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<p>A Puerto Rican veteran of the Vietnam War has been awarded the Silver Star for helping to rescue a company pinned down by enemy fire in 1965.</p> <p>Angel L. Cumba served as a gunner with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. He received the military's third-highest decoration Thursday during a Veteran's Day ceremony in the U.S. territory.</p>

Chief Warrant Officer Thomas Whitlock Jones folds up a crease-battered map of Vietnam that drapes his kitchen table in Canyon Country. He has to pick up his granddaughter from Rio Vista Elementary School. When he steps out the door of his suburban home and walks down Lakemore Drive to the school, his neighbors will have no idea there are two pieces of shrapnel from a bullet-shattered helicopter windshield still in his neck. Every day he’s reminded that the Vietnam War is still inside him — both figuratively and literally. Last month, after close to 40 years of war memories held...

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2009 – As U.S. forces move from Iraq’s urban areas in accordance with the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement, they’ll be better positioned to target insurgents where they operate, the deputy commander of Multinational Division Baghdad said yesterday. Army Brig. Gen. Frederick S. Rudesheim said the relocation, required by June 30 under the security agreement that took effect Jan. 1, will increase urban security by putting troops closer to insurgents’ rural hideouts. This, he said, will help them better target the places where enemy forces organize and launch their urban attacks. “We're talking about an enemy that tries to...

FORT BLISS, Texas, March 5, 2008 – As Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno was urging the Army’s return to 12-month deployments, an Army brigade here just back from Iraq was getting word that it’s time to start training for its next combat rotation. Soldiers of 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, who recently returned to Fort Bliss, Texas, after 15 months in Iraq, already are laying plans to return to the field to train up for their next deployment, feasibly as soon as a year away. U.S. Army photo   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Soldiers from the...

    ~The FReeper Canteen Presents~ Road Trip: Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas Fort Hood, named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, is a U.S. Army post located halfway between Austin and Waco, in Killeen, Texas. John Bell Hood (June 1, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness, and was considered one of the best brigade and division commanders in the Confederate States Army.A 340 square mile installation (217,337 acres), Fort Hood is the only post in the United States...

FORT HOOD, Texas - An Army sergeant charged with fatally shooting a wounded and unarmed Iraqi insurgent has been released from jail while awaiting trial. Sgt. Leonardo Trevino is now spending his days working at Fort Hood, after a military judge ruled late Tuesday that pretrial confinement was not warranted. Trevino, 30, of San Antonio, had been held since he was charged in September, first in Kuwait and then at the Bell County Jail in Belton after his unit returned in November. "There are no words to describe how overwhelmed I am with happiness," his wife, Veronica Trevino, told the...

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) - An Army sergeant kicked and shot an Iraqi insurgent who lay bleeding from nearly two dozen gunshot wounds, then after he was dead told fellow soldiers to say the man had been armed, a private at the scene testified Tuesday. Sgt. Leonardo Trevino, 30, is charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder, assault and obstruction of justice in the suspected June incidents in Muqdadiyah, Iraq. After the Article 32 hearing, similar to a civilian grand jury, the investigating officer will decide whether there is enough evidence to support the charges and then recommend whether to refer...

FORT HOOD -- The last 12 hours of 15 months is a very long time. "I have not slept," said Dianne Hunt, whose eyes welled up at the slightest provocation and who was prone to jumping up and down in anticipation. "My heart is just a-goin'!" All over the parade field in front of the 1st Cavalry Division headquarters, wives and moms, girlfriends and grade-schoolers proved that sometimes the best Christmas gifts don't require a minute's shopping. Sometimes the Army delivers the gifts home, just in time. "The kids are so excited," said Sarah Rogers, who confessed to her own...

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 7, 2007) - After 399 days as Multi-National Division-Baghdad, the 1st Cavalry Division will turn its mission over to the Fort Hood, Texas-based 4th Infantry Division Dec. 19. "First Team" leaders were hard-pressed to pick one event as the crowning achievement of the deployment, but agreed that Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon ("enforcing the law") in mid-February, and the surge of security forces into Baghdad neighborhoods, improved the security situation in the Iraqi capital. "We had the advantage of the surge, having two-and-a-half brigades added to our force structure here," said Maj. Gen. Joseph F....

