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An American Army sergeant shot and killed five fellow soldiers following an altercation at a military counseling center in Iraq Monday, officials said. [First sentence only, due to AP copyright policy.]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. soldier who fired on fellow troops in Iraq has been identified as Army Sgt. John Russell, and he's been charged with five counts of murder, a military spokesman said Tuesday. Russell killed five people when he fired on other troops at a stress clinic at Camp Liberty, near Baghdad International Airport, U.S. officials said. Along with five counts of murder, Russell also was charged with one count of aggravated assault, said Maj. Gen. David Perkins, who briefed reporters in Baghdad. Russell is on his third tour in Iraq. He's with the 54th Engineering Battalion,...

FORT STEWART, Ga. - More than 20 spouses and one mother of a Soldier assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team took part in the squadron's first Spouse Spur Ride at Fort Stewart, April 30. The Spouse Spur Ride is a variation of the Cavalry Spur Ride, which is designed to test Soldiers' physical and mental endurance in a series of tasks. Additionally, the event allows spouses to bond with one another and gives them an opportunity to experience a day in the life of their Soldier. "It is important for spouses to see...

U-S secretary of state Hillary Clinton makes a surprise visit to Iraq today.Clinton touched down in Baghdad early this morning.It's her first trip to Iraq as America's top diplomat.Clinton's visit comes after several deadly suicide bombings that have killed more than a hundred people.The secretary of state says despite the recent violence, Iraq has made great strides. AND NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER THIS??? Skip to comments.Photo of U.S. Soldier in Iraq Shaking Hands With Senator Hillary Clinton--But Not Willingly-Truth! truth or fiction dot com ^ | 7-2005 Posted on 07/19/2005 2:21:01 PM PDT by doug from upland Copyright © 1998-2005...

Sgt. JoAnna Menzie Davis holds up a copy of her poetry book that she wrote while serving in Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Keith Anderson, 16th Sustainment Brigade. COB Q-WEST — Sgt. JoAnna Menzie Davis set some personal goals during her deployment here – which included publishing a book of poetry. The non-commissioned officer in charge of awards with the 16th Sustainment Brigade accomplished that goal when the first shipment of 20 copies of her published book arrived here recently."I was astounded," Davis said. "I knew that all my hard work and dedication had paid off. I was elated. And I...

FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) - An Army sergeant accused of killing his squad leader and another soldier shouted "my career's over, just kill me" as soldiers pinned him to the ground after he shot the men in Iraq, members of their unit told a military judge Monday. The two slain soldiers had been critiquing Sgt. Joseph Bozicevich for poor performance before he fatally shot them Sept. 14 at a small patrol base south of Baghdad, witnesses said in a Fort Stewart courtroom. 1st Sgt. Xaver Perdue sobbed as he told the court that as another soldier was wrestling with Bozicevich...

Seoul, Korea6 April 1951My dearest Helen, Patty and Chuckie,    Yesterday brought me a letter from you but I didn't answer it last night as I was quite tired and laid down for a few minutes but fell asleep only to wake up at 11:00 PM still tired so I got into bed. Tonight I am duty officer but hope to get a good night sleep.    I doubt it was a pleasant change for you having Marshall and Marie stay for a while and play a few cards and I surely hope you all had a pleasant evening, considering.    Honey, your...

NGO (Non-Government Organization) Monitor Professor Gerald Steinberg charged on Monday that human rights organizations “have released no more than a token demand” for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. He cited Human Rights Watch and Oxfam for their silence in efforts to free the soldier, abducted on June 25, 2006. “Their shameful silence on Shalit's fate amounts to a betrayal of universal human rights,” he stated. His captors’ denial of visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) violates the Geneva Convention, “a grave contravention of one of the foundations of international humanitarian law.” Shalit was...

