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Military Fields 10,000th Mine-resistant Vehicle to Troops in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Feb. 20, 2009 – The U.S. military fielded its 10,000th mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle in Iraq today during a ceremony on Camp Liberty, just 22 months after it was introduced into the theater of operations.
Servicemembers and civilians from across Victory Base Complex gathered among rows of MRAPs at the largest fielding site in Iraq to acknowledge the success the vehicle has had in protecting thousands of troops from blasts caused by roadside bombs.
"This is a historic day that represents the enduring power of our military industrial base,” Army Lt. Col. Ron Fizer, commander of the 402nd Field Support Brigade, said. “This type of effort has been indicative of America's manufacturing capability, but it has not been demonstrated in such a fashion since World War II.
"The teamwork demonstrated through the combined efforts of military, civilians, and contractors … has been exceptional,” he continued. “This has set a new standard for the development, fielding and sustainment of capabilities required by our warriors for today's battlefield and future conflicts."
The first MRAP was fielded in Iraq in April 2007. Since then, more than 11,700 vehicles have been fielded across the U.S. Central Command area of operations. In Iraq alone, this marks the 10,000th vehicle fielded and more than 22,000 personnel trained.
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"I had a couple of soldiers that came in and were getting some work done on their vehicle,” he said, “and they said they had been hit seven times with IEDs, and that very next week they were going on leave. I think it's a great testament to the whole team involved."
Senior Insurgent Killed in International Security Assistance Force Operation in Lowgar Province
02.21.2009 10:21
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KABUL, Afghanistan – It has been confirmed that a senior insurgent was killed and five others were detained during an Afghan national security forces-led operation near Bagh-e-soltan village, in Lowgar province today.
Shriin Agha, an insurgent who was responsible for directing and facilitating the placement of improvised explosive devices was killed in this operation. Agha’s actions had placed the lives of Afghan civilians at risk, as well as Afghan national security forces and ISAF troops. Agha was further involved in kidnapping an Afghan civilian.
One of the detainees named Munib, is suspected of assembling IEDs in Lowgar that were used indiscriminately against local Afghan civilians as well as ANSF and ISAF troops. He is also suspected of kidnapping government representatives and aid workers, as well as planning and leading attacks against resupply convoys.
The operation was successful in locating both insurgents quickly and professionally, with a minimum of force applied by ANSF and ISAF members. No civilians were injured or killed in the operation.
ISAF spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette said: “The success of this operation shows the people of Afghanistan that the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is committed to providing the security and stability needed in this country.
“Through the cooperation of the ANSF and ISAF forces, the impact on the Insurgents’ ability to carry out IED attacks will be significant. The end result is an improvement in the lives of the residents of Lowgar province, as these individuals will no longer threaten the lives of innocent Afghans.”
Team in Afghanistan Looks to Double Health Care Access
One of the teachers at a midwife training center in Gardez City, Afghanistan, talks about what the class needs, Feb. 17, 2009. The teachers asked for more training aids and computers to run multimedia lessons.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan, Feb. 19, 2009 – The walls of the Paktia provincial hospital are a bleak, dirty, two-tone, painted gray along the lower half and lime-green to the ceiling. Charred electrical wires poke from the plastered walls, hot-wired with no caps, covers or even electrical tape binding them.
Its halls reek of a mix of disinfectant and an odor that comes from having too many patients and too few rooms.
There is no light, save for that spilling in from the windows and doors. The hospital runs its lights and its lifesaving equipment using a high-powered generator. But it has only enough fuel to operate six hours a day. The fuel is saved for when critical care must be provided.
International Aid Brings Life-saving Medical Equipment to Afghanistan
02.21.2009 03:15
KABUL, Afghanistan – Vital new medical equipment donated by Estonia was delivered this week to the recently refurbished Bost Hospital in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province in southern Afghanistan.
The life-saving equipment and supplies were delivered to Kandahar Airfield and then transported by Afghan convoy to the outskirts of Lashkar Gah with the protection of the Estonian infantry company who operate out of the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team base.
The hospital was built and equipped in 1965, and despite being one of the few provincial hospitals equipped to standards required by the Afghanistan ministry of public health, it still struggles with the lack of equipment and trained personnel.
“This equipment, donated by Estonia, will provide a big boost to the capability of the hospital,” said Dr. Argo Parts, of the Estonian Special Mission to Afghanistan. “The equipment will help to provide the operating rooms and the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital with an all-important oxygen provision system, which will ultimately save lives."
