THE TENSION

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualties (OIF)

2009-11-10T21:05:00.002-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- The following news release made available Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Nov. 8 in Tikrit, Iraq, of injuries sustained when their OH-58D helicopter crashed. They were assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Killed were:
Chief Warrant Officer Mathew C. Heffelfinger, 29, of Kimberly, Idaho; and
Chief Warrant Officer Earl R. Scott III, 24, of Jacksonville, Fla.
The circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

US Military Meets, Exceeds Recruiting Goals for October 2009

2009-11-10T20:58:00.002-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Defense announced today its recruiting and retention statistics for active and reserve components for October 2009.

Active Duty Recruiting for October 2009. All four services met or exceeded their recruiting goals.

The Army had 6,914 accessions, making 101 percent of its 6,858 goal.
The Navy had 2,926 accessions, making 100 percent of its 2,926 goal.
The Marine Corps had 2,851 accessions, making 100 percent of its 2,843 goal.
The Air Force had 2,198 accessions, making 100 percent of its 2,198 goal.

Active Duty Retention. All four services met or exceed their retention goals for October 2009.

Reserve Forces Recruiting for October 2009. All six Reserve components met or exceeded their goals.

The Army National Guard had 4,425 accessions, making 112 percent of its 3,947 goal and the Army Reserve had 3,348 accessions, making 125 percent of its 2,675 goal.
The Navy Reserve had 671 accessions, making 100 percent of its 671 goal.
The Marine Corps Reserve had 1,132 accessions, making 144 percent of its 787goal.
The Air National Guard had 698 accessions, making 124 percent of its 562 goal, and the Air Force Reserve had 1,083 accessions, making 100 percent of its 1,083 goal.

Reserve Attrition. Losses for the Reserve components are not available pending corrections and resubmissions from services.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

2009-11-10T20:49:00.000-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- The following news release made available Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Sgt. Charles I. Cartwright, 26, of Union Bridge, Md., died Nov. 7 while supporting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

OEF Summary, Nov. 10, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Seize Bomb Materials

2009-11-10T19:09:00.001-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Nov. 10, 2009 -- Afghan National Police and international forces seized 250 tons of suspected bomb-making material and detained 15 people in a Nov. 8 raid in southeastern Afghanistan, military officials reported.

Based on reliable information, the combined force searched a warehouse in Kandahar province, where they seized 1,000 100-pound bags of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and detained 15 people. They found an additional 4,000 100-pound bags of fertilizer at a nearby compound, and also seized 5,000 components used in improvised explosive devices.

Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is a key ingredient in IEDs and is illegal in Afghanistan.

“This was a tremendous success for the Afghan National Police who led this operation,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Todd Vician, an International Security Assistance Force spokesman. “This find will undoubtedly save many lives and points to the increasing capability of the Afghan national security forces.”

In other operations in Afghanistan:

A combined force detained several suspected insurgents in Logar province while pursuing a Taliban commander operating in the area and linked to other local Taliban shadow government leaders. The force targeted compounds in the Baraki Barak district after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force searched the compounds without incident and detained the suspects.

A combined force detained several suspected insurgents in Helmand province, including a sought-after Taliban leader linked to drug trafficking and responsible for weapons shipments to other militants in the area. The force searched a compound in the Garmsir district where sources reported the wanted man to be located. The force searched the compound without incident, recovered bomb-making materials and manuals and detained the suspects, one of whom identified himself as the Taliban leader. No shots were fired, and no civilians were injured.

(From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news release.)

Combat Camera Video: Firefight in the Waterpur Valley, Afghanistan

2009-11-10T12:57:00.005-05:00

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of U.S. Army 3rd Platoon, C Company, 2-12 Infantry engaging insurgents in a two and a half hour firefight outside the village of Qatar Kala, Afghanistan. Scenes include an exchange of small arms fire. (Video by Sgt. Justin Puetz, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. Length: 00:03:24.)

Related: Combat Camera: Firefight in the Waterpur Valley (OEF)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Pentagon Discuses Deployment of Civilian Expeditionary Force to Support Military Operations

2009-11-10T12:42:00.002-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- A recent Facebook post by a U.S. soldier heading home from Iraq highlights some of the nonmilitary roles American troops often assume in today’s counterinsurgency wars.

“My time in Iraq approaches its end,” the junior enlisted soldier wrote, listing military duties he performed on tour, followed by the more unorthodox roles: “I’ve been a public affairs guy, mechanic, carpenter, custodian, business capital injector and loan approval officer.”

