WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, New Mexico — First, the Bataan Memorial Death March. And now, the open house at the Trinity Site. Because of concerns over the coronavirus, White Sands Missile Range has now canceled its two biggest public events of the year. The Bataan Memorial Death March was scheduled for earlier this month and
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FORT BLISS, Texas — In a live-streamed town hall meeting Tuesday night, leadership at Fort Bliss said more than 400 soldiers were under quarantine – but it sought to calm concerns at the Army post about coronavirus. (You can watch the entire event in the video player above.) The 404 soldiers have all been quarantined
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FORT BLISS, Texas — Fort Bliss Morale, Welfare and Recreation has announced the cancellation of numerous events at the Army post as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Here’s the cancellation list posted to social media on Monday…
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. launched airstrikes Thursday in Iraq, targeting the Iranian-backed Shia militia members believed responsible for the rocket attack that killed and wounded American and British troops at a base north of Baghdad, the Pentagon said.. U.S. officials said multiple strikes by U.S. fighter jets hit five locations and mainly targeted Kataib
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WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, New Mexico – U.S. Army officials on Wednesday made the decision to cancel this year’s Bataan Memorial Death March as a precautionary measure against the spread of the coronavirus. The 31st running had been scheduled to take place Sunday at White Sands Missile Range. More than 10,000 participants – a record
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CAMP TAJI, Iraq — At least three people were killed, including two U.S. service members, in a rocket attack in Iraq, a U.S. official said Wednesday. The official said 10 people were injured. Several other U.S. officials confirmed that U.S. troops had been killed and injured, but did not provide numbers. The officials spoke on
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EL PASO, Texas — Eighty U.S. troops arrived in El Paso over the weekend and are expected to soon be providing assistance to Customs and Border Protection agents while the future of the ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy remains uncertain, officials told ABC-7 on Monday. The White House recently announced the deployment of 160 troops total
Continue ReadingWASHINGTON, DC — American troops have begun leaving Afghanistan for the initial troop withdrawal required in the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, a U.S. official said on Monday, amid political chaos in Kabul that threatens the deal. Hundreds of troops are heading out of the country as previously planned, but they will not be replaced as the
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EL PASO, Texas — With the corona virus already affecting the state of Texas, what is Fort Bliss doing to protect our soldiers? Lt. Col. Lauri Zike, the preventative medicine chief at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, explained what the hospital is planning on doing. “If they are sick or are feeling sick to call
Continue ReadingEL PASO, Texas — The Trump administration is deploying around 80 troops to El Paso as a result of uncertainty over the future of one of its key asylum policies, US Customs and Border Protection announced Friday. About 80 more will be sent to the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego. Last week,
Continue ReadingMultiple US military branches are screening new recruits for the novel coronavirus as part of a sweeping effort to prevent the virus from spreading among the armed forces. While recruits are always screened for health issues, the coronavirus is now a particular concern for the US Navy, Air Force and Army who have implemented new
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DOHA, Qatar — The United States signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan that began after 9/11 and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war. This historic deal, signed by chief negotiators from the two sides and witnessed
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FORT BLISS, Texas — Soldiers at Ft. Bliss are going through some grueling training and braving the heat of the kitchen. A local team is getting ready for the by the Army in Virginia and they’re not just making prepared field meals. The Ft. Bliss Culinary team are preparing to go head to head against
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — Hundreds of Las Cruces residents filled the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to mourn the Las Cruces soldier who recently died in combat in Afghanistan. “It didn’t seem real,” said Adrian Benavidez, who told ABC-7 he grew up with Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez. “It tore me
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EL PASO, Texas – A man whose life was cut short unexpectedly creates a legacy fitting of his name. Robert Andrew Phoenix’s mom, Norma Favela, opened up about her son’s selflessness which is touching lives — even after death. Favela has been the El Paso District Clerk for nine years. But on the day she
