Saturday, March 8, 2008

Growth of U.S. Special Operations Forces Predicted

Focus on Defense

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2008 (AFPS) -- The numbers of U.S. special operations forces are expected to grow in the years ahead as the United States continues its fight against global terrorism, a senior U.S. military officer told a Senate panel here Tuesday.

By direction of the president, U.S. Special Operations Command is the lead combatant command for synchronizing Defense Department planning for the global war against terrorism, Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Today, special operators are posted in 58 countries, mostly in small numbers, Olson said. More than 80 percent of overseas-deployed SOCOM members serve with U.S. Central Command, which has responsibility for the Afghanistan and Iraq wartime theaters of operation.

“Operational commanders have learned that no other force can accomplish such a broad scope of missions in such diverse operational environments,” Olson told committee members.

Global demand for special operations troops exceeds the supply, Olson noted, adding that he sees no decrease in demand in coming years, even with the announced redeployments of some U.S. forces from Iraq.

“We are expanding as fast as we reasonably can -- as fast as we can reasonably absorb the growth,” Olson said, noting he envisions a special operations forces growth rate of 3 to 5 percent annually.

With headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., SOCOM provides special operators from all service components to support combatant commanders worldwide.

Acknowledged experts in counterterrorism operations, special operations troops also perform psychological operations, as well as counter-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, direct action, special reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, civil affairs, training with foreign forces, information operations and other missions, as they relate to special operations.

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

Related Site: U.S. Special Operations Command

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Combat Camera: Soldiers Discover, Raid al Qaida Torture House

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Soldiers of Troop C, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, discovered an insurgent torture house while on patrol in Zambraniyah March 5. (Photographer: Multi-National Division-Center.)

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A pair of handcuffs attached to a window bar was located near a set of open wires connected to an on / off switch. Soldiers believe the instrument was used to torture individuals. (Photographer: Multi-National Division-Center.)

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Hooks attached to a door were found in a torture house discovered in a patrol by soldiers of Troop C, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, in Zambraniyah March 5. Sons of Iraq present said the hooks were used to hang people from. (Photographer: Multi-National Division-Center.)

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Soldiers of Troop C, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, discovered an insurgent torture house while on patrol in Zambraniyah March 5. (Photographer: Multi-National Division-Center.)

Dispatches from the Front:

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, March 8, 2008 -- Sons of Iraq (SOI) led coalition forces to an al Qaida in Iraq (AQI) torture house and prison in northern Zambraniyah March 5.

The patrol was conducted based on intelligence provided by an SOI leader in the area, said Capt. Chris O’Brian, troop commander of Troop C, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, currently attached to 2nd BCT, 3rd Inf. Div.

“The guy wants to clean up the area,” said O’Brian, a native of Herndon, Va. “AQI killed half his family.” The SOI leader, who heads a group of 300 SOI, worked with his men in support of Troop C soldiers on the patrol.

The patrol began early in the morning as soldiers cleared houses in an area suspected of harboring insurgents, said O’Brian.

During the initial phase of the mission, the group came under small arms fire. Reacting to contact, the enemy, who was observed wearing black, ran away.

As the patrol continued, the group discovered a man dressed in black in a suspected AQI safe house. The man was detained on suspicion of involvement in insurgent activities and the likelihood that he was involved in the earlier attack.

SOIs are pointing out the bad guys in the neighborhood, O’Brian said, adding that they have also provided actionable intelligence.

Much of that intelligence indicated that there may be an AQI prison or torture house in the town, O’Brian said, noting that he was receiving reports on the possibility for the past week.

That intelligence led soldiers to a house full of materials used by insurgents for torture.

O’Brian said they discovered hand cuffs, an electrocution system consisting of bare wires linked to an on / off switch running to handcuffs on a window bar, and hanging hooks used for humans.

Twelve interrogation books written in Arabic were found along with several sets of female clothing. A bloody hand print was also present.

(Story from a Multi-National Division - Center press release.)

