Marines endure fleas, flies, filth in Marjah
KAREZ-E-SAYYIDI, Afghanistan — By any estimate, the living conditions at Combat Outpost Coutu can only be described as grim.
Continue reading "Marines endure fleas, flies, filth in Marjah" »
KAREZ-E-SAYYIDI, Afghanistan — By any estimate, the living conditions at Combat Outpost Coutu can only be described as grim.
Continue reading "Marines endure fleas, flies, filth in Marjah" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan -- U.S. Marine Sgt. Brad Vandehei stood on the edge of the small opium poppy field that serves as a central helicopter landing zone for the new military compound that's rising nearby.
Continue reading "Afghan poppy harvest is next challenge for U.S. Marines" »
This story was filed by CBS News correspondent Mandy Clark, who was embedded with the 3/6 Jump Platoon during the recent operation to rid the town of Marjah, in Afghanistan's Helmand province, of Taliban fighters.
Jump Platoon has one mission: Protect the Battalion Commander as he moves in his battle space. Where he goes, they go.
Continue reading "Jump Platoon: Taking Knocks for the Colonel" »
DELARAM, AFGHANISTAN -- Home to a dozen truck stops and a few hundred family farms bounded by miles of foreboding desert, this hamlet in southwestern Afghanistan is far from a strategic priority for senior officers at the international military headquarters in Kabul. One calls Delaram, a day's drive from the nearest city, "the end of the Earth." Another deems the area "unrelated to our core mission" of defeating the Taliban by protecting Afghans in their cities and towns.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Alfred de Montesquiou, an Associated Press correspondent embedded with U.S. Marines in the battle for the Afghan town of Marjah, was able to observe some of the lessons of the fighting and hear from the officers in command how they are being absorbed.
MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) — After a day spent pinned down in gunbattles or caught in a maze of roadside bombs, with little hope of air support and an erratic Afghan army to coax along, Lance Cpl. Travis Anderson reflected on the frustrations of the campaign U.S. forces were fighting.
Continue reading "Marjah push: Ups and downs are lessons for future" »
The shooting is largely over in the Marjah area of southern Afghanistan that was recaptured by U.S. and Afghan forces last month. But a deadly threat remains: homemade bombs.
Continue reading "Armored Trucks Shield Marines From Taliban Bombs" »
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The antiquated thought that a woman's place is 'at home, in the kitchen' is not long gone, but steadily fading away. Women are more educated today, work in more demanding jobs than in years past and are more globally diverse than their foremothers.
Continue reading "2nd Dental Battalion Female Marine Makes Waves in Local Community" »
Yesterday I wrote a piece for Afghanistan Crossroads touching on the main challenge facing the coalition now that the fighting in Marjah has come to an end: winning over the local population.
Continue reading "From fighters to fixers: Marines woo villagers" »
The impetus for the U.S.-led assault on Marjah began one moonless night last May when a squad of American and Afghan anti-narcotics agents, backed by U.S. Marines, slipped through the town's empty streets and raided the Lachoya opium bazaar.
Continue reading "Afghan Drug Trade Complicates U.S. Task in Marjah" »
Deploy the Marine Expeditionary Force is not just a saying for the Marines of Combat Logistics Company 21, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, it’s a way of life. The Marines from CLC-21 work tirelessly seven days a week to ensure Marines and gear from II MEF and the other units in the Marine Corps get where they need to go.
Continue reading " Deploy the MEF: Not just a saying, a way of life" »
Despite Rehab, the Yellow Lab Won't Sniff For Bombs in Combat; He's 'a Lover'
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan—When the Marines cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war, one remains in his kennel. Quivering.
Continue reading "Even His Red Squeak Toy Can't Get First Sgt. Gunner, USMC, to Fight" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan — Even by Afghan standards, it was a startling find: An opium packaging workshop, buried under donkey dung and old hay in a stable that U.S. Marines turned into a patrol base in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Taliban, not drugs, focus of US-Afghan offensive" »
CAMP DELARAM II, Afghanistan — While gentle winds blew through the rotors of a CH-53 D helicopter, the final group of Regimental Combat Team 2 Marines and sailors dismounted, completing the unit's transition into Camp Delaram II, Feb. 27.
Continue reading "RCT-2 Puts Boots on Ground in Afghanistan" »
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Marines with Military Police Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, attended a two-day mine detecting course aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Feb. 22 -23.
Continue reading "Military Police Marines Attend Mine Detector Course" »
MARJA, AFGHANISTAN -- The initial phase of the military offensive in southern Afghanistan to wrest Marja from insurgent control has largely ended, but the more daunting task of building a credible government in the place of Taliban rule has just begun, according to senior U.S. and Afghan officials.
MARJA, AFGHANISTAN -- The initial phase of the military offensive in southern Afghanistan to wrest Marja from insurgent control has largely ended, but the more daunting task of building a credible government in the place of Taliban rule has just begun, according to senior U.S. and Afghan officials.
In southern Afghanistan, U.S. Marines and their Afghan counterparts are tightening their hold on the Taliban stronghold of Marjah. Each day, troops are uncovering weapons caches left behind by Taliban fighters who ran away or are hiding among the local population.
Continue reading "Taliban Flees Marjah, Threat Remains For Marines" »
FORWARD OPERATING BASE CAFERETTA, Nimruz province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – As improvised explosive devices continue to be a threat in the region as the Taliban's weapon of choice, coalition forces continue to adapt their ways of dealing with them.
Continue reading "Improvised Explosive Device Detection Program for the Dogs" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan -- One by one, the men of Marjah tentatively approached the high-ranking Afghan official with their complaints.
Continue reading "Residents of Marjah wary of U.S. after Taliban ouster" »
ABOARD USS NASSAU, Mediterranean Sea — The sound of agonizing grunts, bodies being slammed into padded mats and the stench of heavy sweat mixed with salt water fills the hangar bay aboard USS Nassau as 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marines and Sailors push their physical and mental limits in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program beginning Feb. 14.
The Marine Corps’ footprint in Afghanistan has expanded to include 15,000 Marines, the service’s top general said, and another battalion is expected to deploy soon.
SEMITAY BAZAAR, Afghanistan — After the declaration this weekend that the battle for the Taliban enclave of Marja had been won, for the Marines standing behind sandbags and walking patrols, the more complicated work has begun. With it will be a test of the strategy selected by President Obama and the generals now running the Afghan war.
Continue reading "With Marja Largely Won, Marines Try to Win Trust" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan — More than 2,000 U.S. Marines and about 1,000 Afghan troops who stormed the Taliban town of Marjah as part of a major NATO offensive against a resurgent Taliban will stay for the next several months to help ensure insurgents don't return, Marine commanders said Sunday.
Continue reading "Marines, Afghan troops to be stationed in Marjah" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan - Marines and Afghan troops who fought through the centre of Marjah linked up Saturday with American soldiers on the northern edge of the former Taliban stronghold, clearing the town's last major pocket of resistance.
MARJAH, Afghanistan — Just a few dozen yards from the bullet-riddled government building, Marine Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson found more proof Saturday that the battle for Marjah was over.
