Wednesday, July 31, 2019
US Army Paratroopers Killed in Afghanistan Identified
The Pentagon has identified the US Soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan on 29 July 2019 as SPC Michael I. Nance,24,of Chicago,Illinois and PFC Brandon J. Kreischer,20,of Stryker,Ohio.Members of Company B,1st Battalion,505th Parachute Infantry Regiment,3rd Brigade Combat Team,82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg,North Carolina,they were serving in support of the counter-terror Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
COL Arthur Sellers,commander of the 3rd BCT,said:
These young men were true All-Americans and embodied the qualities of selfless service and courage as they answered our nation's call to deploy to Afghanistan.*
SPC Nance was an automatic rifleman;PFC Kreischer was a rifleman.Among their decorations were the Purple Heart Medal,Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.*
At this time,it appears the paratroopers died at a US forward operating base in Karin Towt,Uruzgan Province,after having been shot by an Afghan soldier in the adjacent Kandahar Province at an Afghan military base,in a green-on-blue attack (insider attack).The shooting was praised by the Taliban militants as having been "sensible".The assailant was wounded and is in custody.The attack is under investigation.
Twelve American service members have been killed in action in the Afghan War so far in 2019.Thirteen US troops were killed in action in the war for all of 2018.*
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
-Psalm 33:12
COL Arthur Sellers,commander of the 3rd BCT,said:
These young men were true All-Americans and embodied the qualities of selfless service and courage as they answered our nation's call to deploy to Afghanistan.*
SPC Nance was an automatic rifleman;PFC Kreischer was a rifleman.Among their decorations were the Purple Heart Medal,Bronze Star Medal and Combat Infantryman Badge.*
At this time,it appears the paratroopers died at a US forward operating base in Karin Towt,Uruzgan Province,after having been shot by an Afghan soldier in the adjacent Kandahar Province at an Afghan military base,in a green-on-blue attack (insider attack).The shooting was praised by the Taliban militants as having been "sensible".The assailant was wounded and is in custody.The attack is under investigation.
Twelve American service members have been killed in action in the Afghan War so far in 2019.Thirteen US troops were killed in action in the war for all of 2018.*
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance."
-Psalm 33:12
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Republic of Georgia:Agile Spirit 19 kicks off with dual opening ceremonies
Agile Spirit 19 kicks off with dual opening ceremonies: Exercise Agile Spirit 19 began with dual opening ceremonies at Senaki Air Base and Vaziani Training Area in the country of Georgia on July 27, 2019.
AGS is a multinational exercise which is cooperatively planned by the Georgia Defense Forces and co-led by the U.S. European Command. It is a culminating training event for European Rotational Forces.
Afghan War Developments:Two US Troops Killed;One Croatian Soldier Killed Near NATO Base
NATO's Resolute Support Mission said two US troops were killed on 29 July 2019.According to the Afghan Army,they were shot dead by an Afghan soldier in a green-on-blue attack (insider attack).The US Army's 82d Airborne Division revealed that the two were its Soldiers.Their identities will be withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin.*
In a separate incident,a Croatian Soldier was killed in action and two others were wounded on 24 July near a NATO base on the outskirts of Kabul,when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle collided with their vehicle.It was the first non-US NATO death in the Afghan War of 2019.*
President Donald Trump has informed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he wants more US troops withdrawn from Afghanistan before the 2020 American election.Some US troops would remain to continue the counter-terror Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
In a separate incident,a Croatian Soldier was killed in action and two others were wounded on 24 July near a NATO base on the outskirts of Kabul,when a suicide bomber on a motorcycle collided with their vehicle.It was the first non-US NATO death in the Afghan War of 2019.*
President Donald Trump has informed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he wants more US troops withdrawn from Afghanistan before the 2020 American election.Some US troops would remain to continue the counter-terror Operation Freedom's Sentinel.
