A good month for the guys on the front line

[Mor Paul]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100101/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq_us_casualties
December 1st month without US combat death in Iraq

BAGHDAD – December was the first month since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq nearly seven years ago in which no U.S. forces died in combat in the country.
Gen. Ray Odierno called it a significant milestone and said it speaks to how the violence in Iraq has diminished. Odierno is the commanding general in Iraq.
There were three U.S. troops who died in December as a result of non-combat related incidents.
According to an Associated Press count, 149 U.S. troops died in Iraq in 2009. That includes combat-related deaths and those not related to fighting.
That's the lowest number of U.S. deaths for a year since the Iraq war began in 2003.

Not going to bring out my personal politics, I just am glad there were no deaths on our side.

 

[Lucky #7]

Glad they've had a month like that.  Sad for the two that passed even if it was noncombat related.

 

[dbw]

That is good news.  On the other hand, it was another horrific month in Afghanistan.


Date Name Place of Death Branch
12-31-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Eastern Afghanistan Army
12-30-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Khowst CIA
12-30-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Khowst CIA
12-30-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Khowst CIA
12-30-2009 Brown Jr., Harold Khowst CIA
12-30-2009 Roberson, Scott Michael FOB Chapman (Khowst) CIA
12-30-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Khowst CIA
12-30-2009 NAME NOT RELEASED YET Khowst CIA
12-29-2009 Spino, Ronald J. Bala Morghab Army
12-26-2009 Johnston, Jason M. Arghandab Army
12-25-2009 Gutierrez, David H. Howz-e Madad (died at Kandahar Air Field) Army
12-22-2009 Roebuck, Omar G. Helmand province Marine
12-20-2009 Kropov, Serge Helmand province Army
12-18-2009 Ware, Albert D. Arghandab River Valley Army
12-15-2009 Campbell Jr., Anthony C. Helmand province Air Force
12-08-2009 Latorre, Xhacob Helmand province Marine
12-06-2009 Rao, Elijah J. Nuristan province Army
12-01-2009 Taylor, Jonathan A. Helmand province Marine
12-01-2009 Nichols Jr., Kenneth R. Kunar province Army

R.I.P.

http://icasualties.org/oef/

 

[whyachi]

If not for a medical issue in basic, I'd have arrived in Afghanistan five months ago. Some of my friends are there. I don't pray often, but I do for those guys.