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The War
Report |
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American forces are fighting
heroic battles in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the
Global War On Terror, yet the
Mainstream Media is largely ignoring these efforts. Hopefully,
we can help get the word out here at MNN. |
U.S.
Marines and Thai Special Forces Partner Up During Cobra Gold
2009
By
Cpl. Andrew S. Avitt
III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs, 2/05/09
BASE KHUN NEN, CHIANG MAI, Thailand - A detachment of seven
U.S. Marines and 26 service members with the Thai Special
Forces commemorated the beginning of their combined training
here Jan. 31 as part of Exercise Cobra Gold 2009.
The U.S. Marine detachment from Special Operations Training
Group, Special Missions Branch, III Marine Expeditionary Force
is here to share their expertise in Dynamic Entry tactics with
the Royal Thai Marine, Navy and Army Special Forces.
Dynamic Entry is often used during military operations in
urban terrain, which requires military forces to enter hostile
or unknown buildings.
"This is a good opportunity for Thai Special Forces to train
with U.S. Marines. [They will] train and learn from one
another, and this will be beneficial to future operations,"
said Thai Army Lt. Col. Ussawin Inthanont, commander of 1st Bn.
Special Forces.
The curriculum teaches a variety of breaching techniques to
offer the raiding force flexibility, such as mechanical,
explosive and ballistic breaching techniques. Each possesses
pros and cons, which can be used to the raiding force's
advantage.
"Any monkey can get explosives and destroy a door, but too use
it efficiently, breaching is more like an art," said Staff
Sgt. Mark Frease, an SOTG instructor.
Frease and the two other instructors for this course have
routinely taught Dynamic Entry for the 31st Marine
Expeditionary Unit Maritime Raid Force.
"This is a great opportunity for my instructors to work with
the Thai Special Forces community and to build relationships
and interoperability for future evolutions," said Capt. Zaher
Bouza, commander of SOTG.
During the first three days here, the U.S. and Thai service
members worked together to prepare a condemned building for
training by installing heavy doors and new windows - hardware
that is destined for destruction during the practical
application portion of the exercise.
The U.S. Marines enjoyed working with their Thai counterparts
because they shared interesting and inventive techniques,
according to Lance Cpl. Nathan M. Grose, a combat engineer
with SOTG.
Throughout their work on the building, the multi-national
working party could be seen joking with one another as they
found ways to work around problems, a sense of teamwork that
is sure to grow throughout the exercise.
Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint/coalition
multi-national exercise hosted annually by the Kingdom of
Thailand, and it is focused on improving military-to-military
relationships among its participants. |
International Security Assistance Forces Conduct Precision
Ordnance Drop on Enemy Position
On Feb. 2, 4 kilometers north east of Forward Operating Base
Price in the Gereshk District of Helmand province,
International Security Assistance Forces were attacked by
insurgents from positions inside a compound. ISAF forces,
being under immediate threat, directed accurate fire into the
enemy position. The troops had positively identified the
compound and that the only inhabitants were enemy forces.
By
International Security Assistance Force, 2/04/09
KABUL, Afghanistan - On Feb. 2, 4 kilometers north east of
Forward Operating Base Price in the Gereshk District of
Helmand province, International Security Assistance Forces
were attacked by insurgents from positions inside a compound.
ISAF forces, being under immediate threat, directed accurate
fire into the enemy position. The troops had positively
identified the compound and that the only inhabitants were
enemy forces.
After positive identification of the enemy was confirmed and
the immediate area cleared of local Afghans, troops called for
a targeted precision ordnance drop from ISAF air support.
A short time later, a single munition was dropped and guided
straight into the enemy compound. Damage was completely
contained within the compound, and ISAF troops confirmed that
the threat was removed.
ISAF can confirm that throughout this precisely targeted
operation the only damage caused was to the compound used by
the enemy. ISAF takes extreme care when an escalation of force
is required against an enemy who continually attacks from
within local communities.
ISAF can confirm no civilians were injured or put at risk
throughout this operation. |
Military Working Dog Saves Handler's Life in Iraq
By
Pfc. Tyler Maulding, Multi-National Division - Center, 2/03/09
 CAMP
VICTORY, Iraq - A military working dog saved his owners life
while on a routine mission near Najaf, Iraq recently.
Spc. Joaquin Mello, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment,
98th Military Police Company, K-9 handler, a Santa Cruz,
Calif. native, says he will never forget the day his working
dog, Sgt. Bodo, a six year old patrols, explosives detection
German Sheppard, saved his life.
"It scared the crap out of me," Mello said. "I started
thinking about it and I was like, ‘wow, my dog just saved my
life.' It was a scary moment for me, like the war actually hit
me. The war became real in that moment."
Mello and an Air Force K-9 handler went on a route clearing
mission near the town of Najaf, Iraq. After clearing the
route, Mello and the Airman were asked to clear some
suspicious piles of rubble around the convoy. Mello and the
other handler split the area in two sections, Mello cleared in
front of the convoy while the Airman cleared behind. Mello and
Bodo got out of their mine resistant ambush protected vehicle
and began clearing the piles. While they were searching, Bodo
started acting peculiarly.
"I had Bodo on the retractable leash and while we were
searching he started to get a little bit behind me so I tried
to coach him ahead of me but he wouldn't go and I ended up
getting in front of him," said Mello. "He was showing great
change in his behavior."
Mello bent over with his head close to the ground and ordered
Bodo to seek. Bodo wouldn't listen and Mello soon learned why.
"All of a sudden he jerked sharply behind me and him jerking
the leash jerked my head up," said Mello. "I heard a whiz and
a loud ping like metal hitting rock. Sand started kicking up
in my face and I'm waving my hands because I can't see because
I have dust in my eyes. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks--
someone just shot at me," said Mello.
