Coalition Troops Kill Six, Seize 29 Suspected Terrorists in Iraq

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Coalition forces killed six suspected terrorists, detained 29 others and destroyed five weapons caches in Iraq over the past five days, military officials said. During operations in Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition forces killed four suspected terrorists north of Muqdadiyah. Two of the slain insurgents died while attempting to mount suicide-bomb attacks against coalition troops, military officials said. Coalition air support engaged and killed the two others as they attacked ground forces from inside a suspected terrorist safe house.

-- Troops killed one insurgent and detained four others in Mosul during an operation targeting an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq leader. Military officials have not stated whether troops killed or detained the targeted suspect, who allegedly helps al Qaeda cell leaders obtain weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials.

-- Coalition forces detained 15 suspected terrorists during coordinated operations southeast of Samarra. The synchronized raids targeted associates of al Qaeda senior leaders operating in Samarra and Salahuddin, military officials said.

-- Near Mahmudiyah, coalition troops killed an al Qaeda member with ties to senior leaders in the terrorist network's Baghdad cell. Troops engaged and killed the wanted individual when he advanced toward the ground force's position and failed to stop, military officials said. Coalition forces detained one suspect on site.

On Dec. 15, Iraqi army and coalition forces launched "Marne Roundup," an operation focused on flushing out al Qaeda extremists and weapons smugglers operating near Iskandariyah.

Marne Roundup is designed to defeat al Qaeda in northern Babil by denying them sanctuary and escape routes, Army Col. Thomas James, commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, told reporters during a Dec. 9 news conference. "The plan is designed to catch them as they egress," he added.

The operation is the latest in a series of combat offensives launched by Multinational Division Center soldiers to squeeze al Qaeda from areas south and west of Baghdad, officials said.

At the start of the offensive, troops fired 12 guided missiles and destroyed two buildings used by insurgents to store improvised explosive device-making materials, military officials said. Troops reportedly encountered no resistance as they moved through the target area by the afternoon of the first day.

After securing the area, coalition forces plan to build Patrol Base Khidr, a security outpost where Iraqi police will coordinate efforts with local citizens to secure major roads leading to and from Iskandariyah. Military officials said one intended effect of the operation is to demonstrate to local residents that Iraqi security forces are able to overpower al Qaeda.

In other operations, coalition forces captured an al Qaeda in Iraq leader north of Baghdad on Dec. 15. The leader's network is responsible for car-bomb and improvised-explosive-device attacks, and is involved in extortion, intimidation, weapons trafficking, and facilitating foreign terrorists' movement. Ground forces detained two suspected terrorists and found a cache of improvised-explosive-device materials during the raid.

On Dec. 14, coalition forces detained two suspected al Qaeda in Iraq members and destroyed four weapons caches in Arab Jabour and Buaytha. Local citizens detained two Iraqi males who they identified as members of al Qaeda and later handed over the suspects to soldiers of 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry, at Patrol Base Murray. The uncovered caches contained anti-tank mines, a variety of mortars, homemade explosives, mortar tubes, copper wire, and numerous boxes of ammunition.

Elsewhere in Iraq on Dec. 14, Multinational Division Baghdad forces arrested two men suspected of financing extremist activities and another suspected of killing coalition soldiers in the Doura region of the Rashid district.

In western Rashid on Dec. 13, Multinational Division Baghdad forces captured a suspected extremist leader during a targeted raid. The "Black Lions" of Company B, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, captured the alleged low-level extremist commander, who military officials said is responsible for improvised-explosive-device and explosively formed penetrator attacks in the area. The suspect is being held for questioning.

As ground operations continue to succeed in Iraq, an aerial operation ended in failure today when an Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed near Muqdadiyah. The primary mission of the remotely piloted medium-altitude aircraft is to conduct armed reconnaissance. A board will convene to investigate the incident, military officials said.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Entertainers Begin Holiday Tour of Overseas Bases

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael G. Mullen is bringing United Service Organizations entertainers to visit with troops in seven countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe through the next week. "We want to thank as many servicemembers as we can," Mullen said. "The holidays are a tough time to be away from home, and we do not take their extraordinary sacrifices for granted or those of their families. They all serve so that all Americans can enjoy a safe and secure holiday season."

