Reserve Master-at-Arms Provide Security, Public Outreach in Chicago

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Katherine Brooks Hofman, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command Public Affairs

CHICAGO (NNS) -- A team of 56 Reserve Sailors from Commemoration of the War of 1812 Navy Security Forces (COMWAR 1812 NR NSF) provided security for U.S. Navy ships during Chicago's Air and Water Show and the city's commemoration of the War of 1812, Aug. 15-19.

After a three-week break from other War of 1812 events the COMWAR 1812 NR NSF team regrouped to support the second phase of the Commemoration of the War of 1812 throughout the Great Lakes region.

A core group of 22 members provide continuity to COMWAR 1812 NR NSF, protecting ships and visitors during the historic weeklong commemoration events.

The events in the Great Lakes region act to showcase the Navy and its forces to the local community.

Although the COMWAR 1812 NR NSF mission is to protect the fleet, several of the members are seasoned civilian law enforcement officers who understand the benefit of working with the public to provide information as well as providing force protection.

Master-at-Arms 1st Class Robert Evans recognized the value of public relations as a part of the security forces mission.

"People are sometimes intimidated by us. We are looked at as big guys with guns," said Evans. "Once you begin talking to them and they realize you are a regular guy it opens up the lines of communication. They are here to see the ships and they have questions. We are here to engage with them."

Evans said he takes pride in being both a Navy and civilian police officer, and he enjoys acting as a positive role model to children through public interaction.

"I tell them to be good, eat their vegetables and stay in school, then they can grow up and do what I do," he said.

Sometimes the experiences the Sailors have with the public have an unexpected and profound impact. Master-at-Arms 1st Class David Utz was touched by his experiences in Chicago during public tours.

"People ask about why we are here and where we are from. Overall the reception is positive. I can't tell how many thank you's I have gotten for my service," said Utz. "It is definitely motivating and makes me feel good to be a part of the Commemoration of the War of 1812."

Utz, the father of a six-year-old son, fondly recalled interacting with a child and his parent at the event. "The little boy had a piece of paper in his hand. He had drawn a picture with a blue crayon of a fighter jet. He held it up to me and said, 'I made this for you,'" said Utz.

Illinois National Guard Soldiers help first responders at Megabus crash

By Army National Guard Sgt. Michael Camacho,

Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (8/7/12) - Fire fighters and police officers throughout the central Illinois town of Litchfield came to aid the victims after a Megabus crash on Aug. 2 that killed one and injured three dozen - among those assisting the first-responders were two Illinois National Guard Soldiers.

Cadet Casey Fay, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment in Litchfield and Pfc. Christopher Morris of Robinson, with 445th Chemical Company, were driving from Camp Lincoln in Springfield, headed to their office at the Illinois National Guard’s East St. Louis Readiness Center when they came across the crash.

Morris said as they passed the wreck, they saw firefighters and emergency management technicians assisting people at the scene.

“We both felt it in our gut that we should get out there and help these people,” Morris said.

Fay, a combat medic and certified EMT, helped the first responders treat the victims. Morris, who just returned from a search and extraction class, assisted with litters and patient aid.

According to Fay, the first responders were happy to receive the additional help from the two Soldiers. They directed the two to help the walking wounded and get casualties on to stretchers to be transported for further treatment. They also assisted with gathering patient information.

After most of the walking wounded was triaged, they were loaded on to a bus to be transported to Litchfield community center for further medical treatment.

Fay was assigned as the primary medic on one of the buses transporting patients to the community center. Morris stayed on scene to help more casualties get on stretchers to be transported to area hospitals.

“We were glad we stopped and helped out,” Fay said. “They definitely put our skills to good use.”

Navy Secretary to Host USS Illinois Naming Ceremony

From Defense Media Activity - Navy

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will host a ship naming ceremony in honor of USS Illinois, June 22, at 2 p.m. CDT at the Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, Ill.

