War On Terror News

September 28 Airpower: C-130s

U.S. Central Command Air Forces

A C-130 Hercules taxies in at a Southwest Asia air base after completing a mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The C-130s provide intra-theater heavy airlift, transporting passengers to include troop resupply and delivering tons of cargo helping to sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Tony R. Tolley)

09.30.2009 SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Sept. 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II and coalition aircraft flew armed overwatch in the Farah area. Once on station the aircraft saw intense action as there were several engagements between friendly forces and anti-Afghan forces. Friendly forces reported and confirmed enemy fire from a treeline sniper position and from several buildings located in a compound area. When shows of force did not work in stopping the enemy fire, precision guided munitions and strafing runs of cannon fire were combined to end the enemy fire. The enemy then retreated to a nearby Mosque to avoid further air strikes.

Afghans in Laghman work for improved quality of life

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan –Interns from the Laghman Agricultural Ministry conducted soil testing field training with local students and farmers, Sept. 24. The interns held classes on the proper use of a probing tool to extract soil samples. The interns are recent college graduates that spent a week in July training with ministry staff and were supported by the Laghman Agri-business Development team. They will work closely with farmers throughout Laghman province teaching agricultural techniques and procedures.

ALI SHING DISTRICT, Afghanistan – After farmers in northern Ali Shang district expressed willingness to work on agricultural projects and demonstration plots, the Laghman ADT responded by building, certifying and airlifting pallets containing 15 bags of wheat seed and 50 bags of cement, Sept. 22. The pallets were delivered attached to a CH-47 Chinook helicopter by sling load and delivered to the remote villages in the district.

ALINGAR DISTRICT, Afghanistan - Nuristan Provincial Reconstruction Team, coalition force command elements, and the Laghman District Governor met with local government officials and village leaders at the Alingar District Center to discuss, security, economic and social issues, Sept. 27. The Alingar district education director reported there are now 25 high schools, 16 secondary schools, and 34 elementary schools in the district. The district center also serves as the Alingar Teachers Training Center, where Ministry of Education certified instructors and graduate teachers after two years of classes.

AFG (Video) Rocket Explosion Shows Taliban's Disregard for Human Life

CJTF-82 releases MRAP video of children injured in rocket attack

 

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Sept. 30, 2009) – Combined Joint Task Force- 82 has released a video.

Anti-Afghan forces injure children in convoy rocket attack; MRAP footage: Two small children are injured during a rocket attack on U.S. forces in Logar province, Charkh District while on patrol early September. The children, approximately 7 years old, are in the line of fire and inured when insurgents launch a 107mm rocket at the convoy.

Odierno: US to Withdraw 4,000 More Troops from Iraq

By VOA News

 

30 September 2009

General Raymond Odierno (2007 file photo)

The U.S. commander in Iraq plans to tell Congress the military is sending 4,000 more troops home from Iraq next month.

Army General Ray Odierno is scheduled to testify Wednesday to the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee about the transition of security responsibilities from the U.S. military to Iraqi forces ahead of a planned U.S. combat force withdrawal next year.

In a prepared remarks for Wednesday's testimony, General Odierno says the U.S. will reduce the number of troops in Iraq from 124,000 to 120,000.  He says the deliberate reduction will not sacrifice security in the country.  

His testimony comes as members of Congress are increasingly

IAEA Chief: Iran Broke Law by Not Declaring Nuclear Site

By VOA News

30 September 2009 The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran broke an IAEA law by failing to disclose much earlier its construction of a uranium enrichment facility.

In an interview with CNN-India, Mohamed ElBaradei said Iran was supposed to notify the IAEA on the day it began building the site.

He described Iran's failure to do so as a "setback to the principle of transparency," and said IAEA inspectors must visit the site as soon as possible to determine its purpose.

(Updated) 'Pro Vs GI Joe' Is Hit Overseas and in Tampa

Story by Dustin Senger

09.29.2009 CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar – U.S. service members gathered in the United Service Organization Qatar lounge to play networked games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Sept. 29. In partnership with USO Qatar, the event was organized by Pro vs. GI Joe, a nonprofit organization that connects professional athletes and celebrities in heated real-time video game competitions with troops overseas.

