Tragic Deaths of U.S. Service Members in Afghanistan

 27th August 2021 at 3:58 AM

      Won't Stop Evacuation Mission    

AUG. 26, 2021 | BY C. TODD LOPEZ, DOD NEWS

A dozen American service members were killed, 15 more were injured and a number of Afghan civilians were also killed or injured during attacks this morning in Afghanistan.

The attacks involved an explosive set off by a suicide bomber near the Abbey Gate entrance to Hamid Karzai International Airport. Nearby, another suicide bomber set off an explosive at the Baron Hotel. Those attacks were followed by gunfire from ISIS gunmen.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command, brief the media at the Pentagon, Aug. 26, 2021

Despite the tragic loss of life, the mission to evacuate American citizens and vulnerable Afghan civilians from Afghanistan will continue undeterred, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command, said during a briefing today at the Pentagon.

"Let me be clear: while we're saddened by the loss of life, both U.S. and Afghan [citizens], we're continuing to execute the mission," the general said.

Right now, that mission is to evacuate from Afghanistan U.S. citizens, third-country nationals, special immigrant visa holders, U.S. embassy staff, and at-risk Afghans. Currently,  there are now some 5,000 individuals awaiting evacuation from the country, McKenzie said.

Since Aug. 14, he noted, more than 104,000 civilians have been evacuated — including about 5,000 Americans. He said he believes there are a little over 1,000 American civilians left in the country now.

"We're doing everything we can, in concert with our Department of State partners, to reach out to them and to help them leave, if they want to leave. And remember, not everybody wants to leave," he said.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command, brief the media at the Pentagon, Aug. 26, 2021

The risks to U.S. forces conducting evacuation operations in Afghanistan are well-known, McKenzie said, and include a number of what he described as "tactical threats."

Those threats include rocket attacks, which he said could be countered by anti-rocket and mortar systems in place at the airport. "We feel that we'd be in good shape should that kind of attack occur," he said.

Also a risk, he said, are larger suicide bomb attacks similar to the ones this morning. 

"We also know they aim to get a ... vehicle-borne suicide attack in if they can — from a small vehicle to a large vehicle — they're working all those options," he said. "All of those things we look at."

The Taliban is now doing security outside the airport and McKenzie said the U.S. military is working with them so they can help mitigate some of the threats.

Right now, it's not 100% clear exactly who is responsible for planning the bombings, but McKenzie said that the U.S. military is looking for the perpetrators and will take action once it is discovered who is responsible.

"If we can find who's associated with this, we will go after them," he said. "We've been clear all along that we're going to retain the right to operate against ISIS in Afghanistan, and we are working very hard right now to determine attribution to determine who is associated with this cowardly attack, and we're prepared to take action against them. 24/7, we are looking for them."

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby and Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command, brief the media at the Pentagon, Aug. 26, 2021

Inside Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command continues to execute the mission to evacuate as many civilians as possible. Back in the U.S., the military services will conduct next-of-kin notifications to the families of those service members who were killed, McKenzie said.

Earlier today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III expressed condolences to the families, loved ones and colleagues of those lost in the attacks.

"On behalf of the men and women of the Department of Defense, I express my deepest condolences to the loved ones and teammates of all those killed and wounded in Kabul today," he said. "Terrorists took their lives at the very moment these troops were trying to save the lives of others. We mourn their loss. We will treat their wounds. And we will support their families in what will most assuredly be devastating grief."

Like McKenzie, Austin reiterated the U.S. commitment to continue the mission in Afghanistan until it is complete.

"We will not be dissuaded from the task at hand," he said. "To do anything less — especially now — would dishonor the purpose and sacrifice these men and women have rendered our country and the people of Afghanistan." US Department of Defense

Women Courage: Sharp Shooter with carbine

 During weapons qualification course in Kuwait 

USA: 20th October 2020: (The Eagle Eye News)::

Women are growing with fast speed even on war front. They are getting themselves trained in weapon training too. Women are surprising the world with their capacity to learn and perform. You are watching the picture of a brave American soldier. Missouri Army National Guard Spc. Lauren Cabrera fires from an M4 carbine during a specialized law enforcement weapons qualification course at the Udairi Range Complex, Kuwait, Oct. 19, 2020.

Jasmine Strait Practicing on An Machine Gun

During training at Camp Geiger

Marine Corps Pfc. Jasmine Strait practices clearing procedures on an M240B machine gun during training at Camp Geiger, N.C., Dec. 17, 2019.
Photo By: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Brian Bolin Jr.

