Pentagon Discuses Servicemember Voting Laws Changes

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2009 -- Laws have changed and servicemembers who want to vote need to be aware of these changes, the director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program said.

Generally, military personnel who want to vote are a higher percentage than that in the general population. Still, there can be roadblocks to exercising the franchise.

Overseas-deployed servicemembers may find that "the absentee ballot doesn't get to them on time, so they can vote it and send it back to the election official so it can be counted," Bob Carey explained during an interview yesterday.

In the general population about nine out of every 10 absentee ballots are successfully cast, the director said. "Only about six or seven out of every 10 military ballots are successfully returned," he said.

The biggest problems, Carey said, involves the nature of overseas duty and delays in the military postal system.

Carey's organization is working to expedite the voting process for military members. On the postal side, officials are looking at ensuring that all military ballots take seven days or less in transit. Imagine an express-mail service for military voters, Carey said.

The power of the Internet also is being harnessed. Military voters can go to www.fvap.gov for almost one-stop shopping. A servicemember can go online and find the necessary voting forms and fill them out right there.

"Down the line we will also have an online ballot system where they can receive the ballot online, fill it out online and chose their candidates online," Carey said. "They will still have to print it out and sign it, but it would end the wait of getting the ballots."

Deployed servicemembers -- at combat outposts and aboard ships -- are the most affected by voting issues. Many military voters also are younger and aren't aware of the processes behind voting, Carey noted.

"We're trying to make it easy," he said, "so they don't have to know chapter and verse of election law in order to participate in the process."

One of the bigger changes in the process is that military voters must send in a federal postcard application -- again available at www.fvap.gov -- as soon as possible.

"The law has changed and even if they have been getting their absentee ballot automatically they have to register each and every year," Carey pointed out.

Servicemembers also must submit a postcard application each time they move, each time they deploy and each time they redeploy.

"We're encouraging everyone by Jan. 15 to send in a new federal postcard application," Carey said. Local election officials, he said, are more than happy to deliver balloting materials, but they have to know where to send them.

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

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2009 -- The following news release made available Thursday 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.

Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 29 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies. He was assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

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

Wire Update: Afghan Suicide Attack Killed 7 CIA Employees

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning updated reports that a suicide bomber penetrated a foreign army base in Afghanistan and killed seven CIA employees on Wednesday, one of the U.S. agency's largest death tolls, while four Canadian troops and a journalist died in a separate attack.

The Reuters news service reported that the suicide attack highlighted the insurgency's reach and coordination at a time when violence has reached its highest levels since the overthrow of the Taliban regime by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in 2001.

The Taliban claimed the attacker as a sympathizer from the Afghan army who detonated a vest of explosives at a meeting with CIA workers. A spokesman for NATO-led forces in Afghanistan said Afghan security forces were working on the base.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said seven CIA employees and one Afghan had been killed in the attack. Officials had initially said eight CIA employees were killed.

"This deadly attack was carried out by a valorous Afghan army member," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said no Afghan soldiers were involved in the attack and said none were stationed at the site of the attack in southeastern Khost province.

But if the bomber does prove to be from the army, it would mark the second deadly attack in three days on foreign troops and officials by the soldiers they are meant to be mentoring.

Reuters noted that U.S. officials said the dead Americans were CIA employees but declined to comment on the attacker's nationality or status.

Under President Barack Obama's anti-terror doctrine, the CIA has been expanding its presence around the world, reportedly stepping up strikes against militants in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and other countries.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OEF Update, Dec. 31, 2009: Forces Pursue Taliban Commander

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 31, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force captured suspected militants yesterday in Kandahar province while pursuing a Taliban district commander.

The joint security force searched a vehicle near Kandahar City after intelligence indicated militant activity. The joint force stopped the vehicle without incident and detained the occupants.

Also in Kandahar last night, an Afghan-international security force detained a suspected militant while searching for a Taliban commander.

The joint force went to a compound in north Kandahar City after intelligence found militant activity. The joint force searched the compound and detained the militant.

In other operations, there were numerous IED and unexploded ordnance finds yesterday. An Afghan-international security force patrol found two 20-pound jugs of explosives in the Garm Ser district of Helmand province. The IEDs were destroyed and no one was injured. In Panjwa district of Kandahar province, a joint force discovered five artillery rounds tied together with wires in a sack. Also in the south, Afghan civilians handed over four artillery shells to ISAF forces in Nad Ali district of Helmand province.

