The US Military currently has troops stationed all over the world. Here’s a look at some of the thing going on in the military the last few days.

United States:

A new website, One Freedom, was launched this week. The website is, “is a portal for our nation’s warriors and for everyone who cares about them to connect with a wealth of knowledge and new possibilities for strength and healing,” according to Elizabeth Hawkins, executive director of “One Freedom.

The website contains a listing of One Freedom programs for military service members, veterans, families and care providers. It’s also easy for them to use the Internet to register for programs they might be eligible for.

The World:

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright (Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) is halfway through his six countries in eight days tour with the USO.

“One of the key reasons we’re up here is to make sure you understand that we understand how important your mission is,” Cartwright said in a release. “It’s a critical activity. It’s one of those deals where nobody notices unless it goes bad. The good news is it’s never gone bad.”

The focus of this tour is to visit remote installations that don’t get that many visitors, bringing a “slice of home” with the USO entertainers.

Iraq:

The Al Aima Bridge, closed in 2005 after 1,000 people were killed in a stampede while on a pilgrimage.

“The opening of this bridge is symbolic of the unity in Baghdad,” Army Lt. Col. John Vermeesch, said in a news release. “Opening this bridge also indicates sectarian relations and security have improved due to the hard work of local leaders and coalition forces.”

“The people were in a celebratory mood, waving Iraqi flags as they drove across the bridge,” Vermeesch continued. “This event, along with others scheduled for the future in the Kadhamiyah district of northwest Baghdad, will continue to promote security and good sectarian relations in the area.”

Army Maj. Koné Faulkner of the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team had this to say, “Iraqi security forces have played an instrumental role in not only making an event like this possible, but also in helping the bridge reconstruction project run smoothly.”

Also in Iraq, the Multinational Force, including Iraqi troops, went after insurgents. They captured five suspected terrorists in operations near Taji, north of Baghdad. They also apprehended a man thought to be involved in al-Qaida in Iraq leadership.

Multinational Forces also captured a suspected car bomber in the Tigris River Valley city of Beiji and detained another man in Mosul. In Sadiyah, an area northeast of Baghdad, troops captured a wanted man believed to be associated with a Diyala-based bomb network.

Earlier this week, acting on specific intelligence information, coalition forces targeted a key Kataib Hezbollah leader. As troops approached the home of the suspected terrorist, they were confronted by a man in a nearby house who showed them a hand gun. Perceiving hostile intent, the troops shot the man.

Also in Iraq this week, according to US officials, multinational coalition forces targeted al-Qaida throughout Iraq. They killed one militant, captured five wanted terrorists and detained 13 additional suspects.

Afghanistan:

The Afghan National Army is “increasing its boot print” across Afghanistan according to reports.

“The [Afghan army is] leading about 60 percent of the operations they participate in, and have proven themselves as an effective fighting force,” Army Maj. Gen. Robert W. Cone, commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Afghanistan, said in a news conference with Pentagon reporters via video-conference from Camp Eggers in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Afghan National Army is currently 68,000 soldiers strong. The end goal is to increase that number to 134,000 Afghan troops. Around 26,000 Afghan soldiers were trained in 2008, with around that many planned to be trained in 2009.

Along with increased numbers, the Afghan National Army is also being helped with modernization efforts. The need for trustworthy troops on the Afghan-Pakistan is more important than ever and things are being put into place to ensure that the troops guarding the border are doing their job correctly.

“I think all of us are relatively pleased with what the Afghans have performed in this last year,” Cone said. “But right now, I would think that’s about as fast as we can go in a responsible manner, given the constraints that we have, and I think we’ll reassess again as the security situation on the ground changes and the assumptions we make about Afghan development become clearer.

“All in all,” he continued, “we have made positive strides in fielding professional security forces that are competent, diverse and capable of providing security throughout Afghanistan. We have a long way to go, though. This effort requires sustained support not just from the United States but from the international community.”

This is Sgt Stryker Signing Out

Earlier this week on Monday, a day before Veterans Day 2008, the New York Times revealed that Donald Rumsfeld had signed a secret order for the US military to have a fast track to go after Al Qaeda – wherever and whenever. This Shadow War against Al Qaeda was fought alongside the more publicized “war on terror.”

