Tag Archives: War on Terror

STARZ Premiered ‘Leavenworth’: Docu-Series Examines Army 1st Lieutenant Clint Lorance Afghanistan ‘War Crimes’ Case (October 20, 2019)

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Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh and executive producers Paul Pawlowski and David Check tell the story of First Lieutenant Clint Lorance. Watch the Official Trailer for the upcoming STARZ Original Docuseries, Leavenworth, premiering October 20 on the STARZ App. (August 28, 2019)

STARZ Overview of ‘Leavenworth’: “From executive producers Paul Pawlowski, David Check and Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh comes a controversial true-crime story that plays out in the military justice system. Clint Lorance is serving a 19-year sentence for murder at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth. While deployed in Afghanistan in July 2012, the former lieutenant ordered fire on three local men riding a motorcycle, killing two of them and outraging his platoon. In a firsthand account of a soldier navigating the U.S. Army’s legal system, Lorance seeks to overturn his conviction, which provokes an emotional debate between supporters and detractors that rises to the national stage. As determinations on Lorance’s fate unfold, questions probe not only the merits of his conviction but analyze the system at large, and they ultimately test the balance of guilt and innocence in the inscrutable circumstances of today’s wars.”

In the News:

A New Docu-Series Follows a Controversial True Story Playing Out in the Military Justice System. -Fox 4 Now (October 22, 2019)

Jamie Lorance, Clint’s cousin, and Don Brown, lead attorney on the Lorance legal team, call on President Trump to release Clint Lorance from his 19-year prison sentence. -Fox and Friends (October 27, 2019)

Related Links:
Free Clint Lorance (website)
Leavenworth | STARZ Media Room
Leavenworth | Official Trailer | STARZ
Leavenworth | Fox 4 Now
Updates on Army LT Clint Lorance’s Case – Fox and Friends
‘Leavenworth’: TV Review | Hollywood Reporter
Review: ‘Leavenworth’ Puts the Army on Trial | New York Times
‘Leavenworth’ Trailer: Steven Soderbergh’s Starz Doc Tells a True Crime Military Story
Steven Soderbergh To Exec Produce True-Crime Military Justice Docu-Series ‘Leavenworth’ For Starz | Deadline
A new documentary series about Clint Lorance pits the infantry officer convicted of murder against his former soldiers
‘Strongly Recommend My Kids Not Put A Uniform On’: Former Soldier Mike McGuinness, Director Paul Pawlowski Discuss ‘Leavenworth’ Docu-Series, Clint Lorance Case
Ex-Army soldier in Leavenworth prison asks Kansas judge to vacate murder conviction
Ex-Soldier in Leavenworth Prison Asks Kansas Judge to Vacate Murder Conviction
Army Lt. Clint Lorance feels 19-year prison sentence is ‘just another mission’: docuseries producers

‘Gangs and the Military: Gangsters, Bikers, and Terrorists with Military Training’ by Carter F. Smith Released (September 15, 2017)

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Gangs and the Military: Gangsters, Bikers, and Terrorists with Military Training by Carter F. Smith

From the Author: The book documents the long history of gang members (street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and domestic terrorist – extremists) with military training in parallel with the history of the United States. Gang members have served in the military in each of the wartime eras and they continue to serve today. Some are trying to use the military to get out of the gang life – many are not. The criminals not only tarnish the reputation of the military, they increase the dangerousness of our communities. 

Description: Over the past several decades, there has been a continuous and growing focus on street gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and domestic terrorist and extremist groups. Many of these groups have members with military training, and some actively recruit from current and former military veterans and retirees. That military experience adds to the dangerousness of veteran gang members, as well as those groups they associate with.

In the News:

Gangs in the Military (Fort Hood). -Carter F. Smith (April 18, 2011)

“An internal report, obtained by Military.com through a Freedom of Information Act request, shows that gang members were tied to dozens of Army felony law enforcement reports and more than 100 criminal investigations in fiscal 2018, the latest year for which data is available. While these reports and investigations make up less than 1% of all Army law enforcement incidents, the new report shows that the little-discussed problem of military gang activity continues to be a headache for base commanders and other service leaders.” –Army Street Gang Activity is Increasing, Internal Report Report Shows, Military.com (August 17, 2020)

