Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq News Releases
June 25, 2010 - Iraqi forces working with U.S. advisors arrested several terrorism suspects in recent operations in Iraq, military officials reported.
In western Mosul today, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member allegedly involved in the facilitation of foreign fighters. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the wanted man and a suspected criminal associate.
Also today, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two buildings northwest of Baghdad for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader allegedly involved in roadside-bomb production. During the search, the security force found machine-gun ammunition and several assault vests with full weapon magazines. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest four suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.
Northwest of Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces arrested three suspected criminal associates of the Jaysh al-Mahdi terrorist group. Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspect who is allegedly involved in roadside-bomb attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces on behalf of the terrorist group. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest three suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Forces in Afghanistan Kill, Capture Insurgents
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, June 25, 2010 - An Afghan-international security force killed several insurgents, including Faizullah, a Taliban subcommander, as the insurgents were planting a roadside bomb near Kandahar City in Afghanistan yesterday.
Faizullah was responsible for previous roadside-bomb attacks in Kandahar province's Arghandab district, officials said, and was believed to be responsible for the death of at least one coalition soldier in March.
The combined force verified no civilians were at risk before calling for a precision strike from coalition aircraft.
Following the air strike, the security force went to the site and was immediately engaged by insurgents staged in prepared defensive positions. The ground force returned fire, killing several insurgents. They also found and destroyed the roadside bomb and confirmed the deaths of the insurgents from the earlier precision air strike.
In Khost province last night, another combined security force captured a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator linked to multiple bombing attacks throughout the province. The assault force detained the facilitator without incident while searching a series of compounds in Khost's Terazayi district.
Afghan and international forces have been involved in intense engagements with the Haqqani network along the Khost-Gardez pass over the past couple of weeks, officials said. Several insurgent commanders and a large number of insurgents have been killed during the operations. A large number of insurgents were killed when an Afghan-international patrol came under attack by an estimated 50 insurgents and called in a precision air strike in Badghis province's Qadis district yesterday.
In other news from Afghanistan, Afghan forces working with International Security Assistance Force partners conducted an operation the night of June 23 east of Marja in Helmand province. Officials said the operation was designed to increase security to the Afghan population by disrupting a network known to supply explosives and other material used in making roadside bombs.
As the Afghan-led force approached a compound known to be housing insurgents, two armed men presented a direct threat and were killed. Afghan special police ensured all remaining residents left the compound safely. Several women and children were protected, and two men were taken into police custody.
No civilians were reported harmed in any of these operations, officials said.
KABUL, Afghanistan, June 25, 2010 - An Afghan-international security force killed several insurgents, including Faizullah, a Taliban subcommander, as the insurgents were planting a roadside bomb near Kandahar City in Afghanistan yesterday.
Faizullah was responsible for previous roadside-bomb attacks in Kandahar province's Arghandab district, officials said, and was believed to be responsible for the death of at least one coalition soldier in March.
The combined force verified no civilians were at risk before calling for a precision strike from coalition aircraft.
Following the air strike, the security force went to the site and was immediately engaged by insurgents staged in prepared defensive positions. The ground force returned fire, killing several insurgents. They also found and destroyed the roadside bomb and confirmed the deaths of the insurgents from the earlier precision air strike.
In Khost province last night, another combined security force captured a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator linked to multiple bombing attacks throughout the province. The assault force detained the facilitator without incident while searching a series of compounds in Khost's Terazayi district.
Afghan and international forces have been involved in intense engagements with the Haqqani network along the Khost-Gardez pass over the past couple of weeks, officials said. Several insurgent commanders and a large number of insurgents have been killed during the operations. A large number of insurgents were killed when an Afghan-international patrol came under attack by an estimated 50 insurgents and called in a precision air strike in Badghis province's Qadis district yesterday.
In other news from Afghanistan, Afghan forces working with International Security Assistance Force partners conducted an operation the night of June 23 east of Marja in Helmand province. Officials said the operation was designed to increase security to the Afghan population by disrupting a network known to supply explosives and other material used in making roadside bombs.
As the Afghan-led force approached a compound known to be housing insurgents, two armed men presented a direct threat and were killed. Afghan special police ensured all remaining residents left the compound safely. Several women and children were protected, and two men were taken into police custody.
No civilians were reported harmed in any of these operations, officials said.
Chaplain Assistant Serves With Passion
135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
June 25, 2010 - Army Sgt. Keith D. Wright, a native of Brunswick, Ga., is serving here on his fourth deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. A chaplain assistant with the 3rd Infantry Division's Special Troops Battalion, Wright said he joined the Army to get some direction in life after high school.
"One job that came up was metal worker," he said. "In high school, I did welding for a semester, so I was already familiar with it. I was like, 'Hey I could do that.' They built up my confidence and skills."
After he completed his active-duty enlistment, Wright served with the Georgia Army National Guard from 2003 to 2006. While in the Guard, he developed interest in a new specialty.
"During my transition from active duty to a civilian, I had a maturing experience mentally and coming into the faith. I am now a Christian," Wright said. "When I got activated with the National Guard, I found out about chaplain assistants. ... That's when I decided my desire or passion wasn't for welding."
The idea appealed to him in light of the changes in his life, Wright said.
"If I could be in the Army and do something I love and be closer to something I love," he explained, "then I needed to go and pursue it."
Wright re-enlisted into the active-duty Army, and reclassified to chaplain assistant in March 2009.
As a chaplain assistant, Sgt. Wright assists the battalion's chaplain in his missions to provide religious services and assess soldiers' morale.
"Just as noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the Army, chaplain assistants are the backbone of the chaplains," Wright said. "They may get the mission, but it is up to us, chaplain assistants, to make it happen and pull everything together. We are the sources to find the resources to make the mission happen – the place, the time, the agenda, the bulletins. We are the horse in the unit ministry team."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Gates, Mullen Comment on McChrystal Situation
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Judgment and civilian control of the military were at the heart of President Barack Obama's decision to accept Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's resignation as the NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.
Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both said they "fully support" Obama's decision and his nomination of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to replace McChrystal.
"Like the president, I deeply regret the circumstances that made this decision necessary," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. "General McChrystal is one of the finest officers and warriors of his generation, who has an extraordinary record in leading the fight against some of this country's most lethal enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Gates and Mullen said McChrystal showed poor judgment with regard to the Rolling Stone profile in which he and members of his staff were critical of administration officials. The situation "has made his continued service in that post and as a member of the national security team untenable," Gates said. "The statements and attitudes reported in the news media are unacceptable under our form of government, and are inconsistent with the high standards expected of military leaders."
The chairman said he was stunned when he read the Rolling Stone profile.
"I cannot excuse his lack of judgment with respect to the Rolling Stone article or a command climate he evidently permitted that was at best disrespectful of civilian authority," Mullen said. "We do not have that luxury, those of us in uniform. We do not have the right, nor should we ever assume the prerogative, to cast doubt upon the ability or mock the motives of our civilian leaders, elected or appointed."
Military personnel are and must remain a neutral instrument of the government, he said. Servicemembers must be accountable to and respectful of civilian leaders "no matter which party holds sway or which person holds a given office," Mullen said.
Military leaders must step down when they lose the trust and confidence of civilian leaders, the chairman said.
"The job we are called upon to do for the nation is too important, the lives we are sworn to protect too precious, to permit any doubt or uncertainty in that regard," he said. "General McChrystal did the right thing by offering to resign."