Pro vs. GI Joe events, sponsored by USO Qatar, have been boosting troop morale at Camp As Sayliyah since May. The impact is felt throughout the region, given that the USO lounge is located within the only authorized U.S. Central Command rest and recuperation pass program facility in Southwest Asia. Since 2004, almost 200,000 service members have sought respite at the Qatar base.

Regina Wilhite, USO Qatar duty manager, facilitated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro vs. GI Joe event at Camp As Sayliyah. Service members played against professional football athletes using two Xbox games: "Guitar Hero Smash Hits," a rock band simulator that groups players into full stage performances; and "Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare," a first-person shooter that mimics combat in global hot spots.

RIP LCpl Jordan L. Chrobot

DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

 

    The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

 

    Lance Cpl. Jordan L. Chrobot, 24, of Frederick, Md., died Sept. 26 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"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)

Afghan Suicide Bomber Strikes Foreign Convoy

By VOA News

Officials in southeast Afghanistan say a suicide bomber rammed a car filled with explosives into a foreign military convoy, killing at least one person.

The attack occurred Wednesday in Mandozai district of Khost province, near the Pakistani border. International officials say the blast killed at least one American service member.

Also Wednesday, British officials confirmed that a box of leaflets dropped from a British plane in June killed a local Afghan girl in rural Helmand province.

3 Missile Strikes Hit Northwest Pakistan

By Sean Maroney
Islamabad  VOA

30 September 2009 Pakistani officials say three suspected U.S. missile strikes have hit the country's Waziristan tribal regions since late Tuesday, reportedly killing at least 18 militants. But such attacks may in fact hurt public perception ahead of an anticipated Pakistani military offensive in the area.

The latest missile strike occurred Wednesday in the North Waziristan tribal region.

It was the third strike in 24 hours allegedly by unmanned U.S. planes that targeted suspected Taliban and al-Qaida militants along the Afghan border.

A similar strike late Tuesday hit

Top US Official at UN Afghan Mission Will Not Return to Post

By VOA News

U.N. officials say the top American serving in the U.N. mission to Afghanistan will not return to his post, following a dispute over how to handle fraud allegations in the country's disputed presidential election.

Officials who requested not to be named told reporters that Peter Galbraith angered superiors at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan by taking a publicly aggressive stance against widespread fraud in the August 20 election. The top U.N. envoy in Afghanistan, Norwegian Kai Eide, preferred to operate behind the scenes.

Education a Priority With the 515th CSSB

16th Sustainment Brigade  Story by Sgt. Dalene Marsh

09.29.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq - The 515th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, maintains a knowledge center which provides a place where Soldiers can go to improve in their military and civilian professions.

What started as a need to remain current in their civilian field has grown into an asset for all Soldiers based at COS Marez.

When 1st Lt. Mario Chaparro, the S-6 officer in charge, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 David Vaughn, the S-6 information assurance manager, settled in Mosul, Iraq, they realized that there was no place to go if someone needed to remain current in their civilian fields of employment.

Chaparro and Vaughn pooled their talents to come up with the Seis Knowledge Center.

US Concerned About China's Military Modernization

By Meredith Buel
Washington

PLA’s type-03 long-range rocket guns

October 1, 2009 is the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, and the nation's armed forces will take part in a massive program celebrating the Communist Party's takeover in 1949. U.S. officials have carefully watched China's efforts to modernize its military in recent years and are concerned it could pose a threat to America's military power in the Pacific.

For more than a decade, China has been rapidly modernizing the People's Liberation Army. And U.S. officials have expressed concern about how Beijing might use its expanding military power.

China's Defense Minister, Liang Guanglie said recently that his country's armed forces have made such huge strides in modernization that China's

Iraq Raising the Bar at Camp Bucca

Camp Bucca Movement Control Team Receives, Inspects, Moves Bar Higher

332nd Air Expeditionary Wing  Story by Senior Airman Andria Allmond

 

09.29.2009 CAMP BUCCA, Iraq -- When the Airmen of the 732nd Movement Control Team arrived at Camp Bucca, they didn't just want to do their job.

