Brigadier general, senior NCO 'temporarily suspended' in Kuwait
Stars and Stripes
Published: October 17, 2013
A brigadier general and the top enlisted soldier of the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command have been “temporarily suspended” pending the outcome of an investigation, according to the Army.
Brig. Gen. Bryan W. Wampler, commander of the unit, and Command Sgt. Maj. Don B. Jordan were suspended Oct. 10 in Kuwait, where the unit is now deployed, according to the 1st Theater Sustainment Command.
read more here
Showing posts with label Kuwait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kuwait. Show all posts
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
No easy answers for Syria
No easy answers for Syria
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 28, 2013
The reports coming out of Syria are heartbreaking, but so have reports coming out of other nations regarding the way they treat their own people. The easy thing to say is "do something" but no one seems too interested in what comes after we do "something" and history should have taught us that lesson.
Afghanistan taught a lesson after Congressman Charlie Wilson convinced Congress to fund Afghans trying to get Russian forces out of there. The Afghans were being slaughtered and had very little to fight back with. No one was asking what would happen afterwards.
The answer came with Osama Bin Laden. "The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan begins late in the year. It profoundly influences bin Laden's course. Muslims around the world rally to the Afghan cause." But while he was furious over this, it was not until the Gulf War when he vowed to take revenge on the US.
When the Gulf War ended, President George H. W. Bush decided that sending troops into Iraq from Kuwait would cost too many lives. General Norman Schwarzkopf said "Had we taken all of Iraq, we would have been like a dinosaur in the tar pit - we would still be there, and we, not the United Nations, would be bearing the costs of that occupation."
We knew how long and what it took to get Russia out of Afghanistan before the troops were sent in back in 2001 but did not prepare for the wounded that they should have known would come. The VA was not ready but no one was. They also knew what would happen when troops were sent into Iraq. History told us much but it seems as if reporters were sticking their fingers in their ears so they would not have to hear what was being created.
The result of over a decade of war has been catastrophic for Iraq, Afghanistan and the US. No one wanted to pay the bill any more than they wanted to claim responsibility for what they had already done.
The fact that we have so many veterans suffering with wounds to their bodies and minds, military families falling apart and apathy from the other 93% of the population, leaves many with a bitter taste in our mouths. No one thought beyond wanting to "do something" so the troops pay the price, not just while deployed, but for the rest of their lives.
Now we see what can follow an attack by the US on Syria will bring. "An imminent U.S. strike on Syrian government targets in response to the alleged gassing of civilians last week has the potential to draw the United States into the country’s civil war, former U.S. officials said Tuesday, warning that history doesn’t bode well for such limited retaliatory interventions. The best historical parallels — the 1998 cruise missile strikes on targets in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan — are rife with unintended consequences and feature little success."
We've heard it all before. Some scream that "we can't let those innocent people die" but no one seems to asking what will follow doing this. Some scream "we have to respond" but never seem too interested in what we can cause. No one seems too interested in the fact this very well could cause our troops to be sent yet again into a nation to risk their lives for something politicians decided to do without thinking about the next day.
So who will pay for this war?
Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 28, 2013
The reports coming out of Syria are heartbreaking, but so have reports coming out of other nations regarding the way they treat their own people. The easy thing to say is "do something" but no one seems too interested in what comes after we do "something" and history should have taught us that lesson.
Afghanistan taught a lesson after Congressman Charlie Wilson convinced Congress to fund Afghans trying to get Russian forces out of there. The Afghans were being slaughtered and had very little to fight back with. No one was asking what would happen afterwards.
The answer came with Osama Bin Laden. "The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan begins late in the year. It profoundly influences bin Laden's course. Muslims around the world rally to the Afghan cause." But while he was furious over this, it was not until the Gulf War when he vowed to take revenge on the US.
When the Gulf War ended, President George H. W. Bush decided that sending troops into Iraq from Kuwait would cost too many lives. General Norman Schwarzkopf said "Had we taken all of Iraq, we would have been like a dinosaur in the tar pit - we would still be there, and we, not the United Nations, would be bearing the costs of that occupation."
We knew how long and what it took to get Russia out of Afghanistan before the troops were sent in back in 2001 but did not prepare for the wounded that they should have known would come. The VA was not ready but no one was. They also knew what would happen when troops were sent into Iraq. History told us much but it seems as if reporters were sticking their fingers in their ears so they would not have to hear what was being created.
The result of over a decade of war has been catastrophic for Iraq, Afghanistan and the US. No one wanted to pay the bill any more than they wanted to claim responsibility for what they had already done.
The fact that we have so many veterans suffering with wounds to their bodies and minds, military families falling apart and apathy from the other 93% of the population, leaves many with a bitter taste in our mouths. No one thought beyond wanting to "do something" so the troops pay the price, not just while deployed, but for the rest of their lives.
