I wanted to take this opportunity to send you all a note to give you a progress report on my first 90 days of command of 2^nd Battalion 27^th Infantry Regiment.   I want to first tell you all that I am deeply honored and very grateful to have been afforded the privilege to command in this great Regiment.  Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for the gift he has given my family and I.  Know that it is a priority to me to keep our history and heritage alive.  The Wolfhound family will remain strong as we move forward to another chapter in our history.

 The Wolfhound Soldier: I want to start with the most important aspect of my command and that is the Soldier.  The Wolfhounds Soldier is simply amazing.  The average Soldier in our ranks has already served 2 or more combat tours.  They have spent more of their career deployed than at home with their family and friends.  Yet in spite of the challenges and difficulties related to multiple deployments and short dwell periods, the Wolfhound Soldier remains committed to his unit and country.  I am very impressed by their tenacity and strength.  I marvel at sheer determination to be the best in every mission or endeavor.  They are truly a blessing and I am proud to be among them.  Please keep these great Soldiers in your prayers and rest assure that they will represent the Wolfhounds well.

 Wolfhound Families: I can’t talk about the Wolfhound Soldier without mentioning the Wolfhound Family.  Our Families are something to behold as they support us in every aspect of our profession.  Simply put, we could not have accomplished what we have been able to thus far in the War on Terrorism if it were not for the selfless service and commitment of our Families.  There is nothing that we cannot count on our families to do for us as we deploy, redeploy and prepare to deploy once again.  They are the rock that we can always lean on for stability and strength.  I am so thankful to all Wolfhound Families who stand just as committed to our nation’s call to duty as their beloved Soldiers. You are an inspiration to all Wolfhounds past and present. 

 Training: As with every other combat unit in our Army today, the Wolfhounds are preparing once again for another combat deployment.  This causes us to be very focused in our training plan.  Currently our Wolfhounds are concentrating on individual Soldier skills such as physical fitness, weapons proficiency, medical and communication training.  We will shortly transition to small unit collective training focused on scenarios Soldiers will see in the contemporary combat environment.  The battalion will then execute two major training events with the first at the Pohakuloa Training Area located on the Big Island and shortly thereafter we will deploy with the brigade to the National Training Center in Ft Irwin CA.  I am confident that this training plan will have our Wolfhound Soldiers poised and ready for combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 Key Wolfhound Events/Projects:  I want to highlight one upcoming key event and one Wolfhound project in the works.  We have begun our planning and preparation for the Holy Family Home orphan visit at the end of July.  This will be a first class visit with the focus on bringing our Wolfhound Soldiers together with the Orphans and our own children.  Highlighting the “Compassionate Warrior” spirit the Wolfhounds are known for.  During this visit we are planning a Regimental Day picnic in celebration of the Regiment’s commitment and kind actions towards the Holy Family Home.  More details on the select events and dates will be sent out in the near future.  One major project that I want to highlight as well is the new Regimental Heritage Room.  With great deal of hard work and assistance from the 27^th IN Regimental Association’s President (Gary), the Historian (Jim) and the Treasurer (Tom) along with the efforts of The Honorary Command Sergeants Major Jerry Mckinney and from our Wolfhounds the new Regimental Heritage Room in D Quad is well on its way to becoming a reality.  Currently the historical items are being properly accounted for, cataloged and stored.  The new Regimental Heritage Room specifications have been formally written into the D Quad renovation plan which is scheduled to begin in Nov 08.  Additionally the Regimental Historian is putting together the new layout plan for the room which will chronologically tell our Regiment’s History.  This will be a state of the art facility with the all the appropriate lighting, display cases and audio visual equipment needed to make this a great experience for all Wolfhounds that visit our room.

 I will conclude with a final thanks to you the 27^th Infantry Regiment Association Members.  Your support and commitment to this Regiment sets the standard in our Army.  There is simply nothing we can ask of you and that you all collectively would not do or assist with.  I am so proud to represent you and to be part of this great Regiment.  I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can in person but if not always be sure that you all are in my heart and in my prayers.                        

“NEC ASPERA TERRENT” NO FEAR ON EARTH”

                                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                                                      Raul E. Gonzalez
                                                                                                      Lieutenant Colonel, US Army
                                                                                                      Commanding