Senior Enlisted Advisor Speaks to Pacific Command

By Tech. Sgt. Sean P. Houlihan, USAF
American Forces Press Service

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, Dec. 15, 2005 - The senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff spoke to more than 100 senior enlisted leaders at a U.S. Pacific Command seminar heretoday, telling them military service is all about "US."

"As I go around talking to servicemembers I tell them to cover up the individual service. The younger folks do it really quickly and the elders are a little more reluctant," Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey said. "There is a fear about losing your individual service identify or disgracing it, but instead I am making the point that sometimes it is more important to be about 'US.'"

Gainey said that he doesn't expect people to lose their pride in their individual service, but instead acknowledge that by working jointly there is no way the United States military can be defeated.

The sergeant major is at U.S. Pacific Command headquarters attending a two-day seminar for soldiers, Marines, sailors, airmen and Coastguardsmen holding senior enlisted leadership positions throughout the command. The seminar is the first for the command.

Gainey said that during his first 30 days in office he was in listening mode, learning as much as possible about his duties and responsibilities as the first enlisted senior advisor to the chairman, a position that took more than 15 years to establish. The next 30 days he has spent traveling to combatant command headquarters to learn of their priorities and concerns. Now, as he enters into the third 30-day period, Gainey will go into a traveling mode, meeting with senior officer and enlisted leaders, as well as visiting enlisted servicemembers.

"Those first 30-days I did nothing but listen to people," he said. "I had been able to stay out from the Pentagon for 30 years. I know there was a need to establish a relationship with individuals in the Office of the Secretary of Defense to let them know I was going to need their help in order to be successful."

He said during the initial days he received the advice to work on things that had a monetary value to servicemembers and not protocol-type items.

The sergeant major spoke briefly about his priorities of strengthening the relationship between senior enlisted advisors for combatant commands, the services' senior enlisted advisors, and the Joint Staff; Joint Enlisted Professional Military Education; safety throughout the force, and quality of life for servicemembers and their families.

Gainey said each time he gives his briefing he is often asked, "Why is quality of life the last priority?"

"Quality of life is the foundation for everything every one of us must stand for, regardless if you're a soldier, Marine, sailor, airmen or Coastguardsman," he said. "Enhancing quality of life for our servicemembers is never-ending and should be focused on 24-7."

Gainey answered questions from fellow senior enlisted members pertaining to Tricare benefits, special duty pay for assignments, permanent-change-of-station allowance difference for enlisted and officers, and the perception that Pentagon leaders would rather fund equipment than quality-of-life initiatives.

"People are the center of the corps," Gainey said. "Everyone knows that we need the people to use the equipment." He said personnel officials are not saying equipment is more important than people because they are working hard for servicemembers and don't want to promise a lot and only deliver a little. Everyone loses credibility in that instance, Gainey said.

In fact, Gainey said David S.C. Chu, the undersecretary for personnel, has asked him to ask servicemembers about Tricare benefits, tuition assistance, special duty pay for assignments, weight allowance for permanent-change-of-stations moves, and travel dislocation allowances. Gainey said he has asked to get service-specific data on each of the five items as well.

"Doctor Chu wants me to bring back concerns and comments about what people are telling me on these subjects," he said. "So what I need from each of you is to write down your concerns on these items, and I will get them back to him."

Gainey told the group that when the joint chiefs chairman, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, asked him to accept the position he told the general that he was like the Patrick Swayze character from the movie "Dirty Dancing." Swayze's character used the line, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner." Gainey said he told Pace that if he accepted the position the general must realize that he and the enlisted members would be the same way. "Enlisted soldiers don't sit in the corner," Gainey said.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Sean P. Houlihan is assigned to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.)

Biography:

Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, USA [http://www.jcs.mil/bios/bio_gainey.html]

Related Site:

U.S. Pacific Command [http://www.pacom.mil/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3675.html.

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Rumsfeld Applauds U.S. Servicemembers at Pentagon Event

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - The Defense Department's top civilian leader praised U.S. servicemembers serving at home and abroad during a town hall meeting held at the Pentagon today.

As the holiday season begins, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld observed that U.S. military members fighting terrorists in Afghanistan, Iraq and other locales are volunteers who embody the American spirit to defend freedom and to help others.

