Snow in Badgdad Video

The video link above is better - you can see the snow and no dumb narrator!

Afghan & Coalition Forces Bring Aid to Remote Village

An Afghan policeman greets a boy during a visit with villagers near Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province

Security forces from the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police help village elders prepare to distribute supplies to villagers near Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.

A boy carries personal hygiene items provided by Afghan national security forces during a visit to Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province Jan. 6, 2008.

Village elders distribute items delivered by Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police and coalition forces to Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Afghanitan's Oruzgan province Jan. 6, 2008. Villagers received food, vitamins, personal hygiene items, and winter clothes, including sweaters, jackets, shoes and boots. Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force Afghanistan photo

Afghan, Coalition Forces Bring Checkups, Aid to Remote Village

American Forces Press Service

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan, Jan. 10, 2008 - Afghan national security forces and coalition advisors provided medical checkups and humanitarian aid to more than 100 villagers Jan. 6 near Khorma in the Tarin Kowt district of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province.

The project, led by Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police units, was planned to support the Afghan government's effort to improve medical care and distribute supplies in remote areas of the country.

The soldiers met with village elders to discuss the people's needs and see what projects could be planned for future visits. The elders quickly passed word of the aid-delivery mission to residents.

Villagers lined up according to their needs, with some families needing medical care while others simply needing supplies to help get them through the harsh Afghan winter. Village elders prepared to distribute items while the combined force unloaded a trailer full of medicine and medical supplies, food and vitamins. Police brought winter clothes, including sweaters, jackets, shoes and boots. Some families received toothbrushes, toothpaste, bowls, lotion, soap and infant formula according to their needs.

The medics treated several adults and children for minor ailments, but overall, everyone was fairly healthy, officials said. Only a few needed treatment for cold and flu symptoms or minor skin infections. After handing out food and supplies and treating minor ailments, medics conducted preventive medicine classes for many of the residents.

"The village elders were very appreciative for the aid the (Afghan security forces) brought," a coalition soldier said. "They were very grateful that we provided quality medical treatment and supplies."

The Afghan National Police, including Oruzgan Provincial Police Chief Juma Gul, were instrumental in providing security for the mission and the village. The national police also donated radios, pens, pencils, notebooks and rugs as gifts. "The villagers are very happy to have ANP patrol their area," one policeman said. "Village elders said that they now feel safe."

Missions like this greatly improve the health and welfare of villagers in remote locations and helps to build stronger relationships between the Afghan people and their country's security forces, a coalition soldier said.

(From a Combined Joint Task Force 82 news release.)

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The good news I see in these news releases is that these missions are no longer being done just by soldiers - the coalition soldiers are acting as advisors while the Afghan soldiers and police do the missions. It was not that long ago that we were hoping for this!

Tankers Adapt to Patrolling in Humvees

Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Ramanna pulls security as an interpreter plays soccer with an Iraqi boy in the town of Jurn, Iraq, Dec. 28. Ramanna, of Pittsburgh, is the fire support non-commissioned officer and information operations management NCO for Tiger Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

Soldiers from Dragon Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, patrol the main street through Jurn, Iraq, Dec. 28, during a soft-knock patrol. Dragon Troop is the squadron's heavy element, that parked its tanks and transitioned into up-armored humvees for their operations.

Pfc. Nicholas Metty pulls security during a patrol in Jurn, Iraq, Dec. 28. Metty, of Sturgis, Mich., is a tank loader for Dragon Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Soldiers from Dragon were conducting a soft-knock patrol in the area, and passing out informational flyers and wanted posters.

1st Lt. Andrew Eagan checks his platoon's equipment prior to a patrol into Jurn, Iraq, Dec. 28. Eagan, of Carville, Tenn., is the Punisher Platoon leader of Dragon Troop, 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Dragon Troop is the squadron's heavy element that parked its tanks and transitioned into up-armored Humvees for their operations.

From Tanks to Trucks: Tankers Adapt to Patrolling in Humvees

Photos & Story By Spc. Eric A. Rutherford
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

AL JURN, Iraq – With their 72-ton M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks parked in the motor pool, Soldiers loaded their gear into wheeled trucks less than half the size of the tracked vehicles.

Tankers of Punisher Platoon, Dragon Company, 1st Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, switched from their traditional jobs of manning the tanks as the squadron’s heavy element to driving patrols mounted in up-armored Humvees.

“It’s kind of like going from a Corvette to a Volkswagen,” said Sgt. 1st Class J.C. Jensen, the platoon sergeant for Punisher, about making the switch. “The tank has 1,500 horsepower, it will go anywhere I point it, and the firepower and the optics are just incredible.” Jensen, of Pryor, Okla., and an Army tanker for more than 15 years, said while driving around in Humvees is not something they are used to, he and his men are making it work.

The Punishers hit the road, on tires, not tracks, and headed for a small village known as Al Jurn. Their mission there was to investigate some suspicious activity and try to make contact with the local sheik who has not been in the area during recent patrols.

“We have been there several times as a platoon to assess what they might need for help,” said 1st Lt. Andrew Eagan, Punisher platoon leader. “They also have a sheik who controls a large part of the area of operation, and we haven’t been able to meet with him. We heard he was in the area, so we are going to try to meet with him.”

Eagan, of Carville, Tenn., said he has had good experiences so far in the town, eating lamb, and drinking chai tea with the local villagers. Today’s mission was different in that after the soft-knock on the local sheik’s house, who was still not home, the unit transitioned into providing security for a psychological operations team who needed to pass out handbills in the area.

Eagan said the Punishers have built relationships in the town, so transitioning from searching buildings for bad guys to providing security wasn’t a problem. As the PSYOP team passed out handbills with wanted pictures on them, the men of Punisher provided security. The men were swarmed by children speaking broken English asking for pens and books. After the handbills were all passed out and the villagers had a chance to wave and say goodbye, the Punishers mounted back up into their humvees and returned to base. No shots were fired and the entire platoon made it back safely.