To relieve troops of these additional tasks, a Defense Department initiative known as the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce, or CEW, is training and equipping a civilian work force of department employees capable of deploying overseas to support military missions.

“We call it a ‘force multiplier,’” said Marilee Fitzgerald, the acting deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy. “It allows the military to do what they do best, and it relieves them, because we can do some of the things they don’t need a warfighter for.”

Currently, about 110 such civilian volunteers are participating overseas as part of the CEW, which the department officially established in January, and the program has received more than 7,200 resumes, according to defense officials.

In addition to a salary bump, one benefit of CEW is that when participants return to their domestic Defense Department jobs – which are guaranteed upon return – they do so with a broadened perspective, Fitzgerald said in an interview last week.

“They understand the mission better, they understand how to contribute better, and they have an understanding of what this Department of Defense is all about,” she said. “It translates to some really powerful messages for them.”

Jobs in highest demand at the CEW have been in the fields of intelligence and contracting, but the program covers a broad range of career fields, including engineering, acquisitions, human resources, law enforcement and logistics management. Employees in deployable-designated positions will be trained, equipped and prepared to serve overseas in support of humanitarian, reconstruction and, if absolutely necessary, combat-support missions.

Certain duty positions may require compulsory deployment, but eligible employees will be asked to sign an agreement at the time of hire, officials said, adding that all participants to date have been volunteers – none of whom were directed by the department to deploy.

The CEW comes to fruition as the military’s focus on the counterinsurgency approach in Iraq and Afghanistan places an emphasis on “soft power,” or means of government influence traditionally carried out by nonmilitary personnel. Counterinsurgency -- known as COIN in military circles -- is a form of warfare in which a civilian population is in the center of a tug-of-war between an insurgency and the forces attempting to stop it.

According to the U.S. military’s COIN doctrine, military operators have assumed these typically civilian roles because the military often possesses the only readily available personnel capable of meeting a local populace’s needs.

“Military forces can perform civilian tasks, but often not as well as the civilian agencies with people trained in those skills,” the manual reads. “Further, military forces performing civilian tasks are not performing military tasks. Diverting them from those tasks should be a temporary measure, one taken to address urgent circumstances.”

Fitzgerald said one change that could help draw attention to the civilian talent pool at CEW is the fact that the civilians increasingly are considered in the policymaking decision process.

“It is both in theater at the [combatant command] level and here at the expeditionary cell that they begin to talk about which [job] could be civilian and which one needs to be military,” she said, referring to military command centers where personnel needs are first formulated.

“We are building the capability to continue the conversation at [U.S. Joint Forces Command] so that we get it at all three spots,” she said of the combatant command responsible for tracking and allotting forces for U.S. operations. “This notion of the combatant commands having the capability to consider the civilian talent is a major paradigm shift.”

Fitzgerald, who returned recently from a trip to Iraq, where she got an up-close view of CEW participants on the job, said those interested in joining the work force are well served by a “pioneering spirit.” But she added that participants can deploy with assurance that their former job will be there upon their return.

“Know that when you leave, you leave with the tremendous support and care and concern of the organization that you left, and your job will be waiting,” Fitzgerald said. “We tell them the coffee cup will be where you left it.”

(Report by John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service.)

OIF Summary, Nov. 10, 2009: Forces Nab Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

2009-11-10T12:37:00.001-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2009 -- Iraqi police, working with U.S. advisors, arrested five suspected members of the al-Qaida in Iraq and Islamic State of Iraq terrorist groups today during operations in Iraq's Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, military officials reported.

In Saytiyah, about 65 miles northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched with an arrest warrant for an alleged Islamic State of Iraq member known to be directly linked to aQaida in Iraq. The man is suspected of orchestrating attacks in Baghdad from remote locations in Diyala province, and also is wanted for providing vehicles for vehicle-borne bombings in the region.

Iraqi police established a cordon and searched a building during the operation. During preliminary questioning and based on evidence found at the scene, a suspect was determined to be connected with the Islamic State of Iraq network and was arrested without incident. The warranted man was not apprehended.

In a separate operation, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched for an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq and Islamic State of Iraq associate in a rural area about 50 miles northwest of Baghdad.

The team searched a building and questioned people. Based on information gathered at the scene, they arrested four people suspected of engaging in terrorist activity.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

OEF Update, Nov. 10, 2009: Forces Seize 250 Tons of Suspected Bomb Making Material in Kandahar; US Casualty

2009-11-10T12:30:00.002-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 10, 2009 -- Afghan National Police and ISAF forces seized 500,000 lbs. of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, 5,000 IED components and detained 15 people after a raid in Kandahar Nov. 8.

