KEY MOMENT - Iraqi National Army Capt. Ali Abdual Zaharra Hussain raises the symbolic key to Joint Security Station Mutanabe during a transfer ceremony in Wasit province, Iraq, May 28, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Joe Thompson

Labels: Iraq, Iraqi National Army, Joint Security Station Mutanabe, photos, US Army, Wasit Province

LONG-RANGE TECHNIQUE - A U.S. Army soldier uses long-range marksmanship techniques to engage steel targets with an M-14 enhanced battle rifle during a four-day marksmanship course on Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, Iraq, April 13, 20009. The soldiers are assigned to 1st Cavalry Division's Company A, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Benjamin Fox

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division, FOB Marez, Iraq, M-14, Mosul, photos, US Army

GROTON, Conn. (Feb. 4, 2009) Electronics Technician 3rd Class Chuck Youngberg throws a line from the fast-attack submarine USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) to the pier to haul up the shore phone cable aboard. Pittsburgh returned to Submarine Base New London from a scheduled six-month deployment to the U.S. Southern Command and African Command areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski)/Released)

Labels: CT Heroes, local Heroes, photos, SSN 720, submarine, US Navy, USS Pittsburgh

DISTANT DETONATION - U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Nyx Zaid Nieves Lopez rolls tape while a U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team uses a radio detonation unit to explode charges set on unspent munitions that were left over from the Iran-Iraq war along with other weapons seized from insurgents by the Iraqi police in Kirkuk, Iraq, Dec. 13, 2008. Lopez is a videographer with Joint Combat Camera at Forward Operating Base Warrior in Iraq. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian L. Short

Labels: Explosive Ordinance Disposal, FOB Warrior, Iraq, Joint Combat Camera, Kirkuk, military cameramen, military photographers, photos, USAF

BLANK ROUNDS
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Keith Holt fires blank rounds from an M-240 machine gun from an SH-60F Seahawk helicopter during an air-power demonstration for the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Pacific Ocean, Nov. 21, 2008. The demonstration was one of many events for more than 1,200 friends and family members of Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group sailors. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac

Labels: aircraft, helicopter, M-240, photos, SH-60F, ships, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

From Army.mil:

1st Lt. Zachary Boes, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, speaks with a young resident of Musayyib during a patrol March 7. Photo by Sgt. Ben Brody


Dec 01, 2008
BY Sgt. David Turner

FORWARD OPERATING BASE ISKAN, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 1, 2008) -- The Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment expected to spend a second consecutive Christmas in Iraq. This year they received an early Christmas present that changed their expectations.

The Soldiers recently learned their scheduled 15-month deployment would be cut short by several weeks, bringing them home to Fort Stewart, Ga., with the rest of the Vanguard Brigade, in time for the holidays.

"We were not home for Christmas last year," said Lt. Col. Timothy Newsome, 3-7th Infantry Regiment. commander. "But surprisingly, it didn't seem to affect anyone's morale. They are just about getting after the mission. Soldiers kept their chin up. We laugh whenever we greet one another and say, 'Hey, one more Christmas to go.'"

As the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division's mechanized infantry battalion, the "Cottonbalers" faced hardship with good humor and determination in their year-plus at Forward Operating Base Iskan. It contains some of the most dangerous areas in Babil Province, such as Seddah and Jurf as-Sakhr.

The Cottonbalers were charged with a counterinsurgency mission, as the other surge brigades were, aimed at stopping the flow of weapons into Baghdad and giving the new government room to operate.

The area of operations for Soldiers was home to both Sunni and Shia extremists. Even with the troop surge at its height, some villages and towns had seen little or no coalition presence since 2003.

"If I had to use one word to describe the security situation when we first moved in here, the word would be 'tenuous,'" said Newsome. "Folks just didn't go down to Seddah."

The last time the embedded provincial reconstruction team went into Seddah -- about three months before the Cottonbalers arrived in theater -- it had been hit with an explosively formed projectile, Newsome said.

"Seddah was left alone, and it was pretty much Jaysh al-Mahdi central -- it was a perfect staging location," Newsome said. "They were not used to seeing coalition Soldiers and didn't seem to be interested in seeing coalition Soldiers."

Musayyib, a town on the banks of the Euphrates River just south of FOB Iskan, had seen too much violence. A car bomb there killed eight Iraqis in April 2006. The town's central traffic circle turned into a dumping ground for garbage and scrap. Newsome knew that a successful counterinsurgency campaign would not only have to provide citizens with security, but give them confidence that peace and prosperity would return.

Citizens there might turn against the insurgency, Newsome thought, if the unit could get some baseline security requirements in place.

"If we can get those requirements in place, and if we can build upon that with projects and governance tie-ins and have people actually start to believe in the promise of a better tomorrow again - that was something that was sadly lacking in the area for such a long time," Newsome said. "They had not been embraced by us, by the government of Iraq, nor by the provincial government. They made perfect targets for the insurgents."

Recent reconstruction efforts showed citizens there that progress could be made. Today, the traffic circle is regularly patrolled by Iraqi Police, the streets are clean, new sidewalks are installed, and there is even a fenced-in park nearby.

"We're not the only ones who notice that," said Newsome. "The population looks at that."

Before Coalition-led reconstruction could begin, the Soldiers of 3-7 had to drive out insurgents who still held sway in areas south of Baghdad. Operation Marne Roundup was the first major combat operation for the 4th BCT, and the Cottonbalers played a large role. A kinetic operation aimed at clearing out al-Qaeda cells in key areas, Marne Roundup focused on areas in the town of Khidr.

Al-Qaeda gave citizens there a choice, said Newsome: "You can support us, either actively or passively, or we're going to blow your home up."

Khidr residents suffered heavily at the hands of the terrorists.

"There were multiple homes blown up; the entire area was leveled except for three or four homes," he said. "You can go through there and see which homes were rebuilt and which homes were left."

Gradually, residents began to return after the area was cleared. Soldiers helped bring construction materials so that people could repair their homes and return to a normal life.

"They have salvaged the bricks, knocked the mortar off of those bricks and rebuilt those homes. You have an entire population of that town, over 700 families who had been driven out by AQI, that came back in, and they have resettled the area now," said Newsome.

Newsome recalled a turning point in the struggle. About the second week in January 2008, just a month or so after the unit had finished ridding the area of Al-Qaeda, families began moving back into the city.

"They started holding classes in a bombed-out school while their parents were rebuilding their homes - it was pretty impressive," Newsome said.

Newsome is especially proud of schools his Soldiers helped to rebuild. He sees those projects as reinforcing the citizens' faith in their own country. As security returned, the government of Iraq began investing more of its own money into reconstruction.

"The populations here in Musayyib, Jurf as-Sakhr and Seddah -- they were sick and tired of the violence," Newsome said. "They want an opportunity to raise their families, work a normal job, bring their kids up in a safe environment, allow their kids to pursue an education, all in the name of getting after a better tomorrow. What we achieved by building those schools, it demonstrated our sincerity.

