HHC 76 IBCT News & Updates


	HHC 76th Brigade Family Readiness Group

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News & Updates In addition to *recent* issues of the FRG newsletter, included in this section are Indiana National Guard press releases and articles about the 76th IBCT which have appeared in print and on television programs.
HHC 76th BCT FRG Email Newsletters The HHC FRG e-newsletter is offered as a service to keep soldiers, their families, friends and employers informed about unit activities and family programs. In keeping with OPSEC Guidelines, only a modified portion of the most recent e-newsletters appear below. To receive future issues contact an FRG Leader.
May 2008 April 2008 March 2008	February 2008 January 2008 December 2007
HHC 76th BCT Soldiers In the News
May 24, 2008	Friends Reunited in Iraq - Bedford Times Mail Three soldiers who graduated in 2004 from Bedford North Lawrence High School have reuined in Iraq. Two are serving with the 76th IBCT including HHC Soldier SPC Kayla Guffin, the other is an active duty soldier based at Ft. Hood.
May 22, 2008	Governor Daniels Visits the 76th IBCT in Iraq - Wabash Valley, Rensselaer Republican, Courier Press, WFIE In mid- May, Governor Mitch Daniels made a surprise visit to Iraq to thank 76th IBCT soldiers for their service.
May 10, 2008	Anaconda Business Exposition helps Iraqi businesses compete - www.76bct.org The Anaconda Business Exposition (ABEX) Conference offered an opportunity for Iraqi and other business leaders to develop professional relationships that may lead to contract bids for services at the base.
May 1, 2008	Troops Participate in Remote Mini 500 Marathon - Fox59, WTHR, Runner's Web Hundreds of soldiers in Iraq ran a remote mini marathon on the same day as the event in Indianapolis, but under much different conditions. Some families chose to do this together including MAJ Johnathan Marion and his wife Lita and SSG Mike Dickerson and his girlfriend Lori Noel.
April 21, 2008	Local Soldiers Making a Difference in Iraq - Bluffton News Banner HHC Soldiers SGT Zach Stoppenhagen and SGT Joseph Sorg share their experiences working as medics in the Balad Hospital. "Today we helped three local nationals who were pretty bad off. If we weren’t there, then they probably would not have lived. They looked at us with compassion. They’re not able to say it, but in their eyes, they want to say 'thank you.' That’s why a lot of us are here doing the mission we’ve been given," said SGT Sorg.
March 19, 2008	76th IBCT Trains in Kuwait - www.76bct.org
March 19, 2008	Soldiers adjusting to duty inside Kuwait before moving into Iraq - Muncie Star Press HHC soldiers SFC Jeremy Copeland and SSG Michael Dickerson share their experiences adjusting to life in Kuwait, handling homesickness and their new duties.
March 18, 2008	Where Things Stand: Indiana Knows Sacrifice of War After Five Years - ABC Nightly News National news broadcast about Iraq five years into the war, featured interviews with the Stoppenhagen and Fulk families from Ft. Stewart.
March 3, 2008	Army General gives insight into the war in Iraq - WISH TV The number two man in the all-volunteer force, spent ptime visiting with members of Indiana's 76the IBCT. GEN Cody said their service is a necessity. "We are an Army that's stretched. That's why we had to call on the Guard so many times. And the Guard has always answered. But we are one Army as soon as we call them up," said GEN Cody. Article includes links to video.
March 3, 2008	Catching Up Before Shipping Out - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) Ongoing profile of 76th IBCT soldiers includes interviews with HHC soldiers PFC Jessica Hagan, MSG Karolyn Peeler and SGT Josh and SPC Zach Stoppenhagen as they prepare to deploy.
March 2, 2008	Families, Troops Ready for Deployment - Evansville Courier Press Thousands of family members and friends traveled from Indiana for the 76 IBCT Farewell Ceremony at Ft. Stewart's Cottrell Field. Article includes links to download speeches by Governor Daniels, COL Carr, MAJ GENs Umbarger and Hood and GEN Cody.
March 1-3, 2008	Guard Troops Get Sendoff at Fort Stewart - Columbus Ledger Enquirer, BlackAnthem.com, Muncie Free Press The 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team received a final farewell at Cottrell Parade Field before departing to the Middle East to begin its mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
February 14, 2008	Valentines show kids' support - IndyStar.com Instead of making Valentine's Day cards for each other, students at Oak Trace Elementary made them for military men and women who are away from their loved ones. Second-grader Sean DeRue's father MAJ Eric DeRue will deploy with HHC 76 IBCT.
February 6, 2008	State of the City, Columbus, IN - The Republic.com As part of the annual State of the City Address, Columbus Mayor Fred Armstrong thanked our men and women in uniform - especially our Indiana National Guard and those from Columbus and their families including including City MPO Director, CPT Kent Anderson and Economic Development Director, COL Corey Carr - Commander of the 76th Infantry Brigade.