They wanted to do it better.

The 732nd MCT controls the ground movement of cargo to and from Camp Bucca -- supplying the fuel, food, medicine and mail necessary to sustain the roughly 5,000-person forward operating base.

"Since day one, the 732nd MCT steadily improved work-center operations and customer service," said Staff Sgt. Olga Polina, non-commissioned officer in charge of day-shift operations.

The 732nd doesn't just support those at Camp Bucca -- they also play a large role in aiding the transition of authority back to the Iraqi people. The team transports goods out of the encampment, located near the Iraq border of Kuwait, to 15 other locations in the Multi-National Division-South battlespace in Iraq.

"We moved over 300 truckloads, totaling 6,400 tons, in the last 30 days alone, in support of the closure of the Theater Internment Facility, which was formerly the largest detainee facility in Iraq," said Senior Master Sgt. Jeffery Criger, 732nd MCT commander and detachment sergeant. "This is pivotal in supporting efforts to conduct a responsible drawdown and transition control for authority of detainees to the government of Iraq."

Mid-Air Name Change During Mission

Guardsman Promoted During Flight

Story by Tech. Sgt. Joseph Kapinos

09.29.2009 SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Very rarely do flight orders, which list the names and ranks of the aircrew, have to be altered in the middle of a mission. But on Sept. 25, an exception was made when Tech. Sgt. Nathan Neidhardt was promoted to master sergeant.

Instead of the standard pin-on ceremony normally done during their weekend training, the sergeant wanted to do something different.

"I wanted to make it memorable," said Master Sgt. Nathan Neidhardt. "Everybody gets promoted in front of their peers. I wanted to tell people how, for me, it was special and unique. There are not a lot of people who can say they took off as a technical sergeant and landed as a master sergeant."

Longest-serving Navy SEAL Retires

By Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jacob Dillon
Special to American Forces Press Service

NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 29, 2009 – The longest-serving Navy SEAL was piped ashore for the last time during a retirement ceremony Sept. 25 at Naval Special Warfare Group 4 on Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va.

Navy Capt. Pete Wikul passed the title of "Bull Frog" to Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. The Bull Frog title recognizes

Pirate Attacks on the Rise Off Somalia

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Brianna K. Dandridge

 

09.29.2009 MANAMA, Bahrain - Pirate activity has increased recently off the coast of Somalia with four attempted attacks occurring on motor vessels in the Gulf of Aden since Sept. 19.

Three separate unsuccessful attacks occurred Sept. 19 and 20, while the most recent attack occurred Sept. 26 on the Panamanian-flagged Motor Vessel Handy V, in which seven pirates were arrested by the Turkish ship TCG Gediz, assigned to NATO's Piracy Task Force.

This brings the total number of piracy attacks on merchant vessels in 2009 to 146, 28 of which have been successful.

Bomb Kills 15 Civilians; 12 Wounded in Afghanistan

1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment Story by Staff Sgt. Justin Weaver

09.29.2009  FORWARD OPERATING BASE WILSON, Afghanistan – Fifteen Afghan civilians were found dead and at least 12 were wounded after an improvised explosive device exploded beneath their bus Sept. 29 on Highway 1 in the Kandahar province.

Afghan and International Security Force partners are assessing casualties and damage. Afghan emergency medical personnel arrived quickly on the scene and supported ISAF medical staff to treat the injured casualties.

 

U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, carry an injured Afghan civilian to a medevac helicopter Sept. 29 at Forward Operating Base Wilson. Fifteen civilians were killed, and 12 others were wounded when an Improvised Explosive Device exploded beneath a bus Sept. 29 on Highway 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A U.S. medic from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, keeps the sun off the face of an injured two-year-old Afghan girl Sept. 29 at Forward Operating Base Wilson. Fifteen Afghan civilians were found dead and at least 12 were wounded after an improvised explosive device exploded beneath their bus Sept. 29 on Highway 1 in the Kandahar province.

