Delivering holidays to the frontlines. Nuristan PRT improves local economy. Cricket match promotes youth sports, peace. Village receives humanitarian air drop.
Iraq: Air Cav set up traffic control points. Desert Rogues, IA uncover large weapons cache. U.S.-Iraqi partnership halts smuggling across Syrian border. National Guard celebrates 373 years. Multiple terror cell members arrested.
Joanna
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Afghanistan Stories:
Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
Delivering Holidays to the Frontlines Photos by Spc. William Henry
Sgt. Carletha Woods places a bag of letter mail on a skid of packages.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD – This time of year is when the post office excels at bringing a bit of home to America’s troops on the frontlines. Bagram Airfield is Afghanistan’s largest hub of transportation and delivery to those on the battlefield in the central and northern parts of the country.
Bagram’s post office NCO-in-charge, Army Sgt. 1st Class Chris Tyler, 478th Human Resources Co assigned to the 38th HRC, says his crew is processing roughly 170,000 pounds of incoming and outgoing mail daily, even on Sundays. Tyler says his group of nearly 100 servicemembers from different units based on Bagram Airfield, and civilian workers have stepped up to the almost doubled the workload compared to normal months.
TF Cyclone Soldiers with 38th ID’s HQ Co, Indiana NG, Army Spc. Arianne Jimenez-Mora, a postal worker, and Army Sgt. Carletha Woods, mail clerk, agreed that mail is crucial to the troops serving in Afghanistan. “It’s always good to get something from home,” Jimenez said. “I really like to see the faces of the workers here when we have a lot of mail,” she added, smiling.
Woods says her cheerful mood stems from what she’s doing for the unit. “The reason I walk around here happy so much is because I get to see the smiling faces of our Soldiers who receive mail every day,” she said.
Packages await sorting as service members pick up mail from their unit bins at the Bagram Air Field Postal Office, Dec. 11.
TF Cyclone Soldier Army Spc. Joshua Tromanhauser, places packages in a vehicle to deliver to TF Cyclone headquarters mailroom.
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Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
Nuristan PRT Improves Local Economy
(Photo by Senior Airman Ashley Hawkins)
Army Staff Sgt. Gilbert Lenz II, who serves with the Nuristan PRT, speaks with local students and their teacher in Lowkar village in Nuristan prov., Dec. 10. The Nuristan PRT visits the local villages every week to assess the education and sanitation of the area, so they can assist the locals with small self help projects.
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Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
Cricket Match Promotes Youth Sports, Peace
Story by Capt. Tony Wickman
(Photo by Tech. Sgt. Brian Boisvert)
The Dam Kalay Tigers celebrate their victory after a rousing performance in an exhibition cricket match to promote peace and youth sports in Kunar prov., Dec. 11. More than 400 adults and children gathered on a cool afternoon in downtown Asadabad, to watch the Tigers defeat the Kerala Eagles.
KUNAR PROVINCE – The 2 local teams’ efforts brought cheers and applause for a game that reminded locals of their national team’s recent overall victory in the 12-Nation Asian Cricket Council Twenty Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Nov. 30. “We showed other countries in the Asian cricket games what we can do, and that we're not weaker than other countries,” said Fazlullah Wahidi, Kunar provincial gov., to the crowd after the match.
The gov. explained to the people the importance of sports and education, and how they'll change the future of the country. The gov. also thanked the Kunar PRT for working to arrange the match. “I talked to the PRT cmdr about a month ago about making a tournament, and am thankful the PRT was able to arrange the match,” Wahidi said.
Navy Cmdr. Leonard Remias, Kunar PRT cmdr, said the purpose of the match was to continue to engage different segments of the population through community outreach. “When we did the youth education bowl a couple of weeks ago that had 4 area high schools compete, the Afghans had so much fun. So, we thought why don’t we do that with a sports program and give them an opportunity to have more fun,” Remias said. “The PRT provided the resources for the match and is working with the gov. to establish a provincial tournament, where the winner will compete against the winning teams from other eastern provs.”