Based on reliable information, the patrol discovered 1,000 100-lb. bags of fertilizer, which is often used by insurgents to make explosives, and detained 15 people in a warehouse. After the initial find another 4,000 100-lb. bags of fertilizer were found in a nearby compound.

Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is a key ingredient of homemade explosives and used in the majority of main charges for IEDs. This type of fertilizer is illegal in Afghanistan.

"This was a tremendous success for the Afghan National Police who led this operation," said Lt. Col. Todd Vician, an ISAF spokesman. "This find will undoubtedly save many lives and points to the increasing capability of the Afghan national security forces."

Afghan-International Security Force Detains Taliban Militants in Logar and Interdicts Taliban Facilitator in Helmand An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected militants in Logar province while pursuing a Taliban commander operating in the area and linked to several local Taliban shadow government
leaders.

The joint security force targeted compounds near the village of Yusof Kheyl in Baraki Barak district after intelligence indicated militant activity. The joint force searched the compounds without incident and detained the suspected militants. No shots were fired, and no Afghan civilians were injured during this operation.

In a separate operation, an Afghan-international security force detained a group of suspected militants in Helmand province, including a sought-after Taliban facilitator responsible for weapon shipments to other militant elements and heavily linked to narcotics traffic in the area.

The joint security force targeted a compound in the rural section of Garmsir district where intelligence sources reported the Taliban facilitator to be located.

The joint force searched the compound without incident, recovered IED-making materials, bomb-making manuals and detained the group of suspected militants. One of the suspects surrendered and identified himself as the Taliban facilitator. No shots were fired, and no Afghan civilians were injured during this operation.

ISAF Casualty:

An ISAF servicemember died as a result of an IED strike in Southern Afghanistan today. The service member was from the United States.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualties (OEF)

2009-11-09T20:06:00.001-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- The following news release made available Monday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Nov. 5 in Jelewar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device. The soldiers were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:
Spc. Aaron S. Aamot, 22, of Custer, Wash.
Spc. Gary L. Gooch Jr., 22, of Ocala, Fla.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon: Officials Plan Fort Hood Memorial Service

2009-11-09T20:00:00.002-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- President Barack Obama will join Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Army Secretary John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. at Fort Hood, Texas, tomorrow for a ceremony to honor the victims of the Nov. 5 shooting rampage that left 13 dead and 38 wounded.

Many of those wounded in the attack have recovered enough to attend the ceremony, said Army Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, commander of 3rd Corps and Fort Hood.

“We still have 15 of our great soldiers hospitalized; eight are in intensive care, and seven are in wards,” Cone said during a news conference at Fort Hood today. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families during this difficult time.”

Cone said he is most concerned that the healing phase begins. “I think what’s absolutely critical is that we understand the nature of what has happened here,” he told reporters. “There are probably about 600 people who were somehow directly touched by this incident.”

Cone said authorities’ initial focus in these last three days has been working on getting those 600 people the right behavioral assessments and counseling.

Now, officials are dealing with the larger population at the sprawling post. “I had a very good session yesterday with … the civilian personnel and the soldiers who worked at the soldier readiness site, and had a good opportunity to address their concerns,” Cone said. “And … they began their processing through this critical-incident debrief process.”

Soldiers are among the best prepared to deal with the stress of this incident, the general noted, because they have had training and experience. “Many of us are used to being in theater, and something like this happens, and we come back right away. We get on with the mission. We do the memorial service, we send our comrades home, and then we move on with the mission,” he said.

But dealing with the civilians and families poses more of a challenge. They’ve always considered the base to be a safe place, Cone noted, and now officials must devise ways to help them. “We are right now in the process of executing a comprehensive program to address the needs of all of these populations,” he said.

Officials also must find ways to help soldiers who suffered post-traumatic stress from earlier combat-related incidents, Cone said. They, too, saw Fort Hood as a safe place. “We don't really know what the impact of something like this has on them,” the general acknowledged.

The Army has mobilized resources to help, with 27 military family life consultants, 18 combat stress control teams, 41 behavioral health specialists and 57 ministry support teams on the ground at Fort Hood.

“We have additional resources coming in as we need it,” Cone said. “As General Casey tells me, the entire resources of the United States Army are at the disposal of Fort Hood and its population to help deal with the impact of this event.”

People who wish to donate to aid the victims and the families have a number of options.

