War On Terror News

More than just a Pallet, Italian Airdrops Sustain Security - Video

Story by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
Video by Pearl, John A MC1 USN
Regional Command-West Public Affairs

HERAT, Afghanistan (Feb. 28, 2011) – I’m a high-grade composite metal pallet specially constructed to be dropped out of high-flying aircraft and parachuted to a wide-array of various landing zones.

I’m quite certain there are many pallets just like me at Aeronautica Militare (Italian air force) bases across Italy and other coalition nations.

Italian army 1st Cpl. Maj. Ida Greco, 186th Parachute Regiment “Folgore,” from Pisa, Italy, prepares to inspect pallets prior to them being loaded onto an Italian C-130J Hercules at Camp Arena, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 25, 2011. The following day, the C-130 crew airdropped cargo pallets to forward operating bases in Badghis and Farah Provinces. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace)

However, I relish in the knowledge that I’m a special pallet because

British Airways Employee Convicted of Planning Terorist Attacks

28 February 2011 VOA News A British court on Monday convicted a former British Airways employee of plotting with a US-born extremist cleric to blow up an airliner.

The Woolwich Crown Court found Rajib Karim, originally of Bangladesh, guilty of four counts of planning and abetting terrorist attacks while working as a computer expert with British Airways.

Karim shared details of his contacts inside the British carrier in a series of encrypted messages to Anwar al-Awlaki, who proposed the use of suicide bombers or mail bombs on planes headed to the United States.

RIP SPC Andrew C Wilfahrt

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

              Spc. Andrew C. Wilfahrt, 31, of Rosemount, Minn., died Feb. 27, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 504th Military Police Battalion, 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

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.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. 

Somali Pirates Hijack Yacht with 3 Children Onboard

28 February 2011 VOA News Denmark's foreign ministry said Monday that pirates have captured a yacht carrying seven Danish nationals, three of them children. It says pirates hijacked the yacht in the Indian Ocean late last week and are now sailing it toward Somalia.

Earlier this month, Somali pirates seized a yacht carrying four Americans and killed them while U.S. naval forces tried to negotiate their release.

Also, Somali pirates are reported to have freed one ship while capturing two others.  Somali pirates are reported to have freed a Japanese ship and its 20-member crew. 

The European Union's anti-piracy force said Monday that

Kenya on Terror Alert After Threats

28 February 2011 VOA News Kenya's police commissioner is warning of possible terror attacks in the country, after threats by the Somali militant group al-Shabab.

Commissioner Mathew Iteere on Monday called for tighter security in shopping malls, hotels and on public transportation.

He appealed for the public to be extra vigilant and said the government had

Air traffic advisors aim high for Iraq's future

Written by Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake 321st Air Expeditionary Wing

Saturday, February 26, 2011 BAGHDAD — As U.S. forces continue to draw down to meet the Dec. 31 deadline, Air Force air traffic control advisors have their eyes fixed on the skies over Iraq.

Maj. Rudolf Kuehne and Capt. Maureen Trujillo, senior ATC advisors for Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air, are tasked with ensuring their Iraqi Air Force partners are trained and equipped to gradually take over the ATC towers at key bases throughout the country in the coming months.

Kenneth Chappell, team lead contractor for Iraq Training and Advisory Mission–Air's air traffic control tower training, directs traffic on the airfield with the help of Iraqi air force trainees Feb. 3. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jason Lake.)

"Our goal is to certify and license 24 controllers to conduct tower operations at five locations by the time we leave," explained Captain Trujillo, deployed here from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

US Cracks Down on Suspected Drug Dealers Linked to Mexico

26 February 2011 Cindy Lavanderos | Mexico City VOA News Federal authorities in the United States have arrested hundreds of people with suspected ties to Mexican drug cartels, following the shooting death of a U.S. law enforcement agent in Mexico last week. 

More than 3,000 federal, state and local law enforcement personnel conducted raids in major U.S. cities this week, arresting nearly 700 suspects, and confiscating large quantities of drugs, weapons, and at least $8 million in cash.

