LongIslandGirl's blog

NYS~Flags to fly at half staff to honor Ft Drum fallen pilots killed in Iraq~6th Squadron, 6th Cav

January 30, 2009: Syracuse, New York (WSYR-TV) - Flags will be flown at half staff across the state this coming Tuesday in honor of four Fort Drum soldiers killed in Iraq. Chief warrant officers Philip Windorski, Benjamin Todd, Matthew Kelley and Joshua Tillery were killed when their helicopters crashed in northern Iraq Monday. January 26, 2009: Four Fort Drum soldiers killed in Iraq helicopter crash (Fort Drum Photo) FORT DRUM, N.Y. (AP) - The Pentagon has released the names of the four Fort Drum-based soldiers who died when two helicopters crashed in Iraq this week. The Defense Department says 35-year-old Philip Windorski, Jr., of Bovey, Minn.; 30-year-old Matthew Kelley of Cameron, Mo.; 31-year-old Joshua Tillery of Beaverton, Ore.; and 29-year-old Benjamin Todd of Colville, Wash., died from wounds suffered Monday when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed in Kirkuk. They were all 10th Mountain Division chief warrant officers. The Defense Department says the cause of the crash is under investigation, but it did not appear to be the result of an attack. According to Fort Drum's Web site, 124 10th Mountain Division soldiers have died of combat and noncombat injuries in Iraq. Listed below is a brief summary of each of the soldiers killed in the line of duty, provided by Fort Drum. Chief Warrant Officer 3 Philip Windorski, Jr. Chief Warrant Officer Philip Windorski, Jr. (Fort Drum Photo) 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Windorski, age 35, joined the armed forces in November, 1991.  He completed his Warrant Officer training at Fort Rucker in 1998 and started flying the Kiowa Warrior in 1999.  After assignments at Fort Polk, where he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom for 16 months in 2003 - 2004, and Fort Rucker where he used his combat pilot experience to train other pilots, Windorski was assigned to Fort Drum in October 2007.  He deployed with the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008. Windorkski's awards and achievements include 2 Air Medals, 5 Army Commendation Medals, 5 Army Achievement Medals, 2 Presidential Unit Citations, 2 Army Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Service Medals, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Senior Army Aviator Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal. Windorski's home state of record is Minnesota. He is survived by his wife and three children. Chief Warrant Officer Joshua Tillery Chief Warrant Officer Joshua Tillery (Fort Drum Photo) 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Tillery, age 31, joined the armed forces in August, 1995.  He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2003 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in June 2004.  He deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for 11 months with the 10th Mountain Division in 2005-2006, and again in October 2008. Tillery's awards and decorations include the Air Medal, 2 Army Commendation Medals, 6 Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal for Combat Service, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, The Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the Army Air Assault Badge, the Army Aviator Badge, the Combat Action Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal. Tillery's home state of record is Oregon. He is survived by his wife and three children. Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin Todd Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin Todd (Fort Drum Photo) 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Todd, age 29, joined the armed forces in October, 2000.  He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2005 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in November, 2007.  He deployed is support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008. Todd's awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal. Todd's home state of record is Washington. He is survived by his wife and child. Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Kelley, Chief Warrant Officer Matthew Kelley (Fort Drum Photo) 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division Kelley, age 30, joined the armed forces is March 2003.  He completed his Warrant Officer training in 2005 and came to Fort Drum to fly the Kiowa Warrior in October 2007.  Previous deployments include an 8 month tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003-2004.  He deployed again in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in October 2008. Kelley's awards and decorations include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Aviation Badge, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge and posthumously, the Bronze Star Medal. Kelley's home state of record in Missouri. He is survived by his wife and two children. Monday, January 26th 4 Soldiers Killed in Iraq BAGHDAD (AP) -- Two U.S. helicopters crashed Monday in northern Iraq, killing four American troops, the U.S. military said, in the deadliest single incident for U.S. forces in more than four months. The military said the crash "does not appear to be by enemy action." Despite the latest deaths, the number of Americans killed in Iraq has dropped significantly with an overall decline in violence. On Monday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he expects the U.S. to withdraw its troops faster than the three-year timeline laid down in the U.S.-Iraq security agreement. President Barack Obama campaigned on a promise to remove all combat troops within 16 months and has asked the Pentagon to plan for "a responsible military drawdown from Iraq." At a political rally Monday, al-Maliki said Iraqi forces must be bolstered with that in mind. Monday's crash was the deadliest single incident for U.S. troops since Sept. 18, when seven American soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in the southern desert west of Basra. No precise location was given for the 2:15 a.m. crash, but a military spokesman said it occurred in Tamim province, which includes the oil-rich disputed city of Kirkuk. Iraqi officials said the crash site was located about 20 miles (30 kilometers) west of Kirkuk, which is about 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to release the information. Maj. Derrick Cheng, a spokesman for U.S. forces in northern Iraq, said all the dead were Americans. He declined to give more details. The deaths raised to at least 4,236 the number of U.S. service members who have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The U.S. military relies heavily on helicopters and other aircraft to ferry troops, dignitaries and supplies to avoid the threat of ambushes and roadside bombs in Iraq. At least 70 U.S. helicopters have gone down since the war started in March 2003, according to military figures. Of those, 36 were confirmed to have been shot down. Most recently, a helicopter made a hard landing on Nov. 15 after hitting wires in the northern city of Mosul, killing two American soldiers. A Soviet-made civilian cargo plane also crashed in November after reporting a malfunction west of Baghdad, leaving the seven crew members dead. The January 2005 crash of a U.S. Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter in western Iraq claimed 31 lives - the biggest single U.S. loss of life in the Iraq war. Investigators determined the crash was not due to hostile fire. Iraqi electoral officials, meanwhile, geared up for Saturday's provincial elections - the first nationwide vote in more than three years. A spokesman for Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission, Qassim al-Aboudi, said the panel had punished more than 69 parties or coalitions for 180 campaign violations ranging from putting posters outside allocated locations and defaming rivals. He expressed concern that was only a preview for likely conflicts and claims of fraud after the vote: "I do not expect that the losers in the elections will congratulate the winners."

