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May 18, 2004
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DHS Threat & Protection Advisory Level - Yellow: Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks
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GUARDING THE HOMELAND— U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Michael E. Lehocky, executive officer of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Houston, flies an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter during a security flight over a petrochemical facility in Texas City, Texas, May 10, 2004. The mission is part of Operation Noble Eagle to protect the U.S. homeland. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Warrant Officer Robert D. Wyman
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U.S. Taking Steps for June 30
Sovereignty Transfer in Iraq
By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service
     WASHINGTON, May 18, 2004 — The U.S. government is taking steps to be ready for the transition of sovereignty to Iraq on June 30, government officials told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today.
     Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said their departments are doing what they can to prepare for life after the Coalition Provisional Authority goes away. More
Salim Assassination Won't
Dampen Coalition's Resolve
By Gerry J. Gilmore / American Forces Press Service
     WASHINGTON, May 18, 2004 — Despite yesterday's killing of a senior Iraqi official, the U.S. remains resolved to see through the establishment of a democratic Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority's chief spokesman said in Baghdad today.
     The CPA regularly reviews security needs for U.S. and Iraqi officials, Dan Senor told reporters during a news conference. Izzedin Salim, the head of the Iraqi Governing Council, was killed during a suicide bomb blast near the coalition's headquarters compound in Baghdad. Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, Senor noted, was chosen to replace Salim. More
Bremer: Slain Iraqi Leader a 'Constant Source of Strength'
War on Terror 'Mission of a Generation,' Rumsfeld Says
By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service
     WASHINGTON, May 17, 2004 — The war on terror will be the mission of a generation, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told the Heritage Foundation here today. Rumsfeld said Americans cannot expect the war on terror to be easy or short.
     The secretary said that since Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have known they have a mission to perform. "The global war on terror, like the Cold War before it, will be the work of a generation," Rumsfeld said. "Terrorists will strike at will." More
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Abuse Scandal Gives Lesson on Democratic Processes
U.S. Army Infantry Brigade in
South Korea to Deploy to Iraq
By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service
     WASHINGTON, May 17, 2004 — About 3,600 members of the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division will deploy to Iraq from the Republic of Korea, Defense Department officials confirmed today. The troops will begin deploying to Iraq in mid-summer, a senior official said speaking on background.
     The United States has decision can be made with impunity, because of the beefed-up capabilities the United States has on the Korean peninsula, the official said. More
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The New Iraq: Feature Section
Coalition Provisional Authority Update
Time Line of Events in Iraq: 2003-2004
Legavy of Terror: Mass Graves
Today's Iraq: A Year of Progress
A Year in Iraq: The Mission (Flash photo slideshow)
On the Ground in Iraq Iraq's 55 Most Wanted Maps of Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
Weekly Progress Report (Adobe PDF slides)
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Defense Leaders Speak
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President George W. Bush
"Not all terrorist networks answer to the same orders and same leaders, but all terrorists burn with the same hatred. They hate all who reject their grim vision of tyranny. They hate people who love freedom...And they count their victories in the death of the innocent."
American Israel Public Affairs Committee,
May 18, 2004
Defense Views
Quotes by U.S. defense leaders
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Defense Officials Taking Steps to
Halt Vehicle Deaths in Iraq
     WASHINGTON, May 18, 2004 — Buckle up your seat belt and don't drive too fast. This age-old advice applies as much on the streets of Baghdad as on Main Street USA.
     Vehicle accidents - involving both tactical and nontactical vehicles - are the leading cause of noncombat fatalities in Iraq. According to J.T. Coleman from the Army Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., most result from excessive speed and not wearing seat belts.  More
Granite Thunder 2004
Tests Emergency Response
     NEW BOSTON AIR FORCE STATION, N.H. , May 18, 2004 — A little-known Air Force station in New Hampshire was the focal point for hundreds of emergency workers May 15 as they responded to a simulated terrorist attack involving a weapon of mass destruction.