Continue reading "Normalcy takes root in Marjah after allied offensive" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) -- U.S. and Afghan forces say they have cleared the last major pocket of resistance from the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah.
Continue reading "US, Afghan forces clear last parts of Taliban area" »
A U.S. Marine with Minnesota family ties has been killed in Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marine with Minnesota ties killed in Afghanistan" »
Two days before launching the most ambitious military campaign of the Obama Administration, General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, convened a meeting in Kabul of 450 tribal elders and scholars from Helmand province. The general's objective: to build support for Operation Moshtarak, a massive offensive on the Taliban stronghold of Marjah. McChrystal ran through the military phase of the plan, which would involve 6,000 U.S. Marines and British soldiers and 4,500 Afghan troops and police. Then he described how these troops would protect the town while a "government in a box" — a corps of Afghan officials who had been training for this moment for months — would start administering the town. The elders all signed off on the plan, but not before one of them warned the American general, "You have to understand that if you don't do what you say, we'll all be killed."
WILMINGTON – Chaplains deployed to Afghanistan have provided support for Marines dealing with the loss of their own in recent battles. After two weeks of intense fighting in Afghanistan, an Afghan flag now flies over Marjah, a former Taliban stronghold.
Continue reading "Chaplains help Marines cope with offensive in Afghanistan" »
Flag-raising ceremony held as troops mop up last pockets of resistance
MARJAH, Afghanistan - The Afghan government took official control of the southern Taliban stronghold of Marjah on Thursday, installing an administrator and raising the national flag while U.S.-led troops worked to root out final pockets of militants.
Continue reading "Afghan government claims Taliban stronghold" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan : US-led troops were inching closer to declaring victory over a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan as a senior commander said Wednesday militant resistance had fallen dramatically.
Continue reading "US-led troops inch close to victory in Afghan assault" »
At least 24,000 people have fled since the assault on the Taliban began. Each passing day is a countdown to ruin for farm families.
Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan - In wind-whipped tents, makeshift shelters and overcrowded family compounds, Afghans who fled the battleground town of Marja are asking themselves and one another: When will it be safe to go home?
Continue reading "Afghans displaced by Marja offensive fret in a cold limbo" »
More than 100 Marines and their Afghan counterparts are pushing into a neighborhood they say is the last significant stronghold of insurgents.
Marines are starting a push to clear the last pockets of Taliban insurgents from Marjah.
Continue reading "Marines Clearing Last Taliban Pockets In Marjah" »
Marines from Camp Lejeune remain in Haiti, some 6 weeks after the devastating earthquake.
Officials on the ground say the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is not just handing out aid, but is helping to unite the people and governments of Haiti with non-governmental organizations and international aid workers.
Continue reading "Camp Lejeune Marines Continue Their Work In Haiti" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Soldiers from the Route Clearance Platoon, 162nd Engineer Company, 105th Engineer Battalion, Oregon National Guard, worked to remove any IEDs on Route "Cowboys," in Garmsir District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 14-16.
Cindy Sharpe was about to board a plane for a return trip to Atlanta when her phone rang.
Continue reading "Pfc. Jason Hill Estopinal, 21: Marine was killed in Afghanistan" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan -- Bouwudin courteously greeted the Afghan and American officers who came to meet him, offering tea and eventually a meal as the meeting lingered on. No amount of invitations could get him to walk a few hundred yards to the Marines base.
Continue reading "US offensive yet to persuade Afghans in key town" »
The Marine Corps will have another battalion in Afghanistan within the next 10 days, swelling Marine forces in southern Afghanistan to more than 12,000 Marines.
Continue reading "1/2 to deploy from Lejeune to Afghanistan" »
It's the second week of a major U.S.-led offensive in southern Afghanistan to expel the Taliban from a key stronghold in Helmand province.
Continue reading "Taliban Resistance Strong In Southern Afghanistan" »
A year ago, the mention of Marja, a speck on the map in southern Afghanistan, would have drawn befuddled stares in the Pentagon.
Continue reading "Battle for Marja not only militarily significant" »
US-led forces fighting to clear a Taliban stronghold in south Afghanistan are making "steady progress", the most senior US military commander says.
Adm Mike Mullen said the operation in the town of Marjah in Helmand province was "messy... but that doesn't mean that it's not worth the cost".
Continue reading "US-led troops make 'steady progress' in Marjah" »
Lucy Smithers didn’t know Marine Cpl. Jacob Turbett, hadn’t ever met him or anyone who knew him and knew nothing about Monday’s show of support for the fallen Marine until reading the local paper Sunday night.
Continue reading "Hundreds give fallen Canton Marine a hero's welcome" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—Ten days into the fight for Marjah, U.S. and Afghan troops continue to seize ground, often battling the Taliban from one mud-walled compound to the next. But progress has been slower in winning over local civilians, many of whom are unsure which side will make life safer for their families.
Continue reading "Progress in Marjah, But Civilian Trust Elusive" »
For more than a week, CNN International Correspondent Atia Abawi has been embedded with U.S. Marines who are working alongside Afghan soldiers to rout out Taliban forces from the southern Afghan province of Marjah. Abawi filed this inside look at Operation Moshtarak:
It's been over a week now since Operation Moshtarak began here in southern Afghanistan. The city of Marjah shakes with the sound of improvised explosive devices, most of them set off by controlled explosions. Between IED blasts, the air is filled with the sounds of whizzing bullets, booming mortars, clacking helicopters, and other noises of war that I can't even express in writing.
Continue reading "Reporter's diary: Inside Operation Moshtarak" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — Since the American-led offensive into the last large Taliban enclave in Helmand Province began nine days ago, local Afghans have faced a dangerous and uncertain world.
Continue reading "Afghans Voice Their Fears Amid Marja Campaign" »
Fighter jets, drone and attack helicopters focus on part of city
MARJAH, Afghanistan - Outnumbered and outgunned, Taliban fighters are mounting a tougher fight than expected in Marjah, Afghan officials said Sunday, as U.S.-led forces converged on a pocket of militants in a western section of the town.
Continue reading "Marines target Taliban holdouts in Marjah" »
Marines and Afghan troops fight to clear holdout insurgents from one corner of the city in southern Afghanistan. NATO says there is another casualty among Western troops, bringing the total to 13.
Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Nawa, Afghanistan -- Backed by fighter jets and attack helicopters, U.S. Marines and Afghan troops closed in on an insurgent-ridden sector of Marja on Sunday, the ninth day of a coalition bid to wrest control of the southern Afghan town from the Taliban.
Continue reading "Military sweep of Marja focuses on pocket of 'determined resistance'" »
Nawa's district governor, upset by the unresponsive provincial government, pleads with residents not to become disenchanted and ally with insurgents.
Reporting from Nawa, Afghanistan — Haji Abdul Manaf, the district governor for this region of Helmand Province, was incensed.
Continue reading "Afghans frustrated in bid to remake Taliban-free towns" »
NATO Forces Face 'Determined Resistance'
MARJAH, Afghanistan -- Marines and Afghan units converged Sunday on a dangerous western quarter of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, with NATO forces facing "determined resistance" as their assault on the southern town entered its second week.
