By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - The Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs are partnering with other government and non-government agencies to find ways to improve the lives of severely injured servicemembers and veterans, officials said July 27. Defense and VA officials agree that the concept of a full-time patient-recovery coordinators would greatly help severely wounded warriors and veterans access needed services, Lynda C. Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for military personnel policy, told American Forces Press Service.
Davis and Kristin A. Day, the VA's acting national social work director, co-chair the case management reform action group, which collaborates with military family members, government agencies, veterans service organizations and private groups.
Davis and Day hosted a joint Defense Department/Veterans Affairs July 26-27 meeting at the Pentagon that addressed non-clinical care management issues affecting severely wounded servicemembers and veterans, such as coordination of benefits and disability, access to housing, transportation, rehabilitative care, occupational therapy, employment, education and more.
"It's everything in a person's life that's needed to make their recovery complete that is not the strictly medical side," Davis said.
A previous summit in May addressed what was needed in the clinical realm, she added, such as information technology and training requirements, including discussion of needed policy changes.
This March, President Bush established the Presidential Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors after the Washington Post disclosed patient-care shortfalls at Walter Reed Army Medical Center here.
The commission, chaired by former Sen. Robert J. Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna E. Shalala, examined the overall state of the military's health care system and care for veterans. The commission released its findings July 25.
One of the commission's recommendations is to develop a recovery plan for seriously injured servicemembers and to assign recovery coordinators or case managers to severely wounded servicemembers and veterans to help them access benefits and ongoing care.
This person would complement the many current care providers and be "a consistent resource that is with the individual servicemember and the family across the full continuum of their care from the point of acute care in a hospital in the DoD, to the recuperation phase in the VA hospital, to the time when they'll live most of their life back in their community."
Officials now are examining what type of standardized training recovery coordinators would require, Davis said, as well as closely examining requirements to determine an efficient, integrated recovery-care plan for injured military veterans.
Officials envision that VA recovery coordinators, known as transition patient advocates, would begin to interface with their servicemember clients when they're still being treated in military hospitals, Day said.
The VA has hired more than 80 of 100 patient transition advocates over the past few months, Day pointed out.
"If the patient's home is in Kansas City, for example, the transition patient advocate will be notified by the VA liaison at the DoD facility and will travel to the patient, introduce themselves, and start a relationship," Day explained. "It's very important to have somebody understand your whole story, to have been there with you (through) everything you've been through."
VA patient advocates "will literally be at the kitchen table each step of the way" as veterans begin rebuilding their lives in their home towns, Day said.
Up to now, wives or husbands often managed their veteran-spouses' recovery needs, with mixed results, Day said. "The families, right now, have to navigate all of these systems, and it's overwhelming," Day said. "We're going to do that for them."
Marine Maj. Peter Ortell, hometown link coordinator for the Marine for Life program, who attended the Pentagon summit meeting, said military and veterans' families have cited the need for a dedicated recovery advocate.
"They want a single resource or point of contact they can go to, so that they do not have to learn the entire system themselves and become their own advocates," Ortell said.
Wounded warriors and veterans already "have a whole slew of stressors," Ortell pointed out, noting that "having more stress by having to navigate this huge medical system just adds more stress."
Friday, August 03, 2007
Gates: Middle East Trip Aimed to Sow Long-Term Relationships
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates described his just-concluded trip to the Middle East as "gardening" – preparing the ground for long-term U.S. security relationships in the region. To describe his four-day, four-country visit to the region, Gates borrowed the metaphor from former Secretary of State George Schultz.
As with gardening, Gates said, he hoped to be laying groundwork to be "harvested" in the future in the form of stronger relationships needed in light of threats facing the region.
The secretary met in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, today with Mohammed bin Zayeed al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE military, and visited Kuwait yesterday. Before that, he made joint visits with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where they met with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
"What this was about was the beginning of a dialog with our friends and partners in the region about both Iraq and Iran on the one hand and long-term interests and security on the other," Gates told reporters during the return flight to Washington.
Gates said he also sought to reassure countries in the region that "the United States is going to be a major power and a major presence in this region for a long time to come."
The themes ran consistent throughout the trip: long-term security and stability in the region, what to do about Iran, and the need to be more supportive of the Iraqi government.
At every stop this week, Gates encouraged stronger support for Iraq's government as it works to build unity amid sectarian strife. Just as Baghdad needs to reach out to Sunni Muslims to include them in its decision-making process, "it is also important for moderate Arab governments to welcome Iraq into the Arab fold and to make it their partner," a senior defense official said on background.
That will be critical, he said, as they work together to help support the Iraqi government while ensuring they're able to counter mutual threats, such as terrorist extremists and Iranian ambitions.
Gates encountered widespread concern about Iran during his visits. "In terms of being country-specific in terms of concern with Iran, there was no difference of opinion," he said.
"Iran is actively engaged right now (in) activities that are contrary to the interests of most of the countries -- virtually all of the countries that we just visited, as well as the United States, as well as Iraq," he said.
