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• Division within Occupy Colorado Springs

  March 8, 2012 9:51 PM

  An anti-war tone taken up by Occupy Colorado Springs has forced some members to split off, claiming they were ousted because they support the troops. Brittany Westmoreland, who is married to a soldier, was one of several members who received probation notices from organizers at OCS. The letter revoked... more »

• Colombia drops disputed 'military exclusion' plan

  February 19, 2012 12:26 AM

  BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Colombia's government is dropping a proposed judicial change that would have let military judges decide whether soldiers should be tried for alleged rights abuses. Human rights groups have opposed the measure. Justice Minister Carlos Esguerra said Saturday the decision not to seek restoration of the "military... more »

• Fort Carson soldiers gain U.S. citizenship

  February 14, 2012 5:41 AM

  FORT CARSON, Colo. (AP) - Three soldiers based at Fort Carson have become U.S. citizens while serving in Afghanistan. The Army says Pfc. Satoshi Kondo, Pfc. Alberto Vera-Navarro and Spc. Qianqian Liu took an oath of allegiance and became citizens on Friday in a ceremony at Kandahar Air Field. They... more »

• Army to slash combat brigades

  January 25, 2012 1:16 PM

  Washington (AP) U.S. officials say the Army plans to slash the number of combat brigades from 45 to as low as 32, broadly restructuring its fighting force to save money. This move would cut the service by about 80,000 soldiers. Officials say the sweeping changes will likely increase... more »

• Former NFL players encourage soldiers Play Video

  January 8, 2012 11:37 PM

  Alexander Walton loves hanging out with the guys. In 2010 he joined the army for a life of brotherhood and service. Now he's preparing to leave that. He has a degenerative knee condition and is being medically discharged. "Mentally I'm not the same anymore and physically I'm not. I... more »

• Fort Carson Soldiers home for Christmas Play Video

  December 16, 2011 7:49 PM

  Emotions fill the air as hundreds of families anxiously await the arrival of their loved ones returning from Afghanistan. April Sarver hasn't seen her husband in six months. "Its been rough. But he did an awesome job so we're proud", said April Sarver. Its the same story for... more »

• Serving those who serve Play Video

  November 21, 2011 5:52 PM

  It's hard to picture America's fighting men and women struggling so much financially as to not be able to afford a proper Thanksgiving dinner, but it happens. Meeting that need is a priority for Carey Adams, director of Gods Pantry Ministries in Fountain. She and about two dozen volunteers set... more »

• Local pantry feeds soldiers and wounded warriors

  November 21, 2011 12:19 PM

  God's Pantry Food Bank in Fountain will be donating over 5 dozen holiday food boxes to local soldiers and wounded warriors today as part of their mission to feed families in the Fountain Valley area. Another 150 food boxes will be distributed to homes in Fountain, Widefield, Security and the... more »

• Troops will return to Fort Carson tomorrow

  August 23, 2011 8:26 AM

  Soldiers from a Fort Carson bomb-disposal unit are returning from Iraq tomorrow. A welcome-home ceremony is set Wednesday for the 242nd Explosive Ordnance Battalion. The troops spent about a year in Iraq. The soldiers performed and directed more than 1,500 missions, including about 850 emergency responses and 350... more »

• Bombing in Baghdad injures 3 soldiers

  August 21, 2011 8:52 AM

  A roadside bomb injured seven people including three soldiers Sunday in northern Baghdad. According to NBC news, Iraqi police said the bomb targeted civilians and exploded while people were passing by a checkpoint. Earlier in the week, around 70 people were killed when suicide bombers, car bombs and roadside... more »

• Obama mourns 'soldier-statesman' Shalikashvili

  July 23, 2011 7:06 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says the United States has lost a "genuine soldier-statesman" with the death of Army Gen. John Shalikashvili. Shalikashvili was the first foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Obama said Shalikashvili's "extraordinary life represented the promise of America and the limitless... more »