Continue reading "Marines Converge On Taliban Holdouts In Marjah" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—The Taliban grenade that whizzed overhead was John Kael Weston's first indication that this town might not be ready for an influx of diplomats, agriculturalists and economic-development specialists.
Continue reading "Taliban Resistance Stalls New Rule in Marjah" »
He died 'doing something respectful'
LONDONDERRY — A 21-year-old Londonderry Marine was killed by enemy fire Wednesday in Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Londonderry Marine, 21, killed in Afghanistan" »
ARJA, Afghanistan — As American Marines and Afghan soldiers have fought their way into this Taliban stronghold, the performance of the Afghan troops has tested a core premise of the American military effort here: in the not-too-distant future, the security of this country can be turned over to indigenous forces created at the cost of American money and blood.
Continue reading "Marines Do Heavy Lifting as Afghan Army Lags in Battle" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghan police were deployed on Saturday in an area recaptured from the Taliban by U.S. Marines this week, in the early phase of a plan to put the country firmly under the control of Afghan authorities.
Continue reading "Afghan police deployed in wake of NATO offensive" »
MARJA, AFGHANISTAN -- They had slogged through knee-deep mud carrying 100 pounds of gear, fingers glued to the triggers of their M-4 carbines, all the while on the lookout for insurgents. Now, after five near-sleepless nights, trying to avoid hypothermia in freezing temperatures, the grunts of the 1st Battalion of the 6th Marine Regiment finally had a moment to relax.
Continue reading "In Marja, it's war the old-fashioned way" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—The Taliban grenade that whizzed overhead was John Kael Weston's first indication that this embattled town might not be ready for an influx of diplomats, agriculturalists and economic-development specialists.
Continue reading "Troops Face Pockets of Resistance in Marjah" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan – After a fierce gunfight, U.S. Marines seized a strongly defended compound Friday that appears to have been a Taliban headquarters — complete with photos of fighters posing with their weapons, dozens of Taliban-issued ID cards and graduation diplomas from a training camp in Pakistan.
Continue reading "US Marines seize Taliban headquarters, IDs, photos" »
Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan — Following the deadliest day yet for coalition forces seeking to drive the Taliban from the town of Marja in southern Afghanistan, U.S. Marines took aim Friday at the threat posed by insurgent snipers.
Continue reading "Marines in Marja focus on sniper threat" »
The Marines have been ordered not to treat Afghans roughly. When making an arrest, they are instructed to ask their suspect to voluntarily go with them. Most do.
Reporting from Spin Ghar, Afghanistan - The three men were blindfolded, their hands bound in front of them with plastic flex cuffs, and each was in the firm grip of a Marine. Their loose-fitting clothes were faded and dusty, their thick beards beginning to show gray.
Continue reading "In Afghanistan, Marines handling detainees by the book" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan - Two U.S. helicopters dropped elite Marine recon teams behind Taliban lines before dawn Friday as the U.S.-led force stepped up operations to break resistance on the seventh day of fighting in the besieged militant stronghold of Marjah.
KABUL, Afghanistan - For the U.S. Marines, including Justin Blancas of Mount Prospect, who are deployed to the battlefields of southern Afghanistan, life is fragile and thoughts focus on the day they see their families again. But something about this war is different.
Continue reading "Local Marine in Afghanistan: 'I just have to stay alive'" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - It's only been six days since NATO launched a major assault against the Taliban and some Afghans are already asking Marines when they can reopen their shops.
Continue reading "Marines still looking over shoulder for Taliban" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — In five days of fighting, the Taliban have shown a side not often seen in nearly a decade of American military action in Afghanistan: the use of snipers, both working alone and integrated into guerrilla-style ambushes.
Continue reading "Snipers Imperil U.S.-Led Forces in Afghan Offensive" »
US Marines moving from the north of Marjah have joined up with US troops who were dropped into the area by helicopter four days ago, helping to increase their control over a crucial area known as the “Pork Chop”.
Continue reading "US forces move swiftly to take control of region north of Marjah" »
A Marine who graduated from Canton High School in 2007 and died recently in Afghanistan had known for years that he wanted to be in the military, according to one of his former teachers.
Continue reading "Michigan Marine killed in Afghanistan to be buried at Arlington" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan — Taliban fighters holding out in Marjah are increasingly using civilians as human shields, firing from compounds where U.S. and Afghan forces can clearly see women and children on rooftops or in windows, Afghan and U.S. troops said Wednesday.
Continue reading "Embattled Afghan Taliban rely on human shields" »
Lt Col Cal Worth, who commands one of two Marine battalions leading the offensive against Taliban fighters here, set off at 7am on Wednesday for the return journey to his battalion headquarters from a combat outpost less than four miles away.
MARJAH, Afghanistan – Marines moving by land from the north linked up Tuesday with U.S. units that have faced nearly constant Taliban attack in the four days since they were dropped by helicopter into this insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marines link up in Afghan Taliban stronghold" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers seized the site of Marjah's government offices, setting the stage for Kabul to attempt to resume its authority in a town long run by the Taliban.
Continue reading "Site of Marjah Government Offices Seized" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan — U.S. and Afghan forces traded gunfire with insurgents shooting from haystacks in poppy fields in the Taliban stronghold of Marjah as they pressed ahead in NATO's assault on the militants' heartland in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marines: Taliban resistance more disorganized" »
Canton Township -- A Marine from Michigan who would have turned 22 on St. Patrick's Day has been killed in Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marine from Canton Township killed in Afghanistan" »
MARJA, AFGHANISTAN -- For the Marines of Charlie Company's 3rd Platoon, Sunday's mission was simple enough: Head west for a little more than a mile to link up with Alpha Company in preparation for a mission to secure the few ramshackle government buildings in this farming community.
Continue reading "The Marines move on Marja: A perilous slog against Afghanistan's Taliban" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—U.S. Marines sent reinforcements to a beleaguered outpost where insurgent fighters were using women and children to carry weapons and shield their attacks on coalition forces.
Continue reading "U.S., Afghan Troops Battle Snipers in Marjah Offensive" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.
Continue reading "U.S. Marine Walks Away From Shot to Helmet in Afghanistan" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — Ten minutes after walking out of the small outpost on Monday morning, the Marines of Company K were ambushed again.
Continue reading "Soldiers Keep Up Push in Taliban Stronghold" »
MARJA, AFGHANISTAN -- U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers encountered pockets of stiff resistance and extensive minefields as they sought to press into this Taliban sanctuary in southern Afghanistan on Saturday.
MARJA, Afghanistan — An errant American rocket strike on Sunday hit a compound crowded with Afghan civilians in the last Taliban stronghold in Helmand Province, killing at least 10 people, including 5 children, military officials said.
Continue reading "Errant U.S. Rocket Strike Kills Civilians in Afghanistan" »
Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- U.S.-led forces encountered sniper fire and remote-controlled bombs as they fought for a second day to clear a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan, NATO and Afghan officials said.
