News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.
In their own words:
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Aviation logistics; a key to flying success - AT-TAQADDUM, Iraq (June 14, 2008) – With detachments throughout the Anbar province, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), works diligently to keep aircraft in the air and in the fight. One unit in particular, Detachment A, MALS-16, keeps the CH-46 Sea Knight, UH-1N Huey and AH-1W Super Cobra flying in support of the Coalition effort through maintenance and routine inspections aboard Camp Taqaddum. “Our key mission is to provide an intermediate level of maintenance support to the Marine flying squadrons here,” said Gunnery Sgt. James E. Peeler, the Detachment A staff noncommissioned officer in charge. “When components break on the aircraft here, we’re the first ones to obtain the part and try and fix it.” (READ MORE)
1st Marine Logistics Group: Brothers reunite for combat reenlistment - AT-TAQADDUM, Iraq (June 17, 2008) – The Iraqi desert seems an unlikely and unwelcoming spot for a family reunion – a far cry from the picturesque, beachside barbecue California’s central coast would have offered – but for two brothers deployed to Iraq, there couldn’t be a more suitable place. Don L. Snyder and Spc. David “Chris” Scantlin recently saw each other for the first time in more than four years. Appropriately, it was a four-year reenlistment that gave occasion to the long-awaited reunion. Snyder, safety/hazardous material noncommissioned officer with Maintenance Company, 1st Supply Battalion (-) (Reinforced), 1st Marine Logistics Group, took the oath of reenlistment here June 17. Scantlin, an Apache crew chief with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, and deployed to Camp Speicher in northern Iraq, caught a flight here to watch Snyder raise his right hand. (READ MORE)
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd): Brothers distance goes from entire continent to 200 ft - AT-TAQADDUM, Iraq (June 14, 2008) –Sergeant Jason White, a Marine assigned to Detachment Alpha, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), and Spc. Wesley White, a soldier with Bravo Company, 1-52 Army Aviation Regiment, have the luxury of a having a brother around to help them through their deployment. “I still can’t get over it,” says Jason, the younger brother at 27. “We both joined the military and got stationed on completely different sides of the country, now we’re both deployed at the same time, to the same location in Iraq; it’s just amazing.” Stateside, Jason is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., while his brother Wesley, 29, is on the opposite side of the U.S. at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. (READ MORE)
A Major's Perspective: The Compassion of the American Soldier - In the past week I have talked about the mine problems in Afghanistan that were left by the Soviets as they withdrew. The Soviets had decided that it was easier to indiscriminately seed large areas of land with mines to deny their use to both the Rebels and the people of Afghanistan. When they withdrew the mines stayed, and so did the threat to the Afghan people. Unfortunately most of the mine injuries I have seen are to the children of Afghanistan. This is one of those stories. More importantly I hope to illustrate through this series of articles on this subject just how compassionate your sons and daughters are, as they are fighting the Global War on Terror. Abu Ghraib was all over the news for months, but these stories never truly make it as they should to the forefront of the media. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Iraqi security forces detain senior Sadrist during Maysan operation - The Iraqi security forces have formally kicked off the operations against the Mahdi Army in the southern province of Maysan. On the day the government's amnesty offer expired, the Iraqi Army and police conducted multiple raids throughout Amarah, the provincial capital. A senior Sadrist was detained during the raids. Iraqi forces arrested Rafeaa Jabar, the head of the Sadrist office in Maysan province. He is the mayor of Amarah and the deputy governor of the province. The Sadrists had stated they feared being the target of the operation. "We do not want Basrah events to be repeated in Amara," Sheikh Salih al Obaidi, the lead spokesman for the Sadrist movement said on June 17. Obaidi instead called for "dialogue." The Sadrist movement also closed down its office in central Amarah and "moved to another 'good location.'" (READ MORE)
IN-iraq: Samarra- from infamous to just plain famous - When Charlie Company of 2nd Battalion/327th Infantry or "No Slack" as they're known, rolled into Samarra on their first patrol this past October, it felt like they'd entered the jaws of hell. They caught machine gun fire from several directions at once, and chased insurgents straight into an IED trap, according to SFC Joseph Rain, of Hennessey, Oklahoma. “I loved the first four months,” Sgt. Andrew Hayes of Alpena, MI said. “We got shot at everyday. Granted someone could get hurt, but it went by quick.” “I didn’t fire a single shot in Kirkuk (last deployment),” Hayes said. “Here, I fired my weapon the first week.” But the shooting has since declined precipitously. (READ MORE)
