Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an overnight security operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported.

The leader was responsible for directing insurgents who conduct roadside-bomb and direct-fire attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.

Intelligence tips led the Afghan-led security force to the leader’s compound.

In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

-- Based on residents’ tips, an Afghan-led combined force in Kunduz province’s Imam Sahib district detained several suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban facilitator who works for the Kunduz attack network and is responsible for attacks targeting local Afghan government officials and Afghan security forces.

In operations June 25:

-- International Security Assistance Force officials joined the Afghan president and the minister of interior in condemning separate bombings in Logar and Kunduz provinces.

Initial reports in Logar province’s Arza district indicate that at least 10 Afghan civilians were killed and more than 40 wounded, including women and children, when terrorists attacked a hospital.

In another attack, initial reports indicate as many as 10 Afghan civilians were killed, including five women and a police officer, and more than 24 wounded when a bicycle loaded with explosives detonated at a bazaar in Kunduz province’s Khan Abad district.

“The insurgents have a complete disregard for the innocent people of Afghanistan who are trying to live in peace,” said Rear Adm. Vic Beck, ISAF director of public affairs. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and wounded, and we will not falter in our efforts to work with our Afghan partners to find those responsible and bring them to justice.”

-- A combined force vehicle interdiction operation targeted insurgent-smuggling routes in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district. Several insurgents were killed during the operation. The force attempted to stop a vehicle after they saw it being loaded with several bags from known narcotics sites. Several men fled the area and later returned, attacking the patrol. The force killed several insurgents, and found and destroyed 1,874 pounds of dry opium, 4,000 7.62 mm rounds and 12 loaded assault magazines.

-- In Uruzgan province’s Shahid-E Hasas district, a combined force killed several insurgents and detained a suspected insurgent while searching for an insurgent leader who specializes in command-and-control communications and the manufacture of homemade bombs. Several insurgents engaged the force while they were searching the area. A coalition air weapons team assisted the combined force, killing several insurgents. The force also found four assault rifles, a machine gun, two grenades, 88 pounds of ammonium nitrate, several detonators and 20 loaded assault rifle magazines.

-- Based on intelligence reports, an Afghan-led force in Helmand province’s Lashkar Gah district detained a Taliban leader and killed an insurgent. The leader was appointed as commissioner in charge of transportation, logistics and finance for Taliban leaders and fighters within central Helmand. The force encountered a man with an assault rifle. As he laid down his weapon, another man ran out of the compound carrying a bulky vest. The force engaged the man, killing him. The force identified the vest as a chest rack with multiple assault rifle magazines.

-- Based on tips, an Afghan-led force captured a Taliban leader and one of his associates in Balkh province’s Chimtal district. The leader was responsible for several attacks against Afghan security forces.

-- In Zabul province’s Qalat district, a combined force detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Taliban facilitator responsible for moving weapons, roadside-bomb components and other material through the district.

-- In Kandahar province’s Panjwa’i district, a combined force captured a man with suspected ties to the Taliban while searching for a tactical-level Taliban leader who coordinates and executes direct-fire and roadside-bomb attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- Combined forces captured a Taliban leader and several associates during separate security operations in Helmand province’s Panjwa’i and Nahr-e Saraj districts. The leader was responsible for coordinating and conducting roadside-bomb attacks in Kandahar and Panjwa’i. The forces also found 75 pressure plates, several 107 mm rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, one anti-personnel mine, 231 pounds of homemade explosive and several homemade bomb-making components.

-- Based on intelligence tips, a combined force in Khost province’s Sabari district detained numerous suspected insurgents during a search for a Haqqani terrorist network leader who directs a roadside-bomb attack cell and is heavily involved in the facilitation of weapons and explosives.

-- An Afghan-led combined force in Khost province’s Sabari district detained several people with suspected ties to the Haqqani network while searching for a Haqqani leader responsible for coordinating and conducting attacks against the Afghan army.

-- In Paktika province’s Mata Khan district, a combined force detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Haqqani leader responsible for the acquisition and emplacement of roadside bombs in the district, and also is responsible for attacks targeting Afghan security forces.

-- A combined force in Paktika province’s Gardez district killed several insurgents and detained two people while searching for a Haqqani leader who maneuvers fighters and weapons from Pakistan. The Afghan-led security force was engaged by several insurgents armed with machine guns and assault rifles. After receiving continuous enemy fire, the force returned fire, killing several people.

-- An Afghan-led force in Laghman province’s Dowlat Shah district captured a Taliban leader and several suspected insurgents after being alerted by residents. The leader was responsible for several roadside-bomb and direct attacks targeting Afghan government officials and Afghan security forces.

