From a Canadian Cadet to an American Soldier

article-34537 :: AmericanWay

2011-12-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Across the nation, 11,000 Blue Star Mothers make sure our military men and women are taken care of in the way only a mother can.

SGT Mark Adams Cofield US Army Obituary: View Mark Cofield's Obituary by The Gazette

2011-07-27T11:46:00.000-06:00

Son, grandson, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, friend, soldier, patriot and American Hero..... SGT Mark Adams Cofield died in service to his country, while assigned to 18th Airborne Corps HQ, Ft. Bragg, NC. He was deployed to Iraq since Oct 2010. Mark was born on March 16, 1986 in Springfield, IL, to parents John Adams Cofield, MAJ, US Army, originally of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Tariena (Tari) Dragoo Cofield, originally from Cammack, Indiana. Mark grew up in many different locations in the world due to his Dad's military service, and lived in Colorado Springs from 1994 until 2009 when he joined the US Army.

SGT Mark Adams Cofield US Army Obituary: View Mark Cofield's Obituary by The Gazette

Invisible war wounds: There’s an app for that? - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

2011-07-27T09:18:00.000-06:00

Using new-age technology to cope with age-old wounds of war, they tap into mobile phone applications, or “apps,” designed to help with post-traumatic stress and brain injuries.

Invisible war wounds: There’s an app for that? - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Medal of Honor Speaks Out

2010-10-12T15:37:00.001-06:00

The Troops Come Home: To war and back

2010-09-11T02:50:00.000-06:00

The late Philip Graham, once one of the owners of The Washington Post, famously said that "journalism is the first draft of history."

On this the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks that launched the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we find it fitting to look at that draft of history as it has appeared in The Fayetteville Observer.

In sum, they capture the story of war that isn't over on a day when we pause to be grateful that so many of the men and women who serve are home safe, at least for a time.

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FayObserver.com - <div>The Troops Come Home: To war and back</div>

Under the rainbows...

2010-06-05T23:15:00.001-06:00

Under the rainbows...
Originally uploaded by The U.S. Army

U.S, may slow pace of troop withdrawal from Iraq

2010-05-11T18:53:00.000-06:00

BAGHDAD - American commanders, worried about increased violence in the wake of Iraq's inconclusive elections, are reconsidering the pace of a major troop pullout this summer, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

The withdrawal of the first major wave of troops is expected to be delayed by about a month, the officials said. Waiting much longer could endanger President Obama's goal of reducing the force level from 92,000 to 50,000 troops by Aug. 31.

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FayObserver.com - U.S, may slow pace of troop withdrawal from Iraq

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)

2010-04-27T22:57:00.002-06:00

"Washington, US (KRG.org) – Mr Qubad Talabani, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Representative to the United States, on April 9th addressed a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery commemorating Iraq Liberation Day. Members of American and Iraqi forces, including members of the Peshmerga, attended the event, alongside veterans and family of those soldiers who have fallen in support of Iraq’s freedom.

“On this day, it is appropriate and right for us to commemorate the sacrifices made to liberate Iraq from decades of brutal tyranny under Saddam Hussein,” said Mr. Talabani. “So to be absolutely clear: Iraq thanks you. I thank you. And the people of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, most of all, thank you.”"

...

Other speakers included General Nasier Arkan Abadi, Vice Chief of Staff, Iraqi Joint Forces of the Republic of Iraq; U.S. Brigadier General Judd Lyons, Adjutant General of Nebraska; and Ms. Wendy Hoffman, National President of Blue Star Mothers of America. “Today, we must thank those who have helped us get to where we are,” Mr. Talabani said. “Because although we face complicated political problems, the majority of the political forces and people who guide Iraqi society want to live in peace. They want to live up to the promise that American forces have given us.”

Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG):

FRG Newsletter

2010-03-01T19:39:00.002-07:00

Mourners honour death of last Canadian First World War veteran

2010-02-27T22:42:00.001-07:00

First World War veteran John 'Jack' Babcock, seen here in February 2008, has died, the Prime Minister's Office announced Thursday, Feb. 18. He was 109. Babcock, who enlisted at 15, was the last remaining First World War veteran for Canada.

Photograph by: Brian J Gavriloff, Edmonton Journal

SPOKANE, Wash — When Jack Babcock joined the Canadian Army at the age of 15, it’s likely he never imagined that he’d be the last soldier standing more than 94 years later.
But that’s exactly what Babcock was when he died Feb. 18, at the age of 109.
Babcock was remembered Saturday afternoon at a memorial service at Messiah Lutheran Church in his hometown of Spokane, Wash.
The service was attended by a list of Canada’s top dignitaries.
Babcock was the last Canadian veteran of the First World War, and the last link to what many Canadians consider the country’s coming-of-age.

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Advise and Assist Paratroopers jump in Iraq

2010-02-20T02:42:00.001-07:00

U.S. Department of Defense - Photo Essay

Dirt flies off a U.S. paratrooper's boots as he finishes a parachute landing fall with other paratroopers stationed on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Feb. 5, 2010. The paratroopers are participating in a basic airborne refresher course taught by instructors visiting from Advanced Airborne School on Fort Bragg, N.C., to prepare for upcoming airborne exercises. The paratroopers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade, an Advise and Assist Brigade.
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod

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U.S. Army paratroopers land on a drop zone near Al Asad Airbase, Iraq, Feb. 12, 2010, as part of a training exercise they hope will lead to combined U.S. – Iraqi training jumps. The jumper rolling on his back is performing a “parachute landing fall,” a maneuver that dissipates the energy of impact, avoiding injury to the paratrooper.
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod
Download Hi-Res

Ten Devils become US Citizens today at Victory Base Complex, Iraq

2010-02-16T08:22:00.001-07:00

Paratroopers with 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), stand with their new flags after participating in a naturalization ceremony to gain U.S. citizenship Feb. 15, 2010, in Al Faw Palace, Victory Base Complex, Iraq. From left to right are Spc. Victor Martin-Hurtado, Spc. Hector Tobar-Castaneda, Spc. Georgios Theocharis, Sgt. James Hayes, Spc. Ojumiri Mammah, Pfc. Yaroslav Prikhodko, Spc. Casper Alsoft and Spc. Arturo Maint-Martinez. Also with 1/82 AAB and earning citizenship, but not pictured here, are Spc. Said Bahmad and Spc. Isa Jubran. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod, 1/82 AAB, USD-C)

Facebook | 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division's Photos - Ten Devils become US Citizens today at Victory Base Complex, Iraq

Portable ultrasound empowers Special Forces medics

2010-01-30T00:41:00.001-07:00

Dr. (Maj.) Andrew Morgan (right), battalion surgeon, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), explains some of the functions of a portable ultrasound machine to Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Burkett, medic, 1st Bn., while Sgt. 1st Class Steven Radloff, medic, 1st Bn., looks on during the Special Operations Medical Association's annual conference Dec. 15 in Tampa, Fla. Morgan and his office have been pushing to get more portable ultrasound machines, as well as practical training, in the hands of Special Forces medics in order to help empower them on the battlefield. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Crisp/ 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne)).

Portable ultrasound empowers Special Forces medics

U.S. Military Begins Air Drops in Haiti

2010-01-19T00:28:00.000-07:00

With ground transportation in Haiti severely limited following last week's massive earthquake, the U.S. military begun a series of air drops Monday afternoon to deliver aid supplies to the Haitian people.

CBS News has learned that the Air Force is flying C-17 transport planes out of Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, N.C. Each plane will deliver 40 aid bundles per trip and the military is planning to deliver 600 bundles over three days. The military has secured three drop zones where the aircraft can unload from an altitude of about 1,000 feet.

U.S. Military Begins Air Drops in Haiti - CBS Evening News - CBS News

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Deployed Paratrooper first to Re-enlist

2010-01-02T10:39:00.001-07:00

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – Zero hundred hours into the new decade Baghdad time, which is to say, at the commencement of the New Year in Iraq, Spc. Michael Lindsay may have become the Army's first 2010 reenlistment in Iraq.

A geospatial engineer and paratrooper with 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), Lindsay reenlisted under a full moon Jan. 1 at Camp Ramadi, Iraq, where his unit is deployed.

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Laptops for Wounded Warriors Project Expands | Marinka Peschmann

2009-12-31T13:52:00.001-07:00

"Upon learning that this journalist is Canadian, the young, handsome warrior’s eyes brightly lit up and he told me how Canadians saved his life, then described how during the critical life and death hour, called the “golden hour,” after the deadly IED blast, he was aided by Canadian forces in Afghanistan, “I want to thank the Canadians who saved my life,” he said. Canada has been one of the few allies who have fought with Americans to defeat the terrorists and extremists in Afghanistan."

Laptops for Wounded Warriors Project Expands Marinka Peschmann:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009-12-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

Officer blinded in Iraq graduates MCCC

2009-12-24T16:16:00.001-07:00

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Dec 24, 2009 13:15:38 EST

Capt. Ivan Castro lost his eyesight in Iraq to a spray of hot shrapnel from an 82mm mortar round that landed five feet from his position on a rooftop.
It’s been a long three years since that Sept. 2, 2006 attack, which killed two of his soldiers, and Castro never thought he’d survive his wounds.
But on Dec. 15, Castro, a 21-year veteran of the Army, graduated from the Maneuver Captains Career Course at Fort Benning, Ga., and will soon report to his new assignment as operations officer in Special Forces Recruiting Battalion at Fort Bragg, N.C., according to an Army news release.
When Castro was an enlisted soldier, he was assigned to 7th Special Forces Group.
At the time of the mortar attack southwest of Baghdad, Castro, a first lieutenant at the time, was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and was a sniper reconnaissance platoon leader.

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U.S.-Iraqi partnership halts smuggling across Syrian border

2009-12-15T14:01:00.003-07:00

"CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE UBAYDI, Iraq (Dec. 14, 2009) -- Since U.S. advise and assist forces began partnering with Iraqi border patrols along the Syrian border in mid-November, instances of smugglers circumventing port-of-entry stations have all but ceased, according to several sources within the Department of Border Enforcement.

To prevent arms smuggling prior to the 2010 Iraqi national elections, Soldiers with Company D, 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), began partnered operations and training with border security forces of the 15th Iraqi Brigade, DBE.

Attempts to smuggle contraband across the border berms have been greatly reduced since the Americans showed up, according to Staff Brig. Gen. Dhamin, commander of 15th Brigade."

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Troops in Anbar Prepare for Iraqi Election

2009-11-17T14:23:00.001-07:00

"As U.S. troops in western Iraq help to prepare for national elections in January, an American commander in the former insurgent hotbed of Anbar province said any potential uptick in violence is unlikely to derail the balloting.

For the past two weeks, some of the 5,000 troops of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade, under the command of Army Col. Mark Stammer, have been working alongside Iraqi counterparts in Anbar to secure positions and checkpoints for the election."