When the gunners realized what had happened, they yelled at
Mello to get into the MRAP. Mello, dazed with sand in his
eyes, received help from a fellow Soldier to get into the
vehicle. Once inside, they asked him where he thought the
round had come from, but he told them he didn't know, he
hadn't heard the shot.
"That was a scary day for me; the bullet was only a foot or so
in front of my head," said Mello "If Bodo hadn't pulled me
back it would have hit me right in the head."
Mello attributes Bodo's actions that day to his keen sense of
hearing.
"He can hear things we can't. He will hear things before I
hear them too, he lifts his head up, his ears perk up," said
Mello. "It's possible he did hear the round and thought 'dad's
in trouble' and pulled me back. It's not important to me how
he did it. All I know is Bodo, without a doubt, saved my life
that day."
When Mello returned to his unit, leadership asked him if he
wanted to be put in for a Combat Action Badge, but Mello said
no. "I'm not wounded or anything," said Mello. "I didn't do
anything spectacular. I just did my job. Bodo is the one who
did something amazing." |
B-52s
Conduct Global Strike Deployment Through Central Command
Theater
U.S.
Central Command Public Affairs, 02.03.2009
As part of a Global Power training mission, a pair of
United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from
Barksdale Air Force Base, La., are flying nonstop across the
Atlantic Ocean, through the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle
East region en route to a base in the Indian Ocean. From
there, they are heading to Andersen AFB, Guam, and then back
home. While transiting the U.S. Central Command area of
operations, the aircraft practiced command and control
coordination and various internally run crew scenarios.
Operation Coronet Dragon tests the ability of the Air Combat
Command bomber fleet to launch from stateside bases, fly
nonstop through multiple geographic theaters, conduct
precision strikes on enemy targets and safely recover at
various locations around the world.
SOUTHWEST ASIA - As part of a Global Power training mission, a
pair of United States Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers
from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., are flying nonstop across
the Atlantic Ocean, through the Mediterranean Sea and the
Middle East region en route to a base in the Indian Ocean.
From there, they are heading to Andersen AFB, Guam, and then
back home. While transiting the U.S. Central Command area of
operations, the aircraft practiced command and control
coordination and various internally run crew scenarios.
Operation Coronet Dragon tests the ability of the Air Combat
Command bomber fleet to launch from stateside bases, fly
nonstop through multiple geographic theaters, conduct
precision strikes on enemy targets and safely recover at
various locations around the world.
The duration of the initial leg of the worldwide deployment is
approximately 27 hours, although B-52s can reach similar
destinations in less time. Aircrews are conducting multiple
refueling missions along the way and practice simulated
weapons launches during each portion of their journey. The
simulated strike profiles demonstrate the ability to hit
targets anywhere in the world with aircraft launched from the
continental United States. No live or inert weapons are being
carried on either aircraft.
The B-52 is a long range, heavy bomber that can perform a
variety of missions. The bomber is capable of flying at high
subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 50,000 feet. It can carry
nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with
accurate worldwide navigation capability.
Air Combat Command's mission is to project airpower across the
globe. ACC operates fighter, bomber, reconnaissance,
battle-management and electronic-combat aircraft. It also
provides command, control, communications and intelligence
systems in support of the U.S. national security strategy. As
the bomber warfighting headquarters for ACC, Eighth Air Force,
headquartered at Barksdale AFB, employs decisive global air
power for Joint Forces and Strategic Commands, as well as
combatant commanders in support of their theater deterrence
missions. |
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Striker Soldiers Stand by While Iraq Conducts First Elections
Since 2005
"This is the last actual day of combat missions," Staff Sgt.
Jason Condreay told his squad in the morning darkness at
Forward Operating Base War Eagle, in Baghdad's Adhamiyah
District, Jan. 31.
By Sgt.
Jerry Saslav
3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, 2/02/09
SADR CITY, Iraq - "This is the last actual day of combat
missions," Staff Sgt. Jason Condreay told his squad in the
morning darkness at Forward Operating Base War Eagle, in
Baghdad's Adhamiyah District, Jan. 31.
Very soon the Soldiers would be finishing their 15 month
deployment and would start their journey home.
"This is the last major thing that we have to do before we get
out of here," said Condreay.
The country was holding its first elections since 2005 and
there had been reports that terrorists would try to disrupt
the voting.
Condreay and his team, a mix of military policemen and
infantrymen from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd
Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th
Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad were
assigned to be the Quick Reaction Force in Sadr City, the
Soldiers who would rush, if needed, to the scene of any
terrorist activity.
Less than a year ago, these same Soldiers fought alongside the
Iraqi security forces in battling criminals, terrorists and
other anti-government forces in this section of Sadr City; now
they were backing up the ISF.
"The Iraqi's were in complete control," said Condreay, a
native of Greeley, Colo. "We were just out here to assist them
in whatever way that we could."
Coalition forces were not allowed near the voting sites unless
something happened; so for Condreay and his men it meant
driving around the streets of Sadr City and stopping at
various ISF stations to see if they needed anything.
The Iraqi government instituted a driving ban resulting in
empty streets, with a few children playing nearby.
For the better part of 11 hours the squad drove the streets in
their armored vehicles, stopping every now and then to talk
with local citizens and ISF, all the time waiting for
something to happen.
Nothing happened.
"This might not seem like a lot today," Lt. Col. Michael
Pemrick, a Greenwich, N.Y., native who serves as the deputy
commanding officer of the 3rd BCT, told the squad after the
elections had ended with no violence reported in their area.
"It seems like we drove and nothing happened around a lot, saw
a bunch of people sticking their fingers in the air. Someday
this will be in the history books, just like [the battle for]
Sadr City and you'll be able to tell people you were part of
it." |
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