ANA Soldiers Participate in Combat Medic Competition
(Photos by AF Senior Airman Evelyn Chavez)
First Lt. Adam Eich, 48th Bde, 1-121 Bn, Georgia Army NG offers an ANA soldier marksmanship pointers during the first Combat Medic Competition at FOB Thunder in Paktya prov, Oct. 11. The objective of the competition was to improve the medics' knowledge of medicine and to inspire unity within the 203rd Corps medical community. A ruck march race, medical evacuation, hands-on demos and lectures, and marksmanship competition were some of the events that took place throughout the 4-day event.
An ANA soldier places a splint on a U.S. service member.
An ANA soldier provides simulated medical attention.
An ANA soldier provides simulated medical attention.
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Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
Battlefield: Air Force Lends Army a Helping Story by Pfc. Melissa Stewart
AF Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond operates the Virtual Secure Internet Protocol Router, Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Access Point (VSNAP), as well as other internet provider systems, to free up more Soldiers for combat ops at COP McClain.
LOGAR PROVINCE – Shoot, move and communicate. That's a Soldier's motto on the battlefield, but without stable internet connection, communication would not be possible. Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond does his part in aiding Soldiers communicate by providing internet access. "Here I'm supporting the war fighters at ground zero," said Emond.
Although having internet access may not seem to be important, nearly everything from tacking intel reports, planning ops, and tracking troops outside the wire depend on internet connectivity. "Before he came out here the Secure Internet Protocol Router was really slow, and with most of my job I use SIPR," said Spc. Daniel T. Bailey, HHC, TF Spartan intel analyst. "Since he's come, everything has been really fast."
Emond is one of nearly 80 Airmen from around the world that deployed to various locations in Afghanistan. "This is probably the most fun I'll ever have on deployment," said Emond. "It's given me a chance to see how the war is being fought from inside a command post."
VSNAP is a system developed early this year to provide Soldiers in remote locations with internet connectivity. "It's a great system because the disc can be set up in about 15 minutes and you can probably be passing traffic in half an hour," said Emond. "It can pull power of a running Humvee; you don't even need a generator to operate the system."
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond inspects the satellite dish of the Virtual Secure Internet Protocol Router, Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Access Point system.
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4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office
eMiTT medic with huge mission replaced by battalion
By Sgt. Stephen Decatur
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Taylor, a reservist with eMiTT Venom, trains ANP during a combat lifesaver course, Oct. 2 in Shajoy, Zabul prov.
KANDAHAR - A logistics convoy was driving across the desert Oct. 13, to resupply Afghan and American Soldiers at FOB Atghar in the remote Atghar district of Zabul prov. An Afghan route clearance patrol led the way, followed by a combined force of Afghan Soldiers, police, and American Paratroopers from 4th BCT (TF Fury), 82nd Abn Div serving as combat advisors.
An ANA pickup truck cruised up the side of the convoy and hit an IED. Two Afghan Soldiers were killed instantly, but the other 4 survived their wounds, because of life-saving first aid. Among the first on the scene were medics from the ANA and ANP.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Taylor has been an emergency medical tech (EMT) since 1993, and serves as a medic in the Army. Taylor was one of the last Soldiers from eMiTT Venom to leave Zabul when they were replaced by TF Fury. His mission was to train Afghans Soldiers and Police to perform first aid, and to provide whatever medical care he could. "I've stayed here as long as I can," Taylor said. "There's nowhere else with such a huge medical need. I'd stay here longer if they let me. There's lots of good work to be done."
Since April, that work has included 315 trauma patients, 55 urgent medevacs, amputations, head injuries, IEDs, vehicle rollovers, sucking chest wounds, gunshot wounds, children shot by the Taliban, and just about every sort of injury imaginable, Taylor said. There was also every kind of medical condition; bacterial infections, fungal infections, diabetes, heart attacks, drug use, and the common cold.
All of that care was provided in an environment where there were usually only 9 or 10 other American Soldiers around, and no doctors in a district with 50,000 people. "The normal support structure didn't exist, but the quality of care must
remain," Taylor said. "You're the only decision maker with broad overall guidelines. There's every medical condition you can think of, far more than you're qualified to handle."