     The exercise, named Granite Thunder 2004, encompassed more than 20 local, state and federal agencies to respond to an attack that combined explosives with chemical agents. More
Defense Officials
Identify Casualities
     WASHINGTON, May 18, 2004 — The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three soldiers and two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. More
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Transformation
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Rugged Robot Helps Troops
'See Around the Corner'
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     WASHINGTON, May 17, 2004 — Troops can throw it around a corner, through a window, up the stairs, on the roof or in a cave and the rugged Dragon Runner will land on its feet and continue its mission. The 9-pound portable surveillance robot is designed to save service members' lives by allowing tactical troops to "see around the corner" in an urban environment. More
More Transformation News
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Suggestion Program
Moves to Internet
WASHINGTON, Army News Service, May 17, 2004 — Soldiers and Department of the Army civilians can now go online to offer Army suggestions — and possibly win some cash. The Army Suggestion Program went online May 17. More
A Year in Iraq - The Mission
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Coalition Provisional Authority, The Path to Democracy
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The Coalition Bulletin - pdf document
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Saddam's Capture - A Video from Golf Troops' Perspective
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Marines Show Local Leaders
Detention Facility Operations
By Jim Garamone / American Forces Press Service
     RAMADI, Iraq, May 17, 2004 — Marines and soldiers assigned to the 1st Marine Division opened the gates to a detention facility in Ar Ramadi to allow local leaders to inspect conditions and gather first-hand knowledge from interaction with detainees.
     Seventeen Iraqi officials, including the governor of Al Anbar Province, toured the detention facility May 15. The group received a brief describing how the facility operates and how detainees are cared for. The guests were able to see a typical cell and screening room. Several cells were opened and the guests were allowed to speak with some of the detainees. More
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Photo Essay - banner image
Training Iraqi Forces 9 More Photos
Photo, caption below.
Iraqi basic trainees march in review during drill and ceremonies training at the Iraqi Armed Forces Basic Training course. Defense Department photo. Photo Essay Archive
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Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq Trains Nation's New Security Forces
By U.S. Army Sgt. Jared Zabaldo / Office of Security Cooperation
     BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 18, 2004 — Training a new army, building a new police force and securing a new nation from internal and external dangers are no small tasks. But that's exactly what the Office of Security Cooperation, a division of the Coalition Provisional Authority headquartered here, is charged with accomplishing.
     The organization, formerly referred to as the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team, has metamorphosed into the larger Office of Security Cooperation with two training prongs. More
Medics Provide Multifaceted Care
By U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Sean E. Cobb / 447th Air Expeditionary Group
Staff Sgt. Dan Schiro (left) sets up an X-ray shot of Staff Sgt. Fitzroy Munroe's hand using a field portable X-ray unit. Sergeant Schiro is a medical technician with the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron. Sergeant Munroe is a dental technician with the squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Sean E. Cobb     CAMP SATHER, Iraq, May 17, 2004 — Medical technicians here are perfecting the art of multitasking.
     Although they receive initial training in a variety of jobs, at a home base the technicians are usually only assigned one job at a time, said Master Sgt. Bill Wnek, the 447th Expeditionary Medical Squadron’s nursing services superintendent. Not so in Iraq. Story
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U.S. Marines and Afghan Soldiers
Work Together for Nation's Future
By U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks / 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
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Accompanied by an Afghan National Army soldier, far right in green, Marines from Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines search a farmer's well for caches of arms and ammunition. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks     FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan, May 18, 2004 — As the Marines and sailors of Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines patrol the rugged mountains of south-central Afghanistan, interspersed among their tri-color desert uniforms are the green uniforms of the Afghan National Army. More
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Rebuilding Iraq - banner image
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Baghdad Town Hall Meeting
Paves Way for Upcoming Elections
     BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 17, 2004 — The most recent Baghdad Town Hall meeting offered a lively and educational exchange that promoted broad acceptance of the electoral process leading up to national elections.
