Saturday, January 27, 2007

Gates Expresses Support for Casey, Fallon

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 –
Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, both of whom are nominated for key leadership positions, are supremely qualified professionals who should be confirmed by the Senate, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Fallon, who is nominated to take over U.S. Central Command, faces his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Jan. 30; Casey, who is nominated to be Army chief of staff, has his hearing Feb. 1.

Speaking today at a media roundtable at the Pentagon, Gates expressed support for both officers. Casey, he noted, has given more than 35 years of service to the nation and spent 30 months in Baghdad as the commander of Multinational Force Iraq.

As commander in Iraq, Casey adjusted to changing circumstances on the ground, Gates said. After the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra in February 2006, Casey adjusted tactics to deal with the rise in sectarian violence and changed force levels as needed, he said.

"He was the first choice of the professional military and the secretary of the
Army for this position," Gates said. "He served as the vice chief of staff of the Army. So I think he's eminently qualified. I think he's rendered good service. I think he deserves this position."

Fallon is described as one of the best strategic thinkers in the military, Gates said. His experience in U.S. Pacific Command has given him diplomatic skills that will come in handy in the Middle East, and Central Command could benefit from the perspective of a Navy officer, Gates said.

"As you look at the range of options available to the United States, the use of naval and air power, potentially, it made sense to me for all those reasons for Admiral Fallon to have the job," he said.

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Sinese Supports Disabled Veterans' Memorial

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – Actor and military advocate Gary Sinise earned praise for his portrayal of a disabled Vietnam veteran in the 1994 movie, "Forrest Gump." Sinise now is helping to build a memorial for America's 3 million living disabled military veterans. The spokesman for the Disabled Veterans Life Memorial Foundation, Sinise, 51, said it's important to recognize disabled veterans'
military service and personal sacrifices, especially when America and its armed forces are engaged in a global war on terrorism.

"Having known so many Vietnam veterans and remembering all too well how they were received when they returned from war, I wanted to do my part to make sure that never happens again," Sinise said, noting that returning Vietnam veterans were treated poorly.

Today's U.S. servicemembers, unlike the conscription force employed during Vietnam, "serve freely," Sinise said.

"They should be shown appreciation and respect -- always," the Academy-Award nominated actor said. "Their sacrifices are many and they need our support."

Over the past three years Sinise has participated in more than 20 tours with the United Service Organizations to visit overseas-deployed U.S. troops and visited with wounded servicemembers. Sometimes, he took along his "Lt. Dan Band," named after Lt. Dan Taylor, the character he played in "Forrest Gump."

"Each time I visit our wounded I'm struck by their humility, their courage, determination, their acceptance, and their dedication to our country and their fellow warriors," Sinise said.

Supporting U.S. servicemembers "is truly one of the most rewarding things that I've ever done," Sinise said. "I know that they don't have to do this work, and I'm grateful that we have people like them who want to volunteer to defend this great nation in
military service."

Letting America's servicemen and women know that their service to the nation is appreciated and won't be forgotten can make a great deal of difference, Sinise said. And, supporting America's disabled military veterans, he added, also is the right and proper thing to do.

"And, as these (disabled) veterans face a life for which no one can prepare, so must their families and friends," Sinise said.

The $65 million memorial will honor America's disabled military veterans from all the nation's wars, Sinise said. It will be built adjacent to the National Mall here, within full view of the U.S. Capitol.

Sinise noted his appreciation of and paid tribute to the families of disabled veterans.

"Their heroic devotion is a source of strength for those striving to heal," Sinise said. "Freedom is so precious. And those who protect it and sacrifice for it deserve our highest praise and thanks."

The award-winning actor also is an advocate of the "America Supports You" program, a Defense Department initiative that recognizes citizen and corporate support for U.S. military members and communicates that support to servicemembers at home and deployed overseas in the global war on terrorism.

Sinise and "The Lt. Dan Band" will perform a benefit concert tomorrow from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Washington Auto Show at the Convention Center here. Proceeds will go to the Fisher House organization, which provides accommodations for military families when visiting with seriously ill loved ones.

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Established Procedures Followed After Black Hawk Crash

American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – Coalition forces followed established "aircraft down" procedures when reacting to the crash of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter Jan. 20 in Diyala province in which 12 U.S. servicemembers died,
military officials in Baghdad reported today. In a statement issued by Multinational Corps Iraq, officials said that contrary to some media reporting, at no time did the lead aircraft leave the downed Black Hawk before additional security arrived at the site.

