Posted on 05/17/2006 4:00:51 PM PDT by Gucho
May 17, 2006
TIKRIT, Iraq -- Iraqi Army and U.S. Soldiers raided a suspected insurgent training camp during Operation Iron Triangle near Lake Thar Thar, southwest of Tikrit May 9.
Nearly 200 Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division and approximately 230 Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team air assaulted from CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters into the suspected camp after intelligence sources pin-pointed the location as being the Muthana Chemical Complex.
The 150-square kilometer complex was a chemical production facility that was closed by the United Nations after the fall of the former regime.
"Insurgents were coming here to train, conduct link-up operations, and moving out to attack Coalition Forces," said Capt. Andrew Graham, assistant plans and operations officer, 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment.
The combined three-day operation netted more than 200 suspected insurgents.
"We have been finding evidence that this place has been used to train insurgents," Graham said. "We conducted a detailed search, detained suspicious individuals, and [used] the intelligence that we got from them, which resulted in follow-on operations on day two."
Propaganda materials, rifles and videos were found during searches. Iraqi Soldiers also gathered names of potential threats from the detainees nabbed during the operation.
"We have found some smaller caches and have captured more than 10 men who we found to be part of Tahiwed and Jihad [insurgent groups]," said Lt. Col. Musab Josif, 1st Bn., 1st Bde., 4th IA Div. "The best thing we had during the mission is good cooperation between the Iraqi and American Soldiers. They worked together as one team."
The partnership between Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces was one of the many successes of the mission.
"The Iraqi Army is becoming more and more competent in the planning and execution of missions," Graham said. "In regards to that, they are very capable of doing their own tactical operations and reacting to intelligence."
By Spc. Cassandra Groce - 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
Master Sgt. Steve Veteto of Fontana, Calif. contacts troops out in the field once the tactical operations center is established during Operation Iron Triangle. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
IMG sRC=http://www.blackanthem.com/TheAllies/military_2006051701c.jpg>
An Iraqi Army Soldier and a 4th Infantry Division Soldier engage in some friendly banter after the initial clearing of their area of operation for the mission. No Coalition Force Soldier patrolled without Iraqi Army Soldiers present. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Rakkassans from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team and Iraqi Army Soldiers search a vehicle they stopped while on a patrol. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
An Iraqi Army Soldier heads out of a darkened bunker after searching the inner room during Operation Iron Triangle. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
An Iraqi Army Soldier helps Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment loosen the straps holding down the boxes of food brought to Soldiers in the field who were inspecting all areas of the 150-square kilometer of the Muthana Chemical Complex during Operation Iron Triangle. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cassandra Groce, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Soldiers from the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 3/320th Field Artillery Regt. move to the main objective area during Operation Iron Triangle via ground convoy while a OH-58D Kiowa helicopter patrols the area from above. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Jesse Dyer, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Soldier pulls security on the air strip as a UH-60 Blackhawk stands ready for the next lift during the assault of an insurgent training camp southwest of Samarra, Iraq as part of Operation Iron Triangle. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Jesse Dyer, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
By Spc. Cassandra Groce
TIKRIT, Iraq (Army News Service, May 17, 2006) – Iraqi Army Soldiers are now bringing their own medics to the battlefield. During Operation Iron Triangle, medics from the 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, were a prevalent force among detainees.
“My duty is to help anyone who is sick or a casualty,” said 1st Sgt. Zaed Sudan, an Iraqi Army medic who helped check and treat detainees.
“If there were casualties on any side we would work together to take care of them,” said Sudan. “We are ready at any time for what may happen.”
Working with coalition forces is a normal trend for the Iraqi Army medics, who have partnered with the 3rd Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, since mid-January.
“We try to partner with their operations and teach them what we know,” said 1st Lt. Roland Breden, a medical platoon leader for the 3-320th FA. “They do a lot of their own evacuations.”
As training increases, so too, does the Iraqi medics’ assertiveness. In a recent incident, a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated outside the front gate of a forward operating base. Iraqi medics were on the scene immediately.
“They had policed everyone up before we got there,” said Breden. “They are very responsive.”
The Iraqi Army medics maximized the capabilities of both forces during the operation and took advantage of the chance to gain practical experience.
“This isn’t our first rodeo – we’ve worked together before and seen traumatic injuries together,” said Breden. “With a few words of encouragement they take on the challenges. They’re pretty good.”
