Post-traumatic stress benefits to be easier for vets - The News Tribune
WASHINGTON – The government is taking what President Barack Obama calls “a long overdue step” to aid veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, making it easier for them receive federal benefits.The changes that Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki will announce Monday fulfill “a solemn responsibility to provide our veterans and wounded warriors with the care and benefits they’ve earned when they come home,” Obama said in his weekly radio and online address Saturday.
The new rules will apply not only to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but also those who served in previous conflicts.
The Department of the Army announced today the conversion of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, from a modular heavy brigade combat team to a Stryker brigade combat team.
1-1AD will convert to the modular SBCT structure of approximately 4,160 Soldiers effective January 2011. This force structure action represents an increase of approximately 420 military authorizations.
This conversion will take approximately 24 months for the unit to conduct new equipment training, fielding and collective training. The unit will enter the available force pool by second quarter fiscal year 2013.
Media may direct queries to Lt. Col. David Patterson at 703-697-7592, Army Office of Chief of Public Affairs.
(Source: Defense.gov News Release)
A day in the life with Army neurosurgeon Col. Rocco Armonda, who has treated seriously injured Stryker soldiers. Learn more about Warrior Care at www.warriorcare.mil.
(March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. The following is a guest entry from Chelsea Travers with CareMeridian. I think the new FCC rules require me to disclose that we were not compensated in any way to publish this announcement. - Editor)
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is becoming a common wound of modern warfare. It has even been coined the “signature wound” of the War on Terror. While TBI is becoming more prevalent in wartime activity, many service men and women continue to go undiagnosed. Institutions, like the US Department of Veterans Affairs, are working to make quick and accurate diagnoses in order to prescribe appropriate and effective treatment.
TBI is caused by forced trauma to the head, either by being shaken or hit. The severity of a TBI varies from case to case, but symptoms range from mild concussions to a debilitating state. The majority of TBI’s acquired by military personnel are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries (MTBI). Initial symptoms of MTBI consist of loss of consciousness, disorientation, loss of memory, headache, and temporary loss of hearing and vision. They are often partnered with anxiety, irritability, difficulties processing information, limited concentration amongst other problems experienced down the road. While MTBI is most common amongst the men and women of the armed forces, more severe cases of TBI are happening much more frequently and often require the victim to attended specialty rehabilitative nursing centers, like CareMeridian.
The most common cause of a TBI in the military is due to blasts. There are three degrees of blast injuries where a TBI is common; Primary (due to blast itself), Secondary (due to objects being propelled by a blast) and Tertiary (due to a collision with a third party object). According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military from the ages 18-24 are hospitalized with a TBI at a rate of 231 per 100,000 and females 150 per 100,000. Based on military force projections this would mean that 4,141 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year with a TBI, and these numbers often rise during wartimes.
The best prevention for veterans to avert the long-term effects of a brain injury is to recognize the symptoms of a TBI. Once the symptoms are identified an individual should take basic precautionary measures in order to begin the healing and recovery process until a more specific diagnosis can be made.
Service men and women give so much to protect this country and they deserve to come home to a happy and healthy life. Creating awareness about TBI will help ensure their long term health. By helping our veterans, their friends and their families recognize the early warning signs of a TBI, treatment can be sought as early as possible.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those killed and wounded at Ft. Hood yesterday. The Army homepage is a good starting point if you are looking for official information.
Army Times conducted an interview with Lt. Gen. Stephen Speakes, who is involved in the conversion of heavy brigades to SBCTs.
The origin of it starts with the Quadrennial Defense Review. One of the things we were challenged to do is give the Army more capability for irregular warfare and counterinsurgency. We ought to consider more movement from our heavy formations to our lighter versions, and this point is personified by Stryker.We will convert one HBCT to a Stryker brigade in the near term and another in the next three to four years. This is ... not something that is measured in one particular step.
We think the basic design of the Stryker brigade has stood the test of time and the tests of combat.
This article from Strategy Page is primarily about the conversion of heavy brigades to Stryker brigades, but also provides a nice overview of the manpower and equipment that comprise a SBCT.
SBCT’s comprise 3 Stryker infantry battalions, each having 36 Stryker vehicles distributed among 3 companies (12 each). Nine Stryker Mobile Gun vehicles, mounting 105 mm guns are there for anti-tank and infantry support roles. Nine Strykers, equipped with guided anti-tank missiles, form an anti-tank company. There’s also an artillery battalion with 18 towed 155mm Howitzers, a support units (usually company size) for Medical, Maintenance and Distribution, Headquarters, Signal, and Engineers. There is Reconnaissance squadron comprised of 42 vehicles. Total brigade manpower is 3,900 troops.
Can anyone confirm this news, as reported by the El Paso Times?
EL PASO -- Fort Bliss will get an additional 300 soldiers when the 1st Armored Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team becomes a Stryker brigade upon its return from Iraq, Congressman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said Tuesday.The conversion to the new Stryker vehicle will take two years and will bring with it 300 to 400 more troops to the post, Reyes's office announced.
Update 10/1: Thanks to commenters and others for pointing us to this Army Times article confirming the transition of not one, but two heavy brigades to SBCTs.
Two heavy brigade combat teams will vanish by 2013 to make way for two new Stryker brigades, bringing the Army’s number of active SBCTs to eight and taking another bite out of its armor formations.Planning documents obtained by Army Times say 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, Texas, and 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, will be converted to SBCTs beginning in fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2012, respectively, and will take 24 months to become fully operational.
The Department of Defense launched a brand new website today at www.defense.gov - take a peek and let them know what you think.
According to an article in Army Times, the military is looking at the possibility of adding more Stryker brigades.
An article by the Army Times hints at the possibility of more Stryker Brigades for the military in the future.
The Department of Defense announced today a comprehensive plan to eliminate the current use of Stop Loss, while retaining the authority for future use under extraordinary circumstances. This is an important step along the path in adapting the Army into an expeditionary force.
The Army Reserve and Army National Guard will mobilize units without employing Stop Loss beginning in August and September 2009, respectively. The Regular (active duty) Army will deploy its first unit without Stop Loss by January 2010.
For soldiers Stop Lossed during fiscal 2009, the department will provide a monthly payment of $500. Until the department is able to eliminate Stop Loss altogether, this payment will serve as an interim measure to help mitigate its effects.
“Stop Loss disrupts the plans of those who have served their intended obligation. As such, it is employed only when necessary to ensure minimal staffing in deploying units, when needed to ensure safe and effective unit performance,” said Bill Carr, deputy under secretary of defense for military personnel policy. “It is more easily rationalized in the early stages of conflict when events are most dynamic; but tempo changes in this war have frustrated our efforts to end it altogether.”
The department intends to provide Stop Loss Special Pay to eligible service members until the point of separation or retirement, to include that time spent on active duty in recovery following redeployment. Stop Loss Special Pay will begin on the date of implementation, and will take effect for those impacted on or after Oct. 1, 2008.
Stop Loss Special Pay implements the authority granted by Section 8116 of the “Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriation Act, 2009.” The appropriation is available to secretaries of the military departments only to provide Special Pay during fiscal 2009.
FOB Tacoma provides analysis of a recent AP article that raised the possibility of sending a Stryker brigade to Afghanistan.
A Stryker brigade could receive orders this month to deploy to Afghanistan, the Associated Press reports.The story focuses on how the new Obama administration and Defense Secretary Robert Gates will handle increasing troop levels in Iraq. More Marines are expected to go, but the story makes it clear a Stryker brigade isn’t a certainty.
From the story: “Their challenge, however, is to get troops out into the hundreds of tiny villages in the volatile southern region, where the Taliban insurgency has been centered. To do that, Gen. David McKiernan, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has asked for more mobile forces and believes the Strykers will allow soldiers to move more easily along the rugged trails to the widely dispersed tribal enclaves.”
The Honolulu Advertiser has a great article on the changing role of women in the armed forces, which features a number of soldiers from the 2/25 SBCT.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, women fly fighter planes and attack helicopters.They are on the front lines on the ground, and nearly 100 have been killed in the nation's two wars. They are allowed to serve in many jobs, but not all.
There are no women crew members on U.S. submarines. In the Army, women are barred from certain specialties, including infantry, armor, field artillery and Special Forces, but the traditional no-go lines are getting more blurred all the time.
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
CAMP VICTORY — Army Gen. Ray Odierno assumed command of Multi-National Force-Iraq from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus during a ceremony at al Faw Palace here Sept. 16.
The change of command occurs after incredible progress in the country, said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who traveled to Baghdad to participate in the ceremony.
“When General Petraeus took charge 19 months ago, darkness had descended on this land,” the secretary said. “Merchants of chaos were gaining strength. Death was commonplace. Around the world, questions mounted about whether a new strategy – or any strategy, for that matter – could make a real difference.”
On September 16, 2008 General Raymond Odierno will assume command from General David Petraeus of all military forces in Iraq. Petraeus, who will lead Centcom, wrote a final letter to the troops (PDF file).
I had no idea Disney World had a private resort for military families. Thanks to Susy for the link.
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr., The New York Times
AS they enter through the Magic Kingdom gates, following signs with the familiar mouse ears, past the sighing of the monorail and the distant screams from Space Mountain, a few visitors take an unusual route, up a driveway just off the entrances to the Disney World golf courses.
There they find, atop an artificial rock formation, the flags of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard flapping in the Florida breeze. Beyond that lies a resort where there are a lot of high-and-tight crew cuts in the lobby, not to mention more lean physiques than elsewhere in Disney World.
Shades of Green, a retreat for military personnel — of all ranks — their families and guests, sits within the expansive Disney World site outside Orlando, Fla. Officially called an Armed Forces Recreation Center, it is one of five retreats around the world that let servicemen and -women reconnect with their families in the precious time they have together.
Although not Stryker-related I thought the following article was worth sharing.
By CONRAD MULCAHY, The New York Times
When Lt. Col. Michael Zacchea left Iraq in 2005, he was torn. His yearlong mission to train an Iraqi Army battalion had left him wounded and emotionally drained, and he was eager to go. But leaving Iraq also meant leaving Jack, his Iraqi interpreter, to face an insurgency that has made a point of brutalizing those who help the Americans.
In their year together the two had, among other things, thwarted an assassination plot and survived the second battle of Falluja. Even before he departed, Colonel Zacchea began working to ensure that Jack would not be left.
“Once the insurgents get a hold of your name, they never let up until they get you,” Colonel Zacchea said.
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.
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....
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
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Today is the 230th Birthday of the United States Army. Visit the DoD website created to mark the occasion.
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.
Here are a few non-Stryker related items I've been meaning to share.
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.
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.
The following are a variety of interesting articles regarding Iraq and the military in general.
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.
