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By MARY BETH SMETZER, Staff Writer
Ever since Sunshine Jeane learned that her husband, Staff Sgt. James Jeane, was severely wounded in Mosul, Iraq, she has been surrounded by the sheltering arms of other Fort Wainwright Army wives.
James is a Ranger medic with the 1st Battalion,17th Infantry of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Link to Article
Story by Spc. Lindsay Holguin
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (Feb. 25, 2006) -- Being downrange can be difficult for a U.S. Soldier. With operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and many other parts of the globe, Soldiers are spending more and more time away from home.
Sometimes it’s the little things that make life away from home more bearable. The American public continually shows support for its Army by sending letters and care packages to deployed Soldiers.
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BY SCOTT GUTIERREZ, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The dusty streets of Medina Jabal again set the stage Sunday for another round of intense training for soldiers with the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Company of the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
A night of mortar fire, a discovery of a weapons cache and an early-morning fire prompted about 30 soldiers to go into the area to stabilize it.
The following article was sent to us by Brad Blauser, a civilian contractor in Mosul, who is working with the military and people back home to provide wheelchairs for Iraqi children in need.
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By Scott Gutierrez, The Olympian
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Soldiers call it “The Box” or the “Dust Bowl.”
The Army National Training Center’s 1,100 square miles in the Mojave Desert is the closest thing to Iraq that soldiers will see before deploying to the Middle East.
Soldiers from the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team are preparing here for their second trip to Iraq in June.
Here are four new photos of the 172nd SBCT, posted on Army Images (one, two, three, four).
Link to Full Article with Photo
Spc. Rick Rzepka
Scimitar
MOSUL, Iraq — “Come to me only with playthings now,” said Carl Sandburg in his poem, “Murmurings in a Field Hospital.”
The line comes from an injured Soldier in a field hospital who, wilted from the exhausting path of war, seeks to find peace as he prepares to return home.
The combat support hospital is one of the last places Soldiers want to find themselves while running the gauntlet of war here. But for many Soldiers and civilians, the CSH offers a sliver of the flipside to the brutality of human nature. It is a place dedicated to the alleviation of true pain and the commitment to humanity.
Angie O'Farrell is looking for one more group of soldiers to send 100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to. She sent us the following email, which includes contact information if you are interested. Do they still make the peanut butter cookies?
(TF BOB Press Release)
TIKRIT, IRAQ – The 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division assumed responsibility for the northwestern region of Iraq during a transfer of authority ceremony held at Forward Operating Base in Tall Afar today.
The 1st Bde, 1st AD, based in Friedberg, Germany, replaces the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is returning to Fort Carson, Colo., after its year-long tour.
Link to Article
MNF Press Release
CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq –– More than 3,000 pieces of various types of munitions were discovered Feb. 20 by U.S. Army soldiers conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Al Quratiyah, approximately 350 km northwest of Baghdad.
This cache is among the largest discovered to date in western Al Anbar province.
The soldiers, from the Fort Wainwright, Alaska-based 4th Squadron, 14th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, assigned to Regimental Combat Team-7, were actively seeking out weapons caches. Local citizens provided information regarding the site, where the soldiers discovered two displaced piles of dirt and rocks near a vehicle trail. Upon further investigation, the displaced areas were identified as weapons caches and they were excavated.
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By Michelle Cuthrell
Though he only deployed with the 4-14 Cavalry Unit with the Stryker brigade in August, Kim Fonville has already been separated from her spouse for more than a year. And she still has six months to go.
Her husband joined the military in January 2005, completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and then was almost immediately stationed at Fort Wainwright in May. But by the time he arrived in Fairbanks and would have normally moved up his wife and two daughters, two sergeants advised him to leave his family in the comforts and familiarity of home. After all, he would be deploying in two months, and he wouldn't want them to be all alone while he was gone.
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Written by 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Teachers and students of the Alabed Middle School in the Palestine neighborhood of Mosul, gratefully accepted donated school supplies for the second time this month from the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion and 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, today.
Along with Coalition Forces, the Iraqi security forces participate in Operation Iraqi Children, a program that brings much needed school supplies to children.
Link to Article
Story by Spc. Rick Rzepka
Scimitar Assistant Editor
MOSUL, Iraq - “Bring me only beautiful, useless things,” said Carl Sandburg in his poem murmurings of a field hospital.
The line comes from an injured Soldier in a field hospital who, wilted from the exhausting path of war, seeks to find peace as he prepares to return home.
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Story and Photo by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (17 Feb. 06) -- When an individual senses their life might be at stand still, a decision has to be made to jump-start a new career.
For Pfc. James Horris from Baltimore, Md., the decision was easy, join the U.S. Army.
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Story by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle and Spc. L.C. Campbell
138th Mobile Public Affairs detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (16 Feb. 06) --The future of a successful Iraq begins with the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi Police. Having them trained properly is an important step in accomplishing that goal.