Both men stressed that while the leadership is changing, the strategy in Afghanistan is not. "Our troops and coalition partners are making extraordinary sacrifices in the fight against al-Qaida and its extremist allies," Gates said. "Our singular focus must be on succeeding in this mission without distraction or division."
Gates said that he was concerned that the effort in Afghanistan would lose time and focus if a new commander came in without knowledge of the situation.
One concern that the secretary had was to minimize any impact a change would have on the conduct of the war in Afghanistan. "I will tell you that ... it was the president who first raised Petraeus' name," Gates said. "And it immediately, to me, answered a lot of the concerns that I had."
As the U.S. Central Command chief, Petraeus has been part of the discussions on the Afghan strategy all along. The general was in charge of U.S. military operations in Iraq during the troop surge there, and military and civilian efforts there have paid off.
"The key [in Afghanistan] was that we not lose our focus and be further distracted for a period of months," Gates said. "And that's why the selection of General Petraeus was so important, in my view. Now the president has established the strategy, but from my perspective, General Petraeus will have the flexibility to look at the campaign plan and the approach and all manner of things when he gets to Afghanistan, assuming Senate confirmation."
The Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled Petraeus' confirmation hearings for June 29, and committee officials promised an early vote on the matter. NATO still must act to appoint the general as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force.
"No one – be they adversaries or friends, or especially our troops – should misinterpret these personnel changes as a slackening of this government's commitment to the mission in Afghanistan," Gates said. "We remain committed to that mission and to the comprehensive civil-military strategy ordered by the president to achieve our goals there."
Both Gates and Mullen praised McChrystal's service.
"General McChrystal and many of his immediate staff have served and protected this country in combat with great courage, valor, skill and devotion for many years," Gates said. "Their outstanding record of service remains intact for posterity, and is deserving of our lasting recognition and profound gratitude."
Mullen said McChrystal is a friend with whom he worked when the general served as the director of the Joint Staff for a year.
"He's a fine soldier and a good man," Mullen said of McChrystal. "He has served his country nobly and with great distinction for more than three decades, much of that last decade at war. He led men in places the rest of us could not follow, and he fought men in ways the rest of us could not fathom.
"I was proud one year ago to support him for the Afghanistan command," the admiral continued. "And I think it's worth noting his strong leadership and the foundation he has laid for future success there."
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Judgment and civilian control of the military were at the heart of President Barack Obama's decision to accept Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's resignation as the NATO and U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.
Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both said they "fully support" Obama's decision and his nomination of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to replace McChrystal.
"Like the president, I deeply regret the circumstances that made this decision necessary," Gates said during a Pentagon news conference. "General McChrystal is one of the finest officers and warriors of his generation, who has an extraordinary record in leading the fight against some of this country's most lethal enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Gates and Mullen said McChrystal showed poor judgment with regard to the Rolling Stone profile in which he and members of his staff were critical of administration officials. The situation "has made his continued service in that post and as a member of the national security team untenable," Gates said. "The statements and attitudes reported in the news media are unacceptable under our form of government, and are inconsistent with the high standards expected of military leaders."
The chairman said he was stunned when he read the Rolling Stone profile.
"I cannot excuse his lack of judgment with respect to the Rolling Stone article or a command climate he evidently permitted that was at best disrespectful of civilian authority," Mullen said. "We do not have that luxury, those of us in uniform. We do not have the right, nor should we ever assume the prerogative, to cast doubt upon the ability or mock the motives of our civilian leaders, elected or appointed."
Military personnel are and must remain a neutral instrument of the government, he said. Servicemembers must be accountable to and respectful of civilian leaders "no matter which party holds sway or which person holds a given office," Mullen said.
Military leaders must step down when they lose the trust and confidence of civilian leaders, the chairman said.
"The job we are called upon to do for the nation is too important, the lives we are sworn to protect too precious, to permit any doubt or uncertainty in that regard," he said. "General McChrystal did the right thing by offering to resign."
Both men stressed that while the leadership is changing, the strategy in Afghanistan is not. "Our troops and coalition partners are making extraordinary sacrifices in the fight against al-Qaida and its extremist allies," Gates said. "Our singular focus must be on succeeding in this mission without distraction or division."
Gates said that he was concerned that the effort in Afghanistan would lose time and focus if a new commander came in without knowledge of the situation.
One concern that the secretary had was to minimize any impact a change would have on the conduct of the war in Afghanistan. "I will tell you that ... it was the president who first raised Petraeus' name," Gates said. "And it immediately, to me, answered a lot of the concerns that I had."
As the U.S. Central Command chief, Petraeus has been part of the discussions on the Afghan strategy all along. The general was in charge of U.S. military operations in Iraq during the troop surge there, and military and civilian efforts there have paid off.
"The key [in Afghanistan] was that we not lose our focus and be further distracted for a period of months," Gates said. "And that's why the selection of General Petraeus was so important, in my view. Now the president has established the strategy, but from my perspective, General Petraeus will have the flexibility to look at the campaign plan and the approach and all manner of things when he gets to Afghanistan, assuming Senate confirmation."
The Senate Armed Services Committee has scheduled Petraeus' confirmation hearings for June 29, and committee officials promised an early vote on the matter. NATO still must act to appoint the general as the commander of the International Security Assistance Force.
"No one – be they adversaries or friends, or especially our troops – should misinterpret these personnel changes as a slackening of this government's commitment to the mission in Afghanistan," Gates said. "We remain committed to that mission and to the comprehensive civil-military strategy ordered by the president to achieve our goals there."
Both Gates and Mullen praised McChrystal's service.
"General McChrystal and many of his immediate staff have served and protected this country in combat with great courage, valor, skill and devotion for many years," Gates said. "Their outstanding record of service remains intact for posterity, and is deserving of our lasting recognition and profound gratitude."
Mullen said McChrystal is a friend with whom he worked when the general served as the director of the Joint Staff for a year.
"He's a fine soldier and a good man," Mullen said of McChrystal. "He has served his country nobly and with great distinction for more than three decades, much of that last decade at war. He led men in places the rest of us could not follow, and he fought men in ways the rest of us could not fathom.
"I was proud one year ago to support him for the Afghanistan command," the admiral continued. "And I think it's worth noting his strong leadership and the foundation he has laid for future success there."
Gates, Mullen Cite Progress in Afghanistan
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Although it has come more slowly than expected, progress is, nonetheless, being made in Afghanistan, the top Defense Department civilian and military officials said today.
"I do not believe we are bogged down," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of U.S. operations in Afghanistan. "I believe we are making some progress. It is slower and harder than we anticipated. I think we are moving forward."
Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took questions from reporters in a Pentagon news conference. They expressed support for President Barack Obama's strategy in Afghanistan and confidence in his decision to nominate Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to command U.S. and international forces there.
Though Petraeus will be given an opportunity to assess the situation in Afghanistan, assuming he's confirmed by the Senate, Gates said, the strategy there has not changed, and the chairman agreed.
"The strategy hasn't changed in any way," Mullen said. "Nor has the policy."
Mullen explained that the strategy and troop increase Obama announced in December still is in its early stages. About one-third of the 30,000 additional troops the president approved have yet to deploy there, he noted.
Most of the surge troops who have arrived are operating in Marja, a former Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. Success there is evident, the admiral said, as markets, schools and governance are under way there. Such freedoms had not been available there for more than eight years, he added.
