The First Offender Prostitution Program (FOPP) is designed to reduce the demand for

commercial sex and human trafficking in San Francisco by educating men arrested for soliciting prostitutes (or “johns”) about the negative consequences of prostitution. The program is a partnership of the San Francisco District Attorney’s office (SFDA), the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), and a local nonprofit organization, Standing Against Global Exploitation (SAGE). Eligible arrestees are given the choice of paying a fee and attending a one-day class (known generically as the “john school”), or being prosecuted. Fees support all of the costs of conducting the john school classes, as well as subsidizing police vice operations, screening and processing arrestees, and recovery programs for women and girls involved in commercial sex.

The evaluation described in this report addresses three priority issues: the effectiveness, return on investment, and transferability of the FOPP. Data collection efforts included site visits, police “ride alongs,” interviews, collection of program documents and administrative data, structured observations of john school classes, pre- and post-class surveys of participants, and assembly of criminal history data regarding men arrested for soliciting prostitutes in San Francisco and throughout California.

READ ON

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/222451.pdf

NAVY

Raytheon Co., Portsmouth, R.I., is being awarded a $59,790,100 firm-fixed-price contract for the Fiscal Year 2008 Full Rate Production (Lot VI) procurement of 14 AN/AQS airborne low frequency sonar for the MH-60R helicopter. Work will be performed in Brest, France, (61 percent); Portsmouth, R.I., (30 percent) and Gaithersburg, Md., (9 percent), and is expected to be completed in Oct. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-08-C-0051).

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $23,783,387 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-04-C-0014). This modification provides for the procurement of ancillary mission equipment for the F/A-18 E/F and E/A-18G aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, Ariz., (83 percent); and St. Louis, Mo., (17 percent) and is expected to be completed in Jan. 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Serco Inc., Vienna, Va., is being awarded an $11,400,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, time and material modification to a previously awarded contract (N65236-02-D-3712) for air traffic control systems engineering, installation, and technical support services. Work will be performed in Charleston, S.C., (57 percent); Vienna, Va., (37 percent); Yuma, Ariz., (1 percent); Reno, Nev., (1 percent); and OCONUS (4 percent), and work is expected to be completed by Aug. 2008.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured via the Space and Naval Warfare e-Commerce Central website, with two offers received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston, S.C., is the contracting activity.

ARMY

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on Apr. 28, 2008, a $30,421,105 firm-fixed price contract for conversion of 9 UH-60 M Blackhawk helicopters into unique aircraft configuration for the Bahrain Defense Force, and to provide training, technical publications, integrated logistics support, field service representative, warranty, and ferry flight technical shipping support.  Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2012.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Oct. 20, 2005.  U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

AM General LLC, South bend, Ind., was awarded on Apr. 25, 2008, a $11,601,414 firm-fixed price contract for 101 EA High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles.  Work will be performed in Mishawaka, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2009.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. O ne bid was solicited on Mar. 17, 2006.  TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Kipper Tool Co., Gainesville, Ga., was awarded on Apr. 24, 2008, a $9,819,763 firm-fixed price contract for aviation maintenance armament and electrical shop set.  Work will be performed in Gainesville, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Apr. 30, 2011.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Ten bids were solicited on Nov. 29, 2001, and one bid was received. TACOM, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (DAAE20-03-D-0089).

AM General LLC, South Bend, Ind., was awarded on Apr. 25, 2008, a $5,789,443 firm-fixed price contract for 54 EA High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles.  Work will be performed in Mishawaka, Ind., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2009.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bid was solicited on Mar. 17, 2006.  TACOM, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (DAAE07-01-C-S0001).

AIR FORCE

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics of Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a contract for $8,272,771. This program seeks to achieve a technology readiness level (TRL) of at least five by 2010 on an integrated mobility configuration I the areas of high lift, efficient transonic flight, and flight control, in order to support future technology development and acquisition activities. At this time $1,100,000 has been obligated. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-05-G-5503). 

By Army Master Sgt. Bob Haskell

Special to American Forces Press Service

April 29, 2008 - It was 20 times more painful, more debilitating, than any electrical shock she had ever experienced. Yet, a few minutes later, Arkansas National Guard state Command Sgt. Maj. Deborah Collins was walking and talking as normally as if she had never had a shocking encounter with one of the newest weapons available to the National Guard. Collins took part in a demonstration of nonlethal weapons during the National Guard Bureau's first Senior Enlisted Leaders Conference here in mid-April. She let herself be zapped, or "tased," for a single second by a Taser X26, one of the devices the Guard now has for controlling unruly people without badly hurting them.

