1. From the Battalion Commander It is great to be back! I am proud and tremendously impressed with all the work the Soldiers have accomplished since the battalion headquarters was deployed. Since we have been gone, the 707EOD has redeployed and rejoined their families and, shortly, we will be receiving the 53EOD. Both companies performed in an exceptional manner while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan. The Soldiers of the HHD continued to set the standard while supporting the “Big Red One”, 1st Infantry Division as part of United States Division – South (USD-S) in Basrah, Iraq. While deployed, the Soldiers were responsible for supporting all EOD operations in one of the largest sectors in Iraq, all the territory south of Baghdad. I look forward to returning our focus to Homeland Defense operations and preparing our companies for future deployments. Remember that the focus of the battalion headquarters is to support the companies, Soldiers and Families. My number one priority is the preparation and training of the EOD Teams. I want to thank the Families for all their support during our, and our companies’ deployments. Without your efforts, none of this would have been a success. The CSM and I will start our travels to visit all of our formations in the very near future. We look forward to spending time with the Soldiers and learning about your training and accomplishments while we have been gone. “NIGHTHAWKS” LTC Bill Downer Inside This Issue: BN Newsletter: Page 1 HHD: Page 2 53rd: Page 3 129thPage 4 707th : Page 5 759thPage 6 787th Page 7 Chaplain: Page 8 FRSA: Page 9 Command Sergeant Major Hello to all. The battalion has redeployed and it is surely great to be back. Things are busy around the unit trying to get back into the swing of things. The deployment was a great success and you can be very proud of the accomplishments of your Soldier during operations in Iraq. I myself am very proud of what your Soldiers accomplished during a period of time in country when the stability of Iraq was the main focus. The Soldiers of the 3D BN performed admirably during a time of certain unrest within the country of Iraq. From keeping them safe from terroristic activity to ensuring that the local populace understood why the United States was involved in their plight. I would be remiss to not mention those that stayed behind and performed duties as the rear detachment. These Soldiers had a difficult job of accomplishing all the normal tasks with less people. They too did an outstanding job and the success of the battalion shows from their dedication. Every Soldier acted in a professional manner and did their jobs to task with vigor. As we look toward the future we will again be asking many things of the Soldiers and their Families. There will be temporary tours of duty and training sessions taking place away from home. Be rest assured that myself and the battalion commander will protect the weekends and holidays the best we can. We all know that some of those days will be affected based on operational necessity. Until next time take care and be safe. “NIGHTHAWKS” CSM Robert Doig

3. 53rd COMPANY To the friends, family, and comrades in arms of the 53rd EOD Company, The 53rd’s year-long deployment to Afghanistan is finally drawing to an end. Preparations are under way to welcome our Soldiers home. Of course, we must all remain flexible as the flight times are known to be fluid; however, all may feel free to contact the 53rd Rear Detachment for updates about when there soldiers are coming home. For those who have a friend, family member, or loved one in the 53rd, we thank you for your patience and are here to support you. The wait is almost over ! We have already welcomed back CPT Matthew Fleming, SSG Crystal Wirth, and SPC Dustin Candler back to Yakima. We are glad that you are back. As we prepare for the 53rd’s redeployment, we prepare for a time of change for the 53rd. We want to thank all of the outstanding EOD Soldiers who have backstopped here at YTC, as we look forward to easing back into a CONUS mindset. The 53rd will be hosting a small welcome back ceremony as well as a small awards ceremony just prior to block leave. The exact dates and times have yet to be determined, but anyone interested in attending may contact us at (509) 577-3375. There are currently openings in the 53rd FRG, anyone interested in volunteer work can get in touch with us at the phone number that is listed above. Or you can also contact the BN Family Readiness Support Assistant at (253) 967-9969or Tammy.Flores@us.army.mil. 1LT Nathan Vail MSG Justin Jereda