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Orion/Artemis Programs Update:Orion Capsule and European Service Module for Artemis 1 Mission Completed
The Orion crew module for the uncrewed Artemis 1 Mission slated for 2020 has been completed,Vice President Mike Pence announced on 20 July 2019.Speaking at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center,Florida,Mr. Pence was joined by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis,NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine,Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin,KSC Director Robert Cabana,Lockheed Martin CEO Marilyn Hewson,and Rick Armstrong,son of the late Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong.*
Looking ahead:
1.Since being shipped in its bare bones pressure vessel form from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans,the capsule has been integrated with thousands of parts and undergone rigorous testing of its flight systems.The European Service Module for Artemis 1 has also been completed.It will provide power,propulsion,water and oxygen for the Artemis Moon missions.The ESM is a product of Airbus Space and Defence in Bremen,Germany.Engineers have begun the process of joining the crew module to the service module,with teams connecting power and fluid lines to complete hardware attachment.
2.Next,the conjoined modules will be shipped via the cavernous Guppy aircraft to NASA Plum Brook Station in Sandusky,Ohio for testing to verify that the partial stack can survive the challenging conditions of deep spaceflight.
3.Pending successful completeion of the Plum Brook tests,the partial stack will be returned to KSC for final processing and inspection.Then it will be fueled and transported to the monumental Vehicle Assembly Building for integration with the new Space Launch System rocket.Finally,the complete stack will be rolled out on the crawler transporter to Launch Complex 39B to await launch.*
Engineers at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,Alabama are more than 50% through their evaluation of the SLS for deep space missions.*
The crewed Artemis 2 Mission is scheduled for 2022 and is to set the distance record for crewed spaceflight,reaching a high lunar orbit 40,000 miles from the Moon.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Looking ahead:
1.Since being shipped in its bare bones pressure vessel form from the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans,the capsule has been integrated with thousands of parts and undergone rigorous testing of its flight systems.The European Service Module for Artemis 1 has also been completed.It will provide power,propulsion,water and oxygen for the Artemis Moon missions.The ESM is a product of Airbus Space and Defence in Bremen,Germany.Engineers have begun the process of joining the crew module to the service module,with teams connecting power and fluid lines to complete hardware attachment.
2.Next,the conjoined modules will be shipped via the cavernous Guppy aircraft to NASA Plum Brook Station in Sandusky,Ohio for testing to verify that the partial stack can survive the challenging conditions of deep spaceflight.
3.Pending successful completeion of the Plum Brook tests,the partial stack will be returned to KSC for final processing and inspection.Then it will be fueled and transported to the monumental Vehicle Assembly Building for integration with the new Space Launch System rocket.Finally,the complete stack will be rolled out on the crawler transporter to Launch Complex 39B to await launch.*
Engineers at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,Alabama are more than 50% through their evaluation of the SLS for deep space missions.*
The crewed Artemis 2 Mission is scheduled for 2022 and is to set the distance record for crewed spaceflight,reaching a high lunar orbit 40,000 miles from the Moon.*
Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
101st Airborne Division:Ukrainian Brigade Completes Rotation at CCT-Yavoriv
On 13 July 2019,the Armed Forces of Ukraine's 95th Air Assault Brigade completed its training rotation at Combat Training Center-Yavoriv,Ukraine,the US Army's 101st Airborne Division reported.A ceremony was held to mark the occasion by Task Force Carentan,2nd Brigade Combat Team,101st Airborne Division (Air Assault),which trained the Ukrainian troops.
LTC Michael Starz,CTC mentorship branch commander,spoke at the ceremony:
We offered NATO techniques to enhance combat effectiveness of your forces.Commanders at lower levels are empowered with clear intent of higher commanders.Non-commissioned officers are experts and decisive to all levels of operations,from squad to brigade.This is not theory.This is combat tested and proven.It works and we saw you embrace this as a unit dedicated to learning and improvement.*
Certificates of achievement were presented to the 95th AASLT BDE by TF Carentan Senior Leaders for their dedication to their Soldiers and resilience during their training rotation at CTC-Yavoriv.