Nonlethal weapons, the Army Guard's state command sergeants major and the Air Guard's state command chief master sergeants were told, give suitably-trained Guard personnel the ability to protect property after a hurricane or tornado, for example, without resorting to deadly force.

Every state Guard organization now has a nonlethal weapons kit that includes heavy plastic shields, Tasers and weapons that can fire blunt-force rounds and tear-gas grenades designed to control crowds without inflicting serious injuries. The kits are stored in green, mobile containers.

"The policies and practices are still being developed, and our Guard people still need proper training," explained Maj. Tom White from the National Guard Bureau. "All but six states have nonlethal weapons instructors," added White, noting how seriously the Guard is subscribing to this idea of alternative force.

"Under United States law, the National Guard of each state is the only entity that can employ military force in support of civil authorities unless the president declares martial law," the group was reminded.

"These nonlethal weapons are not a substitute for firearms. You don't take a Taser to a gunfight," White observed. "But if they are used early enough, we can prevent the escalation to violence."

Collins discovered that for herself during the very long second that she was tased with the X26.

"I really didn't know what to expect. That's why I wanted to do it. It was immediate, intense pain," she explained. "For that one second, I don't remember anything but that pain. I had no thoughts about anything else. You know how you get shocked sometimes? Multiply that by at least 20 times."

The Taser technology, which has been used since the late 1970s, is described as an electrical muscular disruption device. A one-second jolt will bring a grown man to his knees. The standard charge from an X26 lasts for five seconds, which can be administered in one- to two-second increments with a pistol grip to keep a subject under control.

Collins fared better than the three Guardsmen who also subjected themselves to the device, perhaps because women can withstand that kind of pain better than men, it was explained. She remained on her feet. The men fell to the ground.

"It's a good idea to use this equipment. You can control the situation without doing permanent damage to somebody, especially during a civil disturbance," she observed later. "The Guard is charged to help maintain order, but [those creating the disturbance] are citizens, too."

The nonlethal weapons are to be used with discretion by trained personnel, cautioned Command Sgt. Maj. David Ray Hudson, the National Guard Bureau's senior enlisted leader and a retired Alaska State Trooper captain.

"We have equipment out there that we are not adequately trained on," Hudson told the state enlisted leaders. "It's up to you to make sure your people get trained."

(Army Master Sgt. Bob Haskell serves with the National Guard Bureau.)

By Army 1st Lt. Zack Boes Special to American Forces Press Service  April 29, 2008 - Residents of the Hay Jasmen neighborhood in Musayyib, Iraq, soon will walk on improved roads instead of dirt and jagged rocks, part of transformation that has prompted a local leader to say he wants to change the community's name to reflect its new ambiance.  The roads are nearly complete; workers are in the finishing stages of constructing gutters on the sides of the streets.  In addition to the road refinishings, a waste management project also is almost complete. Areas that previously appeared carpeted by trash are now nearly spotless.  As a result of these improvements, the neighborhood's mood has changed from despair to encouragement and guarded optimism, said Army Lt. Col. Timothy Newsome, from Homerville, Ga., commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team.  In addition to the area being greatly enhanced by new roads and the clean-up, about 300 people have been employed because of these projects, Newsome said.  The neighborhood leader, or mukhtar, said he is so pleased with the outcome that he plans to change the area's name to "Beautiful Spring."  

