Sept. 12, 2011

Marjah security tightens, Marines push progress

MARJAH, Helmand province, Afghanistan (September 8, 2011) – Operation Moshtarak, a Dari word meaning “together,” began in February 2010 as a way for Afghan and coalition forces to assert authority in central Helmand and for the Afghan government to demonstrate its commitment to the people living there, according to the U.S. Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Sept. 11, 2011

U.S. Central Command, Coalition commemorate 9-11 anniversary

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (September 9, 2011) — Local community leaders joined personnel assigned to U.S. Central Command to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on America with a remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday.

Sept. 7, 2011

Panetta: al-Qaida weakened, but still poses threat

NEW YORK (September 6, 2011) — The terrorist attacks of a decade ago have in some ways strengthened the United States, and operations against al-Qaida have left it much less capable, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

Sept. 2, 2011

Commander says Iraq transition on track

WASHINGTON (September 1, 2011) — As the Dec. 31 departure date approaches for approximately 46,000 U.S. troops remaining in Iraq, Iraqi security forces in the north are prepared to manage internal security and external defense, a U.S. brigade commander posted in Iraq said today.

Sept. 1, 2011

Provincial Reconstruction Team uses infantry soldiers to bolster joint patrols

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan (September 1, 2011) — Even before they arrived in Laghman, Infantry Soldiers from 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1-182nd Infantry Regiment were told many of their missions would entail providing security for the provincial reconstruction team’s key personnel as they conduct key leader engagements and quality assurance checks of ongoing construction projects throughout the province

Aug. 31, 2011

Mattis discusses Afghan transition at Marine Symposium

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (August 30, 2011) — Transition is an ongoing process in Afghanistan, and it entails far more than simply winning on the battlefield, the commander of U.S. Central Command said here today.

Aug. 30, 2011

Marines train Afghan police to handle special tactics missions

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan (August 29, 2011) — Marine Corps instructors at the Joint Sustainment Academy Southwest at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand province, are in the process of training an elite group of Afghan Uniformed Police in a first-of-its-kind training program.

Aug. 30, 2011

Female soldiers work with women of Afghanistan

DEH DADI, Afghanistan (August 30, 2011) — The U.S. Army has teams that specialize in different tasks, such as training Soldiers during simulated war or teaching Soldiers how to parachute from an airplane. When it comes to helping the women of Afghanistan, the Army has teams for that too.

Aug. 24, 2011

PRT works with village to build school

GHAZNI PROVINCE, Afghanistan (August 21, 2011) – Ghazni Provincial Reconstruction Team members and civil engineers conducted a shura with the Andar District subgovernor and village elders to ensure the completion of the Wali Lali school project.

Aug. 24, 2011

Task Force Guns descends on Afghanistan, takes on mission

CAMP KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (August 23, 2011) - They started from scratch. Arriving at Camp Kunduz in mid May, Soldiers from Task Force Guns, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, had their work cut out for them. The Soldiers were tasked to convert an area of operations that was suited for a small platoon-sized element into one in which a battalion-sized element could thrive in.