Muslim Chaplain Covers Lots of Ground to Serve Soldiers

By Army Sgt. David Turner
Special to American Forces Press Service

Sept. 8, 2008 - The most frequent question soldiers ask Chaplain (Maj.) Ibraheem Raheem is the meaning behind the crescent moon patch on his Army combat uniform.
Sometimes, he said, he jokingly explains that he's an astronaut; other times, he says he's an inspector for field rations or that the moon emblem means he's performed 3,000 night jumps.

In fact, the patch does distinguish Raheem as one of a special group of soldiers. He is one of only six Muslim chaplains serving in the U.S. Army, and is the only one deployed to Iraq.

His service as both a Muslim and an American soldier, he said, can lead to confusion for some people, both in the military and in local communities.

"After you talk to people and explain a few things to them, they get it," Raheem said. "That is, after breaking down a whole bunch of walls that have been put up in people's minds."

Though Muslim soldiers sometimes struggle with the issues of service and faith, Raheem said he and the soldiers to whom he ministers have found ways to reconcile their religious beliefs with their military service.

"Most people understand that there's a difference between serving in the military and deliberately going to fight in a particular place for a religious-based reason. Our military is not religiously based. Most people can see that there's a difference there," he said.

Raheem can relate easily to the problems of both his enlisted and non-Muslim soldiers. Raised in a Baptist household in Kansas City, Kan., he spent his first 12 years in the Army as an enlisted soldier in the Medical Corps. In a way it was that experience, he said, that led him to become a chaplain.

"The medical field was the first thing that jumped out at me, because you get to help people who are sick," he said. "I dealt with a lot of death and illness. It brought me closer to my spiritual upbringing."

Though working in an intensive care unit gave Raheem the opportunity to help people, he said, he found there were other kinds of help people needed, too.

"There was a lot of advanced equipment, but it wasn't always saving people," he said. "At the end of the day, God is the one who determines if a person pulls through or not."
Seeing the work that Army chaplains performed at the hospital inspired Raheem to seek a new path. "I felt like that's when I got my calling to be a chaplain," he said.

The journey would not be complete, however, until Raheem accepted the Islamic faith.
"I started studying the Bible in college, and later began learning about other faiths," he recalled. "When I came across Islam, I went to visit a mosque. A member there gave me a Koran and told me, 'Go and read this, and come back if you have any questions.' I came back the next day with questions, and every day thereafter, each time getting the answers from the Koran until I eventually accepted the faith."

In reading the Koran, Raheem said, he discovered not a rejection of his older faith, but rather a faith resonated more deeply with his beliefs.

"I came to realize that the message it contained was what I had always believed from the days I was a child," he explained. "For instance, that there was only one God that has no images, that the same divine message was given to Noah, Moses, Abraham, David, Jesus and Muhammad. That Adam and Eve were forgiven, and their sins were not passed on to other generations, nor were women blamed only for disobeying God. So it was like a confirmation of what I always believed in my heart my whole life."

After completing seminary school, Raheem received his commission, realizing his ambition to become a chaplain. His acceptance of the Muslim faith had not only changed his career path, but also affected his entire outlook on life.

"My experience with Islam opened my mind to the world, its diversity and its many social challenges," he said. "Before Islam, I only thought of the people in my neighborhood; after Islam, I thought of the entire world."

Raheem is on his third deployment to Iraq since 2003. Attached to the Iraqi Assistance Group, he performs services and counsels Muslim soldiers at Camp Victory, where he is based. He holds a prayer service there every Friday, but also takes his work into the field, finding other Muslim soldiers who otherwise would not have access to his services. He brings copies of the Koran with him, and as part of his mission, he also collects damaged copies to be repaired and redistributed to Iraqi citizens.

During the holy month of Ramadan that's now under way, Raheem travels to as many parts of Iraq as possible to tend to Muslim soldiers' spiritual needs. He estimates there are fewer than 300 Muslim soldiers currently deployed. That means he has to cover a lot of ground.

"It's hard being the only [Muslim chaplain], and there are people spread out in many different places," he said. "Depending on transportation availability, weather and other factors, you may or may not get to a certain place."

While visiting bases around Iraq, Raheem performs services and provides counseling for soldiers, as he does at Camp Victory.

"I'll be getting out and trying to support the soldiers who are out there trying to practice," he said. "I realize that it's hard being one of the few people on the forward operating base that has a different religion, so I try to get out there with them and give them some encouragement."

