10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Military voters may be shut out in special election for N.Y.'s 23rd Congressional District
Former Justice Department Official who enforced the federal Voting Rights Act has concerns that Gov Patterson's deadline for special election doesn't give deployed voters time to receive and return absentee ballots.

US Dept of Defense - Commandos Set to Return to Dramatically Improved Iraq
Division commander makes obersations of change in Iraq since last time 2nd BCT deployed to the region.

Paying the price for a ‘moment of absent-mindedness’
Stars and Striples article about Sgt. David Breeden who returned from deployment and was convicted of animal abuse after killing two dogs in his garage.

Military life consultants start at two area schools
Carthage and Indian River central school districts officially welcome counselors to assist students whose family members and friends are deployed.

Large crowd welcomes home twin soldiers
Wounded soldier from 10th Mountain Division is a guest of honor at a welcome home party in KING CITY, Mo.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Drum bids soldiers farewell
Fort Drum holds deployment ceremony for 2nd BCT, which is to deploy to Iraq for a 12 month rotation.

Sex assault conviction a shocking end to military career
Story about Fort Drum familywho was affected by the actions of service member with his neice.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup (27-28 Sept)

Soldiers get EMS training before deployment to Iraq
Fort Drum medics receive an emergency medical technician training program in Clark Mills NY.

Despite changes, a couple’s commitment is constant
Stars and Stripes article about a soldier and wife from Fort Drum and their port deployment adjustments.

A family at odds with the system and a sick child in need of care
Stars and Stripes story about a Fort Drum soldier's battle with Tricare to get medical care for his son who has MD.

Single dad looking for a way to provide a home for his son
Stars and Stripes story about a single parent soldier assigned to Fort Drum.

Sea Girt camp offers R&R for wounded warriors
Wounded Fort Drum soldiers get a trip to the Jersey Shore for the weekend thanks to the Wounded Warrior Fund.

Soldiers in Afghanistan rap on MRAPs
Comments from 10th Mountain soldiers in Afghanistan on the mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles

Drum housing needs assessed
Conversations at the quarterly Jefferson County Job Development Corp breakfast focused on upcoming housing needs for Fort Drum due to expected troop movements.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Fort Drum Soldiers Deploy To Iraq...Again
WWNY TV story about the deployment of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team to Iraq.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Ceremony honors six soldiers killed in Afghanistan
The names of six recent casualties are added to the Memorial Garden adjacent Division Headquarters on Fort Drum.

Frustration mounts in Afghanistan for soldiers from Fort Drum-based 10th Mountain Division
2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment's Bravo Company is the focus of a NY Daily News Story about how they have seen a spike in casualties due to IEDs in Afghanistan.

High Speed Dirt: 3-71 sling loaders enjoy rush of selfless-service
Spotlight given to resupply efforts done by 10th Mountain Division's 3/71 Cav in Afghanistan.

10th Mtn. Div. Soldiers Remember, Rededicate Outpost for Latest Medal of Honor Recipient
Soldiers from Company C, 1/32 Infantry and Troop B, 3/71 Cavalry rededicate a Combat Outpost in Afghanistan to SFC Jared Monti

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

SERVING THE NATION: Kaleb A. Kumpula
Willits CA newspaper article about soldier being assigned to the 10th Mountain Division after completing Basic Training.

INJURED SOLDIERS HIT POOL
Watertown Daily Times article concerning new Physical Therapy regimen being offered to injured soldiers at Fort Drum.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

In 17 seconds, they can have a rocket launched
NHANG field artillary soldiers receive training with new equiptment

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

No new news today.

Daily Roundup (20-21 Sept)

Soldier returns from Iraq to wed in Syracuse, just before his twins are born
Deployed soldier able to return early from Iraq to be wed in hospital


Soldiers' brain injuries from blasts in Afghanistan take a toll
NY Daily News story on how TBI injuries are affecting a unit in Afghanistan

U.S. troops in Afghanistan react to Gen. McChrystal report that war is unwinable without more forces
Gen. Stanley McChrystal states more troops needed for Afghanistan, 10th Mountain soldier quoted in article

Jeremiah Monroe

Via U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, of Niskayuna, N.Y., died Sept. 17 in Kandahar, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

For more information media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 772-7267.