Face of Defense: Marine Brothers Reunite in Afghanistan

Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 6:18 PM                                                03/17/2014 08:35 AM CDT By Marine Corps Cpl. Cody Haas Regional Command Southwest CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, Mar. 17, 2014: After being separated for more than a year and a half, two brothers were reunited while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Donald Rucker, left, a maintenance administration clerk with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, Marine Aircraft Group - Afghanistan, and Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ian Smith, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, pose for a photo after reuniting at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, March 11, 2014. The brothers reconnected for the first time after being separated for more than a year and a half while serving in the Marine Corps. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Cody Haas  Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Donald Rucker, a maintenance administration clerk with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, Marine Aircraft Group - Afghanistan, Regional Command Southwest, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ian Smith, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regional Command Southwest, reconnected with one another here March 11. "It's definitely cool having a brother in the military," said Smith, a 20-year-old native of Edmond, Okla. "Having shared pretty much everything growing up: sports, food, parents, the Marine Corps, it's just one more thing." The two were not always so close. Rucker was adopted at age 15 and moved in with Smith's family. The brothers really got to know each other as teens and have been great friends ever since. "I found myself going in the wrong direction and wanted guidance and discipline in my life," said Rucker, a 21-year-old native of Edmond. "I can definitely see the difference in him," Smith said. "He's disciplined, patient and all-around a great Marine. Our parents couldn't be prouder of our decision to be Marines, and we couldn't be happier." Though the brothers both wrestled in high school, Smith also played football and Rucker practiced martial arts in his spare time. The two grew up in a rural Oklahoma town where the ideals of love and service to country were instilled at a young age. Both joined the Marines straight out of high school. "I think we both knew we were joining the military at some point after high school," said Smith, regarding his decision to serve despite football scholarships to Southwestern Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma State University. "My father and grandfather were Marines, and I wanted to be the third-generation Marine in my family. Tradition is very important to the both of us, which made the decision of what branch we were going to join an easy one." Reuniting in Afghanistan has been bittersweet; Smith is four days away from completing his first tour while Rucker just started his. "He's given me a lot of tips," Rucker said of his brother. "It was great seeing each other again. I'm looking forward to my deployment, and I couldn't be happier."

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Suicide Prevention Remains Ongoing Battle

09/13/2013 12:43 PM CDT                                                      Fri,Sep 13, 2013 at 10:22 PM
Senior Official Says
By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

Courtesy Photo

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2013 - The Defense Department and the military services have made inroads in suicide prevention, but work remains to be done, the vice director of the Joint Staff, told an audience of military chaplains here this week.

Army Maj. Gen. Frederick S. Rudesheim addressed the Chaplains' Resilience and Suicide Prevention Forum at the Pentagon on Sept. 10 to mark the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day.

"All the services are focused and engaged on preventing suicide and enhancing resilience, and have been for a while," Rudesheim said. "And we continually try to think of new and better ways to improve on our efforts. But I think there are a few things that haven't changed over the years. We've been working this a long time."

Many decisions can be made at the policy level, and programs can be executed, but ultimately, he said, "it's at the very lowest level where we're making a difference -- or not."

An important factor to remember in suicide prevention is that it's personal, Rudesheim told the chaplains. "It's [about] knowing the soldiers, airmen, sailors, Marines, civilians, ... and chaplains are great at that," he said. "Chaplains know their folks. You build rapport beforehand.

The general said he appreciates chaplains for their immediate and direct contact with troops.

"As I've come up in the ranks, I've always gone to the chaplains to figure out how things are going in the unit," Rudesheim said. "The chaplains will tell me straight, and tell me what's on soldiers' minds, what's going right, and what's going wrong."

But suicide prevention is a longstanding effort in the military, he said. "It is not going to end. There's "no finish to it," he said. "There is no 'We finally beat this.' I don't mean to be a negative force, but I'm telling you we can drive down percentages, we can work this as hard as possible, and we need to."

Suicide prevention is not an issue that calls for a surge, but rather is something that is done as a matter of course, Rudesheim said.

"This is something we have to do as part of who we are, ... because it's going to be with us," he added. "There are external factors that drive things up and down, [and] ... there will be setbacks and challenges, but the fact of the matter is we're in the fight all the time.

"It's a constant effort and something we grow up knowing," he continued. "If we don't, there's something wrong with our upbringing -- and I'm talking about professional growth as leaders."

Rudesheim told the chaplains that suicide prevention must reach down to individuals directly and "grab them" on a personal level.

"We've made inroads. Some of the services have brought down their numbers," the general said. "But there's no declaring victory. There is just the fight, because it's what we owe our soldiers, airmen, [sailors] and Marines."

