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September 2, 2010

As U.S. deaths in Afghanistan rise, military families grow critical

Some families of service members killed in the war say the rules of engagement protect Afghan civilians at the expense of American troops. U.S. combat tolls have peaked this summer.

By David Zucchino, Los Angeles Times
September 2, 2010

Reporting from Queensbury, N.Y. — Bill and Beverly Osborn still can't bring themselves to erase the phone message from their son Ben. He had called from Afghanistan in June to assure them that he was safe. Four days later, he was killed in a Taliban ambush.

Continue reading "As U.S. deaths in Afghanistan rise, military families grow critical" »

August 31, 2010

Airlift moves mountains for Afghanistan surge

Headquarters Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
Story by Master Sgt. Scott Sturkol
Date08.31.2010

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- During a recent commander's call, Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., Air Mobility Command commander, may have best cited the importance of airlift to today's military when he said, "One mission can change the world."

Continue reading "Airlift moves mountains for Afghanistan surge" »

August 30, 2010

Rights groups challenge Obama on targeted killings

30 Aug 2010 21:48:39 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Civil liberties groups sued the Obama administration on Monday over a program they said illegally tries to kill U.S. citizens believed to be militants living abroad, like the anti-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

Continue reading "Rights groups challenge Obama on targeted killings" »

Protest at military funeral ignites a test of free speech

By Joan Biskupic, USA TODAY
August 30, 2010

YORK, Pa. — Albert Snyder tears up, then turns angry as he recalls burying his Marine son while members of the anti-gay fundamentalist Westboro Baptist Church picketed nearby.

Continue reading "Protest at military funeral ignites a test of free speech" »

August 27, 2010

Slashing suspect traveled with Marines for weeks

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer – August 26, 2010

WASHINGTON – The U.S. military says there was no sign the suspect in the slashing of a New York cab driver might not be able to cope with the experience of living with troops fighting in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Slashing suspect traveled with Marines for weeks" »

David Cameron Afghanistan 'attack' base is revealed

27 August 2010 Last updated at 11:16 ET

The Taliban have revealed the base from which they planned to shoot down the prime minister's helicopter during his first visit to Afghanistan in June.

Continue reading "David Cameron Afghanistan 'attack' base is revealed" »

Denmark rejects NATO request for F-16s

AAP
August 27, 2010, 12:35 am

Denmark has turned down a NATO request to send F-16 fighters to Afghanistan as it believes it has done enough for the international military mission there, the foreign minister said Thursday.

Continue reading "Denmark rejects NATO request for F-16s" »

The Afghan war from behind enemy lines: Documentary follows Taliban as they attack U.S. soldiers

By James White
Last updated at 2:38 PM on 27th August 2010

A documentary made by a Norwegian journalist embedded with Taliban fighters has provided a rare glimpse of the other side of the Afghanistan conflict.

Continue reading "The Afghan war from behind enemy lines: Documentary follows Taliban as they attack U.S. soldiers" »

August 26, 2010

Oval Office address by Obama to mark 'important milepost', shift from Iraq to Afghanistan

By MARK S. SMITH , Associated Press
Last update: August 26, 2010 - 3:43 PM

VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. - With his Oval Office speech Tuesday night, President Barack Obama will signal a shift in America's focus from the Iraq War to the war in Afghanistan, his spokesman said Thursday.

Continue reading "Oval Office address by Obama to mark 'important milepost', shift from Iraq to Afghanistan" »

Top U.S. Commando Says War Demands Compromising Hunt for Deadliest Weapons

By Tony Capaccio - Aug 26, 2010 1:06 PM PT

The commitment of elite commandos to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has compromised their hunt worldwide for weapons of mass destruction, according to the head of U.S. special forces.

Continue reading "Top U.S. Commando Says War Demands Compromising Hunt for Deadliest Weapons" »

Spaniards rethink Afghanistan after fatal shooting

The shooting death of three Spaniards at a military base in Afghanistan has prompted renewed calls for the government to declare the war on the Taliban a failure and join other coalition countries in withdrawing.

By DANIEL WOOLLS
Associated Press Writer
Originally published Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 5:32 AM

MADRID —
The shooting death of three Spaniards at a military base in Afghanistan has prompted renewed calls for the government to declare the war on the Taliban a failure and join other coalition countries in withdrawing.

Continue reading "Spaniards rethink Afghanistan after fatal shooting" »

WikiLeaks builds a legal shield in Sweden

By Mia Shanley – August 26, 2010

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Two young Swedes hammer away at computers in a space that is part garage, part college dorm, littered with cables, Coke cans and an empty bottle of ketchup.

Continue reading "WikiLeaks builds a legal shield in Sweden" »

August 25, 2010

Rape case against WikiLeaks founder dismissed

By MALIN RISING, Associated Press Writer – August 25,2010

STOCKHOLM – A Swedish prosecutor said Wednesday she will continue investigating an accusation of molestation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange but formally dismissed another case that was initially labeled a suspected rape.

Continue reading "Rape case against WikiLeaks founder dismissed" »

August 24, 2010

Stryker soldiers allegedly plotted to kill Afghan civilians

In one of the most serious war-crimes cases to emerge from the Afghanistan war, five soldiers from a Stryker infantry brigade based at Joint Base Lewis- McChord are now charged with murder for their alleged roles in the random killings of three Afghan civilians.

By Hal Bernton
Seattle Times staff reporter
Originally published August 24, 2010 at 9:38 PM

Last December, Army Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs began joking with other soldiers about how easy it would be to "toss a grenade" at Afghan civilians and kill them, according to statements made by fellow platoon members to military investigators.

Continue reading "Stryker soldiers allegedly plotted to kill Afghan civilians" »

With U.S. Approval, Moscow Heads Back to Afghanistan

By Jason Motlagh Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev played host last week to Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the leaders of Pakistan and Tajikistan at the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The group's second meeting in a year was a low-key affair, but the subtext was significant. Mounting Russian concerns that Islamist militancy and cheap drugs emanating from Afghanistan are a threat to its national security have made Moscow refocus on the region even as the U.S. and its NATO allies maneuver to draw down. Two decades after the Soviet army left Afghanistan in humiliating defeat, Russia is poised to spend billions in the war-wracked country to develop infrastructure, mineral and energy reserves, with new plans taking shape to boost military capability. This time around, it has America's blessing.

Continue reading "With U.S. Approval, Moscow Heads Back to Afghanistan" »

August 23, 2010

Reports about captured Idaho soldier not true

by Nishi Gupta
KTVB.COM
Posted on August 23, 2010 at 4:53 PM

BOISE -- U.S. military officials say recent reports about captured Idaho soldier Bowe Bergdahl are not true.

Continue reading "Reports about captured Idaho soldier not true" »

US drone strike kills five militants in Pakistan: officials

August 23, 2010

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan (AFP) – A US drone strike on Monday killed five militants in Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt near the Afghan border, security officials said.

Continue reading "US drone strike kills five militants in Pakistan: officials" »

Petraeus: No sudden troops exodus from Afghanistan

By DAVID STRINGER, Associated Press Writer
Mon Aug 23, 5:19 am ET

LONDON – The top American commander in Afghanistan warned Monday there should be no sudden exodus of U.S. troops when the process of withdrawing forces begins next year.

Continue reading "Petraeus: No sudden troops exodus from Afghanistan" »

August 22, 2010

Air base expansion plans reflect long-term investment in Afghanistan

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 22, 2010; 1:53 PM

Three $100 million air base expansions in southern and northern Afghanistan illustrate Pentagon plans to continue building multimillion-dollar facilities in that country to support increased American military operations well into the future.

