Scott Thorne Update 9/30
Dear Friends,
More "hurry up and wait" today. We got up early (for those of us who are still in the Pacific Time Zone) and drove over to the hospital. We arrived in time to see Scott and the physical therapist. He described some exercises for Scott's right arm, among which are some that look very much like the quarterback arm drills he's been doing since he was seven. Should be easy to get him to do those. Scott is able to move his right arm above his head (according to his wife), but he still tires easily. He's getting more food intake now that we've discussed what he likes and dislikes with the dietician. The food appears to be more in line with what he's able to swallow instead of "whatever's on the menu for tonight." Scott was too tired to eat dinner, but more on that later.
Scott Thorne Update 9/30
Dear Friends,
More "hurry up and wait" today. We got up early (for those of us who are still in the Pacific Time Zone) and drove over to the hospital. We arrived in time to see Scott and the physical therapist. He described some exercises for Scott's right arm, among which are some that look very much like the quarterback arm drills he's been doing since he was seven. Should be easy to get him to do those. Scott is able to move his right arm above his head (according to his wife), but he still tires easily. He's getting more food intake now that we've discussed what he likes and dislikes with the dietician. The food appears to be more in line with what he's able to swallow instead of "whatever's on the menu for tonight." Scott was too tired to eat dinner, but more on that later.
Iraq effort by the numbers
The following article is one of many recently that attempts to analyze the progress, and setbacks, in Iraq quantitatively. Mosul is mentioned, which is why I wanted to share it.
If you're interested in this kind of information you should also read Belmont Club's detailed examination of recent attacks against civilian and military targets in Iraq. Is the security situation improving or worsening? He explains how very different outlooks can be supported by the facts presented.
Finally, this seems like a good place to mention a new website, the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, described as, "a comprehensive database of global terrorist incidents and organizations." You can drill down to individual incidents, or generate a list for a geographic area, such as Mosul.
Field artillery Soldiers happy to make noise once again
Another story from Army Public Affairs featuring 1-37 FA.
[Link to Article]
Story and photo by Spc. Aaron Ritter
QAYYARAH, Iraq -- Booms sounded throughout Forward Operating Base Endurance as field artillery soldiers took a break from their typical deployment duties and fired their M198 155mm Howitzers during a training exercise Sept. 8 and again Sept. 11.
Soldiers of B Battery, 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) focused the training to keep a high level of readiness and ensure their guns are fully mission capable, despite being given a diverse array of new responsibilities throughout their deployment.
Mosul Photos
Yahoo! News has a photo from the scene of Wednesday's convoy attack. I still haven't seen any additional news reports regarding those wounded. There are also two photos (one, two) of soldiers responding to the scene of another car bomb on Monday.
“Operation Iraq: The Spirit of Christmas” Volunteers Seeking Support
Here's a recent press release from a local organization that is sending Christmas packages to deployed soldiers.
KIRKLAND, WA (PRWEB) September 30, 2004 -- A can-do attitude by a core group of volunteers means thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq are likely to receive holiday gift boxes this year from Kirkland’s “Operation Iraq: The Spirit of Christmas” project.
Kirkland retailer Ruth Ann Young, who organized last year’s undertaking that generated more than 6,000 parcels, said volunteers who wanted to repeat the effort this year had to overcome a number of obstacles that until last week left the prospects in doubt.
Family Mourns Soldier Lost In Iraq War
By MONICA SCANDLEN
NEW PORT RICHEY - Pvt. Adam Harris knew the dangers of serving in Iraq. He told his father he was afraid. He wore his mother's cross to keep him safe.
But Harris died Sept. 22 on a mission in Mosul, shot in the head by a sniper, his family said. He had turned 21 four days earlier.
``It's something I'll never get over. Ever,'' his mother, Denise Michaud Bush, said Wednesday as she prepared for her son's funeral at Trinity Memorial Gardens in west Pasco County. ``I keep thinking someone's going to tell me it's a mistake. But it's real.'' [...]
2nd Stryker brigade leaves tonight for Iraq
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
TACOMA -- The nation's second Stryker brigade intensifies its gradual replacement of the nation's first in Iraq, as about 400 Fort Lewis soldiers are set to depart from McChord Air Force Base tonight.
The soldiers are members of the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment -- part of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, one of two of Fort Lewis' Stryker brigades.[...]
The Stryker brigades, each with about 4,000 members, are named for their quick, new, light-infantry vehicles and were first developed at Fort Lewis.
The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division gradually will replace the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and serve its own one-year tour of duty in Iraq. Elements of the first Stryker brigade will begin returning next week, Army officials said.
Scott Thorne Update 9/29
Dear Friends,
Another busy day for Scott and a long wait for us. He had a PET Scan (tests brain activity using radioactive markers--takes 1 to 3 days to read/interpret one), a brain ultrasound test, which went well enough to pull the pads off his head, and a visit from two speech pathologists. He had some cereal for breakfast, which we heard he enjoyed very much. We don't know what kind of cereal because we weren't able to see him until about 2 p.m.
Soldier Interviews 9/29
Provided below are links to the latest video interviews courtest of Army Public Affairs.
The Scimitar for 9-20 published
Not sure how I missed it, but the Scimitar is available in PDF here.
There is an article about Aco, 5-20th and A and C co, 1-23rd Inf. that includes a few pictures.
Remember to check out the Scimitar link from time to time on our links page for more articles. Also, PDF files are pretty download intensive, so anyone with a dialup connection needs to be patient. Text of article below...
Soldiers in demand for speaking engagements
There is contact information included in the article if you know someone that might be interested.
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Lorie Jewell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 29, 2004) – The Army’s Operation Tribute to Freedom program is recruiting Soldiers willing to go out into their hometowns or local communities to share their experiences in fighting the Global War on Terrorism.
“We’re moving forward with efforts to strengthen the bond between American Soldiers and citizens of the nation they serve,” said Capt. Robert Kuster, who heads the speakers service. “To do that, we want Soldiers who will volunteer to go out and share their stories and personal experiences with their fellow Americans.”
Momentum in Mosul
Katy sent this story from Fox News.
[Link to Full Article]
By Scott Rutter for FOX Fan Central
Aggressive effort in Mosul has fostered security and marked improvements in essential living conditions, governmental infrastructure and services. One particular battalion in Task Force Olympia, the 2nd Battalion 3rd Infantry, 3rd Brigade Combat Team (Stryker) of the 2nd Infantry Division, continues to execute its campaign of targeting terrorist, training and partnering with the new Iraqi National Guard, and facilitating the rebuilding of needed infrastructure projects.
Security operations directed at the insurgency are now executed together by U.S. forces and the Iraqi National Guard. A comprehensive, U.S. directed combined and individual training program has allowed U.S. forces to perform supporting operations in order to allow the Iraqi's to execute final assault operations on the selected target or objective area. Combat multiplier assets such as attack aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are integrated into the operation in order to provide continuous over watch of the objective and target area.
Coming home is 'kind of a culture shock' for soldier
Another good R&R story.
[Link to Full Article] (Photo included)
By YONIKA WILLIS, Tribune Staff Writer
MISHAWAKA -- As a child playing with G.I. Joes, 20-year-old Spc. Seth Oppelt knew he wanted to some day be a "real American hero" himself.
It was in November 2003, just months after he graduated from Mishawaka High School, that his fantasy became reality when he was deployed to Iraq.
After more than a year of training to earn his combat certification for the Army's newest war vehicle -- the Stryker -- Oppelt became part of the 1st Infantry Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
1-14 CAV Photo Essay
Strykerdad172nd and Carla both sent a link to this Defend America photo essay featuring B Troop, 1-14 CAV.
P.S. - Mike, they refer to them as 1st Battalion here as well. ;)
Car Bomb in Mosul Injures Six Troops
Associated Press
MOSUL, Iraq - A car bomb exploded in the northern city of Mosul as a U.S. military convoy was passing by, wounding six American soldiers, the military said Wednesday. [...]
Capt. Angela Bowman of the Army's Task Force Olympia said five of the wounded soldiers have since returned to duty
Artillery Soldiers accomplish it all while in Iraq
[Link to Article]
By Spc. Gretel Sharpee
The United States Army and its Soldiers remain the strongest fighting force in the world due to it’s flexibility to accommodate a changing battlefield. Nowhere is this flexibility more apparent than in field artillery units that are currently deployed overseas, like the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), who is making FOB Endurance their last stop before they redeploy to the states.
The 1-37th, out of Fort Lewis, Wash., has spent the last 10 months serving in Iraq in three key locations, Samarra, Mosul and Qayarrah in operations that involved more than artillery efforts. They are one of the many artillery units that have been challenged to adapt to a battlefield that may not require their artillery skills, but does require their excellent Soldiering skills.
Civil Affairs helps uncover the past at Hatra
[Link to Article]
by Sgt. 1st Class Julie Friedman
MOSUL, Iraq – One of the most culturally and historically significant sites in the Ninevah Province is the ancient walled city of Hatra, in the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers known as Al Jazirah.
Originally built as a fortress, it guarded the two main caravan routes connecting Mesopotamia with Syria and Asia Minor between the first century BC and the second century AD.
Passing the Torch
CBFTW shares an email he received from his Battalion Commander - very much worth reading. For a bit of background you can read this first.