The sweep occurred just days after Jaime Zapata, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, was gunned down February 15 on a highway in Mexico's San Luis Potosi state.  Fellow agent Victor Ávila was wounded in the ambush, by suspected drug cartel members.

U.S. authorities  said they would not tolerate attacks against its agents,

Overwatch

 

U.S. Army Sgt. David Smitt maintains overwatch during an air assault patrol with U.S. soldiers and British gunners in Afghanistan's Kandahar province, Feb. 10, 2011. Smitt is assigned to 101st Combat Aviation Brigade and the gunners are assigned to the Royal Air Force Regiment's 15th Squadron. U.S. Army photo by Sadie Bleistein

Iraqi Court Jails British Guard for Killing Colleagues

28 February 2011 VOA News Iraqi judges have sentenced a British national working as a security guard to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of two other foreign contractors, making him the first Westerner to be sentenced in an Iraqi court since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

The judges found 30-year old Danny Fitzsimons guilty Monday of killing a British and an Australian colleague and attempting to kill an Iraqi guard in a 2009 shooting in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

Fitzsimons had faced the death penalty. 

FEST-M fights flooding in the desert

579th Engineer Detachment (FEST-M)

Col. Richard W. Dean II observes the result of his detachment’s efforts to clear out the grate. Photo by Mark Abueg

02.27.2011 Story by Mark Abueg KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – They were happy with the result. They were proud of what they accomplished. More importantly, a group of engineers helped their own grounds flow a little bit smoother yesterday by removing a staggering amount of trash clogging their drainage project.

Afghanistan’s rainy season brought about flash flooding throughout various parts of Kandahar Airfield, and while roads and ditches filled with water, a particular water grate wouldn’t let any more water pass through.

“A couple of weeks ago we were inundated with rain and it brought a bunch of debris downstream,” said Col. Richard W. Dean II, commander of the 579th Engineer Detachment (Forward Engineer Support Team - Main). “It plugged up the grate and created a scouring action and eroded part of the levee that’s nearby.”

Soldier retells battles in Watapur

Soldier retells battles in Watapur: Stress management clinic eases Soldier’s inner conflict

Written by U.S. Army Spc. Richard Daniels Jr. Task Force Bastogne Public Affairs

Friday, 25 February 2011 NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Three knocks at my office door indicated he arrived. He entered the room as if most of the world was lifted from his shoulders. He told me he had just come from another visit at the combat stress clinic.

NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - U.S. Army Sgt. Kevin Garrison, a squad leader assigned to 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, tells his story Feb. 4 about his experiences in eastern Afghanistan’s Pech River Valley. Garrison, a St. Louis native, has become an advocate of the combat stress program designed to help Soldiers overcome the anxieties of deployment. (Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Richard Daniels Jr., Task Force Bastogne Public Affairs)

He sat down and explained he was ready to tell his story and tell why he encourages Soldiers seek help. He relaxed, settled back in his chair and said, “My name is Sgt. Kevin Garrison, and this is my story of 3rd Platoon, Company D, in Afghanistan.”

Garrison recalled a late fall morning in the Watapur Valley. His team was tasked to over watch another unit during an operation known as Bulldog Bite.

He reminisced walking through the steep, rugged mountain terrain as the morning sun rose with the sound of their steps deep into the Valley. I listened silently and watched as Garrison’s eyes shift to the table before us, his right hand moved as if pinching the grip of his rifle. He was in his world now.

US Army gets Belgian Trucker Across Afghanistan

Belgian trucker treks across Afghanistan in US Army

After cleaning out his truck, U.S. Army Pvt. Peter Beullens, a truck driver originally from Leuven, Belgium, assigned to Forward Support Company G, 2nd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force Balls, stands next to a row of mine resistant, ambush-protected all terrain vehicles lined up at Forward Operating Base Hughie in eastern Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, Feb. 25. Beullens said he feels like the Army is his family now. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell

02.27.2011 Story by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Burrell CJTF 101 NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The hulking mine resistant, ambush-protected all terrain vehicle screamed to a halt. The soldiers held their breath for what was next.