When it comes to moving in Humvees, Eagan said they got as much training on them as they could, but it is still a transition. They faced such challenges as deciding where to load things into the trucks and what to keep in the tanks. The Punishers also overcame situating the men in the truck based on their traditional positions in the tank.

“We are a month in, we like operating out of them (Humvees), and we are getting into the flow of operating out of them,” said Eagan. “It isn’t as good as a tank. I wish we were on the tanks, but it is getting the job done.”

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Another great story from our friend Eric. We certainly appreciate all of the stories and the pictures you are providing Eric - Thank you!

Book Review ~ Rule Number Two

Rule Number Two

Lessons I Learned in a Combat Hospital

Dr. Heidi Squier Kraft (LCmdr, Ret)

There are two rules of war.
Rule number one is that young men die.
Rule number two is that doctors can't change rule number one.
--M*A*S*H: TV show

One of the remarkable things happening in today's military and today's war zones is the phenomenal writing that is occurring from the front lines in the form of blogs and books. Today, we are brought closer to the thoughts and feelings and experiences of our military through the written word, and they do it so well. Anyone wanting to know more about the War on Terror and our military has access to the information (see my recommendations on the sidebar.)

Rule Number Two is a collection of the experiences of Navy Lieutenant Commander Heidi Kraft during her deployment as a clinical psychologist with a Marine Corps Surgical Unit in Al Asad, Iraq. Dr. Kraft shares with us the stories of the damages of war and the amazing stories of repair of the spirit and the body. She also shares her longing for home and her 15 month old twins, jutaposing her life in Iraq with her family at home. There are stories that will make your heart soar, make you laugh out loud and make you cry. There is an especially gruesome story of her smallpox vaccination and one about camel spiders that are unforgetable!

Dr. Kraft allows us to share her laughter, her tears, her joys and her fears. This is a wonderfully readable book, and difficult to put down, as Dr Kraft weaves us into her stories. We meet the Marines, the Navy Corpsmen, the Navy doctors, nurses, technicians and the Marine working dogs.

Some of the most vivid stories are those of Cpl Jason Dunham. When Cpl Dunham was wounded, Dr Kraft was one of the people who sat and held his hand and talked to him. Cpl Dunham, who died later from his wounds, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage and bravery and sacrifice that day when he threw himself on a grenade to save his men. In later chapters, Dr Kraft shares the story of his passing and the story of his mother's, Deb Dunham, letter to Dr. Kraft to thank her for holding Jason's hand and caring for him. They are stories that will touch your heart.

One of the greatest gifts of this book is the peek into the medical care provided to our warriors - the love, care and respect they are given. This is a remarkable book and I recommend it to anyone interested in life in a war zone and in a hospital in a war zone.

Dr Kraft is donating 10% of the profits to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.

(I received this book as a free preview copy from the publisher.)

Wednesday Hero ~ SGT Frank T Carvill

Sgt. Frank T. Carvill
51 years old from Carlstadt, New Jersey
3rd Battalion, 112th Field Artillery
June 04, 2004


When Frank T. Carvill told his sister he had been called up to go to Iraq, she was stunned. "Gee, Frank, are you going to be part of the AARP battalion?" she teased.

Carvill joined the Guard in the 80's out of a sense of patriotism. He was a devoted big brother to Peggy Liguori, who still remembers how as kids, he took her to see "Blue Hawaii" and "Born Free" at the movies. He was the longtime pal to Rick Rancitelli who admired Carvill's "million-dollar vocabulary" and his writing and public speaking skills. In 1993. Sgt. Carvill was working in the WTC as a paralegal when it was attacked. He helped a co-worker down 54 floors to safety. In 2001, he was still working at the WTC. He had just left the North Tower moments before the first plane hit.

Sgt. Carvill was killed when his convoy was attacked outside of Baghdad.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives

so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.


This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

Vote for Sgt Jill Stevens - Miss Utah

Remember Sgt Jill Stevens? She is Miss Utah and a member of the National Guard 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment. The Miss America Pageant takes place on January 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has an opportunity to win a finalist position by popular vote.

"America's Choice! Battle Buddies,I need your help!
This year, America has the opportunity to select a surprise 16th pageant finalist with "Miss America: America's Choice", an online competition that allows viewers to vote for their favorite Miss America contestant. I could really use all the support from my battle buddies in the Army family to help me stay in the fight."
- Sgt. Jill Stevens

To vote for Jill - click the link, click on Utah and follow the directions.
You can vote once each day now through January 26.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/miss-america/contestants.html

VOTE - ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO VOTE!!!

New Year's Bang

A large explosion of confiscated mortar rounds, grenades, guns and other explosive devices set up by Army explosive ordnance disposal technicians on Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq, Dec. 31. The controlled blast, which contained more than 1,500 pounds of explosives, was set off at midnight as a way to ring in the New Year from Iraq.

White phosphorous ignites and lights up the impact area after a large blast of confiscated mortar rounds, grenades, guns and other explosive devices set up by Army explosive ordnance disposal technicians on Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq, Dec. 31. The controlled blast, which contained more than 1,500 pounds of explosives, was set off at midnight as a way to ring in the New Year from Iraq.

A stack of mortar rounds, grenades, guns and other explosive devices that were confiscated are set up by Army explosive ordnance disposal on Contingency Operating Base Q-West, Iraq, Dec. 31. The controlled blast, which contained more than 1,500 pounds of explosives, was set off at midnight as a way to ring in the New Year from Iraq.


Photos from Spc Eric Rutherford, 115th MPAD

How my friend, Eric, spent his New Year's Eve!

