“Semper Paratus”1-12 CAV “Chargers” reporting from the Republic of Korea.

CHARGERS and CHARGER FAMILIES - it's another GREAT day to be a CHARGER here in the Republic of Korea! I'd first like to recognize the crew of our C24 tank for placing 2nd in the Army-wide Sullivan Cup to determine the best tank crew in the Army! Outstanding work and indicative of the quality training that YOUR CHARGERS conduct on a daily basis. We've been able to showcase the talents of the battalion in several ways, but this month we will conduct gunnery and spend 4 weeks showing the peninsula that we have the best soldiers in the world! While we continue to prepare for gunnery, the CHARGERS have been volunteering in the local community as well as seeing the sights of Korea. Now that we've been here a few months, many CHARGERS have gotten more comfortable with the train and able to get around when we have some time off. We'll enjoy the good weather for a couple more weeks, but the hot, muggy Korean summer is already showing up, to be followed by the rainy season. We wish you all of the best, and I'm proud as ever to serve with your CHARGER soldiers!

-Charger 6

Commanders

Corner

The Charger ChronicleThe Charger Chronicle

ISSUE 4 VOLUME 1 YEAR 2014

Facebook: 1-12 Cav, 3BCT, 1CDTwitter: @Charger6ix

On 21 MAY 2014, 1-12 CAV Scout Platoon conducted GST training on the M2,M240B and MK19. This was done in support of all the Battalions un-stabilized crews. Approximately 110 NCOs and Soldiers were trained to clear, disassemble, assemble, perform a function check, load, and perform immediate action on their assigned weapon. This event is in preparation for GST and GT1 testing on 03-05 JUN 2014.

HHC CompanyScout Platoon Medic Platoon

During the month of May, the MED PLT completed EFMB training and testing with one medical personnel earning the coveted EFMB. During the month of May CLS classes were in full effect. To date 169 Chargers have become CLS certified since our arrival in ROK. As June approaches the MED PLT adjusts its focus towards BN Gunnery. There will be several medical training events planned which will embolden the Medics skill sets and help them provide world-class medical support to the Charger BN.

Mortar PlatoonThroughout the last month, the “Maniac” Platoon has strived to set the standard for readiness across all facets of our operating environment. The “Maniac” Platoon has revamped its maintenance process, conducted Combat Life Saver (CLS) training, completed the Gunner’s Exam and is currently in the process of completing the Fire Direction Center (FDC) Exam. The platoon has succeeded in preparing itself for gunnery/MORTEP, which is planned to take place next month throughout the month of June. It is without doubt, that the time and energy put into preparation for gunnery will become evident as the “Maniac” Platoon passes its qualification gates with flying colors.

S-2In the month of March the intelligence section has been focused on training our Soldiers in skills they will need to “fight tonight”. This is accomplished through various ways. Most prevalent has been the use of Sergeant’s time training conducted weekly. Here they will focus on individual tasks that better our Soldier’s skills. An example would be map reading (pictured above). This time is invaluable as it allows leaders the chance to present information and share knowledge amongst the ranks.

S-4Throughout the month of May, S4 Soldiers has been training and inspecting the Battalion on Command Supply Discipline and preparing for the upcoming Gunnery. This has consisted of inspecting company supply rooms and ensuring that they are following the proper procedures in regards to property accountability. SPC Chavez, PFC Cuthbertson, and PFC Bustamantes are pumped and ready for the next challenge of Gunnery starting in June.

Joint Fires CellThe Joint Fires Cell has been busy lately conducting air missions in preparation for Gunnery. JTACs and JFOs have been working hand in hand making sure that certifications are up to date and will have the ability to call in live aircraft for Table XII during Gunnery. We’ve also had the opportunity to conduct air ground integration classes for the maneuver companies so they will be able to call in emergency CAS/CCA missions when necessary. It has been some fun and exciting training!

S-1The Charger S-1 Team is so proud of our High-Speed Soldier, CPL Wade. She went to WLC for a month and returned with the completion of Warrior Leader‘s Course and exceeded the standard by being selected for Commandant's List with a grade point average of 96.16%. She also received Charger of the week on 30 May 2014.CPL Wade is an Non-commissioned Officer of the Charger family and S-1 teamand we are beyond proud of her accomplishments. Now time to get back to work CPL Wade.

