DefendAmerica 12/09/2003

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Dec 09, 2003

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HOMEWARD BOUND — Senior Airman Joshua Bowman, a crew chief with the 23rd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, waits for his A-10 aircrew to arrive. With the A-10 mission in Iraq now complete, the aircraft flew for the last time at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, back to their home station at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Dec. 4, 2003. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chenzira Mallory

Soldier Dies in Mosul Shooting; Offensive Operations Continue

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

     WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2003 — A drive-by shooting attack today on soldiers guarding a gas station in Mosul, Iraq, left one coalition soldier dead, even as coalition forces continue to take the offensive against the enemies of a stable and free Iraq, officials said today at the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad.
     A U.S. Central Command news release said the soldier who was killed was a member of the Army's 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
     At a news conference that began at 9 a.m. EST today, Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for Combined Joint Task Force 7, said the previous 24 hours had seen coalition forces conduct 1,663 patrols and 14 raids, capturing 76 suspects. More     Briefing

Rumsfeld Wraps Up Overseas Travel With Visit to Baghdad

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

     WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2003 — A first-hand look at Iraqi Civil Defense Corps training and a series of meetings with military, coalition and Iraqi officials made for a busy afternoon in Baghdad Dec. 6 for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
     The Iraqi capital was the last stop of an overseas trip for the secretary, who left Washington Nov. 30 and participated in the Dec. 1-2 NATO defense ministers conference in Brussels, Belgium. Over the next four days, Rumsfeld traveled to Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Georgia and Iraq. A planned stop in Uzbekistan Dec. 5 was cancelled when heavy fog prevented his plane from landing.
      Rumsfeld arrived at about 11 a.m. following a morning visit to Kirkuk, and traveled by helicopter to a forward operating base of the 82nd Airborne Division. At various sites on the compound, he watched U.S. soldiers training ICDC recruits. One group - the newest - was working on drill and marching skills. More

Sec Def Praises U.S. Troop
Dedication, Progress in Iraq

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

SHANNON, Ireland, Dec. 6, 2003 — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld applauded current Georgian leaders' close working relationship and improving conditions in Iraq during a news conference today with reporters en route with him back to Washington.
The secretary said U.S. forces are "wonderful men and women who are dedicated to what they're doing, and they're well-led and well-trained and well-equipped, and in my view are doing an outstanding job." Story

101st Airborne Div.
Soldiers Wounded In Mosul

     MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 9, 2003 — Thirty-one 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) soldiers were wounded when a car bomb exploded near a Tal Afar compound, west of Mosul at approximately 4:45 a.m., today, according to U.S. Central Command officials.
     The wounded soldiers are being treated for injuries. Many of the injuries were minor and none life-threatening.
     Soldiers guarding the compound engaged the oncoming car at an entry-control point, causing the vehicle to stop before detonating. The explosion caused no structural damage to the building, destroying only the building’s windows. A school located across the street from the compound also was damaged.
     The incident is under investigation.

Iraq Weekly Progress Update (Governance, Electricity, Education, Oil, Security, Economics, Health Care)

U.S. Defense Dept. slides with facts &
figures on reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

U.S. State Dept. fact sheet on the latest developments in restoring Iraq's essential services, security, economy & governance.

Defense officials provide an update on the Coalition Provisional Authority & the Iraqi Governing Council agreement that outlines the process of restoring Iraq's sovereignty and the adoption of a permanent constitution.

Sixth-Grade Winners
Offer Their Insights

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 2003 — Lindsey Rettke from Mililani, Hawaii, has watched her father deploy in the name of freedom throughout her life. In the Weekly Reader’s Operation Tribute to Freedom essay contest, she remembered being “a confused and scared 5-year-old girl, clinging to my dad’s leg” and not wanting to let go as he deployed to Bosnia.
Four years later, Lindsey remembers that “tears rolled down my cheek” as she hugged her father goodbye when he deployed to Kuwait. “But once again,” she wrote, “my mom told me not to worry.” More

