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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait, April 7, 2006 – Servicemembers deployed to Kuwait became U.S. citizens yesterday during a naturalization ceremony at chapel here. Fifty-seven soldiers and sailors from 26 different countries became naturalized U.S. citizens in a ceremony at a chapel in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, April 6.   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Fifty-seven soldiers and sailors from 26 different countries were presented a certificate by Army Lt. Gen. R. Steven Whitcomb, Third U.S. Army commander, and Matthew H. Tueller, charge d'affairs of the U.S. Embassy Kuwait. "It is a great day to be an American," said Whitcomb. "I...

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Larry Littrell, a B-52 pilot deployed to a forward operating location with the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, just reached 5,000 flying hours in the B-52 during a combat mission over Afghanistan. He has been flying the B-52 for 19 years. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Larry Littrell Forward Deployed B-52 Pilot Surpasses 5,000 Hours By Master Sgt. Scott King 40th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, April 6, 2006 — Reaching milestones is not uncommon in the Air Force, but some milestones...

3/27/2006 - SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- During World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, deployed troops looked forward to mail call. This was their primary mode of communication with family and friends. However, letters could take weeks or even months to arrive. Today’s warriors still receive mail, but now they have instantaneous communication through telephones and e-mail. Keeping these lines open is the job of the 447th Expeditionary Communications Squadron. “We are all working in communications to keep people in touch with their families,” said Master Sgt. Kirk Baldwin, the post office superintendent. Although telephone calls...

3/27/2006 - JANI JER, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) -- With the help of volunteers from the American military base just a few miles away, teenagers in Kyrgyzstan are learning the English language. During hectic deployment hours and long work weeks, Airmen from U.S. Central Command Air Force’s Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan still find time to help out the local community through the Manas Air Base Outreach Society. They sponsor many trips off base to help local orphanages, a children's cancer center and other programs. Volunteers from Manas attempted to break the language barrier at the Lyceum school for teenagers, ages 14...

3/23/2006 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- The man best-known for writing and performing “God Bless the U.S.A.” will entertain U.S. troops in Europe, Southwest Asia and the Pacific from April 5 to 18. "I am thrilled that Restless Heart, Dick Hardwick, the New England Patriot Cheerleaders and members of the Air Force band have all agreed to accompany me on this tour to entertain our men and women in uniform and show support for their military service around the world,” said Lee Greenwood, world-famous singer and songwriter. His “God Bless the U.S.A.” was certified platinum in 2001....

Brothers, Senior Master Sgt. Gustavo III Egizi and Staff Sgt. Bruno Egizi are both in the Air Force, both are civil engineers and both are deployed to a forward operating location together supporting the Global War on Terrorism. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Doug Nicodemus U.S. Air ForceSenior Master Sgt. Gustavo Egizi IIIStaff Sgt. Bruno Egizi Brothers Deployed Together By Master Sgt. Scott King 40th Air Expeditionary Group OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, March 14, 2006 — Gustavo III and his brother Bruno grew up in Atlantic City, N.J. with thoughts of beaches, boardwalks and seaside breezes. Now, they...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 – Karen Stark never liked to sew. But thanks to her efforts, deployed servicemembers throughout the world are getting handmade "cool ties." Hazel Houck uses a donated sewing machine to make a cooling tie in Edmond, Okla. Houck volunteers with "The Hugs Project," sending polymer gel neck scarves and helmet inserts to deployed troops. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The Oklahoma woman has found her mission organizing groups through "The Hugs Project," a nonprofit organization manufacturing reusable neck scarves and helmet liners with polymer gel inserts that keep cold for hours at...

2/15/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- When fuel supplies are not available in the region, tactical and ground forces rely on the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. A team is always on standby to fulfill an aerial bulk fuels delivery system request. The team consists of two fuels technicians who have undergone special training for this type of delivery, which involves hauling thousands of gallons of fuel in an aircraft. Staff Sgt. Erika Busbee and Senior Airman Michael Roberts from the 379th Fuels Management Flight make up one such team. “We both volunteered for this assignment,” said Airman Roberts, who...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15, 2006 – "Cooks From the Valley," a California volunteer group, goes to great lengths to throw an all-American barbecue to show their support for America's men and women in uniform - 18,250 miles, to be exact. An "America Supports You" banner waves overhead as deployed sailors prepare to dig into a steak dinner served to them by "Cooks from the Valley" volunteers to show appreciation for their service. Courtesy photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The group recently returned from the Middle East, where they sizzled up 2.8 tons of prime 14-ounce New York strip...

