Stryker Brigade News

Messages to Maine (8 min.)

Greetings from Maine National Guard soldiers... 1) Sergeant First Class Norman Roy; Lewiston, ME 2) Specialist Robert Martell; Auburn, Maine 3) Specialist Chris Tibbetts; Lewiston, ME 4) Sergeant Anthony Dubois; Auburn, ME 5) Private First Class Josh Elder; Auburn, ME 6) Specialist Christian Duchette; Turner, ME 7) Specialist Bob Bussiere; Lewiston, ME 8) Sergeant Randal Jones; West Paris, Maine 9) Specialist Damien Dufour; Farmington, ME 10) Private First Class Frank Poussard; Wales, ME 11) Private First Class Miguel Cyr; Lewiston, ME 12) Specialist Anthony Sturgis; Auburn, ME 13) Sergeant Robert Clifford; Brooks, ME 14) Sergeant Jason Cyr; Lewiston, ME 15) Specialist Ron Cyr; Lewiston, ME 16) Sergeant Mark Ray; New Gloucester, ME 17) Sergeant Shawn Coffin; West Paris, ME 18) Specialist Kris Tardiff; Lewiston, ME 19) Sergeant Eric Schnitzer; Lewiston, ME 20) Sergeant David Lane; Benton, ME 21) Second Lieutenant Matthew Gill; Scarborough, ME.

Interview with PVT James (7 min.)

Private Thomas James (from Petaluma, California), a driver [with B Troop, 1-14 CAV], likes speeding over the rough terrain and performing maintenance. He talks about the border location and the tasks soldiers perform here, and his driver responsibilities. He also talks about what he misses most about home.

Interview with CPT Mason (8 min.)

Captain Damien Mason [with B Co., 5-20 INF] (from Oahu, Hawaii), discusses engaging anti-Iraqi fighters and smugglers in three separate missions. He says the Iraqi National Guard soldiers are well-trained and performed flawlessly. Getting his soldiers sleep and dealing with the heat are challenges.

Interviews with SPC Kramer, SGT Garrett, CPT Blome (This link is not working right now. Try back in a bit.)

Specialist Justin Kramer, a driver, talks about a typical duty day and staying in touch with his wife. Sergeant James Garrett, a gunner, says his missions have helped cut down on attacks against bases and put him in touch with local residents. Captain Matthew Blome (from Lacey, Washington), a troop commander, provides area security. He says running patrols in the area shows coalition presence and keeps bad guys from coming around, but his troops are still in dangerous situations.