The following are events related to the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) that took place on this day.

2002

• The Faylaka Island attack in Kuwait – Lance Corporal Antonio L. Sledd was killed and LCpl George R. Simpson was wounded when two Kuwaiti nationals in a pickup truck opened fire at Company L, 3d Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th MEU, who were taking a break during the training exercise, Eager Mace. The assailants then drove to another group of Marines and opened fire again. No Marines were injured in the second attack but both Kuwaitis were killed by return fire. The incident occurred on the island of Failaka, 10 miles from the Kuwait mainland, and was labeled as a “terrorist act” by Kuwaiti officials.

2004

• The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 was passed. The bill called for the increase in the end strength of the Marine Corps from 175,000 Marines to 178,000. The extra 3,000 Marines would be phased-in over three years and two-thirds of them would be used to bring the 24 infantry battalions up to full strength.

Casualties on October 08:

• SLEDD, ANTONIO JAMES – October 8, 2002
• JONES, DARRELL RAY JR – October 8, 2003
• BROWN, ANDREW WILLIAM – October 8, 2004
• VOSS, MICHAEL SCOTT – October 8, 2004
• AUSTIN, SHANE ROBERT – October 8, 2006
• FULKERSON, TIMOTHY ADAM – October 8, 2006
• JOHNSON, STEPHEN FRANKLIN – October 8, 2006
• JONES, DEREK WILLIAM – October 8, 2006
• SANDVICK MONROE, JEREMY SCOTT – October 8, 2006
• SECHER, ROBERT MICHAEL – October 8, 2006
• BURRIS, JEREMY WADE – October 8, 2007
• GONZALEZ, EDWIN – October 8, 2010
• SPARKS, JOHN TRAVIS – October 8, 2010
• CERROS, RICARDO JR – October 8, 2011
• RUSSELL, DREW EDWARD – October 8, 2011