Volunteers and airmen assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group load a soldier into an ambulance bus at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. When wounded servicemembers and Iraqi military members and civilians are brought to the Air Force Theater Hospital, they are treated and then taken to the contingency aeromedical staging facility to await transportation to either a military or Iraqi hospital. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Medics assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group emergency room and contingency aeromedical staging facility bring Army Cpl. Erick Rodriguez into the Air Force theater hospital's emergency room, Aug. 3, 2007. Rodriguez sustained abdominal injuries from an improvised explosive device. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

2nd Lt. Christine Duro and Staff Sgt. Derick Tibbetts, both assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group, draw blood as Master Sgt. Nancy Quemuel, assigned to the contingency aeromedical staging facility, discusses air evacuation and treatment for Army Cpl. Erick Rodriguez, a cavalry scout assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, Aug. 3, 2007. Rodriguez assigned to the Forward Operating Base Warhorse, sustained abdominal injuries from an improvised explosive device. He was the last patient to be treated in the Air Force theater hospital's tent facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Maj. Julie Zwies and Capt. Kathy Betts inventory equipment at the new Air Force theater hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. Starting at 4 a.m., about 150 base volunteers and 380 332nd EMDG airmen moved patients and equipment to the newly upgraded, pre-engineered facility. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Senior Airman James Ray and Tech. Sgt. Christopher Harwell move operating room equipment from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group's Air Force theater hospital's tent facility to its newly upgraded, pre-engineered facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Volunteers and airmen assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group remove sandbags from part of the Air Force theater hospital's tent facility Aug. 3, 2007. The tent hospital was around 63,100 square feet which was made up of more than 30 tents. The upgraded former Iraqi Air Force Academy hospital is about 97,000 square feet. It has 20 intensive care units, 40 beds and up to eight operating tables. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Volunteers, airmen and soldiers assigned to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group move equipment and patients from the Air Force theater hospital's tent facility to the newly upgraded, pre-engineered facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins

Staff Sgt. Tanja Green, Senior Airman Jacklynn Levasseur and Army Spc. Ivan Nazario finish moving the last pieces of equipment from the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group's Air Force theater hospital's tent facility to its newly upgraded, pre-engineered facility at Balad Air Base, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2007. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Shannon Collins




More photo essays at DefendAmerica

Labels: 332nd Medical Group, Air Force Theater Hospital, Balad Air Base, Iraq, military hospitals, photo essays, photos, USAF, Wounded Heroes

News of Note
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Mortar Attack Kills 12, Wounds 31 in Baghdad
Bush says Iraqi government has not met goals
Iranian agents training militias in Iraq: U.S. general
Shiite militia expands grip in Baghdad
Tip leads to largest cache uncovered in western Baghdad neighborhood

Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghanistan Celebrates Independence Day

Homeland Security / War on Terror / Hamas-Hezbollah Happenings
Philippine Troops Attack Al Qaeda-Linked Group
Families of Sudan detainees in U.S. prison protest
Israel: report on amnesty for Palestinians untrue
Pakistan attacks militant hideouts, killing 15

Fallen Heroes
Camps Offer Comfort to Grieving Children

Other Military News
Navy Sinks YouTube Video

Religion of Peace??
Star Yusuf hopes music helps Muslim image (Hmmmmm...a catchy tune versus beheadings, bombings, and oppression....nope, I'm not thinking a coupla ditties will do it)

Worldwide Wackos
Iran's Revolutionary Guards: We Will 'Punch' U.S. (OK, so NOW can we do something about Iran????)
Gunmen take 30 hostage in southeast Iran: reports

Politics / Government
Report: John Edwards Calls Ann Coulter ‘She-Devil’
Longtime Reagan Adviser Michael Deaver Dies
Holy Beltway, Batman! Senator to Star in 'The Dark Knight'
Gonzales seen as politicizing Justice Dept
Michelle Obama gets "fired up" as a campaigner
Democrats preach virtue of labor unions (Nooooo, no socialist/communist agenda in THAT party...)
Obama defends himself against rivals

In the Courts / Crime and Punishment / Law and Order
Atlanta Falcons Owner Accuses Michael Vick of Lying About Dogfighting Role
Father Accused of Shooting, Paralyzing Daughter's Boyfriend After Finding Him in Closet
Feds Arrest 2 Suspects in Newark Killings
Adoption scam stretched from NYC to Fla.

Adventures in Political Correctness
Psychologists weigh interrogation ban (??? We're worried about terrorists' mental health? As if they were stable to begin with?!)

