Volume 7, No. 44 ŠSS 2015
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015
US TO KEEP
5,500 TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN THROUGH 2017 Page 11
An American soldier provides security during an exercise outside Forward Operating Base Thunder in Paktia province, Afghanistan. JOHN L ANDRY/Courtesy of the U.S. Army
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SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
FINAL STOP India Company Marines navigate live-fire shoot house in South Korea BY M ATTHEW M. BURKE Stars and Stripes
RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, South Korea — A flurry of rockets, belt-fed machine guns, mortars and anti-tank missiles served as a fireworks crescendo for India Company’s six-month rotational deployment to Asia. When the smoke settled June 9 at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex near the Korean Demilitarized Zone, the Marine riflemen from 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment reflected on how far they had come since February in their Unit Deployment Program. The Camp Lejeune-based grunts had experienced incessant rains and smothering humidity, wind-whipped sleet and snow, and now, searing heat. They slept inside — in beds, for a change — and they had slept outside on hard ground. There had been stretches without showers, and times when doing laundry meant putting filthy clothes in a plastic bag with some detergent and water and shaking it up. Then there are the daily physical challenges that Marines embrace as the price of combat — or at least, as the chance to fire weapons. The 3-2 arrived in Okinawa, Japan, in February for the program, which brings stateside Marine units to Asia on rotational deployments. In March, they learned jungle survival skills at the Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa’s remote north. In April, they went to Camp Fuji, a small Marine base at the bottom of Japan’s tallest peak. Now, on their final stop before heading home in August, they were in South Korea, in the
LAST IN A THREE-PART SERIES
shadow of the world’s most heavily militarized border.
Fighting boredom Rodriguez, a tiny joint Army and South Korean base in a flat valley surrounded by towering mountains, features barracks, a livefire shoot house and myriad ranges that can support anything from airstrikes to artillery. That’s the action. But with nothing else for miles, extreme boredom set in during frequent downtimes during the program. Delays came from all the units itching to train on a limited number of ranges; stringent safety protocols; and very strict range control that took weather and other factors into account before authorizing a live-fire shoot. The 3-2 could only run and lift weights so much, or watch so many “True Blood” or “Vikings” TV episodes. So some entertained themselves with a guitar and with a hacky sack made from items found in their barracks. Others congregated to make fun of one another, create over-the-top comedy sketches and brag about sex and fights. They made up games to embarrass each other or even cause pain. “There’s really no other way to put that other than it’s just something you get used to,” Lance Cpl. Jacob Mathes said of the boredom. “I would say, to pass the time, Marines have the best games. They can make a game out of anything. “You’re all suffering together, and I guess that is the main thing that brings everyone together,” he said. … “I know any other normal person would look at us like we’re crazy, but it is what it is, I guess.”
An India Company Marine runs toward his assault position under the cover of smoke during a battalionwide exercise coordinated with Koreabased U.S. Army units on June 9 at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex near the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The complex exercise marked the final stage of the Unit Deployment Program for the Camp Lejeunebased Marines. M ATTHEW M. BURKE /Stars and Stripes
Bayonet to the face Shortly after arriving at Rodriguez, India Marines got their feet wet with some live-fire training but were forced to stop when a forest fire was sparked by munitions. No sooner had they returned to barracks than the training began again. An improvised explosive device refresher course included the invisible risks near the DMZ. “There’s a lot of minefields out there,” the instructor said, explaining that in a small area nearby about twice the size of the barracks where the class was held, 500 anti-personnel mines were discovered. The following day, the 3rd Platoon Marines headed to the seven-room live-fire shoot house, with straight and winding hallways and numerous hiding “enemies” — hard-rubber dummies in camouflage and civilian attire. The house was fitted with a catwalk overhead for viewing by company leadership. SEE PAGE 3