January 17, 2008	Indiana National Guard Members Already Thinking about Coming Home - The Star Press.com SFC Shane Carnes, SGT John Hill and SPC Charles Nale discuss their plans for the future and some of the training they are receiving at Ft. Stewart.
January 8, 2008	Letters from the front: Valley soldier shares his thoughts on Army training - Terre Haute Tribune Star As part of a series of letters home from soldiers in the Brigade, MAJ Hal Johnston provides a glimpse of what living and training conditions are like at Ft. Stewart.
January 4, 2008	Indiana Guard Arrives at Ft. Stewart - WTOC-TV The local news in Savannah covered the story of the Brigade's arrival at Ft. Stewart. Features a link to video coverage.
January 3, 2008	76th Brigade Departure Ceremony - IndyStar.com, Black Anthem, Madison Courier, INARNG, Warsaw Times Union, Terre Haute Trib Star Elected officials joined families in paying tribute to soldiers assigned to the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team as they departed on their mission to Iraq. View Video
January 2, 2008	A Dedicated Leader - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) After the 76th IBCT deploys to Iraq, the brigade will be split up on six bases around the country. Military training and civilian careers leave 76th IBCT Commander COL Carr well suited to handling the logistical challenges of managing this group.
January 2, 2008	Guard members leaving for duty - Times Mail Recently married SPC Kayla Nier Guffin, trained as a radar repairer, has been given a deployment assignment related to Distinguished Visitor Quarters, responsible for military and political leaders and celebrities who come to Iraq. “We’re in charge of their housing and making sure they get where they’re going,” she said. “I’m excited.”
December 30, 2007	As War Changes, So Do Troops - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) The Brigade's final months of training reflects the new approach that's being taken in Iraq, including teaching soldiers basic Arabic. "There's more to this mission than just military might. A lot of the emphasis is turning responsibility over to the Iraqis. Our guys will be talking with Iraqi police officers and Iraqi soldiers, and it's important we show respect, " said Commander COL Carr.
December 30, 2007	Colonel Prepares Family For Massive Deployment - Channel 6, Indianapolis 76th IBCT Commander, COL Corey Carr and his family share their experiences preparing for deployment. "I have to think about getting the brigade ready, because when I think about leaving the family, it gets a little tough for me," said COL Carr.
December 23, 2007	No Picnic in the Guard - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) At age 59, SFC Gary Allen will be one of the oldest American soldiers abroad, the Defense Department recently counted only eight older than 60. SFC Allen will deploy as a cook, however, he's going through the same training as every other HHC soldier. "I enjoy being around young people," said SFC Allen, "it keeps my language fresh."
December 19, 2007	A 24-year veteran's mission: Get Iraq Rebuilt - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) MSG Karolyn Peeler a soldier in HHC's JAG section soon will serve in the combat zone. As she sees it, Iraq needs to be rebuilt. More important to her, she said, American troops need reinforcement. "My brothers and sisters are over there, and they can't do it by themselves," said MSG Peeler. "We have got to relieve them and do our part."
December 18, 2007	An uncommon family affair: 3 brothers in arms - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) Drawn from towns across Indiana, the 76th Brigade has more family ties within its ranks (fathers and sons, cousins, nephews and brothers) than a regular Army unit would including three brothers from the Stoppenhagen family. Josh and Zach are part of HHC. As much as she worries about their safety, their mother Tami draws comfort in knowing all three sons are going. "If they are together," she said, "they will all check on each other, and they will look out for each other."
December 17, 2007	Single mom finds direction on the front lines - IndyStar.com (Spirit of the 76th Stories) Under traditional American military protocol, women don't serve on the front lines. But in Iraq, that's impossible. In Iraq, there are no front lines. Or, rather, front lines are liable to pop up anywhere. About one in 10 soldiers in Iraq is a woman, and it's the same in the Indiana Guard, where PFC Jessica Hagan will deploy with HHC 76 IBCT. "In the military, you cannot fail," said PFC Hagan, "because you could be in real trouble. It's not like just losing a job."
December 17, 2007	Guardsmen train for deployment - WTHR Among other scenarios, 76th IBCT soldiers are training on the HMMWV Egress Assistance Trainer, or HEAT for short, which simulates what happens when the military's most widely used combat vehicle ends up on it's side or flips. "It was like a real life experience - clouded, cluttered, hot," said 2LT Felicia Arnold.
