July 28, 2008

From the Front: 07/28/2008

News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.

In their own words:
A Major's Perspective: More Trouble on the Border - I didn't see this in any of the News Broadcasts today, and I found it only by going to look for it. The problems that were so blatantly exemplified two weeks ago in the border outpost fight are still occurring. This is not a situation where anything has lessened. If anything it is increasing. In addition I fear it will only continue to increase as long as the Taliban and Al Qaeda have a safe haven in the tribal regions of Pakistan. (NY TIMES ART): “About 100 insurgents raided a government center Sunday near the border with Pakistan, and more than two dozen of the attackers were killed in the battle, authorities said. Two policemen also died. American troops and aircraft assisted Afghan forces during the battle in Spera district of eastern Khost province, said provincial governor Arsallah Jamal.” (READ MORE)

A Battlefield Tourist: Long Term US Presence in Northern Iraq is Moving Forward - Over the past several weeks, more and more evidence is mounting that a long term US presence in the Kurdish region of Iraq is in the works. On July 16 the mayor of Halabja, Khadr Karim Mohammad, told the Aswat al-Iraqi news agency that the regional government in Sulaimaniyah Province has agreed to sell 1,500 acres of land east of town to the Americans to build an airport. Mohammad believes the airport will actually be an American airbase. Halabja lies just under seven miles from the border with Iran and was the scene of a massacre of more than 5,000 Kurds during one of many Saddam-era offensives that targeted Kurdish civilians and rebel fighters alike. (READ MORE)

Brad's Excellent Adventure: A Place For My Stuff - I spent today packing up my room. I can’t pack completely since I still have at least a week to go, but I could pack up most of my stuff. It’s kind of amazing how much stuff I accumulated in two years here. Even more amazing when you consider that my room is only about 7 ½ x 11 feet. But I’m sort of a packrat, I tend to overpack when traveling, and I like books and movies. So it’s no wonder I could barely turn around in here! Part of what took so long was sorting through files and papers, throwing away what wasn’t needed and filing other things properly. Lots of things just got stuck in convenient nooks and crannies over time, but really needed to be filed. I actually have six years’ worth of tax records over here with me, since I had to document that situation to get my security clearance approved. Once that is settled (and the IRS accepts my 1040X for 2006), I’ll be able to send about a linear foot of files home for storage. (READ MORE)

Charlie Foxtrot: What we really meant was.... - Allahpundit has an excellent takedown of Dem angst over McCain getting verbally pugilistic with their messiah candidate. The best bit that comes out of it is the new Dem line that Iraq can't be lost, so why are we staying? Interesting.... Not too long ago, according to Democrats, we needed to get out of Iraq, because Iraq couldn't be won. Now, according to Democrats, we need to get out of Iraq, because Iraq can't be lost. Unfortunately both arguments simply demonstrate the Dems lack of understanding of reality. You see, not too long ago, we needed to stay in Iraq, because Iraq could be won. Now we need to stay in Iraq because Iraq can be lost. (READ MORE)

Cheese's Milblog: ...aaaaannnnd we're back - I never thought that I'd be even the least bit happy to be back at Phoenix. Don't get me wrong...the feeling is fading fast...but someone has developed the genius plan to leave returning soldiers in the POS “transient tents” at Bagram just long enough actually miss Phoenix. I feel so ashamed that it worked on me! I can't stress how good it was for me to go home when I did. You can probably tell from my past posts that I have been pretty disappointed with my deployment thus far. When I first heard that I was going to Afghanistan, I was picturing a high speed deployment at the tip of the spear with a heavy-weapons company. My optimism was hardly shaken by the embarrassingly irrelevant and insufficient training that I received at Fort Bragg, so it wasn't until my boots hit the ground at Phoenix that I realized just how tame this deployment was going to be. (READ MORE)

Back on the Homefront: I Miss Daddy - A few days ago we took my husband to the airport to catch a plane and head back to Kuwait. We were lucky enough to have him for a 12 day R & R during his deployment. We loved the chance to see him and hang out with him, but saying goodbye again has been difficult...this is what transpired last night: “I want my daddy.” Those are the words I hear as I turn around to find my four year old son coming downstairs because he can’t sleep. Normally Evan doesn’t cry about daddy being gone. Usually he says he misses daddy and proceeds to do one of two things: he plays with army trucks that remind him of daddy or he acts out all day…because in his little mind, that is the only way to deal with the anger he has inside. But this time is different. This time he climbs on my lap, wraps his arms around me and actually cries. (READ MORE)

