Combat Camera Video: US Marines Conduct Patrols in Afghanistan, Part 2

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (1/5) conducting patrols and reconnaissance in the Nawa DC. Scenes include the Marines interacting with locals, moving over varied terrain, crossing water, conducting a census patrol, and Afghan personnel searching individuals and vehicles. Part 2 of 2. (Courtesy Video, Regimental Combat Team 3. Length: 00:09:25.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Combat Camera Video: US Marines Conduct Patrols in Afghanistan, Part 1

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (1/5) conducting patrols and reconnaissance in the Nawa DC. Scenes include the Marines interacting with locals, firing mortars at enemy positions, entering a compound, setting up and manning an entry control point (ECP), and explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), including a controlled detonation. Part 1 of 2. (Courtesy Video, Regimental Combat Team 3. Length: 00:09:47.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Wire: Congress Set to Act to Keep Detainee Photos From Public

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Congress is set to allow the Pentagon to keep new pictures of foreign detainees allegedly abused from the public, a move intended to end a legal fight over the photographs' release that has reached the Supreme Court.

Federal courts have so far rejected the government's arguments against the release of 21 color photographs showing prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq allegedly being abused by Americans, The Associated Press reported Saturday.

The Obama administration believes giving the imminent grant of authority over the release of such pictures to the defense secretary would short-circuit a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act, AP said.

The White House is asking the justices to put off consideration of the case until after a vote on the measure in the House and Senate, as early as next week. The provision is part of a larger homeland security spending bill and would allow the defense secretary to withhold photographs relating to detainees by certifying their release would endanger soldiers or other government workers.

AP reported that the ACLU said the court should not disturb a ruling by the federal appeals court in New York ordering the photographs' release. The pending congressional action "does not supply any reason for delay," Jameel Jaffer, director of ACLU's national security project, told the court.

The dispute is on a list of cases the Supreme Court could act on Tuesday.

Lower courts have ruled that a provision of FOIA allows documents to be withheld from the public for security reasons only in instances where there are specific threats against individuals.

President Barack Obama initially indicated he would not fight the release of the photographs. He reversed course in May and authorized an appeal to the high court.

The president said he was persuaded that disclosure could further incite violence in Afghanistan and Iraq and endanger U.S. troops there.

The photographs at issue were taken by service members in Iraq and Afghanistan and were part of criminal investigations of alleged abuse. Some pictures show "soldiers pointing pistols or rifles at the heads of hooded and handcuffed detainees," Solicitor General Elena Kagan said in the appeal to the high court.

AP noted that the ACLU, in seeking the other pictures, said the government had long argued that the abuse at Abu Ghraib was isolated and was an aberration. The new photos would show that the abuse was more widespread, the ACLU said.

Some have wondered why Obama hasn't simply issued an executive order making the photos a national security secret to end the dispute.

(Report from newswire sources.)

OEF Update, Oct. 10, 2009: Militants Detained; ISAF Members Killed in Eastern, Southern Afghanistan

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 10, 2009 -- A joint Afghan and International Security Assistance Force detained several suspected militants today in Pul-e Alam district, Logar province during an operation to disrupt a militant cell believed to be responsible for making improvised explosive devices.

The search was conducted without incident, and no Afghan civilians were injured during the operation.

ISAF Casualties

Two International Security Assistance Force servicemembers were killed in an improvised explosive device strike Oct. 9, in eastern Afghanistan.

On the same day, one U.S. servicemember died of wounds sustained in an IED attack in southern Afghanistan.

Further details are being withheld until next-of-kin notification has been made.

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

Wire: 1 US, 2 International Troops Killed in Afghanistan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that bombs have killed three troops in Afghanistan, including one American, military officials said Saturday.

The U.S. servicemember died Saturday of wounds suffered in a bombing in southern Afghanistan, NATO and U.S. officials said.

Two international soldiers were killed Friday in a bombing in the east, NATO said without specifying their nationalities.

The Associated Press reported Saturday the spokesman for the provincial government in Wardak province, Shahidullah Shahid, said Afghan and international forces killed nine Taliban in a firefight there the day before.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Wire: Pentagon Returns Fire Over Presidential Choppers

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that the Pentagon fired back at a New York congressman Friday, saying that a cost estimate Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D) used for a new effort to build a presidential helicopter doesn't "comport with reality."

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) flagged the helicopter program as an example of wasteful spending during a February meeting at the White House. McCain argued that because of cost overruns, a Marine One helicopter would cost more than Air Force One. The president and the defense secretary agreed, canceling the $13-billion program in this year's budget.

But Hinchey, who represents the district where Lockheed Martin would build the helicopters, is pressing House and Senate appropriators to approve $485 million to finish off five of the VH-71 helicopters that the Pentagon has stopped working on.

Obama has threatened to veto the bill if the funding is included.

Hunchey, citing an October 2009 Congressional Research Service report based on internal Navy documents, contends that the Pentagon will spend up to $15 billion more and take until 2024 to design and build a new fleet of presidential helicopters and extend the life of the existing fleet, instead of finishing work on the VH-71 helicopters, The Politico reported today.

The Pentagon was quick to disagree.

"The notion that we are somehow considering a follow-on program to the VH-71 that would cost $20 billion is simply not true," Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said. "We are not going to pursue a program that will cost more than the current program."

The helicopter program, intended to replace the current fleet of presidential helicopters, was originally designed to provide 23 helicopters at a cost of $6.5 billion.

The Reuters news service said the helicopter, which Lockheed Martin intended to build in partnership with AgustaWestland, a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica SpA, had fallen six years behind schedule and its estimated price tag had soared to more than $13 billion.

Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp, which made the existing presidential helicopters, had lost the competition to the Lockheed team.

Morrell said the Pentagon was still in the initial stages of working through what the follow-on program should look like.

Some options have been laid out, Morrell said, but added: "None of those options comes close to the $20 billion figure, and frankly, for that matter, none of them comes close to the cost of the canceled program."

Morrell said he was correcting "misinformation" in news reports following comments by a New York lawmaker, Representative Maurice Hinchey, who said the replacement to the canceled Lockheed program would offer nearly the same capabilities but cost three times more and take longer to deliver.

Hinchey’s spokesman Jeff Lieberson dismissed Morrell’s comments as "hogwash."

Lieberson said, "We’re headed to conference next week," referring to the meeting that will decide what's in the final defense appropriations bill, The Politico reported. "This is certainly raising some important issues."

(Report from newswire sources.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

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

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

Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth W. Westbrook, 41, of Shiprock, N.M., died Oct. 7 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., of wounds suffered Sept. 8 when insurgents attacked his unit in the Ganjigal Valley, Afghanistan, using small arms and indirect fire. He was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kan.

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

Pentagon: DARPA Works Toward Military's Energy Independence

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Scientists are working to create energy self-sufficiency for the Defense Department, the nation’s largest single consumer of energy, a defense expert said.

“Energy has always been an important point in the military. You can go back into history and look at fodder to feed the horses in the Napoleonic Wars, and you can look at today in Afghanistan where energy is a key enabler, or in some cases, a key limitation,” said Barbara McQuiston, special assistant for energy at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

McQuiston discussed the agency’s research and development efforts aimed at tactical energy independence during an Oct. 6 Webcast of “Armed with Science: Research and Applications for the Modern Military” on Pentagon Web radio.

DARPA's goal is to generate cost-effective, alternative energy technologies for the military by addressing energy generation, conversion, control and conservation from sustainable sources, she said.