“Iraqi security forces are well under way for their preparations,” Stammer told Pentagon reporters. “We don't anticipate any real spikes in violence that could derail the elections in Anbar province at this time.”Referring to a recent spate of terrorist attacks in the province, including the slaying this week of a Sunni politician and 12 other men in what appears to be a strike by al-Qaida in Iraq, Stammer attributed the violence to separate groups sharing a desire to disrupt the election process.“These [are] disparate groups coming together for short-term common interests to achieve some measure of success in derailing the elections,” he said. “They have not been able to accomplish this to date, nor do I anticipate them being able to accomplish that.”

more... US Dept of Defense - Troops in Anbar Prepare for Iraqi Election:

National Veterans Day Observance

2009-11-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

The uneasy ride of Canada's tankers in Afghanistan

2009-11-08T20:23:00.001-07:00

"The dust, the dirt, the attacks, the roadside bombs just part of a day's work for Edmontonbased Lord Strathcona's Horse as they go about their duties"
By Ryan Cormier, Edmonton JournalNovember 8, 2009

In the land of guns that is Afghanistan, members of the Edmonton-based Lord Strathcona's Horse have the biggest ones around.
For six sweltering months, the 82 Edmontonbased soldiers of C Squadron operated the only tanks in southern Afghanistan. On bomb-littered roads absent of any traffic rules, the Strathcona's drove their 70-tonne machines on nearly 250 missions.
Their tanks were damaged with hidden bombs numerous times, with three major incidents, severely injuring two soldiers, but they suffered no casualties during the entire tour."

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On a sad day for Iraq, things are quiet at CKV

2009-10-26T17:47:00.001-06:00

"By Mike Francis, The Oregonian
October 25, 2009, 9:23PM
CKV holds about a thousand people, including members of other branches and contractors. But about 120 Oregonians are running the place, which, as you can see from the picture below, ain't exactly paradise. But their goal is to be the unit that sees it closed down and returned to the Iraqis ... assuming the political and military process works the way it is supposed to. With the explosions in Baghdad yesterday and the uncertainty about the January elections, that's a big If."

more... On a sad day for Iraq, things are quiet at CKV Oregon at War - OregonLive.com:

State Officials Show Appreciation

2009-10-23T09:06:00.000-06:00

Flags from more than 30 U.S. states are displayed during a ceremony, Oct. 20, at Forward Operating Base Hammer, located outside eastern Baghdad. Government officials from each state donated the flags to members of Company C, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division in appreciation for their service to the country.
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'Advise and Assist' Brigade Helps Bridge Project

2009-10-15T20:53:00.002-06:00

'Advise and Assist' Brigade Helps Bridge Project:
"Army divers come out of the Euphrates River after a two-hour dive to locate debris in the path of the new Saqlawiya bridge being built north of Taqaddum, Iraq, Oct. 5, 2009. The 'umbilical cord' on shore includes the air supply and communications for the divers, who are assigned to the 86th Engineer Dive Team."

SAQLAWIYA, Iraq (Oct. 14, 2009) -- On a floating bridge beside the stump of a modern concrete highway span under construction here, two middle-aged men talk through an interpreter about the job before them.One is Najee Hamed, shift supervisor for the Iraqi police who are manning traffic control points and providing security for the bridge and new construction. A large, heavyset man, Hamed is a former first sergeant of an Iraq army artillery battery who was wounded by rocket fire in the Iraq-Iran War.The other is U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Scott Thomas, a paratrooper on his fifth deployment, whose family's military service dates back to the U.S. Revolution. Thomas, with the 82nd Airborne Division's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, is providing security for an Army dive team that is removing debris from a destroyed bridge so that Iraqi contractors may finish a new bridge project.The 504th was the first infantry regiment in the Army to be designated airborne; now it is part of the newest tool in the Army's arsenal developed for this kind of mission: the advise-and-assist brigade. More

U.S. lays out pace of Iraq pullout

2009-10-13T10:15:00.001-06:00

"Baghdad - By the end of October, American troop strength in Iraq will be 120,000, a decrease of 23,000 since January, the top U.S. military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza, said Monday. The next big reduction will not come until well after the national elections in January, he added."
Lanza referred repeatedly to a “responsible drawdown.” It was his first full-scale news conference since May, when he addressed reporters in advance of Iraqi security forces' taking the lead in security operations on June 30.
”I really think the elections will be a point of departure by which we look at an assessment of true drawdown and really start moving our numbers from, let's say, somewhere between 120,000 and 110,000 by the election, and then getting at that 50,000 by August 2010,” he said Monday.
The United States has pledged to remove all combat troops from Iraq by next August, leaving 50,000 troops to advise and support the Iraqis.

Already, the first so-called advise and assist brigade, devoted exclusively
to training Iraqi troops, has arrived in Anbar Province, he said. That is the
1st Brigade of the army's 82nd Airborne Division. It will eventually be joined
by five more such brigades once American combat troops are gone.

full story... TheDay.com - U.S. lays out pace of Iraq pullout:

Facebook | Videos from 82nd Airborne: Division Song

2009-10-10T15:02:00.001-06:00

Facebook Videos from 82nd Airborne: Division Song: "Allen Larson, Barry Hinkle, Barry Simpson, Bill Eberle, Blake Hicks, Brady Sexton, Brent A. Bradley, Dale Simpson, David Meyer, Fiona Peden, Howard Tanner, Jim Ochoa, John Mills, Lee Daugherty, M.P. Ranger, Mark Bednarz, Mark Christianson, Michele Hall Reid, Reinaldo A. Rios, Ronaldo V. Zulueta, Shelley Loop Stockton, Ted Lupica"

Laid to rest, 59 years later

2009-10-10T09:08:00.001-06:00

Laid to rest, 59 years later
Originally uploaded by The U.S. Army

Fort Bragg soldier helps lightning strike victims

2009-09-29T08:54:00.000-06:00

Fort Bragg Spc. James Van Dorn says it was nothing more than instinct that compelled him to help a woman and toddler struck by lighting during a Friday afternoon storm.

Over the Top Baghdad style

2009-09-25T09:33:00.001-06:00

"Soldiers from the Iraqi army and 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, take time between missions for some real international relations and partnership at Forward Operating Base Rashid in eastern Baghdad July 21. The Red Devils, based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., went undefeated, but the Iraqis demanded a rematch. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Sean Ryan, 2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. PAO)"
Over the Top Baghdad style on Flickr - Photo Sharing!:

Security for Western Iraq Base Shifts to Army

2009-09-17T17:05:00.002-06:00

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Katesha WashingtonDate: 09.17.2009Posted: 09.17.2009 11:46

"CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq - Since the beginning of April 2009, a detachment of Marines from 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, have kept U.S. forces and civilian contractors aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, safe and secure."
Recently, the Marines handed that responsibility over to the paratroopers of 1st Bn., 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, during a transfer of authority ceremony held aboard the base. The transfer is part of the U.S. military's plan to draw down its forces and reduce its footprint in Iraq, especially in the once-volatile region of Al Anbar province.

Soldiers who previously served in Al Anbar realize the major security gains achieved within the past three years and appreciate the current state of security at the base and its surrounding region. Particularly, the battalion's top soldier, Army Lt. Col. Xavier T. Brunson, commanding officer of 1st Bn., 504th PIR, who served in an area near Baghdad from January 2007 to March 2008,is amazed to see the positive changes made since 2007.

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Karmah Initiative bears first fruit with school, diwan

2009-09-15T08:14:00.001-06:00

"KARMAH, Iraq (Sept. 14, 2009) -- The opening of the first of two dozen new and refurbished schools and a new meeting place were celebrated Sept. 9, in an area northwest of Baghdad thought by many to be lost to poverty and violence.

A group of influential sheikhs, government and Iraqi Security Force officials joined U.S. Marine and Army leadership for the opening ceremony.

The Karmah School for Girls was opened along with a diwan for the sheikh council and city council of Karmah, both part of a larger civil affairs initiative in the Karmah region, said a spokesperson for the projects."

Karmah Initiative bears first fruit with school, diwan:

Paratroopers Begin Replacing Marines in Al Anbar

2009-09-10T09:32:00.002-06:00

"Story by Spc. Michael MacLeod
Date: 09.10.2009
Posted: 09.10.2009 01:57

CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq – On the road between Ramadi and Fallujah lies the sediment of six years of violent conflict. The concussive forces of war, insurgency and terrorist brutality have turned much of the mason block construction into what must surely be the dictionary description following the word rubble. If this to block and mortar, what then to the lives of the Anbaris who lived here?

It is Sunday morning, Sept. 6. A man runs hose water over his shiny green sedan. A shopkeeper props open the doors with jugs of juice. Barefoot children play in the dusty streets and hold their hands to block the sun as they wave for candy from Soldiers rolling past in armored vehicles. They are used to seeing Marines here.The MRAPs, or Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, roll on and pass arid graveyards where impromptu headstones are barely distinguishable from the desert rocks. There are many such graveyards.

Back on the hardball, the vehicles pass a new construction site, and then another and another, then a construction yard full of new block and bags of mortar. Within one of the MRAPS, a paratrooper wearing an 82nd Airborne Division patch and an eagle for his rank says two words that seem prophetic to the moment: "New construction," he says.

Army Col. Mark Stammer, commander of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, and Marine Col. Matthew Lopez, commander of Regimental Combat Team 6, are traveling to Camp Al Taqaddum, where 1st BCT's storied 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, will be ceded authority to operate in east Al Anbar province by 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.The battalion of paratroopers is part of the first unit to deploy to Iraq as a fully-developed advisory-and-assistance brigade assigned the mission of security-force assistance to help Iraqis maintain security and stability, and ultimately, economic prosperity.The ceremony will mark the beginning of the end of five-and-a-half years of Marine Corps presence in Al Anbar province, and a continuation of the drawdown of U.S. combat forces in a free Iraq."

The Red Devils are not just part of the "next" U.S. combat troops to occupy Al
Anbar province, but in all likelihood, the last, with the last big milestone
being the second Iraqi national elections in January 2010."We are here in a very
exciting period of history," says Brunson. "We've got an awesome responsibility
to support the institutions that are going to continue the democratic process.
Our greatest export is a little bit of hope, and a whole bunch of training."

Ful;l article... Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System:

Remote Iraqi Residents Get Clean Water

2009-09-07T11:17:00.001-06:00

"BAGHDAD -U.S. Paratroopers put their time and energy into learning how to set up and operate a solar-powered water filtration system at Forward Operating Base Hammer, Iraq.
In an effort to provide a better quality of life for the citizens of Iraq's Ma'dain region, Paratroopers assigned to 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division- Baghdad implemented a self-powered, energy efficient water filtration system to provide the area's residents clean, adequate drinking water. However, for this system to be effective, regional leaders need to be shown how it works."

Remote Iraqi Residents Get Clean Water:

Paratroopers With 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division

2009-09-07T01:06:00.001-06:00

"Pvt. Anthony Perakis, Pvt. Jamie Haskett, Staff Sgt. Michael McDevitt, and Sgt. Deny Caballero of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, take turns carrying a large rock while ruck-marching for morning physical fitness training Sept. 3 at Camp Ramadi, Iraq.