Continue reading "U.S. Troops Encounter Snipers, Bombs in Afghanistan Offensive" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan—Taliban insurgents tried to overrun a U.S. Marine outpost with a combination of rocket-propelled grenades and suicide bombers in a brazen attack just after sundown on Sunday.
Continue reading "U.S. and Afghan Troops Expand Control in Marjah" »
On the offensive's second full day of fighting, Afghan officials say 27 insurgents have been killed. NATO reports 12 civilian deaths from a rocket strike and suspends use of the weapons involved.
Reporting from outside Marja and Kabul, Afghanistan — Insurgent holdouts in the town of Marja on Sunday aimed sporadic but sometimes intense fire at U.S. Marines and Afghan troops seeking to solidify their hold on the southern Afghan town.
Continue reading "Marines, Afghan troops seek to secure their hold on Marja" »
Marjah, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The Taliban put up a stiff resistance Sunday, as a coalition assault against the militant group entered its second day in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Troops, Taliban battle for second day in Afghan offensive" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) — It could take weeks to reclaim the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, a top Marine commander said Sunday as thousands of U.S. troops and Afghan soldiers fought for a second day in NATO's most ambitious effort yet to break the militants' grip on Afghanistan's dangerous south.
Continue reading "Marine commander says it could take weeks to fully reclaim Taliban haven" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan — Thousands of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers stormed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah before dawn Saturday, sweeping by air and ground against scattered resistance into the biggest southern town under militant control. The massive offensive was aimed at breaking the Taliban grip over a wide area of their southern heartland.
Continue reading "US, Afghan troops sweep into Taliban stronghold" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — The helicopters landed before dawn Saturday in a poppy field beside a row of mud-walled compounds. The Marines ran into the darkness and crouched through the rotor-whipped dust as their aircraft lifted away.
LASHKAR GAR, Afghanistan -- U.S. Marines and Afghan forces were airlifted over the Taliban-laid minefields into the center of town in Marjah Saturday, apparently surprising the insurgents and taking strategic positions from them, according to military officials.
Continue reading "Surprise tactic in Afghanistan offensive befuddles Taliban" »
Marjah, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The major coalition assault against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan claimed the lives of two coalition troops, but military officials regard the hours-old push in war-ravaged Helmand province as very promising.
Continue reading "Coalition troops find 'minimal interference' in assault on Taliban" »
MARJAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S. Marines spearheaded one of NATO's biggest offensives against the Taliban in Afghanistan on Saturday, in an early test of President Barack Obama's troop surge policy.
Continue reading "Marines spearhead major Afghanistan offensive" »
OUTSIDE MARJA and KABUL, Afghanistan _ Picking their way through a dense tangle of homemade bombs, U.S. Marines on Saturday seized key positions in the Taliban stronghold of Marja, as thousands of coalition troops consolidated their hold on a wide swath of desert and farm territory surrounding the southern Afghan town.
2 NATO troops, at least 20 insurgents reported killed on first day of assault
MARJAH, Afghanistan - Bombs and booby traps slowed the advance of thousands of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers moving Saturday through the Taliban-controlled town of Marjah — NATO's most ambitious effort yet to break the militants' grip over their southern heartland.
More than 1,000 British troops engaged in the launch of Operation Moshtarak in Afghanistan have secured their "key objectives", the Ministry of Defence has said.
Continue reading "Anti-Taliban Attack: 'Key Objectives Secured'" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The troops awoke from their tarp-covered fighting holes, Feb. 10, to find a blanket of frost, covering everything around them. Their boots, flak jackets, helmets and anything else exposed to the elements served as a frozen consequence of sleeping outside in the harsh desert of Helmand, province Afghanistan during the wintertime.
Continue reading "Marines, Afghan Soldiers Take on Harsh Weather Conditions in Helmand Province" »
For the assault on Marja in southern Afghanistan, Marines are drilled yet again about the inadvertent killing of civilians, which could undermine what they are trying to accomplish.
Reporting from The Outskirts Of Marja, Afghanistan - The Marines of Charlie Company had just landed outside Marja and were itching for the fight with the Taliban when they learned that a group of Afghans with shovels and wheelbarrows were digging holes in the road nearby.
Continue reading "Marines' life-and-death decisions in the 'fighting hole'" »
The long-discussed operation against the Taliban in Marja is one of the biggest of the war. Along with targeting the insurgents' grip on Helmand province, it's a test of the Afghan army's abilities.
Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, and The Outskirts Of Marja, Afghanistan -- Thousands of U.S., British and Afghan troops moved to seize the Taliban stronghold of Marja early Saturday in what the Marine general leading the assault called a "big, strong and fast" offensive aimed at challenging the insurgency's grip on a key southern Afghan province.
Continue reading "Marines launch offensive in southern Afghanistan town" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — Thousands of American, Afghan and British troops attacked the watery Taliban fortress of Marja early Saturday, moving by land and through the air to destroy the insurgency’s largest haven and begin a campaign to reassert the dominance of the Afghan government across a large arc of southern Afghanistan.
CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN -- Thousands of U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers traveling in helicopters and mine-resistant vehicles began punching into a key Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan early Saturday, as one of the largest operations to assert government control over this country got underway.
Continue reading "U.S. Marines launch major offensive in Afghanistan" »
MARJA, Afghanistan — The helicopter was filled with men and dark in its cabin when a voice cut over the whir of the rotors.
“Five minutes out!”
Continue reading "In the Cold of Morning, Descending Into Conflict" »
When Marines rumble into the Taliban stronghold of Marjah in Helmand province for one of the largest offensives of the Afghanistan war, they'll be battle-testing a powerful new weapon, the Assault Breacher Vehicle
When the the Marines currently stacked up in Afghanistan's Helmand province waiting for a long-planned offensive against the Taliban finally make their move, they'll be coming with a powerful new weapon that looks like a cross between a tank and hell's own backhoe.
Continue reading "Marines roll out Assault Breacher Vehicles for Marjah Afghanistan offensive" »
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan -
U.S. and Afghan forces ringed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah on Thursday, sealing off escape routes and setting the stage for what is being described as the biggest offensive of the nine-year war.
Continue reading "US and Afghan troops ring Taliban stronghold" »
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan — U.S. and Afghan forces ringed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah on Thursday, sealing off escape routes and setting the stage for what is being described as the biggest offensive of the nine-year war.
Continue reading "U.S. Troops Close Taliban Escape Route Before Major Offensive" »
KABUL — The Taliban vowed on Thursday to fight back with a "hit and run" guerrilla campaign against Western and Afghan forces preparing to storm one of their key strongholds in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Taliban vow guerrilla warfare against NATO troops" »
SISTANI, Afghanistan -- In comes "The Joker."
Continue reading "Marines push 'The Breacher' against Taliban lines" »
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan (AP) -- U.S. Marines and Taliban insurgents exchanged gunfire Thursday on the outskirts of Marjah, a southern militant stronghold where American and Afghan forces are expected to launch a major attack in the coming days.