• Soldiers expected at Fort Carson today

  July 20, 2011 8:24 AM

  About 40 Fort Carson Soldiers from the 62nd Explosives Ordnance Disposal Company are expected to return this afternoon. They spend about a year in Afghanistan conducting more than 850 emergency response combat missions, including 350 involving improvised explosive devices. Individuals in the company received five Purple Hearts, 17... more »

• Gay soldiers beaten in possible hate crime Play Video

  July 3, 2011 8:54 PM

  Their car a bloody mess, a group of Fort Carson soldiers and their friends try to pick up the pieces after a seemingly senseless hate crime early Saturday morning at the Albertacos restaurant in northeastern Colorado Springs. Chris, one of the victims and a gay soldier, asked that we... more »

• Fort Carson soldiers returning this morning

  May 28, 2011 8:10 AM

  The first group of returning soldiers with the First Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division are expected to arrive at Fort Carson at 7:00 a.m. Saturday. The 52 soldiers are the first of around 3,500 members of the Raider Brigade who are expected to return from Afghanistan in the... more »

• Report: Morale low among troops in Afghanistan

  May 19, 2011 12:08 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - American soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan are suffering with the highest rates of psychological problems since 2005 and morale has plummeted. A report Thursday by the military services says the dramatic increase in fighting is one of the big factors affecting the mental health of forces... more »

• Faith community addressing PTSD issues Play Video

  April 30, 2011 8:00 PM

  Even with all of the resources of the military, taking care of all of the soldiers coming home with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a big task. Local experts say we have 70,000 active duty or retired military suffering from P.T.S.D. in the Pikes Peak region. "Talking about the divorce... more »

• Local soldiers give advice to the ones just getting home Play Video

  April 11, 2011 6:50 PM

  Local soldiers, looking for ways to deal with their own stress since returning from war, are trying to help soldiers just coming home by giving advice on how make the transition that has been tough for so many. The Army begins screening soldiers right when they get home to... more »

• Soldiers already home giving advice to those getting back

  April 11, 2011 1:10 PM

  Fort Carson and the rest of Colorado Springs are preparing for thousands of soldiers who are rotating home from combat. A group of soldiers who have already made the transition home say it's not always an easy one, and they're giving advice to the ones getting back. Two bits of... more »

• Trauma expert says common PTSD treatments may not be the best

  March 21, 2011 7:23 PM

  Local experts say that 10 to 30 percent of military coming home from war could be diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. "We are a hotbed for trauma just because of our military instillations and what's going on," says Brian Duncan, C.E.O. of the Haven Warrior Support Center... more »

• More soldiers come home

  March 14, 2011 2:27 PM

  A Welcome Home ceremony for approximately 250 Fort Carson soldiers returning from Iraq is scheduled for tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Special Events Center on post. The soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, spent the year-long deployment advising and assisting the Iraqi army, police... more »

• Soldiers return from Iraq, Afghanistan Play Video

  March 8, 2011 2:03 AM

  Not one, not two, but three homecomings in six hours happened at Fort Carson Monday night and Tuesday morning. The first homecoming welcomed 250 soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. These soldiers have spent the last 12 months in Iraq where they trained and worked... more »

• Sen. Udall calls for TBI therapy for veterans

  February 7, 2011 8:56 AM

  Sen. Mark Udall, co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, signed a bipartisan letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates urging the Secretary to provide soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injury with cognitive rehabilitation therapy. The letter notes that the therapy is widely recognized as effective treatment for TBI victims.... more »

• Soldiers tackle war wounds using a new arsenal

  January 28, 2011 12:22 AM

  Paints, brushes, and canvases compose this new armory, which is housed at the Bemis School of Art at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs, and soldiers use these tools to heal on a weekly basis. Aspen Pointe and the Fine Arts Center teamed up to create the Military... more »

• Springs woman sending off "Beans for the Brave"

  January 17, 2011 7:55 PM

  A Colorado Springs woman says she's found "gold" for our soldiers overseas. MeLissa Rocco has been selling chocolate for about a year now. She was having a show for some of her products in December when a soldier at the show told her that the chocolate covered espresso beans... more »

