TAMPA, Florida (September 27, 2012) — Militaries from more than 30 nations yesterday concluded the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2012 (IMCMEX 12) in closing ceremonies at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters, Manama, Bahrain. The ceremonies marked the achievements of the multinational exercise -- the largest of its kind in the region -- bringing together approximately 3,000 personnel from 33 countries in exercise activities spanning twelve days and 1,000 miles in the region, and combining existing and new capabilities.

When Thomas was told he was transferring from 1st Platoon to 2nd Platoon, the landing support specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 2, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, thought nothing of it. Instead of working on Camp Leatherneck, Thomas would be working at the rotary wing Arrival Departure Airfield Control Group on Camp Bastion,  Afghanistan, an adjoining base ran by British Armed Forces. He would be responsible for getting coalition forces and cargo on helicopters departing Camp Bastion’s airfield heading for remote forward operating bases throughout Regional Command Southwest’s area of operations. 

This week, the ongoing effort in Afghanistan marked an important milestone:

The United States military has completed drawing down the surge forces President Obama committed in December of 2009, reducing our presence by 33,000 troops on schedule. As we reflect on this moment, it is an opportunity to recognize that the surge accomplished its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield, and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

On Tuesday September 11, 2012, U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed in a rocket attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. The U.S. and Libya exchanged ambassadors for the first time since 1973 in January 2009. Unrest that began in several Near Eastern and North African countries in late December 2010 spread to several Libyan cities in early 2011. After several months of fighting, anti-Qadhafi forces in August 2011 captured the capital, Tripoli. The Transitional National Council (TNC) on 23 October 2011 officially declared the country liberated following the defeat of the last remaining pro-Qadhafi stronghold and Qadhafi's death. 

KABUL, Afghanistan - Following the Sept. 14 attack at Camp Bastion, in which two coalition service members were killed when insurgents attacked the base’s airfield, the International Security Assistance Force provides the following additional details. 

 An adolescent boy and a young girl have been beheaded in two separate incidents in Afghanistan, local officials and police said on Friday, in the latest brazen attacks that have raised fresh questions about a splintering Taliban.  

An Afghan-led, coalition-supported security force killed the Taliban commander, Fayez Jan, and one additional insurgent during an operation in the Daman district of Afghanistan’s Kandahar province today, military officials reported. 

The following  image shows a May 18, 2012 photo of a square in Tall Daww, Haoula in Syria side-by-side with a May 28, 2012 image of the same square. The dotted area in the May 28, 2012 image shows that the ground had been recently disturbed which tracks with the May 26 BBC image from the same location. 

HUNTSVILLE, AL
When the Afghan theater commander called on the Army to increase the number of Shadow platoons in theater during the height of the 2011 Operation Enduring Freedom summer campaign, the Army was ready to answer the call. 

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, May 31, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta called the situation in Syria “intolerable” and said the United States will continue to work with the international community to get Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down. Assad’s troops allegedly massacred thousands of Syrians since demonstrations began there last year.