Infantrymen Maintain Austere Base in Afghanistan

By Army Staff Sgt. Marcos Alices
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 6, 2009 - U.S. forces in Afghanistan are spread throughout the desert, countryside and mountainous terrain at small forward operating bases. At Forward Operating Base Baylough, infantrymen from 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, are tasked with patrolling the Hindu Kush Mountains in the Deh Chopan district of Afghanistan's Zabul province. Along with that mission, they also maintain and operate Baylough.

"We are pretty self-sustaining, so we have to do everything ourselves," said Army Sgt. 1st Class Stephen Carney, a platoon sergeant from Norwood, Mass.

The regiment has maintained Baylough since 2006. The soldiers rotate daily duties and patrol missions among the squads using a three-day cycle. Daily duties can include anything from cleaning common areas and burning trash to filling generators with fuel. In Baylough, a soldier is more than an infantryman; he is a carpenter, mechanic and handyman.

"[Life is] simple," said Army Staff Sgt. Jason Gaulke, an indirect fire infantryman from Buffalo Lake, Minn. "You wake up and do your missions or chores."

The base grew from meager beginnings with only a mud hut. Though Baylough is no bigger than a small elementary school, it now has barracks, a gym, a dining facility and a morale, welfare and recreation facility. Many of these facilities, such as the barracks, are new additions to the base.

"The living conditions here are actually pretty nice, considering the locations," said Army Pfc. Bryan E. Delashmit, an infantryman from Lebanon, Ind. "They definitely have improved [the base]."

While duties vary, security is top priority at Baylough. "You are generally at the front lines [when on guard duty]," Delashmit said. "Upon an attack, you are the first responder for the [base]."

(Army Staff Sgt. Marcos Alices serves in the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan public affairs office.)

Basra Police Arrest Suspected Terrorist Commander

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 6, 2009 - Iraqi police from the Basra special weapons and tactics team, along with U.S. advisors, arrested a suspected terrorist commander yesterday in an Iraqi-led operation in southern Iraq, military officials reported. The SWAT team was operating under the authority of a warrant issued by a Basra-based court.

The suspected terrorist commander of a Basra-based insurgent group is believed to be responsible for explosions and indirect-fire attacks in the area.

The man's detainment may reduce the insurgent group's ability to conduct attacks, Iraqi officials said.

(From a Multinational Corps Iraq news release.)

New Weapon System Boosts Soldiers' Safety

By Army Staff Sgt. Marcos Alices
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 6, 2009 - As U.S. forces fight insurgents in the southern and eastern regions of Afghanistan, officials are working to rotect them with new technology, equipment and vehicles. One of the newest tools in their arsenal is the common remotely operated weapon station II, known as CROWS II, which enables soldiers to acquire and engage targets from the safety of their armored vehicle.

"It will save lives with the soldier being able operate the weapon while staying in the vehicle," said Army Master Sgt. David Fyock, an electronic warfare officer and counter improvised explosive device noncommissioned officer for Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan.

The weapon system uses improved optics to help with the positive identification of targets, and offers another method for finding homemade bombs, he said. In addition, the CROWS' three-axis, stabilized mount contains a sensor suite and fire-control software, enabling soldiers to engage targets while on the move. The sensor suite makes it possible to identify, engage and defeat targets under any condition with its daytime video camera, thermal camera and laser rangefinders.

"The controls of the CROWS II are a little bit easier for soldiers to learn," said Samuel Cottrell, a CROWS II training specialist from Rosedale, Ind. "It has a few more bells and whistles that CROWS I didn't have."

Soldiers will receive a five-day course on the weapon system, including training on day and night operations. On the last day of training, soldiers will fire ammunition.

"I'm six days from rolling outside the wire," said Bobby H. Thomas, a 317th Field Artillery cannon crew member. "I feel pretty confident with this system, as opposed to having to be in the gunner hatch. I think it is definitely going to make a vast difference."

Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan officials are ensuring the smooth distribution of CROWS II within Afghanistan, said Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 David N. Conrad, a maintenance management technician. Command officials will supply units with the weapon system based on their mission.

"It is not the answer for everything," Cottrell said. "It is a good system and gives the warfighter a little more capability."

(Army Staff Sgt. Marcos Alices serves in the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan public affairs office.)

Soldiers Teach Iraqi Nurses, Midwives New Skills

By Army Pfc. Bethany L. Little
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 6, 2009 - U.S. soldiers with the 172nd Infantry Brigade medical team and 10th and 115th Combat Support Hospitals instructed Iraqi nurses during a four-day medical symposium at Babil Maternity Hospital in Iraq's Babil province. Midwives, emergency room and ward nurses, and premature intensive care unit teams worked with 40 Iraqi nurses and midwives July 26 to 29 to aid them with infection control, patient assessments and other skills.

"We're trying to provide education for the nurses and midwives who don't have the opportunity to further their education outside of Iraq," said Army Capt. Sharon R. Owen, brigade nurse for Company C, 172nd Support Battalion.

"I'm so excited to learn all the things the American nurses have to share with us," said Nedaa Wahab, midwife and health researcher. "They have new information, and they're here to support and help us to grow in our profession."

The symposium began with a tour so U.S. nurses could get a first-hand look at the Iraqi facilities. After the tour, the symposium's itinerary changed.

"We originally were going to perform rounds every morning, except for the last day, but through our observations we needed to rework what we planned," said Army 1st Lt. Betty Moore, general medical surgeon nurse for the 10th Combat Support Hospital. "We focused the second day of the symposium on applied training such as patient assessments and bedside assistance."

The next day, the teams performed rounds and trained in the hospital wards. The midwife team trained Iraqi nurses on the prevention of postpartum hemorrhaging.

"Deaths from postpartum hemorrhaging is a major problem here in Iraq," said Sundus Karam Ali, head emergency obstetrics care nurse. "We are very grateful to have this opportunity to work with the American nurses and learn what they know."

On the last day, medical teams instructed the group on neonatal resuscitation. The medical team then presented each midwife and nurse with a certificate of training.

"This is a very small step in empowerment for nursing in Iraq," said Owen, a Cincinnati native. "However, I think that we're showing them that there are more opportunities as a nurse, and leaving them with a broader knowledge of skills."

(Army Pfc. Bethany L. Little serves in the 172nd Infantry Brigade.)

Iraqis Take Lead in Southern Iraq, General Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 6, 2009 - Iraqi soldiers and police serving in the southern part of their country are performing the lion's share of security duties, a senior U.S. military officer posted in southern Iraq told reporters today. "Iraqi security forces are fully in the lead to secure their country and their population," Army Maj. Gen. Richard C. Nash, commander of Multinational Division South and the 34th Infantry Division, a National Guard unit from Rosemount, Minn., told Pentagon reporters during a satellite-carried news conference.

Nash said his troops support Iraqi soldiers and police in operations that span across nine provinces in southern Iraq.

The 34th, known as the "Red Bull" division, provides the headquarters for Multinational Division South. Nash, who assumed his duties in May, said his forces partner with Iraqi troops and police through training initiatives and joint security and stability missions in an area that ranges from south of Baghdad, across Najaf to Wasit provinces, and extending to Basra.

Since U.S. combat forces moved out of Iraqi cities and towns on June 30 as part of the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement, Nash said, Iraqi police and soldiers have ably taken up security responsibilities across his area of responsibility.

"The Iraqis have stepped up to the challenge and have faced threats head-on," said Nash, adding that he is impressed with the professionalism exhibited by Iraqi soldiers and police.

However, the 15,000 U.S. forces deployed across his area "still provide security and stability for the people of Iraq," Nash said, in the form of training up Iraqi soldiers and police and providing Iraqi units with intelligence, logistics and other types of assistance.

Nash said he and his troops are participating in the process to effect a full transition to Iraqi responsibility as part of the "comprehensive partnership between our nations built on mutual interests and mutual respect."

The Army's 10th Mountain Division, Nash recalled, was responsible for security and stability duty in southern Iraq prior to the arrival of the 34th Infantry Division. Nash credited the 10th division's soldiers for establishing a good two-way partnership with Iraqi security forces.

"There was very little transition when the 34th assumed responsibility from the 10th here in the south," Nash said. The relationships and between U.S. and Iraqi security forces, he added, "had already been built."

Meanwhile, the partnership between U.S. and Iraqi security forces "is still going on," Nash said, adding: "Everything that we do is in support of the Iraqis."

The Iraqi security forces take their mission very seriously, Nash said, noting that the Iraqi soldiers and police operating in his area "take a vested interest in our security, as well." The Iraqis, he said, helped to establish increased force-protection measures after an insurgent rocket attack at a coalition base near Basra two weeks ago killed three U.S. troops. The Iraqis, he said, also quickly established a security dragnet that snared the alleged perpetrators.

"The Iraqi security forces immediately were looking at all of their human intelligence that they can gather," Nash said. "And they were able to, within in a day or two, capture three individuals of a network" that was believed to be involved in the attack.

"The people feel very well secure with their Iraqi security forces, the police and the army," Nash said. Local citizens, he said, are using "tip" lines to the Iraqi police that lead to the capture of insurgents.