Fearless 1st Marines’ blog: Baton Rouge, La. Marines personify ‘Brothers-In-Arms’ - FALLUJAH, Iraq – As siblings grow from adolescence, they venture into adulthood and typically embark on their own paths in life. Some fly far away from the nest, while others strive to carry on family traditions. Some join the masses to work for a greater good, while others become independent and take the road less travelled. Two Marines, who hail from Baton Rouge, La., essentially fall into all of these categories. They are brothers who became two of the few and the proud while carrying on a tradition of service members in their family. Pfc. Travis Dodson, 21, graduated Marine Corps basic training September 2005. His brother, Lance Cpl. Lance Dodson, 19, followed in his footsteps and graduated basic training in April 2007. (READ MORE)

Sgt B: Home Sweet Home… - When you mention “office”, most folks think of some sort of structure, four walls and a ceiling, at least, with a rudimentary HVAC system, break room, hot and cold running water, and a bathroom… In the infantry, the company office is called a “command post”. It is the nerve center of the company, where the company commander and his staff can look at the “big picture”, and fight his company effectively. It’s also the place where all of the company administrative tasks are accomplished. It is the company office. It can be located in the back of a truck, or under a dining fly in the middle of the woods, or, if your lucky, in a tent like this one…Learning how to run one of these things, to support the company by supporting the company battle staff is proving to be interesting, but not overwhelming. (READ MORE)

From the Halls to the Shores: We now return you to our regularly scheduled blog - Hey all. Back again after spending a couple weeks doing the national tour to see family and friends... as opposed to the international tour to see sand and possible enemies. Tell you what though, Baghdad is a pretty quiet place all things considered. I only heard those couple thumps that I wrote about early on, and the only fire I saw was directly related to - get this - victories by the Iraqi National Soccer Team. Of course, that can be dangerous too. I'll never know for sure, but I swear, something kicked up sparks on the concrete not 15 feet from me on one of those nights when tracers were filling the sky... Anyway, you'll soon see another post that's been rolling around in my head for the last week or so. With the release of The Dark Knight, it's time to once again explore how America IS Batman. For those of you joining our blog already in progress, please click the Caped Crusader's image directly to your right... thank you. (READ MORE)

IraqPundit: Cowards Kill Civilians Again - The so-called resistance murdered several civilians today in an effort to remind us that the resistance fighters are still around. A senior U.S. military official blamed al-Qaeda in Iraq for the attacks on Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad and said two of the bombers were believed to have been women. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was releasing the information ahead of a formal statement, gave a slightly lower casualty toll of 20 killed and 70 wounded. A similar attack killed 43 in Kirkuk. Maybe al-Qaeda was annoyed by reports that violence is 85 percent down from last year. We could look at this as a desperate act on the part of the killers. But sadly the result is the same. Innocents are murdered. The targets are nearly always civilians. (READ MORE)

IN-iraq: Literary-minded Iraqi sergeant was on the run for years - Bayji- I met Sgt. Salah Al-Jabori, 33, almost two months ago, but his story is still in my head. In the spare office of the Bayji Joint Security Station, he humbly read love poems he’d written from one of his notebooks. I could not understand the verses, but I was taken by the lyrical sounds and the pride with which he read them. Sgt. Al-Jabori’s life has not been an easy one, even by war-suffering Iraqi standards. He was conscripted into the army under the old regime and he deserted. He was hunted and on the run for years, often living by himself in the desert. He began his story by putting it into historical context. The Iran-Iraq war was very hard, he said. A lot of kids grew up without fathers. Then Saddam occupied Kuwait and the Gulf War began. “We lost a lot of relatives and people from our tribe,” Al-Jabori said. (READ MORE)

