Panetta Lands in Brussels for Afghan-focused NATO Meetings

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

BRUSSELS, Feb. 20, 2013 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrived here today and will spend the rest of the week at NATO headquarters, attending defense meetings and engaging his counterparts in one-on-one discussions.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta arrives in Brussels, Feb. 20, 2013, to attend NATO meetings with fellow defense ministers and engage his counterparts in one-on-one discussions. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little is traveling with Panetta and told reporters the secretary is scheduled to meet separately tomorrow and Feb. 22 with Italian, Afghan, British, Australian, German and French defense leaders, as well as with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

The secretary also will attend the NATO-Ukraine Commission and a meeting with representatives of NATO International Security Assistance Force troop-contributing nations.

Little said this week’s meetings will focus largely on the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. He noted Panetta will also meet here with Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., who assumed command of ISAF and U.S. forces in Afghanistan on Feb. 12 and will attend the NATO meetings.

Following President Barack Obama’s announcement that 34,000 U.S. troops will leave Afghanistan over the next year, Little added, the secretary is looking forward to discussing the follow-on issues with partners: the war effort, the transition to Afghan security lead, the “glide slope” that troop withdrawals will follow, and the enduring presence NATO will maintain in Afghanistan after 2014.

Little noted that Panetta remains hopeful senators will expeditiously confirm his nominated replacement, former U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, when they return to the Hill next week. Panetta -- who landed here the same day he issued a warning to the defense civilian workforce about possible budget-related short-term layoffs, or “furloughs” -- remains deeply concerned about the U.S. deficit and the government operating on continuing resolutions instead of an approved budget, Little said.

The spokesman said the threat of major across-the-board spending cuts that will take effect March 1 unless Congress agrees on an alternative has implications for U.S. contributions to the NATO alliance. He noted that Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have repeatedly warned that the cuts would damage U.S. military readiness, and that the alliance shares the same danger.
“We would not be able to train bilaterally, and bilateral training equals input to alliance readiness,” Little said. “We're also talking about the prospect of not being able to engage in rotational deployments in Europe.”

The Navy already has canceled the deployment of one carrier group, Little said. “That is a direct result of budget uncertainty in Washington,” he added. “So, you put all of this together: U.S. lack of readiness equals NATO lack of readiness.”

Although the looming spending cuts are a disturbing agenda item for a gathering of defense ministers, Little said, Panetta “is definitely going to talk about the prospect of sequestration and what it might mean for our forces … and the alliance.”

Tracker Airmen protect Bagram

by Staff Sgt. David Dobrydney
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

2/19/2013 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- A group of Airmen from the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron is combining the old school skills of tracking with modern technology to bring a new capability to the fight.

"It stemmed from a lot of research in preparation for our deployment," Staff Sgt. Benjamin DeSantiago said, a 455th ESFS Reaper team tracker. "We thought instead of just simply conducting routine base defense ... why not actually attempt to find the insurgents right on the spot."

DeSantiago credits his team's officer-in-charge, 1st Lt. Joshua Loomis, with gaining approval from leadership for the team to learn the necessary skills. The three-man team would eventually arrive at the tactical tracking operation school on Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.

"We informed the president of the school of our mission and told him what our needs were in preparation for our deployment," DeSantiago said, "(and) he tailored the school solely around air base defense to help us out."

When the Airmen first arrived for training, they did indeed think there were going to be playing cowboys.

"We thought we would end up putting our ears to the ground and listening to the winds for signs of our quarry," DeSantiago recalled.

However, the primitive was soon merged with the modern.

"(The instructor) taught us the proper emplacement of unattended ground sensors," DeSantiago said. "By using these sensors and emplacing them in areas of interest we can focus our patrols."

By the time of their arrival on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, the tracker Airmen were ready to put their skills to the test.

"Whenever there is an attack, we act as a quick response force," DeSantiago said. "We are always on call. We go out with the responding team and assess where the insurgents came from and where they went to by tracking the ground spoor (indicators of a human presence), aerial spoor and any ground sign left behind."

While trackers can be found in the Army, they are rarer in the Air Force, a fact these Airmen are proud of to p.

"The instructor informed us that there were only a handful of us in the Air Force that he pushed through his course as certified U.S. Army trackers," DeSantiago said.

On the other hand, having a special mission can bring its own set of challenges.

"There are only three of us certified and our capabilities are unique and new, especially to the base defense mission," DeSantiago said. "So we are learning a lot and improving daily."

However, those that would seek to do harm should beware. The trackers recently completed their first mission, investigating a specific area for insurgent activity.

"We reconned the whole area," Loomis said, " ... looking for vehicle tracks, footprints, trash left behind, so we could limit the search to a specific focus."

Having identified multiple trails that could be used by insurgents, the trackers placed their sensors and will augment them with cameras if the sensors yield results.

Loomis added that the trackers are training other security forces Airmen to expand the number of teams that can go out on future missions.

"We have plans in place to utilize this skill set," Loomis said. "We're pretty excited."

Panetta offers campaign context for troop drawdown

by Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

2/19/2013 - WASHINGTON -- The President's announcement yesterday that 34,000 U.S. troops will come out of Afghanistan in the next 12 months makes sense in the context of the broader campaign, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Feb. 15.

During what he called his last Pentagon news conference, the secretary noted that when he assumed his position in mid-2011, the U.S. troop surge was fully in place, with about 100,000 Service members on the ground there.

"These additional forces have expanded our footprint and provided the combat power necessary to disrupt the insurgency and push it out of its traditional strongholds, particularly in the south," he said.

In the not quite two years since, the secretary said, U.S. and coalition forces have partnered closely with their Afghan counterparts, which are now at their full end strength of 352,000. Those forces are leading nearly 90 percent of security operations in Afghanistan, and are responsible for the security of more than three-fourths of the people, he said.

"They have retained security gains even as the United States has drawn down the surge forces that we had there, the 33,000," Panetta said.

He added that Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, who Feb. 10 turned over command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan as well as NATO's International Security Assistance Force, had for the past several months thoroughly assessed the campaign plan and what troop strength is required to carry it out. Panetta said he fully supported Allen's recommendations, which informed the president's decision.

"The president's decision, announced last night, ... puts us firmly on a path, I believe, to fulfill our mission in
Afghanistan," he said.

The secretary said he's confident the new ISAF commander, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., "will have the combat power he needs to protect our forces and to continue building up the capabilities of the Afghan national security forces."

The United States, NATO, and the Afghan government set a course in 2010 that leads to Afghan forces assuming full responsibility for their nation's security by the end of 2014.

"We are well on track for that goal," Panetta said. "And we will maintain a long-term commitment to Afghanistan, including through the continued training and equipping of Afghan forces and counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida and their affiliates."

As he prepares to hand over his responsibilities as secretary of defense, Panetta said, "with the continued dedication and sacrifice of our troops, I am fully confident ... that we will prevail in denying al-Qaida a safe haven from which to attack our homeland."

Precision Strike Kills Insurgents in Kunar Province

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2013 – A precision strike in the Ghaziabad district of Afghanistan’s Kunar province yesterday killed two insurgents, military officials reported.

Afghan and coalition forces saw the two men engaging in insurgent activity and called in the strike, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- A combined Afghan and coalition security force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district arrested a Taliban leader who was believed to be responsible for coordinating improvised explosive device operations against local police. He also was responsible for IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and Afghan civilians.

-- In Kandahar province’s Arghistan district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who allegedly is responsible for an IED attack network in the province’s Spin Boldak, Arghistan and Maruf districts. He also is believed to have distributed ammunition and heavy weapons to insurgents.

-- Also in Kandahar’s Arghistan district, a combined force detained three insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader believed to be responsible for acquiring and distributing weapons and conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force ordered a precision strike that killed an insurgent in Ghazni province’s Andar district.

-- A combined force in Kunduz province’s Aliabad district arrested six insurgents associated with a Taliban IED expert who allegedly oversees attacks on Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In Paktia province’s Gardez district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator who allegedly has been involved with vehicle-borne IED attacks in Khost and Paktia provinces. He also is accused of conducting the movement of insurgent fighters between Gardez and Jalalabad districts for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized a rifle and ammunition.

-- A combined force in Nangarhar province’s Khugyani district arrested a Taliban leader who allegedly provided operational guidance to other local Taliban leaders and oversaw 10 insurgents who used heavy weapons and explosives to attack Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained another suspect and seized ammunition.

-- In Logar province’s Charkh district, a combined force arrested two insurgents while searching for a senior Taliban leader suspected of directing attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and supplying weapons and IEDs to insurgents. The security force also seized a rifle and ammunition as a result.
In Feb. 17 operations:

-- A combined force killed senior Taliban leader Khan Mohammad and another insurgent after seeing them engaged in insurgent activity in Helmand province’s Musa Qalah district. Khan Mohammad, also known as Shams, coordinated direct attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and participated in Taliban kidnapping operations. He facilitated the supply of weapons to insurgents.

-- In Baghlan province’s Baghlan-e Jadid district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who allegedly oversaw the gathering and coordinating of munitions, fighters and logistics for higher-level Taliban leaders. He is suspected of facilitating the movement of fighters and heavy weapons for a planned attack against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two other suspected insurgents.

-- A combined force in Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district detained four insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader suspected of overseeing insurgents responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- In Logar province’s Charkh district, a combined force killed two insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader believed to transport weapons and explosives and oversee IED operations in the district. The security force also seized assault rifles with ammunition and several grenades in the operation.

-- A combined force in Nangarhar province’s Sherzad district killed an insurgent during a search for a Taliban leader who oversees 20 insurgents responsible for attacks against Afghan and collation forces. The security force also seized assault rifles with associated gear and several grenades in the operation.

-- In Kandahar province’s Panjwai district, a combined force killed a Taliban leader who coordinated and executed attacks against Afghan local police checkpoints and personnel. He was a weapons expert, and recently involved in taking three local police officers hostage, officials said.

-- A combined force in Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district arrested a Taliban leader believed to oversee insurgents responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He oversaw procurement and delivery of weapons and IEDs to insurgents and is suspected of personally executing high-profile IED attacks, officials said. The security force also detained three other suspected insurgents.

In Feb. 16 operations:

-- A combined force in Khost province’s Khost district arrested a high-profile attack facilitator believed to be associated with both Taliban and Haqqani insurgent networks. He is accused of assisting in the transfer and delivery of heavy weapons, equipment and ammunition and of coordinating a vehicle-borne IED attack targeting Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two other suspected insurgents and seized firearms and ammunition.

-- In Logar province’s Pul-e Alam district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator believed to be responsible for planning and preparing attacks targeting Afghan and coalition forces and facilitating the acquisition of IEDs and other weapons. He also allegedly produced and transported homemade explosives and executed IED attacks. The security force also detained two other suspected insurgents.

Renowned War Correspondent Endorses Breaking Iraq

Joseph Galloway Comments

On March 19, 2013, ten years to the day, a book about the poorly planned invasion of Iraq by coalition forces to dethrone Saddam, and the following year of confusion, disorder, and poor leadership wrought by the same poor planning, will be in bookstores nationally. Breaking Iraq, the Ten Mistakes That Broke Iraq  co-authored by retired U.S. Army Colonel Ted Spain and retired FBI official Terry Turchie is drawing attention.

Joseph Galloway, the renowned war correspondent and author knows much about war. He has written about it for nationally syndicated news organizations, and once in the thick of battle in Vietnam carried wounded troopers to safety for which he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor by the U.S. Army, the only civilian so honored. He read the advance review copy of Breaking Iraq with great interest. His comments:

“A tough Army Military Police commander, partnered with a former FBI agent, has given us the straight skinny on the serial disasters that attended the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the months immediately following:  Baghdad burning. Abu Ghraib torture cells. An insurgency we built ourselves. Col. Teddy Spain doesn't shy away from the truth---from a Secretary of Defense who imposed his own personal and uninformed choices on intricately balanced deployment schedules, to a civilian "American Czar" whose every decision led straight to bloody disaster, to an Army commander in way over his head--- BREAKING IRAQ tells it like it was. The lessons are here for the learning.”

Mr. Galloway’s perspective captures the essence of   Breaking Iraq:the Ten Mistakes that Broke Iraq. Lessons are to be learned and as Pulitzer Prize winner Tom Ricks says in the Foreword “…from it the reader will learn much about what went wrong in Iraq.”

Co-author Colonel (Retired) Ted Spain is a native of Wendell, North Carolina; He is an inductee into both the US Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and the US Army Military Police Regimental Hall of Fame. In the Army, he served in key leadership positions, culminating as Commander of the 18th Military Police Brigade during the ground war and first year of Operation  Iraqi Freedom. He is currently the Director of the Tactical Force Operations Division, at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, a major storage site for special nuclear material. He resides in Aiken, South Carolina.