Continue reading "Air base expansion plans reflect long-term investment in Afghanistan" »

Swedish prosecutors defend about-face over recalled WikiLeaks rape allegation

By: Karl Ritter, The Associated Press
22/08/2010 10:46 AM

STOCKHOLM - Swedish prosecutors defended their handling of a rape allegation against the founder of WikiLeaks, saying Sunday that they had made no mistakes in issuing an arrest warrant and withdrawing it less than a day later.

Continue reading "Swedish prosecutors defend about-face over recalled WikiLeaks rape allegation" »

August 21, 2010

Sweden withdraws warrant for WikiLeaks founder

Associated Press
By KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writer – Sat Aug 21

STOCKHOLM – Swedish authorities revoked a short-lived arrest warrant for the founder of WikiLeaks on Saturday, saying a rape accusation against him lacked substance.

Continue reading "Sweden withdraws warrant for WikiLeaks founder" »

WikiLeaks founder charged in Sweden with rape

21 Aug 2010
Source: Reuters

STOCKHOLM Aug 21 (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose whistle-blowing website caused uproar last month with a leak of secret U.S. military files on Afghanistan, has been charged in Sweden with rape and molestation, the National Prosecutor's Office said on Saturday.

Continue reading "WikiLeaks founder charged in Sweden with rape" »

August 20, 2010

U.S., Afghanistan plan to screen cash at Kabul airport to prevent corruption

By Greg Miller and Joshua Partlow
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 20, 2010; 10:56 PM

Alarmed by an exodus of money from Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan authorities are trying to constrict a flow of cash through the country's main airport, believed to be a major conduit for drug proceeds and diverted foreign aid.

Continue reading "U.S., Afghanistan plan to screen cash at Kabul airport to prevent corruption" »

August 19, 2010

Senator Kerry returns to Kabul for Karzai talks

19 Aug 2010
Source: Reuters
By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Influential U.S. Senator John Kerry returned abruptly to Afghanistan on Thursday to see President Hamid Karzai, seeking to press him over a four-month deadline for private security contractors to be disbanded.

Continue reading "Senator Kerry returns to Kabul for Karzai talks" »

Karzai intervened to help aide probed for corruption: report

Karzai intervened to help aide probed for corruption: report

August 19, 2010

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai personally intervened to release a close aide arrested on corruption charges and under investigation for providing cash and gifts to allies, according to The Washington Post report.

Continue reading "Karzai intervened to help aide probed for corruption: report" »

August 18, 2010

Afghanistan: The Road Ahead

Posted by Clifden Kennedy
August 18, 2010

Katie Couric will anchor The CBS Evening News from Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday and Friday as part of our continuing coverage of Afghanistan: The Road Ahead.

Continue reading "Afghanistan: The Road Ahead" »

August 15, 2010

American tourist killed in Thailand

American tourist killed in Thailand

By KINAN SUCHAOVANICH (AP) – Aug. 15, 2010

BANGKOK — An American tourist was killed on the Thai island of Phuket after a British man allegedly picked a fight with him at a bar, followed him back to his hotel and stabbed him to death, police said Sunday.

Continue reading "American tourist killed in Thailand" »

August 14, 2010

WikiLeaks says it won't be threatened by Pentagon

Associated Press
By KEITH MOORE, Associated Press Writer
Sat Aug 14, 2010

STOCKHOLM – WikiLeaks will publish its remaining 15,000 Afghan war documents within a month, despite warnings from the U.S. government, the organization's founder said Saturday.

Continue reading "WikiLeaks says it won't be threatened by Pentagon" »

U.S. missile strike kills 12 militants in Pakistan

Sat Aug 14, 2:08 pm ET

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan (Reuters) – A pilotless U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles into Pakistan's North Waziristan, an al Qaeda and Taliban sanctuary on the Afghan border, killing at least 12 militants on Saturday, intelligence officials said.

Continue reading "U.S. missile strike kills 12 militants in Pakistan" »

August 13, 2010

Obama, Karzai agree to keep pressure on Taliban

Associated Press
Fri Aug 13, 9:30 pm ET

WASHINGTON – President Obama is agreeing with President Karzai that the United States and Afghanistan should continue to work together to keep the pressure on the Taliban, fight terrorism and protect the Afghan people.

Continue reading "Obama, Karzai agree to keep pressure on Taliban" »

August 12, 2010

Tobacco Shipments To Resume To Soldiers Overseas

KRISTIN M. HALL, Associated Press Writer
August 12, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ― The U.S. Postal Service said Thursday that it plans to resume shipping care packages with cigarettes and other tobacco to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Tobacco Shipments To Resume To Soldiers Overseas" »

August 11, 2010

As Pakistanis flee flood zone, officials decry shortage of international aid

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Hundreds of thousands of people fled an ever-expanding flood zone Tuesday as Pakistan's leaders called for a greater international response to what they say is the worst natural disaster in the country's history.

Continue reading "As Pakistanis flee flood zone, officials decry shortage of international aid" »

August 9, 2010

Civilian marines deploy to Middle East

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - Albany's marine base continues to support lifesaving work in war zones. The American combat mission in Iraq is ending, but there's still a lot of equipment to repair.

Continue reading "Civilian marines deploy to Middle East" »

C-5M Super Galaxy 'flexes Muscles' Supporting Afghanistan Surge

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- During a recent operation in support of the nation's 30,000 troop plus-up in Afghanistan, Air Mobility Command's newest C-5 airlifter got a chance to flex its M-model muscles.

Continue reading "C-5M Super Galaxy 'flexes Muscles' Supporting Afghanistan Surge" »

Deploying Marines to receive new chest rigs

New one-piece system consolidates gear

By early 2011, Marines deploying to Afghanistan will likely be outfitted with new chest rigs that will allow them to quickly and easily transfer equipment from one body armor system to another.

Continue reading "Deploying Marines to receive new chest rigs" »

August 7, 2010

WikiLeaks says it will publish new documents

BERLIN — The online whistle-blower WikiLeaks said it will continue to publish more secret files from governments around the world despite U.S. demands to cancel plans to release classified military documents.

Continue reading "WikiLeaks says it will publish new documents" »

DoD to troops: Tell buddies about stop-loss pay

With an Oct. 21 deadline approaching to apply for a $500 monthly stop-loss allowance, the Defense Department appears to have exhausted most conventional means of trying to contact eligible veterans and is now asking current service members to get involved by calling any buddies who may be eligible.

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August 4, 2010

Marine review focuses on life after Afghan war

Even as combat operations are causing the highest casualty rates of the war in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps has begun to examine the size and shape of a post-war force, a top service official said Tuesday.

Continue reading "Marine review focuses on life after Afghan war" »

August 3, 2010

Hunter wants troops to get their smokes

Congressman seeks exemption in new tobacco mailing law

Letters, cookies, chocolate and other goodies are staples of care packages sent to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. For some, so is a carton of smokes or a few cans of chewing tobacco.

Continue reading "Hunter wants troops to get their smokes" »

August 2, 2010

Defense Department Launches 'Lessons Learned' Blog

WASHINGTON - For anyone who has served in the U.S. military, whether in uniform or as a family member, the concept of sharing lessons learned is a familiar one. A new Defense Department blog that launches today seeks to bring those lessons to an accessible online platform.

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August 1, 2010

Heroism in ambush may yield top valor awards

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Aug 1, 2010 11:47:01 EDT

With no air or artillery support, the Marines of Embedded Training Team 2-8 were trapped deep in a kill zone in eastern Afghanistan. Their radios worked only sporadically, and dozens of insurgents fired on them repeatedly from three sides.

Continue reading "Heroism in ambush may yield top valor awards" »

July 29, 2010

Biden says no plans to nation-build in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Thursday the United States was not in Afghanistan to "nation-build" but for the sole purpose of defeating al Qaeda in the border areas with Pakistan.