Continue reading "Taliban, Marines exchange fire as battle looms" »
NEAR MARJAH, Afghanistan — U.S. and Afghan forces pushed Tuesday to the edge of the southern Afghan town of Marjah, poised to seize the major Taliban supply and drug-smuggling stronghold in hopes of building public support by providing aid and services once the insurgents are gone.
Continue reading "U.S., Afghan Forces Poised to Seize Taliban Stronghold" »
Marines Test Taliban Defenses Before Attack on Key Militant Stronghold
(CBS/ AP) U.S. Marines fired smoke rounds Wednesday and armored vehicles maneuvered close to Taliban positions to test insurgent defenses ahead of an anticipated attack on the biggest militant-controlled town in southern Afghanistan.
Continue reading "U.S. Inches Closer to Major Afghan Assault" »
OUTSKIRTS OF MARJAH, Afghanistan — US Marines came under attack from insurgents armed with sniper guns and rocket-propelled grenades as they geared up Wednesday to overwhelm a Taliban bastion in Afghanistan.
Continue reading "US Marines under fire ahead of Afghan assault" »
U.S. Marines Head up Force of 30,000 NATO and Afghan Troops Preparing to Attack Taliban Stronghold
(CBS) It is the eve of battle and today the Marines on the outskirts of Marjah got their marching orders from their commanding officer.
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan - In anticipation of operations in central Helmand, a variety of organizations and individuals, including combined force commanders, have been paying close attention to civilian movements. Commanders in the area are reporting no significant increase in persons moving out of Nad-e Ali District in the last month.
Continue reading "Central Helmand Residents Encouraged to Remain in Homes" »
OUTPOST BELLEAU WOOD, Afghanistan — Take a desert of yellow-orange dust so flat it looks like Mars, with a freezing wind that blows so hard it can lift a large tent.
Continue reading "US Marines expectantly await battle in harsh Afghan desert winter" »
TOOR GHAR, Afghanistan — US Marines on Tuesday stepped up preparations for a major assault on a key Taliban bastion in southern Afghanistan hailed by officers as the biggest offensive of the eight-year war.
Continue reading "US Marines gear up for major Afghan assault" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Marines and sailors of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, battled Taliban insurgents, Feb. 9, after conducting a successful helicopter-borne assault to seize a key intersection east of the insurgent stronghold city of Marjeh.
Continue reading "Marines Fight Insurgents, Secure Key Intersection on Road to Marjeh" »
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan — Heading into battle to seize a Taliban stronghold, U.S. Marines are keenly aware of one factor that could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory: Afghan civilian casualties.
Continue reading "Marines focus on civilian safety in Afghanistan" »
By mid-February, Marines will be out of Iraq.
ABOARD USS NASSAU, At Sea (NNS) -- The USS Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Haiti Feb. 7, continuing on its originally scheduled deployment to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).
KABUL — The commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan said Sunday a major offensive will send a "strong signal" and clear insurgents from their southern stronghold, as residents fled ahead of the assault.
Continue reading "Afghan assault to send 'strong signal': McChrystal" »
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban militants are massing and preparing for a big fight ahead of a major NATO offensive in an insurgent stronghold in southern Afghanistan, villagers fleeing the area said on Sunday.
Continue reading "Taliban dig in for big assault, say Afghan villagers" »
COMBAT OUTPOST FIDDLER’S GREEN, Afghanistan
Sgt. Jefferson Haney is a rarity, and his fellow Marines look at him with just a little bit of envy.
Continue reading "Rules of engagement mean Marines see victory in holding fire" »
CHAPAWALA, Afghanistan — When 35-year-old Lance Cpl. Robert McGuinn enlisted four years ago, he knew what to expect.
CAMP BELLEAU WOOD, Afghanistan – A desolate patch of Afghan desert has been transformed into the Marine Corps' newest installation in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Marines and sailors from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, have been working night and day to establish Camp Belleau Wood, named after the famous World War I battle in which 3/6 valiantly fought many years ago.
Continue reading "Home Is Where the Pack Is: Marines Set Up Camp in Southern Afghan Desert" »
The attack will be aimed at Marja, the last community held by the militia in Helmand province.
Reporting from Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan - The U.S. Marines and Afghan army plan a massive assault on Taliban fighters in Marja, the last community under Taliban control in a sprawling, lawless region once dominated by the insurgency, a top Marine said Wednesday.
Continue reading "Marines, Afghan army plan massive assault on Taliban" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Beleaguered and tired, with combat boots half filled with water, Marines with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and the Afghan national army soldiers attached to their unit, trudge through flooded canals in the Shorshurak region of Helmand province, Jan. 29.
CAMP FIDDLER'S GREEN, Afghanistan — The incident, deadly and tragic as it was, rated only one short sentence on the official NATO website.
Continue reading "Marine deaths underline US struggle in Afghanistan" »
SOUTHEAST OF MARJAH, Afghanistan: Anger, frustration and a hunger for revenge are running high among US Marines as casualties mount on the frontline of the battle against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan
Continue reading "US casualties in Afghanistan sow seeds of anger, frustration" »
CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Marines from Headquarters and Service Company of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, arrived at the makeshift rifle range with large packs and complete sets of personal protective equipment under rain-threatening clouds the afternoon of Jan. 23, 2010, at Camp Dwyer, Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marines prepare for Helmand campaign with shooting drills" »
SOUTHEAST OF MARJAH, Afghanistan — For the US Marines deployed to the battlefields of southern Afghanistan, life is fragile and thoughts focus on the day they see their families again, but something about this war is different
Continue reading "US Marines facing a 'different war' in Afghanistan" »
ABOARD USS NASSAU — The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is off the coast of Haiti Jan. 23 staged to support ongoing relief efforts in Haiti after a 7.0 earthquake devastated the country last week.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Worse than turbulence, their truck sways side to side and bumps up and down along a path in Afghanistan. What would be an intolerable ride for most is just something Lance Cpl. Paul N. Krist, a dog handler for 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and his dog Max have accepted as part of the job.
COTES DE FER, Haiti — As the roar of the CH-53E Super Stallion came closer to shore, scores of men, women and children began looking to the sky in hope of relief.
Continue reading "22nd MEU delivers aid to Haiti's southern coast" »
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Nearly two hundred family members of deployed Marines and sailors packed Camp Lejeune's Ball Center for a town hall style meeting with Lt. Gen. Dennis J. Hejlik, the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force, Jan. 21.
Continue reading "II MEF Commander Fields Questions From 22nd MEU Families" »
CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan – Marines and Sailors from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment labored to get through the massive pile of gear in the center of the CH-53E Super Stallion and out into the burning sun of southern Afghanistan, Jan. 17, 2009. Almost instinctually, they hastily grabbed their bags and formed a neat pile of equipment several feet away from the flight line.
Continue reading "3/6 Arrives in Helmand Province, Prepare to Integrate With Afghan National Army" »
CAMP LEJEUNE — Marines and sailors from Camp Lejeune’s 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit pushed south from Morehead City Wednesday night, expecting to enter Haitian waters this weekend, officials with the 24th MEU said Thursday.