The Hammam Al Alil Regional Training Center provides that first major step in helping the IA and IP gain the confidence they need to professionally handle any emergency situation.
The 3rd Armored Cavalry, which has operated as part of Task Forces Freedom and Band of Brothers in Tal Afar, recently handed control over to another coalition unit in preparation for redeployment. The 3rd ACR has been praised by the town's mayor, among many others.
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By Thomas E. Ricks, The Washington Post
TALL AFAR, Iraq — The last time the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment served in Iraq, in 2003-04, it was distinguished by a series of abuse cases growing out of its tour of duty in Anbar province.
But its second tour in Iraq has been very different, according to specialists in the difficult art of conducting a counterinsurgency campaign — fighting a guerrilla war but also trying to win over the population and elements of the enemy.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Gen. Peter Schoomaker mentions the Stryker Brigade in the following interview.
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By Julian E. Barnes
For the past two weeks, Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, has been defending the Pentagon's budget proposal and the recommendations of the Quadrennial Defense Review, or QDR, a periodic look at the threats America faces and how the military should meet those challenges. After finishing his congressional testimony, Schoomaker sat down with U.S. News to discuss the defense review and the war in Iraq. Excerpts: [...]
(MNF Press Release)
MOSUL, Iraq – Teachers and students of the Alabed Middle School in the Palestine neighborhood of Mosul gratefully accepted donated school supplies from the local Iraqi Police Feb. 15.
The Iraqi Police, along with Coalition Forces, participated in Operation Iraqi Children, bringing much needed school supplies to children.
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By Michelle Cuthrell
This week marks the halfway point in the Stryker brigade's de ployment to Iraq. The strong soldiers we never thought we could let go of in the first place have now been gone for six months.
Though it's a relatively short period of time in the grand scheme of things, six months can feel like a really long time when you're missing your spouse and managing everything for two (or in my case, two and one in the oven) in the freezing cold winters of Fairbanks.
This Picture Special from USARAK's e-Post contains 5 photos of the 172nd SBCT in Iraq.
Photos by Sgt. Marshall Thompson
Here are two additional photos, courtesy of USARAK (one, two).
TFBOB Press Release
MOSUL, Iraq –The Hammam Al Alil Regional Training Center graduated its first class of Iraqi Army medics during a ceremony held at the center Thursday.
The month-long Basic Medic Course teaches students the basics in treating battlefield injuries. The fast-paced course covers lifesaving techniques such as identifying and treating for shock, performing CPR, airway management and how to care for a variety of traumatic wounds.
Students are immersed in their training as soon as they arrive at the center. They are tested under simulated battlefield conditions to gauge their ability to perform the tasks under pressure.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Link to Full Article with Photo
Sgt. Dennis Gravelle
138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq — Usually at around 10:30 p.m. most people are getting ready for bed after a long day at work.
The day is done and it’s time to think about settling down; letting go of the stress and anxiety for another day.
For Soldiers of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, their night has just begun. There will be no sleep for these Soldiers tonight.
Link to Full Article with Photo
Sgt. 1st Class David P. Benamati
138th MPAD
LSA DIAMONDBACK, Iraq — The smile on the face of the little Iraqi girl in the Intensive Care Ward of the U.S. Army’s 47th Combat Surgical Hospital has an uplifting effect on the otherwise somber mood of the hospital.
Samah Arajy is a precocious 12-year-old girl recovering from wounds she sustained when she was caught in the crossfire between coalition forces and insurgents last September in her home town of Tal Afar.
Link to Full Article with 2 Photos
Sgt. Rachel Brune
101st Sustainment Brigade
Q-WEST BASE COMPLEX, Iraq — Iraqi Sgt. 1st Class Ala received what used to be known as a battlefield promotion.
About a year ago, Ala was a jundi, or private, in the Salamiya Company, near Mosul. The unit was threatened by “bad guys,” and some of the soldiers decided to quit.
The commander asked his soldiers, “Who would like to go on a mission to fight terrorists?”
Ala was one of only a few who volunteered, and upon successful completion of the mission, was chosen to receive training to become a sergeant.
Link to Full Story with Photo
Sgt. 1st Class David P. Benamati
138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq — Days following the downing of an OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter by a group of insurgents, Soldiers from companies A and C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, and the Iraqi Police took to the streets in one of the most dangerous parts of Mosul.
They were tracking down those responsible after receiving an anonymous tip from Iraqi civilians.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
SPC Roberto L. Martinez Salazar, 21, of Long Beach, Calif., died in Mosul, Iraq on Feb. 4, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his up-armored HMMWV during patrol operations. SPC Martinez Salazar was assigned to Company A, 14th Engineer Battalion, 555th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Lewis, Wash.
We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
SPC Patrick W. Herried, 29, of Sioux Falls, S.D., died in Rawah, Iraq, on Feb. 6, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Stryker military vehicle during patrol operations. SPC Herried was assigned to the Army's 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and fellow soldiers.
