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BISBEE — The U.S. flag was in the spotlight during Bisbee’s Veterans Day ceremony. “That is the only flag I will ever salute,” said Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 836 Commander Frank Martinez Jr., who coordinated the ceremony. More than 50 residents turned out for the celebration that was held at Bisbee’s historic Evergreen Cemetery. Martinez said Veterans Day is a time to honor and respect fallen comrades, those missing in action, and those still serving in the armed forces. He said these soldiers are the backbone of how democracy was instilled. Veterans have stood side by side as a...

KEY WEST, Fla. (NNS) -- Key West service members and their families returned to the island Oct. 30 after a weeklong evacuation from Hurricane Wilma. Upon their return, they discovered an air station invaded not only by the sea, but a surge of Navy support hard at work to bring Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West air operations and family life back to full mission capability. “Military careers are full of challenges but no challenge is greater than the one Mother Nature threw our way with Hurricane Wilma,” said NAS Key West Commanding Officer Capt. James Scholl. “It’s going to...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2005 – Increased numbers of Iraqi security forces and government-implemented precautions combined to thwart insurgents' desire to stop the Iraqi Oct. 15 constitutional referendum, a senior U.S. military officer said today in Baghdad. Roughly 63 percent of registered voters -- about 10 million Iraqis -- went to the polls to vote on a new constitution, Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said. Officials reported "a significant reduction in the number of attacks" during the referendum compared to during the Jan. 30 elections, Lynch said. For example, he said, there were 299 attacks...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2005 – With the Iraq constitutional referendum just days away, Iraqi security and coalition forces are taking steps to establish safe and secure conditions so all citizens can participate in the democratic process, a senior military official told reporters in Baghdad Oct. 12. The official, speaking on background, assured Iraqis they "can be confident in the abilities of the more than 200,000 Iraqi security forces to protect them" when they go to the polls Oct. 15. Despite the spike in violence predicted for the days leading up to the referendum, violence is actually down compared to last...

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 6, 2005 – Naval Reserve Lt. Cmdr. Ty Redmon starts each day at the Military Severely Injured Center with a new life-changing challenge. Each case that comes across Redmon's desk involves helping a severely injured Reserve, Guard or active sailor, mostly due to action in Iraq and Afghanistan. He may help get military orders for relatives to stay bedside, wrangle with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service on pay issues, or simply provide a list of free child care centers injured troops' hometowns. "You can't put a cookie-cutter pattern on people that are hurt," Redmon said. "And...

An Iraqi maintenance worker checks under the hood of a truck to make sure it's operational before being shipped out. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Lorie Jewell Taji Depot Ramps Up Training, Supply Efforts The depot supplies the logistic needs of 10 divisions of the Iraqi Armed Forces, with items ranging from weapons and body armor to ambulances and pickup trucks. By U.S. Army Sgt. Lorie Jewell Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq TAJI, Iraq, Oct. 5, 2005 -- Since operations began in May, the Taji National Depot has completed roughly 500 missions by ground and by air to move equipment...

NORFOLK, Va., Oct. 5, 2005 – High-speed vessel Swift, homeported at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Norfolk, Va., played a major role in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Swift was pierside at Naval Station Ingleside, Texas, when the crew learned they were needed to deliver fresh food to federal, state and local agencies assisting with the relief efforts. “You can only eat MRE’s (meals ready to eat) for so long,” said Lt. Cmdr. Phillip Pournelle, Swift’s executive officer. " You can build all the high tech ships in the world, but unless you have the crew that’s capable and willing to...

10/3/2005 - CLEVELAND, Texas (AFPN) -- As power is restored to smaller cities, Texas National Guardsmen are moving further into rural areas of Texas to assist Federal Emergency Management Agent officials with distribution of food, water and ice to Hurricane Rita victims. Task Force-Seguin, which comprises 300 Army and Air National Guardsmen from throughout Texas, is currently distributing commodities in various Texas towns. Since Sept. 28 the team has distributed 19,214 meals to area residents, along with more than 30,000 bags of ice and almost 35,000 cases of water. “As the electricity comes on and grocery stores open for business,...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2005 – Elements of the Texas National Guard continue supporting relief efforts for areas affected by Hurricane Rita, and Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, has been providing essential support, military officials reported. The Texas National Guard is placing fuel-distribution sites in the Texas towns of Beaumont and Lufkin today. The National Guard will be used to supply fuel to state and local emergency vehicles and facilities in the areas affected by Hurricane Rita. After establishing the stationary fuel supplies, Guard units will provide unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel on heavyweight flatbed trucks. Each truck can transport...

NAVAL STATION INGLESIDE, Texas (NNS) -- Mine warfare ships based here are prepared to deploy in support of Hurricane Rita disaster recovery efforts. USS Gladiator (MCM 11), USS Avenger (MCM 1) and USS Pioneer (MCM 9) are conducting unit level training and sonar calibration operations in the Gulf of Mexico. These ships are on standby to conduct survey operations of the Galveston and Houston safety fairways to help determine if they are free of any storm-related debris and to ensure the safety of deep-draft traffic transit. “We are looking forward to supporting Hurricane Rita recovery efforts,” said Capt. Jonathan Tobias,...

