Friday, February 22, 2008

Navy Missile Likely Hit Fuel Tank on Disabled Satellite

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - The missile fired from a U.S.
Navy ship in the Pacific Ocean that hit a malfunctioning U.S. reconnaissance satellite late yesterday likely accomplished its goal of destroying the satellite's toxic fuel tank, a senior U.S. military officer said here today. Preliminary reports indicate the SM-3 missile struck its primary target, which was a tank full of toxic hydrazine rocket fuel carried aboard the 5,000-pound satellite, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.

"The intercept occurred. ... We're very confident that we hit the satellite," Cartwright said. "We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank."

Video shown to reporters depicts the satellite exploding at the point of contact with the missile. Cartwright said the visible fireball and the vapor cloud or plume around it suggest that the fuel tank was hit and the hydrazine had burned up.

"The high-definition imagery that we have indicates that we hit the spacecraft right in the area of the tank," Cartwright said.

However, he added, it probably would take another 24 to 48 hours of sifting through data "to get to a point where we are very comfortable with our analysis that we indeed breached the tank."

Radar sweeps of the satellite's debris field thus far show that no parts larger than a football survived the strike, Cartwright said. Post-strike surveillance shows satellite debris falling into the atmosphere above the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, he said. Small remnants are likely to burn up in the atmosphere, never making it to the Earth's surface.

The U.S. State Department has provided updates on the situation to its embassies around the world, Cartwright noted. There are no reports of debris reaching the Earth, he said, adding that consequence-management crews are on standby to respond to such a circumstance, if required.

The SM-3 missile was launched by the USS Lake Erie, positioned northwest of Hawaii, at 10:26 p.m. EST yesterday, Cartwright said. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is on an overseas trip, gave the go-ahead to fire, Cartwright said.

The missile intercepted the satellite about 153 nautical miles above the Earth, just before it began to enter the atmosphere, Cartwright said. Joint Space Operations Center technicians at Vandenberg
Air Force Base, Calif, confirmed the satalitte's breakup about 24 minutes later.

The National Reconnaissance Office-managed satellite malfunctioned soon after it was launched in 2006, making it unresponsive to ground control. The satellite, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes or so, was expected to fall to Earth in February or March with its tank of hydrazine intact, possibly endangering human populations.

President Bush directed the Defense Department to engage the satellite just before it entered the atmosphere. U.S. officials decided to shoot down the satellite because of the danger posed by the hazardous hydrazine, Cartwright explained, noting the goal was for the missile to hit and rupture the tank of rocket fuel, causing the hydrazine to burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, along with debris from the stricken satellite.

"So, you can imagine at the point of intercept last night there were a few cheers from people who have spent many days working on this project," Cartwright said.

Gang readings was an integral partner in supporting this blog and entry.

Face of Defense: Wounded in Iraq, National Guardsman Wants to Return


By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - For an Arkansas
Army National Guardsman, the war in Iraq came to an abrupt end in the alley of a Baghdad neighborhood on June 13, 2004. Then-Sgt. Kevin Pannell was on a routine foot patrol with his unit in Sadr City, a Baghdad neighborhood, when insurgents lobbed two hand grenades at the group. The grenades landed near him and exploded, knocking him off his feet and mangling both of his legs.

"I was never knocked out, so my medic wouldn't let me go to sleep -- because when you go to sleep, shock sets in," Pannell said.

That changed when he arrived at the U.S.
military hospital in Baghdad, however. The doctors there put him into a medically induced coma.

"It's kind of surreal, because you don't remember that. It doesn't seem like it really happened," he said. "To me, I went to sleep in Baghdad and woke up two minutes later."

In fact, it was eight days before Pannell awoke at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center here to find doctors had amputated his right leg below the knee and his left leg above the knee.

Two prosthetic legs and plenty of physical therapy have Pannell up and walking again, and despite all he's been through, he wants to return to the country where his life was turned upside-down.

Pannell won't return as a soldier; he's been medically retired. And he's too pragmatic to think he could even the score with the insurgents whose grenades shattered his body.

"It's so hard to get those guys. They skip over two streets, change their shirts, and they're not who they were," he said. "Unless you've been studying this guy on the 'black list,' you're not going to recognize him on the street."

It's a sense of duty to the deployed men and women that is nagging at him to go back. He said he wants them to know that just because a servicemember is injured doesn't mean he forgets about his buddies who are still patrolling the streets of Iraq.

"I think it would be vitally important for those dudes to realize that once we get hurt, we don't forget about them," Pannell said. "That's something a lot of people can't understand, but it's impossible. It's impossible to forget your guys."