Stryker Photo 9/28
Strykerdad172nd found another recent photo at the Army website. Caption:
Spc. Dalray Bingley of 1st Battalion, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, patrols Mosul, Iraq
Scott Thorne Update 9/27 & 9/28
September 27, 2004
Dear Friends,
Scott had to go for a second angiogram this afternoon. This process involves injecting a contrasting dye into the blood vessels of his brain and taking an x-ray of them. It pretty much wipes him out for the rest of the day. We were able to see the comparison of the two tests this evening when we met with the God of Neurology, LTC (Lieutenant Colonel, O-5) Armanda, for the first time. When I told him he was underpaid (he's a neuro- and vascular-surgeon so he cuts from the outside and he's an interventional radiologist so he runs things into the blood vessels to fix them from the inside), his response was "I have other motivations." This is exactly the man we want on Scott's case. Plus, he's a soldier, not just a doctor in an Army suit. He has been in Baghdad and that counts for something with us. I told him about what Scott was doing in Iraq and he asked me to write this up for him so he can introduce him properly at case reviews. (Darn, I should have asked how many volumes he wanted!) It was nice to see an Army doctor in a Navy facility, too. We can't wait to get back to Walter Reed, which could happen as early as Friday if Scott continues to hold up.
Elsewhere 9/27
A number of in-depth summaries to browse.
- Iraq Report 9/27 - Winds of Change has published its most recent report.
- Good news from Iraq, Part 11 - From Chrenkoff.
- Carnival of the Liberated - A weekly roundup of opinion from Iraqi bloggers.
- Battling for Iraq (Registration required) - A more positive outlook on the progress of Iraqi Security Forces from Lt. Gen. Petraeus.
Message of Thanks
Be sure to read the entry regarding Pfc. Adam Harris again. His parents, Denise and Steve, have left a message thanking everyone for their kind words.
Stryker Photo 9/27
George found another combat camera photo at the Army website. Caption:
A Soldier of Company C, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, fires his 240B machine gun at insurgents during a combat operation in Tall Afar, Iraq.
Car Bomb Explodes in Iraqi City of Mosul
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) - A car bomb exploded in the northeastern city of Mosul on Monday as an Iraqi National Guard patrol was passing by, killing at least four guardsmen and wounding three others, police said.
At least three vehicles were damaged in the blast, witnesses said.
Police Capt. Mushtaq Abdul-Karim said the explosion killed at least four guardsmen and wounded three others and also hurt a civilian.
Army May Reduce Length of Tours
I think the key word here is "may", but at least there is discussion.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By THOM SHANKER and ERIC SCHMITT
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 - Fearing a sharp decline in recruiting and troop retention, the Army is considering cutting the length of its 12-month combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, senior Army officials say.
Senior Army personnel officers, as well as top Army Reserve and National Guard officials, say the Army's ability to recruit and retain soldiers will steadily erode unless combat tours are shortened, to some length between six and nine months, roughly equivalent to the seven-month tours that are the norm in the Marine Corps.
ING & MNF foil roadside bomb, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 27, 2004) – The Iraqi National Guard and Multi-National Forces from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) foiled a roadside bomb and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Sunday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi National Guard soldiers foiled a roadside bomb attack when they noticed a 155mm artillery round in the median of the road 20 kilometers north of Qayarrah. The Iraqi Explosive Ordnance Disposal team destroyed the round with no injuries reported.
MNF Plant Seeds for the Future of Iraqi Agriculture
(TFO Press Release)
By Sgt. Fred Minnick
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 26, 2004) – Multi-National Forces are currently planting seeds for the future of agriculture in the Ninevah Province. In cooperation with the universities of Texas A&M, Colorado State, Kansas State and the World Wide Wheat Company, Multi-National Forces will distribute more than 1,000 pounds of wheat seeds to Iraqi farmers by October.
The Ninevah Province is considered to be the wheat belt of Iraq, producing 50 percent of the country’s wheat. Over the past 10 years, this region has not been able to keep up with Iraq’s wheat demand. During the Saddam Hussein regime, farmers were expected to continuously produce wheat, never leaving their fields fallow. This tactic degraded the soil, leaving few nutrients for the next year’s crop, increasing the chances for crop disease and fungus, and eventually resulting in fewer yields.
Bridal shop offers free gowns to military couples
I thought this was a nice local story - saw it on the news last night.
[Link to Full Article]
By Karen Jowers, Times staff writer
A Seattle-area bridal shop has joined other shops around the country that have offered free wedding gowns to military couples to show their support for those in uniform.
La Belle Mariee Bridal will give away 100 wedding dresses on Sept. 26 to eligible military couples.
The shop, in Kirkland, Wash., will open its doors at 10 a.m., when the first 50 people will be allowed to shop for any dress among 400 in the store, ranging from size 4 to 26, worth an estimated $1,200 each.
Comment Delay
You may have noticed that there is always a long delay when you post comments here on our site. Explanation: Spam has become a problem not only with email, but on sites such as ours as well. Spammers have discovered that they can boost their search engine ranking by leaving bogus comments on blogs that include their site's web address. To combat this, we have been using software that compares all text in every comment against a list of known spammer websites. The comparison takes a while (it's a long list!), which is what causes the delay after you click "Post".
ING receives body armor vests and helmets
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 26, 2004) – Iraqi National Guard soldiers from Mosul, Irbil and Dahuk received 1,032 body armor vests and 1,500 protective helmets September 25.
The equipment was purchased by Task Force Olympia with funds from the Commander’s Emergency Response Program as part of a larger effort to equip the Iraqi security forces.
Scott Thorne Update 9/26
Dear Friends,
Today was a reminder that no matter how well things go one day, they do not necessarily go that well everyday. Today was a difficult one for Scott because he had to go for another CT scan. This entails being taken to the basement of the hospital at Bethesda and moved to the table of the CT device and then back again to his bed and rolled back to the ICU. A nurse, corpsman and a doctor are required to be present before he can be moved anywhere, so it makes quite an expensive entourage. He is made uncomfortable by this process and it takes him some time to recover afterward. He takes it well, but cries out during the table changes. The good news is that the CT scans and the readouts of the other devices attached to him still indicate that he is doing well. The bad news is that Scott is only dimly aware of this and we get the impression he feels he is taking a step backward because of the need for tests and monitors.
Soldier blogs detail life in Iraq
You might recognize a site or two mentioned in this article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Ellen Simon, AP Business Writer
Iraq war blogs are as varied as the soldiers who write them. Some sites feature practical news, war pictures and advice. Some are overtly political, with more slanting to the right than to the left. Some question the war, some cheer it. While some military bloggers (or milbloggers) say their commanders have encouraged their online literary ventures, a few say their commanders have shut them down.
For the folks back home, soldier blogs offer details of war that don't make it into most news dispatches: The smell of rotten milk lingering in a poor neighborhood. The shepherd boys standing at the foot of a guard tower yelling requests for toothbrushes and sweets. The giant camel spiders. The tedium of long walks to get anything from a shower to a meal. A burning oil refinery a hundred miles away blocking the sun. A terrifying night raid surprised by armed enemies dressed in black.
Terrorists flee Tal Afar in face of coalition
This article might be a repeat - if so I apologize.
[Link to Article]
By Spc. Blair Larson
TAL AFAR, Iraq (Army News Service, Sept. 24, 2004) - A coordinated offensive operation by Multi-National Forces and Iraqi security troops this month have chased the terrorists out of Tal Afar in northern Iraq, after six months of violence there.
Houses are riddled with bullet holes along Route Santa Fe, a main highway running through the outskirts of Tal Afar, used by terrorists to attack Multi-National Forces and Iraqis in recent months.
Scott Thorne Update 9/25
Dear friends,
If this is the first of these updates on Scott that you have received, you can go to www.strykernews.com to read the previous ones. Sorry, but there's new addresses to add all the time, so...
Soldier, wounded in action, is still in the fight at Walter Reed
Steve, the father of a 1-14 CAV soldier, is someone I've come to know over the past year. He has provided me with invaluable advice, which I'll always be grateful for. Consequently, my heart skipped many beats on September 14 when I received an email from him informing me that his son, Scott, has been seriously injured in the same incident that took the life of SGT Demand. Very few details were available at the time.
Steve has allowed us to post his email updates as a way to keep those who know Scott informed of his progress. We don't often hear the stories of the wounded. As Steve mentioned in one of his messages to me, we might not hear the stories, "but they're getting great personal and medical attention from the staff here. Everyone has been wonderful to us. No exceptions. If you want to see dedicated staff helping our warriors recover, you can see it at Walter Reed every second of the day." As we mourn the fallen, let's also say a prayer for their wounded comrades.
These updates are listed in reverse chronological order. To read Scott's story from the beginning, scroll down to the September 14, 2004 entry and work your way up.
UPDATE: We have now created a separate category for Scott's progress reports. From now on we will be posting daily updates as individual entries rather than adding them to this one (it's getting too big!). Follow the link above to read the latest.
Stryker Photo 9/24
George sent a link to this photo. Caption:
Spc. Fernando Legaspe of Company A, 5th Battalion 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, scans Tall Afar, Iraq for enemy activity.
Army doctor gives textbooks to Iraqi nurses
Another Stryker Soldier has been featured by Soldier Stories.
Maj. Michael Helwig and other Army medical professionals in Iraq distributed about 500 donated textbooks to nurses from the Ninevah Province Ministry of Health Sept. 21.
The textbooks will be divided between the area hospitals and universities in Mosul, Irbil and Dahuk, officials said.
Turkish peace monitoring force completes its mission in Iraq
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 24, 2004) – The Turkish peace monitoring force, which was formed in 1997 to monitor a cease-fire between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), will be dissolved in early October. A ceremony will be held to formally recognize the contributions of the Turkish government and the successful efforts of the force to contribute to northern Iraq’s security.
The conflict between the KDP and PUK intensified in 1996, drawing the attention of the global community. During a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, a cease-fire agreement was established by representatives of the two parties and representatives from the United States, Britain and Turkey. The cease-fire, known as the Ankara Peace Process, called for a Turkish force to enforce the cease-fire and monitor relations between the two parties.
Citizen-soldiers indeed
Another article about the citizenship ceremony yesterday.
ANGIE LEVENTIS; The News Tribune
Spc. Owusu Gyamfi enlisted in the U.S. Army two months after his cousin was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center.
