War On Terror News

Course on Financial Crimes Investigation Taught to Combat Corruption

Legal Team Trains Iraqi Investigators

4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division Story by Capt. Rebecca Walsh 12.03.2009

TIKRIT, Iraq—Twenty-one Iraqi investigators from Ninewa, Diyala, Salah ad Din and Kirkuk provinces attended a Financial Crimes Investigation Course on Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Nov. 22-25.

The course was taught by members of the International Crime Investigation Training and Assistance Program, in partnership with the U.S. State Department's Salah ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team and the Legal Office of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, Kan.

The course was designed to advise investigators from Iraq's Commission of Integrity on a myriad of

Drawdown Allows for New Logistics Command Retrograde Facility

Marine Corps Logistics Command (Fwd) Opens Retrograde Lot Aboard Al Asad

II Marine Expeditionary Force (Fwd) Story by Cpl. Triah Pendracki 12.03.2009

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq – After several months of long convoys from Al Asad Air Base to Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, the Marines stationed aboard Al Asad now have the opportunity to turn in their gear to a convenient location on the base.

Marine Corps Logistics Command (Forward) opened a retrograde lot aboard Al Asad, Dec. 1.

"We were operational before the opening, but the official ribbon cutting for the lot is today," explained Col. James Clark, the Multi National Force - West assistant chief of staff for logistics. "The new MCLC lot is better than the facility at Taqaddum. There's more concrete and large sun shaded areas."

The new lot is significantly smaller than the previous one at Taqaddum, but with less gear to turn in, the

"Our mission is to build strong and ready soldiers and families"

Making Better Spouses in Combat

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Story by Spc. Luisito Brooks 12.04.2009

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are doing everything they can to become better spouses and combat the high divorce rate among service members.

Each month at the Engineer Chapel the unit conducts a four week class on "The Five Love Languages," using short videos, literature and experienced advice from marriage counselors on how Soldiers can become better partners to their spouses back home.

"Our mission is to build strong and ready Soldiers and families, better prepared to meet the mental, emotional and spiritual challenges of deployment and military life," said Chaplain (Capt.) Chester Olson,

Tennessee ANG's 1-230th Air Cavalry Keeps It Going 24/7

Tennessee Army National Guard Maintains, Operates Critical Northern Iraq Aviation Asset

25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

Story by Sgt. Mike Alberts12.03.2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Nestled in a remote location, by design, is a special aviation operation in northwest Iraq.

Soldiers of the Tennessee Army National Guard's 1-230th Air Cavalry Squadron maintain and operate a Forward Arming and Refueling Point, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

According to 2nd Lt. Jason Shaffer, platoon leader and FARP officer in charge, Troop G, 1-230th ACS, Soldiers who work on the FARP are responsible for refueling and rearming various types of helicopters at multiple "points" or helipads.

Shaffer, husband and father of two, is a native of Nashville, Tenn., and has served in the Tennessee

Tennessee ANG Troops Getting it Done

Tennessee ANG's Troop G Keeps Northern Iraq Aviation 'moving'

25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs Story by Sgt. Mike Alberts 12.03.2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq – Four, 10–ton MRAP's hum in the dark.

As motors idle, Soldiers with headlamps crawl in and around each metal beast, conducting oft-performed pre-combat checks and inspections.

Moments later, approximately 20 Tennessee Army National Guard Soldiers of Troop G, 1st Battalion, 230th Air Cavalry Squadron, Task Force Wings, gather around their convoy commander for safety and mission briefs. Some participate in a brief prayer.

Within the hour, additional vehicles join the mission as the troop embarks on another Combat Logistics Patrol, one of dozens conducted since their arrival in Iraq in July, 2009.

The CLPs provide food, water, fuel and fresh personnel to a small outpost near the Syrian border called FOB Nimur where other Troop G Soldiers are engaged in forward arming and refueling operations for the region's military helicopters.

Maj. Daniel F. Pugh, commander, Troop G, and a 20-year military veteran and native of Franklin, Tenn.,

Soldier Finds Current Deployment Safer

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

12.02.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - A Soldier who was badly wounded in a 2005 roadside-bomb explosion is serving in Iraq again, and he's finding deployed life easier this time around.

