Nov 30, 2009

<b>What is it' </b> In conjunction with the Army's decision to eliminate Stop Loss for units deploying on or after Jan. 1, 2010, the Army is implementing a program designed to identify enlisted Soldiers for early involuntary separation. Soldiers assigned to a deploying unit, who decide not to reenlist or or extend under the provisions of the Deployment Enlistment Incentive Pay (DEIP) Program, will be subject to involuntary separation up to three months earlier than their contractual expiration term of service , or ETS, date.

Nov 30, 2009

BAGHDAD - It is a tradition in the United States Army for senior leaders to serve Thanksgiving dinner to their Soldiers to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

Nov 30, 2009

BAGHDAD - Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers entertained a crowd with speeches, poems and songs during a celebration of Native American Heritage Month at the Camp Liberty Morale, Welfare & Recreation here, Nov. 27.

Nov 30, 2009

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - It was supposed to be a secret reunion between a father and daughter in the most volatile of places.

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq- Iraqi Police are assisting the city of Kirkuk restore its once famed status as the "most beautiful city in Iraq."

Nov 30, 2009

It's the men's 10,000 meter final in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. And America's Billy Mills is running the race of his life. He's in third place entering the final stretch. He surges to the front, past the prerace favorite, Australia's Ron Clarke. Mills wins the gold medal. To this day, he remains the only American to have ever won an Olympic medal in the 10,000 meter race. "That moment was magical," he told the applauding audience Thursday in Bob Jones Auditorium. "I truly felt I had wings on my feet." Mills, a Sioux Indian who ran for Kansas University, was the keynote speaker at Team Redstone's National American Indian Heritage Month celebration.

Nov 30, 2009

Story and photos for the promotion of Third Army Chief of Staff Stephen Twitty to Brigadier General, Nov. 30 at Fort McPherson, Ga.

Nov 30, 2009

After they tried their hand at catapulting missiles and flying airplanes, Emma Gould and Heather Blackwell decided to gather autographs. So, with crayons in hand, they went around the classroom, asking each of their adult leaders to autograph their spiral notebooks. "Ya'll are nice. We just want to remember this moment," Emma told the volunteer teachers, many of whom work at the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center. "This is the best time ever," added Heather. While gathering autographs is decidedly not scientific, the two girls spent most of their day discovering all types of science and engineering challenges in fun classes that grabbed their interest, let them experiment hands-on and gave them the freedom to be, simply, young girls enjoying each other. The first-ever Girls' Science and Engineering Day took place Nov. 14 at the Shelby Center for Science and Technology on the campus of the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Some 454 girls in grades three through five from across Madison County attended the all-day event, which included about 20 classes on such topics as "Fun in a Hospital Laboratory," "Building a Tasty Model with Gumdrops," "The Wacky World of Weather," "Making Your Own Robot Jitterbugs," "Strawberry DNA Extraction," and "Video Games and Science: The Secret Connection."

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and their Iraqi Security Force partners broke bread together and dined on turkey, stuffing, and other Thanksgiving trimmings at Joint Security Station McHenry in Kirkuk province, Iraq, Nov. 24.

Nov 30, 2009

The giving spirit of Christmas 2009 has already left its mark on the gravesites of Madison County's veterans and on the hearts of the volunteers who lovingly placed red-bowed wreaths on those gravesites. On a cold, gray fall morning, more than 100 volunteers armed with greenery and hammers walked the grounds of Maple Hill Cemetery to place 2,200 holiday wreaths on veteran gravesites. The next day, they visited Valhalla Memory Gardens where another 560 wreaths were placed on veteran gravesites. Now in its third year, the project - known locally as Wreaths for Veterans and nationally as Wreaths Across America - continues to grow larger in terms of volunteers and organizations involved. "People are so supportive of this," Wreaths for Veterans chairperson Joy Parker said. "It's unbelievable. It warms your heart. "Because the veteran has given us the freedom we enjoy today we want to give back a token in remembrance and honor. We're putting these wreaths on gravesites to honor and remember our fallen veterans here in Madison County. We are doing this to give a little back." Parker and co-chair Jennifer Hames, who are both military wives and members of the Redstone Garden Club, started Wreaths for Veterans after seeing a picture of holiday wreaths decorating the snowy gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery. They started the project with the help of the Redstone Garden Club, although now it involves volunteers from several other local groups. "I saw that beautiful picture at Arlington Cemetery and I thought 'Why can't we do this in Madison County''" Hames said on Nov. 18 as wreath decorating operations were winding down at Maple Hill Cemetery. "I sent the first e-mail that started this whole thing rolling. People are so willing to help us because they are aware of veterans and what they have done for our country."