Although he wasn't a U.S. citizen, the Ghana native felt compelled to serve his adopted homeland in memory of his fallen relative.
On Thursday, three weeks before his scheduled deployment to Iraq, the 24-year-old Fort Lewis soldier finally became a citizen of the nation for which he was already willing to put his life on the line.
Gyamfi was one of 10 soldiers in the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division who took the oath of allegiance at Fort Lewis' first citizenship ceremony.
Stryker Soldiers Become U.S. Citizens
[Link to Full Article]
By Keith Eldridge
FORT LEWIS - Local soldiers who are about to be sent to Iraq are taking something brand new with them; their U.S. citizenship.
The men are members of an elite group of soldiers from Fort Lewis who are willing to die for a country that is not officially theirs.
"I can honestly say this is one of the proudest days in my life," says Spec. Theopolis Abraham.
These ten Stryker soldiers are just days away from being sent to the tense fighting in Iraq, yet they are all smiles because they are about to become naturalized citizens. [...]
Pfc. Adam J. Harris
As Mike mentioned in the previous entry, the DoD has identified the soldier killed in Mosul yesterday as Pfc. Adam J. Harris, assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment (see below). Our thoughts and prayers are now with the loved ones he leaves behind. We will add any subsequent information we find to this entry.
DoD Identifies Army Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Pfc. Adam J. Harris, 21, of Abilene, Texas, died Sept. 22 in Mosul, Iraq, when he was shot by a sniper while on patrol. Harris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
The incident is under investigation.
Soldier Interviews
Provided below are links to the latest videos of soldier interviews provided by Army Public Affairs.
Fields Of White Roses
My friend Marcel, who is a Vietnam veteran, penned the following poem for us as a tribute to fallen soldiers. Thanks for these moving words Marcel.
The Olympia Observer 9/20
The September 20 edition of The Olympia Observer, Task Force Olympia's newsletter, is available for donwload. Two of the stories have already been posted here, but the others are new.
Iraqi PM: 'Thank you America'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, laying out his government's security, economic, and political aspirations Thursday to a joint meeting of Congress, said elections for a transitional national assembly will be held in January, as scheduled.
"Elections will occur in Iraq on time in January," Allawi promised.
He mentioned the doubts many have expressed about Iraq's achievements over the months and said, "We will prove them wrong again."
Funeral for a friend
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Sgt. Jacob Demand didn't go with the rest of the Stryker brigade when it left for Iraq last November. After eight years in the Army, he'd done his part and was ready to move on to other things.
But then came the Pentagon's stop-loss order. By January, Demand was among 175 or so Stryker soldiers loaded on planes and sent to catch up with their buddies in Iraq.
He didn't complain when he landed in Mosul, and he went about his duties in the war zone with enthusiasm, his friends said at a memorial ceremony for him Wednesday at Soldiers Chapel at Fort Lewis.
They remembered the 29-year-old infantryman as a loving father, a bright, funny friend and a dedicated soldier.[...]
Stryker drivers: The backbone of the Stryker Brigade
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Fred Minnick
MOSUL, Iraq – After 10 months of intense driving in a combat zone, the Stryker drivers have developed a knack for steering the massive eight-wheeled beast through Iraq’s narrow alleyways, congested streets and dangerous overpasses. As the first Soldiers to use the Stryker, members of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division have seen the Stryker endure rocket propelled grenades, roadside bombs and small arms fire.
Since crossing the Iraqi border in November, the Stryker has bolstered the Army’s combat power and given battle planners a vital tool in winning the fight in Iraq. On several occasions, because of the vehicle’s combat power and mobility, top generals from Multi-National Forces Iraq have called upon the Stryker Brigade to move outside of its area of operations in northern Iraq to conduct operations in Al Kut, Balad and Baghdad.
Line medics keep the infantry on its feet
[Link to Article]
Story and photo by Spc. Gretel Sharpee
MOSUL, Iraq - It might be hard to distinguish a line medic in a crowd of infantry Soldiers, when only a pair of shears attached to his vest or a large aid bag on his shoulders sets him apart.
Although he carries a weapon to defend himself or his comrades if necessary, the medic’s primary mission is to save lives, a responsibility he does not take lightly. He also ensures that every Soldier in his unit is trained to perform basic lifesaving skills in the event a medic is not immediately available.
Video Backlog
We haven't posted links to new videos in a while. Provided below are the latest clips courtesy of Army Public Affairs.
Articles Of Interest
I've been collecting a number of non-Stryker related articles that I thought might be of interest. Rather than post them all separately I've listed the article titles below and will let you click through to read the full article if you see something you like.
Soldier savors Sheridan homecoming
The following is a great story from a hometown paper about a soldier home for R&R.
[Link to Full Article]
By DD BIXBY Of the News-Register
A large homemade sign hangs on the front of the Sheridan home of Jamie and Theresa McMahon. "Welcome Home Andy," it reads, in blazing color.
Their middle child, Army Spc. Andrew McMahon, surprised his family Sept. 8 when he capped a 10-month tour in Iraq with a quick trip back.
TFO soldier dies from injuries following attack
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (September 22, 2004) – A Task Force Olympia soldier died at approximately 1 p.m. today from injuries following an attack on a Multinational Forces patrol in Mosul.
The attack occurred at approximately 12 p.m. The Soldier was evacuated to the military hospital in Mosul where the soldier later died of wounds.
No other injuries were reported in the attack.
The name of the Soldier is being withheld pending next of kin notification.
MNF detain 20 terrorists, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 20, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained twenty people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment conducted a cordon and search operation in the Mosul neighborhood of Al Intisar and detained 20 people, including three leaders, of a known terrorist network as they conducted a meeting at local office building. During a search of the office, intelligence documents were confiscated. Multi-National Forces reported no injuries during the operation.
Iraqis ready to rebuild, brothers say
By MIKE STARK
There are two American flags outside the Gifford house. The one that's a little more tattered was put out when 21-year-old Justin left for Iraq last fall. The other is for Chris, 20, who's been in Iraq since May.
The flags won't come down until both of Bryan and Ruth Gifford's sons are home safely.
Both soldiers, who serve in the Army in separate units and separate locations, were home in Billings briefly this month - a scheduling feat that their father Bryan chalks up to a higher power.[...]
Frontline Photos 9/21
Adra found another combat camera photo of 5-20 operating in Tal Afar. Caption:
Soldiers from Company C, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, batter through the door of a suspected insurgent hideout in Tal Afar, Iraq.
Memory Quilt for Task Force Olympia
A special group of folks, known on our Bulletin Board as the Tea Party Society, is creating a Memory Quilt to commemorate the Stryker Brigade and the other Units supporting Task Force Olympia.
This quilt will be made from the uniforms, clothing, flag colors and other memorabilia associated with the heroes who serve with these units. Each square will also contain the signature of the soldier and/or someone participating in the project (wife, mom, friend, fiance etc.)
When the quilt is finished, it will either be raffled off and the proceeds distributed to the families of those who sacrificed their lives for their country - or - donated to the Military Museum. The choice will be made by vote from those participating in the project.
Provided below is additional information on how to contribute to this great project.
Fort Lewis lands $48 million
[Link to Full Article]
THE OLYMPIAN
Fort Lewis will get a $48 million barracks and training complex as part of a package of $165 million in construction projects for Washington state military bases announced Monday by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. [...]
Jeff Young, spokesman at Fort Lewis, said the Army Corp of Engineers will award the construction contracts for these facilities; construction is expected to begin next summer and last 18 to 24 months.
Stryker force soldier says concept unique
[Link to Full Article]
By KEN McLEMORE, Hope Star Writer
Editor's note - Following is the second of two parts from an interview with U.S. Army Sergeant Ben Wise of Hope.
Most Americans have little perspective concerning the professional soldier beyond the Hollywood version; but, the Stryker force concept adopted by the U. S. Army in 1999 and now deployed in Iraq is built around the lean, mobile, agile, and forceful attributes of combat as a profession.
U.S. Army Sergeant Ben Wise, of Hope, is among the first professional soldiers who have applied that concept under fire.
Chaplains' Redeployment Advice
I'm sure many families have been receiving (or will shortly) redeployment advice from their Family Readiness Groups, but parents, extended family and friends might not have access to such information. The Army's Chaplain Corps has put together a very useful resource page. Take a moment to read the information provided, particularly in the "Tri-fold brochures for soldiers and loved ones" section.
Stryker Photos 9/21
The Army website has a couple combat camera photos I haven't seen elsewhere (one, two). You can also view many more Stryker photos here. Thanks to George for the links.
UPDATE: I deleted the link to the first photo, it seems to have disappeared from the Army website. Here's another picture, however.
With the end in view, a sense of uncertainty
[Link to Full Article]
By JERRY JIMENEZ
SEPT. 13 -- There's no denying this mission is coming to an end. Our civil affairs replacements arrived yesterday -- proof there's light at the end of the tunnel. They seem like a good bunch. A couple of young Spec 4s (the rank below sergeant) and a middle-aged female major. The rest of their team is expected to arrive this month, leaving us free to fly home soon.
I remember when I first arrived in Iraq last year. Eyes as big as saucers. Other parts puckered up tightly whenever I left the wire.
Flash forward 10 months, and now there's some other new arrivals standing before me and I'm the expert giving them advice on how to drive in Mosul, how to clear a bridge and how to blend in with an infantry battalion. Man, time does fly.
Strike force
Great article about a recent training exercise involving the 172nd in Alaska.
[Link to Full Article]
By Beth Ipsen
FORT GREELY--At precisely 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, the sound of morning prayers in the village of Wadi Al Tarif was interrupted by gunfire as soldiers from the U.S. Army's A Co., 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry launched a raid.
Three large eight-wheeled Stryker vehicles emerged from the bushes surrounding the small scattering of buildings riddled with bullet holes.