The brigade, which will relieve 18,000 Marines over the next few months, is the
first to arrive in Iraq as a fully-developed advise-and-assist brigade assigned
the mission of security-force assistance."

DVIDS Images: Paratroopers With 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Newly Arrived at Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Train for Fitness:

Fort Bragg Paratroopers Train in Fictitious Iraqi Town

2009-09-07T00:38:00.002-06:00

"FORT POLK, La. - Early morning in the combat outpost was like that hour before sun up on a Louisiana frog pond, with rumbling, bullfrog snores and socks stinking like pond muck from days of bathing in boot dust and sweat. Carried on the morning dew, the smell of 40 grimy infantrymen racked out in a room too small for morning vapors best described as weaponized funk."

Digital Video & Imagery Distribution System:

The Devil Brigade sharpens their soldier skills at Al Asad

2009-09-06T23:19:00.002-06:00

U.S. Department of Defense - Photo Essay:

"U.S. Army paratroopers interpret the results of zeroing fire on a rifle range at Al Asad, Iraq, Aug. 24, 2009.
U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod"

Two units’ Afghanistan deployments extended

2009-09-03T20:32:00.001-06:00

"ARLINGTON, Va. – Two units’ deployments in Afghanistan have been extended, the Defense Department announced Thursday night.
The 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters will spend about 50 extra days in Afghanistan, and the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade will be extended for about two weeks, a Defense Department news release said.
“The process will be managed to avoid stop-loss for personnel,” the news release said."

Two units’ Afghanistan deployments extended Stars and Stripes:

1st PLT. B CO 1/504 PIR, 82nd AIRBORNE REUNIONS: 2nd Annual 1st PLT. B Co 1/504 PIR Reunion

2009-08-10T23:46:00.000-06:00

"Well, the 2nd Annual 1st PLT, B Co 1/504 PIR, 82nd Airborne Reunion was a BLAST! It was held on the beautiful Norris Lake in Andersonville, Tennessee on August 7 thru August 9, 2009. We stayed at Sequoyah Marina."
1st PLT. B CO 1/504 PIR, 82nd AIRBORNE REUNIONS: 2nd Annual 1st PLT. B Co 1/504 PIR Reunion:

Brigade presented award for safety brigade in Army

2009-08-07T12:53:00.004-06:00

Presented the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army Award for Excellence in Safety for having the best brigade safety program in the Army for fiscal year 2008 and the Director of the Army Safety Composite Risk Management Award for reducing accidents over 50 percent for the same period by Forces Command Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Carey, Command Sgt. Maj. LaMarquis Knowles of 1BCT hands the award to brigade safety officer and former Paratrooper, Dale Wagner. Also pictured is the division’s Deputy Safety Director, Angel Serrano.

82 Airborne -1BCT

Telling the Fort Bragg story

2009-08-06T21:12:00.001-06:00

"Digital life downrange:
Preparing online activities for deployment

by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod
1st BCT, 82nd Abn. Div. PAO
Welcome to Paraglideonline.net -

Do as I do is how the best Army noncommissioned officers roll, any scuffed-up private will tell you. Prepare as I prepare, says Staff Sgt. Wavell Williams, a three-time veteran and data systems integrator who often counsels paratroopers on how to carry on their online lives downrange."

Soldiers don’t need to buy a $3,500 satellite dish system as Williams is doing to gain Web access for himself and 70 fellow paratroopers of 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division for their upcoming deployment to Iraq. But, the sergeant pointed out, prior planning prevents painful surprises downrange.Before deployment, online banking, bill-paying and Internet communications tools should be set up and understood by Soldiers and those with whom they share financial responsibilities, such as spouses and other Family members, said Williams.“A spouse needs to know Web site addresses, usernames, passwords, account numbers — make sure you set that up before leaving, because you get downrange and, God forbid, you are not able to get on the phone and you have bills coming due back here, the creditors don’t care,” he said.Web mail, instant messenger and voice-over-IP accounts should be established and tested, especially on the home computer, said Williams.

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Welcome to Paraglideonline.net - Telling the Fort Bragg story:

Paratroopers Own Night in Air Assault Mission

2009-08-04T11:03:00.001-06:00

"BAGHDAD – The heavy beating of rotor blades pierces the quiet of the night in farmland east of Baghdad and a dust cloud kicks up, almost concealing the two huge helicopters dimly outlined under the moonlight. Almost as soon as the helicopters touch the ground, ramps drop and dozens of American Soldiers, Iraqi soldiers and federal police storm out into the night and immediately snap into defensive positions.

The two CH-47 Chinooks take off and disappear almost as quickly as they arrived. Left in the darkness in a farmer's field, with its plowed rows sharp and hardened from the desert heat, the paratroopers move out toward their objectives along a series of dirt roads. But it's the Iraqis who are in front. It is their mission, and the paratroopers stand by watching and advising their counterparts.

"I can work with their lieutenants on troop-leading movements," said
Rohrer, a native of Grand Rapids, Mich. "I've got PFCs [privates first class]
running right beside Iraqi PFCs teaching marksmanship."

Close behind the Iraqis are the paratroopers, who stop at intervals to give advice or a critique of the Iraqis' performance. Capt. Andrew Decker, an intelligence officer assigned to the 9th Iraqi Army Military Transition Team, confers with Iraqi Army Lt. Col. Fathil Hassan Al-Dulimay to offer advice on the Iraqi movements."

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Panther Brigade Sharpens IA Skills

2009-07-30T09:32:00.001-06:00

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'

2009-07-28T05:32:00.002-06:00

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

2009-07-17T21:11:00.001-06:00

"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

2009-07-09T22:47:00.001-06:00

"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

2009-07-03T14:51:00.001-06:00

"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:

ServiceFlags.com Seeks National Unity of Residential Military Flag Flying

2009-06-21T20:54:00.003-06:00

"CARSON CITY, Nev., June 18 -- ServiceFlags.com announced today its support of a measure introduced in Congress that would allow service flags to be flown by home owners without restriction. To get the word out and to encourage support, ServiceFlags.com has launched a Web site: ServiceFlagPetition.com that explains how people may write to their representatives to support this new bill."
U.S. Representative, John Boccieri, recently introduced this bill that would ban neighborhood or homeowners' associations from restricting the flying of service flags.The proposed bill, H.R. 2546, was the result of one of Boccieri's constituents who was asked by her condominium association to remove her service flag which she was displaying in honor of her son who was killed; the association indicated that it was a breach of contract. Service flags are official Defense Department banners for families who have family members serving in the military during periods of hostility. The blue star on the flag represents a service member in active duty and signifies hope and pride. A gold star represents a service member killed in action, or who died in service, and stands for sacrifice for the cause of liberty. This bill is similar to the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 which prohibits a condominium or homeowners' association from preventing residents from displaying the American flag on or around their homes. It extends these same privileges to the service flag.ServiceFlags.com is urging people to contact their representatives in the bill's support; they have already sent more than 30,000 e-mails to their current customers."Since we began making the service flag in 2001, I have heard from many families around the country about problems they've had with their homeowners' association rules," David M. Smith, president of ServiceFlags.com says. "So, the incident that prompted the bill is not an isolated one."
ServiceFlags.com Seeks National Unity of Residential Military Flag Flying - Opinion and Commentary News from Send2Press Newswire Jun 18, 2009:

The Way We Get By

2009-06-20T16:57:00.001-06:00

The Way We Get By - Trailer from The Way We Get By on Vimeo.

Reservists help get wheelchairs to needy Iraqi children

2009-06-18T18:42:00.002-06:00

Members of the 185th Air Mobility Wing begin loading four crates of children's wheelchairs onto a C-130 Hercules June 11, in Sioux City, Iowa. A C-130 aircrew from Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., transported the wheelchairs to Andrews AFB, Md., where a larger cargo plane transported the wheelchairs to Baghdad, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Brian McReynolds)

"by Senior Airman Stephen J. Collier
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

6/18/2009 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- After a brief stop in America's Heartland, an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew from here took another step in a long journey for a special load of cargo headed for Iraq.

On June 11, reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing flew to Sioux City, Iowa, where they received four pallets of children's wheelchairs. The 115 wheelchairs, donated by Hope Haven International Ministries of Rock Valley, Iowa, will be handed out to children in the Baghdad area by Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C."

Reservists help get wheelchairs to needy Iraqi children:

LOYALTY 2.0

2009-06-07T08:45:00.001-06:00

"JSS LOYALTY, Iraq - Joint Security Station Loyalty, formerly known as Forward Operating Base Loyalty, has undergone some restructuring recently.

To make room for the Iraqi National Police, many of the support facilities had to be relocated. During this time of transition, finance Soldiers have been participating in R&R Leave. This has certainly put some strain on the operation. However, Loyalty Finance was still able to achieve record numbers despite being understaffed.

The post-exchange has occupied what used to be the old theater. This theater was hit by a mortar attack in early 2008. The move into the remodeled building took only two weeks. With the help of Soldiers and civilians, the transition was quite smooth. The Chaplain's office and the chapel have followed the PX to the old theater. The Loyalty Finance Office has also joined forces with the Postal Office and now occupies what used to be the postal supply room. The new office is more spacious than the old one and easier to clean. Thanks to the new office being either an old bathroom or a kitchen, no one is certain which, the floors and walls are all tile, and very easy to wipe down. A credit to the finance Soldiers is that the entire office was broken down, moved, and reassembled in one day. Business was closed during the move."

LOYALTY 2.0:

Combining Training, Increasing Muscle Memory

2009-06-07T00:27:00.001-06:00

Combining Training, Increasing Muscle Memory: "FORT HOOD, Texas - Deploying Colorado Guardsmen continued building upon their foundation of Close Quarter Combat training at Fort Hood, Texas, May 21, 2009.

The Soldiers, who are assigned to 1st Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Army National Guard, 115th Fires Brigade, incorporated their medic platoon in the training to help simulate how to treat a casualty while also trying to clear a room or a house.

Using a basic floor plan outlined on the ground, known as a "glass house," the Soldiers, in small teams, practiced clearing rooms and hallways. At the discretion of the 1st platoon sergeant and the medic platoon sergeant, they would call out to the team a scenario such as, "Third man was hit. Lower leg injury."With that, the Soldiers determined a security plan and performed buddy aid."