Offensive operations in Kandahar, however, are kicking off slower than predicted, Mullen acknowledged. U.S. forces, he said, are still conducting "shaping" operations in Kandahar ahead of a planned offensive.
"We haven't put off the operations in Kandahar," Mullen said. "It's an enormously complex operation. We need to make sure we get the forces there to execute. A significant part of this last 10,000 [troops] will be included in that."
Operations in Marja and Kandahar are classic counterinsurgency operations, and they must be developed and executed carefully to sustain gains against the Taliban, Mullen said. Success in Kandahar, particularly, is vital to the overall success of the strategy, he added.
Earlier today, Mullen spoke to a group of political staffers, defense industry officials and reporters at The Hill newspaper's annual Tribute to the Troops breakfast, where he noted Kandahar's importance.
"Kandahar is really the center of gravity for how we move forward with this strategy," he said. "I believe as goes Kandahar, so goes Afghanistan.
"This is a tough, tough time," he continued. "There's certainly a desire to get specific timelines, but I think they're very difficult to pin down. It's an extraordinary, complex challenge. It's not just about security; it's about governance [and] getting at corruption."
Operations have been hindered by challenges in Kandahar, Mullen acknowledged, but it's much too soon to determine the level of success there, he said.
"It is exceptionally well planned," Mullen said. "It is an operation that has been discussed at great length with [Afghan] President [Hamid] Karzai, [and] both the Afghan leadership as well as the [NATO] and coalition leaderships are very much committed."
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Although it has come more slowly than expected, progress is, nonetheless, being made in Afghanistan, the top Defense Department civilian and military officials said today.
"I do not believe we are bogged down," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of U.S. operations in Afghanistan. "I believe we are making some progress. It is slower and harder than we anticipated. I think we are moving forward."
Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took questions from reporters in a Pentagon news conference. They expressed support for President Barack Obama's strategy in Afghanistan and confidence in his decision to nominate Army Gen. David H. Petraeus to command U.S. and international forces there.
Though Petraeus will be given an opportunity to assess the situation in Afghanistan, assuming he's confirmed by the Senate, Gates said, the strategy there has not changed, and the chairman agreed.
"The strategy hasn't changed in any way," Mullen said. "Nor has the policy."
Mullen explained that the strategy and troop increase Obama announced in December still is in its early stages. About one-third of the 30,000 additional troops the president approved have yet to deploy there, he noted.
Most of the surge troops who have arrived are operating in Marja, a former Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province. Success there is evident, the admiral said, as markets, schools and governance are under way there. Such freedoms had not been available there for more than eight years, he added.
Offensive operations in Kandahar, however, are kicking off slower than predicted, Mullen acknowledged. U.S. forces, he said, are still conducting "shaping" operations in Kandahar ahead of a planned offensive.
"We haven't put off the operations in Kandahar," Mullen said. "It's an enormously complex operation. We need to make sure we get the forces there to execute. A significant part of this last 10,000 [troops] will be included in that."
Operations in Marja and Kandahar are classic counterinsurgency operations, and they must be developed and executed carefully to sustain gains against the Taliban, Mullen said. Success in Kandahar, particularly, is vital to the overall success of the strategy, he added.
Earlier today, Mullen spoke to a group of political staffers, defense industry officials and reporters at The Hill newspaper's annual Tribute to the Troops breakfast, where he noted Kandahar's importance.
"Kandahar is really the center of gravity for how we move forward with this strategy," he said. "I believe as goes Kandahar, so goes Afghanistan.
"This is a tough, tough time," he continued. "There's certainly a desire to get specific timelines, but I think they're very difficult to pin down. It's an extraordinary, complex challenge. It's not just about security; it's about governance [and] getting at corruption."
Operations have been hindered by challenges in Kandahar, Mullen acknowledged, but it's much too soon to determine the level of success there, he said.
"It is exceptionally well planned," Mullen said. "It is an operation that has been discussed at great length with [Afghan] President [Hamid] Karzai, [and] both the Afghan leadership as well as the [NATO] and coalition leaderships are very much committed."
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, of Spokane Valley, Wash., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Nimruz province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing public affairs office at 252-466-4241.
Cpl. Joshua R. Dumaw, 23, of Spokane Valley, Wash., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Nimruz province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing public affairs office at 252-466-4241.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Russell E. Madden, 29, of Dayton, Ky., died June 23 at Charkh district, Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with rocket fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Conn Barracks, Germany.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army public affairs office at 011-49-6221-57-8694 or via e-mail at ocpa.pi@eur.army.mil
Pfc. Russell E. Madden, 29, of Dayton, Ky., died June 23 at Charkh district, Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with rocket fire. He was assigned to the 1st Squadron, 91st Cavalry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Conn Barracks, Germany.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army public affairs office at 011-49-6221-57-8694 or via e-mail at ocpa.pi@eur.army.mil
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen, 22, of Wilsonville, Ore., died June 23 at Ganjkin village, Pusht Rod district, Farah province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to Troop B, 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661/0662.
Pfc. Anthony T. Justesen, 22, of Wilsonville, Ore., died June 23 at Ganjkin village, Pusht Rod district, Farah province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to Troop B, 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661/0662.
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, of San Jose, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-6573.
Cpl. Kevin A. Cueto, 23, of San Jose, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-6573.
Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Cpl. Claudio Patino IV, 22, of Yorba Linda, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-6573.
Cpl. Claudio Patino IV, 22, of Yorba Linda, Calif., died June 22 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1st Marine Division public affairs office at 760-725-6573.
Combined Forces Conduct Operations in Kandahar
June 24, 2010 - Afghan and international forces in southern Afghanistan conducted several operations in and around Kandahar over the last two days, military officials reported.
A combined security force destroyed a major roadside-bomb factory, killed the Panjwai district Taliban commander and several other insurgents, and captured a number of other insurgents after an air strike in Kandahar province yesterday.
The deceased Taliban commander, Izzatullah, had planned and conducted attacks against coalition forces and was involved in the attack on Sarpoza prison outside of Kandahar City in June 2008, officials said.
After verifying insurgent activity, the combined force carefully planned the operation to avoid civilian casualties and mitigate collateral damage, and then called in a precision air strike, which destroyed the bomb-manufacturing site. Following the air strike, a combined security force quickly overwhelmed insurgent forces defending the area.
Post-strike assessment revealed large quantities of bomb-making materials, as well as multiple automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade launchers with RPG rounds, and communications equipment.
The Zharay district governor confirmed the Taliban deaths and thanked the combined force for its efforts.
A separate Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Kandahar province yesterday. The suspected insurgents were travelling on a motorcycle in the Maiwand district when they were stopped for questioning and then detained. No shots were fired.
Another Afghan-international security force detained a suspected insurgent in Kandahar province last night. The security force detained the man while Afghan forces were clearing a series of compounds near Kandahar City. No shots were fired, and women and children present during the search were protected by the combined force.
Since the beginning of May, officials said, security forces have conducted numerous successful offensive operations in Kandahar province, capturing or killing numerous insurgents, including almost a dozen Taliban commanders.
"With our Afghan partners, [the International Security Assistance Force] will continue to expand its operations in and around Kandahar in order to create the space needed so the Afghan government can provide improved governance and essential services to the people of Kandahar," said Marine Corps Col. William Maxwell, ISAF Joint Command's operations center director.