"We can't wait years for them to try to change their policies. ... The more countries in the world that cooperate in the U.N. sanctions (against Iran) and in bringing pressures to bear on this government that its policies are antithetical to the interests of all its neighbors, the better off we'll be.
"We all need to work together," Gates said. "There's not really room for bystanders here."
Throughout the visit, Gates explored ways to expand existing security relationships.
"There are clearly areas where we can strengthen bilateral cooperation -- air and missile defense, maritime security, crisis management, perhaps more multilateral exercises -- and ... some of those things have potential regional application," a senior defense official said.
He compared existing U.S. security relationships in the region to the "hub-and-spoke" arrangement the United States shares with many Asian countries. "We have very strong bilateral relationships with a number of different counties, but they mostly don't have security relationships with one another. That's kind of what we have in the Middle East right now," the official said.
"But there are some areas where there is room for cooperation among more than two countries, just as there is in Asia," he said. "That is the kind of thing we would explore."
Leaders Gates met with this week were "intrigued by some of the multilateral notions," the official said. But formal, structured arrangements aren't likely to be in the cards, he said.
Gates told reporters he's hopeful the visits bear fruit in terms of stronger relationships able to stand up to pressing challenges and that they help establish policies that supersede politics.
"The only way you deal with the threat we face from al Qaeda or from Iran and these other places is to have a policy in place that has bipartisan support and that can be sustained through multiple administrations," he said. "So when I talk about gardening, it may be the next administration or the administration after that that harvests all this."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates described his just-concluded trip to the Middle East as "gardening" – preparing the ground for long-term U.S. security relationships in the region. To describe his four-day, four-country visit to the region, Gates borrowed the metaphor from former Secretary of State George Schultz.
As with gardening, Gates said, he hoped to be laying groundwork to be "harvested" in the future in the form of stronger relationships needed in light of threats facing the region.
The secretary met in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, today with Mohammed bin Zayeed al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE military, and visited Kuwait yesterday. Before that, he made joint visits with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, where they met with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
"What this was about was the beginning of a dialog with our friends and partners in the region about both Iraq and Iran on the one hand and long-term interests and security on the other," Gates told reporters during the return flight to Washington.
Gates said he also sought to reassure countries in the region that "the United States is going to be a major power and a major presence in this region for a long time to come."
The themes ran consistent throughout the trip: long-term security and stability in the region, what to do about Iran, and the need to be more supportive of the Iraqi government.
At every stop this week, Gates encouraged stronger support for Iraq's government as it works to build unity amid sectarian strife. Just as Baghdad needs to reach out to Sunni Muslims to include them in its decision-making process, "it is also important for moderate Arab governments to welcome Iraq into the Arab fold and to make it their partner," a senior defense official said on background.
That will be critical, he said, as they work together to help support the Iraqi government while ensuring they're able to counter mutual threats, such as terrorist extremists and Iranian ambitions.
Gates encountered widespread concern about Iran during his visits. "In terms of being country-specific in terms of concern with Iran, there was no difference of opinion," he said.
"Iran is actively engaged right now (in) activities that are contrary to the interests of most of the countries -- virtually all of the countries that we just visited, as well as the United States, as well as Iraq," he said.
"We can't wait years for them to try to change their policies. ... The more countries in the world that cooperate in the U.N. sanctions (against Iran) and in bringing pressures to bear on this government that its policies are antithetical to the interests of all its neighbors, the better off we'll be.
"We all need to work together," Gates said. "There's not really room for bystanders here."
Throughout the visit, Gates explored ways to expand existing security relationships.
"There are clearly areas where we can strengthen bilateral cooperation -- air and missile defense, maritime security, crisis management, perhaps more multilateral exercises -- and ... some of those things have potential regional application," a senior defense official said.
He compared existing U.S. security relationships in the region to the "hub-and-spoke" arrangement the United States shares with many Asian countries. "We have very strong bilateral relationships with a number of different counties, but they mostly don't have security relationships with one another. That's kind of what we have in the Middle East right now," the official said.
"But there are some areas where there is room for cooperation among more than two countries, just as there is in Asia," he said. "That is the kind of thing we would explore."
Leaders Gates met with this week were "intrigued by some of the multilateral notions," the official said. But formal, structured arrangements aren't likely to be in the cards, he said.
Gates told reporters he's hopeful the visits bear fruit in terms of stronger relationships able to stand up to pressing challenges and that they help establish policies that supersede politics.
"The only way you deal with the threat we face from al Qaeda or from Iran and these other places is to have a policy in place that has bipartisan support and that can be sustained through multiple administrations," he said. "So when I talk about gardening, it may be the next administration or the administration after that that harvests all this."