"In those situations where the Iraqi government was behind the effort or there were Iraqi funds that were involved in the effort, that is a great indicator for the population who want their government to be involved in their lives. They want to be part of the country of Iraq."

As operations in the area transitioned from kinetic to non-kinetic, Soldiers found themselves increasingly involved in combined operations with the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police. Babil Province officially took responsibility for its own security in October. Platoon sergeants now routinely patrol with their IP counterparts, introducing them to local citizens they have come to know well. Company commanders and platoon leaders attend town council meetings, helping to build the capacity of those local governments.

An essential part of successful counterinsurgency operations is working with the population to help meet their basic needs, Newsome said. After serving his first tour in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom I, Newsome helped implement some of the lessons he learned as an observer/controller at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La. There, he said, he learned from the mistakes of others. It was an experience that served him well in OIF V. Getting the citizens of Iraq on the coalition's side, he said, meant forming relationships based on trust and respect.

"It's all about the relationship. You've got to go out there and shake hands," Newsome said. "You've got to convince people that we have their best interests in mind, and you have to work hand-in-glove with the Iraqi Security Forces that are there, no matter what condition they are in. If the population sees coalition forces and ISF together, there's a measure of trust that's there," he said.

As Iraqis found they could trust coalition forces in the area, support for insurgents began to erode, and citizens began reporting suspicious activity. That paid immediate dividends for the 3-7th Inf. Regt. Soldiers. To date, a total of 177 suspects have been detained, and the equivalent of 35,000 pounds of explosives have been found. Weapons caches discovered included more than 100,000 items. Without the help of informants, only two people were detained and only six weapons caches were found in a period of 14 months.

One reason citizens have come to trust Newsome's Soldiers is that they never rely on mass roundups to detain suspected insurgents.

"Iraqis are like Americans - we don't like being messed with," he said. "Our home is our refuge. Every time you do that, you sever ties; you sever relationships. We do something called precise targeting. When the people saw we were putting that much energy into making sure we only arrested the bad guys, and that when we arrested the bad guys, they went away for a long time, they started helping us out."

Newsome said he's learned some lessons in Iraq, especially about the value of building relationships.

"I would never have guessed that the value of forming relationships would be as extensive as it is," said Newsome, reflecting on the past year. "What I didn't understand was the value of those relationships when bad times come -- when there are small challenges or blips that may derail your progress. Because of these relationships, those folks reached back to us. We had reached out to them when we first got here to get the relationship started, then when something happens, when you lose a Soldier or when there is an accident, those relationships keep the train of progress on track. I would never have understood that."

Newsome admitted there were hard times along the way. Behind his desk are the pictures of eight of his Soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. He credits the success of his mission to those Soldiers and the others who have kept the area safe from insurgents.

"They have been absolutely essential to the whole process. First of all, they had to believe in the philosophy that I was putting out; this idea of reaching out to citizens and co-opting spheres of influence. I couldn't do that without the company commanders and platoon leaders and the NCOs that we have going out there every day," he said.

(Sgt. David Turner writes for the 4th BCT 3rd Inf. Div)


Photo by Sgt. David Turner
Staff Sgt. Brian Massey, with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, climbs to the roof of a house near Musayyib during a patrol Oct. 5.


Photo by Sgt. Ben Brody
Sgt. Christopher Humes, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, pulls rooftop security during a meeting to discuss humanitarian and infrastructure projects in Musayyib March 9.

Labels: 3-7th Infantry, 3rd ID, FOB Iskan, Fort Stewart, Good News, Iraq, Khidr, Musayyib, photos, US Army

UNDER THE RAINBOW
Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan man the rails as a rainbow forms across the skyline, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Nov. 17, 2008. Pearl Harbor is the final port visit of the deployment for Ronald Reagan. The Ronald Reagan is on a scheduled deployment operating in the U.S. 7th fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Chelsea Kennedy

Labels: 7th Fleet, Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

Labels: 18th Military Police Brigade Comabt Team, 230th Military Police Company, 793rd Military Police Battalion, children, Iraq, Jabella, Military Police, photos, US Army

PATROL
U.S. Marines Corps Cpl. Dan Clark patrols with fellow Marines along a fence line during combined pre-deployment training at 2nd Marine Logistics Group's Battle Skills Training School, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 15, 2008. Clark is a field military policeman from MP Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. U.S. Marines Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron Rooks

Labels: 2nd Marine Logistics Group, Battle Skills Training School, Camp Lejeune, Military Police, photos, USMC

FIGHTING POSITIONS
Soldiers take up fighting positions during an air assault near the banks of the Tigris River in Bayji, Iraq, Oct. 14, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Richard Rzepka

Labels: 1-327 Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, Bayji, Iraq, photos, Tigris River

AFGHANISTAN HORNET - A U.S. Navy F/A-18C Hornet flies over the desert of southern Afghanistan providing support to coalition forces on the ground in Afghanistan, Oct. 9, 2008. The aircraft and its pilot are assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 113, from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and Carrier Air Wing 14. U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Erik Etz

Labels: Afghanistan, aircraft, Carrier Air Wing 14, F/A-18C, Hornet, photos, Strike Fighter Squadron 113, US Navy, USS Ronald Reagan

Burning the midnight oil
Airman 1st Class Jessica Guinn tightens clamps around an actuator on an F-16 Fighting Falcon Oct. 6 during some late-night maintenance at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Airman Guinn, an aerospace propulsion apprentice with the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, is deployed from Misawa Air Base, Japan. Her hometown is Flint, Mich. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jason Epley)

Labels: 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Iraq, Joint Base Balad, photos, USAF

Army Master Sgt. Michael Molgaard helps to unload boxes of donated clothing and school supplies with an Afghan policeman at the Afshar School. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Robert Romano, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix


From DefenseLink:


By Army Lt. Col. Paul Fanning
Special to American Forces Press Service

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2008 – Donations of school supplies and children’s clothing from military families and friends at home are helping deployed New York Army National Guard soldiers in their mission to mentor and train the Afghan national security forces and support the Afghan people.

Members of the Afghan National Police delivered hundreds of pounds of schools supplies, children’s clothing and shoes sent over from New York communities to boys and girls of the Afshar School in the suburbs of the Afghan capital of Kabul on Oct. 4.

Humanitarian assistance missions help Afghan families and build bonds of trust for the nation’s developing army and police forces. Trainers and mentors from Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, part of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, guide and support national police and army units as they conduct local efforts.

Nearly 1,700 members of the New York National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix to serve on embedded training and police mentoring teams, security force units, logistics teams and for the task force headquarters.

Increasingly, military family members, friends, youth groups and civic organizations back in New York are taking an active role by sending donations to their deployed loved ones that are in turn used to help the Afghan people.

