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New York State’s Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund hasn’t been all that dedicated. Since 1991, only 34.9 percent of the money in the fund went directly toward the repair and improvement of the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges. And over the next four years, that will shrink to about one fifth. It’s supposed to be a “locked box,” but apparently the lock wasn’t very strong. If only one-third of the money in the Highway and Bridge Trust Fund has actually been used to pay for highways and bridges, the question, is, where did the money go? The answer is...

9/3/2009 - CAMP UR, Iraq (AFNS) -- Operations continue as normal at Camp Ur. The focus remains the same: keep the base running and the mission on target. Iraqi army soldiers routinely work with their U.S. counterparts, but one important difference now is that the Iraqis have taken command of the controls. "It's a historic time for anyone serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom," said Lt. Col. Steven Ramsay, the Tallil Logistics Military Advisory Team senior adviser. "We have committed to turning over all operations to the Iraqi people and they are committed to taking over and succeeding." Colonel Ramsay and...

On the frontline with British troops in Afghanistan As Afghanistan prepares for an election, award-winning photographer Sean Smith, stationed with British troops during Operation Panther's Claw, finds many soldiers becoming frustrated at the inexperience and lack of discipline of the Afghan National Army. guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 18 August 2009 video at link etc

8/12/2009 - CAMP BUCCA, Iraq (AFNS) -- A ceremony was held to mark the end of Air Force participation in visitation operations at Camp Bucca's theater internment facility as the Army assumed responsibility of the mission Aug. 10 here. More than 120 Airmen from the 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron were recognized for bringing detainees and their family members together. Army Lt. Col. Brad Bishop, 168th Military Police Battalion commander, presided over the ceremony, handing out certificates of appreciation and coins to thank the Airmen for their service. "I cannot tell you how much we appreciate the job well done...

CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind., June 12, 2009 – Civilian employees representing various federal departments are being trained here alongside their military counterparts in preparation for deployment to Afghanistan. Army Sgt. Carlos Velasquez radios for medical assistance while Air Force Senior Airman Ashley Jackson delivers medical aid during a training exercise at Camp Atterbury Ind., June 9, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Robert G. Cooper III  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. As part of a broader focus of operations in Afghanistan designed to include both military and civilian assets, more than 20 civilians from the State Department, the Agriculture...

MOSUL — Iraqi Police gathered with their counterparts from the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Army at the 3rd Iraqi Police Division’s new operations center for a situational update briefing on the morning of May 26. The IP realized they could leverage significant operational gains with their own operations center to conduct mission planning and tracking, while working with key personnel from the Iraqi Army and Iraqi National Police. "[The Iraqi Police] recognize that they need to work together with the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi National Police. To do that, they needed a functional operations center from which they...

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2009 – Defense leaders are “clearly pleased” to see the Pakistani military take action against increasingly emboldened Taliban forces, and have offered additional support if Pakistan’s government will accept it to promote a sustained effort, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and others have expressed “a very real concern” about the eroding security situation in Pakistan in recent weeks, Morrell told reporters. “They and others in this building were clearly pleased to see the Pakistan military take the initiative over the...

Taleban militants operating in Pakistan's Swat region who agreed a peace deal with the government have expanded operations into nearby Buner. Dozens of militants have been streaming into bordering Buner to take over mosques and government offices. Buner is part of the Malakand region, which has just seen the implementation of Sharia law under the peace deal. But the Taleban have mainly operated in Swat, where they fought the army from August 2007 until this year's deal. Under the deal the Taleban were expected to disarm. Buner district is only about 100km (62 miles) from the capital, Islamabad. Mian Iftikhar...

KABUL, Afghanistan, March 20, 2009 – Special operations troops here delivered gifts from Americans to Afghans that some say are as important as their combat missions. A young Afghan girl proudly stands with her new bag of school supplies, clothing and toys given to her by troops of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan. The troops stopped by a Bagram elementary school to deliver the gifts March 15, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Capt. Jamey Trigg   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “We are in Afghanistan to rebuild the country and, in my opinion, we need...

Soldiers from the 8th Iraqi Army Division subdue and place flexi-cuffs on Pvt. Tony Steward, a U.S. Military Policeman, during detainee operations training at the division’s headquarters, March 11. Photo by Sgt. Rodney Foliente, 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs. CAMP ECHO — U.S. Military Police conducted detainee operations training for Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers here, March 11.The class, a refresher course for some of the Iraqi Soldiers and initial training for others, was an effort to bring them all to the same level so they can train their fellow troops.“The purpose of today’s training was to provide the Iraqis with...