LT Nixon: Iraq News (19 June) - The Good: Iraqi Security Forces launch major operations in Amara, which generally had a small government/coalition footprint and has been suspected of harboring smuggled Iranian weaponry and proxy fighters. This comes after some members of the militia surrendered in the southern Maysan province along with their weapons before the operation started. Iraq's Foreign Minister praises U.S. flexibility on the Status of Forces Agreement which would allow U.S. military forces to operate past 2008. Major Western oil corporations are in the final stages of negotiations with the Iraqi Oil Ministry on modernizing oil fields and infrastructure. A leader in the Islamic State of Iraq in Mosul (terrorist group affiliated with Al-Qaeda) has been detained. The Bad: Baghdad and Mosul university attacks are under attack by Iraqi policemen according to the Iraqi newspaper, Azzaman. (READ MORE)
The Satirist at War: Meetings - The inspiration for this post comes from several discussions I’ve had over the past ten days; some with co-workers, some with friends. The subject of these conversations—verbal, written, and in some cases play-acted—has been meetings. As redeployment is just around the corner, and I am an Executive Officer (responsible in garrison for the most boring, frustrating part of a Company’s life: coordination), I’ve been logging no less than four meetings a day for over a week, now. War is hell. The importance of meetings, and the extent to which they are detested, can be seen in the proportionately large number of ways there are to say “meeting” in Army-speak. You have: (READ MORE)
Big Tobacco: Three Beers Till Deployment - I composed this while sitting in a nonsmoking room. One. I’m sitting in my hotel room… alone on my Sleep Number bed and drinking the last three beers from a case that I bought on Monday. I’ve noticed that my Sleep Number is 50, and now that I finally have it right, I have to leave tonight and sleep on a hard armory drill floor. Everyone was released to spend their last few hours with their families. I am not calling Super Yenta. Why? Well, as much as I’d like to see if my Fuck Number is different than my Sleep Number, she’s not taking this too well. I won’t have her drive all the way up to my armory just to send her home in tears. One goodbye is enough. (READ MORE)
Back and still writing:
The Usual Suspect: Hiatus - It's time for one. Lots of shrugging of the shoulders and grunts of indifference, playing along, going with the grind because the alternative just isn't worth the heartache and punishment. Cog in the system kinda thing. I got a whole lotta nothing to say. Same story over and over again: we're back, it's strange, it's pretty easy, it's odd and weird, some things are annoying as hell, but all in all, it can all fuck right off, because we're home and we aren't armed and clad in ridiculous equipment. The neighborhoods are civilized and now we are too. Honest. Started the process of signing up for college classes, for this last year. Keep me busy. Gives me goals that I actually give a shit about. Gonna learn sum'n. I'm gonna be just like you. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Iraqi Army captures suspected terrorist leader, detain four others - BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Army soldiers with the 2nd Iraqi Army Division captured a suspected mid-level leader for the Islamic State of Iraq, a front organization for the foreign-led al Qaeda in Iraq, in Mosul June 18. The IA conducted an operation to disrupt terrorist activities and cell operations in western Mosul. They captured a suspected terrorist leader accused of facilitating and distributing improvised explosive devices in the area. The suspected terrorist is allegedly responsible for numerous IED and vehicle-borne IED attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces transfer the 1,000th Humvee to Iraqis - CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Coalition forces transferred the 1,000th M-1114 up-armored Humvee to the Iraqi Security Forces here June 16. Forty-nine soldiers from the 3rd Iraqi Army Division began driver’s training at the Iraqi Army Support and Services Institute. As their training began, they put number 1,000-along with 999 and 1,001-to work fighting insurgents. “Every week we get new Humvees and new students,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Parris who oversees the training. “They are supposed to do in-processing the first day then start training, but so many students and vehicles are arriving that sometimes they start training on day one.” (READ MORE)
Terrorist networks in Iraq weakened - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained 21 suspected terrorists during operations Thursday, including two men wanted for their alleged ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq. Coalition forces targeted al-Qaeda in Iraq’s organizers in the Northern Belt around Baghdad during three operations in Tarmiyah, about 40 kilometer north of Baghdad. Eight suspects were detained for their alleged association with the terrorist network, which is responsible for suicide bombings, car bombings, murder, hijacking and moving terrorists around the country. (READ MORE)
Iraqi child to receive life saving surgeries June 30 - FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq – When she was born, doctors didn’t expect her to live a week, but a one-year-old Iraqi girl is defying the odds. She overcame the initial diagnosis, but without proper care, Noor Majeed could still die. Fortunately, surgeons in Boston have agreed to donate their services to help her, and a donor in Cambridge, Mass., donated $100,000 for her medical care. Noor’s surgery is scheduled June 30 at Boston Children’s Hospital. Noor was born with bladder exstrophy, which is a rare congenital disease where the bladder protrudes outside of the abdominal wall. (READ MORE)