"You weren't drafted," Rumsfeld pointed out. "Every single person said, 'Send me.'"

America is an amazing country, whose young people in uniform are willing to fight -- and die, if need be -- to defend America and support other peoples' struggle for freedom, the secretary said.

"The folks here and those watching overseas have enormously important responsibilities," Rumsfeld observed. "And, because the task has fallen to you to protect our way of life and to keep America a very special place, a place where people all across the globe look at our country in times of turmoil and tragedy, so many get in line to try to come here, to live here, to work here."

The freedoms, opportunity and self-determination that previous generations of U.S. servicemembers fought and died to preserve for all Americans are the very concepts the terrorists fear and want to attack and destroy, Rumsfeld said.

Throughout history, members of America's armed forces have proven themselves willing and able to defend their country's way of life, Rumsfeld said. One writer, the secretary noted, once said that America possesses "a willingness of heart."

"And that dream, that willingness of heart, is what each of you have sacrificed," Rumsfeld said.

The secretary said it's important not to forget the sacrifices of servicemembers who will not be home celebrating Christmas and other holidays this year -- including those serving overseas, the wounded and especially those who've fallen in battle defending freedom.

"We pray for them and we certainly pray for their families and their loved ones," Rumsfeld said. "They are supporting troops whose service will never be forgotten and, whose mission of defending our nation will never be abandoned.

"We are deeply in their debt, and we hope they know the depth of our gratitude for their courage and for their dedication," he said.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed Rumsfeld's comments. "This is a great time of year for us to reflect on the incredible blessings that we have," Pace said.

"It's a blessing that we have 2.4 million Americans -- active, Guard and reserve -- who are either wearing the uniform today or are willing to put it on tonight to do what this nation needs done," he said.

Pace also praised the several hundred thousand DoD civilians and contractors doing the nation's work at home and overseas.

"Because you do what you do," he said, "you provide support to all those other Americans that I just mentioned, who look to us to ensure that when we give them a mission, that they are properly sustained."

Biographies:

Donald H. Rumsfeld [http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/rumsfeld_bio.html]

Gen. Peter Pace, USMC [http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/pace_bio.html]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3677.html.

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Battle in Afghanistan Leaves One U.S. Servicemember, One Enemy Dead

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - One U.S. servicemember and one enemy fighter were killed today during a firefight northeast of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Afghan and U.S. troops were conducting a joint combat patrol when they came under small-arms fire. U.S. and Afghan forces returned fire, and nearby coalition attack aircraft and helicopters responded, engaging enemy positions. The enemy fighters fled the scene.

A U.S. soldier and one Afghan National Army soldier also were wounded. They are in stable condition at a nearby U.S. medical facility.

"This is a sad day for us all here in Afghanistan," said Brig. Gen. Jack Sterling Jr., deputy commanding general (support) of Combined Joint Task Force 76. "The loss of one of our own is a tremendous weight on all our hearts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of our fallen comrade. Our soldiers are here serving alongside the Afghan National Army to bring peace and prosperity to this great nation, and this tragic incident will only strengthen our resolve toward those goals."

Elsewhere in Afghanistan, 47 Afghan detainees were released at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility today under the Government of Afghanistan's Tahkim-e Sohl program. Officials had determined the detainees no longer present a threat. Each detainee received a gym bag containing a Koran, prayer blanket, three packaged military meals, three bottles of water, and new clothes, and all personal items were returned to them.

The release is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. supporting the government of Afghanistan's program for strengthening peace, officials said.

In the skies over Afghanistan, coalition aircraft flew 19 close-air-support missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The missions included support to coalition and Afghan troops, reconstruction activities, and the conduct of presence route patrols. U.S. Air Force A-10s and a B-52 provided close-air support to coalition forces in contact with enemy troops near Qalat. The A-10s successfully expended a general-purpose 500-pound bomb and strafed enemy positions.

Four U.S. Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft also flew missions in support of Afghan operations, and British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft performed in a non-traditional ISR role.

(Compiled from Combined Forces Command Afghanistan and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)

Related Sites:

Combined Forces Command Afghanistan [http://www.cfc-a.centcom.mil/]

U.S. Central Command Air Forces [http://www.centaf.af.mil/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3676.html.