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.
I think we might know at least one soldier who attended this event.
Link to Full Article
By Brian Padden, VOA
Neither a severely injured leg, nor the fear of falling, will prevent Rosetta Floyd from learning to ski. She says it was scary at first, but it didnt hurt her.
In August of 2004, Specialist Rosetta Floyd was injured in a mortar attack in Baghdad while serving as a U.S. Army medic. She recounts the experience, "So I heard somebody say, 'Grab her foot. It looks like its about to fall off' and I'm freaking out. I blacked out while I'm hearing this." [...]
The following article regarding the transformation of military logistics was written and submitted by officers with the 25th Brigade Support Battalion, which is part of the 1st Brigade (SBCT), 25th Infantry Division.
We have another article from them that we will be publishing in the near future.
SEATTLE - The last major group of Washington National Guard soldiers assigned to the 81st Brigade returned to Fort Lewis on Thursday after a yearlong deployment in Iraq.
About 107 supply and maintenance soldiers with the 81st Brigade Combat Team flew into McChord Air Force Base, then in the afternoon were treated to a welcome home ceremony at the adjacent Army post 45 miles south of Seattle.
The soldiers are assigned to the brigade's Headquarters and Headquarters Company. While other units have been returning since February, these soldiers remained in Iraq to prepare heavy equipment such as trucks and tanks for transport back to the United States, Master Sgt. Jeff Clayton said.[...]
The Olympian has a section devoted to the 2nd anniversary of the start of the Iraq war. Included is the following story about the nephew of a frequent contributor to this site.
Link to Full Article
CHRISTIAN HILL, THE OLYMPIAN
Two years ago, Rob Varpness was shooting pool at a Fort Carson tavern as he watched the bombs fall on Baghdad. Within weeks, he was marching toward the desert city as a scout for the 4th Infantry Division.
Gunner Palace, the new documentary we've mentioned previously, opened in wide release yesterday. Additionally, the filmmakers won their appeal to have the rating changed to PG-13 (from R). Provided below is a list of local theaters showing the film.
Link to Full Article
THE OLYMPIAN
LACEY -- Lt. Gen. James Dubik, commander of I Corps and Fort Lewis, told a Thurston County Chamber of Commerce reception Thursday evening that his troops will remain at the forefront of the global war on terrorism for years to come.
The Army post has 5,600 of its soldiers deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the globe, he said.
"That (number) will stay constant for the foreseeable future," he said. [...]
Soldiers from the WA National Guard (81st BCT) continue to trickle home to warm welcomes.
Link to Full Article
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
LaRee Holcomb looked a little tired as she watched her four young children scramble around inside Soldiers Field House at Fort Lewis early Wednesday morning.
For the better part of a year, shes played single mom while her husband, Spc. Errol Holcomb, served in Iraq with the Washington National Guards 81st Brigade Combat Team.
The cover story on Army Times this week is about military blogs. Colby Buzzell of the 3/2 SBCT (My War) is featured, and LTC Paul Hastings of Task Force Olympia is quoted.
(via Blackfive)
Provided below are links to a number of stories (non-Stryker) you might find worthwhile.
The following is a press release from HomeMovie.Com, which has just announced a special program for families with loved ones deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Operation Enduring Love allows friends and family to share up to 30 minutes of personal video footage through the HomeMovie.Com website. Details below.
It's still unclear from these reports whether the Stryker Brigade mentioned would be an existing or newly formed unit.
Link to Full Article
By Jon R. Anderson, Stars and Stripes
ARLINGTON, Va. U.S. military officials are in negotiations with host nations to consolidate Army, Navy and Air Force special operations units now spread throughout Europe to a consolidated outpost either in Spain or Sicily, according to the top commander of military forces in Europe. [...]
The Army will see the most changes, with 239 installations spread across 16 major communities mostly in Germany whittled down to a few dozen installations at five main hubs four in Germany and one in Italy.
We just wanted to remind people that PBS will air a documentary called "The Soldier's Heart" tonight. You can read a description, and find a link to the program website, in this previous entry.
PBS will be airing two Frontline documentaries in the near future regarding the military. Provided below are links and descriptions.
A few of the soldiers who appeared in Michael Tucker's upcoming documentary, Gunner Palace, are featured in the following NYT article. The article describes how many soldiers write rap lyrics to express their feelings in a combat zone.
Link to Full Article
By MONICA DAVEY
ON one more steaming day in Baghdad, word filtered out to the artillery regiment that some of the younger guys were not going to get to fly home for their promised rest-and-relaxation break. Soldiers fumed. They'd spent months of long hours in this crazy place, knowing that at any moment a homemade bomb might explode, a rocket-propelled grenade might land or an Iraqi child might spit at them.
But though they were armed to the teeth, they chose to respond with a different kind of weapon. They stepped outside and, of all things, began to rap.
The following are a handful of articles, most of which are not Stryker-related, that are still worth highlighting.
There's been talk of a Stryker Brigade replacing the 1st Armored Division in Germany, but apparently a final decision won't be made until this spring.
Link to Full Article
By Ben Murray, Stars and Stripes
GRAFENWHR, Germany While some military communities around Europe contemplate their fate after the announcement of a $430 million military construction proposal for Europe in 2006, Army officials at the Grafenwhr training area have a different concern.
I have it on good authority that the top speed is a bit higher than advertised - if you have the right pit crew.
Link to Full Article (Photo included)
By Mike DuPre', Gazette Staff
CHICAGO -- One of the vehicles attracting the most attention at the media preview for the 97th Chicago Auto Show has a top speed of only 62.5 mph.
It can carry 11-but not very comfortably.
It costs $2.5 million per copy.
Link to Article (Photo included)
By Kate Pardo
CHICAGO, Ill. (Army News Service, Feb. 7, 2004) The Army is preparing its land technology to be displayed among the worlds top automotive equipment for the first time in more than 30 years.
A Stryker ICV Command Vehicle arrived in Chicago, hot off the production line in Aniston, Ala., Feb. 3. It is being prepared for display at the Chicago Auto Show, the biggest auto show in North America.
The following is an interesting article regarding fellow 25th ID soldiers who have been based in Kirkuk for the past year. This particular unit has traveled to Mosul multiple times to support operations there.
Link to Full Article
By Steve Fainaru, Washington Post
KIRKUK, Iraq -- As he walked through the mud surrounding his temporary barracks, 1st Sgt. Ken Agueda carried an M-4 assault rifle without its essential lethal components: bullets. Earlier in the day, Agueda had turned in his ammunition -- cartridges, assorted grenades -- in preparation for his journey home after nearly 13 months in Iraq.
"It's like walking around without your pants," said Agueda, a 17-year U.S. Army veteran from Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Wired magazine has two very interesting articles regarding soldiers in Iraq. Links and excerpts below.
If you would like to write your congressional representatives about this issue, visit Congress.org.
Link to Full Article
News Tribune staff and news services
Debbie Bridges and Norma Melo know about the pain and uncertainty that comes when a loved one is killed in combat. Both women lost husbands in Iraq during the past 13 months.
Theres not much the government can do to ease the pain, Bridges and Melo said Tuesday.
Link to Article
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 Servicemembers joining the military today are not joining just the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps they are joining a truly joint force.
The American military has reached unprecedented levels of joint operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, military officials here said.
Blackfive has some very important information regarding a piece of legislation that was recently introduced in Congress. The HEROES Act would increase survivor benefits for the families of those killed in Operations Iraqi & Enduring Freedom.
Last year we mentioned a documentary Michael Tucker was filming called "Gunner Palace". Tucker lived with 2/3 Field Artillery (1st Armored Division) for two months in Baghdad, "with a simple desire to tell the soldiers' story - to capture what we didn't see on the news."
The documentary is set to be released in theaters on March 5, 2005, but Michael is conducting a sneak preview tour beginning next week in Lacey. He would like to invite Stryker Brigade soldiers and family members to attend. Details are provided below.
Many of you have asked questions on our bulletin board about the notification process. The following article describes the process through the eyes of two Army National Guard officers charged with this responsibility.
Link to Full Article
By LARRY GRARD, Staff Writer
AUGUSTA -- They have been praying together for years.
Growing up in Burnham, John R. "Jack" Mosher attended the First Congregational Church in Pittsfield, where Andrew L. Gibson was pastor. More than three decades after they came to know each other, Mosher and Gibson still, on occasion, find themselves together in prayer. Only these days, it is a solemn duty.
ANNISTON, Ala. -- Officials celebrated the 1,000 Stryker to roll off the assembly lines on Wednesday.
The eight-wheeled armored vehicle has been changing the way warfare is conducted on the battlefield, and officials said the Stryker program is performing beyond their wildest expectations.
Link to Full Article
By Eric Fetters, Herald Writer
BOTHELL - Stryker vehicle commanders leading their armored combat vehicles through Iraq are getting a little help from high-tech devices developed by a local company.
With augmented vision units made by Bothell's Microvision Inc., the commanders can check digital maps without having to take their eyes off the road.
The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund is an organization we've had listed on our Links Page for some time. It just got a big boost in funding.
Link to Full Article
By Cindy Clark, USA TODAY
A fund supporting spouses and children of military personnel who were killed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan is $17 million richer today.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is donating the money to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides $5,000 grants to each dependent child and $11,000 for each spouse of U.S. or United Kingdom armed service members who were killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Michael Dell, of Dell computer fame, and his wife, Susan, launched the foundation in 1999 to help needy children. Their donation will pay specifically for the grants for children. [...]
Military history fans out there might be interested in the new Army website commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Highlights include an overview of the battle, newsreel footage, and a slideshow. From the website:
Blackfive has a couple entries we wanted to note.
An interesting look at what our soldiers might wear in the year 2025.
[Link to Full Article] with photo
Sgt. Lorie Jewell
Army News Service
ORLANDO, Fla. Dressed in black from head to toe and wearing a helmet that allows barely a glimpse of his face, Staff Sgt. Raul Lopez looked like something out of a science fiction thriller. Lopez, an infantry Soldier stationed at the Natick Soldier Center in Massachusetts, spent four days in what could be the Army uniform of the future at the 24th Army Science Conference, explaining the technology behind it.
The black fabric of the form-fitting suit would be made through the wonder of nanotechnology, which involves manipulating atoms and molecules to create things at the nanometer scale. Thats about 50,000 times smaller than the diameter of a strand of hair. Soldiers wearing the suit would have the ability to blend into any environment, like a chameleon.
Link to Article
American Forces Press Service
NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2004 -- Dream Big Media, Inc. is offering members of the U.S. armed forces stationed overseas a new way to connect with their kids back home during the holiday season.