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq- Months of training, hard work and dedication is what it took to get a group of Iraqi Air Force students, training to become helicopter pilots, to where they are. They have already completed the first part of their training, and are ready and eager to continue to learn and improve on their skills.

Nov 30, 2009

U.S. advise and assist forces installed vehicle-scanning equipment at several traffic check stations in Al Anbar province beginning Nov. 20, to help Iraqi security forces thwart the trafficking of weapons, explosives and other contraband.

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq - Senior military leaders use battlefield circulation to gain situational awareness, understand the challenges facing their Soldiers, and effectively communicate.

Nov 30, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - Members of a Mississippi Army National Guard convoy security company stationed at Contingency Operating Location Q-West are furthering their civilian educations through distance learning, said an officer in the company Nov. 21.

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq - A little more than five months have passed since a devastating car bomb attack in the city of Taza in Kirkuk province, Iraq, killed approximately 90 residents and wounded more than 200, and left hundreds without homes.

Nov 30, 2009

Servicemembers from across the National Capital Region helped load 300 bicycles donated to USO-Metro Tuesday, which will be distributed to military Families in need this holiday season.

Nov 30, 2009

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq -The Iraqi village of Kalour in Kirkuk province, Iraq, recently began construction on a secondary school for students with assistance from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

Nov 30, 2009

Fort Hood, Texas - Family members and Soldiers gathered on the ready line at Fort Hood's Cooper Field, in Fort Hood, Texas, to officially welcome home 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division's Soldiers during a redeployment ceremony, Monday.

Nov 30, 2009

Aca,!A"I have learned to use the word impossible with the greatest caution.Aca,!A? Werner von Braun

Nov 30, 2009

The Army Training Network continues to grow and change since it went online in April with the mission of becoming the one-stop shop and information source for Army training.

Nov 30, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - Soldiers from the Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade will lead the way in obtaining the latest industry certifications.

Nov 30, 2009

The Army Training Network continues to grow and change since it went online in April with the mission of becoming the one-stop shop and information source for Army training.

Nov 30, 2009

Sixty-five years after World War II's landmark Battle of the Bulge, U.S. and Belgian troops will again march side-by-side in Bastogne Dec. 12-13.

Nov 30, 2009

Soldiers, Civilian employees and Family members throughout Fort McPherson celebrated Thanksgiving early Nov. 20.

Nov 30, 2009

Members of the Fort McPherson community took time to give thanks and build camaraderie during the U.S. Army Garrison Office of the Chaplain's Barracks and Single Soldiers Thanksgiving feast Nov. 19.

Nov 30, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - Spc. Chance W. Jefferss, II, a native of Southaven, Miss., and vehicle gunner with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms out of Hernando, Miss., cleans an M2 .50 caliber machine gun in the company area at Contingency Operating Location Q-West Nov. 20. Jefferss and fellow members of 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, cleaned excess weapons in preparation for turning them in as part of a responsible drawdown of forces and equipment in Iraq.

Nov 30, 2009

Images for CORE blog post to promote My.Army.mil

Nov 30, 2009

The first Army site of its kind will offer visitors the ability to sign-in and create a personalized page for official Army information, ranging from traditional news stories to up-to-the-minute social media updates. It's your Army media, how you like it.

Nov 30, 2009

Nov 30, 2009

The U.S. Army and Marine Corps are too small to do all that we ask of them, and the American People live comfortably with a lie. The lie is that the U.S. armed forces have sufficient men and women to do their job, that morale is high, and burdens and pains are negligible. But the American people are absent from the battlefields and Soldiers and Marines are angry.

Nov 30, 2009

It is an oft-cited maxim that in all the conflicts of the past century, the United States has refought the last war. A number of analysts and journalists have mentioned the war in Vietnam recently in conjunction with Afghanistan. Perhaps fearful of taking this analogy too far, most have backed away from it. They should not - the Vietnam War is less a metaphor for the conflict in Afghanistan than it is a template. For eight years, the United States has engaged in an almost exact political and military reenactment of the Vietnam War, and the lack of self-awareness of the repetition of events 50 years ago is deeply disturbing.

