Dear Interested Reader,
Violence in Iraq drops to 6-year low. Iraqi M1A1 Tank Program Mgrs. visit Besmaya Range Complex. Iraqis assume responsibilities of FOB Iskan. GoI hands out diplomas to new generator mechanics. More than 50 tribal leaders gathered for the 1st time ever for a Security Agreement Conference. K-9 team teaches IA use of dogs in missions. From Afghanistan comes an inspiring story of Miss Utah, Combat Medic. Kuwait logistics Center improves supply pipeline to Afghanistan, in time for troop buildup.
Joanna
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Feb. 25, 2009
Blackanthem Military News
K9 team teaches IA use of dogs in mission
CAMP ECHO -
Army Sgt Troy Stiner of the 2nd Special Troops Bn, 2nd BCT, 4th ID, lets his dog, SSgt. Ruby, off her leash to chase after a fleeing suspect during house clearing drills at Camp Diwaniya, Feb. 18. Stiner and his fellow dog handlers have joined the Iraqi Soldiers to help them become more comfortable working with dogs.
(AF photos by Senior Airman Eric Harris)
Marine SSgt. Chris Willingham, assigned to the 2nd Special Troops Bn, and his dog GnySgt. Lucca, wait to begin searching a training house with Iraqi Soldiers.
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American Forces Press Service
Violence in Iraq Drops to Six-Year Low
By John J. Kruzel
BAGHDAD — Feb. 22, Army Maj. Gen. David Perkins, director for strategic effects at MNF - Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad the downtick in violence marks a 90% decrease since the surge of U.S. troops began in 2007.
Contributing to the improved security are the growing Iraqi SF, which have increased the size of their ranks from 463,000 last year to 618,000 now – a 25% boost.
“It's not only an increase in the size and numbers, but the capability such as planning, orchestrating these very complicated ops, and then leading throughout the country of Iraq,” Perkins said. He added that Iraqi forces led and planned security for the countrywide provincial elections last month, in which some 7 million Iraqis participated in balloting that featured 14,000 registered candidates. “On election day this year, there were no attacks which resulted in any disruption to any of the voting that went on,” Perkins said. “This is in comparison to the last national election period in 2005, where we had hundreds of attacks on election day, with 44 deaths.”
“If you take a look at emerging democracies, historically, it is generally the second election that is sometimes more difficult than the first election,” the general said. “By the time the second election comes, those who may have to lose power or give up power are not necessarily as excited about doing that. “But the fact that we've had this second election and a very large number of people participating, both as candidates and as voters,” he continued, “shows the enthusiasm that Iraqis have for the democratic process here in Iraq.”
The agreement between Washington and Baghdad stipulates that American combat forces pull back from cities and villages to major bases by June 30. “There's no doubt that we will be out of the cities by June,” Perkins said.
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Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Phoenix Base
APO AE 09348
Iraqi M1A1 Tank Program Mgrs visit Besmaya Range Complex
BESMAYA – IA and Coalition partners traveled to Besmaya Range Complex Feb. 23 for an update on the new M1A1 Abrams training program underway. U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Salazar, cmdr., Joint HQ Army Advisory Training Team, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, accompanied IA Brig. Gen. Hazim, Col. Razzaq, and Col. Ameer, program mgrs for the M1A1 Abrams tank fielding for the IA.
The visit consisted of a tour of an M1A1 Abrams tank, a question-and-answer session with the top Iraqi student, Lt. Husham Ali, and finally an exhilarating ride in the M1A1 designed to demonstrate the speed and maneuverability of the weapons platform.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Timothy Renshaw, Coalition Senior Advisor - Besmaya Combat Training Center, briefed training scenarios and the objectives of the intense tank training to the program managers. Detailing the steps involved in completing the course, he said, “They first learn how to operate the main gun, and then advance to acquiring multiple targets.”
Husham, currently a student in the train-the-trainer course, was asked about his impression of the training to-date. He replied, “The combination of hands-on training and classroom training is very effective. The training is difficult, but we are dedicated to completing each training scenario. We do not leave the training area until the mission is complete, no matter if it is past normal duty hours.”
