July 7, 2009

COB BASRA – Three suspects are in the custody of Iraqi offi cials following an improvised explosive device att ack in Muthanna Province, Iraq, June 16 that resulted in the death of an Ameri-can Soldier.

Sgt. Joshua W. Soto, 25, an infantry-man with Delta Company, 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and native of San Angelo, Texas, was killed when an IED exploded near his vehicle.

Maj. Darrin Rosha, chief of opera-tional law for the Staff Judge Advocate of Multi-National Division-South, said the three suspects, including the al-leged triggerman in the incident, were captured by Iraqi Police following the att ack.

Rosha also said the three suspects have confessed to the att ack and are currently working with offi cials to pin-point several other people who may have also been party to the incident.

Capt. David Peterson, chief of rule of law for the SJA, MND-S, said the three are being adjudicated by the lo-cal court system in Muthanna Prov-ince rather than having to go through the Central Criminal Court of Iraq in Baghdad, which has previously been the standard for cases such as this.

“There is a move to keep post-Janu-ary ‘09 cases for local prosecution at the provincial level where the incidents ac-tually happen when it is practical to do so,” the Sartell, Minn. native said. “This makes it much easier to coordinate with witnesses in gett ing them to the court-house and saves time away from their

families and jobs. It also shortens the time for cases to be processed and lessens the likelihood of witness in-timidation in these cases.”

This eff ort to try cases at the provincial level in Iraq whenever possible has come about partially as a re-sult of cooperation between U.S. and Iraqi offi cials, ac-cording to Peterson.

“The role of Provincial Reconstruction Teams and brigade-level judge advo-cates in helping the Iraqis develop their rule of law has been relationship-based,” Peterson said. “There has been a lot of hard work between them and local of-fi cials to develop trust and

that has been instrumental in assisting them with their eff orts.”

Peterson also said the Iraqis have

their own system and U.S. offi cials merely serve as advisors.

“The PRTs and brigade judge advo-cates give suggestions on developing the Iraqi legal system and they are ea-ger to learn,” Peterson said. “PRTs and brigade judge advocates have initiated programs to bring judges and police together in the provinces in a coopera-tive fashion to withstand judicial scru-tiny. However, the work is done within the Iraqi system and they decide how to use the suggestions they are given.”

The case currently being processed in Muthanna Province is an important step in testing the strength of Iraqi rule of law as it now exists, according to Rosha.

“This is a watershed case,” the Owa-tonna, Minn. native said. “If they are successful this will promote the ap-plication of the rule of law to these kinds of crimes at the local level. This is a crucial step. Iraqis are developing a fair, uniform system of law across the provinces.”

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“This is a crucial step. Iraqis are developing a fair, uniform system of law across the provinces.”

– Capt. David PetersonChief of Rule of Law, SJA, MND-S

Iraqi government working to bring suspects in IED attack to justice

Courtesy photo

Sgt. Joshua W. Soto, 25, an infantryman with Delta Company, 77th Armor Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, and native of San Angelo, Texas, was killed when an IED exploded near his vehicle in an attack against U.S. forces in Muthanna Province June 16.

By Sgt. Frank VaughnMND-S

For more of Sgt. Vaughn’s stories, visit: www.TheRedBulls.org/Vaughn

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July 7, 2009 Page 2The Red Bull Report

34th Inf. Div. PAO: Lt. Col. Kevin OlsonOIC, Command Information: Maj. Page BaldwinNCOIC: Staff Sgt. Dave LankfordManaging Editor: Staff Sgt. Derek SmithAssignment Editor: Sgt. Debralee P. Crankshaw Graphics Designer: Sgt. Eric JungelsPhoto Editor: Spc. Tyler MauldingLayout/Design: Spc. Stephanie CassinosStaff Writers: Sgt. Frank Vaughn,Sgt. Brandon LeFlore, Spc. Darryl Montgomery,Pfc. J. Princeville Lawrence

172nd Brigade Combat Team2nd BCT, 4th Infantry Division4th BCT, 1st Armored Division 41st Fires Brigade343rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment193rd Military Police BattalionSpecial Troops Battalion, 34th Inf. Div.Task Force 28450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne)

Media Queries please contact 34th Inf. Div. Public Affairs Offi ce at MND-S_PAO@iraq.centcom.mil

The Red Bull Report is an authorized publication for members of MND-S. Contents of The Red Bull Report are not necessarily offi cial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army or the 34th Infantry Division. All editorial content of The Red Bull Report is prepared, edited provided and approved by the 34th Infantry Division Public Affairs Offi ce.