Two Afghan women clad in blue burkas and five children wearing a mix of Western and traditional clothing carry goods home from an Afghan market, Feb. 4, 2009. The photo was taken by U.S. Army National Guard Photographer Staff Sgt. Russell Lee Klika, who now serves with the 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group of the West Virginia Army National Guard. The unit recently deployed to conduct missions around the country in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XIII.
An elderly Afghan man walks to meet U.S. Army soldiers in Bagram, Afghanistan, Feb. 15, 2009. The soldiers, assigned to the 101 Airborne Division's Company A., delivered supplies during a humanitarian mission to Afghan villagers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Prentice C. Martin-Bowen
‘Terrain denial’ may be new blueprint for rebuilding in Iraq
By James Warden, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Saturday, February 21, 2009
BAGHDAD — When U.S. forces first went into Sadr City last spring, they knew rebuilding was going to be critical to stamping out tensions in the restive Baghdad slum. Yet the effort was coming over five years into the war.
Sadr City may have been desperately short of key services — even by current Iraqi standards — but stateside war weariness meant Congress was no longer willing to sign a blank check for Iraqi reconstruction.
But the Americans brought with them a novel tactic dubbed "non-lethal terrain denial" that the 4th Infantry Division developed in 2007 during its preparations to deploy to Iraq. The tactic, which was called "Steadfast Falcon" during the planning stages, was a new, focused way of using civil reconstruction projects to create an inhospitable environment for enemy fighters.
Leaders brought Steadfast Falcon with them to Iraq but didn’t have a chance to put it into action for the first several months they were in Baghdad. Then Sadr City exploded in March in response to the Iraqi government’s crackdown on Shiite militias in Basra.
Muqtada al-Sadr, a cleric whose Mahdi Army dominated the slum, agreed to a cease-fire after hard fighting devastated his supporters. Under the terms of that cease-fire, U.S. forces could go into the southern third of the previously off-limits area, while Iraqi army units would control the northern two-thirds of Sadr City.
The stage was set for Steadfast Falcon to take flight.
Read more, CLICK on photo:
Capt. Philip O’Brien (front) and Sgt. Curtis Calhoun walk under an arch at Wishbone Park in Baghdad’s Sadr City district. The peninsula that the park sits on was once overgrown with weeds, allowing hidden enemy fighters to spy on a nearby joint security station.
Afghan National Army, International Security Assistance Force Forces Deliver Aid to Safidbarah Village
02.22.2009 05:30
KABUL, Afghanistan - Members of the Afghan national army 207th Corps of Camp Zafar, assisted by the International Security Assistance Force Spanish Operational Mentor Liaison Team of Regional Command-West, delivered food and supplies to the village of Safidbarah in western Afghanistan, Feb. 19.
The combined team arrived at the village and was greeted by more than 30 families from the area. The ANA delivered more than 500 sets of winter clothes and distributed cooking oil, rice, beans, sugar and blankets to needy families to help sustain them as the winter months come to an end.
"The ANA is formed from the different Afghan tribes," stated Maj. Norul-Haq, the Garrison Director of Education, in a speech made during the distribution. "Day and night we are trying to bring peace, security and stability to the region and to the innocent people of Afghanistan. The Afghan national army will fight until the last drop of their blood to protect the autonomy and national honour of this country."
After Norul-Haq's speech, an elder from the village thanked the 207th Corps for their efforts toward improving the security situation in the region. He also expressed his appreciation for the goods and supplies that were given to the poorer families of Safidbarah village.
The mission came just at the right time for the villagers. The end of winter tends to be a difficult time as stores of supplies gathered over the spring and summer have already been consumed. The donation made by the ANA and ISAF will help fill the gap until crop yields in the area are harvested in the spring. During the delivery, the villagers promised to assist and support the ANA and Afghan national police and other governmental forces in the region.
"The 207th Corps of Camp Zafar is not only here for security in the region, we also assist the Afghan people in each and every aspect of their lives," stated Sgt. Fathe Noori, public affairs officer for the corps. "We take honour in assisting them with their needs."
Insurgent Leader Killed in International Security Assistance Force Operation in Kandahar Province
02.22.2009 05:48
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KABUL, Afghanistan – It has been confirmed that an insurgent leader was killed during an Afghan national security forces-led operation near Ghoresh, in Kandahar province earlier this week.
The operation, supported by International Security Assistance Forces, was to apprehend the insurgent Mullah Mahmood. Mahmood facilitated and directed the placement of improvised explosive devices within Kandahar province, risking the lives of Afghan civilians, as well as Afghan national security forces and ISAF troops. He also had a known history of manipulating Afghans into becoming suicide bombers and was linked to numerous crimes in the area.