In operations outside of Kandahar, an Afghan-international security force used precision air strikes to kill a number of insurgents in Kunduz province last night while pursuing a Taliban subcommander who played a crucial role in the ambush of a German convoy in Chahar Darah district last month. The strikes were conducted in an unpopulated area of Chahar Darah district, and coalition forces ensured there were no civilian casualties, officials said.
An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Paktiya province last night during continuing operations aimed at dismantling a suicide-bombing ring blamed for several attacks. The terrorist ring is known to use vehicle-borne bombs and suicide bombers to target Afghan soldiers and police and international forces, officials said.
The combined security force detained the individuals while searching a series of compounds in the Gardez district. The security force also found a grenade and a weapon at the scene. No shots were fired, and women and children present during the search were protected by the combined security force.
An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Zabul province last night while pursuing a Taliban cell leader and facilitator suspected of procuring roadside bombs, weapons and ammunition for the Taliban. The combined security force detained the suspected insurgents after Afghan forces cleared an area near a truck stop in the Shinkai district. No shots were fired.
A combined security force destroyed a major roadside-bomb factory, killed the Panjwai district Taliban commander and several other insurgents, and captured a number of other insurgents after an air strike in Kandahar province yesterday.
The deceased Taliban commander, Izzatullah, had planned and conducted attacks against coalition forces and was involved in the attack on Sarpoza prison outside of Kandahar City in June 2008, officials said.
After verifying insurgent activity, the combined force carefully planned the operation to avoid civilian casualties and mitigate collateral damage, and then called in a precision air strike, which destroyed the bomb-manufacturing site. Following the air strike, a combined security force quickly overwhelmed insurgent forces defending the area.
Post-strike assessment revealed large quantities of bomb-making materials, as well as multiple automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade launchers with RPG rounds, and communications equipment.
The Zharay district governor confirmed the Taliban deaths and thanked the combined force for its efforts.
A separate Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Kandahar province yesterday. The suspected insurgents were travelling on a motorcycle in the Maiwand district when they were stopped for questioning and then detained. No shots were fired.
Another Afghan-international security force detained a suspected insurgent in Kandahar province last night. The security force detained the man while Afghan forces were clearing a series of compounds near Kandahar City. No shots were fired, and women and children present during the search were protected by the combined force.
Since the beginning of May, officials said, security forces have conducted numerous successful offensive operations in Kandahar province, capturing or killing numerous insurgents, including almost a dozen Taliban commanders.
"With our Afghan partners, [the International Security Assistance Force] will continue to expand its operations in and around Kandahar in order to create the space needed so the Afghan government can provide improved governance and essential services to the people of Kandahar," said Marine Corps Col. William Maxwell, ISAF Joint Command's operations center director.
In operations outside of Kandahar, an Afghan-international security force used precision air strikes to kill a number of insurgents in Kunduz province last night while pursuing a Taliban subcommander who played a crucial role in the ambush of a German convoy in Chahar Darah district last month. The strikes were conducted in an unpopulated area of Chahar Darah district, and coalition forces ensured there were no civilian casualties, officials said.
An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Paktiya province last night during continuing operations aimed at dismantling a suicide-bombing ring blamed for several attacks. The terrorist ring is known to use vehicle-borne bombs and suicide bombers to target Afghan soldiers and police and international forces, officials said.
The combined security force detained the individuals while searching a series of compounds in the Gardez district. The security force also found a grenade and a weapon at the scene. No shots were fired, and women and children present during the search were protected by the combined security force.
An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Zabul province last night while pursuing a Taliban cell leader and facilitator suspected of procuring roadside bombs, weapons and ammunition for the Taliban. The combined security force detained the suspected insurgents after Afghan forces cleared an area near a truck stop in the Shinkai district. No shots were fired.
Group Develops Afghan Forces' Health System
By Christen N. McCluney
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity
June 24, 2010 - A medical advisory group is working to develop health care capabilities and create medical and health care training programs for Afghanistan's security forces.
"We have a large mission to develop the Afghan national security forces health care system," Air Force Col. (Dr.) Schuyler K. Geller, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan command surgeon and commander of the Medical Training Advisory Group at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, said during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable yesterday.
Geller said the group's mission is to get the health care system running to a completely self-sustainable level, for both the army and police, in all operations.
The group has about 155 medical mentors placed in the offices of the surgeons general for Afghanistan's national police and army around the country, as well in the national military hospital in the Afghan capital of Kabul, regional hospitals and the police hospital.
Geller said the group is facing many obstacles in developing the health care system, but the most-pressing issue is a lack of physicians to fill vacancies at the facilities. "They are 37 to 39 percent filled," he said.
A lack of recruitment for Afghan military doctors and the duration of medical school in Afghanistan contribute to the physician shortage in the country's security forces, Geller said. The process, he said, takes seven years from the time of high school graduation to the completion of a medical program.
"The universities probably produce over 100 physicians every year, but a very small portion of those join the army or police at the present time," he said.
The group hopes to attract more doctors to the program, because there are more physicians in Afghanistan than there are jobs available for them. Geller said one of his main priorities is to aggressively attract unemployed physicians to the security forces medical system. The team also has a deficit in allied health support, and has developed branch schools with an Army-based curriculum to help in creating more positions for nurses. The school graduated 20 licensed practical nurses from the program last year and doubled the number of graduates this year.
"We expect to meet all of our nursing deficit through training within the next two, to two-and-a-half years," Geller said.
The group also is starting a physician's assistant program in the fall, with at least 80 students enrolled. This program will help with the deficit in military doctors throughout the system, especially in battalions where the coalition is providing health care until the Afghan forces' health care system can stand on its own.
Geller also said the group is training women to work in the health system. Since Afghan forces have no female combat medics because of cultural customs, the majority of women serve as nurses in pediatrics and obstetrics departments.
"We are training women in skills that they can exercise in their home community so that they can live at home and go to work," Geller explained.
When asked about the medical technology in Afghanistan, Geller acknowledged that it could be better, but said the Afghans have surgical capability and adequate technology.
"What is really needed is very simple preventive medicine and treatment and treatment of infectious disease," he said. "That kind of thing has the biggest impact."
Many areas of the Afghan forces' health system are becoming self-sufficient and will be turned over to the Afghans, Geller said. The school for combat medics has been in place for close to three years, he said, and is almost ready to be transitioned entirely to the Afghans to run on their own.
But before the system can completely be turned over to the Afghan security forces, he added, quantity and quality issues must be solved. When the group has enough physicians in place, he said, then, a select group can go through improved graduate-level medical programs and receive more hands-on clinical training.
"I believe that within the next four or five years, both the quantity and quality problem here will be significantly resolved," he said. "Our specific area in developing the Afghan national security forces health care system is a value."
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity
June 24, 2010 - A medical advisory group is working to develop health care capabilities and create medical and health care training programs for Afghanistan's security forces.
"We have a large mission to develop the Afghan national security forces health care system," Air Force Col. (Dr.) Schuyler K. Geller, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan command surgeon and commander of the Medical Training Advisory Group at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, said during a "DoD Live" bloggers roundtable yesterday.
Geller said the group's mission is to get the health care system running to a completely self-sustainable level, for both the army and police, in all operations.
The group has about 155 medical mentors placed in the offices of the surgeons general for Afghanistan's national police and army around the country, as well in the national military hospital in the Afghan capital of Kabul, regional hospitals and the police hospital.