The
military statement said two coalition aircraft were flying on a routine mission when one of the aircraft crashed in a rural area northeast of Baghdad. Reports indicate a distress call from the trail aircraft. About 20 seconds later, the lead aircraft crew saw the trail aircraft go down.

The lead aircraft immediately circled back to provide security and assistance to the crew and passengers, the statement said. After determining the area was clear, the lead helicopter landed and quickly surveyed the scene for any survivors of the downed aircraft.

The crew observed that the aircraft was on fire and determined there were no survivors, officials said. They remained on the ground and secured the site until additional security arrived.

An aerial coalition quick-reaction force arrived on the scene to provide additional security about three minutes after the Black Hawk was reported down. This air support arrived quickly, officials explained, because the crews were already conducting patrols in the area. The lead aircraft involved in the initial incident stayed on the scene for an additional seven minutes before leaving the secured site to fly to Forward Operating Base Balad.

The lead aircraft crew, made up of soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 131st Aviation Regiment, "performed heroically in protecting and safeguarding their comrades" in the downed Black Hawk under extremely adverse conditions, the Multinational Corps Iraq statement said.

The incident remains under investigation.

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Turkey Signs On for Next Phase of Joint Strike Fighter

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – Turkey signed on for the next phase of the Joint Strike Fighter in a ceremony here yesterday, pledging $175 million toward the aircraft's production. Turkey also promised to buy 100 of the conventional-take-off-and-landing version of the aircraft, being developed by the
Navy, Air Force, Marines and allies.

In a Pentagon E-wing room, flanked by about 30 Turkish and U.S. dignitaries and program officers, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England met with Turkey's National Defense Minister Mehmet Vecdi Gonul and Undersecretary for Defense Industries Murad Bayar for the signing of the memorandum of understanding that will take Turkey into the production, sustainment and follow-on development phase of the Joint Strike Fighter program.

Gonul also met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today at the Pentagon.

Before yesterday's signing, England said he has spent several years cultivating U.S. relations with Turkey and called the Turkish officials present "dear, close friends."

"Our country is privileged to have such a strong and dynamic ally in Turkey," England said. "Together our two nations are standing together in the name of freedom."

By partnering in this program, the two countries are "building a safe and more secure world for our children and grandchildren," England said.

Gonul called the Joint Strike Fighter program "the way forward" for his country and its air force.

"Today is an important day and big milestone for the future of the Turkish air force," Gonul said. "The Turkish government is extremely proud to be a part of the Joint Strike Fighter program."

Bayar said the new F-35 Lightning II will replace Turkey's aging F-16 fighters and will be the "backbone for the Turkish
air force."

The deal could cost Turkey more than $10 billion over 20 years, the largest defense project in Turkish history. Turkey has the lowest per capita income of any of the Joint Strike Fighter partners, Gonul said.

The agreement provides a framework for future program efforts in production and beyond and will extend cooperation beyond the current development and demonstration agreement between the United States and the other eight Joint Strike Fighter partner nations -- the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Australia. Turkey joined the system development and demonstration phase in 2002.

All but Italy, Norway and Denmark have signed on to the next phase of the production. DoD officials met with officials from those countries this week, and all are on board, just working out the details, said Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,
Technology and Logistics Kenneth Krieg. Those countries are expected to sign the memorandum by the end of February.

The Joint Strike Fighter is the largest ever DoD acquisition program. The F-35 Lightning II is a supersonic, multi-role, stealth fighter designed to replace a wide range of existing aircraft. Three versions of the aircraft will be built: a conventional-takeoff-and-landing variant, an aircraft-carrier version and a short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing version. Initial plans call for building 2,400 of the aircraft at a cost of about $200 billion.

The F-35 Lightning II is in the flight test mode and has flown two successful test flights, Dec. 15 and Jan. 8, from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, facility.

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Gates: Commanders Will Get Troops They Need

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – While U.S. commanders in Iraq do not have a "blank check" to request additional troops, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today he will consider all their recommendations and ensure they have the forces they need to accomplish their mission. Speaking at his first Pentagon roundtable with reporters since taking office, Gates said he has asked commanders what troop levels they need. He added that those recommendations will go through a thorough vetting process before being approved.

