Welcome to the Raider Brigade Combat Team!

We are a team of Soldiers, Families, and Civilians of all backgrounds, skills, and experiences working together to accomplish any mission our country asks of us. We are very fortunate to live and work at Fort Stewart in the Coastal Georgia area. Fort Stewart is a remarkable Army Post. We are only minutes from historic Savannah as well as a short drive from Hilton Head, South Carolina to the north and Jacksonville, Florida to the south. There are plenty of beaches close by to offer relief from the summer sun but rest assured our hot summers are balanced by mild winters. This is a great place to be!

Our primary mission is to be ready to fight our nation's wars and win. There is no easy way to prepare for this. Discipline, along with tough, realistic training and top-notch physical fitness are all requirements to be successful while in harm's way. Currently, our Brigade Combat Team does not have a deployment on the horizon, but the reality is that could change at any time. With changing troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention something unknown that could come up, we simply do not know what we might be asked to do in the near future. So come prepared to train hard!

Families are a vital component to the success of the Raider Brigade. Life in the military is challenging and we strongly encourage our families to support us by being involved in the unit and building relationships with other family members. We keep families informed not only through family readiness groups but also through an interactive Facebook page that is accessible to all. There you can find pictures and stories of our activities, as well as announcements of a number of events happening on Fort Stewart and in the local community. I even maintain a Twitter account that allows me to post pictures and short observations of what I see around the Brigade each day. If you don't follow Twitter, you can still see these postings on our Facebook page too.

You matter. Citizens who volunteer to serve our Nation while we are at war places them and their family in a very exclusive category. Whether this is your first assignment or if you have moved a number of times, we are glad you are here. People are not in the Army, they ARE the Army. So, welcome to the Raider Brigade and Fort Stewart!

• Sincerely,
• COL James R. Crider
• Commander
• 1st HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division

1HBCT platoons compete for Raider Top Shot
By Sgt. Jared S. Eastman, 1HBCT Public Affairs

FORT STEWART, Ga. - Soldiers of 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team competed against one another at the platoon level from Sept. 17-21 in an effort to designate who was the best. Each platoon that competed had a full day's worth of events, starting from an air insertion early in the morning leading late into the evening. In the end, 1st Platoon, Bravo Troop, 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment received the honor of being the Raider Brigade's Top Shot.

"Iraq has been very close quarters combat," said Col. Jim Crider at the award ceremony, Sept. 26. "But if we go to Afghanistan, we're going to have to be able to shoot at much longer ranges. We aren't going out there to suppress targets; we're going out there to kill things. We haven't been practicing to shoot beyond 300 meters, and what we want to do is not just qualify on the weapon and put it away, we want to have the ability to knock targets down at 500 meters. The M4 can do it, but you have to be trained how to do it."

The events covered multiple types of shooting as well as tactical movement and physical endurance. For the Soldiers, it was both a grueling and fun experience. "I feel good," said 1st Lt. Timothy Hart, Apache Troop 5/7 Cavalry, when they stopped half way through their run for the medics to assist any personnel. "Tired and sore, but extremely motivated. I can't wait to plow through and finish this thing up. The competition is good, it's definitely a smoker, but it combines a lot of the individual tasks that we work on- but rarely have the opportunity to go out to the field and execute them from start to finish."

Although they were being tested on their skills, the platoons also learned from the experience. "It's what you take away from this," said Sgt. 1st Class Jeranado Marmo, 1st Plt. "Woodchucks," Bravo Co., 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, said to his Soldiers when they finally finished. "Very few of you all have ever done something to this magnitude, or have been asked to do something on this scale. Don't take away the point that this was just terrible. You learned some things about yourself regarding how much you can endure. You learn how to shoot under more stress than most of you all have ever been in. Get past the mindset that it sucked, because we're finished now. Make sure you start thinking about how we can improve."

Although some of the platoons had relatively new Soldiers to the unit and the Army, leaders were impressed with their abilities to adapt and overcome the obstacles they faced.

"My Soldiers have done outstanding, I couldn't be more proud of them," 1st Lt. Hart said. "We are a particularly young platoon. The majority of these guys are brand new to the Army and the level they have excelled to after only being here a few months is amazing. At the end I'll tell them how proud I am of them, for the time being I'll keep cracking that whip and get them motivated and focus driven."

The event also helped train platoons to accomplish tasks at the platoon level, which is vital to operations in a deployed environment.

