By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON — The White House will nominate Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, currently commander of Multinational Force Iraq, to be the next U.S. Central Command commander, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced April 23.
“I recommended him to the president because I am absolutely confident he is the best man for the job,” Gates told reporters. He cited Petraeus’ in-depth understanding of the situation in Iraq as well as counterinsurgency operations, and the successes seen in Iraq under his leadership.
“The kinds of conflicts we are dealing with not just in Iraq, but in Afghanistan and some of the challenges that we face elsewhere in the region in the CentCom area, are very much characterized by asymetric warfare,” he said. “And I don’t know anybody in the United States military better qualified to lead that effort.”
It's not clear from the article which Stryker brigade SGT Martin is from.
By Gadi Schwartz, Eyewitness News 4 & Reed Upton, KOB.com
A New Mexico soldier is being treated for a spinal fracture after being wounded in the explosion of an improvised explosive device, or IED, in Iraq.
Sergeant Caleb Martin of Grants was among the fighters in a Stryker personnel carrier when the IED, which was buried beneath a road in Iraq, exploded.
Six other soldiers were wounded and four were killed din the incident.
The New York Times has an in-depth profile of independent journalist Mike Yon in today's paper. Excerpt:
Michael Yon was not a journalist, and he wasn’t sure what a blogger was. He had been in uniform but not in combat, and he wanted to keep it that way. He went to Iraq thinking he would stay for a month, and maybe find a way to write about the war after he got home.Instead, he has spent most of the last three years in Iraq, writing prolifically and graphically, and racking up more time embedded with combat units than any other journalist, according to the United States military. He has been shot at, buffeted by explosions and seen more people maimed — fighters and civilians, adults and children — than he can count.
“The easiest thing in the world to write about is combat, because all the drama is there,” said Mr. Yon, a fit, ruddy-faced 43-year-old who was a Special Forces soldier more than two decades ago. He insists that he still does not really know the rules of journalism, but says he has recently, grudgingly, accepted that he has become a journalist.
Mike Gilbert of The News Tribune has published a long list of resources available to military families looking for support. While it is geared towards the Ft. Lewis community it is still relevant to everyone.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Behind the thousands of local service members who have gone to Iraq or Afghanistan, there are nearly the same number of children left behind to ask questions, including these three big ones:
Will Mom or Dad be safe? Will I be safe? And who will take care of me?
More than 450 educators, counselors and others who work with youths gathered Friday for “Supporting Military Kids – A Day of Awareness.”
Organizers believe the event at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center was the first of its kind in the nation. They hope it will become an annual conference geared to the larger community beyond the boundaries of the region’s numerous military bases.
This news has nothing to do with the Stryker Brigades, the Army, or even Iraq, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless. Yesterday the President awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor, posthumously to Lt. Michael Murphy (U.S. Navy SEAL) for his actions during combat in Afghanistan. This is only the third MOH to be awarded since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the first to be awarded for service in Afghanistan.
Blackfive has all the details if you're interested in reading more about yesterday's service (transcript and video), as well as the complete back story. Finally, Marcus Luttrell, the only surviving member of Murphy's SEAL Team 10, wrote a book appropriately titled "Lone Survivor" that recounts this incredible story. I highly recommend the book.
Would you like to read General Petraeus' status report to Congress? His entire report is available at the DoD website, along with his presentation slides. Both are PDF files.
The Department of Defense approved today a policy change to the U.S. Central Command Rest and Recuperation Leave Program, increasing the time provided to military service members for rest and recuperation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The policy change, signed by David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, increases the R&R leave period from 15 to 18 chargeable days for those service members deploying to the OEF and OIF area of operations for 15 months.
The amended policy became effective July 13, 2007, applies to military personnel only and is not retroactive. Only service members who took leave on or after July 13, 2007, may take 18 days of leave.
The one caveat to this policy is that it only applies to those accessing the internet through the military network. Soldiers are still able to visit these sites if they have access to private internet cafes on base.
LOLITA C. BALDOR; The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – Lt. Daniel Zimmerman, an infantry platoon leader in Iraq, puts a blog post on the Internet every now and then “to basically keep my friends and family up to date” back home.
It just got tougher to do that for Zimmerman and a lot of other U.S. soldiers. No more using the military’s computer system to socialize and trade videos on MySpace, YouTube and more than a dozen other Web sites, the Pentagon says.
If strictly enforced this would be truly unfortunate. Milblogs provide valuable insight into the work our men and women are doing overseas.
Noah Shachtman, Wired Magazine
The U.S. Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer, Wired News has learned. The directive, issued April 19, is the sharpest restriction on troops' online activities since the start of the Iraq war. And it could mean the end of military blogs, observers say.
Military officials have been wrestling for years with how to handle troops who publish blogs. Officers have weighed the need for wartime discretion against the opportunities for the public to personally connect with some of the most effective advocates for the operations in Afghanistan and Iraq -- the troops themselves. The secret-keepers have generally won the argument, and the once-permissive atmosphere has slowly grown more tightly regulated. Soldier-bloggers have dropped offline as a result.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis’ departing commander offered a sobering assessment of the nation’s enemies Monday and expressed appreciation for the people he’s worked with the past 21/2 years at the local Army post.