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Senior Leaders Focus on Urban Fight

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - Senior defense and government leaders gathered at Fort McNair here today to consider challenges the U.S. military faces operating in urban environments and to discuss strategies to make them as effective in cities as in open terrain.

The Urban Operations Senior Leader Review, sponsored by U.S. Joint Forces Command, focused on better ways to fight an enemy that's increasingly moving into urban areas to plan and launch its attacks.

"Military operations in urban terrain," or MOUT, has been part of the military vernacular for decades. But traditionally, MOUT involved attacking a city from the outside and moving on, not conducting extensive operations within that city, explained David Ozolek, director of the Joint Urban Operations Office. Similarly, traditional MOUT operations viewed local populations more as obstacles to work around rather than partners in the fight.

"Five years ago, the thought was that we were never going to do urban operations. The idea was basically that you'd blow up the city or go around it," said Duane Schattle, deputy director of the Joint Urban Operations Office. "But the war on terror changed that. The enemy knows they can't compete against us in the open, so they are moving to the cities."

Cities offer terrorists an environment in which they can blend easily with the local population as they plan and carry out attacks, explained retired Army Brig. Gen. Mike Hall, a senior concept developer for the Joint Urban Operations Office.

All indications are that the type of enemy U.S. troops face today and are likely to face for the foreseeable future will continue using cities as their battlefields of choice, Hall said. Joint Forces Command is shepherding DoD's efforts to ensure troops engaged in urban operations have the best equipment, tactics and intelligence they need to carry out their mission. Today's session brought together people involved in developing these assets and policies with the decision makers who will ultimately get them to people operating in an urban setting, said Janet Tucker, public affairs officer for Joint Forces Command.

But operating in build-up areas requires "more than just better gadgets and mousetraps," Hall said. "We need to learn to think differently."

Today's session focused on improving battle-space awareness and visualization to help troops "find the enemy faster than he can find us," Ozolek said.

Leaders also considered better ways to encourage local residents to help support military operations under way in their cities, either actively, by helping advise U.S. troops, or passively, by not interfering with their operations, Ozolek explained. That includes figuring out how to make munitions more precise and using them with the proper amount of firepower so they don't inflict excessive collateral damage that angers local residents, he said.

Today's seminar also included discussions about ways to improve coordination among U.S. agencies and allied militaries to better support urban operations. Representatives from NATO's Allied Command Transformation and numerous coalition militaries participated in the session.

Many of the concepts discussed today are already in use in Iraq or on the drawing boards, being readied for implementation. "We're trying to move as quickly as possible so we can get these developments to the guys in the theater," Schattle said.

Related Site:

U.S. Joint Forces Command [http://www.jfcom.mil/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3674.html.

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DoD Orders Review of Anti-Threat Intel-Gathering System

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - The Defense Department has ordered a review of an intelligence system that compiles information on possible worldwide threats to U.S. military personnel and installations, a senior DoD official said here today.

Some recent news reports allege that the Threat and Local Observation Notice system, known by the acronym TALON, had improperly stored information about some civilian individuals and non-government-affiliated groups on its database.

"It appears as if there may have been things that were left in the database that shouldn't have been left there," DoD spokesman Bryan Whitman told Pentagon reporters.

The TALON system collects and evaluates information about possible threats to U.S. servicemembers and defense civilians at stateside and overseas military installations, Whitman said. Analysts examine the information, he said, to ascertain whether there could be a genuine threat.

The Defense Department announced Dec. 14 that it would conduct a four-point review of the TALON system, Whitman said, that will consist of:

- Examining the TALON reporting system to ensure that it fully complies with DoD procedures and U.S. law;
- Reviewing policies and procedures to make sure that they are being properly applied in respect to any reporting and retention of information on U.S. persons;
- Examining the TALON database to identify any other information that might be improperly stored in the database, and;
- Providing all DoD counterintelligence and intelligence personnel with refresher training concerning the laws, policies and procedures governing the collection, reporting and storage of information related to the warning of potential threats to DoD personnel and facilities.
DoD has an obligation to protect its people and facilities, Whitman said. Yet, TALON information that's been eliminated for further consideration, he said, is supposed to be dropped from the system database.

"We have policies and procedures for intelligence and counterintelligence organizations," Whitman said, "that prohibit the reporting, the processing, or storing of information on individuals or organizations not affiliated with the Department of Defense, except in very limited and narrow circumstances that are defined by the law."

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3672.html.

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DoD Program Making Strides in Providing Wounded Troops Jobs

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - A program designed to help wounded veterans find meaningful civilian jobs is paying off by enabling some to use their military expertise to ensure their former comrades are getting the quality weaponry they need in combat.

Since becoming a partner in the Defense Department's "Hire a Hero" program last summer, the Defense Contract Management Agency has hired five permanent employees as well as two volunteers who lend their talents while undergoing rehabilitation, Nancy Adams, the agency's program director, told the American Forces Press Service.

DoD established the program last December to encourage agencies to develop hiring programs for severely wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, explained Mark Smith, chief of DoD's recruiting assistance division.

Since then, the program has grown rapidly, with three DoD-sponsored job fairs at Walter Reed and Brooke Army medical centers during the last 12 months that attracted more than 500 severely injured servicemembers and their spouses, Smith said.

The next job fair, to be sponsored by the Military Severely Injured Center, is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 30 at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Adams called the Hire a Hero program a "win-win" for the Defense Contract Management Agency. It benefits the agency as well as wounded troops who have valuable experience to lend, particularly in support of the agency's quality-assurance mission, she said.

Many of the wounded troops are "really well-qualified to work in our agency," Adams said, noting that their personal experience with weapons systems ranging from M16 rifles to Abrams tanks makes them invaluable in conducting quality assurance on those systems.

"They're perfectly suited to work the flip side in factories, inspecting that equipment," she said. "It's a logical follow-on, and their skills are absolutely transferable."

Because its offices are spread across the country and directly support the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, DCMA is a natural fit for wounded veterans seeking to apply their experience in a meaningful way that benefits other servicemembers, Adams said.

At the same time, the program is helping DCMA carry out a critical mission while giving it a way to support wounded troops, said Angela Bailey, executive director of the agency's human resources office. "Our approach is simple. We're focused on assisting America's wounded veterans after their selfless service to our nation and allies," she said.

"We're not taking tiny steps with this program," Bailey said. "We're jumping in with both feet."

To promote the program, DCMA has formed partnerships with DoD's Recruiting Assistance Division, the Military Severely Injured Center and various military medical centers. These include Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington; the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.; Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas; and Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis, Wash.

These partnerships provide direct access to veterans with service-connected disabilities looking for employment, career advancement and job mobility.

Some of these veterans are looking for nothing more than to get out of their hospital beds and do some meaningful work as they recuperate, Bailey said.

Veterans seeking to participate in the program have different injuries and backgrounds but share a common goal: "to go home and have meaningful work," Adams said.

An offshoot of the Hire a Hero program, called "Operation Warfighter," offers recuperating troops being treated at military medical facilities an opportunity to volunteer their services part-time at DCMA facilities. "The program costs DCMA nothing, but is an investment in the future of a disabled veteran," Adams said.

The agency's first Operation Warfighter volunteer, working at the DCMA Headquarters Public Affairs Office in Springfield, Va., is learning firsthand about communications and public affairs while she recovers from her injuries, Adams said.

For more information about DCMA's Hire a Hero program, contact Adams at (703) 428-1050, e-mail nancy.adams@dcma.mil or visit the DoD career opportunities Web site.

Related Site:

Civilians Working for National Defense [http://www.godefense.com/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3673.html.

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Sunni Turnout Substantial in Iraq Voting, Casey Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - Sunni voter turnout in today's Iraqi election appeared much greater than it was during the Oct. 15 constitutional referendum, the top U.S. military officer in Iraq said today.

News coverage of long lines of Iraqis waiting to cast their ballots across Iraq today already indicated a higher overall turnout than during the Oct. 15 constitutional referendum, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said during a live satellite broadcast appearance during today's Pentagon "town hall" meeting.

"The Iraqi people have had a great day today," Casey said, noting that the level of terrorist-conducted violence during the election seemed to be at or below that experienced during Oct. 15.