Nov 30, 2009

Moments after Maj. Gen. James Myles took off in the Corpus Christi Army Depot UH-1H Huey to attend a meeting at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, UH-60A crew members from Fort Rucker, Ala., launched the last A-to-A recapitalized Black Hawk from the depot, Nov. 4.

Nov 30, 2009

The Department of Veterinary Science, in conjunction with the Department of Defense Veterinary Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory launched the Surveillance Food Laboratory Manager Course Nov. 16. In development for more than two years, the week-long course intended for Veterinary Corps officers, noncommissioned officers and civilians, teaches laboratory managers how to oversee food testing laboratories and unit-level laboratory programs to make sure the laboratories are established and testing results support worldwide veterinary missions.

Nov 30, 2009

So long as the present ideological conflict between East and West continues, so long as the mutual balance of terror makes a hot war improbable, and so long as the stresses and strains of nationalism and radicalism add fuel to the fire, the Western allies are likely to find themselves involved willy-nilly in a prolonged series of cold war operations, in many of which, by their very nature, the guerrilla and counterguerrilla will inevitably have their part to play. It is therefore important to keep under constant review the laws and principles which govern the conduct of irregular warfare. - Sir Fitzroy Maclean as part of the foreword to Charles Thayer's Guerrilla1

Nov 30, 2009

For many military communities, heroes aren't always the ones on the battlefields - they're often the ones tucking their children into bed, making dinner, teaching history, volunteering at hospitals and inspiring excellence. That was the message of the Heroes' Tree, a national program sponsored by the Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University that honors the service and sacrifice of our military Families. Individuals were encouraged to hang handmade ornaments with stories and photos of their military heroes on the tree, displayed at the Keith A. Campbell Library.

Nov 30, 2009

Seven years into the US-led effort to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, the mission is on the verge of failing. This unsettling new reality is the result of key international and Afghan actors having for years pursued a narrow strategy focused almost exclusively on short-term goals at the expense of a broader and more cohesive strategy. Afghanistan, consequently, is now plagued by a threat environment shaped and sustained by an expanding insurgency, widespread criminality, ineffective governance, and the absence of a coordinated response to continuing challenges. Violence inside the country has risen steadily since 2006, and in 2008 levels of violence in Afghanistan exceeded levels of violence in Iraq.

Nov 30, 2009

FORT SAM HOUSTON - Tina Stull is many things: wife, mother, cancer survivor and race car driver. Stull visited Fort Sam Houston Nov. 19 to speak about her experiences at the 32nd Medical Brigade Thanksgiving Prayer Breakfast. Following the breakfast she parked her dragster at the Rocco Dining Facility, visited with Soldiers and signed autographs.

Nov 30, 2009

U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) visits Army Sgt. Daniel Biskey on Thanksgiving at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany. Skelton and fellow Congressmen visited patients and shared Thanksgiving dinner at LRMC after presenting a Congressional tribute to LRMC staff members for their support to Wounded Warriors from Afghanistan and Iraq. Biskey, who was injured by an anti-personnel mine while on patrol in Afghanistan, is assigned to the 2-1 Infantry from Fort Lewis, Washington. LRMC is the largest American hospital outside of the United States, serving more than 245,000 U.S. military personnel and their families within the European Command. LRMC is also the evacuation and treatment center for all injured U.S. servicemembers and civilians serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nov 30, 2009

Under Secretary of the Army Joseph Westphal spent the day after Thanksgiving visiting military leaders in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Nov 30, 2009

President Barack Obama said he will announce his decision on the strategy and troop request for Afghanistan "shortly after Thanksgiving."

Nov 30, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq - Four, 10-ton MRAP's hum in the dark. As motors idle, Soldiers with headlamps crawl in and around each metal beast, conducting oft-performed pre-combat checks and inspections. Moments later, approximately 20 Tennessee Army National Guard Soldiers of Troop G, 1st Battalion, 230th Air Cavalry Squadron, Task Force Wings, gather around their convoy commander for safety and mission briefs. Some participate in a brief prayer. Within the hour, additional vehicles join the mission as the troop embarks on another Combat Logistics Patrol, one of dozens conducted since their arrival in Iraq in July, 2009.