Through Operation G.I. Jingle, military moms and dads can send heartfelt holiday sentiments and well wishes to their children with a free "Jinglegram(tm) Greeting" a streaming video and personalized letter from Santa Claus delivered via the Internet, according to Lori Anne Wardi, chief executive officer of Dream Big Media.
Provided below is a list of selected news summaries and articles to browse.
First Sgt. Hook, who has been deployed to Afghanistan for the past eight months, was recently promoted to Sergeant Major. He describes participating in his final formation as the Company's First Sergeant, and his feelings about leaving the "Stan" earlier than expected. Very good reading.
Dr. Francis J. Harvey was sworn in today at the Pentagon as the 19th Secretary of the Army.
This is a great honor for me. My top priority will be to serve our Soldiers, civilian employees and family members of the Active Component, Army Reserve and Army National Guard. I look forward to working with the Secretary of Defense, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Pete Schoomaker, and the Army senior leadership as we fight the Global War on Terrorism while continuing to transform the force, Secretary Harvey said.
The Senate confirmed President Bushs nomination of Dr. Harvey Nov. 16.
Here are two recent articles discussing veterans' issues and benefits.
This offer from Home Depot runs through Sunday the 14th.
[Link to Full Article]
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2004 -- Active duty, reserve and retired U.S. military personnel and their family members will receive 10 percent off their purchases in recognition of Veterans Day at The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, company officials announced today.
The offer is good on purchases up to $2,000 for a maximum discount of $200 Nov. 11-14, and applies to Home Depot, Home Depot Floor and Home Depot Landscape Supply stores.
"This discount is a gesture of thanks, during this time of remembrance, to all of those who have sacrificed for our nation, in keeping with The Home Depot's ongoing commitment to the entire U.S. military community," said Bob Nardelli, the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
This article from Stars & Stripes describes a new Army program, DS3, designed to help diabled soldiers through the bureaucratic maze. I haven't followed the links provided, but thought this could be a resource for some families out there.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
ARLINGTON, Va. Just seven months into a new Army program to give one-on-one, long-term help to severely injured combat veterans, program officials have identified about 880 soldiers who are potentially eligible for the assistance, according to Col. Robert H. Woods, director of the Armys Human Resources Policy Directorate.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday at the Pentagon, Woods said that the Disabled Soldier Support System, or DS3, as the program is called, has conducted interviews with 232 of those 880 soldiers, and is now preparing to hire social workers who will link them with the many government and private programs already in place to assist them.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Sgt. 1st Class Roger Dakari said his dad sat him down for a talk before he headed to Iraq last fall with the Armys first Stryker brigade from Fort Lewis.
Dakaris father, Joseph Johnson, was an infantryman in Vietnam. Long after Johnson returned home to Mississippi, he struggled with the emotional stresses of combat, and he wanted his son to know what to expect:
Anxiety, nervousness, trouble sleeping. In many cases, worse.
Dad was 100 percent right, Dakari said Tuesday. It changes you.
By Tan Vinh
AUBURN More than half a century has passed since they fought on the Pacific Ocean. Yesterday, many local submarine veterans finally got their parade. They were the lead convoy, waving to a roaring sea of red, white and blue during the city of Auburn's 39th Annual Veterans Day Parade, one of the biggest such parades west of the Mississippi.
At the peak of World War II, the Navy's Submarine Force was called the "Silent Service," sneaking up on and sinking battleships and tankers before descending back into the depths. By the time their missions were declassified, the public was consumed by the Cold War or had lost interest; their conquests are often missing from the early history texts.
"We were the forgotten ones for a while," said Lem Riddell, 81, of Whidbey Island, one of about 40 submarine veterans who participated in yesterday's parade. "I am glad the word is finally getting out."
With the war in Iraq, this year's festivities elicited quite a bit of patriotic fervor. [...]
[Link to Full Article]
By Hal Bernton, Seattle Times staff reporter
The United States and Japan continue to negotiate the terms of a shift of the Fort Lewis-based I Corps headquarters, and up to 1,000 officers, to a base south of Tokyo, according to Lt. Gen. James Dubik, commanding officer for I Corps and Fort Lewis.
The I Corps (pronounced first corps) command structure controls some 40,000 active-duty and reserve troops across the country, including those at Fort Lewis.
[Link to Full Article]
CHRISTIAN HILL, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- Photos of hikes in the Cascades and at Mount Rainier fill the family scrapbooks of Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik, new commander of I Corps and Fort Lewis.
He first was assigned to Fort Lewis in 1975 as a junior officer with the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He came back five years ago for 11 months to develop what became the Stryker brigades...
Interesting article regarding future Army equipment, some of which the SBCTs tested in Iraq.
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Lorie Jewell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 3, 2004) Soldiers of the future will head into battle with lighter loads, enhanced body protection, better chow, and more portable electrical power.
Technologies like nanotechnology and photovoltaics evolving methods that are responsible for much of the improvements were part of a recent forum on Equipping the Soldier for the 21st Century at the Association of the United States Army annual meeting.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Lt. Gen. James Dubiks first tour at Fort Lewis was as a young Ranger officer. Later he returned as a one-star general to help create the Stryker brigades.
Now hes back as boss of the whole operation. Dubik pinned on a third star Wednesday in front of family and friends, then took command of the post in a ceremony that brought together leaders past and present from across the military services and the community.
He succeeds Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano, 57, who is retiring.
The Department of Defense announced today the continued suspension of the Any Servicemember mail program. Accordingly, the general public is urged not to send unsolicited mail, care packages or donations to service members during the holiday season.
During this time of the year, the number of donation programs increases and causes mail from families and friends to be mixed with mail from unknown sources resulting in delivery delays.
This long article from the Army includes information regarding the Stryker Brigades.
[Link to Full Article]
Dr. Daniel Gour and Kenneth A. Steadman
[...] Medium-armored vehicles have proven their value in the fight to stabilize Iraq. Light vehicles such as Humvees are vulnerable to small-arms fire and improvised explosive devices. Heavy armor provides excellent force protection but it is difficult to maneuver in urban terrain. Medium armor provides enhanced force protection as well as mobility. The Stryker brigade deployed to northern Iraq in late 2003 is successfully policing an area that previously required an entire regular division. [...]
[Link to Full Article]
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
An hour after he is promoted with the third star of a lieutenant general at Fort Lewis tomorrow, James Dubik will take command of the installation and I Corps from departing Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano.
Dubik, a 33-year Army veteran and Erie, Pa., native, arrives at Fort Lewis from a two-year assignment as director for joint experimentation at the United States Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Va.
The joint experimentation group is responsible for exploring, testing and validating war-fighting ideas for every branch of the armed forces. Dubik's work there dovetails with Fort Lewis' as the home of the nation's first "Stryker brigades combat teams" created for modern warfare.
UPDATE: Another article about the change in command appeared in the News Tribune today.
Green Bay woman tries to balance reports from war
By Nathan Phelps
The photo of Spc. Ryan Burkhart from Maine is one image of the war in Iraq that doesnt garner the national headlines.
In the photo, the member of the Maine Army National Guards 133rd Engineer Battalion is saying goodbye to an Iraqi child after spending two months helping to rebuild a school in northern Iraq.
Sgt. 1st Class Julie Friedman of Green Bay, who is deployed to Mosul, Iraq, took the photo.
Our main focus is just trying to show everyone all the good things the soldiers are doing and to show the soldiers what they are doing is appreciated, she said. The attacks, the bombings, the deaths make the headlines everyday, but you will also find at the hometown level, our stories are picked up a lot.
Friedman is part of the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Battalion, which has been sending back photos, video and stories since they arrived in Iraq earlier this year.
The importance of what she does was demonstrated by her coverage of an Alabama-based signal company that helped reopen a school. She heard about it from one of the GIs who worked on the project.[...]
An excerpt from this interview talks about the Stryker's performance in Iraq.
By James Kitfield, National Journal
[...]NJ: When outsiders talk about Army transformation, they often point to the new Stryker brigade, equipped with its light armored vehicle, as its most tangible product. What have you learned from the deployment of the first Stryker brigade to Iraq?
Schoomaker: First I would stress that the M-1 tank and the Bradley fighting vehicle will be with us until around 2030. So we will continue to have heavy formations, as well as light formations. In terms of the Stryker brigade, it has almost twice as much infantry as a mechanized brigade built around the M-1 and Bradley.
The Stryker brigade in Iraq recently disengaged from combat up in the Mosul area, moved 420 miles, fought a battle in Bacava along the way, and then entered battle in Najaf. They did all that in a 48-hour period. That performance showed tremendous operational agility and a brigade that is mobile, survivable, and very state-of-the-art in terms of communications and command-and-control. I would emphasize once again, however, that the whole Army's not going to be Stryker-based.
In general, I think Iraq has shown us that we need to quit defining infantry by the way it arrives on the battlefield. The parachute, the helicopter, the truck, the Bradley, the Stryker -- they are all just means of movement and transportation. The centerpiece is the infantryman. Every soldier in the Army needs to have fundamental warrior skills. Soldiers need to be able to survive and patrol and to plan and do all the things you have to do at that basic level. That's our emphasis.[...]
Phil Carter points to an in depth interview of General Peter Schoomaker, the Army's Chief of Staff, in the current edition of Army Times. He says it's a must-read, "if you want to dig beneath the surface of today's headlines about the war in Iraq, the draft, and defense procurement." Excerpt:
There doesn't seem to be much Stryker-related news right now, but I thought I would share the following stories from the Army website.
AUSA lauds Soldiers as core of Army at War
Army seeking to slow deployment frequencies
True grit keeps amputees on the run in Army Ten-Miler - Great story and photos.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sean D. Naylor, Times staff writer
Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard Cody says the Army thinks switching to six-month tours in Afghanistan and Iraq is important to maintaining the all-volunteer force, but the service will be unable to do so until the security situation in Iraq improves.
The standard unit deployment schedule in the two combat zones is one year in, one year out, but the Pentagon had directed the Army to examine the possibility of shortening deployments. The reason the tours last a year now is that, with the demand for boots on the ground in Iraq, if we went to six-to-nine-month rotations, wed be turning inside ourselves, Cody said.
By Juliana Gittler, Stars and Stripes
LSA ANACONDA, Iraq Last month, 20,000 people passed through the Personnel Processing Center at LSA Anaconda and Balad Air Field.
The travelers included servicemembers and civilians, in units or on their own, heading home, into theater, to rest and recuperation trips or on some kind of emergency leave.
Essentially, its like an airport, said Army Capt. Kevin McPherson, commander of the 21st Replacement Company, 13th Corps Support Command Special Troops Battalion, which operates the processing center.
As one of the major entry points into the theater, flights from around the world and across the region come to Balad.[...]
