Story and photo by Spc. William K. Ermatinger, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD—A key factor in any military’s success is its ability to train new Soldiers. To assist in facilitating this ability within the Iraqi Army, Soldiers with B Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center work regularly with new Soldiers of the 11th Iraqi Army Division on basic Soldier skills at Joint Security Station Old Ministry of Defense in eastern Baghdad.During one regularly-scheduled training session between B Co...
Story and photo by Capt. Tiffany M. Collins, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division-Center Public AffairsCAMP RAMADI, Iraq – With less than 24 hours in-country, Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Devens, who recently took the reins as sergeant major for United States Division-Center, embarked on a whirlwind journey to acquaint himself with units within the USD-C footprint. First stop, Camp Ramadi and the Soldiers of the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, who are responsible for the advising, training and assisting Iraqi Security Forces in Al Anbar...
Story and photo by Staff Sgt. Tanya Thomas, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division-Center Public AffairsCAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq – Gusty winds and low visibility during another Iraq sandstorm didn’t deter Soldiers from the Iraqi Army’s 8th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division willingness to train. About 30 Soldiers from the Iraqi brigade joined U.S. Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, recently, to take part in Operation Eagle’s Talon, a five-day exercise that allows the...
Story by Staff Sgt. Tanya Thomas, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division-Center RAMADI, Iraq –Iraqi Police officers received a crash course on crime scene investigation as part of the 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division’s ongoing mission to enable the Government of Iraq and provide the Iraqi citizens with a safer, more secure, and sovereign country.Specialists Jonathan Lainez and Derek Jackson—both infantrymen and trained members of one of the Vanguard Brigade’s special weapons...
Story and photos by 2nd Lt. Daniel Elmblad, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD—While some people may feel a bit squeamish about spending time around medical procedures—especially those involving blood or needles— the medics of 6th “Saber” Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center jump at every opportunity to do just that, which, in turn, improves their medical and life-saving skills.The medics of 6th Sqdn., 9th Cav. Regt. are trained to Level 1 care standards that allow them to set up and run an...
TRICARE 26 program "on fast track." The Department of Defense announced details of the premium-based TRICARE Young Adult Program (TYAP) which extends medical coverage to eligible military family members to the age of 26.Expected to be in place later this spring, TYAP implements a provision included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2011. Premium costs for TYAP are not yet finalized, but the NDAA specifies rates must cover the full cost of the program.The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 required civilian health plans to offer coverage to adult...
AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare (ILW) recently published a Defense Report on the Declaration on Defense and Security Co-operation, a defense treaty signed by France and Britain on Nov 2.Titled "The French-British Defense Treaty: Setting History Aside?" (Defense Report 11-1, January 2011), the paper examines how the treaty may pave the way to a new level of cooperation, surpassing anything previously achieved between the two countries on a bilateral basis.France and Britain are well matched to cooperate on defense as equal partners, given the similarities in national objectives and...
Oversight plan for House defense panel released. The House Armed Services Committee recently released its draft oversight plan for the 112th Congress.AUSA was pleased to see that in many areas, the oversight plan agrees with our 2011 Resolutions. (To see all of AUSA’s 2011 Resolutions, go to http://www.ausa.org and click on Legislative Agenda). The plan identifies specific areas and subjects that will receive special attention for the next two legislative years including: Force ProtectionForce protection will continue to be emphasized as a high priority issue for special oversight. The...
It generally takes four years to develop a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet. It took about a minute Jan. 8 to transition two students from cadets to second lieutenants in the United States Army.The Army’s newest officers received their oaths of office on the Alamodome field in San Antonio, Texas, prior to kickoff of the 11th Annual All-American Bowl in what proved to be a demonstration of ROTC’s mission: Commission the future leadership of the American Army.For Veronica Perez of the University of Texas-San Antonio and Jamie Carpenter of the University of the Incarnate Word, the...
I began the January column with the news that neither a defense authorization nor a defense appropriations bill had been signed.I am happy to report that on the very last day of the 111th Congress, a pared-down defense authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2011was passed by both houses of Congress and in early January was signed by the president.The good news is that, unlike federal civilians, military personnel will get a pay raise. The bad news is that it is the smallest in many years at 1.4 percent.It also extends for one year the prohibition on premium and co-pay increases for TRICARE Prime...
The longest-running high school all-star game in the nation was played out in front of a nationally televised audience Jan. 8, when the U.S. Army-sponsored All-American Bowl kicked off at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.In an East versus West match-up, the East edged out the West team 13 to 10 in front of a record crowd of 37,893.Recognized as the Army’s premier recruiting activity, the annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl game began with a mix of future, current and past heroes in Army combat uniforms, alongside the nation’s most talented high school football players.The director for...
AUSA Family Programs often partners with other associations or groups to provide assistance to families for the various challenges we know they are experiencing.Stronger Families is one of our partner organizations and we recently sponsored a number of Army families to attend an "Oxygen for Your Relationship" Seminar.Every day, members of our military put their lives on the line to serve and protect our country. Unfortunately, in their fight for freedom, many return home to struggling marriages and stressed families.Numerous military marriages are under heavy pressure due to the strain of...
If it continues on its current path, North Korea could be a "direct threat" to the United States in five years or less, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Jan. 11 in Beijing, China.Gates has shared with Chinese officials America’s concern about North Korea, and the need for stability on the peninsula. He spoke to reporters at a roundtable following meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao.Gates told reporters that North Korea is not an immediate threat to the United States."But on the other hand, I don’t think it is a five-year threat," he said. "Let me be precise. I think that North...
Story and photos by Sgt. Joseph Weichel, 2nd AAB, 1st Inf. Div., USD-C BAGHDAD—Soldiers with the 94th “Patriot” Military Police Company, attached to Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, have spent the last year helping to develop the Iraqi Police by implementing training programs designed to improve the tactics and procedures of Iraqi law enforcement. One of the programs “Patriot” MPs and the Iraqi Police have worked on together is a working dog training course located at the Criminal Justice Center in Baghdad. “The...
Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., Army War College Class of 1978, president of the Association of the United States Army and the 32nd Army chief of staff (1991 – 1995), was honored with an Outstanding Alumni Award for his military leadership and long-term influence on the nation and national defense at a ceremony Dec. 2 with current and future strategic leaders at the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) in Carlisle, Pa.The award’s justification noted that Sullivan leads the Association of the U.S. Army, promoting programs for soldiers and their families, creating opportunities for professional...