"I would say what we have done, I hope, is create an environment in which the commanders feel open to requesting what they think they need, and then we will evaluate it here in the department to see what's available and how much of that request we can satisfy," Gates said.

Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who was confirmed today by the Senate to lead Multinational Force Iraq, has indicated the additional troops allocated for Iraq will be sufficient to accomplish the mission, Gates said. The Defense Department is evaluating whether the deployment of some or all of the five brigades President Bush has pledged to Iraq can be accelerated, he said.

Gates warned that anything that would undermine support of the U.S. mission in Iraq, such as Congressional resolutions opposing troop increases in Iraq, would embolden terrorists. "I think it's hard to measure that with any precision, but it seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to (terrorists)," he said. "And I'm sure that that's not the intent behind the resolutions, but I think it may be the effect."

As the additional troops are sent to Iraq and the new Iraq strategy is implemented, it is possible there will be a rise in U.S. casualties, Gates said. Another possibility is that terrorists will go into hiding and try to wait out the surge, he added.

"The key here is the fact that the Iraqi
military are going to be in the lead on this, and we are going to be in a support role," he said. "It would be my expectation that the Iraqi military would be there for a very long period of time, and once we got the level of violence down to a certain point that it would be entirely manageable by the Iraqi army, that would be there for a protracted period of time."

In his confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee Jan. 23, Petraeus said that the entire U.S. government needs to mobilize and contribute to the Iraq effort. Today Gates agreed, but said that no decisions will be made until Petraeus arrives in Iraq and evaluates the situation.

"It's an issue that I've felt strongly about from the beginning -- that the reconstruction and economic development part of this strategy of clear, hold and build, is critically important to its long-term success," Gates said. "We will wait until General Petraeus arrives on the scene and get his estimation of what he needs."

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Group Plans Second 'I Love America Day'

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – With the help of an America Supports You member organization, Charlotte, N.C., will observe its second annual "I Love America Day" on March 19. "Flags Across the Nation," which promotes patriotism through the arts, is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans are supporting the nation's servicemembers.

Eileen Schwartz, Flags Across the Nation's founder, said she started the "I Love America Day" movement because more than two months pass before Memorial Day without a patriotic holiday and to start a tradition of honoring America and its troops in that period.

"Part of the reason for doing it was to see if there's a way we can build our own history, ... which honors the troops (and shows) appreciation for America," Schwartz said. "Here's a holiday that gives people the opportunity to make a significant difference."

This year Charlotte will know just how much Carly Taich loves America. The 14-year-old Charlotte resident's award-winning artwork will be painted on the front of a dairy processing building belonging to a local farm.

Taich won first place in the "Flags for Freedom" 2006 Children's Patriotic Art Contest in the division for sixth, seventh and eighth graders.

Area students will be invited to visit the building featuring the paintings, and there will be some interactive activities, Schwartz said.

In fact, Schwartz said, she is hoping area residents will come to the farm the weekend before I Love America Day to help with the painting. Volunteers also will paint a 10-foot by 15-foot American flag on the side of the same building.

"We're going to have (local media) tell people that they can come on Saturday and Sunday to participate in creating and adding on to the painting," Schwartz said. "On Monday we will invite people to come to see the completed painting."

With the event still nearly two months away, Schwartz said she's still firming up all the details. She is, however, planning to record I Love America Day activities and burn CDs to send to servicemembers.

The local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter also has volunteered to help and will provide a few hundred small American flags for distribution to those who participate in the festivities. An area businessman has offered to donate 500 patriotic posters to hand out, as well, some of which will go to troops overseas, she said.

For those who won't be able to participate in the events in Charlotte but want to observe March 19 as I Love America Day, Schwartz suggested writing letters to the troops or making blankets for wounded warriors through her organization's Blankets for Recovery program.

Children can paint individual squares of fabric with a patriotic image and send them to Flags Across the Nation. They'll be made into quilts for troops, she said.

She also suggested volunteering at a veterans hospital, and proudly displaying the American flag as ways to observe the day.

For those with a competitive streak, Flags Across the Nation is hosting a patriotic photo essay contest. Leading up to I Love America Day, entrants can upload their patriotic images to the group's Web site. Three prize winners will be selected from all of the entries. Additionally, 13 images, representing the original 13 colonies, will be selected and made into a photo quilt, Schwartz said.

"We think that's going to be a real easy thing to get a lot of people involved," she said.