Omar: Talabani Rejects the Provincial Election Law - Disagreement erupted between the parliament and presidency council over the provincial elections law. After the parliament passed the law with 127 votes out of 140 that attended the session, president Talabani and VP Adbul Mahdi rejected the law and returned it to the parliament for revision. The key point of disagreement is an article that provides guidelines for the future of Kirkuk. Spokesman of parliament Mahmoud Mashhadani ordered a secret vote for this particular article, the thing that outraged Kurdish MPs and some Shiite MPs who then decided to boycott the vote. No wonder Kurds reject the article. I’ve translated the important parts of the article, which was posted on Azzaman, that are the most likely source of disagreement: (READ MORE)

IraqPundit: Who Could Have Guessed? - Well, well, well. Even the NYT is reporting that Moktada Al Sadr's lost his halo. Why? It appears the same people who, according to the MSM, were his adoring fans, are pleased to see him lose power. The NYT observes: "The change is showing up in the lives of ordinary people." You don't say! The price of cooking gas is less than a fifth of what it was when the militia controlled local gas stations, and kerosene for heating has also become much less expensive." You mean Mookie's thugs were not looking after the needs of the people? I'm shocked!! "Merchants say they no longer have to pay protection money to militiamen." You mean they were Mafia-like thugs? So even the NYT has figured out they weren't charity workers. Maybe NYT finally gets that Mookie isn't wildly popular. (READ MORE)

Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal: All is Well in Anu al-Verona - I guess I should start by apologizing. I really am not good at this blogging thing. In my defense, however, I am not where all of the action is, experiencing the things you want to hear about. I just get quick email blurbs about them. Let me tell you, it was far more exciting to hear about CPT G’s missions when they were written about on Kaboom. I guess emails do not inspire the same thoughts and language as an e-journal read by thousands of people. I guess I should start with what everyone is wondering: CPT G and the Gravediggers are just fine. Things have been fairly normal in Anu al-Verona. They recently caught some local bad guy. I cannot give you more details, mostly because I do not know them, but let’s say he was sneaking around for a while and deserved what he got. A lot of what goes on reminds me of the mafia, specifically this incident. (READ MORE)

James Aalan Bernsen: The September 11 flag - On September 11, 2001, I was working as the Deputy Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Phil Gramm in his Dallas office. I woke up that day and as if my instincts told me something would be different, changed my routine. Fixing some breakfast, I had turned on the television and had just started to eat. The anchor was seated in front of a vast backdrop of the New York skyline, in which one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center was engulfed in a wreath of smoke. As I watched in fascination, the reporter said that there was no indication that the attack was related to terrorism. At that point the source of the explosion wasn't even certain, much less the instigation behind it. But seconds later, all doubt was removed as a massive fireball appeared on the screen and the second of the twin towers was struck. Literally as I watched. (READ MORE)

Bill Roggio: Report: Al Qaeda WMD expert Abu Khabab thought killed in South Waziristan strike - A Pakistani intelligence official claimed al Qaeda weapons expert Midhat Mursi al Sayyid Umar, better known as Abu Khabab, was killed in this morning's airstrike in South Waziristan. "We believe he was killed in this strike," a senior intelligence official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "It was his hide-out and information that has been shared with us says he was targeted in this strike." Six Pakistanis, including three foreigner terrorists, were reported killed in the airstrike, which hit either a madrassa or a home next to a mosque. Abu Khabab and four other senior al Qaeda commanders were reported to have been killed in an airstrike in the town of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal agency in January 2006. (READ MORE)

Bill Murray: Mosul conflict ebbs after five-year battle between Coalition, insurgents for control - MOSUL, IRAQ: The Battle for Mosul over the past several years has worked as a microcosm for the larger Iraqi conflict, with Coalition and Iraqi forces successfully imposing their will only after al Qaeda and other insurgent groups held large parts of the city and region for long periods. Control over the city of 1.9 million people and the surrounding Ninewa province has been lost to Coalition and government forces twice since 2003. A successful security operation in May brought attacks to their lowest recorded levels since the conflict began. Operation “Lion’s Roar” in May involved 5,000 Coalition forces and 55,000 Iraqi Police and Army members and cut insurgent attacks in the city to less than one a day over the next two months. The tactics used to defeat the insurgents were similar to successes in other parts of the country: (READ MORE)

