Posted on 03/29/2005 6:55:24 PM PST by TexKat
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Senior Technician Chief Petty Officer Robert Snider (left) gives instructions to EOD Technicians Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Porter and Petty Officer 2nd Class Justin Harck as they prepare to enter the waters of the Persian Gulf from an H-3 Sea King helicopter during an underwater mine operations phase of Exercise Arabian Gauntlet 2005 on March 23, 2005. Arabian Gauntlet is a multi-lateral surface, air and mine countermeasure exercise designed to practice maritime security operations with coalition partners and allies in the region. DoD photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class John Parker, U.S. Navy. (Released)
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers meets ROTC cadets at the Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings National Convention in Oklahoma City. Myers talked to the cadets about integrity and commitment. Photo by Jim Garamone
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
OKLAHOMA CITY, March 29, 2005 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff left the Arnold Air Society/Silver Wings National Convention here March 28 more confident than ever about the future of America’s military.
About 1,500 ROTC cadets from around the country listened as Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers spoke of the challenges the United States faces and how leadership is necessary to get the nation through these demanding times.
“What a great group of folks you all are,” Myers told the cadets. “You can tell by the look in your eyes that you are serious about what you do. I’m tremendously impressed.”
The chairman -- who was commissioned through the ROTC program at Kansas State -- told the future officers that “it’s going to take a lot of leadership to work our way” through the war on terror. And, he added, this is a dangerous period in the war.
He pointed to the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 10 years ago as an example of the effects such attacks have on the nation. “We saw it again on 9/11, and we’ve seen it in other places in the world,” he said.
The war on terrorism is really a war between two visions, Myers said. One treasures freedom, tolerance, justice and hope; the other sponsors tyranny, violence and fear.
He told the cadets today’s security environment requires flexibility. “We’ve got to be flexible in the way we approach problems or we’re going to be beat by those who can be inside our decision cycle,” he said.
He told the story of an Army lieutenant colonel approaching a sacred shrine in Iraq. A crowd of Iraqis had gathered and was definitely upset. The officer told his men to “take a knee” and aim their weapons at the ground. Myers explained that the gesture showed respect and calmed the crowd, allowing the unit to continue its mission. The general said this lieutenant colonel showed flexibility in the situation.
“You have to think through your situation and not necessarily rely on what might be in a book somewhere,” Myers said. “We’re in a time of dynamic change, and it will take dynamic leaders to work our way through that change.”
Myers used another example, this one in the category of “what not to do.” He related a story of a major who showed up to a battle exercise in Japan carrying a load of books. When Myers asked him why, the major said he was going to ensure that every move in the exercise went according to the doctrine. “That’s not the kind of thinking we need today,” he said.
Myers told the cadets that he stayed in the military because he liked the mission and he liked the military culture. “I like the values that we hold here,” he said. “And integrity is central to what we do.”
The general spoke of a recent trip to Iraq, during which he flew into Baghdad in a C-130 Hercules aircraft. “You have to count on that crew to have integrity,” he said. “You count on the loadmaster and flight engineer and the pilots to have done the proper preflight and proper planning. Once you’re aboard, you count on folks making sure you are properly strapped in. If something happens, they are prepared to handle it.
“That’s the kind of trust you have in the military every day. I like to know that I can count on the person on my left, on my right, in front of me, and behind me.”
Myers told the cadets that doing the right thing can sometimes be tough, but it will let you sleep at night. He spoke of an instance when he was a colonel and a superior tried to influence a selection board. He had to be the one who called the superior to tell him his guy didn’t get selected. “I thought, ‘Oh boy, my career is gone,’ but I slept well that night,” he said. “You do the right thing, for the right reasons, and you let the chips fall where they may.”
Myers urged the cadets to commit to doing the best they can in the jobs they hold. “It’s all about making a difference,” he said. “Do it in the job you are in.” If they do that, then they will be rewarded with more work and more responsibility, he said.
The cadets gave Myers a standing ovation, and he stayed to shake hands and have his picture taken with every cadet who wanted it.
The Arnold Air Society is named for General of the Air Force Henry “Hap” Arnold. Arnold built the Army Air Forces during World War II and set the stage for the Air Force becoming a separate service. He was the only five-star general in Air Force history.
Hey thanks for the post. Its refreshing to see a pic of our future!!
