Catholic News Service (Web Page)
HEADLINE:
Catholic chaplain at military hospital finds work hard but
rewarding
By Master Sgt. Robert Haskell
LANDSTUHL, Germany (CNS) -- There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Specialist Ronald Baker of the Arkansas
Army National Guard was going to die.
All that kept the man from Cabot, Ark., alive at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center was a life-support system and
his wife's concern for his soul.
The 34-year-old soldier had never been baptized, and his wife needed the reassurance that the soldier would leave the
world as a Christian after he had been severely wounded by an improvised explosive device in Iraq Oct. 7.
The woman, a Protestant, asked a Catholic priest, Father Richard Sirianni, to baptize her husband. A military chaplain
who is a lieutenant colonel in the Oregon Air National Guard, Father Sirianni had been helping the comatose man's
loved ones to say goodbye to the soldier since they had arrived in Germany.
Father Sirianni, who is pastor of St. Henry Parish in Gresham, Ore., baptized Ron Baker and on Oct. 13 the Arkansas
man died, passing into what his family said would be a better place.
The priest's days on duty can be long, but Father Sirianni is glad to be ministering overseas. He is the only full-time
priest-chaplain at this massive hospital. His active duty began Sept. 25 and will continue through Dec. 21.
"It can be exhausting. On the other hand, it's very rewarding," said Father Sirianni, a priest for 26 years and an Air
National Guard chaplain for 17 years.
Landstuhl, the largest U.S. military hospital outside the United States, receives all the wounded soldiers from Iraq and
Afghanistan. Its team of eight chaplains and five assistants look after patients' emotional and spiritual well-being as
intently as the doctors and nurses work on their wounds.
By the third week in October, when Father Sirianni was interviewed, Landstuhl doctors had cared for 16,415 men and
women serving in Iraq and 2,905 in Afghanistan. Patients include people who have lost arms and legs and who have
been badly burned, who have injured their backs, who suffer from battle fatigue, and those who will die.
Father Sirianni ministers to the injured and also helps visiting family members by making sure they have a room, food
and pastoral support. He walks them through the many details of care -- and death.
"You make sure that no aspect of caring for people is overlooked," he said.
During his day, he makes his rounds through the hospital's 3.8 miles of hallway to visit the Catholic soldiers. A
significant number of soldiers are Latino and Catholic, and there is a serious shortage of priests in the military who can
minister to Catholic personnel. But Father Sirianni visits anyone in need, whether they are Catholic or not.
One night on his rounds he realized he had run out of consecrated Communion hosts. When a soldier who has lost his
limbs asked for Communion, the priest made the long walk to get it.
Many soldiers who have survived an attack want to tell a chaplain their tales, especially the stories about friends who
died. "There is a real need for them to tell you firsthand about the trauma of war," Father Sirianni said.
He knows that most nights all around the hospital soldiers are awake or are sleeping fitfully, plagued by memories of
explosions, bullets and blood. The priest has asked his parishioners back in Gresham, in the Portland Archdiocese, to
pray each day at about noon their time because that is when the injured and dying at Landstuhl are trying to get to sleep.
Besides praying for the soldiers, Father Sirianni's parishioners and colleagues from the Portland Air Base send clothes
and shoes to Landstuhl in care of Father Sirianni. The supplies from Oregon are mighty welcome.
Oregon Army Guard Spc. Robert Wojtecki, in Landstuhl to be examined for abdominal pains, is one soldier who met
with Father Sirianni to talk about his situation.
"This chaplain has been pulled out of his life just like I've been pulled out of mine," Wojtecki said in an interview for
the Catholic Sentinel, Portland's archdiocesan newspaper. "He understands what I'm going through and how lonely it
can get."
Father Sirianni noted that he has presided at graveside memorials for World War II veterans who have died of old age.
He has often told their loved ones that the nation would never see the likes of that generation again, but he said his time
at Landstuhl has made him reconsider that view.
"I was completely wrong," he told the Catholic Sentinel. "These young soldiers, many of whom are not yet 20, are as
courageous and selfless as the World War II generation. They have done heroic things. They feel guilty that they left
their friends behind."
The priest noted that when he returns to the United States he will have a new respect for the country's young people.
