Army Casualty

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

1st Lt. Timothy G. Santos Jr., 29, of Helena, Ala., died Aug. 18, in Fort Bliss, Texas, from a non-combat related illness diagnosed on March 24, in Kuwait City, Kuwait.  He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

For more information the media should contact the Fort Bliss public affairs office at 915-472-0287.

Love for Lamia: Retired general devotes life to help Afghans

by Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
82nd Training Wing Public Affairs

8/19/2013 - SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- It was part of the international relationship building he spoke about to the graduating pilots from Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Aug. 9. 2013, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, that has propelled Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Bradley into a post-military career passion.

During his service as the chief of Air Force Reserves and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, he made multiple trips to Afghanistan to visit Reserve Airmen deployed to the region under his command.

Hearing about the great need for humanitarian aid for the war-torn, impoverished people all over Afghanistan, he and his wife decided they would fill an empty C-17 with blankets, shoes, cold weather clothing and medical supplies during a scheduled trip in 2007. In all, he delivered 40,000 pounds on 14 cargo pallets.

During that fateful trip, an Air Force Office of Special Investigations agent accompanied him to a small village near the base to hand deliver the goods. The area was primitive, littered with trash and mud thatched housing. The homes have no glass in the windows and no kitchen, except for a hole in the center of the dirt floor where all meals are cooked on a "camp fire" style flame. The places they consider a bathroom restroom is a hole in the earth. And the town has one well where water is drawn.

"It's heart wrenching to go there and see the extreme poverty that exists in Afghanistan," Jan said. "I love to go there and be immersed in their culture. The Afghan people are very gracious and hospitable. They are grateful, hardworking and patient, but they are tired of war. We hope that what little we do has a positive impact on some of the most disenfranchised people in the world. They deserve a better life."

As Bradley was handing out supplies in late 2007, surrounded by young boys, his attention was caught by a little girl wearing sandals, ragged clothing and a red head covering, who fought her way to the front to meet the man in the uniform. She spoke Farsi pointing at his feet.

"I was handing out blankets in this village, and this little 9-year-old girl came up to me and begged me for some boots like the ones I was wearing," he said. "It was December and she was cold and wearing sandals, which is very typical. Her name was Lamia, no last name. She's never been to school."

Not being able to help her at that moment weighed on his mind for the rest of the trip. Once he returned home, he shared his experience to his wife, and how he promised to send her a pair. Jan, his wife, immediately went out and bought items to stuff four boxes to send back, including four pairs of boots, not knowing what size she wore. They mailed the boxes to the OSI agent with a request to find Lamia -- armed with only a picture and a personal note to her.

"They found her and her uncle, brought them to the base with a local policeman, fed them and gave them the boxes," he said. In the letter he wrote "I was glad to meet you, Lamia, I hope these things help. I'm going to be back in a few months...and I would love to see you again."

On the subsequent trip, Lamia and her family were again brought to the base where her family was treated to a meal with Bradley at the dining facility, along with 15 more boxes of supplies and a bicycle.

Bradley never forgot about his experience. Upon his retirement in 2008 as a lieutenant general, he sat down with his wife regarding what they would do after the Air Force. Remembering the joy of dealing with Lamia and her family, the very short conversation turned into a small non-profit organization to build schools in Afghanistan - the Lamia Afghan Foundation.

"She is our inspiration," he said. "We see Lamia every time we go. Her family is very poor and live in atypical Afghan mud house in a rural village with no running water, electricity, no glass in the windows, heat or bathroom in the house."

The Bradleys go to Afghanistan twice a year and spend a month. The April 2013 delivery of humanitarian supplies marked their seventh trip and more than two million pounds of food, clothing, blankets, boots, shoes, school supplies, medical supplies and equipment for distribution around Kabul area schools, hospitals and refugee camps.

"The only way to combat extremism is to fight the desperation of illiteracy and poverty with education and economic opportunity," Jan said. "Military might cannot fix that."

The foundation he and Jan established also concentrates on the education of young Afghan girls, though they have built schools for both genders. Working with the Afghan minister of education, they coordinate every trip and determine current needs and possible new school locations. They provide the teachers, book and curriculum and the foundation supplies the building, furniture and supplies. They are currently working on building their sixth school for 500 girls.

"I believe education is the key to the future in Afghanistan," he said. "I believe in educating boys as well. Boys have all the opportunity in the world in Afghanistan, and girls don't.

"When you educate a boy," he said of his worldwide concept on education, "you educate a boy. When you educate a girl, you educate a family."

He explained these girls will grow up to be wives and mothers who teach their boys how to treat girls the right way. They will teach their girls the importance of education, so they can lean skill, get a job and help support their families.