In operations June 24:

-- A combined force killed several insurgents and destroyed numerous weapons caches in Zabul province’s Daychopan district. The operation occurred in the heart of Daychopan, near Kebay village, a traditional staging area for many of the recent attacks on Afghan and coalition forces stationed in the region, according to a district police official. The Afghan-led force was engaged by small-arms and mortar fire near Kebay village. Later, Afghan force team leaders held meetings with village elders to help communicate the operation’s purpose.

-- A combined force in Kunduz province’s Khanabad district seized 12 anti-personnel mines and 25 pounds of homemade explosives.

-- A combined force patrol in Kandahar province’s Kandahar district found five 60 mm mortar rounds and a hand grenade.

-- In Wardak province’s Maidan Shahr district, a coalition force patrol confiscated five rocket-propelled grenades and an unknown amount of detonation cord.

Marine Casualty

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

Sgt. Marlon E. Myrie, 25, of Oakland Park, Fla., died June 25 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 2nd Marine Division public affairs office at 910-450-6575.

Milwaukee Air Guardsmen support Operation Unified Protector

By Capt. John Capra

313th Air Expeditionary Wing

WESTERN EUROPE - Members of a Wisconsin Air National Guard unit based in Milwaukee have deployed for 90 days in support of Operation Unified Protector, the NATO-led operation in Libya.

Col. Ted Metzgar, commander of the 128th Air Refueling Wing, and a team consisting of a number of 128th ARW members and senior staff, departed Milwaukee on June 10 on a Kansas Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker supporting the same mission.

Metzgar assumed command of the 313th Air Expeditionary Wing on June 17 from Brig. Gen. Roy E. Uptegraff, commander of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard. The 313th AEW provides air refueling to NATO aircraft enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya.

Operation Unified Protector, formerly known as Operation Odyssey Dawn, is a NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973, which call for protecting the Libyan civilian population from the Libyan military. The resolutions impose sanctions on members of the Moammar Khadaffi regime, authorize international embargos, a no-fly zone and all means necessary short of foreign occupation to protect civilians. The operation, which began on March 23, is supported by a coalition of 18 nations.

Metzgar said his personal goal is to provide leadership opportunities for members of the 128th during this mission.

"This experience will provide them with valuable lessons for future command positions in the Wisconsin Air National Guard," Metzgar said. "The 128th ARW will be in good hands when I depart after going through this field experience."

Hospital Corpsman Awarded Silver Star

From Navy Medicine Support Command Public Affairs

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (NNS) -- A Navy hospital corpsman was awarded the fourth highest military honor during a June 24 ceremony at U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) on board Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (FMF/DV/FPJ) Amilcar Rodriguez was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on Nov. 6, 2009, while serving as a combat advisor and corpsman with Marine Special Operations Company F, 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Regiment, Special Operations Command. His unit was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan at the time.

Rodriguez, an Avon, Conn., native originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico, is a trauma instructor at the Naval Special Operation Medical Institute (NSOMI), the Navy detachment within the Army Joint Special Operations Medical Training Center (JSOMTC) at Fort Bragg. He accepted the award in front of family and friends, crediting his actions during the four-hour gunfight to his training and experience gained during multiple missions, emphasizing the team work and camaraderie of his Company F teammates.

"This is recognition of what my team and I went through and how we reacted to the situation," said Rodriguez. "I had multiple roles on the team, and during that encounter I was prioritizing as well as being a corpsman for the team."

According to the citation, Rodriguez and an Afghan partner had established an overwatch position on a rooftop.

Shortly after, a U.S. Marine and two Afghan commandos who were part of Rodriguez' team were wounded by an enemy sniper. Rodriguez immediately returned fire into the enemy position, killing two members of the opposing force, and, despite imminent danger, moved to the wounded Marine's position. While extracting the Marine, Rodriguez sustained three gunshot wounds from another sniper.

Other Marines pulled Rodriguez and the other wounded service members from the roof, during which time Rodriguez calmly directed the initial assessment and treatment of the injuries he and the other service member had sustained. Though seriously wounded, Rodriguez calmly instructed another medic during the stabilization of other injured personnel later in the engagement.

"Petty Officer Rodriguez' heroic actions are in keeping with the proud tradition of hospital corpsmen who deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide both in wartime and in peacetime," said Navy Surgeon General Vice Adm. Adam M. Robinson, Jr. "The bond that Corpsmen share with Marines is like none other - it's sacred and unique. When our Marines deploy, they know they will be well-cared for, from the battlefield to when they return home. We will follow the Marines into heaven or to the gates of hell."

The Silver Star is awarded for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations with a friendly force.

JSOMTC is a subordinate of the Naval Operational Medicine Institute in Pensacola, Fla., and the Navy Medicine Support Command in Jacksonville, Fla.