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Wading River, NY~Godspeed Sgt Jonathan Keller~NY Army National Guard

Update: The Patriot Guard will be escorting Sgt Keller home.......... Jonathan was a SPC at time of his death but was posthumously promoted to Sgt. SgtKeller   The Patriot Guard will be providing escort and standing for Sgt Keller-   SHORT NOTICE MISSION: Arrival: Saturday 31, JAN. Sgt Keller will arrive at LI MacArthur Airport on Saturday January 31 and the PGR will provide an escort from the airport to the Alexander-Tuthill Funeral Home, 6447 Route 25A, Wading River. .   Viewing: Sunday 01, FEB. SGT Keller will be moved from Tuthill Funeral Home at 1400 hrs on Sunday and brought to the church for viewing. Viewing will take place on Sunday Feb. 1 from 1500 to 1900 hrs at St. John the Baptist RC Church, 1488 N. Country road, Wading River – NOTE:  the viewing will be at the church and NOT at the funeral home.   Mass: Monday 02, FEB. A funeral mass will be held on Monday morning @ 1000 with interment to follow at Calverton National Cemetery @ approximately 1130.   Update: North Shore Sun Article Friday, January 30th   (01/26/09) WADING RIVER – Play the video   News12 Long Island  also see Newsday Article A soldier from Wading River died this past Saturday. Specialist Jonathan Keller, 29, a guardsman from the famed Fighting 69th, remained in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to the arm. He had been shot last year in a gunfight with the Taliban on the Pakistan border. Friends of Keller say the soldier had underwent nine surgeries. On Monday, friends and relatives gathered and grieved Keller at his home after learning he had passed away. Fellow soldiers remember Keller with honor, calling him a warrior and leader. "He's an example of what is great about our country; he's an all around good guy. I say to him, Hooah," says First Lt. Louis Delli-Pizzi. Keller was a Purple Heart recipient.

Ft Hood: 1st ID Honors Its Fallen~Sgt Erza Dawson, SSgt Joseph Rath and Spc Keith Essary

By Amanda Kim Stairrett
Killeen Daily Herald

FORT HOOD – Ezra Dawson joined the U.S. Army Reserve in late 1999 as a supply specialist. Five years later, he kept the job but switched to active duty.

