Dear Interested Reader,
1-101 FA opens new school in Kabul. Ft. Bragg based 257th Dental Co. establishes clinic. Taliban facilitator killed in Kandahar. Op Update, June 28. Combined forces strike Talaiban stronghold in Kunar prov. Heavy-lift helo hauls big mission.
Iraq: Signal Corps' 150th birthday celebrated at JBB. Soldiers focus on IED hunt. Check Point 7 closed in Mosul. Suspected IED distributor/criminal assocs. arrested in Baghdad.
Joanna
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AFGHANISTAN STORIES:
DVIDS
1-101 FA Open School Alongside Village Elders
Story by 2nd Lt. Jordan Breau
Lt. Col. James Hally, left, helps Dep. Minister of Education Mohammad Pattman cut the ribbon to officially open the Ali Khail School, June 16. Hally, cmdr, 1-101 FA, Mass. Army NG, facilitated the construction of the school. (Photos by Sgt. Michael Hardy)
KABUL - Lt. Col. Hally, and Mohammad Pattman stood alongside the village elders of Ali Khail, June 16, to cut the ceremonial ribbon officially opening the school for students of the Deh Sabz region. “We're very grateful and thankful for the U.S. for helping us build this school,” said Pattman. “This school wouldn’t have happened without the assistance of the U.S. Army. The people of the U.S.A. gave us this school, and it’s our duty for us to take advantage of this gift,” said Pattman to the crowd of villagers.The people of Ali Khail have been waiting on a hard structured school since 1993, when the school was initially going to be built. The school's construction was halted because of the strong Taliban influence in the village. The Taliban has since loosened its grip on the area, allowing the school to be built without interruption.“This school will improve the lives of the children in this village, and begin to change the future generations of this country,” said Pattman. Prior to the construction of the school, the Afghan children were receiving their education inside tents without desks and chairs. Now that the temperature is heating up in Afghanistan, the school could not have come at a better time. “Education is the answer to peace and prosperity for Afghanistan,” said Hally. “Every school or education facility that we can assist in constructing will have an immediate and enduring impact on the future of Afghanistan.”Grades K-12 will be in session until Nov.; then the students will break until March. The school is broken into 3 gender segregated shifts; two of the shifts are for male students, and one shift is for female students.“Education is the foundation in building Afghanistan,” said Pattman. “Most of this country’s people are uneducated and ignorant. It's schools that will improve the lives and open the minds of the Afghan people.”
Lt. Col. Hally shakes hands with a village elder at the opening of the Ali Khail school, north of Kabul.
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DVIDS
Ft. Bragg Based Dental Co. Establishes Clinic 
Story by Capt. Thomas Cieslak
Capt. Samuel Pyo, a Dentist deployed with the 257th Dental Co., examines a Soldier, June 26.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD - A Dental Co. is helping Service members by improving their dental health and hygiene, and helping to maintain the mission readiness of an entire TF. Soldiers of the 257th are operating a dental clinic. Their main customers are the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of TF Protector. “Our main mission here is to get patients out of pain,” said dental asst Spc. Lamarus Bonier, who helps Capt. Samuel Pyo, one of the clinic’s dentists, with the daily task of helping Service members with dental problems. The clinic, located on the Eastern perimeter of Bagram Airfield, is housed in a tent on ground which used to be a Soviet-era minefield. During Afghanistan’s windy days, the tent will pulsate and ceiling lights will bobble as Pyo works inside a patient’s mouth. Service members can receive routine dental care such as cleanings and fillings, while those requiring a higher level of care are referred to a hospital across the base. Extra care was given to the clinic’s design to ensure equipment would remain safe and functional despite Afghanistan’s bad weather. Keeping equipment clean, and the limited amount of resources available to units deployed to such austere conditions, are 2 of the biggest obstacles Soldiers from the 257th work with each day.Particle-board wall lockers function both as storage, and as a makeshift wall to create a waiting area and provide patients some privacy. There is one dental chair in the clinic, which usually sees about 9 patients a day. Sinks, trays and sterilizing equipment are set up along the walls to minimize the amount of tubes and cords laying along the floor. A Service member’s dental pain can take them out of the fight or distract them from their duties. A dental clinic like the one the Soldiers of the 257th operate amidst the dust and wind of Afghanistan, makes a world of difference for the Service members.
