Saturday, January 24, 2009

Wire: 2 Former Guantanamo Detainees Appear in New al-Qaida Video

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Former Guantanamo detainee Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri.

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Former Guantanamo detainee Abu al-Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi.

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2009 -- French based news service AFP reported Saturday that two men released from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have appeared in a video posted on a jihadist Web site, according to the the Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Intelligence Group monitoring service.

One of the two former detainees, a Saudi man identified as Abu Sufyan al-Azdi al-Shahri, or detainee number 372, has been elevated to the senior ranks of al-Qaida in Yemen, a U.S. counter-terrorism official told AFP.

Three other men appear in the video, including Abu al-Hareth Muhammad al-Oufi, identified as an al-Qaida field commander. SITE said he was detainee No. 333.

According to the AFP article Pentagon spokesman Jeffrey Gordon on Saturday declined to confirm the SITE information.
"We remain concerned about ex-Guantanamo detainees who have re-affiliated with terrorist organizations after their departure," said Gordon.

"We will continue to work with the international community to mitigate the threat they pose," he said.
On the video, al-Shihri is seen sitting with three other men before a flag of the Islamic State of Iraq, the front for al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI).

"By Allah, imprisonment only increased our persistence in our principles for which we went out, did jihad for, and were imprisoned for," al-Shihri was quoted as saying.

Al-Shiri was transferred from Guantanamo to Saudi Arabia in 2007, a U.S. counter-terrorism official said.

The other men in the video are identified as Commander Abu Baseer al-Wahayshi and Abu Hureira Qasm al-Rimi (also known as Abu Hureira al-Sana'ani).

The U.S. Defense Department has said as many as 61 former Guantanamo detainees are believed to have returned to the fight.

The latest case highlights the risk the new Obama administration faces as it moves to close the detention facility at Guantanamo within a year.

(Report from an AFP article and other sources.)

Source: Two ex-Guantanamo inmates appear in al-Qaida video

Related:
Ending His Confusing Positions on GITMO, Obama Orders Closing
Wire: Released Guantanamo Detainee Resurfaces as al-Qaida Chief
Pentagon Addresses Released Detainee Concerns Following Obama Executive Order

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OEF Summary, Jan. 24, 2009: Troops Continue to Disrupt Terrorist Network in Laghman

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2009 -- Coalition forces killed 15 armed militants and detained one suspected militant during an operation to disrupt the Taliban's terrorist network in Laghman province, Jan. 23.

The operation in Mehtar Lam District, approximately 60 km northeast of Kabul City, targeted a Taliban commander believed to conduct terrorist activities throughout the Kabul, Laghman and Kapisa provinces; killing and injuring innocent civilians and coalition forces while bringing insecurity to the region. Taking orders from senior Taliban leaders, both in Afghanistan and abroad, the targeted Taliban commander is known to traffic foreign fighters and weapons into the region in order to conduct attacks against coalition forces, including the August 2008 attack in which French soldiers were killed.

As coalition forces approached the wanted militant's compound, several groups of armed militants exited their homes and began maneuvering on the force. Armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, the militants engaged coalition forces from multiple directions. Coalition forces returned fire engaging the militants with small-arms fire, killing nine militants and, where it presented no danger to innocent civilians, precision close-air support, killing four militants.

After neutralizing the threat presented by the armed militants, coalition forces continued the operation and searched multiple compounds. During the search, the force was again engaged by armed militants inside the buildings. Coalition forces engaged the militants with small-arms fire, and killed two militants.

During the search, coalition forces identified one of the 13 militants killed in the initial firefight as a female. She was killed while maneuvering on coalition forces and was carrying a rocket-propelled grenade.

During the search of the compounds, coalition forces discovered 10 AK-47s, four rocket-propelled grenades, multiple rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a hand grenade, bandoliers of ammunitions and other military equipment. These items were destroyed to prevent future use.

Also reported, an International Security Assistance Force serviceman was killed today in an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan.

“On behalf of all ISAF personnel, our deepest sympathies go out to the serviceman's family and friends as they deal with their loss. Our hearts are with them as they face this most difficult time,” said Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette, ISAF spokesperson.

“ISAF is committed to helping build a safe and stable Afghanistan, the cause for which this serviceman fought.”

It is ISAF policy not to release the nationality of any casualty prior to the relevant national authority doing so.

In related news, insurgents launched several rockets toward an International Security Assistance Force base in north-eastern Afghanistan Jan. 23, killing an Afghan girl and injuring two other Afghan girls when the rockets fell short and impacted the home of Afghan citizens.

One of the injured was moved by local ambulance to Jalalabad Hospital and the other remains at her home with minor injuries.

The insurgent attack occurred yesterday near Asadabad in the Konar province. The incident resulted in no ISAF casualties or damage to the base.

