But Army Sgt. Cecil L. Montgomery still serves not simply because of an attachment to the past, but largely for two special reasons left behind in Kentucky, one of whom still gets around on all fours. Montgomery, a native of the small town of Many, La., is a 1st Infantry Division infantryman and squad leader attached to 2nd Platoon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, Task Force Duke. His platoon, popularly known as “The Dragoons,â€Â is based at Combat Outpost Narizah when they’re not out on patrol. Unfortunately for anyone desiring a laid-back deployment, however, the Dragoons aren’t in the habit of idly sitting at their outpost and watching the days go by. Such an action-packed infantry life is fine with Montgomery, though. He picked his military occupational specialty because the challenge and the physical aspects of the job intrigued him. He also had an up-close-and-personal view of Army life through his father’s military service, he said. “I just wanted to do something,â€Â he added. “College wasn’t working.â€Â After almost five years of Army service, Montgomery said he’s leaning toward making the military a career, though ultimately, any decision will be made with his wife, Briana, a supply soldier at Fort Knox, Ky. The dual-military couple must balance responsibilities with caring for their 7-month-old daughter, Aubrey. Civilian life will have to wait, Montgomery said, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t already looking ahead to the next stage of his life. He’s considering a career with either the Drug Enforcement Agency or the FBI after his Army service. For now though, that potential future is on hold. His daily responsibilities of providing a safer, more secure Afghanistan take precedence. Some of his fellow soldiers are glad Montgomery’s future civilian exploits are on the back burner and lay far ahead, because for them, the present is where he’s most valuable. “[He’s] one of the best soldiers I’ve ever worked with,â€Â said Army Spc. Abram Sandoval, an infantryman from Phoenix who is a member of Montgomery’s squad. He added that Montgomery’s invaluable experience “helps you think to be two steps ahead of the enemy.â€Â The Dragoons spend most days on an aggressive rotation of combat patrols. Regular visits to nearby villages are designed to not only improve security but foster greater understanding and friendships with local residents. Even on days when not patrolling, however, they’re busy performing security and other necessary tasks. So far, this tour has been a far cry from Montgomery’s last 12-month deployment to Afghanistan with Task Force Duke, which he spent in the notoriously volatile Korengal Valley of Kunar province. That isolated, mountainous region on the eastern border with Pakistan, filled with caves and canyons, was the scene of near-daily exchanges of fire between NATO forces and insurgents, who used the valley to filter weapons and fighters into Afghanistan. Coalition forces since have realigned, focusing on protecting Afghan population centers. This newer emphasis of helping Afghans learn to help themselves in the Task Force Duke area of operations, rather than the constant violence he had been accustomed to in the Korengal Valley, is a welcome change of pace for Montgomery. “We got in fire fights every day,â€Â he said, recounting the daily perils of his last deployment. And just as competition for athletes often is secondary to the months of preparation and training, Montgomery noted, training and building unit cohesion are essential long before soldiers reach the battlefield. That’s why teamwork holds a special place of importance for him. “It’s the most important thing you do,â€Â he said. “You can’t do everything by yourself.â€Â Montgomery is responsible for nine other soldiers. He conducts monthly counseling sessions, maintains accountability of equipment and personnel, and provides daily supervision on combat patrols. But his infantry-specific skills are most important on this deployment, he said, and his job would be a lot harder if not for the people he works with and the training beforehand. Montgomery credits his team’s month-long tour at the National Training Center in August with getting him and his troops ready for the current deployment. The center at Fort Irwin, Calif., is a large-scale training facility designed to get units ready to go into combat. “You learn what’s new in Afghanistan since you had been in garrison, [and it’s] good for the new guys,â€Â he said. Montgomery said the most important advice he dispenses to soldiers on their first deployment may seem partly misguided, but other veterans may agree. “Don’t think about home, as hard as that may be,â€Â he said. “Stay focused on your job and do the right thing.â€Â Still, as a combat veteran with two deployments to his credit, Montgomery knows daily life isn’t always about missions. Equally important is dealing with the inevitable stress associated with the job, and how to cope with it through leisure activities. “We’re always playing X-Box or listening to music,â€Â he said. “Once we get done with patrols, I try to relax, watch movies, and get plenty of sleep.