FORT BRAGG, N.C., March 5, 2009 – A roadside bomb in Afghanistan cost Army Sgt. 1st Class John “Mike” Fairfax his right leg, but it didn’t take away his spirit. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mike Fairfax, left, a Special Forces intelligence sergeant with Operations Detachment, 3rd Special Forces Group, inspects a soldier's parachute aboard an aircraft over a drop zone above Raeford, N.C. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason B. Baker  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. In November, Fairfax -- a Special Forces intelligence noncommissioned officer assigned to Headquarters Support Company, 3rd Special Forces Group --...

A member of the U.S. military whose suspicions about Barack Obama's eligibility to be president prompted him to sign onto a legal demand being sent to Attorney General Eric Holder has now been silenced. Attorney Orly Taitz, the California activist who through her DefendOurFreedoms.us foundation is assembling the case, told WND today she's been informed one of the members of the military has been ordered by commanding officers not to speak with media.

STUTTGART, Germany — The soldiers from the 554th Military Police Company filed into the food court Tuesday afternoon, looking businesslike and ready to chow down. The unit, scheduled to deploy for Afghanistan this spring, was told they were getting a free pre-deployment pizza party from the local Pizza Hut at Panzer Kaserne, which wanted to show its appreciation for the MPs’ regular patronage. But the party was just a ruse. The target for the schemers from Army and Air Force Exchange Service and Pizza Hut was an unsuspecting noncommissioned officer from the MP outfit. The party was just a ploy...

Yet it remains Raleigh's most prominent piece of public art, a signature symbol with an ugly past representing values and ambitions that no longer reflect who we are.

Military Funeral Escort Attacked by kentucky drivers on I 75 North near Lima, Ohio. Hearse, casket and the fallen's family nearly crashed in an accident. Only by the grace of God were all spared from this nonsense and meaningless violence brought about for unknown reasons on this day. A Tri- State Military Escort Team began it's mission at 05:00 from Marshall , IL to return a fallen Afghanistan War troop to his home for final burial services. From Marshall through Indianapolis, IN through Richmond ,Indiana even through Dayton , Ohio all went very well. Thousands of Americans lined the escort...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2009 – A Colorado-based group is connecting deployed troops with volunteers eager to “adopt” them. Since its inception four years ago, “Adopt a U.S. Soldier” has connected more than 100,000 servicemembers to 265,000 supportive Americans who have sent them regular care packages, wrote letters and, on occasion, run errands for family members. “It’s been such a privilege to work with this organization and see it grow to what it is today,” Ann Johnson, the group’s founder and chief executive officer, said. “We are committed to our soldiers. We love them. We will continue to do this...

HAVE we no shame as a nation? After the conviction for rape of American Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith by a lower court, and the issuance of a ruling by no less than the Supreme Court ordering the Philippine government to start negotiations for a new detention locale for the Marine, Smith remains in cozy comfort on US Embassy grounds, thumbing his nose at Filipino authorities. Supporters of Nicole, the Filipina who went public with her complaint of rape against Smith and his comrades, thought the Supreme Court had given her an early Valentine’s gift when it ruled that confinement or...

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Sporting a dragon tattoo on his forearm and skulls on both biceps, Cliff Cornell looks tough. But he dissolves into tears as he reflects on his return to the Army four years after he fled to Canada to avoid the war in Iraq. "I'm nervous, scared," Cornell said, wiping puffy eyes beneath his sunglasses Monday at a Savannah hotel after a three-day bus ride from Seattle. "I'm just not a fighter. I know it sounds funny, but I have a really soft heart."

U.S. soldiers killed while disabling bomb in Afghanistan - CNN.comTwo US soldiers and three Afghans were killed while the soldiers were trying to disable a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, ...

Gabriel Hurles' celebrated his sixth birthday by unwrapping the best present ever - his father home on leave from Iraq. The youngster was so engrossed in the cupcakes his mother brought to his class yesterday that he didn't notice the enormous wrapped box. 'That's one big, giant present,' a classmate told him. 'See what you got, Gabriel.' The six-year-old peeled back the wrapping paper to find the surprise of his young life. 'It's my dad!' he announced joyfully to his classmates at Sutro Elementary School in Dayton, Nevada. 'Hi, Daddy!'

