Wednesday, April 25, 2007

U.S., Polish Defense Leaders: Missile Defense Will Enhance Security

By Linda D. Kozaryn
American Forces Press Service

April 24, 2007 – U.S. and Polish defense
leaders agree that basing ground-based, missile defense interceptors in Poland will enhance the country's security. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates met with Polish Minister of National Defense Aleksander Szczyglo here today to discuss the planned deployment, along with Poland's participation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

U.S. defense officials have begun negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic to host long-range, ground-based interceptors and missile defense radar on their territories. These defense assets would counter possible missile attacks from such rogue nations as Iran or other sources in the Middle East or Southwest Asia.

While the Czech Republic has formally agreed to host the U.S. radar base, Poland has not yet agreed, a senior defense official traveling with the secretary said on background.

Following their meeting, Szczyglo told U.S. and Polish reporters the two men "came to the common conclusion that this U.S. project should increase the level of security in Europe, in this case specifically in Poland."

Gates said it was a pleasure to be back in Warsaw, noting that he first visited the city in 1975 on an advance trip for President Ford's visit. "All I can say is that Warsaw is a very different and very much better place today than it was in 1975," the secretary commented.

Gates reported that he had good talks with his Polish counterpart, and he expressed his condolences to the Polish people for the Polish soldier killed a few days ago in Iraq.

He said he reviewed with Szczyglo U.S. thinking on basing the missile defenses in Europe, as well as the "constructive conversations" he'd had in Moscow, including U.S. proposals for cooperation with Russia that were presented to NATO and Russia last week and then again discussed yesterday in Moscow. He also told the Polish defense leader that the United States and Russia would set up an expert group to continue looking at the subject.

Gates acknowledged that differences remain between the United States and Russia, especially on the technical characteristics and limitations of the system and Russia's concerns on the future capabilities of the system. He said the Russians have some misunderstandings about the systems.

"To alleviate that uncertainty," Gates said, "I invited the Russians to Alaska to see our interceptors and also to California to see what the radar would look like. Clearly they have questions about the capabilities of the system, and those are questions I think we can answer."

The secretary said he assured Szczyglo that constructive dialogue with Russia would continue. "We also agreed that any arrangement on missile defense with Poland should enhance Poland's overall security," Gates said.

"I do not believe Russia is a military threat to Poland - now, nor should we deploy a missile defense," the secretary said. "One of the points I made in Russia is that ... we're not talking about tomorrow or next year, but rather thinking about what the world might look like in 10 or 20 years.

"As I mentioned in my meeting with the minister," he said, "when I visited here in 1975, I never would have dreamed that 14 years later Poland would be free and that shortly after that the Cold War would be over.

"The world changes in dramatic ways," he said, "and what we're talking about here is indivisible security for the Unites States and our NATO allies. We would like to extend that umbrella to Russia and partner with Russia, have Russia be with us as we extend that program."

Gates thanked the minister for the robust Polish effort in Iraq and in Afghanistan. There are just fewer than 1,000 Polish troops in Iraq, and in response to NATO's plea for more troops, a combat battalion of 400 troops is now deploying to Afghanistan.

Gates said he looks forward to meeting with Poland's president and foreign minister tomorrow.

From Warsaw, the secretary is stopping in Germany to brief local
leaders there before heading back to the United States.

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Group Fosters Employer Understanding of Military

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

April 24, 2007 – The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has worked to gain and maintain the support of America's employers for the nation's National Guardsmen and reservists since 1972. ESGR is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with members of the
military and their families at home and abroad.

"ESGR was formed (because) the secretary of defense and the president of the United States recognized that we were going to an all-volunteer force ... and that we were going to depend more on the Guard and Reserve,"
Air Force Reserve Maj. Robert Palmer, the national committee's chief of strategic communications, said. "(They also realized) that there needed to be a DoD organization whose mission was to foster good relations with employers."

ESGR has a three-pronged approach to succeeding at its mission, Palmer said. It conducts outreach activities to familiarize employers with the role and the mission of the reserve components.

The organization also offers informal mediation for employers or employees needing assistance resolving issues pertaining to employees'
military service and the 1994 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act, he said.

"We have volunteers trained in what the
law says as well as dispute resolution," Palmer said. "If we can resolve problems quickly and easily for a Guardsman and reservist, that's a value to both the (servicemember) and the employer."

To reward employers who go above and beyond what USERRA requires from an employer in support of
military employees, ESGR operates an awards program, he said. "We recognize employers that go above and beyond what the law requires," Palmer said

Each year state ESGR committees can present Above and Beyond Awards and Pro Patria Awards to employers who excel in supporting their military employees. At the national level, employee-nominated employers can earn Patriot Awards.

"Our highest honor ... is the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award," Palmer said. "Up to 15 employers are recognized each year with the Freedom Award."

Award recipients are categorized as large private employers, small private employers, and public-sector employers, he said. Some notable Freedom Award recipients include American Express, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Harley Davidson, Wachovia Bank.

"Harley Davidson always resonates with the
military crowd," Palmer added.

Supporting the military certainly resonates with the American public, but occasionally Palmer said he receives offers to support troops that ESGR can't make use of. That's when the organization's America Supports You membership and the networking opportunities it provides, comes into play.

"If someone contacts me and we're unable to use their help, I know that I can turn to America Supports You (to) plug them in," Palmer said.

Article sponsored by
Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.