(Army 1st Lt. Zack Boes serves with the 3rd Infantry Division's 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

April 23, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books.  The website added three law enforcement officials from Florida. Neal Rawls was a sergeant with the Delray Police Department (Florida).  Neal Rawls received 14 commendations, led a tactical unit for in-progress crimes, was civil defense liaison for his department, and Public Information Officer.  Additionally, Neal Rawls was an instructor at the Palm Beach County Police Academy and Palm Beach Community College, teaching firearms; pursuit and defensive driving; surveillance; arrest, search and seizure; and the use of personal defensive weapons. Neal Rawls holds a BA in criminology and a Master's Criminal Justice.  In 1981, Neal Rawls went into private industry as a personal bodyguard for a corporate executive.  He was promoted to director of security for the corporation, charged with designing and developing security protocols for company offices worldwide.  Neal Rawls is the author of Be Alert, Be Aware, Have a Plan: The Complete Guide to Personal Security.   David Barlow began his criminal justice career as a correctional officer in South Carolina.  In 1981, he became a deputy sheriff for the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (South Carolina).  In 1983, he joined the Florida State University Police Department as a Law Enforcement Officer I.  In 1987, David Barlow left the practitioner side of the field and began to pursue an academic career, beginning as a instructor of criminal justice at the South Carolina State College.  Today, he is a professor and dean, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Fayetteville State University.   David Barlow has a BS in the Administration of Justice and Sociology, an MS in Criminology and a Ph.D. in Criminology and Criminal Justice.  David Barlow is the co-author of Police in America: Classic and Contemporary Readings, Police in a Multicultural Society: An American Story, and Classics in Policing.  Derrick Bartlett is a sniper and trainer on the Fort Lauderdale Police Department SWAT Team. He has been a police officer for over twenty-five years. Twenty-two of those years he has been assigned to special operations teams. He is also the Managing Director of Snipercraft, Inc., which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and enhancement to police sniper skills. He has held sniper seminars and schools for more than 500 police agencies nationwide.  Derrick Bartlett is the author of Snipercraft: The Art of Police Sniping and Staring at the Crosshairs. Richard Morey, Coordinator, Law Enforcement Programs, SFCC Criminal Justice Academy said of Staring at the Crosshairs, “Derrick’s contributions prove how one person can make a difference. He has made a difference, and, perhaps more importantly, he has instilled in others the desire to make a difference. He is passionate about training, and it shows in his teaching, and through his guidance. Today, snipers are a stronger community because of people like Derrick Bartlett.  Derrick has put the word “sniper” back in our job description, and we can be proud.” Police-Writers.com now hosts 990 police officers (representing 415 police departments) and their 2096 police books in 35 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

April 22, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books.  The website added three law enforcement officials from the State of Florida. Chief Joe Pelkington’s 43 year career in law enforcement began with the Tampa Police Department, in 1960.  As a member of the Tampa Police Department, he commanded the Patrol Division, Detective Division and the Selective Enforcement Bureau.  In 1985, he retired from the Tampa Police Department as a Deputy Police Chief.  He then began an 18 year career with the Treasure Island Police Department (Florida) as their chief of police. Joe Pelkington is the author of Shades of Blue. According to the book description of Shades of Blue, “The early 1960's were the years that segregation started to wane and civil disobedience tested police leadership. The police had broad discretion on the use of force including deadly force. Society demanded and pressured police to exhibit restraint and improve professional conduct. Police violence, tragedy, courage, dedication, compassion and misconduct are all revealed in this book. There are stories of police responding to dangerous encounters, humorous cases involving humans, animals and about police officers themselves.” Dr. John Alexander is a senior fellow with the Joint Special Operations University. For more than a decade, Dr. John Alexander has been a leading advocate for the development of non-lethal weapons. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, he organized and chaired six major conferences on non-lethal weapons, served as a U.S. delegate to four NATO studies on the topic. He wrote many of the seminal articles on non-lethal weapons and was a member of the National Research Council Committee for Assessment of Non-Lethal Weapons Science and Technology.  Dr. John Alexander entered the U.S. Army as a private in 1956 and rose through the ranks to sergeant first class. He later attended Officer Candidate School and retired as a colonel of Infantry in 1988. During his varied career, he held many key positions in special operations, intelligence, and research and development. Academically, he holds an MA and a Ph.D. from Walden University. He has attended the Anderson School of Management, the Sloan School of Management, and the Kennedy School of Government.Earlier in his life, Dr. John Alexander worked five years as a deputy sheriff for the Dade County Sheriff’s Department. He is the author of Winning the War: Advanced Weapons, Strategies, and Concepts for the Post-9/11 World and a co-author of The Warrior's Edge and Future War: Non-Lethal Weapons in Twenty-First-Century Warfare.  According to Publisher’s Weekly, Future War: Non-Lethal Weapons in Twenty-First-Century Warfare, “In a thoughtful examination of the future of military doctrine, Alexander takes a hard look at what options might be available to the American military in a world in which the rules of warfare have changed. Non-lethal weapons, he argues, will become more important for both political and practical reasons. Americans have grown increasingly aware of and sensitive to all casualties on any side in even the most just wars.” Bob Erler, an ex-Green Beret, became a police officer Hollywood Police Department. One day he came home and found his wife and son had left him. Suffering from the effects of a high speed pursuit crash, Bob Erler went into depression.  Later, on a day off, he came across a lady and her 12-year old daughter with no place to stay. He invited them to stay in his trailer but once there the lady told him she would call the police chief and tell him Bob was entertaining two women in his trailer unless he gave her $75.  Bob Erler shot the lady and her daughter dumping their bodies and calling the police station and saying "I've just shot two people, please catch me." From that day the suspect was known as "The Catch Me Killer."  The next day he was assigned to investigate his own homicides. Bob Erler is the author of They Called Me the Catch Me Killer. Police-Writers.com now hosts 987 police officers (representing 413 police departments) and their 2090 police books in 35 categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

