that burning vehicle,? Herrell said. ?He and I had (an intense) experience together ? the kind you only see on TV.?

Sutton pulled the driver through the window and immediately helped the victim to safety, distancing himself from the truck, which was quickly consumed by flames, said Herrell.

Scott St. Onge, a motorist who witnessed the incident, said he saw the smoke and watched Sutton rush to the vehicle.

As St. Onge went to retrieve tools and a first-aid kit from the back of his truck, he turned to see Sutton carrying the driver down the hill toward his own vehicle.

According to St. Onge, by the time he reached Sutton, the cab of the semi-truck was completely engulfed.

?If (Sutton) had not been as fast or as determined as he was, that driver would have been dead,? St. Onge said.

The driver only seemed to have suffered from minor abrasions on his arm and smoke inhalation, according to Sutton, who stayed with the man until paramedics arrived.

The five-vehicle crash caused a closure of the northbound lanes of Interstate-25 for more than an hour as emergency crews cleared the wrecked vehicles and doused the flames of the semi-truck.

?It is very clear that the heroic actions of Staff Sergeant Donald Sutton certainly saved the life of the semi-truck driver. The driver absolutely would have died without Sutton's involvement,? said Fountain Fire Chief Darin Anstine. ?Staff Sergeant Sutton's heroic measures reflect very positively on the bravery and courage of the men and women of Fort Carson and the United States Army as a whole."

Sutton?s award was presented by Command Sergeant Major Brian M. Stall, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson.

?This award goes to show that Soldiers are trained to handle any situation,? Sutton said.

According to Carlos Ortiz-Sierra, the Safety Officer for the 3rd BCT, Sutton is only the second Soldier to ever receive this award in the Brigade.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Command Sergeant Major Brian M. Stall, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, presents Staff Sgt. Donald Sutton, field artillery system mechanic, Company K, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, 4th ID, with the United States Army Safety Guardian Award at a brigade awards ceremony Jan. 10. Last year, Sutton helped save the life of a man by pulling him from a wrecked semi-truck that had caught fire during a multi-car crash on Interstate-25 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? More than 100 Fort Carson Soldiers paid tribute to the legacy and accomplishments of a national icon during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Elkhorn Conference Center, Jan. 16.

The celebration honored King with video excerpts from his life and a guest speaker from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Mrs. Rosemary Harris Lytle, president, NAACP, Colorado-Montana-Wyoming State Area Conference, who interlaced humor with quotes while discussing the prevalent themes revealed in King?s speeches, marches and contributions to the civil rights movement.

?We recognize today that we are brothers and sisters over and under the skin,? Lytle said.

Lytle demonstrated her knowledge of King's life by utilizing some of his lesser known quotes, such as: ?Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don?t have to have a college degree, you don?t have to make your subject and verbs agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace and a soul generated by love.?

?This is the quote that helps guide us today,? Lytle said. ?What we do is about service in the way of one of King?s mottos.?

Major General Joseph Anderson, commanding general, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, presented Lytle with a certificate of appreciation for her support to the ceremony and offered a few words on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

?It offers us time to pause and reflect on the theme of his legacy, the advancement of civil rights and equality across all ethnic groups through action,? said Anderson. ?It is through service or taking action for a greater good, to do something positive that is larger than ourselves, that we draw closer to one another, to look past our differences, and to see that we are one nation of people seeking respect and prosperity for this and future generations.?

Master Sgt. Louis Dupont, equal opportunity advisor, 4th Inf. Div. was enthusiastic about the Army?s effort in creating a unified team.

?The Army as a whole has achieved what MLK set out to do,? Dupont said. ?The U.S. military has led the way in desegregation throughout the nation; that is a fact. Current policies across the force do not allow discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or color. Those policies have been vigorously enforced, and for the right reasons.?

As the speech concluded Lytle reminded them it wasn?t just military but everyone?s duty to help.

?The idea of service is what it is all about,? Lytle said. ?For us not only is this a day to remember King?s contributions to this nation, but also to reflect on the service to each other.?