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The flow of federal construction dollars isnt slowing at Fort Lewis even though the two new Stryker brigades the posts highest priorities the past four years are finished products.
Officials who gathered Tuesday for a ribbon-cutting at a new $32 million strategic deployment facility said theres more than $585 million worth of projects in the pipeline over the next four years.
StrategyPage has a brief column regarding the relative advantages of the Stryker vehicle.
October 14, 2004: The U.S. Armys new Stryker armored vehicles have taken a lot of criticism because of their cost, susceptibility to rollovers, and not being much different, in terms of combat capability than the older (and much cheaper) M-113 tracked vehicle, or the newer (and more expensive) M-2 Bradley. But in one area, the Strykers have proven much superior. Since they run on rubber tires, not metal tracks, the Strykers are a lot quieter, and faster. This has proven scary for hostile Iraqis, and very useful for American troops out on night operations. U.S. soldiers prefer to operate at night, mainly because of very effective night vision devices, because its cooler, and the very quiet Strykers allow American troops to literally sneak up on the enemy. The Strykers have another advantage, which has little to do with the vehicle itself. The Stryker brigades are being used to try out new communications gear, and some new weapons. The Stryker troops like this, because the new stuff works. As a result, communications between the Stryker vehicles is better than in other units.
BERLIN (Reuters) - The United States plans to station a new Stryker armored vehicle brigade in southeastern Germany as early as 2006, just as it starts withdrawing some 30,000 troops from the country as part of a major force realignment.
Andrew Hoehn, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, told reporters on Thursday the new brigade would include about 3,000 troops and would be the centerpiece of a slimmer, more modern U.S. force in Europe.
"We are looking at forces and capabilities that can move to the fight. The Stryker brigade here in Germany will be the centerpiece of that posture," Hoehn said. [...]
The following information was provided by one of our contributors, Ranger Joe, as a brief explanation of the various units within the Stryker Brigade, and the structure of the Army in general. If you have comments, corrections or additions, please feel free to let us know.
Clarification 08/15/05: This explanation has not been updated to reflect the structure of the 172nd SBCT. The basic structure remains the same for all Stryker Brigades, however.
There is contact information included in the article if you know someone that might be interested.
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Lorie Jewell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 29, 2004) The Armys Operation Tribute to Freedom program is recruiting Soldiers willing to go out into their hometowns or local communities to share their experiences in fighting the Global War on Terrorism.
Were moving forward with efforts to strengthen the bond between American Soldiers and citizens of the nation they serve, said Capt. Robert Kuster, who heads the speakers service. To do that, we want Soldiers who will volunteer to go out and share their stories and personal experiences with their fellow Americans.
I think the key word here is "may", but at least there is discussion.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By THOM SHANKER and ERIC SCHMITT
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 - Fearing a sharp decline in recruiting and troop retention, the Army is considering cutting the length of its 12-month combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, senior Army officials say.
Senior Army personnel officers, as well as top Army Reserve and National Guard officials, say the Army's ability to recruit and retain soldiers will steadily erode unless combat tours are shortened, to some length between six and nine months, roughly equivalent to the seven-month tours that are the norm in the Marine Corps.
You might recognize a site or two mentioned in this article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Ellen Simon, AP Business Writer
Iraq war blogs are as varied as the soldiers who write them. Some sites feature practical news, war pictures and advice. Some are overtly political, with more slanting to the right than to the left. Some question the war, some cheer it. While some military bloggers (or milbloggers) say their commanders have encouraged their online literary ventures, a few say their commanders have shut them down.
For the folks back home, soldier blogs offer details of war that don't make it into most news dispatches: The smell of rotten milk lingering in a poor neighborhood. The shepherd boys standing at the foot of a guard tower yelling requests for toothbrushes and sweets. The giant camel spiders. The tedium of long walks to get anything from a shower to a meal. A burning oil refinery a hundred miles away blocking the sun. A terrifying night raid surprised by armed enemies dressed in black.
[Link to Full Article]
THE OLYMPIAN
Fort Lewis will get a $48 million barracks and training complex as part of a package of $165 million in construction projects for Washington state military bases announced Monday by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray. [...]
Jeff Young, spokesman at Fort Lewis, said the Army Corp of Engineers will award the construction contracts for these facilities; construction is expected to begin next summer and last 18 to 24 months.
This is the first article/statement from the US military that I've seen regarding the subject of soldier blogs. There is some good advice included for soldiers interested in maintaining a blog of their own.
[Link to Article]
...Cause concern for security
By Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, Iraq-- With an internet connection, Soldiers can send and post messages around the world. Instants after an event happens, the details can be transmitted back to family and friends in the form of emails and with new simple technology, can be posted in seconds on one of the webs fastest growing trends, a weblog.
A weblog is a personal website that contains dated entries of personal opinions, thoughts and essays. Weblogs often feature links to news articles or other blogs on the internet. Blogs have become popular recently because of web services such as Blogger, which make blogging possible even for those who arent familiar with website administration
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
Spc. Ryan G. Anderson, who as a boy wore an "Airborne" T-shirt for days on end and dreamed of becoming an Air Force pilot, was judged a traitor Thursday by nine Army officers.
After about 4 1/2 hours of deliberation, the jury of six men and three women found Anderson guilty of attempting to provide military information to the al-Qaida terrorist network earlier this year.
[Link to Full Article]
By Daily News
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- A new armored car equipped with a cannon has been dropped by parachute from a C-17 transport plane in a test of whether the vehicle can go into combat with paratroopers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.
For the first time, the eight-wheel Army Stryker armored car, mounted with a 105 mm cannon and called a mobile gun system, was dropped from an Air Force cargo plane Aug. 13 onto the south part of Rogers Dry Lake. [...]
By Terry Boyd, Stars and Stripes
BAUMHOLDER, Germany If there was ever a base on the bubble, its Baumholder.
German officials noting that Baumholder is a major U.S. Army base close to Ramstein Air Base and the Kaiserslautern Military Community hope its location will keep it open.
But, as a 1st Armored Division base, its future is far from assured.
Senior U.S. defense officials confirmed at a Pentagon background briefing on Monday that the 1st Infantry Division and 1st AD will leave Germany. Pentagon officials emphasized the transformation of forces will occur over 10 years, and so far, there are no appropriations to build facilities in the United States to accommodate the divisions four land brigades, two aviation brigades, division artillery and headquarters that are all currently in Europe.[...]
Some of you may find this helpful while making travel plans for your loved ones.
[Link to Article] (Photo included)
by 1st Lt. Brooke Davis
Air Force Flight Test Center Public Affairs
8/19/2004 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- An aircrew from the C-17 Globemaster III combined test force here successfully airdropped a mobile gun system for the first time during a feasibility test Aug. 13. The system fits the Army's Stryker engineer squad vehicle.
The Army is testing the 52,500-pound system to possibly equip the armored vehicle to meet operational needs.
[Link to Full Article]
By Mark Sappenfield, The Christian Science Monitor
ATHENS Like all the American athletes who have come here for the Olympic Games, Michael Anti has made enormous sacrifices for his country. Unlike all but a handful, though, there is a chance that one day he could be called on to make the ultimate sacrifice.
As one of the 17 athletes who is also an active member of the US armed forces, Mr. Anti came to these Games with a unique perspective - and a peculiar fire.
[Link to Full Article]
By Patrick Chisholm
Personal digital assistants are not just for storing contacts or scheduling meetings anymore. In the military, ruggedized versions of them are bringing the foot soldier fully into the fold of net-centric warfare.
Rugged-PDAs (R-PDAs) have begun to be fielded to units in the U.S. military. Though the number of them in use is currently very small, within the next couple of years the number is expected to increase dramatically. Dismounted leaders down to the platoon or even squad level will have them in hand.
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF & The ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hours after President Bush announced the largest restructuring of U.S. forces overseas since the Korean War, a high-ranking Army official visiting Fort Lewis said it's undetermined how the changes will affect the local post.
Pentagon officials said Monday that the Army will bring home two divisions from Germany as part of the restructuring and replace them with a much-smaller Stryker brigade.
[Link to Full Article]
By David Rising, Associated Press
BERLIN Any shift of major U.S. military units out of Western Europe and Asia will take years and require further negotiation once it is endorsed by President Bush, a military official said Monday.
A Pentagon plan that includes moving two divisions out of Germany, which Bush was expected to back Monday, was among several submitted by military planners after Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called for changes in the way U.S. forces are deployed around the world. [...]
Under the Pentagons plan, both Army divisions stationed in Germany would be returned to the United States and replaced by a brigade equipped with Stryker light armored vehicles.
It looks as if the 1st AD has finished its move back to Germany.
By Terry Boyd, Stars and Stripes
BAUMHOLDER, Germany On Wednesday, Staff Sgt. Patrick Piper went to the Baumholder PowerZone and plunked down $1,699 for his brand new, 52-inch Samsung television.
The TV goes to his off-post house, along with a Golds Gym weight set, a barbeque grill, a set of patio furniture and a computer. Oh, and two televisions one for a daughter, one for a son along with a DVD player.
Piper with Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 47th Forward Support Battalion is one of more than 13,000 1st Armored Division soldiers newly back from Iraq with thousands of dollars in hardship and incentive pay from their 15-month deployment.[...]
[Link to Full Article]
By Thomas E. Ricks
WASHINGTON The Army's new medium-weight armored vehicle, the Stryker, weighs so much that it curtails the range of C-130 military cargo aircraft that carry it and under certain conditions makes it impossible for the planes to take off, a new congressional report found.
"The Stryker's average weight of 38,000 pounds along with other factors such as added equipment and less-than-ideal flight conditions significantly limits the C-130's flight range and reduces the size force that could be deployed," said the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the watchdog arm of Congress.
The August 13 edition of the Coalition Scimitar is now available online.
[Link to Full Article]
This article was published Aug. 3rd, sorry I missed this one. Sapper's finally get their due, IMHO.
By Bernard Tate; WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 3, 2004)
A new Sapper tab for combat engineers is now authorized for wear by qualified Soldiers on their left shoulder.
Until this summer, only the Special Forces tab and the Ranger tab were authorized for wear above the unit patch on the left shoulder.
The US military will be well represented in the Olympics, which begin this Friday.
[Link to Full Article]
By Tim Hipps, Special to American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2004 Twenty-four military competitors will represent Team USA in the Summer Olympic Games at Athens, Greece, Aug. 13 through 29.
The Army is providing eight shooters, two modern pentathletes, a race walker, a rower, a wrestler, a marathoner who may double in the 10,000 meters, a head coach for boxing, a Greco-Roman wrestling coach, a rifle coach and a gunsmith for the world's largest sporting event. The Air Force will be represented by a hammer thrower, a race walker and a fencer. The Navy will provide a rower.