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Combat Camera: Soldiers Clear Village in Baqubah, Iraq

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Soldiers from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., prepare to clear a house in Chibernot, a suburb of Baqubah, Iraq, March 5. Able Company Soldiers cleared the village. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Sgt. Sean Spinks, team leader in Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Regiment, from Fort Lewis, Wash., looks under a chair for weapons during a clearing operation in Chibernot, Iraq, March 5. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Pfc. Nicholas Vazquez, rifleman in Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., marks a house during Operation Able Fortress in Chibernot, Iraq, March 5. Chibernot is located in the northern part of Baqubah. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Soldiers from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., enter a house during Operation Able Fortress in Chibernot, Iraq, March 5. The Soldiers cleared the village looking for weapons and members of suicide-vest cell operating in Baqubah. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Soldiers from Company A, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash., patrol a street with Iraqi police officers during Operation Able Fortress in Chibernot, Iraq, March 5. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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An Iraqi policeman provides security for coalition force Soldiers clearing Chibernot, Iraq. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division from Fort Lewis, Wash. provide security for Soldiers crossing a canal in Chibernot, Iraq, Mar. 5. (Photographer: Pfc. Kirby Rider, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.)

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Combat Camera: Troops Visit 'Forgotten' Village of Abayachi, Iraq

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Two soldiers from B Company, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, rest outside of a barbershop, Feb. 29, while village children pass to say hello along the main road in the village of Abayachi during a village assessment mission. (Photographer: Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division.)

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Soldiers from the Company C, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, talk to two local men, Feb. 29, about the conditions of a village water pump, on the banks of the Tigris River, in the village of Abayachi, which is located north of Baghdad, during the first day of a village assessment mission. (Photographer: Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division.)

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Staff Sgt. Alex Francis, a Lawrenceville, Ga., native who serves as a psychological operations team leader for the 312th PsyOps Company, attached to the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, talks with a local Shia man from the village of Abayachi, north of Baghdad, about political and living conditions in the town during a village assessment mission Feb. 29. (Photographer: Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division.)

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Col. Mike Bridges, an Anchorage, Alaska, native who serves as the deputy team leader and governance advisor for the Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team embedded with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, takes notes while other soldiers talk to locals, Feb. 29, at one of the pump stations at the village of Abayachi, north of Baghdad during a village assessment mission. (Photographer: Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division.)

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Soldiers from the C Company, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, talk to two local men about the conditions of a village water pump on the banks of the Tigris River in the village of Abayachi Feb. 29 during the first day of a village assessment mission. (Photographer: Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade 25th Infantry Division.)

Dispatches from the Front:

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, March 8, 2008 -- For the first time since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, villagers in the town of Abayachi watched as soldiers from several Multi-National Division – Baghdad units convoyed through their streets in Strykers and up-armored Humvees, Feb. 28.

The following day, soldiers from Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Warrior,” 25th Infantry Division, as well as elements from Company C, 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion; the 312th Psychological Operational Company; the 411th Military Police Company, 716th MP Battalion, 18th MP Brigade; and the brigade’s embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team, set out to assess the village’s infrastructure.

Their visit also afforded them the opportunity to ask local residents a series questions, as well as provide them some answers, as they inquired about the possible future for the village.

“This is the first time anyone from the [coalition forces] have been here [in Abayachi] in sometime, so this is really a new opportunity, a new mission and brand new territory," said Col. Mike Bridges, an Anchorage, Alaska, native, who serves as the deputy team leader and the governance advisor for the embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team working with the 2nd SBCT, 25th Inf. Div.

The village of Abayachi is located several hours north of Baghdad. At one time, it housed former members of the Baath party. Since the beginning of combat operations in Iraq in 2003, it has been relatively untouched, explained Bridges.

The village assessment took place over the course of three days and focused on the people’s needs as opposed to combat operations.

“This mission specifically is very exploratory in nature,” said Bridges. "The company has come out from the battalion to assess the conditions at Abayachi, and I’m looking at the Nahia and the essential services for our team to see where we can apply the resources of our team to rebuild the community."