The next Equal Opportunity event will be the African-American heritage month ceremony on Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m., at the Elkhorn Conference Center.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Major General Joseph Anderson, commanding general, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, presents Mrs. Rosemary Harris Lytle, president, NAACP, Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference with a Certificate of Appreciation for her support and service as the guest speaker at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Elkhorn Conference Center, Jan. 16, 2013.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Like a stampede of horses, M1A2 Abrams Tanks roared across an open field as Soldiers of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, conducted breach training near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 10.

Talon Soldiers conducted training at both the platoon and company level to work on the basics of breaching an obstacle and engaging an objective.

?It takes a lot of coordination between the platoons,? said Staff Sgt. Manuel Perez, armor crewmember, D Co. ?Knowing your sectors of fire, ensuring support by fire is set up, and near and far security is established are all key elements to a successful breach.?

For a majority of the tankers, this is the first time training on their equipment in more than two years.

?It?s awesome to do our job now,? said Perez. ?We actually get to be tankers again. It was fun being light infantry, but it?s nice to have our equipment and be riding out on our pigs.?

Other Soldiers agreed that being on the M1A2 Abrams Tank is the preferred way to train.

?It?s a great feeling being back on our equipment,? said Staff Sgt. Jeffery McLane, armor crewman, D Co. ?It?s what we signed up to do and the training is going really good.?

Soldiers performing the breaching techniques encountered multiple defensive obstacles such as scout snipers, M1A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, dismounted scout teams and long range reconnaissance vehicles.

?The more realistic the training the better it is,? said Capt. Jonathan Dyer, observer controller and battalion engineer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg. ?They are doing great, this is just a crawl phase for us but we will be able to walk and later run.?

The Talon Soldiers saw improvement every time they conducted the training.

?We are getting better every day,? said McLane. ?We started three days ago and the difference is day and night.?

Though improving is important, the Soldiers know their main mission is to ensure everyone learns something new together.

?It?s all about teamwork and helping each other out,? said Perez. ?Everyone has to do their part to make sure no one is untrained.?

?Talon? Soldiers are using the training to prepare for upcoming exercises in Pinon Canyon in February and at the National Training Center this summer.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sergeant Jeffery Mclane, armor crewmember, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, pulls guard from his M1A2 Abrams Tank near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 10, 2013. For many of the Talon Soldiers this is the first time in more than two years they have trained with their tanks. ?It?s a great feeling being back on your equipment,? said McLane. ?It?s what we signed up to do and the training is going really well.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, come on line in their M1A2 Abrams Tanks before moving on to assault an objective during breach training near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 10, 2013. Talon Soldiers conducted a two-week field training exercise in preparation for movement to Pinon Canyon in February.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Captain Jonathan Dyer, center, observe controller and battalion engineer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, evaluates the breaching of an obstacle by Soldiers of Company D, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., near Fort Carson?s Camp Red Devil, Jan. 10, 2013. Talon Soldiers conducted breaching operations using M1A2 Abrams Tanks with the end purpose of engaging and defeating an enemy objective.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Following their recent redeployment after nine months in Afghanistan, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, hosted an award ceremony Jan. 10, to recognize Soldiers and civilians for their superior service and support during the Security Forces Advisory Teams deployments.

Col. Michael Kasales, commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas Maddi, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div., along with subordinate unit commanders of the brigade, pinned awards on more than 370 troops and civilians during the ceremony.

There were more than 100 Bronze Stars and 200 Army Commendation Medals awarded along with other awards.

Among the awards given were three ARCOMs with ?V? devices for valor. These were awarded to Spc. Thomas Carlton and Spc. Craige Whiting, both combat engineers, C Company, 3rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, and Spc. James McDaniel, military police officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd STB. Each received the award for their heroic actions when they engaged enemy combatants who had breached the perimeter of the outpost they were tasked with guarding. At the time of the breach, the Soldiers were also under small arms fire and grenade attacks.

U.S. servicemembers may be awarded an ARCOM with ?V? device if he or she is serving in capacity with the Army and distinguishes him or herself by heroism. According to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, 142,609 ARCOMs have been awarded with only 3,056 of them having ?V? devices for Operation Enduring Freedom as of Nov. 30, 2012.

?The ARCOM with ?V? device means doing your job plus more,? Whiting said. ?If I had to do it again, I would.?

Two recipients of the Purple Heart were 1st Lt. Christopher Perreault, infantry officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd STB, and Maj. Ethan Allen, executive officer, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment.