Air Force Cartoonist ~ SSG Austin May

Air Force 1st Lt. Kenneth Dahl, call sign “Barbie,” is the star of the online Web comic strip, Air Force Blues. The fictional fighter jock is the creation of Air Force Staff Sgt. Austin M. May, a public affairs specialist deployed to Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Austin M. May works on a character from his comic strip, Air Force Blues. May, a public affairs noncommissioned officer deployed to Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, recently published a book of his comics, and the strip is slated to appear in an upcoming issue of Airman Magazine. U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs

Cartoonist Continues Strip, Publishes Book While Deployed

By Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras, Jan. 4, 2008 – It’s hard being only a figment of someone’s imagination. Just ask Air Force 1st Lt. Kenneth Dahl, an F-15 fighter pilot with the imaginary 809th Fighter Squadron.

Dahl, call sign “Barbie,” is the star of the online comic strip “Air Force Blues,” and is a hero, of sorts, to his Internet following. The fictional fighter jock is the creation of Air Force Staff Sgt. Austin M. May, a public affairs specialist deployed here from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

The general process for production is this: an idea born in May's brain makes its way on to paper. From there, the comic is scanned into a computer, and eventually is published on www.afblues.com. The site boasts as many as 1,000 hits per day when the comic is updated.

Dahl's antics were published in a new book that made its debut in November. The strip also is slated to appear in an upcoming issue of the Air Force's flagship publication, Airman Magazine.

May, who has been drawing since he was a child, said he began the comic strip in February 2007 because he felt it was time to “step things up.”

“For almost a year, I had been doing random Air Force-related comics for a friend’s Web site, but I was ready to try launching my own site,” he explained. “I wanted a consistent base, a recognizable duty station, and above all, a main character everyone could eventually relate to.”

The sergeant said he chose a fighter pilot as his main character for a variety of reasons, the biggest being the wealth of comic potential associated with that particular group of airmen.

“Everywhere you look there are movies, books, video games and more, all glorifying fighter pilots,” he said. “Why not a comic to make fun of them? After all, they do some pretty off-the-wall things sometimes.”

May should know. As a former aircrew member stationed at a specialized undergraduate pilot training base, he has spent practically his entire Air Force career surrounded by fliers.

He noted that the comic doesn’t make fun of any specific group of people as a whole, but lumps several stereotypes into one character who becomes the butt of most of the strip’s jokes, a proven formula for a successful comic. Just as Beetle Bailey is only one goofy soldier in the Army, Dahl is not necessarily representative of today’s men and women in uniform, May said.

The sergeant’s first comic strip, AWACker, was started while he was deployed to Southwest Asia as an airborne battle management systems operator on the Airborne Warning and Control System E-3 Sentry. When he wasn’t flying missions, May put pen to paper and drew comic after comic to circulate among his fellow fliers. His deployment helped him compile a binder full of comics, which was the basis for the now defunct domain AWACker.com. The site, founded with a fellow AWACS crewmember, had a good run until it was hacked in August 2005, he said. The site never recovered.

“I went on to cross-train into a new career field, and neither of us really had time to rebuild the Web site from the ground up,” he said.

Helping May with the current Web site is Air Force Senior Airman Justin Coffman from the 552nd Computer Systems Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., who volunteers his off-duty time as the webmaster, forum administrator and “faithful lackey,” he said.

Coffman is a recurring character in the strip and is described as the “Airman Agitator” who pokes fun at the other characters. However, it's all in good fun, Coffman said.

“I think humor is a required part of daily life,” he explained. “If you aren't laughing, you aren't living. Everyone knows it's just a comic and that it's exaggerated.”

Longtime reader Air Force Reserve Master Sgt. William Gordon, from Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., agreed, saying the comic pokes “good-natured fun” at the idea of a stereotypical throttle jockey.

“I enjoy the entire concept of Air Force Blues,” he said. “It brings together all types of people from different parts of the Air Force who normally would not interact. It (also) has opened my eyes to different things about the Air Force that I would not have considered before.”

Dahl’s personality developed as May elaborated on his new creation, reflecting himself. The character is an F-15 fighter pilot stationed at the fictional “Elmendork” Air Force Base. May's first duty station was at the very real Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

“He’s very young. He’s pretty new to the Air Force still, and he is so in love with himself and his job,” May said in describing the character. “He’s like a kid who realized what he wanted to do when he grew up and stuck to it,” a trait that rings true for the artist today.

“My parents used to take me to air shows when I was little kid. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, only that I wanted to one day join the Air Force,” said the 25-year-old native of Katy, Texas.

Donations from readers help to fund the project, and May said his greatest reward is knowing people enjoy his creations. Many readers e-mail him saying how much they look forward to the new strips, he said.

Though some money comes in, none of it ends up in his pocket, the sergeant emphasized.

“I don’t do it for profit at all,” May said. “All the money I make from selling coins, stickers and the books goes back into the site for Web hosting, drawing supplies, more coins and stickers. I’ve also sponsored a couple of events at the Laughlin Club.”

Dahl is gearing up for a deployment to support the real global war on terrorism at a fictional air base abroad. Readers can follow along online to learn what makes deployments so special for Dahl: “deployment mustaches,” he said in a recent strip.

But just because the faux fighter pilot won’t be flying real combat missions in his F-15, he will be delivering humor from his cockpit in cyberspace to a desktop near you.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sonny Cohrs serves with Joint Task Force Bravo Public Affairs.)

To see all of SSG May's work Air Force Blues

Major Olmsted & Captain Casey ~ Farewell, and Walk with God

Major Andrew J Olmsted


The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Jan. 3 in As Sadiyah, Iraq, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using small arms fire during combat operations. Both Soldiers were assigned to the Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas
Killed were:

Maj. Andrew J. Olmsted, 37, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Cpt. Thomas J. Casey, 32, of Albuquerque, N.M.

Major Andrew J Olmsted was also a blogger. And, as a blogger he left an 'in case of my death post' - it is well worth the read - a must read.