Iraqi Air Force Maj. Rahman Abd Alkarem, pilot with the Iraqi Air Force Squadron 2, takes a last look outside of a helicopter before closing the door at Al Taji Air Base, Sept. 12, 2008. Photo by Staff Sgt. Paul Villanueva II, U.S. Air Forces Central. TAJI AIR BASE — Iraqi helicopter aircrews are increasingly in demand as Iraqi security forces assume responsibility of their nation's security from their American counterparts. Four Iraqi Air Force squadrons train to conduct helicopter operations here, using UH-1 Hueys and Mi-17 Hips. The Iraqi Air Force's 15th Squadron trains its pilots for special operations,...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2008 – The Coast Guard is testing and compiling initial lessons learned from its ongoing Arctic operations, a senior officer said last week. “It became obvious to me 18 months to two years ago that with the retreat of the multiyear polar sea ice, the Coast Guard was going to have to do more than it had in the past to provide maritime safety and security to northern and western Alaska, the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea,” Coast Guard Rear Adm. Arthur E. Brooks, commander of the 17th Coast Guard District, told bloggers and online journalists...

...the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School is not even “a pygmy in the lineup of TRADOC schools.” JFKSWCS is missing from the TRADOC listing of branch centers and schools altogether. It is an orphan, with neither guidance nor funding from the U. S. Army organization designed to support it. ***Snip**** ...senior Army leaders have crippled Special Forces doctrine, organization, training, material acquisition, leadership development, personnel management, facilities, and maintenance. “Center and School” is becoming a hollow title; SWCS is being degraded to the equivalent of Ranger School....

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2008 – Coalition forces killed an undetermined number of militants and detained 29 in Afghanistan's Helmand and Khowst provinces over the past two days. In Helmand province, coalition forces were conducing searches of several compounds in the Reg District yesterday when militants engaged them with small-arms fire. Coalition forces returned fire, killing an undetermined number of attackers and later detaining 22 militants accused of conducting anti-government operations. The soldiers also found several AK-47 rifles, ammunition vests, ammunition, mines, artillery shells, bomb-making materials and grenades. They were destroyed or removed. In Khowst, Afghan and coalition forces killed several...

The Romans carried out cataract ops By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News An eye stamp: the equivalent of the modern medicine label Think of the Roman legacy to Britain and many things spring to mind - straight roads, under-floor heating, aqueducts and public baths. But they were also pioneers in the health arena - particularly in the area of eye care, with remedies for various eye conditions such as short-sightedness and conjunctivitis. Perhaps most surprisingly of all is that the Romans - and others from ancient times, including the Chinese, Indians and Greeks - were also able also to...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2007 – Establishing proper maintenance procedures and operations processes is as important as providing power plants, hospitals and other infrastructure in Iraq, a senior U.S. military engineer said today. The United States has contributed almost $14 billion toward Iraq’s rebuilding effort, including nearly 4,000 projects designed to help improve the country’s infrastructure and central services, Brig. Gen. Jeffrey J. Dorko, commanding general for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Gulf Region Division, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. Yet, improving the state of Iraq’s infrastructure isn’t only about providing “brick and mortar” items like roads, bridges,...

BAQUBA — After three months of close mentorship with an advisory team from the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, the Diyala Operations Command has been validated to take the lead on security operations within Diyala province, just north of Baghdad. The Diyala Operations Command (DOC) is a headquarters unit charged with the synchronization of Iraqi Army, Police and other security forces operating in the province. Previously, the DOC received direction from the 25th Infantry Division, which commands Multi-National Division-North, encompassing all of northern Iraq, from the outskirts of Baghdad to the northern Iraqi border with Turkey. With this validation, the...

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured two wanted individuals and detained 19 suspected terrorists during operations Wednesday in central and northern parts of Iraq. Coalition forces captured a wanted individual during an operation west of Tikrit who is believed to be an associate of several terrorist leaders operating throughout the Tigris River Valley. The suspect is allegedly responsible for the movement of weapons from outside of Iraq to safe houses in the area. As Coalition forces arrived at the target area, the wanted individual surrendered to the ground force and was detained without incident. In southern Baghdad, Coalition forces captured...

Australian Forces Assume Maritime Security Operations United States turns over Combined Task Force 158 responsibilities. From Combined Task Force 158 Public Affairs NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY, Bahrain, Sept. 28, 2007 — Royal Australian Navy Commodore Allan du Toit relieved Rear Adm. Garry E. Hall as commander of Combined Task Force 158 during a ceremony at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Sept. 27. "I am honored to have been in command of this task force. The coalition forces have done an excellent job of providing security to the oil platforms and training the Iraqi forces."Rear Adm. Garry E. Hall Command of CTF...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2007 – In recent weeks, Iraqi security forces have been proving their effectiveness and expanded capability in operations that are increasingly yielding results, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said today. (Video) Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, speaking to reporters in Baghdad, highlighted several recent operations by Iraqi forces, including the discovery of a large weapons cache, the thwarting of several car bombs, and the prevention of a carjacking and kidnapping involving two busloads of Iraqi citizens. Violence has increased in the past few days, but that was expected because, historically, the Islam holy month of Ramadan...