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Progress Quietly Proceeds in Afghanistan, General Says

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – More Afghan adults are employed; more of their children are attending school; and the Afghan government is expanding, the senior
U.S. military commander in Afghanistan said today. "The Taliban have not achieved any of their objectives in the last year," Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76 and commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division, told reporters in the Pentagon via satellite connection from Afghanistan.

"By contrast, over the past year, U.S. forces and coalition partners have made great progress in the creation of a stable, secure and viable nation state in Afghanistan despite the Taliban's attempt to impede that progress," he said.

During a briefing on Afghanistan operations, Freakley discussed recent changes in the organizational structure of security operations. "In the past few months, we've experienced significant changes in Afghanistan," he said. "On Oct. 6, Afghanistan completed its transition from the U.S.-led coalition to a NATO-led coalition headed by the International Security Assistance Force.

"Over the last two years, ISAF has assumed responsibility for security operations in five different provinces or regional commands: Center, North, West, South and now Regional Command East, which we command, which has 14 different provinces," he said. "We now have 26 NATO countries and 11 other nations that have staked their national reputation to the outcome in Afghanistan," he said.

Recent command changes will enlarge ISAF's and the international community's role in security operations, Freakley said.

In addition to expanded international effort, 3,200 U.S. Army soldiers with 10th Mountain Division have had their deployments extended to help continue progress in Afghanistan, Freakley added.

"Construction, education and economic development are indeed linked to security," he said. "And where there is infrastructure like roads and electricity, there are economic opportunities, ... which bring jobs."

Afghanistan's civic leaders and local civilians say unemployment is their greatest challenge, Freakley said.

"(Unemployment) has some men turning to terrorists for employment vs. serving their nation," he said. "Given the choice and means to achieve new goals, Afghans embrace new opportunity to better their lives and reject extremism."

The extension of U.S. troop deployment in the region and a $10 billion aid package has encouraged optimism in the region, Freakley said.

The reconstruction aid "has buoyed the Afghan confidence in both the American commitment to this nation and the international commitment to Afghanistan, and their ability to withstand any type of
terrorist activity (aimed at) taking back the progress they've made over the last five years," he said.

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U.S. Missile Defense in Europe to Counter Rogue States


By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – Missile defense assets the United States is planning to base in Eastern Europe will be aimed at countering threats posed by rogue nations, such as Iran, and will not pose a threat to allies in the region, a senior defense official said here yesterday. The Defense Department announced Jan. 19 that it was beginning bilateral negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic to host long-range ground-based interceptors and a missile defense radar on their territories.

The concept of locating missile defense assets in Europe goes back to 2002, when DoD decided to extend coverage to allies, friends and deployed forces in the region and to enhance the defense of the United States, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. "Trey" Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said in a teleconference with reporters. DoD began putting money for this missile defense in its 2006 and 2007 budget requests to begin the analysis and early work to prepare sites for these assets, he explained.

"The sites are intended to be part of an integrated, layered system that we have been deploying since 2004," Obering said. "They are geared toward and are directed toward rogue-nation capabilities, obviously not sophisticated ballistic missile fleets such as the Russians have, but are geared toward what we consider to be the rogue-nation threat, as is our ballistic missile defense system that we've been deploying."

Obering acknowledged that Iran does not yet have long-range, intercontinental ballistic missile capability, but he said it is still the largest threat in the region because it is clearly working to achieve those capabilities. U.S. officials have learned from the past, such as when North Korea launched the Taepo Dong 1 in 1998, just months after experts had predicted it would be years before that country had long-range capabilities, he said.

"We want to have this in place by the 2011-2012 timeframe, because we think the Iranians, for example, shortly thereafter will be able to have a long-range capability -- not one that they've demonstrated today or necessarily tomorrow, but again you're talking about several years from now, and so it's prudent for us to be thinking about that now and begin to build toward that so that we're in a position that we can do something about it in that timeframe," he said.

The United States wants to proceed quickly in staging the missile defense capabilities in Europe, but the timeline is subject to negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic, Brian Green, deputy assistant secretary of defense for forces policy, said in the teleconference. Obering added that all three countries are motivated by the same factor, which is building a common capability to defend against emerging threats.

Each country has three or four acceptable locations that are under negotiation, Obering said. If approved, the interceptor site will employ about 200 people, and the radar site will need contractors to maintain the equipment and the site. Both locations would also require force-protection personnel, he said.

