By Second Luietenant Ryan Wood
The New Year brought new excitement for the Rangers of 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, as the home stretc of their 15-month deployment came into view and some supportive outdoorsman offered a taste of home to celebrate the close of 2007 during a BBQ and raffle on New Years Eve.
In addition to being a night of celebration, the Rangers managed to promote outdoor conservation as well. COL Ricky Gibbs, commander, 4th IBCT was in attendance and together with CSM James Champagne, 4th IBCT and MAJ Brent Cummings, XO, 2-16 IN, they were able to distribute dozens of prizesincluding shirts, hats, calendars, magazine subscriptions and the main prize of the evening – four free bird hunting trips. The merchandise and trips were donated by Pheasants Forever and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) through the Fort Riley Outdoorsman’s Group,affectionately known as FROG.
The Rangers of 2-16 IN were just the second combat brigade deployed in support of President Bush’s surge and have been fighting in one of the most dangerous portions of Baghdad for nearly a year. According to Cummings, the party was “a way for Soldiers to let off some steam and remind themselves of the great things that wait for them when they return to Kansas in the spring.”
“Many of our Soldiers enjoy the tremendous outdoor activities available back home in Kansas such as hunting, fishing, hiking or camping,” said Cummings. “This evening gave supporters such as the TRCP a way to show their appreciation for our Soldiers and promote conservation though current and future Kansas outdoorsmen.”
PFC Joseph Semtak, HHC, 2-16 IN, an avid outdoorsman who assisted with the evening event, identified with the excitement shown by Soldiers who walked away with the free hunting trips.
“This is something that gets guys excited about going home and reminds them of just one of the many things we fight for,” said Semtak. “For many of them, it was the first time they had heard of the various conservation and outdoor groups around. Now they have more ways to support the environment and the outdoors when they get home. They can help protect what they love.”
Cummings acknowledged that on the outside, the merchandise and trips were simply a way that groups in the States could thank Soldiers in Iraq for what they do every day, but he also saw it as more than just receiving a cool new hat or shirt.
“Soldiers see examples of what people can do for their environment every day as they walk down the streets. There is a total disregard for the future. The Soldiers see the damage these people are doing to themselves and their environment spilling out into the streets and it gives them an extra reason to work at protecting what they have back home,” said Cummings. “We hope that not only will the Soldiers know they are appreciated, they can also become involved in these programs back in the States and ensure that the environment we enjoy is protected today and for our children in the future.”
By the end of the party, Cummings, who along with Gibbs and Champagne, sit on the board for FROG, was able to give everyone a prize along with a free one-year subscription to the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation.
With happy stomachs filled with BBQ and a few lucky Soldiers looking forward to fall hunting trips back home, the night served as a great way toring in the New Year. It also served as an opportunity for some very supportive people back home to thank the Rangers of 2-16 IN, Rangers who took a step towards protecting the Kansas environment – from the opposite side of the world.