Related Links:
Gangs and the Military and Carter Smith (Website)
Gangs and the Military: Gangsters, Bikers, and Terrorists with Military Training by Carter F. Smith
Gangs and the Military and Carter Smith on C-SPAN (October 14, 2017)
10News I-Team Investigates Gangs In The Military
Red, White and Gangs: The problem of street gangs in the military
WREG Finds Soldier Living Double Life As Gang Member
MTSU professor wins 3rd top national award for gang violence research
East Side Storytellin’117 – When Carter F. Smith Described the Worst of Humanity and Ali Sperry Brought Us Back to Life
Gangs in the US Army Documentary | Military Justice for All
Army Street Gang Activity Is Increasing, Internal Report Shows

Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen Died of Wounds Sustained When Team’s Convoy Came Under Fire Entering Jordan Military Base (November 4, 2016)

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Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, U.S. Army

Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, 27, of Lawrence, Kansas died of wounds sustained when his team’s convoy came under fire entering a military base in Jafr, Jordan on November 4, 2016. Staff Sgt. Lewellen was on a training mission in Jordan on behalf of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Green Beret’s Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe and Staff Sgt. James Moriarty also lost their lives in the deadly attack. The Department of Defense reports that the incident is under investigation. Initial reports indicate that Jordan accused US Army soldiers of sparking the incident but the US disputes those allegations and stated the attacks appear to be deliberate.

In the News:

Newly released video shows a deadly shooting in which a Jordanian solider killed 3 U.S. Army Green Berets who were serving as military trainers in Jordan. CBSN’s Anne Marie-Green has the story. -CBS News (July 25, 2017)

Related Links:
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
Sgt. 1st Class Matthew C. Lewellen
Fort Campbell soldier, Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen
5th Special Forces Group casualties identified
US Special Forces Killed in Jordan Identified
Fort Campbell soldiers killed in Jordan shooting
Soldiers from Kansas, Texas, Arizona killed in Jordan
Army identifies three Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan
Army ID’s 3 Highly Decorated Green Berets Killed in Jordan After Convoy Comes Under Fire
Soldier From Kansas Killed in Combat
Missouri Native Killed In Jordan Attack
Kirksville, Mo., native and two other Green Berets killed in attack in Jordan
Kirksville graduate one of three U.S. service men killed in Jordan
Green Berets killed in Jordan shooting has Kansas, Missouri roots
Kansas man killed in attack on Army soldiers in Jordan
Friend remembers 27-year-old Missouri Green Beret recently killed in action
Body of soldier killed in Jordan returned to hometown Kirksville, Mo
Services held for Special Forces soldier killed in Jordan
Services held for Missouri soldier killed in Jordan
Sergeant First Class Matthew Lewellen laid to rest, northeast Missouri pays respects
Missouri soldier killed in Jordan buried Saturday
Army Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for the CIA
U.S. Investigates Deaths of 3 Soldiers in Jordan as Possible Terrorism
U.S. Investigates Jordan Troop Shooting as Terrorism
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US refutes claim Americans, including Kan. soldier, sparked deadly shooting
Killing of U.S. soldiers in Jordan appears to have been deliberate, investigators say
The US lost 6 elite Green Berets in a 72-hour-span last week
Gov. Nixon orders flags to half-staff statewide on Nov. 19 in honor of fallen soldier from Adair County
US Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for CIA
Military finds 3 US soldiers killed in Jordan acted properly, showed ‘heroism’
Witnesses describe Jordan shooting that killed 3 US troops
Jordanian Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 3 US Soldiers
Jordanian Soldier Sentenced To Life In Killing Of 3 American Troops
Jordanian soldier sentenced to life for killing 3 US troops
How 3 Americans Were Killed in Jordan | The Atlantic
U.S. Soldier Who Survived Shootout in Jordan Tells His Story
New video contradicts Jordanian accounts of how 3 US soldiers
Jordan’s military releases footage of 3 U.S. Green Berets killed last November
Footage shows Jordanian soldier gunning down three US Army Green Berets
New video shows deadly shooting of 3 U.S. Army Green Berets
Video: Three American soldiers killed by Jordanian soldier
Fathers of 3 Green Berets Killed in Jordan File Lawsuit Alleging Cover-Up
Families of US soldiers killed in Jordan sue gov’t

Army Staff Sgt. James Moriarty Died of Wounds Sustained When Team’s Convoy Came Under Fire Entering Jordan Military Base (November 4, 2016)

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Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, U.S. Army

Army Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, 27, of Kerrville, Texas died of wounds sustained when his team’s convoy came under fire entering a military base in Jafr, Jordan on November 4, 2016. Staff Sgt. Moriarty was on a training mission in Jordan on behalf of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Green Beret’s Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe and Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen also lost their lives in the deadly attack. The Department of Defense reports that the incident is under investigation. Initial reports indicate that Jordan accused US Army soldiers of sparking the incident but the US disputes those allegations and stated the attacks appear to be deliberate.

