B*N*S*N2

WELCOME HOME!

NORFOLK (July 27, 2011) Damage Controlman 3rd Class Marc Cendejas holds his four-month-old son for the first time, along with his daughter, after returning from a deployment aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87). Mason deployed to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility and is the final ship of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group to return home to Naval Station Norfolk. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kayla Jo Guthrie/Released)

B*N*S*N2

‘Lifeline’ Battalion assists Iraqi Federal Police in establishing medical facility

Written by Sgt. 1st Class Jill Serrano, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C Monday, June 13, 2011

BAGHDAD — On May 31, medical personnel with Company C, 299th “Lifeline” Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center conducted a joint operation with the 4th Iraqi Federal Police Department to establish a Level One medical facility at Joint Security Station Jihad, Iraq.

Medical supplies were gathered by the 299th BSB and delivered to the intended Level One medical facility location, which was accepted with open arms by the members of the 4th IFP Div.

Level One medical facilities possess sick call capabilities along with life, limb and eyesight controls. They are also used for routine medical care, such as common colds, back pain, headache, sinusitis, sprains and strains. The Soldiers with Company C took a personal interest in this project after they learned of the Iraqi counterparts’ lack of individual medical skills and equipment needed to perform basic care for a range of maladies, from the simplest illness or to the most severe battle wound.

With only four hours available in which complete the mission, the combat medics from Company C created a foundation for a successful Level One medical facility and established an initial protocol to be used as a baseline for the 4th IFP Div.’s medical care. Working hand in hand with the 4th IFP Div. was invigorating for some of the Soldiers who were experiencing their first partnership mission.

“I had no idea what to expect, but this experience has given me a better understanding of Iraqi culture and the needs of the Iraqi [Security] Forces” said Spc. Billy Mayberry, a patient administration specialist with Company C, 299th BSB and a Ledyard, Conn., native. “I cannot wait to be out here again.”

The Soldiers’ first task was the set up of the pharmacy department. The 4th IFP Div. policemen were particularly enthusiastic for this new capability and were ready to advance their knowledge of medication dispensing and dosing. Sgt. Michelle Mendoza, pharmacy technician with Company C, 299th BSB and a Jersey City, N.J., native, provided her expertise in the handling and storage of medications. She instructed the Iraqi policemen on a system of tagging, separating and explained reasons why certain drugs shouldn’t be prescribed to be taken together.

The medics also found time to help local patients amid the tasks associated with the setup of the medical facility.

At the end of the day, the Soldiers noted that their 4th IFP Div. counterparts were enthusiastic with the outcome of patient care, training and formal supervision over the pharmacy department, the Level One medical facility and the coordination for future training engagements.

“Working with the [Iraqi] Federal Police was an invigorating experience,” said Pfc. Michael Wehner, a medic with Company C, 299th BSB and a Pittsburgh native. “Their eagerness was projected through their faces and their search for knowledge gave me an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.”

(source)

B*N*S*N2

Actor Sinise works with SOUTHCOM to deliver school supplies to children in Haiti


















MIAMI (May 31, 2011) -- Actor Gary Sinise speaks during a press conference at U.S. Southern Command headquarters about the delivery of 2,560 donated school supply kits to children in Haiti. Sinise, co-founder of Operation International Children (OIC) that donated the supplies, worked with SOUTHCOM and People to People International to make the humanitarian delivery possible. The school supplies will be distributed in mid-June by U.S. military personnel during an ongoing humanitarian exercise in Haiti. (Photo by Art McQueen)


Posted On: May 31 2011

By U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs

MIAMI (May 31, 2011) -- Gary Sinise, actor and co-founder of Operation International Children (OIC), visited U.S. Southern Command headquarters here to discuss the delivery of 2,560 donated school supply kits to children in Haiti through a SOUTHCOM exercise.

The donated school supplies were delivered to Haiti on Monday and will be distributed by U.S. military personnel from Task Force Bon Voizen (Good Neighbor) in mid-June during an ongoing humanitarian assistance exercise in the Artibonite Department. Sinise’s OIC worked with SOUTHCOM and People to People International to make the humanitarian delivery possible.