Checks can be mailed to:

Chaplain's Fund Office
Bldg 44, 761st Tank Battalion Ave.
Fort Hood, TX 76544-5000

Checks should be made payable to "CTOF" -- which stands for Chapel's Tithes and Offerings Fund -- with a note on the memo line stating "Nov. 5 Tragedy."

Contributions on behalf of Fort Hood soldiers also can be made to:

Fisher House
Bldg 36015, Fisher Lane
Fort Hood, TX 76544

Donations also can be made through the Red Cross:

Killeen Red Cross
208 W. Ave. A
Killeen, TX 76541
Visit http://www.waco.redcross.org.

Finally, donations can be made through the USO:

USO Fort Hood
Building 1871, 50th St.
Fort Hood, TX 76544
Visit http://www.uso.org.

In related news, the Army Criminal Investigation Command is seeking anyone who may have left the area of the shooting with gunshot damage to their vehicles or clothing, and anyone who may inadvertently have left the scene with material that could be used as evidence -- shell casings inside their boot, for example.

The evidence would aid CID and FBI investigators, officials said.

Officials said gunshot-damaged material needs to be inspected by the soldier's or civilian's supervisor or chain of command, and commanders or first sergeants must verify that the person providing the evidence was at the scene.

(Report by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

2009-11-09T19:57:00.000-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- The following news release made available Monday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Spc. Tony Carrasco Jr., 25, of Berino, N.M., died Nov. 4 in Ad Dawr, Iraq, of a gunshot wound suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

1/5 Marines Inhabit Taliban Fortress

2009-11-09T19:50:00.002-05:00

U.S. Marines walk down an alley during a patrol in the Nawa district of Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Sept. 21, 2009. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance.)

Dispatches from the Front:

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Nov. 9, 2009 -- Marines have an uncanny ability to call any place “home,” even if it’s a mixture of sand and gravel, or in this instance, a Taliban compound.

Marines with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, have been operating out of what Marines refer to as “the mansion” here, since Aug. 1.

Local Afghans have told Marines the compound belonged to a drug lord who was having it built to house his entire family. However, the construction was never completed, because he was arrested and taken to prison. Marines were sent to the compound to clear it out, believing it was a Taliban stronghold. They expected resistance when taking over the compound, but were met with an empty home in need of some landscaping.

“It was a real mess when we first got here,” said Marine Corps Cpl. Jacob Mikesell, 22, a mortarman from Papillion, Neb. “There was grass growing up to our chests. The buildings had mounds of dust covering everything, and trash was thrown all over the place.”

The compound consists of two three-story buildings, which Marines and Afghan National Army soldiers inhabit. The two main buildings are made mostly of marble and concrete, and have wooden window frames and doors with designs carved into them. Colored tiles cover the outside. The compound is surrounded by gigantic walls, giving it the look of a castle from the outside. Marines can’t help but call their home a mansion.

“After we moved in, [local people] told us that most of the Taliban in the area had run away,” said Marine Corps Sgt. Nicholas Hine, a squad leader. “But we know there are still some here who are trying to coerce the population to go against us.”

Marines patrol daily to keep the surrounding area safe, and other forward operating positions rely on being supplied with food and water from the mansion. During local village visits, Marines promise to provide security and try to help the Afghan people with their issues and concerns.

“We try to get to know people by talking to them, learning where they live and understand what problems they have,” said Hine, a 24-year-old from Mohnton, Pa.

(Report by Marine Corps Lance Cpl. John M. McCall, Regimental Combat Team 7.)

Pentagon Identifies Fort Hood Casualties

2009-11-09T19:38:00.003-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- Officials at Fort Hood, Texas, released the names of the 12 soldiers and one civilian employee killed in the Nov. 5 shooting incident on the post.

Dead are:

Lt. Col. Juanita L. Warman, 55, of Havre De Grace, Md. She was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.

Maj. Libardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Va. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Detachment, Madison, Wis.

Capt. John P. Gaffaney, 54, of San Diego. He was assigned to the 1908th Medical Company, Independence, Mo.

Capt. Russell Seager, 41, of Racine, Wis. He was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.

Staff Sgt. Justin Decrow, 32, of Plymouth, Ind. He was assigned to the 16th Signal Company at Fort Hood.

Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis. She was assigned to the 467th Medical Company, Madison, Wis.

Spc. Jason Hunt, 22, of Tillman, Okla. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade at Fort Hood.

Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, Tenn. He was assigned to the 16th Signal Company at Fort Hood.

Pfc. Aaron Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, Utah. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.

Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolinbrook, Ill. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.