“Yet again, this shows the insurgents’ complete disregard for innocent Afghan civilians,” said Brigadier General Richard Blanchette, ISAF Spokesperson. “ISAF, in support of Afghan security forces, will continue to root out this insurgency which threatens innocent Afghan children.”

(From U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

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Living History: January 24, 1985, 1st All-Military Space Shuttle Mission

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Col. Loren Shriver was the pilot of STS-51C Discovery, the first all-military space launch mission. (NASA courtesy photo.)

Living History:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2009 -- On Jan. 24, 1985, Col. Loren J. Shriver led the four-man crew of STS-51C Discovery in his first mission on the first all-military space shuttle mission. Launching from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., STS-51C deployed a modified Inertial Upper Stage vehicle for the Department of Defense. Landing after slightly more than three days on orbit, the mission lasted 73 hours, 33 minutes and 27 seconds.

Shriver was born Sept. 23, 1944, in Jefferson, Iowa. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1967, and a Master of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University in 1968. He was commissioned in 1967 upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

From 1969 to 1973, he served as a T-38 academic instructor pilot at Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He completed F-4 combat crew training at Homestead AFB, Fla., in 1973, and was then assigned to an overseas tour in Thailand until October 1974. In 1975, he attended the U. S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, Calif., and upon completion of this training was assigned to the 6512th Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, and participated in the Air Force development test and evaluation of the T-38 lead-in fighter. In 1976, Shriver began serving as a test pilot for the F-15 Joint Test Force at Edwards.

He has flown in 30 different types of single and multi-engine civilian and military fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft, has logged over 6,200 hours in jet aircraft, and holds commercial pilot and private glider ratings.

Shriver was selected as an astronaut by NASA in January 1978. In September of 1982, he was selected as pilot for the first Department of Defense mission, STS-10. That mission was later canceled. A veteran of three space flights, Shriver flew on STS-51C in 1985, STS-31 in 1990, and STS-46 in 1992, and has logged over 386 hours in space. In October 1992, he was assigned as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office.

On his second mission, Shriver commanded a crew of five. STS-31 launched on April 24, 1990, from the Kennedy Space Center. During the 5-day mission, crew members deployed the Hubble Space Telescope and conducted a variety of mid-deck experiments involving the study of protein crystal growth, polymer membrane processing, and the effects of weightlessness and magnetic fields on an ion arc. They also operated a variety of cameras, including both the IMAX in-cabin and cargo bay cameras for Earth observations from their then record-setting altitude of 333 nautical miles. Mission duration was 121 hours 16 minutes 6 seconds. Following 76 orbits of the Earth, STS-31 Discovery landed at Edwards AFB on April 29, 1990.

As spacecraft commander of STS-46, Shriver and his crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center on July 31, 1992. STS-46 was an 8-day mission, during which crew members deployed the European Retrievable Carrier satellite (an ESA-sponsored free-flying science platform), and conducted the first Tethered Satellite System test flight (a joint project between NASA and the Italian Space Agency). Mission duration was 191 hours 16 minutes 7 seconds. After completing 126 orbits of the Earth, Space Shuttle Atlantis landed at the Kennedy Space Center Aug. 8, 1992, having traveled 3.35 million miles.

Shriver's accomplishments have earned him many notable awards. He has received the United States Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the NASA Space Flight Medal (three times), the American Astronautical Society 1990 Flight Achievement Award, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Haley Space Flight Award for 1990.

(Report from a NASA news release.)

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Friday, January 23, 2009

Pentagon Addresses Released Detainee Concerns Following Obama Executive Order

News in Balance

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2009 -- As the Defense Department prepares plans to close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, defense officials acknowledge the possibility that released detainees could return to the battlefield.

“It’s something that we’re cognizant of. It’s obviously something that we try to assess at the time of transfer when we are looking at these individuals,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters today.

President Barack Obama yesterday signed an executive order that directs the closure of the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo within a year.

The detention center has housed nearly 800 suspected terrorists captured in Afghanistan, Iraq and other places since the start of the global war on terrorism that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. About 250 detainees are being held at Guantanamo, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks.

Of the more than 500 detainees who have been transferred from Defense Department custody, 18 allegedly have resumed terrorist activities and another 43 former detainees are suspected of having resumed their former lives, Whitman said.

Whitman addressed a query from a reporter citing news reports that a former Guantanamo detainee had apparently become an associate leader for al-Qaida in Yemen.

Guantanamo inmates’ cases are reviewed annually, Whitman said, to ascertain whether or not they qualify for release. However, he said, there’s no guarantee released individuals won’t return to terrorism.

“You can’t have absolute certainly,” Whitman acknowledged.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates yesterday acknowledged there are challenges inherent with shuttering the center.

