US forces have moved artillery around the battlefield in an effort to shape operations before the push into Mosul, Iraq. On Aug. 14, US helicopters moved artillery to an area east of Mosul to support 2,000 Peshmerga fighters as they liberated 12 villages from ISIS control, and then removed the guns 48 hours later. “The firing solutions this offered provided maximum flexibility for the commander on the ground,” said Air Force Col. John Dorrian, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, during a Thursday briefing. The operation, called Operation Evergreen II, seized area near the Guar River Bridge where civilians were living in “miserable conditions.” US forces, which have increased by about 400 over the past week, include those operating the artillery and others who are building up an airfield near the village of Qayyarah to support upcoming operations. “This area will be important as a stepping stone and staging area for Iraqi security forces,” Dorrian said.
In his final keynote address before retiring as Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, Roger A. Towberman reflected on the progress of the Space Force and the growth still ahead at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference on Sept. 12, 2023. Watch the video or read the transcript.