Engineers improve conditions in N. Iraq village
The 133rd, which is part of Task Force Olympia, is featured in the Soldier Stories portion of the Army's website.
[Link to Full Article]
September 16, 2004
Soldiers from the 133rd Engineer Battalion are working on a series of projects in the rural village of Hamzan in northern Iraq.
The National Guard Soldiers from Belfast, Maine, replaced the village’s small mud schoolhouse with a concrete structure. The new school has three classrooms with plumbing and electricity.
Iraq Report 9/20
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with plenty of links to news and analysis of recent events.
Mosul Photos 9/20
Yahoo News! has a few photos of 3-2 soldiers responding to the scene of a car bombing in Mosul on Monday (one, two, three).
Shekhan District school renovations complete
[Link to TFO Press Release]
By Spc. Aaron Ritter
MOSUL, IRAQ (Sept. 20, 2004) – High school students in the Shekhan District may have put off the start of the school year by a couple of weeks but on Sept. 18, Ain Sefny residents and Multi-National Forces alike celebrated the completion of renovations to the Ain Sefny High School.
Nearly 520 students will benefit from the three months of reconstruction efforts by local contractors. The $55,000 project included new doors, windows, paint, electrical work, furniture, computers, heating and cooling systems, water tanks and the repair of 930 square meters of walkway and 60 meters of the school’s exterior wall.
The Olympia Observer 9/20
The September 13 edition of The Olympia Observer, Task Force Olympia's newsletter, is available for download.
MNF detain 16 in Mosul, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 20, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 16 people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and collected a variety of weapons and munitions Sunday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment conducted seven cordon and searches in Mosul and detained a total of 16 people suspected of planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. During a search of the various residences, one Russian-made machine gun with a 100 round ammunition drum, one German-made bolt action rifle, one stun-taser, two AK-47s, ammunition and intelligence documents were confiscated. All suspects are in custody undergoing questioning with no injuries reported during the operation.
Effort to Train New Iraqi Army Is Facing Delays
[Link to Full Article]
By ERIC SCHMITT, New York Times
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 - Three months into its new mission, the military command in charge of training and equipping Iraqi security forces has fewer than half of its permanent headquarters personnel in place, despite having one of the highest-priority roles in Iraq.
Only about 230 of the nearly 600 military personnel required by the headquarters, from lawyers to procurement experts, have been assigned jobs with the group, the Multinational Security Transition Command, military officials in Washington and Iraq said. One officer said the military's Joint Staff had given the armed services until Oct. 15 to fill the remaining jobs, but other officials said those people might not actually be in place until weeks later. [...]
U.S. strains to get useful intelligence
[Link to Full Article]
By Rick Jervis, Tribune staff reporter
TAL AFAR, Iraq -- The ski-masked informant marched through rows of seated villagers, tapping "terrorists" on the head as he went--this one yes, this one no, this one yes.
The fingered suspects, all military-age men rounded up by U.S. soldiers from a dusty village 20 minutes west of Tal Afar in northern Iraq, were photographed, blindfolded, tied up and driven to a nearby Army base for interrogation.
Tal Afar exposes divisions, shaky coalition hold
SCHEHEREZADE FARAMARZI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TAL AFAR, Iraq -- After Najaf and Fallujah, suddenly it has been Tal Afar's turn to follow the familiar pattern: Militants move in, U.S. forces fight to drive them out and local leaders get caught in the middle trying to broker a peace.
The battle for this northern Iraqi city has highlighted the tangle of ethnicities that the U.S.-led coalition has to deal with and the fragility of its control over the country.
From Shiite strongholds in Basra, Nasiriyah, Kut and Najaf through the so-called "Sunni Triangle" of Fallujah, Ramadi and Samarra, coalition forces for 17 months have been waging battles against insurgents with varying degrees of success, rarely registering any big, clear-cut victories.
Tal Afar, near the Syrian border, posed a different challenge.
Multi-National Forces detain one in Mosul
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 19, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained one person wanted for anti-Iraqi activities Sunday in northern Iraq.
Multi-National Forces conducted a cordon and search in the neighborhood of Al Masarif and detained one person wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. The suspect is in custody with no injuries reported during the operation.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Local citizens are urged to cooperate with security forces by providing information that leads to the capture and arrest of anti-Iraqi forces. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center in Mosul at 125 or 513462.
After Recapturing N. Iraqi City, Rebuilding Starts From Scratch
[Link to Full Article]
This is a long article but it really explains a lot of what is happening up north and in my opinion is worth the read.
By Steve Fainaru
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 19, 2004; Page A32
TALL AFAR, Iraq -- A three-foot-high coil of razor wire, 21-ton armored vehicles and American soldiers with black M-4 assault rifles stood between tens of thousands of people and their homes last week.
At Checkpoint 301 on Tall Afar's eastern edge, cars packed with families and their belongings stretched back five miles. Hundreds of Iraqi men pushed toward a slim opening in the razor-wire fence, where two U.S. soldiers waited to frisk them before they reentered the city.
New Picture
Task Force Olympia has a new picture on its home page.
MNF detain seven in Tal Afar
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 18, 2004) –Multi-National Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained seven people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities Friday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment conducted cordon and search operations in Tal Afar and detained seven people wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. During a search of the residence intelligence documents and two vehicles were confiscated. The suspects are in custody with no injuries reported during the operation.
Hometown Embraces Injured Soldier
By Keith Eldridge
LEWIS COUNTY - A huge fundraising effort is underway to help Trevor Phillips from the town of Onalaska.
Phillips told us from his hospital room near Washington, D.C., "and all of a sudden just 'boom' the loudest thing I've ever heard in my life."
Phillips recalls the moment an explosion ripped through his Army Stryker vehicle in Iraq.
Stryker Soldiers in Action
Many thanks to strykerdad172nd for finding these two images on the Army web site.
The first pic by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
September 17, 2004
Lt. Col. Karl Reed, commander of 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade 2nd Infantry Division, discusses security with the police chief of Tall Afar, Iraq. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.
The second pic by Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson
September 17, 2004
A Soldier of the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, cuts the lock off a door at a grainery in Tall Afar, Iraq in search of anti-Iraqi forces. This photo appeared on www.army.mil.
To view all the pics visit Army Images which allows for larger copies of each picture. The two images listed above are the first and third images on the first page. These locations may change with time. NOTE: The larger images on the Army Images pages are huge and will take a while to download on a dialup connection.
Professionalism is hallmark of American soldier
By KEN McLEMORE, Hope Star Writer
Editor's note - Following is the first of two parts from an interview with U.S. Army Sergeant Ben Wise of Hope.
U. S. Army Sergeant Ben Wise, of Hope, is proud to be a professional soldier.
Wise, home on leave from the 2nd Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade, 5/20th Infantry Battalion deployed in Northern Iraq, said in an interview that combat is his job. He is assigned to a Stryker brigade unit which typically conducts combat scouting missions.[...]
Army Launches 1st UAV in AK skies
Story and photos
by Cpl. Douglas DeMaio
20th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT GREELY – The first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Alaska flown by Army pilots took took to the air on an airfield southeast of Eielson Air Force Base Sept. 5.
Soldiers from the UAV platoon of Troop D, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, catapulted the Shadow 200 reconnaissance device into U.S. Army Alaska history.
The acquisition of the UAV is an integral development of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team and a positive step toward building a pathway for the future combat system, said Sgt. 1st Class David Hansen, UAV platoon sergeant.
Iraqi Police detains one, discovers huge weapons cache
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 16, 2004) – The Iraqi Police detained one person for anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a huge variety of weapons and munitions Wednesday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police detained one person at a traffic control point 15 km north of Mosul for illegally attempting to smuggle munitions into Mosul yesterday. During a search of the suspect’s vehicle, police discovered 147 60mm mortar rounds. Police detained the suspect and remains in their custody. The U.S. Explosive Ordnance Disposal team secured the munitions for future destruction.
U.S. general visits site of clashes
[Link to Full Article]
BY RICK JERVIS
Chicago Tribune
TAL AFAR, Iraq - (KRT) - The top U.S. commander in northwest Iraq on Thursday traveled to the center of Tal Afar, a city besieged recently by clashes between insurgents and U.S. and Iraqi troops.
Stryker unit notes successes, readies to head home
Another great article by our friend at the News Tribune, Michael Gilbert.
[Link to Full Article]
(Many thanks to twoums for sending this along)
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
With the end of its yearlong deployment in sight, the Fort Lewis-based Stryker brigade is mopping up after one of its largest operations - more than a week of heavy fighting in Tal Afar.
The power and water are back on, residents who fled their homes are returning and U.S. and Iraqi authorities are sizing up the damage, the brigade's deputy commander said Wednesday.
A reported 2,000 Stryker troops - more than half the brigade's combat power - cleared out what officials described as terrorist elements that had taken over the agricultural and trade center of 250,000 between Mosul and the Syrian border.
SGT. Jacob H. Demand
The DOD has identified the soldier killed in Mosul Tuesday as Sgt. Jacob H. Demand with the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
UPDATE: A memorial service forSGT Jacob Demand, Trp B, 1-14 Cav will be held at Fort Lewis, Soldiers Chapel at 1300 on 22 September.
Mosul detention facility toured weekly by local Iraqi officials; allegations of abuse unfounded
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (Sep. 15, 2004) – Recent media reports alleging sexual abuse of detainees in Mosul are unsubstantiated and without merit according to Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Government officials.
Weekly tours of the facility, conducted since 2003, by Ninevah Provincial Council members have found no substantiated reports of misconduct by security personnel who manage the facility.
Ninevah Province Governor, Duraid Kashmoula has also refuted the abuse allegations.
“We believe in the humanitarian treatment of detainees in Mosul,” Kashmoula said. “The allegations of abuse are unfounded. We know this because of the frequent access we have to interview the detainees.”
