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NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Navy is deploying USS George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group (GW CSG), April 4, to participate in the “Partnership of the Americas” in the Caribbean Sea. Partnership of the Americas will enhance regional maritime security and strengthen ties through operations and exercises with Caribbean and Latin American partner nations. “Partnership of the Americas is designed to foster goodwill among partner nations through communications, operations, and training,” said Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “Furthermore, this exercise allows for participating units to sharpen their skills to be better trained and prepared to respond...

FORT RILEY, Kan. (Army News Service, March 29, 2006) – Approximately 150 Soldiers from Fort Riley, Kan., left for the Horn of Africa March 28. Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry will deploy for up to a year to the Central Command area of responsibility as part of an approximately 1,700-member Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. The mission detects, disrupts and defeats terrorists in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Yemen, said Lt. Col. Frank Zachar, commander, 1st Bn., 16th Inf. The battalion will conduct military to military training in the African countries, he said....

Saddam planned to deploy 'camels of mass destruction' By James Langton (Filed: 26/03/2006) Saddam Hussein planned to use "camels of mass destruction" as weapons to defend Iraq, loading them with bombs and directing them towards invading forces. The animals were part of a plan to arm and equip foreign insurgents drawn up by the dictator shortly before the American-led invasion three years ago, reveals a 37-page report, captured after the fall of Baghdad and just released by the Pentagon. It is part of a cache of thousands of documents that the United States Department of Defence says it does not...

BAGHDAD, March 15, 2006 – A battalion task force from the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division -- part of U.S. Central Command's "call forward force" in Kuwait -- has deployed to the Baghdad area, Multinational Force Iraq officials announced today. Military officials said the deployment is part of a broader plan, known as "Scales of Justice," that includes repositioning Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the run-up to the Shiia Muslim observance of Arbaeen and over the vulnerable period of the formation of the new Iraqi government. Arbaeen commemorates a religious leader's martyrdom. "I have discussed this with...

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2006 – Four brothers, all Army Reserve officers, are deploying to Iraq with the same division and are planning to chronicle their experiences in a forthcoming book. (Clockwise from top left) Army Reserve Maj. Matt Holbert, Capts. David and Carlton Holbert, and Lt. Col. Buddy Holbert pose together Feb. 28 prior to their mobilization. The four brothers will deploy to Iraq soon as part of the 108th Division. Courtesy photo   The book's working title is "An American Story -- The Holbert Family: Four Brothers Who Serve." Its publisher, Linda Dennis, hopes to tell the story of...

Airmen deploy as 'ghosts' for security By Maj. Ann KnabeAirman 1st Class Benjamin Riley, 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Third Country National escort, communicates with other escorts by radio as he supervises TCNs working. Airman Riley is deployed from Barksdale Air Force Base, La. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Strang) 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 02/02/2006 -- SOUTHWEST ASIA (ACCNS) -- They call themselves “the ghosts of the base.” They stand in the background, silently observing Third Country Nationals with a watchful eye. Their work almost goes unnoticed, but the 379th Force Protection Security Escort Flight...

TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, Jan. 17, 2006) – The American Diabetes Association has created a teddy bear in honor of a diabetic patient who fought to deploy to Iraq after being medically excused. After Sgt. 1st Class Mark Thompson discovered that he had type one diabetes in 2000, he had to begin a strenuous health regimen. “I’m on an insulin infusion pump, with a catheter that goes through my stomach and gives me insulin shots every nine minutes through the day and every six minutes during the night,” said Thompson. “I have to change the catheter out every three...

Well, this is not what I expected, but at National Guard Drill this weekend, I expected to receive orders to deploy to New Orleans, LA in support of Operation Katrina relief (yes, Arkansas National Guard is still there), or to Iraq/Afghanistan since I didn't go with the 142nd FA this month. But instead, I received orders to active duty for many months to Fort Huachuca, Arizona.I was needing advice on the SE area of Arizona, specifically, Sierra Vista, Tuscon, Bigsby, etc.I spent all day with ATF getting my Class III firearms ready to go to be stored at the company...

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- More than 600 Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) and the frigate USS Carr (FFG 52), homeported in Norfolk, deployed Nov. 28 in support of the global war on terrorism. Porter and Carr will participate in regional exercises with allies as a Surface Strike Group (SSG). The SSG will make diplomatic port calls and respond to any contingency operations, including those associated with the war on terrorism. “The primary focus is going to be enhancing the U.S. diplomatic missions by interacting with foreign countries,” said Cmdr. Douglas Nashold, commanding officer of Porter. Nashold...

