Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Across the World
Story and photos by Sgt. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Spc. Jon Calhoun, a Soldier in Company C, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, isn’t your typical specialist in the United States Army.
As 3rd HBCT’s lone x-ray technician, Calhoun, a native of Canton, Ohio, is responsible for maintaining and operating the brigade’s X-Ray machine. He is also responsible for taking the most accurate images he can to help ensure that the Soldiers under his care get the best possible diagnosis.
“I love doing my job,” he said. “I enjoy the technical aspects of it, the challenge of doing it well and meeting and helping people. Helping people is very fulfilling. It is really what we should all do.”
Service. The word sums up the 44 years Calhoun has been alive so far.
After he graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., with a master of divinity degree, he decided to join the Army as a combat medic.
“I initially joined the Army for three reasons,” he said. “I wanted to learn medicine, I wanted to pay off my school bills and I wanted to serve my country. The Army allowed me to do all three of those things.”
As combat medic serving in the 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armor Division, at Fort Hood, Texas, Calhoun learned skills that allowed him to help people.
“I initially wanted to work in a hospital, so when I was placed with a line unit I was disappointed,” he said. “It turned out to be the best thing that could happen to me. It gave me the opportunity to practice field medicine.”
Calhoun served as a field medic for four years. Then he decided to get out and pursue another calling his faith had placed on him.
For six years, Calhoun and his wife, Shelley, lived in a remote village in the Chimbu Province of New Guinea.
Serving as missionaries, the couple started a medical clinic and church in the small village of Kiari.
“No one directed us to go there,” he said. “It was just something the Lord put in our heart to do, so we went.”
Living in a remote mountain village had its challenges. The running water in the village was “the stream running by our house” he explained with a grin.
The roads he had to take to get to the village could better be described as paths. It was not uncommon for the couple to use very thin, narrow rope-bridges to cross streams and ravines. Those routes were also filled with bandits.
“I’ve been held up with home-made shotguns, bows and arrows, and spears,” he said. “Travel in New Guinea wasn’t always safe.”
Despite all of those struggles, he and his wife remember their time there fondly.
“We had a great time there,” he said. “It was very rewarding for me and my wife. When you are doing what the Lord wants you to do, it can bring you huge amounts of joy. You may not always be happy, happiness is a very temporary feeling sometimes, but you are always joyful.”
As the village’s doctor, Calhoun was called upon to provide minor surgeries, help treat such diseases such as malaria, typhoid and tuberculosis, and look after injuries.
“The Army helped prepare me for that time,” he said. “Physically, I was ready, I had practiced field medicine, and mentally I was used to working crazy hours.”
The health clinic also provided him an avenue to share his faith.
“I started a church with eight people,” he said. “When I left there, it had grown to close to a hundred people.”
Calhoun explained that Christians of the village helped welcome him and his wife into the village’s community.
“The original eight Christians of the village accepted us with open arms,” he said. “As a result, the entire village accepted us. Everyone felt comfortable going to the clinic and we were able to use that as a ministry to open doors.”
After six years of service to the people of Kiari and his faith, the Calhouns returned to America.
As the couple thought about what they should do next, the idea of serving in the Army again became more appealing to both of them.
“The benefits of the Army made it too good of an opportunity not to take advantage of,” he said. “Free schooling, the opportunity to practice medicine and the chance to become a physician’s assistant were all factors in why I chose to come back. It’s hard to get a better deal than what they can provide.”
As Calhoun serves his Lord, his country and his fellow Soldiers, he is excited about what he is doing and the direction his life is heading.
“I try to do the best I can in everything I do, mainly for God’s glory,” he said. “I am blessed in the fact that I love my job. Serving people can really be a reward in itself.”
As Calhoun continues to advance in his career, his spirit of service can not only continue to reward him, but it can, hopefully, continue to reward others.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Spc. Jon Calhoun, a Soldier in Company C, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, isn’t your typical specialist in the United States Army.
