29 August 2010

Good afternoon and greetings from Balad, Iraq!

The weather gave us a slight reprieve this week, and our mornings are now a little bit cooler and pleasant (guessing - I would say around 99 degrees).

This week will be our last edition covering Operation Iraqi Freedom, and next week our focus will transition to Operation New Dawn beginning on September 1st.  Much of the content in this edition is focused on what that has meant for our logistics units and those supporting the Expeditionary Sustainment Command.  Our troops did a fantastic job of reporting this week and I am excited to share the stories with all of you.

On that note, I am delighted to be sending you this week's early edition of the Expeditionary Times, and all of the news stories of our Troops and their units across Iraq.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and here are some highlights from this week's Expeditionary Times:

- Sustain the Force, Facilitate the Drawdown.....
- Service members celebrate women's equality.....
- Sports show host, athletes visit JBB.....
- Arabic class increases cultural awareness.....
- Soldiers learn how to improve, maintain nutrition.....
- Soldiers ramp up for future convoy operations.....

OK - here it goes - today is 'More Herbs, Less Salt' Day (I can actually hear our physical trainer, SFC Cordell, singing with jubilation over a day like this.  Sorry my friend - sodium is a permanent staple in my life).

This day falls annually in August because harvests of garden herbs are at a peak. Herbs such as Hibiscus, Anise Seed, Alfalfa and Kava are known for their health related benefits, while Poppy Seed, Aloe, Arnica, Parsley and Rosemary are known for their enhancements to beauty.  They help the digestive system and add extra needed vitamins for daily activities are troops do out in the hot sun each day.

So - try to not only add a little extra spice to your life through herbs but see if you can't pass up that salt shaker every now and then so that your body is getting double the benefits.

Your service members want to hear from you. so if you want to send a message to your loved one, send it to escpao@iraq.centcom.mil and we will make sure it gets placed in the next edition of The Expeditionary Times.

If you do not want to receive this weekly electronic newspaper, please email me to remove you from the distribution list.

Warm Regards,

V/R - ANGEL WALLACE
MAJ, AD
Chief OF Public Affairs
103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
DSN: (318) 433-2412
SVOIP: 241-1225
SIPR: angela.wallace@s-iraq.centcom.smil.mil
On the web: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.armyreserve.army.mil/103rdESC
DVIDS website: http://www.dvidshub.net/units/103esc
TWITTER PAGE: http://twitter.com/103rdESC
FACEBOOK PAGE: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/103rdESC
Flickr PAGE: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.flickr.com/photos/103rdesc

22 August 2010

Good afternoon and greetings from Balad, Iraq!

This afternoon Balad was engulfed in another dust storm causing servicemembers and civilians to don sunglasses and balaclavas in order to protect themselves from the fine dust particles floating in the air.

It has been an eventful week for the 103rd ESC and its personnel, and it only promises to get busier as we prepare for the transition to Operation New Dawn on September 1st.

While our troops continue to support the last of the requirements for the responsible drawdown, we are also making this transition right in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan.

For those unfamiliar with the holiday, it is the month in which Muslims believe that God revealed the first revelations of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. The month is the holiest of all months to Muslims.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day. The fast requires every Muslim to abstain from drinking, eating, smoking, and any other type of indulgence and sin, including obscene words.  During Ramadan all US Forces remain mindful of the holiday and attempt to abstain from drinking, eating, and smoking in front of the population in order to be respectful during their time of fasting.

Since Ramadan began on August 11th, everything has continued to go very well here in Iraq, and the logistics mission supporting the drawdown of forces is ahead of schedule and ready for the 1 September transition.

On that note, I am delighted to be sending you this week's early edition of the Expeditionary Times, and all of the news stories of our Troops and their units across Iraq.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and here are some highlights from this week's Expeditionary Times:

- Ribbon-cutting ceremony is first step.....
- Two leaders help troops achieve fitness goals.....
- Infantry Soldier motivates unit with music.....
- Warrant officers give back to community.....
- Sabers settle in at JBB, prepare to leave a mark.....
- Unit redeploys early as part of responsible drawdown.....
- Infantry unit completes mission, sets standard.....
- The Outlaws make the sparks fly.....

As far as our unique holidays go, today is 'Be an Angel' day.  For those of you that know me, it doesn't mean being like your favorite ESC PAO, and picking up a camera to find an interesting story to tell (though we welcome all submissions as my team cannot be out there with all of you all the time-smiling-), but is actually a newly recognized holiday created by Jayne Howard Feldman. According to her website, she was inspired by the angels to be the founder of Be An Angel Day.

It is a day intended to do something nice or kind for someone who is in need of a little helping hand. Despite the various beliefs of our readers, I believe this firmly supports the 'treat others as you wish to be treated' idea, and let's face it - you can never have too many days to support something like that.

Whether you send a smile to someone discouraged, or send your favorite 'Calvin and Hobbes' comic strip to someone notably in need of a positive thought - make a conscious decision to commit a random act of kindness during your day today.

Your service members want to hear from you. so if you want to send a message to your loved one, send it to escpao@iraq.centcom.mil and we will make sure it gets placed in the next edition of The Expeditionary Times.

If you do not want to receive this weekly electronic newspaper, please email me to remove you from the distribution list.

Warm Regards V/R - ANGEL WALLACE
MAJ, AD
Chief OF Public Affairs
103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
DSN: (318) 433-2412
SVOIP: 241-1225
SIPR: angela.wallace@s-iraq.centcom.smil.mil
On the web: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.armyreserve.army.mil/103rdESC
DVIDS website: http://www.dvidshub.net/units/103esc
TWITTER PAGE: http://twitter.com/103rdESC
FACEBOOK PAGE: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.facebook.com/reqs.php#!/103rdESC
Flickr PAGE: http://editor.qbsoft.com/www.flickr.com/photos/103rdesc