“Clearly, the challenge that faces us, and that I’ve acknowledged before, is figuring out how do we close Guantanamo and at the same time safeguard the security of the American people,” he said.

There “are answers to those questions,” Gates said, noting there is “a lot of work to do.”

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

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OEF Summary, Jan. 23, 2009: Troops Disrupt Haqqani Network in Afghan Province

Dispatches from the Front

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 23, 2009 -- Coalition forces detained nine suspected militants during an operation aimed at the Haqqani terrorist network in Afghanistan’s Khowst province yesterday, military officials reported.

The operation in the province’s Khowst district, southeast of Kabul, targeted a Haqqani militant believed to facilitate attacks against local civilians and against Afghan and coalition forces.

Officials said intelligence also suggested the targeted militant has facilitated the movement of foreign fighters into eastern Afghanistan.

(From a U.S. Forces Afghanistan news release.)

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US Airpower Summary, Jan. 23, 2009: B-1B Bombs Enemy Compound

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A B-1B Lancer flies a combat patrol mission over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The B-1B is assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Squadron and provides close-air support in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon.)

Dispatches from the Front:

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Jan. 23, 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer destroyed a building in an anti-Afghan compound with a guided bomb unit-38. Enemy personnel were firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at coalition forces from a fighting position inside the building.

Near Bagram, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II strafed a cave from which enemy gunmen had been firing at coalition troops. The A-10 also performed a show of force in the area to deter additional enemy activity.

Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles destroyed anti-Afghan fighting positions in the vicinity of Nangalam using GBU-38 and -31s. The strike targeted a heavy machine gun and an enemy sniper shooting at a coalition patrol.

Outside Kandahar, an Air Force MQ-1 Predator fired a Hellfire missile, striking enemy personnel who placed an improvised explosive device along a coalition supply route. The group attempted to flee the area after placing the roadside bomb, but was tracked by the Predator's surveillance systems.

An A-10 flew an aerial escort mission for a coalition convoy near Ghazni. The Thunderbolt II conducted a show of force over the route to discourage enemy forces from engaging.

In the Asmara area, F-15Es performed shows of force to deter enemy attacks while a dismounted coalition patrol returned to their vehicles to exit a village. The patrol had performed a goodwill mission in the village as the Strike Eagles provided overwatch. The F-15Es also located an illegal anti-Afghan force checkpoint and guided coalition ground troops to the site to detain the individuals responsible.

A Thunderbolt II flew shows of force in the area around a Ghazni area settlement to deter enemy activity. coalition forces met with local leaders in the village to increase cooperation and support.

On-scene joint terminal attack controllers assigned to coalition units verified the success of these missions.

In total, 61 close-air-support missions were flown in support of the ISAF and Afghan security forces, reconstruction activities and route patrols.

Sixteen Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Afghanistan. Additionally, two coalition aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance.

In Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 42 close-air-support missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions integrated and synchronized with coalition ground forces, protected key infrastructure, provided overwatch for reconstruction activities and helped to deter and disrupt hostile activities.

Twenty-seven Air Force and Navy ISR aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Iraq. Additionally, two Air Force aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance.

Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and C-17 Globemaster IIIs provided intra-theater heavy airlift, helping to sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa.

Approximately 120 airlift sorties were flown, more than 650 tons of cargo was delivered and about 3,050 passengers were transported. This included approximately 72,000 pounds of troop resupply airdropped in Afghanistan.

Coalition C-130 crews flew as part of operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

On Jan. 21, Air Force and coalition tanker crews flew 41 sorties and off-loaded approximately 3 million pounds of fuel to 260 receiving aircraft.

(Report from a U.S. Air Force news release.)

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US Navy Helo Squadron Supports Counterpiracy Ops

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An HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter attached to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 3 soars through the skies around the Gulf of Aden in support of the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17). San Antonio is the command ship for Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, which conducts counter-piracy operations in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and the Red Sea and was established to create a lawful maritime order and develop security in the maritime environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John K. Hamilton.)

Dispatches from the Front:

USS SAN ANTONIO, At Sea, Jan. 23, 2009 -- Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 3, attached to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), is embarked aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) in support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151's counterpiracy mission.

HS 3's primary role in CTF 151 operations is to provide aerial support with its HH-60H and SH-60F helicopters, which specialize in combat search and rescue, mobility and logistics.

"We present a show of force when flying above any suspected pirate vessels while the boarding teams track them in the [rigid-hull inflatable boats], and we can definitely provide a rescue platform during the operation as well as a show of firepower," said Cmdr. William Cox, HS 3's executive officer.

San Antonio was chosen as the afloat forward staging base (AFSB) for HS 3 because of the ship's many capabilities. Its hangar bay can house two helicopters with plenty of space for maintenance, and its large flight deck allows the squadron to launch four helicopters at the same time if needed.