“It’s very, very important we do what we can to help the military and help others and that’s what our program does,” said Sinise, who founded the nongovernmental organization after witnessing four children sharing one pencil during a visit to Iraq.

During his visit, Sinise met with SOUTHCOM leaders to discuss the Haiti delivery and the work of his foundation.

“[OIC is] a military support program to help them help the children in these devastated and war torn areas around the world,” he said....

Much more here.

B*N*S*N2

CAMP KINSER, Okinawa, Japan-Staff Sgt. Carla Arana, a food service specialist with Food Service Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Regiment, III Marine Expeditionary Force, serves a slice of pie to Sgt. Stephen Wallace, a radio technician with Communications Company, CLR-37, during the Taste of Home hosted by the Unit and Family Readiness Office on Camp Kinser May 17., Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe,



Families break bread with Marines during ‘Taste of Home’

5/27/2011 By Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe , Marine Corps Bases Japan

CAMP KINSER, Okinawa, Japan — The thick aroma of freshly home-cooked food, coupled with a sense of enjoyment, transformed a professional military classroom into a family gathering for single Marines and sailors during the Taste of Home hosted by the Unit and Family Readiness Office on Camp Kinser May 17.

Every quarter, volunteers with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, prepare homemade dishes to remind Marines and sailors that while their families may be thousands of miles away, they have a family within the Marine Corps, said Salina P. McBride, a unit and family readiness officer with the regiment.

The Unit and Family Readiness Program is designed to ensure Marines, sailors and family members are better equipped to deal with the stress of being forward-deployed to Okinawa and support activities which build camaraderie and unity among units stationed here.

“Being so far away from home is a sensitive subject for us,” said Lance Cpl. Katrina Dunivan, an assistant unit and family readiness officer with Headquarters Company, CLR-37. “But the volunteers organized by the (Unit and Family Readiness Office) cook to ease that pain, like they were part of the family.”

The event is also designed to build interpersonal relationships between single service members in the barracks and senior-leadership.

“The Taste of Home provides an excellent opportunity for senior-level leadership to bond with junior Marines and see how they are doing personally,” said McBride.

During the event, service members played board games to create a sense of camaraderie.

“Playing games that would normally be played by a family is not something that happens every day,” said Pfc. Samantha Evers, a food service specialist with Food Service Company, CLR-37. “We share a lot of laughs together and learn things about each other I wouldn’t have learned in the workplace.

“I am very glad for the amount of success we have had with this event,” said McBride. “Last quarter volunteers brought homemade pizzas, lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs.”

(source)

B*N*S*N2

05/18/2011 - U.S. Marines check their bearings before advancing on the beach with Royal Thai marines during a combined amphibious assault for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2011 on Had Yao Beach, Thailand, May 18, 2011. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually in Southeast Asia to strengthen relationships and enhance force readiness. (DoD photo by Lt. K. Madison Carter, U.S. Navy/Released)

B*N*S*N2

Photo by Spc. Matthew Wright

Chief Warrant Officer Brendon McNamara, left, Capt. Dennis McNamara and Capt. Elizabeth McNamara are AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots for the 8-229 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion from Fort Knox, Ky. Dennis is the proud father of Brendon and Elizabeth.

Like father, like daughter, son: Flying Apaches runs in the family

Story by 1st Lt. Jason Sweeney

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Having an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter pilot for your dad is pretty cool. Even cooler is being an Apache pilot and having two of your children follow in your footsteps to become pilots, too.

“Without a doubt, I’m the proudest man on earth,” said Capt. Dennis McNamara, an AH-64 Apache Longbow attack helicopter pilot for the 8th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, an Army Reserve unit based out of Fort Knox, Ky.

Capt. Dennis McNamara is currently stationed at Camp Taji, Iraq, where he flies Apaches alongside his daughter, Capt. Elizabeth McNamara, 28, and his son, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Brendon McNamara, 24.