Personal Blog and Final Message

Deployment Blog

A Blogger's Tribute

Gentelmen - We wish you Farewell. Walk with God.

Army Drills Water Wells in Djibouti

Army Sgt. Brandon Holt (right) shows Sgt. James A. Morgan how to properly fill out the driller's log, which is used to record the depth and type of cuttings being drilled. Holt is an assistant well driller for the 1132nd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team, and Morgan is an assistant well driller for the 1133rd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team.

Army Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown explains to Sgt. 1st Class Harold W. Presley the overall operation of the rig used to drill wells as part of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa mission. Brown is the lead driller and acting first sergeant for the 1132nd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team, and Presley is the lead well driller for the 1133rd.


New Engineers Drilling Wells in Djibouti
Photos and Story By Air Force Staff Sgt Jennifer Redente

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti (Army News Service, Jan. 2, 2008) - For the past year, the mission of the 1132nd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team has been to provide potable water to the people of Djibouti, but now their mission is to train their replacements to do the same.

Before the well drillers head back to Mooresville, N.C., this month, they are training their sister unit, the 1133rd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team on the best equipment available in well drilling for the terrain of eastern Africa.

"We only received four days of training on the new drill rig," said Army Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 1132nd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team lead driller and acting first sergeant. "The rest, we had to teach ourselves or simply ask a ton of questions."

The 1132nd wants to ensure that their sister unit, a team of nine that has three personnel with a sufficient amount of training on well drilling, is well educated and trained on the equipment to make sure they continue to provide water, which isn't readily available to people in the region.

"We want to give them all the tools they need to succeed," said Brown. "We would like them to be prepared and as successful as we have been."

The 1133rd has experience working with Army well drilling machinery, but due to the equipment being civilian-leased, the technology has different controls and modes of operation.

"Our team has been trained to drill wells using all the methods available to us," said Army Master Sgt. Andrew D. Odom, 1133rd Engineering Detachment Well Drilling Team commander. "We will need to spend some time getting familiar with this new equipment."

Receiving additional on-the-job training provides the 1133rd a better understanding of how much the climate and the types of earth in Djibouti impact the mission and how they can recover and carry on by adjusting and correcting the problem.

In preparation for what they may experience, the 1133rd has completed one of two wells, which has not only been training for the 1133rd but will also assist CJTF-Horn of Africa by providing another source of water to Camp Lemonier.

"All camp personnel will benefit from the wells being drilled by the training," said Senior Chief Construction Electrician Douglas K. Heiner. "Along with a water distribution system upgrade, the wells will give us additional capacity to have potable water throughout the camp where we will be able to bottle our own water and have an ice plant saving nearly $1 million annually in bottled water alone."

The sister units will be moving off camp to a site outside of Djibouti where they will receive training on the use of a hammer-drill attachment in January. The well drillers are part of the CJTF-HOA mission to conduct operations such as drilling wells to prevent conflict, promote regional stability and protect coalition interest in order to prevail against extremism.

(Air Force Staff Sgt. Jennifer Redente serves with CJTF-HOA Public Affairs.)

Delivering Christmas Dinner in Iraq

An OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter provides aerial support and reconnaissance during a convoy near Al Kisak, Iraq

Soldiers from Packhorse Troop, 3rd Regimental Support Squadron, Armored Cavalry Regiment, relax after a convoy to Al Kisak, Iraq

Staff Sgt. Elbert Burns tosses a package of bottled water to Cpl. Philip Lott during a delivery of rations to Al Kisak, Iraq, Dec. 23. Burns, of Austin, Texas, and Lott, of Phoenix, are assigned to Packhorse Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Soldiers unload boxes of supplies for Christmas dinner at Al Kisak, Iraq, Dec. 23. Vehicles from Packhorse Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, delivered pallets of food, water and a tanker of fuel to the American Soldiers stationed at the Iraqi army training compound

Vehicles from Packhorse Troop, Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment prepare for a convoy to Al Kisak, Iraq, Dec. 23. The convoy delivered Christmas food rations to the few American Soldiers stationed at the Iraqi army training compound.


Muleskinners Bring Good Tidings:

Logistics Convoy Delivers Christmas Rations

Multi-National Division – North Public Affairs Office
Story & Photos By Spc. Eric A. Rutherford, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq – While people back in America were rushing around to finish up last-minute shopping, Soldiers from 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment worked diligently to prepare for a logistical convoy in the freezing morning air several hours before the sun came up.

Soldiers of “Muleskinners,” Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd ACR, Packhorse Troop, Supply and Transportation platoon checked their weapons systems and radios, ensuring they were set to roll out of the gate to make the almost three-hour convoy to Al Kisak, where they delivered fuel, drinking water and rations. The most significant part of the delivery was the Christmas dinner fixings for the American troops stationed at the Iraqi army training center.

Throughout northern Iraq, many of the smaller bases have few of the comforts of home. The S&T platoon provides the lifeline for these places, providing everything from fuel to hygiene supplies. The Soldiers at Al Kisak look forward to the supply convoys bringing food, sometimes going for two weeks in between deliveries.

“Al Kisak doesn’t have as much as a forward operating base does, so we have to deliver the food out to them,” Said 1st. Lt. Angela Somnuk, S&T platoon leader.

Somnuk, of Miami, said this delivery had four pallets of items specifically for the Christmas meals, along with the normal delivery of fuel, food and water.

The 11 vehicle convoy of palletized load system trucks and gun-truck escorts arrived to find Soldiers waiting to unload the goods. Soldiers on the unloading detail were not just from the dinning facility staff.

Sgt. Travis Mendenhall, a mechanic who trains the Iraqi army soldiers on vehicle maintenance came out to help with the delivery.

“We only get ten days rations at a time here,” said Mendenhall, of Fort Hood. “Out here, you have to work for everything you have. Everyone comes out and helps, no matter where you work here.”

