| Thursday, January 08, 2009 | | Coalition Transitions ‘Sons of Iraq’ to Iraqi Government, Ensures Job Placement |
 Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kulmayer, Chief of Reconciliation for Multi-National Corps-Iraq |
| The coalition has transferred 75 percent of some 94,000 “Sons of Iraq” civilian security volunteers under Iraqi government control, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kulmayer, chief of reconciliation for Multinational Corps Iraq, since beginning to transition the program in October. The coalition plans to follow through with the Iraqi government to ensure the Sons of Iraq are placed into permanent jobs, Kulmayer said, with approximately 20 percent going into the Iraqi security forces and the remainder in jobs that compliment their skills or training. “We really see it as a commitment on our part to the Sons or Iraq,” he said, “who have helped us here and, really, frankly stood up for their country.” Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Tuesday, December 30, 2008 | | Afghan National Army Medical System Making Slow, Steady Progress |
 Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ed Fieg, Lead ANA Medial Mentor of the 205th Corps |
| “The mission of the medical ETT (embedded transition team) is to train, coach, and mentor the ANA (Afghan national army) medical personnel in order for them to develop a self-sustaining medical system in order for the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to achieve security and stability,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ed Fieg, Deputy Team Leader and senior physician mentor of the 205th Corps, Afghan Regional Security Integration Command – South said to bloggers Dec. 30th. Fieg said, while less than perfect, the ANA medical system are functional and have made remarkable strides over the past year. Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Thursday, December 18, 2008 | | U.S. Army Official Addresses Iraqi Security Forces, Ministry of Interior |
 U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James M. Milano |
| The MNSTC-I Directorate of Interior Affairs has been assisting the Iraq Ministry of Interior to develop the Iraqi security forces, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. James Milano said to bloggers Dec. 18th. "Our mission is to assist the Ministry of the Interior to complete the generation of professional, credible police forces while at the same time developing institutional capacity to aquire, train, develop, manage, sustain, and resource those forces, leading to self-reliance and the maintenance of the rule of law," he said. Story | Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf)
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| Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | | U.S. Army Releases Field Manual 7-0, Training for Full Spectrum Operations |
 Brig. Gen Robert Abrams, Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Center |
| Brig. Gen. Robert A. (Abe) Abrams, deputy commanding general, U.S. Combined Arms Center, participated in an Army Bloggers Roundtable to discuss the release of FM 7-0, "Training for Full Spectrum Operations." FM 7-0 will help to train the force in offensive, defensive and stability operations anywhere along the spectrum of conflict. "We've learned a lot about how to train forces to be full spectrum," said Abrams. "This manual captures a lot of the lessons learned as to the how or the what of training units for full-spectrum operations and codified it in doctrine." Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Monday, December 15, 2008 | | Army Scientist Discusses Disease Reseach |
 Dr. Lisa Hensley, Research Microbiologist, U.S. Army's Institute of Infectious Diseases |
| Dr. Lisa Hensley, chief, Viral Therapeutics, Virology Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Fort Detrick, Md., participated in an Army Blogger's Roundtable to discuss her work in developing candidate therapies. Dr. Hensley is one of the most accomplished scientists in her field, having worked with some of the world's deadliest diseases, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Monkeypox, Marburg and Ebola. She discussed some of the specifics of her research, as well as how her work has changed since 2001. "I think there's a really good team effort here at USAMRIID," said Hensley. "It's not just the scientists but the support staff who keep the building running. They really believe in the mission that we're here for." Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Friday, December 12, 2008 | | U.S. Army Col. Provides Insight Into Iraqi Police Training |
 Colonel Larry Saunders, Director, Baghdad Police College Transition Team |
| U.S. Army Col. Larry Saunders, senior advisor to the Vice Deputy of Training for the Ministry of Interior, updated bloggers on the Iraqi national and local police as well as the Sons of Iraq transition program. “There’s a growing confidence that this democracy is going to work … There’s a great appreciation amongst those whom actually make the decisions for what the west brings them in terms of furthering democracy,” Saunders said. “I think from a strategic picture, all of the members of the government understand the importance of a balanced, nonsectarian dominated government,” he said. Story | Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Thursday, December 11, 2008 | | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Researching Solar Energy |
 Dr. Ali Allack |
| Electrical engineers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are currently researching and developing solar energy projects and initiatives in Iraq, Mr. Ali Allak, an official for the Corps of Engineers said. There are various ways of harnessing the suns rays that produce electricity which can be used for air conditioning units, lights, or water heaters, he said. Solar energy is important because it’s free of fossil fuels, relatively inexpensive, and free of wire connections, he added. Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Thursday, December 11, 2008 | | U.S. 4th Fleet’s Long-Term Planning will Include Humanitarian Missions |
 Adm. Joseph Kernan, USN Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet |
| U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Joseph Kernan, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet joined the bloggers roundtable to discuss the Continuing Promise 2008 humanitarian and civic assistance deployments aboard USS Boxer and USS Kearsarge to the Southern Command area of focus. Kernan said that enduring piece through humanitarian missions will be an important element of 4th Fleet’s long-term planning efforts. “We're going to continue every year … to do an exercise like a Continuing Promise, and also every asset that goes into the region or the theater is going to do Continuing Promise-like activities, whether it's humanitarian, whether it's a construction project or things of that nature,” said Kernan. Story | Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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| Tuesday, December 09, 2008 | | Synergized Resources Needed for Afghan COIN Fight, Colonel Says |
 Colonel Jeffrey M. Haynes, Commanding Officer, Regional Corps Advisory Command – Central (RCAC) |
| U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jeffrey M. Haynes joined the bloggers roundtable to share observations from his recently completed tour in Afghanistan, where he served as commanding officer of Regional Corps Advisory Command Central. Haynes recommended the coalition energize resources in the rural parts of Afghanistan, where the insurgency derives much of its strength. “We need to synergize resources for a permanent transformation of the environment to permanently isolate the insurgent from the population,” he explained.
Story | Audio(Mp3) |
Files: Transcript(pdf) | Bio(pdf) |
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The Bloggers Roundtable provides source material for stories in the blogosphere
concerning the Department of Defense (DoD) by bloggers and online journalists.
Where available, this includes transcripts, biographies, related fact sheets
and video.
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