Tag Archive for 'Joint Base Balad'

The Soulja Girlz, the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)'s powder puff football team, set out to defend the opponent's passing attack, during the game Nov. 14 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Photo by Spc. John Stimac

Football season is well underway and the cheers and roars on Friday and Saturday nights at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, belong to the women.

The 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soulja Girlz is one of 10 Powder Puff football teams that play twice a week at JBB.

Catchpenny wows Balad

Spc. Stephen L. Bray, administrator with the 248th Area Support Medical Company out of Marietta, Ga., and Catchpenny's lead singer Christian Schauf sing together during a free rock concert Sept. 23 at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation east at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Catchpenny allowed Bray, a Cartersville, Ga., native, on stage to play guitar with the band. Photo by Sgt. Ryan Twist

Christian Schauf, a Minneapolis native, said he can see a difference in the service members after the band’s concerts.

“You see the looks on their faces, and for that minute they forget they were in the middle of the desert and it’s 110 degrees,” said Zachary Schauf, Catchpenny’s singer and keyboard musician and Christian Schauf’s brother.

Tech. Sgt. Tiffany Turner and Senior Airman Joseph Wallington, medical technicians of the 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron prepare a patient for transport from the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility to a C-17 Globemaster at the Air Force Theater Hospital here Sept. 10. The 332nd CASF is a 24-hour staging operation that coordinates the entering, transiting, or leaving of patients within the aeromedical evacuation system. Photo by Senior Airman Chris Hubenthal

The Air Force Theater Hospital here is one of a kind, and the staff can treat a wide variety of conditions.

But when patients need care beyond what the AFTH provides, the contingency aeromedical staging facility steps in and ships them out — fast — usually to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

When the NTV oil station first opened in August it was responsible for servicing 223 vehicles. Now, the station has grown to service 1,200 vehicles. It is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day but Friday.

Shehab said he plans on extending the capabilities of his mechanics to take on larger tasks on vehicle repairs. He also said he hopes to become more independent and produce vehicle parts on his own instead of ordering them.

Army Capt. Lisa Kopczynski

“Singing is a longtime passion of mine, so this was one way for me to bring a little bit of home out here,” said Kopczynski, the public affairs officer for the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Mayor Cell.