emily marcho's List: Afghanistan project

• A combined Afghan and coalition patrol killed multiple insurgents and detained  two other insurgents during an operation in Baghran district, Helmand province,  yesterday. During the operation, insurgents fired at the combined patrol.  Assessing the threat, the patrol returned fire, killing multiple insurgents.  8,800 pounds (4,000 kilograms) of poppy seeds, 66 pounds, (30 kilograms) of  opium and a quantity of small arms were seized by the security force. The  narcotics material and weapons were safely destroyed on site. 
  
  
• A combined Afghan and coalition security patrol discovered a large improvised  explosive device during an operation in Zharay district, Kandahar province,  yesterday. The IED was located just inside the entry to a local compound,  presenting a direct threat to the local population. The combined force requested  assistance from an explosive ordnance disposal team, which safely destroyed the  IED resulting in one uninhabited building damaged. No civilians were harmed  during the operation.
  
  
• During a routine security patrol in Ghazni district, Ghazni province, a combined  Afghan and coalition force observed multiple suspected insurgents unloading  AK-47s and RPGs from a container yesterday. Assessing an imminent threat, the  combined force requested close air support to engage the insurgent position  resulting in several insurgents killed and a building destroyed. The combined  force assessed that no civilians were harmed during the operation. In addition,  multiple rifles and RPGs were seized by the
• force and turned over to local police officials

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• The Secretary of Defense is the principal defense policy advisor to the  President. Under the direction of the President, the Secretary exercises  authority, direction
• , and control over the Department of Defense. The Deputy Secretary, the  second-highest ranking official in the DoD, is delegated full power and  authority to act for the Secretary and to exercise the powers of the Secretary  on any and all matters for which the Secretary is authorized to act.
• The Department of Defense is America's oldest and largest government agency.  With our military tracing its roots back to pre-Revolutionary times, the  Department of Defense has grown and evolved with our nation.
• not only in charge of the military, but it also employs a civilian force of  thousands.
• Headquarters of the Department of Defense, the Pentagon is one of the world's  largest office buildings.
• The national security depends on our defense installations and facilities being  in the right place, at the right time, with the right qualities and capacities  to protect our national resources.
• The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps were established in 1775, in concurrence with  the American Revolution. The War Department was established in 1789, and was the  precursor to what is now the Department of Defense.

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