1. From the Ground Up
505th Engineer Combat Battalion September 2012
“Make no little plans.
They have no magic to We have indeed had a tasks at hand. This huge fessional development is
stir men's blood ... Make busy month. Thankfully, undertaking is the larg- a must!
big plans; aim high in
we are seeing tempera- est single project in this
hope and work ..."
- Daniel Burnham
tures moderate as we battalion’s history and is Sustain healthy commu-
continue to learn our the most important mili- nication both here and
“The germ of gossip may jobs, conduct engineer tary construction mis- with your friends and
be likened to the germ of operations, and sion in theater. family back home. As
cancer – as the latter con- “improve our foxholes”. busy as we are, it is easy
taminates and rots the We all knew when we Projects in Kuwait are to get caught up in the
healthy flesh, so the for- deployed that world also critical and impor- “rumor mill” when the
mer contaminates and events would ebb and tant to the US mission. true answer can simply
rots the social fabric, har- flow beyond our con- 505th Soldiers are all be had by asking a ques-
mony, and happiness of trol. The current situa- over the area of respon- tion through the chain of
the unit.” tion with the embassy command. Regular com-
sibility and remain en-
– Officers Manual,
attacks around the Mid- gaged and busy. Several munication with our
1917 ed., Major J.A.
dle East and the height- upcoming projects are families also keeps us
Moss ened tensions, however, vital and of the highest grounded and con-
“Don’t sweat the things serve to underscore the priority to ASG-Kuwait nected; assuaging fears
you can’t control” importance of what is in and the host nation. or false impressions and
- Robert Wilks our control. We have the bolstering mutual sup-
control to remain vigi- Among the many things port.
lant; retain situational that we are tracking is
awareness, communi- Soldier education. We We have the right to be
cate, pursue self- have been fortunate to proud of the work we
Content Page improvement, and look get several Soldiers to have done so far; of our-
BN CDR 1 to our battle buddies, the Warrior Leader selves, our companies,
875 EN CO 2/3 leadership, and families Course and have made a and the 505th. Under-
for support and guid- big push to fulfill indi- stand that you are work-
FSC 4/5
ance. vidual on-line Struc- ing important, enduring,
497 EN CO 6/7 tured Self Development historic missions.
HHC 8/9 CSM Scott and I had the requirements. There are
882 EN CO 10 good fortune to travel to many Soldiers pursuing Keep improving, keep
Afghanistan to visit our civilian education on communicating, and
Birthdays 11
soldiers there. The mis- line as well. The battal- keep up the hard
927 SDT 12 sion is going very well ion is also finalizing work!
BN Staff 13 considering its con- plans for the “Engineer
Photos of Kuwait 14/15 straints; leaders and sol- Academy” to further our “FROM THE
diers alike are motivated education as engineers GROUND UP!”
544 EN CO 16/17
and dedicated to the between missions. Pro- Castle 6
BN Maintenance Shop 18
and 544 (last shot)

2. Page 2 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
2
1st Platoon’s second
month has been as busy as
the first. They have com-
pleted an ammo pad, spread
reclaimed asphalt at the
Kuwait Naval Base, built a
pad for the veterinarians,
and repaired several roads
and yards on Camp Arifjan.
Soldiers are becoming more
experienced at operating
heavy equipment everyday.
As shown to the right, SPC
Martin is operating one of
the more skill-required
pieces, the motor grader.
Many of our Soldiers are becoming so proficient enough
that the platoon is able to complete missions days ahead of
schedule. LT Robinson states, “We have our sights set on SPC Martin operating the grader for the
many more projects ahead and look forward to the coming W7A yard improvement project.
months. in Afghanistan.”
2nd Platoon, Construction at Camp John Pratt, Afghanistan
2nd PLT worked tirelessly in their “New missions are
first few weeks in Afghanistan battling
the unfamiliar terrain, constant climate given daily and
changes, unforgiving dust storms and
being away from their loved ones in Soldiers are never
NC. During 2PLT’s short time at
Camp John Pratt, they have worked on doing the same
12 different sites and completed three
projects. They work two shifts a day
thing as the day
dedicated to completing the mission before.” -1LT
and representing the Workhorse repu-
tation. Morrison
SSG Hardenberger operating the
HYEX.
875th’s Maintenance... Defining “Busy”
The maintenance crew has movement forward to Afghanistan later
put in relentless hours in order this month and has packed containers
to fix and maintain the neces- with spare parts, oil, and lubrication.
sary equipment to complete the They have truly came together as a
engineer missions in Kuwait team and have made all of the missions
and in Afghanistan. possible. After all, nothing can be done
The equipment in Kuwait is with equipment that won’t run!
up to 90% mission capable,
which is a huge turn around
from when the team (shown
left) arrived two months ago.
The maintenance team in Af-
ghanistan is working an aver-
age of 15 hours each day to
improve the initial mission
From left: SPC Shoaf, SPC Dennison, PFC capability of 30% when they
Wyatt, SPC Highsmith, SSG Creighton, SPC arrived one month ago.
Avalos, SGT Grogg, SGT Faw, PFC Jones,
and PFC Jarman. The crew in Kuwait is SPC Mitchell from 2PLT operating
making preparations for their the pan.