• Group holds fundraiser for injured soldiers

  December 14, 2010 4:32 PM

  LifeQuest Transitions will hold a fundraiser tomorrow with money raised going to empower wounded, ill and injured soldiers at Fort Carson. The event will be held at the Colorado Springs Marriott tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. with expected attendance of over 375 individuals, business owners, community leaders, wounded soldiers and... more »

• Just text to donate to Ft. Carson soldiers

  November 17, 2010 7:43 PM

  Coca Cola and Wal-Mart have launched a mobile giving campaign in Colorado Springs...to support Fort Carson families. You simply text, to make a donation to the Association of the US Army; money raised will support families who have lost a loved one in combat, "The overall goal obviously is support... more »

• Applebee's gives away thousands of dollars in meals during Veterans Day

  November 11, 2010 10:46 PM

  Applebee's in both Colorado Springs and Pueblo honored active service members and veterans by serving them free meals on Veterans Day. At the restaurant's Colorado Springs location on Galley Road, the wait for a table was up to forty-five minutes during lunch. While past and present service members waited in... more »

• Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill gives away big check

  November 11, 2010 10:03 PM

  On Thursday, Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill presented a check for more than one thousand dollars to the Home Front Cares organization at their Broadmoor Towne Centre location. "We're excited about giving back to the community and, specifically, to our veterans for the jobs they do and for keeping us all safe,"... more »

• Soldier gets help getting off the streets

  November 6, 2010 12:43 AM

  The hassles of moving are only happiness for Jesse Thomas, an Iraq combat veteran who's been homeless for months; including the last five that he's had his son, Jah-mere. "This is the car seat that I had for him when we slept in the car and these two baby... more »

• Soldiers battle post-traumatic stress disorder through art Play Video

  October 31, 2010 10:48 AM

  After witnessing the horrors of war, many of our soldiers are afflicted with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Specialist Isaac Torres was one of them. He returned from Iraq in 2006; eight months later he was diagnosed with PTSD. Over the years, "I've tried many therapies," he says; however, none... more »

• Fort Carson memorial today for fallen soldiers

  October 13, 2010 9:47 AM

  Fort Carson will hold a memorial service today to honor nine fallen soldiers, all killed in combat operations overseas. The soldiers to be honored: Chaplain (Capt.) Dale A. Goetz - 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division 1st Lt. Mark A.... more »

• Army: Returning Ft Carson troops had fewer problems

  September 23, 2010 3:38 PM

  The Army says soldiers who returned to Fort Carson from Afghanistan this spring had fewer behavior problems and were more likely to seek help than soldiers on previous combat tours. Maj. Gen. David G. Perkins, the post's commander, said Thursday that soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade... more »

• Afghan helicopter crash kills 9 Americans

  September 21, 2010 9:36 AM

  A helicopter crash killed nine American troops in Afghanistan on Tuesday, NBC News reported. The incident made 2010 the deadliest year for foreign troops of the war, according to monitoring website iCasualties.org. The deaths take the toll so far this year to at least 529. Last year, 521 foreign... more »

• Sister shares what she'll miss about her brother Play Video

  September 6, 2010 7:48 PM

  The sister of a Fort Carson Soldier, killed last week in Afghanistan, is sharing with News First 5 some of the things she says made her brother special. Staff Sergeant Casey Grochowiak left for Afghanistan just a few weeks ago, with the 1st Brigade Combat Team. He was killed... more »

• 5 American soldiers die in Afghanistan

  August 31, 2010 2:32 PM

  Five more American troops were killed in action in Afghanistan on Tuesday, ending the month with a spike in bloodshed that has claimed the lives of 19 U.S. service members in only four days. The U.S. death toll for August stood at 55 - three-quarters of them in the... more »

• Questions loom over drug given to sleepless vets

  August 30, 2010 8:36 AM

  Some military families are calling on Congress to investigate several deaths of soldiers and veterans who were taking a potent anti-pyschotic called Seroquel. Thousands of soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have received the same medication over the last nine years. It's unclear how many soldiers have... more »

• Colorado refused waiver on military ballots

  August 27, 2010 3:20 PM

  The Pentagon has told Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher that it has denied a waiver to exempt the state from a federal requirement to mail ballots to military service members overseas 45 days before the November election. Spokesman Rich Coolidge confirmed that Colorado's waiver request has been denied.... more »