Co-author Terry D. Turchie is a former Deputy Assistant Director of   the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI. His leadership was the driving forces behind the capture of the two most elusive and solitary domestic terrorists in U.S. history. He is a recipient of the FBI Director’s Award as well as the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. He resides in Danville, California.

Click here for more information on Terry Turchie and here for more information on Ted Spain.

Breaking Iraq: the Ten Mistakes that Broke Iraq will be published by History Publishing Company and will be in bookstores nationally on March 19.

Justice Rolls Slowly in Alleged 9/11 Suspects’ Case

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

FORT MEADE, Md., Feb. 15, 2013 – The latest round of pre-trial hearings for the alleged 9/11 mastermind and four accomplices wrapped up yesterday at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, much as it started: with hours of wrangling over legal and privacy issues and continued protests by the defense team that the system is rigged.

Army Col. James Pohl, the commission judge, concluded four days of pre-trial hearings in the case against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and accomplices Walid Muhammad Salih Mubarak Bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abdul Aziz Ali, and Mustafa Ahmed Adam al Hawsawi.

All five defendants were captured in Pakistan in 2002 and 2003 and have been confined at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.

They were charged during their arraignment in May 2012 with terrorism, conspiracy, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, murder in violation of the law of war, destruction of property in violation of the law of war, hijacking or hazarding a vessel or aircraft. The prosecution has since requested that the conspiracy charge be dropped.

Among the most significant developments during this week’s proceedings was the revelation that microphones as well as cameras have been hidden in several locations around the detention facility -- including inside what looked like smoke detectors in rooms where defense attorneys meet with their clients.

Detention officials told the court these measures were taken for security reasons only, and prosecutors insisted that they have never eavesdropped on privileged conversations between the defendants and their counsel. The defense, however, called the mere presence of the microphones an ethics violation that undermines their ability to provide a valid defense.

Pohl ordered that the microphones be removed from rooms where the attorneys meet with clients, and agreed to a defense request that they be held so they can be inspected later, if the defense wishes to.

Defense attorneys also charged that the defendants’ property, including confidential mail from their lawyers, had been seized from their cells this week while they appeared in court. Bin Attash, who was among those who reported missing items, stood up and began to address the judge about the matter. Pohl threatened to have him removed from the courtroom if he did not sit down, but assured him he would have an opportunity to speak later, under oath.

Navy Lt. Cdr. George Masucco, the detention facility’s assistant staff judge advocate, told the court that the guards seized what they believed to be contraband materials during routine safety inspections earlier this week. Among the suspect material was a photo of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, a metal pen, toilet paper that had English writing on it and mail that had not been properly marked to indicate it had been reviewed for content.

Masucco confirmed during cross examination that some of the challenged materials, including the photo, did, in fact, have the proper markings. However, he noted that some of those stamps didn’t conform to established detention center requirements, such as the reviewer’s initials.

Defense Attorney Cheryl Bormann argued that repeated inspections of the same materials by guards who rotate through assignments at Guantanamo Bay amounts to harassment. This led to a long discussion about the difference between an inspection and a search, and who needs to be present when one is conducted.

Army Brig. Gen. Mark Martins, chief prosecutor for the Office of Military Commissions, told the judge the camp commander would conduct an investigation to determine facts regarding the latest seizures. That information will be reported to the court within seven days, he said.

In addition, Pohl gave the defense a week to come up with recommended language about inspection protocols, and said the prosecution will get a week to comment on it. Based on that input, the judge said he will make a ruling to clear up future confusion.

In another matter, Navy Cmdr. Walter Ruiz, one of the defense attorneys, told the judge he had not received the support he needed within the timeframe he needed it, including security clearances for the translator he had requested.

Retired Navy Adm. Bruce MacDonald, the convening authority for the commissions, disputed Ruiz’ claim, telling the court during testimony delivered via teleconference that he had complied with the defense’s requests. MacDonald said he will step down from his three-year appointment when it expires March 21, before the next series of pre-trial hearings, scheduled for April.

All five defendants appeared in the courtroom yesterday. Mohammed, with a bright red beard, wore a traditional white turban and, in a concession the court granted at an earlier pre-trial hearing, a camouflage vest.

Combined Force Kills Taliban Leader in Nangarhar Province

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 13, 2013 – A combined Afghan and coalition force killed a Taliban leader in the Khugyani district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province today, military officials reported.

Mojib, also known as Mansoor, conducted direct-fire attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. He was directly associated with Taliban senior leadership operating in Khugyani district and procured rocket-propelled grenades to be used in an attack on a coalition aircraft, officials said.
The security force seized assault rifles with associated gear as well as several grenades and a pistol in the operation.

Also today, a combined force in Khost province’s Terayzai district arrested a Haqqani network leader who is accused of conducting attacks and kidnappings.

The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized grenades, an assault rifle with associated ammunition, an Afghan army uniform and two Afghan army identification cards in the operation.
In Afghanistan operations yesterday:

-- Afghan and coalition forces called in a precision airstrike in Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district that killed a Taliban leader responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also helped insurgents obtain heavy weapons. A post-strike assessment determined no civilians were harmed and no property was damaged in the operation.

-- A combined force called in a precision strike that killed two insurgents in Kunar province’s Ghaziabad district. A post-operation assessment determined no civilians were harmed and no civilian property was damaged in the operation.

-- In Kandahar province’s Maiwand district, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator believed responsible for coordinating and conducting insurgent operations.

Former Department of Defense Contractor Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Smuggling Kickback Proceeds from Afghanistan to the United States

A former employee of a Department of Defense contracting company at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in prison for attempting to smuggle $150,000 in kickback proceeds he received for steering U.S. government subcontracts to an Afghan company, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom of the District of Kansas.

 Donald Gene Garst, 51, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie A. Robinson in Topeka.  In addition to his prison term, Garst was sentenced to serve one year of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $52,117.  The department previously forfeited the $150,000 Garst had attempted to smuggle into the United States.  