Spc. Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minn. He was assigned to the 510th Engineer Company, 20th Engineer Battalion, at Fort Hood.

Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago. She was assigned to the 15th Combat Support Battalion at Fort Hood.

Michael Cahill of Cameron, Texas, a Fort Hood civilian employee.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

OIF Summary, Nov. 9, 2009: Forces Arrest Terrorism Suspects in Iraq

2009-11-09T19:35:00.001-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- Iraqi forces, partnered with U.S. advisors, have arrested numerous terrorism suspects in Iraq in recent days, military officials reported.

Credible intelligence led team Iraqi soldiers and their U.S. advisors to a northeastern Baghdad neighborhood to serve an arrest warrant on a Kataib Hezbollah terrorist group member suspected of planning and conducting attacks against security forces in Iraq.

During preliminary questioning of those at the scene, the security team positively identified the man and arrested him without incident.

In other recent operations in Iraq:

Iraqi security forces today arrested an alleged al-Qaida in Iraq associate in central Tikrit. A Salahuddin province police with an arrest warrant and U.S. advisors searched two houses while pursuing a man with alleged ties to al-Qaida in Iraq leaders in the province. The security team questioned several people and arrested the wanted man and a second suspect associated with terrorist activity.

Iraq’s 5th Emergency Response Battalion, advised by U.S. forces, arrested a suspected terrorist leader wanted on a warrant and linked to numerous terrorist cells in Ninevah province Nov. 3. Khalil Nazir Khalil, also known as Abu Abdallah, was arrested in his home near Mosul.

Khalil is suspected of being a key leader of numerous Jaysh Rijal al-Tariq al-Naqshabandi terrorist group cells operating in Mosul. The cell has been linked to numerous bombing attacks throughout Ninevah province.

In Ramadi, an Iraqi special weapons and tactics unit, with U.S. forces advisors, arrested two people suspected of al-Qaida in Iraq activities Nov 3. The arrests were made with a court warrant.

"This is the third operation conducted in the last month in the Ramanah district," said Lt. Mukhlis, an Al Qaim SWAT commander. "Local Iraqis are beginning to come forward with known locations of terrorists throughout the Al Qaim district."

Iraqi forces arrested six suspected terrorists yesterday during two combined operations in search of al-Qaida in Iraq members in Baghdad.

In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a building for an alleged Baghdad-based al-Qaida in Iraq leader, but did not locate him. However, the security team arrested five people they questioned at the scene and determined to be members of the terrorist group. Iraqi forces made the arrests without incident.

During a combined operation in southwestern Baghdad, Iraqi forces with an arrest warrant and U.S. advisors searched a building for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member alleged to coordinate vehicle-bomb attacks against civilians. One person was arrested based on evidence found at the scene linking him to suspicious activity. The suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member sought under the warrant was not apprehended.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

OEF Summary, Nov. 9, 2009: Forces Clear Taliban From Northern Afghan Province

2009-11-09T19:30:00.002-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2009 -- More than 750 Afghan and international forces in recent days completed the largest operation to date in Afghanistan’s Kunduz province, clearing the northern border area of hundreds of insurgent fighters, military officials reported.

The combined forces conducted operations Nov. 1 through 6 in the province’s northern region bordering Turkmenistan, killing more than 130 insurgents, including eight Taliban commanders. The operations, designed to stop insurgent activity and weapons trafficking in the Chahar Dara district, also disrupted the province’s insurgent shadow governor.

The Afghan-international force provided humanitarian supplies to the affected villages after the operation. Six trucks delivered warm clothing and food, including staple items such as cooking oil, rice and beans.

Kunduz Gov. Mohammad Omar praised the accuracy of International Security Assistance Force air strikes against the insurgents while avoiding civilians.

"It is the largest operation I've ever seen in Kunduz," the governor said. "You've got the Taliban running all over the place. Overall, I think this operation is wonderful."

Military officials will continue to meet with village elders to ensure the area remains secure after combat operations.

"People of Kunduz are very appreciative that international forces and Afghan national security forces are working together to better Afghanistan," Omar said. "Taliban in the area are on the run, and we have shown them that they cannot control the area."

No Afghan or international personnel were killed, and no civilians were injured during the operations.

In other news from Afghanistan, an Afghan-international security force killed an enemy militant and detained several suspects in the southern province of Kandahar yesterday while pursuing a senior Taliban commander in charge of local and foreign fighters in the area.