Pannell said he thinks the members of his unit who didn't get hurt had it much worse than he did. It's not that he would ever wish on his buddies what he's been through, but once he began to recover, he said, he could get on with his life.

"Once I got hit, I was safe. I was back in the States, (and) the war was over for me," he said. "They (were) going out those gates every day, not knowing if they're going to come back or not. That's a hell of a thing to bear, you know?"

While his wife, Danielle, supports his desire to go back, she has a slightly different take on why he wants to make the trip.

"He went into Iraq a scared little kid and came out the same way because he never really got to say goodbye, never got to have closure (in that part) of his life. When he left, he was unconscious," she said in a previous American Forces Press Service interview. "He wants to go back and say, 'Look, I'm here. You didn't defeat me.'"

Maybe he'll get his chance. "If anybody wants me to tag along on a (United Service Organizations) trip, I'm down," he said. "Drew Carey goes over like every six months; I can hop on with him."

Information and article prepared with the assistance of
family violence readings.

Combating Illicit Trafficking in Nuclear

The IAEA released a reference manual that details how to prevent, detect, and respond to an incidence of nuclear terrorism. Combating Illicit Trafficking in Nuclear and Other Radioactive Material serves as a how-to booklet on several topics related to criminal acts involving nuclear and radioactive material. The 150+ page text is intended for a broad audience, including law enforcement agencies, legislators, customs and border patrol personnel, intelligence officials, emergency response teams and users of nuclear technology.

http://terrorism-online.blogspot.com/2008/02/combating-illicit-trafficking-in.html

Leadership

An Except from Leadership: Texas Hold 'em Style

You cannot survive without that intangible quality we call heart. The mark of a top player is not how much he wins when he is winning but how he handles his losses. If you win for thirty days in a row, that makes no difference if on the thirty-first you have a bad night, go crazy, and throw it all away.
Bobby Baldwin on Poker

Morale is incredibly important in any organization; it affects everything. It affects how people treat one another, their work quality and even the way in which they answer the phone. It is elusive in nature but palpable in its impact. If morale is low, it is a problem even if everything else in an organization is strong. Karl Von Clausewitz, a Prussian military general and military theorist, identified morale as a fundamental military principle. Since Clausewitz published On War, morale has developed into a concept seen as critical to organizations. Unfortunately, morale is difficult to define and in many circles has become somewhat synonymous with motivation. But, morale is not about motivation.


READ ON
http://www.pokerleadership.com/excerpt_chapter_25.html

Albania, Croatia, Macedonia Qualify for NATO Membership, U.S. Official Says

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - Albania, Croatia and Macedonia are valued strategic partners of the United States and are qualified to join NATO, a senior Defense Department official said here Feb. 20. "A common theme from us ... has been the appreciation for all that the three countries are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq," Daniel P. Fata, deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO
policy, said at a Pentagon news conference that included Albanian Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu, Croatian Defense Minister Branko Vukelic and Macedonian Defense Minister Lazar Elenovski.

The Pentagon has a long-standing, bilateral defense relationship with each country and has helped them achieve defense reforms over the past decade, Fata said. Albania, Croatia, Macedonia are members of the Adriatic Charter, a partnership with the United States established in May 2003 that has helped them work toward becoming NATO members.

In August 2005, the Adriatic Charter sent a combined 12-member medical team to NATO's International
Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, the group's first jointly conducted international mission. Albania and Macedonia both are members of the coalition in Iraq.

Albania, Croatia and Macedonia "have made amazing strides in reforming and modernizing their defense institutions," Fata said, noting they've moved from conscripted to volunteer
military forces.

Regarding the three countries' desire to join NATO, Fata observed that the "defense criteria have certainly been met, when it comes to their membership applications." The United States, he said, will advocate on behalf of the countries' bids to join NATO at the organization's April 2-4 summit conference in Bucharest, Romania.

The charter's fourth annual defense ministerial conference, held here Feb. 19 through today, marked the first time the Pentagon has hosted the meetings, Fata said. The ministers met with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Feb. 19, he said. They'll meet with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today.

Topics discussed during the Pentagon conference included NATO enlargement, the future of the Adriatic Charter, Afghanistan and other operations, Kosovo, and regional security in the Balkans, Fata noted.

At the news conference, Mediu thanked Gates and the United States government on behalf of Albania. "Words are not enough to appreciate the support of the United States toward our countries," he said, noting that Albania has become a reliable U.S. and NATO partner.