Dawson left the military and rejoined in mid-2007, this time as an infantryman. Nearly a year later he deployed to Afghanistan with the 1st Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

Sgt. Dawson, a 31-year-old Las Vegas native, died Jan. 17 in the Konar Province when the Chinook helicopter he was in made a hard landing under combat conditions {shot down}, according to information from Fort Hood. He and two other brigade soldiers were honored at a memorial service Thursday at Fort Hood.

Dawson joined the Battalion Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, in January 2008. He served as a junior scout and sniper team member, and a leader for a reconnaissance team in the Korengal Valley.

His awards include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon and Combat Infantry Badge.

Staff Sgt. Joseph Rath and Spc. Keith Essary died Jan. 8 in Maywand of wounds they received when their dismounted patrol was hit by a bomb. The infantrymen were assigned to Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, and left Fort Hood for Afghanistan in July 2008.

Rath, an Alabama native, died nine days before his 23rd birthday.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Army Achievement Medal (four Oak Leaf Clusters), Good Conduct Medal (one Bronze Knot), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Expert Infantry Badge and Combat Infantry Badge.

He is survived by his parents, Darlene and Leroy Rath.

Essary is a native of Dyersburg, Tenn., and joined the Army in 2006.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Parachute Badge.

He is survived by his parents, Mary Essary and Charles Hall, and grandmother, Anita Essary.

Contact Amanda Kim Stairrett at astair@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7547.

Long Island Heroes~1st Lt Louis Delli-Pizzi~Fighting 69th NY ANG & NYPD Detective

'Triple volunteer' home from Afghanistan By Arlene Gross
January 28, 2009  Times Beacon Online

 

Three weeks after returning from Afghanistan, 1st Lt. Lou Delli-Pizzi was honored with a General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award by Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan at MacArthur Airport, though Delli-Pizzi downplayed his part in receiving the award.

"It really is to recognize the soldiers," he said before the Monday ceremony. "Those are the guys who really deserve any type of recognition. They're the ones who deserve this."

The same day, Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), who chairs the county Veterans and Seniors Committee, asked Delli-Pizzi to address the Legislature on returning veterans's needs. It staggered him to learn of their struggle to find work.

"Nationally, the unemployment rate among returning veterans is at least twice as high as nonveterans," Stern said. "So government, working together with the private sector, needs to make sure that our returning veterans have the job training that they need and access and information about job opportunities here on Long Island."

Delli-Pizzi, who is in the National Guard's Fighting 69th infantry based out of Huntington and Bay Shore, said most of the 80 troops were back home, except "a few folks left on active duty, medical issues and things like that."

While it was previously reported that Long Island's Fighting 69th had no casualties, Delli-Pizzi corrected the record to acknowledge three : Spc. Jonathan Keller, of Wading River, was shot in the arm and shoulder, and died on Saturday in Fort Bragg, N.C.; Spc. Anthony Mangano, 36, of Greenlawn, was killed in June when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device and small arms fire; and Sgt. Michael Downing, from Massachusetts, lost both his legs in an improvised explosive device attack, Delli-Pizzi said.

This was Delli-Pizzi's second year-long tour; his first, in 2004-05, was spent in Iraq. "When they call me, I go," he said.

Now back in West Islip with his wife, Beth, and their children, Maggie, 10, and Jack, almost 5, the 42-year-old Delli-Pizzi said it was great to be home: "They [Maggie and Jack] grew and are doing all kinds of good stuff."

One thing that kept the soldiers' families going was community support, he said, because it is not just the soldiers who are deployed but their families as well.

"These guys don't have the benefit of living on an active duty base where there's all this support and social services for families, wives and kids. So these communities have to step up. And Huntington really did," he said.

Before this last deployment, Delli-Pizzi spent a year on active duty where his commanding officer tasked him with creating a family readiness group. Delli-Pizzi quickly turned to his wife to take over as its president.

Even though most of its battalion is back home, the readiness group's work continues, taking care of employment and medical issues, posttraumatic stress disorder and family care, the lieutenant said.

"We don't just forget these guys when the mission's over. The mission to them is to stay ready, keep training, take care of themselves. We'll take care of them and be ready for the next call — that hopefully won't come — but train and be ready," he added.