December 11, 2007	Day One Begins for Large IN Unit Deploying to Iraq - GX The mobilization process started this week at at Camp Atterbury for 3400+ members of the 76th IBCT. Deputy Commander COL Kenneth Newlin indicated the reason the initial phase of the mobilization is going so well is due to the unit’s proactive approach to deploying. “Our core warrior tasks and readiness training were completed during previous drill weekends, so now we can go directly into mission-specific training,” said COL Newlin. “Under the old training model, a unit of our size would conduct 150 days of training at mobilization. We are essentially cutting it down to 72 training days as a result of this process.”
December 4, 2007	Guard Going to Iraq - Chronicle Tribune With 3,500 soldiers deploying to Iraq, the 76th Brigade will have “a very large impact,” said SGT Les Newport, the brigade's public affairs NCO. “We will be operating throughout the theater.” Training begins soon at Fort Stewart where soldiers will live and work in the same type of conditions they expect to encounter overseas.
December 3, 2007	Bundles of Joy - IndyStar.com Although the 76th IBCT will not be overseas until March, there is already growing community support for the unit. CPT Shelane Robinson, the brigade's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) officer shared the that receiving care packages can be "a great morale booster" for troops.
November 30, 2007	Soldier speaks, students listen as Guard member prepares to serve in Iraq - Noblesville Daily Times As part of a social studies project which encouraged students to write to soldiers deployed overseas, SPC Rick Moore spoke to his son's seventh-grade team at Noblesville Middle School about the preparation the 3400 soldiers of the brigade have received for the deployment overseas and why he joined the military at age 40.
November 29, 2007	Troops Set to Deploy Have Unique Mission - Wish-TV In January, thousands of soldiers from the Indiana National Guard will head to Iraq, including public information officers who will work with local reporters to tell the story of the 76th Infantry Brigade during the deployment. The anticipated mission for some soldiers will be to help protect convoys. "Much like any deployment, it is important to stay focused, making sure that you're doing all the things you need to do to stay safe but also to accomplish the mission," said SSG Les Newport.
October 28, 2007	Shipping out - Washington Post The 76th IBCT is among four Guard brigades that will mobilize in early December to support President Bush's plan to keep at least 130,000 US troops in Iraq through next year. "This is a tougher mission," acknowledged BDE Commander COL Carr. Soldiers are preparing for complicated and unpredictable scenarios by practicing convoy security, urban-warfare skills and learning to operate a variety of weapons.
October 27, 2007	Bringing Out the Big Guns - IndyStar.com Much of the 76th IBCT pre-mobilization training is happening at Camp Atterbury, instead of a base somewhere far from Indiana. To accomplish this, the Guard has bundled two years' worth of annual training into the past three months. The advantage is that soldiers will get to spend the winter holidays at home. This training regimen also reflects the Army's new policy of limiting Guard deployments to 12 months, rather than 18. "It's very tough on families and employers for a guardsman to be gone a year and a half," said 76th IBCT Commander COL Carr.
October 19, 2007	Hoosier Guard Unit will be Split Up - IndyStar.com, Washington Post Indiana Guard Commanders were notified several weeks ago that the 3400 soldiers of the 76th IBCT will be divided into 21 security companies rather than deploying as a group. MAJ GEN Umbarger indicated he would have preferred that they give the team its mission and then leave it to BDE Commander COL Carr to make troop assignments once the team arrived in Iraq. "What the Army has said is that in the lessons learned in fighting the insurgency, this is the best way to deploy. So I am OK with that," said MAJ GEN Umbarger. Training will reflect the new company structure.
September 18, 2007	Guard unit gets largest deployment since WWII - IndyStar.com Members of the 76th IBCT received official mobilization details this week. The unit was expected to deploy in 2009 or 2010, but the troop surge in Iraq accelerated the schedule, said BDE XO COL Keith Sharples. Although most units in the 76th have seen duty in Iraq or Afghanistan, this marks the first time the brigade will serve together overseas. It's also the largest deployment of a single unit of the Indiana National Guard since World War II. "The sacrifice of leaving family and the comforts of civilian life are justified by the cause for which we're fighting," said COL Sharples.
September 17, 2007	76th Infantry Brigade Prepares for Deployment - Public Affairs, WISH-TV.com In response to word from Adjutant General MAJ GEN Martin Umbarger that Indiana National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters has received mobilization orders for the brigade, 76th IBCT Commander COL Carr pledged his continued support for families during the deployment. "To support our families, we will be leaving behind a robust cadre of full time soldiers, augmented by family assistance specialists around the state to help our families with pay, insurance and employment questions and other household difficulties that may arise," said COL Carr.
September 11, 2007	Indiana National Guard Unit Still Expects a Call-Up - Indy Star.com GEN Petraeus' report to Congress has not changed plans to call up the largest single unit of Indiana National Guard troops since WWII. Soldiers of the 76th Infantry Brigade are expected to head to Iraq early next year. "We have a presumption of no change in our mission status. We are going to continue on preparing for the missions we've been alerted to," said SSG Les Newport.