Now we see what can follow an attack by the US on Syria will bring. "An imminent U.S. strike on Syrian government targets in response to the alleged gassing of civilians last week has the potential to draw the United States into the country’s civil war, former U.S. officials said Tuesday, warning that history doesn’t bode well for such limited retaliatory interventions. The best historical parallels — the 1998 cruise missile strikes on targets in Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan — are rife with unintended consequences and feature little success."
We've heard it all before. Some scream that "we can't let those innocent people die" but no one seems to asking what will follow doing this. Some scream "we have to respond" but never seem too interested in what we can cause. No one seems too interested in the fact this very well could cause our troops to be sent yet again into a nation to risk their lives for something politicians decided to do without thinking about the next day.
So who will pay for this war?
Thursday, July 11, 2013
As many as 56,000 troops may see pay cut
UPDATE From Stars and Stripes
DOD eyes trimming danger-pay regions; for some it’s a ‘slap in the face’
DOD eyes trimming danger-pay regions; for some it’s a ‘slap in the face’
Pentagon Eyes Cuts in Danger Pay
Associated Press
by Lolita C. Baldo
Jul 10, 2013
WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is eyeing plans to eliminate danger pay for service members in as many as 18 countries and five waterways around the world, saving about $120 million each year while taking a bite out of troops' salaries, The Associated Press has learned.
Senior defense and military leaders are expected to meet later this week to review the matter and are poised to approve a new plan. Pentagon press secretary George Little declined to discuss details but said no final decisions have been made.
Senior military leaders came up with the proposed list of locations in their regions that no longer were perilous enough to warrant danger pay, including several countries in the heart of the tumultuous Middle East, such as Jordan, where hundreds of troops have recently deployed because of the bloody Syrian civil war on its border.
Defense officials said the proposal would strip the stipend -- which can be up to $225 per month -- from as many as 56,000 service members, including thousands stationed in Kuwait, which was a key hub during the Iraq war. It also would affect thousands of sailors who routinely travel through the Persian Gulf region on ships or airmen who fly over the Gulf.
The $225 monthly cut in pay would come regardless of the service member's base salary, which can range from a low of roughly $18,000 a year for a brand new recruit to a high of nearly $235,000 a year for a four-star general with more than 40 years in the military. Troops also can receive a variety of other allowances for housing, clothing or job specialties.
read more here
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Gulf War veterans brain scans begin to offer hope
Brain scans lead to discovery of two types of veterans suffering from Gulf War syndrome
By Alan Zarembo
Los Angeles Times
Published: June 16, 2013
LOS ANGELES - Using brain scans and exercise stress tests, researchers have identified two biologically distinct subgroups of veterans suffering from "Gulf War illness."
Their bodies reacted differently to physical exertion, and their brains had atrophied in different regions.
None of the patterns were seen in a control group of healthy subjects.
The findings, published online Friday in the journal PLOS One, are part of a growing body of work that the authors said could eventually lead to biological markers for the mysterious condition, which is still defined by its hodgepodge of symptoms.
"That's the hope," said Georgetown University researcher Rakib Rayhan, lead author of the study.
Still, the importance of the differences his team identified is far from clear, said Dr. Beatrice Golomb, an expert on Gulf War illness at UC San Diego, who was not involved in the research. There are many ways to parse any population of patients with a condition that is so variable and diverse, she said.
After the 1991 Gulf War, veterans began complaining of various problems, including pain, fatigue, headaches and cognitive impairment. The symptoms ranged from mild to debilitating.
Up to 30 percent of the 700,000 troops who served in the war are thought to be affected.
read more here
By Alan Zarembo
Los Angeles Times
Published: June 16, 2013
LOS ANGELES - Using brain scans and exercise stress tests, researchers have identified two biologically distinct subgroups of veterans suffering from "Gulf War illness."
Their bodies reacted differently to physical exertion, and their brains had atrophied in different regions.
None of the patterns were seen in a control group of healthy subjects.
The findings, published online Friday in the journal PLOS One, are part of a growing body of work that the authors said could eventually lead to biological markers for the mysterious condition, which is still defined by its hodgepodge of symptoms.
"That's the hope," said Georgetown University researcher Rakib Rayhan, lead author of the study.
Still, the importance of the differences his team identified is far from clear, said Dr. Beatrice Golomb, an expert on Gulf War illness at UC San Diego, who was not involved in the research. There are many ways to parse any population of patients with a condition that is so variable and diverse, she said.
After the 1991 Gulf War, veterans began complaining of various problems, including pain, fatigue, headaches and cognitive impairment. The symptoms ranged from mild to debilitating.