Woman Sentenced for Making False Statement in Connection with Attempted Amtrak Derailment

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Christine Seneca, 44, of Irving, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara to two years’ probation for making a false statement to the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Moscati, who handled the prosecution, stated that the defendant lied to FBI agents conducting an investigation into the attempted derailment of an Amtrak passenger train near Irving, New York on July 5, 2010. Seneca was questioned concerning the whereabouts of suspects on July 4 and 5, 2010, specifically whether she and the suspects had attended a party on July 4 and 5 in Silver Creek, New York, near the scene of the attempted derailment. The defendant denied being present at the party, however subsequent investigation determined both she and the suspects were in fact at the party. Seneca’s false statement caused additional investigation which would not have otherwise been necessary.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Kollmar, the New York State Police under the direction of Major Christopher Cummings, Amtrak Police and CSX Police.

Kansas Agribusiness Development Team spur holders observe a spur rider candidate demonstrate weapons skills

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan L. Pierce, a squad leader for the 3/6 Kansas Cavalry Agribusiness Development Team-III of the Kansas National Guard, and Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Kaltenborn, the security forces platoon sergeant also with the ADT, watch as spur ride candidate Air Force Senior Airman Melissa Hidalgo Mendez, a medic and possibly the first female Kansas Air Guard member to ear spurs, demonstrates her weapon skills with the M-16 rifle during her trek through the spur ride conducted on Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam, Afghanistan, May 25. Pierce and Kaltenborn are spur holders. The tradition of the spur ride and ‘earning the spurs’ goes back to the origin of the U.S. Cavalry, with new riders learning the ropes prior to donning the spurs that earmark a cavalryman. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ronifel S. Yasay) (Released)

New York National Guard C-130 crew performs airdrop mission

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A C-130 Hercules from the New York Air National Guard airdrops much-needed supplies to a forward operating base in Oruzgan Province, Afghanistan, June 22. The New York ANG C-130 flew the airdrop mission in conjunction with another C-130 from the Alaska ANG. Airdrops help mitigate the danger of transporting supplies via convoy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Krista Rose.)

Army Casualty

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

Spc. Nicholas C. D. Hensley, 28, of Prattville, Ala. died June 24, in Landstuhl, Germany from injuries sustained in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on June 15 when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 4th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

For more information, the media may contact the 1st Infantry Division public affairs office at 785-240-6359 or 785-307-0641.

Gates Overcomes Obstacles in Iraq, Afghanistan

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2011 – The whole time Robert M. Gates has served as defense secretary, the nation has been at war on two fronts.

When Gates came on board in December 2006, his focus initially was on Iraq, where sectarian violence threatened to rip the country apart. He then shifted his attention to Afghanistan, where the Taliban regained the initiative while the United States was preoccupied with Iraq.

Gates was the man President George W. Bush tapped to retrieve the situation in Iraq. The secretary was familiar with the situation on the ground. As a member of the Iraq Study Group, he had traveled in the country and spoke with U.S. and Iraqi leaders. He had met with the troops doing the heavy lifting and taking the casualties in Baghdad, Tikrit and Anbar province.

The day after Gates took office, he boarded an aircraft for Baghdad and consulted with U.S. and Iraqi leaders. It was the first of 13 visits to Iraq as defense secretary. “I had three priorities when I arrived: … Iraq, Iraq and Iraq,” the secretary said during a recent interview with American Forces Press Service.

As the surge troops arrived in Iraq, violent incidents rose to 500 per week, and American casualties climbed along with them.

The secretary had to convince Congress to stay the course and that it was essential to American security that people not perceive the United States had lost in Iraq. In one instance, he cancelled a trip to Latin America to be available to talk to U.S. senators who were wavering in their support for Iraq.

Despite initial doubt from some, the surge worked. At its height, there were more than 166,000 American service members in Iraq. By the summer of 2007, leading indicators in Iraq showed progress: the number of “no-go” neighborhoods was declining and violence was going down. The “Anbar Awakening” formed the Sons of Iraq security force and gave the Iraqi government breathing room to establish control and provide much needed governance and economic growth.

Now that Iraq is relatively peaceful and fewer than 50,000 American troops remain in the country as trainers for Iraqi security forces, it is easy to forget how dangerous the situation was.

With American service members bearing the brunt of the fighting, Gates dedicated himself to getting the troops in place and providing the resources they needed to be successful. Improvised explosive devices cut through even up-armored Humvees, causing terrible casualties. Gates made it a priority to get mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles to the front.

During one visit to Anbar province, U.S. Marines there showed Gates an MRAP that had survived 20 attacks – none of which injured anyone inside. He returned to the United States determined to break through the bureaucratic inertia that had stymied procurement of the life-saving vehicles.

The surge allowed the Iraqi security forces to learn their trades and become effective. American and coalition trainers worked with the Iraqi army and police to hone their fighting and peacekeeping skills.

And it was successful. The Iraqi army that pacified Basra was a well-led and confident force operating with U.S. air and logistics support.

Iraq is on its way to being a stable democracy in an area in need of stability. But some wonder if it can stay that way without American help after Dec. 31 when U.S. forces are scheduled to leave.

