Saturday, June 30, 2007

Wounded Tech. Sergeant's Will to Fly Remains Undaunted

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2007 – Despite being shot down over Iraq and nearly losing an eye,
Air Force Tech Sgt. Christian MacKenzie remains committed to the Air Force and his love of flying. For nearly 10 years, life was good for MacKenzie. He'd found his dream job as a special operations flight engineer aboard an MH-53 Pave Low helicopter, flying low-level, long-range, undetected flights into enemy territory, day or night, in all kinds of weather, to insert, extract and resupply special operations forces.

After graduating as a flight engineer in 1994, MacKenzie flew missions in South Korea, Bosnia and Croatia, and took part in exercises in Qatar and Bahrain. He flew combat missions over Kosovo during Operation Allied Force and over the southern Iraq no-fly zone during Operation Southern Watch.

"Being a Pave Low flight engineer was the best job I ever worked my tail off for," he told American Forces Press Service during a recent interview.

The 38-year-old non-commissioned officer racked up 2,300 hours of flight time, including 500 hours in combat. He served in a combat zone every year since 1996.

"You didn't see us in the news," he said. "There were no parades or big flag-waving ceremonies or anything like that. We went in. We did our job. We did what our country needed us to do.

"You could see the smiles on the guys' faces - we never knew their names. We pulled them out and they went about their business," he said. "At the end of the day, that's what it was all about. Without somebody patting you on the back, taking your picture or shaking your hand, the job itself rewarded you for doing those kinds of missions."

Rough Flying in Afghanistan and Iraq

When duty with the 20th Special Operations Squadron called MacKenzie to Afghanistan, he said, the country's rough terrain presented some major challenges. "It was the toughest flying I ever did," he recalled. "You were flying at the aerodynamic edge of your aircraft in a way that there was no room for error."

The crew had to calculate fuel and the weight of personnel, he said, along with the distances, altitudes, the harsh terrain, unpredictable winds and the number of people they had to take in. On some missions, the Pave Low, which burns 3,000 pounds of fuel an hour, would get down to 300 to 400 pounds of fuel.

"It was down to the wire," he said. "We would actually go up to altitude to dump off fuel to trim our weight down to get in, and then we'd get down there and the sand dunes would have moved or the (landing zone) would have changed. We'd only have enough gas to make one, maybe two attempts at it.

"We really didn't have a lot of options," he said. "Our noise signature and the people we were working with, everything had to be on time, on target. There was not a lot of room for error"

Because they flew at night, he said, people often shot at the noise even though they couldn't see the helicopter.

"One night, a team of 11 guys had been compromised in Afghanistan. By the time we launched, it had been an hour and a half since anybody had talked to them. We were going on their last set of coordinates. By the time two ships got in there, pulled them out and got back home, we'd been engaged by enemy fire 23 different times."

In 2003, MacKenzie deployed to Kuwait, where he began flying mainly resupply missions into Iraq. Daylight flights, heat and sandstorms became part of his routine.

"We'd go out for a six- to eight-hour mission and practically have to get an IV bag to get rehydrated when we got back, even when we were drinking water the whole time," he recalled. "The temperature would be around 120 to 130, and we'd be loading cargo, bringing supplies and equipment."

From Kuwait, MacKenzie's next rotation took him into Iraq, which had become increasingly more dangerous. During one mission from Baghdad to Fallujah, fate delivered a nearly fatal blow that changed the course of MacKenzie's life.

Entering the Fallujah Hot Zone

On April 13, 2004, MacKenzie's Pave Low went on a night mission to deliver supplies to a team in Fallujah, a desert city crawling with armed insurgents.

"
U.S. Marines were moving in. People were getting beheaded. You did not stop there. You either flew around Fallujah or you flew across in certain areas. It was in and out. There was no messing around. There were rockets. There were so many enemies that just wanted to shoot anything in the air," he said.

From Fallujah, they were to pick up the remains of a team sergeant major who had been killed in Mahmadiyah, a town south of Baghdad. MacKenzie's Pave Low, however, never made it that far.

"We were about 180 feet off the ground, when an insurgent stood up about 300 feet in front of us and fired an RPG straight into the nose of the helicopter," MacKenzie said. "It blew about a four-foot hole in the helicopter. It hit right in front of me."

Luckily, MacKenzie said, he was looking down working the navigation system when the rocket came in.

"It broke my face in three places and tore my eyeball apart. I had flash burns from the explosion, shrapnel all up and down my arms and superficial burns. I couldn't hear. I couldn't see. I had no sense of touch, no sense of smell."

Air Force Capt. Tom Lessner, the co-pilot on his right, lost control of the helicopter. "It blew his helmet off his head," MacKenzie recalled. "He lost his night vision goggles. It peeled the roof back over our head, so we had no throttles, no way of controlling the engines.

"After we got hit, a second RPG went right between us and the second helicopter behind us," MacKenzie said. "They said we went 80 degrees nose up and then started falling out of the sky."

Air Force Capt. Steve Edwards, the pilot on MacKenzie's left, with wounds to his arm, the side of his face and his leg, "was able to maintain his night vision goggles and regain control of the helicopter." On the ground, with about 45 insurgents in the field, a second Pave Low came in to rescue the downed aircrew.

MacKenzie was rushed to a nearby medical unit in Baghdad before being flown to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. "When they took off the bandages a day and a half later, I had 20-400 vision, blood in my eyes and corneal abrasions," he said.

"I talked to my wife when I was on the table in the recovery room from Baghdad, and I apologized to her, because I was more concerned about what she was going through at that moment than me. I was just happy to be alive," he said.

From Landstuhl, MacKenzie moved to Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. "This is where the battles began to become real. I was trying to save my bad eye, trying to save my face," he said. "My goal was to fly again."

Since his boyhood in New England, MacKenzie had always wanted to fly. He had planned to join the military after high school, but love led him to his future wife, Jennifer. She and his baby daughter changed his plans.

Knowing he still longed for the open skies, Jennifer encouraged him to reach for his boyhood dream. In 1991, he earned his wings with the Air Force.

"I guess deep down inside, I just wanted to do something for my country," he recalled. "I wanted to make a difference. There's more to the world than just hanging around home, and I knew that the only way I could fly was in the service of my country."

For most career airmen, losing the vision in an eye signals the end of military service. Though MacKenzie's eye was damaged, he was determined to fly again.

All 'Jacked Up' But Still Alive

MacKenzie learned quickly that to recover from the serious battle wounds, he would have to overcome physical and mental anguish.

"Every day, when you go through something like that, you have to make a decision, 'Do I get out of bed or do I just stay here?'" he said. "I'd wake up and think, 'I'm in pain. Things hurt. I didn't sleep well. I can't sleep the way I want to. I can't do the things I want to. I can't even pick up more than a half gallon of milk. What am I doing? I'm never going to fly again.' All that negative stuff runs through your head."

But every day he got up, knowing that was the first step to getting back to the life he loved. He told himself, "OK, I'm all jacked up, but I'm alive, so the rest is trivial."

MacKenzie's will to fly again remained undaunted throughout his recovery.

"Pretty much everybody said, 'No way,'" he noted. "From the beginning they said, 'Your left eye is too damaged. We really need to just remove it. I said, 'No, you don't. Work at fixing it and if it fails after all you can do, then I'll let you take it out."

The doctors went to work, performing seven surgeries on his eyes and two surgeries on his face.

"Right now, I can see lights and shadows," MacKenzie said. "They finally got my retina to stay attached and maintain its own pressure. I can see movement. It's still my eye. I can see perfectly with my other eye."

