Spc. Paulette Dabney (left) and Spc. Georgette Steele, twins from Chesapeake, Va., serving as Army aviation operations specialists in Iraq. The twins joined the Army together in 2008, and have stayed together since. Together they attended basic training, technical school, and are now deployed with the Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. As aviation operations specialists, the twins are responsible for tracking flights, communicating with aircraft, and keeping commanders updated. Photo by Spc. Roland Hale

Twin sisters serving in the Army have stayed together through months of rigorous training and are now deployed to Iraq with an aviation brigade from Fort Riley, Kan.

Spc. Paulette Dabney and Spc. Georgette Steele, natives of Chesapeake, Va., joined the Army in 2008 nearly on a whim, they said. Unlike most of their decisions (which are usually made in twin-like harmony), it was one sister who convinced the other to enlist.

“One day my sister just asked me if I wanted to join the Army,” said Dabney. “It seemed a little crazy, but I guess I’m the crazy one, because I went with it.”

The twins enlisted as aviation operations specialists and attended three months of basic combat training. After learning the basics of marksmanship, survival, and other combat skills, they were assigned to Fort Rucker, Ala., where they focused on technical training. Their journey continued together when they both received orders for Fort Riley and were assigned to the Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.

The twins stayed in Kansas for about a year, during which Steele married a fellow soldier. But even after nine months in Iraq, they are still known as the “Dabney twins.”

“We get it all the time,” said Steele. “The fact that we’re twins doesn’t come up in conversation when we’re talking to someone new, and when they see us together they get pretty surprised.”

Since basic training, Steele said, the twins have managed to use their likeness for a little mischief. Most recently, Dabney took Steele’s place in a unit formation to see if anyone would tell the difference.

“Her company was having a formation, so we swapped out right before, name tags and all,” said Dabney. “It took them a few minutes, but after the formation they realized it wasn’t her.”

Looking back at their decision to join two years ago, the Dabney twins still the think the decision was a little crazy, but they have adapted to the Army life well. Both were promoted to the rank of specialist this October and are preparing for promotion to sergeant soon.

While they are both assigned to the eCAB, 1st Inf. Div., Dabney and Steele are in separate divisions of the unit. Dabney works in the brigade’s tactical operations center, and her sister works in the same type of office in one of the brigade’s subordinate units.

As aviation operations specialists they monitor flights, track the unit’s movements around the battlefield, and help commanders communicate between units. They work shifts of no less than 10 hours a day, sometimes working for months without days off.

“It’s been crazy for both of us, especially out here,” said Dabney. “There’s work to do every day, no matter what’s going on…one of the biggest positives is that my sister is out here with me. Sometimes we can work together, and she knows exactly what I do every day.”

“I’m glad I took her with me when I joined,” said Steele. “Without her this wouldn’t be the same. It’s nice to have your sister with you in Iraq.”

“You make friends pretty easily in the Army, but it’s another thing to have your sister with you,” added Dabney.

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Story by Spc. Roland Hale

A tuba, two trumpets, a trombone, and a French horn are all it took for five soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division Band to speak to 25 Iraqi music students, with the Peace Through Arts program, at the United States Embassy.

A tuba, two trumpets, a trombone, and a French horn are all it took for five soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division Band to speak to 25 Iraqi music students, with the Peace Through Arts program, at the United States Embassy.

The students sat on the edge of their seats holding their instruments and mimicking the soldiers’ movements as they played. They listened intently, learning from every note produced by the instruments of the Cantigny Brass Quintet.

Once the quintet finished playing music that ranged from classical to movie themes, they gave one-on-one classes to the students to improve their playing skills.

The band members showed the students breathing techniques and proper hand placement on their instruments to play louder and longer.

“We showed them classical music, American marches and rock ‘n’ roll,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jeremiah Keillor, a native of Los Fresnos, Texas, 1st ID band commander and band master.

He said that the student’s musical skills are based on a good foundation. They only needed to hear the songs and they could play them back.

Mohammed Saad, one of the students from Baghdad, said they will benefit from the band member’s experience to help them be better musicians.

This is the first time a musical exchange between soldiers and young Iraqis has happened at the Embassy.

“I’m able to get a point across and communicate through the music,” said Sgt. Matthew Johnston, a native of Ellicott City, Md., and a trombonist with the band.

“We did some of the Iraqi folk songs together,” said Johnston. “We were able to produce music together for their enjoyment and ours.”

