Tactical ProficiencySoldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, conduct land navigation training at Training Area C on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 23.

Warrant officers’ 95th

birthday celebrationWhy resilience, why now?

Drowsy driving safety tips

The Voice Newsletter is published quarterly by the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, Fort George G. Meade, Md.

The Voice is an official command information publication authorized under the provisions of AR 360-1. The newsletter serves the members of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, the families and the warfighter. Circulation is 500 copies per issue.

Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of Headquarters 704th Military Intelligence Brigade or the Department of the Army. All photos published in The Voice are U.S. Army photos unless otherwise stated.

Col. Anthony R. HaleBrigade Commander

Command Sgt. MajMark A. Thornton Command Sergeant Major

Sgt. Amy L. ChristophersonPublic Affairs Officer

Staff Sgt. Juan C. MunozMultimedia Illustrator

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4 ... The Command Team’s corner

6 ... Warrant officers’ 95th birthday celebration.

8 ... 743rd Commander’s Cup

10 ... Soldier, Family members volunteering

12 ... Drowsy driving safety

14 ... A Co. 742nd conducts land navigaation course

16 ... Why resilience, why now?

20 ... Military person of the year award

22 ... Brigade organizational day

24 ... Here and everywhere!

Contents

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The Command Team’s Corner

with their own setbacks.Since the Brigade is widely

dispersed throughout the nation and across the globe conducting vital missions for the nation, we know being away from loved ones in distant places requires all of us to have a strong support base. As we begin the last few months of a great year, let’s continue developing strong Soldiers and Families.

During the past twelve years our nation has been at war, the greatest burden of sacrifice has been placed on our Soldiers, Civilians and their Families. In coping with the uncertainty from the Global War on Terrorism our personnel have continually depended on each other to gain strength and advantage over adversity.

As the largest military intelligence brigade within INSCOM, the 704th “Here and Everywhere” organization can take great pride in knowing that the leadership is focused on the Army’s Ready & Resilient and SHARP Campaigns. The goal of the Command Team is to ensure that in concert with the Army, we cherish the ideals of accomplishing the mission and ensuring the welfare of our Soldiers, Civilians and Family members. Thus, we want to ensure that both SHARP and the Ready & Resilient Campaign become enduring fixtures inculcated within the Brigade’s Family.

As we put the summer months behind us and dive into the busy season of back to school and the quickly-approaching holidays, resiliency is the key to dealing with challenges and helping other Soldiers, Family members and Civilians deal

Col. Anthony R. HaleBrigade Commander

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Command Sgt. Maj. Mark A. ThorntonCommand Sergeant Major

Our Army Family and the communities in which we live have assisted in building our resiliency and maintaining the best fighting force the world has ever seen.

The SHARP program is an important element in Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness. If we all treat one another with the same dignity and respect that we have towards our own Family members, we can help prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault within our ranks. I charge you to be a true battle buddy with your ranks and if you see something that isn’t right, speak up and say something. Everyone has a role in creating

and maintaining a culture that makes sexual harassment and sexual assault unacceptable in our organization. It is no secret that reducing these incidents across the Army and by a larger extent our profession of arms, we will build an organization that is steadfast and loyal. The fabric of the unit and the Army is strengthened when we weave the Warrior Ethos and Army values together in a committed bond.

Ending sexual harassment and assault begins and ends with caring leaders who are on point and involved in developing the next generation of Ready and Resilient Soldiers.

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Warrant officers look at history, future at 95th birthday celebration

Sgt. Amy Christopherson 704th MI Bde. Public Affairs

FORT MEADE, Md. – Though the concept of warrant officers in the military is said to date back to Napoleon’s time, the official birthday of the Army’s Warrant Officer Corps was July 9, 1918.

The 704th Military Intelligence Brigade observed the Warrant Officer Corps’ 95th birthday July 9 at Fort Meade, Md. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wendy Wayman, the signals intelligence senior technical advisor, hosted the event.

Wayman, the brigade’s senior warrant officer who has a total of 29 years in the Army, with 17 of them as a warrant, began by reviewing the history of the corps. After a look back through the years past, Wayman summarized

the future of the corps.“To boil it down, it is our job

to find the best and the brightest noncommissioned officers to follow in our footsteps,” she said.

The most experienced warrant officer present and the newest, Warrant Officer Ava Thompson, with Bravo Company 742nd MI Battalion, cut the birthday cake. Thompson, who has only been a warrant officer for six days, expressed a common sentiment about wanting to be a warrant.

