A group of local National Guard heroes are headed for Afghanistan...

On A Mission To Mentor
When the fledgling Afghan National Army runs into a problem within the next year, when it struggles with communications issues, when it's unsure how to build an airfield or can't get the right unit to the right battle, it will probably turn to specialists from Connecticut.

Fifteen senior members of the Connecticut National Guard leave today for training in Kansas, but they will soon be in Afghanistan, where they will be mentoring its security forces. Men with long U.S. military careers -- a colonel, several lieutenant colonels and majors and a number of senior enlisted men -- will advise their Afghan counterparts...

Read the rest at the Hartford Courant

Labels: Afghanistan, Connecticut National Guard, local Heroes, Operation Enduring Freedom

An M109A6 Paladin self-propelled 155mm howitzer belonging to Bravo Battery, 1-41 Field Artillery Battalion stands ready on the gun line here. It can fire 96-pound projectiles up to a distance of 24,000 meters in direct support of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, Regimental Combat Team-6, and the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division of the Iraqi Army.Photo submitted 04/08/2007 Taken by Lance Cpl. Christopher Zahn

Labels: 1-41 Field Artillery Battalion, Howitzer, M109A6, Paladin, photos, weapons

The father-son duo of Master Sgt. John Conner, an Infantryman with 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25 Infantry Division, and Pfc. Jeremy Conner, an Infantryman with 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division eat dinner together April 1 in the dining facility on Forward Operating Base Marez. Master Sgt. Conner came to Mosul to visit his son before he heads back to the states to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SR# 040307- 46
April 3, 2007

By Pfc. Bradley J. Clark
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

FORWARD OPERATING BASE MAREZ, Iraq— A father and son were reunited during the early-morning hours March 28.

Unlike a normal reunion, Pfc. Jeremy Conner, an infantryman assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and his father, Master Sgt. John Conner, an infantryman with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, were reunited while deployed.

John had spent six months in Iskandaria, Iraq, just south of Baghdad, and was preparing to return to the states to attend the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Fort Bliss, Texas, when he decided to come see his son in Mosul, Iraq.

“He was banging on my door at 4:30 a.m.,” said Jeremy. “I answered it and it took me a minute, but then I was like, ‘What are you doing here?’”

The father and son were on separate paths but both ended up in Iraq at the same time.

Jeremy said he joined the Army in January 2006 and went to basic combat training at Fort Benning, Ga. “I joined because it was the only thing I could think of doing,” said Jeremy. “I was born into the Army.”

At the time Jeremy joined the Army, his father, John, was a first sergeant for a basic combat training company.

“My dad talked to my first sergeant and drill sergeants,” said Jeremy. “My drill sergeants made it a little bit harder on me, but it was because they had certain expectations for me.”

John had plans to attend Jeremy’s graduation and then follow his son’s progress in airborne school, culminating with Jeremy’s final jump, which John would do with him.

“My dad had plans, but then he came down on orders and had to leave for Alaska two weeks after I started basic,” said Jeremy.

While John was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska, he still was trying to coordinate a way to make it to Jeremy’s graduation and be there for his final jump in airborne school, but Jeremy got hurt before attending airborne school.

“It would have been cool to have him there and do the final jump with me,” said Jeremy. “Maybe it can still happen. I still plan on going to airborne school.”

Although the father-son team was unable to be together for airborne school, fate and the Army soon would find another way for them to spend time together.

“After I graduated basic my dad knew he was coming to Iraq,” said Jeremy. “By the time I was [at my first duty assignment in El Paso] there were rumors that we were going to Iraq, but he knew exactly where he was going to be.”

As time got closer, the Conner’s thought they were going to be able to see each other.

“At first, we thought we were going to be in Baghdad or Ramadi,” said Jeremy. “That meant we would have been only 30 miles away from each other. As soon as I found out we were going to be in Mosul, I didn’t think we were going to see each other because of how far apart we were.”