President George W. Bush walks from the Oval Office into the Rose Garden to speak about Iraq, March 29, 2005. Bush was briefed on Tuesday on a presidential commission's report on U.S. intelligence failures and will carefully consider its recommendations, the White House said. People who have seen the report say it will warn that major obstacles remain to intelligence sharing among spy agencies, despite calls for change after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The report calls for major changes in sharing information among intelligence agencies. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
President Lauds Iraqi Spirit, Cites Encouraging Signs
By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, March 29, 2005 – President Bush today cited “encouraging signs” in Iraq and expressed confidence in the country’s future. In remarks at the White House’s Rose Garden after meeting with a group of Iraqis who voted in the Jan. 30 elections, the president noted the success so far of the country’s fledgling political process.
“We have seen many encouraging signs in Iraq.” he said. “The world has watched Iraqi women vote in enormous numbers. The world has seen more than 80 women take their seats as elected representatives in the new assembly. We've also seen the beginnings of a new national dialogue, as leaders who did well in the last election have reached out to Sunnis who did not participate.”
Bush praised the Iraqi people’s courage in turning out to vote Jan. 30 despite a relentless intimidation campaign waged by enemies of a free Iraq.
“I commend the more than 8 million Iraqis who defied the car bombers and assassins to vote that day,” he said. “I appreciate the determination of the Iraqi electoral workers who withstood threats and intimidation to make a transparent election possible. I salute the courageous Iraqi security forces who risked their lives to protect voters.”
The president called Iraq’s election of a 275-member transitional national assembly “another bold step toward self-government.”
“Today,” he said, “Iraqis took another step on the road to a free society when the assembly held its second meeting. We expect a new government will be chosen soon and that the assembly will vote to confirm it. We look forward to working with the government that emerges from this process. We're confident that this new government will be inclusive, will respect human rights, and will uphold fundamental freedoms for all Iraqis.”
Bush praised the Iraqi people’s spirit in overcoming oppression to embark on the road to self-government. “In forming their new government, the Iraqis have shown that the spirit of compromise has survived more than three decades of dictatorship,” the president said. “They will need that spirit in the weeks and months ahead, as they continue the hard work of building their democracy.” He noted that the transitional assembly will choose leaders and draft a constitution the country will vote on in October, and later Iraqis will return to the polls to select a permanent government under that constitution.
Even as Iraq moves closer to democracy, its security forces are stepping up to the task before them, Bush said.
“This democracy will need defending,” he pointed out, “and Iraqi security forces are taking on greater responsibility in the fight against the insurgents and terrorists. Today, more than 145,000 Iraqis have been trained and are serving courageously across Iraq. In recent weeks, they’ve taken the lead in offensive operations in places like Baghdad and Samarra and Mosul.”
Bush said the United States would continue to help Iraq’s security forces become self-sufficient. “We will continue to train Iraqis so they can take responsibility for the security of their country,” he said, “and then our forces will come home with the honor they’ve earned.”
Elections alone, though, won’t carry Iraq all the way to true democracy, the president noted.
“A free society requires more than free elections; it also requires free institutions, a vibrant civil society, rule of law, anti-corruption, and the habits of liberty built over generations,” Bush said. “By claiming their own freedom, the Iraqis are transforming the region, and they’re doing it by example and inspiration, rather than by conquest and domination. The free people of Iraq are now doing what Saddam Hussein never could -- making Iraq a positive example for the entire Middle East.
It is nice to see.
Major General John G. Castellaw Chief of Staff, United States Central Command
New Technologies, Approaches Enhance CENTCOM Effectiveness
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
CAMP AS SAYLIYAH, Qatar, March 29, 2005 – U.S. Central Command is posturing itself for a long war on terror, introducing efficiencies and new areas of focus to help ensure long-term success, the command’s chief of staff told the American Forces Press Service. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John Castellaw, speaking from CENTCOM’s forward headquarters here, said advanced technology and new organizational approaches are improving the command’s efficiency and effectiveness.
For example, gone are the days when staff packages stacked up in in-boxes, awaiting action. Now, CENTCOM operates with “paperless staffing,” processing staff documents via email, Castellaw said.
The command also is considering a cross-functional organization for its headquarters, to replace what Castellaw called the “Napoleonic” J-1, J-2, J-3 organizational structure. This system, he explained, would pool similar capabilities. All planners, for example, would be organized into one entity, either physically or virtually, rather than being spread throughout the headquarters.