(Editor’s note: Spc. Cassandra Groce writes for the 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)
By Leo Shane III - Stars and Stripes Pacific edition
Thursday, May 18, 2006
WASHINGTON — Tom Donegan wants to send the wounded soldiers at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas a big, loud “thank you.”
So he and a handful of friends will come roaring into San Antonio later this week on a fleet of noisy motorcycles flying a banner praising the patriots recovering there.
“We just want to thank them for their service,” said Donegan, who owns a Virginia real estate firm. “They need to know that their sacrifice hasn’t been forgotten.”
The 3,200-mile, 10-day round-trip began Monday outside of Washington and will wind through Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. The riders are hoping to raise more than $20,000 for the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, which funds grants and programs to help wounded veterans move on with their lives.
Donegan said he was inspired to help the injured soldiers after meeting with coalition spokesman J.R. Martinez, a former soldier who was wounded in an IED attack in Iraq in April 2005.
The group will visit Martinez — and the other patients at the medical center — from May 19 to May 22, delivering souvenirs from the ride and grateful handshakes.
Donegan said he expects other riders to join the convoy for at least part of the ride. One confirmed day tripper is Josh Forbess, a soldier wounded in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in 2003.
Forbess said shows of support like this are crucial during the recovery process. “It’s just you and your thoughts when the lights go out,” he said. “It’s good to see that, to know there is support.”
The bikers have set up Web cams on the motorcycles and will be giving daily updates of the ride through their Web site, www.rideforamericaspatriots.com. Visitors can also donate to the effort there and learn more about the coalition’s programs.
A webcam mounted on the front of Tom Donegan’s motorcycle will allow the public to follow the progress of the “Ride for America’s Patriots.” Connected to a laptop powered by the engine, the cam will send an image every 10 seconds. At the end of the ride, the images will be combined into a video. (Joe Gromelski / S&S)
Left to right, Bob Loy, Tom Donegan and Joe Kurnos, before leaving for San Antonio on the “Ride for America’s Patriots.” (Joe Gromelski / S&S)
Story by Cpl. Steven J. Holt
CAMP TAQADDUM, Iraq (May 16, 2006) -- As the hot Iraqi sun was beating down, sweat ceaselessly dripped from the faces of Marines erecting a radio tower. They grimaced while pushing a metal extension of an expandable antenna in the air as commands to tighten up the slack on guidelines were yelled.
The tower seemed intimidating as it hovered more than 25 feet above the Marines' heads and could have crashed down if they weren't careful, but that didn't deter them and eventually the system was set up and secured.
Marines of Communications Company, 1st Marine Logistics Group, must overcome a variety of challenges like this daily so troops stay connected in the restive Al Anbar Province.
From the homing pigeons of World War I to today's cutting-edge technology of encrypted radios and satellite phones, a network of information is critical to commanders on the battlefield.
Modern innovations bring a new level of communication capability but have their own drawbacks that the 'comm' Marines must deal with before the equipment can function efficiently.
"Thinking outside the box is one of the biggest skills to have in 'comm,'" said Sgt. Katherine Bartal, site chief for the project and radio operator. "Anybody can plug in a cord (from) here to there, but what really is the difficult part about being in communications is troubleshooting."
Such trouble shooting was applied as the communications Marines relocated their antenna and battled inconsistent power at nearby Camp Habbaniyah to help Marines assigned to a military transition team. The MiTT is responsible for training Iraqi soldiers and according to the team, secure communication transmission is essential for them to accomplish their mission.
The system's placement wasn't as easy as they had anticipated, said Bartal.
Unconventional solutions help the Marines save time on such tasks and this occasion was no exception. For this task they tapped the power from their humvee to keep the equipment running while they inspected the set-up and tested the signal.
The support and innovation the Marines used here is replayed throughout Iraq every day as communications technicians keep their fellow Marines connected.
For Marines to employ any type of ordnance such as artillery rounds or bombs from aircraft, communication with the people that give the permission to drop the explosives is essential to carrying out the strike, said Sgt. Brian Salisbury, fire support Marine with 2nd Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 2nd Marine Division.
Good communication not only assists troops on the ground with heavy weapons support but also helps save lives in the heat of battle.
"The number one reason communication is going to save lives is because on the battlefield you need to know where everyone is. You have to have comm," said Salisbury, from New Bern, N.C., and added every service member must be accounted for before ordnance is dropped.