4. 129TH EOD COMPANY The company is well on it’s way in preparation for our deployment! Most recently we completed our NTC rotation at FT Irwin, CA, and the final section of JATAC training at home station which both gave us wonderful chances to experience some outstanding training. We will continue our load out and final preparation to deploy in the coming weeks. The 129th has welcomed the following Soldiers and their families since the last newsletter: SSG Allard SFC Cossette 1LT Cummings SSG Ireland SSG Johnson 1LT Laird SSG Mixon 1LT Stogner 1SG Wyatt To all our new Soldiers: Welcome to the 129th EOD Company! We say farewell and extend great gratitude to MSG Tim Frey as he leaves us and prepares himself for transition to civilian life and a well earned retirement! Congratulations are in order as we welcome a new addition to the Truax family with their third child. SSG Truax, SSG Allard and SSG Jordan recently graduated the Advanced Leaders Course at Redstone Arsenal, AL, and SSG Mixon recently completed the Senior Leadership Course also on RSA. Congratulations to you all! Many thanks to Crystal McWatters, our new FRG Leader, and Tia Goss, our FRG events coordinator. Your interest and efforts in supporting our Soldiers is greatly appreciated! CPT James C. Sealock

5. 707th Company To all the Soldiers and families of the 707th, we would like to take this opportunity to say how thrilled and excited we are to join the team. MAJ Fitzgerald and 1SG Curtis have invested so much in this company and we are very grateful for their service. We wish them both success, health, and happiness in their follow-on assignments. MAJ Fitzgerald and his family will be traveling to Hawaii for a couple of years of fun in the sun. 1SG Curtis was selected to attend the Sergeant Major’s Academy. It is a testament to his dedication and perseverance and we are confident he will be a great, albeit talkative, Sergeant Major. 1SG Leon and I joined the team this past week. For those of you who attended those ceremonies, thank you for your presence. We look forward to getting to know all of you over the next few years. You have all heard it, but probably not often enough. Thank you for your support. Your Soldiers could not do their jobs without you. We all know how much you sacrifice for the military and this is, and will remain, your extended family. There are a few other Soldiers who are preparing for follow-on assignments. If you see these Soldiers in passing, make sure to shake their hands. SPC Watson – ETS SGT Doane - ETS SFC Taff – Fort Lee, VA SPC Gallagher – Yakima Training Center WA SSG Michalak – Eglin AFB, FL SGT Shoop - ETS SSG Matheny – Fort Bragg, NC SGT Earle – Fort Hood, TX SFC Munoz – Fort Carson, CO SPC Gendron - ETS SFC Wilson – Eglin AFB, FL SSG Avalos – A.P. Hill, VA SFC Storm – A.P. Hill, VA SSG Daniels – Fort Lee, VA With the weather warming everyone is excited to spend more time outdoors. That is, if the rain ever decides to stop. I encourage you all to take advantage of the opportunities in the area. Seattle has infinite possibilities with attractions coming frequently. The Tacoma-Dome has all kinds of great events, and then there are all the outdoor activities including camping, hiking, water sports, and many more. The summers are beautiful, they just tend to be short so make the most of it. Again, we are excited to be a part of this company with its storied history. Dropkick! CPT Todd A. Bryant 1SG Alexander Leon

6. 759th Company The 759th has once again made it through a grueling desert winter, by which of course we mean pleasant temperatures and sunny days. But to the rest of 3rd Battalion community, Spring is near. The unit has remained busy helping NTC to “train the force” and recently were proud to assist the 129th in their EOD training during their time down here at NTC. In the coming months we will continue to train rotational EOD units in addition to conducting joint training with the Puerto Rico National Guard EOD and fellow techs in the Marines. The unit has seen a number of additions in the last little while and so we would like to welcome all the new Soldiers and their families. SSG Landavazo is joining us after spending time recruiting and we are delighted to welcome him back to the EOD fold. SGTs Rivas and Ortman have arrived from Fort Lewis and SGT Serrano from Fort Sill. SPC Stryker arrived from Georgia while our newest EOD tech SPC Wilson comes to us straight from the school house. We are very pleased to welcome all the new Soldiers and their families, and are sure they will do well here. We are also thrilled to welcome another new member to our unit. On the 26th of January, Lisa Rose Core was born to SGT Adam Core and his wife Shannon. Our sincere congratulations to SGT Core and his wife. The unit would also like to bid farewell to SGT Parr who has decided to leave the army and pursue his education, we wish him the best of luck. The coming months will see many more changes as SFC Dollar will be heading to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, here shortly. In addition, 1SG Simeroth will be retiring in May after a prodigious career of service. We wish both of them the very best and thank them for their service to the 759th. 1LT Bryan R Sand 1SG Mark D. Simeroth

