Free Republic

<p>Hundreds of members of the Awakening Councils, a collection of United States-allied Sunni sheiks and their militia forces, have quit or been dismissed from their positions in the past few months, the New York Times reported Saturday.</p> <p>Many have extensive knowledge of the U.S. military, the Times said, adding that it is possible that thousands of the fighters who are working for the government are simultaneously assisting the insurgency.</p>

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2007 – A sense of duty and patriotism caused a women’s health care specialist to rejoin the Air Force at age 42. Air Force Maj. Marcia A. Potter is among a group of 10 servicemembers who served in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been selected to tell the military’s story to the American people through the Defense Department’s “Why We Serve” program. Photo by Gerry J. Gilmore  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Maj. Marcia A. Potter, now 46, enlisted in the Air Force in 1980 after graduating from high school in Clayton,...

FT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska (Army News Service, Aug. 18, 2006) -- In a press conference Aug. 14 between the Pentagon and Forts Wainwright and Richardson, U.S. Army Alaska announced the decision to return 301 Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team — who recently redeployed to Alaska — back to Iraq to join the 172nd in Baghdad. In June and July, 378 Soldiers from the 172nd SBCT returned from Iraq. Further redeployments were halted following a request by Gen. George Casey Jr., commander of U.S. forces in Iraq. The request was approved by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. “Immediately following...

SOUTHWEST ASIA, May 9, 2006 – The French Navy Carrier Air Wing returned to the coalition fight last week, flying their first missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom since November. "Our main mission while we are here is to support troops on the ground and contribute to reconnaissance efforts as well," said Lt. Col. Gerard Brunel, commander of the French detachment at the Combined Air Operations Center. It is Central Command Air Forces policy not to disclose the specific location of its forward headquarters or the CAOC. The French also hope to strengthen cooperation with countries in the Indian...