1. THE DAWGS OF WAR
NEWSLETTER
C COMPANY, 9TH EN BN, TF1-77
22May07
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark” Charles Haddon Spurgeon
It wasn’t the 60 building missions, or the
From the time we join the army and
thousands of concrete walls emplaced. This
get assigned our first M-16 Rifle until the
month I was thinking about our equipment. The
day we retire and turn it back into an
tough stuff. The stuff we put between us and
Arms Room at a much different and
the enemy. We bet our lives on it. We take care
distant location the care we take for the
of it because it takes care of us.
piece of equipment becomes the
I suddenly realized there is something else we
cornerstone of responsibility, discipline
have to invest time into… OUR FAMILIES. The
and leadership across our great army.
emotional buffer our wives, children, and
Soldiers go so far as to name their
parents provide is just as important as the
weapons, trucks, and tools. It becomes a
armored doors on our truck.
symbol of pride. Weapons are inspected,
Well sure there isn’t as much solvent, anti-
1LT Jared Oren demonstrates how
and extra attention is paid to those not
freeze, 10-W40, brake fluid, and diesel fuel
to get out of “Sticky Situations”
meeting the standard of appropriate care.
used with our families, but the same amount of
While deployed it becomes even more
muscle used on our rifles after a three day
crucial to care for the equipment we
build, should be used in corresponding,
have. The rigors we put our stuff through
appreciating and thanking our families for the
here is what all the build up, discipline,
support they have given us.
and mentorship has been about. We
During this month of military spouse
push our trucks to the very limit of their
appreciation, I think it is important to take a
capabilities finding the breaking point,
moment, and inspect the appreciation we show
and fixing it to make it stronger the next
to all of the families and friends who support
time. We know starting out over here to
us. Let’s take the extra moment and conduct a
care for what we have, because the
functions check on the one weapon we can
resources are limited, and the Dawgs of (Above) The only mud left in the
never turn into an arms room, the weapon of
War do it best. summer desert attacks unsuspecting
our family’s love and support.
However as I was thinking of what to vehicles – nature’s sense of humor!
write for this months article their was only
(Below) The Dawg’s after stringing Respectfully,
one thing on my mind. It wasn’t the
2500 meters of Triple Strand CPT Tim Russell
regular calendar scrub of all the great
Concertina wire it took 18 long, dark C/9E Commander
things we did.
hours, the pose is in front of our most Hard Training, Easy War!
recent build site.

2. C/9EN
As the Dawgs of War finish up their 9th month of deployment, Headquarters Platoon, quot;Dirty Opsquot; has
maintained its ethic of keeping the company supplied, maintained, operational and informed as company
Dr ink water! The commander's words were easily understood
as May was a month of hot temperatures and long missions to fur-
ther improve the security of Iraq. Although long hours are always
expected, it was a change of pace for the soldiers in Ops platoon
who came out to pound pickets and run wire for the project of ECP
international, a rigorous four day mission culminating in a 16 hour
non-stop company operation.
PFC SAULS AND SPC WE- CPT RUSSEL AND SGT
BER TAKE THE CHANCE MAHOOD STANDING BY
TO CALL BACK HOME. A LOCAL CHAI SET
Dawg X-ray
The pace never lets up at the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) and
Dawg X-ray lead by SFC Diaz and SSG Dillinger always does an
outstanding job of maintaining the flow of information. SGT
Crosby and PV2 Stidom did and outstanding job on RTO duty this
month. During ECP international, Dawg X-ray was instrumental
in the movement of all materials and equipment to the ECP over
the rigorous four days.
Dirty Ops
SPC TORRES STANDS
We welcome back CPL Gilliard from R&R, much to the relief of
TALL AS HE RECIEVES
SPC Weber. Wasting no time CPL Gilliard resumed his job and
HIS PROMOTION. PFC SAULS ENJOYS
promptly cleaned up the mess SPC Weber made of his supply room. SOME CHAI AT A LO-
CPL Gilliard earned his title yet again as Sapper Supply as he CAL IP STATION
joined the rest of the company in pounding pickets out at ECP in-
ternational. SGT Danhof continues to instill leadership qualities in
the soldiers of Dirty Ops with a comprehensive and personalized
training program.