Attack CompanyAttack 6I am happy to say the end of May is upon us but even better news is the cold weather has passed! Finally the air conditioning was turned on at just the right time as the humidity is on the rise along with the temperature. Working in humid weather will be a big change for

us coming from Fort Hood and the hot dry heat. We have conducted hot weather training and treatment of heat exhaustion in order to mitigate the risks. The month of May has given us ample time to prepare for our 5-6 week training event in June and July. Attack Company has been focusing on the fundamentals and are ready to show the other units here just how great they are! We are grateful to our FRG and the support they provide not only to us, but to the families back home. Your Soldiers continue to perform the best in the Battalion and are eager to get back home to you. We miss you all, are grateful for your support and think of you always. -ATTACK 6

Attack 7We’re now a third complete with our nine month tour to Korea as we are prepping to go into our main training cycle. May has been quite busy but we still had the opportunity to participate in some volunteer activities as well as some BOSS events. In the near future

HQ PlatoonHQ recently participated in Tae Kwon Do training each morning from May 5-9. Each soldier had the opportunity to test for a yellow belt. The PLT has been busy in preparation for Gunnery next month. Property maintenance has been the focus to ensure that all equipment is ready for the field.

1st PlatoonFirst underwent a joint training exercise with the 62nd Chemical Company. Soldiers learned how to decontaminate themselves after a chemical attack. The platoon has qualified at the team level and is preparing for another successful training cycle in the ROK.

2nd Platoon2nd Platoon Soldiers have been busy preparing for the upcoming Gunnery training events in June. Some of the activities they have participated in are ranges, platoon competitions, and Bradley simulators.

3rd PlatoonThird platoon had a successful change of their Platoon Leaders. Conducting 100% inventory during the change. Third platoon ran a successful AT -4 range. We trained up everyone. Then SFC Yanez ran the range, where we shot 66 live AT-4s. Battalion ran a Platoon competition, where 3rd platoon did very well, and solider had fun competing against other platoons.

we’re focusing on preparation for Gunnery which should involve some great training. -ATTACK 7

Bonecrusher Company

CAMP HOVEY, KOREA – Once a month Bravo Company participates in a tradition known as Warrior Focus Day. On this event the company literally dresses up in the Army Service Uniform, which is sometimes referred to as Dress Blues, and focuses on the health and welfare of the Company’s Soldiers. The uniform and its dress and appearance are inspected by the 1SG. A Soldier’s awards must be worn correctly as tradition dictates and all uniforms must be pressed and cleaned. The Beret or Stetson, which are the only two authorized forms of headgear, must also be in correct standing. Aside from a clean uniform, the Company’s Soldiers must present their cleaned room to the Commander and 1SG. Soldiers must line outside their hall by their door awaiting the primary inspectors to see their rooms. Once these previous tasks have been completed the Company is broken into platoons and a formal discussion begins. During this discussion the Platoon leaders will focus on subjects at hand. Such subjects usually revolve around correct payment by the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) which provides payment services to the United States Department of Defense. Other conversations will focus on conditions around post and even off post, monsoon season, alcohol drinking, sexual harassment and equal opportunity within the work environment; so forth and so on. The main idea is to take care of each other.

Bonecrusher 6

CAMP CASEY/ CAMP STANLEY, KOREA – During the month of May, Bravo Company participated in numerous training events. These training segments would include firearm ranges for the M4 Carbine and M203/302 which are grenade launching weapons. The firearm ranges required Soldiers to prepare before hand to ensure success on the actual live fire event. It is an NCOs job to coach and mentor younger soldiers on the fundamentals of shooting which are keys to weapon qualification. In Korea it is essential to understand how to maneuver as a unit and be fully mission capable in an underground facility scenario. This might not seem difficult but special precautions must be taken. One major difficulty is being able to move with little to no light. These Korean underground facilities can sometimes have no light for they are imbedded so deep underground that not even sun light can enter. Sound discipline is also essential. A single gun fire can destroy a Soldier’s eardrums. The reason is because the sound is amplified since it has nowhere to go but resonate within the cave like structure. Noise discipline in these facilities again must be made a point of.

DONGDUCHEON, KOREA – To close off the month, during the Memorial Day break, Bravo Company Soldiers volunteered some of their time to help clean the streets of Dongducheon. The city is an important area for Soldiers because it is their threshold to the rest of Korea, an amazing country to see. Koreans who see Soldiers cleaning streets in the earlier morning enthusiastically express thanks. It is a simple gesture that grows a stronger bond between the Soldiers and our hosts that reside immediately outside the gate.