Spc. William Morgan, a member of the 1st Cavalry Division’s Honor Guard, presents a sword to Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil, Jr., commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division and Multi-National Division-Baghdad, before the ceremonial cutting of a birthday cake, Sept. 13, at the Pegasus Dining Facility at Camp Liberty in western Baghdad. The First Team celebrated its 86th birthday at the filled dining facility, complete with balloons, Stetsons and steaks. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Benjamin Gable, 7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. CAMP LIBERTY — The 1st Cavalry Division celebrated its 86th birthday with a cake cutting ceremony and...

BAGHDAD — As Capt. Nicole Vild, the commander of Delta Forward Support Company, 4th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, made preparations for her company’s upcoming medical assistance mission, she realized that one crucial piece was missing. She had a container full of enough medical supplies to assist hundreds of people. She had already contacted all the necessary medical personnel, and a location for the mission had also been chosen. Everything seemed to be in place, but she still had one problem. “Most of the (medical missions) that we have been doing have been inside...

For some American troops in Iraq, the “surge” has meant quickly finding — and securing — new bases from which to operate in urban areas. Under the plan announced by President Bush in early January, scores of American combat units are taking up bases in the hearts of cities scarred by the insurgency. In the Baghdad district of Rustamiyah, for example, troops from Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division found themselves living in their Humvees in a palm grove. That temporary camp was replaced when the troops found a more permanent home in an abandoned building...

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2006 -- Under the clear, morning skies of a promising new day in Baghdad, the 1st Cavalry Division took the reins for Multinational Division Baghdad from the 4th Infantry Division during a transfer of authority ceremony here today. Army Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr., left, commanding general of 1st Cavalry Division; Army Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, center, commanding general of Multinational Corps Iraq; and Army Maj. Gen. James D. Thurman, commanding general of 4th Infantry Division, salute the American flag during the national anthem at a transfer of authority ceremony at Camp...

FORT HOOD — With a rousing refrain of Garryowen and an old-fashioned cavalry charge on horseback, the 1st Cavalry Division sent its aviation brigade into the war zone of Iraq on Thursday. The 3,000 soldiers of the 1st Cavalry’s air brigade cased their unit flags and streamers during the hourlong ceremony on a Fort Hood parade ground, the last time the unit will muster until it arrives in Iraq in a few weeks. Portions of the 1st Cavalry Division are already in Iraq, and the rest of the 19,000-strong division will join them in Baghdad in the coming months, replacing...

The 1st Cavalry Division wagon and Horse Cavalry Detachment ground crew greet soggy spectators on South Orange Grove Boulevard during their performance at the 117th Tournament of Roses Parade Jan. 2 in Pasadena, Calif. Spc. Colby Hauser • Printer-friendly version • E-mail this article • Troopers deliver in rainy Rose ParadeBy Spc. Colby Hauser January 3, 2006 LOS ANGELES (Army News Service, Jan. 3, 2005) – Rain-soaked spectators roared with applause at the grandstand Jan. 2, as the Army’s last mounted cavalry unit presented arms during one of the nation’s largest parades. The 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment...

Two 1st Cavalry brigades going back to Iraq By Master Sgt. Dave Larsen December 19, 2005 FORT HOOD, Texas (Army News Service, Dec. 19, 2005) –The aviation and support brigades of the 1st Cavalry Division have received deployment orders to return to Iraq this summer. The division returned from Iraq in March after a 15-month deployment. Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil Jr., commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division, made the deployment announcement during the III Corps-sponsored quarterly “TV Town Hall” broadcast Dec. 15 on KNCT-TV, the Killeen-area Public Broadcasting System affiliate. The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade and the 15th Support...

“Specialist Sheehan,” the first sergeant called. No one answered. First Sgt. Casey Carson, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, adjusts the dogtag of one of the fallen soldiers before the start of a memorial service Saturday for seven comrades killed in fighting in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad last Sunday. photo by Michael Abrams / S&S “Specialist Sheehan!” the sergeant called again, louder this time. “Specialist Casey Sheehan!” the sergeant cried out a third and final time. As 500 soldiers listened, only the sound of the Apache helicopters overhead could be heard. Like the six...