More stories about Pfc. Monroe can be located here.
The Post Star
9WSYR.com
Wten.com

Funeral of Pfc. Jeremiah Monroe covered by local newspaper

Daily Roundup

Outnumbered 20-1 and out of ammo: NY soldier on third tour in Afghanistan has seen war at its worst
NY Daily News story about 2/87 Inf soldier, Staff Sgt. Danny Acevedo.

Daily Roundup

President Obama awards posthumous Medal of Honor to Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti
NY Daily News article by Stephanie Gaskell and Richard Sisk about SFC Monti


Implementing 'Smart Power' in Afghanistan Poses Challenge for the US
Article about how the change in Afghanistan strategy is affecting soldiers, includes comments from 10th Mountain soldiers.

Jared Monti’s soldiers watched him give his life, and it changed theirs
Story about how SFC Monti died and how it affected some of the men who were with him at that time.

Troops in field memorialize Medal of Honor recipient
Story about 10th Mountain soldiers at the dedication of Combat Operating Base Monti.

Medal of Honor Ceremony remarks
The President's remarks from the Medal of Honor presentation for SFC Monti

Daily Roundup

Anti-war dad says it's time for soldier son to leave Afghanistan
NY Daily News article about father of 10th Mountain Division soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan

NCCC Tunes4Troops first shipment arrives in Afghanistan
Charity sends first shipment of DVDs and CDs to deployed troops, charity was given idea by chaplain assigned to Ft Drum

Bremerton Man Will Join President for Medal of Honor Presentation
Veteran of combat mission that earned SFC Monti the Medal of Honor to attend presentation ceremony

Daily Roundup

News spends 17 hours with brave 10th Mountain Division troops in hunt for bombs in Afghanistan

NY Daily News reporter does route clearing mission with 3-71 Cav

Spc. Daniel L. Cox

Via KOAM TV

"I thought they had the wrong house" - father of Parsons soldier killed in Afghanistan

JORDAN AUBEY and NINA CRISCUOLO contributed to this story

"I thought they had the wrong house," Kim Cox, the father of Daniel Cox, told us. "There were two Army informant officers and a Parsons police officer."

Daniel Lee Cox, 23, a Parsons High School graduate, was killed in a weekend attack by enemy forces in Afghanistan.

News of Daniel Cox's death brings numbness to his parents. For friends, it's a remberance of the good times.

"We were in the mall over in Joplin one time,'" says friend Jordan McRay, "and he got, like an orange julius, and the girl was like 'can I keep the change?' He was like 'can I get your number?'"

Cox, 23, was approaching his fifth year as a soldier in the Army.

"The order and all that good stuff, and the ability to actually be who he was and the desire to take the fight to the other person was really what got him to sign up for his mountain infantry and all the good stuff," says Matthew Burks, another friend.

It was good and exciting for Cox, until the signs of battle began leaving noticable scars.

"It was after his first or second tour that when he came back, you could just tell, you could see it in his face, you could just see the stress," says McRay. "It's almost like instead of aging three or four years, he aged ten or 15."

"It's very difficult to get who you were out of the other experiences," says Burks. "It kind of smothers who you start out as."

Cox was paying the price of being a soldier.

Now he has made the ultimate sacrifice but his dedication will never be forgotten.

"He was a hero," says his mother, Sharon. "Definitely a hero. A good-hearted person."

On Saturday, Matthew Burks planned on getting married, but as it stands now, he will be Cox's pallbearer the day before.

"He was severely disappointed that he wasn't going to be home for my wedding," Burks told us. "But, he isn't going to miss it now."

Cox was a student at Parsons High School and graduated in 2005.

He enjoyed working with his hands and football, but he dreamed of being part of the 10th Mountain Division.

Teachers Diana Brenn and Mark Pound are morning the loss after just receiving the news of his death on Monday.

"I thought I could get through the day," says Mark Pound, who is a coach at Parsons. "I'll be alright. I just feel for Daniel's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them."

"I couldn't believe it," says Diana Brenn. "I couldn't believe because, that just didn't like something we would ever hear about him."

Teachers say Cox decided to join the Army during his senior year at Parsons High School.

"He went to our football coach and he had him make out a plan to work out so that he could go into boot camp and be strong at boot camp," Brenn says. "He followed that plan and he was very anxious and excited about going into the military."

