Military News

Panetta, Dempsey: Chiarelli Inspired All

2012-01-31T20:37:00.000-08:00

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2012 – The Defense Department and the Army said goodbye today to a general known for his leadership and his innovation, but who may be best remembered for his focus on advancing brain injury treatment and mental health care.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were among hundreds who gathered today at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Summerall Field to celebrate the career of Army Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, as he retired following 40 years of service.

As the son of a World War II Silver Star recipient, Chiarelli “exemplified the values of his father: of patriotism, of courage, of resilience, of dedication,” the secretary said.

Panetta said he traveled to Baghdad as part of the Iraq Study Group in September 2006, where the group heard a briefing from Chiarelli, then commander of Multinational Corps Iraq. Iraq at the time was “in considerable turmoil,” the secretary said.

“But Pete’s presentation demonstrated an extraordinary knowledge of the 21st-century battlefield,” he continued. “He was honest, he was direct, he called it as it was, and he pulled no punches.”

The secretary said one member of the group who was particularly impressed with Chiarelli was then-Texas A&M University President Robert M. Gates, who as secretary of defense later chose the general to serve as his senior military assistant.

“For 17 months, Pete served as Bob Gates’ right-hand man, advising him on a full range of pressing national security matters, and always -- always -- giving him insight into how the decisions he was making would impact on the men and women on the battlefield.”

The hallmark of Chiarelli’s career is “the depth of his concern for the welfare of every soldier,” the secretary said. “It’s that quality that made him the perfect choice to be the vice chief of staff of the Army.”

For his more than three years in that job, Chiarelli has not rested, Panetta said, but has devoted himself to improving the lives of soldiers and family members at a time of extraordinary strain.

“Under his leadership, the Army has taken tremendous steps to give soldiers increased dwell time [at home stations] between deployments, and he’s been an outspoken advocate for wounded warriors -- in particular, those suffering from the unseen wounds of war,” the secretary said.

More than any other officer, Panetta added, Chiarelli sought to eliminate the stigma of post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues.

“And he’s devoted every ounce of his energy to the problem of suicide in the Army,” the secretary said. … “Thanks to his tireless efforts, the department is fully working to confront these issues.”

Panetta said Chiarelli and his wife, Beth, have made “an extraordinary difference.”

“You’ve touched so many lives,” he told the couple. “You’ve inspired all of us … to redouble our efforts to protect the men and women who fight to protect us.”

Panetta assured Chiarelli that while the nation’s military members will miss him, “the light that you have lit will continue to shine, and to light our way in the future.”

Dempsey used his remarks in part to offer guidance to media members covering the event: “I want you to report that we have never had a finer man in uniform, and never a finer couple, than Pete and Beth Chiarelli,” he said.

Dempsey said his fellow general is an outstanding son, husband, and father, as well as “an unbelievable friend.” But as a soldier, the chairman added, Chiarelli “is a giant of a man in every way, inside and out.”

Dempsey said that after watching Chiarelli “stalking the halls of the Pentagon,” he finally got the image he was seeking to describe his fellow general, likening the general to Paul Bunyan, the larger-than-life lumberjack of North American folklore.

“[It’s] almost like he’s got a big hatchet or ax on his back, hacking his way through the bureaucracy to make life better for soldiers and their families,” the chairman said.

Dempsey said before the end of the Cold War, Chiarelli was known as one of the finest trainers in the Army, and was the first commander assigned to Iraq to realize -- and train his staff to deal with -- the key question of how to run a city.

In Baghdad, Chiarelli led the Army to transform its “fundamentally flawed” command-and-control structures, and then to make those systems reach to ground troops, so a squad leader could build context from the bottom up, Dempsey said.

When he came back from war, Dempsey added, Chiarelli confronted the Army’s “enduring challenge” with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress injury.

“He drove our Army -- drove it -- to recognize the problem, to reduce the stigma, to confront it. And that was Pete Chiarelli,” Dempsey said.

Beth Chiarelli likewise worked to improve the Army, the chairman noted, by focusing among many other issues on the challenges military children face while changing schools frequently during a parent’s career.

“Here’s the bottom line,” Dempsey said. “The enduring example of both Pete and Beth Chiarelli is that you have to live with a passion for something. The goal is not just to make a living, but to make a difference. And boy oh boy, did you two make a difference.”

On Chiarelli’s last day at work, Dempsey noted, hundreds of members of the Army staff formed a cordon from his Pentagon office to the parking lot to “clap him out” of the job.

“What struck me was this wasn’t organized by his executive officer, it wasn’t organized by any other general officer, it was organized by the noncommissioned officers,” the chairman said. “And if that doesn’t tell you about Pete Chiarelli, you don’t know anything about Pete Chiarelli.”

During the ceremony, Chiarelli received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the department’s highest noncombat military award. His wife, Beth, received the Secretary of the Army Exceptional Civilian Service Award, the highest Army honor a civilian can receive.

Chiarelli thanked his wife and their four grown children for their love and support during his career. Marrying Beth was the “best decision I ever made,” he said, adding that they are both “immensely proud” of their sons and daughter.

Chiarelli said he bought his father a journal after the senior Chiarelli retired, and asked him to record some of his experiences from World War II, during which the older Chiarelli received a battlefield commission.

“I still have that journal,” the general said. “Every page is blank. He never wrote a single word. Like many from his generation, he never talked about his experience or exploits in combat.”

One of his father’s fellow soldiers, however, sent him a 24-page narrative outlining some of the two men’s shared exploits across North Africa, Italy, southern France, Austria and Germany.

That document proved to him something he’s also learned for himself over four decades in uniform, Chiarelli said: “There is undeniably a thread that links every soldier to those who came before, and those still to come.”

Years after commanding 1st Cavalry Division in Iraq and later Multinational Corps Iraq, Chiarelli said, not a day goes by that he doesn’t think of the 650 soldiers under his command who were killed.

“I would trade all the medals and ribbons on my chest, and every bit of rank, to get just one back,” he said.

Two years ago, Chiarelli added, he presented a Purple Heart to a young staff sergeant who had been wounded in successive roadside bomb explosions in Afghanistan.

“He was there with his parents, his wife and their two children,” the general said. “Over the course of our conversation, he told me how much he loved being a soldier, leading soldiers. He wanted desperately to get back to his unit.”

Chiarelli said the young man was suffering from traumatic brain injury, and it was “readily apparent to me he had difficulty gathering his thoughts and speaking.”

The general said he now believes the invisible injuries of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury are the signature wounds of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

“While we have made significant progress in recent years, we must, must, must continue our efforts,” Chiarelli said. “We owe it to our men and women in uniform, active and reserve, as well as veterans, and their families.

“I want this to be my parting message to all of you as I leave our Army’s active ranks,” he concluded. “I certainly hope in retirement to be able to continue to champion this most important cause, and contribute in some meaningful way.”

Voluntary Sea Duty Program Provides Sailors New Opportunities

2012-01-31T20:32:00.000-08:00

From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- According to NAVADMIN 043/12, released Jan. 31, the Navy is asking Sailors to volunteer for sea duty under a new initiative called the Voluntary Sea Duty Program (VSDP).

Volunteering to return to sea duty under this program offers two key benefits.

"The Voluntary Sea Duty Program's goal is to improve manning levels at sea, while providing motivated Sailors the benefits of geographic choice and stability as well as the deferment of their Perform-to-Serve window," said Rear Admiral Tony Kurta, Director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy Division. "This opportunity allows Sailors a chance to improve their record and increase their competitive edge in PTS through sustained superior performance at sea."

This program does not change eligibility or benefits for the Sea Duty Incentive Pay Program and Sailors may take advantage of both programs concurrently.

Under the program, Sailors may apply to extend their enlistment in their current sea duty billet beyond their prescribed sea tour, terminate their shore duty early in order to extend their enlistment to obtain new orders to a sea duty billet, or accept back-to-back sea duty orders. The sea duty assignment may be onboard ships, squadrons, or other qualified sea duty assignments.

Volunteers will be assigned to commands within the same geographic location as the current command if available, providing the benefit of geographic stability for Sailors and family members. The Navy will also consider Sailors' requests for out-of-area moves.

Volunteers will not be required to accept a billet they do not desire. The detailers will work with volunteers during two CMS/ID cycles to find desirable orders. If no match is found during this time period, Sailors can reapply.

To be eligible to apply for a short term extension to defer PTS, Sailors must meet eligibility criteria to ensure competitiveness in their next PTS window. However, Sailors who do not meet these criteria, but have enough obligated service time can still apply for geographic stability or choice.

Requests will be accepted until Sep. 30, 2012. All 1306/7 requests should be forwarded to Navy Personnel Command via the Chain of Command.

For complete information on eligibility, restrictions and application procedure as well as benefits of VSDP, read NAVADMIN 043/12 at NPC.navy.mil.

Sendoff ceremonies planned for two Wisconsin National Guard units

2012-01-31T20:28:00.000-08:00

Two sendoff ceremonies will be held Saturday (Feb. 4) for nearly 200 Wisconsin National Guard members headed overseas.

The first ceremony, for approximately 130 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers of the Oshkosh-based 1157th Transportation Company, will be held at 11 a.m. at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Eagle Hangar, 3000 Poberezny Road, Oshkosh, Wis.

Prior to their deployment overseas, the Soldiers will train for several weeks at Camp Shelby, Miss. Once their mobilization training at Camp Shelby is complete, the Soldiers are scheduled to deploy to the U.S. Central Command theater of operations. While the unit was preparing to deploy to Kuwait, due to reallocation of forces, the 1157th may be considered for other Central Command missions, pending approval by the Secretary of Defense.

The second sendoff ceremony, for approximately 60 Wisconsin National Guard members of the 82nd Agribusiness Development Team, will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Hartford High School, 805 Cedar St., Hartford, Wis.

During their deployment to Afghanistan, the 82nd ADT — comprised of Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard members — will employ their individual military occupational specialties along with the their specific civilian skills, knowledge and abilities to teach Afghan farmers how to effectively farm and herd to expand their agribusiness, create jobs and reduce poverty.

Projects that other agribusiness development teams have undertaken include training Afghans in beekeeping, advising grape farmers in the use of trellises to increase yield, educating livestock owners in the use of vaccines to improve herd health, and establishing demonstration farms to highlight various agriculture techniques.

The members of the 82nd ADT consist of various administrative and technical staff, including forestry specialists, agronomist, agricultural marketing specialist, a hydrologist, a pest control specialist, engineers, a veterinary technician, mechanics, medics, communications specialists and security personnel.

Both ceremonies are open to the public.

EDITORS AND NEWS DIRECTORS: News media are welcome to cover the sendoff ceremonies Saturday, Feb. 4.

1157th Transportation Company at EAA: From U.S. 41, take Exit 116 east (Wis. 44/South Park Road). Turn right on Knapp Street Road, and right again on Poberezny Road. Follow traffic signs to EAA general parking. Eagle Hangar is attached to the EAA Museum.

82nd ADT in Hartford: From Milwaukee, take U.S. Highway 41 north to State Highway 60. Travel west on State 60 and take Exit 64B; turn left onto County Road K. Turn right on E. Monroe Avenue, and left on Cedar Street. From Madison: Take U.S. Highway 151 north to Exit 115, and turn right onto State Highway 60/State 16. Continue traveling east on State 60 when 60 separates from 16. Turn right onto Cedar Street.

Ukrainian Sailors Tour USS Vella Gulf

2012-01-31T19:43:00.001-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brian Glunt, Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East Detachment Europe

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (NNS) -- Ukrainian naval officers and sailors visited the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) Jan. 27 and 28, during a scheduled port visit.

This visit to Ukraine serves to continue U.S. 6th Fleet efforts to build global maritime partnerships with European nations and enhance maritime safety and security.

"We had a visit from the master chief petty officer of the Ukraine navy, Sergei Ryabstery, and about ten of his more senior chiefs," said Vella Gulf Command Master Chief Sheila Langejans. "He wanted to see how we manage our young Sailors and how we work with them to grow as leaders and more productive technicians."

After a lunch with Ukrainian and U.S. naval officers, Capt. Mark Harris, commanding officer of Vella Gulf, personally toured with Ukrainian navy Capt. Andrew Ryzhenko.

The tour continued the next day when Ukrainian sailors came aboard to view the different areas of the ship including the bridge, flight deck, mess halls and officers' quarters.

"The Ukrainian sailors seemed to have a really good time," said Ensign James Wolters. "They were really impressed with the weapons and they really thought that the six-man officers' berthings were extravagant. They all seemed very appreciative of the tour. It was a really pleasant experience."

U.S. 6th Fleet continues to collaborate with the Ukrainian navy and other global maritime partners, increasing the collective capability of the region and enhancing overall maritime domain awareness in the Black Sea.

Vella Gulf, homeported in Norfolk, Va., is conducting theater security cooperation and maritime security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

Face of Defense: Surgical Tech Becomes Army Aviator

2012-01-31T19:42:00.000-08:00

By Army Staff Sgt. Regina Machine
13th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait, Jan. 31, 2012 – Army Maj. Jonathan Steinbach, an aviator with the Washington National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Regiment assigned to 3rd Army/U.S. Army Central Aviation Task Force Raptors here, took an unusual route to the cockpit.

“I was an enlisted surgical technician in the Army Reserve,” Steinbach said. “I worked as a surgical technician at a private hospital while I was a cadet in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at University of California–Berkley.”

The summer before his senior year, the Spokane, Wash., native decided to join the active-duty Army as an infantry soldier, but his ROTC advisor encouraged him to become an aviator instead.

“It sounded interesting, flying helicopters, so I did a flight physical and requested it,” he said. “I was then branched aviation in the regular Army.”