The secret order led to at least a dozen attacks against Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda supporters all over the world. From Syria to Pakistan to Yemen to Saudi Arabia there was nowhere Al Qaeda could hide anymore.

The special attacks were mostly carried out by US Special Forces from all branches of the military, including Green Berets, Navy Seals, Rangers, and a shadowy unit code-named Gray Fox. The CIA had it’s hand in some of the attacks against the terrorists, though.

While this may seem like a lot of attacks approved by this secret order (approved by President Geaorge W. Bush), there were at least a dozen attacks not carried out for one reason or another. The military wasn’t too happy about this, but those in charge had decided that the missions were either too risky or might cause diplomatic nightmares with nations the US is not at war with.

Officials (who are speaking anonymously to the New York Times and other news organizations) insist that none of the missions took place in Iran.

The plan was called “Al Qaeda Network Exord,” which is short for Executive Order.

At this time, neither the White House or the Pentagon have denied any of the information.

“We work with partners around the world to identify, seek, capture, kill if necessary, terrorists and their networks, where they plan their operations, where they conduct their operations, where they seek safe harbor,” spokesman Bryan Whitman was quoted as saying in an Associated Press story.

In a sign of the technological superiority of the United States, at least one of the attacks in Pakistan was watched in real time streaming video over 7,000 miles away.

Here’s how the New York Times described the attack:

The paper described one such raid, in Pakistan.

In 2006, for example, a Navy Seal team raided a suspected militants’ compound in the Bajaur region of Pakistan, according to a former top official of the Central Intelligence Agency. Officials watched the entire mission — captured by the video camera of a remotely piloted Predator aircraft — in real time in the C.I.A.’s Counterterrorist Center at the agency’s headquarters in Virginia 7,000 miles away.

Some of the military missions have been conducted in close coordination with the C.I.A., according to senior American officials, who said that in others, like the Special Operations raid in Syria on Oct. 26 of this year, the military commandos acted in support of C.I.A.-directed operations.

But as many as a dozen additional operations have been canceled in the past four years, often to the dismay of military commanders, senior military officials said. They said senior administration officials had decided in these cases that the missions were too risky, were too diplomatically explosive or relied on insufficient evidence.

The big question on a lot of minds is whether President Elect Barack Obama will maintain this (and other) Executive orders. A lot of people aren’t sure if the next President of the United States will go after Al Qaeda so aggressively.

Al Qaeda is a Sunni Islamist group that began in 1988. Their most infamous attack was the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

No one is really sure whether their leader, Osama bin Laden, is alive or dead.

Paul Cruickshank at the Guardian newspaper had this to say:

The Obama administration is likely to reiterate these arguments in order to keep every option on the table in the hunt for Bin Laden. They will have the advantage of facing a somewhat more sympathetic international audience. In making their case, the Obama administration will be able to draw attention to UN security council resolution 1373, passed in the wake of the 9/11, which required all states to “prevent those who finance, plan, facilitate or commit terrorist acts from using their respective territories for those purposes against other states.” In pressing their case, the Obama administration may well argue, in a similar vein to Chertoff, that UN member states not only have a responsibility to protect their own citizens – an emerging principle of international customary law – but should also show due diligence in protecting the citizens of other countries from individuals on their own soil. Pakistan, for instance, has not passed this test with flying colours.

That said, the Obama administration would be wise to exercise great caution in launching “out of area” special forces operations so as to minimise political fall-out in countries like Pakistan. Wherever possible the US should encourage the governments in question to act, or collaborate in launching joint-operations. The last seven years have illustrated just how blunt and counterproductive the unilateral deployment of US military power can be to the war on terrorism.

Wherever Al Qaeda is, they better watch out.

This is Sgt. Stryker Signing Out.

They are dead; but they live in each patriot’s breast, and their names are engraven on honor’s bright crest,” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 because it was on November 11, 1918 that World War I (known as the war to end all wars) started to slow down. The Treaty of Versailles, officially ending the war, wasn’t signed until the next year, but on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the Germans reached an agreement with the Allied forces to stop the war.

In 1919, that day was known as Armistice Day in the United States. It wasn’t until 1954 that the name of the national holiday was changed to Veterans Day by President Eisenhower.

