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.

Spc. Chanell Shropshire, supply clerk with the 13th ESC and a Jacksonville, Fla., native, said she and Cpl. Mariah L. Robins put the team together.

“We sent out a mass e-mail for anyone in the 13th ESC that wants to play,” said Shropshire. “If someone doesn’t have a team, they can play with us or any of the other teams as well.”

She said civilians are also allowed on the teams.

Shropshire said it is too late to sign up now, but another season may be in the works due to the success and positive response to this year’s season.

According to JBB’s flag football Web site, the rules follow the general guidelines of flag football. It is designed to be a game of speed, skill, ability and cunning, not a physical, pounding or pushing game. Good sportsmanship and fair play is of utmost importance and should be exercised at all times, said the site.

Shropshire said she enjoys the games because they relieve stress.

“This gives females an opportunity to play and it is something different than the usual female sports they offer here,” said Shropshire.

She said she believes this is the first powder puff football season here.

Robins, a supply specialist with the 13th ESC and a New Iberia, La., native, said the experience has been good for her so far. She said on her last deployment, she did not play any sports.

“Lots of companies in the past did not participate and there was really nothing else to play besides basketball for females,” she said. “I’ve seen them try to get flag football for females going before and this time they actually stuck with it.

“This is something different to get our minds off of all the stresses at work and it’s also a chance to meet new people from the other units as well.”

Robins said sometimes the games get competitive.

“I think we need a little bit of that on the field,” she said. “It makes it exciting and adds to the game. Overall, everybody out here shows good sportsmanship.”

The main reason they are out there is to have a good time, Robins said.

“I am happy that people are coming out here to support us,” she said. “We have gotten some unexpected visitors and I hope more people come out to support us in the future.”

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Story by Spc. John Stimac

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

For a moment, service members put their jobs on hold and enjoyed a free Catchpenny rock concert Sept. 23 at Morale, Welfare and Recreation east on Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Catchpenny was the 2009 Armed Forces Entertainer of the Year – the highest honor associated with touring for Armed Forces Entertainment.

“My hope is always that people have fun for a couple (of) hours and I don’t know if we’re going to change their week, but if we can change their day, that is pretty good,” said Christian Schauf, Catchpenny’s lead singer. “We have always wanted to make an impact with our music and do something positive with it.”

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.

Sgt. Michael Carruth, the battalion maintenance office clerk with E Company, 2nd Detachment, 106th Support Battalion, out of Collins, Miss., attached to Task Force 1st Battalion, 155th Infantry Regiment, said he was one of those Soldiers.

“The Catchpenny concert took my mind off missing my family for a couple of hours,” said Carruth. “I am thankful. It was a perfect way to take my mind off matters here as well.”

Carruth said anything that can help service members ease their everyday stress is great.

“I loved the concert,” said Carruth. “I love music, so having a rock band perform for the troops is totally awesome. I was surprised at the fact they brought Soldiers on stage to play music with them. They seemed to love what they were doing as well.”

Zachary Schauf, a Minneapolis native, said his grandfather served in Korea and his older brother served in Iraq in 2003. He said the military has always been a big part of his life, and performing offers him a rare chance to give back.

“We feel really honored to have this opportunity to give back,” said Zachary Schauf. “It’s such a sacrifice for you guys to be over here. We’ve got to see firsthand that it’s not an easy job. We’re just thankful for the opportunity to hopefully help out for a minute, to give back a little bit.”

Christian Schauf said he has one life to live and he wants to do something entertaining and worthwhile with it.

“I always say we’re the rodeo clowns,” said Christian Schauf. “We are over here, but you guys are doing all the hard work and it’s really humbling to be over here and to see what people do for a year. We’re appreciative of that and we support what’s going on and try to do everything to do our part.”

The band has released two CDs and is working on their third.

“It was great to see a talented band perform for us here at Balad, and to speak with the members of the band before the show,” said Carruth. “I got the sense that they really believed in what they were doing for the troops. Catchpenny has gained at least one new fan.”

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Story by Sgt. Ryan Twist

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.

“Our main mission is to bring patients in [from locations throughout Iraq and Afghanistan] and ensure they are stabilized, their medication is correct for flight, and their pain is under control so we can get them on planes and out to their next location,” said Maj. Julianna Olson, 332nd Expeditionary Aeromedical Squadron clinical nurse at the CASF. “It can be as quick as ‘tail to tail’ for some of our critically wounded — where a plane comes in from a [forward operating base], we unload them into an ambulance and move them to another plane on the runway to take off to Germany.

“The average time is 48 hours or less for our more stable patients.”

Patients, both military and civilian, are brought to JBB from FOBs by one of two methods: They may come via an Air Force aircraft, if the patient can be transported to a location with a usable runway, or by Army helicopter, which can pick up patients directly at the point of injury.