Vukelic expressed gratitude for the United States' assistance and support for Croatia. "We had the opportunity today ... to exchange our experiences in peacekeeping missions, primarily in the ISAF force in Afghanistan," Vukelic said.

Elenovski, the Macedonian defense minister, said the Pentagon meetings were an "extraordinary event" and provided an opportunity for the four countries to discuss mutual defense-cooperation issues.

During a follow-on question-and-answer session with reporters, Fata reiterated U.S. government support for Albanian, Croatian and Macedonian membership in NATO.

"The United States continues to support the (NATO) aspirations of all three countries," Fata said. "Ultimately, the decisions taken at Bucharest will be based on individual performance.

"We believe all three countries have performed well, have met the criteria, and therefore, our expectation and hope is that all three will be invited" to join NATO, Fata said.

Sex Crimes readings assisted in the preparation of this entry.

MILITARY CONTRACTS 2-21-08

NAVY

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a not to exceed $115,167,467 contract modification under previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (M67854-06-C-5162) to acquire 174 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and associated test sets, spares and support services. This action consummates a requirement under a Foreign
Military Sales order with the United Kingdom, Ministry of Defense. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and work is expected to be completed Jul. 2009. Funds for this action are provided by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense and do not expire. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Sikorsky Support Services, Inc., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $13,000,000 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-01-C-0109) for additional organizational, selected intermediate, and limited depot-level maintenance for aircraft operated by the Adversary Squadrons based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West, Fla.; NAS, Fallon, Nev.; and
Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz. Work will be performed in Key West, Fla., (40 percent); Fallon, Nev., (30 percent); and Yuma, Ariz., (30 percent), and is expected to be completed in Jun. 2008. Contract funds in the amount of $13,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.,
Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an $11,102,763 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0086) for the CY 08 Systems Engineering and Program Management under the H-1 Upgrades program. Work will be performed in Hurst, Texas, (85 percent) and Amarillo, Texas, (15 percent) and is expected to be completed in Dec. 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a not to exceed $8,353,715 modification under previously awarded contract (M67854-07-C-5039) to acquire 10 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and associated support services and parts for the Italian Ministry of Defense under the Foreign
Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Ladson, S.C., and work is expected to be completed Jun. 2009. Funds for this action are provided by the Italian Ministry of Defense and do not expire. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

ARMY

Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control,
Orlando, Fla., was awarded on Feb. 20, 2008, a $13,703,120 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Apache video from Unmanned Aircraft Systems rotary head assembly units. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One bids was solicited on Jul. 9, 2007, and one bid was received. The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Fort Eustis, Va., is the contracting activity W911W6-07-C-0041.

Lobar Inc., Dillsburg, Pa., was awarded on Feb. 20, 2008, a $10,806,900 firm-fixed-price contract for a new guided missile maintenance facility. Work will be performed in Chambersburg, Pa., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This web solicitation was posted on Oct. 25, 2007, and six bids were received. The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity W912DR-08-C-0011.

Assistance from
property crimes was instrumental in the preparation of this article.

Transparency of Satellite Shootdown Offers Model

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - The way the United States handled the shootdown of a dead reconnaissance satellite last night offers a model of the transparency it encourages other countries more secretive about their
military operations to adopt, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command said today. Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating pointed to the huge difference between last night's mission, aimed at destroying a satellite hurtling toward Earth, and the secret anti-satellite weapons test the Chinese conducted in January 2007.

"We've told people what we're going to do; we've told them how we're going to do it, and it's very open," Keating said.

The rationale behind the two missions was distinctly different, as well. President Bush decided to shoot down the satellite to preclude a danger to humans from hydrazine, a toxic fuel that would have been used to steer the satellite had it worked. The Chinese test, in contrast, was designed to test an anti-satellite weapon.

To carry out its mission, the U.S. fired a modified Standard Missile 3. The Chinese, in contrast, fired a specially designed anti-satellite weapon.

Keating told reporters he hopes the Chinese will learn from the U.S. model. "We would hope that they can see how to do an operation like this, emphasizing the transparency, emphasizing clear intentions, realizing --that while we don't have press embedded on the ship -- everybody knows what's going on," he said. "The Chinese did not do that when they launched their anti-satellite test. We hope there are some lessons that become apparent to them."

U.S. defense officials have long encouraged China and other nations around the world to be more transparent about their
military operations. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates encouraged more openness during his visit to China in November.

