Serving the Soldiers, Civilians and Families of 2nd ABCT, 4th Inf. Div. Issue 125 May 16, 2013

Warrior, athlete shoots for 2016 olympic teamStory and photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch 2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

Staff Sgt. Reyes Marquez (left), indirect fire infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf Reg., 2nd ABCT and a boxer with the World Class Athlete Program, lands a right cross on Spc. Steven Nelson, boxer, World Class Athlete Program, during a sparing session on Fort Carson, Colo., April 30. Marquez, recently attached to the WCAP, competed and won first place at the USA Boxing Nationals at the senior men’s 152-pound division.

Feet shuffling back and forth as blows are traded, with sweat and blood hitting the canvas, is just a scene out of a movie for some, but for Staff Sgt. Reyes Marquez, it is his everyday life.

During his seven year Army career, Marquez, indirect fire infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., 2nd ABCT, has spent time in the Old Guard, served a tour in Afghanistan, and competed at highest levels of amateur boxing as a part of the World Class Athlete Program.

Marquez is now with the WCAP for his second time, and knows he’s lucky to get the chance to do what he loves.

“I feel a sense of pride knowing that I deployed, and now I am boxing for the Army,” said Marquez.

Coaches welcomed Marquez to the boxing team because of his devotion to both the sport and the Army.

“His dedication is above par compared to a lot of Soldiers,” said Staff Sgt. Alexis Ramos, assistant boxing coach, WCAP.

Marquez first boxed in the Army in 2008 when he won the All Army tournament, later joining WCAP in 2009, and plans to compete in the 2016 Olympics.

“As a boxer he is going to get far,” said Ramos. “He has tremendous potential to make it to the top of the nation, and possibly make it to the Olympics in 2016.”

See WARRIOR, Page 3

Warhorse PridePage 2 Issue 125 May 16, 2013

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

Soldiers become spartans

Soldiers of 534th Signal Company, 43rd STB, 43rd Sustainment Brigade, pose for a photo before participating in the Moral, Welfare and Recreation sponsored Spartan Race on Fort Carson, Colo., May 4. The team said they joined as a group and planned to finish as a group. The Spartan Race is a four-mile course filled with more than 25 obstacles, including moats, a tire drag and a fire-pit jump.

Soldiers, Family members and friends of Fort Carson are sprayed with water as they low crawl through the mud under barbed wire during the Moral, Welfare and Recreation sponsored Spartan Race at Fort Carson’s Iron Horse Park, May 4.

Sgt. Jefferson Burden (left), wheeled vehicle mechanic, and Staff Sgt. Devon Thomas, track vehicle repair, both of Troop D, 1st Sqdn., 10th Cav. Reg., 2nd BCT attend a religious service at Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Feb. 27

Covered in mud, sweat dripping from every pore, approximately 6,000 Soldiers, Family members and friends of Fort Carson filled Iron Horse Park to compete in the Moral, Welfare and Recreation sponsored Spartan Race on May 4-5.

The four-mile course, consisting of more than 25 obstacles, was aimed to push competitors to their physical and mental limits with various obstacles, including a spear throw, low-crawling through mud under barbed wire, crossing multiple moats and jumping a fire pit.

“Some of the things I encountered here today were a lot of mud and a lot of grit,” said retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Dorsey Rubendall, Spartan race competitor. “I had to apply a lot of determination.”

Volunteering didn’t come easy to everyone.

“I came here to do the race with my cousins,” said Spc. Derek Vasquez, power generation equipment repairer, Headquarters Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. “They were talking me into doing it for a while, and I couldn’t be happier I gave in.”

Some of the obstacles were more challenging than others.

“The ruck march up the hill, and crawling through the mud were pretty tough, but it was fun and worth it,” said Vasquez.

Rubendall, who was on a team with nine others, said he loved competing, but knew the end of the race was what mattered.

“It felt glorious to compete,” said Rubendall. “Finishing gave me a deep sense of

accomplishment.”Competitors not only received

inspiration from teammates, but words of encouragement from spectators who were sprinkled throughout the course.

“The adrenaline and energy around here is crazy,” said Vasquez. “Everybody supporting you is a great experience.”

Though physically exhausted, all the competitors agreed on one thing.

“Come out and do it,” said Vasquez. “It is definitely something worth trying. Don’t be scared; there were young kids and old ladies doing it. I’m sure anyone can.”

Warhorse PridePage 3 Issue 125 May 17, 2013

Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Porch2nd ABCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.

An honoring in PuebloFrom WARRIOR, Page 1

Marquez strives to own the ring, and always does his best.

“There is something about knowing it’s just you and one other guy in the ring,” said Marquez. “It depends on if you want it more or if he wants more; that’s what makes me strive to be the best boxer in the ring.”

Fighting at 152 pounds, down from his normal weight of 165, Marquez captured the senior men’s title in the welterweight division at the USA Boxing Nationals held in Spokane, Wash., April 1-6.

“The competition this year was steep,” said Marquez. “At the end of the day you have to push yourself. There are a couple fights that you have to go through, and whether you have the will or they have the will, that’s who will win the fight.”

Being an elite boxer doesn’t come easy.Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are

sparring days, said Marquez. Atheletes have to watch what they eat, and cutting weight is hard when it is time to get ready for a fight.

All the work he puts in is worth it.“Every morning we get up and run, or do

strength conditioning with the coaches,” said Marquez. “That is something I enjoy doing; I don’t really count that as being hard. When you get in the ring, that is what is going to pay off in the end.”

