January 2004
Jan. 3
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl in Antonio, Texas, brings together the top 78 high school football players in the annual East vs. West all-star game sponsored by Army Accessions Command.
Jan. 7
Officials announce that the latest Stop-Loss initiative will affect approximately 7,000 Soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers will be required to remain with their units during the deployment process.
Jan. 7
Family and friends gather to welcome home the first of 18,000 101st Airborne Division Soldiers redeploying from Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Jan. 8
A plaque honoring LTC Kim Orlando is placed in the FBI Academy's Martyr's Wall in the Hall of Honor. An academy graduate and former commander of the 716th Military Police Battalion, Orlando was killed in Karbala, Iraq.
Jan. 11
Khamis Sirhan al-Muhammad, former Ba'ath Party regional chairman for the Karbala government is captured. He was number 54 of Iraq's 55 most-wanted fugitives.
Jan. 20
The Shadow unmanned aerial vehicle is deployed to Iraq to assist with gathering intelligence information from high altitudes.
Jan. 22
Elements of the 101st Airborne Division hand over control of the Tigris River Valley area of northern Iraq to Stryker-equipped elements of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Div.
February 2004
Feb. 4
Soldiers of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga., travel to Iraq to teach other Soldiers marksmanship techniques.
Feb. 5
The Army safety campaign begins.
Feb. 8
SPC Emilee Pardo, Soldier of the year for the 25th Inf. Div., is chosen as part of a joint force to participate in Pro Bowl activities at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Feb. 8
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service continues to serve Soldiers deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom by opening a new exchange at Forward Operating Base Ironhorse in Tikrit, Iraq.
Feb. 12
SPC Ryan Anderson, a member of the Washington National Guard's 81st Armored Bde., is apprehended on charges of attempting to aid the al-Qaeda terrorist network.
Feb. 17
All Soldiers are directed to wear the U.S. flag on the right shoulder of their utility uniforms.
Feb. 26
Defense officials announce the criteria for the award of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
March 2004
March 4
SGT Hasan Akbar, who of premeditated murder and premeditated murder, goes before general court martial for a grenade attack in Kuwait that killed two Soldiers and wounded 14 others.
March 12
The Department of the Army announces a new program called Assignment Incentive Pay to encourage Soldiers to extend their tours in Korea.
March 12
At a Pentagon ceremony MSG Dennis Woods of the XVIII Abn. Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C., and 45 civilian employees receive the Presidential Rank award for exceptional long-term accomplishments.
March 18
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service opens "Reel Time," its first movie theater in Balad, Iraq.
March 19
A ceremony in Heidelberg, Germany, marks the return of V Corps Soldiers after their yearlong deployment to Southwest Asia.
March 19
Fort Lee, Va., officials dedicate a new public affairs building to NBC News correspondent David Bloom, who died in April 2003 of a pulmonary embolism while embedded with the 3rd Inf. Div. In Iraq.
March 20
Six Soldiers are accused of detainee abuse at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The charges result after a January probe into inappropriate treatment of prisoners at the facility.
March 26
The Army's first "unit of action" begins field testing the new brigade structure at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.
March 31
The Shades of Green Armed Forces Recreation Center hotel at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida celebrates the opening of a new wing.
April 2004
April 1
The Baghdad International Police Academy graduates its second class of students. Instructors from the United States, other coalition countries and Iraq taught students the basics of police paperwork, search techniques and traffic control.
April 7
SSG Shon Lewis is named the Greco-Roman coach of the year for the second consecutive year by USA Wrestling.
April 12
Golfer Tiger Woods trains for a week with the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg.
April 17
The Army announces a partnership with the Professional Bull Riders Association to assist in Army recruiting efforts.
April 17
Soldiers from Company B, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," help distribute relief supplies after storms cause flooding near Camp Lemonier, Djibouti.
April 25
SSG Colin Boley of 3rd Bn., 75th Ranger Regiment, and SSG Adam Nash of the regiment's Headquarters and HQs. Co., earn Best Ranger titles.
April 30
The Disabled Soldier Support: System is announced as a way to help wounded Soldiers receive the help and information they need until they can return to active duty, receive a medical retirement or be medically discharged.
April 30
The 2004 U.S. Army Soldier Show begins its season at Fort Belvoir. Va., with the production "The Heart of a Soldier."
May 2004
May 3
MAJ David Johnson, a Reservist with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson. Colo., is selected to be the rifle coach for Team USA at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Greece.
May 5
Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., are honored as the 2004 Chief of Staff of the Army Communities of Excellence Aware winners.
May 6
MAJ Shane Kimbrough is one of 11 candidates, including three other service members, selected by NASA to become the next generation of space explorers.
May 6
Army special-operations forces receive their first MH-47G Chinook helicopter during a rollout ceremony at the Boeing Helicopters compound in Ridley Park, Pa.
May 15
Combined Joint Task Force-7 inactivates and two new commands. Multi-National Force Iraq and Multi-National Corps Iraq, are activated.
May 17
Active-duty and National Guard military police units that served as part of Operation Noble Eagle are recognized during a "mission complete" and demobilization ceremony at the Pentagon.
May 19
SPC Jeremy Sivits is sentenced to one year in confinement, a bad conduct discharge and reduction in rank to private in connection with the Abu Ghraib prison abuse investigation.
May 20
SGT Jarval Davis, SSG Ivan Frederick II and SPC Charles Graner are arraigned on charges in connection with events at Abu Ghraib.
May 29
President George W. Bush dedicates the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., during a ceremony attended by some 100,000 people.
June 2004
June 5
Former President Ronald Reagan dies. The Military District of Washington begins preparations for the state funeral to be held in Washington, D.C.
June 6
President Bush honors the thousands of Soldiers who died during the Normandy invasion in 1944, by speaking at the American Cemetery in Normandy.
June 8
Georgia Army National Guard BG Terry Nesbitt becomes the first National Guard general to command a joint force during the Group of Eight Summit at St. Simons Island, Ga.
June 13
Former President George H.W. Bush celebrates his 80th birthday by making a tandem parachute jump with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute demonstration team.
June 14
On the Army's 229th birthday senior leaders introduce the Army combat uniform. The new uniform will be fielded and tested by Stryker brigade Soldiers and will be issued beginning in April 2005.
June 18
SSG Jason Maynard of the 1st Battalion, 40th Field Artillery, at Fort Sill, Okla., and SFC Jennifer Fowler of the 95th Division, Oklahoma City, Okla., are selected as the active and Reserve drill sergeants of the year.
June 21
SGT Johnnie Williams wins a gold medal in weightlifting at the 24th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Williams lost the use of his legs during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
June 26
Taliban leaders Abdul Hafiz Majid and Mohammed Daud surrender to coalition forces during a pre-dawn raid in southern Afghanistan.
June 29
Infantrymen of the 2nd Bn., 5th Infantry Regiment, 25th Inf. Division, join forces with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit during combat operations in central Afghanistan.
June 30
The Army announces plans to order 5,600 Soldiers in the Individual Ready Reserve to active duty for possible deployment.
July 2004
July 2
GEN Richard Cody is sworn in as the 31st Army vice chief of staff.
July 4
Members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) Fife and Drum Corps and Continental Color Guard participate in the "Let Freedom Ring" celebration in Philadelphia, Pa., for the first time in the celebration's 38-year history.
July 4
Task Force 1st Armored Div. cases the colors representing the units that have served in Iraq in preparation for the units' departure from the area of operations.
July 9