Gates Disappointed in Iraqi Political Progress, Optimistic on Security
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - While acknowledging that he's disappointed with political upheaval within the Iraqi government, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he's hopeful about progress on the security front. "I think the developments on the political side are somewhat discouraging at the national level. And clearly, the withdrawal of the Sunnis from the government is discouraging," Gates told reporters during a flight back to Washington following a four-day visit to the Middle East.
"My hope is it can all be patched back together," he said.
Seeing the discord taking place in Iraq, Gates said, "in some ways, we probably all underestimated the depth of the mistrust and how difficult it would be for these guys to come together on legislation, which, let's face it, is not some kind of secondary thing."
"The kinds of legislation they're talking about will establish the framework of Iraq for the future, so it's almost like our Constitutional Convention," he said. "These are not secondary or tertiary issues they're debating. And the difficulty in coming to grips with those, we may all have underestimated six or eight months ago."
On the other hand, Gates called developments at the local level "more encouraging than I would have expected three or four months ago."
He cited widespread concern seven months ago that Anbar province had been lost to al Qaeda. Today, the people of Anbar are working with Iraqi and coalition forces to rid their province of terrorists and extremists.
"I am optimistic on the security side because of what I see in al Anbar and what we're seeing in some of the other provinces where we're getting some cooperation," Gates said. "I think some of the positive political developments have come in areas where we didn't expect it."
The key to continuing this success is, "not only establishing the security, but being able to hold onto those areas," he said.
It's also critical for the Iraqi Army and police "to be able to provide the continuity of that security over time," Gates said. "It's under that umbrella, I think, progress will be made at a national level."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - While acknowledging that he's disappointed with political upheaval within the Iraqi government, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today he's hopeful about progress on the security front. "I think the developments on the political side are somewhat discouraging at the national level. And clearly, the withdrawal of the Sunnis from the government is discouraging," Gates told reporters during a flight back to Washington following a four-day visit to the Middle East.
"My hope is it can all be patched back together," he said.
Seeing the discord taking place in Iraq, Gates said, "in some ways, we probably all underestimated the depth of the mistrust and how difficult it would be for these guys to come together on legislation, which, let's face it, is not some kind of secondary thing."
"The kinds of legislation they're talking about will establish the framework of Iraq for the future, so it's almost like our Constitutional Convention," he said. "These are not secondary or tertiary issues they're debating. And the difficulty in coming to grips with those, we may all have underestimated six or eight months ago."
On the other hand, Gates called developments at the local level "more encouraging than I would have expected three or four months ago."
He cited widespread concern seven months ago that Anbar province had been lost to al Qaeda. Today, the people of Anbar are working with Iraqi and coalition forces to rid their province of terrorists and extremists.
"I am optimistic on the security side because of what I see in al Anbar and what we're seeing in some of the other provinces where we're getting some cooperation," Gates said. "I think some of the positive political developments have come in areas where we didn't expect it."
The key to continuing this success is, "not only establishing the security, but being able to hold onto those areas," he said.
It's also critical for the Iraqi Army and police "to be able to provide the continuity of that security over time," Gates said. "It's under that umbrella, I think, progress will be made at a national level."
Technology to Save Pilots' Lives Ready for Take-off
By Kim Sears
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - What began as a chance discovery in aviation research has evolved into a complex technology that helps save pilots' lives by preventing airplane crashes. The Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, known as Auto-GCAS, is a software-based technology that has demonstrated a 98 percent effectiveness rate at eliminating aircraft crashes into the ground. The system is ready for operational integration on several types of fighters: F-16 Fighting Flacons, F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters, officials said.
"We in Air Combat Command are excited about the promise of Auto-GCAS," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Jack Catton, director of requirements for Air Combat Command, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. "This isn't just a safety issue for us, it's a warfighting issue. This technology will allow us to save both lives and combat resources. It is clearly the right thing to do."
Auto-GCAS evaluates a variety of factors including aircraft weight, and performance, and uses aircraft navigation positional information, the Global Positioning System, and digital terrain elevation data to constantly calculate an aircraft's 3-D position relative to the earth, the amount of time available before impact, and the maneuver required to prevent a collision with the ground.
The program differs from current crash-avoidance systems in that it doesn't create nuisance warnings and activates only at the last instant to take control and recover the aircraft when it determines collision is imminent. The determination is made when the aircraft is within 1.5 seconds of the "point of no return" and no action has been taken by the pilot.
"Manual or warning-only systems don't prevent many of our (controlled flight into terrain) mishaps. That's because situations like pilot spatial disorientation, target fixation, loss of situation awareness, or G-induced loss of consciousness may render a pilot unable to process the warning and/or perform the necessary maneuvers to prevent a collision with the ground," said Col. "Tex" Wilkins, senior Air Force readiness analyst with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. "Current programs rely on a pilot's ability to manually respond to its warnings. Auto-GCAS, however, is specifically designed to prevent a collision in situations where a pilot cannot."