Friday, October 23, 2015
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SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST FROM PAGE 2
Third Platoon spent the better part of the morning in flaks and Kevlar — but without ammunition. “Bang bang,” an intensely focused Sgt. Donald Horn, 3rd Platoon squad leader, said as he entered a room and went right, aiming his M4 rifle at a bullet-pocked dummy. He was followed by Cpl. Logan Hampton, a dedicated former presidential guard at Camp David and fire team leader, who went left. “Bang bang,” Hampton said. “Two Marines exiting.” Then the pair switched. Horn, a combat veteran of multiple Afghanistan tours, had been trying to mentor some of the fire team and squad leaders in the platoon. Their leadership and proficiency is paramount to the 3-2’s future success. Third Platoon’s three squads went through dry runs for what seemed like hours, adding rooms, shooters and Marines into the stack as they mastered simpler prerequisites. Once their leadership — Staff Sgt. Mark Mlachak and 1st Lt. Matthew Mannion — and range officers Staff Sgt. Thomas Ochoa and 1st Lt. William Godwin were satisfied, they collected live ammunition, loaded their magazines and got back to work. “Doorway right, two targets, one shooter,” Godwin bellowed as Horn lined up in a short stack outside the room behind Cpl. Curtis Beam, another squad leader, placing his hand on Beam’s shoulder as a way of communicating. They quickly entered the room, flicking off their safeties and taking aim; red dots on chests, center mass. “Boom boom! Boom boom!” Beam’s rifle echoed. “Left side clear!” he yelled. “Right side clear!” Horn shouted. The Marines clicked their rifles back on safe. Then came the next team. When Horn wasn’t leading by example, he would follow the men of 3rd Platoon into the shoot-house rooms, watching for ways the men could improve their performance. Lance Cpl. Jordan Carbo slid around the doorframe and pulled his rifle trigger. Nothing happened. “I got a jam,” he announced as his eyes wandered from the target to his weapon. “Bayonet to the face,” someone yelled from the gallery above.
Carbo slammed his rifle into the dummy’s face in a fluid motion. Later, Godwin, Mannion and Mlachak stopped the training after several Marines moved back from their targets, firing as they entered a room instead of charging toward them. This could allow a fellow Marine to walk into their line of fire. The mistake was corrected in true Marine fashion — much cursing and derision. Steadily, the trainers added shooters and rooms, making the clearing more and more complex.
Fire for effect Later that afternoon, 3rd Platoon went through a call-for-fire refresher officiated by company executive officer 1st Lt. Phillip Richard. Horn’s squad broke off to take their turn in a simulator to apply what they had just learned. The simulator featured maps, optics and screens that depicted approaching tanks or vehicles on a road. The Marine forward observers could control the type, size and amount of ordnance dropped. Lance Cpl. Andrew Luna spotted three vehicle targets on a road along the horizon and called out their location for a strike. Richard stopped him because he had made some minor errors with the meticulous instructions. After walking through it with Richard, Luna made adjustments. Six successive rounds pounded the target.
Maximize opportunity On the eve of the deployment’s biggest exercise, three India Company lance corporals were promoted. Friends pinned on their new corporal
insignias. Company commander Capt. Jeffrey Cummings called for all of the men to circle around. He said he had heard “horror stories” about other units in the Unit Deployment Program who had not done a lot of live-fire work and were risk-averse. He said India Company was clearly different. “It’s this point in the deployment, usually that halfway to two-thirds, where guys are just like, ‘I just can’t wait to go home,’ ” he said. “We’d all rather be home with our loved ones, drinking a beer, but the point being, fellas, we’re going to maximize the opportunity. We’re here, we’re going to make the best of it and we’re going to be better for it.” Cummings said it was all about maintaining the high standards and skills the Marine Corps has come to expect from the 3-2 and more specifically, from India Company. “We’re very good,” he said with an air of supreme confidence. The Marines responded enthusiastically with an “Err-ah!”
Hurry up and wait The battalionwide exercise had a lot of moving parts, so India did a walk-through the day before. The timing had to be perfect, because one platoon could shoot another if they didn’t cease fire at just the right time. Two Apache attack helicopters would come in and eliminate enemy targets with chain guns and Hellfire missiles, then track enemy troops through drainage canals and buildings and simulate eliminating them. Then, the Marine assault would begin. The Marines rose early, donned heavy body armor and Kevlar helmets, and marched out to their staging area, locked and loaded. A onehour wait in unrelenting summer sun turned into four — a TOW missile had misfired and lay on the range — and there was time to kill. The infantry riflemen threw rocks at one another’s lower extremities in a game called “Testicular Fortitude,” shouting a Marine down for flinching and laughing when they scored a direct hit. Others read, slept or used their boonie hats as Frisbees. After the missile was cleared from the range, the Marines put on their game faces. Army armor belched .50-caliber rounds downrange for cover. Mlachak popped smoke to shroud them as they crossed a dirt road. SEE PAGE 4
Marines from India Company queue up to enter the Rodriguez complex’s live-fire shoot house in June.
Cpl. Cody Johansen readies a mortar round during a battalionwide exercise June 9 at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex.
ONLINE See earlier installments of the series, plus more photos and videos of the 3rd Platoon. STRIPES.COM/GO/SURVIVAL
1st Lt. Billy Grissom III, left, and 1st Lt. Miles Essay watch as a mortar hits its target halfway up the mountain in front of them.
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SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
FROM PAGE 3
They would assault through a forest and attack a fortified enemy bunker atop a hill from all sides. They would eliminate enemy troops in the open and push over the hill to provide security for mortars, forward observers and a Javelin anti-tank missile team. With gunfire pouring in on the bunker, two Marines from
Weapons Platoon fired shoulderlaunched rockets that slammed into the target and set off a backblasting concussion wave. Two first lieutenants also from Weapons crouched down on a bluff overlooking the valley where the enemy targets were marked. They looked at maps, peered through optics and talked over the radio to the two mortar teams. They carefully walked the rounds into their
targets. Then an $80,000 Javelin antitank missile sizzled by overhead. It struck the intended target on the side of the mountain with such force that it knocked the box down the steep incline. And then it was over. Fires had started in several positions. Marines, covered in dirt and sweat, were tasked with
carrying water in buckets to put them out. Cummings was pleased by India’s performance. “The highest compliment I can give you guys,” he said. “ … bottom line is, I’d go to war with any of you [expletive]. I mean that sincerely.” burke.matt@stripes.com
— EPILOGUE —
‘We’re like the American multi-tool’ O
ver the last six months, most of the Marines from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment have grown personally or professionally, but it’s time for more change. Many are leaving the military for civilian vocations or school, while others are heading to different units. Matthew Meyers and Kyle Littell are expected to step up and lead the next crop of young boots — a term for grunts who haven’t deployed — upon their return to Camp Lejeune, N.C. “I think if you would have asked me or any of the newer guys if we were ready to take the reins at the beginning of the deployment, we would have all been a little apprehensive,” Meyers said. “But now, we are ready to jump in and take the wheel.” Gone will be the leadership of Sgt. Donald Horn, a squad leader with combat experience, and team leader Cpl. Logan Hampton; both are heading to the demanding Marine sniper program. “We’re like the American multitool,” Hampton said. “The experience of being in these different environments just makes us that much more lethal.”
M ATTHEW M. BURKE /Stars and Stripes
A Marine feigning an injury is carried to a waiting MH-60S helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 during casualty evacuation drills at Okinawa’s Jungle Warfare Training Center in March. Platoon sergeant Staff Sgt. Mark Mlachak left the men as they cleaned their barracks and gear at the end of July. The quiet, always smiling, squad leader, Cpl. Curtis Beam — who often deferred to Horn’s expertise early on — became a sergeant and took the reins of the platoon, confidently assisting its leader, 1st Lt. Matthew Mannion. Mustang hopeful Lance Cpl. Andrew Luna submitted paperwork
for embassy security. Most were ready to return to Camp Lejeune, home-cooked meals, “real” sweet tea and family. “I’m very excited to see my wife and kids,” platoon corpsman Jarrod Colby “Doc” Johnson said. “My youngest started saying da-da [while we were gone]. So it’s good they’re not really forgetting me.” Johnson received his Fleet Marine Force specialist qualification pin just before leaving Japan.
It was the highlight of the deployment for the Navy medic who wants to stay in the service. Lance Cpl. Jacob Mathes was excited to get home so he could do the exact opposite. “I’m ready to get home and get out of the Marine Corps and start a different life pretty much,” he said. Mathes plans to return to his hometown of Cincinnati in hopes of joining the fire department. Lance Cpl. Jordan Carbo, known for his sense of humor, said he couldn’t wait to get back to Louisiana so he could don a Darth Maul costume and stand in line for the upcoming “Star Wars” premiere. He said he ended his Marine Corps career on a high note with the training. Littell and Meyers will return in a year when the Betio Bastards rotate back to Asia. This time, they’ll be sharing their experience as the Unit Deployment Program comes full circle. “We already know what to expect, how the weather is; we know the layout of all the bases,” Meyers said. “It will help us transition all the new guys in and let them know what to expect and how the jungle is.” — Matthew M. Burke
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Friday, October 23, 2015
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6 ©SS 2015
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STRIPES • STRIPES •
Friday, October 23, 2015 An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), which is embarked onboard forward-deployed amphibious assault ship the USS Bonhomme Richard, flies over the Northern Mariana Islands in August.
PACIFIC
TAYLOR A. E LBERG /Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
SUPPLEMENTAL ANALYSIS
Navy ordering further study on the proposed Mariana Islands project BY WYATT OLSON
T
Stars and Stripes
he Department of the Navy has ordered further environmental study after strong opposition to its proposed expansion of training facilities in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands near Guam. An avalanche of opposition from residents and local officials to the draft environmental impact statement on Tinian and Pagan islands could force the Navy to drastically downsize its plan — or even to look elsewhere. The Navy announced the supplemental analysis Oct. 2, and it’s expected to be completed by early next year. It will take a closer look at the project’s possible impact on Tinian’s groundwater aquifer and on coral reefs near both islands. The Navy is reviewing about 9,000 comments received on the draft statement, which was released in April, said Maj. Tim Patrick, a Guam spokesman for the project. “While the Department of Navy hasn’t completed a review of all those 9,000 comments, they became aware of at least two areas that warranted supplemental analysis,” he said. Northern Marianas government
agencies and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended further study of impact on the aquifer and coral, he said. “Rather than waiting months and months into the future, we’d prefer to be more proactive and start to look at some of the things that have garnered attention and begin conducting extra analysis on those things now,” he said. The Navy wants to acquire the entire island of Pagan for live-fire training and to significantly upgrade training facilities on Tinian, where the U.S. holds leases to two-thirds of the island. Expanding live-fire ranges and training areas on Tinian and Pagan is necessary to increase joint military training capabilities, the Pentagon said. The call for supplemental analysis does not change the Navy’s preferences for the project, though it’s possible that new information could lead to modifications. The military expansion has met an onslaught of local opposition.
Last month, Tinian Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas sent a letter to the Navy outlining a host of objections to the project and alleged deficiencies in the environmental impact statement, asserting that the Department of Defense had failed to explore reasonable alternatives and to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act. He also said the analysis gave short shrift to the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “Let us be clear: The people of Tinian oppose and will continue to oppose any plans to carry out the training described in the [EIS],” San Nicolas wrote. “We will do everything that we can — legally, politically and socially — to protect our families, our culture and our island.” Earlier this month, Northern Marianas Gov. Eloy Inos submitted the commonwealth’s lengthy response to the draft statement, noting in a cover letter that the proposal “to take the entire island of Pagan for large-scale,
live-fire training” would “radically and unilaterally alter the previously agreed activities limited to a portion of Tinian.” “As proposed, these actions represent an existential threat to our tourism-driven economy, our fragile ecosystem, our cultural resources, and indeed our way of life,” the letter said. Among the many objections submitted to the Navy by the governor’s office was the failure to explain how the increased military presence would affect the Northern Marianas’ burgeoning influx of tourists from China and Russia. The governor’s office also said the conclusion that live-fire activities on Pagan would not interfere with ecotourism is “simply not credible.” “By definition, ecotourism is wholly incompatible with large-scale live-fire military training,” the document said. The Navy also faced strong local opposition in Guam in recent years over extensive plans to build facilities and firing ranges for Marines slated to relocate from Okinawa. That opposition was among the factors leading the Navy to scale back the original plan, with all construction now limited to land already owned by the federal government. olson.wyatt@stripes.com
Friday, October 23, 2015
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MILITARY
US puts off Afghanistan withdrawal BY COREY DICKSTEIN AND JOSH SMITH Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Thousands of U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan through the conclusion of Barack Obama’s presidency, a major shift in policy he announced Oct. 15 to help ensure the country does not slip back into control of extremist groups. With the Taliban on the offensive and casualties rising among Afghan security forces and civilians, Obama said he would keep 5,500 troops in Afghanistan into 2017, leaving future decisions about the American efforts there to his successor. “While America’s combat mission in Afghanistan may be over, our commitment to Afghanistan and its people endures,” Obama said, eluding to America’s ending of Operation Enduring Freedom in December. “As commander-in-chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again.” Obama’s new plan calls for a force of 9,800 troops to remain there through most of next year, continuing their twofold mission to advise and assist Afghan forces and target the remnants of al-Quaida. The troops will operate from several U.S. bases including in Bagram, north of the capital Kabul; in Kandahar, in the country’s south, and in Jalalabad, in the country’s east. The Afghan forces progress has been slower than the U.S. had hoped when it ended the American role in combat operations at the end of last year. Obama said the Afghans, who now have sole responsibility for the security of their country, will benefit from the continued presence of U.S. advisers “this fighting season and into next fighting season.” The president’s decision will allow the Afghans ample opportunity to master those capabilities and give the U.S. “the chance to finish what we started,” Carter said during a Pentagon news briefing.
Congress responds But several Republican lawmakers expressed their doubt that Obama’s new plan would be successful. “While this new plan avoids a disaster, it is certainly not a plan for success,” said Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee. “Given the troubling conditions on the ground in Afghanistan and the other security problems in the region, keeping 9,800 troops there through at least 2016 is necessary to our security interests.”
‘ While America’s combat mission in Afghanistan may be over, our commitment to Afghanistan and its people endures. As commander-in-chief, I will not allow Afghanistan to be used as a safe haven for terrorists to attack our nation again.
’
President Barack Obama
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called for the indefinite halt of any drawdown. “It is highly unlikely that a force level of 5,500 troops was recommended as the best professional judgment of our senior military leaders and commanders on the ground in Afghanistan,” said McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee. “The bottom line is that 5,500 troops will only be adequate to conduct either the counterterrorism or the train and advise mission, but not both. Our military commanders have said that both are critical to prevent Afghanistan from spiraling into chaos.” Carter insisted Obama’s entire national security team -- including Carter, Dunford and Army Gen. John Campbell, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan -- was consulted in making the decision “based on the conditions on the ground.” “We did a lot of homework on this, and it’s the reason for that troop level,”Carter said. “… This is our best estimate now of what we should be planning for and budgeting for in 2017.”
A ‘solemn decision’ Keeping an American presence in Afghanistan – where more than 2,200 U.S. servicemembers have perished since 2001, including 25 in the last year – was a difficult decision, the president said. “It’s the most solemn decision that I make,” Obama said. “I know the wages of war in the wounded warriors I visit in the hospital and in the grief in Gold Star families. But as your commanderin-chief, I believe this mission is vital to our national security interest and to preventing terrorist attacks against our citizens our nation.” It was not immediately clear what effect the president’s announcement would have on troop rotations in Afghanistan. Christine Abizaid, the deputy assistant secretary for Defense for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, said how the Department of Defense fills out the additional 5,500 slots “across the U.S. forces is something we’re going to leave room for our commanders to
decide in consultation with the service chiefs.” Abizaid said the department did not yet have details on how services’ deployment cycles would be affected, but that “this is a more significant commitment than we were planning on.”
