Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Police History, Korea and Community Relations

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

January 2, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) Police-Writers.com is a website that lists state and local
police officers who have written books. Police officers who have written on history and community policing were added to the website.

Todd L. Shulman is a seven-year member of the Napa Police Department, (California) currently serving as a detective. An avid historian, Todd Shulman founded the Napa Police Historical Society in 2006 and has culled their archives for many of the photographs included in his book, Napa County Police. According the book description of Napa County Police, “with dazzling vintage imagery and rich historical text, Todd Shulman tells the tale of policing Napa County - from the Wild West days of the 1850s, through the boom era of the 1940s, and into the 21st century.”

Alfred F. McDonald, a retired Buffalo Police Department (New York) Lieutenant, was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. He served his country in the United States Navy during World War II from 1944 – 1947, was placed on inactive reserves and was called back to duty during the Korean Conflict in 1950. He served in the Navy again from late in 1950 through 1952. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Alfred McDonald returned to civilian life as a husband and father. Having been brought up with strong family values and work ethic, Al worked hard at the railroad as a brakeman, until becoming a police officer in 1956. From there, Al’s career flourished and he advanced until reaching his retirement rank of Lieutenant. Alfred McDonald is the author of Korea ‘Operation War Dance.’

According to the book description, Korea – Operation War Dance is “one man’s personal account of shipboard life of the men on the U.S.S. Silverstein. It’s about being under attack, living conditions on the ship, every aspect of a sailor’s life during the time period; and, is a tribute to the brave men and women who served their country during the
Korean Conflict.”

Rick Braziel has been a member of the Sacramento Police Department for 28 years, and a Deputy Chief since 2002. In December 2007, he was appointed as chief of police of the Sacramento Police Department. He is a second generation police officer with his father Dick serving the Department for over 20 years. Rick Braziel consults and instructs for Humboldt State University in Teambuilding, Communication Skills, and Leadership. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Communication from California State University, Sacramento.

In 2006, Rick Braziel received a Master of Arts in Security Studies (
Homeland Security and Defense) from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. Rick is also a 2002 graduate and class spokesperson of the California Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Command College; and 2004 graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s (P.E.R.F.) Senior Management Institute for Police.

Rick Braziel is co-author of the book titled COP Talk: Essential Communication Skills for Community Policing.

According to Kevin Brown, of Montana State University-Northern, in the American Communication Journal, “In this text for
police officers the authors lay out the basics of the communication process with helpful vignettes derived from actual police experience to illustrate the principles. The authors lead the reader through a tour of contemporary communication contexts. The authors start with interpersonal communication and cover work groups, public speaking, community meetings, problem solving, network building and finally, public relations. The book is written for a beginning communication student and reflects an understanding that many police officers have had no formal communication training.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 820
police officers (representing 367 police departments) and their 1731 law enforcement 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.

DoD Announces Venue for Wearable Power Competition

The Department of Defense announced today the inaugural $1.75 million Wearable Power Prize competition will be held at the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif., Sept.22 until Oct. 4, 2008.

The Wearable Power Prize Competition was first announced in Jul. 2007. Its 13-day capstone event culminates on Oct 4 at MCAGCC with a "Power Wear Off" competition. The Wearable Power Prize competition gathers and tests wearable power-generating methods and techniques. The goal is to reduce the weight of power systems that warfighters carry to operate their radios, navigation, weapons, and other gear. Competitors will demonstrate wearable systems that can power
military equipment for 96 hours, but that weigh less than half the current battery load.

Finalists, whose entries must produce power on test stands continuously for 88 hours, will wear their power systems in field conditions, testing their ability to work when in motion and exposed to weather.

The first-place team meeting the required energy requirements will win $1 million for building the lightest weight system that generates 20 watts average power for 96 hours (including the "wear-off"). The second-place team will win $500,000 and the third place team, $250,000. A total of 169 teams have registered for the competition.

The "Wearable Power" prize competition is sponsored by the director, Defense Research and Engineering. William S. Rees Jr., deputy under secretary of defense for Laboratories and Basic Sciences is responsible for overseeing the competition.

"We are pleased to host this competition because it directly addresses one of the real, growing problems of our ground warriors," said Brig. Gen. Melvin Spiese, Commanding General, MCAGCC.

"This competition focuses the ingenuity and creativity of inventors, scientists, engineers, and students on finding the best, light-weight, wearable power systems," says Rees. "It makes sense to compete at Twentynine Palms, a place that replicates many of the real-life conditions our warfighters face everyday. I thank Gen. Spiese and his leadership team for recognizing the value of this competition and helping us move it forward. We are eagerly looking forward to this exciting and successful event."