Biographies: Army Maj. Gen. Frederick S. Rudesheim  Related Sites: Defense Suicide Prevention Office  Special Report: Suicide Prevention and Awareness

Combined Force Arrests Insurgent in Kandahar

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release KABUL, Afghanistan, May 29, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested an insurgent during a search for a Taliban facilitator in Kandahar province's capital of Kandahar today, military officials reported. The facilitator builds improvised explosive devices and distributes them to insurgents operating in the Arghandab River Valley and the provincial capital. He also oversees weapons caches and plans attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined force in Balkh province's Chimtal district arrested a senior Taliban leader who plans and conducts IED attacks against Afghan government officials and Afghan and coalition forces. He also facilitates the transfer, manufacturing and testing of IEDs, coordinates and conducts kidnappings for ransom to fund insurgent operations, and coordinates the movement of insurgent fighters. -- In Logar province's Muhammad Aghah district, a combined force wounded an insurgent during a search for a Taliban facilitator who transports fighters, weapons and suicide bombers. He also controls a group that attacks Afghan and coalition forces, equips suicide bombers with IEDs and coordinates the locations of their attacks. -- A combined force in Paktia province's Gardez district arrested a Haqqani network leader who coordinates and directs attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and facilitates the movement of weapons, equipment and money to local insurgent cells. He also serves as an intelligence operative for senior Haqqani leadership.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Face of Defense: Soldier Aspires to Medical Degree

05/06/2013 09:53 AM CDT                                                                  Mon, May 6, 2013 at 8:29 PM

By Army Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk
78th Training Division

FORT MCCOY, Wis., May 6, 2013 - Taking care of the force is something Army Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby feels is her lifelong calling.

Army Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby, left, draws blood from a soldier during Warrior Exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis., May 4, 2013. The 4215th U.S. Army Hospital, based out of Richmond, Va., is providing medical support for the exercise. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk

The 30-year-old Army veteran of 11 years, who has served both on active duty and in the Army Reserve as a laboratory technician, aspires to be an obstetric gynecologist.

A Lisbon, Iowa, native, Appleby is assigned to the 4215th U.S. Army Hospital command based in Richmond, Va. She said her passion for helping people started when she was very young.

"When I was little, the doctor that delivered my sisters and me was actually our doctor until we were 18 years old," she explained. "Having that doctor who knew you from inside your mom's stomach, and [having] that connection, is really amazing."

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., was Appleby's first duty station from 2002 to 2006, and where she earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology. In mid-2006, she transferred to the Army Reserve and began attending battle assemblies with the 7229th Medical Support Unit. She then transferred to her current unit.

Appleby was deployed to Kuwait in 2003. Being in an environment where there is a feeling of constant danger was scary, she said, but knowing she was surrounded by medical experts allowed her to focus on her job of caring for patients arriving for lifesaving care. That, she added, is the driving force behind her pursuit of a medical career in the military.

Appleby is taking her medical school entrance exam and applying to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences to continue her service and military career. The program is a 14-year commitment, she said: four years of classroom studies, three years of residency and seven years of service and commissioning as a captain.

"I look forward to the challenge," she added, "because I enjoy both medicine and serving my country."