We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry. It will remain at the top of the page through Wednesday. Please scroll down for more news.
TFBOB Press Release
TAL AFAR, Iraq — Iraqi Police celebrated the opening of a new police station in Tal Afar with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 7.
The event marked a milestone for Tal Afar’s Police Department as it was the third police station opened in the city over the past two months.
“This is a great day for the Iraqi Police as we continue to fight terrorists and provide security for the people of Tal Afar,” said Lt. Col. Hussein Ali Azgar, station commander of the new Tal Afar IP Station.
The opening was attended by Col. Kreem Jasm Hthal, commander, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Iraqi Army Division and Tal Afar Police Chief, Gen. Sabah Hamidi Mohamed.
The new police station features a holding cell, an arms room, investigation and intelligence cells, an interrogation room and an information desk.
Link to Full Article
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE — There will be a C-17 Globemaster III burger at the grill.
The 17th hole on the golf course is being re-designated the C-17 hole.
The 17th lane at the bowling alley is being painted to reflect an aircraft designation.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Link to Full Article
By Monte Morin, Stars and Stripes
TAL AFAR, Iraq — In a region conquered and shaped by a succession of history’s most fearsome armies, this centuries-old city was fast becoming an example of how not to fight a modern- day insurgency.
After a sputtering offensive well over a year ago that left few U.S. troops in place to keep the peace, Tal Afar, in northwestern Iraq, soon emerged as a haven for Muslim extremists and Baath Party loyalists who held sway through a campaign of kidnappings, beheadings and assassinations.
TFBOB Press Release
TIKRIT, Iraq – Two terrorist attacks left one Iraqi civilian dead and 14 others wounded in northern Iraq over the weekend.
Terrorists in Samarra launched five mortars into a heavily populated portion of the city killing one and wounding 12 Iraqi civilians.
Iraqi emergency teams and Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division responded to the attacks to provide medical treatment, security and evacuation for the wounded. All of the wounded civilians were taken to the Samarra hospital.
(TF BoB Press Release)
TIKRIT, Iraq – Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers rescued dozens of people southeast of Mosul Saturday after powerful storms swept through northern Iraq, causing flooding along a Tigris River tributary.
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division used small boats and braved strong currents to rescue nearly 100 people stranded on small islands in the rain-swollen Great Zab River.
(The following was sent to us by SGT Edmundson's family)
The family of SGT Eric Edmundson, C Troop, 4/14 CAV, 172nd Stryker Brigade, would like to provide an update of Eric and his condition.
Eric was seriously injured by an IED on Oct. 2nd, 2005. Injuries sustained in the blast were shrapnel wounds to the right leg and abdomen, with the shrapnel wounds to the abdomen requiring the removal of his spleen, fracture to the T4 and T5 vertebrae, fracture of the fibula head in right leg. While awaiting transport to Germany, Eric went into cardiac arrest. Because of the time needed to revive Eric and lack of oxygen to his brain, he sustained an anoxic brain injury.
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Defense Industry Daily
General Dynamics Land Systems in Sterling Heights, MI received a $24.5 million contract for spare parts that are unique to the two newest Stryker variants: the M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS) and the M1135 Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV). This contract funds procurement of initial unique spares for the first-time fielding of these two variants, and has a total potential value of $50 million if all options are exercised.
Here are four photos of 172nd SBCT soldiers recently posted on Army Images.
one, two, three, four
Link to Full Article with Photo
Ed Beemer
Army News Service
ARLINGTON, Va. – Fewer people would know about a deployment or operation if you screamed it out at the Super Bowl than if you posted it on a Web log.
Common sense will tell you not to discuss sensitive subjects on the streets of Baghdad. The same common sense should apply on the highways of cyberspace.
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Fort Wainwright PAO
Rumors around Fort Wainwright have many talking that Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team will be coming home early.
Maj. Jeffrey Burrell, 172nd Rear Detachment commander said, “This is a one-year deployment and we are planning for Soldiers (to come) back around mid-August time frame.”
Capt. Michael Spinello of the 2-1 INF is awarded the Bronze Star Medal by Major General Charles Jacoby Jr. in this USARAK photo.
Link to Full Article
By Nelson Hernandez, The Washington Post
MOSUL, Iraq - A year after its police force melted away and the streets descended into anarchy, Mosul has climbed up from the abyss. But this city of 2 million, a key battleground in the Iraq war, still teeters on the edge of chaos.
Insurgents have tried to assassinate the province's governor three times during his 18 months in office. They have killed his son, five other relatives and 27 bodyguards. The provincial police chief was fired late last year after he was accused of having ties to the insurgency. Unemployment hovers at about 40 percent. The number of reported attacks is down 57 percent since the battle for the city last year, according to Lt. Col. Mitchell Rambih, operations officer for the U.S. Army's 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. But residents say violence remains a serious problem.