Support for the Afghan government Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has been among those calling for a continued U.S. commitment. The rise of Islamic State-linked militants has added to the concerns that the country could descend into chaos. Obama said he spoke Oct. 14 to Ghani and Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and reasserted the U.S. commitment to a stable, peaceful Afghanistan. “Governance and development remain the foundation for stability and progress in Afghanistan,” Obama said. “We will continue to support President Ghani and the national unity government as they pursue critical reforms. … Efforts that deliver progress and justice for the Afghan people will continue to have the strong support of the United States, and we cannot separate the importance of governance with the issues of security. The more effective these reforms happen, the better off the security situation is going to be.” Analysts said the announcement was expected. “The essential reality is that Afghanistan is not able to stand alone, neither militarily nor financially,” said Emily Winterbotham, a research fellow with the Royal United Services Institute in London. “There were already signs earlier this year that there could be a slight shift in policy. And obviously there have been discussions among other NATO states as well, although it’s not clear at this point what direction they’re taking.”
NATO mission could continue Obama’s announcement could mean the continuation of the NATO Resolute
Support mission, which was widely expected to conclude at the end of 2016. With about 13,000 troops, the post-combat NATO mission has focused mainly on training Afghan forces. In May, allies agreed once Resolute Support ended, the mission would transfer to civilian leadership with a much smaller military presence, marking a milestone for NATO’s longest military commitment in history. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the plan and said the alliance would soon decide about the future scope of the Resolute Support mission. “This important decision paves the way for a sustained presence by NATO allies and partners in Afghanistan,” he said in a statement. “The significant U.S. contribution will be an important factor as we consider the way ahead.” The initial U.S. drawdown plan, involving only a 1,000-strong embassy force, would have essentially forced an end to the larger NATO effort, as allies depend on the U.S. for key support such as airlift. At a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels last week, leaders indicated support for continuing the campaign in Afghanistan, which switched last year from a combat mission to one focused on training. While U.S. forces continue to conduct airstrikes and take part in select combat operations, allies in Europe have not talked publicly about such a role for their troops. NATO publicly distanced itself from more aggressive U.S. efforts to help Afghan troops in desperate battles with the Taliban in Helmand province. American warplanes conducted 63 airstrikes on suspected al-Qaida training camps in Kandahar in a massive operation that ended Oct. 11. Airstrikes also have continued to play a role in defending provincial capitals in several provinces, including in Kunduz, where a U.S. strike killed at least 22 medical staff and patients at a Doctors Without Borders hospital. German Foreign Minister FrankWalter Steinmeier welcomed Obama’s announcement, saying Germany also plans to continue with its mission in Afghanistan. “The international community can’t abandon Afghanistan and must continue to support the country in the fight against the Taliban,” Steinmeier said in a release, which stopped short of offering specifics on troop contributions.
Zubair Babakarkhail and Stars and Stripes reporters Tara Copp, John Vandiver and Steven Beardsley contributed to this report dickstein.corey@stripes.com Twitter: @CDicksteinDC
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Friday, October 23, 2015
MEDAL OF HONOR
Afghan vet who tackled bomber to be honored BY TRAVIS J. TRITTEN Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — For Capt. Florent Groberg, the worst moments of his life began with the suspicious approach of two motorcycles. Groberg was leading an Army security detail down a street in Abadabad, Afghanistan, in August 2012. Division combat brigade soldiers were in a protective diamond formation around a group of visiting VIPs — two brigade commanders, three battalion commanders, the brigade’s command sergeant major and an Afghan general — who were moving toward a provincial compound for a security conference. In hindsight, the motorcycles were a diversion for the attack to follow shortly. An Afghan suicide bomber on foot targeted the group and Groberg’s rush to tackle him shielded fellow soldiers from a deadly attack aimed at much wider carnage. For his bravery, Groberg will become the 10th living recipient of the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan, the White House announced Oct. 15. He will join two other recent recipients who served with the division’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan.
