Panther Brigade Sharpens IA Skills

Spc. Cesar Lopez, of Miami, Fl. gives pointers to an Iraqi Army Soldier appling a pressure dressing on a simulated wound during a training exercise in the midst of a sandstorm, at Combat Outpost Carver Iraq, located in Salman Pak, a suburb of southeastern Baghdad. Lopez is a combat medic assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Jared Gehmann, 3rd BCT PAO, 82nd Abn. Div., MND-B


An Iraqi Soldier rushes his comrade to safety using the "buddy carry" technique as U.S. Paratroopers look on during a simulated combat exercise in the midst of a sandstorm, at Combat Outpost Carver, Iraq, located in the Salman Pak suburb of southeastern Baghdad. The Paratroopers are assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad.



A U.S. Paratrooper assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, instructs an Iraqi Soldier on how to guard the rear of a squad formation during a training exercise in the midst of a sandstorm at Combat Outpost Carver, Iraq, located in the Salman Pak suburb of southeastern Baghdad. The week-long academy advises and mentors Iraqi Security Forces on their combat abilities in order to prepare them handle situation in a combat environment.



Panther Brigade Sharpens IA Skills: "BAGHDAD - After five long days of intense training and battling a pair of fierce sandstorms, more than 20 Iraqi Army Soldiers can now say they are graduates of Combat Outpost Carver's 'Cold Steel Training Academy.'"

RFI - US' Gates in Iraq: 'Nobody's the boss or the occupier'

RFI - US' Gates in Iraq: 'Nobody's the boss or the occupier'

"Nobody's the boss or the occupier," said Gates, describing the relationship between the two countries on the ground. At Tallil Military Base, the US advisors are considered a litmus test for US forces as they shift from combat to advisory roles.

In September, the1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division will arrive in the country as the first brigade trained to only advise, not to go to the front lines.

The Obama administration is closely watching the progress of Tallil as part of the draw down of US forces in the country that begins in 2010. The swiftness of the draw down-- and ultimately, the US withdrawal in 2011- depends also on general elections throughout Iraq slated for January and the progress in resolving ongoing sectarian violence.

"We're saying to all the parties involved that they have this window of opportunity that they need to seize between now and the end of 2011," a senior US official told reporters before Gates touched down in Tallil.

Gates met with US and Iraqi commanders on Tuesday and plans to meet with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. He plans on visiting the Kurdish region of the country as well.

Meanwhile, in Baghdad, eight police guards died in a deadly bank heist on Tuesday as armed robbers took at least 2.7 million euros. The money had reportedly been earmarked for salaries for policemen who work in the interior ministry.

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Bragg GIs 1st to Field Grenade Launcher

"FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The barrels were hot in the Army's charter fielding of the new M-320 grenade launcher at Range 23 here, as paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division fired the weapons for the first time.
Paratroopers of soon-to-deploy 1st Brigade Combat Team received familiarization training on the shorter-but-heavier advanced grenade launcher from a half-dozen civilian and Army trainers."
Staff Sgt. Robert Eaton, a squad leader with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was involved with clearing virtually every village and town from the Kuwaiti Border to Baghdad. He used the Vietnam-era M-203 grenade launcher in combat and said he was impressed with its successor.
"I wanted to find out how quickly I could fire the M-320, get behind cover, reload, re-acquire a target at a different distance, and then engage," said Eaton. "I fired three shots in just under 30 seconds," he said, well pleased.


Bragg GIs 1st to Field Grenade Launcher:

Looking for an Alternative to Twitter? Canadian Military considers its own version of Facebook and Twitter

"Thursday, July 9, 2009, 11:07 PM - News Stories, Twitter
As you can see by recent news I’ve posted here on Milblogging.com, the U.S. Military has been getting on board with social media in recent months, but now the National Post is reporting the Canadian Military itself is considering building their own version of Facebook and Twitter to help its soldiers communicate.

(National Post) Facebook status: Reporting for duty, sir.

The Canadian military is considering developing its own version of social-networking applications such as Facebook and Twitter to help soldiers communicate and improve teamwork in the increasingly networked environment of modern warfare." More... Milblogging.com : The World's Largest Index of Military Blogs (Milblogs):

Soldier killed, 5 injured in roadside bomb blast

"A Canadian soldier travelling in a convoy carrying the senior commander in Kandahar province was killed Friday when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.
Cpl. Nicholas Bulger, 30, was a member of 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, based in Edmonton."

..."Canadians expected an uptick in hostilities as the U.S. surge began, Frayer said. "For the most part the U.S. military has reported been meeting very little resistance... But this is keeping in line with the usual Taliban tactics of laying low during a push and then returning."Bulger is the third Canadian death in Afghanistan in less than a month. He leaves behind a wife named Rebeka and two daughters."

..."The Lakefield Herald also states that Bulger started basic military training in November of 2000 in Saint Jean, Quebec, underwent trades training for the infantry in Wainwright, Alberta, and then in 2001 became the rifleman and armoured vehicle driver for the First Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton. He took a break from the forces and returned in January 2008.The death of Bulger brings to 121 the total number of Canadian soldiers have died as part of the Afghan mission since it began in 2002. "

More...CTV.ca Soldier killed, 5 injured in roadside bomb blast: