One Marine's View

Iraqi Army unleashes a “Northern Fury”

Caption: A Marine from 3^rd Battalion, 6^th Marine Regiment pauses along the side of the road during Operation Northern Fury, a 48-hour operation designed to take the fight to the enemy in his comfort zone across a perceived safe buffer, the Euphrates River. It was planned and led by the soldiers of the 1^st Brigade, 3^rd Battalion, 1^st Division of the Iraqi Army, with some advice from the Military Transition Team, a team that originated from the “Teufelhunden” battalion.

PERSPECTIVE

CLICK HERE AND LOOK FOR THE NUMBERED PHOTOS AT THE BOTTOM 

Citizen Reign

I was contacted by a great band called “Citizen Reign” they wrote the below:

We wrote "Fight for Me" as a tribute to the troops. Because the song
had such a powerful message, we decided to create a music video. Many
civilians, troops, and families have already seen it, but if you
haven't, we respectfully invite you to do so.

This is something you wont hear on the nightly news……………..Maj Pain

I would be happy if houses in my neighborhood would just fly the flag!

KABUL, Afghanistan Apr 23, 2007 (AP)— An Army sergeant complained in a rare opinion article that the U.S. flag flew at half-staff last week at the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan for those killed at Virginia Tech but the same honor is not given to fallen U.S. troops here and in Iraq.

In the article issued Monday by the public affairs office at Bagram military base north of Kabul, Sgt. Jim Wilt lamented that his comrades' deaths have become a mere blip on the TV screen, lacking the "shock factor" to be honored by the Stars and Stripes as the deaths at Virginia Tech were.

"I find it ironic that the flags were flown at half-staff for the young men and women who were killed at VT, yet it is never lowered for the death of a U.S. service member," Wilt wrote.

First LAR extends eyes and ears throughout western Euphrates River valley

  COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, IRAQ (April 18, 2007) -- Regimental Combat Team 2 launched operation Valiant Guardian on March 26, 2007. In support of that operation, 1st Light Armored Vehicle Battalion has sent its Marines throughout the western Euphrates River valley to disrupt enemy movement and form communication bonds with the local populace.

In order to effectively accomplish this mission, the battalion needed to create some means of communicating with its units over extremely long distances, and provide additional combat support at the same time.

The answer: a mobile forward combat operations center, also known as a COC.

Need a gift?

HERO CIGAR HUMIDORS

A UNIQUE GIFT FOR YOUR WARRIOR! (Percentage of every humidor goes to AnySoldier.com!!) Heeeelo early christmas shopping!!

Check them out www.HeroHumidors.com

The Idiots from Topeka Have to Pay

Elizabeth H sends this about those Baptist Church jerks from Topeka, Kansas, that hang around Walter Reed Hospital and picket military funerals.  The Snyder family got $3,000 for this picketing of their  Marine son's funeral.  This happened in York, PA, just 40 minutes from Gettysburg.  What a country!
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of L/Cpl Snyder.

From the President today

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                             April 16, 2007

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON THE IRAQ WAR SUPPLEMENTAL

The East Room

11:00 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you all.  Please be seated.  Welcome to the White House.  You know, I get to welcome a lot of guests here.  I don't think there's a more important guest than a veteran or the family of a serviceman or woman, or the families of those whose loved one has given their life to the country.  And so I welcome an incredibly important group of guests.  And thank you for coming, and thank you for your time.

First LAR kicks off Operation Valiant Guardian with a successful start

COMBAT OUTPOST RAWAH, IRAQ (April 15, 2007) -- First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, launched Marines in support of operation “Valiant Guardian” April 5, 2007.

The operation covered most of RCT-2’s area of operation, or AO, which is roughly 30,000 miles, the size of South Carolina, and extends through the western Euphrates River valley.

Heroes Call

Subject: Amazing & heartbreaking Jay and Joe attended this funeral.  This amazing picture has drawn a lot of comments from readers of the Nashville paper, The Tennessean. 
See Jay's letter below.

Dear Tennessean:

The Tennessean’s April 5 photograph of young Christian Golczynski accepting the American flag from Marine Lt.  Col.  Ric Thompson is one of the most moving and emotion provoking images I have ever seen.