Continue reading "Biden says no plans to nation-build in Afghanistan" »

July 28, 2010

Oct. 21 is deadline to apply for stop-loss pay

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 17:18:55 EDT

Time is running out for current and former troops involuntarily held on active duty beyond their service commitments to apply for retroactive $500 monthly payments.

Continue reading "Oct. 21 is deadline to apply for stop-loss pay" »

Dad of missing sailor asks for safety of son

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 13:54:21 EDT

SEATTLE — Every day is a struggle for Joseph Newlove as he waits for news about his son, Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Jerod Newlove.

Continue reading "Dad of missing sailor asks for safety of son" »

WikiLeaks claims source of leaked data unknown

By Raphael G. Satter - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 22:12:55 EDT

LONDON — WikiLeaks’ editor-in-chief claims his organization doesn’t know who sent it some 91,000 secret U.S. military documents, telling journalists that the website was set up to hide the source of its data from those who receive it.

Continue reading "WikiLeaks claims source of leaked data unknown" »

July 27, 2010

West Seattle sailor missing in Afghanistan is identified

A Seattle sailor missing in Afghanistan is the target of a massive search. He is Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove.

The Defense Department on Tuesday identified a missing U.S. serviceman in Afghanistan as Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove, a West Seattle sailor who is the target of a massive search by Afghan and international forces.


Continue reading "West Seattle sailor missing in Afghanistan is identified" »

House approves funding for Afghanistan war

By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jul 27, 2010 18:50:58 EDT

WASHINGTON — The House on Tuesday sent President Obama a major war-funding increase of $33 billion to pay for his troop surge in Afghanistan, unmoved by the leaking of classified documents that portray a military effort struggling between 2004 and 2009 against a strengthening insurgency.

Continue reading "House approves funding for Afghanistan war" »

July 20, 2010

Obama nominates Amos for commandant post

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jul 20, 2010 15:00:12 EDT

President Obama has nominated Gen. Jim Amos to be the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

Continue reading "Obama nominates Amos for commandant post" »

July 19, 2010

New gear could lighten your load downrange

By Amy McCullough - Staff wruter
Posted : Monday Jul 19, 2010 13:57:45 EDT

An unmanned, tactical golf cart is among gear undergoing tests this month that could reduce the load Marines have to carry while downrange.

Continue reading "New gear could lighten your load downrange" »

Study finds toxic metals in dust in Afghanistan

By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 19, 2010 15:34:05 EDT

Here’s another thing to worry about when you deploy: toxic dust.

Continue reading "Study finds toxic metals in dust in Afghanistan" »

July 17, 2010

U.S., South Korea plan military exercises

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jul 17, 2010 10:18:01 EDT

Sending a “clear message of deterrence to North Korea,” the U.S. and South Korea will cap an upcoming official visit with soon-to-be approved plans for a series of military exercises in nearby waters, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Continue reading "U.S., South Korea plan military exercises" »

July 14, 2010

Savi sends Marines supply trackers

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marines ordered Savi Technology's supply tracking kits to support troops in Afghanistan, the company announced Tuesday.

Continue reading "Savi sends Marines supply trackers" »

CAMP PENDLETON: Fire on base 80 percent contained

CAMP PENDLETON ---- A wildfire at Camp Pendleton that has burned about 3,000 acres was about 80 percent contained, Marine Corps officials said Wednesday morning.

Continue reading "CAMP PENDLETON: Fire on base 80 percent contained" »

July 13, 2010

Camp Pendleton fire has burned 2,700 acres

CAMP PENDLETON — A brush fire sparked Tuesday morning by Marines conducting training exercises at Camp Pendleton has grown to 2,700 acres, officials said.

Continue reading " Camp Pendleton fire has burned 2,700 acres" »

July 12, 2010

GPS-guided parachute can deliver blood

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 12, 2010 10:28:49 EDT

A new variant of a GPS-guided parachute system already used in Iraq and Afghanistan could soon save lives by dropping not bombs or bullets, but blood.

Continue reading "GPS-guided parachute can deliver blood" »

July 11, 2010

Department of the Navy and ... ?

Battle is on to add ‘Marine Corps’ to name

Dick Agler, an 80-year-old retired Marine, sat in the dim glow of a veterans canteen and chuckled into his beer. He chose that service in 1949 to avoid the Navy. “I didn’t want to be trapped on a ship,” he recalled.

Continue reading "Department of the Navy and ... ?" »

Yuma hangars get $3.5 million upgrade

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 11, 2010 15:31:50 EDT

YUMA, Ariz. — The aircraft hangars at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma are going high tech.

Continue reading "Yuma hangars get $3.5 million upgrade" »

Corps takes a new look at green bullet

By Dan Lamothe and Matthew Cox - Staff writers
Posted : Sunday Jul 11, 2010 13:16:56 EDT


The Marine Corps intends to purchase 1.8 million rounds of the Army’s new green bullet in addition to the millions of U.S. Special Operations Command cartridges already downrange as the service looks to find the best replacement for its Cold War-era ammo.

Continue reading "Corps takes a new look at green bullet" »

July 9, 2010

Alelo tapped for Afghan VCAT course

LOS ANGELES, July 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has contracted Alelo TLT to build an Afghanistan-focused Virtual Cultural Awareness Trainer course for deploying troops.

Continue reading "Alelo tapped for Afghan VCAT course" »

July 8, 2010

Tobacco now unmailable, even to deployed troops

The new Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, which was signed by the president on March 31, made cigarettes and smokeless tobacco unmailable items after it went into effect Tuesday.

Continue reading "Tobacco now unmailable, even to deployed troops" »

July 7, 2010

2/6 and 2/9 expected to take over in Marjah

After months of fighting, the two infantry battalions saddled with the majority of responsibility in the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah, Afghanistan, may soon get a break.

Continue reading "2/6 and 2/9 expected to take over in Marjah" »

July 5, 2010

Infantry schools bolster land nav training

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 5, 2010 10:21:44 EDT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marine Corps officials are expanding land navigation training after finding that too many young Marines, not long out of boot camp or Officer Candidates School, are forgetting land navigation skills.

Continue reading "Infantry schools bolster land nav training" »

July 4, 2010

Marine Forces Reserve ups bonuses to $15,000

By James K. Sanborn - jsanborn@militarytimes.com
Posted : Sunday Jul 4, 2010 11:21:13 EDT

Marine Forces Reserve is now offering $15,000 re-enlistment and affiliation bonuses for Marines in selected, in-demand fields who are willing to sign a three year contract with the Selected Marine Corps Reserve.

Continue reading "Marine Forces Reserve ups bonuses to $15,000" »

Gen. Petraeus Assumes Command of ISAF

KABUL- U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus emphasized the continuity of the counterinsurgency strategy as he assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force in front of the ISAF headquarters building, here.

Continue reading "Gen. Petraeus Assumes Command of ISAF" »

July 3, 2010

Gen. Petraeus to Assume Command of ISAF July 4

KABUL, Afghanistan – Gen. David H. Petraeus will assume command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during a July 4 ceremony at the command's headquarters in Kabul.

Continue reading "Gen. Petraeus to Assume Command of ISAF July 4" »

June 30, 2010

Petraeus Confirmed as Afghan War Commander by U.S. Senate

U.S. Army General David Petraeus was confirmed by the Senate today on a 99-0 vote to be commander of American forces in Afghanistan as President Barack Obama steps up an offensive against Taliban insurgents.