"After we do this for a couple of generations, the culture over there might change some," he said. "It's gonna take a long while to change the culture. It's a sensitive subject to talk about changing cultures for people. They need to make some changes relative to women and women's rights. Education is what will make that happen."

More than 100 percent of the foundation money goes to building schools and humanitarian aid, as the Bradleys support all of their own travel and living expenses from his own pocket. They feel this helps across the board for both the Afghan people and the United States by helping win hearts and minds of the Afghan people.

"It's a miniscule part of it, but we think what we do is important to our American national effort there," he said. "I think I owe something back. This nation has been very good to me. This Air Force has been very good to me. I've been blessed."

To accomplish this, the Bradleys have become citizen experts on the Denton Program, a government program which allows private U.S. citizens and organizations to use space available on U.S. military cargo planes to transport humanitarian goods to countries in need.

"It is really difficult to get this stuff over there because it is a complicated process," he said. "It goes over on C-17s and it might get there in a couple of weeks or two to three months. It all depends on whether there is space available on the airplanes.
"It's been a great program for us and we've enjoyed doing it," he said. According to the Denton Program office, the general said they have shipped more humanitarian aid than any other non-government entity in the country.

Another trip is planned for the Bradleys in near future. They are working 12-hour days collecting items to fill cargo planes already in route. With two million pounds of humanitarian supplies and counting, it all started because a little Afghan girl knew all she wanted was a pair of boots.

Afghans Lead the Fight in Afghanistan, General Says

By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14, 2013 – Afghan security forces are in the lead and continue to grow in capacity and capability in the fight against insurgents, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force’s Regional Command-East said today.

Army Maj. Gen. James C. McConville also told Pentagon reporters via satellite that even with the progress made by Afghanistan’s security forces they are likely to need U.S. support beyond 2014.
Afghan forces are winning, he said, but aren’t yet dominating the enemy in a way that takes away their will to fight. It will also take time before the Afghan air force is at full capacity, the general said.

However, when the Afghan air force reaches full capacity, he said, the enemies of Afghanistan “are not going to be willing to continue the conflict.”

Meanwhile, ISAF’s draw down is progressing, McConville said. Since March, he noted, the number of coalition bases has declined from 58 to 17.

“We have moved into an advise-and-assist role,” said McConville, who’s also the commander of the 101st Airborne Division. “Afghan security forces are in the lead [and] they are doing most of the fighting.”

Two Afghan army corps -- the 201st and the 202nd -- operate in Regional Command-East. Those units, McConville said, are currently conducting integrated operations involving ground troops with indirect-fire and air support.

“In fact, the 201st just did the largest air assault in recent Afghan history with six Mi-17s and two Mi-35 [helicopters],” he said.

As Afghan forces have taken a higher-profile role in securing Afghanistan, the enemy is facing a propaganda problem, the general said.

“They used to be able to say that they were fighting foreign occupiers,” he said, “and they can no longer really say that anymore because they're fighting Afghan security forces and they're fighting against the Afghan people.”

There are only about two months left in the fighting season in Afghanistan, McConville said. And, with winter approaching and the holy month of Ramadan over, the general said he expects the enemy to come out fighting.

“We're expecting a spike in violence,” he said. “We expect the enemies of the Afghan people to come out and try to achieve those objectives that they've not been able to achieve.”

Now is a critical time, McConville said.

“This is the first time that the Afghan security forces have been in the lead during the entire fighting season,” he said. “And they believe they're winning and I tend to agree with them.”

ICT's 13th International Conference: World Summit on Counter-Terrorism

The ICT is pleased to invite you to participate in the largest gathering of the global counter-terrorism community in the upcoming World Summit on Counter-Terrorism, which will take place in Herzliya, Israel, in September 2013. The conference will commemorate twelve years since the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001 and the victims of terrorism worldwide.

- ICT’s World Summit has become a flagship event in the field of counter-terrorism.

- The ICT conference provides a high-powered environment in which counter-terrorism experts, security professionals, and leading academic scholars from around the world are able to network, establish essential cooperation mechanisms and exchange views on best practices.

- More than 1,300 participants from over 60 countries attended ICT’s 12th annual conference, with an even more impressive turnout expected this year.

The International Institute for Counter Terrorism's (ICT) international conference is one of the most influential events in the field of counter-terrorism today. The conference is a vital opportunity for high-profile experts from a diverse background of disciplines to establish professional relationships and serves as a platform for the formation of international cooperation. Speakers and panelists include leading security experts and decision-makers from Israel and abroad who specialize in counter- terrorism, as well as colleagues from the International Counter-Terrorism Academic Community (ICTAC). Participants in this conference have the chance to broaden their understanding from an interdisciplinary viewpoint and learn from fellow government agencies, research institutes and industries about real-world challenges posed by modern and post-modern terrorist organizations.