“The first warrant officer I ever met was the most knowledgeable person I ever met,” she said. “He made me decide this is where I want to go in my own career.”

Wayman shared a similar sentiment about one of

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her first mentors.“He was the epitome of

warrant officers,” she said. “He knew everything and if there was something he didn’t know, he would find out. He was a mentor, friend and an example to live up to.”

According to the definition developed by the Army in 1985, a warrant officer is “an officer appointed by warrant by the Secretary of the Army, based upon a sound level of technical and tactical competence. The warrant officer is the highly specialized expert and trainer who, by gaining progressive levels of expertise and leadership, operates, maintains, administers, and manages the Army’s equipment,

support activities, or technical systems for an entire career.”

Wayman said that is why she wanted to become a warrant officer.

“I love my job, and I knew I wanted to keep doing it long-term.”

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Magnus Thorpe, the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade property book officer and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Wendy Wayman, pose for a photo during the brigade’s combat dining-in event May 10 at Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Juan C. Munoz)

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Birds of Prey battle for Commander’s Cup Sgt. Timothy Hines

HOC, 743rd MI Bn. UPAR

Soldiers of the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, kicked off their Sports Week with a 5k run July 15 at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. Sports week is an annual tradition for the battalion, as they compete to win the Commander’s Cup trophy. (Courtesy Photo)

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BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The annual tradition of 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion’s Sports Week began July 15, as company teams fought it out to take control of the Commander’s Cup.

The Annual Battalion Sports Week has been a tradition of the 743rd MI Bn., 704th MI Brigade, since 1999. The Soldiers, noncommissioned officers, officers, and Family members continued to go toe-to-toe competing in sporting events, Soldiering skills, and Family fun in order to earn points for their Company teams.

At 0630, the sun had just come up as Lt. Col. Gary Hausman, the 743rd MI Bn. commander, gave his opening remarks wishing everyone good luck and emphasizing the importance of

safety during the week’s events. Some of the competitions

included: 5-K run, 10-K ruck march, obstacle course, orienteering, soccer, combatives, basketball, softball tournament, volleyball, track and field, ultimate Frisbee, and crossfit.

“It was a lot of fun and perfect weather for this event,” said Capt. Craig Maybe, a joint collection officer representing Alpha Company, after placing first on the grueling obstacle course.

As the finale to a hard fought week of competition, Col. Anthony Hale, commander of the 704th MI Bde., joined the ‘Birds of Prey Family’ as they kicked off the annual organizational day July 19, and announced the winners of Sports Week.

Soldiers and Family members came out to participate in

Family friendly events while also enjoying some delicious BBQ cooked by Bravo Co. Soldiers. Some of the events for Organizational Day included slip-n-slide, face painting, water balloon toss, tug-o-war, and a karaoke for everyone to enjoy.

After competing in 17 events, A Co. took home the Commander’s Cup by scoring a total of 36 points out of a possible 51. Headquarters and Operations Co. finished second with 31 points and B Co. brought up the rear with 30 points.

Hausman said the A Co. Soldiers did “a phenomenal job winning the Sports Week. It was a close race and everyone stayed in the fight until the end. Good job.”

Col. Anthony Hale, commander of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, joins the families of the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Bde., during the battalion run July 15 at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. (Courtesy Photo)

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Soldiers, Family members and communities benefit from volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to give some of your free time to a cause that needs your help. It’s an opportunity to feel good about yourself, learn about an organization you may be interested in, meet new people, and help a cause you believe in. It also looks good on a college or job application! If you don’t know how to go about getting started with volunteering, check out the information below.

To get started: Think about what you’re interested in and what you’re passionate about. Do you feel strongly about helping veterans? Do you care about saving the environment? Do you love working with animals? Once you figure out

what you feel strongly about, you can narrow down your search for a volunteer position.

To start researching volunteer opportunities in your local area, first visit the Volunteer Activities Coordinator at Ft. Meade, Army Community Services, 830 Chisholm Ave. Fort Meade, MD 20755, 301-677-5590, Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Other resources include www.myarmyonesource.com; click on the volunteer link in the upper right-hand corner, and search the interactive map for Ft. Meade, Md. Visit your Family Readiness Support Assistant’s office or ask your squad leader or platoon sergeant to assist you.