"I will never chase a skateboarder away from my church again," he said. (Dec. 1, 2004)
American Forces Press Service
HEADLINE:
U.S. Troops Nab Bomb Maker, Associates, in Iraq Raid
WASHINGTON- American troops in Iraq captured a known maker of improvised explosive devices and two associates
during a raid today near Al Duluiyah, Iraq.
The soldiers, part of Task Force Danger, searched five homes during the raid. The bomb maker and two other suspects
were taken to a Multinational Force detention facility for further questioning. (Dec. 2, 2004)
American Forces Press Service
HEADLINE:
DoD to Extend Troops, Deploy Two Units to Iraq
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will increase the number of troops in Iraq by 12,000, Joint Staff officials
said at a Pentagon news conference today.
Two Army brigades, a Marine expeditionary unit and an Army transportation company have been extended, said Army
Brig. Gen. David Rodriguez, deputy operations director at the Joint Staff. Two battalions from the 82nd Airborne
Division will deploy from Fort Bragg, N.C., on Dec. 15 and serve in Baghdad for 120 days.
The decision increases the number of U.S. troops from 138,000 to 150,000 by the Jan. 30 Iraqi elections. All the troops
were officially notified Nov. 30.
A total of 4,400 soldiers from the Army's 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division from Hawaii were due to leave Iraq
in January. The brigade will now leave in March, officials said.
The 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division - about 3,500 soldiers - was due to leave Iraq in January. The Fort Hood,
Texas, soldiers now will leave in February and March. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, composed of about 2,300
Marines based in Okinawa, Japan, was set to leave Iraq in January and will now remain until the end of February.
About 160 soldiers of the 66th Transportation Company based in Germany also have been extended.
The soldiers will be in country for up to 14 months. The Marines will be in country for nine months. Rodriguez said
these units will not be extended further.
Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Multinational Force Iraq commander, requested the increase. "We are using the
rotation here to give us some additional capability during a very critical window," he said during an interview today
with the American Forces Press Service and the Pentagon Channel.
Casey said the units will not only help secure the country for the Jan. 30 election, but also will allow the coalition to
maintain pressure on the insurgents.
The two battalions from Fort Bragg will relieve units already in Baghdad. This will free up "more seasoned forces so
they can conduct operations in the greater Baghdad area," Casey said.
Officials stress that the increase is temporary and was made in coordination with the interim Iraqi government.
Rodriguez also said that the move is in no way a reflection on the ability of the nascent Iraqi security forces. He said
about 115,000 members of the Iraqi security forces are "trained and equipped." By the end of January, officials expect
that number to be up to 125,000.
Rodriguez said the Iraqi army, the Iraqi National Guard and the Iraqi police acquitted themselves well in the recent
battles around Najaf and most recently in Fallujah. Still, officials said, the coalition forces must be increased to provide
more security for the election.
The election in January is the first of a series. Iraqis will elect delegates for a national assembly that will write a
proposed constitution. Following that will be a referendum on the constitution and finally - in January 2006 - Iraqis will
elect their government under the new constitution.
(Dec. 1, 2004)
American Forces Press Service
HEADLINE:
Coalition Plans to Keep Insurgents on Run, Commander
Says
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
WASHINGTON -- Successful military operations in Fallujah, Iraq, have put insurgents and foreign fighters on the run,
and the military commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today the city is "no longer held hostage to terror."
In an interview from Baghdad with the Pentagon Channel, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of
Multinational Force Iraq, said coalition forces have taken a "major step forward" in the campaign to end the insurgent
stronghold that has held the city captive.
He said Iraqi and coalition forces have eliminated the center of terrorist and insurgent activity and returned the city to
the control of the legitimate Iraqi government.
Casey said successful military operations in Fallujah, which he called the planning, staging and logistics base for
insurgents and foreign fighters, have scattered the enemy.
"He (the enemy -- terrorists and foreign fighters) has lost his base of operations and logistics. He is unsettled and he's in
new areas," Casey explained. "We intend to use this window now to keep him on the run, we'll weaken his intimidation
campaign and deny him sanctuary."
To prove Fallujah was a hub for insurgent activity, Casey pointed out that coalition forces found more than 340 weapon
caches stored in the city, compared to 142 caches found throughout the entire country last month.
In addition, he said, coalition forces found ledgers that listed fighters coming into Fallujah from different countries. "We
believe we have evidence of over 20 countries having terrorists that have come through Fallujah at one time or another"
Casey said. "So we are fairly satisfied that it was, in fact, the foreign terrorist safe haven that we thought it was."