Married six days before deploying

Snow-boarding Wounded Warrior Refuses to Be Sidelined

04/02/2013 11:21 AM CDT                     Tue, Apr 2, 2013 at 9:03 PM

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo., April 2, 2013 - Eight and a half months ago, Army Sgt. Kristian "Dino" Cedeno was on the top of the world -- married six days before deploying to Afghanistan with the love of his life and soldiering with his band of brothers from the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade. Army Sgt. Kristian "Dino" Cedeno, who was severely wounded in Afghanistan, center, gets his ski boots adjusted by adaptive ski instructor Jill Reifsnider, right, and another instructor at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass Mountain, Colo., April 1, 2013, as his wife, Gwen, left, looks on. Cedeno snowboarded at the clinic for the first time since being wounded, another step in his impressive rehabilitation. DOD photo by Donna Miles  Life changed in an instant when Cedeno stepped on an improvised explosive device during a firefight in Kandahar. His right leg was blown off just above the knee, and his left leg was so burned and peppered with shrapnel that his wife, Gwen, said it looked like a shark had chewed it away.Cedeno begged Gwen to divorce him, fearing he had let her down and could never be the husband she deserved. But Gwen, a fourth-grade teacher at the Department of Defense Education Activity school at Fort Stewart, Ga., assured him that she knew what she was getting into when she married a soldier. "I told him, 'You are mine, and I am yours,'" she said, promising to stand with him as their lives took a new and unexpected turn. Flash forward to today. After a month at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and four months after being discharged from the James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Hospital in Tampa, Fla., Cedeno refuses to let what some would consider life-changing wounds define him -- or even slow him down. Yesterday, Cedeno snowboarded down Snowmass Mountain during the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, surprising even himself at his accomplishment. The experience exhilarated Cedeno, one of just two active-duty troops among almost 400 disabled veterans participating in the clinic. "In one word, I feel like I'm alive again," he said while celebrating the success with Gwen and his adaptive ski instructor, Air Force veteran Jill Reifsnider, at his side. Like so many other aspects of his life, Cedeno acknowledged that his first time on a snowboard since his injury wasn't exactly as he remembered. As Iraq veteran Tommy Sowers, assistant secretary of veterans affairs for public and intergovernmental affairs, asked Cedeno if he was ready to take on the mountain, Cedeno said he expected to do a lot of falling. "That's OK," Sowers assured him. "If you're not falling down, you're not trying hard enough." Then, at one point during Cedeno's downward run, air pockets formed around his new prosthetic leg, causing it to unexpectedly pop out of position midway down the slope. "It's a little different, and I have to adjust. I have to relearn things I have been doing for 20 years," he said. "But do you know what? I'll take that over being told, 'Hey, you can't do that.'" For Cedeno, the lessons he's learning at the world's largest and longest-running rehabilitative disabled sports event are life lessons: never give up and never stop reaching for new heights. It's the can-do spirit that's driven him throughout his recovery and rehabilitation, Gwen said. Cedeno remains committed to his career as an Army infantryman. "I'm not done yet," he said, hoping to one day serve as a drill sergeant so he can continue training other soldiers. "And I know I have a few more deployments in me," he added. "I'm not unrealistic," Cedeno insisted. "I know I have limitations and have to relearn things, and I accept that. But I'm 31 years old and not ready to hang my boots up." The speed of Cedeno's recovery attracts a lot of attention that he admits makes him uncomfortable. "I hate being told I'm a hero or an inspiration," he said. "I have always been that guy to do his job, not for the 'Good for you' or the congratulations." But Gwen regularly reminds her husband that he's a role model for his fellow wounded warriors who inspires awe in those who meet him and learn his story. "Do you not realize just how amazing you are?" she asks him, reminding him of how far he has come during the past eight months. In fact, Cedeno said, it's those around him -- his wife, his fellow soldiers, his caregivers -- who inspire him to press on. Talking privately with his fellow platoon members, he tells them, "You motivated me to continue this fight that I thought I had lost." That fight continues this week at the winter sports clinic, where Cedeno said he's found a support network that will be a big factor in his continued progress -- here on the slopes and in life. Looking up at the mountain, Cedeno said he was ready to tackle it once again, perhaps even faster this time. "It's just like my job. Of course I'm going back out there!" he said. "The important thing here is for the veterans to feel challenged," said Sowers as he joined Cedeno for a run down the mountain. "They get that joy of moving fast again. They get that experience of taking on something new." What participants experience during their week at the winter sports clinic continues for the other 51 weeks of the year, Sowers said. "They go back to their local communities and work with their recreational therapists to make sure they continue to challenge themselves," he said. They'll also take with them the camaraderie and support of their fellow veterans and wounded warriors, Sowers said. "We form lifelong friendships here that continue well after this event ends," he said. "It's part of what ensures that what begins here at the winter sports clinic continues encouraging them." The winter sports clinic, co-sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Department and the Disabled American Veterans, is open to U.S. military veterans with disabilities ranging from spinal cord injuries and orthopedic amputations to visual impairment and neurological conditions. During the six-day program, veterans learn adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing and are introduced to rock climbing, scuba diving, trapshooting, snowmobiling, sled hockey and other sports and activities.

Biographies: Tommy SowersRelated Sites: Department of Veterans Affairs Related Articles: Disabled Veterans Sports Clinic Opens in Colorado