In this recent tour, he said about half the men did security missions for American bases and convoys. A second group did security missions and private security for combat advisors, fighting alongside the Afghan police. Several others engaged in special forces "to train the police and Afghan army soldiers to the point where they could fight the insurgency in their own country with little or no coalition support."

He continued, "The bottom line is that these [Fighting 69th] guys are infantry troops. They're true, forward-ground guys in close personal contact with the enemy. So we've got a number of bronze stars, Army commendations, combat infantry badges, and, unfortunately, also a number of Purple Hearts."

The military goes by a one-in-seven rule: seven support soldiers for every forward person on the ground engaging the enemy, he explained. "These guys are that one of the one in seven. All military people have an important role, but these guys are trained and intended to make contact with the enemy."

His battalion experienced the entire spectrum of living conditions in bases and in remote areas throughout the country.

"I was down in southern Afghanistan. I was a company person for an Afghan infantry company. … My job was to fight with them, mentor them and bring to them coalition support," he said.

Though there have been many news reports about a revitalized insurgency and resurgent Taliban, Delli-Pizzi struck an optimistic note: "Our forces are doing a great job. And doing even more than we are asking them to do. So they're exceeding our expectations."

The biggest challenge is getting the police and army there to the point they can work together and fight the insurgency without coalition or U.S. support, he said: "And they're getting closer. They're doing good things and progressing."

As for the new president and his plans, Delli-Pizzi was reticent, saying only, "The military is removed from the whole political process. We're soldiers and specialty officers. We follow orders and execute the orders. It's a good thing about our country."

Sgt. Eric Farina, of the Fighting 69th's Huntington base, said they were sad to see Delli-Pizzi leave his post as platoon leader of Company B: "We missed his leadership. We missed his dedication to the men."

Calling the returning Fighting 69th veterans "triple volunteers," Farina said, "They volunteered for the military; they volunteered for the infantry; and then they volunteered for a second combat deployment in three years, which is quite impressive to me, being a one-tour veteran myself."

Delli-Pizzi expects to return to his civilian job, as Detective Delli-Pizzi for the New York Police Department. His most recent assignment: apprehending firearms out of a Manhattan precinct.

His service with the Fighting 69th has left a lasting impression: "I'm very impressed with the soldiers in the 69th. They're really a true a snapshot of our society. They're from every single walk of life, especially from Long Island. … And a lot of folks, it cost them a lot of money to come and serve. They decided to stand up and do the right thing."

THANK YOU TO THE FIGHTING 69TH AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THEIR SERVICE AND SACRIFICES IN AFGHANISTAN AND THEIR DEDICATION AT HOME!!!!

NY Army National Guardsman and father reunites with his daughters after a year in Afghanistan

Publication: The Southampton Press   By Brendan O’Reilly

“Daddy!” Six-year-old Angelica Gomez looked up to see her father, Staff Sergeant Edwin Gomez, standing at the entrance of her kindergarten classroom. “I told ya,” she offered as an aside to her classmates as she rushed across the room and into her father’s arms. That moment, which took place on Friday morning at the Tuckahoe School, was the first time Angelica saw her father in more than a year. He had just returned from a deployment in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard and was still in uniform. The reunion was a surprise for Angelica, who knew her father would be home this month but not exactly when. Her mother, Irene Gomez, did not tell Angelica that her father would arrive at the school, so the classmates she had been telling about her father and what he does could witness his homecoming too. The surprise was in the works for more than a month, ever since Angelica’s kindergarten teacher, Ann Miller, asked her why she was upset one day. Angelica explained that she missed her father. “My daddy’s in Afghanistan,” she said. “He’s a hero.” Sgt. Gomez was originally going to return home before Christmas, but the date was pushed back to just after New Year’s Day. Then it was pushed back again and again. And again. He finally left Afghanistan on January 8 but still had a long journey ahead of him that was fraught with delays. From Afghanistan, he flew to Germany, where he was supposed to have only a brief stay while the pilots slept. But after departing Germany, the C-5 Galaxy transport he was on blew an engine and a hydraulic unit. “We were over Ireland when we lost the engine, so they turned us around and headed us back to Germany,” he said. It took six days of repairs before the aircraft was able to depart again. When Mr. Gomez thought he would be home earlier, he had promised Angelica he would be home by her birthday, on January 14, Ms. Gomez said. When it became clear he would likely not be home in time, Ms. Gomez promised her daughter two birthday celebrations—one on the 14th, and another once her father was home. In the weeks leading up to Angelica’s birthday, Ms. Gomez asked her daughter what kind of a present she’d like. “I want Daddy to come home,” Angelica would say. “That’s the only thing I want.” Angelica frequently asked when her father was returning, Ms. Gomez said. “Sometimes it’s difficult for me to give the right answer.” Once the C-5 Galaxy finally touched down at Fort Drum, an Army base in upstate New York, Sgt. Gomez still had a wait ahead of him. Fort Drum was winding down before the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, and he could not start his required paperwork and medical check until January 20. But Ms. Gomez said she could breathe a sigh of relief once she knew he had made it that far, even if she had to wait a bit longer to see him. Sgt. Gomez left Fort Drum on Thursday but did not go straight home. Instead, family friend John Distefano picked him up from the train station and stowed him away overnight to keep his arrival a surprise for Angelica and his younger daughter, 3-year-old Marilyn. Sgt. Gomez’s deployment was his first overseas with the National Guard during a career as a full-time Guard reservist. When he first joined the Guard nearly 24 years ago, he never expected his unit to be activated, he said. But the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 changed that, he said. Sgt. Gomez was nearly deployed once before, but was allowed to stay behind because Angelica was just born. Because of the nature of Mr. Gomez’s career, he and his family have moved every few years. Just three years ago, they were living in Edison, New Jersey. Mr. Gomez was transferred to the Bay Shore armory in 2006, and for several months took trains between New Jersey and Long Island five days a week to commute to work. Eventually, he had enough, and relocated his family, including his mother, Elizabeth Jakob, to Shirley. But their new home was in a dangerous area. “The neighborhood wasn’t the best, if you know what I mean,” Mr. Gomez said. Twice, while Mr. Gomez wasn’t home and Ms. Gomez was, someone tried to break into their home. Mr. Distefano said he moved the Gomezes into one of his rental homes in Tuckahoe at a discounted rate and put their extra things into storage for free because, as a veteran himself, he felt compelled to help. “The man had to be able to go to Afghanistan with the peace of mind that his family was being taken care of ...” he said. “I just couldn’t see them living where they were living, and him being there. It just didn’t make any sense.” Mr. Distefano came to know the Gomezes because his wife, Irene Distefano, is originally from Indonesia as is Ms. Gomez. Ms. Distefano and Ms. Gomez found each other on the internet once the Gomezes moves to Long Island. Sgt. Gomez, who was born in New York City, and Ms. Gomez met in 2002, a year after Ms. Gomez immigrated to the United States. The Distefanos also watched over Ms. Jakob while Ms. Gomez took her daughters to Indonesia to visit family for five months while their father was away. “You can’t do enough for active duty personnel or veterans,” Mr. Distefano said. “I mean, the description of a veteran, whether retired, active duty or reserve, is a person who, at one point of their life, writes a blank check to the United States of America up to and including their lives.” Mr. Distefano was in the Navy, his father was a Marine, and his grandfather was in the cavalry. Mr. Gomez is now retiring from the National Guard after 24 years, the last 12 years as a supply sergeant. “I had to maintain accountability of all the unit’s equipment,” he explained. “In other words, if I assigned you a rifle, I had to make sure you still had that rifle, and that went for anything else that was on the property list.” In Afghanistan, he was in charge of $7 million worth of supplies and equipment. He explained his job and what it was like to live in Afghanistan for a year to Angelica’s kindergarten classmates, who thanked him for his service and showed him that they can recite the Pledge of Allegiance. With Angelica and Marilyn sitting on his lap—for the first time in a year—Mr. Gomez took the students’ questions and promised to come back to the Tuckahoe School again with photos of his time abroad.

Vote for the Military Spouse of the Year

For the second straight year, Military Spouse will honor a military spouse on Military Spouse Appreciation Day, based on reader-submitted nominations. As past winners have, the Military Spouse of the Year will represent the sacrifice, patriotism, professionalism and altruism that embody this community of 1.1 million current and 20 million former military spouses.

Ten contestants per branch were selected from nominations submitted between 8/12/08 and 10/8/08. Voting for branch contestants occured between 10/30/08 and 12/24/08. Winners of each branch will be voted on to become the national 2009 Military Spouse of the Year through 3/4/09. The national 2009 Military Spouse of the Year will be announced on 5/7/09, the week of Military Spouse Appreciation Day, at an event in Washington, D.C.

 

Click here to vote!

Military Spouse magazine announced the five military service branch winners for its 2009 Military Spouse of the Year award, presented by USAA. The winners were Air Force wife Susan Webb of Glasford, Ill.; Army wife Misti Stevens of Fort Campbell, Ky.; Coast Guard wife Patricia Pruett of Miami, Fla.; Marine Corps wife Tanya Queiro of Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Navy wife Christy Kuiatnyk of Ellerslie, Ga.

The five women were selected through an online vote held during the last three months.

Voting starts today to select one overall winner. All Americans are encouraged to vote online at www.msoy.milspouse.com, where you can find profiles of these amazing supporters of the Homefront. No registration, membership or fee is required to vote. This final phase of voting will continue through March 4.

The overall 2009 Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) will be announced and honored nationally in the June issue of Military Spouse magazine and at the second annual MSOY Awards Ceremony to be held during the week of May 4, 2009 in Washington, DC, in conjunction with National Military Spouse Appreciation Week. Laura Bush and the spouses of generals, admirals, Congressmen, CEOs and ambassadors honored the 2008 Military Spouse of the Year at last year’s high profile event.

The winner will make additional public appearances, write a monthly column to appear in Military Spouse magazine, and maintain a blog during her reign, which will last through May 2010.

As part of the ceremonies, the five women will also be honored tonight during USAA’s Military Appreciation Night at the San Antonio Spurs basketball game. USAA has produced a special video, celebrity appearances and on-court tribute to honor the women.

The Military Spouse of the Year represents the millions of military spouses who are unsung heroes maintaining the Homefront, giving back selflessly to their communities, and providing support to our nation’s troops. Often, these spouses have full-time jobs and raise families too.

 

War? What War? DoD Identifies Army Casualties...6th Squadron, 6th Cav Regt from Ft Drum NY

Update: More links here   This is a repost from Military Spouse Press~please follow the link to leave her a supportive comment-LIG   War? What War? by: DonQuixote Wed Jan 28, 2009 at 00:47:03 AM EST

Posted on MSP by Don Quixote for Aldonza (Carissa Picard) I am beginning to wonder if the American public thinks former President Bush went ahead and brought home all 140,000 troops from Iraq as an inaugural gift for President Obama (you know, so Obama wouldn't have to trouble himself with it) or if they simply forgot we were still there.  Then again, considering the precipitous drop in media coverage of the war in Iraq (the war in Afghanistan was always under-covered in my opinion), who knows what most Americans think is going on in Iraq now.

