One Year Since the Conclusion of the Afghanistan War

 Message to the Force                               30th August 2022

Today, we mark one year since the end of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and I, like so many of you, have been reflecting on the sacrifice that American Service Members, Veterans, their families, and so many others made during America's longest war.

I first want to express my profound gratitude to all who served in Afghanistan, including everyone on our Department of Defense team.  Every American who contributed to our efforts shared a deep devotion to keeping our country safe, working toward a brighter future for the Afghan people, and standing up for liberty, democracy, and the rule of law.  As a veteran of the war, I witnessed firsthand the bravery, selflessness, and compassion that our men and women brought to the fight.  Your efforts make me proud to be your colleague - and even prouder to be an American.

Two decades of noble service demanded significant and selfless sacrifice.  Many Service members still bear the wounds of war, to body and to soul, and 2,461 brave heroes never made it home.  To our Gold Star families: We hold your loved ones in our hearts - and we pledge to you the unwavering commitment of a grateful Nation.

The
United States went to Afghanistan in 2001 to wage a necessary war of self-defense. 

On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists attacked our country.  They were able to plan and execute such a horrific attack because their Taliban hosts had given them safe haven in Afghanistan.  Since 2001, no enemy has been able to launch such an attack on our homeland, and that speaks to the entire U.S. government's efforts to defend our citizens from terrorist threats that could emanate from Afghanistan or anywhere around the globe.

Still, we know this work is not done.  We must keep a relentless focus on counterterrorism - and we are.  Just a few weeks ago, the United States delivered justice to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden's deputy at the time of the 9/11 attacks.  And in recent months, our military has successfully carried out operations against key ISIS leaders.  We also know that preventing terrorist violence requires much more than military might.  We're committed to supporting a whole-of-government effort to address the root causes of violent extremism.  No one should doubt America's resolve to keep our people safe.

For me, there is no greater testament to the strength of a country's democracy than the fact that millions of people freely choose, every day, to defend it.  Those who step up to serve - whether in uniform or as part of our civilian workforce - do so because of the values we fight for: the rule of law, human dignity, and freedom.

So last year, in the war's final days, the United States, along with our partners and allies, conducted the largest air evacuation of civilians in American history, lifting more than 124,000 people to safety.  I'm proud that our military communities-and Americans from all walks of life-have welcomed our Afghan allies as they begin new lives in our country.

And our values continue to drive the important work that American patriots are doing around the world.  The United States is rushing urgently needed assistance to Ukraine in the face of Russia's unprovoked and reckless invasion.  We are firmly committed to supporting the people of Ukraine and to defending the rules-based international order against autocrats and aggressors anywhere.

As our country looks back on two decades of combat in Afghanistan, I understand that many people have hard questions about the costs of the war and what their sacrifices meant.  These are important discussions, and I hope we will keep having them with thoughtfulness and respect.

Last year, I said that although the Afghanistan war has ended, our gratitude to those who served never will.  Today, I renew that pledge.  To every man and woman who served in Afghanistan: This country will never forget what you did and what you gave.

Thank you.

May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Lloyd J. Austin, III

Arrest in Pul-e Alam district of Afghanistan

01/22/2013 07:51 AM CST
Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Network FacilitatorCompiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News ReleasesWASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network facilitator in the Pul-e Alam district of Afghanistan's Logar province today, military officials reported.

The facilitator acquired and delivered weapons to Haqqani fighters in the province and was directly involved in attacks against local police and Afghan government officials.

During the operation, the security force seized weapons, ammunition and $5,800 in Afghan currency.

In other Afghanistan operations today:

-- A combined security force in Helmand province's Lashkar Gah district arrested a Taliban leader who controlled improvised explosive device operations. Insurgents under his control recently began using magnetic IEDs to target Afghan army vehicles. He also was responsible for directing insurgent attacks against coalition forces.

-- In Kandahar province's Spin Boldak district, a combined force arrested a local Taliban leader who was directly responsible for IED attacks. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Dzadran district detained a suspected insurgent while searching for a Haqqani network facilitator who provides weapons and IEDs to insurgents.

-- A combined force killed a Taliban leader and his subordinate in Kunduz province's Khanabad district. The pair worked together to coordinate and execute IED attacks. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized firearms with associated gear and ammunition.

-- In Logar province's Pul-e Alam district, a combined force arrested a Haqqani network leader responsible for coordinating attacks targeting Afghan and coalition force, and overseeing the procurement and distribution of weapons to insurgents. He recently coordinated the acquisition of suicide vest materials in preparation for a future attack. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.

In Jan. 20 operations:

-- A precision airstrike in Kunduz province's Khanabad district killed a Taliban attack facilitator involved in planning and executing IED attacks and facilitating the movement of weapons and explosives. The strike also killed a second insurgent.

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Zurmat district arrested a Taliban leader who acted as a liaison with senior Haqqani network leaders and oversaw the purchase and storage of rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons and ammunition. He also facilitated the movement of suicide bombers in the Afghan capital and was planning an attack at the time of his arrest. The security force also detained several suspected insurgents and seized grenades, weapons and ammunition.

-- In Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who planned and directed suicide attacks and coordinated the movement of materials used to build suicide vests. He also provided direct financial support to the Taliban.

-- A combined force in Paktia province's Sayyid Karam district arrested a senior Haqqani network leader who oversaw IED construction, storage, transportation and emplacement. He also oversaw the acquisition of weapons and ammunition. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized firearms.

