Liberty Times

TASK FORCE
MOUNTAIN EAGLE
277TH AVIATION
SUPPORT BATTALION
HOT TOPICS

Task Force Eagle FRG

Meeting Nov. 8 at the V O L U M E I , I S S U E 9 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 0
Po Valley Spiritual Life

Task Force Mountain Eagle Commander’s Corner

Center from 6:30-8 p.m.
Free child care is avail-
able. Reservations due
Oct. 28. Call the FRSA
774-1206 for more
information. many, but just keep in mind that while we deploy.
we look forward to getting back Facebook (‗TF Eagle‘ – which
Deployment Tools - Flip after a successful rotation. will change to TF Mountain Ea-
Books, Wallet Cards, I am also proud of our FRG gle) – we will try to update the
Pre-Deployment Slides, leaders and key callers – without pictures more regularly while de-
and more - are available you a FRG could not function. ployed. We will not be doing
on the vFRG at
It is never too late to volunteer company pages; however, pictures
armyfrg.org. Login in-
structions can be found and support the FRG – it will for all the companies will be
on page 3.
By LTC Albert H. Stiller make the time go quicker and posted. We will also create slide
Battalion Commander you‘ll feel like you‘re contribut- shows that the FRGs can show
Spouses: if you’re leaving ing to the support of your com- during FRG meetings or other
the area, even for a few Task Force Eagle. Change. pany and the entire Task Force. events.
days/weeks, please fill Our Task Force is now Task We‘ve decided to consolidate The Army does not support
out a spouse leave form, Force Mountain Eagle due to FRG meetings to reduce the additional unit Facebook pages, so
on pg. 10 or on the the fact that the 101st Airborne stress on FRG leaders and en- please do not create additional
vFRG!! Division‘s (Air Assault) call sure the continuity of informa- Facebook pages using 277 Avia-
sign is Eagle and a division out tion being disseminated. tion Support Battalion, TF Moun-
CONTACTS
ranks a battalion. So again, we I want to thank all the Fami- tain Eagle or your company‘s
BATTALION STAFF are now TF Mountain Eagle. lies, friends and relatives that name. I do appreciate the enthusi-
DUTY DESK Please ensure that you update supported our journey up to this asm to stay connected but please
315-774-1200 your mailing addresses. point. I know it‘s tough, but keep it at a personal level.
Well, another month has gone we‘ll be back. The FRG at the company, Task
REAR D CHAPLAIN by quickly. I want to say that I A big ‗thank you‘ to all the Force and Brigade level will insti-
(CPT) MESSINGER am very proud of the work that agencies that are supporting our
315-681-0883 our Soldiers did preparing them- tute several activities with which
Task Force through ‗Adopt a
selves, the unit, their Families you can be involved in – but
FAMILY READINESS Platoon‘ – it‘s great to know
and the brigade to deploy. I that the community is behind us Melissa will give you the specifics
SUPPORT
know that this is a sad time for and cares enough to be involved in her newsletter article this
ASSISTANT (FRSA)
MICHELLE KENNEDY month.
315-774-1206

