Monday, May 23, 2011

Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates delivers remarks at 1 p.m. EDT at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C.  Media interested in attending should contact VĂ©ronique Rodman at vrodman@aei.org or 202-862-4871.  The event will be covered live on the Pentagon Channel and will be streamed live at www.pentagonchannel.mil.

Secretary Gates hosts an honor cordon to welcome United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox to the Pentagon at 4:30 p.m. EDT.  The cordon will be held on the steps of the Pentagon River Entrance.  Journalists without a Pentagon building pass will be picked up at the Pentagon River Entrance only.  Plan to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the event; have proof of affiliation and two forms of photo identification.  Please call 703-697-5131 for escort to the cordon.

Secretary Gates and Secretary Fox will make the keynote address at the Ronald Reagan Centennial Gala at 7:30 p.m. EDT at the Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, D.C.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has no public or media events on his schedule.

This Day in Naval History - May 23

From the Navy News Service

1850 - Navy sends USS Advance and USS Rescue to attempt rescue of Sir John Franklin's expedition, lost in Arctic.
1939 - USS Squalus (SS 92) sinks off Postsmouth, N.H., with loss of 26 lives.
1962 - Launch of Aurora 7 (Mercury 7), piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Malcolm Scott Carpenter who completed three orbits in four hours, 56 minutes, at an altitude up to 166.8 statute miles at 17,549 mph.
1962 - USS Valcour (AVP 55) provides medical care to a merchant seaman from tanker SS Manhattan in the Persian Gulf.

Missouri National Guard responds to deadly tornado

Missouri National Guard report

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (5/23/11) - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon immediately mobilized the Missouri National Guard after tornadoes ripped through Joplin on Sunday evening.

"As soon as we heard the news of the tornadoes, the Missouri National Guard began mobilization activities," said Army Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, adjutant general.

"Your Missouri National Guard is bringing experienced Citizen-Soldiers and leaders to provide the best support we have to our neighbors in Joplin."

Expected support missions include: search and rescue, emergency route clearance, communications support and security.

Missouri's Soldiers and Airmen will continue working in support of local authorities until released by the governor.

USS Theodore Roosevelt Undocking Marks Overhaul Milestone

From Program Executive Office Aircraft Carriers Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Program Executive Office (PEO) for Aircraft Carriers announced USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) successfully completed the drydocking portion of her Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH), May 23.

RCOH is a mid-life refueling and modernization program for aircraft carriers that enable them to complete the final half of their 50 year service life. During an RCOH, more than 20 million man-hours of work are conducted on board the ship, divided between refueling the propulsion plant, upgrading ship's infrastructure to last for the next 25 years, and modernizing combat systems and air wing capabilities to increase combat effectiveness.

CVN 71 will be the first RCOH to incorporate work normally carried out during a Fleet maintenance availability, returning the ship to the Fleet sooner and at lower cost.

"Undocking of USS Theodore Roosevelt marks a major step towards completing her RCOH on time and within budget," said Rear Adm. Michael McMahon, program executive officer for Aircraft Carriers. "The Navy/shipbuilder team that worked together to make this happen is committed to keeping America's aircraft carrier fleet operationally available and ready to meet any requirement for their full service life."

CVN 71 has been moved to an outfitting pier to complete the remainder of her RCOH in December 2012.

Theodore Roosevelt is the fourth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to undergo RCOH at Newport News. Advance planning is currently underway for the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) RCOH, scheduled to begin in Fiscal Year 2013.

PEO Aircraft Carriers is responsible for the acquisition, modernization and support of the Navy's in-service and future aircraft carriers.

American Heroes Air Show Lands at Hansen Dam

Buckle up for high-flying excitement when the nation's premier aviation event devoted exclusively to helicopters lands once again at the Hansen Dam Recreation Complex in the San Fernando Valley.

Since 1993, this admission-free event has been dedicated to the unique capabilities and dynamic role of helicopters in law enforcement, fire service, public safety, national defense and homeland security.  With   aircraft from local, regional, state and Federal / DOD agencies, guests are treated to an up-close look at why these aircraft and their crews are on the front line of public safety and community service.
           
Explore the evolution of helicopters from elegant lines of the U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 ”Dolphin”  to the Hi-Tech muscle of the   "Pavehawk" helicopter from the U.S. Air Force’s elite combat Search & Rescue  unit.   It's a unique opportunity to learn why these aircraft are the first tool out of the toolbox in times of natural disaster or homeland security threats and why their crews are the Heroes your family can really look up to !  

Plus, have your camera ready and introduce your entire crew to many of the Southland's most well known celebrity / media pilots and news reporters plus get an up-close look at the aircraft you see them in every day for traffic and news reports.  

MORE THAN JUST AN AIR SHOW
More than just an Air Show, the American Heroes event also features the CODE3 Career Fair which brings together recruiting teams from public safety, government service, volunteer agencies and all military services to profile what they do and how you can be a part of the action.