. More essays

New Testing Makes Stennis
Chemical Defenses Stronger

USS JOHN C. STENNIS, Dec. 7, 2003 (NNS) — Personnel aboard USS John C. Stennis who attended gas mask testing last month were in for a surprise: a more detailed and stringent testing process.
Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Dever from the Equipment Assessment Unit, Joint Service Assessment Program, said the program has been using Navy-wide Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Readiness Improvement Program on ships for the past 15 months. Story

Radio

Television

Insurgent Success Rate Down,
4th Infantry Gen. Tells Sec Def

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

KIRKUK, Iraq, Dec. 6, 2003 — Attacks against coalition forces in northern Iraq have dropped significantly in recent weeks, and 95 percent of them fail to hurt coalition personnel or even damage coalition vehicles, the commander of the Army's 4th Infantry Division told visiting Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld here today.
Maj. Gen. Raymond Odierno said that while the numbers of attacks went up at first when insurgents changed to more "stand-off" kinds of attacks using improvised explosive devices and rocket and mortar attacks, the attacks have fallen off as more and more factors are working against the insurgents. More

Rumsfeld Visits Iraq More Photo Essays

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld poses for a photo with troops taking part in Operation Bayonet Lighting in Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 6, 2003. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Andy Dunaway 7 More Photos

U.S. Troops Help Search for Lost Kuwaitis

KUWAIT CITY, Dec. 3, 2003 — A group of Army Reservists working for the 377th Theater Support Command from New Orleans is helping the Kuwaiti government unravel a decade-old puzzle that results from one of that country's darkest periods.
The Reservists, from various Civil Affairs units from around the United States, are working with the Kuwaitis as they try to determine what happened to 605 people-including 572 Kuwaitis and workers from eight other countries-who were taken prisoner by Iraq during its occupation of Kuwait, which began in August 2,1990 and lasted until the liberation on Feb. 26, 1991. More

Rumsfeld Praises Georgia for Assistance in War on Terror

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

TBILISI, Georgia, Dec. 5, 2003 — With mounting concern in this former Soviet republic over Russia's behavior in the region and a new interim government still finding its feet, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld toured a U.S.-sponsored military training facility and met with key leaders here today.
In a joint press conference with acting president Nino Burdzhanadze, Rumsfeld said the United States agrees with Georgia that Russia needs to live up to its obligations under the so-called Istanbul Accords of 1999 to withdraw its forces from Georgia, except for a 2,500- to 3,000-member peacekeeping force in a troubled region of the country. Story

. Secretary of Defense Visits U.S. Georgia Train, Equip Program

International Partners

U.S., French Forces Make History with Commando School

Service members with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa conduct Zodiac training with a French Foreign Legion instructor during French Commando Training at Arta Plage. The training was the first time American forces have gone through the three-week commando course that was held by French Foreign Legion instructors. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bradly Shaver

ARTA PLAGE, Djibouti, Dec. 7, 2003 — Personnel supporting the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa made history recently when they became the first Americans to graduate from the French Commando School here.
Twenty soldiers and five Marines completed the three-week course and received the French Commando medal and a certificate of completion. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chris Fields said the training with the French is essential to the mission in the Horn of Africa of detecting, deterring and defeating transnational terrorists in the region. More

Operation Rifles Blitz:
'Bandit Troop' Goes on the Offensive

     HUSAYBAH, Iraq — Bandit Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, from Fort Carson, Colo., went on the offensive in one of Iraq’s most volatile towns, Husaybah during Operation Rifles Blitz.
      "It's a nice place to visit, but I would hate to live here," said Pfc. Carl Roush, a scout with Bandit Troop.
      Roush and the others of Bandit Troop recalled their stay in the city’s Baath Party headquarters from Oct. 18 to Nov. 8 and Operation Rifles Blitz began Nov. 20. Story