"I regret that we didn't have the resources or the time to have every platoon compete," Col. Crider said. "It's important that we do operations at the platoon level. When we go into harm's way there may be a few unique situations where you are operating below platoon level, but by and large we are going to operate at that level or higher. So, we need platoons that are strong and have great leadership that know how to get after it."

raider soldiers conduct field training, ensure communication lines are
operational
By Sgt. Jared S. Eastman, 1HBCT Public Affairs

FORT STEWART, Ga. - Soldiers of 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, stood on Donovan Field, joking and talking on a bright September day. They were waiting on helicopters from the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment to give them a ride to Hunter Army Airfield, where they would be conducting an Officer Professional Development Session, Sept. 30. The steady 'whoop whoop whoop' of a CH-47 Chinook signaled the start of a very eventful day for the officers.

"Today we wanted to take the opportunity to bring our officers from Fort Stewart over to Hunter Army Airfield so we can meet with 2/3 GSAB," said Col. Jim Crider, 1HBCT commander. "First, to build the relationship between our leadership and their leadership. We're going to work together in the future and train together over the next six to eight months. Secondly, it gives us an education on the different air frames that they use."

Once the Soldiers touched down on the airfield, they were separated to visit the many aircraft that the 3rd Aviation Regiment would bring to the fight.

"Seeing the different aircrafts that are going to be supporting us down range when the brigade goes to Afghanistan and having a better understanding of each aircraft's capabilities and possible limitations is vital for any mission," said Maj. Robert Olszewski, 1HBCT Information Operations Officer.

Along with UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinooks, there were also OH-58 Kiowa Warriors and AH-64 Apaches.

"[Flying Apaches] gets me fired up," said Chief Warrant Officer Jennifer Hakeman, an Apache pilot in Alpha Co., 1st Attack Recon Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment. "It's like nothing else I've ever seen to watch them circle in. We walk out to the aircraft and just smile at it. Combat is like shark week, I can't really explain its beauty to some because it's a weapons platform."

For Chief Hakeman, the OPD afforded a terrific chance to speak about her capabilities as an Apache pilot.

"It's absolutely important and an incredible opportunity for us to talk to about 80 percent of our customer base," she said. "Because of scheduling, we usually don't have the time to do air to ground integration and it is so important. Especially when you're talking about near-term mission planning as well as long-term deployment based tactical situations. There's no substitute for a good AGI."

After they toured the various aircraft, the Soldiers were given a class on the various tasks that go into maintaining and repairing the aircraft.

"I'm a maintenance test pilot as well as a mission pilot," said Chief Warrant Officer Anthony Wolf, Charlie Co., 2/3 GSAB. "Every time a part is replaced or repaired you have to do both ground and air checks to make sure it's serviceable. I guess you could equate my job to working on a project car, except that a car never leaves the ground."

As 1HBCT prepares for more training in the future, it's crucial that AGIs like this take place. "We're already doing some training with the pilots and I think it could be advantageous to both of us," said Col.Crider. "When a pilot is talking to a leader on the ground, to have a face to a name, gives us an advantage. I think we work harder for one another when we know each other, and so I think it is going to be a long term benefit."

For the pilots, the importance of meeting the Soldiers on the ground was just as vital.

"We really appreciate you guys coming out," Hakeman said. "A lot of times there is just questions and confusion from the ground guys, especially when it deals with planning. There are considerations that need to be thought of: like how long are we at a location, how to work with us, [what we bring to the fight]. Tell us what we need, and we'll figure it out because it's our job to serve the ground force commander."

After all the official training was out of the way, the Soldiers were given the opportunity to mingle with one another, building relationships that would extend into the battlefield.

"The passion of the apache pilot," said Maj. Olszewski, "And the passion you can see from all the other members of the aviation battalion made it very clear that they are here to help us in any way that they can. If we need something they will make sure it happens, even if they have to adjust their crew schedule, and that is very reassuring. When we are down on the ground conducting patrols we know that the folks up in the air, without a doubt, are going to support us with whatever they can."

The Soldiers returned by bus to Fort Stewart, some debating the varying strengths of the Apache and Kiowas while others pointed out key features of the modular Blackhawk and how they could be used in training and during deployment.

"This was designed to be an officer professional development session," said Col. Crider, "Where we take different topics and invest our time into the officer corps. This way, our younger officers can learn and grow. We know that we're never going to go into harm's way without our aviators."

Raider chefs fight to be 'Last Cook Standing'
operational
By Spc. Emily Knitter, 1HBCT Public Affairs

FORT STEWART, Ga. - Chicken breast stuffed with spinach, bean sprouts and cream cheese, pan seared and finished in the oven. Rosemary diced potatoes sautéed in bacon fat, and a side of carrots.