TAMPA - A Special Operations paratrooper died this afternoon after a jump went wrong and he landed in a lake at Gadsen Park. Air Force Col. Larry Martin said the soldier was participating in parachute training. He would not identify the U.S. Army paratrooper. The training is a normal operation that goes on every few weeks at MacDill Air Force Base, Martin said. The incident in under investigation and the 6th Air Mobility Wing has convened an interim safety board to collect evidence, officials say. Because of the ongoing investigation, Martin declined to comment on how Thursday's training session went...

An Open Letter to A citizen Of Gaza: I Am the Soldier Who Slept In Your Home: By: Yishai G (reserve soldier) Hello, While the world watches the ruins in Gaza, you return to your home which remains standing. However, I am sure that it is clear to you that someone was in your home while you were away. I am that someone. I spent long hours imagining how you would react when you walked into your home. How you would feel when you understood that IDF soldiers had slept on your mattresses and used your blankets to keep warm....

PLEASE SAY A PRAYER AND FORWARD/PASS THIS ON. DoD Identifies Army Casualty The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pvt. Grant A. Cotting, 19, of Corona, Calif., died Jan. 24 in Kut, Iraq, of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident. He was assigned to the 515th Sapper Company, 5th Engineer Battalion, 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. For more information the media may contact the Fort Leonard Wood public affairs office at (573) 563-4145.

This is an amazing video of a couple of Israeli officers who unwittingly stumble across two Hamas terrorists. There is some gun play and one Hamas goon throws a grenade at the officers, and misses. When he throws a second grenade, one of the officers, instead of running away, runs toward the guy, picks him up, and uses the terrorist's body as a shield against the blast. Result . . . two dead terrorists, no dead Israelis. More at the link . . .

Funeral honors Moorestown surgeon killed in Iraq by The Associated Press A funeral service will be held this morning for a prominent New Jersey surgeon from who was killed in Iraq.The funeral for Army Maj. John P. Pryor is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Philadelphia's Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Pryor died Christmas Day when a mortar round hit near his living quarters in Iraq. John Pryor, center, at work at the University of Pennsylvania trauma center in Philadelphia in 2007. The 42-year-old married father of three was a trauma surgeon at the Hospital of the University of...

Tonight on H&C, Aaron Cohen, former Israeli Special Forces Operative, was on to discuss the Israeli war against the terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza. Alan tries to go all “oh, the humanity!” on him, and Cohen proceeds to go nuclear on Alan’s a**, handing it right to him. Heh.

This is a heartfelt poem written by one of our soldiers. It's worth your time reading it.

A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight. My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me, angelic in rest. Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight; The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe, Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve. My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep In perfect contentment, or so it would seem. So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream...

'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give, and to see just who in this home did live. I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, net even a tree. No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand, on the wall hung pictures of far distant lands. With medals and badges, awards of all kinds, a sober thought came through my mind. For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,...

Truck-driving dad dies in accident en route to reunion with son home from Iraq MIDDLEVILLE -- Richard Crawford was sleeping when his son Keith, serving in Iraq with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, called early Monday. Keith told his father he "was on American soil." Richard Crawford, a trucker and retired Army sergeant, told his son he would see him this week. He had a delivery down South, and would swing by Fort Campbell, Ky., where Keith, the older of his two sons, was stationed. He couldn't wait to see his son. "But he didn't make it," his wife,...

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, Nov. 19, 2008 – Being separated from family can trigger stress and anxiety for deployed servicemembers, especially when children are involved. Army Maj. Allan Dollison of the 4th Infantry Division and Multinational Division Baghdad’s 425th Civil Affairs Battalion credits Military OneSource with making his deployment easier on him and his family. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. But one military family has found a valuable source of help online. The Military OneSource site offers around-the-clock information on parenting, child care, military life, relocation, work, education programs and more. “Military OneSource was described to...

