By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
March 21, 2007 – The latest round of the Base Realignment and Closure process is the most extensive, transformational round the nation has ever seen, and will require full funding to implement, a senior Defense Department official said here yesterday.
Philip W. Grone, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, told a House Appropriations Committee panel that this round of BRAC involves 24 major base closures, 24 major realignments, more than 760 other discrete actions, and supports the repositioning of U.S. forces worldwide.
Calling it "a fairly extensive and important BRAC round," Grone said the question of cost is "a critically important one."
DoD asked for $8.2 billion for BRAC implementation in its fiscal 2008 budget request. This bumps the estimated five-year cost for BRAC implementation up to $30.8 billion, a more than 60 percent increase from last year's estimate of $18.3 billion.
One of the reasons for the increase is that this BRAC round is 75 percent military construction, Grone said. The construction costs inflate as the program goes from analysis into implementation, he explained. Also, he said, additional requirements have surfaced, such as the Army's need to improve quality of life for soldiers and families, and additional training ranges.
Included in the BRAC recommendations is the decision to close Walter Reed Army Medical Center and consolidate it with the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Recently publicized problems with outpatient care and bureaucracy for wounded troops at Walter Reed have sparked some debate about whether that decision should be overturned and Walter Reed should remain open.
In the budget request, about $481 million is allocated for the construction at Bethesda and a new hospital at Fort Belvoir, Va., Grone said. Keeping Walter Reed open would save that money initially, but would have a negative long-term effect on the estimated savings the consolidation would have, he said.
"The recommendation is estimated to save $170 million annually," Grone said. "So if we were to keep in the status-quo environment, we would forego savings that could be better put back into the mission that we know are being inefficiently expended today in the management of the entirety of the catchment area."
Grone noted that this BRAC round allowed DoD officials to think about positioning forces where they would best fit, as opposed to where there was room. Also, he said, it allowed a comprehensive look at force structure from a joint perspective.
"Forty percent of the recommendations we will carry out affect more than one component," he said. "And that's not just a question of whether it affects the active Army and the Army Reserve. It's a question of whether it affects the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marine Corps, defense agencies, missions that are complex, missions that are truly joint."
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have authored books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
STRATCOM Commander: Safe, Reliable Deterrence Critical to Defense
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 21, 2007 – As the United States works to reduce its nuclear weapons stockpile, it must ensure it has enough safe, reliable weapons -- both nuclear and conventional -- to deter against the threats it faces, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told the House Armed Services Committee today. Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright joined the commanders of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Southern Command during a hearing on the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Budget request.
The threats facing the United States -- whether from conventional nation-states, rogue states, extremists, or even cyber-terrorists -- are broader than ever before, he noted. That's driven the entire military, including STRATCOM, in an effort to "define a deterrent strategy for the 21st century and the capabilities necessary to lend credibility to that deterrent," he said.
Cartwright reported solid strides toward meeting objectives of the Moscow Treaty, which sets limits in both the U.S. and Russian active nuclear stockpiles. Both counties are ahead of the schedule leading to 2012 in drawing down their stocks, he said.
The U.S. goal, Cartwright said, is to have the "lowest number of nuclear weapons for national security."
But while moving forward to carry out mandates of the Moscow Treaty, "we need to increase our other capabilities as alternatives and replacements for the drawdown of the nuclear weapons that we have in our stockpile," Cartwright told the committee.
The current stockpile is being refurbished "to ensure the weapons that we have are the safest they can be for the people who use them and handle them, that they are as secure as modern technology will allow us to make them, and that they are reliable," he said.
He cited progress under way in developing a reliable replacement warhead to sustain the country's nuclear weapons stockpile for the long term without underground nuclear testing. Cartwright has described that system, now entering its second study phase, as a key component in transforming the aging Cold War nuclear weapons stockpile.
A key feature, he said, is that the reliable replacement warhead requires no new delivery vehicle.
"This is taking my 1966 Mustang and making sure that it has got four-wheel disc brakes, it's got seat belts, it's got all of the things that it ought to have to be responsible, to maintain control over and be able to use and develop these weapons in a safe, secure way," he explained. "That is our intention with the reliable replacement warhead."