A medal ceremony with President Barack Obama is planned for Nov. 12. Staff Sgt. Ty Carter and Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha received the award in 2013. “It was the worst day of my life because even though we defeated the enemy, I lost four brothers,” Groberg said in an account released by the Army. “This medal is not about me. It is about the four individuals that I lost. It is about them; it is about their families. “It is about true heroes that sacrificed everything for their country. That medal represents them.” That day, the motorcycles had stopped midway across a canal bridge on the route to the compound. It was a chokepoint but there was no immediate alarm among the unit, according to the Army. “A man came out of a building. He was walking backwards, which was eerie, and then started walking towards us,” Groberg said. It was an abrupt turn toward the group, and Groberg broke from his position to confront the Afghan. “I pushed him as hard as I could. Honestly, I just wanted to get him as far away from my guys as possible,” he said. The man was wearing a suicide vest with a “dead-
A LEXIS R AMOS /Courtesy of the U.S. Army
U.S. Army 1st Lt. Florent Groberg looks out from a Black Hawk helicopter traveling over Kunar province, Afghanistan, in July 2012. Groberg, who was born in France and gained U.S. citizenship in 2001, will become the 10th living recipient of the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan. man’s trigger,” meaning it had been activated and was ready to detonate before the bomber approached the security detachment and VIPs. All the bomber had to do was release his grip. Groberg immediately identified the vest. Another soldier on his team, Sgt. Andrew Mahoney, was at his side and together they forced the bomber away from the group and to the ground. “As he hit the ground chestfirst, he let go of the trigger and he detonated,” Groberg said. The blast knocked Groberg out and threw him about 15 to 20 feet, according to a video interview he gave to the Army Times newspaper. As the dust cleared, he reached for his pistol for protection. His calf was badly mangled and he was covered in blood, apparently from the suicide bomber. “I remember waking up and my leg, my fibula was sticking out,” he said. “The skin was melting. Just blood everywhere.”
Mahoney escaped with less severe injuries and was awarded the Silver Star in 2013 for his service during the attack. “It was my job to provide security, and that is exactly what I did. It was just another day in the life of me,” Mahoney later told a Colorado news station. “I think I used up all my luck on that day, so I will tread lightly if I have to deploy again.” After Groberg woke from the blast, he asked about his six soldiers and the other 28 members of the coalition force, including Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Griffin, 45, of the 4th BCT. The attack had been diverted but the news was grim. Griffin and three others were killed, including Air Force Maj. Walter David Gray, 38; Army Maj. Thomas Kennedy, 35; and Ragaei Abdelfattah, 43, a USAID foreign-service officer. A second suicide bomber planned to attack the group but the move by Groberg and Mahoney had caused his vest
to detonate prematurely, according to the Army. That second blast was focused into a nearby building, blunting its effects. Groberg, 32, who was born in France and gained U.S. citizenship in 2001, left the battlefield that day. His leg shattered, Groberg started a marathon slog toward recovery. The bombing had claimed about half of his calf muscle, damaged nerves, ruptured an eardrum and caused a brain injury. Groberg started his Army career with an infantry officer commission in 2008 and ended it with nearly three years at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. “We sent a message that no matter how bad you want to hurt us, we are always going to keep standing up and we are going to bring it back twicefold on you,” said Groberg, who was medically retired this year. tritten.travis @stripes.com Twitter: @Travis_Tritten
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MILITARY
Debt-ceiling debate threatens DOD paychecks in November BY TRAVIS J. TRITTEN Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — Defense Department paychecks are again hanging in the balance of Capitol Hill politics. This time, lawmakers have until November to raise the federal debt ceiling, allowing the government to continue paying its bills, or money will begin drying up for activeduty, civilian, contractor and retirement pay, as well as for other federal obligations. The Treasury Department has said it will run out of borrowing power Nov. 3 unless Congress moves to lift the debt ceiling. With no increase, the federal government will essentially be living paycheck to paycheck, paying obligations as revenue comes in. It will be forced into tough spending decisions including whether to pay about $3 billion toward the military and its retirement system. “You still have some money coming in but not enough. They would have to prioritize what they would pay,” said Steve Strobridge, director of government relations at the Military Officers Association of America. In all, Treasury could find itself $68 billion short of what it needs to pay all its bills during November and about 31 percent of its obligations would go unpaid without an
