the knight life - "the international issue" march 2011

DEPARTURE \ LOVE AND WAR DODGE BALL IN’ \ COLLEGE CREDIT \ ZERO DEBT

THE KNIGHT LIFEA CO. 640TH ASB \ MAR 2011 \ ISS. 02

THE KNIGHT LIFE THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE \ FEB 2011 \ ISS. 02

03\HEADED EAST Part II: From the Great Place to the Middle East

04\KNOWLEDGE CREDITTurning Army Training into Higher Education

05\LOVE AND WAR

Al l is Fair. Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez

06\WANNA BE A BALLER?

Taking it back to the playground with Dodgeball

07\ZEROING YOUR DEBTAssault your debt with the Soldier’s Relief Act

The Knight Life is an independent publication which does not reflect the views and opinions of the United States Government, National Guard, or organizations within.

SPC Baek immortalizes the 640th ASB amongst hundreds of Unit “art walls” at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

THE KNIGHT LIFE \ A CO 640TH ASB

01\INTRODUCTIONThe Knight Life has gone International.

I was concerned whether this Issue would even come out in time. 60+ hours traveling, four different countries, a blown laptop battery, lost power cord, but here it is. It’s official, The Knight Life has gone international.

For a long time this deployment loomed on the horizon of possibilities where even in Texas it seemed elusive. Finally here we are. Every new base we travel to, new cot, bed, or floor we sleep on is one place closer to where we really want to be, back home. In that there

is something exciting, aside from the new sights and experiences we are making forward progress to coming home.

Despite the difficulties we are able to give you our second issue, The International Issue, and just in time too. We have a lot more photos this time around which i’m sure you appreciate and now with a new office and power cord we’ll be sure to have even more the next issue around..and some articles too. Enjoy.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER

1LT JOSH TERRY

SubMIT YOUR WORKWe are STILL looking for contributors for every issue. Photos, drawings, stories, articles, sonets, haiku, what-ever you’ve got we’ll take and try to figure out how we

can fit it in. So don’t be shy, don’t hesitate, go ahead and send us an email and we can work together to get your genius to grace these pages.

Please send in your submissions, comments, and ideas to: [email protected]

THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE \ MAR 2011 \ ISS. 01

02\COMMAND COMMENTSAs I write these comments, thinking of all the things we’ve accomplished just to get to this point, I feel a strong sense of gratitude for the Soldiers I have the honor of leading here in Iraq. I’m so proud of the dedication I’ve witnessed and the determination that’s making our mission to take over operations in Taji a success. My, XO, Platoon Leaders and Platoon Sergeants have worked tirelessly to ensure that we function efficiently and that every mission is accomplished successfully. Rarely do I hear complaints from Soldiers and I often see them going above and beyond what would normally be required of their position just because of their unselfish desire to serve their nation.

There are so many examples of Soldiers who have made extreme sacrifices to be here, and they are often the ones who display the most positive outlook. One example that quickly comes to mind is a Soldier who has a son with a severe disability that has many times been life-threatening. This has placed an enormous hardship on his wife, who doesn’t have sufficient facilities in the home to easily take care of a teenage boy confined to a wheel chair. She often has to take him to medical appointments and to the

emergency room and has support from FRG and other military families but proudly carries most of the burden on her own. The soldier calls for daily updates, and has the most difficult situation in that his hands are tied, being half way across the world. He can only do his best to console his wife and worry. Until I found this out, I would have never thought this soldier had a problem in the world. He’s always upbeat, continuously displays a positive, motivational outlook and performs his job as well as any other Soldier in his Platoon. This is a great example of the caliber of the Soldiers working for me.

Every day I learn more about my Soldiers and I’m often amazed at what they’ve been through to get here and what they’re going through to stay here. I truly believe I’m working with the best, and thank God for that every day. Because of the dedication of the A Company Soldiers, I’m truly confident this deployment will be a success.

COMMANDER

CPT SION DETTRA

Hello Family and Friends. We are in country now and we are transitioning into our jobs that we have been training for. All is well, but you all know that there is no place like home, but we are making this our home for now. I hope that all families are well and are doing fine. All soldiers here are working and getting into a work cycle for everyday, but no one really know what day it is until someone tells them what day it is.

The unit that we replaced thanks us for how we came in and worked hard during the transition. All soldiers came right in and took charge of their sections without any

problems. The soldiers of Alpha Company has proventhemselves thus far.

I would like to Thank all the Family members and Friends of the soldiers of Alpha Company. Without you all, the support that is being given to each soldier, they could not be the soldiers that we are. We will have keep you all in our Prayers, as you all keep us in you all Prayers.

