Military Intelligence — Two Marine reservists killed in action

Two Marine reservists serving in Afghanistan's Helmand province died last week after being wounded in combat. They served in the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion -- the same asFrederick 's Marine Reserve unit -- in Company C, stationed in Utah.
Lance Cpl. Carlos Aragon, 19, a light armored vehicle technician, died March 1. Lance Cpl. Nigel Olsen, 21, an infantryman, died three days later. Both were from Orem, Utah, and graduated from Mountain View High School.
Aragon was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. He joined the Marines on Nov. 3, 2008, after graduating earlier that year, according to a story in the Deseret News. He died when he triggered an improvised explosive device while on a foot patrol. He was buried March 6 in Lehi, Utah.
Olsen was born in American Fork, Utah, and joined the Marines on Oct. 15, 2007, after graduating earlier that year. It is unclear how he died.

High praise for tactics
The work of the 4th LAR Battalion Marines in the Helmand province of Afghanistan will likely be mimicked throughout the rest of the country.
NATO officials said operations in Helmand will serve as a template for the conduct of missions in other provinces, according to the American Forces Press Service.
NATO Ambassador Mark Sedwill cited three major reasons the push to secure Helmand and force out the Taliban has been so successful: The end goal has been to transfer control to Afghan civilians; Afghan and coalition forces have been integrated in all parts of the operation; and provincial and national government officials have worked closely.
These principles are already being promoted in new plans and regulations. NATO and U.S. forces announced March 5 they would limit night raids on possible Taliban compounds, allowing them only when Afghan security forces are involved in planning and conducting the raids. The effort is meant to be more sensitive to cultural values and mores; Afghan government and security forces and tribal elders will be involved in planning so as not to accidentally offend any innocent people present during the raids.
Sedwill said Helmand officials were also working on legitimizing the local police force, saying the old force had been corrupted by Taliban leaders.
"The people told (Afghan President Hamid) Karzai that they would not accept the old police force, and in fact said they would fight again should that be the case," he said, according to the American Forces Press Service.
Tactics to improve Helmand province will be used throughout the country.
"Dealing with those political issues ... is going to be a big part of how we are going to shape the campaign as we bring it forward," the American Forces Press Service quoted Sedwill as saying.