IRAQ WAR TODAY
Keep Your Helmet On!




Be A Part of a Tribute to Fallen Heroes - Help Build the Fallen Soldiers' Bike
Help support the families of our deployed Heroes - Visit Soldiers' Angels' Operation Outreach
Help Our Heroes Help Others - Click Here to visit SOS: KIDS
Nominate your Hero for IWT's "Hero of the Month" - click here for details!
Search Iraq War Today only

Monday, January 16, 2006

Humanitarian Award Presented to Soldiers' Angels Founder

THE CIVILIAN AWARD FOR HUMANTARIAN SERVICE

"For exceptional dedication and selfless service leading to the creation of the Soldiers Angels Foundation which has immeasurably enriched the lives of countless thousands of service members and their families. Ms. Patton-Bader's talent and marketing skills provided them a myriad of services and unending support at this critical time in our nations fight to end global terrorism. Her selfless service, abundant generosity and tireless care reflect great credit on her, the American Soldier and the United States Of America."

signed by Lt. Gen Kevin Kiley





Wow, Patti - congratulations to you and to all the wonderful team leaders at Soldiers' Angels! It's an honor to be part of this organization.
Ingleside, Texas (Jan. 14, 2006) - Sailors assigned to USS San Antonio (LPD 17) man the ship, officially bringing her to life, during her commissioning ceremony held on board Naval Station Ingleside. Under Navy tradition, Sailors charge aboard the ship, and man the rails signifying ownership. As the first in her class, USS San Antonio (LPD 17) represents a key element of the Navy’s seabase transformation. Collectively, San Antonio-class will functionally replace over 41 ships (LPD 4, LSD 36, LKA 113, and LST 1179 classes of amphibious ships) providing the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, seabased platforms that are networked, survivable, and built to operate with 21st century transformational platforms, such as the MV-22 Osprey, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), and future means by which Marines are delivered ashore. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 2nd Class Anthony C. Tornetta

Soldiers' Angels Mourns a Fallen Hero

Spc. Clinton R. Upchurch, 31, of Garden City, Kansas, died in Samarra, Iraq, on Jan. 7, during patrol operations when an improvised explosive device detonated near his HMMWV and enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. Upchurch was assigned to the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

He is survived by his parents, Greg and Cindy Upchurch, of Garden City, KS.

For more information, including how you can sign a guestbook to honor this Hero, visit Soldiers' Angels Germany.

Our hearts are with this Hero's family, friends, comrades and Angels.

Supporting Our Heroes - And Their Mission


From the founder, Chuck Larson, to Soldiers' Angels:

As a major in the US Army Reserves, I served for a year in Iraq and was stationed at LSA Anaconda in the heart of the Sunni Triangle. During this time I commanded humanitarian missions that included: construction of city halls, schools, water treatment and rural electrification facilities. While in Iraq, I established Operation Iraqi Hope which distributed more than $100,000 worth of school supplies to 17,000 Iraqi school children.

As a member of the military, I wanted to take a minute to thank you and your organization for your support of the troops. You are the heroes at home! You will never truly know what your efforts mean to hundreds of thousands of soldiers like me and to our families. It brings a sense of peace to know that there are organizations like yours that are out there, seeing a need, and stepping forward. It is your efforts behind the ranks that I want to help highlight!

As the founder of Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission, I’ve had the opportunity to work with Blue and Gold Star families, veterans, relatives with loved ones serving in the Armed Forces, and other Americans who have a great appreciation for our men and women serving in the military and the work they are doing to protect freedom. Families United seeks to provide a link between service organizations and military families to serve as a support network and to do whatever we can to communicate the progress we have made in the War on Terror.

It is the mission of Families United to provide a network amongst all of the organizations, like yours, to promote the good work that our troops are doing overseas to promote democracy and to provide security to all those who embrace freedom around the world. We have been active around the country over the past six months, holding 30 events in 22 states, including a large event in September when we flew 45 Gold Star families to Washington, DC to meet with members of the media, legislators and opinion leaders. As a result of these efforts, we have conducted more than 500 media interviews since we began this effort. We are giving a voice to those who are unable to speak, demonstrating that America does appreciate our military’s sacrifice and supports their mission.

With all of that said, I write to you today to ask you to join Families United as a member of our ever growing coalition. There is no financial obligation, we just ask that you lend your name as a gesture of support for all that we and our troops are trying to accomplish.

You can find out more at the Families United website.