Castellaw said there’s concrete proof the structure works; Multinational Force Iraq, established last June and consisting of more than 180,000 troops from 30 coalition nations, is demonstrating its effectiveness on a daily basis, he noted.
While looking at ways to improve internal effectiveness, CENTCOM also is beefing up its outreach efforts. There’s a strong emphasis on increasing strategic communications to ensure people within the region understand U.S. and coalition intentions — something Castellaw called critical to long-term success.
“Part of being successful is to make sure people understand why we’re here,” he said. “We need to be more effective in making sure they understand what we’re doing and what underpins our objectives. And that’s supporting free and democratic countries in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Facing the challenges and milestones ahead — the continued buildup of Iraq’s and Afghanistan’s security forces and economic progress and reconstruction, among them — Castellaw said it’s critical that CENTCOM prepares for “a long task” in the global war on terror.
It’s a task he said demands “dedication and tenacity” to maintain focus over the long haul. “Americans have a very limited patience,” he said. “But it’s clear that (the war on terror) is going to be a long war — years.”
The challenge, Castellaw said, is to “position ourselves and make sure we pace ourselves” and “to make sure the organization is optimized for the enduring missions here.”
CENTCOM’s forward headquarters here, established just before the conflict in Iraq began, provides vital support for a command with an area of responsibility that stretches from the Horn of Africa to Central Asia, he said.
“This is a situational awareness generator” for Army Gen. John Abizaid, CENTCOM’s commander, and Air Force Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander, who alternate duty between MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and here, Castellaw said.
With a staff here that fluctuates between 200 and 600 people, Camp As Sayliyah serves as a “lilypad” for their frequent trips throughout the region to assess operations and progress firsthand.
And the signs of success are clear, he said, from national elections in both Afghanistan and Iraq to headway the two countries are making in establishing democratic governments.
At the same time, Castellaw said, there’s equally encouraging news at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, which supports counterterrorism operations to prevent al Qaeda and other associated terrorist groups from establishing footholds in the region.
“Just the fact that you don’t hear much about them is a tremendous testament to their success,” Castellaw said.
Vehicles in a sterile yard at Camp Doha, Kuwait, await movement to the port of Shuwaikh. U.S. Army photo
For Troops, Way Home Is Through Kuwait
Kuwait-based Corps Support Command unit oversees the movement of thousands of troops, vehicles and equipment during redeployment to home units.
By U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Joe Adelizzi Logistics Support Area Anaconda Consolidated Press Center
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait, March 29, 2005 — Units returning to military installations throughout the world from tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait will complete their missions and go home on schedule, courtesy of the 1st Corps Support Command here. “Our role is to facilitate helping unit commanders get through the redeployment process,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Anita Raines, 1st Corps Support Command redeployment cell commander.
From her Camp Arifjan headquarters, Raines and her staff monitor the disposition of over 400 units currently operating in theater, and at the appointed time, oversee the movement of thousands of soldiers, vehicles and equipment during their redeployment phase.
“We try and facilitate their return to home station as close as possible to their boots on the ground arrival date anniversary,” Raines said.
Once a unit’s replacement has been identified and it can be released from its mission, its personnel and equipment undergo a theater clearing process that begins with a thorough understanding of the redeployment process by the unit commanders and ends with an air or sealift movement from various bases in Kuwait with guidance and careful coordination from Raines’ redeployment cell.
“We hold monthly planning conferences to ensure units nearing their rotation date understand what the process entails and when the issues should be addressed,” Raines said.
“The underlying goal of the redeployment cell is to make the transition from war to peace as smooth as possible for all returning service members. Once their tours are finished, they deserve no less,” U.S. Army Lt. Col. Anita Raines
These conferences provide a clear picture of who’s going where with regards to camp assignments, and the numbers of personnel and equipment involved.
“Once they (commanders) connect with the right people, things begin to flow smoothly,” Raines said.
When the camp assignments are made and the movement orders are cut, units then plan whether they will convoy their equipment to sites in Kuwait or have it transported. Once the vehicles and equipment arrive at the camp, the vehicles are unloaded, de-armored, washed and clear customs. They are then declared sterilized and moved to a sterile yard where final disposition takes place. Finally they are loaded onto ships for the voyage to the designated port.
Deploying units are urged to contact the unit they will be replacing to determine if any equipment and vehicles will be staying behind in theater. This way, they will bring only mission essential equipment with them and reduce the amount of turn around equipment reaching port.