Clothing, footwear and school supplies are eagerly sought. Operations that bring police to schools and villages to deliver security messages as well as gifts encourage local support for the Afghan government and improve conditions for the people.

“The Afghan National Police is the face of the Afghan government at the local level,” said Army Col. Gary Yaple, deputy commander of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix and the New York National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Syracuse. “Our intent is to place the Afghans first and in the lead, and we support. This is their nation. These are their communities, families and children. The more support they provide, the more they build for their government. They still need our help, but much progress is being made.”

The three-hour mission on Oct. 4 included 23 U.S. personnel assigned to a police mentoring team with Afghan Regional Security Integration Command Kabul and logistics task force troops. The team moved to the headquarters of Police District 5, where 1st Lt. Faisal Reza from the Bronx, Master Sgt. Michael Molgaard from Ithaca, and Staff Sgt. Deanna Bizette from Florence, S.C., conferred with the local police chief on the operation plan. Then a dozen officers moved out with the Phoenix team for the school.

They set up a security perimeter, and U.S. troops and Afghan police unloaded three trailers of donations. These were placed in a faculty office, and teachers began to distribute to the neediest students.

“The donations came from various people in the Tompkins County area,” said Capt. Robert Romano from Ithaca, assigned to Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix headquarters.

“My mother organized the drive with support from several local church groups,” he said, adding that Linda Pasto, the mother of another deployed officer, and a local chapter of "The Red Hat Society," a woman's group, also made significant contributions.

“Clothing was collected, inspected, packed and shipped by my mother, Marie Romano, and my wife, Lana,” the captain said. “The first load amounted to about 650 pounds.”

Another shipment weighing in at 1,100 pounds already is on the way, he added. “The police chief and teachers seemed especially happy with a large box of children's shoes and another one that contained winter jackets and sweaters.”

Later, the local police chief personally handed out school supplies, clothing and shoes. He also talked to the children with a simple message: “People should not be afraid to come to the police to ask for help. The police are there for the people.”

(Army Lt. Col. Paul Fanning serves in the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix Public Affairs Office.)


Related Sites:
Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan


Col. Zalmia, Police District 5 chief, speaks to students in a classroom of the Afshar School to let them know that his police officers are there to help. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Robert Romano, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix



Afghan children show off donated supplies and clothing. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Robert Romano, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix

Labels: 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Afghanistan, children, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, Good News, Humanitarian Aid, New York National Guard, photos, US Army

SUEZ SHORE
The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio transits through the Suez Canal, Egypt, Sept. 23, 2008. The USS San Antonio is deployed as part of the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group supporting maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky

Labels: 5th Fleet, Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, photos, ships, Suez Canal, US Navy, USS San Antoinio

WING WALKER
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Phillip Bean performs a preflight inspection on a C-130 Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 18, 2008. Bean is assigned to the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron as a crew chief. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kenny Holston

Labels: 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, aircraft, C-130, Hercules, photos, USAF

SPEED OF SOUND
An F/A-18E Super Hornet reaches the speed of sound near the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during a Friends and Family Day Cruise off the coast of Virginia, Atlantic Ocean, Aug. 30, 2008. The event enables guests to experience a day at sea with sailors assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse L. Dick

Labels: aircraft, F/A-18E, photos, Super Hornet, US Navy, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower

FAMILY PICTURES - A U.S. soldier shows a group of Iraqi girls pictures of his daughters after the monthly security meeting with the mayor in Jadellah Sofia, Iraq, Aug. 4, 2008. The soldier is assigned to the 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Sarah De Boise

Labels: 1-3 ACR, children, Iraq, Jadellah Sofia, photos, US Army

PATROL CHAT - U.S. Army Cpl. Michael Tejada patrols down a street while talking with a boy in Istaqlal Qada, northeast of Baghdad, July 27, 2008, after purchasing bananas from a market. Tejada is a mortar section leader assigned to 25th Infantry Division's Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. J.B. Jaso III

Labels: 1-27 Infantry, 25th ID, children, Iraq, Istaqlal Qada, photos, US Army

OSAN AIM
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class David Armes aims his M240B machine gun during a base-wide exercise on Osan Air Base, South Korea, July 21, 2008. Armes is an entry controller assigned to the 51st Security Forces Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz

Labels: 51st Security Forces Squadron, M240B, Osan Air Base, photos, USAF

HORNET REFUEL - U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft refuels a Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2008 over the Pacific Ocean, July 23, 2008. The multinational exercise includes troops from the United States, Australia, Chile, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Singapore and the United Kingdom. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel N. Woods

Labels: aircraft, Canadian Air Force, CF-18, Hornet, KC-135, photos, Stratotanker, USAF

TIKRIT ASSAULT - U.S. and Iraqi soldiers head out during an air assault mission geared toward forcing insurgents out of the village of Al Fatah Miaya near Tikrit, Iraq, July 25, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to Troop G, 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kyle Richardson

Labels: 2-3 ACR, Al Fatah Miaya, Iraq, Iraqi Army, photos, Tikrit, US Army

BALAD BLAZE - U.S. Air Force firefighters battle to control a blaze that destroyed six metal-framed buildings used as workspace, storage and living quarters at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, July 22, 2008. No injuries were reported from the fire, but a high temperature of 117 degrees forced three firemen to be treated at the Air Force Theater Hospital for heat -related injuries. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gary Hawkins

Labels: Balad, Iraq, Joint Base Balad, photos, USAF

PERFECT FORMATION
The U.S. and Royal Malaysian Navy vessels KD Lekir, guided-missile frigate USS Ford and KD Sri Inderapura sail in formation during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2008, July 14, 2008. CARAT is an annual series of bilateral maritime training exercises involving the United States and several Southeast Asian nations designed to build relationships and enhance operational readiness. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Brian Brannon

Labels: CARAT, frigate, KD Lekir, KD Sri Inderapura, photos, Royal Malaysian Navy, ships, US Navy, USS Ford

DISMOUNTED PATROL - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Steven Robinson, conducts a dismounted patrol with his soldiers in Hor Al Bosh, Iraq, July 18, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment. U.S. Army Photos by Spc. Daniel Herrera

Labels: 1-27 Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, Hor Al Bosh, Iraq, photos, US Army

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:

Staff Sergeant Brian Doty (left), of Orange, Va. and Cpl. Sam Weaver, of Fayetteville, N.C., both with Company B, 13th Psychological Operations Battalion, are accompanied by local children while on a foot patrol in the city of Suwayrah in northern Wasit province. Photo by Sgt. David Turner.


Wednesday, 23 July 2008
By Sgt. David Turner
4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

COMBAT OUTPOST SUMMERS — Walking down the busy streets of Suwayrah at sundown, the city’s residents met Soldiers with handshakes and friendly smiles. Children gathered everywhere the Soldiers stopped to talk to residents.