An explosion? The road was crumbling in places and narrow enough to be an insurgent's favorite choice.

Machine gun fire? A convoy of vehicles this long made such an opportune target.

A stray puppy? U.S. Army Pvt. Peter Beullens casually turned toward his truck commander with a smile.

Libyan Rebels Gain Ground as Oil Shipments Resume

28 February 2011 VOA News Libyan anti-government protesters in the western city of Zawiya awaited a counter-attack by forces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi Monday, as eastern rebels declared a provisional government and allowed oil shipments to resume from territory under their control.

Residents in Zawiya – some 50 kilometers west of the capital, Tripoli – said late Sunday that about 2,000 pro-Gadhafi troops had surrounded the city.

Western journalists in Zawiya found the city firmly in rebel hands, with defecting military officers displaying army tanks and anti-aircraft guns mounted on pickup trucks ready for the expected attack. Journalists reported seeing hundreds of people gathered and chanting anti-Gadhafi slogans as well as extensive damage from recent fighting. A key industrial city close to a port and refineries, Zawiya is a staging post for one of Libya's biggest oil and gas pipelines.

Meanwhile, a Libyan official representing the Arabian Gulf Oil Company, the country's largest producer and the only one based in the opposition-controlled east, said the company resumed oil shipments Sunday, loading two tankers at a port in Tobruk.

Video of Heavy Police Presence Thwarting Call for Protests in China

27 February 2011 VOA News Peter Simpson | Beijing China put on a display of force Sunday following an on-line call for anti-government protests across the nation. Several foreign journalists were physically assaulted and detained, including two VOA reporters. Security officials are determined to put down any signs of the kind of unrest that has shaken the Middle East.

Chinese security forces were deployed following the second on-line call in a week urging peaceful protests against Communist Party rule.

Hundreds of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers patrolled expected protest sites in China's two main cities, Beijing and Shanghai.

Police removed five men gathering at a planned protest site in Shanghai.

RIP CPL Frank Woodruff Buckles - Pershing's Last Patriot

CPL Frank Woodruff Buckles, 110, of Charles Town, West Virginia, last surviving U.S. veteran of World War I, died at 12:15AM, 27 FEB 2011.  He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetary at a date to be determined, with special Honors from the French and United Kingdom.  President George W Bush signed a bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, WV, for the burial at Arlington in 2008.

CPL Buckles turned 110 on February 1st.  During his service in WWI, he received the WWI Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, and the French Legion d'honneur.

In 2008, he received the VFW Gold Medal of Merit.  Also in 2008, he received the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry's Knight Commander of the Court of Honour.

During WWII, while a civilian, he became a Prisoner of War at the Los Banos prison camp in the Philippines from 1942 to 23 Feb 1945.

France will send a Defence Ministry Official, Two Honor Guards, and Pallbearers.  The British will send the Air-Vice Marshal and the British Ambassador.

CPL Buckles is survived by a grateful Nation, and many relatives and friends.

Previous Articles on CPL Frank Buckles:
Last WWI Veteran
4th of July 2009

Other Articles on CPL Buckles and his passing:
Assoluta Tranquillita: Everyday Hero Frank Buckles

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.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. 

War In Afghanistan News 28 Feb 2011

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces: Paktiya, Zabul, Helmand, Kandahar, Logar, Kabul and Nangarhar.

In addition to 2000 pounds of hash, Afghan and coalition forces rounded up at least 3 Taliban weapons facilitators, 2 VBIED facilitators, and cleared out 7 weapons caches in operations throughout Afghanistan.  Also, Mullah Faizulla was killed after threatening security forces during operations in Zabul yesterday.

Tailor the way you get your War in Afghanistan News

In other International Security Assistance Force Joint (ISAF) Command Operational News throughout Afghanistan:

Afghan Parliament Elects Former Warlord as Speaker

27 February 2011 VOA News Afghan lawmakers elected a former Uzbek warlord as speaker of the lower house of parliament Sunday, ending weeks of squabbling over the position.