8. SPC STEWART

9. SPC MAY

10. SPC RUSSELL

12. SSG HO: Senior EOD Badge787TH 1SG The 787th has a successful quarter as we can now boast the last two BN Soldier of the Quarter winners (SPC’s Hair and Johnson). SPC Hair went on to win 71st GRP SOQ as well and he will be competing for the 71st GRP SOY later this month. Also, everyone please send out best wishes for a safe return for SSG’s Grant, Mixon and Ireland as the company is losing the three of them for an OEF deployment. SFC Burns Departures: SSG IRELAND SSG MIXON SSG GRANT Suggestions: If you have anything to share and would like to see it in the next newsletter from 787TH please contact, daniel.voss2@us.army.mil If you have any ideas for the FRG or would like to help with future FRG activities please contact Sue Ho at: ezterra@yahoo.com 787thFRG The 787th FRG is looking forward to the homecoming of our soldiers from Afghanistan. We have assembled homecoming baskets with the help of a generous donation from AUSA. A big thank you to 'Tianna Seaman for volunteering her time to help with the baskets, and to all who have had a part in preparing to welcome these soldiers home. Upon the arrival of the new command, my time as FRG Leader of the 787th EOD Company will be coming to a close. Thank you to all of the 787th past and present for your help in making the FRG a success. It has been a great experience and an honor to be there for you and your families over the past 2+ years. I’d also like to thank my husband and children for supporting me during this time of volunteering for the FRG. Sue Ho

13. Unit Ministry Team Spring Rest Spring is a welcomed time of the year, especially in the Pacific Northwest. The temperature starts to warm-up, the notorious “Seattle Rain” starts to slow down in preparation for summer. Also, we begin to see evidence of new life. Grass that was once brown turns green, flowers that laid dormant over the winter start to spring up and this year’s new fawns join their family as they start to wonder on the road in our neighborhoods. In addition to new physical life, Spring is a time of year when we can experience renewed life within our own families. This can be a difficult task in the Army where Soldiers are constantly deployed, on TDY or doing other military stuff. The result is that our spouse remains home alone to take emotionally and spiritually rejuvenating. When planning leave it is extremely important for the Soldier to communicate with his or her family at home. This discussion needs to include things like brainstorming and realistic expectations. Do you want to rest in a hotel, travel to an exotic place or perhaps a little of both. What kind of leave experience can best accomplish the type of rest that will best benefit your family: a cruise, an all-inclusive resort, or a cabin on the beach on some paradise island? As Spring leads to summer and kids finish school, I urge you to take a break from the busy life at JBLM and find some true, much needed rest. Thank you very much and God Bless, CH Buchanan care of the house and the children. We have all endured family separation courtesy of the Army and know the toll it takes on the on the family. In the Bible, Easter (celebrated in the Spring) is the time of the year that Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection story is one of new life. Spring, the season of new life, is an ideal time for people to focus on their own lives. For those in the military, leave is the time to concentrate on rest and rejuvenation for the whole family. In order to get true rest, one needs to be intentional about planning time away from work. The great thing is that the Army gives us vacation time or leave. It is up to the Soldier and his/her family to find a place that will be physically, Chaplain Stephan H. Buchanan Email: stephan.h.buchanan@us.army.mil Phone Numbers: Office: (253) 966-6651 Cell: (253) 973-3428 SSG Clarence D. Slaughter Email: Clarence.slaughter@us.army.mil Phone Number: Cell: (253) 548-4883 JBLM Religious Services http://www.lewis.army.mil/chapel/services_copy.htm