My Coins - Chief of Chaplains

This coin is one of the more interesting in my collection. It was presented to me by the Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Carver--an ordained Southern Baptist preacher/pastor. MG Carver had been visiting Fort Carson because a Chaplain in one of 4th ID's Brigade Combat Teams had been killed in Afghanistan. MG Carver came for a memorial service for that Chaplain. While MG Carver was on Fort Carson, the 4th Infantry Division hosted a prayer breakfast. At the last minute, the DSTB's S-6 Shop was tasked with setting up a PA system at the venue where the breakfast was held. We had to scramble to find a system, because the shop did not actually own any such equipment. Normally, we would coordinate with the training aids center on Fort Carson for that type of equipment. Because the request came in at the last minute, there was not time to make those coordinations. Well, we managed to get in touch with the 4th Infantry Division's Public Affairs Office and they had a PA system that we could use.

So, we picked up the equipment and stored it in our office over night. The breakfast was scheduled for early the next morning--like 0630 early. The BN S-6, who was a fairly new Lieutenant, volunteered for the mission, along with myself and one of my technicians. Because this request came in at the last minute, we made the mission totally voluntary. I would have done the whole thing myself, if needed. Also, the LT asked the Division Chaplain's Office (the request had come through them) if MG Carver had any coins. She felt that since we were responding to a last minute request, then we deserved some sort of token of appreciation. MG Carver agreed to present coins to us for our assistance. The next morning, I picked up my technician and we met the LT at the venue where the breakfast was held. We set up the PA system and even got tapped to play a CD during part of the program. Breakfast was good and the ceremony was awesome. The LT, my technician, and I all had a really good time. After everything was done, we went to work breaking down the equipment. MG Carver came over to us and presented the coins. He also chatted with us for a few minutes. I was thoroughly impressed with MG Carver. Now, this coin was my seventh, coin and my second from a General Officer. For the LT and my technician, it was their first. My technician--a Wiccan remarked that it was ironic that his first coin came from a Christian Chaplain. I think he still polishes that coin every day, or at least that's the rumor.

The coin has on one side the words "NURTURING," "CARING," "HONORING," "AMERICA'S SOLDIERS" going around the coin and there are two stars separating each of the words. The stars obviously reflective of the rank of the man who presented the coin. In the center is the Chaplaincy crest with the Latin words PRO DEO ET PATRIA or "For God and Country." There are also two raised silver stars, again reflective of the rank of Major General. The other side of the coin features a scene of a Chaplain ministering to Soldiers in a combat environment in the center. Around the outside are the words "PRESENTED BY THE CHIEF OF CHAPLAINS FOR EXCELLENCE" with two stars between the "F" in "FOR" and "P" in "Presented" and between the final "E" in "Excellence" and the "S" in "Chaplains." I am not sure this coin holds any real emotional significance for me, other than the fact that I was so impressed with MG Carver and that I was happy for my LT and my technician for the fact that both of them got their first coins of their careers. I know that this coin will always remind me of my time on Fort Carson with the 4th Infantry Division and the accomplishments I made there.

My Coins - 4ID Leadership

Here we have a "two-for-one special." I decided to do both of these coins at the same time because they were presented to me on the same day. These two coins are the first coins I got in the 4th Infantry Division and came from the top level of the Division.

First, a bit of background. When I arrived on Fort Carson in April, 2009, the 4th Infantry Division was in the process of relocating to Carson from Fort Hood, Texas. The Division's Division Special Troops Battalion had no S-6 (Communications Shop). Well, since I had a 25-series MOS (Signal Corps Military Occupational Specialty), the Battalion promptly made me "the S-6." Now, something to keep in mind: I was ONLY a Specialist--not even a NCO. There were a number of Soldiers in the Battalion who were in my boat. They were lower-enlisted, but had to step up and fill positions that were normally filled by people of greater rank. I went to work standing up telephone lines, computers, and printers. I even took charge of a number of government cell phones and issued them out, as appropriate. Because of my work, the Battalion's leadership was able to function, once they got on the ground. There were a lot of moving pieces. The Division had just returned from a tour in Iraq and a lot of equipment was going through the "reset" process. Leadership throughout the Division was changing. These changes were also taking place in the DSTB. Not only did the Division have a new Commanding General, new Deputy Commanding Generals, a new Chief of Staff, and a new Division Command Sergeant Major; but, the DSTB had a new Commander and a new Command Sergeant Major. The Battalion's companies had new leadership. Each of the staff sections within the Division and Battalion Headquarters had new leadership. All of these changes occurred during a period when the Division and the Battalion were moving from Texas to Colorado. What the Division and its Division Special Troops Battalion needed was a group of competent individuals on the ground in Colorado to help stand up the various infrastructure and support that these organizations would need, once their people got on the ground. I was a part of that group of competent individuals.

