European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 112007 stars and stripes Page Australia to double its afghan Force stars and stripes the australian government announced tuesday that it would double its troop Levels in Afghanistan this year increasing the contingent to around 1000 troops at least 300 of the additional australian troops would be special forces Likely to deploy to the coun try Early this summer their role will be to enhance provincial Security by disrupting Taliban command and control Supply routes and  directly support the australian re construction task Force australian prime minister John Howard said at a news conference it is difficult if s dangerous work and that should not in any Way be underestimated but there is a lot at stake Howard also said that australian forces face the distinct possibility of casualties australian commandos had last been in the coun try last year Howard said military officials expect this Spring and summer to see a surge in Taliban attacks fierce clashes have already broken out in the Southern part of the country As resurgent militias mount attacks on of Wade department of defence australian special forces task group soldiers train in Afghanistan australian prime minister John Howard said tuesday that the Commonwealth would double its troop Levels in Afghanistan this year in creasing the contingent to around 1000 troops including 300 special forces Ghan and International troops Afghanistan faces a crucial phase As International and afghan National Security forces work to consolidate the gains made since the overthrow of the Taliban regime Howard said the International Security assistance Force led by nato is currently under the command of us army Gen Dan k Mcneil Guam sailors make the Best out of life atop an iraqi Oil Rig by Jennifer h Svan stars and stripes six months is a Long time to live in a shipping Container on a giant steel grate at least 85 feet above the Ocean that3 s a lot of Metal a lot of Salt a lot of Sun and Why sailors with Mobile Security Squadron 7 detachment 73 at us naval base Guam Are Happy to be Home but despite the austere living in the Northern persian Gulf there was something special about the deployment the sailors said because of the importance of the Mission and camaraderie that grew from touching it on an Oil Rig 14 Miles out to sea More than 60 sailors deployed with the Squadron in mid septem mostly masters tanks but also a few gunners mates and two corpsmen half returned March 24 and the rest arrived on Guam on Friday to when Small packages bring big changes our Spring Auto loan can help visit our website or ask a Community Bank associate about a 100 financed Auto loan and our easy application process   credit subject to approval and Normal credit standards apply ban of America member Odic their Job was to train iraqi Marine platoons in guarding Iraq two offshore Oil terminals Basra and Khwarg Al Amaya said Navy la Aaron Bergman the squad Rons  in a phone interview from Guam on monday they also were there to Back up iraqi marines if the platforms were attacked Bergman said then there was the business of living we were it Bergman said we cooked our own food did our own dishes cleaned painted pre served on top of the Normal duties we had to do for training and Protection of the platform food picked up regularly in Kuwait by Small boat was easier to come by than water indeed water was everywhere but was Only drinkable after a pro Cess to remove the Salt maintaining those reverse osmosis pumps one on each plat form almost a full time Job in itself Bergman said life on the platforms was an in even rhythm of 18to20hour workdays interspersed with the occasional absolutely nothing to do Bergman said sailors used free time to build shelves or desks to enhance living areas they worked out read and studied for College courses said Petty officer 3rd class Gregory Chaney 25 of Dallas a Mas treat arms they also went through seven footballs because sometimes they fall in the water Chaney said we brought the first two then had the next five mailed to us Chaney was on the sea marshal team which boarded Oil vessels to Check clearance and sweep for explosives Riding the ship until it moored at the platform i enjoyed the Mission Chaney said i think everyone did for the most part its a Good group of Guys we were All with out there you feel like youre actually doing something under the Guam sailors watch about 13 billion barrels of fuel was pumped from the platforms Bergman said the amount of Cash that flowed through there was phenomenal he said that s basically what s supporting the iraqi government completely in that re Gard we really do feel like we were contributing Chaney said the deployment taught him to appreciate his life More and not just because his shipping Container was stacked three High 140 feet above sea water when you see their situation he said of the iraqi marines the Home life How they grew up How Little Money they make just How hard their life has been it makes you realize How much you take for granted email Jennifer h Svan at