MILITARY FAMILY
LIFE CONSULTANT
Family Readiness Group Advisor’s Updates
(MFLC) By Melissa Stiller others going through the same (AFTB—Army Family Team
315-405-7449 FRG Advisor emotions. Building for one), where you can
315-212-6919 Get involved with your FRG learn about the Army and meet
Dear 277th Families, (meetings/social gatherings) and new people. (And a big thank you
ARMY COMMUNITY I know these last couple days make some new friends. Please to all our wonderful FRG Leaders
SERVICE (ACS) are tough. Hang in there the put past FRG experiences aside – Rachelle Rankin, Kirstin Ve-
INFORMATION best you can! Remember that and try ours. We simply aim to lazquez, Nikki Enos, Rachel
AND REFERRAL tears are not bad; just try not to provide info and activities to Harper, and Heather Temple – as
315-772-6557 let them overtake your entire make the time go by faster. The well as our terrific Key Callers
1-800-826-0886 day. Things will get better once FRG could certainly use your and Treasurers)!
our loved ones depart so we can help – we are always short Key Our battalion and brigade are
MILITARY
get into a routine and start the Callers and volunteers for spe- trying to provide many different
ONESOURCE
countdown for their return. Try cial events. But if that‘s not your activities for you to look forward
1-800-342-9647
to find something that you en- niche, go to ACS (Army Com- to and to stay busy.
joy doing to help occupy your munity Service) and see the
mind and your time. It will help. multitude of available agencies
And remember, there are many For the rest of the article, go to page 8.
 PAGE 2
Headquarters & Support Company - Battle Penguins
By CPT Todd Heightshoe
HSC Commander
From the desk of Penguin 6,
Well, we are on our way. It has
been a long and arduous road, but
the Torch Party, AdVon and some
of the Main Body flights are out the
door. The rest of Team HSC will be
right behind us.
HSC Family Readiness Group Notes
By Rachelle Rankin
HSC FRG Leader
Well, the year has begun and I
know that this time is probably a
really hard time for a lot of us. Our
lives have changed in big ways and
our routines have been thrown all
out of whack…But we are not
unlike other spouses. We are a spe-
cial breed, we have strength within
us to hold it together when our
worlds seem to have come crashing
down around us.
I know this whole deployment
thing really stinks, and there are
days when you may want to just
curl up in a little ball and cry for
days on end…And that is perfectly
Want to get involved?
Contact your FRG to find out how!
LIBERTY TIMES
I can only express my greatest admi-
ration and gratitude that I have for all
of our Soldiers, as well as the inspira-
tion they provide me as their Com-
mander. 1SG Lillard and the NCOs
have stood stalwart in training our
Soldiers to be ready for the fight and
the mission. 1LT Jackson (HSC XO)
performed beyond measure in tracking
and keeping the manifest up-to-date
for our Soldiers to fly out. Platoon
Leaders 2LT Hall and Pivaral led the
way with their respective Platoon Ser-
geants—SFC Matlock and Kelly—
with their Soldiers, as well as the rest
of the Command Team that are too
numerous to name.
Everyone did more than their share,
but we are the better for it. I would be
remiss if I did not include Rachelle
Rankin for her efforts with FRG in
leading that for me as well as our Key
Callers and Melissa Stiller and Heide
okay to do. Even though I don‘t like
to admit to it openly, I will have many
of those days myself. It's okay to feel
the plethora of emotions that bounce
back and forth like a red rubber ball.
Just remember, there is a bright
shining light at the end of that tunnel.
Each day, whether good or bad, is one
day closer to having your Soldier
home.
I urge you all to keep busy, get out
of the house, meet people, make new
friends, try something new, laugh, cry,
and most importantly, remember that
you are a proud, strong and resilient
Army spouse. Together, we can get
through this day by day.
If you are looking to have a little
something extra to do, we are in need
Hurst being in our corner advising and
keeping us going in the right direction.
I have all the faith in the world for
all that is HSC, its Soldiers and most
importantly its Families.
As we take over the mission from
our counterparts, more will follow.
Also keep an eye on the Face Book
page as updates, pictures and more will
follow there as well.
I look forward to communicating
with you all during this stressful time,
but as always HSC is a Family and a
Family takes care of its own.
One Team, One Family Headquar-
ters Support Company AKA: The Bat-
tle Penguins…
For now, Penguin 6 Out...
CPT Todd E. Heightshoe
of just a few more Key Callers. If you
want to donate just 2-4 hours a month
of your time, please contact me.
I want to take a moment to welcome
our newest Key Callers, Nicole Brooks
and Carmen Bravo. These ladies have
volunteered their time to make sure
each of you is getting the information
you need. Thank you both for your
service and time, it is very much ap-
preciated.
The Company shirts are continuing
to be ordered, if you are interested in
ordering a T-shirt or sweatshirt, please
contact me.
As always, if you need anything I
am here, do not hesitate to call (315)-
405-4767 or email me at
rrankin422@gmail.com.
VOLUME I, ISSUE 9 PAGE 3

Alpha Company - Atlas

CPT Michael Richardson
A Company Commander
It‘s October and you know what that means: A-CO is on
the move. Even as I write this article, our unit has 5 Soldiers
already in Afghanistan who are preparing the way for the rest
of us to follow. Their deployment has already begun and for
others this journey is about to begin.
As we near deployment, the support and thanks we ex-
perience from our friends, Families, and the community
grows. This month, our platoons were introduced to their
―Adopt-a-Platoon‖ sponsors. Adopt-a-platoon is a program
that links community organizations that want to support
troops in a tangible way to deploying units. I‘m happy to say
that every one of our platoons was adopted. I would like to
personally thank Gary and Jill Parker and City Electric Com-
pany in Watertown, NY who adopted the headquarters sec-
tion of A-CO. Gary and Jill provided and shared lunch with
the headquarters Soldiers. We had a fantastic time and are
looking forward to maintaining communication with you
while deployed.
I would like to take this opportunity to
thank my officers: 1LT Burch, 1LT Madden,
1LT Shull, 2LT Figueroa, and WO1 Taukilo,
as well as my Platoon Sergeants: SFC
Essinger, SFC Kramer, SFC Henderson, SFC
Harnage, and SSG Velazquez. 1SG McGee
and I demand a lot from these individuals
and it is mainly by their efforts that our Sol-
diers are trained and ready to deploy. I want
to especially thank 1SG McGee for managing the details of the
company on a daily basis. I attribute the success I‘ve experienced
in command to his steadfast commitment to duty and selfless ser-
vice.
Last but not least, thank you to the Family members who
support them. Each of these leaders has on several occasions
worked much later than the Soldiers they released earlier in the
day. They did this so that A-Co may accomplish the mission.
Their Families have carried the burden of leadership responsibil-
ity as much as they have. Thank you.
―On Our Shoulders”