No shots were fired and no one was harmed during any of these operations.

ISAF Casualties:

NATO omitted ISAF casualty reports from today's operational updates.

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

Wire Update: 8 Americans 5 Canadians Dead in Afghan Attacks, CIA Believed Among Those Killed

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that a suicide bomber at a base in Afghanistan's volatile east killed eight American civilians, U.S. officials said, the worst loss of life for Americans in the country since October. Four Canadian soldiers and a journalist were killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's south, NATO said.

The Associated Press reported that U.S. officials in Washington said the suicide attacker detonated explosives Wednesday at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost province near the Afghan border with Pakistan, killing eight American civilians. A congressional official said CIA employees were believed to be among the dead.

An attacker wearing a suicide vest caused the explosion, according to a senior U.S. official in Washington. Another senior U.S. official in Washington said there were conflicting reports on the number of casualties, but that others were injured in the attack.

A senior State Department official said all of the victims were civilians. A former senior CIA officer who was stationed at the base said a combination of agency officers and contractors operated out of the remote outpost with the military and other agencies. He said contractors also might be among those who died.

The CIA has not commented or confirmed any deaths.

All the officials in Washington spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the media.

[. . .]

In Kabul, a spokesman for the international coalition force in Kabul said no U.S. or NATO troops were killed in the afternoon explosion. The attack was the bloodiest day for Americans since eight soldiers were killed in an insurgent attack on a base in eastern Afghanistan on Oct. 3.

In the south, NATO said that the four Canadian troops and a reporter embedded with their unit died when their armored vehicle hit a bomb while on an afternoon patrol south of Kandahar city. It's the third deadliest day for Canadians in Afghanistan since the war began.

Michelle Lang, a 34-year-old health reporter with the Calgary Herald, was the first Canadian journalist to die in Afghanistan. Lang arrived in Afghanistan just two weeks ago and on Wednesday she made her first trip beyond the safe confines of Canada's base on Kandahar Airfield.

Separately on Wednesday, AP noted that NATO questioned Afghan reports that international troops killed 10 civilians, including schoolchildren, in a weekend attack that prompted hundreds of angry Afghan protesters to burn an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama and chant "death" to America.

AP said that several hundred Afghans demonstrated in the capital of Kabul and in the eastern city of Jalalabad where the likeness of Obama, adorned with a small American flag, burned on a pole held above demonstrators.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OEF Summary, Dec. 30, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Capture Insurgents, Seize Weapons

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2009 -- Several militants were killed as coalition forces responded to an insurgent attack against Afghan soldiers and police in Afghanistan’s Baghlan Jadid district yesterday, military officials reported.

Two Afghan National Service members were killed during the initial insurgent attack. No civilians or international forces were injured or killed.

In other news, International Security Assistance Force members patrolling the Reg-e-Khan-Neshin district of Helmand province yesterday detained several suspected insurgents and confiscated weaponry. Seized items included 15 rocket-propelled grenades, three hand grenades, a machine gun with 500 rounds, six handheld radios, a satellite phone and five insurgent manuals.

Also yesterday, coalition and Afghan forces safely detonated a 500-pound bomb in Kandahar.

Meanwhile, the NATO ISAF is calling for a joint investigation of an incident that allegedly occurred in the village of Ghazi Khan in Konar province Dec. 26. An Afghan government review asserts that a combined coalition and Afghan force was responsible for the deaths of nine Afghan civilians during the operation.

The ISAF has requested and welcomes an immediate joint investigation to reach an impartial and accurate determination of the events that occurred.

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

Wire: 8 Americans Die in Suicide Blast in Afghanistan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening that at eight Americans died Wednesday in a suicide bombing at a military base in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. officials said. Conflicting reports were reaching the Pentagon on whether the victims were civilian or military in the bombing at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Khost province near the border with Pakistan.

The Associated Press said the deaths were confirmed late Wednesday by a U.S. official in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

A senior U.S. official in Washington said the Americans were killed by an attacker wearing a suicide vest.

Another senior U.S. official in Washington said there were conflicting reports on the number of casualties, and that other people were wounded in the attack.

Wazir Pacha, a police spokesman in Khost province, said local people reported hearing a blast on the base.

Soon afterward, two helicopters landed, a police officer in Khost said.