If a boy is lucky enough to have a father whose great desire is to be a hero to his son that young man can consider himself blessed. In this day of absentee fathers a boy is lucky to even have a father at home much less him be a hero. But what of the father whose son is his hero? How is it that a father can look upon his own son as his hero? Such was Sergeant Eddie Jeffers to me; he was my son and he was my hero. I remember before Eddie ever graduated from high...

SIERRA VISTA — It is a simple but highly symbolical brass monument. Seventeen-year-old Jacob Hall unveils the Fallen Soldier’s Cross monument during a dedication ceremony Monday at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Hall initiated the monument venture as part of his Eagle Scout project. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) Less than 5 feet high, the Fallen Soldier’s Cross was dedicated Monday afternoon, appropriately the day before Veterans Day. The boots, rifle and helmet tell a story of a fallen member of America’s armed forces. It has been used in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the deaths of U.S. military personnel have occurred. The...

On this Veteran's Day, Fred Thompson sums it up very well - "It's the Soldier." . . . . (Watch Video)

I'm new to FR, and I've encountered some posts that I'm having a hard time understanding. I figured I'd go right to the source and try to get some clarification. The problem I'm having relates to those posters who are concerned that Obama is the anti-christ, which, if I'm understanding correctly, is an evil leader who ushers in the end of the world. I also understand that when the world is getting ready to end, evangelical Christians believe that the faithful among them will be sucked up into heaven by god to spend eternity by his side. My question is...

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A Kentucky National Guard soldier was killed in Afghanistan last week when his platoon was attacked by a group of Taliban fighters, military officials said Monday. Sgt. Daniel Wallace, 27, was killed in action Friday in the West Paktika Province of Afghanistan, Kentucky Adjutant General Edward Tonini said. Wallace, a gunner in a Mine-Resistant, Armor-Protected vehicle, was shot when he got out to handle a piece of equipment that had been knocked loose, Tonini said. "Sgt. Daniel Wallace was a true patriot," Tonini said at a news conference. "One who stood up and answered the call...

PLEASE WATCH THIS MOST POWERFUL VIDEO!! Iraq Veteran to Obama...

A (soldier)man stares down the lens, delivering a message to the camera. Dear Mr Obama: Iraq veteran's message to Democrat "Dear Mr Obama having spent 12 months in Iraq theatre I can promise you it's not a mistake." At 1 minute 55 seconds, it's short, simple and powerful. "When you call the Iraqi war a mistake you disrespect the service and sacrifice of everyone who has died promoting freedom... Because you do not understand or appreciate these principles Sir, I am supporting Senator John McCain for president." The film, titled Dear Mr Obama, is the most-viewed election-related video on the...

“I am currently in Iraq. I deployed as a soldier to this theater of operations in 2003 when the war started and I am on my 3rd deployment as an intelligence contractor. The only coverage I get to see on this fiasco is on AFN which tends to show more CNN and MSNBC than anything. I do get some Fox News as well. Right now, I am powerless to do much to prevent this egotistical oxygen thief Obama from getting elected. “

CAMP TAJI, Iraq, Oct. 17, 2008 – A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier born and raised in Russia is scheduled to become a U.S. citizen in November. Army Spc. Eynar Ayupov, a personnel clerk serving in Multinational Division Baghdad with the 4th Infantry Division’s Headquarters Support Company, 404th Aviation Support Battalion, Combat Aviation Brigade, a native of Ufa, Russia, cleans his M16A2 rifle while sitting at his desk on Camp Taji, Iraq, Oct. 14, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brent Hunt  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Army Spc. Eynar Ayupov, a personnel clerk with the 4th...

The following is a blog entry written on Aug. 30, 2008, by Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato, who was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in was blown by up an improvised explosive device. This entry was forwarded to the Globe by his mother, Elizabeth "Betty" Crawford. If I may … I'd like to say something....Just to get it out there so it is clear. To all the pampered and protected Americans who feel it is their duty to inform me that I am not fighting for their freedom, and that i am a pawn in Bush's...