Iraqi police and soldiers in southern Iraq, Nash said, are "proud of how far they've come" in assuming security responsibilities. Yet, he added, the Iraqi troops and constabulary also realize that they need more training.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces in southern Iraq continue to improve, as they maintain patrols, uncover and seize insurgent weapons caches, and perform other vital population-protection duties.

"I see them at checkpoints and doing a very professional job and a very courteous job to the local Iraqis," Nash said. "And so, I feel very good that they're well on their way of being a professional force – both the army and the police."

U.S. Nurses Aid Iraqi Counterparts

By Army Pfc. Bethany L. Little
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - In the United States, patients typically see a nurse or technician first at a doctor's appointment, but the same does not hold true in Iraq. In Iraq, doctors normally are in the lead. They write down a patient's history, take vital signs and direct the nurses.

"The nurses here aren't allowed to do some of the same things that nurses back in the U.S. are allowed to do," said Army 1st Lt. Betty Moore, general medical surgeon nurse for the 10th Combat Support Hospital.

A medical symposium at Babil Maternity Hospital in Iraq's Babil province July 26 to 29 highlighted the differences between Iraqi and American nurses, including education, practical skills and critical-thinking skills.

"A nurse in the U.S. has the initiative that many Iraqi nurses lack or are not allowed to use," said Army Capt. Sharon Owen, brigade nurse for Company C, 172nd Support Battalion. "For example, if a patient starts to have a problem, a nurse in the U.S. would start to assess the patient immediately. Here, the nurses would go find a doctor, because they don't know what to do or aren't allowed to do anything."

Iraq lacks an educational standard for nurses, said Moore, a Canyon Lake, Texas, native. "For example," she explained, "there are some nurses here with a 9th grade education, and then there are others who have a two- or four-year degree from a local university."

Iraqi nurses have limited opportunities to receive foreign education, said Nedaa Wahab, the hospital's midwife and health researcher. "But we do our best to learn as much as we can when the opportunity arises," she said.
To boost their capabilities, American nurses are teaching Iraqi nurses additional skills and critical thinking.

"The American nurses are here to help the Iraqi nurses by being a role model for the nursing profession," said Owen, a Cincinnati native. "Things have to change in Iraq. By educating and giving the nurses here some of the knowledge we have, we can start empowering the nursing profession."

(Army Pfc. Bethany L. Little serves in the 172nd Infantry Brigade.)

FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE DIRECT LINE TO SUBMIT CAPABILITY GAPS AND INFORMATION REQUESTS TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science & Technology Directorate

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate TechSolutions program has launched a new Web site, www.TechSolutions.DHS.gov, to provide a channel through which first responders can submit requests related to capability gaps that require technology solutions. TechSolutions provides first responders with a resource they can use to find solutions for these high-priority capability gaps. TechSolutions uses rapid prototyping, technical assistance and information sharing to save lives and maximize first responder preparedness. All submissions to the TechSolutions Web site must come from first responders. For more information on TechSolutions program, please visit www.TechSolutions.DHS.gov or www.FirstResponder.gov.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) has a similar research, development, testing and evaluation process that aligns NIJ's portfolios with the technology needs of the criminal justice community. Principally working in partnership with technology working groups consisting of experienced practitioners from local, state, tribal and federal agencies and laboratories and the Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council, NIJ identifies criminal justice practitioners’ functional requirements for new tools and technologies. Individual criminal justice practitioners are also encouraged to submit their technology needs and requirements directly through the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system by e-mail to asknlectc@nlectc.org or by calling (800) 248-2742. For more information, visit www.JUSTNET.org.

Marines Train Afghans During Live-fire Exercise

By Army Sgt. Matt Moeller
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - A 46-pound artillery round explodes into the hills surrounding Forward Operating Base Kalagush here as Afghan National Army forward observers watch patiently, consulting their maps. After an adjustment, Afghan officers from the 4th Kandak enter new data into their computers and relay updated coordinates to the artillerymen waiting to fire. Within moments, the 7,000 pound D-30 122 mm howitzer artillery cannon blasts another round; this time it's a direct hit.

The cloud of smoke growing in the distance Aug. 2 marked the first time 4th Kandak forward observers, fire direction control personnel and artillerymen have worked together to conduct live-fire training, said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Steve Murello of Embedded Training Team 4-4.

"Most of the guys, when they come out of school, are trained for just direct fire. They're not trained to work with forward observers or the [fire direction control], so if they can't see it, they can't shoot it," Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Enrique Munoz said. By incorporating them, "now the gun-line doesn't need to have eyes on [the target]. ... It's all done for them."

The embedded training team took on a supporting role as Afghan officers conducted the training, starting with basic techniques such as reading a map and compass, and moving into more advanced methods such as using the newly developed Afghan field artillery computer.

But the day's events did not come easy at times.

Accustomed to training separately, forward observers and fire direction control personnel had a series of communication breakdowns, which left the gun-line's D-30 howitzer silent for long stretches of time.

The Afghan teams eventually worked through the breakdowns, and the forward observers successfully helped the artillery pound round after round into the hills using their cannon, which was left behind by the Soviet Union in the 1980s and is older than many of the men firing it.

"It was some good training," Murello said. "Overall, they did very well."

"This shows that my soldiers can fight for our country," Afghan army 1st Sgt. Roohullah Shirzi said. "If [the enemy] tries to hurt our people, then we will be able to destroy them."

Members of Embedded Training Team 4-4 are nearing completion of their nine-month deployment to Afghanistan. Marines from the 3rd Marine Division, based in Okinawa, Japan, will pick up the mission.

(Army Sgt. Matt Moeller serves with the 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

Army Casualty

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

Pvt. Keiffer P. Wilhelm, 19, of Plymouth, Ohio, died August 4 in Maysan Province, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 13th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

For more information the media may contact the Fort Bliss public affairs office at (915) 568-4505.

Official Explains Process After Afghanistan Assessment

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - If more resources are required after the commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan completes his assessment of the situation there, a separate process would follow, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. The Afghanistan review and reports about Russian submarines patrolling off the East Coast of the United States were among topics Morrell discussed at a news conference.

Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's assessment will not contain any requests for resources, Morrell said.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates directed McChrystal to conduct an operations assessment to ascertain what is needed to implement President Barack Obama's new policy for Afghanistan. Gates likely will receive the report late this month or in early September, Morrell said.

The Afghanistan assessment will focus on the situation on the ground and the way ahead, Morrell said. But, he added, "it will not offer specific resource requests or recommendations."

If the review determines that additional resources are required to complete the Afghanistan mission, requests would then go through the normal chain-of-command process, Morrell said, to be validated and forwarded to Gates. Gates then would decide whether to recommend to the president that he commit additional resources for the Afghanistan mission.

Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, flew to Belgium over the weekend to meet with senior U.S. commanders and NATO officials to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The secretary was impressed after viewing a briefing detailing the progress of the Afghanistan review thus far, Morrell said.

Turning to other news, Morrell said the U.S. military was not worried about news reports that Russian submarines were traveling in international waters a few hundred miles off the U.S. eastern seaboard. The U.S. military was aware of the approach and presence of the Russian underwater vessels, he said.

"So long as they're operating in international waters -- as, frankly, we do around the world -- and are behaving in a responsible way, they are certainly free to do so," Morrell said, "and it doesn't cause any alarm in this building."

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, August 5, 2009

Defense bill provides boost for two area companies [PA]
"Two local companies could receive a total of $3 million in federal funding from a defense appropriations bill that's been passed by the U.S. House and is now headed to the Senate. ProcessProxy Corp. in Ellwood City is in line to get $2 million for a health information technology project in Lawrence County, and Koppel Fabrication Co. in Big Beaver could get $1 million to continue manufacturing gunner protection kits for the U.S. Army. […] The possible funding […] would help implement an electronic health record system used by Jameson Memorial Hospital in New Castle, Ellwood City Hospita,l and other medical providers across Lawrence County. […] The money would also fund a new robotic technology that […] will capture video and audio to allow out-of-town medical providers to diagnose patients, which could be helpful in a pandemic or bioterrorism attack if local caregivers are afflicted and unable to work. ProcessProxy['s] […] work not only addresses potential catastrophic incidents, but also the daily issue of reducing costs while providing health care to residents." (Beaver County Times; 03Aug09; J.D. Prose) http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/08/03/news/doc4a778cb14ea42515228831.txt

Next Safety releases advanced respirator for infectious diseases
"Next Safety, Inc. (NSI) announces advanced respirators that give people more confidence to go to work in a pandemic environment. Next Safety is releasing for sale to the public respirator products the company developed for the bird flu influenza A subtype H5N1. […] These respirators are a cross functional platform that supply highly purified air to half facemasks and air supply hoods. Next Safety designed its respirators with input from the CDC and the World Health Organization along [with input] from the US army's famed AMRIID bioterrorism warfare center. […] Next Safety respirators are rated for 30,000 hours of continuous operation [… and] are fabricated from battlefield-grade medical plastics. […] Next Safety has invested in significant capacity for pandemic stockpiling. The company expects to build approximately 5 million respirators for delivery in December 2009 and has the capacity to build 300 million respirators a month for pandemic stockpiling by March 2010." (Sun Herald; 05Aug09) http://www.sunherald.com/prnewswire/story/1517381.html