For example, according to a study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, Iraq composed 23 percent of network news stories in the first 10 weeks of 2007 but only three percent during that same period in 2008.  For cable networks, it dropped from 24 percent to one percent. Conventional wisdom is that the American public has "lost interest" in the war.  I find this troubling.  If media coverage is the measure of American interest, we were never particularly interested in the war in Afghanistan and that was the source of the terrorist attacks that led to where we are today. This lack of coverage-excuse me, "interest"-to date has reached a new low.  On 26 January, there was a mid-air collision between two Kiowa helicopters outside of Kirkuk, Iraq, at approximately 2:15 AM.  The collision resulted in the death of all four pilots-one of whom was the husband of a friend of mine.   My friend and her husband were happily married for many years and had several children together.   At 7 AM the following day, my friend was informed that the man she had spent nearly half of her life loving was dead.  At 7 AM, she went from being an Army wife to an Army widow; as did, potentially, three other spouses when those helicopters hit one another. Meanwhile, aviation spouses around the country came together to support her, clicking closing ranks around her.  Many are making plans to go visit her, coming from all parts of the country to where she is. Collectively, our hearts are breaking-not only for her loss, but for the losses sustained by all four families.  The day after we learned of the collision, most of us remained somber, unable to shake the sadness of losing so many of our own in one night.  This collision, like all crashes, was an unasked for and costly reminder of the dangers our loved ones face, and of the emotional Russian roulette we unwittingly play every time we know our soldier is going to fly:  it was her husband today, it could be mine tomorrow.   Although this was the deadliest "incident" in Iraq for U.S. soldiers in four months and resulted in the loss of multi-million dollar airframes and soldiers whom the military had invested millions of dollars to recruit, promote, train, retain, and deploy, it did not grace the front page of any major news site after two PM CST Monday.   This life changing event for these four families was relegated to the Iraq war page on CNN's, MSNBC's, and yes, even FOX News' websites.  After looking for coverage of this collision, I went back and looked to see if any of these three sites had a single story on their main pages about the war in Iraq OR Afghanistan at all.  None did. Words get used like "war fatigue" to describe the American public and its waning interest.  Americans are tired of hearing about war so if the media covers it (or so the logic goes), viewers or readers will tune out and/or go elsewhere for their news.  Evidently, men and women dying overseas while carrying out our government's foreign policy just got old. War fatigue is a luxury not afforded the military community.  Those four pilots volunteered to serve this country and their families supported this service.  When we choose to love and support our servicemembers, we forgo the option of experiencing "war fatigue."  Quite the opposite, we unwittingly facilitate this luxury for others by keeping the specter of a draft at bay as these wars grind on.  In fact, I find it more than a little ironic that voluntary service, which protects Americans from having to face being sent to war involuntarily, seems to be appreciated less by our nation, as opposed to more.  Instead, it leads to apathy and "war fatigue."  I wonder if those who don't feel like thinking about these wars realize why they are able to do so? On behalf of every deployed servicemember as I write this-and on behalf of the families who love and support them-I would like to say to the American public, "your welcome."

 

 

DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died from wounds suffered when two OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters crashed Jan. 26 in Kirkuk, Iraq. They were assigned to the 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

 

Killed were:

 

Chief Warrant Officer Philip E. Windorski, Jr., 35, of Bovey, Minn.

 

Chief Warrant Officer Matthew G. Kelley, 30, of Cameron, Mo.

 

Chief Warrant Officer Joshua M. Tillery, 31, of Beaverton, Ore.

 

Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin H. Todd, 29, of Colville, Wash.

 

The incident is under investigation.

 

For further information contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-8286.

 

3rd BCT~10th Mtn Div Troops Move Into Logar, Wardak Provinces of Afghanistan

Soldier of Fortune Magazine~ Posted by SOF Editor on January 26th, 2009

 

Soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division have left their home station at Fort Drum, N.Y., and are now moving into position for operations in Regional Command-East, Afghanistan in support of operation Enduring Freedom.

 

Task Force Spartan will serve under Combined Joint Task Force-101 as a unit in NATO’s International Security Assistance Force and be responsible for the provinces of Wardak and Logar in RC East. The area has been sparsely occupied most recently by units from the 101st Airborne Division out of Fort Campbell, Ky.

The brigade is the first element of its size to deploy exclusively into these two provinces, increasing the U.S. presence there by thousands. All forward operating bases throughout these provinces will be reinforced to accommodate the influx of troops.

Soldiers began to fly out of Fort Drum as early as mid-November. Task Force Spartan, originally slated to deploy to Iraq, was officially re-routed to Afghanistan in early September. The brigade is the first substantial illustration of the new military focus in Afghanistan.

The brigade’s mission has been called expeditionary, given how undeveloped their new area of operations is by U.S. military forces.

“Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Casey called us an expeditionary force,” said Col. David B. Haight, Task Force Spartan commander. “The term basically means that we are a very flexible force. We can get a mission in an austere part of the world, and if you give us the right equipment and the right amount of personnel we can quickly come up with a solution, deploy to that area from our home base of Fort Drum, New York, and begin effective operations in a short period of time.”

Flexibility was a key word for the brigade as they prepared for their current deployment.

“We spent well over a year preparing to deploy into the region of East Baghdad,” said Haight. “Once we found out we were being re-routed, we very quickly replicated our training for Afghanistan.”

Although much of the brigade’s last year of training for Iraq can still be applied to combat and counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan, there is obvious diversity between the two. The brigade staff and Soldiers quickly adjusted fire and integrated new key training objectives for Afghanistan.

