Spc. Jeremy M. Loveless
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Jeremy M. Loveless, 25, of Estacada, Ore., died in Mosul, Iraq on May 29, when his Stryker came under enemy small arms fire during combat operations. Loveless was assigned to the Army's 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
Forward Operating Base Courage Prepares for Closure
Written by Staff Sgt. Brian Speach, 138th Mobile Public Affairs
Mosul, Iraq, (May 27, 2006) - Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq is in the final steps of returning the FOB to the Iraqi people. Soon it will be a command center for the Iraqi army and Iraqi police in northern Iraq.
Coalition forces are being repositioned through out Iraq. Their services and skills are now needed in other regions as the mission at FOB Courage is almost complete.
Cooking Up Mission Success
Written by Spc. Rich Vogt, 138 MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (May 26, 2006) -- Deployments bring uncertainty. Being in the Army means being adaptable. The Soldiers in Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 172nd Brigade Support Battalion know this.
They were trained as cooks but have found themselves navigating Mosul’s streets in armored Humvees and scanning from behind a .50 caliber machine gun. None of them are complaining.
Soldiers Looking Out for Soldiers
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 25, 2006) -- Keeping Soldiers and civilians safe on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq is a 24 hour job that requires Soldiers to be alert at all times.
At any moment, day or night, insurgents may try to get on the FOB looking to harm Coalition members.
Getting Supplies to the Home Base
Written by Spc. Yolanda Moreno Leon, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (27 May 2006) --Soldiers working together to ensure one unit receives the supplies it needs is one way to accomplish a mission.
Supply Sergeants from different units on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq, go out their way to provide the 4th Squadron, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment based in Rawah the equipment they need to function on a daily basis.
Iraqi Army Conducts Independent Cordon and Search
Written by Spc. L.C. Campbell, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (May 20, 2006) -- Iraqi Army Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division conducted a cordon and search in two target areas in Northwestern Mosul, Iraq May 20.
]The search was a sequel to a successful mission earlier this month. A Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team was there at the search site to act as a quick reaction force and to secure the outer cordon of the search.
Soldiers' training turns to language, culture
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The scene is the urban training center at Fort Lewis, but it could be Mosul or Balad or Samarra.
A squad bursts through the door and up the stairs in search of a “high-value target.”
The soldiers find a man and a woman. When they question him, she makes a racket – in rapid-fire Arabic – until the soldiers remember to separate them and lead the man to another room.
For families, veterans, every day is Memorial Day
Link to Full Article
By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, Staff Writer
Fairbanksans will observe Memorial Day in different ways Monday. Some will attend services and ceremonies honoring fallen service members. Others will stand silently at the Alaska Moving Wall Project at Veterans Park, listening as the names of those who died in Vietnam are read. Others have nothing in particular planned, because for some, every day is Memorial Day.
Kelly Frantz is taking part in a ceremony in Topeka, Kan., to honor Kansas soldiers who have died in Iraq, including her husband, Spc. Lucas Frantz, 22, from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Then she will visit her husband's grave. But Monday won't really differ from any other day since Lucas died Oct. 18.
Memorial Day
"Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men." -- Pericles (c. 600 B.C.E.)
This entry will remain on top through Memorial Day. We will resume our regular news coverage on Tuesday, May 30.
Please take a moment to visit our Memorial Page honoring soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
You might also be interested in reading past entries from our Tributes Category.
U.S. Memorial Day Website - Great launching point for learning more about this holiday.
Memorial Day Quotations - Words for reflection.
Please feel free to share other links of interest in the comments section.
One Year Later - A Parent's Perspective
Thank you to Michael Yon for this article. Your online magazine provides great information and insight into the lives of our soldiers.
Soldiers can be honored any day of the year
Link to Full Article
By MICHELLE CUTHRELL
After reading my column last week, a friend came to me and asked what she could do to make Memorial Day more meaningful.
"I know I can volunteer at that Moving Wall," she said, "but what else can I do to honor those who have served and sacrificed?"
On the Stand to Put Terrorists Behind Bars
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 21, 2006) -- Finding and capturing terrorists is hard. Putting them in jail for the crimes they commit is even harder.
The testimony of two Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, put two terrorists’ behind bars for several years.
138th MPAD Receives Combat Patch
Written by Staff Sgt. Brian Speach, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (May 22, 2006) –The 138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq received the 172nd Striker Brigade Combat Team unit patch to wear as its shoulder sleeve insignia for wartime service.