GULFPORT, Miss. (NNS) -- Reserve Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 18 are supporting their active-duty counterparts here during hurricane relief efforts. A twelve-member detachment from NMCB 18, headquartered in Washington, is augmenting NMCB 1, an active-duty battalion homeported at the construction battalion center here. "Our heart goes out to the people affected by this horrific event, and our unit is proud that we can be part of the first responders to help those in desperate times,” said Cmdr. Bradley Posadas, NMCB 18’s commanding officer. “I'm very happy our personnel from both Helena, Mont., and Central Point, Ore., detachments...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2005 – The U.S. military is fully capable to fulfill all its responsibilities, including homeland defense and relief efforts, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a Pentagon news briefing today. After deploying more than 50,000 National Guard troops to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery, Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau, reported that there were still hundreds of thousands of troops available for deployment, Rumsfeld said. The active-duty force also has capabilities to support relief efforts and sustain...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2005 – U.S. Northern Command is prepared to meet requests for assistance that the Federal Emergency Management Agency may issue prior to and in the wake of Hurricane Rita, military officials reported today. The hurricane near the Florida Keys strengthened to Category 2 today and is forecast to strengthen further as it moves westward into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. NORTHCOM's Joint Operations Center continues 24-hour operations in Colorado Springs, Colo., to monitor the storm's progress and to facilitate subsequent requests that may come from FEMA representatives. Defense Coordinating Officers and Defense Coordinating Elements...

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (NNS) -- Divers from Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1, based out of Little Creek, Va., continued to clear a marina here Sept. 17 to that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. The team of 15 divers from UCT 1 is on its fourth day of recovery efforts at the small fishing marina, which provides $15 million in oysters and $5 million in shrimp revenue to the communities of southern Mississippi each year. According to Chief Builder (SCW/DSW) Margaret S. Cooper of UCT-1, the first priority of the team has been clearing the marina of all the debris collected...

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFPN) -- For the past week, news stations have been running nonstop coverage about the devastation in the Gulf Coast region. People have seen heroic rescues from rooftops and flooded homes, families opening their homes to those in need, and countless people and organizations donating money, supplies. Airmen with the 552nd Air Control Wing here are no different. On Sept. 3, they began supporting search-and-rescue operations in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, and they leaped at the chance to make a difference. “Everyone wanted to be the first to go,” said Maj. Raymond Lewis, mission crew...

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFPN) -- Air Force Space Command deployed eight helicopters and their crews to Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., to aid in hurricane relief efforts beginning Sept. 2. This is the first time the command has assigned helicopters outside its normal area of operations. “The helicopters assigned to 20th Air Force are primarily dedicated to providing security ‘top cover’ for America’s ICBM force,” said Maj. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, 20th AF commander. “However, because of their inherent capabilities, such as forward-looking infrared system, they are also ideally suited for search-and-rescue missions.” The helicopter crews have been...

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Air Mobility Command has moved thousands of military support people, civilian emergency responders and evacuees, and has delivered tons of emergency equipment and supplies supporting relief operations. To handle the increased air mobility operations into and out of the hurricane relief area, AMC has deployed three contingency response group elements to the region, each tailored to meet the needs of air mobility operations at several airfields in the Southern United States. CRGs are able to rapidly assess, open and sustain air mobility operations. Forty-six Airmen from the...

Mall at Sierra Vista The Mall at Sierra Vista is teaming up with the American Red Cross to help raise fund for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Starting Monday, the mall will display free-standing donation sites with remittance envelopes for shoppers wanting to donate to the Red Cross. Shoppers can then mail their contributions to the Red Cross. "Our hearts go out to all of the people affected by this disaster," said Diana Coleman, the mall property manager. "As a business and community partner in the areas being impacted, we want to offer our support in any way we can." The...

BALTIMORE (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20), based here, was activated Aug. 31 in support of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) efforts to provide medical support in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Comfort, one of the largest trauma facilities in the United States, is being readied quickly for her mission and is expected to get underway for the Gulf Coast by September 3. Comfort is normally kept at Baltimore's Canton Pier in reduced operating status with a cadre crew of 18 civil service mariners who maintain the vessel, as well as a...

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command’s (NAVFAC) Mobile Utilities Support Equipment (MUSE) technicians deployed Aug. 31 to Gulfport, Miss., where they will assess damage and urgent utility needs for Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport. “We are proud to be able to do what we can to help,” said Chief Construction Electrician John “Matt” Smith, leader of the four-member team. NAVFAC MUSE division is tasked to provide emergency utility support to the base in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Two 800-kilowatt (kW) generators and one 2500-kilovolt-amp (kVA) substation are on their way to Gulfport...