Combined Force Detains Senior Taliban Leader

04/01/2013 12:12 PM CDT                  Mon, Apr 1, 2013 at 10:38 PM

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases WASHINGTON, April 1, 2013 - An Afghan and coalition security force detained a senior Taliban leader and several other insurgents during an operation the in Pul-e 'Alam district of Afghanistan's Logar province yesterday, military officials reported. The detained Taliban leader is accused of a wide range of insurgent operations in Logar province, officials said, including recruiting extremist fighters, managing the Taliban logistical network for the province, and planning and coordinating attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- During a search for a senior Taliban official, a combined force killed or detained several insurgents in the Panjwa'i district of Kandahar province. The sought-after Taliban official is accused of overseeing all Taliban operations in the district. His network is believed to be responsible for insurgent activities including the assassination of Afghan civilians, the facilitation of weapons and improvised explosive devices into the district, and of attacks on Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized IED-making materials, three rifles, a pistol, six rifle magazines, six pistol magazines and ammunition as a result of the operation. -- In the Khugyani district of Nangarhar province, a combined force arrested a senior Taliban leader and one other insurgent. The arrested Taliban leader is believed to command a cell of insurgent fighters in the Khugyani district. He and his fighters are accused of illegally procuring various types of weapons and using them in multiple attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized one AK-47 rifle and a pistol as a result of the operation. -- A combined force detained an insurgent leader connected to both the Taliban and Haqqani networks and two other insurgents in the Gardez district of Paktiya province. The security force also seized IED components. In March 30 Afghanistan operations: -- The Kapisa Provincial Response Company, advised by coalition forces, arrested Najibullah Rahimi, the Tagab District Representative to the Kapisa Provincial Council. Najibullah is accused of financing a lethal-aid network and facilitating insurgent operations. The combined force also seized nine AK-47 rifles, five grenades, $50,000 in sequentially-numbered $100 bills and numerous cell phones and computers. -- A combined force arrested a Haqqani leader in the Sabari district of Khost province. The arrested insurgent leader is accused of obtaining IEDs and other weapons and distributing them to insurgent commanders. He also allegedly led a number of fighters in attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. -- In the Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader and detained one other insurgent. The arrest Taliban leader is believed to be responsible for multiple insurgent operations including IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. -- A combined force detained several insurgents during a search for a senior Taliban leader in the Nad 'Ali district of Helmand province. The sought-after Taliban leader was allegedly plotting a campaign of attacks against Afghan and coalition forces in Helmand province. He and his subordinates are believed to have participated in a number of recent attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also seized a pistol, bomb-making materials and narcotics.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Nose to Nose

03/27/2013 07:42 PM CDT                    Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 5:37 AM

Marine Corps Sgt. Chesty XIII, right, official mascot of the U.S. Marine Corps, stares down his successor, Recruit Chesty, during training on Marine Barracks Washington in Washington, D.C., March 20, 2013.

Joint river operations

With Belizean service members

U.S. Sailors transit to a rendezvous point with Belizean service members to continue joint river operations as part of Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2013 in Corozal, Belize, Feb. 25, 2013. SPS is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command's area of responsibility in the Caribbean and Latin America. The exercise involves information sharing with navies, coast guards and civilian services throughout the region. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Ashley Hyatt, U.S. Air Force/Released)02/25/2013 -             VIRIN: 130225-F-WH920-355

Commander:

02/22/2013 07:55 AM CST           Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 7:44 PM
Public, Family Support Vital to Deployed Forces
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2013 - As U.S. forces continue to draw down in Afghanistan and the December 2014 deadline for the end of combat operations there draws steadily closer, a senior commander wrapping up his year-long deployment emphasized the importance of continued support from military families and the American public.

"You may not read about it so much anymore in the news or hear it on TV, but we out here believe that America is still strongly behind us," Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Charles "Mark" Gurganus, commander of the International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command Southwest, told American Forces Press Service in a telephone interview yesterday.

Gurganus and his fellow 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Marines are scheduled to return to Camp Pendleton, Calif., during the first week of March following a deployment to Afghanistan's Helmand and Nimroz provinces. The region is among the most challenging in Afghanistan.

What sustained his forces, Gurganus said, was the bond they developed as brothers and sisters in arms, and confidence in the support of the people they left behind. That support is evident wherever they serve, he said, from encouraging emails and snail-mail letters to care packages brimming with thoughtful treats and mementos.

"The support of the American people is just huge to these Marines," Gurganus said. "They really do want to know that people care about them and about what they are doing."

The most important support of all, he said, comes from military families themselves.

Traveling around his battle space to bid goodbye to the forces serving there, Gurganus said, he asked them to make a point to extend thanks to their families from "the old gray-haired guy out here."

"I just couldn't tell the families 'thank you' enough," he said. "I would never be able to express my true gratitude to the support we have gotten from them."

It's been a major factor, not just in troops' sense of well-being, but in their ability to do their mission, Gurganus said.

"You can't account for how much the support of their loved ones goes to strengthen the guy's will to do what he is doing," he said. "If these guys out here know they've got support, and the families back there are providing that support, it really does allow them to keep their minds on what they are doing out here."

This, in turn, helps them to perform their duties better and safer -- a measure that protects them and their fellow Marines, the general explained.

Reflecting on the key role families play in mission success, Gurganus said they're the ones who pay the biggest toll during a deployment.

"We're trained for what we do," he said of military members. "We train for a long time to get ready to come here. We know pretty much what is expected of us when we get here, and we have a team, ... so we have somebody to lean on."

Not so with families -- despite what Gurganus acknowledged has grown to become an extensive support network. "Nobody is standing right next to them every day," he said. "Their world has a lot of uncertainty in it when we are gone."

Yet their continued support will remain vital, even as U.S. forces draw down, and until the last U.S. service member returns home from Afghanistan, Gurganus said.

"So I really want to thank and admire the families for continuing to provide that level of support," he added.

