Category Archives: Photo of the Day

General Austin is a Soldier’s General. I fought with him when was the Assistant Division Commander for Maneuver with the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq. I’ve followed him since that point as well as the other officers I respect. While I miss General Chiarelli in the role of Vice Chief of Staff, I couldn’t think of a better replacement than General Austin.

He recently visited troops and leaders at White Sands Missile Range and handed out some leader’s coins.

Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, vice chief of staff of the Army, eats lunch with top leadership for Network Integration Evaluation 12.2 at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., May 17, 2012. NIE, using soldiers from 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, assesses potential network capabilities in a robust operational environment to determine whether they perform as needed, conform to the network architecture and are interoperable with existing systems.

Staff Sgt. Maribel Valdez, the adjutant with 1st Marine Division (Forward), displays photos of her five children on the wall behind her and on her desk, May 15, 2012. Valdez deployed in January and tries to talk with her family every day. She said it’s hard for the younger children to understand why she left.
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House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) addresses troops on Camp Leatherneck during a Mother’s Day visit to Afghanistan with five other congresswomen. Continue reading →

Photo by 2LT Scott Murdock.
The Helmand Governor Media Center announced that nine tons of explosives were captured by the National Department of Security, May 15.

The Afghan agency discovered the explosives, allegedly brought from Pakistan by insurgents, in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province.

The views expressed by the author do not reflect the views, opinions, or endorsements of any branch of government or military unit.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Marcus Martin, a squad leader with Guard Force Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and 32-year-old native of Charlottesville, Va., practices Pashto with Afghan boys while providing security outside the Garmsir district center here, Nov. 28, 2011. In November 2011, the Marines and sailors of “America’s Battalion” began their final Afghanistan deployment to Helmand province’s Garmsir district. After six combat deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2004, they’re finally coming home. During their seven months in Garmsir, they advised and developed Afghan forces preparing to take the lead in providing security for the district. As the Afghan forces grew in number and capability, commerce expanded and successful district community council elections were held in April 2012. “America’s Battalion”€transferred control of coalition positions in Garmsir to Kilo Co., 3rd Bn., 8th Marines.
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Lance Cpl. Levi Marshal of Covington, Wash., goes around his final turn as he cruises to a gold medal in the recumbent cycle 20 kilometer race at the 2012 Warrior Games aboard the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 1. The Games continued through May 5.

Photo by Pat Cubel.

The views expressed by the author do not reflect the views, opinions, or endorsements of any branch of government or military unit.

Critical supplies are delivered to an undisclosed location in Afghanistan via airdrop by a C-17 Globemaster III, May 4, 2012. The C-17 is one of two aerial resupply platforms utilized by the U.S. Air Forces Air Mobility Division. In 2011 the AMD directed the dropping of over 58,000 bundles comprising more than 80 million pounds of critical supplies to personnel in austere combat outposts.

Photo by Staff Sergeant Greg Biondo.

The views expressed by the author do not reflect the views, opinions, or endorsements of any branch of government or military unit.

So far this fiscal year (since October 1, 2011) III Corps has lost five Soldiers in motorcycle accidents. That’s just ONE MILITARY INSTALLATION!

As a motorcycle rider, this concerns me for numerous reasons.

First, every time a Soldier is killed while riding a motorcycle – regardless of the reason – every other motorcycle rider generally has to endure additional awareness training. For the responsible riders, these get more than a little annoying. However, it’s important to constantly reinforce safety and awareness in riders. It can save lives and reminds us of our mortality, especially as we’re out there on the roads exposed to the elements…and bad drivers. Which leads me to my next point.

Many of the accidents that involve motorcycle riders are due to no fault of their own. Typically, it’s the result of another driver talking on a cell phone or just not looking before changing lanes or making a turn.

Drivers need to be aware of their surroundings, especially in military communities. As a result of a decade of war, Soldiers have had more disposable income than ever in their careers or lives. Many use that money to purchase motorcycles.

There are more motorcycle riders in the military today than at any other time in our history. As such, drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles can no longer take for granted that a quick glance is enough to see if the coast is clear. Drivers need to check twice to ensure that a motorcycle isn’t blending into its environs or in a blind spot before changing lanes or crossing traffic.

Motorcyclists understand this and have adapted with the times as well. Most of us won’t linger in a blind spot for any length of time if we can help it. I always ensure I know exactly what the driver is doing when I attempt to pass a car. Are they paying attention to their surroundings? Are they fiddling with their radios or drive-through lunch? Are they talking on the phone? Are they arguing with the kids in the back seat? All these are indicators to a motorcyclists to pass with caution.