The outcome in Iraq remains a cliffhanger, Gates said, noting that with the exception of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraqis in influential positions know the country will still need some U.S. help.

“All the evidence we have, all the political leaders in Iraq -- with the exception of Sadr -- want us to stay for training and to have a presence,” Gates said, “and we’re prepared to do that.” The secretary added that he believes it will happen.

“It’ll be ugly, it’ll be at the last minute, and it’ll create all kinds of hassles for us logistically, but I think they see it as very much in their interest, and so do we,” he said. “It’s just a matter now of getting the ball across the goal line, and I think the conversations are about to begin, and most of the leaders are more forthright with us than they were in the past.

Even as conditions improved in Iraq, they were deteriorating in Afghanistan. American troops and their Afghan allies drove the Taliban from power in 2001. Many Taliban and their al-Qaida allies sought haven in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.

There were few American and coalition forces in Afghanistan and the effort to train the Afghan national security forces lagged. The Afghan army was making progress, but training police was a problem.

In 2008, Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Afghanistan “an economy of force” mission – meaning there were enough troops to maintain the presence, but not enough to be effective.

The Taliban took advantage of this and began infiltrating back into their strongholds in the southern part of the country. Kandahar City and Helmand province were particular strongholds. In January 2009, when President Barack Obama took office, there were 35,000 U.S. service members in Afghanistan.

Gates stressed that the United States could not abandon Afghanistan as it did following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. The lack of U.S. involvement led to the rise of the Taliban and gave al-Qaida a place to plan their attack on America on 9-11.

Obama sent more troops and materials to Afghanistan, and worked with national security leaders to devise a strategy and assess the requirements for implementing it.

In December 2009, Obama announced the strategy during a speech at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He would send a surge of forces into the country – 33,000 Americans and 10,000 coalition partners, and increase trainers for Afghan soldiers and police.

The additional troops began moving into Afghanistan in January 2010 and the last of the surge brigades –the 101st Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade – arrived in August.

The increase in the number of U.S. soldiers and U.S. Marines was felt almost immediately. The Marines took the fight to the Taliban in their strongholds in the Helmand River Valley. Marja, Lashkar Gah and Sangin were cities where the Taliban enforced their will and the Marines took them on and drove them out.

In Kandahar province, the Arghandab district and areas south and west of Kandahar city were wrested from Taliban control.

And that progress has continued. In July 2010, Gates took a stroll through the main street of Now Zad – a place he could not have walked through a few months earlier. The much improved security has brought out Afghan entrepreneurs and the main street is lined with shops and bustling with people.

Afghan troops are taking over security responsibility from the coalition in many of these areas. The provincial and district governments are coming together and putting in place programs to encourage development.

The coalition and their Afghan allies have taken the momentum back and this fighting season will be crucial to holding their gains, Gates said. He added that he believes the Taliban must understand they have been decisively beaten before they seriously attempt reconciliation with the government.

As the secretary leaves office, there are 100,000 American service members serving in Afghanistan. That number will go down as Afghan forces take on security responsibility.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is the second of a four-part series.)

Afghan, Coalition Forces Kill Insurgents

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, June 24, 2011 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two insurgents and detained several suspects yesterday while searching for a Taliban leader in the Sar-e Pul district of Sar-e Pul province, military officials reported.

The sought-after insurgent leader is the Taliban-appointed governing official in Balkh province. He organized attacks against Afghan security forces and coordinated roadside bomb acquisitions, construction and emplacement.

The Afghan-led force noticed several individuals attempting to evade. The force moved to detain two insurgents who’d fled to a cave. The force unsuccessfully called for the men to come out peacefully. After observing the men move into a hostile position, the two men were engaged and killed.

The force also detained several individuals with suspected ties to the Taliban. No women or children were harmed during the operation.

In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

-- A combined Afghan and coalition force detained several suspects during a security operation in the Archi district of Kunduz province. The target of the search was a Taliban leader who directs a roadside bomb and suicide attack network.

-- A combined Afghan and coalition force captured a Taliban organizer in the Dand district of Kandahar province. The detainee transported weapons and coordinated attacks in the Kandahar City area.

-- Also in Kandahar, a combined Afghan and coalition force captured a Taliban organizer during an overnight security operation in Zharay district. The facilitator is linked to the production and facilitation of roadside bombs in the Zharay and Panjwa’i districts.

-- A combined Afghan and coalition force detained several suspects while searching for a Taliban leader in the Tarnek wa Jaldak district of Zabul province. The leader is linked to roadside bomb attacks against Afghan and coalition forces along Highway 1 in the Qalat and Shah Joy districts.

-- Also in Zabul, a combined Afghan and coalition force detained a Taliban leader and several suspects in the Qalat district. The leader was responsible for several roadside bomb and direct attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also built bombs, coordinated attacks, and collected money for Taliban commanders in the area.