Once you’ve done your research,

Cathy Classe-FriendBrigade Family Readiness Support Assistant

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go after the opportunity that best fits your interests. Call the organization, email a contact, or stop by and find out how you can start helping out. Figure out your schedule and the level of commitment you think you can handle before you get too involved with an organization. You need to know ahead of time how much time you have to give after work and participating in any other activities you’re involved in.

Volunteering your time to others allows you to meet people with common interests, stay connected and make a difference in the community. Volunteering can also teach you valuable job skills and prepare you for college. Make sure to include

your volunteer experiences with your application when applying for jobs or college entrance.

For more information and resources to help Military Service Members and their Family Members find volunteer opportunities contact: Cathy Classe-Friend, 704th MI Bde. Family Readiness Support Assistant (FRSA), Building 9802, Room 110, 301-677-0120 or catherine.c.classe-friend.civ@mail.mil

A volunteer accepts donations from the American Red Cross to create care packages for deployed Soldiers. (Courtesy Photo)

12 │ The VOICE

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14 │ The VOICE

Company goes the extra mile for challenging land nav course Sgt. Amy Christopherson

704th MI Bde. Public Affairs

Sgt. Abdiel Alvarez, a trainer with Alpha Company, 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, approaches a checkpoint during the company’s land navigation training July 18 at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

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FORT A.P. HILL, Va. – On one of the hottest, most humid days of the year, Soldiers with Alpha Company, 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, loaded onto a bus and headed to Fort A.P. Hill, Va. July 18, to put their land navigation skills to the test.

Though it was a two-hour bus trip, Capt. Jessamyn Liu, the commander of A. Co., explained that she planned the all-day event for a good reason.

“We chose to travel outside of the local area for this training because A.P. Hill has more challenging course with terrain features that Soldiers can identify on a map,” she said.

Soldiers receive land navigation training throughout their Army careers to teach them to navigate

from one point to another using basic tools such as maps, compasses and protractors. This includes map reading techniques to identify terrain features such as hills and streams. Even with today’s technology, Soldiers need fundamental skills to rely on in case of technology failure.

Loaded with plenty of water, bug spray, gloves and eye protection, approximately 30 Soldiers arrived at the land nav. site and split into teams of two to begin the course. They received their maps, protractors and compasses and were given three hours to find four points on their maps. Cadre members waited at points throughout the course with additional cold water and to ensure the safety of the teams.

The training was the culminating event after several

weeks of refreshing Soldiers on land navigation skills. The company began with classroom training about map reading and using a protactor and compass, followed by urban land navigation training conducted at Fort Meade.

“The only way you can have confidence in the skills you learn is to put them to use,” Liu said. “We can teach things in a classroom but if you don’t challenge that knowledge in real-life scenarios, you will lose it.”

1st Sgt. Christopher Bell, the company’s first sergeant, noted that the event was more challenging than the typical weekly training that Soldiers receive.

“The terrain and the heat really added more of a challenge to the physical aspect of today’s land nav. training,” he said. “But the Soldiers did a great job. It was a great opportunity to get out of their offices and away from our typical training areas that we know so well.”

“...the Soldiers did a great job. It was a great opportunity to get out of their offices and away from our typical training areas that we know so well. ”

16 │ The VOICE

Why Resilience and Why Now?

Why do we need resilience training? With the never-ending amount of quarterly and yearly training we are required to do as Soldiers in the Army, it seems as though a new type of training pops up every week and we scramble at the last minute to get it all done. Often times we wonder “what’s the point?” How often do we attend training that we consider “life altering”?

Back in 2009 while stationed at Goodfellow Airforce Base for training, I went through a series of major life events. I went through a divorce, I became a single parent to my 2-year-old daughter and I got put on orders to Hawaii. All of these events happened in rapid succession

and before could even blink I was on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a little person and no family or support.

In the Army, we have all faced those periods of high OPTEMPO where you don’t really have time to think about the situation you’re in, you just react, and that is exactly what I did. Once I got settled, got my family care plan in place and started my new job, life started to slow down and my new life slapped me in the face, HARD! I was overcome with fear and despair, how would I ever have a normal life? Would I ever be able to move on or meet someone new? I began to spiral downward, my moods controlled my actions and they were not good.

Staff Sgt. Jamie G. Angelle704th MI BDE CSF2 Program Manager/Advisor

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As much as I like to think my leadership abilities didn’t suffer and I maintained a cool and collected attitude and demeanor, my Soldiers at the time would probably beg to differ. One day, shortly before I deployed to Iraq in 2010, one of my Soldiers came up and asked me I was okay. He informed me that he and all of my squad members were starting to think I was a maniac. The next day I went to behavioral health.

