Recreating Iraqi warfare in the Far North
Thanks to Latanya for the story, which also includes video.
by Angela Blanchard, KTUU News
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska -- It's not the Middle East but a state-of-the-art training center at Ft. Wainwright comes pretty close.
When all is said and done it provides soldiers from the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Stryker Brigade the training they'll need when it comes time for the real thing.
The 1st Strykers will soon be deploying to Iraq and to prepare they're enduring a third and final high-intensity training day, in which dozens of men prove their muster and preparedness.
More funding needed for Fort Wainwright memorial
By Chris Freiberg, Daily News-Miner
If everyone in the Fairbanks area donated just $1, the Fairbanks Veterans Association would have enough money to fund a Fort Wainwright memorial to those in the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team who have paid the ultimate cost in defense of freedom.
Contractors who have donated their time and money to the project are putting the finishing touches on the first phase of the Monterey Lake Memorial Park.
The nonprofit organization of about 50 veterans has raised $1,000 internally to pay for the $40,000 memorial, but is now appealing to businesses and the community for additional funding.
Books of Interest
Two recently published books have connections to the Stryker brigades.
- Moment of Truth in Iraq
, by Michael Yon: Yon has embedded with numerous Stryker brigades.
- I Lost my Love in Baghdad
Stryker soldier gets to meet Bush
By Chris Freiberg, Daily News Miner
A tour of duty in Iraq led to a trip to the nation’s capital for Sgt. Gregory Williams of Fort Wainwright after he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in December.
Last month, the sergeant, one of only eight men to receive the Army’s second-highest honor since 2001, spent 15 minutes with President Bush.
“It was very exciting,” Williams said. “It didn’t hit me until I got in there that this is the president. He’s a very nice, family-oriented man. Very energetic, too.”
News Tribune on 5th Anniversary
The News Tribune has a number of items related to the 5th Anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.
- The Iraq conflict five years later: A look back and ahead as war rolls on
- A Fort Lewis & Washington timeline of the Iraq war
- More comments on the 5th anniversary - Views from the paper's readers
- Five years from Tacoma to Iraq - Multimedia presentation posted on YouTube
Five years later, soldiers reflect on casualties
Follow the link for video as well.
By Keith Eldridge, KOMO 4 News
FORT LEWIS -- This base is 6th on the list of military bases with the most casualties in the war in Iraq. But the soldiers at Fort Lewis say they want to make sure each and every soldier is honored for their supreme sacrifice.
When the fighting in Iraq began, it was everyone's hope that the U.S. could get through the conflict with very few soldier deaths, and have it be over and done with quickly.
That was five years and 179 Fort Lewis casualties ago.
Time and again, soldiers, their families and friends have gathered to pay honor to those who've fallen.
On this 5th anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, the soldiers and their commanders say the deaths that happen today are just as hard to take as those back in 2003.
[...]
Training met with fervor as Strykers prep for war
By Chris Freiberg, Daily News-Miner
The temperature is in the single digits and a recent dusting of snow has covered the icy patches on the ground, making each step a hazardous one.
Spc. Mike Moore, originally from California, has been waiting outside in this weather for a good half hour, yet he is excited.
“We are super motivated, super pumped about this because we’ve been training all week,” he says enthusiastically, pumping his fists. “There’s nothing I would rather be doing than being with my squad leader, with my squad on this beautiful Alaska day.”
Ex-Fort Lewis chief predicts tough spring for U.S. troops
Dubik was the top commander at Ft. Lewis until his recent assignment in Iraq.
FORT LEWIS, Pierce County — For three years, thousands of Army soldiers from this Western Washington post patrolled the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. More than 40 lost their lives.
With the security situation improved, the last of three Fort Lewis Stryker brigades withdrew in mid-2006, but during the past year, as U.S. forces clamped down on al-Qaida activities farther south, Mosul has once again emerged as a violent center of insurgent activities, a key U.S. commander said on Thursday.
The experience in Mosul offers a cautionary note as the U.S. military nears the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war amid a drawdown of American troops.
Alaska-based Stryker troops are able to hone more skills in Daegu
By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
DAEGU AIR BASE, South Korea — When the troops of an Alaska-based Army Stryker unit roll out to the field, the subzero cold of their home turf often prevents them from doing more than a fraction of the training they want and need.
So when they wrapped up three weeks of combat training in South Korea on Monday, soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment said they were more than satisfied with the chances they got to practice for combat. They’re stationed at Fort Wainwright as part of the 25th Infantry Division.
Stryker troops warm up for exercise in South Korea
By T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — Sitting high in an observation tower on a ridge above the sprawling Rodriguez Range, Capt. Jeremiah Hurley watched his soldiers pour steady streams of deadly accurate .50-caliber fire from their Stryker light armored vehicles.
“It’s an awesome, awesome machine,” said Hurley, commander of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, as his troops worked through gunnery training.
Hopes, fears run high for Fort Lewis troops who served in Mosul
By Mike Gilbert, The News Tribune
Fort Lewis soldiers and their families could be forgiven for feeling uneasy about the news lately out of Mosul. They made a steep investment in whatever security and stability has taken hold in the northern Iraqi city of 1.8 million.
Thousands of Fort Lewis soldiers have served there; 700 members of a helicopter squadron are stationed in and around the city now.
And of the 176 who have died in Iraq since the war’s beginning, more fell in Mosul – 46 – than anywhere else.
Battle Flag Flies in Iraq Again
See the previous article we posted regarding the flag.
By Spc. Aaron L. Rosencrans, 2nd SBCT Public Affairs, 25th ID
TAJI, Iraq — The tattered, yet proud American battle flag once again made its way from Hawaii and patrolled the streets of Iraq, Jan. 22, to honor the fallen Soldiers who served with it.
Rather than appearing in combat, the battle flag was shared with the Iraqi army on a humanitarian mission and a mounted patrol in the vicinity of Taji, Iraq.
Soldiers from the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, brought the flag with them to a new medical clinic outside Taji, where the Iraqi army delivers medical supplies and furniture.