“Hopefully the students will take this experience and see that the band is made up of not just soldiers, but musicians too,” said Keillor. “We’re like them. We can play the same music, we can open the same book, we can read it side-by-side,” he said.

Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, United States Ambassador to Iraq said although the students associate soldiers with Humvees and protecting them against terrorists, it’s great to see the soldiers share with them their love of culture and music.

“We’re really proud of these soldiers from the Big Red One, and proud of their cooperation with these young Iraqis,” he said.

“By working with the children, we are able to collaborate and share a piece of their culture as well ours,” said Johnston.

The soldiers from the quintet will continue to reach out to the Iraqi students. The band has invited them to Contingency Operating Base Basra to play together again and to continue to develop a bond based on the language of music.

“It’s all about small steps,” said Keillor. “Hopefully it will shape the lives of the 25 kids that were here today.”

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Story by Spc. Joseph Vine

Brig. Gen. Cornum talks to soldiers in the Taji Warrior Resiliency Campus' movie theater about turning a disadvantage into an advantage. Her slide presentation on being resilient includes pictures from her life, to include pictures of her immediately after her release from Iraqi captivity, the tail section of the Black Hawk she was in when it was shot down and her reunion with her daughter. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Troth.

“Certainly, it’s a homecoming of sorts.”

That is how Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum described her first visit back to Iraq 19 and a half years to the day she was released as a prisoner of war.

The catalyst for her return to Iraq was an invitation. Currently serving as Director of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness for the Army, Cornum was the guest speaker for the grand opening of the Taji Warrior Resiliency Campus Taji, approximately 15 miles north of Baghdad. The center is operated by the Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and is the first of its kind in Iraq. Cornum was thankful for the brigade’s invitation, because it was an opportunity to speak to soldiers on resilience.

The CSF concept was not around in 1991, but Cornum demonstrated great resilience back then, surviving eight days in captivity by Iraqi forces. The goal of CSF is to improve a soldier’s “resilience” by focusing on five dimensions (physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and family). Cornum credits her spiritual strength for getting her through her time in captivity.

“I had great confidence in the Army and felt we were doing (in Iraq) was right. I also believed that if I stayed alive long enough, the Army would come and get me.” The general also felt being able to put it in perspective was a key factor that helped her stay alive.

Cornum’s experience as a prisoner of war has helped her realize there is a need for CSF. She is able to personalize the teachings of CSF and relate them to a real-life incident she’s experienced.

“No matter how grave or mundane the situation is, I always try to take a disadvantage, and turn it into an advantage” she stated. “I live my live every day like that.”

Although she was glad to be in Iraq again, Cornum does not consider the trip to be closure for her. “It was an event. I don’t look for closures to events, they just end,” she said. The general said she was happy she had came back to Iraq to demonstrate that a person can return to the scene of a bad experience and be OK. Cornum does not even hold animosity toward the men who held her captive.

Besides being a guest speaker, Cornum had other plans while she was in Iraq.

“See the country and all of the progress,” Cornum said. “The last time I was here, I was blindfolded in the back of a truck so I didn’t see much.”

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Story by Capt. Efrem Gibson

Sgt. Brian Schwentner and his wife Cpl. Heather Schwentner got engaged on Valentine's Day in 2008 while deployed to Baghdad. Both are currently deployed with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Northern Iraq. Photo by Capt. Rebecca Walsh

Even though he’s deployed, Sgt. Brian Schwentner wakes up on a twin-sized bed next to his wife, Cpl. Heather Schwentner every morning.

What began as a friendship blossomed into romance during the couple’s last deployment to Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division during the “surge.”

For Valentine’s Day in 2008, Brian gave Heather seven origami lilies and a homemade card. Heather, a Honolulu native, gave Brian a ring and asked “so, will you marry me?”

The couple celebrated their engagement by dancing on the rooftop of a building on Forward Operating Base Falcon while the songs “Tender Surrender” and “Best I’ll Ever Be” played from an iPod.

Two years later the Schwentner’s are in Iraq with the “Dragon” brigade again. They consider themselves fortunate to be deployed together.

“I don’t have to worry about her, I know she’s safe,” said Brian, and Orlando, Fla native, who works in the brigade’s aviation operations office.

“It’s awesome, the fact that we get to see each other every night and have someone to talk to, who we don’t work with all day … it’s worth it,” said Heather.

