The Hill, Vol. 23, Aug 7

It’s not the dirt that makes the hill; it’s the Sledgehammer Soldiers that make the hill.
Vol. 23 – August 7, 2009
- IN THIS ISSUE – NTC stories, Court-Martials and more!

- 3rd HBCT RETURNS FROM NTC READY TO DEPLOY The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division returned from the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif., armed with a better knowledge of what to expect when they deploy to Iraq in October. The training exercise, which spanned the month of July, was designed to replicate the U.S. government’s current mission in Iraq and give the brigade a better idea of the types of situations and challenges they will likely face. READ MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1338

- VIDEO: INSIDE THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER WLTZ NBC Channel 38 reporter Stefanie Tiso joined the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team in California and featured the Sledgehammer Brigade in a 3-part series.WATCH MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1346

- VIDEO: NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER – BOOTS ON THE GROUND The Sledgehammer Brigade hit the sand of the Mojave Desert just in time to celebrate America’s Independence before training to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The first week in California has been spent getting ready for the intense portion of the training, known as “the box” Pvt. 1st Class Erik Anderson reports. WATCH MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1277

- PHOTOS: 3HBCT SOLDIERS TRAIN AT NTC Photos from the first week at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. SEE MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1292

- 3RD HBCT TANK AND BRADLEY CREWS TRAIN AT NTC As his Soldiers finished setting the final targets, July 7, Sgt. 1st Class Travis Hogan, master gunner for the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, began radioing the M1A1 Abrams tank crews on his firing line to get prepared to fire their main guns. In a few short days, Soldiers of the 3rd HBCT, will be leaving the comfort of the RUBA (Rotational Unit Bivouac Area) and traveling out into the Mojave Desert for 14 days of intensive training during their rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. READ MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1304

- VIDEO: STEEL ON TARGETS AT NTC The Tankers of the Sledgehammer Brigade verified training completed at Kelley Hill, Fort Benning, Ga. before entering “THE BOX” at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, Calif. WATCH MORE http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1313

- LEGAL: COURT-MARTIAL RESULTS SPC Justinmark Cravalho, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, SPC Joseph Galles, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, PVT Matthew R. Gosselin, 2d Battalion, 69th Armor, PFC Edward N. Joseph, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, MSG Bennie E. Hester, 203d Brigade Support Battalion, SPC B.J. Ware, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, PFC Jonathan D. Rimmey, 203d Brigade Support Battalion, SGT Brandon Lopez, 203d Brigade Support Battalion, PV2 Brandon Johnson, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, PVT Jason Major, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, PVT Daniel Loepke, 203d Brigade Support Battalion, http://www.hammerpao.com/?p=1270

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- COL. PETER JONES ON TWITTER - http://www.twitter.com/PJHammer6 - SHARE THE HILL! Forward THE HILL to your family and friends so they can hear the latest news from the SLEDGEHAMMER BRIGADE. Send them to http://www.hammerpao.com so they can get their very own copy every week.

- HAMMER PAO WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!! You read the news, and we want to give you the news you want to read! If you or other 3rd HBCT Soldiers are doing some interesting training, volunteering in the community, or anything else that people should know about, let us know so we can feature what you do. Email 3hbct3id.pao@us.army.mil with your ideas.

- The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 3rd HBCT Newsletter. This e-mail based newsletter offers information and happenings about the Soldiers of Kelley Hill, the 3rd Infantry Division and the Army. Use the provided links to see related photos and read more about each story on the PAO website, http://www.hammerpao.com.

- This newsletter is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. Army and their families. Contents of this newsletter are not necessarily the official views of, or are endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, or U.S. Forces Command. It is released weekly by the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, Fort Benning, Georgia, 31905. All editorial content of this newsletter is prepared, edited, provided and approved by the 3rd HBCT Public Affairs Office of Fort Benning, Georgia. For additional information email 3hbct3id.pao@us.army.mil