DefendAmerica - U.S. Defense Dept. War on Terror: 04/08/2004

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Apr 08, 2004

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HOME SWEET HOME — U.S. Army Staff Sgt. James Smith from the 257th Transportation Company holds his 8-month-old son Malik for the first time after returning home to Nevada from a 13-month deployment to Kuwait and Iraq, April 6, 2004. Defense Dept. photo

Bremer Urges Arbaeen Pilgrims To Remain Vigiliant, Cautious

By John D. Banusiewicz / American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 — Security conditions in southern Iraq prompted the coalition's civilian administrator to issue a statement today promising the best possible effort to protect Arbaeen pilgrims while urging them to be vigilant and careful.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are expected to converge on the southern city of Najaf for Arbaeen that starts April 9, a religious observance that commemorates the martyrdom of a Shiia religious leader. More

Rice: No Warning Al Qaeda
Would Use Planes as Bombs

By Gerry J. Gilmore / American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 — Although the U.S. government was aware of the al Qaeda threat, senior policy makers had received no warning that the terrorists would use planes as bombs to attack the homeland, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice told the 9-11 panel here today.
Rice acknowledged to Thomas H. Kean, chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, that she and other senior government officials were "quite cognizant" of al Qaeda prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and realized that "something had to be done."
More

Coalition Working to Pacify
Fallujah, Destroy Sadr Militia

By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 — Coalition forces are working to pacify Fallujah and other parts the Sunni Triangle area, and they are destroying the militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr in the central and southern areas of Iraq, the commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today.
Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 7, said during a briefing from Baghdad that the coalition will not allow thugs, extremists and terrorists to stop the transition to Iraqi sovereignty or to try to control the country with a violent power play. More

Iraq Establishes
National Security Agencies

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 7, 2004 — Iraq took an important step this week by establishing three national security agencies: the Ministry of Defense, the Ministerial Committee for National Security, and a new intelligence service.
Coaltion Provisional Authority officials said these agencies will be headed by civilians, with oversight by the National Assembly, and will cooperate closely to combat terrorists and insurgents. More than 200,000 Iraqis now serve in the Iraqi security forces.

Technology Helps Get
Supplies to Warfighters

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2004 — Defense Department officials met this week with hundreds of vendors to discuss plans for implementing technology common among today's retailers to revolutionize the supply chain to the battlefield. More

First Stryker Brigade
Proves Its Worth in Iraq

WASHINGTON, April 6, 2004 (Army News Service) — A year after conducting its initial operational capabilities testing, the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team is fairing well in Iraq, according to senior Army procurement officials. More

Sign an On-line Thank You Note

Defense Leaders Speak

National Security Advisor
Dr. Condoleezza Rice

"The terrorist threat to our nation did not emerge on September 11th, 2001. Long before that day, radical, freedom-hating terrorists declared war on America and on the civilized world. ... A band of vicious terrorists tried to decapitate our government, destroy our financial system, and break the spirit of America. As an officer of government on duty that day (Sept. 11, 2001), I will never forget the sorrow and the anger I felt. Nor will I forget the courage and resilience shown by the American people and the leadership of the President that day."

Remarks to 9/11 Commission, April 8, 22004

Defense Views

Quotes by U.S. defense leaders

http://www.defendamerica.mil/homecoming/archive.html

Saddam's Capture - A Video from Golf Troops' Perspective

Radio

Television

Rumsfeld Vows Coalition
Will Win 'Test of Will' in Iraq

By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 7, 2004 — The coalition is facing a "test of will" in Iraq, and it will meet that test, Defense Department leaders said at a press briefing today.
"We will certainly not allow fugitives from Iraqi justice to stop progress toward a better life for 25 million people," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said. More

Air Support Helps Marines Breach Wall, Reach Insurgents

7 Photos from Fallujah

Training for Iraqi Freedom 4 More Photos

U.S. Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit board a CH-53E Super Stallion aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan during fast rope training in preparation for Saipan's upcoming scheduled deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Apr. 5, 2004. U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Gary L. Johnson III Photo Essay Archive

Army's Task Force Rock Returns

MANNHEIM, Germany, April 8, 2004 — More than 70 soldiers from 44th Signal Battalion, 7th Signal Brigade returned to Germany April 6, 2004, after a year-long deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. They are the final wave of 44th soldiers redeploying from Iraq. More

