Photos from October, 2008

STUTTGART-VAIHINGEN, Germany — Navy Vice Adm. Richard Gallagher, U.S. European Command deputy commander, passes candy out to children in his office here Oct. 31. The Patch Barracks Child Development Center pre-schoolers were invited to wear their costumes and go "Trick or Treating" to several offices on the base. (Department of Defense photo by Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dana M. Clark) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
LIVORNO, Italy — Soldiers at the U.S. Army Garrison here rush a role player, who was simulating respiratory difficulties, to triage during an All Hazards exercise Oct.23. (Department of Defense photo by Chiara Mattirolo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
BAUMHOLDER, Germany — Soldiers with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command set up a DRASH tent system at the airfield here, Oct. 21 in support of Agile Challenge 09. The 21st TSC is participating in a week-long field training exercise that tests the unit's ability to conduct sustainment operations in a contingency environment. The exercise, which is a precursor to Austere Challenge 09, mainly focuses on humanitarian assistance and support to internally displaced people. (Department of Defense photo by Sgt. Fay Conroy) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Bush is joined on stage by Croatian Ambassador to the U.S. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic (left), Albanian Ambassador to the U.S. Aleksander Saliabanda and NATO Secretary General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer (right), as he signs the NATO accession protocols Oct. 24, 2008 in the East Room of the White House, in support of the nations of Albania and Croatia to join the NATO alliance. When all 26 NATO allies have ratified the accession protocols Albania and Croatia will be eligible to join NATO. (Department of Defense photo by Chris Greenberg) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87). (Department of Defense official file photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
BELGRADE, Serbia — U.S Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Zdravko Ponos, Serbian chief of defense, answer questions during a press conference here, Oct. 20, 2008. Mullen is on a three-day trip to the region to visit defense counterparts. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria — Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery stand in formation during Joint Task Force - East's closing ceremony Oct. 17, 2008. (Department of Defense photo by Sgt. Aimee Millham) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
KOTEL, Bulgaria — Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Munninger plays Phil Collins' "'I Wish it Would Rain Down'" on the piano while singing along with staff member, Liudmila Yovcheva, during a ceremony marking the end of renovations at a kindergarten here, Oct. 16, 2008. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead. (Department of Defense file photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
MOKREN, Bulgaria — Army Gen. Carter Ham, U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army commander, Gen. Zlatan Stoykov, chief of general staff, and Lt. Gen. Ivan Dobrev, Bulgarian land forces commander, visit kindergarten here, Oct. 15 during Distinguished Visitor Day at the Novo Selo Training Area. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
MOKREN, Bulgaria — Army Lt. Caleb Lakey, Environmental Engineer with the 212th Combat Support Hospital, cleans the grounds of a local schoolyard here during their last humanitarian assistance mission for Joint Task Force - East. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
SEMBACH ANNEX, Germany — U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Ian Stone looks through binoculars during a Creek Defender course here, Oct. 10, 2008. Stone is assigned to the 569th Security Forces Squadron, Vogelweh Air Station, Germany. The course covers tactical training methods to prepare security forces airmen for deployment. (Department of Defense photo by Air Force Airman 1st Class Kenny Holston) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
SEVASTAPOL, Ukraine — U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Bruce W. Clingan, commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Ukrainian First Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Vice Adm. Vladimir Maximov watch as the color guard parades the colors during a ceremony aboard USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20), here Nov. 6. Sevastapol is the second Black Sea engagement in a week, following meetings Saturday by Clingan with the Chief of Romanian Naval Forces in Constanta, Romania. The official calls by Clingan and port visits by Mount Whitney are a prelude to the upcoming, U.S. Sixth Fleet-led Black Sea Partnership Cruise (BSPC), an annual multinational event designed to strengthen ongoing partnerships and enhance interoperability among Black Sea nations. Mount Whitney will serve as the underway training platform for BSPC. (Department of Defense photo by Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Holmes) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
STUTTGART, Germany - Vice Admiral Richard Gallagher, Deputy Commander for the U.S. European Command, introduces Topside, a rock band assigned to the Command Naval Forces Europe Band. The group performed a free concert on the steps of the city hall here Oct. 11. Topside is one of eight ensembles assigned to the CNE band in Naples, Italy. They perform every year for approximately 1 million people at venues throughout the command's area of responsibility. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
