News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
In their own words:
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Laying the ‘ground’ work at Camp Mejid: 3rd MAW (Fwd.) Marines lead basic electrical skills course for Iraqi Army - CAMP MEJID, Iraq - Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 wrapped up a basic electrical skills training course for Iraqi Army engineers at Camp Mejid Aug. 18. The 14-day course, taught by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) support squadron, covered the fundamentals of interior wiring and grounding techniques. Through the course, the Marines provided the Iraqi soldiers with basic electrical skills that will help the soldiers improve the safety and function of IA facilities. (READ MORE)
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Yuma, Ariz., native takes charge as convoy commander - AL-JAZIRAH DESERT, Iraq — A Yuma, Ariz., native led a five-day convoy of more than 50 vehicles and 100 Marines from the gates of Al Asad Air Base across the sands of al-Jazirah desert in Iraq to dismantle an expedient repair and replenishment point. Sgt. Carlos Canez, a motor transport operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), took charge of the mission that began July 23, serving as the convoy commander, a billet normally held by a staff noncommissioned officer or commissioned officer. During the mission, Canez brought his Marines to repair and replenishment point San Francisco, a site established several weeks prior to afford units operating in the region a location to refuel their vehicles and aircraft. The replenishment point also gave units a place for personnel to take a break and refresh before heading back into Iraq’s unforgiving desert. (READ MORE)
Back on the Homefront: Big Boys - The boys are continuing to grow like weeds. Everyday, I hate it more and more that Micah only gets to witness it through pics, video and the occasional chat with them on the webcam. It really sucks that he can't see the little things they do to make my heart melt and/or make me cry. Both of them have really grown (not just physically) during this deployment... Evan has gotten over the tantrums for the most part and is really impressing me with the ability to talk to me about his problems. He clearly lets me know if he's had a bad day at pre-school...and exactly what happened to make it so bad. Of course he excitedly lets me know the great days too! He's also getting much better at finding ways to deal with his sadness of Micah being gone. I can't believe this little guy can sit and carry on a real conversation with me about things other than cars, trains and firetrucks! (READ MORE)
Collabman's Thoughts: Looking Back...Moving Forward - Afternoon... I hope you are spending time with family and friends this holiday weekend. Labor day...what comes to mind? A day of rest? A symbolic end of summer? Picnics, barbecues, water sports? For me, it is a look back... Last year it was the first major holiday for my wife and I with Chris and our warriors from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Iraq...in harms way. I remember I struggled trying to get my mind around it all...here is a look back. Where were you and what were your thoughts? Monday, September 3, 2007 - A Season of Thoughts... "Nancy and I decided to spend this Labor Day holiday in a quiet way, reflecting on our loved ones, the sacrifice of those deployed around the globe and just how fortunate we are to live in this great country." (READ MORE)
Fobbits need ice cream too: Nothing witty to put here - Same shit same day still. Breastmilk formations continue, missions continue all the same. We got to pull security on a bridge in our AO last night which was cool. We walked around and kicked things that looked like IEDs, helped Iraqis fix their breakdowns and try to talk to them. I realized we are spoiled that our TCNs speak so much English; trying to talk to local Iraqis was a nightmare. All I can say is "Hello", "What's up?", "Sorry", "Thank you", "Drop your gun" and "Show me your ID". Since we waited until all the convoys had passed through us, we were the last ones to get up here, so we are the last push back out. This means we will be here for 2-3 days as we wait for trucks which is fine by me. We seem to be getting on a schedule where the 1SG isn't at the same base as us, which means if we have formation, we don't stand in the sun at 1500 for 20 minutes. They are late at night or last 2 minutes. (READ MORE)
Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: Power restored in majority of Fallujah - FALLUJAH, Iraq – Nearly 10,000 Fallujah homes were restored with electricity access thanks to Marines working closely with the Fallujah City Council to deliver 35 new generators throughout the city. Civil Affairs Team 2, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, in direct support of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, along with Sheik Hamid Ahmad Hashim al-Alwani, chairman of the FCC, announced the delivery of the 32nd generator during an Iraqi press briefing Aug. 27 at a site in the city where one of the generators has been producing power for the last three months. “From the time we arrived in January, there was a local demand for generators throughout the city,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Byron Yoshida, team leader, Civil Affairs Team 2. “Initially, the project was sub-divided by precincts and eventually it became a city-wide project of providing the 35 generators.” (READ MORE)
Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: Movin’ Out - The Marines of Regimental Combat Team 1 are packing there bags and moving to Ramadi. RCT-1 was the first Regiment to call Camp Fallujah their home, and now they will be the last Marine regiment to inhabit the base that has housed four different regimental combat teams throughout the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom: RCTs one, eight, five, and six. RCT-1 is the only regiment to operate from Camp Fallujah twice. I often wonder what the Marines who were present during the invasion would think if they could see Camp Fallujah and the city of Fallujah now. (READ MORE)