The physical locations will remain the sovereign territory of the host nation, Green said, but the United States will have operational control of the bases. All U.S. personnel will be required to abide by the laws of the host nation, he added.

Emphasizing that these sites will not threaten U.S. allies in the region, Obering said that the U.S. interceptors will not even be capable of catching Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles. He said he has traveled to Moscow to talk with Russian leaders and briefed the NATO-Russia Council about the program.

"We will continue to work closely with the Russians and continue to work closely with our NATO allies and our European allies to make sure that they understand what the technical and the program capabilities are of these missiles," Obering said.

The United States is not asking for any funding from the host nations or other European nations for the missile sites, Obering said. This decision was made in the interest of speeding the process, he explained.

"We did not want to have to worry about any kind of long, protracted negotiation with respect to funding support to get this started, because, as I said earlier, we believe that there is a compelling reason to begin to do this because of what we see emerging with respect to the threat," he said.

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Diplomacy Remains Main Avenue for Dealing With Iran, Bush Says

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – Although U.S. troops will continue to defend themselves against any elements that threaten their security in Iraq, diplomacy remains the primary avenue for solving problems between the United States and Iran, President Bush said here today.
Bush spoke at the White House following a meeting with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, and Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, who soon will take over as commander of coalition forces in Iraq.

"It just makes sense that if somebody is trying to harm our troops or stop us from achieving our goal or killing innocent citizens in Iraq that we will stop them," Bush said. He discounted speculation that defending against third-nation threats in Iraq indicates a desire to expand the war outside Iraq's borders.

"That's a presumption that simply is not accurate," the president said. "We believe that we can solve our problems with Iran diplomatically and are working to do that."

At the Pentagon today, Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman cited instances of Iranians in Iraq found to have been involved in activities against the Iraqi government and coalition forces.

"
U.S. military forces certainly are going to take action against anybody that's breaking the law with the Iraqi government, irrespective of their nationality," he said. "We've made it clear in the past that Iran's not being a good neighbor. We've had examples of specific instances where Iranians have been involved in activities that are not only meddlesome, but also destructive to the foundation and formation of the Iraqi government."

Anyone involved in illegal activities that either threaten Iraqi civilians or the coalition forces or the Iraqi security forces will be "dealt with in accordance with the appropriate rules of force," Whitman said.

Bush said that while U.S. forces will continue to protect themselves in Iraq, he believes the United States can solve its problems with Iran through diplomacy. He cited progress on the diplomatic front concerning Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

"We've convinced other nations to join us to send a clear message through the United Nations that that's unacceptable behavior," Bush said.

Bush said Iran's government must decide whether to continue to isolate Iran to the detriment of its people or to take steps that will reverse that isolation.

"Our struggle is not with the Iranian people. As a matter of fact, we want them to flourish," he said. "We want their economy to be strong, and we want their mothers to be able to ... raise their children in a hopeful society."

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Senate Unanimously Confirms Petraeus to Head Operations in Iraq

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – The Senate today confirmed
Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus for promotion to general and assignment as commander of Multinational Force Iraq. At a photo opportunity following a meeting with Petraeus, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Peter Pace about the way forward in Iraq, President Bush expressed gratitude to the Senate for acting quickly on the nomination.

"The Senate confirmed this good man without a dissenting vote," the president said. "I appreciate the quick action of the United States Senate. I appreciate them giving General David Petraeus a fair hearing, and I appreciate the vote."

Bush said he wants Petraeus to report to Iraq quickly to "implement a plan that we believe will yield our goals."

The president said that despite criticism of his plan to increase U.S. troop presence in the Iraqi capital and in the country's troublesome Anbar province, he has to do what needs to be done. Most members of Congress, he said, recognize that failure in Iraq "would be a disaster for the United States."

"I'm the decision maker," Bush said. "I had to come up with a way forward that precluded disaster. In other words, I had to think about what's likely to work. And so I worked with our military, and I worked with Secretary Gates to come up with a plan that is likely to succeed."

Critics of his plan have an obligation to propose a plan they think will work, Bush said. "I've listened to lots of members of Congress; I've listened carefully to their suggestions," he said. "And I have picked the plan that I think is most likely to succeed, because I understand, like many in Congress understand, success is very important for the security of the country."