"He came back to school once, after he finished his training with them, and you've never seen a prouder person," Pound says. "And he was proud to go to Afghanistan. He told me when he was going."

Teachers say comfort still lies in knowing Cox was doing exactly what he wanted to do.

"He was never afraid - he wasn't afraid of it at all," says Brenn. "Matter of fact, he had an attitude that he was going to go over there and he was going to take care of business."

Cox was killed Saturday afternoon after enemy forces attacked his patrol vehicle when it struck an explosive device.

The Army is investigating the incident that also killed one other solider.

Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen

Via Democrat and Chronicle.com
A Rochester man was one of two soldiers killed Saturday during fighting in Afghanistan.

A U.S. Army spokesman at Fort Drum in Jefferson County announced Monday night that Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen, 29, of Rochester, was killed in Wardak province, Afghanistan, when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised-explosive device and small arms fire.

Specialist Daniel L. Cox, 23, of Parsons, Kan., was also killed in the attack.
Both soldiers served as infantrymen with the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade combat team, which deployed in January 2009.
Allen joined the Army in May 2002 and arrived at Fort Drum in May 2008. This was his third deployment.
Allen’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and Air Assault Badge.

He is survived by his wife, three children and parents.

Daily Roundup

High on mountain, a lonely outpost in Afghanistan for soliders from 10th Mountain Division
Short NY Daily News Story about life at a combat outpost in Afghanistan

Daily Roundup

'Bullet Magnet'-Sgt. Camacho has earned 5 Purple Hearts in 5 years
Daily News story focused on 10th Mountain Division soldier Sgt. Brandon Camacho

Daily Roundup

Drum tries to tackle suicide problem
Fort Drum Commanding General leads talk about Suicide Awareness during event on post to gain awareness of resources available for troops.

Queens staff sergeant hunts bombs on battlefields of Afghanistan
Article about 10th Mountain Division soldier, Staff Sgt. Robin Torres, who is assigned to 3/71 Cav.


Family members revel in the greetings in the News from their loved ones serving in Afghanistan
NY Daily News article about family response to greetings from NYC natives assigned to Ft Drum's 10th Mountain Division

Daily Roundup

NY soldiers far from home: 9/11 close to home reminder for service in Afghanistan
NY Daily News article with a focus on 10th Mountain Division soldiers from NJ, Long Island and NYC.

2009-2010 Fort Drum Recreation Permits & Access Passes Available
Fort drum announces requirements for hunting, trapping, and gaining access to local training areas.

Daily Roundup

NY's 10th Mountain Division leads deadly eight-year hunt for Osama bin Laden in eastern Afghanistan
NY Daily News announces a 2 week series with 10th mountain division troops stations in Afghanistan.

Daily Roundup

Gates to explore adding stateside DoD schools
Secretary of Defense looking into the possibility of opening more Department of Defense schools at bases which see a high rate of deployment among the soldiers stationed there.

Governor orders flags at half staff
NY State flags will fly at half staff Wednesday in honor of Sergeant Darby T. Morin, 25 of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Daily Roundup

U.S. Military Challenge Allegations of Misconduct at Afghan Hospital
Military officials state that the unit which entered the hospital did so in cooperation with the Afghan National Army, the Afghan National Police, and the staff of the hospital. They were searching for an insurgent commander was in the hospital and explained these concerns to hospital staff before seeking permission to enter the hospital.

Fort Drum fire department receives national accreditation
After an 18 to 24 month review and accreditation process, Ft Drum Firefighters are certified by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

Daily Roundup

U.S. troops stormed Afghan hospital, aid group says
10th Mountain Division soldiers are accused of tying up hospital guards and entering women's wards in violation of local customs while searching for Taliban fighters in Wardak province.

Fort Drum Spouse, Soldier Sound Off About Afghanistan War
Differing views on the Afghan War from a Ft Drum Soldier and Spouse.

Daily roundup

He could not leave a comrade behind
Boston Globe story about the life of SFC Jered Monti, who earned the Medal of Honor in 2006.

Daily roundup

Official: Drum can handle counseling
The behavioral health chief on Fort Drum states in article that the Ft Drum community has the resources to assist soldiers and their families with services related to mental health, substance abuse, family counseling, social services Substance Abuse, family, marriage and child therapy.