Even though going from the operating room to the cockpit of a helicopter was a unique transition, Steinbach completed it with ease. When he completed his regular Army commitment in 2003, Steinbach moved to Washington for work and asked the battalion commander of the local National Guard headquarters where he was needed the most. The battalion commander told him he was needed with Company C, 1st Battalion, 168th General Support Aviation Regiment, so he put his uniform back on and returned to aviation.

As the Task Force Raptors liaison, Steinbach works to shape the mission and set appropriate expectations with clients. The unit provides air movement support to leaders and distinguished visitors in 3rd Army’s area of responsibility. Although being an aviation liaison can prove to be time consuming, it does not stop the pilots from maintaining proficiency with their skills.

“Major Steinbach and I are both current UH-60 Black Hawk pilots,” said Army 1st Lt. Jason Miller, a Shelton, Wash., native and deputy aviation task force liaison, also assigned to Company C. They maintain their currency by flying missions at Camp Beuhring, he added.

Steinbach said he is proud of the job that the members of his unit do here as well as at their home station.

“The young men and women in the flight company make me incredibly proud to be a soldier and an aviator,” he said. “When I go out to the flightline with a very important person and I see the crew chief standing at attention and rendering a salute under the rotor disk of a raging Black Hawk, my chest swells with pride.”

Steinbach has not fully left his operating room roots. As a civilian, he is a sales representative for a less invasive surgical treatment. In the operating room, Steinbach said, he refers to himself as an instructor pilot.

“I teach surgeons how to do surgery with a robot, and I teach nurses and technicians how to give the surgeons what they need while keeping the patient safe throughout the procedure,” he explained.

Steinbach said he considers himself fortunate to be able to use the two career skills he has learned while in the Army to assist others, and credits his fellow aviators for his continued success here.

“As a staff aviator, I do not consider myself to be the best pilot,” Steinbach added. “The other pilots and crew chiefs are so patient and generous with their skills and their experiences, it makes me proud to be in their community.”

U.S. Naval Base Guam Participates in School Career Day

2012-01-31T19:39:00.001-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Waris Banks, U.S. Naval Base Guam Public Affairs

BARRIGADA, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 joined U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) Fire and Emergency Services firefighters and inspectors in a career day for students at P.C. Lujan Elementary School in Barrigada, Guam Jan 25.

The contingent from NBG spoke to students about their day-to-day activities in their respective fields, demonstrated equipment use and answered questions about their careers.

P.C. Lujan guidance counselor and career day coordinator Vera Elliott said the event showed students the tremendous importance of military presence on island and gave them a wider view of different career opportunities they are able to explore as they get older.

"Having the military presence here showed the kids that it's not only the local, but also military people who play a big role in the community," Elliot said. "Their presence here helped the kids better understand the field each person was presenting on."

The NBG firefighters' presentation included a visit by Sparky the dog, a chance to see a fire engine up close and a presentation on fire safety tips. Kindergartners and first-grade students learned safety techniques such as, 'stop, drop, and roll' and 'stay low and go.'

"Teaching them that young will help them to remember fire safety as they grow up," said NBG Fire Inspector Bethany Satterlee.

The firefighters' goal for visiting career day was to inform students that though NBG Fire and Emergency Services is part of a federal agency, their duty extends to assist the local community when there are fires or other emergencies which require assistance.

"We want the community to know that we're there to help and that we're not just locked down on the base," said NBG Fire Chief Robert Green.

Students were able to see the MK Talon II robot in action from EODMU 5. The robot, which is maneuvered by remote control and used to safely disarm dangerous explosive devices, roamed around a grassy field as the technician showed students different controls and buttons on the panel board.

"We showed them a couple of the tools that we use in the EOD career," said Explosive Ordnance Disposal 2nd Class Mario Spencer, of EODMU 5.

In addition to the MK Talon II robot, the students saw the bomb suit, helmet and various EOD items.

"The kids loved the robot," Spencer said. "They loved trying on the bomb-suit helmet."

The Sailors spoke to the students about EOD rating and the intense preparation technicians endure as well as other careers in the Navy and their experience in the armed forces.

Their presentation also included practical safety advice as well. Since Guam was a site of intense fighting during World War II, there exists the possibility of discovering live explosive devices around the island.

"We told them 'stay away from it [and] don't touch it [and] let their parents know or an adult and have them call the proper authorities,'" said Explosive Ordnance Disposal 2nd Class (EWS) Matthew Herrygers, of EODMU 5.

In addition to the two groups from NBG, career day participants included the Guam Army National Guard and Guam Homeland Security.

USO Innovates to Better Support Troops

2012-01-31T16:27:00.000-08:00

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2012 – The USO has served America’s troops and their families for seven decades, but thanks to innovations and adaptability, it’s not the same old USO, the organization’s president said.

“We have basically the same mission we’ve had for the last 71 years -- to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families,” Sloan D. Gibson told American Forces Press Service.

“But one of the things we realized is that the needs of troops and families are changing all the time,” he added. “So we’ve tried to change and adapt over those 71 years to make sure that we’re meeting the most urgent needs. And [that we’re] also using the most up-to-date technology to meet those needs.”

Gibson said the USO continues to seek ways to better serve the nation’s service members and their families.

“We ask a simple question of ourselves: ‘If our mission is to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families, who needs us most?’” he said. “The answer today is certainly different than it would have been before 9/11. So as we think about that with all the things that USO does. We want to make sure we’re taking care of our forward-deployed troops that are serving in harm’s way.”

Gibson said the USO also strives to meet the needs of military families enduring the stresses of multiple deployments, as well as healing heroes and their families and the families of fallen service members.

“So what you find are facilities and programs that are delivered all over the world that are designed to help those that need us most today,” he said.

Although the USO is best known for entertaining service members and families, Gibson said, the organization has become attuned to other needs.

“Entertainment is still a big part of the USO, … but as you think about the needs of troops and families, we’ve got to constantly adapt,” he said. “For example, we now operate eight USO centers -- soon to open our ninth USO center -- in Afghanistan.

“These centers are visited more than 100,000 times a month,” he added. “We know that connecting forward-deployed troops with their families back home is really important, so we’ve installed in those centers high-speed Internet connections and a private telephone network where troops are making over 2 million free phone calls every year.”

The USO president said these kinds of changes take place based upon the needs of today’s troops and based upon the important role that military families play today. The organization also adapts to mission changes, he noted, such as the end of the war in Iraq.

“We closed our last center in Iraq during the fourth quarter of 2011,” Gibson said. “We’ve taken the large majority of the resources that we were investing in Iraq and shifted those into Afghanistan. That’s one of the reasons that we’ve been able to support such a large growth in our presence in Afghanistan -- most through our centers, but also through a program called ‘USO2Go,’ where we actually ship pallet loads.”

Gibson said the average “USO2Go” shipment weighs a ton and consists of everything from video games to snack foods.

“They tell us what they need right there at their small combat outpost or small forward operating base, and we ship it out there,” he said. “And it arrives right there. It’s like Christmas when it shows up.”

Gibson said the USO also has created programs to help meet the needs of wounded, ill and injured troops.

“We’ve looked at those that needed us most, focusing on healing heroes and their families and our families of the fallen,” he said. “We’ve begun to build an array of programs that are designed to best meet their needs.” These programs cater to those suffering from invisible wounds as well as physical ones, he added.

“We’ve launched a new public service announcement that really focuses on the invisible wounds of war,” Gibson said. “One of the roles that the USO has played historically is we’ve been kind of a bridge between the American people and their families. So this is another one of those examples where we’re reaching out to the American people to help them understand the challenges that many of our troops and their families are facing right now with these invisible wounds.”

Gibson said it’s a “labor of love” for the USO to create new ways to serve service members and their families while ensuring their needs are met.

“We all care very deeply about what we do,” he said. “I get the opportunity -- I have the privilege -- to spend time with these men and women. I can’t say that I know what they go through, but I certainly have an appreciation for that. And if there’s something that we can do to say ‘Thank you,’ to express our gratitude, that’s really, really important.”

USS Whidbey Island Welcomes Fleet and Family Support Prior to Return to Homeport

2012-01-31T16:25:00.000-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Desiree D. Green, USS Whidbey Island Public Affairs

USS WHIDBEY ISLAND, Atlantic Ocean (NNS) -- Deployed Sailors aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) welcomed representatives from Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Jan. 26-30.

FFSC representatives conducted several classes over the three-day period to assist in the smooth transition from life afloat to life ashore to a crew that has been underway for nearly a year.

"Seeing the Fleet and Family representatives brings the end of deployment into focus for our Sailors," said Whidbey Island Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Kevin Goodrich. "After ten and a half months of operational stress and mission focus, they are finally given the opportunity and the vehicle to start shifting their thoughts to the return and reunion they are about to enjoy. They are very excited to see civilians with news from home; and the enthusiasm Susan and Linda bring is infectious."

Both retired Navy chiefs, representatives Linda Wilkinson and Susan Presnell educated Sailors over a three day period offering both group and one-on-one information sessions. The classes included reunion and intimacy, returning single Sailors, returning to children, single parenting, new parents and money management.

"We are here to provide programs that ease the integration for both the Sailor and their family members," explained Wilkinson. "We offer programs, information, and referral services for self-improvement, counseling, parenting and money matters for the children and all the way up. Our job is to assist the military family in whatever they may need."

Several Whidbey Island service members who attended the briefs agreed that Wilkinson and Presnell were beneficial not only because they provided valuable transitional information, but also because of their personal experiences as former service members.

"They have made me so much more comfortable with going home," said Operations Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Jody Miller, who attended several of the briefs offered. "I could definitely tell they were prior enlisted. The information that they put out was very helpful and they were really understanding of our situation and current state of mind."

Wilkinson agrees that her military background gives her insight on how to approach personnel.

"I have a deep passion for this. I love working with service members," said Wilkinson. "Having both been prior enlisted; I believe it makes us more sensitive and able to relate to what they are going through. I feel like if I can help them help themselves, it improves their quality of life, their careers, their home lives. They are taken care of and that will improve their lives and ultimately, mission readiness."

Many members of the crew agree that after a deployment of this length, outreach from FFSC is important.

"It's good that they came," said Hull Technician Fireman Preston Myatt. "We've been gone so long that for many of us, we need a little bit of help and encouragement being reintroduced to society and our families. I learned a lot and I felt like we could really be ourselves when discussing how we were feeling."

"I think that it's very important that these services are provided to Sailors during deployment. It gives us an idea of what to expect and how things may have changed," said Miller. "My favorite brief was on reunion and intimacy. It covered almost everything and they used skits to re-enact real life situations that we may encounter after our return."

In addition, representatives held briefs on everything from purchasing a new vehicle in Hampton Roads, Va., to current state laws. They also held a baby shower for the new fathers on board.

"It was really special besides being very informative," said Logistics Specialist Seaman Aaron Perry. "I learned a lot of things that I didn't know. I was extremely nervous, but I left the shower feeling much better about handling the challenge of being a first-time dad. I am so thankful that the ship and the representatives cared enough to do that for us."

In total, FFSC representatives held more than 10 classes over a three-day period.

"Fleet and Family Support Centers play a vital role in the Navy by ensuring Sailors and their families have access to the resources necessary to maintain the highest state of personal and family readiness," said Goodrich. "In addition to the seven briefs they offer to returning ships, they offer briefs to the families of returning Sailors and work closely in a supporting capacity with our Ombudsman and Family Readiness Groups."

Neither Presnell nor Wilkinson had worked with a crew deployed for this length of time, and were impressed with the crew's continuing morale.

"The crew has been phenomenal," said Presnell. "From the moment we stepped foot on deck, they made us feel like family. I was expecting some low morale but everyone is in really good spirits. I don't know if it's because they are headed home, but I think it's just an amazing crew."

"We didn't really have to change our approach. The crew has really handled this deployment very well and adapted. They were great," Wilkinson added.

Though many crew members were grateful for having FFSC provide these resources, Presnell and Wilkinson were equally grateful for the opportunity to assist them.

"I am truly humbled to be here," said Presnell. "This crew has done essentially two deployments back to back. I have a ton of respect and I am very grateful for their service. They have been standing the watch for almost an entire year while we have been at home with our families. I am excited for them to return home and I know I speak for both of us when I say that we are glad to have been here to share in their happiness as they finally make their way home to their friends and family. They truly deserve it."

Whidbey Island deployed March 23, 2011 as part of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. The Whidbey Island has spent the past ten and a half months supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

Wisconsin National Guard takes part in virtual conference on diversity

2012-01-31T16:23:00.000-08:00

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs Office

Expanding the scope of diversity beyond race and gender can unlock untapped potential in the Wisconsin National Guard.

This is the message senior Wisconsin National Guard leaders are emphasizing to their troops following the first National Guard Bureau Virtual Diversity Conference - held completely online Jan. 18.

"Diversity is a core value of the Wisconsin National Guard and it directly affects readiness. It extends far beyond race and gender - it is about faith in the future and breaking free of stereotypical thinking," said Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin. "This diversity conference sent a powerful message - our national leadership shares our core values and, by conducting it virtually, we saved significant resources by not having to travel. An excellent event."

1st Lt. Ron Adams, the Wisconsin National Guard diversity officer, said that the "melting pot" concept can suppress diversity and stifle ideas in favor of assimilation.

"Valuing diversity is creating a workplace that respects differences, recognizes unique contributions and maximizes potential," Adams said. "Diversity for the Wisconsin National Guard includes a long-term vision of a workforce that generally reflects the population demographics of the state."

Helping develop that vision is the Wisconsin National Guard's Joint Diversity Council, made up of senior and junior officers and enlisted members reflecting every unit of the Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard.

"In today's environment, leaders at all levels are expected to get the best out of their team," said Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard and co-chair of the Joint Diversity Council. "Understanding the value that each team member brings to the fight is imperative to continued success for our organization.