The AH-64 Apache is a mean machine, heavily armed with Hellfire missiles, 2.75-inch rockets and a 30 mm M230 chain gun. The aircraft is a formidable force in the skies of Iraq, performing such tasks as reconnaissance, convoy protection and air support for ground units.

The 8-229 ARB Flying Tigers and its Apaches are currently attached to the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, which is on a yearlong deployment to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. The brigade is performing full-spectrum aviation operations in the country, and the 8-229 is its attack arm.

Capt. Dennis McNamara served 12 years in the active-duty Army before taking a full-time position at Fort Knox with the 8-229. After 11 years with the unit, he moved to California to take a job with the Boeing Corporation, while switching over to a Reserve unit based out of Los Alamitos, Calif.

Dennis was at home in Helendale, Calif., when he learned that his son and daughter were deploying to Iraq with his old unit.

“I couldn’t see both my children deploying and leaving me at home,” he said. He called the unit’s commander, Lt. Col. James Posey, and asked to rejoin the 8-229 for the deployment.

“Dennis McNamara and I have worked together for several years, so I considered it an honor to have his children serving in my command, and I welcomed his return to the unit,” Posey said. “When the chance presented itself for him to deploy with us, I was a little concerned with having over half the family in my unit, in a combat zone, and all flying the same aircraft! We quickly decided they could not fly together while here, but at least they could all serve in the same area together.”

Capt. Dennis McNamara has been flying Apaches for more than 20 years now. He served in Operation Desert Storm and in Operation Iraqi Freedom. But for his two kids, this deployment was their first.

Elizabeth and Brendon, who both call Louisville, Ky., home, said having their father with them has its advantages, giving them an extra “support element” while here. ...

Read the rest here.

B*N*S*N2

Women’s Shura in Uruzgan, Provides Medical Treatment and Health Education

U.S. Army Soldiers from the Cultural Support Team and Female Treatment Team are introduced to members of the women’s shura held at a local compound in the village of Oshay in the Uruzgan province of Afghanistan, May 4, 2011. With the support of U.S. Special Operation Forces, the CST and FTT are working closely together in order to bring health education to women in the area, as well as give them a voice in the district. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Kaily Brown/Not Reviewed)

Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan
For Immediate Release
Release #008
Story by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Trevor Anderson

URUZGAN, Afghanistan (May 5, 2011) – Members of a U.S. Special Operations cultural support team, along with a coalition female treatment team, met with women from villages in the Shahid-e-Hassas district at a family compound in Oshay village, May 4.

The intent behind the shura was to provide health education to local women and a venue to discuss their issues, said a CST member at the event.

There were 38 women in attendance, some traveled from as far away as Kandahar.

“This was the first shura to incorporate more than one family from the Oshay village, marking a significant milestone for the women of Shahid-e-Hassas district,” said the CST member.

The team also offered classes to the attendees on proper personal hygiene, such as hand washing, nail grooming, laundry, and dental health education.

The women said they were pleased with the outcome and are looking forward to future shuras and medical clinics for women.

“We are happy with today’s shura,” said a local Afghan woman at the shura. “Today should be an outline for future shuras of this kind. We were able to have our voices heard and share our concerns with other women in the village.”

(source)

B*N*S*N2

Soldiers serve as linguists; ambassadors

Written by Maj. William Mott, STT, 1st Bn., 12th Cav. Regt. UPAR, 3rd AAB, 1st Cav. Div. Tuesday, April 26, 2011

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRAH, Iraq – Most of us are familiar with the local national interpreters, however there is a new generation of Soldiers born from Operation Iraqi Freedom, and developed into combat multipliers for Operation New Dawn; U.S. Soldier interpreters under the military occupational specialty O-9L Linguist here in Basrah, Iraq.

They are referred to as “oh-nine-leemahs,” Arabic speaking Americans who have joined the U.S. military to serve as linguists.

Spc. Ali Gamah, originally from Iraq and Spc. Ehab Amer, from Egypt, are two examples of this new breed of Soldiers and are deployed with Stability Transition Teams (STT) within 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. “I came into my mission at the Basrah Operations Center (BaOC) with all the concerns and fears that I have as an American Soldier born and raised in Basrah,” said Gamah.