Alpha Company Family Readiness Group Updates
By Kirstin Velazquez
A Company FRG Leader
Hello Alpha Family!
The past few weeks have been busy for all of
us, but I hope all of you are well and hanging
in there, despite the stress of preparing for de-
ployment!
As Army spouses, we often forget to take
care of one very important thing…ourselves.
It‘s easy to forget when we are busy getting
prepared for our loved ones to leave. Just re-
member—you have to take care of yourself,
too! You can only care for everyone else in
your Family if you yourself are well!
As a Battalion, we have decided to merge
our monthly FRG meetings. This will help all
of the FRG Leaders, volunteers and our won-
derful Rear D Command Team manage their
time and responsibilities better. Our first con-
solidated FRG Meeting will be held on Nov. 8
at 6.30 pm. at the Po Valley Spiritual Life Cen-
ter.
Our Brigade and Battalion are planning
many wonderful things for us to do, so please
check your weekly e-mail updates. We are
going to start a walking group, a playgroup for
the little ones and much more. This will help
all of us to stay busy, and having something to
Virtual FRG
(vFRG) Access
look forward to is always a plus! Get involved,
even if it means stepping out of your comfort  Visit the website:
zone!
I also want to send out an OPSEC reminder! www.armyfrg.org
As our Soldiers depart, please don‘t list flight  Click on “Find an
dates and times, stop-overs and final destina-
tions on any social sites such as MySpace,
FRG”
Facebook, Twitter and the like. Make sure to  Click on New York
inform your Families of the rules too! Loose
 Scroll down under
lips sink ships! By speaking or e-mailing this
sort of information you are risking our Sol- Fort Drum and click
diers‘ safety! Be vigilant about this to keep all on “277th Aviation
of our Soldiers safe! Don‘t post pictures of Support BN/TF Ea-
your Soldier in uniform with rank/nametag
showing on the Internet! gle”
It may seem small and trivial to you, but it‘s  Enter your personal
important to keep everyone safe! Be careful information and
when in public and speaking about your Sol-
your Soldier’s last
dier‘s deployment and the fact that you are
alone! You never know who is listening! Also, four SSN
it is best to refrain from placing stickers on
your vehicle such as ―half of my heart is in…‖
or ―proud spouse of a deployed soldier‖. This For issues or problems
makes you a target in many ways! logging in, contact the
Take care of yourselves, Alpha spouses, and 277th ASB FRSA, Michelle
remember that your key callers and myself are Kennedy at 315-774-1206
here to help in any way we can. Don‘t hesitate michelle.kennedy6@us.army.mil
to contact us!
PAGE 4

Bravo Company - Raptors

By MAJ Ryan Guthrie
B Company Commander
Greetings Raptor Families,
Hello from Afghanistan! The
Company is in full transition, and
our Soldiers are anywhere from
Fort Drum, flying over Europe, in
Kyrgyzstan, or at their final desti-
nation in Afghanistan.
Over the next few weeks, we
will get acquainted with our new
and temporary home, learn tech-
niques from the outgoing unit,
and assume control of our mission
while at Bagram. Finding good
communication mediums is tough
at first, but it will get better soon.
We have had a slew of new
births this past month. Congratu-
lations to SPC Lindsey and his
wife, Ashley, on the birth of their
daughter, Charlotte Alice-Marie, on
Sep. 19; SGT Jetter and his wife,
Melanie, on the birth of their son,
Noah, on Sep. 22; to SPC Pereira
and his wife, Rosie, on the birth of
their daughter, Serena, born on Oct.
1; SSG Houde and his wife, Re-
becca, on the birth of their son on
Oct. 11. Each new baby is wel-
comed and cherished as our newest
Raptors.
The Company re-enlisted SGT
Meagher and SGT Lucero this
month. Their continued and honor-
able service to the Company and the
Army is a treasure and we are grate-
ful for their continued enlistment.
SGT Greiner and SGT Tefera
were promoted to the prestigious
rank of Sergeant, effective Oct. 1.
Both demonstrated the skill, compe-
tence and responsibility to wear the
coveted stripes of an NCO. SPC
Ball, SPC Hines and SPC Gagnon
were promoted to the rank of Spe-
cialist. as well. We are very proud
of their promotions and look for-
ward to their continued advance-
ments.
SGT Melara was awarded the Cer-
tificate of Achievement on Oct. 8 for
his service. He departed the unit this
month to pursue his change in duty
assignment to the Explosive Ord-
nance Disposal unit. SPC Teague
was awarded the Army Good Con-
duct Medal. SSG Porter, SPC
Woods, SPC Kayanie, PFC Evans,
PFC Pharris, PV2 Chaisson, SPC
Kater, SPC Molina, PV2 White, PV2
Jones, PFC Plummer, PFC Reid,
SPC Bautista, PFC Moore, PFC Em-
pire, PFC Herrington were awarded
the Certificate of Achievement for
their exemplary efforts and conduct
during the Division Remembrance
Ceremony.
No doubt, we will be busy soon
with interesting tales from overseas.
Stay strong and know that you are
dearly missed from the other side of
the world.
MAJ Ryan Guthrie

Bravo Company Family Readiness Group Updates

By Rachel Harper
B Company FRG Co-Leader
Hello B Company Families.
We hope everyone is doing okay
despite the deployment. Just to let
you know, the next FRG Meeting
is Nov. 8th at 6:30 pm at Po Val-
ley Spiritual Family Life Center.
Child care is available free of
charge if your children are regis-
tered at CYSS (just RSVP to Mi-
chelle by Oct. 28th).
It is a potluck, so
please bring a dish.
Please look for all the
activities that we have
going on throughout the
newsletter and in the
FRSA flashes. We will
also be having an FRG
Thanksgiving Celebra-
tion on Nov. 20 from 1
pm – 3 pm at the Battalion Class-
room— Look for more info to come
in the FRSA Flash.
B Company is in dire
need of Key Callers right
now. Due to the deploy-
ment we have unfortu-
nately lost a lot of key
callers. If anyone is will-
ing to volunteer a few
hours each month to assist
in the flow of information
to other B Company Fam-
ily Members, please contact Rachel
Harper at 732-877-9975 or the
FRSA. We could sure use your help!