Post efforts aim to deter suicide
The division and installation staff announce that this week they will be focusing on the resources available for soldiers and their families to prevent suicides.

More Drum troops heading to Afghanistan
The Department of Defense announces 10th Combat Aviation Brigade and the 10th Mountain Division Headquarters will be deployed to Afghanistan. The deployments will be in late 2010 and 2011 respectively.

Daily roundup

Sept. 11 concert benefits wounded Army veterans

10th Mountain soldiers will be guests at a concert on 11 Sept. The non profit charity will provide training fellowships and work for severely-disabled Army veterans nationwide, beginning about Oct. 1.

Terry takes command of 10th Mountain Division

Via Newsday

Maj. Gen. James Terry assumes command of the 10th Mountain Division. He's replacing Maj. Gen. Michael Oates.

Daily roundup

Via Internet, Auburndale soldier's family watches his promotion in Iraq
Family watches as 10th Avn Bde commander receives promotion in Iraq via webcam

Area soldiers use leave time to sharpen emergency medical skills
Medics with with local EMTs to prepare for upcoming deployment

Expansion begins
Updates on several construction projects on Fort Drum

Spc. Abraham Sherrod Wheeler

Via The State
Just before he died, Columbia soldier Spc. Abraham Sherrod Wheeler III commented on his Facebook page about the soaring U.S. death toll in Afghanistan.

“Man, so many soldiers fallin all over this ... country,” the 22-year-old Wheeler wrote Aug. 22 on the social networking Web site. “My heart goes out to them.”

On Monday, the Pentagon announced Wheeler died last week when a roadside bomb struck his vehicle during fighting in rugged Logar province.

Wheeler’s name now is listed among 47 U.S. service members who died in August — the bloodiest month since the United States started fighting in Afghanistan in 2001.
August’s toll surpasses July’s record 44 deaths. So far this year, 179 U.S. service members have been killed in action in Afghanistan.

That compares with 116 U.S. combat deaths in Iraq this year, according to the Web site icasualties.org, which tracks deaths of U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wheeler, assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, died Friday in the same blast that injured CBS correspondent Cami McCormick and two other soldiers.

McCormick suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to her legs and arms, CBS reported. She was being treated at the U.S. military’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. The two soldiers were treated for minor injuries and returned to duty.

Three Afghans believed to be responsible for the bombing were apprehended by U.S. soldiers and are being detained at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, CBS added.
Wheeler also is the 16th member of the U.S. military with S.C. ties to die in Afghanistan; 62 have fallen in Iraq.

Abraham Wheeler Jr. said he last talked to his son Wednesday, just two days before the blast.

They talked about “general things,” said Wheeler Jr., a retired carpenter. But his son, whom friends called “Rod,” was excited about a 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme he was restoring.

Wheeler Jr. said he wanted to get the car repainted in time for his son’s homecoming this fall.

Spc. Wheeler’s unit deployed to Afghanistan in December, but rumors were flying that the troopers might be leaving Afghanistan in late October, the soldier’s father said. Wheeler said his son was home in late June for two weeks’ leave.

The 62-year-old Columbia man was home last Friday when an Army casualty officer and a chaplain showed up at his front door.

“I knew when I pulled the curtain back what they were here for,” Wheeler said. “My legs felt like they just went out from under me. My hands and arms were shaking, I could barely unlock the door. Then I walked back to the couch and sat down.
“I’ve never had a feeling like that ever. My heart, it felt like it had fallen down to my foot.”

Wheeler said his son joined the Army in 2007, two years after graduating from Ridge View High School. At 6 feet, 2 inches and 260 pounds, his son played defensive end for the Richland 2 school, Wheeler said.

In their last phone call, Wheeler said his son mentioned that “things were getting a little hectic, but he told me not to worry because he would be all right.”

But on his Facebook page, Spc. Wheeler said the fighting was grim.
“Fallen comrade ceremony,” Spc. Wheeler said in an Aug. 25 entry about a fellow trooper, Cpl. Darby T. Morin, 25, of Victoria, Canada, who died Aug. 22. “That ... don’t really hit you ova here until it’s someone u kno personally. R.I.P. Darby.”
Three days later, Spc. Wheeler was dead.

Services are pending, the family said. Bostick & Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.