Gates visits Fort Riley

Here are recent headlines about the military in Kansas:Fort Riley ¢ 1st Infantry Division(emilitary.org) Gates visits Fort Riley: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates got a first-hand look Thursday at the training servicemembers receive here before they deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan. Gates met with 1st Infantry Division Military Transition Team members and got a first-hand look at an improvised explosive device display and an Iraqi culture class soldiers go through before deploying. The secretary also met with transition team members from the Army, Air Force and Navy. The IED display contained many examples of different kinds of homemade bombs used in Iraq and Afghanistan. he cultural class Gates saw was a leaders meeting. The scenario, which was set in Iraq, had the team leader, several team members and their translator meeting with a village mayor. The area Iraqi military commander was with the team and expressed concerns about terrorists within the village. Before long, the meeting got out of hand, with yelling taking place between the Iraqi commander and the mayor. Each team is taught to control such meetings, and Gates witnessed the team leader attempting to slow things down. After the meeting concluded, Gates spoke to the players of the exercise, telling them he was impressed with the cultural training they were receiving.Fort Leavenworth[(Fort Leavenworth Lamp) Gen. Ramirez going to Korea:][2] Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez Jr., deputy commanding general, Combined Arms Center – Training, will be leaving his position Aug. 17 to become the assistant division commander for Maneuver for the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, Korea. Ramirez has served three tours at Fort Leavenworth as a student, instructor and author, and his current job. After more than 27 years in the Army, Ramirez said he still loves being with Soldiers and loves what he’s doing and making a difference.Kansas National Guard[(All American Patriots) Kansas governor directs flags to half-staff:][3] Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has directed flags to be flown at half-staff throughout Kansas from sunup to sundown on Saturday in honor of Staff Sgt. Travis S. Bachman of the Kansas National Guard who was killed in Iraq last week. “Sgt. Bachman has made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his country. We honor that sacrifice and send our thoughts and prayers to his family,” Sebelius said. Bachman, Garden City, enlisted with the Kansas National Guard in 1993 while still in high school. He deployed to Iraq last year with the 714th Security Force Company. Bachman is survived by his wife, Amber, three children, and his parents, Rodney and Connie Bachmann, also of Garden City. [2]: www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/08/09/features/features5.txt [3]: www.allamericanpatriots.com/48727956_kansas_kansas_governor_sebelius_directs_flags_half_staff_staff_sgt_bachman