It's reassuring that the commanding general at Fort Lewis sees South Sound for what it really is -- a welcoming community where soldiers and their families can feel at home.
That sense of acceptance and welcome is one of the reasons so many soldiers return to this community when they retire, Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano told The Olympian's editorial board in a recent meeting.
"The surrounding community is doing a marvelous job of taking care of our soldiers and their families," he said.
The following is an interesting article about the "Warrior Forge" program at Ft. Lewis for future Army officers.
[Link to Full Article]
KATHLEEN MERRYMAN; The News Tribune
Three-fourths of the officers who will be commissioned in the U.S. Army next year spent a month at Fort Lewis this summer.
And virtually no one outside the fort noticed.
The 5,000 college juniors graduated Saturday after surviving a month of training, testing, heat and fatigue at Warrior Forge, the only program of its kind in the nation.
Scientific American published the following article regarding advances in military armor. The Stryker vehicle is mentioned throughout.
[Link to Full Article]
By Frank Vizard
Americans may view their soldiers as knights in shining armor, but in Iraq, soldiers are often short on protection, particularly while riding their mechanized steeds. As casualties rise, the Pentagon is rushing to equip its soldiers and vehicles with new and better armor. In the short term, soldiers will get body armor upgrades that better guard previously vulnerable areas like the groin and sides of the body. Some vehicles, meanwhile, will be getting special reactive armor designed to thwart rocket attacks. In the long term, however, a soldier's best protection may come from new technologies being developed by military laboratories such as the Office of Naval Research and the Army Research Laboratory. [...]
The following was written by R.L. Brownlee, the acting secretary of the Army, and Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, chief of staff of the Army.
[Link to Full Article]
By R.L. Brownlee and Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 5, 2004) -- The last few weeks have seen a lot of discussion -- much of it confusing or inaccurate -- about the condition and future readiness of the U.S. Army. We owe it to our men and women in uniform, their families, and our country to get the facts right.
No one disputes that there are currently strains on certain segments of our armed forces. A solution some offer is to increase the permanent end strength of our Army. But simply adding to the total number of people in uniform does not really get to the heart of the problem.
[Link to Full Article]
By Joe Burlas
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 3, 2004) -- Stabilization is now the watchword for personnel managers as they match up Army manpower requirements with where Soldiers are stationed.
Just a recommendation from an Army chief of staff focus area task force a year ago, stabilization went into effect Aug. 1.
Specifically, stabilization means Soldiers will stay at duty stations for longer periods than before.[...]
[Link to Full Article]
By Bill Brubaker, Washington Post Staff Writer
The Army will announce today it has contracted with International Business Machines Corp. to build one of the world's fastest supercomputers to help develop more effective weapons systems. [...]
The Army's new supercomputer -- nicknamed "Stryker," after an armored Army combat vehicle -- will run on Linux, a free, "open source" operating system that is a rival to Microsoft Windows.
[Link to Full Article]
By Staff Sgt. Scott McNabb, USAF
McCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash., July 24, 2004 A joint audience of more than 800 airmen and soldiers heard firsthand from one of the nation's top military leaders here July 23.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz held a town hall meeting with airmen from McChord, soldiers from neighboring Fort Lewis, and their families. He visited, he said, for a simple reason: to say thanks.
By Kevin Dougherty, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, July 25, 2004
HANAU, Germany Looking up at her dad, Kayla Krings wiped the tears from her eyes as she began to ponder the question.
It seemed the more Kayla thought about what it was she wanted to do with her father, now that he is home, the more choked up she became.
Everything, the 9-year-old said, glancing back up at her father, Maj. Troy Krings, 2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment. I want to do everything.
Making up for lost time is something a lot of people affiliated with the 1st Armored Division can identify with in these heady days of homecoming ceremonies. [...]
[Link to Full Article]
FORT RICHARDSON: Plans to add 2,000 soldiers in the next year would almost double current deployment.
By PETER PORCO; Anchorage Daily News
(Published: July 24, 2004)
The garrison at Fort Richardson is expected to gain 2,000 soldiers as part of a nationwide reorganization of the U.S. Army over the next two years, military officials said Friday.
[Link to Full Article]
DAVID WICKERT; The News Tribune
Soldiers from Louisiana could begin arriving at Fort Lewis in the next few months as the Army prepares to convert the 2nd Cavalry Regiment to a Stryker brigade.
Much of the unit should begin arriving next spring, Fort Lewis spokesman Lt. Col. Bill Costello said Friday. Eventually, the post will see an influx of about 3,900 soldiers and their families.
"It's a great deal for Fort Lewis any time you get additional soldiers," Costello said.
[Link to Full Article]
By USJFCOM Public Affairs
(WASHINGTON -- July 22, 2004) - Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld announced today that the president has nominated U.S. Army Maj, Gen. James M. Dubik for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general and assignment as commanding general, I Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis, Wash.
By MECHELE COOPER Staff Writer
LITCHFIELD -- Scott DeRaps hopes to raise at least $200 to send copies of a song he wrote and recorded last week to the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineering Battalion in Iraq.
American Legion Post 6 in Hallowell has already donated $100 for the project, and DeRaps is counting on exposure from a local radio station to help raise the rest of the money. [...]
Aiea High School grad Joseph Chaves will lead the 29th Infantry Brigade as it deploys to Iraq
By Gregg K. Kakesako
Joseph Chaves was only an 18-year-old junior at Aiea High School 36 years ago when the 29th Infantry Brigade was called up to fight in Vietnam.
"We had couple of teachers who were mobilized with the brigade," said Chaves, now a one-star brigadier general who commands that same Hawaii Army National Guard unit. "There also were several seniors who had joined the guard and were mobilized shortly after graduation."
Now, Chaves, who has spent his 34 years in uniform as a citizen soldier, is at the forefront as he prepares the 29th Infantry Brigade for another war.
The 3-2 is scheduled to follow the 1st AD out of Iraq sometime this fall.
By Lisa Horn, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, July 16, 2004
WIESBADEN, Germany The 1st Armored Divisions colors were uncased on familiar ground Wednesday night when the commander, Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey, and a small group of soldiers set foot on Wiesbaden Army Airfield for the first time since the division deployed more than a year ago.
Festive music played over loudspeakers and patriotic banners decked out Wiesbaden Army Airfields Hangar 1036 as anxious friends and family members waited inside. [...]
Here's another story about helping the wounded at Walter Reed.
[Link to Full Article] (Photo included)
By U.S. Army Pfc. Chris Stump, 17th Public Affairs Detachment
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, July 15, 2004 More than 1,200 coalition troops recently showed their generosity and support to wounded veterans who fought here and in Iraq by raising money to assist their families while they are hospitalized.
The Fourth of July Freedom is Never Free run, a 10k walk/run around Bagram Air Base, was organized by Logistics Task Force 725.
By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2004 -- It's amazing what wonderful feelings and bright smiles a dozen calendar models can bring to the faces of hospitalized servicemen recovering from war wounds.
That's what happened July 10 when Dawn Glencer and the "U.S. Angels" 2005 calendar models rode their motorcycles to the Fisher House on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus to visit troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. [...]
By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2004 -- It's amazing what wonderful feelings and bright smiles a dozen calendar models can bring to the faces of hospitalized servicemen recovering from war wounds.
That's what happened July 10 when Dawn Glencer and the "U.S. Angels" 2005 calendar models rode their motorcycles to the Fisher House on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus to visit troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. [...]
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 13, 2004) One Iraqi National Guardsman is dead and nine are wounded after their convoy was attacked with small arms fire this morning as they traveled near the neighborhoods of Al Hadba and Al Qairawan near the Mosul University. Soldiers returned fire killing one of the anti-Iraqi terrorists before they fled.
The terrorists approached the convoy of guardsman in a black and maroon vehicle which contained five people. After attacking the convoy of Iraqi soldiers, they headed south through Mosul on the east side of town.
This incident is currently under investigation by the Iraqi Police.
[Link to Full Article]
By JIM KRANE, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Army's 1st Armored Division stowed its flags Sunday and prepared to head home after the longest tour in Iraq of any American combat command - 15 months.
Even though it arrived after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, the Germany-based division saw 135 of its soldiers killed - mostly fighting Iraqi guerrillas. It was in the midst of pulling out of Iraq in April when a pair of violent guerrilla uprisings halted its departure.
[Link to Full Article]
JOHN HENDREN; Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has asked the Army to consider shorter tours of duty for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, while his choice for a new commander in Iraq acknowledged Thursday that the military might seek 25,000 additional troops there.
[Link to Full Article]
172nd Stryker Brigade US Army Alaska web site
It looks like we may need to add another category.
By Elictia Hammond
Its been a long time coming, a year to be exact. But finally part of the US Army Alaska's Stryker Family of vehicles have arrived. Its low hum when cranked up gives off a deceiving air. The vehicle is just shy of 20-tons, it's 24 feet long and over 10 feet tall, it can cross an opening gap or ditch that is 6-feet long, and the most amazing thing it can hit speed of up to 60 mph. The Stryker has finally made it to the last frontier,...
[Link to Full Article]
(Capitol Hill-AP) June 24, 2004
The Senate has given late-night approval to a $447 billion defense spending bill for the next fiscal year. It's similar to one that cleared the House a month ago, including a 3.5-percent pay hike for military personnel.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, June 18, 2004) -- Army senior leaders have the same concerns of Soldiers about multiple and long unit deplolyments, but theyre letting Soldiers know that changes to lessen those concerns are on the way.
The Army sent out 100,000 compact disks with multimedia briefings known as the Army Campaign Plan to inform active-duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers, and their families, that the Army is significantly changing while it is at war.
[Link to Full Article]
OLYMPIAN STAFF, NEWS SERVICES
It's been 62 years since a U.S. president visited Fort Lewis, but George W. Bush arrived there Thursday night with plans to address soldiers today.
It's a visit some soldiers and their families see as a convenient morale-boosting stop he couldn't pass up.
[Link to Full Article] from the Jerusalem Post online
The army is to decide this month whether to purchase the controversial Stryker, the US Army's advanced armored personnel carrier that has had mixed reviews in action in Iraq, senior IDF officers say.
Today is the 229th Birthday of the United States Army. That's a lot of candles.
It's also Flag Day.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis, especially lately, has become a regular stop for high-level VIPs.
The secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the Army, ranking members of Congress - they've all passed through during the past couple of years to check on the progress of the Stryker brigades.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis, especially lately, has become a regular stop for high-level VIPs.
The secretary of defense, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the Army, ranking members of Congress - they've all passed through during the past couple of years to check on the progress of the Stryker brigades.