Lt. Gen. James Dubik relinquished command in a ceremony to Brig. Gen. William Troy, who will serve as interim commander.
Commander of the Multinational Force in Iraq, General David Petraeus, has been stateside this week briefing folks in Washington regarding the situation in Iraq. He also sat down for an hour long interview with Charlie Rose, which you can view courtesy of Google Video.
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2007 – The Defense Department today unveiled a program that will reward administrative leave to servicemembers whose service in combat does not meet the department’s goal for the time at home station between deployments.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates directed the development of this program Jan. 19, when he implemented a force management policy stating that DoD’s goal was to give active-duty troops two years at home station for every year deployed, and reserve component troops five years at home station for every year deployed. At the time, Gates recognized that national security concerns would require servicemembers to be deployed more frequently than this goal, so he announced a compensation plan to make up for frequent deployments.
The 4/2 SBCT is featured in the following article, which appears in the May 2007 edition of Popular Mechanics.
By Noah Shachtman, Popular Mechanics
There's a half-billion dollars invested in the gear hanging off the heads, chests and backs of the soldiers of Alpha company. Digital maps displayed on helmet-mounted eyepieces show the position of all the men in the unit as they surround a block of concrete buildings and launch their attacks. Instead of relying on the hand signals and shouted orders that most infantrymen use, Alpha company communicates via advanced, encrypted radio transmissions with a range of up to a kilometer. It's more information than any soldiers have ever had about their comrades and their surroundings.
But as Alpha kicks in doors, rounds up terror suspects and peals off automatic fire in deafening six-shot bursts, not one of the soldiers bothers to check his radio or look into the eyepiece to find his buddies on the electronic maps. "It's just a bunch of stuff we don't use, taking the place of useful stuff like guns," says Sgt. James Young, who leads a team of four M-240 machine-gunners perched on a balcony during this training exercise at Fort Lewis, Wash. "It makes you a slower, heavier target."
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2007 – Leaks to the media forced Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates to speed up releasing his decision to increase tour lengths for soldiers assigned to U.S. Central Command from a year to 15 months.
The notification of the decision to soldiers and their families was made simultaneous with the news briefing. Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, the commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, today apologized to the families -- many of whom heard about the decision on television.
“I know the announcement the other day was probably one that surprised them,” Odierno told Pentagon reporters via teleconference from Baghdad. “I just want to comment to them that we appreciate everything that they're sacrificing, everything that they're doing. They are the strength behind all these great soldiers that are over here today.”
The DoD conducted a press briefing regarding deployment extensions today at the Pentagon - a complete transcript is available online. The presentation might answer some basic questions families have about what the extension means for them, such as reimbursements, future assignments etc. The Army is drawing heavily on its experiences with the 172nd SBCT in Alaska.
That speculation didn't last long.
Update: We've added some related articles and transcripts to the end of this entry.
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 11, 2007 – All soldiers in the U.S. Central Command area of operations will serve 15-month tours in the region beginning immediately, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced today.
“Effective immediately, active Army units now in the Central Command area of responsibility and those headed there will deploy for not more than 15 months and return home for not less than 12 months,” Gates said, during a Pentagon news conference.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The top Army general in Alaska, a paratrooper with combat experience in Afghanistan and Grenada, has been named to become the next commander at Fort Lewis, the Army announced Friday.
Maj. Gen. Charles H. Jacoby, Jr., 52, is a Michigan native and West Point graduate who for two years has led the Army’s buildup in the 49th state and managed the flow of thousands of troops from posts there to Iraq and back again.
President Bush nominated the commander of U.S. Army Alaska on Friday for a third star and assignment as commanding general at Fort Lewis and I Corps, the Army announced.
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2007 – Army officials this morning launched a new hotline to help wounded warriors and their family members to get information or assistance with medical or other issues.
The “Wounded Soldier and Family Hotline,” 1-800-984-8523, also will help Army leaders improve services to wounded soldiers and their families, officials said.
"We have designed this call center to be able to collectively hear what the soldiers say about their health care issues, so as issues are raised, we can identify systemic faults or problematic areas and senior leaders can better allocate resources," said Maj. Gen. Sean J. Byrne, commander of U.S. Army Human Resources Command.
A number of people have emailed us to suggest we link to recent interviews with Martha Raddatz, the Chief White House correspondent for ABC News. She recently released a book titled, "The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family", and has been featured on programs such as Charlie Rose (interview begins at the 31:30 minute mark) and Good Morning America. I haven't read the book or watched the full interview, but those who have appreciate that she focuses so much time on the soldiers' families back home. J.M. Simpson at Blog-Ah! has a more detailed book review if you'd like to read that as well.
General Petreaus assumed command of all US forces in Iraq today. The following is a transcript of his speech from Baghdad.
To the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Civilians of Multi-National Force-Iraq:
We serve in Iraq at a critical time. The war here will soon enter its fifth year. A decisive moment approaches. Shoulder-to-shoulder with our Iraqi comrades, we will conduct a pivotal campaign to improve security for the Iraqi people. The stakes could not be higher.