The 138th MPAD was deployed to Mosul, Iraq in November 2005. Their mission is to provide the 101st Airborne Division and its subordinate units press coverage of their missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
DCU to ACU
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 21, 2006) -- As you walk the streets of Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq, you see fewer Soldiers wearing desert camouflage uniforms. Most Soldiers are wearing the Army Combat Uniform.
On June 14, 2004, the 229th birthday of the United States Army, the Army Combat Uniform was first introduced.
4-23 INF Photo
Here is a photo of the 4-23 INF conducting operations along the Euphrates River, posted today on Army Images.
FOB Courage MWR, Mission Complete
Written by Staff Sgt. Steve Duga, 138th Mobile Public Affairs
MOSUL, Iraq (May 15, 2006) -- As Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq closes, so does the Morale Welfare and Recreation facility that provided Soldiers a place to relax and a place to exercise.
Later this summer FOB Courage will transfer from Coalition authority back into the hands of the Iraqi people.
Restoring FOB Courage for Closure
Written by Spc. L.C. Campbell, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (May 11, 2006) -- Infantry Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team are restoring the main palace on Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq in preparation to hand it back over to the Iraqi people later this summer.
From Squad Automatic Weapon gunners, to rifleman, to grenadiers, these Soldiers have been pulled from their jobs in the Infantry to complete the task of restoring the grounds on the FOB. Their main focus for now is tearing down all the offices and cubicles to restore the inside of the main palace.
Soldiers Find Different Ways to Relieve Stress in a Combat Zone
Written by Spc. Yolanda Moreno Leon, 138th MPAD
MOSUL Iraq (May 12, 2006)--Being away from family and dealing with daily threats they may encounter while patrolling the streets, Soldiers need to find alternative ways to relieve stress on Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq.
The daily routine of Soldiers dealing with insurgents and improvised explosive devices can cause undue stress.
Soldier Honored By Tacoma Police
SGT Timothy Phillipson was recently awarded a Medal of Courage by the Tacoma Police Department for assisting those wounded during a shooting at the Tacoma Mall last November. The award ceremony took place on April 27, 2006. Congratualtions to SGT Phillipson and the others who were recognized for their efforts.
Soldier Dreams of Quest
Link to Article (Photos included)
Spc. Tiffany Evans, 20th Public Affairs Detachment
FORT WAINWRIGHT — Sgt. Matt Thompson dreams of being the first active duty Soldier to participate in the Yukon Quest.
Thompson is a medic with the 172nd Brigade Support Medical Company, part of the 172nd Brigade Support Battalion and is currently deployed to Iraq.
ID Theft may be Largest Ever
I'm sure most of you have heard of this by now, but it was recently reported that the personal information of approximately 25 million military veterans was stolen. If you are a veteran, or are related to a veteran, please educate yourself on the steps you can take to prevent, or at least minimize, the possibility identity theft.
Link to Full Article
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Veterans Affairs officials did not fully heed warnings to tighten access to personal data for the millions of U.S. veterans, investigators said Tuesday, a misstep that could lead to one of the nation's largest cases of identity theft.
At the same time, the Justice Department said it was not told about the theft of data on 26.5 million veterans until late last week - roughly two weeks after it was taken from a VA employee's home - raising questions of whether the agency acted quickly enough to notify veterans.
Strykers file into port for shipment to Iraq
Link to Full Article
By Jim Szymanski
OLYMPIA — A convoy of Stryker vehicles and other Army equipment made its way through downtown Monday on its way from Fort Lewis through the Port of Olympia to Iraq.
By the end of today, as many as 300 Stryker vehicles will have arrived at the port, said Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Hitt. A total of 20 convoys of trucks and Stryker vehicles are expected to make the trip from Fort Lewis.
The equipment will be loaded on a ship bound for Iraq....
Class prepares Stryker GIs for all things German
Link to Full Article
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
VILSECK, Germany — Don’t fondle the fruit and don’t tip the waiters.
The soldiers of the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment are getting a crash course on all things German.
New School Benefits More Than 800 Iraqi Students
By Polli Barnes Keller
Gulf Region North, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
MOSUL, Iraq, May 22, 2006 — A newly constructed school located in the center of Dahuk will serve approximately 840 students and 36 teachers.
This new two-story complex consists of a 12-room classroom school with a detached exterior lavatory building, a play-yard and a generator building, all of which is surrounded by a three-meter high perimeter wall.