3. 3 Engineers: From the Ground UP! Page 3
3rd Platoon, Ready To WORK! Camp John Pratt, Afghanistan
3rd Platoon is working with 2nd platoon to
complete three large projects and several
smaller projects in Afghanistan. Each day
brings a new challenge and 3rd Platoon is hard
at work for two shifts each day.
3rd platoon’s main project, the 110 acre
motor pool is being constructed by rough
grading existing soil, laying two inch rock,
and then capping it off with base material.
They are also preparing many tent pads as
part of this project which must be between at
3% grade.
As a whole, 3rd platoon has adapted to the
challenge of living and working in Afghani-
stan and is working seven days a week.
Members of 3rd Platoon working with Red Horse on a hasty Entry Control Point .
Commander’s Comments
This month has seen Work- been working on a variety of pro-
horse Soldiers going full speed jects improving roads and prepar-
ahead in both Afghanistan and ing grounds for future construction
Kuwait. Our Soldiers in Af- on Camp Arifjan and the Kuwaiti
ghanistan have hit the ground naval base. October looks to be
running and have been working even busier as we will begin 24
on preparing motor-pools that hour operations on our project sites
will be used in retrograding in Afghanistan.
equipment out of Afghanistan,
I am also excited to say that our
preparing grounds for a new
whole company will soon be united
American dining facility and
in Afghanistan and will continue to
digging a storm-water retention
uphold our tradition of excellence
pond.
that we have become known for.
Our Soldiers in Kuwait have
CPT William M. Dudley, Company Commander
Soldiers from 3rd Platoon working at the LOCGAP site.

4. Page 4 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
4
FROM THE COMMANDER’S DESK:
The Alpha Dawgs have now been in country for a little over two months. Time for most of us is flying by. The
Alpha Dawgs have settled into a battle rhythm and work is steady. Below is just a portion of what we do and have been
doing to support “From the Ground Up”
The Distribution Platoon has been supporting a two front mission with troops in Afghanistan and Kuwait. Their
fuel handlers have pumped over 20,000 gals of fuel between the two locations, and with the start of our third month,
their truck drivers (88Ms), have become very familiar with all the Kuwaiti roads. They have driven in excess of 15,000
miles in our short time here.
The Field Feeding section of the Alpha Dawgs has been tasked out to several locations, where they manage food
service operations that have resulted in an average of 100,000 meals a month being served. SSG Duckworth and SGT
Hinks are working on their Contracting Officer Representative certification so they can help manage the food service
contracts and ensure the contractors follow the proper contracting rules and guidelines. This certification also ensures
that the Government receives the most cost effective solutions to feeding our soldiers. Other duties include PV2 Geor-
ges and SPC Jones inspecting and certifying the connex shipments coming into the DFACS (dining facilities also known as
mess halls). SPC Palmer serves as the Fire Marshal ensuring compliance with the fire codes and that the DFACS have
emergency plans in case of fire.
The Maintenance Platoon has fully inspected all equipment left from the departing unit and is showing the rest of
Arifjan how real maintenance is done! They have repaired over 105 vehicles from a non-mission capable status to fully
mission capable. In addition, we have supported six other Companies with their maintenance work load. The welding
section of the maintenance platoon has completed 14 jobs to date and is currently working on six more. The jobs have
ranged from fabrication and installation of a flag pole to the fabrication and installation of load bearing supports for build-
ing structures.
This is only a small portion of what this Company does to support our Battalion and sister units. Know this;
that the Alpha Dawgs are staying busy and doing a great job to support our mission. Once again, I want to say thanks to
all our loved ones and friends back home. As I’ve said before, our support here is what we do for our country; the sup-
port our family and loved ones send are for our drive to come home and to finish this deployment with great pride. Un-
til next month, know the Alpha Dawgs are leading the pack! GO ALPHA DAWGS!!!
-FSC Company Commander Rodney Woody
SPC Atha and SPC Garner receive Certificates of
Appreciation for their welding skills

5. Engineers: From the Ground UP!
5 Page 5
PFC Miller and SPC James washing a M916 at the wash rack at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
A D9 bulldo
zer at the Bat
talion Motor
Pool.