In July 2005, a medical board approved MacKenzie's request to remain on active duty. In August, he was returned to flying status and reassigned to Andrews Air Force Base to work as a flight attendant, which is a far cry from being a special operations flight engineer flying clandestine chopper missions.

But MacKenzie said he doesn't mind.

"That was just a phase of life. In an instant, it was over," he said. "I don't compare this job to my last job. They're two completely different worlds. This is a new phase and I still get to fly.

"I think I'm the only 'one-eyed' flying guy in the
Air Force," he said with a smile.

Home-front Group, Supporters Honored

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2007 – The Defense Department recognized a troop-support group and two of its key players at the Pentagon yesterday for their outstanding support of the nation's servicemembers. John Gonsalves, founder of Homes for Our Troops, received the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. His organization has built or adapted 18 homes for servicemembers severely injured while serving in the
global war on terrorism.

Mark Savan, president of Simonton Windows, and Frank McKee, president of the McKee Group, also were on hand to accept the award on behalf of their organizations, which support Gonsalves' efforts.

"This country is all about citizens helping citizens," said Gen. Robert Magnus, assistant commandant of the
Marine Corps, before he presented the men with their medals. "I want to thank, quite frankly, America Supports You, for providing the framework. But this framework would be a hollow frame with no picture if it wasn't for the efforts of thousands of folks and organizations (like) the great Americans we're ... giving an award to today.

"You're exemplars," he added.

Acknowledging that he was honored to receive the award, Gonsalves was humble in accepting it, saying what he's doing is his duty as an American.

"The
war on terrorism, it's not just for the men and women who are out there fighting it," he said. "It's something that all Americans really need to be a part of.

"It's not the military that was attacked, it was us as citizens, and we need to take notice of that, ... and we need to stand up for the people that are standing up, fighting for us," he added.

The organization has another 20 houses in progress, each of which will include features geared toward each individual servicemember's specific injury. The group is anticipating taking on another 10 to 15 houses in the near future.

Homes for Our Troops is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Gonsalves, whose background is in construction, founded the organization after searching the Internet for a group building or adapting housing for injured troops. What he discovered astonished him.

"I was just going to donate a couple of weeks of my time and help with a house somewhere, and that's when I found out that nothing like this had ever been set up," he said.

So he founded Homes for Our Troops. And when he's asked the future holds for the group, Gonsalves is quick to share his vision.

"We failed a whole generation of veterans that returned from Vietnam. I'm hoping that, as a country, we've learned from that and we'll never let that happen again" he said. "My goal from Day 1 was to make (Homes for Our Troops) sustain after I'm dead and gone.

"I think that the men and women who serve in the military and come home injured, they deserve this," he added.

Gonsalves also is working to put an endowment together so Homes for Our Troops can sustain itself, he said.

Currently, the organization operates on donations and has a consistent staff of nine. If he counts his supporters like Simonton Windows and the McKee Group, his "staff" skyrockets into the hundreds, Gonsalves said.

And those groups are happy to help, though they're as humble about their roles as Gonsalves is about his accomplishments.

Of all the people involved in this, Simonton Windows is probably the least deserving of recognition, Savan said of his company.

"We're doing a very small part. There are plenty of people out there who are just doing an amazing job," he said. "For us just to be able to be a small part of it is an honor in and of itself."

Frank McKee agreed the McKee Group's involvement with Homes for Our Troops has been a "galvanizing experience" for the employees.

"It's been a remarkable journey for all of us," he said. "It's been a very rewarding experience for us."

Military Roots Run Deep For Top Enlisted Servicemember's Wife

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2007 –
Military life is all Cindy Gainey has ever really known. And that's just fine with her. Born in England into an Air Force family, she moved often as a child, making friends and learning from other cultures in the United States and abroad. At 18, she married a 21-year-old soldier, and so began her 30-year-plus "enlistment" in the Army.

"It's a lifestyle that I love. For me it's a normalcy," she said.

Last week, Gainey spent her 30th wedding anniversary on the South Korean peninsula, touring camps and bases, and talking to troops and families. She was accompanying her husband,
Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. Gainey, the senior enlisted advisor to the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman.

This was their second trip to Korea, and both times the couple spent an anniversary there. On this anniversary, however, in front of a host of distinguished
military guests and their spouses, the sergeant major, on bended knee with a suitably sized diamond ring in hand, asked his wife for another 30 years - although they mostly will be spent as military retirees.

Last week's visit to Korea will be her last trip there as a soldier's wife, as her husband plans to retire next year.

As the two look forward to a new future together, Mrs. Gainey said, she looks back with no regrets.

She was a young military wife long before many of the programs available to Army family members now had come into being. In fact, when she married her husband, privates were not even authorized housing. Luckily, she said, her husband had made sergeant before tying the knot.

Still, she said, life was good, and the two depended on each other and on other
military families for support.

"Even though they didn't have a lot of the programs, we didn't really miss them. We didn't realize what we didn't have. We just depended on each other," she said. "I look back now and think about some things that me and my friends went through, and it's like, 'Wow. How did we do that?'

"You just do it. I don't know how," she continued. "I didn't think we had it hard. I thought we had it great."

Any hardships along the way forged a bond between the two that Mrs. Gainey said may not be as strong if not for their time in the
military.

Military family substituted when relatives couldn't be near, she said, such as when her son was born in Germany and her husband could take only two weeks of leave.

"We always made friends when we got somewhere. There's a community that just kind of welcomes you when you move in somewhere," she said. "We would always have the neighbor or the best friend who lives down the street. I think that most military families are like that. They are going to help out. They don't think anything about it."

Mrs. Gainey met with young wives of servicemembers stationed in Korea during her trip. A handful of spouses, both command- and non-command-sponsored, met with her and other leaders' wives. In an informal capacity, she listened to their concerns to bring back issues to the respective service chiefs.

She saw the same determination in them as she had as a young military wife, Mrs. Gainey said. Because of the relatively few command sponsorships in the country, many families agree to accept the financial costs of relocating and living on the economy.

"You just do it because you want to be with your spouse, and you will do whatever it takes to do that," Gainey said.

U.S. Forces Korea officials are expected to soon ask the Defense Department for more than double its current allowance for command-sponsored families, from 2,800 to nearly 6,000. Some 3,000 non-command-sponsored families already are here.

Overall, Mrs. Gainey said that the wives voiced no major concerns.

"We asked them 'What is your biggest challenge?' I was really surprised. They had no big issues," she said. "They were so smart and bright I couldn't believe it."

Gainey said that benefits now are very similar between command- and non-command-sponsored families. Non-command-sponsored family members are not authorized family housing and are placed in other military programs on a space-available basis. There are also other health care benefit differences between command- and non-command-sponsored family members. All are eligible for exchange and commissary privileges.

Some of the wives are using the Internet to help prepare spouses relocating to Korea, Gainey said.

"They go into chat rooms and give honest advice to those considering coming," she said. "I was so impressed. They were really very smart young ladies."

USFK leaders have asked Congress to extend the tour length from a one-year, unaccompanied hardship tour to a three-year, normalized tour. Building is booming at installations to add schools, health care facilities, shopping, housing and other amenities. Mrs. Gainey said that would go far in making Korea a "tour of choice."

"I don't see why people wouldn't want to be stationed here for three years. Come and bring your family. I think it would be awesome," she said. "This is going to end up being the place to come."

Mrs. Gainey never was stationed in Korea. Her husband had orders to go there a handful of times, but they were always cancelled. Her favorite duty station overseas was Germany, she said. She was stationed there twice. The second time, she said, her children were older and could enjoy the travel and culture more.