The Iraqi M1A1 Abrams students have the opportunity to train with simulators to familiarize themselves with the ops of the weapons system. Husham said, “We cannot tell the difference between training in the simulators (on the weapons systems), compared to the real thing. Using the simulators is an effective way to learn the weapons system and gain confidence before live-fire training.”
Mr. Mark Bangsboll, JHAATT M1A1 Project Officer/Advisor, stated, “Currently, the first 4 American tanks are at Besmaya Range Complex, with another 18 to be delivered within the next month. The 22 tanks will be used to train 11 Iraqi tank crews in each of 13 future 45-day rotations. Iraq has purchased 140 M1A1 Abrams tanks, scheduled for delivery in August 2010.”
Salazar added, “We currently have 30 Iraqis in the M1A1 Train-the-Trainer course for the first phase of the process. The second phase will involve these new instructors training the new crews. They are committed to providing the best possible training to the IA before they receive the first new tanks.”
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Iraqis assume responsibilities of FOB Iskan
Lt. Col Steven Miska delivers a speech during a transfer of authority ceremony.
(Army photos by Pfc. Bethany L. Little)
FOB ISKAN - Soldiers, IP and power plant workers gathered to transfer authority of FOB Iskan from CF to the Ministry of Electricity during a ceremony, Feb. 22, signifying that the GoI has the capability to secure the Musayyib Thermal Power Plant.
Al-Yasseri, the Gen. Dir. of Ops at the Ministerial Presidency, and Lt. Col. Steven Miska, cmdr, 1st Bn, 2nd Inf Regt, both spoke about what it meant to transfer the responsibility for FOB Iskan over to Iraqi officials. "This transfer of authority reinforces the Iraqi govt's independence and demonstrates the capabilities of the Iraqis," said Miska.
Lt. Col. Mary Morehouse, Dep. Dir. of Personnel, Logistics and Resource Mgt for MNF- Iraq, and Al-Yasseri, signed the official paperwork. "The Iraqis have come to a point where they can stabilize security on and around the FOB " said Capt. Bradley Kinser, the HHC Cmdr, 1st Bn., 2nd Inf. Regt.
The Musayyib Thermal Power Plant is located on FOB Iskan. The power plant provides power to the majority of Babil Province and 25% of the electricity to Baghdad.
CF maintained the security on the FOB, while the Iraqis fixed and continued to work in the power plant. Approx. 1,600 employees work at the power plant.
Al-Yasseri and Lt. Col. Mary Morehouse, prepare to sign the official transfer paperwork.
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GoI hand diplomas to new generator mechanics
BAGHDAD -
A graduate of a generator repair training course walks to receive his diploma at a Feb. 23 ceremony held to honor the course graduates in the Karkh district of northwest Baghdad. The course is a part of the Demilitarization, Demobilization and Reintegration program, which serves to offer training to members of the SoI and recently released detainees, to teach them a valuable trade skill. Soldiers from the 4th Bn, 42nd FAR, 2nd HBCT, 1st ID, who oversaw the program, attended the graduation to congratulate the graduates and thank them for their participation.
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Security Agreement Conference
By Pfc. Tyler Maulding
Lt. Gen. Mohsen (Left), border forces cmdr, sits and talks with a colleague during the Security Agreement Conference in Baghdad, Feb. 21.
(Photo by Pfc. Tyler Maulding)
CAMP VICTORY — Tribal leaders from central and southern Iraq gathered at the Baghdad Int'l Airport Hotel for a Security Agreement conference held by MND - Center, Feb. 21. More than 50 shaykhs were addressed by American and IA leadership concerning the recent improvements in the capabilities of the IA and IP, and the Security Agreement that took effect Jan. 1.
“This is the first time shaykhs from all over southern Iraq have been together in one place for a meeting like this,” said Maj. Gino P. Quintiliani, MND-C key leader engagement officer. “We got the chance to answer some great questions about the Security Agreement from them. We have had a very positive reception.”