Casey pointed out that Sunni participation in today's election seems much higher than in the previous voting. The Sunnis, many of whom live in Anbar province, had largely boycotted the Jan. 30 and Oct. 15 elections.

"We expect the turnout out there to have increased fairly substantially over the October referendum level," Casey said.

Casey said the Iraqi people and the coalition have accomplished amazing things in a relatively short period of time.

"If you think about it, three years ago Saddam Hussein was still tyrannizing the Iraqi people," Casey said.

Since then, the Iraqis have achieved sovereignty, held elections for a transitional government, performed a peaceful transition to an interim government, wrote and voted on a constitution and built a more than 200,000-member Iraqi security force, Casey said.

And, today, Iraqis elected a 275-member assembly, Casey said, that will function under that new constitution.

"All of that in less than three years, and done against a ruthless and resilient insurgency," Casey said. "It's remarkable, and as I said, it's unprecedented."

Political and economic challenges in Iraq will have to be confronted and solved in 2006, Casey said. The terrorists, he pointed out, can't be counted out.

"We should expect the insurgency not to just go away because there were great elections today," Casey said. However, he expected the insurgency in Iraq to be gradually reduced over time as its root causes are addressed.

The town hall meeting also featured Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Casey thanked the Pentagon's senior leaders for providing the support -- including troops, beans and bullets -- to prosecute the war.

"It empowers us to spend our energy and our time on the things that will make us successful in this mission," Casey said.

Casey said he couldn't be prouder of the U.S. military men and women and coalition forces serving in Iraq.

"I can't tell you what a great solace (it is) to all of our senior leaders to know that they have the best armed forces in the world out there when the going gets the toughest - and they have never let us down," Casey said.

Rumsfeld praised Casey after the general signed off from Iraq.

"Somebody call him up and thank him," the secretary said of Casey. "He's doing a great job, God bless him."

Biographies:

Donald H. Rumsfeld [http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/rumsfeld_bio.html]

Gen. Peter Pace, USMC [http://www.defenselink.mil/bios/pace_bio.html]

Gen. George W. Casey Jr., USA [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/cg.htm]

Related Site:

Multinational Force Iraq [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3671.html.

====================================================

Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.

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Ramadi Bomb Blast Kills Marine; 14 Suspects Detained

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - A Marine assigned to the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), was killed by an improvised explosive device Dec. 14 while conducting combat operations near Ramadi, Iraq, military officials reported.

The Marine's name is being withheld pending notification of family.

In other news, Iraqi army and Task Force Baghdad soldiers conducted operations Dec. 14 in western Baghdad geared toward creating a secure environment for free elections in the area. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, questioned a driver who was behaving suspiciously near a traffic control point in the Abu Ghraib area. The man failed to answer basic questions and provided conflicting information.

A thorough search of the man's house revealed items typically used by terrorists to attack Iraqi security forces, Iraqi civilians and coalition forces. The soldiers discovered two AK-47 assault rifles, a pistol, a video camera, 30 AK-47 magazines with ammunition, a magazine of 7.62 mm rounds, five sets of body armor vests, a book listing names of Iraqi army soldiers, and various terrorist propaganda materials. Soldiers detained the suspect.

A few hours later, soldiers from 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division's Brigade Special Troops Battalion patrolling in Abu Ghraib discovered an improvised explosive device made from a 30 mm artillery round wired to detonate with a two-way radio. An explosives team destroyed the bomb.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, and 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry, also captured a suspected terrorist financier near the Khadra neighborhood. One associate was also detained for questioning.

In Balad, Iraqi soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, were tipped off Dec. 14 to the location of a bomb on a secondary road leading to a polling site.

The bomb was buried in the northbound lane and consisted of a propane tank with 50 pounds of plastic explosives and rocket propellant. An explosives team responded to the site and was about 200 meters south of the bomb when it detonated.

Iraqi Border Police detained four individuals trying to smuggle 137 cases of cigarettes across the Iraqi border in Ninawa province Dec. 14.

Troops from the 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, 4th Iraqi Army Division, detained two suspects Dec. 14 after finding four mortar rounds during a vehicle search north of Dawr.