GI Joe, GI Jane for a day
Link to Full Article
JOHN GILLIE; The News Tribune
For the hundreds of kids who clambered up the ramps and down the ladders, who stuck their heads out the hatches and tooted the horns of the heavy-duty armored vehicles and trucks, Fort Lewis’ Armed Forces Day celebration Saturday was a small glimpse into the life of Army warriors.
The chance to touch the cold thick armor, to peer out the gun sights and to grip the controls of the Army’s massive equipment gave them a real-world connection with the everyday television images of American soldiers on patrol in the world’s hot spots.
Fort Lewis funding cut from military bill
Link to Full Article
LES BLUMENTHAL; News Tribune
WASHINGTON – More than $100 million for Fort Lewis was removed from a military construction bill Friday after it got caught in a budget dispute on the House floor.
Despite the setback, Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, said he expected the funding eventually will be restored.
Search yields IED-making cache
TFBOB Press Release
Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers seized a large cache of weapons, explosives, munitions and other improvised explosive device-making components during a raid in Mosul May 20.
Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team conducted a cordon and search of a suspected vehicle-borne IED factory, where they found the large cache, which included 17 AK-47s, four rocket-propelled grenade launchers, nine submachine guns, four land mines, fifteen 60 mm mortar rounds, five hand grenades and two cases of ball bearings.
An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the cache in the basement of the building where it was found.
172nd SBCT Photos
Here are several new photos of the 172nd SBCT, posted on Army Images since the last time we featured this link (one, two, three, four, five, six, seven).
Photo Special - Calling the Cavalry
The 4-14 CAV is featured in this Photo Special, courtesy of USARAK and U.S. Marine Corps combat camera photographers.
Mother to make somber journey
Bethlehem resident the Rev. Charlene Robbins, the mother of Iraq war casualty Army Sgt. Thomas Robbins, will be among people from across America who will gather this weekend in Washington to remember those military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
More than 3,000 family members of American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq will be joined by descendants of American heroes from every war dating back to 1776 for "A Time of Remembrance" -- to be held at noon on Sunday the National Mall, Washington Monument Grounds.
Memorial Day a chance to remember troops' sacrifices
Link to Full Article
By MICHELLE CUTHRELL, Daily News-Miner
Over the years, Memorial Day weekend has meant many things to me.
As a kid, it marked the absolute coolest event in the world of children's outdoor activities--the unveiling of the community pool. And then when I got a little bit older, it signaled the opening of the sweetest place in 16-year-old dating land--the drive-in movie theater. In college, it denoted the day I busted out my favorite white platform shoes, and in my young professional life, it designated the day I tore the cover off the grill.
But in all those years, Memorial Day never really meant any kind of memorializing for me. That is, until now.
Plumondore Railcar Dedication
One of Adam Plumondore's relatives alerted us that five railcars will be dedicated in his honor this Saturday, May 20, in Portland, OR. If you live in the area and are interested in attending the dedication, it will take place at 10:00am at Northwest Container Services located on Burgard Road in Portland (Google map). The railcars will operate between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR, so perhaps you'll see them in operation.
SGT Plumondore, a member of 1-24 INF, 1/25 SBCT, was killed in Mosul on February 16, 2005.
Army Looks to Reduce Deployment Tempo
Link to Full Article
By David Axe
Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey said he wants to reduce the length and frequency of deployments to Iraq, perhaps even moving to six-month tours a la the Marine Corps. But he stressed that changes to the Army's "Force Generation Model" hinge on the ability of Iraqi security forces to take over from U.S. units.
Harvey made his comments while answering soldiers' questions during a visit to Iraq last week.
MND-N Soldiers safely dismantle car bomb in Mosul
TFBOB Press Release
Task Force Band of Brothers Soldiers discovered and successfully disarmed a car bomb packed with munitions and explosives in the northern city of Mosul May 16.
Mosul police officers and Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team secured the area as an explosive ordnance disposal team carefully assessed the device.
The EOD team safely removed 14 large artillery rounds, a rocket-propelled grenade warhead, a large gas can and more than 100 pounds of bulk explosives from the vehicle.
First of 3,200 Stryker soldiers arrive at Vilseck
Link to Full Article
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
VILSECK, Germany — The first big influx of soldiers who will become the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment arrived Wednesday, charged with paving the way for hundreds more who will arrive over the next month.