Although the father-son duo doesn’t have much time together here in Iraq, they will be able to spend a few months together when Jeremy gets back to Fort Bliss.

“My dad will be at the Sergeants Major Academy until May, so whenever we get back, I will be able to see him,” said Jeremy. “I live only three miles from the academy, so it won’t be hard for us to get together.”


Master Sgt. John Conner, Infantryman, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25 Infantry Division, prepares to go to dinner at the dining facility on Forward Operating Base Marez with his son, Pfc. Jeremy Conner, Infantryman, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division April 1. Conner made the surprise visit from Baghdad to Mosul to see his son for the first time since they have deployed to Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Bradley J. Clark, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs)

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division, 25th ID, 4th BCT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070408-02
April 8, 2007

Multi-National Division – North PAO

BAQUBAH, Iraq – A joint operation, which began March 24 in the Diyala River Valley northeast of Baqubah, cleared two terrorist safe havens and the surrounding palm groves by unearthing more than 15 weapons caches, killing more than 30 terrorists and detaining 28 suspected terrorists.

Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, partnered with Coalition Forces from 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, cleared enemy territory in Zaganiyah and Qubbah, Iraq and continue to maintain a permanent presence with the newly-constructed patrol base in the heart of the Diyala River Valley.

“To secure the population against terrorists, Iraqi Security Forces are becoming more offensive in their operations,” said Col. David W. Sutherland, 3-1 Cav. commander and senior U.S. Army officer in Diyala.

“They will attack the terrorists in the perceived safe havens. However, the importance of these operations is that the people of the area are showing trust and confidence in their soldiers by providing specific information relative to the whereabouts of the enemy,” Sutherland added.

Aside from discovering more than 20 improvised explosive devices, the security forces uncovered caches consisting of more than 17,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, 130 mortar rounds, 175 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, 80 grenades, IED-making materials and other terrorist equipment.

“The people remain our center of gravity, and each of these discoveries continues to deny the enemy the ability to use force to target the population and security forces,” said Sutherland.

The detainees were transferred to a detention centre for further questioning.

Labels: 1st Cavalry Division, 3BCT, 5-73rd Cavalry, 5th Iraqi Army Division, Iraq, Iraqi Security Forces, Qubbah, US Army, Zaganiyah

News of Note
Holiday News
Christians Celebrate Easter - PHOTOS - Pope Ushers in Holiday - Basket Recall
Bush Attends Easter Service at Fort Hood
Bush prays for safety of U.S. troops on Easter
Pope, on Easter, laments Iraq "slaughter"
Orthodox, Western Christians mark Easter

Operation Iraqi Freedom
Levin: We'll Fund Our Troops
Al-Sadr Calls for Attacks on U.S.; 10 GIs Killed
Truck Bomb Kills 15 South of Baghdad; 4 GIs Killed in Vehicle Explosion
Radical Cleric Calls on Iraqis to Halt Cooperation With U.S. Military
Iraqis flock to city for anti-U.S. protest - Video (In Najaf - thanks, Mookie)
Iran warns Iraq over Iranians held by U.S. forces
Iraqi insider details U.S. mismanagement

Operation Enduring Freedom
Bombs Kill 7 NATO Soldiers in Afghanistan
Bomb kills six Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Top U.S. diplomat visits Somalia to urge truce
Hezbollah sees deadlock, Lebanon crisis continuing
ETA says ready for peace if Spanish "attacks" stop
Hamas gives prisoner list for Israeli soldier swap

Other Military News
Bill Richardson Arrives in North Korea
Detained British Troops Allowed to Sell Stories
Briton says she feared Iran was preparing coffin
Iran Releases New Video of British Navy Crew
Burns documentary angers Latino veterans

Worldwide Wackos
Iran set to announce nuclear plans on Monday
Castro returns to limelight as op/ed writer