Dirty Wrenches
The Dirty Wrenches pulled double duty this month. First they set
the standard of keeping all the vehicles in working order and solv-
CPL DORSCHE AND SPC HEY- ing all maintenance issues, often working long hours to accomplish
ING WORKING HARD AT SPC STIDHAM LAYING
the mission. Secondly, they suited up and joined the company out
POUNDING PICKETS AND
WIRE DURING ECP IN-
at ECP international to pound pickets. Even though it isn't in
LAYING WIRE DURING ECP
TERNATIONAL
their job description, the mechanics did an outstanding job. In
INTERNATIONAL
addition a congratulation goes out to SPC Torres on his promotion
to Specialist.
By SPC Carl Weber

3. C/9EN
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Mahatma Gandhi
on missions. We have to start
Another month has passed as
PT very early because of the
we continue to work hard to
summer heat that is quickly
turn this nation over to the Iraqi
setting in. Another highlight
people. Many of the missions
of the month was throwing a
we have completed and will
birthday party for every sol-
complete here in the near future
dier. Since most of the sol-
are setting the stage for the New
diers were out on missions
Iraq, run by the Iraqi people.
during their birthdays this year
Sappers talking with the local
To be able to open up the city we decided to have a big
SPC Shriver, CPL Maynard, populace of children, during a
of Ramadi to civilian traffic is
SPC Buchanan, PV2 Ball, SGT birthday party for everybody. recon mission. They sure did
Thompson, and SFC Watnes no small feat. On the eastern enjoyed all the candy and
It was great to eat cake, ice
enjoy cake and ice cream to soccer balls that we brought
side of Ramadi we have built cream, and Root Beer floats
celebrate each and every sap- them.
and are building Entry Control hand made by the LT. Its great
pers birthday.
Points to allow vehicles to to be able to throw back, re-
come in to the city, after being lax, and remember to have
thoroughly searched. Being the fun. After our completion of
only engineer element on the ECP 8, it was right back to
eastern side of Ramadi, 1st Pla- planning for the next TF mis-
toon had the mission to plan sion. We went on numerous
and build the first ECP. This is recons to look for a tactical
a very important mission given spot to build another ECP that
that Vehicle Borne Improvised will open up ASR Michigan,
Explosive Devices have been which will allow thousands of
the enemies main course of Iraqi people to travel into The construction site at ECP
action recently. 8. Both 1st Platoon and A &
Ramadi. Along with the recon
2LT Athens and MITT Team
We could not have done it O, worked together to com-
we also were tasked to build a
leader enjoy some Iraqi Ka-
plete the search lanes for the
alone, so Brigade sent us A&O
bobs at a local mans eatery. road to join two of our camps, new Enemy Control Point
platoon to help us out. We without having to travel where
brought the man power and civilian traffic will be. The
they brought the Dozer, Dump combat engineers truly are the
Trucks, and Bucket Loaders. jack of all trades, being able to
Together we completed the fight light and also use heavy
mission in no time allowing for equipment to build roads,
traffic to finally start flowing ECP’s, and Joint Security Sta-
into the heart of Ramadi. tions. It has been another pro-
Even though TF 1-9 keeps us ductive month for the Sappers
busy we still have found time to of TF 1-9.
conduct PT, when we aren’t out
Our thoughts and prayers go With SGT Pagan on R & R, SPC
out to SSG Philip Gutzler and Shriver (Miller ACE), completes
CPL Maynard, PFC Ferree
all the ACE work needed done at
his wife Elaine. We wish
and PFC Healy emplacing
ECP 8 .
wire on Trans Am. Elaine a safe and speedy re-
covery.
By Arthur Athens

4. C/9EN
MAY Highlights for 2nd Platoon: ECP International, OP Upgrades
May has been another ing operations to upgrade
month of building for the Iraqi positions in the city.