Soldiers from Packhorse made the Christmas delivery then settled in for the night on the Spartan IA compound. Just as they had the previous morning, the Soldiers were up before the sun, preparing to move back home in the below-freezing temperatures.

Soldiers at Al Kisak may not have many of the comforts of home this holiday season, but because Packhorse is on the road with supplies, they can at least enjoy a little taste of home in the form of a Christmas dinner.

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Another great story from our friend Eric! Thanks Eric!

John Granville ~ USAID Officer Murdered in Sudan

John Granville was murdered in the Sudan on January 1, 2008. Granville, 33, a USAID (United States Agency for International Development) worker was shot to death, along with his driver, in the area near the UN compound of Khartoum - an area considered safe. Granville was from South Buffalo, New York.

John Granville was in Sudan to bring radios to the population of South Sudan. His family described him as "part of a team trying to negotioate peace in the Sudan. John's life was a celebration of love, hope and peace."

In a country wracked with violence and Islamic extremism, the Sudanese are quoted as saying that the incident was 'isolated and has no political or ideological connotations.'

It is hard to believe that the murder of an American aid worker is not a targeted killing of an American. It is especially difficult to believe it without any investigation whatsoever. After all, this is the same nation that gave us the teddy bear teacher.

We will hold John Granville's family and friends in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

Wednesday Hero ~ SGT Eric Crayton

1st Sgt. Eric Crayton
From Sparta, Georgia


Sgt. Eric Crayton, the first sergeant for the Extension Detachment, Company C, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, serving Christmas dinner to Soldiers at the Pegasus Dining Facility at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives

so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.

For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your blog, you can go here.

New Year in Baghdad

A policeman is covered in shaving cream by a reveler - in Baghdad, iraq.

There was singing, dancing, fireworks, celebratory gunfire.

There were parties at the Sheraton and the Palestine Hotels.

We wish them all a wonderful New Year!!!

Click Here - Read this first hand report!!!!

New Year in Afghanistan

By Senior Airman James Bolinger
Combined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, sound off the men and women of Combined Joint Task Force-82 as they count down to midnight, Dec. 31. Though no one popped open a bottle of bubbly, Service members here still found a way to have fun on the last night of 2007.

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines celebrated the count down to New Year’s 2008 here with live music and lots of laughs. The tunes were courtesy of visiting Boston band Lansdowne and Level 82, part of the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Band. Two comedians, Daniel Kinno and Julie McCullough, touring Afghanistan brought smiles to the faces of everyone who came to listen.

“I’m here listening to live music, which is one of my passions” said Spc. Craig Chick, 82nd Airborne Division Aviation Operations Soldier. “It’s hard not spending time with my wife or friends on New Years Eve, but I got a good laugh listening to the comedians and I love listening to music.”

Lansdowne, who is on their first Armed Forces Entertainment Tour, kicked off the show and then came back for an encore before Level 82 rocked the stage.

“It has been educational – we’ve gotten a real view of everything” said members of the band. “We got to see what’s not on T.V.”

The band spent Christmas in Kyrgystan before traveling here for New Years. “It is an honor to play for you,” said lead singer John Ricci. “Thank you all for what you do.”

Service members might have been missing their families but took some time to enjoy themselves.

“I would like to tell my wife that I lover her,” said Chick, who has been in Afghanistan for 12 months. “I want to say ‘Happy New Years Eve’ to my family. I miss you all and I am coming home soon.”

The Service members of CJTF-82 have been fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom for nearly one year and every second they counted toward 2008 is one more second closer to coming home. 3, 2, 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

General David Petraeus ~ Letter to His Troops

Gen. David Petraeus poses proudly for a photo after promoting Staff Sgt. Adam Gray, of the 2nd Stryker Brigade, from the rank of sergeant, Dec. 13, at the 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment headquarters. Petraeus paid a special visit to the brigade to award 10 Soldiers with coins, re-enlist four Soldiers and promote Gray.

(U.S. Army photo/Pfc. Samantha Schutz)

(On December 28, General David Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force Iraq, sent the following letter to his troops.)

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Civilians of Multi-National Force-Iraq:

As 2007 draws to a close, you should look back with pride on what you, your fellow troopers, our Iraqi partners, and Iraqi Coalition civilians have achieved in 2007. A year ago, Iraq was racked by horrific violence and on the brink of civil war. Now, levels of violence and civilians and military casualties are significantly reduced and hope has been rekindled in many Iraqi communities. To be sure, the progress is reversible and there is much more to be done. Nonetheless, the hard-fought accomplishments of 2007 have been substantial, and I want to thank each of you for the contributions you made to them.

In response to the challenges that faced Iraq a year ago, we and our Iraqi partners adopted a new approach. We increased our focus on securing the Iraqi people and, in some cases, delayed transition of tasks to Iraqi forces. Additional U.S. and Georgian forces were deployed to theater, the tours of U.S. unites were extended, and Iraqi forces conducted a surge of their own, generating well over 100,000 more Iraqi police and soldiers during the year so that they, too, had additional forces to execute the new approach. In places like Ramadi, Baqubah, Arab Jabour, and Baghdad, you and our Iraqi brothers fought--often house by house, block by block, and neighborhood by neighborhood--to wrest sanctuaries away from Al Qaeda-Iraq, to disrupt extremist militia elements, and to rid the streets of mafia-like criminals. Having cleared areas, you worked with Iraqis to retain them--establishing outposts in the areas we were securing, developing Iraqi Security Forces, and empowering locals to help our efforts. This approach has not been easy. It has required steadfastness in the conduct of tough offensive operations, creative solutions to the myriad problems on the ground, and persistence over the course of many months and during countless trying situations. Through it all, you have proven equal to every task, continually demonstrating an impressive ability to conduct combat and stability operations in an exceedingly complex environment.