HILLAS' HISTORIES: Changes for the Better Raise Hopes - Well, its my first entry since arriving back in Hillah two weeks ago. It is suprising that during my almost two months away there have been noticeable changes -- and for the better. There are lots of small changes, but collectively they make for a different picture. People now are out on the streets at 9 or 10 at night. That contrasts with the situation in the spring: when the sun went down, people went home. Women (albeit a small minority) walk in public without headscarves for the first time in over two years. Young people play pop music loudly outdoors, and less often does one hear religious music. Several new restaurant opened in Hillah this summer. The local population talks about how they feel more relaxed. While some of the Special Groups fled or were broken up in the province last spring, their capabilities have not been eliminated and the terrorist threat remains. (READ MORE)
The Left Captain: Odd Combination of Pride and Frustration - Kind of a second lowpoint in the deployment for me the past day, although I can't put a finger on why. I'm only at around two months here at the FOB but when I look back at the spring and summer I realize that all of May and parts of April, June and July were eaten up by training and preparation for deployment. It seems like it has been a long time since I last lived my normal life-- Deployment has been dominating my thoughts and daily life for most of this year and will continue to for the rest of the year. Mostly I'm fine, but I really have to avoid looking at pictures of my family...I find it interesting that a not insignificant number of people here really like the deployment, or at least don't mind it. These young men and women like their jobs, aren't married, don't have kids, don't pay rent or pay for food and they make extra pay while they are here. Not a bad deal for a 20 year old. (READ MORE)
IN-iraq: (VIDEO) Minutes after a July IED attack on an Iraqi Army convoy in Mosul - The purpose of this video is not just to show the destruction that terrorist bombs inflict on a community, but to show U.S. and Iraqi soldiers working together in extreme circumstances, and how quickly the Iraqi fire and ambulance system responded, within minutes of the attack. It is a glimpse at the resilience of the Iraqis in the face of violence. (VIEW VIDEO)
Bill Roggio: Five killed in al Qaeda safe house strike in South Waziristan - The US has targeted another al Qaeda safe house in South Waziristan, according to reports from Pakistan. At least five al Qaeda operatives were reported killed in the attack, which appears to have been launched by unmanned Predator aircraft hovering over the area. "Two Canadians of Arab origin" were among those killed. Two Punjabis were reported wounded. The strike was targeted at the home of Noor Khan Wazir in the Korzai region near Wana. The home was recently rented to "foreigners." The region is controlled by Mullah Nazir, a rival of Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud. Nazir is often described as a "pro-government" Taliban leader as he does not advocate overthrowing the Pakistani government and ejected Uzbeks from the al Qaeda-allied Islamic Jihad Union from the Wana region in 2007. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Pakistan declares Ramadan cease-fire - The Pakistani government declared a cease-fire in the Taliban-controlled tribal areas bordering Afghanistan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Offensive military operations in the tribal areas and Swat will cease from the night of Aug. 31 until Oct. 2, Rehman Malik, Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani's adviser on internal security, told Geo TV. Suspected suicide bombers could still be targeted, Malik said, and security forces could defend themselves from attacks. In the past, the Taliban have used cease-fires and peace accords to rest, rearm, refit, and consolidate their control over territory in their sphere of influence. The Taliban have been pressing the government to halt operations in the tribal regions. (READ MORE)
Matel-in-Iraq: The Haunted Temple - Our Iraqi friends told us that there was an ancient temple, cursed & haunted by a gin/ghost nearby, so of course we had to go see it. It sounds like the beginning of a ghost movie. You know the story line. The local guys warn us re the ghost. We don't believe in ghosts and boldly go. The ghost catches everybody one-by-one. It didn't work out that way because there really are no ghosts, but maybe the gin got us after all. It was a lot farther away than we thought, over wrenching roads. But when we finally got there the view of the Euphrates was beautiful and the place interesting.
In their own words:
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Laying the ‘ground’ work at Camp Mejid: 3rd MAW (Fwd.) Marines lead basic electrical skills course for Iraqi Army - CAMP MEJID, Iraq - Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 wrapped up a basic electrical skills training course for Iraqi Army engineers at Camp Mejid Aug. 18. The 14-day course, taught by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) support squadron, covered the fundamentals of interior wiring and grounding techniques. Through the course, the Marines provided the Iraqi soldiers with basic electrical skills that will help the soldiers improve the safety and function of IA facilities. (READ MORE)
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Yuma, Ariz., native takes charge as convoy commander - AL-JAZIRAH DESERT, Iraq — A Yuma, Ariz., native led a five-day convoy of more than 50 vehicles and 100 Marines from the gates of Al Asad Air Base across the sands of al-Jazirah desert in Iraq to dismantle an expedient repair and replenishment point. Sgt. Carlos Canez, a motor transport operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), took charge of the mission that began July 23, serving as the convoy commander, a billet normally held by a staff noncommissioned officer or commissioned officer. During the mission, Canez brought his Marines to repair and replenishment point San Francisco, a site established several weeks prior to afford units operating in the region a location to refuel their vehicles and aircraft. The replenishment point also gave units a place for personnel to take a break and refresh before heading back into Iraq’s unforgiving desert. (READ MORE)
