64 posts tagged “us army”

David Bellavia 2/2 Infantry U.S Army was awarded a silver and bronze star for bravery and recommended for the Medal of Honour. Bellavia would get ambushed while on house to house searches and his squad suffered casualties. This true story shows that war is brutal and these men who fight for our freedom should be recognized as true heroes.

The blurred British man speaking is former SAS soldier Andy Mcnab involved in the first gulf war responsible for taking out scud launchers aimed at Saudi Arabia and Israel. He is famous for the 'Bravo two zero' mission during operation desert storm.

ARMY.MIL - Spc. Darnell Pitts and Spc. Kane Strait to Alaska; 2nd Lt. Steve Caldwell, Maj. Rob Gibbs and Pfc. Brian Shore to Washington; Spc. Scott Isaac, Sgt. Benjamin Kissell and Spc. Sean New to Oregon; Sgt. Christopher Bandini, Cpt. Edward Barboza, Sgt. Lisett Castillo and Spc. Francisco Rodriguez to California; Pfc. Joseph Ryan to Idaho; Pvt. Jered Belloli and Sgt. Charles Pallas to Nevada; Spc. Roy Aja and Pfc. Jesse Holder to Arizona; Spc. David Allen and Sgt. Brandon Cole to Colorado; Sgt. Kimberly Doan to South Dakota; Spc. Matthew Cole to Nebraska; Sgt. Goncalves to Kansas; Staff. Sgt Davaras Bronson and Spc. Shawna Dilbeck to Oklahoma; Capt. Chris Kline and Capt. Cheryl Wachenheim to Minnesota;

This is written by a Gold Star Mom: Knottie. Her blog is titled "Knottie's niche." It's a wonderful and informative read. Please go to her blog and show your support for her.

They're Home...

On Nov. 11th we packed our car and loaded up the family to head to Ft. Campbell. The men my son served with were on their way home from Iraq and I was finally going to get to meet and hug these men who have become so important in my life.

As we drove on Veteran's Day I thought about how lucky the people in this country are to have the men and women of our military. Between it being Veterans day and where we were heading I had no choice but to see things from a perspective most Americans fail to look at. We drove without fear of IEDs. There were no check points. We could stop along the way and not fear snipers or suicide bombers. When we were hungry we had a multitude of options. And I knew without a doubt that these freedoms and this security are due fully to the fact we have such an outstanding group of people who made the choice to wear the uniform and defend these things.

I realized also.. we have WON in Iraq. Yes we are still there. Yes there is still some fighting. But it is safer in Iraq for American troops than civilians in Chicago these days. The foundation of what we set out to do is set. Our goals met and the lives of the Iraq people will be better. They are now tasting freedom. And anyone that wants to argue and diminish that victory and take that from these men and my son can try. But facts are facts. No one but these men and their leaders can claim that victory.

As I watched the plane filled with America's finest land my heart leap and broke all in the same moment. I knew that from my son's Company he would be the only one not walking off that plane. But in a way few will ever comprehend, the last part of my son did get off that plane. His spirit is in each of them and with them he came home too.

The one thing that stands out the most from this trip is as I stood standing and talking to one of the men of my son's platoon I felt a tap on my shoulder. As I turned, I saw them all. They had gathered together to find me. There was a line of men who had smiles and hugs for me. I was introduced to family members as their "Army Mom". They still have no idea what a gift they are to me. There will be more meetings an more stories to share. There will be laughter and tears. But once again I saw the strength and selflessness of these men. My heroes.. my soldier family.

I originally posted this in Sept 2007. I just updated the date

so we could see and appreciate this truth again.

 This boy knows who will not kill him

and who will save him

Look at the US Soldier standing upright and

alert while everyone else runs!

hank You America

by Lt. Col. Jim Crider, Commander 1-4 Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division

Wednesday - December 26th, 2007

	LTC Jim Crider

Some time ago, I ran into an old high school friend who asked me if I was still in the Army.  After I said yes, he slowly shook his head and asked me how much longer I had to go before I could get out. I am sure that in his mind it is like I am serving a prison sentence counting the days before my release. The truth is that I do not want sympathy. I not only enjoy Army life, I count it a privilege to serve. I frequently receive heart-felt thanks from people I do not even know for serving in the Armed Forces and I appreciate it. Cards, letters, emails and even a standing ovation as I traversed through the Dallas airport going home on leave from Iraq recently. However, I have been feeling lately like I should thank the American people for the honor of fighting for and representing the United States of America.