Our task is crucial. Security is essential for Iraq to build its future. Only with security can the Iraqi government come to grips with the tough issues it confronts and develop the capacity to serve its citizens. The hopes of the Iraqi people and the coalition countries are with us.
By WILLIAM YARDLEY, The New York Times
FORT LEWIS, Wash., Feb. 5 — Besides the hidden slots for knee and elbow pads, the extra room in the shoulders and the mod mandarin collar, the new Army uniform has a revolutionary feature critical to a nimbler military.
“You can just throw it in the dryer,” said Sgt. Donald Fisher, an instructor at this base for 30,000 soldiers about an hour south of Seattle. “You save money on dry cleaning.”
The News Tribune published a series of articles and multimedia features in today's paper profiling Army widows from the Puget Sound region (links below). The husbands of Debbie Bridges and Shawna Burbank, both featured, were members of the 3/2 SBCT when it first deployed in 2003. Debbie has been featured here a number of times, and Shawna maintains a wonderful album of photos featuring her husband in our gallery.
The stories:
Multimedia:
How to help:
If you aren't already a registered user with The News Tribune this would be a good time to become one. Their coverage of the Ft. Lewis based Stryker Brigades is consistently top-notch.
BRENT CHAMPACO; The News Tribune
Scott Connely and Roger Bascom stood at attention Tuesday as a decorated war veteran saluted them and shook their hands.
Both had left their families and gone to Iraq, using their knowledge of computers to help their country’s war effort.
Two years ago – about four hours before they were about to fly home – a suicide bomber attacked the crowded dining tent in Mosul where they had gone for lunch. The blast killed 22 people, including six Fort Lewis soldiers, the largest number of dead sustained at one time by any local unit.
By Mackenzie M. Eaglen, Record Online
Imagine your employer assigned you to a critical and difficult new assignment. But before you could start, the company took away your computer, your Blackberry and your cell phone. You'd probably wonder if you were being set up for failure.
Well, something similar is happening with our National Guard. According to Lt. Col. Thomas Plunkett III of the Louisiana Army National Guard, his battalion was being called up for deployment to Iraq in 2004 just one month after he had been ordered to give up his machine guns and other equipment to an Arkansas unit that was deploying sooner. This story is all too typical for Army National Guard units being called up for combat missions.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
A lot has to happen far up the chain of command before the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group reach Fort Lewis.
But the group’s advice to President Bush, released Wednesday, has the potential to alter the course of training and combat operations for thousands of local troops deployed to Iraq or getting ready to go.
The straightest line into Fort Lewis is likely the recommendation that U.S. commanders dramatically increase the number of troops assigned as advisers to Iraqi units.
Fort Lewis soldiers have trained Iraqi recruits since the first year of the war, and some soldiers in the Stryker brigade now in Iraq live and work every day with their Iraqi counterparts.
Infantry soldiers serving in Stryker units are now eligible for the prestigious Combat Infantryman Badge, according to a recently approved policy change.
Another policy change allows brigadier general commanders the authority to award combat badges.
Everyone who works the street wears sunglasses—the job requires it. If the sun’s glare impairs your vision, you won’t see to drive, look for crimes in progress or defend yourself from attack. The criminals we face know we need vision to avoid, evade or counter danger. During my 30- year career, my eyes were attacked on numerous occasions. You never know when the distressed little old lady will turn into a raving lunatic and try to poke you or the teenager smoking a joint will decide to throw dirt in your face. I defended myself against such attacks by keeping people at a distance, always a good idea, but closing in on other people remains unavoidable. Our soldiers, sailors and Marines fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan also face this necessity and the inherent risks, and they do something about it by wearing safety glasses at all times. Yes, I know that for American law enforcement officers to adopt this practice, the glasses must look good. Fortunately, the makers of Revision Military Eyewear understand the style requirement. After all, military personnel like to look good, too.
TOM PHILPOTT; The News Tribune
Service members who have household goods damaged or lost during government-directed moves will be reimbursed under a more robust “full replacement value” standard starting by at least March 2008.
Congress set the deadline in the 2007 defense authorization act signed into law Oct. 17. The National Military Family Association and other service advocacy groups had urged the action after the Department of Defense fell behind in implementing Families First, a personal property program initiative that includes a goal of full replacement value reimbursement.
Welcome home to the 47th Combat Support Hospital that spent the past year caring for soldiers in Mosul. Video included.
FORT LEWIS - A big welcome home for the 300 soldiers who've been saving lives in Iraq. They are the doctors, nurses, medics and staff members of the 47th Combat Support Hospital at Fort Lewis.
They're finally home after a year in the midst of the conflict.
Sgt. Amber Duvall holding son is asked, "How tough is it being away from him like that?" "It was hard, but it's over," he answered.
A few of our readers have expressed concern over recent articles we linked to that mention military fatalities before the individuals have been publicly identified by the Department of Defense. I've posted a brief explanation in previous comments, but Mike Gilbert with The News Tribune has a much more detailed response on his blog that is worth reading as well.