As part of Operation Vanguard Free Speech, soldiers assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, detained 14 suspected terrorists and confiscated a large number of weapons, munitions and money Dec. 14.

During the raids, soldiers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, and 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, confiscated 12 152 mm artillery rounds, 12 bags of rocket-propelled-grenade propellant, 40 sticks of dynamite, four anti-aircraft rounds and 1 million dinar, about $700. The 14 detained suspected terrorists are being held for questioning.

Coalition aircraft flew 60 close- air-support missions Dec. 14 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

U.S. Navy F/A-18s provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with insurgents near Balad. The F/A-18s expended precision-guided munitions with successful effects against enemy firing positions. U.S. Air Force F-16s and U.S. Navy F-14s provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with insurgents near Baquba and Ramadi.

Sixteen U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew missions supporting Iraq operations. British Royal Air Force fighter aircraft also performed in a nontraditional ISR role with their electro-optical and infrared sensors.

(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, Multinational Force Iraq and U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news releases.)

Related Sites:

Multinational Force Iraq [http://www.mnf-iraq.com/]

U.S. Central Command Air Forces [http://www.centaf.af.mil/]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3670.html.

====================================================

Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.

====================================================
Visit the Defense Department's Web site for the latest news
and information about America's response to the war against terrorism: "Defend America" at http://www.DefendAmerica.mil.

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Election in Sadr City Goes Smoothly

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

SADR CITY, Iraq, Dec. 15, 2005 - In April 2004, this section of Baghdad exploded. Troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division found themselves in a fight against a Shiia militia.

Men carrying rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles challenged the Bradley fighting vehicles, Abrams tanks and the dismounted soldiers who fought through this crowded section of the city.

Fast-forward to December 2005, and the Americans are greeted as friends, and residents go out of their way to compliment the members of the Iraqi security forces for the roles they played in bringing democracy to Iraq.

Election day in Sadr City was a resounding success, with no incidents in the crowded area of 2.6 million people, 3rd Infantry Division officials said.

"Things have gone very smoothly. We have had great cooperation between the Iraqi police and the army," said a representative of the Sadr City District Advisory Council. He was speaking with Army Col. Joseph Di Salvo, commander of 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Di Salvo leads the coalition effort in East Baghdad, of which Sadr City is a part.

And it wasn't just the security effort that made the election a success. "Look around you; the people are being very cooperative too," Dr. Muhammad, another councilman, said. "The people have opened their homes to the police, soldiers and election workers."

Thousands of voters already had streamed through the school before Di Salvo arrived. Officials said that people arrived early to vote, including many older residents and those with infirmities. They said the police were "flexible and helpful" in their efforts to help all residents vote.

Dr. Muhammad said the residents of Sadr City looked on the election "as a feast, and we add it to the list of holy days we have throughout the year. We celebrate."

The councilmen all agreed that Sadr City has turned a corner. A large part of that is due to the hundreds of projects the coalition has sponsored in the city. Under Saddam Hussein, sewage ran in the streets, electricity ran for maybe four hours a day, water was contaminated with the sewage, and medical care was essentially nonexistent.

The coalition has cleaned and repaired the sewer system and installed dedicated electric lines to the pumping plants to ensure the sewers continue to work. They have rewired much of the city and, when terrorists stop blowing up the pylons getting electricity to Baghdad, citizens will have safe power in their homes. Most residents of the city have safe, clean drinking water and coalition contracts are rebuilding hospitals and clinics throughout the city.

"But the big accomplishment is what happened here today," Di Salvo said to the councilmen. "The brave people of Sadr City have defied the terrorists and come to vote."

Related Articles:

Iraqis Hold Peaceful Election Day in East Baghdad [http://www.dod.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3664.html]

Iraqis Go to the Polls; Security Provides Confidence [http://www.dod.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3663.html]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3667.html.

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America Supports You: Car Company Steps Up for Employees

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - In 1957, Jack Taylor, a decorated World War II fighter pilot, founded a car rental company and named it after the USS Enterprise, one of the carriers off which he flew. Today, Enterprise Rent-a-Car maintains its rich military history by providing unique support to its employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

Enterprise was one of 15 employers to receive the 2005 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in October for its policies and programs that assist National Guard and Reserve employees and their families.