The dish sounds like one being described in a white tablecloth restaurant, with a napkin-draped-over-the-arm waiter and a reservation list.

But on Sept. 21, five cooks lined up in front of tin-foil covered trays sitting on a stainless steel table in the Raider dining facility's kitchen, and two hours later the described dish was one of multiple that was carried out of the kitchen toward a room of awaiting judges during the 'Last Cook Standing' cooking competition.

Modeled after the popular television series "Top Chef," the competition was held to decide which two cooks would move on to compete for the Third Infantry Division Cook of the Year.

Sergeant Ned Thomas, a food operations non-commissioned officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, competed in the Third Infantry Division board last year but didn't win, so he hoped to have another shot at the title.

"I wanted a chance to compete again, so this was the first step," Sgt. Thomas said, a native of South Bend, Ind.

Each cook was given a tray with raw chicken, potatoes, carrots and bean sprouts. The ingredients were a surprise so the contestants would have no way of deciding what their dishes would be prior to the competition.

"Since you don't know what you're going to get, you just have to do what you know and hope it turns out to be [good] quality," Sgt. Thomas said. "The syllabus said, 'for example: chicken, potatoes, and carrots,' so in our heads we were hoping that was it. But it was still a possibility we would open up the trays and have no idea what was inside."

Preparing for a test like this is difficult, said Spc. River Mitchell, a food service specialist with Co. F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment.

"I started studying with a couple of my friends [for the board] since June,"he explained. "The past month we started to go really hard and studied every night. But as far as cooking goes, just knowing what products go with what and how to prepare certain things is all you can really do."

Once the competitors removed the tin foil and saw what the base products they had to cook with were, they had ten minutes to pull other ingredients from the pantries and refrigerators to include in the dish they decided to make.

"I walked into the refrigerator and saw a case of mangos," Sgt. Thomas said. "We don't normally have mangos, so I decided that was what I was going to base my chicken off of. As far as my potato dish, I had already learned a recipe for tomato chutney, so it was just a matter of taking some new ideas and combining them with some things I had learned before and trying it out to see how it worked."

Both Sgt. Thomas and Spc. Mitchell had challenges to work around when it came down to the last few minutes.

"When they said there were ten minutes left, all my food was done so my biggest concern was keeping it warm," explained Spc. Mitchell, a native of Grove Town, Ga. "It's not smart to just let it sit on the counter top and get cold. I put it back in the oven and cracked open the door so it was just a warming oven."

When the host called 'twelve minutes left,' Sgt. Thomas had the opposite issue.

"That's when reality hit me and I really realized I was on a time schedule," he said with a laugh. "I got my chicken going early, and I knew my chicken, which would take the longest, was out of the way so I kind of got too comfortable. I hadn't started my potatoes at all before he said twelve minutes. And then he said three minutes and all I had on my plate was the chicken.

Everything was done, but it was just a matter of placing it on."

However, both Soldiers were ready when the timer hit zero.

After walking their dishes out to the display table one at a time, they had to explain to the judges what their meal consisted of and allow them to taste-test. Then the competitors waited anxiously for the scores to be tallied.

Points were awarded for taste, originality and presentation.

As well as winning the chance to compete at the division level, the Soldier and NCO winners are going to be sent to the Ford Plantation, a pilot training program where Soldiers from across the division are hand selected to train for 4-6 weeks under the discerning eye of Executive Chef Juan Carlos Rodriguez. The program is a way for Soldiers to acquire new culinary tactics that go beyond the military's 21-day menu rotation.

Once each of the five Soldiers presented their dishes, they lined up along the display table, and it was announced Sgt. Thomas and Spc. Mitchell had won for the NCO and Soldier categories, respectively.

"I didn't win the [cook of the year] board last year, so it feels good to get this part out of the way so now I can prepare myself to try to win division cook of the year," said Sgt. Thomas. "I was the first person from 1HBCT to go to Ford Plantation. You learn a lot of stuff there. So much stuff you almost can't absorb it all unless you do it again. They use all fresh materials there, and you get to learn things you just never get to learn in an Army dining facility. Specialist Mitchell is excited to go for the first time.

"I love going to new places and I love trying new things and learning, so this will be fun," he said.

Sergeant Thomas concluded that when it comes to cooking, there is one key ingredient that can't necessarily be tasted.

"I think it's just a matter of putting your heart into it. As long as you put your heart into it it's going to be quality."