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Mullen: Iraq withdrawal still set
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Special to the News
Updated: Apr 25, 2011, 1:18 PM
Published: Apr 25, 2011, 1:19 PM

All American troops will be out of Iraq at the end of the year in accordance with the security agreement signed in 2008, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday.
“There are no plans — nor has there been any request from the Iraqi government — for any residual U.S. force presence here after December,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said during a news conference.
Roughly 47,000 American service members are in Iraq now. Since signing the agreement, the United States already  has withdrawn more than 100,000 personnel; at the height of the surge, the U.S. military had about 170,000 personnel in Iraq.
Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, commander of U.S. Forces-Iraq, has a plan in place to complete the withdrawal on time, Mullen said. “There are no official discussions with respect to any extended presence of United States forces,” the chairman added.
Though Iraqi security forces have the capability to defend their country, Mullen said, they still have vulnerabilities that will not be closed by the end of the year. The Iraqi Air Force, which has no fighter jets, will not be up to the task of defending its airspace, he noted. Intelligence capabilities and command and control capabilities need to be filled out, he added, and sustainment, maintenance and logistics capabilities need to be much more robust.
“For our part, the United States military will remain committed to helping Iraqi security forces improve their readiness in these areas,” Mullen said. “We will continue to help our State Department as they now assume the mantle of leadership in this relationship.”

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011
Bryan County News
Published: Apr 10, 2018, 1:53 PM

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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