Continue reading "24th MEU to arrive in Haiti this weekend" »
SOUTHEAST OF MARJAH, Afghanistan — The crisp crackling of AK-47s breaks the morning silence as US Marines inch towards the outskirts of a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand.
Continue reading "Bombs and ambushes as Marines inch into Taliban bastion" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Stepping gingerly over rocks and uneven ground, Marines from Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and the Afghan national army soldiers attached to them, patrolled to the north of Observation Post Huskars, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 18, 2010.
Continue reading "Marines Draw Out Taliban in Southern Helmand Province" »
FORT BRAGG, N.C. --- The Pentagon announced Wednesday that it would send a second Marine unit to Haiti to support what has become an expanding relief effort for the Defense Department, deepening the American military’s role there.
LEOGANE, Haiti — About 120 Marines with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, landed via helicopters in Haiti on Tuesday morning, securing a landing zone and a water distribution point in this town west of Port-au-Prince.
The ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast of Haiti Monday to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for earthquake survivors and bolster relief operations already underway in support of Operation Unified Response.
Continue reading "22nd MEU, Bataan Amphibious Ready Group arrive off Haiti Coast" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A riotous crowd gathered within the Garmsir District Center bazaar, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 12. The riot was believed to have been orchestrated by the Taliban, on false pretenses of the desecration of a Koran by coalition forces earlier in the week.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A mounted patrol rolls up a mud path past spools of coiled concertina wire, which are uncurled as the column of vehicles passes and pulls into Observation Post Huskars, in Helmand province, Jan. 14, 2010.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Two men don flak jackets and Kevlar helmets, one set coyote brown, the other forest green, each with an emblem of their nation. Stepping out of their tent and walking with their squad leaders in step, Staff Sgt. Galen P. Hafner, a Marine platoon sergeant with Alpha Co., 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and Staff Sgt. Gulwazir Harin, an Afghan national army platoon sergeant, attached to Alpha Co., 1/6, prepare to set out on a patrol in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 15.
WESTWOOD -- On Christmas Day, Marine Sgt. Christopher Hrbek called home to Bergen County from Afghanistan with the news he had been nominated for a Bronze Star.
Continue reading "Marine from Bergen County killed in Afghanistan will receive Bronze Star" »
The Marine Corps will send the North Carolina-based 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit to earthquake-ravaged Haiti as part of an extensive U.S. relief plan for the island nation, the service’s top officer said Thursday.
Continue reading "Conway: 22nd MEU tapped for earthquake relief" »
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is deploying to Haiti to assist in disaster relief efforts in the wake of an earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation January 12.
Continue reading "22nd MEU deploys in support of Haiti relief effort" »
Troops from Camp Lejeune’s 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit may be called to Haiti to assist in disaster relief efforts, as base officials report that all units are at the ready and waiting for word from the commander-in-chief about upcoming missions.
Continue reading "24th MEU awaits call to assist in Haiti" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Laki, a village in Afghanistan, located in the southern portion of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment's area of operation in the Garmsir District of Helmand province has never had a conventional coalition force visit or even walk down its streets.
Continue reading "Marines Interact With Locals in New Territory" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Throughout Jan. 4-7, the Marines and sailors of Jump Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, rose from their dew covered sleeping bags, grabbed a meal ready to eat and prepared for a patrol.
NAWA, Afghanistan – Dozens of elder men from Nawa District's Shorshorak area and the city of Marjeh took part in a historic first official meeting between Afghan people and their governmental leaders near Forward Operating Base Fiddler's Green Jan. 8.
Continue reading "Afghan Government Leaders Join Nawa, Marjeh Citizens in Historic First Meeting" »
Cpl. Sara Bryant is training like an infantry Marine about to hit the front lines.
Continue reading "All-female teams reach out to Afghan women" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – The soldier's fingers gingerly curl around the hand guards of his brand new M-16A2 rifle, Jan. 5, at a Marine Corps range here in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Pushing the weapon into his shoulder and pressing his cheek against the buttstock he takes aim. The rows of wrinkles which span his haggard face seem to lengthen as he concentrates on the green target downrange. When he slowly, steadily squeezes the trigger, it marks the third time that he's fired his rifle.
Continue reading "Afghan Soldiers Learn Infantry Basics From Marines" »
CAMP DWYER, Helmand province Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – It's mid-afternoon on New Year's Day, and a sea of men in green, brown and black camouflage uniforms shuffle awkwardly inside the crowded beige tent. Men with thick black beards and hard faces sit next to clean shaven youths with full smiles. Each one wears the uniform of their nation's military, and each one carries a weapon. They comprise the full company of Afghan national army soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, that has arrived at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, and is being integrated directly into Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
Continue reading "Afghan Soldiers Stand With Marine Counterparts" »
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan — For the Marines in Afghanistan, the need for ammunition, fuel, water and other supplies is constant. But unlike in Iraq, most supplies need to be airlifted throughout the country due to fewer secure ground transportation routes.
Continue reading "VMGR-352 Raiders Transport Troops, Cargo for MEB-Afghanistan" »
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand Province, Afghanistan — More than a month ago, Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, took control of the airspace over the MEB's area of operations from their United Kingdom counterparts.
20:17 GMT, January 4, 2010 CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan | Adjusting his body armor, a designated marksman with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, tracked the progress of a patrol of Marines from his perch atop a rocky hillside. The marksman followed the line of tan figures as they plodded along toward the platoon attack course at Range 3 here Jan. 2.
Continue reading "Deployed U.S. Marines Focus on Target Identification" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan- Walking off the loading ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane and into vibrant sunlight, members of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment arrived at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, Dec. 15.
Continue reading "Marines, Sailors Undertake Deployment in Afghanistan" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Gen. James F. Amos, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, visited the Marines and sailors of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, known as the “Warlords,” on Forward Operating Base Delhi, in Garmsir, Afghanistan, Christmas day
Continue reading "Assistant commandant pays ‘Warlords’ a visit on Christmas" »
Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan –What is known as Cowboy Road to Marines in southern Afghanistan is also known as a road notorious for IEDs. Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion set out to eradicate that problem by building two observation posts specifically between the most hit areas on the road, Dec. 16.
Continue reading "Marine engineers fortify observation posts in Afghanistan" »
In Afghanistan high morale can be as necessary, and useful as weapons. Morale is defined as the mental and emotional condition of an individual or group, with regard to the function or tasks at hand. Therefore, while one may have the capability to fight with low morale, one may not have the drive.
Continue reading "Sailor finds unique way to improve Marine morale" »
During Operation Cobra’s Anger earlier this month near the Afghan town of Now Zad in Helmand province, the Marine Corps rolled out a fearsome new weapon, the 62-ton Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV), a tracked, armored vehicle that can clear a lane through minefields, expose and detonate IEDs and plow a path though obstacles.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Marines of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion are serving in southern Afghanistan with pride, despite the hardship of being away from their families during the holidays.
