The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

They died July 29 at Tsagay, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked their military vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  

Killed were: 

• Capt. Jason E. Holbrook, 28, of Burnet, Texas
• Staff Sgt. Kyle R. Warren, 28, of Manchester, N.H. 

They were assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom:

• Sgt. Justin B. Allen, 23, of Coal Grove, Ohio, died July 18 in Zhari, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot by insurgents while conducting combat operations.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Ga.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom:

• Staff Sgt. Shaun M. Mittler, 32, of Austin, Texas, died July 10 in Konar, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fires.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.
• Spc. Nathaniel D. Garvin, 20, of Radcliff, Ky., died July 12 at Forward Operating Base Frontenac, Afghanistan (Kandahar, Afghanistan), of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.  He was assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom:

• Sgt. Robert W. Crow, 42, of Kansas City, Mo., died July 10 in Paktika, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.  He was assigned to the 203rd Engineer Battalion, Joplin, Mo.
• Spc. Christopher J. Moon, 20, of Tucson, Ariz., died July 13 at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device on July 6 in Arghandab, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced today the transfer of one detainee from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Yemen.

On May 26, 2010, a U.S. District Court ordered the release of Mohammed Odaini from custody at Guantanamo Bay.  As a result, the Department of Defense has transferred him to his native country.  In accordance with Congressionally-mandated reporting requirements, the administration informed Congress of its intent to transfer Odaini at least 15 days before his transfer.

The suspension of Yemeni repatriations from Guantanamo remains in effect due to the security situation that exists there.  However, the Administration respects the decisions of U.S. federal courts, which ordered the release of Odaini.  As with all transfers, the U.S. Government will work with the Yemeni Government to the fullest extent possible to implement appropriate security measures.

Since 2002, more than 595 detainees have departed Guantanamo Bay for other destinations, including Albania, Algeria, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bermuda, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, Georgia, France, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Palau, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom and Yemen.

Today, 180 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the following Department of Defense Senior Executive Service appointments and reassignments:

Reassignments

• Ronald G. Bechtold has been assigned as Office of the Secretary of Defense Networks chief information officer, Office of the Director, Administration and Management, Washington, D.C.  Bechtold previously served as director, Army Architecture Integration Cell, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.
• Mary R. George has been assigned as deputy director, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.  George previously served as director, Information Technology Management Directorate, Washington Headquarters Services, Washington, D.C.

The VA is cutting the red tape for vets with PTSD. Plus, more DoD civilians are heading downrange. We’ll look at the Civilian Expeditionary Workforce.