Speaking of new News Tribune blogs, military reporter Michael Gilbert has started one as well. It's called FOB Tacoma and will cover, "items of interest and the odd comment or two about military and veterans issues in the South Puget Sound." You might want to bookmark it as well.
The Blog of War is a new anthology of selected writings from a wide variety of military bloggers ("milbloggers"). The book was compiled by Matt of Blackfive and features a soldier many of you may have read before - Sminklemeyer of In Iraq for 365. You can find more info about the book at Amazon.
The publishers of the Ft. Lewis Ranger newspaper have created a blog covering base activities. They will also be sending a reporter to Iraq to cover the 3/2 SBCT for six weeks. Pay them a visit and be sure to bookmark their site.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The Armys No. 2 general rolled through Fort Lewis on Tuesday to pump up the troops.
But he didnt bring much good news for the uniformed and civilian employees who are coping with austerity measures he ordered at posts across the country. The Army is dealing with a $530 million budget shortfall for day-to-day base operations.
Link to Full Article
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The government said Wednesday it would provide free credit monitoring to millions of veterans whose personal information was stolen last month, and it acknowledged it was not close to catching those responsible.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson said the agency would seek to protect veterans and military troops against identity theft after their names, Social Security numbers and birthdates were taken from a department data analyst's home on May 3.
Written by Spc. Yolanda Moreno Leon
MOSUL, Iraq (17 June 2006) -- Being away from family and friends for a year or more is tough for anyone, but being a deployed Soldier in a war zone and with limited contact with loved one raises it to a whole new level.
A Soldier uses any way possible to stay in touch with loved ones, phone calls, internet, but the most popular is still regular mail. Receiving a letter in the mail puts a smile on a Soldiers face and boosts morale.
For Soldiers of 3rd Platoon, 795th Adjutant General Company located on Forward Operating Base Diamondback, Mosul, Iraq, getting mail to Soldiers is a job they take seriously.
Link to Full Article
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Personal data on about 2.2 million active-duty military and Guard personnel - not just 50,000 as initially believed - were among those stolen from a Veterans Affairs employee last month, the government said Tuesday.
VA Secretary Jim Nicholson said the agency was mistaken when it said over the weekend that up to 50,000 Navy and National Guard personnel - and no other active-duty personnel - were affected by the May 3 burglary.
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.
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 Armys massive equipment gave them a real-world connection with the everyday television images of American soldiers on patrol in the worlds hot spots.
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.
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.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Soldiers at Fort Lewis are learning to use the Armys newest version of the Stryker armored vehicle, one that might be called on to protect troops from the nastiest of weapons.
The new Strykers are equipped with an array of sensors, collection tools and computers to detect and identify radiation and chemical and biological agents. Each vehicles crew of four soldiers, protected inside their pressurized truck, would go into potentially contaminated areas and warn others to stay clear.
Because of the pending restructuring of Stryker units at Ft. Lewis, I'm not sure which SBCT is profiled in the following article. Thanks to Michael for the link.
Link to Full Article
By Erik Slavin, Stars and Stripes
RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea Much of what the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team does would be familiar to soldiers from any infantry unit.
And the maneuvering and maintenance of the light-armored, speedy Stryker vehicles may seem old hat to soldiers with past heavy-armor jobs.
Link to Full Article
By TOM PHILPOTT, The News-Tribune
Todays military members serve under the traditional 20-years-or-bust retirement plan prized by generations of retirees.
That plan isnt going away for the current force. But a new plan might be offered as a voluntary option, promising at least some retirement benefits to many members who dont expect to serve 20 years. [...]
Gen. Peter Schoomaker mentions the Stryker Brigade in the following interview.
Link to Full Article
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: [...]
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.
Link to Full Article
BY CHRISTIAN HILL
Fort Lewis welcomed nearly 5,500 soldiers in 2005 and will continue to grow this year, with an additional 3,300 soldiers expected by December 2007.
The post faces other changes as well, as it continues a march to create Joint Base Lewis- McChord, a merger ordered by the federal Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
For Fort Lewis, the changes are driven by the ongoing demands of the war effort and the Army's initiative to transform itself into a more efficient, responsive fighting force. McChord also is being called on to deliver troops and equipment to and from the Middle East....
The Department of Defense announced today the implementation of traumatic injury protection insurance under the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program as enacted by section 1032 of Public Law 109-13.
The program, which will be known as TSGLI, is designed to provide financial assistance to service members during their recovery period from a serious traumatic injury.
Army chief asks troops, families for more OpSec.
Link to Full Article - includes additional link to Gen. Schoomaker's video message
Gary Sheftick
Army News Service
WASHINGTON This is not your fathers war, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker tells troops in a videotaped message emphasizing proper Operations Security procedures and responsible use of the Internet.
The video is part of the Armys comprehensive OPSEC Action Plan that has Mobile Training Teams visiting deploying units to teach how improper information and photographs posted on the World Wide Web could endanger lives.
For those of you that would like to explore the rapidly expanding network of military blogs (milblogs), there are two new directories to visit and bookmark.