Geller said the group is facing many obstacles in developing the health care system, but the most-pressing issue is a lack of physicians to fill vacancies at the facilities. "They are 37 to 39 percent filled," he said.
A lack of recruitment for Afghan military doctors and the duration of medical school in Afghanistan contribute to the physician shortage in the country's security forces, Geller said. The process, he said, takes seven years from the time of high school graduation to the completion of a medical program.
"The universities probably produce over 100 physicians every year, but a very small portion of those join the army or police at the present time," he said.
The group hopes to attract more doctors to the program, because there are more physicians in Afghanistan than there are jobs available for them. Geller said one of his main priorities is to aggressively attract unemployed physicians to the security forces medical system. The team also has a deficit in allied health support, and has developed branch schools with an Army-based curriculum to help in creating more positions for nurses. The school graduated 20 licensed practical nurses from the program last year and doubled the number of graduates this year.
"We expect to meet all of our nursing deficit through training within the next two, to two-and-a-half years," Geller said.
The group also is starting a physician's assistant program in the fall, with at least 80 students enrolled. This program will help with the deficit in military doctors throughout the system, especially in battalions where the coalition is providing health care until the Afghan forces' health care system can stand on its own.
Geller also said the group is training women to work in the health system. Since Afghan forces have no female combat medics because of cultural customs, the majority of women serve as nurses in pediatrics and obstetrics departments.
"We are training women in skills that they can exercise in their home community so that they can live at home and go to work," Geller explained.
When asked about the medical technology in Afghanistan, Geller acknowledged that it could be better, but said the Afghans have surgical capability and adequate technology.
"What is really needed is very simple preventive medicine and treatment and treatment of infectious disease," he said. "That kind of thing has the biggest impact."
Many areas of the Afghan forces' health system are becoming self-sufficient and will be turned over to the Afghans, Geller said. The school for combat medics has been in place for close to three years, he said, and is almost ready to be transitioned entirely to the Afghans to run on their own.
But before the system can completely be turned over to the Afghan security forces, he added, quantity and quality issues must be solved. When the group has enough physicians in place, he said, then, a select group can go through improved graduate-level medical programs and receive more hands-on clinical training.
"I believe that within the next four or five years, both the quantity and quality problem here will be significantly resolved," he said. "Our specific area in developing the Afghan national security forces health care system is a value."
Danger Remains in Iraq, Austin Says
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Iraq has been transformed, but dangers remain, President Barack Obama's nominee to lead U.S. forces there said today.
Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in a confirmation hearing. If he's confirmed by the Senate, he'll receive his fourth star and succeed Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno as commander of U.S. Forces Iraq. Odierno has been nominated to lead U.S. Joint Forces Command.
Austin saluted the service and sacrifices of U.S. servicemembers who have answered the call in nine years of sustained combat. "They are performing magnificently," he said.
Currently the director of the Joint Staff, Austin had commanded Multinational Corps Iraq in his previous assignment.
"If confirmed, I look forward to continuing our nation's work in Iraq," Austin told the committee. "I understand that a stable environment in the Middle East and Southwest Asia is essential to U.S. interests and that the future of Iraq is inseparable from the future of this critical region. A sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq will contribute to the stability in the region and will be a major ally in our fight against al-Qaida and its extremist allies."
By any measurement, conditions in Iraq have improved significantly over the past three years, the general said. "The government has demonstrated respect for the rule of law and is moving toward the peaceful transfer of power through legitimate elections," he added.
Governmental capacity and economic conditions continue to improve, and al-Qaida in Iraq and other violent extremist groups have been severely degraded, Austin said. "While we have achieved progress over the last few years, I am keenly aware that the mission is not without risk, and our work remains unfinished," he said.
Malign external influences continue to infringe on Iraqi sovereignty, he said, and al-Qaida and other violent extremists still pose a threat to the government and to the Iraqi people.
"Ethno-sectarian tensions continue to impede a unified national vision for all Iraqis," Austin said. "If confirmed, I would focus on a number of things. We would continue to develop a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with the Iraqis."
The general said an enduring U.S.-Iraqi strategic partnership and positive strategic relationships between the government of Iraq and its regional neighbors are essential to security and prosperity.
Austin said he would continue the U.S. military drawdown already under way.
"During this transition period, our forces would continue to advise and train the Iraqi forces, to develop their security capabilities and support their ability to protect the Iraqi people," he said.
American forces would continue to work with Iraqis and regional partners "to conduct partnered counterterrorism operations to defeat al-Qaida and other extremists in Iraq, Austin said.
"We would assist the development of effective ministries and enable Iraq to meet the needs of the people," he said. "And we would support efforts to advance enduring solutions for Iraqi national unity."
The foundation stone for progress in the country has been the development of professional, capable Iraqi security forces, Austin said.
"We've achieved much in Iraq through the courage and sacrifice of our U.S. servicemen and women and the Iraqi people, and the coalition forces that fought alongside the Iraqis in some of their most perilous times," he said. "I am committed to achieving our national objectives, and I am dedicated to all of the brave people who sacrificed to help build towards a stable and secure Iraq."
American Forces Press Service
June 24, 2010 - Iraq has been transformed, but dangers remain, President Barack Obama's nominee to lead U.S. forces there said today.
Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in a confirmation hearing. If he's confirmed by the Senate, he'll receive his fourth star and succeed Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno as commander of U.S. Forces Iraq. Odierno has been nominated to lead U.S. Joint Forces Command.
Austin saluted the service and sacrifices of U.S. servicemembers who have answered the call in nine years of sustained combat. "They are performing magnificently," he said.
Currently the director of the Joint Staff, Austin had commanded Multinational Corps Iraq in his previous assignment.
"If confirmed, I look forward to continuing our nation's work in Iraq," Austin told the committee. "I understand that a stable environment in the Middle East and Southwest Asia is essential to U.S. interests and that the future of Iraq is inseparable from the future of this critical region. A sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq will contribute to the stability in the region and will be a major ally in our fight against al-Qaida and its extremist allies."
By any measurement, conditions in Iraq have improved significantly over the past three years, the general said. "The government has demonstrated respect for the rule of law and is moving toward the peaceful transfer of power through legitimate elections," he added.
Governmental capacity and economic conditions continue to improve, and al-Qaida in Iraq and other violent extremist groups have been severely degraded, Austin said. "While we have achieved progress over the last few years, I am keenly aware that the mission is not without risk, and our work remains unfinished," he said.
Malign external influences continue to infringe on Iraqi sovereignty, he said, and al-Qaida and other violent extremists still pose a threat to the government and to the Iraqi people.
"Ethno-sectarian tensions continue to impede a unified national vision for all Iraqis," Austin said. "If confirmed, I would focus on a number of things. We would continue to develop a long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with the Iraqis."
The general said an enduring U.S.-Iraqi strategic partnership and positive strategic relationships between the government of Iraq and its regional neighbors are essential to security and prosperity.
Austin said he would continue the U.S. military drawdown already under way.
"During this transition period, our forces would continue to advise and train the Iraqi forces, to develop their security capabilities and support their ability to protect the Iraqi people," he said.
American forces would continue to work with Iraqis and regional partners "to conduct partnered counterterrorism operations to defeat al-Qaida and other extremists in Iraq, Austin said.
"We would assist the development of effective ministries and enable Iraq to meet the needs of the people," he said. "And we would support efforts to advance enduring solutions for Iraqi national unity."
The foundation stone for progress in the country has been the development of professional, capable Iraqi security forces, Austin said.