Once the more detailed vehicle and equipment status has been determined, the focus of Raines’ staff shifts to the
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Anita Raines, redeployment cell commander, Corps Distribution Command, 1st Corps Support Command. U.S. Army photo
processing of soldiers who are redeploying to their home stations or new duty assignments.
For them, things can sometimes move very quickly, depending on the amount of stay behind equipment remaining in theater. Soldiers attend mandatory briefings by finance, medical and customs representatives while checks are made to determine if all theater accounts have been cleared by the unit, Raines said.
Warrant Officer Manuel Rodriguez, 1st Corps Support Command redeployment cell operations officer, is a mobility warrant officer who is responsible for ensuring all redeployment cell staff members understand the entire process from mobilization to redeployment.
“I spent my first three months here team building and laying the foundation of what we do in order to be able to help our customers - the units,” Rodriguez said.
“We held weekly classes that initially taught how things worked. Later, I introduced scenarios and asked for solutions to common problems found in units,” he said. This method helped Rodriguez determine if his staff had grasped the concepts of redeployment.
Once he observed that his staff understood the concept, he was able to determine how smooth operations would run, he said. “We really grew as a staff, it was great,” Rodriguez said.
One of only 45 warrant officers in the Army who specialize in mobility operations, Rodriguez’s role as both teacher and fireman make him a huge asset, Raines said.
“The underlying goal of the redeployment cell is to make the transition from war to peace as smooth as possible for all returning service members. Once their tours are finished, they deserve no less,” Raines said.
Editor’s Note: U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Adelizzi is a member of the 301st Area Support Group, an Army National Guard unit from Fort Totten, N.Y., and is deployed to Iraq in support of units at Logistics Support Area Anaconda.
U.S. Army Spc. Tommy G. Wells, of Wellington, Texas, and assigned to the 2-142nd Infantry Battalion, 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, replaces a worn-out fan belt on a Humvee in southern Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Lek Mateo
Texas Guard Mechanics Keep Humvees Rolling
Dedicated mechanics ensure the combat team's battle-scarred vehicles are in top condition for convoy escort missions.
By U. S. Army Master Sgt. Lek Mateo, Texas Army National Guard 56th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office
CAMP SCANIA, Iraq, March 29, 2005 — The heat of summer in Iraq can be scorching hot and the temperature can get into the triple digits, but U.S. Army Master Sgt. Tracy L. Semmel knows that his job as the unit’s motor sergeant is about to get busier as the tools of war are tested against the unforgiving desert climate. Semmel and his small team of mechanics from the 3rd Battalion, 112th Armor Regiment, 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard, are responsible for keeping the unit’s Humvee’s operational and ready to perform their mission of escorting supply convoys on the main-supply-routes in southern Iraq.
“Our soldiers’ equipment has to be 100 percent mission capable, but we try to make it 120 percent. We make the equipment better than when we got it,” U.S. Army Spc. Noah L. Williams
Mechanics of the 2-112th Armor Battalion, 56th Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division, added a personal touch to the entrance of their motor pool located at Taqqadum Air Base, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Lek Mateo
The job is no small task because most of the battle-scarred vehicles in the unit’s motor pool have been passed on from previous units that have returned back to the United States and have several thousands of miles registered on their odometers already.
The sergeant explained that he and his soldiers are fully aware of the responsibility resting on their shoulder to keep the vehicles ready so that every vehicle can continue to perform the mission.
“Some of our vehicles have an excess of more than 100,000 miles on their engines,” Semmel said. “We anticipate some heavy mechanical problems during the summer months because of the heat and sand, but we are ready to fix anything that breaks to keep our soldiers rolling out the gate and back in again.”
Semmel’s mechanics are less likely to face the snipers and the improvised explosive devices encountered by some of the crews during their convoy. However, he and his mechanics always keep their safety in mind; they are well aware that a highway in Iraq is not a place to have a mechanical breakdown on a vehicle and that soldiers’ lives depend on the quality of their work.
“You have to give 100 percent knowing that the soldiers' equipment we are working on has to be fully mission capable because it could save their lives on the road,” Semmel said.
Spc. Noah L. Williams, of Stephenville, Texas, and assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 112th Armor Regiment, has always liked getting his hands dirty and greasy, which is why he became an Army mechanic.
“I liked the job of a mechanic because growing up, I always loved working on trucks and engines and enjoy tearing things up and putting it all back together,” he explained.