In the early summer of 2007, an IED detonated on the main street of a neighborhood in our area. A very small food store was the only thing open in the empty streets so I went inside to see if the owner was alright and if perhaps he had seen anything. The owner appeared utterly hopeless and almost in tears as he stood next to his wife. He did not know anything. Months later, the effects of the surge and our counterinsurgency strategy had taken hold. The streets were full of people and that same owner had used a micro-grant to fix up and expand his once lonely store. His grand kids were at his feet as I introduced him to a reporter accompanying me on a walk through the revitalized neighborhood. I had never heard him speak English but this day he looked at me and said, "I tell you , Sir, I love you with all of my heart!"

Right outside of our outpost in southern Baghdad is a dirt poor family of seven with children ranging in age from eighteen months to eleven years. Americans from all walks of life sent us toys and other small items to share with the Iraqi people over the holidays. We thought this would be the perfect family to share some of them with. We stopped by and the kids ran to the trucks. I asked the oldest boy if his parents were home and he said his mom was but that his dad was out picking through the trash. We later learned that he collected soda cans and sold them to make a living.

The children's mother walked up and was very grateful and in classic Arab tradition insisted that we come into her tiny home for tea. I told her that we could not stay but saw immediately that she was disappointed. She told me that the soldiers never accepted her invitation. I promised her I would return the next day and did so the following afternoon. We arrived and to learn that she had been waiting since early in the morning and made her husband stay home so he could be there. We went inside and sat on the floor but not before she placed blankets under us!

While the mother went to make the tea, her little girl came in and sat down. We asked her how old she was and she did not know. She ran to her mother to ask and came back telling us she was six years old with a big smile. Her father came in shortly after and was thrilled beyond belief that we were in his home to have tea. We shared the only two tea glasses they had. After our visit we took a family photo for them and delivered it framed on Christmas Day.

The experience of war changes people. For some it is a negative change but most manage to absorb the experience and use it to make themselves stronger. I have said goodbye to a mortally wounded soldier in the hospital, spoken to grieving family members of our casualties, and tried to comfort soldiers who just lost their best friend in a single violent moment. I have been under fire, looked insurgents in the eye, and seen corruption up close. I have also seen people emerge from oppression and live with hope for the first time in years. I have seen children reach up and grasp the hands of American soldiers just because they trust them. I have felt the desire to help and then been given the resources to do it. Finally, I have felt the close knit camaraderie that develops when you serve with a group of people fighting for a cause larger than self. Yes, this experience has changed me. I am stronger, more driven, and humbled all at the same time.

Thank you, America.

 

One Year Later, New Iraq Strategy Showing Successes
Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:34:00 -0600