A total of 180 soldiers, accompanied by family members and pets, got off the bus at Vilseck after a 10-hour charter flight from Fort Lewis, Wash. Ultimately, the regiment will include 3,200 soldiers.
Soldier honored for courage, generosity
Link to Full Article
By STEFAN MILKOWSKI , Staff Writer
A soldier who rescued wounded soldiers during a deadly raid last year in Mosul, Iraq, was honored Tuesday during a memorial service on Fort Wainwright Army Post.
Guests at the service described Staff Sgt. Mark Wall as a warrior and leader who cared deeply for his troops and gave generously to the Iraqis where he was stationed.
Iraq Report
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Alaskans' Iraq tour passes midpoint
Link to Full Article
By TATABOLINE BRANT, Anchorage Daily News
The largest Alaska-based Army unit since Vietnam to spend time in a war zone is more than halfway through its yearlong hitch in Iraq and the commander said in a telephone interview that his troops have helped train thousands of Iraqi security forces to fight their own battles.
The 3,800-person 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team arrived in Iraq from posts in Anchorage and Fairbanks in early September. The troops are stationed in and around Mosul, one of Iraq's largest cities; in the Tigris River Valley near Quyarra; in the Euphrates River Valley near Rawah, and in the Dahuk and Irbil provinces in Iraq Kurdistan.
Canine’s Getting the Care They Deserve
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Military Working Dogs in Mosul, Iraq receive the best possible care the Army has to offer through the 5th Squadron, 72nd Medical Detachment Veterinary Service.
MWD’s serve an important role in protecting the troops and detecting explosives that insurgents are trying to smuggle into area’s to harm Coalition Forces.
CA Major Completes Fulfilling 2 Year Tour
Written by Staff Sgt. Steve Duga, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Prior to the change of command ceremony for the 401st Civil Affairs Battalion and the 403rd Civil Affairs Battalion, Maj. Brian Anderson of the 401st CA was presented with a coin.
The coin symbolizes his support to the Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division – North District. It was presented by Col. Richard Jenkins, Gulf Region North Commander, who oversees engineer operations in northern Iraq.
SPC Aaron P. Latimer
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Aaron P. Latimer, 26, of Ennis, Texas, died in Mosul, Iraq, on May 9. Latimer was assigned to the 562nd Engineer Company, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. We will add any subsequent articles we find to this entry.
Congressional Delegation Visits Mosul
Written by 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq – Congressional representatives from Washington made a brief visit to Logistical Staging Area Diamondback to check on morale of Soldiers May 7.
The representatives are on a five day tour visiting five countries and wanted to take the opportunity to meet face to face with Soldiers.
IA NCOs Take the Lead
Written by 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq – Fifty-three Soldiers of the 2nd Iraqi Army Division continued to show their professionalism as they graduated from the Warrior Leader Course at Forward Operating Base Q-West May 3.
These Soldiers battled through the rigorous course for three weeks of training in tasks such as hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, first aid, and physical training.
IPs Step Up Training
Written by 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq –Sixty-three Iraqi police graduated from an advanced police course at the Al Kisik training compound outside of Tal Afar May 5.
The 10-day course covered a range of tasks. The IPs learned how to perform first aid and evaluate a casualty. They learned procedures including cordons, patrols, react to small-arms fire, searching buildings, and other tactics which will help them keep the peace while minimizing danger to themselves.
Soldiers' online journals under deeper scrutiny
Link to Full Article
By MIKE SPECTOR, Columbia News Service
Army Spc. Colby Buzzell returned from a firefight in Mosul, Iraq, on Aug. 4, 2004, and collapsed on his bed, drained from the most intense combat of his tour.
The next day, Buzzell headed to his base’s Internet cafe and posted the latest entry on his personal blog:
First In The Door
[...] 22-year-old Private First Class Ryan Krumblis, whose family lives in Tyler, has been there serving in Iraq since last year. He is often the first in the door when homes are raided, and insurgents rooted out. He is back in Iraq now, but on a two-week leave late last month, he spoke with KLTV 7's Morgan Palmer, and gives us a look through pictures and video of his life at war.
Iraqi Army Ready to Roll With Loaner Humvees
By U.S. Army Spc. Yolanda Moreno Leon
138th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq, May 9, 2006 — Iraqi Security Forces received armored humvees from coalition forces in April 2006 on Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq.