HS 3 brought everything they needed for sustainment during the mission, such as parts for the helicopters and optimal manning in logistics.

"We had to decide how many of our Sailors we could bring over to San Antonio from Theodore Roosevelt without taking away all the quality of work we provide on the carrier," added Cox.

HS 3 Sailors are enjoying working alongside San Antonio's crew while supporting CTF 151's counterpiracy mission.

"We've never worked with the Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and it's exciting to be in this atmosphere of working with the international community on San Antonio's first deployment," said Cox.

"My Sailors are great people who do a great job for me every day, and we're just happy to be a part of this event."

San Antonio's Air Department provides HS 3 with the manpower it needs to carry out the various CTF 151 operations.

"We provide safe ground support for the aircraft with directing, landing and refueling," said Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Richard Romious, the air department's leading chief petty officer. "Our handlers make sure the helicopters are chocked and chained to the hangar or flight deck, and our fuels personnel provide quality assurance through our refueling their craft."

San Antonio's crew spent weeks making the necessary changes and configurations to prepare the ship for its current mission. These changes allowed several spaces to be available for use by the various embarked units, including HS 3.

"We have configured several of the ship's spaces so that the equipment and resources available are tailored to the specific missions that the CTF 151 staff, along with the help of San Antonio's personnel, will be planning and executing," said Lt. Cmdr. Sean Kearns, San Antonio's executive officer.

Although three helicopters from the squadron are currently part of CTF 151, the rest of the squadron is still aboard the aircraft carrier supporting maritime security operations and Operation Enduring Freedom in the North Arabian Sea.

San Antonio is the flagship for Combined Task Force (CTF) 151. CTF 151 is a multinational task force conducting counter-piracy operations in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. It was established to create a lawful maritime order and develop security in the maritime environment.

(Report by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian Goodwin, Combined Task Force 151.)

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Wire: Released Guantanamo Detainee Resurfaces as al-Qaida Chief

News in Balance

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2009 -- News outlets around the world reported Friday that a Saudi man who was released after spending six years inside the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo has joined al-Qaida's branch in Yemen and is now the terror group's No. 2 in the country, according to a purported Internet statement from al-Qaida.

The announcement, came as President Barack Obama ordered the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay closed within a year.

The emergence of the former detainee as the deputy leader of al-Qaida's Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out Obama's executive order closing Guantanamo without having a plan to deal with detainees now at the facility or when forces capture a high value individual such as Osama bin Laden in the future.

The Yemen branch -- known as "al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula" -- said the man, identified as Said Ali al-Shihri, returned to his home in Saudi Arabia after his release from Guantanamo about a year ago and from there went to Yemen. The Internet statement, which could not immediately be verified, said al-Shihri was the group's second-in-command in Yemen and his prisoner number at Guantanamo was 372.

The militant is suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Yemen's capital, Sana, in September. He was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007 and passed through a Saudi rehabilitation program for former jihadists before resurfacing with al-Qaida in Yemen.

The Internet statement by the militant group was confirmed by a U.S. counterterrorism official. "They're one and the same guy," said the official, who insisted on anonymity because he was discussing an intelligence analysis. "He returned to Saudi Arabia in 2007, but his movements to Yemen remain unclear."

Documents released by the U.S. Defense Department show that al-Shihri was released from the facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in November 2007 and transferred to his homeland. The documents confirmed his prisoner number was 372.

Earlier this month news outlets reported 61 former Guantanamo detainees appear to have returned to terrorism since their release from custody.

In an official briefing spokesman Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon stated, "[Of former detainees] we believe, 18 confirmed and 43 suspected of returning to the fight. So 61 in all former Guantanamo detainees are confirmed or suspected of returning to the fight."

(Report from multiple sources.)

Sources:
Guantanamo detainee resurfaces in terrorist group
AP Report: Ex-Gitmo detainee joins al-Qaida in Yemen
Ending His Confusing Positions on GITMO, Obama Orders Closing
Wire: 61 Ex-Guantanamo Inmates Return to Terrorism

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America's Army 3 Game Set for Release

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America's Army 3 will be released later this year featuring improvements on the previous version's of the game. (Photo from U.S. Army.)

Focus on Defense:

SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 23, 2009 -- Six years after the U.S. Army revolutionized military action games with the launch of the free personal computer game America's Army, the Army has announced the upcoming release of America's Army 3.

America's Army is the only free action game that delivers an authentic Army experience, officials said, by reflecting the training, technology, actions and career advancement of a Soldier within a unique exciting game experience.

AA3, which will be rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board, will be released later this year. As with previous versions of America's Army, officials said AA3 will be constantly updated to include new features and missions and to highlight new technologies being incorporated in today's Army.