?It means self-sacrifice for my country,? Perreault said. ?It makes me proud.?

Allen said that he regrets having to leave his team on the first day of the mission when he was injured.

?You often think that eventually you?ll get up to a place in rank or grade where you?re not going to be out moving in a squad formation and controlling a squad-sized element,? Allen said, as he gave words of advice to fellow senior leaders. ?You still have to know how to be able to perform those basic Soldier skills that all Soldiers must be able to do.?

?Maj. Allen and 1st Lt. Perreault wanted to come back (to their teams) after getting hurt,? Kasales said. ?They didn?t back down. To me that is just another indication of the kind of Soldiers within the brigade.?

During his speech, Kasales stated that the SFATs were deployed to very austere environments where there was not very much access to phones or other morale, welfare, and recreation facilities. The SFATs also trained and lived with the Afghan forces.

The term used by senior Army leadership in Afghanistan to describe the 3BCT SFATs was ?game changing?, Kasales said.

Soldiers, who remained with the garrison element of the brigade and performed their duties exceptionally, were also honored for various accomplishments.

The U.S. Army Individual Award of Excellence in Safety was awarded to Staff Sgt. Donald Sutton, a field artillery mechanic with K Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, by Command Sgt. Maj. Brian M. Stall, 4th Inf. Div. and Fort Carson, for saving the life of a truck driver from burning wreckage as a result of an accident, which occurred on Interstate Highway 25, in March 2012.

The US Army Safety Award is an award that recognizes organizations and individuals for their overall contributions to their safety programs.

?This award shows that Soldiers are trained to handle any situation,? Sutton said. ?Safety has always been something I have stressed during my 21 years of being in the Army.?

?The Army tells you to do things and you do it,? Kasales said, ?but here you have Staff Sgt. Sutton who didn?t have to put his life at risk.?

?That?s on another level and is an indication of the kind of solders and leaders in the unit as well,? said Kasales. ?Most people would have walked away and said ?I?m not going to get burned up?, but he rushed in there and helped out.?

Achievements also include an Audie Murphy Club inductee, 3BCT Soldiers winning the 4ID NCO and Soldier of the Quarter board, and food service specialists competing in and winning culinary competitions.

?Equally as important was the recognition of all the hard work that went on back here,? said Kasales. ?We asked junior leaders and Soldiers to step up into positions of higher responsibility. They had very little if any time to prepare for it the same way that the SFATs had little time to prepare for deployment.?

?It was so important to bring all those guys together and say it was a team effort,? Kasales said. ?They all did very well. They performed exceptionally. They really stepped up and knocked it out of the park.?

All in all, the members of 3BCT who deployed and those who supported the deployment form Fort Casrson, showed their commitment to excellence and were awarded for their achievements.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Iron brigade Soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, stand in formation as each is presented an award for their accomplishments both in forward locations in Afghanistan and in garrison at Fort Carson, Co.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Col. Michael Kasales , commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, shakes the hand of Maj. Ethan Allen, executive officer, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, after pinning him with a Purple Heart medal. Maj. Allen was the Team Leader for Security Forces Advisory Team 42 when he was wounded by an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Staff Sgt. Donald Sutton, a field artillery mechanic with K Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, is presented the U.S. Army Individual Award of Excellence in Safety by Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Stall, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson. Sutton received the award for saving the life of a truck driver from a burning semi-truck in March 2012.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Left to right: Spc. Thomas Carlton, combat engineer, C Company, 3rd Special Troops Battalion, Spc. James McDaniel, military police officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd STB, and Spc. Craige Whiting, combat engineer, C Company, 3rd STB, each stand in formation after being presented with an Army Commendation Medal with ?V? device for valor. They received the prestigious award for heroic actions while deployed to Afghanistan.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers, Family and friends of Fort Carson attended a ceremony to dedicate the Fort Carson Multi-disciplinary Training Platform complex to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez, Jan. 7, in honor of his sacrifice during his deployment to Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Maj. Wayne Prince, executive officer, 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 504th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, Fort Hood, Texas recalls the day Mendez was killed April 27, 2006, in Bagdad, Iraq.

Mendez?s gunner got sick and couldn?t go on the convoy to pick up materials to fix an airfield. Mendez decided to man the gunner?s turret himself, saying, ?I can do anything my Soldiers can do, and I can do it better.?