Marine Infantry Platoon Provides
Security for Aircraft Unit Convoy

By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. J.L. Zimmer III / 3d Marine Aircraft Wing

AL TAQQADUM, Iraq, April 7, 2004 — The Marines of 1st platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, conducted two nights of security for a convoy of Marines and soldiers bringing 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing gear from here to Al Asad, April 4 through 6. More

Baghdad International Police
Academy Graduates Second Class

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 6, 2004 (Army News Service) — After completing eight physically and mentally demanding weeks of training, 479 men and women officially joined the Iraqi Police Service during a graduation ceremony at the Baghdad Police Academy April 1. More

Benning Drill Sergeants Train Iraqi Soldiers

FORT BENNING, Ga., April 5, 2004 — Ten Fort Benning drill sergeants from B Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, are on the ground in Iraq as part of a pilot program to use American drill sergeants as trainers for the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps. The drill sergeants deployed in January on 179-day orders. More

Iraqis Reject Violence; Say Anti-Coalition Acts Unacceptable

War on Terrorism

. Dept. of Homeland Security Announces WMD Exercise Participants

. NATO, Russia Discuss Cooperation on Terrorism Issues

. Ultimate Success in Afghanistan Demands Ongoing Commitment

. Task Force Ready When Terror Hits Home

. U.S. Sailors, Italians Honor Terror Victims

Iraq

. Sadr Group Influence Wanes Among Iraqi Shiia Population

. LAPD Shares Explosive Expertise with Marines

. Coalition Vows to Defeat Iraqi Insurgency, Restore Order

. Iraq Operation Nets Targets; 12 Marines Killed in Al Anbar

. Ambassador Negroponte Pledges Support of Oil-for-Food Probe

Military News

. North Korea Threatens Northeast Asian, World Security

. Guard, Reserve Program Looks At Mobilizations, Civilian Jobs

. National Guard, Reserve Update

Honoring the Fallen

Camp Dedicated to
2nd Armored Cavalry Soldier

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 8, 2004 — Camp Muleskinner, home of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s support squadron, was renamed in honor a fallen trooper April 1. The base was renamed “Camp Cuervo” in memory of Pfc. Ray D. Cuervo, Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 2nd 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, who was killed in action during a combat reconnaissance patrol in Baghdad on Dec. 28, 2003. More

Defense Officials
Identify Marine Casualties

     WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 — Defense Department officials announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
     Killed were: Lance Cpl. Marcus M. Cherry, 18, of Imperial, Calif., and Pfc. Benjamin R. Carman, 20, of Jefferson, Iowa.
     Both died April 6, due to hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Defense Officials
Identify Army Casualty

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2004 — Defense Department officials announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Spc. Tyanna S. Felder, 22, of Bridgeport, Conn., died April 7, in Balad, Iraq, of injuries sustained on April 4 in Mosul when her convoy vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device. Felder was assigned to the Army’s 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. The incident is under investigation.

U.S. Troops Locate Weapons

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 7, 2004 — U.S. forces found two weapons caches in the vicinity of Surobi, southeast of Bagram Air Base, April 5, 2004, according to Combined Joint Task Force 180 officials. More

. Maps of Afghanistan

Marines Put 'Fast' in
Fast Roping Exercise

FORT PICKETT, Blackstone Va. -- In an effort to achieve future wins for the Marine Corps team, approximately 250 Marines from 3rd Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST) Company, Marine Corps Security Forces Battalion, recently trained at the Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center, Fort Pickett. More

Profile

U.S. Marine Corps
Cpl. Sven Hestrand

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., April 7, 2004 — When the Air Force unveiled its new exercise program many airmen did not think much of it, but for some it was an eye-opener and more of an incentive to get in shape. That is what Master Sgt. Michael Moss thought. More

More Profiles

In Afghanistan

Task Force Phoenix
Welcomes Oklahoma Guard

Oklahoma National Guard soldiers exit a C-17 Globemaster airplane that delivered them to Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Robert R. Ramon

KABUL, Afghanistan, April 8, 2004 — The C-17 Globemaster III made its way to the end of the runway at Kabul International Airport. As the door opened, soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard stepped from the red-lit interior into the darkness of Afghanistan. More

'On The Ground' Archive