The election of Abdul Rahoof Ibrahimi, who represents northern Kunduz province, as speaker of the 249-member Wolesi Jirga clears the way for the lawmakers to begin legislating five months after the country's September 18 parliamentary elections. That vote was marred by widespread allegations of fraud and voter intimidation.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai swore in the new Wolesi Jirga on January 26, after which it squabbled over two main candidates for speaker — former speaker Younus Qanooni and former warlord Abdulrab Rasoul Sayyaf. However, both men failed to win enough votes.

Just What is it that EOD Marines Really Do?

EOD Marines conduct basic demolition range

III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs

Marines and sailors with 9th ESB attach composition C-4 to the main line before igniting the explosion. Photo by Lance Cpl. Heather Choate

02.26.2011 Story by Lance Cpl. Heather Choate OKINAWA, Japan - Marines with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, conducted a two-day basic demolition training package for junior Marines and sailors in the battalion.

The training was an opportunity for Marines in other Military Occupational Specialties to see firsthand what EOD does, according to Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael C. Sharp, staff noncommissioned officer in charge with EOD Company.

“We offered training with demolitions in order to provide a look at training most Marines normally do not get the opportunity to do,” said Sharp.

“Working with explosives is motivating; we wanted to share the experience with other Marines within the battalion.”

28 FEB 2011 Moments of Silence #HonorTheFallen 1PM-1:14 EDT

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.” (W.Shakespeare)  Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten. 

REQUEST that all afford my Brothers a Moment of Silence each on Monday beginning 1:00 PM, Eastern Time.  REQUEST that each Moment of Silence be dedicated each Monday to my Fallen Brothers in order of notification since prior Monday.  1PM Eastern is Kabul 22:30/10:30PM, Baghdad 20:00/8PM, London 18:00/6PM, San Diego 10AM.  This time accommodates those in London, Baghdad & Kabul as well as Congress and across the United States.

• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1PM to 1:02 EDT: PFC #Bowe Bergdahl, Kidnapped by Taliban, Two Minutes until he comes home #MIA #SOT #MoS
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:02-1:03 EDT: Yliluutnantti Jukka Tapio Kansonen, Finland 02/15/11 Samangan AFG Finnish Navy
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:03-1:04 EDT: SSG Bradley C. Hart, Perrysburg OH 02/17/11 Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Africa  U.S. Army SpecOps
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:04-1:05 EDT: Stabsgefreiter Konstantin Menz, Baden-Württemberg 02/18/11 Baghlan AFG German Army
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:05-1:06 EDT: HFW Georg Missulia, Langdorf Bavaria 02/18/11 Konduz AFG German Army
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:06-1:07 EDT: Chasseur de 1re classe Clément Chamarier, France 02/19/11 Kapisa AFG French Army
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:07-1:08 EDT: LCpl Andrew P. Carpenter, Columbia TN 02/19/11 Helmand AFG 3/8, 2D MarDiv
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:08-1:09 EDT: Hauptgefreiter Georg Kurat, Bavaria 02/19/11 Baghlan AFG German Army
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:09-1:10 EDT: 1LT Daren M. Hidalgo, Waukesha WI 02/20/11 Kandahar AFG 3-2 Stryker Cavalry RGT
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:10-1:11 EDT: SGT Robert C. Sisson Jr., Aliquippa PA 02/21/11 Kandahar AFG 1-22 IR, 1st BCT, 4 ID
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:11-1:12 EDT: Corporal Giorgi Avaliani, Georgia 02/22/11 Helmand AFG Georgian Army
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:12-1:13 EDT: Cpl Johnathan W. Taylor, Homosassa FL 02/22/11 Helmand AFG 2/8, 2D MarDiv
• #MoS #MilitaryMon 1:13-1:14 EDT: SSG Jerome Firtamag, Pohnpei, Micronesia 02/24/11 Pembroke, KY (Kandahar AFG) 96th CSB, 101st ABN (AA)

 

Republication WITHOUT attribution of Moments of Silence is encouraged.  Tailoring quotes and tribute video is encouraged but not required, while it is requested that the times and names be maintained intact.  Each moment is tailored to meet twitter norms and to be tweeted at that time, Each Monday, based on order of notification.