Back on the Homefront: Big Boys - The boys are continuing to grow like weeds. Everyday, I hate it more and more that Micah only gets to witness it through pics, video and the occasional chat with them on the webcam. It really sucks that he can't see the little things they do to make my heart melt and/or make me cry. Both of them have really grown (not just physically) during this deployment... Evan has gotten over the tantrums for the most part and is really impressing me with the ability to talk to me about his problems. He clearly lets me know if he's had a bad day at pre-school...and exactly what happened to make it so bad. Of course he excitedly lets me know the great days too! He's also getting much better at finding ways to deal with his sadness of Micah being gone. I can't believe this little guy can sit and carry on a real conversation with me about things other than cars, trains and firetrucks! (READ MORE)
Collabman's Thoughts: Looking Back...Moving Forward - Afternoon... I hope you are spending time with family and friends this holiday weekend. Labor day...what comes to mind? A day of rest? A symbolic end of summer? Picnics, barbecues, water sports? For me, it is a look back... Last year it was the first major holiday for my wife and I with Chris and our warriors from the 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment in Iraq...in harms way. I remember I struggled trying to get my mind around it all...here is a look back. Where were you and what were your thoughts? Monday, September 3, 2007 - A Season of Thoughts... "Nancy and I decided to spend this Labor Day holiday in a quiet way, reflecting on our loved ones, the sacrifice of those deployed around the globe and just how fortunate we are to live in this great country." (READ MORE)
Fobbits need ice cream too: Nothing witty to put here - Same shit same day still. Breastmilk formations continue, missions continue all the same. We got to pull security on a bridge in our AO last night which was cool. We walked around and kicked things that looked like IEDs, helped Iraqis fix their breakdowns and try to talk to them. I realized we are spoiled that our TCNs speak so much English; trying to talk to local Iraqis was a nightmare. All I can say is "Hello", "What's up?", "Sorry", "Thank you", "Drop your gun" and "Show me your ID". Since we waited until all the convoys had passed through us, we were the last ones to get up here, so we are the last push back out. This means we will be here for 2-3 days as we wait for trucks which is fine by me. We seem to be getting on a schedule where the 1SG isn't at the same base as us, which means if we have formation, we don't stand in the sun at 1500 for 20 minutes. They are late at night or last 2 minutes. (READ MORE)
Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: Power restored in majority of Fallujah - FALLUJAH, Iraq – Nearly 10,000 Fallujah homes were restored with electricity access thanks to Marines working closely with the Fallujah City Council to deliver 35 new generators throughout the city. Civil Affairs Team 2, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, in direct support of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, along with Sheik Hamid Ahmad Hashim al-Alwani, chairman of the FCC, announced the delivery of the 32nd generator during an Iraqi press briefing Aug. 27 at a site in the city where one of the generators has been producing power for the last three months. “From the time we arrived in January, there was a local demand for generators throughout the city,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Byron Yoshida, team leader, Civil Affairs Team 2. “Initially, the project was sub-divided by precincts and eventually it became a city-wide project of providing the 35 generators.” (READ MORE)
Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: Movin’ Out - The Marines of Regimental Combat Team 1 are packing there bags and moving to Ramadi. RCT-1 was the first Regiment to call Camp Fallujah their home, and now they will be the last Marine regiment to inhabit the base that has housed four different regimental combat teams throughout the course of Operation Iraqi Freedom: RCTs one, eight, five, and six. RCT-1 is the only regiment to operate from Camp Fallujah twice. I often wonder what the Marines who were present during the invasion would think if they could see Camp Fallujah and the city of Fallujah now. (READ MORE)
HILLAS' HISTORIES: Changes for the Better Raise Hopes - Well, its my first entry since arriving back in Hillah two weeks ago. It is suprising that during my almost two months away there have been noticeable changes -- and for the better. There are lots of small changes, but collectively they make for a different picture. People now are out on the streets at 9 or 10 at night. That contrasts with the situation in the spring: when the sun went down, people went home. Women (albeit a small minority) walk in public without headscarves for the first time in over two years. Young people play pop music loudly outdoors, and less often does one hear religious music. Several new restaurant opened in Hillah this summer. The local population talks about how they feel more relaxed. While some of the Special Groups fled or were broken up in the province last spring, their capabilities have not been eliminated and the terrorist threat remains. (READ MORE)
The Left Captain: Odd Combination of Pride and Frustration - Kind of a second lowpoint in the deployment for me the past day, although I can't put a finger on why. I'm only at around two months here at the FOB but when I look back at the spring and summer I realize that all of May and parts of April, June and July were eaten up by training and preparation for deployment. It seems like it has been a long time since I last lived my normal life-- Deployment has been dominating my thoughts and daily life for most of this year and will continue to for the rest of the year. Mostly I'm fine, but I really have to avoid looking at pictures of my family...I find it interesting that a not insignificant number of people here really like the deployment, or at least don't mind it. These young men and women like their jobs, aren't married, don't have kids, don't pay rent or pay for food and they make extra pay while they are here. Not a bad deal for a 20 year old. (READ MORE)
IN-iraq: (VIDEO) Minutes after a July IED attack on an Iraqi Army convoy in Mosul - The purpose of this video is not just to show the destruction that terrorist bombs inflict on a community, but to show U.S. and Iraqi soldiers working together in extreme circumstances, and how quickly the Iraqi fire and ambulance system responded, within minutes of the attack. It is a glimpse at the resilience of the Iraqis in the face of violence. (VIEW VIDEO)