All the U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because not all details about the incident had been confirmed.

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)

US Navy: UK Flagged Vessel Pirated in Gulf of Aden

News from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet Combined Maritime Forces.
Dispatches from the Front:

MANAMA, Bahrain, Dec. 29, 2990 -- The M/V St James Park, a UK flagged ship, was pirated early yesterday evening (Monday) while transiting the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC) through the Gulf of Aden.

After receiving a signal from the M/V ST James Park’s Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), USS Chosin (CG 65), operating as the flagship to Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151), was able to confirm via Bridge to Bridge radio that pirates had taken control of the vessel.

The M/V St James Park is the first vessel since July to be pirated in the IRTC. It has a crew of 26, among them Filipinos (3), Russians (3), Georgians (1), Romanians (2), Bulgarians (5), Ukrainians (2), Polish (1), Indians (6) and Turkish (3). There are no UK citizens onboard.

Coalition warships constantly patrol the IRTC shipping lanes, watching for signs of pirates and listening for warning calls from vessels concerned about any approaching boat. The warships in the area were not able to intervene in this attack as there were no warnings of the impending attack on the M/V St James Park.

All ships transiting the IRTC are advised to follow a set of best practices issued by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). These measures are designed to inform merchant vessels of proven tactics to help prevent unauthorized boardings. Best practices include proactive lookouts, the use of deck lighting, netting, razor wire, electrical fencing, fire hoses, and surveillance and detection equipment. The adoption of these tactics by ships, plus evasive maneuvering, is intended to delay the pirates in order to allow military vessels / helicopters time to successfully intervene.

Although the total number of attacks in the Gulf of Aden in 2009 remained almost the same as in 2008 (101 and 102 respectively), the percentage of successful attacks fell from 65% to 17%. On average five out of every six attacks were repelled in 2009, against two out of every six in 2008. Best practices are proven effective and work well if properly utilized by merchant vessels transiting the IRTC.

The reduction in successful pirate attacks can be attributed to both improved coordination and execution among military forces operating in the Gulf of Aden and merchant vessels adhering to industry best practices to counter pirate attacks. According to Commodore Tim Lowe, Deputy Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces (DCCMF), the three task forces operating in the Gulf of Aden, CTF 151 (CMF), CTF 465 (EU) and CTF 508 (NATO), position their forces to be able to respond to ships under attack in a timely manner. The fastest response by military forces occurs when merchant vessels under attack make a distress call via bridge-to-bridge radio. When M/V St James Park was attacked, two warships were in a position to respond, but regrettably it appears that the M/V St James Park was unable to provide an alert via Bridge to Bridge radio. Coalition ships were not alerted to the attack until the SSAS signal was activated by the crew after the ship was pirated.

CTF 151 was established in early January 2009 and has a mandate to deter and disrupt piracy in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. CTF 151 currently includes naval forces from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea and Turkey.

(Report from a Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs news release.)

OIF Summary, Dec. 29, 2009: Forces in Iraq Arrest Terrorist Suspects

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2009 -- Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested nine suspected terrorists today in Iraq, military officials reported.

In western Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched two residential buildings for a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq leader in the Karkh region. The forces arrested two suspected criminal associates of the targeted leader.

North of Baghdad, Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors arrested four suspects.

Northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi soldiers arrested two suspects. The security team also discovered two grenades, which were safely destroyed.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected terrorist today during an operation in northern Baghdad.

The suspect is linked to providing weapons, including improvised explosive devices, for terrorists’ use.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Wire: US Servicemember Killed by Afghan Soldier

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2009 -- Newswire services early this afternoon reported that NATO says a U.S. servicemember has died in a shooting incident in western Afghanistan.

The Associated Press reported that NATO offered no other details, but Afghan Gen. Jalander Shah Bahnam said an Afghan soldier opened fire Tuesday after NATO troops tried to prevent him from approaching an area where an allied helicopter was about to land. He said the American servicemember died and two Italian soldiers were injured.

Bahnam, the corps commander for the Afghan National Army's western region, said the NATO troops returned fire, injuring the Afghan soldier.

He said the incident happened at a military base in the Bala Murghab district of Badghis province

This is a developing story.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OEF Update, Dec. 29, 2009: Forces Nab Taliban Commanders, Militants; UK Casualty

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2009 -- Afghan-international security forces captured Taliban commanders and several militants in Kandahar and Khowst last night.