6. Page 6
6 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
By CPT Greetings Devastator friends and family! competition and a BBQ. Congratula- company. This particular project
John It is difficult for me to believe it has tions to the mighty 2nd Platoon who will be great, as it will challenge
Makar already been a month since I wrote my won the ultimate football bracket, and Soldiers and NCOs at all levels to
497th EN
last article. The time is flying by. On to Headquarters who took the dodge complete the work on time and to
CO
the 1st of September, we had a the whole ball bracket. It was a great day to get standard. We are all really looking
company together for a large ceremony together as a company for the first forward to breaking ground.
in which we awarded “combat patches” time in four months. As always, I want to thank
to all of our Devastator Soldiers. It was It hasn’t been all fun and you all again for the support you
an awesome event that included some games though. By the time you all give us. All of the letters and pack-
promotions, certificates of achievements, read this, we will have past the half- ages that we receive from you moti-
and coins. The following day we had an way point of the deployment. It has vate us to no end. I want to give a
early celebration of our Company Organ- been somewhat busy so far, with a lot special thank you for those who are
izational Day. The Devastators woke up of operating time and everyone get- actively participating in the FRG.
early and conducted a 7 km company run ting some valuable experience. Al- Your help and participation means a
on Camp Arifjan. Following that, we though we are over the hump, the fun lot to both me and Lauren.
had some friendly platoon-level sports is far from over. Soon we will begin a
large project that will Devastator 6 Out!
involve most of the
nation, we managed to Petro is a very hard charging and
pull the entire com- motivated NCO and we are lucky to
HQ PLT: pany together in one place for two days have him. Up until now he has been
Well another month has of relaxation and fun. The entire event applying his leadership to 1st PLT
come and gone here in Kuwait, included BBQ, sporting events, awards and I know that he will be missed
leaving us a little cooler, a little and promotion ceremonies. One of the there. We also welcomed back SSG
more tired, and ALOT more ready highlights was the “Patching” ceremony, Fichter from Afghanistan, and we
to come home to friends and fam- officially recognizing your Soldiers sac- couldn’t be more excited. I am also
ily. Your Soldiers have spent the rifice in deploying overseas in the de- proud to say that HQ has a newly
last 30 days reintegrating 2nd PLT, fense of our Country. I had the opportu- “promotable” Soldier. SPC (P) Wil-
planning and organizing several nity to “patch” all the first time deploy- cox has proven himself to be ready
big events, and most recently mov- ers in HQ PLT, proud of their hard work for the responsibilities and duties of
ing to another location in support and tireless efforts. But the best part of a NCO, demonstrating that fact by
of a big project. This most recent the entire month was that realization that receiving a unanimous recommen-
move marks the fourth location in we are half way done. By the time you dation from a board of Senior
two countries that HQ has estab- read this we will have passed the four NCO’s. Congratulations SPC Wil-
lished its operations in just fewer and a half month mark in theater, put- cox!
than five months. It just goes to ting us over the hump and on the way As always we are grateful
show how versatile and resilient back down. Of course we still have a lot for the continued support. I know
these Soldiers really are. One of of work ahead of us, but the end is in from experience that these “hump”
the biggest highlights of the last sight and we could not be more excited. months can often be the hardest
month was the Company Organ- This last month also brought a lot of time in a deployment. Your support
izational Day over the Labor Day changes to HQ. We received a new and continued backing are the life
weekend. After weeks of meticu- NCO in his place, SGT Petro. SGT blood that keeps us going.
lous planning and endless coord-