Now, I had a lot of fun doing what I did. Don't get me wrong, when I was told what needed to be done, it scared me. I was only an E-4 and I was the only one in the S-6. I essentially had nobody who could order people to render assistance to me, if I met resistance. I had to make coordinations and do the leg work. So, I immediately made friends with people in the Division's G-6 Section. They had people with rank and they had bodies. I also made friends with people at Fort Carson's Department of Information Management (DOIM). I then put up trouble tickets as needed, met individuals at various locations, issued out cell phones and computers, plugged things in and turned them on, and participated in staff meetings. It was a real challenge because I had to do a lot of running around and I had to make a lot of phone calls. What's more, because the Battalion was in the process of this move, I got an additional duty. As Soldiers came in, they would arrive on Fort Carson at different times. I had to issue out temporary rooms in the barracks, as needed. Because Soldiers might arrive at any given time, this duty meant that I might have to leave something I was doing during the duty day, I might have to leave an activity I was doing during my off-duty hours, or I might even have to get up in the middle of the night. I did all of this while working with my then fiance to plan our wedding. That was a long-distance deal because Regina was in Iowa, at the time. So, I had a lot going on. Remember one of my earlier posts in which I said that my first deployment had taught me that I could push myself further than I knew possible. Well, during this time, I was really leaning on that resillience that I had learned about during that first tour. It paid off. I'm not saying that I didn't make any mistakes during this time. This was by no means a flawlessly executed operation. I had to learn a lot on the fly because I was a radio guy who was now being forced to deal with automations equipment. But, somehow I got the job done and I was given quite a bit of recognition for it.

Once Division and Battalion finally got everyone changed out and almost everything moved to Carson, they had formal ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the Division and Battalion headquarters buildings. On the day they did the ceremony for the DSTB's headquarters, several Soldiers were recognized for their work in getting the Battalion stood up. I was one of the Soldiers who got recognized. On that day, the Division Chief of Staff presented a coin to me on behalf of the Division Commanding General. The Division Command Sergeant Major also gave me a coin. The "dog tag" shaped coin is from Major General David Perkins and was presented to me by Colonel Patrick Fetterman. On one side, the coin has the 4th ID patch, two red stars denoting the rank insignia of a Major General, "Ironhorse Six"-- the General's call sign, "Steadfast & Loyal"--the Division motto, and the "Warrior Ethos." The other side of this coin also bears two red stars denoting the rank of Major General, a scroll bearing the words of the "Oath of Enlistment," and the words "PRESENTED FOR EXCELLENCE" and "4TH ID COMMANDING GENERAL." The other coin, which is shaped sort of like a rounded pentagon, was presented to me by Command Sergeant Major Daniel Dailey. One side of this coin features the rank insignia of a Command Sergeant Major--three chevrons with the tip pointing up and three "rockers" with the crest going down under the chevrons. In the space between the chevrons and rockers is a wreath with a star in the middle. This side of the coin has the seven Army Values, three stars, and "IRONHORSE 7" which is the Command Sergeant Major's call sign. The other side of the coin has the 4th ID patch, two American flags, the Warrior Ethos, three stars, the Division's Motto: "STEADFAST AND LOYAL," and the words "PRESENTED FOR EXCELLENCE." An interesting note about the coin I recieved from DCSM Dailey: I had my coins displayed on my desk. Someone stole the coin from DCSM Dailey. In a conversation with my Battalion Commander, LTC Matthew Tedesco, I told him about someone stealing my coin. LTC Tedesco got a little upset about that. He told me that when he was a "young Lieutenant," that some Soldier on extra duty had gone into his office and stolen several of his coins. So, he knew how I felt about having a coin stolen. He went to DCSM Dailey and got me another coin. He then called me into his office, along with our Battalion S-3 (Operations Officer) and in sort of an informal ceremony, presented the new coin to me. LTC Tedesco then told me that he was proud of me and that he appreciated all of my hard work. After that, he admonished me to do a better job of securing my coins. I have followed his admonition ever since. From that day forward, I kept my coins displayed in a coin rack that was placed in a cabinet above my desk. When I was there in the office, I would open the door on the cabinet so that the coins could be seen. Whenever I left, I closed and locked the door. When I got ready to deploy and I cleaned out my office area, I took the coins home and I keep them displayed there. As I just returned from a deployment, I haven't decided whether or not I will again display my coins in my office. I actually need to get a bigger coin rack to display my collection, regardless of whether I display it at home or at the office.