A Taliban commander responsible for several IED attacks was captured during a series of raids in Kandahar. Three other suspected militants were detained.

In a separate operation in Kanadahar, an Afghan-international security force captured a Taliban commander and a small group of militants responsible for supplying weapons to insurgents.

In a third operation, an Afghan-international security force detained suspected militants while searching for a Haqqani commander in Khowst.

The joint force went to a compound northwest of the village of Ya’qubi, in the Sabari district after intelligence sources found militant activity.

No Afghan civilians were harmed and no shots were fired in any of the operations.

In other operations yesterday, ISAF forces recovered about 1,200 pounds of opium after two people in a car stopped and fled from a vehicle checkpoint in southern Afghanistan. The opium was subsequently destroyed. Also in the south, ANA forces collected a weapons cache consisting of seven RPGs, two grenades and 800 rounds of ammunition. In a separate find, forces found a cache of two AK-47s and three magazines. In the east, ANSF forces discovered a backpack with half a liter of diesel fuel, a small propane tank, several feet of timed fuse, wire coils, 10 blasting caps, five hand grenades and three bags of ammonium nitrate.

PRT Provides Expertise to Construction Contractors, Workers:

Building a school for several hundred children or a footbridge to cross a rushing river requires the proper mixture of training and manpower.

The Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team engineers mentor contractors who bid on construction projects and train them to ensure the projects are completed to standard. The training helps ensure money being spent on building projects isn’t wasted because of poor construction practices.

On a visit to the Nowabad school construction project Dec. 26, Chief Petty Officer David Zahm, a Navy Builder, and Brandon Toliver, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representative to Kunar PRT, met with the site foreman to discuss the progress of the project and offer critiques and support.

"It’s important to do the work right. You have to make sure you’re using good quality materials and the right construction practices," Zahm said. "You have to do things the right way."

The $219,000 project is just one example of ongoing efforts to improve the infrastructure in Kunar province. The school will house 20 of 26 classes currently taught to more than 2,000 area boys and girls, and it provides needed jobs to local laborers.

ISAF Casualty:

An ISAF servicemember from the United Kingdom died following an IED strike in southern Afghanistan yesterday.

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

Pentagon Discuses Study on Long-Term Effects of Burn Pits

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2009 -- The U.S. Defense Department has launched a study on the possible long-term effects of the smoke emitted from burn pits used in overseas locations such as Iraq.

Armed services medical officials are conducting studies on the health outcomes of individuals that have been deployed to identify any health conditions associated with smoke exposure.

Burn pit smoke can cause some acute health effects in some people, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said yesterday. These can include eye irritation, upper respiratory ailments and coughing.

“To date, we don’t have any information on any longer-term health risks that may be associated with burn pit smoke inhalation,” Whitman said.

This is the second study of the effects inhaling burn pit smoke may have. The first study used an Environmental Protection Agency risk assessment method to determine what effects the smoke at Balad Air Base, Iraq, had on personnel exposed to it.

“We determined at that time, that there was no long-term health effects that were expected due to inhalation of burn pit smoke to the personnel assigned there,” Whitman said.

However, there has been persistent concern about the possible effects, prompting the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center study. “The department’s No. 1 priority is the health of our servicemembers,” Whitman said. “Whenever concerns of this nature are raised we want to make sure they are being addressed properly and when appropriate studied for any long-term effects.”

The Defense Department recognizes that some individuals may be more susceptible to the effects of burn pits because of genetics or pre-existing health conditions. Other factors may contribute to long-term effects including smoking, inhaling dust particles and working around heavy machinery.

The health centers expect a preliminary report out early next year.

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

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 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 Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, of Albion, N.Y., died Dec. 26 in Arghandab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

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

Combat Camera Video: US Marines Foot Patrol in Helmand

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of Marines conducting foot patrols in the Helmand District of Afghanistan. Scenes include the Marines passing through various areas of the district and locals moving around the area. (Courtesy Video, Joint Combat Camera Afghanistan. Length: 00:05:16)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2009 -- The following news release made available Sunday 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.

Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Fransico, Ca., died Dec. 25 at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol with an improvised explosive device in Howz-e Madad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 28, 2009

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 28, 2009 -- Afghan and ISAF forces began an operation Sunday near Bala Murghab district in Badghis province to secure Afghan National Security Force outposts as part of a development plan started nearly a month ago. After the joint force occupied security outposts, 60 insurgent fighters attacked the force with small arms and RPG fire from multiple locations including adjacent compounds.