Illinois, a Virginia-class submarine designated SSN 786, is the second Navy vessel to bear the "Prairie State's" name. The previous Illinois, a battleship (BB 7), circumnavigated the globe as part of the Great White Fleet (1908-1909). Illinois is home to the Navy's one and only Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes where every enlisted Sailor begins his or her service.

This next-generation attack submarine will provide the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 21st century. Virginia-class submarines will have enhanced stealth, sophisticated surveillance capabilities, and special warfare enhancements that will enable them to meet the Navy's multi-mission requirements.

The future USS Illinois will have the capability to attack targets ashore with highly accurate Tomahawk cruise missiles and conduct covert long-term surveillance of land area, littoral waters or other sea-based forces. Other missions include anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare; mine delivery and minefield mapping. It is also designed for special forces delivery and support.

SSN 786 will be built at Electric Boat in Groton, Conn, will be 7,800-tons and 377 feet in length, have a beam of 34 feet, and operate at more than 25 knots submerged. It is designed with a reactor plant that will not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time. Virginia-class submarines are built under a unique teaming arrangement between General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342.

For more information about attack submarines, visit http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4100&tid=100&ct=4.

For more news from the Secretary of the Navy, visit http://www.navy.mil/SECNAV.

Face of Defense: Soldier Serves as Jack of All Trades

By Army Spc. Justin Snyder
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 7, 2008 - The phone at the desk is ringing. At the same time, a soldier is hovering, asking for help with getting lights for an event to be held later. You can almost sense that a doorknob just broke somewhere or the air conditioning isn't working in someone's office.

This is the daily juggling act of Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Baird, Mountain Visitor Bureau Commandant at the Multinational Division Center headquarters building here.

"I do the little stuff to keep this building running," said Baird, a native of Bartlett, Ill. "The command group is in charge of near 21,000 troops, so it's my job to keep things going so they don't have to worry about the smaller things."

Baird has coordinated projects such as the construction of walls around offices and fixing the electrical grid coming into the headquarters, as well as fixing up the gym in the building's basement.

He also is the "go-to guy" when it comes to work orders coming through the headquarters building.

"Things are always going to need [to be] fixed, and I'm that middle man between it getting done or not," Baird said. "Right now, the biggest issue is working with the electricity. We are going to keep working with things to make life for the soldiers who are here, or will be here, better."

His efforts haven't gone unnoticed among his fellow soldiers.

"He's very proactive, and he is constant at getting his job done," said Army Spc. Sam White, a driver for the 10th Mountain Division's deputy commander for operations. "You can't walk around the building and not see him doing something to improve [it]. He's great at what he does and is important."

Baird, who owned a miniature golf course in Illinois prior to joining the Army, said that while his job is important, he isn't any more important than any other soldier.

"Duty is duty, and everybody has a job that needs to be done," he said. "I believe that every soldier is equally important in accomplishing the overall mission. All I am is another soldier serving their country and doing their job."

Baird knows a few things about serving his country. He's been in the military since 2002, when he felt the call to duty following the 9/11 attacks. This is his fourth deployment – three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and once to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He served with the infantry in 2003 and 2005, and worked under a command group in 2006. Though his role has changed with each deployment, he said, his overall mission remains the same: "We are here to take care of one another and make sure everyone comes home," he said. "Deployments are deployments, no matter which way you look at things. No matter what I'm doing, I'm still [a noncommissioned officer]. Whether it's a private or a general, my main focus is to take care of soldiers and improve their quality of life."

Baird was rewarded for his hard work with an Oct. 1 promotion from sergeant to staff sergeant. A small ceremony was held outside his office, where nearly 100 of his colleagues came to show their support.

"It was really outstanding to see that many people come for my promotion," he said. "Lieutenant Colonel Steven Parker pinned me, and Command Sergeant Major James Redmore pinned my hat. People in this building are working hard, and for them to take time out of their busy schedule, I appreciated it a lot."

Baird said he has a lot of plans for when he returns to his home station at Fort Drum, N.Y., but that he remains focused on getting his job done now.