Matel-in-Iraq: Wrapping up and Avoiding Moral Hazards - I will go back to Iraq at the end of this week for my last two months there. I have been thinking about how I can continue to add value at the end. The two hardest parts of any tour are the first month and the last. In first month you are trying to learn to do the job and the people; in the last you are trying to stay relevant and not check out before you leave. Much of my energy will be absorbed by the transition. It helps that my successor, Robert Kerr, is an experienced diplomat who has already served in Iraq. Beyond that, my team works autonomously. We all like to think we are indispensible, but I know from experience that soon after we are gone from a posting we are missed as much as the snows of last winter. We do our part in our time and when our time is passed we do something else. (READ MORE)

ManryMission: Mosul Police Academy Project - I visited a new construction project this morning. According to the project packet, it is officially called the Baghdad Police College - North (Mosul). I’m not sure why Baghdad has to be in the name, but I’m not the one paying for it. Anyway, this was an early morning visit; we hit the road at 0430. I made sure to get in a cup of coffee before departing so I wouldn’t be so grumpy. The project has just started, and the contractor is doing a lot of foundation work at this point. This facility will eventually house 1000 police recruits and 100 instructors and provide classrooms and other training facilities. Today we saw a lot of cement, blocks and rebar. The contractor awarded this $18 million contract is an Iraqi construction company. So far, I’m very impressed with the company. It’s nice to see an Iraqi company with the resources to handle such a large project. I think Mugs’ Dad would appreciate all of the labor involved in tying the rebar. (READ MORE)

Navy Gal-Off To IRAQ: Blah - Blah. That is exactly how I have been feeling lately. We have passed the half-way point on this deployment and now it's pretty much all downhill from here. I'm getting ready to go on R&R and see someone who means a great deal to me and I am very excited about that. However, the day-to-day boredom is overshadowing the excitement of even that small ounce of hope for a break in the routine. Blah. I go to the pool and it's too damn hot to enjoy that. I go work-out and you are pouring sweat before you even start your work-out. It's too hot to walk anywhere. It's too hot to eat. So, the only alternative is to buy snacks in the PX and eat in your room. I'm sick of seeing AFN commercials! Oh what I wouldn't give to see just one McDonald's commercial or a Wal-Mart commercial and I LOATHE Wal-Mart! (READ MORE)

One Marine's View: SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO CHEW SOME ASS - The lion. He is the king of the jungle. He sits in the shade as little cubs taunt him and pull at his tail. The hyenas watch the lion all the time. Day in and day out. Everyday they test the lion by hunting in his area ever so much than the previous day. Until. Until the lion one day gets a really tired of the hyenas and lets them get real brave and careless, then he attacks and kills every hyena near him. Its night time. It’s still hot from the excruciating days heat. It never really cools off. You’ve been eating dirt and sweating all day. Keeping a cool head as you solve tribal issues with the local tribesman. As you continue to work into the night, pitch black, no headlights, little sound and careful planned formations and routes to set the conditions for the enemy to trigger. It isn’t easy, it doesn’t always go the way you want it to and remember the enemy gets a vote, remember he is trying to kill you as well. The operations continue through the night. (READ MORE)

Something on the staff: Arab Music - During my daily dealings with the Iraqi Army, we spend quality time watching TV. TV, especially satellite TV, is something of a miracle for the Iraqis, as Saddam forbade all satellite dishes. Before 2003, Iraqis could only watch government TV channels. Back in 2002, an Iraqi took his broken TV to a repair man. The repair man wanted 200 dollars to fix it. That’s way too much. Iraqi went to a second repairman. 150 dollars, no way! But the third repairman wanted five dollars. Five dollars? Why so little. The repairman said he’d put a picture of Saddam on the screen, it would be the same as fixing the TV…That story is much funnier in Arabic. We always watch Arabic music channels. Arabic music is monotonous. Every single song sounds exactly the same, and they’re always disgustingly sweet poetic love songs, like diabetic Backstreet Boys. (READ MORE)

Those Wacky Iraqis: A snoot full of dirt - When I got up this morning I went through my middle east morning ritual of coffee, checking email, taking a crap and then showering before dressing. Even though I take a shower when I get in from all the heat, sand and sweat I still take one every morning just to wake up. I just don't feel right until I have had that shower. I even did this when we lived at the Hotel California at BIAP back in 2003. Of course that was a John Wayne shower but it was a cleansing experience none the less. Coming outside I saw what I detest. A friggin sandstorm had snuck in overnight and was lingering in the area. This means less heat because of the diffused rays of the sun but it also means limited visibility, everything coated in it and the inevitable snootful of dirt. You can pick some world class boogers over here. (READ MORE)