Taylor trained 6 ANA Soldiers up to U.S. Army medic standards, 12 up to combat lifesaver standards, and 5 ANP up to CLS standards. All of the ANA Soldiers were illiterate, Taylor said. "It's hugely challenging teaching people who can't read or write to be a medic," Taylor said. "They have to memorize everything because they can't take notes. The ANP were easier to train because they were literate."
ANP Soldier Abdul Halim was one of the Afghans Taylor trained. He remembers one IED attack where a fellow policeman had his hand severed, and no one knew what to do. "I didn't know how to help," Halim said. "We thought the man would die, because no one could help him. Now if I saw someone bleeding I'm
confident I could help." Halim said that he'll pass his knowledge on to his fellow police.
During Taylor's tenure in Zabul, much of his time and effort was spent resupplying and supporting ops. He covered 8,000 miles on the road as a driver doing resupply or moving between bases. Now that the eMiTTs in Zabul have been replaced by an entire bn of combat advisors and a Stryker bn, there are many more medics. There are even doctors and truck drivers.
"Hopefully the greater resources will translate to a larger, more complete mentor mission," Taylor said. "All missions in Afghanistan exist to support this mission. Everything we do is to bring the military and infrastructure up to have the capacity of managing this country's affairs. It all exists so they can stand on their own."
Even though he rarely receives thanks for his work, it's been incredibly rewarding, Taylor said. "I'm proud of my career outside the Army, but this is the best work I've done in my life," Taylor said.
ANP react to an IED attack.
Two ANA medics consult each other while waiting for patients to load a medevac helicopter.
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CJTF-82 in Afghanistan, Bagram Media Center
ISAF units continue to realign in eastern Afghanistan
BAGRAM AIR FIELD (Oct. 20) - ISAF continued to realign forces to better secure and stabilize population centers in eastern Afghanistan by closing COP Lowell in the Kamdesh district of Nuristan today.
Prior to the closure, CF recently met with local leaders to explain the decision and discuss the handover of facilities to local authorities. The facilities were left intact for use by the local community after all military equipment was removed.
CF and the Afghan Govt will continue to seek opportunities to cooperate with and provide assistance to Afghans in the Kamdesh district. ISAF troops will use the opportunities provided by realignment to enhance combined action with ANSF, and to assist the Afghan govt to build governance and development capacity in populated areas.
It is the intent of the ISAF cmdr, Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, to place an emphasis on protecting the people of Afghanistan, by focusing on more populated areas. Base realignment ops of this nature will continue throughout eastern Afghanistan to facilitate the success of this plan.
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MNF-Iraq
Troops support Iraqis during market sweep
By Sgt. Mary Phillips
Spc. Jason Hutt of Co D, 120th CAB, 30th HBCT provides security, while a military working dog, and IA Soldiers search businesses in the Mahmudiyah market, south of Baghdad, Oct. 17.
BAGHDAD — U.S. Soldiers here served as advisors while supporting the IA during a clearance op. in the Mahmudiyah market. "In the last 6 weeks there've been about 4 IEDs and a VBIED," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Stewart, with Co D. "None have actually been in the market, but they've all been in close proximity."
The Iraqi troops led the joint patrol through the market, searching businesses and alleyways for explosives and other materials used to make IEDs. American and IA Soldiers worked together to come up with a search plan after IA Col. Wassin said that he wanted to make sure the market was clear.
"2nd Bn, along with us, came up with a plan as a deterrent factor to do clearance ops," said Staff Sgt. Andrew Carpenter. "More so IA than us; we're just there as support with some of our equipment, like metal detectors and working dogs, so we can support their plan."
"Wassin coordinated through our company cmdr," said Stewart. "He wanted dogs on site to help be able to sniff out any bomb making materials." The joint teams searched the market for over 2 hours. Nothing was found, but Co. D Soldiers still thought this mission was a success.