Continue reading "Petraeus Confirmed as Afghan War Commander by U.S. Senate" »

McChrystal to retire with 4 stars

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 30, 2010 13:15:50 EDT

WASHINGTON — Gen. Stanley McChrystal, fired from his job as commander of the Afghanistan war after more than three decades in the Army, will be allowed to retire at the rank of four stars.

Continue reading "McChrystal to retire with 4 stars" »

All-services medic training campus opens

The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 30, 2010 14:50:46 EDT

SAN ANTONIO — The military has opened the first buildings at a new training campus that will consolidate all medic training across the various service branches.

Continue reading "All-services medic training campus opens" »

House panel denies aid to Afghanistan

By Andrew Taylor - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Jun 30, 2010 19:56:15 EDT

WASHINGTON — A key House panel voted Wednesday to cut off almost $4 billion in aid to the government of Afghanistan pending an investigation into charges that Afghan officials are blocking corruption probes and huge amounts of foreign aid is being stolen.

Continue reading "House panel denies aid to Afghanistan" »

June 25, 2010

Hospital Corpsmen celebrate 112 years of history, healing

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — Community members gathered at the Club Iwakuni Eagles Nest here to commemorate the 112th birthday of the Hospital Corpsman, June 18.

Continue reading "Hospital Corpsmen celebrate 112 years of history, healing" »

Road to Navy Corpsman provides insight in Naval history

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — Back in the early 1800s, Navy medical assistants were randomly assigned out of the ship’s company.

Continue reading "Road to Navy Corpsman provides insight in Naval history" »

June 23, 2010

Foundation Creates Interactive Marine Web Museum

DUMFRIES, Va. - The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation launched the National Museum of the Marine Corps Virtual Experience June 23, allowing Marines and civilians worldwide to experience a cutting-edge Web version of the real National Museum of the Marine Corps located in Quantico, Va.

Continue reading "Foundation Creates Interactive Marine Web Museum" »

MARSOC ALC gradates first Dari, Pashtu, Urdu speaking Marines

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Ten Marines graduated from the second class of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command Advanced Linguist Course, inside the MARSOC headquarters building, June 17.

Continue reading "MARSOC ALC gradates first Dari, Pashtu, Urdu speaking Marines" »

June 7, 2010

Military Intelligence Taps Social Networking Skills

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — As a teenager, Jamie Christopher would tap instant messages to make plans with friends, and later she became a Facebook regular.

Continue reading "Military Intelligence Taps Social Networking Skills" »

June 5, 2010

Honoring the heroes of Belleau Wood fight

Marine and Stafford resident Harry Clark was among the 'Devil Dogs' who fought in an iconic battle with the Germans in June 1918

The date June 6 is usually remembered for the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Continue reading " Honoring the heroes of Belleau Wood fight" »

May 25, 2010

MARSOC stands up MIB

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command’s Marine Special Operations Intelligence Battalion (MIB) officially activated during a ceremony on May 18, at the MARSOC headquarters building.

Continue reading "MARSOC stands up MIB" »

May 24, 2010

New 5.56 ammo used sparingly in combat

Deadlier open-tip round slow to be fielded

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 24, 2010 8:15:06 EDT

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — The Marine Corps has fielded its new, enhanced 5.56mm rifle round in Afghanistan, and it’s just beginning to reach thousands of grunts here.

Continue reading "New 5.56 ammo used sparingly in combat" »

May 21, 2010

M4 not suited to warfare in Afghan hills

By Slobodan Lekic - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday May 21, 2010 10:46:04 EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military’s workhorse rifle is proving less effective in Afghanistan against the Taliban’s more primitive but longer range weapons.

Continue reading "M4 not suited to warfare in Afghan hills" »

Supplying the MRAP Pipeline: a Constant Reconciliation

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- By air, land, and sea, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are moving into Iraq and Afghanistan through a network of DOD partners.

Continue reading "Supplying the MRAP Pipeline: a Constant Reconciliation" »

May 20, 2010

Marine base to house largest solar-powered residential community in U.S.

For young Marines at Camp Lejeune, green isn't just the color of uniforms anymore.

Continue reading "Marine base to house largest solar-powered residential community in U.S." »

May 18, 2010

Robots to rove Marine firing ranges

Corps to test autonomous targets

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday May 18, 2010 11:51:42 EDT

The Marine Corps will begin testing a humanoid target in July that can zip through ranges and mimic the behavior of insurgents, foreign fighters and civilians in a combat zone.

Continue reading "Robots to rove Marine firing ranges" »

Woman Marine pins on second star

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — A woman of many firsts drew a large crowd of Marines as she celebrated her promotion to major general May 12 at The Clubs At Quantico.

Continue reading " Woman Marine pins on second star" »

May 17, 2010

U.S. 70 gets Marine designation

A stretch of U.S. 70 between Havelock and New Bern has been designated the U.S. Marine Corps Highway.

Continue reading "U.S. 70 gets Marine designation" »

May 15, 2010

Afghan effort fruitful but fragile, commander says

Camp Pendleton Marines and other U.S. troops are making inroads against insurgents in southern Afghanistan — cutting poppy production, gleaning intelligence, training Afghan soldiers and repopulating former Taliban strongholds — but the next months are critical in the nearly nine-year war, the commander of Marine forces in Afghanistan said Friday.

Continue reading "Afghan effort fruitful but fragile, commander says" »

May 14, 2010

Mills: Marines prepare for wider command

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — One month into command in Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Maj. Gen. Richard Mills said Friday his force of nearly 20,000 Marines is well prepared to take over a wider area this summer.

Continue reading "Mills: Marines prepare for wider command" »

US Marine commanding general says his forces hurting Afghanistan's opium trade

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — U.S. forces are dealing a blow to the Taliban's multimillion-dollar opium business by securing deals with farmers to plant legal crops, the commanding general in charge of U.S. Marines in Afghanistan said Friday.

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May 13, 2010

Boeing's V-22 Osprey starting to show its mettle

While the V-22 Osprey has seen political, financial and developmental battles over its decades old history, proponents of the tiltrotor aircraft say it’s day has come as squadrons on the West Coast are beginning to be outfit with it.

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May 12, 2010

Karzai meets Obama on plan in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Afghan President Hamid Karzai is meeting President Barack Obama in the White House after a day of intensive talks at the State Department and a visit with wounded U.S. troops.

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May 11, 2010

Women’s memorial at Arlington struggling

ARLINGTON, Va. — Garage sales and quilt raffles helped a determined group of female World War II veterans raise money to transform a rundown wall at Arlington National Cemetery into a grand stone memorial to women who served their country. But those women are dying off, even as the memorial runs short of funds.

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Oates: Anti-IED effort needs fewer restrictions

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Deployed commanders need greater flexibility and fewer restrictions in sharing tactical information about deadly enemy devices with allies, a key U.S. general said here Tuesday.

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May 10, 2010

Officials Warn of 'Phishing' Scams Targeting Troops

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Strategic Command officials are urging renewed vigilance against Internet-based identity theft after detecting a widespread "phishing" expedition against service members.

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Flawed formula leads to changes in buffer zones

The Marine Corps and Army have changed their explosives and demolitions manuals after instructors at Camp Lejeune, N.C., discovered directions in them that put troops at unnecessary risk.

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Afghan war allies want Iraq war-tested MRAPs

Coalition forces in Afghanistan, in urgent need of protection from roadside bombs, have sought hundreds of the U.S.-produced armored trucks known as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, according to Pentagon officials and documents.

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May 8, 2010

Armed tankers about ready to deploy

Missile tests next stage in development process

The first Marine KC-130J tanker armed with Hellfire missiles and sophisticated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance gear should be ready to deploy this summer, officials said.