Upcoming Key Caller Class Dates:

Nov. 10, Dec. 2, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 10, April 14
All Classes are at ACS from 2-3 p.m. or 5-6 p.m.
Call Mobilization and Deployment to register and to reserve child care - 315-772-0470.
Child care is due six business days before the class is scheduled to take place.

LIBERTY TIMES
VOLUME I, ISSUE 9 PAGE
By CPT Brent Temple
C Company Commander
By the time you are reading this,
most, if not all, of Charlie Company
will be in Afghanistan. As I mentioned
last month, the initial stages of our de-
ployment will be to validate and config-
ure our equipment for operation in Af-
ghanistan, movement of the equipment
and personnel to their assigned loca-
Online VMIS FRG
Volunteer Registration
Visit www.myarmyonesource.com
There are options to Login with your
username and password or Register if
you don‘t have a profile.
Fill out your information.
When you‘ve created a profile, click
on ―Volunteer‖ on the top right sec-
tion of the page. This will take you to
the Volunteer Management Informa-
tion System (VMIS)
Click on ―Opportunity Locator‖
Select ―Fort Drum‖ under Military
Community and ―FRG: 10 AVN–
277‖ under the Organization and click
Search.
Choose the volunteer position you‘d
like to apply for. When the new page
loads, click Apply.
Check out the vFRG!
The 277th ASB vFRG has lots of informa-
tion and links to Fort Drum and military
resources! Link directly to CYS, ACS,
Military OneSource, My Army Benefits and
more! Check out AFTB and Mobilization
and Deployment training schedules! See
page 3 of this month’s newsletter log in
instructions!
Charlie Company - Ravens
tions, and then set-up and employment of
the equipment. These stages will occur
over only a few weeks of time, and will
present many challenges during this short
period of time. I am confident that we
will meet these challenges and overcome
them swiftly and decisively. This critical
period will showcase all the training we
have conducted during the past eight
months.
These past several weeks have contin-
ued to find us busy, despite our operations
at Fort Drum winding down. We had lots
of equipment to prepare to be shipped to
Afghanistan, and we also had to ensure
that the equipment we are leaving behind
Charlie Company FRG Notes
By Heather Temple
C Company FRG Leader
Well, the time has finally arrived and
the Soldiers have left for the deployment.
I hope you all are settling into a routine
that works for you. I know for me in the
past deployments I try to keep busy but
also keep it normal as possible for my
children. There will be bumps along the
way , but we are all Family and we are all
here for each other. Please remember that
when you need a helping hand throughout
this deployment. For many of you, this
will be your first deployment, so please
lean on those of us who have been through
it before. I am only an email or phone call
away. I will be having a baby in the next
couple of weeks but I still will be in the
loop and fully part of the FRG, so don‘t
hesitate to pick up the phone or email if
you have any questions.
A few things have changed and will
change in the next month. We still have
all the same Key Callers: Stephanie Jo-
seph, Julia Amick, and Krystine Smith.
These are some great ladies and can help
you just as much as I can. Normally, they
would only be calling the spouses once a
month, but during deployments they will
be calling you twice a month. If you are or
not receiving these calls please contact me
and let me know. If you have any issues
or problems let them know and we will
help you with it. If it is important, please
don‘t wait for them to call you, give your
Key Caller a call or call me right away.
5
is accounted for and secured. The building
we have occupied here at Fort Drum is
scheduled to be torn down and replaced
while we are gone, so we also had to find a
secure location to store this equipment,
and move it all there.
Finally, I am proud to announce the
following promotions this month. Special-
ist Ellis was promoted to Sergeant; his
promotion is effective Sep. 1. Specialist
Riese was laterally promoted to the rank of
Corporal. PV2 Lira was promoted to Pri-
vate First Class, and PV1 Eldridge was
promoted to PV2. If you haven‘t already,
take the time to congratulate these out-
standing Soldiers.
As for Family members, you will be
receiving emails once in a while from me
throughout the deployment, but that does
not mean you can‘t email or call me with
any question any time. If you don‘t receive
an email from me that means either that I
don‘t have your email or I have the wrong
email. Please email me with it and I will
add you to the list. My email address is
c.company277@yahoo.com or you can
call 254-423-3718 (cell) or 315-301-4032
(home).
Next, our meetings have usually been on
the second Thursday of the month at 6:30
p.m. Now that our Soldiers will not be
attending, we can move them or add them
into our once-a-month Family activity.
Yes, you heard me – we will be having a
Family activity once a month. Something
simple like play dates at a community cen-
ter just so we can talk and visit and support
each other. I will keep you informed on
when these will happen. It is very import
for our Soldiers that we keep our heads
held high and support other spouses and
Family members during this time of de-