Nov 30, 2009

Nestled in a remote location, by design, is a special aviation operation in northwest Iraq. Soldiers of the Tennessee Army National Guard's 1-230th Air Cavalry Squadron maintain and operate a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP), 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.

Nov 30, 2009

Service members from across Europe spent a well-deserved weekend blowing off steam while competing for the first place trophy in the Installation Management Command-Europe Unit Level Flag Football Championship hosted by U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Nov. 6-8. The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center team took home the title of IMCOM-E Flag Football Champions after beating Grafenwoehr's 561st Medical Co. 28-15 in the final game.

Nov 30, 2009

As the Year of the Noncommissioned Officer draws to a close, noncommissioned officers and enlisted Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment got to see it out with a bang when they heard the Army's highest ranking NCO, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston, speak at the U.S. Army Garrison Hohenfels Post Theater Nov. 5.

Oct 11, 2012

CAMP TAJI, Iraq - The role of Native Americans in the annals of Army history is one characterized by courage and unwavering bravery in the face of conflict.

Mar 4, 2012

The U.S. Army research and development command is gearing up for a public technology demonstration Jan. 4-9, at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Nov 29, 2009

U.S. senior enlisted military leaders met with U.S. servicemembers working with Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) soldiers November 23, 2009, at Camp Ware, Liberia.

Nov 29, 2009

<b>What has it done' </b> Working closely with the Iraqi ministries of Defense and Interior, the command has assisted in forming more than 115 army and police combat battalions. Today there are more than 650,000 trained and equipped members of the security forces, with more joining the forces every month to defend the Iraqi people.

Nov 29, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - A Mississippi Guardsman with 1st Platoon, A Company, 106th Brigade Support Battalion, headquartered in Magee, Miss., ground guides an RG33 variant of the Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected gun truck into the company motor pool at Contingency Operating Location Q-West during a pre-mission inspection Nov. 21. A convoy security unit, A Co., 106th BSB, is attached to 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, out of Senatobia, Miss.

Nov 29, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq - The 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion hosted a "Shine the Light" two-mile walk here Nov. 20.

Nov 29, 2009

Soldiers run Seattle Marathon in Baghdad

Nov 29, 2009

SCHINNEN, Netherlands - What works' What doesnAca,!a,,ct' The Army Family Action Plan, or AFAP as it's commonly known, has been tackling those tough issues for more than 25 years, often generating solutions that benefit all the Armed Services through conferences held worldwide. This yearAca,!a,,cs Tri-Border AFAP conference takes place Feb. 3 to 4, hosted by USAG Schinnen at the JFC Conference Center in Brunssum, Netherlands.

Nov 29, 2009

Employees celebrated Thanksgiving at Camp Wolfe on the Victory Base near Baghdad, Iraq. On the menu was roasted pig, with a long table full of homemade side dishes and desserts.

Nov 28, 2009

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo --The commander of the Kansas National Guard took time recently to personally thank his state's Citizen-Soldiers, who are here beginning an important NATO peace-keeping mission. Air Force Maj. Gen. Tod M. Bunting, Kansas National Guard adjutant general, recently spent two days in Kosovo, visiting troops from the Sunflower State and holding meetings with leaders of Multi-National Task Force-East (MNTF-E), part of NATO's KFOR 12 (Kosovo Forces) peace operations in Kosovo.

Nov 28, 2009

20091126-A-6758N-001 - Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visits Third Army Soldiers and U.S. Servicemembers during a Thanksgiving Celebration Event held in Downtown Kuwait City, Kuwait, Nov. 26. 2009. Preston visited Servicemembers throughout the day in Kuwait thanking them for their service and sacrifices from their families in their efforts supporting the buildup in Afghanistan. Photo by SGT David J. Nunn, 203rd Public Affairs Detachment / Third Army Public Affairs Office. 20091126-A-6758N-003 - Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visits Third Army Soldiers and U.S. Servicemembers during a Thanksgiving Celebration Event held in Downtown Kuwait City, Kuwait, Nov. 26. 2009. Preston visited Servicemembers throughout the day in Kuwait thanking them for their service and sacrifices from their families in their efforts supporting the buildup in Afghanistan. Photo by SGT David J. Nunn, 203rd Public Affairs Detachment / Third Army Public Affairs Office.