As the patrol of Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment continued on its way, the children followed, practicing their English and enjoying the early evening stroll.

“Wherever we roll, it’s like a parade,” said Sgt. Robert Delong, an infantryman from central Minnesota, whose previous deployment to Iraq was in Ramadi. This time around, he said, things are different.

Soldiers of Co. B, 2nd Bn., 6th Inf. Regt. conducted joint patrols with their Iraqi Army counterparts in the northern Wasit province. The patrol was not only a way of showing their presence, but to gather information on local businesses and to hear local citizens’ concerns.

Soldiers of Co. B’s 1st Plt. began their day with an early morning patrol in Raminiyah, along the west bank of the Tigris River, visiting Sons of Iraq checkpoints and talking with local citizens and community leaders. In the rural parts of Co. B’s area, where there are few police, the SoI help keep the roads safe and prevent insurgents and weapons from coming into the area. It’s an around-the-clock task, and many of the checkpoints have tents or shelters nearby where SoI members rest between shifts.

The Soldiers of Co. B, attached to the 1st Bn., 76th Field Artillery Regt., 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, make sure the checkpoints are manned and the SoI have what they need as part of their patrols.

Later, they met up with IA Soldiers of the 3rd Bde., 2nd IA Div. in the city of Suwayrah. After pairing up with their IA “battle buddies,” the Soldiers conducted a joint patrol on foot, taking them through the city’s main streets.

“At this stage we try to get the population on our side,” Delong said. “We try to maintain their happiness and give them things that they need. Basically, we ask them what they need, and we take notes.”

“It’s been unusual for me, because I’m not used to working with the population. This deployment, it’s candy and sunshine every day. People come out of their houses to see you. It’s been difficult for a lot of us vets to get used to. It’s just like talking to friends back home.”

Another difference Delong noted is the quiet.

“When I go to sleep, I don’t hear bombs going off. I don’t hear gunfire,” he said.

In recent years, Suwayrah has been a relative island of peace in comparison to its neighbors to the north and west. Since Company B arrived here more than two months ago, there have been no attacks aimed at Coalition forces, said Capt. Dustin Ornatowski, commander of Company B. With little insurgent or criminal activity in the area, his company’s main mission now is to help local citizens repair damaged infrastructure and build their economy, he said.

“Economics and infrastructure are the biggest problems in this area,” said Ornatowski, of Edwardsburg, Mich. “You’re always going to have leftover insurgency elements and criminal elements wherever you go. Right now, those elements are not actively fighting against us in this area,” he said.

Company B Soldiers are working to identify key leaders and find out what the communities in their area need the most. Currently, they hear mostly of the need for reliable electricity and water pumps to keep the region’s irrigation canals flowing, said Ornatowski. Many pumps are damaged or missing, and getting them running again is necessary to supply farmers in the area.

Labels: 13th Psyops Battalion, 3rd ID, 76th Field Artillery Regiment, children, Combat Outpost Summers, Good News, Iraq, photos, Suwayrah

Labels: Fallujah, Hey Al Dubat, Iraqi, photos

FALCON FIREWORKS
An F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft sits on the runway during an early Independence Day celebration and fireworks display in Madison, Wis., June 28, 2008. The Falcon aircraft is assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard. U.S. Air Force photo by Joe Oliva

Labels: 115th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, aircraft, Fighting Falcons, Independence Day, photos, USAF, Wisconsin Air National Guard

THROUGH THE SMOKE
A student in the Air Force Phoenix Warrior Training Course participates in a combat first aid class on a Fort Dix, N.J., range, June 19, 2008. The course is taught by the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Expeditionary Operations School and 421st Combat Training Squadron. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol

Labels: 421st Combat Training Squadron, combat first aid, photos, USAF

MOO-VING CLOSER - U.S. Army Spc. Joseph Santalucia takes time to spread a little joy, not only to the people of the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, with whom he works to help on a daily basis, but also to one lucky cow, June 21, 2008. Santalucia is an infantryman with the 25th Infantry Division's Company B, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, Multinational Division Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brad Willeford

Labels: 27th Infantry Regiment, Baghdad, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, photos, Taji Qada, US Army

Shulla Search
Iraqi Army Soldiers watch as U.S. Army Soldiers check an AK-47 handed off to them by the owner during a joint patrol conducting a weapons search in Shulla, Iraq, June 19, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez.


Weapon Cleaning
Fire Controlman 3rd Class Randy Sorensen, assigned to Combat Systems CS-7 Division, performs maintenance on a close-in weapon system (CIWS) aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), May 28, 2008. U.S Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Johndion Magsipoc.

THUNDERING OVERHEAD
Four Air Force Thunderbird F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation behind an F-22 Raptor for more than 6,000 spectators during the June 24, 2008, air show at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The "Soaring into Solstice" air show provided an opportunity for the local community to visit and get a close-up view and demonstration of the capabilities of the Air Force's aircraft.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Eric T. Sheler


STALLION PICKUP
A U.S. Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter lands in the Jazeerah Desert, Iraq, to pick up Marines taking part in Operation Defeat al Qaeda in the North, June 24, 2008. They are part of the 3rd Marine Air Wing's Heavy Helicopter Sqaudron 462. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jason W. Fudge


Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf transits through Chesapeake Bay
PORTSMOUTH, Va.- A 45-foot Coast Guard Response Boat-Medium from Station Little Creek, Va., transfers passengers from the Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf as it transits through the Chesapeake Bay, Va., today. The Bertholf, the 1st National Security Cutter to be built, hosted media and VIPÕs while on its maiden voyage transiting to Baltimore, Md., before it heads out to its permanent home port in Alameda, Ca. (Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Henise)

Labels: aircraft, At Work In..., Combat Systems CS-7 Division, CVN 72, Eielson Air Force Base, F-16, Iraq, Iraqi Army, photos, ships, US Army, US Navy, USAF, USMC, USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Bertholf

Sadr City
A view of the Sadr City area of Baghdad, Iraq, March 29, 2008. Photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Bailey, Joint Combat Camera Center.

Labels: Baghdad, Iraq, photos, Sadr City

TOP OF BATTA - U.S. Army 1st Lt. Foster Thorpe, left, and an Iraqi National Police officer stand on top of an abandoned house during a cordon and search operation in Al Batta, Iraq, June 20, 2008.U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Eric Hein

Labels: Al Batta, cordon and search, Iraq, Iraqi National Police, photos, US Army

Play Time
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Max W. Donahue plays with Paco, his military working dog, in Lahib, Iraq, June 16, 2008. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Stuart Wegenka.

