DOD Identifies Army Casualties

No. 661-10 - July 26, 2010
DOD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
They died July 24, at Qalat, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked their military vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Killed were:
Staff Sgt. Conrad A. Mora, 24, of San Diego, Calif
Sgt. Daniel Lim, 23, of Cypress, Calif
Spc. Joseph A. Bauer, 27, of Cincinnati, Ohio
Spc. Andrew L. Hand, 25, of Enterprise, Ala

They were assigned to 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

For more information the media may contact the Joint Base Lewis-McChord public affairs office at 253-967-0147 or 253-967-0152.

UPDATE: July 28, 2010 - Pfc. Hand was posthumously promoted to Specialist.

U.S. Department of Defense - Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

DOD Announces Navy Casualty and Identifies Sailor Listed as Whereabouts Unknown - No. 665-10 - July 27, 2010

No. 665-10 - July 27, 2010
DOD Announces Navy Casualty and Identifies Sailor Listed as Whereabouts Unknown
. The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor and the identity of another sailor listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN). The announcement resulted from a July 23 incident in Logar province, Afghanistan, while the sailors were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
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Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin McNeley, 30, of Wheatridg, Colo., died from wounds sustained from the July 23 incident. Coalition Forces recovered his body July 25 after an extensive search. He was assigned to Assault Craft Unit One (ACU-1), San Diego.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, 25, of Renton, Wash., is listed as DUSTWUN from the July 23 incident. Search and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the incident is under investigation.

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For further information related to McNeley, contact Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet public affairs at 619-929-7444. For information related to Newlove, contact the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342.
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U.S. Department of Defense - Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

On Ground Updates: Afghanistan/Pakistan - July 25, 2010

On Ground Updates:
Afghanistan/Pakistan
1 of 2 American soldiers missing in Afghanistan was killed in ambush Friday - Other soldier captured alive, says Taliban spokesman
Post Date: Sunday, July 25, 2020
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* chron.com brings us the following report out of Afghanistan today and it starts off like this... The Taliban claimed Sunday that they killed a U.S. sailor and kidnapped another as NATO forces ramped up a massive search for the servicemen, who went missing two days earlier in an area held by the militants...
Read the full report at link below...
Taliban claim to capture US sailor, kill another
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Two US soldiers 'captured by the Taliban'

About this News Video: Afghan insurgents captured two US soldiers and are holding them in southern Logar province, a Taliban official has said.
This video posted on YouTube by itnnews
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AubreyJ.........

Photo for the Day - July 24, 2010

* Photo for the Day * North Dakota Army National Guard soldier Spc. Shanna Newark is filled with emotion as she hugs her children upon her return to Fargo, N.D., after a one-year deployment to Kosovo. The Soldiers were part of a NATO peacekeeping mission and served in Multi-National Battle Group East, which was commanded by Brig. Gen. Al Dohrmann, of Bismarck, N.D. Taken 7/24/2010
Photo by Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp
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Welcome home and thank you all
AubreyJ.........

Iraq: On Ground Updates - July 22, 2010

Iraq: On Ground Updates
Odierno: Iraq drawdown ‘On track’
Thursday, July 22, 2010
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DoD photo below taken 7-21-10 by USAF Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison

The military is on track to meet its drawdown goals in Iraq, and there will be plenty of troops left until the end of 2011 to help Iraq become fully independent, the commanding general of U.S. Forces there said Wednesday.
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"I feel very comfortable that we will be at 50,000, probably by the last week of August," Army Gen. Ray Odierno said during a Defense Writers Group breakfast here followed by a Pentagon Press Briefing. Troop strength probably will stay around 50,000 through next summer, even though all U.S. forces are to be out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011, he said.
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With 70,000 troops still in Iraq – down from 145,000 in January 2009 - the military is on schedule to meet President Barack Obama's September drawdown goals, Odierno said. And, the general said, his command also is ahead of schedule in drawing down its equipment. Forty thousand wheeled vehicles have left the country – half bound for Afghanistan – and 1.2 million other pieces of equipment have been moved out, accounting for 95 percent of the equipment drawdown goal, he said.
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At the height of the troop surge in 2007, the military had 608 facilities in Iraq, and now has 112, Odierno said. The command is on track to meet its goal of having only 94 facilities in Iraq by September, he said.
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"This is a significant interagency, interservice endeavor," Odierno said, adding that it is the largest U.S. military redeployment since the end of the Vietnam War. "It speaks to the capacity and capability of our leaders" in Iraq that the drawdown is on track, he said.
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The remainder of U.S. military assets planned for Iraq after September, Odierno said, will be enough to continue the mission of advising, assisting and training, and also support any lingering security challenges even if there is an uptick in violence. The mission now is transforming to support the State Department's increasing presence in Iraq, he said, noting he made the trip from Baghdad to Washington to discuss the plan further.
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The main challenges left for Iraq's independence are political unity and financial solvency, the general said. Representatives of Iraq's four major political groups finished very close in last March's national elections, making negotiations over leadership difficult, he said.
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The new government needs to reflect the wishes of voters and be inclusive of all of Iraq's ethnic groups, Odierno said. He added that the Kurdish region of northern Iraq remains the most tenuous and the northern city of Kirkuk probably will be the last place U.S. troops depart.
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"We clearly want a unity government," the general said, "and I think there is no choice in that. To be successful, Iraq must have a unity government."
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Iraq is challenged by outside intervention in its political progress, especially from Iran, Odierno said. He added that Iran continues to train insurgent groups inside Iraq.
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Iraq also has to improve its economy, Odierno said. About 95 percent of its revenue comes from oil, he said, but it will take Iraq another three to five years to produce enough oil to enable the country to become financially solvent.
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Meanwhile, Iraqi officials are frustrated because there hasn't been more outside investment in the country, Odierno said. However, more foreign investment in Iraq will occur, he said, as Iraq's legal systems solidify.
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Odierno said it is important for the United States to continue to support Iraq even after all U.S. troops leave there.
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"It's in our best interest that we continue to support them," the general said. "We could have a great outcome" of stability in the Middle East, and a partnership with a key player.
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"We have to be careful we don't run away from them," he said.