"How leadership views diversity, so goes the organization," Anderson continued, noting that there is value in different backgrounds, experiences and thought processes. "These collective backgrounds give you more variety of input when addressing an issue."

Brig. Gen. John McCoy, commander of the Wisconsin Air National Guard and co-chair of the Joint Diversity Council, said that diversity cannot be a separate program.

"It is simply who we are," McCoy said. "We are much more effective when we value all of our members. Different perspectives and experiences, when embraced, can drive outstanding results."

Gen. Craig McKinley, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said the goal of the virtual conference was to present to all Citizen-Soldiers, - Airmen and civilians the vision and strategy of Guard leadership in the area of diversity management - and the use of a virtual conference allowed that message to reach a larger audience.

"As your chief of the National Guard Bureau, it is my role to work with your adjutants general to ensure that the National Guard remains a mission-ready force," he said. "Effective diversity management is essential to military readiness and mission accomplishment."

McKinley said steps to improve diversity management throughout the Guard have been taken, one of them being the establishment of the National Guard Bureau Joint Diversity Executive Council.

"The goal of this council," he said, "is to identify and adopt the best practices for recruiting, retaining and developing a very diverse workforce - and sustaining a climate of equality in the National Guard."

"The council adapts these practices from various resources to recommendations that are appropriate to the National Guard's military and civilian structure," said Phyllis Brantley, chief of National Guard diversity and special-emphasis programs.

Some of the accomplishments of the council thus far include a comprehensive diversity policy, a leaders' guide on diversity, resources for state-level Joint Diversity Councils and training and mentoring for state-level JSDCs from NGB staff.

"We as an organization have made significant progress, but much more is needed - especially in our military leadership diversity," McKinley said. "It's a problem with cyclical effects. Through the work of our adjutants general and other National Guard leaders, I am confident that we can move toward a future workforce that more clearly reflects the population of our great nation."

McKinley said accessing and adopting some programs from the civilian sector is one way that the Guard could use to achieve its diversity goals.

"Another step to reaching our goals on diversity and inclusion in the Guard is for each state, territory and the District of Columbia to establish state joint diversity councils and assign a liaison to work with the NGB Joint Diversity Executive Council," he said.

Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall, the National Guard's senior enlisted leader, said in order for the organization to remain relevant, "we must understand diversity and how to strategically capitalize on the strength of our Soldiers, Airmen and civilians."

"Diversity must be recognized as an enhancement of the character of our organization," McKinley said. "Change is never easy, but I remain confident in the Soldiers, Airmen and civilians of the National Guard to get this work done."

Sgt. Darron Salzer of the National Guard Bureau contributed to this report.

Navy Warfare Development Command Plays Critical Role in Bold Alligator 2012

2012-01-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

From Navy Warfare Development Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The Navy Warfare Development Command (NWDC) is playing a critical role in planning, executing and evaluating Bold Alligator 2012 (BA12) across every function of the command and as host facility for key components of exercise leadership and staff supporting U.S. Fleet Forces Command, beginning Jan. 30.

BA12, scheduled to run until Feb. 12, is the largest east coast amphibious exercise conducted by the Navy and Marine Corps in at least the past 10 years. The intent of the exercise is to revitalize Navy and Marine Corps amphibious tactics, techniques and procedures, and reinvigorate its culture of conducting combined operations from the sea at the Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB)/Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG)-level.

NWDC's state-of-the-art Navy Center for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NCAMS) is the site of the BA12 Joint Exercise Control Group (JECG) and the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander (CFMCC) staff.

Vice Adm. David H. Buss, deputy commander, U.S. Fleet Forces and commander, Task Force 20, who will also serve as the CFMCC for the exercise, recently expressed his appreciation for NWDC's role in the exercise. "What happens here are at NWDC will have a profound impact on the future of Navy and Marine Corps interoperability," Buss said.

As the Navy's forward-leaning command directed to develop, test and deliver solutions to the maritime warfighter, NWDC's directorates are contributing to BA12 in several ways.

The Modeling and Simulation (M&S) directorate is operating the technical infrastructure known as the Navy Continuous Training Environment (NCTE) in support of BA12, in addition to hosting the JECG, CFMCC and significant portions of the controlling organization in NCAMS. The M&S directorate also engineered and installed voice communications and simulation networks specifically designed to support BA12's live, virtual and constructive exercise requirements.

For experimentation, the Allied Command and Control experimentation team is providing an updated draft Allied Tactical Memorandum (TACMEMO) to the exercise participants. NWDC will also be supporting data collection efforts to ensure the appropriate capture of observations to best inform the final development of this document. Three ship riders and other NWDC personnel are capturing the data and, upon exercise completion, will distribute a final draft TACMEMO to stakeholders.

BA12 presents an invaluable opportunity for participants, observers, and evaluators to directly and rapidly influence the doctrine review and development process. NWDC Doctrine and Training Integration, has solicited input from BA12 exercise participants, observers and evaluators for potential updates to amphibious operations-related doctrine. Additionally, NWDC Doctrine has put together a ready reference "electronic bookshelf" of relevant amphibious related doctrine for quick reference by BA12 participants and watch standers in NCAMS, utilizing its online Navy Doctrine Library System (NDLS).

NWDC is collecting and analyzing many facets of the exercise both afloat and ashore to help develop lessons learned from BA12 in order to improve the Navy and Marine Corps' amphibious capabilities in the future.

The Navy Warfare Development Command is the Navy's conduit between the fleet and its leaders, directed to develop coherent, creative and timely solutions to operational capability challenges and help move the fleet forward through the 21st Century. Its core competencies; concepts, experimentation, modeling and simulation, information dominance, lessons learned and doctrine, make the command the solutions hub to meet the needs of the maritime warfighter in a challenging global environment.

NECC participates in Bold Alligator

2012-01-31T15:41:00.000-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kay Savarese, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Riverine Group (RIVGRU) 1 will command the Navy's expeditionary forces for Bold Alligator 2012 (BA12), the nation's largest joint forces and multinational amphibious exercise on the East Coast, which began Jan. 30.

RIVGRU-1 is part of the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) that deployed to North Carolina as headquarters for the Navy Expeditionary Force (NEF) supporting BA12.

Units from NECC participating include RIVGRU-1, Riverine Squadrons (RIVRON), Maritime Civil Affairs Team (MCAST), Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command (NEIC), and Expeditionary Training Group (ETG).

"The NEF represents the first live play on the ground and inland waters of North Carolina for Bold Alligator 2012, representing the historic flexibility of maritime services," said Capt. Christopher Halton, the commodore of RIVGRU-1 and commander of NEF.

The NEF provides command and control necessary to integrate NECC into any Navy operation. BA12 provides NECC the opportunity to further refine partnerships for worldwide Navy support, including joint operations and allied forces, extending global partnerships. In the BA12 scenario, the NEF deploys to assist a fictitious host nation.

"The NEF was the first U.S. force placed at the maritime-ground seam to help the host nation's security forces improve their capability and capacity," said Halton. "In addition, the NEF is assisting the host nation with countering insurgent activity, maintaining or developing goodwill in the local populace as well as preparing for the follow-on amphibious landing."

Expeditionary forces operate on or near coastal and waterway areas to execute the six core capabilities of the Maritime Strategy; forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security and humanitarian assistance/disaster response.

"The NEF is extending the United States' 'Blue Water Option' further into the inland waterways and harbors of nations who request help," said Halton. "There is no other Navy force that can operate from a ship or ashore with equal ease and with the same operational capability."

ETG will assist in directing BA12 and evaluate NECC performance to further refine NECC procedures by coordinating synthetic training by utilizing realistic actors and contractors. Expeditionary forces will operate in at least seven different locations throughout the duration of the exercise.

In addition to NECC, units participating in BA12 include the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG), Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), as well as various other ships and units.

BA12 is a live, scenario-driven simulation held off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12. Its purpose is to revitalize Navy and Marine Corps amphibious expeditionary capabilities and to test and strengthen the fundamental roles of amphibious operations by focusing on force readiness and proficiency.

Eight countries will join U.S. forces in the exercise, allowing American service members and coalition partners the opportunity to exercise amphibious operations in a real-world environment.

NECC is a command element and force provider for integrated maritime expeditionary missions, serving as a single functional command for the Navy's expeditionary forces.

J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer to be Featured Speakers at National Conference

2012-01-31T15:36:00.000-08:00

The former U.S. Army Officer and Dancing with the Stars Champ Joins American Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient for Foundations Recovery Network conference to focus on the treatment of service men, women, and their families

NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Foundations Recovery Network announced popular servicemen J.R. Martinez and Dakota Meyer as special guest speakers at the Freedom & Recovery conference in San Diego, CA held April 23-26, 2012. The conference brings together leading experts specializing in the treatment of service men, women, and their families. The event focuses on the unique challenges that these individuals face as well as treatment strategies that prepare them for a return to work and civilian life.

Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meyer will be featured on Tuesday, April 24 and retired U.S. Army soldier and “Dancing with the Stars” champion, J.R. Martinez will be featured on Wednesday, April 25. Both speakers will present their inspiring and motivational stories in the Crown room at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. Each presentation will conclude with an interactive Q&A time. Both Meyer and Martinez hope to bring attention to the various treatment methods available to returning military men and women while also raising the level of awareness of how our military is affected by the circumstances of war and service.

"With domestic challenges at home and active military returning from abroad, our service men and women have unique and profound needs for integrated treatment," says Rob Waggener, CEO of Foundations Recovery Network. “We are honored to offer such high quality speakers who are able to address innovations in treatment for our veterans and first responders.”

A limited number of tickets are available to the public and also for conference attendees. For more information about the conference and to purchase tickets please visit: www.foundationsrecoverynetwork.com

Media placement at conference will be available.

About J.R. Martinez: While many may know him as an actor or from his recent participation on Dancing With the Stars or being named the 2012 Grand Marshal for the Tournament of Roses festivities, J.R. Martinez is also a retired U.S. Army Solider who was deployed to Iraq in 2003. While serving, he sustained burns over 40% of his body after his Humvee crossed a land mine. During his recovery, he spent time visiting and encouraging other patients. Martinez now travels the country sharing his life-changing story and message of resilience and optimism. He has devoted himself to showing others the true value in making the most of every situation. His experience was certainly life changing, but he states it is a change for the better. We are very excited to present the opportunity to spend an evening with J.R. Martinez as he discusses his motivational and inspiring journey.

About Dakota Meyer: This U.S. Marine veteran was recently awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration, by President Obama. He is the third living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War, and the first living United States Marine in 38 years to be so honored. Meyer served in both Iraq and Afghanistan but his most notable efforts occurred in September 2009. During the attack near Ganjgal, with disregard for his own life, Meyer help to evacuate both trapped and wounded soldiers. He insists that he is not a hero and any Marine would do the same thing. Back home, this highly decorated service member has issued a "Challenge to America" to raise an additional $1 Million for the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. As a speaker, he addresses inspiration, motivation, courage, leadership, believing in yourself, and doing what is right.

About Foundations Recovery Network: Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Foundations Recovery Network is one of the premier organizations for treating those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. The FRN family of treatment facilities includes Michael’s House in Palm Springs, Calif.; The Canyon in Malibu, Calif.; La Paloma in Memphis, Tenn. and a full-service outpatient treatment center in Atlanta, Ga. All FRN facilities employ an “integrated treatment” approach, focusing on a dual-diagnosis model for lasting recovery.

Proposal Would Expand Support for Military Caregivers

2012-01-30T15:43:00.000-08:00

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced a series of measures intended to increase the nation’s support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members.

Joined by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and senior military leaders, Obama announced the Labor Department’s proposal to expand military family leave protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

These proposed rules will, in part, enable more military family members to take the time they need to care for their loved ones without fear of career repercussions, the first lady said.

“We want to recognize the extraordinary dedication, sacrifice and service of our nation’s caregivers, not simply with words, but with deeds,” Obama told the audience gathered at the Labor Department here. “These are men and women and children who will do anything for their loved ones, no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the consequences.”

The Labor Department’s proposed expansions of the Family and Medical Leave Act will help more caregivers of troops and veterans tend to their wounded loved ones, Solis explained. FMLA, enacted in 1993, enables eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.

“Many service members come home stressed, ill and injured,” Solis said. “They need attention, care and support from the people that love them the most. And we’ve got an obligation as a nation to make that possible.”

The proposal will, in part:

-- Extend the 26-week unpaid leave entitlement to family members caring for recent veterans with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty, including conditions that may arise up to five years after leaving the military;

-- Allow family members to take time off from work before, during or after a spouse, child or parent’s deployment to tend to service-related matters, such as military briefings or making financial and legal arrangements; and

-- Increase the amount of time an employee may take to spend with a loved one who is on rest or recuperation leave from five days to up to 15 days.

These proposed rules, the first lady noted, will ease family members’ minds as they care for their wounded loved ones. Caregivers will be able to stay near a loved one in a hospital longer, and will be on hand as they transition home – “all without worrying about whether they will lose their job.”

Obama recalled a story of a mom who became caregiver to her Marine son last summer. The Marine had lost the lower part of both of his legs after stepping on a homemade bomb in Afghanistan. Through his recovery, the first lady said, the Marine’s mother was there, feeding him meals and sleeping by his bedside.

Obama recalled what this mom told her: “All I cared about was knowing he was alive. I knew we could figure the rest out.” The FMLA, the first lady noted, gave this caregiver mom the flexibility and time she needed to “figure it out.”

Another caregiver, RyAnne Noss, was on hand to recount her caregiving journey.

Noss’ husband, Army Sgt. 1st Class Scott Noss, was injured in February 2007 when the Chinook helicopter he was riding in crashed in the mountains of southern Afghanistan. He was on his eighth deployment.

