America Spread Thin: West Asia, April 2018

West Asia, or as the U.S. Department of Defense calls it Southwest Asia.  Iran, Iraq and Turkey are sometimes considered part of West Asia and sometimes Central Asia.  I consider Iraq and Turkey part of West Asia and Iran is part of Central Asia.

The following is a smidgen of what the United States is involved in, in the Middle East, during April 2018:

On 04APR2018 an honor guard from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, receive the body of Major Andreas B. O’Keeffe, who was killed in Iraq while flying an HH-60 Pave Hawk for the 106th Rescue Wing.

At Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, the body of para-rescueman Master Sergeant William Posch, killed in Iraq, was brought home:

Another Florida resident, Staff Sergeant Carl Enis, was also killed in Iraq.

Hawaii Army National Guard personnel with 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, deployed to somewhere in South West Asia.

At Fort Shafter, Hawaii, 47 USA (U.S.Army) personnel with the 8th Human Resources Sustainment Center, 8th Theater Sustainment Command, returned from supporting ops in Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

On 15APR2018, the Louisiana Air National Guard honored 16 Airmen from the 259th Air Traffic Control Squadron for their service in Iraq: “These 16 Airmen went over there and basically took charge of airfield operations. They did an outstanding job delivering sorties and increasing the payload of goods coming in and out to support our warfighters. The thing that impressed me is that they increased the MedEvac time by 75%!”-Major General Glenn Curtis

North Carolina Army National Guard‘s 449th Combat Aviation Brigade, along with British empire United Kingdom-NATO personnel, conduct aeromedical evacuation (MedEvac) training at Camp Taji, Iraq.   The North Carolina National Guard, and Vanderbilt University, donated medical books to the Iraqi Army Hospital, Camp Taji, at the end of March.

Between the end of March and beginning of April, about 285 personnel from Ohio National Guard‘s 2nd Battalion, 174th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, returned from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq.

At Fort Hood, Texas, the U.S. Army 3rd Cavalry Regiment deploying to Iraq:

On 03APR2018, a Wisconsin Air National Guard 128th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 refuels USAF E-3 Sentry AWAC as it conducts missions over Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wisconsin National Guard soon deploying personnel to Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

A missile armed MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System at an undisclosed location (secret) returns sans one missile after an anti-ISIS (DAIISH) mission over Iraq

‘Undisclosed Location’: Official video USAF 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron says good-bye to SouthWest Asia:

USAF F-15E Strike Eagle gets refueld from a KC-10 Extender, somewhere over SouthWest Asia, 21APR2018

Bahrain: 

U.S. 5th Fleet observes Denim Day in Manama, Bahrain, 25APR2018

Iraq: 

Iraqi Army fast rope training from U.S. taxpayer funded Russian made Mil Mi-17 helicopter, U.S. taxpayer funded contractors are also maintaining the Russian helicopters for Iraq

U.S. Army, 2011: Army equipping Afghans, Iraqis on Mi-17s

U.S. Army conducts Combat LifeSaver course for Iraqi Army personnel

Israel:

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, 29APR2018

South Carolina National Guard take part in change of command ceremonies for the 13th Missile Defense Battery in Israel, 10APR2018

Jordan: Jordan is increasingly being drawn into the influence of NATO.

Closing ceremonies for NATO – Jordan Planning Course, 04APR2018

Official USMC/USN video explainer of Eager Lion 18:

U.S. Army town clearing video, 19APR2018:

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:  

U.S. military leaders meet with Royal Saudi military leaders at Ministry of Defense Officer’s Club, Riyadh, KSA, 19APR2018

Kuwait: 

More than 45 U.S. and Kuwait Land Forces soldiers took part in CBRN training, Camp Patriot, Kuwait, 25APR2018

U.S. Army combat engineers employ the Talon Robot, and VMR/2 Mine Hound, at Camp Patriot, Kuwait, 10APR2018

Qatar: 

Mom and daughter with Pennsylvania Air National Guard deployed to Qatar; Staff Sergeant Victoria Moran and Senior Master Sergeant Michelle Mersing

Official video of Pennsylvania Air National Guard rapid repair training at Al Udeid Air Base, Kuwait:

Syria: 

USAF C-17 moves cargo between undisclosed (secret) locations from Iraq to Syria, 13APR2018

A Syrian contractor demonstrates to U.S.-NATO advisers that the Zir Water Pumping Station, near Busayrah, is now working, 21APR2018

Video of Tomahawk cruise missile launch against Syria from USS Monterey, 14APR2018:

USAF F-15C Eagle refuels during mission over Syria, 14APR2018

Video of NATO airstrike against supposed DAIISH headquarters in Abu Kamal, 17APR2018:

(BRITISH EMPIRE, LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR: ISLAMIC STATE DAIISH)

Turkey: Official video of NATO operated AWACs based at FOB (Forward Operating Base) Konya, and used over Iraq and Syria:

United Arab Emirates: 

USAF F-22 Raptor based at Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE, gets refueled inflight, 01APR2018

Official video, U.S. Army and UAE deployment of high mobility artillery rocket system (HiMARS):

AMERICA SPREAD THIN: NORTH AMERICA, APRIL 2018

AMERICA SPREAD THIN: WEST ASIA, MARCH 2018