September 5, 2007	Strength From Within: Support Our Troops, Read Their Stories - NewsBlaze, GX Online COL Carr, CPT Fantozzi, SPC Ayinde, CPT Blagburn and MAJ Mann were interviewed regarding individual pre-mobilization training at Camp Atterbury and the new technology the unit will use in their upcoming mission to Iraq. "We are very fortunate to be able to pre-mob at Camp Atterbury," said CPT Fantozzi. "The goal of completing these tasks is so important."
August 19, 2007	NASCAR Team Recognizes the 76th Brigade - www.caseymears.com Casey Mears and Hendrick Motorsports honored the 76th Infantry Brigade on the hood of the Number 24 Chevy car during the NASCAR Busch Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Finishing ninth, Mears said: "I'm real proud of my National Guard team for pulling off another top-10 finish. It was also great getting to meet the guys from the 76th Infantry Brigade and having them out here this weekend supporting the No. 24 Chevy." View photos.
August 2, 2007	First Army Brings Alerted Brigade Leadership Together for Planning Strategies - Army.Mil/News First Army recently hosted a planning workshop at Fort Gillem for five National Guard Brigade Combat Team Commanders and their staffs, including the 76th NCT, to prepare for deployment. This next BCT rotation will be the first under a new 12-month mobilization policy implemented by the DoD which limits training prior to deployment and the "boots on the ground" time in theater to 12 months total. The policy requires a significant amount of training and preparation to be accomplished prior to mobilization.
July 14, 2007	Deploying 76th Brigade Receives New Commander - INARNG - Public Affairs Indiana National Guard troops welcomed COL Courtney Carr to his new post as 76th Brigade Combat Team commander in an official change of command ceremony at Camp Atterbury. In his brief remarks Carr thanked his family: "Thank you, without your sacrifices, I would not be able to walk with these great American Soldiers." View photos.
May 29, 2007	Veterans, public gather to remember fallen at Valley services - Terre Haute, Tribune-Star MAJ Hal Johnston represented veterans in a Terre Haute Memorial Day ceremony conducted by the Vigo County Veterans Council. "People should know that the soldiers really appreciate the support for us and for our families, it just means everything. It means what we’re doing matters," said MAJ Johnston.
May 1, 2007	Guard Units Race to Ready for Iraq Duty - USA Today & Army Times COL Corey Carr, 76th BCT Commander was interviewed along with Brigade soldiers, 1LT Andrews, CPT Clark, PFC Eldridge, SGT Kinyon, SSG Kirtman and CPT Snyder regarding training on new equipment in preparation for future deployment.
April 9, 2007	Additional National Guard Troops Set for Iraq - NPR LTC Ronald Westfall discussed his previous deployment to Iraq and answered questions regarding the readiness of the unit for a new mission. With an anticipated eight months before deployment, LTC Westfall indicated, "We have plenty of time to prepare. We have a lot of time to do training and to get the equipment we need."
April 6, 2007	Local Troops Headed Back to the Middle East - WISH-TV LTC Ronald Westfall, SSG Joseph Kuklenski and 1SG Lance Hockwalt were interviewed by WISH-TV in Indianapolis regarding future deployment to Iraq. "We're providing the stable and secure environment for the Iraqi people to rebuild their infrastructure and that's how we look at it. Our job is to go over there and set the conditions for them to take care of themselves. That is our job," said LTC Westfall.
March 21, 2007	Indiana Senior Leadership Realignment in the Indiana National Guard Adjutant General MAJ GEN Martin Umbarger announced a realignment of critical leadership positions in response to evolving requirements of the Indiana National Guard and Homeland Security responsibilities. COL Courtney Carr, deputy commander of the 76th Brigade Combat Team, will immediately assume command responsibilities as the 76th BCT moves through the transformation process to become a fully equipped and ready brigade. He replaces BRG GEN David Harris who will assume command responsibilities of 81st Troop Command. (Release#: 03212007–1)
February 22, 2007	Statement on Potential Mobilization from Adjutant General Adjutant General, MAJ GEN Martin Umbarger issued a statement indicating the Joint Forces Headquarters of the IN National Guard had received notification of the potential mobilization of the 76th Infantry Brigade. Although the mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom could occur as early as 2008, the unit has not received a specific mission or potential duty location and no official alert or mobilization order has been published. "The Indiana National Guard will continue to support both of our missions, at home and abroad. I am proud of every solider in the Indiana National Guard and grateful for the extraordinary and enduring support of their families and employers," said MAJ GEN Umbarger.

HHC 76th Brigade Family Readiness Group

HHC 76th Brigade Family Readiness Group