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Rumsfeld
in Pacific Rim
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| Secretary
of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld responds to a
reporter's question during an informal press
briefing while en route to Tokyo to meet with
Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on
Nov. 14, 2003. Reuter's reporter Charles Aldinger
(center) and New York Times reporter Thom Shanker
are accompanying Rumsfeld as he travels to
Guam, Japan and South Korea to meet with U.S.
military forces and the local military and
civilian leadership. DoD photo by Tech. Sgt.
Andy Dunaway, U.S. Air Force |
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| Commentary:
The Passenger |
| By U.S.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeramie Brown
/ Air Force News Agency |
RAMSTEIN
AIR BASE, Germany, Nov. 14, 2003, (AFPN) — Like
most Americans, I find that I am pretty
selfish sometimes. I learned just how selfish
on a recent trip to Iraq. I was sitting
on a C-130 Hercules waiting to leave a
location I can’t spell or pronounce,
when we got delayed. I was annoyed. I’d
been traveling for hours trying to get
to my destination and here we were, stuck
in some out-of-the-way place and I was
hot, tired and ready to get there already.
Then it happened. I found out we were waiting
on another passenger.
I didn't know his name. I say ‘his’ but
I didn’t know if he was actually a he or a she. I didn’t know what
branch of service he was in or what rank he was. All I knew was that this passenger
cost me another hour and a half on that plane.
Little did I know how profound an impact "The
Passenger" would have on me. You see, this passenger that we had to wait
on, who delayed our trip and annoyed me and the other passengers, was a casualty
of war. More |
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Presence of U.S. Forces in
Iraq May Continue After June |
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| By K.L. Vantran / American Forces Press Service |
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2003 — U.S. military forces may remain in Iraq when full sovereignty is given to the Iraqi people in June and the Coalition Provisional Authority dissolves, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III, CPA administrator, said in an interview from Baghdad, Iraq, today.
"Every indication we have in our discussions with the governing council (and) with the ministers suggests a strong desire from the majority of the Iraqi people to have the coalition forces stay until the situation is stabilized," he said on Fox News Sunday. "We're in a war against terrorism here, and a low- intensity conflict against former Baathists. We want to help the Iraqis win both of these wars." More |
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International
Partners
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Polish Task Force Celebrates
Independence Day with Exhibition
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 BAGRAM,
Afghanistan — Celebrating their 75th Independence Day,
the Polish Task Force held an open-house exhibition at the
Polish Compound on Bagram Air Base Nov. 11.
The hour-long
exhibition gave coalition partners, who attended the event,
a chance to get an in depth look at
the weaponry and equipment the Polish Task Force uses in
supporting operations in Afghanistan. More |
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Milestone Flight: U.S. Air Force C-5 Transport Arrives at Balad
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| By U.S. Air Force Capt. Monica M. Bland / 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing |
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BALAD SOUTHEAST AIRFIELD, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2003 (AFPN) — The first C-5 Galaxy arrived here Nov. 12, from Dover Air Force Base, Del., increasing the Air Force presence at the Army's Logistical Support Area. A 14-person crew and about 21 truckloads of war materiel were on board the aircraft.
"This event is a significant milestone in support of the global war on terrorism and continuing joint operations in this region," said Col. Frank Padilla, commander of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s Detachment 1.
“The more cargo (the Air Force) can bring in using aircraft can exponentially reduce the amount of vehicle convoys required from Baghdad International Airport, to transport much needed cargo into and out of here," Padilla said. More |
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| Iraqi Freedom `Lessons Learned’ Being Gathered Online, Explored |
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| By Janet Wray / Army News Service |
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FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Nov. 14, 2003 — The Center for Army Lessons Learned at Fort Leavenworth is hosting an Operation Iraqi Freedom Lessons Learned conference in an online collaborative mode that will culminate by bringing soldiers together at Fort Leavenworth in December.
The online worksites started in early November and will conclude when attendees come together at Fort Leavenworth in December to finalize the OIF observations, lessons, and implications that have been explored. More
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Part
One
10th
Mtn. Div. Shows its
Mettle In Operation
Mountain Resolve |
| By
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeramie Brown / Air
Force News Agency |
NURISTAN
PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Soldiers
of the 10th Mountain Division lived up
to their namesake, braving treacherous
terrain and weather to accomplish their
initial ground mission during the launch
of the Coalition Joint Task Force 180’s
latest strike in the war on terrorism,
Operation Mountain Resolve.