Casey said one of the major goals of military operations in Fallujah in November, and similar operations in Samarra in
October, was to eliminate terrorist safe havens in Iraq as the country moves toward January elections.
Casey said eliminating Fallujah as a safe haven "will go a long way" toward helping the Iraqi people hold safe elections
in January, and that a free and prosperous Iraq will exert a stabilizing effect on the Middle East region.
"As we analyzed the situation over the summer, it became clear to us that we could not safely get to free elections in
January if we still had terrorist safe havens across Iraq," the general explained. "Frankly, no government could allow a
terrorist operation to operate with impunity 30 miles from the capital.
"We now intend to keep the heat on the terrorists by pursuing them into the new locations that they've gone into and to
continue the disruption of their efforts while we have them on the run," he added.
However, Casey also cautioned, "progress towards elections will be tough," as parts of the country still are not safe for
elections.
In the aftermath of Fallujah, Casey said, the coalition hopes to focus efforts on providing better security in Ramadi,
capital of the Anbar province, as well as in Mosul and Baghdad.
"We believe a solution in Ramadi in now obtainable, now that Fallujah has been eliminated as a terrorist safe haven," he
said. "The whole Al Anbar province is an area of difficulty for the interim government, and we will work very hard to
bring the security situation there to the point where they have election in January."
Regarding Mosul, where Iraqi security and coalition forces restored control after the police collapsed in early
November, Casey said, "It's still not where we need it to be for elections, and we will continue to work with the Iraqi
security forces and the governor to bring a higher level of security to Mosul."
In Baghdad, where the level of violence has gone down, Casey said, the plan is to "keep the pressure on insurgents that
may have left Fallujah and settled in the greater Baghdad area."
"So what you'll see in the next 60 days is a series of operations to enhance security in those three critical regions," he
said.
Casey said much of that security will come from Iraqi security forces, as training and equipping those forces continues
to go well. The general said that by the end of December there will 18 battalions in the new Iraqi army, and nine more
will be added by the end of January.
In addition, 45 Iraqi National Guard battalions will be trained and equipment by January. "That will bring us to about 72
battalions that be available for providing election security," he said.
Training for local police also continues to get better. About 2,500 officers graduate each month from training
academies, Casey said, adding that that number is expected to rise to about 5,000 a month starting next year.
Meanwhile, reconstruction efforts throughout Iraq are slowly building momentum, though, the general added, it is a
difficult process due to the security situation. "As the security situation gets better, we have every indication that the
economic development is also going to get faster," he said.
Since the transition of sovereignty, there were about 250 construction projects started. Now, more than 1,000 projects
worth some $2.5 billion and employing more than 100,000 Iraqis have been started, he noted.
"We're moving in the right direction, but (slowly)," he said.
The reconstruction situation is different in Fallujah, where Casey said the Iraqi government is moving quickly to start
reconstruction and reestablish the rule of law. He said the city will get $100 million in support, and some 100 projects to
rebuild the city will begin in the next few months.
For the thousands who fled the city prior to the fighting, Casey said that humanitarian assistance is being provided to
those areas where people fled. He said a very small number of families are still in the city, and they are being cared for
by U.S. Marines.
Though the general did not give a specific date, he said, "We would expect people to begin returning to Fallujah in the
very near future."
Casey also said the United States can take great pride in the work coalition and Iraqi forces are achieving, and that
servicemembers and Iraqi security forces there are doing a magnificent job.
"Our success to date is a tribute to the great men and women of the Iraqi security forces and the coalition who have
given their lives to defeat terrorism and help the Iraqi people to a build a better life," he said.
"We grieve with the loved ones of all of our servicemembers and with those of Iraqi servicemembers who have died.
We are humbled by their sacrifice and their contribution to bringing freedom to 25 million Iraqis," Casey said. "And we
are humbled by their sacrifice in enhancing the security of the U.S. and the coalition.
"I can assure that each and every one of them recognizes the importance that successfully accomplishing this mission
holds for our security," the general continued. "I couldn't be prouder of these wonderful men and women." (Dec. 1,
2004)
American Forces Press Service
HEADLINE:
Iraqi, Coalition Forces Capture Dozens of Suspected
Militants
WASHINGTON -- Military operations by Iraqi security and coalition forces in Baghdad and Mosul, Iraq, netted more
than 30 suspected militants over the past 48 hours, military officials in Baghdad reported.