ISAF and Afghan forces continue fighting an extended battle with small arms and mortar fire as well as precision air strikes on confirmed insurgent positions.

Village elders have been consulted throughout the operation, and during a shura Sunday afternoon they expressed support for the operation. ISAF has received no reports of civilian casualties.

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

OIF Summary, Dec. 28, 2009: Forces in Iraq Arrest Terrorism Suspects

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28, 2009 -- Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested several suspected terrorists and seized weapons in recent days, military officials reported.

Iraqi security forces today arrested 14 suspected terrorists during a series of operations conducted in northern Iraq targeting suspected al-Qaida in Iraq members.

In southwest Baghdad, Iraqi forces, aided by U.S. advisors, arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq explosives operative believed to be planning and conducting homemade bomb attacks throughout Diyala province.

Meanwhile, in a separate operation in Jalula, northeast of Baghdad, Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested four suspected al-Qaida members.

Also today, while conducting an operation southwest of Kirkuk, Iraqi and U.S. forces arrested nine suspected al-Qaida members.

During an operation in Ninevah yesterday, Iraqi and U.S. forces shot and killed a suspected terrorist after he fired at them. Another suspect was arrested.

Also yesterday, Iraqi security forces arrested three suspected terrorists during operations conducted near Mosul and Baghdad.

Additionally, a surveillance crewman on board a 25th Combat Aviation Brigade surveillance aircraft spotted three suspicious men digging and placing an unknown object alongside a road north of Kirkuk on Dec. 25.

As members of a route clearance team attempted to capture the suspects, two of the suspects began shooting. The patrol returned fire, killing one suspect and injuring another. The third suspect surrendered. The soldiers discovered two homemade bombs where the suspects had been digging. They also found two 105 mm artillery rounds, a 122 mm artillery round, a landmine and an 80 mm mortar round. A U.S. explosive ordnance disposal team used C4 explosives to destroy the bombs and artillery rounds.

After questioning the non-injured suspect, Iraqi soldiers went to his house and arrested three more suspects.

In other operations in Iraq:

• Iraqi police and U.S. advisors arrested four suspected terrorists Dec. 25 and 26 in northeastern Mosul while targeting a suspected member of al-Qaida in Iraq believed to be responsible for suicide vest attacks in Balad and Muqdadiyah.

• Iraqi police arrested a suspected terrorist group leader and nine suspects Dec. 26 during security operations near Tikrit. The security team discovered five 107 mm rockets, more than 20 rocket-propelled grenades, seven RPG launchers, two 80 mm mortars and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

• Iraqi security forces arrested two terrorist suspects during a Dec. 26 operation in northeastern Baghdad.

• Iraqi security forces arrested five suspected members of the Kata'ib Hezbollah terrorist group Dec. 24 in northeastern Baghdad.

• Iraqi security forces arrested two suspected terrorists Dec. 24 in Tikrit. The suspects are believed to be associates of a leader of a Jaysh al-Islami Mujahadeen explosives cell that operates in Bayji.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 25, 2009: Forces in Afghanistan Kill, Detain Militants

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 25, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected militants while searching for a Taliban enabler in Wardak province today.

The joint security force searched a compound east of the village of Naskak in the Chak-e-Wardak district after intelligence assets pin-pointed militant activity nearby and detained the militants.

In an operation in Paktika, a joint security force killed a few armed militants and captured a small group of insurgents while searching for a Haqqani commander.

The Afghan-international security force moved to two compounds west of the town of Chowray, in the Deela district after intelligence confirmed Haqqani militant activities there. During the subsequent search, the security force captured several more militants and recovered weapons and IED components.

In other operations yesterday, ISAF forces in southern Afghanistan detained almost a dozen insurgents for possible connection to the manufacturing of IEDs. One of the insurgents was in the immediate proximity to a transmitter used to detonate a remote-controlled IED.

Patrolling service members in the south also found approximately 600 pounds of what is believed to be ammonium nitrate, a key ingredient of homemade explosives and they also found a Russian anti-tank mine. Lastly, a local resident led troops to an IED that had been placed under a bridge.

No civilians were harmed in any of these operations.