In the News:

Newly released video shows a deadly shooting in which a Jordanian solider killed 3 U.S. Army Green Berets who were serving as military trainers in Jordan. CBSN’s Anne Marie-Green has the story. -CBS News (July 25, 2017)

Related Links:
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
Obituary: James Moriarty
Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty
Fort Campbell Soldier: Staff Sgt. James F. Moriarty
Memorial held for local U.S. serviceman
5th Special Forces Group casualties identified
US Special Forces Killed in Jordan Identified
Fort Campbell soldiers killed in Jordan shooting
Soldiers from Kansas, Texas, Arizona killed in Jordan
Army identifies three Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan
Army ID’s 3 Highly Decorated Green Berets Killed in Jordan After Convoy Comes Under Fire
Green Beret killed in Jordan military base attack was from Kerrville
Houston man among 3 dead in Jordan military base attack
Green Beret from South Texas among 3 killed at Jordanian air force base
Houston man 1 of 3 U.S. military members killed in Jordan
Friends of fallen U.S. Army Green Beret of Houston recalled at his funeral a born leader with zest for life
Few Answers for the Family of a U.S. Soldier Slain in Jordan
Army Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for the CIA
U.S. Investigates Deaths of 3 Soldiers in Jordan as Possible Terrorism
U.S. Investigates Jordan Troop Shooting as Terrorism
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US refutes claim Americans, including Kan. soldier, sparked deadly shooting
Killing of U.S. soldiers in Jordan appears to have been deliberate, investigators say
The US lost 6 elite Green Berets in a 72-hour-span last week
Video Shows 3 US Soldiers Being Shot Outside Jordan Base
Congressman Poe on Fallen Soldier-Sergeant James Moriarty
Congressman Poe on Fallen Solider-Sergeant James Moriarty
US Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for CIA
Military finds 3 US soldiers killed in Jordan acted properly, showed ‘heroism’
Witnesses describe Jordan shooting that killed 3 US troops
Jordanian Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 3 US Soldiers
Jordanian Soldier Sentenced To Life In Killing Of 3 American Troops
Jordanian soldier sentenced to life for killing 3 US troops
How 3 Americans Were Killed in Jordan | The Atlantic
U.S. Soldier Who Survived Shootout in Jordan Tells His Story
New video contradicts Jordanian accounts of how 3 US soldiers
Jordan’s military releases footage of 3 U.S. Green Berets killed last November
Footage shows Jordanian soldier gunning down three US Army Green Berets
New video shows deadly shooting of 3 U.S. Army Green Berets
Video: Three American soldiers killed by Jordanian soldier
Fathers of 3 Green Berets Killed in Jordan File Lawsuit Alleging Cover-Up
Families of US soldiers killed in Jordan sue gov’t

Army Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe Died of Wounds Sustained When Team’s Convoy Came Under Fire Entering Jordan Military Base (November 4, 2016)

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Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, U.S. Army

Army Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe, 30, of Tucson, Arizona died of wounds sustained when his team’s convoy came under fire entering a military base in Jafr, Jordan on November 4, 2016. Staff Sgt. McEnroe was on a training mission in Jordan on behalf of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Green Beret’s Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen and Staff Sgt. James Moriarty also lost their lives in the deadly attack. The Department of Defense reports that the incident is under investigation. Initial reports indicate that Jordan accused US Army soldiers of sparking the incident but the US disputes those allegations and stated the attacks appear to be deliberate.

In the News:

The Department of Defense has confirmed that one of three U.S. soldiers that died on November 4, 2016 in Jafr, Jordan was 30-year-old Army Staff Sergeant Kevin J. McEnroe of Tucson, Arizona. -KGUN9 (November 6, 2016)

Newly released video shows a deadly shooting in which a Jordanian solider killed 3 U.S. Army Green Berets who were serving as military trainers in Jordan. CBSN’s Anne Marie-Green has the story. -CBS News (July 25, 2017)