Today south of Baghdad, Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines rounded up 15 suspected militants, part of a weeklong
offensive aimed at ridding northern Babil province of insurgents.
In Mosul, U.S. soldiers from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), detained 17 people
suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during operations there Nov. 30.
During military operations in Baghdad, Iraqi National Guardsmen, backed by elements of the 24th Marine
Expeditionary Unit, detained three men during an early-morning raid near Lutafiyah. Several hours later, Iraqi National
Guard troops captured two suspected militants near Mahmudiyah.
Meanwhile, military officials say, Marines are continuing military efforts to quell insurgent activity in Baghdad. Today
Marines detained 10 suspects during five separate missions, bringing the number of detainees to 210 since this operation
began just before Nov. 25.
Military officials also reported that a would-be terrorist attempting to plant a roadside bomb was killed when one of the
two mortar rounds he was using exploded prematurely.
Elsewhere in Iraq, U.S. soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment detained six people during military
operations east of Mosul.
Military officials said those detained were wanted for planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities and that one of the
detainees was a "known financier" of those activities.
In southeast Mosul, Iraqi police fought off a group of insurgents that attacked their station with small arms, forcing the
attackers to flee. Multinational Force soldiers quickly responded and detained six suspects in that attack.
West of Mosul, U.S. soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment detained two people for anti-Iraqi activities at a
traffic control point. A search of the individuals' vehicle turned up one sniper rifle, ammunition and a large sum of
money.
Military officials also reported that soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment detained two people suspected
of anti-Iraqi activities.
The two were taken into custody after bomb-making tools, empty artillery shells, and numerous intelligence documents
that included bomb-making equipment lists were confiscated from their residence. (Dec. 1, 2004)
American Forces Press Service
HEADLINE:
U.S. Peacekeepers Finish Bosnia Mission, Case Colors
By Jim Garamone
WASHINGTON -- The last U.S. peacekeeping troops in Bosnia are gone, as NATO turned over control of operations in
the country to the European Union.
A ceremony Nov. 24 officially marked "mission complete and mission accomplished," said Gen. B.B. Bell, commander
of U.S. Army Europe. The NATO countries decided to end the peacekeeping mission during the Istanbul Summit in
June.
Task Force Eagle cased its colors during a ceremony at the American headquarters in Tuzla, Bosnia. "The extraordinary
lengths our predecessors have gone to in order to set the conditions for a lasting peace humble us," said the final Task
Force Eagle commander, Army Brig. Gen. T.J. Wright.
More than 100,000 U.S. personnel served in Operation Joint Endeavor since U.S. troops first crossed the Sava River at
the end of December 1995. Thousands more supported the servicemembers from bases in Italy, Germany and Hungary.
The 1st Armored Division, which has recently returned from Iraq, was the lead in that operation.
In late 1995, more than 60,000 NATO troops poured into Bosnia following the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords on
Dec. 14.
The NATO intervention came during the height of a terrible winter. Flooding delayed the U.S. portion of the operation.
"We've seen that it can be extraordinarily challenging to operate in the kind of environment in which we are," said thenChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Shalikashvili after visiting troops in Tuzla.
"I had said early on, ours is not a fair-weather military," he said. "And despite the fact that we had this challenge thrown
at us, I'm absolutely delighted that, as always, the young men and women, the young sergeants, the young unit leaders,
were the ones (who) pulled it off."
Army engineers emplaced a tactical ribbon bridge over the Sava River that marks the boundary between Croatia and
Bosnia. American soldiers then took up peacekeeping duties.
And they were needed. During the almost four-year war that preceded the Dayton Accords, more than 200,000 Serbs,
Muslims and Croats were killed. About 2 million residents became refugees. Bosnia's capital-Sarajevo, the home of the
1984 Winter Olympics-was a ruined, bombed city. Under siege by Serb militias for two years, thousands of people had
been killed. A particularly vicious shelling in August 1995 killed 37 innocent people in the city's main marketplace.
One road in Sarajevo earned the sobriquet of "Sniper Alley" because of the constant gunfire along it.
Tuzla, where the U.S. effort was headquartered, was a bit better off. Still, the area contained many flashpoints where
Serbs lived next to Muslims who lived next to Croats.