“Some may say that a counterinsurgency is a counterinsurgency no matter where you are in the world, but there are obvious differences we had to prepare for,” said Haight. “The infrastructure in Iraq is much more advanced than what we are dealing with here in Afghanistan, as is the overall terrain. Language and terrain issues are obviously vastly different in Iraq than they are in Afghanistan.”

In the past, only a battalion-sized element occupied the two provinces which now belong to Task Force Spartan. Basics such as sleeping arrangements, chow hall capacity, showers and phone and Internet connectivity are the current main concerns of the brigade.

Pfc. MaryPearl Parnell, an information analyst who deployed early and has been in Afghanistan for the last month, noted the progress the brigade has made since they began to arrive in their area of operations.

“When we first got here, our tactical operations center was only a bunch of wires and lots of wood,” said Parnell, who is on her second deployment to Afghanistan with the brigade. “We really had to organize our priorities once we got here. Things were different this time around, so once we arrived, we had to establish connectivity in our headquarters and make sure each room had the correct lines run for the personnel that would need them. These basics were already established for the brigade last time, so that was a challenge.”

Aside from the challenges, Parnell and others have focused on some of the positives.

“I was impressed with the FOB, it was much more than what I expected. I also notice that personnel have a lot more patience. They understand that this is a slow process, but it is a necessary process towards progress.”

Parnell is one of many Soldiers who have deployed with the Spartan Brigade before.

“About to 30 to 35 percent of the brigade are veterans of the last deployment,” said Haight. “That adds an advantage to our current mission due to the fact that they already possess the cultural sensitivity, awareness of the terrain and are more aware of the tribal dynamics.”

“We learned a lot of critical lessons last time we were here,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Delbert Byers, command sergeant major for TF Spartan. “We learned how to operate efficiently in this [counterinsurgency] environment and what are the best ways to interact with the people to include the Afghan national army and the Afghan national police. We’ll lend a lot of effort and focus to working with and helping to train the local Afghan security forces this time around.”

Although the brigade is now focused on building adequate living and operational bases to conduct missions from, very soon they will begin to move out into Wardak and Logar and build important relationships with the local populace.

“Our first steps are to get forces out into these more populated areas and begin to interact with the people,” said Haight. “Knowing the human terrain is as important as knowing the mountainous terrain surrounding our forward operating bases.”

“We cannot accomplish our mission without the support of the people,” said Maj. James Baker, information operations officer for the brigade.

“We establish these relationships so we can understand the locals’ viewpoint, position and better help them in our efforts to work towards the overall security of Afghanistan. We base these relationships on trust, which is vital to our joint efforts over the next year.”

The focus of the brigade for the next year will be to help improve security in Wardak and Logar and help bring the local populace into a position of strengthened governance and infrastructure.

Key members of the brigade have already begun to meet and greet with leaders of Wardak and Logar, a small start to the large efforts the brigade hopes to make during their year in Afghanistan. There are many factors which will lend to victory in Afghanistan, but only one key will open the door to a more secure future.

“We have to get the local populace to take some ownership of their government,” said Haight. “Afghans themselves are obviously the key to this victory.”

 

Godspeed Sgt Erza Dawson~Blue Spader 1-26th 3-1 BCT

It is with a heavy heart that I post the announcement that Sgt Dawson, a well-loved member of the Recon/Sniper team, has been killed in eastern Afghanistan. His ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by Viper Co 1-26th 3-1 BCT serving in the Korengal Valley.

 

The Defense Department announced Friday that Army Sgt. Ezra Dawson of Las Vegas died Jan. 17 when the Chinook helicopter he was in made a hard landing under combat conditions in Konar Province near the Korengal Outpost.

Military officials say the accident is being investigated. {It is rumored to have been shot down by an RPG}

Dawson was assigned to the {HHC} 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas

"Riding Along" With a 6-4 Cavalry Convoy in Nangahar Province, Afghanistan

"Riding Along" With a 6-4 Cavalry Convoy in Nangahar Province, Afghanistan

http://tankerbabelc985.vox.com/librar...

From The Washington Post via The Nation In Afghanistan, terrain rivals taliban as enemy: Washington Post submitted 10 hours 4 minutes ago It was near sunset when the tire on one of the armored vehicles blew out on the way back through the village of Khuga Kheyl this month. The U.S. Army convoy...