FIRST SERGEANT

1SG RODDRICK PULLEN


LOS ANGELES, CA

FORT HOOD, TX

03\HEADED EASTPart II: The Great Place to the Middle East

January 30th 2011, The Knights again stood out on a sun-beaten tarmac, a line of Soldiers trailing across the vacant run-way from the airliner to the terminal doors. The Knights again were headed East, this time without the fanfare of family and friends but the quiet anxiety of their fellow Soldiers.

Taking off from Killeen Airport in Fort Hood, Texas the first leg of the journey brought them 1,800 miles to Bangor, Maine. Greeted by the famous Maine Troop Greeters, they spent only a

brief time in the terminal as the plane was cleaned and refueled for the long trip over the Atlantic.

Departing close to midnight the plane ascended from the snow covered asphalt to begin the longest portion of the trip, 3500 miles and close to 9 hours to Leipzig, Germany. Stopping again to replenish food and fuel Soldiers briefly perused the small gift shops in the aiport terminal before departing again on the final stretch, 5 hours and 2500 miles to Kuwait.

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT

BANGOR, ME

LEIPZIG, GERMANY


Bangor, MAINE

Bangor International Airport is our nation’s main departure and arrival point for troops serving our country around the world. Troops are given heart-felt welcomes and good-bys at Bangor, by a steadfast group of Troop Greeters and others.

The “original” Troop Greeters began greeting the troops returning from Operation Desert Storm.

The Troop Greeters at the Bangor International Airport come in at all hours of the day or night to welcome soldiers home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Since May 2003 and the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Maine Troop Greeters have greeted more than 4000 flights and over 800,000 soldiers.

There have been numerous requests to greet the returning troops. To best accommodate the welcoming public, all troop greetings will be coordinated through a joint effort between the airport, the Maine Troop Greeters and the vari-ous Veterans and Civic organizations.

Courtesy FlyBangor.com

Camp BuehringKUWAIT

Camp Buehring, 15 miles from the Iraq bor-der, has served as the staging and training base for tens of thousands of Iraq-bound troops. Since opening in January, 2003, it has been a busy hub for Army Apache, Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The camp is packed with morale and rec-reation facilities that could rival some US bases. For all the benefits here though, Camp Buehring is still a desert camp, far from home and the friends and families of these Marines and Sailors. A fully-stocked exchange, several phone centers, an internet café, a coffee house, gym facilities, Burger King and a 24-hour Pizza Inn are just a few of the amenities here topping the Marines’ “favorites list.”

Courtesy GlobalSecurity.org

Your military service has likely earned you college credit. Many schools and col-leges award military students credit to-wards a degree basd on training, course-work, and occupational specialty. You’ve worked hard in the military, now you can save tuition dollars and classroom time!

DANTES Military Evaluation ProgramPursuing your college degree can be the best career move you can make but it can also be very expensive and time consuming. That’s why claiming credit for your military ex-perience is vital. Applying your military experience credits could save you a fair amount of time and money at no cost to you.

ACE The American Council on EducationThe American Council on Education was created to recognize the educational value of military training and experience. ACE evaluates military schools, correspondence courses and occupations to determine the amount and level of academic credit each should be awarded. Through ACE, you can take academic credit for most of the training you

have received, including Basic Training. The ACE military evaluations program is funded by the Department of De-fense and coordinated through DANTES.

The first step in claiming the credits you have earned is to request a transcript from your military service. Each service will provide unofficial personal copies and send schools an official copy of your transcript at no charge. Each service branch has their own system for recording your education and experience credits.

In most cases, ACE recommended credits will be used to fulfill your free-elective requirements, but each college determines the number of credits they will accept, and how they will be applied toward your degree. In fact, some schools may even choose not to grant any credit for military experience. That is why it is critical to shop around for the most “military friendly” school available.

Courtesy of Military.com

Go to: http://aarts.army.milto find out how much college credit you can get for your Military service.

04\


LANDI N S E Q U E N C E

1 2

7

Fifty meters away even I could feel the force of the knife-edged steel chopping through the afternoon air. The deafening roar of the churning blades was enough to cause your body to tense with caution

Through a series of hand and arm signals Soldiers of 1st Platoon guide helicopters to a precise landing, position-


3

7

ing them to replenish their supply of fuel and ammunition wherever they may need it. The procedure is called Air Marshalling and it takes a combintation of skill and nerves where the slightest miscalculation could end in disaster for both the pilots and ground personnel.

Orchestrating the hovering hulks of metal with the fluidity

of a symphony conductor soldiers must maintain control of the helicopters movements amidst the powerful downdraft from spinning rotors and the dirt, rocks, and dust that fills the air in its wake.

4 5 6

LoveWarand


LoveWarandAide Alexandra Gean& Daniel Jesse AlvarezThe United States Army is a force to behold. Hundreds of thou-sands of Soldiers combine their skills and proficiencies, often in foreign and hostile lands, to achieve a single objective, to accom-plish one mission. On January 22nd, 2011 Alpha Company’s Sol-diers displayed the same military presence as they assembled for a singular objective, to support the love and union of Sgt. Daniel Alvarez and his bride Aide Jean.

