Special Farewell Post

The previous post is the last post of Marine Corps News. I would like to take the time to thank anyone who read this blog and hope you have gained a better appreciation of what the Marines and all allied forces are really doing overseas. If you would like to continue knowing the latest from Afghanistan, you can check the links on my page. Please keep all service members in your hearts and prayers.

Semper Fidelis
"Always Faithful"

Marines Try to Make Police out of Local Afghans

In accordance with President Obama’s new strategy in Afghanistan, the Marines have begun training Afghans to make up Afghanistan’s police force. The 13 trainees were sent by the Afghan government and were ordered to live and train with the Marines. They would accompany the Marines on explosive ordinance searches but were more of a hindrance than help. Most of the trainees would be joking around while to Marines were very tense and searching for buried bombs in a small remote town in southern Afghanistan. In the city of Khan Neshin of the Helmand Province, all the previous police member were fired because of failing a drug test and for stealing from the markets and bazaars. Unfortunately, these police have given the Afghan National Police a bad name in the city and the new police that are arriving have next to no training. There are a few new policemen that have received training at newly established police academies but the majority has not. This is where the Marines are called to come in. The Marines must help by training recruits that are not able to attend other Police academies. According to the 18-year old recruit, Mohamed Ullah, “I want to bring peace and security to my country.” The Marine’s began each training day with the basics of patrolling and searching for bombs, both on the ground and on people. In the style of warfare in Afghanistan, a lot of guidance is required from local people. A well trained police force of local people many help substantially with that cultural connection. The Lieutenant, Sayed Mohamed, of the recruits the Marines are training is the only one with any prior experience. He has been very effective in communicating with the local populous. He is also the only one that does not wear a bulletproof vest; this is to try to make him seem more accessible. “I tell the locals that we will change the behavior of the police,” Mohammed said. “I’m going to make a place in their hearts for me and my officers.” Click Here For the Full Story

Major Afghan Offensive Launched

Following the troop surge announced by president Barack Obama, a massive air assault was conducted. This air assault was made up of 1000 Marines and 150 Afghan Army Soldiers. The assaulting force was infiltrated using the V-22 Osprey. With the incredible amount of speed the V-22 possesses and it ability to land vertically, the forces were able to land behind the enemy lines and catch the Taliban completely off guard. Supply and communication lines could be cut off and hundred of pounds of explosives could be recovered. The explosives cache was a huge find because those explosives were probably planned on being used by the insurgents as improvised explosive devices or more commonly known as IED’s or roadside bombs. Today, road size bomb have caused the most casualties among American and friendly forces. As of right now, there have been no friendly casualties and According to Maj. William Pelletier, the Marine spokesman on the operations, "Right now, the enemy is confused and disorganized," Pelletier said by telephone from Camp Leatherneck, the main Marines base in Helmand. "They're fighting, but not too effectively." Following the air assault, a larger force pushed forward from the their forward operating base. They traveled on the ground in an attempt to clear a path though the extensive minefield that the Taliban have constructed. The Marines have used steamroller and explosives to clear a path for more advances. This all occurred three days after Barack Obama announced that he would be increasing the US presence in Afghanistan by 30,000 troops. It is also said the our European allies will be sending 7000 additional troops to Afghanistan while planning on sending more additional troops in the not to distant future. It is said that it can be expected that most of the new troops being deployed to Afghanistan will be sent to sothern Afghanistan. Sothern Afghanistan and more specifically the Helmand Province is where the Taliban is the strongest. Click Here For the Full Story