Continue reading "Marines Serve in Afghanistan With Pride" »
The Marines found the bone as they scraped a shallow trench. Long, dry and unmistakably once part of a human leg, it was followed by others. They reburied most of them but also found bodies. Three of the graves were close together; in another was a skeleton still wearing a pair of glasses. The Marines covered the grave and told their successors to stay away from it.
Continue reading "Eerie outpost unnerves US Marines with strange lights and whispers in the night" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Last year the majority of Marines of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion were enjoying Christmas with their families. This year 2nd CEB are spread all over southern Afghanistan working hard building observational posts, searching for IEDs, and providing route clearance.
Continue reading "Marines Sacrifice Holidays to Fight for Country" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Throughout the Garmsir District in Afghanistan, Marines and Sailors of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, interact with multiple key leaders and locals to learn what the village needs.
NAWA, Afghanistan - An irrigation ditch bisects the main thoroughfare of this town in Helmand province, and shops line each side of the street.
Continue reading "Afghan Town's Progress Provides Encouragement" »
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – For service members deployed to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, security is a top priority. Although much of the area surrounding it is open desert, the camp must still be well armed along its edges. This is where a group of Marines come in, whose sole mission is to ensure the camp is protected.
Continue reading "Marines Protect Thousands Aboard Camp Leatherneck" »
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — Combat Logistics Battalion 46 officially took over for Combat Logistics Regiment 27 (Forward) as the logistics combat element during a Transfer of Authority ceremony aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Dec. 16.
Family, friends and fellow Marines went to the Chase Parkway Memorial on Wednesday to pay their respects to Corporal Xhacob LaTorre, a proud Marine dedicated to serving his country who lost his life fighting for it.
Continue reading "Family and Friends Say Goodbye to Fallen Marine" »
Hundreds of Marines and Sailors deployed to Afghanistan early Tuesday morning
Two weeks ago, President Obama said he was going to send more troops to Afghanistan, and this morning they are on their way.
Hundreds of Marines
Continue reading "http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2009/12/11th_marine_expeditionary_unit.htm" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – A previous fear of the Taliban would have kept the people of Amir Agha hidden in their compounds, as Marines patrolled through their fields and town. Their willingness to talk increases with a growing since of security.
Continue reading "Afghan Villagers Embrace Marines, Afghan Forces After Months of Hiding" »
A North Carolina-based infantry battalion will be the first U.S. unit to deploy to Afghanistan as part of an additional 30,000 troops who will be sent into combat during the next six months, said a Marine official overseeing the unit
Continue reading "Col. Lejeune's 1/6 to Lead Afghan Surge" »
Members of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Camp LeJeune, NC missed a lot during their seven-month deployment at sea -- specifically 77 of their wives giving birth back at home. Lance Corporal Jasen Kratzer figured he'd be one of those dads who learned about his new baby via telegram while he was deployed.
Continue reading "Marine Unit Comes Home to 77 New Babies!" »
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.
Continue reading "Numerous Lejeune units to deploy in surge" »
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HASSANABAD, Afghanistan -- In the middle of a foot patrol Saturday through what may be the most dangerous part of the most dangerous province in Afghanistan for U.S. troops, Staff Sgt. John Nickerson peered through the scope of his assault rifle at a group of Afghan men who were rolling a wheelbarrow toward him.
Continue reading "In Taliban stronghold, U.S. medics win friends for Marines" »
About 2,200 Marines and sailors with a North Carolina-based unit are returning home this week after a seven-month deployment.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — The Taliban approached Afghan National Army Sgt. Nazir Mohammad with an offer he couldn't refuse. But he did.
Continue reading "Afghan National Army welcomes newest soldiers at Marine patrol base" »
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The message on Gail Kroger’s cell phone said her son was home from Afghanistan.
Continue reading "New family systems improves link to Marines" »
Cpl. Michael Curvin
11/24/2009
COMBAT OUTPOST PAYNE, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – (Center) Brig. Gen. Larry D. Nicholson, commanding general of Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, visited Marines here, Nov. 18, as Lt. Col. Michael S. Martin, commanding officer of 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (second from left) assumes control of the Rig district, Helmand province from Lt. Col. Thomas E. Grattan (right), commanding officer of 2nd LAR. During 2nd LAR’s deployment here, the battalion conducted security patrols and counter-insurgency missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michael Curvin)
Sgt. Aaron Rooks
11/24/2009
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – Brig. Gen. Larry D. Nicholson, commanding general, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, speaks to the Marines of 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, MEB-Afghanistan, here Nov. 21, about their role in clearing Khan Neshin of insurgent forces in early July. The Marines of 2nd LAR will redeploy to Camp Lejeune, N.C., in the coming days. (U.S. Marine Corps by Sgt. Aaron Rooks)
CAMP BASTION, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – The sound of four blade rotors echoes across the Helmand sky, as the UH-1Y Huey helicopter made its first combat deployment with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 "Scarface."
PATROL BASE MASOOD, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan –"It was well planned," said Estonian 1st Lt. Alar Karileet, following an insurgent attack near Patrol Base Masood in late October. "The Taliban were in three positions of four to five men each."
Continue reading "ANGLICO Marines Ensure Estonian Success in NATO Effort" »
KHAN NESHIN, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan –It would be hard to recognize the young boy bounding out of the medical tent nestled inside the castle walls. The boy was limping from scratches on his leg only moments before. An inflated surgical glove serves as a new play thing for him and his friend. Although this was only a flesh wound, Navy corpsmen spending a few moments to provide basic remedies shows the locals that U.S. forces are here to help in an area once poisoned by insurgent presence.
Continue reading "Medicine men: MEB-Afghanistan docs treat from the castle" »
This month, the more than 800 Marines of 2nd Battalion, 8th Regiment are finishing their deployment to Afghanistan. Some units of "America's Battalion," are returning this week to Camp Lejeune, N.C., after months fighting the Taliban. NPR reporters have been following these Marines since they left North Carolina in May.
Continue reading "Marines Welcome Replacements To The Afghan Fight" »
RIG DISTRICT, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – First-grade student Yaar Gul bats a fly from his eye-lash with one hand as the other follows along in his school book. He repeats after his instructor again and again, “Nomads live under the tent. Nomads have a tent. Nomads sleep in the tent.”
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Suspended off the side of a towering vehicle by cargo netting, 1st Lt. William R. Goodwin, the executive officer for Mobility Assault Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, pushes himself up for one more repetition. Goodwin built a fitness tool using duck tape, cargo netting and ratchet straps, to perform multiple exercises off the side of a vehicle, aboard Camp Dwyer, Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Continue reading "Marine Finds Innovative Ways to Exercise in Combat Zone" »
CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq — Marines from Combat Logistics Regiment 27 (Forward) woke up with the Iraqi sun aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, knowing that the day, Nov. 10, marked 234 years of the Marine Corps’ existence.
Continue reading "Celebration of 234 years brings deployed Marines together" »
CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq — The Iraqi Ministry of Defense directed that one detachment of helicopters from 4th Squadron, Iraqi Air Force, be located at Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, in order to provide a rotary wing transportation capability to the Anbar Operations Command, a command center for all Iraqi security forces in Iraq’s Al Anbar province.