As 3rd HBCT’s lone x-ray technician, Calhoun, a native of Canton, Ohio, is responsible for maintaining and operating the brigade’s X-Ray machine. He is also responsible for taking the most accurate images he can to help ensure that the Soldiers under his care get the best possible diagnosis.
“I love doing my job,” he said. “I enjoy the technical aspects of it, the challenge of doing it well and meeting and helping people. Helping people is very fulfilling. It is really what we should all do.”
Service. The word sums up the 44 years Calhoun has been alive so far.
After he graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., with a master of divinity degree, he decided to join the Army as a combat medic.
“I initially joined the Army for three reasons,” he said. “I wanted to learn medicine, I wanted to pay off my school bills and I wanted to serve my country. The Army allowed me to do all three of those things.”
As combat medic serving in the 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armor Division, at Fort Hood, Texas, Calhoun learned skills that allowed him to help people.
“I initially wanted to work in a hospital, so when I was placed with a line unit I was disappointed,” he said. “It turned out to be the best thing that could happen to me. It gave me the opportunity to practice field medicine.”
Calhoun served as a field medic for four years. Then he decided to get out and pursue another calling his faith had placed on him.
For six years, Calhoun and his wife, Shelley, lived in a remote village in the Chimbu Province of New Guinea.
Serving as missionaries, the couple started a medical clinic and church in the small village of Kiari.
“No one directed us to go there,” he said. “It was just something the Lord put in our heart to do, so we went.”
Living in a remote mountain village had its challenges. The running water in the village was “the stream running by our house” he explained with a grin.
The roads he had to take to get to the village could better be described as paths. It was not uncommon for the couple to use very thin, narrow rope-bridges to cross streams and ravines. Those routes were also filled with bandits.
“I’ve been held up with home-made shotguns, bows and arrows, and spears,” he said. “Travel in New Guinea wasn’t always safe.”
Despite all of those struggles, he and his wife remember their time there fondly.
“We had a great time there,” he said. “It was very rewarding for me and my wife. When you are doing what the Lord wants you to do, it can bring you huge amounts of joy. You may not always be happy, happiness is a very temporary feeling sometimes, but you are always joyful.”
As the village’s doctor, Calhoun was called upon to provide minor surgeries, help treat such diseases such as malaria, typhoid and tuberculosis, and look after injuries.
“The Army helped prepare me for that time,” he said. “Physically, I was ready, I had practiced field medicine, and mentally I was used to working crazy hours.”
The health clinic also provided him an avenue to share his faith.
“I started a church with eight people,” he said. “When I left there, it had grown to close to a hundred people.”
Calhoun explained that Christians of the village helped welcome him and his wife into the village’s community.
“The original eight Christians of the village accepted us with open arms,” he said. “As a result, the entire village accepted us. Everyone felt comfortable going to the clinic and we were able to use that as a ministry to open doors.”
After six years of service to the people of Kiari and his faith, the Calhouns returned to America.
As the couple thought about what they should do next, the idea of serving in the Army again became more appealing to both of them.
“The benefits of the Army made it too good of an opportunity not to take advantage of,” he said. “Free schooling, the opportunity to practice medicine and the chance to become a physician’s assistant were all factors in why I chose to come back. It’s hard to get a better deal than what they can provide.”
As Calhoun serves his Lord, his country and his fellow Soldiers, he is excited about what he is doing and the direction his life is heading.
“I try to do the best I can in everything I do, mainly for God’s glory,” he said. “I am blessed in the fact that I love my job. Serving people can really be a reward in itself.”
As Calhoun continues to advance in his career, his spirit of service can not only continue to reward him, but it can, hopefully, continue to reward others.
Spc. Jon Calhoun, an X-ray technician assigned to Company C, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, examines an image at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Jan. 29. Calhoun, who served as a Christian missionary in New Guinea for six years before joining the Army, is responsible for maintaining and operating the 3rd HBCT’s X-ray equipment at FOB Kalsu.
