Ten-hut! » Afghanistan

Virginia soldier dies in Afghanistan

Rusty Dennen — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:20:38 +0000

A soldier from Hampton was killed in Afghanistan on Jan. 16, the Defense Department says. Sgt. David J. Chambers, 25, was killed in Panjwai District, Kandahar Province, by an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, under control of the 7th Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

Area soldiers back from Afghanistan duty

Rusty Dennen — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:30:08 +0000

Four Virginia National Guard soldiers from Fredericksburg were among 65 Guard troops returning to Camp Shelby, Miss., over the weekend from service in Afghanistan. The Virginia Guard said in a press release that the soldiers were assigned to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force Joint Command Afghan National Security Force Development Team. They served as advisors and mentors to senior Afghan leaders since November 2011. The unit included about 30 Virginia Guard soldiers assigned to the 29th Infantry Division at Fort Belvoir, and was augmented by soldiers from other units around the state. About 35 troops came from the Maryland National Guard. The team was split among five locations in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city. Plans for their return to Virginia and Maryland have not been finalized.

Parades planned for Iraq war vets

Rusty Dennen — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:11:07 +0000

Two parades are in the works–one in the nation’s capital, and one in Richmond–to honor veterans of the Iraq war, and the thousands who didn’t make it home, or were injured. Boeing Corp. is sponsoring the 2012 National Memorial Day Parade in D.C. It’s on May 28, 2 p.m. on Constitution Avenue. The war began in March 2003; President Obama announced the end of combat operations there in December. Meanwhile, the war in Afganistan rages on. A press release for the D.C. parade notes: “With troops still deployed in Afghanistan, government officials have decided against holding a traditional welcome home parade for Iraq war veterans in Washington or New York in the near future….It is s imperative that we show our support and gratitude as a nation,” said James C. Roberts, president of the American Veterans Center, which founded and organized the parade. “Sadly, others in the country are not doing enough to honor these young men and women who have sacrificed family relationships, jobs, and economic stability to go off to fight for their country.” Read more here.

Richmond’s Welcome Home, parade, meanwhile, has raised $50,000 for that event, according to its website. That one’s planned for 10 a.m. on May 19, Armed Forces Day. It

will begin at Kensington and Boulevard, and proceed down Boulevard to

Byrd Park, ending at the Carillon.