Artillery, 115th Fires Brigade moves quickly into the "glass house" to
clear a room during Close Quarter Combat training May 21 at Fort Hood, Texas.
The "glass house" is a floor plan outlined on the ground where Soldiers practice
clearing rooms and hallways. The training provided here by the 120th Infantry
Brigade ensures the115th Fires Brigade redeploys safely after their year-long
deployment to Iraq and Kuwait. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli)
(Released)

Soldiers leave Iraqi cities for sweltering tents

2009-06-02T13:08:00.001-06:00

"CAMP CARVER, Iraq (AP) — The U.S. military is expanding some rural bases and building others to house thousands of troops displaced by a June deadline to withdraw from Iraq's major cities.
With continual power outages pushing temperatures well above 100 degrees, that can't come soon enough for some soldiers living in sweltering tents at Camp Carver in the small town of Madain, about 15 miles southeast of the capital.
'Can't wait,' said Spc. Oscar Garza, 20, of Port Lavaca, Texas, as he carted his bed frame to newly constructed plywood houses with air conditioners elsewhere on the U.S. base.

Kyser said his unit has moved several times, including most recently from
Baghdad to Madain, since the soldiers deployed with the 82nd Airborne from Fort
Bragg, N.C."

The Associated Press: Soldiers leave Iraqi cities for sweltering tents:

Military Appreciation Day, Coca Cola 600 NASCAR Race

2009-05-24T23:35:00.001-06:00

"1,500 U.S. Soldiers, Airmen and National Guard troops stand in formation lining the track of the the Lowes Motor Speedway as they are honored for their service to the nation during the Coca Cola 600 NASCAR pre-race military appreciation show in Concord, N.C. on May 24, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Trish Harris, USASOC News Service)"
090524-01 Army Special Operations Soldiers participate in Military Appreciation Day, CocaCola 600 NASCAR Race:

Pink Boxers

2009-05-22T21:36:00.001-06:00

Army Specialist Zachary Boyd - Yahoo! News Photos: "Soldiers from the U.S. Army First Battalion, 26th Infantry take defensive positions at firebase Restrepo after receiving fire from Taliban positions in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan's Kunar Province on Monday May 11, 2009. Spc. Zachery Boyd of Fort Worth, TX, far left was wearing 'I love NY' boxer shorts after rushing from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members. From far right is Spc. Cecil Montgomery of Many, LA and Jordan Custer of Spokan, WA, center.(AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday praised an Army soldier in eastern Afghanistan who drew media attention this month after rushing to defend his post from attack while wearing pink boxer shorts and flip-flops.In fact, Gates said he wants to meet the soldier and shake his hand the next time he visits Afghanistan ."Any soldier who goes into battle against the Taliban in pink boxers and flip-flops has a special kind of courage," Gates said in remarks prepared for a speech in New York ."I can only wonder about the impact on the Taliban. Just imagine seeing that: a guy in pink boxers and flip-flops has you in his cross-hairs. What an incredible innovation in psychological warfare," he said.Army Specialist Zachary Boyd, 19, of Fort Worth, Texas , rushed from his sleeping quarters on May 11 to join fellow platoon members at a base in Afghanistan 's Kunar Province after the unit came under fire from Taliban positions.A news photographer was on hand to record the image of Boyd standing at a makeshift rampart in helmet, body armor, red T-shirt and boxers emblazoned with the message: "I love NY."When the image wound up on the front page of the New York Times, Boyd told his parents he might lose his job if President Barack Obama saw him out of uniform."I can assure you that Specialist Boyd's job is very safe indeed," Gates said in the speech.The U.S. defense chief was scheduled to deliver the speech at New York 's annual Salute to Freedom dinner in Manhattan .

Lakota proves worth as airborne platform

2009-04-30T00:27:00.002-06:00

"A Fort Polk Soldier jumps from a Lakota LUH 72A helicopter during high altitude, low open airborne operations April 8 while another Soldier prepares to jump. The event marked the first time a Lakota was used in airborne operations on Fort Polk and just the third time Army wide"

Story...Lakota proves worth as airborne platform - Fort Polk, LA - Fort Polk Guardian:

Paratroopers reenlist under famed Baghdad landmark

2009-04-26T20:34:00.002-06:00

"Eighty-two Paratroopers assigned to the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division -Baghdad recite the oath of reenlistment April 23 during a ceremony at the Cross Sabers in Baghdad. The ceremony marked the squadron's accomplishment of meeting its retention goals for the year. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. James Selesnick, 982nd Combat Camera Co. (Airborne), attached to the 3rd BCT, 82nd Abn. Div., MND-B)"
Story...Paratroopers reenlist under famed Baghdad landmark:

Fort Bragg soldier killed in Iraq

2009-04-24T14:37:00.003-06:00

"The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Cpl. Brad A. Davis, 21, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, died April 22 near Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. He was assigned to the 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at (910) 432-0661."

DefenseLink News Release: DoD Identifies Army Casualty:

Soldiers Call for Army to Drop Berets

2009-04-23T19:42:00.001-06:00

"SEOUL — They’re hot, sweaty and do nothing to keep the sun out of your eyes during a long formation.
Those are just a few of the reasons the Army should stop making soldiers wear wool berets outdoors, a group of delegates said Friday at the 8th Army’s annual Army Family Action Plan conference.
'Everyone is affected by the beret,' said Sgt. Brad Stuckey, spokesman for a group that studied family-support issues. 'This is an issue that your average soldier feels very strongly about.'"
Soldiers Call for Army to Drop Berets:

Billings soldier returns home

2009-04-09T08:21:00.001-06:00

"A Billings solider says Iraqis are becoming more independent and he senses they will soon be able to maintain peace without U.S. troops.
Private First Class Chas Hagan returned to Billings Wednesday night after having been in Baghdad since December, where he serves as a paratrooper and truck driver with the 82nd Airborne."

Montana's News Station - Fair. Accurate. To the Point. -Billings soldier returns home:

Brigade of 82nd Airborne Division get Afghan order

2009-04-06T22:47:00.001-06:00

"A brigade of the North Carolina-based 82nd Airborne Division that had been ordered to Iraq instead will be sent to Afghanistan as part of a mission to train that country's forces, the military said Friday.
The Department of Defense said 3,300 paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team at Fort Bragg will deploy in the spring and through the summer. The announcement said 700 other members of the military also will be deployed.
The troops will be assigned 'to the ongoing training and mentoring mission in Afghanistan,' the Pentagon statement said.
The 82nd brigade had been scheduled to deploy to Iraq this summer and currently is at the military's Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La., preparing for deployment."

Brigade of 82nd Airborne Division get Afghan order Associated Press Times Leader:

Team Wendy

2009-03-21T20:20:00.001-06:00

"ZAP™ Military Upgrade Kits
Team Wendy ZAP™ systems are the current original issue pad system for the US Army's Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) and the USMC's Marine Lightweight Helmet (MLW). ZAP™ systems have been issued to more than 1,000,000 Military Troops and counting. Independent testing has proven that the best protection lies with Team Wendy helmet pads!"

Team Wendy:

Canada's military may need year-long break after Afghan mission: army chief

2009-03-16T22:39:00.002-06:00

"OTTAWA — The military may need a one-year break from operations in July 2011, when the Afghanistan mission winds down, says the head of Canada's army.
Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie told the Senate defence committee Monday the military has been strained by the mission that began seven years ago and it needs time to regroup.
'In the mid-term, and beginning in July 2011, we will have to explore the possibility of taking a short operational break, that is well-organized and synchronized, of at least one year,' he said."

A break may be needed, Leslie said, because the military is suffering from shortages of personnel - particularly experienced senior officers - as well as equipment. But some equipment apparently isn't even being used.
There are 40 Leopard 2 battle tanks sitting unused in a Montreal warehouse, and another 40 stored somewhere in Europe, awaiting the federal government to hire a firm to refurbish them, Leslie said.

The Canadian Press: Canada's military may need year-long break after Afghan mission: army chief:

The Jawa Report: Inbox: "Brothers At War" Is A Must See

2009-03-09T11:27:00.000-06:00

"'This is a documentary that celebrates the courage and integrity of the American Soldier and the American military family. It is also a film about a man's love and respect for his two brothers and his dedication to telling their story. A great film that I am proud to be a part of,' said Gary Sinise, Actor, Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient, Executive Producer of 'Brothers at War.'"

The Jawa Report: Inbox: "Brothers At War" Is A Must See:

82nd announces return to Afghanistan for year

2009-03-02T23:35:00.001-07:00

By Henry CuninghamMilitary editor

"The 82nd Airborne Division headquarters has received orders to deploy to Afghanistan this spring, the Pentagon announced Monday.
“We’ve anticipated the announcement of this deployment, obviously,” said Maj. Gen. Mike Scaparrotti, commander of the division at Fort Bragg. “It was in the planning, and so we’ve been doing some very specific training.”
About 800 soldiers will deploy for about a year, division officials said.
The division headquarters will replace the 101st Airborne Division headquarters in Regional Command East in Bagram as part of a normal rotation of forces, 82nd officials said. The 101st is from Fort Campbell, Ky."

The 82nd Airborne Division headquarters includes Division Special Troops Battalion and will form the core of the Combined Joint Task Force 82.

On Dec. 22, the Pentagon said about 2,800 Fort Bragg aviation soldiers will
deploy to Afghanistan in late spring, several months earlier than expected. The
aviation brigade will be based in Regional Command South, which has headquarters
in Kandahar and is commanded by a Dutch major general.

The 4th Brigade Combat Team returned from its 15-month deployment to Afghanistan in April.

About 3,500 paratroopers from the division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team are deployed to Baghdad through the end of the year.

The 1st Brigade Combat Team returned from a 14-month deployment in Iraq in July.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team returned one year ago from its 15-month deployment to Iraq. Beginning in the summer, the brigade will spend a year as the Army element of the Global Response Force, which is prepared to respond on short notice to emergencies worldwide. The brigade is conducting exercises to regain its capability to parachute into hostile areas.

Military editor Henry Cuningham can be reached at cuninghamh@fayobserver.com or 486-3585.
FayObserver.com - Current Article Page:

Gates to take comprehensive approach to end 'Stop-Loss'

2009-02-24T14:49:00.001-07:00

"WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2009 - Ending the military's so-called 'stop-loss' program is a priority for Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, a senior official said here today.

The stop-loss program is the involuntary extension of active duty beyond a servicemember's expiration of term of service, or ETS.

The program is in place to make sure units deploy with all positions filled. Servicemembers with an ETS or retirement date that would occur while a unit is deployed can be 'stop-lossed' - or extended - until the end of the deployment."
Gates to take comprehensive approach to end 'Stop-Loss':

Sadr City School Supplies

2009-02-24T14:45:00.004-07:00

Students of the Al Aqbas Elementary school smile and wave during a group picture outside in the school's courtyard school Feb. 9 in the Sadr City district of eastern Baghdad. Children and Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Division, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, took the picture to thank the various organizations back in the U.S. who donated the supplies to them. See more at Army.mil

U.S. commanders favor slower Iraq pullout

2009-02-14T15:04:00.001-07:00

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. military planners have drawn up three options to allow President Barack Obama to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq, with senior commanders favoring the slowest of the three, officials said on Saturday.
The timelines under discussion are 16 months, proposed by Obama as a centerpiece of his presidential campaign, 19 months and 23 months, the officials said."

