ArmyRanger.com News

Marines Ignore Afghani Poppy Fields

Tue, 06 May 2008 19:37:38 -0000

GARMSER, Afghanistan - The Marines of Bravo Company's 1st Platoon sleep beside a grove of poppies. Troops in the 2nd Platoon playfully swat at the heavy opium bulbs while walking through the fields. Afghan laborers scraping the plant's gooey resin smile and wave.

Last week, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit moved into southern Helmand province, the world's largest opium poppy-growing region, and now find themselves surrounded by green fields of the illegal plants that produce the main (more) ...

2nd Bat Ranger death

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:26:34 -0000

DoD Identifies Army Casualty

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

Sgt. 1st Class David L. McDowell, 30, of Ramona, Calif., died April 29 in Bastion, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked using small arms fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Lewis, Wash.

For further information, media should contact the U.S. Army Special Operations Command public affairs (more) ...

Dad's video of run-down barracks sparks military response

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:50:16 -0000

(CNN) -- The U.S. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, after a soldier's father posted images on YouTube showing a building that he said "should be condemned."

A soldier battles overflowing sewage in the Fort Bragg barracks shortly after coming home from Afghanistan.

"This is embarrassing. It's disgusting. It makes me mad as hell," Ed Frawley said of the building where his son, Sgt. Jeff Frawley, had to live (more) ...

Texas' Special Forces unit is born

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:58:04 -0000

SAN ANTONIO -- Thirteen men surrendered a beautiful spring weekend to physically punish themselves.

The objective: to join Texas' most exclusive military club.

They came to a pocket of the rolling Hill Country from different places and backgrounds -- former Marines, college students, small-business owners, police officers -- in the hopes of one day wearing a beret, green in color.

Trust these men, with bleeding blisters soaking their boots and shoulders in need of a tube of Icy Hot and (more) ...

Gen. Petraeus Picked to Head U.S. Central Command

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:20:31 -0000

WASHINGTON � Gen. David Petraeus has been tapped to become the next commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations from the Middle East to Central Asia and directs the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his decision Wednesday at a press conference in Washington, saying President Bush would send Petraeus' nomination to the Senate soon.

"I recommended him to the president because he is absolutely the best man to do the job. The (more) ...

French commandos swoop after pirates free hostages 4-11

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:51:27 -0000

PARIS (Reuters) - French commandos seized six pirates in Somalia on Friday during a daring helicopter raid launched shortly after the bandits had released the 30-strong crew of a luxury yacht hijacked last week.

French officials said the owners of the yacht paid a ransom to obtain the freedom of the crew and as soon as it was clear that they were all safe, the commandos went into action aboard helicopters to track down the pirates.

A district commissioner in Somalia told Reuters that five (more) ...

Navy Fires Warning Flare as Iranian Boat Approaches

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:19:45 -0000

WASHINGTON � The U.S. Navy says one of its ships encountered a small Iranian high-speed boat in the central Persian Gulf. The Navy says the boat stayed away after the ship fired a flare.

Two other similar Iranian boats in the area did not approach as closely.

The USS Typhoon tried unsuccessfully to establish radio contact with the Iranian boat after it came within an estimated 200 yards of the Typhoon on Thursday, outside Iranian territorial waters. A Navy official says the ship then (more) ...

Navy SEAL, Michael Monsoor, receives MOH

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:41:26 -0000

SEAL receives Medal of Honor for actions in Ramadi, Sept. 2006.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When a grenade bounced off his chest and fell to the floor near his fellow troops, Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor acted out of instinct.

His actions didn't stem from a lack of training. His instant reaction was to protect his comrades.

The Navy says he committed a selfless act: jumping on the grenade and taking the full force of the (more) ...

Chinese troops converge in Tibetan areas

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:48:57 -0000

ZHONGDIAN, China - The government stepped up its manhunt Friday for protesters in last week's riots in the Tibetan capital, as thousands of troops converged on foot, in trucks and helicopters in Tibetan areas of western China.

The violence in Lhasa � a stunning show of defiance against 57 years of Chinese rule � has sparked sympathy demonstrations in neighboring provinces, prompting Beijing to blanket a huge area with troops and warn tourists and foreign journalists to stay away.

China's (more) ...

Bin Laden slams EU over prophet cartoons

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 04:28:49 -0000

CAIRO, Egypt - Osama bin Laden warned in a new audiotape of a "severe" reaction for Europeans' publication of cartoons of Islam's Prophet Muhammad in what experts saw as a direct threat of a new attack in Europe.

The message, posted late Wednesday on a militant Web site that has carried al-Qaida statements in the past and bore the logo of the extremist group's media wing al-Sahab, showed a still image of bin Laden aiming with an assault (more) ...