-- In Helmand province, a combined Afghan and coalition force captured a senior Taliban leader and detained several suspects during a nighttime search operation in the Nahr-e Saraj district. The leader was associated with the Taliban military commission and he worked detainee releases for associated insurgents.

-- A combined Afghan and coalition force detained five suspects during a security operation targeting a senior al-Qaida organizer in the Gelan district of Ghazni province. The organizer, who typically operates in Pakistan, helped to plan terrorist operations and the movement of fighters, money and materials into Afghanistan and Pakistan.

-- During a separate search in the Sabari district of Khost province, a combined Afghan and coalition force detained one suspect while searching for a Haqqani network facilitator. The targeted facilitator participates in direct attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and he plays a role in the movement of equipment from Pakistan to insurgents in the district. The security force also discovered several grenades, roadside-bomb pressure plates, bomb initiators, detonation cord and multiple rounds of ammunition.

Petraeus: Obama Drawdown Based on Broad Considerations

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2011 – President Barack Obama considered the military implications of a drawdown in Afghanistan, as well as broader considerations, in deciding to remove surge forces by the end of next summer, Army Gen. David Petraeus said today.

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan spoke before the Senate Intelligence Committee here during a hearing to confirm his nomination as the next CIA director.

Petraeus described White House discussions about the drawdown of 33,000 troops by the end of next summer, which the president announced last night, as “vigorous.”

“All voices were heard in the Situation Room and, ultimately, the decision was made,” he said.

The general said he supports the decision and will do all he can to implement it during his remaining time in Afghanistan, and if confirmed, at CIA.

Petraeus said his responsibility as a combat commander was to give the president options for implementing his stated policy, as well as the risks involved. But, he said, other advisors were responsible for raising considerations beyond the military.

“Each person above me, all the way up to and including the president, has a broader view and has broader considerations that are brought to bear,” he said, “with the president alone in the position of evaluating all those different considerations.”

Petraeus acknowledged that the ultimate decision was “a more aggressive formulation in terms of the timeline than what we had recommended.” But, he said, it was “understandable in the sense that there are broader considerations beyond those of a military commander.”

Troops will begin transitioning home next month from seven locations in Afghanistan, Petraeus said, including the capital of Kabul and its surrounding province, two other provinces, and four municipal districts.

A transition, essentially, has already has taken place in each area, the general said, adding that it is “striking” that Lashkar Gah and surrounding Helmand province – the hotbed of the insurgency when Marines deployed there a year ago – is among them.

“This is made possible because, over time, [International Security Assistance Forces] have thinned out and Afghan forces have very much stood up to the point that there are virtually no ISAF forces policing the streets there, nor are they in Kabul,” he said.

More troops will leave Afghanistan this fall, and again in the spring and fall of 2012, Petraeus said.

Commanders on the ground have some flexibility in determining which forces leave, the general said. Already, some troops are going home without replacement, and others have been identified, he added.

“We’re constantly refining and updating our campaign plan, and we’ll do another round of that with the decision having been made,” he said.

Even while U.S. forces are leaving Afghanistan, Petraeus said, “Some 70,000 additional Afghan forces [will be] added, based on our projections.”

These include 50,000 Afghan soldiers and national police, and 20,000 or so Afghan Public Protection forces, security contractors under the control of the Interior Ministry. He called their addition “a very important action that is just beginning.”

Other forces on the ground, he said, include those supported by various agencies, and international elements such as counterterrorist pursuit teams under the Afghan intelligence service.

“It will be critical that we accelerate this as much as we can,” Petraeus said, “ … so we can do that handoff [to Afghan forces] as our forces thin out.”

Face of Defense: Marine Realizes Dream of Flying

By Marine Corps Cpl. Rashaun X. James

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan, June 24, 2011 – Amid his days spent fishing, hunting and ranching horses in his small hometown of Flintstone, Md., Travis Alder dreamed of flying. After graduating from Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, Md., that dream would become a reality.

Nearly three and a half years later, Alder is now a corporal in the Marine Corps, and an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crew chief with more than 250 flight hours providing assault support for coalition ground troops in Afghanistan.

Alder is currently serving his first tour overseas, and is deployed here with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 from Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

The 21-year-old enlisted after he graduated high school. He said that the terrorist attacks on American soil and a family legacy of military service contributed to his decision.

“September 11 really opened my eyes to what was going on in the world, and I decided that when I had the chance, I wanted to do my part,” Alder said. “I feel like we need to keep the fight over here unless we want it coming to our doorstep again.”

Alder said his grandfather was a Marine, his uncle fought in the Vietnam War, and his brother-in-law, who he also considers his best friend, already was in the fight with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. That was enough to send the headstrong country boy to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., where the uncertainty of his forthcoming Marine Corps aviation career awaited.