(Above) Boaz Atushasire, (left) a Sabre security guard from Uganda, trains Peter Munene, (right) a guard from Kenya, who will replace Atushasire when he rotates to another base in Iraq. Sabre guards are often rotated from base to base.

(Left) Innocent Byarahunga, a Sabre security guard at COB Basra, said he enjoyed talking to Soldiers and teaching them bits of Swahili. “I’m going to miss the friends I made here,” said Byarahunga.

(Right) Back in Uganda, Moses Mubiiru lives on his father’s farm, a fi ve-acre plot that his father has tended for the past 15 years. Agriculture accounts for 80% of Uganda’s economy, and when Mubiiru goes home, he stands to inherit his father’s farm.

Photo essay by J. Princeville Lawrence, MND-S

JAMBO!Page 4

Jambo! A look at the Sabre guards of COB Basra

Every morning and every night Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Basra can ex-pect to hear the same friendly greeting as they walk through security checkpoints on base: “Jambo, jambo!”

“It’s the way you can say, hi, hi in Swahili,” said Inno-cent Byarahunga, a security guard with Sabre Internation-al Security. “Everyone knows jambo, jambo.”

Employed so troops are available for their combat duties, Sabre personnel hail primarily from Uganda and neighboring East African countries, where they were engineers, educators and students who deployed with Sabre for a bett er life for themselves and for their families.

On a dusty stretch of road just outside Contingency Operating Base Adder, rests this old truck.

At least, at some point in the not-so-distant past it was a truck. Now it is litt le more than a pile of metal in the shape of a truck.

The vehicle sits abandoned, stripped of its paint, its instruments and anything of any remote use. With its parts removed, so is its purpose.

It’s midmorning and the sun has already started pound-ing once again upon its hull. Dulled, sand-blasted and sun-baked, it lay slightly tilted in the fi eld next to a pile of old metal poles. They are its only companions.

There is an air of sadness here that isn’t easily explained. It seems as though it knows the days ahead are fewer than those behind.

How did this truck fi nally fi nd this spot to rest? It’s imbedded in the ground up to its chassis as if it planted roots. It’s as if it said, “Enough already. This is where I’m staying.”

One can almost sense wariness from the old girl upon approach. Curiosity has gott en the bett er of me. I can’t resist. The area is secure and my reason for being here is a bit of a bust anyway.

Camera in hand, I approach her and ask if it’s all right if I look around.

I don’t get a response, not a discernable one anyway. The camera loves her. The elements have worn away all

glamour and fl air she once had. There is only the core of what she was. I look closer.

The seats are gone. She has no engine. Even the instru-ments and steering wheel are gone. I fi gure they were put

to good use elsewhere, but I will never know. The obliging organ donor bids me a bit closer. I reach

out.The metal is hot and rough. The sun and wind have

certainly taken their toll, but the core is sound. It does not give.

I lean in and gaze through the windshield, or lack thereof. I’m looking through her eyes, so to speak.

She watches over a barren fi eld to a distant site where Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone workers have staked their claim and set up shop by COB Adder. It’s as if she’s watch-ing over them.

Is there hope in the cab of this old truck? She’s a relic of the past, abandoned for whatever reason

under circumstances which I may never know. She sits on this spot keeping vigil over a prospect for the future. Is this

irony within an iron chassis?There is a kinship here that I regretfully accept. I had

resigned myself to the reality that I wasn’t gett ing any younger. My past has taken a toll on me and all I really have to count on is the core of who I am.

The wind has picked up a bit and stings my eyes. They water and I wipe them quickly on my sleeve. It was just the wind . . . really.