Nov 28, 2009

20091124-A-6758N-003: The Honorable Joseph Westphal , Under Secretary of the Army, is escorted by Howard Henderson, Theater Director for the Joint Programs Office, native of Warren, Mich., while touring a MRAP production facility managed by the Joint Programs Office on Nov. 24, 2009, which contributes to Third Army's logistical movement of mission critical equipment in support of the Responsible Drawdown of Iraq and sustaining war efforts in Afghanistan. 20091124-A-6758N-001: Third Army's Deputy Commanding General Maj. Gen. Peter Vangjel and the Honorable Joseph Westphal , Under Secretary of the Army, inspect a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle while touring a MRAP production facility managed by the Joint Programs Office on Nov. 24, 2009, which contributes to Third Army's logistical movement of mission critical equipment in support of the Responsible Drawdown of Iraq and sustaining war efforts in Afghanistan.

Nov 28, 2009

Leaders are made over time. NCOs spend years honing their leadership skills and mentoring and caring for Soldiers. However, the choice to remain a leader in the Army can be a difficult one, but it is one Sgt. 1st Class Darrell Sammons made Nov. 25.

Nov 28, 2009

Three women from different services have come together to make a difference in the expansion and sustainment of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Naval supply officer Lt. j. g. Monica Rojas with the 30th Naval Construction Regiment, Air Force civil engineer 1st Lt. Rebecca Bucher with the 777th Expeditionary "Prime BEEF" Squadron, and Army logistics Capt. Sarah Comeau with the 45th Sustainment Brigade met each other while deployed here. The three servicemembers have formed a bond, and now work closely in all matters regarding procurement, logistics and construction projects.

Nov 28, 2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Castle Heights, dining facility three, took the title of best DFAC at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, in the sixth annual Thanksgiving Day competition, part of a joint forces food event Nov. 26 at JBB.

Nov 28, 2009

HABUR GATE, Iraq - As convoys escort trucks across the border between Turkey and Iraq, Soldiers take advantage of one of Iraq's most accommodating cities to rest between missions.

Nov 27, 2009

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii - More than 75 volunteer "paniolas," or cowboys, from across Hawaii, participated in the Army's version of a modern-day goat and sheep drive, here, Nov. 14.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - While dribbling basketballs, Eden Roy paid no attention to squeaking sneakers and the shouts of Soldiers' voices that dominated the sounds coming from within the Martinez Physical Fitness Center (MPFC) gymnasium, here.

Nov 27, 2009

FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii - Families of the Simpson Wisser neighborhood, here, were joined by state, city, business and community leaders to celebrate the opening of what could be the greenest neighborhood on a military installation, Nov.10.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Col. Dianne Pannes is stationed at Schofield Barracks, but shares her stories about Army life with the world.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Country music singer Lee Ann Womack knows what it's like to spend a good portion of life away from family members.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The sound of music, laughter and camaraderie will fill the air around Sills Field, here, Nov. 19, as U.S. Army-Hawaii celebrates the return of its warrior heroes with "A Tropic Homecoming."

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - As Americans get ready to double their recycling efforts for this Sunday's nationally recognized America Recycles Day, the Army is hoping that Soldiers and their family members follow suit, increasing their contributions when it comes to protecting the world's resources and environment.

Nov 27, 2009

FORTAca,!E+SHAFTER, Hawaii - A crowd was waiting outside the Fort Shafter Thrift Shop, Nov. 5, but people were not in line for Black Friday or the latest video game release. The crowd had gathered for a Thrift Shop bag sale.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Kneeling from left to right, Girl Scouts from Troop 066, Sarah Barry, Thorin Jean and Lauren Terry, learn how to perfectly toast marshmallows from troop leader Alyssa Edwards (far right), during "Songfest," here, Oct. 24.

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELDAca,!E+BARRACKS, Hawaii - The Youth Education Support Services (YESS) program, part of Child, Youth and School Services (CYS2), has recently undergone a name change - it is now called School Support Services (SSS).

Nov 27, 2009

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - The Health and Fitness Center (HFC), here, may be temporarily out of commission while awaiting a new rooftop, but that hasn't stopped its workout warriors from getting in their customary daily burn just down the road.

Nov 27, 2009

Military leadership from all four branches served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to Service Members, family members and civilian employees at the Presidio of Monterey on Nov. 26.