Biometrics technologies vital for combat success
"In this time of unconventional warfare, using biometric technologies is essential to combat operations, according to several experts who spoke yesterday at an event in Washington. 'IDs can be faked and bad guys can lie. You can't rely on physical attributes to identify bad guys in the field and protect warfighters,' said Army Col. Ted Jennings, biometrics program coordinator for the Defense Department's Program Executive Office. […] Jennings said using biometrics gives the military the ability to identify the 'good guys' in the local population of a combat theater so they can work and conduct business. The technology also aids with interrogation, detainee management, base access and identifying persons of interest, he said. Navy Capt. Gail Bovy, special assistant for antiterrorism at the Navy Department, said the Homeland Security Department's US-VISIT [Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology] immigration and border management program serves as a model for real-time biometric identification, tracking and accounting capabilities. She highlighted the need for physical access control." (Government Computer News; 05Aug09; Amber Corrin) http://gcn.com/articles/2009/08/04/biometrics-vital-defense-tool.aspx

Los Alamos lab works to quicken disease monitoring [NM]
"Two out of every three diseases in humans originated in animals […] and a Los Alamos National Laboratory researcher believes that points to a need for better surveillance. Tony Beugelsdijk, group leader for chemical diagnostics and engineering at the lab, envisions an automated network doing animal surveillance at a scale the world has never seen - able to sample not just hundreds or thousands but millions of animals and process samples quickly at a very low cost. That would help public health officials 'determine what's coming at us next,' he said. […] 'If we had seen [H1N1] coming, we could have avoided a lot of the panic. ... So just some science-based advice is really important rather than panic-based responses,' Beugelsdijk said. His team's $1.75 million genome sequencing machine incorporates two small robots inside a 7- by 14-foot glass-sided box divided in half, each robot doing separate operations on its side. They spin around, jointed arms grabbing and moving rectangular plastic plates from station to station for testing. […] The point is to save time. Systems that allow faster gene sequencing are important for better surveillance, said Dr. Jeffery K. Taubenberger, chief of the viral pathogenesis and evolution section in the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. The influence virus mutates very rapidly, so being able to do much more genetic sequencing will help identify mutations faster and make selecting vaccine strains more efficient, he said. In addition, fuller genetic sequencing could let researchers see if mutations are appearing 'that would help us identify changes or make predictions about how the virus might behave,' Taubenberger said. […] The machine at Los Alamos can do genome sequencing about 100 times faster than anything being done manually today, Beugelsdijk said. […] The project's initial funding came from the Department of Defense." (San Luis Obispo Tribune; 05Aug09; Sue Major Holmes, AP) http://www.sanluisobispo.com/348/story/806355.html

Blaze contained at Umatilla chemical weapon depot [OR]
"Hermiston Firefighters contained several lightning-caused fires at the Umatilla Chemical Depot by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. The fires, which started about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday, burned several thousand of the depot's 19,729 acres, according to preliminary estimates. […] The depot's chemical weapons stockpile of mustard agent was not involved in the fire that burned on the northern area of the depot, according to depot officials. […] The mustard agent, the only chemical weapon remaining at the depot, is stored in reinforced concrete earth-covered igloos designed to resist fire." (Tri City Herald; 05Aug09) http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/671788.html

Man hospitalized after trying to clean his bathroom, hazmat called in [FL]
"44-year-old Michael Newton has been taken to hospital after his efforts to clean his bathroom turned nasty. Newton mixed an ammonia-based cleaning solution with bleach which produced mustard gas [sic]. […] While he was being treated for irritation to the respiratory system and eyes, a Hazmat team gave his bathroom a serious scrub to remove the toxic mixture." (Short News; 05Aug09)
http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=80057

Indian defense minister [Arackaparambil Kurian Antony] warns of terrorists laying hands on chemical weapons
"The Indian Defence Minister has warned the country of chemical weapons finding their way into the hands of terrorists. Releasing a compendium here today on disaster management during a chemical weapons attack, AK Antony noted that the terrorists are getting more fanatic and are always on the look out to cause maximum casualties. 'Terrorists are getting more and more aggressive in their activities the world over,' Antony said, releasing the national guidelines on 'Management of Chemical Terrorism Disaster,' compiled by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). 'They are adopting newer techniques and technology in their mode of operation,' he added. […] The guidelines are comprehensive and deal with several issues like counter-terrorism strategies, surveillance and environmental monitoring, prevention of illegal trafficking of hazardous waste, Human Resource Development, which includes education and training, knowledge management and community awareness. 'The Defence Ministry shall also prepare itself for the management of Chemical Terrorism Disaster,'
Antony declared." (Frontier India Defence and Strategic News; 04Aug09) http://frontierindia.net/wa/indian-defence-minister-warns-of-terrorists-laying-hands-on-chemical-weapons/402/

NYC police to board ships for possible radioactive material
"New York City police, the U.S. Coast Guard and other government agencies will stop and board some ships near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge today as part of an exercise to monitor boats for possible radioactive material. About 17 vessels from agencies in New York and New Jersey will take part in the exercise, which is part of 'Securing the Cities,' a Homeland Security Department-funded program started in 2006 to find ways to prevent a nuclear device or so-called dirty bomb from entering the New York City area. The exercise, which will last from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, isn't the result of a specific threat, the New York City Police Department said in a statement. The NYPD has agreements with 12 agencies representing New York, New Jersey and Connecticut under the program, with the goal of creating a 100-mile (161-kilometer) network around the city to detect and interdict a nuclear device or dirty bomb, which scatters radioactive material, the statement said. The operation will test the partners' ability to maintain a 'choke point' on the water and identify and intercept ships emitting radiological signatures as they enter the harbor." (Bloomberg News; 04Aug09; Chris Dolmetsch)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a9qNfZBrQ5G4

Police car maker picks Indiana city for factory [Connersville]
"A startup company that plans to build high-tech police cars announced Wednesday that it had picked a vacant auto-parts plant in eastern Indiana for its first factory. […] The company says it could potentially hire 1,550 workers after spending $350 million to refurbish the 1.8 million-square-foot factory. […] Carbon Motors has developed a prototype of its Carbon E7 squad car, which it says is the first vehicle specifically designed for police use. It includes bulletproof door and dash panels, radiation and biological threat detectors, an automatic license plate recognition system and a 3-liter diesel engine the company says can reduce fuel costs by up to 40 percent. […] Atlanta-based Carbon Motors also is applying for a loan through the U.S. Department of Energy to help finance production of the squad car." (Forbes; 29Jul09; Source: AP) http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/07/29/ap6716691.html

Weapons of Mass Destruction: Government report released on WMD response [summary]
"The US Department of Defense plays a support[ing] role in managing Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosives (CBRNE) incidents, including providing capabilities needed to save lives, alleviate hardship or suffering, and minimize property damage. The Government Accountability Office's [GAO] preliminary report on DOD's role in CBRNE management efforts addresses the extent to which DOD's plans and capabilities are integrated with other federal government plans. […] DOD has its own CBRNE consequence management plans but has not integrated them with other federal government plans because all elements of the Integrated Planning System mandated by Presidential directive in December 2007 have not been completed. The system is to develop and link planning documents at the federal, state, and local levels. […] With a goal to respond to multiple, near-simultaneous, catastrophic CBRNE incidents, DOD has plans to provide the needed capabilities, but [as] its planned response times may not meet incident requirements, it may lack sufficient capacity in some capabilities, and it faces challenges to its strategy for sourcing all three CCMRFs with available units. […] Without an overarching approach to developing requirements and providing funding and a centralized focal point to ensure that all requirements have been identified and funded, DOD's ability to ensure that its forces are prepared to carry out this high priority mission remains challenged." (Examiner; 05Aug09) http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m8d5-Weapons-of-Mass-Destruction-Government-report-released-on-WMD-response

Opportunities and challenges await new DTRA [Defense Threat Reduction Agency] Director [Kenneth A. Myers III]
"Myers will now oversee the CTR [Cooperative Threat Reduction] Program at DTRA [Defense Threat Reduction Agency]. […] DTRA monitors the implementation of arms control treaties and helps develop capabilities to avert and respond to WMD-related incidents. […] Access difficulties are an inherent feature of the CTR process, and along with other problems have prevented much progress in dismantling Russia's biological weapons complex. The Russian government has also blocked direct foreign involvement with securing certain sensitive nuclear sites. […] The current bilateral threat-reduction framework does not give Russian personnel the same level of access to American weapons-elimination programs and facilities. […] Fears over these intelligence asymmetries and risks have always led Russian officials to impose considerable limitations on U.S. access to certain Russian WMD sites. In addition, suspicions persist regarding the security of Russia's residual WMD materials against illicit trafficking by terrorists and other non-state actors. […] Successfully transitioning the CTR programs in Russia to eventual Russian control and funding will likely remain a major preoccupation of Meyers and other DTRA managers. […] Myers faces both challenges and opportunities in pursuing another CTR goal: working with Russia and other traditional CTR recipients as partners to reduce proliferation threats from third countries. Russian and U.S. officials sometimes disagree over the best means in specific cases to prevent third countries from pursuing WMD. But they concur in the general need to limit the number of new nuclear weapons states and to prevent the proliferation of biological and chemical weapons." (World Politics Review; 04Aug09; Richard Weitz)
http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=4158