A truck pulls up. It’s a lot newer and still has years of life before it. My compatriots are waiting for me to leave. I don’t want to, but even I realize that the past is the past for a reason. It’s not now.

I climb into the shiny silver pick-up and shut the door. I take one last look back at the old girl and smile.

I felt she had no purpose anymore. Now, I’m not so sure. She resumes her vigil over the fi eld as we start to pull away.

I too, have a fi eld to watch over and I need to get back soon.

I could swear that truck is smiling back at me.I may have been out in the sun too long.

The Red Bull Report July 7, 2009 Page 3

For more of Staff Sgt. Smith’s stories or to comment, visit:www.TheRedBulls.org/Smith

This old truckCommentary by Staff Sgt. Derek SmithMND-S

Photo by Staff Sgt. Derek Smith

This old truck rests outside Contingency Operating Base Adder. She keeps a quiet vigil over the Iraqi-Based Industrial Zone across a quiet fi eld right outside the gate. A look through her eyes may have revealed a little more than expected.

g g g y p

There is a kinship here that I regretfully accept. I had

resigned myself to the reality that I wasn’t getting any younger.

The Red Bull Report July 7, 2009 Page 4

(Top Right) Stephan Mugisha is studying law to become a politician like his dad, who is a city representative in Uganda. The Sabre guards are multi-lingual, often knowing their local language in addition to Swahili, the business language of Western Africa, English, the national language of Uganda, and bits and pieces of French and German, which are used in neighboring countries.

(Bottom right) Employed so troops are available for their combat duties, Sabre personnel hail primarily from Uganda and neighboring East African countries.

(Bottom left) John Setuba has a degree in civil engineering and had a small company, “working for subcontractors and big companies.” Setuba said he joined Saber to help support his family. “Three of my brothers have passed away. I’m the second in the family now. I’m not married, but I have a kid. She’s fi ve years,” said Setuba. “That’s my family now.”

(Below) “We have a house that was built by my mom. I still stay there with my family,” said Sabre guard Innocent Byarahunga, a plumber in Uganda. “That’s what I’m going to go do when I get back to Uganda, I have to get my own house.”

From page 2JAMBO!

The Red Bull Report July 7, 2009 Page 5

Legal Assistance and Powers of AttorneyThe Legal Assistance staff can

help you out with a variety of legal services including powers of att orney, notarizations, wills, health care directives, divorce, child support, child custody, immigration, consumer issues, landlord tenant issues and other legal matt ers.

Many of our clients come in because they need a power of att orney. There are a few things all service members should know about powers of att orney. A pow-er of att orney is a legal document allowing someone to act on your behalf. There are two types of powers of att orney, general and special. While a general power of att orney allows the person you name, your att orney-in-fact, to do almost anything that you could legally do, a special power of att orney lists a specifi c act or acts that your att orney-in-fact is authorized to do. While a power of att orney will generally be ac-cepted for most purposes, there are some acts that cannot be com-pleted because of the personal nature of those items, such as applying for a passport or a mar-riage license.

A power of att orney can be useful in many instances that arise while military members are deployed. A special power of att orney can be used to refi -nance or sell a home, manage bank accounts, pay bills, receive household goods, register and operate a motor vehicle, act as the guardian of minor children, enroll in DEERS and Tricare, and prepare income taxes. These are just a few of the acts that can be performed with a power of att or-ney. Some businesses and banks will not accept your power of at-torney, instead, they may require a power of att orney prepared by that institution.

There can also be disadvantag-

es to having a power of att orney. It is possible that the person you appoint as your att orney-in-fact could misuse the power of at-torney. For instance, a wife who just separated from her husband could use a power of att orney to clean out his bank account. In other cases, an elderly person could give a power of att orney to a younger relative, only to fi nd the younger relative spent all of their assets. An att orney-in-fact could use a power of att orney to sell your home and everything in it while you are deployed. A power of att orney has the potential to be a very danger-ous document. It is important to remember that you are going to be legally liable for anything that your att orney-in-fact does in your name. Therefore, you should be very careful when deciding who to name in your power of att orney.