While the patrol is composed of specialized assessment teams working toward a common goal, the different components each had their own missions to accomplish.

One team set out to gather atmospherics on possible concerns related to security and the local economy. It also gathered information to get a feel for their perceptions of coalition forces, the Iraqi police, the Iraqi army and the Iraqi and local governments, said Staff Sgt. Alex Francis, a Lawrenceville, Ga., native, who serves as a Psychological Operations team leader with the 312th PYSOP Company, attached to 1st Bn., 14th Inf. Regt.

"This particular town hasn’t had much coalition presence, so there’s a lot of points that we wanted to make like (improvised-explosive device) threats and see if the people have them, “ said Francis. “This is one where I hope to come back to because this is relatively un-touched ground.

There have been few engagements by Americans, he added. As such, it is basically an untainted territory, which provides the MND-B soldiers an opportunity to “start from scratch.”

During the visit, Francis spoke with a local resident at a gas station and explained to him some of the reasons the MND-B soldiers were visiting the area.

“I was explaining why the Americans were here because we’re kind of a spectacle coming in here because we had so many convoys coming in and helicopters in the air the whole time,” he explained.

Francis said he also spoke with the man about the benefits of the Sons of Iraq (Abna al-Iraq) and the value they add to the security of the area.

"He had some interesting things to say,” said Francis, adding that the man was very open and friendly.

“We even joked about farming, so it was a very good engagement."

Overall, a common consensus among several of the teams reflected a sense of promise for the village. However, they also said they realized there was a lot of work ahead of them.

“It needs some assistance,” said Bridges, adding that the team’s main goal is to assist the area by helping identify those needs the government of Iraq and coalition forces can focus their efforts.

“The visit today was incredibly positive; we just basically got out in the community and talked to people,” he said. “Some of us spent some money in the shops to buy some candy and pencils and handed them out to the kids.

"There were only a few guys gritting their teeth … but it was a very positive perception. The kids and adults wanted to talk to us and shake hands."

Despite the multitude of various tasks taking place within a single patrol, the desired end result of the mission for each team was linked together by a common goal.

“[This mission] was all part of a greater scheme, looking at the governance and basic infrastructure of Abayachi, but they were all looking at different things, “ said 1st Lt. Matthew B. Schardt, a native of Littleton, Colo., who serves as a platoon leader for 1st Platoon, Co. B, 1st Bn., 14th Inf. Regt.

"Some were looking at law enforcement, some were looking at it a culture perspective, and others were looking at it from a basic government perspective. The mission today went extremely well. We accomplished the mission. We saturated Abayachi some follow-up projects to work on.

(Story by Sgt. Jerome Bishop, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division–Baghdad.)

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Friday, March 7, 2008

Iraq Offensive Leaves 10 Terrorists Killed

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 (AFPS) -- Ten terrorists were killed and 16 captured in operations across Iraq today, military officials reported.

Northeast of Samarra, coalition forces targeted an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq leader for the Kanan village. In the raid, forces killed eight terrorists, including the wanted individual. Seven suspects were detained.

Also in Samarra, forces captured three suspected terrorists. One of the suspects allegedly is a leader for the al Qaeda in Iraq network in Samarra. Another is believed to be a direct associate of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leadership.

North of Tarmiyah, forces captured an alleged associate of the al Qaeda in Iraq network in Baghdad’s northern belt. The suspect reportedly is responsible for providing information on coalition operations in the area for use in planning attacks. Two others were detained.

In Baghdad, forces captured another alleged associate of the northern-belt network. The suspect is believed to have direct ties to the senior leader of the network and to terrorists involved in a car-bombing network in Karkh.

Coalition forces captured a suspected Iranian-supported “special groups” facilitator and killed an armed criminal in Baghdad this morning. The target reportedly arranged for criminal militia members to receive training in Iran.

In operations north of Tal Afar, forces killed one suspected terrorist and wounded another. The wounded suspect was detained.