Speakers and participants at our previous conferences have included current and former ministers, members of parliament, heads of security agencies and police departments, first responders, academics, professional experts in the field of counter-terrorism, jurists, businessmen and students. Scheduled to coincide with, and commemorate, the terror attacks of September 11, the conference has received worldwide acclaim, emphasizing the appreciation of participants who have partaken in this international event.

The conference will commence on September 8, 2013, with a unique series of lectures that will bring together distinguished Israeli security decision-makers and will provide an open platform for substantive discussion. The "Talking Heads" series will feature: former Directors of Mossad and the ISA (Shabak), former Chiefs of Staff of the IDF, Former Directors of the Intelligence Directorate, Former National Security Advisors and Israeli Police Commissioners. In the evening of September 11, 2013, we will hold a Memorial Ceremony for the victims of 9/11 and of terrorism worldwide which will coincide with the opening event of the conference. The conference’s Plenary Sessions (September 9) will feature keynote presentations from senior officials, decision-makers and leading academics and will provide a backdrop for the in-depth examinations and discussions of the following two days. On September 10 and 11, the program will be devoted to panel discussions and workshops dealing with specific phenomena of modern and post-modern terrorism, including the evolution of Global Jihad; and regional, international affairs; the “Arab Spring” and its regional and international effects; and the evaluation of the challenge of countering terrorism twelve years after 9/11.

For Registration: http://www.ict.org.il/WorldSummit/Conference2013/Registration2013/tabid/87/Default.aspx
For the Central Themes of the conference: http://www.ict.org.il/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=ptfWqlgzxe4%3d&tabid=507
For the list of Confirmed Speakers: http://www.ict.org.il/WorldSummit/Conference2013/Speakers2013/tabid/512/Default.aspx

Married Soldiers Serve in Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. Justin A. Moeller
4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

KHOWST PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Aug. 13, 2013 – An Army couple deployed to Afghanistan take the bad with the good to serve together.

Army Cpl. Douglas Dalton, a medic, and his wife, Spc. Megan Dalton, a radiology specialist, talk to each other next to field ambulances on Forward Operating Base Salerno, Afghanistan, Aug. 11, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Justin A. Moeller   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

“Obviously, deployments are stressful,” said Army Cpl. Douglas Dalton, a native of Greenville, Texas. “Having Skype or receiving mail is great but nothing beats being able to hug your wife at the end of the day.”

Being a dual-military couple is one of the few instances where a soldier can deploy with his or her spouse.

“Having my wife with me has its benefits,” Douglas said. “During my first deployment I was single -- with this deployment it’s nice to be able to see my wife when I come home in the evenings.”

Dalton is a medic and his wife, Army Spc. Megan Dalton, is a radiology specialist. Both soldiers serve in Afghanistan with Company C, 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team “Currahee," 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).

Not only does the couple share this deployment together, they both work at the Combat Support Hospital on Forward Operating Base Salerno.

“The Daltons have a very professional working relationship,” said Army Staff Sgt. Marcus Freeman, evacuation platoon sergeant for Company C, 801st BSB, 4th BCT, 101st Airborne Division. He explains that they both bring a lot of experience to the table and are exceptional co-workers to have.
As a radiology specialist, Megan is tasked with taking any X-rays the provider needs, whether during sick-call or during trauma, all in a timely manner.

“For me, this is my first deployment and it’s hard being away [from home],” said Megan, a native of Lebanon, Ind. “It’s nice having him to come home to and talk to at night.”

One of the challenges the couple seems to have mastered is how to keep their working and personal relationships separate.

“I would never expect their relationship to conflict with their work,” Freeman said. “If anything, the relationship they have enhances the environment and workplace.”

“I keep my business life business, strictly business,” Douglas said.

It “does make a difference having the one you love with you during a deployment,” Megan said.

“I feel especially lucky to have him here, just grateful. He is my best friend and I’m very, very glad that we are here together,” she said.

Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Aug. 11, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. The soldiers were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

           Killed were:
           Staff Sgt. Octavio Herrera, 26, of Caldwell, Idaho,
           Sgt. Jamar A. Hicks, 22, of Little Rock, Ark., and 
           Spc. Keith E. Grace Jr., 26, of Baytown, Texas.

Herrera and Grace died in Paktia Province, Afghanistan, while Hicks was evacuated to Forward Operating Base Salerno in Khost, Afghanistan, and later died.

For more information please contact the Fort Campbell public affairs office at 931-217-5074 or 931-220-7993.

Remembering the Heroes of 911

The September 7, 2013 episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with Colonel Will G. Merrill, USA (ret.) the author of 9/11 Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes: NYC - The First Battle in the War Against Terror!