Labels: Iraq, Lahib, military working dog, photos, USMC

EAGLES AND FALCONS
A flight of Aggressor F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons fly in formation, June 5, 2008, over the Nevada Test and Training Range. The jets are assigned to the 64th and 65th Aggressor squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald

Labels: 64th Aggressor squadron, 65th Aggressor squadron, aircraft, Eagle, F-15, F-16, Fighting Falcons, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada Test and Training Range, photos, US Air Force

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:


An Iraqi Army Soldier from 9th Iraqi Army Division provides security, along side U.S. Army Soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division, during a dismounted patrol in Abu Atham, Iraq. Improved Iraqi Security Forces are considered one key reason for the improved security throughout Iraq. Photo by Tech Sgt. William Greer.


Tuesday, 24 June 2008
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON — The number of weekly attacks in Iraq has dropped from about 1,200 a week in June 2007 to about 200 a week now, the commander of the tactical unit responsible for command and control of operations in Iraq said June 23.

Mirroring this reduction in violence has been a 70 percent decrease in roadside-bomb attacks and an 85 percent spike in the number of weapons caches Coalition forces have found over the past year, Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq, told reporters via satellite from Baghdad at a Pentagon news conference.

“I attribute most of these hard-fought gains in security to a few key factors: our Coalition forces aggressively pursuing the enemy, the improving capability of the Iraqi Security Forces, and the Iraqi people participating in the rebuilding process of Iraq,” he said.

But the general tempered his optimism, characterizing security improvements as fragile gains that coalition troops are attempting to solidify as they build the capabilities of their Iraqi counterparts.

“While the improved security is a great achievement, we clearly understand that our progress is fragile, and we continue to work to make this progress irreversible,” he said.

The general praised coalition troops for having al-Qaida “on its heels,” yet he identified the organization as the “primary threat” remaining in Iraq. The terrorist group yesterday launched an attack in Baqouba that killed at least 15 people, including several police officers, and wounded dozens of others.

“Even though we assess that they are on the run, they are still capable of launching spectacular attacks,” Austin said, noting yesterday’s bombing in the Diyala province city. “As a result, our operations in the north are focused on defeating their capability to perform these attacks.”

Austin cited recent operations in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, as examples of the increasing capabilities and effectiveness of Iraq’s security forces. Combined forces in the Ninevah province city over the past four days detained 16 suspects, including four high-ranking al-Qaida operatives.

“We continue to aggressively pursue al-Qaida and to take away their safe havens and to close off all their escape routes when they try to flee,” he said.

Austin, who assumed command of Multinational Corps Iraq in February, said coalition forces will continue helping to develop Iraq’s national security operators under his leadership.

“I'm absolutely confident, based on the indicators from the last few months, that they'll continue to make significant improvements, and we will be with them, side by side, as they progress,” he said.

Though they have made significant progress, Iraqi security forces in many instances are not yet prepared to take over day-to-day operations, thereby allowing coalition troops to assume an overwatch role, the general said.

Before Iraqi forces become autonomous, he said, they need to develop “combat enablers” with the capability of calling in and integrating fire support into formation. They also be capable of supporting themselves logistically, and begin using their own surveillance and reconnaissance to cull intelligence, then plan their own operations, the general said.

“We are working hand in hand with our coalition partners in all parts of the country,” he said. “They have improved significantly, but we've been clear about saying that they're not there yet.”

As Iraqi security forces mature in the midst of combating al-Qaida and Iranian-backed “special groups,” they meanwhile are gaining the support and confidence of Iraqi citizens, the general said. The majority of Iraqis have rescinded allegiance to extremism, he added, praising the efforts of civilian security groups like the “Sons of Iraq.”

“Now the overwhelming majority of the population has turned against the insurgents and the criminals,” Austin said. “Iraqis understand that al-Qaida and outside influences are not in the best interest of their country.”

Dovetailing with Iraqi security forces’ rise in public status has been a reduction in the number of people being held in detention. A coalition-led detainee release program has freed roughly 4,000 people who combined forces have deemed nonthreatening.

“[It] demonstrates that the coalition is committed to the welfare of the Iraqi population and to reconciliation,” he said.

Labels: 25th Infantry Division, 9th Iraqi Army Division, Abu Atham, Good News, Iraq, photos, US Army

WATER RELIEF - U.S. soldiers hand out water bottles to people who live in the landfill near Al Sabiat, a village northwest of Baghdad, June 15, 2008. The soldiers are assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, Multinational Division Baghdad, U.S. Army photo by Capt. Ronnie Geronimo

Labels: 2-14 Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division, Al Sabiat, Baghdad, Humanitarian Aid, Iraq, Multi-National Division-Baghdad, photos, US Army

KIRKUK SEARCH
Iraqi army soldiers conduct a search for hidden weapons in a village located in the Southern region of Kirkuk province, Iraq, June 17, 2008.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Ave I. Pele-Sizelove

Labels: Iraq, Iraqi Army, Kirkuk Province, photos

PROTOTYPE UNVEILED
Prototype 1 of the non-line-of-sight cannon was unveiled, June 11, 2008, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. A total of eight such prototypes will be delivered to Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., by 2010. There, Army scientists will put the prototypes through rigorous testing to ensure they meet performance requirements. C. Todd Lopez, U.S. Army

Labels: cannon, military technology, photos, US Army

PAW PALS - U.S. Army Capt. Stephen Johnson shakes the paw of Sgt. 1st Class Freida, a specialized search dog, after a re-enlistment ceremony on Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq, June 9, 2008. Johnson is commander of the 1st Armored Division's Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team.U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Michael Schuch

Labels: 1st Armored Division, FOB Hammer, military working dog, photos, SFC Freida, US Army

CEDAR RAPIDS RELIEF - Members of the Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing unload their gear at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, June 15, 2008. State officials activated the National Guard to the help with recovery efforts after massive flooding caused evacuations from towns along major rivers.U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jack Braden
More Photos - Story

Labels: 185th Air Refueling Wing, flooding, Iowa Air National Guard, photos, USAF

Take a Knee
U.S. Army Soldiers take a break and await further orders after a long day of conducting a reconnaissance mission in an abandoned warehouse area in the Thawra 1 neighborhood of the Sadr City district of Baghdad, June 5, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young.

Labels: Baghdad, Iraq, photos, Sadr City, Thawra 1, US Army

Face the Future
An Iraqi child watches U.S. Marines with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment patrol in Hadari Precinct, Fallujah, Iraq on June 3. The U.S. Marines patrol the area to help reduce violence in the area. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Martin Moman.

Labels: 3-6 Marine Regiment, children, Fallujah, Hadari Precinct, Iraq, photos, USMC

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:


Sergeant Jeremy Haycox monitors battlefield activities at Combat Outpost Murray June 6. Haycox, of Albuquerque, N.M., said his vantage point allowed him to see the positive changes taking place in the south Baghdad area in a unique way. Photo by Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky.


Monday, 09 June 2008
By Sgt. Kevin Stabinsky
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division

COMBAT OUTPOST MURRAY — As Spc. Robert Manchego sees the end of his deployment approaching, he reflects on a year of change. Most of the combat he now encounters is commanding virtual armies on his laptop computer during his downtime.