The military consumes an average of 60 to 75 million barrels per year in jet fuel alone, she said. DARPA is looking at creating new opportunities that could be “game changers” in the field of sustainable energy sources to help satisfy the military’s critical need for fuel.

“I think Peter Drucker always said it well … ‘If you want to control the future, you need to create it,’” McQuiston said. “So DARPA invests in science and technology to make these changes.

“When we looked at energy, what we were looking at was the diversification of energy sources and moving away from a reliance on fossil fuel to create better energy security for ourselves now and in the future,” she added.

While many agencies –- particularly the Department of Energy and Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy -- are researching alternative fuels and working toward energy independence on a broad civilian level, DARPA focuses purely on military applications, McQuiston said.

For instance, DARPA is exploring the possibility of creating bio jet fuel from sources -- including a variety of nonfood crops -- using rich oils such as camelina sativa and algae, and cellulose and hemicelluloses, which are biomass and biowaste materials. Two companies working for DARPA are looking into converting algae directly into jet fuel in a scalable and cost-effective way for military applications.

“Biofuel is a huge area [of DARPA’s research],” McQuiston said. “Again, jet fuel is 60 to 75 million barrels per year of JP8 [jet fuel] that powers both the jets and the generators. Being able to get JP8 from a renewable source means you can generate JP8 anywhere in the world independently.”

As in its previous endeavors -- including projects that brought the Internet and GPS to life -- DARPA wants its fuel research to drastically change the landscape of military fuel consumption, she said.

McQuiston said advancing technology in conversion is key to that goal. Algae conversion is showing efficiency that potentially could lead to renewable jet fuel that costs less than $1 per gallon. The current efficiency of jet fuel converted from cellulose and rich oils likely will dictate a cost below $3 per gallon, she added.

“At DARPA we’re looking at things that are high risk but have high benefits for the future,” she said. “What are some of these aspects we can push out to really enable a different future? In the area of energy, the hard part is to identify and demonstrate ways to efficiently harness and convert the flow of energy.

“There’s energy all around us in abundance,” she added. “Can we convert what’s around us into a form of energy that can be used for the military to create tactical energy independence?”

(Report by Ian Graham, Special to American Forces Press Service.)

OEF Summary, Oct. 9, 2009: Forces Reposition From Afghan Outposts, Target Insurgents

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- NATO’s International Security Assistance Forces have completed their repositioning from two combat outposts in Nuristan province to other areas in eastern Afghanistan, military officials reported.

Militants attacked the two outposts – Keating and Fritsche – in the Kamdesh district Oct. 3 from multiple firing positions in the steep valley. ISAF forces on the ground, assisted by close-air support and attack helicopters, fought the militants, ultimately securing the outposts and killing an estimated 100 insurgents during the battle, officials said.

Despite Taliban claims, the movement of troops and equipment from the outposts are a part of a previously scheduled transfer. The remote outposts were established as part of a previous security strategy to stop or prevent the flow of militants into the region.

In line with the counterinsurgency guidance of Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, ISAF commander, ISAF leaders decided last month to reposition forces to population centers within the region, officials said. Commanders developed plans for the repositioning. However, as in every conflict, timelines may shift to accommodate conditions on the ground and developing security priorities.

Commanders have not discussed specific movements before their completion to ensure the security of ISAF and Afghan forces as well as Afghan civilians in affected areas.

In other news, Afghan and international forces disrupted several insurgent strongholds in three different regions of Afghanistan today, military officials reported.

The forces detained multiple enemy fighters during operations in Herat, Wardak and Kandahar provinces today and several insurgents were killed in the fighting.

In the Guzara district of Herat province in the west, joint forces conducted an operation overnight to search a compound known to be used by an insurgent leader responsible for roadside bomb attacks against ISAF and Afghan forces in the area and kidnapping Afghan civilians.

As the joint force approached the area, a large group of insurgents engaged the force with intense small-arms and rocket-propelled-grenade fire. Attack helicopters supporting the joint force engaged the militants, killing a number of them.

The force discovered rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, ammunition, grenades and chest racks at the compound and destroyed them in place.

No international security forces or Afghan forces were killed, and the forces do not believe any civilians were injured in the operation.

In the Chaki Wardak district in the east, joint forces searched a compound known to be used by a Taliban fighter and his element responsible for attacks in the region.

Enemy militants fired at the joint force from one of the buildings. The force returned fire, then issued several verbal commands to the militants to exit the building. The militants, posing a hostile threat, remained noncompliant. The joint force entered the building and killed several militants.

The forces searched the building and uncovered RPG launchers and rockets, machine guns, AK-47 rifles, several fragmentation grenades, a cache of ammunition and communications equipment. All weapons and ammunition were destroyed in place.

In Kandahar City in the south, a joint force detained several insurgents after searching a hotel without incident. The hotel is known to be used by a Taliban leader and his element responsible for recruiting, training and deploying suicide bombers against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

(Compiled from NATO International Security Assistance Force and Combined Joint Task Force 82 news releases.)

Wire: Taliban Has Grown Fourfold

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that Taliban-led insurgents fighting U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan have increased nearly fourfold since 2006, according to a U.S. intelligence estimate submitted to President Barack Obama.

The news was in an article published Friday on the aljazeera.net Web site.

The intelligence report says that the number of Taliban fighters has grown to 25,000, from 7,000 four years ago, the officials said on Friday as Obama convened a fifth cabinet-level meeting on U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan.

Obama has been considering a request by the senior commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan for up to 60,000 extra troops to be deployed to the region.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal has warned that the U.S. mission in Afghanistan risks failure unless more troops are sent to combat the Taliban and provide training and support to Afghan government forces.

Officials said on Friday that Obama -- who agreed early in his presidency to send 21,000 extra troops to Afghanistan -- still has not made any firm decision in regard to McChrystal's request.

The U.S. intelligence estimate that 25,000 Taliban forces are ranged against the US and NATO presence in Afghanistan includes members who are less committed to the fight, officials said.

From the article:

A US counterterrorism official said the figure was a "rough" estimate because it is difficult to ascertain the size of armed opposition groups that tend to operate in small units.

"You're not talking about fixed formations that rely solely on full-time combatants. Numbers ebb and flow. Bands of fighters appear and vanish," the official said.

A US defence official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the size of the Taliban force is far smaller than the combined US and Nato presence, the fighting methods they employ help overcome the asymmetry.

"By the very nature of insurgency, you do not need a lot of insurgents to inflict a lot of damage, because they are able to choose the time and the place to engage," the official said.

[sic]

(Report from newswire sources.)

USS Nimitz Celebrates 100,000th Catapult Shot

INDIAN OCEAN (Oct.7, 2009) An F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Tophatters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14 launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John Philip Wagner Jr.)

Focus on Defense:

USS NIMITZ, At Sea, Oct. 9, 2009 -- The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) reached a milestone in history when an EA-6B Prowler, assigned to Tactical Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 135, became the 100,000th aircraft to launch off Catapult Number 1 Oct. 7.

The successful launch was flown by Cmdr. Vincent Johnson, the executive officer of VAQ-135.

"It's obviously a really cool achievement," said Johnson. "It's a little piece of history that I can always take with me."

A ceremony was held Oct. 9 to celebrate this achievement.

"It has been 34 years with 22 sets of work ups, and it's all possible because of the people that work on this to make it happen," said Nimitz Commanding Officer Capt. Paul Monger, during the ceremony. "The fact is this has been kept up for years, and it's tremendous. It's impressive to watch these guys work every day."