Bill Roggio: Five killed in al Qaeda safe house strike in South Waziristan - The US has targeted another al Qaeda safe house in South Waziristan, according to reports from Pakistan. At least five al Qaeda operatives were reported killed in the attack, which appears to have been launched by unmanned Predator aircraft hovering over the area. "Two Canadians of Arab origin" were among those killed. Two Punjabis were reported wounded. The strike was targeted at the home of Noor Khan Wazir in the Korzai region near Wana. The home was recently rented to "foreigners." The region is controlled by Mullah Nazir, a rival of Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud. Nazir is often described as a "pro-government" Taliban leader as he does not advocate overthrowing the Pakistani government and ejected Uzbeks from the al Qaeda-allied Islamic Jihad Union from the Wana region in 2007. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Pakistan declares Ramadan cease-fire - The Pakistani government declared a cease-fire in the Taliban-controlled tribal areas bordering Afghanistan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Offensive military operations in the tribal areas and Swat will cease from the night of Aug. 31 until Oct. 2, Rehman Malik, Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani's adviser on internal security, told Geo TV. Suspected suicide bombers could still be targeted, Malik said, and security forces could defend themselves from attacks. In the past, the Taliban have used cease-fires and peace accords to rest, rearm, refit, and consolidate their control over territory in their sphere of influence. The Taliban have been pressing the government to halt operations in the tribal regions. (READ MORE)
Matel-in-Iraq: The Haunted Temple - Our Iraqi friends told us that there was an ancient temple, cursed & haunted by a gin/ghost nearby, so of course we had to go see it. It sounds like the beginning of a ghost movie. You know the story line. The local guys warn us re the ghost. We don't believe in ghosts and boldly go. The ghost catches everybody one-by-one. It didn't work out that way because there really are no ghosts, but maybe the gin got us after all. It was a lot farther away than we thought, over wrenching roads. But when we finally got there the view of the Euphrates was beautiful and the place interesting.
Unfortunately, our hosts really didn't know much about the site. They told me that it was not only that they didn't know, but that it was unknown. Archeologist had not properly studied the place. There had been some looting, however, and they did send some shards to Baghdad to be studied. (READ MORE)
Playing in the Sandbox: Biography - So: the other day I was in Florida, or maybe New York or Oklahoma or Germany or Iraq. Florklamanyaq. It's lovely this time of year, or whatever time of year you want it to be. In a recent email sent to my family I said that the days are so packed that it's difficult to keep them straight sometimes. If I didn't have a notebook reminding me of when stuff happened I might never know. Everything would blend together like a painting by a first year art student convinced he is reinventing Dadaism. After I leave this country it will become just another place I've been on an ever growing list of places I'm going. When I'm old and want to remember something, I wonder if I'll confuse myself and imagine that I'm dodging suicidal donkeys at the beach during a blizzard while eating a pulled pork sandwich and guzzling down a stein of beer. Actually, that sounds pretty cool. I'm going to remember that anyway. (READ MORE)
Two Brothers, Two Countries, One Army: McDonald's - Hello! Thank you for all of your support once again! We even got added to someone else's blog! That's pretty cool! I checked it out and it's a blog about other blogs...it's not too bad. AND WOW we have gone over the 5,000 mark of hits to the blog!! THANK YOU! Let's see John started this in March I think...soo about 8 months and 5,000 hits! WOW! THANK YOU AGAIN!! Well, my mom asked me the first question: Do we have a McDonald's? OH I WISH WE DID!! I would LOVE a double cheeseburger right now!! Well, maybe not right now right now, but I would definitely love one! I have this thing for McDonald's double cheeseburgers and their sweet tea! Although we do not have a McDonald's, we do have the typical Burger King. I say typical because those of you who know about Army bases....they all have Burger King. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
IRAQ:
Tip from local resident leads IPs, MND-B MPs to weapons cache - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Police and Multi-National Division – Baghdad military police Soldiers seized a weapons cache near al-Jihad on a tip from a local resident Aug. 28. The local citizen approached the IPs and Soldiers from the 463rd MP Company, 18th MP Brigade, while they were conducting a Police Transition Team support mission at a nearby Criminal Investigation Division station. (READ MORE)
Four dead, one injured in AQI attack - DIYALA, Iraq – A member of the Sons of Iraq and three of his family members were killed during an attack in the village of Whitbah, Iraq Aug. 29. One Iraqi Army soldier was also injured by the attackers and treated for his wounds by medics. The attack occurred at about 11 p.m. when two al-Qaeda members, who reportedly entered the village using canal systems, opened fire using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers detain suspected SG members (Baghdad) - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained two suspected Special Groups criminals wanted for committing crimes of violence against Iraqi citizens and Coalition forces Aug. 29-30. Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, arrested a suspected SGC member in the Abu T’shir community of the Rashid district in southeastern Baghdad at approximately 11:15 p.m. Aug. 29. (READ MORE)
Tip leads MND-B Soldiers, ISF to weapons caches (Baghdad) - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces seized a weapons cache and removed bomb-making materials Aug. 29 during security operations in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. A concerned Iraqi citizen called Soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, to turn over possible bomb-making materials. (READ MORE)
