April 13, 2020

Bataan Amphibious Ready Group/26th Marine Expeditionary Unit stay mission ready during pandemic

ARABIAN SEA — The Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are taking additional precautions while deployed at sea to stay healthy and mission ready in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. “The Bataan ARG and 26th MEU team is taking significant steps to remain a flexible, adaptive and persistent force in this region during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Capt. Lance Lesher, Commodore of the ARG. “We are a fully capable crisis response team for our nation. We are inspired by the strength of our families, who are enduring this pandemic back home, and in their honor, we stand strong and ready for any mission our country gives us.”

April 9, 2020

Task Force Spartan works to protect Soldiers from COVID-19

ARIFJAN, Kuwait — As COVID-19, commonly referred to as the Coronavirus, steadily advances, Task Force Spartan is working hard to prepare and protect its subordinate units and their Soldiers deployed throughout the Middle East. Although U.S. government agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute for Health are leading the fight on the homeland, the U.S. Army response in a large portion of the U.S. Army Central area of operations has been entrusted to Task Force Spartan.

April 9, 2020

U.S. Army Apache helicopters complete landing qualifications aboard USS Lewis B Puller

Arabian Gulf — ARABIAN GULF – U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters with 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, conducted deck-landing qualifications (DLQ) aboard the expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) from March 23-27 in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

April 4, 2020

Bataan Amphibious Ready Group Transits Strait of Hormuz

Strait of Hormuz — The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), along with guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12), conducted a routine transit f through the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Gulf April 3, 2020.

April 4, 2020

Coalition Civil Affairs Divests Equipment To Further Stabilize NE Syria; فريق الشؤون المدنية في التحالف يقوم بتوزيع المعدات لدعم عمليات الإستقرار في شمال شرق سوريا; Hevpeymaniya Karên Civakî Nehfên Hêlan dike da ku Hêlîna Bakurê Sûriyê Stabîl bike

Detention and hospital facilities in Al-Hasakah and Al-Shaddadi received approximately $1.2 million worth of equipment for detainee support and COVID-19 prevention efforts in northeast Syria on March 27th, 2020. The divestment comes as a joint effort from the Coalition’s Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund, the Civil Military Operations Center, and Civil Affairs Team Shaddadi. Personal protection equipment, such as latex gloves and masks, as well as surgical kits, defibrillators and oximeters were all provided to not only hospitals, but also detention facilities across the Hasakah and Shaddadi area.

April 3, 2020

115TH Field Artillery Brigade and 4-133rd Field Artillery Regiment Participate in Bilateral Exercises with UAE

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — In support of the Task Force Spartan mission, Soldiers from the 115th Field Artillery Brigade and 4-133rd Field Artillery Regiment (FAR) participated in multiple bilateral exercises with their counterparts in the United Arab Emirates Land Forces. Maj. Daniel Long, 115th FAB Intelligence Officer, participates in an after-action review with his Emirati counterpart at Operation Thundercloud. The exercises, which culminated in a joint High Mobility Artillery Rocket System live fire, spanned the course of several weeks throughout March 2020.

April 2, 2020

IMSC Enforces Safety Measures to Protect Members from COVID-19

MANAMA, BAHRAIN — The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) has been practicing several safety precautions to promote the health and safety of all its members with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. No members of the IMSC have fallen ill to COVID-19 as of current.

April 1, 2020

Coalition forces stay operations-ready

IRAQ — The Coalition forces comprising the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force conducted medical operations exercises on March 27th, 2020 in the northern region of Iraq. The CJSOTF operates as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in counter Daesh missions.

April 1, 2020

U.S. Navy Surface Forces and Army Attack Helicopters Conduct Integration Operations in Arabian Gulf

U.S. Navy Expeditionary Landing Base ship USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT), has been conducting joint naval and air integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters assigned to U.S. Army Central Command’s (USARCENT) Task Force Saber, throughout the month of March.

March 27, 2020

Six Tips for Protecting Your Teammates from COVID-19 Spread; ست نصائح لحماية زملائك في الفريق من انتشار فيروس كورونا-19 Şeş tiştên ji bo parastina xwe jı berfireh kirina Vîrûsa Korona-19

ARIFJAN, KUWAIT 03.27.2020 — For the SOJTF-OIR Coalition and our Iraq and Syria partners, the COVID-19 pandemic adds an additional obstacle to the overall mission of maintaining the enduring defeat of Daesh. Multiple confirmed cases of COVID-19 have appeared across countries in the Middle East as the virus continues to spread in communities across the globe.