â€Â To stay in shape, he does push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups. Other than that, he said, his normal duties and patrolling keep him active and burning calories. As far as what goes into his stomach and where he hangs his hat are concerned, Lady Luck smiled on him and the Dragoons this time around, Montgomery said. “Living conditions are a whole lot better. The food here is 100 percent better than [Combat Outpost] Restrepo,â€Â he said, referring to his last deployment. Montgomery is quick to mention what has stuck with him the most during his two deployments. “I’ll remember how unique the [Afghans] are,â€Â he said. “These people have a very strong desire and drive to succeed.â€Â Montgomery’s platoon leader is glad to have him around. “He’s a squared-away squad leader, tactically sound and efficient, and that’s why he’s my dismounted squad leader,â€Â said Army 2nd Lt. Andrew Short, a Charleston, W.Va., native. “When I need something done, he gets it done.â€Â Daily life likely will continue to be challenging and tiring for Montgomery and the Dragoons over the next 10 months. And despite what he may have told his young soldiers about staying focused on the mission and not to think about home, he’ll be the first to tell you he thinks a lot about those left behind. “I want to see my daughter walk,â€Â Montgomery said with a smile, allowing himself to think about Aubrey’s June 25 birthday, when he hopes to join her on his mid-tour leave. March 17, 2011: By Army Staff Sgt. John Zumer- Task Force Duke

But after a few years he became dissatisfied with the direction his life was taking. “Seeing [how much money] I made, I looked around the office and saw older workers doing the same thing I was doing,â€Â Army Spc. Ricaud Brown said. “That’s when I knew I needed to go to college.â€Â Brown has earned a master’s degree in business administration and secured a position with a financial firm upon completion of his Army obligation in a few months. Several of Brown’s fellow soldiers, inspired by his accomplishments, have pursued their own higher-education goals. “At first I wanted to get a degree in business management,â€Â Brown recalled. “I took an investment class, and I was learning about the stock market. That’s when I decided to change my major to finance.â€Â A few months after graduating from the State University of New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance in 2006, Brown joined the Army to pay off student loans. He has worked as a human resources specialist with the 10th Mountain Division’s 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon, since 2007, having stayed at Fort Drum, N.Y., for his whole enlistment, except when he’s been deployed. Not satisfied with his bachelor’s degree, Brown began working toward his master’s degree in business administration. He took six classes while serving in Iraq. “Those were the toughest times in my life,â€Â he said. “I was working so many hours.â€Â But his leaders, he added, saw to it that he completed what he’d started. Brown said their desire to see him succeed and reach his goals pushed him through those difficult times, noting that Army Staff Sgt. Linda Kremblas made sure he had time to study. “She would stay on me like a mom,â€Â he said. “She would say, ‘Get your work done in six hours. You’ll have the remaining six hours to study.’â€Â Army Sgt. Vernon Redd, another Task Force Falcon human resources noncommissioned officer, also was committed to Brown reaching his educational goals. “It was important for me for two reasons: for himself, and for opening the door for other soldiers,â€Â Redd said. “There were six to seven soldiers who had no previous interest who are furthering their education now.â€Â Brown earned his MBA through Columbia College between his Iraqi deployment and his current deployment to Afghanistan. In a few months, his Army obligation will be up, and he will be leaving Afghanistan to return to civilian life. He has a job lined up as portfolio manager with an investment firm in Miami, he said, and he intends to continue his education. “I’m going to pursue my doctorate in finance in September with the GI Bill,â€Â he said. “My future goal is to get a senior-level management position in an investment firm. I might want to teach at a college in the future. I’m driven to learn everything I can and earn a lot of money as well.â€Â In the meantime, Brown said, he always is interested in teaching others how to invest their money. “I hate seeing soldiers have all these opportunities and not take advantage of it,â€Â he said. “I convinced a fellow soldier to pursue a business degree; he just got into the No. 1 business school in Florida. I just received an e-mail from him thanking me for pushing him.â€Â March 15, 2011: By Army Staff Sgt. Todd Pouliot- Task Force Falcon

But not all "members" of the families departed. The four-legged ones stayed behind."A lot of people had pets that they really didn't have a good plan for being taken care of in the event of evacuation," said Army Capt. Eric Coulson, who works in office of military cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo as part of a team that manages nearly $1.3 billion in annual aid to the Egyptian military. "And the vets and the kennels here were kind of overwhelmed." Coulson's wife, Karen, left Egypt -- but he and the couple's two dogs, Molly and Sayeret, stayed behind. Coulson and a fellow soldier at the embassy, Army Maj. Alavora Roa, teamed up to take care of those pets that were left behind when their owners departed the country. "We sort of organized an emergency kennel for all the people who didn't have a place to put their animals