(Army Sgt. David Turner serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- June 9, 2008

Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Anthrax Hoax
“An envelope was sent containing a white powder purporting to be anthrax to an Internal Revenue Service facility in Kansas City, Missouri. […] Jonathan Kenneth Joyner, 21, of Appleton, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, to the charge contained in a Feb. 7, 2008, federal indictment. […] On June 22, 2007, Joyner mailed an envelope to the IRS Fraud Detection Center in Kansas City containing the white powder (later determined to be baby talcum powder) with a letter that stated, in part, ‘Anthrax Breath Deep Pig Ha Ha Ha Ha.’
The letter was opened by an IRS employee on June 27, 2007.” (Kansas City Info Zine; 07Jun08) http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/28774/

[Bucks County, Pennsylvania] County conducts anthrax drill
“And preliminary reports say the county passed. With the cooperation of the commissioners and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bucks County Health Department and the Emergency Management team Saturday conducted an inhalation anthrax exposure scenario at Maple Point Middle School in Middletown to measure Bucks' crisis response.[…] Roughly 300 volunteers of various ages, races and gender, who included members of the county's medical reserve corps and La Salle University nursing students, acted as heads of households to get pills for their families.” (Bucks County Courier Times; 08Jun08; Rachel Canelli) http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-06082008-1545927.html

Postal center [Scarborough, Maine] plans biohazard drill
“The U.S. Postal Service distribution center in Scarborough will test emergency responses to anthrax in a biohazard exercise with local, state and federal agencies on Tuesday. Postal Service Way will be closed during the drill, which begins at 6 p.m. and ends around 9:30 p.m.” (Maine Today; 09Jun08)
http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/028481.html

Boeing Reveals Sub-Tracking ScanEagle Study
“Boeing, Insitu and the U.S. Navy are studying a variant of the ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that could be air-dropped from a P-8A or other aircraft to detect and stealthily track submarines over many hours. […] Other [ScanEagle Compressed Carriage] SECC/Dominator-related ScanEagle follow-on’s already announced include a biological combat assessment system to collect data on biological hazards, as well as identify and assess hostile threats. The system is designed to monitor sites suspected of containing weapons of mass destruction, and to locate, track and collect biological warfare agents released into the air during air strikes.” (Aviation Week; 09Jun08) http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/SCAN060908.xml&headline=Boeing%20Reveals%20Sub-Tracking%20ScanEagle%20Study&channel=defense

Tomato salmonella scare stirs [Food & Drug Administration] FDA's critics
“As Texas and the nation grapple with a major outbreak of potentially deadly salmonella poisoning from tomatoes, critics of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are blasting the agency for sluggishness in ensuring the safety of America's food supply. […] The current outbreak, believed to be linked to raw tomatoes of unknown origin, has affected 56 people in Texas — 14 in Harris County, five in Brazoria County and two each in Fort Bend and Galveston counties. Thirty-six New Mexico residents and 34 elsewhere in the country also became ill.” (Houston Chronicle; 07Jun08; Allan Turner) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/5824138.html

The great public health mashup
“Every day, epidemiologists and researchers at South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control run dozens of specialized software programs and laboratory systems to detect the early warning signs of infectious disease outbreaks. But their analyses might be more accurate if they could solve a problem common to distributed workgroups: an inability to get applications and reporting systems to share data. In the health care arena, a lack of standards can lead to higher costs, slower research and a greater risk of pandemics, public health officials say. ‘We have so many systems in this agency, and they are not talking to each other,’ said Jared Shoultz, director of the department’s Division of Public Health Informatics. ‘Public health is working toward data standards and unified data models, but we aren’t there yet.’” (Government Health Hit; 09Jun08; David Raths) http://www.govhealthit.com/blogs/ghitnotebook/350415-1.html

AVI BioPharma to Present at the 6th Annual Biodefense Vaccines and Therapeutics Meeting
“AVI's Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances, will make the opening presentation of the Pre-Conference Symposium to the 6th Annual Biodefense Vaccines & Therapeutics Meeting to be held June 9-11, 2008 in Washington, D.C. The Symposium is titled ‘Developments in Biodefense Vaccines & Therapeutics’ and Dr. Iversen's presentation is ‘Multiple Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomer Approaches to Developing Antiviral Therapeutics.’ This is an invitation-only meeting at which Dr. Iversen will principally outline AVI's progress on the development of its therapeutic drugs against agents on the bioterrorism list, in particular Ebola, Marburg and Dengue viruses.” (The Earth Times; 09Jun08; AVI
Biopharma)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/avi-biopharma-to-present-at,424408.shtml

Greening most serious citrus disease
“The disease, which slowly weakens and kills all types of citrus trees, causes fruit to become lopsided and taste bitter, making it unusable. Fruit does not develop the desired color, hence the greening name. There is no known cure for the disease, which is on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s select list of threats to plants and wildlife regulated by the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act. The disease does not harm people. The scientific name for citrus greening — huanglongbing — means ‘yellow shoot’ which describes the symptom of a bright yellow shoot that commonly occurs on a sector of infected trees. It is a serious disease of citrus because it affects all citrus cultivars and causes decline of trees.” (South East Farm Press; 09Jun08; Paul L. Hollis) http://southeastfarmpress.com/news/citrus-greening-0609/