Link to Full Article
DoD Press Release
The Department of Defense announced today the recent implementation of a Post Deployment Health Reassessment Program that reaches out to servicemembers three to six months after returning from deployment.
Link to Full Article
USA Today
Pentagon efforts to screen troops for medical and psychological problems before and after they go to war -- and in the months after they return home -- could make the Iraq war veteran the most scrutinized fighter in American history.
"They are collecting data before and after, and then doing follow-up. That's amazing," says Joseph Boscarino, a Vietnam War veteran and scientist at the New York Academy of Medicine who does research on post-traumatic stress disorder. "That was never done before. It was always ad hoc."
Matt at Blackfive will be editing, and contributing to, a collection of writing from military blogs (milblogs) that will be published by Simon & Schuster in late 2006. He's requesting your help:
As editor, I'm looking at a wide range of experiences - Saying Goodbye (from deciding to serve in the military to leaving loved ones behind), Combat, the Weight of Command, the Fallen, Homefront (spouse and parent blogs), Humor, Time Off, and Coming Home.
Follow the link and share your suggestions if you have any.
DoD Press Release
The Department of Defense announced today the issuance of a policy and procedures for reimbursing members of the armed forces for privately purchased protective, safety or health equipment for Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom as required by Public Law 108-375, section 351.
The military continues to refine its rules regarding blogs, as outlined in the following article. Although we're not a combat-zone blog we still try and follow the same OPSEC guidelines. If you ever see any questionable content here please let us know.
Link to Full Article
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON Army officials this week issued new warnings to soldiers
about posting personal stories from combat zones on the Internet and
taking photos at overseas bases, saying those actions could jeopardize troops security.
The list of prohibited activities includes taking photos of Defense Department facilities, posting any official Defense Department information and releasing information detailing job responsibilities.
Mr. Tim Cullen, the Director of Media Technology at Senator Chris Dodd's office, sent me the following message. I have verified the source of this message and I'm reproducing it here with Mr. Cullen's permission. SBN has no editorial position regarding this matter. I have posted this solely in the public interest.
Mr. Cullen wrote:
I noticed that the Stryker Brigade News had blogged about the Defense Department's failure to implement the law authored by Senator Dodd which requires the DoD to reimburse members of the U.S. Armed Forces for their purchases of body armor and other safety equipment:
SBN Article
I'd like to take a moment to let you know how the Senator and his staff are following up on this; I think it might be of use to all the SBCT's who are currently deployed, or who have returned from service overseas.
A timely reminder From U.S. Army Alaska.
Link to Full Article
Mark Hazard
Garrison Operations
U.S. ARMY ALASKA Operations Security by definition is an analytic process used to deny an adversary information about our intentions and capabilities. We do this by identifying, controlling and protecting indicators associated with our planning processes or operations. OPSEC does not replace other security disciplines - it supplements them.
OPSEC needs to be taken seriously, and we must be cautious of what we put on the Internet. The enemy is a pro at exploiting OPSEC vulnerabilities. He reads the information we provide on open sources that knowledge against us.
Link to Full Article
The Associated Press
An Army colonel was given the second-highest award for valor yesterday for his actions during a furious firefight last year in Iraq when he rallied Iraqi commandos caught in an insurgent ambush.
Col. James H. Coffman Jr., who was wounded during the gunbattle in Mosul on Nov. 14, received the Distinguished Service Cross at a ceremony in Baghdad. Last November, insurgents attacked several police stations in Mosul, leading to chaos in parts of the city. According to the military's account of his actions, Coffman was with a group of Iraqi commandos moving to reinforce one police station that was under attack when insurgents ambushed them.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis formally opened its newest building Wednesday, a $21 million digital training center where everyone from privates to generals will practice their piece of the fight.
The 67,000-square-foot Battle Command Training Center consolidates facilities that previously were spread out all over the Army post, officials said at a ribbon-cutting event.
Link to Full Article
By Jonathan Finer, Washington Post Staff Writer
On Internet Blogs, Soldiers in Iraq Offer Up Inside Story on the War
BAGHDAD -- There were no reporters riding shotgun on the highway north of Baghdad when a roadside bomb sent Sgt. Elizabeth Le Bel's Humvee lurching into a concrete barrier. The Army released a three-sentence statement about the incident in which her driver, a fellow soldier, was killed. Most news stories that day noted it briefly.
Link to Full Article
BY CHRISTIAN HILL, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- The three Stryker brigades stationed here will remain, and there's no intent to move any one of them overseas, the Army's chief executive said Wednesday.
Rumors have been swirling, since the Army announced its unit restructuring plan two weeks ago, that one of the units would move to Germany and that it would likely be the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division soon to return from Iraq.
Link to Full Article (Subscription) Available in the 8/15/05 news stand edition.
By Jim Tice, Army Times
Less red tape to speed award of new Combat Action Badge
You might get to pin on the Combat Action Badge sooner than expected. With potentially thousands of soldiers eligible for retroactive award of the Combat Action Badge, the Army has slashed some red tape and delegated award approval authority to senior field commanders.