Using the state-of-the-art Unreal Engine 3, America's Army game developers brought the most popular trademark gameplay features from the previous versions to AA3. Highlights include authentic weapons and technologies, realistic training and exciting gameplay missions.

More detailed interaction

AA3 will provide players new insights into the Army and Soldiering while making the game easier to play, easier to install and easier to download, according to its producers

"In AA3 we've taken all of the best features in AA2, incorporated feedback from the AA community and added the latest technology to develop a high-tech game that can be customized by the player to create a much more detailed interactive experience," said Michael Bode, executive producer of the America's Army game. "One of our key design philosophies is to make the game easily accessible to a new player, while at the same time keeping a deeper layer of complexity for the more advanced players to discover and take advantage of."

AA3 highlights different aspects of the Army from Army Values and the Warrior Ethos to Army career opportunities and lifestyles both on and off duty. Through their in-game characters, AA3 players will be able to experience the way Soldiers train, live, and advance in the Army. AA3 players will also experience different types of technologies and equipment used by the Army's high-tech Soldier.

Values integral to ROE

Players are bound by Rules of Engagement, or ROE, and gain experience as they navigate challenges in team-based, multiplayer, force-on-force operations. In the game, as in the Army, accomplishing missions requires teamwork and adherence to the seven Army Core Values. In the game, a player's actions and demonstrated Army values will have consequences that are integral to success in gameplay and will affect a player's career progression.

"With AA3, we're taking military gaming to an all new level where every detail counts," said Col. Casey Wardynski, originator and director of the America's Army game project. "We want our America's Army 3 players to have a greater understanding of the Army and its values. Our Soldiers are aspirational figures and our players are able to virtually experience many aspects of a Soldier's life from their training, to their missions, to the way the Army has influenced their lives."

As with the previous America's Army games, AA3's authenticity is second-to-none, Wardynski said. The Army development team worked closely with subject-matter experts from across the Army to make sure that everything about the game is as realistic as possible.

Unreal Engine 3 delivers realism

AA3 has more authentic military elements including training, technology, weapons, and audio than any other military game. Built on Unreal Engine 3, AA3 delivers stunningly realistic environments, lighting effects, animations, and team-based experiences.

AA3 players will have persistent characters that they customize by embarking on career paths in which they advance by completing specialized training and accomplishing missions. The evolution of the player's career follows the same progression as it would in the Army.

Players are rewarded at significant milestones, such as graduation from basic training or returning from a deployment, through pride moments -- vignettes represented visually as an achievement screen, movie or a slide show. These pride moments transition the player from one state of training or character progression to another.

Initially, the core of the gameplay focuses on an Infantry Soldier (11B military occupational specialty). Players can select from a variety of roles that the 11B performs such as Rifleman, Automatic Rifleman, Designated Marksman and Grenadier.

New specialties coming

The first additional MOS players can explore is 68W Health Care Specialist (Combat Medic) which will be added this summer. Players who complete advanced individual training modules can take on new MOS roles that will affect gameplay. For example, by completing medic training, players will be able to treat minor and major injuries in single-player training missions and render advanced medical aid in multi-player missions.

In subsequent game releases, players who complete Combat Engineer training will be able to assist in mission pre-planning, such as emplacing an obstacle to impede the mobility of enemy forces.

Training is a key element in the AA3 game just as it is in the Army, the game producers say. The game offers a variety of new training levels that will give players an advantage. After completing basic training, players can go to advanced training to increase their in-game skill level and progress in their Army career.

Success in the game earns players the privilege of taking specialized training. This specialized training allows players to unlock new abilities and gear, and to customize the gear they carry as well as their equipment loadout.

As players advance, they will be able to 'cross-train' on many different MOSs available in today's Army. Such players will be highly sought after - according to the game producers -- due to the capabilities they bring to multi-player missions. Additionally, as a new feature, players will have the ability to join online games with limited capabilities using the "instant action" feature.

About America's Army

The Army creates and distributes America's Army so that young Americans can virtually explore Soldiering in the U.S. Army like Soldiers experience it - as individuals and as members of teams, the game producers said.

Through the game's virtual experiences, young Americans can explore the Army from basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and medic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to operations in defense of freedom. Along the way, they can join elite Army units and experience the strength of Army teamwork, values and technology within an engaging environment.

The game has become an online phenomenon, consistently ranking among the most popular PC action games played online. The games are rated T for Teen and can be downloaded free from various partners listed on the www.americasarmy.com site. They are also distributed at local Army Recruiting stations, ROTC Detachments and Army events.