Stryker vehicle flips, causing minor injuries
By Amanda Bohman, Daily News-Miner
A Stryker vehicle slid into a ditch and rolled, injuring the two Fort Wainwright soldiers who occupied it Thursday morning, the U.S. Army announced Friday.
The unnamed soldiers were treated and released from Bassett Army Community Hospital, said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Allen. They have since returned to duty.
Damage to the Stryker vehicle, which came to rest upside down, is still being determined, Allen said.
The single-vehicle accident on Old Badger Road took place shortly after 9 a.m., said Allen, speaking from Anchorage. The soldiers, assigned to 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were conducting training.
[...]
Strykers prep for September deployment
By Chris Freiberg, Daily News-Miner
The commander of the 1-25th Stryker Brigade Combat Team confirmed Tuesday that the unit likely will be going back to Iraq next year.
Speaking to the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, Col. Burt Thompson told the crowd of several hundred business owners that the Stryker Brigade, formerly known as the 172nd Infantry Brigade, is training for a September deployment.
“We won’t be celebrating Christmas here next year,” he said.
Stryker Soldier Awarded Distinguished Service Cross
Congratulations to SGT Williams. There's a related article linked at the bottom of this as well.
BY Spc. Vincent Fusco, Army News Service
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (Army News Service, Dec. 13, 2007) - A 1st Stryker Brigade Soldier who saved the life of his platoon leader was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross Dec. 12 at Fort Wainwright for his actions during an ambush in Iraq.
Sgt. Gregory Williams received the Army's second-highest award for valor from Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. for what he did in a gun battle that ensued after an improved explosives device stopped his Stryker last year in Baghdad.
Wainwright soldier to receive DSC today
Hopefully there will be a couple stories in tomorrow's papers covering the presentation today.
The Army’s chief of staff on Wednesday will honor a Fort Wainwright, Alaska, soldier with the nation’s second highest award for heroism in combat for fighting off an enemy ambush in Iraq last year.
Gen. George Casey will present Sgt. Gregory Williams of 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, with the Distinguished Service Cross, according to a recent U.S. Army Alaska press release.
The prestigious award is second only to the Medal of Honor.
[...]
Hawaii battle flag will serve again in Iraq
Allen Hoe, a Vietnam veteran, donated an American flag to be taken to Iraq by the 2-14 CAV, 2/25 SBCT. He is the father of 1LT Nainoa Hoe, who was killed in Iraq while serving with the 3-21 INF, 1/25 SBCT. The following articles describe the ceremony, and each is accompanied by photos and video.
By Gordon Y.K. Pang, Honolulu Advertiser
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — A 40-year-old legacy in the form of a tattered yet proud American battle flag is being passed on.
During an emotional ceremony yesterday, Vietnam War veteran Allen Hoe entrusted the flag to leaders of the 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division. The squadron, like other Stryker troops, is leaving Schofield next month for a 15-month deployment in Iraq.
The 400-member squadron is headed by Col. Thomas Mackey, who was once commanding officer to 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, Allen Hoe's son. The younger Hoe, 27, a 1995 Kamehameha Schools graduate, was killed by a sniper as he led a patrol in Mosul, Iraq, in January 2005. The flag was with him when he died.
Stryker Brigades: Where Are They Now?
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune has a nice summary of where each Stryker Brigade is right now (deployed/dwelling), and when each might be called on again to head overseas.
Fort Wainwright experiencing a baby boom
By Amanda Bohman - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska — As Nancy Cone awaited the arrival of her 13th grandchild at Bassett Army Community Hospital last weekend, the atmosphere was intense, she said.
And Cone wasn’t just referring to her daughter-in-law’s labor. Cone could hear the wails of multiple expectant mothers or new arrivals echoing through the hospitals maternity ward Sunday.
“There was, like, five or six babies born the day we came in,” Cone said. “You could see the nurses just moving.”
Alaska’s Strykers take on global task
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Alaska's Stryker Brigade came home from Iraq almost a year ago but has been anything but idle.
The Strykers are in elite training with a foreign army and soon they will enter a new era of service to its country and the world.
The 1st Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division, previously known as the 172nd Brigade, renamed after arriving home from Iraq. They spent almost two weeks at Fort Greely training with the Indian Army on counter insurgency drills.
Family day helps defuse anxieties
By Chris Eshleman, Daily News-Miner
Shelby Winch picked up a black Army radio receiver and held it to her ear.
“You got me?” 8-year-old Shelby asked.
“Roger that,” 22-year-old Spc. Justin Banner answered back from another radio a few feet away.
Training Testing Stryker Mobile Gun System
Soldiers are training and testing a new Stryker mounted cannon at Fort Wainwright this month.
The 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, is the third Stryker brigade to receive the M-1128 Mobile Gun System.
The MGS has a 105-mm, direct-fire cannon mounted on top of the vehicle, similar to the main gun on an M-1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.
1SG Michael S. Curry Jr.
On July 25th, 2007 the Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
1st Sgt. Michael S. Curry Jr., 37, of Dania Beach, Fla., was killed July 23 in Sarobi District, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Curry was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy.
Although Curry was not currently a Stryker soldier, he had a close connection to the Ft. Lewis brigades. According to a Major with the Stryker Program:
Michael Curry was the first NCOIC of the I Corps G3 Transformation cell responsible for coordinating the efforts to transform 3/2 and 1/25 into the first 2 Stryker Brigades. Unfortunately, he was killed last week in Afghanistan as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. I would appreciate if you would post something to the site.
Godspeed 1SG Curry.
Overhauls equip Stryker vehicles for next mission
By Margaret Friedenauer, Staff Writer
Nearly 300 Stryker vehicles from Fort Wainwright spent 16 months in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
It only took four months to make those same Strykers ready for combat again, this time for the post’s 1st Stryker Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division.
In an informal ceremony Wednesday, brigade commander Col. Burt Thompson praised the civilian employees and soldiers involved in the expedited reset of the equipment. Four of them received Army commendation medals.
Thompson, against the backdrop of a freshly painted and newly equipped and overhauled Stryker vehicle, thanked the contractors who had created a “Santa’s workshop” in refurbishing the vehicles. The large garage where the work occurred was quiet and nearly empty Wednesday, with only leftover gallons of GoJo orange pumice hand cleaner lining the sinks leaving any sign that the garage had been bustling for the last four months.[...]