CCCrrraaazzzyyyhhhooorrrssseee CCCooommmpppaaannnyyy 1st Platoon1st Platoon1st PLT has been extremely busy this past month conducting Change of Command Inventories, CCTT, AGTS, and Gunnery preparation. We are extremely proud of PFC Demmons who was the Loader for the crew that placed 2nd overall in the Sullivan Cup at Fort Benning. This month 1st PLT is also proud to congratulate SSG Bradley and SGT Reynolds on their recent promotions. In addition to Gunnery preparation we have been working extremely hard at PT with five new Soldiers eligible for the Physical Fitness Badge and an increased APFT average of 266, the highest in the Company. Upon completion of Change of Command Inventories 1st PLT will continue to prepare for Gunnery on June 14th where we will shoot GT I-XII at Rodriguez Range. Upon completion of Gunnery the Company will conduct PLT and Company STX. We are very excited for this training opportunity, and will take advantage of working with numerous Training Aids and assets during this training cycle. Every member of the PLT continues to make you all proud here in the Republic of Korea and have represented the Company and Battalion well. We all appreciate your continued support and care packages!

2nd Platoon2nd Platoon

3rd Platoon3rd Platoon

First off I would like to take the time to recognize SFC Garcia, SGT Beaird, and PFC Frank who took 2nd place at this year’s Sullivan Cup. The rest of the members of second platoon have been working hard as well here in Korea with AGTS, CCTT, and maneuver training all in preparation for gunnery. On top of gunnery prep soldiers have been working long days and late nights to help with the change of command inventories for our new company commander, Captain Mierva. Despite all of their hard work during duty hours second platoon still finds time to help in the local community. On the 24th of May soldiers from second platoon and Crazyhorse Company took time out of their weekend to help clean up and visit with the elderly at a local nursing home. The focus was to teach the Soldiers the importance of giving back to the local community. Crazyhorse Soldiers cleaned the home and helped the staff with the elderly in an effort to “Strengthen the Alliance.” Soldiers learned that strengthening the alliance is a vital necessity in maintaining this long and vital relationship between the United States and South Korea. From all of us here in Korea stay safe and wish us good luck at gunnery starting June 14th!

It has been a very busy month for Reaper Platoon along with everyone from Crazyhorse Company. We started the month off right by conducting maneuver training at Twin Bridges Training Area, where we had previously conducted drivers training. However, this operation consisted of moving through the unforgiving Korean terrain as a platoon. The terrain here is very advantageous for a defense but it presents a lot of challenges if we were ever in an offensive fight. It was a great experience to familiarize ourselves with the unique challenges the Korean terrain offers. Reaper Platoon has also been training diligently to prepare for gunnery! Our gunners and tank commanders have spent countless hours in the Advanced Gunnery Table Simulators (AGTS) to prequalify to shoot. We have also spent time as a platoon at Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) developing our crews for gunnery. We are excited to shoot a new range and get some of our new gunners and tank commanders to qualify on their tanks. We always have our families and friends in mind in everything we do and strive to make you proud. We will be home soon! From the entire Reaper Platoon take care!

It has been a very busy month for Reaper Platoon along with everyone from Crazyhorse Company. We started the month off right by conducting maneuver training at Twin Bridges Training Area, where we had previously conducted drivers training. However, this operation consisted of moving through the unforgiving Korean terrain as a platoon. The terrain here is very advantageous for a defense but it presents a lot of challenges if we were ever in an offensive fight. It was a great experience to familiarize ourselves with the unique challenges the Korean terrain offers. Reaper Platoon has also been training diligently to prepare for gunnery! Our gunners and tank commanders have spent countless hours in the Advanced Gunnery Table Simulators (AGTS) to prequalify to shoot. We have also spent time as a platoon at Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) developing our crews for gunnery. We are excited to shoot a new range and get some of our new gunners and tank commanders to qualify on their tanks. We always have our families and friends in mind in everything we do and strive to make you proud. We will be home soon! From the entire Reaper Platoon take care!

