IEDs

06/11/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today released the following statement regarding the death of Pfc. Justin A. Verdeja, of La Puente, CA:

“Today we mourn the loss of Private First Class Justin Verdeja. His leadership and inspiring dedication is honored and revered. Maria and I want Justin’s family and friends to know that Californians are forever indebted to him for giving his life to the cause of liberty.”    » read more »

06/11/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today released the following statement regarding the death of Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, of Los Angeles, CA:

“California has lost a brave man who risked his life to preserve our country’s liberty and freedoms. Staff Sergeant Greg Gagarin served his country with determination and courage. Maria and I send our heartfelt condolences to Greg’s family and friends.”    » read more »

June 07, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Juan F. Campos, 27, of McAllen, Texas, died June 1 at Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, of wounds sustained when his unit was attacked by insurgents using improvised explosive devices and rocket propelled grenades May 14 in Baghdad, Iraq.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

Source: DoD

Salt Lake City, Utah - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has authorized the lowering of the Flag of the United States of America and the Flag of the State of Utah on Friday, June 8, 2007.

The flags shall be flown at half-staff on all state facilities from sunrise to sunset in honor of Sergeant Jesse A. Blamires.

Sgt. Blamires was killed on May 30, 2007, in Afghanistan, when his helicopter received rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire and crashed.

He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 82nd General Support Aviation, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.    » read more »

Salt Lake City, Utah - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman has authorized the lowering of the Flag of the United States of America and the Flag of the State of Utah on Friday, June 8, 2007.

The flags shall be flown at half-staff on all state facilities from sunrise to sunset in honor of Air Force Technical Sergeant Ryan A. Balmer.

Tech. Sgt. Balmer was killed on June 5, 2007, near Kirkuk AB, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device struck his military vehicle. He was assigned to Detachment 113, 1st Field Investigations Region, Hill AFB, Utah.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2007 – Three U.S. soldiers were killed and one was wounded today, and another was killed yesterday during operations in Iraq, officials reported.

Also, the Defense Department released the names of 11 servicemembers killed recently in the war on terror.

-- A Multinational Division Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb detonated during combat operations in an eastern section of the Iraqi capital today. Another soldier was wounded in the attack.    » read more »

June 06, 2007-- The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. Caleb P. Christopher, 25, of Chandler, Arizona, died June 3 in Baghdad, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.

He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Source: DoD

June 06, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died June 3 in Thania, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), Fort Lewis, Wash.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Greg P. Gagarin, 38, of Los Angeles.

Sgt. James C. Akin, 23, of Albuquerque, N.M.    » read more »

June 06, 2007 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of two airmen who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They died June 5 in Kirkuk, Iraq, of wounds suffered when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

They were both assigned as Special Agents to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Killed were:

Tech. Sgt. Ryan A. Balmer, 33, of Mishawaka, Ind.

Staff Sgt. Matthew J. Kuglics, 25, of North Canton, Ohio.

Source: DoD

6/6/2007 - ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AFPN) -- Two agents from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations were killed in the line of duty June 5 in Kirkuk, Iraq.

Ryan Balmer, 33, a technical sergeant stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and Matthew Kuglics, 25, a staff sergeant stationed at Lackland AFB, Texas, were deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They were traveling in a convoy there when it was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Sergeant Balmer is originally from Mishawaka, Ind. Sergeant Kuglics is originally from North Canton, Ohio.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is exploring ways to speed up the timetable for getting more Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles to troops in Iraq.

Gates told reporters during yesterday’s Pentagon news conference that he’s impressed by what he’s read about the MRAPs and the improved troop protection they offer over up-armored Humvees.

He cited an article that noted that no Marines had been killed during 300 incidents in which their MRAPs were involved in improvised-explosive-device attacks. “That certainly got my attention,” he said.    » read more »

New Armored Vehicles Can Reduce Casualties from Road-side Bombs by Two-Thirds

April 26, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) called on President Bush today to forgo the veto pen on the final Emergency Supplemental Funding Conference Report for Iraq, legislation that contains funding for new life-saving technology for our troops. Sen. Biden's amendment (#739 to the Senate Version of the Iraq Supplemental Bill) accelerated $1.5 billion in funds for the new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle.    » read more »