On the final day of the competition, the top three competitors that demonstrate a complete, wearable system that produces 20 watts average power for 96 hours and weighs less than 4 kilograms (~8.8 lbs) will be determined.

For more information about the competition, visit:
http://www.dod.mil/ddre/prize.

America Supports You: Texas Group Embraces Wounded Troops

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2008 - A group of Texans is offering a warm embrace to make sure wounded servicemembers aren't forgotten. A three-person team from Operation
Military Embrace has been making weekly visits to servicemembers recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center, on Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and their families since December 2005.

"Operation
Military Embrace ... has visited the inpatients on a Sunday while setting up and serving breakfast to the outpatients in the day room of the 'med hold' barracks on the (following) Monday morning," said Jerry Reed, a former Marine and the organization's president and executive director. The group also sets up a "free PX" that provides simple necessities, he added.

The group's efforts also include outings that take recovering servicemembers to local restaurants. Those who are able can participate in Operation
Military Embrace-organized hunting and fishing trips, as well.

"Brenda Kaiser offers her ranch to BAMC warriors in transition and their families for quiet, peaceful weekends away (from the hospital), where they can hunt and fish and relax with their families in ... solitude," Reed said. Kaiser is the group's vice president.

The group doesn't stop with morale-boosting activities for servicemembers, however. It also helps take care of practical needs through financial grants and financing of legal assistance.

Operation
Military Embrace recently became a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their family members serving at home and abroad.

"We expect to benefit (from the affiliation) by gaining exposure nationally and by being able to share with others what we are doing to help our men and women in uniform," Reed said.

Reed and his wife, Debbie, are the parents of a
Marine veteran and an active-duty Marine.

Bagram Servicemembers Ring in New Year

By Senior Airman James Bolinger, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Jan. 2, 2008 - Though no one popped open a bottle of bubbly, servicemembers here still found a way to have fun on the last night of 2007. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines celebrated the countdown to 2008 with live music and lots of laughs.

The tunes were courtesy of visiting Boston band Lansdowne and Level 82, part of the 82nd Airborne Division's All-American Band. Comedians Daniel Kinno and Julie McCullough brought smiles to the faces of everyone who came to listen.

"I'm here listening to live music, which is one of my passions," said
Army Spc. Craig Chick, 82nd Airborne Division Aviation Operations. "It's hard not spending time with my wife or friends on New Year's Eve, but I got a good laugh listening to the comedians, and I love listening to music."

Lansdowne, on their first Armed Forces Entertainment Tour, kicked off the show and came back for an encore before Level 82 rocked the stage.

"It has been educational; we've gotten a real view of everything," a member of the band said. "We got to see what's not on TV."

The band spent Christmas in Kyrgyzstan before coming here for New Year's Eve.

"It is an honor to play for you," lead singer John Ricci said. "Thank you all for what you do."

Servicemembers might have been missing their families, but they took some time to enjoy themselves.

"I would like to tell my wife that I love her," said Chick, who has been in Afghanistan for 12 months. "I want to say, 'Happy New Year's Eve' to my family. I miss you all, and I am coming home soon."

The servicemembers of Combined Joint Task Force 82 have been fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom for nearly one year, and one of them noted that every second they counted toward 2008 was one more second closer to going home.

(
Air Force Senior Airman James Bolinger serves with Combined Joint Task Force 82 Public Affairs.)

America Supports You: Foundation Seeks a Few Good Students

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 31, 2007 - The
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation is looking for eligible students to apply for its 2008 scholarships. "These scholarships provide life-changing opportunities for students that need financial assistance towards a college degree, and they increase their chances for success in their personal and professional lives," said Chris Randolph, the foundation's president. "That's critical for our Marine families."

Eligible students must be children of a current U.S.
Marine or of a living or dead retired Marine. They also must be high school graduates or registered as undergraduate students at an accredited educational institution and have a family income of $77,000 or less. This limit increases if siblings apply.

Scholarships are not offered for graduate study.

Children whose parents are participating or have participated in operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom may qualify for additional scholarship funding.

The foundation provides assistance to children of Marines or
Navy corpsmen serving with Marines, with special consideration given to children with a parent who was killed or wounded in action.

The foundation is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

Application deadlines are March 3 for graduating high school seniors and first-time college freshman and April 15 for all other students.

Since its founding in 1962, the organization has distributed more than 21,000 needs-based college scholarships and bonds totaling more than $34 million. In 2007 alone, more than 1,000
Marine children received awards, foundation officials said.

More information about the foundation and its scholarships can be found on the organization's Web site, www.mcsf.org, or by phone at 800-292-7777.

(From a
Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation news release.)