Of the 14 survivors, he was injured the worst, Noss said, suffering a severe traumatic brain injury that left him mentally conscious but semi-comatose.

Noss, who was pursuing a doctorate degree in chemical engineering at the time, dropped everything to be by his side. He was 100 percent dependent on her, she noted. She fed him, administered his medications and became an advocate for his care. “Along the way,” Noss noted, “I learned how important it was to take care of myself.”

With the support of family and friends, Noss completed her degree at Auburn University. The couple is now home in Alabama, she said.

“I’m proud to have been by Scott’s side through his rehabilitation and proud to have him home now with me where he continues to require around-the-clock care,” she said. “I’m proud to be my husband’s caregiver.”

Noss lauded the measures under way to help caregivers like her. “Today is a great day for every caregiver,” she said. “These announcements from the Department of Labor will help us all to insert some more stability and certainty into our lives, and I can tell you from personal experience, we appreciate all the help. Every little bit counts.”

The Labor Department’s proposal is just a few of many steps the Obama administration is taking to support caregivers, the first lady noted, citing legislation the president signed to help caregivers receive stipends, training, counseling and other assistance. The Defense and Labor departments also have strengthened their caregiver support, she said, working together to support caregivers whose loved ones are dealing with TBIs and post-traumatic stress.

Additionally, she added, the VA has helped caregivers receive health insurance and helps connect them with support coordinators who can direct them to resources.

But the government can’t do it alone, she said, citing examples of how other individuals and organizations are stepping up to help.

Building on successful pilot programs at Fort Belvoir, Va., and Fort Carson, Colo., the USO, Hire Heroes USA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce plan to host 14 career opportunity days focused on the employment of wounded, ill and injured warriors, their spouses and caregivers.

The Chamber of Commerce’s new Military Spouse Business Alliance has committed to hosting a career forum and hiring fair exclusively for wounded warriors, their spouses and caregivers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., in May.

Finally, Operation Homefront and the Semper Fi Fund, both nonprofit organizations, have added volunteer opportunities that support caregivers and their families to the Joining Forces website.

Americans have an obligation to serve service members and their families as well as they’ve served the nation, the first lady noted.

This need for support, Obama said, is what spurred her and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, to launch the Joining Forces initiative last year. The campaign aims to raise awareness of military families and to rally the nation around them.

“I hope everyone in this country will ask themselves one simple question,” she said, ‘What can I do to support these great military families who have given us all so much.’ That’s the one question we all need to ask.”

Obama said she hopes service members, veterans and their families feel the love and support of their nation. And if they haven’t felt it yet, “I promise you that it’s coming, that I promise you.

“We are going to work every day until every last one of you feels the pride and the honor that this entire country feels,” she said. “As long as we all just keep joining forces to support these amazing families, we will be able to serve all of you as well as you've served us.”

Safety Officers Offer Cold-weather Tips

2012-01-30T15:40:00.000-08:00

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – Despite an unseasonably mild winter for much of the United States, military safety officials offer a reminder that Old Man Winter still has two months to go as they underscore the importance of winter safety for service members and their families.

“The month of February often packs a big winter punch, and it’s not too late to prepare,” advised April Phillips, public affairs director for the U.S. Naval Safety Center in Norfolk, Va.

The Naval Safety Center, U.S. Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center at Fort Rucker, Ala., and U.S. Air Force Safety Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., all kicked off winter safety campaigns in the fall, emphasizing that winter conditions require special precautions -- both on and off duty.

They’re increasingly using social media and blogs among other outreach tools to raise awareness and provide tips on everything from how to drive in hazardous blizzard conditions to how to shovel heavy snow.

For example, in addition to advising commanders to build and manage quality winter safety programs for their units, the

Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center also promoted a “Take 5” message that promotes safety awareness to families and Army civilians as well.

It encourages members of the Army community to “Take 5” -- that’s five minutes, five seconds or more or fewer as necessary -- to think situations through to make the right safety decisions, explained Army Brig. Gen. William T. Wolf, the Army center director, in his message to the field.

That brief pause, he said, can make a difference in preventing accidental death and injury.

“Colder months present unique challenges for keeping our soldiers and their family members safe,” Wolf noted. “By working together, we can reduce the risk in all fall and winter activities. Make a plan [and] get the right gear.”

Driving in icy, snowy and dark conditions is among the most dangerous winter activities. Phillips reported, for example, that seven of the nine sailors and Marines killed in off-duty accidents from Dec. 1 to Jan. 19 were involved in motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents.

A Naval Safety Center fact sheet, “Winter, Your Car, and You,” urges service members to ensure their personally owned vehicles are in shape for winter by inspecting the battery, ignition, brakes, wiring, hoses and fan belts; changing and adjusting the spark plugs, ensuring tires have adequate tread; and checking the antifreeze level.

Navy safety officials also recommended keeping a winter survival kit in the trunk, with essential supplies including a working flashlight and spare batteries, first-aid kit, ice scraper and snow brush, blankets and nonperishable, high-energy foods such as nuts and granola bars.

Few military bases in the United States have winter safety awareness programs as active as the one at Joint Base Elmendorf-Fort Richardson, Alaska -- a state that’s been buried in record snowfalls this winter.

Commanders there put out regular guidance to ensure their military members and families are prepared to deal with deep snow, ice, frigid cold and long hours of darkness, said media relations officer Chuck Canterbury.

Among guidance they provide is to wear several layers of clothing for warmth, drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, keep vehicles stocked with emergency items and make sure school children’s clothing has glow-in-the-dark markings when they walk in winter darkness to and from the on-base school, he said.

The message appears to be resonating with the military community as people look out for each other, Canterbury said. So far this winter, no off-duty fatalities have been reported.

“Service members use the buddy system,” he said. “By [observing] your buddy, you can keep him safe from frostbite and other cold weather dangers.”

According to officials at the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, being able to recognize these dangers is the key to avoid cold-weather injuries. They offer these descriptions of the most common cold-weather injuries:

-- Frostbite. Frostbite is the freezing of skin tissue that can extend through all layers of the skin and freeze muscle and bone. Frozen skin may turn red and then gray-blue with blisters. In the worst cases, the skin dies and turns blue-black, often requiring amputation. Deep frozen skin feels “wooden” to the touch, with zero mobility of the affected body part. Instantaneous frostbite can occur when skin comes into contact with super-cooled liquids including petroleum, oils and lubricants, antifreeze and alcohol, all of which remain liquid at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

-- Frostnip. Frostnip is the freezing of the top layers of the skin and is considered the first degree of frostbite. Frostnip usually results from short-duration exposure to cold air or contact with a cold object, such as metal. Exposed skin such as the cheeks, ears, fingers and wrists are more likely to develop frostnip.

-- Chilblains. Chilblains is a nonfreezing cold injury that results from repeated, prolonged skin exposure to cold and wet temperatures above freezing. Exposed skin becomes red, tender and hot to the touch and is usually itchy. These symptoms can worsen to an aching, “pins-and-needles” sensation, then numbness. Chilblains can develop in exposed skin in only a few hours. The most commonly affected areas are the ears, nose, fingers and toes.

-- Immersion foot/trench foot. Immersion foot is a nonfreezing injury that results from prolonged exposure to wet conditions between 32 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, or inactivity with damp socks and boots. Immersing feet in cold water, infrequent socks changing, poor hygiene and allowing sweat to accumulate in boots or gloves will soften the skin, causing tissue loss and often infection.

-- Hypothermia. Hypothermia is a potentially life-threatening condition that involves cooling of the body’s core temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Hypothermia occurs when body heat loss exceeds heat production due to prolonged cold exposure. Although hypothermia usually is associated with cold climates, it can occur at temperatures well above freezing, especially when a person is exposed to wet conditions for an extended period of time.

-- Dehydration. Dehydration, most commonly associated with hot weather, is a lack of water in the body. Less understood is that it’s also easy to become dehydrated in cold weather, when many people fail to drink enough liquids and underestimate fluid loss from sweating. Proper hydration is especially important in cold weather because dehydration adversely affects the body’s resistance to the cold, increasing the chance of injury.

Meanwhile, Army safety officials share these American Automobile Association tips for safe winter driving:

-- Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly is the best method for maintaining traction and avoiding skids. Also, gradually slow down for stoplights. Remember, it takes longer to slow down on icy roads.

-- Drive slowly. Everything, whether it’s accelerating, stopping or turning, takes longer on snow-covered roads than on dry pavement. Increase your following distance to eight to 10 seconds to provide more room to stop.

-- Know your brakes. Whether or not you have antilock brakes, the best way to stop is threshold braking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.

-- Don't stop if you can avoid it. It’s a lot harder to overcome the inertia of a stopped vehicle than one that is still slowly rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.

-- Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let it carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.

-- Don't stop while going uphill. There are few things more difficult than trying to get moving uphill on an icy road.

-- If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

The Air Force Safety Center also offers guidance during cold-weather recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, snow-shoeing, ice hockey, snowmobiling and ice skating:

-- Wear sunglasses. Sun reflecting off of snow can sunburn the whites of one's eyes. It's painful and unattractive, in addition to being bad for eye health. Be sure to wear sunglasses, even on partly cloudy days, if you're spending time around snow.

-- Wear sunscreen. The sun reflecting off the snow can cause wicked sunburn.

-- Drink water. Winter sports can be dehydrating, but the lack of heat often causes people to forget to drink enough, which can lead to nausea and faintness. Sufficient water can also help to adjust to higher altitudes.

-- Wear recommended safety gear. Research your activity and follow the recommended guidelines for safety gear. Helmets, pads, eye wear, and more are all worth it.

-- Maintain communication. Groups can be easily separated at ski resorts and in the mountains, so be sure to carry cell phones and walkie-talkies to stay in touch. Remember that cell coverage can be spotty to nonexistent in the places skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and snowmobilers love, so bring a back up form of communication to keep from getting separated from your group.

-- Adjust to the altitude. If you're coming from a lower altitude to a higher one, be careful to listen to your body. Don't overdo it, and be sure to get plenty of water and rest. If you don't have time to gently adjust for a day or two after arriving in high altitude, then take plenty of breaks and listen carefully to your body.

(Donna Miles of American Forces Press Service contributed to this article.)

Orientation flight links golfers, National Guard Airmen

2012-01-30T13:17:00.000-08:00

By Capt. John P. Capra
128th Air Refueling Wing

PGA golfers Jerry Kelly and Steve Stricker joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing on an orientation flight in Milwaukee Wednesday (Jan. 25).

The Madison-based professional golfers took part in a program that allows civic leaders to observe the mission and better understand the role of the Air National Guard.

"This is one of those experiences where we get to see, you know, the true heroes," Kelly said.

The golfers' experiences on base began with a unit mission briefing, which explained the role of the Wisconsin National Guard and the Guard's dual mission serving both state and nation.

The two-and-a-half-hour sortie departed Mitchell Field early Wednesday morning and flew to a military operating area in northwestern Iowa where the KC-135R Stratotanker hooked up with two F-16C Falcons and engaged in aerial refueling.

"We'll offload about two thousand pounds of fuel in just a few minutes," said Master Sgt. Peter Gauerke, a KC-135R boom operator.

The flight provided valuable training for both Stratotanker and Falcon crewmembers in conducting safe aerial refueling missions.

"It's a force multiplier," Gauerke said. "It allows the fighters to double, even triple, the amount of time they can stay in the air and train, making for a very valuable training experience."

After landing, Kelly and Stricker spent time with the Airmen, who discussed their careers and deployments. Airmen carried cameras to capture the golfers' visit with the 128th.

"It was great to meet the Airmen today," Stricker said. "We thank everybody here and across the country for what they do for us, like I say, to live freely on a daily basis. It doesn't come free, and we know that."

Reserves Critical to U.S. Military Capabilities, Petraeus Says

2012-01-30T13:07:00.000-08:00

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – The reserve components are an integral part of the military in ways that Cold War planners could not have imagined, retired Army Gen. David H. Petraeus said at a Reserve Officers Association meeting here today.

The association inducted Petraeus, now CIA director, into its Minuteman Hall of Fame. Petraeus thanked the group, and said he accepts the honor on behalf of the men and women who so bravely served and sacrificed under his command in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Petraeus said the reserve components are more than the strategic reserve envisioned during the Cold War and have become an essential part of the U.S. military.

“Without our citizen-soldiers, our armed forces simply could not fully carry out America’s global commitments to keep our nation secure,” he said.

Reservists bring warrior and civilians skills to the fight, Petraeus said. “That combination has been particularly important in the complex environments we’ve been facing in the past decade,” he added.

Iraq and Afghanistan required more than just being warriors, he noted. “They needed diplomats, builders, trainers, advisors, service providers, economic developers and mediators,” he said. “Citizen-soldiers have performed these diverse tasks in particularly impressive fashion, and in so doing, they have demonstrated the unique edge, the unique quality that they bring to every military endeavor.”

The experiences that reservists bring from civilian life are particularly helpful in a counterinsurgency environment, Petraeus said, because they are used to working in a community to accomplish things. For example, he added, their civilian jobs make it possible for them to advise a nascent city council on how to set up departments. Also, he said, reservists serve as firefighters in their home communities can advise the best way to set up a fire department and how to train the people.

Petraeus recalled when he was appointed to head the training effort for the Iraqi military and police in 2004. “This was a particularly daunting task -- one that we described as building the world’s biggest aircraft, while in flight, while it’s being designed and while it’s being shot at,” he said.

Petraeus also had to build the Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq. There was no existing headquarters for it, he said. “So we turned to the 98th Division (Institutional Training) and its more than 3,000 reservists based mostly in the northeastern United States,” he said, noting almost 1,000 members of the 98th, set up the headquarters and mentored Iraqi soldiers and police that first year.