Keating visited China in January in an effort to bolster the two countries'
military relationship and promote improved communication. He told Pentagon reporters in November that solid communication between the United States and China will help reduce the potential for misunderstanding. This will leave "less room for confusion that could lead to confrontation, to crisis," he said.

"That's our goal," he said. "To get there, we reduce the chance for misunderstanding."

Communications Dispatch was instrumental in reproducing this blog entry.

Pacific Command Strategy Hinges on Military Engagement

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 -
Military preeminence and strategic cooperation are at the heart of every action taken by U.S. Pacific Command, the chief of America's largest combatant command said here yesterday. The command's scope is just one aspect, Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating said. PACOM's area of responsibility includes the two largest countries in the world -- China and India -- as well as established regional powers, growing nations, struggling states and the overarching threat of transnational terrorism in the area, he said. PACOM is a maritime command, but its area includes five of the world's largest standing armies.

"We try to emphasize two things in everything we do:
military preeminence and strategic cooperation," Keating said during an interview in his office overlooking Pearl Harbor. "Our job as a United States combat command is to protect the United States of America from attack and our allies and partners, of which we have many in this region."

The U.S.
military must be strong enough to deter aggressors and, if attacked, able to defeat any enemy quickly. But the lesson of the region is that you don't have to be a shooter to be effective, the admiral said.

"Everywhere we go -- to one degree or another, but unmistakable nonetheless -- is the theme that those countries want us in some way, shape or form to be nearby, to be associated, to be close, to help," Keating said.

They want to have the phone number to call in case of a tsunami in Indonesia or a Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh, he said. Responding to natural or manmade disasters is a mission of the command.

"If we can keep those folks in the frame of mind that the United States is here -- we are the indispensable element to ensure they know they can trust us and we can trust them -- the likelihood of kinetic
military activity is much, much lower," he said.

And it has been working; guns in the Pacific are quiet for now, but there are concerns.
Terrorist activity still plagues the southern Philippines. The military dictatorship in Burma remains a concern. The command watches developments in North Korea very carefully. There is tension between the Peoples' Republic of China and Taiwan.

"We think it's being monitored carefully and managed delicately," Keating said.

But while there are no shooting wars in the region, the soldiers, sailors, airmen,
Marines and Defense Department civilians in the region are busy.

"There are many exercises, exchanges and programs being conducted that will strengthen the sense of trust we are trying to nurture," the admiral said.

Actions in U.S. Central Command obviously affect readiness of U.S.
military forces worldwide. "The readiness of our forces in the Pacific is affected by combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq," Keating said. "But every day I report to the secretary of defense that we are ready to execute the plans that he expects of us."

Since the
war on terror began, the command has had to assume a bit more risk and change contingency plans. "We've had to adjust them a little bit because of the 30,000 Marines and soldiers who are ordinarily in our (area), but are not (now)," he said. "We are at a higher risk state than we would be if there were no military operations in the Central Command, but we can execute the plans that are on the shelf."

Keating said he always is asked when he testifies before Congress what keeps him awake at night. "The answer is, 'Nothing does,'" he said.

Exercises and
military-to-military contacts are the building blocks of the command's strategic partnership program.

"Last summer in the Bay of Bengal, two U.S. aircraft carriers, an Indian aircraft carrier and ships from Singapore, Australia and Japan participated in a 10-day multilateral, multiservice exercise, ... and we were able to communicate on a classified system in real time," Keating said. "That's a profound development."

Keating noted he was previously assigned to the command in 1985. "The notion of getting those five countries together in a maritime exercise (then) was a nonstarter," he said. "And now it happens as a matter of course."

More than 8,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and
Marines are in the Philippines providing medical and engineering assistance throughout the southern Philippines. Terrorism is a danger in the country, but U.S. servicemembers are helping the Filipinos develop their capabilities.

"There are a wide variety of very effective nonshooting activities in which our men and women in uniform are involved," Keating said, adding that there are a number of bilateral and multilateral exercises, including the biggie: Cobra Gold in Thailand. At least half a dozen countries will send troops and equipment for Cobra Gold, and many more will send
military observers.

Participating in these exercises has a long-range payoff, too. "Having had the luxury of participating in a bunch of these things since I was an ensign, you can move around the world and look up someone and say, 'Hey, how are you? How are things going?'" Keating said. "It goes back to that trust and confidence we are looking to not just build, but to nurture."

He said developing that type of trust with the region's largest nation has been somewhat troublesome.

"We are having a little bit of trouble engendering that trust and confidence with the People's Liberation
Army in China," Keating acknowledged.

