European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 4, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                              Page 6 stars and stripes Mideast edition july 2007 extended marines eligible for More pay by Jeff Schogol stars and stripes marines serving seven month deploy ments can now earn per month for up to five months if they Are the change should affect an estimated marines in Iraq who were extended As part of the troop buildup known As the said Phillip Bonin compensation policy chief for the Marine in two Marine infantry battalions in Iraq were extended for about 60 Days and the 15th a to vets Wear your medals for the Holiday by Leo Shane Iii stars and stripes Honor ing the White and Blue dont forget the Silver and officials from the department of veterans affairs Are reminding All former service members to proudly Wear or display their medals this Independence Day As part of an Effort to highlight their sacrifices and inspire the next generation of military a Secretary Jim Nicholson proposed the idea last just be fore veterans he said Veter ans groups have told him Treyve used the initiative to spread More information about their Mem and individuals to Tell their families about their i received one letter from the wife of a Soldier who served in Vietnam who never wore his Pur ple heart because he thought it would be he when we announced he wore it with great Pride on Veter ans she was be cause it got the whole family talk ing about what he did and Nicholson said the idea is based on veterans celebrations in aus where veterans and family members routinely Wear their medals on National you dont have to have been a you dont have to have been in he everyone is important to the total and we want people to know and Honor the initiative is completely vol a officials reminded All veterans and current service members to double Check their service history if they have questions about what honors they May or May not have and to Fol Low appropriate rules for wearing the for More information on the medals initiative or for guidelines on proper display of visit email Leo Shane at  Marine expeditionary units deployment to Iraq was extended for 45 Days As part of an increase in forces in marines who were part of the surge and have since returned Home must go through their Chain of command to apply for the Bonincontri said the new policy became effective March according to a re cent corps wide or a the move does not indicate that the corps plans to extend marines now in Iraq or Bonincontri nor does the new policy mean that rotation lengths for marines downrange will most marines Are deployed for seven with marines at the level or High such As Headquarters ele serving 12month deploy those marines Are Al ready eligible for per month for up to three months if they Are Bonincontri commandant James con Way initiated the new Bon Incontri the intent is to provide compensation to members who As a re sult of operational requirements have been involuntarily extended beyond the original return Bonincontri eligible marines must be in the Central command theater of operations or other locations designated by the the new policy under the marines receive the full even if they Are extended for Only part of a if a is involuntarily extended for 61 the total air assignment incentive pay that is payable is be exercise boosts afghan troops War fighting proficiency i up above afghan National army soldiers fire artillery tuesday during a live fire exercise on the outskirts of right afghan troops prepare to fire their Wear below afghan soldiers run to their posts during the training photos by Musa Deq cause the exceeded 3 months of involuntary Exten the policy marines cannot receive the compensation if they have Al ready received Money under a separate program that pays marines per month to stay in the corps past the end of their Active service when their unit is sex the policy Bonincontri told stripes in february that Only 20 marines were eligible for the per month compensation for More see mar admin at email Jeff Schogol at  Friendly fire in 06 afghan fight killed i and Canadian the associated press a ver Mont National guard Soldier and a Canadian private who were killed in Afghanistan last year were hit by Friendly according to an army report released 1st class John Thomas was shot once each in the Back and head on March while crouching behind a Wall atop a building where he and other soldiers were repelling a major nighttime the machine gun rounds that killed Stone were fired from inside a compound operated by Spe Cial forces according to the a collection of witness statements assembled by Ameri can the Friendly fire also killed Ca Nadian forces Robert costal and wounded a number of Ameri can and Allied the report it does not indicate whether anyone was the report detailed How Ameri cans and afghan soldiers at for Ward operating base Robinson in Afghanistan Helmand province were expecting to be attacked in retaliation for a coalition strike on enemy an american ser Geant said he saw the errant shots by the special forces and urged the soldiers to Stop marines in 04 action in fal Lujah investigated san Diego the Navy is investigating possible military crimes by marines in the iraqi City of fal Lujah in fall officials said naval criminal investigative service spokesman de Buice said in an email that the Agency was pursuing credible allegations of wrongdoing made against fal Lujah was the scene of two Marine Battles in the first of which was launched after insurgents killed four contractors that Battle was aborted in april in marines led an offensive against in surgent holdouts in the a fight that produced heavy casual ties on both the investigation follows two court cases involving Camp Pendle to based marines suspected of crimes in Laditha and from the associated press