The company has about 500 employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve, said Ed Adams, senior vice president of human resources for Enterprise. About 73 employees are currently deployed, and 300 have been deployed since the war in Iraq began, Adams said.

Activated National Guardsmen and Reservists who work for Enterprise receive salary differential the whole time they are deployed, as the company makes up the difference for employees whose military pay is less than what they were earning on the job. The company also has a number of other programs in place to support the servicemembers and their families, Adams said.

"Certainly when someone is deployed, it can be difficult to fill the position temporarily while he or she is gone, but Enterprise is fortunate to have great employees who we are willing to accommodate because it is viewed as a privilege to have employees serving in the military," he said.

To support families of deployed servicemembers, Enterprise's local offices often set up carpools and home-maintenance programs, Adams said. The local offices also set up letter and correspondence teams to communicate with employees serving overseas, he said.

Army Maj. Robert Landry, a group sales manager for Enterprise Fleet Services, said he benefited from the company's support programs during his year-long deployment to Iraq. The salary differential allowed his family to have a consistent income during his deployment, he said, and the company also provided support to his family and care packages. Most importantly, Landry never doubted that his job would be waiting for him when he returned, he said.

"If only every Guardsmen or Reservist could be as fortunate as myself by working for a corporate patriot like Enterprise," he said. "In Iraq, I was the envy of all of the soldiers for the level of support given to myself and my family by my employer."

Enterprise is glad to support its military employees, because company officials appreciate what they do for the nation while deployed, Adams said. The company was honored to receive the Freedom Award, he said, because it recognized the quality of Enterprise's employees.

"It's a reflection of our employees' commitment," he said. "All of our employees - military and nonmilitary - show such a strong dedication to our company day in and day out. This allows us to offer them that same high level of commitment and support."

Related Sites:

National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve [http://www.esgr.org/]

America Supports You [http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/]

Related Article:

DoD Award Salutes Employers Who Support Guard, Reserve [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2005/20051017_3071.html]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3668.html.

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Iraqi-American Calls Today 'New Day for Iraq'

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - Today is "a new day for Iraq," regardless of who wins in the country's parliamentary elections, an Iraqi-American who emigrated here 12 years ago and became a U.S. citizen in 1995 said here today.

Ali Sadoon al-Timimi, a Shiite Muslim from Basra, proudly held up his ink-stained finger to show he'd been to the East Coast polling station in nearby McLean, Va., set up where Iraqi expatriates could vote.

After three and a half decades under Saddam Hussein's bloody dictatorship, Timimi acknowledges he and many of his countrymen never dreamed they'd live to see the day when they would choose a new, democratically elected government.

"We're really, really excited," he said. "We as Iraqis believe in democracy, and the people are so happy to see this day."

Timimi remembers all too well the brutality and repression of the Saddam Hussein regime. He said two of his brothers were murdered under Saddam's order, one during the 1991 uprising against him.

Regardless of who wins at the polls today and what sect they represent, Timimi said, all Iraqis will be winners if their legislators keep the interests of the country at heart.

"Whoever wins, it doesn't matter, as long as they are for the people," he said. "Who's good is good and who's bad is bad. It doesn't matter what group they come from."

Timimi said he's encouraged to see Sunnis taking an active part in the elections after boycotting the January elections. "The Sunnis have come to see that this is the new reality and that things have to change," he said. "It's good is that they are now a part of that."

A U.S. citizen for the past 10 years, Timimi keeps in close touch with his family in Iraq and travels there frequently as an adviser to U.S. military organizations and contractors.

He sees a critical mission for himself and his fellow Iraqi-Americans: to help bridge the gap between Iraqis and Americans and educate their fellow Iraqis about America. Many Iraqis know only what the Saddam Hussein regime taught them about the United States, he said.

"I want people to see the other side," said Timimi. "Our responsibility is to help educate the people in Iraq."

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3666.html.

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Housing Allowance Rules to Change Dec. 31

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2005 - About 30,000 single servicemembers who live off base and pay child support are likely to see a slight change in their military pay - an increase for some and cut for others -- beginning in January.