Garst pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2012, to a one-count information charging him with bulk cash smuggling.  According to court documents, Garst was employed by a private U.S. company that was contracted by the U.S. government and its armed forces at Bagram Airfield from January 2009 to May 2011.  Garst was involved in identifying, evaluating and monitoring subcontracts awarded to Afghan companies by his employer, and he used his position to meet executives of an Afghan construction company called Somo Logistics.  Garst then entered into an agreement with the Afghans under which he would receive kickback payments on a contract-by-contract basis in return for treating Somo Logisitcs favorably in the contracting process.

In December 2010, Garst accepted a kickback for $60,000 on the first subcontract awarded to Somo Logistics.  The subcontract was for the term lease of heavy equipment meant to be used for construction on Bagram Airfield.  Garst hand-carried approximately $20,000 of the kickback proceeds into the United States, and he received the remainder via a series of structured wire transfers from Somo Logistics executives.

In May 2011, Garst accepted a $150,000 kickback for a second subcontract for the lease of heavy construction equipment.  Garst shipped the $150,000 in cash to the United States, and his failure to declare the value of the shipment was discovered by law enforcement.

Garst had further agreed to receive $400,000 on a third subcontract, but his scheme was discovered by law enforcement before he could receive that payment.         

 This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Trial Attorney Wade Weems of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.  The case was investigated by Special Agents with the Army Criminal Investigations Division and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, with assistance from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and the FBI.

President Awards Medal of Honor to Afghanistan Veteran

By C. Todd Lopez
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 – President Barack Obama placed the Medal of Honor around the neck of former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha during a ceremony yesterday in the East Room of the White House.

President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 11, 2013. Romesha received the Medal of Honor for his actions during a daylong firefight in Afghanistan in October 2009. U.S. Army photo by Leroy Council   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Romesha, the fourth living service member to receive the medal for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, earned the Medal of Honor for actions Oct. 3, 2009, at Combat Outpost Keating in the Kamdesh district of Afghanistan’s Nuristan province.

On that morning, Combat Outpost Keating -- manned by only 53 soldiers and situated at the bottom of a steep valley -- came under attack by as many as 300 Taliban fighters.

During the fight, the enemy breached the outpost’s perimeter. Romesha, who was injured in the battle, led the fight to protect the bodies of fallen soldiers, provide cover to those soldiers seeking medical assistance and reclaim the American outpost that later would be deemed "tactically indefensible."

"Throughout history, the question has often been asked, ‘Why? Why do those in uniform take such extraordinary risks? And what compels them to such courage?’" the president said. "You ask Clint and any of these soldiers who are here today, and they'll tell you. Yes, they fight for their country, and they fight for our freedom. Yes, they fight to come home to their families. But most of all, they fight for each other -- to keep each other safe and to have each other's backs."

The White House ceremony was attended by several hundred, including lawmakers, defense leaders, Romesha's family, and team members from Romesha's own Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Also in attendance were Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III.

The president said that upon learning he would receive the Medal of Honor, Romesha displayed the brand of humility typical of many soldiers.

"When I called Clint to tell him that he would receive this medal, he said he was honored, but he also said, 'It wasn't just me out there. It was a team effort,'" the president said. "And so today we also honor this American team, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice."

Included among those who died in the fighting that day in Afghanistan were Pfc. Kevin Thomson, Sgt. Michael Scusa, Sgt. Joshua Kirk, Sgt. Christopher Griffin, Staff Sgt. Justin Gallegos, Staff Sgt. Vernon Martin, Sgt. Joshua Hardt, and Spc. Stephan Mace.

"Each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other," Obama said. "In a battle that raged all day, that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again -- soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety, tending to each other's wounds, [and] performing 'buddy transfusions' -- giving each other their own blood."

Obama noted that it wasn't just Romesha who earned recognition for his actions that day. From that battle, soldiers earned 37 Army Commendation Medals, 27 Purple Hearts, 18 Bronze Stars and nine Silver Stars, the president said.

"These men were outnumbered, outgunned and almost overrun," Obama said. "Looking back, one of them said, 'I'm surprised any of us made it out.' But they are here today. And I would ask these soldiers -- this band of brothers -- to stand and accept the gratitude of our entire nation.

"God bless you, Clint Romesha, and all of your team," the president said. "God bless all who serve. And God bless the United States of America.”

The president then asked that the Medal of Honor citation be read, and following that, he placed the medal around Romesha's neck.

Coalition, Afghan Forces Arrest Weapons Distributor

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 12, 2013 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in the Khanabad district of Afghanistan’s Kunduz province today, military officials reported.

The leader allegedly facilitates distribution of weapons and assists in improvised explosive device operations in the district, officials said, adding that he oversees the acquisition, transfer and delivery of IED materials and explosives to insurgents.

Another suspected insurgent also was detained, and the security force seized firearms and ammunition in the operation.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Ghazni province’s Andar district arrested a Taliban leader who allegedly has directly led attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and also has logistical and command responsibilities. He was engaged in the arms trade involving weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and IEDs. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized a heavy machine gun with ammunition and some assault rifle ammunition.

-- In Nangarhar province’s Khugyani district, a combined force detained three insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader believed to be responsible for planning and conducting attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized several assault rifles with associated equipment and ammunition.
In operations yesterday:

-- A precision strike in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district killed a Taliban leader and facilitator who organized attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- Also in Kandahar’s Maiwand district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader believed to be directly responsible for the coordination of complex attacks. His subordinate fighters were linked to several attacks on Afghan and coalition forces in the district, officials said. The security force also detained three suspected insurgents.

