American Forces Press Service
April 20, 2007 – Servicemembers and their families are being treated to free movies and refreshments, thanks to a member of the motion picture exhibition industry. National Amusements has teamed up with the United Service Organizations of Metropolitan New York to offer free movies, popcorn and small drinks to active-duty military personnel and their families through April 30.
Beginning May 1, all National Amusements movie theaters in the United States will continue to show their appreciation to military personnel by offering a discounted general admission rate of $7, with $5 rates for matinees and children.
The partnership with the movie theaters is the single largest donation the metropolitan New York USO has ever received, said Brian Whiting, USO executive director.
The ability for military and their loved ones to receive complimentary movie admission, popcorn and refreshments is an immeasurable contribution and will make a direct impact on the lives of our servicemen and women, he said.
"This program will serve thousands of our armed forces and their families who sacrifice so much for our country," Whiting said. "Allowing military members to get back in touch with family after a long stretch in combat is an experience that can't be matched."
"The USO excels at providing the programs and services that the military and their families need for recreation, entertainment and to build community and keep families connected in challenging situations," said Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements.
National Amusements wanted to continue that tradition, and what better way to offer enjoyment and relaxation, and to keep families together, than with the magic of movies, Redstone said.
"We are very excited to offer this program to our men and women in uniform, and their families," Redstone said, "as a small token of the appreciation and respect we feel for those who serve our country and put their lives at risk on a daily basis."
National Amusements theaters are located in the following states: California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. More information about specific locations can be found at www.nationalamusemements.com.
(Compiled from a National Amusements news release.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Friday, April 20, 2007
U.S. Must Maintain Superiority in Space, General Says
By Steven Donald Smith
American Forces Press Service
April 20, 2007 – Maintaining superiority in space will go a long way toward protecting U.S. national interests, the commander of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center said here. "If adversaries are using space in ways that would threaten America or our forces on the battlefield, we have to be able to disrupt or deny their use of those capabilities," Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel told American Forces Press Service during the the center's Industry Days held here April 17-19. "Space capabilities will become increasingly critical to our national well-being."
The center is located on Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif. Personnel at the center are responsible for researching, developing and purchasing military space systems, ranging from global positioning technology and space-based infrared surveillance and tracking, to launching and maintaining military satellites. As the Air Force's executive officer for space, Hamel is also responsible for America's deployed and fielded intercontinental ballistic missile forces, as well as developing the next generations of missile capabilities.
"If it has something to do with military space, somewhere within SMC we either are or should be working on the concepts and technologies," Hamel said. "We have a responsibility for the life cycle from the initial idea to actually working with industry to build it, launch it, and operate and sustain it."
Hamel said all nations have the right to operate in space, but it is important the U.S. can protect its commercial and military interests in the realm. He said the concept of space superiority is very similar to land, sea or maritime superiority.
"With maritime superiority, we acknowledge that all nations have the right to operate on the high seas, but we also recognize that if our freedom to navigate is threatened, we have to be able to enforce our rights. It's very similar in space," he said.
Current space capabilities are comprised of three principle elements: satellites on-orbit, ground control stations that operate the satellites, and the links that connect the two. "We have to look at how to protect those from threats," Hamel said.
Hamel pointed out that space technology, especially as it relates to satellites, is an integral part of everyday life. Global positioning systems in cars, commercial television feeds, and financial transactions at ATMs all depend on space technology.
"Space is a critical strategic capability for the nation," he said. "And we're going to have to ensure that others can't take that away from us." Hamel stressed that the U.S. is not weaponizing space and abides by all international treaties. The U.S. is not placing futuristic offensive weapons like lasers in space.
"What we do in space is in complete accord with our international commitments," he said. "We support the peaceful use of space, but we also recognize the legitimate rights of self defense. We view our satellite systems as our sovereign property and attacks or interference with those are viewed as an infringement on our sovereign rights."
Several countries have the ability to destroy orbiting satellites, including China, which destroyed one of its aging satellites with a ground-launched missile during a test in January.
Space technology also plays a crucial role in current U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is beneficial during humanitarian crises, the general said.
U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan rely on GPS technology in operations on the ground and for guiding munitions to their intended targets. "From a military standpoint, virtually every aspect of how we conduct our operations, you will find space imbedded in some fashion," he said.
Hamel said U.S. forces can turn a garden-variety iron bomb into a precision weapon by simply attaching a guidance package.
"The accuracy with which we're delivering these is on the order of two to three meters. Part of the reason this is so important is you can select the exact weapon to achieve the desired effect while minimizing collateral damage," he said.
Blue Force Tracking is another space technology that will become increasingly vital to situational awareness on the battlefield, Hamel said. Blue Force Tracking integrates GPS receiver packages with ground forces, aircraft and ships, and continuously broadcasts a position. By relaying the position of a specific Humvee, for instance, through a satellite link, it can be precisely pinpointed. "This is very critical to be able asses the status of friendly forces in large expanses of a battlefield," he said.
Through the proper integration into combat forces, space becomes a true force multiplier, he added.
High-tech space technology has also lent a hand in humanitarian operations. Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, military forces were able assess the damage through satellite imagery and determine how best to deliver relief. "Space capabilities were the first on scene, so to speak," Hamel said.
Because space acquisition is an inherently expensive and risky endeavor due to the technical demands involved, the government's relationship with industry is crucial to acquisition success. Since the military doesn't produce the space systems, it must define its needs and then work with contractors on the best engineering design, technologies and value proposition for building and fielding the systems.
"This is a demanding business. It requires excruciating attention to detail. All it takes is one detail overlooked and that spells the difference between success and total failure," Hamel said. "The misplacement of a decimal point in a guidance parameter can destroy the launch of a satellite into orbit."
The government must be an informed customer, and transparency and check and balances are essential during the development and acquisition process "because at the end of the day, we're accountable to the American taxpayer," Hamel said.
The general emphasized how far the United States has come since first setting its sights on space.
"We are now approaching 50 years of having operated as a nation in space," he said. "We have gone from the initial stumbling steps of trying to get satellites into orbit reliably to the point now where we have a tremendous spectrum of operating capabilities in space."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 20, 2007 – Maintaining superiority in space will go a long way toward protecting U.S. national interests, the commander of the Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center said here. "If adversaries are using space in ways that would threaten America or our forces on the battlefield, we have to be able to disrupt or deny their use of those capabilities," Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael A. Hamel told American Forces Press Service during the the center's Industry Days held here April 17-19. "Space capabilities will become increasingly critical to our national well-being."
The center is located on Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif. Personnel at the center are responsible for researching, developing and purchasing military space systems, ranging from global positioning technology and space-based infrared surveillance and tracking, to launching and maintaining military satellites. As the Air Force's executive officer for space, Hamel is also responsible for America's deployed and fielded intercontinental ballistic missile forces, as well as developing the next generations of missile capabilities.
"If it has something to do with military space, somewhere within SMC we either are or should be working on the concepts and technologies," Hamel said. "We have a responsibility for the life cycle from the initial idea to actually working with industry to build it, launch it, and operate and sustain it."
Hamel said all nations have the right to operate in space, but it is important the U.S. can protect its commercial and military interests in the realm. He said the concept of space superiority is very similar to land, sea or maritime superiority.
"With maritime superiority, we acknowledge that all nations have the right to operate on the high seas, but we also recognize that if our freedom to navigate is threatened, we have to be able to enforce our rights. It's very similar in space," he said.
Current space capabilities are comprised of three principle elements: satellites on-orbit, ground control stations that operate the satellites, and the links that connect the two. "We have to look at how to protect those from threats," Hamel said.
Hamel pointed out that space technology, especially as it relates to satellites, is an integral part of everyday life. Global positioning systems in cars, commercial television feeds, and financial transactions at ATMs all depend on space technology.
"Space is a critical strategic capability for the nation," he said. "And we're going to have to ensure that others can't take that away from us." Hamel stressed that the U.S. is not weaponizing space and abides by all international treaties. The U.S. is not placing futuristic offensive weapons like lasers in space.
"What we do in space is in complete accord with our international commitments," he said. "We support the peaceful use of space, but we also recognize the legitimate rights of self defense. We view our satellite systems as our sovereign property and attacks or interference with those are viewed as an infringement on our sovereign rights."
Several countries have the ability to destroy orbiting satellites, including China, which destroyed one of its aging satellites with a ground-launched missile during a test in January.
Space technology also plays a crucial role in current U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is beneficial during humanitarian crises, the general said.
U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan rely on GPS technology in operations on the ground and for guiding munitions to their intended targets. "From a military standpoint, virtually every aspect of how we conduct our operations, you will find space imbedded in some fashion," he said.
Hamel said U.S. forces can turn a garden-variety iron bomb into a precision weapon by simply attaching a guidance package.
"The accuracy with which we're delivering these is on the order of two to three meters. Part of the reason this is so important is you can select the exact weapon to achieve the desired effect while minimizing collateral damage," he said.
Blue Force Tracking is another space technology that will become increasingly vital to situational awareness on the battlefield, Hamel said. Blue Force Tracking integrates GPS receiver packages with ground forces, aircraft and ships, and continuously broadcasts a position. By relaying the position of a specific Humvee, for instance, through a satellite link, it can be precisely pinpointed. "This is very critical to be able asses the status of friendly forces in large expanses of a battlefield," he said.
Through the proper integration into combat forces, space becomes a true force multiplier, he added.
High-tech space technology has also lent a hand in humanitarian operations. Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina along the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, military forces were able assess the damage through satellite imagery and determine how best to deliver relief. "Space capabilities were the first on scene, so to speak," Hamel said.
Because space acquisition is an inherently expensive and risky endeavor due to the technical demands involved, the government's relationship with industry is crucial to acquisition success. Since the military doesn't produce the space systems, it must define its needs and then work with contractors on the best engineering design, technologies and value proposition for building and fielding the systems.
"This is a demanding business. It requires excruciating attention to detail. All it takes is one detail overlooked and that spells the difference between success and total failure," Hamel said. "The misplacement of a decimal point in a guidance parameter can destroy the launch of a satellite into orbit."