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May 7, 2010

Lawmaker: Afghanistan FOBs lack protection

The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee charged Wednesday that the Obama administration is shortchanging force protection capabilities in Afghanistan.

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May 5, 2010

Some Pakistani politicians sheltering militants

JHANG, Pakistan — Authorities in Pakistan’s biggest and richest province are tolerating — if not promoting — some of the country’s most violent Islamic militant groups.

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Still playing the name game with Navy and Marine Corps

WASHINGTON — Rep. Walter Jones never expected changing the Department of Navy’s name would be a decade-long fight.

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May 4, 2010

House again OKs Navy Department name change

WASHINGTON — The House by voice vote Tuesday agreed to rename the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

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Unmanned Helo Can Sling It

One of the more promising bits of technology showcased at this year’s Navy League Sea-Air-Space Expo is the K-MAX rotary wing cargo drone. It uses the Kaman intermeshing rotor design and lacks a tail rotor and is capable of day and night operations.

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Will Department of Navy get a name change?

Happy Tuesday! The House is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a bill that has more cosponsors than any other in Congressional history -- but will likely die once again in the Senate.

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May 3, 2010

What’s in a name? Just ask former Navy pilot hero Sen. McCain

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is playing a major role in blocking a House bill that has a record number of co-sponsors.

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April 30, 2010

Marines invade Beantown

Corps’ version of Fleet Week involves more than 900 leathernecks

There are lots of good reasons to visit Boston in the spring. But this year it’s all about being a Marine, as the denizens of Beantown roll out the red carpet for Marine Week.

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Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Has Company: Some of the Best Military Music Videos

If you've been anywhere near a computer for over the past week, you've probably caught a glimpse of the "Telephone" video created by military members stationed in Afghanistan. What first looks like goofing off by two bored soldiers is later revealed to be a big production, complete with costumes, elaborate choreography, and not-bad editing.

Continue reading " Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' Has Company: Some of the Best Military Music Videos" »

CIA base bomber urges Muslims to wage jihad

CAIRO — The Jordanian doctor who killed seven CIA employees in a suicide attack in Afghanistan last year has called on Muslims in a posthumous message to carryout suicide bombings and become martyrs.

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April 29, 2010

Post-9/11 GI Bill scholarship program begins

Applications will be accepted beginning May 1 for a new scholarship program that lets the children of some deceased service members tap into Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

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April 27, 2010

More lethal sniper rifle eyed by Corps

Marine officials are weighing options for a new, powerful sniper rifle that could kill enemies 1,500 meters away, and are closely watching a contract competition launched by U.S. Special Operations Command last month for a similar weapon, a top Marine acquisitions official said.

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April 24, 2010

Lawmaker wants inquiry into chow hall contract

A member of the House Armed Services Committee has called for an investigation into the Marine Corps’ primary food services provider, Sodexo, raising both cost and health concerns.

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April 23, 2010

Clinton: U.S. has assurances on Manas

TALLINN, Estonia — Kyrgyzstan’s new administration and Russia have given Washington assurances that the United States will be able to continue using a crucial air base for the war effort in Afghanistan, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday.

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Corps may field infantry auto-rifle this fall

The Marine Corps could be ready to order large quantities of the front-runner in its infantry automatic rifle competition this fall, but only if the commandant is convinced it’s a good idea.

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April 22, 2010

Marine Corps Active Reserve program seeks applicants for upcoming board

The Marine Corps Active Reserve program is looking for qualified applicants for their upcoming officer accession board, which is scheduled to convene May 17.

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Court throws out Hamdania conviction

Appellate ruling sets aside murder conviction of Camp Pendleton Marine Sgt. Larry Hutchins III

A military appeals court on Thursday overturned the murder conviction of a Camp Pendleton Marine who had been found guilty of leading his squad in the 2006 kidnapping and slaying of an Iraqi man in the village of Hamdania.

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April 20, 2010

For troops, a happy meal is relative

(CNN) -- When Command Sgt. Maj. Michael T. Hall of the International Security Assistance Force announced that fast-food offerings like Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen and Orange Julius were being shuttered in Afghanistan, he was blunt about it

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April 17, 2010

Looking for the ‘Marine of the Year’

Marine Corps Times is accepting nominations through May 20 for our 10th annual Marine of the Year Award.

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April 15, 2010

Military testing high-tech dirigibles in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — The skies over the Utah desert are becoming the test site for a new fleet of hulking high-tech dirigibles the military is hoping will provide battlefield commanders a bird’s-eye view of cruise missiles and other threats.

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Obama reaffirms 2011 Afghan withdrawal plan

SYDNEY — President Obama on Thursday reaffirmed his plans to start withdrawing U.S troops from Afghanistan in 2011, saying they “can’t be there in perpetuity.”

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April 14, 2010

Kyrgyz unrest strands troops at Manas

Hundreds of U.S. troops are still stranded at a key air base in Kyrgyzstan following civil unrest there that resulted in personnel flights to Afghanistan being diverted through other countries, officials said.

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April 13, 2010

Interim Kyrgyzstan leader: Manas will stay

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Kyrgyzstan’s interim leader told The Associated Press on Tuesday that her government will extend the lease of a U.S. air base key to the war in Afghanistan.

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Rep.: Hold rules of engagement hearing now

A congressman whose district includes Camp Lejeune, N.C., wants fellow lawmakers to review the rules of engagement used by NATO forces in Afghanistan, saying “they have proved too often to be fatal” to U.S. troops.

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April 10, 2010

Flights diverted from Manas amid turmoil

JALAL-ABAD, Kyrgyzstan — U.S. personnel flights in and out of Afghanistan are being diverted from a key air base in Kyrgyzstan to Kuwait, while resupply flights out of the central Asian base are taking place only on a “case-by-case” basis, a U.S. military official said Saturday.

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April 9, 2010

US troop flights at Kyrgyz base suspended: military

WASHINGTON — The US military has suspended troop flights out of its base in Kyrgyzstan and will instead transport forces to and from Afghanistan via Kuwait, military officials said Friday.

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Rebecca's War Dog of the Week: It's a bird, it's a plane...

This story that came out in the Times of London a couple of weeks ago is truly a war-dog wonder: parachuting dogs being sent on secret missions in Afghanistan. (The photograph is pretty unbelievable, too.)

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Best military installations honored

One from each branch honored with annual award

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Friday announced the winners of the 2010 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Installation Excellence.

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April 6, 2010

Marines contract for Cougar suspensions

LADSON, S.C., April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has modified a contract with Force Protection to provide Cougar armored vehicles with next-generation suspension technologies.

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April 4, 2010

Range offers training in combating IED threat

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A new $13 million training range opened here March 25 that will give Marines much-needed experience in countering improvised explosive devices, which remain the most significant threat to troops in the war zones.

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April 2, 2010

Nominate your Marine of the year

Marine Corps Times is looking for heroes. Not the types who make headlines for combat exploits, but rather the quiet, everyday heroes whose dedication, professionalism and concern for their fellow Marines and community set a standard for us all.

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Marine Corps opens up social networking on government computers

Camp Pendleton service members and civilian employees now have the ability to surf the net more freely with the Marine Corps’ lowered restrictions on access to some of the world’s most popular social networking Web sites.

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March 29, 2010

Obama, in Kabul, Presses Karzai to Root Out Government Corruption

March 29 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to press Afghan President Hamid Karzai on rooting out corruption and improving government functions so the U.S. can begin handing over security.

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March 28, 2010

Pakistani army kills 22 Taliban near Afghan border

PARACHINAR, Pakistan — Pakistani troops repulsed a Taliban attack Sunday on an army base and bombed two militant hide-outs close to the Afghan border, killing 22 insurgents in a region where the army is pressing an offensive, a government official said.