Initially, he thought translating his native language into English would be an easy job but quickly realized his tasks were more extensive. From coordinating convoys without violating operational security to coordinating with Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) for missions with U.S. forces, his job is not easy.

The BaOC conducts 24-hour operations. The five-person team manages the BaOC convoys to accomplish the counter indirect fire patrols, humanitarian aid missions, Provincial Reconstruction Team movements, ISF convoys and training tasks.

Gamah has been performing this pivotal job since February with Spc. Ehab Amer. Amer, who calls Alaska home, joined the STT by way of Fort Irwin, Calif.

Amer said he is impressed with the level of responsibility he has in translating information for U.S. and Iraqi officers concerning military intelligence.

“Spc. Gamah and I have developed a high level of cooperation with the entire Iraqi staff, and they readily share concerns they get from the Iraqi ground forces,” said Amer. ...

More here.

B*N*S*N2

From War on Terror News:

Military Wives By Day, Black River Rollers By Night

Spouses find off-the-beaten-course outlet for coping with military life

Apr 21, 2011

By Jennifer Caprioli (USAG Fort Drum)

FORT DRUM, N.Y., April 21, 2011 -- They don helmets, mouth guards and knee pads about five days each week. They raise families and hold down careers while their husbands fight for a peaceful nation. And they love to blow off steam by plowing through groups of roller skaters.

The women of the Black River Rollers, especially the military spouses, hold it together as a team and have each others' backs - on and off the course.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Caprioli, USAG Fort Drum.

Black River Rollers from left, Whitney Walker, Amanda Moore and Kristy Pastrano, all military spouses, block the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Roller Radical skaters during Saturday's bout at the Watertown Arena.

The skaters busted their way along the Watertown Arena's 130-foot roller derby course Saturday, during the Black River Rollers' first-ever bout.

The Wilkes-Barre Scranton Roller Radicals made the four-hour trip to take on the local roller derby team, and after an hour of pushing, shoving and falling, the Radicals beat the Rollers with a score of 141-138.

Roller derby made its debut in 1935. Since then, interest in the sport has risen and fallen, and in 2001 was revived.

Teams are composed of a pivot, the skater who sets the pace for the rest of the team; a jammer, the only skater who can score; and blockers, the skaters who help their jammer score by blocking the opposing team's jammer.

The Black River Rollers, an all-female team founded in January 2010, is composed of 11 competing skaters; six of them are military spouses.

Whitney Walker, who was on a roller derby team in Georgia, joined the team in February 2010 after moving to Fort Drum with her husband, Spc. Cody Walker, 1st Battalion, 10th Aviation Regiment.

They have three children, including a 4-month-old infant. Although her husband is deployed, Walker still finds time to make it to practice...

Much more at WOTN here.

B*N*S*N2

Larger Afghan force helps leave Taliban fractured and demoralised

April 14, 2011 by ukforcesafghanistan

The Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade says he believes the momentum of the insurgency in Afghanistan has shifted during Operation Herrick 13 and that it’s increasingly fractured and demoralised. Herrick 13 was the third time 16 Air Assault brigade have been to Helmand. This time they had thousands more troops concentrated in a much smaller area of the province. Three key districts of Nad Ali, Nahr-e Saraj, and Lashkar Gah. That combined with bigger Afghan National forces means there has been change for the better in the last six months, according to the man who has just home from commanding task force Helmand, Brigadier James Chiswell has warned it could take as much as a year to see if that change is temporary or long lasting. The Brigadier says key to building that local confidence is development projects like the opening of route trident, allowing freer travel through central Helmand, with new markets opening up alongside.

BFBS interview with the Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, Brig James Chiswell and Lt Gen Karimi, Chief of Operations for the Afghan National Army:




(source)

B*N*S*N2

Army dog handlers receive their Afghanistan medals

07 April 2011


Colonel Neil Smith inspects the parade and presents the campaign medals to soldiers from 104 Military working Dog Squadron.