The government must be an informed customer, and transparency and check and balances are essential during the development and acquisition process "because at the end of the day, we're accountable to the American taxpayer," Hamel said.
The general emphasized how far the United States has come since first setting its sights on space.
"We are now approaching 50 years of having operated as a nation in space," he said. "We have gone from the initial stumbling steps of trying to get satellites into orbit reliably to the point now where we have a tremendous spectrum of operating capabilities in space."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates: U.S. Committed to Relationship With Israel
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – The United States is committed to continue helping Israel "maintain its qualitative military edge" over other countries in the region that threaten its security, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Gates is on the fourth day of his Middle East visit. He arrived in Israel yesterday after meetings with defense and national leaders in Jordan and Egypt earlier this week.
Gates met this morning with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the prime minister's Jerusalem office.
The secretary noted that in his previous career as director of national intelligence he had built "very good friendships and professional relationships with both the leadership of the Israeli military and its intelligence services."
"I look forward to continuing those relationships," he added.
Later in the day, Gates told reporters traveling with him that his discussions with Israeli leaders included talks on military-to-military relations, as well as Syria and Iran, countries that pose a clear threat to Israel's security.
During the meeting, Olmert said he was "very, very proud and grateful" that Gates visited, nearly eight years after the last U.S. defense secretary, William Cohen, visited Israel.
"(The visit) gives us an opportunity to speak to the most powerful man in the defense establishment of the United States of America, which is extremely important to us," Olmert said.
The prime minister noted that Gates had visited Israel in his previous position and now has an opportunity to get to know the country better. "This is a unique perspective, which I am sure will allow you to look at Israel in (an) additional dimension," he said.
After the meeting, Gates visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem, a 45-acre campus dedicated to holocaust remembrance and education. In what he called "a moving experience," he laid a wreath atop a concrete slab covering ashes of holocaust victims inside the Hall of Remembrance, a cavernous rough-hewn wood and concrete structure atop the Mount of Remembrance.
The secretary then walked through the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem. This solemn memorial consists of darkened narrow hallways covered in mirrors. Tiny points of candlelight reflected over and over represent the 1.5 million children killed during the holocaust. As Gates made his way through the memorial, a lone voice recited names, ages and countries of Jewish children slaughtered during World War II.
After exiting the memorial back into the sunlight, Gates said he had come "to pay my respects to those who were killed by the Nazis."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – The United States is committed to continue helping Israel "maintain its qualitative military edge" over other countries in the region that threaten its security, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Gates is on the fourth day of his Middle East visit. He arrived in Israel yesterday after meetings with defense and national leaders in Jordan and Egypt earlier this week.
Gates met this morning with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in the prime minister's Jerusalem office.
The secretary noted that in his previous career as director of national intelligence he had built "very good friendships and professional relationships with both the leadership of the Israeli military and its intelligence services."
"I look forward to continuing those relationships," he added.
Later in the day, Gates told reporters traveling with him that his discussions with Israeli leaders included talks on military-to-military relations, as well as Syria and Iran, countries that pose a clear threat to Israel's security.
During the meeting, Olmert said he was "very, very proud and grateful" that Gates visited, nearly eight years after the last U.S. defense secretary, William Cohen, visited Israel.
"(The visit) gives us an opportunity to speak to the most powerful man in the defense establishment of the United States of America, which is extremely important to us," Olmert said.
The prime minister noted that Gates had visited Israel in his previous position and now has an opportunity to get to know the country better. "This is a unique perspective, which I am sure will allow you to look at Israel in (an) additional dimension," he said.
After the meeting, Gates visited Jerusalem's Yad Vashem, a 45-acre campus dedicated to holocaust remembrance and education. In what he called "a moving experience," he laid a wreath atop a concrete slab covering ashes of holocaust victims inside the Hall of Remembrance, a cavernous rough-hewn wood and concrete structure atop the Mount of Remembrance.
The secretary then walked through the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem. This solemn memorial consists of darkened narrow hallways covered in mirrors. Tiny points of candlelight reflected over and over represent the 1.5 million children killed during the holocaust. As Gates made his way through the memorial, a lone voice recited names, ages and countries of Jewish children slaughtered during World War II.
After exiting the memorial back into the sunlight, Gates said he had come "to pay my respects to those who were killed by the Nazis."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Groups' Monkeys Carry Encouragement to Troops
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – About 1,000 sock monkeys are preparing to deploy to the Middle East with the mission of reminding servicemembers that the American public still supports them. "I feel that sometimes our soldiers kind of get forgotten," Beth VanSickle, the founder of Sock Monkey Ministries, said. "We're just trying to let everyone know, we need to kind of forget about the political and just remember that our soldiers are still there."
Each monkey, created from socks that are stuffed and hand sewn by one of more than 1,500 volunteers, also carries with it the thoughts and prayers of its creator in the form a small foam heart, VanSickle said.
To help her get the monkeys ready for "Operation Monkey Drop," the effort to send the monkeys to the troops, she enlisted the help of 322 fourth- and fifth-grade students from Chelsea Intermediate School in Chelsea, Ala., who stuffed 425 monkeys in one afternoon.
"That's about 800 pounds of stuffing," VanSickle said. She added that the students held a contest to see who could bring in the most "monkey making" supplies. The winning class got a pizza party.
In addition to stuffing the monkeys, the students completed more than 1,000 personal messages to accompany them, she said. The front of the message card explains the monkey's purpose and encourages servicemembers to pass it on to a child who could use a lift.
"We understand that the Iraqi people may not have a very good view of us," VanSickle said. "We're hoping with this little act of encouragement ... that it gives the (servicemembers) the opportunity to kind of befriend the (Iraqis)."
Fort Benning, Ga., has requested some monkeys to send to their soldiers for that very purpose, she said.
The organization, which has applied for nonprofit status, began in February 2005 in VanSickle's Sunday school class of first and second graders in Texas. She was looking for a way to teach them about service as well as maintain her participation in church activities while fighting with metastatic breast cancer.
The project, which she said helps keep her going, is now based in Alabama and has had a much greater impact than originally intended. VanSickle approaches community groups to help with the project.
"We try to go to those individuals that are in a situation where they don't feel like they're able to provide a service," VanSickle said. "So, by us going into the nursing homes or going to the hospitals to help people stuff monkeys, it kind of gives them a renewed sense of purpose as well."
VanSickle's group also reaches out to the families of fallen servicemembers, she said.
The "Fallen Hero" sock monkey has a U.S. flag embroidered on its chest and carries a special note for its recipient. Simply stated, it offers appreciation and gratitude for the family's sacrifice.
Nearly 4,800 sock monkeys have been created since 2005, far surpassing the original goal of 100. The monkeys have inspired hope in the lives of orphaned children, cancer patients, AIDS patients, homeless families, and anyone in need of encouragement as far away as Israel, or in their own backyard, VanSickle said.
They won't head off to the Middle East without a proper send off, though. Chelsea Intermediate School will hold its "Monkey March" on May 1, before shipping the monkeys out.
"We've invited the community leaders and we are going to march around the school to let everyone know that we support our troops and that we're not going to forget them," VanSickle said.
The students will also take the opportunity to present monkeys to several military family members who have been invited.
Those sock monkeys that are shipped overseas will get a lift from America Supports You home-front group Operation Homefront, which has offered to help with the shipping.
America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – About 1,000 sock monkeys are preparing to deploy to the Middle East with the mission of reminding servicemembers that the American public still supports them. "I feel that sometimes our soldiers kind of get forgotten," Beth VanSickle, the founder of Sock Monkey Ministries, said. "We're just trying to let everyone know, we need to kind of forget about the political and just remember that our soldiers are still there."
Each monkey, created from socks that are stuffed and hand sewn by one of more than 1,500 volunteers, also carries with it the thoughts and prayers of its creator in the form a small foam heart, VanSickle said.
To help her get the monkeys ready for "Operation Monkey Drop," the effort to send the monkeys to the troops, she enlisted the help of 322 fourth- and fifth-grade students from Chelsea Intermediate School in Chelsea, Ala., who stuffed 425 monkeys in one afternoon.
"That's about 800 pounds of stuffing," VanSickle said. She added that the students held a contest to see who could bring in the most "monkey making" supplies. The winning class got a pizza party.
In addition to stuffing the monkeys, the students completed more than 1,000 personal messages to accompany them, she said. The front of the message card explains the monkey's purpose and encourages servicemembers to pass it on to a child who could use a lift.
"We understand that the Iraqi people may not have a very good view of us," VanSickle said. "We're hoping with this little act of encouragement ... that it gives the (servicemembers) the opportunity to kind of befriend the (Iraqis)."
Fort Benning, Ga., has requested some monkeys to send to their soldiers for that very purpose, she said.
The organization, which has applied for nonprofit status, began in February 2005 in VanSickle's Sunday school class of first and second graders in Texas. She was looking for a way to teach them about service as well as maintain her participation in church activities while fighting with metastatic breast cancer.
The project, which she said helps keep her going, is now based in Alabama and has had a much greater impact than originally intended. VanSickle approaches community groups to help with the project.
"We try to go to those individuals that are in a situation where they don't feel like they're able to provide a service," VanSickle said. "So, by us going into the nursing homes or going to the hospitals to help people stuff monkeys, it kind of gives them a renewed sense of purpose as well."
VanSickle's group also reaches out to the families of fallen servicemembers, she said.
The "Fallen Hero" sock monkey has a U.S. flag embroidered on its chest and carries a special note for its recipient. Simply stated, it offers appreciation and gratitude for the family's sacrifice.
Nearly 4,800 sock monkeys have been created since 2005, far surpassing the original goal of 100. The monkeys have inspired hope in the lives of orphaned children, cancer patients, AIDS patients, homeless families, and anyone in need of encouragement as far away as Israel, or in their own backyard, VanSickle said.
They won't head off to the Middle East without a proper send off, though. Chelsea Intermediate School will hold its "Monkey March" on May 1, before shipping the monkeys out.