A zombie, that is how I would describe myself after being put through endless amounts of depression medication and therapy sessions that were never ending. “Don’t think about this, don’t say that, try to do this, look at it this way,”

they told me. I was still sad, I still felt hopeless at times.

I got to 704th Military Intelligence Brigade in April 2012 and the transition to a new environment, along with being co-located with my ex-wife, afforded me a chance to start fresh. In December of that year I was enrolled in the MRT Level I course at Fort Belvoir and my first thoughts were “great, more Army training to give to Soldiers who are tired of Army training”. I could not have been more wrong.

The class was two weeks long and it changed everything. “You’re so dramatic!” That was the common response to those I shared my experience with, “You are doing what everyone

else does after something like this and after a few weeks you’re going to forget everything and go back to your old ways!”

Since the class I’ve trained more than 50 Resilience Training Assistants and in most cases the reactions are the same as mine. The Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program (CSF2) teaches Soldiers how to deal with situations in life much like the ones I was going through several years ago. It’s not just about telling someone to look at something a different way, the program helps you to understand why you feel the way you do and how you react to events. It helps you to understand the cause of problems and how to effectively

Staff Sgt. Jamie Angelle, the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness Program Manager/Advisor for the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, instructs a Resilience Training Assistant Course July 26 at Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

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deal with them. Probably most importantly, it helps you build stronger relationships at work and with friends, family and even strangers.

The program was developed as part of the solution set to suicide prevention, it is NOT suicide prevention training. CSF2 development was led by retired Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum who was an Army flight surgeon that became a prisoner of war during the first Gulf War. Cornum was on a Black Hawk helicopter when she was shot down during a rescue mission. In her book “She Went to War”, she described waking up being pinned to the ground by wreckage, she was held captive for 8 days and was rescued with two broken arms, a broken finger, a gunshot wound to the back and other injuries related to sexual assault and abuse she faced at the hand of her captors.

Despite the horrors of her captivity, Cornum

never stopped being optimistic. She directly relates her optimism to her recovery and ability to thrive in the years following. In 2008 she met with positive psychology experts from the University of Pennsylvania and from there the CSF2 Program was born. 30 years of scientific study on cognitive science was used in the development of the program and the results are proven.

It’s okay for Soldiers to be skeptical and doubt the usefulness of CSF2 because over the next fiscal year, they will have 24 hours of training to decide if it works or not. Do research and I encourage everyone to be open-minded, talk to someone who has been to one of the Brigade Resilience Training Assistant’s Course and try “Hunting the Good Stuff”!

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CSF2 is designed to build resilience and enhance performance of the Army Family -- Soldiers, their Families, and Army Civilians. CSF2 does this by providing hands-on training and self-development tools so that members of the Army Family are better able to cope with adversity, perform better in stressful situations, and thrive in life.

What is Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness (CSF2)?

@ArmyCSF2

www.facebook.com/ArmyCSF2

Learn more at:http://csf2.army.mil

20 │ The VOICE

Soldier wins Aurora, CO military person of the year award

Sgt. Amy Christopherson704th MI Bde. Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – In a city known for its large Air Force base, some may be surprised to learn that a Soldier was recognized as military person of the year by the Aurora, Colo. Chamber of Commerce.

But Soldiers with the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, weren’t surprised when Sgt. Jordan Nwajei, an analyst for the battalion’s Bravo Company, was recognized

Nwajei, who won the brigade noncommissioned officer of the year competition through videoteleconference while the rest of the brigade competed from Maryland, is known as one of the battalion’s strongest NCOs,

both physically and mentally.1st Sgt. Christopher Pack,

the first sergeant of Bravo Co., 743rd MI Bn., said Nwajei was nominated because of his performance during the battalion and brigade boards.

“I was surprised to win NCO of the year for the brigade,” he said. “I was at a little bit of a disadvantage during the ruckmarch because there was still snow on the ground here in April and the elevation makes strenuous activities more difficult.”

Nwajei said he wasn’t even aware of the nomination for the Aurora Armed Forces Recognition award, but he was “ecstatic to hear that a Soldier won this award”.

Pack describes Nwajei as a

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charismatic and outgoing Soldier.“He has the ability to rally other

NCOs to get things done,” he said. “He’s also a strong trainer who is able to get Soldiers to learn in a quick and efficient manner.”

