Senior Master Sgt. Bryan Shipman, a superintendant of protocol with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and a Norfolk, Va., native, served as the Air Force CFC representative.

“We noticed there were no combined events with the Army or anyone else,” he said. “We teamed with the 13th (Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)) and the 194th Engineer Brigade and we came together with this alternate Amazing Race event.”

What’s really amazing to me is that these brave men and women are in harm’s way and yet they’re still able to think about others and help with a charity. Wow. That’s something, you know. If you agree, leave a comment!

Master Sgt. Kimberly D. Bergman, a 13th ESC career counselor and a Chicago native, said no other CFC-O event has had all the major commands from their base organized together.

Instead of commanders doing their own events for CFC-O, they came together as a whole – Army and Air Force, said Bergman.

“It was an awesome time,” she said. “Everyone brought their own strengths … which [were]reflected in the different challenges that we had.”

Spc. Martha A. Bolt, a paralegal specialist with the 13th ESC and a Sussex, N.J., native, said the event was fun and helped the service members get a good workout.

Bolt, who was on the Urban Logistickers team, said the hardest part of the event was the eating competition at the Mirage dining facility. She drew a number and had to eat banana pudding with raisins. Other numbered items included sardines, refried beans and tuna.

Her teammate, Maj. Erik A. Enyart, a brigade aviation officer with the 13th ESC and a Radcliff, Ky., native, said blind golfing and chow-hall eating were the hardest parts of the event.

I don’t know – it all seems like a lot to me. Thanks to the participating troops, though! (Even if it is a few months late.) To make up for it, here’s a more recent Amazing Race Afghanistan video. Enjoy!

Sgt. Stryker out.

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13th ESC Wins Amazing Race Charity Run

Capt. Amber M. Marks, a Task Force Leader logistics officer with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Artillery Regiment out of Fort Sill, Okla., and Staff Sgt. Brandon E. Thomas, a communication and electronics noncommissioned officer with the 602nd Forward Support Company out of Fort Lewis, Wash., read the directions for the next event during the Combined Federal Campaign – Overseas Amazing Race Dec. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Marks, a Parkersburg, W.Va., native, and Thomas, a Freeport, Ill., native, were part of team Born Ready. Photo by Sgt. Ryan Twist

Sgt. Austin A. Nightingale, operation executive administrative assistant with the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) out of Fort Hood, Texas, and Maj. Erik A. Enyart, a brigade aviation officer with the 13th ESC, eat bread pudding and raisins at the Mirage dining facility during the Combined Federal Campaign – Overseas Amazing Race Dec. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Nightingale, a Missoula, Mont., native, and Enyart, a Radcliff, Ky., native, were part of the winning team, the Urban Logistickers, which won a $300 dollar check donated to the CFC in their name. Photo by Sgt. Ryan Twist

Spc. Kimberly N. Dover, a medic at the Troop Medical Center with the 248th Area Support Medical Company out of Marietta, Ga., tries to eat bread pudding and raisins at the Mirage dining facility during the Combined Federal Campaign – Overseas Amazing Race Dec. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Dover, a Cartersville, Ga., native, was part of team Sickcall Rangers, which placed third in the event. Photo by Sgt. Ryan Twist

Team Urban Logistickers, with the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) out of Fort Hood, Texas, accept a $300 check from Col. Knowles Y. Atchison, deputy commander with the 13th ESC, for winning the Combined Federal Campaign – Overseas Amazing Race Dec. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The check will be donated to the CFC in recognition of the winners. Photo by Sgt. Ryan Twist

“The whole 35 days through, we saw almost endless opportunity and good spirits out there, and it was really a morale booster for us about the whole mission,” Raimondi said. “There was no approval chain. What we saw, we talked about.”

Gallahan said the greatest challenge to keeping up the pace of daily reports was finding Internet access with enough bandwidth to upload video material to their Web site. The easy part, he said, was finding stories to tell.