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ISAF Joint Command
Afghan-ISAF Kills Taliban Facilitator in Kandahar
The Afghan-led SECFOR went to a compound outside Kandahar City to search the area, and was immediately engaged by hostile fire. Afghan and CF returned fire in self defence, and killed several armed individuals, including Khan. After securing the compound, the combined force detained one suspect. This individual is believed to have direct contact with Kabul area senior Taliban, and facilitates delivery of IED components to Kabul.
KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan-ISAF killed a Taliban cmdr and several armed individuals in Kandahar, June 27. The Taliban cmdr, Shyster Uhstad Khan, took over the duties of senior Taliban facilitator after his predecessor was arrested by Afghan and CF earlier this year. He was involved in the distribution and purchase of IEDs.
The Afghan-led SECFOR went to a compound outside Kandahar City to search the area, and was immediately engaged by hostile fire. Afghan and CF returned fire in self defence, and killed several armed individuals, including Khan. After securing the compound, the combined force detained one suspect. This individual is believed to have direct contact with Kabul area senior Taliban, and facilitates delivery of IED components to Kabul.
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ISAF Joint Command
Operational Update, June 28
KHOST PROVINCE - An Afghan-ISAF killed several insurgents, including a Haqqani network IED cell leader, with a precision airstrike, while they were placing an IED, on a main route in Matun District, June 27.
Following the airstrike, an Afghan and int'l ground force went to the site north of Badi Kheyl to inspect the area. The SECFOR found multiple IEDs and weapons at the site, as well as the IED cell leader, Satar, and several members of his cell, killed by the precision strike. Satar and his cell were linked to multiple IED attacks against Afghan and int'l forces. Afghan and CF continue to make progress in their on-going efforts to rid the prov. of the Haqqani network. They captured another Haqqani IED facilitator in the prov., June 27, in an area that has seen 13 IEDs detonated or found this year.LOGAR PROVINCE - June 27, an Afghan/ ISAF captured a Taliban facilitator who actively participated in IED attacks throughout Baraki Barak District. The facilitator is also linked to mortar attacks against FOB Shank, located approx 10 kms from where he was captured. The SECFOR went to a series of compounds near Akhvond Kheyl in Pul-e 'Alam district to search the area. Afghan forces used a loudspeaker to call for all individuals to come outside, and then cleared the compounds, detaining the facilitator. GHAZNI PROVINCE - ANSF along with ISAF partners rescued 2 ANP officers June 27, who had been held hostage for almost a week. As the combined force approached the compound where the officers were being held, several insurgents were observed fleeing from the compound.
KANDAHAR PROVINCE - ANSF patrols discovered numerous weapons caches. A large cache was found June 27, during a search of a compound in Kandahar. The cache contained 13 IEDs, 4 kilograms of explosive material, 5 artillery rounds, and more than 1,700 rounds of small-arms ammo.
In a separate op, June 25, in the Panjwa'i District, another ANSF-led combined force discovered 227 kilograms of hashish, during the search of a compound.URUZGAN PROVINCE - June 26, an ANSF-led combined force conducted a compound search in Khas Uruzgan district. A weapons cache, which included 190 RPG boosters; 81 RPG rounds; 30 cases of machine gun ammo; 20 hand grenade fuses; 15 hand grenades; 14 82mm recoilless rifle rounds; a machine gun with 10 replacement barrels, and a flare gun was seized by the combined force.
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Blackanthem Military News
Afghan and ISAF units strike Taliban stronghold
By ISAF Joint Command-A
KUNAR PROVINCE - A combined force of more than 600 Afghan and ISAF forces are conducting ops against al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents, June 27. At present, a number of insurgents have been killed in the attack. "We will continue to take the fight to the enemy alongside our Afghan partners," said Maj. Gen. John Campbell, comm. gen. of RC-East. The fighting is ongoing.