Remias told the crowd that everyone who played or watched was a winner this day, and that everyone should encourage youths to play sports and do well in school. “It was good to show the youths of tomorrow that there're other things to do than fight. Youth sports and education program can bring communities together,” Remias said. “Governor Wahidi and the elders support you; the PRT support you, and we look forward to working with the people of Kunar in the months and years to come, for peace and prosperity.”
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Combined Joint Task Force - 82 PAO
Village Receives Humanitarian Aid Drop Photos by Spc. William Henry
Army Staff Sgt. Ernest Lockhart, plt Sgt. with Co A, 173rd BSB, and Pfc. Jessica Kellogg, combat medic, provide security during a humanitarian aid drop in the village of Padkhvab-e Shanah, Nov. 30.
Capt. William Bennett, Co A cmdr with 710th BSB, talks with an Afghan elder.
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Iraqi Stories:
DVIDS
Air Cavalry Set Up Traffic Control Points
Photos by Sgt. Travis Zielinski
Supporting Soldiers from the 1st Air Cav Bde, 1st Cav Div, during a traffic control point op, Staff Sgt. Marcelo Fiqueroa, a working military dog handler in Div Special Troops Bn, 1st Cav. Div., leads his dog, Sgt. 1st Class Lasso, during a search of a vehicle, Dec. 12. The Air Cav. Soldiers worked with IA soldiers to set up the TCP in support of a 1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div., clearing op.
While local Iraqi ID cards are checked and cars searched, Spc. Sean Kuttner (left), a rifleman, and Pfc. John Cummings, a machine gunner, both with 3rd Bn, 227th Aviation Regt, 1st Air Cav Bde, 1st Cav Div, provide security at a traffic control point.
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Multi-National Corps-Iraq PAO
Desert Rogues, Iraqi Army uncover large weapons cache
Soldiers from 1st Bn, 64th AR, 2nd HBCT, 3rd ID, work jointly with members of the IA to uncover the largest weapons cache uncovered in Ninawa prov. since 2003; several hundreds of munitions were found during the dig, Dec. 6.
FOB MAREZ - The weapons cache consisted of 481 projectile explosives and 211 fuses. Info of a possible weapons cache was given to 2-5/2 IA by a local informant, that the weapons cache site was still active and has been in use for the past 5 years.
Upon arrival at the possible cache site, engrs from 1/64th AR discovered the suspected site, and later found a 2nd weapons cache that was originally thought to be a water pipe. Later it was discovered that there was a series of smaller caches located in a close area. The ordnance ranged from relatively new and recently hidden rounds, to rounds that had been in the ground for an undetermined amount of time.
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Multi-National Corps-Iraq PAO
U.S.-Iraqi partnership halts smuggling across Syrian border
1st Lt. Pat Barone, a plt leader with Co D, 1st Bn, 504th PIR, 1st Bde, 82nd Abn Div (Advise and Assist Bde), meets with Iraqi Lt. Col. Ayad, in Ayad's office along the Iraqi-Syrian border, Dec. 7, 2009. Barone is asking the Iraqi officer how he would like to incorporate Barone's paratroopers into Iraqi border security ops.
(Army photo by Spc. Michael MacLeod)
COB UBAYDI - To prevent arms smuggling prior to the 2010 Iraqi national elections, paratroopers with Co D began partnered ops and training with border SECFOR. Attempts to smuggle contraband across the border berms have been greatly reduced since the Americans showed up, according to Iraqi Staff Brig. Gen. Dhamin, cmdr.
The Americans bring highly-skilled manpower, armored trucks, night vision optics and satellite imagery, while the Iraqis bring knowledge of the terrain and local smuggling patterns, said 1st Lt. Pat Barone, whose plt of paratroopers was conducting nightly ops with the Iraqis north of Husayba. Barone acknowledged that Dhamin and US forces are sharing intel, and that Dhamin seemed eager to make the best use of the partnership. "The idea is to establish patterns of behavior, so that when we leave, the Iraqis will continue to implement successful strategies against the enemy," said Barone.
Following one of the coldest nights on the border, Col. Salah, Iraqi cmdr, drove to the American encampment to thank them. "Thank you for leaving your families and staying out here in the cold to help us with this important mission," said Salah.