Nimitz Air Boss Cmdr. Eric Wright kick started the celebration with admiration for Air Department's V-2 Division that helped to make the launch successful.

"We have about 30 people on that catapult for 10-12 hours a day and around 25 people on nights to make this happen," said Wright. "When you add it all up, it is years of peoples' lives invested, and it's invested for a worthy cause."

Also helping to make the mission possible was the team of people from Air Department's V-4 Division consisting of maintainers, catapult and panel operators and crew members on the flight deck.

"I was the deck edge operator, and I was the one who controlled the catapult for the launch," said Aviation Boatswains Mate Equipment (AW/SW) 2nd Class Alanso ChaconGalindo. "I have been here since 2005, and this is the only catapult out of four that's reached 100,000 launches."

"All of my guys are important out here to make all of this happen," said Chief Aviation Boatswains Mate Equipment (AW) Soji Thomas. "This could not happen without team work."

By accomplishing this milestone, the crew members of Nimitz showed once again why Nimitz's motto is 'Teamwork… a tradition.'

Nimitz is the first Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and was commissioned in 1975. The ship is named after World War II Fleet Adm. Chester Nimitz.

Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG), commanded by Rear Adm. John W. Miller, is comprised of Nimitz, embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65). Ships assigned to DESRON 23 include the destroyers USS Pinckney (DDG 91), USS Sampson (DDG 102) and the frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46).

Squadrons from CVW 11 include the "Black Aces" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, the "Tophatters" of VFA 14, the "Warhawks" of VFA 97, the "Sidewinders" of VFA 86, the "Indians" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6, the "Black Ravens" of Electronic Attack Squadron 135, the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 and the "Wallbangers" of Carrier Airborne Command and Control Squadron 117.

Helicopter detachments include the "Easy Riders" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 37, the "Battle Cats" of HSL 43, the "Wolfpack" of HSL 45, the "Scorpions" of HSL 49 and the "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23. Also accompanying the Nimitz CSG are Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 and the USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10).

(Report by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew C. Haws, USS Nimitz Public Affairs.)

Combat Camera Video: US Marines Seek Out Insurgents in Koshtay, Afghanistan

NOTE: News readers click here to watch the video.

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Embedded above is a b-roll video of Marines seeking out insurgents in Koshtay, Afghanistan. Scenes include Marines on foot patrols, giving movement directions, interacting with local boys and men, working with translators, close-up views of their rifles, and sound bites from team members. (Courtesy Video, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Length: 00:02:10.)

More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

OEF Update, Oct. 9, 2009: Joint Operation in Herat; Forces Kill, Detain Militants; Force Repositioning; ISAF Casualty

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 9, 2009 -- A joint Afghan and international security force conducted an operation overnight to search a compound known to be used by an insurgent leader in Guzara district, Herat province.

The insurgent leader is known to be responsible for conducting roadside bomb attacks against International Security Assistance Force and Afghan forces in the area and kidnapping Afghan civilians.

As the joint force approached the area where intelligence indicated the insurgent leader's presence, a large group of insurgents engaged the force with intense small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. Attack helicopters supporting the joint force engaged the group of militants, killing a number of them.

During a search of the compound, the force discovered RPGs, machine guns, ammunition, grenades and chest racks. All weapons and ammunition were destroyed in place.

No international security forces or Afghan forces were killed during the engagement, and the international and Afghan forces do not believe any civilians were injured in this operation.

Militants Killed, Detained

Afghan and International security forces killed and detained several suspected militants in two operations in Wardak and Kandahar provinces today.

A joint security force searched a compound in Chaki Wardak district known to be used by a Taliban enabler and his element responsible for the planning and executing several attacks in the region.

During the operation suspected enemy militants fired at the joint force from one of the buildings. The joint force returned fire. The force then issued several verbal commands to the militants to exit the building, but the militants, posing a hostile threat, remained non-compliant. The joint force entered the building and killed several militants.

A search of the building uncovered the following items: RPG launchers, RPG rockets, machine guns, AK-47 rifles, several fragmentation grenades, a cache of ammunition and communications equipment. All weapons and ammunition were destroyed in place.

In another operation today a joint security force detained several suspected militants after searching a hotel in Kandahar City without incident. The hotel is known to be used by a Taliban facilitator and his element responsible for recruiting, training and deploying suicide bombers against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

Force Repositioning in Eastern Afghanistan

ISAF forces have completed their repositioning from two combat outposts (Combat Outposts Keating and Fritsche) in Kamdesh district, Nuristan province, to other areas in eastern Afghanistan.

The two outposts were attacked by militants on Oct. 3 from multiple firing positions in the steep valley. ISAF forces on the ground assisted by close air support and attack helicopters fought the militants ultimately securing the outposts and killing an estimated 100 insurgents during the battle.

Despite Taliban claims, the movement of troops and equipment from the outposts are a part of a previously scheduled transfer. The remote outposts were established as part of a previous security strategy to stop or prevent the flow of militants into the region.

In line with General Stanley McChrystal's counterinsurgency guidance to pursue a population-centric strategy, ISAF commanders decided last month to reposition forces from remote areas with smaller population densities to population centers within the region. Commanders developed plans for the repositioning; however, as in every conflict, plans' timelines may shift to accommodate conditions on the ground and developing security priorities.

Commanders have not discussed specific movements before their completion to ensure the security of ISAF and Afghan forces as well as Afghan civilians in affected areas.

ISAF Casualty

One ISAF member died of wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device strike Oct. 8, in southern Afghanistan.

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

Pentagon: Division Commander Plans for 'Test Bed' in Afghanistan

News in Balance:

FORT DRUM, N.Y., Oct. 9, 2009 -- As he focuses on supporting the current fight in Afghanistan, the new 10th Mountain Division commander said he also intends to volunteer his soldiers to serve as an operational test-bed for the Army’s long-term modernization efforts.

Army Maj. Gen. James L. Terry said one of his first big challenges will be determining the best way to support the Army’s new campaign continuity plan.

The plan, which the Army announced the same day Terry took command here early last month, calls for elements of three divisions to deploy to Afghanistan on a rotational basis. The goal, Army officials say, is to better capitalize on their knowledge of the combat environment to which they are returning – experience critical to effective counterinsurgency operations.

The plan impacts the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division and 10th Mountain Division. The 82nd Airborne headquarters, currently in Afghanistan, is due to be replaced by the 101st Airborne headquarters in the spring of 2010. Terry and his 10th Mountain division headquarters staff are slated to replace the 101st in the spring of 2011.

As the third division headquarters in the deployment queue, the 10th Mountain Division has more time than its sister division headquarters to evaluate the effects of the new plan and recommend the best way to implement it, Terry told American Forces Press Service.

“I think it is incumbent on us, because we are third in the order of movement and will have about 18 months of ‘dwell time’ back here as a division headquarters, to find out what this actually means, and then inform [U.S. Army Forces Command] and our Army leadership as to how campaign continuity actually fits,” he said.

That includes looking toward the 82nd headquarters to see if there’s some way the 10th Mountain can support its current deployment, he said, and determining if the 101st headquarters needs any help getting ready for its upcoming deployment.

Army Col. Joseph Dichairo, Terry’s chief of staff who’s handling the nuts and bolts of the effort, said he expects to interact far more closely with his sister division headquarters counterparts and to share more information throughout their deployment cycles.