CRMC [Cookeville Regional Medical Center] trains to decontaminate in case of emergency situation [TN]
"Should disaster strike, employees at Cookeville Regional Medical Center [CRMC] are now more prepared. About 10 workers volunteered their time last week to attend a special, eight-hour decontamination training course - outfitted in hazmat suits and masks, practicing their response to a variety of situations, from radiation exposure to an outbreak of small pox or anthrax. […] 'Over the course of the last several years, there's been a larger focus on decontamination, not just necessarily in the bigger cities where you think things might happen, but everywhere,' said Mary Stoltz, manager of emergency services at CRMC. […] Thousands of dollars in grants have allowed the hospital to purchase disaster equipment, practice for catastrophic events and train various staff members to respond in the event of an emergency. […] About 98 percent of hospital's emergency department staff is now trained in decontamination. The class was offered on-site by the University of Tennessee." (Herald-Citizen; 04Aug09; Liz
Engel)
http://www.herald-citizen.com/index.cfm?event=news.view&id=E66DA581-19B9-E2E2-67372D785F0915F5

Exercise focuses on emergencies [Fort Leavenworth, KS]
"Hundreds of people are at the Battle Command Training Center at Fort Leavenworth this week practicing what they would do in an emergency. Specifically, they were dealing with a fictional scenario in which a nuclear explosion is detonated [sic] in Kansas City, Mo. The exercise is being used to certify headquarters elements of a chemical, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive-consequence management response force, or CCMRF, according to Navy Capt. Michael Collins, deputy commander for Joint Task Force Civil Support." (Leavenworth Times; 05Aug09; John Richmeier) http://www.leavenworthtimes.com/news/x2098088102/Exercise-focuses-on-emergencies

Regional role in nuclear traffic
"Australia should take a lead role in regional efforts to prevent nuclear smuggling amid growing concerns that rogue states or terrorists could acquire weapons-related material, the Lowy Institute says. In a paper to be released today, it says the Government should urge more countries in Asia to join a US-led plan to intercept ships or aircraft carrying illicit cargo that could be used to produce weapons of mass destruction. It says the Proliferation Security Initiative has been hampered because 'key missing players' such as Indonesia and Malaysia have not joined. […] 'New actors have entered the mix: terrorists who cannot be deterred from using WMD should they acquire them, and illicit traders who gain financially from proliferation,' says the paper, by a research fellow at the the Harvard Kennedy School, Emma Belcher. 'WMD components are becoming more easily procured and dangerous technical knowledge more easily attained.' The spread of nuclear technology and materials has been exacerbated in the past decade by the expansion of North Korea's program and its apparent efforts to sell technology and hardware to countries such as Syria and Burma." (Sydney Morning Herald; 06Aug09; Jonathan Pearlman, National Security Correspondent) http://www.smh.com.au/national/regional-role-in-nuclear-traffic-20090805-ea2k.html

Romania coordinates negotiations over IAEA 2010-2011 budget
"The Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE) is hailing the passage by the IAEA of the agency's budget for 2010-2011 by the Board of Governors, which convened on Monday in a special session in Vienna. […] The General Conference is scheduled to meet September 14-18. 'Amidst the ongoing global economic crisis, Monday's decision is an adequate response of the member states to the challenges of the nuclear field. The new budget consolidates the part of the IAEA in the area of non-proliferation, supports a significant increase in the activity of the organization entailed by the rekindling of the interest of countries in nuclear power, and endows the agency with additional tools to fight against nuclear terrorism,' reads the MAE release. […] The novelty this year of the budget is given by securing additional funding for nuclear security and the establishment of an investment fund. Increasing the budgetary resources of the IAEA for nuclear security translates the worries of the member states over nuclear terrorism, says the release." (Financiarul; 04Aug09) http://www.financiarul.ro/2009/08/04/romania-coordinates-negotiations-over-iaea-2010-2011-budget/

Four decontaminated after 'powder' spill [Sydney]
"Four people were being decontaminated and 50 others were evacuated after a powder was found in the mail room of the NSW [New South Wales] government's offices in central Sydney. NSW Fire Brigades officers are decontaminating the four people after the spill at Governor Macquarie Tower at 10.42am (AEST) on Wednesday, a spokeswoman said. No injuries are reported.'There has been a small spill of an unknown substance,' the spokeswoman said.'There's no details of what type of powder it was.' The four people were exposed to a brown powder that spilled from an envelope, the Daily Telegraph has reported online." (Sydney Morning Herald; 05Aug09; Source: Australian AP)
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/four-decontaminated-after-powder-spill-20090805-e9kf.html

IED Attack Introduces Oregon Soldiers to Combat Zone

Story by Spc. Cory Grogan

IRAQ - Soldiers from 2/218 Field Artillery's 1st Platoon, 2nd Squad, from the Oregon National Guard's 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, were reminded that Iraq is still a combat zone when they were struck by two separate improvised explosive devices, July 25. The Soldiers have been in Iraq for around two weeks and were conducting their first or second mission is a seven vehicle convoy that was going to Camp Adder to meet the vehicles they were to escort.

The first explosion rocked the trail vehicle in the convoy causing damage to the passenger side where truck commander, Sgt. Enrique Dominguez from Portland, and truck gunner, Pfc. Storm Brown from Forest Grove, were exposed to the blast.

The vehicles were passing a checkpoint as the gunners scanned their zones. When the trail vehicle slowed down, the IED went off, said Brown.

"Everything went orange; there was smoke everywhere. I dropped down into the vehicle and checked in the with the TC to let him know I was fine. We called in, told them we were fine, and then moved out," explained Brown.

Brown later said that his ears were ringing, his back and head hurt, and the blast threw him around a bit.

The Soldiers were in one of the Army's new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles which may have prevented serious injury.

About a half hour after continuing their mission the fourth vehicle in the convoy was hit with a second explosion.

Pfc. Michael Byrd from Portland, the gunner in the vehicle, said he was scanning his sector from three-o-clock to one-o-clock.

"I went to my three and scanned with a spotlight, and came back around to my one, and then, whoom! It kind of sucked me up a little bit, and then I went back down and there was nothing but dust everywhere, and I just started coughing."

The convoy commander, Staff Sgt. David Gowan from Portland, who was also the TC during the second explosion, said he heard Byrd coughing and thought he was seriously injured. He said he had to momentarily pass off command because making sure Byrd was alright was all he could think about at the time.

Luckily, Byrd is fine, but Staff Sgt. Gowan mentioned that having this happen on his first mission has helped him tune in to potential danger on convoys, and that it will help him know what to do if the situation occurs again.

All of the Soldier's in the convoy were aware of danger in Iraq, but the convoy's experience was still a wake-up call for those involved. They believe the experience will help them be even more aware on future convoy's.

"You know that things like this can happen, but it was totally unexpected. There's a war going on here, it's still dangerous and you've got to stick to your training and know what you're trying to do. Hopefully you will be fine. We are all OK," said Byrd.

Brown said that the platoon they are taking over for hasn't been hit the whole time they have been in Iraq, and that being hit twice on his first mission has made him feel more aware of the realities of a combat zone

The violence in Iraq has calmed down, but the Soldiers from Alpha Battery's 1st Platoon, 2nd Squad, are now acutely aware that anything can happen at any time in a combat zone.

"Being the first mission a lot of stuff went on the last few days. I just hope we got that part of it over with," said Gowan.

Editors Note: The writer was on the convoy when the attack occurred.

Chairman Calls for Progress in Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - It is crucial that U.S., NATO and Afghan forces make progress in Afghanistan in the next 12 to 18 months, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told National Public Radio's Steve Inskeep that security forces must reverse the trends in Afghanistan. "The Afghan people are tired of this, and my sense is that it has been eight years, and it has got to start moving in the other direction," the admiral said on NPR's "Morning Edition."."

Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met Aug. 2 with Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, to discuss the general's assessment of the situation.

"He's looking at assessing the president's strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan," Mullen said. "What he's found is it's a very tough fight, probably tougher than he thought it would be."

News reports indicate that McChrystal will ask for more U.S. troops for the effort in Afghanistan. Mullen wouldn't comment on that, but did say more civilian experts in city management, agriculture, building utilities and infrastructure are needed in the desperately poor and war-torn country. Security is a big part of the equation in the country, but so are effective governance and economic development, Mullen noted.

In Regional Command South, Marines moving into former Taliban strongholds have been followed by civilian experts. "I've seen civilians move in pretty quickly, and they need to do that," Mullen said. "We don't have yet a civilian capacity that we need, the numbers that we need. And we expect to generate a considerably larger number of them in the next several months."

Security remains the epicenter of the fight in Afghanistan. Clearing ground of Taliban and al-Qaida is not enough, Mullen said. NATO -- and ultimately, the Afghan government -- must hold the areas and prevent terrorists from reoccupying the ground.

"This is a country that's been basically at war for almost 30 years, a people who are tired of war," Mullen said. "In fact, in some ways, [they] are sitting on the sideline to see if, in fact, the security that gets created is going to be sustained so they can get on with their lives."

The Taliban have reconstituted since the United States first defeated the organization in 2001 and 2002. "One of the reasons that it's a tougher fight is because it has been under-resourced," Mullen said. "The Taliban has gotten much better, and we've seen that since 2006."