Recruiting teams from many of today’s “Top Gun” agencies offer information and personal insights on:
           Mission of their organization in today’s dynamic world of security and safety
           Hiring criteria and entrance testing schedules.
           Salary and compensation ranges.
           Local schools are on hand to deliver information on their Criminal Justice / Public Safety curriculum to potential students.
Recruiting space is free to public service & military organizations

The Heroes event also offers an annual favorite, the "Rollin’ to the Rescue" presentation of vintage police, fire and emergency vehicles as they roll into the event and set up for static display throughout the day.  These lovingly restored public safety vehicles will roll Code 3 into the event site - scheduled to arrive at 10 a.m.  

The FIRST PROMISE- Family Preparedness Fair offers information and resources on emergency preparedness tactics for businesses and community plus family tips for Internet and identity safety from the F.B.I., U.S. Secret Service and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

The SAR SITE1 program introduces the community to many of the finest local Search & Rescue teams from mountain, urban, swiftwater, canine and Combat / SAR organizations. Check out technical rope rescue gear and learn how to join the action as a reserve volunteer with a local Search & Rescue team.  

Our traditional collectible event trading cards are back and available free in limited quantities to early bird arrivals.  Plus mission briefings from flight crews, entertainment, exciting flight demos, concessions and much more.

American Heroes Air Show               
Date:   July 16th Saturday 
FREE Admission + Parking

Location:
Hansen Dam Recreation & Sports Complex
11480 Foothill Blvd  
Lake View Terrace, California 91342
Exit the Foothill (210) Freeway at Osborne & turn South

Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact for follow up:
James D. Paules Jr. 
Volunteer – Exec Producer
Cell (818)  631 - 8132

USS Avenger Strengthens Partnership With Royal Malaysian Navy

By Mass Communications Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian A. Stone, USS Avenger Public Affairs

LUMUT, Malaysia (NNS) -- Sailors aboard USS Avenger (MCM 1) sponsored a series of community outreach activities designed to build upon the growing relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Royal Malaysian Navy May, 17-18.

The outreach efforts began with a visit to the Rumah Wawasan orphanage in Lumut, where Sailors delivered food supplies and played sports with local children.

The owner of the orphanage, who requested not to be named, but is referred to by the children as "Papa," expressed his gratitude to Avenger Sailors for their help.

"I hope that we can start an ongoing relationship and I will get to see you all again," said Papa. "I thank god I've got friends like you Navy boys. This is truly a miracle."

Avenger Sailors also hosted a series of ship tours May 18 for Malaysian navy personnel, displaying the Navy's mine-sweeping technology. During the last two years, the U.S. 7th Fleet has doubled its mine-sweeping capabilities, which can aid the secure passage of merchant vessels through narrow sea lanes.

Mineman Seaman Jonathan Cedeno, an Avenger tour guide, said that the Malaysian officers were impressed with the capabilities of the mine countermeasure ship platform.

"Many of them have never seen the kind of advanced robotics and equipment that we use to locate and detonate mines," said Cedeno. "I think we really piqued their interest. They said they were interested in working with us in the future, to see if we could coordinate mine sweeping operations as a team."

Later that same day, Avenger Sailors hosted a dinner party for Royal Malaysian Navy personnel. During the dinner, Royal Malaysian Navy Cmdr. Mohd Roslim Bin Hilmi spoke about the strength of the U.S.-Malaysian relationship.

"Although our operating procedures may be different, at the end of the day, the U.S. and Malaysian navies are working for the same goal," said Roslim Bin Hilmi.

Following Roslim Bin Hilmi's remarks, Avenger's commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Patrick L. German, gave a token of appreciation to the Royal Malaysian Navy personnel for their hospitality during Avenger's stay in Malaysia and spoke on the importance of the partnership between the two navies.

"I am so proud to be standing here with these fine Malaysian officers," said German. "Our two countries share so much in common and together we have achieved so much. Just look at how piracy is almost non-existent in the Strait of Malacca these days! That is because of this partnership. I am so happy to think that as our navies rise together, this is only the beginning."

Governor Walker thanks National Guard troops

By 1st Sgt. Vaughn R. Larson
Wisconsin Army National Guard

The commander-in-chief of the Wisconsin National Guard expressed his appreciation to some of those citizen Soldiers May 20 as part of Armed Forces Week.

"I wanted to come by and offer my thanks on behalf of my family and on behalf of the state of Wisconsin," Gov. Scott Walker said during a brief visit to Joint Force Headquarters in Madison. "We appreciate the commitment you make, the excellence you bring — we don't take that for granted."

Walker spoke of attending numerous sendoff ceremonies and funerals for fallen service members when he served as Milwaukee County executive.

"I like the welcome home ceremonies best of all," he said. "I consider every one of you my guys. As commander in chief, I won't be satisfied until everyone who is currently deployed is welcomed home."

Brig. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, recalled how Walker reached out to him shortly after winning the election last year with the idea of holding a tailgate party for the troops during the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl game.

"His appreciation for the military is real," Dunbar said.