-- In Kandahar province's Maiwand district, a combined force arrested a Taliban leader who planned and conducted attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and facilitated the movement of IEDs, rockets, mortars and other weapons. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents.

-- A combined force in Logar province's Pul-e Alam district arrested a local Taliban leader who worked closely with senior Taliban leaders to coordinate insurgent attacks across several provinces. He also organized the transfer and delivery of weapons and ammunition to insurgents and was coordinating the movement of suicide bombers for a future attack.

In Jan. 19 operations:

-- Afghan and coalition forces in Kunar province's Ghaziabad district killed two insurgents during a search for a Taliban leader who organizes attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and enabled the movement of insurgents.

-- In Nangarhar province's Sherzad district, a combined force killed a local Taliban leader and arrested another. Both were involved in IED operations. The security force also detained two suspected insurgents and seized weapons and ammunition.

-- A combined force in Khost province's Terayzai district arrested a Haqqani network leader who directed attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also oversaw the construction and delivery of IEDs to insurgents and helped acquire IED components, ammunition and detonation materials. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.

In Jan. 18 operations:
-- In Helmand province's Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined force arrested a local Taliban leader who planned IED attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. The security force also detained one suspected insurgent.

-- A combined force in Kandahar province's Arghandab district arrested a local Taliban leader who coordinated and executed IED attacks and oversaw the distribution of IEDs, weapons and ammunition to insurgents. The security force also detained a suspected insurgent.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Road repair

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Shafa, foreground, speaks with an Afghan man through an interpreter about a recent road repair project in Afghanistan's Kapisa province, Aug. 2, 2012. Shafa commands Provincial Reconstruction Team Kapisa, a unit that coordinates development projects across the province.

Medical checks on some Afghan children

U.S. Army Spc. Joe Kunsch, a medic assigned to the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, Task Force (TF) Spartan Steel, conducts medical checks on some Afghan children in Khowst province, Afghanistan, Jan. 25, 2012. TF Spartan Steel is part of the Spartan Brigade based at Forward Operating Base Salerno in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Jason Epperson, U.S. Army/Released)

2012 as a time to build on gains

Soldiers in Afghanistan Focused on Allen's 2012 Objectives By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 23, 2011 - As the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan looks to 2012 as a time to build on gains made and extend the security zone east of Kabul, the soldiers of Regional Command East know they have a vital role to play in making that possible. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanks troops from the 172nd Infantry Brigade on Forward Operating Base Sharana in Afghanistan, for helping to reach a turning point in the conflict, Dec. 14, 2011. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, told reporters traveling here last week with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta he hopes to consolidate gains made in Afghanistan's north, south and west over the next year. And as "significant counterinsurgency operations" continue in the east, Allen said his goal is to push the security zone east of Kabul. In addition, he cited an evolution toward an advisory mission in Afghanistan to enhance capability within the Afghan security forces as the United States looks toward scaling back its combat mission there. Army Col. Edward T. Bohnemann, commander of the 172nd Infantry Brigade, recognizes the emphasis that puts on his soldiers in remote but strategically important Paktika province. Bohnemann's brigade is deployed from Grafenwoehr, Germany, with its headquarters just 30 miles from the Pakistan border at Forward Operating Base Sharana. Among his combat outposts sprinkled through the province, some are directly west of the border. Paktika province is home to historic transitory routes between the two countries. It's also an infiltration point for fighters, munitions and weapons filtering into Afghanistan bound for Kabul, Kandahar and the northern regions. Bohnemann noted the challenge of stretching his soldiers and their Afghan counterparts to cover such a vast region. "There are too many small goat trails [and] small dirt roads to say I am going to have a hard stop at the border," he said. "It's too big of a border." Some of the border areas are so remote that when an incident occurs, "trying to get there rapidly becomes problematic," he said. So Bohnemann and his soldiers concentrate on improving the trends and making the most effective use of the capabilities they have. "I focus my soldiers on, how do we interdict, neutralize, slow the flow so that other places can build capacity [and] build on the security gains they have seen throughout the areas of Afghanistan," he said. Choking that flow, he recognizes, will be critical to Allen's goal of expanding the security zone around Kabul. "My piece of that is ... to stem the flow of weapons [and] fighters to the security zone," he said. Exacerbating the challenge, he acknowledged, is Pakistan's decision to scale back cross-border coordination following the Nov. 24 border incident that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. "There is not a whole lot of cross-border coordination right now," he lamented. "I would love to see the lines of operation open up." On the positive side, Bohnemann told reporters he's seen enemy attacks drop significantly during the five months since his brigade arrived here. He expressed growing confidence in the capability of Afghan security forces in his area of responsibility, and in the work his troops have done to establish conditions for their long-term success. "Every day, when you look at the Afghan security forces, they are in the lead," he said, noting that Afghans are independently leading two-third to three-quarters of operations here. "The Afghans are in charge in Paktika province," he said. "And they are doing more and more every day." Based on their growing capability, Bohnemann said he believes, "there is no insurgent force in Paktika that is going to overwhelm the Afghan security forces out there." "They have had some fights, [and] the Afghan security forces have stayed and held their ground," he said. "On occasion, they have called for us for support," particularly when they need to evacuate a wounded or fallen comrade. "But they are holding their ground." Bohnemann said he anticipates a natural progression as his soldiers transition toward an advisory role with the Afghan security forces. He acknowledged areas where the Afghans still need assistance, including logistics and the systems to make the supply train more efficient. "What I am focused on is: Are they tactically sufficient to maintain security in the province? Can they support themselves?" he said. "My mission, my focus is getting the Afghans ready for the future." Bohnemann said he's confident he has "the right soldiers in the right units" on the ground to support that mission. Looking to the future, he said he expects the U.S. and ISAF drawdowns to maintain that balance, based on conditions on the ground and "not on a particular glide path to zero." During his visit here last week, Panetta told Bohnemann's troops he believes the effort in Afghanistan has reached a turning point, thanks to the work they and other coalition and Afghan forces are doing. "I really think that for all the sacrifice that you're doing, the reality is that it is paying off," he told them. "We're moving in the right direction. And we're winning this very tough conflict in Afghanistan."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Marine Gen. John R. Allen Related Sites: 172nd Infantry Brigade Related Articles: Allen Cites Time of Optimism in Afghanistan Panetta Thanks Front-line Troops for Successes in Afghanistan