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 7, participated in a Remembrance Day ceremony aboard Forward Observation Base Delhi, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Nov. 8.
Continue reading "Marines, Afghans, British Observe Remembrance Day" »
JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A Camp Lejeune Marine accused late last week of killing a noncommissioned officer is now in the base brig after spending several hours in a local hospital being treated for self-inflicted wounds, Marine officials said Monday
But many residents in the insurgent heartland fear the U.S. troops may leave abruptly, leaving the area for the Taliban to retake.
Reporting from Nawa, Afghanistan - When 500 U.S. Marines descended on this Taliban stronghold overnight, Afghan civilians were immediately suspicious about the intentions of the heavily armed Americans.
Continue reading "Afghanistan: Marines bring some calm in Helmand" »
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – In another history-making moment for Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, the first MV-22B Ospreys entered the Task Force Leatherneck area of operations today, alighting in three waves at Camp Bastion Airfield.
The marketplace of Garmsir in Afghanistan's Helmand province is bustling. A long line of shops sells piles of pomegranates, oranges and okra. Consumer goods are trucked in from Pakistan, ranging from children's toys to motorcycle spare parts.
Continue reading "Marines Seek To Tame Afghan 'Snake's Head'" »
CAMP AL TAQADDUM, Iraq — Marine Corps participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom is drawing to a close as Marines, sailors and equipment make their way back home or to other parts of the globe. As part of the departure, one of the Marine Corps’ largest bases in the country is on its way to being in the hands of the Iraqi government once again.
Continue reading "Marines leaving Al Taqaddum little by little" »
AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — Since the earliest days of the Marine Corps, all Marines have been taught they are riflemen first. This philosophy shines true with the Marines of Task Force East, II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (Forward). As they depart Iraq, they do so knowing the basic training they received was the cornerstone for the experiences they shared here. With their deployment at its end, the Marines of TFE reflect on their overall experiences and lessons learned.
Continue reading "Task Force East Marines close chapter on successful deployment" »
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.
Continue reading "N.C. Marines will take part in the commissioning of USS New York" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The most significant Marine Corps operation since the Battle of Fallujah in 2004 and the largest helicopter insertion since the Vietnam War took place July 2 as Marines spread out into the Helmand River valley to secure what was called one of the most violent provinces in all of Afghanistan at the time.
Continue reading "First Marine RCT in Afghanistan Concludes Historic Deployment" »
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2009 – Dr. Jill Biden, the vice president's wife, knows what it feels like to say goodbye to a son heading off to war and the joy of welcoming him home safely.
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, Oct. 14, 2009 – U.S. Marines and sailors were part of a four-nation coalition that stormed the beaches near here during a major amphibious assault demonstration Oct. 12.
Continue reading "Marines, Sailors Join Coalition in Exercise" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Oct. 14, 2009 – Marines here have brought new meaning to the expression “goat rope” by helping local farmers with free veterinary care for their goats, sheep and cows.
PATROL BASE LAKARI, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Winning Afghan trust has been the cornerstone of the success of Marines with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan as combat operations take them farther south into Helmand province.
Continue reading "2/8 Marines Conduct Counter Insurgency Operations in Lakari Village" »
BARCHA, Afghanistan, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Winning ground is one thing. Convincing Afghan villagers you will not leave, abandoning them to a vengeful Taliban, is a bigger challenge for U.S. Marines advancing deep into southern Helmand province.
Continue reading "Advancing Marines test new Afghan war doctrine" »
More than 130 Marines from Alpha Company, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, accompanied by soldiers from the Afghan National Army, conducted an operation to disrupt insurgent activity in northeastern Helmand province.
Continue reading "Recon Marines revisit insurgents in Helmand" »
PATROL BASE LAKARI, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – Since the first raid on Lakari Bazaar in mid July which turned up thousands of pounds of drugs and bomb-making materials, the Taliban has continued to use the market as a staging area for illegal activity – launching more than 20 attacks against coalition troops in the immediate vicinity from there.
Continue reading "Marines Construct New Position Near Taliban Marketplace" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Many cultures throughout the world sustained themselves because they had men and women who had a warrior spirit and a willingness to fight for a common cause.
Continue reading "Estonian soldiers integrate with 2/8 Marines" »
Unbearable Heat, Constant Mud, No Showers and Taliban Shooting At them, Marines Still Don't Complain
CBS) Wednesday will mark the 8-year anniversary of the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, and the situation for American troops there is not getting any better
Continue reading "Marines in Afghanistan: A Day in the Life" »
US helicopter comes under Taliban fire in Afghanistan
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Bullets were spraying down range at Gunnery Sgt. Christopher J. Clookey and his platoon during spring 2008 in Afghanistan. With a wounded Marine needing helicopter evacuation, Clookey purposely exposed himself to enemy fire in order to locate the direction of their fire. After pinpointing the enemy, he led his Marines to destroy the opposing force’s position. Afterward, Clookey was able to mark the landing zone to evacuate the injured Marine and save his life.
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — When Staff Sgt. Chavis P. Bowers began his morning commute Sept. 22, he had no idea just how important his combat lifesaver training would be that day.
Continue reading "Marines save elderly man in car accident" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — In a historic combat first, Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772, Combat Logistics Battalion 8 and 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment worked together to air lift two M777A2 lightweight howitzers from Fire Base Fiddler’s Green in Helmand Province and set them up for action at Forward Operating Base Golestan Sept. 28. A third was convoyed here to be carried by CH-53E helicopter the following morning.
Continue reading "Air-Ground team airlifts newest howitzers in historic first" »
LASHKAR GAH, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The evening began with a small group of U.S. Marines and U.K. soldiers gathered around a campfire of dimly-lit candles and a teapot boiling over a small fire.
Continue reading "Not Many ... but Much: ANGLICO Marines Help U.K. Hold Northern Post" »
CAMP DWYER, Helmand Province, Afghanistan – In a historic combat first, Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 772, Combat Logistics Battalion 8 and 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment worked together to air lift two M777A2 lightweight howitzers from Fire Base Fiddler's Green in Helmand province
Continue reading "Air-Ground Team Airlifts Newest Howitzers in Historic First" »
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. —
Friends and family of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, gathered together in the early morning hours of Sept 18, 2009, aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., to welcome home their Marines and sailors.
Continue reading "1/8 Marines and sailors return from Iraq" »
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Around here, some Marines say a quiet day is a boring day, and a day they clash with the enemy, while unwelcome, is more personally satisfying.
CAMP RAMADI, Iraq – As Regimental Combat Team 6 prepares to hand over military operations in Iraq's Al Anbar province after over five years of Marine Corps presence, to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division (Advise and Assist Brigade), we talked with the man once known to some Iraqis as the "Lion of Al Qaim," Marine commander, Col. Matthew Lopez.
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – A Marine with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169, nicknamed the Vipers, recently received one of the highest honors of a Marine aviator for acts of heroism during Operating Iraqi Freedom.
Continue reading "Viper Pilot Earns Distinguished Flying Cross" »