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1-1 Attack
   Reconnaisance


                          The Apache Post
       Battalion




                          Volume 1, Issue 6                                        30 August 2012



Inside this issue:
                          From the Cockpit...
                          Gunfighters, Families, and Friends,
Cover Story          2
                          The Gunfighters have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded by R3 (Recovery, Re-
Volunteer         3
                          training, and Resiliency) to conduct individual training, reconnect with their Families, and
Awards/Chaplain’s
                          take some well deserved time off. F/1 spent the summer in the lovely Mojave Desert
Corner
                          successfully completing the Initial Test and Evaluation of the MQ-1C Grey Eagle for the
HHC ‘Bounty          4    United States Army. The Soldiers and leaders of F/1 demonstrated the amazing capabili-
Hunters’                  ties of their formation and the revolutionary capabilities of the Grey Eagle Unmanned
A CO ‘Devils’        5    Aerial System. The full results of this test will take some time to calculate and tabulate by
                          some very smart people, but F/1
B CO ‘Wolfpack’      6
                          did an outstanding job with an
C CO                 7    incredibly complicated, demand-
‘Ghostriders’             ing, and high visibility mission
                          with importance across the entire
D CO                 8
                          Department of Defense.
‘Desperados’
                          As we emerge from our summer
E CO ‘Outlaws’       9
                          R3 period, we are increasing the
F CO ‘Fenix’         10   operational tempo of the Battal-
FRG Information      11   ion as we prepare the formation
                          for future operations. Our first
                          major training event will be Heli-
Events Around Post   12
                          copter Gunnery on September            Above: Brigadier Gen. Brewer, US Air Force, is given an overview of the
                                                                 Grey Eagle Unmanned Aerial System during the Fox Company IOT & E at
About 1-1 ARB        14   10th. When you hear the “sound Edwards Air Force Base this summer. (Photo by Lieutenant Col. Vedder)
                          of freedom” echoing across the
                          Flight Hills in September, it will have been created by your hard working Gunfighters.
                          On September 15th we will have a Family Day at the range where you can observe the
                          activities as well as eat a steak meal graciously provided by the All American Beef Brigade.
                          In October, Charlie Company will be conducting some training at Fort Knox, KY in sup-
                          port of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Towards the end

                                                                                                                 (Continued on page 2)
Page 2                                                                                The Apache Post


From the Cockpit
(Continued from page 1)

of the month Alpha Company will deploy as part of Task Force Nightmare to the National Training Center at
Fort Irwin, CA to complete their Mission Rehearsal Exercise. While at the National Training Center they will
conduct operations against a dedicated and professional adversary on a simulated battlefield in order to prepare
them for the rigors of the battlefield.
In November, Bravo Company will be headed to Fort Carson, CO in order to complete high altitude environ-
mental training. This demanding training will help prepare them for the challenges posed by operating in a
mountainous environment.
Of course, none of this training would be possible with-
out the contributions and hard work of the ground and
air maintainers. It takes ALL the Gunfighters in order
to put aircraft in the air and steel on target. The tireless
efforts of all our maintainers make these great training
opportunities possible.
I look forward to the transition from the drought and
heat of the summer and into the cooler days of fall.
The FRG is hard at work establishing the procedures
and organization necessary to support the hard working
Gunfighter families. If you want to get involved, now is
the time to volunteer and get integrated. On August
                                                             Above: New Gunfighter, MAJ Jason Woodward, S3, with
30th we will have a Newcomers Welcome and Volun- his son Hudson and wife Beth, prepare to run with BN
teer Kickoff at the USO on Fort Riley from 1300-1530. Advisor Jenn Vedder at the recent BDE Family Run honor-
This will be mandatory for Gunfighters who have              ing the new Demon CSM, Jake Werner.
joined the Battalion since June 1st and highly encour-
aged for their Family members. Gunfighters that bring their Families to the Newcomer Welcome will have the
rest of the day off after the brief, while those without their Families in attendance will be returning to work.
Army Community Services, Manhattan Military Relations, Pioneer Services, the Spouse’s Club, and MWR will
be present and available for briefings and information. The Chain of Command will also brief the calendar for
the next year. It will be a great event for the Gunfighter Families.
Thank you for what you all do each and every day in support of our country, our Soldiers, and our Families.


Gunfighters!
LTC Ed Vedder
CSM Patrick Lunsford
Volume 1, Issue 6                                                                    Page 3




 ‘Gunfighter’ Volunteers Honored at Brigade Ceremony
                           21 AUG 2012—The Demon Brigade recently honored volunteers
                           for their outstanding efforts over the last quarter, and the Gunfight-
                           ers were not lacking in nominations. Volunteers from our battalion
                           who were honored by the Brigade at the quarterly volunteer cere-
                           mony were Lauren Stewart, HHC 1-1; Heather Pugh, formerly E
                           CO 1-1; and Lisa McCoy, F CO 1st CAB. Lisa was also honored at
                           the Division level for her efforts with the Fenix Company. She is
                           pictured above with, from left, Demon CSM Jake Werner, Brigade
                           FRG Advisor Valerie Blakemore, and COL. John Morgan.

                           Congratulations to all of our volunteers for your achievements! We
                           know that our volunteers are the backbone of this unit, and our
                           battalion would not be as outstanding as it is without your continued
                           support and selfless service.




Chaplain’s Corner                     by CH (CPT) Kevin Trimble
Page 4                                                                                                                The Apache Post




Hello Family and friends of the Bounty Hunters! It’s my pleasure to write a
short article and brag about the great Soldiers & Officers, and their excellent
duty performance, within the Headquarters and Headquarters Company!
The last couple of months, as you all know at home, have been extremely busy.
The Company continues to push forward, leading the way in support of the #1
Attack Reconnaissance Battalion in the Army!

Soldiers in the S-1 (Administrative Operations) shop have had a change of re-
sponsibility of their NCOIC, and bid farewell to SFC Akisha Howard. SFC
Howard is currently enrolled in the Senior Leaders Course and upon graduation,
she will report to Human Resources Command in Washington D.C. to provide
administrative support to the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
Shortly after her departure, we also had to say goodbye to SSG Casey Royal-
Williams. SSG Royal-Williams is in training at the US Army Recruiters Course,
and upon completion, she will serve the Army as a goodwill ambassador, filling
our ranks with new Soldiers and Officers. SSG Robert Whitaker, an Apache
Crew chief from Bravo Company, has stepped up and will fill the void as the              Above: CPT Wilford Rose and 1SG Jeff Schafer present SPC Tavares
new NCOIC of the Administrative section. His natural leadership capability is            Foster with his PCS award. SPC Foster is heading to Korea.
evident in his daily work, and he is a welcomed asset to the Bounty Hunter
team!