The Army launched the first version America's Army in July of 2002, and has released major updates to the game every few months. These releases feature new technologies, missions, Army units and occupations. In keeping with the dynamic nature of Soldiering, the America's Army game will continue to expand and will allow players to explore the Army of today, tomorrow and the future, officials said. They said America's Army 3 will be an entirely new version of the game.

(Report by Lori Mezoff, director of Public Relations for the America's Army game.)

Related: America's Army 3

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US Navy to Commission Amphibious Transport Dock Ship Green Bay

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SAN DIEGO (Jan. 20, 2009) The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Green Bay (LPD 20) moors at a pier in Long Beach Harbor. Green Bay will be commissioned Jan. 24 and will be homeported in San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Gregg Smith.)

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2009 -- The Navy will commission the newest San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship Green Bay during a 10 a.m. PST ceremony Jan. 24 in Long Beach, Calif.

The ship is named Green Bay to honor the nation's Midwest "city by the bay." The city of about 100,000 residents was founded in 1634 by French explorer Jean Nicolet, and is the oldest community in Wisconsin.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Rose Magnus, wife of the former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Magnus (ret.), is serving as the ship's sponsor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"

Designated as LPD 20, Green Bay is the fourth amphibious transport dock ship in the San Antonio class. As a critical element in future expeditionary strike groups, the ship will support the Marine Corps' "mobility triad," which consists of the landing craft air cushion (LCAC), the expeditionary fighting vehicle (EFV) and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft (MV-22). The ship will provide improved warfighting capabilities including an advanced command-and-control suite, increased lift-capability in vehicle and cargo-carrying capacity and advanced ship-survivability features.

Cmdr. Joseph Olson, a native of Madison, Wis., will be the first commanding officer of the ship. Olson graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1991 and received his commission from the Naval Reserve Office Training Corps. He will lead a crew of approximately 360 officers and enlisted personnel and three Marines. Upon commissioning, the ship will be homeported in San Diego.

Built by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding - Avondale Operations in Louisiana, Green Bay is 684 feet in length, has an overall beam of 105 feet, a navigational draft of 23 feet, displaces about 24,900 tons and is capable of embarking a landing force of about 800 Marines. Four turbo-charged diesel engines power the ship to sustained speeds of 24 knots.

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

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Living History: Battle of the Bulge Ends, January 25, 1945

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December 1944, Somewhere in "The Bulge." Down but not out: 101st Airborne Troops moving during attack near Bastogne, December 1944. (Photo by USAMHI.)

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GIs slog it out during the harsh winter weather. (Photo by USAMHI.)

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Tanks and Infantrymen of the 82nd Airborne Division, Company G, 740th Tank Battalion, 504th Regiment, push through the snow towards their objective in Belgium. (Image and description courtesy of the Truman Presidential Museum and Library)

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(CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE) - The General's Christmas message to his troops. (Photo by USAMHI.)

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The General said " NUTS!" Brigadier General, Anthony C. McAuliffe, the Division Artillery commander ,101st Division. (Photo by USAMHI.)

Living History:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2009 -- On December 16, 1944, Hitler launched his last great offensive on the Western Front through the Ardennes. Known as the Battle of the Bulge because of the wedge driven into the Allied lines, the campaign lasted for approximately five weeks, and it is generally agreed that the offensive officially ended on January 25, 1945.

Hitler’s initial plan was to launch a counter-offensive in the West in hopes of splitting the British and American lines and capturing the port of Antwerp with its vast stores of Allied military supplies, enough to re-equip the Germans’ own dwindling stocks. The code name for the operation, Wacht Am Rhein (Watch on the Rhine), was known to only a few high ranking officers in the German Army. In order to carry out the offensive, new levies of manpower were called up. By late 1944, the cream of the German Army had been wasted on the Russian steppes after three years of bitter fighting against the Soviet Red Army. Yet, amazingly, the Germans were able to scratch together approximately 28 divisions for the upcoming offensive. These divisions consisted of some veteran divisions pulled from other fronts and newly created divisions called Volksgrenadier (People’s Grenadier) divisions, which were hastily trained and poorly equipped. To spearhead the invasion, the Sixth SS Panzer Army, commanded by SS Oberstgruppenfuhrer (General) Josef (“Sepp”) Dietrich, one of Hitler’s oldest and staunchest supporters, was selected. Within the Sixth SS Panzer Army was a unit called “Kampfgruppe Peiper” (Battlegroup Peiper) named after its commander, SS Standartenfuhrer (Colonel) Joachim Peiper, Heinrich Himmler’s former adjutant, and a veteran of the tough fighting in the East. This unit would play a key role in the initial onslaught. Another unit, commanded by SS Obersturmbannfuhrer (Lieutenant Colonel) Otto Skorzeny, consisted of English-speaking Germans who caused havoc, fear and distrust behind American lines. With these forces, then, Hitler hoped to smash the Allied armies in the West, secure a separate peace, and then turn and finish off the approaching Red Army, which was already in Poland.