• Peterson AFB plans homecoming for deployed soldiers

  August 27, 2010 8:38 AM

  Eight soldiers from the Colorado Army National Guard are returning home after a nine-month deployment in Bahrain. A homecoming ceremony is planned Friday at Peterson Air Force Base. The soldiers are members of Commercial Imagery Team 4 from the Colorado Guard's 117th Space Battalion. The unit provided commercial satellite... more »

• US troops in Iraq fall below 50,000 number

  August 24, 2010 8:21 AM

  The American military says the number of US troops in Iraq has fallen below the 50,000 figure that was mandated by President Barack Obama. This is the lowest troop level in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. American forces in Iraq will no longer conduct what are described... more »

• Father-son soldiers have reunion in Afghanistan

  August 23, 2010 10:25 AM

  An Army private from Fort Carson had a surprise reunion in Afghanistan with his father, an Army sergeant from a Texas unit. Sgt. 1st Class Marc Seal tracked down his son, Pfc. Nolan Seal, at the Kandahar Airfield on Aug. 9. The elder Seal is an infantry squad... more »

• Even with draw down, 3,800 Ft. Carson soldiers are to remain in Iraq Play Video

  August 19, 2010 10:55 PM

  The U.S. mission in Iraq now has a new name -- Operation New Dawn. Operation New Dawn means big military changes in Iraq. U.S. boots on the ground are being decreased to 50,000, from a high of at one point over 180,000. Those soldiers who remain in Iraq have... more »

• 3,800 Fort Carson soldiers remain in Iraq

  August 19, 2010 3:27 PM

  About 3,800 soldiers from Fort Carson are staying behind in Iraq in a training role, even though the last U.S. combat troops have pulled out. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division is assigned to help train Iraqi security forces. The soldiers deployed to southern Iraq... more »

• Care packages to troops being confiscated

  August 10, 2010 8:51 AM

  If you send care packages to a loved on who's deployed in Afghanistan, leave out the tobacco. A new law meant to stop smuggling by mail has inadvertently also halted care packages that include cigarettes and other tobacco products for American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Prevent... more »

• Welcome home! 4th BCT unfurling flag

  August 4, 2010 4:49 PM

  An Army brigade that lost 39 soldiers during a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan is formally marking its return to Fort Carson. The 4th Brigade Combat Team will honor the fallen soldiers and unfurl its flag in a ceremony Friday at the Mountain Post. Eight members of the brigade... more »

• Colorado wants waiver for military ballots

  August 2, 2010 12:05 PM

  Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher is asking the federal government for a waiver of the 45-day rule to mail ballots to military servicemen overseas for the November election. Spokesman Rich Coolidge says the ballots will still be mailed, but some soldiers might not have enough time to mail... more »

• War hero dogs arrive in America

  August 2, 2010 9:14 AM

  The details of that night in Afghanistan this past February are still fuzzy for National Guardsman Sgt. Chris Duke. He remembers the explosion and being wounded, but he will never forget what the three dogs his unit adopted did for him and his buddies. Now Sgt. Duke is... more »

• Final day of Fort Carson blood drive

  July 14, 2010 9:21 AM

  Today is the final day to donate blood for members of the military injured in the war zone. Fort Carson is holding the drive at the post's Special Events Center, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. You do not need an appointment. Blood donors should enter Fort Carson through... more »

• Welcome Home

  June 12, 2010 2:21 PM

  Family and friends welcomed home about 40 soldiers back from almost one year in Afghanistan. The 764th Exposive Ordnance Disposal Company, 242 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, 71st Ordnance Group at Fort Carson arrived home Saturday afternoon. The 764th defused over 600 IED's while in Afghanistan. They cleared about... more »

• World War II vets gather each month for lunch Play Video

  June 9, 2010 12:56 PM

  Each month at the Peak Grill in Colorado Springs they come. World War II veterans get together to laugh and cry and remember. Master Sgt. Edwin Beck spend six months in a German prison camp. He says you can see a movie about it, or read about, but to... more »