In northeastern Mosul yesterday, coalition forces captured a suspect believed to be the replacement for the former Saudi al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader Abu Yasir al-Saudi, also known as Jar Allah, who was killed by coalition forces Feb. 27. Three other suspects also were caught. Also yesterday, coalition forces detained three suspects east of Tikrit while looking for an alleged weapons facilitator wanted for smuggling and kidnapping operations.

In other recent Iraq operations, coalition forces detained Hajji Muhammad Shibl, an alleged top-tier criminal special groups leader, March 5 in the West Rashid district in southwestern Baghdad. Hajji Shibl is wanted as a key financier for criminal special groups who murder Iraqi civilians and security forces, officials said.

Iraqi security forces and “Sons of Iraq,” a citizen’s security group, detained four suspected terrorists March 5 in Baghdad.

Also on March 5, Sons of Iraq led coalition forces to an al Qaeda in Iraq torture house and prison in northern Zambraniyah, and members of the Sons of Iraq turned two weapons caches over to soldiers in Arab Jabour in two separate incidents the same day. Forces recovered six 120 mm projectiles, 20 22 mm anti-aircraft rounds, and 300 heavy machine gun rounds.

Citizens in Arab Jabour unearthed a large weapons cache and turned it over to soldiers March 5. The cache, loaded in a truck, held 111 57 mm projectiles and 22 60 mm projectiles. Each was rigged with detonation cord and packed with homemade explosives.

Also in Arab Jabour, local residents and Sons of Iraq turned over four weapons caches to soldiers in separate operations March 4. The caches contained five 120 mm projectiles, four liters of homemade explosives, four pressure plates, three propane tanks, one 60 mm mortar and four 57 mm projectiles.

Iraqi police recovered another large cache in a house south of Iskandariyah on March 4. The cache held 165 1-pound blocks of C-4 explosive, 19 rocket-propelled grenades, five RPG launchers, a 60 mm mortar tube, 25 107 mm high-explosive rockets and 23 rocket fuses, 10 120 mm high-explosive mortar rounds, 84 60 mm and 60 81 mm high-explosive mortar rounds, along with six 60 mm mortar fuses.

Sons of Iraq working with coalition forces around Hawr Rajab and Zambraniyah discovered two caches March 4. In Hawr Rajab, five 5-gallon barrels of nitric acid were recovered. In Zambraniyah, three pressure plate improvised explosive devices, three 57 mm projectiles, and three pressure plate initiators were recovered.

Another cache was discovered March 4 in Hawr Rajab. The cache held five rocket-propelled grenade warheads, a mortar tube, four AK-47 magazines, a 60 mm mortar, two RPG launchers, two boxes of cell phones, 70 drums of 7.62 mm ammunition and various electronic components.

A weapons and munitions cache was uncovered near a suspected terrorist training camp south of Tal Afar on March 4. Forces recovered more than 700 pounds of homemade explosives, 11 120 mm high-explosive mortar rounds, two AK-47 assault rifles, 10 82 mm Chinese high-explosive mortar rounds, 100 pounds of mortar propellant charges, and two Belgian anti-personnel landmines.

Forces detained three insurgents and discovered two weapons caches in Adwaniyah on March 3. Forces recovered five grenades, a quarter pound of TNT, 5 pounds of plastic explosives, two RPG charge tubes, 28 mortar round charges, 33 bags of gunpowder, 5 pounds of unknown bulk explosives, five shotgun shells, two AK-47 assault rifles, two PKC machine guns, two blasting caps, four timers, and 5 ounces of acetone peroxide, a primary high explosive.

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

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Guantanamo Detainees Accorded Respectful Treatment Says Commander

News in Balance

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 (AFPS) -- The nearly 300 captured enemy combatants being held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility are provided respect and the best quality of life available under the circumstances, the commander of the detention task force said today.

The facility follows strict U.S. military and international standards that ensure each detainee is treated humanely and with respect, Navy Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby, commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, said during a conference call with reporters.