Biographies: Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Charles "Mark" Gurganus Related Sites:Related Articles:Outgoing Commander Cites Progress in Southwestern Afghanistan NATO International Security Assistance Force

Sequestration will force a drawdown

02/13/2013 02:16 PM CST         Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 1:58 AMChairman Outlines Sequestration's Dangers
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2013 - Sequestration will force a drawdown "more difficult and decidedly different" than any other in the nation's history, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told the House Armed Services Committee today.

Its deep, across-the-board spending cuts, combined with a dangerous and uncertain security environment, aging equipment and rising health care costs, place the nation squarely on the verge of an unprecedented readiness crisis, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said.

In a hearing that lasted nearly four hours, Dempsey, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and the Joint Chiefs of Staff all spoke of the dangers posed to national security by sequestration and the possibility that the continuing resolution now funding the government in lieu of a budget will be extended.

Sequestration was delayed until March 1 by a bill passed in January. If implemented, it would mandate about $500 billion in across-the-board defense spending cuts over 10 years in addition to cuts mandated over that period by the 2011 Budget Control Act.

"We are facing the prolonged specter of sequestration while under a continuing resolution, while we are just beginning to absorb $487 billion worth of cuts from 2011, and while we're still fighting and resourcing a war," the chairman said.

"There is no foreseeable peace dividend," Dempsey said.

"In this context, sequestration will upend our defense strategy," he said. "It will put the nation at greater risk of coercion. And it will require us to break commitments to our men and women in uniform and their families, to our defense industrial base, and to our partners and allies."

The new defense strategy formed last year could execute and absorb $487 billion in spending cuts over the next decade Dempsey said. "I can't sit here today and guarantee you that if you take another $175 billion that that strategy remains solvent."

The Defense Department is committed to fulfilling its role in the nation's economic recovery, the chairman said. But, he added, this requires budget certainty, time to implement reductions in a responsible manner and flexibility to transfer and reprogram money.

When parts of the defense budget are deemed untouchable by Congress, Dempsey said, readiness loses. "Everything needs to be on the table," he said.

Congress must ask itself what it wants of the military, Dempsey said. "If you want it to be doing what it's doing today, then we can't give you another dollar. If you want us to do something less than that, we're all there with you, and we'll figure it out."

Failure to act to avert sequestration eventually will require the department to reduce its international security commitments, Dempsey said, and to become less proactive about protecting national interests.

"When I testified before this committee last year, I said that if we fail to step up properly on the budget, we will reduce our options, and therefore increase our risk," he said. "Our military power will be less credible, because it will be less sustainable. Now, we're only a few days away from making that risk a reality."

Biographies:
Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey

Related Articles:
Sequestration 'Wolf' Eats at Nation's Readiness, Carter Says
Service Chiefs Detail Sequestration Consequences
Sequestration Will Force Moral Dilemma, Dempsey Says
Carter Warns of Readiness Crisis, Urges Delay in Cuts
Dempsey: Budget Factors Place Defense Strategy in Jeopardy

Panetta Lauds DoD

02/12/2013 11:35 AM CST

Appreciate for Commitment to Protecting Nation By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.   American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 - As he prepares for retirement, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today addressed the Pentagon workforce, representing the entire Defense Department, thanking them for their contributions to national defense. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanks the Defense Department's workforce at a farewell ceremony in the Pentagon courtyard, Feb. 12, 2013. Panetta is stepping down as the 23rd defense secretary. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Speaking in the Pentagon courtyard, Panetta thanked leaders of the Defense Department, civilian employees and the military for their commitment to accomplishing the department's mission since he was sworn in as the 23rd secretary of defense on July 1, 2011."I'm a believer that our fundamental mission here at the Department of Defense is very simple," he said. "It is to protect and defend the United States of America and to keep our country safe. And because of your great work, and because of everything you do, we can say with pride that we have kept our country safe." The defense secretary said knowing everything the Defense Department has done has helped to keep the country safe is his biggest source of pride as he heads back to California. Panetta also paid tribute to the "love and support" of the workforce's families as they serve in "tough jobs." "We face a lot of pressure, and challenges that sometimes demand we go long distances away from home," he said. "And yet throughout that, knowing that our families are there, knowing that they love and support us, is what gives us the ability to do this job. "So my deepest thanks go out, not just to all of you, but to your families," he continued. "They are part of our Pentagon family, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their sacrifice and their dedication." Panetta said he has come away from his experiences as defense secretary with a deep respect and admiration for all the dedication and sacrifices involved in keeping the nation safe. "Every day I see the people in this department, working and fighting together as one family, united behind our mission of protecting our country," he said. The secretary also lauded service members for their willingness to fight to keep America safe. "[It's] our No. 1 job, and I am so grateful for those that do that," he said. "I think that we are, as a nation, strong because there are men and women that are willing to put their lives on the line to protect our country." Panetta also acknowledged the civilian workforce's contributions to the Defense Department's mission. "You do everything you can to support our mission," he said. "You support our warfighters downrange. You don't get a hell of a lot of public recognition, but the fact is your efforts make a difference. "We could not do this job without the civilian workforce," Panetta continued. "You're the unsung heroes of this nation, ... [and] are an important part of our success." Panetta said he is "grateful and proud" as he reflects on what the Pentagon team has been able to accomplish together. "We've developed, and are implementing, a new defense strategy that will sustain the strongest military power on Earth as we face challenges in defending our country while implementing fiscal discipline, Panetta said. "I have never believed that we have to choose between our responsibility to national security and our responsibility to fiscal discipline. We can do both." Panetta said the new defense strategy implements key capabilities the military will need in the future, such as agility, rapid deployment, force protection and projection, and rotational deployments, among others. "Putting those elements together was the result of a team effort by both the military and the civilian workforce here," he said. "I deeply appreciate their working as a team to put that in place." The secretary thanked the Pentagon workforce for its part in maintaining the leading U.S. role in world affairs. "We are the strongest military power in the world," he said. "The world needs our leadership. The world needs the United States of America to lead the world towards peace and towards prosperity." Panetta expressed his gratitude for having the "honor" of leading the Defense Department, and told the workforce they would be "in my heart forever." "My friends, it has been the honor of my life to have served with you in this position as secretary of defense," he said. "It's been the greatest privilege I've had in my almost 50 years of public service to be able to represent the people of this department to our friends and to our partners around the world."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta

The Afghan presidential elections

02/11/2013 04:25 PM CST                       Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 4:08 AMOfficial Stresses Importance of 2014 Afghan Elections
How the Afghan forces protect voting 
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2013 - The Afghan presidential elections now set for April 2014 are looming ever larger as a milestone for measuring progress in the country, NATO officials in Afghanistan said yesterday.

How the Afghan forces protect voting and how the Afghan people accept the results will be key to the long-term success of the country, said a senior International Security Assistance Force official speaking on background.

Things are looking up in Afghanistan, the official said, but there are many hurdles to overcome. Only 22 months remain in the ISAF mandate. By spring, Afghan forces will be leading security operations throughout the country. By the end of 2014, Afghan forces will shoulder the security burden themselves as the NATO mission ends.

The Taliban are also looking forward, the official said. "There will be a '13 fighting season," he said. The Taliban will be up against 352,000 members of the Afghan security forces. That force has grown in capability as it has grown in size, the official said.

There will be negotiations and talks between the Taliban and the international community. "From my vantage point I think it's a delaying tactic," he said. "They've gone through 12 years of war and they are 22 months away from a very small presence."

He said Afghan Taliban leaders in Quetta, Pakistan, are looking at three key things over the next two years. First, how good are the Afghan security forces? Second, what will be the U.S. and NATO investment in the country after 2015? And the third are the April 5, 2014, elections.

"[The elections] are probably the most critical thing that will happen in the next 22 months," he said. Afghans will go to the polls to elect a new president and provincial councils. The last election, in 2009, was marred by allegations of vote fraud. It is supremely important that these new elections go well and that Afghans accept the outcome, the official said.

The official spoke about the changes in Afghanistan since the surge of U.S. and NATO forces ended. The surge did what it was supposed to do, he said, buy time for Afghans to field their forces. Now Afghan soldiers and police are in the lead in security through most of the country and have grown in size and capabilities.

This is a long way from January 2009, the official noted, when the entire Afghanistan campaign looked like a failure. "In January 2009, Kandahar was at risk [and] the central Helmand Valley was at risk," he said. "There were a number of attacks into Kabul."

Then-ISAF commander Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal's assessment was that the actual campaign was at risk and asked for additional troops. "Take where we were in 2009 and jump to the end of the surge ... in September 2012," the official said. "As I see the battlespace, I can honestly say that you have a less capable, less popular and less of an existential threat when you look at the insurgency. But you still have a threat."

And the threat will remain in January 2015, but the Afghans should be able to manage it.

Like Afghanistan itself, statistics that look at violence in the country are complex. "When people look at statistics, they say that you have virtually inconsequential changes from '11 to '12," he said. "If you just look at those numbers without the context there is so much you miss."

Last year was about holding the gains that the surge made possible, he said. The Afghans moved to the lead as the United States pulled 23,000 personnel out of the country in September 2012. Afghan forces held the ground and actually expanded their control in the area west of Kandahar and in the Helmand River Valley, the official said.

Another piece of the statistics equation is where the violence was happening. "What we were able to do in 2012 was slowly start separating the insurgency from the major population centers," he said.