Politics / Government
Gingrich Blasts Gonzales,Calls for His Resignation
Transcript: Gingrich, Sen. Schumer on 'FNS' - VIDEO
Maine Legislator Dies in Freak Ski Accident
Hillary Placed Second
Stem cell vote set for Congress this week
Huckabee questions Romney hunting claim
Elizabeth Edwards emerging in campaign

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Kentucky High Court to Decide if Inmate Can Be Executed at His Request
3 Football Players Accused of Rape Remain in Custody
Jury Selection to Start in Mary Winkler Trial
Female Minister Found Beaten to Death
Teen accused of Web escort service
Unprovoked beatings of homeless soaring
Teen who shot grandparents gets support

Media in the Media / Bloggers in the News / Watching the Web
'B.C.' Comic Strip Creator Dead at 76
Imus set for Sharpton's radio show

Science / Medicine / Technology
Herb Could Treat Recurrent Bladder Infection
U.S. moves to stop sale of some nausea drugs
Self-sample kit may boost cervical screening
Software mogul blasts into space
Volcanic eruptions diminish on Indian Ocean island
Some fear Russia to become space cabbie

Mother Nature
British brides say "I do" to green weddings
Cold snap postpones spring festivities
NYC brush fire damages injures 8
3rd eaglet hatches on Catalina Island

Oddities
NYC Couple Hails Cab ... to Arizona
Biker Hurt After Hitting Bathtub on La. Interstate
No weirdness, vulgarity for TV talent show?

Other News of Note
Master-ful Performance - PHOTOS
Nearly half of French undecided over election
U.S. gas prices jump 18 cents in 2 weeks

Fox News
Report: Captain of Sunken Ship Blames Sea

Reuters: Top News
East Timor votes for president after year of crisis
Aid flap is new threat to New Orleans rebuilding
"Grindhouse" suffers box office horror - Video
Hailing the music of "The Sopranos"
Asian stocks climb on strong U.S. jobs data
Earnings to lift stocks
Dollar advances on strong jobs data
Wall Street rises with bid for Chrysler
Nikkei ends flat before U.S. job data
Job market blues just starting
Caution could stall economic growth
Dow Chemical to face $50 billion bid: report
Citigroup in talks to buy Old Lane: WSJ
Berkshire takes 10.9 pct Burlington Northern stake
Wesfarmers receives support from major Coles shareholder
Isuzu buys land for U.S. truck plant in Alabama
US Airways sees slight profit for first quarter
Citigroup tightens mortgage lending standards
KKR confirms dropped out of Sainsbury bidding
J&J wins ruling in Boston Scientific patent case
Vonage stock falls ahead of decision on injunction

AP World News
Haiti faces high cost of dying
Retailers explore movie download options
Many gays struggle at black colleges
Staunton: 'Potter' role is no joke
'Blades' stays on top with $23 million
Effort to catalog species tops 1 million
Wall St. awaits Fed minutes, price data

Military.com
Top Marine Visits Troops in Iraq
Use Your GI Bill Right

CENTCOM: News Releases
SENIOR AL-QAEDA LEADER CAPTURED IN BAGHDAD RAID
JOINT OPERATION CLEARS TERRORISTS FROM DIYALA RIVER VALLEY
OPERATION BLACK EAGLE: IRAQI GENERAL NOTES 'GREAT SUCCESS'

USJFCOM
USJFCOM supports intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance conference - podcast
USJFCOM seeks to pass Joint Force Projection ACTD's final exam - podcast
More about the Joint Force Projection ACTD
More about ACTDs USJFCOM gears up for Noble Resolve - podcast

DefenseLink
Baghdad Security Plan Seeing Many Successes - Story
Bush: Troops Need Resources to do Their Jobs - Story
Guardsmen to Receive Alert for Iraq Deployment - Story
Partnership Proves Potent For Insurgents - Story
Soldiers Receive Purple Hearts at Walter Reed - Story
Wounded Warrior Earns Purple Heart, Heads Home