These two coins will always be special to me. They probably will never hold the significance that the coin from LTC Cox holds, but they are right under that coin. These coins were given to me as a "thank you" for about three months of very hard work. These coins told me that my work will be recognized by the people who need to recognize it. I felt appreciated and I needed to feel appreciated, at that time. These coins also marked my first encounter with 4th ID leadership and it was a positive experience for me. I knew then that I was in a good unit. The experience set the tone for the rest of my tenure in the 4th Infantry Division.

My Coins - Task Force Thunder

There is nothing really special about this coin. It was presented to every Soldier in F Co at the end of our tour in September, 2008. On one side, the coin bears a map of Iraq with stars denoting where Task Force Thunder had units. The coin also shows the unit patches of the various Divisions and other units who were operating in our Area of Operations (AO). Of course, "Old Glory" and the Iraqi flag are also present. The top shows a scroll with the words OIF, 07, 09, denoting the Operation and time period we were there. On the other side, the words TASK FORCE THUNDER appear at the top, while TF 51 appears at the bottom. The TF 51 specifically represents F Co because we were more than just a 525 BfSB or 519 MI BN asset. F Co was in fact an XVIII Airborne Corps asset and as such, our mission was much larger than that of the Battalion or Brigade that we were attached to. In fact, we only fell under the 525 and 519 for administrative purposes (beans, bullets, awards, promotions, and etc). While either Battalion or Brigade could dictate missions to us, our missions could come down from eschelons even higher up the chain. Thus, we were given our own separate task force designation. Also on this side of the coin is the shoulder patch of the 525 BfSB, the crest of the 519 MI BN, the 51 IN crest, and the guidons for all of the companies who fell under the 519 MI BN.

While this coin holds no particular sentimental value to me, it is still a neat little coin, at least in its design. This is probably the only coin that I have recieved in which I didn't have to do anything special to earn it or pay anything for it. There are a couple of coins coming up in future posts, which are similar in that they weren't "earned," but those coins bear sentimental significance because of the occasions on which they were presented and the people who presented them to me. But, I'll save the stories behind those coins for future posts.

Meanwhile, this post completes the stories about coins that I got during my first deployment to Iraq from June, 2007 to September, 2008.

My Coins - F/51

This particular coin is a company coin that F Co leadership ordered for the Soldiers to commemorate our tour in '07 - '08. We were in Iraq during the Surge. This coin was never given out as an award. Instead, we were allowed to purchase the coins for either $5 or $10, but I'm not sure which price. I believe we were also limited as to the number of coins each Soldier could purchase. I will always hold this coin close to my heart because it is a reminder of the men with whom I had the honor of serving. I "cut my teeth" in F Co, as it was there where I began to establish myself in the Army. F Co was my first unit of assignment and it was with F Co that I deployed for the first time. I enjoyed both success and failure in F Co. At times, I was commended for being a hard worker and knowing my job. At other times, my mouth got me into more trouble than I care to recount here. The leadership in F Co sent me to the promotion board for the first time. I was not prepared for that board appearance and I failed miserably. A few months later, I asked the First Sergeant when he would send me back. He asked me if I would pass if he sent me back. I told him that I would kick behind and take names. He then asked me when I wanted to go. I told him that I would go whenever he told me I was going. He told me to be ready for the next month's board. I was ready. I went to the board and "aced" it. In those days, promotion points were awarded for board appearances. The maximum number of points you could get was 150. I got the 150. Upon returning to my company, I saw the Commander and First Sergeant. By that point, they had heard that I had passed. I asked them if they heard how I did. They both answered in the negative. So, when I told them, both their jaws dropped. My Commander said something to the effect of "holy cow, you weren't playing around, were you!?" I replied with a "no" then looked at the First Sergeant and said "see, I told you that if you'd send me back, I'd kick tail and take names." Then I said, "actually, I was having so much fun kicking tail that I didn't even bother with taking names." That got a good chuckle.