“We like to think that we meet or exceed those standards, in terms of what we provide them and the distance that we go to ensure that their (living) conditions are as humane as possible, given the fact that they are being incarcerated,” Buzby said. He has commanded the task force’s 2,100 U.S. servicemembers and civilians since May.

The detention center’s staff constantly is seeking ways to improve detainees’ quality of life, Buzby said. Some detainees in good standing, he noted, may elect to take literacy classes in their own language or learn English.

Offering incentives to detainees in exchange for good behavior makes sense, Buzby explained. “If you give them things that they enjoy or like, if they misbehave, those are privileges they can lose.”

The detention facility now houses about 275 detainees, Buzby said. About 500 detainees, he noted, have been released or transferred from Guantanamo since the facility was opened in 2002.

Nearly 200 detainees being held at Guantanamo today are terrorists, including al Qaeda operatives, who constitute an ever-present danger to the facility’s guard force, Buzby noted.

“We’re getting down to the hard core now,” Buzby pointed out.

Guantanamo’s guard force must always be alert and vigilant, Buzby said, because the incarcerated jihadists “will take every opportunity they can to exploit any bit of weakness.”

Holding former enemy combatants at Guantanamo keeps them off the battlefield, Buzby said. And, ongoing interrogation sessions with inmates continue to produce valuable intelligence, he added.

Interrogations of detainees at Guantanamo are conducted by highly trained intelligence personnel who adhere to Army regulations that strictly forbid torture, Buzby said.

Developing a rapport with detainees is the most successful technique for obtaining information at Guantanamo, he said. “We get so much dependable information from just sitting down and having a conversation and treating them like human beings in a businesslike manner,” he said.

Buzby said he is proud of his troops and civilian employees, noting they are successfully performing a very difficult, challenging mission. “They are just magnificent people. It really makes it a pleasure to command such a fantastic group,” he said.

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

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Forces Neutralize Insurgents in Iraq's Babil Province

Bloggers' Roundtable

Bloggers' Roundtable:

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 (AFPS) -- Coalition forces have disrupted extremist activity in the northern part of Iraq’s Babil province, a senior military official said yesterday.

Extremists can no longer find sanctuary in the Iraqi population due to the stability of the Iraqi security forces and intelligence received from local citizens, Army Col. Tom James, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 4th Brigade Combat Team, said during a teleconference with online journalists and “bloggers.”

The 4th Brigade Combat Team is part of Task Force Vanguard, which is securing an area of more than 40,000 square kilometers south of Baghdad and working to prevent enemy “accelerants” from moving into the Iraqi capital, James said. The 3,000-plus-member coalition task force also is building the capacity of Iraqi security forces, government institutions and economic programs, he said.

The current security situation is stable, he said, due to the disruption of Sunni extremists. He also noted that the Shiite threat has been defused in the southern part of the area of operation. “The decisive point is the town of Iskandariyah because of the Shiia–Sunni balance, the location and its large industrial complex,” he said.

James attributed the current security situation to the coalition forces’ counterinsurgency strategy adjustment and surge deployment, the Iraqi security forces’ improved capability and the “Sons of Iraq” program, in which concerned local citizens man checkpoints and otherwise contribute to the security effort.

“The five-brigade surge gave coalition forces the resources required to concentrate combat power in extremist-dominated areas, and allowed us to occupy key terrain in these areas to avoid enemy reoccupation,” James said. Because of the surge, he said, coalition forces now occupy 15 distributed locations including patrol bases, security stations, forward-operating bases, military transition teams and police transition teams.

“These forward locations and transition teams facilitate partnership with the Iraqi army and police and provide greater maneuver flexibility, and allow us to receive and process more human intelligence from the population,” he said.

“The Iraqi security forces have improved significantly,” James said. “Most of these organizations are capable of processing intelligence and executing precise independent operations.”

For instance, with limited help from the coalition, Iraqi security forces safeguarded some 9 million pilgrims as they converged in Karbala, Iraq, for a Shiite Muslim religious observance, James said. He attributed careful planning and massive security operations to the overall success of the event.