Combined Force Searching for Taliban Leader Detains Insurgents

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force in the Maiwand district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province today detained four insurgents while searching of a senior Taliban leader, military officials reported. The sought-after Taliban leader allegedly coordinates complex attacks and facilitates distribution of insurgent rockets, mortars, rifles and improvised explosive devices, officials said. Also today, a combined force in Wardak province’s Sayyidabad district arrested a Taliban leader believed to organize, facilitate and conduct IED attacks. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized a firearm. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In Kunar province’s Ghaziabad district, a precision airstrike killed two armed insurgents. -- Taliban leaders Afshin and Ismail were killed in Logar province’s Baraki Barak district. Afshin was directly involved in a Dec. 24 attack that killed an American service member and a Dec. 28 attack that killed an Afghan soldier. Ismail was the district’s deputy Taliban leader for the winter. He issued guidance on attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and financed the acquisition of IED-making materials, rockets and ammunition for heavy weapons. The security force also seized hand grenades and an assault-rifle with associated gear and ammunition. -- A combined force arrested two Taliban leaders in Kunduz province’s Kunduz district. One is accused of gathering materials and facilitating logistics for IED attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. The second is believed to be an IED cell member and weapons facilitator operating in the Baghlan-e Jadid district. -- In Paktia province’s Zurmat district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader accused IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He is also believed to have overseen nearly 45 insurgent fighters. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized an assault rifle with associated gear and ammunition. In Feb. 9 operations: -- A precision strike in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district killed Taliban leader Abdul Baki, also known as Ruzi. He was known to operate as part of an extensive insurgent network in Uruzgan, Helmand and Kandahar provinces. He was responsible for coordinating complex attacks against Afghan and coalition forces using suicide bombers. -- A combined force in Khost province’s Sabari district detained a Haqqani network leader believed to be responsible for attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. He also accused of weapons and ammunition facilitation and coordinating the transfer of IEDs and weapon systems. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent and seized IED-making materials, homemade explosives, ammunition, hand grenades, and mortar rocket charges. -- In Nimroz province’s Khash Rod district, a combined force arrested a Taliban facilitator believed to have coordinated the movement of lethal aid, weapons and ammunition to insurgent networks throughout Helmand province’s Nad-e Ali district. He is accused of being directly responsible for preparing, organizing and transporting a large shipment of illegal material and directing fighters in ambush attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent. -- A combined force in Baghlan province’s Burkah district arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader believed to oversee intelligence operations and IED emplacement. He is also accused of providing safe haven for Taliban insurgents traveling through Burkah district. The security force also detained another suspected insurgent. In a Feb. 8 operation, a combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district arrested a Taliban leader who operated out of central Kandahar City. He is believed responsible for organizing IED operations targeting Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained two other suspected insurgents.

McChord Airmen participate in Mali airlift operations

by Tech. Sgt. Sean Tobin
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

2/7/2013 - JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Since Jan. 21, when the U.S. began operations to support French efforts against extremist forces in Mali, U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft have flown nearly 60 missions, transporting more than 1,200 tons of cargo and more than 950 passengers into the region.

More than 30 of those missions have been completed by Airmen and aircraft from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings here.

"This has truly been a great opportunity to support our allies," said Maj. Joshua Pieper, 62nd Airlift Wing Plans and Programs chief of exercises and evaluations, currently working as the stage manager and chief of stage tactics in Istres, France. "The French Air Force has been extremely flexible and motivated partners in supporting of our C-17 missions."

Pieper, along with other aircrew members, maintainers and support personnel, departed McChord Field within eight hours of being notified. Upon their arrival to Istres, they quickly got to work setting up a base of operations. This required the team to overcome some obstacles first, since Istres is not a typical staging location for McChord aircraft.

"When we first arrived, we had no DSN or network capabilities," he said. "We relied on local cell phones and the French military's equipment to help manage our assets and contact our command and control."

Eventually, members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and Travis AFB, Calif., were able to install equipment which enhanced communications.

Soon after, the team went to work, transporting French soldiers and military equipment from Istres to Bamako, Mali.

"The best part of this mission is being able to take part in something important and being able to say, 'I was there. I helped make that happen,'" said Airman 1st Class Evan Rosenboom, 62nd Operations Support Squadron aviation resource management journeymen.

Since the start of the airlift missions, the U.S. and French teams have worked closely together to prepare and load equipment onto the C-17s.

"It's a good thing for us to work together on things like this, because we want to be an asset to the operation, not a hindrance," said French air force Maj. Eric Chabaud, who is the chief of aircraft services in Istres. "We have a very good relationship with the Americans here right now and we help them any time we can."

Though the team does not know how long they'll be in Istres, they remain ready to do whatever it takes to carry out the mission.

"We will continue to work closely with and support France and other partner nations to resolve the security situation in Mali," said Pieper.

Official Stresses Importance of 2014 Afghan Elections

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 – The Afghan presidential elections now set for April 2014 are looming ever larger as a milestone for measuring progress in the country, NATO officials in Afghanistan said yesterday.

How the Afghan forces protect voting and how the Afghan people accept the results will be key to the long-term success of the country, said a senior International Security Assistance Force official speaking on background.

Things are looking up in Afghanistan, the official said, but there are many hurdles to overcome. Only 22 months remain in the ISAF mandate. By spring, Afghan forces will be leading security operations throughout the country. By the end of 2014, Afghan forces will shoulder the security burden themselves as the NATO mission ends.

The Taliban are also looking forward, the official said. “There will be a ’13 fighting season,” he said. The Taliban will be up against 352,000 members of the Afghan security forces. That force has grown in capability as it has grown in size, the official said.

There will be negotiations and talks between the Taliban and the international community. “From my vantage point I think it’s a delaying tactic,” he said. “They’ve gone through 12 years of war and they are 22 months away from a very small presence.”

He said Afghan Taliban leaders in Quetta, Pakistan, are looking at three key things over the next two years. First, how good are the Afghan security forces? Second, what will be the U.S. and NATO investment in the country after 2015? And the third are the April 5, 2014, elections.

“[The elections] are probably the most critical thing that will happen in the next 22 months,” he said. Afghans will go to the polls to elect a new president and provincial councils. The last election, in 2009, was marred by allegations of vote fraud. It is supremely important that these new elections go well and that Afghans accept the outcome, the official said.

The official spoke about the changes in Afghanistan since the surge of U.S. and NATO forces ended. The surge did what it was supposed to do, he said, buy time for Afghans to field their forces. Now Afghan soldiers and police are in the lead in security through most of the country and have grown in size and capabilities.

This is a long way from January 2009, the official noted, when the entire Afghanistan campaign looked like a failure. “In January 2009, Kandahar was at risk [and] the central Helmand Valley was at risk,” he said. “There were a number of attacks into Kabul.”

Then-ISAF commander Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s assessment was that the actual campaign was at risk and asked for additional troops. “Take where we were in 2009 and jump to the end of the surge … in September 2012,” the official said. “As I see the battlespace, I can honestly say that you have a less capable, less popular and less of an existential threat when you look at the insurgency. But you still have a threat.”

And the threat will remain in January 2015, but the Afghans should be able to manage it.

Like Afghanistan itself, statistics that look at violence in the country are complex. “When people look at statistics, they say that you have virtually inconsequential changes from ’11 to ’12,” he said. “If you just look at those numbers without the context there is so much you miss.”