Up to 30 percent of the 700,000 troops who served in the war are thought to be affected.
read more here
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Army suspends 2-star linked to sex-assault probe
Army suspends 2-star linked to sex-assault probe
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
Jun. 8, 2013
WASHINGTON — A general who commands U.S. Army forces in Japan has been suspended from his duties for allegedly failing to report or properly investigate an allegation of sexual assault, the Army said Friday.
Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison Sr. was suspended by the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh, the Army said. It provided no details about the alleged sexual assault case.
Until the investigation of Harrison’s role is completed, Maj. Gen. James C. Boozer will take his place in Japan, the Army said.
Harrison had been selected to become deputy commander of the Army component of U.S. Central Command, based in Kuwait. That new assignment was publicly announced in February by the Pentagon, which said at the same time that Boozer would replace Harrison as commander in Japan.
read more here
By Robert Burns
The Associated Press
Jun. 8, 2013
WASHINGTON — A general who commands U.S. Army forces in Japan has been suspended from his duties for allegedly failing to report or properly investigate an allegation of sexual assault, the Army said Friday.
Maj. Gen. Michael T. Harrison Sr. was suspended by the Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno and Army Secretary John McHugh, the Army said. It provided no details about the alleged sexual assault case.
Until the investigation of Harrison’s role is completed, Maj. Gen. James C. Boozer will take his place in Japan, the Army said.
Harrison had been selected to become deputy commander of the Army component of U.S. Central Command, based in Kuwait. That new assignment was publicly announced in February by the Pentagon, which said at the same time that Boozer would replace Harrison as commander in Japan.
read more here
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Fort Carson soldier survived 3 tours, killed at home
Tennessee soldier shot, killed in Colorado home
Published March 06, 2013
Associated Press
WIDEFIELD, Colo. – Authorities say a soldier from Tennessee has been shot and killed at his home in Colorado, and a juvenile member of his family is a suspect.
Army Sgt. James Fleming died Saturday in Widefield, a town near Fort Carson, where he was stationed.
Published March 06, 2013
Associated Press
WIDEFIELD, Colo. – Authorities say a soldier from Tennessee has been shot and killed at his home in Colorado, and a juvenile member of his family is a suspect.
Army Sgt. James Fleming died Saturday in Widefield, a town near Fort Carson, where he was stationed.
The 36-year-old Fleming was a mechanic from Cordova, Tenn. The 11-year veteran had deployed to Iraq three times and Kuwait once.
read more here
Friday, February 22, 2013
Fort Collins truck fire put out by Iraq Veteran
Fort Collins truck fire knocked down by Army Veteran
Feb 21, 2013
Written by
Robert Allen
A potentially destructive truck fire at a Fort Collins shopping center was stopped at its source by a quick-thinking Army veteran with a fire extinguisher.
The smoke rising from the compact pick-up parked just outside a liquor store near Shields Street and Drake Road first appeared like blowing snow.
"I was having a drink after work, and we thought at first it was stuff blowing off the roof," said Rodney Ring, 25. "But the smoke got darker."
Feb 21, 2013
Written by
Robert Allen
A potentially destructive truck fire at a Fort Collins shopping center was stopped at its source by a quick-thinking Army veteran with a fire extinguisher.
The smoke rising from the compact pick-up parked just outside a liquor store near Shields Street and Drake Road first appeared like blowing snow.
"I was having a drink after work, and we thought at first it was stuff blowing off the roof," said Rodney Ring, 25. "But the smoke got darker."
Ring, who served eight years in the Army, including tours as a scout sniper in Iraq and Kuwait, said he received National Guard training last year to serve this year as an emergency wildland firefighter.
read more here
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Andrew Steiner, Army Reservist, died the way he lived, helping other people
Army veteran's kind last act comforts grieving family
Published February 10, 2013
Associated Press
GREEN BAY, Wis. – After watching their son survive a pair of military stints in Kuwait and Afghanistan, Andrew Steiner's parents were devastated when he was killed helping the victims of a minor Brown County traffic crash last month. But Douglas and Nicole Steiner took solace in one fact: Steiner died the way he lived, helping other people.
Andrew Steiner, a 26-year-old U.S. Army reservist, was driving to Howard just after midnight Jan. 27 when he and a friend came upon the scene of a minor crash. As they checked on the vehicles' occupants, another vehicle slammed into the wreckage, launching Steiner over an overpass railing about 30 feet away.
read more here
Published February 10, 2013
Associated Press
GREEN BAY, Wis. – After watching their son survive a pair of military stints in Kuwait and Afghanistan, Andrew Steiner's parents were devastated when he was killed helping the victims of a minor Brown County traffic crash last month. But Douglas and Nicole Steiner took solace in one fact: Steiner died the way he lived, helping other people.
