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Aug. 30, 2016

Briefing at the Pentagon by U.S. Army General Joseph Votel, Commander of U.S. Central Command

Pentagon — COOK: Morning, everyone. Pleased to welcome General Votel from Central Command here to share with you his thoughts about what's going on within his combatant command. Lots of issues, of course, to talk about. And without any further ado, we'll let General Votel begin. And do have to keep an eye on the clock because he does have other meetings here (inaudible). VOTEL: Thanks -- thanks, Peter. Appreciate it. And for all of you, it's good to -- good to be here this morning. I appreciate the opportunity to come and talk with you and provide you an update on U.S. military activities in the Central Command area of responsibility, and particularly, as they are related to the ongoing fight in Iraq and Syria against the terrorist organization ISIL, or Daesh.

A team of Iraqi army ranger students conducts a glass house room clearing drill as their leadership watches at Camp Taji, Iraq, July 18, 2016. This drill, conducted within a diagram or outline of a building, allows the students to practice room clearing techniques while in full view of their trainers. Camp Taji is one of four Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve build partner capacity locations dedicated to training Iraqi security forces. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Daniel Johnson/Released)

Aug. 28, 2016

Ranger training helps build more elite Iraqi force

Iraq — U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, Task Force Strike, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), took charge of a ranger training program for qualified volunteers from Iraqi security forces at Camp Taji, Iraq, when they arrived in May.

General Joseph L. Votel, U.S. Central Command Commander, meets members of the Lebanese Armed Forces during his visit to the Amchit military base August 23, 2016

Aug. 23, 2016

CENTCOM Commander General Votel Visits Lebanon

Beirut — BEIRUT – U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Joseph L. Votel visited Lebanon today as part of a multi-stop tour of the Middle East. General Votel met with Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) Commander General Jean Kahwagi and other key leaders of the Armed Forces.

U.S. Ambassador Elizabeth H. Richard greets members of the Lebanese Armed Forces upon the arrival of $50 million shipment of U.S. military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Aug. 17, 2016

America delivers $50 Million in Humvees, weapons, and ammunition to the Lebanese Army

Beirut, Lebanon — BEIRUT (August 17, 2016) — Elizabeth H. Richard, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, presided over a delivery of U.S. military assistance to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) at the Beirut Port on August 9.

An F/A-18D Hornet assigned to Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command 16.2, returns to an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, June 8, 2016. VMFA(AW)-533 operates and conducts strikes as part of the Aviation Combat Element of SPMAGTF-CR-CC in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Donald Holbert/ Released)

Aug. 15, 2016

Carter Hails Liberation of Key Syrian City From ISIL Control

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a statement congratulating those responsible for liberating the Syrian city of Manbij, after a months-long battle to expel Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists.

Maj. Gen. Edward Dorman, J-4 (logistics), U.S. Army Central Command, looks out over the pier aboard the Large Tug U.S. Army Vessel Col. Seth Warner during his visit to the 401st Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait’s Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 watercraft set at Kuwait Naval Base, Aug. 3. (Photo by Justin Graff, 401st AFSB Public Affairs)

Aug. 11, 2016

CENTCOM’s top logistics officer tours watercraft set, touts strategic advantage

KUWAIT NAVAL BASE, Kuwait — KUWAIT NAVAL BASE, Kuwait – U.S. Army Central Command’s top logistics officer visited the Army Prepositioned Stocks-5 watercraft set here, Aug. 3, to get a closer look at what the unique equipment set can offer the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

160729-N-QI061-048 ARABIAN GULF (July 29, 2016) - An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to the Dusty Dogs of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 delivers supplies to the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) during a replenishment-at-sea with the fast-combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8). Ike and its Carrier Strike Group are deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Third Class Nathan T. Beard/Released)

Aug. 7, 2016

Central Command leadership join Dwight D. Eisenhower underway

ARABIAN GULF — ARABIAN GULF (August 7, 2016) — The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) hosted senior military officers from U.S. Central Command and component commands while operating in the Arabian Gulf, August 6.

Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks to Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, in Baghdad, July 31, 2016. Dunford is visiting Iraq to assess the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. DoD Photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique A. Pineiro

July 31, 2016

Iraqi Leaders Showing Confidence, Optimism in ISIL Fight, Dunford Says

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT — The biggest change in Iraq is the sense of confidence and optimism that leaders have “that absolutely didn’t exist last fall,” Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford said after a full day of meeting with Iraqi, U.S. and other coalition leaders.

U.S. Army Gen. Joseph Votel Commander of U.S. Central Command, meets with U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Clifford Wiggins, Command Sgt. Maj. 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and members of the Jordanian Armed Forces during Exercise Eager Lion 16 near Amman, Jordan on May 22, 2016. Eager Lion 16 is a US military bi-lateral exercise with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan designed to strengthen relationships and interoperability between partner nations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Lauren Falk 5th MEB COMCAM/Released)

July 28, 2016

Votel Impressed by Iraqi Leaders’ Rising Confidence in Counter-ISIL Fight

WASHINGTON — Army Gen. Joseph L. Votel said the Iraqi government and its military are confident in the approach they are taking against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Two F/A-18E Super Hornets undergo preliminary checks on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Arabian Gulf, July 26, 2016. The USS Eisenhower and its Carrier Strike Group are deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Theodore Quintana

July 27, 2016

OIR Official: Captured Info Describes ISIL Operations in Manbij

WASHINGTON — Laptops and other items that coalition forces have recovered around Manbij, Syria, are providing much information about the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's organization, an Inherent Resolve spokesman said.