7. Engineers:
7 From the Ground UP! Page 7
1ST PLT: friendly strife. development and future abilities on con-
To kick off the month, the With the exception of the struction projects.
Outlaws took a platoon trip to visit Labor Day trip we have been hard at We would like to extend be-
the rest of the company for some work at Camp Buehring. As Septem- lated congratulations to PFC Benson
camaraderie, games and food. While ber comes to a close, the weather is and SPC Cygan and their families on the
we left the Labor Day picnic event thankfully beginning to turn the cor- birth of their children, Alexander Mi-
without any champions in Ultimate ner from miserable to slightly less chael Benson and Denver Cygan were
Football or Dodge ball, we realized miserable. With this change of sea- born happy, healthy, and eager to join
something even more important while sons our work hours have increased the Outlaw team on August 24th! Fi-
visiting the company; “Its not always and our productivity is at its highest nally, we would once again like to thank
about winning, sometimes its about right now. Every Soldier is gainfully all the family and friends who have been
letting other platoons win so that they employed working on one of our so supportive to us throughout our
don’t hate 1st Platoon for being so multiple projects, and the experience deployment, you are all the reason we
incredibly awesome”, and that lesson and equipment hours that the Outlaw are over here, thank you so much!
was worth surrendering our other- Soldiers are gaining while over here Outlaw 1-6
wise assured victories on the fields of will work wonders towards their
gratulatory notes for
2ND PLT: Soldiers who have demonstrated
Hello family and friends of the
excellence through outstanding 3RD PLT:
achievements. Congratulations to The first half of September has been restful
“Renegade” platoon! SGT Fielding for his promotion to E-
for 3rd Platoon allowing for some time to re-
5 and SGT Delinois who was also
The last few weeks have promoted to SGT earlier during this cuperate from our projects. During this time
been filled with fun, HEAT, busyness deployment and recently graduated some of the platoon has been afforded the
and excitement as we adjust to our Warrior Leaders Course with the opportunity to visit some historical sites in
new surroundings in Kuwait. It has Distinguished Leadership Award. Kuwait. One of the sites was the Grand
been almost a month since the major- Also, congratulations to SPC Ku and Mosque in Kuwait City. The trip proved to be
ity of the Platoon returned from Af- SPC Harris on their merit-based field very educational and a great time away from
ghanistan and reunited with each promotions from PFC to SPC in the daily tasks on the Camp.
other and the 497th EN Company
Afghanistan. The second half of September should prove
Headquarters. To recap some of our
accomplishments as a platoon during to be busy for not only 3rd Platoon but the
We are proud of all we
the past few months, the Renegade have accomplished thus far, glad to
entire Company. The Devastators have been
Platoon moved over 275,000 cubic be back, and look forward to the given a large construction mission that should
yards of earth in just over two rest of the deployment as we gear last almost all of the rest of the deployment.
months in Afghanistan – that’s enough up for another high-priority con- The mission should be a good learning ex-
dirt to fill an Olympic-size swimming struction project within our unit’s perience for all and improve the relationship
pool over 84 times! Back in Kuwait, area of responsibility. We are proud between the United States and Kuwaiti gov-
our PLT detachment repaired over to represent the 497th EN CO, ernment.
2100 meters of a severely damaged 52nd EN BN, and 505th EN BN as We are looking forward to the work ahead of
road leading to a fuel farm. we continue to execute our jobs to us and will enjoy the construction experience
a very high standard the Renegade
We’ll end with some con- that we will gain. This project will be the
way!

8. Page 8
8 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
Warrior leader course
Warrior Leader Course or WLC is a course given here in The Situational Training Exercise (STX), which lasted for
Kuwait for current and future Noncommissioned Officers three days, was part evaluation and part grand finale for the
(NCOs) of the U.S. Army. Active duty, National Guard, and end of WLC. Day one, I was the Opposing Force (OPFOR)
Reserve Soldiers from all over Theater come together for a and day two, I was evaluated on Tactical Leadership as a
two week course given at Camp Buehring, Kuwait to learn the Squad Leader. I was in charge of Alpha and Bravo team as
basic skills needed to lead a team of Soldiers. WLC teaches we maneuvered through a Mobile Urban Training (MOUT)
Soldiers to lead from the front, while leading by example. Site to complete our mission. We had a combination of
blanks, smoke rounds, and artillery simulators at our dis-
Upon arrival at WLC, day zero, we staged our bags outside
posal. The most important part of the evaluation was not
the main building and arranged ourselves into several forma-
completion of the mission or how well it was completed,
tions; reserved slots, E-5s not reserved, and lower enlisted not
reserved. All Soldiers who had a reserved slot began in-
but the execution of the Troop Leading Procedures. We had
processing while everyone else waited for a slot to open. It to receive a mission, issue a warning order, and prepare our
was a very swift process compared to the usual “hurry up and troops accordingly. The third and final day was used as a
wait” game. We finished in less than an hour. After in- structured “free-for-all”. When all evaluations were over,
processing, we had a briefing to meet the Small Group Lead- we were issued twenty sim-rounds (paint rounds) to engage
ers (SGLs), review the rules, and meet the Commandant. the enemy and were divided into platoons with specific
Then, the First Sergeant tasks to complete the overall mission. One platoon acted as
called out our names and OPFOR, while the other
our assigned SGLs took three were Blue Forces
over. We took all of our (BLUFOR) or Friendly
bags to our tents and Forces. The entire mission
inventoried our equip- lasted an hour and was a
ment. We had three days successful ending to two
to come up with any weeks of evaluations.
missing equipment or be
sent home. The day following the STX
was graduation, the day that
Following day zero,
every one longed for from
week one officially be-
day one. It meant we were
gan. The general atmos-
phere of WLC is depend-
done and we were ready to
ent upon the SGL’s per- go out and do what NCOs
sonality. My SGL do, lead. I had an amazing
wanted to get everything squad throughout WLC and
done in the first week so 80% graduated at the top of
we would have ample the Commandant’s List. My
time to practice Tactical squad and I learned to work
Leadership, Squad Drills, together right from the start
and Physical Readiness Training (PRT), the three most trou- and our SGLs gave us the latitude to grow and rely on each
bling evaluations for most. Needless to say, my first week of other for success. Because of their absence at times, we
WLC was extremely hectic. Day three was our first written thought that they did not care, but they were really teaching
examination and all three Military Writing assignments, the us that NCOs lead, but they also have to follow and work
essay about the Soldier’s Creed, and the Oral History brief together in order to get the job done.
was due on day five. Our SGL gave us the entire week to
accomplish these tasks, but with class not finishing until after I left WLC with a new outlook on what an NCO really is,
dinner chow, we really had to put forth an effort and stay after what we stand for, and with a new level of motivation to be
class to complete all the assignments. a better NCO and to help future NCOs better themselves. I
came back to Camp Arifjan and started holding classes for
Sunday, day seven, kicked off the beginning of week two of
505th Engineer Battalion Soldiers who want to attend WLC
WLC. It also marked day one of PRT evaluations. Evalua-
tions were tough and to go first, even tougher. My partner and
while in country. My goal is to give them a firm foundation
I had no one before us to learn from. We set the stage for eve- for some of the more important evaluations they will face at
ryone else. Everyone was allowed a partner so the SGL could WLC, so when they arrive, they will have the confidence
evaluate two people at once, but evaluations still took four and the tools to graduate with honors. I could not imagine
days. During this time, we also worked on Individual Training learning more from any othercourse than what I learned
presentations, prepared for two more written exams, and from WLC.
worked on Tactical Leadership for the Situational Training
Exercise. -SGT Brittany Swain