FORT HOOD, Texas (Army News Service, May 6, 2005) -- When the 1st Cavalry Division first started preparing to go to Iraq in 2003, Chris Caesar, a Killeen High School world geography teacher, saw an opportunity to turn the deployment into a teaching experience. His efforts culminated May 4, when a group of his students met with more than 20 recently returned First Team Soldiers to document their experiences in Iraq. The students, in groups of three, used video cameras to preserve Soldiers’ accounts of their time in Iraq as part of an oral history project. Caesar said it all...

Excellent article in National Review Online IRAQ--LESSONS LEARNED [Rich Lowry ] Here is a fascinating e-mail that is going the rounds in military circles. It is an account of a presentation given by one of the leaders of 1st Cav Div, just back from Iraq. I try to follow Iraq stuff pretty closely, but most of this I had never heard: 1. While units of the Cav served all over Iraq, he spoke mostly of Baghdad and more specifically Sadr City, the big slum on the eastern side of the Tigris River. He pointed out that Baghdad is, in geography,...

I went to an AUSA dinner last night at the Ft. Hood Officers' Club to hear a speech by MG Pete Chiarelli, CG of the 1st Cav Div. He and most of the Div. have just returned from Iraq. Very informative and, surprise, the Mainstream Media (MSM) isn't telling the story. I was not there as a reporter, didn't take notes but I'll make some the points I remember that were interesting, surprising or generally stuff I had not heard before. It was not a speech per se. He just walked and talked, showed some slides and answered questions. Very...

Army Lt. Col. Gary Volesky of the 1st Cavalry Division's 5th Battalion returned from Iraq this weekend to his wife and son in Fort Hood, Texas. It was a homecoming the family was not sure would ever happen. It is no wonder, since Volesky's battalion — the Army's premier heavy-armored division — was involved in some of the fiercest fighting in Iraq. "We thought it was going to be a rebuilding, reconstruction mission for our guys," said his wife, LeAnn. "And it was nothing like that." Four days after the battalion arrived in Iraq — and just 15 minutes after...

[VHFCN] Real news from Iraq Went to an AUSA dinner last night at the Ft. Hood Officers' Club to hear a speech by MG Pete Chiarelli, CG of the 1st Cav Div. He and most of the Div. have just returned from Iraq. Very informative and, surprise, the Mainstream Media (MSM) isn't telling the story. I was not there as a reporter, didn't take notes but I'll make some the points I remember that were interesting, suprising or generally stuff I had not heard before. It was not a speech per se. He just walked and talked, showed some slides...

DefendAmerica News - Father Pins Silver Star on Son in Baghdad Staff Sgt. William Thomas Payne, his father Carl and Maj. Gen. Pete Chiarelli, stand together after Payne was awarded the Silver Star at the cross sabers monument in central Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John Queen, 3rd BCT Public Affairs Father Pins Silver Star on Son in Baghdad Staff Sgt. Payne received the United States third highest award for heroism in combat. U.S. Army Sgt. John Queen 3rd BCT Public Affairs BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 1, 2005 -- Staff Sgt. William Thomas Payne of the 1st Cavalry Division received...

There was another big homecoming at Fort Hood Friday as members of the First Cavalry Division returned from Iraq and the entire 1st Cav Division is expected to be back by the end of March. Starting next week, according to the Division's top general, flights should be arriving almost daily bringing home the rest of the division. Almost 300 1st Cav soldiers marched across a field at the beginning of their welcome home ceremony Friday. Some of the men and women spent almost 15 months in Iraq. For many of these troops, being back is great, but returning home won't...

The U.S. military has begun to transfer authority to Iraqi security forces. Officials said the U.S.-led coalition has been quietly handing over the command to Iraq's military and security units in the four most violent provinces in the country. Fourteen of the 18 provinces have already been under Iraqi security control. In the latest move, the U.S. military has transferred control to the Iraq Army in Baghdad. The U.S. Army's First Cavalry Division has handed over authority in several areas to Baghdad to the Iraq Army's 40th Brigade. "We have reached a certain stage," Iraqi Brig. Gen. Jalil Khalaf said...