Andrew Steiner, a 26-year-old U.S. Army reservist, was driving to Howard just after midnight Jan. 27 when he and a friend came upon the scene of a minor crash. As they checked on the vehicles' occupants, another vehicle slammed into the wreckage, launching Steiner over an overpass railing about 30 feet away.
read more here
Saturday, February 2, 2013
This soldier must love kittens
6 minutes ago
Photo of soldier, furry friend makes a viral splash on the web
By MEREDITH TIBBETTS
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 2, 2013
Pfc. Kevin Davidson takes a cat nap with a stray that was "adopted" by some troops at a U.S. base in Kuwait.
COURTESY OF KEVIN DAVIDSON
It’s just an image of two friends sleeping together: a warm cat seeking comfort with U.S. soldier Pfc. Kevin Davidson in Kuwait. But it went viral on the Web with the help of reddit.com and Purina pet food.
Perhaps the cat could smell food cooking inside the base or maybe it was looking for a place out of the sun. On Christmas Eve the feline curled up outside a U.S. base in Kuwait to lie down for a nap.
Like other cats and dogs at overseas posts, troops noticed him and took him inside the base. Despite the fact that “adopting as pets or mascots, caring for, or feeding any type of domestic or wild animal” is a punishable offense under the UCMJ, taking in a furry local is commonly overlooked.
As one lieutenant colonel told Stars and Stripes in 2010, there’s a lot more to worry about in the life-and-death world of a war zone than who’s sneaking puppies and kittens.
Photo of soldier, furry friend makes a viral splash on the web
By MEREDITH TIBBETTS
Stars and Stripes
Published: February 2, 2013
COURTESY OF KEVIN DAVIDSON
It’s just an image of two friends sleeping together: a warm cat seeking comfort with U.S. soldier Pfc. Kevin Davidson in Kuwait. But it went viral on the Web with the help of reddit.com and Purina pet food.
Perhaps the cat could smell food cooking inside the base or maybe it was looking for a place out of the sun. On Christmas Eve the feline curled up outside a U.S. base in Kuwait to lie down for a nap.
Like other cats and dogs at overseas posts, troops noticed him and took him inside the base. Despite the fact that “adopting as pets or mascots, caring for, or feeding any type of domestic or wild animal” is a punishable offense under the UCMJ, taking in a furry local is commonly overlooked.
As one lieutenant colonel told Stars and Stripes in 2010, there’s a lot more to worry about in the life-and-death world of a war zone than who’s sneaking puppies and kittens.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Florida reacts to death of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
Florida reacts to death of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf
Tampa Bay
By Robbyn Mitchell
Times Staff Writer
In Print: Friday, December 28, 2012
TAMPA — It was hot and clear as the military plane zipped through Tampa's airspace.
In front of a frenzied crowd, the plane landed, the door opened and out stepped Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, followed by soldiers returning from kicking Iraqi troops out of Kuwait.
"He was larger than life," recalled U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, who was at the old Tampa Stadium for that public thank you on May 5, 1991.
"He was a hero who controlled a war that was minimal cost in money and in causalities," Young said. "He went over there, dug them out of the sand, whipped Saddam Hussein's tail and sent them flying back to Baghdad."
Gen. Schwarzkopf came to Tampa in 1988 as the head of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base. He was ordered by then-President George H.W. Bush to initiate Operation Desert Storm, and the sweeping success of that campaign endeared him the nation and his new neighbors.
read more here
Tampa Bay
By Robbyn Mitchell
Times Staff Writer
In Print: Friday, December 28, 2012
TAMPA — It was hot and clear as the military plane zipped through Tampa's airspace.
In front of a frenzied crowd, the plane landed, the door opened and out stepped Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, followed by soldiers returning from kicking Iraqi troops out of Kuwait.
"He was larger than life," recalled U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young, who was at the old Tampa Stadium for that public thank you on May 5, 1991.
"He was a hero who controlled a war that was minimal cost in money and in causalities," Young said. "He went over there, dug them out of the sand, whipped Saddam Hussein's tail and sent them flying back to Baghdad."
Gen. Schwarzkopf came to Tampa in 1988 as the head of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base. He was ordered by then-President George H.W. Bush to initiate Operation Desert Storm, and the sweeping success of that campaign endeared him the nation and his new neighbors.
read more here
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness - and hope
Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness - and hope
Kelly Kennedy
USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Gulf War illness, the series of symptoms ranging from headaches to memory loss to chronic fatigue that plagues one of four veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to damage to the autonomic nervous system, a study released Monday shows.