Then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers began the yearly chairman's holiday tours in 2002. Then, as now, Robin Williams headlined the show. This is the star's fourth USO run through the combat zones. Williams is joined by actor/comedian Lewis Black, singer Kid Rock, Miss USA Rachel Smith, and six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. Irish tenor Ronan Tynan will join the tour later in the week.

The USO has been in the business of supporting troops and their families since Congress chartered it in 1941. Bob Hope and a myriad of stars of the 1940s visited combat theaters throughout the world during World War II, setting an example for later performers to follow.

And they have. Each year the USO produces more than 50 entertainment tours, bringing hundreds of individual shows to hundreds of thousands of American servicemembers around the world. The tours visit major military bases and a large number of remote forward operating bases. The entertainers volunteer their time.

The United Service Organizations is more than just performances. The group has 132 USO Centers around the world, including centers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait. Servicemembers and their families visit the centers more than 5 million times a year. The centers offer free Internet access, a quiet place in the hubbub of major airports, and a place to wait for that next flight.

The USO relies on the generosity of the American public. Currently, the USO has more than 1.5 million individual donors who make it possible to deliver services to men and women in uniform. The USO has an operating budget of about $100 million, with 300 full-time employees and 25,000 volunteers, according to USO officials

Sergeant Major of the Army, USO Bring Cheer to Task Force Marne

By Pfc. Monica K. Smith, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Entertaining troops for the sixth consecutive year, the 2007 Hope and Freedom USO Tour stopped off here yesterday to entertain Multinational Division Center soldiers. The crowd was engaging, with a few of its own comics, and kept entertainers such as singer Darryl Worley and comedian Sheryl Underwood laughing just as hard.

The show began with opening remarks from Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, who introduced everyone on tour, including all of the band members and the stage crew.

"During the holidays, the USO tour is a piece of home to all the soldiers," Preston said. "It's also an opportunity to say thanks for the sacrifices they make."

Kicking the show off was the U.S. Army Band "Downrange" singing "I Live in America." Other featured acts were singer Keni Thomas, a former Army Ranger; four members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders; Leeann Tweeden, a sports correspondent for Fox; and actor-comedian Vince Morris, who was greeted as a newbie by the crowd because this was his inaugural performance.

Tweeden said this is her eighth USO tour and that she just wants to be able to go back and tell everyone firsthand what she's seen and experienced.

On his sixth rotation with the USO Hope and Freedom tour, Worley said he's only making a small sacrifice. The group spends 14 days performing, visiting troops, signing autographs and taking photos. But Worley said he does it because he has friends who are willing to stop the enemy in its tracks for messing with him and the rest of America.

(Army Pfc. Monica K. Smith is assigned to 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade.)

America Supports You: Group Works to Help, Honor Servicemembers

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - Some folks believe they have guardian angels, but wounded servicemembers and their families also have a "Guardian Eagle." Mike's Guardian Eagle Foundation offers financial assistance to military personnel and their families in need because of deployment, injury or death, the group's founder, Robert Lehmiller, said.

"(Our) effort is to provide assistance to our military families in need and to honor our veterans," he said of his Utah-based foundation.

Honoring veterans is a year-round effort for the foundation. In nearly every month of the year, the foundation participates in at least one event to recognize veterans and the sacrifices they and their families have made.

Operation Salute is one of those efforts.

"Operation Salute is a privately funded tribute to our military and all of our veterans," Lehmiller said. "This traveling display goes throughout the nation attending conferences, conventions, parades, military events, and many other appearances."

The foundation -- which is named in memory of Lehmiller's son, Army Sgt. Michael Lehmiller, who was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 21, 2005 -- recently became a supporter of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program. America Supports You connects citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad.

"I hope to gather new info on fundraising and see what other groups (are doing) and how we might work together to make a better impact," he said of the affiliation. He added that he hoped to determine if any of Mike's Guardian Eagle Foundation's programs were unique and could benefit other groups.

USO Tour Enters High Gear During Show in Kuwait

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 17, 2007 - It was a rocking and rolling time at this logistics base, as the Chairman's USO Holiday Tour entered high gear today. Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, brought Robin Williams, Lewis Black, Kid Rock, Miss USA Rachel Black and Lance Armstrong to entertain the troops and thank them for their service.

Two sailors sitting in the crowd were singing along with Kid Rock as the Detroit rocker belted out "Sweet Home Alabama." One turned to the other and said, "All that karaoke is paying off, huh?" They "high-fived" each other and kept on singing.