 

 

 

U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, wait for a medevac helicopter to land Sept. 29 at Forward Operating Base Wilson. Fifteen Afghan civilians were found dead and at least 12 more were wounded after an improvised explosive device exploded beneath their bus Sept. 29 on Highway 1 in the Kandahar province.

Bridge Marked as Symbol of Drawdown

US Forces, Iraqi Engineers Meet to Celebrate Partnership Bridge

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

 

09.28.2009 TAJI, Iraq – Spirits were high and colors were bright during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mabey Johnson Float Bridge, Sept. 21, in Taji, Iraq.

Lt. Col. Paul Huszar, commander of the 37th Engineer Battalion, Joint Task Force Eagle, out of Fort Bragg, N.C., and Iraqi Chief of Engineers Gen. Merza, joined fellow engineer officers, including Huszar's counterpart, Col. Ra'ad, commander of the 5th Iraqi Army Field Engineer Regiment, to honor and celebrate the opening of the MJFB, placed through a partnership between U.S. forces and Iraqi Soldiers.

Huszar, a Seabring, Fla., native, spoke to the Iraqi engineer officers during the ceremony.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be here today and to partner with you in engineering," Huszar said. "This bridge is a symbol of the progress of our transition and the responsible drawdown of U.S. Forces."

The MJFB was built by the 50th Multi-Role Bridge Company, based out of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Soldiers from the 4th, 5th and Headquarters, Iraqi Army FER. The bridge, which crosses the Tigris River just north of Baghdad, allows freedom of mobility for both U.S. forces and Iraqi Security Forces without having to travel through built-up areas.

The MJFB is a non-assault logistic support bridge built to sustain movement of supplies and re-open communications. It also allows for upgrades to routes that support heavy traffic and is intended for military engineering units, said Huszar. Bridges with the same low-cost manufacturing can be found around the world in places such as Iraq, the United States, Asia and Latin America, he said.

"I have been all over the world and United States Army Engineers show great promise in their ability to continue emplacing this type of bridge in future operations," said retired British Army Sgt. Maj. Alan Peterson, a field support representative who travels internationally to provide technical guidance on bridge emplacement, during a Leadership Development session for JTF Eagle engineer officers.

Once the ribbon was cut, the engineers walked from one end to the other as water from the Tigris rushed underneath them. After reviewing the bridge, Soldiers from the IA FER sang a celebratory song, praising the success of the bridge building and expressing hope for the future of U.S. forces and their Iraqi counterparts.

Turning the Tide in Kunar Province

Civilians, Soldiers Work Together for Change in Afghanistan

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs Courtesy Story

 

09.28.2009 BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Afghan civilians, leaders, and soldiers are working together along with soldiers of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to make their villages and districts safer and more secure in Afghanistan's Kunar province.

Afghan national army elements and ISAF service members from the U.S. Army's Task Force Lethal, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, build stability and security in villages, towns and cities across the province and beyond. Increasingly, officials said, they find themselves receiving help from some friendly faces.

A resident of the province's Sarkani district turned in nine mines to the

U.S., U.K. Marines in Helmand: Keeping the Wolves at Bay

Not Many ... but Much: ANGLICO Marines Help U.K. Hold Northern Post 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Story by Cpl. Aaron Rooks 09.28.2009 LASHKAR GAH, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The evening began with a small group of U.S. Marines and U.K. soldiers gathered around a campfire of dimly-lit candles and a teapot boiling over a small fire. They talked among themselves for a few hours about girlfriends and wives back home, ice cream and weightlifting, among other topics. Not once, though, did they mention the insurgents located just to their north. The group seemed almost unaware of the nearby dangers as the conversation continued. Only about 20 individuals manned the small area at Checkpoint North near the city of Basharan, but

2nd Anglico Marines Provide Link

ANGLICO: the Liaisons Between Comrades at War

2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade

Story by Cpl. Aaron Rooks

09.28.2009 LASHKAR GAH, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – "What does your body armor look like?" asked one U.K. soldier. "How do we get an Afghan civilian to a hospital in Lashkar Gah?" asked one U.S. sailor. "What type of information do you have on insurgents in the southern oasis of Now Zad?" another U.K. soldier queried.