Rogue Sappers. One of our Hopefully our work will lead
most ambitious projects to to a better Iraqi Police and
date, ECP International, was Army presence in the city,
completed over three days and continuing the great trend of
nights. The operation split the turning over operations to
platoon in half to allow us to locals. What we have begun
SFC Ray, SGT Segura, 1LT Hise and
work with Iraqis during the to focus on now is not just
CPT Russell relax and watch the sun
rise at the city gates after a long
day and to continue opera- building the positions and
night of work at ECP International.
tions throughout the night. making them safe to work
at, but also, as the tempera-
The day crew can tell you
ture begins to rise, making
that summer has truly ar-
them as comfortable as pos-
rived and that setting up 2nd Platoon responded after an
sible for the Iraqis that have
seven foot HESCOs during unsuccessful VBIED attack outside
to man them.
the heat of the day is not the the city of Ramadi.
way to go. Regular breaks Of course, the
and plenty of water later the Dawgs of War still have a
day crew put up 400 meters responsibility to oversee the
of HESCO. The night crew area of Zangora, outside the
on the other hand, while
Doc Mascolo searches the desert for city, and 2nd Platoon shares
possible insurgents at the VBIED
relatively more comfortable, in that responsibility. Al-
site.
did sandbag three crow’s though the area is generally
nests and moved over 300 peaceful, the platoon did
concrete barriers to form move out to assist in the
vehicle search lanes and safe clean up after a suicide car
pedestrian areas at the new- bomb attack this month.
est “Entry Control Point” SGT Hess of 2nd Platoon working
As the platoon
for the city of Ramadi. with PFC Sauls of OPS to put up
pushes through it’s 9th
Events from May Both crews, along with HESCOs during the day at ECP
month of the deployment we International.
plenty of help from A&O
only ask for your continued
• Happy Birthday PFC and HQs, put up 1600 me-
Hay support and prayers from
ters of concertina wire, forc-
home. We have definitely to you, the work we have
ing vehicles and foot traffic
• Happy 3 Year Anniver-
crossed the halfway mark of done here will mean much
sary Mr. and Mrs. Hise into the check point.
the deployment and it is less need for us to return to
The rest of our days difficult to remain mission Iraq in the future.
this month have been spent focused. But we do know
preparing for and conduct- that by the time we return By Chris Hise

5. C/9EN
Stuck in a Marsh? No Problem, We Have an M88. A&O at ECP International.
Still detached from The they attempted to maneuver
Dawgs, A&O continues to do around the stuck D7. An
amazing things throughout Ar M88 wrecker was dispatched
Ramadi. This month we came to recover the vehicles. The
back to the Dawgs for a major rest of the berm would have
traffic control project called to wait for even hotter, drier
ECP International. SSG Van bypassing the check point. summer weather. The three
Order served with distinction After pushing nearly a half subsequent days of the op-
as the day shift NCOIC. He mile of berm with his D7 eration were uneventful un-
A&O shuttled gravel from Camp
ensured the TCP surface was bulldozer, CPL McLaughlin til the last day when the Ramadi while 2nd platoon spread
leveled and graveled and discovered, the hard way, he entire company turned out the geotec stabilizer.
nearly a mile of berm was em- was entering a marsh (bottom to do an all-night nearly 2
placed to prevent traffic from left). The increasing spring kilometer long triple
heat dried out the sur- stranded concertina wire
face but left untold obstacle. A platoon of Iraqi
depths of soft mud be- Army Soldiers showed up to
neath. The heavy D7 help however the enormous
wasn’t the only vehicle project wasn’t complete un-
to fall prey. A “Diablo” til 9am the next morning,
Mortars HMMWV per- leaving A&O exhausted but
forming security became happy to be working side- Crack ACE operator, PFC Diaz
shows the secret of his success, ice
buried to the axles as by-side with fellow Dawgs.
water and electrolyes.
Squad Highlight: 3rd Squad — Wheels
Events and Facts from
April - May 3rd Squad soldiers are a type of equipment they own, hours in the cab of the bob-
busy bunch, required for more than some platoons. tail trucks, bucket loaders
• Happy Birthday to SPC
literally every mission be- Squad Leader SSG Van Or- and other engineer equip-
Mengistu and Mrs.
cause of the amount and der with the help of his team ment. Platoon Sergeant
Holland!
leaders, CPL Learmonth and SFC Moore refers to 3rd
• The power only went out CPL McLaughlin have a Squad as the “money squad”
four times in May. challenge keeping vehicles due to amazing work they
fully mission capable. accomplish.
• Highest recorded tem-
Squad members PFC
perature was 113° F.
Leatherman, PV2 Davis,
• A&O ACEs and D7s
SPC Mengistu and SPC
moved over a million
McDowell spend long hours
pounds of soil in May.
turning wrenches in the mo-
tor pool and even longer
CPL McLaughlin operates the cable
winch on his M916 Lowboy.
By 1LTDaniel McDougall