Witnessing an artillery strike is just one of the perks communications Marines like about their job.
"I like to know that we're doing something, especially when we're doing call for fire. You say your 'roger over' and then you hear rounds come down range," added Bartal, a 22-year-old from Morgantown, W.Va.
Combat operations are among the most visible moments in Iraq where communication is needed, but every Marine here benefits from 'Comm' Company's efforts daily.
Convoys, commanders at the different outposts and forward operating bases, operations centers and even Marines needing to make a morale call home all benefit from the communications specialists efforts.
"We provide the commanding general the ability to command and control his forces," said Maj. Robert K. Maldonado, commanding officer of Communications Company and Mastic, N.Y., native.
Maldonado added that anyone on Camp Taqaddam that needs to call home, access internet or e-mail, can do so thanks to 'Comm' Company.
"Communication is probably the number one thing on the battlefield besides a rifle," said Salisbury.
Cpl. Lissay Ly with the 1st Marine Logistics Group's Communications Company walks beneath a communication antenna at Camp Habbiniyah, Iraq. The antenna was set up May 6, 2006 in order to give Military Transition Teams secure communication. (Official USMC photo by: Cpl. Stephen Holt)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Afghan men have lunch at an old tea shop in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, May 17, 2006. (AP Photo/Rodrigo
By Steven Donald Smith - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 17, 2006 – The new HBO documentary film "Baghdad ER" is much more than just a series of gruesome images flickering across a screen. It is a poignant testament to the sacrifice of American troops and the dedication of military medical personnel.
Filmmakers Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill were given eight weeks of unfettered access to the Army's 86th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad during the spring and summer of 2005. The result is a compelling film that examines the daily rigors faced by doctors, nurses, medics and chaplains as they treat wounded troops.
The film also includes frontline rescue footage of the 54th Medical Company Air Ambulance Team, as well as soldiers patrolling the streets of Baghdad, and is interspersed with surprising moments of humor.
Army Col. Casper P. Jones III, commander of the 86th Combat Support Hospital, told American Forces Press Service that the film captures the reality of what goes on at the hospital.
"I think it's an accurate depiction of the medical facility. I think it gives a real-life view of what it's like in a trauma center in a combat zone," he said. "I think it shows the physicians, nurses and technicians, and our chaplain involved in compassionate caring and world-class health care."
Sheila Nevins, head of HBO's documentary film division, said the film has no political agenda, and is simply meant to celebrate the heroism and bravery of the men and women in uniform.
"That might sound very cliché and trite, but for whatever it's worth, I'm humbled by their courage," she said at a screening of the movie at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History here May 15th.
The main mission of the combat support hospital is to stabilize wounded troops in order to transfer them out of Iraq to receive further treatment, Jones said. He called the unit's primary mission "resuscitative care."
Our job is to save life, limb and eyesight, to stabilize and move the patients," he explained.
Patients are usually transferred from Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, and then on to Walter Reed Army Medical Center here. The transfer usually happens within 36 hours, Jones said.
Iraqi civilian patients are moved into the Iraqi health care system, he added.
The colonel said the survival rate for wounded U.S. troops is the highest in history. "I hope when people view the film, they come away with a definite sense of confidence that the medical care we provide to our wounded warriors is the best in the world," he said.
Army Sgt. Jeffrey Beltran, who was treated during filming, agreed with Jones' assessment. Beltran was injured May 29, 2005, when his convoy was hit by an improvised explosive device. The makeshift bomb shattered his left knee, broke his fibula, and peppered his body with fragment wounds.
"The hospital staff was very professional," Beltran said. "I think we have the best military care in the world. The medical units that are deployed over there should be commended because they've saved a lot of lives."
Army Dr. (Maj.) Merrit Pember, who also appears in the film, said he felt the film was an accurate portrayal of what it was like to work at the medical facility.
"I thought it was a good film. I thought it accurately portrayed what was going on there on a routine basis," he said. "I also thought that it really showed how well wounded soldiers are cared for."
Pember said his deployment to Iraq was the most challenging medical experience of his life. "I had never seen that degree of trauma. The energy behind the wounds I was seeing over there kind of took me by surprise initially," he said.