Soldiers from 104 Military Working Dog Squadron, part of the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment (Royal Army Veterinary Corps) were honoured in front of proud families and friends on Wednesday, 6th April when they received their richly deserved Op HERRICK campaign medals at St George’s Barracks, North Luffenham.

The family of Lance Corporal Liam Tasker who was tragically killed in Afghanistan were presented with his medal alongside his Squadron colleagues. Lance Corporal Tasker was taking part in a patrol with his dog, Theo, when they were engaged by small arms fire, during which Lance Corporal Tasker was struck and died from the injuries he sustained. Sadly, on returning to Camp Bastion, Theo suffered a seizure and died.

The Squadron and four RAF Police Dog Handlers deployed to Afghanistan in the support of 16 Air Assault Brigade in Afghanistan. Together with their military working dogs the Squadron’s role was to provide protection and search capabilities as well as helping to clear routes, buildings and vehicles.

'Ethos'

The highly trained dogs and their handlers carried out tasks that included patrolling the bases where fellow British soldiers are based, searching vehicles at check points and going out on patrols on the front line to search for weapons, ammunitions and explosives....

Read the rest of this B*N*S*N story here.

Liam and Theo:

B*N*S*N2

Ambushed SCOTS troops defeat Taliban attackers

A Military Operations news article

24 Mar 11

British soldiers working alongside Afghan Police to clear insurgents from a contested area in Helmand's Lashkar Gah district have survived a well-organised attack to turn the tables on their assailants.

A soldier from D Company, 5 SCOTS, provides cover for an assault on an insurgent position
[Picture: Captain Niall Archibald, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]

Soldiers from The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (5 SCOTS), worked alongside their partners from the 2nd Kandak of the Afghan Uniformed Police to conduct the 'advance to contact' - an operation to engage enemy fighters in an area known as Shindac Mandah, north of Patrol Base Attal in Lashkar Gah district.

Troops from Delta Company of Canterbury-based 5 SCOTS have been in Helmand since September 2010, mentoring the Afghan police officers who are increasingly taking over security responsibilities in the area. They return home in April.

Their aim in this operation was to sweep away insurgent fighters operating in the area, and demonstrate to locals that the police and other institutions of governance in Helmand are now in control and have complete freedom of movement....

Read more here.

B*N*S*N2

U.S. Soldiers partner with IP to re-open al Fadallah school, build community relations

Written by Spc. Kandi Huggins, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, U.S. Division-North Thursday, March 17, 2011

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq - "Thunderhorse" Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, from Fort Riley, Kan., assisted Iraqi policemen of the Aruba Police Station distributing humanitarian aid during the reopening of al Fadallah Elementary school in Kirkuk, March 14.

The newly renovated school provides a better learning environment for the students, said 1st Lt. Nicholas Rosa, platoon leader, Company B, 2nd Bn., 12th Cav. Regt.

"A better learning environment means better teaching for the kids, which leads to a better education that in turn benefits the country of Iraq," he said.

The renovations included repairing electrical wiring, installing new flooring, rebuilding the courtyard wall, repainting the walls of the building and fixing the bathrooms, said Rosa, a Jackson, Mo. native.

"It took about two months to get everything done, and it's in a lot better shape than when we first got here," said Rosa.

U.S. forces partnered with Aruba IP, who led routine inspections on the school house reconstruction project and coordinated for the ceremony commemorating the school's reopening, said Rosa.

Deployed as part of U.S. Division-North in support of Operation New Dawn, Rosa said Soldiers of Thunderhorse Bn. work with local Iraqi Police to build support within the community and demonstrate Iraqi Security Forces' concern for the citizens of Kirkuk. ....

And there is much more here.

B*N*S*N2

From Australia:

Navies work together to combat terrorist-linked narcotics smuggling
11 March 2011

In February 2011, the five nations that comprise Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) under the command of Commodore Greg Sammut, CSC, RAN conducted a focused operation in the Northern Arabian Sea to deter, detect and disrupt terrorist funding-related narcotics smuggling.

