By Donna Miles
Dec. 13, 2006 – The Arctic Wolves bid an emotional farewell to 36 of their own yesterday as they gathered here to dedicate the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Memorial Wall. Leaders from the unit joined about 25 family members of the fallen in the atrium of the high-tech Battle Command Training Center here to remember 26 Stryker Brigade troops and 10 soldiers from units attached the brigade during its deployment. Another 150 brigade soldiers just back from a 16-month deployment to Iraq watched the ceremony in an overflow room on a large-screen TV.
Col. Michael Shields, the brigade commander, acknowledged the "incredible price" his troops paid in Iraq. "These men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice in places like Mosul, Tal Afar, Rawa and Baghdad," he said. "They died serving their nation, their unit and, I think more accurately, their fellow soldiers," he said.
Those who died were among the small percentage of Americans who have served and fought the war on terror, he said. "While most Americans don't understand the great evil that exists, that threatens our very existence and the security of our children's future, these soldiers did," he said. "They were all volunteers."
Rather than focusing on how these soldiers died, Shields urged those at the ceremony to use it as an opportunity to celebrate how they lived. "This group of warriors consisted of hunters, fishermen, outdoorsmen, mountain climbers, snowboarders, skiers, musicians, cowboys, philosophers, athletes, pilots and so much more," he said.
"These soldiers were someone's best friend, leader, son, brother, fiance, husband and dad," he said. "Several of them left children that will never know their father."
Chaplain (Maj.) Robert Nay opened the ceremony with an invocation expressing thanks for "these brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice" and asking for comfort for their families, friends and comrades.
Then Shields and Command Sgt. Maj. William Ulibarri, the brigade command sergeant major, unveiled the memorial, with 36 framed photos of the fallen. In front of the wall stood a memorial stand, with a pair of combat boots, Kevlar helmet, goggles and an M4A1 rifle with bayonet. Thirty-six dog tags with the names of the fallen hung from the rifle.
Nay explained the symbolism of the memorial and how it helps tell the story of those it honors.
"The memorial stand with the boots, weapon and helmet stand (is) alone, empty (to) remind us of the ultimate sacrifice," he said. The headgear represents the soldier's ability to think, react, learn and lead. The rifle symbolizes the battle soldier's face, and the cover on the bayonet, the peace they want. The boots are meant "to carry us wherever our country leads us," Nay said. The dog tags represent the personal aspect of the losses and the soldiers "who are loved and deeply missed ... and will never be forgotten," he said.
"The faces you see before you represent the human nature of war," Nay said. "These men and women remind us that freedom is not free and that it is their shed blood that allows our nation and, more specifically, our families, to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which is the American dream."
Troops attending yesterday's ceremony called it a fitting tribute to their fallen comrades and a lasting reminder of the sacrifices they made.
Among those at the ceremony was Sgt. Robert Sult, from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, who lost four fellow soldiers in Iraq, including his roommate and best friend, Spc. Raymond Henry.
"I think of Henry every day. He meant so much to me. He was the best friend I ever had," Sult said. "We learned a lot from each other, and I know he can touch other people, too. On this memorial wall, he can still show people what it's like to serve his country and just do the right thing."
Sgt. 1st Class Cole Shepherd, who served in the brigade's rear detachment during the deployment, called putting together the memorial wall an act of healing for everyone involved and a way to serve those who didn't return home. Shepherd and three other soldiers took extra pains to make sure it was perfect, including making the frames for the photos at the post craft shop when the ones they bought simply didn't measure up.
"This represents what our lives are about in the Army and the ultimate sacrifice we make for the freedoms our friends and families enjoy every day," he said.
Sgt. David Ferguson, from 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, called the losses the unit took, particularly after the Army extended the unit's deployment by four months, devastating to the unit. "We were so close to coming back, so it hit us all really hard," he said.
But like many of his fellow Arctic Wolves, Ferguson said losing their buddies made them more committed to their mission. "It's really hard on you for awhile; it's kind of hard to get used to not seeing them anymore," he said. "But once you do start going back out (on missions), you remember that for the rest of the time, you're there for them, to fight for their honor."
After the ceremony, family members approached the wall, taking pictures and gathering with soldiers and commanders who knew their loved ones. Jesse Alcozer, father of Pfc. Christopher Alcozer, wore a "Vietnam Veteran" hat as he approached his son's photo and placed his hand on the corner of the wooden plaque. The 36 dog tags clinked as relatives rifled through them, looking for the name of their soldier. Families heard funny stories or memorable moments of their soldiers from those who had served with them in Iraq.
"As you pay tribute in your own way today, leave this hall with your head high, proud of these soldiers' service to their country," Shields told the families and his 172nd Stryker BCT soldiers in closing. "That is what these warriors would want you to do."
He recalled the saying that soldiers never truly die until they are forgotten. "Arctic Wolves, you will never be forgotten," he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and police and military personnel who have become writers.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Military Health Care Making Advances
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
Dec. 13, 2006 – The military has made tremendous advances in health care in the last decade and specifically since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the top Defense Department official for health care said here yesterday. Body armor, eyewear, new surgical techniques and improved medical data collection in this conflict have all contributed to the lowest "killed-in-action" rate in history, Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said in a roundtable discussion with retired military analysts.