American troops and their NATO allies immediately separated the warring parties. Civil affairs personnel went into the
areas and worked with the various ethnic groups to better conditions in the country.
And it wasn't just NATO allies. A Russian brigade worked closely with U.S. soldiers, as did troops from Poland, the
Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and many other countries.
The NATO troops that first went in as part of Operation Joint Endeavor were called the Implementation Force. In
December 1996, that mandate ran out, and NATO created the Stabilization Force, which has been in place since.
The forces provided security for many elections since the crucial ones in 1996. Individual soldiers, sailors, airmen,
Marines and DoD civilians worked during their free time to make life a little better for the people of the country.
Soccer fields, schools, playgrounds, nurseries, churches, mosques-all these and more benefited from the U.S. presence
in the country.
The example that U.S. servicemembers set-with troops of many backgrounds working together harmoniously-also
helped send a message to the people of the region.
Since NATO moved into the country, the number of troops on duty there has steadily decreased. When the Stabilization
Force was created, there were 32,000 troops assigned to the mission. As the European Union Force takes charge, there
are 7,000 NATO troops in the country-with only 700 Americans.
EUFOR, as the new group will be known, will maintain the 7,000-member force level for the time being. (Dec. 1, 2004)
Army Public Affairs Media Alerts (ARNEWS)
HEADLINE:
TF Eagle completes mission in Bosnia
by Jason Austin
TUZLA, Bosnia -- Soldiers from Stabilization Force 15, along with commanders both past and present of Task Force
Eagle and other multinational task forces throughout SFOR, gathered to bring a close to the final SFOR rotation in
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Task Force Eagle, the U.S.-led element of SFOR in Bosnia, came to an end during a disestablishment ceremony at
Eagle Base Nov. 24.
"Just as the initial Implementation Force evolved into the Stabilization Force, this peacekeeping mission is transitioning
to the European Union Forces," said Brig. Gen. T.J. Wright, the final commander of TF Eagle from the 38th Infantry
Division (Mechanized), Indiana National Guard.
"The European Force is well built on the foundation that has been forged for many years of progressive
accomplishments of SFOR."
"This has been the U.S. Army portion of America's and NATO's Multinational Division and now Multinational Task
Force North, both of which have provided a safe and secure environment in a large part of Bosnia and Herzegovina for
the past nine years," said Gen. B.B. Bell, commander, U.S. Army Europe.
Bell served as the chief of staff for USAREUR Forward when TF Eagle took over the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia,
Dec. 20, 1995.
"This ceremony officially marks mission complete and mission accomplished for this great Task Force Eagle which has
honorably served as part of a NATO coalition of over 40 nations dedicated to ensuring that the people of this nation can
move ahead from a war-torn past to a peaceful, promising future," Bell said.
"Since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords ... nearly 100,000 United States Soldiers have served to ensure a safe
and secure environment for Bosnia and Herzegovina and deter a return to the hostilities that killed 200,000 people,"
Wright said. "The extraordinary lengths our predecessors have gone to, in order to set the conditions for a lasting peace,
humble us."
The final casing of the TF Eagle colors was part of the completion of the SFOR mission and the inauguration of the
European Union Force, which will occur in a separate ceremony in Sarajevo Dec. 2.
The EUFOR is a coalition involving 33 countries, 11 of which are non-EU members. Officials said EUFOR will
reinforce the EU's political engagement, its assistance programs and its ongoing police and monitoring missions, to help
BiH continue to progress toward European
Integration.
"So now, here we are nine years later, November 2004, the nation of Bosnia and Herzegovina stands as an emerging
member of the community of peaceful nations in Europe," Bell said. "It has free elections. It has a free media. It is able
to secure its own borders and provide police to enforce the laws."
Helping the citizens of Bosnia has been a source of pride said Soldiers of TF Eagle, made up of both active and reserve
components.
"Over the course of our nine months here, it has been my honor to assist the Bosnian people as they work for the
common goal of a unified country with firm ties to the rest of Europe and international organizations," Wright said.
"Since the end of the conflict that brought much sorrow, many steps have been taken to establish a peaceful, stable and
democratic government.
"It has been an honor for the 38th Infantry Division to lead Task Force Eagle," Wright said, "as the final United States
contingent of Stabilization Force."