The road back to Iraq has been arduous for Spc. David Broome. In all, he was a patient in four hospitals for nearly two months before going home to begin the rehabilitation process. After several surgeries and treatments, he regained the use of his right leg, but some of his thigh muscle is missing, so he has limitations.

Iraq Guard's all-female medical evacuation crew makes history

By Army Sgt. Neil Gussman Pennsylvania National Guard

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq, (12/1/09) -- Four soldiers serving here with the New Hampshire National Guard earned a special distinction last week when they became their company's first all-female medical evacuation crew.

From left, Sgt. Debra Lukan, Capt. Trish Barker, Staff Sgt. Misty Seward and Chief Warrant Officer Andrea Galatian, of the New Hampshire Army National Guard's 3-238th Medevac, C company, became the company's first all-female crew just before Thanksgiving. They are serving in Iraq as part of Task Force Keystone. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Neil Gussman, Pennsylvania National Guard)

In the three days before Thanksgiving, Capt. Trish Barker, Chief Warrant Officer Andrea Galatian, Staff Sgt. Misty Seward and Sgt. Debra Lukan, all of the 3-238th Medevac, C Company, comprised one of the on-alert crews for Task Force Keystone.

Iraqi Police Arrest 8 Terror Suspects

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

12.02.2009 WASHINGTON - Iraqi police arrested eight terrorism suspects today, and an air strike during one of the operations killed an enemy fighter, military officials in Iraq reported.

A Salahuddin provincial police unit and U.S. advisors searched two buildings in a rural area north of Baghdad for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member coordinating suicide bombings in the region. Based on preliminary questioning and evidence discovered, police arrested four criminal suspects.

In a separate operation near Sadiyah, northwest of Baghdad, Iraqi police arrested four suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members.

Iraq Building a Foundation Through Partnership

Multi-National Division-South By Capt. Norlan Ulad

JOINT SECURITY STATION CHALAT, Iraq – As U.S. forces move closer and closer to an Iraq in which there are no American forces to provide assistance, the importance of the lessons they pass on to their Iraqi partners has never been greater.

One such effort, the train-the-trainer program instituted by Border Transition Team Scimitar, has vastly increased the technical and tactical competence of Iraq's 3rd Battalion, 11th Brigade, Department of Border Enforcement officers.

The training allows the DBE to effectively patrol and secure the border between Iran the southern Iraq province of Maysan.

The intent of the program is to develop

Micro-grants Boost Purchasing Power for Iraqis

Multi-National Division Baghdad By Pfc. Debrah Sanders

BAGHDAD – In a small village northwest of Baghdad, the American troops of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division conducted a foot patrol focused on finding the owner of a generator.

2nd Lt. Matthew Buchanan (left), an infantry platoon leader with 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, discusses options pertaining to a micro-grant application with the owner of a generator in northwestern Baghdad, Nov. 29.

 

The Soldiers were here to give the man paperwork for a micro-grant that could assist him in the general upkeep of the generator and for purchasing fuel, thus powering the generator and a good portion of the community, said Sgt. Charlie De Nune, of Tacoma, Wash.

U.S. forces regularly give micro-grants to assist Iraqis in purchasing products and also for local refurbishing projects, allowing the Iraqi people to become more independent. The micro-grants are intentionally designed to be small amounts of money, but they yield large benefits for the communities that receive them, said Sgt. 1st Class Joe Huffman, native of Batesburg, S.C.

Iraq Soldiers and Civilians Keep Supplies Stocked

28th Combat Aviation Brigade Story by Sgt. Andy Mehler

12.02.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – In the modern Army, Soldiers often find themselves working alongside civilian contractors doing almost the same exact job.

The supply platoon of "A" Company, 628th Aviation Support Battalion, 28th Combat Aviation Brigade, has been tasked with running supply operations at the Supply Support Activity at Contingency Operating Base Adder, which is also staffed by civilian employees of the Black Hawk Management Corporation, based in Killeen, Texas.