Your accomplishments have given the Iraqi people new confidence and prompted many citizens to reject terror and confront those who practice it. As the months passed in 2007, in fact, the tribal awakening that began in Al Anbar Province spread to other parts of the country. Emboldened by improving security and tired of indiscriminate violence, extremist ideology, oppressive practices, and criminal activity, Iraqis increasingly rejected Al Qaeda-Iraq and rogue militia elements. Over time, the desire of Iraqis to contribute to their own security has manifested itself in citizens volunteering for the police, the Army, and concerned local citizen programs. It has been reflected in citizens providing information that has helped us find far more than double the number of arms and weapons caches we found last year. And it has been apparent in Iraqi communities now supporting their local security forces.

As a result of your hard work and that of our Iraqi comrades-in-arms--and with the support of the local populace in many areas--we have seen significant improvements in the security situation. The number of attacks per week is down some 60 percent from a peak in June of this year to a level last seen consistently in the early summer of 2005. With fewer attacks, we are also seeing significantly reduced loss of life. The number of civilian deaths is down by some 75 percent since its height a year ago, dropping to a level not seen since the beginning of 2006. And the number of Coalition losses is down substantially as well. We remain mindful that the past year's progress has been purchased through the sacrifice and selfless service of all those involved and that the new Iraq must still contend with innumerable enemies and obstacles. Al Qaeda-Iraq has been significantly degraded, but it remains capable of horrific bombings. Militia extremists have been disrupted, but they retain influence in many areas. Criminals have been apprehended, but far too many still roam Iraqi streets and intimidate local citizens and Iraqi officials. We and our Iraqi partners will have to deal with each of these challenges in the New Year to keep the situation headed in the right direction.

While the progress in a number of areas is fragile, the security improvements have significantly changed the situation in many parts of Iraq. It is now imperative that we take advantage of these improvements by looking beyond the security arena and helping Iraqi military and political leaders as they develop solutions in other areas as well, solutions they can sustain over time. At the tactical level, this means an increasing focus on helping not just Iraqi Security Forces--with whom we must partner in all that we do--but also helping Iraqi governmental organizations as they endeavor to restore basic services, to create employment opportunities, to revitalize local markets, to refurbish schools, to spur local economic activity, and to keep locals involved in contributing to local security. We will have to do all of this, of course, while continuing to draw down our forces, thinning our presence, and gradually handing over responsibilities to our Iraqi partners. Meanwhile, at the national level, we will focus on helping the Iraqi Government integrate local volunteers into the Iraqi Security Forces and other employment, develop greater ministerial capacity and capability, aid displaced persons as they return, and, most importantly, take the all-important political and economic actions needed to exploit the opportunity provided by the gains in the security arena.

The pace of progress on important political actions to this point has been slower than Iraqi leaders had hoped. Still, there have been some important steps taken in recent months. Iraq's leaders reached agreement on the Declaration of Principles for Friendship and Cooperation with the United States, which lays the groundwork for an enduring relationship between our nations. The United Nations Security Council approved Iraq's request for a final renewal of the resolution that authorizes the Coalition to operate in Iraq. Iraq's leaders passed an important Pension Law that not only extends retirement benefits to Iraqis previously left out but also represents the first of what we hope will be additional measures fostering national reconciliation. And Iraq's leaders have debated at length a second reconciliation-related measure, the Accountability and Justice Bill (the de-Ba'athification Reform Law), as well as the 2008 National Budget, both which likely will be brought up for a vote in early 2008. Even so, all Iraqi participants recognize that much more must be done politically to put their country on an irreversible trajectory to national reconciliation and sustainable economic development. We will, needless to say, work closely with our Embassy teammates to support the Iraq Government as it strives to take advantage of the improved security environment by pursing political and economic progress.

The New Year will bring many changes. Substantial force rotations and adjustments already underway will continue. One Army brigade combat team and a Marine Expeditionary Unit have already redeployed without replacement. In the coming months, four additional brigades and two Marine battalions will follow suit. Throughout that time, we will continue to adapt to the security situation as it evolves. And in the midst of all the changes, we and our Iraqi partners will strive to maintain the momentum, to press the fight, and to pursue Iraq's enemies relentlessly. Solutions to many of the tough problems will continue to be found at your level, together with local Iraqi leaders and with your Iraqi Security Force partners, in company and battalion areas of operation and in individual neighborhoods an towns. As you and your Iraqi partners turn concepts into reality, additional progress will emerge slowly and fitfully. Over time, we will gradually see fewer bad days and accumulate more good days, good weeks, and good months.

The way ahead will not be easy. Inevitably, there will be more tough days and tough weeks. Unforeseen challenges will emerge. And success will require continued hard work, commitment, and initiative from all involved. As we look to the future, however, we should remember how far we have come in the past year. Thanks to the tireless efforts and courageous actions of the Iraqi people, Iraq's political and military leaders, the Iraqi Security Forces, and each of you, a great deal has been achieved in 2007. Thus, as we enter a new year, we and our Iraqi partners will have important accomplishments and a newfound sense of hope on which we can build.
As always, all or your leaders, our fellow citizens back home, and I deeply appreciate the dedication, professionalism, commitment, and courage you display on a daily basis. It remains the greatest of honors to serve with each of you in this critical endeavor.

Sincerely,
David H. Petraeus

A Face of Freedom ~ Air Force SSG Eric Eberhard

Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Eberhard, a Salt Lake City native deployed from 419th Civil Engineer Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, kneels in front of a joint explosive ordnance disposal rapid-response vehicle at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, Dec. 17, 2007. Eberhard's quick reactions allowed him to save the life of the leader of his three-person EOD team after an improvised explosive device detonated near them Dec. 7.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Josh Jasper, USAF

Face of Defense: Airman Reflects on Saving Team Leaders' Life

By Capt. Michael Meridith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan, Dec. 21, 2007 - As he sat eating breakfast Dec. 7, Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Eberhard had no idea that he was just hours away from a struggle to save the life of the airman sitting next to him.

