Operation Liberator II Begins Massive Nationwide Search Continues by Spc
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Volume 1, Issue 70 April 16, 2010 Operation Liberator II begins Massive nationwide search continues By Spc. Cassandra Monroe 135th Mobile Public Affairs Det. “They’re citizens that were here supporting operations for Efforts to recover isolated, miss- their country ... it’s important that we help to bring them ing, detained and captured personnel home to close that final chapter with their Families ...” across Iraq, are being launched through -Lieutenant Colonel Marvin Chavous, TF Marne personnel recovery officer Operation Liberator II, April 15. The Joint Inter-Agency Personnel Recovery Working Group, which is nationwide,” said Lt. Col. Marvin When local citizens see these ads, made up of all United States Forces- Chavous, the United States Division- they have the opportunity to respond Iraq units, U.S. Embassy-Baghdad North personnel recovery officer for through tip- lines that will be estab- agencies and both U.S. and Iraqi law Operation Liberator II and Task Force lished throughout the country. enforcement agencies, will be initiat- Marne. “U.S. forces have established The numbers have been published at ing the operation. a nationwide campaign through radio the national level so that anyone in any “Operation Liberator II is designed and television ads to get the word out region can call a local number, said Lt. to encourage the people of Iraq to bring to the Iraqi population that they would Col. Chavous. There’s also an initiative forth information through a series of like to return these missing Americans tip-lines that are being established back home to their families.” See LIBERATOR, Page 2 COB Speicher implements plastic recycling program By Spc. Michael Adams used to make the coffee, into TF Marne PAO the garbage can. “I feel like it was very Corporal Eric Gillson, wasteful throwing all of of St. Paul, Minn., is always those bottles away,” he making coffee for person- added. “Throwing those nel at the Task Force Marne bottles away hurts the headquarters. The 3rd ID environment.” chaplain’s assistant is happy Apparently, others on to provide something for his Contingency Operating fellow Soldiers. Base Speicher agreed and The one thing that was are helping Soldiers on the upsetting him though, was Photo by Spc. Michael Adams, TF Marne PAO base to recycle so now Cpl. Corporal Eric Gillson, a chaplains assistant with TF Marne, throws an that he had to throw all of empty water bottle into a recycling bin, at COB Speicher, April 10. the plastic water bottles, he See BOTTLE, Page 3 The North Star Page 2 • April 16, 2010 Continued from LIBERATOR, Page 1 to establish a nationwide phone num- One of the ways the personnel re- behalf of American government as con- ber that feeds into Baghdad that people covery division circulates the informa- tractors,” said Lt. Col. Chavous. “Re- can call into as well, he added. The re- tion is by communicating with the Iraqi gardless of the reason they were here, gional and nationwide tip-lines provide populace and security forces through it’s important that we help to bring continuity as some units move out of key leader engagements and handing them home to close that final chapter the country while others move in. out pamphlets during missions. with their Families as U.S. forces start When the new units arrive, the es- One of the division’s goals is to en- to drawdown and bring closure to the tablished phone numbers and tip-lines courage the Iraqi people to disseminate mission here.” will assist the process of finding the the information to their family and During Operation Liberator I, the missing individuals. friends, that way anyone with infor- remains of the last missing-in-action The tip-lines will be manned by both mation about the missing individuals servicemember of Operation Desert English and Arabic speakers, ensuring has the opportunity to come forward. Storm, Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, that all voices are heard and all leads Personnel recovery division members were found June 20, 2009. Informa- are answered. hope Iraqi citizens will assist in finding tion gathered from these same meth- Once a lead comes in, the Joint the missing individuals. ods, led to his recovery. Personnel Recovery Division, at USF- There are currently 16 cases of miss- As a result of Operation Liberator I, I Headquarters-Baghdad, researches ing individuals in Iraq; one of those in- initiated May 20, 2009, Operation Des- and investigates it to determine the va- dividuals is listed in the United States ert Storm became the first war in U.S. lidity of the information. Division-North area. history without any MIAs. To ensure maximum distribution of “They’re citizens that were here sup- During Operation Liberator II, per- the phone numbers, the personnel re- porting operations for their country sonnel will continue to gather informa- covery team used a variety of methods and supporting fellow Soldiers, and tion for other cases in hopes of achiev- to publicize it. some were here conducting business on ing positive results. 