The enemy has made increases in capabilities, and attacks are increasing in sophistication. Still, a new strategy to defeat the insurgents and their allies is in place, and the struggle now is adequately resourced, the admiral said.

"There is a newness to this, because it's a fresh strategy, fresh people," the chairman said. "We've learned lessons from Iraq; the sense of urgency here is very important to move as rapidly as we can."

Mullen reiterated his frequent assertion that the struggle in Afghanistan cannot be completely understood without taking the situation in Pakistan into account. The mountainous area between the two countries affords safe havens on both sides of the border for Afghan and Pakistani Taliban, and also harbors al-Qaida.

In this regional strategy, the nation's top military officer said, it is important that the United States stay the course.

"When I go there -- both to Pakistan and Afghanistan -- the question that is there, both directly and indirectly oftentimes is: 'Are you staying or are you leaving this time?'" Mullen said. "Because we've left before in both those countries, I think it's important that we have a sustained relationship with both these countries. And I think stability in that part of the world is absolutely critical."

Alternative Energy Powers Iraq Border Checkpoints

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - A lack of traditional power sources to run equipment poses a significant challenge in Iraq, particularly for remote border security checkpoints unable to connect to the national power grid. The engineering arm of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers, has found a possible solution: alternative energy systems.

The command's engineering team has designed a unique system that leverages solar panels along with a large wind turbine. Engineers designed a rugged system they refer to as "energy in a box" for a checkpoint southeast of the Iraqi capital, connecting the wind turbine and solar panel to the appropriate switch gear to enable both power sources to generate electricity as environmental conditions allow.

Iraqi border enforcement teams run the systems, while U.S. forces provide in-depth training on how to operate and maintain them. As an added benefit, the solar and wind systems cost less over the long term than transporting fuel to large generators every week, officials said.

A solar-powered pump that draws well water into an elevated tank gives Iraqi border enforcement teams a consistent source of drinking water. The pump shuts down when the sun goes down, but the tank delivers a continuous supply of water.

"These efforts assist Iraqi border guards with an indirect capability that helps with security," said Army Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq.

Later this year, a facility southeast of Baghdad will become the first fully operational alternative-energy endeavor of its kind in Iraq, officials said. Additional solar and wind facilities will be completed next year.

(From a Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news release.)

Command Fosters Unity of Medical Effort in Iraq

By Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 5, 2009 - Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq officials are working to create a unified, sustainable medical service in Iraq, a senior medical advisor there said. "[We are] trying to create a unity of medical effort between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health within the government of Iraq," Army Col. (Dr.) Bernard L. DeKoning, advisor to Iraq's defense and interior ministries, told bloggers and online journalists during an Aug. 3 "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.

"We are seeing some very positive results in terms of trying to foster a unity of effort amongst all three," he said.

DeKoning noted that training efforts remain a priority. The Health Ministry, for instance, has created training opportunities within its civilian hospitals.

"It's in those civilian hospitals that the doctors from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Interior receive their post-graduate training, and the Ministry of Health has been very accommodating with allowing physicians from the Ministry of Defense and Interior to work in those facilities," DeKoning said.

In turn, the Defense Ministry has invited the Ministry of Interior to participate in military-specific medical training, he said.

"The Ministry of Defense has a medical institute that has opened up slots for the Ministry of Interior students to fill," he said.

DeKoning said he and his staff also are working to expand Iraqis' first-responder capacity through the use of combat medics and lifesavers and is helping to expand the number of health care personnel within both ministries.

"One of the principal concerns with the Ministry of Defense, and the Interior, as well as the Ministry of Health, is the shortage of health care personnel, and that is probably the biggest hurdle," he said.

The command is working with the ministries of Defense and Interior to find potential recruits, DeKoning said.

"We are working with both ministries in a recruiting and retention program to recruit medical school graduates, as well as trying to attract physicians from other sectors," he said. "The Ministry of Health is doing the same, and we are all working towards the same goal, which is to create a sustainable medical service in each of our particular directorates," he said.

(Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg serves in the Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate.)

Task Force Expands Safe Areas in Afghanistan Province

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 4, 2009 - The increased troop levels in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province has expanded the security envelope to roughly 80 percent of the people there, the former commander of Task Force Uruzgan in southern Afghanistan said today. Security has taken years to establish, but is allowing development to begin in one of the poorest areas of the country, Dutch army Brig. Gen. T.A. Middendorp told members of the Pentagon press corps during a teleconference from Kandahar, Afghanistan.

"If you walk through that province, it is like walking through the Old Testament," the general said.

Uruzgan province is centrally located in the region and the nation, and is the homeland of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and also of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Illiteracy is rampant, with only about 10 percent of all provincial residents able to read and write.

The general, who just turned over the task force command, compared conditions today to what he saw two years ago when he was assigned there in a previous deployment.

"I see a big difference in the security situation, and I see a change in efforts toward development," Middendorp said. "I also see a big difference in the attitude of the population."

The latter may be the most important, he said. Two years ago, fighting was prevalent in the province, "but now the resistance of the Taliban in that province seems to be broken," he said. The Taliban have shifted from direct combat with NATO-led International Security Assistance Force troops, and now plant more roadside bombs and conduct more mortar and rocket attacks.

"Two years ago, when we went out of the base, we were guaranteed to be in a 'troops to contact' situation; and now when we go out, they don't attack us," Middendorp said. "We only have to be careful of roadside bombs."

Helping out is the presence of an Afghan National Army brigade. The Afghans respect the brigade, and it is assuming an increasing role in the security mission, he said. This allows the NATO force to shift efforts to the Afghan police to improve their performance.

Middendorp noted that a growing number of international and nongovernmental organizations are coming into the province. More than 50 organizations find it safe enough to operate in Uruzgan province, and "even the [United Nations] has just opened their office there," Middendorp said.

The task force's Dutch, Australian, French and American troops have doubled the size of the protected area in the past eight months, the general said. The troops engage in classic counterinsurgency tactics by protecting the population and allowing reconstruction efforts to begin. Afghan forces take over security missions in these secure areas, enabling the international force to expand the secure area in the outlying regions.

While the unit has a number of Dutch helicopters, the general said he was pleased with the American aviation battalion that operates in the province. "You can never have enough helicopters," he said.

Intelligence drives operations, Middendorp said, and developing targets allows special forces personnel to move against the insurgents. "They're doing a great job in there," he said. "In my period, they had about 15 leaders of the Taliban taken out."

The increase in American forces to Regional Command South has made it easier to interdict Taliban forces in the region, he said. They are breaking the Taliban lines of communication with Pakistan.

Forces in the region also are working to secure the national elections scheduled for Aug. 20. Interest in the elections is growing, and Afghan forces are ready to secure the polling places.

Middendorp stressed that any progress in Afghanistan is going to take time. It takes the province's people two to three years in secured areas to feel confident enough to trust NATO forces and the Afghan government, he said. "They also start getting the Taliban out of their areas and being less receptive toward them," he said.

Middendorp said he has learned that there are no quick fixes in Afghanistan. "If you clear an area, the area is not cleared. It takes a long time to really hold an area. The hard part is maintaining a presence in the area and to gain the trust of the population. Only then can you move to the hold phase," he said.

Complementary Operations Improve Afghan, Pakistan Border

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 4, 2009 - Insurgent activity across the Afghanistan and Pakistan borders has declined as a result of complementary operations in the region, a U.S. commander said today. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Army Maj. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 82, which oversees Regional Command East in Afghanistan, noted the reduction in areas of his command.

"We have seen a decrease in the cross-border activity throughout [Regional Command East] as a result of the operation [in Pakistan]," he said, referring to the Pakistani army's offensive against militants along its border region in recent months.

The general said the most noticeable decline has occurred in Kunar province, where coalition and Afghan operations complemented Pakistani efforts across the border.

"There were not only the operations in Pakistan, but on our side as well, and it did have an impact of our enemies' ability to move fighters across the border," he added.

One of the key features of the so-called "Af-Pak" policy that President Barack Obama's administration rolled out in March was to broaden the operation in Afghanistan to include Pakistan.

U.S. officials in June praised the Pakistani military's initiative against extremists within their borders as a reflection of Pakistan's belief that the insurgents represent a major threat to the country.

Scaparrotti said that, after his top priority of protecting Afghan civilians, his next major priority is to build the Afghan National Security Forces -- another key component laid out in the president's strategy.

The general said that partnering between coalition and Afghan forces is uneven throughout Regional Command East, with some areas boasting stronger partnerships than others. To shore up weaker bonds in some parts of the region, Scaparrotti said there will be a focus on collocating forces where feasible.

"A partnership, to me, means that we, in every case that we can, collocate, particularly at headquarters level," he explained. "We do that already in many areas, but not all. We obviously operate together continuously," he said.

The general added that a greater emphasis will be placed on cooperation at the planning phase, noting that he and his Afghan counterparts just wrapped up a two-day conference that covered issues related to increasing the partnership.

"So as we develop our plans, execute our operations and consider both the threat and security of the people; we've got to get together in a greater way than we're doing it today," he said. "It's pretty good, but I believe we can do it even better."