The S-2 (Intelligence) shop also had a change of Officers as CPT Ashley Pringle prepares to transition into civilian life. 1LT David Love has
assumed the position as the Officer in Charge, and a seamless handover was completed. 1LT Love will continue as the OIC of the S-2 shop
until this winter when he will also begin his transition to civilian life. The Bounty Hunters wish CPT Pringle and her husband the best of luck
with their future endeavors!

Not to be outdone, the S-3 (Operations) section also has seen a changeover of the OIC. MAJ Josh Berryhill will take some much needed leave
prior to moving just down the road to work for Division Headquarters. His replacement, MAJ Jason Woodward, is no stranger to the 1st
CAB. MAJ Woodward has served our Brigade previously and is a great addition to the team!

And last, but certainly not least, the S-4 (Supply & Logistics) OIC has changed over from CPT Anthony Arbogast to 1LT Kyle Simpson. 1LT
Simpson has already proven to be an attention to detail oriented Officer, and will undoubtedly be successful as the Battalion S-4. Welcome
aboard!

All Soldiers within the Company continue to impress leaders at all levels across Ft Riley and the Army! We have been fortunate enough to sit
in a few sensing sessions with the Sergeant Major of the Army and the Vice Chief of Staff during their visit to Ft Riley. The Company has also
continued to train hard in preparation for the upcoming Aerial gunnery, completing numerous Sergeants Time Training on Convoy Opera-
tions, Recovery of Wheeled Vehicles, Command Post/Tent exercise, React to possible IED, and Treat a Casualty. Hard, focused training will
make us successful in battle, and HHC will train well beyond the standard to make sure all Soldiers are proficient!

                                                                                         One final note before I go. Five Soldiers and one family
                                                                                         member built a 12 foot boat constructed of only cardboard
                                                                                         and tape to compete in the annual Junction City “Float your
                                                                                         boat” competition held at Milford Lake. I am happy to re-
                                                                                         port that the team not only built an extremely detailed boat,
                                                                                         but it floated too! Oh, and the team won 1st PLACE! Con-
                                                                                         gratulations to SPC Barrett Brown, SSG Robert Whitaker,
                                                                                         SGT Bobby Yanes, 1SG Jeffrey Schafer, SPC Janice Borja,
                                                                                         and Ricca Carbullido! A job well done!

                                                                                         Thank you all for your untiring support to the Bounty
                                                                                         Hunter Company and our Army as a whole. Your efforts are
                                                                                         evident daily, and no words could describe the gratitude due.
                                                                                                                                        Until next time,
                                                                                                                                    1SG Jeffrey Schafer
Above: Bounty Hunter Soldiers in their 1st place winning boat during the 18 AUG “Float
Your Boat” competition at Milford Lake. Outstanding use of duct tape and cardboard!!                                                 “Bounty Hunter 7”
Volume 1, Issue 6                                                                                                    Page 5




Greetings from the best Attack Aviation Company in the US Army! During the past months the Alpha Company
Devils took the opportunity to recuperate from months of hard training and prepare for the immense amount of
work that still lies ahead. However, while the Devils have been taking leave on an individual basis, companywide pro-
gressions and training have not stopped.

Over the 7th - 9th of August the Devils conducted a Field Training Exercise (FTX) designed to prepare our Crew
Chiefs and Aviators for the challenges that await them during the upcoming NTC rotation. Whether setting up tents,
                                                     participating in night drivers training, reacting to ambushes, or
                                                     flying missions in support of the maintainers on the ground,
                                                     every Devil played a role in the exercise. We successfully com-
                                                     pleted the ‘crawl’ phase of training. However, some final tasks
                                                     and skills must be practiced in order to ensure that the company
                                                     is ready to “hit the ground running” when we arrive at NTC in
                                                     October. In order to prepare for this the Devils will be conduct-
                                                     ing another FTX from September 4th – 6th in which the com-
                                                     pany will be required to stay overnight in a field environment in
                                                     order to perfect field craft skills.

                                                             The Devils have also accomplished a lot of great things
                                                    during the last month. We promoted both Faustino Gonzalez
SGT Fertig and the Alpha Company crew chiefs preparing to de-
part for a Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART) drill during our
“Operation Devil Down” exercise.
                                                    and Dustin Blasengame to the rank of Specialist. SPC Kenneth
                                                    Johnson also completed the Combatives Level 2 course and is
now certified as one of the baddest Devils in the company. All of our maintainers are
now Apache Block III certified mechanics. SPC Weston is also a graduate of the
Warrior Leader’s Course (WLC) and finished the course with honors by making the
Commandant’s List. The Command team would also like to recognize some of our
team members who are rising through the ranks: CW2 Timothy Settle made the very
selective list to become a CW3, while SGT Chad West, SPC Kenneth Johnson, and
SPC Justin Schreiner all achieved promotable status to the next rank as well! Great job
Devils!

Upcoming Key Dates:

4-6SEP: Field Training Exercise
10-30SEP: Battalion Gunnery
22OCT-18NOV: NTC Rotation
24NOV-15JAN: Company Max Leave

Devils!

1LT Jesse Curry
                                                                                            SPC Weston receiving honors for
                                                                                            achieving the Commandant’s List (top
Devil 26                                            CW2 Spence recovering from an Evasion   10%) upon graduating from Warrior
                                                    Exercise.                               Leader’s Course (WLC) in Ashland, NE.
Page 6                                                                                                       The Apache Post




Hello Wolfpack!

I can’t believe it’s already been two months since I took command. I am extremely honored to be a part of this
close knit team and serving with each of you everyday. It’s been a busy and exciting summer just as we get ready to
roll into our battalion gunnery to help kick off the fall season. In case you didn’t already know we just finished our
                                                 battalion R3 period (Recover, Retraining, Resiliency). I hope you all
                                                 took the opportunity this summer to enjoy the great weather and
                                                 spend some well deserved time with family and friends. We dealt
                                                 with soaring temperatures and some crazy weather in July and Au-
                                                 gust, but I think the coolers temps are upon us as the summer comes
                                                 to a close. Fall sports already kicked off for the kids and school just
                                                 started for most. Before you know it we’ll be pulling out costumes
                                                 for Halloween and decorating for Thanksgiving.