"The IA wanted to come out to the market and let everyone see that they were out there, and that they're not going to be scared by IEDs," said Carpenter. "I think any time the people see the IA respond to IEDs with a show of force like they had out there, it's got to help."
Stewart also considered this op to be beneficial, even though no bomb making materials were found. "It showed the IA and the U.S. forces still working together, and it showed that the IA is a little bit more in the lead, " said Stewart. Their col. was out there and the lts. were both pointing out locations they thought we wanted to see. Iraqis got to see a great combination of IA and U.S. forces working together. I think all in all it was successful."
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American Forces Press Service
Iraqi Police Arrest Seven Terrorism Suspects BAGHDAD, Oct. 20, 2009 – IP, with U.S. advisors, arrested 2 suspects near Wajihijah, NE of Baghdad, during an op targeting a suspect believed to be associated with key members of AQI and the ISI terrorist group. The security team arrested the suspects based on evidence found at the scene.
In a separate op near Bayji, SW of Kirkuk, IP and U.S. advisors searched a building for a member of a vehicle-bomb network suspected of operating in Salahuddin and Kirkuk provs. The security team questioned and arrested 2 suspicious people believed to be a threat to the local community.
Elsewhere, the Iraqi 3rd Emergency Response Unit, with U.S. advisors, searched 2 buildings for a Kirkuk vehicle-bomb network member near Hawijah, SW of Kirkuk. The security team questioned and arrested 3 people suspected of participating in criminal activity.
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American Forces Press Service
Northern Iraq Sees Security, General SaysBy Gerry J. Gilmore
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2009 – The security situation in northern Iraq has improved greatly in recent years, a senior U.S. military officer told Pentagon reporters today.
Al-Qaida, which several years ago launched attacks with abandon in northern Iraq, is now “desperate,” Army Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, dep. comm. gen. for MND-N and the 25th ID, said during a satellite-carried teleconference. Today, the div’s area of ops “has completely changed,” said Brown, who was in northern Iraq as a Stryker bde cmdr in 2004 and 2005.
Brown assumed his present duties in November 2008, with HQ in the Mosul area. Brown’s area of responsibility comprises the 7 northernmost Iraqi provs, including the Kurdish region. He commands about 25,000 U.S. servicemembers.
The improvement in security came about, in large part, because of a strong partnership between the U.S. and Iraqi govts, Brown said, as well as good relations among U.S. troops and vastly improved Iraqi soldiers and police.
Brown said he appreciates “the professionalism and dedication” demonstrated by the ISF. Iraqi soldiers and police, he told reporters, have taken the lead in providing security in his area. The general attributed increased targeting of terrorist activities, especially the actions of al-Qaida operatives, as causing the reduction in violence.
Terrorists did target Mosul a few months ago during a spate of bombings, Brown noted, but added that al-Qaida’s ability to carry out such attacks is greatly diminished. “Now, because of the relentless pursuit of terrorist orgs such as al-Qaida, these large-scale spectacular attacks are rare,” he said. “In fact, numbers of attacks are at their lowest level since 2003.” Though AQI is a nearly spent force that knows it cannot win in Iraq, it remains a dangerous enemy, the general added.
Meanwhile, U.S. troops remain busy coaching and teaching their Iraqi soldiers and police, Brown said. Though U.S. forces moved out of Iraqi cities and towns on June 30, he said, Iraqi and U.S. troops occasionally join forces to conduct anti-insurgent ops outside municipal areas. And as long as that momentum is maintained, Brown said, the northern Iraqi provs. “have a very bright future ahead of them.”
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Joint Combat Camera Center Iraq
Humanitarian Mission in Radwaniyah
(Photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Edwin Wriston)
An elementary school student looks on as U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers deliver supplies to a school in the Radwaniyah area of Baghdad, Oct. 19.
Elementary school students walk home from school at lunch time.
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MNF-I
Clearance ops in the Mahmudiayh market
(Photo by Sgt. Mary Phillips)
Sgt. Mark Weaver, 30th HBCT, provides rear security while Iraqi Forces perform clearance ops in the Mahmudiayh market, south of Baghdad, Oct. 17.
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