Soldiers Boost Security for Afghan National Elections

By Army Spc. Eugene H. Cushing
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 4, 2009 - Afghan National Police and U.S. military police assigned to Task Force Mountain Warrior conducted training here to boost security for Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election. Army 1st Lt. Michael T. Nicholson, platoon leader for 2nd Platoon, 984th Military Police Company, 759th Military Police Battalion, led his unit in a district partnership training with the Afghan police July 14 and 15 at the Manogai Police Station.

Nicholson, of Burnsville, Minn., said the goal of the training was to ensure Afghan police are able to effectively operate on their own during the scheduled Aug. 20 elections.

The soldiers conducted two days of training with the Afghan police, said Army Sgt. Christopher C. Silva, of Boston, a squad leader with 2nd platoon. On the first day, they met with the police chief and his officers and assessed the station's armament, personnel and facilities.

"The second day we finished the assessment and started training for the elections," Silva said.

The training included instruction on personnel, vehicle and building searches; reacting to explosive devices and small-arms fire; setting up and operating checkpoints; administering first aid; emergency response; crowd control; and force protection.

Afghan National Police Maj. Sali Mohammed, the operations officer for Shigal district police station, said the training was highly beneficial.

The Afghan police officers will take what they learned back to their police stations and train their fellow officers, Mohammed said.

Army Cpl. Marcus R. Bennett, of Thermopolis, Wyo., a team leader assigned to 2nd Platoon, is an experienced military policeman who said he was glad to share his knowledge with his Afghan counterparts.

Bennett said he taught the Afghan police how to search for weapons, explosives, drugs and other potentially dangerous items.

"I enjoyed working with the Afghans," he said. "That was the first time I got to get out and teach them."

Nicholson described the Afghan police as motivated and willing to learn.

"They're very friendly," he said. "They share everything they know. They're willing to try the stuff we teach them, so it's been very positive."

(Army Spc. Eugene H. Cushing serves in the 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team public affairs office.)

Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device Aug. 2 in Qole Gerdsar, Afghanistan.

Killed were:

Capt. Ronald G. Luce Jr., 27, of Fayetteville, N.C.;

Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Granado, 42, of Fairfax, Va.; and

Sgt. 1st Class Severin W. Summers III, 43, of Bentonia, Miss.

All three soldiers were members of the Mississippi Army National Guard, and assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Jackson, Miss.

For more information media may contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs office at (910) 432-6005; after hours (910) 689-6187, or visit http://news.soc.mil .

Iraqi National Police Become 'Federal'

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 4, 2009 - The Iraqi National Police has changed its name to the Federal Police. The name change, which took effect Aug. 1, "goes side by side with the objectives of the national unity government," a police spokesman said. Iraqi Lt. Col Mohammed Al Baydani said the Federal Police plans to set up a brigade headquarters in every province, including the self-ruled Kurdistan region, over the next two years.

The Federal Police's role is to protect Iraqi citizens, he said. In many areas of Baghdad, Basra, Mosul and Amara, the National Police already have proven their ability to restore peace and order.

Over the past three years, the former National Police nearly doubled in size to 42,000 members. Under the command of Iraqi Lt. Gen. Hussain Al-Awadi, the police force has raised its training to a higher standard of professionalism. All brigades have completed advanced individual training courses, and more than 5,700 officers have completed the specialized Carabinieri training taught by the Italian police and NATO forces.

Al-Awadi also has improved the ethnic and religious diversity in the Federal Police ranks and implemented a police code of ethics, officials said.

Today, the Federal Police comprises four divisions and 17 brigades, including a mechanized and sustainment brigade, and the Al-Askari Brigade that is dedicated to providing security for the Al-Askari mosque in Samarra during its reconstruction.

The organization's history dates to Aug. 15, 2004, when it was formed as the Special Police to provide a national rapid-response capability to counter armed insurgency and large-scale civil disobedience and riots. The name was changed to National Police on March 30, 2006.

Since June 30, the Federal Police have performed another role -- providing escort duty for U.S. military convoys through the cities of Iraq.

"Forces from the Iraqi Federal Police have accompanied U.S. convoys in the streets of Baghdad to support the American Army mission to move forces to different locations," a federal policeman said. The escort operation is in accordance with the U.S.-Iraq security agreement, and is a demonstration of Iraqis' abilities to provide security and execute their responsibilities under the agreement.

Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Aug. 1 in Mushan Village, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked their patrol with improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades. They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

Cpl. Jonathan M. Walls, 27, of West Lawn, Penn.;

Pfc. Richard K. Jones, 21, of Person, N.C.; and

Pvt. Patrick S. Fitzgibbon, 19, of Knoxville, Tenn.

For more information related to this release, media may contact the Fort Carson public affairs office at (719) 526-4143; after hours (719) 526-5500.

Army Casualty

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

Spc. Alexander J. Miller, 21, of Clermont, Fla., died July 31 in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with rocket-propelled grenades and small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum. N.Y.

For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, August 3, 2009

Helter-skelter approach blamed as Allegheny lab remains in limbo [PA]
"Eight years after Allegheny County officials agreed to build a sophisticated biosecurity lab, the tab has jumped from $1.5 million to $6.4 million, and still the lab has not opened. […] 'We did some things on the back-end that probably should have been done on the front-end,' County Manager Jim Flynn said in a recent interview. 'We weren't sophisticated enough to know what we were getting into.' […] 'Every one of these labs is custom designed. They're all going to have their own little issues that have to be worked out,' [said Ed Elinski, senior project manager for Mascaro Construction]. […] Downtown architectural firm IKM Inc. designed the county lab based on specifications provided by the Health Department and Department of Public Works, officials said. […] In all, the county spent more than $800,000 on 75 changes after construction began, records show. […] In an interview, [Dr. Lee Harrison, vice president of the county Board of Health], said he tried to provide guidance after learning the county never hired an experienced lab commissioner to review its plans before construction finally began in October 2006. […] Then-County Executive Jim Roddey proposed moving the laboratory to Downtown in an eight-story building that would be constructed to house the lab, a new forensics laboratory and some county offices. […] 'We clearly need, and have needed for at least the last 20 years, a new laboratory in this county,' [Allegheny Health Director Dr. Bruce] Dixon said." (Pittsburg Tribune-Review; 02Aug09; Allison M. Heinrichs) http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_636369.html

Lawmaker [Representative Rush Holt, D-N.J.] questions conclusions of anthrax [spore] mailing probe
"U.S. Representative Rush Holt (D-N.J.) voiced heavy skepticism Friday about a federal investigation that determined that an Army scientist was the sole perpetrator of the 2001 anthrax [spore] mailings. […] An unprecedented examination of genetic material found in the mailings helped investigators link the attacks to Bruce Ivins. […] 'Our government - and specifically, the FBI - suffers from a credibility gap on this issue,' Representative Holt told a National Academy of Sciences panel that launched a review last week of the 'microbial forensic' analysis that connected Ivins to the mailings. 'I have fundamental concerns about how this was conducted and lingering doubts about the conclusions - and a lot of others do,' Holt told the [Washington] Post. 'I'd like to be able to assure my constituents in New Jersey that there is no longer a murderer at large, and that we're prepared to deal with the next bioterrorist attack.' […] Legal and privacy issues have kept the case open longer than anticipated, the Post reported. […] On its second day of work Friday, the NAS panel heard from three specialists involved in the investigation, including the leader of the probe's genetic analysis, the Frederick, Md., News-Post reported. The scientific review panel is not expected during its 18-month study to consider how the FBI identified Ivins as the sole suspect among dozens of scientists who possessed samples of an anthrax [bacteria] supply genetically linked to spores in the mailings." (Global Security Newswire; 03Aug09)
http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20090803_4728.php

Weapons disposal funds approved [at Blue Grass Army Depot, KY]
"Funds to accelerate the disposal of the chemical weapons stored at Kentucky's Blue Grass Army Depot were included in the defense spending bill that the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Thursday. […] The measure matched the Pentagon's request for increased funds in 2010 for the destruction projects in Madison County and at Colorado's Pueblo Depot Activity. […] All six of Kentucky's congressmen voted for the bill, which makes defense appropriations through the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2010. Last month, the Kentucky Citizens Advisory Board was told that increased funding over the long haul would cut six years off the completion date, from 2027 to 2021. […] A recent Pentagon report to Congress showed the accelerated completion date in Colorado shortened from 2020 to 2017. Citizens Advisory Board co-chair Craig Williams said, 'With Representative Chandler's diligence and leadership, we are closer to getting the level of support we need here in Kentucky and in Colorado to move forward aggressively.' Chandler said he was 'pleased that the House fulfilled the president's request and was able to give the Blue Grass Army Depot the resources it needs to destroy these weapons in a safe, timely way for our Central Kentucky communities.'" (Lexington Herald Leader; 01Aug09)
http://www.kentucky.com/news/state/story/880538.html