Once fielded, the system will ensure the United States can respond to both technological and political surprise while reducing its current stockpile of nuclear warheads, Cartwright said.
The general cited a gap in existing defense capabilities that weigh heavily on a nuclear response.
"Today, if something happens quickly and we need to respond quickly, the only choice we have in a global capability is a nuclear weapon," he said. "That is unacceptable for the range of threats we are going to face in the future. We need a conventional capability (more appropriate to other scenarios)."
Another factor in a credible defense is a balanced offense-defense capability, he said. "Offense is not always the right answer, and it is usually where you don't want to end up," Cartwright said. "What we want to be able to do is to drive this to a nonconfrontational issue."
A defensive capability gives the United States the ability to defuse threats before they escalate, he said.
Cartwright pointed to proliferation of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, noting that the country must be able to discourage adversaries from using them. "How do you make the governments who have them think twice about using them ... and about the effect they are doing to have?" he said.
Similarly, the United States must be ready to deal with the proliferation of cruise missiles, particularly in light of their increased sophistication. Cartwright said STRATCOM is convinced the best defense isn't a system dedicated specifically to cruise missiles.
"You want to leverage the lessons that we've learned and the capabilities in command and control and sensor management that we've learned in ballistic missiles and apply that to cruise missiles rather than building a separate system," he said. "And that is the path that we are on."
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have authored books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
American Forces Press Service
March 21, 2007 – As the United States works to reduce its nuclear weapons stockpile, it must ensure it has enough safe, reliable weapons -- both nuclear and conventional -- to deter against the threats it faces, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command told the House Armed Services Committee today. Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright joined the commanders of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Transportation Command and U.S. Southern Command during a hearing on the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Budget request.
The threats facing the United States -- whether from conventional nation-states, rogue states, extremists, or even cyber-terrorists -- are broader than ever before, he noted. That's driven the entire military, including STRATCOM, in an effort to "define a deterrent strategy for the 21st century and the capabilities necessary to lend credibility to that deterrent," he said.
Cartwright reported solid strides toward meeting objectives of the Moscow Treaty, which sets limits in both the U.S. and Russian active nuclear stockpiles. Both counties are ahead of the schedule leading to 2012 in drawing down their stocks, he said.
The U.S. goal, Cartwright said, is to have the "lowest number of nuclear weapons for national security."
But while moving forward to carry out mandates of the Moscow Treaty, "we need to increase our other capabilities as alternatives and replacements for the drawdown of the nuclear weapons that we have in our stockpile," Cartwright told the committee.
The current stockpile is being refurbished "to ensure the weapons that we have are the safest they can be for the people who use them and handle them, that they are as secure as modern technology will allow us to make them, and that they are reliable," he said.
He cited progress under way in developing a reliable replacement warhead to sustain the country's nuclear weapons stockpile for the long term without underground nuclear testing. Cartwright has described that system, now entering its second study phase, as a key component in transforming the aging Cold War nuclear weapons stockpile.
A key feature, he said, is that the reliable replacement warhead requires no new delivery vehicle.
"This is taking my 1966 Mustang and making sure that it has got four-wheel disc brakes, it's got seat belts, it's got all of the things that it ought to have to be responsible, to maintain control over and be able to use and develop these weapons in a safe, secure way," he explained. "That is our intention with the reliable replacement warhead."
Once fielded, the system will ensure the United States can respond to both technological and political surprise while reducing its current stockpile of nuclear warheads, Cartwright said.
The general cited a gap in existing defense capabilities that weigh heavily on a nuclear response.
"Today, if something happens quickly and we need to respond quickly, the only choice we have in a global capability is a nuclear weapon," he said. "That is unacceptable for the range of threats we are going to face in the future. We need a conventional capability (more appropriate to other scenarios)."
Another factor in a credible defense is a balanced offense-defense capability, he said. "Offense is not always the right answer, and it is usually where you don't want to end up," Cartwright said. "What we want to be able to do is to drive this to a nonconfrontational issue."