2/10/2006 - KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Standing a post, any post, is a tough job. But when the post is a perimeter guard tower at a base in Iraq and it’s the middle of winter, the stakes go up. Thanks to one family in Arizona, the Airmen of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron are feeling a little bit warmer this winter. When his family asked what he needed for Christmas, Tech. Sgt. Max Quitiquit Jr. said he wanted something for his fellow deployed Airmen rather than for himself. “My Mom wanted to send more cookies and snacks...

OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's new mission in the perilous southern region of Afghanistan will be dangerous, with no guarantees that everyone will come home safely, says the man in charge of the force. Brig.-Gen. David Fraser, who will lead 2,200 soldiers into the Kandahar region this month, says their training and equipment will reduce the risks. But in a province where suicide bombers and roadside booby traps are part of the landscape, the threat remains high. "This is a dangerous mission, this is a dangerous environment," Fraser said. "We can mitigate the risk, but I can't reduce the risk to...

Former Rifle Company Commander is Now Deploying to Iraq as a Chaplain Submitted by: MCB Camp Pendleton Story Identification #: 2006131192329 Story by Cpl. Joseph Digirolamo MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. (Jan. 31, 2006) -- A former infantry commander now leads his Marines on a different path – a path of faith. When Eugene Wozniak was a Marine infantry officer, he never thought that duty would call upon him to lead Marines in a special way. He is now a 42-year-old lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and the chaplain for 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Camp...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2006 – In four years, "Operation Homefront" has grown from a local San Diego effort to a national presence, continually increasing its ability to help military families. Volunteers from the Washington chapter of Operation Homefront show off a baby quilt at Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Wash. The group regularly donates quilts to new mothers whose husbands are deployed overseas. Photo by Janice Buckley   Back in early 2002, amidst a flurry of troop deployments after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. a group of military wives saw a need. "We realized how many families...

ARLINGTON, Va. (Army News Service, Jan. 30, 2006) – The author of the newest book for Army parents, “Your Soldier, Your Army: A Parents’ Guide,” is not only the wife of the vice chief of staff of the Army, but she also has two Soldiers deployed to Iraq. Staff Sgt. Michelle Johnson interviews Vicki Cody about her book, “Your Soldier, Your Army: A Parents’ Guide.” The book helps families cope with the deployment of their Soldier. Photo: John Reese Vicki Cody has seen the Army for the past 30 years, so she said it seemed quite natural when she wrote...

MIRAMAR ---- Gunnery Sgt. Gail Saylor returned home from a Middle East deployment 10 days ago. On Thursday, she and 10-year-old daughter were saying goodbye to her husband, Gunnery Sgt. Stuart Saylor, who left Miramar Marine Corps Air Station for Iraq, his seventh deployment since 9/11. "The life of a Marine," Gail Saylor said. "This is my last trip," Stuart Saylor said as he and about 300 other troops attached to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station queued up outside a base armory to retrieve their sidearms and rifles, do a final check on their...

Britain plans to order up to 4,000 of its toughest troops to start deploying in Afghanistan from April or May, the Sun tabloid reported on Wednesday. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence was not immediately available to comment on the story. Defence Secretary John Reid on Thursday will inform soldiers from the 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Parachute Regiment of their mission to Helmand province, The Sun said, quoting an unnamed "senior government figure". "There is no doubt this will be a dangerous exercise. But it is a vital mission for Britain to lead," the source told the...

But sentry duty at Annapolis has been a 155-year tradition for Marines. Naval tradition is the lifeblood of the Corps, and I believed – until my former Marine Corps commandant disabused me of that belief – that to remove Marines from the guard posts at Annapolis would somehow lessen the potency of that lifeblood. Other Marines I’ve spoken to have felt similarly.

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. (January 19, 2006) -- "We were looking for weapons caches, improvised explosive devices and mines. That was our primary job," said Sgt. Neil Fucci, MCLB Barstow dog handler. Fucci and his Belgian Malinois, Rambo spent the majority of last year deployed to Iraq. While most Marines would try to avoid IEDs and mines, Fucci and Rambo, were searching specifically for them. In April 2005, Fucci and Rambo deployed from MCLB Barstow and arrived in Al-Asad, Iraq in mid-May. Forward Operating Base Camp Gannon in Husaybah, a town that sits very near the Iraqi and...

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...

After 155 years, Marine sentries removed from Naval Academy to be sent to war Saturday January 14, 2006 ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) A Naval Academy tradition that lasted 155 years has come to an end: The Marine Corps sentries who guarded the gates and the crypt of Revolutionary War Capt. John Paul Jones have been withdrawn and sent to war. The four dozen Marines were released from their security duties in a ceremony on Friday and are being replaced by Navy enlisted personnel. ``Pray for them, for many of them are going into harm's way,'' a chaplain said in an invocation...