Army Cpl. Eric DeHart is another example of reserve adaptability, the general said. DeHart, an Army Reserve engineer from Wisconsin, invented a device placed in culverts in Afghanistan that allowed water and debris to flow, but didn’t allow enemy fighters to plant improvised explosive devices.

“He even wrote a field manual on how to use it,” said Petraeus, noting that the device is still being used today and has saved countless lives.

Another reservist, Army Master Sgt. Juanita Milligan, is the mother of three and has deployed to Iraq twice. “She was gravely wounded during her second deployment to Iraq, when an improvised explosive device blasted into her Humvee,” the general said. “Seeing the bomb a split-second before it exploded, she jumped across the vehicle to pull her gunner out of the hatch and inside. He was OK, but she sustained severe injuries, including shrapnel throughout her body, the loss of part of her right arm and her femur broken in three places.”

Milligan went through numerous surgeries, therapy and the pain associated with regaining use of her hands. “Master Sergeant Milligan defines the selfless dedication of our citizen-soldiers -- a mother who twice answered the call to military duty, leaving family friends and community,” Petraeus said.

Some 385,000 reserve-component service members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, with 30,000 reservists serving today. Since 1990, reservists has been called to serve in every contingency the United States has been involved in, from humanitarian missions and disaster relief to all-out war, Petraeus said.

“Today, reservists serve in more than 70 countries, demonstrating that our citizen-soldiers are not only a strategic reserve, but a key component of our operational forces,” he added.

Panetta Asks Egypt to Lift U.S. Citizen Travel Ban

2012-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – In a weekend call to Egyptian Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta applauded recent elections, asked him to help in lifting a travel ban on U.S. citizens and expressed concern over restrictions on nongovernmental organizations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said this morning.

The secretary also reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Egypt military relationship and congratulated the Egyptian people on completing the People’s Assembly elections and on a safe and successful Jan. 25 anniversary observance of the popular uprising against the regime of long-time leader Hosni Mubarak.

Tantawi is chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the military group that took power Feb. 11 in the wake of the revolt.

“In a discussion covering a range of topics,” Little said, “the secretary asked that Field Marshal Tantawi take steps to lift the travel ban on American citizens wishing to leave Egypt, and expressed concern over restrictions placed on [nongovernmental organizations] operating in Egypt.”

At the State Department on Jan. 26, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said several U.S. citizens working at some international nongovernmental organizations in Cairo “have been questioned by judges in Egypt and … are currently not being allowed to depart Egypt in connection with the government’s investigation of NGOs.”

The State Department, she added, is “working on four or five specific cases at the moment of folks who have tried to leave [Egypt] and have had difficulties,” including some who have gone to the airport and not been allowed to board aircraft.

“We are urging the government of Egypt to lift these restrictions immediately and allow folks to come home as soon as possible,” Nuland said, “and we are hopeful that this issue [soon] will be resolved.”

She declined to name the U.S. citizens, but said their passports had not been confiscated and they were “not in jail or otherwise detained.”

The problems with international and Egyptian nongovernmental organizations began in December, when Egyptian police raided the organizations, confiscating property and interrogating staff members, she said.

“On a daily basis, our embassy is working with the Egyptian government,” Nuland said, adding that the issue has been raised at the presidential level and that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has been “very actively engaged.”

On Jan. 20, President Barack Obama called Tantawi to reaffirm the close partnership between the United States and Egypt and to underscore U.S. support for Egypt's transition to democracy.

During the call, White House officials said, Obama reinforced the need to uphold universal principles and emphasized the important role that civil society, including nongovernmental organizations, have in a democratic society.

Obama underscored that nongovernmental organizations should be able to operate freely.

This is not just about nongovernmental organizations, the State Department spokeswoman said. “It’s also about the right of Egyptians and Egyptian civil society to operate freely and to support their democratic process through nongovernmental organizations.”

Nuland added, “We need to keep working on this and keep raising it until it’s fixed.”

Program Supports Ready Reserve Soldiers, Families

2012-01-30T12:44:00.001-08:00

By Megan Doyle
Army National Guard

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 30, 2012 – The Army Reserve, the Army Human Resources Command and the Army National Guard have joined to provide Individual Ready Reserve soldiers and their families a way to connect with the military community.

By affiliating Individual Ready Reserve soldiers and their families with a local reserve-component unit, the IRR Affiliation Program creates a support network intended to improve readiness and encourage soldiers with valuable skills to continue their service, officials said.

After the Army Reserve initiated the program, Army Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr., director of the Army National Guard, recognized its value and committed the Army Guard as a partner, bringing connections to hundreds of units through armories and family programs in communities nationwide.

“[The IRR Affiliation Program] is a total support network, and the [Army National Guard] wanted to be a part of it to ensure that soldiers and their families are connected to the Army family,” said John Schmidt, a program lead from the Army Guard’s personnel policy division.

A pilot program in several states determined the IRR Affiliation Program’s potential benefits, as well as the impact on each unit's full-time staff and necessary changes to regulations, policies and systems. The five-month test connected more than 4,000 Individual Ready Reserve soldiers with local Army National Guard units.

The pilot program revealed that the program required minimal additional work for states, units, and local commands, because it provides access to networks and resources that already are in place, officials said.

“Most Guard units have a support network already built,” explained Gregory Heffner, a program lead. “The program is simply about maintaining a connection -- it is more of a referral program. If a soldier has an issue, hopefully, they will pick up the phone.”

Army Guard officials announced Jan. 26 that the IRR Affiliation Program will expand nationwide and encouraged all states and territories to participate.

“The director of the Army National Guard recognized that these soldiers are an important part of the Army family,” Schmidt said. “From when the soldier joins the Army on the first day to their eight year re-up, we are going to keep them in touch with the Army family.”

Through the program, soldiers can establish and maintain communications with their affiliated unit, which will be within 50 miles or 90 minutes of travel from their home of record. Soldiers and their families can participate in unit activities and access information and services such as medical readiness resources, employment programs, career counseling, state government and Veterans Affairs information, and family readiness services.

Affiliated soldiers continue to be assigned to Human Resources Command and are not assigned to the National Guard or the Army Reserve, officials said. Individual Ready Reserve soldiers may still receive orders to muster from Human Resources Command, they added, but are not required to participate in any activities, including training, with their affiliated unit.

Also, officials said, soldiers are not required to maintain contact with their affiliated unit. Soldiers who choose not to participate in any events will be required to acknowledge their awareness of the program, their affiliation with a reserve-component unit and their understanding that resources and support always will be available to them while assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve.

“The intent is to have every armory participating, and the expansion of the program will ensure that each soldier has access to a local community,” Heffner said. “We want them to be able to walk into their local armory and ask questions.”

The IRR Affiliation Program connects soldiers with the Army family, and “is their first stop to gain access to services that are their privilege and their right,” Schmidt said.

Bounty Hunters Maintainers Keep Lincoln's Jets in the Air

2012-01-30T12:15:00.000-08:00

By Lt. Mitch Cole, Strike Fighter Squadron 2 Public Affairs

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, At Sea (NNS) -- The Sailors of the maintenance department of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2, have kept the squadron's jets in full mission capable status throughout the deployment which paid off as they flew training operations in the Arabian Gulf Jan. 28, said the saquadron's mainenance officer.

VFA-2, the "Bounty Hunters," is one of nine squadrons in Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, embarked on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), which as a whole is preparing for flight operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).

"During the transit, VFA-2's maintenance team continued to groom the jets for operations in any area of responsibility to support major combat operations by maintaining their assets in full mission capable status," said Lt. Cmdr. Rich Silva, the squadron's maintenance officer.

After the transit to the 5th Fleet AOR, CVW-2 began a full cycle of flight days. The maintenance team met new challenges with full back-to-back fly days, which put a lot of stress on the aircraft. Despite the demands, VFA-2's maintenance team worked hard to keep the aircraft in flying condition.

"The entire maintenance department really stepped up providing quick turnarounds between flights to address maintenance issues discovered in flight," said Senior Chief Aviation Machinist's Mate Richard Landweer, the Bounty Hunters' Maintenance Control Leading Chief Petty Officer.

Lincoln and CVW-2 are part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ALCSG), which also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and embarked Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9 its ships including guided-missile destroyers USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Sterett (DDG 104). ALCSG is deployed to the 5th Fleet AOR conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of OEF.

Flournoy Discusses State of World as She Leaves Office

2012-01-30T12:13:00.000-08:00

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – The day Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden was also a long and tense day for Michele Flournoy, the undersecretary of defense for policy.

She was at the White House on May 2 helping then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates make calls to foreign civilian and military leaders. She was among the first to know that the joint special operations mission deep in Pakistan had been successful.

Late that night after President Barack Obama’s announcement that justice had caught up with the 9-11 planner, Flournoy walked out of the White House. “I didn’t know that people had spontaneously gathered outside,” she said. “I could hear them singing but not identify it at first. Then I recognized the ‘Star-Spangled Banner.’ It was an incredible moment.”

Flournoy will leave office this week after serving during three years of incredible change for the department and the world. The president has nominated James Miller, the current principle deputy at the office, to succeed her.

When Flournoy came into office there were still more than 100,000 troops in Iraq and violence was growing in Afghanistan. There was a plan in place to end U.S. involvement in Iraq and a question mark about what to do in Afghanistan.

The bin Laden raid marked a high point for the world in the war on terrorists. Flournoy credits President Barack Obama’s leadership for being key to success. “This was not a slam dunk in terms of an easy judgment call,” she said. “This was something that frankly he had some very senior advisors telling him not to do. He took a calculated risk, but at the end of the day it was an extremely strong decision, and one that meant a lot symbolically in the fight against al-Qaida.”

Flournoy is happy with the progress made against this deadly terror group, but “it’s a project we’re not finished with yet,” she said. “We should be particularly grateful for the contributions of our special operations and intelligence forces.”

The U.S. military left Iraq at the end of 2011, and after a surge of 33,000 American troops into Afghanistan, there is enough progress that a drawdown has begun there.

Some talking heads have said the U.S. military is now in decline, a premise with which Flournoy strongly disagrees. “This is not a military in decline,” she said. “It’s hard to remember a time when the U.S. had more capability, more professional expertise, more people who were battle-tested at the pinnacle of their profession of arms.”

It is only natural, she said, that as one war ends and another draws down that military officials are contemplating a smaller force. “We grew the force to accommodate these two large ground wars,” Flournoy said. “It’s only expected you would examine this drawdown over time.”

Flournoy cited two of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s guidelines for the new defense strategy. The first was at the end of the process, America would still have the most powerful military in the world. “Second, he said he wanted to learn the lessons of previous drawdowns,” she said.

Previous drawdowns resulted in a hollow force -- meaning typically too much force structure and sacrifices to training, modernization and readiness. “So the force looks good on paper, but it’s not what the country really needs,” she said. “We’ve looked that risk in the eye and we’re doing everything we can to be mindful and avoid a hollow force this time.”

Many service members see the policy position as one that doesn’t have any impact on their lives; however, “policy first and foremost really affects where we focus our attention as an instrument of national policy,” the undersecretary said. “It affects where we’re going in Afghanistan and what we commit to there, [and] our broader global sense of priorities.”

Obama announced a new defense strategy earlier this month that talks about re-balancing the U.S. military to put greater emphasis on Asia. “That, long term, is going to affect the lives of service members as more and more of them will be asked to serve in Asia in support of building partner capacity there, enhancing deterrence, reassuring allies and so forth,” Flournoy said.

Asia is becoming more important to America, she said, noting Asian markets and suppliers drive the U.S. economy. “With the end of the war in Iraq, we have more ‘bandwidth’ to focus on the future. Obviously we will do what we need to to prevail in Afghanistan, but as we think more and more about the future we see both the challenges and opportunities arising out of Asia.”

The rise of China and India as world powers reinforces the trend, but the United States must cultivate other nations in Southeast Asia, Flournoy said. Also important, she noted, is the continued and deep alliances with Japan and South Korea.

“The United States is a Pacific power and has always played a unique role in underwriting the security under which all that dynamism and economic growth has been based,” Flournoy said.

But could Asia remain stable without the United States? “It’s hard to imagine that with so much competition and periods of great tension and even conflict,” she said. “It is something that even countries that are not our allies -- like China and other countries in the region -- all tend to acknowledge that the United States plays a stabilizing influence and they don’t want us to leave.”

The Middle East and Central Asia remain areas of turmoil, but Flournoy feels good about the responsible conclusion in Iraq. “We’ve set Iraq up to be a stable and sovereign and self-reliant country,” she said, “and we’ve set ourselves up to have a very robust security relationship with them going forward.

“And I think we’ve turned around the strategy in Afghanistan,” she continued. “I think there has been a lot of progress there. For the first time in five years, violence is down in Afghanistan.” For the first time in years, the United States has “a shot” at achieving its goals, she added.

The NATO operation to protect civilians in Libya from Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is a good model for the future, Flournoy noted. The U.S. military played a limited role focused on the unique capabilities that the American military possesses, such as air-to-air refueling; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets; and command–and-control infrastructure.

The United States had important interests, but they were not vital in the country. Other nations had far more at stake. “I actually think this is an interesting model for the future, particularly as we have greater success in building partner and allied capacity and others are capable of stepping in to take a leadership role,” she said.

The actions over Libya and in Afghanistan prove that NATO is an active and vibrant alliance, Flournoy noted. “The question for NATO is as these economic pressures increase on our European allies, how are they going to manage their own defense enterprise? How are they going to keep investing in defense capabilities that enable them to keep contributing to the future?”

NATO needs to take stock of the assets within the alliance and find a smarter and cheaper way to provide capabilities. “How do we leverage each others’ strengths?” she asked. “How do we mitigate the shortfalls that we experience? We need to put our minds together to ensure the sum of the contributions is greater than the ‘eaches.’”