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DVIDS
Farah Provincial Governor Talks Security With Tribal Elders Photo by Sgt. Dorian Gardner
BAKWA - Farah Provincial Gov. Amin stands in front of a group of local elders and men during a shura, June 22. A small contingent of RCT 2 personnel, including Col. Paul Kennedy, RCT-2 comm. officer, and Lt. Col. Beriddze, the senior national rep and Georgian Contingent Cmdr. of Afghanistan, took a day's trip to the District of Bakwa, where they met with the provincial and district govs. "The intent was to start the relationship between the elders and the Georgians," said Maj. Thomas Espinosa, RCT-2 civil affairs det. officer-in-charge. According to Espinosa, they wanted to let the elders know that building on security in this region is still a priority, as well as bringing good governance to the area. During the shura, the provincial gov. discussed the importance of accepting the responsibilities of providing security, and not leaving it solely on the govt. Shortly after the shura, Georgians and Marines were invited to the district gov's quarters for food and more discussion. The day ended with new partnerships, and reinforced efforts on shaping Afghanistan's future for a better tomorrow.
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DVIDS
Heavy-lift Helo Hauls Big Mission (Photos by Gunnery Sgt. Steven Williams)
A CH-53E Super Stallion flies overhead carrying an AW-101 Merlin from an FOB, June 26. This early-morning op to recover the Merlin is a prime example of the joint ops now taking place between the U.S. and the UK in the region. The Super Stallion is with Marine Heavy Helicopter Sqdrn 466, "Bigfoot," which is a Marine Corps helicopter sqdrn under 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd). The Merlin belongs to the U.K.'s Joint Helicopter Force, which is also currently operating under 3rd MAW (FWD) after the Joint Aviation Group joined the Wing, June 1. The op was also a testament to the work that these "heavy haulers" have been performing in support of the ANSF and NATO forces, in southern Afghanistan, as they tote heavy cargo and troops across the area, under heavy enemy fire, on a daily basis.
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IRAQI STORIES:
Blackannthem Military News
3rd Sust. Bde. celebrates Signal Corps' 150th birthday
By Sgt. 1st Class Rhonda Lawson
Master Sgt. Wade Duplechin, a 47-year-old communication chief with the 256th IBCT, and Pfc. Danyul Davis, a 20-year-old automation tech with the 13th CSSB, 3rd Sust. Bde., 13th ESC, cut the cake in celebration of the Army Signal Corps' 150th birthday, June 21 during a celebration at JBB. Duplechin and Davis are the oldest and youngest signaleers in the bde.
"When I went through Basic and Advanced NCO Courses, it was a really big thing," he said. "Now, it's not as big. Some Soldiers don't even know who Brig. Gen. Myer was. We want to make sure that heritage isn't lost in another 150 years, when they celebrate the 300th birthday of the Signal Corps."Later that evening, Col. Shawn Morrissey, cmdr of 3rd Sust. Bde., and Sgt. Maj. Clifton Johnson, bde command sgt. maj., joined Signaleers from across the brigade in wishing the corps a happy birthday. During the celebration, Morrissey complimented the signal Soldiers on their professionalism. "You all do a fabulous job. Without the Signal Corps, we couldn't do our mission." Johnson followed up by presenting a bde coin to Spc. Jason Piggee, a support systems specialist with the joint network node plt of 3rd Sust. Bde., and Pfc. Andrew Allen, a satellite communications specialist, also with the joint network node plt, for their contributions to the bde communications shop. "It was a privilege to see both of my Soldiers get recognized for their outstanding achievements," said Staff Sgt. Audrey Richardson, plt sgt. "I love my job, and I'm proud to be celebrating the Signal Corps' birthday in a combat zone.""This is my first time doing a Signal Corps birthday celebration," said Duplechin, who's been in the Louisiana NG since 1980. "I didn't expect something like this, but it was nice. It's very good to remind us where we came from, and where we're going."