Truthfully, Mrs. Gainey said, she has enjoyed all of her duty stations.

"Every place I've been, I've loved. It's been sad to leave."

Her favorite place in the United States is Texas, where she plans to retire with her husband next year, Mrs. Gainey said.

"The people there are so warm, and we just had a good community there," she said.

Mrs. Gainey said she doubts she and her husband will be removed from the
military altogether. Their son is in the Army, and their daughter married a soldier. She serves on the national board for the Armed Services YMCA, and as advisor for some other family agencies.

Still, she said, "There comes a point where you just want to leave it in good hands -- to someone else coming up."

Their plans include spoiling the "grandbabies" and sitting on a back porch overlooking a valley view near Fort Hood, Texas. The couple will experience a first in their marriage. They are building their first house together.

Still, only time will tell if after a few years, they will be able to resist the rambling urgings of a veteran military family.

"I'm sure retirement is going to be hard, because you get those itchy feet and you are like, 'I like it here and I have great friends, but I wonder what it is like over there,'" she said. "After about three years, I am ready to move."

Friday, June 29, 2007

Servicemembers Get Sneak Preview of 'Transformers'

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2007 – Under the cover of darkness in the nation's capital last night, servicemembers from all branches deployed into theater -- the movie theater. About 600
military personnel and family members attended a sneak preview of "Transformers," the summer science fiction action-adventure film set for national release July 3.

Audience members cheered as virtuous Autobot transformers fought in concert with their
U.S. military allies against the depraved Decepticons, while the clash between good and evil played out in stunning images and bone-rattling sound.

"That was without a doubt the best movie I have ever seen," Army Staff Sgt. Mario Youngblood, dressed in his combat uniform, said as he emerged wide-eyed from the theater. The soldier, who grew up watching the early animated version, said the film did justice to the "Generation 1" Transformers of his youth.

"Transformers" features servicemembers from various branches fighting side-by-side in the thick of the action, depicting joint military operations.

"Obviously, the military has never fought giant robots, and hopefully we never will. But the way this film is structured, if we ever had to do it, this is probably how we would do it," said
Army Lt. Col Paul Sinor, a public affairs officer with that service's Office of the Chief of Public Affairs.

During one battle scene, members of a joint special operations force are attacked by a Decepticon in the desert of a Middle Eastern country. Using a common cellular phone, the
Army commander on the ground dials the Pentagon and tosses the phone to his Air Force combat controller, who directs an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft to their position. Operators on the AWACS then call in AC-130 Spectres and A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft for air support.

"Go,
Air Force!" an audience member yelled when an AC-130 began firing on enemies with its side-mounted artillery guns. "Yeah, Navy!" belts out a sailor upon seeing a team of destroyers cutting across the shining sea.

This battle scene illustrates "netcentric warfare," the modern
military strategy aimed at connecting command centers to airborne control systems to warfighters around the globe.

Liaison officers like Sinor worked with director Michael Bay to ensure the U.S. military's portrayal -- its core values in addition to its tactics, dialogue and uniforms -- looks and feels authentic. As a testament to the military's fondness for technical titles, servicemembers refer to the transformer robots as Non-Biological Extraterrestrials, or NBEs.

"Try to keep up with the acronyms," one of the film's characters says during an intelligence briefing.

The resolute secretary of defense, played by Jon Voight, gives a nonverbal plug during the film to America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects
military members to a civilian support network. The lapel of the Defense Secretary's suit jacket is affixed with a pin bearing the ASY logo.

"(Bay) did the Hollywood part of the film, we did the
military part, and it was a very cohesive, very easy way of doing things," said Sinor, who has worked with Bay previously on films that include "The Rock" and "Armageddon."

Defense Department officials allowed Paramount Pictures to film at
Air Force bases in New Mexico and California, and to rent military equipment such as the CV-22 Osprey and F-22 Raptor, which made their big-screen debuts in "Transformers." F-22s run about $25,000 per hour, according to the rental scale established by the department.

"You can't go to Tanks R' Us and rent a tank or a destroyer," Sinor said. "If you need that in the movie, you have to come to the military."

The film promoters, who last night treated guests to free popcorn and soda, stood outside the theater doors after the film, asking for audience members' reactions in an exit poll fashion. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and one servicemember remarked about the Hollywood's portrayal of the
military, "This is the first time they got it right."

"The special effects are definitely going to draw the younger crowd, and then they'll be able to see just how the
Air Force operates," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Mike Gasparetto after the film.

Gasparetto, a career field manager for
Air Force Recruiting Service, said moviegoers will get a chance to see some of his service's more exciting missions.

"I think it will be a great branding tool for the
Air Force, to let the folks know that the Air Force does more than just move people around in aircraft," he said. Hundreds of airmen appear in the film as extras, and nearly a dozen others have speaking roles.

"The military cooperating with the entertainment industry puts a more personal side on what the military does," he said. "We're not just about protecting the nation, although that is our primary job. This film shows that we have a human side to us while we are there to protect and help wherever needed."

Former Soldier Draws on Past to Raise Awareness

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 29, 2007 – As the nation's servicemembers continue to fight the
global war on terrorism, a group is working to make sure the Americans they're defending are aware of their sacrifices. "The Greer Foundation raises public awareness of the sacrifices of serving the nation through outreach and commentary on the war on terror," said Steve Greer, the group's founder. His experiences as an Army command sergeant major in Kosovo and other places that give him the knowledge base for this endeavor, he added.

Greer retired from the
Army in January 2003, and started the foundation that same year with his wife, Jennifer, who also is a former soldier. Since then, he has given more than 400 interviews addressing the challenges U.S. troops face while fighting the global war on terrorism. He also speaks free of charge at civic-club meetings, universities and military bases in support of the troops.

Greer has been a member of the Defense Department's retired military analysts group since 2004, and has traveled the world, "visiting troops to thank them for their sacrifices," he said.

While the Greer Foundation's main focus is educating the public about the troops' sacrifices through radio and TV commentary and speaking engagements, it administers two award programs: one honors those killed in action, and the other recognizes children affected by war and conflict.

"Specifically, we award the Master Sgt. William "Chief" Carlson Tomahawk Medal and the Tarlavsky-Price Youth
Leadership Award," Greer said. "Both awards honor the sacrifices of three of America's finest warriors and very close friends of mine."

The foundation is one of the newest home-front members of the America Supports You program. The Defense Department program connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Greer said he's proud the foundation is now part of America Supports You, and he looks forward to the mutual benefits the partnership will provide.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

600 POLICE OFFICERS

Editor's Note: Two of the police officers are former military.

June 28, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local police officers who have written books. With the addition of police officers
George Seibel, Robert Girod and Trent Ruble, Police-Writers.com now lists 600 state and local police officers who have written books.

George Seibel is a former Chicago Police Department homicide detective and the Director of the Morton College Institute for Cold Case Solutions (Cicero, Illinois). George Seibel is also the author of Insider's Guide to Policing: What You Need to Know About Becoming a Cop; Violent Crimes Investigation: Cases and Materials; Enlightened Police Questioning, Interviewing, Investigation, and Interrogation; and, Cold Case Investigation: Cases and Materials.

Dr.
Robert J. Girod, Sr. earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Criminology and Public Administration from The Union Institute and University and a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership from Harvard University. Dr. Robert Girod is a supervisor in the Detective Bureau with the Fort Wayne Police Department (Indiana), a member of the FBI’s Federal Bank Robbery Task Force and a part-time “special deputy” for the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

Dr.
Robert J. Girod has served as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserve and the Indiana Guard Reserve. He is an adjunct professor and associate faculty member at seven universities. Dr. Robert J. Girod is the author of Profiling The Criminal Mind: Behavioral Science and Criminal Investigative Analysis.