The Salt Lake City, Utah, native and former Marine was enjoying a brief pause before another demanding day as a member of a three-person explosive ordnance disposal team based here.

"We were out with a route-clearance team for a medical engagement and had spent the night at a local village," Eberhard said. "We ate breakfast and were waiting for the medical engagement to end so we could do the route clearance back."

Although they weren't scheduled to leave the village until later that day, they were surprised by word that an improvised explosive device had been spotted a short distance away by Afghan National Police.

"We got to the scene and talked to the policeman who found it; he had been on patrol and saw something suspicious in a culvert under a bridge and reported it. The bystanders were being kept at a distance, so we dressed out our team leader in a bomb suit, and he went down into the culvert," he said.

While their team leader examined the IED, Eberhard and his fellow teammate kept a constant watch from their armored joint EOD rapid-response vehicle.

"I was sitting in the front seat when I saw the blast. I still see that flash in my mind," Eberhard said.

Moments after the IED exploded, he leapt from the vehicle and raced to the scene, waving medics forward to follow him.

"I didn't know what to expect; I just knew that I needed to get down there and assess the situation. When I got there, I saw him laying on the ground and saw that his leg and arm were severely injured, but his bomb suit was pretty much intact."

After ensuring no further threat from IEDs, Eberhard finally gave the medics the go-ahead to approach the wounded airman. At the same time, he began to act.

"When I got to him he was trying to sit up, but I made him lay back down. At first, all he could say is, 'It hurts bad. ' But we were glad that he was coherent, and we wanted him to stay that way."

To keep the wounded airman conscious, Eberhard elevated the uninjured leg to force blood back to the core of the body. With that accomplished, he started a tourniquet for the wounded arm while the medic tended to the leg.

"In my mind I knew his arm needed a tourniquet, so I just reached over and grabbed it. I didn't ask anyone, I just did it. He was coherent enough that he was actually helping us by telling us what to do. He told me, 'My arm needs to be tighter,' and I tightened the tourniquet."

With the bleeding controlled and an IV started, Eberhard reported the incident and then helped move his wounded team leader to a field to await helicopter medical evacuation.

"I just talked to him and tried to keep him awake," he said. "We talked about football and video games; we're both pretty competitive about it. Not long after that, I ran back and got him a satellite phone and let him talk to his wife. She was extremely grateful, and he was too. It was one of the things that kept him alert. He was talking to his wife, and because of that he knew he couldn't pass out."

Soon afterward, Eberhard said goodbye as his wounded comrade was taken away to medical care. Eberhard later learned that his team leader lost part of his leg, but was expected to recover.

Over the past few weeks, Eberhard has had time to reflect on that day. At the time, he said, he was mostly driven by instinct, which he credits to the combat-skills training he received before deploying. But he makes it clear that he does not consider himself a hero.

"Everyone is calling me a hero, but it is a weird position to be in," he said. "My definition of a hero is someone who does something they don't have to do in a situation they don't have to be in. No one forced me to be here. I'm a reservist. There was nothing saying I had to deploy; I wanted to. I wanted to let someone on active duty take an extra six-month break and be home with their family."

Despite the events of the day, Eberhard said he has no regrets about volunteering to deploy. In fact, he said the deployment experience has left him with some valuable insights he will carry with him to his home unit, 419th Civil Engineer Squadron, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

"The biggest thing I learned is that if we focus on being the servants, not the masters, and look at deployments as a way to serve our fellow man, it changes the outlook we have on deployments, and it makes a big difference in the lives of the Afghan people," he said.

(Air Force Capt. Michael Meridith is assigned to 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs)

A Face of Freedom ~ Marine SSG Robert Sanders

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Robert Sanders and his fellow Marines prepare to greet some of the local people in Sin Adh Dhibban, Iraq. Sanders spent much of his upbringing in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, learning the language and ways of the Arabic people. He now uses that knowledge while on missions with Battery K, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment.

Photo by Cpl. Thomas J. Griffith, USMC

Marine Bridges Gap Between Arabic, American Cultures

By Cpl. Andrew Kalwitz, USMC Special to American Forces Press Service

TAQADDUM, Iraq, Dec. 28, 2007 - They have their differences. In fact, they often don't even speak the same language. But U.S. servicemembers and the Iraqi people here have the same goal: security and stability for Iraq's Anbar province.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Robert Sanders, operations chief for Battery K, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, helps to bridge the cultural gap.

Sanders developed an understanding of Arab culture during his upbringing in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He was born at Fort Benning, Ga., but his father's discharge from the Army after the Vietnam War led to a job as an oil field worker, which kept the family on the move.

Now Sanders' own travels have taken him back to a familiar culture, but with his new extended family -- his fellow Marines.

"Staff Sergeant Sanders is our bid for success in the villages," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Matthew Thompson, executive officer for the battery. "He has found his niche in working with the Iraqis. He can communicate with the Iraqis without an interpreter, and they can communicate with him."

Thompson, a Presho, S.D., native, credits Sanders with helping to gain rapport between Marines and the people in the nearby village of Kabani. In addition to the battery's plans to build a new water treatment plant, a rebuilt school now stands as a testament to the coordination between the Marines and the villagers.

Sanders has put his cultural and linguistic skills to use for the military before. He lived among the Iraqi people for seven months at the East Fallujah Iraqi Compound during his 2004 deployment.

He supervised civilian contractors there and grew comfortable with the Iraqi people and their lifestyle, even getting used to the food and water to the point where returning to his old eating habits upset his stomach when he returned to the United States, he said.

