NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The DUSTOFF Association’s motto is “dedicated, unhesitating support to our fighting forces.” This Task Force Phoenix Medevac Company displays this support every day in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Company C DUSTOFF, Task Force Phoenix, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, had displayed their duty, selfless service, and personal courage Feb. 3 when they evacuated a wounded Soldier from an area under fire from the enemy.

A tip generated by the 3rd Company, 1st Kandak, Afghan National Army pointed ANA and U.S. Army soldiers from Task Force Lethal to a large weapons cache in Sarmast Kheyl, Zormat District Jan. 31.

The ANA and 1st Platoon of Company C, TF Lethal, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, uncovered a significant amount of homemade explosives, improvised explosive device-making materials, several pressure plate IEDs, triggering devices for IEDs and miscellaneous IED parts.

Combat Outpost Ouellette, Helmand province, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines fired the first rounds using the Expeditionary Fire Support System during combat operations, Jan. 29. In support of the International Security Assistance Force, Marines with F Battery, Battalion Landing Team 3/8, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Regimental Combat Team 2, fired the new 120mm mortar system from Combat Outpost Ouellette, Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Afghan and International Security Assistance Force troops yesterday killed Awal Jan, a Taliban weapons and improvised-explosive-device facilitator, during a security operation in Chak-e District, Wardak province, military officials reported.

Awal Jan was operating in the district, supplying insurgents with weapons and improvised-explosive-device components to include explosive material for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

The initial cadre of Afghan Air Force C-27 maintenance trainers recently began teaching a second group of C-27 maintainers at the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul Feb 9.

The development of Afghan C-27 maintenance instructors further propels the "year of the Afghan trainer" initiative being highlighted by NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan officials.

On the morning of Jan. 3, soldiers with 4th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, attached to 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, were greeted in the western desert of Iraq by a more professional Iraqi army than many of them had ever seen.

It was the first day of a three-week conventional warfare training course for the 2-28 Infantry Battalion, 7th Iraqi Army Division, and the platoons were formed—“dress-right-dress”—on the dilapidated road leading out from their logistical support area.

I was wrong about the final ceremony for General Vang Pao and it seems that
all our efforts to reach the President to reverse the Arlington decision by
the Army failed as well - because the Fresno Bee just reported the article
below.

This is just one final insult from the White House regarding the General's
death...it seems the President and First Lady who talk so much about
supporting the "Families of Fallen Soldiers" couldn't even find the time to
acknowledge and send condolences to the Family of the "biggest hero of the

A Haqqani Network facilitator was detained a along with several suspected insurgents during an operation in Terayzai district, Khost province, by Afghan and coalition forces yesterday.

The facilitator was responsible for the movement of improvised explosive devices, weapons and ammunition for insurgents operating in the district. The facilitator and the suspected insurgents were detained based on initial questioning at the scene.

In other International Security Assistance Force news throughout Afghanistan.

South

The Afghan soldier was in trouble. With his eyes sitting heavy and glazed-over in their sockets, the soldier's condition had worsened.

He now had to be removed from the C-27A Spartan aircraft that had been flown to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, to transport him and other Afghan National Security Force troops to Kabul for further medical attention, and it had to be done quickly.