Panetta, Karzai Salute Progress in Afghanistan

Panetta here for his second visit as defense secretary  By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta joined Afghan President Hamid Karzai here today to laud the progress that's been made in Afghanistan as they conducted what Panetta called "very productive discussions" about ways to build on it. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta enters a press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011. Panetta said the United States was committed to working with the Afghan government to promote a free and independent country. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo  Panetta, here for his second visit as defense secretary, said he believes 2011 will prove to be "a very important turning point in the war.""We have not won," he said. "We have not completed this mission. But I do believe we are in the process of making significant progress here." Panetta noted the lowest levels of violence in five years, with the Taliban insurgency weakened to the point that it has not been able to conduct successful attacks or regain lost territory. "There is no doubt that over the last two years, Afghan and international forces have been able to seize the momentum ... from the Taliban insurgency and establish security in critical areas, including Taliban heartland in the south," the secretary said. Panetta noted that he visited U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan -- an area he said will continue to be a focus of efforts in the coming years -- earlier today to get a firsthand assessment of the situation from commanders and troops on the ground. "I come away convinced that as we continue making important progress and building security, that we are moving closer to our goals of denying al-Qaida [and its affiliates] safe haven in this area to conduct attacks on the homeland," he said. Panetta also recognized the increasingly capable Afghan national security forces that "are absolutely essential to the ultimate success of our efforts here." These forces, who Panetta said have sacrificed alongside their American and international counterparts, have set the stage for security transition in Afghanistan. Panetta noted that based on Karzai's transition plans announcement last month, half of the Afghan population will soon live under Afghan governance and security control. This transition "represents the fact that we have now made important gains during the campaign," Panetta said. "We are moving toward a strong Afghanistan that can govern and secure itself for the future." Particularly promising, he said, is the fact that these gains continue even as the United States begins the process of drawing down the first 10,000 of its surge forces. "When we look at these achievements, clearly we are going in the right direction," the secretary said. Karzai said Afghanistan now is more stable and moving toward a better future. What's left to be done, he said, is to extend individual security to protect the Afghan people from attacks. Panetta agreed that despite the progress made, much work remains to be done. "Are there challenges? Of course there are. Does the Taliban remain dangerous? Of course it is. Does this mean that we are going to continue to see high-profile attacks in the future? Yes we will," the secretary said. "But are we going in the right direction?" he continued. "Are we making significant progress here in Afghanistan? Yes we are." Looking to the future, Panetta offered assurance that the United States is committed to forging a long-term relationship with Afghanistan. Afghanistan has the support of the United States, he said, and it also "has the backing of the region and the international community as it seeks to build a stronger and more stable country for the future." Expressing regret for Afghan as well as American lives lost in pursuit of this future, Panetta pledged that their sacrifices "will not be in vain." "Ultimately, we will achieve the goal of a sovereign and independent Afghanistan," he said, "that can secure and govern itself -- one that will never allow al-Qaida and the Taliban to be able to establish a safe haven here from which to conduct attacks on America."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta Related Sites: Special Report: Travels With Panetta NATO International Security Assistance Force