A defensive capability gives the United States the ability to defuse threats before they escalate, he said.
Cartwright pointed to proliferation of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, noting that the country must be able to discourage adversaries from using them. "How do you make the governments who have them think twice about using them ... and about the effect they are doing to have?" he said.
Similarly, the United States must be ready to deal with the proliferation of cruise missiles, particularly in light of their increased sophistication. Cartwright said STRATCOM is convinced the best defense isn't a system dedicated specifically to cruise missiles.
"You want to leverage the lessons that we've learned and the capabilities in command and control and sensor management that we've learned in ballistic missiles and apply that to cruise missiles rather than building a separate system," he said. "And that is the path that we are on."
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have authored books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
Book Gives Voice to World War II Nisei Linguists
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
March 21, 2007 – A group of Japanese-Americans who served as interpreters and interrogators helped America "fight smart" during World War II, a top military historian said today. A new 514-page book, "Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During WWII," by James C. McNaughton, command historian for U.S. European Command, is the culmination of two senators' efforts.
Both of Hawaii's U.S. senators -- Daniel K. Akaka and fellow World War II veteran Daniel K. Inouye -- championed the Army-endorsed project to recognize the roughly 6,000 Nisei linguists who served and the Military Intelligence Service that trained them.
"I am delighted this project is finally done," Akaka said during a Senate speech here March 19. "For decades after their service, a complete documentation of their exemplary deeds was sorely lacking. Now the heroic work of these translators ... will forever be remembered and honored by future generations."
McNaughton said his book sheds light on what he called an "undiscovered little niche" of history.
"I was pretty familiar with the official historical literature of the Second World War, and there was virtually no mention of them," McNaughton said here during an interview. "Once I got to meet some of these veterans and started doing oral history interviews, (I realized) they're great guys with wonderful stories."
When the U.S. military began conscripting young men for armed service, McNaughton explained, the Army drafted several thousand Japanese-American men, "so when the war broke out, the Army had a pool of potential linguists."
"In 1943, the Army decided to organize a segregated infantry unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and then called for volunteers," he said. "Most people who know about Japanese-American history know about that, but what they don't know is that a quarter of those volunteers were siphoned off into the language training route."
This select group of Japanese-Americans learned to interrogate prisoners, intercept messages, translate captured documents and infiltrate enemy lines at the Military Intelligence Service's Language School near San Francisco.
McNaughton's favorite anecdote, he said, is about a begrudging MIS graduate who tried to avoid linguistic training.
"Sgt. Hoichi Kubo was a student at the University of Hawaii when the war broke out, and he got drafted and wanted to go with the 442nd because he wanted to fight," McNaughton said. "His (Japanese) language skills were good enough that the Army pulled him out.
"He told me that he deliberately put down the wrong answer on every single question during the screening exam, but the interviewers knew he was faking it and took him (to MIS) anyway," McNaughton said. "He was really mad about that."
Kubo served four tours in Japan as a military linguist and remained there to help rebuild the country after the war ended.
One day, Kubo's diplomatic skills were tested when he discovered about 100 civilians being held hostage in a cave by four Japanese soldiers who refused to surrender, McNaughton said.
"Kubo took a .45 (caliber) pistol, tucked it into the back of his belt, stuffed some K rations in his pockets, climbed down alone into that cave and talked to the Japanese soldiers," he said. "He explained to them, 'If you want to die for the emperor, that's your business. But these women and children have no reason to die for the emperor; let them go.'"
After an hour talking with the desperate soldiers, Kubo negotiated the prisoners' release.
"One by one, the civilians crawled out of the cave," McNaughton said. "For that, (Kubo) was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, not for an act of valor on the battlefield, but for an act of valor after the battle."
Nisei linguists, McNaughton said, were the Defense Department's "first experiment" in training and using military linguists during a major conflict and the ensuing occupation.
Though their efforts in World War II have gone largely undocumented, he said, Nisei linguists played a major role. Twenty of them earned the Silver Star.