"It's a biased opinion, but it's the best trauma facility I've ever seen," he continued, "from the battlefield to the operating room in an hour with every asset possible mobilized to save everybody that came through the door."
The doctor said he came away from his experience in Iraq with newfound admiration for American warfighters. "I certainly developed a whole new respect for these guys," he said. "Even after they're wounded, which you see in the film, they're ready to get back out there and do their job. I find that very impressive."
Jones said he also was impressed by the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the injured troops. "Let me tell you something, when you're down there in the emergency room, the first thing most of the soldiers and Marines ask about is their buddy," he said. "They want to know how they are. That's the first thing out of their mouth."
The colonel said the most interesting and touching moment during his command came when an insurgent complimented the American doctors who had treated him. "Through a translator he said, 'I never knew Americans were so good.' That speaks volumes for what Army medicine is doing as we prosecute this war on terror," Jones said.
Baghdad ER will air on HBO Sunday, May 21, at 8.p.m. It contains graphic images and adult language.
Army Dr. (Maj.) Merrit Pember gets ready for surgery in the HBO documentary "Baghdad ER," which will air May 21. (Photo courtesy HBO)
The 86th Combat Support Hospital was deployed to Baghdad during filming of the HBO documentary "Baghdad ER" in 2005. (Photo courtesy HBO)
Army Col. Casper P. Jones III (left), commander of the 86th Combat Support Hospital, poses with actor James Gandolfini at a screening of the new HBO documentary "Baghdad ER" at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in Washington, May 15. Gandolfini, star of the HBO series "The Sopranos, has visited U.S. troops in Iraq. (Photo by Steven Donald Smith)
May 17, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The 506th Regimental Combat Team discovered a huge weapons cache Wednesday in the New Baghdad neighborhood of eastern Baghdad.
During Operation Roll tide, a combined effort between elements from 6th Battalion, 2nd Brigade Iraqi National Police, and Soldiers from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, uncovered a huge weapons cache of land mines, rockets, explosives, and documents in a house.
In one home the unit found over 140 mines, 58 blocks of C4 explosives, 18 rockets, and almost 40 mortars, as well as manuals and equipment to convert these munitions into deadly improvised-explosive devices.
Operation Roll Tide was partially in response to anti-Iraqi forces attacking Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah with rockets. An intelligence-based operation which stressed combined planning and execution with Iraqi Security Forces, Operation Roll Tide focused on countering AIF indirect fire capabilities.
During the collection of intelligence, 3-67 Armor found information which led them to an area where the cache was found.
This is only a portion of the cache that was located by 3rd Battalion, 67th Armored Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, during Operation Roll Tide May 10. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Paul David Ondik, 506th Inf. Regt. PAO)
"We took the information found at the site, and that was what led us to this house," said 1st Lt. Edward Stoltenberg, executive officer, Co. D; his room was hit in the rocket attack. Three additional areas were also searched that evening, but it was at the first site where 3-67 hit the jackpot.
"We found a woman when we entered the building," said Stoltenberg, a native of Portsmouth, RI. "She immediately fled the house. Red platoon found her at one of her relative’s houses nearby."
The Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment and members of the 519th Military Police responded to the site as well.
"What we do is sensitive site exploitation," said Spc. Randi Lee May, a nuclear, biological and chemical specialist with the BSTB. "We come out here to help pick up evidence. We’re on what they call ‘on-call’ status. If they can’t handle it on their own, then we come out," May, of Fishersville, Va., said. Their team is a combination of identification of explosive weapons and NBC specialists, he said.
In this particular case, the cache was huge, but the Explosive Ordinance Disposal team on the scene was able to handle it and destroyed the weapons cache.
BSTB was not idle though. They, along with members of the 519th MPs and 6-2 Iraqi national police were tasked with providing security at the end of the street, where an angry crowd of Iraqi citizens had begun to chant anti-American slogans due primarily to dissatisfaction with Coalition Forces detaining a female.
The crowd soon swelled into hundreds of increasingly aggressive locals, separated from the Soldiers and the Iraqi police officers only by a single coil of concertina wire. The female detainee was handed over to the 6-2 Iraqi national police after the Soldiers removed the munitions from the cache site. With the assistance of an Imam and other civic leaders, the tense situation was diffused without violence.