“You’ve heard the term ‘over the soldier,’” he said. “With this concept, I can see us being virtually embedded with the 101st, much earlier in the game than we might otherwise.”

Terry said he sees the long-term benefits of the campaign continuity plan in enabling units to build long-term relationships, not only with the Afghan people, but also with Afghan security forces and provincial district leaders.

“It is just a good way of doing business,” he said. The general noted that both he and his division command sergeant major previously served in the area they will return to – Terry as deputy commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force 76, part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, and Army Command Sgt. Maj. James Redmore, as sergeant major for one of the division’s brigade combat teams.

The headquarters’ 2011 deployment will mean “falling back on the same terrain,” Terry said. “I think there is a lot of goodness in that.”

But for the campaign continuity plan to work, Terry said some bugs still need to be worked out. “Frankly, we at the division level are still trying to figure out what this will mean for us and how the Army Force Generation cycle, or ARFORGEN, fits into this new model,” he said in an open letter to the Fort Drum community.

Dichairo noted some other issues to be explored. Will the Army amend its command tours and other manning practices to better fit with the new plan? Where does the equipping piece fall into the equation?

“General Terry has tasked me in the division to figure out what those impacts are for the Army, because we are the first guys to have two years at home and one year deployed,” he said. “So we are already starting to jot down notes of how all of this is going to fit together.”

Meanwhile, Terry is exploring ways to use his 10th Division soldiers as a potential test-bed for concepts he explored at the Army Capabilities Integration Center at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Terry, who returned for his third tour with the Mountain Division after leading up the Fort Bliss center’s Future Force Integration Directorate, said he can think of no better unit to test some of the most revolutionary concepts and systems being developed for future warfighters. The Army recently wrapped up a limited user test of several pieces of high-tech equipment being developed under the new Brigade Combat Team Modernization effort.

Soldiers from the Army Evaluation Task Force at Fort Bliss participated in the 23-day evaluation, but Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. wants to begin fielding the equipment to infantry brigade combat teams beginning in 2011.

Terry said he’s got the troops to do it. “The chief of staff of the Army has decided to focus on infantry brigade combat teams, and we just happen to have four of those in the 10th Mountain Division,” he said.

These soldiers will be deployed to Afghanistan exactly when the rollout is expected to begin, Terry said. “So I think we ought to be the first unit to get that capability package,’ he said. “I think our infantry brigade combat teams stand a good chance of getting those, and then deploying with them to Afghanistan.”

Terry said he’s excited about the additional situational awareness the new systems will provide soldiers throughout the chain of command so they’re able to make more informed decisions.

“I am of the opinion that our tactical activity at the squad, platoon and then company level in today’s fight is how we achieve operational-level objectives,” he said. “If our soldiers are better informed when they make decisions, especially as we protect the population, it allows us to more precisely conduct operations.

“At the end of the day, it is how we will win the campaign.”

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

Wire: Russia Now Questioning New US Missile Plan

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday the new missile plan from President Barack Obama's administration raises questions and Moscow is waiting for Washington to explain its intentions.

"The statements that are constantly being voiced raise more questions than answers," Lavrov told reporters during a visit to the Moldovan capital for a summit of ex-Soviet countries, a report from the French AFP news agency said.

"We would like to receive full clarification," Lavrov added, referring to the plan presented by the Obama administration last month to replace an older plan backed by George W. Bush that would have placed missile defence facilities in eastern Europe.

Moscow and Washington are now holding talks so Russia can "understand the configuration" of the new missile defence system, Lavrov said, but he added that reports of some US proposals were raising eyebrows in Moscow.

He said a recent US report that the United States might include Ukraine in its missile defence plans was "rather unexpected."

Defense News reported Thursday that Washington may consider Ukraine as part of its new anti-missile program, and had added the ex-Soviet country "to the list of possible early warning sites."

(Report from newswire sources.)

Pentagon Official Discuses Missile Defense, NATO

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- The proposed missile defense system for Europe is robust and will meet both long-term and short-term threats, a top Pentagon official told the Defense Writers’ Group yesterday.

Alexander Vershbow, the assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs, also spoke to the group about NATO efforts in Afghanistan.

Vershbow, just back from a trip to Europe, said a constant theme at all stops was missile defense. “There is a misunderstanding in all of Europe about what exactly our policy is, especially in relation to Russia,” he said.

Russian officials protested an initial plan that would have put radars in the Czech Republic and ground-based interceptors in Poland, believing it was a threat to Russia. They are OK with the revamped plan, Vershbow said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: According to press reports, Russia on Friday raised questions about the new missile plan and has demanded President Obama clarify and explain America's intentions.

A reassessment of the threat of Iranian missiles led the Obama administration to revamp the system, officials said. Under the new plan, Aegis-class cruisers will be armed with SM-3 missiles and a ground-based component will be added later. The system will provide more complete protection for Europe, Vershbow said.

“It will be ready sooner to meet the threats that exist, but will evolve to include elements that will deal with longer-range Iranian missile threats that may emerge toward the end of the decade,” he said.

The new system “is by no means an accommodation to the Russians, but a way to take care of the threat and to take advantage of breakthroughs in technology.”

Vershbow said the system is a stronger way of dealing with real missile threats and affirms American commitment to the security of Europe.

It also opens the chance for NATO and the United States to work with the Russians and possibly incorporate Russian radars into the missile defense system to help give early warning of launches, the assistant secretary said. “Having an early detection of a launch is the first requirement of any missile defense system,” he said.

Still, he said, “Our hope is to first work on a common threat assessment,”

The United States and Russia also may work together on a Joint Data Exchange Center – a proposal the two countries agreed to during the Clinton administration that was never put in place, Vershbow said.

“The recent Iranian missile tests have led the Russians to perhaps view the threats more along the lines we’ve been arguing along the years,” he said. “Until recently, they’ve been minimizing the threat. Iran has tested missiles that can produce intermediate range missile and ultimately [intercontinental ballistic missiles].”

On Afghanistan, the NATO allies are absorbing Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s assessment of the situation in the country. Leaders also are receiving the NATO commander in Afghanistan’s resource recommendations.

“I think there is … a determination to stay the course and to continue to contribute forces,” the assistant secretary said. “It’s clear the capacity of allies to increase (contributions) substantially is limited. This is one of the problems that NATO needs to confront as its looks at its strategy over the next decade: how can it generate more deployable forces.”

While the United States will be looking to allies for military forces, leaders also will be seeking expanded NATO contributions on the civilian side, Vershbow said. This would include added personnel for police and military training, economic development, counter-narcotics programs and the array of programs aimed at improving governance and the rule of law.

“Each ally has different capacities,” he said. “There is still a strong sense of purpose. The civilian surge is coming along but it is not easy getting the proper personnel and the security bubble needed so they can do their tasks.”

The whole question comes down to how the civilian side can complement the military’s effort in security. “We want to encourage the civilian population to put their money on the Afghan government rather than the Taliban,” he said.

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

Wire: Lawmakers Defy Obama, Approve Defense Bill

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2009 -- Newswire services last night reported that, despite a veto threat by President Barack Obama, the House on Thursday easily passed a major defense policy bill that calls for continued development of an alternative engine for the Pentagon's next-generation F-35 fighter.

The Associated Press said the bill, passed by a 281-146 vote, also prohibits the Obama administration from transferring any detainees being held at the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba to the U.S. until 45 days after the administration submits a comprehensive plan for closing the prison.