The violence in 2012 happened increasingly in sparsely settled rural areas, the official said, noting that in surveys, Afghans report they feel safer and believe the Taliban is not coming back.

Violence is still a problem and the official said 17 districts out of the 402 in the nation are where 50 percent of the violence occurs. Put another way, 80 percent of the attacks occur where 20 percent of the population live. The worst districts are in northern Helmand.

The Haqqani network specializes in high-profile attacks, the official said. "If there is an attack in Kabul it gets the press ... It gives the impression that Kabul is under siege, which is not the case."

Afghan forces have responded quickly and professionally to attacks in the capital, another sign of their continued maturation, he said, but high-profile attacks are going to happen, and they are going to get through.

There were 18 high-profile attacks in Kabul in 2011 and nine in 2012. While there were just nine attacks, the official said, there were "hundreds of threats." And while Afghan capabilities are improving, he added, "even the best goalie in professional soccer is going to get scored on."

Afghan forces are not going to let the Taliban have the rural areas, the official said. The Afghan Local Police -- now with some 20,000 members -- are becoming a security net for the people. "The ALP becomes a hold force for you," the official said. "You have police who live and work in the rural areas."

The official sees three tiers to the threat to Afghanistan. The first tier is tactical -- the 20,000 to 30,000 mostly local insurgents in the country.

The next level is the operational cadre -- the leadership, the shadow government and the Taliban in Pakistan, he said. These men can recruit, train and supply fighters. The leaders in Pakistan are problematic for ISAF, the official said. "We've heard that the Pakistanis are changing their strategic calculus, but there is 'what you say' and 'what you do,'" he said. "I'm waiting for the 'what you do' to see how that works."

The third threat is not the insurgency, the official said, but the degree of corruption and criminality that exists within the government.

"If you can get some rule of law and move forward, then you can pull the carpet out from under the insurgency," he said. Putting in place a legal system and service infrastructure will be a key outgrowth of the April 2014 elections, the official noted.

The world will be watching those elections as well. After 2015, there are 28 NATO nations and eight partner nations that have already said they will invest in Afghanistan. "And all will be watching the elections," the official said. 

Related Sites:NATO International Security Assistance Force

Initiative during the next four years with a goal

01/21/2013 01:30 PM CST                                                      Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 1:08 AM
First Lady, Dr. Biden Vow to Continue 'Joining Forces'

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2013 - Lauding Americans' increased outpouring to service members, their families and veterans, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, have vowed to continue leading the Joining Forces initiative during the next four years with a goal of creating a national culture of appreciation and support. The mission of Joining Forces is "to rally this nation to support our military families to make sure that we are supporting them – our troops and our veterans – as well as they have supported us," Obama said during an exclusive interview with Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Josh Hauser, a Pentagon Channel correspondent. "Our belief is that everyone can do something," she said. "And we have seen the country step up in ways big and small." Joining Forces has mobilized every sector of society by encouraging employers to hire veterans and military family members, promoting efforts to cut through red tape to transfer professional licenses as military spouses move between states with their loved ones, and giving teachers the tools to help military children, the first lady noted. "People have really reached out, and we have gotten such great response. We feel pretty good about that," Biden said. "And we are going to continue this for the next four years – to keep pushing that and plugging away. ... We hope this continues in our culture for years to come." As they prepared to kick off the presidential inauguration weekend by hosting a tribute to military families Jan. 19, Obama and Biden told Hauser they've seen increasing understanding among the American people of the contributions and sacrifices service members and their families make every day. "There is growing appreciation, but I think there is still more work to do," Obama said. "We want to keep shining that spotlight." Recognizing the end of U.S. military operations in Iraq and the drawdown in Afghanistan, the first lady said support for service members, veterans and military families is more important than ever. "That is not when it ends. That is when it begins," Obama said. "Because as families are making that transition to civilian life, it is going to be more important than ever before for us to show them how valued they are to us – and not just in words, but in deeds." Obama and Biden said they are struck as they meet with military families by their strength and resilience, and the maturity and adaptability of military children. "They are learning to juggle responsibilities, dealing with their emotions and dealing with the highs and lows of life in very stressful, emotional conditions," she said. "And they are succeeding. They are successful, smart, bright young people." The skills they are learning now will give them a leg up when they face other challenges in life, and an appreciation of the tradition of service that has made America great, Obama said. "Our military kids are the best that the country has to offer. So we want to make sure they know this, and they can talk about their skills in a positive way," she said. "And we want to make sure the country can appreciate and understand the uniqueness that these kids bring to any task, to any group, to any situation, so that we embrace that."   Initiative during the next four years with a goal

Related Sites: Joining Forces  Pentagon Channel Interview Special Report: Military Family Support Special Report: Inauguration 2013