According to the book description, “Profiling the Criminal Mind is, as the subtitle indicates, is a text and reference on behavioral science and criminal investigative analysis for investigators, forensic scientists, prosecutors, behavioral scientists, and academics. This compilation combines crime scene forensics and experience with behavioral science to get into the criminal's mind and interpret crime scenes.

A practical guide to applied criminology, the author brings together his years of experience as a detective/investigator and professor of criminology and
criminal justice to outline an inter-disciplinary approach to analyzing crime scenes and crime scene behavior. Multi-discipline sleuths and researchers into the criminal mind will find this combined approach to analysis a valuable strategic approach to the study of violent criminal behavior.”

In 1985,
Trent Ruble joined the Huntington Police Department (Indiana). He is also a member of the Huntington College Police Department. He is a former board member of the Huntington County Crime Stoppers and the Police Athletic League. Trent Ruble has been Republican Precinct Committeeman for his precinct and a member of the Jackson Township Board.

Trent Ruble is the author of the fictional novel Harrison Davis: Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt. According to the book description, “Harrison Davis, the Lakewood Police Department’s lone detective, is nearing the end of his police career. He is looking forward to a relaxing retirement with his wife, Julianne, and is even planning a surprise cruise for the two of them. However, his retirement planning is interrupted when he is faced with the most serious crimes he’s seen. While the people of Lakewood, as well as the media, question the qualifications of their detective, the investigations cause Harrison to question the very essence of life and death. He soon must make a decision that will change his life forever.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 600
police officers (representing 256 police departments) and their 1255 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.

Famous Chef Salutes the Military for July Fourth

American Forces Press Service

June 28, 2007 – Famous television Chef Emeril Lagasse will salute the
military with two programs showcasing recipes created by the men and women who keep the troops fed and happy. "Emeril's Army-Navy Contest" will air on the Food Network tomorrow at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. "Emeril's Military Contest" will air the following evening at the same time. The six winners, representing each of the five branches of the military, were selected from entries in "Emeril's Military Recipe Contest."

"These folks are the real heroes," Lagasse said of the servicemembers. "You just can't understate the importance of what they do day in and day out in terms of morale. As (you'll) see from the winning recipes, the food they're turning out is pretty extraordinary.

"What better way to head into the July 4th holiday than to take these opportunities to pay tribute to our (servicemembers) for all that they, and their families, are doing for us?" he added.

From their seats of honor at the chef's table, the winners will get to chat with Lagasse while he cooks their dishes, which of course, he'll "kick up a notch." He also takes the opportunity to share some of their culinary inspirations and personal stories with viewers at home.

"We had envisioned one special, but there were so many great recipes and stories that we expanded it so we could give them their due," said Karen Katz, executive producer of "Emeril Live."

"Emeril and the show have long had a special relationship with the military ... but even so, we were surprised at the response to the military recipe contest and delighted with the depth of talent we discovered."

"Emeril's
Army-Navy Cook-off" features Lagasse cooking the winning recipes from both Army and Navy food specialists, and the U.S. Army Field Band Brass Quintet performs in the studio.

Featured in this episode with their winning recipes are:

--
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Travis Smith, Headquarters 19th Expeditionary Sustained Command, South Korea, with his Fire Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Cilantro Cream and Grilled Cajun Catfish;

--
Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph Chiarelli, a culinary specialist aboard the USS Tarawa stationed in San Diego with his Cedar Plank Salmon Parmesan with Asian Reduction Sauce over Julienned Vegetables; and

--
Army National Guard Spc. Andrew Ruga, 222nd Transportation Company, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, and his winning recipe for Pecan Crusted Chicken over Field Greens with Caramel Citrus Vinaigrette.

"Emeril's
Military Contest," which premieres June 30, features Lagasse cooking the best recipes submitted by airmen, Coast Guard, and Marines. They are joined in the studio by the U.S. Army Blues Ensemble Swamp Romp for the hour-long special featuring the winning recipes of:

--
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Wesley Williams, dining facility manager at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., who won for his Rainbow Fruit Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Fried Cheddar Grits and a Blueberry Coulis;

-- Marine Col. Stewart Navarre, Marine Corps Installations West, Camp Pendleton, Calif., who won with his recipe for Combat Steak; and

--
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Stacey Russell, stationed at Sector Long Island Sound, New Haven, Conn., who served up her recipe for pumpkin pie.

President Extends Praise, Thanks to Pace, Giambastiani

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

June 28, 2007 – As he nominated his picks for the nation's top two
military posts, President Bush said today they will succeed "two of America's finest military officers," Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani, vice chairman. Bush named Adm. Michael G. Mullen as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Marine Gen. James E. "Hoss" Cartwright as vice chairman, subject to Senate approval.

Flanked by Mullen, Cartwright and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in the White House Roosevelt Room, the president acknowledged that his nominees will be stepping into big shoes.

"Pete Pace has been at my side most of my presidency, serving first as the vice chairman and then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Bush said. He noted that Pace made history as the first
Marine to hold both positions.

"We've been through a lot together," he said of Pace. "Pete was with me at the attacks of September the 11th. He played a key role in planning America's response to that brutal assault on the American homeland."

With Pace's leadership, the
U.S. military brought down brutal dictatorships in Afghanistan and Iraq that liberated 50 million people from oppression, he said. "He helped lead our military through unprecedented campaigns, and as he's done so, Pete never took his eye off the horizon and the threats that still lie ahead," he said.

At the same time, Pace "played a critical role in transforming our military for challenges of a new century," the president said. "He made sure that ... future generations will benefit from the reforms that he has set in motion."

Bush extended thanks to Pace, his wife, Lynne, and his children for their service to the country. "I'm going to remember him simply as one of the best military officers and finest men I've been privileged to know," he said. Bush said he will always be "grateful for his friendship, his sense of humor and his character."

The president extended praise to Giambastiani, whom he calls simply "Admiral G," and thanked him for his outstanding leadership as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs. "He's an officer of character and vision, and I appreciate his insights and his strong
military advice," he said.

Bush noted that before serving in his current post, Giambastiani helped lead the
military transformation as commander of the U.S. Joint Forces Command. He also helped strengthen the NATO alliance as the first supreme allied commander for transformation.

The president thanked Giambastiani, his wife, Cindy, and their children for their contributions. "Ed has given 37 years of dedicated service to our country," he said. "His work will affect the security of our nation for decades to come."

"Pete Pace and Ed Giambastiani are hard acts to follow," Bush concluded. "I can think of none more qualified to follow them than the man whose nominations I am sending to the United States Senate today. I call on the Senate to quickly confirm Mike Mullen and Hoss Cartwright. I thank these fine officers and their families for continuing to serve our country."

Missouri Shows Generosity

American Forces Press Service

June 28, 2007 - When it comes to showing support for America's troops,
Missouri is living up to its nickname as the "Show Me State" by sending nearly 4,000 base and post exchange gift certificates to soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines. So far this year, supporters from 45 states and the District of Columbia have contributed to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service's "Gifts From the Homefront" program, with Missouri far and away the most generous, sending an average of 778 military exchange gift certificates a month.

Missouri is home to Whiteman Air Force Base and the Army's Fort Leonard Wood. From January through May, the state's residents ordered 3,889 gift certificates worth $78,150. Connecticut came in second with 879 orders totaling $19,110. New York placed third, with Texas and California rounding out the top five.