U.S. commanders favor slower Iraq pullout:

U.S. soldiers stand at attention during a handover ceremony of Al-Awad Joint security station from the U.S. military forces to Iraqi security forces north of Baghdad February 4, 2009.(Saad Shalash/Reuters)

Ordinary Heroes

2009-02-08T11:49:00.001-07:00

"Ordinary Heroes: Six Stars in the Window is the compelling, true story of one family, six brothers, and a world at war. Read the printed book or use the onscreen version of the book where photos come to life as videos. Watch events unfold and listen to eye witness accounts from people who were there. This is history as you’ve never experienced it before!"

Home_:

82nd Airborne All-American Chorus to perform at Apple Fesival

2009-02-08T07:04:00.001-07:00

"The 26-man chorus is comprised of active duty, combat veteran soldiers of the 82 Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg NC��- Internationally known, they have made appearances at international events since their inception in 1968. The 82nd Airborne All-American Army Chorus appeared at this year’s Super Bowl in Tampa, the Daytona 500, and at the Royal Palace in Baghdad."

Jackson County Times-Journal - Jackson, OH > Archives > News > 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus to perform at Apple Fesival:

Aspen man's vodka venture supports veterans | AspenTimes.com

2009-01-27T20:13:00.001-07:00

Aspen man's vodka venture supports veterans AspenTimes.com: "ASPEN — If you’ve tried to buy vodka in the Roaring Fork Valley in the last month, you might have noticed a local newcomer on the top shelf, between the Gray Goose and the Ketel One.

The black-and-gray bottle of Jokä vodka comes looped with dog tags featuring the soldiers’ creed — and a label that touts it as the “Spirit of Aspen.”

“It’s selling,” said Roger Carlson, manager of the Grog Shop. He explained that Jokä is even more likely to sell when people realize the proceeds support veterans."

“It seems word is getting around that there’s a crazy guy out there that knocks on doors … and tries to sell vodka for the benefit of veterans,” said Joe Nedlin, the energetic Aspenite behind the new vodka. Of late, Nedlin has been searching for a product to raise money for veterans in the same way Paul Newman’s salad dressings have garnered millions for charities.He’s tried golf clubs, golf accessories and beauty products — all sold under the label Aspen Black Diamond. But he said even though the golf clubs are featured at places like the Aspen Club, he’s found they’re hard to sell. Ditto for beauty products. His vodka, on the other hand, appears to be taking off.

The vodka, said Nedlin, is made by Bend Distillers, in Bend, Ore., using a recipe he helped design. For sweetness, it’s made only from corn. And it’s filtered five times through charcoal and crushed lava. The name comes from his own nickname when Nedlin was in the Army Reserves — “The Joker.”Nedlin said the slogan “Spirit of Aspen,” is both a pun on the word “spirit” and a nod to Aspen’s passion for philanthropy.“People of Aspen have such a spirit about them,” he said. “How can you beat people like this?”Jokä vodka sells for between $25 and $28 a bottle, a price Nedlin said puts it at the low end of top-shelf vodkas. In the first month, he’s sold 720 bottles to local restaurants and bars — including the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen and Sneaky’s Tavern in Snowmass — and nearly every liquor store in the valley.

According to Nedlin, $3 of every sale goes to veterans, meaning he’s raised over $2,000 in the first month of the project.“I’m not asking you to give money, to make a donation,” he said. “I’m saying [that] I’ve got a great vodka and if you’re so inclined to buy vodka, buy Jokä.”Though Nedlin has created his own 501(c)3 nonprofit, Charity Assistance Advisors, he won’t be distributing the money himself. Instead, the money will be distributed by the Grand Junction chapter of Blue Star Mothers, an organization of women with children serving in the military.Chapter president Wendy Hoffman affirmed the needs of veterans by noting that nationwide, one in three homeless people are veterans.

In Grand Junction, she said, that number is even higher.According to Hoffman, the money from the vodka sales will be distributed both to individual veterans and to organizations that serve veterans.Right now, Nedlin — the sole sales man for the vodka — is keeping both sales and donations in Colorado.“That’s all my car will travel,” he jokes.But both he and Hoffman say that some day, it would be nice to take the brand and the partnership with the Blue Star mothers nationwide.

But Hoffman cautions that it might take some effort to convince other chapters that it’s a good partnership. Even in Grand Junction, she said, a few woman have raised concerns about supporting veterans through the sale of vodka.“With 7,000 members out there, a lot more will be concerned about the fact that it’s vodka,” Hoffman said.Nedlin acknowledged the concern, but said for him, everything is out weighed by the great need among U.S. veterans.

“I wouldn’t sell anything if people would put their hands in their pockets and just donate,” Nedlin said. In the meantime, he’s going to keep selling vodka for veterans.“I’m 67 years old, how many more years do I have?” he said. “I have to make every day mean something.”

Berthoud Fallen Soldier Honored in Iraq

2009-01-22T10:36:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, Jan 21st, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Alex Licea3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, IRAQ -- A Multi-National Division – Baghdad Paratrooper, who was killed in eastern Baghdad, was honored for his ultimate sacrifice during a memorial ceremony at Forward Operating Base Jan. 16, 2009.
Staff Sgt. Justin Bauer, a 24-year-old infantryman from Loveland, Colo., was assigned to Company D, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He was killed in action when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle during a combat patrol Jan. 10 in the New Baghdad District of eastern Baghdad.

More...Berthoud Fallen Soldier Honored in Iraq

Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury

2009-01-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

"The Department of Defense today announced the opening of a 24-hour outreach center to provide information and referrals to military service members, veterans, their families and others with questions about psychological health and traumatic brain injury.

The new center, which is operated by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE), can be contacted around the clock, 365 days a year, by phone at 866-966-1020 and by e-mail at resources@dcoeoutreach.org.
“We’re providing 24/7 support to assist callers with questions regarding psychological health and traumatic brain injury,” said Brig. Gen. Loree K. Sutton, M.D., director of DCoE. “Getting the best possible information and tools, hassle-free, will empower and strengthen warriors and their families to successfully manage what can be confusing and disturbing circumstances.” "

Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury:

Canada's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle arrives in Afghanistan

2008-12-23T02:54:00.002-07:00

"KABUL, Afghanistan - December 16, one of Canada's newly acquired CU170 Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles was hoisted off a transport aircraft and brought to its newly erected hangar located at the Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan.

The Heron will be used to help reduce the number of insurgent attacks in Afghanistan by providing intelligence, surveillance, and a precision target acquisition capability. The Heron can be equipped with a variety of sensors and information systems, and will provide persistent surveillance over a large area in support of ISAF operations in Kandahar province. "

More... Canada's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle arrives in Afghanistan:

Baby Boom Hits the Base

2008-11-29T08:30:00.001-07:00

"For Fort Bragg soldiers, the send of the surge in Iraq led to an unexpected surge at home. Since the 22,000 members of the 82nd airborne began returning to the states a year ago, the number of births at the base has increased by 50 percent.

The Fort Bragg hospital has been delivering 10 babies a day. The base's hospital started noticing a spike in births over the summer, with nearly 300 a month.
The presence of prominent bellies and babies are ever apparent on base and a sure sign the trend will continue into 2009 as officials expect.
Capt. Jennifer Hernandez admitted she got pregnant the same day her husband returned from abroad. Now, she has trouble finding maternity wear because of the higher demand, and items she purchased are on back order. "

ABC News: Baby Boom Hits the Base:

Feeding a small army

2008-11-26T22:13:00.001-07:00

"By John Ramsey
Staff writer
ADVERTISEMENT
The ovens in the 3rd Brigade mess hall stayed on from Monday night to Tuesday morning, cooking enough food to feed a small Army.
From 6 p.m. until 7 a.m., 22 cooks prepared 823 pounds of turkey, 526 pounds of ham and 319 pounds of pot roast, not to mention the boatloads of gravy, stuffing and all sorts of Thanksgiving fixings. And that was just for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s mess hall, one of several on Fort Bragg that will feed more than 13 tons of holiday feast food to soldiers this week.
Cornucopias in the center of the room — facing a fridge full of pumpkin pies — overflowed with grapes, bananas, walnuts and M&Ms.

In about five hours, officers in their dress blues shoveled mashed potatoes, meats and more onto the plates of about 3,000 soldiers.
Soon after mealtime began at 11 a.m., a line snaked outside and around the corner of the mess hall, a building that may see a lot less traffic come next week. That’s when the 3rd Brigade Combat Team — about 3,500 men and women who make up part of the 82nd Airborne Division — will deploy to Iraq.
Three such soldiers — all in the Brigade Support Battalion, Alpha Company — sat around a table Tuesday afternoon, the food on their plates tipping over onto their green trays.
They said the food was juicier than the usual fare, with more down-home flavor. And seeing the bosses doing the serving was an added treat.
Pfc. William Benis said sharing a Thanksgiving meal with Pvt. Lorne Russell and Pfc. Angela Santos seemed fitting.
“We’ve been in the same place, going through the same stuff for a year and a half,” Benis said. “This is family after a while.”

Staff writer John Ramsey can be reached at ramseyj@fayobserver.com or 486-3574."

FayObserver.com - Current Article Page:

DoD Announces Expansion of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Disability Evaluation System Pilot

2008-11-07T22:22:00.001-07:00

"DoD Announces Expansion of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Disability Evaluation System Pilot

The Departments of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) announced today the expansion of the Disability Evaluation System (DES) pilot to 19 installations across the country, representing all military departments.

“The decision to expand the pilot was based upon a favorable review that focused on whether the pilot met its timeliness, effectiveness, transparency, and customer and stakeholder satisfaction objectives,” said Sam Retherford, director, officer and enlisted personnel management, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. “This expansion extends beyond the national capital region, so that more diverse data from other geographic areas can be evaluated, prior to rendering a final decision on worldwide implementation.”

On Oct. 1, 2008, the pilot was expanded to Fort Meade, Md., and Fort Belvoir, Va. The remaining 17 installations will be introduced to the pilot upon completion of site preparations and personnel orientation and training, during a 7-month period from November 2008 to May 2009.

The remaining installations to begin the program are: Army: Fort Carson, Colo., Fort Drum, N.Y., Fort Stewart, Ga., Fort Richardson, Alaska, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Brooke Army Medical Center, Texas, and Fort Polk, La.; Navy: Naval Medical Center (NMC) San Diego and Camp Pendleton, Calif., NMC Bremerton, Wash., NMC Jacksonville, Fla., and Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Air Force: Vance Air Force Base, Okla., Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska., and Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

In November 2007 the DoD and VA implemented the pilot test for disability cases originating at the three major military treatment facilities in the national capital region. The pilot is a test of a new process design eliminating the duplicative, time-consuming, and often confusing elements of the two current disability processes of the departments. Key features of the DES pilot include one medical examination and a single-sourced disability rating. To date, more than 700 service members have participated in the pilot during the last ten months.