• Fort Carson soldiers home from Afghanistan

  June 9, 2010 10:59 AM

  Hundreds of Fort Carson soldiers have been dismissed into the arms of their anxious families following a year-long deployment in Afghanistan. The soldiers are with the Fourth Brigade Combat Team, Fourth Infantry Division. They were assisting the Afghanistan National Army with peacekeeping operations. The homecoming ceremony was held... more »

• Ft. Carson memorial service for fallen soldiers

  June 9, 2010 9:06 AM

  Fort Carson will hold a memorial service at 11:00 Wednesday morning for three fallen soldiers. The troops were killed in Afghanistan. Soldiers being memorialized are: Sgt. Grant A. Wichmann - 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Field Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Sgt. Nathan P. Kennedy -... more »

• 4 Americans killed when helicopter shot down

  June 9, 2010 8:27 AM

  Four American servicemembers were killed Wednesday when their helicopter was shot down by enemy fire in Afghanistan's Helmand province, U.S. military officials told NBC News. Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi claimed responsibility on behalf of the insurgents, saying militants shot down the helicopter with two rockets. Helmand provincial... more »

• More soldiers come home

  May 28, 2010 6:18 PM

  Hundreds more soldiers came home Friday from war. Fort Carson welcomed about 340 troops from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Family and friends were there to greet them when they were released from formation. They've been in Afghanistan for about a year. more »

• Military group tours Southern Colorado

  May 21, 2010 4:31 PM

  Every other year a group of veterans from the 8th Batallian, 4th Field Artillery get together somewhere in the U.S. for a reunion. This year they picked Southern Colorado. They paused Friday morning for remember those who died in Vietnam at the memorial in the Elizabeth Parkway in Pueblo.... more »

• Another wave of soldiers headed home

  May 20, 2010 3:44 PM

  Fort Carson is gearing up for another happy homecoming. Officials at the Mountain Post say more than 80 soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division are scheduled to arrive at 12:55p.m. Friday afternoon for a ceremony at the Special Events Center. This group has been supporting... more »

• Big weekend for Ft. Carson soldiers coming home Play Video

  May 16, 2010 8:47 PM

  The anticipation has been building. You can measure it in signs that line roads and bridges around town. For many who made them, they soon won't be waiting any longer. Nearly 1,000 soldiers are coming home over the weekend, to family and friends ready to welcome them back with... more »

• 44,000 Army helmets recalled

  May 14, 2010 7:54 PM

  The Army says it is recalling 44,000 advanced combat helmets that have been issued to soldiers worldwide because they do not meet military specifications. The Army said in a statement Friday that the risk to soldiers wearing the helmets is still being determined. New helmets are being issued... more »

• Fort Carson homecoming rescheduled

  May 14, 2010 2:07 PM

  Cross your fingers for the exhausted soldiers and their emotionally drained families--Fort Carson reports that 240 troops who were supposed to be home from Afghanistan earlier this week will finally get home tonight. The troops are members of the 984th and 759th MPs. The mountain post will hold... more »

• Fort Carson homecoming delayed until Friday

  May 11, 2010 12:34 PM

  There are some very disappointed families in Colorado Springs. The arrival time for 240 soldiers returning to Fort Carson from Afghanistan has been pushed back until Friday. Soldiers from two military police units were expected to return Wednesday, but that has been delayed until Friday morning. The... more »

• Fort Carson welcoming 240 soldiers back home

  May 10, 2010 11:12 AM

  Fort Carson is planning a ceremony Tuesday to welcome home more than 240 soldiers who were deployed for about a year to Afghanistan. The soldiers are from the 984th Military Police Company and the 759th Military Police Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment. The 984th MP Company worked with... more »

• U.S. troops spoof Lady Gaga's "Telephone" Play Video

  May 6, 2010 10:36 AM

  Some U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan put together their own remake of Lady Gaga and Beyonce's "Telephone" music video. The video spoof shows soldiers performing choreographed dance routines and wearing homemade costumes. The remake is a hit on YouTube with more than 2.8 million plays. Even if you haven't seen... more »