IA partners with Marines, Sailors for first cooperative dental engagement (Kabani) - KABANI, Iraq – Citizens of Kabani were treated to the first cooperative dental engagement hosted by the Iraqi Army and the 1st Marine Logistics Group in Kabani, Aug. 29. Both Navy and IA dentists combined forces to treat more than 100 children and adults from the village. The relationship Marines share with the villagers keeps coalition forces coming back to continue their support. (READ MORE)
Detention Myths - Camp Bucca, IRAQ -- An Iraqi newspaper reporter recently revealed that most Iraqis believe anyone who is captured by Coalition Forces and sent to Camp Bucca will never be seen again; they are considered dead. Every month approximately 12,000 Iraqi visitors travel from all over the country to Camp Bucca, the quiet forward operating base along the Kuwait border near the port city of Um Qasr, Iraq’s southern most city. (READ MORE)
Al-Qaeda in Iraq is facing continuous pressure (Sharqat, Mosul, Bayji, Hamrin Mountains) - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained 26 suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks around the country Saturday. A suspected AQI leader in Sharqat, about 90 kilometers south of Mosul, is in Coalition forces custody after an operation targeting him. Intelligence reports indicate the man is a longtime AQI member and has ties to several networks in northern Iraq. (READ MORE)
More than 11,000 Men Released from Coalition Detainee Operations - CAMP CROPPER, Iraq – Coalition Forces have released more than 11,000 men back to their families and communities. These men, once considered a security threat to Iraqi civilians, as well as Coalition and Iraqi forces, have completed their internment and can go on to lead productive lives. The release of 11,000 detainees thus far in 2008 surpasses the 8,900 men released in all of 2007. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers capture suspected SGCs - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers discovered unexploded ordnance and detained three suspected Special Groups criminals Aug. 28 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. At approximately 10 p.m., Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, detained three suspected SGCs during an operation based on military intelligence in the Aamel community. (READ MORE)
Iraqis Construct Drainage System for Mudiq Medical Clinic - HABBANIYAH — With violence in the region down nearly 80 percent from pre-surge levels in many areas, Iraqi citizens have begun focusing on economic development and essential services. Citizens of Habbaniyah came together recently to improve the Mudiq clinic by constructing a drainage system, which will help rid stagnate water collecting between it and the road. (READ MORE)
Security Gains Set Stage for Economic Progress in Iraq - WASHINGTON — Improvements in the security situation south of Baghdad have enabled economic and political progress, and the continued development of the Iraqi security forces will advance those gains, a U.S. commander said Thursday. Progress across those multiple fronts is interconnected, Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, deputy commanding general for operations for Multi-National Division - Center, explained during a call with military bloggers. (READ MORE)
Food Stand Provides Soldiers Taste of Iraq at COP Apache - COMBAT OUTPOST APACHE — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers operating out of Combat Outpost Apache now have another choice for meals in addition to the dining facility: The Falafel King. Ronnie, an Iraqi citizen who operates the small stand outside of the gym at this base in northern Baghdad, got the idea after being approached by Soldiers interested in eating Iraqi food. (READ MORE)
Marines, Law Enforcement Professional Work Together to Prosecute Criminals - HIT — Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 and the battalion’s law enforcement professional is working closely to prosecute criminals in Iraq. Roger Parrino, the battalion’s LEP, serves as the criminal investigator for the battalion and uses his background in law enforcement to assist Coalition forces. His 21 years in the New York Police Department helped him prepare for the job. He retired as the commanding officer of the Manhattan North Homicide Squad. (READ MORE)
Combat Medicine at Its Finest - FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — During a recent air assault operation in the Diyala province, the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division medical team once again demonstrated its excellence. The group, which consisted of one physician, three physician assistants, one mental health provider, a preventive medicine officer and numerous skilled combat medics, delivered seamless and exceptional medical care, despite harsh conditions. (READ MORE)
Ramadi Welcomes New, Symbolic Municipal Building - RAMADI — Citizens here, along with city and provincial leaders, came together to take part in the grand opening of the 17th Street Municipal Building, Aug. 24. The municipal building, also known as the “Red Building” by the locals because of its distinctive color, will serve as the local government’s city hall. The building will be occupied by the mayor, city council members, and other elected and appointed city officials. (READ MORE)
AFGHANISTAN:
TF Gladiator delivers school supplies to 3 Parwan villages - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) -- Task Force Gladiator, together with Afghan National Police and a contracted construction and supply company, delivered 75 desks, 10 chalk boards and 150 sets of school supplies to three villages in Kohi Sofi District, Jurghati, Hasanzi and Shawo Katay, on Aug. 26. The Commander’s Emergency Response Program funded supplies after Capt. William Coulter, Alpha Company commander, visited and assessed a number of local communities. (READ MORE)
Sailors take on untraditional roles in Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) - In a perfect world, military personnel on deployment would always be assigned to jobs within their rates. Some Sailors assigned to provincial reconstruction teams are billeted as general service, meaning prior military training is not required. With the robust nature of PRT Konar’s mission, some assigned Sailors were required to help out in areas they don’t normal work back at their commands. (READ MORE)
