Sunday, May 23, 2010

Korean War

On June 3, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Donald J. Farinacci the author of Truman and MacArthur: Adversaries for a Common Cause.

Program Date: June 3, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours Pacific
Topic: Korean War
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/06/04/korean-war

About the Guest
Donald J. Farinacci is a US Army Vietnam-era Veteran. After his military service (1966-1969), he became an attorney. Donald J. Farinacci is the author of When One Stood Alone, Last Full Measure of Devotion: A Tribute to America's Heroes of the Vietnam War and, his upcoming book Truman and MacArthur: Adversaries for a Common Cause.

According to the description of Truman and MacArthur: Adversaries for a Common Cause, “The author's purpose in writing this book was to tell a story of events which occurred during a brief but momentous period in American history, involving two extraordinary men, President Harry S. Truman and General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur. The story tells of their interaction during a time of grave national crisis, how they veered badly off course and ultimately collided head-on. It was a collision which both altered the course of history and irreparably changed their personal destinies.

What is related here is first and foremost a human story, but one that plays out against the panorama of the Korean War—a nasty, brutish and fearsome slice of hell where what was at stake was nothing less than the determination of whether the Communist Sino-Soviet alliance would gain dominion by force over large regions of the continent of Asia or be contained and held in check by a coalition of United Nations Forces led by the United States.

As the drama unfolded during a critical period of approximately ten months in 1950 and 1951, the all-pervasive tension holding the principal players in its grip was the ever-present threat of nuclear war looming over all of humankind.

Other larger-than-life personalities also emerge in this epic tale and are interspersed with the two main characters. They include Eighth Army Commander Matthew B. Ridgway, Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall, South Korean President Syngman Rhee, NATO Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ambassador Averell Harriman, Army General Walton W. Walker, Marine General O.P. Smith, Army Chief of Staff J. Lawton Collins, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Omar Bradley, and Marine Colonel “Chesty” Puller. Every one of them played an integral role in the drama and some of them such as Ridgway, Acheson, Marshall and Eisenhower actually changed the course of history. But, the overarching giants of this tale are Truman and MacArthur. Their saga of 1950-1951 underscores the fact that no matter what the magnitude of events, history is still primarily a collection of stories about people. This is one of those stories—one that is part of the larger framework of the forty-five year-long Cold War, but one that is surpassed in importance by none other in that singularly perilous epoch of world history.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2010/06/04/korean-war
Archive:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/korean_war.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

AF safety officials launch Critical Days of Summer campaign

Commentary by Maj. Heidi Nelson
Air Force Safety Center Ground Safety Division

5/21/2010 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- S is for Summer ... and Safety too!

It's that time of year again! Spring is here in full force, summer is right around the corner and that can only mean one thing: time for Air Force safety officials to kick off the Critical Days of Summer safety campaign, May 28 through September 7.

As much as you would like to think that nothing could happen to you, the fact is, the real statistics are pretty grim...

Some risks are constant, but summer brings increased activity which brings increased risk.

Twenty eight Airmen already have died in off-duty mishaps so far this year, and typically the Air Force loses about 19 over the summer. Many others sadly take their own lives.

Now, does any of this mean Air Force leaders expect you to cower under your dining room table all summer? Of course not! Everyone knows that life itself comes with inherent risks.

Some of you may even be thinking, "This is a small number out of more than 330,000 Airmen ... that's not too bad!" But how many of you would volunteer your best friend, or even yourself, as one of that "small number?"

The answer then is very simple: Every Airman must set a personal goal of ZERO preventable mishaps for him or herself and everyone around him or her. To achieve this goal, every commander must provide guidance, policy and resources. Every safety professional, from the Air Force Safety Center down to your unit safety representative, will work tirelessly to keep you educated and prepared to safely enjoy your off-duty time this summer.

But here's the rub: We can only do so much educating. Nobody but you will be there to make the right decisions when the critical moments occur.

Your commander won't be sitting in the passenger seat when you've had a few too many to drink and are about to drive home.