"We deal with anything and everything that happens between Task Force Helmand and Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan," said Sgt. Ryan Sisson, a forward observer with 1st Brigade Platoon, 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, MEB-Afghanistan, who works at the Task Force Helmand headquarters at Lashkar Gah. "Dropping bombs, aircraft strafing runs, fire missions, convoys ... you name it, we deal with it."

AFG, ISF Thwarting Recent Taliban Activity near Wardak

Afghan-International Security Force Detains Militants; International Security Force Service Member Death; Militants Stopped in Wardak

International Security Assistance Force HQ Public Affairs Courtesy Story

09.28.2009 KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan and International Security Force detained several suspected militants today after searching a compound in Wardak province known to be used by a Taliban element responsible for supplying large numbers of weapons to subordinate militant commanders in the area.

The joint force conducted the search in the Chaki Wardak district without incident. No shots were fired, and no Afghan civilians were harmed during the operation.

Afghan and International Security Forces are working together to block

Panjshir Province Secure and Flourishing with PRT

Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team Proves 'Peace, Partnership, Progress' Possible

U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

Story by Staff Sgt. Joseph Buzanowski

09.28.2009 PANJSHIR, Afghanistan - Traveling through the Panjshir province of Afghanistan, one hardly realizes there's a war being fought in the rest of the country.

Children play outside, markets are open for business and schools are in session, all with an air of fearlessness. The people here simply live their lives.

The Airmen, Soldiers and the one Sailor deployed to the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team work directly with the local populace to ensure it stays that way.

The mission of PRTs is to work with local government officials to provide basic services and improve life for the people, explained the commander, Lt. Col. Eric Hommel. Of the dozen PRTs run by Americans, six are commanded by Air Force officers.

But Hommel, an Air Force reservist, said he's the luckiest of the bunch. Because of all that's been accomplished here, Panjshir is considered the crown jewel of all the PRTs in that none of them match the effectiveness his team has in Afghanistan.

SECURITY

"The first step in being effective is security - once you have security, everything else is possible," said Hommel, a Queens, N.Y., native deployed from the Pentagon. "We've got that part down, so we're able

Soldier/Linguist Lends Important Skills

Moroccan-born Soldier Serves As Vital Communicator

3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs  Story by Pvt. Jared N. Gehmann

 

09.28.2009 BAGHDAD – It's not difficult to find a service member who can speak two or possibly even three languages, but it's nearly impossible to find one who speaks five different ones, and fluently.

For Moroccan-born Spc. Ikram Mansori, who now calls San Francisco home, being fluent in Arabic, French, Spanish, Moroccan and English has served her well during her 12-month deployment to Iraq.

When Mansori enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2007, she committed herself to be a truck driver. However, because of her language skills, senior leaders of her unit felt she would be a valued asset serving as a linguist. Mansori

September 27 Airpower

U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

09.29.2009 SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations, Sept. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, an MQ-1B Predator responded to a request for support in the Sangin area. Friendly forces were under small arms fire from an enemy position, observed by the Predator, and received a request for air support. Predator aircrews authorized and executed a missile strike that destroyed the enemy position.

Abchakan saw Air Force B-1B Lancer aircraft in the skies providing overwatch for a friendly forces' convoy. Friendly forces in that location had been under enemy small arms fire and requested a show of force. The show of force was made with flares expended and ended the small arms fire.

At Chahar Bagh, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft provided overwatch for friendly forces. Suspicious activity in addition to small arms fire led to a request for air support.

Multiple Terrorism Suspects Arrested

Forces Arrest Tae Kwon Do Murder Suspect, Others in Iraq

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs Courtesy Story

09.28.2009 WASHINGTON - Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. troops, arrested multiple terrorism suspects, including one accused in a 2006 Tae Kwon Do kidnapping and murder case, and seized weapons throughout Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

On Sept. 24, Iraqi soldiers, with U.S. advisors, arrested a suspect in the 2006 kidnapping and murder of Iraq national Tae Kwon Do team members. In May 2006, while the team was en route to Jordan for a training camp, terrorists stopped their vehicle between Ramadi and Fallujah and abducted all 15 team members. In June of the following

AFG, ISF Hampering Taliban Activities

Afghan, NATO Troops Disrupt Insurgency in Afghanistan

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs Courtesy Story

09.28.2009 WASHINGTON - Afghan and international forces have captured several militant fighters in southern Afghanistan in the past three days, military officials reported.