Activists blast Agent Orange hypocrisy, renew justice appeal
"[Activists] told Thanh Nien Daily that the spraying of Agent Orange by the US Army was an instance of a dangerous chemical that has caused devastating consequences for millions of Vietnamese citizens and the country's natural environment. […] 'There should be, and for the most part there is, universal acceptance that dioxin is a dangerous chemical. The US military was responsible for the dissemination of Agent Orange and dioxin throughout southern Vietnam,' said Dr. Wayne Dwernychuk, a senior Canadian environmental scientist. 'Human health studies are not necessary to determine the dangers to people in Vietnam... this has been determined, so initiation of significant cleanup at all affected former US military installations where Agent Orange was present should proceed as rapidly as possible,' he said. […] 'While weapons of mass destruction is generally used to refer to large scale weapons like atomic bombs, I believe that chemical weapons which keep on killing and maiming from generation to generation can also be considered weapons of mass destruction,' [American activist Merle Ratner, Co-Coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign] said. Both Dwernychuk and Ratner stressed that the right action must be being taken by the right people to redress the environment of Vietnam and the harm caused to its citizens. [… Dwernychuk] felt the US's refusal to pay any compensation to Vietnamese Agent Orange victims while doing so for its own veterans could have to do with avoiding legal liability 'something the US has been avoiding for decades by saying there is no scientific link between AO exposure and health issues in Vietnam.' Ratner pointed fingers specifically at two US major chemical companies that Vietnamese victims have filed lawsuits against, Dow Chemical and Monsanto. […] 'Addressing the 'hot spot' cleanup issue at former US bases is paramount to extract these areas out of the food chain of humans who may be living in the area, or downstream of contaminated regions. Only then will 'normal' bilateral relations exist between the two countries,' [Dwernychuk said]." (Thanh Nien Daily; 03Aug09)
http://www.thanhniennews.com/features/?catid=10&newsid=51385

Sickness scare at Bank of America office - strong perfume the culprit [Fort Worth, TX]
"Scores of workers at a Texas call centre became sick yesterday afternoon after they smelled mysterious fumes at the workplace. The strong scented perfume spread panic through the building, triggering fear among workers that they were under chemical attack or the victims of a carbon monoxide leak. […] The incident occurred in a Bank of America complex, located in the 5400 block of North Beach Street, near Loop 820 in north Fort Worth after scores of employees started feeling sick and dizzy. Lt. Kent Worley with the Fort Worth Fire Department said the situation started when two staff members started feeling sick and dizzy after a female co-worker sprayed perfume. […] After some others suffered the same problems, they notified the supervisor about their illnesses after which an announcement was made, urging those who felt sick or dizzy to exit the building. […] According to Lara Kohl, a MedStar ambulance spokeswoman, 34 workers were taken to a hospitals, 12 by ambulance, after they reported dizziness and shortness of breath, while another 110 were treated at the scene. Some people reported the dizziness while some others complained of chest pains and head aches. […] After hazmat crews and the fire department workers inspected the entire area they did not find anything harmful. […] Firefighters declared the area safe at about 3 p.m. and allowed employees to re-enter the building." (Money Times; 30Jul09; Natalie James) http://www.themoneytimes.com/featured/20090730/sickness-scare-bank-america-office-strong-perfume-culprit-id-1078305.html

NYPD training exercise planned in New York harbor
"The New York City Police Department and the Coast Guard will take to the waters south of the Verrazano Bridge tomorrow for a training exercise. As part of the exercise, officers will stop and board vessels to search for radioactive materials. Officials say training is not in response to any specific threat against the city, but rather a way to make sure all agencies are working together to prevent a dirty bomb or nuclear device from entering New York Harbor." (New York 1 News; 03Aug09) http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/103399/nypd-training-exercise-planned-in-new-york-harbor/Default.aspx

San Diego State tackles transport of dirty bomb materials [CA]
"On-Net Surveillance Systems (OnSSI) and Defentect are working together in a research demonstration project run by San Diego State University's Homeland Security Program and the SDSU Immersive Visualization Center ('Viz Center') that focuses on the illicit transport of radiological materials used to make dirty bombs. The project is creating a permanent gamma radiation detection perimeter system, incorporating OnSSI's Ocularis IP video command-and-control software, Defentect's GT2 gamma radiation detection sensor technology and DM3 sensor management, monitoring and messaging platform and Axis network cameras that can target detected threats. 'People can visit the Viz Center's courtyard and experience the system firsthand,' said Eric Frost, founder and co-director of the SDSU Immersive Visualization Center and co-director of the Homeland Security Master's Degree Program at SDSU." (Government Video; 03Aug09)
http://www.governmentvideo.com/article/85206

South Africa's opposition accuses govt of arming dictators
"A crisis in South Africa's arms control body has resulted in weapon deals being authorised to repressive regimes such as Iran, Libya, Zimbabwe and North Korea, according to the main opposition party. The Agence France Presse (AFP) yesterday quoted Democratic Alliance shadow minister of defence David Maynier as saying that 'several dodgy deals appeared to have slipped through the cracks' as the arms control body has failed to meet regularly and produce regular reports as required by law. Maynier said his investigation into the activities of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee [NCACC] showed deals had been authorized to sell weapons to some of the most repressive regimes in the world. Many of these countries are under partial or full arms embargoes by the United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU). […] According to Maynier, in the past 13 months, deals have been authorized to send multiple […] long-range precision guided weapons to Libya. 'There is a concern these glide bombs could be converted to deliver a nuclear, chemical or biological weapon,' Maynier told journalists at a press conference. […] Guy Lamb, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, said that the NCACC act stated arms should not be sold to countries where they could contribute to internal repression or violate human rights." (The Guardian; 03Aug09) http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/africa/article01/indexn2_html?pdate=030809&ptitle=South%20Africa%27s%20opposition%20accuses%20govt%20of%20arming%20dictators

Midway, they have you surrounded [KY]
"This week, all manner of National Guard troops, police, firefighters and other first responders will be on the campus of Midway College. They'll be going through mock scenarios similar to […] an escalating terrorist event. More than 80 Guard troops and 170 personnel from state and local agencies will participate. The FBI also will be represented. […] The event is designed to train Army and Air Guard troops, civilian emergency managers and others on the procedures necessary to respond to real-life tragedies. […] 'Thursday's scenario is, how would you react if there was somebody who had a pipe bomb, or something bigger than just a sniper?' Hilbrecht said. The exercise will allow officials to respond to a campus shooter who sets off a dirty bomb in a crowded area. That will allow responders to see how to decontaminate large numbers of people. In addition, as part of a week-long statewide exercise, responders will consider how they would react to a worldwide influenza pandemic. […] 'We're planning and practicing for worst-case scenarios,' [Keith Slugantz, emergency management coordinator for Woodford County] said." (Lexington Herald Leader; 03Aug09; Greg Kocher) http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/882874.html?storylink=omni_popular

Mumbai police new blueprint factors in bio, nuclear attack too
"Eight months after the 26/11 terror[ist] attack exposed the disarray in the Mumbai Police despite a clearly laid out Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Maharashtra has revised the guidelines. The revision […] charts the course of action in the event of a nuclear, chemical or biological attack. The new SOP […] will also include earthquakes and floods, drawing in emergency responders other than the state police force within its ambit. 'Separate SOPs have been made for commissionerates, Mumbai Police, district police, nuclear, chemical and biological warfare and the environment,' Chandra Iyengar, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, told The Indian Express. 'These have been drafted on the basis of recommendations and guidelines sent by the Government of India. Recent experiences have been incorporated into the SOPs and they are extremely elaborate.' […] The SOP contains specific directives on the kind of weapons policemen need to carry and makes bullet-proof vests mandatory in certain situations. The new SOPs, sources said, also specify the role of emergency agencies. […] Generalities have been done away with and the 'competent authority' has been specified, be it the fire department or the health department. It also has a list of suppliers of equipment needed to tackle chemical, biological or radioactive emergencies." (Indian Express; 01Aug09; Swatee
Kher)
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Mumbai-police-new-blueprint-factors-in-bio--nuclear-attack-too/496825

World Cup teams could attract terrorists-police
"Some nations participating in next year's football World Cup could attract a potential attack even though South Africa is not itself a target of international terrorism, police said today. Senior Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo, the national police spokesman for the World Cup, told Reuters that the force was training for all eventualities including crowd trouble and terrorism. […] He said a terrorist attacked remained unlikely but police had carried out simulations lasting up to a week to train for everything from chemical, radiological and biological attacks to bombs and serious accidents. 'There is no intelligence to suggest [that] there is any threat of terrorism during the World Cup. South Africa on its own is not a target for terrorism,' Naidoo said. But he added that some of the teams taking part, which might include both the United States and England, could be seen as potential targets. 'There is the potential that one or two of those countries may import the threat of a terrorism attack into the country,' he added." (Malaysian Insider; 03Aug09)
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/sports/34136-world-cup-teams-could-attract-terrorists-police

UAE [United Arab Emirates] adopts further measures for nuclear safety and security
"The Permanent mission of the United Arab Emirates to the International Atomic Energy Agency has communicated today the UAE Government's decision to join a number of additional international conventions related to Nuclear Safety and Security. […] The UAE communicated its decision to join the IAEA Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. The UAE further communicated its acceptance of the amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection. […] 'The UAE decision to join these international instruments is consistent with UAE commitment to maintain the highest standards of safety, security and non proliferation in its efforts to evaluate and develop a peaceful nuclear energy program' [Ambassador Hamad Alkaabi, UAE Permanent Representative to the IAEA] said. […] The amendment to the convention accepted by the UAE better addresses issues of combating nuclear terrorism, smuggling and sabotage. It legally binds states to the protection of nuclear facilities and materials, storage, and transport. It also provides for enhanced cooperation between states regarding the rapid location and recovery of stolen or smuggled nuclear materials." (Emirates New Agency; 31Jul09)
http://www.wam.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1248235411668&pagename=WAM%2FWAM_E_Layout&parent=Query&parentid=1135099399852