Newspaper: Lockerbie Bomber Blackmailed Gadhafi

27 February 2011 VOA News A former Libyan justice minister tells a British newspaper that Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi blackmailed Moammar Gadhafi into getting him out of a Scottish prison.

Mustafa Abdel-Jalil tells London's Sunday Times that al-Megrahi threatened to “reveal everything” unless Mr. Gadhafi worked to free him.

Abdel-Jalil told Sweden's Expressen newspaper last week that

Horn of Africa’s operating picture becomes visual

U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne)

Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth Buttrum of D Company 490th Civil Affairs Battalion shows Capt. Paul Stambaugh of the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion the Map Human Terrain Software. The 490th will use this program to gather civil and socio-cultural information to share with other units. Soldiers are using this program to link entities to create a visual area of operations.  Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Andy Yoshimura

02.24.2011 Story by Staff Sgt. Amanda Boersma FORT BRAGG, N.C. - "Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.” – Samuel Johnson, British Author, 1775.

Under sponsorship from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts, U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) Soldiers joined members of the Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command in a two-week class on Mapping of Human Terrain. MAP-HT is a program that teaches new ways of visualizing a battlespace. The course included fundamentals of the software program, how to input information into the database, and a culminating exercise in which they utilized simulated reports from the field to create recommendations in an exercise area of operations.

Currently, USACAPOC(A) soldiers are using

Commentary: Mentoring Iraqi air-to-ground integration

Written by Maj. Pete Schnobrich Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air

Saturday, February 26, 2011 BAGHDAD — The Iraq Training and Advisory Mission - Air has committed significant effort in the rebuilding of the Iraqi air force and Iraqi Army Aviation Command into credible and sovereign fighting forces. One of the main paths along this effort is establishing a basic ground attack capability from both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

An Iraqi Air Force AC-208 Cessna Caravan aircrew launches a Hellfire missile at a target on the Aziziyah Training Range south of Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brandon Bolick)

The experience of the U.S. Air Force in the last eight years operating in support of security operations can be focused on one common theme - the detailed integration of airpower with ground forces. That is essential to security operations. Advisors are approaching future operations for all branches of the Iraqi military no differently.

More efficient bases for Afghanistan showcased

An Equipment and Logistics news article

25 Feb 11 New ways of making forward operating bases used by British troops in Afghanistan easier to construct and more energy efficient were displayed yesterday.

A soldier manning a defensive position at the FOBEX event
[Picture: Andrew Linnett, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Units deployed in Helmand work out of tactical bases or forward operating bases in remote locations. The bases require supporting infrastructure and capabilities. At the moment there is a multitude of designs, and configurations have evolved during operations dependent on the types of missions conducted from each base.

The MOD's Programmes and Technology Group has been collaborating with industry to develop an open architecture and create a scalable, modular approach to tactical base equipment and infrastructure.

Clashes Between Police, Protesters Kill 2 in Oman

27 February 2011 VOA News Witnesses in the Persian Gulf Sultanate of Oman say security forces killed two demonstrators Sunday after firing rubber bullets into a crowd demanding political reforms.

The clashes Sunday between police and stone-throwing protesters occurred in the town of Sohar, about 200 kilometers northwest of the capital, Muscat.

Training, Greenhouses Foster Afghan Development

KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 26, 2011) — Soldiers of the 2-45 Agribusiness Development Team, or ADT met with Afghan officials in Gardez district, Paktiya province Feb. 23.

The first meeting was with Mohammad Zadran, the director of the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, or DAIL for Paktiya province.

U.S. Army Sgt. Lacy Spanier, senior female adviser of the 2-45th Agribusiness Development Team and native of McLoud, Okla., talks with mechanics at the Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock compound in Gardez, Afghanistan, Feb. 23. DIAL mechanics recently completed a course in tractor maintenance, and are now qualified to travel across Paktya and assist Afghan farmers in the repair and upkeep of tractors. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. John P. Sklaney III)

8 Die in Afghan Explosion

27 Februaryl 2011  VOA News Officials in Afghanistan say two bomb blasts in the southern part of the country have killed at least eight people watching a dog fight.