Restoring Pakistan Relationship Critical

Panetta quoted Afghanistan success By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Dec. 12, 2011 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed confidence today that the United States and Pakistan can patch up their differences, emphasizing that "ultimately, we can't win the war in Afghanistan without being able to win in our relationship with Pakistan as well." The secretary said restoring the strained relationship with the United States critical to long-term progress in Afghanistan. "I think it is going to be important, as we are able to move and progress in our efforts in Afghanistan, that we continue to do outreach in Pakistan," he said. "It is essential to stability in that region that we not only achieve a peaceful resolution with regards to Afghanistan, but that we are able to develop a more stable relationship with Pakistan as well," he said. "If that region is ever going to find peace, it is going to happen not only by achieving stability in Afghanistan, but also by achieving some degree of stability in Pakistan as well." The U.S. relationship with Pakistan has been "difficult and complicated," Panetta conceded. "But it is an important relationship, and it is one we have to continue to work at." The secretary noted that Pakistan has provided important cooperation to the United States. "At the same time, we have had some serious difficulties with regards to some of the operations that involve groups in the FATA [federally administered tribal areas] and groups along the border," he said. Strain between the two countries increased after the May 2 raid that took down Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, and intensified after a Nov. 26 engagement near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. U.S. Central Command is conducting a full investigation of the incident, under the leadership of Air Force Brig. Gen. Stephen A. Clark from Air Force Special Operations Command. "A number of interviews have been conducted," to determine factors involved in the incident, Panetta said. He expressed hope that the investigation will shed light on "exactly what happened," but said he has not yet received an update on any findings. Meanwhile, Panetta said Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. and ISAF forces in Afghanistan, reports that operations are continuing to secure the border areas. Even before the border incident, Allen reached out to Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Gen.Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to develop a relationship that would allow the United States and Pakistan to better coordinate and control border-area operations to prevent incidents, he said. "Obviously what took place has complicated that relationship," Panetta said. "But I think the effort now is to try to see if we can restore that kind of communication with regards to those border incidents." The United States also is working to get Pakistan to reopen ground supply routes into Afghanistan it closed after the border incident. "I am confident that will happen," Panetta said. "I remain confident that at one point, we are going to be able to restore our normal supply routes." For now, Panetta said he's satisfied that troops have the supplies they need to continue their operations in Afghanistan. "Our command structure has done an incredible job ensuring that one way or another, we are able to get those supplies in," he said. Ultimately, restoring a solid relationship goes well beyond supply routes and border operations, the secretary said. And if there's one thing he said he's learned, both at CIA and at the Defense Department, it's the need to continue working at the relationship, even through "bumps in the road" and crises. "The most important thing is to keep lines of communication open and make sure we do everything we can to restore some degree of a relationship that will allow us to be able to fulfill our mission," he said. Panetta emphasized that the mission of confronting terrorism supports both the United States' and Pakistan's interests. "The terrorism that threatens us also threatens them," he said. "And if we can recognize that, despite our differences, there are some common areas that we share in terms of our security, then I think we can ultimately find a way to resolve our differences and improve our relationship," he said.� The secretary also spoke about President Barack Obama's request that Iran return a recovered U.S. RQ-170 drone aircraft to the U.S., saying the request was "appropriate." However, the secretary admitted that he didn't "expect that will happen." Panetta said it's difficult to know how much engineering know-how the Iranians will be able to obtain from parts of the downed drone in its possession. "I don't know the condition of those parts. I don't know exactly what state they are in," he said. "So it will be a little difficult to tell exactly what they are going to be able to derive from what they have been able to get."

Biographies: Leon E. Panetta

Restoring Pakistan Relationship Critical  

Scaparrotti: ISAF Border Operations Continue

But With Care By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 14, 2011 - International Security Assistance Force operations continue in Afghanistan along the Pakistan border, but are conducted with special care to avoid escalating current tensions, a senior commander said here today. Army Lt. Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, commander of the ISAF Joint Command and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, told reporters during a roundtable discussion that success in Afghanistan requires close communication with Pakistan. Relations between ISAF and Pakistan have been tense since the cross-border incident Nov. 26 that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead. Pakistani authorities have closed ground supply routes through their country and ended American use of the Shamsi airbase. Scaparrotti declined to discuss the border incident in light of the ongoing investigation but, acknowledging his professional and personal association with Pakistani military leaders, expressed condolences about the lives lost. "What happened is a tragedy," he said. Scaparrotti said ISAF continues to communicate regularly with the Pakistani military as before the incident, but coordination is not as close as it has been in the past. "We are being a little more careful," he acknowledged. "But we are still running interdiction. We are still working with the Afghans right on the border posts. We are still running reconnaissance and doing the things ... that we need to do. And as I said, we are still pressing the Pak military so that we can continue communication." Scaparrotti said he believes "over time, we will [regain] that coordination, that communication that we had in the past." The November incident has caused ISAF leaders to consider ways to bolster the coordination and communication along the border, where insurgent provocation can have a deadly effect. "There are certainly incidents where insurgents along the border have instigated a fight [using] direct fires or indirect fires, and they have done so in proximity to [Pakistani] military border locations," the general said. "We think it was to draw our attention, or perhaps, in some instances, to draw conflict here between Afghan, coalition or Pakistan forces." Such provocations are one reason "we are working very hard, as we have in the past, to develop better communications with the [Pakistani] military on the other side of the border," the general said. "That has been one of our priorities." A working relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan is critical for both nations, he said. "It is important for the region," he said. "And it is important for us to move forward. It is important to Afghanistan because they have neighbors that they have to have a cooperative relationship [with] on their borders as well." As the transition from ISAF to Afghan security lead gains steam, the general said, the capabilities of Afghanistan's forces are another crucial focus of ISAF efforts. Scaparrotti previously commanded the 82nd Airborne Division and deployed as commander of Joint Task Force-82 with responsibility for Regional Command East in 2009. He returned to Afghanistan in July 2011 after a year away, and said he's impressed by the gains achieved in the interim. "It is clear that today ... we have the initiative in this fight," he said. "I see it in the terrain we hold and the terrain that the [Afghan national security forces] hold compared to a year ago." Afghan security forces also have developed better leaders throughout their command structure, he said. "We are producing a better leader that goes into their army," Scaparrotti said, with Afghan corps and brigade commanders now also more experienced than a year ago. Still, as more operational responsibility passes to Afghan forces, their command-and-control, supply and maintenance, and counter-bomb capabilities must increase, he noted. Afghan forces are struggling to establish and strengthen their logistics, supply and maintenance abilities, he said, adding that aiding those efforts is an ISAF focus point. "They [also] have to develop the capacity to deal with [roadside bombs] as we are capable of dealing with them. And that capacity is coming along as well," he added. The general noted ISAF forces are close to achieving the 10,000-troop drawdown set for this year, and will reduce by another 23,000 by the end of summer 2012, leaving 68,000 service members where there are now roughly 91,000. "As we look at the drawdown of forces, we are looking carefully at the environment that develops and then the balance -- I call it the posture of the force that we need," Scaparrotti said. As its forces dwindle, ISAF must maintain its ability to muster joint fires, allocate intelligence assets, and deploy lift and route-clearance teams, he noted. "It is those things that as we draw down the number of maneuver forces here down to 68,000 after next September, that we will look at very closely," he added. "I am confident at this point, although we are still working the strategy, that we are going to be able to continue to [68,000] as we come down through this fighting season to that objective here in the fall," Scaparrotti said. Civilian government and administrative capability likewise remains a key focus, he said. "The governance within Afghanistan has steadily made progress in terms of their ability to deliver both representation and basic services for the people," Scaparrotti added. (Editor's note: Karen Parrish contributed to this article.)