Up Country Iraq: From Searching to Soccer - To start things off, I am happy to report that my family has made it back home to Colorado after 2 months and over 9,000 miles of driving. Yes, Tina is still sane, but she had to work to keep the casualty count among the kids down to one appendectomy, one re-injured knee, and one broken arm. It appears that Deployed Dad maintains a commanding lead in the category of “Fewest Trips to the ER.” Despite 75% of the kids getting hit with one type of injury or illness during the trip, they had a blast. Thanks to all of you who hosted them on that journey. My journeys over the past couple of weeks included a trip down to the city of Balad in southern Salah Ad Din province. Balad was the home of a large portion of the Saddam Hussein Air Force. The few fighter jets that we maintain in country are based out of Balad, but I did not travel to Balad to visit with the Air Force. (READ MORE)

SSG Frederick K Goldacker III: Working and fighting side by side - This is a picture of me talking to the interpreter while trying to communicate to the officer on the left how he can improve on his rifle marksmanship. The officer is looking down at the target he had just shot. Out here in Wardak, we can't teach the cops basic police stuff, we have to train them to be warriors, to close with and destroy the enemy, not to arrest them. I have been in fire fights where the police are right next to us fighting the enemy and standing their ground. These Afghan police you train become like your own men, because you train them, you eat lunch with them etc.. And when one of them falls next to you in combat, the sting of a fallen friend is still there. (READ MORE)

Paul Fanning: Reflections - What we are doing in Afghanistan? - It is both an eerie and satisfying feeling to note the increasing amount of attention being shown to Afghanistan in American news media reports these days. Armed Forces Network here pipes in programming over satellite from CNN, Fox News and MSNBC so we can watch a little while we are in the dining facility and some staff section offices. It is quite an experience to listen to soundbites from interviews and coverage half a world away and know they are talking about you and your teammates on the ground here. About two weeks ago, presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama was here in Kabul. Even though he didn't come to this base, Camp Phoenix, I know he went to another base "down range" and visited with some troops. We expect Sen. John McCain will do the same at some point. Both have pledged to send more forces here. (READ MORE)



News from the Front:
Iraq:

An IED in Ramadi - It was a comfort when our host, Capt. Jonathan Hamilton, told us attacks in Ramadi were down to about seven a month. A Marine patrol had just dropped us off at Joint Security Station Karama, the outpost in western Iraq where we would spend four days with Hamilton’s weapons company. We were there to learn about the rebuilding of Ramadi, and we didn’t relish the idea of dodging bombs or seeing people get hurt. But it didn’t take long to find out that Marines still face hazards. Later that day, we were interviewing Lt. Col. Amer Ubaid Hays Rishawi, head of intelligence for the southern precinct of Ramadi police, when a policeman came in and told him to cut it short because there was an emergency. We soon learned that three Marines were injured when their Humvee hit a roadside bomb. We were relieved to hear that the injuries were minor and that none of the Marines required hospitalization. (READ MORE)

Coalition forces detain 30 suspected AQI terrorists, remove AQI hideout - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces captured two wanted men and detained 28 additional suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq in central and northern parts of the country Monday. Coalition forces detained two wanted men and five additional suspects during an operation in Abu Ghraib, about 25 kilometers west of Baghdad. One of the men is reportedly an AQI leader who oversees attacks. The other wanted man is allegedly a bomb-maker and emplacer in an AQI attack cell. (READ MORE)

ISF, MND-B Soldiers seize multiple caches in Baghdad - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers uncovered multiple weapons caches in the Baghdad area July 27. At approximately 2 p.m., soldiers with the 22nd Brigade, 6th Iraq Army Division found two machine guns, a rocket propelled grenade, two RPG rounds, three RPG fuses, 7.62 mm ammo and machinegun round links in the Kadamiyah district of Baghdad, after receiving a tip from a local citizen. (READ MORE)

More than 50 suspected AQI detained, 4 AQI killed during search operation in Ninewah - MOSUL, Iraq – Fifty-eight suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq members were detained and four members were killed during an intelligence-driven search operation in the Ninewah Province July 27. Four Iraqi Army soldiers were killed during the operation by small-arms fire. Additionally, six IA soldiers and one Coalition force soldier were wounded during the operation. (READ MORE)