Ships and aircraft from Australia, France, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States worked together to conduct almost 200 interactions targeting narcotics smuggling in the area.

“The success of this operation demonstrated the established capacity of the contributing navies to uphold security and stability in the maritime environment,” Commodore Sammut said.

“All ships involved engaged positively with the local mariner community, promoting legitimate use of the sea and stability within the region.”

On the completion of the operation, HMAS Stuart and the Pakistani naval vessel PNS Badr conducted a combined patrol and training along the Pakistani coast.

“This is the second time in the last six months that the Australian and Pakistani navies have operated together under CTF 150 command, maintaining vital mariner and security operation skills among the crews of both warships,” Commodore Sammut said.

During the combined patrol period, Stuart and Badr conducted cooperative active patrols, gunnery serials, manoeuvres, and helicopter transfers.

“They also engaged in maritime interdiction operations. Working together, Badr conducted a boarding of a vessel under international law of the sea, with Stuart providing support,” he said.

The CTF 150 area of operations spans over two million square miles, covering the Red Sea, Gulf and Aden, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The principal mission of CTF 150 is to deter, disrupt and defeat attempts by extremist terrorist organisations to use the maritime environment as a venue for an attack or as a means to transport personnel, weapons and other materials. The recent operation and combined patrol demonstrate the capability and strength of the coalition of nations participating in CTF 150, as well as improving and maintaining vital links between those who use the seas.

(Source)

B*N*S*N2

We serve Afghanistan
2011-02-11

10.02. Ghazni. 89 Afghani policemen completed non-commissioned officers' course conducted in the Police School (Training Sustainment Site), held in Polish Task Force, Ghazni. Graduation ceremony took place on 10th February.

50 policemen from Ghazni and 39 from Kandahar participated in a four months' long training. Initially, the course included learning the basics: writing, personal hygiene, drill, shooting, and also Afghani law and Constitution. Later on, they learned combat skills, such as: detention of suspected persons, patrolling, setting up checkpoints, repelling the assualts on convoys, tackling IED threats, learning how to use handcuffs, suppressing riots. During this edition of training new elements were introduced such as a driving course for the vehicles Ranger type.

In the ceremonial award of certificates participated delegates of Polish HQ of the Ghazni province, deputy commander of TF White Eagle Col Albert Cox (US) and commander of the Training Task Group of Afghani Security Forces Col płk Marcin Fitas.

Maj Abdul Karim, assistant of Commandant of the Ghazni province said to the cadets: Your major duty will be providing security to your citizens, but still, you need to be ready to fight back the insurgents" (..).

9 Afghani instructors supported by 15 Polish mentors from the Land Forces and Military Police, and a number of US instructors teach in the Training Sustainment Site. It was a fourth course run in TSS and the first one during the 8th rotation of the Polish Task Force. Soon, 150 policemen will take part in another round of a course.

(Source: Polish Ministry of National Defence)

B*N*S*N2

Desert Rats prepare for deployment to Afghanistan 23.02.11




The clock is ticking down to pre-tour leave and then deployment to Afghanistan for the men and women of 7th Armoured Brigade. The Germany based "Desert Rats" have finished the majority of their training in the UK and are now back at home base in Bergen-Hohne Garrison. In the first of a series of reports building up to deployment, British Forces News joined one soldier for his final preparations.


From: BritishForcesNews | Feb 24, 2011 |



And my regular readers will know, I had to go look for information on Desert Rats:

The History of the British 7th Armoured Division

"The Desert Rats"

During the formal opening of the "Winston" Club, in Berlin, for the 7th Armoured Division Other Ranks, by Winston Churchill, his speech contained the following words;

"Soldiers of the 7th Armoured Division. I am delighted to be able to open this Club and I shall always consider it a great honour that it should be named after me.

I have, not of the first time, had the pleasure of seeing your troops march past, and this brings back to my mind the great many moving incidents in these last, long fierce years.

Now, here in Berlin, I find you all established in this great centre, from which, as from a volcano, fire and smoke and poison fumes have erupted all over Europe twice in a generation. And in bygone times also German fury has been let loose on her neighbours, and now it is we who have our place in the occupation of this country.