ployment.
I will close this month‘s newsletter with
a little house-cleaning. We are still looking
for a Treasurer for our company FRG.
Please, if you want to help us out, call me
and let me know. The job really is not that
hard and I can help you until you are com-
fortable with doing it on your own. Also
we could use someone that would be inter-
ested in planning the monthly outing with
me. Thank you all and I look forward to
hearing from each and every one of you.
 PAGE 6
DID YOU KNOW?
Army Community Service
(ACS) has clinical Military
Family Life Consultants
(MFLCs) available for walk-
in confidential consults? If
you feel you need some-
one to talk to or are hav-
ing marital problems,
please call them at 315-212
-6919 or just stop by M-F
8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
ACS also has a Financial
Readiness Program that
provides free counseling or
advice on financial matters?
They can provide all types
of financial assistance: pull
credit reports, budgeting,
debt management, invest-
ing, etc. Call 772-0050 for
more info.
Behavioral Health Con-
tacts: Suicide Resources/
Hotlines
Connor Clinic Appoint-
ment Line: 315-772-2778
After Hours Emergency
Services (Holidays and
Weekends) Before 9:00
pm: Acute Care Clinic,
315-772-5236
After 9:00 pm: Samaritan
Medical Center Emer-
gency Department: 315-
785-4100
Local 24-Hour Crisis Line:
315-785-4516
National Suicide Preven-
tion Lifeline: 1-800-273-
TALK
Suicide Prevention Action
Network (SPAN):
ww.spanusa.org
Being Strong As We Head Out
By CPT Steven Love
Battalion Chaplain
By the time you‘re reading
this, 277 will be headed
downrange. For Families at
home and Soldiers down-
range, we are going through a
range of emotions.
Many people right now can
be feeling overwhelmed. Our
feelings may be saying things
that trouble our hearts, minds
and relationships. Some may
be feeling thoughts of gran-
deur. Excited about the mis-
sion and the challenge ahead.
Excitement, fear, anticipa-
tion, worry, and wonder are
going through the minds of
those leaving and those who
will say goodbye. Your emo-
tions and feelings ―can‖ lead
you down a road you might
not want to travel.
The catch is feelings can
be destructive. In the Bible,
there is a question asked,
―Can a man …break a cove-
Holiday Mailing Deadlines Released
By Karen Jowers
Army Times staff writer
For those mailing packages
to friends and loved ones in
the military overseas, Christ-
mas comes early. And Ha-
nukkah comes even earlier.
It depends on how you
plan to send it, but if it‘s trav-
eling the slowest way — par-
cel post — mail that package
by Nov. 12 to get it there by
Dec. 25, according to recom-
mended holiday shipping
dates provided by the Mili-
tary Postal Service Agency.
Hanukkah begins Dec. 1
this year, so you‘ll need to
LIBERTY TIMES
nant and yet escape?‖
Lev.17:15. Commitments are
broken because feelings and
emotions can have a strong
influence on our actions.
People too often break com-
mitments because their feelings
become stronger than their
commitments. So often we
yield to our short term happi-
ness and forsake our long term
growth and character. The truth
is your personhood, your char-
acter flourishes when you are
faithful to the things that are
God honoring. You grow as a
person and your relationships
grow stronger when you do
what is right.
This is a hard thing to live
out, but a worthwhile cause to
honor your commitment, to
build your character and grow
yourself.
I look at the Army Values
often and I think about the Sol-
diers creed frequently. I think
about why I am I a part of this
great Army. I know I hear
send it 24 days earlier — by
Oct. 19 — if it‘s going parcel
post.
Here are the other recom-
mended mail dead-
lines. Subtract 24
days from each
deadline to get it
there in time for
Hanukkah:
• Space Avail-
able Mail (SAM):
Nov. 20 to contin-
gency locations
(APO/FPO/DPO AE Zip 093);
all other overseas military loca-
tions by Nov. 26.
• Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL):
Dec. 1 to contingency loca-
some of the Soldiers speak of
this as a job. Yes, it is a job but,
to me, it is so much more than a
job. You were born in a specific
time in a specific place, and
there are specific people to
meet and tasks for you to carry
out. You are not an accident
and you are not a part of this
Army by fault. Your placement
in 277 is for a reason, discover
it, embrace it and flourish in it.
May you find the strength to
do what is right even if your
feelings are not helping you.
Invest in your soul, your mind
and the relationships that you
are a part of. Even though there
will be a strain on us we have
the opportunity to grow
stronger and experience a bet-
ter life in the long run if we do
what is right regardless of what
our feelings may be saying.
May God grant us safety, and
blessings in this season we en-
ter into.
Chaplain Love
Love Big, Live Well!
tions; all others by Dec. 3.
• Priority Mail: Dec. 4 to
contingency locations; all oth-
ers by Dec. 10.
• First-class cards
and letters: Dec. 4
to contingency lo-
cations; all others
by Dec. 10
• Express Mail
Military Services:
Not available to
contingency loca-
tions; other loca-
tions by Dec. 18. Check with
your local post office to deter-
mine if this service is available
to a particular APO/FPO/DPO
address.
VOLUME I, ISSUE 9 PAGE 7