By Army Capt. Elizabeth Casebeer

Special to American Forces Press Service

April 28, 2008 - Several hundred citizens from a village near Tag Ab Valley in Afghanistan's Kapisa province swarmed a makeshift hospital April 19 during a village medical outreach hosted by Task Force Gladiator servicemembers. The event's primary goal was to connect Afghans living near Tag Ab to the Afghan government through humanitarian-aid operations, with the assistance of village elders and Afghan National Police.

Upon arrival at the site, Afghan and coalition forces set up a small tent and made a wall with ponchos to segregate the women's section from the men's.

Provincial reconstruction teams run many medical outreaches, but few employ female health providers due to the types of missions the PRTs conduct, said Navy Lt. Tammy Felker, 451st Civil Affairs Battalion's women's health clinic officer in charge. "That is one of the reasons cooperative medical assistance, now [called] Task Force Med Medical Augmentation Team, was created," she said.

"We are an agile unit that can augment with U.S. and coalition forces throughout the theater to do medical engagements," she explained. "The goal is to increase friendly relations between the Afghan people and the U.S. and coalition forces."

After the makeshift hospital was set up, a few women and children began to trickle in. But before long, a long line of women and girls was waiting to be seen at the clinic.

"When 20-plus people are waiting for care, our focus is to try to treat them all," Felker said. "The goal is to let them know we care."

Felker and other providers were only able to treat six people at a time due to the size of the work area, but provided medical care to nearly 160 women and children. The patients all came on foot, and all the adult women, save the elderly, arrived in chadri, an Afghan style of dress similar to the burqa.

The children received doses of de-worming medication and multi-vitamins.

In addition to any medications needed for an individual, each patient received a small bottle of lotion and some lip balm. Children also received a toy, until the supply was depleted. Lip balm is one of the most sought-after items, because the elements and high wind in the mountains cause painful chapping, Army Pfc. Rebecca Ploharz, a Task Force Med medic, said.

Some of the more pressing issues were too complicated for a field hospital, so doctors gave patients referrals to hospitals capable of providing a higher level of care.

"The women's and children clinic is so important, because oftentimes it is the first time many of the women and children are seeing a medical provider," said Felker, who hopes Afghanistan's medical system will continue to grow.

Felker said she takes a special pride in assisting the local people, but her ultimate wish is that more female Afghan doctors will be available throughout the country.

"It is important that the children of Afghanistan see women in professional roles," she said.

(Army Capt. Elizabeth Casebeer serves in the Task Force Cincinnatus Public Affairs Office.)

By Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson Special to American Forces Press Service  April 28, 2008 - A hard-fought transition brought one Marine from shooting photos to shooting rifles. Cpl. Andrew M. Oquendo, a scout with Company D, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, went from photographer with the U.S. Air Force to infantryman in the U.S. Marine Corps.  The 22-year-old infantryman from Paterson, N.J., joined the Air Force after struggling to make payments on his tuition at Delaware State University. He said he was determined to experience what it takes to be successful, so after talking with a high school friend and a recruiter, he reported to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in February 2005.  "The Air Force was the only branch I could think of that I wanted to join," Oquendo said. "I didn't see any other options, so I signed the dotted line to start my future."  Upon graduation, he was provided the sense of pride by becoming a member of the U.S. military.  "I felt like most Marines feel when they graduate boot camp and earn the eagle, globe and anchor," he said. "I felt like I was on top of the world."  The new airman checked into the Defense Information School at Fort Meade, Md., for training as a photographer. In July 2006, while stationed at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., Oquendo deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  "While in Qatar temporarily, Oquendo was assigned to photograph a visit by Maj. Gen. Anthony Przybyslawski, then commander of the Air Force Personnel Center. "He liked the photos so much he asked if I could accompany him through the rest of his tour," Oquendo recalled.  During the tour, Oquendo said, he saw Marine infantrymen conducting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and had a feeling that something was missing in his life. He felt he wasn't contributing enough to the global war on terrorism.  "I knew what I really wanted to do, so I had to do whatever it took to achieve it," he said.  After building the courage, he talked to Przybyslawski about his ambitions and got the help he needed to make the transition from the Air Force to the Marine Corps.  "I went to the administrative center to apply for separation forms, and the lady at the front desk thought I was crazy for filling it out after how long I'd been in," Oquendo said. "Little did she know how committed I was to becoming a Marine."  Within two weeks, his separation request was approved and he left the Air Force on Nov. 1, 2006. Three weeks later, he stepped on the "Yellow Footprints" at Parris Island, S.C., with the ambition of becoming an infantry Marine.  "Since I had been in the military for two years, it was kind of like cheating, because a lot of times were easier for me than the other recruits," Oquendo said.  He's now deployed to Iraq for his second combat tour, this time with the Marine infantry, and he is as happy as ever.  "I wanted to be an infantryman, because it's the backbone of the Marine Corps," he said. "It's the stuff you read about in the history book making a difference in the world."  "When it comes to motivation, Oquendo bring it to a different level," said Marine Corps Sgt. James D. Leach, a scout squad leader with Company D, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. "It's good having him around."  

(Marine Corps Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson serves with Regimental Combat Team 5.)

San Dimas, (CA) April 27, 2008, Leadership: Texas Hold ‘em Style, a recent finalist for the Eric Hoffer Book Awards, continues to receive praise from readers. Andrew Borello, a reader noted on Amazon.com, “Wow...what a great book. As a consultant for career development and promotion, I read all the leadership materials I can get my hands on. The problem is, much of it is disappointing. It's too long; too theoretical; too convoluted; or just plain boring. Harvey & Foster created a leadership encyclopedia of sorts that is packed with the essentials of leadership. This book has all the basics: Delegation, Decision Making, Teamwork, and many more, but it also has valuable details on important elements of leadership that other books often overlook: Consistency (important), Accountability (one of the biggest problems with new generation employees), and How to fail. This book is well written and detailed, but concise in that it won't overwhelm the reader. It weaves the information through stories, definitions that are right on the money, great quotes, simple diagrams, and nice-to-know parallel information. This book serves as a great resource and will always be at an arm's reach for years to come.” About the BookUsing card playing as analogy for leadership, Captain Andrew Harvey, CPD (ret.), Ed.D. and Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA found the right mix of practical experience and academic credentials to write a definitive book for leaders. Working together, Harvey and Foster have written Leadership: Texas Hold em Style. Most often leaders find they are given a set of resources people, equipment, funds, experience and a mission. As Foster noted, "You're dealt a certain hand. How you play that hand as a leader determines your success." About the AuthorsAndrew Harvey served in law enforcement for 25 years, the last 12 as a captain with a Southern California police agency.  He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cal State Los Angeles, and an educational doctorate in the field of organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.  He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the California POST Command College, the West Point Leadership Program, and is recognized in California as a master instructor. Dr. Andrew Harvey is an experienced college educator, currently serving as a professor at the University of Phoenix, and as a faculty advisor at the Union Institute and University. He has been published numerous times in national and international publications.  He is a recognized expert in leadership and career development, and has served as an instructor in command leadership at the Los Angeles Police Department Academy. Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton.  He is has concluded the course work for his doctorate. Raymond is a graduate of the West Point Leadership program and has attended law enforcement, technology and leadership programs such as the National Institute for Justice, Technology Institute, Washington, DC. Raymond is currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  His first book, “Police Technology (Prentice Hall, July 2004)” is used in over 100 colleges and universities nationwide.     More Information:www.pokerleadership.com