“There are so many people in this country who have so much to say, and there’s so much to talk about, that I could have spent 10 years blogging every day and could have found something new to talk about,” he said.

When you think about it, this really is some groundbreaking Military Journalism. Kinda reminds you of World War II reporter Ernie Pyle, doesn’t it?

Gallahan said his two regrets about the project are a lack of time to plan out logistics and having to wrap up after just skimming the surface of the country.

“I would like to continue to try to tell the entire story of Afghanistan so people can make their own judgments,” he said.

That’s about the truth with any assignment these days. Leave a comment if you would like to see the military keep up with projects like this one.

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U.S. Airmen Train First Afghan C-27 Loadmaster

A C-27A Spartan parked next to a C-17A Globemaster III March 28, at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Training loadmasters is important as the Afghanistan national army air corps expects to expand its C-27 fleet to 20 aircraft by the end of the program and expects the delivery of two more C-27s in early April. Photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

Master Sgt. Chris Ringland, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group standards and evaluation loadmaster, and Afghanistan national army air corps Master Sgt. Sheer Aqa Karimi, a C-27A Spartan loadmaster, congratulate each other after successfully unloading the missions cargo to its detestation, March 28, at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. During an almost two-hour International Security Assistance Force operational mission to deliver more than 2,400 pounds of weapons and supplies for Afghanistan national police at Camp Bastion. ANAAC C-27 loadmaster, Afghan Master Sgt. Sheer Aqa Karimi, was evaluated by Master Sgt. Chris Ringland, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group standards and evaluation loadmaster. Photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

Afghanistan national army air corps Master Sgt. Sheer Aqa Karimi, a C-27A Spartan loadmaster, and Master Sgt. Chris Ringland, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group standards and evaluation loadmaster, socialize prior to take-off for a check ride for Karimi, March 28, at Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan. \”Sheer Aqa is one of the brightest and energetic students we have, said Ringland, who is deployed from the 6th SOSS at Hurlburt Field. \”He did a great job today and I would be proud to fly with him anywhere in the world.” Admitting he was a bit nervous, Karimi, was pleased at the success of the mission and is happy to be his country\’s first qualified C-27 loadmaster Photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

Afghanistan national army air corps Master Sgt. Sheer Aqa Karimi, a C-27A Spartan loadmaster, performs pre-flight checks prior to engine start up for an operational mission and his check ride on a ANAAC C-27, March 28, at Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan. Photo by Staff Sgt. Manuel Martinez

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On March 7, 2010, Afghan and ISAF officials attended a foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new $270,000 women’s business center. The new center will have four levels with a total area of around 5,500 square feet. The centre will have room for 36 stores, a conference room, and space for recreational activities and gymnastics on the top floor.

The centre was donated by the Italian Ministry of Defence and is in cooperation with the Department for Women Affairs, which supports the establishment of a business area dedicated to female entrepreneurship. This will further the role of women as entrepreneurs in the Herat province. The Italian Cooperation for Development of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will supply all furniture and necessary equipment for the centre as well as launch a microcredit project, which is an economic tool for development that will provide affected families access to financial services and, in particular, to women.

“Through this project we will provide financial support for the initiation of individual businesses and boost their natural development,” said Brig. Gen. Alessandro Veltri, Regional Command-West commander. “It will also promote the presence of female personnel into the local entrepreneurial system promoting a role of women as a central element and factor of progress in Afghan society.”

Yeah, it’s the Italians helping, but it’s good to see other countries kicking in, I think. More on this later, I think.

Sgt. Stryker out.

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International Women’s Day Greeting

Gen. Khatol Mohammadzai, the first female parachutist and general in the Afghan national army, greets the Task Force Bayonet command group on International Women’s Day, March 8. Photo by Spc. Daniel D. Haun

Lt. Col. Kyle Lear, the deputy commanding officer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, presents Gen. Khatol Mohammadzai, the first female parachutist and general in the Afghan national army, with the title of honorary Sky Soldier. Mohammadzai spoke to the Task Force Bayonet command group and women of the Logar province on International Women’s International Day, March 8.