Link to Full Article
By Robert H. Reid, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq The broad outlines are emerging of what a top U.S. commander calls a fairly substantial reduction in U.S. troop strength in Iraq next year, as the U.S.-led coalition gradually hands over security responsibility to newly trained Iraqi forces.
Link to Full Article
By Margaret McKenzie, Army News Service
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, Aug. 8, 2005) -- The Army will start a program on the World Wide Web Oct. 1 to support and improve how information is passed to families when Soldiers are deployed.
Link to Full Article
By Robert Burns, Associated Press
Anticipating a new burst of insurgent violence, the Pentagon plans to expand the U.S. force in Iraq to improve security for a planned October referendum and a December election.
Link to Article
By Margaret McKenzie
Special to American Forces Press Service
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 5, 2005 An Army program on the World Wide Web to support and improve how information is passed to families when soldiers are deployed will make its debut Oct. 1.
Army officials said they are trying to meet the needs of today's Army Expeditionary Force by improving the methods by which soldiers communicate with their families.
Wired magazine has an in depth article regarding frontline military blogs, and the sometimes murky rules regarding them.
Link to Full Article
By John Hockenberry
[...] Milbloggers constitute a rich subculture with a refreshing candor about the war, expressing views ranging from far right to far left. They also offer helpful tips about tearing down an M16, recipes for beef stew (hint: lots of red wine), reviews of the latest episode of 24, extremely technical discussions of Humvee armor configurations, and exceptionally raw accounts of field hospital chaos, gore, and heroism.
For now, the Pentagon officially tolerates this free-form online journalism and in-house peanut gallery, even as the brass takes cautious steps to control it. A new policy instituted this spring requires all military bloggers inside Iraq to register with their units. It directs commanders to conduct quarterly reviews to make sure bloggers aren't giving out casualty information or violating operational security or privacy rules. Commanding officers shut down a blog that reported on the medical response to a suicide bombing late last year in Mosul. The Army has also created the Army Web Risk Assessment Cell to monitor compliance. And Wired has learned that a Pentagon review is under way to better understand the overall implications of blogging and other Internet communications in combat zones.
The Army today officially announced its realignment plans, which will affect many of the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCTs). Some of the information released is confusing, and conflicting, but we've provided all the links below so you can read the source documents yourselves.
According to the Pentagon, the realignment will result in 3 SBCTs stationed at Ft. Lewis, each of which will be part of the 2nd Infantry Division. The 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division will be tranformed into a SBCT, and be stationed at Schofield in Hawaii. The 172nd SBCT will return to Alaska following its upcoming deployment and be reflagged as a SBCT of the 25th Infantry Division. Finally, according to Special Assistant to The Secetary of the Army, Ray Bubois, the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division:
will come back to Fort Lewis. The complexity of this is, as it comes back we will refit it, reset it. And the aggregation of the Stryker population here, in June of '06 we will move this organization lock, stock and barrel, and it will come over here [to Germany] and reflag itself as the 2nd Cav Regiment to replace the 3/1 out of 1st Infantry Division and start setting ourselves up for the final footprint in Europe.
Overall there will be 6 active duty SBCTs and 1 reserve SBCT (based in PA) for a total of 7. Please feel free to post any clarifications in the comments section.
Link to Full Article
By Cheryl Boujnida
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, July 21, 2005) The Army has developed a new device to thwart terrorist activities while saving service members lives.
The Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) Countermeasure Equipment, otherwise known as ICE, was developed by a team of engineers, scientists and Soldiers at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to defeat IEDs, which are the most prominent threat to deployed service members in Iraq.
Link to Full Article
By Ben Murray, Stars and Stripes
VILSECK, Germany The Army announced Thursday that it will reduce the 1st Infantry Divisions 3rd Brigade Combat Team in Vilseck to a small detachment to make room for a Stryker Brigade Combat Team that is set to arrive as early as 2006.
The Department of Defense announced today a significant increase in the death gratuity for the survivors of service members killed in action and the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage for service members deployed to designated combat zones.
Link to Full Article in the July 4, 2005 edition
By Joseph R. Chenelly, Army Times (subscription)
Commanders want to know who is blogging from Iraq, and a new rule says soldiers have to fess up.
A policy for all service members under command of Multi-National Corps-Iraq states that anyone who owns, maintains or posts to a Web site or Web log must formally notify his chain of command.
All service members who fall under MNC-I must register their sites or blogs or risk facing punitive action, under the policy signed in April by Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, MNC-I commander.
Link to Full Article
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Sunday he is bracing for even more violence in Iraq and acknowledged that the insurgency "could go on for any number of years."
For those of you that were unable to see the documentary Gunner Palace in the theater, it will be available on DVD this Tuesday, June 28th. To learn more about the film you can read some of our previous entries.
Link to Full Article
OLYMPIAN NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON -- Fort Lewis would get new equipment for the third Stryker brigade the Army is establishing at the military installation under the House version of a fiscal 2006 Defense Department spending bill.
The Army also would receive $882 million to buy 240 additional Stryker vehicles in the future, Rep. Norm Dicks, announced Tuesday. Dicks, D-Belfair, is a senior member of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, which put the bill together. [...]
