10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Local Paragraphs
The U.S. Army's Contracting Agency, North Region, based at Fort Drum, awarded a $349,750 contract for a motorcycle simulator to Simulator Systems International Inc. Tulsa, Okla.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Candidates differ on strategy to pursue in Afghanistan
Candidates for House seat that represents Fort Drum comment on their ideas about Afghanistan policy.

Army Brigade Will Not Go to Iraq in January as Scheduled
Due to success in stabilization of Iraq, 1st BCT orders for deployment are cancelled.

Commander's letter tackles troops' morale in Afghanistan
3rd BCT commander, Col. David Haight, sends letter to troops after unit's Chaplain advises him of concerns about mission

Colonel to troops: 'I'm proud of you'
Col. David Haight's letter to the troops

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Task Force Muleskinners Depart
10th Sustainment Brigade completes duties at Camp Taji, Iraq and transfers mission to Utah based 96th Sustainment Brigade.

Soldier show entertains at Drum
Recap of event at Fort Drum's McGrath gym.

Afghan National Security Forces, ISAF Partnership Increases Road Safety in Wardak
Afghan national security forces and soldiers from 2/87 Infantry conduct security checkpoints in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Legion posts assemble kits for returning soldiers
Jefferson County American Legion posts band together to make sure that troops returning from deployment have necessary cleaning and hygiene supplies for use in the immediate days after return to Fort Drum.

US military says Afghan force numbers no secret
Pentagon says it doesn't hide number of troops being deployed to combat areas, includes references to Fort Drum soldiers in Afghanistan

Army Family Covenant and U.S. Army Soldier Show Oct. 14
U.S. Army Soldier Show wil be performing on October 14 at 7 p.m. at the Magrath Sports Complex for Fort Drum soldiers and Families.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

More Fort Drum Soldiers Return Home
550 soldiers from the 10th Aviation Brigade return home after their latest deployment

Talking to the Taliban
10th Mountain division soldiers change focus and look to convince Taliban fighters to stop fighting and integrate into Afghan society.

Sharpshooter from Norwalk describes deadly Taliban battle
Story about Oct 3 battle in Afghanistan that involved Sgt. Derek Brookshire, who told family about it via instant messaging with his brother.

ANA, U.S. Forces conduct Operation Wake Forest
Combined Joint Task Force 82 story about Afghan National Army and U.S. forces who cordoned off the village to search for enemy combatants.

U.S. Army police mentor team, provides aid, training to ANP
3rd BSTB soldiers provide Afghan Police with first aid training.

Dogs of war: Carlotta native trying to take pets home
Story about Fort Drum soldier who is attempting to bring two dogs from Afghanistan to the US.

Officers attend penal law seminarFort Drum police receive training from state Division of Criminal Justice Services about how to identify and prosecute human trafficking.

short vacation

I will be back on Tuesday, Oct 13.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Photo montage of arrival of Sgt. Aaron Smith's remains in his hometown

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Candor Town Talk: Candor soldier showered with love
Soldier returning from Iraq deployment received welcome home from friends and neighbors in his hometown.

Chaplains tell of disillusionment among US troops
Soldiers showing stress of repeated deployments begin to ask questions about mission in Iraq.

US Dept of Defense - Division Commander Focuses on Immediate, Future Fights
MG Terry looks at communications with other division commands to better transition between units in future Afghanistan deployments.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Defense bill includes $92M for Fort Drum
The federal budget for the next fiscal year includes money for several projects for Fort Drum that were included by former rep John McHugh

US soldiers pay the price for extended tours of duty in Afghanistan
Article looking at length of tours for soldiers in combat zone and their time at home between deployments.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

300 Fort Drum soldiers return home from Iraq
10th Avn Bde soldiers welcomed home after Iraq deployment.

Disenfranchised by Dave and
Military ballots at risk in New York's special election
Commentary about possible problems with having votes of deployed soldiers counted in special election for seat of former Rep. John McHugh, now Sec of the Army

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Ithaca band Bone Jar to play at Fort Drum
Ithaca hard rock band Bone Jar will be at the 2nd BCT motorpool, Bldg P-10192 on Thursday, 08 Oct to play for deploying 2nd BCT members. It starts at 2 PM.

Soldiers Say Success Depends on Afghan Forces
NY Daily News reporter Stephanie Gaskell with story reporting several soldiers in Afghanistan are asking that more Afghans are trained to do the missions that they are currently engaged in. Quotes from 10th mountain soldiers in the story.

Elmira Heights soldier wounded in Afghanistan attackSoldier wounded in same attack that kiled Sgt. Aaron Smith identified in his hometown paper.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

No news other than that of Sgt Smith's passing

Aaron M. Smith

Via DoD Identifies Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died Oct. 2 in Wardak province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked their unit using small arms fire.

Killed were:

Sgt. Aaron M. Smith, 25, of Manhattan, Kan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

Pfc. Brandon A. Owens, 21, of Memphis, Tenn. He was assigned to the 118th Military Police Company, 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information regarding Sgt. Smith, media may contact the Fort Drum public affairs office at (315) 778-5759; regarding Pfc.Owens, media may contact the XVIII Airborne Corps public affairs office at (910) 309-2843.

Also see 9SYR.com
Syracuse Post
Soldier From Manhattan Killed In Afghanistan
Fort Drum soldier killed in Afghanistan
Kansas soldier from Drum is killed in Afghanistan

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Fruitless battle against invisible insurgents of Badam Kalay
UK Times story about 2/87 Inf battle against Taliban forces.

Fort Drum Blizzard news
Post community honors retiring Soldiers
Eleven members of Fort Drum Community retire from active duty.

Fix or repair daily - Mechanics keep Blackhawk running
2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry mechanics given spotlight in effort to keep unit mobile.

Quick reaction force serves as guardians, ambassadors of peace
277th Aviation Support Battalion soldiers fill infantry role as QRF at Contingency Operating Base Speicher

Colin G. Knight

Via Summit Daily News of Frisco, Colorado

Medically retired 10th Mountain division soldier passed away in Syracuse NY on August 29th, 2009. He will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors Nov. 17.

10th Mountain Daily Roundup

Hearts and minds
Soldier tries to win over Afghans
Story about Jewish 10th Mountain Division soldier deployed to Afghanistan
Tattoos and the Army: a long and colorful tradition
Article about how tattoos are used by soldiers to identify who they are and what they have done, several 10th Mountain soldiers quoted in article.

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.