In conclusion,LTC Starz expressed the emotion of the day:
We bid you farewell with confidence that we will find each other again in each other's homes,at a future exercise,or in an operation.See you on the high ground.*
LTC Michael Starz,CTC mentorship branch commander,spoke at the ceremony:
We offered NATO techniques to enhance combat effectiveness of your forces.Commanders at lower levels are empowered with clear intent of higher commanders.Non-commissioned officers are experts and decisive to all levels of operations,from squad to brigade.This is not theory.This is combat tested and proven.It works and we saw you embrace this as a unit dedicated to learning and improvement.*
Certificates of achievement were presented to the 95th AASLT BDE by TF Carentan Senior Leaders for their dedication to their Soldiers and resilience during their training rotation at CTC-Yavoriv.
In conclusion,LTC Starz expressed the emotion of the day:
We bid you farewell with confidence that we will find each other again in each other's homes,at a future exercise,or in an operation.See you on the high ground.*
Monday, July 15, 2019
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Pentagon Identifies Green Beret Killed in Afghanistan Combat
On 14 July 2019,the Pentagon released the identity of a US Army Special Operations Forces member who was killed in action on 13 July.SGM James G. Sartor,40,of Teague,Texas was killed by enemy small arms fire in Faryab Province,Northern Afghanistan.He is the tenth US service member to be killed in action in the Afghan War so far this year.Last year's death toll was 13.More than 2400 American troops have died in the war,which began soon after the al-Qaida attacks on the homeland on 9-11-2001.*
SGM Sartor was a member of 2nd Battalion,10th Special Operations Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Carson,Colorado.He was serving in support of the counter-terror Operation Freedom's Sentinel.The battle is being investigated.*
Group Commander COL Brian R. Rauen said of him:
He led his Soldiers from the front and his presence will be sorely missed.*
SGM Sartor had previously served five tours in Iraq,and was on his second tour in Afghanistan.His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2);Defense Meritorious Service Medal;Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters;Valorous Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters;Purple Heart Medal;Senior Parachutist Badge;and Special Operations Diver Badge.*
"The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."
- Charles Spurgeon
SGM Sartor was a member of 2nd Battalion,10th Special Operations Forces Group (Airborne) out of Fort Carson,Colorado.He was serving in support of the counter-terror Operation Freedom's Sentinel.The battle is being investigated.*
Group Commander COL Brian R. Rauen said of him:
He led his Soldiers from the front and his presence will be sorely missed.*
SGM Sartor had previously served five tours in Iraq,and was on his second tour in Afghanistan.His decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (2);Defense Meritorious Service Medal;Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters;Valorous Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters;Purple Heart Medal;Senior Parachutist Badge;and Special Operations Diver Badge.*
"The Lord gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction."
- Charles Spurgeon
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Afghan War:US Service Member Killed in Action - revised
NATO's Resolute Support Mission said a US service member was killed in Afghanistan on 13 July 2019.In accordance with Pentagon policy,the service member's name will be withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification is complete.*
The Taliban Islamist extremists have claimed responsibility for an attack which reportedly took place in Sayedabad District,Wardak Province,Afghanistan.They said they used an IED to strike a US vehicle.It is now known this is not the enemy action that killed the Soldier mentioned above.*
Wardak Province is in Central Afghanistan,being located just southwest of the Afghan capital Kabul.
The Taliban Islamist extremists have claimed responsibility for an attack which reportedly took place in Sayedabad District,Wardak Province,Afghanistan.They said they used an IED to strike a US vehicle.It is now known this is not the enemy action that killed the Soldier mentioned above.*
Wardak Province is in Central Afghanistan,being located just southwest of the Afghan capital Kabul.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Chief of Naval Operations:More Attention to Deterrence Needed Across the Warfighting Domains
The Chief of Naval Operations,ADM John Richardson,spoke to a breakfast meeting of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies on 2 July 2019 in Washington,DC.On nuclear deterrence,ADM Richardson noted:
The nuclear triad remains the foundation of our military strength.It's an incredibly powerful military capability where potentially everybody gets destroyed.We must maintain our ability to be competitive and relevant in this domain...(and to be able to) strike back at anybody who can pose an existential threat to the homeland.