"There are so many different ways to show support for the troops, but we found 'Gifts From the Homefront' to be the most practical and efficient," said Michelle Harthill, whose Missouri-based company, Harthill Marketing Services, purchased 50 gift certificates in February. "This way, troops can get exactly what they need, when they need it."

"Gifts From the Homefront" can be sent to deployed troops by logging on to www.aafes.org or calling 877-770-4438. From there, the gift certificates are sent to individual servicemembers designated by the purchaser or are distributed to "any servicemember" through the
Air Force Aid Society, American Red Cross, Coalition to Salute America's Heroes, Fisher House, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Operation Homefront, Operation Interdependence or the United Service Organizations.

"Gifts From the Homefront" gift certificates can be redeemed at exchange facilities worldwide. Recent reports indicate troops shopping their contingency exchanges are reaching for beauty items, soft drinks, snacks,
military exchange global prepaid calling cards, magazines, movies and more.

As of May 31, 86,857 "Gifts from the Homefront" gift certificates have been sent since Defense Department officials approved the exchange support campaign in March 2003. More than 22,000 of these have been delivered to servicemembers and their families via the
Army and Air Force Exchange Service's 10 charitable partners.

Medical System Fixes Involve 'Mammoth' Task, Panel Co-Chair Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

June 27, 2007 – Problems revealed at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center indicate that similar issues exist at other military care facilities and highlight a complex situation the Defense Department can't solve alone, members of the Independent Review Group told members of a House subcommittee yesterday. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates established the review group in March by to identify rehabilitative care shortfalls and administrative snafus at Walter Reed and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and to recommend needed improvements. The panel presented its findings in a 129-page report delivered to Gates on April 19.

Former
Army Secretary John O. Marsh Jr., one of the panel's co-chairs, told the military personnel subcommittee he believes the review panel's work involving matters at Walter Reed and Bethesda encompassed "just a piece of the pie" regarding military health care.

"I was of the view then, and am of the view now, that some of the things that we're discussing that apply to Walter Reed apply to other
military hospitals in the United States," Marsh said.

"The other thing that we realize (is that) we're dealing here with some mammoth bureaucracies," Marsh continued. "We cannot solve this solely in the Department of Defense." For example, replacing
military or government civilian employees at Walter Reed with contractors as part of the Office of Management and Budget's effort to outsource many federal jobs -- known as the A-76 process -- contributed to staffing shortages and personnel turbulence at the hospital, Marsh pointed out.

"If you're getting into A-76, you're getting into a whole different field; you're getting into OMB," Marsh said, adding that addressing that issue "is a mammoth sort of task that you're looking at."

Marsh saluted the Army for its efforts to improve operations at Walter Reed, but he also invited subcommittee members to inquire about the status of
military hospitals "at Fort Bragg, S.C., Fort Gordon, Ga., and at other places."

The panel's other co-chair, former Army Secretary Togo West Jr., echoed Marsh's sentiments that the Defense Department and the Army have acted expeditiously to address concerns outlined in review group's report.

"Some of things that provoked this investigation have now been moved out on by the Department of Defense and the Department of the Army," West said. For example, Walter Reed staff shortages involving rehabilitative care and physical disability evaluations are being addressed.

However, much more work needs to be done, West said, especially with issues related to the treatment and long-term care for servicemembers who've experienced traumatic brain injury or developed post traumatic stress disorder.

Those issues, as well as the coming Base Realignment and Closure Act-mandated move of Walter Reed's assets to Bethesda and physical disability evaluation processes are the "big issues that need our attention right now," West said.

Foundation Stands Beside New Marines

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 27, 2007 – Finances are no longer a reason to keep a
Marine's family from attending his or her basic training graduation, thanks to the Marine Graduation Foundation. "The men and women who choose to serve our country as a United States Marine endure more in one day of boot camp than most of us will ever experience in a lifetime," John Weant, the foundation's president said. "None of (them) should ever have to be alone on the day they can proudly say, 'I am a United States Marine.'"

Weant said it's "just not acceptable" for financial circumstances to stand in the way of families traveling to attend the ceremonies. Thanks to the Marine Graduation Foundation, families who want to attend a son or daughter's graduation at Camp Pendleton, Calif., or Parris Island, S.C., can request a grant from the Missouri-based organization through an online form.

The average grant is $250 and can be awarded to a grandparent, parent or spouse of the recruit, according to the foundation's Web site.

The nonprofit organization accepts donations to help fund the grants. Visit the foundation's Web site, usmcgrad.org, for more information on making tax-deductible donations.

"No donation is too small, and with your help, we can make the Emblem Ceremony, as well as the graduation, a proud, memorable day for a man or woman who has chosen to serve our country as a United States
Marine," Weant said on the foundation's Web site.

The
Marine Graduation Foundation is a new member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Foundation Offers Thanks to Veterans

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 25, 2007 – It only takes two simple words to express infinite gratitude and appreciation to the nation's veterans, past and present, according to The Thank You Foundation's mission statement. "We believe that a simple 'Thank You' can transcend political and religious differences to let those who have served know that they are appreciated," said John Guinn, president and founder of the
Ohio-based organization.

The Thank You Foundation may offer a verbal "Thank You," but it works to make that gratitude a bit more tangible, as well.

"Our Thank You Card and Certificate program has really been the staple of everything we do," Guinn said. "Any time we can present a card, a certificate and a handshake or a hug, we do."

The Thank You Foundation operates a program called "Tickets for Troops." Through that program, the group recently presented more than 30 soldiers from Fort Drum, N.Y., with tickets to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game. The servicemembers, who also received thank you cards from the foundation, were in the Cincinnati area to attend a memorial service for a fallen comrade.

The group also has planned an event with a regional restaurant chain to offer children a chance to sign cards thanking troops for their service. The cards, more than 3,000 of them, will be sent to servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Guinn said.

"I think both of these events are the essence of what we are about," he said.

The Thank You Foundation is also one of the America Supports You program's newest members. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Already, the foundation has gained credibility because of its association with America Supports You, Guinn said. While that's essential, he's also hoping the benefits don't stop there. "I'm counting on (membership in America Supports You) to increase exposure and networking opportunities," he said.

Exposure and opportunity both will help the Thank You Foundation reach its goal of offering a simple expression of gratitude.

"We want the public to remember our heroes more than twice a year," Guinn said. "We encourage people to stop and say 'Thank You' to the World War II veteran one more time (and) to help change the name of the 'Forgotten War' and thank those who served in Korea."

Vietnam veterans, he added, need to hear the words "Thank You" - perhaps for the first time. "And of course our young men and women of today need to know they are appreciated," he added.

Defense Department Promotes 'Buzz' on Bases

By Meghan Vittrup
American Forces Press Service

June 26, 2007 – The buzz at the Pentagon today is all about the birds and the bees. To help kick off the first National Pollinator Week, Defense Department officials signed on to a collaborative effort to preserve pollinators nationwide. Alex A. Beehler, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, and Laurie Davies Adams, executive director of the Coevolution Institute, met today signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a partnership to help preserve and promote pollinator-friendly environments on Defense Department installations.

"The thing about the
military is that we have 30 million acres of land," said Beehler. "It has a great concentration of threatened and endangered species and continues to be an oasis for pollinators and birds."

U.S. military bases usually are large and protected from public access, allowing the lands to become rich in plants and animals native to the geographical region. This provides an excellent opportunity for the Defense Department to be an active contributor to the eco-friendly campaign, Beehler said.

During the signing ceremony, Beehler cited several military installations as exceptional examples where threatened and endangered species are able to live. For example, he said, Marine Corp Base Hawaii provides a great habitat for endangered birds such as the red-footed booby.