Williams said he and the other mechanics take great pride in the work that they perform and will do whatever it takes to repair a vehicle and return it back to a crew in better condition than when they receive it, even if it means working all night long to get the job done.
“Our soldiers’ equipment has to be 100 percent mission capable, but we try to make it 120 percent,” he said. “We make the equipment better than when we got it.”
The hard work and effort by the mechanics does not go unappreciated by the soldiers who must travel the perilous highways everyday protecting the string of convoys ferrying tons of freight and supplies throughout Iraq.
Spc. Hieu M. Pham, of Houston, Texas, has been in Iraq for just a few short months and has already performed several convoy missions as a gunner on a gun truck. The trips are long and dangerous and hard on the vehicles, but Pham said he and his team members can always count on their mechanics to have vehicles in tip-top shape so that they can do their job.
“Our mechanics will go the extra mile and try to fix a problem as soon as they can so that we can continue our mission and we really appreciate that,” Pham said.
Pham added that he and his crew members know that, when they need work done on their vehicle, it will be done right the first time so they don’t have to worry about breaking down on the road.
“We have a lot of trust in our mechanics and their work,” Pham said. “They really take care of us and our vehicles, and that means a lot.”
Repairs are made to a school’s perimeter wall. Millions of dollars in Iraqi Relief and Reconstruction Funds are being spent to repair and reconstruct schools throughout Iraq. Most of the work includes repairing and replacing roofs, windows, doors, tile floors, perimeter walls, bathrooms, plumbing, electrical and sanitation systems. The majority of the reconstruction work is being done by local Iraqi companies and workers. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo
School Doors Open Again for Iraqi Children
Dozens of dilapidated schools in Iraq are scheduled for renovation, with the majority of the work being done by local Iraqi companies.
By Nicole Dalrymple U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Northern District
BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 29, 2005 — Imagine a school that has no reliable electricity, inoperable restrooms, no glass or fly screens in the windows, a roof that leaks when it rains and too few desks for the children who come to learn. Many schools throughout Iraq are in this condition or worse.
Millions of dollars in Iraqi Relief and Reconstruction Funds are being spent to repair and reconstruct schools throughout Iraq. The majority of the reconstruction work is being done by local Iraqi companies.
“The future of any country lies with its children,” said Linda Carter, construction representative for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Kirkuk area ofice. “Schools are instrumental in the proper development of our children. It’s difficult to learn in buildings that are overcrowded and in disrepair.”
Currently, over $2 million is being spent on 38 school renovations in the province of Kirkuk. There is an additional $1.4 million available that is expected to be used on eight more schools. That contract is currently out for bid. So far, three schools have been completed, and an additional eight are scheduled for completion this month.
The schools being reconstructed were selected from a priority list provided by the province’s Director General of Education. The Director General provided a list of 80 schools in need of renovation and repair. The plan is to do as many schools as possible with the available $3.4 million.
Knowing that the available reconstruction dollars will only go so far, the education department is looking for other funding sites. “We have been working through the International Bank to identify funds for renovation and new school construction, as well as supplies and equipment,” said Fawzia Abdulla Awanis, acting Director General of Education in Kirkuk. “We have also been supplied some funding from the Ministry of Education in Baghdad to build 12 new secondary and primary schools and six kindergartens, as well as funds for renovating approximately 68 schools.”
“I hope, we as teachers, will develop our skills so that dignity can be restored to the teaching profession. I want to see the Iraqi people living in peace, safe from terrorists.
I hope to see better operating schools that will help our children build strong relationships with each other and prepare them to live like all the other children of the world,” Iraqi Educator Fawzia Abdulla Awanis
Locals are happy to see the renovation of an area school nearing completion. The Kirkuk school system supports 141,146 primary students and 37,266 secondary students. The system consists of 1,012 schools, the majority of which are primary and secondary/intermediate schools. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo
“These school renovation projects are important because they represent an investment in the future of this country,” said Mike Gilchrist, project engineer in the Kirkuk area office. “This work is improving the environment where the next generation of Iraqi decision-makers will start their education. The children will benefit from a clean, pleasant, renovated, well-equipped school in which to learn.”
“Most of our schools need renovation in the areas of water closets, painting, tile replacement, windows, doors and roofs,” Awanis explained. “During the winter, the lack of adequate windows and doors and leaking roofs has a significant impact on the schools. It is difficult for the students to stay in school and learn. Also, many villages have mud schools, which during the rainy season, fall down and have caused accidents, injuries and deaths.”