One Year Later, New Iraq Strategy Showing Successes By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2008 - President Bush's new strategy for Iraq, announced one year ago today during a televised speech to the nation, is accomplishing many of its goals and laying important groundwork for initiatives yet to be fulfilled, military and defense officials agree. Bush unveiled the strategy amid growing sectarian violence that he acknowledged had overwhelmed Iraqis' political gains and created an "unacceptable" situation in Iraq. The plan called for more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Baghdad and Anbar province, increased responsibility for the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces, and more diplomatic and economic initiatives. A year later, officials cite solid evidence that the strategy has achieved what Bush called the most urgent priority in Iraq: to stop the violence and create the stability needed for the country's new government to succeed. Last month, during his sixth visit to Baghdad since taking office, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates noted vast security improvements under the strategy. He cited "recent months of dramatic change in the security situation across the nation, a decline in violence to levels not seen since the Samarra mosque bombing nearly two years ago" during a joint news conference with Iraqi Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir al-Mufriji on Dec. 5. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, reported in his end-of-year letter to troops in Iraq that attacks per week are down about 60 percent from June 2007 and are now at a level last seen consistently in the early summer of 2005. Petraeus also noted that civilian deaths are down approximately 75 percent from a year ago, dropping to a level not seen since the beginning of 2006. In addition, coalition forces found and cleared more than 6,658 weapons caches in 2007, well over twice the amount cleared in 2006. Bush cautioned when he announced the strategy that it wouldn't bring an immediate end to violence in Iraq. "Our enemies in Iraq will make every effort to ensure that our television screens are filled with images of death and suffering," he said. "Yet, over time, we can expect to see Iraqi troops chasing down murderers, fewer brazen acts of terror, and growing trust and cooperation from Baghdad's residents." Petraeus told the Pentagon Channel this week that the new strategy in Iraq -- with more coalition and Iraqi troops helping quell violence in and around Baghdad and operations that promote closer cooperation with the Iraqi population -- has helped stabilize once-violent areas. Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, said during a Jan. 8 conference call with military analysts that by living, eating and patrolling with Iraqi forces throughout the country, U.S. troops are getting known by the Iraqi people they are working to protect. "When I go out on a patrol, the Iraqis will start asking about folks who aren't with us," Odierno said. "They'll ask 'Where's Sergeant Z today?' And they actually ask why that person isn't out. So the relationships are building." This presence helped gain the trust and confidence of the Iraqi people, and ultimately, their support as well, Petraeus told the Pentagon Channel. They began "turning in the bad guys in their midst, ... pointing out the weapons caches or identifying improvised explosive devices, and ultimately volunteering to help with security as neighborhood watches, concerned local citizens and so forth," he said. Bush emphasized a year ago that a successful strategy for Iraq goes beyond military operations. "Ordinary Iraqi citizens must see that military operations are accompanied by visible improvements in their neighborhoods and communities," he said. This week, the president hailed provincial reconstruction teams operating in Iraq as vital partners in the strategy that has improved security and helped create conditions for the Iraqi government to succeed. Speaking in the White House Rose Garden after a Jan. 8 meeting with PRT members and their brigade commanders, Bush praised the members for progress they've helped make possible during the past year and emphasized the important work they're doing in communities throughout Iraq. Bush called the PRTs an important part of the strategy that ensures terrorists don't succeed in Iraq and that the Iraqi people are able to live in peace. He praised PRT members who "are helping improve the lives of citizens they never met before" as they serve on the front lines in the war on terror. "In so doing, they're making this country more secure, and they're helping lay down a foundation for peace," he said. A year ago, Bush said introducing the new strategy and bumping up the U.S. troop presence would help the Iraqis succeed so U.S. troops can begin drawing down. "If we increase our support at this crucial moment and help the Iraqis break the current cycle of violence, we can hasten the day our troops begin coming home," he said. Petraeus noted this week that the drawdown already is beginning. With one brigade combat team and a Marine expeditionary unit already gone without being replaced, and four more BCTs and two Marine battalions to leave by late July, he said he believes there's "a solid plan" to maintain the momentum they helped to build. Petraeus said he's buoyed by successes made and momentum built, but recognizes the job is far from over. "There will be more tough moments ... and bad days" as the coalition and Iraqis continue to pursue extremists and prevent them from establishing new safe havens," he said. "There are some tough enemies out there, and innumerable obstacles and challenges. "So it will not be easy," he added. "But we believe that we can indeed continue to build on what we have accomplished so far." Bush emphasized last year the importance of the mission in Iraq to security in the region and in the United States. He said the struggle there "will determine the direction of the global war on terror and our safety here at home." Petraeus said this week he's hopeful others will be able "to see that there is progress, to see that there is hope, and decide to continue to support what is really a very, very important endeavor for the United States, ... for all the countries of the coalition, ... and of course, (for) Iraq and the region."

Biographies: Robert M. Gates Gen. David H. Petraeus, USA Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, USA Related Articles: Bush Outlines New Strategy for Course Ahead in Iraq Odierno Cites Positive Trends in Iraq Bush Praises Reconstruction Teams for Building on Iraqi Progress Surge, Strategy Working in Iraq, But Challenges Remain, Petraeus Says Gates Seeks to Build on Positive Momentum in Iraq