Monday, August 20, 2007

Failure Equals Death, and other stuff

Editor's Note: One of the authors is a former servicemember.

August 20, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists over 700 state and local police officers who have written books. The website added three police officer authors:
John Hefley; William Butler; and Ric Robinson.

Since 1999,
John C. Hefley has been the Chief of Police of the Village of Big Bend Police Department (Wisconsin). John Hefley is also the author of Failure Equals Death. According to the book description of Failure Equals Death, “Young girls are being murdered. The members of the Special Investigations Unit are responsible for identifying the killer and stopping the deaths. They find nothing that links the victims. Worse than that, no physical evidence is found at the crime scenes and there is no sign of forced entry or burglary. This is the most challenging investigation this elite unit has ever encountered. There is only one certainty: they cannot fail because failure equals death.”

Ric Robinson, a 21 year veteran of law enforcement, was a state trooper with the West Virginia State Police. During his law enforcement career, he “investigated virtually every heinous crime.” During his law enforcement career with the West Virginia State Police was the director of Media Relations. In that assignment, Ric Robinson became an integral part of thousands of interviews, not only throughout the State, but for Dateline, 60 Minutes, Nightline, Larry King Live, COPS, and many more. After early retirement, Ric Robinson “took his unique talents to legendary radio giant WLW. As a daily host, his life experience, knowledge and aggressive style made Ric a popular entertainer, covering all of today's hottest topics.” Ric Robinson is the author of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge.

According to the book description of Cop: The Truth Behind the Badge, it “knocks the politically correct crowd back on its heels with the truth about racial profiling, serial snipers, illegal immigrants, guns, drugs, and more. Nationally recognized police expert, talk radio host and teacher, Ric Robinson, delivers a powerful reality check with real cop stories about "scum-sucking slopeheads and their lying, thieving lawyers. Ric sets the record straight regarding homeland insecurity, misuse of power and justice denied.”

William Butler was a police officer for the Gilmer Police Department (Texas). In addition to his law enforcement career, William Butler is a former member of the United States Army. During his more than seven years as a soldier he attained the rank of sergeant (E5) and his duty stations included: Fort Sam Houston (Texas); White Sands Missile Range (New Mexico); and, two overseas tours. One of his military assignments overseas was as a patrol officer assigned to the Allied Checkpoints Bravo and Charlie in Berlin, Germany.

William Butler is the author of I Remember Tomorrow. According to the book description, “In an attempt to rebuild her life, Jeanette relocates to a quiet little town, after spending ten years in the military and suffering a failed marriage. But Jeanette is a precognitive; able to see the future. It scares her and causes her to question her sanity. Matters are complicated further when she meets the man of her dreams and what follows is a series of events that threaten to push her over the edge. Now she must deal with new challenges in her career, struggle with ever increasing psychic abilities, and come to grips with her feelings for a man she wants to love but fears she cannot.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 715 police officers (representing 330 police departments) and their 1533
police 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.

NORTHCOM Set to 'Help Save Lives, Prevent Loss' in Hurricane Response

American Forces Press Service

Aug. 20, 2007 - U.S. Northern Command officials are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Guard and the state of Texas on hurricane response preparations. Hurricane Dean is crossing the Caribbean Sea, packing sustained winds of 150 mph. At 11 a.m. Eastern Time today, the National Weather Service reported the storm was 385 miles east of Belize City, Belize, moving west at 21 mph. while most computer models predict landfall in Belize or Mexico, the possibility exists that the storm could turn toward the Texas coast.

"While we remain fully engaged in defense of the homeland, our collective Department of Defense capabilities and resources will be utilized for significant events such as hurricanes and other natural disaster contingency operations," NORTHCOM Commander
Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart said. "We can help save lives, mitigate suffering and prevent property loss."

NORTHCOM continues to respond to requests for Defense Department support in preparation for Hurricane Dean's possible landfall in the United States, officials said.

NORTHCOM has deployed the following personnel to support the federal response:

-- The Region 6 defense coordinating officer and a six-person defense coordinating element deployed to Corpus Christi,
Texas, at FEMA's request prior to landfall of Tropical Storm Erin. The coordinating officer and team have moved to Austin, where they are collocated with FEMA and other responding agency assets.

-- The Region 10 defense coordinating officer and element deployed to Baton Rouge, La., at FEMA's request to assist the Region 6 coordinating officer.

-- A joint regional medical planner deployed to Austin to support the Region 6 defense coordinating officer.

-- A 17-person team from Standing Joint Forces Headquarters North deployed from Peterson
Air Force Base, Colo., to Texas. Ten personnel will support the Region 6 defense coordinating officer in Austin; seven personnel will support Army North at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

-- An eight-person joint patient movement team from Scott
Air Force Base, Ill., deployed to Austin to help coordinate aeromedical evacuation efforts.

-- A joint interagency air-ground coordination team from Tyndall
Air Force Base, Fla., deployed to Austin at FEMA's request to assist FEMA and the Texas Emergency Operations Center and to help with aeromedical evacuation and search-and-rescue efforts.

-- The Region 2 defense coordinating officer and element deployed to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Aug. 15, where they supported a FEMA advanced emergency response team. Those personnel are redeploying to their home station in New York.

Should active-duty forces be requested to respond for hurricane operations, the regional defense coordinating officers will provide their command and control and also will facilitate requests for any additional Defense Department support through NORTHCOM.

"Local and state officials, in concert with the National Guard, are the first-line responders," Renuart said. "But U.S. NORTHCOM is prepared to respond in support of the needs of the state, and we are anticipating the kinds of capabilities they might require."