Nov 27, 2009

FORT RILEY, Kan. - As the aroma of baked turkey floated across Cantigny Dining Facility, laughter and conversation could be heard in every corner of the room. Soldiers, their families and community members gathered for a day of celebration and fellowship on this Thanksgiving Day at Fort Riley.

Nov 27, 2009

FORT RILEY, Kan. - What do 200 pounds of turkey, 160 pounds of ham, 100 pounds of duck and the history of the Big Red One have in common' For more than 750 Soldiers and their Families attending the Combat Aviation Brigade Dining Facility's Thanksgiving celebration Nov. 25, food and history went hand-in-hand.

Nov 27, 2009

It may be in Afghanistan, but Thanksgiving can be celebrated wherever there's great food, great camaraderie and the holiday spirit.

Nov 27, 2009

Nov 27, 2009

Counter-improvised explosive device training can mean the difference between life and death for any servicemember who travels outside the wire on convoys.

Nov 27, 2009

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Nov 27, 2009

Nov 27, 2009

Nov 27, 2009

In the midst of a nondescript Middle Eastern-style village, 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Soldiers interact with the local inhabitants the same as they have done day in and day out on routine patrols.

Nov 27, 2009

Nov 27, 2009

Nov 27, 2009

On Dec. 28, 1909, General Order No. 253 was published, establishing the official military occupational specialty of the chaplain assistant, stating that one enlisted man will serve to assist the chaplain in the performance of his official duties.

Nov 27, 2009

Although the upcoming deployment of the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team will be a historic event, the preparation for the unit's mobilization has already gone down as the largest training event ever for the Florida Army National Guard.

Nov 27, 2009

Gulf Region District Employees pictured in front of their headquarters building at Camp Wolfe near Baghdad, Iraq wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

Nov 27, 2009

President Barack Obama and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were just two among the many senior leaders within the Defense Department, and the Army, who released Thanksgiving messages Thursday.

Nov 27, 2009

HABUR GATE, Iraq - Along the border of Iraq and Turkey, U.S. service members, Iraqi security forces and contractors work together to ensure the safety of Iraq's citizens.

Nov 27, 2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Counter-improvised explosive device training can mean the difference between life and death for any service member who travels outside the wire on convoys.

Nov 27, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION ADDER, Iraq - Illinois Sen. Roland W. Burris visited Soldiers from his home state at Contingency Operating Location Adder, Iraq, Nov. 24 at Memorial Hall to answer their questions and talk about programs available to them.

Nov 27, 2009

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION ADDER, Iraq - The Personal Security Detachment with the 36th Sustainment Brigade out of Temple, Texas, keeps Soldiers safe while conducting operations outside the wire.

Nov 26, 2009

On Dec. 28, 1909, General Order No. 253 was published, establishing the official military occupational specialty of the chaplain assistant, stating that one enlisted man will serve to assist the chaplain in the performance of his official duties.

Nov 26, 2009

Chief of Chaplains Chap. (Maj. Gen.) Douglas L. Carver, accompanied by the Chief of Chaplains and Regimental Sgt. Maj. Tommy Marrero, left their families behind this Thanksgiving season and embarked on a journey to thank and praise Servicemembers throughout Iraq.

Nov 26, 2009

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Roughly 100 Iraqi children participated in Iraqi Kids Day Nov. 21 at the H6 recreation center at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

Nov 25, 2009

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - The Lost Heroes Art Quilt paid homage to Fort Sam Houston by making the Warrior and Family Support Center a Nov. 19 stop on its journey across America.

Nov 25, 2009

Nov 25, 2009

Around the Army, as Soldiers enjoy a Thanksgiving meal or open packages from home, some are helping less fortunate members of the community.

Nov 25, 2009

The Army National Guard has implemented several employment initiatives to help Soldiers during their time of transition in a sluggish economy.

Nov 25, 2009

Eleven Army organizations were recognized for their exceptional efforts in using Lean Six Sigma principles and practices in a ceremony Nov. 24 at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes.

Nov 25, 2009

FORT KNOX, Ky. - Several 3d Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Soldiers volunteered to prepare and serve food Monday, Nov. 23. at the Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville, Ky. as part of a community outreach program for the command. Volunteering at the Wayside Christian Mission was just one of many ways the 3d ESC has sought to give back to a surrounding community that supported them during their 15-month deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.