The vehicles are on loan to the security forces to help them succeed at their mission and to build the confidence of their soldiers to effectively patrol the streets of Mosul.
Stryker ramps up to unveil Mobile Gun System
Link to Full Article
By Annette Fournier
The newest version of the Stryker vehicle, designed to provide fire power to Infantry units, will be unveiled May 15 at Fort Knox's Armor Warfighting Symposium.
The development of the Mobile Gun System is being managed by Fort Benning's Training and Doctrine Command System Manager-Stryker/Bradley.
The system was developed to meet the infantry’s need for a highly mobile support vehicle to supply rapid, direct fire, specifically during close assaults, said Dave Rogers, a TSM-Stryker senior analyst. The Mobile Gun System will eventually be integrated into Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. ...
Honoring a Hero, a Friend
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (May 3, 2006) -- Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team gathered at Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq on May 3rd to honor a hero and friend at his memorial service.
Staff Sgt. Mark Wall, 2nd Platoon, Co. C, 2nd Bn., 1st Inf. Rgt., 172nd SBCT recently passed away on FOB Marez due to natural causes.
No ‘rude awakening’ this time
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
All the major training is done. The vehicles will be loaded onto ships later this month at the Port of Olympia, and by the end of next month, the Army’s first Stryker brigade will be on its way back to Iraq.
Nearly half the 4,000 soldiers in the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division were with the unit the first time it went over in November 2003.
Iraqi forces go after lion's share of responsibility
Link to Full Article
By Monte Morin, Stars and Stripes
MOSUL, Iraq — The sun had barely risen above the concrete blast walls of police headquarters Thursday and Col. Abedul al-Kareem Mohammed Khalaf was already logging the day’s first terrorist arrest and chastising three young lieutenants for letting another evil-doer escape.
The lieutenants and a group of patrolmen had shot it out with an insurgent the day before, during a massive, ongoing sweep of Mosul by Iraqi forces. Yet after firing off all of their ammunition, the lawmen had no dead or captured insurgents.
Army looking for room to let Strykers roam
Link to Full Article
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — The imminent arrival of “land-hungry” Stryker armored personnel carriers has the range staff at Grafenwöhr Training Area looking for some wide-open spaces.
Providing enough training room for the ultra-mobile, eight-wheeled vehicles was one of several topics discussed at a workshop in Amberg this week, according to Nate Whelan, the U.S. Army Europe Integrated Training Areas Management program manager.
Photo Special - Support Soldiers Keep Stryker Brigade Going
The 172nd BSB is featured in this photo special, courtesy of USARAK.
Photos by Tech. Sgt. John M. Foster, U.S. Air Force
Iraq Update
Here is the latest Iraq Update from USARAK, posted on the Alaska e-post web site.
Move Over Army, the Navy Has Come Inland
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - People would think that if you’re a Sailor in the Navy you would spend most of your time on the water.
The Provincial Reconstruction Team at Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq has tapped the services of the Navy to help with reconstruction in the Ninewa Province.
Provincial Reconstruction
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - A Provincial Reconstruction Team at Forward Operating Base Courage, Mosul, Iraq, has a challenging mission cut out for them over the next 18 months.
The PRT assists Ninewa’s provincial government with developing its capability to govern, promoting increased security and rule of law, promoting political and economic development, and providing provincial administration necessary to meet the basic needs of the population.
Diablos Soldier Remembered
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Members of Company C, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team gathered to remember a fellow Soldier at a memorial service held at Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul Iraq.
Specialist Raymond Henry, Co. C, 1st Bn., 17th Inf. Rg, 172nd SBCT died from injuries he received while on patrol with his unit April 25.
Memorial Dining Facility Celebrates One Year Anniversary
Written by Master Sgt. Denise Slater, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - “Hands Around the World” was the official name for the one year anniversary celebration of the Memorial Dining Facility on Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul, Iraq.
The Memorial DFAC replaced the Old Glory DFAC after a suicide bomber attack on Dec. 21, 2004.
South Sound recognizes Real Heroes
Link to Full Article
By Lisa Pemberton, The Olympian
Military Hero: Sgt. Walt Gaya
Sgt. Walt Gaya’s love and pride for his country is undeniable, but it has come at a high price and much self-sacrifice.