Biographies: Army Lt. Gen. Curtis Michael Scaparrotti Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force Related Articles: Panetta, Karzai Salute Progress in Afghanistan  Panetta Arrives in Afghanistan to Assess Progress

Father, Daughter Reunite in Afghanistan

                                                   "I feel blessed"

By Army Spc. April York 2nd Brigade Combat Team KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 12, 2011 - An Army father and his soldier daughter have reunited in Afghanistan. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bobby Hagy and his daughter, Army Pfc. Amanda Hagy, share a laugh during their reunion on Camp Nathan Smith in Kandahar City, Afghanistan, Dec. 6, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Spc. April York  Army Pfc. Amanda Hagy is an imagery analyst here at Camp Nathan Smith for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Fort Carson, Colo. Her father is Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bobby Hagy, the senior non commissioned officer for the 528th Sustainment Brigade from Fort Bragg, N.C.Amanda deployed to Afghanistan in May, and works in her brigade's tactical operations center. She had been deployed for about six months when her father was sent on a 30-day deployment to perform an inspection of the special operations groups under his leadership. Some of those groups are deployed in Afghanistan. "I knew that I was going to be near Amanda so when I got to Kandahar Airfield I put my feelers out to get over her way," the sergeant major said. "It's freaking awesome that my dad could come out here to see me," Amanda said. "I feel blessed." "It's been good to see her," the command sergeant major said, "and if I could stay around here for the next six months to be deployed with her, I would."

Combined Force Captures Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command  News Release KABUL, Afghanistan, Nov. 28, 2011 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and some suspected insurgents in the Marjah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province yesterday, military officials reported. The insurgent leader was involved in narcotics trafficking and roadside-bomb attacks and other operations in the province, officials said. In other Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- A combined force detained two suspects during a search for a Taliban facilitator in the Kunduz district of Kunduz province. The facilitator distributes roadside bombs and directs attacks against Afghan forces. -- A combined force captured a Taliban leader and some suspects in the Dand district of Kandahar province. The leader distributed roadside bombs for use in attacks throughout the area. -- A combined force detained several suspects and seized 50 blasting caps, a bottle containing high-explosive material, a rocket-propelled-grenade container, a video camera, six videotapes, wiring and a hand-held radio in the Dilah district of Paktika province. �

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Vietnam Vet Still in the Fight

By Army Spc. Jennifer Andersson
159th Combat Aviation Brigade
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Sept. 20, 2011 - Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Roy Brown proved his mettle as a combat pilot in Vietnam. Now, 41 years later, he's proving his stamina and love of the military with service in Afghanistan.

Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Roy Brown, now serving in Afghanistan, stands with his helicopter in the early 1970s when he was Cobra pilot serving in Vietnam. Then, and now, Brown served with the 101st Airborne Division. Courtesy photo