This decision led to his ultimate sacrifice, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee, during a combat operation.

The facility, formerly known simply as the foundry, has been renamed to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez Foundry Training Platform, in his memory.

Foundry is the U.S. Army?s intelligence training readiness program, developed in 2006, for the military intelligence force. It is designed to sustain critical military intelligence skills, while providing enhanced military intelligence skills. The complex provides simulation and classroom training, and holds equipment needed for field training.

?First Sergeant Mendez was a military intelligence professional for the 4th Infantry Division at the time he made his ultimate sacrifice for our nation,? said Thomas Grantman, Fort Carson foundry director. ?It?s something that he took pride in, that he dedicated his life to; it?s a one-of-a-kind facility honoring a one-of-a-kind Soldier.?

The building is the largest foundry platform in the Army, and is the only one that has been dedicated to a Soldier, said Grantman.

Through the foundry platform, units can train signal, human, geospatial and all-source intelligence Soldiers. Its compound facilitates home station training for more than 2,500 Soldiers from Fort Carson and the surrounding area, Grantman added.

?First Sergeant Bobby Mendez was the epitome of a noncommissioned officer; he was a leader, trainer and mentor for all to emulate,? said Lt. Col. Richard Appelhans, assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, 4th Infantry Division. ?He was an expert in the craft of intelligence, technically and tactically competent, and a dedicated intelligence professional in all regards.

?He understood the importance of training military intelligence Soldiers, ensuring they are ready to deploy, and capable of performing their mission,? Applehans added. ?It is only fitting that we dedicate this facility, where military intelligence Soldiers, present and future, will be trained, to the life, memory and example of 1st Sgt. Mendez.?

As the ceremony came to a close, a moment of silence was held to give those in attendance a chance to reflect.

?My sincerest thanks goes out to all those who made this possible,? said Prince. ?I think through this dedication, Mendez will continue to serve as an inspiration to generations of Soldiers, in a setting that is very fitting, through his commitment to training and, more importantly, his commitment to his Soldiers overall.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers, Family and friends of Fort Carson attended a ceremony to dedicate the Fort Carson Multi-disciplinary Training Platform to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez, Jan. 7, 2013, in honor of his sacrifice during his deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mendez was killed April 27, 2006, in Bagdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during a combat operation. The facility, formerly known simply as the foundry, was renamed to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez Foundry Training Platform, in his memory. Foundry is the U.S. Army?s intelligence training readiness program developed in 2006, for the tactical military intelligence force, and is designed to sustain critical intelligence capabilities and perishable skills, while providing tactical training, certifications, regional focus and functional expertise for the tactical military intelligence force.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Brigadier General Ryan Gonsalves, left, deputy commanding general ? maneuver, 4th Infantry Division, and Lt. Col. Richard Appelhans, assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, 4th Inf. Div., unveil the memorial rock dedicating the Fort Carson Multi-disciplinary Training Platform to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez, Jan. 7, 2013. Mendez was killed April 27, 2006, in Bagdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee during a combat operation. The facility, formerly known simply as the foundry, was renamed to 1st Sgt. Bobby Mendez Foundry Training Platform, in his memory.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Soldiers across Fort Carson will have the chance to compete against each other to see who is the fittest on post, during the VO2 Max Competition, scheduled for Feb. 19-22, at the Iron Horse Sports and Fitness Center.

VO2 Max is the scientific term used for cardio respiratory fitness, and is the maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen in the body. The competition measures a Soldier?s fitness through the use of Fitmate Pro, a machine able to measure oxygen consumption.

?The VO2 Max Competition is a great chance for those Soldiers who think they?re pretty fit to come out and prove it,? said Krys Bankard, health promotion technician, Army Wellness Center. ?Their bragging rights will be based on science, and no one really loses, because everyone finds out how well their body uses oxygen, which really is the key to cardio respiratory fitness.?

Bankard and Tony Heinz, director, AWC use a set formula to measure cardio respiratory fitness, and ensure an accurate reading of each participant.

?Cardio respiratory fitness is measured by milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per minute,? said Heinz. ?We believe the VO2 is scientifically based. It measures oxygen consumption, which is the key ingredient for cardio respiratory fitness; how much your lungs and heart are able to absorb during cardio respiratory fitness.?