The measure, which also includes a 3.4 percent pay increase for the military that was a half-percentage point more than Obama wanted, now goes to the Senate.

AP said, while the bill challenges the administration on jet engines and Guantanamo prisoners, Defense Secretary Robert Gates prevailed in killing the F-22 fighter program.

The bill also contains unrelated legislation strengthening federal hate crimes laws for gays. That concerned many Republicans, who said the strictly military bill shouldn't carry social legislation.

Obama's veto threat involves a program to develop an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Air Force's multi-mission fighter for the future.

AP said lawmakers have parsed the Obama threat and decided not to take it seriously.

On Guantanamo, Republicans were on the losing end of a 216-208 vote aimed at blocking any transfer of detainees into the U.S. Thirty-four Democrats broke ranks to support the idea.

Republicans were irate that the so-called hate crimes legislation was attached to the bill. It would give people attacked because of their sexual orientation or gender federal protections and significantly expand the reach of hate crimes law.

[. . .]

"I'm in a dilemma today," said Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, adding that enclosing the hate crimes legislation in a bill supporting the U.S. military would force people to vote against their beliefs.

"It is simply inappropriate to use a defense bill as a vehicle for divisive, liberal social policies wholly unrelated to our country's national security," said Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Wire: McChrystal Top Troop Request Up to 60,000

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 -- Newswire services this evening reported that the request for troops sent to President Barack Obama by the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan includes three different options, with the largest alternative including a request for more than 60,000 troops, according to a U.S. official familiar with the document.

The Wall Street Journal reported that, although the top option is more than the 40,000 soldiers previously understood to be the top troop total sought by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. officer in Kabul, 40,000 remains the primary choice of senior military brass, including Gen. McChrystal, the official said.

The details of the three scenarios were first reported by ABC News and confirmed by the U.S. official. The third option presented to Mr. Obama would be only a small increase that would keep U.S. forces largely at their year-end levels of 68,000 troops.

The troop request is expected to be deliberated today at Mr. Obama's fifth cabinet-level meeting of his war council amid indications of growing official unease about such a significant escalation.

Although most requests for forces include only a single troop figure, Pentagon officials have acknowledged that Gen. McChrystal's request was unusual given the continuing review of Afghan strategy. It is rather common in military planning, however, to discuss three different scenarios in order to illustrate why the middle option is preferable option.

Gen. McChrystal has warned that the U.S. faces possible "mission failure" in Afghanistan unless it quickly sends large numbers of forces there. But the Obama administration faces growing hurdles even if it decides to go with a buildup of tens of thousands of troops.

Senior Army officers acknowledged in interviews, for instance, that the U.S. doesn't have nearly enough helicopters in Afghanistan to meet the current demand for safe movement of troops around the country. And U.S. forces are just beginning to receive new vehicles meant to function better on Afghanistan's poor roads.

See the link below for additional details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: Top Troop Request Up to 60,000

OEF Summary, Oct. 8, 2009: Forces Target Taliban in South, East Afghanistan

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 -- Several military operations in southern and eastern Afghanistan today and yesterday resulted in insurgents killed and captured, military officials reported.

A force of Afghan and NATO International Security Assistance Force troops were conducting an overnight operation against a Taliban commander and his unit in the Pul-e Alam district of Logar province when several militants were killed, officials said.

The force received hostile fire upon arrival to the compound and returned fire. The force issued verbal commands for all residents to exit the building and several women and children complied and exited safely. The force issued several more commands to ensure all residents exited the building.

After no response to subsequent commands to exit the building, the force then assaulted the building and killed several enemy militants. They identified the Taliban commander among the dead. The force recovered AK-47 rifles, grenades and chest racks from the compound.

This commander and his element were responsible for multiple attacks against and kidnappings of Afghan civilians, and supplied weapons to other militant elements in the region.

In other operations, joint forces detained several insurgents in Zabul and Kandahar provinces today.

A force searched a compound in Zabul’s Qalat district known to be used by a Taliban commander and his element who are believed to be responsible for several attacks against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region.

During the search, the force shot and killed an enemy militant armed with an AK-47 rifle and chest rack before he engaged the force. The force completed the search and detained several suspected militants.

In a separate search in Kandahar City, a joint force detained a suspected militant who immediately surrendered and identified himself as a Taliban member responsible for supplying improvised explosive devices used against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region. No shots were fired.

No Afghan civilians were harmed in the operations.

(Compiled from U.S. Forces Afghanistan news releases.)

Pentagon Discuses New 'Bunker-Buster' Bomb

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 -- The Defense Department is developing an advanced “bunker-buster” bomb that should be ready for deployment this summer, senior Pentagon officials said.

The department has been “working on technology that allows us to get at deeply buried, hardened targets” since 2004, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters here today.

Development of the bomb has taken longer than originally envisioned because of variables in the budget process, Whitman said, adding that it is now back “on track.”

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell yesterday told reporters that the department is developing a massive penetrator bomb designed to pulverize underground facilities that may store weapons of mass destruction and related systems.

At a hefty 30,000 pounds, the new penetrator bomb weighs almost 4 tons more than the U.S. military’s former heavyweight champion, the nearly 22,000-pound massive ordnance air blast conventional bomb, known by the acronym MOAB.

The massive penetrator bomb will be in a class by itself and represents a unique capability, Whitman said.

“We don’t have any other 30,000-pound bombs,” he said.

The late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had used underground facilities to hide and protect some of his military technology, Whitman pointed out to reporters today. Some other countries, he said, have emulated this technique.

The existence of hardened, underground military facilities “is not a new phenomena, but it is a growing one,” Whitman said.

Therefore, he said, the department decided to develop a new penetrator bomb, which should be ready by next summer.

Although there was no “urgent” reason to develop the new bomb, defense planners recognized the need to obtain it, Whitman said.

Such a weapon is “an important capability to have,” he said.

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

Wire: Obama Focusing On al-Qaida, Not Taliban

Off the Wire:

Obama said to be unlikely to approve the recommended troop increase.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: If, as an AP source has said, President Barack Obama is now focusing on al-Qaida, and not on the Taliban, the question must be asked: What about al-Qaida in Iraq? How do we rationalize Obama's political position against the Iraq war, a war that al-Qaida leaders have repeatedly stated was the front line of operations against the United States?

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that a senior administration official says President Barack Obama is prepared to accept the Taliban's involvement in Afghanistan's political process and is inclined to send only enough U.S. troops to Afghanistan as are needed to keep al-Qaida at bay.

The assessment comes from an official who has been involved in the president's discussions about Afghanistan strategy. The official was authorized by the White House to speak to The Associated Press about the discussions but not to be identified by name.

Aides say the president's final decision on Afghanistan strategy and troop levels is still at least two weeks away, but the emerging thinking suggests he would be unlikely to favor a large military ramp-up of the kind being advocated by his top commander in Afghanistan.

See link below for details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: AP source: Obama focusing on al-Qaida, not Taliban

OEF Update, Oct. 8, 2009: Afghan-International Security Forces Kill, Detain Militants; ISAF Casualty; Kabul Explosion

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 8, 2009 -- Afghan and International security forces killed an enemy militant and detained several suspected militants in operations in Zabul and Kandahar provinces today.

A joint security force searched a compound in Qalat district, Zabul province known to be used by a Taliban commander and his element responsible for several attacks against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region.

During the search the joint force shot and killed an enemy militant armed with an AK-47 rifle and chest rack before he engaged the force. The joint force completed the search and detained several suspected militants.