increase in the debt ceiling from Congress, according to an analysis by Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington think tank. With just two weeks to go, Congress has yet to float a solution. “If you look at history, they (lawmakers) have never defaulted before. But if you look at the present, we’ve never had this situation before,” Strobridge said. Uncertainty has deepened in the House as a Republican majority struggles with a leadership crisis after Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced he will resign. Boehner was ousted by the fiscal conservatives in his party who support reining in spending — and prefer a more confrontational approach with Democrats. The Senate also is locked in a fight that has paralyzed the defense budget and other spending. Conservatives led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have vowed to oppose any spending measure that does not cut funds to Planned Parenthood, while Democrats have blocked budget bills because they want caps lifted on domestic spending. The intransigence will complicate any deal on the debt ceiling. “You’ve got the potential for a serious train wreck,” Strobridge said. The White House has called
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for Congress to come together to lift the limit. “There’s no reason for us to engage in that kind of irresponsible brinksmanship, and it’s why Republican leaders in Congress need to accept the responsibility that they have to act without drama and delay to raise the debt limit,” White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Oct. 15. While a default would damage the wider U.S economy, it is also the most recent in a series of fiscal crises in Washington to test the nerves of the military community. Last month, Congress waited until the last moment to head off a government shutdown by passing a temporary federal budget. Lawmakers had not passed legislation to protect troop pay as it had during a 2013 shutdown. The DOD warned of furloughs, which sent about 350,000 civilians home without pay for a week during the 2013 crisis. That fight over passing a new federal budget is not over, however. The temporary measure passed by Congress sidestepped the debate and will expire in December, when lawmakers again will be faced with a potential shutdown. tritten.travis@stripes.com Twitter: @Travis_Tritten
This publication is a compilation of stories from Stars and Stripes, the editorially independent newspaper authorized by the Department of Defense for members of the military community. The contents of Stars and Stripes are unofficial, and are not to be considered as the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, including the Defense Department or the military services. The U.S. Edition of Stars and Stripes is published jointly by Stars and Stripes and this newspaper. The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the DOD or Stars and Stripes of the products or services advertised. Products or services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use, or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user, or patron.
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FRED G REAVES /University of California, Regents
U.S. Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone poses for a photo with UC Davis Medical Center nurses Bernadette Beloy-Bachiller, Kaitlyn Morris and Ruby Recta.
Airman Spencer Stone released from hospital BY COREY DICKSTEIN Stars and Stripes
WASHINGTON — U.S. Airman Spencer Stone, 23, was released Oct. 15 from a California hospital, a week after he was stabbed three times in a fight outside a Sacramento bar. The airman first class, one of the three young Americans hailed as a hero after stopping a heavily armed gunman in August from opening fire on a Paris-bound train, expressed his appreciation for the care he received during his stay. “Thanks very much to the first responders and the team here at UC Davis Medical Center for taking such good care of me,” Stone said in a prepared statement distributed by the hospital. “Thanks, also, to my amazing family and friends for their love and support. And, thanks to everyone who has sent encouragement during this challenging time.” Stone, of Carmichael, Calif., was stabbed multiple times in his upper body during the fight that took place at about 12:45 a.m. on Oct. 8 near 21st and K streets. The altercation was captured on grainy surveillance video posted to YouTube and appears to show Stone fighting off a handful of attackers. His wounds required emergency surgery at UC Davis Medical Center. Sacramento police said the incident remains unsolved. An Air Force spokesman said after the attack that Stone would be provided ample
time to recover and consult with medical professionals to determine when he will return to work. Stone’s mother, Joyce Eskel, expressed her appreciation for the support her son has received and asked for the media to respect her family’s privacy. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support from our family and friends, the Sacramento area, the Air Force, and people around the world,” Eskel said in the hospital statement. “Thank you all.” In August, Stone and two of his childhood friends — Army Spc. Alek Skarlatos and college student Anthony Sadler — were vacationing in Europe when they took down a gunman with ties to Islamic extremism and thwarted a terrorist attack. Stone suffered a cut thumb and other injuries in stopping the train attack. He was later honored by the French government and at the Pentagon for his actions, receiving the Purple Heart medal and the Airman’s Medal, the Air Force’s top honor for noncombat valor. Police said they are continuing their search for a pair of suspects in the incident. Ken Bernard, deputy chief for the Sacramento police, had described the suspects as “two male Asian adults … wearing white T-shirts and blue jeans.” They fled the scene in a darkcolored Toyota Camry, he said. dickstein.corey@stripes.com Twitter: @CDicksteinDC
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