First Team Commander 'hangs out' from Afghanistan

By Maj. Christopher Brautigam (1st CAV)September 5, 2014

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1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A screen at the Fort Hood Community Event Center displays a video clip of a question asked via the 1st Cavalry Division's Facebook page during the commanding general's virtual town hall Sept. 4. The virtual town hall provided Family members, Soldier... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Dennis Webster, president of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, stands next to Sgt. Angel Turner, a public affairs noncommissioned officer with the 1st Cav. Div., and the in-person town hall moderator, to ask a question of... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff officers from the 1st Cavalry Division and Regional Command --South watch the 1st Cav. Div. commanding general's town hall meeting in a conference room at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Sept. 4. The virtual town hall provided Family members, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Maj. Gen. Michael Bills, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division and Regional Command --South, displays an Australian inspired version of the 1st Cavalry patch to town hall attendees, both at the Fort Hood Community Event Center and online, to illustra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Attendees at the 1st Cavalry Division's virtual town hall watch Maj. Gen. Michael Bills and Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Barteky speak via Google+ from Afghanistan at the Fort Hood Community Events Center Sept. 4. The virtual town hall provided Family m... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- During a deployment, keeping Family and community leaders informed back on the home front is an important responsibility of the unit commander.

Historically, this task has been accomplished through the town hall meeting, usually hosted by a read-detachment commander or Family Readiness Group leader -- and not the deployed commander. When the commander has been able to join in, it was usually by phone or through a virtual teleconference, which still limits the scope of the audience to those able to attend the meeting at that specific time in that specific location.

But, what if a deployed commander could not only meet with an assembled audience back home, but with hundreds of other supporters online as well?

Joining a Google Hangout on Air from his office in Afghanistan, the 1st Cavalry Division's commanding general, Maj. Gen. Mike Bills, conducted both a real-world and virtual town hall meeting simultaneously with community leaders, Family members, and media gathered at Fort Hood, Texas, as well as an online audience, Sept. 4, 2014.

"We are speaking to you from Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan and want to thank all you for coming out to participate in this town hall, both at the Fort Hood Community Center and virtually," said Bills, who was accompanied by the division's command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew Barteky.

Before answering questions from the assembled audience, Bills used his opening remarks to provide the biggest news of the day, that the division would be changing its mission in the very near future.

"Regional Command -- South transitions to Train, Advise, and Assist Command -- South on 15 October, and the 1st Cavalry Division will case its colors and will uncase its colors at Fort Hood Texas on 17 October," he said.

Because the event was also being streamed online to the division's YouTube channel and various social media pages, the general answered a series of question that had been submitted from First Team fans across the Internet.

Questions came from as far as Australia, where a Family member of a deployed Australian Soldier asked about the Australian Soldiers serving with 1st Cavalry troopers.

"From my perspective, we could not be more pleased or proud of the efforts of our international partners and those working in Regional Command-South who wear different uniforms than ours, but are united in our collective purpose here," said Bills.

He highlighted the historical connection between the First Team and Australia going back to World War II, when the division trained in Wagga Wagga before launching its Pacific campaign. This close bond continues today, Bills explained, showing the audience a custom 1st Cav. Div. patch that had been presented to him by the Australians at Kandahar -- with the iconic black horse swapped out with an Australian kangaroo.

Between online video questions and submissions read aloud by the event's moderator, Sgt. Elliot Valdez, the local audience at Fort Hood lined up in front of a laptop and webcam to be face-to-face with the general and ask their question.

The majority of questions were focused on progress in Afghanistan and the abilities of the Afghan National Security Forces.

"As we start to transition (with the) ANSF have you observed the progress in the ANSF to provide medical care for their own soldiers?" asked Maj. Nick Johnson, the 1st Cav. Div. deputy surgeon.

Barteky highlighted the progress of the ANSF in this area, explaining that during an incident where some Afghan soldiers were injured and then treated by U.S. and Afghan doctors side by side, and were then evacuated to higher level medical care, "you couldn't tell which soldiers were treated by which nation."

In addition to the questions asked by Soldiers interested in the progress of the mission in Afghanistan, community leaders including Jeannie Isdale, a designated Fort Hood "Good Neighbor," had a different issue on her mind.

Addressing the general from the camera at Fort Hood, Isdale explained that "I'm concerned about the morale of our Soldiers."

Bills thanked her for her support of the First Team and said that "morale was good," explaining that there are a number of facilities available for soldiers on Kandahar Airfield to eat, relax, and exercise which helps keep spirits up within the unit.

However, it wasn't just the commanding general and command sergeant major who were answering questions.

Members of the online audience had questions about the upcoming deployment of 3rd Battalion, 8th Cav. Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cav. Div., to South Korea, as well as the division's 1st BCT's ongoing European regional alignment mission. For each of these questions, Bills called upon the respective brigade commanders to step up to the webcam at Fort Hood to give an answer.

"This was an important event to connect the outstanding work of Combined Joint Task Force-1 with our Families and supporters back at Fort Hood," said Lt. Col. Kirk Luedeke, the division public affairs officer. "Being able to take advantage of social media really expanded our ability for the (commanding general) to reach as many interested parties as possible -- both at Fort Hood and around the globe."

For those who missed the event, or would like to watch it again, the video in its entirety is available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAH3ezbI1Es. Additionally, answers to the questions that were submitted online but not answered during the town hall will be posted on the division's Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/1stCavDiv.