The Vidette- Official newsletter 15 aug13

The 1- 623d Field Artillery
Battalion Mayor’s Cell has had a huge
impact on this training mission
supporting Operation Enduring
Freedom.
For the military, the operation of
a “Mayor’s cell” is one that is a vital part
of the continued flow and continuity of a
camp. As the chief administrator and
official representative, the mayor is
responsible for the general management
and for seeing that all laws and policies
are enforced and that everybody is in
compliance with the rules have been set
by the Command.
TTHHEE VVIIDDEETTTTEE
1st
Bn 623d Field artillery
Individual Highlights:
Cover Story 1
Commander 2
Sergeant Major 2
Law & Order 3
Genius Bar 3
WKU Alumni 3
Chaplain’s Corner 4
S4 4
First Aid Station 5
Motor Pool 5
Battery Block 6
Battery Block Cont. 7
Cover Story Cont. 8
Photos 9

15 AUG 2013
Vol. 1 Issue 8
Our Definition of Mayor Maybe a Little Different Than Yours
1LT Dubree has taken over as Mayor for CPT Hodges who has just taken battery command. The cell from left to right is
1LT Mike Dubree, SGT Mekki, SGT Kevin Bradfield, and SFC Michael Hovious. Not included in the picture but also
contribute to the cell in a major way is 1SG Jeffery Campbell, SPC Jordan Jewell and CPT Brian Hodges.
PhotosLayout/Design/Photographer
1LT Gordon Deming
Writer/Photographer
SGT Bryan Ploughe
Photo by SGT Bryan Ploughe
Continued on Page 6
By SGT Bryan Ploughe
The military is built on military
occupational specialties (MOS’s for
enlisted) and areas of concentration
(Officers). Operating a “Mayor’s
cell” is not a specialized area of
training for the military. So, the
flexibility and resiliency of the
Soldiers’ that the details fall under
is tested. This operation consists of
a wide variety of things that to
most Soldiers would not notice, of
course, until something went
wrong or was unavailable to them.

COMMANDER’S WORDS
LTC Timothy Fanter
“The leader has to
be practical and a
realist, yet must
talk the language of
the visionary and
the idealist.”
- Eric Hoffer
Greetings to our Soldiers, families, friends, and supporters of Morgan’s
Men. As we begin our final few months at the Joint Training Center, I would
like to thank everyone for their hard work and sacrifice during this deployment,
which started long before we left for Camp Shelby and will continue even after
we return to our families. The families, employers, family support groups and
leaders, rear detachment and deployed Soldiers have each done a tremendous
job contributing to the success of our mission.
For the Soldiers of Morgan’s Men, does your civilian employer support
you or your family while you are deployed? You can recognize your employer
by nominating them for an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
award. There are seven different levels of awards such as the Patriot Award,
Spouse Patriot Award, Seven Seals Award, and the Above and Beyond Award
can be nominated at http://www.esgr.mil/Employer-Awards/ESGR-Awards-
Programs.aspx.
Finally, as a friendly reminder, January 2014 starts the Battalion’s Re-
Blue Reintegration Event. It is the post deployment reintegration training and
Yellow Ribbon requirements and is mandatory for all Soldiers to attend. If you
have questions on the complete schedule of activities and locations, please see
your chain of command.
Morgan 6
Soldiers of 1-623d FA, our deployment is winding down. August,
September, and October will be busy months for all of us as we prepare to
redeploy while still driving on with our mission. Let's finish off strong and
most importantly let's focus on getting everyone back home safe and sound.
Thanks for all you do and keep up the good work.
COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR
CSM Robert Neathery

LAW & ORDER
In the Army we often hear the term standard. We train to standard, we
work to standard, and we perform to standard. The Army standard comes
from Army Regulations, Policy Memos, General Orders, and Field Manuals.
At times we do not have a defined standard, but as Soldiers we know what
the standard is. We are over half way through our mission, at our job every
day for over five months. Even if our job here is not our MOS, we’ve
gotten experienced at it and can do it well. With experience comes
S6
The S-6 shop is focusing on improving our technical proficiency
at this stage of the deployment. CW2 Young has left to take the CISSP
exam, so we wish him best of luck. SGT Jeremy Jackson has completed
his CompTIA A+ certification and has completed the CompTIA trifecta
of certifications! Congratulations to SGT Jackson and good luck
Chief…great job team.
1LT Matthew Speer
confidence, with confidence comes complacency, and with complacency comes mistakes. Though we are on
the downhill side of our deployment, our individual duties are as important to the mission now as they were
day one. Not upholding Army standards can be punished under UCMJ. UCMJ Article 134 is a very broad rule
that requires punishment for any action that affects good order and discipline. We all need to uphold the
Army standards for mission success, and also to stay legal!
CPT Nicholas Carter
Western Kentucky Alumni Represent in Jordan
1-623d alumni and current students gather to support their alma mater to the left and WKU ROTC graduates gather on the right.

