News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.
In their own words:
LT Nixon: Iraq News (1 May) - The Good: A new State Department report indicates terrorist attacks are declining in Iraq; however, they have increased in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister has sent a delegation to Iran to discuss the arming and training of rogue militia groups in Iraq and hopefully put the kaibash on the nefarious practice. It's probably for the best that the Iraqis handle this ugly issue, as any efforts by the US would be met with great criticism from the Middle East thinking that we were beating the war drums with Iran. Also, Turkey is taking a smarter approach to dealing with the PKK, using dialogue instead of bombs (which is more suitable for the situation they face, IMHO). (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistan: Medals and hearts - The five of us police mentors leaving FOB Vulcan recently were awarded medals for our time here. Sgt. First Class McEnroe received the Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart for his work here, including the injuries he sustained when an IED blast (in Waghez) threw him out of the gunner's turret in an attack last year. Maj. Basart also received the BSM for his work here and CPT Knueven is in the process of (hopefully) receiving his BSM. Master Sgt. Witham and I each received the Meritorious Service Medal for our work in Afghanistan. All of us also received certificates from the 82nd Airborne for our work with the Task Force 2 Fury unit here in Ghazni. (READ MORE)
ETT PA-C: Ecclesiastes - Let me preface this as this is an ironic joke. I don't want anyone thinking my normal level of PTSD has been elevated to an intolerable degree. Truthfully, my PTSD is from dealing with fairly incompetent leadership more than the few TICs I've been in while over here. Frankly, the Taliban are easier to deal with. You just shoot em and its over. Everyone sleeps well. So, back to my little story. I get these "verse of the day" emails to balance the rather impure world I live in. It can't hurt to find a little balance you know! So, today's verse is Ecclesiastes 7:4. "A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time." The irony comes into play in that all we want to do is go home and be "fools" but we're here sweating the equivelent of an Umpa Lumpa off every hour or so wishing we could shoot ourselves just for the medivac home. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: US troops kill 28 Mahdi fighters in Sadr City - The apparent respite in yesterday's fighting was illusionary as US forces killed an additional 27 Mahdi Army fighters and a senior Special Groups leader during a series of engagements in the afternoon and throughout the night in Sadr City. One of the larger clashes occurred as US force were attacked while constructing the barrier that divides the southern portion of Sadr city where US and Iraqi troops have established a foothold. The fighting began just before noon as Mahdi Army fighters attacked US troops with rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire as they were building the concrete security barrier in Sadr City. US soldiers responded and killed three Mahdi fighters. (READ MORE)
IN-iraq: Up in the tower - You thought your job was tedious. Try pulling a guard duty shift in one of the perimeter towers at LSA Anaconda. After scaling a steel ladder 20 feet up, you’ll emerge into a cramped turret. There’s just enough room for two soldier’s stools and the trap door. And it's a sweat box. Even though we felt a few rain drops today, the inside of the tower is steaming. Flies are buzzing about the heads of the two specialists on duty. The full body armor and Kevlar helmet they’re required to wear doesn’t help any. (READ MORE)
Leaving:
Badger 6: PZ Clean - We have slapped high-fives on the OBJ; I have tossed out an HC smoke grenade; EXFIL is underway. In other words . . . I am out of Iraq and on my way home. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
MND-B soldiers kill 8 criminals - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers killed eight criminals during night operations in northeastern Baghdad. Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle, witnessed two armed criminals, including one bearing a rifle on the rooftop of a house at approximately 7:15 p.m. April 30. Soldiers fired one Hellfire missile from the UAV. Both criminals were killed, and the weapon was destroyed. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces strike Iranian-sponsored Special Groups leader in Sadr City - BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces conducted a precision airstrike in Sadr City against a known Iranian-sponsored senior Special Groups leader at 2:17 p.m. today. Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted a known Special Groups leader responsible for criminal acts against Iraqi citizens and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers kill 9 criminals in separate clashes (Baghdad) - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division—Baghdad Soldiers killed nine criminals in two separate engagements April 30. At approximately 3 p.m. in Sadr City, Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, attached to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division observed criminals loading multiple rockets onto a launch sled. The Soldiers engaged the criminals before they could fire the rockets and killed five criminals. (READ MORE)