Sharqat Emergency Response Unit detains three suspected terrorists, recovers cache - BALAD, Iraq – A Sharqat Emergency Response Unit detained three suspected terrorists and recovered a weapons cache in the village of al-Kedraniyah, approximately 98 kilometers southeast of Mosul, June 17. The ERU conducted the operation to search for weapons caches. They seized a significant number of weapons and ammunition, consisting of approximately 100 pounds of explosive material with assorted fuses, boosters and chargers; anti-personnel land mines; a sniper system with home-made silencer; a Katyusha rocket; several hand grenades; and several thousand small arms and artillery rounds. (READ MORE)
ISF, NP, MND-B Soldiers seize weapons caches throughout Baghdad - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Army Soldiers, National Police and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized multiple weapons caches throughout Baghdad June 18. In Sadr City, Soldiers with the 38th Brigade, 10th Iraqi Army Division, seized three explosively formed projectiles, one PKC machine gun, two rocket-propelled grenades, one fuse and one 9 mm machine gun at approximately 6 a.m. (READ MORE)
Tip leads Soldiers to militants with ties to cache, explosives - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained six suspected militants in the New Baghdad district of eastern Baghdad June 18 after receiving a tip from a local resident. Soldiers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), conducted an operation to capture criminals in the Shawra Wa Um Jidir neighborhood and detained three militants allegedly associated with a weapons cache seized in a metal shop June 13. The three were also believed to be involved with three explosively formed projectiles uncovered in a car May 15. (READ MORE)
Electrical Work Keeps Potable Water Flowing to Baghdad - BAGHDAD — The Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division is working to ensure Baghdad’s water supply with nonstop operations for the Karkh Water Treatment Plant near Taji, northwest of Baghdad. In a $20 million project, the back-up generator system is being restored to keep potable water flowing to 50 percent of Baghdad residents without interruption or worries over low levels in reservoirs. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Air Force Makes Great Strides, General Says - BAGHDAD — The Iraqi air force is making great strides as it continues to train and begins supporting Iraqi army and police forces, the U.S. advisor to the force said June 18. During a news conference in Baghdad, Air Force Brig. Gen. Brooks L. Bash spoke said the security situation in Iraq is improving each day, thanks to the investments the citizens have made in their country’s future and to coalition training efforts. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Army, Police Conduct First All-ISF Search Mission - FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY — For Iraqi national police officers and Iraqi army soldiers, conducting cordon and search missions is nothing new. When it comes to planning, coordinating and conducting such an operation without U.S. Soldiers leading the way however, it is history in the making. And so it was June 10, when 10 companies of national policemen and Iraqi army soldiers conducted a combined search for militants and their weapons in the Beladiyat area of eastern Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan:
Afghan, Coalition forces detain two militants in Ghazni - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 18, 2008) – Two militants were detained during an Afghan and Coalition forces’ operation to disrupt Taliban operations in Ghazni province Wednesday. Afghan and Coalition forces searched multiple buildings in Ghazni District targeting a foreign-fighter facilitator in the area. (READ MORE)
Three militants detained in Paktya province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 18, 2008) – Three militants were detained during a Coalition forces’ operation to disrupt Taliban foreign fighter activities in Paktya province Tuesday. Coalition forces searched several compounds in Zurmat District targeting a Taliban leader suspected of facilitating foreign fighters against Afghan and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
Taliban Claims of Helo Theft Unfounded - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 18, 2008) — Claims attributed to the Taliban in recent news reports regarding the capture of three U.S. military helicopters in Pakistan are false. Four U.S. helicopter engines were stolen while enroute from Bagram Air Field to the U.S. The loss was discovered earlier this spring. The collective value of the engines is 13.2 million dollars. (READ MORE)
Damaged helicopter to be destroyed on site - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June18, 2008) — Coalition forces will destroy a helicopter that was damaged Tuesday in a hard landing in eastern Nuristan province close to the border of Konar province. The remote terrain and location have prevented recovery of the aircraft. Coalition forces will conduct a controlled detonation of the damaged aircraft. (READ MORE)
No comments:
Post a Comment