Photography by Sgt. Kennedy

05\


The Wedding Procession

The Arrival

The Ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez

Mr. and Mrs. AlvarezMr. and Mrs. Alvarez

The Reception

THE DEPLOYMENT ISSUE \ FEB 2011 \ VOL. 01

Photography by Sgt. KennedyTHE KNIGHT LIFE \ A CO 640TH ASB

ASIAN PERSUASION

VSTHUNDERCATS

SPARTANS

VSPARTY BOYZ

WOLPACK of 6

VSBALLBUSTERS

LOS MAFIOSOS

VSTHE HUSTLERS

SHOOTERS

VSRENEGADES

BIG BALLERS

VSONE SHOT ONE KILL

BIG BALLERS

VSLOS MAFIOSOS

BIG BALLERS

VSWOLFPACK of 6

ASIAN PERSUASION

VSSHOOTERS

ASIAN PERSUASION

VSPARTY BOYZ

BIG

BALLERS

ASIAN PERSUASIAN


The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act (SSCRA) is law in place to help de-ployed Soldiers reduce interest rates on mortgage payments, credit card debt, and protect you from eviction and financial legal issues.

One of the most significat provisions under the act limits the amount of interest that may be collected on debts to 6% APR during the period of military service. This provision applies to all debts incurred prior to the commencement of active duty and includes interest on credit card debt, mortgages, car loans and other debts. The provision applies only to debt incurred prior to active duty and the interest rate reduction doesn’t occur automatically, Soldiers must request it.Once a s Soldier requests the rate reduction, the creditor must either comply or apply for court relief. The SSCRA puts the burden on the creditor to show that military ser-vice has not “materially affected” a member’s ability to repay the debt. The the court generally grants relief if the creditor can make his case.

Soldiers must notify lenders of their intent to invoke the 6% cap in writing, along with proof of mobilization/activa-tion to activy duty such as orders.

A sample of the notification letter can be downloaded at:

http://legalassistance.law.af.mil/content/legal-as-sistance/cp/scra_6_sample_letter.pdf

The interest rate cap does not apply to Federal guaranteed student loans. However, the Department of Education has in the past deferred or suspended payments on student loans for Reserve/National Guard Soldiers called to active duty. Soldiers should contact their lenders or schools to determine if such a program has been implemented and its eligibility requirements.

Courtesy of Defense.gov,

For more information about the Soldiers’ Civil Relief Act and its provisions: http://legalassistance.law.af.milhttp://www.defense.gov/specials/relief_act_revision

07\ZEROING DEBTCredit Card debt reduction while deployed.


According to the 2010 U.S. Census the average cardholder has $6500 in Credit Card debt at an average annual interest rate of 18%. By not making any more purchases on the card and making ONLY the minimum payments it will take nearly 25 years to pay the debt off while accruing over $9K in interest.


Staying on Target. Taking out your Credit Card debt requires focus and attention. These simple tips may keep you on track:

1.) Reduce your Interest Rates.Use the SSCRA to your advantage. Contact your creditors and you may be able to reduce your rates if you have some specific payment goals in mind.

1.) No More Purchases or Cards.The last thing you need to do is go further into debt or get additional cards. Stop all purchases. If you can’t pay for it in cash then you probably can’t afford it.

2.) Have a Plan.Take a look at your spending and expenses and come up with a payment plan that is feasible for you. Be as specific as possible as it will keep you on track.

3.) Pay More than the Minimum.Minimum payments only benefit the Creditors not you. It may be easy to setup a minimum payment and forget about it but you pay much more in the long run.

4.) Attack One Debt at a Time.Focus on eliminating your debts with the highest-inter-est rate first. Once destroyed focus that same payment on the next. This way you can achieve mental victories and stay motivated.

Luxury Security Fire Superiorty

Luxury Security Fire Superiorty

Your personnel protection is our personal devotion. Implementing elite training and defense The Alpha

Company provides an exclusive class of transportation security. Melding luxurious amenities (air condition-

ing) on-board entertainment (Blue Force Tracker) and safeguard technologies (Rhino/Duke) our dedication

is to the safety and comfort of your personnel for a distinguished travel experience.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.Another issue down and we are already

looking forward to the next one. Thank you

to everyone that made this possible, Alpha

Company Soldiers for creating great photo

opportunities, family and friends for support-

ing them to do so. You are the backbone of

this Company, what keeps us going to the

next day, the next mission, to eventually

return home safe.

PLEASE CONTACT US

with any comments, questions, or concerns at

[email protected]

THE KNIGHTS ARE ON FACEBOOKLogon and add us. Post your pictures, add

comments, invite your friends, and expand the

Alpha Company family. Just Search for “Alpha

Company Knights” or simply copy the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107342392631195

the knight life - "the international issue" march 2011

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