LATIFIYAH, Iraq — The soldiers of Task Force 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division value the relationships they've built with Iraq's children. On Jan. 24, Task Force soldiers distributed gifts of shoes, clothing, school supplies and toys to the residents of Latifiyah. "Its good for the unit," said Spc. Derek Thorpe, a medic from East Montpelier, Vt. "It definitely shows a lighter, more caring side of the Army. It's a struggle sometimes for the public though. They aren't always as quite receptive. "Some of (the locals) were too scared to come over. They were intimidated," he...

FORT HOOD, Texas - The 1st Cavalry Division presented 17 Soldiers with the Purple Heart medal Jan. 25 in a ceremony honoring their sacrifice. One of the Soldiers, Sgt. Jerone Johnson, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, received two awards for injuries received on two separate occasions while serving in Baghdad. "I'm speechless being awarded two purple hearts at one time, knowing that it's rare," said Johnson. His first injury, in the middle of July, was the result of shrapnel from an Improvised Explosive Device. The blast left him with a concussion and minor injuries around his eye. The second injury...

U.S. troops, holding a Christmas party on Wednesday, celebrated with music, a Christmas tree and even a visit from Santa to their base at Baghdad International Airport. Soldiers played jazzy Christmas tunes on a piano and a clarinet. Those who attended said that even though they were far from home, they were celebrating the holiday with their Iraqi friends. "I'm with my soldiers; I'm with the people of Baghdad, and right now that's my family," said Brigadier Gen. Jeffery Hammond, of the 1st Cavalry Division. "So I'm very happy." The U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division is based at Camp Victory,...

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 21, 2004 — “Check it out! Wilson’s got quite a leg on him,” shouts Spc. Lerroi Givens, of Brunswick, Ga., as Spc. Amin Wilson, of Mt. Vernon, N.Y., solidly belts a soccer ball more than 50 meters to a gaggle of excited children in eastern Baghdad. These soldiers from Battery B, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, who are known as the “Dragons,” aren’t shirking their duty while on patrol, but rather are carrying out a very important mission: reaching out to Iraqi children. On Dec. 19, the Dragons handed out 20 1st Cavalry...

On the wing of an Apache (From Fort Hood Sentinel) By Cpl. Benjamin Cossel 122nd MPAD CAMP TAJI, Iraq –For two Apache Longbow pilots, the night of Oct. 16 was just a regular night flying a reconnaissance mission around southern Baghdad. A distorted cry for help came across the emergency radio shattering the chatter of all other communications. They recognized the call sign, they recognized the area and a few minutes later, they were in route to perform what would become a heroic rescue. “I really couldn’t make out at first what was going on. The transmission over the radio...

On the wing of an Apache By Cpl. Benjamin Cossel, 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- For two Apache Longbow pilots, the night of Oct. 16 was just a regular night flying a reconnaissance mission around southern Baghdad. A distorted cry for help came across the emergency radio shattering the chatter of all other communications. They recognized the call sign, they recognized the area and a few minutes later, they were in route to perform what would become a heroic rescue. “I really couldn’t make out at first what was going on. The transmission over the...

  Joint patrol finds insurgent rocket set-up point BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A joint patrol found five rocket tubes and one rocket Oct. 30, not far from a suspected launch point for insurgents firing rockets into the International Zone. Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division’s Company D, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment and the 304th Iraqi National Guard Battalion discovered three fiberglass tubes and two metal tubes near a road not far from the Tigris River. The tubes were set up and pointed in the direction of the International Zone. After searching the surrounding area, the patrol also found one...

Staff Sgt. Charles Gilbert and Capt Dan Mark, both of Blackhawk Troop, 1-7 Cavalry, question a neighbor of a suspected mortar man Oct. 22. The troop did not uncover the mortar man, but 13 suspected insurgents were taken into custody by other troops within the squadron. Cpl. Bill Putnam Raid in southern Baghdad detains 13 insurgentsBy Cpl. Bill Putnam November 1, 2004 AL RASHID DISTRICT, Baghdad (Army News Service, Nov. 1, 2004) -- In a multi-target raid, cavalry troopers from 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, effectively dismantled an insurgent cell operating in Al Rashid's Furat neighborhood during the early...

