13 July 2010

10th Mountain Division News Roundup

Fort Drum Training for NY National Guard Aircrews
New York National Guard Aviation Soldiers will train to prepare themselves for the newly formed Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Explosive (CBRNE) Consequence Management Response Force, or CCMRF. This training of Soldiers and aircrwes will certify three of New York's aviation units to be called to Federal Active Duty if needed to deploy in support of federal missions for any natural or man-made disaster beginning in the new fiscal year, starting October1.

Country superstar at the county fair
Opening for Mr. Jackson will be Timothy ("T. J.") Murphy, a soldier at Fort Drum who is a native of Kittery, Maine.

Mr. Murphy has served his country for almost 25 years and will retire from the military this year to become a full-time country music artist. He's been involved in the business for a long time, performing with his band on and off for the past 17 years.

The Badlands of Kandahar: Counterinsurgency Testing Ground
The Dand-district center is a novelty in the badlands of Kandahar province. As the seat of both the top government official and the U.S. forces based in the area, it's a seductive target for Taliban militants looking to make a statement. Yet its walls lack the extra defenses found at other district centers across Afghanistan's embattled south. On any given day, half of the guard towers are unoccupied and the front gate is left open, manned by a single police officer who casually waves visitors through. So calm is the surrounding area that U.S. Army officers living there are lobbying for permission to go outside the wire without body armor. "If there's an ink spot [of stability] forming in southern Afghanistan, I would say it's this district," says Major Edward Ash of the 1-71 Cavalry, 10th Mountain division.

Training to tackle the Taliban - and cooperate with allies
The Afghan policemen do not seem overly excited by the prospect of going on tour with their American trainers this afternoon.

Outside in Imam Sahib, in the Kunduz province of northern Afghanistan, it's 45 degrees celsius. The local police chief delegates one of his sergeants and two patrolmen to go out, vastly outnumbered by their US counterparts.

Donald R. Edgerton

Sergeant Donald R. Edgerton, age 33, of Murphy, North Carolina, was killed July 10th in an improvised explosive device attack near the city of Charadarre, Afghanistan.

Edgerton was a senior sniper, serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

Edgerton joined the U.S. Army in August 2007 and after completing training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, arrived to Fort Drum in February 2008.

Edgerton previously deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from February to October 2008. In 2009 he completed both the sniper and combat life savers courses.

Edgerton's awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and two Overseas Service Ribbons.

He is survived by his wife, daughter and parents.

See Also
www.watertowndailytimes.com

news.yahoo.com

wwnytv.com

Jesse W. Ainsworth

Staff Sergeant Jesse W. Ainsworth, age 24, of Dayton, Texas, was killed July 10th in an improvised explosive device attack near the city of Walakan, Afghanistan.

Ainsworth was a team leader, serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 1st Squadron, 71st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division.

Ainsworth joined the U.S. Army in November, 2005 and after completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia, came to Fort Drum in March 2006.

Ainsworth previously deployed twice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the first time from March to July 2006, and also from September 2007 to October 2008. He completed both the Warrior Leader Course and the Combat Life Savers Course in 2009.

Ainsworth's awards and decorations include the Combat Infantryman Badge, two Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

He is survived by his wife, two children, mother and sister.

See Also
www.watertowndailytimes.com

freedomremembered.com

wwnytv.com

chron.com
 
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