Dear Friends and Family,
Operation Phantom Phoenix is continuing to have successful missions every day, alongside of the continued rebuilding of Iraq. The pictures of our troops at schools with the children has pride written all over them. Enjoy!
Joanna
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
Op Phantom Phoenix air strikes take out al-Qaeda training area
By Sgt. Jason Stadel, 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.
BAGHDAD - Air strikes dropped 10,000 pounds of munitions Jan. 16 on bunkers in Arab Jabour used by al-Qaeda as training sites for new recruits.
Intel led the 2nd BCT, 3rd ID, Fort Stewart, Ga. to the location of the AQI bunkers. Air
Force B-1 Bombers dropped 19 GBU-31s on the site. "This op maintains the momentum of Op Thunderbolt by denying enemy sanctuaries and enemy caches, ultimately downgrading
their capabilities," said Maj. James Wilburn, daytime chief of ops. South of Zambraniyah, Soldiers from the 6th Sqdrn, 8th Cav Regt., 4th BCT, 3rd ID found 2 booby-trapped houses while on a foot patrol.
Air support was called by 6-8 Cav. to destroy the houses. Navy F-18 jets dropped a 500-pound bomb on each of the houses.
Op Marne Thunderbolt, a part of the country-wide Op Phantom Phoenix, continues to relentlessly pursue al-Qaeda and other extremists elements operating south of Baghdad.
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Local Iraqi farmer assists U.S. Forces
By Sgt. 1st Class Gary L. Qualls, Jr.
1st BCT, 82nd Abn. Div.
BAGHDAD - U.S. Soldiers received a bag of weapons from a local farmer near Ad Diwaniyah Jan. 12.
Soldiers with Troop A, 3rd Bn., 73rd Cav. Regt., were patrolling when they were told to investigate a weapons cache. The Soldiers were shown a bag of weapons the farmer turned in, which contained a cache of explosive material, consisting of 17 sticks of commercial grade C4, several boosters, 2 propelling charges and 2 coolant units.
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Baquba celebrates reopening of local school
An Iraqi SF member watches over students at a newly reopened school before the official opening ceremony in east Baquba, Jan. 16.
Staff Sgt. Scharre Paul, 431st Civil Affairs, poses for a photo with students. Staff Sgt. Paul assisted with the reopening of the school for six months before a reopening ceremony.
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