Keating said he can get in touch with senior Chinese
military officials, but he must work through the U.S. embassy in Beijing, and that delays the process.

He can make those calls to other military
leaders in the region, he said. "It is an on-the-spot, real-time way of at least reducing misunderstanding," Keating said. "If misunderstanding festers, it can lead to confusion and then crisis, and then even conflict."

Keating indicated that he is hopeful that communication with China will improve and that
military-to-military contacts will continue to grow in scope and importance. "We are engaging with all of these countries in exercises, personnel exchanges at the senior NCO through the four-star level," he said. "(These are) a significant benefit to us, and we need to tell the American people."

Countries of the region are responding to U.S. engagement. The Indonesians are getting better at counter
terrorism; the Malaysians are getting better at preventing piracy, "and it's not just because they are hanging with the United States," Keating said.

The Malaysian, Indonesian and Singaporean forces are working together better in providing increased security in the Straits of Malacca, a strategic choke point through which 90 percent of Asia's oil flows.

"Enhanced maritime
security, enhanced awareness, information sharing, intelligence gathering -- all of those factors combine to make a more secure Straits of Malacca, and that transfers throughout the region as it all fits together," Keating said.

One of the more successful U.S. efforts in the region was sending the USS Peleliu on a six-month cruise throughout the region. The amphibious assault ship had no
Marines on it, but was filled with medical personnel from military and civilian agencies, he said, and it traveled the region providing medical care to all who needed it.

Keating visited the ship during its cruise. He met a 23-year-old Filipina mother whose 3-year-old child will live because of the care he received. The hospital ship the USNS Mercy will make a similar cruise in the region this year, the admiral said.

"When they see the
military uniforms, we want them to know they can count on the United States of America to be there with the military power that we represent, but we don't want to use it," he said.

Reading for
Narcotics Detectives provided support for the reproduction of this blog and entry.

Tuskegee Airmen Authors Sign Books, Shake Hands at Pentagon


By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - Before
technology allowed U.S. aircraft to break the sound barrier, raw courage and bravery pushed the Tuskegee Airmen through the Army Air Corps color barrier. Three intrepid airmen of the all-black 332nd Fighter Group appeared here today in the Pentagon concourse to sell and sign copies of their biographies. Within the first hour of the pilots' arrival, servicemembers of all branches, ranks and races purchased nearly 150 copies of the tales that tell of the airmen's World War II-era heroics.

Retired
Air Force Col. Charles E. McGee said he and fellow Tuskegee Airmen participated in what a black newspaper deemed the "Double V" -- one victory against the Axis powers abroad and another victory against racial prejudice at home.

"Racism was pretty embedded in the
Army policies, and they disbelieved our capability just because of the color of our skin," McGee said, taking a break between signing books. "It did bring about a change when we finally got the opportunity to be graded on our abilities and not that type of policy."

The coffin that holds such
military prejudices received a final nail in March, when Congress unanimously voted to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen more than six decades after their dual triumphs. During the award ceremony inside the Capitol Rotunda, President Bush, saying he wanted to "offer a gesture to help atone for all the unreturned salutes and unforgivable indignities," held his straightened right hand to his brow and saluted the airmen.

"That was really a sacred honor to have the president of the country recognize what the experience meant and the change it brought to the country," said McGee, a veteran of
World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, one of the few pilots to fly in all three.

McGee's fellow Tuskegee Airman, retired
Air Force 2nd Lt. LeRoy Battle, said receiving the congressional award was like "walking with kings." Battle said he wrote two autobiographical books -- "And the Beat Goes On" and "Easier Said" -- as a way to preserve the airmen's legacy in a format that is more enduring than fleeting conversation.

"It's my mission to inform the students of the glorious past," he said. "And hopefully, they will connect the dots."

An incredibly humbled Tuskegee Airman, retired
Air Force 1st Lt. Curtis Christopher Robinson, said he wasn't interested in fighting in World War II at first. "But when we went to war, I knew I had to get in," he said. "And I did the best I could."

Asked how he summoned his bravery, Robinson joked, "There really wasn't that much courage, because I didn't know what I was getting into."

Monica Harris, who works on the Pentagon Renovation Project, purchased two copies of McGee's biography, "Tuskegee Airman," and two of Robinson's biography, "A Pilot's Journey." She planned to give a copy of each book to Bishop David G. Evans, her pastor at the Bethany Baptist Church back home in Lindenwold, N.J.

"The pastor is a big fan of the Tuskegee Airmen," she said. "He had a birthday party, and one of them was able to attend. He was thrilled -- like a kid in a candy store."