Flournoy saw increased emphasis on cybersecurity and expects operations in cyberspace to become more important in the years to come. Her office gets involved because the domain is so new, and experts are puzzling over what constitutes an attack. What constitutes an act of war? What is an appropriate response?

This past year saw the Arab Awakening and Flournoy sees it as both a challenge and an opportunity. “It’s a number of countries trying to embrace the ideals that have defined the United States since its founding -- democracy, rule of law, open dialogue, a vibrant public square,” she said.

“The challenge comes because this is happening in areas where the societies have really been oppressed so there haven’t been conditions for the development of political parties, free and fair elections and debate and so forth,” she said.

Right now, some of the parties best positioned to exploit the opportunities “are not the most representative or most democratic,” she said. “Long term, I think this will prove to be a positive development in this part of the world.”

After three years of a frenetic pace, Flournoy will take some time to get re-acquainted with her family. But she will miss the job, she said.

“I’ve had the good fortune to work with two extraordinary secretaries of defense, a wonderful team of military counterparts and the chance to interact with the extraordinary men and women who service in uniform,” she said. “In my trips to Afghanistan and Iraq and other operational areas, I was just consistently bowled over by the quality of the people and their dedication to the mission.”

Recovery Mission to Begin This Spring in North Korea

2012-01-29T16:23:00.000-08:00

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Members of the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command are preparing for their first mission to North Korea in seven years to search for remains of missing U.S. Korean War veterans, a defense official reported.

The mission, expected to begin this spring, will bring together U.S. and North Korean military members for the humanitarian mission, said Air Force Maj. Carie Parker, a spokeswoman for the Defense Department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office here.

U.S. teams will work in two areas in North Korea: Unsan County, about 60 miles north of Pyongyang, and near the Chosin/Jangjin Reservoir, where more than 2,000 soldiers and Marines are believed to be missing, Parker said.

Of approximately 83,000 Americans missing from all conflicts, 7,967 are from the Korean War, she said. Of those MIAs, 5,500 are believed to be in North Korea.

U.S. specialists from the Joint POW/MIA Command had conducted operations in North Korea for 10 years, recovering remains believed to be more than 225 servicemen since 1996. However, the United States halted those operations in 2005 due to increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

U.S. and North Korean officials agreed following three days of talks in Bangkok last October to resume the recovery missions, Parker said.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Robert J. Newberry led the U.S. negotiating team, which included representatives from DOD, the State Department, U.S. Pacific Command and United Nations Command-Korea.

Their agreement with the North Koreans includes details on logistics and other issues to ensure effective, safe operations for U.S. recovery teams operating in North Korea, Parker said.

Based on this plan, North Korean soldiers are expected to begin preparing the two sites that will serve as base camps for the operations.

A small advanced team from JPAC will then travel to North Korea to assess the sites, evaluate the conditions and determine what other preparations are needed before a full recovery team deploys there, probably in the late spring timeframe.

The recovery is considered a humanitarian mission, and North Korean military will assist with logistics, support and security, Parker said.

“They understand the importance of this mission,” she said, emphasizing that the mission is not tied to any other issues between the two countries.

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command has the sole mission of achieving the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of the nation’s past conflicts, command officials explained.

In support of that mission, the command sends teams that include forensic anthropologists, forensic archeologists and scientific directors to potential crash and burial sites around the world.

Once remains or other personal artifacts such as dogtags are repatriated to JPAC’s headquarters in Hawaii, experts at the command’s Central Identification Laboratory -- the world’s largest forensic anthropology lab -- use the most advanced science available to match them to a specific missing service member. Among the tools they use is mitochondrial DNA, which includes unique signatures from the maternal line and helps the JPAC staff make identifications once not considered possible.

These capabilities, plus support provided by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory in Rockville, Md., has enabled JPAC to identify 94 missing service members from Vietnam, Korea and World War II since January 2011, Parker reported.

Of those, 44 were from the Korean War, including five who were accounted for this month.

One, to be buried today with full military honors in Somerton, Pa., is Army Pfc. George A. Porter. The 21-year-old Philadelphian went missing Feb. 11, 1950, when he and his Battery B, 15th Field Artillery Battalion comrades were supporting South Korean forces in a major offensive near Hoengsong, South Korea.

Porter and more than 100 men were taken prisoner when Chinese forces attacked in what has become known as the Hoengsong Massacre. He was never accounted for following the war, officials said.

Between 1991 and 1994, North Korea gave the United States 208 boxes of human remains believed to be those of 200 and 400 U.S. servicemen. North Korean documents, turned over with some of the boxes, indicated that some of the remains were recovered in Suan

County. That, officials said, was the location of the Suan Mining and Bean camps, where Porter was believed to have been held.

A metal identification tag bearing Porter’s name was included among the remains, they reported.

Scientists from the JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used forensic identification tools, circumstantial evidence and mitochondrial DNA that matched that of Porter’s sister and nephew to make an official identification. DOD announced the identification Jan. 23.

Other previously missing Korean War veterans accounted for this month were:

• Army Pfc. Frank P. Jennings. He was lost near Jeon-Gog, South Korea, on April 25, 1951, while serving with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. Jennings was accounted for on Jan. 18.

• Army Sgt. 1st Class Edris A. Viers. He was lost near Pongam-ni, South Korea, on Aug. 12, 1950, while serving with Battery A, 555th Field Artillery Battalion, 5th Regimental Combat Team. Viers was accounted for on Jan. 17.

• Army Cpl. William R. Sluss. He was serving with Service Battery, 38th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, near Kuni-ri, North Korea, when he was captured by enemy forces in late November 1950. Sluss died at POW Camp 5 in April 1951 and was accounted for on Jan. 17.

• Army Cpl. Chester J. Roper. The Battery A, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, soldier was captured by enemy forces on Dec. 1, 1950, near Somindong, North Korea, and died in early 1951 in POW Camp 5 at Pyoktong. He was accounted for on Jan. 4.

USS James E. Williams Flexes Undersea Warfare Capabilities

2012-01-29T16:20:00.000-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel J. Meshel, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs

USS JAMES E. WILLIAMS, At Sea (NNS) -- Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) is participating in an integrated anti-submarine course (IAC) to certify Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2) during an ongoing composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) with the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, Jan. 26.

IAC is a series of exercises designed to effectively integrate all the surface and air assets involved in protecting aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in a strike group setting. The successful completion of the exercises will certify DESRON 2 for the squadron's upcoming deployment.

"For our strike group, the high-value unit is the [Enterprise]," said Sonar Technician Chief George H. Hudson, USS James E. Williams leading sonar technician. "Whenever the carrier is engaged in operations, we position other units around the ship to protect it from attack."

"The Enterprise is a mobile air force and the cornerstone of our Navy," said Ensign Bryan D. Crosby, USS James E. Williams anti-submarine officer. "If we are incapable of protecting the Enterprise, which has hundreds of assets on board and thousands of people, then our forward presence is hindered."

Anti-submarine warfare encompasses a wide-range of tactical responses to potential undersea threats necessary in neutralizing hostile submarines, mines, and other dangers to protect high-value units and freedom of the seas.

"Submarines can block choke points and make commercial shipping near impossible," said Crosby. "They can also lay mines and render once navigable waters hostile."

Submarine stalking; engagements; and emergency maneuvers and evasions, are a few of the scenarios within IAC. These exercises provide an opportunity for participating ships to flex their warfare capabilities through an integrated perspective.

"Integration is always a challenge," said Crosby. "We all work for the strike group commander. He delegates his powers to a lot of other people. And it takes a lot of other intelligent people to get the job done."

Destroyers can be sent to operate autonomously by directive of the strike group commander. They can be designated a search and attack unit responsible for breaking away from the strike group for early detection of submarines.

Using combat acoustics, which is simply sound in water, destroyers are capable of detecting and analyzing surface and undersea contacts using sound, navigation and ranging (SONAR). These contacts can vary from marine animals to submarines.

"We man watches 24 hours a day," said Hudson. "We keep a surface picture of contacts that we actively track on our screens."

Hudson and Crosby also act as evaluators who are responsible for tactically employing SONAR to find threats. When a threat is found they place the ship or ships in their control into the most opportune environment to prosecute the threat.

"At any given time one ship can be in tactical control of several different ships and aircraft," said Crosby. "You're trying to utilize your assets to the utmost of their ability and extent."

While the goal of the exercise is to grant DESRON 2 operational certification, the exercise affords all vessels of the strike group to not only refine established skills, but to learn from any mistakes so they can operate at peak performance when deployed.

"We have 11 carriers," said Crosby. "We always want to keep 11 carriers so that we can be anywhere in the world in a moment's notice and deter any foreign aggression against friendly forces."

For news regarding USS Enterprise or the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, visit www.enterprise.navy.mil or the USS Enterprise Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USS.Enterprise.CVN.65 and follow us on Twitter @TheCVN65.

Family Matters Blog: Taking Care of Pets While Deployed

2012-01-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

By Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – Although the wars are drawing down, the deployment schedules for our men and women in uniform aren’t easing up. Troops continue to meet multiple operational needs, such as theater security exercises with partner nations, Navy ship cruises and other training requirements.

Many military pet parents struggle with what to do with their forever friend when serving our nation away from home. It can be tough to stay focused on the mission at hand if family affairs aren’t in order.

Enter our partners in the nonprofit sector. For the past several years, many organizations have stepped up to the plate, providing foster pet services to our deploying troops.

“Military members have a hundred things to worry about when deployment or training comes up. The last thing they should have to worry about is the care of their pets while they’re away,” said Alisa Johnson, a Marine Corps officer and president of Dogs on Deployment, a nonprofit organization matching service members needing a foster pet family with volunteers who have agreed to take in their animals.

Alisa and her husband, Shawn, a Navy officer, observed the challenges military families face when it comes to pet care, which led to the creation of this service.

“We’re especially concerned with those military members that may live on one coast, while all their family lives on another, limiting those that they can rely on in their times of need,” Alisa said.

Since they launched the organization in June, more than 140 families have volunteered to be “boarders” and 20 dogs have been placed in temporary foster care.

Along with national organizations helping troops -- including Dogs on Deployment and Guardian Angels for Soldier’s Pet -- many local animal shelters are answering the call of duty and creating programs in their communities to help deployed service members with pet care.

The Hawaiian Humane Society’s Pets of Patriots program provides pet care assistance to military personnel deploying on short notice due to war. Families living on Oahu can sign up to be foster parents, while military pet owners provide food and medical care while away from their duty station. The society assists with the written agreements, provides sample forms and helps find suitable volunteers.

Additionally, the San Diego County Humane Society offered a low-cost seminar in December for military families to provide information on pet resources for relocation and deployment.

If you need a home for your pet while deployed, check with your local animal shelter to see if they might have a military pet outreach program, contact a national foster military pet organization or see if your command has a spouse communication network to seek temporary pet parents. The military in our own community can act as our second family, helping to provide resources for our furry friends.

(Guest blogger Navy Lt. Theresa Donnelly, of U.S. Pacific Command, is the owner of Hawaii Military Pets, which provides pet resources for military families. She’s offered to share her pet-related knowledge in a series of blogs for Family Matters.)

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Holds Annual Suicide Awareness Training

2012-01-28T19:04:00.001-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Doolin, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) held its annual suicide awareness training, Jan. 22-23.

NAVCENT leadership, chaplains and medical personnel shared firsthand accounts, showed videos, conducted role playing, and held a 3-kilometer run/walk to educate military personnel and civilians of the signs and steps to assist a friend, family member, or shipmate contemplating suicide.

Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, began the training by sharing personal accounts of how suicide can impact individuals.

"It [suicide] creates a whole lot of different kinds of emotions," said Fox. "Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem. I don't care what your problem is, suicide is not the answer."

Fox emphasized the importance of shipmates helping shipmates.

"I've flown probably more than 100 sorties in combat, and every single time I've launched and gone across the beach, I've always had a wingman. We need wingmen; we need to look at each other with the attitude that each person that is here is more than just another Sailor, somebody that's passing in the crowd, that each one of you is irreplaceable, each one of you is valuable."

Lt. Laurie Steurer, a social worker assigned to the Mental Health Department of Naval Branch Health Clinic, Bahrain, talked about resiliency, and gave tips on physical and mental fitness. She advised Sailors against worrying about what you can't control; rather to exercise, have a positive outlook, have a sense of humor, be religious or spiritual, see the good in a situation, ask for help, enjoy life, get enough sleep and eat well.

Lt. Clayton Jones, a Navy chaplain assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50, talked about stress, and how to deal with demands of the military lifestyle.

"So you deploy, well so does everybody else. So you move, so does everybody else. And so we grow indifferent to the amount of stress, and how it impacts people. Why, because we're all doing it. But we need not to do that. We need to realize that our [military] lifestyle's extremely stressful, and there are going to be times when we need help," said Jones. "If you notice someone is not doing well, you should take the initiative and talk to him or her."

Jones talked about the need to take personal accountability.

"If there's too much weight on your shoulders, get some help," said Jones. "It really is no big deal anymore. There's not that stigma attached to it."

Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Stall-Ryan, NAVCENT Fleet/Force Deputy Chaplain, spoke about the Navy's suicide program, ACT, which stands for ask, care and treat. He emphasized the need to be involved in other people's lives and the need to ask that big question: 'Are you thinking of hurting yourself?'

"We need to have the courage to ask that tough question. And that's not just for the people we like, but also for the people we don't like," said Stall-Ryan.

"The training was pretty good," said Yeoman 1st Class (SW/AW) Andre McClain. "You need to know what your Sailors are doing. You need to get into their lives; you need to ask what's going on. I'm a true believer in that."

The training impressed Fire Controlman 2nd Class (SW) Paulina Castro.