Link to Full Article
OLYMPIAN NEWS SERVICES
WASHINGTON -- The deadly Iraqi insurgency shows little sign of weakening and probably will prevent any reduction in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq before the end of the year, a top U.S. commander said Tuesday.
Army Lt. Gen. John Vines, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq, said that insurgent attacks were expected to continue over the next several months as an interim Iraqi government drafts a constitution and holds national elections scheduled for December.
Link to Full Article
By Jim Tice, Army Times (subscription)
The Army has issued implementing instructions for the retroactive award of the Combat Action Badge, the new decoration for soldiers who come under fire in a combat zone.
Eligibility for the award is retroactive to Sept. 18, 2001, one week after the 9/11 terrorist attack on America.
Retroactive awards of the CAB may be made to fully qualified individuals, according to a June 3 Army Awards Branch message to field commanders. Requests that are not processed in the combat theater must be submitted through the first two-star general in a soldiers chain of command to the Human Resources Command. [...]
An aviation uit will train with Stryker brigades stationed at Fort Lewis.
Link to Full Article
By MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The Army is doubling the number of helicopters at Fort Lewis with the arrival, beginning today, of a new aviation squadron from Louisiana.
The squadron will bring 48 helicopters and about 600 more soldiers over the next several months, post officials said Tuesday. The first 10 aircraft UH-60 Black Hawks are to fly in this afternoon. [...]
Today is the 230th Birthday of the United States Army. Visit the DoD website created to mark the occasion.
Link to Full Article
By Jonathan Finer, Washington Post
BAGHDAD -- When three Minnesota National Guardsmen died in a roadside bombing in February, their home towns grieved in the usual way. Flags flew at half-staff. Streets were renamed in honor of the fallen. And neighbors spoke of a war brought home in painful relief.
Link to Full Article with Photo
Melissa House
Army News Service
FORT BENNING, Ga. Eye injuries represent almost 16 percent of all injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan since March 2003, according to statistics from the Office of the Surgeon General.
As a result, about 400 Infantry trainees and cadre are testing several different types of combat eye protection that might eventually be issued to all Soldiers.
Soldiers joining new Stryker unit, unit of action eligible for SRBs
Link to Full Article (subscription - June 6th paper edition)
By Jim Tice, Army Times
One of an occasional series of stories on newly forming units of action.
Life-cycle units with two of the Armys most recognizable shoulder patches are seeking qualified soldiers to join their ranks at Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Bliss, Texas.
The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, one of the Armys oldest units, is converting to a Stryker Brigade Combat Team after spending most of its recent history as an armor regiment.
The May 30, 2005 edition of the Army Times has a special section of thumbnail photographs of more than 800 servicemen and women who have died in combat zones between May 19, 2004 and May 19, 2005. It is available on news stands. Unfortunately, the photographs are not available on the web version of the Army Times.
Here are a few non-Stryker related items I've been meaning to share.
To the men and women of the United States Army:
On May 30th, our country will celebrate a sacred holiday--Memorial Day. On this day we pause to reflect upon the extraordinary men and women who understood the nobility of service to country, answered the call to duty, and made the ultimate sacrifice. They came from all walks of life, from every state across America, and they pledged to cherish and protect our country from all enemies. In each conflict throughout our history, they stepped forward in the Nations time of need, prepared to sacrifice their life in service to our Nation.
There are no quotes from Stryker Brigade soldiers in this article, but for those who read and comment on the news here at Strykernews.com, you know that the sentiments expressed by these soldiers are familiar ones.
Link to Full Article
By Nick Oza and Mark Washburn, Knight Ridder Newspapers
CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq - Ask soldiers about military hardship and they'll let you have it. Separation from families. Hard work. Dopey regulations. Deadly danger. The heat. The cold. The unknown.
But ask them how they feel, personally, to be American soldiers abroad today, and you hear about pride in their mission, confidence in their colleagues and devotion to duty in perilous work.
Link to Full Article
By William Cole, Honolulu Advertiser
The Army's chief of staff said some 25,000 soldiers will be transferred from overseas installations to bases including Fort Shafter on O'ahu, Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Lewis in Washington state.
How many of those soldiers would come to Hawai'i is unclear, but officials in Washington, D.C., raised the possibility that a deployable Corps headquarters cobbled from elements in Europe could be coming here.
Corps usually comprise two or more divisions and are led by a three-star general. As a rough comparison, the possible move of the I Corps headquarters from Fort Lewis to Japan would involve an estimated 700 soldiers, according to the News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash. [...]
The Army is moving to put another link in the chain of command in Stryker brigade combat teams and modular maneuver units of action.
A deputy commanding officer will be added to the command group for both of those types of units before deployment, the Army announced May 17.
Link to Full Article
By Eric Cramer, Army News Service
WASHINGTON (Army News Service May 13, 2005) -- Soldiers have a new set of re-enlistment opportunities thanks to policy changes announced by the Army this month.
Link to Full Article
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN and JOHN F. BURNS, New York Times
WASHINGTON, May 14 - The Bush administration, struggling to cope with a recent intensification of insurgent violence in Iraq, has received signals from some radical Sunni Arab leaders that they would abandon fighting if the new Shiite majority government gave Sunnis more political power, administration officials said this week.