Iraq War Vet Thankful for the Simple Things
Mark House is a lot more careful when he drives the streets of Santa Clarita, avoiding potholes and trash. In Iraq, those were likely hiding places for bombs.
He still instinctively looks for spots where a sniper might hide.
He still wakes up in the middle of the night from nightmares.
For the most part, the 36-year-old doesn't talk about a lot of what he went through, because a lot of people don't really understand.
Haunted by memories, a warrior seeks change
The following article is a detailed profile of retired CSM Thomas Adams, who is struggling to recover from PTSD. He served with the 1/25 SBCT in Mosul.
SPANAWAY, Pierce County -- By the end of his tour in Iraq, Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Adams was crushed by memories. Too many memorial services for dead soldiers. Too many visits to the wounded in the hospital wards. Too many innocents -- men, women and children -- blown up by insurgent bombs or killed inadvertently by his Fort Lewis brigade.
Adams, the highest-ranking enlisted soldier in his brigade, started taking tranquilizers to help him sleep. In an unusual step, he shared his struggles with the homeward-bound troops.
At a dusty desert base in Kuwait, Adams went from unit to unit, telling his fellow soldiers that he was not OK and would seek counseling when he returned. He urged others to do the same.
78 teams compete for Best Ranger title
One of the teams competing is from the former 172nd SBCT, now the 1/25 SBCT.
When the 24th annual Best Ranger Competition begins Friday at Fort Benning, Ga., 78 two-man teams will hit the dirt and start pumping out push-ups, embarking on a 60-hour odyssey that one organizer called the “endurathon.”
The mental and physical contest is one of the Army’s toughest. More soldiers are competing this year than in the past five. [...]
October earliest deployment for Stryker Brigade
The 1st Stryker Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Fort Wainwright continues to refit from its 16-month Iraq tour and isn’t slated to be considered for another deployment until at least October.
Until then, the brigade will continue its “reset,” or overhaul, of about 10,500 pieces of equipment used by the unit in Iraq when the unit was known as the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. The reset is expected to be completed by mid-June. More soldiers will continue to arrive at Fort Wainwright, replacing the more than half of the 172nd soldiers who rotated out after their return from Iraq in December.
Maj. Michael Blankartz said the brigade isn’t expected to be ready to deploy until the first quarter of the fiscal year, which for the Army and other federal entities runs from October through the end of December. At that time, he said, the unit will be placed in a pool of eligible units available to deploy.
Focus: Through the Lens of a Soldier
Former 1/25 SBCT soldier Walt Gaya has a new book of photos for sale called Focus: Through the Lens of a Soldier. Gaya has been mentioned many times previously on this site.
(via Blog-Ah!)
‘It’s scary, it’s exhilarating’
Smiley was an officer with the 1/25 SBCT when he was injured in Mosul, Iraq in 2005.
VAIL — Skiing with your eyes closed is very dangerous, but if you’re Scott Smiley you have no choice.
It has been just over one year since Scott Smiley has skied Vail, and almost two years since he was blinded by shrapnel from a suicide bomb in Iraq.
On April 6, 2005, Smiley and his squad received intelligence of enemy activity in Mosul. Smiley and his squad were checking for car bombs when something went wrong.
Soldiers talk about life after Iraq
Anchorage, Alaska - They spent 16 months in Iraq enduring a last minute four month extension, just days away from coming home.
Before these five soldiers walked into the room, the men, all from different companies, had a lot more in common than just being volunteered for this interview. All served in Iraq with the Stryker Brigade.
"The brigade needs these soldiers back to be the whole and very capable force that has been over the last year," said Major Gen. Charles Jacoby, commander, U.S. Army Alaska.
General gets look at Stryker overhaul
By Mary Beth Smetzer, Daily News-Miner
Hunkered inside a Stryker vehicle with a half dozen soldiers and Army staff, retired four-star Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey seemed right at home Thursday afternoon.
In Alaska for a Society of American Military Engineers meeting, McCaffrey broke away to stroll through the newly built Vehicle Maintenance Facility on Fort Wainwright to view the overhauling of the Stryker vehicles and talk to soldiers who became intimately familiar with them during 16 months in Iraq.
Mess Hall Bombing Special on CNN
Tonight (3/1/07) CNN will broadcast a special on the Anderson Cooper 360 show regarding the soldiers from the 1st Brigade, 25th ID (SBCT) who died in the Mess Hall bombing in December 2004. According to one family member interviewed, CNN spent time with each of the six families that lost loved ones. The show airs at 10 PM EST, 7 PM PST, although I'm not sure when during the 2 hour show this piece will air.
Pace Travels: A Little ‘Moosenip,’ A Lot of Thanks
Here's another story regarding the Chairman's recent visit to Alaska.
By Linda D. Kozaryn, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2007 – You’ve heard of catnip, right? Well, somebody must have sprinkled “moosenip” around the VIP quarters where Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace and his wife Lynne stayed at Alaska’s Elmendorf Air Force Base last week.
Three full-grown, female moose spent several hours, morning and evening, right outside the quarters, nibbling at low-hanging branches and nestling in the snow catching some rays. The 800- to 900-pound, lanky-legged animals ignored the ever-present security specialists and the comings and goings of SUVs and military vans.
As for the chairman and his wife, the moose maneuvers were a first. But for the couple who spend much of their time traveling the nation and the world, it was just part of their latest adventure. On their last trip, they saw koalas in Australia.
Chairman Visits Brigade Using New ‘Reset’ Process
By Linda D. Kozaryn, American Forces Press Service
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska, Feb. 23, 2007 – The 25th Infantry Division’s 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team here is the first unit to employ the Army’s new “reset” process to rapidly refurbish everything from M-16 rifles to state-of-the-art Stryker combat vehicles.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, came here yesterday to check out the new process. Accompanied by Maj. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby Jr., commander of U.S. Army Alaska, Pace toured a huge maintenance facility where work is under way.
The 3,000 troops and 200 contractors employed in the effort “are dedicated to getting these machines cleaned up and turned faster than normal -- in this case, probably in four months instead of six,” Pace said.