1/14 Cav delivers unexpected surprise By Spc. Ry Norris 3SBCT, 2nd Inf Div PAO Brigade Combat Team, 2nd the Jamaylia village. happy. That is what’s impor- Infantry Division. School faculty had no tant,” said Mahmouad. Eager faces peeked Tibij Iraqi Police and U.S. prior knowledge, nor the The schools were also through the windows as Troop C, 1/14 Cav. visited purpose, of the visit. “It’s given things such as white the students tried to catch students at two schools an unexpected surprise,” boards, markers, highlight- a glimpse of the Tibij Iraqi bearing gifts of school sup- said Vice Principal Raad ers, and pens. These will Police and U.S. Soldiers plies in Diyala province, Mahmouad of Abn Baitars. be used and distributed with 2nd Platoon, Troop C, April 7; the Andleab school, “Anything that will help us throughout the school at the 1st Squadron, 14th Cav- in the Albulatif village, and is very much appreciated.” faculty’s discretion. alry Regiment, 3rd Stryker the Abn Baitars school, in This is the second time “When we establish this Abn Baitars have received repertoire, the people are donations. more willing to assist us in The schools run two helping them,” said Spc. sessions to accommodate Mikal Rogers, a Soldier with a vast number of students. Troop C, 1/14 Cav. “Not only Andleab have more than will this help the kids of 160 children in attendance Iraq, it will help the coun- between the ages of five and try as a whole. We’re here 12. Abn Baitars is a second- to help the future of Iraq. ary school with approxi- These kids are a part of that mately 220 in attendance future.” between the ages 13 and 18. Tibij IP and Troop C, Each school received 1/14 Cav. have conducted approximately $1,000 in humanitarian missions school supplies. The faculty like these only a handful of chose one class to receive times. They hope to con- the first of the supplies. tinue conducting missions The Tabij IP handed each like these in the near future Photo by Spc, Ry Norris 3SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. PAO child in the classroom a in an effort to establish a Staff Sergeant Mike Woodward, with 2nd Plt., Troop C, 1/14th Cav Regt., 3SBCT, 2nd ID, hands out rulers to one of the classrooms at the calculator, ruler, pencil, and relationship with the people Andleab school, in the Albulatif village, April 7. notebook. “The children are of the region. The North Star Page 3 • April 16, 2010 You are invited Zac Brown Band Where: FOB Warrior, Mosul When: April 16-17, Time TBD Darryl Worley Where: COB Speicher When: April 30, Time TBD UFC Tour Where: COB Speicher, May 4, FOB Normandy and FOB Grizzly, May 5 FOB Cobra and FOB Warhorse, May 6 FOB Gabe/Cruz-Morris and Q-West, May 7 When: Time TBD Phil Vandel Where: FOB Marez, May 18 Photo by Spc. Jessica Zullig, 135th Mobile Public Affairs Det. JSS Heider and FOB Sykes, May 19 (From left to right) Major General Tony Cucolo, TF Marne commanding general, Com- mand Sgt. Maj. Jesse Andrews, TF Marne command sergeant major, join Master Sgt. JSS Kaiser and COB Speicher, May 21 Richard Montgomery, garrison directorate of logistics NCOIC, and Maj. Travis Delk, di- FOB McHenry and rector of logistics from the 166th Regional Support Group, 1st Mission Support Group, FOB Warrior, May 22 81st Regional Readiness Group out of Puerto Rico, cut the ribbon symbolizing the open- When: Time TBD ing of the Taino Batey park on COB Speicher, April 11. Continued from BOTTLE, Page 1 Gillson does not have to plastic furniture. Large blue throw plastic water bottles bins scattered all over the into a garbage can but in a base will hold plastic bottles recycling bin. and then shipped to Al-She- Until recently, when far for recycling. those bottles were empty, The program also is they were thrown away and taking effect in the Spe- burned along with the rest icher dining facilities. For of the trash on the base. those who eat in the dining Captain Calvin Fisher, facilities, leftover food must of Durham, N.C., and be separated from plastic the Iraqi- Based Indus- before disposal. trial Zone- Tikrit officer in Corporal Gillson is happy charge is spearheading an to be putting the bottles in a effort to have these bottles recycling bin instead of the recycled. trash. “This is going to benefit “I feel good about this,” the COB because it tremen- he said. “I enjoy being dously reduces disposable outdoors and in nature and waste we have in our land- something like this will defi- fills,” he said.