One side of the coin features the scroll of the 51st Infantry Regiment, on one side of the scroll is the FCo--company's letter designation. The center of the scroll has the words "LONG RANGE SURVEILLANCE" which denotes the mission of the company. The other side of the scroll has "51ST" which is the Regimental designation of the unit. Above the scroll is the "RANGER" tab. Below the scroll is a yellow triangle with the tip pointing down, reminiscent of the old "RECONDO" insignia from Vietnam days. In the center of the scroll is an eyeball with a globe in the center, which indicates that the unit is capable of observing the enemy anywhere in the world. On either side of the triangle are "OIF" and "07 - 09" indicating the dates of this particular tour. At the bottom is the RANGER motto: "RANGERS LEAD THE WAY." The other side of the coin has a RANGER tab, a map of Iraq with 51 in the center, various special skills badges that include Airborne jump wings w/combat star, the Pathfinder Badge, the HALO Badge, the Scuba Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. A scroll with the words "I SERVE" also appears. This scroll denotes the motto of the 51ST Infantry Regiment. Around the outside are the words "LONG RANGE SURVEILLANCE CO" and "XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS."

That first tour in Iraq was the better of the two that I've had. While I served in an E-7 position (two pay grades above my current grade of E-5) during my second tour, it was during my first tour that I really felt like I learned and grew as both a man and a Soldier. My first tour taught me that I could push myself even further and endure even more than I knew to be possible. My second tour was boring and didn't challenge me--at least not in the ways I wanted to be challenged. My first tour was filled with manning a bank of radios in the TOC and in going out on missions as the RTO for a platoon. I actually did my job and I loved it. I never made it off the FOB one single time during my second tour and I mostly messed with automations equipment. I didn't get to play with radios very much. I'm a radio guy and not an automations guy.

Anyway, I suppose I should write a series on experiences during my combat tours, but I'll save that for another time. What I do know is that the coin pictured above serves as a reminder of a lot of good times I had with some great men. So, to the men of F/51, I want you all to know that despite all the hard times and stupid things I said, it was an honor to serve with you all. I will never forget any of you and I wish all of you God-speed in all you do. And, here's one I'll bet you Elite Bastards thought you'd never see/hear me say: RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!

My Coins - LTC Joseph M. Cox

This has to be my favorite of all of my coins. This particular coin was presented to me on 07 December 2007 by LTC (now Colonel) Joseph M. Cox--the Commander of the 519 Military Intelligence Battalion. LTC Cox was the first person in the Army to ever sit me down and tell me that I should really consider going to Officer Candidate School. To this day, I have nothing but the highest respect for COL Cox. He is a good man and I could tell that he really cared about his Soldiers. I still remember the first time I ever appeared before a promotion board. I was not at all prepared for that board and it did not go well. When I walked out of the board room, LTC Cox was stepping out of his office. He asked me how it went and I just shook my head, looked down and told him that it didn't go well. He put his arm around my shoulder and told me to keep my chin up, not to worry, and that I would get it. I believed him because I knew he believed in me. Now, if my last post gave an example of what an Army leader ought NOT to be, here we have an example of what an Army leader SHOULD be. LTC Cox was the best.

The coin is shaped like a "dog tag" and on one side has the unit patch of the 525 BfSB, along with the silver oak leaf rank insignia of a Lieutenant Colonel and the three chevron/three rocker with wreath and star insignia of a Command Sergeant Major. The words "PRESENTED BY THE BN CDR/CSM" are at the top, while the words "AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE" appear at the bottom. The other side of the coin depicts the batalion crest of the 519th MI BN, along with the accronym "BfSB" which stands for Battlefield Surveillance Brigade (the 519th MI BN is a sub-unit of the 525 BfSB). The Battalion's motto, "STRENGTH THRU INTELLIGENCE" appears on the crest. The campaigns in which the Battalion has participated are listed along the top and bottom.