"I recently bought a new home and have plans to renovate it when I get back," he said. "I've got a few months to go, so I'll keep working, just taking every day as it comes and roll with the flow."

(Army Spc. Justin Snyder serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)

America Supports You: Partnership Remembers Troops at Valentine's Day

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Jan. 17, 2008 - Troops serving in Iraq this February will see a little Valentine love from the states thanks to a partnership between a troop-support group and a regional video store. On Jan. 15, 25 Family Video stores in the Central Illinois area began collecting DVDs and Valentines for the troops, said Eric Schuller, president of Operation Homefront's Illinois chapter. The effort is part of the "Send a Soldier a Movie and a Valentine" campaign, which will end January 29.

Operation Homefront is a supporter of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

"By sending this small gesture of a movie and a Valentine you are showing the men and women in the military that we care for them and what they are doing for us on a daily basis," Schuller said.

Family Video also is providing a card for the Valentine message as well as a $2 discount on any DVD patrons purchase in the store for the program.

Just after the program kicked off, the video chain announced it would match DVD donations one-for-one, Schuller said.

"If we collect 5,000, they'll donate another 5,000," he said. "That's huge."

Raelene Ohanesian, Family Video's director of sales and marketing, said the company is proud to team with Operation Homefront on this project. "Family Video has had a long-standing commitment in supporting the men and women who ensure our freedoms," she added.

For more information on participating in "Send a Soldier a Movie and a Valentine," please visit the Web site of Operation Homefront's Illinois chapter.

Holiday Support for Troops Easy as 1-2-3

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Nov. 29, 2007 - As the holidays draw near and shopping lists get shorter, some may find they're still looking for the perfect way to thank "Any Servicemember" this year. The most popular ways to support the troops are through cards and letters, care packages and military family support. Hundreds of troop-support groups shared their holiday troop-support plans earlier this year.

Letters and cards are a simple, inexpensive way to show a servicemember they've got support back home, especially during such a family-oriented time of the year.

Marine Moms Online, www.marinemomsonline.net, based in Illinois, works to collect "letters, letters, letters," said Julie Callahan, a group representative. "(Marine Moms Online) members work with churches and schools collecting letters that are given to the recruits on Christmas morning," she said. "Encouraging letters from veterans, celebrities, sports teams, and politicians are collected and assembled into scrapbooks that are available to all recruits in the support battalions throughout the year."

The Military Support Group of Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, Ind., www.cpmsglife.org, has a goal of sending 4,000 cards to men and women serving overseas. Those will accompany 18-inch decorated Christmas trees. "(We) have sent approximately 10,000 Christmas Cards," said Robert Leive, a representative of the group. Last year, the group sent 4,000 cards.

Many groups work hard to collect holiday greetings for the troops, and though it was common practice during past conflicts, sending a letter addressed to "Any Servicemember" is not a good idea. The Defense Department, citing security concerns, enforces a policy specifying mail not addressed to a specific individual will not be accepted. It's better to look to a troop-support organization that has established contacts to receive letters to the troops.

A box of goodies at the holidays is a sure way to brighten a deployed servicemember's day, and dozens of troop-support organizations are working to make sure no servicemember has a gloomy holiday.

"This will be our fifth year of sending holiday treats to our troops, as well as our weekly support care packages," said Meredith Kelly, chair of Illinois-based Operation Stars and Stripes, www.operationstars.com. "In November, we start sending new pre-lit 3- and 4-foot Christmas trees with all the trimmings to our units that we are supporting."

Those trees come complete with a DVD copy of the original "It's a Wonderful Life," she said. "We try to reach as many as we can to let them know they are not forgotten," Kelly added.

California's Operation Gratitude, www.opgratitude.com, has mastered the art of sending care packages, packing more than 34,000 boxes of goodies in the first four days of its 2007 Holiday Drive, which kicked off Veterans Day weekend. Group officials anticipate packing the 300,000th care package for a deployed servicemember on Dec. 15. That milestone package is expected to arrive on or around Christmas Eve and will contain a special gift for the recipient. "We will be sending 50,000 to 60,000 care packages to deployed troops," said Carolyn Blashek, the group's founder. "We welcome donations of items, letters, funds to pay for postage, and volunteers to help assemble the packages at our facility in Van Nuys, Calif."