During the operation, Mahmood was given the option to surrender peacefully, but instead attempted to attack security forces and was killed. Fortunately, no civilian casualties resulted from his last act of violence.
Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette, ISAF spokesperson, said: “The success of this operation shows the people of Afghanistan, and more precisely within Kandahar province, that security and stability is of the utmost importance to the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”.
“With Mahmood no longer operating in the area, the Insurgents’ ability to conduct operations will be significantly degraded in Kandahar province. The most important outcome from this operation is the benefit to the Afghan people. Their safety has improved as Mahmood’s blatant disregard for the lives of innocent civilians has been brought to an end.”
Modern School Provides Opportunities for Kurdish Children
02.22.2009 01:44
KURDISTAN, Iraq – Kurdish regional government leaders and coalition forces inaugurated the first, permanent educational facility Feb. 12 in the mountainous region of Kani Mayor Village, Iraq.
The new school supports growing educational needs and serves as a platform for the future economic stability of the Kani Mayor Village and surrounding communities of Panjwin, Iraq.
“When decent schools are not available for their children, parents have traditionally packed up and moved from their villages to the city. After awhile, due to the exodus of people, the village’s economy begins to suffer,” said the tribal leader.
The new schoolhouse is not only a solid example of KRG’s efforts to sustain northern Iraqi villages, but also illustrates the successful working relationship between KRG and coalition forces to educate future generations of Iraqi people.
“By putting brick on brick, it is proof you are not only protecting our people from terrorists, but also caring for our children’s educational future,” said the regional education director. “Thank you for giving the children a place to study and have a future.”
The modern schoolhouse is fully equipped with five roomy classrooms, two bathrooms, new desks, textbooks and overhead lighting. Additionally, in an effort to attract and retain the most qualified educators, a separate building was constructed to serve as living quarters for the instructors.
Village children expressed sincere appreciation for the new facility to KRG leaders and were ecstatic to leave behind their temporary schoolhouse, which was a loaned-out chicken coop from one of the local farmers.
“It’s nice to finally be rid of that old school and not have to share [my new school] with chickens,” said a 13-year-old girl, who is excited to get back to school and continue her Arabic lessons.
Projects like this one truly create short-term benefits and long-term potential consistent with the intended goals of the Iraqi and coalition forces partnership. KRG officials, CF and tribal leaders have already entered into discussions regarding future plans to sustain and improve the schools capabilities. Improvements currently under discussion include hiring additional instructors, digging a well for the schoolhouse to have running water and expanding the instructor-living quarters.
2-2 Trains Afghan National Army Soldiers for Mission Readiness
02.22.2009 08:13
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan — Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, are improving the Afghan national army’s ability to respond to enemy activities through various joint training exercises at Combat Outpost Pegasus.
Delta Company Soldiers are training local ANA soldiers on basic infantry tactics, including basic rifle marksmanship, first aid, building clearing and how to react to enemy contact.
“I requested this training because it’s good for the soldiers. Many forget some of the skills because they don’t have the opportunity to train that often,” said Afghan army Capt. Abul Salami, a company commander from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 205th Corps.
Most of the soldiers have received about five months of training prior to the basic rifleman marksmanship class, but for some it was their first training experience.
“Many of them displayed infantryman skills, such as a good sight picture and sight alignment – essential keys to being a skilled marksman,” said Army Staff Sgt. Jeffery Adams, a platoon sergeant from Waterloo, Ala.
Today’s training was more than improving our allies’ infantry skills. It was about the next step for the Afghan military, he added.
“We give them the initial training and teach their NCOs and leaders how to do it,” Adams said. “Eventually they will be able to train themselves without having to be guided by us.”
The overall goal for the training is so the ANA soldiers won’t need the assistance of U.S. forces.
“It’s the end state. We are training the ANA so they can defend themselves and [be able to handle enemy activities better],” said Army 1st Lt. David Ochs, of Charlottesville, Va. “We are training them to replace us.”
Though the construction on their post hasn’t begun yet, the ANA remain motivated and willing to receive the advanced training.
“These guys are extremely motivated and live in harsh conditions – worse than our Soldiers. The least we can do is give them some good training and help them be at a better state of readiness,” said Army Capt. Michael Soyka, D Co. commander from Cleveland, Ohio. “Training of the ANA is the most important mission we have out here. It gets them ready to take our job and let this country stand on its own.”
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