"We've invited the community leaders and we are going to march around the school to let everyone know that we support our troops and that we're not going to forget them," VanSickle said.
The students will also take the opportunity to present monkeys to several military family members who have been invited.
Those sock monkeys that are shipped overseas will get a lift from America Supports You home-front group Operation Homefront, which has offered to help with the shipping.
America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with members of the military and their families at home and abroad.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Defense Officials Work to Keep Environment Healthy
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – Keeping the natural environment healthy is essential to the Defense Department's success, and the department's officials are committed to being good stewards of the environment. "The better the quality of the air, the water (and) the less disturbed the land is, the better we are going to do our testing and training," Alex A. Beehler, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, said in an interview yesterday., "That's just a fundamental fact in order for us to carry out our national security mission."
Speaking several days before the April 22 Earth Day observance, traditionally a time when people around the globe express appreciation for nature, Beehler said the Defense Department "wants to make sure (it's) a good neighbor" to the environment.
To this end, he said, the department launched a procurement policy in 2004 urging employees and military to "buy green" - purchasing products like recycled office supplies and organically produced goods, and "green" services that benefit the environment.
"The procurement folks (who) have access to electronic catalogues ... look in the catalogue and see if there's a 'green' item under the procurement that they can purchase for roughly the same price," Beehler said. "Very quickly, over 90 percent of the opportunities have been followed up and I think it's even higher now."
The Defense Department is the largest consumer of many items, Beehler said, so adopting more responsible consumer behavior is a success that resonates with the public.
"It's not only the actual purchase made by the military, but (it's) the recognition throughout our society and other federal agencies that 'the military is number one in this, they're leading the way, we should certainly be able to follow in their steps,'" he said.
Other Defense Department environment, safety and occupational health initiatives include cleanup at active and closing bases, maintaining compliance with environmental laws, and conserving natural and cultural resources. The department is also engaged in implementing environmental technology, fire protection, pest management and disease control for its activities worldwide.
Beehler's priorities include implementing the department's environmental readiness initiative, the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, unexploded ordnance management, explosive safety, and pollution prevention, he said. Being engaged in the natural environment creates "a legal requirement as well as a moral responsibility" to preserve nature, which begins with the individual servicemember, Beehler said.
"As individuals have a greater personal awareness of their own immediate environment, that redounds better to their health (and) their family's health," he said. "That becomes a 24-hour responsibility for the individual soldier, sailor (airman and Marine), and his or her respective family."
On a day-to-day basis, servicemembers can take responsibility for their environmental obligation. "All the major military bases (and Navy ships) have environmental management system plans that are being implemented, and in connection with that, there are also safety and occupational components," Beehler said.
In Hawaii, where 40 percent of the U.S.'s endangered and threatened species are based, the military has a "huge concentration of activity and plan to expand," he said. As a result of DoD's "buffer zone" program, an initiative to operate, manage and own conservationally desirable lands, the Defense Department "has specifically preserved some of these areas around military bases in Hawaii," he added.
Beehler said conservation partners are making a "concerted effort" to maintain buffer zones around Fort Carson, Colo., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., which has allowed the red caucated woodpecker and other endangered species to thrive.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – Keeping the natural environment healthy is essential to the Defense Department's success, and the department's officials are committed to being good stewards of the environment. "The better the quality of the air, the water (and) the less disturbed the land is, the better we are going to do our testing and training," Alex A. Beehler, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for environment, safety and occupational health, said in an interview yesterday., "That's just a fundamental fact in order for us to carry out our national security mission."
Speaking several days before the April 22 Earth Day observance, traditionally a time when people around the globe express appreciation for nature, Beehler said the Defense Department "wants to make sure (it's) a good neighbor" to the environment.
To this end, he said, the department launched a procurement policy in 2004 urging employees and military to "buy green" - purchasing products like recycled office supplies and organically produced goods, and "green" services that benefit the environment.
"The procurement folks (who) have access to electronic catalogues ... look in the catalogue and see if there's a 'green' item under the procurement that they can purchase for roughly the same price," Beehler said. "Very quickly, over 90 percent of the opportunities have been followed up and I think it's even higher now."
The Defense Department is the largest consumer of many items, Beehler said, so adopting more responsible consumer behavior is a success that resonates with the public.
"It's not only the actual purchase made by the military, but (it's) the recognition throughout our society and other federal agencies that 'the military is number one in this, they're leading the way, we should certainly be able to follow in their steps,'" he said.
Other Defense Department environment, safety and occupational health initiatives include cleanup at active and closing bases, maintaining compliance with environmental laws, and conserving natural and cultural resources. The department is also engaged in implementing environmental technology, fire protection, pest management and disease control for its activities worldwide.
Beehler's priorities include implementing the department's environmental readiness initiative, the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, unexploded ordnance management, explosive safety, and pollution prevention, he said. Being engaged in the natural environment creates "a legal requirement as well as a moral responsibility" to preserve nature, which begins with the individual servicemember, Beehler said.
"As individuals have a greater personal awareness of their own immediate environment, that redounds better to their health (and) their family's health," he said. "That becomes a 24-hour responsibility for the individual soldier, sailor (airman and Marine), and his or her respective family."
On a day-to-day basis, servicemembers can take responsibility for their environmental obligation. "All the major military bases (and Navy ships) have environmental management system plans that are being implemented, and in connection with that, there are also safety and occupational components," Beehler said.
In Hawaii, where 40 percent of the U.S.'s endangered and threatened species are based, the military has a "huge concentration of activity and plan to expand," he said. As a result of DoD's "buffer zone" program, an initiative to operate, manage and own conservationally desirable lands, the Defense Department "has specifically preserved some of these areas around military bases in Hawaii," he added.
Beehler said conservation partners are making a "concerted effort" to maintain buffer zones around Fort Carson, Colo., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., which has allowed the red caucated woodpecker and other endangered species to thrive.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Freedom Walks Will Be Held Across the Nation
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – Thousands of school children, community leaders, church members and volunteers throughout the nation are preparing to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor military veterans past and present. In cities, schoolrooms, church halls and community centers, they're respectfully organizing plans and identifying routes for their 2007 America Supports You Freedom Walks.
"America Supports You Freedom Walks have become a new national tradition," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. "It is important for people to participate so we never forget what happened to our country and citizens on 9/11."
During the first Freedom Walk the Department of Defense initiated in 2005, about 10,000 people came together to walk from the Pentagon to the National Mall.
The Freedom Walk was launched as part of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, set up in November 2004 to directly connect military members to the support of the America people. As the program developed, Barber said, it became a tool to help the general public find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Today, more than 250 "homefront" nonprofit support groups and numerous corporations have joined the ASY team to provide countless forms of support to those on the frontlines of the war on terrorism. A complete list of these groups is available at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
Just as the "America Support You" program attracted volunteers, the Freedom Walk concept also resonated with Americans who wanted to physically show their support. Many contacted the ASY program expressing their desire to host their own walks.
The response to the first Freedom Walk proved to be so strong, Barber said, particularly among families who called it a healing experience, that defense officials recognized the importance of extending its reach.
"We knew that we had to share the Freedom Walk with more than Washington, D.C.," she said. "And that is why in 2006, on the fifth anniversary of the attacks, we extended the invitation to fellow Americans so they could participate, too."
Defense officials began offering planning guides and information for community leaders who wanted to plan their own Freedom Walks. On the weekend of Sept. 11, 2006, about 15,000 people gathered for the second Freedom Walk in the nation's capital. Several thousand people participated in more than 130 walks in cities and towns in all 50 states.
Communities, volunteer groups and schools had organized their own Freedom Walks, each with its own unique concept. Many had military or community speakers, honor guards, guest vocalists, troop letter-writing opportunities and wreath-laying ceremonies. Most participants came out to the events dressed in patriotic colors or carrying flags and banners.
"The Freedom Walk was integrated into history lessons and provided a way for teachers to explain the attacks on our country while also facilitating an activity that resulted in unity and patriotism within the school body," Barber said.
This year, more than 130 communities have already pledged to participate in Freedom Walks. Defense Department organizers said they hope to get more than 300 cities to take part in the national commemoration, and now is the time for organizations to begin choosing locations and walk routes, contacting potential speakers and planning special events.
One example is College Gate Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska.
Last year, the school commemorated the 9/11 anniversary with walkers silently circling the school five times, a lap for each year that had passed since the attacks. The students then headed back inside to write an essay about what freedom meant to them. They sent the essays to troops serving in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
This year, school leaders are planning to ask a kindergartener whose father is soon deploying to Iraq to assist in planting a "Freedom Tree" in honor of all the men and women serving the nation in uniform.
The Freedom Walks aren't fundraisers or rallies, Barber stressed. They are expressions of respect and remembrance, and they have the same impact on communities and businesses as they do on schools.
More than 2,000 people turned out in Sebring, Ohio, last year to attend a Freedom Walk, for example. Nine-year-old Colton Lockner decided to organize the event after reading about it in his Weekly Reader.
"We are not on the Mall in Washington or on Times Square in New York City," John Smith, Sebring's mayor, said during his welcome to the crowd. "We are gathered here in a small village in northeast Ohio. We would not be here today if it weren't for a 9-year-old boy who had a desire to recognize those whose lives were lost five years ago today and those serving today to keep our freedom alive."
Lockner, now age 10, has already started planning this year's walk by sending out letters and e-mails asking for support.
"Every organization, business, church or school can organize or participate in a local Freedom Walk or the national Freedom Walk in Washington, D.C.," Barber said. "Information is available on the web at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – Thousands of school children, community leaders, church members and volunteers throughout the nation are preparing to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor military veterans past and present. In cities, schoolrooms, church halls and community centers, they're respectfully organizing plans and identifying routes for their 2007 America Supports You Freedom Walks.
"America Supports You Freedom Walks have become a new national tradition," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. "It is important for people to participate so we never forget what happened to our country and citizens on 9/11."
During the first Freedom Walk the Department of Defense initiated in 2005, about 10,000 people came together to walk from the Pentagon to the National Mall.