Several other insurgents were killed in firefights with combined Afghan and international forces, they said.

Combined Afghan and NATO International Security Assistance Forces today detained several suspects following a search of an insurgent compound in Wardak province known as a Taliban weapons supply center.

The joint force conducted the search in the Chaki Wardak district without incident. No shots were fired, and no Afghan civilians were harmed.

Yesterday, an Afghan and international security force detained several

Grandmother and Granddaughter Serving in Balad

AAFES Grandmother and Army Granddaughter Team Deployed to Iraq

Army & Air Force Exchange Service HQ Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class John Philip Wagner

09.28.2009 On any given day, more than 400 Army & Air Force Exchange Service associates are deployed to directly support troops assigned to Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. For one AAFES grandmother, she deployed to Iraq to not only carry out the command's motto of "We Go Where You Go," but to also be with her granddaughter assigned to Balad Air Base.

Spc. Shawntae Villegas, a member of Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 2-149th Aviation Battalion, 34th Combat Aviation Brigade, works under special intelligence, monitoring flights and providing training instruction at Balad. After a long day of fighting the global war

104th Aviation Officer Ever Ready

Staff Officer by Day, MEDEVAC Pilot by Night

28th Combat Aviation Brigade Story by Sgt. Neil Gussman

 

09.28.2009 CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq - Maj. Brett Feddersen sits alone in the ready room next to the medical evacuation hangar at 11 p.m. He is hunched over his personal computer, editing a document for a meeting the next day.

"I've got to get some sleep in case we get a 2 a.m. call," he says, mostly to the air. The rest of his crew is asleep or resting, waiting for the call.

Feddersen is a senior staff officer with 2nd Battalion, 104th Aviation Brigade, but two to four days every week he is a medevac pilot on a 48-hour rotation with Alaska-based Company C, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment. His

Alliance Efforts in AFG Defended by Rasmussen

NATO Secretary-General Defends Alliance's Afghanistan Contributions
By Michael Bowman Washington 29 September 2009

NATO's new secretary-general says the alliance remains committed to the fight in Afghanistan, despite greater violence in the country and a rising death toll among U.S. and NATO troops. Anders Fogh Rasmussen acknowledged that more resources will be needed to battle Taliban militants at a time when public support in many allied nations for continued operations in Afghanistan is waning.

In his first Washington address since assuming NATO leadership last month, Secretary-General Rasmussen said he understands America's desire to see its NATO allies commit more troops and resources to

Tehran Nuclear Head To Give UN Inspection Date

Iran: UN Inspection of Nuclear Site To be Scheduled Soon

By VOA News 29 September 2009

Iran's nuclear chief says Tehran will soon tell the U.N. nuclear agency when it can inspect a newly disclosed uranium enrichment plant.

Ali Akbar Salehi made the announcement in an interview released by state-run television Press TV Tuesday, just two days before Tehran is to discuss its nuclear program with world powers in Geneva.

The United States is threatening Iran with tougher sanctions if it does not fully reveal its nuclear activities and allow U.N. inspectors to visit

Iranian Nuclear Facilities: U.S. Calls for 'Unfettered' Access

 The White House on Monday condemned Iran's latest missile tests as "provocative" and called on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to provide inspectors "unfettered access" to its nuclear facilities.  

Iran's test-firing of two long-range missiles comes just days ahead of a rare and crucial meeting in Geneva on Thursday among diplomatic representatives of six major powers, including the United States, and Iranian officials.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had this reaction to the timing of the missile tests:

Series of Bombings in Iraq Kill 16

At Least 16 Dead in Bombings in Iraq
By VOA News 28 September 2009

Police in Iraq say at least 16 people were killed and dozens wounded in a series of bombings across the country Monday.