American Forces Press Service  April 28, 2008 - Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 42 members of Iranian-backed "special groups," detained eight terrorism suspects, and seized weapons in Iraq over the past four days, military officials said. During operations in northeastern Baghdad yesterday:  -- Iraqi and Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers manning a checkpoint retaliated against a large group that attacked them around 6:35 p.m. with small-arms fire. The U.S. component of the combined force used 120 mm fire from M1A12 Abrams tanks and small-arms fire, killing 22 attackers and forcing the rest to flee. No U.S. or Iraqi soldiers were harmed or killed.  -- While on dismounted patrol around 6 p.m., 4th Infantry Division soldiers from 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, were attacked with small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Soldiers providing a cordon engaged the attackers with 120 mm tank rounds and machine-gun fire from an Abrams tank, killing seven.  -- Soldiers from 1-68th Armor Regiment killed five attackers who had fired rocket-propelled grenades in the course of three separate operations.  -- An aerial weapons team killed a man after he attacked soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team with small-arms fire around 8:30 a.m. In the same area about two hours later, soldiers from 1-68th Armor Regiment killed another man after he attacked their checkpoint with small-arms fire.  Elsewhere in Iraq yesterday:  -- Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team returned fire and killed two attackers in a group that attacked a combat outpost with small-arms fire in eastern Baghdad around 3:15 p.m..  -- Coalition forces killed one enemy fighter and uncovered an explosives cache in Baghdad's Rashid district. During the engagement between the ground force and armed attackers, a 14-year-old child was injured in the crossfire. He was treated at a coalition medical facility then released to the care of his family.  -- Soldiers with 3rd Iraqi Army Division advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers detained six suspected insurgents in Bulayj during an operation to disrupt insurgent networks operating in the area.  In operations April 26, separate tips led Multinational Division Center soldiers to weapons caches in Mahmudiyah, near a patrol base about 20 miles south of the Iraqi capital. The cache contained improvised explosive device-making materials. Another cache, uncovered at a house near the Qaqa apartments in Mahmudiyah included six mortars, a 107 mm rocket, a 57 mm projectile, ball bearings and other explosive-making materials, and an IED that consisted of blocks of TNT.  Elsewhere, Iraqi soldiers discovered a large cache containing mortars, rockets and IED-making materials northwest of Yusufiyah. Troops turned over the contents of the cache to a coalition force explosive ordnance disposal team for controlled detonation.  In operations April 25 and 26, Iraqi security forces advised by U.S. Special Forces soldiers killed three men during an operation to prevent special groups violence in Hussayniya, and Iraqi special operations forces operating in Jazeera Desert nabbed the two suspected weapons smugglers.  

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

By Samantha L. Quigley American Forces Press Service  April 28, 2008 - Last year, 44 states and the District of Columbia proclaimed celebrated May 1 as Silver Star Day.  This year, Silver Star Families of America, which began the grassroots movement, is hoping all 50 states will remember and honor their wounded and ill veterans May 1 to kick off Military Appreciation Month.  "While we want every state to join with us, this year we are going to the cities and asking them to help," Janie Orman, the organization's president, said. "We wanted 50 cities across the United States to hold ceremonies and remember our honored wounded."  Cities across the nation are responding "beyond our expectations," Orman said.  "To date we have received proclamations from 44 states, the District of Columbia and 89 cities, with more coming in every day," she said. "It has been a long time since I have seen such an outpouring of love and respect."  Silver Star Families of America is a banner organization, similar to Blue Star Mothers of America and American Gold Star Mothers. Since its founding three years ago, the organization has given out thousands of Silver Star Service banners and certificates to wounded U.S. veterans from all wars wherever they live.  The tradition of the Silver Star banner for the wounded and ill goes back to 1917 and lasted for years until it faded into history. Silver Star Families of America brought back this tradition so that every time someone sees a Silver Star banner in a window or a Silver Star flag flying, they remember the sacrifice of wounded servicemembers.  The Silver Star Service banner and flag fly at military hospitals, Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities and combat support hospitals.  "We hope everyone will take a minute to reflect on the sacrifices of our wounded and ill soldiers on May 1," Orman said. "I also invite eve