Experts at the Defense Safety Oversight Council, formed in 2003 to help reduce safety mishaps within the Defense Department, believed the technology was worth pursuing, and organization teamed with the Air Force Safety Center to find a cost-effective and efficient way to integrate the technology across multiple platforms. The collaborative effort became the Fighter Risk Reduction Program led by the Air Force Research Laboratory, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Backed by about $2.5 million in seed money for 2006-07 from the Defense Safety Oversight Council, the Fighter Risk Reduction Program is operating on schedule, officials said.
"Getting this program to the point it is at today has been years in the making. A lot of time and dedication has gone into this project, and I hope we can keep moving it forward," Wilkins said.
A team of specialists from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and defense contractor Lockheed Martin realized the need for Auto-GCAS technology in the early 1980s while conducting research on other automated aviation systems.
"Initially, we put the (GCAS) program on aircraft for flight safety during other tests, but discovered it may have a lot more importance than for just the prime things we were asked to look into. We realized we might have a technology that's very useful and that nobody even considered was feasible at that point in time," said Mark Skoog, Auto-GCAS test director and chief engineer at NASA.
Initially, the technology only worked over flat terrain. Eventually, digital terrain was incorporated onto aircraft and later integrated into the Auto-GCAS program giving it all-terrain capability.
After about 2,500 automated recoveries over flat terrain and over 700 automated recoveries using digital terrain, the program was declared "technologically mature" in 2000, officials said.
"The main focus of our testing is to make sure we have a nuisance-free system that isn't going to come on when an aggressive pilot doesn't want it to," Skoog said.
He said tests have also helped provide information to pilots who may be skeptical about the system. "Our primary goal is to make sure people base their opinion (of the system) on good information and data," Skoog said. "I want pilots to realize this isn't someone trying to sell something, it's someone who's honestly trying to give pilots good, solid information to base decisions on."
Defense Department experts estimate that more than 130 fighter aircraft could be lost and their crews killed due to ground collisions over the next 25 years. Wilkins said the Auto G-CAS program could virtually eliminate "controlled flight into terrain" as a mishap category.
"That preserves a lot of combat capability and will obviously make a huge difference in the department," Wilkins said. "We're pleased the technology to curb this trend and save pilot lives is ready to go."
(Kim Sears works for the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - What began as a chance discovery in aviation research has evolved into a complex technology that helps save pilots' lives by preventing airplane crashes. The Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, known as Auto-GCAS, is a software-based technology that has demonstrated a 98 percent effectiveness rate at eliminating aircraft crashes into the ground. The system is ready for operational integration on several types of fighters: F-16 Fighting Flacons, F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters, officials said.
"We in Air Combat Command are excited about the promise of Auto-GCAS," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Jack Catton, director of requirements for Air Combat Command, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. "This isn't just a safety issue for us, it's a warfighting issue. This technology will allow us to save both lives and combat resources. It is clearly the right thing to do."
Auto-GCAS evaluates a variety of factors including aircraft weight, and performance, and uses aircraft navigation positional information, the Global Positioning System, and digital terrain elevation data to constantly calculate an aircraft's 3-D position relative to the earth, the amount of time available before impact, and the maneuver required to prevent a collision with the ground.
The program differs from current crash-avoidance systems in that it doesn't create nuisance warnings and activates only at the last instant to take control and recover the aircraft when it determines collision is imminent. The determination is made when the aircraft is within 1.5 seconds of the "point of no return" and no action has been taken by the pilot.
"Manual or warning-only systems don't prevent many of our (controlled flight into terrain) mishaps. That's because situations like pilot spatial disorientation, target fixation, loss of situation awareness, or G-induced loss of consciousness may render a pilot unable to process the warning and/or perform the necessary maneuvers to prevent a collision with the ground," said Col. "Tex" Wilkins, senior Air Force readiness analyst with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. "Current programs rely on a pilot's ability to manually respond to its warnings. Auto-GCAS, however, is specifically designed to prevent a collision in situations where a pilot cannot."
Experts at the Defense Safety Oversight Council, formed in 2003 to help reduce safety mishaps within the Defense Department, believed the technology was worth pursuing, and organization teamed with the Air Force Safety Center to find a cost-effective and efficient way to integrate the technology across multiple platforms. The collaborative effort became the Fighter Risk Reduction Program led by the Air Force Research Laboratory, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Backed by about $2.5 million in seed money for 2006-07 from the Defense Safety Oversight Council, the Fighter Risk Reduction Program is operating on schedule, officials said.
"Getting this program to the point it is at today has been years in the making. A lot of time and dedication has gone into this project, and I hope we can keep moving it forward," Wilkins said.
A team of specialists from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and defense contractor Lockheed Martin realized the need for Auto-GCAS technology in the early 1980s while conducting research on other automated aviation systems.
"Initially, we put the (GCAS) program on aircraft for flight safety during other tests, but discovered it may have a lot more importance than for just the prime things we were asked to look into. We realized we might have a technology that's very useful and that nobody even considered was feasible at that point in time," said Mark Skoog, Auto-GCAS test director and chief engineer at NASA.