Last year was about holding the gains that the surge made possible, he said. The Afghans moved to the lead as the United States pulled 23,000 personnel out of the country in September 2012.
Afghan forces held the ground and actually expanded their control in the area west of Kandahar and in the Helmand River Valley, the official said.

Another piece of the statistics equation is where the violence was happening. “What we were able to do in 2012 was slowly start separating the insurgency from the major population centers,” he said.

The violence in 2012 happened increasingly in sparsely settled rural areas, the official said, noting that in surveys, Afghans report they feel safer and believe the Taliban is not coming back.

Violence is still a problem and the official said 17 districts out of the 402 in the nation are where 50 percent of the violence occurs. Put another way, 80 percent of the attacks occur where 20 percent of the population live. The worst districts are in northern Helmand.

The Haqqani network specializes in high-profile attacks, the official said. “If there is an attack in Kabul it gets the press ... It gives the impression that Kabul is under siege, which is not the case.”
Afghan forces have responded quickly and professionally to attacks in the capital, another sign of their continued maturation, he said, but high-profile attacks are going to happen, and they are going to get through.

There were 18 high-profile attacks in Kabul in 2011 and nine in 2012. While there were just nine attacks, the official said, there were “hundreds of threats.” And while Afghan capabilities are improving, he added, “even the best goalie in professional soccer is going to get scored on.”

Afghan forces are not going to let the Taliban have the rural areas, the official said. The Afghan Local Police -- now with some 20,000 members -- are becoming a security net for the people. “The ALP becomes a hold force for you,” the official said. “You have police who live and work in the rural areas.”

The official sees three tiers to the threat to Afghanistan. The first tier is tactical -- the 20,000 to 30,000 mostly local insurgents in the country.

The next level is the operational cadre -- the leadership, the shadow government and the Taliban in Pakistan, he said. These men can recruit, train and supply fighters. The leaders in Pakistan are problematic for ISAF, the official said. “We’ve heard that the Pakistanis are changing their strategic calculus, but there is ‘what you say’ and ‘what you do,’” he said. “I’m waiting for the ‘what you do’ to see how that works.”

The third threat is not the insurgency, the official said, but the degree of corruption and criminality that exists within the government.

“If you can get some rule of law and move forward, then you can pull the carpet out from under the insurgency,” he said. Putting in place a legal system and service infrastructure will be a key outgrowth of the April 2014 elections, the official noted.

The world will be watching those elections as well. After 2015, there are 28 NATO nations and eight partner nations that have already said they will invest in Afghanistan. “And all will be watching the elections,” the official said.

Allen 'Very Confident' About Afghanistan’s Future

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 10, 2013 – There are measures of success every day in Afghanistan and the out-going commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force is very confident of victory.

Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen spoke to reporters traveling with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shortly before turning over command to Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. Allen has been nominated to be the next Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Allen said he is “very confident” that NATO and their Afghan partners are on the right trajectory. “We have seen some really heroic level activities occur here in just the last year,” Allen said. “What happened last summer was unbelievable when you think about it. We shipped home 23,000 troops during the fighting season. We shifted from a main force strategy that relied on U.S. and ISAF combat formations to one where the (Afghan National Security Forces) were in the lead – an ANSF that was still being built while it was expanding its operations in the combat zone.”

At the same time, NATO closed 600 bases in Afghanistan.

Today, another 10,000 U.S. troops have been withdrawn and Afghan forces are almost entirely in the lead for security throughout the country. Afghan government forces have taken ground, they have held ground already taken and they are forcing the Taliban to launch attacks farther and farther away from centers of population, he said.

Commanders have repeatedly stressed that there will not be a victory parade ending hostilities in Afghanistan, rather it remains a counterinsurgency battle and leaders measure progress incrementally. “Every day, there is another lamination of accomplishment,” he said. “There is no decisive battle in the Napoleonic sense, just every day these laminations contributing to the end state.”

The general said he is comfortable the trajectory is moving in the right direction. Allen is however concerned about a lag in efforts by the Afghan government to put structures in place to build on counterinsurgency efforts.

Still, the country has come a long way. Afghanistan has been in serious conflict for 33 years, with much of its infastructure destroyed which will take time and money to rebuild. “The school system was devastated,” Allen said.

The good news is the international community has pledged to help. During NATO meetings in Lisbon and Chicago, NATO and partner nations pledged to stay with Afghanistan through this transition. In Tokyo and Bonn, nations pledged money to help Afghanistan overcome generation of tragedy. Nations understand what one of the world's poorest countries needs and have pledged a “decade of transformation.”

One upcoming benchmark will be the presidential election set for April 2014. The 352,000 members of the Afghan national security force will secure the vote. “The international community is very clear that it will judge the success of what we have done by the transparency and inclusiveness of the Afghan population. We’ve been very clear on this: the international community is in this to a point, but we aren’t in this to a fault,” Allen said.

That contest he says, will be a true test of Afghanistan’s progress. “The rhetoric has to be matched by real and meaningful reform.  Reform that reduces the capacity of the criminal patronage networks to grip and weaken the institutions of the state.” Reforms must also guarantee the rights of minorities and women, Allen said.

Donor nations must have the strategic patience, but there has to be demonstrated performance, he said.

Allen is less concerned about the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan post-2014 than he is about the capabilities needed in the country.

Combined Force Arrests Explosives Expert in Takhar Province

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 8, 2013 – An Afghan and coalition security force arrested an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader during an operation in the Yangi Qal‘ah district of Afghanistan’s Takhar province today, military officials reported.

The arrested insurgent leader was an explosives expert assisting with the planning of an impending high profile attack, officials said. He also coordinated the construction and movement of improvised explosive devices in the province.

During the operation, the security force also detained one suspected insurgent, officials said.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district detained three insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader responsible for organizing IED operations against Afghan and coalition forces.
-- In Logar province’s Baraki Barak district, a combined force detained five insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader who oversees insurgent fighters and attacks Afghan and coalition patrols.

Yesterday in Kunduz province’s Chahar district, a precision strike killed Hamid Gul, a Taliban leader who conducted attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. He oversaw 25 insurgent fighters responsible for IED operations in the district.

Afghan Mission Will Determine Troop Numbers, Dempsey Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, Feb. 9, 2013 – The mission in Afghanistan will determine the number of American troops who will still be deployed there after 2014, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

Military leaders are confident that the number will match the mission. “I will not at any point ask 10,000 troops to do 20,000 troops work,” Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters.