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Abrupt end of college tuition help angers military spouses

WASHINGTON — With her husband deployed in Iraq with a Stryker brigade from Washington state's Joint Base Lewis-McChord, 20-year-old Lauren Silva isn't your typical college student. But when it comes to finding money for tuition, books and other expenses, she's not so different.

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First Corporals Course Kicks Off at Camp Leatherneck

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Becoming a noncommissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps consists of more than an additional stripe above the cross rifles and an increased paycheck. Corporals make up approximately 20 percent of the Marine Corps and are an essential link in the chain of command as small unit leaders.

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March 26, 2010

U.S. Revamps Afghan Troop Deployments

Pentagon's New System Would Return Units to Same Parts of Country to Develop Expertise, Closer Local Relationships

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon is revamping the way it deploys troops to Afghanistan, putting in place a new system that will return units to the same parts of the country so they can develop better regional expertise and closer relationships with local Afghan power brokers.

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March 25, 2010

Dogs becoming essential in fight against IEDs

MARSTON, N.C. — Panting heavily on an open field, Staff Sgt. Boomer doesn’t look like your typical Marine. With floppy ears and a shiny yellow coat, he enjoys horseplay, chasing plastic batons and getting scratched behind the ears.

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Navy and Marines Aim for a Leaner, Greener Fighting Machine

LAUREL, Md. -- Going green and renewable doesn't just save money, it may save lives of U.S. soldiers, according to military leaders who argue that a push for energy efficiency and a move away from fossil-based fuels could strengthen America's military.

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March 24, 2010

Afghanistan Troop Level to Eclipse Iraq by Midyear

WASHINGTON - This summer will mark the first time since 2003 that the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan will overshadow the American presence in Iraq, the top U.S. military officer told Congress March 24.

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Top U.S. general in Afghanistan gives order: Close TGI Friday's

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — By American standards, the boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield isn't much to write home about.

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March 23, 2010

Marines Film "Real" War Movie

Documentary of footage shot by troops will screen in Dallas

The subject of a documentary made entirely of video footage shot by Marines says he hopes the award-winning film will show what war is really like.

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Military plans to give troops longer rest time

Wars: Change meant to address stresses such as divorce, violence, suicide

The U.S. military is taking steps to keep service members home longer to rest, re-train and be with their families – a sign that the stress caused by years-long engagements and extended combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan may begin to ease.

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March 22, 2010

Combat troops get 15 extra days of leave

A new nonchargeable rest and recuperation leave policy for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan announced by the Pentagon on Monday gives those deployed for 270 days or more 15 days of administrative absence on top of their regular annual leave.

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March 17, 2010

Corps pushes tighter Internet ban than Pentagon

The Defense Department has loosened guidelines on the use of social-networking Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter, but Marine officials say a servicewide ban on them remains in place with limited exceptions.

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March 16, 2010

Marines would be required to make green belt

Program review could result in streamlined training, new martial arts standard

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — If you had hoped to skate by with a tan belt for the rest of your enlistment, think again.

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March 6, 2010

Early Marine Marathon registration begins

Military eligible to register at discount before public

If you want a leg up on fellow runners, active-duty and reserve service members can register now for the 35th Marine Corps Marathon at a 15 percent discount.

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March 3, 2010

Pendleton Marines set to deploy to Afghanistan

OCEANSIDE - In a symbolic 30-minute Camp Pendleton ceremony on Wednesday, attended by 1st Marine Division veterans from various eras and marking the impending departure of some 7,000 Marines and sailors from the division to Afghanistan, Maj. Gen. Richard Mills said this and past deployments are not about commanding generals.

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Israel Scraps Raid after Facebook Slip

Soldier Court-Martialed after Posting Details of Operation in West Bank Village Online

(AP) The Israeli military says a planned raid on a West Bank village was called off after an Israeli soldier disclosed its details online.

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HBO Brings Marines' History to Life

SAN DIEGO -- Many local military leaders, members of the military community and veterans attended the San Diego premiere of "The Pacific" aboard the USS Midway, Feb. 25.

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March 2, 2010

US Marines land on Iwo Jima to mark anniversary

IWO TO, Japan – Hundreds of U.S. Marines landed on the remote island of Iwo Jima on Tuesday to prepare for the 65th anniversary of one of World War II's bloodiest and most iconic battles.

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The picture of Marines: past and present

NEW YORK — For a civilian it's a source of inspiration. For a photographer it's a dynamic study of composition and structure. For a historian it inspires debates on amphibious tactics and whether an island a third the size of Manhattan should have been bypassed in favor of other objectives.

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New rules for troops hit by IED blasts

WASHINGTON — Troops caught near a roadside blast will be pulled out of combat for 24 hours and checked for a mild traumatic brain injury, even if they appear unhurt or say they are fine, according to a new treatment policy the Pentagon is planning to release.

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March 1, 2010

'Gradual' campaign likely in Kandahar

KABUL — As U.S. and Afghan forces squeeze the last fighters from the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, the coalition is preparing to move against the next target: Kandahar, the country's second-largest city and birthplace of the jihadist movement, U.S. commanders say.

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MilitaryHOMEFRONT NFL Players Donation: Privacy Advisory

Note: DoD and MilitaryHOMEFRONT do not endorse the organization sponsoring this donation and do not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer. Please see detailed Disclaimer statement below.

MilitaryHOMEFRONT is pleased to announce "NEW INFORMATION" about the NFL Players Donation that is available to all Armed Forces personnel, including members of the Reserves, Active Duty, and their families. The program has been extended to military families and veterans for a fourth consecutive year. Through the Victory Sports Group (VSG) sponsorship, and NFL players associated with VSG, military personnel can obtain SAT/ACT Standard Power Prep program(s) for only shipping and handling costs. The SAT/ACT Standard Power Prep programs normally cost $199.00. The SAT/ACT Power programs are available as a DVD ROM set. Families may now use the program for an entire year even if the program is requested the last day of the sponsorship.

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February 28, 2010

Tsunami warning ends after waves hit Japan

Hawaii, other Pacific islands escape major damage in wake of Chile quake

HONOLULU - Hawaii's peaceful beaches were again filled with sun-soaking tourists as life returned to normal Sunday following a scare from a tsunami that raced across the world, setting off mass evacuations and safety worries across the Pacific.

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February 27, 2010

Navy Cancels Tsunami Warning in Hawaii; Ships Return to Pearl Harbor

Middle Pacific ordered the return of Pearl Harbor-based ships that sortied today.

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February 26, 2010

DOD Releases Policy for Responsible and Effective Use of Internet-Based Capabilities

Today the Department of Defense released a policy memorandum regarding the safe and effective use of Internet-based capabilities, including social networking services (SNS) and other interactive Web 2.0 applications.

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February 25, 2010

Ermey throws weight behind name change

Retired Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey, widely known for his performance as the sadistic drill instructor in the 1987 film “Full Metal Jacket,” headlined a Thursday news conference in Washington, D.C., calling to rename the Department of the Navy the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

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February 5, 2010

Study Measures Traumatic Brain Injury

WASHINGTON - Scientists at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center and a professor at Columbia University are working on a collaborative study measuring brain damage on traumatic brain injury patients.

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January 2, 2010

What's Your Type?

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Wearing my body armour and helmet and carrying my rifle, pistol and camera, I climbed into an M1151 up armoured humvee for a mission outside the wire of Forward Operating Base Farah.

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January 1, 2010

12 things Marines can expect in 2010

Call it a year of renewed focus. The Marine Corps’ primary combat mission and deployments in 2010 all appear to be clear. A surge of 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, including 8,500 Marines, is underway, and the Corps expects to stand up an expanded command structure led by a two-star general based in Helmand province in the spring.