Hawaiian warrior spirit lives at Army's Nainoa Hoe Center
The following artcle was sent by Allen Hoe, Nainoa's father, and describes the ceremonies surrounding the opening.
By Dan Nakaso, Honolulu Advertiser
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS — Allen Hoe wore his son's oversized desert combat boots, his own Vietnam War medals and carried an ancient Hawaiian battle weapon made of wood and shark teeth.
In a mix of modern military ceremony and ancient Hawaiian warrior rituals, Hoe yesterday offered a chant in honor of his son, Army 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, who was killed in Iraq in 2005.
Fallen Hawai'i soldier Nainoa Hoe to be honored
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
The Army tomorrow will dedicate the Battle Command Training Center at Schofield Barracks in honor of Army 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe, a 1995 Kamehameha Schools graduate who was killed in 2005 in Iraq.
The $33 million, 90,000-square-foot training center opened in November 2005 and serves as a Pacific-area training center with communications, mission planning and simulators.
America Supports You: Blind War Veteran Enjoys View from the Top
John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service
STERLING, Va., Feb. 5, 2007 – At the Sport Rock Indoor Climbing Center here, a sign warns that climbing can cause serious injury. If Army Capt. Scott Smiley could see the cautionary sign, he would probably disregard it.
“I know I’ve done more dangerous things than this,” Smiley said Feb. 2 from the base of the 50-feet-tall rock he prepared to climb.
In April 2005, Smiley’s 25th Infantry Division platoon was patrolling Mosul, Iraq, for suicide car bombs when the soldiers saw a suspicious vehicle on the road.
“He was facing west, and I was headed north when I saw him. I stopped in my Stryker vehicle and yelled at him to get out of his car to interrogate him,” Smiley recalled.
1-25 Stryker Brigade Begins Reset Period
BY John Pennell, Fort Richardson PAO
Before the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team - now the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division - left Iraq, the Army was already busy planning for its return to the Army's "Ready Force Pool" and future missions.
Before the unit could be considered ready, a major reset - or complete overhaul of equipment and re-stationing and training of personnel - had to be accomplished fast enough to allow incoming personnel to train on the necessary equipment and in the proper training strategies.
Overhaul window short
By Margaret Friedenauer, Daily News-Miner
Scrubbed clean but showing a few scuffs and scratches, the Stryker vehicles being offloaded from rail cars at Fort Wainwright on Thursday looked much different than they did roaming the streets and countryside of Iraq just a few months ago with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
There were no 50-caliber machine guns mounted to the tops, no reams of barbed wire, no slat armor or ballistic shields. There was no rubber duckie mounted to the front of the vehicle once commanded by Lt. Col. Al Kelly to illustrate his penchant for encountering improvised explosive devices, a trait earning him the moniker “sitting duck.” Replacing the white, wooden signs with red Arabic writing that warned motorists and potential vehicular suicide bombers to “Stay Back” were pink labels with “Packing Slip Enclosed.”
CNN Video from Operation Tomahawk Strike
CNN had a reporter on Haifa street yesterday and she filed this video report. Some of the footage is the same the video we posted yesterday.
On a side note, some Iraqi soldiers in the video are sporting a skull logo on the back of their helmets that is identical to the logo used by 1-24 INF (Deuce Four), 1/25 SBCT. Coincidence?
Counterinsurgency takes center stage in Iraq
The following article mentions an incident from 2004 in Mosul involving the 1-24 INF (Deuce Four), 1/25 SBCT.
By Peter Grier, The Christian Science Monitor
WASHINGTON - When Col. Ralph Baker commanded an Army brigade combat team responsible for a volatile area of Baghdad, he found that one of his most effective weapons was the handbill.
That's right, handbills. Fliers. Paper. In the United States, they're generally toss-aways, ads for hair salons or Chinese food. In Iraq, they can be an important way to disseminate information. [...]
Traumatic brain injuries taking toll on U.S. soldiers
CPT Scott Smiley, who was injured serving with the 1/25 SBCT in 2005, is featured in the following story.
By Matt Millham, Stars and Stripes
With improved body armor and field medicine, U.S. troops are living through attacks that would have killed them in previous wars, many surviving with secondary injuries that might have been moot in the past.
Among these, Traumatic Brain Injury, or TBI, is the most pervasive.
Anatomy of a Stryker
Unfortunately I don't get the Military Channel with my cable package, but for those of you that do they are broadcasting a show right now called, "Anatomy of a Stryker". Apparently it features the 1/25 SBCT operating in Mosul, and also the 3/2 SBCT as it prepared to deploy.
Follow the link for showtimes. Thanks to David for the heads-up.
Former Stryker Soldier Missing
Please follow the link below for photos and contact information.
Link To Full Article
WCPO News
Eight months after returning from Iraq, a Hamilton, Ohio, Army sergeant has gone missing.
Garry Jones, 24, was last seen leaving his apartment last Saturday morning, driving a late 1980's maroon Chevrolet Cavalier.
The Big Hammer
Michael Yon has published a very moving tribute to 1SG Michael J. Bordelon on his Frontline Forum. Bordelon was a member of the 1-24 INF, 1/25 SBCT who died in May 2005 from wounds received in Iraq. The tribute was written by Michael Cutrone, a lifelong friend of Bordelon.
IKAIKA (strength) House
Written by Spc. Yolanda Moreno Leon
MOSUL, Iraq (July 3, 2006) --The 274th Forward Surgical Team held the grand opening of Ikaika house on Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Mosul, Iraq June 26.
The house is named in honor of 1st Lt. Nainoa K. Hoe, platoon leader, 2nd Plt, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, (Tropic Lighting), Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Hoe paid the ultimate sacrifice when he lost his life in June 2005.
Two historic units reflag during ceremony
Link to Full Article
By Don Kramer, Northwest Guardian
Two respected military units conducted a joint reflagging ceremony at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Gray Army Airfield.
The 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division deactivated to be reflagged as 2nd Cavalry Regiment; 2nd Cav., in turn, joined the 2nd Infantry Division, activating as the Indianhead Divisions 4th Brigade.