“I enlisted without knowing what kind of aircraft I would be a crew chief on,” he said. “I was fortunate because at that time the Marine Corps needed Osprey crew chiefs badly. I guess it was just luck of the draw.”

Alder is known for his energy and drive and those characteristics meld with his desire to know every aspect of his aircraft as well as any pilot or mechanic in the squadron.

“Anytime I’m not flying I spend time reading and studying the technical manuals for the Osprey,” he said. “I have to understand everything about the aircraft, commit it to memory and make sure I am as well-rounded as possible. I like to think of myself as a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the Osprey. If I’m not turning wrenches or helping other birds get up in the air, I’m training to better myself.”

Fellow Osprey crew chief Marine Corps Sgt. Joseph Meccico, whom Alder considers his mentor, has known the Maryland native for two years. The pair attended crew chief school together and are now both deployed with VMM-264 to Afghanistan.

“Alder does an outstanding job,” Meccico said. “He stays heavily engaged and focused at all times. He is always aware of what’s going on with a mission and is very descriptive when he flies in calling out obstacles.”

Alder said the flightline section he works in is like a brotherhood. Marines in the section, he said, often refer to themselves as “La Familia.”

“Being in the plane you really do rely on your buddies,” he said. “The pilots rely on us, too. We’re their eyes in the back of the aircraft and paint a picture of what they can’t see on the ground for them.”

Alder helps the pilots with navigation, assessing landing zones, spotting threats, loading passengers and cargo, manning the machine gun on the ramp, and advising the pilots of mechanical issues while in flight.

“Whether we are calling a plane to the deck or telling them how to execute maneuvers to evade a threat, communication is key,” he said. “Once you get out there everything else goes out the window and you have to have a clear mind and maintain situational awareness.”

Crew chiefs have a very demanding job, Alder noted, but whether he’s working with the mechanics in the hangar getting aircraft ready to fly or in the back of the plane advising pilots during flight, it’s all worth it.

“This job is very rewarding,” he said. “Helping the guys out on the ground means a lot to me. As for Marines I work with and myself, we are able to come back to a forward operating base that is secure, so giving other Marines that opportunity is important. They rely on us to get what they need out there.”

Alder plans to reenlist in the Marine Corps after his first term and wants to apply for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program and hopefully become an Osprey pilot. He’s also considering the option of becoming a crew chief instructor.

“I want to train new Marines to do what I do,” he said. “My hope is that when they come out here they’re able to accomplish the mission as well, if not better, than we have.”

Afghan Drawdown Not Precipitous, Obama Tells Soldiers

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 23, 2011 – President Barack Obama assured 10th Mountain Division soldiers today that the drawdown in Afghanistan is not precipitous, and that gains made there will be sustained.

Obama announced last night that 10,000 service members will be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of the year, and the remaining 23,000 surge forces will be home by September 2012. He traveled to Fort Drum, N.Y., today to discuss his decision and thank the troops and their families.

“Because of your outstanding work, what we’ve been able to do is train an additional 100,000 Afghan soldiers so that they can start carrying on the fight,” the president told the soldiers. “Because of what you’ve done, areas like Kandahar are more secure than they have been in years. Because of you, we’re now taking the fight to the Taliban, instead of the Taliban bringing the fight to us.”

Because of that pressure on the Taliban, there are signs that members may be interested in participating in a political settlement, Obama said, which ultimately is going to be critical for consolidating that country.

“As I look around this room, I suspect that some of you joined the military after 9/11 because you had seen fellow Americans suffer at the hands of [Osama] bin Laden,” the president said. “When we got him, and as we keep on driving to get the rest of them, it’s because of the work and the sacrifice that you guys have made.”

The 10th Mountain Division has lost people throughout its many deployments. Obama said Americans should be aware of the sacrifices service members and their families have made in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“The reason that I know many of you continue to do the outstanding work that you do is not only love of country, but it’s also love for each other and your commitment to making sure that those sacrifices were not in vain,” he said. “So the main message I have for all of you here today is that the American people understand the sacrifices you’re making. They understand the sacrifices that your families are making. Our job is not finished.”

Even with the drawdown, Obama said, there still will be 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan after September 2012. “Frankly, the 10th Mountain Division is still going to be represented there until we have fully transferred to the Afghan military and security forces,” he said. “But I hope that all of you can both take pride in what you’ve done over the past years, but also understand that there’s a future there that is brighter, not only for the Afghan people but most importantly, for American security.”

The president thanked the soldiers and their families for their dedication and sacrifices. “Nothing gives me more honor than serving as your commander in chief,” he said. “And to all of you who are potentially going to be redeployed, just know that your commander in chief has your back.”

Arkansas National Guard Agribusiness Development Team conducts ‘spur ride’ tradition

By Army Sgt. Kenneth Kumle

Kansas National Guard

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (6/23/11) – After dusk Soldiers and Airmen, with the Kansas National Guard’s 3/6 Kansas Cavalry Agribusiness Development Team-III, were restless as they awaited the start of the ‘spur ride,’ a tradition exclusive to cavalry units, here the evening of May 24.