Anthrax as a biological weapon
“For centuries, anthrax has caused disease in animals and, uncommonly, serious illness in humans throughout the world […] Research on anthrax as a biological weapon began more than 80 years ago […] Today, while at least 17 nations are believed to have offensive biological weapons programs, it is uncertain how many are working with anthrax. Iraq has acknowledged producing and weaponizing anthrax.” (C Health; 07Jun08; Michael E. Pezim)
http://chealth.canoe.ca/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=1484&channel_id=1020&relation_id=8576

Anthrax outbreak reported in south Kyrgyzstan, two dead
“An anthrax outbreak has hit south Kyrgyzstan, where two people are reported to have died of the disease and six others hospitalized with similar symptoms, health officials in the Central Asian state said on Monday. […] Health officials said the victims may have contracted the disease when they slaughtered a horse for its meat in late May.” (RIA Novosti; 09Jun08) http://en.rian.ru/world/20080609/109575426.html

Jewish Israeli children send love messages to Lebanese children [written on munitions] [Graphic photos]
“July 20, 2006 -- WMR reported that the Israeli military was using poison gas on villages in south Lebanon. According to a former U.S. weapons expert who served in Iraq, the artillery shell in a photo taken in Lebanon (below) is a chemical weapon delivery device. It is being handled by an Israeli Defense Force soldier and Hebrew lettering can be clearly seen on the armored vehicle. Another chemical weapons shell of the same type can be seen lying on the ground to the right. It is not known what type of chemical is in the chemical canister, however, gas dropped by the Israelis in villages in southern Lebanon has resulted in severe vomiting among the civilian population.” (Pakistan Daily; 07Jun08) http://www.daily.pk/world/middle-east/83-middle-east/4312-jewish-children-send-love-messages-to-lebanese-children.html

Iran protests to UN over Israeli threat
“Contrary to the baseless allegations fabricated by the Zionist regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran has unambiguously and vehemently rejected and opposed all kinds of weapons of mass destruction, including the nuclear weapons. As a State Party to Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Islamic Republic of Iran has on many occasions officially declared that weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, as the most inhumane weapons, have no place in the defense doctrine of the country.” (Tehran Times; 09Jun08)
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=170257

EU hopes for changes in U.S. cargo-scanning law
“The European Union is hopeful that a new U.S. president will relax a law that will require foreign ports to scan every container headed to the United States from 2012, an EU executive said on Monday. […] ‘This is not the way to introduce unilateral measures ... it suggests indirectly that there is 100 percent security but it can create a false sense of security which is not the case.’ He said the 100 percent scanning requirement could not identify biological or chemical weapons and would create trade bottlenecks as well as require massive investment in technology and people.” (Guardian; 09Jun08; Reuters)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7573065

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

Lima Company Memorial Honors Fallen Marines

By Marine Corps Sgt. G.S. Thomas
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 27, 2008 - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and other senior officials began the Memorial Day weekend by participating in a ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse here May 23 that included the unveiling of a memorial honoring 22 Marines and a Navy corpsman killed in Iraq. The memorial consists of eight panels with life-sized portraits of the Marines and corpsman from Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, who lost their lives while serving in Iraq from February to September 2005.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Delgado, who deployed with the company as the weapons platoon commander, was among those who spoke at the unveiling. He held back his emotions as he shared personal stories about many of the fallen.

"None of us want these Marines or anyone from Lima Company to be remembered for their death," Delgado said. "Please never forget why Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen go forward, and that's to push the cause of freedom."

England praised the courage of the Lima Company Marines who he said followed in the footsteps of Americans who have defended freedom for more than 230 years, including the "Greatest Generation" from World War Two.

"Just as the 'Greatest Generation' answered the call almost 70 years ago and changed the course of history, today's 'Greatest Generation,' Lima Company, has preserved for us this marvelous, precious gift," he said.

"In honoring them, let us all never forget their sacrifices," he said. "Let us all recommit ourselves to the preservation of freedom for future generations, so those generations will wake each morning as free Americans."

England said it's not by accident or chance that Americans live in freedom, but because patriots like Lima Company Marines have stepped forward to defend it when it was threatened.

"Lima Company -- and especially those honored today and their families -- knows that the American people are grateful for your sacrifice, your tireless service, your dedication, and especially your gift of freedom," he said.

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Magnus shared words sent to the Lima Company Marines by Deb Dunham. Her late son, Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, became the first Marine since Vietnam to earn the Medal of Honor when he threw himself on a live terrorist grenade in Iraq to protect his fellow Marines.