U.N. News
Israel will turn away Darfur refugees (I don't blame 'em)

Science / Medicine / Technology
NASA to Land Endeavour a Day Early to Avoid Hurricane
Shuttle Endeavour undocks from station
Hundreds of Saudi camels die from mystery ailment
Deer hunting may put men's hearts at risk

Mother Nature
Hurricane Dean Looms Outside the Caribbean - TRACKER - PHOTOS
Jamaica, Cuba Prepare for Deadly Hurricane Dean
Hurricane Dean poised to hit Jamaica (Check out the picture with this article. In Jamaica, people's pets go with them to the shelter - but in the U.S., people abandon them in the face of a hurricane because the shelters won't take them. What's wrong with us?)
Tourists Jam Airports as Hurricane Dean Threatens Caribbean
Bush OKs emergency declaration before Dean
Texans take precautions as Dean nears
Lake Tahoe wildfire nearly contained
Weeklong Heat Wave in Midwest, Southeast Kills 49

News from My Neck of the Woods
Fire at Ground Zero Building Kills 2 Firefighters - PHOTOS

Oddities
Colorado Men Arrested on Suspicion of Using Rattlesnakes as Hit Men to Collect Debt

Other News of Note
Coroner: Dog Bites Likely Didn't Kill Man at Ving Rhames' Home (I knew it! I had a bullmastiff - huge mush of a dog)
Fourth Hole Finds No Sign of Life in Utah Mine - PHOTOS
Rescuers to drill 5th hole in Utah mine

Fox News
181 Miners Trapped in China - PHOTOS
Paper Exposes Australian Opposition Leader's Drunken Romp at NYC Strip Club
Billy Graham Hospitalized for Intestinal Bleeding
Military Called to Peru to Stop Post-Earthquake Looting
Nicole Kidman Bombs With Invasion

Reuters: Top News
Climate protesters march at Heathrow airport
Abducted German female pleads for her release
Hopes dim for 180 trapped miners in China - Video
After Fed's rescue, volatile days ahead
Gulf oil companies prepare for deadly hurricane
Oil jumps on Fed discount rate cut - Video
Dollar falls after Fed action ends week of active trading
DealZone: No brotherly love for KBW
Buyout slowdown may hurt markets
US STOCKS-Wall St soars after Fed's discount rate cut
Fed move helps FTSE notch up biggest gain in 4 yrs
Proud Countrywide may have to bow to Wall St banks
Sentinel files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
After Fed's rescue, volatile days ahead
Author applies economics to life and dating
China eyes investing in private equity, hedge funds
Fed cuts discount rate, signals growth concern

AP World News
Mariners rally for victory over Chicago
Report: Rowling writing detective novel
Bonds' homer lifts Giants past Marlins
Meatpacking remakes rural U.S. towns

Military.com
DT: Gov't Sloppy, Not Bloggers
Daily Shock: Jumbo Low Pass
Feds Face Tough Questions in Spy Case
Op-ed: A Father Passes
Review: Nicole Kidman's Latest Flop
Discounts: Last Chance for Summer Fun
Movie Review: Superbad

CENTCOM: News Releases
MND-B APACHE CREWS DESTROY HOMEMADE EXPLOSIVES CACHE

USJFCOM
Monti relieves Bryan as Joint Systems Integration Command commander - podcast
Bold Quest 07 to examine friendly force tracking capabilities - podcast
More about Bold Quest 07
Unified Endeavor 2007 prepares soldiers for Iraq deployment
More about the Mission Rehearsal Exercise program

Multi-National Force-Iraq
Odierno highlights Iraqi operations
Cavalry Unit conducts humanitarian aid mission
Fuel Station secured in eastern Baghdad neighborhood
Economic Team works to develop Industry
Iraqi Forces, U.S. Special Forces dismantle sniper cell, detain three, kill one in Baghdad
Coalition Forces target al-Qaeda in Iraq; 3 terrorists killed, 21 suspects detained
Three killed, 22 wounded in Khalis market attack
Weapons cache found in Adhamiyah
Bomb production facility destroyed

DefenseLink
TOP NEWS
President Hails Political Progress in Iraq
Protecting Freedom Abroad Protects Nations

EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
Soto Cano Task Force Responds to Earthquake
Officials to Make ‘Needs Assessment’ in Peru

MILITARY NEWS
Minneapolis Bridge Operations Continue
Minneapolis Native Returns Home to Help
More MRAP Vehicles Shipped to Middle East

IRAQ
Coalition Forces Exert Pressure on al Qaeda
TOP NEWS
Petraeus: Iraqis Need to Demonstrate Progress
Odierno Details 'Quick Strike' Operations in Iraq - Video

AFGHANISTAN
Coalition Forces Nab 11 Suspected Insurgents

Travels with Pace Special
South Korea Honors Pace - Story

ON THE GROUND IN IRAQ
Troops Care for Citizens
Engineers Improve Power Grid
Multinational Corps Iraq Tops Retention Goal Six Weeks Early
Coalition Forces Train Iraqi Marines in North Persian Gulf

TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
No Mountain Too High for Provincial Reconstruction Team
Photo Essay: Panjshir PRT
Team Aids Remote Village
Engineers Build Roads, Bridges
Afghans Focus on Environment

FACE OF DEFENSE
‘Biggest Losers’ Strut Their Stuff
Twin Sisters Support Brother
Vietnam Vet Gets Purple Heart
Sailor Reunites with Family

AMERICA SUPPORTS YOU
Group Gives Soldier Jeep Keys
Support Group Offers Prayer
Dallas Cowboys Visit Wounded

WHY WE SERVE
U.S. Marine Shares His Story - Story - Special
Afghans, Iraqis Appreciate Troops - Story - Special

DefendAmerica
BLOGGERS' ROUNDTABLE with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch
Operations Have Terrorists on Run - Story

ON THE GROUND
Substation Expansion Provides More Power - Story
U.S., Iraqi Troops Provide Medical Assistance - Story
Fighter Wing Returns from Duty in Iraq - Story
No Mountain Too High for Reconstruction Team - Story - Photos

IN IRAQ
Marines Keep Dangers 'Outside the Wire'
Multinational Corps Iraq Tops Retention Goal
Iraqis Assume Responsibility for Courthouses
Residents of Hababiyah Hail Cavalry Troops
Citizens Help Turn Tide Against Insurgents
Al Basrah Oil Terminal Project Nears Completion

IN AFGHANISTAN
Army Engineers Work to Connect Afghanistan
Team Crosses Mountain, Brings Aid to Village
Airmen Teach Afghans Hand-to-Hand Combat
Army Chief of Staff Visits Deployed Troops

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
Airmen Ensure Troops in the Field Get Supplies

DefendAmerica Week in Review
Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday - Friday

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
War on Terror Reconstruction Report
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
1099 - Crusaders defeat the Saracens in the Battle of Ascalon.
1263 - King James I of Argon censors Hebrew writings.
1787 - W. Herschel discovers Saturn's moon Enceladus.
1812 - The USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides") defeats the British warship Guerriere.
1909 - The Indianapolis 500 Speedway holds its first race.
1934 - The Plebiscite in Germany approves sole executive power for Adolph Hitler.
1942 - 5,000 Canadian and 1,000 British soldiers raid Dieppe, France. 4,000 of them are killed, wounded, or captured by the Germans in a matter of hours.
1954 - Ralph J. Bunche is named undersecretary of the U.N.
1981 - Two U.S. Navy F-14 's shoot down two Soviet-built Libyan SU-22's.
1985 - Japan launches the Susei, its second probe of Halley's Comet.
1988 - At 11:00 p.m. EDT, Iran and Iraq begin a cease-fire after 8 years at war.
1989 - Tadeusz Mazowiecki is elected - the first non-communist president of Poland.
1991 - A coup in the U.S.S.R. deposes Mikhail Gorbachev.

Birthdays
1646 - John Flamsteed, first English astronomer royal
1785 - Seth Thomas, pioneer in the mass production of clocks
1870 - Bernard Baruch, financier/presidential adviser
1871 - Orville Wright, aviator
1878 - Manuel Quezon, first president of the Philippine Commonwealth (1935-42)
1907 - Thurston Morton (Sen-KY, 1957-1969)
1934 - David F. Durenberger, (Sen-MN)
1935 - F. Story Musgrave,M.D. / astronaut (STS 6, 51-F, 33, 44)
1946 - Charles F. Bolden, Jr., astronaut (STS 61C, 31, STS 45); Bill Clinton, 42nd US President.
1948 - Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson ("Tipper" Gore - wife of Al Gore, VP to President Clinton)

Passings
14 - Octavian (Augustus) Roman general, emperor
1493 - Emperor Frederick III of Germany (1440-1493)

Reported Missing in Action
1968
Collins, Theothis, USMC (NJ); KIA (explosive device), body not recovered

Hoffman, Terry Alan, USMC (IN); CH46D shot down (crewmember), remains returned/buried 1994

1969
Bohlig, James Richard, USMC (CA); F4B did not return from night mission (pilot, w/Morrissey), KIA, body not recovered

Flanigan, John N., USMC (FL); F4B shot down (radar intercept officer, w/Smith), remains returned 1989 - ID'd June, 1997

Morrissey, Richard Thomas, USMC (NY); F4B did not return from night mission (pilot, w/Bohlig)

Smith, Robert N., USMC (PA); F4B shot down (pilot, w/Flanigan)

1972
Behnfeldt, Roger Ernest, USAF (OH); RF4C shot down (pilot), remains returned September, 1987

Shingaki, Tamotsu, USAF (HI); RF4C shot down, released by DRV March, 1973 - retired as a Major - alive as of 1998

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