Sometimes the best way to support the troops at any time of the year is to support their families back home. During the holidays, this can be especially powerful.

CRVA Charities, Inc.'s annual Toys for the Troops' Kids drive, www.toysforthetroopskids.org, began in 2003 with a goal of providing two toys for every child of a deployed military parent from the Sacramento, Calif. area. A booming success, the program has expanded, said William F. Stein, the group's president. "We will collect 50,000 toys for the kids of deployed troops (to be) distributed in four western states and Hawaii in December," he said.

The Homefront Cares, Inc., www.thehomefrontcares.org, which offers year-round support, will provide between 500 and 1,000 meals to families at Fort Carson, Colo.

Other organizations, like Our Military Kids, www.ourmilitarykids.org, operate year round, but having strong support during the holidays makes it easier for them to fulfill their missions. Our Military Kids provides grants to children of deployed and severely injured National Guardsman and reservists for enrichment activities and tutoring that nurture and sustain the children during the deployment.

Links to all of these groups and more than 300 others are available on the America Supports You Web site, www.AmericaSupportYou.com. America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

National Guard Redefines Meaning of 'United States'

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 25, 2007 - The U.S. state of Georgia and the Republic of Georgia in Eastern Europe might seem like strange strategic partners. But since 1993, the National Guard has breached barriers between American states and international states with positive results. The mission of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program is to buttress bilateral relations with burgeoning U.S. allies.

"The program is a long-term, enduring relationship between a state in the United States and one of the international countries that's either emerging or wants to establish a relationship with the United States," said Army Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, chief of the National Guard Bureau.

During an interview with the Pentagon Channel here yesterday, Blum said the State Partnership Program lays the groundwork for lasting strategic connections.

The tale of two Georgias, for instance, began in May 1995, when a Georgia National Guard representative accompanied the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a visit to the Republic of Georgia. After this initial trip, the chairman invited a small group of Georgian government and military officials for a jaunt to the Peach State.

In the ensuing 12-year relationship, Georgia's National Guard has helped integrate the former Soviet bloc country into the U.S. European Command strategy of fostering stability and democracy in Eastern Europe.

"This partnership helps the combatant commander and the U.S. ambassador's team in country have another source of military-to-military engagements for the theater security cooperation activities of the combatant commander," Blum said.

The general said bilateral alliances created through program aren't confined to strict military-to-military relations. On the contrary, some partnerships have evolved to the point where military bodies work in concert with civilians.

"It all depends on our two partnering states, our country team and the combatant commander," Blum said of the partnership's shape and function.

In some cases, U.S. civilians have worked directly with their foreign partner's civilian government.

Illinois and Poland partnered in 2003 also under EUCOM's purview, but they agreed their relationship would be based primarily on non-military ties. The Eastern European country of some 38.5 million people was interested in learning about programs the Illinois National Guard established for at-risk youth in cities like Chicago -- fitting, considering that except for the Polish capital of Warsaw, Chicago's Polish population is second only to the southern Polish city of Krakow.

As a result, the U.S. ambassador to Poland sought a U.S.-Poland exchange of ideas about youth outreach. To date, Poland has hosted representatives from Illinois' National Guard three times in different cities to discuss setting up youth programs similar to those in Illinois' urban centers.

In coordination with the U.S. Southern Command, unlikely partnership couples thrive. Ecuador conducts counternarcotics ops with Kentucky, while West Virginia military officials woo Peru.

In 2005, New Hampshire's National Guard exchanged platoons with El Salvador to swap artillery expertise. According to a Web site describing the partnership, the states are planning future exchanges.

"The SPP is set up so ... that we have a way to have partnerships that are long-enduring rather than periodic," Blum said. "We need something that's sustained over time, and we've shown great success with that."