Brown, who also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, began his career with the 101st Airborne Division, and is serving with the Screaming Eagles again as his career draws to a close. As the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade's liaison officer to the Air Force's 702nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, which supports Regional Command � South here, Brown is in no hurry to retire."Call it patriotism or call it my admiration of the Army's principles -- its organizational objectives and goals, its performance over the decades in areas not only of military success, but what I think of as social equity," he said. "But your life's works need to have a higher purpose."
Explaining how his career began, the Oklahoma native said it was a $5 bill that transformed his boyhood dream into reality in 1971.
"My mother asked me how I knew I wanted to be a pilot if I'd never flown, so I went to the local airport, paid $5 and rode in a Piper 140 airplane for about 20 minutes," he said. "Then I walked right into the Army recruiting office and said, 'Send me to flight school.'"
The recruiter told then-19-year-old Brown about a program called "High School to Flight School." Still in his first semester of college, he knew flight school was a good opportunity, so he took it. His mother had reservations about him going to war, but knew that flight school was something her son would never be afforded any other way.
"He always wanted to be a pilot, even when he was a little boy, playing with [toy] airplanes," his mother, Betty S. Terry-Schmidt, said. "It did not surprise me that he chose to be a pilot."
Following basic training at Fort Polk, La., Brown went on to primary flight school at Fort Walters, Texas, and advanced flight school at Fort Rucker, Ala. Even then, Brown was a force to be reckoned with. As the custom held on the day of a pilot's first solo flight, fellow students would throw the pilot into the local swimming pool.
"I evaded them successfully for about two hours, which, at that time, I think was a record," Brown said. "Then, of course, I was finally caught and thrown into the pool."
Brown proved to be an exceptional beginner pilot and graduated at the top of his class. This distinction earned him the privilege of choosing which air frame he would fly.
"I knew Vietnam was a hot and muggy place," he said. "There was one aircraft with air conditioning, so I went with the [AH-1] Cobra. Besides that, I knew if somebody shot at me, I could shoot back."
And choosing the Cobra guaranteed Brown would get shot at. "The question was not 'Who's going to Vietnam?'" he said. "If there was one or two not going to Vietnam, that was the unusual part. Everyone was going to Vietnam -- me, especially, when I chose the Cobra. That was 100 percent assurance you were going."
While Brown embraced the adventure on which he was about to embark, his mother struggled to temper her fears with the support she knew her son needed.
"As a mother, I was anxious. Not about him leaving, but about him going into war," Terry-Schmidt said. "I could understand his feelings, though. He was very determined, so I could only back him."
Rather than feeling fear or anxiety about heading to war, Brown chose to think positively. "We were apprehensive about what could happen in Vietnam," he said. "At the same time, we were young and bold, and we would be the ones to beat the odds."
While Brown beat the odds, not all of his buddies did, nor did the enemy. But despite the casualties he saw in Vietnam, he said he never experienced post-traumatic stress the way some veterans have. "I was young and naive enough that it didn't faze me," he said.
His job as a gun pilot was to take down the enemy by any means necessary, and he did his job. "Nonmilitary people don't understand, especially back in the days of Vietnam," he said, "and if you can't deal with that part of it, the military may not be a career path you should take."
"He was always a strong young man, and he knew what he had to do," Terry-Schmidt said.
Back at home, Terry-Schmidt had to endure long gaps in communication from Brown, with only the news to keep her informed. Sometimes it would be three weeks or longer before she'd hear from him.
"It would seem like forever," she said. "I was always anxious for his safety."
To keep her mind off the periods of no news from her son, she kept herself occupied.
"At that time, I was working, and I had younger children still at home, so in the daytime, I was busy," she said. "At night time, I would think of him, and of course, I did a lot of praying, trusting that God would take care of him and my prayers were answered."
Communication then was not like it is today, where soldiers can have contact with family and friends at most any time of the day, Terry-Schmidt said. This time around, she hears from her son a few times a week.
Improvements in communication have improved not only soldiers' morale, it also has improved how they fight wars, Brown said.
Throughout his career, he has become qualified on 11 types of aircraft -- both rotary and fixed wing -- some with multiple models, like the UH-1 Huey models B, C, D and H. He has deployed five times.
"I feel more confident with him being in Afghanistan than I did with him in Vietnam because of the experience he has now," Terry-Schmidt said. "I know he is a very careful pilot. He knows his abilities. I know he wishes he was not in Afghanistan, but that's where his duty has led him, and I respect him for that."

Marine Locates Enemy Fighters

By Marine Corps Cpl. Bryan Nygaard
2nd Marine Expeditionary Force
COMBAT OUTPOST SHUKVANI, Afghanistan, Aug. 22, 2011 - As a torrent of bullets whizzed past their heads, the Marines in Observation Post 8 quickly dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding what could have been their deaths. As they lifted themselves off of sandbags covering the bottom of the small bunker, they looked up to see Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christopher Sharp smiling down at them.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Christopher Sharp prepares for Operation Black Sand in an observation post in the southern portion of the Musa Qalah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province, Aug. 5, 2011. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Bryan Nygaard