By Pfc. Paul David Ondik - 506th Infantry Regiment PAO
ADDITIONAL PHOTO:
An Iraqi police officer and local leaders tried to calm the crowd during Operation Roll Tide May 10. The crowd dissipated only after the cache site was cleared and the one female detainee was turned over to Iraqi police. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Paul David Ondik, 506th Inf. Regt. PAO)
May 17, 2006
CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- The Encarta Dictionary’s definition of a hero is somebody who commits an act of remarkable bravery or who has shown great courage, strength of character, or another admirable quality. One Combat Aviation Brigade pilot has exhibited every quality that is associated with the word.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Didonato rejoined his comrades in Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation Regiment, here at Camp Taji April 12. Didonato was gravely wounded when a round from a terrorist’s anti-aircraft gun pierced the cockpit of the HH-60L MEDEVAC helicopter he was piloting during a MEDEVAC mission Nov. 26.
Despite several months of surgery and physical therapy, Didonato said he was ready to get back to Iraq and continue with the mission. He pointed out, however, that the incident remains fresh in his mind.
"We were pulling duty that morning and we had some routines (MEDEVAC missions) in the chute down at Kalsu," explained Didonato, who was awarded the Purple Heart for his actions on that day. "We flew down to Kalsu and on our way back to the combat surgical hospital, with the patients on board, we started taking surface-to-air fire."
Didonato and his co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Toby Blackmon, along with crew chief Spc. Saul Lopez and flight medic Sgt. Shane Pollock, all heard the discharge of the gun firing at them but were unsure of what it was and dismissed it as being normal aircraft rattle.
"We basically said, ‘you hear that tapping noise?’" Didonato said. "We thought maybe it was just a normal aircraft rattle. It was questionable, but it wasn’t really alarming. Right after that ... boom! Everything changed, and it was way too fast for my brain to comprehend. I thought something had come through the windshield and hit me in the chest."
He said he could clearly see the big hole in the windshield, but what he didn’t know at the time was that the windshield was actually where the round had exited the aircraft. He explained that he could feel the round impacting his body, but the reality of the situation had yet to set in.
"I could feel the impact; it felt more like a vacuum," he explained. "It was a concussion-type feel, where you can feel the vacuum from the blast. I almost went into complete shock because it ripped my pectoralis major (chest muscle) almost completely off."
The round, which was believed to be a .50 caliber-type round used on anti-aircraft guns, entered the helicopter from below and behind Didonato’s seat. It then traveled upward and entered his left tricep muscle, severing the whole nerve in his arm. The bullet then ripped through his left pectoral muscle and exited his body, before shattering the windshield.
"I was trying to make sense of what had happened," he explained. "I realized I was hurt so I transferred the flight controls to Toby and then ... I passed out."
Combat Aviation Brigade MEDEVAC Pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Didonato, returned to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07, nearly five months after being shot while conducting a MEDEVAC mission. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Reginald Rogers, CAB PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)
He said he remembered regaining consciousness just as Blackmon was landing the aircraft at Camp Falcon, which is where the unit was stationed at the time in support of the 3rd Infantry Division.
"I came to right before he was landing at Falcon," he said. "I think my lung was collapsing because I remember gasping for air and maybe the aircraft vibrating during the landing. It starts to shutter real bad. That may have helped me regain consciousness. I remember landing, getting out of the aircraft and laying down on a litter."
It was then that another flight medic from the unit, Sgt. Branden Coughlin, came over and had him moved into the troop medical clinic there. Didonato said he recalls them listening to his lungs, and because one of them wasn’t breathing very well, they inserted a chest tube to assist in removing the blood, which kept his lung from collapsing.
"That was agonizing pain," he said. "They shot me full of drugs and Capt. Cory Boudreau took me to the CSH. I don’t remember anything after that."
According to Boudreau, a fellow pilot with the CAB’s MEDEVAC unit, he was unaware of the situation when Didonato’s aircraft arrived. He said they received word that they would have to transport the patients who were onboard, but at that point, had no idea Didonato had been shot.
"Toby called in and said something to the effect that we were bringing our patients to Falcon and they needed to set up to take them where they needed to go," Didonato said.
"We had no idea what was going on," Boudreau explained. "Because he had routine patients on board, I was under the impression that we needed to do a tail-to-tail (MEDEVAC aircraft exchange) swap of those patients because of maintenance problems or something.