Three detainees released from Bagram Theater Internment Facility for Ramadan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 29, 2008) – In the spirit of Ramadan, three detainees being held at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility were released early to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, yesterday. The three individuals were scheduled for release at a later date but this process was expedited in order to reunite them with their families prior to the holy days. (READ MORE)
Over 100 militants killed in Helmand province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces killed over 100 insurgents during combat operations in Helmand province August 25-28. ANSF and Coalition forces were conducting security patrols in the province when they were attacked multiple times by insurgents using small-arms, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire, sparking numerous engagements. (READ MORE)
ANSF stop suicide attack - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 26, 2008) – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces averted a suicide bomber from harming Afghan civilians in the Tarin Kowt District, Oruzgan province Saturday. ANSF spotted the suicide bomber behaving suspiciously in the alleyways near a bazaar in the city of Tarin Kowt. The ANSF and Coalition forces evacuated civilians in the nearby area. The bomber refused to disarm and chose to detonate the explosives, killing himself. (READ MORE)
Pakistani Taliban vow to strike during Ramadan - Pakistani Taliban will continue attacks during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, rejecting a government announcement it would halt military actions in the northwest, a Taliban spokesperson said today. Violence has surged in Pakistan in recent weeks with the military battling al Qaeda- and Taliban-linked fighters in three different parts of the northwest. The militants have responded with suicide and remotely detonated bomb attacks on the security forces and civilian targets. (READ MORE)
Pakistan says it killed 40 Taliban fighters - ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Fighter jets bombed Taliban hide-outs in Pakistan's troubled northwest while troops pushed into militant territory on the ground, killing at least 40 insurgents in a 24-hour siege, the army said Saturday. Separately, five others died when an explosion ripped through a house near the border with Afghanistan, local officials said. Claims that it was a missile strike could not immediately be confirmed. (READ MORE)
Officials OK joint investigation into civilian deaths in airstrike - After a week of tense public disagreement over the civilian casualty toll in a U.S.-led raid in western Afghanistan, officials from the United Nations, the Afghan government and the NATO-led force in the country said Saturday that all sides had agreed to a joint investigation. As many as 90 civilians, about two-thirds of them children, were killed in the Aug. 22 raid in Herat province, the United Nations has asserted, with the Afghan government coming up with a count only slightly lower. (READ MORE)
31 Taliban militants killed in S Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)in two-day's clean-up operation targeting Taliban militants activities in southern Afghan province of Helmand have killed at least 31 militants, said a police official on Sunday. Mohammad Hussein Andiwal, the provincial police chief told Xinhua that ANSF clashed with Taliban militants in three separate districts, Gereshk, Nawad, and Nad Ali, in Helmand since Friday. (READ MORE)
Afghan Govt to free Pak "terror suspect" Dr Aafia's son 'soon' - Kabul, Aug 31 : After repeated requests from Islamabad, the Afghanistan Government has reportedly promised to Pakistan to return "soon" one of the three sons of Pakistani scientist and "terror suspect" Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was arrested in Afghanistan earlier this month and presently being tried in the US for "terror" charges. The New York-based human rights body the "Human Rights Watch" had also urged the Afghan government earlier this week to free the child, who is said to be a US citizen by birth. (READ MORE)
Clashes kill a dozen Taliban - A suicide car bomb exploded near international troops in the Afghan capital yesterday, leaving one wounded, while soldiers killed more than a dozen militants in clashes elsewhere, authorities said. The Taliban insurgent movement said it had carried out the bombing -- the latest in Kabul in a surge of unrest linked to an insurgency led by the militia that was in government between 1996 and 2001. (READ MORE)
Playing in the Sandbox: Biography - So: the other day I was in Florida, or maybe New York or Oklahoma or Germany or Iraq. Florklamanyaq. It's lovely this time of year, or whatever time of year you want it to be. In a recent email sent to my family I said that the days are so packed that it's difficult to keep them straight sometimes. If I didn't have a notebook reminding me of when stuff happened I might never know. Everything would blend together like a painting by a first year art student convinced he is reinventing Dadaism. After I leave this country it will become just another place I've been on an ever growing list of places I'm going. When I'm old and want to remember something, I wonder if I'll confuse myself and imagine that I'm dodging suicidal donkeys at the beach during a blizzard while eating a pulled pork sandwich and guzzling down a stein of beer. Actually, that sounds pretty cool. I'm going to remember that anyway. (READ MORE)
Two Brothers, Two Countries, One Army: McDonald's - Hello! Thank you for all of your support once again! We even got added to someone else's blog! That's pretty cool! I checked it out and it's a blog about other blogs...it's not too bad. AND WOW we have gone over the 5,000 mark of hits to the blog!! THANK YOU! Let's see John started this in March I think...soo about 8 months and 5,000 hits! WOW! THANK YOU AGAIN!! Well, my mom asked me the first question: Do we have a McDonald's? OH I WISH WE DID!! I would LOVE a double cheeseburger right now!! Well, maybe not right now right now, but I would definitely love one! I have this thing for McDonald's double cheeseburgers and their sweet tea! Although we do not have a McDonald's, we do have the typical Burger King. I say typical because those of you who know about Army bases....they all have Burger King. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
IRAQ:
Tip from local resident leads IPs, MND-B MPs to weapons cache - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Police and Multi-National Division – Baghdad military police Soldiers seized a weapons cache near al-Jihad on a tip from a local resident Aug. 28. The local citizen approached the IPs and Soldiers from the 463rd MP Company, 18th MP Brigade, while they were conducting a Police Transition Team support mission at a nearby Criminal Investigation Division station. (READ MORE)
Four dead, one injured in AQI attack - DIYALA, Iraq – A member of the Sons of Iraq and three of his family members were killed during an attack in the village of Whitbah, Iraq Aug. 29. One Iraqi Army soldier was also injured by the attackers and treated for his wounds by medics. The attack occurred at about 11 p.m. when two al-Qaeda members, who reportedly entered the village using canal systems, opened fire using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers detain suspected SG members (Baghdad) - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained two suspected Special Groups criminals wanted for committing crimes of violence against Iraqi citizens and Coalition forces Aug. 29-30. Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, arrested a suspected SGC member in the Abu T’shir community of the Rashid district in southeastern Baghdad at approximately 11:15 p.m. Aug. 29. (READ MORE)
Tip leads MND-B Soldiers, ISF to weapons caches (Baghdad) - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces seized a weapons cache and removed bomb-making materials Aug. 29 during security operations in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. A concerned Iraqi citizen called Soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, to turn over possible bomb-making materials. (READ MORE)
IA partners with Marines, Sailors for first cooperative dental engagement (Kabani) - KABANI, Iraq – Citizens of Kabani were treated to the first cooperative dental engagement hosted by the Iraqi Army and the 1st Marine Logistics Group in Kabani, Aug. 29. Both Navy and IA dentists combined forces to treat more than 100 children and adults from the village. The relationship Marines share with the villagers keeps coalition forces coming back to continue their support. (READ MORE)
Detention Myths - Camp Bucca, IRAQ -- An Iraqi newspaper reporter recently revealed that most Iraqis believe anyone who is captured by Coalition Forces and sent to Camp Bucca will never be seen again; they are considered dead. Every month approximately 12,000 Iraqi visitors travel from all over the country to Camp Bucca, the quiet forward operating base along the Kuwait border near the port city of Um Qasr, Iraq’s southern most city. (READ MORE)
Al-Qaeda in Iraq is facing continuous pressure (Sharqat, Mosul, Bayji, Hamrin Mountains) - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained 26 suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq networks around the country Saturday. A suspected AQI leader in Sharqat, about 90 kilometers south of Mosul, is in Coalition forces custody after an operation targeting him. Intelligence reports indicate the man is a longtime AQI member and has ties to several networks in northern Iraq. (READ MORE)
More than 11,000 Men Released from Coalition Detainee Operations - CAMP CROPPER, Iraq – Coalition Forces have released more than 11,000 men back to their families and communities. These men, once considered a security threat to Iraqi civilians, as well as Coalition and Iraqi forces, have completed their internment and can go on to lead productive lives. The release of 11,000 detainees thus far in 2008 surpasses the 8,900 men released in all of 2007. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers capture suspected SGCs - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers discovered unexploded ordnance and detained three suspected Special Groups criminals Aug. 28 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. At approximately 10 p.m., Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, detained three suspected SGCs during an operation based on military intelligence in the Aamel community. (READ MORE)
Iraqis Construct Drainage System for Mudiq Medical Clinic - HABBANIYAH — With violence in the region down nearly 80 percent from pre-surge levels in many areas, Iraqi citizens have begun focusing on economic development and essential services. Citizens of Habbaniyah came together recently to improve the Mudiq clinic by constructing a drainage system, which will help rid stagnate water collecting between it and the road. (READ MORE)
Security Gains Set Stage for Economic Progress in Iraq - WASHINGTON — Improvements in the security situation south of Baghdad have enabled economic and political progress, and the continued development of the Iraqi security forces will advance those gains, a U.S. commander said Thursday. Progress across those multiple fronts is interconnected, Army Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, deputy commanding general for operations for Multi-National Division - Center, explained during a call with military bloggers. (READ MORE)
Food Stand Provides Soldiers Taste of Iraq at COP Apache - COMBAT OUTPOST APACHE — Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers operating out of Combat Outpost Apache now have another choice for meals in addition to the dining facility: The Falafel King. Ronnie, an Iraqi citizen who operates the small stand outside of the gym at this base in northern Baghdad, got the idea after being approached by Soldiers interested in eating Iraqi food. (READ MORE)
Marines, Law Enforcement Professional Work Together to Prosecute Criminals - HIT — Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 and the battalion’s law enforcement professional is working closely to prosecute criminals in Iraq. Roger Parrino, the battalion’s LEP, serves as the criminal investigator for the battalion and uses his background in law enforcement to assist Coalition forces. His 21 years in the New York Police Department helped him prepare for the job. He retired as the commanding officer of the Manhattan North Homicide Squad. (READ MORE)
Combat Medicine at Its Finest - FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER — During a recent air assault operation in the Diyala province, the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division medical team once again demonstrated its excellence. The group, which consisted of one physician, three physician assistants, one mental health provider, a preventive medicine officer and numerous skilled combat medics, delivered seamless and exceptional medical care, despite harsh conditions. (READ MORE)