Evans impressed the airmen's legacy upon Harris, who said she couldn't miss an opportunity to meet the pilots in person and collect their autographs. "That they were able to overcome so many obstacles and challenges of the day -- and live to tell about it -- is inspiring," she added.

Pentagon staffer
Air Force Maj. Brian Chappell, the nephew of Tuskegee Airman Roy Chappell, shook the hands of pilots who have motivated him since boyhood.

"I grew up hearing stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, and it was a tremendous inspiration hearing that all the way from a little boy up until high school and college. It really influenced my decision to join the military," he said.

Chappell said the heroism of Tuskegee Airmen like his uncle, who died in September 2002, lives on through younger generations of airmen.

"The legacy, in addition to serving your country, also involves spreading the message, telling their story, so that their story doesn't die with them." he said. "I think it's great that they're able to tell their story, and that they're writing books so that it's not lost to history."

America Supports You: Association Honors Supporters at Leadership Luncheon


By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - Organizations that lend their support to
military families were given their due here today during the National Military Family Association's annual Leadership Luncheon. The National Military Family Association supports military families through efforts designed to enhance opportunities and resources available to the military community. The organization also supports America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

The organizations and individuals honored were recognized for their exemplary support of the
military community. Perhaps more importantly, the keynote speaker pointed out, they support military families, who in many ways have tougher jobs than servicemembers.

"I know how it is for myself, (and) I know how it is for people close to me (regarding deployments)," said
Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden, director of the Central Intelligence Agency. "You spend a lot of sleepless nights thinking about the task that you have in front of you, but that goes away for the GI as soon as you kiss everyone goodbye and walk aboard the aircraft."

For deploying servicemembers, life simplifies during a deployment. They do what they're trained to do, Hayden said.

"It does not become more simple for the family members left behind, because they are not in that location with you," he said. "They are not in that support structure that you now find yourself in.

"It's the service of family members to our nation that's as important as the service of every man and woman on active duty," he added.

Hayden's sentiment is closely aligned with that of the National
Military Family Association, said Army Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, in his introduction of Hayden.

"He reflects the same feeling that this association demonstrates, and that is that strong families will enable a strong force," Maples said.

The USAA Foundation, the Association of
Military Banks of America, United Concordia Companies, Inc., and Navy Federal Credit Union were honored today for their efforts to help keep military families strong.

The National
Military Family Association presented these four organizations with the group's Dr. Lowell G. Daun Award. The award recognizes significant contributions to the development of NMFA and its initiatives through each group's support of military families.

"The recipients of the award that we're recognizing today work in
military communities, either supporting them through health care benefits or information, education, (and) a litany of financial support," said Michelle Joyner, director of communications for NMFA. "They don't do this for the recognition. They do it because the feel it's the right thing to do."

While the organizations' representatives said they were honored to receive the recognition, they all turned the spotlight back on NMFA.

"We were certainly very pleased and honored," said Barbara Gentry, president of the USAA Foundation, which provides financial support to nonprofit groups that offer a wide variety of services including educational, health and human services, and civic and economic development. "I think, especially in the last few years, organizations like USAA Foundation ... have been looking for ways to support
military families, and (NMFA) s a very good way to do so."

Retired
Air Force Maj. Gen. Andre M. Egeland Jr., president of the Association of Military Banks of America, and Cutler Dawson, president of Navy Federal Credit Union, both agreed with Gentry. They, too, feel that supporting National Military Family Association initiatives is a good way to further support the military community they serve.

"I think all of us try to reach out on how we can help our service people and their families. NMFA facilitates that," Dawson said. "They help bring together a lot of people that help (the military.)

"We think they do great work and truly, they have the best interest of our military families at heart, and that's what it's all about," he added.

It has been an honor for the Association of
Military Banks of America to support NMFA, Egeland added. "Hopefully we'll be able to continue to support them because it's been an honor to do that," he said.

The National
Military Family Association also honored Edward F. Flaherty with the Anna C. Chennault Award for his consistent support of the organization. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant individual contributions to the development of NMFA and its initiatives.

Ten individuals received the Sydney Talley Hickey Award, previously known as the President's Award. It is presented to individuals, agencies or groups that give extraordinary service in support of
military families, according to the National Military Family Association.

Missile Defense System Works, Gates Says

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Australia, Feb. 21, 2008 - The
Navy's outer-atmosphere blasting of an ailing U.S. spy satellite this week proves that the nation's missile defense systems work, Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. "I think, actually, the question of whether this capability works has been settled. The question is: Against what kind of a threat (do we employ the technology)? How large a threat? How sophisticated a threat?" Gates said during a meeting with press after a tour of the Navy's USS Russell, used as back-up for the shootdown.