In a separate search in Kandahar City, a joint security force detained a suspected militant who immediately surrendered and identified himself as a Taliban facilitator responsible for supplying improvised explosive devices used against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region. No shots were fired.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

ISAF Casualty

One International Security Assistance Force member died of wounds sustained in an improvised explosive device attack Oct. 7, in western Afghanistan. The Spanish Ministry of Defense has confirmed that the service member was from Spain.

Kabul Explosion

ISAF understands that there was a large explosion this morning near the Afghan Ministry of Interior and Indian Embassy in Kabul. No ISAF personnel were involved in this attack.

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

Pentagon Announces Units for Next Iraq Rotation and Extension

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement announcing replacement units scheduled to deploy for the next Iraq tour rotation and extension:

The Department of Defense announced today major units scheduled to deploy as part of the next force rotation in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The announcement involves three brigade combat teams, and one armored cavalry regiment totaling approximately 15,000 personnel. The scheduled rotation for these forces will begin in the summer of 2010.

These units will serve as advise and assist brigades and will replace redeploying units, with no increase in overall force levels.

Specific units receiving deployment orders include:

• 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Ga.

• 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Wahiawa, Hawaii

• 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas

• 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas

Additionally, the secretary of defense approved a request by the commander of Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) to extend the deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters for up to an additional 23 days, and elements of the II Marine Expeditionary Force for up to an additional 79 days.

The extensions will ensure that key capabilities are maintained during the critical period following the January elections, and provide additional support for the orderly redeployment of the remaining Marine Corps forces and equipment.

The department recognizes the continued contributions of these units and their family members.

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

George Washington Carrier Strike Group Departs for 2009 Fall Deployment

PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 5, 2009) An F/A-18C Hornet, from the Dambusters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, executes a touch and go during an air demonstration aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington, the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier, hosted a family and guest cruise after returning from her inaugural summer deployment supporting security and stability in the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Marcos Vazquez.)

Focus on Defense:

YOKOSUKA, Japan, Oct. 8, 2009 -- The George Washington Carrier Strike Group departed Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY), Japan Oct. 6 for its second annual fall deployment in support of maritime security and to participate in ANNUALEX 2009, the premiere bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Japan.

USS George Washington (CVN 73) recently completed a month-long maintenance and repair period at CFAY after returning from her inaugural summer deployment in the 7th Fleet area of operations Sept. 3.

"As we sail back to sea, we look forward to building upon the successes of our inaugural summer deployment fostering strong and positive relationships with numerous global maritime partners throughout the 7th Fleet area of responsibility," said GW's Commanding Officer Capt. David A. Lausman. "The crew of the George Washington and Carrier Air Wing Five enjoy working closely with navies in complex training environments building interoperability and understanding.

"The real strength in building a true global maritime partnership is an exposure to the manner in which we each analyze and address the various security issues of the region. The unique diversity each partner brings to the problem solving table translates directly to increased security and stability throughout our critical shared maritime environment."

A key element of this year's fall patrol will be GW working alongside the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force as part of the largest and most complex yearly bilateral military exercise between Japan and the United States.

"Our participation in ANNUALEX is important because it enhances the interoperability between the U.S. Navy and Japan" said GW's Operations Officer, Cmdr. Anthony Calandra. "Being able to work closely with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force allows us to build closer ties with our host country while at the same time helping us to work efficiently as a team in a time of crisis."

Commanded by Rear Adm. Kevin Donegan, the George Washington Carrier Strike Group with more than 5,000 sailors, is also comprised of Carrier Air Wing Five (CVW-5), Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON 15), and the guided missile cruisers USS Shiloh (CG 67) and USS Cowpens (CG 63).

(Report by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) John J. Mike, USS George Washington Public Affairs.)

Pentagon News Brief: Obama, Other Leaders Receive Afghan Resources Request

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- As President Barack Obama and senior defense and national security leaders convened meetings today on the way forward in Afghanistan, they finally did so with the addition of Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal’s list of requested resources, the Pentagon press secretary said.

Obama received a copy of McChrystal’s request for resources late last week from Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Geoff Morrell told reporters here today.

On Monday, Gates also provided copies of the resource request to senior White House officials, to include National Security Council members, he said.

Obama wanted a copy of the report to read over the weekend, Morrell said.

The Afghanistan resources request is now formally working its way through the U.S. military and NATO chains of command, he said.

Morrell referred to the copies provided to Obama and other senior White House officials as “informal” documents that didn’t bear official comments of review or vetting from senior civilian and military leaders. Those leaders, he said, include Gates; Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in Afghanistan.

However, all of the Pentagon’s top leaders, to include Petraeus and McChrystal, have been closely involved in White House discussions on the way ahead in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Morrell pointed out. The White House hosted the first of a series of strategy meetings on Sept. 30.

A second such meeting was held today, Morrell said, with another slated for Friday.

Gates likely decided to hold onto the resource assessment until directed otherwise by the president, Morrell suggested, to limit the possibility of leaking information, such as occurred earlier with McChrystal’s assessment on the situation in Afghanistan.

Everyone concerned, Morrell emphasized, will have an opportunity to “weigh-in” with their opinions.

“Obviously, this has been a slightly unconventional process and an informal copy as I mentioned bypassed the chain of command at the secretary’s request, so he could own it and could therefore make decisions about where it should go, when it should go,” he said.

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, which removed the Taliban from power in Afghanistan.

“We have seen our amazing military men and women adapt to and overcome daunting terrain, harsh conditions and an agile and ruthless enemy,” Morrell said of the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan.

Nearly 800 Americans have died in military operations in and around Afghanistan since the war began, Morrell said. He cited the deaths of eight U.S. soldiers who died there last weekend during an enemy assault on a remote outpost in Nurestan province.

“Our thoughts are with their families and all families who have sacrificed so much in Operation Enduring Freedom,” he said.

Located near the border with Pakistan, the outpost was slated to be closed, Morrell said, as part of McChrystal’s counterinsurgency strategy to move U.S. troops closer to major Afghan population centers.

An investigation into circumstances surrounding the attack is ongoing, Morrell said. The enemy, he said, paid dearly, losing 100 fighters during the assault and in its aftermath.

Turning to other defense matters, Morrell said the Pentagon is developing a conventional 30,000 pound, massive ordnance penetrator bomb designed to pulverize underground facilities that may store weapons of mass destruction and related systems. The bomb, he said, should be ready for deployment in the coming months.

“This has been a capability that we have long believed was missing from our quiver or our arsenal,” Morrell said, “and we wanted to make sure we filled in that gap.”

There is no specific target list for the new weapon, Morrell emphasized.

The bomb “is just a capability that we think is necessary, given the world we live in these days,” he said.

(From a report by Gerry J. Gilmore, American Forces Press Service.)

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday 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. Kevin O. Hill, 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died Oct. 4 at Contingency Outpost Dehanna, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms and indirect fires. He was assigned to the 576th Mobility Augmentation Company, Fort Carson, Colo.

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

OEF Summary, Oct. 7, 2009: Joint Forces Disrupt Insurgents in Afghanistan

Dispatches from the Front:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- NATO and Afghan troops detained several militants and destroyed weapons and drug caches in separate operations in Afghanistan today and yesterday, military officials reported.

In Wardak province, several militants were killed and a suicide vest was destroyed as forces searched a compound known to be used by a Taliban group. During the operation, the joint forces came under hostile fire.