Iraqi Police and MNF thwart mortar attack, detain three and foil roadside bomb
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 15, 2004) – Iraqi Police and Multi-National Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) thwarted a mortar attack, detained three people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities, foiled a roadside bomb attack and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police thwarted a possible mortar attack against Multi-National Forces when they discovered four anti-Iraqi personnel emplacing a mortar launching system in northern Mosul. Police quickly engaged the enemy forcing them to flee. Using a description from Iraqi Police, Multi-National Forces later discovered and searched the vehicle used in the attempted attack discovering three rocket propelled grenade rockets with a launcher, 10 hand grenades, 300 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition and one Russian-made machine gun with a 100 round drum. This incident is under investigation.
In retaken Iraqi city, perils lurk
By Steve Fainaru
TALL AFAR, Iraq - The Iraqi known as "The Source" slipped the borrowed U.S. military fatigues over his clothes in the back of the armored personnel carrier. He donned a black ski mask that covered everything but his eyes.
He stepped out of the back of the vehicle and addressed the interpreter who would in turn address the company commander who would lead the search for terrorists this day.
"The village. He wants you to arrest all the men in the village," the interpreter told Army Capt. Eric Beaty, commander of Company C, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment.[...]
Always in hiding, an Iraqi interpreter's anguished life
By Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor
MOSUL, Iraq — It's 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Khalid Ahmed jostles in the back of a U.S. armored vehicle on a combat mission, tightens his flak vest, and pulls on a thick black ski mask. Covering his eyes with wrap-around sunglasses, he obscures the last clues to his Iraqi identity.
It's a mask Mr. Ahmed hates intensely, although he knows it could save his life. As an interpreter for a U.S. Army colonel, he faces constant danger on and off the job. In Mosul alone, at least four of his colleagues — including his predecessor — have been assassinated for working with American forces.[...]
U.S. military encounters new N. front in Tal Afar
[Link to Full Article]
This is a great account of what has been happening lately in Tal Afar.
BY RICK JERVIS
Chicago Tribune
TAL AFAR, Iraq - (KRT) - The black-masked militants have been run out, quieted or killed.
And residents of this remote northern city on Tuesday began trudging through checkpoints and returning home.
But recent clashes here between insurgents and U.S. Army Stryker Brigade troops that uprooted 150,000 residents and left more than 70 insurgents and 40 civilians dead have opened a decisive new northern front in the war against insurgency in Iraq.
Tulsa Soldier calls home
Here is another story from a local news station complete with picture.
[Link to Full Article]
Tulsa Soldier In Iraq Talks About His Mission And With His Broken Arrow Grandparents
They haven't seen their soldier grandson for almost a year. Now, thanks to the US Army and the miracles of modern technology, a Broken Arrow couple was able to connect, even with their grandson halfway across the world.
Residents of Tal Afar begin to return home; Governor appoints interim Mayor
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (September 14, 2004) – At approximately 2 p.m. today, residents of Tal Afar began returning to their homes in the city after provincial leaders determined the city had been returned to legitimate Iraqi Government control. Duraid Kashmoula, Nineva Province Governor, has also appointed an interim Mayor for the city until the Nineva Provincial council can appoint a permanent mayor.
Residents are being allowed to return home in a controlled and orderly process through checkpoints manned by Iraqi National Guard and Iraqi Police with assistance of the Multinational Forces.
Iraqi Security forces and MNF foil roadside bomb, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 14, 2004) – Iraqi Security forces and Multi-National Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) foiled a roadside bomb attack and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Monday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police foiled a roadside bomb attack in the neighborhood of Al Intisar when they noticed a suspicious item near the side of the road. The Iraqi National Guard Explosive Ordnance Disposal team destroyed the device with no injuries reported.
3-2 SBCT reunion seminars
The Fort Lewis Family Focus website has posted some information and registration forms for spouses of the deployed soldiers. Hopefully, there will be additional information posted in the future pertaining to friends and family of the deployed soldiers. (hint, hint)
3d Stryker Brigade Combat Team
REUNION SEMINAR INFORMATION
5, 6 and 7 October 2004
6:30 - 9:30 each night
Come and Join Us! Open to all spouses of the 3d Brigade Combat Team
AFIS news service news article
One Task Force Olympia Soldier Killed, 5 wounded
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2004 – One Task Force Olympia soldier was killed and five others were injured today when their patrol was attacked with small-arms fire on the western side of Mosul, Iraq.
Also today, oil pipeline security contractors reported a fire along a pipeline near Bayji. The cause of the fire is under investigation by pipeline workers from Northern Oil Company. Security guards reported hearing an explosion, officials said.
TFO Press release
"One Task Force Olympia Soldier dead, five wounded during attack"
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 14, 2004) – One Task Force Olympia Soldier was killed and five were injured when their patrol was attacked with small arms fire on the western side of Mosul this morning. The injured were evacuated to military hospitals in Mosul and Baghdad.
The name of the Soldier killed is withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
T-Shirt Project
UPDATE: Final call for getting in on this great project. Ardis says "I will accept mail-orders that come in that were postmarked September, 15th.
People can also call us directly or send a fax. The fax process has been working great. I am totally thrilled at the support that this project has received."
Another Stryker family has decided to take on a merchandise project. Ardis & Lowell Kenney have designed a t-shirt that is now available for purchase. Provided below is a message from them, which includes a bit of background on the project, a photo of the design, and order forms that you can print out and mail to them. Thanks guys!
Tech Success: 'Heads up' takes on fresh meaning for Army
By BRAD GRIMES
Wearable computing technology lets Stryker commanders see more than the battlefield
If you want to know what it's like to be a commander in a brigade of Army Stryker armored vehicles, do 70 knee bends.
It's not that commanders are exercise nuts, although they're undoubtedly fit. Rather, it's that cutting-edge technology sometimes leads to unintended consequences. Such was the case with the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division, the Army's first high-tech Stryker Brigade.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, military units were equipped with Force XXI Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) systems developed by Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles. The so-called Blue Force Tracker system provides situational awareness by showing allied and enemy positions on a digital map.
Although the system was praised for its effectiveness, commanders faced an interesting challenge. They couldn't monitor the FBCB2 screens inside their vehicles and watch the battlefield at the same time.
Good News from Iraq
Chrenkoff has published his latest installment of Good News From Iraq - Part 10
Minimal resistance in Tall Afar
MOSUL, Iraq — The Fort Lewis-based Stryker Brigade launched a major predawn assault yesterday to wrest the northern city of Tall Afar from insurgents but encountered almost no resistance.
About 2,000 soldiers — two battalions from the Army's 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and a battalion from the Iraqi National Guard — pushed into Tall Afar at 3:15 a.m. to confront what U.S. military officials had expected would be about 200 insurgents who had taken over the local government.
At least 80 die in Iraq
ATTACKS:Fighting kills civilians; no U.S. troops die.
BY JACKIE SPINNER
WASHINGTON POST
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Car bombings, mortar attacks and clashes between insurgents and U.S. and Iraqi security forces killed at least 80 civilians across the country Sunday, Iraqi officials said.
In Baghdad, the scene of some of the most intense fighting in months, at least 27 people were killed and 107 were wounded.[...]
The news from Tal Afar follows.
Iraqi Forces Find Weapons...
Check out the extended entry of this story for an excerpt about the 3/2 and 416th Civil Affairs Bat.
[Link to Full Article]
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2004 -- Iraqi police and the Iraqi Intervention Force found hundreds of illegal weapons hidden in secret rooms in the Najaf office of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Sept. 9, according to a statement released by Multinational Force Iraq today on behalf of Iraq's interior ministry.
As part of their mission to clear the city of armed members of Sadr's militia and to remove weapons and ammunition caches, the Iraqi security forces searched Sadr's office, close to the Imam Ali shrine, the statement said. During the search, which took place with the Najaf governor's approval, the statement continued, Iraqi troops noticed fresh plaster on a wall in Sadr's office.
For the rest of the story about Sadr's office, click on the link above to the full article.
Violence Sweeps Iraq, U.S. Gunship Fires on Crowd
By Ibon Villelabeitia
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A U.S. helicopter gunship fired at Iraqis milling around a burning U.S. vehicle in a Baghdad street on Sunday, one of Iraq's bloodiest days for weeks in which at least 110 people died in clashes around the country.
The Health Ministry said the worst casualties were in Baghdad, where 37 were killed, and in Tal Afar near the Syrian border where 51 people died.
U.S. troops mounted a major offensive on Thursday in Tal Afar, a suspected haven for foreign fighters about 60 miles from Syria, but the military gave no immediate explanation for the steep rise in the death toll on Sunday. [...]
U.S. Forces Prepare to Retake City in N. Iraq
By Steve Fainaru
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 12, 2004; Page A24
MOSUL, Iraq, Sept. 11 -- The commanding general of U.S. forces fighting in the northern Iraqi city of Tall Afar said Saturday that he believed the insurgency would be defeated within a week, allowing a deposed local government to be reinstated.
In an interview, Brig. Gen. Carter Ham said about 200 insurgents remained in Tall Afar, a city of 250,000 between Mosul and the Syrian border. Ham said U.S. forces were collecting intelligence in preparation for driving the insurgents out of the city.
Joint Operations to return security to Iraqi Security Forces continue in Tal Afar
(TFO Press Release)
TAL AFAR, Iraq (September 12, 2004) – Joint operations continue in Tal Afar today to remove the foreign fighters who have forced the citizens of Tal Afar from their city. The objective of these operations is to return security and governance to legitimate Iraqi control and to allow families to return to their homes in peace.
Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Security forces have secured the main road around the city over the last two days and are now moving into Tal Afar to eliminate the presence of the terrorists who have taken control from legitimate Iraqi leaders.
