Division leader explains mission extension to families
Story and photo by Sgt. Gregory F. Withrow, 1st AD Public Affairs Office
WIESBADEN, Germany -- Iron Spouses and family members, anticipating the announcement extending their loved-ones in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, gathered throughout the 1st Armored Division’s communities over the past week to discuss issues and have their questions answered. Thursday’s much-anticipated announcement came, sparking a flurry of questions from families about their Soldiers on the ground in Iraq. In order to get the story straight, Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey, 1st Armored Division Commanding General, sent back a command representative.
Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, returned from Iraq last week, beginning a tour of 1st Armored Division communities in Hanau, Friedberg and Giessen on Friday, addressing the concerns of family-members. Hertling, the assistant division commander for support, continued his meetings with families in Wiesbaden and Dexheim on Monday, rounding out with the Baumholder community on Tuesday.
 |
Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, 1st Armored Division assistant division commander for support, talks with family members at the Taunus Theater in Wiesbaden April 18.
|
Hertling began his address in each community with a short briefing on the overall situation in Iraq and followed with an explanation specific to the units relevant to each gathered crowd. “You have to share your emotions with someone,” said Hertling to a capacity crowd in the Friedberg Theater. “One of the reasons I came back here was just that.” The first question asked by the family members was for an explanation of why 1AD had to be extended. Hertling went on to explain some of the reasoning for the extension of 1AD troops. “Decisions were made to ask the 1st Armored Division to stay, not because we were available, but because everybody down there knows we are good at what we do,” said Hertling, continuing to emphasize the importance of 1AD’s contributions to the Global War on Terror. “The U.S. and the enemy have our hands around each other’s throats. We have got to see this thing through and win,” said Hertling emphatically to the crowd in 2nd Brigade Combat Team’s home in Baumholder. After Hertling’s initial briefing, the question and answer sessions lasted for several hours in each community. Issues addressed ranged from increased compensation for Soldiers in theater more than 365 days to renewing expired powers of attorney. Hertling explained why some family members were having difficulty communicating with their Soldiers. The infrastructure that had been set up to support internet cafés and phone banks had been turned over to incoming units or dismantled as the division began its redeployment move to Kuwait. However, the process of increasing the quality of life for Iron Soldiers has begun all over again as units settle back in, said Hertling. Hertling’s overall message to the families was that the command of 1AD, the 104th Area Support Group and the various base support battalions are aware of the concerns of the families and soldiers and will do everything to support them in these tough times. For more information or to have your questions answered, visit the following Websites:http://www.hanau.army.mil/HanauWeb/04_services/newsfrontvtc.asp http://www.hanau.army.mil/HanauWeb/04_services/newfront/form2.htm |