The Freedom Walk was launched as part of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program, set up in November 2004 to directly connect military members to the support of the America people. As the program developed, Barber said, it became a tool to help the general public find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Today, more than 250 "homefront" nonprofit support groups and numerous corporations have joined the ASY team to provide countless forms of support to those on the frontlines of the war on terrorism. A complete list of these groups is available at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
Just as the "America Support You" program attracted volunteers, the Freedom Walk concept also resonated with Americans who wanted to physically show their support. Many contacted the ASY program expressing their desire to host their own walks.
The response to the first Freedom Walk proved to be so strong, Barber said, particularly among families who called it a healing experience, that defense officials recognized the importance of extending its reach.
"We knew that we had to share the Freedom Walk with more than Washington, D.C.," she said. "And that is why in 2006, on the fifth anniversary of the attacks, we extended the invitation to fellow Americans so they could participate, too."
Defense officials began offering planning guides and information for community leaders who wanted to plan their own Freedom Walks. On the weekend of Sept. 11, 2006, about 15,000 people gathered for the second Freedom Walk in the nation's capital. Several thousand people participated in more than 130 walks in cities and towns in all 50 states.
Communities, volunteer groups and schools had organized their own Freedom Walks, each with its own unique concept. Many had military or community speakers, honor guards, guest vocalists, troop letter-writing opportunities and wreath-laying ceremonies. Most participants came out to the events dressed in patriotic colors or carrying flags and banners.
"The Freedom Walk was integrated into history lessons and provided a way for teachers to explain the attacks on our country while also facilitating an activity that resulted in unity and patriotism within the school body," Barber said.
This year, more than 130 communities have already pledged to participate in Freedom Walks. Defense Department organizers said they hope to get more than 300 cities to take part in the national commemoration, and now is the time for organizations to begin choosing locations and walk routes, contacting potential speakers and planning special events.
One example is College Gate Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska.
Last year, the school commemorated the 9/11 anniversary with walkers silently circling the school five times, a lap for each year that had passed since the attacks. The students then headed back inside to write an essay about what freedom meant to them. They sent the essays to troops serving in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.
This year, school leaders are planning to ask a kindergartener whose father is soon deploying to Iraq to assist in planting a "Freedom Tree" in honor of all the men and women serving the nation in uniform.
The Freedom Walks aren't fundraisers or rallies, Barber stressed. They are expressions of respect and remembrance, and they have the same impact on communities and businesses as they do on schools.
More than 2,000 people turned out in Sebring, Ohio, last year to attend a Freedom Walk, for example. Nine-year-old Colton Lockner decided to organize the event after reading about it in his Weekly Reader.
"We are not on the Mall in Washington or on Times Square in New York City," John Smith, Sebring's mayor, said during his welcome to the crowd. "We are gathered here in a small village in northeast Ohio. We would not be here today if it weren't for a 9-year-old boy who had a desire to recognize those whose lives were lost five years ago today and those serving today to keep our freedom alive."
Lockner, now age 10, has already started planning this year's walk by sending out letters and e-mails asking for support.
"Every organization, business, church or school can organize or participate in a local Freedom Walk or the national Freedom Walk in Washington, D.C.," Barber said. "Information is available on the web at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Defense Department to Partner With Local School Systems
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – The Defense Department will work with local schools to try to ensure that military children receive quality education no matter where they attend classes, said the director of the Department of Defense Education Activity. To this end, the department is creating an Educational Partnerships Directorate within DoDEA. The directorate is scheduled to be fully functional by October and will benefit school-age children of servicemembers stationed worldwide, Joseph Tafoya said during an interview last week.
"The quality of education for all military dependents is our new mission within the Defense Department," Tafoya said. "We want to ensure the quality that we believe we have in DoDEA is also there in the schools outside the gate and in the local communities."
The Department of Defense Education Activity educates nearly 91,000 of the 1.2 million school-age students within the military, defense officials said. The rest of the students are educated in public, private and home-based schools.
The number of students being educated outside of the defense system is expected to increase due to the Base Realignment and Closure process, as well as global rebasing of the military. By working with local education agencies, directorate officials said they plan to assist military-connected communities to ensure the best possible educational experience for military students.
The creation of the directorate is a collaboration between DoDEA and the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, which will work closely with the Department of Education, individual states and school districts to support the best practices for schools that educate military students.
By focusing on high-quality teaching, professional development, program improvement, high school initiatives, curriculum consistency and foreign language, Tafoya said the partnership with local schools will have a direct effect on students.
"We're obviously focusing on communities most impacted by BRAC," he said. According to Tafoya, there have been several times in the last few years when BRAC-impacted communities have asked for assistance from the Defense Department, but DoDEA was unable to assist.
Following the most recent Defense Appropriation Act, Congress has now allowed DoDEA to work cooperatively with local school districts to ease the transition of students from military to public schools.
Tafoya said the focus of the program is primarily on curricular transition issues. He said he wants to ensure that what is being taught within DoDEA is transferable to schools outside the military.
"We're doing a lot of things internally to assure parents that when they leave us and go to the next location, that their kid is ready for the next curriculum and whatever program is available to them in the local schools," he said. "Becoming a better partner with the local schools will help us understand that process a little better."
The ability to be an educator and serve military kids is a special calling, Tafoya said. Between parent's deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and frequent moves from school to school, he said teachers help military kids who experience a lot of transition in their lives.
"I can't think of a better opportunity to be an educator and also serve the need of the kids we have in DoDEA," he said. "Our ability to give them a great program is the highlight of my career."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – The Defense Department will work with local schools to try to ensure that military children receive quality education no matter where they attend classes, said the director of the Department of Defense Education Activity. To this end, the department is creating an Educational Partnerships Directorate within DoDEA. The directorate is scheduled to be fully functional by October and will benefit school-age children of servicemembers stationed worldwide, Joseph Tafoya said during an interview last week.
"The quality of education for all military dependents is our new mission within the Defense Department," Tafoya said. "We want to ensure the quality that we believe we have in DoDEA is also there in the schools outside the gate and in the local communities."
The Department of Defense Education Activity educates nearly 91,000 of the 1.2 million school-age students within the military, defense officials said. The rest of the students are educated in public, private and home-based schools.
The number of students being educated outside of the defense system is expected to increase due to the Base Realignment and Closure process, as well as global rebasing of the military. By working with local education agencies, directorate officials said they plan to assist military-connected communities to ensure the best possible educational experience for military students.
The creation of the directorate is a collaboration between DoDEA and the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, which will work closely with the Department of Education, individual states and school districts to support the best practices for schools that educate military students.
By focusing on high-quality teaching, professional development, program improvement, high school initiatives, curriculum consistency and foreign language, Tafoya said the partnership with local schools will have a direct effect on students.
"We're obviously focusing on communities most impacted by BRAC," he said. According to Tafoya, there have been several times in the last few years when BRAC-impacted communities have asked for assistance from the Defense Department, but DoDEA was unable to assist.
Following the most recent Defense Appropriation Act, Congress has now allowed DoDEA to work cooperatively with local school districts to ease the transition of students from military to public schools.
Tafoya said the focus of the program is primarily on curricular transition issues. He said he wants to ensure that what is being taught within DoDEA is transferable to schools outside the military.
"We're doing a lot of things internally to assure parents that when they leave us and go to the next location, that their kid is ready for the next curriculum and whatever program is available to them in the local schools," he said. "Becoming a better partner with the local schools will help us understand that process a little better."
The ability to be an educator and serve military kids is a special calling, Tafoya said. Between parent's deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and frequent moves from school to school, he said teachers help military kids who experience a lot of transition in their lives.
"I can't think of a better opportunity to be an educator and also serve the need of the kids we have in DoDEA," he said. "Our ability to give them a great program is the highlight of my career."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gridiron Greats Visit Troops in Iraq
By Spc. Jeffrey Ledesma, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – To increase troops' morale, three National Football League players, weighing in at a combined 662 pounds, set aside their football gear for a trip to Iraq to visit with Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers April 16. As part of the Gridiron Greats Tour 2007, Chris Harris, a safety with the Chicago Bears, Nick Harper, a cornerback with the Indianapolis Colts, and Israel Idonije, a defensive end with the Chicago Bears, autographed everything from posters to footballs for the soldiers.
One behind the other, soldiers filed into the Liberty Morale, Welfare and Recreation building to get closer than 50-yard-line seats could get them to the three Super Bowl XLI players wearing desert tan and Army green camouflage gear.
"It's motivational for people, especially people we label celebrities, that seem above everybody else, to just come out and condone what we do and say 'We support you,'" said Sgt. Robert Harbour, a signal support systems specialist with Company A, Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.
"It gives everybody a chance to meet people you don't usually run into when you're back home," said Harbour, a native of Broken Bow, Okla.
"These players understand what (soldiers) are doing and they understand how (they) are serving and they want to give back to the community, the greater community of the Army," said Joe Canfield, the manager of the three players.
Although they arrived here to raise the spirits of the soldiers fighting in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the players departed with a glimpse of what it means to be a soldier.
"It's been an eye-opener to see what soldiers go through, where they stay, how they live," Idonije said. "The unbelievable amount of courage and sacrifice and dedication that these guys have - it's unbelievable."
During the 6-foot-6-inch player's stay, he got a chance to talk to young men and women and hear some of their stories.
"Stories about losing friends and how they manage to go back out and continue to do their jobs everyday are truly inspirational," he said.
Idonije added that back home, media can be very negative and although many people want to support soldiers, not many people take that extra step to see what's really happening on the ground.
For this African-born, Canadian-grown football player, this tour has allowed him to see and experience what's happening on the ground using the soldiers as his eyes into this war.
"Being out here and having exposure to the military, exposure to the soldiers, allows them to go back and share the good things that are going on here," Canfield said. "We know the media doesn't always promote the welfare of the soldier or promote the image.
"These guys can go back to their fellow athletes, their fellow teams, the NFL, their friends and family and share the good things that are occurring and promote a positive image of the Army overall," Canfield said.