MNF donate medical supplies to residents of Tal Afar
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 11, 2004) – Soldiers and medical personnel loaded three Iraqi ambulances Friday with $8,500 worth of medical supplies to be taken to the people of Tal Afar.
Many of the residents of Tal Afar are leaving the city due to the increased activity by terrorists in recent days. The International Red Crescent is working to provide shelter and medical care for the displaced citizens.
MNF detain one, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 11, 2004) – Multi-National Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained one person wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Friday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment detained one person at a checkpoint in the neighborhood of Al Rissala after they discovered suspected improvised explosive device switches hidden in the back of his car. The suspect was turned over to the Iraqi Police.
Three Years On
Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, other times it seems very distant, but 9/11 will always remain a date none of us will ever forget.
This photo from a Marine Company in Iraq speaks volumes as well.
Feel free to share any other links in the comments section.
(Animated flag provided by 3DFlags.com)
Thanks James!
James, who maintains the StrykerRecon.com website, was gracious enough to create a new site banner for us while he was home on leave. I'm not going to have time to incorporate the banner throughout the site before I leave on vacation, but you can take a sneak peek here. Pretty nice huh?
I wanted to say thanks before he heads back to Iraq. Be sure to check out his site as well - it looks like he's been making some serious design and content upgrades lately.
American troops lay siege to insurgent-held NE Iraqi city
An update from The Associated Press.
[Link to Full Article]
By Mariam Fam, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) U.S. troops handed over medical supplies to Iraqi relief workers Friday amid a siege of a northeastern ethnic Turkish city where Iraqi and American forces are trying to root out hundreds of militants.
Despite criticism from Turkey and Shiite leaders, U.S. commanders insisted they will the maintain their blockade of Tal Afar for as long as it takes to subdue what they said were foreign fighters holed up there. The campaign was part of a recently launched American effort to restore government authority to lawless areas of the country either through negotiation or by force.
From cheese grits to flea collars
Interesting article with good information about groups such as the Fallen Heroes Fund and the Military Pets Foster Project (Dog Sitter?).
[Link to Full Article]
By Carly Baldwin, The Christian Science Monitor
NEW YORK – After her cousin was deployed to Iraq, Nicole Bargallo wanted to support the war effort. Yet working full time at a New York law firm, she was at a loss for how and when to help. So when her firm, Greenberg Traurig, decided to send care packages to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, she eagerly lent a hand.
"I collected money from people throughout the office," she recalls, standing amid boxes packed with energy bars, disposable cameras, children's drawings, and flea collars that soldiers wear on their ankles to ward off sand flies.
Letter Home
Sgt. Joseph Sanchez, who is responsible for many of the TFO press releases you see here, shares a letter home in this column.
[...] During my 15-day leave, a lot happened in Iraq that included such events as the car bombings on June 24 (in Mosul), the passing of sovereignty to the Iraqi people two days early and the arraignment of Saddam Hussein.
All of these events, which took place within a week of each other, have had a dramatic effect on the ground and on the psyche of the people.
My War Update
CBFTW explains why he will no longer be sharing personal stories on his site. However, he has re-posted selected entries - his personal "Best Of".
45 dead in raid on 'closed' township
This article indicates that insurgents have abandoned the city.
BAGHDAD: The northern Iraqi town of Tall Afar, branded by the US military a den of foreign fighters, remained shut to the outside world last night after a massive US-led air and ground assault killed at least 45 people. [...]
In Tall Afar, 75km from the Syrian border, police patrolled streets that one officer said had been abandoned by insurgents after 13 hours of air strikes on Thursday.
The Olympia Observer 9/6
The September 6 edition of The Olympia Observer, the newsletter published by Task Force Olympia, is now available for download.
Area events scheduled to mark 9/11
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A parade in Lacey, rallies outside Fort Lewis and a Tacoma waterfront ceremony are among the local events planned to mark the third anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Tacoma firefighters will get it started Saturday by gathering at their Ruston Way memorial to remember New York comrades killed when the World Trade Center towers collapsed. The Tacoma Fire Department honor guard and pipers will begin the ceremony at 8:15 a.m.
MNF & ING continue operations in Tal Afar
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 10, 2004) – Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) and the Iraqi National Guard continued operations in Tal Afar Thursday. In other operations in northern Iraq, Soldiers detained 15 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities and foiled a roadside bomb attack.
Iraqi Security forces and Multi-National Forces in Tal Afar continue to work to establish security and eliminate terrorist activities that have forced hundreds of people from their homes. Security forces have established checkpoints to control the access in and out of the city and are supporting efforts by the International Red Crescent to provide shelter and care for displaced citizens. Multi-National Forces and Iraqi Security forces have also secured the main road around Tal Afar to increase security and freedom of movement.
US-led Iraqi forces keep Tall Afar sealed off
There is a picture of a very familiar vehicle in this article.
TALL AFAR, Iraq - The northern Iraqi troublespot of Tall Afar remained sealed off by US-led Iraqi troops on Friday, one day after at least 45 people were killed in huge air and ground assault, an AFP correspondent said.
US planes flew over the town and a police officer said police had fanned out in streets deserted by insurgent fighters during the morning.
Thirteen hours of relentless air strikes and fierce fighting in two districts of the town left 45 people dead and more than 80 wounded on Thursday, the local hospital said.[...]
U.S. targeting insurgents in northern Iraq
This article from CNN attempts to summarize recent operations in Tal Afar (I've given up trying to figure out the correct spelling), although no mention is made of a cease-fire. The article relies primarily on military press releases, all of which we've posted previously.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S.-led multinational troops and Iraqi security forces launched an operation Thursday to oust "anti-Iraqi" fighters who have overrun the northern Iraqi city of Tall 'Afar, the U.S. military said.
The U.S. military has identified Tall 'Afar -- 30 miles west of Mosul -- as "a suspected haven for terrorists crossing into Iraq from Syria."
Videos 9/9
Links to the latest videos are provided below.
US seals off northern Iraqi town
This update indicates a cease-fire is in effect.
[Link to Full Article]
Agence France-Presse
TALL AFAR, Iraq -- The US army sealed off a northern Iraqi town where hours of air strikes and fierce fighting on the ground left at least 28 dead people dead and scores wounded Thursday, medics and an Agence France-Presse reporter said.
Negotiations between tribal leaders from the town of Tall Afar and officials in the nearby city of Mosul brought the fighting to a halt shortly after 3:00 pm (1100 GMT).
ISF & MNF continue operations in Tal Afar
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (Sep. 9, 2004) – Operations in Tal Afar continue today, as Iraqi Security forces and Multinational Forces work to remove the terrorist threat that has forced hundreds of people from their homes.
Multinational Forces responded to dozens of attacks in recent weeks, with a coordinated and precise maneuver to secure the highway surrounding the city. This main road has been the site of numerous attacks on Multinational Forces and Iraqi Security forces by rocket propelled grenades, mortars and roadside bombs.
Stryker Brigade physician’s assistant is everything but interesting
[Link to Article] (Photos included)
Story by Sgt. Fred Minnick
MOSUL , Iraq – 1st Lt. John Robinson has accomplished a lot in his 14 years of military service. He has many talents and has had a little bit of luck along the way, but when asked about his life, he responds “my life isn’t that interesting, mate, you don’t want to do a story on me.”
Robinson, physician’s assistant for the 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, grew up on the first island the legendary Capt. James Cook found in New Zealand . As a child, Robinson played rugby, rode horses along the beach and hunted wild pigs.
17 dead in US strike
This article has updated information on the situation in Tal Afar.
[Link to Full Article]
Agence France-Presse
SEVENTEEN people were killed and 51 wounded in a fresh onslaught overnight by US and Iraqi forces on the town of Tall Afar in northern Iraq, a hospital official said today.
The bombardments began at 2am (0800 AEST) yesterday and continued for seven hours, an AFP correspondent said.
Clashes also erupted between coalition forces and insurgents in two neighbourhoods of the town, located about 450km north of Baghdad.
Army Blogger's Tales Attract Censors' Eyes
This should answer a few questions that many of you probably have.
[Link to Full Article]
By CHRISTOPHER COOPER, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Army specialist Colby Buzzell figured he'd cap his yearlong deployment to Iraq by mustering out of the service this winter and easing into a new career. "I was thinking about maybe driving a cab," he says.
But that was before he launched My War, an Internet-based chronicle of his life as an infantry soldier in Mosul, where he mans a gun in a Stryker brigade. Written under the nom de guerre of CBFTW (Colby Buzzell F -- This War) [I have it on good authority that CBFTW actually stands for Colby Buzzell Fights This War -Todd], the blog is a mixture of gripping accounts of caffeine-driven battle maneuvers and amusing vignettes from the dusty grind of life in Iraq's third-largest city.
Iraqi Border Patrol receives new weapons
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Autumn Grimsley
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 8, 2004) – The Iraqi Border Patrol soldiers are better equipped after receiving 550 new 9mm hand guns.
“The new weapons will allow the border patrol soldiers to search cars easier,” said Lt. Col. Sabah-Aklawi.
Man's death brings war to Strand
[Link to Full Article]
ISSAC J. BAILEY - A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
The war has come home.
Airman 1st Class Carl L. Anderson Jr. is the first member of the U.S. military from our area killed in Iraq. He was killed Aug. 29, by a homemade explosive near some place called Mosul. [...]
ISF & MNF detain six
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 9, 2004) – Iraqi Security forces and Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained six people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities, foiled a roadside bomb attack and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Thursday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment detained three people wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. The suspects are associated with the terrorist element that has repeatedly attacked Multinational Forces, Iraqi Security forces and civilians during the past two weeks in Tal Afar. They were arrested after attempting to gather intelligence near a Multinational base in Tal Afar. The suspects are in custody and no injuries were reported during the detention operation.
Soldiers from the Iraqi National Guard conducted two cordon and searches 45 kilometers northwest of Mosul and detained three suspected anti-Iraqi personnel. The suspects are in custody with no injuries reported during the operation.