Brig. Gen. Jefforey A. Smith, MND-C dep. comm. gen. of support, focused on how the IA and IP plan and take the lead in all missions within MND-C. He also addressed how well the recent elections went and commended the IA and IP for their successful efforts securing the polling sites.
“We took the opportunity to explain the Security Agreement to the shaykhs, focusing on the parts we thought would be of particular interest to them,” said Staff Judge Advocate Lt. Col. Mike Ryan. “Then, we gave them the chance to ask whatever questions they had. It’s a huge deal to have them all here at once. They traveled from all over central and southern Iraq to be here,” said Ryan. “That’s never happened before.”
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Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
ISF arrest four suspected criminals
BAGHDAD - Iraqi SF arrested 4 suspected criminals, with warrants during ops Feb. 20 in the Yarmouk neighborhood of northwest Baghdad, for participation in the development and placement of magnetic IEDs.
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Blackanthem Military News
Miss Utah, Combat Medic in Afghanistan
Utah Army National Guard Sgt. Jill Stevens, who is competing in the Miss America pageant as Miss Utah, plays with children while serving as a medic in Afghanistan in 2004.
(Photo courtesy of Sgt. Jill Stevens)
As the reigning Miss Utah, and as a combat medic who has deployed to Afghanistan with her National Guard unit, Sgt. Jill Stevens said her experiences as a soldier have helped her in her civilian life. In an interview on the "ASY Live" program on BlogTalkRadio.com, Stevens said her experience from November 2003 to April 2005, taking care of up to 40 patients on any given day at the Bagram Air Base medical aid station gave her the determination and adaptability that are paramount to her success in other aspects of her life. "Being a solider, you are really trained to adapt to any situation," she said, "and it has really prepared me for civilian life."
Stevens, who serves in the Utah National Guard's 1st Bn, 211th Aviation Regt, joined the National Guard in 2001. She said her military life and her civilian life aren't as different as some people might think. During her service in Afghanistan, Stevens said, she developed a great deal of pride for her country, particularly for the women who serve in the military. During her deployment, she competed in the inaugural marathon race at Bagram and was the first woman to finish. Stevens now has completed 14 marathons, and she said the one in Afghanistan "was one of the toughest. Here I was a woman, running in a country where women were mistreated, defiled and oppressed. ... I was angered as I was running, but at the same time proud -- proud to be not only an American woman but an American soldier fighting for their worth."
She said she thought of Afghanistan's women every step of the way, and it carried her to the finish line. "We are making a difference," she said. "I know these women are realizing their worth, and some are taking a stand to determine their place in the world."
During her deployment, Stevens said, it was important to keep morale high for the continued strength of the force. "I was there to take care of the physical injuries," she said, "but I also really saw the emotional side. I saw firsthand that keeping the morale high really helps our soldiers perform better." Stevens recalled the touches from home that helped her most during her deployment. "Thoughtful gifts meant a lot to me -- favorite foods or an encouraging e-mail was great, because it meant so much that they took time to think about me," she explained. She took the importance of boosting morale a step further with her own personal cause to encourage her fellow servicemembers. "Since we had electricity over there, I was like, 'Mom, send me a bread machine!' she said. "Whenever I heard they were having a rough day, I baked bread for the soldiers ... just to boost their spirits."
Another important memory of her deployment, Stevens said, was the opportunity to interact with local children despite the language barrier. "You speak different languages; you've grown up in really different cultures," she said. "We would communicate with the kids by smiling and making funny faces."
Back in the United States after her deployment, Stevens acknowledged, she had the wrong idea about pageants before she got involved in that aspect of her life. "All I thought these girls did was just wave their hand and look pretty, and that was not something I wanted to be associated with," she said. That was before she learned that pageant titleholders can make a difference by their ability to serve as spokeswomen and form orgs. "I love to serve; I love to give back," she said. "That's why I am a soldier and a nurse."