I feel that I can go far as to ask Field Marshal Montgomery to signalise this happy event of the Great Victory Parade we have has today by giving a whole holiday to all troops in Berlin and I hope, Field Marshal, that you can accommodate this to operational and other necessities.

Now I have only a word more to say about the Desert Rats. They were the first to begin. The 11th Hussars were in action in the desert in 1940 and ever since you have kept marching steadily forward on the long road to victory. Through so many countries and changing scenes you have fought your way.

It is not without emotion that I can express to you what I feel about the Desert Rats.

Dear Desert Rats! May your glory ever shine! May your laurels never fade! May the memory of this glorious pilgrimage of war which you have made from Alamein, via the Baltic to Berlin never die!...

There is more of Churchill's speech here, [http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/churchillsspeech.html ]

and lots of other great information here.[http://www.btinternet.com/~ian.a.paterson/main.html] (Yes, tech issues over here.)

Don't expect to find this on any front page of the msm, but go spend some time at the links and learn about these amazing heroes.

B*N*S*N2

Afghan National Army Artillery Soldiers Train on Howitzers


Artillerymen from the Afghan National Army Artillery Battery, 4th Kandak, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 203rd ANA Corps, fire the D-30 howitzer for the first time during a training exercise at Forward Operating Base Sharana Feb. 9. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. Zack Burke)



ISAF Joint Command - Afghanistan
2011-02-D-107
For Immediate Release

KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 15) – Afghan National Army soldiers from Artillery Battery, 4th Kandak, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 203rd ANA Corps, took part in an artillery training exercise, firing the D-30 howitzer at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Paktika province Feb. 10.

After months of preparation, the Afghan artillery soldiers, along with Currahee troops from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, conducted their first live fire on the D-30 122 mm howitzer.

Although the training is normally held at the ANA Artillery School in Kabul, the artillerymen of 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, hosted and conducted the training. The training cycle lasts 90 days, and began with the Afghan forward observers identifying the target and sending the necessary targeting information to the fire direction center.

The soldiers at the fire direction center then learned how to process the information and convert it for the cannon crewmembers.

The crewmembers then learned how to take the information from the fire direction center and make the aiming adjustments necessary to accurately hit the target. Leaders from all levels of the Afghan Army and Task Force Currahee came out to observe the successful live-fire training exercise.

“Before, we didn’t know how to operate these weapons, but since the Currahee soldiers arrived we have been able to learn how to fire the gun without fear of civilian casualties,” said Afghan Army Col. Abdul Fataa, operations officer, 4th Kandak, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 203rd Corps.

“I’m really proud that my soldiers went through this training and now have more skills to use in protecting our country,” said Afghan army 1st Sgt. Wali Rahman, first sergeant, Artillery Battery, 4th Kandak, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 203rd Corps.

Training will continue into the early spring with the Afghan artillerymen as they shift their focus to maintaining readiness.

The Afghan National Army’s D-30s will be positioned alongside Task Force Currahee’s M119 and M777 howitzers by late spring and into early summer throughout Paktika province.

(source)

B*N*S*N2

Mechanization to Boost Afghan Food Production


KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 8, 2011) –An Afghan demonstrates the new two-wheel tractors at a mechanization ceremony Sunday. Fifty tractors were sold to farmers of mid-sized Afghan farms at a subsidized cost in an effort to replace oxen and human labor and help farmers plant and harvest multiple crops per year. The program’s end goal is to get 6,000 tractors into the hands of farmers by the end of March. (Photo by U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Jordan Jones/Released)


International Security Assistance Force Headquarters
Story by U.S. Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Jordan Jones
ISAF HQ Public Affairs

KABUL, Afghanistan (Feb. 9, 2011) – Afghan farmers were tearing up the dirt Sunday as they received the keys to 50 two-wheel tractors.

Afghanistan produces less food than its people need. The 50 tractors are the continuation of an effort to mechanize Afghanistan and increase the productivity of mid-sized farms that grow produce for the Afghan market.