"This is the linchpin," said the study's lead author, Robert Haley, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
"The disease itself is so difficult to express and to understand," Haley said, explaining that veterans described simply that they "don't feel well" or "can't function," without being able to further explain a disease that affects the automatic functions of their bodies, such as heat regulation, sleep or even their heartbeats. read more here
Kelly Kennedy
USA TODAY
A study finds that Gulf War Illness, or the series of symptoms that plagues 1 out of 4 veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to damage to the autonomic nervous system.November 26. 2012
WASHINGTON — Gulf War illness, the series of symptoms ranging from headaches to memory loss to chronic fatigue that plagues one of four veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to damage to the autonomic nervous system, a study released Monday shows.
"This is the linchpin," said the study's lead author, Robert Haley, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
"The disease itself is so difficult to express and to understand," Haley said, explaining that veterans described simply that they "don't feel well" or "can't function," without being able to further explain a disease that affects the automatic functions of their bodies, such as heat regulation, sleep or even their heartbeats. read more here
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Maine guardsman dies in Kuwait
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Aug 29, 2012
PORTLAND, Maine — A soldier from Maine who served in the National Guard has died in Kuwait, military officials said Wednesday.
Staff Sgt. Jessica Wing, 42, of Glenburn, died Monday, the Department of Defense said. Officials said her death wasn’t related to combat, but they didn’t provide details on the circumstances.
Wing was a helicopter crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment out of Bangor. The unit provides medical evacuation to patients and military personnel using medically equipped UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
read more here
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
VA Accused of Spinning Gulf War Veterans’ Health
VA Accused of Spinning Gulf War Veterans’ Health
Posted on August 20, 2012 by VCS
From 91outcomes.com and Friend of VCS and Gulf War Veteran Anthony Hardie
NEWSMAX The Wire, Aug. 15, 2012 – Members of a federal committee created by Congress say the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) … isn’t telling the truth about its treatment of America’s veterans, and the department’s latest public statements are more spin than substance.
The VA recently issued a lengthy press release touting its alleged accomplishments regarding Gulf War Illness.
But several members of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans (RAC) — created by Congress in 1998 to advise the VA on Gulf War health issues — say the press release is filled with misleading and inaccurate statements. Some members of RAC, which is comprised of physicians, scientists, and veterans, tell Newsmax they are outraged by the press release — and …. neglect of men and women who served in the 1990-1991 war against Iraq.
Anthony Hardie, a Gulf War Army Special Ops veteran and RAC member since 2005, tells Newsmax… the VA “totally ignored” a RAC report released in late June that gave the department a unanimous vote of “no confidence” for its “failure to develop treatments for the estimated 250,000 veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness.”
In a landmark 2010 report, Gulf War Illness was ruled a legitimate disease — not a psychological ailment— by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a nonprofit organization that provides nonpartisan advice to decision-makers and the public.
But the VA now seems determined to reverse that historic decision and downplay the problem, committee members say.
read more here
Posted on August 20, 2012 by VCS
From 91outcomes.com and Friend of VCS and Gulf War Veteran Anthony Hardie
NEWSMAX The Wire, Aug. 15, 2012 – Members of a federal committee created by Congress say the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) … isn’t telling the truth about its treatment of America’s veterans, and the department’s latest public statements are more spin than substance.
The VA recently issued a lengthy press release touting its alleged accomplishments regarding Gulf War Illness.
But several members of the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans (RAC) — created by Congress in 1998 to advise the VA on Gulf War health issues — say the press release is filled with misleading and inaccurate statements. Some members of RAC, which is comprised of physicians, scientists, and veterans, tell Newsmax they are outraged by the press release — and …. neglect of men and women who served in the 1990-1991 war against Iraq.
Anthony Hardie, a Gulf War Army Special Ops veteran and RAC member since 2005, tells Newsmax… the VA “totally ignored” a RAC report released in late June that gave the department a unanimous vote of “no confidence” for its “failure to develop treatments for the estimated 250,000 veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness.”
In a landmark 2010 report, Gulf War Illness was ruled a legitimate disease — not a psychological ailment— by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a nonprofit organization that provides nonpartisan advice to decision-makers and the public.
But the VA now seems determined to reverse that historic decision and downplay the problem, committee members say.
read more here
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Cleveland Browns' Seneca Wallace USO Tour
Pretty good shooting from a football player and not a cameraman!
Greetings again from The NOC!
I want to pass along a new feature on the recent USO tour of The Cleveland Browns' Seneca Wallace. Wallace video documented his four-day stint in Kuwait, after which he sat down with The NOC to talk about the experience and narrative his footage.
The piece that emerged is unique in its perspective and fascinating in its access; it's a meditation on opportunity and responsibility that speaks to the tremendous sacrifice made by our troops abroad. We'd love you to consider sharing it with your readers.