Fast forward to 2008. Another Veteran’s Day has come and gone in the United States. Across the country (and across the globe, wherever the US Military happens to be) Veteran’s were honored in a lot of different ways.

President George W. Bush issued a proclamation for Veteran’s Day 2008.

“Our country is forever indebted to our veterans for their quiet courage and exemplary service. We also remember and honor those who laid down their lives in freedom’s defense. These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice for our benefit. On Veterans Day, we remember these heroes for their valor, their loyalty and their dedication. Their selfless sacrifices continue to inspire us today as we work to advance peace and extend freedom around the world.

…snip…

Now, therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2008, as Veterans Day and urge all Americans to observe November 9 through November 15, 2008, as National Veterans Awareness Week. I encourage all Americans to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers. I call upon federal, state, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to support and participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I invite civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, businesses, unions and the media to support this national observance with commemorative expressions and programs.

That’s right. Just because Veteran’s Day is over, doesn’t mean you should stop thinking about Veterans and what they’ve sacrificed to keep our great country free.

Bush, Cheney and Obama all marked Veterans Day as wars continue around the globe.

Pepsi bottling group donated to Fisher House Foundation in honor of the 3,000 veterans working for Pepsi.

The Veteran’s Administration Secretary Dr. James B. Peake had this to say:

Ninety years ago today, the guns fell silent in Europe. World War I – the “war to end all wars” – was over. Almost five million Americans served during that first modern, mechanized war. Our last living link with them, 107-year-old Army veteran Frank Buckles, observes this Veterans Day at his farm in West Virginia.

It is important, on Veterans Day, for all Americans to reflect on the service and sacrifice of our veterans, from Mr. Buckles to the men and women who recently fought for us in Iraq and Afghanistan. Their bravery, their resourcefulness, and their patriotism mark them as our nation’s finest citizens.

All across the nation, flags and parades helped recognize veterans still living and ones who lost their lives in war. From Texas to Boston, Americans showed their gratitude toward veterans in various patriotic ways.

Some of the stories are just amazing. Like the tale of the tail-gunner in World War II who ran missions in a B-24. Veterans from the World War I also have a lot of stories to tell.

The mainstream media weren’t the only ones to document Veteran’s Day 2008 either. The world of blogs also made sure their voice was heard on the topic.

And if you’re tired of reading about Veterans Day 2008, there’s a lot of visual content out there as well. Flickr currently has over 8,000 images tagged for Veterans Day 2008. From flags to parades to other patriotic shots, if you’re a visual person you’ll want to check out all the great photos online.

If photos aren’t your cup of tea, YouTube currently has around 1,000 videos tagged Veterans Day 2008. Now, some of those will be duplicates and some of them will be garbage videos, but you’re more than likely to find a lot of great video coverage if you didn’t get enough on television.

However you do it and whenever you do it, just don’t forget to honor those men and women who have so valiantly defended the principles of the United States and democracy around the world. From the past to the present, please remember all our troops around the world.

Sgt. Stryker Signing Out.

You’ve heard of YouTube by now (unless you’ve been living in a cave), but have you heard about TroopTube? The website is a military approved alternative to YouTube.

The military and YouTube have butted heads in the past. YouTube didn’t mind the content, but the military wanted more control over what was uploaded to the site by troops. In May of 2007, the US Military banned YouTube, Myspace and other similar sites.

TroopTube is currently in beta status – which means it works, but there may be small problems or gotchas that they don’t know about. As word of this site spreads, I’m sure it’s going to be used a lot by members of the military and their families.

The website is run by Military OneSource, an authorized Department of Defense program for Active Duty, Guard, Reserve and their families.

On the official TroopTube website, they offer this greeting:

TroopTube is the new online video site designed to help military families connect and keep in touch while miles apart. The site is designed for easy use, so you can quickly upload videos and share the simple joys of each day with each other, either privately or with the whole world. Sign up today and begin sharing videos by clicking here. Already have a TroopTube account? Sign in here.

At the time of this post, TroopTube currently contains General David Petraeus’ message to the troops

and Wives’ shout-out to 3rd Brigade A Troop 133 Cavalry. I’m sure as word spreads about the new site, more and more content will be available.

According to the AP, Delve Networks helped the military design the website. Delve Networks is a technology start-up based in Seattle, Washington. Their big product currently is the Delve Video Platform. It’s not clear is this is the exact same software that the military purchased or if theirs was customized.

One of the cool things about Delve’s video platform is that it transcribes audio in the videos and uses that text to help make videos even easier to find. This might not seem like a very big thing, but if TroopTube is loaded with even a fraction of the content that’s found on YouTube, people are going to want to be able to get to the content they want to see quickly.

On TroopTube, members of the military or their family members can post video to share. Before being posted on the site, though, all content is screened by the military to make sure it’s appropriate, tasteful and doesn’t contain anything that would compromise national security.

While a lot of people will be talking about TroopTube in the weeks and months ahead (especially as the Holiday Season falls upon us), there are other options out there too. One of the best that I’ve found is the Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System, or dvidshub.net for short.

This is a great source for military video – both polished and finished package pieces and also longer B-Roll footage. B-Roll footage refers to the extra video they have after putting together a short package piece. Sometimes, though, these types of videos give you a better look at what it’s like for the troops around the world.

There are other classifications for the video content there as well, including Newscasts, Interviews, Greetings, Briefings, PSAs (Public Service Announcements), a series called In The Figh, and even Command Messages.

You’re not going to get gory, blood filled Hollywood representation of war via videos at either of these sites. You will, however, get a small glimpse of what it’s like to be in the military today.

Somewhere between the Hollywood version of war and the version of the war shown on TroopTube and sites like dvidshub lies the documentary video. The Discovery Channel has a great military channel available online with clips from documentaries about past and present wars.

If that’s still not enough military video for you, YouTube is still a valid option for you. You might not see videos from the military there, but you will find a lot of tribute videos and videos that show support for the troops.

These are sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes inspirational. Watching more than one or two a day, though, is not recommended as they can really start working over your emotional buttons.

With the launch of TroopTube, it seems the US military is finally utilizing technology to help better connect military personnel and also their family, wherever they might be in the world. It’s a relatively small thing in the grand scheme of things, but I’m sure it’s going to mean a lot of people all over the world this Holiday Season.

This is Sgt Stryker Signing out.

Soldier modernization has been a hot topic for a number of years, with many nations engaged in programs to improve the equipment provision for their land forces. Whether it is bespoke or commercial off-the-shelf, there is a desire to do more with less and maximize effectiveness with cutting edge technology and highly trained end-users.

This is partly a consequence of changing threats and theatres of operation with the need for greater flexibility and adaptability, but also in response to reducing defense budgets and social and political pressure based on reports of inadequacies from the front line. This has been emphasized further with the recent ruling from the courts that provision of defective equipment is a breach of human rights and that soldiers and their families can take the MoD to court for compensation resulting from injury or death whilst serving.

This ruling has far-reaching implications for both the individuals who use the equipment, and those involved in design and procurement. How do we recognize where failure has occurred compared to the tragic loss of life based on the perils of warfare? How do we unpick the front line accounts to identify a root cause when the behavior of systems is dictated by tight interrelationships between multiple elements?

The press have published accounts of deaths and injuries in both Iraq and Afghanistan linked to inadequate body armour, inappropriate vehicles and insufficient general provision of personal kit; but that is not the whole story. For every decision that is made there is a consequence; increasing the armour on a vehicle will potentially increase size and weight, which, in turn, will reduce mobility (often cited).

Therefore, an increase in protection may well put the occupants of the vehicle in harm’s way for longer or may impact the way in which operations can be conducted (for example, ability to operate in urban environment with narrow streets). Similarly, increasing personal protection may, in turn, increase the physiological load to the wearer or impact their ingress and egress from vehicles making them a greater target. The list goes on and is well documented, but is probably only considered in detail by those designing and building the equipment.

It is only with an understanding of the threats to be faced in conjunction with doctrine and operating procedures that trade-offs can be accurately conducted. It all comes down to the impact of one thing on another: cause and effect, but on a massive scale. Where are the interfaces and inter dependencies within and outside of my area of interest, and what is their impact on overall combat effectiveness? This is the essence of providing capability, the most recent Mod definition of which is: ‘The enduring ability to generate a desired operational outcome or effect, and is relative to the threat, physical environment and the contributions of coalition partners. Capability is not a particular system or equipment