MND-B Soldiers detain known criminal, find weapons cache - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers detained a known criminal and discovered a weapons cache July 27 in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad. Around 1 a.m. in the Abu T’shir neighborhood, Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division detained the Special Groups criminal known for rocket and roadside bomb attacks against Coalition forces. The patrol returned to a combat outpost with the suspect for questioning. (READ MORE)

ISF detain suspected AQI terrorist, discover weapons cache in separate operations - BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces detained a suspected al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorist and discovered a weapons cache in separate operations in northern Iraq July 25. The Muqdadiyah Special Weapons and Tactics team detained a suspected AQI cell member in Babylon, around 87 km northeast of Baghdad, in an operation to disrupt terrorist activity in Muqdadiyah. The suspect is allegedly a primary logistical facilitator for a cell involved in improvised explosive device emplacements, sectarian violence and weapons smuggling. (READ MORE)

Escalation of Force Investigation Complete - BAGHDAD – The Multi-National Division - Baghdad investigation into the June 25 escalation of force incident finds that neither the soldiers nor civilians involved in the incident were at fault. On June 25, MND-B soldiers were traveling south in a four-vehicle convoy on a road adjacent to Baghdad International Airport when they experienced maintenance problems with one of their vehicles. The soldiers pulled over to the side of the road to assess and recover the vehicle. While working on the vehicle, a civilian vehicle approached the rear of the convoy at what appeared to the soldiers to be a high rate of speed despite several obstructions in the road. (READ MORE)

Al-Qaeda faces continued pressure in Iraq - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists during operations Sunday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq in two of the country’s largest cities. Coalition forces captured a wanted man and one additional suspect during an operation just south of Baghdad. The wanted man reportedly has ties to senior terrorist leaders in the northern belt around the city, and his network includes attack cells in the Abu Ghraib area. (READ MORE)

Market Street reopens in Siniyah - SINIYAH, Iraq – For more than a year, the former Ba’ath Party stronghold of Siniyah was without its main thoroughfare for trade and commerce, but that all changed as the city’s Mayor officially opened Market Street during a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 26. More than 40 shops and small businesses were forced to close due to the lack of business when the restriction of the road was announced in July of 2007. (READ MORE)

More than 500 reconcile in Tikrit, ad Dwar - TIKRIT, Iraq – More than 500 Iraqis have reconciled with Iraqi Security and Coalition forces since late June in the cities of Tikrit and ad Dwar combined. In Tikrit, where the people were once very loyal to Saddam’s former regime, more than 200 people have cleared their names and safely rejoined Iraqi society over the past 10 days. (READ MORE)

Coalition forces capture suspected Special Groups leaders in Baghdad - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces struck another blow to the already-struggling Special Groups criminal organization after capturing two key leaders and another suspected Special Groups criminal during operations in the Rusafa district in Baghdad early Sunday morning. Based on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted the location of an Iranian-trained senior leader of Special Groups criminals in the Sadr City area. (READ MORE)

Ameriya Technical High School will offer opportunities for a new generation (Baghdad) - The $615 thousand renovation and expansion of the Ameriya Technical High School in the Mansour District of Baghdad will soon provide vocational technical training for high school students. “This school is very important,” said Mohammed Abdullah, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Central district’s International Zone project engineer. “It will have a great impact on the families who cannot afford to send their children to universities. They will learn a profession to earn a living.” (READ MORE)

INPs, MND-B Soldiers seize massive cache in Baghdad - BAGHDAD – Iraqi National Police and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized a massive weapons cache in the Kadhamiyah district of Baghdad July 24. National police with the Presidential Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, and Soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, discovered the cache in a basement at approximately 8:00 a.m. (READ MORE)


Afghanistan:
Families tied by war: Brothers in arms cross paths in Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 27, 2008) — Twenty-one year old Senior Airman Matthew Delgado made one last trip home before deploying in May. He was set to deploy to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, and didn’t expect to see his family for months. Half-way into his deployment rotation, he was surprised when someone knocked on his barracks door and told him his brother was waiting for him at the PX here. Army Pfc. Jerin Delgado, 26, arrived at Bagram July 18 with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, out of Fort Hood, Texas, as they transitioned to a forward operating base in the region. The two brothers, from Cedar Hill, Texas, were able to spend a few days together catching up. (READ MORE)

