Badlands Express
Senior Airman Ryan McGlocklin directs a bomb loader into position underneath a training bomb at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., on Monday, June 26. The base is conducting Exercise Badlands Express 06-04 to prepare for an operational readiness inspection in July. Airman McGlocklin is assigned to the 28th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Michael B. Keller)
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Sent by Maurice, a Soldiers' Angels adoptee:

I am currently stationed in Iraq...I have been deployed for 6 months so far and I want to thank every single Angel out there that watches over all of us Soldiers out here in Iraq and all over the world. You all have done so much for us and made our deployments so much easier through emails, letters and mail. So i wrote a poem to show my appreciation. I really do hope you can make sure it gets to everyone some way some how, because I am really greatful. It's called An Angel's Sigh. Please enjoy and smile because all of your hard work and efforts have been seen by God and he has carried your blessings to me and every Soldier in the world.

Maurice, this is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us Angels, and thank you for everything you do for all of us at home. Keep your Helmet On - Take care, and stay safe.

Coronado Bay, Calif. (June 22, 2006) – Construction Mechanic Constructionman Shawn Berry gets underway for the first time aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45), as part of of Seabee Days. This year's celebration will mark the 20th annual Seabee Days where the community is invited aboard for a first-hand look at the Navy's construction engineers. Seabee Days highlights the mission and accomplishments of the men and women of the Naval Construction Force, affectionately known as the Seabees. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman James Seward

Senior Airman Christine Noldee, native of Palmdale, Calif., aerospace medical technician, 332nd Expeditionary Medical Operations Group from Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, feeds a baby who was found on a patrol.


Story by Pfc. Paul J. Harris
3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division

BALAD, Iraq – Soldiers from Logistical Support Area Anaconda in Balad saved the life of an abandoned, near-death baby June 9.

Staff Sgt. Donald White, patrol leader 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers, and his team came across a box on the side of the road while on patrol.

Initially, he thought it was an improvised explosive device until he heard crying coming from the box. White made sure there were no wires protruding from the box and made sure it was not booby trapped. Then he picked it up.

“I ran as fast as I could, snatched the box off the ground and kept on running, thankfully nothing blew up,” White said.

White then asked Spc. John Sullivan, healthcare specialist, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery, to evaluate the child and assess its medical needs.

The skin was literally hanging off the child and we could see it was massively dehydrated and malnourished. Sullivan told me we needed to get the child to a hospital right away and we jumped into the trucks and drove to the hospital as fast as we could, Smith said.

In transit to Balad Air Base hospital, Sullivan turned the air conditioning vents in the baby’s direction so the air would cool the child.

I was nervous because I have never had to professionally treat a sick child before, Sullivan said. “(He) did not cry at all in the vehicle but his eyes rolled in the back of his head and I thought ‘oh my goodness he is starting to die on me.’”

By the time the patrol made its way to the Balad Air Base hospital the staff was already waiting for them when the vehicles pulled up. The Air Force medical staff treated the child by putting a feeding tube into him to replenish lost fluids. After a while the baby regained its strength and was in stable enough condition to be released. A civilian liaison with the Iraqi hospital in Balad was called and the child was released to hospital care.

White credits the success of the rescue to the members of his patrol, not just himself and Sullivan.

In all this mess of arresting people, killing people and getting blown up, finally something good has come out of it, Smith said. Hopefully as a result, God will bless us for the next few months we are here.

The baby was reunited with his mother June 19. The mother of the child told Iraqi Police she left the child in her daughter’s care. The daughter was carrying the baby on the road near the LSA when she was chased by wild dogs and left the baby so she could run faster, according to reports given to Capt. Lance Awbrey, commander, Battery B, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery.

A Soldier from the 230th Military Police Company secures the runway area of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, during Exercise Vigilant Star. Photo by Senior Airman Chris Willis.

COALITION FORCES TRACK DOWN TERRORISTS RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING MND-B SOLDIERS

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894;
FAX: (813) 827-2211;

Release Date: 6/26/2006
Release Number: 06-06-02PE
Description: Editor’s note – this provides additional information beyond that which was provided in press release 20060620-01. A clarification to that release – the one KIA mentioned during the search was Spec. Babineau. No other Soldiers died during the search efforts. The information in this release will be briefed in detail by MG Thurman at the press conference tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq – While military medical examiners officially confirmed the identities of two Soldiers found dead near Yusufiaya Thursday, Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces intensified efforts to track down and bring to justice the terrorists responsible for murdering three Multi-National Division – Baghdad troops June 16.