The schools in Kirkuk are representative of the condition of schools throughout Iraq.
Most of the reconstruction work includes repairs and replacement of roofs, windows and doors, tile floors, plaster work and painting, new bathrooms, sanitary and storm sewer work, plumbing, electrical, security and fencing, general cleanup and possible additions.
“Without these renovations, it is impossible to hold school and for the students to stay in school for long periods of time,” Awanis said. She explained that the school system supports some 141,000 primary students and over 37,000 secondary students. The system consists of 1,012 schools, the majority of which are primary and intermediate/secondary schools. There are also 15 secondary schools for industrial education, 35 kindergartens, two teacher institutes and two secondary schools for Islamic studies.
Because of the large number of students, most schools in Kirkuk run two to three shifts a day. “Instead of four hours of school per day, most students are only getting two and a half hours per day. A normal school day would be four hours,” Awanis said.
The schools have additional needs too, Awanis added. “There are a lot of smaller schools that need to be expanded. Most of our schools need meeting rooms and offices for teachers and staff, as well as playing fields for the children. And although it’s not part of renovations, there is a great need for improved technology and teaching equipment and up-to-date school books. We also need qualified teachers but there are no available training courses.”
During Hussein’s time, Awanis recalls that “many teachers needed two jobs in order to earn enough money to live. Their salaries were very minimal and they were not well respected for their experience and work.”
Awanis speaks from years of experience. She has worked with the education department for 37 years, first as a secondary school teacher, then headmaster and finally a supervisor and manager. She says that she greatly enjoys her work.
Looking out to the next five years, Awanis hopes to see many positive changes. “We hope after five years, everything is changing. We hope students will have books, and the teachers will have better skills and more modern equipment with which to teach.”
As for the future, Awanis says she hopes the Iraqi people will develop their skills to do the best they can in their duties. “I hope, we as teachers, will develop our skills so that dignity can be restored to the teaching profession. I want to see the Iraqi people living in peace, safe from terrorists. I hope to see better operating schools that will help our children build strong relationships with each other and prepare them to live like all the other children of the world.”
Army Spc. Eddie Aguilar from 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade said he’s motivated during his second deployment to Iraq by the memory of his fallen close friend and mentor and hopes for his young son. By Donna Miles
Why I Serve: Fallen Friend, Son Motivate Soldier
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 28, 2005 – The ground operation here two years ago was a tough one for Army Spc. Eddie Aguilar.
As he and his fellow members of 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade, 64th Armor, were pushing north and into Baghdad, his wife was at home giving birth to their son, born April 1. Aguilar, who said he had to push thoughts about his son out of his mind so he could focus on his mission, got official word of the birth two weeks later.
But even more emotionally difficult, he said, was the loss of his close friend and mentor, Staff Sgt. Stephan Booker. Booker died during an attack by Republican Guard troops as the unit was clearing the road leading to what was then called Saddam Hussein International Airport on April 5, 2003.
Booker’s death, Aguilar said, left everyone “stunned.” Aguilar, still devastated by the loss, said he thinks of Booker often, and the example he set for his soldiers.
“He was the first person I met when I got to the unit,” Aguilar said. “He taught me all the ins and outs.”
Today, Aguilar is deployed once again to Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division, this time working in the 2nd Brigade’s Headquarters and Headquarters Company. The division’s mission here is markedly different from two years ago. Rather than combat operations, it’s focused on fighting the insurgency and helping the Iraqi people build their country.
As he carries out the mission, Aguilar said he’s found gratification in seeing the Iraqis build their country and feels good about being part of the progress.
But he said he has a more personal motivator, to ensure that his friend Booker did not die for nothing. So he’s taking the lessons he learned from his NCO and sharing them with other, more junior soldiers.
Booker taught him a lot, Aguilar said. “He taught me that you always look out for your battle buddy, and that if I ever needed help, he’d be there for me,” Aguilar said. “He also taught me that your fellow soldiers are your family here, people you can turn to and count on.”
“I’m taking what Sergeant Booker taught me and passing it on,” he said.
Aguilar said he has another motivation during his deployment: to make sure the son born when he was here two years ago here never has to serve in Iraq. “If I had to do this one more time to prevent my son from having to, I would,” he said.