The campaign got off to a good start, with the Germans catching U.S. forces completely by surprise. In the ensuing weeks, some 10,000 American prisoners would be taken, the largest surrender of U.S. forces since Bataan in the Philippines, some two and a half years earlier. Additionally, inclement weather grounded most U.S. airpower, permitting German armor forces and convoys to travel at will without the threat of being attacked. The Germans also attacked through an area, the Ardennes, which was considered a “quiet sector” of the front, and where it was erroneously believed that German armor could not operate. Many in the West failed to remember that the Germans had successfully used this same route in their May 1940 campaign against the Low Countries and France. After the first few days on the offensive, the Germans, who were attempting to stick to a timetable, began to run into mounting resistance from American forces, particularly at the important crossroad juncture at Bastogne, Belgium. There, the Germans had surrounded the 101st Airborne Division, which successfully held off repeated attacks by the Germans. When asked by German emissaries to surrender, the acting 101st commander, Brigadier General Tony McAuliffe replied, “Nuts.” On December 26, 1944, LTG George S. Patton’s 3rd Army arrived at Bastogne and relieved the garrison. By late December, the skies cleared, allowing American airpower to again take the fight to the enemy. German vehicles, particularly their armor, began running out of fuel, as many of the Allied fuel dumps that they had hoped to capture intact were destroyed by the fleeing Americans.

On January 1, 1945, the last great sortie by the German Luftwaffe took place during Operation Bodenplatte. Close to 1,000 German aircraft were assembled for this raid, which concentrated on attacking Allied airfields in France and the Low Countries, and succeeded in destroying well over a hundred Allied aircraft on the ground. However, the losses incurred by the Luftwaffe during the raid were irreplaceable, whereas the Allies made up their losses quickly. By January 25, 1945, the German lines had been pushed back to their initial jumping off point. Hitler’s last gamble in the West had ended in failure. The Germans lost approximately 100,000 men, who could not be replaced, while Allied casualties were placed at about 80,000, killed, wounded, and captured. The Third Reich was now in its death throes, and it was only a matter of months before it totally collapsed from the Allied onslaught.

(Report by Colonel John R. Dabrowski, Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College.)

Editor’s Note: Colonel John Dabrowski is a Civil Affairs officer and military historian. In 2008, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center. He currently serves on the staff of the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College. He holds a doctorate in History from Kent State University.

Of Interest:
Photo Essay: Battle of the Bulge 2008 Commemoration in Bastogne
U.S. Army Battle of the Bulge interactive feature

COMBAT CAMERA More Military Imagery on THE TENSION

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Obama Pick for Pentagon No. 2 Stalls Amid Lobbying Concerns

News in Balance

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2009 -- On January 8, President-elect Barack Obama appointed William J. Lynn III, senior vice president of government operations at Raytheon Co., to become the No. 2 official at the Defense Department.

The 55 year old Lynn is a former Pentagon comptroller and Senate staffer. He was a registered lobbyist for Raytheon from 2003 through June 2008, according to the Obama transition team.

Under an executive order signed January 21, lobbyists must wait two years before accepting positions at federal agencies they have lobbied. The order also bans federal employees from accepting gifts and appointees from accepting jobs from lobbyists, and it requires greater transparency of government documents.

Wednesday an asterisk was added a to the new rule by the president's spokesman, Robert Gibbs, who said, "Even the toughest rules require reasonable exceptions."

"Our waiver provisions are designed to allow uniquely qualified individuals like Bill Corr [nominated as deputy secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services] and Bill Lynn to serve the public interest in these critical times," Gibbs said. When asked by reporters Thursday about the waivers, Gibbs said only "a very limited number" will be issued.

No such equivocation was apparent earlier Wednesday, when Obama said: "If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied, during the previous two years." The order, he said, "represents a clean break from business as usual."

As a lobbyist, Lynn worked on Pentagon budget matters including contracting policy, the military's use of space, missile defense, munitions and artillery, sensors and radars and advanced technology programs. Raytheon is one of the military's top contractors, doing $18.3 billion in U.S. government business in 2007.

On January 22 a government watchdog group, the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), asked Obama to withdraw Lynn’s nomination because it apparently violates the new rule.

"President Obama should not compromise his standards and the effectiveness of the Department of Defense by allowing a top defense industry lobbyist to receive a waiver from these standards," POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian said in a statement.

Senate action on Lynn's nomination stalled on Thursday after lawmakers realized he may require an exemption from the administration's own lobbying rules.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the panel wants to determine what the waiver will say and if the new rules will force Lynn to remove himself from decisions critical to the management of the department.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he had requested Lynn be appointed as his deputy and that an exception to the lobbying rules be made. Nevertheless, Gates said, he understands Congress needs more information before it will feel comfortable with the appointment.