U.S.-Iraqi security forces launch attacks
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — U.S. and Iraqi security forces launched attacks Thursday to flush out insurgents in northern Iraq, killing 12 people, the military and Iraqi officials said.
The operations are intended to restore interim government control in Tal Afar, about 30 miles west of Mosul, the military said.
The military said the attacks were launched after negotiations between Nineveh Gov. Duraid Kashmoula and local leaders failed to bring stability to the region.
ISF & MNF initiate operations in Tal Afar to eliminate terrorist threat
We'll see if any other details emerge.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (Sep. 9, 2004) – In recent weeks as Multinational Forces and Iraqi Security forces moved through and around Tal Afar, they were repeatedly attacked by a large terrorist element that has displaced local Iraqi Security forces. Today, Multinational Forces and Iraqi Security forces initiated operations to eliminate this threat and to restore control of Tal Afar to legitimate Iraqi government officials.
There have been numerous attacks during the past two weeks directed against Multinational Forces, Iraqi Security forces and civilians. These attacks by terrorist groups included rocket propelled grenades, small arms fire, mortars and roadside bombs, and resulted in civilian casualties. Many Iraqi families have been forced from their homes under threat by these terrorists.
Elsewhere 9/8
A few links of interest:
- Into The Breach - Another Friend Goes To War - Blackfive sees another friend deploy, and is asked for a very personal favor.
- Back Home, Safe, and Enlightened - Austin Bay recently returned from Iraq. He shares his thoughts in this column.
- Delta gets it wrong - Marine Corps Moms share this story of Delta airlines' mistreatment of a soldier returning home for R&R. (via OHC)
- Echo Company - Knight-Ridder has put together this excellent Special Report on a company of Marines operating near Ramadi, Iraq. Based on the diary of war photographer David Swanson, the report includes photos, articles, and interviews with loved ones left behind. Echo Company lost more men than any other Marine or Army company in the war.
Iraq casualties from Washington state
The Seattle Times published this article in today's paper that profiles all members of the U.S. Armed Forces with a connection to the state of Washington that have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq. All of the soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd ID are included. There are some touching personal recollections offered that I hadn't seen before. May we continue to honor their memory.
Veterans hope to clean up with fund-raiser
As I understand it, the 1-25 is one of the units that will be adopted by this VFW chapter.
[Link to Full Article]
By BRAD WONG, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
REDMOND -- It may look like just another car wash, a flurry of soapy water gliding over the hoods, doors and trunks of automobiles outside the Veterans of Foreign Wars hall here Sunday.
But Seattle-area veterans who belong to Lake Washington Post No. 2995 and family members of military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan hope their brawn will produce much more than shiny automobiles.
More than 100 helped during health screening in Al Kush
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Jessika Ross
AL KUSH, IRAQ (September 8, 2004) – A health screening was conducted in the city of Al Kush September 6 to assess the needs of citizens in the city and its surrounding areas.
The health screening was performed by medical professionals from the Multinational Forces. The doctors examined more than 100 people. The patients were given advice on medical conditions and some received medicine or vitamins that were not previously available at local clinics.
Offline
Our web host was upgrading our server this morning, which is why the site was down for a while. I didn't get word until this morning so I couldn't let you know beforehand. We should be good to go now.
Fort Lewis soldiers to swap duty
Since this article about the deployment ceremony has additional information about the transfer we thought we would post it separately.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
At Fort Lewis these days they're either coming or they're going.
Family members with soldiers in the Army's first Stryker brigade, 10 months into a yearlong mission in Iraq, are counting the days until they'll be together again.
Meanwhile their counterparts from the second Stryker brigade are beginning to say their long goodbyes. The 4,000-strong brigade and some 3,000 well-wishers turned out for a formal departure ceremony Tuesday at Watkins Field.
1-25 Deployment Ceremony
The following are local stories regarding today's deployment ceremony for the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. We will add stories here as we find them.
Second Stryker Brigade Heading To Iraq - KOMO News
Soldiers and families gather for departure ceremony - The Associated Press
Concern fuses with pride as Stryker Brigade heads for Iraq - The Seattle Times
More stories listed below...
Fort Lewis soldiers prepare for Iraq deployment
Another local article regarding the upcoming deployment of 1st BDE, 25th ID. I'm not sure how much coverage today's deployment ceremony will get, so if someone has a first-hand report please let us know.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By RAY LANE / KING 5 News
FORT LEWIS, Wash. - Thousands of soldiers from Fort Lewis are getting ready to head to the battle in Iraq as new reports of violence and American casualties come in Tuesday.
A major switch-out of troops by the different Fort Lewis brigades is under way, but it's going to take some time for it all to happen. The replacement forces are preparing for a one-year deployment to a very unforgiving part of the world.
Videos 9/7
A few new videos included below for your viewing pleasure.
Soldiers’ blogs become more popular...
This is the first article/statement from the US military that I've seen regarding the subject of soldier blogs. There is some good advice included for soldiers interested in maintaining a blog of their own.
[Link to Article]
...Cause concern for security
By Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, Iraq-- With an internet connection, Soldiers can send and post messages around the world. Instants after an event happens, the details can be transmitted back to family and friends in the form of emails and with new simple technology, can be posted in seconds on one of the web’s fastest growing trends, a weblog.
A weblog is a personal website that contains dated entries of personal opinions, thoughts and essays. Weblogs often feature links to news articles or other “blogs” on the internet. Blogs have become popular recently because of web services such as Blogger, which make blogging possible even for those who aren’t familiar with website administration
Park Falls native serves country in Iraq
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Fred Minnick
MOSUL, Iraq – Two years ago, Spc. Brian Weinberger was attending high school in Park Falls, Wis., playing football and wrestling.
When Weinberger, the son of Don and Chris Weinberger of Park Falls, assessed his future after high school, he chose a path that would challenge his physical and mental abilities. He decided to become a U.S. Army infantry Soldier.
In Iraq, mortality is always on your mind
[Link to Full Article]
By Jerry Jimenez
(Editor's note: Jerry Jimenez, who joined The Salinas Californian reporting staff in July 2002, left work in April 2003 to train for civil affairs duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army Reserve. He plans to write a weekly column about what he experiences and observes until his departure from Iraq later this year.)
I'm 10 months into a one-year deployment in Iraq, and I've learned a few lessons.
Like, you can take a shower with only two bottles of water, if that's all you have. Also, when you're dealing with Iraqis, it's good to use phrases that contain the word "Allah." And don't use too much soap when washing socks by hand. You'll be rinsing forever.
Wounded Army chaplain awaits a miracle recovery
NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS; The Associated Press
SPOKANE - Aug. 21 was to be a special day for the Rev. Tim Vakoc, as the Catholic priest was to participate in the wedding of his niece.
Instead, Vakoc is clinging to life at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., after he was wounded while serving as a chaplain in Iraq.
Vakoc, 44, is a Minnesota native who since 2002 has been assigned to Fort Lewis. On May 30, the Humvee he was driving struck a roadside bomb near Mosul. He lost his left eye and suffered a penetrating head wound that damaged multiple lobes of his brain.[...]
MNF detain one, collect weapons
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 7, 2004) –Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained one person suspected of anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Monday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment conducted a cordon and search in the Mosul neighborhood of Al Kahira and detained a suspected terrorist wanted for planning and conducting attacks against Multinational Forces. The detainee is in custody undergoing questing. No injuries were reported during the operation.
Iraq Report 9/6
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Veterans Sell Dog Tags For Scholarship Fund
I found this article because it mentions Matt Stovall and thought some of you might be interested in the dog tags this group is selling.
Mitzi Breazeale of Gulfport earns the honor of being the first Mississippian to buy a set of military dog tags. She's about to get it engraved.
Mitzi Breazeale said "It is going to say help pray and support our troops for a safe return. I'm going to wear it with pride".
On Wednesday, members of the "Military Order of the Purple Heart" began selling military dog tags. The metal tags are used to identify soldiers. Purple Heart recipient Ray Funderburk came up with the idea to start selling it to the public.
State's soldiers who gave all to war were united in cause
The following article is the first of a three-part series looking at the cost of the war on servicemen and servicewomen from Washington state. Jacob Herring and Christopher Bunda are mentioned here.
[Link to Full Article]
SHANNON DININNY; The Associated Press
YAKIMA - Determined to follow his big brother into the Marine Corps, Dustin Sides worked furiously to rehabilitate a broken ankle so he could pass the medical exam.
His older brother had enlisted to earn money for college. Family members say Dustin might have considered the idea, but once he arrived at boot camp, he simply loved being a Marine.
Training center takes soldiers into high-tech scenarios
By BETH IPSEN
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FAIRBANKS - It's an adolescent's dream and an enemy's nightmare.
They may look like video games, but some 700 computers at the newest state-of-the-art training facility at Fort Wainwright give soldiers a taste of war long before they step onto the battlefields.
"This is what you need in your living room," Dennis Jones, an engagement skills trainer, said as he walked into a large room used for target practice: Camouflage netting hangs from the ceiling, guns sit on a platform with the muzzles propped up on sandbags and pointed at a screen that covers a roughly 20-foot-long wall.[...]
Fighting rages in northern Iraq
According to the BBC fighting continues in Tall Afar on Sunday.
US troops fought rebels in northern Iraq for a second day on Sunday, while Iraqi forces said they had captured 500 suspected militants further south.
An unconfirmed report said two Iraqis were killed during the fighting in the northern city of Talafar, following at least 11 deaths there on Saturday. [...]
Iraqi officials: Leading Iraqi fugitive captured
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi Defense Ministry said Sunday that Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, deputy commander of armed forces under Saddam Hussein, was captured near Tikrit by the Iraqi national guard and U.S. troops.