Petraeus expressed his appreciation to the president, the Senate and his family. He also thanked "the great soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians who are out there on the front lines of the
global war on terror."

No date has been set for Petraeus to succeed Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who has commanded coalition forces in Iraq since July 2004. Bush has nominated Casey to become Army chief of staff.

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Chaplains' Reach Out to Soldiers Extended in Afghanistan

By Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 –
U.S. military chaplains serving in Afghanistan want troops who have been extended to know support is there for them. "Hang in there; we're right with you," is what chaplains want recently extended soldiers to know, a senior chaplain here said. About 3,200 soldiers of 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, learned yesterday that they will be extended in Afghanistan until June, about 120 days past their scheduled redeployment date.

"Chaplains are uniquely and sympathetically aware of what these soldiers and their families are going through right now," said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) William Laigaie, Combined Joint Task Force 76 chaplain. "Everything that is being done now will continue being done, including worship schedules and visits to outlying areas."

Laigaie has been a chaplain for 21 years and has seen firsthand the impact of sudden extensions. How individual soldiers deal with the news depends on how each person deals with change and loss, he said. "I find that the impact to this kind of news is the same across time and across units," he said. "Soldiers love their jobs, but they love being with their families.

"They'll feel a sudden change and loss. The change is they're staying. The loss is that they will not get to see their families yet," Laigaie added. "Once they get through the disbelief and the checking, they will think about their losses. 'What about my assignment? What about my family?'"

Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Andy Gibson, Combined Task Force Chamberlain chaplain, said soldiers and families can feel angry, disappointed and betrayed, and it's important for soldiers to know that those feelings are normal.

"It's normal to feel those things," he said. "But this horrible feeling will pass, and they will be coming home. We're going to make it; we're going to do our jobs; and we're going to come home."

The chaplains outlined things each soldier should do or remember:

Focus on success. "It's important that each soldier focus on success," Laigaie said. "Once they have it, it's theirs forever. In the end, they're going to be proud that they stood up to the task, that they gave more. Stay proud, work proud and return proud."

Talk to families. "Our families are particularly important right now in supporting that soldier," Gibson said. "Soldiers should, in turn, encourage them."
Keep the right perspective. "Put into perspective that the period of time extended is much shorter than the period they've already endured," Gibson said. "They're trained well and have advantages over a soldier who just deployed. They're veterans, more aware and more battle-hardened. They need to remember they are part of a larger program to keep Afghanistan free, and if (Afghanistan were to be) abandoned, their last year would have been in vain."

Be professional. "Be professional, know your job, and exude the confidence your soldiers depend on," Gibson said.

Grieve privately; encourage publicly. "Supervisors need to get their perspective and mental health in line," Gibson said. "They should get as much information as they can and share that with soldiers and with families in the rear, keeping operational security in mind. This is not the time to clam up, to say, 'Suck it up and drive on,' but to explain what's going on. Grieve privately. Encourage publicly."

Seek help if you need it. "Soldiers should not wait for a problem to become a crisis," Laigaie said. "Seek help sooner rather than later. Buddy care is particularly important. We'll pull each other through."

Combat Stress offices are located at Bagram, Kandahar , Jalalabad, and Orgun-E, and experts travel to remote forward operating bases for counseling, Gibson said.

The extended soldiers, assigned to Task Force Spartan, should remain proud of what they are doing in Afghanistan, Laigaie said. "Rise up; meet the task; and overcome," he said. "Remember that this reflects the confidence our
leaders and the American people have in the American soldier. They have confidence in the Spartans that they will rise to the task."

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DoD Shows Off Non-lethal Energy Weapon

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 26, 2007 – The Defense Department this week unveiled its first non-lethal, counterpersonnel, directed-energy weapon. The Active Denial System works by emitting a directed beam of millimeter wave energy, which creates an intolerable heating sensation on an adversary's skin, causing an instantaneous repel effect without causing injury, according to a DoD news release.

ADS has the potential to fill a need troops have identified on the battlefield, said Col. Kirk Hymes, director of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate.

"Our warfighters have identified a need for additional non-lethal capabilities because distinguishing between combatants and non-combatants on the modern battlefield can be very difficult," Hymes said. "We need discriminate, non-lethal weapons with longer ranges and universal effects. This is exactly what we get with ADS."

More than 12 years of research have gone into the development and testing of the millimeter wave technology in the ADS, according to the release. In 2001, the technology was designated as an advanced concept technology demonstration, which is a DoD initiative to speed the transfer of advanced technologies to warfighters.