Pack said Nwajei stands out to him because he understands and completes tasks with minimal guidance.

“I came in to the unit after [the boards and award nomination] had already happened, and as a first sergeant when you have a soldier of this caliber, you know something is going right.”

Sgt. Jordan Nwajei, an analyst for Bravo Company, 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, grades an Army Physical Fitness Test August 2 at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo. (Courtesy Photo)

“...a strong trainer who is able to get Soldiers

to learn in a quick and efficient manner.

”

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Bde takes time out for summer fun

Sgt. Amy Christopherson704th MI Bde. Public Affairs

A team of Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, competes in a game tug-of-war at the brigade’s organizational day at Burba Lake on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 9. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

Bde takes time out for summer fun

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FORT MEADE, Md. – After a week of fighting it out in sports tournaments, Soldiers of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, 704th Military Intelligence Battalion, invited their Family members to join them in an organizational day at Burba Lake August 9, where the Commander’s Cup trophy was awarded to the winning battalion.

In the week leading up to Org. Day, teams from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 741st MI Battalion and 742nd MI Bn., competed in softball, volleyball, basketball, football and other sports.

The day began with a brigade formation, then Soldiers and Family members made their way over to cheer on a tug-of-war contest. Through the day, teams finished up the football, volleyball

and softball tournaments. The leader’s relay race was the final event of the day, as leaders raced around Burba Lake then competed in an egg race and plotting points on a map.

“It was a good day of competition, closing out a great week of competition,” said Col. Anthony Hale, commander of the 704th MI Bde. “All the competing builds esprit de corps and camaraderie, which helps us build a more resilient force.”

After the 741st MI Bn. placed first in the track meet, football, soccer, softball and volleyball, Hale awarded the battalion with the Commander’s Cup.

For the young Family members, there was a bounce house and inflatable slide as well as face painting, coloring and children’s games. The

dunk tank was popular, with Soldier volunteers waiting to be sunk into the tank of water when someone hit the target.

The event, which was hosted by 741st MI Bn., featured a roasted pig and hot dogs and hamburgers with potato salad for lunch.

“It was a great cookout,” Hale said. “And we had a very nice turnout from spouses and children.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Thornton, the brigade’s command sergeant major, said Org Days are an important tradition in the Army, not only to reinforce camaraderie within the unit.

“It’s important for the brigade to provide opportunities to get the Families involved,” Thornton said. “Families are an integral part of everything we do; for most of us they’re the reason we do what we do.”

Capt. Benjamin Hopper, commander of Charlie Company, 741st Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, competes in a relay race during the brigade’s organizational day at Burba Lake on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 9. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Juan C. Munoz)

24 │ The VOICE

Axel Gonzalez, the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade safety officer, competes in the Military Intelligence Corps Association’s annual fundraising golf scramble. The event raises money for scholarships that are awarded to current and former intelligence Soldiers and their Family members. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

Lt. Col. Joseph Matthews accepted command of the 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, from Lt. Col. James Walker May 30th at Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

Here and Everywhere!

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Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, conducted land navigation training at Training Area C on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 23.(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Juan C. Munoz)

Lt. Col. Michael Kulikowski, commander of the 741st Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, completes a relay race with his battalion’s guidon at the brigade’s organizational day at Burba Lake on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 9.(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Juan C. Munoz)

Soldiers with Charlie Company, 741st Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, trained for the Tough Mudder race. Though the race was cancelled due to weather, the Soldiers enjoyed building relationships as they spent months preparing as a team. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

26 │ The VOICE

Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Brassard, command sergeant major of the 742nd Military Intelligence Battalion, 704th MI Brigade, completes a relay race with his battalion’s guidon at the brigade’s organizational day at Burba Lake on Fort Meade, Md., Aug. 9.(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Juan C. Munoz)

Col. Anthony Hale, commander of the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, addresses a small group of Soldiers during a brigade sensing session at McGill Training Center on Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

The 704th Military Intelligence Brigade Color Guard posts the colors at a retirement ceremony on Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

Here and Everywhere!

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Soldiers with the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade participate in a change of command ceremony on Fort Meade, Md.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

A 704th Military Intelligence Brigade Soldier participates in an obstacle course on Fort Meade, Md.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

A Soldier with the 704th Military Intelligence Brigade competes in a soccer tournament on Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Amy Christopherson)

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