NOVEMBER 2010
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
Chains of Concern & 9 a.m.10th CAB Care 9 a.m. TF Tigershark 11:30 a.m. BN Steer-
Steering Reports due Team @ Po VCCUS training @ ing Committee
Valley SLC ACS
9:30 a.m. Walking/
Jogging Group @ Ma-
grath Gym Mountain Resiliency Conference Nov. 4-5

7 8 6:30-8 p.m. BN FRG 9 10 11 Veteran’s Day 12 13

Daylight Savings Time Meeting @ Po Valley 10 a.m. VMIS 101 @ 2 or 5 p.m. Key Caller
Ends SLC Ed Center @ ACS
9:30 a.m. Walking/ 10 a.m. Playgroup @
Jogging Group Monti PFC

AFTB Level I 9-4 @ ACS

14 15 Newsletter Submis- 16 17 18 19 20
sions and Treasury 7 p.m. 10th CAB 1-3 p.m. BN Thanks-
10th CAB Strong Bonds for Deployed Families Nov. 16-18 in Syracuse
Reports due Movie Night giving Dinner
9:30 a.m. Walking/
Jogging Group

AFTB Level II 9-4 @ ACS

21 22 23 24 Last day to reserve 25 Thanksgiving 26 DONSA 27

9:30 a.m. Walking/ child care for Key
Jogging Group @ Caller training Dec. 2
Magrath Gym
Local Schools Thanksgiving Break Nov 24-26

28 29 9:30 a.m. Walking/ 30 FRG Suspenses

Jogging Group Meetings/Training/

Community Events Fort Drum Holiday

Need Help?
Call or visit Military
 10th CAB Care Team Nov. 2 from 9 a.m.- OneSource to find infor-
noon at the Po Valley Spiritual Life Center. Religious Services mation about taxes, par-
 Task Force Mountain Eagle FRG Meeting 20 Nov - 10 a.m. Family Advent enting, deployments,
Nov. 8 from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Po Valley Wreath Workshop
Spiritual Life Center. Free Child Care finances, taxes, counsel-
25 Nov - 11 a.m. Catholic Thanksgiv-
available for children registered with ing Mass ing, PCS moves & more!
CYSS. Register with the FRSA no later 1 Dec - 5:15 p.m. Christmas Tree
than Oct. 28. Lighting Ceremony
 Army Family Team Building (AFTB) Training at 8 Dec - noon and 5:30 p.m. Catholic
Army Community Service (ACS). Level 1 Nov Immaculate Conception of Mary Mass
8-9 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Level II Nov. 15-16 13 Dec - 6 p.m. Catholic Advent Pen-
from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Child care is due 6 business ance Service
days before the class. Call 772-6710 for info. 24 Dec - 4:30 p.m. Catholic Nativity
 10th CAB Strong Bonds for Families of De- Pageant
ployed Soldiers Nov. 16-18. Call the Rear D 24 Dec - 5 p.m. Catholic Christmas
Chaplain (CPT) Messinger at 681-0883. Vigil Mass
 10th CAB Movie Night Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. Loca- 24 Dec - 7 p.m. Protestant Candlelight
tion TBD. Service
 Task Force Mountain Eagle Thanksgiving 25 Dec - 11 a.m. Catholic Christmas
Dinner Nov. 20, 1-3 p.m. at the BN Mass (no evening Mass)
Classroom. Please bring a dish to share.
RSVP by Nov. 12. See FRSA Flash for ** All regularly scheduled weekend
more information. services remain unchanged.
 PAGE 8
10th CAB leaders case colors for deployment
By Sgt. 1st Class JR Williams
10th CAB Public Affairs Officer
Soldiers, Families and friends of 10th
Combat Aviation Brigade gathered Tues-
day at Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield to bid
farewell to troops who will deploy to Af-
ghanistan in the coming weeks.
The deployment will be 10th
CAB‘s second tour in Afghani-
stan, having previously de-
ployed in support of Operation
Enduring Freedom from 2006 to
2007. The brigade also served in
Iraq from 2008-2009.
―A mere 11 and a half months ago,
many of the Soldiers of this brigade were
getting off of airplanes and greeting their
Families fresh from a highly successful
yearlong combat tour in Iraq,‖ said Col.
Pedro Almeida, 10th Combat Aviation
Brigade and Task Force Falcon com-
mander. ―We were happy to have them
home, reunited with their loved ones, but
we all knew at that moment that a tough
year lay ahead.
―For all of you, Families and Soldiers
alike, my message is that those sacrifices
have been and will be for a cause of great
significance,‖ he continued. ―This bri-
gade‘s training efforts will pay off for
Family Readiness Group Advisor’s Updates, continued
We are going to start a ―Walk to Af-
ghanistan‖, where we walk, jog, etc. (any
activity you can track mileage – as much
or as little) as you want and track the
mileage on our route from Ft. Drum to
Afghanistan. Hopefully, we can get in
shape, and hang out with/chat with others
as we do so. Brigade is going to have a