With the recent announcement of extended tours for troops on the ground, these professional athletes had an even greater task at hand.
"It gives them a greater responsibility to be more energetic, more active and raise the morale of the troops who just realized they are staying here for another three months," Canfield said.
Harbour said all the small things, something as small as a handshake or a snapshot, can make a difference by helping soldiers keep their minds off the sudden, but expected, three-month extension.
"In times of war, it takes special people to come together and do what's necessary to stand for what's right, what we believe in as a people," Idonije said. "I am not here every day crossing the wire, so for me to be able just to hang out with the guys and thank them personally is an honor I am grateful for."
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
(Army Spc. Jeffrey Ledesma is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 19, 2007 – To increase troops' morale, three National Football League players, weighing in at a combined 662 pounds, set aside their football gear for a trip to Iraq to visit with Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers April 16. As part of the Gridiron Greats Tour 2007, Chris Harris, a safety with the Chicago Bears, Nick Harper, a cornerback with the Indianapolis Colts, and Israel Idonije, a defensive end with the Chicago Bears, autographed everything from posters to footballs for the soldiers.
One behind the other, soldiers filed into the Liberty Morale, Welfare and Recreation building to get closer than 50-yard-line seats could get them to the three Super Bowl XLI players wearing desert tan and Army green camouflage gear.
"It's motivational for people, especially people we label celebrities, that seem above everybody else, to just come out and condone what we do and say 'We support you,'" said Sgt. Robert Harbour, a signal support systems specialist with Company A, Division Special Troops Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division.
"It gives everybody a chance to meet people you don't usually run into when you're back home," said Harbour, a native of Broken Bow, Okla.
"These players understand what (soldiers) are doing and they understand how (they) are serving and they want to give back to the community, the greater community of the Army," said Joe Canfield, the manager of the three players.
Although they arrived here to raise the spirits of the soldiers fighting in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the players departed with a glimpse of what it means to be a soldier.
"It's been an eye-opener to see what soldiers go through, where they stay, how they live," Idonije said. "The unbelievable amount of courage and sacrifice and dedication that these guys have - it's unbelievable."
During the 6-foot-6-inch player's stay, he got a chance to talk to young men and women and hear some of their stories.
"Stories about losing friends and how they manage to go back out and continue to do their jobs everyday are truly inspirational," he said.
Idonije added that back home, media can be very negative and although many people want to support soldiers, not many people take that extra step to see what's really happening on the ground.
For this African-born, Canadian-grown football player, this tour has allowed him to see and experience what's happening on the ground using the soldiers as his eyes into this war.
"Being out here and having exposure to the military, exposure to the soldiers, allows them to go back and share the good things that are going on here," Canfield said. "We know the media doesn't always promote the welfare of the soldier or promote the image.
"These guys can go back to their fellow athletes, their fellow teams, the NFL, their friends and family and share the good things that are occurring and promote a positive image of the Army overall," Canfield said.
With the recent announcement of extended tours for troops on the ground, these professional athletes had an even greater task at hand.
"It gives them a greater responsibility to be more energetic, more active and raise the morale of the troops who just realized they are staying here for another three months," Canfield said.
Harbour said all the small things, something as small as a handshake or a snapshot, can make a difference by helping soldiers keep their minds off the sudden, but expected, three-month extension.
"In times of war, it takes special people to come together and do what's necessary to stand for what's right, what we believe in as a people," Idonije said. "I am not here every day crossing the wire, so for me to be able just to hang out with the guys and thank them personally is an honor I am grateful for."
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. America Supports You directly connects military members to the support of the America people and offers a tool to the general public in their quest to find meaningful ways to support the military community.
(Army Spc. Jeffrey Ledesma is assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs Office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates to Meet With Mubarak in Delayed Trip to Egypt
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here this morning for a series of meetings with Egyptian leaders, including President Hosni Mubarak. The secretary was supposed to travel from Amman, Jordan, to Cairo yesterday, but the trip was delayed when severe sandstorms and high winds forced the closure of Cairo International Airport.
In a news conference in Amman yesterday, Gates said he was looking forward to hearing Mubarak's views on "the situation in the region, ... conditions and circumstances in Iraq, his views on Iran and Iran's role with respect to Iraq."
He also said he was interested in hearing the Egyptian president's views on Lebanon.
"So I'm really just interested in hearing his thoughts as one of the elder statesmen in the region about his view of developments throughout the entire region," Gates said of Mubarak.
Echoing a theme prevalent in meetings in Jordan, Gates said he plans to encourage Egypt's support for the unity government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and for the reconciliation process in Iraq.
He said he also would ask Mubarak for "whatever he can do to encourage others in the region to invest in Iraq and to contribute to economic development there."
A senior defense official traveling with Gates explained that Egypt is sensitive to any reductions in U.S. military assistance that might be visited upon the country because of the expense of the war in Iraq. During this visit, Gates will "reassure them that regardless of the war, that our relationship with Egypt is a long one, it goes way back, and it is one that will continue," the official said.
Gates is scheduled to deliver a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce here about Egypt's traditional leadership role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The secretary will encourage Egypt "to reassert that particular leadership role," the official said.
"The more regional players we can get to assume responsibility and take action on resolution of the Palestinian ... the better," the official said.
Another subject of discussion will be the U.S.'s longstanding role as a force and funding provider for the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel. Since early 1982, U.S. soldiers and troops from several other countries have manned the region to ensure compliance with the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived here this morning for a series of meetings with Egyptian leaders, including President Hosni Mubarak. The secretary was supposed to travel from Amman, Jordan, to Cairo yesterday, but the trip was delayed when severe sandstorms and high winds forced the closure of Cairo International Airport.
In a news conference in Amman yesterday, Gates said he was looking forward to hearing Mubarak's views on "the situation in the region, ... conditions and circumstances in Iraq, his views on Iran and Iran's role with respect to Iraq."
He also said he was interested in hearing the Egyptian president's views on Lebanon.
"So I'm really just interested in hearing his thoughts as one of the elder statesmen in the region about his view of developments throughout the entire region," Gates said of Mubarak.
Echoing a theme prevalent in meetings in Jordan, Gates said he plans to encourage Egypt's support for the unity government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and for the reconciliation process in Iraq.
He said he also would ask Mubarak for "whatever he can do to encourage others in the region to invest in Iraq and to contribute to economic development there."
A senior defense official traveling with Gates explained that Egypt is sensitive to any reductions in U.S. military assistance that might be visited upon the country because of the expense of the war in Iraq. During this visit, Gates will "reassure them that regardless of the war, that our relationship with Egypt is a long one, it goes way back, and it is one that will continue," the official said.
Gates is scheduled to deliver a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce here about Egypt's traditional leadership role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The secretary will encourage Egypt "to reassert that particular leadership role," the official said.
"The more regional players we can get to assume responsibility and take action on resolution of the Palestinian ... the better," the official said.
Another subject of discussion will be the U.S.'s longstanding role as a force and funding provider for the Multinational Force and Observers mission in the Sinai Peninsula between Egypt and Israel. Since early 1982, U.S. soldiers and troops from several other countries have manned the region to ensure compliance with the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Why We Serve: Marine Says Iraqis Appreciate U.S. Military
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – A Marine who served two tours in Iraq, and is now speaking in American communities about his experiences, said that today's Iraqi Army soldiers prefer their current system to life in Saddam Hussein's military. "It wasn't the same structure that we have," Marine 1st Lt. Matthew H. Hilton, 28, said of the old Iraqi military. Hilton served as the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance company advisor to the 7th Iraqi Army Division, among other duties, during his tours in Iraq.
In the old Iraqi army, soldiers, NCOs and officers were treated as servants and were often forced to perform degrading tasks for superiors, Hilton noted. It's therefore understandable, he said, that today's Iraqi troops favor the American military's more democratic system.
Hilton is among a group of eight servicemembers possessing duty experience in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been selected to tell their stories to the American people at community, business, veterans' and other gatherings as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
The "Why We Serve" program, initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began last fall, noted Air Force Maj. Ann N. Biggers, the program's director. Eight military members, two from each service, are selected to participate in the program, which is conducted in quarterly segments, she explained.
"We know that the American public is hungry to hear about what these young men and women have been doing," Biggers said. "It's important for our speakers, as well, because they are out there serving their country and they want to be able to tell their stories."
Military service is a Hilton family tradition, the Fairfax, Va., native said. After graduating from George Mason University, also in Fairfax, in 2002, Hilton obtained his commission through the Marine Corps Officers' Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Hilton is now assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
In Iraq, Hilton taught basic combat patrol techniques and other military skills to Iraqi army officers, noncommissioned officers, and junior enlisted soldiers assigned to the Iraqi army's 7th Division. Many Iraqi servicemembers had prior experience in Saddam's military, he noted, and thereby learned rapidly.
The Iraqis quickly warmed to the U.S. military's egalitarian system, Hilton said, where mutual respect of all servicemembers regardless of rank is employed up and down the chain of command.
"They like the overall camaraderie, trust and confidence" evinced by U.S. servicemembers of all ranks, Hilton said.
The Marine lieutenant performed other duties during his 2004-2005 and 2006 tours in Iraq. He conducted cordon-and-knock and combat patrols alongside Iraqi troops to find weapons caches from Ramadi to al Qaim along the Euphrates River Valley and also trained up a platoon of Iraqi military police.
"They know what they're doing. They're smart people," Hilton said of his Iraqi military counterparts.
The Iraqi army is getting better every day, but it needs to work on its supply and command-and-control systems, Hilton noted.
"The logistical piece to the Iraqi army is the difficult part," he said. "That was one of our main (training) efforts."
Hilton said he was determined to personally "connect" with and learn more about his Iraqi hosts.
"I remembered a lot of their names and I'd stop and talk," Hilton recalled, noting he'd developed good relationships with several Iraqis. An Iraqi battalion commander was so fond of Hilton that he bestowed the young Marine with a friendly nickname.