A Piece Of Cake
Michael Yon, who covered the 1/25 SBCT extensively from Mosul last year, provides a new update on the status of Walt Gaya. It's a must read.
SGT Gaya was previously the subject of a profile by Associated Press reporter Antonio Castaneda.
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.
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.
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.
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.
South Sound recognizes Real Heroes
Link to Full Article
By Lisa Pemberton, The Olympian
Military Hero: Sgt. Walt Gaya
Sgt. Walt Gayas 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 Gayas 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.
Deuce Four unit salutes its lets-go-get-em leader
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A lot of Fort Lewis units have made their way to Iraq and back, but none has endured as much pain or attracted as much acclaim as the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment.
The fortitude of its soldiers against a raging insurgency brought fame to the battalion known as Deuce Four.
On Friday the man who led the units 800 soldiers through its trials in Mosul relinquished command.
War Without End
This week the San Francisco Chronicle is publishing a four-part series of articles chronicling the recoveries of two 1/25 SBCT soldiers - SGT Mike Buyas and SGT Brent Bretz. The newspaper has created a homepage for the series, called War Without End, featuring supplemental information (photos, videos etc.). Parts one and two have already been published, with parts three and four following later this week. Check the link above for additional information.
UPDATE 3/28/06: Part three is now available.
Priory-made dolls a big hit in Iraq
Link to Full Article
By Suzanne Roig
Army 1st. Lt. Nainoa Hoe of Honolulu hoped rag dolls made by students of a local school could bring joy to some children in war-torn Iraq.
Although he was killed by a sniper before the dolls arrived, his fellow soldiers ensured the dolls got to the right little hands.
From Fort Lewis to Germany, here they come
Link to Full Article
By MIKE BARBER, P-I REPORTER
FORT LEWIS -- For two days this week, Stryker armored infantry carriers were abandoned for strollers, diaper bags replaced combat rucksacks, and military intelligence homed in on housing and schools.
An entire population of 6,000 to 7,000 people, roughly the size of Duvall or Gig Harbor, is packing up and moving permanently -- jobs, equipment, spouses, kids, cars, even pets -- to Germany this summer.
Fallen hero's memory lives on
Link to Full Article
By Tracy Dang
t's been a year since Spec. Clint Gertson of Eagle Lake was killed while serving in Iraq, and Gayle and Susan Gertson are beginning to heal from the loss of their youngest son.
When they first told me, I wanted to fall on the ground and die, Gayle said. It takes everything out of you.
The Coming Normalcy?
The following is a lengthy article decribing the efforts of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (1/25 SBCT) during its year in Mosul. Written by Robert Kaplan for the upcoming issue of The Atlantic magazine, this is likely the most detailed profile of the brigade's operations since Michael Yon published his dispatches. The link provided below will give you full access to the article for 3 days, after which time it will only be available to subscribers. So, follow the link and print it out. There is an accompanying interview with Robert Kaplan that is available to everyone.
Link to Full Article
by Robert D. Kaplan
The Iraqi city of Mosul is an age-old caravan crossroads whose history defies the concept of the twentieth- century nation-state the kind of nation-state the U.S. military occupation of Iraq is trying to hold together (if not create), and to keep from imploding into full- scale civil war.
Veteran one step closer to normalcy
Link to Full Article
Edward Stoner, Vail Daily
VAIL - Dennis Walburn kept interrupting his own story. He did it on Chair 4 and at Mid-Vail. He was shifting attention to the 23 other Iraq war veteran amputees who are skiing at Vail this week - and the many more who are not.
"All these other guys' stories are the same," said Walburn, who skis with one ski and two outriggers. "This is just an example of what many guys have gone through."
So here is an example.
Blinded in Iraq, skiing in Vail
Link to Full Article
By Edward Stoner, Vail Daily
VAIL - Scott Smiley has learned many things over again since April 10, when a suicide blast in Iraq sent shrapnel into his brain and left him blind.
He has learned to walk again. He has learned to read again. He's learned to use a computer again, and how to wash dishes.
This week, he's skiing again.
Iraq blogger let E.M. man do the driving
Link to Full Article
By Whitney Carnahan, Quad Cities On-Line
It's unlikely that a local community college student from East Moline and a former Green Beret blogger would have much in common. But just a year ago, the two met up in the most unlikely place: Iraq.
Lost friends
Link to Full Article
By Christopher Loh, Watertown Tab & Press
Sgt. Robert Connors remembers two friends lost in battle:
Staff Sgt. Donald D. Griffith of Iowa, killed in action March 11, 2005
Specialist Clinton "Big Country" Gertson, killed in action Feb. 19, 2005.
Want to help?
To help support soldiers, go to http://www.anysoldier.com.
Brigade details
Sgt. Robert Connors belonged to the First Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Second Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment.
Former soldier draws praise for frontline blog
Link to Full Article
By Mitch Stacy, Associated Press
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. He didnt have to go, it wasnt his job and nobody paid him to do it. But Michael Yon says he went to Iraq because he wanted to see for himself what was going on.
The 41-year-old former Army Green Beret, self-published author and world traveler didnt know exactly what he was going to do when he got to the war zone last year, nor did he have any particular plans to report what he saw to the world at-large.
Soldiers honor deceased in videos
First reported here on 1/27, this article has now been reprinted in the Baltimore Sun. The story mentions SSG Juan Solorio, MSG Brian Mack, SGT Christopher Pusateri, and SSG Zachary Wobler
Link to Full Article
By Dionne Searcey, The Wall Street Journal
Electronic records create a powerful, raw new wave of war memorials
The night his buddy was killed by insurgent gunfire in Iraq last March, Army Spc. Mitchell Bass hopped out of his bunk and grabbed his laptop. He searched his computer for every digital photo he could find of the friend, Staff Sgt. Juan Solorio, and then wandered around the camp in Mosul with his portable hard drive asking other soldiers whether they had any photos or video clips.
SB High grad earns Silver Star for bravery in Iraq
Link to Full Article
Michel Nolan, Staff Writer
Staff Sgt. Shannon Kay recalls the fireball as the suicide car bomber rammed the rear of his Stryker armored infantry vehicle.
The massive explosion and subsequent firefight are seared in the Rancho Cucamonga native's memory.