Things were different then, the staff sergeant said. This was before thousands in Anbar province turned against the insurgency to cooperate with coalition forces in what came to be known as the "Anbar Awakening."

"I remember sitting at Fallujah, and you could sit up on a Hesco barrier and you could watch car bombs exploding in the distance," said Sanders. "Every night, we'd sit out there on the Hescos and smoke cigars, and you could watch tracers shoot across the sky. You don't hear that anymore."

Bonding with the people, he said, was a major part of the solution. Sanders has held classes to further his Marines' understanding of the Arabic language and culture.

"It definitely makes our job a lot easier," said Lance Cpl. Hunter Leger, a fire team leader with the battery. "We've been able to handle things without having to call someone up."

Leger, a Lake Charles, La., native, said he and his colleagues are knowledgeable enough to work the entry control points without the help of an interpreter. As one of Sanders' Marines at their home station of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., he said he's developed a respect for the staff sergeant's professionalism. It seems many of the local Iraqis have done the same.

When the battery sends Marines to Kabani to coordinate with the muqtar, or mayor, he first asks them 'Where is Abu Iskander?' in reference to Sanders, the father of Alexander.

As Sanders has with many of the village's people, he has developed a friendship with the muqtar, who jokes that the Marine could win over enough popularity in the town to beat him out for his position in the next election.

"The people like him too much," Muqtar Ismail Mohmood Hamad said. "They come in from time to time to see what's going on, and he always likes to help the people."

(Marine Corps Cpl. Andrew Kalwitz serves with the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.)

Army Opens Roads in Mosul

A bomb disposal robot prepares to plant a charge on an improvised explosive device found at an intersection, Dec. 13, Mosul, Iraq.

Smoke and debris fill the air at an intersection in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 13, after an explosive ordnance disposal team detonated an improvised explosive device discovered by a route clearance team from the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during an operation to clean and reopen a four-lane highway in the city. Soldiers providing security for the operation cleared civilians from the crowded intersection, which was surrounded by Iraqi shops.

Two Iraqis relax with tea and smoke while they watch Soldiers form the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment work to clear the highway in front of their house Dec. 13 in Mosul, Iraq. In an area plagued with attacks, civilians came out to watch the operation which reopened a four-lane highway to traffic.

Three Armored Combat Excavators clear debris and obstacles from a four-lane highway while a Bradley Fighting Vehicle provides security in Mosul, Iraq

An M1 Abrams tank and Bradley Fighting Vehicle provide security during an operation to clear a road of obstacles and debris in Mosul, Iraq

Two Armored Combat Excavators clear debris and obstacles from a four-lane highway while an M1 Abrams tank provides security in Mosul, Iraq, Dec. 13. Soldiers from the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment worked for more than 17-hours to clear more than a kilometer of the route which has been closed to civilian traffic.

Engineers Open Road in Mosul: All-day Mission Clears Routes for Traffic

Photos and Story By Spc. Eric A. Rutherford
115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MOSUL, Iraq – As the sun rose over an area where Soldiers were expecting gunfire and bombs, they were met by locals, who curiously watched as armored earthmovers shoved garbage and barriers off the road to make civilian travel easier. Soldiers of the 43rd Combat Engineer Company, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, worked to clear one of the many impassible roads in Mosul as part of Operation Thunder Reaper IV.

The 17-hour mission incorporated construction assets from the 43rd CEC, as well as several other elements from 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment’s Thunder Squadron.

Soldiers set out to open a section of Route Tampa, one of the city’s main roads that has been closed to traffic.

“When we got here, a lot of these routes were blocked,” said Sgt. 1st Class Rodney Larue, the Assault and Obstacle platoon sergeant with the 43rd. “Now our mission is to go in and make a lot of them open again for regular traffic.”

Larue of Coppers Cove, Texas, said route clearance will be a major role for the 43rd, which recently arrived in the battle space. The mission, which started at sunrise and ran well into the night, opened more of the route than was expected, said Larue.

The operation consisted of several phases. The first was route reconnaissance searching for roadside bombs and other hazards. After the route clearance phase, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M1A2 Abrams tanks provided overwatch and security in the area so the engineers could work with relative safety to clear the roads. During the operation, there were no casualties, and no notable enemy contact.

“We expected it to be quiet because there were so many moving pieces,” said Larue. “We had units to the north, south, west and east. We had units patrolling and we knew it was going to be quiet today. It is normally a really busy area.”

The next phase of the operation was to use Armored Combat Excavators to clear trash and other debris and obstacles from the road. The engineers then placed concrete barriers to better control traffic on the four-lane highway.

“Today we set out to do a large scale route improvement in our sector,” said Sgt. Daniel Preston, a gun system operator with the A&O platoon, 43rd CEC. “We used our dig assets to improve what was a trash filled, dirt filled, improvised explosive device magnet into a four-lane highway with serpentines.”

Larue and Preston provided command and control of the operation from their Buffalo mine resistant ambush protected vehicle (MRAP), using video cameras and a hydraulic arm to search areas for potential explosive threats to. The buffalo crew exposed an IED in a crowded intersection, which an explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed.

After the road was cleared of obstacles, the ACE vehicles moved into the route sanitation phase. This was accomplished by using the ACE vehicles to clear rubble from buildings and large piles of dirt on the roadsides that were used to hide bombs. They also cleared large areas of trash to be burned later to improve sanitation issues.

At the end of the mission, the Thunder Squadron Soldiers returned to base down more than a kilometer of the newly cleaned stretch of four-lane highway.

'My guys did a kick-butt job today,” said Larue. “Morale was good and high. Even though we are putting in these 18-hour plus days, I just can’t ask any more of my guys.”

*************
Thank you, Eric, for another wonderful story!

Our Troops Celebrate Christmas~~~

Some of our favorite Christmas pictures from our troops.

Our troops are in our thoughts and prayers

on Christmas, and always.