Tag Archives: Iraq

Former Soldier Pleads Out in Terrorism Related Case

Bilal Abood was a translator for the US military in Iraq prior to 2009, when he left Iraq for the US and became an American citizen. He joined the US Army in 2010.

In 2014, the FBI determined he had made a statement of allegiance to al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State. He recently pled guilty to lying to the FBI about that statement:

Bilal Abood…admitted he lied to the FBI about traveling to Syria and sending a tweet pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic State…

The report seems to imply Read more

US Military Celebrates Jesus Christ’s Resurrection in Baghdad, 2016

How many people thought after the US invaded Iraq in 2003 that we’d still be celebrating Easter in Baghdad in 2016?

In Iraq, chaplains and their support teams used air and ground support to provide Easter services for troops throughout the country, including the location formerly known as Fire Base Bell — the small outpost attacked a little more than a week prior.

The Easter sunrise service was just one of five religious services held at Union III and one of many services across the CJFLCC-OIR area of operations in celebration of the holiday.

A few official news sources have begun to document this year’s other celebrations of Easter by US military forces around the world.

Aboard the USS Nitze:  Read more

Iraqi Pilot Dies in US F-16 Crash

An Iraqi fighter pilot was killed in Arizona while flying with an Air National Guard F-16 unit last week:

An F-16 Fighting Falcon flying with the 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, crashed at about 8 p.m. June 24, five miles east of Douglas Municipal Airport, Arizona.

A single F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that crashed Wednesday night in southern Arizona was being flown by an Iraqi pilot who has been training in the U.S. for four years, an official said Thursday.

The pilot was apparently Brig. Gen. Rafid Mohammed Hassan.

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Fighter Pilot Leaves Field of Combat for Mission Field

F-16 Fighter Pilot to Missionary Pilot
Photo by Shanda Moon.

A US Air Force F-16 fighter pilot is making the transition from the fields of combat to the mission field.

US Air Force Major Lance “Nuke” Ferguson has been a fighter pilot for nearly 11 years. He has flown combat missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and he wears the patch of the prestigious Air Force Weapons School — an honor and opportunity awarded to only a few fighter pilots each year, as well as a passport to future advancement. In every respect, Nuke is a highly-trained, experienced, and respected Air Force leader and fighter pilot.

Now this highly-skilled fighter pilot is doing what few could in the face of such God-granted success: He’s giving it up:  Read more

Chaplains as God’s Hands and Feet on the Front Lines

The Christian Examiner writes about US Army Chaplain (Maj) Stanton Trotter, who was deployed three times to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan:

Trotter said often what is required from army chaplains is their physical presence.

“The soldiers want their chaplain to be with them in the field,” Trotter said. “They want them to be jumping from the same airplane, to be out in the field, and to experience the same life they have. When they see that, they can say ‘this guy or gal is one of us and I can relate to them.'”

During deployments, physical proximity often means entering danger zones…

US military chaplains put Read more

Christmas Around the Military (Video)

US military leaders publicized their “holiday messages” in a series of videos just before Christmas. Outgoing Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and his wife made a point of saying “Merry Christmas,” as well as including a still photo from a homosexual proposal during a homecoming ceremony.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Marty Dempsey and his family sang “Jingle Bells” and wished everyone a “Merry Christmas.”

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and her Read more

USAF F-16 Pilot Killed in Crash in Middle East

The Air Force announced Tuesday that Capt William DuBois was killed when his F-16 crashed “in the Middle East” in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.  Officially, the crash was declared not combat related and was said not to have occurred in Iraq or Syria.  CNN reported it occurred in Jordan.

As with all such incidents, the Air Force will investigate the cause.  The crash follows another recent fatal crash out of Tyndall AFB just last month.

Also at FoxNews and AF.mil.
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