Elements
of 10th Mountain Division’s
Warrior Brigade, led by Company B,
2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, air assaulted
into farm fields on the outskirts of
Namgalam Village in the eastern Afghan
province of Nuristan shortly after
nightfall Nov. 6. Upon landing they
immediately began their mountainous
trek that would ultimately end six
days and more than 20 kilometers later
on a mountaintop after reaching their
objective, a suspected Anti Coalition
Militant stronghold. During the first
three nights the large 10th Mountain
Division force traveled along the mountainsides
of the Darrahe Waygal valley along
the Fawerikhwar River. More |
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2nd Armored Cavalry Regt. Troops
Help
Raise Village Living Standards |
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| By U.S. Army Capt. Jason Tolbert / 2nd Armored
Cavalry Regiment |
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 BAGHDAD,
Iraq, Nov. 17, 2003 - The story of the village of El Hamidiya
is one of friendship and cooperation between Iraqi's, coalition
and NGO's.
El Hamidiya is a small village to the north of
Sadr City that was founded in 1958. About 750 families who are predominantly
Shia inhabit the village. Both Fox Troop and Hawk Company from 2nd Squadron,
2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment have engaged the locals and their leadership in
order to improve conditions in this outlying village. More |
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| On Iraq |
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| Mosul Crash Leaves 17 Dead, Five Injured, One Missing |
WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2003 — Seventeen soldiers are dead, five others are injured, and one more still is unaccounted for following today's crash of two U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters in West Mosul, Iraq.
The helicopters crashed about 250 yards apart in a residential neighborhood at about 10:30 a.m. EST, U.S. Central Command officials said.
The injured were taken to the 21st Combat Support Hospital at the Mosul airfield. More |
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Deadline Nears to Send
Packages to Deployed Soldiers |
WASHINGTON, Army News Service, Nov. 14, 2003 — Christmas is a month away, but individuals only have half that time to get their packages to deployed troops in time for the holidays.
The deadline to get packages to the Central Command area in time for Christmas is Dec. 4 by First Class or Priority Mail, according to the United States Postal Service. More |
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Army Theater Group
To Perform in Iraq, Afghanistan |
| FORT BELVOIR, Va., Nov. 13, 2003 (Army News Service) — BRAVO! Army Theatre Touring Company will present “Farley Family Reunion” during the holiday season to lighten spirits of Soldiers deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. More |
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Proud Families Hang Tough
For Late Arriving Loved Ones |
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 BALTIMORE, Nov. 15, 2003 — "Today is Army day," proclaimed 5-year-old Allan 'AJ' Hill II on Nov. 14 as he stood in the arrival area for international flights at Baltimore- Washington International Airport.
"'TiTi' is coming home," he added and quickly looked at his father. "Right, Dad?" A confirming nod from Allan Hill of Reading, Pa., put a smile on the youngster's face. More |
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Operation
Military Pride
Supports Deployed Troops |
WASHINGTON,
Nov. 17, 2003 — Once the children are off to
school, Arlyn
McCoaughry logs onto the computer in her Arizona home
and begins reading e-mails from service members deployed
throughout the world.
As chairperson for Operation Military
Pride, a non-profit organization that
sends letters and care packages to troops deployed
overseas, McCoaughry said
the items most often requested include baby wipes,
junk food, gum, foot powder,
gel insoles, magazines and books.
"These
are the kinds of things we take for granted, but
they obviously need
them," said McCoaughry, who started OMP in 1995.
More |
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| USO Gears
Up Holiday Support |
WASHINGTON,
Nov. 17, 2003 — The United Service Organizations
recently announced
it has teamed up with Armed Forces Entertainment and
Reader's Digest to help
support U.S. troops during the 2003 holiday season.
The
USO, a nonprofit charitable corporation that extends
a touch of home to
military members, will soon send entertainer Wayne
Newton, actor/director Gary
Sinise, singer/television star Chris Isaak, country
music star Neal McCoy and
members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders to entertain
troops stationed in the
Persian Gulf. More |
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| Profile |
| U.S.
Army Capt. Jan Guy |
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TIKRIT,
Iraq — As battalion medical officer for the
124th Signal Battalion in Tikrit, Iraq, U.S. Army
Capt. Jan Guy and her medics keep their hands full
caring for 4th Infantry Division troops.
In addition
to basic aches and pains and injuries from vehicle
and other accidents, they treat serious
wounds received during raids and patrols in the
community, located in the heart of the Sunni Triangle. More |
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Navy Squadron
Supports Bagram Air Base |
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 BAGRAM, Afghanistan, Nov. 17, 2003 — A group of sailors are making history in Afghanistan as they support Operation Enduring Freedom from a forward operating base. More |
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| Humanitarian Effort a Sweet Success |
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| KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — Kuwaiti children along with Coalition Forces officials gathered at Humanitarian Operations Center in Kuwait City Nov. 15 to pass on nearly 2,000 pounds of candy to Iraqi children. More |
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American MPs Share
Tactics with German Counterparts |
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 NEAR CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, Nov. 10, 2003 — Security personnel here supporting Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa participated in bilateral training with their counterparts from the German military November 1 and 2. More |
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| 'On The Ground' Archive |
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Send
Your 'Best Wishes' to the Troops
Pay
tribute to service
members supporting
the global war on
terrorism. Send
your message. Read messages
to the troops. |
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