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- M-1114 Humvee vehicles lead a convoy security team from the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron as they complete their 4-million mile mark Jan. 7. The team included some Soldiers for training purposes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Lance Cheung)

Two Weeks to Vail Armed Forces Week 2006


"They gave their life fighting for our Country...
Now it is our turn to take care of their Children!"
Vail Armed Forces Week
January 29th - February 3rd, 2006
Vail, Colorado

VailArmedForces.com was founded in 2004 with one specific goal in mind, to raise funds for national recognized military foundations providing educational scholarship programs for military families, focusing on the son's and daughter's of our fighting men and women who have lost their lives or are seriously wounded in battle and for those that continue to fight, the ongoing global war against terrorism and the war's in Iraq and Afghanistan.

VailArmedForces.com raises funds for the foundations through the following two programs, the Vail Armed Forces Week event and HOOAH!!!! Radio with 100% of the net profits distributed to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, Naval Special Warfare Foundation and Special Operations Warrior Foundation.Funding for Fisher House currently comes from HOOAH!!!! Radio and "Operation - Fund a Child Month" programs, with Fisher House becoming a future recepient of funding from the Vail Armed Forces Week 2007 event.

Funding and operating costs for VailArmedForces.com programs is provided from donations, sponsorships and advertising monies received from HOOAH!!!! Radio and for the Vail Armed Forces Week event.VailArmedForces.com is an all volunteer organization, with 100% of the net profits after operating and event costs distributed to the foundations.

Activities Schedule
Sunday January 29 - Arrival Day
Arrival Day EVENT DETAILS

Monday January 30 - Armed Forces Relief Trust Day
Apre's Ski Welcome Party
EVENT DETAILS

Tuesday January 31 - Naval Special Warfare Foundation Day
VAFW Fundraiser Buffet ONSALE NOW! Price: $85.00
EVENT DETAILS BUY TICKETS

Wednesday February 1 - Marine-Corps Scholarship Foundation Day
Samana Lounge
EVENT DETAILS

Thursday February 2 - Special Operations Warrior Foundation Day
Closing Party ONSALE NOW! Price: $30.00
EVENT DETAILS BUY TICKETS


by Martin Greeson
January 13, 2006
Iraq-bound Soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, attend a deployment ceremony at Ray Barracks in Friedberg, Germany. The “Old Ironsides” Division was in Iraq from April 2003 to July 2004. The division is credited with bringing stability to Baghdad, training Iraqi security forces, and removing hundreds of insurgents from the streets.

Supporting Our Heroes with Soldiers' Angels Germany

Soldiers' Angels Germany recently received this note of thanks from a hero:

I wanted to let you know that many Soldiers, Marines,
Airmen, and a few Sailors (not many of us come through
Landstuhl) read and took comfort in the Christmas
Messages From Home. I watched many of them as they
read through and every one had a smile on their face
when they were finished. Thank you for taking the time
to put it together. I am going to try and send this to
each email address I find in there.

A NCCS in the
United States Navy
22+ years Active Duty

Soldiers' Angels Germany is also collecting Valentine's Day Messages (email received):

Please take a minute to send a Valentines Day Greeting to our Wounded Heroes at Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany. Send this email to everyone you know (they do not have to be a member of SA) who would take a few minutes to send an email to Willie (Wilhelmine Aufmkolk) thanking our wounded men and women for their sacrifices and wishing them a Happy Valentines Day and a speedy recovery. Willie says pictures are welcome (but not to send ecards since she cannot copy and paste them into the book she is
making).

This is a fast, easy and free way to help make a difference to a wounded hero waiting to be sent back home to the US. She needs all the responses by Jan 31st to make up the book so take a minute right now to send her an email and then forward this message to others who might send a message of their own. We ought to be able to get her hundreds of messages of thanks and good wishes (right now she has only 6....)

Let's help Willie let these heroes know that they have not been forgotten.

To read more about Willie's work with Soldiers Angels at Landstuhl Medical Center got to the
SA Germany blog.

To see some wonderful photos of Soldiers Angels work in helping provide our wounded
heroes with a bit of holiday spirit
go here.

FALCON SWEEP — U.S. Army Spc. Wendell checks the hands of an Iraqi for traces of explosives during Operation Falcon Sweep in Shakaria, Iraq, Jan. 11, 2006. Wendell is assigned to the 101st Airborne Division's Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment.

In Today's News - Monday, January 16, 2006

Quote of the Day
"In the end, we will remember
not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends."