Those who take the VO2 Max test receive a readout and number from the Fitmate Pro. This number represents their measured cardio respiratory fitness.

?This is not a physical fitness test, which tells you how fast you can run and how many push-ups and sit-ups you can do; that does not tell you, objectively, your cardio respiratory fitness,? said Heinz. ?We have equipment to accurately and scientifically measure a Soldier?s actual cardio respiratory fitness, so we can find the Soldier with the greatest ability to uptake oxygen and has the greatest cardio respiratory fitness.?

The post-wide competition was developed to find Fort Carson?s fittest Soldier, who will then put their numbers up against other installations.

?The fittest male and female Soldiers are going to go into an Army-wide competition, which is yet to be set up, to compete to see who is the fittest Soldier in the Army,? said Heinz. ?It?s important to Soldiers to be able to compete; one thing I?ve learned about Soldiers is that they like competition.?

Soldiers who believe they are fit enough to compete in the competition can talk to their chain of command.

?Each battalion is able to send their fittest Soldier to the Iron Horse gym, then we?re going to determine who has the bragging rights on post to say they have the fittest Soldier,? Heinz said.

Captain Sarah Reynolds, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, and 1st Lt. Aaron Berg, battalion medical officer/executive officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div., both took at trial run of the VO2 test to see where they ranked on the fitness scale.

?I?m in the competition to see where I rank amongst other Soldiers, and to challenge myself,? said Berg. ?It gives you a baseline approach to see where you need to improve.?

Berg said he took his platoon to the wellness center so they could all go through the Bod Pod and see their metabolic rates.

?I think everyone in the military strives to be more than they are,? said Berg.

Gaining this experience and seeing ranks and placement is pretty important to see what you need to improve on, added Berg.

Reynolds went through the VO2 Max test to see if the workouts she did on her free time paid off. After taking the test, her results showed she ranked excellent.

Reynolds said the VO2 Mast test is valuable to all those who take it, because of the knowledge it provides. Soldiers can customize their workouts to increase their fitness and meet their physical goals.

?This competition is a great way to give myself something to work for,? added Reynolds. ?Normally there is the Army physical fitness test, but this is a new measure, and from the information that I?ve gained from the VO2 Max results, I?m able to customize my workouts, so that I know when I?m hitting an endurance heart rate, when I improve.?

Reynolds said she recommends the VO2 Max test to all Soldiers, because they gain knowledge that can be applied to their daily life.

?The biggest benefit of this test and the upcoming competition is to see if your hard work pays off, and to what level,? said Reynolds. ?It?s like, every day you?re out there running, pushing yourself, and this test shows just how much it paid of; it?s very motivating.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Krys Bankard, health promotion technician, Standardized Fort Carson Army Wellness Center, straps the VO2 Max mask on Capt. Sarah Reynolds, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, before she starts the VO2 Max test at the Standardized Fort Carson AWC, Jan. 11, 2013, in preparation for the VO2 Max competition in February. VO2 Max is the scientific term used for cardio respiratory fitness, and is the maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen in the body. ?The VO2 Max Competition is a great chance for those Soldiers who think they?re pretty fit to come out and prove it,? said Bankard.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Tony Heinz, director, Standardized Fort Carson Army Wellness Center, inputs information for Capt. Sarah Reynolds, commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion (General Support), 4th Aviation Regiment, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, so she can begin the VO2 Max test at the Standardized Fort Carson AWC, Jan. 11, 2013, in preparation for the VO2 Max competition in February. The competition measures a Soldier?s fitness through the use of Fitmate Pro, machine able to measure oxygen consumption. ?We believe the VO2 is scientifically based. It measures oxygen consumption, which is the key ingredient for cardio respiratory fitness; how much your lungs and heart are able to absorb during cardio respiratory fitness,? said Heinz.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Tony Heinz, director, Standardized Fort Carson Army Wellness Center, attaches the breathing cord to 1st Lt. Aaron Berg, battalion medical officer/executive officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, so the Fitmate Pro can measure his cardio respiration when he starts the VO2 Max test at the Standardized Fort Carson AWC, Jan. 11, 2013, in preparation for the VO2 Max competition in February. VO2 Max is the scientific term used for cardio respiratory fitness, and is the maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen in the body. ?I?m in the competition to see where I rank amongst other Soldiers, and to challenge myself,? said Berg. ?It gives you a baseline approach to see where you need to improve.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? First Lieutenant Aaron Berg, battalion medical officer/executive officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, takes the VO2 Max test at the Standardized Fort Carson Army Wellness Center, Jan. 11, 2013, in preparation for the VO2 Max competition in February. VO2 Max is the scientific term used for cardio respiratory fitness, and is the maximum capacity to transport and use oxygen in the body. ?I?m in the competition to see where I rank amongst other Soldiers, and to challenge myself,? said Berg. ?It gives your a baseline approach to see where you need to improve.?