"We've achieved much in Iraq through the courage and sacrifice of our U.S. servicemen and women and the Iraqi people, and the coalition forces that fought alongside the Iraqis in some of their most perilous times," he said. "I am committed to achieving our national objectives, and I am dedicated to all of the brave people who sacrificed to help build towards a stable and secure Iraq."
Future Soldier Embarks on Quest
U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion Harrisburg
June 24, 2010 - Paige Nye will board a plane for the first time June 30 for a life-changing quest that she said she is "extremely over-prepared for."
She laughed as soon as she said it, but the 18-year-old woman who joined the Mechanicsburg U.S. Army Recruiting Station's Future Soldier Program while she was still a junior at Northern High School in Dillsburg, Pa., wasn't joking.
"Paige has always been very motivated," her mother, Susan Nye said. "She's played all kinds of sports and musical instruments, but the one thing she seems to really enjoy the most is the Army."
After being in the program for about eight months, Nye enlisted in the Army in July, and a month later, she became the platoon guide – equivalent to an officer rank in the active-duty Army – for the Mechanicsburg Future Soldier Program.
"I led the platoon," she explained. "I called them out to formation. I taught facing movements and drills. I helped to prepare them for basic training."
The platoon consisted of anywhere from 15 to 20 future soldiers at any given time, Nye said.
"We've watched the whole progression of her going through this program from learning about the Army to teaching it to future soldiers," said her recruiter, Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott Newcomer, who credits Nye with helping to prepare as many as 60 fellow future soldiers for their new lives in the Army.
Newcomer added that when Nye heads out next week for her nine-week basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., she will do so as a private first class, E-3. Most recruits, he explained, come in as a private, E-1, and most E-2s are in the Army for a year and must have their supervisors' recommendation before making E-3.
The pay difference between a private and private first class, Newcomer said, is more than $500 a month. Nye also will have a head start in making specialist, E-4, he added. Nye jumped up the ranks by referring someone into the Army and completing the Future Soldier Program, which includes marching, reading maps and passing a physical training test, the same one needed to graduate from basic training.
A recruiter for four years, Newcomer has enlisted about 65 young men and women in the Army, and he said that only two or three other future soldiers made E-3 using the same method as Nye. "It takes a lot of commitment," he said.
In her senior year, Nye did her high school internship with the Mechanicsburg recruiting station, where she came in every day and did office work. Nye said she even learned how to conduct an applicant interview. These interviews, she said, are conducted to tell applicants what the Army has to offer and to find out if they are eligible to join.
"Nye is high-speed – the best future soldier I have had in my company," said Army Maj. William Hammac, who has been the Carlisle Recruiting Company commander for the past 18 months. The Mechanicsburg recruiting station is one of seven stations that fall under Hammac's command.
"We are very proud of her," said Nye's mother, who admitted to having mixed emotions, as Paige is the last of three children to be leaving home, and the only girl in the family, but she endorsed her daughter's decision to enlist.
"I think [the Army] is a wonderful career choice," she said.
Once she completes basic training, Nye will learn how to be a military intelligence analyst at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
Asked what she will be doing, Nye quickly replied, "A whole lot of stuff I am not allowed to talk about."
She laughed at this too, but again, she wasn't joking.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died June 21 at Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when a suicide bomber attacked their unit. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Killed were:
Pfc. David T. Miller, 19, of Wilton, N.Y.
Spc. Andrew R. Looney, 22, of Owasso, Okla.
For more information, the media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at 270-798-3025.
They died June 21 at Lar Sholtan Village, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when a suicide bomber attacked their unit. They were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Killed were:
Pfc. David T. Miller, 19, of Wilton, N.Y.
Spc. Andrew R. Looney, 22, of Owasso, Okla.
For more information, the media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at 270-798-3025.
McChrystal Statement Expresses Support for Policy
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2010 - Shortly after President Barack Obama announced today that he had accepted Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's resignation as the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, the departing general released a written statement expressing his support for the president's Afghanistan policy.
McChrystal stepped down after remarks criticizing administration officials were attributed to him and members of his staff in a Rolling Stone magazine article.
"This morning the president accepted my resignation as commander of U.S. and NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan," McChrystal said in his statement. "I strongly support the president's strategy in Afghanistan and am deeply committed to our coalition forces, our partner nations and the Afghan people. It was out of respect for this commitment and the desire to see the mission succeed that I tendered my resignation."
McChrystal assumed command in Afghanistan in May, with an assessment of the war effort as his first task. Based on McChrystal's assessment, Obama ordered an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Before serving in Afghanistan, McChrystal was the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He also had served as the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. He spent the majority of his military career commanding special operations and airborne infantry units. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen issued a statement on the NATO Web site, thanking McChrystal for his service.
"While he will no longer be the commander, the approach he helped put in place is the right one," Rasmussen said. "The strategy continues to have NATO's support, and our forces will continue to carry it out. Our operations in Afghanistan are continuing today, and they will not miss a beat."
The president said he's nominating Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, to replace McChrystal. Petraeus was a key participant in helping to design the strategy that led to the Afghanistan troop surge, the president said. As Centcom commander Petraeus has oversight of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before taking Centcom's reins, Petraeus commanded U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.
American Forces Press Service
June 23, 2010 - Shortly after President Barack Obama announced today that he had accepted Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal's resignation as the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, the departing general released a written statement expressing his support for the president's Afghanistan policy.
McChrystal stepped down after remarks criticizing administration officials were attributed to him and members of his staff in a Rolling Stone magazine article.
"This morning the president accepted my resignation as commander of U.S. and NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan," McChrystal said in his statement. "I strongly support the president's strategy in Afghanistan and am deeply committed to our coalition forces, our partner nations and the Afghan people. It was out of respect for this commitment and the desire to see the mission succeed that I tendered my resignation."
McChrystal assumed command in Afghanistan in May, with an assessment of the war effort as his first task. Based on McChrystal's assessment, Obama ordered an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. Before serving in Afghanistan, McChrystal was the director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He also had served as the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. He spent the majority of his military career commanding special operations and airborne infantry units. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen issued a statement on the NATO Web site, thanking McChrystal for his service.
"While he will no longer be the commander, the approach he helped put in place is the right one," Rasmussen said. "The strategy continues to have NATO's support, and our forces will continue to carry it out. Our operations in Afghanistan are continuing today, and they will not miss a beat."
The president said he's nominating Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, to replace McChrystal. Petraeus was a key participant in helping to design the strategy that led to the Afghanistan troop surge, the president said. As Centcom commander Petraeus has oversight of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before taking Centcom's reins, Petraeus commanded U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.
Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
1st Sgt. Eddie Turner, 41, of Fort Belvoir, Va., died June 22 at Camp Clark, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at 270-798-3025.
1st Sgt. Eddie Turner, 41, of Fort Belvoir, Va., died June 22 at Camp Clark, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 626th Brigade Support Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
For more information related to this release, the media may contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at 270-798-3025.
New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah
On June 24, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Richard Lowry (USN), the author of New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah.
Program Date: June 24, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours Pacific
Topic: New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/06/25/new-dawn-the-battles-for-fallujah
About the Guest
Richard S. Lowry, USN, “is an internationally recognized military historian, author and eleventh generation American. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Submarine Service. He published The Gulf War Chronicles in 2003. He has been published in Military Magazine, Leatherneck and the Marine Corps Gazette. Berkley Publishing released Richard’s next full-length book, Marines in the Garden of Eden in June of 2006. It is the story of America’s sons and daughters, who fought, bled, and died in a dusty desert town on the banks of the Euphrates River.