kick-off event in early Nov (probably
Nov 6th, but look for more info in the
FRSA Flashes), with t-shirts for sale and
registration.
In conjunction with this, we – 277th –
are starting a walking and/or jogging
group on Monday mornings beginning
Nov. 1st where we will meet at Magrath
Gym at 9:30 am and walk or jog
(tracking mileage if you choose) on the
indoor track. Strollers are not allowed on
that track, so once all the Task Forces
leave, brigade will open the 6/6 hangar to
allow us to walk/jog with strollers and
get some competition going between the
Task Forces. I‘m sure 277th can beat all
thousands upon thousands of U.S. and
coalition forces as well as Afghan citizens.
Our Soldiers are ready for this deployment
and are well-postured to assume the fight
in RC-East, of which we are a critical
part.‖
Almeida told those gathered that he
believes 10th CAB Soldiers are uniquely
qualified for the mission they
will assume.
―As I have told many of you, I
firmly believe that what our
aviation forces do on a daily
basis cannot be done by anyone
else, and our U.S. and coalition
brothers-in-arms on the ground count on
our capabilities as part of one team to get
the job done. And rest assured: Task Force
Falcon will deliver.‖
Guest speaker, Maj. Gen. James L.
Terry, 10th Mountain Division (LI) and
Fort Drum commander, also reminded the
Soldiers and Families of their role in a
hopeful future for Afghanistan.
―You will be witness to historic times
this year,‖ Terry said. ―The eyes of this
nation – indeed, the eyes of the world –
will all be upon you as you help shape
Afghanistan to be a much better place."
During the ceremony, brigade units
cased their colors in preparation for move-
the other Task Forces and ―get to Afghani-
stan‖ first! But, you don‘t have to register
for the Walk to Afghanistan to participate in
our Walking/Jogging Group.
TF Mountain Eagle will also begin a
Moms with Kids Play Group on Wed, Nov.
10th at the Monti Physical Fitness Center
Indoor Playground at 10 am. Come let the
kids play and enjoy talking with other
spouses! We are going to have monthly
battalion consolidated FRG meetings in an
effort to make it easier for our FRG leader-
ship and to give you the chance to meet
others in and outside of your company. We
really hope you‘ll come out and provide
your ideas and maybe even take charge of
an event. 10th CAB (our brigade) will also
hold a monthly movie night so you can get
out with the kids. We really are trying to
help make this deployment fly by.
Our next FRG meeting is Monday, Nov.
8th at 6:30 pm at Po Valley Spiritual Life
Center. Joan Upole (our friendly counselor)
will talk about ―Coping with Deployment‖
Command Sgt. Maj. Kennth Patton (right), the senior
enlisted advisor for the 10th Combat Aviation Bri-
gade, cases the brigade's colors in preparation for its
upcoming deployment in late October in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom. The colors will be
uncased once the unit makes its way to Afghanistan.
ment to Afghanistan and will uncase them
once the transfer of authority takes place and
they assume the fight.
Nearly 3,000 Soldiers will deploy for ap-
proximately 12 months and assume duties
under the NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force‘s Regional Command-East
Headquarters.
During the deployment, 10th CAB will be
designated under Combined Joint Task Force
- 101 and will be responsible for air missions
in RC-East.
and she always does a great job to help up-
lift our spirits. Look for a flyer in the FRSA
Flash for more info. We will have a Potluck
and free child care is available to those en-
rolled in CYSS (Child and Youth & School
Services) if you RSVP to our FRSA by Oct.
28th. We encourage you to get enrolled at
CYSS because of the 16 free hours of child-
care available to spouses of deployed Sol-
diers, free child care for FRG meetings and
other free services. But you can always
bring your kids to the meetings if you need
to. You just might like to have a break from
them for the meeting to be able to socialize
and relax.
La stly, ple ase re me mber tha t
www.militaryonesource.com (1-800-342-
9647) is available 24/7, especially if you
leave the area and have a problem. Also,
you can always contact our FRSA at 315-
774-1206 or me at stillmel@aol.com if you
have any questions. Please take care of
yourselves!