"What are you ducking for?" Sharp asked with a chuckle. "They're not going to hit you. They're too far away."
Sharp quickly turned around in his seat, a makeshift wooden bench situated toward the front of the bunker, and raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes. The small-arms fire that caused the Marines behind him to fall prone continued to buzz past their heads. The Marines were at the post providing support for Operation Black Sand, a mission designed to destroy a bazaar being used by insurgents to manufacture and distribute improvised explosive devices.
Sharp, a native of Mesa, Ariz., is the chief for Supporting Arms Liaison Team Delta, 1st Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, at this combat outpost on the western side of the Helmand River, across from Sangin and on the southern tip of the Musa Qalah district of Afghanistan's Helmand province.
With five combat deployments under his belt, Sharp is no stranger to being shot at. As a joint terminal attack controller in a unit that specializes in coordinating close air support for ground forces, Sharp has had his share of close calls.
"As a Marine I'm taught that once you take ground, you don't give it back, so I'm not going to duck down," Sharp said. "I'm going to try to [locate] where the enemy is so that I can fire back or direct the fire back on to it."
During Operation Black Sand, while the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion used assault breaching vehicles to move into the bazaar, Sharp primarily stayed inside the small, cubicle-sized sandbag bunker that overlooked their position. His mission was to be the liaison between his team and the combat engineer battalion's mission commander, Marine Corps Capt. John Shubeck. Throughout the operation, Sharp and his Marines provided the engineers with surveillance, reconnaissance and close air support.
"As long as the CEB commander is up here, I'm up here," Sharp said. "I'm supporting him. So whatever support he needs, I want to be right next to him to provide it for him."
The operation lasted about a week. Sharp was busy about 20 hours each day, wearing a radio headset and peering through binoculars that seemed to be permanently attached to his eyes. For hours on end, Sharp scanned for insurgents firing at the coalition forces, trying to get eyes on suspicious activity.
"The real challenging part about this operation is trying to find where the enemy is, which is kind of fun when they're firing at you," he said. "The real hard part lies with [the combat engineers]. They're the ones that have to destroy this bazaar and clear out all the IEDs. Those are the guys that are really in danger out there. I'm just here to support those guys -- making sure that the danger they can't see, I can see and [trying] to help mitigate them from taking small-arms fire through close air support or artillery."
During the operation, the night offered no rest to Sharp. Late one night, intelligence reports said insurgents were approaching the coalition forces who were protecting the engineers near the bazaar. Sharp got on his radio and ordered a pair of illumination rounds to be fired.
"It lets them know, 'Hey, I see you. You better relax and not start anything,'" Sharp said.
The rounds burst a couple of hundred yards over the insurgents' heads, giving away their position. The insurgents quickly scattered. Once Sharp was convinced the threat was neutralized, he caught a few hours of shuteye with his rifle, radio and binoculars by his side.
In addition to providing fire support, Sharp also coordinated casualty and medical evacuations.
On the morning of Aug. 6, a 2nd CEB Marine was hit by an IED and needed immediate evacuation. In less than a halfhour, the wounded Marine was on a helicopter and headed to a nearby trauma unit.
Shubeck said he has had 29 Marines in his command become casualties, and that he never had seen a medical evacuation executed so quickly.
"Twenty minutes from IED strike to the Marine being on the bird, ... you don't see that often," said Shubeck, a native of Centerville, S.D. "That's just a testament to how well-versed [Sharp] is at his job."
"I'm glad we were able to get the aircraft in fast for him," Sharp said. "That's the only thing I was worried about – making sure we we're able to save his life. That's the rewarding part right there: knowing that at least he survived. ... That, and harassing the [insurgents]."
Ultimately, Operation Black Sand was deemed a success. The combat engineers leveled the Ladar Bazaar using line charges packing more than 1,700 pounds of C4 explosives. While the line charges were being detonated, Afghans from surrounding villages came out to watch the fireworks show. Many of them were children. Sharp just shook his head.
"The kids around here have to grow up in this kind of environment," he said. "I've got two children of my own, and I'd never want them in this kind of environment. I don't even tell them what I really do over here. I don't tell my wife that stuff until I get home, because I don't want her to worry.
"As long as she thinks I'm safe and good to go," he added, "then everything is kosher."

Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force

Deployed Marine Stays Involved in Family Fundraising

By Marine Corps Cpl. Katherine Keleher 
American Forces Press Service

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, July 6, 2011 - After losing three family members to cancer, Marine Corps Capt. Elizabeth Hagner last year decided enough was enough. She committed to taking an active role in helping cancer research.

Capt. Elizabeth Hagner, shown here June, 28, 2011, is the officer in charge of the Female Engagement Team, Regional Command Southwest in Helmand province, Afghanistan. She volunteers her time to participate in the Relay for Life with her family every spring. This year, Hagner, of Freeland, Md., was deployed during her hometowns Relay for Life event. Hagner took it upon herself to help raise money for the cause, which donates funds to fight and research cancer, and to use video chat with her family over the computer during the event, June 17.

The Freeland, Md., native talked to her friends and family and decided the most effective way for them to all get involved in not only remembering their passed loved ones, but also helping to find a cure for cancer, was through Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's signature annual fundraising event in which volunteers raise money based on the miles they walked.

"It's a great way to get the family together for a good cause," Hagner said. "It's an [exercise] event, it raises money for an excellent cause and we're helping to promote awareness."

The Hagner family got together in 2010 and raised over $700 for Relay for Life. Hagner, who then was based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., as one of fewer than a dozen female Cobra helicopter pilots in the Marine Corps, did as much as she could to help her family in Maryland raise money. When time came for the event itself, Hagner took leave to participate.

"It's kind of like a memorial for my family members who have died," she said. "Instead of just talking about it, we did something about it."

This year, Hagner transferred to II Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, and deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan. She now works as the commander of the group's Female Engagement Team, overseeing a team of nearly 40 servicewomen tasked with interacting with Afghan women and children to assist in implementing community development programs.

In April, barely a month into her deployment, Hagner suffered another loss when her uncle died from stomach cancer. He was the fourth family member she had lost to cancer.

"That was rough," she said. "I lost my grandma on my dad's side to breast cancer, my grandma on my mom's side to lung cancer, my aunt to lung cancer and my uncle to stomach cancer," she explained.

After her uncle's passing, Hagner and her family made it a goal to raise over $1,000 for this year's Relay for Life event at Goucher College in Baltimore on June 17. There was just one problem: Hagner, serving in Afghanistan, could not be present.

Hagner's family and friends decided they still were going to participate, and their team raised $1,700 for cancer research.

Hagner even found a way to attend, if only in virtual form, by video chatting with her family over a computer for a few minutes in between one of their laps. Her cousins, aunts and uncles took turns hopping in front of the laptop, excited to catch a glimpse of their deployed Marine. As they walked, they even showed off a Marine Corps flag and a Team Hagner poster filled with pictures of her.

"It just wasn't the same without her, she's the life of the party," Hagner's parents, Ron and Elaine, said by e-mail.

"We couldn't be more proud," said Ron Hagner, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. "She just keeps doing things like Relay for Life that makes us even more proud. Liz has always been a thoughtful and caring person. She always looks for the best in people."

With Hagner's deployment ending in the early fall, she looks forward to seeing her family and participating in next year's Relay for Life.

"Next year, I should be able to take [vacation] again, so I can actually go participate with the rest of my family," she said.

