GOOD SOLDIERS

Welcome Home: St. Louis Parade For Iraq War Veterans

2012-01-28T21:53:00.000-05:00

Thousands of people lined the streets and cheered wildly as veterans marched in St. Louis, Missouri during the nation's first big welcome-home parade for Iraq War veterans.

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T12:41:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

Statement By Secretary Panetta On Hostage Rescue Operation In Somalia

2012-01-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

Last night U.S. Special Operations Forces conducted, by order of the President of the United States, a successful mission in Somalia to rescue two individuals taken hostage on October 25, 2011. Ms. Jessica Buchanan, an American citizen employed by the Danish Demining Group, and her Danish colleague, Mr. Poul Thisted, were kidnapped at gunpoint by criminal suspects near Galcayo, Somalia.

Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted have been transported to a safe location where we will evaluate their health and make arrangements for them to return home.

This successful hostage rescue, undertaken in a hostile environment, is a testament to the superb skills of courageous service members who risked their lives to save others. I applaud their efforts, and I am pleased that Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were not harmed during the operation. This mission demonstrates our military's commitment to the safety of our fellow citizens wherever they may be around the world.

I am grateful to report that there was no loss of life or injuries to our personnel.

I express my deepest gratitude to all the military and civilian men and women who supported this operation. This was a team effort and required close coordination, especially between the Department of Defense and our colleagues in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They are heroes and continue to inspire all of us by their bravery and service to our nation.

No. 053-12
January 25, 2012

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 26, 2012

2012-01-26T19:27:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

FALLEN HEROES - 1st Lt. David A. Johnson

2012-01-26T19:24:00.000-05:00

1st Lt. David A. Johnson

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

1st Lt. David A. Johnson, 24, of Horicon, Wis., died Jan. 25, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered after encountering an improvised explosive device while conducting a dismounted patrol.

Johnson was assigned to the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

No. 060-12
January 26, 2012

FALLEN HEROES - Capt. Joshua C. Pairsh

2012-01-26T19:17:00.001-05:00

Capt. Joshua C. Pairsh

The Department of Defense announced the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Capt. Joshua C. Pairsh, 29, of Equality, Ill., died Jan. 22 in the United States of a non-combat related illness. He was assigned to 4th Civil Affairs Group, Marine Forces Reserve, based out of Washington, D.C.

No. 056-12
January 25, 2012

FALLEN HEROES - Cpl. Christopher G. Singer

2012-01-26T19:13:00.000-05:00

Cpl. Christopher G. Singer

The Department of Defense announced the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, 23, of Temecula, Calif., died Jan. 21 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.

No. 051-12
January 24, 2012

Special Operations Forces Rescue Hostages In Somalia

2012-01-25T19:31:00.000-05:00

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012 – Special operations forces rescued an American woman and Danish man who had been held captive in Somalia for three months, President Barack Obama announced early this morning.

Both are well and are in a secure location, and there were no American casualties in the operation.

Jessica Buchanan and Poul Thisted were working as part of a Danish demining group when Somali criminals kidnapped them near Galcayo, Somalia, on Oct. 25, according to a statement from Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta. Galcayo is near the border with Ethiopia. There was no word where the two were held.

“This successful hostage rescue, undertaken in a hostile environment, is a testament to the superb skills of courageous service members who risked their lives to save others,” Panetta said in the statement. “I applaud their efforts, and I am pleased that Ms. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted were not harmed during the operation.”

The president said he had spoken with Buchanan’s father and told him that all Americans are thankful that his daughter is safe and will soon be home.

“The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice,” Obama said in his statement. “This is yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people.”

Panetta stressed the rescue was a team effort and required close coordination between the Defense Department and the FBI. “They are heroes and continue to inspire all of us by their bravery and service to our nation,” Panetta wrote. *****CONTINUE READING*****

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 25, 2012

2012-01-25T19:25:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 24, 2012

2012-01-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

Plans For Iraq Veterans Parade On January 28th Move Forward

2012-01-23T22:42:00.002-05:00

Written By
Ann Rubin

St. Louis (KSDK) --Mark your calendars. It looks like there will be a parade January 28th in dowtown St. Louis to welcome veterans back from Iraq.

It all started with a grassroots campaign on Facebook.

One of the organizers, Craig Schneider says, "The response has been so overwhelming from moment one."

Now, their virtual vision is becoming reality.

The Welcome Home the Heroes from Iraq Parade is moving forward.

Their first goal had been to raise 25-thousand dollars by Friday.

They exceeded it, with the support of corporate sponsors like Mayflower and Anheuser Busch. *****CONTINUE READING*****

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T13:56:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta: United States Military The Best In The World, But Threats Remain

2012-01-21T15:14:00.000-05:00

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The U.S. military is the world’s best and it’s on the right path to face the challenges ahead, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

Speaking to a crowd of service members, civilians and local leaders at a town hall meeting, Panetta said the military “has to be able to make that turn as we head into the future.”

“We're at a point, as you know, where the Iraq mission was brought to an end, and it's now clearly up to the Iraqi people, to the Iraqi leaders to make sure they stay on the right track,” he said. “That was the whole point of the mission, was to make Iraq be able to govern and secure itself.”