The pilot is focused on recommendations from the reports of the Task Force on Returning Global War on Terrorism Heroes, the Independent Review Group, the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors (the Dole/Shalala Commission), and the Commission on Veterans’ Disability Benefits."

DefenseLink News Release: DoD Announces Expansion of the Defense and Veterans Affairs Disability Evaluation System Pilot:

Petraeus Assumes Leadership of U.S. Central Command

2008-10-31T13:51:00.001-06:00

"By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Oct. 31, 2008 – Army Gen. David H. Petraeus assumed leadership of the U.S. military command charged with helping to build peace in a tough and war-torn part of the world today.
Petraeus took the reins of U.S. Central Command from acting commander Army Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey in a ceremony here.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates presided over the change of command held at the base’s Memorial Park. “General Petraeus, you are again taking responsibility for our precious sons and daughters,” Gates said. “I have no doubt they will continue to make you and me – indeed all Americans – very proud.” Petraeus now has responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He must deal with the threat that Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons poses to the region and world. He also must deal with an unstable government in Pakistan. U.S. Central Command reaches from Kazakhstan to Yemen and Egypt to Kyrgyzstan. "

DefenseLink News Article: Petraeus Assumes Leadership of U.S. Central Command:

Painting shows 82nd paratroopers in action :: WRAL.com

2008-10-30T09:31:00.000-06:00

"FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The 82nd Airborne Division will unveil a new painting depicting some of its troopers in action in Iraq.
The painting of paratroopers from the 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, will be unveiled Thursday at Fort Bragg. The unit, nicknamed the 'Thunderbolts,' established stability in an area south of Baghdad that had been controlled by enemy forces. "

Painting shows 82nd paratroopers in action :: WRAL.com:

Wounded N.C. soldier gets new house from fellow vets

2008-10-27T20:45:00.001-06:00

"FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — A veterans group on Monday presented Sgt. Joey Bozik the keys to his new house four years to the day from when he was wounded in Iraq."
A roadside bomb in Iraq injured Bozik. The 26-year-old former sergeant with the 118th Military Police Company from Fort Bragg lost both legs and his right arm when an anti-tank mine exploded under his Humvee.
Paratroopers from Fort Bragg parachuted in Monday with the keys to his new home in Fuquay-Varina.

Wounded N.C. soldier gets new house from fellow vets :: WRAL.com:

Troops Well-Protected Under U.S.-Iraq Agreement, Gates Says

2008-10-19T13:33:00.001-06:00

"By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2008 – Servicemembers should not be concerned about the status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.
The secretary told Pentagon reporters that the agreement – now circulating as a draft in Washington and Baghdad – has adequate protections for American servicemembers.

Gates said former Multinational Force Iraq commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, current commander Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker have been deeply involved in the negotiations. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, approve of the agreement."

The agreement will allow American forces to continue to operate in Iraq and train the Iraqi security forces once the United Nations Security Council mandate expires on Dec. 31. “Admiral Mullen, General Petraeus, General Odierno and I are all satisfied that our men and women in uniform serving in Iraq are well-protected” by the agreement, Gates said. Gates is consulting with Senate and House armed services committee leaders about the agreement, which does not require congressional approval to become effective. “The four leaders I talked to from the armed services committees were generally positive, but clearly are looking forward to seeing the exact text,” Gates said. White House officials discussed the text of the agreement with congressional staffers this morning. The Iraqis want to assume control of their own security, and the draft agreement includes goals for withdrawal of American troops, if security conditions permit.
Related Articles:Gates Works with Congress on Iraq Status of Forces Agreement

DefenseLink News Article: Troops Well-Protected Under U.S.-Iraq Agreement, Gates Says:

Documents Say Iran Aids Iraq Militias

2008-10-18T17:05:00.000-06:00

"WASHINGTON — They wake before dawn, with time to exercise, eat and pray before the day’s first class in firing Kalashnikov rifles.
Over the next eight hours, they practice using bazookas or laying roadside bombs, with a break for lunch and mandatory religious instruction.
There is free time in the evening to watch television or play Ping-Pong.
Lights out at 11 p.m.
Such is a typical day at a dusty military base outside Tehran, where for the past several years members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force and Lebanese Hezbollah operatives have trained Iraqi Shiites to launch attacks against American forces in Iraq, according to accounts given to American interrogators by captured Iraqi fighters.

American officials have long cited Iranian training and weapons as reasons for the lethality of attacks by Shiite fighters in Iraq. Iranian officials deny that such training takes place.
Now, more than 80 pages of newly declassified intelligence documents for the first time describe in detail an elaborate network used by Iraqis to gain entry into Iran and train under Iranian supervision. They offer the most comprehensive account to date to support American claims about Iranian efforts to build a proxy force in Iraq. "

More...Documents Say Iran Aids Iraq Militias - NYTimes.com:

Iraq Fact Check: Responding To Key Myths

2008-10-08T12:35:00.001-06:00

Iraq Fact Check: Responding To Key Myths

MYTH: The Iraqi Government is sitting on billions of dollars in oil profits while the American people pay for reconstruction and security costs in Iraq.

FACT: The Iraqi government is taking over reconstruction funding – Iraq's 2008 budget for large-scale reconstruction projects exceeds that proposed by the U.S. by more than 10 to 1 and the U.S. military expects that Iraq will soon cover 100 percent of such expenses.

Since 2003, the Government of Iraq (GoI) has appropriated $85 billion for reconstruction and security costs. The U.S. appropriated $50 billion and has not appropriated any funds for major reconstruction since 2005.

The U.N. and U.S. are focused on providing Iraqis with technical assistance to keep Iraq's economy growing and improve budget execution.

The GoI increased its budgets across the board in 2008 – a base budget followed by a supplemental passed in August of this year brought the total to $72 billion, a substantial increase from 2007's $41 billion. The capitol budget which pays for reconstruction projects increased to $21 billion.

FACT: Iraq's security ministries will pay for more than 80 percent of the annual cost of the Iraqi military and police under the 2008 budget.

Last week, the GoI took over responsibility for paying the salaries of about 51,000 Sons of Iraq serving in the Baghdad area.

· FACT: The GoI's budget execution has picked up in 2008 – the total GoI expenditure through June 2008 was $19 billion, compared to $10 billion through the same period last year.

· FACT: The GoI does not have $79 billion from oil profits sitting in the bank. Iraq's year-end surplus for 2008 is expected to be about $30 billion. Combined with the previous 3 years, the surplus is expected to be about $60 billion.

MYTH: Iraq has made little progress on the political front.

· FACT: Since September 2007, Iraq's parliament has passed significant legislation dealing with reconciliation and nation building, including:
Ø A Provincial Elections Law enabling elections to be held in Iraq before January 31, 2009.
Ø A pension law
Ø De-Ba'athification reform
Ø An amnesty law
Ø A provincial powers law
Ø A 2008 budget and a supplemental budget that includes record amounts for capital and security expenditures

· FACT: Recently passed legislation is already having an affect – Iraqis held under detention for non-series crimes have been released under the Amnesty law.

· FACT: The national government is sharing oil revenues with provinces despite the absence of a hydrocarbon and revenue-sharing law.

· FACT: Iraq's neighbors are re-establishing diplomatic relations – Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, and the League of Arab States have all named Ambassador's to Iraq. The U.A.E. became the first Arab nation to post its Ambassador to Baghdad and give 100 percent debt relief to Iraq of approximately $7 billion.

· FACT: Regional leaders are traveling to Iraq to pursue productive dialogue – Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan, King Abdullah of Jordan, Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit have all visited Baghdad.

Source: Office of Public Liaison - Military Affairs - whitehouse.gov

DoD Revises Purple Heart Eligibility Criteria To Allow Award To POWs Who Die In Capivity

2008-10-06T13:39:00.001-06:00

DefenseLink News Release: DoD Revises Purple Heart Eligibility Criteria To Allow Award To POWs Who Die In Capivity: "DoD Revises Purple Heart Eligibility Criteria To Allow Award To POWs Who Die In Capivity

The Department of Defense announced today it has expanded the Purple Heart eligibility criteria allowing prisoners-of-war who died in captivity to receive the award.

The revised department policy presumes, for service members who die in captivity as a qualifying prisoner-of-war, that their death was the 'result of enemy action,' or the result of wounds incurred “in action with the enemy” during capture, or as a result of wounds incurred as a “result of enemy action” during capture, unless compelling evidence is presented to the contrary.

The revised policy allows retroactive award of the Purple Heart to qualifying prisoners-of-war since Dec. 7, 1941. Posthumous award will be made to the deceased service member’s representative, as designated by the secretary of the military department concerned, upon application to that military department.

Each military department will publish application procedures and ensure they are accessible by the general public. Family members with questions may contact the services: Army: Military Awards Branch, (703) 325-8700; Navy: Navy Personnel Command, Retired Records Section, (314) 592-1150; Air Force: Air Force Personnel Center, (800) 616-3775; Marine Corps: Military Awards Branch, (703) 784-9340. For further information, media representatives should contact Eileen Lainez, (703) 695-3895, eileen.lainez@osd.mil."

N.C. troops' role in Iraq to grow

2008-10-05T00:21:00.001-06:00

"Jay Price, Staff Writer Comment on this story In Washington, on the campaign trail and in Baghdad, there has been talk for months about cutting the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. For North Carolina-based troops, though, 2009 is shaping up as another big year there -- maybe the biggest since the war began in 2003."

The Pentagon formally announced last week that three more major units from the
state are to be sent to Iraq in 2009 -- two combat brigade teams from the 82nd
Airborne Division at Fort Bragg and the headquarters unit of the 2nd Marine
Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune.

That makes a total of seven major units and more than 25,000 troops from North Carolina scheduled to be in Iraq at some point in the coming year.

more... newsobserver.com N.C. troops' role in Iraq to grow:

Sen Barack Obama Requests Delay in Troop Drawdown

2008-09-21T12:34:00.000-06:00

"WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence. According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July. "
SEN. BARACK OBAMA WANTS TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ, BUT WANTS A DELAY IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR REMOVAL - New York Post:

Iraqi Surge Was Keystone to Success in Iraq

2008-09-11T08:41:00.001-06:00

"At the end of 2006, Iraq seemed on the verge of a civil war. Al-Qaida was inciting divisions between Sunni and Shiia Iraqis. The newly elected government seemed ineffectual. Militia groups roamed neighborhoods and intimidated those who did not agree with them.
More than 100 U.S. servicemembers per month were being killed in fighting in the country. Today, that number has dropped dramatically, thanks largely to the troop surge and a new strategy that senior military officials credit with laying the groundwork for success throughout Iraq."
...

The first of the surge brigades arrived in Baghdad from Kuwait in January
2007 – the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team. The soldiers went
almost immediately into combat operations. Between then and June, four more
brigades, a Marine expeditionary unit and two Marine battalions deployed to
Iraq. Thousands of “enablers” – combat service and combat service support
servicemembers – also deployed.