Initially, the technology only worked over flat terrain. Eventually, digital terrain was incorporated onto aircraft and later integrated into the Auto-GCAS program giving it all-terrain capability.
After about 2,500 automated recoveries over flat terrain and over 700 automated recoveries using digital terrain, the program was declared "technologically mature" in 2000, officials said.
"The main focus of our testing is to make sure we have a nuisance-free system that isn't going to come on when an aggressive pilot doesn't want it to," Skoog said.
He said tests have also helped provide information to pilots who may be skeptical about the system. "Our primary goal is to make sure people base their opinion (of the system) on good information and data," Skoog said. "I want pilots to realize this isn't someone trying to sell something, it's someone who's honestly trying to give pilots good, solid information to base decisions on."
Defense Department experts estimate that more than 130 fighter aircraft could be lost and their crews killed due to ground collisions over the next 25 years. Wilkins said the Auto G-CAS program could virtually eliminate "controlled flight into terrain" as a mishap category.
"That preserves a lot of combat capability and will obviously make a huge difference in the department," Wilkins said. "We're pleased the technology to curb this trend and save pilot lives is ready to go."
(Kim Sears works for the New Media branch of American Forces Information Service.)
Army Boosts Enlistment Bonuses
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - In an effort to bolster the growth of the Army by more than 34,000 soldiers, Army officials are implementing a new bonus for recruits who sign up by the end of this fiscal year. U.S. Army Recruiting Command this week announced a $20,000 "quick-ship" bonus for aspiring recruits with no prior military service who enlist for at least two years of active duty and report to basic training within 30 days of enlistment. The program ends Sept. 30.
The new bonus was one of the initiatives highlighted by Army and Defense Department leaders who testified before the military personnel subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday about recruiting and retention efforts in the Army. The Army missed its active-duty recruiting goals in June for the second month in a row, but the leaders said they are confident the service will make year-end recruiting goals.
"Despite the challenges we face and will continue to face in the future, the Army continues to be successful overall in growing and maintaining the all-volunteer Army," Army Lt. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for personnel, told the committee.
Rochelle was joined at the hearing by Michael Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Army Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard; and Army Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of Army Recruiting Command. All the leaders emphasized that Army recruiters face a very daunting task, as they are trying to grow the end strength of the Army in a challenging environment.
"Over the longer term, meeting recruiting targets will remain challenging," Dominguez said. "Propensity to enlist is down; willingness of coaches, teachers, counselors and parents to commend military service to America's youth is lower than is good for our nation and our military; the numbers of people who meet our enlistment standards is astonishingly low."
To counter these challenges, the Army has launched several recruiting initiatives, Bostick explained to the committee. The initiatives include:
-- Adding incentives and heavily advertising the two-year enlistment option;
-- Establishing a "super leads" program to help refine nearly 1 million leads to identify those with the highest potential to enlist, saving recruiters valuable time and allowing them to focus on prospecting;
-- Issuing an operational mission to the recruiting force for each recruiter to write six contracts between the end of June and September, with four recruits to join in this fiscal year;
-- Requesting additional soldiers graduating from initial training to serve as hometown recruiter assistants and returning combat veterans to serve as special recruiter assistants to tell their Army stories and influence prospective recruits;
-- Re-emphasizing the $2,000 referral bonus program;
-- Requesting the temporary return of up to 1,000 former successful recruiters to augment the recruiting force; and
-- Requesting general-officer assistance to help the recruiting effort in communities across America through speaking engagements in their hometowns, schools and colleges and at events
Bostick noted that despite the tough environment, nearly 70,000 people have joined the Army this year, and those in the Army are reenlisting at record rates. He also defended the quality of the recruits, pointing out that in fiscal 2006, 81 percent of the regular Army and 89 percent of the Army Reserve were high school graduates. Also, 85 percent of the recruits who shipped to basic training that year joined without any waivers.
"Regardless of their education credentials or test scores, every applicant we enlist is qualified to serve," Bostick said.
When looking at recruiting statistics, it is important to remember that the Army is all-volunteer, has been at war for five years, and is undergoing a historic transformation, Rochelle said. The Army is growing its end strength to meet the demands of its new structure, and despite a historical low of 16 percent for youth propensity to serve in the military, the Army is still on target to achieve its year-end recruiting goals, he said.
"The all-volunteer Army is 'Army strong' precisely because each American that joins our ranks chooses to do so," Rochelle said. "Enlistment is the first act of selflessness that develops young Americans into the courageous troops we all admire. We are leveraging the flexibilities you have given us to close fiscal year 2007 successfully. We remain ahead of glide path to achieve our fiscal year 2007 recruiting mission, and I am reasonably confident that we can achieve that success in fiscal year 2008."
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - In an effort to bolster the growth of the Army by more than 34,000 soldiers, Army officials are implementing a new bonus for recruits who sign up by the end of this fiscal year. U.S. Army Recruiting Command this week announced a $20,000 "quick-ship" bonus for aspiring recruits with no prior military service who enlist for at least two years of active duty and report to basic training within 30 days of enlistment. The program ends Sept. 30.