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December 27, 2009

Studies find breakthrough in PTSD treatment

Brain scans, blood tests may help predict condition

Two new studies seem to provide more evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder is a chemical change in the brain caused by trauma — and that it might be possible to diagnose, treat and predict which troops are most susceptible to it using brain scans or blood tests.

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December 25, 2009

Taliban release video of captured US soldier

KABUL—The Taliban released a video Friday showing a U.S. soldier who was captured more than five months ago in eastern Afghanistan.

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December 22, 2009

SOI-West chaplain receives Whiterspoon Award

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A Navy chaplain from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, was awarded the Witherspoon Award in a ceremony held at the annual National Bible Week Gala Dinner in New York, Nov. 19.

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December 20, 2009

Corps to hold second Marine Week in Boston

Hundreds of Marines will descend on Boston this spring, as the Corps holds its second-ever “Marine Week” event in one of the nation’s oldest cities.

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Conway approves several uniform rules changes

You are going to have to get your own winter coat and hat to keep you warm off duty, because Marines are now prohibited from wearing the extreme cold weather gear and the associated accessories while in civilian attire.

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December 15, 2009

New Afghanistan deployments announced

The military’s surge of forces deploying to Afghanistan by this spring will include about 8,500 Marines commanded by the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

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Marines identify units ordered to Afghanistan

About 4,500 Marines and sailors from Camp Pendleton and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station are among the 30,000 troops President Barack Obama is ordering to Afghanistan, a Marine spokesman said Tuesday.

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December 13, 2009

Navy outlines plans for base in Guam

8,600 Marines to come from Okinawa
Navy officials have outlined their plans to build a Marine Corps base in Guam and expeditionary field training sites on the nearby island of Tinian, measures meant to support the relocation of 8,600 Marines from Okinawa beginning in 2014.

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December 12, 2009

New sleeping bags lighter, more compact

Grunts in Afghanistan soon will have a smaller, lighter sleeping bag.

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December 7, 2009

Numerous Lejeune units to deploy in surge

The Pentagon announced Monday that 8,500 additional Marines will deploy to Afghanistan, including 1,500 by the end of the month as part of battalion task force headed by Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 1st Battalion, 6th Marines.

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December 2, 2009

Obama Bets Big on Troop Surge

Extra 30,000 U.S. Soldiers for 18 Months; Republicans Say Timetable Poses Risk

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama announced Tuesday a surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, along with plans to begin withdrawing the reinforcements in 18 months -- a potentially high-risk political and military strategy.

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December 1, 2009

Marines to be First in Afghan Surge

President Obama's Afghan surge of 30,000 additional U.S. troops will include an immediate infusion of California-based Marines, with the first elements set to be on the ground in southern Afghanistan around Christmas.

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November 24, 2009

Vice President Opens Home to Recovering Troops

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2009 – As Army Sgt. First Class John Wright lay in a hospital room after being wounded in Afghanistan this summer, he probably didn’t envision himself feeling especially thankful a few months later.

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Obama to Give Afghan Strategy Decision on Dec. 1, Official Says

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama will announce his decision on the next steps in the war in Afghanistan on or about Dec. 1, according to a U.S. official familiar with the issue.

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November 23, 2009

Not everyone sold on combat policing training

Grunts everywhere, prepare to face the Crips of Kabul.

The same techniques used by inner-city cops to fight street gangs in the U.S. are headed to Afghanistan — this time to root out insurgents, collect intelligence on improvised explosive device networks and build sources in Afghan villages.

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November 12, 2009

Get educated: Ins, outs of Post 9/11, Montgomery GI Bills

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan — A good mind is a terrible thing to waste, but failing to maximize GI Bill benefits is just plain foolish.

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November 8, 2009

Sources say Obama plans Afghan surge

More than 30,000 troops would be deployed next year

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is nearing a decision to send more than 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan next year, but he may not announce it until after he consults with key allies and completes a trip to Asia later this month, administration and military officials have told McClatchy Newspapers.

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Marines to build urban training site in Islands

$7.9 million facility will help meet requirements for predeployment

The Marine Corps will expand its use of special effects in infantry training next year, with an expansive urban training facility anticipated in Hawaii and high-tech immersion trainers planned in North Carolina and California, Marine officials said.

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Fox NFL pregame show to be aired from Afghanistan

NEW YORK – The Fox NFL pregame show will be broadcast from a military installation in Afghanistan on Sunday.

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November 7, 2009

Obama aide says no to troop surge in Afghanistan

A US presidential aide says the auxiliary troops, Washington is likely to deploy to Afghanistan, would be consumed by the volatile situation in the war-torn country.

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November 6, 2009

'Brothers at War" takes intimate look at combat life

Nov. 6--"I've been waiting for this film since the early days of the war," writes Roger Ebert about "Brothers at War," which he calls an "honest, on-the-ground documentary" about American soldiers fighting in Iraq.

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November 4, 2009

During Veterans Day Week, State Farm® to Help America Say Thank You to Members of the Military and their Families

During the week of Veteran's Day (Nov. 8-14), as a way of helping the country say "thanks for being there" to our nation's service men and women, State Farm will donate $1 to Fisher House Foundation for each "thank you" sent via its Thanks For Being There Web site. Fisher House Foundation, a military families support organization, will receive a donation of up to $50,000 from State Farm.

Bloomington, IL (PRWEB) November 4, 2009 -- A new Web site launching today, ThanksForBeingThere.com,
http://www.thanksforbeingthere.com/#/home
lets people express their thanks to others through social media by creating and posting personal "thank you" messages accompanied by a photo or short video. During the week of Veterans Day (Nov. 8-14), as a way of helping the country say "thanks for being there" to our nation's service men and women, State Farm will donate $1 to the Fisher House Foundation for every thank you sent.

Continue reading "During Veterans Day Week, State Farm® to Help America Say Thank You to Members of the Military and their Families" »

November 1, 2009

Colorado Marine among missing in crash off California coast

A Colorado Marine is one of nine people missing after a midair collision off the coast of Southern California on Thursday.

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October 30, 2009

Obama to meet military brass on Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama Friday meets his top military chiefs to talk strategy in Pakistan and Afghanistan in one of the final steps before deciding whether to send thousands more US troops to war.

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October 28, 2009

Postal Service Announces Holiday Mailing Guidelines

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2009 – U.S. Postal Service officials have announced recommended mailing dates for delivery by Christmas to U.S. servicemembers serving in Afghanistan and other overseas locations.

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October 27, 2009

N.C. Marines will take part in the commissioning of USS New York

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — North Carolina Marines from several units recently joined to form Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26. SPMAGTF-26 is scheduled to board the ship that will become USS New York, Oct. 29. The ship and embarked Marines will sail to New York City for the ship’s commissioning, Nov. 7, where it will be designated USS New York.
USS New York holds particular significance to the people of New York with 7 1/2 tons of steel recovered from the World Trade Center forged into her bow. The ship also honors the memory of those who lost their lives during the unprovoked attacks of 9/11.

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October 20, 2009

Pentagon Officials Announce 2010 Afghanistan Deployments

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2009 – Pentagon officials today announced additional replacement units scheduled to deploy next year to Afghanistan as part of the requirement to maintain the current level of security efforts there, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said today.

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October 17, 2009

New wheeled footlocker issued for deployments

Say goodbye to sea bag drag.

Initial distribution of the Corps’ new Deployment Bag, a 10-pound footlocker on wheels, began in September and will continue for the next year, according to Marine Corps Systems Command. Manufactured by California-based ForceProtector Gear, the new bag can haul up to 75 pounds and is a significant upgrade from the service’s standard green duffel, which has remained largely unchanged for the past 25 years, officials said.