Lt. Col. Kyle Lear, the deputy commanding officer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, presents Gen. Khatol Mohammadzai, the first female parachutist and general in the Afghan national army, with the title of honorary Sky Soldier. Mohammadzai spoke to the Task Force Bayonet command group and women of the Logar province on International Women’s International Day, March 8.

Patrolling and Delivering Supplies in Afghanistan

Paktika Reconstruction Team members Sgt. 1st Class Jermaine Jones (left), Chief Petty Officer Rhonda Harms (middle), and Sgt. Robby Owens (right), patrol the streets of Sharana while delivering supplies of women and children’s clothes, shoes, and toys March 7 in preparation for International Women’s Day events to be held the following day at the Director of Women’s Affairs compound in Sharana. Harms is the communications department head for the PRT and is deployed from the Naval Operations Support Center in Austin, Texas, Navy Central MAST A, where she is the Operations/Information Technology department chief. Jones and Owens are both deployed from Bravo battery 1/178 Field Artillery, South Carolina Army National Guard.

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command partnered with U.S. Navy Seebees, Air Force and Army engineers, Feb. 26, here to train Haitian engineers on building assessment ensuring Haitian citizens are living in structurally sound buildings.

“The work we are doing today is to systematically walk through neighborhoods assessing damage,” said Vince Sobach, Joint Task Force Engineers, NAVFAC. “The primary goal is to get people back in their homes. The second part of the mission is training the local Haitian engineers. Basically we are doing a technology transfer. We are trying to both things at the same time since time is of the essence.”

“A lot of the residents of Tourgeau are in one of the local internally displaced persons’ camp that is very much overcrowded,” said Sobach. “So we are going to sweep this neighborhood and try to decompress that camp.”

“The goal today is to evaluate all the houses and structures in the neighborhood of Tourgeau for earthquake damage and get people back to safe houses or tell them is they are living in a dangerous one,” said Bryan Haelsig, NAVFAC engineer.

The group of engineers walked from house to house knocking on doors, looking in and around buildings and talking to residents. All of the Haitian citizens opened their doors with no protests and confidently showed the cracks on the walls of their homes.

“We are here to do the assessments for two reasons,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Scott A. Shaulis. “According to a United Nations poll, it is estimated that the people living in the large displaced persons’ camp near the palace, about 85 percent of them are from Tourgeau.”

“If we find that their homes have little to no damage from the earthquake,” Shaulis said, “it is hoped that they will come home and alleviate the strain on that camp.”

The long term goal, said Shaulis, “is to compile all the information that we are gathering, give it to the Haitian government and they will decide what to do from there.”

That sounds good to me. Sgt Stryker out.

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American Engineers Unite to Train Haitian Engineers to Assess Building Damage

Bryan Haelsig (left) and Bobby Grissett (right), two engineers from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, speak with a Haitian home owner about the structural damage of his house. NAVFAC partnered with U.S. Navy Seebees, Air Force and Army engineers to train Haitian engineers on building assessment ensuring Haitian citizens are living in structurally sound buildings, Feb. 26. (U.S. Army Photo/Sgt. Richard Andrade)

Vince Sobach, from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, talks to a group of engineers who are about to walk through neighborhoods assessing damaged buildings. NAVFAC partnered with U.S. Navy Seebees, Air Force and Army engineers to train Haitian engineers on building assessment ensuring Haitian citizens are living in structurally sound buildings, Feb. 26. (U.S. Army Photo/Sgt. Richard Andrade)

Bobby Grissett (left) and Bryan Haelsig (right), two engineers from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, evaluate the structural damage of a building from the outside before getting permission to go inside. NAVFAC partnered with U.S. Navy Seebees, Air Force and Army engineers here to train Haitian engineers on building assessment ensuring Haitian citizens are living in structurally sound buildings, Feb. 26. (U.S. Army Photo/Sgt. Richard Andrade)