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER
CH (CPT) W. Ryan Steenburg
Craving for Personal Holiness
Today, as I type this thought, Muslims celebrate the last day
of Ramadan. As much as Ramadan is celebrated every year, it has
never had as much of my attention as it has this year. It has been
quite an experience for all of us to be living in a country and
surrounded by a culture that celebrates this month of fasting and
prayers. We, each in our own way, have had to make
accommodations for this season. We have learned to be more
conscious of those around us when we want a drink of water and
have taken strides to adjust our training to better suit an audience on
the verge of slumber. For the practicing Muslim, they have spent the
last thirty days fasting during daylight hours, feasting at night, and
attending prayers into the wee hours of the morning.
Writing about hunger and thirst, Henry Blackaby once said,
“Hunger and thirst are the body’s way of telling us that we are
empty”. At some point we have all experienced hunger and thirst.
Even if we do not fast like the Muslim community, we can empathize
with what they endure every Ramadan season. We also can hunger
and thirst from a spiritual perspective. When we allow our lives to get
to far away from what God would have for us, we can often feel our
hearts crying out, “Empty!” For the Christian, this is an emptiness
that can only be filled with Christ and His righteousness. Too often,
however, our problem is not that we are empty but we are instead
filled with self. Pursuing Christ’s righteousness means that we value
the opinion of God far more than we treasure the opinions of
people. It also means seeking after the fruit of the Spirit which is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26). How is your spiritual
hunger? Do you hear your spirit crying “empty”? Do you have a
craving for personal holiness? Spiritual resiliency leads to strength. It
is a daily activity that needs to be built by developing positive
relationships, being a part of a community, and having some sort of
devotional center. Spiritual resiliency is not waiting for something to
happen, but preparing to be well-grounded when it does. It’s time to
satisfy that craving. May God bless the 623rd
.
For God & Country,
CH (CPT) W. Ryan Steenburg
Greetings from the world of supply. The
supply section continues to support JTC
and other surrounding FOBS. We have
had a good month as SPC Toby Turner
was chosen as the Battalion Hero of the
week this past month. He has done an
outstanding job supporting the entire
battalion and all other units around JTC.
Things are starting to pick back up even
more as we start planning our DEMOB
process and scheduling all of departure
time frames. We will be working with
Camp Shelby to insure that the process
thru there goes as seamless as possible. I
want to remind everybody that as our
time here grows close to the end that all
shortages must be ordered or you will be
held financially liable for shortages
discovered at the inventories with the
new unit. If you need any ADO items
you need to get these into SFC Turner as
soon as you can due to the fact that our
CIF account will be close 45 days prior to
our TOA date. I need all DD1750’s
turned into to me filled out correctly with
5 copies to make sure all of your
equipment is accounted for. You can
come by and see me and we will tell you
where to put all 5 copies. This is vital in
case you have any equipment that may
come up missing in transient from here
to Camp Shelby. These will be used as an
exhibit if anything happens so it is
imperative to make sure you put as much
data on them as you can to identify the
items. The more detail the less likely you
are to pay for something. The Kuwait
team headed up by SGT Thurman is
starting to close the accounts as soon as
possible getting ready for their move up
here. They have done an outstanding job
the whole deployment getting items that
have been requested to support our
mission here. “YARD DOGS NEVER
DIE”
S4
SFC Scotty Turner

