The Army surgeon general and three other Medical Department officers were honored with awards March 26 during the 27th annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.The academy’s Presidential Commendations were presented for efforts toward improving comprehensive pain management in the Army – efforts that have ranged from better use of anesthesia to non-pharmacological treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, yoga and biofeedback.More than 900 scientists and physicians attended the five-day AAPM conference at National Harbor, Md., to focus on the most up-to-date advances...
AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare recently released a new publication, "U.S. Army Energy Security Strategy and Sustainability: Vital to National Defense" (Torchbearer National Security Report, April 2011), which examines the Army’s efforts to build energy security, diversification and sustainability throughout the force.Increasing pressure on natural and man-made resources is requiring the Army to adapt and innovate to provide warfighters with the energy and power needed to win on complex battlefields.The Army is employing a force-wide strategy that addresses modern challenges to energy, water...
The first center offering comprehensive care for European-based mild Traumatic Brain Injury patients opened recently at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
The Army vice chief of staff, Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, said that the Installation Management Command (IMCOM) is "setting the standard" when it comes to reducing inefficiencies.Chiarelli, speaking at the Association of the United States Army Institute for Land Warfare Installations Symposium and Exposition April 21 in San Antonio, discussed projected budget realities, the reduction of the civilian workforce and soldier quality-of-life issues – suicide, alcohol and substance abuse and sexual harassment and assault.Chiarelli thanked the IMCOM workforce for caring for soldiers, families and the...
Story and photo by Spc. William A. Joeckel, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD—Sgt. Marcus Chatman, a distribution squad leader with Company F, 1st “Vanguard” Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center and a Detroit native, has consistently lived a life of service to the United States in one way or another.From serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, being a police officer in his hometown of Detroit, to deploying twice with the Vanguard Battalion to Iraq, Chatman has worked a variety of jobs that have not always been...
Story by Staff Sgt. Tanya Thomas, 4th AAB, 3rd Inf. Div.,USD-C AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq –Although violence in Iraq has decreased, the threat of improvised explosive devices still exist. Soldiers of Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, are helping their Iraqi Army counterparts learn how to defeat this threat in an effort to make the streets of Anbar safer.After working side-by-side with members of the 7th Field Engineering Regiment, 7th Iraqi Army Division for the past 11 months, U.S. Soldiers put the 7th FER Soldiers to the test and...
Story and photo by Spc. William A. Joeckel, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD–Soldiers with Company C, 1st ‘Vanguard’ Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center have the full-time job of ensuring that Contingency Operating Station Hammer continues operating and that the relationship with the local tenants is maintained.On the installation, civilian contractors and trainers work side-by-side their U.S. Army counterparts, assisting with things like running base security, operating the dining facilities, fuel and...
Story by Staff Sgt. Tanya Thomas, 4th AAB, 3rd Inf. Div.,USD-C AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq –Although violence in Iraq has decreased, the threat of improvised explosive devices still exist. Soldiers of Company A, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, are helping their Iraqi Army counterparts learn how to defeat this threat in an effort to make the streets of Anbar safer.After working side-by-side with members of the 7th Field Engineering Regiment, 7th Iraqi Army Division for the past 11 months, U.S. Soldiers put the 7th FER Soldiers to the test and...
Story by Sgt.1st Class Jonathan S. DeLong, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-CBAGHDAD–Soldiers with the 1st ‘Vanguard’ Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center gathered to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the regiment’s founding May 3 at Camp Taji, Iraq, with an organizational day designed to build cohesion and resiliency throughout the formation.The 18th Inf. Regt., constituted May 3, 1861 to serve during the Civil War, has fought in numerous campaigns in support of the defense of the United States.And, 150 years...
Story by 1st Lt. Jason SweeneyCAMP TAJI, Iraq – Having an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter pilot for your dad is pretty cool. Even cooler is being an Apache pilot and having two of your children follow in your footsteps to become pilots, too.“Without a doubt, I’m the proudest man on earth,” said Capt. Dennis McNamara, an AH-64 Apache Longbow attack helicopter pilot for the 8th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, an Army Reserve unit based out of Fort Knox, Ky.Capt. Dennis McNamara is currently stationed at Camp Taji, Iraq where he flies Apaches alongside his daughter, Capt...
Story and photo by Spc. Darriel Swatts, Public Affairs, 40th Combat Aviation BrigadeVICTORY BASE COMPLEX, Iraq – Soldiers from the 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) stationed at Camp Taji, Iraq were rewarded for their hard work with a guided tour of historic sites on Victory Base Complex (VBC), the Baghdad headquarters of U.S. Forces-Iraq (USF-I).“We were trying to find a way to recognize the Soldiers for all of their hard work,” said 2nd Lt. Sarah Cooley, 40th CAB adjutant and a resident of San Luis Obispo, Calif. “All too often, Soldiers who come to Iraq never get to see anything outside of...
Story and photo by Sgt. Daniel Stoutamire, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD—Soldiers with B Company, 1st “Dragon” Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center trained a group of Soldiers with the 6th Iraqi Army Division on small-unit tactics recently, with an emphasis on room-clearing procedures, at Joint Security Station Constitution, Iraq.The training began with classroom work, which helped the Dragon Battalion trainers understand the prior experience their students had with clearing rooms as a team.“Their way of...
Story and photo by Spc. Matthew A. Wright, 40th Combat Aviation BrigadeCAMP TAJI, Iraq – Being in theater in Iraq can put a lot of pressure on Soldiers. On constant alert and putting in long work hours means there is little personal time, but the Army does offer Soldiers places to unwind and forget, for a moment, where they are.One of those places is the Walker Center—a small Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facility alongside Camp Taji’s airfield. The center is run by Bravo Company, 640th Aviation Support Battalion, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade.The Walker Center is named in honor of Spc...
Story by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Schutzmann and Staff Sgt. John Kinsey, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD–C. BAGHDAD–The 212th Military Police Company, Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, graduated 101 Iraqi Police officers from the Criminal Justice Center at Camp Liberty, Iraq. The training program curriculum, which spanned about four weeks, focused on human rights, police officer development, counter-insurgency, code of conduct, security, traffic police training, K-9 sustainment training and train-the-trainer courses designed...
We at AUSA Family Programs believe that the more knowledge our soldiers and their families have, the better able they are to make good choices and to address the challenges they may experience.We strive to assist them in gaining that knowledge by providing information about various programs.Unless you know about something you cannot take advantage of it and, therefore, you may be missing out on opportunities to request or access programs which best suit your needs.The following information is about a demonstration project for veterans requiring a specific health care service that is currently...