NORTHCOM officials are coordinating with FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard to ensure full situational awareness and an appropriate response posture to Hurricane Dean, officials said.

"We have created stronger ties with our National Guard and civilian agency partners with mutual understanding, respect, and appreciation of each others' missions, capabilities, and practices," Renuart said.

Texas National Guard Ready for Hurricane Dean Strike

By Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Aug. 20, 2007 - About 4,700 National Guard soldiers and airmen, most from
Texas, were making final preparations today for a rapid response should Hurricane Dean strike the Texas coast later this week. Another 5,000 Texas soldiers and airmen are poised for activation should Texas Gov. Rick Perry deem it necessary.

As of 11 a.m. Eastern Time today, Hurricane Dean was about 385 miles east of Belize City over the Caribbean and was moving west at about 21 mph with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph.

The National Weather Service, which described Dean as "extremely dangerous," said a hurricane warning is in effect for the coast of Belize and the east coast of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula, and "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."

After it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula and the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, Dean is expected to make its final landfall somewhere along the mainland Mexican coast Aug. 22. Even if Dean stays south of the border,
Texas National Guard officials remain wary about the possibility of flooding in the region. Hurricane Erin swept across Texas on Aug. 16.

"We are still very concerned, even if the hurricane doesn't wobble north into Texas," said
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Gonda Moncada, a Texas National Guard spokeswoman. "We are pressing on with our preparations and are still expecting the hurricane to have a major impact on Texas with flooding, especially in the Brownsville area, which is right on the border."

Moncada said no locations in
Texas have mandatory evacuation orders, but that voluntary evacuations in Brownsville and Galveston have begun. More than 300 Texas Guard members went through bus-driver training over the weekend. Some 1,100 buses are available statewide to assist with transportation and evacuation.

Many of the cities that are likely to be affected by Hurricane Dean, including Brownsville, Weslaco and Alice, have received hurricane response ground force packages from the National Guard. Each ground force package is a platoon-size element complete with 10 trucks including a 2.5-ton, a 5-ton, a fuel truck and a wrecker, said Texas
Army Guard Officer Candidate Adam Musil.

Moncada said aircraft from 17 different states are already on the ground. More than 10 personnel are assigned to each aircraft. Musil said 47 helicopters, including CH-47 Chinooks, UH-60 Black Hawks and OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopters, will be available tomorrow in Austin, San Antonio and Dallas if aviation assets are required.

C-130 cargo airplane transports from the Texas Air National Guard and other states are on call to perform air evacuations.

Perry issued a disaster proclamation Aug. 17 and, at his request, President Bush issued a federal disaster declaration for
Texas that allows supplemental federal emergency assistance to support staging resources and personnel necessary to protect lives, property, public health and safety in anticipation of the hurricane.

Examples of federal assistance that has already been provided include Air Force evacuation aircraft and health professionals augmenting resources already positioned in Texas. Specialized emergency medical personnel also are in the final phases of preparation to receive special-need and non-ambulatory patients and transport them to hospitals outside the storm's potential impact area.

Five satellite communications teams are in place, and 15 are inbound to reestablish communications if needed. These teams would provide full-spectrum communications capabilities among all emergency responders.

"If Texas is spared by the hurricane, then we will be very thankful," Moncada said. "If not, then we are ready to respond."

(
Army Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka is assigned to the National Guard Bureau.)

Wounded Troops Get Help Rebuilding Lives

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Aug. 20, 2007 - A charitable group in
Washington State has made it its goal to create warm, safe and accessible homes for injured veterans. The "Heroes at Home" program aims to help military families and veterans remain in the homes they own and the communities in which they live and contribute to, said Becky Carter, program manager of veterans housing for the Washington-based group "Rebuilding Together."

The program is a charitable partnership between Rebuilding Together, a national volunteer home-rehabilitation organization, and Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent company of Sears and Kmart stores.

Through the Heroes at Home program, Rebuilding Together and Sears Holdings are working to improve the lives of
military families in need across America. Help comes in the form necessary repairs, improvements or modifications to these families' homes at no cost to them.

Army Spc. Ryan C. Major, 21, of Silver Spring, Md., was the first beneficiary of Heroes to Home, Carter said. "Ryan is currently recovering from severe wounds he received when a (roadside bomb) detonated while he was on patrol in Iraq," she said.

The blast, which occurred near Ramadi, cost Major both legs. It also caused a traumatic brain injury and damage to both arms, Carter said. With help from local volunteers, Heroes at Home was able to equip the young soldier's home with a wheelchair-accessible bedroom and bathroom and an elevator. The renovations were completed in mid-July.

While the improvements to veterans' homes cost the veterans nothing, there ultimately is a price tag attached for the program. Sears Holdings Corporation's efforts have helped defray those costs, however.

"Sears and Kmart customers and associates had the opportunity to support military families and veterans via an in-store and online campaign," Carter said.

Between Memorial Day and the Fourth of July this year, Sears Holdings raised $1.3 million for Heroes at Home. A similar effort is planned for later this year.

Rebuilding Together operates another similar program for injured veterans called "Serving Those Who Serve."

The group recently became supporters of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Carter said the group anticipates greater exposure because of its affiliation with America Supports You.

"We anticipate several things, (including) exposure for Homes to Heroes and the opportunity to generate support for the program and the people we serve," she said. "Networking opportunities ... also will allow us to build our network and assist more families and veterans, in addition to raising awareness for the program and generating additional monetary support."

For each dollar donated to the Heroes to Home program, Rebuilding Together can achieve $4 worth of work through volunteer labor and contractor-donated time, Carter added.