The Air Force surgeon general won't be at your dorm to read the signs that one of your peers is feeling suicidal.

The director of the Safety Center won't be at the boat launch handing out life vests to you and your kids.

The only one who can make the decisions critical to your survival is you.

Fortunately, the steps required to keep you and everyone around you safe are very simple: Think about the worst-case scenario and then decide whether you've done everything you could to eliminate or at least minimize the risk. If you do that and decide you can't live with the consequences, chances are it's time for a new plan.

Everyone at the Safety Center wants each and every one of you around at the end of the 2010 Critical Days of Summer. The choice is yours!

Obama Heralds West Point Graduates for Service to Country

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

May 22, 2010 - President Barack Obama praised the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2010 at its graduation and commissioning ceremonies today for choosing to serve their country during wartime at a pivotal time in its history. Recognizing the vast demographic differences among the class' 1,002 graduating members at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y., the president cited the unified sense of duty and commitment to their nation's security they all share.

"Here in the quiet of these hills, you have come together to prepare for the most difficult tests of our time," he said. "You signed up knowing your service would send you into harm's way, and did so long after the first drums of war were sounded.

"In you we see the commitment of our country, and timeless virtues that have served our nation well," Obama said.

The president recognized the Class of 2010's motto, "Loyal 'Til the End," as a hallmark that will guide the new officers during their military careers, particularly while serving in the combat theater.

The president last addressed the "Long Gray Line" of cadets here in December, when he announced his Afghanistan strategy. Today he acknowledged that "a tough fight" remains in ensuring its success.

"There will be difficult days ahead," he said, conceding that "the threat will not go way soon."

The international effort to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda is a "necessary and just" one that's changed over the past nine years but remains "no less important than it was in those days after 9/11," Obama told the cadets.

Despite "more success in eliminating al Qaeda leaders in recent months than in recent years," he acknowledged that the enemy "will continue to recruit, plot and exploit our open society."

"But we will adapt, we will persist," Obama said. "And I have no doubt that together with our Afghan and international partners, we will succeed in Afghanistan."

He promised the full support of the United States as the military helps the Afghan people confront extremism and bolster their own national security forces while promoting economic progress and civil development.

"We have brought hope to the Afghan people," he said. "Now we must see that their country does not fall prey to our common enemies."

Obama also reiterated his pledge to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq this summer. He defined success there as "an Iraq that provides no safe-haven to terrorists [and] a democratic Iraq that is sovereign, stable and self-reliant."

The president paid tribute to the 78 West Point graduates who have died in the war on terror, and recognized the military's steadfast support in confronting challenges facing the United States.

"You, and all who wear America's uniform, remain the cornerstone of our national defense, and the anchor of global security," he told the cadets. "And through a period when too many of our institutions have acted irresponsibly, the American military has set a standard of service and sacrifice that is as great as any in this nation's history."

But Obama also emphasized that military might alone won't ensure success against current or future threats. "The burdens of this century cannot fall on American soldiers alone," he said.

He pledged to shape a new, international order based on global cooperation and partnerships that address not just military, but also economic and environmental challenges.

"The international order we seek is one that can resolve the challenges of our times," he said, ticking off examples: "countering violent extremism and insurgency; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials; combating a changing climate and sustaining global growth; helping countries feed themselves and care for their sick; preventing conflict and healing its wounds."

The United States will use these principles as its guide as it faces the future, the president said. "We are Americans, and our destiny is never written for us, it is written by us," he told the cadets. "And we are ready to lead once more."

Army Lt. Gen. Franklin L. "Buster" Hagenbeck, superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, recognized the graduating class for distinguishing itself through academic and athletic excellence. "You have met all the challenges of West Point," he said. "Now you are ready to assume the mantle of leadership" and to play "a decisive role as leaders of character."

Nearly all of the graduating cadets were commissioned as Army second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. One was commissioned into the Air Force, one into the Navy and three into the Marine Corps.

