Weekly Contest AutoMatters & More Around Town Enter now for a chance to win a pair of Red Bull Global Rallycross season finale Jungle Jack Hanna, Int’l Music & Art Festi- passes to SeaWorld San Diego. at the Port of Los Angeles. val in Poway, Hamilton at the Civic Theatre, See page 4 See page 13 Jazz Jam. See page 18 Navy Marine Corps Coast Guard Army Air Force AT AT EASE ARMED FORCES DISPATCHSan Diego Navy/Marine Corps Dispatch www.armedforcesdispatch.com 619.280.2985 FIFTY SEVENTH YEAR NO. 26 Serving active duty and retired military personnel, veterans and civil service employees THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2018 Navy’s newest LPD Happy New Year! is San Deigo bound GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba (Jan. 2, 2018) - The soon-to-be commissioned San Antonio-class am- phibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) transits Guantanamo Bay during a brief fuel stop. The ship is currently on its way to home port in San Diego, and is scheduled to be commis- sioned in its namesake city of Portland, Ore., in April. Navy photo by MC1 John Philip Wagner, Jr. Lake Champlain deploys on WestPac SAN DIEGO - The 30 officers and 300 enlisted crew of USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) left San Diego Jan. 4 for a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific. The guided-missile cruiser will deploy as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group. It com- pleted a six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region last year. Lake Champlain is led by Medical Center San Diego Capt. Jen Ellinger who assumed welcomes its first baby of year command in September. Commissioned on Aug. 12, 1988, the Ticonderoga-class USS Lake Champlain SAN DIEGO - Naval Medical Center San Diego guided-missile cruiser is oper- welcomed its first newborn of the year Jan. 2 at ated by more than 350 Sailors and carries Tomahawk missiles, 12:34 a.m. standard SM-2 surface to air missiles, two 5-inch dual purpose guns, and two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. Weighing in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces, Wilson Quinn Anderson is 19 inches long. Baby Wilson was introduced to the world by his mother, Mindy F. Anderson, and father, Alan W. Anderson. Inside ... Naval Medical Center San Diego delivered 2,693 babies in 2017. (top) Registered nurse Kathryn Banez, Naval Medical Center San Diego Maternal Infant Nursing Depart- ment (left), Alan Anderson (right), and Mindy Ander- son (center), welcomed NMCSD’s first newborn, Wil- son Quinn (right). Official Navy photo ... tour for the team. page 9 Defeat-ISIS coalition reflects on 2017, looks forward to 2018 SOUTHWEST ASIA (Jan. 1, grand total of 7.7 million people ernment looks forward to con- of ISIS and achievement of sta- 2018) - Today, the 70 nations and over the three years of Operation tinuing to help its people rebuild bility in the region,” said British four organizations that comprise Inherent Resolve.” after the nation’s complete lib- army Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, the coalition that’s dedicated to eration from ISIS, officials said. deputy commander of strategy the defeat of the Islamic State of The coalition began 2017 Syrian Democratic Forces remain and support for CJTF-OIR. Iraq and Syria reflect on progress with 67 member organizations, engaged in the final phases of made in 2017 and look forward and concluded the year with 74, liberating the middle Euphrates Despite a string of successes to 2018, Combined Joint Task Funk said. This, he said, indi- River Valley, said officials. by ISF and SDF, much work Force Operation Inherent Re- cates the international resolve remains to ensure the enduring solve officials reported today. to defeat ISIS is “stronger than Building on these accomplish- defeat of ISIS, officials said. ever, and we will continue our ments, the coalition’s efforts The terrorist group is still at- Members of the Iraqi security forces provide secu- The defeat-ISIS campaign, efforts to prevent the resurgence are refocusing on supporting tempting to establish regional rity during rural combat training at Camp Taji, Iraq which commenced in 2014, of this perverse ideology.” the international community’s networks and remains a regional Nov. 18. Camp Taji is one of four Combined Joint Task achieved its most significant whole-of-government efforts and global threat through its Force Operation Inherent Resolve locations dedicat- progress in 2017 as key cities in ISIS’ “repressive ideology to prevent the re-emergence of ability to organize or inspire ed to training partner forces and enhancing their ef- Iraq and Syria, including Mosul, continues,” said the general. ideology-based terrorism and acts of violence against inno- fectiveness on the battlefield. CJTF-OIR is the global Hawijah, Qaim, Tal Afar, Raqqa And, he said, the conditions re- to assist partners in bolstering cent people around the world, coalition that’s dedicated to the defeat of the Islamic and Tabqah, were systematically main present for ISIS to return. security that will enable stabil- officials added. State of Iraq and Syria. Army photo by Cpl. Rachel liberated from ISIS’ so-called ity in the region and around the Diehm caliphate, officials said. “Only through coalition and world, officials said. The future Coalition officials urge in- international efforts can the success of non-military activity ternational governments and Syrian people to build conditions the people of Iraq and Syria can During 2017, over 61,500 defeat [of ISIS] become perma- will be decisive in the defeat of nongovernmental organizations that prevent the re-emergence be permanently freed from the square kilometers of territory nent,” Funk said. ISIS, officials said. to answer the call of the Iraqi and of violent extremism, so that horrors of ISIS. was liberated from ISIS across Iraq and Syria, meaning “more The coalition looks forward to The coalition’s contribution than 98 percent of the land once further success in 2018, and those will be largely through contin- Colonels offered chance to voluntarily serve past 30 years claimed by the terrorist group who made the ultimate sacrifice ued training of Iraqi security The Line of the Air Force nels who meet the mandatory the notification for consider- has been returned to the people,” in the global effort to defeat ISIS forces and the Syrian Demo- Colonel Continuation Board retirement dates between Feb. ation and present to the eligible said Army Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk in 2017 will be remembered, offi- cratic Forces, who will provide will begin in January, allowing 1, 2018 and Feb. 1, 2019. All colonel for acceptance. II, commanding general of Com- cials said. This includes hundreds security for their people and their eligible members to voluntarily eligible officers will be offered bined Joint Task Force Operation of brave Iraqis and Syrians who national borders, officials said. serve an additional three years the opportunity to remain on All LAF Air Force spe- Inherent Resolve. gave their lives for their nations, The coalition will build on the past the active-duty retirement active duty for an additional cialty codes are eligible, and service members from coalition training that has already been time of 30 years. three years. all continuation is voluntary. More than 4.5 million people nations and the many innocent delivered to over 126,500 Iraqis Eligible officers were notified were liberated from ISIS oppres- Iraqis and Syrians who have died and more than 12,500 Syrians to The continuation board will If the board selects an officer by Dec. 31. sion in 2017, said Funk, who as a result of ISIS’ terrorism, of- date, said officials. assess the records of the 50 for continuation, the officer’s Visit myPers or contact the added this represents a “remark- ficials said. Line of the Air Force colo- chain of command will receive Total Force Service Center. able achievement by our partners Support from the international leading to [the liberation of] a As 2018 begins, the Iraqi gov- community is vital to the defeat BOB STALL CHEVROLET FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971 You’re gonna get a good deal ... And a good deal more ... We look forward to helping you see clearly! TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! 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And they are then “In many cases, it has been WASHINGTON - There is a blurring line that separates Trafficking Prevention Month, those who prey on the innocent, embedded with federal law en- the relentless focus and military conventional operating forces from special operations forces and the Defense Department forcement.” mindset that has allowed HEROs and the defense secretary expects general purpose forces will has teams who work year-round to go beyond the digging that eventually shoulder missions once the province of their special to combat these crimes world- She said the might be done in traditional law forces brethren.