The new bonus was one of the initiatives highlighted by Army and Defense Department leaders who testified before the military personnel subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday about recruiting and retention efforts in the Army. The Army missed its active-duty recruiting goals in June for the second month in a row, but the leaders said they are confident the service will make year-end recruiting goals.
"Despite the challenges we face and will continue to face in the future, the Army continues to be successful overall in growing and maintaining the all-volunteer Army," Army Lt. Gen. Michael D. Rochelle, deputy chief of staff for personnel, told the committee.
Rochelle was joined at the hearing by Michael Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Army Lt. Gen. Clyde A. Vaughn, director of the Army National Guard; and Army Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Bostick, commander of Army Recruiting Command. All the leaders emphasized that Army recruiters face a very daunting task, as they are trying to grow the end strength of the Army in a challenging environment.
"Over the longer term, meeting recruiting targets will remain challenging," Dominguez said. "Propensity to enlist is down; willingness of coaches, teachers, counselors and parents to commend military service to America's youth is lower than is good for our nation and our military; the numbers of people who meet our enlistment standards is astonishingly low."
To counter these challenges, the Army has launched several recruiting initiatives, Bostick explained to the committee. The initiatives include:
-- Adding incentives and heavily advertising the two-year enlistment option;
-- Establishing a "super leads" program to help refine nearly 1 million leads to identify those with the highest potential to enlist, saving recruiters valuable time and allowing them to focus on prospecting;
-- Issuing an operational mission to the recruiting force for each recruiter to write six contracts between the end of June and September, with four recruits to join in this fiscal year;
-- Requesting additional soldiers graduating from initial training to serve as hometown recruiter assistants and returning combat veterans to serve as special recruiter assistants to tell their Army stories and influence prospective recruits;
-- Re-emphasizing the $2,000 referral bonus program;
-- Requesting the temporary return of up to 1,000 former successful recruiters to augment the recruiting force; and
-- Requesting general-officer assistance to help the recruiting effort in communities across America through speaking engagements in their hometowns, schools and colleges and at events
Bostick noted that despite the tough environment, nearly 70,000 people have joined the Army this year, and those in the Army are reenlisting at record rates. He also defended the quality of the recruits, pointing out that in fiscal 2006, 81 percent of the regular Army and 89 percent of the Army Reserve were high school graduates. Also, 85 percent of the recruits who shipped to basic training that year joined without any waivers.
"Regardless of their education credentials or test scores, every applicant we enlist is qualified to serve," Bostick said.
When looking at recruiting statistics, it is important to remember that the Army is all-volunteer, has been at war for five years, and is undergoing a historic transformation, Rochelle said. The Army is growing its end strength to meet the demands of its new structure, and despite a historical low of 16 percent for youth propensity to serve in the military, the Army is still on target to achieve its year-end recruiting goals, he said.
"The all-volunteer Army is 'Army strong' precisely because each American that joins our ranks chooses to do so," Rochelle said. "Enlistment is the first act of selflessness that develops young Americans into the courageous troops we all admire. We are leveraging the flexibilities you have given us to close fiscal year 2007 successfully. We remain ahead of glide path to achieve our fiscal year 2007 recruiting mission, and I am reasonably confident that we can achieve that success in fiscal year 2008."
Movie Snacks En Route to Pacific Fleet
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - When a Military Sealift Command ship that routinely delivers ordnance to Navy ships makes its next delivery, the Pacific Fleet should be set for a movie marathon. As part of "Operation Popcorn," the ammunition ship USNS Flint will distribute 250,000 bags of donated microwavable popcorn.
"I am only too happy to be able to support this operation," said civilian mariner Capt. Robert C. Holley, master of the Flint. The ship's civilian mariners will deliver the buttery treats in addition to its already-planned cargo of ammunition.
The Flint, which supports the Pacific Fleet, also will pass a portion of its edible cargo to other Military Sealift Command ships. Those ships will, in turn, deliver it to thousands of sailors and Marines aboard other Navy ships around the world.
Several groups, including Boy Scouts of America and the Support Our Troops organization, worked together to bring the popcorn to the fleet. Weaver Popcorn Co., in Indiana, donated the 3,000 cases of popcorn, worth nearly $70,000.
The snacks, along with the ammunition, were loaded at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Wash., July 20 and 21. The cases of butter-, butter light- and kettle corn-flavored popcorn that each ship will receive are scheduled to be delivered over a three-week period.
The Defense Logistics Agency considers transportation requests for donated goods of this kind. Requests can't be accommodated unless space is available and operations aren't affected, officials said.
Flint and other Military Sealift Command civilian-mariner crewed ships provide ammunition, fuel, food, spare parts and other supplies to Navy ships at sea. Military Sealift Command operates about 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea, and move military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. The Defense Department's America Supports You program 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.