Blue Angels Perform At-Sea Air Show for Enterprise

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Nathan Carpenter, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

May 23, 2010 - ABOARD USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, conducted an at-sea air-power demonstration show above USS Enterprise (CVN 65) May 21 for a crowd of thousands of Sailors on the flight deck.

The Blue Angels were practicing for a scheduled air show at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. They amazed the crowd on the flight deck below by performing aerial maneuvers and close-formation flybys.

The six blue-and-gold F/A-18 fighter jets approached in a perfect V formation and then peeled off one by one as a greeting to the watching Sailors.

The show was a highly anticipated event on the ship, and it provided a few minutes of fun for the crew which have been conducting virtually around-the-clock flight operations in support of carrier qualifications for Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1.

"This was an awesome opportunity for our Sailors who have been really working hard day and night. Many have never seen the Blue Angels, and you can't ask for a better vantage point than on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier at sea," said the ship's executive officer and former Blue Angels pilot Capt. Ryan B. Scholl.

The ship had 10 civilian distinguished visitors aboard who also had the opportunity to watch the show. The event further enhanced their experience.

"This is amazing!" said Peter Richardson, an executive at Navy Federal Credit Union who was part of the embarked group. "A big goal of mine is to really serve the Sailors who are our customers and get a better understanding of where they're coming from and what they do. This sort of thing just makes me appreciate what Sailors do every day."

The Blue Angels squadron is made up of more than 130 Navy and Marine Corps officers and enlisted personnel. The squadron composition is much like any other military aircraft squadron, but earning a duty assignment comes only after a highly selective process that includes an application, interviews and a record full of superior service evaluations. The squadron spends most of the year traveling the globe conducting precision air shows, wowing the crowds that gather wherever they fly.

The air show over Enterprise lasted for an hour, and within an hour of the Blue Angels disappearing over the horizon, Enterprise was launching sorties from her flight deck.

Enterprise is underway conducting carrier qualifications in preparation for her work-up phase leading to its 21st deployment.

Everett Focuses on Health, Fitness and Safety

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Sonja M. Chambers, Navy Public Affairs Support Element, Det. Northwest

May 23, 2010 - EVERETT, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Station Everett (NSE) held its annual Health, Fitness, Recreation and Safety Fair May 20.

The fair featured booths and demonstrations highlighting safe and healthy activities for Sailors and their families.

Julia Krassin, Seismos Fitness Center fitness manager who organized the event, said the fair gives Sailors a chance to see what's available in the Pacific Northwest.

"We have such a variety of activities in this area," she said. "You can hike, ski or boat. We tried to bring all of those aspects together to give people a taste of what's available."

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Keashia Gardner, Naval Branch Health Clinic Everett Health Promotions assistant, manned a booth at the fair. She said the booth makes people aware of healthier lifestyles.

"We give out information on healthier lifestyles, so people can make better health choices," she said. "We highlight some of the services we offer at Health Promotions at the clinic such as tobacco cessation and diabetes management."

Children from the NSE Child Development Center participated in a variety of activities and exercises and cooled down with yoga stretching.

"We're really trying to reach the family environment, not solely the individual Sailor," Krassin said.

Alan Sprouse, fire inspector for Navy Region Northwest (NRNW) Fire and Emergency Services, had a booth set up with items retrieved from house fires. He said the number one cause of fire in (NRNW) is unattended cooking. Sprouse also said people should keep fire extinguishers in a location just outside the kitchen.

"Number one; have a plan. Number two; keep your cooking and your heat sources attended. That covers fireworks, camp fires and kitchens," he said. "Wherever there's heat, you have to attend it. If you do those two things, you're going to cut down on your dollar loss and injury loss."

NRNW Fire and Emergency Services also had a firefighting station set up and a jaws of life demonstration.

The fair gave Krassin an opportunity to get healthy ideas out in front of Sailors.

"More often than not, it's hard to get this next generation Sailor to positively recreate because we're up against things like electronic games," she said. "The fair gives them the opportunity to talk to some subject-matter experts and conversely, it gives us an opportunity to see what people are interested in because we can get a lot of good ideas back."