Spc. Jon Calhoun, an X-ray technician assigned to Company C, 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, preaches to villagers in Kiari, New Guinea, in the spring of 2003. Calhoun, who served as a Christian missionary there for six years before re-joining the Army, helped the village by running a medical clinicThe Eyes in the Sky
Story and photos by Sgt. Ben Hutto, 3rd HBCT Public Affairs Office
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Being a Soldier in the United States Army is a full-time job. No one understands that more than the Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division’s unmanned aerial vehicle cell. Twenty-four hours a day they monitor the 3rd HBCT’s area of operation from above.
“We are always on the lookout for the bad guys,” said Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, a platoon sergeant in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “The goal is always to spot them before they can hurt us.”
Since their arrival to FOB Kalsu, Lemlin’s section has been vigilant in making sure that all of their aircrafts are ready to go. According to Lemlin, a UAV that can’t fly doesn’t do anyone any good.
“Our platoon is very meticulous when it comes to maintenance,” said Lemlin, a native of Miami. “We rarely have an aircraft down because of maintenance issues. We have never been at less than 75 percent strength. To be honest, we have never been at less than a hundred percent than for more than a couple of hours.”
The section’s commitment to excellence is shaped by their desire to keep their fellow Soldiers safe.
“It’s our job to keep our guys out of harm’s way,” said Sgt. Richard Knuth, a maintainer in Company A from Merkel, Texas. “It’s a good feeling, but it requires us to have a pretty high set of standards. We can have a lot of down time between flights so we’ve got to maintain our focus and not let duties become routine.”
According to Lemlin, his Soldiers must always be ready to launch a UAV, even when indirect fire is raining down on the FOB.
“Depending on where we have UAV operating, we may have to get another camera up when the bad guys try to throw indirect fire at us,” he said. “That means our guys have to have the UAV up in 15 minutes or less.”
Which, according to Merkel, is much harder than it sounds.
“When indirect starts coming in, it’s our job to grab a head-set, run the UAV out to the launcher, double check the vehicle, go through our pre-flight checks and launch,” he explained. “It takes three people to load the vehicle. Its 375 pounds. I wouldn’t say it’s heavy, but it takes a bit of work to get it ready to go.”
They do all of this as everyone else on the FOB is running for the cover of concrete shelters.
“It’s what we signed up for,” said Merkel. “If we aren’t out there in the open for those few minutes, we may miss a chance to catch the bad guys who are doing it.”
Pfc. Anthony McCormack, a controller assigned to Company A from San Diego, knows first-hand how dangerous that indirect fire can be.
“I was behind a concrete wall when a rocket landed about five feet from me,” he said. “It was scary, but it did definitely help create a better sense of urgency in me. I understand why what I do is important being on the receiving of something like that.”
McCormack admits that his first deployment isn’t exactly what he thought it would be, but he said that his motivation is still to keep his fellow Soldiers out of harm’s way.
“As an enlisted Soldier, this is as close as you can get to being a pilot,” he said. “It’s a fun job, but it feels good to know that I’m helping keep Soldiers safe by checking routes, by looking for signs for buried explosives and finding enemies that are shooting rockets at us.”
As the Soldiers of the 3rd HBCT continue their mission across five provinces in Iraq, they can rest assured they have an eye in the sky ensuring their safety.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Being a Soldier in the United States Army is a full-time job. No one understands that more than the Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division’s unmanned aerial vehicle cell. Twenty-four hours a day they monitor the 3rd HBCT’s area of operation from above.
“We are always on the lookout for the bad guys,” said Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, a platoon sergeant in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion. “The goal is always to spot them before they can hurt us.”
Since their arrival to FOB Kalsu, Lemlin’s section has been vigilant in making sure that all of their aircrafts are ready to go. According to Lemlin, a UAV that can’t fly doesn’t do anyone any good.
“Our platoon is very meticulous when it comes to maintenance,” said Lemlin, a native of Miami. “We rarely have an aircraft down because of maintenance issues. We have never been at less than 75 percent strength. To be honest, we have never been at less than a hundred percent than for more than a couple of hours.”