The tradition of the spur ride and ‘earning the spurs’ goes back to the origin of the U.S. Cavalry, with new riders learning the ropes prior to donning the spurs that earmark a cavalryman.

The official start time would be 3:30 a.m., May 25, to take advantage of the cooler pre-dawn temperatures, but true to the Army spur ride tradition, the cadre, known as spur-holders, arrived at 9 p.m. the night before, calling forth the ‘shavetails’ to begin establishing their teams.

The term ‘shavetail’ refers to their assigned horse having its tail hair cut close, visible at a distance and serving the dual purpose of identifying the novice riders and marking their time. There was an understanding that by the time the horse’s hair grows to a full tail, both rider and mount will have learned the core skills of cavalry movement, orders and tactics necessary to operate within a horse-mounted military unit.

Participants donned their gear and team leaders raced to fulfill their first assignments – gather three service members of higher rank. Candidates were required to keep certain items on them. If they returned without these mandatory items, they would “pay” for it.

Service members without a camel back found themselves carrying a series of water bottles tied together with parachute rigging cord. No watch? A wall clock hung around their necks as a reminder of the importance of keeping track of time.

The boisterous cadre elicited laughs from all as they singled out candidates for infractions, good-naturedly berating the unprepared and making a ruckus as the shavetails looked anywhere but in the eyes of the cadre, just as they had been instructed.

At about 11 p.m. the night before the event, the spur holders told the shavetails to go to bed, as the participants would need their rest for the early morning start and long day ahead.

“Back to your bunks!” ordered the spur holders.

Modern times have seen the retirement of the horse, but not the pride or traditions. Hooves have been replaced with wheels, armor tracks and rotor blades; the bugle call to “Charge!” replaced by radio-borne affirmatives. However, the tether to the cavalry of old can be seen in the spurs, Stetsons, and sabers Soldiers traditionally wear today for formal armor and cavalry functions, and it is primarily through spur ride events that Soldiers earn the honor of wearing the Stetsons and spurs.

At 3 a.m., the shavetails poured from their living areas into the predawn darkness into the teams they formed the night before. The cadre rearranged the teams, dictating the rosters.

“The whole time it reminded me of basic training, but this time I got to talk back,” said Army Spc. Jason Cook, a truck crewman with the ADT.

The exchanges between the spur holder cadre and the candidates, seeking to earn their spurs, maintained its tempo and humor as the shavetails mustered for their next task – a two mile ruck march called the “hump-walk.”

The teams marched around the perimeter of Forward Observation Base Mehtar Lam, past the living areas, firing range, maintenance bays, and airfield.

Each of the seven teams split to performance stations: six static stations with additional ruck march iterations serving as the seventh station. During the spur ride, the cadre graded the candidates on weapons, maintenance, emergency resupply, marksmanship, medical and a written exam on cavalry history. Candidates traversed two-mile ruck marches between each station.

Teams earned more points for faster march times, and the timer only stopped when last member crossed the finish line.

“It was good for the simple fact that so many guys haven’t seen a traditional spur ride ….,” said Army Master Sgt. Michael L. Crist, a personnel officer for the ADT. “The biggest thing is [if the service members can] think outside the box with their skill sets."

The first casualties of the spur ride were a few "extra" team members, soft-boiled eggs each team was required to name, protect and carry throughout the spur ride. By the end of the day, three eggs were lost, and in the heat, fried to perfection.

Significant to this particular spur ride, despite being in a combat zone, was the entry of Air Force Senior Airman Melissa Hidalgo, a medic attached to the ADT. Female spur holders are rare, and Air Force spur holders even more so.

Hidalgo may be the first female Kansas Air Guard spur holder, said Crist and Army Col. Howard E. Wheeler, commander of the ADT.

“It was an honor to … partake in the spur ride,” Hidalgo said. “To find out I’m the first female Kansas Air Guardsman to receive spurs, just brings it closer to home.”

The competition remained fierce, with the ultimate prize of having Wheeler pay for the winning team’s Stetsons.

In the end, Team Sweets prevailed. The team members were Army Spc. Richard Tyson Kane, a truck crewman; Army Staff Sgt. Timothy Schloetzer, a truck commander; and Army Sgt. Chase Taylor, a gunner, all with the ADT. The clincher for Team Sweets was their quick ruck march times, as they were the only team to earn all available points in that category.

With the conclusion of the spur ride, the teams retired to their hooches to rest and refit for the traditional dinner. The candidates capped their day serving a meal to the cadre and current spur-holders, and the good-natured jibes, an undercurrent of the event, continued. Each team was prompted to sing the team theme song they’d sung numerous times that day, to the obvious delight of the gathered crowd and chagrin of the team. Everyone smiled as the cadre got their final ribbing in and the candidates knew the day was concluding, their spurs all but on their boots.