Boudreau, along with co-pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ryan Klaftenegger, said they were loaded into the aircraft and ready to go when they saw Didonato’s aircraft come in and land. At that point, Blackmon, Didonato’s co-pilot, sent a radio transmission that he was going to shut the aircraft down by himself. Boudreau said that’s when they became alarmed.
"Immediately, we were like, ‘what’s going on?’" he said. "After a little while, operations couldn’t tell us what was going on so we sent our medic, Sgt. Coughlin over to the aircraft to find out what was going on. That’s when Sgt. Coughlin saw Didonato and helped him once he got out of the aircraft."
Coughlin said he immediately noticed the large hole in the windshield of the aircraft on Didonato’s side as it was landing.
"You could see that his windshield was broken and had holes in it," explained Coughlin. "I noticed the hole in the side of the aircraft and I could see Didonato slumped over. I could also see that the front of his vest was blown out."
Coughlin said that although all visible evidence pointed to a gunshot injury, he still hadn’t dismissed the thought that maybe the aircraft had struck a bird during the flight.
"I could see the blood on the door handle, but I didn’t know if it was ‘Dido’s or not," he said. It wasn’t until he helped Didonato from the aircraft that he noticed the blood that began to cover the sleeve of his own uniform.
Coughlin and several other medics, including Pollock, moved Didonato inside the TMC. With the help of a team of 3rd Inf. Div. doctors and medics, they began to treat him for a gunshot wound and a collapsed lung. Throughout the entire process, Didonato remained conscious and endured the excruciating pain.
Meanwhile, back at the awaiting aircraft, Boudreau said the only thing his crew saw was Didonato being placed on the stretcher with his helmet and vest still on and blood dripping down his arm.
"We thought maybe he had hit a bird or something," said Boudreau, a three-year member of the CAB’s MEDEVAC unit. "In these situations, you always wish for the best. After about 10 minutes, Sgt. Pollock came out and gave us an update. He told us Didonato had been shot and they were stabilizing him. We didn’t know how serious the injury was at the time - we just knew he was getting stabilized."
After another 10 minutes, a flight crew brought Didonato out and they were "bagging" him, which means using a manual respirator to help him breathe.
Coughlin said he told one of the 3rd Inf. Div. physician’s assistants to travel with them to Balad so that he could continue to squeeze the respirator that was helping Didonato breathe at the time. Boudreau and Klaftenegger then piloted the aircraft to the CSH at Balad.
"You know, you try to keep your emotions out of it because you want to make sure you get to the CSH safely," Boudreau said. "So we briefed the crew to treat it like it’s just another patient. But, unfortunately, it’s a lot different when you’re flying one of your own."
"I was still in pain," said Didonato, who was heavily sedated at that point. "I have vague memories of seeing Chief Warrant Officer 2 Scott Kimball, who’s also in the MEDEVAC unit. But he said it was at Balad when I was getting ready to get on the big bird to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany."
Didonato arrived at the hospital in Balad and was flown to Germany, where he underwent surgery at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center before being transported back to the United States. He then spent several weeks at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington until he was well enough to travel to Fort Hood.
He said it was at Walter Reed that he found his inspiration and motivation to return to the fight.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jason Didonato, pictured with Chief Warrant Officer 2 Toby Blackmon (left) on the Camp Taji flightline. Blackmon piloted Didonato back to FOB Falcon after he was shot while conducting a MEDEVAC mission Nov. 26. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Reginald Rogers, CAB PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)
"Walter Reed was an inspiration to me because when I was finally able to get up and walk, I’d go down to the cafeteria on my own and I’d go through the different wards," he explained. "On the way to the cafeteria, you’d see all the amputees and the head injuries and I realized, ‘I ain’t got it so bad.’ I made the decision that I wasn’t going to be defeated - I was going to get back to work, and that’s what I did."
He said his physical therapy, which took place at Walter Reed and Fort Hood’s Darnell Army Medical Center, included work to restore range of motion in his chest and arm and exercises to increase his flexibility and dexterity.
They said the feeling in the lower part of his arm may or may not return, despite the therapy, Didonato said. "I went on to Darnell and got my strength, range of motion and flexibility back. Then they released me to do it on my own. My girlfriend and I went to the gym every day and lifted weights. Bench pressing helped me to get some muscle mass back, and I got almost all my strength back."