The Schwentner’s are just one of over three dozen dual military couples in the “Dragon” brigade. Being deployed and dual military presents both benefits and challenges as couples balance their marriages with their careers and strive to maintain normalcy in their relationship.

“I don’t associate the military with my marriage,” said Spc. Kenyetta Boyd, from Mobile, Ala., “My husband and I work together like any couple does, we just happen to have the same boss [Uncle Sam], and wear the same uniform to work.”

Some “Dragon” brigade couples are co-located on the same base as their spouses while others live on separate camps. Others can spend years apart on opposite deployment cycles with one spouse deployed and the other at home. Some are deployed to Iraq while their spouses serve in Afghanistan.

For those deployed to different locations, communication is the key to remaining close and keeping their marriage strong.

“We miss each other so much. We don’t get to see each other at all, being on different FOBs,” said Sgt. Megan Ford, a Ft. Lauderdale native who lives on a different base than her husband, Spc. Brian Ford. “We e-mail, and call each other. I send my husband an e-mail every day.”

According to Spc. Lashaundalyn Smith who is deployed with her husband Staff Sgt. Charles Smith, being dual military has its advantages.

“It’s great, you have someone that understands almost every aspect of what you do as a Soldier,” she said.

Capt. Ronald Opperman and his wife Capt. Rikki Opperman, who are both serving in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

Oklahoma City native Capt. Ronald Opperman and his wife Capt. Rikki Opperman, left their two small children with Family so they could deploy at the same time.

“We have a great support system back at home who are 100 percent behind us and more than willing to care for our children while we are gone,” said Rikki.

While it’s not easy leaving children at home, and deploying to different bases, the Opperman’s are optimistic.

“Some of our best moments and fondest memories in our marriage have come from some of the hardest and difficult times,” added Ronald.

Deployment has also strengthened Boyd’s marriage.

“I feel like this experience has made our relationship stronger and we have realized as a couple that we can make it through anything,” said Boyd. “Being deployed and being dual military wears heavily on your relationship but if you can make it through, you will see that it’s not the yearlong tour and money that kept you going; it is the love and dedication from your spouse and supporting Family Members that make what we do well worth it.”

For now Soldiers will continue to fall in love, dance on rooftops, get married and enter the dual military family. Some will deploy and wake up in the morning next to their spouse, others will wake up next to a picture of their spouse, but both husband and wife will know what it feels like to serve.

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By Capt. Rebecca Walsh
4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs, 1st Infantry Division

An image of the Golden Mosque Jan. 20 from the rooftop of a hotel, as it is currently being rebuilt and restored after being bombed by insurgents, Feb. 22, 2006. Photo by Spc. Shantelle Campbell

During a recent visit to the ancient city of Samarra, Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, the United States Corps –Iraq commander, walked along the city’s streets with the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division commander, Col. Henry A. Arnold, III and the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment commander, Lt. Col. Eric Timmerman.

As they made their way to the rooftop of a hotel across from the Golden Mosque, which is currently being rebuilt and restored to its original form, one couldn’t help but notice the evident change that has taken place in a city that was nearly destroyed by war.

On Feb. 22, 2006, the Al-Askari Mosque, or the Golden Mosque was bombed, setting off a chain of sectarian violence in the city. Then, June 13, 2007, terrorists attacked the mosque again, destroying two minarets and the clock tower. Despite the attacks on this prominent landmark and sacred mosque, the citizens of Samarra have made significant progress to restore peace.

In the past three years, violence has significantly decreased as Iraqi security forces have taken the lead to provide security of the city. According to Arnold during a recent interview with the New York Times, the improvements that have been made in the city are a result of the citizens rejecting terrorists and the professionalism of the Iraqi security forces.

There is a feeling of peace and security now, as markets are open and children are playing in the streets.

“The citizens are calling in reports,” he said during the interview. “The people have turned against violent extremists.

“I walk around in ACU’s and a soft cap; no body armor, no helmet. I walk to the mosque, something I would not have been able to do in 2006.”

There are future plans being made for Samarra like removing the protective t-walls surrounding the mosque; installing a decorative gate that can be opened and closed to pedestrians as security dictates; and installing security cameras.

Along the streets, Iraqi civilians stood outside their shops or paused long enough to gesture or say “hello” to the commanders as they moved toward their destination. After reaching the rooftop of the hotel, the group walked to the side of the roof that faced the ancient mosque which was still a sight to see even without the 72,000 golden plates that once adorned its dome.

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Story by Spc. Shantelle Campbell