GREGG K. KAKESAKO / GKAKESAKO@ STARBULLETIN.COM
Capt. Emil Denemark, left, an Army Reserve chaplain, blessed the 411th Engineer Battalion's flag at yesterday's pre-deployment chapel service at Schofield Barracks. Participating, from left, were Lt. Col. Jonathan Wung, the 411th's commander, Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Irie, Spc. Stephen Prescott, Spc. Dorsey Gates and Sgt. Jarrett Kodani.
Peace in Afghanistan
is colonel’s goalThe 3rd Brigade's commander
says the terrorists must go first
As the United States begins its fifth combat rotation in Afghanistan, one Schofield Barracks commander views the next year as an "opportunity" rather than a challenge.
Col. Richard Pedersen, who commands the 3,500-member 3rd Brigade Combat Team, said yesterday the 25th Infantry Division has "a twofold purpose."
"One is to defeat the bad guys ... anti-coalition militia, al-Qaida."
The 25-year Army veteran added: "The second piece of our mission is arguably more important or more difficult. It is to create stable and secure conditions in Afghanistan so that country can stand up its new government and stand up its people."
Pedersen said he wants to help Afghanistan "to stand up as a country that has the wherewithal to take care of its people and also deny organizations like al-Qaida from coming in."
Besides Pedersen's team, another 1,000 Schofield Barracks soldiers, including its headquarters element led by Maj. Gen. Eric Olson, begin leaving this weekend for Afghanistan.
A farewell ceremony for the troops today also will include 600 Hawaii Army Reserve soldiers from the 411th Combat Engineer Battalion (Heavy) and 200 soldiers from Charlie Company of the Hawaii Army National Guard's 193rd Aviation.
The Army Reserve combat engineers and the Army Guard's CH-47 Chinook aviators and ground crews will head for Iraq.
More than 125 soldiers and family members from the 411th attended a service yesterday at Schofield Barracks' main chapel.
Before the battalion's red unit flag was blessed by chaplain Capt. Emil Denemark, the 411th commander, Lt. Col. Jonathan Wung, told the congregation he was "impressed by the motivation and spirit" generated by the soldiers.
"Although the soldiers knew they are going in harm's way and despite other stresses, they have focused on their mission," Wung said.
Schofield officials were notified in July that 8,000 Tropic Lightning soldiers would become part of the 2004 military rotation, substituting for the soldiers fighting the Taliban and al-Qaida terrorists in Afghanistan. The first 3,500 members of the 2nd Brigade were supposed to have left for their six-month rotation to Afghanistan in February. They were to have been replaced by fellow Tropic Lightning soldiers from the 3rd Brigade this summer.
In November the orders were changed, and the 2nd Brigade was sent to Iraq for a year. Pedersen's 3rd "Bronco" Brigade was ordered to replace the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan.
Pedersen, 46, points to a 2-by-3 1/2-inch card he passes out to new soldiers. It contains the main points of his command philosophy. One is: "Train for combat. Adjust accordingly."
He said it is easier to train for combat and then reverse if necessary to a peacekeeping or humanitarian mission.