U.S. Army Reserve MPs Train
Iraqi Police at Weapons Range

By U.S. Army Cpl. Todd Pruden / 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Cpl. Ernesto Pinedo, a military policeman with the 382nd Military Police Detachment, 18th Military Police Brigade, assists an Iraqi policeman with clearing his weapon at a firing range in Baghdad. U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Todd Pruden      BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 8, 2003 — Iraqi Police Service officers had the chance to hone their skills on a live-fire weapons range for the first time with the help of soldiers of the 382nd Military Police Detachment.
      The Army Reserve unit from San Diego is assigned to the 18th Military Police Brigade, part of Task Force 1st Armored Division.
     The weapons training is part of a three-week course called the Iraqi Police Integration Program. The program is intended to teach the existing Iraqi police basic weapons fundamentals and tactics and to brush up on their police skills. More

Global War on Terrorism

. Myers: Transformation Vital to Fighting Global War On Terror

. Rumsfeld in Azerbaijan; Talks Include NATO, War on Terror

On Iraq

. Bush Surprises Troops, World With Thanksgiving in Baghdad

. Sanchez: More Mobile Force Will Have 'Right Blend' of Units

On Afghanistan

. Rumsfeld Meets with Karzai, Notes Progress in Afghanistan

. Rumsfeld Visits Afghanistan, Praises Reconstruction Team

Military News

. Wolfowitz Accepts Patriot Award On U.S. Defense Team's Behalf

. National Guard, Reserve Update

Send your 'Best Wishes' to the men and women in uniform supporting the global war on terror
Send your message
Read other messages

Video Project Sends
‘Hearts Across Water’

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 4, 2003 (Army News Service) — Duty in Baghdad kept U.S. Army Pfc. Al Simons away from his family’s Thanksgiving dinner, but an American Red Cross project is making sure he’ll soon get a recap of the holiday feast.
With Project Video Connect, family and friends can send free visual messages to troops through electronic mail. More

Sign an On-line Thank You Note

	U.S. Views — Quotes by President Bush & other U.S. leaders
	Defense Views — Quotes by U.S. defense leaders
	Maps of Iraq — Maps of the nation of Iraq and the region

Secretary of Defense
Donald H. Rumsfeld

“Our force today is … trained, equipped, experienced, combat hardened, benefiting from lessons learned in Afghanistan, benefiting from lessons learned in Iraq, benefiting from lessons learned in the post-major conflict portion of Iraq.”

Remarks during return
flight from Baghdad, Dec. 7, 2003

. Maps of Iraq

. Maps of Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, December 9, 2003 - A Pakistani engineer working on the Ring Road project near Mukur in the Ghazni province was killed when he and five other workers - two other Pakistani engineers and three Afghans -- were attacked with small arms fire by an undetermined enemy element about 5 p.m. Monday. Local investigating officials report that a suspect has been placed under control for questioning. More

More Afghanistan Update Details

Profile

U.S. Army
Capt. Darryl M. Butler

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, Dec. 3, 2003) — Ingenuity and improvisation have been hallmarks of the U.S. Army since its inception. Whether it is making something faster, easier, deadlier or safer, soldiers always find a way to improve upon what they are issued.
An improvising reservist has been using his engineering skills to help provide better protection to soldiers riding around Iraq in unarmored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. More

More Profiles

Staff Sgt. Kim Almodovar, a member of the 222nd Broadcast Operations Detachment in Iraq, sends holiday wishes to her loved ones at home in Altadena, Calif.

In Afghanistan

Rapid Equipping Force
Gives Soldiers the Technical Edge

Spc. William Grau, Combined Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force, unloads a box of school supplies for the school at Deh Kwaja. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Zia Ul Haq / 211th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — In the war on terrorism, the U.S. Army fights in an environment it has never before experienced. With so many changes, the soldiers must also adjust and adapt their fighting techniques.
This calls for a high demand of new and innovative equipment. The solution to these in-field needs of the Army is the Rapid Equipping Force. Story

In Iraq

Ordnance Disposal
Ensures Runway Safety

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Dustin Heines, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, prepares to disarm an unexploded munition. Heines is assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's EOD flight, and is deployed from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chris Stagner TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) — Remnants from the 1991 Gulf War still reside here, and the 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron's explosive ordnance disposal team is ensuring those remnants are not able to put people in harm's way. More

'On The Ground' Archive