"It was a huge physical force - the biggest I ever felt," said Shannon, 29. "Some of the guys inside were kind of unconscious, so we dropped a ramp and dragged people out. It was just a natural reaction - any soldier would have done the same."
Gritty Iraq Blog Gained Freelancer Fame
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) - He didn't have to go, it wasn't his job and nobody paid him to do it. But Michael Yon says he went to Iraq because he wanted to see for himself what was going on.
The 41-year-old former Army Green Beret, self-published author and world traveler didn't know exactly what he was going to do when he got to the war zone last year, nor did he have any particular plans to report what he saw to the world at-large.
But that's what he did.
On Iraq's Front Lines, Digital Memorials For Fallen Friends
SSG Solorio, who is mentioned in the following article, was a member of the 1/25 SBCT. You can follow the link to download the memorial video. Thanks to Paul North for providing a link to this article.
Link to Full Article
By DIONNE SEARCEY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
The night his buddy was killed by insurgent gunfire in Iraq last March, Army Spc. Mitchell Bass hopped out of his bunk and grabbed his laptop. He searched his computer for every digital photo he could find of the friend, Staff Sgt. Juan Solorio, and then wandered around the camp in Mosul with his portable hard drive asking other soldiers whether they had any photos or video clips.
They gave him shots of Sgt. Solorio sporting a newly shaved head and leaning against a burned-out truck on an Iraqi roadside. They found footage of Sgt. Solorio reaching for his pistol, dropping it in the mud and laughing. Spc. Bass strung all the images together into a video and added a soundtrack, "The Night That the Lights Went Out in NYC" by punk band the Ataris. Then he played it at a memorial service in Iraq.
Operation Iraqi Children
Link to Full Article
By Michael Yon
Soldiers love to visit Iraqi schools. The teachers are welcoming, and the kids are always excited. The children burst into smiles and waves, but seem to be almost nailed to their seats: they do not get up without the teachers permission.
The soldiers often arrive just to say hello, but at other times they unload trucks full of supplies: pencils, paper, and books. I visited a school far out in the boondocks near the Iranian border, where the villagers told me no Americans had ever been. In one of the classrooms, children were studying to identify mines and bombs, so they would not get blown up. [...]
Benning sergeant earns Silver Star
Link to Full Article
BY MICK WALSH, Staff Writer
The citation accompanying Thursday's award of the Silver Star to a Fort Benning soldier for his heroic actions in Iraq reads more like an action movie script.
But for Staff Sgt. Shannon Kay, now a member of the 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, what transpired on Dec. 11, 2004, was far from Hollywood fiction.
Then a squad leader of a Fort Lewis, Wash., Stryker outfit stationed near Mosul, Kay was manning the left-rear air guard hatch of his vehicle at a traffic stop when, without notice, a car broke the traffic pattern and accelerated toward the Stryker. Kay's gunner alerted him to the approaching car, prompting him to fire a warning off the front of the vehicle.
Good deed doesn't go unnoticed
This article was originally published two weeks ago, but we just came across it recently.
Link to Full Article
Jim Souhan, Star Tribune
Today, we will watch Mike Tice stalk the sideline in his customary black garb.
Some of us will see a gridiron Johnny Cash dancing in a vocational ring of fire.
Some of us will see a lame-duck coach slogging through his contractual duties.
Somewhere in the Metrodome today, though, there will be four sets of eyes viewing Tice as a man with a heart as big as his Long Island accent.
"If this thing goes off, I'd rather go off with it"
Link to Full Article
By Alex Fryer, Seattle Times
For soldiers in Iraq, three letters translate into terror: IED, shorthand for improvised explosive device, the homemade bombs that have taken hundreds of American lives.
During an intense firefight in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Staff Sgt. Wesley Holt faced this fear. Touched it. Straddled it, in fact.
Vote for Michael Yon Photo
You now have the opportunity to vote for Michael Yon's gripping photo from last May as Time Magazine's photo of the year. Visit his site for the details.
Reporting From Iraq
Fairbanks News-Miner reporter Margaret Friedenauer is embedded with 172nd Stryker Brigade in Iraq. Her blog can be found at this URL.
Birds Of Baghdad
Link to Blog Entry
By Michael Yon
His latest blog entry contains some references to soldiers of the 1-25 SBCT.
Bruce Willis comes out fighting for Iraqs forgotten GI heroes
Link to Full Article
By Sarah Baxter, The Sunday Times, London
ANGERED by negative portrayals of the conflict in Iraq, Bruce Willis, the Hollywood star, is to make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy.
It will be based on the exploits of the heavily decorated members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, which has spent the past year battling insurgents in the northern Iraqi town of Mosul.
Home for the Holiday
Link to Full Article
By REBECCA ADLER, The Daily Democrat
Brandon Huff making plans for his future
Wounded Army Sgt. Brandon Huff said he has nothing to be more thankful for this Thanksgiving than being home with his family.
"I'm grateful to be home," he said. "It's pretty simple, I know, but it's just nice to sleep in my own bed again."
Operation Steel Curtain concludes
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq Iraqi Army Soldiers and Marines, Soldiers and Sailors with Regimental Combat Team 2 wrapped up Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) today near the Syrian border.
The 17-day offensive, which took place in the cities of Husaybah, Karabilah and Ubaydi, was part of the larger Operation Sayaid (Hunter) designed to prevent al Qaeda in Iraq-led terrorists from operating in the Euphrates River Valley and throughout al Anbar province. The operation made way for the establishment of a permanent Iraqi Army security presence in the al Qaim region and set the conditions for local citizens to vote in the upcoming Dec.15 elections.
A Vision of Iraq
The Associated Press has put together a very nice multimedia presentation regarding SGT Walt Gaya (previous entry) of the 1/25 SBCT. It features photos and audio content from Gaya, who suffered an eye injury while serving in Iraq.
The Punishers' Ball
Link to Blog Entry
By Michael Yon
After a hard year of fighting and nation-building in northern Iraq, the Deuce Four has finally and completely returned home to the United States, where they threw a party to mark the occasion. Distinguished guests flew in to attend what was officially called the Redeployment Ball. [...]