It wasn’t always so quiet for Machengo. When his unit, Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, first arrived into the area of Arab Jabour south of Baghdad, the place was anything but calm.

For four years following the liberation of Baghdad, the area was largely unoccupied by coalition forces; insurgents used the area as a base of operations.

“When we first got here it was pretty much all al-Qaida,” said Spc. Eric Strazeri, a driver for the battalion’s operations officer. “We had to fight our way all around the sector.”

The fight itself wasn’t only against al-Qaida. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers also had to work to gain the local population’s trust, which was often the more difficult task.

“The people were very shy, wouldn’t come up to us,” Manchego recalled.

Sergeant Jeremy Haycox, a native of Albuquerque, N.M., had a different view of the battlefield from the battalion’s tactical operations center. He said although his job kept him from seeing the enemy or citizens face-to-face, the insurgents’ hostilities were evident on the screen of his work station.

“It was real bad, extremely hectic. I saw lots of red, enemy activities, on my screen,” he said. ”It was bad - lots of IEDs. We discovered some, set off others, had some guys hurt, had some guys die.”

As a veteran of several missions, Strazeri, a native of Miami, experienced some of the incidents on Haycox’s screen first-hand.

During one mission, Strazeri was accompanying the scout platoon and came under small-arms fire south of COP Murray.

“We took fire (and) returned fire,” he said, noting one Soldier was injured during the event.

Small-arms fire was always a concern, although not as big as the threat posed by IEDs, Manchego said. As the 1-30th Inf. Regt. pushed into the area, they performed a lot of missions – patrolling the streets, setting up observation points and going after targets such as insurgents, weapons caches or IEDs.

While putting a face on the insurgency, the Soldiers also tried to put the best face on themselves. To endear them to the local populace, the Soldiers worked to help improve the citizens’ quality of life.

“We did a lot of projects, getting the schools up and running, helping restore businesses through microgrants,” Strazeri said.

As they carted off weapons caches and removed IEDs from the streets, the Soldiers improved things in their place: water, humanitarian assistance and - most importantly - hope for a better tomorrow, Manchego said.

“It was cool to see little kids coming up to us for water,” he said, noting that with each good act, the fear and reservation of the citizens began to disappear. “I think once local nationals here saw we were here to help they were more receptive to us.”

Soon the citizens began to work with the Soldiers, pointing out insurgents and their weapons. Residents laid the foundation for the Sons of Iraq program in the area and began to take care of their communities.

That change, which Haycox attributes to the involvement of the SoI, came at a time when security gains began allowing the Baghdad-7 embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team to enter into the area.

The ePRT, which began working with the 2nd BCT in October, is a U.S. Department of State entity made up of experts in fields such as business, agriculture and governance. They worked hand-in-hand with 2nd BCT units to help rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure.

Through their help, and with funds from the Dept. of State and the Commander’s Emergency Response Program, things started to change.

“We did some very good projects here, opening shops and businesses; just working to improve the life of the people here,” Haycox said.

Although the 1-30th Inf. Regt. will soon depart, they leave behind their best wishes for the people they have come to win over, as well as the Iraqi army soldiers who will assume responsibility for the area.

“Hopefully the IA is able to sustain the fight against al-Qaida and maintain relationships with locals,” Strazeri said.

Haycox summarized his hopes in two words: “Maintain and improve. Maintain what we’ve done and help this place keep improving.”

Labels: 3rd ID, Al Qaeda, Arab Jabour, Baghdad, Combat Outpost Murray, Good News, Iraq, photos, US Army

Smiling Eyes
An Iraqi soldier from 3rd Battalion, 42nd Brigade, 11th Division peers around a corner of his checkpoint to maintain a close watch on Iraqi contract workers that are cleaning a village outside of Joint Security Station Sadr City, May 31. U.S. Army photo.

Labels: 11th Iraqi Division, Iraq, Joint Security Station Sadr City, photos

TORNADO RECOVERY - U.S. soldiers go through debris after a tornado ripped through Camp Atterbury, Ind., June 3, 2008. No injuries were reported, but more than 40 buildings and numerous military and civilian vehicles were destroyed during the storm. The soldiers are assigned to the 205th Infantry Brigade. U.S Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Bell

Labels: 205th Infantry Brigade, Camp Atterbury, photos, tornado, US Army

PAY DAY PATTERN
U.S. Army Spc. Collin Kelly oversees the pay day activities for the Sons of Iraq guards in the Taji Qada, northwest of Baghdad, May 28, 2008. Kelly is an infantryman assigned to 25th Infantry Division's Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.U.S. Army Sgt. Brad Willeford

Labels: 25th Infantry Division, Baghdad, Iraq, photos, Sons of Iraq, Taji Qada, US Army

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:


An AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter gunship from the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, prepares for a night mission, May 31, 2008. The 1-1 ARB Gunfighter air and ground crews work around the clock sustaining air operations and are part of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., flying in support of Task Force Iron, 1st Armored Division, in northern Iraq. Photo by Maj. Enrique Vasquez, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.


Saturday, 07 June, 2008

TIKRIT — Since the days of early aviation, Army pilots have played a key role in the outcome of ground battles and air missions. For pilots flying the AH-64 Apache Longbows of the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment in northern Iraq, the legacy of influencing the fight continues through careful mission preparation and teamwork. These pilots, known as the Gunfighters, are part of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Infantry Division’s efforts to sustain a constant presence over the skies of northern Iraq in support of Task Force Iron.
However, before the Gunfighters jump into their cockpits and head out into the skies of Multi-National Division-North, they must plan meticulously prior to each mission.

“First thing we do is get our mission data cards for the aircraft ready through our AMPS [Aviation Mission Planning Station computer] via our CP [command post] with all the aircraft specific data. We receive our tail number and we print out the knee-board cards and communications cards,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Thaddeus Menold, air mission commander 1-1 ARB.

“From there we head over to the battalion Tactical Operations Center and receive a mission team brief,” said 1st Lt. Deborah Lindeman, Co. C, 1-1 ARB.

Personnel from the operations and intelligence staffs brief the pilots on the details of their mission to ensure they know what to expect.

“Pilots are briefed on the five Ws- who, what, where, when and why- in respect to the operations portion of the brief. The crews receive instructions on what the ground commanders want along with any changes in procedures or radio frequencies,” said 1st Lt. Peter Huang, a battle captain for 1-1 ARB.

“Furthermore, pilots receive any changes in battlespace and any updates as to what friendly forces are in the area of operations,” Huang continued.

Just as the operations officer gives a detailed briefing so does the intelligence officer. Everything the enemy might be doing or trying to do is briefed to include the careful articulation of possible enemy courses of action.

“We find patterns and trends the enemy might be engaged in like IED (improvised explosive devices], small arms fire and emplacements. We give the pilots an assessment so they know what to look for, how the enemy might act and what to expect,” said Staff Sgt. Floyd Perry, 1-1 ARB intelligence analyst.

