iraq

James Gandolfini wanted more attention for veterans and service members overseas

By Oriana Pawlyk on June 21, 2013 Afghanistan, Iraq, Photos, USO, Video

The passing of James Gandolfini sparked major tribute to the actor and his long-lived career this week. While he’s most popularly known for his role as Tony Soprano from the HBO series “The Sopranos,” Gandolfini had other projects he honored even more. “So many people are remembering him as Tony Soprano. I’m always going to remember him as the man of such goodness who wanted to bring attention to the soldiers and airmen and Marines that you see in ‘Alive Day: Home From Iraq’ and ‘Wartorn,'” said Matthew O’Neil, the director of the veteran documentaries for HBO in an interview…

Pack those bags for Baghdad

By Scott Fontaine on August 25, 2011 Uncategorized

Were you hoping to say good-bye for good to Joint Base Balad? And BIAP? And Taji? And all those other areas across Iraq that U.S. troops are supposed to leave by the end of the year? It’s becoming apparent American troops will remain in Iraq in 2012 and beyond — but the Iraqis aren’t exactly making the planning easy. The Iraqi ambassador to the U.S. told ForeignPolicy.com an extension “has been largely agreed upon.” “You’ll see it when you see it,” Samir Sumaida’ie said. “Americans want everything now or yesterday. We don’t do it like this. We do it in…

Products for even the most discerning chief

By Scott Fontaine on August 24, 2011 Uncategorized

Imagine you’re the chief master sergeant of the Air Force. You land in Baghdad, bend over to tie your shoes and realize that your body armor is missing its rank patch. What a faux pas! What are airmen gonna think? But there’s no need to worry. The PX near the Al Faw Palace — just a short drive from the airport — has even the Air Force’s top enlisted guy covered, according to Stars and Stripes.

The high price of a good time

By Scott Fontaine on June 30, 2011 Uncategorized

Next time you’re sitting at the DFAC in Balad, sipping a Rip It, scarfing a cheeseburger served by a Sri Lankan, relaxing in the air conditioning and avoiding walking into the blast furnace that is the Iraqi climate, just keep this in mind: You’re the reason there are no more Space Shuttle flights. Well, maybe. The former chief logistician in Iraq told National Public Radio that the military spends more than $20 billion annually on air conditioning for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. That cost, the network notes, is larger than NASA’s budget. Of course, cool air alone doesn’t really…

$1 trillion and counting

By Scott Fontaine on June 22, 2011 Uncategorized

Everywhere senior military officials speak, one topic tends to keep coming up again and again: money. Everyone expects the Defense Department’s budget to shrink in the coming years. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already unveiled a plan to slow the rate of growth in the Pentagon budget. Lawmakers in Washington argue over how to best cut the deficit and reduce the debt. For the Air Force, this will almost certainly mean doing more with less. Fewer aircraft. Less people. Older equipment. With that in mind, Bloomberg had a good reminder of where a lot of the money has been going…

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