In the same province, troops conducted a separate search yesterday without incident. During the search, several AK-47 rifles and ammunition were discovered and destroyed.

Separately, in Helmand province, several militants were detained and 115 pounds of black tar heroin was destroyed.

Meanwhile in a Khowst operation yesterday, two Taliban militants were captured and more AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition were discovered and destroyed both there and in a separate incident in Kabul.

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

Pentagon Identifies 8 Army Casualties (OEF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying casualties:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of eight soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 3 in Kamdesh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their contingency outpost with small arms, rocket-propelled grenade and indirect fires. They were assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Killed were:

• Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, 25 of Savannah, Ga.

• Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 27, of Tucson, Ariz.

• Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, of Applegate, Calif.

• Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, 30, of South Portland, Maine.

• Sgt. Michael P. Scusa, 22, of Villas, N.J.

• Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, of Kincheloe, Mich.

• Spc. Stephan L. Mace, 21, of Lovettsville, Va.

• Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson, 22, of Reno, Nev.

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

US Navy Secretary Says Women Will "Soon" Serve on Submarines

News from the U.S. Navy.
Focus on Defense:

EDITOR'S NOTE: Since when did Comedy Central’s, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" become a clearing house for serious military news? Read on....

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- Navy Secretary Ray Mabus yesterday said women soon will serve on submarines, suggesting a reversal of the long-standing ban by the Navy.

Appearing on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Mabus signaled that the Navy is moving closer to allowing coed personnel on submarines.

“It will take a little while because you’ve got to interview people and you’ve got to be nuclear trained,” he said, referring to prerequisite steps before a sailor is assigned to a submarine.

Officials previously have cited a lack of privacy and the cost of reconfiguring subs as obstacles to allowing female crewmembers to serve aboard the vessels.

But Mabus is one of several top Navy officials recently to call for an end to the policy. The Navy secretary’s comments yesterday amplify his previous endorsement of ending the ban.

“This is something the [chief of naval operations] and I have been working on since I came into office,” Mabus, who was confirmed as Navy secretary in May, said last week. “We are moving out aggressively on this.

“I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines,” he told reporters following a tour of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News shipyard.

Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, acknowledged that special accommodations would be a factor in the decision, but one that’s not insurmountable.

“Having commanded a mixed-gender surface combatant, I am very comfortable addressing integrating women into the submarine force,” he said in a statement last month. “I am familiar with the issues as well as the value of diverse crews.”

Roughead said he has been personally engaged through the years in the Navy’s debate of the feasibility of assigning women to submarines.

“There are some particular issues with integrating women into the submarine force -- issues we must work through in order to achieve what is best for the Navy and our submarine force,” he said. “This has had and will continue to have my personal attention as we work toward increasing the diversity of our Navy afloat and ashore."

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the issue with the Senate Armed Services Committee last month.

“I believe we should continue to broaden opportunities for women,” Mullen is quoted as saying in response to written questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee. “One policy I would like to see changed is the one barring their service aboard submarines.”

Mullen, a champion of diversifying the services, said this month that having a military that reflects the demographics of the United States is “a strategic imperative for the security of our country.”

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

Pentagon Identifies Army Casualty (OIF)

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement identifying a casualty:

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

Maj. Tad T. Hervas, 48, of Coon Rapids, Minn., died Oct. 6 at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 34th Infantry Regiment, Rosemont, Minn.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.

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

Pentagon Announces Replacement Units for Afghanistan Rotation

News in Balance:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- The following news release made available Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Defense is the text of a statement announcing replacement units scheduled to deploy for Afghanistan rotation:

The Department of Defense announced today major units scheduled to deploy as part of the next rotation operating in Afghanistan. This announcement involves a combat brigade and combat aviation brigade totaling approximately 6,100 service members. The scheduled rotation for these forces will begin in the spring and continue through the summer of 2010.

The spring rotation of approximately 2,800 soldiers of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, from Fort Campbell, Ky, continues the U.S. commitment to maintain the level of forces necessary to provide sufficient military capability for the NATO-International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to further improve security and stability operations.

The summer rotation of approximately 3,300 soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Co, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, will continue the ongoing training and mentoring mission of Afghan National Security Forces in Afghanistan.

In consultation with Afghan officials and NATO, commanders continue to assess the situation to ensure sufficient force levels to best support the Government of Afghanistan, perform counter-terrorism operations, assist with reconstruction, and train and equip the Afghan National Security Forces.

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

Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group Enters 7th Fleet

PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 30, 2009) The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) conducts a vertical replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J Kaiser (T-AO 187). Bonhomme Richard, the flagship for the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, is on a scheduled deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sarah E. Bitter.)

Focus on Defense:

BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea, Oct. 7, 2009 -- USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), the flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), entered the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of Operations Oct. 2 as part of its regularly scheduled deployment to promote peace, cooperation and stability in the region.

Led by Capt. Rodney Clark, the ARG consists of three ships -- amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47).

"We have a great Navy, Marine Corps team and offer a full range of operational capabilities. We look forward to operating in the 7th Fleet and playing a role in regional security and cooperation," said Clark. "We are also prepared to provide assistance in the region when called upon."

The ARG's 2,300 personnel make up the Navy component of a multicapable team that also includes 2,200 embarked Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), commanded by Col. Gregg Olson.

Capt. John Funk, Bonhomme Richard's commanding officer, is also looking forward to operating in the 7th Fleet region.

"We are looking forward to every opportunity to build friendships and enhance partnerships in the region and wherever we visit, to show our hosts the best ambassadors the United States has to offer – the sailors and Marines of Bonhomme Richard," said Funk.

In addition to its ships, the ARG consists of the command element, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 7; Tactical Air Control Squadron 12, Detachment 1; the "Wild Cards" of Helicopter Sea Combat 23, Detachment 3; Assault Craft Unit 1, Detachment B; Assault Craft Unit 5, Detachment F; Beachmaster Unit 1, Detachment B; and Fleet Surgical Team 9.

The 7th Fleet operating area includes more than half of the world's population and more than 52 million square miles of the Pacific and Indian Oceans -- stretching from the International Date Line to the east coast of Africa, and from the Kuril Islands in the north to the Antarctic in the south.

The Bonhomme Richard ARG is transiting the 7th Fleet Area of Operations and reports to the Commander, Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, Rear Adm. Richard Landolt, who is headquartered in Okinawa, Japan.

(Report from Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group Public Affairs.)

OEF Update, Oct. 7, 2009: Troops Kill, Detain Militants in Afghanistan

Dispatches from the Front:

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 7, 2009 -- Afghan and International security forces killed and detained groups of suspected militants in four separate search operations conducted Oct. 6 and 7, in eastern and southern Afghanistan.

A joint security force killed and detained several suspected militants in Saydabad district, Wardak province today, after searching a compound known to be used by a Taliban group believed responsible for improvised explosive device attacks against Afghan civilians and regional infrastructure.

During the search the joint security force received hostile fire and returned fire, killing several enemy militants. The joint force also found a suicide vest and destroyed it in place.

On Oct. 6, a joint security force killed and detained suspected militants in Kabul province during an operation to disrupt a Taliban element responsible for improvised explosive device placement and attacks on joint forces in southeast Afghanistan. Acting on reports indicating the presence of a known Taliban commander, the joint force searched a location near Niknazar Kalay in Shinkay district.

During the search enemy militants armed with rifles attempted to move against the joint force. The joint force received hostile fire from enemy militants and responded with small arms fire killing them. A search of the suspected militants revealed multiple AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition, which were destroyed in place.

