As we continue the drawdown of equipment and cargo in Iraq, one of the positive developments is the expansion of cargo moving through Iraq's only seaport, Umm Qasr. Between violence from the Iran / Iraq War and the Saddam regime, the port has never really been set up for success until now. Currently, a large portion of U.S. military cargo being shipped back to the USA is sent by ship from Umm Qasr. While this new businees is good, it is not the type of long...read more

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One of the best speakers and strategists in Afghanistan right now has to be Regional Command South commander, UK Major General Nick Carter. Carter articulates the issues and demands of the counter-insurgency campaign in Afghanistan better than anyone I have heard. I watched a video of him speaking to the press last night on I think NATO TV or Armed Forces Network. Video is below UK Maj Gen Nick Carter speaks to reporters about southern Afghanistan...read more

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Love this photo!!!! A military working dog wears Doggles to protect his eyes as a Chinook helicopter takes off, kicking up dust and debris, during an air assault operation by U.S. soldiers assigned to Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 172nd Cavalry Regiment, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Parwan province, Afghanistan, May 11, 2010. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jason Brace

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As Army officers, we are always studying and fine-tuning our leadership skills. One area that has fascinated me recently is emotional intelligence. The awareness of one's emotions and their affect on our behavior. Leaders should have high regard for emotional intelligence and its role in leading and managing others. Whether in the military or any other field, people want to follow others that are not only inspiring, competent, and motivating, but also self-aware...read more

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My unit here has a team of personnel that are experts on MRAP's (mine resistant ambush protected vehicles). They monitor the distribution process throughout the Middle East area. I just completed a news story discussing their job and the entire MRAPpipeline. Story Link Highlights KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- By air, land, and sea, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are moving into Iraq and Afghanistan through a network of DOD partners. Integral to...read more

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Thought this photo and caption were funny! That donkey looks stubborn--- A U.S. Army paratrooper from the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team attempts to convince a donkey to walk with him while on their way to conduct a key leader engagement in the village of MangoKheyl, Kherwar District, Logar Province, Afghanistan, 10 Apr. 2010. The U.S. soldiers here are training donkeys in order to get them to the point where they can help carry gear and be more of an asset than...read more

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During the past few days, I have been asking this question of myself. Being active duty army right now in a combat zone is a serious business. We, as a military, take casualties almost on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are both fatal and severely wounded casualties. How does one act on a day-to-day basis with this knowledge and under these circumstances? How do we honor the fallen, respect their memory, and continue to keep morale high? I saw a quote in the NY Times about...read more

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We understand that there are still flood victims in need of shelter and medical care. We are standing by to potentially deliver more tents for living quarters and medical hygiene kits. Spc. Saliyev Djamoliddin (left), a Third Army Soldier and native of Tajikistan, converses with a member of the Tajikistan Army at Kulob, Tajikistan, May 16. Djamoliddin expressed his pleasure with being able to come back to his home country and make a difference as a member...read more

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We recently were able to be part of a humanitarian support airlift mission to Tajikistan. The nation has been hit hard by floods and many flood vicitms are without homes and medical care. My command helped the recent airlift of tents and medical supplies to the city of Kulob, Tajikistan. Some photos below and a short news release from my command. A cargo plane laden with supplies for Kulob flood victims lands in Tajikistan. May 16, 2010. CENTCOM photo....read more

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The commander of U.S. Army Accessions Command, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Freakley, was recently on a DOD Bloggers Roundtable session to discuss the use of social media for public affairs anf recruiting. The link to the story and transcript is here. The Army Accessions Command is in charge of Army Recruiting, ROTC programs, and Officer Candidate Schools (think "Officer and a Gentlemen") The General mentioned several times about Army Strong Stories and this...read more

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