Might make for a nice 4th of July feature.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
National Guards soldiers lose weeks of post deployment pay
Guard Soldiers Rail Against Policy That Reduces Paid Leave
March 13, 2012
Stars and Stripes|by Megan McCloskey
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -- The Pentagon has stripped weeks of post-deployment leave from many National Guard soldiers, leaving units already overseas facing a drastically different scenario returning home than they had expected.
Soldiers now in Kuwait with the Minnesota National Guard will receive at least 21 fewer leave days than they were told when they deployed -- a month's pay gone. And more importantly, they say, a month less time to spend with family and to reintegrate before returning to their civilian jobs.
"It's a game changer," Capt. Matt Bruns said.
The soldiers expected that leave time because of a policy the Pentagon started in 2007 to make up for repeatedly deploying soldiers without adequate dwell time. Guard soldiers are supposed to have five years in between deployments, but with the two wars, units have been deploying more frequently.
The policy provided an increasing number of days off for each month soldiers were deployed beyond 12 months, 18 months and 24 months in a five-year period. For many of the Minnesota Guard soldiers, who spent 22 months mobilized for the Iraq war from 2005 to 2007, they deployed last summer to assist with the Iraq drawdown, expecting to earn four days of additional time off for nearly every month they were gone. But in October, midway through their tour and as they racked up millions of miles providing security for convoys exiting Iraq, the Pentagon changed the policy for all units, regardless of whether they were already deployed. Now, instead of earning four days each month, the Minnesota Guard soldiers will get one day per month.
read more here
March 13, 2012
Stars and Stripes|by Megan McCloskey
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -- The Pentagon has stripped weeks of post-deployment leave from many National Guard soldiers, leaving units already overseas facing a drastically different scenario returning home than they had expected.
Soldiers now in Kuwait with the Minnesota National Guard will receive at least 21 fewer leave days than they were told when they deployed -- a month's pay gone. And more importantly, they say, a month less time to spend with family and to reintegrate before returning to their civilian jobs.
"It's a game changer," Capt. Matt Bruns said.
The soldiers expected that leave time because of a policy the Pentagon started in 2007 to make up for repeatedly deploying soldiers without adequate dwell time. Guard soldiers are supposed to have five years in between deployments, but with the two wars, units have been deploying more frequently.
The policy provided an increasing number of days off for each month soldiers were deployed beyond 12 months, 18 months and 24 months in a five-year period. For many of the Minnesota Guard soldiers, who spent 22 months mobilized for the Iraq war from 2005 to 2007, they deployed last summer to assist with the Iraq drawdown, expecting to earn four days of additional time off for nearly every month they were gone. But in October, midway through their tour and as they racked up millions of miles providing security for convoys exiting Iraq, the Pentagon changed the policy for all units, regardless of whether they were already deployed. Now, instead of earning four days each month, the Minnesota Guard soldiers will get one day per month.
read more here
Monday, January 30, 2012
Over 800 South Carolina National Guard soldiers set to deploy this weekend
Over 800 soldiers set to deploy this weekend
Jan 29, 2012
By Stefanie Bainum
sbainum@abcnews4.com
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) – Over 800 local soldiers from the 118th Infantry Army National Guard will be deployed this weekend. A ceremony for the soldiers and their families was held on Saturday at the National Guard armory in North Charleston.
One-by-one Lowcountry soldiers are preparing for what could be a year-long deployment to Kuwait.
"It's kind of bittersweet. This is the end of the training we've been doing everyday, including online training, several trips to other countries for training, but it's the beginning of what's in front of us," said Captain Plowden Dickson of the 118th Infantry.
For Dickson's family -- it's a sacrifice they've made before, but one that always takes some getting used to.
"We openly talk about missing him, our feelings, we just try to keep our routine the same and incorporate the deployment into our lives by writing letters and staying active," said Laurie Dickson, wife of Captain Dickson. "It is bittersweet, but we know that he's going to go out there and make a difference as well as all the soldiers and it's an honor being a military spouse."
It's a goodbye no family can prepare for-- but one military families across the country face everyday.
read more here
Jan 29, 2012
By Stefanie Bainum
sbainum@abcnews4.com
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) – Over 800 local soldiers from the 118th Infantry Army National Guard will be deployed this weekend. A ceremony for the soldiers and their families was held on Saturday at the National Guard armory in North Charleston.
One-by-one Lowcountry soldiers are preparing for what could be a year-long deployment to Kuwait.
"It's kind of bittersweet. This is the end of the training we've been doing everyday, including online training, several trips to other countries for training, but it's the beginning of what's in front of us," said Captain Plowden Dickson of the 118th Infantry.
For Dickson's family -- it's a sacrifice they've made before, but one that always takes some getting used to.