Iraqi detainees at the fort - cigarette smugglers trying to take advantage of the high price of tobacco across the border, reported that, since the Americans showed up, even cigarette smuggling has ceased. "The smugglers know that the Americans are watching from the sky," said a suspected smuggler detained by the DBE, who preferred to remain anonymous. "The smugglers are afraid."
After a night of partnered patrolling in the wadis, or dry washes, between border forts in areas suggested by the local Iraqi cmdr, Barone was very pleased with the performance of the DBE soldiers who accompanied his paratroopers on patrol. The Iraqi-American partnership goes beyond ops and training, and includes trading food for fuel and recreational soccer and baseball. "We're so happy to be sharing food, conversation, and training with you," said Iraqi Staff Sgt. Qasim, who has served with DBE for 5 years, and was busy planning his 3rd marriage.
Paratroopers play soccer with IA soldiers and detainees held for cigarette smuggling along the Syrian border, Dec. 7, 2009.
Pfc. Tyler Kuhn, paratrooper, stands watch on an Iraqi DBE fort rooftop near the Syrian border with Ali, a DBE soldier, Dec. 8, 2009.
Iraqi Staff Brig. Gen. Dhamin discusses suspected smuggling routes with 1st Lt. Pat Barone.
1st Lt. Barone and Sgt. Daryl Appling explain small-team movement tactics to their Iraqi border security partners, prior to conducting a partnered foot patrol along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
1st Lt. Barone speaks about anti-smuggling tactics through an interpreter to Azad, a 5-year Iraqi DBE soldier who is manning a remote post with 2 other soldiers along the Iraqi-Syrian border.
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MNF-I
National Guard celebrates 373 years
By Spc. Amburr Reese
Soldiers with the 101st Engr Bn cut the cake in celebration of the NG's 373rd birthday, in Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Baghdad, Dec. 13.
(Photo by Master Sgt. Michael Daigle)
BAGHDAD — The National Guard was established on Dec. 13, 1636, when the Massachusetts Bay General Court ordered the formation of the town's militia companies into North, South, and East regional regiments as a means of improving training, readiness, command and control.
"Today's modern NG units are direct descendants of the militias of the 13 original English colonies," said Maj. Gen. Peter Aylward, dep. comm. gen. for ISF. There are more than 460,000 Army and Air Guard personnel serving in the military, with more than 21,000 Soldiers and Airmen serving in Iraq among 328 units.
One unit in particular serving in Iraq at this time is the 101st Engr Bn. The 101st is the nation's oldest unit, tracing its lineage back to the East Regiment. "They are the descendants of the members who conducted the very first muster on Salem common," Aylward said.
Representing the 101st at today's ceremony was the youngest member of the long-standing unit, Pfc. Jeramie Burgos. "This is a great day to rejoice," Burgos said, after reading the "I am the Guard" creed. "To honor the blood, sweat and tears that have come before us is important." Burgos, a gunner on the 101st command’s security detail, expressed the sense of pride he feels as the youngest Soldier in the 101st. "We were the first Engr Bn in the U.S.," Burgos said.
"As Citizen Soldiers, the true character of the NG is represented by the Concord Minute Man; one hand on his musket; one hand on the plow,” Aylward said. “Citizens in peace and Soldiers in war, today's men and women of the NG represent the finest this nation has to offer."
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Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Northern Iraq ERB arrests multiple JRTN terror cell members
TIKRIT – Constables from an ERB in northern Iraq, with U.S. forces advisors, arrested 3 alleged Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al Naqshabandi cell members, Dec. 12.
Wathiq Amiri, Muhanned Rawi and Abd Hadithi are suspected of operating within JRTN. Muhanned and Wathiq are suspected of being part of a media cell responsible for propaganda, distribution of terrorist procedures, and tactics and subversion of the GoI.
Muhanned allegedly produced and gathered media designed to showcase various attacks. Wathiq is allegedly a high-ranking member within the JRTN media cell responsible for coordinating JRTN media efforts. Majid is allegedly a former JRTN media mgr responsible for facilitating the distribution of JRTN propaganda.
The constables entered the residences, positively identified the suspects, and collected evidence after securing the houses.
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