Twenty-seven members of the ADT, from specialists to lieutenant colonels, male and female alike, earned their spurs that day.

Two soldiers earned special recognition. Army Sgt. Paul Olson, a truck gunner for the ADT, was chosen as most motivated by his peers, while Army Spc. Jason Cook, also a truck gunner, was chosen as most motivated by the cadre. The Soldiers received a special plaque commemorating their achievement.

The pride and traditions of the U.S. Army Cavalry will carry on in the 3/6 Kansas Cavalry and though the hoofed thunder of a mounted charge may never again be heard on the modern battlefield, it will echo forever in the hearts and minds of the cavalrymen anointed here.

Alexandria Man Charged with Shooting at Military Buildings in Northern Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Yonathan Melaku, 22, of Alexandria, Va., has been charged with destruction of property and firearm violations involving five separate shootings at military installations in Northern Virginia between October and November 2010.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.

If convicted, Melaku faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on each of the two willfully injuring the property of the United States charges and a total mandatory minimum of 35 years and a maximum of life in prison if he is convicted of both use of a firearm during a crime of violence charges.

“Today’s charges allege a long-term pattern of violent behavior against the U.S. military that escalated until his detention last Friday,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “The affidavit states that what began as a drive-by shooting at the National Museum of the Marine Corps grew to a series of armed attacks targeting multiple military installations seeking to shut them down. It culminated with Mr. Melaku’s apprehension near the Pentagon in possession of a backpack containing ammonium nitrate, one of the components used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.”

“Great investigative and intelligence analysis on this case has brought us to where we are today,” said James McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “The permanent partnership shared in the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has allowed investigators to follow up on every lead and continue to pursue so many matters in this case, leaving no stone unturned. This was an eight-month investigation involving hundreds of hours of interviews, evidence collection and analysis by investigators from Prince William County Police, Virginia State Police, Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Fairfax and Arlington Police, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Park Police and the United States Marine Corps. This is a shining example of how together we work tirelessly to keep Northern Virginia residents safe.”

According to an affidavit filed in court, Melaku is accused of engaging in a series of five shootings from Oct. 17, 2010, through Nov. 2, 2010, at the following locations: the National Museum of the Marine Corps (twice), the Pentagon, a Marine Corps recruiting sub-station in Chantilly, Va., and a U.S. Coast Guard recruiting office in Woodbridge, Va. Each shooting allegedly took place late at night or early in the morning and involved multiple 9mm rounds fired at each building. The cost for repairs at the facilities exceeded $100,000.

The affidavit states that Mr. Melaku attempted to flee law enforcement after he was spotted on the property of Ft. Myer in Arlington, Va., at approximately 1:30 a.m. on June 17, 2011. During the pursuit, he dropped a backpack that allegedly contained numerous spent 9mm shell casings; four bags containing ammonium nitrate, and a spiral notebook with numerous Arabic statements referencing the Taliban, Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, “The Path to Jihad,” as well as a list of several other individuals associated with foreign terrorist organizations.

Later on June 17, 2011, the affidavit states, law enforcement recovered a typed list in Melaku’s bedroom closet titled “Timer” that included nine items that are consistent with the requirements for a time power unit and firing mechanism of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Combined with ammonium nitrate, these items would make up several significant components needed for an IED.

The affidavit alleges that law enforcement also found a videotape in Melaku’s bedroom that shows Melaku in an automobile driving near what appears to be the U.S. Marine Corps Heritage Museum and repeatedly firing a handgun out the passenger-side window. Melaku allegedly made numerous statements on the video, including “That’s my target. That’s the military building. It’s going to be attacked” and at the conclusion of multiple shots exclaiming “Allahu Akbar.”

According to the affidavit, an analysis of the shootings determined that a brand of ammunition, based on class characteristics consistent with bullets loaded into cartridges, were manufactured by Prvi Partizan, and some of the shell casings allegedly found in Melaku’s backpack when he was taken into custody were also Prvi Partizan. The affidavit states that the bullets and fragments recovered from all five shooting incidents were fired from the same firearm.

The United States Marine Corps reports that Melaku joined the Marine Corps Reserve on Sept. 4, 2007, and is currently listed as a Marine Corps reservist Lance Cpl and a motor vehicle operator with Combat Engineer Support Company, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. He has previously been awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal. He has not deployed overseas.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the police departments of Arlington County, Fairfax County and Prince William County; the Pentagon Force Protection Agency; the Virginia State Police; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Coast Guard Investigative Service; the U.S. Park Police; U.S. Marine Corps Base Quantico; and the Military District of Washington Provost Marshal Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Grooms, Neil Hammerstrom, and Lynn Haaland of the National Security and International Crime Unit are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.