Vince Sobach, from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, talks to a group of engineers who are about to walk through neighborhoods assessing damaged buildings. NAVFAC partnered with U.S. Navy Seebees, Air Force and Army engineers to train Haitian engineers on building assessment ensuring Haitian citizens are living in structurally sound buildings, Feb. 26. (U.S. Army Photo/Sgt. Richard Andrade)

For example, back on February 25th, Iraqi security forces arrested a suspected al-Qaida in Iraq member believed to be responsible for numerous assassinations during a joint security operation conducted southwest of the Iraqi capital. Initial intelligence reports indicate terrorists increasingly are staging politically motivated assassinations and violent attacks in an attempt to undermine the Iraqi government and create a sense of chaos as national elections near, officials said.

Iraqi forces and U.S. advisors searched a home for the suspected assassin, who belongs to the terrorist cell believed to have conducted nearly 50 assassinations. Evidence and information collected during the operation led forces to identify and arrest the wanted man and two suspected criminal accomplices. And this is just one capture, one of the good things being done to help FURTHER stabilize the country of Iraq. It’s still rough there, perhaps, but things are getting better. Taking the bad guys like this out is a good thing. When you look at how we’ve totally dismantles the power structure over there, it’s marvelous.

I’ll be looking at Iraq more in the weeks to come so you can see the positive role the US military is playing over there.

Sgt. Stryker Out.

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Civil Affairs Patrol

An Iraqi soldier from the 14th Iraqi Army Division, pull security during a joint patrol with U.S. Soldiers attached to 17th Fires Brigade, in Al Ashar, Iraq, Dec. 9, 2009. The patrol was conducted to promote stability, and to assess the needs of the local populace. Photo by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro

CLS Course

Iraqi soldiers with the 14th Iraqi Army Division Commandos react to a hostile situation during a mass casualty exercise at the Shiaba Training Center in Shiaba, Iraq, Feb. 25. The Iraqis where being evaluated by U.S. Marines from the 14th Iraqi Army Division Military Transition Team. Photo by Spc. Samantha Ciaramitaro

Joint Forces

U.S. Army Pfc. Travis Nibbs, of Boston, Mass., puts on his protective gear before entering the turret of his humvee as his convoy prepares to depart Forward Operating Base Wessam, Iraq, Feb. 25. Nibbs is assigned to the Guardians Maneuver Detachment, 17th Fires Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Contingency Operating Base Basra. Photo by Staff Sgt. Adelita Mead

Police Training in Mosul

U.S. Army Sgt. John Wallace,114 Military Police Company, 3-17 Military Police Battalion, 49 Infantry Brigade, teaches the Iraqi police the importance of your body facing the crowd in a riot situation in Mosul, Iraq, Feb. 25, 2010. Iraqi police are learning riot control in order to provide and safe and secure environment for their country. Photo by Spc. Jillian Munyon

After a week of missions into and out of Haiti, aircrews from the New York Air National Guard’s 107th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve’s 914th Airlift Wing returned Thursday, January 21, as new crews rotated in to take their place.

“It was an experience I’ll never forget,” said Capt. Justin Pautler, a 107th C-130 pilot. “Whenever you can utilize your training for the benefit of others, it’s a good thing.”

In the short time that the crews spent there, a noticeable change had become apparent. “The first night we got there it was total chaos,” said Pautler. “But as the week rolled on, a sense of control had been established,” he added.

“We delivered medical and relief supplies down and returned with evacuees,” said Capt. Richard Konopczynsky, a 914th C-130 pilot.

“We brought them back to the United States for medical care,” he added. “Seeing the despair in the faces of the victims, it’s hard not to think of your own family. They were devastated, but were very thankful for what we were doing.”

According to Konopczynsky, he flew twenty plus hour and flew six sorties. He ended up transporting thousands of tons of supplies into Haiti and airlifted more than 100 Haitians to Homestead Air Reserve Station for medical treatment.

