1st Cavalry Division
Association Update
Dennis Webster, Executive Director
October 15, 2008
Troopers,
Less than a month from now we will remember the Veterans of our country on
Veterans Day, 11 November. If you can not join us in Washington, DC for
Veterans Day take time to honor all Veterans by attending a ceremony or parade
in your local area. Please involve your children and grandchildren so they can
learn to appreciate those that serve their nation. The deadline to receive our
special rate has gone by but we have a fair sized group coming in to DC for
Veterans Day and I hope to see you there.
Joe Galloway was at Fort Hood on 3 September signing the new book, We Are
Soldiers Still, written by him and LTG (Ret) Hal Moore. There was an extremely
long line of folks that showed up at the Clear Creek PX to get their books
signed. The PX actually had to stop people from getting in the line so that Joe
could make his way to a presentation at III Corps Headquarters. Joe will be in
DC to autograph books on the weekend before Veterans Day. Stop by the
Hospitality Suite to get your book signed.
The 4th Brigade Combat Team is doing well in Iraq. They are in a portion of
Iraq that has not had an American presence and they have had to build two
operating bases to house the Troopers. Life has been fairly Spartan for the
Troopers in those two areas and those that are living and working among the
population. The leadership is working hard to improve the living conditions for
the Troopers but there is still work to do. If you haven't been sending items
to the Troopers, here is your opportunity to show your support. Contact me for a
POC in one of the units that will accept the package and get it to the
Troopers. They have also been involved in numerous actions with the Iraqi
Army.
The first two Troopers from this deployment to be killed in Iraq are both from
the 2-7th Cavalry. PFC Tavarus D. Setzler, 23, of Jacksonville, Florida was
killed by an IED explosion on 2 October. He was assigned to E Company, 2-7th
Cav. SGT Reuben M. Fernandez, III, was killed by an IED on 11 October and was
assigned to HHC, 2-7th Cavalry. A complete list of those that died during
Operation Iraqi Freedom while assigned or attached to the 1st Cavalry Division
is at
http://www.1cda.org/boh_oif.htm.
Unfortunately the Division has also had several Troopers die at Fort Hood.
* A 1st Cavalry Division Trooper that was getting out of the Army killed a
lieutenant in his unit and himself on 8 September. Both men were assigned to
the 2-8th Cavalry. 1LT Robert "Bart" Fletcher was killed by SPC Jody Wirawan
after a confrontation at the off-post quarters of Wirawan. News reports indicate
that the confrontation was over missing equipment that was later found in
Wirawan's apartment. Killeen Police Officers exchanged gun fire with Wirawan
after he shot 1LT Fletcher and Wirawan then turned his gun on himself.
* On 11 September the body of SPC Aaron Allmandinger, HHT, 1-7th Cavalry,
was found in his on-post quarters by the Fort Hood Fire Department that was
summoned to an early morning fire. The investigation is ongoing and the cause
of death will not be known until the autopsy is complete.
* SPC Jared S. Arnn, B Company, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, died on
27 September from internal bleeding because of an existing medical condition.
He was admitted to Fort Hood's Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center after
soldiers had found him unresponsive in his barracks. Arnn was evacuated to the
Scott & White Hospital Neurology Department in Temple and died later that day.
* PFC Matthew Sandberg, B Co., 215th Brigade Support Battalion, was killed
in an accident at the Fort Hood railhead on 9 October. He was ground guiding a
military vehicle when he was crushed by a rack assembly.
The 3rd BCT will be beginning their deployment later this year. The 1st and 2nd
BCT's have been in the field at Fort Hood and at the Army's training centers at
Fort Polk and Fort Irwin getting ready to deploy early next year. The Department
of Defense announced on 30 September that the Headquarters of the 1st Cavalry
Division would be deploying to Iraq in early 2009. That announcement was
expected. There has been no release of information concerning the deployment of
the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade but they are continuing to prepare for future
deployments. The 1st ACB has been very busy supporting the training for all of
the BCT's.
COL (Ret) Herb Lawson, who commanded the Division Support Command in 1986-88,
and his wife made a large donation of clothing to the Fort Hood Thrift Shop.
His wife owns a Maternity Wear and breast feeding shop in Austin and for the
second year in a row they have made a large donation of new items to the Thrift
Shop. His wife volunteered at the Thrift Shop when he was on active duty and
they wanted to provide support to the active duty Troopers and their families.
I had an opportunity to be present when he made the donation and we had a few
minutes to grab a quick lunch and visit. He and his wife will be honored at this
month's Hood Heroes Luncheon on Fort Hood that recognizes Soldiers and
volunteers. This is another instance of providing support to the Troopers that
serve our country. Read more at
http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/news/2008/sep/sep24.htm.
The Mid Texas Corvette Club sponsored a Car Show on Saturday 11 October to raise
money for the Memorials for the 1st Cavalry Division and the 4th Infantry
Division. Several of the members of the Corvette Club are Veterans and members
of the 1st Cavalry Division Association. They were planning the car show and
decided to use the opportunity to raise money for both of the divisions on Fort
Hood to honor those that have died serving in Iraq. You may know of similar
organizations in your area that could do the same thing to raise money for the
memorial or for the Museum Foundation or the
Foundation that provides scholarships. A Killeen Daily Herald story on this
event is at
http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?s=28547.
The Division PAO did a story on the Foundation of the 1st Cavalry Division
Association and those that receive scholarships. Visit
http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/news/2008/oct/oct3.htm to read the
story.Remember that donations to the Foundation and the Museum Foundation are
tax deductible. You can catch up on what the Division and its Troopers are
doing by visiting the Division web page at
http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/.
We are nearing Election Day on Tuesday, 4 November and it is important that you
all take the time to review the candidates running for office in the national,
state and local elections and then exercise the rights that you helped to
preserve while serving in the First Team.
First Team!
Dennis
Executive Director, 1st Cavalry Division Association
Phone (254) 547-6537 - Fax (254) 547-8853
E-mail: firstcav@1cda.org
Web Page: http://www.1cda.org/