while they were being evacuated," Coulson said. "We sort of reached out to people we knew had animals." In all, Coulson and Roa found themselves running an impromptu pet hotel for about 20 animals, scattered among the deserted apartments of their coworkers who had evacuated. The two checked in on their co-workers’ apartments and also stopped in to feed and walk the animals. One co-worker, Coulson said, had a fairly large roof available on his apartment, and they kept several animals there. "We consolidated them at the apartment of one of the other persons involved in this -- he has a large roof, and we put them on the roof with some shelter with large water bowls and large food bowls, and we took turns taking them out." Coulson said the local Purina distributor in Cairo made a generous donation of supplies to keep the kennel operating. "Most of the people who were leaving told us where to pick up dog food," he said. "The local Purina dealer did give us a couple hundred pounds of dog food, as well as cat litter and cat food. Between what people had and a generous donation from the Purina dealer here in Cairo, we've been able to take care of the animals at minimal expense." Now, several of the pet owners have come back to Egypt, Coulson said, and some of the pets have been shipped back to their owners. Coulson's pet boarding days eventually will be a distant memory, but the events in Egypt will stay fresh for a while, he said. The speed at which events in Egypt unfolded was thrilling, he said. "It went from probably about 10 miles an hour to 60 miles an hour in just a matter of days," he said. "It was absolutely interesting to watch -- to be in the middle of history." The recent events weren't the first time Coulson has been struck by historical change in Egypt. He was just 13 when President Anwar Sadat was assassinated -- old enough to be able to gauge the impact and significance of what had happened. "That was sort of one of my first big memory of things in the news -- of what we had as far as 'wall-to-wall coverage' back in 1981," he said. "I remember being riveted by the TV. "The two transitions of power in Egyptian history that have taken place in my life are really sort of important memories to me," Coulson added. March 16, 2011: By C. Todd Lopez- Army News Service

“My dad would say it’s genetics,â€Â said Kapler, a burly, soft-spoken infantryman from Oelwein, Iowa, with Company B, 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, who serves as the base’s manager. “My grandfather had a little shop and built everything he had -- his house and all. I don’t know what he actually did for a job other than build things.â€ÂLike his grandfather, Kapler said he enjoys working with his hands. “I was always tinkering and building things when I was a kid, going to the lumber yard and getting scrap wood and building stuff,â€Â he said. “I did handyman stuff when I was older and started going to school at a community college for architecture and contracting, but I kept getting deployed, so I never finished college. I think the unit knows building stuff is the type of thing I excel at.â€Â Torkham Gate has been home to Company B, part of the Iowa National Guard’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Task Force Red Bulls, since October, and the base is expanding. Kapler supervises 44 Afghan workers of various trades and abilities. He said he appreciates the work his crew does, despite what can be a challenging process of getting supplies and proper tools. He said when his team wants to get something done, they do it quickly. His company commander, Army Capt. Kevin Hrodey, from Pleasant Hill, Iowa, said he is impressed with Kapler’s accomplishments. “It is amazing to look at pictures of the [base] from when we first took over operations and then walk around now and see how much it has actually changed,â€Â Hrodey said. Hrodey noted that people can see the results of Kapler’s efforts everywhere they look. His projects have improved all aspects of life on the base, the captain said, from its defense to quality of life to the maintenance facility. One repair that took some innovation was Kapler’s upgrade to the firing range. Before he and his crew got their hands on it, the range was a berm surrounded by sand-basket barriers, with some old, neglected targets and a few stakes in the ground that marked the distance. “We use the cardboard from water pallets as target backing,â€Â Kapler said. The older targets were fixed, and Kapler’s crew installed conduit so targets could be replaced easily once they started deteriorating. He used unserviceable dining facility tables as firing benches, weapons racks, new metal distance markers, a reinforced berm and a camouflage net awning to provide shade. A 15-year veteran of the Iowa National Guard, Kapler deployed to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq with Company B, before deploying here. He worked construction in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, before becoming a union carpenter. Between deployments, Kapler married an Oelwein, Iowa, woman, and is the proud father of three children. Kapler said he plans to start a tool-rental business when he returns to Iowa, and his wife is taking accounting classes so she can help to run the administrative side of the business. March 14, 2011: By Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Matson- Task Force Red Bulls