Family proud even as they cry
Link to Full Article
By MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The Fisher brothers Robert and Donald spent much of the past year in Iraq with separate Army units from Fort Lewis.
They hoped their paths would cross over there, but they never quite managed it, and Robert returned home in late September.
Now Robert is on his way to meet his kid brother, but under circumstances their Army family hoped would never come to pass.
Hes going to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, the waypoint for returning U.S. casualties, and he will escort Donalds remains home to Parkland.
Americans Among Us
Link to Blog Entry
By Michael Yon
I had yelled goodbye to Walt just before the mission, and some hours later when a bomb tore through the bottom of his Stryker vehicle, every man in it--including Walt--was wounded.
Lying in the hospital, still in Iraq, Walt Gaya was in the United States Army, but he was not an American. Not on paper, anyway: Walt was born in Argentina. He survived the blast, but his new wounds would preclude his flight from Mosul to Baghdad in time to participate in a swearing-in ceremony that would have been his official welcome as a new American. [...]
Returning veterans face new challenges
Link to Full Article
By Michael Gilbert, The News-Tribune
Fresh from a year in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Daniel Garcia and his fellow soldiers went to Boze Elementary School in Tacoma on Thursday to meet students who were their pen pals.
Garcias unit was among dozens of Fort Lewis troops that have fanned out all week to meet the more than 40 requests for soldiers to appear at Veterans Day events.
Its great. Theres definitely a lot of warmth, said Garcia, 33.
Stryker brigade to split
Link to Full Article
BY CHRISTIAN HILL, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- Soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, who returned last month from a yearlong deployment to Iraq are preparing for a move to Germany.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 brigade soldiers and their families would begin leaving next spring to form the nucleus of a new Stryker brigade forming in Vilseck, Germany, suggested Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, operations officer for U.S. Army Europe.
The exact number isn't yet known, he said.
War blog rings true for many
Link to Full Article
By Hal Bernton, Seattle Times
Back in February, one month into his stay in Iraq, writer Michael Yon almost ended his attempt to chronicle the war in an online blog. He lacked the backing of a newspaper, magazine or book publisher, and grew weary of the risks of life in a combat zone as he embedded with U.S. troops.
"I was ready to get out. I wasn't getting paid, and it was damn dangerous," Yon said. "Every day I was thinking 'Is this the day I might get killed or get my legs blown off?' "
Fort Lewis soldiers to be sworn in as U.S. citizens
By MELANTHIA MITCHELL, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SEATTLE -- As far as Nicaraguan immigrant Jean Zamora is concerned, the United States has always been his home. So after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he wanted to serve and fight for a country that, legally, was not his own.
Until now.
Zamora and at least 20 other Stryker Brigade soldiers are to be granted citizenship during a ceremony Thursday at the Army's Fort Lewis, 40 miles south of here.
Heroics on two other days earned Silver Stars for Deuce Four
Link to Full Article
Silver Star goes to Stryker soldiers tested in Iraq
MICHAEL GILBERT
Massive truck bomb had turned much of the Fort Lewis soldiers outpost to rubble. One of their own lay dying and many others wounded.
Some 50 al-Qaida fighters were attacking from several directions with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
It was obvious that the insurgents had come to drive the platoon of Stryker brigade troops out of Combat Outpost Tampa, a four-story concrete building overlooking a major highway through western Mosul, Iraq.
Die Hard actor makes a cameo at ball honoring Fort Lewis troops
Actor Bruce Willis attended a formal homecoming ball Saturday night for members of the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center.
Willis praised the soldiers of Deuce Four and sat at the head table with Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla, the battalions commander, and Col. Robert Brown, the departing commander of Fort Lewis second Stryker brigade.
Veterans share military experiences with Argo students
Link to Full Article
By Jim Hook, Daily Southtown
The military came Friday to Argo Community High School in Summit.
They weren't recruiters hoping to persuade seniors uncertain of their futures to sign on the dotted line.
These were proud military veterans who spent time serving their country in wars from Korea to Iraq.
And they shared their experiences with Argo students as part of the school's 16th annual Veterans Day observance. [...]
Stryker brigade gains new leader in ceremony
Link to Full Article
The Olympian
A Stryker brigade that recently returned from Iraq has a new commander.
Col. John S. RisCassi assumed control of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, on Friday during a change of command ceremony at the post. He replaces Col. Robert Brown, who is being reassigned to U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii.
Hero hailed by men he saved
Link to Full Article
By ROGER W. HOSKINS, Modesto Bee
"We had an angel watching over us, and his name was Oscar."
That was the sentiment of the buddies Oscar Sanchez saved and of their families, who gathered about 500 strong at the Fort Lewis amphitheater in Washington state to honor their fallen comrade one more time last week.
Paying Respect to Those Who've Earned It
Link to Full Article
By Michael Yon
Bruce Willis is one of the finest and most successful actors in the world. Further introduction would be redundant. Mr. Willis has been to Iraq with his band and the USO, and has been following the events in Mosul through my dispatches. He has expressed his desire to support our troops to me on numerous occasions. One need only read his website to see how strongly he feels about this: www.brucewillis.com.
And so, Mr. Willis wanted to personally thank American soldiers for their successes and sacrifices in Iraq, and made plans to fly to the Fort Lewis area and thank soldiers who fought so well. Mr. Willis will attend the Deuce Four Ball near Fort Lewis, on November 5th, 2005. [...]
Vet who photographed Iraq loses some sight
Link to Full Article
ANTONIO CASTANEDA, Associated Press
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Army Sgt. Walt Gaya spent his time in Iraq peering - through the scope of his sniper rifle and through the lens of his camera, snapping black-and-white pictures of his unit and of life in the turbulent city of Mosul.
Becoming a professional photographer was his dream. Losing his sight was his nightmare, which he sometimes mentioned in long-distance phone calls to his wife, Jessica, in Washington.
1/25 SBCT Homecoming Ceremony
We'll list all articles we find regarding yesterday's Homecoming Ceremony for the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (SBCT) at Ft. Lewis.
UPDATE: We fixed the link to the Seattle Times story.