White powder scare 'non-hazardous' [Brisbane]
"A white powder scare that forced the evacuation of a north Brisbane police station has been declared non-hazardous. Just after 11am, HazMat crews cleared the Hendra Police Station on Nudgee Road as safe for officers and workers to return. It followed the discovery of two clear bags containing a mystery white powder which had been left on the station's front counter about 9.30am. Police said a woman walked in off the street and dropped the bags on the front desk before leaving, prompting police to call the fire brigade. They evacuated the premises and conducted an assessment of the powder, declaring it did not pose any danger. Police are investigating the matter but are yet to confirm what the powder substance is." (Brisbane Times; 03Aug09; Christine Kellett) http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/white-powder-scare-nonhazardous-20090803-e6go.html

Army Casualty

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

Staff Sgt. Johnny R. Polk, 39, of Gulfport, Miss., died July 25 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered when his vehicle was struck by an anti-tank grenade on July 23 in Kirkuk, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

For more information on this soldier, media may contact the Fort Hood public affairs office at (254) 287-9993; after hours (254) 291-2591.

Commander Briefs Gates, Mullen on Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2009 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received an update on the situation in Afghanistan during a meeting in Belgium. Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and Army Lt. Gen. David M. Rodriguez, deputy commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, briefed the secretary and chairman at Chievres Air Base. The trip was unannounced, and the secretary and chairman flew home yesterday.

Navy Adm. James Stavridis, NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of U.S. Central Command; and Michele Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, also participated in the meeting.

"[Gates] wanted an opportunity to speak first-hand with his commanders and his senior military advisors about how the assessment was unfolding so he could gain as clear an understanding of the situation as possible," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said. "It was also an opportunity for him to share some issues, questions and observations as they finish their report."

Gates has constant contact with commanders in Afghanistan via secure video teleconferences, but there is nothing like sitting down face to face without time being an issue, Morrell said. "They sat down and discussed these things in a very candid and personal way, and delved into it more deeply than he normally could," he said.

The chairman said it was a productive session, said Navy Capt. John Kirby, Mullen's spokesman. "It was important not only for learning about the assessment, but for the way key leaders updated them on the effort to execute the strategy in Afghanistan," he said.

After McChrystal assumed the top spot in Afghanistan, Gates instructed him to take the first two months and give his best assessment of the situation. He also called on the general to scrub the ranks to make sure they all are being best used for maximum effect.

The McChrystal assessment still is a work in progress, Morrell said, and the meeting speaks to this fact. "The secretary wanted to get a sense of where it is headed so he can begin to prepare his thinking and prepare for the likely assessment that will be made in the coming weeks," Morrell said.

Medics Aid Afghans in Remote Villages

By Army Spc. Elisebet Freeburg
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2009 - Two medics of the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, are using their medical skills not only to help their fellow soldiers, but also to aid local Afghans. Army Spcs. Chad E. Brown of Red Oak, Texas, and Rodrigus I. Purdiman of Cairo, Ill., both assigned to Forward Operating Base Baylough in Afghanistan, said they are dedicated to helping ill or injured Afghans.

"The impression we try to leave is that America is here to help them in their lives and not to hurt them in any kind of way," Purdiman said.

Purdiman and Brown rotate their duties, with one medic managing the forward operating base aid station, while the other medic accompanies soldiers on daily patrols. Most of the patrols trek through mountainous terrain to villages in the Deh Chopan district of Afghanistan's Zabul province.

"When we're on patrol we provide aid -- humanitarian aid or first aid -- for citizens," Brown said.

On occasion, villagers will approach the soldiers to ask for medical care. But typically, the patrol leader will ask village leaders if anyone is ill or injured. The medics aren't always able to treat some patients solely with supplies from their aid bag.

"The hard part is they don't like to come in, for whatever reason, on their own," Brown said. "But I'll urge them to come into the aid station and let me take care of them a lot better than in the field."

Baylough's aid station contains basic wound-cleansing equipment and bandages, as well as pain medication. The most high-tech piece of equipment in the station is an oxygen tank, Brown said.

Even though helicopter flights to Baylough often are sporadic due to enemy fire, the aid station never has exhausted its medical supplies. Brown monitors supply levels, keeping about four weeks of supplies on hand.

"We're able to do what we're trained to, with what we have, but there's a lot of improvisation," Brown said.

Burns, especially among children, are the most common injuries the medics said they see in the remote villages around Baylough. Since there is no electricity, villagers use fire for everything from cooking to a light source. The medics have treated burn victims ranging from infants to 10-year-olds.

"It's hard to work on the kids, especially the young ones," Brown said.

The medics also have treated Afghans injured by explosives. If the wound is minor, the medics are able to treat it there. For more serious injuries, they request a medevac for transportation to the forward surgical team at Forward Operating Base Lagman or to the Kandahar Airfield hospital. Brown said he was trained to insert chest tubes and sew sutures at a NATO-sponsored medical patrol course in Germany, making him able to stabilize patients for up to 72 hours while awaiting evacuation.

Both medics said the language barrier makes treating civilians difficult. They always work with an interpreter, but there is no guarantee of an exact translation, Purdiman said.

(Army Spc. Elisebet Freeburg serves in the Joint Sustainment Command Afghanistan public affairs office.)

Soldiers Shift Gears From Combat to Security

By Army Staff Sgt. Aaron Giannini
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2009 - Over the past month, soldiers of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, have been learning new skills and taking on new challenges as they adapt to a different mission in Iraq. Rather than combat, the soldiers have been working hand in hand with provincial reconstruction teams that are assisting Iraqis as they build key infrastructures in Dhi Qar, Maysan and Muthanna provinces. The soldiers provide security while reconstruction team members work to improve conditions in this war-torn country.

"Working with the [provincial reconstruction team] has been pretty meaningful, just knowing that we are helping to build a new Iraq," said Army 1st Lt. Christopher Mitchell, platoon leader.

The soldiers provide security for the team's officials and construction units that are helping the Iraqis construct schools, clinics and other facilities. These projects will help Iraq transition into a more self-sustaining nation.

"Helping to rebuild a whole country, that's something I will remember for my whole life," said Army Pvt. Joshua Cheney, a member of Able's Blue Platoon.

In addition to their security mission, Able Company soldiers also have been interacting with local residents and leaders, gaining valuable insight into local customs and culture.

"Getting to interact with the local people has been a rare experience," said Army Spc. Robert Counts, a medic from Millington, Tenn.

(Army Staff Sgt. Aaron Giannini serves with the 1st Armored Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team.)

Pre-election Operation Disables Enemy in Afghanistan

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 3, 2009 - Afghan and U.S. forces completed an operation July 31 aimed at improving security for Afghanistan's upcoming presidential election. Afghan security forces and Combined Joint Task Force 82 conducted Operation Champion Sword to disrupt enemy cells that have displayed increased activity linked to the scheduled Aug. 20 election. The 25th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team primarily conducted operations in the Sabari and Terezayi districts of Afghanistan's Khost province.

"The purpose of this operation was to remove enemy elements from the Sabari district and to target the major players in the area who are not only targeting Sabari, but also facilitating the terror operations throughout the entire Khost province," said Army Capt. Pat Tabin, commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, who conducted missions in Sabari district.

"Part of this is to disrupt what we know the enemy is going to try to do during elections, and the other part is that Sabari needs to be cleaned up. They go hand in hand," he said.

The weeklong operation consisted of daily air-assault missions, and produced the capture of 14 known militants in Khost. The suspects are believed to be homemade bomb facilitators, suppliers and emplacers who targeted civilians, Afghan security forces and members of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

"A lot of the key players have been removed from the battlefield, which contributes to our understanding of the enemy and has greatly increased our effectiveness," Tabin said.

The force also seized five large caches in Khost province that contained bomb-making materials, AK-47 assault rifles, small-arms weapons and munitions, hand grenades, dozens of mortar rounds and casings, large sums of money and myriad medical supplies.

"The benefit of destroying caches is that we remove those weapons off the battlefield," Tabin explained. "This affects the enemy in two ways: one, we remove the weapons from [the insurgents] who are out there trying to blow people up for money and take it out of his hands, and two, we are making the financiers pay, because they have to replace the weapons."

A militant was killed while attempting to attack paratroopers who were providing security for a search team. The rest of the operation proceeded without incident.

"[The operation] was successful; we caught the bad guys," said Army 1st Lt. Dan Perpich, platoon leader for Company D. "The intelligence they generated is going to push further operations in this district and the province as a whole."

(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)

Marine Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Gregory A. Posey, 22, of Knoxville, Tenn., and Lance Cpl. Jonathan F. Stroud, 20, of Cashion, Okla., died July 30 of wounds suffered while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Posey was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Stroud was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

For additional background information on these Marines, news media representatives may contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force public affairs office at (910) 451-7200.