                                                                 As a company we had a few events this summer, some of which al-
Above: CPT Garcia (right) speaks with one of the visitors        lowed us to show off our new helicopters and enjoy some time out-
from the “Friends of Fort Riley” static display on Custer Hill
(10JUL12)
                                                                 side of the office. We had a very successful static display on Custer
                                                                 Hill where CW2 Harris and CPT Garcia were able to share the new
                                                                 Apache Block III with the “Friends of Fort Riley” visitors from
                                                                 across the state. I think the both won the interest of the crowd that
                                                                 day and possibly recruited some future attack pilots. We also hosted
                                                                 a company hail and farewell on August 1st over at the Little Apple
                                                                 Brewing Company where we welcomed a new team of great Soldiers:
                                                                 SFC Racoma, SFC Francis, SGT Rowland, SPC Rigby, SPC Rudicill,
                                                                 PFC Guertin, and PFC Santiago. We also said farewell to CPT
                                                                 Shafer and SSG Whittaker, both great losses for the Wolfpack.
Above: Bravo Company rolling out down the Republican
River. Some going forwards….some going sideways.
                                                                 We had a successful kayaking trip down the Republican River be-
(17AUG12)                                                        tween Junction City and Ogden on August 17th. The weather was
                                                                 excellent and the current was just enough to get us down the river.
                                                                 The only issues we ran into were some low water levels and trouble
                                                                 keeping the kayaks and canoes traveling in the correct direction. It
                                                                 was a great time for fellowship as a unit and learning the basics of
                                                                 canoeing/kayaking for many of us. If the weather cooperates we’ll
                                                                 look at doing this again in October.

                                                                 As always, I want to thank all the families for your patience and sup-
                                                                 port over the course of the summer. I hope you all enjoy the rest of
                                                                 the summer season and the upcoming Labor Day Weekend.
Above: SFC Racoma (right) hails SGT Rowland (left) as one
                                                                 WOLFPACK!
of the newest members of the Wolfpack family. (02AUG12)

                                                                 CPT Leo A. Amoling, Wolf 6
Volume 1, Issue 6                                                                               Page 7




                                      The Ghostriders continue their march toward Gunnery and be-
                                      yond. The company recently completed its maximum leave pe-
                                      riod in support of the 1-1 ARB Recovery, Retraining, and Resil-
                                      iency, also known as R3. During this time, our Soldiers and Offi-
                                      cers were encourage to take as much time off as they desired,
                                      while training requirements would be reduced to accommodate all
                                      leave requests. Nearly all of the Ghostriders took advantage of
                                      the R3 period. Several took leave in conjunction with the birth of
                                      their children. CW3 Fara, CW2 Cordova, CW2 Atkins, and PFC
                                      Valentin all welcomed their newborns Skylar, Jack, Brycen, and
                                      Juan, respectively, into the world during this time. With CPT
                                      Marr’s and former Ghostrider CPT Stewart’s wives due any day
Above: Jack Cordova, newborn son of
Company IP, CW2 Josh Cordova, was     now, this year has proven quite productive for Charlie Company.
born on 21 JUN.
                                      We wish them all health and happiness for years to come!
Many Ghostriders attended schools during this period in order to further their contributions to
the company and the Army. Several Soldiers have attended the Warrior Leader Course and
Combat Life Saver Course, while we also sent Warrant Officers to the Advanced Course and
Instructor Pilot Course. We continue to rotate our personnel through Apache Block III training
in Mesa, AZ. Due to leave and schools, Charlie company had as few as 10 personnel present
on some days during normal work hours! Many of those Ghostriders will say that training never
actually slowed down. The company is charging full speed towards Aerial Gunnery in Septem-
                                                   ber, followed by a training mission at Fort
                                                   Knox, KY on 8-19OCT. Other upcoming
                                                   events include a company FRG meeting on
                                                   06SEP, Gunnery Family Day on 15SEP, and
                                                   a company Hail and Farewell at the end of
                                                   October.

                                                            Ghostriders!



Above: SPC Fleischer enjoyed his well-earned promotion to   1LT(P) Derek Merkler
Sergeant on 7 AUG.
Page 8                                                                                          The Apache Post




Desperados Family and Friends,

I’d like to thank all the Soldiers and families for their support
on all levels which allowed for a smooth Change of Com-
mand transition. Despite the enormous amount of equipment
in our company, the change of command inventories were
the smoothest that I’ve seen with no lost equipment. Excel-
lent work! Lindsey and I are grateful for the warm welcome
that we have received from the Desperados. I am honored
with the opportunity to serve with and work alongside each
and every Desperado Soldier. We know that we have joined a
great team! I thank you for all you do and all your support as
family members! Lindsey and I recognize that we would not           Above: An example of the many layouts done during Change of
excel as a company at what we do without your support to            Command inventories. This is just a fraction of the equipment
your Soldier and the Desperado Company.                             that must be accounted for during a change of command!



Our FRG meeting held on August 16th was a success. We were able to provide a quick update on where the
FRG is going and how beneficial it is to communicate pertinent information about upcoming training and
                         family events. At the meeting we promoted the FRG email list and the “1-1
                         Desperados” FRG Facebook® page. Those in attendance also received the
                         company calendar for training and family events over the next ten months. If
                         you could not make the meeting but would like a copy of the calendar, please
                         contact me or have your Soldier request a calendar through the chain of com-
                         mand.

                              By this time, the summer is almost over and I hope you all have enjoyed some
                              well deserved time off and time with your families. As we enter into fall, the
                              Gunfighter Aerial Gunnery is quickly ap-
                              proaching us. The Desperados will play a
                              major role in this because as we know, if
                              the wrenches aren’t tuning, the helicopters
                              aren’t flying. Family members, be sure to
Above: Two Desperados donning
the latest in gear.
                              come and join us for the Battalion Gun-
                              nery Family Day on September 15th as we
will enjoy some free steaks and watch some helicopter gunnery!

Lastly, thank you to our friends and Families for your support. Our
many accomplishments and accolades are not possible without you.
At any time, please let me know how we may better support you and
your family. Lindsey and I look forward to meeting and getting to
know all of you in the months to come. DESPERADOS!