More Headline News
Web Links Guard, Reserve to Employer Support
Gates, Pace Discuss Iraq and Afghanistan
DoD Works to Improve Acquisition Process

Military News
Officials Stress Zero Tolerance of Sexual Assault
USS Nimitz Deploys to Persian Gulf
Troops Embark on ‘Why We Serve’ Mission

War on Terror
Four U.S. Soldiers Killed, Senior al-Qaeda Leader Captured - Story
Suicide Bomber Attacks Patrol
Paratroopers Take Down Terrorists

America Supports You
Emeril Cooks Combat Cuisine - Story
Ohio Group Supports Marines
Military Families Enjoy Circus

Transformation
Program Connects Troops to Public
Walter Reed Using 3-D
Soldiers Test New Vehicles

Face of Defense
Hard Work, Dedication Pays off - Story
Captain Relates Experience
Engineer's Idea Saves Money

DefendAmerica
BLOGGERS' ROUNDTABLE with U.S. ARMY MAJ. GEN. CALDWELL
Iraqi Forces' Efforts Improve Security in Baghdad, Official Says - Story
Bloggers' Roundtable Web Site

NEWS UPDATES
Partnership Curbs Violence in Iraq - Story

ON THE GROUND
Air Force Captain Teaches Classes, Experiences - Story
Troops Help Repair, Secure Baghdad Roadways - Story
Airmen Help Djiboutians Learn English - Story
Barriers Expected to Strengthen Checkpoints Story
Transition Team Celebrates Iraqi Graduation - Story

IN IRAQ
Inspection Team Reduces Truck Breakdowns
Civilian Carpenters Lend Soldiers a Helping Hand
Security, Reconstruction Efforts Improving
General Petraeus Visits Revitalized Dora Market
Two-Man Team Helps Troops Communicate

IN AFGHANISTAN
Female Medics Take Forward Mission to Heart
Afghan Government, Coalition Aid Flood Victims
U.S., Coalition Servicemembers Climb 'The Ghar'
Female Aviators Pilot into Strong Career

IN DJIBOUTI
Soldiers Keep Promise, Check on Injured Girl
Postal Specialists Deal With Limited Space
Security Company Stands Watch in Djibouti

BACKGROUND
IRAQ
Renewal In Iraq
Iraq: Security, Stability
Fact Sheet: Progress and Work Ahead
Report: Strategy for Victory in Iraq
Iraq Daily Update
This Week in Iraq
Multinational Force Iraq
State Dept. Weekly Iraq Report
'Boots on the Ground' Audio Archive
Weekly Reconstruction Report (PDF)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan Update
Maps

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

Weather
Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar Ghurian Herat Kabul Qandahar

Germany
Ansbach Aschaffenburg Berlin Berlin-Tempelhof Berlin/Schonefeld Bremerhaven
Darmstadt Frankfurt Frankfurt/Main Freiburg/Breisgau Garmisch
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Geilenkirchen Gelnhausen Giessen Kitzingen
Hanau Am Main Heidelberg Mainz Mannheim Nurnberg Stuttgart Trier
Wiesbaden Wurzburg