Christians sign up to join Iraqi Police force (Mosul) - MOSUL, Iraq – Scores of Christian men lined up to join the Iraqi Police force during a recruiting drive in Tall Kayf, 15 km north of Mosul, April 28. The goal of the three-day event was to recruit up to 700 Christians to join the police force to help protect their respective communities in Mosul. (READ MORE)
‘Punisher’ partners with Iraqi Highway Patrol (as-Samawah) - AS SAMAWAH, Iraq – After weeks of coordination with the Iraqi Highway Police leadership in as-Samawah, Iraq, the Combat Outpost 6, Punisher Route Security Team partnered with the Muthanna IHP, training them from April 22-26. During the seminar, the IHP were trained on basic leadership skills, pre-mission planning, operational targeting, reacting to small-arms fire and improvised explosive device attacks, personnel and vehicular search techniques, traffic control point operations, first aid, establishing a cordon and basic rifle marksmanship. (READ MORE)
Disabled Iraqi child receives wheelchair (Baghdad) - BAGHDAD – One Iraqi family learned that a large heart goes a long way to helping little people. Department of Defense contractor Sandra Beutler, a media analyst with Multi-National Force-Iraq, found a special place in her heart for an Iraqi family that has five children, three of whom are disabled with a form of dwarfism. One of the children, 13-year-old Saja, cannot walk as a result of her affliction. Beutler and other volunteers came up with the idea of providing a child sized wheelchair for Saja, so she could attend school. (READ MORE)
Rashid community leaders open district council hall (Baghdad) - BAGHDAD – Leaders from the Rashid district community, local Iraqi Security Forces, and 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, gathered to demonstrate their joint commitment to improve the quality of life for Iraqi citizens during the commemoration of a new building for the Rashid District Council Hall on April 26. “This building provides the leaders and citizens of Rashid a meeting place to voice their concerns to their elected officials, to plan, and with wisdom, map out the way of progress for all Iraqis here in Rashid,” said Col. Ted Martin, commander, 1st BCT. (READ MORE)
Refurbished School Opens in Salman Pak - FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — The only secondary school for girls in the Salman Pak area opened its doors with a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 24. Leaders of the Salman Pak Council, the Iraqi Army, the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, gathered in Salman Pak for the ceremony, which marked the completion of a $200,000 project initiated Feb. 28. (READ MORE)
ISF establish security stations, detain 55 - Iraqi Security Forces seized three buildings in Zuwarijat, 163 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, April 25 to establish security stations. Iraqi Army Soldiers led Operation Thunder II, with Iraqi Police support, seizing three buildings to provide ISF with a permanent presence in Zuwarijat, a known criminal stronghold. (READ MORE)
Iron Brigade Soldiers – boots on the ground - When Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, arrived here at the beginning of April, they had a good idea what they were getting into. This is the Iron Brigade’s third deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and its Soldiers have been preparing for months at their home station in Baumholder, Germany. (READ MORE)
1-35 Armor Regt. leaders meet Jisr Diyala Nahia Council members - The commander of 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, introduced himself and key members of his staff to leaders of the Jisr Diyala Nahia Council April 28. Lt. Col. Ricardo Morales, from El Paso, Texas, stressed the need to maintain positive momentum and continue working closely with the council as the 1-35th Armor Regt. takes responsibility for operations in Jisr Diyala. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan:
Coalition forces provide medical care in Nangarhar - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – A Coalition medical team conducted medical screenings and provided routine treatment to 65 local citizens, including 25 children, in Kama District, Nangarhar province Sunday. Working with local leaders, the team set up a temporary treatment facility at a school in Mer Zert Kheyl village, while Afghan National Police and Coalition forces provided security. The team treated citizens suffering from various health conditions ranging from digestive disorders and eye problems to joint pain. In addition to the medical screenings and treatment, the Coalition forces also provided free flour, rice and milk to the citizens. (READ MORE)
Detained Khowst, Helmand province militants identified - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Coalition forces have released the identity of two insurgents detained during separate operations conducted last month to disrupt militant operations in Helmand and Khowst provinces. The insurgents, identified as Raz Mohammad and Wali Gul, were apprehended during two separate operations targeting anti-government militants. Mohammad, 20, was detained March 14 during operations targeting a Taliban commander in Helmand province. (READ MORE)
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