Marquez brings more to the team than just his love of the sport.

“I think he makes the team better by providing experience,” said Ramos. “He has been there before. He has a lot of mentorship he can provide to the younger boxers coming into the program.”

Marquez knows he can’t stay in the ring forever.

“One of my future goals is becoming a coach at WCAP,” he said. “If not, I want to open my own gym. Boxing is one of those sports that keeps a lot of young kids from getting in trouble.”

Staff Sgt. Reyes Marquez, indirect fire infantryman, HHC, 2nd Bn., 8th Inf. Reg., 2nd ABCT and a boxer with the World Class Athlete Program, applies petroleum jelly before a sparing match at Fort Carson, Colo., April 30.

“This medal is not for me, it is for the Soldiers that did not come back,” a quote under the portrait of Staff Sgt. Leroy Petry, recent Medal of Honor recipient, and the latest service member to have his portrait unveiled in Pueblo, Colo., May 9.

Soldiers of Fort Carson and local residents who attended the ceremony at the Center for American Values interacted with Medal of Honor recipients, toured the facility that features more than 140 portraits of service members who earned the MOH and saw the unveiling of the newest portrait.

“For me, what this portrait represents is that I was just a plain old guy, a normal guy,” said Petry. “It was having those good American values and then the Army values which helped build my character and that’s what the portrait represents.”

Perty distinguished himself by acts of gallantry at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. It was in action, with an armed enemy in the vicinity of the Paktia Province, Afghanistan, May 26, 2008. While wounded from enemy fire, Petry, with complete disregard for his own safety, picked up an enemy grenade that landed feet from him and his Soldiers. As he released the grenade it detonated, amputating his right hand at the wrist. Despite the severity of his wounds, he placed a tourniquet on his wrist and continued to communicate for support via radio.

Petry, who was not able to attend the unveiling due to a back surgery, is currently stationed in Fort Lewis, Wash., and has taken

on the task of helping wounded warriors and their families.

Perty said if he can’t go to the fight, then he can help the men and their families who are wounded, ill or injured.

Soldiers said they felt honored to attend the event.

“It was a pretty emotional event with three Medal of Honor recipients there,” said Capt. Adam Fullerton, rear detachment commander, 3rd Bn., 16th FA Reg, 2nd ABCT. “You could just tell what it meant to those guys and what it meant to the community. I was fortunate to be a part of it.”

Drew Dix, Medal of Honor recipient, spoke to the crowd on the importance of the center.

“When (children) leave here, we know that a few of them are going to take something away from this,” said Dix. “When they spread out to the community and they grow up, they are going to help carry the message that we’re trying to create here and encourage.”

Soldiers said they appreciated the support of the community.

“It’s awesome,” said Capt. Matt Anderson, Fort Carson Warrior Transition Battalion. “It depends where you live, but it’s not always as prevalent as you would like it to be. It’s always awesome to have the local community on your side.”

To learn more about the portraits of more than 140 MOH recipients, visit the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in downtown Pueblo.

Drew Dix and Jim Taylor, Medal of Honor recipients, unveil a portrait of Staff Sgt. Leroy Petry, recent Medal of Honor recipient at the Center for American Values located at the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in Pueblo, Colo., May 9. The walls inside of the building are lined with more than 140 portraits of living service members that have received the Medal of Honor.

3-16 FARDyanne Beckman.........................................................526-1635dyanne.m.beckman.civ@mail.mil

1-67 ARValerie Mansapit...........................................................524-1476valerie.j.mansapit.civ@mail.mil

204th BSBBarbara Young...............................................................526-4172barbara.a.young.civ@mail.mil

2-8 INUrsula Pittman...........................................................526-0727ursula.t.pittman.civ@mail.mil 2 STBSpc. Morgan Madrick..............................................503-2602morgan.a.madrick.mil@mail.mil

Find us on Facebook at:http://www.facebook.com/2bct4id

2nd ABCTValarie Adams............................................................524-4797valarie.a.adams.civ@mail.mil

1-10 CAVFrancy Avizu...............................................................526-1946francy.avizu.civ@mail.mil

FRSA Information

Family Readiness GroupPage 5 Issue 125 May 17, 2013

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18 19 20 21 22 23Poet Laureate-Price Stobridge @ Rockrimmon Library7:00 p.m.

Lets Play Chess!@ Brigarte Library3:30 p.m.

.2013 Armed Forces Luncheon @ The Broadmoor11:30 a.m.

Pikes Peak Derby Dames Military Appreciation Bout@ Colorado Springs Auditorium6:00 p.m.

Outdoor Skills Day @ Mueller State Park10:00 a.m.

Little Wonders - Ants on Parade@Bear Creek Nature Center9:00 a.m.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Annual Plant Sale@Cheyenne Zoo9:00 a.m.

HO Railroad Display@ old Colorado City History Center10:00 a.m.

Greek Dinner Delight@ Garden of the Gods6:00 p.m.

Free Tennis Play DayMemorial Park10:00 a.m.

Lunch & A Look at Garden @ Garden of the Gods11:30 a.m.

Read It Before You See It@ Rockrimmon Library4:00 p.m.

Curious Palate Tasting Class - Rose Wines@ Soiree5:30 p.m.

Better Opportunities for Single SoldiersPage 5 Issue 125 May 17, 2013