Man wearing Afghan National Army uniform kills American soldier, official says

MYFOXNY ^ | Posted: May 11, 2012 3:06 AM CDT | Source: NewsCore

[SuzyQue]

KABUL -- A man wearing an Afghan National Army uniform opened fire on coalition troops in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, killing an American and wounding two others, officials said.

"An Afghan Army soldier turned his weapon against US soldiers inside an Afghan-US military base in Kunar Province, killing one US soldier and injuring two others," provincial police chief Ewaz Mohammad Naziri told AFP.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

http://www.myfoxny.com/story/18306795/man-wearing-afghan-army-uniform-shoots-dead-isaf-soldier

[stylin19a]

course, our guys don’t get combat pay...

[MichaelP]

It must be tough, to have your weapon at the ready, even when you are back in garrison. I'd never take my eyes off any Afghans, in uniform or not!

Mike

[SuzyQue]

Is that true?

[PeteB570]

Combat pay requirements were revised a while back. Of course it was revised to give the troops less pay and “save” money.

It used to be if you got in country on the 30th of the month you were paid for the whole month - same if you departed on the 1st or 2nd - you’d get Combat pay for the whole month.

Under the revised program Combat pay is pro rated as per day.

The old way was a nice bone to throw to the troops doing the heavy lifting but was abused by a good number of leadership type folks. They loved to come visit and “be with the troops” and their week long visits just “happened” to span two months pay.

Also the Air Force loved to drop you off the last day of the month and after crew rest fly out on the first. Two months combat pay for 24 hours work.

For what it saved it hurt in morale.

[SuzyQue]

Thanks for the explanation.

[PeteB570]

In addition to my above post - I’ll admit I abused the system as much as I could to get the troops more money in their pocket.

We were once flying from the states, landing in an area authorized combat pay to refuel and then continuing on to where we had some work to do.

One of our guys was due to reenlist with a sizable bonus. We did his reenlistment on the runway while the Aircraft was refueling. His bonus was then tax free - plus we, and the air crew all got combat pay for the month.

We felt it was a perk since the next 60 days really, really was the pits.

[SuzyQue]

Neither of my boys are deployed right now, but I hope they have a CO like you when they are.

[PeteB570]

Never a CO - just the Company Sergeant Major.

One of the perks of the 18 series.

[stylin19a]

not if you’re in the rear with the gear...Obama changed combat pay reqs a couple of months ago. So i’m guessing, since this happened on base, no combat pay.

Repubs\Romney can make hay with this, but they\he wont.

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=67030

bastards.

[tillacum]

According to Michael Yon (free lance reporter) we’ve lost a lot of our military from afphgans (friendly forces) shooting them.

[stylin19a]

"For what it saved, it hurt in morale"
thank you for that....well said.

1 in 7 casualties in Afghanistan is by "friendlies".

the whole freaking country is a free-fire zone when it comes to Afghans shooting Americans. the converse is not true.

The whole flippin rock-foresaken place should be covered regarding combat pay and we can live with the abuses.

But, more important...unless we can go Gen. Sherman on their a$$es$, let's get the heck out of there now.

let the Afghans claim the title of having defeated Britain\Russia\US.

[mykroar]

They must be Christian Afgans, we know Islam is the religion of peace.

/sarc

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

One of our guys was due to reenlist with a sizable bonus. We did his reenlistment on the runway while the Aircraft was refueling. His bonus was then tax free - plus we, and the air crew all got combat pay for the month.

Is this recently, or way back when?

Speaking French and being an Intel Agent in Nam, when I reenlisted, I got a bonus (the highest one at the time, level 4) and it was also tax free.

I don't begrudge anyone serving in harms way from receiving combat pay, even if not on the so called "front lines" (which there has not been any since WWII to begin with) or out in the "boonies" as though not as dangerous, one can be exposed to the hazards of war no matter where you are stationed.

Though stationed in Saigon (and occasionally making trips out in the field and to different bases/towns/villages throughout Nam, Laos and Cambodia) and not officially serving in combat, I was shot at enough times, had grenades thrown in my jeep, subjected to mortar attacks, etc., to make me appreciate what those who are the "tip of the spear" endure and thank God (and wonder how?) I made it thru 18 months without a scratch...well, if you don't count getting my hands stepped on crawling out of some watering hole in Bangkok or Hong Kong? lol

[oh8eleven]

Also the Air Force loved to drop you off the last day of the month and after crew rest fly out on the first. Two months combat pay for 24 hours work.
That's why they changed the requirements - to avoid gaming the system, i.e., cheating.
Interesting too that the AF would consider "crew rest" as work.

[PeteB570]

“......Interesting too that the AF would consider “crew rest” as work......”

Rest or work you’re “there” and meet the requirements.

When deployed you’re working 24/7 even when you’re “resting”. Ain’t no going home at the end of the day.

[PeteB570]

I forgot to add to my last post to you...

The folks at Kobar Towers (1996) were off duty and some of them on crew rest when they were blown up.

In our back and forths we had stayed at Kobar Towers just a couple of years prior to the attack.

[LeonardFMason]

SOP would be to have an armed American behind any NON-US soldier. His sole responsibility to guard US troops. If not official SOP, it would be unofficial SOP>

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

We just had a class on the “Insider Threat” yesterday. I’m leaving to go back over there in 3 weeks. We’ll have hot weapons at all times, even on the FOB.

[Gertie]

All of their “brains” are in their genitals..if and when we start to castrate the perpetrators, and make it public knowledge that that is our response, then and only then will this BS cease and I mean dead or alive. Knowing they have no means of enjoying those “72” virgins will be a significant deterrent to their cock eyed ideas of eternity.