(From a U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command news release.)
Aug. 2, 2007 - When a Military Sealift Command ship that routinely delivers ordnance to Navy ships makes its next delivery, the Pacific Fleet should be set for a movie marathon. As part of "Operation Popcorn," the ammunition ship USNS Flint will distribute 250,000 bags of donated microwavable popcorn.
"I am only too happy to be able to support this operation," said civilian mariner Capt. Robert C. Holley, master of the Flint. The ship's civilian mariners will deliver the buttery treats in addition to its already-planned cargo of ammunition.
The Flint, which supports the Pacific Fleet, also will pass a portion of its edible cargo to other Military Sealift Command ships. Those ships will, in turn, deliver it to thousands of sailors and Marines aboard other Navy ships around the world.
Several groups, including Boy Scouts of America and the Support Our Troops organization, worked together to bring the popcorn to the fleet. Weaver Popcorn Co., in Indiana, donated the 3,000 cases of popcorn, worth nearly $70,000.
The snacks, along with the ammunition, were loaded at Naval Magazine Indian Island, Wash., July 20 and 21. The cases of butter-, butter light- and kettle corn-flavored popcorn that each ship will receive are scheduled to be delivered over a three-week period.
The Defense Logistics Agency considers transportation requests for donated goods of this kind. Requests can't be accommodated unless space is available and operations aren't affected, officials said.
Flint and other Military Sealift Command civilian-mariner crewed ships provide ammunition, fuel, food, spare parts and other supplies to Navy ships at sea. Military Sealift Command operates about 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea, and move military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces.
Editor's Note: To find out about more individuals, groups and organizations that are helping support the troops, visit www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil. The Defense Department's America Supports You program 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.
(From a U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command news release.)
Kuwaiti Officer Marks 1990 Invasion Anniversary With Thanks, Resolve
American Forces Press Service
Aug. 2, 2007 - Kuwaiti air force Col. Sulaiman M. al-Otaibi remembers all too well the "dark day" his country faced 17 years ago today, when 100,000 Iraqi troops stormed across the border here, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Memories of Aug. 2, 1990, are still fresh for him and his fellow Kuwaitis as they recall four of Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard divisions and Iraqi army special forces units pushing into Kuwait City.
They quickly overran Kuwait's outnumbered forces, attacked the royal residence, Dasman Palace, and began a brutal six-month occupation. Six days later, Saddam announced the merger of Iraq and Kuwait.
Otaibi and his family weathered the occupation as he, a lieutenant colonel at the time running manpower affairs for the Kuwaiti military, struggled to face their oppressors.
The U.N. Security Council quickly passed resolutions calling for a full Iraqi withdrawal and imposing economic sanctions on Iraq. Nearly four months after the initial invasion, a Security Council resolution authorized states cooperating with Kuwait to use "all necessary means" to get Iraq to withdraw.
Today, Otaibi remembers the relief he and his countrymen felt when a 34-nation coalition led by the United States began to take shape.
The United States launched "Operation Desert Shield," its largest troop deployment since the Vietnam War, led by Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, then commander of U.S. Central Command. Ultimately, the United States would commit 540,000 troops, six aircraft carriers, 4,000 tanks, 1,700 helicopters, 1,800 aircraft and submarines to the operation.
Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Niger, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Syria and the United Arab Emirates ultimately would join Kuwait and the United States in the coalition.
On Jan. 16, one day after Iraq failed to comply with U.N. resolutions calling for it to withdraw, President George H.W. Bush went on national TV to announce the launch of "Operation Desert Storm." "Just two hours ago, allied air forces began attacking military targets in Iraq and Kuwait," he said in a televised address.
"These attacks continue as I speak. Ground forces are not engaged. This conflict started 2 August when the dictator of Iraq invaded a small and helpless neighbor. Kuwait, a member of the Arab League and a member of the United Nations, was crushed, its people brutalized. Five months ago, Saddam Hussein started this cruel war against Kuwait. Tonight, the battle has been joined," Bush said.
Five weeks after the air and missile conflict began, ground troops rolled into Kuwait City on Feb. 27, forcing Iraq to agree to a cease-fire 100 hours later.
On March 6, Bush announced the liberation of Kuwait, and U.S. forces began touching American soil two days later.
Otaibi, now director of administrative affairs for Kuwait's armed forces headquarters, said he and his fellow Kuwaitis will never forget what the United States and the coalition did for them.
"Americans sacrificed for this country," he said, recognizing 300 U.S. servicemembers who died in the conflict. "We feel a lot of thanks and appreciation."
But even with turmoil in Iraq today, Otaibi said, Kuwaitis feel confident that Aug. 2, 1990, will never replay in their country. The Kuwaiti military is far stronger and better organized than in 1990, he said, thanks to help from its allies. "We have a lot of morale and spirit," he said.
Perhaps more important, he said, are the close ties Kuwait now maintains with the United States and its other allies.