A fireball rises into the air after an early-morning explosion at the U.S. Army's Camp Liberty near Baghdad Airport March 30, 2005. An initial blast was followed by repeated smaller explosions. There was no immediate comment from the military on the cause of the incident or casualties. REUTERS/Bob Strong
Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith. — Sgt. Craig Zentkovich / Army photo
Soldier to be awarded Medal of Honor
By Matthew Cox Times staff writer
The Army announced Tuesday Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith will be the first soldier from Operation Iraqi Freedom to receive nation’s highest award for valor — the Medal of Honor. In an April 4 ceremony at the White House, President Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Smith’s wife, Birgit, his 11-year-old-son, David, and his 18-year-old daughter, Jessica. The ceremony will mark the two-year-anniversary of the day Smith died while leading a counter-attack against a much larger Iraqi force.
Smith’s unit, 2nd platoon, B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, had been ordered to set up a temporary prisoner of war holding facility during 3rd Infantry Division’s seizure of Saddam International Airport.
When the unit moved into a courtyard, an enemy force that eventually grew to 100 Iraqi soldiers attacked with mortars, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades.
At the height of the battle, Smith ordered one soldier to back a damaged M113 armored personnel carrier into the courtyard between the enemy and members of his unit.
The Medal of Honor citation described the scene:
“Knowing the APC’s .50-Cal. machinegun was the largest weapon between the enemy and the friendly position, Sgt. 1st Class Smith immediately assumed the track commander’s position behind the weapon, and told a soldier who accompanied him to ‘feed me ammunition whenever you hear the gun get quiet.’ Sgt. 1st Class Smith fired on the advancing enemy from the unprotected position atop the APC and expended at least three boxes of ammunition before being mortally wounded by enemy fire.
The enemy attack was defeated. Sgt. 1st Class Smith’s actions saved the lives of at least 100 soldiers … and resulted in an estimated 20-50 enemy soldiers killed.
His actions inspired his platoon, his Company, the 11th Engineer Battalion and Task Force 2-7 Infantry.”
His wife, Birgit, said she is “thrilled and humbled” that her husband will receive such a prestigious award, but also that his name will become part of history.
“Paul is not a statistic; his name will live on forever,” said the 38-year-old during a telephone interview from her Holiday, Fla., home.
Birgit added that she never was surprised by her husband’s sacrifice.
“Paul loved his country,” she said. “He loved the Army, and he loved his soldiers.”
Where did you get the info about the fireball at Camp Liberty? I know a couple of guys there and would like to find more info. Thanks!
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan addresses a news conference at the United Nations, Tuesday March 29, 2005. A report released Tuesday will fault Annan for failing to take aggressive action to deal with possible conflict of interest in the awarding of a U.N. oil-for-food contract to Cotecna Inspection S.A., which employed his son, Kojo, in Africa, the officials said. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Annan Refuses to Quit U.N. Over Report
By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
UNITED NATIONS - Investigators probing the U.N. oil-for-food program said Tuesday that Secretary-General Kofi Annan didn't interfere in the awarding of a contract to a company that employed his son, but their report criticized the U.N. chief for not properly investigating possible conflicts of interest.
Asked if he was planning to step down, Annan replied with a rare use of profanity, saying "Hell, no" and added that the report found he committed no wrongdoing.
"After so many distressing and untrue allegations have been made against me, this exoneration by the independent inquiry obviously comes as a great relief," he said.
Although the investigation found no improper activities by Annan, it clearly faulted the secretary-general's management of the world body and his oversight of the scandal-ridden oil-for-food program in Saddam Hussein's Iraq.
The report raised questions about when the secretary-general learned about the December 1998 contract to the Swiss firm, Cotecna Inspection S.A., though it said there was insufficient evidence that he was aware of the company's bid. It also strongly criticized the destruction of documents by his former chief of staff that could have shed light on the oil-for-food program.
Abigail Adams I am still trying to find info myself. The picture is on Yahoo, but there are no written articles yet on Yahoo or Google. I am still waiting and searching. Sometimes the pictures are posted before the article is. Lets pray that it was like last week, just a controlled detonation.
Sounds like it just happened within the last couple of hours, from what the caption said. Yikes!
I know. It really scared me when I saw the picture. I have hunted everywhere for info, but have not run across anything yet. If and when I do find out something I will be sure and ping you. Do you know what city, town, Camp Liberty and or Abu Ghraib is in?
Camp Liberty is near B-dad. AG I think is west of there.
Do you have a link to the photo you found?
http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20050330/s/r2539728069.jpg
Thanks! I did the clicking things but it didn't do anything like show me the caption. ???
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