This is a list of things I personally miss so far since being in Iraq. I'm sure I won't remember them all so please feel free to add your own.

CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Oct. 7, 2008 – The phone at the desk is ringing. At the same time, a soldier is hovering, asking for help with getting lights for an event to be held later. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Baird, Mountain Visitor Bureau Commandant at the Multinational Division Center headquarters building and a native of Bartlett, Ill., stands by his cubicle at Camp Victory, Iraq, Oct. 2, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Justin Snyder, Multinational Division Center  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. You can almost sense that a doorknob just broke somewhere or the air conditioning isn’t...

A U.S. Army soldier was brutally beaten by other soldiers in his platoon earlier this month following two incidents in which a drill sergeants allegedly used anti-Semitic slurs to address the soldier. Pvt. Michael Handman, 20, who has just completed his fifth week of basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, was recently released from a hospital where he was treated for a concussion, facial wounds, and severe oral injuries following the attack, according to the boy’s father, Jonathan Handman. The soldier’s father said he received a disturbing telephone call last week from his son’s commanding officer “to tell me that...

Soldier posted to Siberia for online whinge Roger Boyes, Moscow If Russian soldiers have anything to sing about they usually do so in foot-stomping Cossack choirs, belting out the words to "Kalinka". Lieutenant Vitaly Efremov, however, decided to take a more modern approach: he made a rap video, released onto the internet, complaining about the rotten state of his barracks. The clip has hit a nerve with the top brass who have now decided to post him to Siberia where he can exercise his musical talents in the windswept tundra. He can probably consider himself lucky that he is not...

Soldier gets 7 months in deaths of 4 Iraqis Pretrial agreement results in reduction of court’s sentence of 40 years’ confinement VILSECK, Germany — A Germany-based soldier who testified Thursday that he pulled security while his fellow soldiers killed four Iraqi detainees and "didn’t care" at the time that they would end up dead will spend seven months in prison, for his role in the incident. He also will see his rank reduced to private and receive a dishonorable discharge. A military judge sentenced Spc. Belmor Ramos to 40 years’ confinement in the 2007 slayings after he pleaded guilty to...

FORT BRAGG (AP) — The Army says a Special Forces trainee found dead this summer during a land navigation exercise in North Carolina was bitten by a poisonous water moccasin, also known as a cottonmouth. The military said Wednesday the autopsy of 20-year-old Pfc. Norman M. Murburg of Dade City, Fla., ruled out heat or dehydration as a cause of death. Murburg was bitten multiple times while training at the Hoffman training area near Fort Bragg's Camp Mackall. Soldiers began searching for Murburg when he didn't return from the exercise. His body was found June 10. Authorities met with Murburg's...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq, Sept. 17, 2008 – For Army Pfc. Wislet Genelus of Company B, 40th Engineer Battalion, the path to U.S. citizenship is finally complete – at the age of 40. Army Pfc. Wislet Genelus, a native of Haiti, became a U.S. citizen while serving in Iraq. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Born in Jean-Rabe, Haiti, Genelus has been on the front lines of political turmoil for 23 years. Genelus’ parents moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. shortly after he was born, while he spent the first 15 years of his life living with...

Barry's War = So Barry Wanted to be a Soldier eh?

Missing WWII Soldier Is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Pvt. James W. Turner, U.S. Army, of Altus, Okla. He will be buried on Sept. 11 in Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C. Representatives from the Army met with Turner’s next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the Secretary of the Army....

FORWARD OPERATING BASE DELTA, Iraq, Sept. 9, 2008 – So far, September is a big month for Army Spc. Selma Colesbacco. Army Spc. Selma Colesbacco poses with her U.S. citizenship certificate and American flag at Camp Victory, Iraq, shortly after becoming a citizen Sept. 1, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Latrece Westbrook  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. On Sept. 1, Colesbacco, who was born in the Seychelles Islands and raised in Italy, became a U.S. citizen. Two days later, she was promoted to specialist. The two events take her closer to her ultimate goal: becoming a...