Here are the top stories for Jan. 27, 2020 straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

United States and Iran Escalation: A Brief Timeline

While Army Wife Talk Radio was on break, tensions between the United States and Iran escalated. Here is a snapshot of history as outlined by AP News to help us understand where we currently are with this conflict. AP News has more details if you would like to dive deeper into this timeline.

• May 8, 2018: President Trump backed out of the nuclear deal between the United States and Iran.

• Nov. 5, 2018: The United States imposed steep sanctions on Iran’s oil industry. Vox reported that this resulted in a significant reduction of oil exports for Iran, from 2.5 million barrels a day before sanctions, to currently a half million barrel a day.

• Fall of 2019: There was an uptick in unrest in the region driven by “economic grievances” that included large anti-government protests in Lebanon and Iraq. Iran also raised the price of gasoline, resulting in additional protests where an estimated 300 people were killed.

• Dec. 27, 2019: A rocket attack on a base in Iraq killed a U.S. contractor and wounded several American and Iraqi troops. The U.S. placed the blame on Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia operating in Iraq.

• Dec. 29, 2019: The U.S. launched airstrikes to hit Kataeb Hezbollah in both Iraq and Syria and killed at least 25 fighters.

• Dec. 31, 2019: Hundreds of Iran-backed protesters stormed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and protested for two days. The protestors pushed through the outer barrier of the embassy, threw rocks, and set fires.

• Jan. 1, 2020: United States soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force were notified of a rapid deployment. The New York Times estimates that about 4,000 troops have been deployed from the 82nd since the initial notice.

• Jan. 3, 2020: The United States killed General Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force and another senior commander of an Iran-backed militia in an airstrike.

• Jan. 5, 2020: Iran announced it would no longer abide by the nuclear deal. Additionally, Iraq’s parliament overwhelmingly voted to expel all U.S. troops from Iraq.

• Jan. 8, 2020: Iran fired missiles at two bases in Iraq. Hours later, it fired a missile that hit a civilian plane in Tehran, Iran, and caused it to crash, killing all 176 people on board. Reports show that Iran had mistaken the plane for a U.S. missile.

Family Members of Deployed Soldiers Receive Menacing Messages

Business Insider recently reported that families of the 82nd Airborne Division have been receiving threatening messages on social media.

“Families have reported instances where they have received unsolicited contact with some menacing messaging,” said Lt. Col. Mike Burns, a division spokesperson.

There is no time like the present to refresh yourself on OPSEC and PERSEC guidelines to keep our troops and your family safe. Please remember: Loose lips sink ships…and loose tweets sink fleets!

MiitarySpot.com and Operation We Are Here have comprehensive recommendations. The Navy also has an OPSEC course that you can review online with video examples.

Mail Delivery Suspended to Troops in Iraq

Military Times reported that the Pentagon has suspended mail deliveries to troops in Iraq. The United States Postal Service will not accept any mail to eight designated ZIP codes. 

“The Pentagon has temporarily suspended deliveries to clear a backlog of mail flowing into that country,” Military Times said. “There are about 5,200 U.S. troops now in Iraq.”

Landmark Legislation Passed

A “landmark legislation” was passed just days before Christmas, reported FOX 46 out of Charlotte, North Carolina. The Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 86-8. Part of that Act was a provision led by Sgt. First Class Richard Stayska, “that will allow service members who have been victims of negligent medical care to finally be allowed to hold the government accountable.” The Department of Defense has been allocated $400 million to “investigate and pay out military medical malpractice claims internally. It will provide a measure of justice to service members and their families that has previously been denied.”