Gitmo

Guam
Agana Agana Heights Agat Andersen AFB Asan Barrigada

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

Japan
Kadena Air Base Okinawa Tokyo Yokohama

Today in History
0715 - Constantine ends his reign as Catholic Pope
1241 - Battle of Liegnitz - Mongol armies defeat Poles & Germans
1388 - Battle of Näfels; Glarius Swiss defeat Habsburg (Austrian) army
1454 - Milan/Venice signs peace of Lodi
1474 - Breisach land guardian Peter von Hagenbach throws out Walloon/Italians
1483 - Edward I (12) succeeds Edward IV as king of England
1538 - Danish king Christian III enters Schmalkaldische Union
1555 - Marcello Cervini elected Pope Marcellus II
1609 - Spain & Netherlands sign 12 Year Resistant Pact
1621 - Spain & Netherlands 12 Year Resistant Pact ends
1682 - Robert La Salle claims lower Mississippi (Louisiana) for France
1691 - French troops occupy Mons
1770 - Captain James Cook discovers Botany Bay (Australia)
1783 - Tippu Sahib drives out English from Bednore India
1808 - Mayor Wolters offers French king Louis Napoleon townhall as a palace
1814 - Elias Canneman (L) resigns as minister of Finance
1829 - Danzig (Gdansk) dike break flood kills 1,200
1831 - Robert Jenkins loses an ear, starts war between Britain & Spain
1833 - 1st tax-supported public library (Peterborough NH)
1864 - Battle of Pleasant Hill LA, 2870 casualities
1865 - Federals capture Fort Blakely, AL; Robert E. Lee & 26,765 troops surrender to US Grant at Appomattox
1866 - Civil Rights Bill passes over President Andrew Johnson's veto
1869 - Hudson Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada
1872 - Samuel R. Percy patents dried milk
1912 - Titanic leaves Queenstown Ireland for New York
1914 - 1st full color film shown "The World, The Flesh & the Devil" (London); Tampico incident - US ship crew arrested in México
1917 - Battle of Arras begins; Vimy Ridge France stormed by Canadian troops
1918 - Latvia proclaims independence from Russia
1927 - Italy & US anarchists Sacco & Vanzetti given death sentences
1928 - Turkey passes separation of church & state
1940 - German cruiser Blücher torpedoed/capsizes in Oslofjord, 1,000 die; Germany invades Norway & Denmark during WWII (Denmark surrenders)
1942 - Battle of Bataan-US-Filipino forces overwhelmed by Japanese at Bataan
1945 - Liberty ship at Bari Italy carrying aerial bombs explodes, kills 360; Battleship Admiral Scheer sinks British aircraft carrier
1947 - Atomic Energy Commission is formed; Tornadoes striking West Texas & Oklahoma kill 169, injuring 1,300
1949 - UN International Court of Justice held Albania responsible for incidents in Corfu Channel & awards Britain damages
1952 - Popular uprising in Bolivia
1957 - Suez Canal cleared for all shipping
1959 - NASA names 1st 7 astronauts for Project Mercury
1960 - South African premier Verwoerd wounded in battle
1963 - Sir Winston Churchill proclaimed honorary U.S. citizen in White House ceremony
1967 - 1st Boeing 737 rolls out; Shortwave broadcaster Radio New York Worldwide's transmitter burns down
1968 - German Democratic Republic adopts constitution; Martin Luther King Jr, buried in Atlanta GA
1969 - 1st flight of Concorde 002 (Filton-Bristol)
1972 - USSR & Iraq sign friendship treaty
1973 - Otto Kerner, former Governor of Illinois, convicted for his role in an illegal racetrack scheme; Netherlands recognizes North Vietnam
1976 - US & Russia agree on the size of nuclear tests for peaceful use
1977 - Communist party legally allowed in Spain after 40 years
1980 - Soyuz 35 carries 2 cosmonauts to Salyut 6; Belgium's Marten's government resigns
1981 - US sub George Washington rams Japanese freighter Nisso Maru
1983 - 6th Space Shuttle Mission-Challenger 1 returns to Earth
1988 - US imposes economic sanctions on Panamá
1989 - Washington DC march supporting 1973 Roe vs Wade decision (allow abortions)
1991 - Georgia SSR votes to secede from the USSR; Release of Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0
1992 - John Major, (Conservative Party) elected Prime Minister of England; Noriega convicted on 8 of 10 drug & racketeering charges
1994 - STS-59 (Endeavour) launches into orbit