9. Engineers:
9 From the Ground UP! Page 9
SGT Brittany Swain at Warrior Leader Course Graduation
The Warrior Leader course is a demanding and leadership focused class. It helps prepare
Soldiers to advance to the rank of sergeant and hones the skills of junior NCO's.
Congratulations to the following Soldiers for completing the Third Army NCO Academy.
Command Sergeant Major Carlos V. Scott
SGT Schoate 544th SGT Swain HHC
SGT Jones 882nd SGT Busick FSC
SGT Inman 544th SGT Hayes 882nd
SGT Griffin 882nd SGT Hoffman FSC
SGT Hervey 544th SGT Bogacki 497th
SGT Mackey FSC SPC Delinois 497th
Soldiers of the 497th at work

10. Page
10 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
10
Most Soldiers keep up with themselves every
day without fail. Diet, personal hygiene, and
physical fitness are all cornerstones of a fit
and healthy military-minded man or woman.
Oftentimes, however, they don’t treat their
equipment and vehicles with the same care.
Even when they do, different machines,
trucks, and tools just naturally need periodic
maintenance. When something breaks, leaks,
or stops functioning, SFC Tyndall’s team of
mechanics gets the job done and then some.
Here at Arifjan, the mechanic shop has been
full of vehicles on an almost daily basis. The
goal of the mechanics is to have all vehicular
or equipment faults fixed in an expedient man-
ner every time and, as we near our second
month in country, SSG Honeycutt and others
have done just that.
While maintaining vehicles and equipment, Soldiers from the 882nd work long hours on construction projects at military
installations around Kuwait.
our mechanics are also responsible for teaching . This past week,
they assisted with the driver’s training program which is responsi-
ble for issuing licenses to soldiers on base. Soldiers are required
to take the course and have a military-issued license provided
before they are allowed to drive any vehicle on or off-post.
In addition to Driver’s Training, the mechanics of the 882 nd have
been working hard to spread the word about PMCS.
This could be something as simple as refilling the window
washer fluid or as complex as lubricating bearings.
Unfortunately, many younger Soldiers lack the base knowledge to
perform PMCS and, again, the mechanics are there to help them
“learn the ropes.”
Oftentimes, Soldiers overlook their mechanic element until some-
thing breaks or a tire goes flat, but little do they know the hard
work and dedication they put in every day at the garage repairing,
maintaining, and adding functionality to the equipment essential
to everyone’s mission at the 882nd and for that, we say “thank
you.”
Spc. Naylor repairs the bearings on a 5-ton truck
Spc. James Benefield Public Affairs Officer 882nd En Co.