Authorities say Sunday's explosions went off in the Arghandab district, on the outskirts of Kandahar city.

Police say five of their officers were wounded in the explosions.

There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack, although the Taliban considers dogfighting un-Islamic.

Dogfighting is popular in southern Afghanistan.

Soldiers, professional fighters face off at UFC Tour clinic

109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Capt. Angel Vega, Company B, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, left, grapples with Spc. Alexander Quebedeaux, a petroleum supply specialist with 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), during a special fight clinic hosted by Ultimate Fighting Championship stars Mike Swick and Kyle Kingsbury, Feb 24, at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq. The UFC fighters held a question and answer session, signed autographs and taught Soldiers new moves during the clinic. Photo by Sgt. Shawn Miller

02.26.2011 Story by Sgt. Shawn Miller “So who wants to roll?” asked Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Mike Swick, surrounded by soldiers deployed to northern Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn.

Eager to test their mettle on the mat against two of the UFC’s top fighters, several soldiers jumped at the opportunity to grapple with Swick and mixed martial arts fighter Kyle Kingsbury during the UFC Tour at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Feb. 24.

Swick and Kingsbury, accompanied by Octagon Girls Amber Miller and Natasha Wicks, met with service members and civilian contractors during a workshop hosted by Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

Corpsmen, Japanese officers learn together

III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs

Corpsmen with 3rd Medical Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, learn buddy rushing tactics during a Tactical Combat Casualty Care training course Feb. 17. Everything the corpsmen are taught in this course is designed to prepare them to successfully provide medical attention in a combat environment.  Photo by Lance Cpl. Tyler Vernaza

02.25.2011 Story by Lance Cpl. Tyler Vernaza  OKINAWA, Japan - Corpsmen with 3rd Medical Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and officers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force from mainland Japan, concluded a week-long evolution where they practiced tactical combat casualty care, Feb. 17.

TCCC is an integral part of a corpsman’s job, according to Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Martin, lead instructor for training, 3rd Medical Battalion, CLR 35.

This training will better prepare them for any situation where they must provide medical assistance in a combat situation, he said.

“The three phases to TCCC are care under fire, tactical field care and casualty evacuation,” added Martin.

AAF learn fundamentals of entry control procedures

438th Air Expeditionary Wing

Members of the Afghan air force practice basic apprentice security force training and entry control procedures at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee, the Afghan air force's "Big Air School", on the Afghan air force base in Kabul, Afghanistan Feb. 24.  Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jared Walker

02.26.2011 Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jared Walker KABUL, Afghanistan - Members of the Afghan air force practice basic apprentice security force training and entry control procedures at Pohantoon-e-Hawayee, the Afghan air force's "Big Air School," on the Afghan air force base in Kabul, Afghanistan Feb. 24.

Master Sgt. Tyler Brown, the security forces advisor at PeH explained the purpose of the basic apprentice security force class.

“The basic apprentice security force training and entry control procedures are taught because they are the backbone of what duties the AAF members will be performing when they get released back to their working squadron. One of the main roles of security forces is to control access to whatever area that they are guarding. It’s a key corner stone of that training,” said Sgt. Brown.

Fraidoon, a civilian Afghan instructor at PeH teaching security procedures, further explained the role ECP has in the security training.

FiST Soldiers show their skills

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

First Lt. Erik Solenberger (left), a fire support officer, and Sgt. Jerame Burns, a fire support noncommissioned officer, both with Company B, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division pause to review a map of the location of their observation post during a fire support team certification Feb. 22 on a training range here. The OP occupation was the final task in the week-long certification.  Photo by Spc. Kimberly Hackbarth

02.25.2011 Story by Spc. Kimberly Hackbarth JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - With only four seconds left to finish his mission, the only thing on Sgt. Bradley Metz's mind was, "I hope I don't bust time."

Soldiers from Metz’s battalion, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, and three other 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division units each spent a week earning their fire support team (FiST) certification Feb. 7 through March 11 at several training centers and ranges here.