"My message is Deb Dunham's message for those who honor the fallen angels of Lima 3/25 today and for those who carry on and celebrate the meaning of their lives," Magnus said. "Just like her boy Jason, who volunteered after 9/11 to do an important mission and to take care of his Marines, we say, 'Thank you, keep doing what you are doing, and take care of each other.'

"God bless the angels for the lives that they lived," he said. "God bless all who celebrate their lives. God bless those who do the difficult and often dangerous work of serving. God bless all who support them and their families. God bless America. Semper fidelis."

The eight canvas panels of the Lima Company Memorial honoring the fallen Marines were painted by Columbus artist Anita Miller, who said the idea came to her in a dream. The panels are arranged in an octagon, with each fallen warrior's boots and an ever-living candle beneath his likeness.

The memorial will stay in the statehouse before traveling across the country.

"These paintings tell a story of courage and strength and hope," Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said during the dedication ceremony. "The paintings will stand in our state house from Memorial Day through Veterans Day, but the Lima Company will remain in our hearts every day."

Depicted in the paintings are:

-- Lance Cpl. Eric J. Bernholtz, 23. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 27, 1981. His hometown is Grove City, Ohio, where he attended school from first grade through high school. Bernholz was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an improvised explosive device.

-- Lance Cpl. Wesley G. Davids, 20. He was born in San Jose, Calif., on May 10, 1985. Davids was a freshman in high school when his family moved to Dublin, Ohio, where he rowed with a team on the Scioto River. Davids was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Christopher Jenkins Dyer, 19. He was born in Cincinnati on March 13, 1986. Dyer considered both Evendale and Glendale, Ohio, as hometowns. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Christopher P. Lyons, 24. He was born in Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 26, 1980. His hometown is Shelby, Ohio, where he worked as an advertising salesman for the Mansfield News Journal before he was deployed. Lyons was killed in action July 28, 2005, in Cykla, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Lance Cpl. Aaron H. Reed, 21. He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, on Aug. 23, 1983. Reed was killed in action on Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Sgt. David N. Wimberg, 24. He was born in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 24, 1981. Wimberg was killed in action on May 25, 2005, in Haditha, Iraq, while leading his squad in a firefight.

-- Pfc. Christopher R. Dixon, 18. Born in Columbus, Ohio, on July 24, 1986, Dixon called Obetz, Ohio, home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Michael J. Cifuentes, 25. He was born in Hamilton, Ohio, on June 25, 1980. Cifuentes called Fairfield, Ohio, home. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Nicholas William Baart Bloem, 20. Born in Bellevue, Wash., on Aug. 2, 1985, he called Belgrade, Mont., home. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Nicholas B. Erdy, 21. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 22, 1983, and called Owensville, Ohio, home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Cpl. Dustin A. Derga, 24. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 18, 1980. His hometown is Pickerington, Ohio. He was killed in action May 8, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Cpl. Andre´ "Dre´" L. Williams, 23. He was born in Lima, Ohio, on Aug. 9, 1981, and called Galloway, Ohio, home. He was killed in action July 28, 2005, in Cykla, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Lance Cpl. Grant B. Fraser, 22. Fraser was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on Feb. 3, 1983. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Staff Sgt. Kendall H. Ivy II, 28. He was born in Galion, Ohio, on Sept. 15, 1976. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood, 26. Born at Pensacola Naval Base, Fla., on June 5, 1979, Youngblood called Ivor, Va., home. He died July 21, 2005, from IED wounds suffered in Hit, Iraq, on July 15, 2005.

-- Lance Cpl. William Brett Wightman, 22. He was born in Fayette County, Ohio, on Jan. 11, 1983, and called Sabina, Ohio, home. Wightman was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Edward August "Augie" Schroeder II, 23. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on April 10, 1982, and his hometown is South Orange, N.J. Schroeder was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Goodwin, 33. He was born in Fitchburg, Mass., on May 28, 1971, and called Shirley, Mass., his home. He was killed in action May 8, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Sgt. Justin F. Hoffman, 27. He was born in Orange, Calif., on Nov. 9, 1977, and his hometown is Delaware, Ohio. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Sgt. David Kenneth John Kreuter, 26. He was born in Cincinnati on June 25, 1979, and was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Jourdan Lin Grez, 24. He was born in Little Silver, N.J., and called Richmond, Va., home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Timothy M. Bell Jr., 22. He was born in Kansas City, Mo., on May 11, 1983, and his hometown is West Chester, Ohio. Bell was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Jonathan W. Grant, 23. Born on April 15, 1982, he called Espanola, N.M., home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

(Marine Corps Sgt. G.S. Thomas is media chief for Marine Forces Reserve. Donna Miles from American Forces Press Service contributed to this article.)