                                                                                Above: LTC Vedder hands the guidon to CPT Rus-
CPT Seth W Russell                                                              sell during the Change of Command Ceremony held
Desperado 6                                                                     on 27 JUL in the 1-1 hangar.
Volume 1, Issue 6                                                                                                                    Page 9




Hello Family and friends of the Outlaw Team!
This is the first newsletter since I took command of
Echo Company Outlaws on 2JUL12. The summer has
quickly passed us and we are gearing up to support Ae-
rial Gunnery in September. The Outlaw Team has seen
a lot of changes over the summer. We say goodbye to
CPT Pugh and 1LT Simpson and say hello to the new
company executive officer 2LT Bosch. Since our last
newsletter I have had the distinct honor of promoting
SFC Falmngar, SPC Bailey, SPC Smith and SPC Asbell,
                                                                       Above: E CO Soldiers performing mission essential tasks during the
as well as re-enlisting SPC Adams and SPC Bailey.                      recent FARP Stakes on 23 AUG 2012

                                    We are also bidding farewell to the former E Co Family Readiness Group
                                    Leader Heather Pugh and welcoming the new E Co Family Readiness Group
                                    Leader Cathy Gitschlag to the Outlaw team. Cathy along with her husband
                                    SGT Richard Gitschlag are coming to us from Fort Shafter, Hawaii and are
                                    excited to hit the ground running by already scheduling events for early Octo-
                                    ber.
                                    The Outlaws have been busy this month ensuring that we are fit to fight.
                                    We’ve passed all inspections and as always supported the battalion through
                                    our field feeding, fueling, ammunition handling, and ground maintenance. In
                                    preparation for Aerial Gunnery, we executed a FARP Stakes (Forward Area
                                    Refueling Point establishment). This allowed us the great opportunity to work
Above: An E CO Soldier qualifying   together with our D Co brethren and ensure that we are fit to support the
at the .50 Caliber Range on 24
JUL 2012.
                                    fight in September.
The Outlaw team remains vigilant by minimizing
complacency and emphasizing safety in order to
ensure our training is not only effective but safe
and fun.


OUTLAWS!!!
CPT Richard Trahan
-OUTLAW 6                                                     Above: The sign says it all. Refueling is a mission critical task that involves a
                                                              lot of training, safety precautions, and expertise. Training missions like the
                                                              recent FARP Stakes help prepare our Outlaws for this task.
Page 10                                                                                                      The Apache Post




Happy August, Fenix Family!

It has been a while since the last newsletter and there is a veritable ton of updates. Fenix Company is IOT&E complete with all of our
equipment racing home on trucks. We plan on having several FRG meetings in the coming months to make sure spouses and family
are well acquainted with the schedule of events and training.

                                                                  These past few months have been a milestone in the history of F Co, 1st
                                                                  Aviation Regiment. The Company has just completed its IOT&E or
                                                                  Initial Operational Test and Evaluation of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS.
                                                                  A grueling affair lasting from early June to the end of August, F Com-
                                                                  pany displayed its professionalism and cohesiveness while demonstrating
                                                                  the combat effectiveness of both the Company and the Gray Eagle plat-
                                                                  form. Here are some statistics to build perspective on the accomplish-
                                                                  ments of the Fenix Soldiers: 1284 Flight Hours Flown (the equivalent
                                                                  of flying over 53 days straight), over 48,000 gallons of JP8 Jet Fuel, 8 live
                                                                  Hellfire Missile engagements, over 750 man hours worked and an Op-
                                                                  eration Readiness Rate of 96% (an incredible, almost impossible number
Above: A hangar of Grey Eagles
                                                                  to reach). This accomplishment is only a stepping stone for F Co; it is
training event that has built the organization into a cohesive fighting unit capable of supporting up to five simultaneous missions at any
given point in time. I am truly proud to be a part of Fenix Company and have the honor to work with these amazing Soldiers.

The road ahead is wrought with more training events, but designed to maximize family time. As most of you know, we will begin our
“Maximum Leave” period on the 8th of September and conclude it on the 23rd. This time period is designed to give the Soldiers who
deployed to Edwards Air Force Base a chance to spend quality time with their families and recuperate before we begin training again. I
implore each family member and Soldier to utilize this leave period. It is well deserved.

The months of October and November are designated for training and com-
pleting several pre-deployment requirements. Before we may deploy as a unit,
we have several “gates” to pass through. These include SRP, Pre-Deployment
Training Requirements and an MRE (Field exercise). The focus of this time
span is to get as much of this training complete, allowing for a slower work
pace through December.

In the coming months, we are looking forward to Gray Eagle flying at Ft. Ri-
ley, KS. We have just signed the paperwork to receive our aircraft and are
anxiously awaiting the COA (Letter of UAS Operational Agreement) to be
signed. This milestone will make Ft. Riley the first Army post with a Gray
Eagle Company to conduct flight operations. The second order effects mean
our Operators and Maintainers no longer have to travel to Edwards Air Force
Base for training and currency. They will soon be able to conduct all of their
training back home, giving them more time with their families.

While this newsletter is short for the amount of accomplishments from the
past few months, I wanted to ensure plenty of room for all of the pictures           Above: An MQ-1C armed with two Hellfire Missiles
from the F Co, 1st Aviation Regiment training event.                                 waits in the hangar for the sandstorm to settle.

Respectfully,

CPT Joseph DiFrancesco
Fenix 6
Volume 1, Issue 6                                                                            Page 11




Some of our companies have undergone some leadership changes. Here is our current roster of FRG Lead-
  ers and their contact information. If you are not sure who your FRG Leader is, contact the BN FRSA at
         Julie.l.petruccelli-treen.civ@mail.mil and you will be pointed in the right direction.
BN FRG Advisor:                              Jennifer Vedder, jenn.vedder@yahoo.com
HHC ‘Bountyhunters’:                         Michele Clay, chelew@gmail.com
A CO ‘Devils’:                               Melissa Bates, dinosaurl@bellsouth.net
B CO ‘Wolfpack’:                             Mandi Harris, mandiparkerharris@gmail.com
C CO ‘Ghostriders’:                          Alycia Marr, Austin_alycia@yahoo.com
                                             Ghostriders Email, charliecoghostriders@yahoo.com
D CO ‘Desperados’:                           Amber Weeks, mrsaweeks1014@aol.com
                                              Jan Cruz, fjn_cruz@hotmail.com
                                              D CO Email, deltaco11arb@aol.com
E CO ‘Outlaws’:                              Cathy Gitschlag cgit44@yahoo.com
                                             Naterra Bailey bettame@ksu.edu
F CO ‘Fenix’:                                Lisa McCoy, lisammccoy@hotmail.com
Page 12   The Apache Post
Volume 1, Issue 6   Page 13
Gunfighters!



