10th Mountain Division News Roundup

Helo pilots learn to fly at extreme altitudes
FORT CARSON, Colo. — As 1st Lt. Richard Clark began to lower his UH-60 Black Hawk onto a scrubby, windswept patch 8,000 feet high in the Colorado Rockies, his pilot instructor decided to make a tricky landing a little trickier: On the tandem flight controls, the instructor held his joystick, blocking it from coming aft.

Springfield soldier finally home for holidays (With Video)
It was Christmas time and Chris Cooper, thousands of miles from his Springfield home, had no prayer of returning for the holidays.

Stationed with the Army in Iraq without a leave of absence, Cooper and his family were forced to improvise.

Thanks to the Internet, Cooper found a way to take part in his family’s celebration, at least the best he could.

Seabees Expand Forward Operating Base Griffin, Afghanistan
Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 4m, stationed out of Point Hueneme, Calf., are working hard under the scorching Afghan sun expanding Forward Operating Base Griffin near city of Meimaneh in northern Afghanistan.

More than 500 Seabees from NMCB4 arrived in Afghanistan last January, and are currently spread across International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command – North working on various construction projects.

Currently, the priority for the Seabees on FOB Griffin is building the tactical operations center for 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery from the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team.

Iraq War Soldier Prevails in Three Tours of Duty, Battling Cancer and Pursuing Excelsior College Degree During Deployments
After returning from his first tour of duty in Iraq to Fort Drum, New York, SFC H. Daniel Tulip learned he had cancer of the bladder. His wife Marcie moved into action as his emotional rock, supporting him daily and opting to postpone a major surgery need of her own in order to care for him. After surgery, he was deployed the second time, and then a third time. As a cancer survivor and combat soldier, he took on another challenge during this third deployment: pursuing his college degree with Excelsior College. Back home, his wife remained his base of faith and encouragement.

Blue Star Moms honor their sons in service
Today is a day when the American flag is prominently displayed as the nation celebrates its most patriotic holiday. But there is a small group of Americans who display a different flag that also shows patriotism.

Their banner is the Blue Star flag, which hangs in a window and symbolizes a son or daughter serving with the military in a war zone.

They are the Blue Star Mothers.

One of those Blue Star Mothers is Bobbi Kennedy of Petersburg, who will be praying for two of her sons today - one is about to come back from Iraq while the other is preparing for his deployment to Afghanistan.