And those are just a couple of the names of the many brave men and women who have given their support to help the people of Haiti during their time of need. It’s times like these that my military makes me proud.

Sgt. Stryker out.

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22nd MEU Corpsmen Offer Medical Assistance to Haitians

Navy Lt. Matt Swartz (left), surgeon for Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Chief Petty Officer Kenny Mathiesen (center), leading chief petty officer for the BLT’s aid station, talk with Bob Devoe, president of Lifeline Christian Mission group, during a medical site survey on the outskirts of Leogane, Haiti, Jan. 23. The corpsmen of the BLT visited the site in order to see what kind of aid they can offer the group in order to treat the sick and injured local Haitians. Photo by Cpl. Alan Addison

HMH 461 Carrries Supplies to Haiti

A local Haitian man waves an American flag while Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a food and water resupply mission in a small village near Leogane, Haiti, Jan 22. Marines from the 22nd MEU have been operating in the area since Jan. 19, bringing in food and water to the area. The 22nd MEU is embarked aboard the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Mission near the island of Haiti to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the wake of a devastating earthquake that rocked the country, Jan. 12. The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission capable force comprised of Aviation Combat Element, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461 (Reinforced); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its command element. Photo by Cpl. Alan Addison

USS Bataan Located Off the Coast of Haiti

A house in Leogane, Haiti lies in ruin, Jan. 21 after a major earthquake struck the island Jan. 12. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked aboard the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, is deployed in support of relief operations in Haiti. Photo by Cpl. Theodore Ritchie

22nd MEU and USS Bataan Resupply

A Navy MH-60S Night Hawk from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 lifts pallets of Meals-Ready-To Eat from the USNS Sacagawea, Jan. 23, 2010. Of the 534 pallets of supplies brought onboard, 434 will be used as aid to the people of Haiti. Approximately 2,000 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to help support Operation Unified Response, Jan. 15, 2010. Photo by Staff Sgt. Wayne Campbell

“Having a company flag football team is good for morale,” Staff Sgt. Robert Rivera said. “I would like to thank our fans for all of their support so far this season.”

“It’s a great thing to come out here and cheer on our team. I’m very proud of my Soldiers,” said 1st Sgt. Nilsa Davila-Aranda, the 716th’s senior non-commissioned officer.

Meanwhile, the 1483rd Transportation Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), held a truck rodeo on December 29, 2009 in the company’s motor pool on Camp Taji, Iraq.

The 541st CSSB chaplain Capt. Nathan White, a native of Wichita, Kansas, made an appearance at the truck rodeo, and with Soldiers from the unit encouraging him, he decided to test his driving skills at the straight line backing station. Even though he had never driven a HET before, the chaplain earned a time better than some of the competing Soldiers.

“The truck rodeo was a good test of all of our skills,” said Spc. Brian Ginett, a motor transport operator with the 1483rd Trans. Company and an Antigo, Wisconsin, native.

As you can see, our soldiers are fighting for freedom, but they also know how to take some much needed (and deserved) down time.

Sgt. Stryker Out.

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It’s Not Always Work, Work, Work

Dark Knight’s Spc. James Blamah-Sah, with the 716th Quartermaster Company (center), runs past an Air Force “49ers” defenseman during a game against the Air Force’s “49ers” Jan. 10 at Joint Base Balad.

Dark Knight’s Quarterback Spc. Todd Boban, with the 716th Quartermaster Company, runs the football up the sideline during a game against the Air Force’s “49ers” Jan. 10 at Joint Base Balad.

Rodeo Brings Excitement to Soldiers

A Soldier from the 1483rd Transportation Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), knocks over cones while attempting to do straight line backing with a heavy equipment transporter Dec. 29, 2009 on Camp Taji, Iraq, as Sgt. Josephine Beal, an operator with the 1483rd Trans. Company and Ohio native, sets the cones back up and grades the driver.