More nations are seeking to join the club.The nuclear element of this mix remains very relevant,very active,and deserves more attention,in my mind.*
ADM Richardson said the US should accelerate the effort to build a cost-effective,credible successor to the Trident II D5 missile.Some nations are developing high tech nuclear weapons,while others are pursuing low tech weapons such as dirty bombs and systems manufactured with 3-D printers.*
On cyber warfare:
We have to have an ability for offensive cyber to truly achieve a sense of deterrence here.*
On space warfare:
The competition is absolutely heating up in space.Of these elements that are going to constitute a tailored strategic deterrent approach,space has got to be one of those.These things operate really fast...and space goes away as an asset.You can see a kind of mutually assured destruction scenario in space pretty easily.Have we thought about that going forward?*
Chemical/biological warfare:
One of the self-deterrent aspects of Chem/Bio is that it's very hard to control.It goes viral,if you will.But with these tailored things,you can get a lot more specific.It becomes a lot more targetable.And so it's something that we have to (keep in) mind.*
Conventional warfare:
We have better sensors,better satellites,better ways to connect that data with our command and control systems,our targeting systems.We had an advantage in terms of precision.The idea of being able to locate things is becoming more ubiquitous.It's less of an advantage.It's really the team that can manage that information better that's going to achieve the advantage.*
The nuclear triad remains the foundation of our military strength.It's an incredibly powerful military capability where potentially everybody gets destroyed.We must maintain our ability to be competitive and relevant in this domain...(and to be able to) strike back at anybody who can pose an existential threat to the homeland.
More nations are seeking to join the club.The nuclear element of this mix remains very relevant,very active,and deserves more attention,in my mind.*
ADM Richardson said the US should accelerate the effort to build a cost-effective,credible successor to the Trident II D5 missile.Some nations are developing high tech nuclear weapons,while others are pursuing low tech weapons such as dirty bombs and systems manufactured with 3-D printers.*
On cyber warfare:
We have to have an ability for offensive cyber to truly achieve a sense of deterrence here.*
On space warfare:
The competition is absolutely heating up in space.Of these elements that are going to constitute a tailored strategic deterrent approach,space has got to be one of those.These things operate really fast...and space goes away as an asset.You can see a kind of mutually assured destruction scenario in space pretty easily.Have we thought about that going forward?*
Chemical/biological warfare:
One of the self-deterrent aspects of Chem/Bio is that it's very hard to control.It goes viral,if you will.But with these tailored things,you can get a lot more specific.It becomes a lot more targetable.And so it's something that we have to (keep in) mind.*
Conventional warfare:
We have better sensors,better satellites,better ways to connect that data with our command and control systems,our targeting systems.We had an advantage in terms of precision.The idea of being able to locate things is becoming more ubiquitous.It's less of an advantage.It's really the team that can manage that information better that's going to achieve the advantage.*
Monday, July 8, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
US Troops Conduct Rocket Strike on al-Qaida Affiliate in Syria
According to US Central Command,US Forces conducted a strike against al-Qaida in Syria (AQ-S) leaders at a training facility near Aleppo Province on 30 June 2019.The operation targeted AQ-S operatives for plotting external attacks that threaten US citizens,partners and innocent civilians,the CENTCOM statement said.
CENTCOM goes on to explain that Northwest Syria remains a safe haven where AQ-S leaders actively coordinate terrorist activities,including planning attacks throughout the region and the West:
With our allies and partners,we will continue to target Daesh (another name for Islamic State) and al-Qaida to prevent both groups from using Syria as a safe haven.*
The monitor group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the strike as "rocket shelling" that occurred at 4:20 pm and resulted in the killing of two AQ-S commanders,one of whom was Algerian and the other Tunisian;while 14 other fighters and commanders were wounded,with substantial material damage to the compound.*
AQ-S is also known as Hurras Al-Din.
CENTCOM goes on to explain that Northwest Syria remains a safe haven where AQ-S leaders actively coordinate terrorist activities,including planning attacks throughout the region and the West:
With our allies and partners,we will continue to target Daesh (another name for Islamic State) and al-Qaida to prevent both groups from using Syria as a safe haven.*
The monitor group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the strike as "rocket shelling" that occurred at 4:20 pm and resulted in the killing of two AQ-S commanders,one of whom was Algerian and the other Tunisian;while 14 other fighters and commanders were wounded,with substantial material damage to the compound.*
AQ-S is also known as Hurras Al-Din.
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