Families tied by war: Sisters pilot Afghan skies - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 27, 2008) — They never planned on being pilots and Afghanistan was the last place they expected to see each other, but that’s just what happened for two sisters from White Salmon, Wash. Air Force Capt. Kelly Smith and Army Chief Warrant Officer Amber Smith grew up in a family rich with aviation ties. Their grandfather flew in the Army Air Corps as a lieutenant colonel during World War II and a commercial pilot after that. Their grandmother and mother were flight attendants. Multiple others in the family became commercial pilots, including their father, uncle and a few cousins. (READ MORE)

Big Red One takes command in northeastern Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 26, 2008) — When the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team paratroopers set foot on Afghanistan soil 15 months ago, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One” was just re-activating at Fort Hood, Texas. Throughout the 173rd’s deployment they fought to reform Afghanistan while 3rd BCT, 1ST ID was training to take their place. On July 24, at Forward Operating Base Fenty, a transfer of authority gave 3rd BCT, 1ST ID the opportunity to put their training to work and continue the mission the 173rd has been doing for more than a year. (READ MORE)

Konar PRT joins divided districts with bridges - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 26, 2008) — The Konar River runs for 150 km and serves as a natural border between eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Although the villages along the eastern and western banks of the river are part of Konar, the river reinforces cultural and political alliances between Afghans on the eastern shore and tribesmen across the border in Pakistan. The people on the east have had very little connection to the provincial government. To resolve this problem, the Konar Provincial Reconstruction Team has embarked on a bridge-building strategy to connect the Afghan government to the five provincial districts on the east of the Konar River. Until recently Afghans in Khas Konar, Sarkani, Naray, Marawara and Dangam Districts looked to Pakistan for cultural affiliation, services and trade. (READ MORE)

Sergeant Major of the Army visits U.S. troops in Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 25, 2008) — Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston met and spoke with U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan this week and visited International Security Assistance Forces and Combined Joint Task Force 101 leaders to talk about the mission focus, and current operations. Preston flew through Kabul International Airport Tuesday afternoon and landed at Bagram Air Field, Parwan province, where the CJTF-101 headquarters is located. (READ MORE)

Militant killed; explosives neutralized in Kapisa province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 26, 2008) – A militant was killed and several explosive devices were neutralized Friday during a Coalition forces operation to disrupt militant activities in Kapisa province. Coalition forces searched several compounds in Tagab District targeting a militant suspected of conducting foreign fighter operations in the area. An armed militant threatened Coalition forces, who responded with small-arms fire, killing the militant. (READ MORE)

Compassion and skill: The art of saving lives - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 23, 2008) — Every morning, the Soldiers of 1st Platoon, C Company, 6-101 Aviation Regiment make their way across a scorching flight line to the platoon’s three UH-60 Black Hawks. Pilots, crew chiefs and medics all take part in the ritual checks to make sure medical equipment is prepared, perform pre-flight inspections and power up the helicopters. (READ MORE)

Militants killed in Wardak province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (July 23, 2008) — Several militants were killed Tuesday during a Coalition forces operation to disrupt militant activities in Wardak province. Coalition forces searched several compounds in Sayed Abad District targeting a Taliban commander suspected of conducting attacks on Coalition forces, including the June 26 attack in Wardak resulting in the deaths of three Coalition service members and an Afghan Interpreter. The anti-Afghan forces attacked the Coalition forces with grenades, machineguns and small-arms fire from a house where they were barricaded. Coalition forces returned fire using small-arms, grenades and an airstrike, ultimately killing the militants. (READ MORE)

Task Force King transfers authority to Centaur - NURISTAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (July 22, 2008) — Commanders, Soldiers and Afghan dignitaries gathered for a transfer-of-authority ceremony, where Task Force Centaur assumed responsibilities from TF King at Forward Operating Base Kalagush, Nuristan province, Afghanistan, July 20. Task Force King, consisting primarily of paratroopers from the 4th Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, provided combat support for Nangarhar, Nuristan, Kunar and Laghman provinces. They also maintained their own separate area of operation in western Nuristan province. (READ MORE)

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