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Originally posted on the USF-Iraq.com website Thursday, July 22, 2010 - Written by Lisa Daniel, Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs
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AubreyJ.........

Iraq: On Ground Updates - July 22, 2010

Iraq: On Ground Updates
US Troops Begin Major August Pullout - Iran Wins Another Round?
Thursday, July 22, 2010

U.S. Army photo by Capt. Y. Daniel Hosaka
Read the story behind the photo HERE
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* PeoplesWorld.org brings us the following report today and it starts off like this... The United States has begun withdrawing troops from Iraq ahead of a major August pullout. A contingent left July 13, cutting short their normal 12-month tour of duty... The August withdrawal is billed as ending the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, fulfilling a vow President Obama made shortly after taking office last year. Yet some 50,000 "noncombat" troops will remain, along with thousands of private contractors and other U.S. personnel...
Read the rest at link below...
U.S. begins Iraq pullout
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* nydailynews.com has this report... On Monday, the anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr met with Iyad Allawi, who is vying to become Iraq's next prime minister after his coalition narrowly won parliamentary elections in March... It might seem like a minor development in the endless political jockeying over forming a stable government in Iraq. But, in fact, this meeting was a victory for Iran and another setback for the United States...
Read the full report at link below...
Iran wins a round in Iraq: Moqtada al-Sadr's rise could stoke sectarian tensions, help Tehran
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How Soon We Forget
It is wonderful to see Iraq coming off the major news stories everyday and having to see so many lives being regularly lost over there... daily. But it is not over yet. Not by a long shot...
We can only pray President Obama doesn’t screw the whole mess up!!!
It’s his baby along now... any finger pointing shall be in his direction, only.
AubreyJ.........

Israel: On Ground Updates - July 21, 2010

Israel:
On Ground Updates
Tests of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system were completed and its first two batteries will be ready for deployment by November
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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* IDF had the following report posted up on their website July 20th and it goes in part like this... Last week, the Ministry of Defense’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (ADWTI), Israeli Air Force’s anti-aircraft forces and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. which developed the Iron Dome, held a final comprehensive series of fully operational interception tests in coordination with other systems already used by the IAF and its anti-aircraft battalion. Within the frameworks of the tests which were held in a southern test field, the Iron Dome system had to confront for the first time ever a large number of simultaneous threats. The new defense system successfully intercepted every single missile...
Read this report in full at link below...
Iron Dome Passes Final Tests
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* HAARETZ.com has this take on the news and it starts off like this... The U.S. Congress passed Obama initiative to provide Israel with a $205 million grant to procure Iron Dome batteries, but defense experts say more funding is needed... A day after the last test trials for the Iron Dome rocket intercept system, the defense establishment reactions are mixed. Great satisfaction at the tremendous progress made by the engineers of Rafael is tempered by economic concerns...
Read the rest at link below...
Iron Dome success excites, but army balks at the bill
> Also on topic from HAARETZ.com...
From television to reality
and...
Iron Dome missile defense system aces final test run
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Israel to unveil anti-rocket system

About this News Video: An Israeli system that can shoot down incoming rockets has passed its last tests and will be ready for deployment in a few months. Originally posted July 21st
This video posted on YouTube by itnnews
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Good news... good news... even with the cost. May the cost come down fast though... and may many lives be saved...
AubreyJ.........

Video Tribute: The Story Of True Patriots

Oliver North, US Troops Veterans Day Video

About Video: This video tribute on the front lines is the story of true patriots, told by Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North at the NRA Annual Meetings in 2009. It's a stirring profile of the spirited, courageous guardians of our precious freedoms. America's best...
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To learn more about how you can support NRA and help safeguard our American freedoms, visit http://nragive.com/ or to make a gift, please call 1-877-NRAGIVE
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Many thanks go out to our friend Joe at ‘The Edisto Joe Outlook’ for turning us on to this wonderful video. Thanks Joe... and praying everyday for your son and his buds over there in harm’s way.
AubreyJ.........

Photo for the Day - July 20, 2010

* Photo for the Day *
Four veterans from the Montour Valley VFW Post 7714 salute a group of wounded veterans riding bikes through Oakdale, Pa., as part of their Sea to Shining Sea cross-country trip July 14th.
Photo by Staff Sgt. Michel Sauret - 354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

New Tape Released Today By al-Qaeda’s #2 Ayman al-Zawahiri - July 19, 2010

CENTCOM file photo

Al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri slammed Arab leaders as "Zionists" who are helping Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip, in his first message since December posted online Monday... He also mocked US President Barack Obama for saying that the Taliban will not gain power in Afghanistan, hailing at the same time, the "victory" of the Islamist militant group against coalition forces...
Read the full report at link below...
Zawahiri slams Arab leaders as 'Zionists' in new tape
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MEMRI.org reports the news this way...
Al-Qaeda Second-in-Command Ayman Al-Zawahiri: The Only Hope for Palestine is to Depose the 'Arab Zionists'

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AubreyJ.........

Happy 4th of July! - July 4th, 2010

May each of you have a safe and memorable 4th!
Happy 4th of July Everyone!
Sunday, July 4th, 2010
. White House file photo by Pete Souza - 4th of July, 2009
More at: The White House Blog
Watch live events tonight at above link too...
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AubreyJ.........