Beehler also spoke about a
military base in San Diego, where snowy plovers hide in aircraft dugouts because they feel safe from predators.

Officials at Dyess Air Force Base in Abiliene, Texas, have conducted several studies in an effort to restore habitats and drive out invasive species - defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as any species that isn't native to the land or harms the land or its inhabitants.

Invasive species drive out the native inhabitants, one reason why some species of native animals and birds are on the endangered species list.

"Conserving biodiversity and protecting the integrity of
military landscapes is essential to the Department of Defense's mission to provide a realistic, sustainable, and more easily maintained training environment," the memorandum asserts. "The Department of Defense recognizes the important role pollinators play in maintaining our natural landscapes and supports efforts to insure pollinator protection on the lands with which we have been entrusted."

Servicemembers work around the habitats of pollinators on a regular basis, including learning to share the air in which they fly. All over the world, servicemembers are taught the importance of migratory patterns of birds, and in some situations they are required to adjust
training missions to help preserve the habitats of the creatures that share their bases.

"Protecting pollinators creates a win-win situation for everyone," Beehler said.
Protecting the birds and bees is not necessarily a huge effort that involves a ton of money; in fact, it can reduce costs of maintaining installations. Protecting the animals, birds and bees on military bases means less mowing and reduces water consumption.

A significant decrease in the number of bees and butterflies around the country since November underscores the need to protect the pollinator population, Adams said. It's possible people aren't as aware of that problem as they might be, she suggested, because they're not spending enough time outdoors.

"Get out and enjoy a little bit of nature every day," she said.

Teachers Learn How Kids Can Support Troops

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

June 26, 2007 – Educators attending the
Military Impacted Schools Association's summer meeting here today got a warm thank you from the Defense Department and a lesson on how students can express support for servicemembers. MISA is a national organization representing public school districts that serve high concentrations of military children.

"I do want to thank you, as an educator ... for what you do," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison and a former teacher.

"Many of you know that the morale of our troops is based on support that they feel from the home front. I bet you see that in their children in your schools," Barber said. "Their parents are doing something a little bit different. Those kids are watching the news too, and curious, 'Do (Americans) still support my Mom and Dad?'

Two and a half years ago, the Defense Department didn't have a good answer to that question being asked by both servicemembers and their families, Barber said.

"That wasn't acceptable, so we created the 'America Supports You' program to simply highlight what people across this wonderful country are doing to support our troops and their families back home," she said.

In creating the apolitical program, department officials looked to the Vietnam era, Barber said. It became evident that during that time, Americans weren't given the opportunity to debate policy and yet hold separate conversations regarding the people involved.

"Although a new program, (America Supports You) is our way of saying, 'Debate the policy ... but let's never debate - never debate - whether or not we support the people who serve our country,'" Barber said.

The Defense Department program connects citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

More than 275 nonprofit groups have become members of America Supports You since the program began in November 2004. That's in addition to the corporations that have stepped up to help spread the word that America supports its servicemembers.

"What a powerful message that is for our troops and their families who serve in 177 countries," Barber said.

But until three years ago, the country was still looking for a way to appropriately observe Sept. 11.

"The first year after 9/11, we had a moment of silence in our country, another year we rang bells, another year we lit candles," Barber said. "Our country wasn't sure what to do to commemorate that terrible day and honor our veterans and still move forward."

In 2005, America Supports You held its first Freedom Walk in the nation's capital. More than 15,000 people participated in the walk from the Pentagon to the National Mall. And with that, a new national tradition was born, Barber said.

With the help of the home-front groups and the corporations, as well as individuals across the country, the Freedom Walk has grown tremendously.

Last year, America Supports You also worked with Weekly Reader to invite the country's students to express their support of the troops. Schools across the country were represented in the more than 130 walks across the country.

"The Freedom Walks are continuing (this year), and we want to invite all of you and your systems to be a part of helping create a new national tradition," Barber told the educators. "What we've learned, especially from educators, is that the Freedom Walk served as a great way to teach the history lesson of what happened in our country on 9/11."

One educator shared that during his school's Freedom Walk last year, the students had symbolically walked to Iraq and back. This year, they'll be walking to Afghanistan and back, he said.

When the Sept. 11 anniversary has passed again this year, students can continue showing their support by sending e-mails to the troops through the America Supports You Web site. They also can find a group in their area that supports the troops through the Web site, Barber said.

American Music Legend Praises U.S. Servicemembers

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

June 26, 2007 – Standing in the Pentagon briefing room here, preparing to record a video message to troops deployed abroad, 70-year-old Charlie Daniels' jaws, covered in tufts of white whiskers, work away at a wad of gum. As the camera starts rolling, he halts production. "Oh, wait, I almost forgot!" he says in a country drawl, spitting his gum into a tissue. "My wife keeps yelling at me for going on TV with gum in my mouth."

Daniels appeared here to accept the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. The musician, perhaps best known for his chart-topping single, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," describes himself a blue-collar kind of guy. Instead of his signature "bull rider" Stetson hat, Daniels' silvery-gray hair was covered by a baseball cap that featured a bald eagle poised before the American flag.

For more than 35 years, Daniels has entertained servicemembers with his unique blend of country, blues and rock music. The reason for his enduring support: Because men and women in uniform allow his family to sleep well at night.

"The people in our
military are the best America has," he said. "Without them, we would have no country."

The Charlie Daniels Band has performed for troops at bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea and elsewhere. Daniels begins every show the same way, he says, telling the audience, "I bring you greetings from the United States of America!" and ends each show by signing autographs and posing for photos.

An encounter with one enlisted man had an especially profound impact on Daniels, providing inspiration for a song he titled "When I Get Back from Iraq." The first verse of the bluesy ballad, Daniels recalled, centers on the moment an Iraqi veteran returns home from duty.

"One of the toughest guys I ever saw walked into a (backstage) tent, and he looked like he could bite a railroad spike in two. I mean, he had the shaved head and the muscles - he looked like Rambo on steroids," Daniels remembered. "I didn't know what he wanted, but he just came back and started crying.

"This was one of the toughest guys I ever saw, and it was like (he said), 'You remind me of home, and there's something at home I miss,'" Daniels said. "It was special that this man felt enough at home with me that he would break down and cry, because he did not look the type."

In a voice husky with emotion, Daniels recalled the song's lyrics.

"When I get back from Iraq, I'm gonna go stormin' through my front door," he said. "I'm gonna grab a hold of my baby and love her like she ain't been loved before."

After decades of touring, the septuagenarian still has a hard time staying in any one place for very long. Daniels and the band regularly tour America, honoring troops as they go.

"Every night I pay homage to the
military in our show, and I can tell by the reactions in the crowd that support for our military in United States of America is strong; I mean, very, very strong," he said. "I can't tell you what's going on in the halls of power, and the penthouses and the corporate offices of America, because I don't live in that world.

"I'm very much a blue-collar person; I come from a blue-collar background. And we play for a lot of people in a year's time, and I'm here to tell you, they support the military," he said.

Daniels said his lifelong sense of patriotism and support for U.S. troops was born during World War II. He remembers sitting around the radio and listening to reports that Japan had bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

"We never ever thought we would lose," he recalled about the war. "We always had that feeling -- everybody, grown folks, kids, everybody -- knew we were going to win the Second World War. My brand of patriotism came during that time."

The musician said his perception of American culture isn't formed by today's mainstream media.

"We travel this country coast to coast and border to border every year," he said, "and I know that a lot of people get their impressions by watching commercial television or reading the newspaper, and I find that support for the
military in this country is so much more solid and so much more loyal and widespread than you would ever get from watching TV or reading the newspaper.