Spc. Brian Ginett, an Antigo, Wis., native, and Spc. Josh Crisenbery, a Cridersville, Ohio, native, both motor transport operators with the 1483rd Transportation Company, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), perform preventive maintenance checks and services while competing in a truck rodeo Dec. 29, 2009 on Camp Taji, Iraq.

They destroyed the cache at the site, but there’s more out there. On the same day, in the Arghandab district of Kandahar province, forces discovered another cache of munitions. This one consisted of 38 RPG rounds, eight recoilless rifles and 2,200 rounds of 7.62 mm small arms ammunition.

These may not seem like large weapon caches, but each one we find – every weapon we take out of the enemies hands – the easier it’s going to be going about rebuilding Afghanistan so that they can stand on their own. The Taliban may be talking about public relations changes they want to make, but the casualties tell the story. It’s weapons like the ones found all over Afghanistan in caches like this that are a problem. On their own they don’t seem like much perhaps, but when you put them together, it really starts to add up.

Just a day later, on January 24, 2010, two ISAF service members from the United States were killed in an IED strike in southern Afghanistan.This is why it’s so important to continue to find these small weapons caches and take the battle to the enemy – wherever they might be. Pakistan, Iran or any other nation shouldn’t be a hiding place for these people. The enemy is out there, and slowly but surely we’re taking away their ability to do battle. It’s been a long war so far, but if we continue the way we’re going, victory is certain.

Sgt. Stryker out.

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Combined Action in the Khost-Gardez Pass

(Left to right) Afghan national army Maj. Shapoor Sharafat, engineer officer, 6-1 Kandak, U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jonathan Patten, executive officer, 1-40th Cavvalry, 4-25 Infantry Division, ANA Capt. Ghulam Rabani, intelligence officer, and a local interpreter, plan missions inside of the Combined Tactical Operations Center, Combat Outpost Wilderness, Afghanistan, Dec. 26. COP Wilderness is located in the Khost-Gardez pass, which is the most direct route through the mountains from the city of Gardez to Khost and is a key area of combined action efforts between the U.S. and Afghan Army. Staff Sgt. Stephen Otero

Bastogne Warriors Battle Through Scenarios

Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Easton of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division briefs his platoon on the Joint Readiness Training Center mission Jan. 15 at Fort Polk, La. Bastogne Warriors received a Situation Train Exercise to hone in on their skills in preparation for their rotation to Afghanistan. Spc. Richard Daniels Jr.

Operation Enduring Freedom

U.S. Army Pvt. Pygong G. Lim with Bear Troop, 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment takes a position along the wall of an Afghan border police checkpoint in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, Jan. 9. The mission of the Afghan border police is to secure the borders of Afghanistan from infiltration and illegal entry of persons and the smuggling of contraband. (Photo by: Tech Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II)

Soldiers Teach Tractor Inspection

U.S. Army Lt. Col. William T. Ewing and U.S. Army Maj. Jim E. Rush, both with the Kentucky Agri-business Development Team, Task Force Cyclone, teach a student at Al Biruni University how to plow a field using a tractor in Kapisa province, Afghanistan, Jan. 21. The Kentucky ADT mission is to promote agribusiness in Parwan, Pansjhir, Bayman and Kapisa provinces in Afghanistan through providing resources and education. Spc. Charles Thompson

“Our goal is to get eyes in the structure and to fight and have clear path for us and the people of Afghanistan,” said Staff Sgt. Juan A. Perez, a combat engineer for 2nd CEB. “The people see that were fixing roads and adding protection. It’s good in soo many ways and aspects, and the Marines will have a place if they get engaged.”

Marines worked from early morning to late into the night on a rocky dirt path surrounded by brush, mud houses, and a murky green canal. Shoveling mounds of dirt, placing concertina wire and sawing lumber were just a few of the tasks Marines had to do to build the posts, and although at times fatigue was apparent, the Marines didn’t complain.