"The Iraqi people are great people," Hilton said. "They're very hospitable people, and I think the American people don't get a chance to see the warm, inviting culture that they have, that I was able to experience."
For general questions about the "Why We Serve" program, call Maj. Ann Biggers at (703) 695-3845.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – A Marine who served two tours in Iraq, and is now speaking in American communities about his experiences, said that today's Iraqi Army soldiers prefer their current system to life in Saddam Hussein's military. "It wasn't the same structure that we have," Marine 1st Lt. Matthew H. Hilton, 28, said of the old Iraqi military. Hilton served as the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance company advisor to the 7th Iraqi Army Division, among other duties, during his tours in Iraq.
In the old Iraqi army, soldiers, NCOs and officers were treated as servants and were often forced to perform degrading tasks for superiors, Hilton noted. It's therefore understandable, he said, that today's Iraqi troops favor the American military's more democratic system.
Hilton is among a group of eight servicemembers possessing duty experience in Iraq, Afghanistan or the Horn of Africa who have been selected to tell their stories to the American people at community, business, veterans' and other gatherings as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.
The "Why We Serve" program, initially the idea of Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, began last fall, noted Air Force Maj. Ann N. Biggers, the program's director. Eight military members, two from each service, are selected to participate in the program, which is conducted in quarterly segments, she explained.
"We know that the American public is hungry to hear about what these young men and women have been doing," Biggers said. "It's important for our speakers, as well, because they are out there serving their country and they want to be able to tell their stories."
Military service is a Hilton family tradition, the Fairfax, Va., native said. After graduating from George Mason University, also in Fairfax, in 2002, Hilton obtained his commission through the Marine Corps Officers' Candidate School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Hilton is now assigned to Camp Pendleton, Calif.
In Iraq, Hilton taught basic combat patrol techniques and other military skills to Iraqi army officers, noncommissioned officers, and junior enlisted soldiers assigned to the Iraqi army's 7th Division. Many Iraqi servicemembers had prior experience in Saddam's military, he noted, and thereby learned rapidly.
The Iraqis quickly warmed to the U.S. military's egalitarian system, Hilton said, where mutual respect of all servicemembers regardless of rank is employed up and down the chain of command.
"They like the overall camaraderie, trust and confidence" evinced by U.S. servicemembers of all ranks, Hilton said.
The Marine lieutenant performed other duties during his 2004-2005 and 2006 tours in Iraq. He conducted cordon-and-knock and combat patrols alongside Iraqi troops to find weapons caches from Ramadi to al Qaim along the Euphrates River Valley and also trained up a platoon of Iraqi military police.
"They know what they're doing. They're smart people," Hilton said of his Iraqi military counterparts.
The Iraqi army is getting better every day, but it needs to work on its supply and command-and-control systems, Hilton noted.
"The logistical piece to the Iraqi army is the difficult part," he said. "That was one of our main (training) efforts."
Hilton said he was determined to personally "connect" with and learn more about his Iraqi hosts.
"I remembered a lot of their names and I'd stop and talk," Hilton recalled, noting he'd developed good relationships with several Iraqis. An Iraqi battalion commander was so fond of Hilton that he bestowed the young Marine with a friendly nickname.
"The Iraqi people are great people," Hilton said. "They're very hospitable people, and I think the American people don't get a chance to see the warm, inviting culture that they have, that I was able to experience."
For general questions about the "Why We Serve" program, call Maj. Ann Biggers at (703) 695-3845.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Vice Chairman: Future of Military Transformation Depends on Service Integration
By Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Integration between services and becoming part of the joint community are vital to the U.S. military's ability to transform, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told members of Submarine Group Two and students at the submarine school here yesterday. Integrating the deterrent capability of submarines into the future is important for the nation and in addition, there are operational and tactical reasons for having a vibrant and viable submarine force, Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani said.
"The ability to collect intelligence, to surveil and to do reconnaissance are so important," he said. "These have been characteristics that have been around for a long time. They will remain around for a very long time. You would be amazed at the importance that these bring within the joint community."
Members of the joint community rely on other services to provide information critical to accomplishing the mission, he said.
"A joint officer who goes out and commands somewhere does not care where he gets the intelligence from," Giambastiani said. "All the joint officer cares about is getting it on time, when he needs it, and accurately to support what he does."
This attitude toward mission accomplishment is a change from the way operations were conducted 20 years ago, Giambastiani noted.
"In the Cold War, we in the submarine force and submarine community did everything in our power not to communicate with other people," he said. "As long as we had the information coming to our submarines, we were happy. That's just the way it was. We focused our attention on not allowing other people to talk with us other than to provide us information."
Giambastiani said that senior leaders in the submarine community realized that mindset had to change. One example of that was a high-speed satellite antenna, which evolved into a tri-band satellite antenna on submarines. Giambastiani and others worked to develop this technology in the early 1990s.
Giambastiani challenged the leaders here with a thought-provoking question about joint operations and how they could impact future generations.
"One of the questions for you as an organization and for you as leaders is, 'What are you doing to think ahead? How you can bring additional capability?'" he said.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump is assigned to the Joint Staff public affairs office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Integration between services and becoming part of the joint community are vital to the U.S. military's ability to transform, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told members of Submarine Group Two and students at the submarine school here yesterday. Integrating the deterrent capability of submarines into the future is important for the nation and in addition, there are operational and tactical reasons for having a vibrant and viable submarine force, Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani said.
"The ability to collect intelligence, to surveil and to do reconnaissance are so important," he said. "These have been characteristics that have been around for a long time. They will remain around for a very long time. You would be amazed at the importance that these bring within the joint community."
Members of the joint community rely on other services to provide information critical to accomplishing the mission, he said.
"A joint officer who goes out and commands somewhere does not care where he gets the intelligence from," Giambastiani said. "All the joint officer cares about is getting it on time, when he needs it, and accurately to support what he does."
This attitude toward mission accomplishment is a change from the way operations were conducted 20 years ago, Giambastiani noted.
"In the Cold War, we in the submarine force and submarine community did everything in our power not to communicate with other people," he said. "As long as we had the information coming to our submarines, we were happy. That's just the way it was. We focused our attention on not allowing other people to talk with us other than to provide us information."
Giambastiani said that senior leaders in the submarine community realized that mindset had to change. One example of that was a high-speed satellite antenna, which evolved into a tri-band satellite antenna on submarines. Giambastiani and others worked to develop this technology in the early 1990s.
Giambastiani challenged the leaders here with a thought-provoking question about joint operations and how they could impact future generations.
"One of the questions for you as an organization and for you as leaders is, 'What are you doing to think ahead? How you can bring additional capability?'" he said.
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump is assigned to the Joint Staff public affairs office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Giambastiani: Submarines Critical to Current, Future U.S. Operations
By Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Ground operations in the Middle East may dominate national headlines, but the 107-year-old submarine force is a critical part of current and future U.S. operations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a meeting here yesterday with Submarine League members. "All too often I meet submariners or I meet others associated with undersea warfare and there seems to be thought processes out there that this area of business may not be as important because so much is going on in places like Iraq and Afghanistan," Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani said.
"One of the capabilities of the submarine is being stealthy, being covert, and its ability to be in places where people don't know you are, so that you can collect intelligence," he said. "That is a capability that not a lot of platforms have."
"Your nation's leaders appreciate and value the unique capabilities provided by the submarine force," Giambastiani said. "They depend on you to maintain, develop and extend undersea capabilities."
"Strategically, the submarine force provides an unsurpassed deterrent capability for the nation," he said.
The admiral said the Trident submarine is an example of the submarine force being fundamental to all aspects of national security and the national military strategy. He added they will remain "a bedrock" for many years to come.
Giambastiani said senior leaders are planning how to keep the submarine force active for years to come because of the platform's ability to deter.
"The mere existence of a capable, agile and lethal submarine force by the United States acts as a powerful force to dissuade others from developing a similar capability," he said. "In business, some call this cost avoidance. I would call it risk avoidance."
Operationally and tactically, submarines continue to add enormous value to the plans and operations of combatant commanders around the world, Giambastiani said.
"In an era where intelligence is both more important in many ways and ever so much more difficult to come by, adding new capabilities and operating concepts to the fleet -- for example, the new Virginia class submarines and the re-commissioned Trident SSGNs (nuclear-powered guided missile submarines)--I predict these platforms will be of even greater importance and even greater demand as we continue on this second century of the submarine force," he said.
The value of submarines was evident in the 2006 quadrennial defense review, the admiral said.
"It validated the need for a robust submarine force and specifically called for reaching and maintaining a two submarine per year construction rate for our Virginia class submarines," he said.
The admiral said another key component in helping strengthen a submarine's ability to deter is the development of a reliable replacement warhead.
The last component of keeping the submarine fleet strong is enforcing the highest standards of integrity, accountability and responsibility, from seamen to flag officers, Giambastiani said. "These traits have stood the submarine force in very good stead for 107 years," he said. "They will be critical to our success in the next 100 years."
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump is assigned to the Joint Staff public affairs office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Ground operations in the Middle East may dominate national headlines, but the 107-year-old submarine force is a critical part of current and future U.S. operations, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said during a meeting here yesterday with Submarine League members. "All too often I meet submariners or I meet others associated with undersea warfare and there seems to be thought processes out there that this area of business may not be as important because so much is going on in places like Iraq and Afghanistan," Navy Adm. Edmund P. Giambastiani said.
"One of the capabilities of the submarine is being stealthy, being covert, and its ability to be in places where people don't know you are, so that you can collect intelligence," he said. "That is a capability that not a lot of platforms have."
"Your nation's leaders appreciate and value the unique capabilities provided by the submarine force," Giambastiani said. "They depend on you to maintain, develop and extend undersea capabilities."
"Strategically, the submarine force provides an unsurpassed deterrent capability for the nation," he said.
The admiral said the Trident submarine is an example of the submarine force being fundamental to all aspects of national security and the national military strategy. He added they will remain "a bedrock" for many years to come.
Giambastiani said senior leaders are planning how to keep the submarine force active for years to come because of the platform's ability to deter.
