Kevin Dayhoff - Soundtrack Division of Old Silent Movies - www.kevindayhoff.net - Runner, writer, artist, fire and police chaplain. The mindless ramblings of a runner, journalist, and artist: National and International politics. For community see www.kevindayhoff.org. For art, writing and travel see www.kevindayhoff.com
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Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label World Middle East Afghanistan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World Middle East Afghanistan. Show all posts
More than 500 friends, family and neighbors braved gray
skies and a steady drizzle on Tuesday to pay final respects to Airman 1st Class
Matthew Ryan Seidler, a Westminster man killed in Afghanistan on Jan. 5.
Seidler was killed Jan. 5 from injuries suffered from an
improvised explosive device attack during a combat operation in volatile enemy
territory in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan. He had been
assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He
was one of three service members who died in the attack.
"Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17,
for a Westminster airman who was killed Jan. 5 from injuries suffered from an
improvised explosive device attack on Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province,
southern Afghanistan.
Airman 1st Class Matthew Seidler, 24, of Westminster, had
been assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base,
Colo. He was one of three service members who died in the attack.
"Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17, for a Westminster airman who was killed Jan. 5 from injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device attack on Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
Airman 1st Class Matthew Seidler, 24, of Westminster, had been assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He was one of three service members who died in the attack.
January 07, 2012|By Steve Kilar, The Baltimore Sun
A 24-year-old airman from Westminster was killed when an
improvised explosive device hit his vehicle in Afghanistan, the Defense
Department said Saturday.
Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler died Thursday in the
attack, which killed two other airmen. They were patrolling in Helmand, a southwestern
province that remains a Taliban stronghold.
"When he joined the Air Force, he blossomed. He became
himself," said a cousin, Kalyn Masek, who last communicated with Seidler
on Tuesday, his birthday. "I was really, really proud of him and the man that
he'd become."
Seidler, an explosive ordnance disposal technician, entered
active duty in November 2009. He was assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer
Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado.
"He loved what he did" for the military, said
Masek, who was surprised when Seidler told her that he was joining the Air
Force. Being involved in the disarmament of explosives fed his intellect, she
said, and excited him in a way that prior false starts in his professional life
had not.
Seidler graduated from Westminster Senior High School in
2006. He took classes for a year in business administration at Stevenson
University and then started in a multimedia design program at Carroll Community
College before deciding to join the military.
A Westminster airman was one of three service members who died from injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device attack on Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
Airman 1st Class Matthew Seidler, 24, of Westminster, had been assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Three airmen killed in Afghanistan by an improvised
explosive device on January 5
A Westminster service member, Airman 1st Class Matthew R.
Seidler, is one of the three killed in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive
device on January 5
24-year-old USAF Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, from
Westminster, Maryland was one of three Air Force servicemen killed in action on
5th January 2012 when their vehicle struck an insurgent bomb in Shir Ghazi,
Helmand. (Photo courtesy: http://oefkia.blogspot.com)
Westminster, Md. - The Pentagon announced earlier today that a Westminster
airman was one of three servicemembers who died supporting Operation Enduring
Freedom on Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler,
24, of Westminster, Md had been assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron,
Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Also killed in the attack were Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell,
23, of Erie, Pa., who had been assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron,
Barksdale Air Force Base, La. and Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz,
34, of Traverse City, Mich. from the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, FE Warren
Air Force Base, Wyo.
According to the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette, “The Erie Times News reported that Airman Bell joined the
U.S. Air Force in 2006 and served a tour of duty in Iraq. As an
explosive-ordnance disposal technician, his main job was to clear routes with
two other servicemen in an armored vehicle, his father Rick Bell of Harborcreek
told the newspaper.
“Airman Bell last visited his dad over the summer, before
his deployment to Afghanistan, and said he was still excited about his
dangerous job, which gained notoriety with the Academy Award-winning movie ‘The
Hurt Locker,’ which won the Academy Award for best picture in 2009.”
The website, Fallen Heroes Afghanistan - http://oefkia.blogspot.com - reports,
“Sr. Airman Bell, a bomb-disposal technician serving with the 2nd Civil
Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, was a volunteer
firefighter. He graduated from Harbor Creek High School in 2006 and joined the
Air Force the same year. He leaves behind his father, mother, wife and sister.”
(Photo courtesy: http://oefkia.blogspot.com)
Fallen heroes Afghanistan reports,
“Sgt. Schwartz was a bomb-disposal technician serving with the 90th Civil
Engineer Squadron, FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. His family told local
news that this was his sixth combat mission and that he had also served in
Iraq. He had served in the US Air Force for 12 years. Sgt. Schwartz leaves his
wife, Jenny, and three daughters.” (Photo courtesy: http://oefkia.blogspot.com)
Seidler was one of eight of NATO’s US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
soldiers who have died in a series of recent attacks in southern and eastern Afghanistan,
say military officials.