“We get contacted by nine-line [medical evacuation request] and are told where to go and pick up our guy,” said Chief Warrant Officer Scott Anderson, Charlie Company, 7th Battalion, 158th Aviation pilot in command. “Depending on their immediate needs, we may take them to the nearest hospital for care. If they are stable enough for the flight, we bring them back [to the AFTH].”

Depending on the urgency of treatment, hospital staff ushers the patients to either the CASF or the AFTH emergency room.

At the CASF, medical professionals assess and stabilize the patients, then make them comfortable and prepared for the transfer to their next echelon of treatment. Part of the preparation includes deciding whether patients are able to withstand the altitude of flying based on their injuries.

After being cleared to fly, the CASF ensures any patient discomfort, both physical and emotional, is eased for the upcoming flight.

“An area of concern for us is patient comfort,” said Olson, whose home station is St. Paul Air Reserve Station in Minneapolis, Minn. “Pain can increase two to threefold on ascent and descent, so it’s very important that we address pain management while we have our patients here. We also talk to the patient about this so there are no surprises when they’re in the air. We explain to them the stressors to expect during the flight as well as what to expect when they get to Germany or wherever they are going.”

She added that the medical equipment used must also be prepared for flight as well, since the change in pressure plays a role in the effectiveness.

When they’re ready to go, CASF staff loads the patients and their gear onto their next transport vehicle. That’s when they turn patient care over to the aircraft’s aeromedical evacuation crew.

“We have some pretty rock star teams [here at the CASF],” said Olson. “It’s like watching kind of a chaotic ballet. But, everyone knows exactly where to be, when and what to do in order to keep the patient safe, keep them comfortable and get them loaded and unloaded.”

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Story by Senior Airman Andria Allmond

Sheikh Shehab Ahmed Saleh Altmime has been running a non-tactical vehicle business on Joint Base Balad since August 2008.

The business provides local nationals with jobs while providing a service to service members on base.

“As reward of my work and my sincerity … [a] contract was signed between the Iraqi non-tactical vehicle oil station and Joint Base Balad about establishing the Iraqi Base Industrial Zone to do a lot of projects in an American base,” Shehab said.

Shehab said he had to overcome barriers when he first made contacts with coalition forces. He had heard the bad propaganda and knew how the Iraqi people were afraid to get close to service members or enter JBB.

But a week after coalition forces arrived, he met with commanders. After talking with American forces, however, he and his family became the target of terrorists. According to Shehab, a commander of a terrorist organization offered $200,000 to the person who could bring him the head of Shehab. As a result, rockets were launched at his house and improvised explosive devices were placed near his home.

“They tried to kill me three times and of course they couldn’t,” Shehab said. “Thank god they always failed to do that and they’re done forever.”

The NTV oil station changes oil, oil filters and air filters, and performs interior cleaning and tire checks. The station employs five mechanics.

“[We] don’t have these kind of vehicles outside the wire,” said Rick Assa’ad, the manager of the NTV oil station. “Before they [didn't] know anything about American vehicles … but they learned it and they are doing good.”

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.

Assa’ad has been busy working with the military to get authorization for the contracts, making contacts with Iraqi vendors and contacting other companies outside of Iraq to make ordering his own parts possible.

“I’m always calling my employees and directing them in the maintenance of vehicles,” Shehab said. “The work is getting better and it’s improving day after day.”

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Story by Pfc. Amanda Tucker

A native of Greenwood, Ind., won Joint Base Balad’s Operation Rising Star contest Sept. 14, 2008.

Army Capt. Lisa Kopczynski performed Susan Tedeschi’s “It Hurt So Bad,” earning a $500 cash prize and a chance to compete online via recorded video on the Operation Rising Star Web site.

“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.

The grand prize for the top performance is an all-expense-paid trip to Los Angeles to record a three-song demo CD. The trip includes professional studio time and one-on-one time with music executives who will coach the winner in music arrangement, vocals, mixing and mastering.

The top 12 vocalists from the online competition will perform at live finals Nov. 12-15. Second- and third-prize winners will receive $1,000 and $500, respectively. The Pentagon Channel will air the competition live.

“I’m looking forward to whether I’ll make the top 12,” Kopczynski said. “Either way, this has been a fun and memorable experience for me. I really enjoyed being with other servicemembers who love to sing.”

The 2008 Rising Star competition allowed service members at eight deployed locations in Iraq, Kosovo and Honduras to compete, said Kristen Kea, event planner manager at the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.

In addition, military family members were eligible to compete in this year’s contest — an addition that “really show the community the talent that exists in our military family,” Kea said.

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