11. 11 Page
Engineers: From the Ground UP! 11
October Military History
2 1863 President Abraham Lincoln designates the last Thursday in November as "Thanksgiving Day" in re
sponse to the vast casualties taken at the Battle of Gettysburg earlier in July.
5 1863 Confederate submersible torpedo boat CSS 'David' damages USS 'New Ironsides' with a spar torpedo off
Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.
7 1780 Revolutionary War Battle of King's Mountain, North Carolina, the American “Over the Mountain Boys” defeat
Loyalists and British troops led by Colonel Banester Tarelton
9 1942 On Guadalcanal the Marines encircle the Japanese 4th Infantry Regiment near Henderson Field.
13 1944 The Pacific island Peleliu is secured by the 1st Marine Division suffering 1,200 KIA while exterminating the
12,000 man Japanese Army garrison.
19 1781 At the Siege of Yorktown British General Lord Cornwallis surrenders to General George Washing ton's Franco-
American forces serving as the effective end of the Revolutionary War.
24 1944 Due to severe damage inflicted by Japanese torpedo bombers during the vast naval Battle of Leyte Gulf, the
heavily damaged aircraft carrier, the USS Princeton (CVL-23), sinks in spite of the courageous efforts of her
surviving crew to keep the ship afloat.
25 1415 On the Feast of Saint Crispin, English King Henry V routs a numerically superior French foe at the Battle of
Agincourt . Henry’s motivational speech to his troops, in Shakespeare’s version of the battle, includes the line
that they are a band of brothers.
1943 In the Pacific theater of World War 2, the Battle of Cape St. George rages in which five US destroyers sink 3 of 6
Japanese destroyers encountered in open waters.
26 1966 A fire aboard the aircraft carrier the USS Oriskany (CV-34) in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam, re
sults in the death of 43 American sailors.
SSG Crull
PFC Albright SPC Cygan
SPC Furr SPC Fitzgerald
LTC Gilbert SPC Elward
WO3 Knuutila SGT Doherty
SSG Rodriguez PFC Jimenez
SGT Chadwick SPC McCready
OV2 Georges SGT Mendyka
SPC Harris SPC Rohr
1LT Richardson SPC Thate
SPC Shelby, A PFC Wright
1LT Stocker SGT Helms
PFC Byrd PV2 Hendrix
PV2 Pierson SPC Hopper
PFC Winebarger SPC Ivester
PFC Kasuke SPC Maddox
SPC Brogen SPC Mayberry
SPC Childress SPC Lawton
PFC Dover 1LT Pelusi
SFC Collings SPC Cope
MSG Houck SGT Beck
SSG Prevette SPC Slater
PFC Humphrey

12. Page
12 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
12
CAMP ARIFJAN –
Greetings from Kuwait! We are now closing in on
two months ‘boots on ground’ here at Camp Arifjan.
The extreme summer heat of August seems to be ta-
pering off and has averaged out to around 110 degrees
near the middle of September. While getting used to
this heat is near impossible, these ‘cooler’ days seem
to make it more bearable.
Our team has been busy with survey projects all
throughout Kuwait and as well as Afghanistan. We
sent three Soldiers to Camp Marmal, Afghanistan
nearly three weeks ago to provide additional survey
support for other construction units within the battal-
ion. Those individuals have been working very hard
to keep up with the workload.
Back in Kuwait, we have sev-
eral projects located on or near Camp
Arifjan and also a few projects in the
works near Camp Buehring. Our pro-
jects disbursed throughout Kuwait also
allow us to get off base and see some Top:
of the country, which our Soldiers 927th Soldiers that
completed the Pa-
definitely make the most out of if
triot’s Day 5K run
you’re checked out our Facebook
page. Left:
Overall, morale is high and the PFC Tyler Kasuske
works hard staking
living conditions are comfortable. The out a job site
dining facility provides as good, if not
better, than some of the military dining Bottom:
PFC Kasuske spends
facilities that we’ve been to before. a long day taking
There are also numerous amounts of ground shots
fast-food establishments, theaters,
gyms, and basketball courts for us to
take advantage of.
During the past month, some of our Soldiers
have participated in some 5K runs to include Labor
Day and Patriot’s Day. T-shirts are awarded for par-
ticipating in these events and it’s almost turned into a
friendly competition between the team members on
who can collect the most t-shirts.
All in all, things are going smoothly and we’re
starting to grind it out for the long haul. All of us
from the 927th want to thank all the family and friends
that continue to show support. All the care packages,
letters, emails, and skyping are what keep us going.
Thank you!! By
SPC Antonmarchi

