FORT CARSON, Colo. — Almost 150 soldiers stepped into a standing ovation Dec. 4 after returning from Iraq three months early.
Capt. Jeffrey Rawlins, commander of 59th Military Police Company, 759th MP Battalion, entered Waller Physical Fitness Center gymnasium, where he faced bleachers filled with hundreds of family members and friends. Parents, spouses and children were waving “welcome home” banners and balloons. Continue reading
In a globalized media landscape, the concepts of religious fundamentalism and legislative rights seem to be clashing in similar sacred places, online. Virtual battles between beliefs are occurring within contradictions in public policies and moral values. Resistance to change is sometimes expressed through various kinds of fundamentalism, when interpretations of one’s faith consumes them. Religious leaders and adamant atheists have been spreading their values for thousands of years, and many work passionately to preserve them. Extremists have committed violent attacks, while other fundamentalists recited scriptures and laws encouraging tolerance and upholding civil rights, whenever barraged by adversity. Social media has become a powerful platform for hosting both collaboration and disagreements. Continue reading
WOODLAND PARK, Colo. — Dozens of former and current Green Berets gathered in a Rocky Mountain community, Nov. 12, to unveil a bronze battle cross in honor of a local man’s military service.
More than 100 citizens of Woodland Park attended the Veterans Day weekend dedication ceremony, where the city manager, sculptor and the fallen hero’s wife and children uncovered a memorial statue at Lions Park, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 24 and state Route 67. Continue reading
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Hundreds of soldiers from 10th Combat Support Hospital gathered for a casing ceremony, Nov. 4, launching a yearlong lifesaving mission in Afghanistan.
“We will provide the trauma management and hospitalization to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coalition members, civilians and, yes, enemy wounded, across nearly one third of Afghanistan,” said Col. Michael Place, 10th CSH commander, after concealing his unit’s colors on Manhart Field. Continue reading
FORT CARSON, Colo. — An award-winning children’s author and illustrator visited the Fallen Heroes Family Center Oct. 26, to discuss the loss of a loved one.
When Trevor Romain knelt down to share photographs of him petting giraffes and rhinoceroses in Africa, Michael Petersen, 3, reluctantly giggled and then turned toward his mother’s hip. But the slender, upbeat motivational speaker’s mannerisms and South African accent quickly seized the boy’s attention. Continue reading
FORT CARSON, Colo. — More than 100 survivors of servicemembers who died by suicide visited Fort Carson Oct. 23 for an evening gathering at the Fallen Heroes Family Center.
Hundreds of people traveled to Colorado Springs last week for the 3rd Annual National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp, offered by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. They shared hardships, searched for answers and connected with others for three days at Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Continue reading
The Internet is continuing to exert a significant social and economic impact in populations on each of Earth’s continents. The World Wide Web has been changing the way people learn and collaborate since August 1991, when the first website published information explaining hypertext and Web page architecture (Blum, 2011). The Web has persisted in paving virtual highways between people around the world – some sitting thousands of miles apart, others in the same room. But what about those populations that aren’t connected? Africa, the world’s second-largest and second most populated continent in the world, has only 118 million people online, just 11.5 percent of the people – well below the world’s average of 30 percent.
People who are connected are no longer bound by geographical boundaries, separated by political limitations or divided by religious beliefs. Unrestricted access to the Internet allows anyone to rally worldwide compassion for charities, organize populations for global initiatives and conduct international business transactions. According to recent research from the McKinsey Global Institute, e-commerce accounts for the exchange of almost $8 trillion each year. The Internet has accounted for 21 percent of the gross domestic product growth in “matured countries” for more than five years. A McKinsey global Small and Medium Enterprise survey discovered the Internet created 2.4 jobs for each one it destroyed during the past 15 years (Manyika & Roxburgh, 2011). The Web has become an important driver for both economic growth and social progress. Continue reading
FORT CARSON, Colo. — “We have troops in contact. We’re taking fire from a black truck 500 meters northwest, moving eastbound … can’t reposition due to an injured soldier and we’re pinned down.”
That’s one scenario, out of 13, that soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, had to master during AH-64D Apache helicopter gunnery exercises, Sept. 27-Oct. 15.
Apache Battalion Prepares for Battle
FORT CARSON, Colo. — Soldiers from 52nd Engineer Battalion welcomed the arrival of the unit’s fifth company Oct. 14, since the battalion’s reactivation last year.
Capt. Seth Chappell reported to the battalion motor pool with more than 100 soldiers assigned to 497th Engineer Company. The formation stood between a road grader, a scraper and two heavy loaders — tools of the trade for Army horizontal engineers.
The unit started accumulating personnel and equipment in January, according to Capt. Ryan Gray, 497th Eng. executive officer. The company gradually funneled about 185 Soldiers into five platoons: three contain equipment operators, one offers equipment mechanics and another carries out administrative duties. Continue reading
FORT CARSON, Colo. – Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, hosted an exhibition for their families Oct. 10, to showcase AH-64D Apache maneuvers and munitions.
Several hundred people gathered from 2 p.m. to sunset at Range 109, where soldiers displayed service weapons, tactical vehicles and Apaches, the Army’s premier attack helicopter.
More than 400 soldiers from 1st Bn., 2nd Avn. Reg., are scheduled to deploy in January with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Inf. Div., from Fort Shafter, Hawaii, during an upcoming rotation of forces in Afghanistan. Department of Defense officials announced the brigade’s deployment in September. Continue reading
Dustin Senger 