Program Date: September 7, 2013

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC

Topic: Remembering the Heroes of 911

Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2013/09/07/remembering-the-heroes-of-911

About the Guests

Colonel Will G. Merrill Jr., “a native of Ashland, Wisconsin, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with the Class of 1958. He served overseas for eleven years in Germany, Vietnam, Korea and Greece. He retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of Colonel in 1989. He is a graduate of the Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Army Ranger Course, the Army Airborne Course, the Armed Forces Staff College and the DOD Language School courses in Spanish and Greek. He has also earned a Master’s Degree in Business from Webster College. After completing his military service he became Vice President of a nationwide Home Inspection Service and later Vice President of a Wireless Communications Company.

His personal decorations include the Department of Defense Superior Service Award, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Four Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medal and Vietnamese Honor Medal.”  Colonel Will G. Merrill Jr. is the author of 9/11 Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes: NYC - The First Battle in the War Against Terror!

According to the book description of 9/11 Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes: NYC - The First Battle in the War Against Terror!, “as the tenth anniversary of the attack on New York City approaches, this new book relates the stories of many heroic people directly involved at the World Trade Center on 9/11. On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 left Boston’s Logan airport at 7:59 a.m., followed fifteen minutes later, at 8:14 a.m., by United Airlines Flight 175. Both jets were subsequently hijacked by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists and rerouted to a flight path headed toward Manhattan. At 8:47 a.m., just 48 minutes after take-off, Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center; at 9:03 a.m., 16 minutes later, Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

The images of these moments are forever etched in the minds of those who watched them unfold in person and on television. The stories rendered here with stunning emotion and depth of feeling by retired Army Colonel Will Merrill Jr. will stand as vivid reminders of the deep sense of pain experienced by an entire nation. Interviews feature more than sixty heroic people directly involved with the events of that day, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the Fire Commissioner of New York City, two Department Chiefs of the Port Authority Police Department and the Senior Deputy Chief of the New York City Police Department as well as ordinary people affected by the loss of human life. Colonel Merrill evokes the spirit of the fallen as both a reminder that the threat of terrorism is still very real and to call attention to those still suffering from the effects of that horrific day.

Many of those exposed to Ground Zero both on 9/11 as well as in the relief effort are experiencing severe health problems, including suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and it is paramount that the heroes of these events never be forgotten. Full of heart wrenching tales of loss and awe-inspiring moments of valor and bravery, Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes is a profoundly moving call to arms to make sure the events that occurred that day never happen again on American soil. Introduction by Congressman Peter T. King, Chairman Homeland Security Committee.”

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.  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, law enforcement 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 from the Archive:

http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/remembering_the_heroes_of_911.html

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA

editor@police-writers.com

909.599.7530

Facebook Event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/429998657116368

Face of Defense: Twin Brothers Serve Together in Afghanistan

By Army Sgt. Sinthia Rosario
101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan, Aug. 7, 2013 – As children, twin brothers normally do everything together, sharing each other’s dreams and planning what they want to be when they grow up. Some slowly grow apart as adults, while others maintain their strong brotherly bond.

Identical twin brothers Army Capt. Matthew N. Mayor and Army Capt. Mark E. Mayor at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 28, 2013. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sinthia Rosario    (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Army Capt. Matthew N. Mayor, brigade logistics and operations officer with 101st Sustainment Brigade, Task Force Lifeliner, and Army Capt. Mark E. Mayor, brigade intelligence and current operations officer with 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, have remained close.

The identical twin brothers from Kenosha, Wis., grew up playing the same sports, went to the same college, and now are both deployed here.

“It’s like we decided to go ahead and do it through our ROTC first,” Matthew said. “We wanted to get a college education and then go ahead and serve. That was probably one of the motivating factors -- to do something together.

“I couldn’t be happier, couldn’t be more content, and more inspired to work with this great team that I’m part of and he’s part of,” he continued, “so it’s kind of like working for the same organization, which is the Army as a whole.”

As they sat talking about the choices they have made, Mark reminisced about the month they both went on active duty.

“I remember that very month, when both of us went on active duty July 4, 2009,” he said. “That weekend prior, we said our goodbyes to the families and we had a pre-Fourth of July celebration.”
Their military orders took them to Fort Sill, Okla., for the Basic Officer Leaders Course. They both were stationed there during that time, though they knew they eventually would go to their separate branch schools.

In the beginning, the twins said, they were a bit hesitant about joining the service, and thoughts of being separated caused a bit of anxiety. But, they added, they knew they would be all right in the long run.
“It was difficult, it was challenging, but I’m sure every soldier goes through the same thing. … But eventually you cope. You learn to use the shared media, Facebook, Skype, etc.,” Matthew said.
“You quickly adapt and just overcome any feelings of separation and anxiety,” Mark said, “so that passed after a few months.”

As children, the brothers played baseball together. Mark earned most valuable player honors as a pitcher, and Matthew was a home run hitter.

