Security Forces Song

McChord's 'combo' team working hard at Rodeo 2011

The 62nd Airlift Wing's financial management Rodeo team finishes the two-mile run during the challenge course as part of the Air Mobility Rodeo competition July 26, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Sit-ups, push-ups and a two-mile run were just a few of the skills tested during the course. Teams were also graded on small arms assembly and Airman’s Manual knowledge. Rodeo is a bi-annual competition that encompasses all aspects of Air Mobility Command, including aerial port, aeromedical evacuation, maintenance, security forces, and financial management. (U.S.

Assad Praises Troops as Calls for U.N. Meeting on Syria Mount ...

Calls mounted for an emergency U.N. meeting on Syria Monday after troops killed nearly 141 people in one of the deadliest days so far and the regime praised the army for “foiling” the country’s enemies.

Rights activists said Sunday’s death toll included at least 100 when the army stormed the flashpoint protest city of Hama, scene of a 1982 Islamist revolt that was put down by deadly force, killing an estimated 20,000 people.

“It is one of the deadliest days” since the protests erupted on March 15, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Overall, the death toll from Sunday’s nationwide crackdown now stands at 139, including two more people who were shot dead in Hama and another person who was gunned down in Damascus, said the Observatory.

“Two people were killed by militias loyal to the regime in the village of Maar Daftin near Hama, and a third in Kessoua, near Damascus,” the rights group said.

President Bashar Assad, in a speech marking the 66th anniversary of the army’s formation, said the military “proved its loyalty to its people, country and creed,” state news agency SANA cited the embattled leader as saying.

“Its efforts and sacrifices will be admired,” he was quoted as saying, adding that “these sacrifices succeeded in foiling the enemies of the country and ending sedition, preserving Syria.”

Assad called the armed forces a “model of commitment to the nation’s causes and a defender of its rights,” and blamed the unrest on conspirators who wished to cause sedition.

Britain on Monday called for “stronger international pressure” on Syria, but ruled out military intervention.

“We want to see stronger international pressure all round, and of course to be effective that can’t just be pressure from Western nations,” Foreign Secretary William Hague told BBC radio.

“That includes from Arab nations, it includes from Turkey that has been very active in trying to persuade President Assad to reform instead of embarking on these appalling actions.”

Hague stressed there was no prospect of achieving a U.N. mandate for military intervention such as in Libya.

“It’s not a remote possibility, even if we were in favor of that, which we’re not,” he said.

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