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? The Elkhorn room at the Elkhorn Conference Center underwent a major renovation during the month of November.

Formerly a den of World War II nostalgia, the cozy sitting room, adjacent to the Ivy Pub, now celebrates the history and legacy of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with ?Raider? Brigade memorabilia decorating the walls.

Dedicating a room at one of the post?s key social gathering locations to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., bolsters Soldiers? pride and highlights the unit?s accomplishments to the rest of the community, said Command Sgt. Maj. Edison Rebuck, senior enlisted leader, 1st BCT.

?It is important for our Soldiers to know that Fort Carson is proud of us,? Rebuck said. ?By highlighting the brigade at the Elkhorn, we are also displaying our history and accomplishments to Fort Carson visitors.?

The new look has already generated attention, said Martha Jackson, Elkhorn manager.

?Everybody loves it,? Jackson said. ?The room seems to make the Soldiers who come through it very proud, and that is what we are going for.?

Jackson said she also noticed leaders from other units taking notice of the room?s new look.

?I think it is great that the other units might be getting jealous,? she said. ?I think it will motivate them to make another piece of Fort Carson their own.?

In the evenings, patrons of the Ivy Pub often find their way into the Raider Room to watch football or socialize away from the noise and crowd of the pub, Jackson said.

?It has become the unofficial boys? clubhouse of the Elkhorn,? she said. ?There is usually a game, with the men bringing their drinks in from the bar.?

In addition to showing unit pride and providing a fun environment to relax in the room exemplifies a strong partnership between the brigade and the Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation, said Michael O?Donnell, director, Fort Carson DFMWR.

?By setting up all of the Raider memorabilia on the walls of this room, 1st BCT has made part of the Elkhorn their own,? O?Donnell said. ?This creates a synergy between the (DF)MWR and the brigade. 1st Brigade Soldiers have a place to socialize and celebrate their unit, and all the money the Elkhorn makes gets pumped right back into creating better (DF)MWR services.?

The Ivy Pub and Elk Horn room are open to visitors Monday and Tuesday 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Fridays 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? The Elkhorn Conference Center staff and 1st Brigade Combat Team renovated the Elkhorn Room, decorating it with ?Raider? Brigade regalia, in November. Connected to the Ivy Pub, the Elkhorn Room provides guests with a place to relax, have a drink, watch the game and socialize.

FORT CARSON, Colo. - Nine young leaders were the first Soldiers inducted into 43rd Special Troops Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade?s, newly created ?Order of the Trailblazer,? Dec. 13, after completing the requirements for the battalion?s Junior Leader Program.

The program is intended to enhance the leadership skills of Soldiers in the ranks of sergeant, staff sergeant, warrant officer, chief warrant officer two, second lieutenant, first lieutenant and pre-command captain.

Each of the participants was given a handbook with a list of tasks. These started with tasks to be completed within 30, 60, 90 and 120 days of starting the program. There are also recurring tasks: daily, monthly and quarterly.

The tasks included: counseling Soldiers verbally and in writing, qualifying as a convoy commander, and learning how to perform maintenance on all assigned equipment as well as instructing junior Soldiers on it.

The program began in December 2011 and has been integrated throughout the battalion during the last year, according to Lt. Col. Roger Giraud, commander, 43rd STB.

He said he had seen similar programs in other units and wanted to teach his junior leaders some of the skills 11 years of war had pushed to the background.

?Cavalry units have their spurs program and we needed to do something like that to bring our junior leaders back to core competencies,? said Giraud. ?People say ?back-to-basics,? but some of the folks don?t know what the basics are.?