“We’re mirror twins -- I’m left handed, and he’s right handed,” Mark said. “That’s our major difference between each other physically. I’ve always been a little better of a pitcher. His strong suit is soccer. He’s always been better at soccer than I was.”

The brothers noted that although they are not from a military background, they have a supportive family. Their mother worries, they acknowledged, but they added that know she supports them and is proud of their service.

“Our family is very patriotic, very proud, and very supportive, and [Mark’s] wife is very involved -- as well as my mother, father and our family -- in supporting the troops and sending care packages,” Matthew said.

The brothers admitted they walked into the military lifestyle without fully knowing what was ahead of them. Mark said their views have changed entirely since joining the Army.

“After a couple of years, [when] you go back to your hometown, you don’t feel the same. You’re forever changed by the training, by the new experiences, by the new people you meet, the people that you work with,” Mark said.

And he likes the way things have played out. “To be with my twin brother here in Afghanistan, serving in the Army, serving the country that I love, it can’t get any better than that,” he said

ISAF Chief Briefs Reservists on Afghan Progress, Future

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2013 – The NATO-led effort in Afghanistan is “in the red zone,” and now is the time to carry the ball over the goal line, the commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said today.

Speaking via satellite from the Afghan capital of Kabul, Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., delivered a decidedly upbeat report to the Reserve Officers Association’s national security symposium here today.

Dunford said he is pleased with the campaign plan and that the Afghan forces, which took over lead security responsibility in June, have fought well. Afghanistan, he said, now “has the opportunity to be successful.”

With nearly 352,000 members of the Afghan national security forces in place, the general said, the Afghans are demonstrating for all to see that they can handle the load. All Americans need to understand this, he added.

Dunford said he is concerned about a recent poll which shows that 67 percent of Americans believe the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting, and that 43 percent believe all U.S. forces should come home next year.

“We still have 60,000 men and women in uniform in harm’s way, and the American people need to understand why they are here, what they are doing and what they are trying to accomplish,” he said.
Americans need to remember that the 9/11 terrorists planned and funded their operation in Afghanistan, the general told the symposium audience. The United States sent forces into Afghanistan to end that, he added, and the idea of keeping Americans safe has not changed over the past decade.

The United States must keep pressure on al-Qaida and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Dunford said. He acknowledged that despite coalition successes, al-Qaida and other groups are resilient.

U.S. and NATO troops are needed in Afghanistan today to keep the pressure on these groups, Dunford said, but in the future, the hammer against these terrorists will be Afghan forces.

“Over the past few years, Afghan forces have become increasingly competent, capable and credible,” Dunford said, adding that in his opinion, Afghan forces are providing security for the Afghan people today. They will be able to secure the April 5 presidential elections, he said, and they will be able -- with some qualifications -- to shoulder the entire security burden when the ISAF mission in Afghanistan ends on Dec. 31, 2014.

The surge of coalition forces into Afghanistan created the space for the Afghan forces to grow and mature, Dunford said. Today, he added, NATO and partner-nation forces have transitioned to a “train, advise and assist” mode.

Dunford described an operation in Logar province that used Afghan forces from two separate corps and an Afghan division. The fledgling Afghan air force also participated, airlifting 250 Afghan infantrymen into position and keeping them resupplied.

“The only coalition support was close-air support,” the general said. “This doesn’t reflect what we’re seeing everywhere, but it shows what can be done.”

Noting that perception is important, the general said that some 90 percent of Afghans rate their security situations as fair to good. “Ninety-one percent of Afghans have a favorable opinion of the Afghan army, and 80 percent have a favorable opinion of the Afghan police,” he said.

The real problem today is uncertainty, Dunford said. “There is a growing sense in Kabul that December 2014 is actually a cliff for the Afghan people,” he explained. “It affects the leaders, it affects civil society, and it affects the ranks of the Afghan security forces.”

A bilateral security agreement between the United States and Afghanistan is necessary to eliminate this uncertainty, the general said. This will allow not only Afghans, but also NATO and partner-nations, to plan for the future. He noted that Germany, Italy, Turkey and the United States already have agreed to a post-2014 role. What those roles will be, he added, remains to be determined.

Winning means setting the conditions for the Afghans to exploit opportunities while developing the Afghan forces and sustaining them, Dunford told the audience. This can be done, he added.

“It is by no means inevitable, but it is achievable,” Dunford said. “If the trajectory that we’ve been on for the past couple of years continues for the next 16 months, I am very comfortable about where we will be with the Afghan forces.”

Army Casualty

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

Spc. Nickolas S. Welch, 26, of Mill City, Ore., died Aug. 6, in Bethesda, Md., of injuries sustained July 23, when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Soltan Kheyl, Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

For more information, media may contact the Fort Stewart public affairs office at 912-271-9914.