The ADS has gone thorough treaty and legal reviews to ensure the system is compliant with applicable arms control treaties and agreements, according to the release. It has also undergone three military utility assessments, where it was evaluated in a variety of operational scenarios ranging from checkpoint support to facility, perimeter and harbor security.

Most of DoD's current non-lethal weapons, such as bean bag rounds, use "kinetic" energy, Hymes said. With these weapons, the size and mass of the target and the distance at which the weapon is used can change the effect of the weapon, perhaps making it more dangerous, he explained.

"The ADS, on the other hand, is a 'muzzle-safe' weapon, which means it is safe and effective at 50 feet and 500 meters," Hymes said. "The range, safety, universal effect, and tremendous repel capability make the ADS a very versatile non-lethal weapon with a great deal of military utility."

Members of the media were invited to get up close and personal with the ADS at a demonstration Jan. 24 at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., where the ADS will be based. The day allowed members of both print and broadcast media outlets to interact with experts who helped develop and design the technology and those who conducted the human effects testing of the system. Attendees also were offered the opportunity to voluntarily experience the effect of ADS in an actual target-engagement scenario.

"We want to take every opportunity to demystify this capability and to provide accurate information about its safety and effectiveness," Hymes said. "It was important that the members of the media were able to judge for themselves the effectiveness of the weapon and see firsthand how safe it is. We can give hundreds of briefings and slide presentations, but there is nothing like seeing and experiencing for yourself how very effective and safe this capability is."

The ADS has been assigned to the 820th Security Forces Group at Moody Air Force Base for the extended user evaluation phase of the advanced concept technology demonstration. The 820th SFG will incorporate the ADS into its training and exercise plan until mid-2007, officials said.

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership online; and, police and military personnel who have written books.

War Game Encourages Interagency Teamwork

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 25, 2007 – Military and other government decision makers are working this week to determine how best to use the government's powers to defeat an insurgency. Nearly 160 participants were given an imaginary crisis and asked to create a unified response during the
U.S. Marine Corps-hosted Expeditionary War Game that began Jan. 21 and ends tomorrow at the William F. Bolger Leadership Facility, here.

The annual exercise aims to keep international preparation and response procedures compatible in the increasingly complex 21st century security environment, officials said.

The handpicked players, representing every
U.S. military branch plus interagency and international participants, gathered here yesterday in various "phase rooms" around u-shaped desks strewn with laptop computers and coffee cups.

Each phase room, or "cell," focuses on a distinct procedural step -- from operational design, planning process, interagency approach to campaign planning -- and players add pieces to the puzzle based on their unique expertise.

"There are many facets (to a nation's response)," former Ambassador David Passage, a War Game senior mentor, said. "We're not talking about straight lines and primary colors here. It's all a mosaic consisting of dots of different colors that together shape an image."

Marine Lt. Col Roger Morin said the war game represents a new effort from military planners to strengthen its bond with interagency members.

"We've built up a generation of (military) planners and commanders (who), by the very culture, are biased towards a solution," he said. "(This bias) creates an atmosphere that doesn't support campaign planning.

"The interagency has proposed it would welcome a forum for examining the problem, sharing an understanding of it, and share in planning the solution," Morin added. "It might assist in how (the military) does business with the interagency."

Increased cooperation between military and interagency planners could create conditions for developing a consensus toward understanding and managing an issue, he said.

Lt. Col. Daryl Campbell, of the Australian
army, compared interagency cooperation to a large surgical team treating a disease.

"The first thing a doctor usually asks his patient is how did you get sick?" Campbell said. "You don't wake up one morning ... and find that there's a bloody great insurgency; something led to it.

"Most of the things that led to this were not military and can't be solved by the military," he said. "(The military) can go in there and stabilize the situation, but unless you address the root causes of what led to this, then it's going to flare up again because you didn't cure the virus."

When paired with
military intervention, interagency effort is the other medicine that treats a conflict's cause, Campbell added.

"The
U.S. military is capable of doing anything, anyplace, (but) should it be asked to do everything every place?" Passage said.

"Part of this exercise is that it's not all going to be Department of Defense," he said. "Everybody now understands that while you might want a single manager, (other departments) have got roles to play."

The Expeditionary War game helps explain how to mobilize those roles together, Passage said.

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