STUTTGART, Germany - The rock band, Topside, part of the Command Naval Forces Europe Band, performed a free concert on the steps of the city hall here Oct. 11. The group performed an hour-long set to an eager crowd. Topside is one of eight ensembles assigned to the CNE band in Naples, Italy. They perform every year for approximately 1 million people at venues throughout the U.S. European Command Area of Responsibility. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
WALDENBUCH, Germany — U.S. Marine Corps. Sgt. Matthew Heen, tuba player for the Command Naval Forces, Europe Band, demonstrates his instrument to local children during a concert here Oct. 10, 2008. The Brass Quintet, which features three U.S. sailors, one U.S. Marine and one British Royal Marine, performed for a crowd of hundreds during the city's annual pumpkin festival. The Quintet performed an hour-long set and then led a group of children carrying lanterns through the streets of the nearly 650 year-old city lined with half-timbered houses. The Brass Quintet is one of eight ensembles assigned to the CNE band in Naples, Italy. They perform every year for approximately 1 million people at venues throughout the U.S. European Command Area of Responsibility. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Army Gen. Carter F. Ham, U.S. Army Europe commanding general, discusses USAREUR transformation during a breakfast meeting during the annual Association of the U.S. Army convention here Oct. 8, 2008. Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
CHIEVRES, Belgium — Soldiers, civilians and allied partners of the 650th Military Intelligence Group and contracted role players from Hohenfels, Germany, escape from their vehicle after a simulated IED explodes during a pre-deployment training exercise. (Department of Defense) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
CAMP MONTIETH, Kosovo — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates walks on a foot patrol with members of the Liaison Monitoring Team through the nearby town of Gjilan, Kosovo, Oct. 7, 2008. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
ENKENBACH-ALSENBORN, Germany — The U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern's team begins shooting in the rifle contest Oct. 1 at the international shooting competition hosted by the German Police Academy here. Team members are Sgt. Martin Harless, Spec. David Stewart and Sgt. Jared Wescoat (left to right). (Department of Defense photo by Christine June) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
SOFIA, Bulgaria — Air Force Lt. Col. David Cienski, Bulgarian Navy Vice Adm. Petar Petrov, and Mr. Joseph Perez (left to right) attended a three day seminar to discuss Inspector General systems and responsibilities in transforming militaries at the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense Information Center. (Department of Defense photo) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
ATLANTIC OCEAN — Flight deck personnel tie down an E-2C Hawkeye assigned to the "Bear Aces" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 124 to the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Oct. 1, 2008. Theodore Roosevelt and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 are underway on a scheduled deployment. (Department of Defense photo by Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
NEWPORT, Whales — MV Beluga Skysails is the world's first modern partially sail-powered cargo ship. Military Sealift Command chartered the ship to return European-based U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force cargo to the United States. (Department of Defense photo by the Beluga Group) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
Lt. Col. Scott Soracco (left) took command of the U.S. European Command Commandant's Office from Lt. Col. Thomas Houston (right center) in a change of command ceremony here Oct. 3. Soracco reported to the joint command in 2002 and served three years in the Interagency Coordination Group and then deployed twice to the U.S. Central Command JIACG. He returned in 2006 where he worked three years as Team Chief in the Joint Operations Center. Houston retired from the Army after more than 36 years of service. Also pictured are Commandant Command Sgt. Maj. Richard McKeller (left center) and Maj. Gen. P.K. Keen (right), Chief of Staff, U.S. European Command. (Department of Defense photo by Richard Herman) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
PRAGUE, Czech Republic — 58 officers and non-commissioned officers attended the first annual Coalition Deployment Conference here Sept. 23-25, 2008. The agenda included training by several Department of Defense transportation agencies and discussions on deployment practices and process improvement. Participants of the the conference included: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Estonia; France; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia; the Netherlands; Poland; Romania; and Slovenia; U.S. European Command, Central Command and Transportation Command. The forum will become an annual event hosted on a rotating basis throughout the EUCOM Area of Responsibility. (Department of Defense photo by Army Lt. Col. Jorge Cordero) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...
SIAULIAI, Lithuania — An F-15 deployed from Royal Air Force Lakenheath lands here in preparation for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe to assume the NATO Baltic air policing mission. The 493d Fighter Squadron deployed four F-15s. (Department of Defense photo by Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. J. LaVoie) Hi-res / Details / Comments ...