Afghan War Entering the Final Chapter, Obama Tells Marines

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2013 – The commander in chief told Marines at Camp Pendleton, Calif., today that the war in Afghanistan has entered its final chapter.

President Barack Obama thanked the Marines and their families for the burdens they have carried since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“I’m here because we recently marked another milestone in this war,” he said during a speech in a hangar. “As of this past June, for the first time, Afghan forces have taken the lead for security across their entire country. Instead of leading the fight, our troops now have a different mission, which is to train and advise and assist Afghan forces.”

This shift in mission signals the beginning of the final chapter in the fight in Afghanistan, Obama said. More troops will be coming home –60,000 Americans are in Afghanistan now, and that number will drop to 34,000 by the winter.

“By the end of next year, in just 17 months, the transition will be complete -- Afghans will take full responsibility for their security, and our war in Afghanistan will be over,” the president said.

The president, who met with wounded warriors and Gold Star families before the speech, remembered the 326 fallen heroes from Camp Pendleton. “We honor all of them,” he said. “Every single one.”

Still, the war is continuing, and the president did not sugarcoat the way forward. “I know some of you are getting ready to deploy in the months to come. It is a hard fight,” he said. “Our Afghan partners have stepped up. They are bearing a bigger brunt of the firepower. They are taking on a lot more casualties. They are in the lead. But it is still tough, and we are still needed.”

This generation of service members has made progress, the president said, and he listed some of it. “Because of you, Osama bin Laden is no more,” he said. “Because of you, al-Qaida’s top ranks have been hammered. The core of al-Qaida, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is on the way to defeat.”

Because these Marines and thousands of others went to Afghanistan, millions of Afghans have a chance at a normal, peaceful life, the president said. And this will be a lasting accomplishment, he added.
“We are going to make sure that Afghanistan is never again a source of attacks against our country,” he said. “That happened because of you.”

But the end of the war in Afghanistan does not mean the end of threats to America. Al-Qaida affiliates still threaten American embassies, consulates and interests overseas. “We have got to take these threats seriously, and do all we can to confront them,” Obama said. “We have been reminded of this again in recent days.”

The president vowed that the United States will never retreat from the world. “We do not get terrorized,” he said. “We’re going to keep standing up to our enemies.”

Obama said that with allies, the United States will remain the greatest force for freedom the world has ever known, and this means a strong military.

With the end of the war, the military will shrink, the president said, but America cannot allow a hollow force to develop.

“We have got – right now – the best-led, best-trained, best-equipped military in human history,” he said. “And as long as I am commander in chief, I will keep it that way.”

The president called on Congress to work with him to undo the sequester spending cuts and find a way to reduce military spending that doesn’t cripple the services at a very dangerous time

Threats Show Need to Keep Ahead of Terror Groups, Obama Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2013 – The threats to U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East and Africa show the importance of America staying ahead of terrorists, President Barack Obama said on NBC’s “Tonight Show” yesterday.

Obama told host Jay Leno that the United States is taking every precaution to protect American diplomats from al-Qaida threats. “Whenever we see a threat stream that we think is specific enough that we can take some specific precautions within a certain timeframe, then we do so,” he said.

Obama cited the progress the United States has made against al-Qaida in the past. But the violent radical extremist group is still a danger, he said, “and we've got to stay on top of it.”

Americans traveling overseas should exercise common sense and check State Department websites about the latest developments, the president said. He urged Americans to not overreact.

“What’s great about what we’ve seen with America over the last several years is how resilient we are,” the president told Leno. “So after the Boston bombing, for example, the next day folks were out there – they’re going to ball games. They are making sure that we’re not reacting in a way that somehow shuts us down. And that’s the right reaction.”

Obama also said he will attend the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, next month. However, the White House issued a statement this morning saying the president will not hold a bilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Given our lack of progress on issues such as missile defense and arms control, trade and commercial relations, global security issues and human rights and civil society in the last 12 months, we have informed the Russian government that we believe it would be more constructive to postpone the summit until we have more results from our shared agenda,” read a White House statement released today. “Russia’s disappointing decision to grant Edward Snowden temporary asylum was also a factor that we considered in assessing the current state of our bilateral relationship.”

Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel are scheduled to meet with their Russian counterparts at the State Department on Aug. 9.

Gathering intelligence is a critical component in keeping America safe, the president said. The Snowden revelations provoked questions among the American people, and Obama said this is good.
“I think we should have a healthy skepticism about what government is doing,” he said. “I had the programs reviewed. We put in some additional safeguards to make sure that there’s federal court oversight as well as congressional oversight, that there is no spying on Americans. We don't have a domestic spying program.”