One of the inductees, Staff Sgt. Evan Soto, multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 43rd SB, found himself pushed to get out of his comfort zone.

?Completion of tasks also requires interaction with people you would not otherwise meet,? said Soto. ?It is not often that a Signal Soldier would sit down and have a talk with the Battalion Adjutant. Opening the lines of communication with subject matter experts on different subjects is invaluable. Not only have you learned something new, but you have built rapport with someone you could reach out to for help in the future.?

?The benefits of continuing to implement this program are not just limited to the junior leaders themselves, whose growth has been fostered, but also to the Soldiers who will reap the benefits of the improved leadership, and the senior leaders who will have a stronger support structure below them,? Soto said.

The Junior Leaders Program also lets the participants in on things they might not otherwise be a part of.

?I have attended command and staff, maintenance, training, and first sergeant?s meetings,? said Sgt. Sergio Toscono, petroleum supply specialist, 59th Quartermaster Company.

?Attending these meetings,? Toscono continued, ?I learned the importance of m

anagement and training, of Soldiers and units. I now understand the battalion operation?s and the companies? roles in supporting each other to meet mission as a whole.?

Giraud mentioned that his favorite part of the process is watching people grow.

?The best part of this job, the best part of this program, is watching people learn and strive towards a goal and earn it,? Giraud said.

Soldiers who meet the rank requirements start the program as soon as they arrive in 43rd STB to begin building a strong foundation.

Giraud presided over the Dec. 13 ceremony. Col. Todd Heussner, commander, 43rd SB, gave the commencement address.

The next induction is planned for March 2013, and then one every quarter.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Twenty-five food service specialists from units across Fort Carson began training Jan. 7, at the Fort Carson Culinary Academy, in preparation to test their skills against other cooks throughout the Army in the 38th Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition held at Fort Lee, Va.

The competition, scheduled for March, will include four categories: a team table display, Armed Forces Junior/Senior Chef of the Year, field competition, and student knowledge bowl.

?The culinary arts competition is the crux of Army food service, the pinnacle of the food service world,? said Sgt. 1st Class William Esterline, brigade food advisor, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. ?This competition is a chance to expose the Soldiers? potential.

?You get the new cooks, who just came out of training, and when you put them in the kitchen, you don?t get to see what they?re all about,? said Esterline. ?These culinary arts competitions just bring out the best in people; that untapped potential that you have never seen before. Some of the things these guys bring to the table is unbelievable.?

To make the team, interested Soldiers took a placement test; those who did well joined, while those who didn?t were enrolled in the next food enhancement course.

?We plan to do extreme training, we?re going to focus and hit on the topics, and the competition classes we?re actually going to be competing in,? said Esterline. ?We?ll be practicing six to seven days a week, from morning to nightfall.?

In addition to training, Chef Thomas Schaefer, American Culinary Federation, Pikes Peak Chapter, assisted the team by teaching and reviewing classes and cooking techniques.

Esterline said he believes the knowledge bowl will be the hardest event, because it covers advanced culinary knowledge, and the judges are very unforgiving when it comes to answering. The Soldiers have to be very precise and know what they?re doing, so they need to practice everything they know, and that knowledge comes from four to six books, said Esterline.

Some Soldiers have taken it upon themselves to enhance their skills and knowledge during their personal time and through post events.

?I cook at home and try to do what I can on my own, and I try to take all the courses Fort Carson has to offer,? said Pfc. Melvin Shepherd, food service specialist, Battery G, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th BCT. ?I?ve done the food refresher course, participated in about four cook offs, and cooked for the wounded warrior events and memorial services for our fallen comrades.?

Shepherd said he grew up in a military Family and traveled a lot at an early age, and the biggest thing he took from the experience was the food. He added that this instilled the drive in him to travel, taste and cook new food, and for his children to do the same, because life is a learning experience.

?That?s the main reason I chose this profession, I wanted to do something I love; something creative, where I can do something different every day,? said Shepherd.

Every participating team has prepared a menu in advance, which they will cook for the judges during the competition.

?I look forward to using my creative skills, that?s one of the biggest parts of cooking,? said Shepherd. ?Cooking comes from the heart; it?s all about your emotions and how you feel, so you have to be artistic and open-minded.?