Marine Brings Experience to Unit

By Marine Corps Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington  2nd Marine Aircraft Wing CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan, June 20, 2011 - Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, established in 2008, is one of the youngest squadrons in the Marine Corps, but its Marines are not without experience. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Lilia A. Garcia, the work center supervisor for Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, and a native of Mission, Texas, is deployed to Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan. Garcia joined the Marine Corps in 1995 as an unmanned aerial vehicle technician. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Samantha H. Arrington  A gunnery sergeant deployed here with the squadron has served the UAV community throughout her entire enlistment of nearly 17 years. Lilia A. Garcia oversees all RQ-7B Shadow UAV mechanical and launching operations for the squadron. The Mission, Texas, native joined the Marine Corps in 1995 as a UAV technician. "I've known Garcia since 1997," said Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Charles D. Carter, the squadron's maintenance control chief and a native of Newport News, Va. "She is the kind of Marine who is focused like a laser beam on getting the mission accomplished." Even though many Marines physically tower over the short-statured Texan, there is firmness in Garcia's soft words. She rarely raises her voice when addressing her troops, likely attributable to the knowledge she carries after nearly two decades in the UAV community. "She works longer hours than everyone else in the maintenance department does just so she is available to all of her Marines," Carter said. "I have developed an incredible respect for her abilities." "Working with the junior Marines is one of my favorite parts of my job," Garcia said. "When the Marines are out doing their jobs, whether it's launching or controlling the aircraft, I know I've done my part. My junior Marines have a lot of potential, and they work very hard." When Garcia entered the Marine Corps UAV community, she said unmanned aerial vehicles had recently formed into self-sustaining aviation squadrons. Previously, UAVs were directly attached to the ground units they now support. "We became a very valuable asset because we were able to use our aircraft to watch over ground troops," Garcia said. "For the squadron, it is just important that we do our part." Deployed Marine Corps UAV squadrons use small, lightweight vehicles that are able to stay in the air for several hours to supply Marines and their coalition partners with aerial information throughout combat missions. Garcia has deployed seven times to locations all over the world. In 2003, when the United States and its coalition partners began Operation Iraqi Freedom, Garcia said Marine Corps UAV squadrons adopted a heavy deployment schedule. "We would deploy for seven months and come back for five months and then deploy again," Garcia said. "Because of that deployment tempo the Marine Corps created [Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3] to try and slow down the deployment rate. It took several years but it has helped." Garcia and the other Marines of VMU-3 currently call Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., home. The squadron arrived in Afghanistan in May for its second deployment to support NATO International Security Assistance Force missions. "When I joined the Marine Corps 16 years ago I didn't think I was going to stay in," Garcia said. "I love what I do, though, and that's what has kept me in."

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Afghan, Coalition Force Kills, Captures Insurgents

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release KABUL, Afghanistan, June 16, 2011 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force killed two armed insurgents and detained several suspects during a nighttime security operation in the Mota Khan district of Afghanistan's Paktika province yesterday, military officials reported. The Afghan-led security force encountered the armed insurgents while searching for a Haqqani terrorist network facilitator. The facilitator is a roadside and car bomb expert who conducts, coordinates and directs attacks against Afghan and coalition forces within the district. After arriving at the suspected location, the force noticed several armed individuals fleeing the area. The suspected insurgents fired on the security force as they were pursued. The security force opened fire, killing two insurgents. One of the individuals was wearing a suicide vest and had multiple grenades, assault rifles and chest racks. The force also seized several homemade explosives, blasting caps and detonation cord. In other operations in Afghanistan yesterday: -- Based on intelligence reports, an Afghan-led force in Jowzjan province's Qush Tepah district captured a Taliban facilitator while searching for an insurgent leader who is the Taliban-appointed governing official for operations in the province and conducts attacks on Afghan forces. The force detained two individuals with suspected ties to Taliban activity. -- A combined force in Kandahar province's Kandahar City captured a Taliban facilitator who acquired roadside bomb-making materials for construction and distribution throughout Kandahar City. -- A combined force detained several suspected Taliban insurgents in Kandahar province's Zharay district while searching for a Taliban leader who directs insurgents responsible for attacks on Nakhonay Village. He also operates in Salawat and Zalakhan in Kandahar province's Panjwa'i district. -- Based on intelligence tips, a combined force detained two suspected insurgents while searching for two Taliban facilitators in Helmand province's Marjah district. The facilitators are responsible for purchasing roadside bomb-making materials and using their shop as a bed-down facility for Taliban insurgents. -- In Zabul province's Tarnek wa Jaldek district, a coalition force observed several armed insurgents planting a roadside bomb. After gaining positive identification, an air weapons team engaged the position, killing five insurgents. -- A combined force in Logar province's Charkh district detained several individuals with suspected ties to the Haqqani terrorist network while searching for a Haqqani facilitator responsible for conducting attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and coordinating fighter and weapons movements in the district. -- In the Nangarhar province's Sherzad district, a combined force captured several individuals with suspected ties to insurgent activity while searching for a Taliban facilitator who supports a roadside bomb cell that targets Afghan government officials in Khugyani district's Memla Village. In addition, the force destroyed 80 pounds of opium. -- In Khost province's Sabari district, an Afghan-led force captured a Haqqani network leader and two of his associates. The leader targets Afghan forces with roadside bombs and direct attacks, and also purchased weapons and equipment for other insurgents. -- A combined force in Nangarhar province's Hisarak district found 47 20 mm rounds, 41 12.7 mm rounds, 17 fuses and 119 pounds of hashish.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force