Birthdays
1634 - Albertine Agnes, princess of Orange-Nassau
1649 - James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, bastard son of English king Charles II
1785 - Sibrand Acker Stratingh, Dutch physician/chemist (electric car 1835)
1806 - Isambard Kingdom Brunel, designer of 1st transatlantic steamer; Louis count of Barrthyányi, premier of Hungary
1812 - Randolph Barnes Marcy, Union Brevet Major General
1826 - Thomas Hewson Neill, Union Brevet Major General
1830 - Eadweard Muybridge England, pioneered study of motion, photography
1835 - Leopold II King of Belgians (1865-1909)
1865 - Charles Proteus Steinmetz, German experimenter with AC electricity; Erich Ludendorff, German General
1872 - Léon Blum, French premier (People's front government)
1905 - J. William Fulbright (Senator-AR)
1906 - Todd Naylor "Hugh" Gaitskell, MP (Labour Party)
1910 - Abraham A Ribicoff (Senator-CT)
1919 - John Presper Eckert, co-inventor (1st electronic computer-ENIAC)
1926 - Lord Fitt, MP (Belfast Ireland); Harris Wofford (Senator-Republican-PA)
1928 - Floyd D. Spence (Representative-SC)
1932 - Paul Krassner, comic strip cartoonist (MAD Magazine)/founder (Yippies); Vladimir Aleksandrovich Degtyaryov, cosmonaut
1936 - Michael Somare, British foreign affairs minister (Paupa & New Guinea)
1940 - Vasily Dmiotriyevich Shcheglov, Russian cosmonaut
1942 - Earl F. Hillard (Representative-AL)

Passings
0715 - Constantine I, Greek/Syrian Pope (708-15)
1024 - Benedict VIII [Theophylactus van Tusculum], Pope (1012-24)
1483 - Edward IV, King of England (1461-70, 71-83) dies at 38
1765 - Maria Louise van Hessen-Kassel, princess of Orange-Nassau, dies at 77
1806 - Willem V Batavus, prince of Orange-Nassau, dies at 58
1862 - George W. Johnson, US planter/Confederate (Governor-KY), dies at about 50
1865 - Thomas Alfred Smyth, Irish/US Union General-Major, dies at 32
1904 - Isabella II Queen of Spain (1833-68), dies at 73
1945 - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologist/antifascist, hanged; Hans Oster, German Major-General/spy, "July 20th plot", hanged; Wilhelm Canaris Admiral/headed Germany Abwehr, hanged
1948 - Jorge Elecier Gaitán, Colombian politician, murdered
1961 - Zog I [Ahmed Zogu], King of Albania (1925-39), dies at 65
1966 - Sutan Sjahrir, Premier of Indonesia (1945-47), dies at 57
1976 - Phil Ochs, singer (Draft Dodger Rag), commits suicide at 35
1991 - Maurice Binder, title designer (James Bond Movies), dies at 73
1992 - Gale McGee, Senator (Wyoming, 1959-77), dies at 77
1993 - Wouter Perquin, journalist/Dutch MP (KVP), dies at 74
1994 - Cornelis N. "Cor" van Dis, Jr., Dutch MP (1971-94), dies at 71; Raouf Khayrat Egyptian General-Major, murdered

Reported Missing in Action
1965
Fegan, Ronald J., USN (NY); F4B crashed at sea after combat (RIO, w/Murphy); Killed, BNR

Murphy, Terence M., USN (NY); F4B crashed at sea after combat (pilot, w/Fegan); Killed, BNR

1967
Schworer, Ronald P., US Army (NV); Killed, BNR

1968
Lawson, Karl W., US Army SF (IN); Killed, BNR

1970
The following USN personnel reported MIA when their E2A caught fire and crashed at sea while attempting to return to the USS Coral Sea; all Killed, BNR:
Bushnell, Brian L. (OR); technician

Horchar, Andrew A. (PA); technician

Knight, Larry C. (OK); co-pilot

Pfaffmann, Charles B. (CT); pilot

Labels: Headlines, History