"We openly talk about missing him, our feelings, we just try to keep our routine the same and incorporate the deployment into our lives by writing letters and staying active," said Laurie Dickson, wife of Captain Dickson. "It is bittersweet, but we know that he's going to go out there and make a difference as well as all the soldiers and it's an honor being a military spouse."
It's a goodbye no family can prepare for-- but one military families across the country face everyday.
read more here
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Maj. Thomas B. Bryant sings for betterment of troops
Third Army soldier sings for betterment of troops
13th Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Cpl. Christopher Calvert
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – For many, singing offers an outlet to express one’s feelings. Troops often find singing helps pass the time during a deployment while building esprit de corps among members of a unit. For one Third Army soldier, singing is more than just a hobby; it’s a way to help his fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
Maj. Thomas B. Bryant, Third Army/ARCENT Logistics, deputy plans chief and Silver Creek, Miss., native, grew up singing his entire life.
“I’m the son of a preacher,” said Bryant. “I’ve been singing pretty much all of my life. It’s just been one of those things God has blessed me with. I like to make people feel what I’m feeling, and singing helps me accomplish this.”
When Bryant graduated from high school, he felt compelled to join the U.S. Army Reserves and serve his country like his father did before him, he said.
“My father was prior military,” Bryant explained. “I felt obligated to do something for my country as well. My father was a little reluctant for me to join, but after I did and found it was something I really enjoyed, he gave me 120 percent of his support.”
After serving six years in the Reserves, Bryant decided to transfer to active duty and was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1995, then transferred to the Quartermaster Corps in 1998.
It was after this transition that Bryant realized the true power of his singing and began wondering how he could use it to better his fellow soldiers, many of whom would go on to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental illnesses after multiple deployments, he said.
“I felt compelled to tell the story of the nation being at war for the past 10 years,” explained Bryant. “How could I capture that in a 3.5 minute song? A lot of my fellow comrades have made the ultimate sacrifice, and many who came home are suffering from PTSD and things of that nature. I was able to record the song ‘Fall on my Knees,’ and I pray that it is a blessing and an inspiration to all of my fellow service members.”
read more here
13th Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Cpl. Christopher Calvert
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – For many, singing offers an outlet to express one’s feelings. Troops often find singing helps pass the time during a deployment while building esprit de corps among members of a unit. For one Third Army soldier, singing is more than just a hobby; it’s a way to help his fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
Maj. Thomas B. Bryant, Third Army/ARCENT Logistics, deputy plans chief and Silver Creek, Miss., native, grew up singing his entire life.
“I’m the son of a preacher,” said Bryant. “I’ve been singing pretty much all of my life. It’s just been one of those things God has blessed me with. I like to make people feel what I’m feeling, and singing helps me accomplish this.”
When Bryant graduated from high school, he felt compelled to join the U.S. Army Reserves and serve his country like his father did before him, he said.
“My father was prior military,” Bryant explained. “I felt obligated to do something for my country as well. My father was a little reluctant for me to join, but after I did and found it was something I really enjoyed, he gave me 120 percent of his support.”
After serving six years in the Reserves, Bryant decided to transfer to active duty and was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1995, then transferred to the Quartermaster Corps in 1998.
It was after this transition that Bryant realized the true power of his singing and began wondering how he could use it to better his fellow soldiers, many of whom would go on to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental illnesses after multiple deployments, he said.
“I felt compelled to tell the story of the nation being at war for the past 10 years,” explained Bryant. “How could I capture that in a 3.5 minute song? A lot of my fellow comrades have made the ultimate sacrifice, and many who came home are suffering from PTSD and things of that nature. I was able to record the song ‘Fall on my Knees,’ and I pray that it is a blessing and an inspiration to all of my fellow service members.”
read more here
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Mom Soldier surprises Redding son with classroom visit
Soldier surprises Redding son with classroom visit
By Record Searchlight staff
Posted December 21, 2011
A 7-year-old Columbia Elementary School student, a shocked look on his face, got the best Christmas present ever today.
It’s been more than a year since first-grader Jacob Larkin saw, embraced and kissed his mother, U.S. Army Spec. Tammy Walker of Redding.
But he got to do all three today as his 26-year-old mother, who could not hold back her tears, paid a surprise visit to her son and his class after returning home on what is a much-too-short leave.
“My emotions are all over the place,” said Walker as she dabbed her eyes.
read more here
By Record Searchlight staff
Posted December 21, 2011
A 7-year-old Columbia Elementary School student, a shocked look on his face, got the best Christmas present ever today.
It’s been more than a year since first-grader Jacob Larkin saw, embraced and kissed his mother, U.S. Army Spec. Tammy Walker of Redding.