[Link to Full Article]
A great story you don't always see on the news channels. Thank Jack C. for sending this our way.
by Maj. Rich Doyle
Air Force News
June 08, 2004
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Like many of my Air Force teammates, I recently returned from a four-month deployment to Iraq where we are helping to rebuild a nation ruined by a tyrant and to transform it from a bastion of terror to a free democracy.
I consider my experience supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom to be one of the most worthwhile endeavors of my career, so I was very surprised by the pessimistic attitude regarding OIF among my family, friends and co-workers.
[Link to Full Article]
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 7, 2004 A federally funded program, Helmets to Hardhats, is making good on the military recruiters "selling" point that service members gain valuable skills they can apply in the private sector following their service.
The program helps service members and military veterans put their training to use as they transition to jobs in the building and construction trades.
You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of liberty loving people everywhere march with you...
I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!
- General Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6, 1944
And with those words Operation Overlord began. Provided below is our in depth coverage of the 60th Anniversay of D-Day.
Washington, DC, Jun. 4 (UPI) -- A Pentagon proposal to scale back the U.S. military presence in Germany could diminish U.S. influence in Europe, the International Herald Tribune reports.
The Pentagon wants to withdraw the two U.S. Army divisions stationed in Germany, replacing them with the U.S. Army brigade equipped with Stryker vehicles, a lightly armored wheeled vehicle suited to a highly mobile unit.
This site is proud to be a member of the MilBlogs Web Ring, which is a collection of military-related weblogs. In anticipation of the 60th Anniversary of D-Day on June 6th, the MilBlogs group is collecting stories of people directly or indirectly involved in the invasion. Do you know of any family or friends that participated in some measure? Would you be willing to share their story with others? Or perhaps you served with a unit whose lineage can be traced to D-Day?
Our goal is to post any submissions on June 3rd so they can be shared in advance of the anniversary. Matt at Blackfive will be posting links to the various MilBlogs that collect stories. If you would like to participate please send me an email (todd at strykernews.com). Thanks for your consideration.
[Link to Full Article]
By Joe Burlas
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, May 26, 2004) -- A little more than a year after the end of major hostilities, the Army released May 25 its first major study on operations that liberated the Iraqi people.
Hard copies of On Point: The United States Army in Iraqi Freedom is available through regular Army publication channels, and an online version can be view at http://onpoint.leavenworth.army.mil.
[Link to Full Article]
By Guy Taylor, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Military officials are hustling to ensure that troops deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere abroad know their widely varying state rules on absentee ballots, the result of the Pentagon's abandoning plans to have them vote via the Internet.
With deadlines and procedures varying considerably depending on the home state of a given soldier, sailor, airman or Marine, the process is more complicated than it sounds.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Sgt. 1st Class Eric Ford's injury - shrapnel wounds to his left forearm - doesn't sound so bad in the context of all the traumatic things that are happening to U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Not bad, that is, until one gets a close look at the two wicked scars that run from his elbow to his wrist. Or until one sees the powerfully built platoon sergeant struggle in therapy to pinch open a clothespin with his left hand.
Sgt. Hook's website is one of my favorites. Although currently deployed in Afghanistan, he continues to publish well written narratives that always share his hard-earned wisdom. Here's a recent series describing his entry into the Army.
Part 1 - "Marking Time"
Part 2 - "Welcome to the Army"
Part 3 - "On Discipline"
Part 4 - "On Leadership"
Part 5 - "Seventeen Years of Soldiering"
Part 6 - "On Compassion"
News seems a bit light today so here are some other items to browse:
Judge Us By Our Actions - Blackfive shares another email from a Marine Colonel in Iraq.
Iraq Report 5/17 - From Winds of Change.
The Man Who Would Be Khan - Long, but very interesting article from The Atlantic Monthly describing a, "new breed of American soldiercall him the soldier-diplomat."
Sarah Smiley - Great website loaded with info from a military spouse.
Insults Unpunished - Robert Prather is trying to reach the 500,000 visitor plateau by 5/26. Can you spare a click?
News seems a bit light today so here are some other items to browse:
Judge Us By Our Actions - Blackfive shares another email from a Marine Colonel in Iraq.
Iraq Report 5/17 - From Winds of Change.
The Man Who Would Be Khan - Long, but very interesting article from The Atlantic Monthly describing a, "new breed of American soldiercall him the soldier-diplomat."
Sarah Smiley - Great website loaded with info from a military spouse.
Insults Unpunished - Robert Prather is trying to reach the 500,000 visitor plateau by 5/26. Can you spare a click?
[Link to Full Article]
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON (AFPS/ARNEWS, May 18, 2004) -- About 3,600 Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division will deploy to Iraq this summer from the Republic of Korea, Defense Department officials said May 17.
[Link to Full Article]
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2004 Two new military commands will stand up in Iraq May 15, replacing the current coalition military organization.
Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq will replace Combined Joint Task Force 7.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
ARLINGTON, Va. Attention, deployed snipers: Your brothers-in-arms back home want to send you gear.
A group of police and military snipers has started Adopt a Sniper to donate equipment to deployed military members.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
ARLINGTON, Va. Attention, deployed snipers: Your brothers-in-arms back home want to send you gear.
A group of police and military snipers has started Adopt a Sniper to donate equipment to deployed military members.
[Link to Full Article]
SCOTT GUTIERREZ, THE OLYMPIAN
FORT LEWIS -- Juanita Dunas watched as her son, Vince, climbed into the turret on the Bradley armored vehicle and waved down at her. Minutes earlier, he had bounced from a military police car to a Stryker and then up inside the giant Bradley.
"He loves anything that has to do with Army vehicles," said Dunas, of Eatonville.
We thought it would be appropriate to post an open entry where everyone could express their thanks to all of the Stryker Brigade and Task Force Olympia soldiers currently deployed in Iraq.
Thank you!
Feel free to leave a note in the comments section. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to add your message.
14 May 2004 edition is now available.
The Coalition Scimitar is a weekly paper published by the Combined Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs Office. It is distributed throughout the Baghdad area inside the Stars & Stripes every Friday. It is also available here in PDF format.
Remember to right click on the pdf file to Save Target As for a faster download.
HOOAH!!! This edition has two articles about the SBCT that I have found so far. 2-3 Inf regiment and 1-14th CAV. Great human interest stories you do not see on the major networks. Definately a must read this week.
UPDATE: 296 BSB wiffle ball game is also included. I highly recommend reading this issue. Lots of great stuff from the Mosul area and the SBCT units.
May 14, 2004
The Army announced today that it will adjust the design of the fourth Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) from a Cavalry to an Infantry configuration.
The 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light), stationed at Fort Polk, La., will begin the transformation to an Infantry-based Stryker Brigade upon its return from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit is expected to attain an initial operational capability (IOC) as an infantry-designed SBCT by late 2006.
As you may know the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Richard Myers, are in Iraq right now. Today they addressed some of the troops at a town hall-type meeting. Provided below is a brief excerpt from Gen. Myers' speech.
Many of you should take a bow tomorrow.
[Link to Full Article]
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2004 U.S. military installations worldwide will host a wide range of activities from receptions to workshops to "pampering parties" -- in observance of Military Spouse Day, May 7.
Military Spouse Day was first celebrated in 1984 when then-President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the observance to honor the contributions of military spouses. The military now sets aside the Friday before Mother's Day each year to pay tribute to the spouses who play a vital role in the nation's defense.
30 April 2004 edition is now available.
The Coalition Scimitar is a weekly paper published by the Combined Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs Office. It is distributed throughout the Baghdad area inside the Stars & Stripes every Friday. It is also available here in PDF format.
As Susan reminded us on the bulletin board, May is National Military Appreciation Month. Visit the site set up by the Pentagon for more information.
Thanks to all of the men and women serving overseas. Your sacrifices are definitely appreciated by us here. We are all hoping for your swift and safe return.
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis formally closed the books Tuesday on the program that for the past 4 1/2 years made it one of the most-watched posts in the Army.
Now that they've finished building the first two Stryker brigades, the planners, procurement officers and tacticians who led the effort are moving on. The Brigade Coordination Cell, as it was known, will take up permanent residence at the Army's Infantry Center at Fort Benning, Ga.
Today's Pentagon briefing with Secretary Rumsfeld and General Myers mentions the Stryker vs. Humvee comparison.
Q General Myers, I need to ask you a capability equipment question that's floating around the building here. General Ellis, the FORSCOM commander, wrote a memo that's getting some circulation where -- he's getting reports from the field that all these up-armored Humvees that the military has moved heaven and earth to get into Iraq are not doing the job, or his words, "are not providing the solution the Army hoped to achieve," and they need to build more Strykers and get those into Iraq. This raises -- it feeds the notion that there's a readiness capability problem over there. Can you address this? How should one interpret this memo, and did you hear any of these complaints when you were in the region?
We mentioned a while back that General Dynamics has developed a 105mm howitzer prototype for the Stryker vehicle platform. The system was successfully tested at Elgin AFB this month. The folks at GDLS sent me a few photos from the test, which can be viewed in our photo gallery (one, two and three). The following articles describe the event.
Sgt. Hook, who is deployed to Afghanistan, was a witness to the KIA ceremony for Pat Tillman, whose passing we mentioned last week. Look around while you're at his site - he has plenty to read regarding his experiences in "The Stan" so far.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2004 -- Acknowledging that problems persist in the military mail system, Defense Department officials said they are taking steps to improve the process.
A report this month by the General Accounting Office, which oversees government agencies and spending, said long-standing problems with military mail delivery need to be resolved.
A tragic end to an amazing story. Pat Tillman turned down a multi-million dollar NFL contract to join the Army Rangers after 9/11. This was not a publicity stunt - he never spoke publicly about his decision. On Thursday Tillman was killed on a mission in Afghanistan. Every servicemember deserves recongnition for their sacrifices, but it's a rare individual that would give up $3.6 million to serve his country. Peggy Noonan wrote a column about Tillman immediately following his decision to join the Army.
[Link to Full Article]
The Department of Defense announced today that any American can now help troops in contingency operations call home. The Defense Department has authorized the Armed Services Exchanges to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed. The Help Our Troops Call Home program is designed to help servicemembers call home from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
23 April 2004 addition is now available. (2368kb file size)
The Coalition Scimitar is a weekly paper published by the Combined Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs Office. It is distributed throughout the Baghdad area inside the Stars & Stripes every Friday. It is also available here in PDF format.
Triple Nickel returns to Fort Lewis. HOOAH!!!
[Link to Full Article]
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The troops of the 555th Combat Engineer Group were last all together at their home post in early 2003, preparing to go to war.
On Tuesday, with all but the last few dozen troops finally home, Fort Lewis turned out to welcome and honor soldiers who spent a year working all over Iraq.