"Every battle or campaign they talked about, they would say, 'Oh yeah, we translated this document, we interrogated this prisoner, and we told the regimental commander or division commander there's going to be an attack tomorrow night,'" he said.
McNaughton said the Army-funded project gives military linguists a sense of their heritage.
"It's an honorable tradition, within all the services, going back to the Second World War," he said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have authored books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
American Forces Press Service
March 21, 2007 – A group of Japanese-Americans who served as interpreters and interrogators helped America "fight smart" during World War II, a top military historian said today. A new 514-page book, "Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During WWII," by James C. McNaughton, command historian for U.S. European Command, is the culmination of two senators' efforts.
Both of Hawaii's U.S. senators -- Daniel K. Akaka and fellow World War II veteran Daniel K. Inouye -- championed the Army-endorsed project to recognize the roughly 6,000 Nisei linguists who served and the Military Intelligence Service that trained them.
"I am delighted this project is finally done," Akaka said during a Senate speech here March 19. "For decades after their service, a complete documentation of their exemplary deeds was sorely lacking. Now the heroic work of these translators ... will forever be remembered and honored by future generations."
McNaughton said his book sheds light on what he called an "undiscovered little niche" of history.
"I was pretty familiar with the official historical literature of the Second World War, and there was virtually no mention of them," McNaughton said here during an interview. "Once I got to meet some of these veterans and started doing oral history interviews, (I realized) they're great guys with wonderful stories."
When the U.S. military began conscripting young men for armed service, McNaughton explained, the Army drafted several thousand Japanese-American men, "so when the war broke out, the Army had a pool of potential linguists."
"In 1943, the Army decided to organize a segregated infantry unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and then called for volunteers," he said. "Most people who know about Japanese-American history know about that, but what they don't know is that a quarter of those volunteers were siphoned off into the language training route."
This select group of Japanese-Americans learned to interrogate prisoners, intercept messages, translate captured documents and infiltrate enemy lines at the Military Intelligence Service's Language School near San Francisco.
McNaughton's favorite anecdote, he said, is about a begrudging MIS graduate who tried to avoid linguistic training.
"Sgt. Hoichi Kubo was a student at the University of Hawaii when the war broke out, and he got drafted and wanted to go with the 442nd because he wanted to fight," McNaughton said. "His (Japanese) language skills were good enough that the Army pulled him out.
"He told me that he deliberately put down the wrong answer on every single question during the screening exam, but the interviewers knew he was faking it and took him (to MIS) anyway," McNaughton said. "He was really mad about that."
Kubo served four tours in Japan as a military linguist and remained there to help rebuild the country after the war ended.
One day, Kubo's diplomatic skills were tested when he discovered about 100 civilians being held hostage in a cave by four Japanese soldiers who refused to surrender, McNaughton said.
"Kubo took a .45 (caliber) pistol, tucked it into the back of his belt, stuffed some K rations in his pockets, climbed down alone into that cave and talked to the Japanese soldiers," he said. "He explained to them, 'If you want to die for the emperor, that's your business. But these women and children have no reason to die for the emperor; let them go.'"
After an hour talking with the desperate soldiers, Kubo negotiated the prisoners' release.
"One by one, the civilians crawled out of the cave," McNaughton said. "For that, (Kubo) was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, not for an act of valor on the battlefield, but for an act of valor after the battle."
Nisei linguists, McNaughton said, were the Defense Department's "first experiment" in training and using military linguists during a major conflict and the ensuing occupation.
Though their efforts in World War II have gone largely undocumented, he said, Nisei linguists played a major role. Twenty of them earned the Silver Star.
"Every battle or campaign they talked about, they would say, 'Oh yeah, we translated this document, we interrogated this prisoner, and we told the regimental commander or division commander there's going to be an attack tomorrow night,'" he said.
McNaughton said the Army-funded project gives military linguists a sense of their heritage.
"It's an honorable tradition, within all the services, going back to the Second World War," he said.
Article sponsored by military and police personnel who have authored books as well as criminal justice online leadership.
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