Shepherd said he has been enhancing his skills at the dining facility while cooking food for the Soldiers. He said he prepared quiches, crab and five different types of fish.

Shepherd said the thing he looks forward to most is bringing home the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition trophy.

?I?m working hard to get myself to the point where I?m proficient enough to where, no matter what comes up, I can perform and will be at the top of my game,? said Shepherd. ?It?s not just for me, it?s for my team, my post. It brings great honor and joy to my heart to accomplish certain things and knowing that it makes our post look good as a whole.

?As the Army saying goes, one team, one fight,? Shepherd said. ?That?s what this is (one team); one person isn?t going to win this, it?s a team effort.?

The date of the competition is still undetermined, but those who wish to attend the competition are welcome to observe the events. Scores and links to live streaming will be posted on the Fort Carson Culinary Arts Team Facebook page.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Melvin Shepherd, food service specialist, Battery G, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, carefully carves a carrot into a decorative shape at the Fort Carson Culinary Academy, Jan. 7, as part of his training for the 38th Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va., in March.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Private First Class Raymond Mutchock, food service specialist, Headquarters Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, measures and cuts pears into cubes at the Fort Carson Culinary Academy, Jan. 7, as part of his training for the 38th Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va., in March.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Food service specialists assigned to units across Fort Carson, test their culinary art skills by cutting and carving pears, potatoes and carrots into specific shapes at the Fort Carson Culinary Academy, Jan. 7, as part of their training for the 38th Annual U.S. Army Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va., in March.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Eager shouts and cheers filled the air in a hangar at Butts Army Airfield, as Family and friends watched the arrival of more than 200 Soldiers, Jan. 5, after a 10-month long deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division deployed in February, 2012, as part of Task Force Gunfighter to provide aviation support to International Security Assistance Forces in Regional Command South, Afghanistan.

Brig. Gen. Ryan F. Gonsalves, deputy commanding general for maneuver, 4th Infantry Division, welcomed the Soldiers home, wished them a happy homecoming and said the mission would not have happened without these Soldiers to do it.

The 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., Soldiers deployed to the Daykundi, Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces in RC South. Task Force Gunfighter allowed ISAF forces to protect and secure the Afghanistan population, conduct counter insurgency operations, facilitate friendly forces freedom of movement, and extend the influence of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

During their deployment, 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., flew 20,291 combat hours, including more than 750 hours of medical evacuation missions. With the support of ground maintenance personnel, the battalion was able to maintain 24-hour medical coverage of their area of operations, using three medical aircraft to respond to more than 350 medical evacuation missions, enabling them to provide life-saving care to more than 430 patients, including approximately 200 members of Afghan National Security Forces, 100 ISAF personnel and more than 100 Afghan civilians and detainees.

Friends, Family and their fellow Soldiers were excited to have the Soldiers home.

?It?s a great relief to have everyone back; it?s been a very challenging year,? said Sgt. 1st Class Salvador Hernandez, senior enlisted leader, Rear Detachment, 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg. ?I?m glad everyone is coming back with no casualties.?

After a few words from Gonsalves, Spc. Patrick Freeman, administration specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., kissed his wife, Ashley, who had won a raffle to be the first spouse to greet their Soldier. The troops were then released and quickly rushed to their loved ones with open arms, smiles and tears of joy.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Specialist John Brezina, helicopter crew chief, Company C, 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., poses for a photo with his wife, Megan Brezina and his two sons, Clark, back, and Carsen Lee, front, after reuniting during the 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., Welcome Home Ceremony, at the unit?s hangar at Butts Army Airfield, Jan. 5, 2013. Families and friends welcomed home more than 200 of their loved ones from their deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

FORT CARSON, Colo. -- Specialist. Patrick Freeman, administration specialist, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., kisses his wife Ashley Freeman after reuniting during the 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., Welcome Home Ceremony, at the unit?s hangar at Butts Army Airfield, Jan. 5, 2013. Families and friends welcomed home more than 200 of their after a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

FORT CARSON, Colo. ? Families and friends cheer at the arrival of their loved ones during the 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., Welcome Home Ceremony, at the unit?s hangar at Butts Army Airfield, Jan. 5, 2013. Families and friends welcomed home more than 200 of their loved ones from a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.