He gave me this particular coin because I used my own personal equipment to get some pictures onto a CD for him. He had come up to FOB Sykes to check on the company and to preside over a promotion ceremony for one of our Lieutenants. Several pictures were taken, but LTC Cox needed them put on a CD. Well, F Co was in the process of moving from FOB Sykes down to COB Speicher and all of our equipment was packed up. Not to be thwarted, I went back to my hooch and grabbed my personal lap top and CD burner. Upon discovering that I was using my own personal equipment to accomplish a mission, LTC Cox was impressed. He felt that I had gone "above and beyond the 'call of duty'." For my efforts, he presented me with the above pictured coin. Now, for my part, I just figured that I was only doing my job. I didn't realize that I had done anything special. I just knew that my Battalion Commander needed pictures put on a CD and I was going to get it done for him, if there was any possible means of getting it done. I think that LTC Cox was the first person, besides my Drill Sergeants in Basic and AIT, to recognize my potential in the Army.

COL Cox, if you ever read this post, know that this one is for you. Thank you for your leadership and inspiration.

My Coins - 1AD

Pictured above is the very first Challenge Coin that I ever recieved. I still remember the occasion quite well. It was Thanksgiving Day in 2007. I was on my first tour in Iraq and I was working my normal shift in the company Tactical Operations Center (TOC) as the Radio Telephone Operator (RTO). The Command Sergeant Major of the First Armored Division (1AD) came in to visit with us. Now, I'm not sure, but I think that 1AD was actually in charge of our area of operations, at the time.

Anyway, this schmuck comes in and starts accusing my company of being a bunch of "cowboys." Now, you must understand a thing or two here. First, my company was none other than F Company/51 Infantry Regiment--a Long Range Surveillance Company (LRSC). We were the "eyes and ears" of the 525 Battlefield Surveillance Brigade and XVIII Airborne Corps. F Co was an elite unit that was capable of getting behind enemy lines, observing the enemy, reporting the enemy's activities, and then getting out. Oh, we had some firepower in that unit and a number of our guys were pretty good shots. Most of the company was at least Airborne qualified and several were Ranger qualified. Our company's motto was "Elite Bastards." We were elite, that's for sure. Because we were a special operations type of unit, we did things a little different from the way folks in the "conventional Army" did things. I don't think this particular CSM liked the way we did things, but we got the job done and that's what counts. Now, for all the disagreements and misunderstandings I had with people in F Co, these men were my brothers and I do not take it lightly when some schmuck comes in on a holiday and starts chewing us out. It's a holiday, for Pete's sake! You come in, make a short speach, shake a few hands, and leave. Well, this guy didn't exactly do that. He came in with guns blazing.

Anyway, just before he left, he looked at me and asked, "Hey Specialist, where are you from?". I replied that I was from Knoxville, Tennessee. He then said, "Here ya go" and he tossed the above pictured coin to me. Ha! That was the first, and I believe only time, in my career that I've ever been given any type of award simply because I happened to be the lowest-ranking individual in the room. When he left, the NCOIC promptly explained to me that this guy had been unprofessional and that what he did wasn't the way a Senior Noncommissioned Officer should do things, especially on a holiday. Eh, whatever. I still got a pretty cool coin out of the deal. But still, I hope that I'll have a little more respect for people on a holiday, whenever I become a Sergeant Major.

My Coins - Intro

So, I've decided to begin a new series which will feature all of the Challenge Coins I've recieved during my time in the Army. This series will be "fast and furious," at first as I will post blogs talking about all of the coins I've recieved up to this point. As I get new coins, I will then update the series.

Pictured here is the entire collection showing both the fronts and backs of all of the coins. The series will then highlight each of the coins, telling the story of how I got each one. I'll talk about the particular occasion, to include the date (if I can remember it). I'll talk about what the coin means to me and who gave it to me.

I hope my readers (assuming I have any of those) find this series to be interesting. Perhaps this series will provide material for me to use when I finally decide to get around to writing a book about my Army career.