Sgt. Matthew Bircher, of Etters, Pa., tracks and orders supplies on his computer at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq. Bircher is the non-commissioned officer in charge of the "A" Company, 628th Aviation Support Battalion's supply mission.

Sgt. Matthew Bircher, of Etters, Pa., is the senior enlisted in charge of his platoon's mission.

"We receive, store, distribute and turn in Class-9 aviation parts," said Bircher. "We distribute parts throughout the entire brigade."

RIP PFC Derrick D. Gwaltney

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Derrick D. Gwaltney, 21, of Cape Coral, Fla., died Nov. 29 south of Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 377th Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother”. Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare)

True Colors: Airman's Flag Becomes Third-generation Wartime Family Heirloom

332nd Air Expeditionary Wing

12.01.2009 JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- The American flag has been seen in some of the most memorable moments in history. Whether it was at the Battle of Baltimore that inspired our national anthem, the monumental victory at Iwo Jima, the landing on the moon, or after the 9/11 attacks when firemen draped "Old Glory" over the pentagon, the flag has always signified our nation's fortitude.

For one Airman stationed here, the flag means even more.

Staff Sgt. Heriberto Gonzalez, a force protection escort for the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, now owns an American flag that has been carried by three of his family generations during wartime.

"Gonzo," as he is referred to by his flight line coworkers, is on his eighth deployment since joining the Air Force. An avionics craftsman by trade, he volunteered to deploy to Iraq to provide security for local and third-country nationals working on base.

His grandfather, Beningo Santiago-Arroyo

Police Arrest Al-Qaida Suspects in Northern Iraq

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

12.01.2009  BAGHDAD - Iraqi police arrested 11 suspected members of the al-Qaida in Iraq terrorist group today during two joint security operations in northern Iraq.

Near As Sadiyah, northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq member believed to have ties to senior leadership.

Based on preliminary questioning and evidence discovered on the premises, police identified and arrested the al-Qaida in Iraq member and six suspected criminal accomplices without incident.

During a separate security operation conducted near Ad Duluiyah, northwest of Baghdad, Iraqi police arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member and three suspected criminal associates.

Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for the al-Qaida in Iraq member suspected of bring foreign fighters into Iraq.

Information and evidence gathered at the scene led police to arrest the al-Qaida in Iraq

Iraq Officials Investigate Concrete Wall Collapse

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

12.01.2009  By Army Staff Sgt. Chris Carney
Special to American Forces Press Service

BASRA, Iraq - Some soldiers at a base in Basra, Iraq, awoke, Nov. 28, to find that concrete barriers had tipped over during the night and had come to rest upon containerized housing units.

"No one was injured," said Lt. Col. Steve Hanson, the mayor of Contingency Operating Base Basra. The incident is under investigation.

Between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., the concrete barriers, also known as T-walls, fell onto four different housing units in the 34th Infantry Division's living area.

T-walls are 17-feet-tall, prefabricated, reinforced concrete barriers that provide protection from indirect fire. Recent rainy weather may have contributed to the toppling of the handful of T-walls, Hanson said.

"Initial indications show that T-walls may have risen due to trenches that were dug recently to bury underground electrical cable," he said. "The ground was softened due to the digging, as well as the soil composition that was further weakened by the rain."

Commanders and first sergeants are reviewing T-wall placements around the base to determine any risk of similar occurrences of tipping. If soldiers are found to be at risk they'll be moved to a safe area, officials said.

One of AF's New Intelligience Platforms Reaches 1000th Sortie

MC-12 Liberty Reaches 1000th Combat Mission

332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Story by Senior Airman Andria Allmond 11.30.2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Only five months after arriving in-theater, the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron recently reached 1,000 combat sorties in the MC-12W Liberty Project Aircraft.

Currently operating only at JBB, the MC-12 is one of the Air Force's newest platforms for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. But it's not just an eye in the sky -- it also serves as a complete collection, processing, analysis and dissemination system.