“Combat medics never stand
taller than when they kneel to
treat the wounded saving lives
in the midst of utter chaos.”
-Unknown
FIRST AID STATION
MOTOR POOL
Hey guys, it continues to be hot outside and we need to continue to take care of
our bodies by protecting ourselves from dehydration by making sure we are drinking
water and eating regular diets. We need to make sure we watch taking supplements and
drinks containing caffeine because they will dehydrate you. We also need to be
watching out for our skin too by wearing sunscreen when we are going to be out in the
sun. The medical section has sunscreen and can give it out on request. We have been
doing well with gym and sport injuries so keep up the good work.
MAJ “Doc” Hayden
We all know seat belts save lives. According to National Safety
Council wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of crash injuries by 50
percent and have saved more than 75,000 lives from 2004-2008. That is
nearly the population of Barren, Wayne, and Taylor counties combined.
As much as we rely on this equipment every time we get behind the
wheel, it is often the most over looked safety item when it comes to
preventative maintenance.
To be sure you can rely on your seat belt, perform the following
inspections:
-Seat belts can rot and seams can deteriorate. Check your
webbing fabric and seams for deterioration, cuts, or tears.
Especially check closely if you have an older vehicle
- Keep you seat belts clean. Dirt in the fabric can cause faster
breakdown of the material and can interfere with the operation
of retractors and buckles. You can use a toothbrush to clean
crud out of nooks and crannies. Use a damp cloth to clean belts.
-Check the operation of buckles and retractors. Buckles should
latch and release without sticking. Retractors should lock upon
stopping quickly or jerking the belt. Once stopped, the belt
should be able to be pulled out smoothly and freely.
Once you have verified that your seat belts are in good condition
don’t forget to use them each time you operate personal vehicles,
tactical vehicles, or material handling equipment!
WO1 Melissa Propes
Maintenance of vehicles and equipment is a
vital part of mission readiness. The
maintenance team operates primarily out of 2
maintenance tents, to provide shelter from the
elements, and a few connex’s to store
necessary parts and tools in.
Photo By SGT Bryan Ploughe

Battery Block
Alpha Battery
2LT Josiah Garvey
Headhunter Soldiers and families, with
July came the start of training for Coalition
Forces. The first two weeks consisted of
preparation for the start of training. Soldiers
maintained equipment, gathered supplies and
practiced teaching their respective classes. At the
start of week 3 Headhunter soldiers first met with
their Companies, made introductions and started
classes such as METT-TC, US Rank Structure,
and Life on a US FOB to name a few.
In the coming weeks, Headhunter soldiers
will teach the Coalition Forces everything they
need to know to accomplish their mission in
Afghanistan. Training will consist of
Communication classes, Drivers Certification, and
a weeklong Medical lane to wrap up the month.
HHB
CPT Kevin Massengill
Hello again Soldiers, families and friends of HHB 1-623d FA. I would like to begin by welcoming the newest
and youngest members to the HHB Family: 1) Joshua Steenburg, Eli Iqbal, Ellasyn (Ella) Wallace, Emma Massengill,
Isaac Dixon, Layla Collins and Kyle Tarpley. Congratulations to Moms and Dads on your new arrivals. Unlike many
deployed units, all of the HHB Fathers were able to go on leave with the arrival of their little ones. Thanks again to
the Battalion and Brigade Leadership for their ongoing family support.
Our minds are starting to shift gears a little now. We have settled into a routine and the new has worn off.
We have begun to turn our thoughts to the return trip; planning for shipping containers, conversing with the
incoming unit, and researching the demobilization process and itinerary. Each little milestone draws us a little closer
to our support groups back home. Before long we will have our evaluation reports started, awards recommendations
submitted, and holiday vacations booked.
The joke going around here relates to the holidays – most of our Soldiers have been in the gym, bulking up
muscle, losing weight, and improving Physical Training scores…just in time for a half dozen welcome home dinners,
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years; and we’ll love every minute of it!
Summer has heated up to its highest temps and it will probably stay there for a couple more months. The
direct sun is searing, but it usually doesn’t get above 95 degrees and there is little humidity. Kentucky’s weather is
actually worse than this. The evenings are nice when the sun goes down without that muggy feeling we are used to at
home (we sure miss that muggy feeling back home, though). The Kuwait team has not been as lucky with the weather
and has worked through the heat of and dust supporting Jordan every day. By the time we start to load out for our
return, the weather should break for us and maybe we will get to see a few leaves clinging the trees when we get
stateside. Let’s hope time will go by fast as we finish off the second half.
Headhunter Soldiers prepare and
maintain equipment prior to the
training cycle.

