Salem-News.com Military articles

Oregon State Chaplain Promoted to Colonel

Colonel Scott Delbridge has served in various chaplain roles throughout his time in the military.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Oregon National Guard Lt. Colonel Scott Delbridge, recently appointed as State Chaplain, was promoted to colonel in a ceremony held at Heritage Park in Salem, on Saturday.

The ceremony was attended by family, friends and members of the military, both currently serving and retired.

ODV Seeking Donations to Help Oregon Veterans Programs

In Oregon, between 2008 and 2012, suicide rates among veterans were significantly higher compared to non-veterans.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - The Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs is now accepting online donations to support four funds aimed at improving programs and supporting efforts that benefit Oregon veterans.

One of the funds, the Veteran Suicide Awareness and Prevention Fund, was established in 2013 when the Oregon Legislature passed SB 762 creating a public information campaign to raise awareness and prevent suicide by veterans in Oregon.

ISIS, Iraqi Army Battle for Control of Tikrit

Insurgents, led by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), were reported to have shot down a helicopter and captured the pilot.

(TIKRIT, Iraq) - Aircraft have struck at rebel positions and clashes have broken out in various parts of the city, witnesses and officials have said.

Troops had reportedly pulled back to the nearby town of Dijla as Saturday's initial offensive met stiff resistance. The city of Tikrit was captured by Sunni rebels on June 11 as they swept across large parts of northern Iraq.

Mexico Apologizes for Firing on U.S. Boarder Patrol Agents

The shots were fired at a Border Patrol vehicle.

(PHOENIX, Ariz. ) - U.S. authorities are investigating after two shots were fired from a Mexican law enforcement helicopter when it crossed the border into Arizona, although no injuries or damage to U.S. property were reported, the U.S. Border Patrol said on Friday.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement the incident took place early on Thursday at the Tohono O'odham Indian Nation reservation in southern Arizona.

Nigeria Mall Bomb Blast Kills 22; 16 of Which Were Soldiers

The extremist Boko Haram Islamic sect had claimed responsibility for the two successive explosions.

(ABUJA, Nigeria) - Twenty-one people were confirmed killed in yet another bomb explosion that rocked a major shopping mall in Wuse 2, Abuja, on Wednesday afternoon.

An eyewitness, who said he observed the scene about 50 meters away from the blast, claimed that two young men on a bike rode by and dropped the 'package' in a sac-like container and then sped off five minutes after the blast occurred.

Police Shoot 95-Year-Old WWII Vet to Death for Refusing to Go to Hospital

Lawsuit says victim was shot by beanbag rounds at close range.

(CHICAGO) - Suburban Chicago police shot a 95-year-old WWII veteran to death with bean bag rounds at short range because he refused to go to the hospital, his stepdaughter claims in court.

Victory Center employees tried to get Wrana into an ambulance, but he allegedly refused to leave his room. The defendant officers responded to employees' 911 call, and also were unable to persuade Wrana to go to the hospital. The officers conferred and decided to seize Wrana by force,

Militants Seize Iraqi Air Bases, Oilfields as U.S. Forces Arrive

Baghdad is racing against time as the insurgents consolidate their grip on Sunni provinces.

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - Militants attacked one of Iraq's largest air bases and seized control of several small oilfields on Wednesday as U.S. special forces troops and intelligence analysts arrived to help Iraqi security forces counter a mounting Sunni insurgency.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who is fighting for his job and is under international pressure to create a more inclusive government, said he supported starting the process of forming a new cabinet within a week.

Syrian Warplanes Kill 57 Civilians in Attack in Northern Iraq

In recent weeks, ISIS has taken over swaths of Iraq in its attempt to create an Islamic state stretching from Syria to Iraq.

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - At least 57 Iraqi civilians were killed and more than 120 others were wounded by what local officials say were Syrian warplanes that struck several parts of Anbar province Tuesday.

Sabah Karkhout, the head of Iraq’s Anbar provincial council, told CNN that the attacks struck markets and fuel stations in areas such as Rutba, al-Walid and Qaim.

Salem Area Veterans Get New Community Based Outpatient Clinic

A formal grand opening ceremony is scheduled for the Salem CBOC later this summer.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Salem will open on Wednesday, a new Community Based Outpatient Clinic as part of the Portland VA Medical Centers ongoing effort to improve access and care for Veterans.

The new 26,000 square foot facility is located at 1750 McGilchrist Street SE, Suite 130, and currently serves approximately 9,000 Veterans.

UN Says Over 1,000 Killed in Iraq in June

Abductions continue to be reported in the northern provinces and in Baghdad.

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - More than 1,000 people, mainly civilians, have been killed and roughly the same number injured in fighting and other violence in Iraq in June as Sunni militants swept through the north, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

Victims include a number of confirmed summary executions committed by forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant -- ISIL -- and prisoners killed by retreating Iraqi forces.