Richard has spoken to many community organizations such as local chapters of the Military Officers Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Marines for Life, Marine Corps League and the Florida Retired Chief Petty Officers Association on many different subjects relating to the current war in Iraq and Operation Desert Storm. He is a member in the Florida Writers Association and founder of The Orlando Writers Guild
In June of 2004, Richard was awarded a research grant from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and was invited to the Marine Corps Historical Center to research the events of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Richard maintains a vast collection of Gulf War documentation. He has compiled over four hundred hours of audio recordings of his and other interviews as well as thousands of pages of documentation.” Richard S. Lowry is the author of Marines in the Garden of Eden: The True Story of Seven Bloody Days in Iraq; US Marine in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003; and, The Gulf War Chronicles: A Military History of the First War with Iraq.
According to the book description of New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah, “Fallujah. Few names conjure up as many images of blood, sacrifice, and valor as does this ancient city in Al Anbar province forty miles west of Baghdad. This sprawling concrete jungle was the scene of two major U.S. combat operations in 2004. The first was Operation Vigilant Resolve, an aborted effort that April by U.S. Marines intent on punishing the city's insurgents. The second, Operation Phantom Fury, was launched seven months later. Richard Lowry's 'New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah' is the first comprehensive history of this fighting.
Also known as the Second Battle for Fallujah, Operation Phantom Fury was a protracted house-to-house and street-to-street combat that began on November 7 and continued unabated for seven bloody and exhausting weeks. It was the largest fight of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the heaviest urban combat since the Battle of Hue City, Vietnam in 1968. Death and redemption were found everywhere, from narrow streets to courtyards, kitchens, bedrooms, and rooftops. By the time the fighting ended, more than 1,400 insurgents were dead, compared to ninety-five Americans (and another 1,000 wounded).”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/06/25/new-dawn-the-battles-for-fallujah
Archive:
http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/new_dawn_battles_for_fallujah.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Program Date: June 24, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours Pacific
Topic: New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/06/25/new-dawn-the-battles-for-fallujah
About the Guest
Richard S. Lowry, USN, “is an internationally recognized military historian, author and eleventh generation American. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Submarine Service. He published The Gulf War Chronicles in 2003. He has been published in Military Magazine, Leatherneck and the Marine Corps Gazette. Berkley Publishing released Richard’s next full-length book, Marines in the Garden of Eden in June of 2006. It is the story of America’s sons and daughters, who fought, bled, and died in a dusty desert town on the banks of the Euphrates River.
Richard has spoken to many community organizations such as local chapters of the Military Officers Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Marines for Life, Marine Corps League and the Florida Retired Chief Petty Officers Association on many different subjects relating to the current war in Iraq and Operation Desert Storm. He is a member in the Florida Writers Association and founder of The Orlando Writers Guild
In June of 2004, Richard was awarded a research grant from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and was invited to the Marine Corps Historical Center to research the events of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Richard maintains a vast collection of Gulf War documentation. He has compiled over four hundred hours of audio recordings of his and other interviews as well as thousands of pages of documentation.” Richard S. Lowry is the author of Marines in the Garden of Eden: The True Story of Seven Bloody Days in Iraq; US Marine in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003; and, The Gulf War Chronicles: A Military History of the First War with Iraq.
According to the book description of New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah, “Fallujah. Few names conjure up as many images of blood, sacrifice, and valor as does this ancient city in Al Anbar province forty miles west of Baghdad. This sprawling concrete jungle was the scene of two major U.S. combat operations in 2004. The first was Operation Vigilant Resolve, an aborted effort that April by U.S. Marines intent on punishing the city's insurgents. The second, Operation Phantom Fury, was launched seven months later. Richard Lowry's 'New Dawn: The Battles for Fallujah' is the first comprehensive history of this fighting.
Also known as the Second Battle for Fallujah, Operation Phantom Fury was a protracted house-to-house and street-to-street combat that began on November 7 and continued unabated for seven bloody and exhausting weeks. It was the largest fight of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the heaviest urban combat since the Battle of Hue City, Vietnam in 1968. Death and redemption were found everywhere, from narrow streets to courtyards, kitchens, bedrooms, and rooftops. By the time the fighting ended, more than 1,400 insurgents were dead, compared to ninety-five Americans (and another 1,000 wounded).”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
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Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Iraqis Arrest 5 al-Qaida in Iraq Associates
Compiled from U.S. Forces Iraq News Releases
June 23, 2010 - Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected associates of al-Qaida in Iraq members in recent operations in northern and central Iraq, military officials reported.
Northeast of Baghdad today, Iraqi forces searching with U.S. advisors for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader believed to be responsible for attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces arrested two suspected associates of the wanted man.
Southwest of Mosul today, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader allegedly responsible for the terrorist organization's operations. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest two suspected criminal associates of the wanted man.
West of Baghdad yesterday, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched several buildings in separate locations for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader who allegedly is involved in bombing attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces. Information and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest a suspected criminal associate of the wanted man.
Forces in Afghanistan Kill Taliban, Haqqani Leaders
Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2010 - Afghan and international security forces killed a large number of insurgents, including several key leaders for both the Haqqani terrorist network and the Taliban, in the Jani Khel district of Afghanistan's Paktia province earlier this week, military officials reported today.
The security force killed Hamiddullah, a Haqqani network commander for the Sabari district in Khost province. Hamiddullah had direct ties to Haqqani senior leaders based in Pakistan and he reportedly was responsible for an ambush of an Afghan army unit in March that resulted in the deaths of three Afghan police officers.
According to intelligence information and local police, news of Hamiddullah's death is expected to have significant disruptive effects on the insurgent network operating throughout Khost and Paktia, officials said.
Earlier this month, Afghan and international forces killed a number of Haqqani network fighters, including another Haqqani commander, Fazil Subhan, in Khost province.
In the recent two-day offensive operation on the largest insurgent camp in the area, assault forces also killed Qari Ismael, a Taliban leader for Jani Khel district, and Maulawi Sadiq, a known facilitator for foreign fighters.
After the fighting stopped, officials and village elders reported that a large number of foreign fighters, including Arabs, Uzbeks, Turks and Chechens, were among those killed. Afghan and coalition forces also found dozens of automatic weapons, multiple rocket-propelled grenade launchers and rounds, and communication equipment.
The Haqqani network is attempting to establish strongholds in the Khost-Gardez Pass in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Paktia and Khost provinces, officials said. Large numbers of foreign fighters remain interspersed in the ranks of the Taliban and Haqqani networks, and the area is used by insurgent groups to move supplies and foreign fighters into Afghanistan from Pakistan, they added.
No coalition forces were injured or killed despite engagement by heavily armed insurgents on four different occasions throughout the operation.
In an operation the night of June 21 in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Afghan security forces working with International Security Assistance Force partners found more than 11 tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer banned by the Afghan government because it can be used in making explosives.
Authorized by Afghanistan's interior ministry, Afghan special police surrounded a compound housing several insurgents. After ensuring all residents exited safely and arresting the insurgents, police found the ammonium nitrate.
Based on a current ISAF analysis, officials said, this discovery eliminated more than 500 potential roadside bombs.