Gates toured the destroyer at U.S. Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, during a stop on his way to Canberra, Australia, for the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.

Gates said there have been several successful attempts of the defense system, and the fact that it works also is validated by Congress' continued funding of the program for the past several years. In its beginnings, the program struggled for funding, and that is what many people remember about missile defense, he said.

"I think that people remember a time some years ago when missile defense was extremely controversial and a lot of people questioned whether it would work or not, and there was always a struggle in the Congress to get money for missile defense," Gates said in an interview with media traveling with him. "One of the significant changes that has taken place in Washington over the past few years has been a general recognition that the development of the system has proceeded, that it does have capability, and that it is increasingly sophisticated in terms of the kind of challenges that it may be able to beat -- although it still (is) very much designed for a very limited kind of threat."

While Congress and other
leaders likely were aware of the missile defense system's capabilities, the general public still was not, Gates said. He said that a side benefit of the satellite shootdown was that the American public got to see a demonstration of the missile defense capabilities.

"Completely a side benefit of yesterday's action was to underscore the money that the Congress has been voting for this has resulted in a very real capability," Gates said. "I think the issue of whether it will work is behind us, and we just need to keep improving this capability."

America Supports You: NHL Team Hosts Military Appreciation Night

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - Away from the rigors of combat last night on an evening dedicated to their selfless service, the only shootout troops worried about was between dueling National Hockey League teams. During
Military Appreciation Night at the Verizon Center here, the Washington Capitals honored some 5,000 servicemembers and their families with free admission and hosted dozens of wounded warriors from military hospitals. From the giant high-definition screen hanging from the arena's ceiling, shout-outs to servicemembers and videos featuring troops and hockey pros projected onto some 18,000 fans attending the Capitals-New York Islanders contest.

At a pre-game reception in the Dewar's Club, with fat snowflakes visible through the window behind the podium, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England spoke to a crowd of about 100 VIP guests. England, using the themes of inclement weather and the night's main event, took a playful swipe at his boss, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who injured his shoulder last week after slipping on an icy pathway near his home.

"You know, the secretary is on injured reserve now because he encountered some ice outside," he said. "So it's nice to be here with an ice rink where it all belongs."

On a serious note, England said
military appreciation nights are significant because they bring together Pentagon civilians, military members and business people for one common cause: to thank those who serve the United States to preserve American freedom and liberty. "We are absolutely blessed to have these men and women who serve and all of those who serve for them," he added.

England was introduced by Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. Barber is the founder of America Supports You, a program that connects citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad, which organized the military-themed evening.

"America Supports You is a DoD program that makes it easy for everyone in America to find a way to support our troops and our families," she added.

Before the puck dropped,
Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited with America Supports You home-front group members tending to kiosks and booths in the main concourse. As Cartwright made his rounds, fans ogled the shiny brass stars on the general's shoulders. "Who's that four-star?" one former Marine, who later introduced himself to the vice chairman, was overheard to say.

Asked how valuable efforts by networks like America Supports You groups are for channeling public support for the
military, the general said the benefits are three-fold.

"It makes the troops and their families aware of what opportunities are available to them and it gives people an opportunity to contribute in a way that may not be in a foxhole, and to be given the booth space and acknowledged makes all the difference in the world," he said. "(Events) like this bring all the pieces together."

The general said that American support for troops -- perhaps at a historic low when he joined the
Marines during the Vietnam War era -- is critical to men and women in uniform.

"To understand what you're doing makes a difference and that it's appreciated by somebody is 90 percent of what we go out there and fight for is that feeling," he said. "And to lose that feeling is to lose the
motivation that you have in the foxhole day in and day out."

Army Staff Sgt. Gary Heffernan, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and a member of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" speakers outreach program, was on hand for the game. The Boston native, who said his father played goalie in the National Hockey League, acknowledged that Americans aren't obliged to display their support for the military.

"So when businesses like the Capitals reach out to the
military, it's enormous," he said. "Even when little businesses or schools reach out and say, 'Hey, we support you,' it's enormously meaningful, because the reason why we fight is for the people."

Asked why he thinks they choose to show their support, Heffernan said, "Because they love us. There's no other reason for it."

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis told guests gathered at the pre-game reception that this is the sixth year the Capitals have held
military appreciation night. The Caps had won four of the five previous ones, but on this night the Islanders topped the Capitals 3-2 in a shootout.