But he got to do all three today as his 26-year-old mother, who could not hold back her tears, paid a surprise visit to her son and his class after returning home on what is a much-too-short leave.
“My emotions are all over the place,” said Walker as she dabbed her eyes.
read more here
Saturday, April 30, 2011
U.S. citizens who claim they were tortured or traumatized by Saddam will get some justice
Iraq approves $400M for Kuwait invasion victims
By Rebecca Santana - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Apr 30, 2011 15:25:58 EDT
BAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers approved a controversial $400 million settlement Saturday for Americans who claim they were abused by Saddam Hussein’s regime during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The settlement is part of a deal reached between Baghdad and Washington last year to end years of legal battles by U.S. citizens who claim they were tortured or traumatized, including hundreds held as human shields.
Many Iraqis consider themselves victims of both Saddam’s regime and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and wonder why they should pay money for wrongs committed by the ousted dictator.
Lawmakers approved the settlement by a majority after listening to the foreign and finance ministers as well as the head of the central bank describe why it was necessary, said Abbas al-Bayati of the State of Law political bloc.
Another lawmaker, Mahmoud Othman, said by approving the settlement, Iraq would be protecting itself from more lawsuits in the future that could have been well above the $400 million that was agreed to.
“They explained very well what was the settlement and how it will be negative if we don’t approve it,” he said. “That’s why people were persuaded.”
read more here
Iraq approves $400M for Kuwait invasion victims
By Rebecca Santana - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Apr 30, 2011 15:25:58 EDT
BAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers approved a controversial $400 million settlement Saturday for Americans who claim they were abused by Saddam Hussein’s regime during the 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The settlement is part of a deal reached between Baghdad and Washington last year to end years of legal battles by U.S. citizens who claim they were tortured or traumatized, including hundreds held as human shields.
Many Iraqis consider themselves victims of both Saddam’s regime and the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and wonder why they should pay money for wrongs committed by the ousted dictator.
Lawmakers approved the settlement by a majority after listening to the foreign and finance ministers as well as the head of the central bank describe why it was necessary, said Abbas al-Bayati of the State of Law political bloc.
Another lawmaker, Mahmoud Othman, said by approving the settlement, Iraq would be protecting itself from more lawsuits in the future that could have been well above the $400 million that was agreed to.
“They explained very well what was the settlement and how it will be negative if we don’t approve it,” he said. “That’s why people were persuaded.”
read more here
Iraq approves $400M for Kuwait invasion victims
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Florida National Guard members returning home from Kuwait and Iraq
Florida National Guard members returning home from Kuwait and Iraq
2,500 from 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team due to return home by late December
By Henry Pierson Curtis, Orlando Sentinel
6:48 p.m. EST, November 28, 2010
Arriving before dawn, a contingent of the Florida National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived in South Georgia on Sunday after serving much of the year in Kuwait and Iraq.
Returning soldiers called out their hometowns — Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee — as they walked from a chartered jet at Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah.
Carrying backpacks and rifles, the 150 men and women on the flight were the first of 2,500 members of the unit scheduled to return home by late December, said Lt. Col. Ron Tittle.
"Most were responsible for security operations in Kuwait and escorting convoys into Iraq," said Tittle, who filmed Sunday's return for the National Guard's Facebook page. "The plan is to get them all home before Christmas Eve."
Most of the returning soldiers were heading to military schools after a "Welcome Home" ceremony and five-day demobilization at Fort Stewart in southern Georgia. They were mobilized in January when the unit left Florida for training at Fort Hood in Texas before flying to Kuwait in March, according to the National Guard.
Two members of the unit died during the year.
read more here
Florida National Guard members returning home
2,500 from 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team due to return home by late December
By Henry Pierson Curtis, Orlando Sentinel
6:48 p.m. EST, November 28, 2010
Arriving before dawn, a contingent of the Florida National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived in South Georgia on Sunday after serving much of the year in Kuwait and Iraq.
Returning soldiers called out their hometowns — Orlando, Tampa, Tallahassee — as they walked from a chartered jet at Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah.
Carrying backpacks and rifles, the 150 men and women on the flight were the first of 2,500 members of the unit scheduled to return home by late December, said Lt. Col. Ron Tittle.
"Most were responsible for security operations in Kuwait and escorting convoys into Iraq," said Tittle, who filmed Sunday's return for the National Guard's Facebook page. "The plan is to get them all home before Christmas Eve."
Most of the returning soldiers were heading to military schools after a "Welcome Home" ceremony and five-day demobilization at Fort Stewart in southern Georgia. They were mobilized in January when the unit left Florida for training at Fort Hood in Texas before flying to Kuwait in March, according to the National Guard.
Two members of the unit died during the year.
read more here
Florida National Guard members returning home
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