     It featured a panel including United Nations officials and a Governing Council member, over 250 Baghdad citizens in attendance, and nearly two dozen Baghdad media outlets plus western journalists. More
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Marines From Task Force 1-37 Armor Move Out for Operation Rapier Thrust
By U.S. Army Spc. Andrew Meissner / 1st Armored Division
     With Task Force 1-37, Iraq, May 18, 2004 — Many of the solders of the 1st Armored Division’s 1st Battalion, 37th Armor Regiment, “Bandits,” are closing in on their first year of deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom. And, with this anniversary comes a change in scenery and missions for the Bandits. More
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War on Terrorism
War on Terror Requires Next Generation to Meet Challenges
President Thanks Troops for Efforts in War on Terrorism
Iraq
Roadside Bomb Releases Small Traces of Sarin Gas in Baghdad
Coalition Provides Broad Security for Iraqi Officials
Powell Confident United States Will 'Stay the Course' in Iraq
Military News
Task Force Recommends Plan to Prevent Sexual Assaults
Veterans Affairs Reaches Out To Newest Combat Veterans
. National Guard, Reserve Update
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National Military Appreciation Month, May 2004
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"All of us are truly grateful for your sacrifice and service. May God richly bless and protect you." Karl Duff and family, Canton, GA
Send a Message     Read Messages
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America Pays Tribute to the Troops
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Quilts Bring Comfort
To Deployed Troops' Kids
Lynne Grates, executive director of the Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Armed Services YMCA, and volunteer Ann Flaherty, who initiated the Operation Kid Comfort program, pose with a sample of the daddy and mommy quilts that are given to children of deployed service members. Grates and Flaherty were presented the Raytheon Program Achievement Award for the Best New Program category during the ASYMCA 17th Annual Recognition Luncheon on Capitol Hill. Photo by Rudi WilliamsWASHINGTON, May 18, 2004 — Ann Flaherty's 18-month-old grandson was suffering from the emotional stress of his father not coming home from work as he usually did. He carried pictures of his dad around, and began having temper tantrums and difficulty sleeping. More
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NASCAR HONORS — U.S. Army Racing team member, Joe Nemechek, marches through a cordon of soldiers at the Richmond International Raceway during pre-race festivities for NASCAR's Chevy American Revolution 400, May 15, 2004. The soldiers are from the 49th Quartermaster Group, at Fort Lee, Va., who recently returned from support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Army photo by Travis Edwards
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starSign an On-line Thank You Note
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Honoring the Fallen
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Marines Honor Fallen Comrade
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Navy Lt. John D. Hoke, chaplain for Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, leads Marines in prayer as they remember Cpl. Ronald S. Payne Jr., who was killed in a firefight with Taliban insurgents. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jemssy Alvarez      FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan, May 18, 2004 — Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing a muscular 270 pounds, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Ronald S. Payne had a hard time fitting through the rear hatch of his light armored vehicle. More
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Profile
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Marine Cpl. Tim Mantell, a database administrator at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., recently took part in a play at Theatre Albany. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Denyelle D. D'Aveta      MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga., May 18, 2004 — Stage make-up, costumes and singing are not normally associated with the title United States Marine. However, for Cpl. Tim Mantell, a database administrator at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., they are. More
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On the Ground
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In Afghanistan
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Marines Secure Khas Oruzgan
Capt. Jeff Buffa, 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), meets with village elders in Khas Oruzgan, Afghanistan, May 10, 2004. Buffa and Marines from the 22d MEU (SOC) recently established a forward operating base in the village in an attempt to thwart Taliban and anti-coalition military operations. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Capt. Eric Dent      KHAS ORUZGAN, Afghanistan, May 17, 2004 — Villagers in northern Oruzgan Province curiously watched as a 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) task force rolled through the dusty, unpaved streets in heavily armed vehicles and established a base of operations at the recently attacked district headquarters. More
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In Iraq
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Marines Share Goodies
With Iraqi Children
Lance Cpl. Manuel R. Aranda, wireman, Alpha Company, Marine Wing Communication Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, takes a swing at a softball during the first game played on Locust Field in Al Asad, Iraq, May 12. The game was played between the Marines and Sailors who developed and pioneered the softball field, the Marines of MWCS-38 and the 'Sea Bees' of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14.     CAMP ZADAN, Iraq, May 18, 2004 — Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment conducted a bit of "street diplomacy" here recently. The Marines fanned out to the villages surrounding the camp passing out coloring books and tackling infrastructure projects to improve living conditions for the Iraqis. More
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'On The Ground' Archive
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