The killed-in-action rate for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom is 12.5 percent, vs. 18.6 percent for the first Gulf War and Vietnam, and 25.3 percent for World War II, he said. The killed-in-action percentage measures the number of servicemembers killed out of the number wounded.
"Basic stuff is making a difference. Obviously, it doesn't save every injury, but it mitigates a lot of the injuries," Winkenwerder said.
As of Dec. 2, 23,119 servicemembers had been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. Of those, 55 percent returned to duty within 72 hours, he pointed out. "People miss that, and I think it's an important thing," he said.
Winkenwerder pointed out some other surprising statistics: of the 37,058 servicemembers medically evacuated from the U.S. Central Command area of operations as of Dec. 4, 59 percent have been for disease and 21 percent for non-battle injuries; also, as of Nov. 1, the war on terror has produced 760 amputees, of which 500 lost a limb, hand or foot, and 260 lost fingers or toes only.
A major issue in this conflict has been post traumatic stress disorder, Winkenwerder noted. The best statistics on PTSD come from an Army study done on soldiers and Marines returning from their first or second rotations in Iraq or Afghanistan, in which the rate of servicemembers who screened positive for PTSD on a questionnaire was 12 percent, he said. He noted, however, that the pre-deployment rate of PTSD was about 7 or 8 percent.
To provide better mental health care for servicemembers, the military now does a pre-deployment screening, a post-deployment screening, and a follow-up screening three to six months after troops return, Winkenwerder said. This follow-up assessment is important, because many troops don't report problems right after a deployment, but these problems surface later, he said.
These extra assessments give military officials more data to work with when analyzing mental health trends and developing new programs to help servicemembers, Winkenwerder said.
"It's a real profile of what's going on with our people that we did not used to have, and it's allowed us to develop new programs to reach out where the need is," he said. "I think they're making a difference; we've gotten very good feedback."
Another area that has seen notable progress is amputee rehabilitation, Winkenwerder said. Of the total number of amputees, 25 percent have been returned to duty. "The spirit there is unbelievable," he said.
More improvements are on the way for military health care, as the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is built in Bethesda, Md., Winkenwerder said. The building will be next to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and across the street from the National Institute of Health, creating a collaborative environment that will lead to new and better health care for troops, he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and police and military personnel who have become writers.
Dec. 13, 2006 – The military has made tremendous advances in health care in the last decade and specifically since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the top Defense Department official for health care said here yesterday. Body armor, eyewear, new surgical techniques and improved medical data collection in this conflict have all contributed to the lowest "killed-in-action" rate in history, Dr. William Winkenwerder Jr., assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said in a roundtable discussion with retired military analysts.
The killed-in-action rate for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom is 12.5 percent, vs. 18.6 percent for the first Gulf War and Vietnam, and 25.3 percent for World War II, he said. The killed-in-action percentage measures the number of servicemembers killed out of the number wounded.
"Basic stuff is making a difference. Obviously, it doesn't save every injury, but it mitigates a lot of the injuries," Winkenwerder said.
As of Dec. 2, 23,119 servicemembers had been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. Of those, 55 percent returned to duty within 72 hours, he pointed out. "People miss that, and I think it's an important thing," he said.
Winkenwerder pointed out some other surprising statistics: of the 37,058 servicemembers medically evacuated from the U.S. Central Command area of operations as of Dec. 4, 59 percent have been for disease and 21 percent for non-battle injuries; also, as of Nov. 1, the war on terror has produced 760 amputees, of which 500 lost a limb, hand or foot, and 260 lost fingers or toes only.
A major issue in this conflict has been post traumatic stress disorder, Winkenwerder noted. The best statistics on PTSD come from an Army study done on soldiers and Marines returning from their first or second rotations in Iraq or Afghanistan, in which the rate of servicemembers who screened positive for PTSD on a questionnaire was 12 percent, he said. He noted, however, that the pre-deployment rate of PTSD was about 7 or 8 percent.
To provide better mental health care for servicemembers, the military now does a pre-deployment screening, a post-deployment screening, and a follow-up screening three to six months after troops return, Winkenwerder said. This follow-up assessment is important, because many troops don't report problems right after a deployment, but these problems surface later, he said.
These extra assessments give military officials more data to work with when analyzing mental health trends and developing new programs to help servicemembers, Winkenwerder said.
"It's a real profile of what's going on with our people that we did not used to have, and it's allowed us to develop new programs to reach out where the need is," he said. "I think they're making a difference; we've gotten very good feedback."
Another area that has seen notable progress is amputee rehabilitation, Winkenwerder said. Of the total number of amputees, 25 percent have been returned to duty. "The spirit there is unbelievable," he said.
More improvements are on the way for military health care, as the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is built in Bethesda, Md., Winkenwerder said. The building will be next to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and across the street from the National Institute of Health, creating a collaborative environment that will lead to new and better health care for troops, he said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and police and military personnel who have become writers.
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