                           1-1 ARB traces its roots to the formation of the 1st Aviation Company,
1-1 Attack Reconnaisance
               Battalion
                           1st ID, constituted on 15 February 1957 at Fort Riley, KS. Later redes-
                           ignated as 1st Aviation Battalion, one of the first aviation units to em-
 Battalion Headquarters
   BLDG 802 Marshall
                           ploy helicopter gunships and reconnaissance helicopters in unison to
                 Avenue    conduct search and destroy teams, commonly referred to as "hunter/
      Fort Riley, Kansas   killer" teams. Currently stationed at Fort Riley, the Gunfighters con-
 Find us on Facebook(r)    tinue to provide invaluable reconnaissance and lethal attack helicopters
             at http://
 www.facebook.com/         fires for the Soldiers of the Big Red One.
            #!/pages/
Gunfighters/113862645      The Gunfighters are commanded by LTC Edward M.Vedder. CSM Pat-
                           rick W. Lunsford is the senior enlisted advisor.
                           This is the informational newsletter of 1-1 Attack Reconnaissance Bat-
                           talion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division that contains
                           both official and unofficial information. The inclusion of non-official in-
                           formation in this newsletter has not increased the cost to the United
                           States Government in accordance with DoD 425.8-M.

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Battalion's 'Bounty Hunters' Excel in Support