Late Thursday, the Obama administration sent Congress the details of the waiver, said an Obama spokesman, who declined to provide further detail.

When Levin was asked by reporters whether relying on waivers weakens the administration's desire to get tough on lobbyists, the Democratic senator said "I don't think it helps to reinforce the intent of it."

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, a former Missouri state auditor and a strong Obama supporter, questioned Lynn about his turns through the revolving door of government and industry.

Other Democrats said they were concerned but wouldn't stand in the way.

Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., a senior member of the committee that votes on the appointment, hasn’t called for a hold, but was quick to press for more details about how the appointment fits with Obama’s rules.

"While I announced my support for Mr. Lynn’s nomination, the announcement of the new ethics executive order is puzzling given that Mr. Lynn was openly questioned by Sen. McCaskill on his role as a lobbyist for Raytheon during his hearing," Inhofe said.

Scott Amey, general counsel at POGO said, "It seems as if the Obama administration took five steps forward with its order on openness, transparency and ethics, but when you look how it is going to be applied, if it is riddled with lobbyists who have received waivers, it has pretty much made the ban toothless."

The Deputy Secretary of Defense functions as the chief operating officer for the department, making calls on roughly $200 billion in spending. Lawrence Korb, a military expert, estimated that Raytheon, Lynn's former employer, was involved in about half of that business.

"It certainly does not bode well for his effectiveness in the job," said Korb and added the apparent conflicts Lynn would face as Deputy Secretary "is something they should have thought about."

(Report from Pentagon and commercial media sources.)

Related Sources:
Obama Picks Defense Lobbyist as Pentagon No. 2
AP FACT CHECK: Exceptions made to anti-lobbyist rule
AP: Pentagon nomination stalls
Federal Computer Week: POGO urges Obama to withdraw Lynn's nomination
ABC News: Obama Pentagon Pick Blasted

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

US Airpower Summary, Jan. 22, 2009: Predators Provide Tactical Reconnaissance

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An MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aircraft prepares for take off in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Predator provides integrated and synchronized close-air operations, to include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Sabrina Johnson.)

Dispatches from the Front:

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Jan. 22, 2009 -- Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Jan. 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.

In Afghanistan, an F-15E Strike Eagle conducted an attack in support of coalition ground forces in the Oruzgan region. The Strike Eagle dropped guided bomb unit-38 and -12s on its target.

Coalition aircraft supported ground operations near Nangalam. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs targeted several anti-Afghan force heavy machine positions with GBU-38s and general purpose 500-pound bombs and conducted shows of force in support of friendly patrols and convoys. Strike Eagles dropped GBU-12s on enemy forces during a running engagement, halting a failed ambush on a coalition patrol. Air Force MQ-1 Predators also provided tactical reconnaissance for ground units clearing enemy compounds in the area.

Near Bari Kowt, F-15Es destroyed anti-Afghan fighting positions with GBU-31s during a firefight there. The Strike Eagles then helped a nearby coalition base locate an enemy mortar team that was firing from heights overlooking the installation. Other F-15Es performed shows of force to support a coalition convoy travelling along a supply route thus deterring enemy activity.

F-15Es and an A-10 struck anti-Afghan units with guided bomb unit-12s and strafing attacks. The strikes took place after enemy forces and a coalition patrol engaged each other in the vicinity of Khowst. The A-10s also expended illumination flares to reveal and mark enemy positions.

A coalition aircraft executed a show of force over a compound near Sangin to deter enemy activity.

On-scene joint terminal attack controllers assigned to coalition units verified the success of these missions.

In total, 59 close-air-support missions were flown in support of the ISAF and Afghan security forces, reconstruction activities and route patrols.

Twelve Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Afghanistan. Additionally, two coalition aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance.

In Iraq, coalition aircraft flew 42 close-air-support missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions integrated and synchronized with coalition ground forces, protected key infrastructure, provided overwatch for reconstruction activities and helped to deter and disrupt hostile activities.

Twenty-five Air Force and Navy ISR aircraft flew missions as part of operations in Iraq. Additionally, three Air Force and coalition aircraft performed tactical reconnaissance.

Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft and C-17 Globemaster IIIs provided intra-theater heavy airlift, helping to sustain operations throughout Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa.

Approximately 150 airlift sorties were flown, more than 700 tons of cargo was delivered and about 3,250 passengers were transported.

Coalition C-130 crews flew as part of operations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

On Jan. 20, Air Force and coalition tanker crews flew 49 sorties and off-loaded approximately 3.2 million pounds of fuel to 263 receiving aircraft.

(Report from a U.S. Air Force news release.)

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