...
“The surge allowed us to get control of areas, maintain control using Iraqi troops and police, and pump money and jobs into the economy,” the general said. “It helped us link up with the sheiks and tribal leaders and push the Awakening process along.”
In many parts of Baghdad today, markets are operating, doctors are practicing, children are learning and fathers are working. That would have been inconceivable in 2006, Campbell said.
“I saw the surge in the beginning, and when I left in December 2007 I had seen it turn Baghdad around,” he said. “The surge was very successful and I could see the results. I would have told you maybe halfway into my tour that I would not have felt good about leaving. But later, I saw all the benefits. I thought we really gave the Iraqi people a fighting chance.”

Iraqi Surge Was Keystone to Success in Iraq:

Dems trash U.S. flags at DNC convention

2008-09-06T12:51:00.002-06:00

Dems trash U.S. flags at DNC convention: "Following their national convention in Denver last week, Democratic organizers heaped up thousands of unused U.S. flags and threw them away, but the McCain campaign has since salvaged the Star-Spangled Banners and intends to use them at a rally in Colorado Springs.
A Denver Post blog reports that a worker at Denver's Invesco Field discovered the discarded flags following Barack Obama's nomination speech at the mile-high stadium last week."

According to Fox News, McCain is planning a scathing chastisement of the
Democrats for defiling Old Glory and plans to have veterans distribute the flags
in a symbolic, recyling gesture at the Colorado Springs rally.

The Post blog reports an estimated total of 12,000 small flags and one, full-size 3'x5' flag were discarded.

Update from Denverpost.com 9-6-08
Update: I just spoke with the person at Invesco who found the flags. He thinks both sides are exaggerating a bit. He claims the majority of the bags with flags were near the trash and it was probably an "oversight" by the Democrats rather than a nefarious plot against the flag, but he doesn't believe anyone was coming to get them. "The flags were there for a week and a day and no one came looking for them," the person said.

War On Terror News

2008-08-31T11:53:00.001-06:00

"Step back in time with me to the Kunar province of Afghanistan, back to July 13, 2008, courtesy of SFC Rice. -MsMarti

This is the story you won't hear on our news media back home. All you heard was of the worst loss of life in Afghanistan since the war began and that Afghanistan is turning into a quagmire. I was there, it's not a quagmire, never has been, never will be. I was part of several attacks and we dominated the enemy so bad every time I actually felt bad for them. This is the story you need to hear and tell your friends about. These men are heroes! Fighting terrorists on foreign soil so Americans remain safe at home. This is why America is the greatest country in the world, men like this!!! Always Remembered, Never Forgotten!"

War On Terror News: 9 Funerals for 9 Warriors:

9 Funerals for 9 Warriors

I'm sure you heard about 9 soldiers being killed in Afghanistan a few weeks ago. As AP reported it, it was a "setback", the "newly established base" there was 'abandoned' by the Americans. That, of course, was the extent of their coverage. Steve Mraz of Stars and Stripes and Jeff Emanuel tell the rest of the story. Emanuel, who went out and dug into the story sets the enemies force at 500 while AP sets it at 200. Frankly I'm much more inclined to believe Emanuel than AP.
July 13, 2008 was the date, and Jeff Emanuel, an independent combat reporter sets the scene: Three days before the attack, 45 U.S. paratroopers from the 173d Airborne [Brigade Combat Team], accompanied by 25 Afghan soldiers, made their way to Kunar province, a remote area in the northeastern Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, and established the beginnings of a small Combat Outpost (COP).
Their movement into the area was noticed, and their tiny numbers and incomplete fortifications were quickly taken advantage of.
A combined force of up to 500 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters quickly moved into the nearby village of Wanat and prepared for their assault by evicting unallied residents and according to an anonymous senior Afghan defense ministry official, "us[ing] their houses to attack us."
Tribesmen in the town stayed behind "and helped the insurgents during the fight," the provincial police chief, told The Associated Press. Dug-in mortar firing positions were created, and with that indirect fire, as well as heavy machine gun and RPG fire from fixed positions, Taliban and al Qaeda fighters rushed the COP from three sides.
As Emanuel notes, the odds were set. 500 vs. 70. Even so, Emanuel entitled his article, "An Alamo With a Different Ending." The 500 terrorists apparently didn't realize they were attacking US Army paratroopers. The unit in question was 2nd Platoon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, led by 1LT Jonathan Brostrom.
The first RPG and machine gun fire came at dawn, strategically striking the forward operating base's mortar pit. The insurgents next sighted their RPGs on the tow truck inside the combat outpost, taking it out.
That was around 4:30 a.m.
This was not a haphazard attack. The reportedly 500 insurgents fought from several positions. They aimed to overrun the new base. The U.S. soldiers knew it and fought like hell. They knew their lives were on the line. The next target was the FOB's observation post, where nine soldiers were positioned on a tiny hill about 50 to 75 meters from the base. Of those nine, five died, and at least three others -- Spc. Tyler Stafford among them -- were wounded.
When the attack began, Stafford grabbed his M-240 machine gun off a north-facing sandbag wall and moved it to an east-facing sandbag wall. Moments later, RPGs struck the north-facing wall, knocking Stafford out of the fighting position and wounding another soldier.
Stafford thought he was on fire so he rolled around, regaining his senses. Nearby, Cpl. Gunnar Zwilling, who later died in the fight, had a stunned look on his face. Immediately, a grenade exploded by Stafford, blowing him down to a lower terrace at the observation post and knocking his helmet off.
Stafford put his helmet back on and noticed how badly he was bleeding. Cpl. Matthew Phillips was close by, so Stafford called to him for help. Phillips was preparing to throw a grenade and shot a look at Stafford that said, "Give me a second. I gotta go kill these guys first."
This was only about 30 to 60 seconds into the attack.
Kneeling behind a sandbag wall, Phillips pulled the grenade pin, but just after he threw it an RPG exploded at his position. The tail of the RPG smacked Stafford's helmet. The dust cleared. Phillips was slumped over, his chest on his knees and his hands by his side. Stafford called out to his buddy three or four times, but Phillips never answered or moved.
"When I saw Phillips die, I looked down and was bleeding pretty good, that's probably the most scared I was at any point,"
Stafford said. "Then I kinda had to calm myself down and be like, 'All right, I gotta go try to do my job.' The soldier from Parker, Colo., loaded his 9 mm handgun, crawled up to their fighting position, stuck the pistol over the sandbags and fired. Stafford saw Zwilling's M-4 rifle nearby so he loaded it, put it on top of the sandbag and fired. Another couple RPGs struck the sandbag wall Stafford used as cover. Shrapnel pierced his hands.
Stafford low-crawled to another fighting position where Cpl. Jason Bogar, Sgt. Matthew Gobble and Sgt. Ryan Pitts were located. Stafford told Pitts that the insurgents were within grenade-tossing range. That got Pitts' attention. With blood running down his face, Pitts threw a grenade and then crawled to the position from where Stafford had just come. Pitts started chucking more grenades. The firefight intensified. Bullets cut down tree limbs that fell on the soldiers. RPGs constantly exploded.
Back at Stafford's position, so many bullets were coming in that the soldiers could not poke their heads over their sandbag wall. Bogar stuck an M-249 machine gun above the wall and squeezed off rounds to keep fire on the insurgents. In about five minutes, Bogar fired about 600 rounds, causing the M-249 to seize up from heat.
At another spot on the observation post, Cpl. Jonathan Ayers laid down continuous fire from an M-240 machine gun, despite drawing small-arms and RPG fire from the enemy. Ayers kept firing until he was shot and killed. Cpl. Pruitt Rainey radioed the FOB with a casualty report, calling for help. Of the nine soldiers at the observation post, Ayers and Phillips were dead, Zwilling was unaccounted for, and three were wounded. Additionally, several of the soldiers' machine guns couldn't fire because of damage. And they needed more ammo. Rainey, Bogar and another soldier jumped out of their fighting position with the third soldier of the group launching a shoulder-fired missile.
All this happened within the first 20 minutes of the fight.
Platoon leader 1st Lt. Jonathan Brostrom and Cpl. Jason Hovater arrived at the observation post to reinforce the soldiers. By that time, the insurgents had breached the perimeter of the observation post. Gunfire rang out, and Rainey shouted, "He's right behind the sandbag." Brostrom could be heard shouting about the insurgent as well.
More gunfire and grenade explosions ensued. Back in the fighting position, Gobble fired a few quick rounds. Gobble then looked to where the soldiers were fighting and told Stafford the soldiers were dead. Of the nine soldiers who died in the battle, at least seven fell in fighting at the observation post.
The insurgents then started chucking rocks at Gobble and Stafford's fighting position, hoping that the soldiers might think the rocks were grenades, causing them to jump from the safety of their fighting hole. One rock hit a tree behind Stafford and landed directly between his legs. He braced himself for an explosion. He then realized it was a rock.
Stafford didn't have a weapon, and Gobble was low on ammo. Gobble told Stafford they had to get back to the FOB. They didn't realize that Pitts was still alive in another fighting position at the observation post. Gobble and Stafford crawled out of their fighting hole. Gobble looked again to where the soldiers had been fighting and reconfirmed to Stafford that Brostrom, Rainey, Bogar and others were dead.
Gobble and Stafford low-crawled and ran back to the FOB. Coming into the FOB, Stafford was asked by a sergeant what was going on at the observation post. Stafford told him all the soldiers there were dead. Stafford lay against a wall, and his fellow soldiers put a tourniquet on him.
From the OP, Pitts got on the radio and told his comrades he was alone. Volunteers were asked for to go to the OP.
SSG Jesse Queck sums up the reaction to the call: "When you ask for volunteers to run across an open field to a reinforced OP that almost everybody is injured at, and everybody volunteers, it feels good. There were a lot of guys that made me proud, putting themselves and their lives on the line so their buddies could have a chance."
At least three soldiers went to the OP to rescue Pitts, but they suffered wounds after encountering RPG and small-arms fire, but Pitts survived the battle.
At that time, air support arrived in the form of Apache helicopters, A-10s and F-16s, performing bombing and strafing runs. The whole FOB was covered in dust and smoke, looking like something out of an old Western movie.
"I've never seen the enemy do anything like that," said Sgt. Jacob Walker, who was medically evacuated off the FOB in one of the first helicopters to arrive. "It's usually three RPGs, some sporadic fire and then they're gone .... I don't where they got all those RPGs. That was crazy."
Two hours after the first shots were fired, Stafford made his way -- with help -- to the medevac helicopter that arrived. "It was some of the bravest stuff I've ever seen in my life, and I will never see it again because those guys,"
Stafford said, then paused. "Normal humans wouldn't do that. You're not supposed to do that -- getting up and firing back when everything around you is popping and whizzing and trees, branches coming down and sandbags exploding and RPGs coming in over your head ... It was a fistfight then, and those guys held ' em off."
Stafford offered a guess as to why his fellow soldiers fought so hard.
"Just hardcoreness I guess," he said. "Just guys kicking ass, basically. Just making sure that we look scary enough that you don't want to come in and try to get us."
Jeff Emanuel summed the fight up very well:
"Perhaps the most important take away from that encounter, though, is the one that the mainstream media couldn't be bothered to pay attention long enough to learn: that, not for the first time, a contingent of American soldiers that was outnumbered by up to a twenty-to-one ratio soundly and completely repulsed a complex, pre-planned assault by those dedicated enough to their cause to kill themselves in its pursuit.
That kind of heroism and against-all-odds success is and has been a hallmark of America's fighting men and women, and it is one that is worthy of all attention we can possibly give it."
Of the original 45 paratroopers, 15 were wounded and The Sky Soldiers lost 9 killed in action in the attack. They were :
1LT Jonathan Brostrom of Aiea, HawaiiSGT Israel Garcia of Long Beach, CaliforniaSPC Matthew Phillips of Jasper, GeorgiaSPC Pruitt Rainey of Haw River, North CarolinaSPC Jonathan Ayers of Snellville, GeorgiaSPC Jason Bogar of Seattle, WashingtonSPC Sergio Abad of Morganfield, KentuckySPC Jason Hovater of Clinton, TennesseeSPC Gunnar Zwilling of Florissant, Missouri
Of the 9 that were lost, Sgt Walker says:
“I just hope these guys' wives and their children understand how courageous their husbands and dads were. They fought like warriors."
They fought like warriors.