While non-riders complain about them, I like that the services have adopted “safety rides” on installations. These generally take place once a quarter to emphasize safety and awareness of both riders and the general public about how many riders are out there.

Here at Fort Hood, riders are required to go through both the basic and advanced rider’s courses before operating their motorcycles for any extended time on post. Sport bike owners must also complete the sport bike riders course!

We are required to wear our personal protective equipment (PPE) both on and off duty, on and off post. This includes wearing a helmet, regardless of the laws of the state we are in. We must also wear gloves, eye protection, long sleeve shirts or jackets, pants, and ankle length shoes or boots. Finally, we are required to wear refractive clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night. Joe Rocket makes a great line of military spec protective equipment that meets all Army requirements for riding.

Military motorcycle enthusiasts ride in formation while participating in the ‘Wake the Base Ride’ at Naval Air Station Oceana. The ride kicks off the base’s annual Motorcycle Safety Rodeo and is open to all Department of Defense personnel, their families and the community. The rodeo promotes motorcycle road safety by providing information and demonstrations on proper riding techniques and the latest safety gear. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos)

The views expressed by the author do not reflect the views, opinions, or endorsements of any branch of government or military unit.

A scout with 2nd Platoon, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, stands watch over a village during a mission in Laghman province. The scouts operate out of Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam as a counter improvised explosive device platoon. Trained in the art of reconnaissance, the scouts keep a watchful eye on the roads they travel, watching for IEDs before they can detonate and cause harm to coalition or Afghan National Security Forces.Cavalry scouts are experts in the art of reconnaissance, trained to observe the battlefield and gather vital information about an area and the enemy forces that operate within it.

The scouts of the counter-improvised explosive device platoon with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, use their training as expert observers to find IEDs before they detonate and cause harm to coalition or Afghan National Security Forces.

“As cavalry scouts, we are already trained to look at the terrain and try to recognize areas that would be best suited for an attack,” explained U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Pethes, squad leader with the CIED platoon, 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment.

“All of this equates to hours of walking around in full kit and trying to remember details while looking for signs of digging and or emplacing of IEDs,” said Pethes, a native of Imperial Beach, Calif.

When the CIED platoon arrived in country seven months ago, they made Wardak Province their stomping ground and Forward Operating Base Airborne their home.

While there, the platoon performed a wide array of missions to include VIP escort, casualty evacuation, quick reaction force, route clearance, as well as escort for explosive ordnance disposal forces.

“Whenever an IED is found or employed, we will escort EOD to the site, set their security, and assist them in gathering intelligence about the device,” Pethes said. “They never leave one in the ground, and we never leave them.”

Four months into their deployment, the platoon moved to Laghman province to replace the outgoing unit as the quick reaction force at Forward Operating Base Mehtar Lam.

Even though the grass was literally greener in Laghman, the platoon had to face a new set of challenges once they arrived.

While still performing the same duties they performed in Wardak, the scouts had to complete their tasks with fewer personnel and vehicles in an area that was twice as large, and more hostile than the one they left behind.

“People in Wardak were more welcoming and grateful to what we are doing over here. They were more willing to work with us and report things,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jamin Williamson, the CIED platoon leader. “Here, we can’t get anything except rocks thrown at us by kids and adults.”

In addition to unreceptive locals, the scouts faced a more significant obstacle – the IEDs in Laghman proved harder to find.

Enemy fighters in the province were more elaborate with their emplacements and as a result, the platoon went from finding the IEDs to the IEDs finding them.

“It’s a shock,” said Butte, Mont., native U.S. Army Spc. Jared Peters, a scout with 1st Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment. “One minute you’re driving down the road, talking with your buddies and the next thing you know, you’re on your side in a rollover when your vehicle gets hit.”

Despite the challenges the CIED platoon has faced since arriving to Laghman, the scouts remain determined to hunt down the hazards that lie in wait on the roads they travel.

After long hours on the road, the scouts hardly rest. When they return after a mission, the platoon preps their vehicles and equipment so they can stand ready to answer the next call whenever it may come.

With just a few months left in their deployment, the CIED scouts remain focused on their mission – to keep open ears and watchful eyes over the battle space in which they operate.

“Home is the furthest thing from our minds. We can’t take our mind off the mission,” Pethes said. “Our mission isn’t complete. You have to stay in the game until you’re out of here.”

“We can’t ever relax,” Williamson added. “That’s the reality in Afghanistan.”

Story and photo by Sgt. Andrea Merritt.

The views expressed by the author do not reflect the views, opinions, or endorsements of any branch of government or military unit.