"It was good training," said Castro. "I liked that there was a lot of heart-felt stories and relatable material. That was, I think, the biggest takeaway. It was different from every other suicide training I've been to."

Wisconsin National Guard member to compete in upcoming CBS hit series 'The Amazing Race'

2012-01-28T19:01:00.000-08:00

Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
Wisconsin National Guard

For some fans of CBS's "The Amazing Race," deciding which couple to cheer for may be a little easier when the 20th season of the hit series premieres Sunday, Feb. 19 - especially for Wisconsin citizens and patriotic viewers across the country.

Madison native Maj. Dave Brown, Jr., an officer in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, and his wife, Rachel, will be one of 11 couples competing against each other in a trek around the world for the ultimate prize of supreme bragging rights and one million dollars.

"Both Rachel and I have been avid fans of the show for quite some time," Dave said.

The reality show, which has garnered eight Emmy Awards, will pit the teams against many physical and mental challenges over the course of about 25 days.

Although viewers will have to "stay tuned" to see how the couple fairs in the show, Dave does credit his 16 years of service in the Wisconsin Army National Guard - including a recent year-long deployment to Iraq - for his preparation and execution throughout the challenge.

"I truly feel my involvement in the military best prepared me for a competition such as 'The Amazing Race,'" he said, "whether it be attention to detail, leadership style and abilities, or who I am as a person."

When asked how the Race equates to military training, Dave associated the two in three ways.

"It's as physically demanding as air assault school, as mentally draining and as academically involved as flight school, and as sleep depriving as SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) school," he said.

The major enlisted into the Arizona National Guard in 1996 as an artillery forward observer while attending Arizona State University. He graduated in three years with a bachelors in Political Science. He then transferred to the Wisconsin Guard's 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in 2000 and earned an officer commission in 2002. Dave has also served as a military intelligence officer, a Black Hawk pilot with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment, and an executive officer for Recruiting and Retention Command. He is currently assigned to the ROTC detachment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an assistant professor of military science.

During his allotted two-week rest and relaxation leave from his deployment to Iraq, Dave visited with his wife in Sydney, Australia. Rachel took that opportunity to pitch the idea of applying for the show. They agreed, filled out the applications and she mailed them in as soon as she returned to their home in Madison.

Maj. Dave Brown, Jr., and his wife, Rachel, are set to compete in the CBS reality series "The Amazing Race" which premieres Feb. 19.

The cast of the CBS hit series "The Amazing Race" in its 20th season - which premieres Feb. 19.

"Within a matter of a week or two, casting contacted her and requested a video," Dave said.

A fellow Soldier took a one-minute video at the end of one of Dave's flying mission in Iraq. It wasn't the fanciest audition video, but it got the job done. Rachel compiled the video with one of her own and sent it in. Dave returned from deployment in June 2011. He and Rachel had interviews with CBS and the show began filming in the fall.

The rest of the story is yet to be seen.

Growing up, Dave was an avid wrestler and participated in basketball, football, baseball and track where he gained an appreciation for competing, something he shares today - along with his wife.

"I not only strive for victory, but I expect it for myself," Dave said. "I am competitive in all aspects of my life, whether it be personally or professionally. That's one aspect that interested both Rachel and I, both being competitive and people who are in constant pursuit of a challenge."

There wasn't much time to train for the competition. Dave added some weight, in the form of a ruck sack, to his normal physical training. As a couple, Dave and Rachel watched and discussed episodes and specific challenges like they'd done periodically on Sundays since they met.

"While viewing previous seasons we talked through specific challenges in more detail in consideration of our individual strengths and weaknesses," he said.

Whether Dave and Rachel are the first couple to arrive at the final checkpoint or not, it's sure to have been the adventure of a lifetime. And according to Dave, it also seems as if there was no lack of effort or motivation for them to compete.

"I truly felt that I was not only representing myself, my spouse and my son, but I was also cognizant of being a representative of the Wisconsin National Guard and the Army as a whole," Dave said. "The overwhelming pride of representing the men and women of the military in the best light possible ... that was definitely in the forefront of our minds."

Navy Advances Electrical Protection for Shipboard Sailors

2012-01-27T13:59:00.001-08:00

From Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Sailors aboard U.S. Navy ships soon will have new protective clothing for low voltage maintenance work, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced, Jan 26.

A new type of coverall featuring flame resistant fabric and accompanying safety equipment will provide Sailors greater comfort and protection against arc flashes. Sailors will be able to use the coveralls like standard shipboard coveralls while conducting initial voltage verification checks, fuse removal, authorized energized work, or when an electrical circuit breaker is installed or removed.

"The new electrical safety coveralls are designed for initial voltage verification or approved work on energized equipment, and are designed to protect Sailors from inherent heat, excessive pressure," said Khosrow Moniri, NAVSEA electrical systems technical warrant holder.

Sailors can expect to use the coveralls and associated equipment such as a face shield by late spring, on board naval ships with electrical systems between 300 and 1,000 volts, such as Arleigh Burke destroyers.

The clothing compliments existing heavier and bulkier coveralls designed for high voltage verification checks on board naval ships with electrical systems greater than 1,000 volts, such as aircraft carriers.

The low- and high-voltage coveralls are rated at 12-calorie and 40-calorie (per centimeter squared). NAVSEA determined that these ratings adequately provide the required amount of thermal energy protection based on National Fire Protection Association and U.S. naval warship design criteria. The calorie/cm-squared rating represents a value of the energy necessary to pass through any given fabric to cause a 50 percent probability of a second or third degree burn.

Both types of coveralls protect Sailors against arc flashes, which occur when an electrical current passes through air gaps between ungrounded conductors or between conductors and grounded components. Use of electrical systems on board U.S. Navy ships is increasing rapidly. Accordingly, the probability of arc flashes increases as well. The blast or explosion that results from arc flash may be fatal or cause major injuries such as burns, the loss of eyesight and hearing.

"While arc flashes don't happen often, this new safety equipment represents a significant advancement in how we protect our Sailors," said Moniri.

Surface Warfare Officers School Hosts the Ship Material Readiness Course Board of Visitors

2012-01-27T13:58:00.000-08:00

From Surface Warfare Officer School Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- Surface Warfare Officers School (SWOS) is hosting a Board of Visitors (BOV) for the Senior Officer Ship Material Readiness Course (SOSMRC) in Newport, R.I. Jan. 25-27.

An annual event until the previous SOSMRC curriculum was disestablished, this is the first BOV since 1995. SWOS Commanding Officer Capt. Neil Parrott welcomed the advisory group as the meeting kicked off.

"We reestablished the SOSMRC based on the recommendation of the Surface Warfare Enterprise and the first course of the new curriculum convened in January 2010," said Parrott. "This five-week course for prospective surface ship commanding officers and executive officers is designed to improve their knowledge of material readiness requirements and improve the material condition of the fleet, two things that are vital to success during an afloat command tour."

"We are constantly improving the course and ensuring that we are teaching the most current topics to the future commanding officers of our ships," said Capt. Glenn Zeiders, SWOS department director for SOSMRC. "SOSMRC is the only course in the command pipeline to provide training on improving ship material readiness, and the BOV gives us an opportunity to brief flag stakeholders on current SOSMRC curriculum, focus areas, initiatives, statistics and metrics, measures of effectiveness, and resource requirements or shortfalls. It is a key part of validating and improving our curriculum, and we appreciate the time of so many experts from the surface Navy."

Over the course of three days, the BOV advisory group, comprised of 10 captains and commanders from commands throughout the Navy, will receive briefings on the SOSMRC curriculum and prepared recommendations for the BOV principals group consisting of seven flag officer stakeholders. Chaired by Vice Adm. Richard Hunt, commander, Naval Surface Force, the principals group will convene Jan. 27. Hunt emphasized the importance of upholding and refining a strong professional development curriculum.

"We must instill a culture of ownership, and re-establish rigor in the maintenance and material readiness process," said Hunt. "That starts with ensuring every member of the crew, from the commanding officer to the youngest Sailor on the deckplate, has a thorough knowledge of their ship's equipment and that they can repair and maintain that equipment throughout the ship's service life."

The SOSMRC BOV is slated to become a biennial event in the future.

To find out more about the SOSMRC or other courses of instruction at SWOS, visit http://www1.netc.navy.mil/swos/. You can also reach SWOS through Facebook, Twitter, and SWONET.

Madison Fighter Wing Airmen continue to perform at an 'Outstanding' level

2012-01-27T13:56:00.000-08:00

Tech. Sgt. Jon LaDue
115th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The 115th Fighter Wing is known in Wisconsin for their patriotic flyovers, but they continue to be known across the nation for sheer excellence.

For the third time in six years, the 115th has been recognized with the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) - solidifying the fighter wing as one of the best Air National Guard units in the country.

"This highlights that we are one of the premier units in the nation," said Brig. Gen. Joseph Brandemuehl, 115th FW commander. "It speaks to the professionalism and dedication of each and every Airman in this organization."

This includes personnel like Airman 1st Class Patrick Soderlund, of De Pere, Wis., who was recently recognized as the top Airman in the state. He's been with the unit for three years and credits his success to the culture that resonates everywhere within the fighter wing.

"I've been mentored through a culture of 'lead by example' - working with very driven Airmen, peers and supervisors, who go out of their way to help with tasks and understanding information," Soderlund said. "It's an honor and a privilege to be part of a unit that performs and operates at the level we do."

Brandemuehl emphasized the AFOUA is a collective effort of the more than 1,000 Airmen that come together, train together and execute together to keep the fighter wing running as safely and efficiently as ever before.

"These Airmen will never cease to amaze you with their performance, and they are the best in the nation," he said. "The commitment and professionalism of these individuals are really what this award is highlighting."

Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, said he was extremely pleased but not surprised with the award.

"This award continues to validate the professionalism and dedication our Airmen of the 115th Fighter Wing display each and every day," Dunbar said. "It is gratifying that the Air Force recognizes what I see on a regular basis - the continuation of a 60-year legacy of excellence at the 115th."

The fighter wing's motto is "Dedicated to Excellence." Those words hold true to the legacy that continues to be written as this is the 115th's seventh AFOUA in unit history. Previous awards have come in 1980, 1989, 1991, 1998, 2005 and 2009.

This award - which recognizes the Wing's achievements from Nov 1, 2009 through Oct. 31, 2011 - speaks to the overall, and well-rounded, success of the Wing and its members. The Wing has made a significant impact on the state, nation and even across the globe during this timeframe.

Some of those accomplishment include executing 4,740 sorties equating to more than 7,000 flight hours, deploying more than 200 Airmen to 18 different countries around the globe in support of numerous U.S. led and supported contingency operations, deploying medics to Nicaragua to treat more than 6,200 patients as part of a humanitarian mission and lessening the carbon footprint in Wisconsin by embracing innovating design and technology in the realm of environmental stewardship.

There are countless other accomplishments the Airmen of the 115th have previously and continue to achieve across the spectrum of all operations on base - from logistics and personnel to mission support and operations.

Inspiring Airmen to continue performing at such a high tempo and culture of excellence could be considered difficult. Brandemuehl sees it a different way.

"I don't think it's one thing we do to motivate - I think it's the organization itself that motivates the individuals to maintain that legacy of excellence," Brandemuehl said. "These Airmen just expect that they have to live up to that high standard."

Pentagon Observance Honors Civil Rights Leader’s Impact

2012-01-26T22:50:00.000-08:00

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta led the Pentagon in honoring the “lasting impact” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during its 27th annual observance here today.

“Dr. King’s dream was America’s dream, and as he put it, the dream was about taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by our founding fathers,” Panetta said.

“The simple power of Dr. King’s message resonates across generations,” he said. “It changed my whole life in public service.”

Panetta said as the son of Italian immigrants he had his own experiences with discrimination.

“Enough to know,” he said, “that unless we provide equality to all, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, disability, sexual orientation, … none of us can truly be free.”

Panetta shared some background of his own career during the civil rights movement.

“As many of you know, my own career in public service began at the height of the civil rights movement,” he said. “I was a young legislative assistant in the United States Senate working for California Senator Tom Kuchel, who was very much involved in drafting civil rights legislation.

“I had the opportunity to work on some of the landmark civil rights legislation at that time,” he noted. “I also, at a signing ceremony at the White House with then-President Lyndon Johnson, had a chance to meet Dr. King.”

The defense secretary also spoke about his time serving as director for the U.S. Office for Civil Rights in the early 1970s.

“It was an office that was responsible for enforcing civil rights law, particularly with regards to achieving equal education for all children,” he recalled. “You can imagine this was a tough time.”

Panetta called this time tough for him “politically” due to being in an administration “not that dedicated to strong civil rights enforcement.”

“Ultimately, it cost me my job,” he said. “But it taught me a great deal about where that line is between your conscience, and what’s right and what, sometimes, you’re told to do by others that may not meet the requirements of your conscience.”

Panetta also pointed to highlights in his career, such as casting his vote for a day to commemorate King’s legacy, and fighting “to preserve the progress made that had been made by protecting our national commitment to affirmative action.”

Panetta cited the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law that had barred gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military as removing one of the last “barriers” to allowing everyone to serve the nation.

“[It] ensured that today’s military more closely reflects the society that we are obligated to defend,” he said.

“We can now more proudly say, out of many, we are one,” Panetta added. “So regardless of background, regardless of perspective, every man and every woman at DOD has answered the call to serve.”

The keynote speaker, Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, a leader in the civil rights movement, is the last living person present during King’s final hours before he was assassinated.

Kyles often referred to a quote from Harlem Renaissance writer, Langston Hughes, in encouraging others to hold onto their dreams like King did.

“‘Hold fast to your dream for if dreams die you’re like broken-winged birds who cannot fly,’” he quoted Hughes as saying. “Hold fast to your dreams.

“Dreamers, they’re not bound by glass ceilings or brick walls, they don’t go down that road at all,” he added.