"America supports the
military, and it's important for me to know that the military knows that," he said.

The Charlie Daniels Band documented their last two visits to bases around Iraq and recorded a CD/DVD multimedia offering titled "Live From Iraq," which was released today.

Family Begins Life Together in Earnest After Deployment

By Megan Han
Special to American Forces Press Service

June 25, 2007 – Imagine being married for almost 18 months, but spending only one of those months together. That is exactly what Scott and Katie Horrigan experienced when Scott -- an
Army captain who commands the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment's Alpha Company -- deployed with the 10th Mountain Division in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Scott and Katie wed on New Year's Eve 2005, one month before Scott was due to deploy to Afghanistan. He returned with his battalion on May 31, 2007, exactly 17 months after he and Katie got married.

Even without the impending deployment, the first month of the Horrigans' marriage was a lot to handle. They learned Katie had become pregnant on their honeymoon, and they quickly bought a home in Watertown, N.Y. With Katie in Denver completing her nursing degree, Scott sent Katie real estate listings online.

Katie went on to face several other challenges during Scott's deployment. She gave birth to their son, Mitchell, on Oct. 4, 2006, as Scott listened in on speakerphone from halfway around the world in Afghanistan. She welcomed Scott home for two weeks of leave in November and then learned two months later that Scott's deployment would be extended by 120 days.

Army families anxiously await their soldier's return from a deployment, but Scott and Katie were especially excited for their reunion - they'd finally have the opportunity to be together as newlyweds and as a family for the first time.

Homecomings are a time for preparation and excitement, and Katie did all she could to have things just right for Scott's return.

"I ate really healthy, I did a lot of work on the house to be sure things were done before Scott got here, and I tried to help Mitchell begin sleeping through the night," she said. Katie also was working against the clock to have their kitchen renovation complete so she could have fresh, homemade cookies waiting for Scott.

"My friends from home joked that I would have a plate of Oreos on the counter, but I made sure I found a way to bake cookies for Scott. I thought that would be a great way to say, 'Welcome home to our new house.'" she said.

After Katie and Scott learned that the deployment would be extended, preparation quickly turned into anticipation of being back together.

"I was extremely scared and nervous for the originally scheduled homecoming in January," Katie said. "Scott and I experienced so many changes, and I worried about being able to adjust together. But after the news of the extension, the homecoming became more about him being home safe and less about how our lives would be. ... I just wanted him home."

The separation wasn't easy for Scott. "The toughest part was not being at Mitchell's birth; I know that is something I will never be able to make up," he said. "Katie was always quick to take a picture or a video, and although a poor substitute for the real thing, it allowed me to experience special moments. ... but I was ready to be there experiencing them with her."

It's not easy to go from one environment to another; Scott reunited with his new family in a new house, and he did so after returning from a forward operating base that he commanded along a dangerous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. But the adjustment has been pleasant.

"Just being with Katie and Mitchell has allowed me to decompress and be relieved of the stress of the deployment," he said. "It's been great."

Despite the delay, Katie is finding her new life rewarding. "I am so happy to have Scott home safe again," she said. "The best part about having him home is being able to enjoy the changes that have occurred in our life. ... It has been very rewarding to finally share the experiences of being newlyweds, new parents and new homeowners together."

The couple is facing a few challenges now that Scott is back, but Katie expressed her optimism with a laugh and a big smile.

"Well, considering we are both stubborn Germans with Irish tempers, I'm pretty sure there will always be challenges for us," she said. "But we always work through everything."

Scott acknowledged it has been difficult jumping into both the role of husband and father.

"My last experience here was as a single man with an apartment and really no other responsibilities than work," he said. "While I was gone, Katie managed to build a family, of which I was the final piece in the puzzle. The father role has been the most difficult. I had never been around babies before, but now I find myself alone with Mitchell trying to figure out solutions for problems. ... But along with Katie, I'm surviving."

Katie shared that all the new thrilling things in their life also can cause some stress for her. She said she realizes there will be an adjustment period.

"It's great having Scott home; however, I wouldn't say that things are less stressful," she said. "Yes, I no longer have to worry about him being at war, and that is a stress that I am very glad to be rid of. But, now, we have the stresses of being newly married and never living together, being new parents together, and being new homeowners all at once.

"My biggest challenge has been letting Scott do things the way he wants to do them," she continued. "I have gotten very used to doing things my way after being alone for 16 months, and it is hard for me to realize that it's OK to do things other ways."

Throughout the homecoming experience, Scott and Katie have realized the importance of working with each other to overcome challenges they face during the transition.

"Katie developed a routine that I am not used to, ... and it takes a lot of patience from both of us, a lot of understanding and just talking to each other," Scott said. "We both had our own way, and now it's time for us to develop our way of doing things."

Scott said he and Katie "know how to take things in stride, and when it becomes difficult, I just remind myself to be more patient."

(Megan Han is the wife of
Army Capt. Pierre Hanof the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment.)

N.Y. Businessman Provides High-flying Gift

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

June 27, 2007 – A New York State-based business owner made a seven-figure donation in frequent-flyer miles to the Fisher House Foundation as part of a Memorial Day-weekend promotion sponsored by CNN, a Fisher House official reported. Advertising and public relations executive Eric Mower donated 1 million frequent flyer miles that he'd accumulated during business travel with Delta Airlines over the past few years, said Pam Lea-Maida, program manager for Fisher House's "Hero Miles" program at the organization's headquarters in Rockville, Md.

Air mileage donated as part of the program is used to provide transportation for family members when they visit hospitalized servicemembers recovering from injuries suffered in Afghanistan or Iraq, Lea-Maida said. The donated miles also are used to transport injured servicemembers from military medical centers when visiting relatives while on convalescent leave, she added.

Fisher House has administered its "Hero Miles" program in partnership with the Defense Department since 2003, Lea-Maida said. Since then, the organization has provided more than 10,000 cost-free airline tickets to servicemembers and their families, which translates to a savings of more than $12 million.

Fisher House asked to participate in CNN's Memorial Day promotion, Lea-Maida said.

"We do have partnerships with each of the major airlines," Lea-Maida said, noting Fisher House books travel worth between 3.5 and 4 million frequent flyer miles daily for servicemembers' relatives.

Mower's donation to Fisher House is "unbelievably generous" and much appreciated, Lea-Maida said, noting that Delta Airlines matched Mower's contribution.

"I saw the CNN promotional messages, and I decided that's a good idea," Mower said about his Fisher House donation today during a phone interview from his company's principal office in Syracuse, N.Y. "I was sitting on a lot of miles that I hadn't used."

Mower said he watches daily television coverage of U.S. servicemembers' efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"You have to be brain-dead not to want to think about what these people are sacrificing" for the United States, Mower said. "So, it's not an overstatement to say that I think about them every day."

Mower said he is just "one citizen, doing very little" to support the troops "in comparison to what they are doing."

Any organization like Fisher House that supports servicemembers and their families "is a good organization, as far as I'm concerned," Mower said.

Since 1990, the nonprofit Fisher House organization also has served the nation by providing no-cost accommodations at
military bases for relatives visiting ill or injured servicemembers. The comfort homes are built by Fisher House and then provided as gifts to the military services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Fisher House is a member of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which spotlights and facilitates citizens' support for servicemembers and their families and communicates that support to servicemembers at home and abroad.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Pentagon Presents Charlie Daniels With Civilian Award

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

June 25, 2007 – The Pentagon honored music legend Charlie Daniels here today with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service for his support of
military personnel. Perhaps best known for his chart-topping platinum single, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," Daniels has played concerts for servicemembers at military installations around the world. The musician, who has been entertaining troops with his genre-blending style of country, blues and jazz for more than 35 years, says his life-long patriotism was born during World War II.