Related Links:
DoD Identifies Army Casualties
Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe
Fort Campbell Soldier: Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe
Department of Defense announces death of Staff Sergeant Kevin McEnroe of Tucson at Jordanian base
Department of Defense identifies one of the soldiers killed in Jordan as Kevin McEnroe of Tucson
Special Forces soldier from Tucson killed in Jordan attack
Tucson soldier killed in attack in Jordan
Soldier from Tucson, Staff Sgt. Kevin J. McEnroe, killed in Jordan
Tucson Native Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe Killed in Jordan
Arizona soldier among 3 killed in attack in Jordan
Family calls fallen Special Forces soldier witty, magnetic
5th Special Forces Group casualties identified
US Special Forces Killed in Jordan Identified
Fort Campbell soldiers killed in Jordan shooting
Soldiers from Kansas, Texas, Arizona killed in Jordan
Army identifies three Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan
Army ID’s 3 Highly Decorated Green Berets Killed in Jordan After Convoy Comes Under Fire
State officials extend condolences over Tucson native killed in Jordan
U.S. Rep. McSally Statement on Death of Tucson Green Beret
Army Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for the CIA
U.S. Investigates Deaths of 3 Soldiers in Jordan as Possible Terrorism
U.S. Investigates Jordan Troop Shooting as Terrorism
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US disputes Jordan’s claim that Americans caused shooting
US refutes claim Americans, including Kan. soldier, sparked deadly shooting
Killing of U.S. soldiers in Jordan appears to have been deliberate, investigators say
The US lost 6 elite Green Berets in a 72-hour-span last week
US Special Forces soldiers killed in Jordan were working for CIA
Military finds 3 US soldiers killed in Jordan acted properly, showed ‘heroism’
Witnesses describe Jordan shooting that killed 3 US troops
Jordanian Sentenced to Life in Prison for Killing 3 US Soldiers
Jordanian Soldier Sentenced To Life In Killing Of 3 American Troops
Jordanian soldier sentenced to life for killing 3 US troops
How 3 Americans Were Killed in Jordan | The Atlantic
U.S. Soldier Who Survived Shootout in Jordan Tells His Story
New video contradicts Jordanian accounts of how 3 US soldiers
Jordan’s military releases footage of 3 U.S. Green Berets killed last November
Footage shows Jordanian soldier gunning down three US Army Green Berets
New video shows deadly shooting of 3 U.S. Army Green Berets
Video: Three American soldiers killed by Jordanian soldier
Fathers of 3 Green Berets Killed in Jordan File Lawsuit Alleging Cover-Up
Families of US soldiers killed in Jordan sue gov’t

Army Captain Nathan Smith Sued Barack Obama Claiming ISIS Fight is Illegal, Unconstitutional, and US President Lacks Authorization (May 4, 2016)

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Captain Nathan Smith, U.S. Army

Army Intelligence Officer Captain Nathan Smith, 28, is suing President Barack Obama in federal court claiming the war with ISIS/ISIL is unconstitutional and illegal. Captain Smith alleges President Obama does not have authorization to engage in a fight with Syria. At the time of the case filing in May 2016, Captain Smith was overseas deployed to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. The original suit was rejected in November 2016 ruling that Captain Smith ‘didn’t have standing to sue and that disputes over war powers are best left to Congress and the president to fight out in the political arena.’ In April 2017, Captain Smith asked an appeals court to take the case and settle the issue once and for all.

In his own words:

Nathan Smith’s Lawsuit Against the President of the United States on Rackets: Who Are the Real Gangsters? Podcast

Why I Sued My Commander-in-Chief, President Obama

“As a soldier, I thought the war in Syria was illegal, as I do now. That’s why Trump is right to get out.” -Nathan Smith, Army veteran

Related Links:
Nathan Smith, US Army v. Barack Obama
Army Captain sues Obama over ISIS fight
Is the U.S. War Against ISIS Illegal?
Army Captain sues Obama over ISIS fight
An Army Captain Takes Obama to Court Over ISIS Fight
Deployed Army captain sues Obama over ISIS fight
U.S. Army Captain Is Suing Obama Over Legality Of The War Against ISIS
Army Captain Sues Obama For Unconstitutional War Against ISIS
Army Captain Sues Obama over Islamic State War
Army captain sues Obama over lack of ISIS war authorization
28-Year-Old Army Officer Suing Obama Over ISIS
Soldier Suing Obama Over ISIS War Is Doing Fine, Lawyer Says
Army captain sues President Obama over claims the war on ISIS is illegal
Army captain sues President Obama, saying he lacks authority to fight ISIS
Who Is Capt. Nathan Michael Smith? US Intelligence Officer Sues President Barack Obama Over Legality Of ISIS Fight
‘My conscience bothered me’: Army captain sues Obama over ‘illegal war’ on the Islamic State
My Brother’s Challenge to the Undeclared War Against ISIS
Analysis of Lawsuit Challenging War Against ISIL
Constitution Check: Has the U.S. war against ISIS in Syria been illegal from the start?
Does the president think his own war is illegal?
The Dangers of the Ever More Powerful Presidency
When The U.S. Military Strikes, White House Points To A 2001 Measure
Suit Calling War on ISIS Illegal Is Rejected
Soldier who supports war against Islamic State files lawsuit calling it illegal
US Daesh fighter in Syria poses dilemma for White House
Yale prof presents case against Trump
AUMF: The Latest Weapon in America’s Illegal Perpetual War
Judges ask if challenge to Trump’s war powers is moot after waiting 6 months to rule
Nathan Smith’s Lawsuit Against the President of the United States
Why I Sued My Commander-in-Chief, President Obama