The combined force targeted a vehicle in the Khakriz district after intelligence indicated militant activity. The force killed one insurgent, detained several suspects and recovered nine 50-pound containers of homemade explosives, an assault rifle and ammunition. All of the explosives were destroyed safely, and no civilians were injured during the operation.

A combined force detained several suspected militants in Kandahar province after searching buildings known to be used by a Taliban district commander responsible for several attacks and linked to senior Taliban leadership in the area.

The force targeted the buildings on the east side of Kandahar City after intelligence indicated militant activity there, searched the buildings without incident and detained the suspects. No shots were fired, and no civilians were injured.

Meanwhile, search operations continue for two U.S. paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, missing since Nov. 4 in western Afghanistan.

"ISAF personnel will endeavor to ensure no servicemember, regardless of nationality, is left behind," said Navy Capt. Jane Campbell, ISAF Joint Command spokeswoman. "Our search operations continue in earnest, and our thoughts and prayers are with their friends and families.”

Further information is being withheld while search and rescue operations continue and while the incident is under investigation.

Elsewhere, a combined force killed several enemy militants and detained a group of suspects in Kandahar province Nov. 7 while pursuing a Taliban operative suspected of being responsible for targeting Afghan civilians and providing improvised explosive devices and suicide bombers to other militants in the area.

The force’s convoy was in transit when enemy militants attempted to hit it with an IED strike. The force immediately located the enemy position and returned fire, killing the enemy militants. A security element with the force pursued and detained the group who were seen leaving the enemy's location. The force searched the enemy position and recovered IED materials, an assault rifle, chest racks and assault-rifle ammunition magazines. No civilians were harmed.

A combined force killed an enemy militant and detained several suspects in the southeast province of Zabul. One of the detained is believed to be a Taliban bomber operating out of Qalat City and responsible for financing militant activities and the transport of IED materials and weapons into the area.

The force targeted a compound on the west side of Qalat City that intelligence reports identified as a location used by Taliban commanders.

Since the compound was close to an Afghan police station, the force coordinated with the police chief to accompany and assist with the operation. When the police chief called for occupants to exit the compound, the force received hostile fire and returned fire, killing one militant.

The force searched the compound and detained the suspects, one of whom surrendered and identified himself as the Taliban bomb coordinator. He was found hiding in a building later discovered to be a Red Cross office on the compound. Further questioning of the Taliban facilitator revealed he is relative of a local Red Cross employee.

In a separate operation, another combined force detained several suspected militants in Khowst province, one of whom was a sought-after Haqqani terrorist leader responsible for the financial and logistical support of militant activities in the area.

The force targeted compounds in the Sabari district after intelligence indicated militant activity there, searched the compounds without incident, and detained six suspects, one of whom was identified as the Haqqani suspect. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

In another operation, a combined force detained suspected militants in Logar province after searching a compound known to be used by a Haqqani financier with numerous ties to militant elements in the area.

The combined force targeted the compound in the Baraki Barak district after intelligence indicated militant activity there. The force searched the compound without incident and detained the suspects. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

(Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command news releases.)

USS New York Officially Commissioned

2009-11-07T17:12:00.002-05:00

USS New York is commissioned in New York, Nov. 7, 2009. The Navy ship was named in honor of the courage displayed by New York City's residents during and after 9/11. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Dan Meaney.)

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2009 -- A new Navy ship named in honor of the courage displayed by New York City’s residents during and after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks received its official commission today.

The USS New York recalls “the searing memories of Sept. 11” as well as “the bravery of the rescuers, the resolve of the survivors, the compassion of this city and the patriotism of this great country,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said during the ship’s commissioning ceremony at New York City harbor. Clinton was a member of the U.S. Senate representing New York state during 9/11.

Part of the bow, or front, of the new ship, Clinton said, is constructed of 7.5 tons of melted-down steel taken from the wreckage of the World Trade Center’s twin towers that were destroyed during the terrorist attacks.

The motto of the USS New York, Clinton said, is “Strength Forged through Sacrifice: Never Forget.”

No one “will ever forget the image of twisted girders and shattered beams looming above the smoldering pile” of wreckage, Clinton said.

The USS New York is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship. It was christened March 1 in a New Orleans’ shipyard by Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor and wife of former Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England.

The USS New York and its crew, Clinton said, will join in the fight against terrorism and extremism and also perform humanitarian missions worldwide.

The new ship’s first commander is Navy Cmdr. F. Curtis Jones, a native of Binghamton, N.Y. The vessel has a crew of more than 350 sailors and can transport a landing force of 800 Marines and their equipment.

Clinton was accompanied at the ceremony by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus; Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations; Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway; and other senior officials.