The United States does have mechanisms to track phone numbers or email addresses connected to some sort of terrorist threat, he said. “And that information is useful,” he said. “But what I’ve said before I want to make sure I repeat, and that is we should be skeptical about the potential encroachments on privacy. None of the revelations show that government has actually abused these powers, but they are pretty significant powers.”

Bagram pilots save 60 Soldiers during convoy ambush

by Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade
455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Public Affairs

8/6/2013 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Two A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots assigned to the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, provided close-air support to 60 U.S. Soldiers July 24.

The Soldiers were part of a routine clearance patrol that was ambushed after their lead vehicle in a convoy of 12 turned over during a patrol of an Afghanistan highway. The situation forced the Soldiers to establish an overnight base while they pulled the vehicle out of a ravine. As the sun rose, the unit began to receive heavy fire from a nearby tree line. The members were pinned behind their vehicles and three of the Soldiers suffered injuries. The unit was under fire and the wounded members needed a casualty evacuation so they called for close-air support.

However, there was one problem; the ground unit didn't have a way to confirm the enemy's position. The unit did have a joint fire observer who was able to communicate an estimated location to the A-10 pilots who arrived on scene shortly after receiving the call from a local base's joint terminal air controller responsible for coordinating aerial engagements.

"I flew over to provide a show of force while my wingman was looking for gunfire below," said the flight lead of the two-ship A-10 mission. "Our goal with the show of force was to break the contact and let the enemy know we were there, but they didn't stop. I think that day the enemy knew they were going to die, so they pushed even harder and began moving closer to our ground forces."

When the enemy combatants didn't flee after the show of force, the A-10 pilots decided to deliver air-to-surface munitions to protect the friendly ground forces.

"Even with all our (top-of-the-line) tools today, we still rely on visual references," said the lead pilot, who is on his first deployment from Moody Air Force Base, Ga. "Once we received general location of the enemy's position, I rolled in as lead aircraft and fired two rockets to mark the area with smoke. Then my wingman rolled in to shoot the enemy with his 30 millimeter rounds."

According to the pilots, that really stirred up the attacking force. The enemy moved even closer to the friendlies in an attempt to prevent the A-10 from attacking again. The ground forces were now taking on a large amount of fire from the trees and surrounding high terrain.

"We just kept putting down more 30 mm rounds," said the second A-10 pilot, also deployed from Moody AFB. "The bad guys were closing in and according to the muzzle flashes there were a lot of them, but because people were shooting all over the place, the JTAC didn't feel safe bringing in helicopters in to evacuate the wounded personnel."

The pilots said usually after the first or second pass, the enemy runs away, but this enemy force was large and willing to fight. The pilots continued to fire 30 mm rounds, but the enemy force refused to fall back. Now, the enemy force was close enough to engage the unit with grenades, so the convoy's commander approved the pilots to engage "danger-close." The term is meant to clearly communicate to the ground and air forces that the need for support is so grave the ground commander is willing to accept the potential risk to the friendly unit for the life-saving employment from the air.

"We train for this, but shooting danger-close is uncomfortable, because now the friendlies are at risk," the second A-10 pilot said. "We came in for a low-angle strafe, 75 feet above the enemy's position and used the 30-mm gun -- 50 meters parallel to ground forces -- ensuring our fire was accurate so we didn't hurt the friendlies.

The engagement lasted two hours that day, and in that time, the A-10s completed 15 gun passes, fired nearly all their 2,300, 30-mm rounds, and dropped three 500-pound bombs on the enemy force.

"That last gun runs must have made them give up," the two pilots agreed "because the firing stopped."

Shortly after the engagement was complete, an MC-12 aircraft specializing in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance arrived and began scanning the area for enemy forces that might be regrouping. Sometimes when close-air support leaves, enemy forces will attack again, so the A-10s remained on-station until all the Soldiers were safe.

"We wanted to make sure the area was safe because we had the pararescuemen from the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron coming to transport the injured to Bagram's hospital," said the second pilot. "The flight doctor assigned to our squadron treated the wounded in the emergency room. It was an example of a successful mission with contributions from all assets of our base."

After the pilots landed and debriefed, they went to the hospital to see the wounded Soldier.

"He was laying there and next to him was a picture of his high-school girlfriend," the lead pilot said. "We were glad knowing we helped get him home alive. He said, 'Thank you for shooting those bad guys'. Luckily we were only a few minutes away and all the friendlies made it out that day."

Providing close-air support is the squadron's main mission here, and is the specialty of the aircraft they fly, the A-10 Thunderbolt II nicknamed the "Warthog."

"This was one of the most intense sorties our squadron has come into contact with in the last four months in theater," the lead pilot said. "Afterward the Afghan National Army said they found 18 enemy dead, so I can only imagine how many were out there. This was close-air support and this is what we train for."

