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Dateline: Saturday March 12, 2011 (Day 120😎
Location: With the 11th ACR at Fort Irwin, San Bernardino, California
Reporter: Major George Armstrong "Old Man" Custer


If you missed it, be sure to read The Army-Cavalry Merger [Part 1: Enlisted]
The Army-Cavalry Merger [Part 3: The Chiefs] will be published on Monday.


Several Officers worked hard to facilitate the Army-Cavalry merger.
Today the Army Times presents just a few of these soldiers, who share their experiences and impressions of the move, and of their new comrades in arms.

Kria Ericson
Lieutenant Colonel Kria Ericson, Commanding Officer (CO) of the Army 5th Division, is probably best known for her presence in our Supply Room, where she helps soldiers find their way around and fields just about any question any soldier has to ask.
"I knew a lot of the Cavalry soldiers before the merger since I always hung out in their chat room. I felt that a friendly face that they knew would be good to answer questions they had, so I tried to help out where I could." At times Kria dealt with frustrated and impatient soldiers, always with the utmost professionalism and patience even when the same was not afforded her. Note: Kria didn't say it.. I saw it and I said it.
"We really struggled with lot of bookkeeping issues, just because they happened kind of slowly and not everyone had access to all the information right away."
In RL, Kria is a full time student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in economics and social science. "I work at the school newspaper and as a peer tutor. and in my free time I like to play random flash games on the internet."
I got a feeling she surfs a different part of the internet than I do, and "flash games" has an entirely other meaning than I'm familiar with.

chesehead
1st Lieutenant chesehead is the Reserve Deputy Executive Officer (RDXO) of the 3rd Regiment, but has been pulling CO duty in the absence of senior officers who have transferred out or are less active.
(**hint hint** Promotions Board...).
"The merger had its bumps in the road, and we lost a few good officers as some stronger players transferred to the Airborne and Marines, but in the end, things are finally starting to click and work together. These types of things need time and a strong leadership presence. The roster migrations, once started, went rapidly, and the roster is now 100% operational." Apparently, 1Lt chesehead is a cannibal-- "All the 3rd regiment culture, including constitution and cannablism SOP was preserved in the transfer. Thus, the merger has been a success."
In RL, chesehead is a high school senior in rural Wisconsin, currently applying to the Air Force Academy. "The Academy provides the college education required to join the Air Force, and I'll enter as a 2nd Lieutenant."

Kyler Lee Octan
Major General Kyler Lee Octan (KLO) is a Senior Staff Officer, serving both as the Army Executive Officer and as S-3 Senior. The S-3 Unit oversees the Army Infantry Academy (the Reception Battalion and Officers' School) and Documents (including all Standard Operating Procedures and Training Manuals). Along with Commanding General Bombonato, KLO met with Cavalry Troopers-- daily-- in the Cavalry IRC rooms, to answer questions and take whatever action was needed to resolve issues.
Reflecting on those long days in IRC, KLO says, "They had some good points and there were some things I could have done differently, such as not giving the wrong access permissions. In general the Cavalry officers were anxious to see the merger go through quickly."
"I was in the old Army when we split into Army and Cavalry, and each branch went in its own direction, but I never lost the friends I made who went to Cavalry. Both branches had many talented officers and a fun environment, and we shared ideas and traditions. It was great to bring the two branches back together again. Like in any family reunion there were a few problems along the way during the merger, but it turned out fine in the end despite the rough patches. I am positive the reuniting of our two branches is just the beginning of an amazing future as a team. Go Cavalry, go Army!"
In RL, KLO lives in a small western Michigan town, and is a high school sophomore with an eye toward a future in Business Management. He plays soccer, and does community theater, and spends way too much time playing online games like eRepublik.


So, what's coming next?
Part Three: The Chiefs will include interviews with former CJCS jankems and new CJCS Bradley Reala, retired Cavalry Commanding General Ralph "No Pants" Ericson, and our Army Commanding General Bombonato. Personally, I look forward to interviewing these top soldiers, and learning the thought process behind the merger and their hopes for the future of our US Army.
I hope to present that on Monday, with the Sunday Army Times bringing you a Special Rangers Edition by contributing editor Israel Stevens.

Want to join the Army? Graduate the Training Corps first.
At this time, the Army is accepting applications only from graduates of the Training Corps.
If you have graduated, or are about to graduate, from the TC's program, visit #usa-army on IRC.


RL > Game

As we play this silly game, friends... RL continues to suck for Japan.
Tremors up to 7.o magnitude continue after the now-upgraded 9.1 magnitude earthquake off Japan's northern shore.
The four-wave tsunami that followed swept several coastal towns out to sea, leaving mountains of destruction behind.
Damaged nuclear plants could not cool their uranium rods and are now venting radioactive steam into the atmosphere.
Thousands are known dead, many thousands are missing. Almost half the population of Japan is homeless and on the move.
Tune in to CNN or BBC or Al Jazeera for up to the minute news.

Game related... even though many who play as eJapanese are not RL Japanese, a lot are. These players, our friends, are not sitting on rooftops awaiting helicopter rescue, or carrying their salvaged belongings along the back roads, playing eRepublik on their cell phones.
If ANY eRepublik nation sees this as an opportunity to attack eJapan, there will be eHELL to pay.


Major George Armstrong Custer
Editor; Army Times and Cavalry Saber
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Be sure to read, vote and subscribe to each of these Official Military, Executive and Congress newspapers.
If you're of a mind to add this footer to your own paper, see today's Special Final Edition of The Cavalry Saber.
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