During each week, soldiers proved their knowledge of fire support systems and other skills by passing a written exam, completing a simulated call for fire, and overcoming the dense Pacific Northwest vegetation during a land navigation course and an observation post occupation.

Operation Shining Star

Operation Shining Star combines mortars, tanks and infantry into live fire exercise

36th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office

The night sky is illuminated by multiple flares during Operation Shining Star, an exercise in which the 52nd Iraq Army Brigade, 14th Iraq Army Division demonstrates its ability to conduct a complex combat operation and project combat power across a water obstacle. The life fire exercise was conducted on Tea Leaf Island, north of Contingency Operating Basra on Feb. 14. The exercise included the mortaring of a barricaded gunmen presumed on the island, followed by boats surrounding the island and soldiers combing the coastline with light and medium weapons after launching flares to light the area.  Photo by Sgt. Jeremy Spires

Story by Sgt. Jeremy Spires BASRAH, Iraq – A green star cluster flared in the night sky, marking the beginning a complex night maneuver by the 14th Iraqi Army Division on the banks of Tea Leaf Island located north of Contingency Operating Base Basra.

The night’s event, called Operation Shining Star, displayed the 14th IA Division’s combat and security capabilities by combining mortars, tanks and a river crossing into a live-fire exercise.

Land Warrior turns Dragoon MPs into Robo Cops

2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

Spc. Benjamin Gurney monitors a UAV while on patrol in the Qalat City Bazaar, Zabul province, Afghanistan.

02.26.2011 Story by Sgt. Gerald Wilson ZABUL, Afghanistan- Military Police officers from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment took full advantage of modern technology during their deployment to Zabul province, Afghanistan. The Dragoons have the honor of having the first MP platoon to ever field the Land Warrior System in combat.

The Land Warrior system is a self contained computer which is integrated into the body armor worn by soldiers. The system allows ground forces to see digital overlays, maps, photographs and access UAV transmissions all through a small monitor attached to their helmets. It also allows squad leaders to track the position of each member of his unit by using a global positioning satellite signal. Land Warrior gives each soldier in the field access to pertinent information which assists them in completing the mission.

Gates: Army Faces 'Daunting, Diverse' Challenges

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs

02.25.2011 WASHINGTON - During what he called his last appearance there as defense secretary, Robert M. Gates spoke to cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Feb. 25 about the Army's future in facing challenges he termed "daunting and diverse."

Gates focused on three issues he termed interrelated: future conflict and its implication for the Army; how to institutionalize required capabilities; and how the service must adapt to retain the kinds of officers it will need this century.

A decade ago, the Army was "a force mainly organized, trained, and equipped to defeat another large modern army," Gates said.

The lessons and organizational adaptations resulting from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, must be "not merely 'observed' but truly 'learned' – incorporated into the service's DNA and institutional memory."

Obama: Gadhafi Should Leave Immediately

26 February 2011 VOA News U.S. President Barack Obama says Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has “lost the legitimacy to rule” and should step down immediately.

The White House said that Mr. Obama made the remarks in a telephone conversation Saturday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The statement adds that the U.S. and German leaders shared “deep concerns” about the ongoing violent crackdown against protesters in Libya, and discussed “appropriate and effective ways” for the international community to respond.

Also Saturday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. was taking steps to hold Mr. Gadhafi's government “accountable for its violation of human rights.” She said the State Department has revoked the U.S. visas held by Libyan leaders and members of their immediate family.

Mr. Obama Friday signed an executive order imposing

Generals On Duty?

The highest Honor one Warrior can give another is not "He's a nice guy," or "He gets things done," but "I'd follow that man into the Gates of Hell," or "I'd trust him to cover my six any day of the week."  It's not about whether they like the person or not. It's not about the rank of the person discussed.  It's about respect earned by his actions.

But as one climbs the rank structure, hopefully for doing the right things, and not as a matter of punching the right tickets, certain duties are no longer required, or expected, of them.  Some call this the "privilege of rank," but reality is that they have other duties that are more important, more stressful, and don't allow for some of the more menial tasks they once conducted on a regular basis.