Grand Valley 'gunnies' unite for McCain

2008-08-28T12:02:00.001-06:00

"GRAND JUNCTION — Former Grand Junction Mayor Gene Kinsey is proud to be a “gunnie.”

Kinsey said Wednesday he thinks Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s voting record on preserving second amendment rights to own guns will allow him to stay a “gunnie.” So he’s voting for McCain.

“I’ve often wondered why I should vote for a candidate if he can’t trust me to own a gun,” Kinsey said. “We’re not all single issue voters, but the second amendment is a touchstone. It’s a window into what the candidate thinks.”

The second amendment reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” McCain has said, “I believe the second amendment ought to be preserved — which means no gun control.” Obama’s Web site does not include a stance on gun control."

More Grand Valley 'gunnies' unite for McCain GRAND JUNCTION — Former Grand Junction Mayor Gene Kinsey is proud to be a “gunnie.”Kinsey said Wednesday he thinks Republican presidential candidate Joh GJFreePress.com:

To Our Soldiers

2008-08-27T09:30:00.001-06:00

To Our Soldiers

A Strong Military in a Dangerous World

2008-08-18T18:42:00.000-06:00

John McCain 2008 - John McCain for President: "In a dangerous world, protecting America's national security requires a strong military. Today, America has the most capable, best-trained and best-led military force in the world. But much needs to be done to maintain our military leadership, retain our technological advantage, and ensure that America has a modern, agile military force able to meet the diverse security challenges of the 21st century.

John McCain is committed to ensuring that the men and women of our military remain the best, most capable fighting force on Earth - and that our nation honors its promises to them for their service."

Byrd says No

2008-07-10T14:43:00.002-06:00

... "“Lt. General James Thurman, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for operations, has said that he hoped, but could not promise, that if the demand for troops stabilized at around 15 combat brigades, the use of the ‘stop loss’ could be ended by the end of Fiscal Year 2009, or the beginning of Fiscal Year 2010 – in September or October of 2009, more than a year from now. ‘But demand exceeds supply right now,’ he stated."

More...West Virginia Headline News and Talk Radio:

VFW says Thank You for new GI Bill

2008-06-27T09:06:00.001-06:00

"WASHINGTON, June 26, 2008 – The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is saluting Congress for the overwhelming passage of a new GI Bill for the 21st Century. The bill, S. 22, the 'Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act,' was attached to the war funding supplemental that the House passed June 19 and the Senate is predicted to approve this evening. President Bush is expected to quickly sign it into law."

S. 22 will pay the highest in-state public tuition rate, and provide for
books, fees, and a living stipend. It eliminates the $1,200 enrollment fee,
extends the use-or-lose benefit requirement from 10 to 15 years, and greatly
enhances the amount paid to Guard and Reserve members. The new GI Bill
automatically adjusts itself as tuitions increase, and provides a
dollar-for-dollar tuition match for private colleges and universities who choose
to participate in the program. A new provision added to the bill allows
reenlisting servicemembers to transfer their educational benefit to their spouse
and/or children. The transferability provision – which is endorsed by the
Defense Department – was proposed by Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Lindsey Graham
(R-SC), an Air Force Reserve colonel, and John McCain (R-AZ), a Vietnam veteran
who was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half
years.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) :: News:

Local soldier returns home

2008-06-18T16:59:00.001-06:00

KJCT8.com - Grand Junction, Montrose - Weather, News, Sports Local soldier returns home: "

After a 15 month tour in Iraq, a hero returns with a warm welcome from his family. They're thrilled to have their son and brother back home on the Western Slope.

Specialist Antonio Martinez is back for 20 days after serving 15 months in northern Baghdad. This is the first time the army has granted him a leave to visit his family.
Specialist Martinez was part of the 82nd Airborne Unit, one of the first battalions that spearheaded the surge into Iraq.

He's happy to be on American soil and ready to relax.
Martinez's grandmother traveled all the way from Arizona to see him. He'll spend his 20 day vacation at his family's home in Hotchkiss. "

Military briefs

2008-06-06T07:10:00.001-06:00

Military briefs Stafford County Sun: "Stafford brothers return from duty
Sgt. Richard Carnicom and Specialist Derek Carnicom have returned from Iraq and from Afghanistan, respectively. The brothers are both graduates of North Stafford High School and are serving in the United States Army stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with the 82nd Airborne Division.
Richard Carnicom’s unit, the first of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, served in Baghdad from January 2007 through March 2008 as part of a 15-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Richard Carnicom earned the Combat Action Badge during this tour. Derek Carnicom’s unit, the second of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, served in Afghanistan from February 2007 thru May 2008 as part of a 15-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Derek Carnicom earned the Combat Medical Badge during this tour. Jeffrey and Roxanne Carnicom of Stafford are extremely proud of their son’s accomplishments and relieved to have them back home safe. Both Jeff and Roxanne Carnicom, as well as Roxanne’s father, Richard Clark of Stafford, were at Pope Air Force Base as Richard landed on March 12, 2008 and as Derek landed on May 12, 2008. Richard Carnicom was also there to welcome his brother Derek home. "

Surge brigade to get new leader

2008-06-04T14:19:00.001-06:00

"The 82nd Airborne Division brigade that spearheaded the surge into Iraq is getting a new commander.
Col. B. Don Farris will pass command to Col. Christopher Gibson during a ceremony Wednesday at Fort Bragg. Farris' brigade deployed days after receiving emergency orders in January 2007. The brigade spent 15-months restoring order to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad and was instrumental in bringing violence in the city to its lowest level since 2004.
During a mission in May 2007, Farris was seriously wounded by sniper fire. He recovered and returned to Iraq months later to finish the deployment.
Gibson served with the 2nd Brigade from 2004 to 2006."FayObserver.com - AP Article Page:

Palisade mother welcomes son home from Iraq

2008-05-29T19:33:00.001-06:00

"GRAND JUNCTION (KJCT)- A Palisade mother welcomed her son home from Iraq today after seven long months.
Twenty one-year-old Justin Aysse is a Field Lineman with the U.S. Marines.
He's from 29 Palms California... And his mom, Julie Dominguez, says it was the first time they've been separated for this long.
She says they communicated by e-mail, but sometimes she wouldn't hear from Justin for weeks.
Julie says not a day went by when she didn't cry... worrying about her son."

More....

Northampton Commons renamed for Dembowski

2008-05-28T16:03:00.001-06:00

Park renamed to honor a fallen son.
By Peter Ciferri, Advance Editor

"For future generations, whenever Richboro and Northampton Township residents visit Northampton Commons Park, they will remember Robert Dembowski Jr.That's because this Memorial Day, one year and two days after his death in Baghdad, Iraq, the Northampton Board of Supervisors, area veterans groups, local politicians and community members came together to rededicate the park in honor of their fallen son.
"Northampton Township is home to many veterans and military personnel, who deserve recognition for their service," Northampton Township Board of Supervisors Chairman George Komelasky said. "The rededication of this park is one way that we can all say thank you."
He explained that the Northampton Commons was originally dedicated in early 2001 to volunteers in the Northampton community, who donate their time in a number of roles from firemen to township committee members.
Komelasky went on to explain that in a post 9-11 world, he is happy to rededicate the park to honor all those who protect our nation. "These are our fathers, our brothers, our sisters, our husbands, our wives our sons, our daughters. They are our friends of our community and they call Northampton Township home."
The park was officially rededicated before a crowd of about 150 supporters during an afternoon ceremony on May 26.
Fran Dembowski, mother of Robert Dembowski Jr., was among the afternoon's first speakers. She reflected on the sacrifice American servicemen and women through the reading of a poem she recently penned while visiting Fort Bragg.
Dembowski's father, Robert Dembowski Sr., unveiled the sign officially renaming the Northampton Commons "Robert H. Dembowski Jr. Veterans Memorial Park."
Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-8) spoke on the lasting impact Robert Dembowski has left both in the community and with his comrades in the Army.
"Committed to serving his country, Bobby volunteered to make the rest of the world a better place and give back to the country he loved so fiercely," Murphy said.
Dembowski was killed in action on May 24, 2007, when his unit came under small arms fire from enemy forces in Baghdad. Murphy said that while the park is named in Dembowski's memory, it serves to reflect on all those lost in battle.
"By remembering their sacrifices and the lives that they led, in time the wounds of Bucks County will heal," Murphy said. "It will be in Bobby's name, but it will stand for veterans as a sign of our appreciation."
While the two never served together, both Murphy and Dembowski were members of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.
"Today is a solemn day, but a proud one as we honor a hero from our community, and the spirit of patriotism and devotion that Bobby embodied," Murphy said.
State Rep. Scott Petri said it was a "true pleasure" to spend his Memorial Day honoring Bucks County soldiers who stepped forward to serve their nation.
"Memorial Day is not simply a day for picnics and pool openings, parades and speeches, it is a day to reflect on the lives of those who made those things possible for the rest of us through their sacrifice in defense of freedom," Petri explained.
He said Dembowski understood that idea and cited a 2005 speech that the Army Private gave at Newtown's Chancellor Center.
Dembowski, a Council Rock North and Middle Bucks Institute of Technology graduate, joined the Army in 2006 and was the recipient of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart.
Also speaking was the director of Bucks County Veterans Affairs Dan Fraley and the chairman of the Northampton Township Veterans Advisory Committee Larry Rubini.
Fraley spoke on the important role Gold Star Families have in helping to secure land for veterans memorials and cemeteries, including the Dolington National Veterans Cemetery in Upper Makefield."

BucksLocalNews.com:

Presidential Remarks -- Ft Bragg

2008-05-26T09:25:00.000-06:00