With manpower for 24-hour operations, the system consists of a modified aircraft with sensors, a ground exploitation cell, line-of-sight and satellite communication datalinks, and a robust

Iraqi Police Arrest 15 With Alleged Al Qaida Ties

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs Courtesy Story 11.30.2009

WASHINGTON - Iraqi police and U.S. advisors apprehended 15 suspects with alleged ties to al Qaida in Iraq during operations in there in the past few days, military officials said.

Iraqi police arrested four suspected members of al Qaida cells today in two joint security operations near Baghdad and Kirkuk, military officials said.

In a joint security operation in Karmah, west of Baghdad, police apprehended an alleged associate of a car-bomb cell believed responsible for attacks targeting government buildings and civilians in the Iraqi capital. Police also arrested a suspected accomplice.

During a separate operation in a rural area southwest of Kirkuk, the 3rd Emergency Services Unit and

"The Leaders Serving the Led"

Giving Thanks by Giving Back

28th Combat Aviation Brigade Courtesy Story 11.30.2009 By Sgt. 1st Class Erika Nyberg

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq – Senior leaders from every unit in the 28th Combat Aviation Battalion reported for duty Thanksgiving Day, each pulling a half-hour shift. Standing shoulder- to- shoulder on the dining facility serving line, they waited on a crowd that stretched the line out the door.

"The leaders serving the led" is a military tradition, said 1st Sgt. Donald Bartch, Headquarters Company first sergeant, 28th CAB.

Spc. John Leddy, an avionics mechanic with "D" Company, 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Regiment, said he was thankful for the good food at the

Country Music Star Performs "In Overdrive" Concert for US Troops

Tippin Tips Hat to Troops

15th Sustainment Brigade Story by Sgt. Matthew Cooley 11.30.2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq – Country music singer and Pensacola, Fla., native, Aaron Tippin performed for and met with troops and civilian contractors at the Morale Welfare and Recreation tent, Nov. 27.

The concert on Q-West was one stop on the singer's Iraq "In Overdrive" tour, named after his latest album of the same name, and the tour marked the latest of several to the country.

"It's either seven or eight times," Tippin said, unable to recall exactly how many times he toured in Iraq.

"I come to see the guys and gals ... that's the greatest reward," he said, referring to the troops he performed for.

Tippin said that performing for troops started his career.

"[This] gives me a chance to bring it home," he said.

Retired Marine Lt. Col. Bill Cowan, a Fox news analyst and Sacramento, Calif., native, told a few jokes and praised the professionalism and performance of the young troops of today before introducing Tippin to begin the show.

"You all are going to be the next Great Generation," he said.

He encouraged the Troops to serve again by running for public office when they one day leave service.

Tippin played a number of his chart-topping songs and covers of other popular country songs. He also made use of a semitrailor horn rigged to a portable air compressor via plastic pipes for occasional humorous effect.

Spc. Jon Voelkel, a fueler for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 15th Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), was one of the Soldiers who enjoyed the show.

"It's awesome! Got everybody together ... [it's] a big morale bonus," he said.

"It takes the monotony from the everyday grind."

Force Protection Team Mission: 100% Accountability

Force Protection Airmen: Another Layer of Armor in Base Defense

332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Story by Senior Airman Andria Allmond 11.30.2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Composed of Airmen from 60 different Air Force specialties, the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Force Protection unit aids in defending the base against hostile actions inside the wire.

Force protection escorts are charged with monitoring and safeguarding local and third-country nationals working on base - a task that, without FPs, would be performed by security forces Airmen.

"Our team mission is to make sure we have 100 percent accountability of third-country nationals and

Airmen Helping Iraqis Hone Processes, Integration of Ground, Naval Forces

U.S. Airmen Advise Iraqis on ISR Missions

U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team

Story by Senior Airman Alyssa Miles 11.30.2009

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – A U.S. Air Force officer works as an advisor to Iraqi intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance airmen within the Iraqi air operations center.

Capt. Sean Reynolds, IAOC intelligence advisor, helps the Iraqi airmen with ISR mission scheduling and planning while advising them on how to make their processes better and integrate with Iraqi ground and naval forces.