Still, wise leaders will on occasion return to duties, serving subordinates, on special occasions.  Most notable is a military tradition of the highest ranking serving meals to the lower ranks on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Even President George W. Bush has done this, in combat zones.  But pulling guard duty?  That's not the norm or tradition, not even on holidays.  Some poor unlucky sap whose number has come up, literally, gets the duty.  But there is a story of one General who did so, on Christmas one year.

Sapper company clears roads around Tikrit

Written by Sgt. David Strayer 109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment U.S. Division-North

Thursday, February 24, 2011 COB SPEICHER, Iraq – Before conducting route clearance missions from Contingency Operating Base Speicher, combat engineers of the 34th Engineer Company (Sapper), attached to 326th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, perform pre-combat checks and pre-combat inspections on personal protective equipment and armored route clearance vehicles and practice rollover drills in preparation for the task at hand.

U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Strayer

U.S. Soldiers of 34th Sapper Company conduct route clearance missions, providing freedom of movement for all U.S. forces, Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi citizens in the areas around Tikrit in the Salah ad Din province.

With the onset of Operation New Dawn and the official ending of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, the mission set for U.S. Soldiers has changed, said Spc. Andrew Williams, a combat engineer assigned to Sapper Company.

War In Afghanistan News 27 Feb 2011

War in Afghanistan News reports provided by ISAF Joint Command.  Operations are reported in the following provinces:  Kandahar and Helmand.

With operations from only two provinces being reported, there is no lack of activity.  12 insurgents, and multiple Taliban facilitators were arrested/detained.  In  Zharay district of Kandahar a  Taliban leader recently returned from Chaman, Pakistan, in preparation for the spring fighting season was captured.

Tailor the way you get your War in Afghanistan News

In other International Security Assistance Force Joint (ISAF) Command Operational News throughout Afghanistan:

‘Duty Day with God’

‘Duty Day with God’ program offers relief to CAB Soldiers

25th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs

Chaplain (Capt.) Tony Cech, battalion chaplain, 209th Aviation Support Battalion (ASB), "Lobos," 25th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), leads a prayer at the summit of Mount Mauna Kea, which at 13,796 feet is the highest point in the Pacific Basin, during a 'Duty Day with God' trip to the Twin Keck Observatories during a rotation at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island of Hawaii, Feb. 9. (Army photo/Sgt. Daniel Schroeder)

02.25.2011 By Sgt. Daniel Schroeder POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii – “I am physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I will always maintain my arms, my equipment, and myself,” is part of the Soldier’s Creed. Part of a soldier’s training is to be physically fit to complete their job to standard. The second part, being mentally tough, is being able to withstand the hardships and sacrifices of being a soldier in the U.S. Army.

The Army has developed innovative ways to help improve and maintain a soldier’s mental health throughout the years. One way is to help strengthen the spiritual health of a soldier with the help of Army chaplains.

Vets, Miramar remember Iwo Jima

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Iwo Jima veterans gather at The Flying Leatherneck Marine Aviation Museum aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Feb. 18. The veterans perused the museum before enjoying lunch at the station chow hall and exploring modern aircraft on the station flight line to celebrate their annual reunion.  Photo by Lance Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot

02.25.2011 Story by Lance Cpl. Lisa Tourtelot Twenty-one Iwo Jima veterans celebrated their annual reunion aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Feb. 18 to honor the day the Battle of Iwo Jima began on Feb. 19, 1945.

Guard Member Recalls Gulf War

Joint Force Headquarters- Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

02.25.2011 SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Twenty years ago, National Guard, reserve and active duty service members began ground combat operations to liberate Kuwait, marking the beginning of the end of the first Gulf War.

U.S. and coalition partners had been building up in the region since August 1990 when the late dictator, Saddam Hussein, ordered his Iraqi army to invade Kuwait. The next six months of operations, known as Operation Desert Shield, culminated with a crushing U.S.-led air war in January 1991.

When the ground war, known as Operation Desert Storm, began Feb. 24, 1991, few could have predicted it would last only 100 hours.