"The mere existence of a capable, agile and lethal submarine force by the United States acts as a powerful force to dissuade others from developing a similar capability," he said. "In business, some call this cost avoidance. I would call it risk avoidance."
Operationally and tactically, submarines continue to add enormous value to the plans and operations of combatant commanders around the world, Giambastiani said.
"In an era where intelligence is both more important in many ways and ever so much more difficult to come by, adding new capabilities and operating concepts to the fleet -- for example, the new Virginia class submarines and the re-commissioned Trident SSGNs (nuclear-powered guided missile submarines)--I predict these platforms will be of even greater importance and even greater demand as we continue on this second century of the submarine force," he said.
The value of submarines was evident in the 2006 quadrennial defense review, the admiral said.
"It validated the need for a robust submarine force and specifically called for reaching and maintaining a two submarine per year construction rate for our Virginia class submarines," he said.
The admiral said another key component in helping strengthen a submarine's ability to deter is the development of a reliable replacement warhead.
The last component of keeping the submarine fleet strong is enforcing the highest standards of integrity, accountability and responsibility, from seamen to flag officers, Giambastiani said. "These traits have stood the submarine force in very good stead for 107 years," he said. "They will be critical to our success in the next 100 years."
(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam M. Stump is assigned to the Joint Staff public affairs office.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Egypt Vital to Peace in Middle East, Gates Says
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Security challenges in the Middle East are significant, but can be overcome by Egypt and the United States working closely together in the region, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "I have long considered Egypt one of America's most important, even indispensable, partners," Gates said in a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce here.
The secretary is in the Middle East this week to meet with leaders about mutual interests and concerns in the region. He met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other Egyptian defense officials earlier today and with Jordan's King Abdallah in Amman, Jordan, yesterday. His next stop will be Israel, where discussions are likely to focus on the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iran and Lebanon, a senior defense official traveling with Gates said.
In his speech, Gates said he and Mubarak agreed on common goals for the region, including:
-- "A unified, stable and prosperous Iraq;
-- "A just and comprehensive peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples;
-- "An Iran that does not attempt to dominate the region by subverting their neighbors and by building nuclear weapons; and
-- "Halting the growth and influence of extremist, terrorist networks and sectarian militia organizations that have become, in the words of (Army Gen. John Abizaid) our former theater commander in Iraq, 'the curse of the region.'"
Gates touted the strong military-to-military ties between Egypt and the United States, and called the Egyptian military "one of the region's most professional and effective forces."
He specifically cited the annual Bright Star multinational exercises. "This joint venture is just one example of our commitment to building the capabilities of the Egyptian armed forces," he said. "In addition to the more than $1 billion in military aid that Egypt will receive from the United States this year, we continue to strengthen and maintain the ties between our military establishments through education, training and exchanges."
However, the secretary stressed, military cooperation alone does not make for strong allies. Other tenets of national power have to come into play.
"Some of the most consequential progress in our relationship in recent years has not come between our militaries or even between our governments, but as a result of the work many of you here today are doing," Gates told the Chamber of Commerce members. "The growth of trade has brought Egypt closer to the global marketplace of investment, commerce and ideas, and that is a welcome development."
Egypt has a long-standing tradition of leadership in the Middle East, Gates said. "To overcome these daunting challenges -- defeating the terrorist networks, securing Iraq, holding Iran accountable, bringing peace to the Holy Land -- geography and history have thrust an important and unique burden on Egypt," he said. "It is a role well in keeping with Egypt's historic tradition of providing leadership in the Arab world."
He noted that many significant developments in this region began with Egypt. "It was this way during the Cold War: with Egypt forming an alliance with the former Soviet Union and then expelling it, in fighting five wars with Israel, and then being the first to make peace," Gates said. "When Egypt has had the courage and the vision to lead despite the real risks and costs involved, it has benefited not only Egypt, but the people of the Middle East as well."
Egypt's unique geographic, economic and political positions in this region make it a vital cog in progress in this part of the world, Gates said.
"It is unlikely that progress can be made on the most pressing issues of today without Egypt's full engagement, support and leadership," he said. "But with Egypt providing leadership, it will be possible to open up new possibilities for the peoples of the Middle East.
"After all," he continued, "we are living at a time when, as never before, people around the globe are demanding and making progress toward peace, political openness, and an economic system that works for themselves and their families."
Toward the end of his speech, Gates laid out his vision for a peaceful, prosperous Middle East -- "a future:
-- "Where trade, commerce and economic lead to a growing middle class and a higher quality of life for workers and their families;
-- "Where Palestine and Israel are living in peace side by side as viable and independent states;
-- "Where men and women have an increasingly greater say and a greater stake in how they govern their own lives, their own communities, and their own countries; and
-- "Where citizens from Tehran (Iran), to Baghdad, to Beirut (Lebanon) can look forward to a life secure from the assassin, the suicide bomber, and the proverbial knock on the door in the middle of the night."
Finally, Gates said he is here today to "reaffirm what multiple administrations of both American political parties have concluded: that the relationship between the United States and Egypt is vital and enduring, and that our own security and prosperity is closely linked to the security and prosperity of this part of the world."
"To build a more secure and prosperous future, we will continue working with other friends in the region, not as a patron, but a partner -- a partner that respects the different histories, cultures and perspectives of the people of the Middle East," Gates said.
"It is a responsibility we will not abandon, a trust we will not break."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – Security challenges in the Middle East are significant, but can be overcome by Egypt and the United States working closely together in the region, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. "I have long considered Egypt one of America's most important, even indispensable, partners," Gates said in a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce here.
The secretary is in the Middle East this week to meet with leaders about mutual interests and concerns in the region. He met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and other Egyptian defense officials earlier today and with Jordan's King Abdallah in Amman, Jordan, yesterday. His next stop will be Israel, where discussions are likely to focus on the Arab-Israeli peace process, Iran and Lebanon, a senior defense official traveling with Gates said.
In his speech, Gates said he and Mubarak agreed on common goals for the region, including:
-- "A unified, stable and prosperous Iraq;
-- "A just and comprehensive peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples;
-- "An Iran that does not attempt to dominate the region by subverting their neighbors and by building nuclear weapons; and
-- "Halting the growth and influence of extremist, terrorist networks and sectarian militia organizations that have become, in the words of (Army Gen. John Abizaid) our former theater commander in Iraq, 'the curse of the region.'"
Gates touted the strong military-to-military ties between Egypt and the United States, and called the Egyptian military "one of the region's most professional and effective forces."
He specifically cited the annual Bright Star multinational exercises. "This joint venture is just one example of our commitment to building the capabilities of the Egyptian armed forces," he said. "In addition to the more than $1 billion in military aid that Egypt will receive from the United States this year, we continue to strengthen and maintain the ties between our military establishments through education, training and exchanges."
However, the secretary stressed, military cooperation alone does not make for strong allies. Other tenets of national power have to come into play.
"Some of the most consequential progress in our relationship in recent years has not come between our militaries or even between our governments, but as a result of the work many of you here today are doing," Gates told the Chamber of Commerce members. "The growth of trade has brought Egypt closer to the global marketplace of investment, commerce and ideas, and that is a welcome development."
Egypt has a long-standing tradition of leadership in the Middle East, Gates said. "To overcome these daunting challenges -- defeating the terrorist networks, securing Iraq, holding Iran accountable, bringing peace to the Holy Land -- geography and history have thrust an important and unique burden on Egypt," he said. "It is a role well in keeping with Egypt's historic tradition of providing leadership in the Arab world."
He noted that many significant developments in this region began with Egypt. "It was this way during the Cold War: with Egypt forming an alliance with the former Soviet Union and then expelling it, in fighting five wars with Israel, and then being the first to make peace," Gates said. "When Egypt has had the courage and the vision to lead despite the real risks and costs involved, it has benefited not only Egypt, but the people of the Middle East as well."
Egypt's unique geographic, economic and political positions in this region make it a vital cog in progress in this part of the world, Gates said.
"It is unlikely that progress can be made on the most pressing issues of today without Egypt's full engagement, support and leadership," he said. "But with Egypt providing leadership, it will be possible to open up new possibilities for the peoples of the Middle East.
"After all," he continued, "we are living at a time when, as never before, people around the globe are demanding and making progress toward peace, political openness, and an economic system that works for themselves and their families."
Toward the end of his speech, Gates laid out his vision for a peaceful, prosperous Middle East -- "a future:
-- "Where trade, commerce and economic lead to a growing middle class and a higher quality of life for workers and their families;
-- "Where Palestine and Israel are living in peace side by side as viable and independent states;
-- "Where men and women have an increasingly greater say and a greater stake in how they govern their own lives, their own communities, and their own countries; and
-- "Where citizens from Tehran (Iran), to Baghdad, to Beirut (Lebanon) can look forward to a life secure from the assassin, the suicide bomber, and the proverbial knock on the door in the middle of the night."
Finally, Gates said he is here today to "reaffirm what multiple administrations of both American political parties have concluded: that the relationship between the United States and Egypt is vital and enduring, and that our own security and prosperity is closely linked to the security and prosperity of this part of the world."
"To build a more secure and prosperous future, we will continue working with other friends in the region, not as a patron, but a partner -- a partner that respects the different histories, cultures and perspectives of the people of the Middle East," Gates said.
"It is a responsibility we will not abandon, a trust we will not break."
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Gates: Iraq Resolution Important to Region, World
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – The situation in Iraq dominates the political landscape of the United States and of Middle Eastern countries, where citizens have "watched developments in that country with growing concern," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a group of American businessmen here today. Speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce here, Gates urged people to put aside disagreements they might have "over how we got to this point in Iraq," and realize how devastating a failed state in Iraq could be.
"The consequences of a failed state in Iraq, of chaos there, will adversely affect the security and prosperity of every nation in the Middle East and the Gulf region," he said. "There may be some who, over resentment or disagreements over what happened in the past, might be cheering for failure."
The secretary called such sentiments "dangerously short-sighted and self-destructive."
