DefendAmerica - U.S. Defense Dept. War on Terror: 07/21/2004

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Jul 21, 2004

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MOUNTAIN PATROL — U.S. soldiers from 1/168th Infantry Battalion patrol a mountain during a spring well assessment in Allasai, Afghanistan, July 19, 2004. The soldiers are working with the Parwan Provincial Reconstruction Team as part of the coalition effort to rebuild Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Thomas Bray

Aircraft Destroy Two Enemy Positions

ARABIAN GULF, July 21, 2004 — Strike fighter squadrons of Carrier Air Wing 17, currently embarked on USS John F. Kennedy operating in the Middle East region in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, destroyed two anti-Iraqi positions July 20, after dropping bombs on identified targets. Story

Troops Detain Two After Convoy Attack

Soldiers Capture Suspects in Rocket Attacks

Congress Eyes Special Ops Retention

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2004 — Retaining special operations personnel is crucial to the global war on terrorism, according to special operations senior enlisted advisers, who testified today before the House Armed Services Committee's Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee. Story

Terror War Puts Demands on Special Ops

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2004 — Special operations forces are deployed worldwide, but changes have made the operations tempo for those forces "difficult, but manageable," officials said before Congress today. Story

Afghan National Army Marks Graduation

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, July 20, 2004 — Sixty Afghan National Army officers from the ranks of captain to colonel graduated from the second Command and General Staff College July 19 in Macroriyan, Kabul, according to Combined Forces Command-Afghanistan officials. Story

Rumsfeld: Progress Evident in Terror War

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2004 — The United States and its coalition partner nations are making progress in the war against global terrorism, according to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Story

Defense Leaders Speak

Secretary of Defense
Donald H. Rumsfeld

"A lot of people said when the attack came on Sept. 11 that there goes the transformation process and I said quite the contrary. The attacks on Sept. 11 prove the urgent need to transform the department so that we’re arranged for the challenges and the threats and the difficulties of the 21st century. And in fact, that’s proven to be the case. It’s given an impetus to everything we’re doing."

Interview on WDUN Radio, July 16, 2004

U.S. Military Academy Helps
To Build Afghanistan's 'West Point'

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 21, 2004 — Teams of officers from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and officers from the Office of Military Cooperation – Afghanistan are working with their Afghan counterparts to establish the National Military Academy of Afghanistan and model it after West Point. Story

More Afghanistan News

Task Force Lancer
Helps Iraqi Babies

AL THAWRA, Baghdad, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — As part of a plan to improve health care services in the Al Thawra district of Baghdad, soldiers delivered two large truckloads of medical equipment totaling $170,000 to the Habi Bija Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics Hospital. Story

Iraq Stock Exchange Boosts Private Sector

Iraqi Reconstruction Archive

Military Photographers on the Frontlines Flash Slide Show

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

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

Night Shift (5 more photos)

An E2-C Hawkeye begins pre-flight checks on the flight deck aboard USS John F Kennedy in the Arabian Gulf, July 15, 2004. The Kennedy and embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 are taking part in missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom during the aircraft carrier's deployment supporting the Navy's new Fleet Response Plan Summer Pulse 2004. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Karsten More Photo Essays

PX Serves Marines Keeping Eye on Fallujah

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — On most days it does a booming business, even with the air conditioner out and the overpowering smell of camouflaged utilities drenched in sweat and baked in the relentless desert sun. Story

Air Force Communications Vital to Army in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 19, 2004 — Even though Capt. Alycia Vrosh is afraid of heights, she climbs up a ladder to check on communication equipment atop the Al Faw Palace here. Story

Iraqi Power Grid Increases Capacity

BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 19, 2004 – Another week, another addition to the overall power capacity of the constantly improving Iraqi power grid as 17 megawatts were added due to the addition of a new generator unit in Taiji, according the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Division, Restore Iraqi Electricity Directorate. Story

Iraqi Reconstruction Archive

Capital Region Guard Units Sign Aid Agreement

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2004 — District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia National Guard officials signed a historic mutual aid agreement recently making it possible for their people to respond to a “critical incident” in the National Capital Region. Story

Marines, Navy Doctors Help Injured Iraqi Boy

CAMP AL ASAD, Iraq, July 18, 2004 – Quick reactions from Iraqi Border Police and 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion helped a local teenager receive medical treatment for serious burns recently. Story

War on Terrorism

• Up-Armored Vehicles Protect Marine Convoys

• Guantanamo Detainees Notified of Rights

• Defense Dept. Creates Office of Detainee Affairs

Iraq

• Security Mission Shifts to Iraqi Forces

• Mongolia Signs On for Third Iraq Rotation

• Philippines Withdraws Troops from Iraq

. Marines, Soldier Killed; First Iraqi National Guard Class Graduates

Military News

• Marines Recognized for Role in Terror War

• Soldier Awarded Silver Star With Valor

• Privatization Improves Military Housing

• 'We Do Not Need a Draft,' Rumsfeld Says

• Call-Up Allows Army to Deploy Cohesive Teams

. National Guard, Reserve Update

Commander Meets
With African Leaders

STUTTGART, Germany, July 21, 2004 — Gen. Charles F. Wald, deputy commander, U.S. European Command, traveled to Nigeria, Rwanda, Uganda, Gabon, Sao Tome and Ghana July 12-16, to meet with leaders and discuss the growing strategic value of the continent, according to U.S. European Command officials. Story

Honoring the Fallen

Marines Remember
Fallen Engineer

CAMP MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq, July 19, 2004 — Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., came together July 19 to remember Lance Cpl. Bryan P. Kelly, who was killed in action July 16. Story

Student Makes Quilts for
Families of Fallen Soldiers

ARLINGTON, Va., July 20, 2004 — College student Jessica Porter was quilting and watching the news on the war with a friend in May 2003. They wanted to do something to support the troops and decided to make a quilt for each of the families of troops who lost their lives while serving their county. Story

Sign an On-line Thank You Note

Profile

U.S. Air Force Majs.
Shawna O'Brien & Dawn Keasley

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill., July 20, 2004 — Twin sisters, Majs. Shawna O'Brien and Dawn Keasley, assumed command of two Air Mobility Command mission support squadrons on the same day recently. Story More Profiles

In Southwest Asia

Airman-Soldiers Set
To Move Into Iraq

SOUTHWEST ASIA, July 20, 2004 — More than 150 Airmen completed the final stages of live-fire convoy training here July 16 before deploying north to Mosul as part of the 494th Air Expeditionary Force Truck Company. Story

In Iraq

Troops Compete in
`Iron Soldier’ Contest

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, July 20, 2004 — Some of the most physically fit soldiers deployed throughout Iraq ignored heat, dust and the constant potential of hostile fire to compete July 17 in the “Iron Soldier” contest. Story

'On The Ground' Archive