The rules regarding the basic allowance for housing differential - an allotment for single members who pay child support -- will change Dec. 31, Tim Fowlkes, the Pentagon's assistant director of military compensation, told the American Forces Press Service.

The change is one of the last parts of a seven-year phase-in of the basic allowance for housing that began in 1998, he explained. The BAH system replaced the old variable housing allowance system.

Under both the old law and the transition policies that have been in effect to implement BAH, single members who pay child support get a BAH differential. After Dec. 31, however, only members who live in government quarters and pay child support will continue to receive the BAH differential, Fowlkes said.

Members who live off base and pay child support will receive BAH at the "with dependents" rate. Previously, they received BAH at the "without dependents" rate, plus the BAH differential.

This "with dependents" BAH rate varies widely based on pay grade and location, Fowlkes said, so some affected servicemembers will notice a slight increase in their pay and some, a slight decrease. Those living in low-cost housing markets are the most likely to notice a dip, he said.

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3665.html.

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Iraqis Go to the Polls; Security Provides Confidence

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

RUSAFA, Iraq, Dec. 15, 2005 - "All the time and money you have spent training the Iraqi army, you harvest it today," Iraqi Army Maj. Gen. Mobdir Hatim Hothya al-Delemy told 3rd Infantry Division Commander Army Maj. Gen. William Webster following a tour of polling places today.

Initial indications in and around Baghdad were that more Iraqis were voting than during the constitutional referendum, and the level of violence appeared to be low, officials said.

Army Col. Joseph P. Di Salvo, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team, said more Iraqis were going to their polling places early. He conducted an early morning tour of the southern end of his area of responsibility, and 50 to 100 Iraqis already were in line when the polls opened at 7 a.m., he said.

Di Salvo said he noticed more women voters compared to earlier experiences. Iraqi Brig. Gen. Jasim Hamed Jhibr, commander of the 3rd Public Order Brigade, said the cooperation among his unit, local police and Iraqi army units gave people a better sense of security and may have contributed to the increased turnout of women.

Webster said the Iraqis understand the importance of the election. "The Iraqis are a tough people, and they are determined to have their voice in this election," he said.

Webster said the feeling on the streets was one of celebration. Iraqi families made the voting process a family affair, with young children accompanying their parents to the polls.

"Would they bring the family if they felt threatened?" asked Brig. Gen. Jawad Romi Aldaini, commander of the 6th Division's 2nd Brigade.

Election day started quietly with a full moon shining down on the city. Overnight there was a bit of "wild" gunfire, but no one - neither Iraqi nor coalition - paid this much mind. The day dawned to silence, with all vehicular traffic banned and even coalition helicopter flights limited.

A ride to the southern portion of the 3rd Division's area of responsibility showed 30 Iraqi police cars, about seven checkpoints and a number of coalition tactical vehicles. A check of the polling sites found all voting materials in place, election workers present and ready, and Iraqi police providing security inside the buildings.

Iraqi public order battalions and Iraqi army units provided a second security ring, searching people before allowing them in to the polling places. Iraqi units and coalition forces were still farther back, ready to respond if terrorists tried something the local units could not handle.
Webster said two mortar rounds fell at one site in the morning. It reopened after closing for 15 minutes.

One scare surfaced, however, when rumors began circulating in the middle of the night that terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's al Qaeda in Iraq group had poisoned the water. Health ministry officials responded quickly, testing the water and then issuing a report that the water was safe to drink.

But Iraqi and coalition officials are not patting themselves on the backs. Iraqi officials said this election is one of the terrorists' last chances to stop the spread of democracy. American officials said they had received intelligence that up to 50 car bombs would be launched in Baghdad alone. "We're not taking chances," Webster said.

Other reports said terrorists would launch mortars and rockets at polling stations. Iraqi army units and coalition personnel charted the possible launching points, and Iraqi army units hid in these places, ready to ambush those who wished to disrupt the elections.

Iraqi police and army units remained alert as they escorted ballot boxes to counting houses. "Keep the soldiers vigilant, help them do what they need to do, and this will be a great day for Iraq," Di Salvo told Jasim.

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: View the original version of this web page on DefenseLINK,
the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense, at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2005/20051215_3663.html.

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Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad.

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