“The intel guys can give a 72-hour look of what has happened in the area of operations as well as a threat analysis to tell us where the bad guys are, based on previous activity,” said Menold.

Once each Apache crew is briefed and understands their mission set, they receive a team brief by their air mission commander.

“After our intelligence and operations brief we go back to our CP and we do a team brief and we plan our route of ingress, our execution and our route of egress. We also discuss what our greatest threat might be, and what the greatest safety risk is,” said Menold.

“In addition we address what to do if we loose communications or have an emergency. From there we head out to the aircraft for pre-flight checks and we also check the weather one more time before we go on the mission,” said Menold.

Although the Apache is a two-seat helicopter, both pilots in an AH-64 Apache Longbow have a certain job to perform. While both are capable of flying the aircraft, the duties of the command pilot and the co-pilot gunner, called the CPG, are distinctly different in a combat situation.

“The pilot maneuvers the helicopter so that the CPG can fire,” said Lindeman.

“The advantage to being the CPG is that you have laser and you can shoot missiles or the 30mm cannon.”

The pilots must work together to accomplish in-flight tasks and duties.

“We just talk to each other and I let him (the pilot) know if I have something, where I am looking at left or right. From there the pilot can see the video I am looking at through my screen, he then places the aircraft to where I am looking,” said Lindeman.

During a mission, individual Apache crews work with a sister gunship and are part of a weapons attack team made up of two Apaches flying as a pair.

Mission success depends on the gunship crews working well with each other.

“I like crew coordination; not just in the cockpit but in the team. I like to see crew coordination between aircrafts. If someone has a minor problem, no matter how small, I want to know about it,” said Menold.

Each Apache crew has a distinct role during a mission set.

“The lead aircraft is the primary shooter, navigator and serves as the principal communicator with the ground force commander. The trail aircraft covers the lead aircraft should the lead aircraft take fire. The trail Apache also monitors the CTAF [Common Traffic Advisory Frequency] for air-to-air deconfliction,” said Capt. Jason Lynn, 1-1 ARB plans officer.

Supporting the ground units is what each mission is about.

“Mission success is measured by supporting the ground units and helping them get back to their bases safely. So we do our best to help them in any way we can,” said Menold.

“There is nothing better than catching someone emplacing IED. The ground units are always appreciative of us being there.”

There are several types of missions Apache crews often fly. The missions vary between counter IED reconnaissance, to ground support.

Apache pilots say they can see the positive contributions they are making in defeating insurgents.

“The violence has scaled down quite a bit since we got here,” said Menold.

“We used to catch a lot of insurgents emplacing IEDs. However, there are not as many emplacers as there used to be. We are definitely having an impact on IED activity,” said Menold.

(Story by Maj. Enrique T. Vasquez, 1st Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)

Labels: 1-1 ARB, AH-64D, aircraft, Apache, CAB 1st ID, helicopter, Iraq, photos, Task Force Iron

MISSILE TARGET TEST - The U.S. Navy launches two modified Standard Missile-2 Block IV interceptors from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie during a Missile Defense Agency test to intercept a short-range ballistic missile target, June 5, 2008. The missiles intercepted the target approximately 12 miles above the Pacific Ocean 100 miles west of Kauai, Hawaii, on the Pacific Missile Range Facility. U.S. Navy photo by the Missile Defense Agency

Labels: missile, photos, US Navy, USS Lake Erie

EAGER TO LEARN IN SADR CITY - U.S. Army Spc. James Sucher is surrounded by Iraqi children who want to practice English outside a Sadr City school, Baghdad, May 30, 2008. Sucher is assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, Task Force Regular. More than 100 young Iraqi men showed up at the school to apply for an opportunity to join the neighborhood watch program. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Cohen A. Young

Labels: 1-6th Infantry, Baghdad, children, Iraq, photos, Sadr City, Task Force Regular, US Army

REMEMBERING A COMRADE - A U.S. soldier pays his respect to a fallen comrade during a memorial service held on Forward Operating Base Iskan, Iraq, May 27, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Tiffany Dusterhoft

Labels: Fallen Heroes, FOB Iskan, Iraq, photos, US Army

HONOR AND DUTY
A Marine renders honors to the USS Arizona Memorial from the observation deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 26, 2008. The Marine is assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel Barker

Labels: 11th MEU, Pearl Harbor, photos, US Navy, USMC, USS Arizona, USS Tarawa

ROUGH WATERS - A MH-53 helicopter assigned to a Marine squadron flies low over the Gulf of Aden to drop a Zodiac boat and pararescuemen assigned to the 82nd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron during a training mission with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden, May 31, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock

Labels: 82nd Expeitionary Rescue Squadron, aircraft, CJTF-HOA, helicopter, MH-53, photos, USMC

From Multi-National Force - Iraq:


Lithuanian Sgt. 1st Class Donatas Krivickas, of LITCON 10, maintains security in a market in the town of Dujayli U.S. civil affairs Soldiers conduct an assessment May 20. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Daniel T. West.


Tuesday, 03 June 2008
By Sgt. Daniel T. West
214th Fires Brigade, Public Affairs Office

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA — With only a week remaining in their six-month tour in Iraq, soldiers from Lithuanian Contingent 10, Iron Wolf Brigade, faced a difficult choice.

Two options remained following the news that the Lithuanian government had voted to extend the unit’s tour for two more months: the soldiers could volunteer for the extension or continue their redeployment.

“Since they were already packed and I knew how difficult it would be, I chose to ask for volunteers to stay,” said Lt. Gen. Valdas Tutkus, Lithuanian Chief of Defense.

Twenty-nine of the 40 soldiers in the platoon chose to continue the mission.

“Without them, we would be stuck,” said Capt. Caroline Pogge, of Company B, 411th Civil Affairs Battalion. “They are the primary personnel security detachment for civil affairs and Provincial Reconstruction Team Wasit. Without them, we are immobile.”

Selecting to continue their deployment showed a lot about their character, according to Pogge.

“To a lot of people, six weeks (the extension was later changed to eight weeks) isn’t much,” said Pogge, a native of Danbury, Conn. “But over here, it’s a long time.”

Word that the Lithuanians had selected to stay was a welcome surprise, according to Col. Peter Baker, commander of the 214th Fires Brigade.

“We are so dependent on them for movement; we didn’t know how we would move the teams that are so vital to the reconstruction effort,” Baker said.

The Soldiers appreciated the fact that the choice was left to them.

“It is important to serve our country, but in some moments it is more important to take care of home and family,” said 1st Lt Gediminas Alisauskas, a platoon commander. “I’m glad to have the chance to choose. All of us had plans for when we got back – most changed them, some couldn’t.”

Being so close to returning home made the choice difficult.