The realization that a pageant title could help her make a difference, Stevens said, is when she "learned how to put on make-up instead of camouflage paint." Stevens said she was impressed by the support she received from other soldiers when she decided to pursue the Miss America title. "I have brothers and sisters around the world that are so supportive, and I know that whatever it is, they've got your back," she said. During her pageant, she recalled, 100 soldiers were in the audience, cheering her on. "I didn't know half of them," she said, "but they came to support another soldier. This continued support from her "family" of servicemembers is now an important part of who she is and will help keep her focused toward her next goal, said Stevens, who will hold her Miss Utah title until July. "There is so much negative publicity on the news today, and optimism is important," she said. Looking forward, Stevens said, she will rely on her military experience and connection to maintain her optimism and carry her into her next endeavor.
"Wherever you go, if you wear the uniform or sport the military ID card, you connect with people immediately," she said. "I know that will always be a part of me."
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American Forces Press Service
Kuwait Logistics Center Improves Supply Pipeline to Afghanistan
By Beth Reece
Defense Logistics Agency
Army SSgt. Thomas Marstin of Co B, 1st Bn, 4th Inf Regt, enjoys the view from an M939 5-ton truck at FOB Lane in Afghanistan’s Zabol province, Feb. 15, 2009. The Defense Logistics Agency is planning for increased demands of food, building supplies, fuel and spare parts for additional troops expected to arrive in Afghanistan by midsummer.
(Army photo by Staff Sgt. Adam Mancini)
FORT BELVOIR, Va. – The Defense Logistics Agency here has been working with U.S. Central Command’s Deployment Distribution Ops Center in Kuwait since January, to support the troop increase requested last year by U.S. Forces Afghanistan Cmdr Gen. David D. McKiernan, Navy Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich, dir. of DLA’s Logistics Ops and Readiness Directorate, said.
The ops center merges experts from U.S. Transportation Command, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Army Materiel Command, DLA and service components. Together, they plan the most efficient and timely movement of supplies to troops. “We’re planning for increased demands of food subsistence, building supplies, spare parts and packaged petroleum products in Afghanistan,” Heinrich said. “All of our supply centers are deeply involved with the CDDOC, and working closely with DLA support teams in Kuwait.”
Defense Supply Center Philadelphia is partnering with the ops center to ensure collapsible housing units are sent where needed. “The distribution center in Kuwait is playing a role in metering the flow — some by air, some by ship — and getting them to where they need to be to meet warfighters’ requirements,” Heinrich said. “The fact that they’re doing that and have visibility, and we know who to talk to there, has been very beneficial to DLA.
Heinrich, who headed the ops center during a voluntary 5-month deployment last year, said the arrangement is working because the right people are working together in the right ways. “Our response to warfighters is greater, because DLA and its strategic partners have put boots on the ground over there, which allows us to fuse our info and be persistent,” he said. The ops center is the first of its kind to be used in wartime, Heinrich said. It was established in 2004 at Centcom’s request, with the goal of achieving shorter delivery times and lower costs. The admiral said he believes the center already has made big improvements. The center lets DLA members see how the supplies they procure are actually sent to customers, he said, which challenges them to evaluate agency processes and occasionally make adjustments that speed delivery.
Partnerships generated at the center are being used now as the depot assumes management of a formerly Navy-owned warehouse in Bahrain. “Today, when folks in Bahrain requisition material from Kuwait, we fly it at a cost of about $1.98 a pound,” he said. “Now that we have a warehouse in Bahrain, we can fill it with material from Kuwait and, working with Transcom, we can truck it, and it will only cost us about 10 cents a pound.” The center also has improved end-to-end distribution by increasing cargo visibility and maximizing airlift assets. And by initiating the use of “pure pallets,” which contain items for one customer only, the center eliminated the need to break down and repackage cargo for specific users in theater.
“The CDDOC plays an important role in synchronizing operations right there on the ground,” Heinrich said. “The future for CDDOC is limitless, and I feel lucky to have been a part of its beginning,” he added. “It’s made me a better logistician and a stronger member of the DLA team.”
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