From the Editor: Maj. General Mark McQueen, in advance of his retirement from the Army, accepted the City Manager position in Panama City, Florida. Throwing himself into the job with his trademark compassion, dedication and enthusiasm, Maj. Gen McQueen had only been on the job a few weeks when Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle. Maj. Gen McQueen is all-consumed with the care of his city, and in so, missed his own retirement ceremony, dinner and change of command. Maj. Gen McQueen was able to send a text to his Soldiers to be read at the assumption of command ceremony for Brig. General Leahy, 108th Training Command (IET) incoming commander, and it is those words we have included as his final goodbye to you, his cherished Soldiers:

To be given special trust and confidence to serve as a leader in the United States Army is an honor and privilege. I am humbled to “get to be” the Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the 108th Training Command (IET). It is with great responsibility and passion that I serve and represent the Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and Families within our command. I look forward to serving with each of you and appreciate the opportunity to share a few of my operational principles and framework. 

Leadership Principles aka CSM Leadership Rucksack

The Army has an effective time-tested definition of leadership: The process of influencing others by providing purpose, direction and motivation (PDM), while improving the organization.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The 108th Training Command, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, has placed a heavy emphasis on combating sexual harassment in the workplace and preventing sexual assaults. This year the command, which consists of over 7,200 personnel, spread across 44 states, has trained fifty-nine percent of its force in the U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention required annual training program.

The command’s SHARP Program, led by Mrs. Paula James, 108th Training Command SHARP Program Manager/Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, requires Soldiers to annually complete Phase I/online training, as well as Phase II unit training conducted in-person (face-to-face).

This year marks the hundred-year anniversary of the establishment of the 95th Division. We are celebrating this milestone in a number of ways, but the most important of them was to come together with our World War II veterans – the original Iron Men of Metz – to take time and remember their achievements and the legacy that they have left for us. The 95th Division’s Centennial Reunion took place in September, and it was my great good fortune to be able to attend.

One of the unique things about the 95th is that we have an incredibly active and valuable alumni association. The Association’s efforts to preserve our Division’s historical legacy have given us a very impressive museum and memorial at our headquarters in Fort Sill.

The Training and Doctrine Command Drill Sergeant of the Year competition is one of the most grueling and physically challenging missions a select group of Soldiers face every year. It is a four-day competition in search of the Army’s best drill sergeant. The DSOY competition tests competitors in over 50 tasks. The tasks range from the Army Physical Fitness Test; weapons qualification; an unknown distance and timed ruck march in temperatures climbing 100 degree plus weather; an obstacle course; various other Soldier and Drill Sergeant skills that are taught at the Drill Sergeant Academy; and a culminating 12-mile ruck march.

For the first time in the history of the competition, Fort Sill, Okla., home of the Fires Center of Excellence and headquarters of the 95th Training Division (Initial Entry Training), hosted the event. 2018 marks the first year this competition will represent both the Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training footprints within initial entry training. The Army selects one competitor; however, prior to 2017, one winner from active duty and one winner from the reserve component won the title respectively.

With the August temperature in the 90s and the heat index closing in on 100 degrees, the command of “drink water” was heartily accepted by the formation of Soldiers standing at the Watkins Glen International Speedway. Of course, the 21 Soldiers who stood side by side preparing to reelist at the New York NASCAR racetrack had likely heard that command hundreds of times in their Army careers. However, for the 30 recruits who were preparing to take their first Oath of Enlistment, this was their first command of many to come.

Reelistments only happen a few times in a Soldier’s career, and the first Oath of Enlistment is special in itself. Both milestones represent commitment and sacrifice, making them a perfect reason to celebrate with friends and family.

This is exactly reason why Sgt. 1st Class George Farley Sr., from Horseheads, New York, helped organize the military ceremony during the Go Bowling at the Glen event on August 5. “The decision to serve, or to continue to serve, is something these future Soldiers, and current Soldiers, need to celebrate with their friends and families,”said Farley.

Army Reserve training divisions are known for their highly proficient drill sergeants. However, Brig. Gen. Miles Davis, commanding general of the 98th Training Division (Initial Entry Training Division), says that many of his other Iroquois Warriors regularly operate within the ‘Band of Excellence’ too.

“The term is about sustaining proficiency, about maintaining training proficiency within that band of excellence,” explained Davis. “It is more than just a doctrinal term—it’s an expectation and way of life in the 98th Training Division.”