"The first and second effects of a collapse in Iraq -- with all of its economic, religious, security and geopolitical implications -- will be felt in capitals and communities in the Middle East well before they are felt in Washington and in New York," Gates said. "The forces that would be unleashed -- of sectarian strife, of an emboldened extremist movement with access to sanctuaries -- do not recognize or respect national boundaries."
He stressed that the primary victims of violence in Iraq are not American, coalition or Iraqi servicemembers, but "tens of thousands of innocent civilians -- men, women and children whose major crime was to go to the market or to attend Friday prayers."
"Where extremists have seized and controlled territory in the past -- in western Iraq, eastern Afghanistan, or elsewhere -- the result has been misery, poverty and fear," Gates said. "We have seen the future promised by the extremists: a dark, joyless existence personified not by piety and virtue, but by the executioner and the suicide bomber."
Gates also explained the importance of the Baghdad security plan, "a strategy focused on providing basic security to the Iraqi people," which is under way now.
"The immediate goal is to create the breathing room necessary to allow reform and reconciliation to go forward, steps that will give all of Iraq's communities -- majority and minorities alike -- a stake in that nation's future," he continued.
During a meeting this morning, Gates thanked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the Egyptian leader's willingness to host and meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki later this week and to host an upcoming conference of Iraq's leaders to try to form regional solutions to Iraq's problems.
During the speech to the Chamber of Commerce group, the secretary urged Iraq's neighbors "to play a constructive role going forward."
"We certainly encourage Iraq's Arab neighbors to use their influence to dampen homegrown insurgency and alleviate sectarian conflict," Gates said. "Other nations who have not been good neighbors to Iraq, such as Syria and Iran, should start becoming part of the regional solution that encourages political reconciliation and reduces violence."
In response to a question from the audience, Gates said he believes progress is being made in Iraq, but political reconciliation progress could be moving more quickly.
"I believe that Iraq's neighbors can help facilitate that reconciliation process, and I think that could all come together relatively quickly once the different sectarian factions or groups in Iraq decide to live together peacefully with one another," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 18, 2007 – The situation in Iraq dominates the political landscape of the United States and of Middle Eastern countries, where citizens have "watched developments in that country with growing concern," U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told a group of American businessmen here today. Speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce here, Gates urged people to put aside disagreements they might have "over how we got to this point in Iraq," and realize how devastating a failed state in Iraq could be.
"The consequences of a failed state in Iraq, of chaos there, will adversely affect the security and prosperity of every nation in the Middle East and the Gulf region," he said. "There may be some who, over resentment or disagreements over what happened in the past, might be cheering for failure."
The secretary called such sentiments "dangerously short-sighted and self-destructive."
"The first and second effects of a collapse in Iraq -- with all of its economic, religious, security and geopolitical implications -- will be felt in capitals and communities in the Middle East well before they are felt in Washington and in New York," Gates said. "The forces that would be unleashed -- of sectarian strife, of an emboldened extremist movement with access to sanctuaries -- do not recognize or respect national boundaries."
He stressed that the primary victims of violence in Iraq are not American, coalition or Iraqi servicemembers, but "tens of thousands of innocent civilians -- men, women and children whose major crime was to go to the market or to attend Friday prayers."
"Where extremists have seized and controlled territory in the past -- in western Iraq, eastern Afghanistan, or elsewhere -- the result has been misery, poverty and fear," Gates said. "We have seen the future promised by the extremists: a dark, joyless existence personified not by piety and virtue, but by the executioner and the suicide bomber."
Gates also explained the importance of the Baghdad security plan, "a strategy focused on providing basic security to the Iraqi people," which is under way now.
"The immediate goal is to create the breathing room necessary to allow reform and reconciliation to go forward, steps that will give all of Iraq's communities -- majority and minorities alike -- a stake in that nation's future," he continued.
During a meeting this morning, Gates thanked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the Egyptian leader's willingness to host and meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki later this week and to host an upcoming conference of Iraq's leaders to try to form regional solutions to Iraq's problems.
During the speech to the Chamber of Commerce group, the secretary urged Iraq's neighbors "to play a constructive role going forward."
"We certainly encourage Iraq's Arab neighbors to use their influence to dampen homegrown insurgency and alleviate sectarian conflict," Gates said. "Other nations who have not been good neighbors to Iraq, such as Syria and Iran, should start becoming part of the regional solution that encourages political reconciliation and reduces violence."
In response to a question from the audience, Gates said he believes progress is being made in Iraq, but political reconciliation progress could be moving more quickly.
"I believe that Iraq's neighbors can help facilitate that reconciliation process, and I think that could all come together relatively quickly once the different sectarian factions or groups in Iraq decide to live together peacefully with one another," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Serial Killers and Street Survival
Editor's Note: The books on "street survival" are applicable to military police officers as well as military personnel in general.
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. A Georgia police officer who wrote a true crime novel about the first known serial killer and a New Mexico police officer who has written extensively about street survival were added to the website.
Throughout his career, Dr. Vance McLaughlin has been actively involved in training officers at federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. From 1974 to 1975 he was a police officer for the Sarasota Police Department (Florida). From 1981 through1987 he was an Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he taught all undergraduate and graduate courses on Law Enforcement He has been a member of the firearms instructor qualification committee of the International Association of Firearms Instructors since 1987 and assisted in designing the PPCT Use of Force Matrix and instructor standards in 1984. Between 1987 and 2001, he was the Director of Training for the Savannah Police Department (Georgia). He is currently the Director of Planning for the Savannah Police Department.
Dr. Vance McLaughlin is the author two books: Police and the Use of Force: The Savannah Study and The Postcard Killer. According to the book description, “In 1912 John Frank Hickey, The Postcard Killer, was one of the first known and captured serial killers. This fascinating story tells how a solitary milquetoast of a man wandered the American east coast for decades, harboring a terrifying assortment of personal demons. Many of the behavior patterns that have long since come to be trademarks of the sociopathic killer are revealed in Hickey's long, demented life of crime. Unfortunately, the police and investigators in the early 20th Century had few if any tools to battle with a solitary individual's compulsion to murder young newsboys who wandered the urban streets alone.
From his first murder at eighteen until his capture and conviction nearly three decades later, Hickey traveled and worked at anonymous clerical or engineering jobs while he committed murders of breathtaking brazenness, sometimes attacking in open view. Hickey was well into middle age when his need for public attention drove him to taunt his victims' families and mock the police. He began a long series of correspondence about his crimes in the form of postcards. He enjoyed knowing that they could be read by anybody while they were en route. The postcards eventually formed the net that snared him.”
Phil L. Duran has been in law enforcement for over 19 years. He has been a member of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department (New Mexico) for the past 18 years. Currently, Deputy Phil Duran is the Advanced Training Coordinator for his department. His is author of Developing the Survival Attitude and co-author of Tactical Attitude. On reader/reviewer of Tactical Attitude said, “this book is about surviving a deadly encounter, mainly at the mental perspective. The book covers such topics as command presence, mental rehearsal, off-duty survival, sudden stress syndrome, and many others. Almost half of the text is real-life stories told by cops. This makes the book an interesting read.” According to the book description of Developing a Survival Attitude, “this book provides you with the knowledge needed to develop the proper attitude necessary for survival on patrol, or in any other law enforcement assignment.” Phil Duran is working on a third book on role-play training.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 488 police officers (representing 207 police departments) and their 1027 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.
Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. A Georgia police officer who wrote a true crime novel about the first known serial killer and a New Mexico police officer who has written extensively about street survival were added to the website.
Throughout his career, Dr. Vance McLaughlin has been actively involved in training officers at federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. From 1974 to 1975 he was a police officer for the Sarasota Police Department (Florida). From 1981 through1987 he was an Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he taught all undergraduate and graduate courses on Law Enforcement He has been a member of the firearms instructor qualification committee of the International Association of Firearms Instructors since 1987 and assisted in designing the PPCT Use of Force Matrix and instructor standards in 1984. Between 1987 and 2001, he was the Director of Training for the Savannah Police Department (Georgia). He is currently the Director of Planning for the Savannah Police Department.
Dr. Vance McLaughlin is the author two books: Police and the Use of Force: The Savannah Study and The Postcard Killer. According to the book description, “In 1912 John Frank Hickey, The Postcard Killer, was one of the first known and captured serial killers. This fascinating story tells how a solitary milquetoast of a man wandered the American east coast for decades, harboring a terrifying assortment of personal demons. Many of the behavior patterns that have long since come to be trademarks of the sociopathic killer are revealed in Hickey's long, demented life of crime. Unfortunately, the police and investigators in the early 20th Century had few if any tools to battle with a solitary individual's compulsion to murder young newsboys who wandered the urban streets alone.
From his first murder at eighteen until his capture and conviction nearly three decades later, Hickey traveled and worked at anonymous clerical or engineering jobs while he committed murders of breathtaking brazenness, sometimes attacking in open view. Hickey was well into middle age when his need for public attention drove him to taunt his victims' families and mock the police. He began a long series of correspondence about his crimes in the form of postcards. He enjoyed knowing that they could be read by anybody while they were en route. The postcards eventually formed the net that snared him.”
Phil L. Duran has been in law enforcement for over 19 years. He has been a member of the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department (New Mexico) for the past 18 years. Currently, Deputy Phil Duran is the Advanced Training Coordinator for his department. His is author of Developing the Survival Attitude and co-author of Tactical Attitude. On reader/reviewer of Tactical Attitude said, “this book is about surviving a deadly encounter, mainly at the mental perspective. The book covers such topics as command presence, mental rehearsal, off-duty survival, sudden stress syndrome, and many others. Almost half of the text is real-life stories told by cops. This makes the book an interesting read.” According to the book description of Developing a Survival Attitude, “this book provides you with the knowledge needed to develop the proper attitude necessary for survival on patrol, or in any other law enforcement assignment.” Phil Duran is working on a third book on role-play training.
Police-Writers.com now hosts 488 police officers (representing 207 police departments) and their 1027 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.
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