The Alaska World Affairs Council Presents

Military Service Personnel
Servicemen and women who have experienced action in Iraq

"Alaskans on the Ground: Experiences in Iraq"

Friday, December 14, 2007 – Hilton Hotel
Doors open at 11:30 a.m. - Program begins at 12:00 p.m.

For Reservations
RSVP by Wednesday, 12th December to the Alaska World Affairs Council
by telephone 276-8038 or by email to AlaskaWorldAffairs.org .
Lunch Program $20 for Members - $25 for Non-Members - $6 for Coffee Only

Five Alaskan servicemen who have served in Iraq will share their insights on their overseas duty in Iraq. Join us as we hear firsthand what their biggest challenges were in carrying out their duties; what type of interaction they had with Iraqis; how this mission compared to other overseas experiences they have had; in what way they felt they were making a difference, etc…

Included in the panel will be:
Captain Thomas Angstadt attended and graduated from Bartlett High School and joined the Army on March 23 2000. In May of 2006, he was assigned as the Executive Officer of Delaware Co 1-501, and Deployed to OIF in October. During Operation Iraqi Freedom his company was responsible for the Mussayib area of AO Geronimo SW of Baghdad. In this area Delaware Company did numerous deliberate attacks culminating with the detention of multiple insurgents in the area. Additionally Delaware partnered with the local Iraq police force to bolster local security and cooperation with coalition forces to enable Iraqi forces to take the security lead on multiple missions. Also in this area Delaware worked with local governments in Mussayib and Seddah in order to aid them in reinforcing their own security programs and encourage the participation of the local citizenry in the government of their areas.

SMSgt Kerry James has served as a C-130 Crew Chief (Aircraft Mechanic) in the Alaska Air National Guard for the last 18 yrs. Prior to this he served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He and his wife Trenda have been married 23 years and have five children. They have resided in Anchorage for the past 22 years

Major Marc Hoffmeister was deployed to Iraq in 2006 and served as a deputy team leader of a Military Transition Team and as an Iraqi Brigade and Battalion level Staff Maneuver/Trainer. While an embedded trainer, Major Hoffmeister executed numerous Battalion and Brigade level combined combat operations targeting insurgent forces in Babil Province. Working closely with lead planners and intelligence officers from 2nd Brigade,8th Division (Iraqi Army), the Babil Provincial Police Department, and Hillah SWAT, Major Hoffmeister developed and implemented Operation Babylon Sweep, a security campaign aimed at confiscating all unauthorized weapons in the city of AI Hillah and combining security operations with civil-military operations. He integrated unit operations with the State Department and the Al Hillah Provincial Reconstruction team and implemented reconstruction projects within Babil Province valued in excess of $1.5 million dollars.

Major Joseph Lawendowski originally joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard in November of 1985 while in college. He was commissioned in 1989 and entered active duty in 1991. Major Lawendowski left active duty in 1998 to pursue a civilian career and then joined the Alaska Army National Guard in 2002. Working as an infantryman, his career has taken him to Alaska, Georgia, Ohio and again back to Alaska. Major Lawendowski was deployed in 2005 to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom serving in Camp Charlie and Camp Echo as a military advisor to the Mongolian Army. He is married and has two children.

SFC Jody Heffele joined the Alaska Army National Guard in 1992 while attending Wasilla High School. His career started as a combat medic and has moved to various positions in the guard including personnel records specialist, recruiter and senior personnel NCOIC. In support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Heffele served in Camp Bucca, Iraq for 14 months. In Iraq, SFC Heffele was the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Senior Personnel Non-commissioned Officer In-charge (NCOIC) and was directly responsible for 3400 military members and civilians. He has lived in Alaska for 29 years and is married with 4 children.