Deathrider CompanyDeathrider Company

CAMP HOVEY, KOREA – CAMP HOVEY, KOREA - It’s been a packed month for the Deathriders! Delta Company has been preparing for Battalion Gunnery in June by conducting several training events. Our Soldiers executed multiple Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) simulator exercises this month. These exercises allowed our newest tank crews to practice maneuver training together and to conduct a virtual gunnery in the system. In addition to military training, the Delta Company softball team continues to succeed on the baseball field. The team is 4 and 2 in regular season play, did an outstanding job at the Memorial Day Weekend tournament, and have the best uniforms of any team in the area!-CPT Forest Pierce

CAMP CASEY, KOREA – Delta Company Soldiers took to the simulators to get some good training. Soldiers conducted a mission which helped them practice fundamentals of maneuver and working together. Platoons used this digital training to coach newly promoted personnel on their responsibilities. After a week of practicing maneuver in the simulators, platoons returned to the CCTT to conduct a Tank Table VI Gunnery simulation. Each tank crew engaged targets during offensive and defensive engagements while coping with varying conditions. It was evident by these training events that Deathrider crews have become more cohesive and are prepared for the Battalion Gunnery. Soldiers also went to the M4 rifle range to ensure that every Soldier is qualified on their personal weapon. All Deathriders that attended the rifle range qualified, with many qualifying expert!

CAMP RED CLOUD, KOREA – The Delta Company softball team traveled south to Camp Red Cloud over the Memorial Day Weekend to compete in an Area 1 Softball Tournament. Overall the team went 4 and 1 at the weekend tournament losing in single elimination game at the end. The team did an excellent job displaying skill and sportsmanship on the field. They beat Charlie Company in the tournament and will challenge HHC later in the regular season. Notable plays included a walk off single by PFC Vasquez that brought in 2 runs to clinch a victory on the first day. SPC Darensburg rocketed 2 balls out of the park earlier the same day. The defensive play of the tournament was made by SPC Silva with a double play he made by himself. Overall the Delta Company softball team had an excellent showing and used the tournament to focus and refine their skills for regular season games!

Death 6Death 6

Jackal CompanyJackal 6 CAMP STANLEY, KOREA – Hello again from Korea! As we near the half-way point of our deployment, I'm extremely impressed with all that the Jackal team has accomplished so far. During the month of May we continued to hammer away at vehicle services and support various battalion training events. For our own company training, we did off-road & night drivers training, combat life saver course (First Aid), a rifle range, and a week of Tae- Kwon-Do training! Most recently, we had two teams participate in a "Truck Rodeo," a competition involving multiple events that tested our truck driving skills. In two weeks we leave for a month at the field for our annual Battalion Gunnery exercise, so we're also busy preparing for that major event. I'm proud of all the hard work our Soldiers are accomplishing each day. I hope all the families back home will continue to support the FRG and participate in all the great activities we are planning. Thanks! - CPT Jonathan Leggett

CAMP STANLEY, KOREA – An- Nyeong-Ha-Se-Yo from the Republic of Korea! The mighty Chargers and Jackal Company are closing in on the half-way point of our deployment on the Korean Peninsula and I must say the experience has been great! We are prepping our Soldiers and Equipment for our upcoming Gunnery, which will be a great training event for our Jackal Soldiers as well as the Charger Battalion. Our Soldiers are continuing to get out and do great things in the community to help enhance the culture between Koreans and Americans. Thanks to our families back home for your continued support and all that you do while your Soldiers are away. First Team! Second to None!

-1SG Moody

CAMP STANLEY, KOREA –.This month the platoon’s main focus was a battalion load exercise. The exercise was supposed to give the distribution platoon, as well as the battalion, an idea of how long it would take to draw ‘go to war’ ammunition and to see how many vehicles and personnel would be necessary to complete the task. The exercise involved many implied tasks that needed to be complete before the load exercise if it was going to be successful. The platoon had to work and rely heavily on the maintenance platoon in order to get enough vehicles mission ready for the load exercise. The platoons of J FSC truly showed teamwork to make this event a success. We were able to have eight PLS/LHS trucks for the mission when two weeks prior only three were mission ready. Overall the load exercise was a success and it was a great training event.

CAMP STANLEY, KOREA –This month HQM completed all services for J FSC and HHC. The Soldiers also participated in day and night driver's training at the driving course at Camp Casey. Teams with Soldiers from HQM participated in the Sustainment Truck Rodeo. They placed 4th and 5th. J FSC Soldiers received lessons in the Korean martial art, Tae- Kwon-Do, the week of 19 May-22 May. The lessons were during normal PT hours and were taught by Master Lee, an expert Tae-Kwon-Do instructor. During the lessons, Soldiers learned fundamentals of Tae-Kwon-Do, including basic commands in the Korean language such as charyeot (attention) and junbi (ready). At the end of the week, Soldiers were able to earn their yellow belt in Tae- Kwon-Do.