The defense secretary also cited U.S., coalition and Afghan progress made in Afghanistan and NATO’s success in helping to topple a dictator in Libya.

“In Afghanistan, we are making good progress there in transitioning to Afghan control and security, and we remain committed to making sure that happens,” Panetta said. “In Libya, we had a successful NATO mission that helped bring down Gadhafi and return Libya to the Libyan people.”

Panetta noted the U.S. military has “significantly impacted” al-Qaida operations. Al-Qaida chieftain Osama bin Laden was killed in May 2011 in Pakistan by U.S. troops.

“Its leadership is decimated,” Panetta said of al-Qaida. “It doesn't have the ability to put command and control together to make the kind of plans for the kind of attacks we saw on 9/11.

“We have successfully gone after their leadership, and it's not just bin Laden, but a number of leaders,” he continued. “But we need to continue that pressure.

“We need to keep going after them wherever they go, whether it's Yemen or Somalia or North Africa,” he added. “We need to continue the pressure on them. But we are working to significantly weaken their capability. We've been good at it.”

The defense secretary noted that “we’re moving in the right direction” by virtue of the men and women in uniform doing “everything we've asked them to do.” *****CONTINUE READING*****

FALLEN HEROES - Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, Capt. Nathan R. McHone, MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, Cpl. Joseph D. Logan

2012-01-21T14:56:00.000-05:00

Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, Capt. Nathan R. McHone, MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, Cpl. Joseph D. Logan

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of six Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Killed were:

Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, 27, of Ferndale, Washington

Capt. Nathan R. McHone, 29, of Crystal Lake, Illinois

MSgt. Travis W. Riddick, 40, of Centerville, Iowa

Cpl. Jesse W. Stites, 23, of North Beach, Maryland

Cpl. Kevin J. Reinhard, 25, of Colonia, New Jersey

Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, 22, of Willis, Texas

These Marines died January 19 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. They were assigned toMarine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

No. 044-12
January 21, 2012

FALLEN HEROES - Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath

2012-01-21T14:49:00.000-05:00

Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath

The Department of Defense announced the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath, 25, Glendale, Ariz.., died Jan. 18 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

No. 041-12
January 19, 2012

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T22:23:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

FALLEN HEROES - Spc. Keith D. Benson

2012-01-19T21:19:00.000-05:00

Spc. Keith D. Benson

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Keith D. Benson, 27, of Brockton, Mass., died Jan. 18, in Paktika province, Afghanistan. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently under investigation. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

No. 040-12
January 19, 2012

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 19, 2012

2012-01-19T20:45:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 18, 2012

2012-01-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

FALLEN HEROES - Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran

2012-01-17T20:33:00.000-05:00

Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran

The Department of Defense announced the deaths of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Jan 15 conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Killed were:

Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, 22, of Tulsa, Okla. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Lance Cpl. Kenneth E. Cochran, 20, of Wilder, Idaho. He assigned to 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

No. 031-12
January 17, 2012

Department Of Defense Casualty Status Report - January 17, 2012

2012-01-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

DOD Casualty Status Report

FALLEN HEROES - Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise

2012-01-17T10:49:00.000-05:00

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Benjamin B. Wise, 34, of Little Rock, Ark., died Jan. 15 in Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of injuries sustained on Jan. 9 in Balkh province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his unit with small-arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

No. 028-12
January 16, 2012

Secretary Of Defense Leon E. Panetta's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Message

2012-01-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

Cover of Martin Luther King, Jr.“My career in public service began more than 40 years ago at the height of the civil rights movement. As a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, I worked on landmark civil rights legislation and as director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, I had the responsibility to enforce those laws.

“At that time, I saw how one man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., could make a difference. He did so by challenging his fellow citizens to reflect on what it means to be American. Faced with opposition, he did not threaten violence, but rather gained strength from the truth of his convictions. His powerful ideas and lyrical words compelled our nation to live by its founding principle: that we are born with equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In the end, he changed not only the law of our land, but also struck a note for freedom that still resonates in the hearts and minds of the American people and the entire world. That’s a legacy worth celebrating.

“Dr. King renewed the promise of America’s dream. His example inspired a movement for our country to reclaim its fundamental pledge -- so that we might live as one nation, with liberty and justice for all. Every man and woman at the Department of Defense should strive to uphold these fundamental ideals.

“One of my proudest moments was the opportunity to meet Dr. King and years later, as a congressman, to cast my vote to set aside a day dedicated to Dr. King’s memory. This weekend, I hope each of you will think about just how much this one man’s life and accomplishments have meant to our country. The nation we work so hard to protect is a better place because of him. In fighting for equal justice, he was fighting for all of us.”

No. 024-12
January 13, 2012

FALLEN HEROES - Pfc. Neil I. Turner

2012-01-13T10:50:00.000-05:00

Pfc. Neil I. Turner

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Neil I. Turner, 21, of Tacoma, Wash., died Jan. 11, in Logar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas.

No. 023-12
January 13, 2012

Video Of U.S. Marines Allegedly Urinating On Dead Taliban Fighters

2012-01-12T22:24:00.001-05:00