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EL PASO, Texas — The new William Beaumont Medical Center will be open this September. After 1,200 changes to the original plan and 11 years in construction, the U.S. Army said it is excited to start seeing patients. The number of changes seems drastic but Brig. Gen. Paul Owen explains it like this: “So think
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LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — Flags across New Mexico will fly at half-staff on Friday in honor of U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriquez, who was killed earlier this month in Afghanistan. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered flags lowered Friday in recognition of the fallen soldier who is a Las Cruces native. Rodriguez
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EL PASO, Texas — The City of El Paso and the County of El Paso, in collaboration with the El Paso Chamber and the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors and Combined Arms, have joined forces to conduct a Veteran Needs Assessment/Survey throughout El Paso County. The feedback will help shape policy and
Continue Reading LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — A fallen Las Cruces soldier received a motorcade procession Tuesday afternoon to a local funeral home along a route lined with residents paying their respects. The body of 28-year-old U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez arrived at 1 p.m. at Las Cruces International Airport for a dignified transfer
Continue ReadingPEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Donald Stratton, a survivor of the USS Arizona, died February 15, according to a statement from the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. He was 97, a tweet from USS Arizona said. Stratton joined the Navy in 1940 after growing up in Nebraska. The USS Arizona was the first ship he joined, the
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EL PASO, Texas — An El Paso police narcotics detective killed in an Arizona car crash earlier this week was given a final farewell by law enforcement and military colleagues in two states on Friday. 51-year-old Richard Allbee was a 19-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department and a retired command sergeant major with
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STOCKTON, California — A few weeks ago, Maj. Bill White, a 104-year-old Marine Corps veteran, asked for people to send him Valentines so he could make new memories. Well, they delivered! He has gotten hundreds of thousands of them, so many that they cover the walls and fill up the tables and rooms at his
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DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Delaware — President Donald Trump traveled Monday night to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to pay respects to two U.S. soldiers, one of them from southern New Mexico and the other from Texas, killed Saturday in Afghanistan when a soldier dressed in an Afghan army uniform opened fire with a
Continue ReadingWASHINGTON, DC — The Defense Department, under White House pressure, is expected to announce this week that billions more in Pentagon funds will go toward the border wall, according to an administration official. A senior Defense official also told CNN that a major announcement about the border will made this week. While the White House
Continue Reading LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — A Las Cruces soldier was among two U.S. Army soldiers killed in combat in Afghanistan over the weekend, the U.S. Department of Defense said Sunday. Sgt. 1st Class Antonio Rey Rodriguez, 28, of Las Cruces and Sgt. 1st Class Javier Jaguar Gutierrez, 28, of San Antonio, Texas, died Saturday from
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EL PASO, Texas– For many military families, dealing with deployments can be difficult. That was the case for Canutillo high school graduate Johnny Roberts and his family until he made a surprise return home. Johnny Roberts has been stationed in Tampa, Florida and was deployed to Jordan for the last 7 months. Marrying his high
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GREENBELT, Maryland — A Coast Guard lieutenant accused by prosecutors of being a domestic terrorist intent on committing politically motivated killings inspired by a far-right mass murderer was sentenced Friday to more than 13 years in prison for firearms and drug offenses. Christopher Hasson, 50, had faced a maximum prison sentence of 31 years at
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EL PASO, Texas — The El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System is taking a bold new step to help suffering service members in the Borderland. The South Central Veterans Affairs Wellness Center opened on Tuesday. More than a dozen visiting veterans were impressed with the new facility, which focuses heavily on matters of post
Continue ReadingWASHINGTON, DC — Fifty US military personnel have now been diagnosed with concussions and traumatic brain injuries following the Iranian missile attack on US forces in Iraq earlier this month, according to a statement Tuesday from the Pentagon. That’s an increase of 16 from late last week when the Pentagon said 34 cases had been
Continue ReadingBAGHDAD, Iraq — Three rockets struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Sunday, U.S. officials told CNN and ABC News. Officials told ABC News that the dining hall was hit directly in Sunday’s attack. One of the officials said there were a total of five rockets fired and that three hit the embassy compound.
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