But the Pentagon had no immediate confirmation, and a senior Pentagon official expressed some doubt about the report. [...]
Clashes Kill Eight People in N. Iraqi City
An update to the earlier stories.
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Heavy fighting erupted near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul between U.S.-led forces and insurgents on Saturday and at least eight people were killed and 40 wounded, witnesses and hospital officials said.
A U.S. military helicopter was forced to land near the village of Tallafar, near Mosul, and the two crew members aboard the U.S. UH-58 were injured, a U.S. military spokesman said. He said it was not immediately clear what forced the helicopter to land but it happened as fighting raged in the area.
MNF detain 13
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL , IRAQ ( September 4, 2004 ) –Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 13 people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities Friday in northern Iraq .
Soldiers from 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment conducted operations along main roadways in Tal Afar and detained 10 suspects wanted for planning and conducting attacks against Multinational Forces. The suspects are in custody and no Soldiers were injured during the detention operations.
Border Patrol officers now have night vision and vehicles
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq (Sep. 4, 2002) – Members of the Iraqi Border Patrol in Diyanah and Rabiyah, Iraq received 90 sets of night vision goggles and 55 new Jeep Libertys in recent handover ceremonies in Mosul, increasing the level of security along Iraq’s northern border.
Border patrol guards in the northern border city of Diyanah received 32 new Jeep Libertys this week in a handover ceremony at the Mosul Airfield. Border patrol guards from the northern city of Rabiyah also received 23 new Jeeps and 90 sets of night vision goggles. Forty-three additional vehicles are awaiting pick up by the Rabiyah-based border patrol unit at a later date.
Eight Iraqi civilians injured during rocket attack
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 4, 2004) – Eight civilians were injured yesterday when terrorists indiscriminately fired a 107mm rocket into a traffic circle located in southern Mosul, according to Iraqi Police.
Of the eight injured, seven received multiple shrapnel wounds and one received a broken arm. All eight civilians were evacuated to a local hospital and their conditions are unknown at this time.
Operations in Tal Afar ongoing
(TFO Press Release)
1 detained and 2 terrorists killed
MOSUL, Iraq (Sep. 4, 2002) – Military operations to bring stability and security to the city of Tal Afar began this morning when Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) entered the city in search of Anti-Iraqi Forces. Soldiers detained one and killed two Anti-Iraqi Forces.
At approximately 8 a.m. , Stryker Brigade Soldiers initiated operations to capture or kill members of a known terrorist cell operating in the Tal Afar area, approximately 50 kilometers west of Mosul . The targeted terrorist was positively identified and detained.
Videos 9/3
A few new videos today - links and descriptions below.
The Scimitar 9/3
The September 3 edition of The Scimitar is now available for download. There were a couple articles from the Mosul region included.
What's for Dinner?
[Link to Full Article]
By Heidi Home Alone
(This vignette describes the trials and triumphs of spouses of deployed service members. It is one of several we will present, authored by a group of 1st Cavalry Division spouses who write under the pen name “Heidi Home Alone.”)
At the beginning of the deployment, I really missed the fact that my husband wasn't around to go to the commissary with me. OK, fine, so he never went to the commissary with me when he was here - but hey the opportunity was always there. I don't think that I fully appreciated being able to go to the commissary by myself until school got out for the summer and my group of constant chaperones made sure that I was never lonely again! There really is nothing more frustrating than having to fight with my children over which kind of cereal we were getting or what candy at the checkout line. So, now that school is back in session, the commissary and I have once again found a happy medium!
Patrol capabilities increase for Mosul Police Department
[Link to TFO Press Release]
By Spc. Autumn Grimsley
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 2, 2004) – The Mosul Police Department can better protect the citizens of Mosul after being handed the keys to over $175,000 worth of new vehicles in a brief ceremony at the Mosul Palace on September 1.
Four new trucks were given to the local police to replace vehicles destroyed when a car bomb exploded in front of the Somer Police Station in southeastern Mosul on Aug 1. The police use the flat-bed trucks to move large numbers of officers to incidents at one time.
Soldier a traitor, military jury says
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
Spc. Ryan G. Anderson, who as a boy wore an "Airborne" T-shirt for days on end and dreamed of becoming an Air Force pilot, was judged a traitor Thursday by nine Army officers.
After about 4 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury of six men and three women found Anderson guilty of attempting to provide military information to the al-Qaida terrorist network earlier this year.
250 support troops Iraq-bound
[Link to Full Article]
By Rod Ohira, Advertiser Central O'ahu Writer
Army Staff Sgt. Dennis Calvert shut his eyes and recalled a five-day family vacation to Maui in July.
In his mind, Calvert sees himself snorkeling with his wife, Florence, and two children — Steven, 11, and Rosella, 7 — in the pristine waters near Molokini Island.
"The water was so blue and the sun's beams shining through it look like prisms," said Calvert, a native of Cambridge, Ohio. It was, he said, "my best memory."
Iraqi Police & MNF detain 11, foil four roadside bomb attacks
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 3, 2004) – Iraqi Police and Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 11 people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities, foiled four roadside bombs and discovered a variety of weapons and munitions Thursday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police foiled two separate roadside bomb attacks, one northeast of Mosul and one in the neighborhood of Al Numaniya, when they noticed suspicious items lying near the side of the roads. One of the devices consisted of three Katusha Rockets wired together for explosion. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was notified and they destroyed the devices.
Second unit preparing to leave Fort Lewis
This is a bittersweet story for visitors to this site.
FORT LEWIS, Wash. - More than 4,000 soldiers in the second Stryker brigade formed at Fort Lewis will deploy to Iraq in the next few weeks.
It's a one-year mission to replace troops.
The first Stryker brigade from Fort Lewis deployed to Iraq late last year. The brigade is built around about 300 new eight-wheeled armored vehicles.
Fort Lewis is holding a departure ceremony on Tuesday.
Siskiyou soldier re-enlists
YREKA - Army Stryker Brigade Staff Sgt. Will Ottman, while stationed in Iraq, has signed re-enlistment papers recently to stay in the Army until full retirement.
Bill Ottman, his father, said "I worry about him and I'm proud of him. People just don't understand what it's like over there."
Homefront Projects
There are a number of projects and issues affecting the troops and their families that we wanted to make you aware of. Provided below is additional information about the Spirit of Christmas care package project, the kick-off for the Hero to Hero pledge drive, a Congressional bill that needs our support, and two organizations that offer free services for expecting wives with deployed husbands.
I'm a bit behind in posting some of this information, which I apologize for.
Injured airman knew they needed him
[Link to Full Article]
By TATABOLINE BRANT, Anchorage Daily News
Melissa Helmick was steam cleaning the carpets at her home on Elmendorf Air Force Base over the weekend, getting ready for out-of-town relatives, when she got the call: Something had happened to her husband in Iraq.
Helmick, 28, wasn't told in that conversation what that something was. She was only told that several military officials, including Col. Mark Douglas, commander of one of the four main units that make up Elmendorf's 3rd Wing, were on their way over to talk to her about the man she'd been married to for nine years and known since she was 16.
Chaplain badly wounded in Iraq to return to Minnesota
An update on Chaplain Tim Vakoc. Keep him in your prayers.
[Link to Full Article]
The Associated Press
An U.S. Army chaplain from Minnesota who suffered a grave brain injury during an attack in Iraq could soon return to his home state where he will be cared for in a long-term-care facility, his family said.
The Rev. Timothy Vakoc, a Roman Catholic priest, has been in a military hospital in Washington, D.C., for more than three months since he suffered neurological wounds and lost an eye in a roadside bombing May 29.
Training center takes soldiers into high-tech scenarios
[Link to Full Article]
By BETH IPSEN, Staff Writer
It's an adolescent's dream and an enemy's nightmare.
They may look like video games, but some 700 computers at the newest state-of-the-art training facility at Fort Wainwright give soldiers a taste of war long before they step onto the battlefields.
"This is what you need in your living room," Dennis Jones, a engagement skills trainer, said as he walked into a large room used for target practice: Camouflage netting hangs from the ceiling, guns sit on a platform with the muzzles propped up on sandbags and pointed at a screen that covers a roughly 20-foot-long wall.
MNF discover two weapons caches
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 2, 2004) – Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) discovered two weapons caches Wednesday in northern Iraq.
During a patrol, Multinational Forces discovered a single barrel anti-aircraft weapons system southwest of Mosul in a firing configuration. Soldiers removed the system for its future destruction.
Myers Tells Fort Campbell Combat Vets to 'Walk Tall'
Gen. Myers mentioned the Stryker Brigade's work in Mosul during a recent visit to Ft. Campbell, home of the 101st.
[Link to Article]
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky., Sept. 1, 2004 – "Walk tall," Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers told a theater full of combat veterans here Aug. 31. "Your country – and I – couldn't be prouder of your professionalism, courage and dedication."
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thanked members of the 101st Airborne Division, the 5th Special Forces Group and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. The chairman took questions from the soldiers about the war on terrorism, the need for transformation of the U.S. military and the shape democracy might take in Iraq.
Terrorists attack Mosul City Center
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 1, 2004) – Terrorists attacked the Mosul city center today with four mortars killing one Iraqi Police Officer and wounding another. Also injured in the attack were 17 civilians.
The attack happened just before noon in downtown Mosul. Mortars hit near the government building, located in the center, and according to Col. Khalid Hassan Ahmad, staff officer of operations at the Joint Coordination Center, did not damage the structure.
Iraqi Police & MNF detain three; disarm two roadside bombs
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 1, 2004) – Iraqi Police and Multinational Forces from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained three people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and foiled two roadside bomb attacks Tuesday in northern Iraq.
Multinational Forces conducted cordon and search operations in the neighborhood of Tamooz and detained three members of a known terrorist network wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi attacks. The terrorists are in custody and no injuries were reported during the operation.