In the deadliest attack, a suicide bomber killed seven policemen and wounded 10 others when he blew himself up near a police station in western Anbar province.

Earlier, back-to-back bombings in Baghdad left at least three soldiers dead and at least 15 people wounded. The second blast detonated as rescuers and bystanders tried to help victims of the first attack.

Just south of Baghdad, outside Diwaniya, a bomb planted on a bus

Program Set to Improve African Militaries' Communications

AFRICOM Begins Training in Gabon

By Scott Stearns Dakar28 September 2009

Members of the U.S. Africa Command are in Gabon for the start of a military communications exercise involving more than two dozen African armies.

AFRICOM'S Africa Endeavor program seeks to improve communications between African armies by establishing a network linking their command and control structures to better prepare for joint operations.

The exercise in Gabon runs through October 8 and involves nearly 30 African militaries along with delegations from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States.

It is the third annual training exercise and field test of communications systems following earlier

Tuesday Evening, September 29, 2009 VFVC ON THE AIR LIVE!

Your hosts:

Gene Simes & Jere Beery

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Call in at 1-319 648-5143 and lets talk!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

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If you have a voice let it be heard on Welcome to VFVC live on the air!

 

Let’s FIRE FOR EFFECT!

Airpower Summary for September 26

U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

09.28.2009 SOUTHWEST ASIA — Coalition airpower integrated with ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations Sept. 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, Air Force F-16C aircraft responded to a request for support in the Khanabad area where aircrews were providing armed reconnaissance for friendly forces on patrol. Friendly forces were moving toward an objective when the aircraft reported seeing suspicious personnel in a wadi next to the objective site.

Iraq Twin Schools Receive Passing Grade

Story by Pfc. Adam Halleck

TAJI, Iraq – It has been two weeks since U.S. Soldiers assessed two neighboring schools that will educate over 1,200 students north of Baghdad.

The last time the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment visited the al-Doha and Malik Ibn Annas Schools, known to the American troops as the Twin Schools, they discovered the schools needed a list of improvements in order to meet an Oct. 1 deadline for the upcoming school year.

Walking the school grounds, Staff Sgt. Nicholas Lien, the battalion's civil capacity and essential services officer, and construction site manager, Kaiser Abid, discussed the construction requirements.

"There were a lot of things wrong with the schools during our last visit," explained Lien, from Whitewater, Wis. "I honestly didn't anticipate the schools being completed from my previous interactions with the contractors."

Andy Baldwin's Pennsylvania Health Ride and Kids Fitness Days 2009

Hmmm.......why is a site that has it's focus on Iraq and Afghanistan publishing an article about Andy Baldwin?  If you don't know the answer to that, then you don't know who Andy Baldwin is.  We cover topics that are military related, and you know I love finding stories about our troops who step outside their military work to help others in the community.  So here is a short bio on just a part of who Andy Baldwin is.

Mail Call! Airmen Deliver Goods for Base Personnel

379th Air Expeditionary Wing

Story by Airman 1st Class David Dobrydney

09.27.2009 The final verse of a familiar song is "Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!" That applies to the U.S. mail getting to its undisclosed location in Southwest Asia as well. All mail sent to or from U.S. service members or Department of Defense civilians is handled by 15 Airmen assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron.

Staff Sgt. Roberto Rivera serves as postmaster. Deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, as a postal specialist, he works in post offices overseas and at deployed bases. He explained that mail on its way to Southwest Asia is gathered at a hub location for airlifting to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

An average day will see approximately 400 bags of mail for base personnel, taking at least three hours to sort for the more than 50 units. Over the past four months alone, the post office has processed nearly 30,000 pieces of mail.

Photos Here, There and Everywhere, Editor's Choice

 

 

 

 

09/28/2009

GLOW OF AWARENESS

A glow-in-the-dark golf ball awaits the final putt at the Lone Star Golf Course during a night golf tournament aimed at raising awareness of suicide and suicide prevention on Contingency Operating Location Q-West, Iraq, Sept. 20, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Maj. John B. Herd