13. Engineers:
13 From the Ground UP!
505 Staff: Battalion Chaplain
O ur nation has faced the war on terrorism for eleven years from today (9/11/2001). The hatred from many wishes the
worst upon the United States. However, I am reminded what King David wrote in Psalm 27: 1-3. “1 The LORD is my
light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the
wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.3 Though an army besiege
me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.” I encourage everyone to take a
moment and remember the fallen, the courageous, and the sacrifices America has taken to fight for our freedom and liberty
for us all! I pray, “May God continue to bless our great nation and in God we trust.”
505 Staff: Battalion Aid Station
The Soldiers who make up the Battalion Aid Station have been providing medical care since we hit the ground in
Kuwait. Our days are filled with evaluating and treating conditions including skin rashes, musculoskeletal issues,
gastrointestinal infections, respiratory illnesses, and much more. We are also thrilled to have so many Soldiers
come in and request assistance with smoking cessation. Our medics are always ready and able to impart their
knowledge on the environmental dangers and preventative measures that can be taken to keep our Soldiers mis-
sion ready. We also recently completed a very successful immunization exercise (SHOTEX) to get Soldiers
caught up on their required vaccinations. Our next SHOTEX for the influenza vaccine will be coming up in the
next few weeks and we are looking
forward to 100% of Soldiers being
vaccinated. Of course, our medics
are also staying abreast of the con-
stant changes in medical care
through weekly education and train-
ing exercises. As we head into the
cold weather months, we may see
different medical issues but we wel-
come the challenge. It’s what we
do…….keeping our Soldiers “in the
fight”.— Battalion Physician’s As-
sistant, 1LT Jerome Menendez
From left to right: SPC Justin Torres, SPC Erin Woodruff, SPC Sarah Bennett,
SSG Melinda Hamilton, SPC Tiffany White, PFC Shannon Lee, 1LT Jerome
Menendez

14. Page
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14
Engineers: From the Ground UP!
Upcoming Races
October 10 - Navy 5k
Zone 1 MWR
October 21 - Army 10
Miler at Camp Buehring
October 30 - Halloween
5k Zone 1 MWR
SSG Tobin and SPC Paganetti participate in one of the many 5k runs on Camp
Arifjan at the Zone 1 MWR.
Rear: CPT Sigmon, SGT Burgess, SPC Arnold, SSG Kopczinsky, 1LT Waweru, SSG Rodriguez, MSG Smith, CPT
Lane, CW2 Hutchins, PFC Degree
Front: SSG Gibson, 1SG Rogers, SGT Tilley, SPC Dalton, MAJ Moody, CPT Gauldin
3rd Platoon, 497th Engi-
neer Company at the
Grand Mosque in Kuwait
city on an MWR trip.

15. Page
Engineers: From
15 the Ground UP! 15
Mail Call for HHC 505 EN BN, SPC Robinson and SPC Bigelow unloading packages.
BMO, Chief Jay Hutchins, demonstrates a proper sandstorm driving posture.
PUSHING SAND. A member
of the 497 Engineer Company
at work with a grader.