Spec. David J. Babineau was killed during an attack on a three-man security team manning a checkpoint before the terrorists overwhelmed the position, taking Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker to an unknown location and later killing them.

The attack occurred south of Yusufiyah where the Soldiers were guarding a canal crossing next to the Euphrates River.

Within one hour of the attack, the immediate area was cordoned off by both air and ground forces and search operations began.

A combined and joint force of more than 8,000 Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces assembled to take part in the search. The force included three MND-B brigade combat teams, Iraqi army, national and local police, adjacent units from Multi-National Force – West, Navy and Air Force aircraft and other Coalition Forces.

The Coalition and ISF used all available resources including, air, ground and water to locate the Soldiers. While Air Force para-rescue dive teams searched the canals, engineers patrolled the Euphrates River and Coalition unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters patrolled from the sky.

Twenty-five military operations were conducted, including 11 air assault missions. More than 12 villages and an old power plant were searched. In the massive effort to locate the missing Soldiers, 12 CF Soldiers were wounded.

Six caches were discovered. Two of the weapons caches were found in the power plant. Some of the contraband found in the caches included a suicide vest, gun powder, plastic explosives with detonation cord, grenades, AK-47s, and homemade rocket launchers with several rockets.

Throughout the process, Iraqi citizens from across Baghdad provided almost 80 tips, which were all investigated. Coalition Soldiers engaged local religious, community and political leaders to maintain support and gain information.

In an attempt to thwart the search effort, the enemy conducted a series of harassing attacks with improvised-explosive devices and indirect fire, all of which failed to stop the search. Ten IEDs detonated and 17 were found by searchers before detonation.

Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces detained 36 suspected anti-Iraqi forces involved in the murders and killed two enemy fighters. Coalition Forces surged interrogation operations around-the-clock for three days while the search for the Soldiers continued.

Acting on a tip from a local Iraqi tribal leader and another one from a detainee, MND-B Soldiers discovered the two sets of remains June 19 at approximately 7:50 p.m. next to a road near the village of Mufaraji, northwest of Yusufiyah. The local Iraqi also informed the Soldiers to watch for explosives.

To ensure the safety of the Soldiers, the commander established security and cordoned the area to wait until daylight to approach the bodies. An explosive ordnance disposal team arrived on site to clear the route.

At first light, the engineers cleared the route up to the site of the bodies, fighting their way through three roadside bombs in the process.

The two bodies, severely traumatized, were found bound together with an IED between one of the Soldiers' legs. The engineers successfully cleared the IED and the surrounding area to allow recovery of the remains.

The remains were airlifted to a Coalition morgue near Baghdad International Airport by 8:25 a.m. Tuesday before they were sent to Dover Air Force Base, Del.

A formal investigation has been directed by Maj. Gen. James
D. Thurman, the commanding general of MND-B, to determine the facts surrounding the attack on the Soldiers.

Two Al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists were killed in this operation, to include a senior AQI lieutenant.

The search continues for additional terrorists responsible for the barbaric attack. Forty detainees from previous operations have been interrogated about their connection with individuals linked to the murder of the Soldiers. Of the 36 detainees taken during the search, 13 are providing intelligence of value to the Coalition. Military specialists have conducted more than 92 interrogations. Two of the detainees have admitted to being Al Qaeda members and were captured in the vicinity of the remains.

"Precision direct action operations will continue as a result of the intelligence gleaned from those detained and the information gained from increased operations south of Baghdad," said Thurman. "MND-B, with the ISF, will continue to actively target terrorists and criminals who operate outside of the rule of law."


FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS RELEASE, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL DIVISION - BAGHDAD PUBLIC AFFAIRS NCO IN CHARGE, MASTER SGT ERIC LOBSINGER

PREFLIGHT CHECKS — U.S. Air Force Capt. Matthew Polus conducts preflight checks on a U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler aircraft before taking off from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 15, 2006. Polus is an electronic countermeasures officer with the "Wizards" of Electronic Attack Squadron 133. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brian Ferguson