In a separate action yesterday morning, a combined Afghan-international patrol conducted an operation in Kandahar province to disrupt a network known to sell illegal drugs to finance the Taliban insurgency. After surrounding the compound of interest, Afghan special police ensured all residents exited safely. A man was detained, and police seized more than 140 pounds of opium.
No civilians were injured in either operation.
In other news from Afghanistan:
-- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected insurgents while pursuing a Taliban commander in Zabul province last night. The security force found and destroyed automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade boosters and ammunition. No shots were fired, and no one was harmed during the operation.
-- A separate Afghan-international security force operation detained several suspected insurgents and found 30 pounds of opium in Helmand province last night while searching for the newly appointed Taliban deputy shadow governor for Nawah-ya Barakzai district. No one was harmed, and the combined force protected a number of women and children during the operation.
-- An Afghan-international security force detained the Taliban's recently appointed chief of finance for Baghlan province, along with two other suspected insurgents, in Helmand the night of June 21. The Taliban finance chief also is a bomb-making expert and former district commander of at least three insurgent cells in Baghlan. No shots were fired, and the combined force protected the women and children present during the search. This operation continues a string of recent successes against Taliban networks in Baghlan, officials noted. In late May, combined forces removed three successively appointed Taliban provincial shadow governors for the province. Mullah Ruhullah was killed along with his deputy on May 14. His replacement, Maulawi Jabbar, was killed along with two Taliban commanders on May 28. Three days later, his replacement was detained by Afghan and coalition forces.
-- Also on the night of June 21, combined forces acting on an Afghan civilian's tip detained two foreign fighters in Kandahar province while pursuing the Dand district's Taliban military commander, who is linked to suicide-bomb attacks in the province. No shots were fired, and the combined force protected women and children present during the search that led to the detention of two Pakistani men.
-- On June 21, a combined security force detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand's Nawa Barak district while pursuing a senior Taliban commander who operates in the area. The commander is a bomb-attack facilitator and Taliban fund raiser, officials said, and also is suspected of involvement in suicide-bomb attacks.
-- Afghan and international partners conducted an operation in Helmand province the night of June 20 to disrupt a Taliban network that supplies explosives and other materials used in roadside bombs. When several insurgents failed to follow directions from Afghan special police and presented a deadly threat to the combined force, they were killed. Police ensured the remaining residents left the compound safely. Women and children were protected, and two men were taken into custody. No civilians were injured.
-- An Afghan-international patrol confiscated more than a ton and a half of unprocessed opium and more than 20 pounds of heroin during a vehicle search June 21 in Helmand's Garm Ser district. Two individuals were captured and detained when they fled from the vehicle.
WASHINGTON, June 23, 2010 - Afghan and international security forces killed a large number of insurgents, including several key leaders for both the Haqqani terrorist network and the Taliban, in the Jani Khel district of Afghanistan's Paktia province earlier this week, military officials reported today.
The security force killed Hamiddullah, a Haqqani network commander for the Sabari district in Khost province. Hamiddullah had direct ties to Haqqani senior leaders based in Pakistan and he reportedly was responsible for an ambush of an Afghan army unit in March that resulted in the deaths of three Afghan police officers.
According to intelligence information and local police, news of Hamiddullah's death is expected to have significant disruptive effects on the insurgent network operating throughout Khost and Paktia, officials said.
Earlier this month, Afghan and international forces killed a number of Haqqani network fighters, including another Haqqani commander, Fazil Subhan, in Khost province.
In the recent two-day offensive operation on the largest insurgent camp in the area, assault forces also killed Qari Ismael, a Taliban leader for Jani Khel district, and Maulawi Sadiq, a known facilitator for foreign fighters.
After the fighting stopped, officials and village elders reported that a large number of foreign fighters, including Arabs, Uzbeks, Turks and Chechens, were among those killed. Afghan and coalition forces also found dozens of automatic weapons, multiple rocket-propelled grenade launchers and rounds, and communication equipment.
The Haqqani network is attempting to establish strongholds in the Khost-Gardez Pass in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Paktia and Khost provinces, officials said. Large numbers of foreign fighters remain interspersed in the ranks of the Taliban and Haqqani networks, and the area is used by insurgent groups to move supplies and foreign fighters into Afghanistan from Pakistan, they added.
No coalition forces were injured or killed despite engagement by heavily armed insurgents on four different occasions throughout the operation.
In an operation the night of June 21 in the Afghan capital of Kabul, Afghan security forces working with International Security Assistance Force partners found more than 11 tons of ammonium nitrate, a fertilizer banned by the Afghan government because it can be used in making explosives.
Authorized by Afghanistan's interior ministry, Afghan special police surrounded a compound housing several insurgents. After ensuring all residents exited safely and arresting the insurgents, police found the ammonium nitrate.
Based on a current ISAF analysis, officials said, this discovery eliminated more than 500 potential roadside bombs.
In a separate action yesterday morning, a combined Afghan-international patrol conducted an operation in Kandahar province to disrupt a network known to sell illegal drugs to finance the Taliban insurgency. After surrounding the compound of interest, Afghan special police ensured all residents exited safely. A man was detained, and police seized more than 140 pounds of opium.
No civilians were injured in either operation.
In other news from Afghanistan:
-- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected insurgents while pursuing a Taliban commander in Zabul province last night. The security force found and destroyed automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade boosters and ammunition. No shots were fired, and no one was harmed during the operation.
-- A separate Afghan-international security force operation detained several suspected insurgents and found 30 pounds of opium in Helmand province last night while searching for the newly appointed Taliban deputy shadow governor for Nawah-ya Barakzai district. No one was harmed, and the combined force protected a number of women and children during the operation.
-- An Afghan-international security force detained the Taliban's recently appointed chief of finance for Baghlan province, along with two other suspected insurgents, in Helmand the night of June 21. The Taliban finance chief also is a bomb-making expert and former district commander of at least three insurgent cells in Baghlan. No shots were fired, and the combined force protected the women and children present during the search. This operation continues a string of recent successes against Taliban networks in Baghlan, officials noted. In late May, combined forces removed three successively appointed Taliban provincial shadow governors for the province. Mullah Ruhullah was killed along with his deputy on May 14. His replacement, Maulawi Jabbar, was killed along with two Taliban commanders on May 28. Three days later, his replacement was detained by Afghan and coalition forces.
-- Also on the night of June 21, combined forces acting on an Afghan civilian's tip detained two foreign fighters in Kandahar province while pursuing the Dand district's Taliban military commander, who is linked to suicide-bomb attacks in the province. No shots were fired, and the combined force protected women and children present during the search that led to the detention of two Pakistani men.
-- On June 21, a combined security force detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand's Nawa Barak district while pursuing a senior Taliban commander who operates in the area. The commander is a bomb-attack facilitator and Taliban fund raiser, officials said, and also is suspected of involvement in suicide-bomb attacks.
-- Afghan and international partners conducted an operation in Helmand province the night of June 20 to disrupt a Taliban network that supplies explosives and other materials used in roadside bombs. When several insurgents failed to follow directions from Afghan special police and presented a deadly threat to the combined force, they were killed. Police ensured the remaining residents left the compound safely. Women and children were protected, and two men were taken into custody. No civilians were injured.
-- An Afghan-international patrol confiscated more than a ton and a half of unprocessed opium and more than 20 pounds of heroin during a vehicle search June 21 in Helmand's Garm Ser district. Two individuals were captured and detained when they fled from the vehicle.
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