Related Articles:
Stryker Brigade Combat Team Welcomed Home - KOMO News
Strykers take time to rest, reflect - The News Tribune
Flags fly as soldiers return home - The Seattle Times
Photo 1, Photo 2 - Frontline Photos
Present in spirit, if not in body
Link to Full Article
By Hal Bernton, Seattle Times
TACOMA At the ball to welcome them back from Iraq, a circle of soldiers gathered around a short, slender woman in a long black dress bedecked with silver sparkles.
They reached out to touch her hand. They clasped her in bear hugs. They shared tears. And they all asked Sema Olson a question:
How is Bobby?
Dispatches From Iraq
Even though his friend Matt has returned safely from Iraq, Dave has posted a Dispatch he's held in reserve. If you're interested he has links to previous Dispatches as well.
Little Rhma tickled pink after successful heart surgery
Link to Full Article
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
Little Rhma has a new color about her.
Pink.
Because of a congenital heart defect, the tiny 5-year-old Iraqi girl hasn't had that healthy glow that comes with well-oxygenated blood circulating through the body.
But on Monday, Rhma underwent heart surgery in Albuquerque that saved her life and put her in the pink.
Greenwich soldier earns Bronze Star
Link to Full Article
By Hoa Nguyen
On an April Sunday in Mosul, Iraq, a vehicle carrying a suicide bomber came racing toward Lt. Nate Raymond's platoon, exploding and injuring several soldiers inside an armored vehicle.
Raymond didn't hesitate.
"I organized a perimeter around the vehicle," said the 24-year-old Greenwich native.
The other Strykers surrounded the hit one, providing cover so the injured soldiers could be evacuated. His actions during that attack as well as other combat situations earned him a Bronze Star Medal, which will be awarded at a battalion ceremony later this month at his base in Fort Lewis, Wash.
All party, no pity
Sgt. Brent Bretz, who was seriously injured in Mosul last year, makes the trip to Ft. Lewis to welcome his company home.
Link to Full Article
The Arizona Republic
PUYALLUP, Wash. - The boys of Charlie Company are finally home, and they want steak.
In a tiny apartment near Fort Lewis, Wash., they knock back bottles of Rolling Rock and Budweiser, fire up the patio grill and try to outdo each other with pickled one-liners.
'The Brigade Made A Huge Difference In Northern Iraq'
Link to Full Article
By Keith Eldridge, KOMO News
FORT LEWIS - President Bush warns that al-Qaida is still plotting against America as he seeks to revive support for the war in Iraq. But what do the soldiers say? We had a chance to talk with the commander of the Stryker Brigade that just returned from Iraq.
For a year, the 4,000 soldiers from Fort Lewis have been battling the insurgents in Iraq. Today, the president says it's a fight that is nowhere near over: "We will never back down, never give in and never accept anything less than complete victory."
The Battle For Mosul IV
Michael Yon has posted his latest dispatch, The Battle For Mosul IV, which, as always, is a must read. In his email he mentions that after a brief respite in the States he is on his way back to Iraq, presumably to cover the upcoming elections.
Fort Lewis revolving door keeps turning
Link to Full Article
By Michael Gilbert, News-Tribune
Nearly all the Stryker soldiers are home, but Fort Lewis still has some 3,000 soldiers either in Iraq or Afghanistan, or on their way soon.
The post has military police, medics and engineers spread across the Middle East and Central Asia. More engineers and support troops are bound for locations all over Iraq in the next few weeks.
Outpost in the Sand
Link to Full Article
By CRAIG S. SMITH, The New York Times
RAWA, Iraq - A few miles outside this sleepy river town, marked in many places with black spray-painted scrawls hailing the network of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, called Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, American troops are building a desert outpost of plywood huts protected by dirt-filled blast barriers and surrounded by a high berm.
Dispatches From Iraq
Dave has posted a new Dispatch From Iraq on his site from his friend Matt with the 1/25 SBCT.
Town bonds with brigade
Link to Full Article
By EIJIRO KAWADA; The News Tribune
It was around midnight, and Puyallup Mayor Kathy Turner was trying not to fall asleep as she sat with her husband, Gary, in the bleachers of a Fort Lewis gymnasium. [...]
State, Army tailor popular program to military women
Link to Full Article
By MARGARET FRIEDENAUER, News-Miner
Since Denise Goldstine's husband deployed with the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team to Iraq last month, she's had to take on extra roles. She's mother and father, student, caregiver, breadwinner and more. This weekend she decided to add another title to her name. She is becoming an outdoors woman.
Goldstine and about 50 other military spouses, active-duty soldiers and Department of Defense employees took part in the first All Military Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop held at Fort Wainwright.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and The Hunter Heritage Foundation of Alaska has been hosting the Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshops for 10 years in the Interior. According to Fish and Game spokeswoman Cathie Harms, about two years ago several people began talking of bringing the workshop to Fort Wainwright specifically for the military community. [...]
600 teams to run Army Ten-Miler
Link to Full Article
Army News Service
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 28, 2005) More than 20,000 runners and 600 teams from around the world are registered for the 21st annual Army Ten-Miler beginning at 8 a.m., Oct. 2 at the Pentagon. [...]
Ponch Avila inspiring Lewis team - While assigned to 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division operating near Mosul in Iraq less than a year ago, Sgt. 1st Class Gerardo Avila was hurt in an Improvised Explosive Device blast.
The vehicles driver lost both legs while Avila was injured in the face, eye, and has lost much of his hearing in one ear. Several operations are still pending, yet he has maintained his fitness and his training, inspiring a very fast mens team from Fort Lewis, Wash., as its fastest runner.
Stuffing Irag's Ballot Boxes
With the referendum on Iraq's draft constitution coming next month, a 1/25 SBCT soldier recounts irregularities in the previous election process.
Link to Full Article
By Gareth Porter, Asia Times
WASHINGTON - If the referendum on Iraq's draft constitution next month is conducted fairly, it now appears very likely that the document will be defeated by a two-thirds majority in the three Sunni-dominated provinces of Anbar, Salahadeen and Nineveh, plunging Iraq into a new political crisis.
Operation Rhma: Final Mission
Link to Blog Entry
By Michael Yon
Much world travel has convinced me that the average American is a