“(The Iraqis) deployed 39,000 soldiers and police to man checkpoints, secure routes and collect intelligence,” he said.

James added that having coalition troops living among the Iraqi people seems to have had a positive effect on the citizens and their security forces. “We have found that when the people know that the coalition and Iraqi forces are living with them, they feel more comfortable providing information on extremist activity,” he said. “The Iraqi population is tired of their families being terrorized by extremists and have stepped up to secure their neighborhoods.”

James also said the coalition is using the Sons of Iraq in “static security positions” to thicken security lines in certain areas where coalition and Iraqi security forces are thin.

“We currently have just fewer than 10,500 Sons of Iraq employed in our area that man 552 security checkpoints,” he said.

James said he is optimistic about Iraq’s future due to the success and progress of their security forces. “I see (Iraqi security forces) improving every day,” he said.

(Story by Navy Seaman William Selby, New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)

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New Defense Department Policy Bans Image-Gathering on Bases

Focus on Defense

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2008 (AFPS) -- A new Defense Department policy prohibits all commercial photography or other image collection on U.S. military bases and installations.

U.S. Northern Command issued the policy message Feb. 28 after detailed images of Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, appeared on the Google Map Web site, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gary Ross, a NORTHCOM spokesman.

Google Corp. representatives had entered the post with permission and taken the images with roof-mounted recording equipment, according to the policy message.

Google Earth’s Street View Web site revealed 360-degree detailed imagery of the post, including headquarters locations, access and control points, barriers, facilities and communal areas, Ross said. “This poses a serious operational risk to our force-protection effort,” Ross said.

Google reportedly has removed the images from the Web site, he said.

Concerned that such imagery could be used to inflict harm on U.S. personnel or facilities, NORTHCOM put out guidance for all military installations banning all commercial image-collecting as soon as it became aware of the Fort Sam Houston incident, Ross said. That guidance is being forwarded throughout the Defense Department by the services and defense agencies.

In addition to banning any future commercial image collection, the guidance also requires anyone aware of a similar incident to report it immediately to installation officials.

The Fort Sam Houston incident isn’t isolated, Ross said. Similar filming incidents have occurred at two nonsecured former bases closed due to Base Realignment and Closure Commission efforts. One, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., was closed as part of the 1991 round of BRAC closures, but still houses the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Indianapolis, as well as U.S. Army Reserve and Indiana National Guard units. Another, the former Treasure Island Naval Base, in San Francisco, was turned over to local government control in 1996, but is still owned by the Navy.

Equally disturbing, Ross said, is filming known to have occurred at military housing areas outside the secured areas of Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., and the U.S. Naval Training Center San Diego. Ross said he doesn’t know whether that imagery ever was posted on the Internet.

(Story by Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service.)

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Navy Rescues Diver off Florida Coast

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FILE PHOTO - The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) passes the Rock of Gibraltar as it makes the transit from the Mediterranean Sea to Atlantic Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Randall Damm (RELEASED)

On the Home Front:

USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT, At Sea, March 7, 2008 (NNS) -- A civilian diver was rescued March 6 off the coast of Florida after the U.S. Coast Guard requested USS Theodore Roosevelt's (CVN 71) assistance in a search effort.

An SH-60F Seahawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 5 the "Nightdippers," participated in the Coast Guard-led search, and successfully located the diver. The Nightdippers helicopter transported the diver to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., where he was transferred to civilian medical care.

"Providing assistance to mariners in distress is the obligation of every ship and Sailor at sea," said Capt. Ladd Wheeler, commanding officer, USS Theodore Roosevelt. "We were ready and willing to join in the search effort, and extremely pleased that the individual was rescued."

Theodore Roosevelt is currently conducting operations off the Florida coast.

(Report by By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan Lockwood, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs.)