Mabus hailed the USS New York as “a visible testament to our resilience, to the character of this city, to the strength of this country.”

The 9/11 attacks, Mabus said, failed to destroy neither America’s spirit nor its resolve to defeat worldwide extremism.

“And, that’s what this ship represents,” he said.

Mabus saluted the men and women who comprise the New York’s crew.

“The nation and our Navy are incredibly proud of you and all that you have done to prepare the New York for her operational life,” Mabus said of the ship’s crew. “You have begun to shape the spirit and the soul of this ship, just as surely as the builders laid the keel, placed the engines, [and] installed the weapons.”

The New York and her sailors and Marines are now “ready to sail in harm’s way, on any point on any of the world’s oceans, to prevent conflict, when possible, and to win decisively, when necessary,” Roughead said.

The U.S. flag that waves above the New York’s decks, Roughead said, serves “as a symbol and a message of freedom, of commitment and of resolve.”

As the New York embarks on her maiden voyage, Conway said, the warship “will carry the spirit, the determination, and the defiance that has always been America.”

And, though terrorists attacked the American homeland eight years ago, they “will not change who we are or what we believe,” Conway vowed.

(Report by Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service.)

OEF Update, Nov. 7, 2009: Forces Interdict Taliban IED Facilitator in Zabul, Nab Militants in Khowst, Logar Provinces

2009-11-07T09:41:00.003-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 7, 2009 -- Afghan-international security forces killed an enemy militant and detained a few suspected militants in Zabul Province, one of which was a Taliban IED facilitator operating out of Qalat City. This facilitator was responsible for financial support of militant activities and the transport of IED materials and weapons into the area.

The joint security force targeted a compound on the west side of Qalat City which credible intelligence reported as a location known historically to be used by Taliban commanders.

Since the compound was close to an ANP station, the joint force coordinated with the police chief to accompany and assist with the operation. When the police chief called for occupants to exit the compound, the joint force received hostile fire and returned fire, killing one militant.

The joint force searched the compound and detained the suspected militants, one of whom surrendered and identified himself as the Taliban IED facilitator. He was discovered hiding in a building later discovered to be a Red Cross office on the compound. Further questioning of the Taliban facilitator revealed that he is relative of a local Red Cross employee.

In a separate operation, another joint force detained several suspected militants in Khowst Province, one of which was a sought-after Haqqani facilitator responsible for the financial and logistical support of militant activities in the area.

The joint force targeted the compounds near Now Deh village in the Sabari District after intelligence indicated militant activity. The joint force searched the compounds without incident and detained six suspected militants. The force later identified one of the six as the Haqqani facilitator. No shots were fired and no one was injured.

In a third operation, a joint security force detained a few suspected militants in Logar Province after searching a compound known to be used by a Haqqani financier with numerous ties to militant elements in the area.

The joint security force targeted the compound in the Baraki Barak District after intelligence indicated militant activity. The joint force searched the compound without incident and detained the suspected militants. No shots were fire and no one was injured.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force news releases.)

Wire: Friendly Fire May Have Wounded 25 NATO Troops in Afghanistan

2009-11-07T09:32:00.002-05:00

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that NATO officials in Afghanistan say 25 international troops wounded during a recent operation may have been hit by friendly fire.

NATO initially blamed "insurgent activity" for the casualties. But officials Saturday said they do not rule out the possibility the troops were mistakenly wounded during an attack by their own forces, according to a VOA News report.

The troops were wounded Friday while looking for two missing U.S. soldiers who are believed to have drowned in a river in the western province of Badghis.

The province's deputy police chief, Abdul Jabar, says the two soldiers were swept away Wednesday while trying to save supply boxes that fell into the water after being air-dropped.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Wire: At Least 25 Wounded in US Troop Search in Afghanistan

2009-11-06T20:44:00.003-05:00

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that more than 25 NATO and Afghan troops were wounded during a search Friday for two missing U.S. paratroopers in western Afghanistan, the NATO-led force said.

The Taliban claimed the two missing soldiers were dead and it had recovered their bodies.

A statement from ISAF in Afghanistan said more than 25 troops were wounded during a search and rescue mission.

NATO spokesman Lieutenant Darin Russell said the troops were wounded "by insurgent activity." He declined to give further details of the incident, which he said was under investigation.

He did not say how many of the wounded were NATO troops and how many were Afghans, or whether any of them had been killed.

The Reuters news service reported that the chief of police in Badghis province in western Afghanistan, Abdul Jabar, said NATO aircraft had struck their own troops during the search and that several Americans had died in the "friendly fire" air strike.

