Free Republic

KIRKUK — More than 600 Iraqi Army (IA) Soldiers completed an intense, month-long Warfighter Training Course at the K1 Regional Training Center here, March 12. According to IA Staff Lt. Gen. Husayn Jasim Dohi, deputy chief of staff for training, the Soldiers were instructed on small and intermediate weapons, IED awareness and prevention, and checkpoint procedures. The battalion also practiced patrolling in a MOUT (Military Operations on Urban Terrain), that simulated a village with homes and a hospital. Ethics were also covered during the training. “Good training without values is not good. You become an Army of criminals and the...

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2007 – President Bush’s fiscal 2008 budget request seeks to pump more money into the development of future capabilities that will support America’s warfighters. Strategic modernization of the force accounts for 38 percent, or $176.8 billion, of the $481.4 billion defense budget request the president submitted to Congress today. The budget request reflects an overall $49 billion increase over fiscal 2007, and developing future capabilities accounts for 18 percent, or $8.8 billion, of that increase. Within the strategic modernization arena, procurement accounts for roughly $101.7 billion and research, development, testing and evaluation takes the rest, at...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 27, 2006 -- The Marine Corps aviation component is transforming along with the total force while keeping its focus on its most important priority, supporting the Marines fighting on the ground, a senior Marine aviation officer said here last week. While aviation is not usually associated with the Marine Corps, it is actually an essential element of the force, because it enables the Marines to respond quickly to requirements around the globe with a lighter, more versatile force, Marine Col. Robert Walsh, deputy assistant commandant for aviation, said in a Pentagon Channel interview last week. Aviation makes...

Supporting the warfighter is "job No. 1" for U.S. Transportation Command, the TRANSCOM deputy commander said here today. The command's mission, Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Gary H. Hughey said, is to provide responsive, reliable and synchronized transportation support. The focus "as it should be, is on the warfighting combatant commanders," he added. TRANSCOM has the "unique capability to project a force anywhere in the world at the time of our choosing," said the general. "It enables this nation to take the fight to our enemies wherever they plot, plan or hide." Hughey said it also allows the United States to...