There is no way to guarantee that your power of att orney will not be misused. However, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. You should not get a power of att orney unless you absolutely need one. If you feel you might need a power of att orney in the future, have one prepared but do not sign it until you need it. Try to avoid using a power of att orney. If you can get by with a special power of att orney, use one instead of granting all the powers under a general power of att orney. In ad-dition, you should always put an expiration date on your power of att orney and make sure that the expiration date is for a relatively short period of time. Finally, if you want to cancel a power of att orney before it expires you can prepare a Revocation of Power of Att orney. This will terminate the powers given in any power of at-torney. Give a copy of the revoca-

tion to any person or business who might deal with the person to whom you gave your power of att orney. If it is possible, the safest and most eff ective way to cancel a power of att orney is to collect the original and all copies from your att orney-in-fact.

The 34th Infantry Division Legal Assistance Offi ce recently relocated to the Staff Annex out-side D-MAIN. When you enter the Staff Annex, the Legal Assis-tance trailer is the second trailer to the left . We are open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Satur-days, and by appointment only on Sundays. The offi ce is closed from noon – 1:30 p.m. daily. Walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment call 858–4098.

For more information on pow-ers of att orney, help with pre-paring a power of att orney or a revocation of a power of att orney, or notarizing these documents, stop in and see us in the legal assistance offi ce. We are ready, willing and able to help you in these matt ers.

For more of Jag’s comments, visit:www.TheRedBulls.org/TheGavel

The Red Bull Report July 7, 2009 Page 6

For puzzle solutions visit: www.TheRedBulls.org/puzzlesolutions

SUDOKU

The Red Bull Report July 7, 2009 Page 7

World News: WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden signaled the Obama administration would not stand in the way if Israel chose to at-tack Iran’s nuclear facilities, even as the top U.S. military offi cer said any att ack would be destabilizing. Biden’s remarks suggested a tougher stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Administration offi cials insisted his remarks July 5 refl ected the U.S. view that Israel has a right to defend itself and make its own decisions on national security. Biden said the off er to negotiate with Tehran on its nuclear program still stands.

U.S. News:WASHINGTON - American att itudes have changed and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy toward gays serving in the military should be reviewed, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Colin Powell said July 5. President Barack Obama favors overturning the policy, which bars gay troops from serving openly in the military. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates asked military lawyers to look at ways to make the law more fl exible, hailed by gay rights groups as a “seismic political shift ”. “The policy and the law that came about in 1993, I think, was correct for the time,” Powell said. “Sixteen years have now gone by, and I think a lot has changed with respect to att itudes within our country.” Current Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen said the military will continue to carry out the policy until it is changed.

Sports News:WIMBLEDON, England - Roger Federer was playing for history. Andy Roddick was playing the match of his life. On and on they dueled, Federer trying for a record-breaking major championship, Roddick striving for his second, in a Wimbledon fi nal that required more games than any Grand Slam title match in history. They were each other’s equal for four full sets and nearly the entire 30-game fi ft h set. Federer fi nally edged ahead, breaking Roddick’s serve for the only time in the 77th and last game to close out a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 victory July 5. The epic match gave Federer his sixth Wimbledon title and 15th Grand Slam, one more than Pete Sampras, who fl ew in from California to be on hand. “He’s a legend,” Sampras said. “Now he’s an icon.”

Odd News:ELGIN, Illinois - Police in suburban Chicago say a taxi driver disarmed a knife-wielding passenger with a can of aerosol deodor-ant. Elgin Deputy Police Chief Jeff Swoboda says the 51-year-old cabbie picked up the male passenger outside a casino early July 2. Swoboda said the driver grew suspicious when the man off ered several destinations, so he placed the small can of deodorant between his legs. Shortly aft erward, the passenger put a knife to the driver’s neck and demanded money. The cabbie sprayed the deodorant in the man’s eyes, causing him to drop the knife. Swoboda says the man punched the driver before fl eeing, but didn’t seriously injure him. Swoboda declined to identify the driver.

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