Dempsey is flying to Afghanistan for the change of command ceremony from Marine Corps Gen. John Allen to Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford.

Dunford will be the last commander in Afghanistan of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and the last commander of Operation Enduring Freedom when the mission ends in December 2014. He will preside as the Afghan forces take the lead for security and will command as U.S. forces draw down in the country. There are currently 66,000 American service members in Afghanistan.

As Dunford takescommand, he has to keep three things in careful equilibrium, the chairman said. These are keeping the pressure on al-Qaida and other transnational terror groups seeking to operate in Afghanistan, training Afghan security forces, and redeploying U.S. and NATO forces out of the country.

NATO and partner forces – including U.S. service members – will be leaving the country through the end of 2014 in a steady and gradual manner. This spring Afghan forces will be in the lead for security throughout the country. “As that occurs, there will be some force structure changes that grow from that decision,” Dempsey said.

But it is more complicated than simply loading personnel on planes and flying them back to the United States. “There’s never a flip of a switch,” the chairman said.

Not all Afghan forces have the same capability. In some areas kandaks – Afghan battalions – may need help. Elsewhere, kandaks may be trained, but the higher headquarters may need assistance. “You may be training a kandak in one part of the country and brigades and corps in another, just because the developmental model is different,” he said.

The enemy has a say in Afghan plans. The Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, has decreed that he wants the Taliban to make 2013 an intense year, the chairman said. “But here’s what’s different, the situation this summer – the first summer where Afghan security forces are in the lead – that intensity will be directed principally at them,” the chairman said.

The Taliban taking on Afghan forces rather than Western personnel changes the political, internal discourse in Afghanistan. “We’ll have to see how it changes it,” he said.

This shift to Afghan control is already happening. Afghan security forces are in the lead in protecting more than 75 percent of the population. And there are results from that, Dempsey said. “One vignette: Every Sunday, John Allen has a memorial service outside his headquarters to remember the soldiers who were lost in the past week,” the chairman said. “This past Sunday was the first service he held since he was commander where there wasn’t a single ISAF … soldier killed in action. First week in 19 months. However, there were 25 Afghan soldiers killed.”

This summer the Taliban will test the Afghan soldiers and police. U.S. service members will help the Afghan forces in the summer fighting season. They will not only provide their Afghan brethren physical support, but psychological support as well, and this will build the Afghan’s self-esteem. “What really hangs in the balance now is the confidence level of the Afghan security forces and its people,” he said. “We have to continue building their confidence, because they are capable fighters.”

Defense leaders have matched the number of troops to the mission. Dempsey called this a collaborative and thorough effort. “We didn’t start talking numbers until we had a clear understanding of missions,” he said. The missions for the post-2014 period are: some continued counter terror effort against transnational global threats; to train, advise and assist Afghan troops; and to provide support to other U.S. government agencies working in the country.

“Once we settled in on the missions, then we were able to provide options on how to accomplish them,” he said. For example, it requires a different number of personnel to train an Afghan kandak than an Afghan brigade. Figuring out what units need what help “illuminates what the numbers should be,” the chairman said. “So we’re not going from number to mission, we’re going from mission to number.”

Afghanistan’s neighbor Pakistan remains crucial to any solution in the region, and Dempsey said he has “seen a degree of interest and cooperation on the part of our Pakistani military counterparts that is actually quite encouraging,” he said. “They finally believe we are not going to shut out the lights and leave at the end of ’14. They see a viable partnership among them, us and the Afghans.”

Cooperation, which was always good at the tactical level, has climbed a notch to the operational level. It also helps that Pakistani leaders now assess the terrorist threat to the nation closer to the American view.

Dempsey is optimistic that the Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States will be in place this year. Protections for U.S. troops under the agreement do not seem to be the same showstopper that they were in Iraq, he said.

Reporters asked about the “zero option” for U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014. “I have said publically no one has ever mentioned zero to me, and I would never recommend zero,” Dempsey said.

Ultimately political reconciliation between the Taliban and the Afghan government will be what ends the war in Afghanistan. While there are no active negotiations now, the Taliban are talking among themselves about this, the chairman said. “As they talk among themselves, their behavior appears to be migrating toward being a political factor in Afghanistan’s future and less a internal security threat,” he said.

This does not mean peace will suddenly break out in the nation. “There will be irreconcilable parts of the Taliban that are just so ideologically skewed that the idea of any concessions is just anathema to them,” he said. “On the other hand, I think there will be portions that will be willing to be part of the political landscape and not part of the security landscape.”

EOD Airman receives Purple Heart

by Stephen Delgado
Thunderbolt staff writer

2/8/2013 - LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- For Tech. Sgt. Michael Pasley, 56th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team leader, Jan. 31 was a special and memorable day. During a promotion ceremony, he was presented the Purple Heart by Col. Robert Webb, 56th Fighter Wing vice commander, for action in Afghanistan Jan. 16, 2012.

Pasley's Purple Heart was given Nov. 26 under the hand of Lt. Gen. David Goldfein, U. S. Air Forces Central commander.

Pasley was conducting combat operations with the 466th EOD Operating Location - Alpha in Afghanistan.

"My team was called from Forward Operating Base Andar to conduct a post-blast analysis of an Army vehicle that struck an improvised explosive device earlier in the day," he said. "Our EOD team arrived on scene at approximately 2 p.m. and met with the on-scene commander who had established 360 degree security around the damaged vehicle."

As Pasley's team got closer to the blast site, the danger increased radically.

"Our team maneuvered our vehicle closer to the post-blast analysis site following in the tracks of three previous vehicles," he said. "The team traveled approximately 40 meters when our vehicle activated a pressure plate IED, which detonated underneath the driver's side of the vehicle. I was driving the vehicle at the time of the explosion."

Fortunately, Pasley remained conscious for the duration of the incident, but he said he did experience dizziness, headaches and body aches immediately after the explosion.

He recalled that when the team returned to FOB Andar, they were examined by Army medics and were put on a 24-hour mandatory rest, but it became apparent that more medical testing was necessary.

"After the required 24-hour rest, we returned to the medical facility in order to determine our fitness to return to duty," Pasley said. "I displayed effects that were cause for concern and was put on an additional 24-hour rest period. After the second rest period, our team was cleared for full duty and would be redeploying soon. But while at Bagram Air Base for redeployment, due to continuing indications of injuries, our team was encouraged by EOD supervisors to see the medical support staff."