NATO announced earlier Friday that two U.S. paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division had gone missing Wednesday.

Reports of missing troops in Afghanistan would automatically trigger a large-scale military response.

The Taliban said the two missing U.S. soldiers had drowned.

A U.S. soldier has been missing in the southeast since late June. Insurgents say they are holding him, and U.S. forces in the area launched a massive manhunt, Reuters said.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

2009-11-06T20:33:00.001-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009 -- The following news release made available Friday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Staff Sgt. Amy C. Tirador, 29, of Albany, N.Y., died Nov. 4 in Kirkush, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. She was assigned to the 209th Military Intelligence Company, 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

2009-11-06T20:29:00.001-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009 -- The following news release made available Friday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Spc. Julian L. Berisford, 25, of Benwood, W.V., died Nov. 4 in Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fires. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

(Report from a U.S. Defense Department news release.)

Video: Army Photojournalist Talks to Military Reporter About Fort Hood Shootings

2009-11-06T14:02:00.004-05:00

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009 -- Embedded above is a video of Sgt. Elliot Valdez talking to a military reporter about the mass shooting at Fort Hood Texas and his position as a photojournalist. Sgt. Valdez captured Fort Hood crime scene imagery published earlier on the blog. (Courtesy Video, III Corps. Length: 00:10:09.)

More Defense Imagery on THE TENSION

Pentagon: Army Sends Support Teams to Aid Fort Hood Soldiers, Families

2009-11-06T12:59:00.002-05:00

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2009 -- Resources to help those affected by the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas, are flowing to the post, Army officials said today.

Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan killed 13 Fort Hood personnel and wounded another 30 during a shooting spree at the post’s Soldier-Family Readiness Center yesterday. Hassan was wounded and is in custody.

Army Secretary John M. McHugh and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. are at the post conferring with officials to determine the best way forward, said Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, chief of Army public affairs.

Army Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone, the commander of 3rd Corps and Fort Hood, has requested additional capabilities to help post personnel get through this tragedy. “We are already generating capabilities to deal with the consequences of the situation at Fort Hood,” Bergner told reporters this morning.

The service is sending 13 unit ministry teams to the post. Each team has chaplains and chaplain assistants who can support the spiritual needs of soldiers, families and civilians at Fort Hood, Bergner said.

The Army also is sending 35 family life consultants to the base. “These are folks who specifically are trained and equipped to deal with the stress that military families confront – from the children to the spouses,” the general explained.

The service also is sending 13 behavioral health specialists from to Fort Hood from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio to help with grief counseling.

Four Operation Homecoming counselors, 20 more behavioral health specialists and 17 critical-incident stress-management personnel will deploy to Fort Hood soon, Bergner said, and five combat stress teams are moving to the post to augment teams already at the base.

Some of the additional teams will arrive today and tomorrow, and others will flow in later, the general said. “If more is needed, we will provide it,” he added.

(Report by Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service.)

OIF Summary, Nov. 6, 2009: Forces in Iraq Nab 5 Suspected Terrorists

2009-11-06T11:41:00.001-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

BAGHDAD, Nov. 6, 2009 -- Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected terrorists today in two security operations.

In northeastern Baghdad, the Iraqi soldiers, with U.S. advisors, searched two buildings looking for a Promise Day Brigade terrorist group leader who allegedly coordinates attacks against security forces in Iraq.

The Iraqi soldiers questioned and then arrested three people suspected of being Promise Day Brigade associates without incident.

Near Sharqat, about 50 miles northwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi police and U.S. advisors searched two buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member who has ties to senior leaders of the terrorist group.

Based on evidence at the scene, two suspects were arrested without incident.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.)

NATO Reports 2 ISAF Servicemembers Missing in Afghanistan

2009-11-06T09:48:00.003-05:00

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 6, 2009 -- Two International Security Assistance Force servicemembers were reported missing Nov. 4 from a routine resupply mission in western Afghanistan. Afghan and coalition forces are currently involved in an extensive search for the servicemembers.

"We continue exhaustive search and rescue operations to locate our missing servicemembers. We are doing everything we can to find them," said ISAF Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jane Campbell. "The families of these servicemembers have been notified about their loved ones' status, and we will continue to keep them informed as information becomes available."

It is ISAF policy to not release the nationality of any missing servicemember before the relevant national authority does so.

Further information is being withheld while the search and rescue operations continue and while the incident is investigated.

(From a NATO International Security Assistance Force news release.)