“I had one week left and it felt like I was already home,” Cpl. Rimvydas Stasaitis said. “I had plans, but changed them when I decided to stay. It’s my duty and responsibility. The mission is not finished when our time is finished. If we wanted to finish it, we had to stay.”

For some, the decision to stay was because of the team, a reluctance to leave while comrades stayed. The platoon bonded over the time here, and for some, the decision was whether to leave one family for another.

“We came as one platoon and have friends here,” said Capt. Karolis Morkunas, the platoon’s senior national representative. “We want to stay with our friends.”

Tutkus emphasized Lithuania’s continued commitment to supporting the U.S.

We came in with the U.S. during the war and will stay in support until the end,” he said. “It’s important to be a credible member of NATO and the Coalition. In order to demonstrate our credibility as a country, we have to share the risk.”

As the soldiers of the platoon performed their duties over the past six months, they impacted on all who interacted with them, from their Chief of Defense to the U.S. Soldiers who worked with them from day to day.

“I’m proud of the soldiers here,” Tutkus said. “From the first part, every time I visit soldiers and their commanders, I hear only the best things. There is a light in their eyes. They are motivated, professional, well-trained and competent.”

The civil affairs team members they escorted echoed the sentiments.

“They are phenomenal, professional soldiers,” Pogge said. “They know their job and do it extremely well. Their competence and confidence is obvious as we travel with them.”

The Soldiers who stayed held no grudges against those who chose to leave.

“Some soldiers had losses, maybe their wife was sick and they had small children, so they had to go,” Morkunas said. “They didn’t want to go… Even those who stayed had compelling reasons to go. The section leader (Master Sgt. Andrius Samusevas) has a two-month-old daughter that he has never seen, I have a two-and-a-half month-old daughter that I’ve never seen, but we chose to stay, to see it through.”

The soldiers were optimistic about their final two months, but did not plan to make things permanent.

“It’s ok to stay for two months, but not one day more,” Stasaitis said. “I am getting married in two months and one day, and I can’t reschedule that.”



Už tai ir pakelkime taures...HOOAH, Lits!

Labels: Coalition Forces, Good News, Iraq, Iron Wolf Brigade, Lithuanian Contingent 10, photos

EAGLE EXERCISE
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chester Johnson performs a post flight inspection on an F-15 Strike Eagle during a Maple Flag exercise at Cold Lake, Canada, May 26, 2008. The exercise provides Canadian and allied aircrew with realistic training in a simulated air-combat environment and emphasizes air operations involving large package coalition forces. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo

Labels: aircraft, F-15, Maple Flag, photos, Strike Eagle, USAF

EUPHRATES VIEW - U.S. Marines head into the Euphrates River near Haditha, Iraq, May 25, 2008. The Marines are assigned to the Company L, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. U.S. Navy seamen, assigned to Riverine Squadron 3, assisted the Marines in a mission to clear islands in the river. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Erik Villagran

Labels: 3-4 Marine Regiment, Euphrates River, Haditha, Iraq, photos, Riverine Squadron 3, US Navy, USMC

ATLANTIC OCEAN (May 28, 2008) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) conduct a refueling at sea with a stranded British sailboat in the Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Intelligence Specialist Kenneth Anderson

Labels: DDG 81, photos, ships, US Navy, USS Winston S. Churchill

UNDER COVER
A U.S. soldier takes cover after a mortar attack during a search for weapons caches in northwest Shulla, Iraq, May 16, 2008. The soldier is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's Bravo Troop, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Charles W. Gill

Labels: 101st Airborne Division, 75th Cavalry Regiment, Iraq, photos, Shulla, US Army

FLORIDA BEACH FLYOVER
U.S. Navy aviators assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 9 fly F/A 18E and F/A 18F Super Hornets over the beaches near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., May 16, 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Ian C. Anderson

Labels: aircraft, Eglin Air Force Base, F/A-18E, F/A-18F, photos, Super Hornet, US Navy

MOSUL GREETINGS - U.S. Army Capt. John Karcher shakes hands with an Iraqi civilian during a search for weapons and bomb paraphernalia in Mosul, Iraq, May 24, 2008. Karcher is assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Sarah De Boise

Labels: 2nd ID, Iraq, Mosul, photos, US Army

ALL-HANDS CALL - U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, answers questions during an all-hands call with servicemembers assigned to Camp Navarro in Zamboanga, Republic of the Philippines, June 1, 2008. Mullen is on a eight day tour visiting Asian Pacific nations, their leaders and service members assigned to the region. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley Story - Special - More Photos

Labels: Camp Navarro, Philippines, photos, US Navy

SUNSET SPRINT
U.S. Navy Seamen Stephanie Gomez and Amanda Vasquez run clear after removing the chains from an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, May 14, 2008. Both sailors are flight deck handlers aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy, which supports a humanitarian and civil assistance mission building on friendship between partner nations. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Valcarcel

Labels: helicopter, MH-60S, Military Sealift Command, photos, Seahawk, US Navy, USNS Mercy

A C-17 Globemaster III is loaded, in preparation for airdrops in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The C-17 plays a key role in the delivery of supplies to forward operating bases that prevent convoys from reaching safely. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Joshua T Jasper)


Story

Labels: Afghanistan, aircraft, C-17, Globemaster, Operation Enduring Freedom, photos, USAF

COBRA PASSING - A Marine AH-1A Super Cobra fast-attack helicopter passes by the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa during sunset over the Pacific Ocean, May 21, 2008. The USS Tarawa is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility operating in the western Pacific and Indian oceans. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daniel A. Barker

Labels: 7th Fleet, AH-1A, aircraft, helicopter, photos, Super Cobra, US Navy, USMC, USS Tarawa

CANINE FREIDA - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Springmann works with his specialized search dog, Sgt. 1st Class Freida, as they look for weapons caches during an operation in Naba Safi Village, Iraq, on May 22, 2008. Springmann is assigned to the 89th Military Police Brigade, 178th Military Police Detachment. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. David J. Marshall

Labels: 178th Military Police Detachment, 89th Military Police Brigade, Iraq, military working dog, Naba Safi Village, photos

RUTBAH FARMER - U.S. Marines question an Iraqi farmer during a patrol through western Al Anbar province, Iraq, May 18, 2008. The company patrols the outskirts of Rutbah, Iraq ensuring the farmers are free from danger and receiving the supplies they need to cultivate their crops. The Marines are assigned to Company D, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5.U.S. Marine Corps photo

Labels: 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Iraq, photos, Regimental Combat Team 5, Rutbah, USMC

WREATH LAYING - President George W. Bush, left, and Army Maj. Gen. Richard J. Rowe Jr., Military District of Washington commander, take part in a Memorial Day commemoration wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, Va., May 26, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley



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Labels: Arlington National Cemetery, Army Major General Richard J. Rowe Jr., Memorial Day, photos, President George W. Bush, Tomb of the Unknowns