During the recent farewell of the 104th Division Command Sergeant Major, CSM Peter Trotter and I had time to reflect on the question, “What does it mean to be a non-commissioned officer?”  The 104th is composed of more than 1,200 Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) who are technically and tactically proficient leaders.  They function day in and day out as the backbone of our Division and our Army.  Functioning as the backbone means, carrying out various important functions such as: trainers, teachers, role models, guardian of standards, professionals, and the list continues.  NCO’s bear the trust and respect of their Soldiers.  They are professionals and lead by example in every endeavor.  And our NCO’s ensure, “mission first and people always.”

D-Day “Operation Overlord” began on June 6, 1944, where some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces stormed five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history. By late August, nearly 1 million men came ashore and all of northern France liberated. The Normandy landings marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany and this is where our story begins.

After extensive training, the 104th Infantry Division departed American soil in late August 1944. It arrived in northern France weeks later on September 7th, 1944. The division did not immediately engage the enemy in major combat operations. Rather, many Timberwolves helped in the “Red Ball Express”, ferrying gasoline from the coast, to the front lines.

Fort Knox, Ky. — Several U.S. Army Reserve Drill Sergeants of Task Force Wolf led 268 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Cadets across Brooks Field on July 11.

The ROTC Cadets of 2nd Regiment, U.S. Army Cadet Command earnestly marched in front of family and friends who gathered to attend their Basic Camp graduation ceremony.

“I feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment in the ability to train somebody, who may not know anything about the military, and prepare them for the challenges of the Army,” said Sgt. 1st Class Randal Monroe, a native of Gladys, Virginia. Monroe is a Drill Sergeant assigned to 317th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 104th Division.

TF Wolf, from the U.S. Army Reserve 104th Training Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, supports the Cadet Command in training and developing future Army leaders.

Although developing future leaders can be rewarding, it is often demanding.

“It’s trying at times,” said Monroe through a smile. “Some of the Cadets have a military background, but many others have never done anything like this before.”

In April, the Puget Sound Honor Flight took off on a sunny Sunday morning from Seattle, WA. Among the 47 participating Veterans was a Timberwolf who served with the 104th Infantry Division during World War II. Proudly sporting a Timberwolf hat and jacket, Mr. Joe DeVaux, accompanied by his son John, was all smiles as they boarded the flight to Washington, D.C.

During the flight to D.C., Mr. DeVaux reminisced about his time with the Timberwolves.

Born in Tacoma, WA in 1924, Joe was still in high school when the U.S. entered the war. He received his draft notice in December of 1943 but was given a six month deferment to finish school. Upon graduation he shipped out to Basic Training.

Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 377th Infantry Regiment recently conducted their annual training at Camp Dodge, Iowa July 20th -  23rd.  Soldiers conducted realistic medical training on the Urban Combat Operations (UCO) Course by integrating advanced training aids into the event.  One of the favorite training aids were mannequins that bled and required Combat Livesaver intervention to ensure survivability - the highlight of this event.

When Ball State University built its bachelor’s degree in logistics and supply chain management, program planners did so with the help of business executives who knew the needs of the industry.

Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum’s most recent program in an ongoing series of educational symposiums focused on the use of modern urban warfare by the Marines of Echo Company during a fierce battle in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006-2007. The event panelists included Echo Company commander, Scott Huesing, two men that served with him during the battle (Lt. John McLaughlin and Staff Sgt. Brian McKibben), a Gold Star brother of one of the fallen (Chris Libby, brother of Cpl. Dustin Libby, fatally wounded in December 2006), and an Iraqi-born interpreter (Samawi Al Helli) who helped the Americans for three years as an interpreter.

You have to try mountain biking when you visit Southwest Utah! If you go to Hawaii, you give surfing a try. If you go to Costa Rica, you try zip lining through the jungle. So why do you have to give mountain biking a try when staying in St. George, Utah? Well, just like those other examples, this desert terrain is perfect for learning and enjoying that specific sport. 

The Landscape Was Built for It

There is so much raw, empty space in the St. George area. You can see how the natural layers of the earth have twisted and buckled to cause giant ridges and jutting plateaus in every direction. It’s like Mother Earth said she wanted a jungle gym built for enjoying outdoor sports like mountain biking and decided Southwest Utah was the perfect spot for it.