“All of us have dreams, [but] some of us have lost our dreams,” the pastor said. “I encourage you to recapture your dream. It’s yours. Nobody has a right to take your dream. It is your dream.”

Panetta lauded King for his “boundless impact” and noted the importance of commemorating the civil rights leader.

“Martin Luther King Day is a chance to ensure that our children and every generation that follows knows Dr. King’s story of courage, strength, dedication, and that all of them can hopefully follow the great example that he set,” the secretary said. “That, I think, in many ways, is the test of life which is whether or not we make a difference.

“Though much has been achieved, Dr. King’s own words remind us that we can never sit still,” he continued. “We have to continue to press ahead to fight each day to make sure we achieve that American dream.

“May God bless our nation and may God bless Dr. King’s enduring hope for a better future,” he said.

Face of Defense: Marine Sets Lego World Record

2012-01-26T22:47:00.001-08:00

By Marine Corps Cpl. Aaron Diamant
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz., Jan. 26, 2012 – While many have a hobby, few have the drive and dedication to turn that hobby into a world record. But Marine Corps Capt. Kyle Ugone not only has that drive, but also the certificate declaring him as the Guinness world record holder for the most completed Lego sets in a private collection, with an astonishing 1,091 sets.

While his record officially stands at 1,091, Ugone actually has 1,251 sets. But some did not count toward the record because they are reproductions or don’t have the original instructions, Ugone explained.

His vast collection started small and at a young age, but has grown in size and number, including one set that contains more than 5,000 individual pieces.

"I got my first set as a gift when I was 5 years old," Ugone said. "It's a windmill, and I still have it today. From there, I kept getting more and more sets."

Rooms in his Yuma home look as if they belong in a Lego Land theme park, containing hundreds of completed Lego sets separated by genre, such as space, trains, castles and “Star Wars” sets, displayed on tables and shelves.

Lego is a line of construction toys consisting of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, mini-figures and various other parts.

Lego bricks can be assembled and connected in many ways to form vehicles, buildings, and even working robots. Anything constructed can be taken apart to make other objects.

The toys originated in the 1940s in Denmark and have achieved international appeal, with an extensive subculture that supports Lego-themed movies, games, video games, competitions and five amusement parks.

It wasn't until 2009, when Ugone was talking to other Lego enthusiasts online, that he decided to go for the world record.

"I was talking to a guy who said he wanted to build every set Lego has ever made," Ugone said. There are more than 5,000 sets, he added, some of which are extremely rare and others available only in certain areas.

Ugone contacted officials at the Guinness Book of World Records and found that no such record existed. He was told he would need at least 500 sets to claim a record.

"At the time, I had about 600 to 700 sets, but I wanted more," Ugone said. "So I spent a lot of time scouring the Internet to purchase more sets and build them."

After a Lego expert visited Ugone's home to verify his plethora of building-block masterpieces, 1,091 of his 1,251 sets were authenticated for the record, earning him the title as the man with the most.

Now, Ugone is slowly taking the sets apart for storage to regain some of the square footage in his home. He’s taking a break from collecting Lego sets, planning instead to focus more of his attention on restoring a classic muscle car.

U.S., Canada Strengthen Bilateral Security Relationship

2012-01-26T22:45:00.001-08:00

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON – The United States and Canada expanded their security relationship today by entering into two new agreements and renewing another that promote closer cross-border cooperation and lay out both countries’ roles and responsibilities in the event of a natural disaster or attack.

Army Gen. Charles Jacoby Jr., commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, joined Lt. Gen. Walter Semianiw of the Canadian army, commander of Canada Command, during defense meetings in the Canadian capital of Ottawa to sign three key documents that strengthen the combined defense and security of the United States and Canada, Northcom officials reported.

The new Combined Defense Plan establishes a planning framework to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries in the event their governments need each other’s assistance, such as during a natural disaster or attack, officials explained.

Jacoby and Semianiw also renewed for the next two years the Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency. That agreement, in effect since 2008, recognizes the role of each nation's lead federal agency for emergency preparedness, but facilitates military support of civil authorities once government authorities have agreed on an appropriate response, officials said.

In the United States, the Homeland Security Department would be the lead agency. In Canada, it would be Public Safety Canada.

A third document signed today, the Information Sharing Memorandum of Understanding, updates and formalizes existing arrangements to promote information-sharing among the three organizations, officials said.

Jacoby said the documents reinforce an already-strong defense relationship.

“Canada and the United States are great security partners who have worked together for over half a century,” he said at the signing.

“These three documents provide us with the necessary means to better coordinate our combined military resources to help our fellow Americans and Canadians during emergencies,” Jacoby continued. “They help us be better prepared to defend the interests of our two great countries.”

The signing took place as both generals attended meetings of the Permanent Joint Board of Defense, the highest-level defense forum between the United States and Canada. The current meeting, the 228th in the body’s 70 years, featured talks on continental defense and security cooperation, regional engagement and the arctic.

Canadian Defense Minister Peter MacKay, who delivered the keynote address at the forum last night, told participants the new agreements promote combined defense of the United States and Canada during peace, contingencies and war.

They describe the authorities and means by which the two governments would approve homeland military operations in the event of a mutually agreed threat, and how the two militaries would collaborate and share information, he added.

MacKay emphasized the close defense and security relations between the two countries, calling the bilateral military-to-military relationship a model for broader cross-border cooperation between civilian agencies as well.

He cited the value of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense in promoting this relationship.

“The United States is Canada’s most important ally and defense partner, and strategic discussion entrench our defense relationship at a critical time,” he said.

Vinson Holds Memorial FOD Walk-down for Nimitz Sailor

2012-01-26T22:43:00.000-08:00

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Byron C. Linder, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

USS CARL VINSON, At Sea (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 held a memorial foreign object damage (FOD) walk-down Jan. 25, for a fellow shipmate who was killed two days prior.

Lt. Cmdr. Regina Mills, formerly Rogers, was assigned to USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in Bremerton, Wash., as the Navy's only female aircraft handling officer. She was struck and killed by a vehicle when she stopped to assist others involved in a traffic collision in Gig Harbor, Wash., Jan. 23.

Though she was never stationed aboard Vinson, she made an impact as a member of the Aviation Boatswain's Mate (AB) community, explained Master Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (AW/SW) Raul Castillo, an El Paso, Texas, native and Vinson's senior enlisted aircraft handler. Castillo served with Mills for two tours of duty, one aboard the Nimitz and one at Afloat Training Group San Diego. She was his division officer at both commands.

"Being part of such a small community, we all know each other," he said, explaining how the Navy's 21 total platforms for ABs to serve at sea, combined with high attrition and turnover rates, resulted in longtime ABs being a premium. "Everybody loved her and respected her passion for life. She shared a lot of moments with me that would have broken a person down, but her passion for life is what will always stick with me."

Castillo said FOD walk-downs were a favorite for Mills, and a memorial FOD walk-down was most appropriate.

"In the seven years I knew her, that was her thing," said Castillo. "She found it a way to relax. When she called it, she'd take off her gear and go out there. She really liked being out there with the young ABs. She was a big promoter of female ABs because there are not very many, and the places she went in her career should be very inspirational to young female ABs to pursue the same route."

Hundreds of Sailors from a wide range of departments and divisions gathered on the flight deck for the walk-down. At 4:26 p.m., the attendees observed a moment of silence. The walk-down commenced one minute later, and concluded at 4:35 p.m., the sun descending on Vinson's port side.

Chief Religious Programs Specialist (SW/AW/FMF) Monica Kuhl, a Cheyenne, Wyo., native and USS Carl Vinson Command Religious Ministries department leading chief petty officer, was one of the hundreds in attendance. She had served aboard the Nimitz with Mills, and noted her influence spanned far beyond the flight deck.

"I just knew her from around the ship, but she was the highest-ranking female there," Kuhl. "A lot of the junior females looked up to her and respected her because she had done so much in the Navy. She set the example for everybody, and I would like to be that kind of leader."

Mills' leadership also affected and continues to impact Lt. Paul Dussault, a Barrington, R.I., native and Vinson's flight deck officer.

"I served on several ships with her, and she was one of my best friends ever," he said. "She was the emcee at my commissioning and one of my mentors when I became an officer. She was an amazing human being and one of the best ABs I've ever known. She had to overcome some hurdles that we as males did not, and I always respected her for that."

"The AB community lost not only a great person but a great AB and one of my personal friends," Castillo added. "She truly will be missed. This tragedy happened because she was trying to help somebody else. She'd take the shirt off her back to give to someone in need. She gave a lot to the community, and she gave a lot to the young ABs in hopes that one would take her spot."

Carl Vinson and CVW-17 are conducting maritime theater security operations in U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Landstuhl Medical Center Saves Lives, Advances Medicine

2012-01-26T21:34:00.001-08:00

By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

LANDSTUHL, Germany – Medical-surgical teams at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center here save the lives every day of warriors wounded in Afghanistan and, until recently, saved troops wounded in Iraq. But that’s only part of their success.

Here, a side benefit of providing relentlessly superior care from the point of injury in the war zone to what doctors call “definitive care” -- care given to manage a patient’s condition -- has been to advance the practice of military medicine and, ultimately, the practice of medicine everywhere.

For medical teams at Landstuhl, the brutality of combat and the urgent need to respond to the wounded have yielded advances in en-route lung bypass, whole-blood transfusion, and even combat tourniquets that can be applied with one hand and in the dark.

“Ten years ago, we had to stabilize [patients] before we could move them,” said Army Col. (Dr.) Jeffrey B. Clark, commander of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

“Now what our Air Force can do is basically put an intensive care unit in the back of a C-17 with a critical-care air-transport team so we can continue to stabilize while we are moving,” Clark said.

The critical-care team program is part of the Air Force aeromedical evacuation system. A team consists of a critical care physician, a critical care nurse and a respiratory therapist, along with supplies and equipment.

Over the past 70 years, and especially over the past 10, a combination of evolving surgical capabilities, technology-intensive critical care and long-range air transport have pushed medical-surgical capability far forward. This saves lives and helps to reduce the load on teams at Landstuhl, a military hospital operated by the Army and the Defense Department, whose staff since 2004 has treated nearly 66,000 patients from Iraq and Afghanistan and military personnel and their families stationed in Germany.

From the United States, 48 visiting civilian trauma surgeons rotate in to Landstuhl for two weeks at a time from hospitals at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, the Oregon Science and Health University in Portland, and others.

Also under the Landstuhl command are seven clinics: two in Belgium, two in Italy and three in Germany.

Landstuhl is the only hospital outside the United States designated a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons. Its survival rate for trauma patients is 99.5 percent.

“About 14,000 of the 60-some thousand were actual battle injuries,” Clark said. “We have returned to duty about 20 [percent] to 21 percent of those who have come to us from Iraq or Afghanistan, which is huge.”

Every week, every critically ill patient is discussed on a video teleconference that spans nine time zones on three continents. Attendees include “our NATO colleagues such as MERT [Medical Emergency Response Team], the British paramedic units that have physicians on the helicopter teams, to the forward surgical team, the [three] combat support hospitals [and] Landstuhl … as well as our partners on the East Coast and San Antonio and the [Air Force] Aeromedical Evacuation service,” said Air Force Maj. (Dr.) David H. Zonies, Landstuhl’s trauma director.

“Everyone discusses their care that’s provided along the continuum,” he added.

The broad influence of Landstuhl’s medical-surgical innovations is seen 25 to 30 times a day, Zonies said, every time a patient undergoes surgery in an operating room.

“From the last 10 years, a lot of the evidence that we’ve gathered has changed not just the practice of military medicine, but has now been completely translated back into civilian practice,” Zonies said.

For example, he added, the way patients are resuscitated has changed significantly since 2001.

For the past 50 years, he explained, the standard practice for storing blood has been to break it up in to components such as red blood cells, platelets and plasma.

When it was time to give stored blood to a patient, “we’d give them a bunch of red cells, and maybe for every four of those we’d give a unit of platelets [and plasma]. That was how it worked,” Zonies said.

“Well,” he added, “we noticed that our mortality rate was extremely high doing that, and it was standard practice.”

Then six or seven years ago, Army surgeon Dr. John Holcomb and Air Force surgeon Dr. Donald Jenkins, now both retired, observed that transfusions with 1-to-1 ratios of plasma and platelets to blood cells lowered patient mortality rate by about 15 percent. They began to use the practice for combat trauma patients, Zonies added.

“That is how we changed our guidelines for how we resuscitate all our patients,” he said. “We have now taken that evidence back to our civilian counterparts, and they’ve been able to replicate the same approach in civilian practice, and it has decreased mortality there.”

Another life-saving innovation involves a procedure called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or just extracorporeal life support. This is basically a lung bypass, or cardio-pulmonary bypass, that a special team from Landstuhl flies downrange to perform en route as the patient is evacuated from the war zone.

The suitcase-sized device takes the patient’s blood through an artificial membrane that replaces carbon dioxide with oxygen.

The technology, developed by a team at the University of Regensberg, about a four-hour drive from Landstuhl, has been around for 30 or 40 years, but only in the past decade, Zonies said, “has it gotten to the point where everyone feels this is a safe modality that truly … improves patient outcomes.”

So far, Landstuhl has the only capability in the Defense Department of providing that kind of support, Zonies said.

At Landstuhl, the hospital itself is a sprawling complex built in the early 1950s. By 2018, a new hospital that’s more contemporary and flexible will replace it, to be called the Kaiserslautern Community Medical Center.

“It’s a very special mission,” Clark said. “We take a tremendous amount of pride in what we do, and so we consider it a privilege. In many ways, it is so terribly uplifting to take care of wounded warriors, to take care of our own. But … it can wear on you, so we try very hard to look out for each other.”