Leonsis' father, who came to America from Greece, spent seven years in the U.S.
Navy, serving on the USS Bunker Hill. Leonsis told the crowd his last memory of his father, who died at age 95 in September, was when Navy sailors honored his memory at the cemetery during his burial.

The flag that was laid over Leonsis' father's casket and presented to the Leonsis family is on display in the Capitals owner's office.

"My father was an American first and foremost, and instilled in all of us the spirit of competitiveness and what a great country this is," Leonsis said. "We should never lose sight that our country is made up of individuals, and the men and women who serve our country really deserve our respect and our thanks, and this is our small way of doing it."

Army Lt. Col. Steve Szewc, who works at the Pentagon as an assistant to the director of the Army staff, said the military appreciation night is a good way to show support for military members of all ranks.

"I think this is a great opportunity for the senior
leadership to mix with the troops. It's a good, casual forum, and it also lets servicemembers know there are people out there supporting them," he said. "It's more than what you see in the day-to-day news."

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Gates Heads 'Down Under' for Australian-U.S. Talks

By Fred W. Baker III
American Forces Press Service

Feb. 21, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates plans to discuss
Australia's future efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and across the globe as he meets for the first time with the country's newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this weekend. "It's pretty much a broad consultation, and I think that it comes at a useful time in terms of a new Australian government," Gates said today. "It gives us an opportunity to set down and talk to them about their view of the world. I think it will be a very productive dialogue."

The annual
Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations tomorrow fall on the heels of a recent announcement by the country to withdrawal about one-third of its troops from Iraq by mid-summer.

Defense Department officials said that the withdrawal does not signal plans by Australia to remove troops altogether from Iraq and that the country's defense officials notified the Pentagon before the announcement was made. Rather, it indicates a shift in the government's efforts in the country that will likely include fewer combat troops and more aid efforts, a senior DoD official said on background.

Gates said he has talked twice before with
Australia's Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, and Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith recently visited Washington. Rudd and Fitzgibbon also have visited Iraq and consulted with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, the official said.

"While obviously we value them and the role they play in Iraq, at the same time, we're mindful of the fact that nearly half of the Australian
army is deployed," Gates said in an en route interview session with media members. "We're concerned about the stress on our own force. The Australians are clearly confronting that challenge themselves."

Australia now has about 1,500 troops in Iraq -- a mix of combat, training, aviation and support forces. The 500 slated to leave, mostly combat troops, will be pulled from the south in areas where Iraqi security forces can take over operations, the official said.

Australia will keep a
security detachment in Baghdad and much of its aviation support as well as some of its embedded mentor troops.

In Afghanistan,
Australia has about 1,000 troops. About 300 are part of a special operations task group in Oruzgan province, in southern Afghanistan. Another 370 are part of a provincial reconstruction team there.

Australia is a staunch supporter of anti-terror and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan, the DoD official said. In August, the country pledged an additional $115 million in aid over the next two years, according to the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australia's total aid commitment to Afghanistan is $450 million since 2001.

The country is not expected to shift its support in Afghanistan, Gates said.

During the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations talks, the secretary wants to reaffirm the importance of the two countries' relationship, especially with
Australia's new government. This is the first senior-level visit by U.S. officials to the country since its elections in November. The meetings are expected to draw out assessments and expectations by both sides, the senior DoD official said.

Australia, a long-time ally of the United States wants to make sure that that the two countries are moving forward together in cooperative efforts, the official said. Gates is not expected to ask for any specific support from
Australia for either Iraq or Afghanistan, the official said.

The first part of talks will focus on the Middle East, Iraq and North Korea. A second session will look at regional issues such as Afghanistan and China and other Asian efforts. A working lunch will focus on southeastern Asia, and a final session will focus on bilateral defense issues and examine how to expand cooperation and an "enhanced" relationship between the two countries, Gates said.

This is the 19th annual
Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations. The talks typically involve the two countries' foreign and defense ministers. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte accompanied Gates on the trip.

"We have no better ally than
Australia. They have been a magnificent partner on the global scene, in Iraq and Afghanistan," Negroponte said. "We're very appreciative of the role they play in helping promote regional stability and prosperity."

Since
World War I, Australia has fought beside the United States and other allies in every significant conflict to the present day.

This is the secretary's first visit to Australia in his current position. His first official travel as a senior government official was to Australia in 1982, he said. It is the second stop in a nine-day trip that also includes Indonesia, India and Turkey.

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