In accordance with ISAF
policy, no further details were released. According to iCasualties.org, at
least 566 NATO troops were killed in Afghanistan in 2011; including 418 from
the US and 46 from the United Kingdom.
An Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force casualty
report from Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday, January 5, said, “Three
International Security Assistance Force service members died following an
improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan today.
“It is ISAF policy to defer casualty identification
procedures to the relevant national authorities…”
In related news, in an “ISAF
Joint Command morning operational update - January 6, 2012… South: In
Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, a coalition security force discovered
a cache of improvised explosive device materials during a routine patrol
yesterday. The security force confiscated 50 various IED components from the
scene to be destroyed at a later date.
An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader during an
operation in Nahr-e Saraj district, Helmand province, today. The leader
constructed roadside bombs and trained insurgent fighters for attacks against
coalition forces. Two additional suspected insurgents were detained during the
operation.
“East: In Sabari district, Khost province, an Afghan and
coalition security force captured a Haqqani leader during an operation today.
The leader procured weapons for insurgent fighters and conducted roadside bomb
attacks. The security force seized weapons, bomb making materials and detained
multiple insurgents during the operation.”
The news that a Westminster area service member had been
killed in Afghanistan had started circulating on Friday. However it is usually
best to wait to report upon such information until the Pentagon releases the
information – after the Department of Defense has notified all family members
and appropriate personnel…
Approximately 140,000 NATO military personnel – including
about 100,000 from the United States - are currently fighting in the ten-year
war against the Taliban-led insurgency against the NATO-backed government of
President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan.
No further details on the deaths of, or funeral arrangements
for Seidler, Bell or Schwartz are available at the moment.
Eight Nato soldiers have been killed in a series of bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan, the military said Friday.
Three died on Thursday, another lost his life in a blast on Friday and four more were killed in second attack later the same day.
Nato's US-led International Security Assistance Force did not release the nationalities of the soldiers, in keeping with policy.
Details would be released by the soldiers' home countries, a spokesman said.
More than 560 foreign troops were killed last year in Afghanistan, where some 130,000 US-led troops are fighting an insurgency by hardline Taliban Islamists against the Western-backed government of President Hamid Karzai."
Stars and Stripes Daily Headlines: Catholics seek to boost number of priests serving as chaplains and other stories
Catholics seek to boost number of priests serving as chaplains Searching for bombs day in and day out as part of a route-clearance team, Spc. Joe Murphy needed the reassuring hand of his faith more than ever. But because of a worsening shortage of Catholic chaplains in Afghanistan and throughout the military, it had never been more difficult to practice it.
Weary of bloodshed, a Taliban leader in Afghanistan weighs reintegration The Taliban leader hid his face beneath a black ski mask as he rode in the back seat of an Afghan army pickup truck. He knew to avoid needless risk. If the wrong person saw him, his life might end before he could convert from insurgent to peacemaker.
Afghan police chief: 'We want revenge' After a preteen suicide bomber killed six people three weeks ago in this village darkened by Pakistan's shadow, Abdul Latif assumed a new job in circumstances he called 'worse than awful.'
Friction between Afghan forces hangs over remote post There is no need to imagine the aftermath of perhaps the worst attack on the Afghanistan Border Patrol in its young history. The Taliban captured the grim scene on video. The siege inflamed the simmering distrust between the border patrol and the Afghanistan National Army in a turbulent region.
News Alert: U.S. issues sharp warning to Pakistan about ties to leading Taliban group September 20, 2011 9:50:33 PM ----------------------------------------
EXCLUSIVE | The Obama administration has sharply warned Pakistan that it must cut ties with a leading Taliban group based in the tribal region along the Afghan border and help eliminate its leaders, according to officials from both countries. In what amounts to an ultimatum, administration officials have indicated that the United States will act unilaterally if Pakistan does not comply with demands to act against the Haqqani network.
U.S. Kills Insurgents Responsible for SEAL Helicopter Attack
NATO says gunman, others were tracked down after an "exhaustive manhunt."
By Peter Fulham| Posted Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, at 12:34 PM EDT
An American airstrike in Afghanistan killed the Taliban insurgents responsible for shooting down a NATO helicopter and taking the lives of 30 U.S. service members, including 22 Navy SEALs, officials say.
The Los Angeles Timesreports that the attack – which occurred in the Chak district of Afghanistan's Wardak province on Tuesday – killed both the man who was determined to have been the shooter and Mullah Mohibullah, the Taliban leader in the area, as well as a number of other insurgents...
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.
Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.
Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.
For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.
Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.
As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.
Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.
The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.
So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.
Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.
We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.
Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.
The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.