Army National Guard SGT Edward E. Mefford, a home builder and remodeler for A & B Construction in Santa Rosa, N.M., is currently deployed to Qatar in support of the Global War on Terror. Mefford is mobilized to provide security in the area as a member of the 111th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

Pic: SFC David McCrary

Purdue college student, Anngela Strathmann takes time off from her studies to serve in Kuwait with the 376th Finance Battalion.
Pic: SFC David McCrary

Air Force Reserve Capt. Rick Valdes, an emergency room family nurse practitioner for Tuba City Indian Medical Center in Tuba City, Ariz., is currently deployed to Southwest Asia as a registered nurse for the 386th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Pic: Lt. Col. Martin Moerschell

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew J. Campanano (right) and Cpl. Angel S. Villalobos, both former Magnificent Bastards of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment and now assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5, hold the M-40A1 sniper rifle recovered by Marines of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Both Campanano and Villalobos were in Ramadi when a four-man sniper team was killed on a rooftop June 21, 2004. This rifle was among the weapons taken by insurgents. Snipers from 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment killed an insurgent sniper team June 16, almost two years later, and recovered the rifle.
Pic: Mark Oliva

Soldiers from the 2-150th Field Artillery look on during their lunch break as local Iraqi children jump into the Tigris River
Pic: SSG Michael Skaar

1LT Kevin Wagner of the 2-150th Field Artillery from Bloomington, IN talks to local Iraqi children near a Iraqi Police station in Mosul.
Pic: SSG Michael Skaar

Soldiers from the 1-158th Field Artillery stop for a photo inside the International Zone in Baghdad.
Pic: SSG Michael Skaar

Soldiers from the 1-158th Field Artillery inside the International Zone in Baghdad.
Pic: SSG Michael Skaar

FBI Request for Investigative Information

FBI Request for Investigative Information Relating to Veterans Affairs
Stolen Laptop

Distribution: This information is appropriate for public dissemination.

The FBI is currently working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office
of the Inspector General (VA-OIG) and the Montgomery County Department of
Police (MCDP) to recover a stolen laptop computer and external hard drive
containing the personal identifying information of 26.5 million US veterans.
The identifying information is the property of the US Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA). The laptop computer and external hard drive were stolen from
a private residence in Montgomery County, Maryland, during the course of a
burglary on 05/03/2006. At this stage of the investigation, there is no
evidence that the suspect(s) responsible for the theft had any knowledge of
what information was stored on the hard drive. The joint investigation into
the identity of the subject(s) is ongoing. Much information pertaining to
this matter has been reported by multiple news organizations throughout the
past month.

At this time, the primary objective of the investigation is the recovery of
the laptop and external hard drive. The FBI is appealing to InfraGard
members for any information that may lead to the recovery of the laptop
and/or hard drive, and the data they contained. Anyone who can provide
information leading to the recovery of these items should call Crime Solvers
of Montgomery County at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). There is a cash reward of
$50,000 for information provided to the Crime Solvers tip line that leads to
the recovery of these items.

If you are a US Veteran discharged after 1975, please closely monitor your
bank statements and take recommended steps to protect yourself against
identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission has produced a booklet
entitled "TAKE CHARGE: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft". Its contents
are available at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or you can call 1-877-438-4338.
Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs will post updated
information about this matter for Veterans to www.firstgov.gov/veteransinfo
or call 1-800-333-4636.

An assault team from B Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, conducted a raid on a possible suicide vehicle bomb workshop in Fallujah. The Marines searched the vacant garage in central Fallujah after receiving intelligence that the owner might be supporting insurgents to harm Coalition forces and innocent civilians.
Pic: Cpl Brian Reimers

SFC “Lucky” sniffs for weapons and explosives while manning a traffic control point at the Sadr al Yusufiyah water treatment facility. PIC: SFC Class Doug Pfeffer

SSG Cruz, weapons squad leader, 2nd battaliom, 1st Infamtry regiment,172nd Stryker Brigade Combat team for Comiero, Puerto Rico stands with one of his Soldiers SPC West, stand outside the room door enjoying the day off after prior mission at Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul. Pic: SPC Yolanda Moreno Leon

Before heading out for a long mission SSG Cruz looks for his Soldiers around the living quarters in Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul. Pic: SPC Yolanda Moreno Leon

Getting ready as a weapon squad leader SSG Cruz gears up and makes communiations with the driver of the Stryker vehicle at Forward Operating Base Marez, Mosul. Pic:SPC Yolanda Moreno Leon

MG James D. Thurman, commander, Multi-Natioanl Division-Baghdad, talks to sheiks and Iraqi security force leaders during a meeting at the Babylon Iraqi police academy in Hillah. The leaders discussed the current state of the security sitaution in the Babil province, one of four provinces Thurman's forces command. (Pic: CPL Michael Molinaro

An Iraqi boy takes a drink of water after a grand opening ceremony for a Reverse Osmosis Water Plant May 31 near Al Batha.
Pic: SPC Brian D. Jesness

Mohammed Al Thighe, Al Batha city council member, and Hardel Sabber, Al Batha water engineer oversee the offical opening of Al Fawaazi Reverse Osmosis Water Plant near An Nasariyah.
Pic: SPC Brian D. Jesness

Iraqi Army Soldiers exit a building just cleared, but continue to check the open areas around their sector.
Pic: SPC Cassandra Groce