The section’s commitment to excellence is shaped by their desire to keep their fellow Soldiers safe.
“It’s our job to keep our guys out of harm’s way,” said Sgt. Richard Knuth, a maintainer in Company A from Merkel, Texas. “It’s a good feeling, but it requires us to have a pretty high set of standards. We can have a lot of down time between flights so we’ve got to maintain our focus and not let duties become routine.”
According to Lemlin, his Soldiers must always be ready to launch a UAV, even when indirect fire is raining down on the FOB.
“Depending on where we have UAV operating, we may have to get another camera up when the bad guys try to throw indirect fire at us,” he said. “That means our guys have to have the UAV up in 15 minutes or less.”
Which, according to Merkel, is much harder than it sounds.
“When indirect starts coming in, it’s our job to grab a head-set, run the UAV out to the launcher, double check the vehicle, go through our pre-flight checks and launch,” he explained. “It takes three people to load the vehicle. Its 375 pounds. I wouldn’t say it’s heavy, but it takes a bit of work to get it ready to go.”
They do all of this as everyone else on the FOB is running for the cover of concrete shelters.
“It’s what we signed up for,” said Merkel. “If we aren’t out there in the open for those few minutes, we may miss a chance to catch the bad guys who are doing it.”
Pfc. Anthony McCormack, a controller assigned to Company A from San Diego, knows first-hand how dangerous that indirect fire can be.
“I was behind a concrete wall when a rocket landed about five feet from me,” he said. “It was scary, but it did definitely help create a better sense of urgency in me. I understand why what I do is important being on the receiving of something like that.”
McCormack admits that his first deployment isn’t exactly what he thought it would be, but he said that his motivation is still to keep his fellow Soldiers out of harm’s way.
“As an enlisted Soldier, this is as close as you can get to being a pilot,” he said. “It’s a fun job, but it feels good to know that I’m helping keep Soldiers safe by checking routes, by looking for signs for buried explosives and finding enemies that are shooting rockets at us.”
As the Soldiers of the 3rd HBCT continue their mission across five provinces in Iraq, they can rest assured they have an eye in the sky ensuring their safety.
Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, Staff Sgt. Ray Lemlin, a platoon sergeant in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, checks the cameras an unmanned aerial vehicle before it is launched at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Jan. 25. Lemlin’s section maintains 24 hour aerial surveillance around the FOB.
Sgt. Richard Knuth, an unmanned aerial vehicle maintainer in Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, does a pre-flight check on one of his vehicles at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Jan. 25. In order to keep up with the demands of the 3rd HBCT’s mission, Knuth and his fellow maintainers in Company A maintain a throughout maintenance schedule to ensure all the aircrafts are ready to launch at a moment’s notice.
Sgt. Winston Chin (left), Sgt. Richard Knuth (middle) and Sgt. Craig Mulder, all assigned to Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, readjust an unmanned aerial vehicle launcher to better situate it with the direction of the wind, Jan. 25, at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. UAV’s typically launch into the wind in order to maintain proper lift.
Pfc. Anthony McCormack, a controller assigned to Company A, Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, wheels an unmanned aerial vehicle out to a launcher at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq, Jan. 25. The vehicle, which weighs over 300 pounds, requires three Soldiers to load it on to the launcher.
Sgt. Richard Knuth (left) and Sgt. Winston Chin (right), both assigned to Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, adjust an unmanned aerial vehicle on it’s a launcher, Jan. 25, at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Before they are launched, UAVs go through a pre-flight inspection to ensure all of their systems are in proper working order.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
It's Official!!!
Sunday at 3:00 PM Iraq time, it became official that Nick took command of Troop C. This much anticipated day was so well deserved! I know Mom and Dad must be extremely proud of his accomplishment, as I know his second Mom and Dad are!!!I know Troop C is in very competent and caring hands and are lucky to have Nick as their new Commander.
Congratulations, Captain James!
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