In another operation today a joint security force detained several suspected militants south of Marjeh in Helmand province. The joint force searched a compound known to be used by a Taliban commander and his element believed to be responsible for transporting weapons to other militant elements and for several small arms and suicide attacks against Afghan civilians and infrastructure in the region. The force uncovered 115 pounds of black tar heroin and destroyed all of it in place.

In a fourth operation a joint security force captured two wanted Taliban militants Oct. 6 in the Tere Zayi district of Khowst province where enemy fighters had created a safe-haven. The suspected Taliban militants were wanted for conducting illegal activities including coordinating attacks against joint security forces and for facilitating the distribution of weapons and narcotics.

During this operation the joint security force searched a number of compounds known to be used by militants and Taliban leaders who are believed to be responsible for roadside bomb attacks against Afghan National Security Forces in the area. Several suspected militants were detained for questioning.

A supply of AK-47 rifles, ammunition and magazines was found during the search and destroyed.

No Afghan civilians were harmed during these operations.

No ISAF service members were killed over the past 24 hours.

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

Wire: Senate Passes Pentagon Budget, War Funding

Off the Wire:

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 -- Newswire services this morning reported that the Senate on Tuesday passed a spending bill bringing the total U.S. tab for that war to about $300 billion.

The $626 billion measure, passed 93-7, also would ban outright any transfer of accused enemy combatants from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility into the United States. Current law permits transfer of detainees to face trial or go to prison.

The Associated Press said the bill combines $128 billion for overseas military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with $498 billion for the rest of the Defense Department's budget. An analysis by congressional researchers puts the tally for Afghanistan at about $300 billion and for Iraq at more than $700 billion since Sept. 11, 2001 -- totaling more than $1 trillion.

The bill must now be reconciled with a measure that passed the House this summer and will then be presented to Obama for his signature.

The measure also contains $2.7 billion worth of pet projects sought by senators, commonly known as "earmarks," including funding for-profit companies to develop new technologies. The Senate by voice vote rejected a bid by McCain to require earmarked for-profit companies to be subject to competitive bidding, in keeping with reforms instituted by the House, AP noted.

The following senators voted against the bill:

Barrasso (R-WY)
Coburn (R-OK)
DeMint (R-SC)
Enzi (R-WY)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (R-SC)
McCain (R-AZ)

See the link below for details.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: Senate passes Pentagon budget, war funding

Strykers Bronzed to a Desert Tan

Jagadish Hajam, an auto body repairman and painter from Nepal, applies a coat of Tan 686A, a paint meant for desert camouflage, on the wheels of a Stryker armored combat vehicle inside a booth at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 3. It's the first vehicle to adopt the new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

Dar Barker, a General Dynamics Land Systems retrofit chief from Puyallup, Wa., directs an armored combat vehicle outside the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. The Stryker infantry carrier vehicle had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq. It's the first vehicle to adopt a new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

Jagadish Hajam, an auto body repairman and painter from Nepal, applies a coat of Tan 686A, a paint meant for desert camouflage, along the wheel well of a Stryker armored combat vehicle inside a booth at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 3. It's the first vehicle to adopt the new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

Jagadish Hajam, an auto body repairman and painter from Nepal, applies a coat of Tan 686A, a paint meant for desert camouflage, underneath a Stryker armored combat vehicle inside a booth at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 3. It's the first vehicle to adopt the new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander, stands outside the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. A Stryker infantry carrier vehicle had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq. It's the first vehicle to adopt a new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

Jagadish Hajam, an auto body repairman and painter from Nepal, applies a coat of Tan 686A, a paint meant for desert camouflage, on the wheels of a Stryker armored combat vehicle inside a booth at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 3. It's the first vehicle to adopt the new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander, listens to Rick Hunt, General Dynamics Land Systems site manager, explain new retrofit requirements at a Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. A planned transition to a desert tan color represents the latest survivability improvement since Stryker vehicles moved into Afghanistan this summer. GDLS welders and mechanics have been installing mine protection kits, tire fire suppression kits, cameras, engine enhancements and software upgrades. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander, glances over new retrofit requirements at a Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. Rick Hunt, General Dynamics Land Systems site manager, explains the changes, which include a transition to a desert tan color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

A Stryker armored combat vehicle rolls out of the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. The Stryker infantry carrier vehicle had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq. It's the first vehicle to adopt a new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

A Stryker armored combat vehicle circles around the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. The Stryker infantry carrier vehicle had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq. It's the first vehicle to adopt a new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

A Stryker armored combat vehicle sits inside a Stryker battle damage repair facility staging area at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. The Stryker infantry carrier vehicle had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq. It's the first vehicle to adopt a new desert tan color in Southwest Asia, in preparation for a planned phase out of the Stryker's current deep green color. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander, listens to Rick Hunt, General Dynamics Land Systems site manager, explain new retrofit requirements at a Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5. A planned transition to a desert tan color represents the latest survivability improvements since Stryker vehicles moved into Afghanistan this summer. GDLS welders and mechanics have been installing mine protection kits, tire fire suppression kits, cameras, engine enhancements and software upgrades. (Photo by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

Dispatches from the Front:

CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar, Oct. 7, 2009 -- Stryker armored combat vehicles will soon receive a cosmetic makeover for better concealment in Iraq and Afghanistan. The current deep green color will be phased out in favor of desert tan. The first to adopt the change was revealed inside the Stryker battle damage repair facility at Camp As Sayliyah, Qatar, Oct. 5, an infantry carrier vehicle that had been restored after deterioration during enemy engagement in Iraq.

"Safeguarding soldiers is the primary purpose for this color change," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Peter Butts, 1st Battalion, 401st Army Field Support Brigade commander. "Strykers will blend into surroundings better. They're less likely to stand out like silhouettes." Produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, the eight-wheeled armored combat vehicles have been painted a foliage green color since their combat debut in 2003, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"Talks about changing the color have been ongoing since 2004," said Butts. "Painting this first Stryker helped us understand the necessary man hours, material needs and unit coordination to finally make it happen – it's our proof of principle." Every Stryker vehicle sent to the Qatar repair site will depart desert tan, once administrative requirements are complete.

Tan 686A is a paint meant for desert camouflage. It's the same solid color covering most military equipment throughout Southwest Asia, where encountering dust storms and sand dunes are far more common than thick jungles and rolling prairies. To lighten the current tint while in sandy terrain, Central Command war fighters have relied on dust collected in the abrasive texture of the vehicle's hull and slat armor.

The planned transition to desert tan represents the latest survivability retrofit since Stryker vehicles moved into Afghanistan this summer. Since then, GDLS welders and mechanics have installed mine protection kits, tire fire suppression kits, cameras, engine enhancements and software upgrades.

Stryker combat vehicles provide CENTCOM military operations with the following ten configurations: infantry carrier vehicle; command vehicle; fire support vehicle; engineer support vehicle; reconnaissance vehicle; medical evacuation vehicle; anti-tank guided missile vehicle; mortar carrier; nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance vehicle; and mobile gun system. Additional variants and improvement options are constantly explored by GDLS and U.S. government officials.

"This first tan vehicle is for soldiers in Afghanistan," said Rick Hunt, GDLS site manager at the battle damage repair facility in Qatar. "Soon, everything we receive from Iraq and Afghanistan for retrofit and repairs will leave here tan."

(Report by Dustin Senger, Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.)

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