16. 16 Engineers: From the Ground UP!
544th Engineer Company
Commander's Corner The Soldiers are starting to consider the couldn’t make it all happen without the
CPT Tyler J. Scheidt possibility of pulling out their running headquarters and maintenance sections
jackets as the morning temperatures con- keeping everything moving.
As we prepare to cross the half-way tinue to drop. Although we are still in
point in this deployment, I want to the mid-70s each morning, the cool air is This month’s focus was on career pro-
let you know that the Soldiers of the a welcome addition and only a small step gression planning as well as proper
Spartan family are making major in the direction of preparing for the frigid counseling and evaluation procedures.
contributions across multiple coun- temperatures we expect in Colorado dur- Leaders at all levels are benefitting
tries. Our mission in Afghanistan ing our return in February. from these opportunities to further their
has changed slightly and the Sol- professional development and really
diers there are doing what they do 3rd platoon is doing a great job covering learn what they can do to be successful
best to drive on and complete the all vertical projects for the northern in the military.
mission. The remainder of the camps while 1st and 2nd platoons balance
company eagerly awaits their return work between two of the southern camps. Thanks again for all you do to keep us
to both share stories on project ex- The quality of work and craftsmanship going. I look forward to bringing eve-
perience and to recognize them for coming from all of our Soldiers is at such ryone home to their friends,
their significant contributions. a level that multiple units continue to family, and loved ones.
request us by name. And of course we Spartan 6
Greetings to the family and friends of the Operations, Supply, and
Maintenance sections!
The Soldiers and NCOs continue to work tirelessly week after week
to support the company’s construction activities. Operations proc-
essed over one hundred trip tickets to keep the platoons and leader-
ship moving around the area of operations to all of our construction
sites. They also prepared Soldiers from across the company for
schools, to include Combatives Levels I and II, the Warrior Leader
Course, and many other classes. The Supply section continues to keep
the company well-stocked with tools and materials so we can com-
plete all of our missions. The Field Maintenance Team has consis-
tently kept the platoons rolling, repairing and servicing generators,
vehicles, and anything else that needs fixing.
1st Platoon Soldiers install tin roofing on a building. Soldiers utilize full body
harnesses and tethers for safety when working off the ground. As always, we appreciate your support.
1LT Peter Friedewald, Spartan 5
Hello Families of First Platoon!
First platoon has been busy over the last month completing construc-
tion projects at several different camps throughout Kuwait. First
squad built a great looking guard shack and second squad built offices
for the leadership of an aviation task force out here. Both projects
really demonstrated how far the platoon has come with its construc-
tion skills. SGT Keen and SPC Amaro helped out 2nd Platoon with
their skills as plumbers during a large scale project installing latrines.
3rd Squad has been wrapping up their projects in Afghanistan and
should be joining the rest of the platoon in Kuwait soon.
The platoon welcomed PV2 Retzlaff to 1st Squad, where he has al-
ready been an asset in assisting with the completion of projects. The
platoon also has a few new members at home: the Wells family and
Holmes family each grew by one with the birth of babies. A big con-
CPL Gange trims plywood for guard shack wall sheathing gratulations to SSG Jach and SPC Kropp on their promotions this
month. SPC Otieno graduated Combatives Level I and SPC Taylor
graduated from Combatives Level II, both are impressive accomplish-
ments.

17. Page
Engineers: From
17 the Ground UP! 17
2nd Platoon Family and Friends,
We have been hard at work this
past month working on a number
of construction projects across
Kuwait. We completed a major
upgrade to an operations center,
demonstrating our abilities in car-
pentry finishing and detailed elec-
trical work. We’ve also completed
a number of shower and latrine
trailer renovations for one of the
camps – not the most glamorous
work, but vitally important!
This month is full of new faces.
First, we would like to welcome 1st Platoon Soldiers install tin roofing on a building. Soldiers utilize full body harnesses and
PV2 Otto, PVT Bright, and SPC tethers for safety when working off the ground.
Diaz to the platoon. The recently
promoted SSG Haulbrook has also rejoined the pla-
toon has a Squad Leader. Congratulations to SPC
Cruz Bonilla on his recent promotion, as well. Sep-
tember provided a number of excellent training op-
portunities for 2nd Platoon: SGT Hervey and SGT
Schoate both graduated Warrior Leader Course, and
SPC Reinhardt graduated Combatives Level I and
SGT Boyer has just graduated Combatives Level II.
All in all, this month has been filled with individual
and team successes. Be proud of your Soldiers and
know that your support means everything!
1LT Karen DeLoria
Spartan 2-6
CPL Brefeld and PV2 Luttrell demonstrate fine craftsmanship while upgrad-
ing electrical fixtures in a command building.
Over the past month, 3rd Platoon has taken on a multitude of elec-
trical projects for the benefit of the varying members of the Life
Support Area (LSA) and Camp Buehring communities. A highlight
includes the lighting of the Navy Customs Yard in LSA, a once
shadowy open space structure for Servicemen leaving Kuwait. The
facility is now illuminated with five times the amount of light and
contains a state-of-the-art photocell that helps save energy. Another
is the upgrade of electrical systems in server rooms throughout
various office facilities in Camp Buehring. These upgrades per-
form the critical function of protecting computer networks during
power outages by keeping them connected online. A third project
was for the Theatre Air Operations Group, where our engineer sol-
diers installed new lighting in their dark, gloomy offices. It has
been a pleasure providing our services and contributing to the over-
arching efforts of Camp Buehring and beyond.
We would also like to congratulate SGT Falcon, one of our 1 st
Squad’s team leaders, on achieving promotable status. We’re very
SPC Wile prepares wire connections during a power up- proud of his success at the Promotion Board and for his notable
grade project. hard work and dedication within 3rd Platoon.

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Engineers: From the Ground UP!
Members of the maintenance platoons
from the various companies in the
Battalion service the tactical vehicles
and construction equipment used in
the Battalion’s daily operations. There
is a wide variety of types and models
of equipment across the 505th. Our
maintenance Soldiers have hundreds
of vehicles and other pieces of equip-
ment they are responsible for keeping
operational.
...The End