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October 16, 2009

Military Limits Publishing Images of U.S. Casualties in Afghanistan

The U.S. military command in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday imposed a new ban on publication of photographs taken by embedded journalists that identify American war casualties.

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October 15, 2009

U.S. troop funds diverted to pet projects

Study finds $2.6 billion taken from guns and ammunition

Senators diverted $2.6 billion in funds in a defense spending bill to pet projects largely at the expense of accounts that pay for fuel, ammunition and training for U.S. troops, including those fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to an analysis.

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First Lady Embarks on Mission to Help Military Families

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2009 – First Lady Michelle Obama today vowed to make the voices of U.S. military families heard in the nation’s capital, and called on Americans to recognize the sacrifices made by those in uniform and their loved ones.

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Recruiting video pulled after Marines complain

The Marine Corps moved fast to silence an Air Force military training instructor who boasted in a service-sponsored video that airmen are in better shape than Marines.

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October 14, 2009

Bonhomme Richard ARG/11th MEU Arrives in Timor-Leste for MAREX-09

BONHOMME RICHARD, At sea (NNS) -- USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), the flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), arrived in Savu Sea to conduct a multilateral exercise in cooperation with the government of Timor-Leste Oct. 14.

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October 13, 2009

Ship Built With WTC Steel Sails for Namesake City

USS New York, built with World Trade Center steel, sets sail for its namesake city

A Navy assault ship built with tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center towers began its journey to New York on Tuesday, sailing down the Mississippi River in a pea-soup fog as watchers along the levee strained for a glimpse.

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October 12, 2009

Marines Return Home, Afghanistan Questions Linger

About 150 Marines and sailors will return to Camp Lejeune from Iraq Monday. While the mission in that country winds down, the future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan remains murky.

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October 8, 2009

Over 50 tons of drugs seized in southern Afghanistan

KABUL, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - Afghan soldiers and U.S. marines seized some 52 tons of drugs and dozens of tons of explosives in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, an Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

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October 6, 2009

Obama Rules Out Drawdown In Afghanistan, But Mum On Troop Increase

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Tuesday ruled out shrinking the Afghanistan war to a counterterrorism campaign. Yet he did not signal whether he is prepared to send any more troops to the war zone – either the 40,000 his top commander wants or a smaller buildup, according to several officials.

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Defense Department Launches Photography Widget

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2009 – American Forces Press Service, the Defense Department’s vehicle for news and feature content on the Defense.gov Web site, has unveiled a “widget” for photographs.

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October 5, 2009

Taliban assault heats up US troop debate

A massive attack on US troops in a remote part of east Afghanistan has added more heat to the debate about the level of American engagement in the country.

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October 4, 2009

Marines increase readiness with Afghanistan in mind

As policymakers debate whether to deploy more troops, training at Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms is being tweaked to reflect a counterinsurgency mission in mountain terrain.

Reporting from Camp Pendleton - In the power corridors of Washington, there is debate about whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. But here at Camp Pendleton, the training and deploying of Marines, with a focus on Afghanistan, continue.

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October 1, 2009

Six-year legacy of Marine Corps regiments in Iraq followed by an Army brigade

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq —
Marines and soldiers stand ready in formation. Distinguished guests begin to filter in. Among them are prominent Iraqi government leaders, paramount sheikhs, Iraqi Police and Army generals, and U.S. military members from all services and units across Iraq. The air is thick with excitement, and more importantly, hope.

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September 29, 2009

NATO chief says more troops needed in Afghanistan

'We have to do more now, if we want to do less later,' says Anders Fogh Rasmussen. He says additional help is needed in training Afghan security forces.

Reporting from Washington - Stepping into an intensifying debate in Washington, the new head of NATO said Monday that more allied troops are needed in Afghanistan to help train the country's security forces.

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Troops to start receiving swine flu shots

WASHINGTON — Troops will begin getting required swine flu shots in the next week to 10 days, with active duty forces deploying to war zones and other critical areas going to the front of the vaccine line, a top military commander said Tuesday.

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6-month Japan tours are back

Thousands could go. What you need to know.

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September 28, 2009

VA to Provide Emergency Checks to Students Awaiting Benefits

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2009 – Checks for up to $3,000 soon will be available to students who have applied for Veterans Affairs educational benefits and who have not yet received their government payment

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September 26, 2009

Plan to Boost Afghan Forces Splits Obama Advisers

WASHINGTON — As President Obama weighs sending more troops to Afghanistan, one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, he has discovered that the military is not monolithic in support of the plan and that some of the civilian advisers he respects most have deep reservations.

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Plan to Boost Afghan Forces Splits Obama Advisers

WASHINGTON — As President Obama weighs sending more troops to Afghanistan, one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, he has discovered that the military is not monolithic in support of the plan and that some of the civilian advisers he respects most have deep reservations.

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Plan to Boost Afghan Forces Splits Obama Advisers

WASHINGTON — As President Obama weighs sending more troops to Afghanistan, one of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, he has discovered that the military is not monolithic in support of the plan and that some of the civilian advisers he respects most have deep reservations.

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September 22, 2009

U.S. Troops Cleaning Out 'Garages' in Iraq

Office of the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs
WASHINGTON - American forces are cleaning out a "very, very big garage" in its drawdown in Iraq, the deputy commander of Multi-National Corps - Iraq said, Sept. 22.

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September 21, 2009

McChrystal: Bigger force a must for Afghan war

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s top commander in Afghanistan has told him that without more troops the United States could lose the war that Obama has described as the nation’s foremost military priority.

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Marines await word on deployment

Troop assignments not yet clear
In a little noticed development last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered 2,500 to 3,000 more troops to Afghanistan as soon as possible to meet imminent threats from roadside bombs.

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September 17, 2009

Proxy wedding means Marine's widow, baby unwelcome

MARYVILLE, Tenn. – Hotaru Ferschke just wants to raise her 8-month-old son in his grandparents' Tennessee home, surrounded by photos and memories of the father he'll never meet: a Marine who died in combat a month after marrying her from thousands of miles away.

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September 15, 2009

Corps to launch new ad campaign

The Marine Corps will launch a new TV advertising campaign Saturday during the Florida-Tennessee college football game on CBS, focusing on what it takes to become a Marine, recruiting command officials said.

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September 7, 2009

MarSOC battalion to take joint command

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command is about to mark another first.

This fall, 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Calif., will assume command of a task force responsible for parts of northern and western Afghanistan, overseeing all U.S. spec ops forces in the region.

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September 6, 2009

Inspectors to ensure Marine units police gear

The Corps is bringing back the Field Supply and Maintenance Analysis Office, an inspections organization that officials acknowledge had a reputation for harshly enforcing equipment accountability before it was phased out six years ago.

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September 4, 2009

Change of command for Marines serving in Iraq and Afghanistan

In a ceremony with military traditions dating back centuries, a new Marine general took command Friday of Marines and sailors serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

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Gates Objects to News Photo of Dying Marine

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates used the strongest terms in trying to persuade the Associated Press to refrain from running a graphic picture of a Marine taken shortly after the service member was wounded in southern Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here today.

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Gates: AP decision 'appalling'

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is objecting “in the strongest terms” to an Associated Press decision to transmit a photograph showing a mortally wounded 21-year-old Marine in his final moments of life, calling the decision “appalling” and a breach of “common decency.”

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August 31, 2009

Report: Change strategy for fighting Taliban

Sources say McChrystal will ask for more troops within weeks
KABUL — The commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan said in an assessment of the war that a new strategy was needed to fight the Taliban, while NATO officials disclosed he is expected to separately request more troops

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