KAILUA, Hawaii (Oct. 21, 2005) -- The classroom is a surprising beehive of activity. Students hurry this way and that, busily preparing flyers and making phone calls to local businesses, sneaking just one or two more in before the final bell signals the end of their day. If the typical scene in Kathleen Nullet’s eighth grade gifted and talented classroom at Kailua Intermediate School looks less like a classroom and more like a productive office environment, one would not be far from deducing the essence of the situation. The students are wrapping up their service learning project: Operation e malama...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2005) -- Marines from two Camp Pendleton-based units are participating in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in the devastated Gulf Coast region, joining the thousands of other U.S. servicemembers ordered to the disaster area this past week by the President of the United States. A detachment of Marines from the base's Communications and Information Systems unit arrived at the Naval Air Station and Joint Reserve Base in Belle Chasse, La., Monday. The detachment of nine Marines, one civilian contractor, and two civilian truck drivers from CIS were dispatched to provide communications support to...

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 2, 2005) – Thousands of National Guard and active-duty Soldiers from across the nation are deploying to the Gulf coast to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery operations. Troops from the 1st Cavalry Division and 4th Infantry Division based out of Fort Hood, Texas, are now part of Joint Task Force Katrina, headquartered at Camp Shelby, Miss. Helicopters and crews from Hood’s 1st Air Cavalry Brigade are the lead air element of the task force. More than 19,500 National Guard Soldiers were on duty to assist with the hurricane recovery in Louisiana and Mississippi as of...

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40 began deploying a detachment of 125 personnel to Gulfport, Miss., Sept. 1 to provide humanitarian assistance and conduct debris removal in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. The detachment will lend support to the 22nd Seabee Readiness Group in disaster recovery operations. Twenty-seven NMCB 40 Seabees comprised the first group to deploy to the Gulf Coast, with the remaining Seabees scheduled to deploy sometime during the same week. NMCB 40 is currently at its homeport for a 10-month training period.

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Three amphibious ships and a rescue and salvage ship based in Hampton Roads are getting underway Aug. 31 and heading for the Gulf of Mexico to support relief operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast following widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and the amphibious transport dock USS Shreveport (LPD 12), both based at Naval Station Norfolk; the dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and the rescue and salvage ship USS Grapple (ARS 53), both based at Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Little Creek, Va., will join...

On August 23, 2005, the Secretary of Defense approved a request by the commander of Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) to deploy two additional infantry battalions to Iraq. Two battalions from the 82nd Airborne Division will deploy to Iraq for an anticipated duration of approximately 120 days to support security efforts during the election period. Adjustments to troop levels in Iraq occurred prior to the transfer to Iraqi sovereignty in June 2004 and during the January Iraqi elections. These troops will join 180,000 Iraqi security forces and 138,000 coalition forces in helping set the security conditions for successful elections. Gen. Casey’s request...

A Special Forces Task Group made up of approximately 150 personnel will deploy to Afghanistan for up to one year as part of Australia's increased commitment to the fight against terrorism. The Prime Minister made the announcement today following a decision of the National Security Committee of Cabinet. Defence Minister Robert Hill said the highly trained soldiers will be employed in a variety of roles similar to those performed during 2001 and will work closely with our Coalition partners. "It is intended that the Special Forces Task Group will deploy into Afghanistan for up to one year in about eight...

Please keep my husband in your prayers -- he deployed today for a fairly short-term mission (less than 3 months). I miss him already, but I know that he is in God's hands. He is career military and this is what he does... (sigh)

TAYLOR -- Many of the soldiers sharing a sendoff lunch with their families Saturday are following the Army tradition of their fathers, uncles and grandfathers. But most of them are their families' first women in uniform. "I think it's the same," said Spc. Desaree O'Donnell, 21, of Hazleton. Her uncle and grandfather served in the military. More than 20 of the 32 National Guard soldiers being deployed from the Taylor-based 228th Forward Support Company B are women. The soldiers were honored as they prepared to leave today for training before a tour of duty in Iraq. A group of 14...

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait - In a rapid-fire deployment, about 10,000 U.S. Marines will arrive this month and travel to Iraq in July, the U.S. military said Tuesday. The deployment occurs in the fierce heat of summer and under an extraordinarily tight schedule, with troops expected to land in the war theater a few weeks after receiving orders. "We'll be pushing them through the theater and getting them up north" into Iraq, said Army Col. Gary McKown, who oversees U.S. troop movements into Iraq from this desert base south of Kuwait City. The Marines, who had yet to receive official deployment...

A team of 50 Marines has departed the United States to beef up security for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, U.S. Southern Command confirmed today. The Marines are part of the Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team out of Naval Base Norfolk, Va. The team is under the operational control of U.S. Southern Command based in Miami. The team will assist the Marine security detachment at the embassy. In addition, a Southern Command assessment team continues its work in Haiti, Pentagon officials said. U.S. Ambassador to Haiti James B. Foley requested the assessment team last week. Rebel groups opposed to Haitian...