-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
U.S. Chopper Down in Iraq
U.S. Frees 500 Iraqis, Journos
Saddam judge stands by resignation: court spokesman
US army sending MPs to help train Iraqi police

Operation Enduring Freedom
Six dead in suicide attack in Afghanistan

Homeland Security / War on Terror
More Pakistani Protests

Supreme Court
Feinstein Warns Senate Dems Not to Filibuster Alito Vote
Alito blog pokes fun at court nominee

Politics
Ney Steps Aside
Committee Reevaluates Practices

Oddities
Principal cancels porn assignment
N.Y. man guilty of biting off chunk of girlfriend's cheek
Inmate breaks off vicious attack to make Kool-Aid
Name change should stop the snickers

Other News of Note
Shell Oil Platform Attacked

Fox News
W.Va Miners Remembered
Cronkite: U.S. Should Pull Out
Iran Plans Conference on Holocaust's 'Scientific Aspect'
Teens Turn Selves In
Man Sets Rubik's Record
Vigil for Shot Florida Student
Sharon Operation Successful- Acting PM OKs Palestinian Vote
Afghan Convoy Attacked
SPORTS NEWS AND SCORES
NFL PLAYOFFS:- Steelers Top Colts 21-18- Panthers Beat Bears 29-21

Reuters: Top News
UN Security Council powers meet on Iran atom crisis
Comatose Sharon opens eyes; significance unclear
Turkey steps up bird flu fight, Indonesian girl dies
Insurers told to provide Medicare drugs: report
Rice says US will not deal lightly with al Qaeda
Cheney to visit Kuwait to pay respects after emir's death
S.Korea questions researchers over stem cell scandal
Conservationists agree steps to save African lion
Nokia launches new cameraphone
Cisco Systems to target consumer market: report
Ford sees record China sales
Arcelor ups Dofasco bid to trump ThyssenKrupp
Retail sales group sees "subdued" sales growth in 2006
German bid for TNT almost ready, shares rise
Lucent cuts '06 revenue forecast, shares fall
Genomic Health says Medicare to cover cancer test

AP World News
Rice Wants Quick Vote on Iran Referral
Sirleaf Sworn in As President of Liberia
Socialist Bachelet Wins Chilean Presidency
Turkey Kills 764,000 Fowl to Contain Virus
Merkel Makes First Official Trip to Russia
Four Killed in Bombing of Afghan Convoy
Thousands Demonstrate in Mongolian Capital
First Lady in Africa for Inauguration
Rice: AU Mission in Darfur Has Not Failed
Afghanistan President Urges West to Stay
Crown Prince Assumes Kuwaiti Throne
European Nations Urged to Harmonize Laws
Olmert OKs Palestinian Voting in Jerusalem
Mideast Adjusts Without Arafat, Sharon
India, Pakistan No Closer to Resolutions
Iran Notches Up Anti-Israel Campaign

The Seattle Times
Stardust's trek ends; research just starting
Ethics committees keep low profile amid Abramoff scandal
Coon Supper required stop for Arkansas politicians
Islamists gain ground from American push for Mideast democracy
Iraqi commission to release findings of vote complaints
The story behind today's holiday: 15 years of pushing
College students return to different New Orleans
Harlem school's meals provide food for thought
Geologist says major eruption unlikely from Alaska volcano
Chilean voters choose first woman president
Rescuers find bodies of 2 snowmobilers
Man fends off shark that attacked twice

Chicago Sun-Times
King's legacy comes under attack
Lawmakers push used car database
First lady backs president despite criticism
Thousands mourn death of Kuwait ruler
Deal them out: N.J. casinos get to keep smoking despite ban
88-year-old crash victim survives on windshield moisture
Latin America gets 1 more leftist leader

Boston Globe: World
For Muslim women, a deadly defiance
Chile elects its first woman president
Iran says threats worsen nuclear impasse

Military.com
Pakistanis Protest Airstrike
U.S. Helicopter Crashes North of Baghdad
Iraq Releasing Vote Complaint Findings
U.S. Tally of Wounded Drops 26%
Senators Support Penalties Against Iran
Actor Sinise Discusses Support for Troops
Body Thought to be Missing Marine Found
U.S. Army Sniper Nails Record Shot
Sunni Group Vows to Behead Iranians
Poll: Concerns Shift From Economy to War
Cheney Concedes Failure to Boost Backing for War
Command Will Give Sailors Larger Role on the Ground
2,000 More M.P.'s Will Help Train the Iraqi Police

Department of Defense
Detainees Released; Bombs Found in Iraq - Story

TOP NEWS
IRAQ
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq (pdf)
Multinational Force Iraq
Eye on Iraq Update (pdf)
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report (pdf)
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Fact Sheet: War on Terror
Fact Sheet: Terror Plots Disrupted
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
National Guard, Reserve Update

Weather
Iraq
Al Azamiyah Al Basrah Al Hillah Al Karkh Al Kazimiyah Al Kut An Nasiriyah Baghdad Baqubah Mosul Najaf Nineveh Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Gitmo

nocashfortrash.org