Link to Full Article
By Michael Gilbert, News Tribune
Theyve operated side-by-side but independently for the better part of 67 years, but theres likely a wedding in the future for Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base.
The two big military bases would merge as Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of seven new multiservice installations in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfelds base closure and realignment proposal, released Friday. [...]
We wanted to let everyone know that the Wounded Warrior Bill, which we mentioned recently, was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. The bill will allow immediate payments ($25,000-$100,000) to service members that have suffered life-altering injuries. It is also retroactive to October 7, 2001 - the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. We've learned from first-hand experience that there is a desperate need for this kind of support as service members, and their families, try to navigate the road to recovery.
Thank you to those who worked so hard to get the bill passed, especially the Wounded Warrior Project. Pay them a visit if you haven't done so already. Included below is the complete press release regarding the legislation.
Definitive information on BRAC is located at the URL below. We will post additonal information as it affects Ft. Lewis and the Stryker Brigades in this entry.
Offical BRAC website
DoD BRAC Recommendations Expected to Save Nearly $50 Billion - DoD Press Release
State's military bases escape Pentagon hit list - Bellingham Herald
$221 million for Hawai'i bases moves forward - Honolulu Advertiser
Pentagon recommends losses for McChord, Fort Lewis, gains overall for state - The olympian
Eielson reduction would hit Fairbanks economy - The News-Miner
No major cuts here in base closure study - Honolulu Advertiser
Link to Full Article
By Mark Memmott, USA TODAY
Imagine some of the soldiers who survived the Battle of Gettysburg stopping the next day to write their dramatic tales and people around the world instantly reading them. If that battle had been fought today, no imagination would be necessary.
But fallout from Friday closure news could change Fort Lewis, McChord
Link to Full Article
By MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base would appear to be exactly what Congress and the Defense Department had in mind when they described the kind of military bases they want to keep. [...]
Now every MOS, every branch is eligible
Link to Full Article (subscription)
By Matthew Cox, Army Times
Coming under hostile fire now has a new meaning any soldier who experiences it will be eligible to wear the new Combat Action Badge.
In a reversal of plans, the Army announced that it has scrapped the idea of a Close Combat Badge for soldiers in infantry-style jobs, and has approved the CAB for any soldier, in any military occupation specialty, who has had to operate under hostile fire. [...]
The following are a variety of interesting articles regarding Iraq and the military in general.
Stryker Brigades are in the mix.
Link to Full Article
By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post
An extensive and costly realignment of U.S. troops and bases overseas -- if implemented on the Pentagon's ambitious timeline -- risks exacerbating stress on the military and weakening its ability to respond to global emergencies, according to a government-appointed commission's report released yesterday. [...]
Link to Full Article
By SFC Doug Sample, Army News Service
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AFPS, May 5, 2005) - Powerful improvised explosive devices set off by cell phones, doorbells, toy remotes and tripwires are the leading cause of death among U.S. Soldiers in Iraq.
The following article profiles the organization TAPS, which Riikka Jacobsen is associated with.
Link to Article
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2005 As a slide show of her husband and children flashed across the screen, a tearful Riikka Jacobsen, told stories of the family's happier times together.
In the photos were her husband, Army Capt. Bill Jacobsen, and their four children: Billy, 8; Sedric, 7; Yonah, 5; and Avalon, 2.
Soldiers' Angels and the Wounded Warrior Project sent out the following alert regarding pending legislation. If you're willing and able, please make a phone call, or send a letter/fax/email to the appropriate committee member.
We will keep this entry at the top of the page today, so scroll down for newer entries.
Copyright protection prohibits the reproduction of this press conference transcript. However, I recommend you follow the link to the full article and read it in its entirety.
Link to Full Article
FEDERAL NEWS SERVICE, INC.
SEC. RUMSFELD: [...] I recently traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries on the frontlines in this global struggle. Everywhere we went, I came across outstanding men and women wearing our country's uniform, volunteers all, who with courage and confidence are risking their lives to confront the extremists before they attack our country and our people again. The debt we owe our military and civilian personnel and their families is immeasurable. They should find comfort in the knowledge that they're preserving a great legacy of freedom and safeguarding it for generations to come, and we thank them for their service. [...]
Link to Full Article
By Julian Nettlefold
Recognizing the urgent need to control the jungles of spaghetti in heavily wired modern command posts, the Army is moving ahead with the Command Post Platform (CPP) development and integration program. Valued at up to $400 million over the next five years, the award to prime contractor Northrop Grumman includes an initial $26 million contract for the design and construction of 10 prototype command posts.
Link to Full Article
By William L. Miller
With voice communications over closed IP-based networks already being transmitted under battle conditions, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology is poised to transform military telephony.
This growing communications technology from the commercial sector, transplanted to the defense world, works more efficiently to take advantage of common infrastructures and adds advantages of share applications, ensuring that needed information is provided to all layers of end users. Its ability to scale and agile footprint work in concert with legacy applications to protect current mission-critical applications while paving a way for future evolution.