The captain, who is deployed from Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, says he believes in the saying, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Therefore, he works daily to build a strong relationship with his Iraqi

Iraq: New Camps Built Towards a New End

Building a Joint Security Station

Multi-National Division-South Courtesy Story 11.30.2009 By 2nd Lt. Randolph Powell

JOINT SECURITY STATION MAYSAN, Iraq – Building a camp from the ground up is an experience most Soldiers won't have to go through during current deployments to Iraq. As efforts are shifting to a smaller and smaller U.S. presence, more things are being disassembled than erected.

Yet, as part of the partnership between U.S. and Iraqi forces, some camps are still being established, although to a very different end and in a very different way from those in the past. These are the joint security stations.

The arduous task of building one such camp, JSS Maysan, fell to the Soldiers from 1st platoon, "Apache" (A) Company, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry

T-Wall Inspection

367th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Story by Staff Sgt. Christopher Carney

11.28.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA - Some Soldiers in Red Bull Living Support Area awoke to slightly changed surroundings Saturday, Nov. 28, as a few concrete barrier 'T-walls' tipped during the night and came to rest on their containerized housing unit.

"Between two and six a.m., there were three separate occurrences where T-walls fell onto four different housing units in the 34th Inf. Div.'s Soldier living area", said Lt. Col. Steve Hanson, Contingency Operating Base Basra mayor.

RIP PFC Michael A. Rogers

DOD Identifies Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pfc. Michael A. Rogers, 23, of White Sulphur Springs, Mont., died Nov. 27, at Forward Operating Base Hammer, east of Baghdad, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  He was assigned to the 210th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother”. Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. (W.Shakespeare)

Iraq Chaplain Assistant Trains With PSD

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division  Story by Pfc. Kimberly Hackbarth

11.29.2009 BAGHDAD, Iraq – Following the command "Dismount!" a group of Soldiers jumped off the ramp of a Stryker and scanned the area for potential threats.

Surrounded by Soldiers whose main job it is to protect the commander, Spc. Jacob Barbe, a chaplain assistant, trains with the personal security detachment in order to learn how to properly protect the chaplain.

Barbe's mission in the Army is helping the chaplain with important services, preparing sermons and providing religious support throughout unit. When those tasks are done, he searches for a different, but equally important mission; tagging along with the 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division's PSD.

It's necessary to train with the PSD to gain experience and knowledge of tactics used when outside the wire in order to effectively protect the chaplain, said Barbe, an Ocala, Fla. native. Chaplains are designated as non-combatants and do not carry weapons.

50th Multi Role Bridge Company Returns Home

37th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne)–Joint Task Force Eagle Story by 1st Lt. Meghan E. Keefe

11.29.2009 AL BAKIR AIRFIELD, Iraq – After serving in Iraq for 12 months, the 50th Multi Role Bridge Company returns home after a year of service to not only the U.S., but also to Iraq, Dec 1.

The 50th MRBC, based out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., has spent the past year deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 09-11 repairing, maintaining and building bridges throughout Northern Iraq. However, the most significant aspect of their mission was not just that they successfully sustained the freedom of maneuver and travel for U.S. Forces, Iraqi forces and civilians, it is that they did all of this in partnership with the Iraqi army soldiers who will be responsible for continuing the mission.

While in Iraq and under the command of Capt. John Davis, of Virginia Beach, Va., they conducted

MND - Baghdad Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

366th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment Story by Staff Sgt. Jeff Hansen

11.28.2009 BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers entertained a crowd with speeches, poems and songs during a celebration of Native American Heritage Month at the Camp Liberty Morale, Welfare & Recreation here, Nov. 27.

According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Native American Heritage Month has been nationally observed since 1990, when President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as "National American Indian Heritage Month."

MND-B's Equal Opportunity Office hosted the event as part of their monthly observances of cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities.

Iraq Drawdown Discussed over Lunch

US Army Leaders Meet With Shaykhs in Southern Iraq

13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Story by Spc. Lisa A. Cope

11.28.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION ADDER, Iraq – Brig. Gen. Gerald E. Lang, the Multi-National Division – South deputy commanding general for support, visited local shaykhs at a private residence near Contingency Operating Location Adder, Iraq, for a key-leader engagement, to discuss how the drawdown of forces in Iraq will affect the shaykhs' area.