"I remember the day that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and I have taken patriotism into my heart, I have taken the
military into my heart, and it has been there ever since," Daniels said. "The more I go among the military, the more I am convinced that you folks are the best America's got.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be able to come to wherever the military is, in whatever part of the world they happen to be in, to entertain them," he said.

The two Pentagon officials who presented the framed award citation and medal to Daniels took turns thanking him for his decades of steadfast support for U.S. troops.

"This is an important opportunity for us to say 'Thank You' to Charlie Daniels for his very long service to the men and women in uniform," Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said. "He's performed for them in more than 20 different installations in countries across the globe, volunteering his time to do what he does best, and to bring them a little bit of America and a little bit of 'Thank You' from the people of America for the service they provide for our country."

In addition to visiting troops at bases in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, Korea and elsewhere, Daniels started Operation Heartstrings in November 2005. The program to date has donated 100 Gibson guitars, as well as drums, keyboards, microphones, and more than 13,000 pieces of musical accessories to deployed servicemembers.

Brig. Gen. Mari Kaye Eder, deputy chief of
Army Public Affairs, was elated to finally talk to the man who she's been listening to since childhood.

"I'm thrilled to be here with Charlie Daniels; I grew up with him, though he doesn't know that," she said. "Every Sunday after church, my dad would play his records."

Wherever Daniels goes, he has friends in uniform and throughout the vast network of armed service personnel and family members, Eder said. "It's my honor to be here to represent just a few of them today," she added.

Daniels' multimedia CD and DVD offering titled "Live From Iraq" is set for release tomorrow. The Charlie Daniels Band recorded the music portion during the group's 2006 visit to bases around Iraq, and the bonus DVD features concert footage and video of the band interacting with
military members serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Addressing servicemembers gathered here, Daniels thanked the men and women in uniform for their service to their country.

"I want to thank you for making America free," he said. "Without you there would be no America."

England Highlights Need for Less Structure, Right People

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

June 26, 2007 – "Less is better" when it comes to managing the Defense Department, the deputy secretary of defense told the House Armed Services Committee today during a hearing aimed at improving the department's management. Gordon England said he would "much rather have a high degree of flexibility in the department for both the secretary and the deputy to have an adaptable organization," rather than one that is overly structured.

In May, the House passed a 2008 Defense Authorization Bill based on management recommendations from the Institute for Defense Analysis and the Government Accountability Office. The Senate has introduced a similar bill that has yet to be debated.

"I don't believe, frankly, either bill is actually needed in the department," England said.

Outlining his management philosophy to the committee, England said he prefers simplicity over a structure that's hampered by complicated bureaucracy. Upon taking his job, he noted, one of his initiatives was to cut down on the internal directives that burden the department with excessive rules and regulations.

"The department already has a lot of structure," he said. "If anything, we have too much structure and we have a lot of rules and regulations that we go by ... So we have been working very hard to reduce our own directives in trying to shrink the bureaucracy as much as possible."

To underscore the department's existing complexity, England told the committee that the department oversees 600,000 facilities in 146 countries, including 44 major operating commands. The
Army alone has seven combat training areas, 11 depots, 14 institutes, 19 laboratories and 93 medical centers in addition to all of their major commands, he said.

Though conventional wisdom often suggests that changing an organization will lead to a more efficient system, attaining proper
leadership is more important, England said.

"The organization's not nearly as important as the
leadership and the people who populate that organization, so frankly my emphasis is getting the right people," he said. "Right people can withstand any organization, but not vice versa."

England said that any organizational change should be made carefully. "I believe there's fundamental questions about what the structure should be, but I'll tell you, I am very hesitant to make significant changes without a really good pilot and understanding outcomes because my own experience is it is very easy to destroy value and extraordinarily hard to create value," he said.

The Defense Business Systems Management Committee, the Business Transformation Agency and the Deputy's Advisory Working Group are "horizontal integrating elements" that tie together the department's structure, England said.

"We have put structure in place so that we get horizontal interconnects, and so we get better awareness and understanding throughout the organization," he said. "And in my judgment, those approaches are far more valuable than anything we do with structure itself."

Speaking about the servicemembers and civilians who fulfill the Defense Department's mission, England said that "we are absolutely blessed as a nation."

"If it wasn't for their work, we couldn't have our people at the front line, doing the job they do," he said. "That's really where we place our emphasis -- on providing an environment for every one of those people to excel every day for their nation."

Tiger Woods to Honor Soldiers, Families

Special to American Forces Press Service

June 26, 2007 – Tiger Woods will honor soldiers and
military families July 4 at the inaugural Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am Tournament, part of the AT&T National PGA Tour event, scheduled for July 3 - 8 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. Woods donated 30,000 free tickets for the tournament to military personnel, who will be treated to special seating behind the greens and hospitality tents.

"It's very important to me that this tournament honor the men and women who serve in our armed forces," Woods said. "They put their lives on the line so that we are able to enjoy our freedom, and we'd love for them to come out and enjoy a few days of relaxation. Our intent is to honor and really thank the people that protect us."

Woods even extended a playing date to a soldier: Sgt. Maj. Mia Kelly of the 1st Information Operations Command at Fort Belvoir, Va. She will tee off with Tiger at 6:30 a.m. on the No. 1 hole on Congressional CC's blue course.
Air Force Master Sgt. Andy Amor of Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and AT&T Chairman Randall Stephenson will complete the foursome.

"I think this is one of the most exciting things ever - it's almost like winning the Powerball of golf," Kelly said.

The quartet will be joined on the 15th or 16th hole by former President George H.W. Bush, who will accompany them for the remainder of the round.

Sixty soldiers from Fort Belvoir will unveil a large American flag inside the ropes on the No. 1 fairway to the tune of "God Bless America." Four hundred U.S. flags also will be distributed to spectators surrounding the tee box, while an
Air Force drill team performs and a Navy band plays patriotic songs.

Spc. Vicki Golding, the
Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command's 2006 Military Idol winner, will sing the national anthem at 11:26 a.m., followed by a flyover by the Army's elite Blackhawk Helicopter Wing.

Wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., will be acknowledged by tournament officials and dignitaries.

At 11:38 a.m., Woods will offer a golf tip to former President Bush, who - following a drum roll - will launch the honorary first shot of the tournament.

"Tiger's doing this in honor of his father, who was a Vietnam veteran," Fort Belvoir Golf Club general manager Peter Cizdziel said.

"I think it will be beyond words," added Kelly, who was born in South Korea in 1965 and adopted in 1970. She moved to the United States in 1974 and attained U.S. citizenship 10 years later. She joined the
U.S. Army in 1983 and has deployed five times to Panama, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Kelly, who holds a bachelor's degree in
criminal justice from the University of Maryland, began playing golf in 2004. She is a member of Fort Belvoir Golf Club, where she plays several times per week.

"I would rather play golf than do almost anything else - it's an absolute passion," said Kelly, who has an 11 handicap.

Sgt. Timothy Smith, who works for the Joint Personal Property Shipping Office at Fort Belvoir, is scheduled to serve as Kelly's caddie during the Pro-Am.

Complimentary tickets for active-duty
military personnel to attend the second round of the AT&T National on July 6 are still available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Pentagon's ITT/ITR Ticket Office.

A limited number of tickets also are available for purchase at the ITT/ITR office for $20 to attend daily play July 3 - 6 or $25 for the final two rounds of the tournament.

(Tim Hipps works at U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Public Affairs.)