Didonato returned to the Soldiers of Lonestar Dustoff almost five months to the date of his injury. During the time he was recovering from his injury, the 4th Infantry Division conducted it’s transfer of authority with the 3rd Inf. Div. for the Multi-National Division - Baghdad area of operation. He said despite the incident being fresh in his mind, he looked forward to getting back to work.
"Naturally I have some anxiety about coming back into the area," he explained, "not because I don’t want to assume any of the risks that my peers and everyone else around here assumes. It’s just the thought of having to deal with that much pain again is something I don’t want to do - but it’s part of the risk, so I accept it."
He said he especially missed being with his fellow pilots and Soldiers in his unit. That also served as inspiration for him to return to Iraq and complete the mission.
According to Boudreau, the company has missed Didonato just as much.
"Dido’s a huge part of the company," Boudreau said. "He’s a very professional pilot but he’s also just a great person. He has lots of friends, so it’s great having him back. We were surprised to hear that he was coming back when he actually had an option. But if anybody knows anything about Didonato, they know he’s all about the mission and he’s just a great guy. It’s a huge boost for morale that he wanted to come back and be with his unit."
"I love this mission. I love my leadership, and I love my buddies," said Didonato, who has been in the unit for five years. "My mission is not complete until we all go home. That’s just how I feel, even though it’s my third trip over here. I still want to be a part of it."
By Sgt. 1st Class Reginald Rogers - CAB PAO, 4th Inf. Div.
By Staff Sgt. Carmen L. Burgess
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Servcie, May 17, 2006) – Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey made his third trip to Iraq May 10-12, visiting Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, 4th Infantry Division and the Iraqi army’s 6th Division.
“I have three primary reasons for visiting troops overseas,” said the Army’s top executive, “insuring the needs of the Soldiers and forces are being met, checking on the adequacy and relevancy of training and equipment, and to see, firsthand, the effectiveness of the Army modular force.”
Beginning his trip in Kuwait, Harvey observed Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Division, conducting military operations training in an urban terrain site at Camp Buehring. Leaders there explained to the secretary that this is the final place for units to brush up on skills before heading into Iraq.
Operations at the Udairi Training Facility in Kuwait bridge the training Soldiers receive at their home station to the most current techniques being used in combat operations. Training lanes are set up for Soldiers to rehearse tactical movements, route clearances and combat patrols where they apply the latest procedures being used in Iraq.
Upon arrival in Iraq, Harvey was briefed by Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commanding general, Multi-national Security Transition Command – Iraq, on the status of Iraqi Security Forces.
“This is the year of transition,” Dempsey said. He explained to the secretary that the building of forces making up the Iraqi ministries of the interior and defense should be complete by the end of this year. “We are preparing for a full transition of the government including battle space, control of the borders, training and institutional processes.”
“Although measuring the number of weapons being passed out and the number of buildings going up is more tangible,” the general said, “the building and sustainment of (these ministries) is a better marker of success.”
Dempsey also shared that “moral ascendancy,” marksmanship and training had all vastly improved, giving the ISF an advantage over their enemies.
Sixty percent of Baghdad patrols now run by ISF
Since Harvey’s last visit, the success of the Iraqi Security Forces has continued to climb. In March 2005, ISF had only 140,000 soldiers; now there are more than 250,000 troops with 50-60 battalions taking the lead in operations.
As of mid-April, 25 percent of Iraqi day-to-day, company-level and above, operations were run independently. Sixty percent of the patrols in Baghdad were also being run independently by the ISF. Effective border operations within the last year have led to dramatic reductions in the number of suicide attacks across Iraq, dropping the daily average from 75 to 24.
“The strategy of standing up effective security forces is working,” said Harvey. “They are seeing excellent progress. I am impressed with both the quality and quantity of trained forces.”
While in Balad, Harvey met with troops from the 181st Transportation Battalion who provide transportation to all coalition forces. Nearly 200,000 miles have been logged by the combat logistics patrols to 40 forward operating bases throughout Iraq. Soldiers within the unit have successfully encountered more than 175 enemy interdictions while making trips as far as Tallil, which is 540 miles round trip.
The unit demonstrated a combat patrol to the secretary by presenting a simulated encounter with an improvised explosive device. The scenario included providing medical aid, extinguishing a vehicle fire and performing a “snatch and grab” by towing away the downed vehicle. From start to finish, the demonstration took a matter of minutes.