"My main goal with Shaykh Uday today was to discuss the drawdown of forces and his assistance ... to maintain security on route Tampa by working with and providing information to the local police and Iraqi army," said Lang, a Sauk Rapids, Minn., native.

One of the Shaykh's main discussion points was the process of selecting contractors for area projects, said Lang.

Security Forces Along Iraq, Turkey Border Inspect Trucks

13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Story by Sgt. Ryan Twist

11.28.2009 HABUR GATE, Iraq – Along the border of Iraq and Turkey, U.S. service members, Iraqi security forces and contractors work together to ensure the safety of Iraq's citizens.

At the validation yard in Habur Gate, Iraq, KBR, Inc., employees, Iraqi security forces and U.S. Soldiers check transportation movement requests and validate cargo on incoming trucks, said Sgt. 1st Class David A. Holder, the noncommissioned officer in charge with the 561st Movement Control Team Detachment, out of Springfield, Mo. Holder, a Waco, Texas, native, said they look for anything that is illegal and not on the cargo list.

U.S. Doctors Meet Iraq Partners

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division Story by Sgt. Bryce Dubee

11.28.2009  BAGHDAD – The exchange of information regarding the latest medical studies and procedures are commonplace throughout the worldwide medical community, however after years of conflict and instability in Iraq, many Iraqi medical professionals have been left out of the information loop.

To help Iraqi doctors learn some of the latest medical, U.S. medical Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division organized an alliance between U.S. military doctors and local Iraqi hospitals.

"Our goal is to meet with the hospitals monthly," explained Capt. Gabriela Niess, a native of Davis, Calif., the brigade's medical planner.

Iraq Soldiers Rest, Learn From Locals at Habur Gate

13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Story by Sgt. Ryan Twist

11.28.2009 HABUR GATE, Iraq – As convoys escort trucks across the border between Turkey and Iraq, Soldiers take advantage of one of Iraq's most accommodating cities to rest between missions.

Service members and local nationals at Habur Gate operate a former hotel building, converted into a place where Soldiers eat, sleep, relax and recover while they wait for their next convoy mission.

"[Our] mission is to provide communication for the convoys coming in and out of [Contingency Operating Location] Q-West and other parts of Iraq ... [give Soldiers] a resting home for overnight stays and make sure everybody gets supplies," said Pfc. Andre R. Taylor, a central processing mode operator with the 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), out of Fort Hood, Texas. "Convoys stop here to pick up their trucks from the [Movement Control Team] yard and head back to where they came from."

Iraq Dealing Death from Above

Air Weapons Team Deals Death From Above During Joint Call for Fire Training

17th Fires Brigade Story by Spc. Maurice Galloway

11.28.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq – 12 Soldiers from 1st Battalion (Air Assault), 377th Field Artillery Regiment and 1st Battalion 130th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Panther, teamed up to conduct an air support live fire exercise at a detonation range outside of COB Basra.

The old adage "Send in the Cavalry" used to refer to a group of Soldiers on horseback that would come to the aid of their fellow comrades who found themselves hunkered down in a battle with the odds against them.

Today, we use

Iraqi Helo Pilots Get Inside Look at U.S. Army Aviation

2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Story by Pfc. Justin A. Naylor

11.28.2009  FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq — Months of training, hard work and dedication is what it took to get a group of Iraqi air force students, training to become helicopter pilots, to where they are. They have already completed the first part of their training, and are ready and eager to continue to learn and improve on their skills.

In support of their studies, Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, invited the IAF students to an open house on Forward Operating Base Warrior, Kirkuk, Nov. 25, where they had the opportunity to speak with U.S. Army aviators and get a close look at the helicopters they use.