Defense Secretary Robert M Gates visited yesterday with Crown Prince Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah, Prime Minister Nasir Muhammad al-Ahmed al-Sabah and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah to help build on that relationship.
Kuwaitis are particularly proud of the support they're providing to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Otaibi said.
"We were among the first one there to provide support," he said. "You guys (the United States) were busy doing the liberation, and we were feeding the people."
Today, Kuwait continues to serve as a major logistical base for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and deployed troops transit through it as they enter and leave Iraq.
"We're happy to be able to do our part to support the effort," Otaibi said. "I don't believe that the United States could do it without us."
He said he's hopeful that his neighboring Iraqis "will get together and solve their problems." Ultimately, it will be up to them to secure peace in their country, he said.
That peace is critical, not just to Iraq, but to its neighbors in the Gulf, Otaibi said.
"I'm a father," he said. "I hate to have my children watch TV every night and see bombs explode."
Aug. 2, 2007 - Kuwaiti air force Col. Sulaiman M. al-Otaibi remembers all too well the "dark day" his country faced 17 years ago today, when 100,000 Iraqi troops stormed across the border here, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Memories of Aug. 2, 1990, are still fresh for him and his fellow Kuwaitis as they recall four of Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard divisions and Iraqi army special forces units pushing into Kuwait City.
They quickly overran Kuwait's outnumbered forces, attacked the royal residence, Dasman Palace, and began a brutal six-month occupation. Six days later, Saddam announced the merger of Iraq and Kuwait.
Otaibi and his family weathered the occupation as he, a lieutenant colonel at the time running manpower affairs for the Kuwaiti military, struggled to face their oppressors.
The U.N. Security Council quickly passed resolutions calling for a full Iraqi withdrawal and imposing economic sanctions on Iraq. Nearly four months after the initial invasion, a Security Council resolution authorized states cooperating with Kuwait to use "all necessary means" to get Iraq to withdraw.
Today, Otaibi remembers the relief he and his countrymen felt when a 34-nation coalition led by the United States began to take shape.
The United States launched "Operation Desert Shield," its largest troop deployment since the Vietnam War, led by Army Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, then commander of U.S. Central Command. Ultimately, the United States would commit 540,000 troops, six aircraft carriers, 4,000 tanks, 1,700 helicopters, 1,800 aircraft and submarines to the operation.
Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Niger, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Syria and the United Arab Emirates ultimately would join Kuwait and the United States in the coalition.
On Jan. 16, one day after Iraq failed to comply with U.N. resolutions calling for it to withdraw, President George H.W. Bush went on national TV to announce the launch of "Operation Desert Storm." "Just two hours ago, allied air forces began attacking military targets in Iraq and Kuwait," he said in a televised address.
"These attacks continue as I speak. Ground forces are not engaged. This conflict started 2 August when the dictator of Iraq invaded a small and helpless neighbor. Kuwait, a member of the Arab League and a member of the United Nations, was crushed, its people brutalized. Five months ago, Saddam Hussein started this cruel war against Kuwait. Tonight, the battle has been joined," Bush said.
Five weeks after the air and missile conflict began, ground troops rolled into Kuwait City on Feb. 27, forcing Iraq to agree to a cease-fire 100 hours later.
On March 6, Bush announced the liberation of Kuwait, and U.S. forces began touching American soil two days later.
Otaibi, now director of administrative affairs for Kuwait's armed forces headquarters, said he and his fellow Kuwaitis will never forget what the United States and the coalition did for them.
"Americans sacrificed for this country," he said, recognizing 300 U.S. servicemembers who died in the conflict. "We feel a lot of thanks and appreciation."
But even with turmoil in Iraq today, Otaibi said, Kuwaitis feel confident that Aug. 2, 1990, will never replay in their country. The Kuwaiti military is far stronger and better organized than in 1990, he said, thanks to help from its allies. "We have a lot of morale and spirit," he said.
Perhaps more important, he said, are the close ties Kuwait now maintains with the United States and its other allies.
Defense Secretary Robert M Gates visited yesterday with Crown Prince Nawaf al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah, Prime Minister Nasir Muhammad al-Ahmed al-Sabah and Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah to help build on that relationship.
Kuwaitis are particularly proud of the support they're providing to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Otaibi said.
"We were among the first one there to provide support," he said. "You guys (the United States) were busy doing the liberation, and we were feeding the people."
Today, Kuwait continues to serve as a major logistical base for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and deployed troops transit through it as they enter and leave Iraq.
"We're happy to be able to do our part to support the effort," Otaibi said. "I don't believe that the United States could do it without us."
He said he's hopeful that his neighboring Iraqis "will get together and solve their problems." Ultimately, it will be up to them to secure peace in their country, he said.
That peace is critical, not just to Iraq, but to its neighbors in the Gulf, Otaibi said.
"I'm a father," he said. "I hate to have my children watch TV every night and see bombs explode."
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