Kunar’s First Midwifery Program Dedicated:

The Kunar provincial governor, national government leaders and the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team dedicated the province’s first midwifery training center in Asadabad, Dec. 22, to decrease Afghan maternal and infant mortality rates.

"I’m sure this will reduce the mortality rates in the province. We have fewer facilities than in other provinces, so we are thankful for the ministry of public health and our international partners for working together to make this happen," said Fazlullah Wahidi, provincial governor. "This is directly for the benefit of the women of Kunar. For the sustainability of the program, we need private organizations and (international partners) to continue to support these projects."

Along with the ribbon cutting, there was a ceremony recognizing 24 women from around the province currently enrolled in the first midwife program. The women were selected from 42 candidates to attend the 18-month long course to learn prenatal and postpartum care for expectant mothers and their babies.

"In 2004, there were only 150 deliveries per year because people didn’t have access to services," said Dr. Isanullah Faxli, Asadabad hospital administrator. "Now we have 350 deliveries per month in Asadabad alone. That is because people trust there is a hospital and staff here to help them."

According to Navy Lt. Jed Juachon, PRT medical officer, because there is a lack of obstetricians in Kunar, the midwife program is essential for handling basic prenatal care, birthing and postpartum care.

"A problem in Kunar is a high maternal and infant mortality rate, which is preventable with early treatment and care that can be provided by these midwives," Juachon said. "The PRT provided modules to help train the students, which included human models and charts."

According to Dr. Mohammed Asif, midwifery program director, the women started the course in September and will go back to their districts when done with the training. Asif said the current program is only funded for this first course, but the provincial government is looking for more donors and assistance to extend the course beyond the initial cadre.

ISAF Casualties:

There were no ISAF fatalities in the last 24 hours in Afghanistan.

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

Wire: Al-Qaida Link in Domestic Plane Attack, White House Says Terrorism

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that a Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida's instructions, tried to blow up the plane Friday as it was landing in Detroit, law enforcement and national security officials said.

The Associated Press reported that passengers subdued the man and may have prevented him from detonating the explosives, the officials said.

"We believe this was an attempted act of terrorism," a White House official said.

Federal officials imposed stricter screening measures after the incident.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., ranking GOP member of the House Homeland Security Committee, identified the suspect as Abdul Mudallad, a Nigerian. King said the flight began in Nigeria and went through Amsterdam en route to Detroit. There were 278 passengers aboard the Airbus 330.

There was nothing out of the ordinary until the flight was on final approach to Detroit, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory. That is when the pilot declared an emergency and landed without incident shortly thereafter, Cory said in an e-mail message. The plane landed at 11:51 a.m. EST.

One of the U.S. intelligence officials said the explosive device was a mix of powder and liquid. It failed when the passenger tried to detonate it.

The passenger was being questioned Friday evening. An intelligence source said the Nigerian passenger was being held and treated in an Ann Arbor, Mich., hospital.

All the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing.

One law enforcement source said the man claimed to have been instructed by al-Qaida to detonate the plane over U.S. soil.

The official said an official determination of a terrorist act would have to come from the attorney general.

AP also reported that the official said the airline threat level was not being raised.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: AP sources: Al-Qaida link in failed plane attack

Merry Christmas

The 'panzer' Santa, with well-filled sack of radios, books, cookies, and other gifts dear to soldiers hearts, glides up to the door of the barracks in Camp Lee's Quartermaster Corps and it isn't hampered by lack of snow in Virginia. Camp Lee, Virginia, Quartermaster Replacement Center. December 1941. (U.S. Army photo.)

Pentagon Identifies Marine Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24, 2009 -- The following news release made available Thursday 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.

Lance Cpl. Omar G. Roebuck, 23, of Moreno Valley, Calif., died Dec. 22, as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

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

OEF Update, Dec. 24, 2009: Militants Detained; Caches Discovered; ISAF Casualties

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 24, 2009 -- An Afghan-international security force detained several suspected militants in Helmand while searching for a Taliban commander linked to a murder and intimidation campaign.

The joint security force went to a compound north of the village of Ser Banader in the Garmsir district after intelligence experts confirmed militant activity in the area. When the joint force approached the compound they came under hostile fire. Later, while searching the compound they detained the militants.

In an operation in Kandahar, a joint security force captured a suspected Taliban commander believed to be responsible for recent assassinations and detained a couple of other militants.

The security force searched a compound just south of Kandahar City after intelligence assets located militant activity there and took the Taliban commander and militants into custody.