The joint effort between Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock; the U .S. Agency for International Development; and International Relief and Development is working to provide up to 6,000 tractors to Afghan farmers by March.

Many Afghan farmers use oxen and human labor to plow land and plant seed. These tractors will increase efficiency of farms that use them.

“In an hour spent working on the farm you can harvest and plow more land,” said Suzanne Poland, food security team leader, USAID. “There are also seed drills so you can plant faster.”

Only 12 percent of Afghanistan’s land is suitable for growing produce and most mid-sized Afghan farms work small, fragmented, hilly fields where the smaller, two-wheel tractors are more effective than four-wheel tractors...

For more details on this interesting B*N*S*N story, go here.

B*N*S*N2

From Poland: (You knew we have Polish troops in the GWOT, right? )

To understand Afghanistan
2011-01-21

20.01. Wędrzyn. Meeting with the mullah, the elderly of the village, and cooperation with the Afghani Armed Forces and Police were main tasks for the troops of the 17th Wielkopolska Mechanized Brigade before their deployment to the mission in Afghanistan during the exercises held at the Wędrzyn training field.

During the training organized by the CIMIC specialists from the Kielce training centre, the troops of “Bravo” Combat Group had to perform various tasks that required from them conforming to the rules of the culture and religion of Afghanistan. “While doing patrols soldiers will encounter many times local population, so they need to know how to behave not lose the trust of the Afghani toward the Polish military”, Capt. Marcin Matczak chief of the exercises emphasized.

The scenario of the exercise included among others, meeting with the mullah and the discussion about current problems of the locals. Later on, the soldiers went to check the state of implementation of the road construction project. Unfortunately, as the exercise scenario provided, the troops came under fire of an unknown attacker. During fire contact one of the soldiers received a head injury and had to be evacuated by MEDEVAC.
Thanks to this subunits trained cooperation with the team of the helicopters. "Now, the Bravo Combat Team finish synchronization of their activities before the deployment to the mission. This is a good moment to better coordinate their actions and teach them the habits of the population of Afghanistan", said LtCol Tomasz Biedziak chief of the “Bravo” Combat Team.

Multi-thousand coalition troops acting as part of ISAF implement the tasks according to NATO Counterinsurgency Strategy. One of its chief assumptions is maintaining good contacts with the local population. "I am certain that this way of conducting activities will bring positive effects and increase security and trust to the ISAF forces in Afghanistan", summarized commander of the 9th rotation of the Polish Task Force BrigGen Sławomir Wojciechowski.

(source)

B*N*S*N2

NZ Army Officer receives honour from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

Photo Caption. Lt Col Gillard with wife - Lucielle, and sons - Matthew 14 and Robbie 8.

14 December 2010

His Royal Highness The Prince Of Wales has invested Lt Col Nick Gillard, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery as an Additional Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

The award was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2010 and because Lieutenant Colonel Gillard is currently based in London as Military Advisor attached to New Zealand Defence Staff, he had the opportunity of having the honour presented to him at the Palace.

“I talked to His Royal Highness for a couple of minutes and he was keen to thank New Zealand for its efforts in Afghanistan. He was well briefed about our contribution to ISAF.

“I remain thankful to all members of ARIKI 14 and those contingents who preceded us, whose collective efforts and professionalism made my job an easy one. I am also thankful to my family for their continued support and it was wonderful that they could share such a unique occasion.”

Lieutenant Colonel Gillard deployed to Afghanistan from April to October 2009 as Chief of Staff for the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) based in Bamyan.

The citation for the award states he effectively practiced mission command at all times, which allowed his staff the freedom to conduct operations to best effect. He was personally responsible for planning and coordinating the security aspects of the Bamyan Province elections in conjunction with the Afghan National Security Forces.

The result saw elections being conducted with a high level of security and in an efficient manner. He also oversaw the successful embedding of United States Military Police into Bamyan, to begin their mission of training the Afghan National Police.

His understanding of the complex relationships between international forces and the Afghan people saw immense progress being made by the NZPRT. (source)