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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Combat Camera: Bombing of Times Square Recruiting Station

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NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

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NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
NEW YORK (March 6, 2008) An improvised explosive device blasted the entrance to the U.S. Armed Forces Career Center, a joint-service recruiting station located in Times Square at approximately 3:45 a.m. The blast caused no injuries; however, glass in the office's front door and window was shattered by the explosion, and the door's metal frame was bent. One of the busiest recruiting stations in the nation, the recruiting office is singularly located on a triangular island in the center of the iconic Manhattan intersection and has been the site of periodic anti-war protests. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Karim Delgado (Released)

On the Home Front:

NEW YORK CITY, March 6, 2008 (AFPN) -- A bomb went off outside the U.S. military recruiting station in Times Square March 6, injuring nobody but causing minor structural damage, said Air Force Recruiting Service officials.

The bomb went off at approximately 3:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, cracking the glass door, bending the door frame, and shattering the large glass window in front. The station, jointly manned by Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps recruiters, is arguably the most well known recruiting office in the nation.

"This is not the first time one of our offices has been used to demonstrate, but violence is not tolerated and law enforcement officials will find the perpetrator and prosecute," said Brig. Gen. Suzanne M. "Zan" Vautrinot, the AFRS commander. "I must commend Air Force officials for doing a superb job of responding, reporting and accounting for their people."

Within minutes of the explosion, coordination was already occurring between the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, Air Education and Training Command, and AFRS units at every level, said Lt. Col. Sean McKenna, an AFRS spokesperson.

Incidents of harassment and vandalism against military recruiters, in the form of spitting, threatening words, graffiti and broken windows, are not uncommon since many recruiters reside in leased office buildings outside the confines of military installations and are susceptible to personal attacks.

"Most of these attacks have been by people frustrated with the government, who then act on that against the easiest target they can find -- our recruiters," General Vautrinot said. "In all of these incidents, our recruiters acted professionally and used their training to defuse the volatile situation."

All Air Force recruiters receive extensive training at the Air Force Recruiting Schoolhouse at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, on how to deal with hostile and threatening individuals.

Recruiters are also trained to remain vigilant and have regular contact with local law enforcement officials to ensure standard force protection measures are effective, according to Colonel McKenna.

Civil and federal authorities are conducting an investigation of the bombing.

(Story from an Air Force press release.)

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Combat Camera: Aboard USS Harry S. Truman; March 6, 2008

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) An F/A-18 Hornet assigned to the "Ragin' Bulls" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37 prepares to catapult off the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Personnel in flight deck control aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) monitor the movement and maintenance of all aircraft on the flight deck during flight operations. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Lt. j.g. Curtis Reiss, left, Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Duffy and Lt. Cheryl Zeiss, all assigned to the "Seahawks" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126, gather radar analysis data inside the fuselage of an E-2C Hawkeye during flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Using sophisticated radar monitoring systems, crewmembers are able to expand the range carriers are able monitor contacts during flight operations. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 2, 2008) Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Harry Beck, a yellow shirt, is responsible for the safe handling of aircraft on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Lt. Cmdr. Daniel August, a "shooter" aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), makes an initial inspection of one of the catapults before flight operations. The term "shooter" refers to naval officers assigned to the carrier who ensure the safe launch of aircraft from the flight deck. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Sailors assigned to the Crash and Salvage division aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), wait on the flight deck as first responders to all aircraft related mishaps during flight operations . Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 4, 2008) Airman Aaron Baber, a plane captain assigned to the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, gives the thumbs-up, signaling the aircraft is ready to be taxied onto the catapult during flight operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Aviation Structural Mechanic (Equipment) Airman Waldemar Martinez, assigned to the "Red Rippers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, cleans the canopy of an F/A-18 Super Hornet on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 5, 2008) Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Peter Waneck prepares to raise two F/A-18 Hornets to the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (March 2, 2008) An F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are underway on a scheduled deployment in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 29, 2008) An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are under way on deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 29, 2008) An E2-C Hawkeye assigned to "The Seahawks" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126, launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are under way on deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 29, 2008) An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are underway on deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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PERSIAN GULF (Feb. 29, 2008) An F/A-18 Hornet launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during flight operations. Truman and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 are under way on deployment supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and maritime security operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ricardo J. Reyes (Released)

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