Special Investigations Unit: Battlefield Breakdown

Excerpt from the CNN Press Release:

CNN: Special Investigations Unit - Battlefield Breakdown, reported by chief national correspondent John King, examines the unexpected consequences associated with the protracted war in Iraq. Battlefield Breakdown premieres on Saturday, June 30, and Sunday, July 1, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. All times Eastern.

To get an inside glimpse at the true costs of this war, CNN: Special Investigations Unit visited the front lines in Iraq and Kuwait, U.S. Army depots across the United States and the Wisconsin home of a family that paid the ultimate price in Iraq and believes their son was a victim of bad planning and inadequate training.

See the full CNN Press Release on Battlefield Breakdown.

Following King's visit to Balad, there was an article published in the March edition of the AMC Outpost. The AMC Outpost is a publication of the Army Materiel Command 402nd Army Field Support Brigade Public Affairs Office. Unfortunately, the March issue is no longer available online, but their editor, Ms. Debbie O'Connor was kind enough to provide me an electronic copy.

CNN Visits 402nd AFSB in Iraq

By Debbie O’Connor,
402nd AFSB Public Affairs Office

LSA ANACONDA, BALAD, Iraq—Led by national correspondent John King, a CNN team recently focused its lens on the 402nd Army Field Support Brigade—Iraq. During its March 18-20 visit, the news crew was filming an hour-long feature on Army readiness, equipping and the reset process. According to producer Laura Bernardini, CNN’s goal was to gain an understanding of Army readiness by seeing forward repair activities performing field level maintenance and meeting the personnel who do the mission in Kuwait and Iraq. The team toured the Baghdad Retrograde Operations Site and the HMMWV Enhancement Facility where they interviewed David Stewart, the FRAG 5 Armor Installation Site Lead. After Baghdad, CNN visited Balad where they toured the Route Clearance, HMMWV and Armor Security Vehicle Maintenance Facilities.


They also toured the Stryker forward repair activity at which King was given a ride in a Stryker vehicle. They also viewed the Tanker Ballistic Protective System and the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station. During a visit to the Theater Aviation Sustainment Manager site, they witnessed repairs to rotor blades. They rounded out their maintenance facility tour by seeing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles shop. They finished up by interviewing Col. Rob Sorensen, 402nd Army Field Support Brigade – Iraq Commander. Following their visit with the 402d, the team embedded with the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and went out on a convoy mission outside the base. While with the 13th SC (E), they also did a feature story on the life of an American Soldier, following a Soldier around for the day to witness living and working conditions.

The visit was a great way to demonstrate the brigade’s ability to synchronize Army Materiel Command battlefield repair capabilities while highlighting the brigade’s commitment to Warfighter support. Plans call for the story to air in six to eight weeks.