"It's a special day to welcome home the special soldiers of the Triple Nickel," said Fort Lewis commander Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano
Informational article about Camp Freedom - headquarters for Task Force Olympia with a couple pictures by Bill Nemitz.
[Link to Full Article]
MOSUL, Iraq - It looks, from a distance, like graffiti. In reality, it's a rough sketch that Saddam Hussein once drew on his wall to show how he wanted the pool house expanded inside his palace compound overlooking the Tigris River.
[Link to Full Article] This article pertains to local Fort Lewis area residents but also mentions the two Stryker Brigades that are based there. Needless to say, this is another great article by our favorite writer.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Come August, area residents will have to find some way to cope without the sound of C-17 cargo jets flying overhead every day.
McChord Air Force Base will shut down its flight operations for the month while construction crews finish $10.9 million worth of repairs to the 10,100-foot runway, base commander Col. Bob Allardice said Wednesday.
The second SBCT at Ft. Lewis, the 1-25, is mentioned in this article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Tom Bowman, Sun National Staff
WASHINGTON - About 21,000 combat-hardened Army troops stationed in Iraq for the past year will remain there for three to four more months to fight the insurgency, the Pentagon is expected to announce this week, defense officials said yesterday.
Times have certainly changed.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By THOM SHANKER
BAGHDAD, Iraq American troops arrive for duty in Iraq with a rifle in one hand, a wrench in the other and a lot of American pop culture in their rucksacks.
Personal CD players, MP3's, portable DVD movie systems, satellite dishes and laptop computers with Internet access allow soldiers to stay current with American music, movies and television, even inside the concertina wire at bases deep in a foreign society isolated by years of dictatorship, embargo and war.
Another article with the facts wrong.
[Link to Full Article]
By Bill Gertz and Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
[...] A replacement Stryker brigade is in training at Fort Polk, La., to relieve the first unit deployed in a war zone to use the Army's first transformational vehicle.
The 1st Stryker brigade has been in the theater since October, patrolling some of Iraq's meanest streets in the north. Of 310 Stryker vehicles, one has been lost. Insurgents fired two rocket-propelled grenades to destroy the Stryker, but not before its nine soldiers escaped unharmed.
Here is some very useful information regarding the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, April 4, 2004
ARLINGTON, Va. Whether its keeping up with credit-card payments or maintaining a valid drivers license, legal responsibilities dont go away when servicemembers are assigned overseas or deployed to a war zone.
[Link to Full Article]
By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Army divisions that fought the past 12 months in Iraq have met virtually every re-enlistment goal, a sign that the all-volunteer force remains strong under the stress of frequent deployments and hazardous duty.
Possible R&R destination?
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (NNS) -- Vail Resorts in Colorado is offering 1,000 free nights to service members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as part of Operation Freedom Lodging."
Members from any branch of service who served for 30 or more days in these countries are eligible for up to three consecutive nights of lodging at Vail Resorts-owned and -operated hotels in Breckenridge and Keystone.
We mentioned last week that The History Channel will air the mini-series "Band of Brothers" in April. The following article indicates that the broadcast will incorporate interviews with recent veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nice touch.
The Washington Post ran a front-page article today that is worth sharing with everyone. Summary:
The extended, or repeated, deployments that have characterized the Army since then have intensified the burdens traditionally borne by military families. And most of the spouses who have remained behind are wondering how long the Army can keep it up.This change is reflected in a recent poll conducted by The Washington Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University, and in dozens of supplemental interviews. The poll, the first nongovernmental survey of military spouses conducted since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, included more than 1,000 spouses living on or near the 10 heaviest-deploying Army bases.
While most of them said they have coped well, three-quarters said they believe the Army is likely to encounter personnel problems as soldiers and their families tire of the pace and leave for civilian lives.
It's kind of a long story, but Donald Sensing and Phil Carter are asking for help in identifying companies that have gone out of their way to support the troops. Whether they donated goods, offered a discount, or supported a reservist employee, let us know about your experiences in the comments section. Leave the bad guys out for now - maybe we'll cover them another time.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Donald Sparks
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 25, 2004) -- When I was asked to write an editorial reflecting on the one-year anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom, initially I thought it would be too easy to transfer my thoughts to my fingers -- yet this piece was a struggle.
Those of you that have a particular interest in the technological capabilities of the Stryker Brigade should take a moment to read Trent Telenko's "The Networked Force" over at Winds of Change. Make sure you read through the comment section as well, lots of interesting analysis added. Still interested? Move on to his follow up, "The Networked Force II".
All I can say is, "interesting."
[Link to Full Article]
By Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. Tiger Woods sometimes adds green to his wardrobe in April, but that usually means a jacket from Augusta National not fatigues from Fort Bragg. The day after the Masters, the worlds No. 1 golfer will swap his spikes for Army boots.
[Link to Full Article]
By K.L. Vantran
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 25, 2004 Although the complete Land Warrior System -- a modular, integrated fighting system that includes everything an infantry soldier wears or carries on the battlefield -- is not due to be fielded until 2007, troops in the field already benefit from several of its components.
If you don't subscribe to HBO you may have missed the mini-series "Band of Brothers", which is based on the book of the same name by Stephen Ambrose. Consequently, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that The History Channel will broadcast the entire series - twice - beginning Sunday, April 11th. The station will run all 10 episodes, each approximately an hour long, on consecutive nights. To learn more about the story you can go to this entry that I wrote a while back on my old site. The story, and the series, are truly epic.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writer
The Pentagon has drafted plans to withdraw as many as half of the 71,000 troops based in Germany as part of an extensive realignment of American military forces that moves away from large concentrations in Europe and Asia, according to U.S. officials. [...]
Another great article for military history buffs.
[Link to Full Article]
Story by Spc. Adrian Schulte, SETAF Public Affairs
VICENZA, Italy -- It has almost been a year since about one thousand paratroopers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachuted into war, opening up the northern front in the effort to liberate Iraq. The March 26, 2003 jump was recently classified as a combat jump and the paratroopers who participated in it will now be able to stick their chests out with pride showing off the gold star, or mustard stain, that crowns their parachutist wings.
[Link to Full Article]
(Registration required, or use "laexaminer" for both username and password)
By Esther Schrader, Times Staff Writer
Flushed and sweating, Leonard Bentley is shaken.
The 21-year-old Army specialist has just watched six fellow soldiers fall to bullets from an unseen gun. He is being taunted in Arabic by an angry mob. Helicopters hum overhead, mortar fire is exploding around him, a turbanned kid has brazenly stolen his stores of food and water and his commander is nowhere to be seen.
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Lorie Jewell
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 24, 2004) Senior Army leaders gave emphatic assurances that efforts to transform the Army and properly equip the current force fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are at top speed during their recent testimony to the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Airland. [...]
DARPA recently showcased its new high-tech tools designed to assist soldiers in combat.
[Link to Full Article]
Associated Press
March 23, 2004
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Pentagon is rushing into service in Iraq a pair of technologies developed under its advanced research arm: a Humvee-mounted sensor for pinpointing hostile gunfire and a "command post of the future" designed to cut down on combat leaders' travel and streamline decision-making.
Donald Sensing has an entry discussing how basic training in the Army will get tougher based on lessons learned in Iraq. StrategyPage takes a look at the issue in the following article:
PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 22, 2004--DRS Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:DRS) announced today that it was awarded a $24.3 million subcontract to provide major subsystems for the U.S. Army's Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3). LRAS3 provides the U.S. Army Brigade Reconnaissance Troops, Armor and Infantry Battalion Scout Platoons, and the Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) with a long-range detection, recognition, identification and far-target location capability.
Interesting conclusion to the case involving a Ft. Lewis Chaplain.
[Link to Full Article]
By SAM SKOLNIK
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
The U.S. Army dropped all charges against Capt. James Yee yesterday, ending a six-month ordeal in which the former Fort Lewis chaplain had been branded a possible traitor and was charged with a range of accusations including mishandling documents and viewing pornography on his computer.
The Wall Street Journal has a front-page article today examining the the lack of armored Humvees in the Army today. The Stryker vehicle is briefly mentioned. The link below will expire in seven days, so if you want to read the article, do it soon.
[Link to Full Article]
"Cold-War Thinking Prevented Vital Vehicle From Reaching Iraq"
By GREG JAFFE
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
WASHINGTON -- A decade ago, the Army began producing an armored Humvee capable of providing protection from many roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades.
By Denise Barnes; THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Undaunted by blustery March winds, a small-but-determined group rallied on the Mall yesterday to cheer and show support for American troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and trouble spots around the world.
The two-hour "Support Our Troops Rally" began at noon and drew about 50 people. The group waved American flags and listened to a series of short speeches by representatives of groups such as the Blue Star Mothers of America Inc., the sponsor of the rally, Rolling Thunder, Free Iraq, the Congress of Racial Equality, the D.C. Chapter of Free Republic and Operation Free Spike Inc.
[Link to Full Article] Alaskan Stryker Brigade news
By Tim Bradner; Alaska Journal of Commerce
Deployment of the new U.S. Army Stryker brigade, the new national missile defense system, new C-17 heavy-lift aircraft and upgraded Army and Air Force training facilities in Alaska are all proceeding on schedule, Alaska's top military commanders told state legislators in a briefing.
[Link to Full Article]
Associated Press
March 13, 2004
WASHINGTON - The Army is spread so thin around the globe that when it needs fresh combat troops for Iraq this fall it will have little choice but to call on the same soldiers who led the charge into Baghdad last spring.
[Link to Full Article]
"When you leave Iraq, don't leave Army, too"
Jeannie Piper, Web Producer
BALAD, Iraq (AP) - Talking to soldiers leaving Iraq after a year of tough duty, Gen. John Abizaid made a plea: Please don't leave the Army, too. It needs you and your combat experience in the global war on terror.
[Link to Full Article]
By MIKE BARBER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- Protecting a remote communications transmitter in the Mojave Desert, Iraq-bound Washington National Guard Spc. Derian Anderson, 27, had one plea for the people she serves and will soon leave behind.
"Don't forget us. Oh, please, don't forget us," Anderson said.
[Link to Full Article]
By Juliana Gittler
Stars and Stripes March 4, 2004
TOKYO Talks are under way about possibly relocating part of the Armys I Corps headquarters from Fort Lewis, Wash., to Camp Zama, Japan, U.S. officials confirmed Tuesday.
Here's a program worth exploring.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Triggs
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 3, 2004) -- A Department of Defense program helps deployed troops tuck up to $10,000 of their income away and earn a guaranteed 10 percent interest on their savings annually.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Saturday, February 28, 2004
ARLINGTON, Va. Why do American soldiers wear the U.S. flag insignia "backwards" on the right shoulder of their utility uniforms, with the canton (the rectangle with the stars) on an observer's right?
