Thursday, March 06, 2008

Congressional Caucus Embraces America Supports You

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

March 5, 2008 - A bipartisan congressional effort kicked off on Capitol Hill today to stand behind America Supports You, a Defense Department program that connects citizens and corporations with
military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. "This is a tremendous priority on both sides of the aisle," said U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, a co-chair of the America Supports You Caucus.

"Not a week goes by in my district ... when we don't have people asking us what they do to be a support to our
military and their families," he said. "America Supports You is such a wonderful resource for them, to be able to multiply their efforts, to be able to know what's going on and to tap into them."

When introduced in 2004 to highlight citizen support for U.S. servicemembers, America Supports You comprised five organizations, known as "home-front" groups. The program has since branched into a network of more than 350 nonprofit organizations, companies and other supporters.

Representatives of three locally based home-front groups today described their troop-support missions to the audience gathered in the Rayburn House Office Building. In addition, the U.S. Postal Service's postmaster general announced a discount on mail sent abroad to
military members.

One group on hand was Landstuhl Hospital Care Project, which provides comfort and relief items for
military members who become sick, injured or wounded from service in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, and is incorporated in Virginia, according to its official Web site.

Two McLean, Va.-based organizations also attended. Angels of Mercy cares for wounded troops at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center here and other military hospitals, and also provides for Iraqi and Afghan schoolchildren. Our Military Kids, which joined America Supports You soon after the Pentagon program's inception, supports children of deployed and severely injured National Guard and reserve personnel through grants of up to $500 for enrichment activities and tutoring.

Our Military Kids co-founder Linda Davidson expressed gratitude that Congress has agreed to work alongside the
military and civilian sectors. "This America Supports You program is an example of an effective private-public partnership," she said.

Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison -- the architect of America Supports You -- thanked the co-chairs for showing compassion and commitment to U.S. troops. Co-chairing the caucus with Schiff are Rep. Mary Bono Mack of California and Reps. Connie Mack and Allen Boyd of Florida.

"On behalf of over 2 million men and women in the
military, their families and our veterans, this is an important day," Barber said. "Today ... we're helping the American people know that their support matters and that through the America Supports You program they can find real, meaningful ways to show their support for our troops and their families."

Boyd served as a rifle infantryman in Vietnam. He said that after returning from combat duty -- an unpopular calling in many Americans' eyes -- he hoped no future conflict would divide the country in quite the same way.

"When I came to Congress, ... one of the things I never wanted to happen was to have our men and women put on the uniform and go carry out a policy to defend this country that the leadership had made, and then the American people not appreciate them," he said.

Boyd said that while he was in Vietnam, receiving reminders of Americans' support brightened his tour of duty. "I can tell you, when you're out there and you're getting the helicopters coming in every four days -- hopefully to bring you resupplies and mail and care packages -- that really is the highlight of the week for a soldier," he said.

Citing the importance of the
military "mail call," Postmaster General John E. Potter today announce a reduction in the cost of flat-rate boxes sent from the United States to a military address abroad. "It's the way (troops) get that little touch of home ... from the American people telling them how important the work that they're doing is," he noted.

Bono Mack said it's critical that American citizens show appreciation to U.S. troops making sacrifices throughout the world. "I'm proud to see so many groups, both in my district and throughout the nation, taking on this important cause," she added.

Army Brig. Gen. Gary Patton, director of manpower and personnel for the Joint Chiefs of Staff office and an America Supports You spokesman, said he was inspired by the outpouring of support for servicemembers.

"For everybody that's had a part of that," he said, "I want to thank you."

Face of Defense: Game Show Features Air Force Captain

By Staff Sgt. Rhiannon Willard, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

March 4, 2008 - An
Air Force fighter pilot assigned to 3rd Wing here will be among the contestants on the March 6 episode of "Jeopardy!" Capt. Timothy Bobinski, 19th Fighter Squadron chief of safety, will be a contestant on the long-running program, which bills itself as "America's Favorite Quiz Show."

"I've watched the show occasionally since I was a kid," the South
Milwaukee, Wis., native said. "As I got older, I watched it a bit more, especially when I participated on the quiz bowl team in high school."

"Jeopardy!" came to Anchorage last spring with the show's traveling "Clue Crew" and conducted tryouts. Anyone who showed up took a 10-question "prequalifying" test.

"By passing that test, I was invited to show up the next day with about 300 others to take the 50-question qualifying test," the captain said. Both tests had questions on a wide range of subjects, similar to the show, and answers had to be written out; the questions were not
multiple choice, he added.

"I did well enough on the 50-question test to qualify for the show, along with about 20 others in the group," Bobinski said.

At that point, those people selected had to play a mock game of "Jeopardy!" as an audition, he said. The "Clue Crew" placed the names on the show's contestant list, and said the applicants may or may not get called to actually appear on the show.

Bobinski received a call several months later and learned he was chosen to appear on the show. He took leave and traveled to Los Angeles to tape the show in November.

After being chosen as a contestant, he had four to six weeks to review subjects he felt were commonly used on the game show. The topics included geography, state and world capitals, presidents and Shakespeare. He also recorded all the episodes, which allowed him to play along for practice.

While the game show has had specials that showcase
military members, this was not the case for Bobinski. He was the only military contestant during the taping and said the experience was as he expected it to be.

"By the time I got to play, I don't think I was too nervous," he said. "They gave us a couple practice runs to get used to being on the stage. I had already watched a couple games being taped before my turn came up. Once the game starts, the pace is fast enough that you almost forget that you're being taped for national TV.

"Getting used to the buzzer system took a little while, and you have to work on timing, because you get locked out if you ring in too early, but get beaten by the other players if you're late," he added.

Bobinski said Alex Trebek, the "Jeopardy!" host, spent a lot of time answering questions from the audience and contestants during the breaks. "Alex is also very interested in
military aviation and asked me questions about flying," he said.

The captain said his friends and family are looking forward to watching the show and seeing the outcome. Only he and his wife, Sara -- who was at the show's taping -- know the results. Bobinski can't reveal the results of his taping or the question categories that were used. To appear on the game show, he had to sign several agreements and release forms, which included agreeing not to discuss details or results of the show until it aired.

(
Air Force Staff Sgt. Rhiannon Willard serves with 3rd Wing Public Affairs.)