Leaders host children's town hall meeting to address deployment concerns
Story and Photos
By Sgt. Todd L. Pouliot
10th CAB PAO NCOIC
The children‘s shyness quickly disap-
peared as the moderator asked them what
they knew about Afghanistan. Eager hands
rose around the room as children waited to
join the discussion.
Despite knowing that a Family Member
was about to deploy, smiles and laughter
were evident while children learned more
about their parents‘ upcoming deployment
to Afghanistan.
The 10th Combat Aviation Brigade held
a kids‘ town hall meeting at the Multipur-
pose Auditorium here Sept. 27. Tom Wo-
jcikowski, 4H military clubs coordinator
for New York state, began by discussing
the geography and culture of Afghanistan.
―Can anyone tell me where Afghanistan
is?‖ he asked.
A hand quickly went up. ―On the other
side of the world,‖ a young boy re-
sponded.
Wojcikowski lauded the boy‘s correct
response and explained that Afghanistan is
in Asia and is about the size of Texas.
Most Afghan children do not have tele-
vision, computers or game consoles, he
said. Although many people live without
the comforts we have here, the situation in
Afghanistan is improving.
―When the Taliban ruled Afghanistan,
few children went to school,‖ he said.
―Girls were not allowed to go to school.
More children are going to school now,
and by 2015, it‘s expected that 13 million
children will be in school.‖
After Wojcikowski finished his discus-
sion, Col. Pedro H. Almeida, 10th CAB
commander, directed the children to come
forward and fill in the front rows.
Almeida, Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth E.
Patton, and several task force commanders
each took a seat at the edge of the stage in
front of the children and began addressing
questions that were submitted before the
meeting.
―The goal of the kids' town hall was to
allow children to ask the commanders and
Looking for ways to stay busy during the deployment?
Call you FRG Leader or contact ACS for volunteer opportunities, check out the
weekly FRSA Flash, or look at the calendar on page 7 to find out what‘s going on
in the Battalion, Brigade or on post!!
PAGE 9
command ser-
geants major –
their moms‘
and dads‘
bosses – ques-
tions that might
be worrying
them,‖ said
Michelle Ken-
ned y, Tas k
Force Eagle
family readi-
ness support
assistant.
―Things that
might concern a
spouse, such as
finances and
legal, don't
concern chil- Col. Pedro H. Almeida, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade commander, visits with children
dren. From of the 10th CAB after the kids’ town hall meeting at the Multipurpose Auditorium here
what we saw at Sept. 27. Children learned about Afghan geography and culture, and they participated in
the town hall, a question-and-answer session with Almeida, Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth E. Patton,
children wanted 10th CAB command sergeant major, and several task force commanders.
to know if their
parents could get ice cream, how often thing for the children as well as the spouses.
they'll get to communicate with their par- A lot of time and effort goes into training the
ents, and if they can watch the same foot- Soldiers for deployment, but it's important to
ball games they (the children) are watch- prepare the whole Family.‖
ing at home.‖ The 10th CAB FRSA, the Fort Drum USO
At the conclusion of the town hall meet- and 4H military clubs are just a few of the
ing, when a group photo was announced, many organizations available to assist Fami-
the children jostled to position themselves lies cope with deployments.
next to the 10th CAB leaders. ―If you could send one thing to your par-
―The kids really seemed to enjoy spend- ent while they are deployed, what would it
ing time with the commanders and ser- be?‖ Almeida asked.
geant major,‖ said Elizabeth Jara Valen- Nearly every child‘s hand went up. The
cia, who brought her son to the town hall first two responses: ―a plane ticket so he can
meeting. ―I think this will really help ease come home and visit‖ and ―a certificate to
the (children‘s) anxieties over the deploy- give my mom a vacation from Afghanistan.‖
ment.‖ While these children face being without a
On their way out, each child received a parent and, in some cases, both parents, for
―With You All the Way Deployment Kit,‖ many months, the town hall meeting gave
which were donated by the USO and con- them a chance to spend some time with kids
tained resources to help and comfort mili- who are going through similar experiences,
tary children and their Families. as well as with the leaders of their parents‘
―The concept of a kids‘ town hall came organizations. From the many smiles and
up at a weekly 10th CAB FRSA huddle,‖ laughter, perhaps the anxiety has been eased
Kennedy said. ―We were planning our pre- just a bit.
deployment preparation training, and it
was brought up that we should do some-
 PAGE 10
A ‘Sweet’ Way to Send a Taste from Home to your Soldiers
Submitted by Kirstin Velazquez,
A CO FRG Leader
Ever baked cakes in canning jars? It's
neat! ANY quick bread-type cake can be
baked in canning jars.
Fill ONE jar 1/2 full then bake it to
see how high it rises, then go from there.
You don't want the cake to come out of
the top of the jar, only to within 1/4 to
1/2 inch from the lip of the jar. Write it
down on your recipe (how far you filled
the jars)! Once you've established how
high the cake rises, you can go from
there.
The first time around is a bit tricky
because you won't know how many jars
you'll need. MOST of the recipes I've
tried I end up using around 8. Sterilize
as many jars as you think you'll need
and go from there. Make sure your
LIDS are new, the rings don't have to be
As the jars do seal, the cakes are as
moist as the day you put them into the
jars--sometimes MORE SO.
The baking times will vary -- the moist-
ness of each cake recipe will determine the
time. MOST of the recipes I've tried bake
in 35-40 minutes. Start checking the cakes
at 25-30 minutes and go from there.
YES, the cakes DO slide easily out of
the jars IF you use the jars I've
listed. They're Ball 12-oz Quilted
Crystal Canning Jars (#14400-
81400).
They can be found at most gro-
cery stores next to the pectin and
other canning supplies. Also, I've
seen the 12 oz straight-sided
(plain) . The plain jars work fine too but
they're not as pretty and you have to make
your own labels--the jars I use come with
decorative labels. One IMPORTANT tip--
get your jars NOW! Once summer's over
with they're very hard to find. Also, when
you can, ask for the jars back, they're NOT
cheap. Most folks don't mind returning
them though, they usually want refills!
There will be a little condensation on the
lids and some in the jars so when you seal
them it's trapped inside. Don't worry about
getting the water off of the lids before plac-
ing them onto the jars, the added moisture
doesn't hurt the cakes in the slightest. Quick
bread-type cakes work best, I've found that
lighter cakes tend to fall when the jars seal.
I'm trying to address every question
that's been asked of me before, I
HOPE I've done that. If I've missed
anything or if anyone has any ques-
tions, don't hesitate to ask. These
make WONDERFUL Christmas
gifts and you cn start NOW! Single
friends really appreciate these be-
cause each jar makes enough for one or two
people
Several people have asked me how long
the cakes can be safely stored...I'm not sure.
The longest I've been able to keep them
(without getting eaten) is 6 months. The
jars DO seal, just like any canned good.
You don't have to refrigerate the jars, just
keep them in a COOL, dark, dry place.

Task Force Mountain Eagle
277th Aviation Support Battalion
10th Combat Aviation Brigade
20125 Hangar Access Road
Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield
Fort Drum, NY 13602
Phone: 315-774-1206
Fax: 315-774-1231
E-mail: michelle.kennedy6@us.army.mil
“Freedom and Liberty”
PAGE 11
277th Aviation Support Battalion History
In February 2006, the 277th Aviation Support Battalion
deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom VII, where it provided combat service and sup-
port to the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force
Falcon. The Unit redeployed in February of 2007 after
earning the Lieutenant General Ellis D. Parker Award for
best Aviation Battalion in 2006 and the Meritorious Unit
Commendation.
In October 2008, the 277th ASB deployed to Iraq in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-11, where it pro-
vided support and combat services to the 10th CAB, Task
Force Lightning. The unit redeployed in October 2009 and
earned the Lieutenant General Ellis D. Parker award for
the Best Combat Service Support Battalion for the work
performed during its 2008-2009 deployment.