Here's an article about the Stryker Brigade planned for Ft. Polk that also mentions the Ft. Lewis SBCTs.
[Link to Full Article]
Gannett News Service
Posted on March 1, 2004
The U.S. Army is transforming itself from an industrial-age Goliath built to fight on large battlefields into a nimbler, high-tech fighting force able to engage enemies with lightning speed.
Ralph Peters, a columnist and former Army officer, has two pieces this week worth reading. The second mentions the Stryker program specifically.
Every so often I visit the Army's Soldier Stories website to read a few of the amazing accounts collected there. I ran across an older story I hadn't seen before that was truly incredible. Excerpts:
[Link to Full Article]
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 24, 2004) -- As units return from Iraq, the Army will reset brigades into the fighting formations that will be needed in the future, a senior Army official said.
Under Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomakers modularity focus area, the 33 maneuver brigades in todays active-component Army will be reset into 43 to 48 brigades. The Army will be temporarily plussed up by 30,000 troops to fill the added brigades, officials said.
I was going to link to a couple items at Jason Van Steenwyk's site Iraq Now, but instead I would recommend you start at the top and scroll down. An Army officer in Iraq preparing to redeploy, Jason has written a number of great entries recently on a wide variety of topics. Check him out.
By Joe Burlas
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 19, 2004) -- Army Knowledge Online now offers a stripped-down version that loads up to 10 times faster than the regular service.
The Army has released additional details regarding the gurdsman accused of attempting to pass sensitive information to Al-Qaida.
By Ray Rivera
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Army has formally charged a National Guardsman from Lynnwood with attempting to supply military intelligence, including methods of killing American soldiers and destroying U.S. weapons systems, to the al-Qaida terrorist network.
The Army has released additional details regarding the gurdsman accused of attempting to pass sensitive information to Al-Qaida.
By Ray Rivera
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Army has formally charged a National Guardsman from Lynnwood with attempting to supply military intelligence, including methods of killing American soldiers and destroying U.S. weapons systems, to the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Here's an interesting article regarding the realistic training provided to troops preparing to deploy.
By Jeff Linkous
Associated Press
FORT DIX, N.J. Ryan Szeczesniewski could have as easily been warring with friends on a paintball battlefield.
Instead, he found himself on a southern New Jersey Army base, playing the role of an irate Iraqi citizen, part of an angry crowd marching on U.S. soldiers who denied medical aid to a fictional, wounded villager.
By Sgt. 1st Class Marcia Triggs
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 17, 2004) -- All Soldiers can now wear the U.S. flag insignia on the right shoulder of their utility uniform, as a continued reminder that the Army is engaged in a war at home and abroad.
Associated Press
ANNISTON, Ala. Like many recruits, the Armys new Stryker combat vehicle needs to lose some weight before its fit to be deployed.
The Stryker, an armored vehicle being built in Anniston by General Dynamics, was designed to be a medium-weight vehicle that could be sent anywhere in the world within 96 hours.
By Melanthia Mitchell
The Associated Press
FORT LEWIS Today's military has switched from the traditional "Uncle Sam wants you" message to high-profile, high-tech recruitment tools: NASCAR sponsorships, online games and "PowerPoint rangers."
By Karen Jowers
Times staff writer
To help protect service members, Defense Department civilians and military retirees from identity theft, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will begin dropping the first five digits of Social Security numbers from all leave-and-earnings statements and other pay statements.
Rather than post each article individually, here's a roundup of articles regarding the Ft. Lewis soldier suspected of attempting to pass information to Al Qaeda.
Many people sent the following article to us.
The Associated Press
SEATTLE -- A National Guardsman stationed at Fort Lewis was arrested Thursday and charged by the Army with trying to provide information to the al-Qaida terrorist network, a federal law enforcement official said.
Interesting story from the Seattle P-I.
By CHRIS McGANN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Juan Escalante was not a patriot, not even an American, when he joined the U.S. Army two years ago.
He was just looking for a way to pay for college.
If you're interested in learning more about how deployed soldiers can vote absentee, the following article has some good information.
By Andrea Takash
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Feb. 5, 2004) Americans across the country are now voting in presidential state primaries, but many Soldiers cant make it to the polls, said Jim Davis, the Armys voting action officer.
Jason Van Steenwyk, who is currently serving in Iraq, shares a good finance tip for military families. While you're there, make sure you read this incredble story.
Lorraine found an online store where you can purchase a framed copy of the cover of Time magazine's Person of the Year issue, which honored "The American Soldier". Two sizes are available.
In related news, the three soldiers featured on the cover are currently on a goodwill tour across America.
And you thought the Stryker Brigade was equipped with the latest gear. Check out what the future uniform of soldiers could look like (scroll down to the "Objective Force Warrior" section). Thanks to Dan for the link.
In testimony before a Congressional hearing yeterday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker outlined the short and long-term transformation plans of the Army. The Stryker program is mentioned briefly. The restructuring is supposedly the largest in 50 years.
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON, (American Forces Press Service, Jan. 29, 2004) Although the Army has been given the green light to temporarily increase its size by up to 30,000 troops, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker said he opposes a permanent end-strength increase.
ROBERT BURNS; The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Army's top general said Wednesday that he is making plans based on the possibility the Army will be required to keep tens of thousands of soldiers in Iraq through 2006.
Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, told the House Armed Services Committee that "for planning purposes" he has ordered his staff to consider how the Army would replace the force that is now rotating into Iraq with another force of similar size in 2005 - and again in 2006.
By Karen Jowers; Times staff writer
Items are being pilfered from some boxes mailed to service members in Iraq, according to troops, family members and morale-mail organizers.
The Military Postal Service Agency has received occasional complaints about rifled or stolen mail, but has no indication from command sources that this is a widespread or organized problem, nor of major loss or theft, stated Marine Capt. Luke Gov, an MPSA spokesman, in an e-mail response to questions.
In each case that we have encountered, the parcel was not insured, Gov added.
Dan sent a couple related articles regarding the standard equipment issued to soldiers. The USA Today article is from last summer and explains why many soldiers resort to buying their own gear.
"Buying own gear is common for troops"
By John Diamond, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON When Army Col. Mike Smith got the order to deploy to Afghanistan in 2001, he reached for his wallet. Smith wanted a pair of boots that could stand up to the rocky terrain, something he knew his Army-issue footwear wouldn't do.
The second SBCT at Ft. Lewis (1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division) will be featured in two new "Army of One" recruitment commercials.
BILL HUTCHENS; The News Tribune
Director Andrew Douglas raised a white megaphone to his mouth and shouted toward a circle of about three dozen Stryker brigade soldiers milling around a cold, muddy field at Fort Lewis...
Combined Joint Task Force 7 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), which includes the Stryker Brigade in Iraq, has relaunched its website. It's now much easier to browse, plus they have added a new page for the Strykers.
We've also added the site to our links page.
Here's the Army's new airfare reimbursement policy for R&R. Excerpt:
The Army is now reimbursing troops for commercial plane tickets home for troops returning for two-weeks vacation from Iraq and Afghanistan.Troops tapped for the two-week vacation away from the war zones under the Rest and Recuperation program will have to pay their own way up front, and then file the necessary reimbursement paperwork.
There's been some discussion about the flag patch worn on the right sleeve by U.S. troops deployed overseas. Here's some relevant info:
The reverse orientation is mandated by Army regulations (go to pg. 268). This is a large .pdf file, so if you have a slow connection you can just take my word for it.
The Army is considering allowing soldiers to wear the patch at all times, not just when they are overseas. Troops in Europe have already been ordered to keep it on when they return home (via ACE).
Finally, on a lighter note, this photo will make you smile regardless of your politics. Take a close look at his sleeve patches (via InstaPundit).
UPDATE: Sapperwife sent me a great link, which has all of the flag etiquette info you'll ever need. The right sleeve, reverse-field patch is discussed as well.
No mention if these troops will be assigned to the Stryker Brigade or not in this Associated Press article released on KIRO TV web site.
You may have already seen this, but did you know that Ft. Lewis received the "2002 Army Times Best Post Award"?
The Army announced that future Stryker Brigades will receive enhanced capabilities, and current brigades will be retrofitted as equipment becomes available.
In related news, the GAO recently conducted a study that identified the Stryker vehicle as one of the best Defense Department programs. Read the full report here (it's very long, so I wouldn't recommend it if you have a slow connection).
This is pretty amazing. Time magazine has named "The American Soldier" as its "Person of the Year". The TNT carries an Associated Press article describing the honor.
Michael Weisskopf, the journalist embedded with the unit profiled in Time, recently lost his hand when he threw a grenade out of the Humvee he was traveling in. He likely saved the lives of others in the vehicle, including soldiers. In an unique gesture of appreciation, the U.S. Army allowed Weisskopf to be treated at Walter Reed hospital even though he is a civilian.
His photographer, James Nachtwey, was also injured. Marcel was kind enough to forward a link to his online photo gallery if you'd like to see his work.
UPDATE: Here's the Time article.
Last week I had an entry about the structure of the Army and what units are deployed with the Stryker Brigade. Ft. Lewis now has a new website devoted to all six Stryker Brigades. There's plenty of technical info to keep you busy, including this detailed presentation about the command structure of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry. The presentation is a .pdf file, so you need Adobe Acrobat reader to view it.
Good stuff.
The DOD has announced that the fifth and sixth Stryker Brigades have been approved and will be located at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and at the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.
In the comments to another entry Mike asked how the Army units are organized. I have to admit that I'm confused about this as well, but there are some good resources that explain it. About.com provides the following information:
The basic building block of all Army organizations is the individual soldier. A small group of soldiers organized to maneuver and fire is called a squad. As elements of the Army's organizational structure become larger units, they contain more and more subordinate elements from combat arms, combat support and combat service support units.
A company is typically the smallest Army element to be given a designation and affiliation with higher headquarters at battalion and brigade level. This alphanumeric and branch designation causes an "element" to become a "unit."
Squad - 9 to 10 soldiers. Typically commanded by a sergeant or staff sergeant, a squad or section is the smallest element in the Army structure, and its size is dependent on its function.
Platoon - 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with an NCO as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections.
Company or Troop - 62 to 190 soldiers. Three to five platoons form a company, which is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander's principle NCO assistant. An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop.
Battalion or Squadron - 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a command sergeant major as principle NCO assistant. A battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron.
Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operation of two to five organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a colonel with a command sergeant major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored cavalry, ranger and special forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups.
Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded by a major general, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements.
Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As the deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations, the corps provides the framework for multi-national operations.
Army - 50,000 + soliders. Typically commanded by a lieutenant general or higher, an army combines two or more corps.