The examination at Bagram showed Pasley's injuries to be more serious than originally thought. He said he was diagnosed and treated by an Army neurologist and an Air Force doctor for a traumatic brain injury, a concussion and was told that a previous disc problem in his lower back had worsened. He was given medication for these conditions.

Pasley said he still suffers from traumatic brain injury symptoms, which include headaches and short-term memory loss. He is also plagued by herniated discs in his lower back.

The Purple Heart is awarded to members of the armed forces who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy or posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those individuals who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action. The original Purple Heart was called the Badge of Military Merit and was established by George Washington in 1782. The Purple Heart is awarded in the name of the president of the United States.

Mental Health Test Delays Cole Bombing Suspect Hearings

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service FORT MEADE, Md., Feb. 7, 2013 – Pretrial hearings for the suspected USS Cole bomber are on hold until mid-April as doctors assess his mental competency and the military commission determines how that will affect future proceedings. The latest round of hearings for Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri kicked off Jan. 4 at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and had been scheduled to conclude today. However, that schedule got derailed after the prosecution requested a mental-health assessment, challenging the defense claim that Nashiri suffers from long-term post-traumatic stress allegedly caused by enhanced interrogation techniques the CIA used on him before he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay. Members of the defense questioned what such an assessment would provide, telling the commission judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, they lack faith in any medical practitioner the convening authority might appoint to conduct it. Pohl authorized the exam, but granted the defense’s request that Dr. Vincent Iacopino, a member of the Physicians for Human Rights organization with expertise in torture, be called on to provide advice on how to conduct it without “doing harm.” Iacopino testified via teleconference Feb. 5, explaining special requirements for mental health exams on torture victims. He acknowledged that he has neither met nor examined Nashiri. Dr. Sondra Crosby, who reportedly has examined hundreds of torture victims as director of medical care at the Boston Center for Refugee Health and Human Rights, is expected to conduct the exam. Pohl told the court Feb. 4 that he would not take up other legal and administrative issues surrounding the case until after the mental-health assessment is complete. He recessed the court following Iacopino’s testimony, and proceedings are expected to continue in mid-April. Nashiri is the alleged mastermind behind the attack off the Yemeni coast that killed 17 sailors. He is charged with perfidy, murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, terrorism, conspiracy, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects and hazarding a vessel. The charges arise out of an attempted attack on the USS The Sullivans in January 2000, the actual attack on the USS Cole in October 2000, and an attack on the motor vessel Limburg -- a civilian oil tanker -- in October 2002. Nashiri is a Saudi-born member of al-Qaida. U.S. officials allege he was under the personal supervision of Osama bin Laden, and that bin Laden personally approved the attacks on the U.S. Navy ships.

Panetta: Distance, Time Affected Benghazi Response

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2013 – Better intelligence and closer interagency cooperation can help to prevent future crises like the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta testifies on the Defense Department’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012, attack on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya, during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2013. Testimony also included the findings of the department's internal review following the attack. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Panetta said an exhaustive review of the Benghazi events has established the Defense Department responded appropriately to the attacks.

“This was, pure and simple, a problem of distance and time,” he said.

“The interagency response was timely and appropriate, but there simply was not enough time given the speed of the attacks for armed U.S. military assets to have made a difference,” Panetta told the senators, quoting the Accountability Review Board’s findings.

The secretary and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified before the committee in what may be Panetta’s last appearance before Congress as defense secretary. Since the attacks, he noted, DOD has fully supported Congressional and State Department efforts to review the actions and decisions surrounding the events in Benghazi.

“The Department of Defense and the rest of the United States government spared no effort to do everything we could to try to save American lives,” said Panetta, noting that two service members were part of the six-man team that evacuated Americans there within 12 hours of the initial attack.

“There will always be a tension between mission effectiveness for personnel -– that ability to get out and do what they’re supposed to do in these countries -- and their physical security,” he noted. “We are committed to steps that avoid a ‘bunker mentality’ and yet still afford greater protection from armed attack.”

Panetta said DOD is taking a three-pronged approach to help prevent future attacks on U.S. diplomats and facilities by strengthening host-nation security capabilities, increasing security measures and enhancing intelligence and military response options.

“We have to be able to better assess and build up the capabilities of host governments to provide security,” he said.

While the military doesn’t have primary responsibility for security at U.S. diplomatic missions, he added, “where permissible and appropriate, and in collaboration with the Secretary of State and the U.S. chief of mission in the affected country, we believe that the Defense Department can assist in their development of host-nation forces using a range of security assistance authorities to train and equip these forces.”

DOD also is supporting the State Department’s efforts to harden facilities and reassess diplomatic security, the secretary said. Teams have evaluated 19 vulnerable diplomatic facilities, including the U.S. Embassy in Libya, he added, and officials are in the process of developing recommendations on potential security increases as required.

Over the next two to three years, he said, the Defense Department will assign nearly 1,000 additional Marines to diplomatic security detachments. There are 152 such detachments in place today, the secretary noted, and 35 more will stand up.

Officials also are focused on enhancing intelligence collection and ensuring that U.S. forces throughout the region are prepared to respond to crises, if necessary, Panetta said. He emphasized that the U.S. military is not a global emergency-response service, and troops need good intelligence information to operate effectively.

“We have forces on alert, and we’re prepared to move, but our ability to identify threats, to adjust posture, to prevent plots and respond to attacks to our personnel at home and overseas depends on actionable intelligence, and it always will,” he said.

Therefore, the secretary said, the Defense Department is working to enhance intelligence collection, improve the responsiveness of contingency assets and adjust the location of reaction forces.

“At the same time, we’re working closely with State to ensure they have our best estimate of response times for each at-risk diplomatic facility, so that they can make the best informed decisions about adjustments to their staff presence in areas of increased security threat,” he added.

Panetta closed his statement with a reminder to the committee that he sees budget uncertainty as the greatest security risk facing the nation.

With a “sequestration” mechanism in budget law set to trigger major across-the-board spending cuts March 1, he noted, DOD could lose about $500 billion in funding over the next decade, on top of the $487 billion spending cutback already planned.

“I know the members of this committee share the deep concerns that I have raised about sequestration, and I urge you to do the responsible thing and avoid weakening our national defense,” he said.

Congress, DOD, the State Department and the intelligence community all have a responsibility for the nation’s security, Panetta noted.

“If we work together, we can keep our Americans safe,” he said.