In an operation in Khowst, an Afghan-international security force detained about a dozen suspected Haqqani militants and recovered illegal weapons.

The security force moved into a series of compounds in the Sabari district after intelligence sources found a concentration of militant activity. After an extensive search, the security force detained the militants. The joint force also found AK-47 rifles and pistols.

In other operations, international security forces discovered three weapons caches and drugs in the Helmand province yesterday while conducting a patrol.

The unit seized AK-47s, ammunition magazines, more than 200 7.62mm rounds and 40 pounds of black heroin tar in the Now Zad district.

The drugs were destroyed and the weapons were seized as evidence.

No civilians were harmed in any of these operations.

Afghan Police Receive Medical Training:

Afghan police officers from six districts recently attended a new medical training course in Ghazni province.

Provincial Reconstruction Team Ghazni corpsmen created the course at the request of Afghan police. The course trains attendees at a level above basic combat life saver, enabling them to take the knowledge back to fellow policemen in their own districts.

The chief of police for each district handpicked each officer to attend the two days of instruction on FOB Ghazni. The officers learned basic first aid, hemorrhage control, how to prepare patients for medical evacuation by helicopter, treating for tension pneumothorax, and starting IVs.

"They asked a lot of good questions and seemed really interested and eager to learn. They weren’t afraid of starting IVs and being hands on," said Lt. Joseph Baugh, naval physician’s assistant, Ghazni PRT.

As the ANSF across Afghanistan become further partnered with coalition forces, it becomes increasingly important to have them trained on similar equipment. Giving ANP officers basic first aid skills and the ability to treat combat injuries will enable them to apply these skills to the civilian communities as well.

Future plans include training Afghan police to perform more advanced medical life-saving techniques.

ISAF Casualties:

An ISAF servicemember from United Kingdom was killed in an IED attack in southern Afghanistan Tuesday. An ISAF servicemember from Canada was killed by an IED in southern Afghanistan Wednesday.

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

Photo Essay: Christmas Warships 2009

USS Russell (DDG 59). (U.S. Navy photo.)

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). (U.S. Navy Photo By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Brian L. Short.)

Commander, Navy Region Hawaii barge. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl.)

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. Buliavac. )

USS Russell (DDG 59). (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Theresa Donnelly.)

USS Lassen and USS McCampbell. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer Bryan Reckard.)

The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio.)

The guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio.)

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bryan Reckard.)

USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter D. Lawlor.)

USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Stethem (DDG 63), and USS Howard (DDG 83). (U.S. Navy photo by Geoffrey Patrick.)

USS Elliot (DD 967), USS Olendorf (DD 972), USS Fitzgerald (DD 62), and the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5). (U.S. Navy photo by Geoffrey Patrick.)

USS Olendorf (DD-972). (U.S. Navy photo by Geoffrey Patrick.)

USS Pinckney (DDG 91). (U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Jo A. Wilbourn Sims.)

USS Crommelin (FFG 37). (U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Ryan C. McGinley.)

USS Peleliu (LHA 5). (U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf.)

USS Milius (DDG 69). (U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf .)

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). (U.S. Navy photograph by Photographer's Mate Airman Thomas J. Holt.)

USS Peleliu (LHA 5). (U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Zack Baddorf.)

USS Russell (DDG 59). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist James E. Foehl.)

The forward hangar bay tunnel aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arturo Chavez.)

USS Russell (DDG 59). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist James E. Foehl.)

USS Russell (DDG 59). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist James E. Foehl.)

USS Chosin (CG 65). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist James E. Foehl.)

The Sea Wolf-class attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23). (U.S. Navy photo by Master Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jerry McLain.)

The guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) displays a spectacle of holiday lights during the 2008 Afloat Holiday Lighting Contest on board Naval Station Pearl Harbor Dec. 18, 2008. Hawaii area commanders toured the harbor and judged ships based on best lighting scheme, most creative display and energy conservation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Hight.)

Santa waives to friends and family of the crew of the Los Angeles class submarine USS Providence (SSN 719) as the submarine returns home to Submarine Base New London in time for the holidays. Providence is returning from a scheduled six-month deployment, which included a stop at the North Pole in July to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first submarine polar transit, completed by USS Nautilus (SSN 571) in 1958. (U.S. Navy photo by John Narewski.)

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