Soldiers show innovation through equipment modifications
The secretary continued to be impressed when he met with members of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Forward Operating Base Warrior. Soldiers there presented modifications they had made to equipment or ways they were improving training while in theater.
One Soldier showed Harvey his modification to his M-240B machine gun. The weapon had been repeatedly jamming ammunition, so the Soldier constructed an attachment out of sheet metal to better feed the rounds into the weapon. The invention was so successful that it was distributed throughout the unit.
Other innovations included an improved air conditioning unit for up-armored humvees to training of arm and hand signals for use by Iraqi soldiers for ground to air communication. Many of these solutions are being forwarded up through the acquisition and program management channels for potential distribution throughout the Army.
The attitude of U.S. troops throughout Iraq impressed the secretary during his trip.
“The morale here is high,” he said. “Soldiers know that what they are doing is important to this country. That is evident by the high retention rates within units like the 101st Airborne and 4th Infantry divisions.”
“Thank you for your service,” the secretary told each unit he encountered, “you are helping to break a cycle of terror.”
Additional Photos:
During his visit to Forward Operating Base Honor May 11, Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey is shown how soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army are repairing equipment to add to their fleet.
Secretary of the Army Francis meets with Soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stationed at Forward Operating Base Warrior in Tikrit, Iraq, May 12.
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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
'Bomber' killed in Afghan attack
Outstanding.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"This psychopath will never say yes. Tyrant is tyrant. Cold heart will be cold. His soul is dead.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you all.
By Donna Miles - American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 17, 2006 – The top U.S. general urged Congress today to help convey the nobility of military service to America's youth and to encourage a full, interagency response to the global war on terror.
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate defense subcommittee today that the "armed forces clearly are ready and fully resources to conduct all the missions that this nation expects of us." (Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad McNeeley, USN)
The U.S. military is not just an all-volunteer force, but also an all-recruited force, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted in testimony before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee.
"They have not let us down; they will not let us down," Pace said. "But we need the nation's assistance and all of the leaders and mentors in the nation to impress upon our young folks how honorable it is to serve this nation not only in uniform, but in any way that fits their own role in life."
"If we do that collectively," Pace said, "then those of us who receive our most precious products -- our young men and women, our sons and daughters -- and who are taking care of them, will be able to sustain the force that we have and continue to fight this nation's battles."
Pace praised the "fabulous job" the country's 2.4 million active- and reserve-component servicemembers are doing.
"They have never let us down," he said, thanking Congress for its support. "Your armed forces clearly are ready and fully resources to conduct all the missions that this nation expects of us."
The chairman noted congressional support that goes beyond resources, including visits to the field to thank warfighters and to military hospitals to meet with wounded troops. "It makes a difference," he said.
He also expressed appreciation to military families who he said "serve this country equally well as anyone who has ever worn the uniform."
"They sit silently at home and pray for their loved one, wait for news of their return and then silently stand back and pretend that they had nothing to do with our success," Pace said. "Whereas, in fact, it's the love and support of our families that makes all the difference in the world to all of us who wear the uniform."
That support - by servicemembers, their families, Congress and the American people - is critical, because winning the war on terror won't happen overnight and demands a long-term commitment, Pace said.
The enemy knows it can't win on a traditional battlefield, so it's trying to wait out the United States, he said. "Their battlefield is different from ours," Pace said of the terrorists. "They are focused on our will (and) our cohesion as a nation, and it will require our nation's long-term patience and endurance to defeat this enemy."
Victory against this enemy will require more than just military might, he said. "We are going to need a very robust application of all the elements of national power," he said. This includes an interagency collaboration and process that is effective, efficient and quick to decide."
Pace noted the success of the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act in promoting an interoperable and ultimately, interdependent military, and said something similar is needed to advance the interagency process.
"We need to find ways in the interagency process to encourage and reward cross-agency work experience, education and training," he told the subcommittee. What else is needed, he added, is "to find a way to encourage and reward those in other agencies who deploy with our troops overseas and do our nation's important business that they are the experts in doing."
Pace said he's optimistic that the Quadrennial Defense Review, the fiscal 2007 defense budget request and the National Military Strategy will ensure the military is able to continue fulfilling its responsibilities into the future.
These efforts are focused "on winning the war on terrorism, on accelerating a transformation, on enhancing our joint warfighting and in improving the quality of life for our servicemembers," he said.
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