  • 1. 1-1 Attack Reconnaisance The Apache Post Battalion Volume 1, Issue 6 30 August 2012 Inside this issue: From the Cockpit... Gunfighters, Families, and Friends, Cover Story 2 The Gunfighters have taken advantage of the opportunity afforded by R3 (Recovery, Re- Volunteer 3 training, and Resiliency) to conduct individual training, reconnect with their Families, and Awards/Chaplain’s take some well deserved time off. F/1 spent the summer in the lovely Mojave Desert Corner successfully completing the Initial Test and Evaluation of the MQ-1C Grey Eagle for the HHC ‘Bounty 4 United States Army. The Soldiers and leaders of F/1 demonstrated the amazing capabili- Hunters’ ties of their formation and the revolutionary capabilities of the Grey Eagle Unmanned A CO ‘Devils’ 5 Aerial System. The full results of this test will take some time to calculate and tabulate by some very smart people, but F/1 B CO ‘Wolfpack’ 6 did an outstanding job with an C CO 7 incredibly complicated, demand- ‘Ghostriders’ ing, and high visibility mission with importance across the entire D CO 8 Department of Defense. ‘Desperados’ As we emerge from our summer E CO ‘Outlaws’ 9 R3 period, we are increasing the F CO ‘Fenix’ 10 operational tempo of the Battal- FRG Information 11 ion as we prepare the formation for future operations. Our first major training event will be Heli- Events Around Post 12 copter Gunnery on September Above: Brigadier Gen. Brewer, US Air Force, is given an overview of the Grey Eagle Unmanned Aerial System during the Fox Company IOT & E at About 1-1 ARB 14 10th. When you hear the “sound Edwards Air Force Base this summer. (Photo by Lieutenant Col. Vedder) of freedom” echoing across the Flight Hills in September, it will have been created by your hard working Gunfighters. On September 15th we will have a Family Day at the range where you can observe the activities as well as eat a steak meal graciously provided by the All American Beef Brigade. In October, Charlie Company will be conducting some training at Fort Knox, KY in sup- port of the 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Towards the end (Continued on page 2)
  • 2. Page 2 The Apache Post From the Cockpit (Continued from page 1) of the month Alpha Company will deploy as part of Task Force Nightmare to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA to complete their Mission Rehearsal Exercise. While at the National Training Center they will conduct operations against a dedicated and professional adversary on a simulated battlefield in order to prepare them for the rigors of the battlefield. In November, Bravo Company will be headed to Fort Carson, CO in order to complete high altitude environ- mental training. This demanding training will help prepare them for the challenges posed by operating in a mountainous environment. Of course, none of this training would be possible with- out the contributions and hard work of the ground and air maintainers. It takes ALL the Gunfighters in order to put aircraft in the air and steel on target. The tireless efforts of all our maintainers make these great training opportunities possible. I look forward to the transition from the drought and heat of the summer and into the cooler days of fall. The FRG is hard at work establishing the procedures and organization necessary to support the hard working Gunfighter families. If you want to get involved, now is the time to volunteer and get integrated. On August Above: New Gunfighter, MAJ Jason Woodward, S3, with 30th we will have a Newcomers Welcome and Volun- his son Hudson and wife Beth, prepare to run with BN teer Kickoff at the USO on Fort Riley from 1300-1530. Advisor Jenn Vedder at the recent BDE Family Run honor- This will be mandatory for Gunfighters who have ing the new Demon CSM, Jake Werner. joined the Battalion since June 1st and highly encour- aged for their Family members. Gunfighters that bring their Families to the Newcomer Welcome will have the rest of the day off after the brief, while those without their Families in attendance will be returning to work. Army Community Services, Manhattan Military Relations, Pioneer Services, the Spouse’s Club, and MWR will be present and available for briefings and information. The Chain of Command will also brief the calendar for the next year. It will be a great event for the Gunfighter Families. Thank you for what you all do each and every day in support of our country, our Soldiers, and our Families. Gunfighters! LTC Ed Vedder CSM Patrick Lunsford
  • 3. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 3 ‘Gunfighter’ Volunteers Honored at Brigade Ceremony 21 AUG 2012—The Demon Brigade recently honored volunteers for their outstanding efforts over the last quarter, and the Gunfight- ers were not lacking in nominations. Volunteers from our battalion who were honored by the Brigade at the quarterly volunteer cere- mony were Lauren Stewart, HHC 1-1; Heather Pugh, formerly E CO 1-1; and Lisa McCoy, F CO 1st CAB. Lisa was also honored at the Division level for her efforts with the Fenix Company. She is pictured above with, from left, Demon CSM Jake Werner, Brigade FRG Advisor Valerie Blakemore, and COL. John Morgan. Congratulations to all of our volunteers for your achievements! We know that our volunteers are the backbone of this unit, and our battalion would not be as outstanding as it is without your continued support and selfless service. Chaplain’s Corner by CH (CPT) Kevin Trimble
  • 4. Page 4 The Apache Post Hello Family and friends of the Bounty Hunters! It’s my pleasure to write a short article and brag about the great Soldiers & Officers, and their excellent duty performance, within the Headquarters and Headquarters Company! The last couple of months, as you all know at home, have been extremely busy. The Company continues to push forward, leading the way in support of the #1 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion in the Army! Soldiers in the S-1 (Administrative Operations) shop have had a change of re- sponsibility of their NCOIC, and bid farewell to SFC Akisha Howard. SFC Howard is currently enrolled in the Senior Leaders Course and upon graduation, she will report to Human Resources Command in Washington D.C. to provide administrative support to the US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. Shortly after her departure, we also had to say goodbye to SSG Casey Royal- Williams. SSG Royal-Williams is in training at the US Army Recruiters Course, and upon completion, she will serve the Army as a goodwill ambassador, filling our ranks with new Soldiers and Officers. SSG Robert Whitaker, an Apache Crew chief from Bravo Company, has stepped up and will fill the void as the Above: CPT Wilford Rose and 1SG Jeff Schafer present SPC Tavares new NCOIC of the Administrative section. His natural leadership capability is Foster with his PCS award. SPC Foster is heading to Korea. evident in his daily work, and he is a welcomed asset to the Bounty Hunter team! The S-2 (Intelligence) shop also had a change of Officers as CPT Ashley Pringle prepares to transition into civilian life. 1LT David Love has assumed the position as the Officer in Charge, and a seamless handover was completed. 1LT Love will continue as the OIC of the S-2 shop until this winter when he will also begin his transition to civilian life. The Bounty Hunters wish CPT Pringle and her husband the best of luck with their future endeavors! Not to be outdone, the S-3 (Operations) section also has seen a changeover of the OIC. MAJ Josh Berryhill will take some much needed leave prior to moving just down the road to work for Division Headquarters. His replacement, MAJ Jason Woodward, is no stranger to the 1st CAB. MAJ Woodward has served our Brigade previously and is a great addition to the team! And last, but certainly not least, the S-4 (Supply & Logistics) OIC has changed over from CPT Anthony Arbogast to 1LT Kyle Simpson. 1LT Simpson has already proven to be an attention to detail oriented Officer, and will undoubtedly be successful as the Battalion S-4. Welcome aboard! All Soldiers within the Company continue to impress leaders at all levels across Ft Riley and the Army! We have been fortunate enough to sit in a few sensing sessions with the Sergeant Major of the Army and the Vice Chief of Staff during their visit to Ft Riley. The Company has also continued to train hard in preparation for the upcoming Aerial gunnery, completing numerous Sergeants Time Training on Convoy Opera- tions, Recovery of Wheeled Vehicles, Command Post/Tent exercise, React to possible IED, and Treat a Casualty. Hard, focused training will make us successful in battle, and HHC will train well beyond the standard to make sure all Soldiers are proficient! One final note before I go. Five Soldiers and one family member built a 12 foot boat constructed of only cardboard and tape to compete in the annual Junction City “Float your boat” competition held at Milford Lake. I am happy to re- port that the team not only built an extremely detailed boat, but it floated too! Oh, and the team won 1st PLACE! Con- gratulations to SPC Barrett Brown, SSG Robert Whitaker, SGT Bobby Yanes, 1SG Jeffrey Schafer, SPC Janice Borja, and Ricca Carbullido! A job well done! Thank you all for your untiring support to the Bounty Hunter Company and our Army as a whole. Your efforts are evident daily, and no words could describe the gratitude due. Until next time, 1SG Jeffrey Schafer Above: Bounty Hunter Soldiers in their 1st place winning boat during the 18 AUG “Float Your Boat” competition at Milford Lake. Outstanding use of duct tape and cardboard!! “Bounty Hunter 7”