TAJI, Iraq - An Army helicopter gunship pilot is being recommended for a bravery medal for the rescue of a pair of wounded American fliers whose helicopter crashed in hostile territory south of Baghdad this month. Capt. Ryan Welch, 29, who co-pilots an AH-64 Apache helicopter with the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade, led a risky night mission that saw him strap himself and a wounded flier to the exterior of the two-seat gunship that flew them to safety, said 4th Brigade commander Col. Jim McConville. Two Army pilots were killed in the Oct. 16 crash, which happened when two...

U.S. Army Spc. Brandon Arther (left) and Spc. Dmitri Schronick, both crew chiefs with the Company A “Werewolves,” 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, perform a thorough inspection of the aircraft at the close of business. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dan Purcell One Job, Multiple Roles Crew chiefs work 24-hours-a-day to ensure Blackhawks are ready for missions.   By Sgt. Dan Purcell122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Oct. 29, 2004 — What can be said for one, can probably be said for all, a love for flying keeps them going — 12-hour shifts (or more), 24-hours-a-day, seven...

A soldier, center, escorts a detainee to be questioned about illegal weapons and anti-Iraqi activity. The soldier is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's Company A, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment. Forty men were detained during a raid conducted by the soldiers and U.S. Marines Operation Mustang Socko. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Al Barrus U OPERATION MUSTANG SOCKOSoldiers, Marines Make Big Find Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division join forces with Marines to conduct a productive raid in Southern Baghdad. U By U.S. Army Cpl. Benjamin Cossel  / 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq — In order...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 October 25, 2004Release Number: 04-10-67 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OPERATION NETS LARGE WEAPONS CACHE BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Task Force Baghdad troops uncovered a large weapons cache during a cordon and search operation Oct. 25 in central Baghdad. Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team confiscated more than 70 rifles, 20 pistols, 10 rocket-propelled grenade launchers, 70 hand grenades, 10 anti-personnel mines and thousands of dollars in currency during a search of a suspected...

Combined Operation Nets Massive Cache American Forces Press Service TAJI, Iraq, Oct. 18, 2004 -- More than 400 57 mm rockets, 7,275 rounds of 14.5 mm anti-aircraft ammunition, and one U.S. tube-launched optically tracked wire- guided missile were just the tip of the iceberg during a recent weapons cache discovery north of Iraq. "We would begin digging in a new area, and we just kept finding stuff," said the 2nd Battalion, 7th Calvary Regiment senior Iraqi National Guard advisor Capt. Mark Leslie, of the 39th Brigade Combat Team. The discovery began with a tip from a reluctant informant. Rumors...

Helicopters Crash; Attacks on Zarqawi Network Continue By Rudi Williams American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2004 – Two U.S. Army pilots were killed when two cargo helicopters crashed Oct. 16 in southwest Baghdad, Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported. The pilots were assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. Two other soldiers were injured in the incident and were taken to a medical facility. No report on their condition was available. The incident is under investigation. Meanwhile, U.S. jets blasted a checkpoint operated by the Tawhid and Jihad terror movement of the fugitive Jordanian-born terrorist Muqtada al-Zarqawi in...

U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release On the Web: http://www.dod.mil/releases/2004/nr20041015-1394.html Media contact: Army Public Affairs - (703) 692-2000 Public contact: http://www.dod.mil/faq/comment.html or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No. 1031-04 IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Spc. Jeremy F. Regnier, 22, of Littleton, N.H., died October 13 in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol. Regnier was assigned to the Army’s 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery...

Apache Troop Family Readiness Group 1-7 Cavalry Division Dear Sir or Madam, As the war in Iraq continues, we are calling on your generosity to support our deployed loved ones. Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment left Fort Hood in March 2004 and will not redeploy until spring of 2005. Additionally, not all of the 135 Soldiers will be able to make it home for their "R&R" for the duration of the deployment. Obviously, this holiday season will be difficult for 1-7 CAV families both home and abroad. It is during this difficult time that our deployed loved ones...