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USF-I
US, Iraqi Soldiers focus on IED hunt
IA 2nd Lt. Hammed, a plt leader, conducts dismounted rehearsals with Co A, 1st BSTB, 1st Advise and Assist Bde, 82nd AD, prior to a mission from Camp Fallujah, June 4, 2010. The paratroopers have conducted training and bilateral route clearance ops with the IA over the past 4 months.
CAMP RAMADI – The Soldiers of Co. A have participated in 30 training events and 23 bilateral route-clearance ops with the IA. The training has focused on route-clearance fundamentals, to increase the capability for ISF to clear the roads of IEDs.
Acting as the primary instructor for most of the classes involving robotics and hand-emplaced explosives, Sgt. Aaron Trowbridge has established and continues to maintain the training lanes that the IA uses to fine-tune their skills in finding IEDs.
“Some of the IA students are actively conducting route-clearance ops with their unit at Camp Fallujah,” said Trowbridge. “This experience makes them great assets during the training, to reinforce the lessons being taught and provide real-world applications to their peers.”
The bilateral ops, which have become a weekly event, are a useful tool to validate the training objectives taught at Camp Fallujah during real world missions, he said. These bilateral ops enable the paratroopers to advise the Iraqis and ensure that they're sustaining lessons taught both at their schoolhouse and by the U.S. forces.The Iraqi Soldiers’ institutional knowledge on route-clearance fundamentals varies, but their eagerness to develop and cultivate this knowledge base is strong, according to 1st Lt. Nathaniel Curley, a plt leader, whose mission is training engrs in 1st IA Div. Curley’s route-clearance plt has conducted 157 patrols, clearing 16,000 kms throughout Anbar prov.-30-
DVIDS
US, ISF Close Combined Checkpoint in Northern Iraq 
Check Point Seven, located near Abbasiyah, north of Mosul, recently closed after both U.S. and ISF determined that the closure of the check point was possible, because of the success of the ISF in the area, June 20.
MOSUL – As U.S. forces in Iraq transition to stability ops, the closure of various FOBs, and the turn-over of JSSs are an on-going process. "Closing the checkpoint was a difficult process," said 1st. Lt. James Carter, Co B, 1st Bn, 36th Inf Regt, 1st BCT, 1st AR Div. “With the logistics of dismantling the checkpoint, maintaining security of the area is a difficult task. However, through the efforts of both U.S. and Iraqi forces continuing to work together, made the process possible, even while the checkpoint was being removed,” said 1st. Lt. Carter.
“Even though the move itself was a lot of work, I’m happy to see the checkpoint come down, because it’s an example of the great efforts of the ISF to provide a secure and stable Iraq for its citizens,” said 1st Lt. Husani Flournoy. Even with the dismantling of Checkpoint 7 complete, Soldiers of the1-36th Inf. will continue to look back fondly at time spent at the checkpoint. “I really enjoyed working with the Iraqi forces. We all loved to work together, and help each other out when we needed it,” said Spc. John Russell, 1-36th Inf, of his time at Checkpoint 7. Staff Sgt. David Ozsky agreed that the time spent at the checkpoint was one he’ll always remember. “The cooperation with the ISF was great. We had a great team out there, and the experience was something I’ll never forget. Even though the checkpoint had to be dismantled, I’m glad we were the ones to do it,” said Staff Sgt. Ozsky. “We built the checkpoint, so it was great we were the ones able to close it. We can say that the mission was ours from start to finish.”
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USF-I
Alleged IED distributor, a suspected criminal associate arrested
BAGHDAD - ISF and U.S. advisors searched 2 buildings for a suspected AQI member, who is believed to be involved in the construction and distribution of IEDs, and attacks against Iraqi civilians, ISF and USF-I personnel, 11km west of Baghdad, June 27. Info and evidence gathered at the scene led Iraqi forces to identify and arrest the warranted individual, and a suspected AQI criminal assoc.
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USF-I
ISF arrest four suspected AQI criminal associates west of Baghdad
BAGHDAD - ISF arrested 4 suspected AQI criminal assocs., during a joint security op approx 19kms west of Baghdad, June 28. They're allegedly involved in the production of IEDs.
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