  • 5. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 5 Greetings from the best Attack Aviation Company in the US Army! During the past months the Alpha Company Devils took the opportunity to recuperate from months of hard training and prepare for the immense amount of work that still lies ahead. However, while the Devils have been taking leave on an individual basis, companywide pro- gressions and training have not stopped. Over the 7th - 9th of August the Devils conducted a Field Training Exercise (FTX) designed to prepare our Crew Chiefs and Aviators for the challenges that await them during the upcoming NTC rotation. Whether setting up tents, participating in night drivers training, reacting to ambushes, or flying missions in support of the maintainers on the ground, every Devil played a role in the exercise. We successfully com- pleted the ‘crawl’ phase of training. However, some final tasks and skills must be practiced in order to ensure that the company is ready to “hit the ground running” when we arrive at NTC in October. In order to prepare for this the Devils will be conduct- ing another FTX from September 4th – 6th in which the com- pany will be required to stay overnight in a field environment in order to perfect field craft skills. The Devils have also accomplished a lot of great things during the last month. We promoted both Faustino Gonzalez SGT Fertig and the Alpha Company crew chiefs preparing to de- part for a Downed Aircraft Recovery Team (DART) drill during our “Operation Devil Down” exercise. and Dustin Blasengame to the rank of Specialist. SPC Kenneth Johnson also completed the Combatives Level 2 course and is now certified as one of the baddest Devils in the company. All of our maintainers are now Apache Block III certified mechanics. SPC Weston is also a graduate of the Warrior Leader’s Course (WLC) and finished the course with honors by making the Commandant’s List. The Command team would also like to recognize some of our team members who are rising through the ranks: CW2 Timothy Settle made the very selective list to become a CW3, while SGT Chad West, SPC Kenneth Johnson, and SPC Justin Schreiner all achieved promotable status to the next rank as well! Great job Devils! Upcoming Key Dates: 4-6SEP: Field Training Exercise 10-30SEP: Battalion Gunnery 22OCT-18NOV: NTC Rotation 24NOV-15JAN: Company Max Leave Devils! 1LT Jesse Curry SPC Weston receiving honors for achieving the Commandant’s List (top Devil 26 CW2 Spence recovering from an Evasion 10%) upon graduating from Warrior Exercise. Leader’s Course (WLC) in Ashland, NE.
  • 6. Page 6 The Apache Post Hello Wolfpack! I can’t believe it’s already been two months since I took command. I am extremely honored to be a part of this close knit team and serving with each of you everyday. It’s been a busy and exciting summer just as we get ready to roll into our battalion gunnery to help kick off the fall season. In case you didn’t already know we just finished our battalion R3 period (Recover, Retraining, Resiliency). I hope you all took the opportunity this summer to enjoy the great weather and spend some well deserved time with family and friends. We dealt with soaring temperatures and some crazy weather in July and Au- gust, but I think the coolers temps are upon us as the summer comes to a close. Fall sports already kicked off for the kids and school just started for most. Before you know it we’ll be pulling out costumes for Halloween and decorating for Thanksgiving. As a company we had a few events this summer, some of which al- Above: CPT Garcia (right) speaks with one of the visitors lowed us to show off our new helicopters and enjoy some time out- from the “Friends of Fort Riley” static display on Custer Hill (10JUL12) side of the office. We had a very successful static display on Custer Hill where CW2 Harris and CPT Garcia were able to share the new Apache Block III with the “Friends of Fort Riley” visitors from across the state. I think the both won the interest of the crowd that day and possibly recruited some future attack pilots. We also hosted a company hail and farewell on August 1st over at the Little Apple Brewing Company where we welcomed a new team of great Soldiers: SFC Racoma, SFC Francis, SGT Rowland, SPC Rigby, SPC Rudicill, PFC Guertin, and PFC Santiago. We also said farewell to CPT Shafer and SSG Whittaker, both great losses for the Wolfpack. Above: Bravo Company rolling out down the Republican River. Some going forwards….some going sideways. We had a successful kayaking trip down the Republican River be- (17AUG12) tween Junction City and Ogden on August 17th. The weather was excellent and the current was just enough to get us down the river. The only issues we ran into were some low water levels and trouble keeping the kayaks and canoes traveling in the correct direction. It was a great time for fellowship as a unit and learning the basics of canoeing/kayaking for many of us. If the weather cooperates we’ll look at doing this again in October. As always, I want to thank all the families for your patience and sup- port over the course of the summer. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the summer season and the upcoming Labor Day Weekend. Above: SFC Racoma (right) hails SGT Rowland (left) as one WOLFPACK! of the newest members of the Wolfpack family. (02AUG12) CPT Leo A. Amoling, Wolf 6
  • 7. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 7 The Ghostriders continue their march toward Gunnery and be- yond. The company recently completed its maximum leave pe- riod in support of the 1-1 ARB Recovery, Retraining, and Resil- iency, also known as R3. During this time, our Soldiers and Offi- cers were encourage to take as much time off as they desired, while training requirements would be reduced to accommodate all leave requests. Nearly all of the Ghostriders took advantage of the R3 period. Several took leave in conjunction with the birth of their children. CW3 Fara, CW2 Cordova, CW2 Atkins, and PFC Valentin all welcomed their newborns Skylar, Jack, Brycen, and Juan, respectively, into the world during this time. With CPT Marr’s and former Ghostrider CPT Stewart’s wives due any day Above: Jack Cordova, newborn son of Company IP, CW2 Josh Cordova, was now, this year has proven quite productive for Charlie Company. born on 21 JUN. We wish them all health and happiness for years to come! Many Ghostriders attended schools during this period in order to further their contributions to the company and the Army. Several Soldiers have attended the Warrior Leader Course and Combat Life Saver Course, while we also sent Warrant Officers to the Advanced Course and Instructor Pilot Course. We continue to rotate our personnel through Apache Block III training in Mesa, AZ. Due to leave and schools, Charlie company had as few as 10 personnel present on some days during normal work hours! Many of those Ghostriders will say that training never actually slowed down. The company is charging full speed towards Aerial Gunnery in Septem- ber, followed by a training mission at Fort Knox, KY on 8-19OCT. Other upcoming events include a company FRG meeting on 06SEP, Gunnery Family Day on 15SEP, and a company Hail and Farewell at the end of October. Ghostriders! Above: SPC Fleischer enjoyed his well-earned promotion to 1LT(P) Derek Merkler Sergeant on 7 AUG.