Camp Taji SpotsStrong Man Competition By Sgt. Dan Purcell122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment CAMP TAJI, Baghdad, Iraq, Oct. 8, 2004 — Their goals, like their weight and ages, varied as 37 soldiers competed in the first "Strong Man" weight lifting competition Sept. 30 at the 1st Cavalry Division's northernmost base camp. The event was sponsored by Sgt. 1st Class Lorenzo Billups, 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, and Sgt. Eric Preus, 126 Aviation Detachment, Massachusetts Army National Guard, both part of the 4th Brigade Combat Team.Billups said the competition took over two months of planning and preparation and was open...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 October 8, 2004Release Number: 04-10-22 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SOLDIERS CATCH SUSPECTED BOMB MAKER; 1500 ARTILLERY ROUNDS SEIZED BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Working off a tip, Task Force Baghdad troops detained a truck carrying more than 1,500 155-millimeter artillery rounds Oct. 7. This seizure is one of the largest by the task force to date. Ground forces were alerted to the suspected vehicle and converged on it and detained the driver and passenger. The munitions were found in the back of the...

        U.S. Army Spc. Pedro Martinez kisses his 7-month-old daughter, Juliana, for the first time while his wife Raquel looks on during the 1st Cavalry Division's welcome home ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas, Sept. 28. Juliana was born while Martinez was deployed to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kelly Hunt ~ *            Supporters gather for the 1st Cavalry Division's welcome home ceremony at Fort Hood, Texas, Sept. 28 to celebrate the return of their loved ones from Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kelly...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 October 4, 2004Release Number: 04-10-08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1ST CAV'S BLACK JACK BRIGADE TO COMPLETE YEARLONG ROTATION 1st Cav’s Black Jack Brigade to Complete Yearlong Rotation BAGHDAD, Iraq – The 1st Cavalry Division announced today that the rotation schedule of its 2nd Brigade “Black Jack” Combat Team has shifted into 2005 . “The brigade will not redeploy early,” said division spokesman, Lt. Col James Hutton. “One plan had called for the brigade to complete redeployment by December. The plan now...

  Shoe Drive is ‘Mission Complete’Unit Expectations Vastly Exceeded by American Generosity Baghdad, Iraq -- The 68th Chemical Company of the 1st Cavalry Division would have been content to collect a few hundred pairs of shoes for some Baghdad children. Instead, the unit received more than 5,000 pairs of flip-flops, sandals and sneakers from people in the United States. And the boxes kept coming. First Lt. Brian Cyr, from Nebraska, started up the shoe drive nearly three months ago. With so many shoes delivered through his unit, he’s bringing the drive to a close. The 68th Chemical Company is...

Staff Sgt. Robert Bussell, 1st Cavalry Division, examines the nose of Al-Adul, a seven-year-old stallion, which once belonged to Saddam Hussein and his family. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Susan German Troopers Instruct Iraqi Horse Handlers By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Susan German / 122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 29, 2004 – Trading computers and badges for saddles and spurs has provided a welcome break for troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division's Horse Cavalry Detachment working with Saddam Hussein's former horses at the Baghdad Zoo. After months of desk duty guarding the division main headquarters...

FORT HOOD - To the strains of the romantic standard At Last, about 200 soldiers who fought for a year in one of Iraq's toughest combat zones returned home Tuesday, into the arms of loved ones who came from across the nation to greet them. The soldiers were from two 1st Cavalry Division companies that were called into action on short notice in September 2003 — five months before the rest of their division — to bolster other Army and Marine units fighting in Iraq's Sunni Triangle. The units' performance in combat "will be recorded in the histories of this...

NEWS RELEASEHEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND7115 South Boundary BoulevardMacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 September 27, 2004Release Number: 04-09-78 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JOINT OPERATIONS ROUND UP SUSPECTED INSURGENTS BAGHDAD, Iraq – Morning raids by Iraqi National Guard troops and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers in Baghdad resulted in the detention of 17 suspected insurgents. A spokesman for the 1st Cavalry Division called the series of raids throughout the city Sunday a “great success.” From 5:30 to 8 a.m., a joint operation in central Baghdad conducted cordon and search operations. Three of the 15 detainees taken...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi security forces backed by U.S. troops stormed a mosque in the Iraqi capital Saturday to search for illegal weapons, the U.S. military said. Religious officials said the raid left a trail of overturned furniture, scattered holy books and broken windows. Capt. Tom Burrel of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division said no weapons were found during the raid on the Ibn Taymia Mosque in west Baghdad. He said U.S. forces searched the shrine's compound while guardsmen entered the mosque itself. Sheik Mahdi al-Sumaidaei, the head of the Supreme Association for Guidance and Daawa, a conservative Sunni...