Last July, while he was deployed in Iraq, a roadside bomb tore apart the hull of Gaya’s combat vehicle wounding all nine men inside. As he rushed to help the other soldiers escape from the burning vehicle, Gaya felt a deep throbbing in his leg. The explosion had lodged pieces of shrapnel in his leg and shredded ligaments in his knee.
3-2/2 IA “Scorpions” Take the Lead
Written by 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq – In a ceremony held Apr. 27 at the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade Iraqi Army Headquarters in Hammam Al-Alil, 3rd Bn., 2nd Bde., 2nd Iraqi Army “Scorpions” assumed command from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team over the battle space in the western Tigris River valley and Hammam Al-Alil areas.
Col. Hajji, commander, 3rd Bn., 2nd Bde. and Lt Col. John G. Norris, commander, 4th Bn., 23rd Inf. Rgt., 172nd SBCT conducted the ceremonial transfer of authority for the battle space; signifying a new beginning under the autonomous Iraqi leadership.
This transfer of authority ceremony marks the official assumption of battle space from Coalition Forces; representing yet another benchmark for the independence of the Iraqi government and its military forces.
(via DVIDS)
Soldier-run PX Provides Fond Memories
Written by Staff Sgt. Steve Duga, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - As the transfer of authority for Forward Operating Base Courage is in the final stages, so is the closing of an era. The Soldier-run Post Exchange (PX) there has provided items for Soldiers during the evolution of the base.
Going to the PX is like traveling back in time to the old west. That is how it feels when you roll up on the western-style strip building that houses the PX. You will not find any horses tied up to the wooden railings out front. Instead, you will see Strykers, Suburbans, and Humvees.
A Token of Appreciation
Written by Sgt. Dennis Gravelle, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - At the 47th Combat Support Hospital on Logistical Staging Area Diamondback, Mosul, Iraq, one commander goes out of his way to recognize wounded Soldiers treated by his staff.
Colonel James Polo, commander, 47th CSH and native from Colorado Springs, Colo. personally gives every injured Soldier who comes to his hospital a coin that resembles a traditional military identification tag in appreciation of their service in a combat zone.
Iraqi Army Combat Engineers and Bomb Disposal
Written by Spc. L.C. Campbell, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - The Iraqi Army bomb disposal and combat engineers validated their explosive skills with help from U.S. forces, at the Al Kindi training facility in Mosul, Iraq.
U.S. forces worked with IABD and combat engineer leadership to validate all the skills necessary to fight the insurgency. Iraqi Army bomb disposal and combat engineers showed there skills in electrical detonation systems.
Iraqi Army NCOs Train Their Privates
Written by Spc. L.C. Campbell, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraq Army non-commissioned officers from 4th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division are training for the future of the Iraq Army at Al Kindi.
Iraq Army privates are attending a seven days training course designed to sharpen the fighting skills in long distance shooting, close quarters shooting, and shooting under pressure.
Air Force Brings Down the House
Written by Spc. Richard Vogt, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - The Air Force made some noise at Forward Operating Base Marez April 28 with blasting caps and C-4.
The object was to drop an enormous, out-dated water tower that was an emblem of FOB Marez but also a nuisance. With the base expanding to accommodate more Soldiers and missions, it was decided that the tower had to go.
Purple Heart Recipient Gives Credit to Individual Body Armor
Written by Staff Sgt. Steve Duga, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq - Being shot is one thing. Having your Individual Body Armor work effectively while on your first patrol outside Forward Operating Base Courage in Mosul, Iraq is another experience within itself.
While on a day mission in the city, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172 Stryker Brigade Combat Team was engaged by sniper fire while traveling in their Strykers.
SSG Mark A. Wall
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Mark A. Wall, 27, of Alden, Iowa, died in Mosul, Iraq, on April 27, from a non-combat related cause. Wall was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
The incident is under investigation. 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.
Iraq Report
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
‘Land Warriors’ Link Up With Stryker Vehicles
Link to Full Article
By Sandra I. Erwin, National Defense
An Army Stryker battalion training for possible deployment to Iraq in 2007 will outfit hundreds of its soldiers with the high-tech “land warrior” ensemble this summer. These soldiers will help determine whether the system is suitable for combat and if the Army should continue to invest in the technology.
The land warrior ensemble includes a communications and navigation computer-radio suite, a helmet-mounted display and a customized rifle. The land warriors are connected to a network, and each can pinpoint the others’ location simply by looking into their displays. They are the dismounted equivalent of the “blue-force tracking” system the Army employs aboard vehicles.
