Photo By Sgt. Christopher Kozloski | Col. Gary Volesky, the brigade commander for 3rd "Greywolf" Heavy Brigade Combat Team,...... read more read more
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FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq — "We did what we were trained to do, what we were bred to do, what we were born to do," as said by the character Dilios in the 2006 movie "300," embodies Soldiers who choose to continue serving their country in today's all-volunteer Army.
Moreover, the movie itself is a testament to the same freedom and patriotism that today's Soldiers took an oath to defend.
This, among other reasons, is why the theme for 3rd "Greywolf" Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division's mass re-enlistment campaign in northern Iraq, dubbed "Greywolf 300," was motivated by the award winning film.
Unlike the 300 Spartans that charged the battlefield in an epic battle against the Persians to defend freedom as depicted in the movie, 3rd HBCT Soldiers on three different forward operating bases in northern Iraq stood firm on the battlefield and took the Oath of Re-enlistment, promising to defend the United States "against all enemies foreign and domestic."
Col. Gary Volesky, 3rd HBCT's brigade commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. James Pippin, 3rd HBCT's command sergeant major, loaded up on helicopters with the brigade's recruiting and retention team and flew to Forward Operating Base Q-West, FOB Sykes and FOB Marez Nov. 6 to render the oath to the 465 Soldiers who made the choice to stay in the U.S. Army.
This journey began two months earlier when Col. Volesky and Sgt. 1st Class Stacey Coleman, 3rd HBCT's senior brigade career counselor, discussed a recruiting and retention program that would target the largest amount of Soldiers that were seeking to re-enlist.
"Col. Volesky wanted to have us represent ourselves like the Spartans [from "300"] and have our Soldiers embedded with the Spartans in a poster," said Coleman."So we came up with a plan and a cool re-enlistment poster. The whole objective was to re-enlist 300 Soldiers."
Coleman and his team began working with the six battalions in 3rd HBCT to identify Soldiers that wanted to re-enlist and were ready to help meet the brigade commander's challenge to re-enlist 300 Soldiers in Iraq before they return to Fort Hood, Texas.
"Re-enlistment starts with a window that we identify. Soldiers come in and we discuss their re-enlistment options and take them through the entire process from start to finish. If a Soldier is qualified for something, we make it happen for them," said Sgt. 1st Class Coleman. "When we first started, we were very busy. We had a lot of late nights and early mornings."
Despite the burning midnight oil, Coleman and his team coordinated with the battalions to coordinate the re-enlistment ceremony and get the Soldiers through the re-enlistment process.
"All it took was command involvement. All the battalions were willing to accept the challenge to meet the goal of 300. They helped make this happen," said Coleman. "The second week [the retention team] had already re-enlisted over 300."
By the time Sgt. 1st Class Coleman locked in the date and schedule for the massive re-enlistment ceremony, the total Soldiers re-enlisting was well over 400, giving the retention team a great start on the coming fiscal year's retention goals.
"[Because of Greywolf 300] We have achieved 70 percent of our retention goal for this fiscal year and we were only 35 days into the fiscal year when we reached that," said Coleman.
Each ceremony at the three different FOB's held something a little different for the Soldiers re-enlisting and Volesky and Pippin.
At FOB Q-West, 1st Bn., 12th Cav. Regt. had 112 Soldiers in a formation that was shaped like a horse's head, the prominent symbol of U.S. Army Cavalry.
"It's an honor to see you great Americans staying with the team," Volesky told the Soldiers. "This is a great day for the Army and a great day for all of you."
FOB Sykes raised the right hands of 42 Soldiers with 6th Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment. Each of the Soldiers were honored to have the opportunity to re-enlist with Volesky and Pippin.
"The fact that you are re-enlisting in the midst of a war, here in a combat zone is a testament to your character," said Pippin. "I am proud of all of you and for what you do."
The final stop was FOB Marez, where 311 Soldiers from 3rd Bn., 8th Cav. Regt., 2nd Bn., 82nd FA Regt., 215th Bde. Support Bn., and 3rd Bde., Special Troops Bn. waited in a large formation to take their Oath of Enlistment.
Inspired by the success of re-enlisting almost 500 Soldiers that day, Volesky and Pippin dropped to the floor with the large formation FOB Marez Soldiers to knock out a few motivational pushups.
For the Soldiers that re-enlisted, it was every bit as special as it was for Volesky and Pippin.
"It mean quite a bit to me for the brigade commander and command sergeant major to take time out of their busy day and re-enlist us," said Spc. Matthew Thomas, a combat engineer with 3rd Bn., 8th Cav. Regt. and Allentown, Pa., native. "I believe he was very proud of us. It felt good to be a part of a big re-enlistment."
The re-enlisting Soldiers like Thomas and Spc Lindsey Benson, a healthcare specialist with Medical Company C, 215th Brigade Support. Bn, had their own reasons for re-enlisting.
"I wanted to stay in the Army because I think it is one of the noblest jobs you can do," said Benson, a native of Edmond, Okla. "The longer you stay in, the better you are at your job and the better you become at leading young Soldiers."
By the end of the day there was a sense of accomplishment and pride from everyone who participated in the massive event.
"It was truly awe-inspiring. Any time that you have that many people get together and do the same thing, it's just great," said Staff Sgt. Jason Folmar, the career counselor for 3rd Bn., 8th Cav. Regt. "Less than one percent of Americans serve in the U.S. military. I got to see more than 400 commit to the Army. It was an amazing sight."
Staff Sgt. Folmar, a Whiteoak, Texas, native, was glad to be a part of the process and offer his assistance where he could.
"Anytime you get to do anything in the Army or in life that puts a smile on someone's face that betters their personal, career and family life, it's always a good thing," said Folmar.
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 11.09.2009 11:15 |
| Story ID: | 41306 |
| Location: | MOSUL, IQ |
| Web Views: | 260 |
| Downloads: | 175 |
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