  • 8. Page 8 The Apache Post Desperados Family and Friends, I’d like to thank all the Soldiers and families for their support on all levels which allowed for a smooth Change of Com- mand transition. Despite the enormous amount of equipment in our company, the change of command inventories were the smoothest that I’ve seen with no lost equipment. Excel- lent work! Lindsey and I are grateful for the warm welcome that we have received from the Desperados. I am honored with the opportunity to serve with and work alongside each and every Desperado Soldier. We know that we have joined a great team! I thank you for all you do and all your support as family members! Lindsey and I recognize that we would not Above: An example of the many layouts done during Change of excel as a company at what we do without your support to Command inventories. This is just a fraction of the equipment your Soldier and the Desperado Company. that must be accounted for during a change of command! Our FRG meeting held on August 16th was a success. We were able to provide a quick update on where the FRG is going and how beneficial it is to communicate pertinent information about upcoming training and family events. At the meeting we promoted the FRG email list and the “1-1 Desperados” FRG Facebook® page. Those in attendance also received the company calendar for training and family events over the next ten months. If you could not make the meeting but would like a copy of the calendar, please contact me or have your Soldier request a calendar through the chain of com- mand. By this time, the summer is almost over and I hope you all have enjoyed some well deserved time off and time with your families. As we enter into fall, the Gunfighter Aerial Gunnery is quickly ap- proaching us. The Desperados will play a major role in this because as we know, if the wrenches aren’t tuning, the helicopters aren’t flying. Family members, be sure to Above: Two Desperados donning the latest in gear. come and join us for the Battalion Gun- nery Family Day on September 15th as we will enjoy some free steaks and watch some helicopter gunnery! Lastly, thank you to our friends and Families for your support. Our many accomplishments and accolades are not possible without you. At any time, please let me know how we may better support you and your family. Lindsey and I look forward to meeting and getting to know all of you in the months to come. DESPERADOS! Above: LTC Vedder hands the guidon to CPT Rus- CPT Seth W Russell sell during the Change of Command Ceremony held Desperado 6 on 27 JUL in the 1-1 hangar.
  • 9. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 9 Hello Family and friends of the Outlaw Team! This is the first newsletter since I took command of Echo Company Outlaws on 2JUL12. The summer has quickly passed us and we are gearing up to support Ae- rial Gunnery in September. The Outlaw Team has seen a lot of changes over the summer. We say goodbye to CPT Pugh and 1LT Simpson and say hello to the new company executive officer 2LT Bosch. Since our last newsletter I have had the distinct honor of promoting SFC Falmngar, SPC Bailey, SPC Smith and SPC Asbell, Above: E CO Soldiers performing mission essential tasks during the as well as re-enlisting SPC Adams and SPC Bailey. recent FARP Stakes on 23 AUG 2012 We are also bidding farewell to the former E Co Family Readiness Group Leader Heather Pugh and welcoming the new E Co Family Readiness Group Leader Cathy Gitschlag to the Outlaw team. Cathy along with her husband SGT Richard Gitschlag are coming to us from Fort Shafter, Hawaii and are excited to hit the ground running by already scheduling events for early Octo- ber. The Outlaws have been busy this month ensuring that we are fit to fight. We’ve passed all inspections and as always supported the battalion through our field feeding, fueling, ammunition handling, and ground maintenance. In preparation for Aerial Gunnery, we executed a FARP Stakes (Forward Area Refueling Point establishment). This allowed us the great opportunity to work Above: An E CO Soldier qualifying together with our D Co brethren and ensure that we are fit to support the at the .50 Caliber Range on 24 JUL 2012. fight in September. The Outlaw team remains vigilant by minimizing complacency and emphasizing safety in order to ensure our training is not only effective but safe and fun. OUTLAWS!!! CPT Richard Trahan -OUTLAW 6 Above: The sign says it all. Refueling is a mission critical task that involves a lot of training, safety precautions, and expertise. Training missions like the recent FARP Stakes help prepare our Outlaws for this task.
  • 10. Page 10 The Apache Post Happy August, Fenix Family! It has been a while since the last newsletter and there is a veritable ton of updates. Fenix Company is IOT&E complete with all of our equipment racing home on trucks. We plan on having several FRG meetings in the coming months to make sure spouses and family are well acquainted with the schedule of events and training. These past few months have been a milestone in the history of F Co, 1st Aviation Regiment. The Company has just completed its IOT&E or Initial Operational Test and Evaluation of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAS. A grueling affair lasting from early June to the end of August, F Com- pany displayed its professionalism and cohesiveness while demonstrating the combat effectiveness of both the Company and the Gray Eagle plat- form. Here are some statistics to build perspective on the accomplish- ments of the Fenix Soldiers: 1284 Flight Hours Flown (the equivalent of flying over 53 days straight), over 48,000 gallons of JP8 Jet Fuel, 8 live Hellfire Missile engagements, over 750 man hours worked and an Op- eration Readiness Rate of 96% (an incredible, almost impossible number Above: A hangar of Grey Eagles to reach). This accomplishment is only a stepping stone for F Co; it is training event that has built the organization into a cohesive fighting unit capable of supporting up to five simultaneous missions at any given point in time. I am truly proud to be a part of Fenix Company and have the honor to work with these amazing Soldiers. The road ahead is wrought with more training events, but designed to maximize family time. As most of you know, we will begin our “Maximum Leave” period on the 8th of September and conclude it on the 23rd. This time period is designed to give the Soldiers who deployed to Edwards Air Force Base a chance to spend quality time with their families and recuperate before we begin training again. I implore each family member and Soldier to utilize this leave period. It is well deserved. The months of October and November are designated for training and com- pleting several pre-deployment requirements. Before we may deploy as a unit, we have several “gates” to pass through. These include SRP, Pre-Deployment Training Requirements and an MRE (Field exercise). The focus of this time span is to get as much of this training complete, allowing for a slower work pace through December. In the coming months, we are looking forward to Gray Eagle flying at Ft. Ri- ley, KS. We have just signed the paperwork to receive our aircraft and are anxiously awaiting the COA (Letter of UAS Operational Agreement) to be signed. This milestone will make Ft. Riley the first Army post with a Gray Eagle Company to conduct flight operations. The second order effects mean our Operators and Maintainers no longer have to travel to Edwards Air Force Base for training and currency. They will soon be able to conduct all of their training back home, giving them more time with their families. While this newsletter is short for the amount of accomplishments from the past few months, I wanted to ensure plenty of room for all of the pictures Above: An MQ-1C armed with two Hellfire Missiles from the F Co, 1st Aviation Regiment training event. waits in the hangar for the sandstorm to settle. Respectfully, CPT Joseph DiFrancesco Fenix 6
  • 11. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 11 Some of our companies have undergone some leadership changes. Here is our current roster of FRG Lead- ers and their contact information. If you are not sure who your FRG Leader is, contact the BN FRSA at Julie.l.petruccelli-treen.civ@mail.mil and you will be pointed in the right direction. BN FRG Advisor: Jennifer Vedder, jenn.vedder@yahoo.com HHC ‘Bountyhunters’: Michele Clay, chelew@gmail.com A CO ‘Devils’: Melissa Bates, dinosaurl@bellsouth.net B CO ‘Wolfpack’: Mandi Harris, mandiparkerharris@gmail.com C CO ‘Ghostriders’: Alycia Marr, Austin_alycia@yahoo.com Ghostriders Email, charliecoghostriders@yahoo.com D CO ‘Desperados’: Amber Weeks, mrsaweeks1014@aol.com Jan Cruz, fjn_cruz@hotmail.com D CO Email, deltaco11arb@aol.com E CO ‘Outlaws’: Cathy Gitschlag cgit44@yahoo.com Naterra Bailey bettame@ksu.edu F CO ‘Fenix’: Lisa McCoy, lisammccoy@hotmail.com
  • 12. Page 12 The Apache Post
  • 13. Volume 1, Issue 6 Page 13
  • 14. Gunfighters! 1-1 ARB traces its roots to the formation of the 1st Aviation Company, 1-1 Attack Reconnaisance Battalion 1st ID, constituted on 15 February 1957 at Fort Riley, KS. Later redes- ignated as 1st Aviation Battalion, one of the first aviation units to em- Battalion Headquarters BLDG 802 Marshall ploy helicopter gunships and reconnaissance helicopters in unison to Avenue conduct search and destroy teams, commonly referred to as "hunter/ Fort Riley, Kansas killer" teams. Currently stationed at Fort Riley, the Gunfighters con- Find us on Facebook(r) tinue to provide invaluable reconnaissance and lethal attack helicopters at http:// www.facebook.com/ fires for the Soldiers of the Big Red One. #!/pages/ Gunfighters/113862645 The Gunfighters are commanded by LTC Edward M.Vedder. CSM Pat- rick W. Lunsford is the senior enlisted advisor. This is the informational newsletter of 1-1 Attack Reconnaissance Bat- talion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division that contains both official and unofficial information. The inclusion of non-official in- formation in this newsletter has not increased the cost to the United States Government in accordance with DoD 425.8-M.