Battery Block Cont.
Charlie Battery
With a new training cycle starting,
Charlie Battery is hitting the ground running
with CPT Shingledecker’s team back safe and
sound from their previous mission and plans
for the next training cycle are underway. We
first would like to wish SFC Roark, SGT
Brown, and SGT Worley a belated happy
birthday, and a future happy birthday to CPT
Shingledecker, 1SG Campbell T., SPC Lowery,
and SGT Gregory.
Charlie Battery, in the past month has
had a quite a few accomplishments.
Congratulations to SGT Jessie Coomer for
being named the NCO of the year. SGT
Coomer was a primary instructor this past
training cycle and with his prior service and
experience; he is once again a primary
instructor and will directly be correlated with
the success of this mission in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. Charlie Battery
was not only home to the NCO of the year,
but the soldier of the year as well with
deserving congratulations to SPC Winchester
for being unanimously chosen amongst his
peers. SPC Winchester being a valuable asset as
an assistant instructor, he has took it upon
himself to mentor lower enlisted Soldiers on
public speaking and to be more comfortable
with a language barrier using a linguist.
With all the Battery’s professional
accomplishments, Charlie Battery is going
above and beyond with personal goals as well.
Being no strangers to the gym, congratulations
to those whole all are members to the 1000lb
club during the “FOB Strongest Man”
competition (Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press,
Pull-Ups); SGT Jesse Mascoe (1115lbs), SGT
Miller (1085), SSG Tucker E. (1025lbs), SGT
Coomer (1000lbs). Another congrats to the
individual event winners; SGT Jessie “Mr.
Crossfit” Mascoe won the deadlift with 500lbs.
SGT Miller with an astonishing 305lb bench
press, and 18 pull-ups.
On a closing note, Charlie Battery is
accomplishing many things outside of the FOB
with training, as well as within the FOB
recreationally and professionally. More great
things to come until the time comes we head
home safe and sound to our families back
home.
PHOTOS
Postal operations are a vital part to the morale of a camp while deployed.
When the 1-623d first arrived in country, postal was only available once a
week. Now, it is available every day.
Postal operations are a vital part to the morale of a camp while deployed.
When the 1-623d first arrived in country, postal was only available once a
week. Now, it is available every day.

Cover Story Cont.
Just a few of these items include
chow hall operations, living quarters
maintenance, personal hygiene area repairs,
fuel availability, contractor assets(laundry,
AFFES, vendors) and the list goes on and
on. With a monthly budget, that most of us
could buy several very nice homes with,
things are actually ran very tight and having
to get by with as few luxuries as possible.
The camp that the 623d occupies and
operates the Mayor’s cell in, has fluctuated
from a few hundred Soldiers to nearly 4
times that, during its peak. Tracking the
personnel coming in and out of a camp
really has its challenges. The Mayor is the
point of contact for EVERYTHING.
He/she has to know, at all times, how
many beds are available, the gender of the
personnel and how long those individuals
are planning on staying. Tracking
personnel is a daily task and is always
changing.
Maintenance of a camp is an
ongoing matter. In the scenario that the
623d has been placed into, all coordination
of repairs, changes or improvements to
work areas, living areas, MWR areas and
personal hygiene areas has to be
coordinated through a point of contact of
the host nation. At that point they turn in
paperwork requesting the
repair/improvement and it then becomes
prioritized and considered for cost.
When most Soldiers get to enjoy
some periodic down time, the Mayor and
the small team that he/she has, are always
on call and remain on standby to provide
for the camp at a moments notice. These
individuals are not only Soldiers, but they
become plumbers, carpenters, electricians,
landscapers, small appliance repairmen,
inventory specialists, and so on. Basically,
all tasks that need to be conducted on a
camp, are performed by these stand alone,
self sufficient individuals.
AFFES PX trailers “We go where you go”, is an accurate phrase. Other than
buying the necessities from the local economy, AAFEs has offered easy
accessibility to some of the daily comforts of home.
Soldiers require a facility to remain physically fit and mentally strong. The
improvements have been monumental to the gym, where the 1-623d works
out at.
The financial needs of the Soldiers can be provided by the finance team.
Finance is open daily now. Soldiers only had finance available to them
once every two weeks, until recently.

Postal operations are a vital part to the morale of a camp while
deployed. When the 1-623d first arrived in country, postal was only
available once a week. Now, it is available every day.
Soldiers often seek a place of peace and quiet to read, play cards,
or perhaps enjoy a fresh cup of coffee and the MWR/USO
room provides just that for them.
For Soldiers to remain spiritually strong, and healthy in their beliefs while
deployed, religious activities are offered in the Chapel on a regular basis.
The living quarters, known as CHU’s (containerized
housing units) offer a place of privacy and rest for
Soldiers while deployed.
From a few computers with no privacy to a state of the
art computer lab with the capability to video message and
Skype with cameras, the technology has vastly improved
while Soldiers are deployed.
All Photos By SGT Bryan Ploughe

The Vidette- Official newsletter 15 aug13

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The Vidette- Official newsletter 15 aug13