Ramadi Welcomes New, Symbolic Municipal Building - RAMADI — Citizens here, along with city and provincial leaders, came together to take part in the grand opening of the 17th Street Municipal Building, Aug. 24. The municipal building, also known as the “Red Building” by the locals because of its distinctive color, will serve as the local government’s city hall. The building will be occupied by the mayor, city council members, and other elected and appointed city officials. (READ MORE)
AFGHANISTAN:
TF Gladiator delivers school supplies to 3 Parwan villages - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) -- Task Force Gladiator, together with Afghan National Police and a contracted construction and supply company, delivered 75 desks, 10 chalk boards and 150 sets of school supplies to three villages in Kohi Sofi District, Jurghati, Hasanzi and Shawo Katay, on Aug. 26. The Commander’s Emergency Response Program funded supplies after Capt. William Coulter, Alpha Company commander, visited and assessed a number of local communities. (READ MORE)
Sailors take on untraditional roles in Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) - In a perfect world, military personnel on deployment would always be assigned to jobs within their rates. Some Sailors assigned to provincial reconstruction teams are billeted as general service, meaning prior military training is not required. With the robust nature of PRT Konar’s mission, some assigned Sailors were required to help out in areas they don’t normal work back at their commands. (READ MORE)
Three detainees released from Bagram Theater Internment Facility for Ramadan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 29, 2008) – In the spirit of Ramadan, three detainees being held at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility were released early to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, yesterday. The three individuals were scheduled for release at a later date but this process was expedited in order to reunite them with their families prior to the holy days. (READ MORE)
Over 100 militants killed in Helmand province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 28, 2008) – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces killed over 100 insurgents during combat operations in Helmand province August 25-28. ANSF and Coalition forces were conducting security patrols in the province when they were attacked multiple times by insurgents using small-arms, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire, sparking numerous engagements. (READ MORE)
ANSF stop suicide attack - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (August 26, 2008) – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces averted a suicide bomber from harming Afghan civilians in the Tarin Kowt District, Oruzgan province Saturday. ANSF spotted the suicide bomber behaving suspiciously in the alleyways near a bazaar in the city of Tarin Kowt. The ANSF and Coalition forces evacuated civilians in the nearby area. The bomber refused to disarm and chose to detonate the explosives, killing himself. (READ MORE)
Pakistani Taliban vow to strike during Ramadan - Pakistani Taliban will continue attacks during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, rejecting a government announcement it would halt military actions in the northwest, a Taliban spokesperson said today. Violence has surged in Pakistan in recent weeks with the military battling al Qaeda- and Taliban-linked fighters in three different parts of the northwest. The militants have responded with suicide and remotely detonated bomb attacks on the security forces and civilian targets. (READ MORE)
Pakistan says it killed 40 Taliban fighters - ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Fighter jets bombed Taliban hide-outs in Pakistan's troubled northwest while troops pushed into militant territory on the ground, killing at least 40 insurgents in a 24-hour siege, the army said Saturday. Separately, five others died when an explosion ripped through a house near the border with Afghanistan, local officials said. Claims that it was a missile strike could not immediately be confirmed. (READ MORE)
Officials OK joint investigation into civilian deaths in airstrike - After a week of tense public disagreement over the civilian casualty toll in a U.S.-led raid in western Afghanistan, officials from the United Nations, the Afghan government and the NATO-led force in the country said Saturday that all sides had agreed to a joint investigation. As many as 90 civilians, about two-thirds of them children, were killed in the Aug. 22 raid in Herat province, the United Nations has asserted, with the Afghan government coming up with a count only slightly lower. (READ MORE)
31 Taliban militants killed in S Afghanistan - Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF)in two-day's clean-up operation targeting Taliban militants activities in southern Afghan province of Helmand have killed at least 31 militants, said a police official on Sunday. Mohammad Hussein Andiwal, the provincial police chief told Xinhua that ANSF clashed with Taliban militants in three separate districts, Gereshk, Nawad, and Nad Ali, in Helmand since Friday. (READ MORE)
Afghan Govt to free Pak "terror suspect" Dr Aafia's son 'soon' - Kabul, Aug 31 : After repeated requests from Islamabad, the Afghanistan Government has reportedly promised to Pakistan to return "soon" one of the three sons of Pakistani scientist and "terror suspect" Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was arrested in Afghanistan earlier this month and presently being tried in the US for "terror" charges. The New York-based human rights body the "Human Rights Watch" had also urged the Afghan government earlier this week to free the child, who is said to be a US citizen by birth. (READ MORE)
Clashes kill a dozen Taliban - A suicide car bomb exploded near international troops in the Afghan capital yesterday, leaving one wounded, while soldiers killed more than a dozen militants in clashes elsewhere, authorities said. The Taliban insurgent movement said it had carried out the bombing -- the latest in Kabul in a surge of unrest linked to an insurgency led by the militia that was in government between 1996 and 2001. (READ MORE)
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