(Editor's note: Jason Austin serves with USAREUR Public Affairs. See his related article
providing SFOR history, Task Force Eagle leaving Bosnia. )
(Dec. 1, 2004)
KTHV CH-11
HEADLINE:
Funeral Service Scheduled For Arkansas Soldier
Twenty-four-year-old Spc. Michael Smith of Camden died Saturday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington, D.C. His funeral is scheduled for Sunday.
His father, Donald Smith, said Michael was serving with the 39th Infantry Brigade near Baghdad when he was shot in
the head by a sniper. He was riding in a Humvee on patrol at the time. Smith was the 22nd soldier with Arkansas ties to
die in Iraq since March.
A 1999 graduate of Camden Fairview High School, Smith had plans to return home and attend Southern Arkansas
University Tech once he completed his military service.
The funeral service is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Camden Fairview High School gymnasium. Reddick Funeral Home is
handling the arrangements. Burial will be in Memorial Park in Camden. (Dec. 2, 2004)
KATV CH-7
HEADLINE:
Sunday Funeral Service Scheduled for Arkansas Soldier
CAMDEN (AP) - A funeral service is scheduled for Sunday for an Arkansas soldier who died of injuries he sustained
while serving in Iraq.
Twenty-four-year-old Specialist Michael Smith of Camden died Saturday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in
Washington, D.C.
His father, Donald Smith, said Michael was serving with the 39th Infantry Brigade near Baghdad when he was shot in
the head by a sniper. He was riding in a Humvee on patrol at the time.
Smith was the 21st soldier with Arkansas ties to die in Iraq since March.
A 1999 graduate of Camden Fairview High School, Smith had plans to return home and attend Southern Arkansas
University Tech once he completed his military service.
The funeral service is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Camden Fairview High School gymnasium. Reddick Funeral Home is
handling the arrangements. Burial will be in Memorial Park in Camden. (Dec. 2, 2004)
FOX 16
HEADLINE:
Another Arkansas Soldier Dies From Wounds
Another Arkansas soldier has died from wounds sustained while serving in Iraq. Michael smith, 24, of Camden died
Saturday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington. Smith was serving with the 39th Infantry Brigade near
Baghdad when he was shot in the head by a sniper. Smith will be buried in Camden. Funeral services have not been
scheduled. (Dec. 2, 2004)
KWTX CH-10 (Waco, Texas)
HEADLINE:
Fort Hood Soldiers Return To Central Texas Wednesday
About 160 soldiers from Fort Hood’s 57th Signal Battalion, 3rd Signal Brigade, were scheduled to return to post from
Iraq late Tuesday afternoon or Tuesday evening.
Another welcome home ceremony is planned Saturday, when about 120 soldiers from the 13th Corps Support
Command and the 39th Brigade Combat Team of the Arkansas National Guard return to post from Iraq. (Dec. 2, 2004)
Insider Reports:
Programs Available For Supporting the Troops
As reported in the last "AFA Update", DoD recently asked the public to be conscious of the strain that is often placed on
the military postal system, especially during the holidays, and to refrain from sending unsolicited packages to military
personnel deployed to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. DoD does, however, list some resources on their website,
http://www.defendamerica.mil/support_troops.html. While the Department of Defense does not endorse organizations, a
DOD official said that the groups listed on this website are checked routinely to make sure they are doing what they say
they are. There are many groups offering many ways to show deployed troops that yes, "America Supports You!" We
highlight a few here:
Sending Care Packages to "Any Soldier in Harm's Way"
AnySoldier.Com has put together a "work-around" to the DOD guidelines which DOD has acknowledged and
mentioned on their own website. "AnySoldier.com" has volunteer airmen, soldiers, marines and sailors in Iraq and
Afghanistan who will accept packages addressed to them and will then distribute the needed items to the troops in their
area. Each participant has listed the items they need - most are toiletries, current reading materials, clothing items, etc.
But most importantly, letters of support are very much appreciated. If you can package together a gift box, please do ...
but we recommend your getting people to write cards and letters of support and sending them to the troops. Click here
for full details of the program.
www.anysoldier.com.