U.S. Airmen and Iraqi Airmen Build Operational Guidance

U.S. Airmen Build Relationships With Iraqi Airmen Through Communication

U.S. Air Forces Central, Baghdad Media Outreach Team Story by Senior Airman Alyssa Miles

11.28.2009CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – Iraq Training and Advisory Mission Airmen attached to the 321st Air Expeditionary Advisory Group are advising members of the Iraqi air force on the day-to-day communication procedures within their air operations center.

The Airmen's mission is to help the IAF build operational command and control capabilities to translate air force headquarters and national guidance into operational guidance for individual squadrons.

Service Members Donate Time, Goods to Iraqis

Task Force 38  Story by Spc. Beth Gorenc

11.27.2009 JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – While deployed here in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, service members used their free time to teach and assist communities in Iraq.

Airmen and Soldiers here held monthly programs that brought children on base to learn from and interact with military mentors. During these days, service members worked through translators to teach Iraqi children about personal hygiene, fire safety awareness and medical issues. After learning safety lessons, children were able to play with their volunteer military mentor. Activities such as soccer, volleyball, basketball, arts and crafts, and board games were available for entertainment.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joey Burgess, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron construction inspector, said the children's days were not only useful for teaching children safety, but were also good for establishing positive relationships with local communities.

First Iraqi-Moderated Women's Conference Held

Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq Public Affairs Story by Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Ruth

11.27.2009 IRAQ - Thirty-nine women from the Ministries of Defence and Interior attended a conference here Nov. 19 to discuss women's issues. This marked the first time an Iraqi woman moderated such an event.

Ms. Iman Najid, director of Human Rights for the Ministry of Defence, led the discussion about the struggles of Iraqi women who are still striving for equal treatment. "The purpose of this conference is to show how Iraqi women are participating in the Ministry of Defence", said Najid.

Five Iraqi female leaders spoke about their experiences and struggles as a means to encourage and inspire the attendees. Dr. (Maj.) Noor Lath Saaed Al Berakhdar, inspector general, Ministry of Defence, highlighted the importance of mentorship. "Mentorship starts with

Iraqi Police Learn Why K-9s Are Truly 'man's Best Friend'

145th Mobile Pubilc Affairs Detachment Story by Sgt. Jeremy Pitcher

11.27.2009 DIYALA, Iraq – The danger of working a checkpoint in Iraq has been a reality many have faced in years past. With enemy combatants working to easily blend into the civilian population, the check point too often becomes an easy target for insurgents.

For Iraqi police in the Diyala province

SFS Airmen Assist Iraqi Police During Checkpoint Inspection

U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs  Story by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos

11.27.2009 BAGHDAD, Iraq -- A team of Security Forces Defenders, known as the "Rough Riders," glance out the small windows of their armored vehicle as it passes over the streets of Baghdad. They are on their way to rendezvous with their counterparts in the Iraqi police.

Assigned to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron's Detachment 2, their mission is to work with the Iraqi police and help them become integral to the safety, security and future of the country.

It is a mission these professionals relish.

English Testing Facility Opens in the International Zone

Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq Public Affairs Story by Sgt. 1st Class Patricia Ruth

11.27.2009 BAGHDAD - A new facility opened Nov. 18 in the International Zone for providing English language testing for Iraqis, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The mission of the facility is to provide an improved environment for English language testing and to allow military and civilian candidates from the government of Iraq to achieve their full performance potential.

'Family' Bonds Abound on Joint Security Station

Leaders Serve on Thanksgiving

1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Story by Pfc. Adam Halleck 11.26.2009

 

BAGHDAD – It is a tradition in the United States Army for senior leaders to serve Thanksgiving dinner to their Soldiers to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

Senior noncommissioned officers and commissioned officers assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, continued the practice at Joint Security Station Sheik Amir, Nov. 26.

"These Soldiers are my family out here," said 1st Lt. Kevin Nieto from Los Angeles. "It's a good feeling; it's definitely nice to work for them for a change."

Standing in front of a steaming hot stove Nieto and his platoon sergeant served their Soldiers turkey, roast beef, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing and many of the traditional foods you find on dinner tables back in the states on Thanksgiving.

"It's a real great experience to serve these guys who have worked so