Prepared for the worst: 188th Airman uses military, civilian skills under fire

by Tech. Sgt. Josh Lewis and Senior Airman John Hillier
188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

8/2/2013 - FORT SMITH, Ark. -- On an early October morning, rockets began to strike Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The strikes were coming in close that morning and within a few seconds buildings shook from impact. Inside, dust and debris rained down from the ceiling. Then suddenly over the radio came the call nobody wanted to hear: "We have people down."

This is one of countless situations that Airmen spend months preparing themselves for in predeployment training. In addition to courses in subjects like Explosive Ordinance Reconnaissance, Self-Aid and Buddy Care, and the Law of Armed Conflict, National Guard members bring with them the additional knowledge and skills gained from their civilian careers.

Along with his predeployment training, Staff Sgt. Michael Rybarczyk, an aircraft fuel systems craftsman with the 188th Maintenance Group, possessed skills learned as a civilian emergency medical technician.

"To get to what happened that day, you've got to think about the requirements we fulfilled to get prepared for enemy attacks," said Chief Master Sgt. Randy Barentine, Equipment Maintenance Flight superintendent. "Indirect fire (IDF) attacks were very real in this deployment. We spent many, many hours picking up shrapnel off the flight line and the shots seemed to be be getting closer. There was always a sense of urgency to do whatever we were tasked to do."

By October, the 188th had been deployed for 100 days, and was nearing the end of its rotation. Relief Airmen from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., had recently arrived, and were preparing to take over operations.

Barentine said that morning in October a barrage of attacks hit the base and got dangerously close to the 188th's work area.

"That morning, after the first, second, third and fourth they just kept rolling in," Barentine said. "By the fifth or sixth one, they hit a building attached to ours. We thought ours was hit, so everybody took to their defensive cover."

A short distance away, Rybarczyk and Master Sgt. Perry Davis, aircraft fuel systems superintendent with the 188th Maintenance Group, were taking cover as well.

"Once we made it to our bunker and took accountability, we received word that there were three injured individuals in the bunker down the road," Davis said. "Staff Sgt. Rybarczyk requested permission to go help. Knowing his experience as an EMT, I approved and without regard to himself, Rybarczyk ran to the other bunker."

Rounds were still hitting the base as Rybarczyk moved to the bunker with the wounded. As he ran, he prepared himself for whatever situation he would find inside.

"I was thinking 'How injured are these guys and what am I going to need to do?'" Rybarczyk said. "I have a mental checklist I run through for all the calls we get at work and most of the time you think about the things you gotta do. You just run it through your mind real quick. That training obviously helped me stay calm in that situation.

"My training in the military helped with having to make command decisions and getting people to do things - giving instructions on how to do stuff."

In the bunker, Rybarczyk fell back on those skills he's honed for almost ten years with the Rochester, Minn., Fire Department. He downplays his actions as just another day on the job.

"When I got to the bunker, I just went up to the closest injured person and started assessing him," Rybarczyk said. "He had gotten hit by some shrapnel in his head, so I was just making sure that the bleeding was slowing down and making sure he didn't have any other injuries that could have been life threatening. Then, I just moved from one guy to the next assessing them like I normally would if I was at work in my civilian job.

"For the most part the guys who were injured were very calm. I had a little sense of humor with them, so that helped reassure them. I made sure everything was good to go and there was nothing life threatening, then I went back and started bandaging them up."

Not knowing the injured Airmen's conditions, Barentine arrived at the bunker within moments of the radio call. He was relieved to see that the injured Airmen were receiving proper care and that Rybarczyk had complete charge of the situation.

"Immediately upon arrival, I looked in the bunker and I saw people had been hit," Barentine said. "I'm wanting to know how bad it was, who was hit. There were three [Davis-Monthan] guys who took some pretty good shrapnel. Staff Sgt. Rybarcyzk looked up at me - he made eye contact with me - and says 'Chief, I've got this.'

"To know that that guy after everything we've been through for 100 days: All of the attacks, the things that we had faced, the threats that were real, that is the most defining moment in my military career. He had total control of that bunker. By the time rescue responded he pretty much had those guys taken care of. He had 'em patched up."

With the danger passed, the 188th maintainers returned quickly to accomplishing the mission. The flight line was cleared of shrapnel and debris, and operations resumed.

"Minutes after all of this was over we were launching jets," Barentine said. "We're back at work and it's as if nothing ever happened. They were getting those pilots back in the air."

"For the next two days, [Davis-Monthan's] entire leadership came up to me and wanted to thank me for how well that was handled and how well their guys were taken care of," Barentine continued. "Our active-duty brethren saw the benefit of a drill status Guardsman, and they witnessed first-hand the benefits that the civilian careers of these men and women can can bring to their military organizations.