“It’s tough but sometimes you just got to push through and get the job done. What gets me through it is seeing everyone come together through that hard work, and getting the mission done,” said Lance Cpl. Sherwin O. Charles, a motor transport operator for 2nd CEB.

Each of the outposts took several hours to create. But after three days of work, three new OPs were completed – manned by infantry Marines. With their work done, 2nd CEB convoyed back to their base on an IED-free route. This is what I like to hear. What about you?

Sgt Stryker – Over and Out.

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Marines Build OPs to Provide Security

Sgt. Jorge A. Lopez, motor transport maintenance for 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, works with a fellow Marine to build a rooftop for an observation post along route Cowboys, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 7. During 2nd CEB’s mission on route Cowboys, three OPs were constructed along the road.

A Marine with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion uses a sledge hammer to knock a wooden beam into the ground, for the construction of an observation post on route Cowboys, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6. During their mission on route Cowboys, 2nd CEB constructed three observation posts along the road.

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion flatten the dirt of a protective wall on a newly constructed observation post on route Cowboys, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 6. During their mission on route Cowboys, 2nd CEB constructed three observation posts along the road.

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion work into the night constructing an observation post along route Cowboys, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Jan. 7. 2nd CEB’s mission included the construction of three observation posts on route Cowboys.

Shrapnel hit one Airman in the shin and embedded in the back, face and upper abdomen of another.The convoy immediately assumed a defensive posture while fellow Airmen and Turner attended to the wounded. Within minutes of the explosion, a fellow Airman had applied a tourniquet to the injured Airman’s leg.

“Specialist Turner saw what happened, evaluated the situation, and reacted,” said Technical Sgt. David Harrelson, a 732nd ESFS Det. 3 squad leader, deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada in a press release. Harrelson, from Laurel, Indiana, said Turner gave step by step instructions on how to care for the Airman with the leg injury, while he remained at the scene to help the driver. Without his explicit direction, it could have been a lot worse.

“The Army training is repetitious; the more you do it, the better you are going to be at it,” said Turner, combat medic deployed from the 248th Area Support Medical Company Georgia Army National Guard. “I always felt that I might freeze up, but once it actually happened, it was pretty much by the book.”

As you may or may not know, an Army combat medic attends 16 weeks of medical training that’s divided into two parts. The first six weeks prepares the Soldier to pass the emergency medical technician basic national registry test. The next 10 weeks they learn the EMT intermediate and paramedic skills used in a combat environment. These are brave men and women and we shouldn’t ever forget what they’re doing for our safety.

Sgt. Stryker Out.

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Joint Taskings a Way of Life in A.O.R.

Army Spc. Tommy Turner, a combat medic attached to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Detachment 3, prepares his equipment prior to a mission Dec. 12. Turner recently saved an Airman’s life after his vehicle was hit by an explosively formed projectile while out on a mission. Turner is deployed from the 248th Area Support Medical Company, Georgia Army National Guard, and hails from Rome, Ga.

Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Tim Ryan (left), a security forces manager with the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron Detachment 3, receives medical treatment from Army Spc. Tommy Turner, a combat medic attached to the 732nd ESFS Det. 3, Dec. 12. Turner recently saved an Airman’s life after his vehicle was hit by an explosively formed projectile while out on a mission. Ryan is deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and hails from Oakfield, Wis. Turner is deployed from the 248th Area Support Medical Company, Georgia Army National Guard, and hails from Rome, Ga.

IED Defeat

Soldiers with G platoon, 121st Brigade Support Battalion load a “wounded” Soldier into a medical evacuation vehicle after an Improvised Explosive Device hits their convoy during convoy lanes training on Contingency Operation Base Adder.

Improvised Explosive Device Training

An Iraqi soldier, assigned to the 10th Iraqi Army Division, adjusts the angle on a mortar tube on Camp Ur, Dhi Qar, Iraq, Dec. 21. Iraqi soldiers are taught about IED components, and actions to take when encountering an IED. Photo by Spc. Ernest Sivia III