Noonie Fortin: Honoring our Female Soldiers

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Women WarriorsIN MEMORY — is dedicated to some of the women  and men I have known who have died.

IRAQ — is dedicated to the American women who died while  serving our country in Iraq or near-by countries during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AFGHANISTAN — is dedicated to the American women who died while  serving our country in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

OTHER AREAS — is dedicated to the American women who died while serving our country in  other areas of the world since Desert Storm and 11 September 2001.

THE PENTAGON — is dedicated to all the American women (and one man who I personally knew) who died when a plane hit The Pentagon on 11 September 2001.

OKC — is dedicated to the American women who died when a bomb blew up the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on 19 April 1995.

DESERT STORM — is dedicated to the American women who died during the Gulf War of 1990-1991.

VIETNAM — is dedicated to the American women who died while  serving our country in Vietnam.

EARLIER WARS —  is dedicated to the American women who died during the Korean War, World War II, World War I, Spanish-American War and Civil War.

Learn more here.

The Denver Post Published ‘Waging Internal War’: An Examination of the Army’s Tendency to Deploy Soldiers Who Need Medication Management (August 26, 2008)

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An event on the Auraria campus aimed to help community members understand mental health issues in returning veterans. -The Denver Post (November 17, 2011)

“Chad Barrett’s war on terror started in the hours after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when he was called to help dig bodies out of a smoking Pentagon. It ended Feb. 2, 2008, in Mosul, Iraq, when his roommate awoke to find him gasping and gurgling, with foam coming from his mouth. Barrett had been cleared for a third combat tour in Iraq despite a recent suicide attempt, crushing headaches and a mental illness treated with medication for anxiety and depression. Two months after he arrived, he killed himself by swallowing an unknown number of pills. He was the sixth soldier from Fort Carson to commit suicide in Iraq. At least 10 others have killed themselves in the U.S., nine after returning from the war.” -David Olinger & Erin Emery, The Denver Post (August 26, 2008)

An analysis of the information showed that:

• Army suicides in Iraq tripled in three years, from 10 in 2004 to 32 in 2007.

• In 2006 and 2007, 20 of the 59 soldiers who killed themselves in Iraq were deployed from a single base — Fort Hood in Texas.

• Fourteen of the soldiers who killed themselves in Iraq were 19 years old. Nearly half were 23 or younger.

Read more ‘Waging Internal War’ from The Denver Post here.

Related Links:
Understanding Mental Health in Veterans
Waging internal war – The Denver Post

Chicago Tribune Published ‘In War Without Front Lines, Women GIs Caught in Chaos’ (March 11, 2004)

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Xatavia Hughes, an Iraqi war vet is looking for a safer neighborhood for herself and two sons. She is in her current home in the Englewood neighborhood on Nov. 6, 2013. -Chicago Tribune (December 2, 2013)

“One woman saw the military as a stop along the path of higher education. The other saw service as a road out of poverty. They enlisted in what’s typically thought of as a man’s world, and they both died in it. When Pfc. Nichole Frye’s convoy was attacked with a roadside bomb in Baqouba, Iraq, in February, she became the 15th servicewoman to die in the Iraq war, equaling the official number of female soldiers killed in the 1991 Persian Gulf war. When Capt. Gussie Jones, 41, died Sunday of a heart attack in the Baghdad hospital where she served as an Army surgical nurse, that gulf war total was officially surpassed. The conflict in Iraq now has the designation of claiming the lives of more U.S. servicewomen than any hostile theater since World War II, according to Department of Defense statistics. The stories of women like Frye and Jones–what drew them to the military and how they died in that service–reveal much about the role of American military women in Iraq.” -Chicago Tribune (March 11, 2004)

Read more ‘In War Without Front Lines, Women GIs Caught in Chaos’ from the Chicago Tribune here. 

Related Links:
Once homeless female vet struggles in civilian life | Chicago Tribune
In war without front lines, women GIs caught in chaos