Army and Air Force Exchange Service has two programs that can send some comfort and joy to the troops:
 "Gifts from the Homefront" - Send a $10 or $20 personalized gift certificate that military men and women can use just
like cash to buy personal comfort items specific to their own needs like toiletries, food, CDs, DVDs, electronic games,
and much more. You can choose to have the gift certificate mailed directly to a specific service member or donate to
"any service member or unit". AAFES has over 56 post exchange stores near the battle front and throughout southwest
Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Click here for more information.
http://www.aafes.com/docs/homefront.htm
 "Help our Troops Call Home" - Help deployed troops call home for the holidays from one of AAFES' 60 call
centers in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. A phone call home can bring peace of mind to deployed
men and women. AAFES makes it easy for any American to help families ease the burden of phone bills from
Iraq, Afghanistan or any other overseas forward-deployed location by offering the lowest per-minute calling
rates with more talk time than any other international calling card. Donate a telephone calling card to troops
today to help them stay connected from the front lines to the homefront. Click here for details.
https://thor.aafes.com/scs/default.aspx
The USO
The USO also runs a program for deployed troops to call home. "Operation Phone Home," uses donations to buy
international phone cards in bulk for distribution to deployed troops. A general donation to the USO supports, in part,
USO centers worldwide that offer free Internet and e-mail, as well as a place to just hang out during down time. The
newest center is set to open in Afghanistan shortly. The USO Reports an "Urgent Need" for phone cards right now.
Click here for information on the USA Phone Home Calling Card program.
http://www.uso.org/pubs/8_20_2733.cfm.
Click here for other ways to support our troops through the USO.
http://www.uso.org/pubs/8_18_53.cfm
U.S. Postal Service Offers Free Shipping Materials for Military Families
The U.S. Postal Service is helping make things a little easier for military families by offering a special kit for military
families which includes 10 boxes, 10 customs forms with envelopes, 10 "Mili-Pac" shipping envelopes which are
specially printed for military mailing addresses and a roll of priority mail tape. To order the free kit, call 1-800-6108734 and request Care Kit 4 or fax your request to 1-800-270-6233. The kit will be mailed to you via Priority Mail and
delivery is usually within a couple of days.
We encourage you to forward this e-mail to others who may be interested in the topics. If someone forwarded
you this e-mail (it didn't come to you directly from AFA) and you would like to be included on the distribution
list, please click here.
Air Force Association
1501 Lee Highway
Arlington, VA 22209-1198
USA
USAF Aim Points
SENIOR LEADERS ARE SAYING…
As an Army customer...I am extremely excited and energized by the fact that these are bold transformational steps the
Air Force is taking. They didn't take the safe way; they took the right path, the necessary path. They're bold, big steps
that will enable the United States Air Force to be truly a Future Total Force, and frankly, a more capable member of the
joint team. (Director, National Guard Bureau, Dec 2004)
TODAY’S MESSAGE
As we move into the 21st Century, the Air Force faces increasing modernization and recapitalization challenges, an
adversary increasingly hard to define, and strained budget realities. We must make transformational changes to
maximize the capabilities that cutting edge technology and capable, highly trained personnel give us. One way to
accomplish this is through Future Total Force (FTF).
FTF is a new and creative way to transform the Air Force for the needs of the 21 st Century Air Force. FTF will further
the integration of air components in a way that is different than its past but still connected to its tradition to create a
more capable Air and Space Power Team.
The goal of FTF is to increase combat capability by capitalizing on the inherent strengths of the Air Force’s three
components: the active duty (AD), Air Force Reserve (AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG). Towards this vision we
will test new organizational constructs to integrate every facet of Air Force operations. At the same time we are closely
reviewing current and emerging mission areas to ensure each component’s role is appropriate. These changes will not
only increase our operational effectiveness, but will reduce reliance on involuntary mobilization.
Movie Preview: Coming Attraction-Operation Red Flag
At the IMAX
Aerospace Education Center-IMAX® Theatre </txshows/theaters/index.html?uniq=380>
3301 E. Roosevelt Rd. , Little Rock AR USA
Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag
Coming Soon No Date Yet Determined
[theater info <index.html?uniq=380>] [movie info </filmsearch/movies/coming_soon.html?uniq=362>]
Preview: http://www.fighterpilotfilm.com/
Honoring those who have made the ultimate contribution in defense of our nation...
Some Gave All... now posted on the National Guard Bureau web site:
www.ngb.army.mil
For Daily News on America's Fight Against the War on Terror:
www.defendamerica.mil