More than 1,000 servicemembers sat in the stands, crowded the stage, brought arm chairs and laughed along with Williams and appreciated the absurdities of life with Black. They listened as six-time Tour de France winner Armstrong spoke of his philosophy, and all appreciated Smith's heartfelt thanks for the job they do day in and day out.

With Christmas a week away, Mullen passed his holiday greetings to servicemembers. "I'd like to express my appreciation for what you do, not just for the nation, but for the world," he said. "You are making a big difference in a very challenging part of the world."

Mullen said he knows it is a hard time to be away from family. "We know that, and we keep them in our thoughts and prayers, and we hope we can bring a little cheer during this holiday season for you as you serve on this deployment," he said. "You could not be as successful on this deployment without the support of those families, and we're extremely grateful for all the things that they do to make your service possible."

After the show, the entertainers posed for pictures with servicemembers. Mullen walked into the crowd just to speak with servicemembers and drew almost as many to meet him as the entertainers did.

The servicemembers were still pumped well after the show. "We love it when these guys come out," said Army Sgt. Jeremiah Smith, a truck driver with 2nd Transportation Battalion here. "This is my third trip here, and I'll tell you, this is the best thing they can do for morale."

Army Spc. Brandon "Doc" Watson, of Alabama's 1st Battalion, 167th Infantry, had driven a truck all day from Iraq. "I heard they were having Robin Williams and Kid Rock, and I just couldn't go to bed and miss that," he said. "These guys deserve a lot of credit for coming out here and doing this. They have families, too, and you know they want to celebrate Christmas with them, but here they are."

"That's right," said Army Staff Sgt. Tracy Warner, of 3rd Army headquarters here. "We don't have a choice. We were ordered here, and we'll serve. But they have a choice. And their choice was to come here and give us some happiness."

The Holiday Tour continues through the week. The chairman's party will visit other countries in the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.

Bush Reports to Congress on Scope of Force Deployments

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - President Bush reported to Congress today on the scope of overseas deployments to support the war on terror, emphasizing that he'll direct additional measures as necessary to ensure the United States can protect its citizens and interests. The president described in letters to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House, and Sen. Robert C. Byrd, the Senate's president pro tempore, the scope of ongoing operations he has authorized in the Central, Pacific, European and Southern Command areas. He also reported on U.S. forces supporting the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

Bush cited deployments under way that support these missions:

-- Some 25,900 U.S. troops are serving in Afghanistan, with 15,180 of them assigned to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. The ISAF mission, authorized by the U.N. Security Council, includes 37 nations working together to support reconstruction and help the Afghan government extend its reach, Bush wrote.

-- About 159,529 U.S. troops are deployed to Iraq as part of Multinational Force Iraq, where they are helping to build the capability of Iraqi security forces and institutions. Bush noted that the number of troops assigned to this mission, being carried out in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions, fluctuates depending on commanders' assessment of conditions on the ground.

-- Combat-equipped and combat-support forces are deployed to Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, where they are conducting secure detention operations for enemy combatants. Bush noted that the United States continues to detain several hundred al Qaeda and Taliban fighters believed the pose a risk to the United States and its interests.

-- U.S. forces are operating in the Horn of Africa region to bolster friends and allies' counterterrorism capabilities, the president reported. Bush told Pelosi and Byrd this effort furthers U.S. efforts against "terrorists who pose a continuing and imminent threat to the United States, its friends and allies."

-- Additional U.S. servicemembers are conducting maritime interception operations on the high seas around the world in every geographic combatant commanders' areas of responsibility. Bush said these operations aim to stop the movement, arming or financing of international terrorists.

Bush told the Congress members he will deploy additional troops as required. "I will direct additional measures as necessary in the exercise of the U.S. right to self-defense and to protect U.S. citizens and interests," he said.

These measures could include short-notice deployments of special operations and other forces for sensitive operations throughout the world that Bush said can't be predicted. "It is not possible to know at this time the precise scope or the duration of the deployment of U.S. armed forces necessary to counter the terrorist threat to the United States," Bush wrote.

Meanwhile, the United States is contributing about 1,498 troops, or about 10 percent of the NATO-led Kosovo Force, the president reported. Operating in Kosovo's eastern region, the U.S. troops are focused on maintaining a safe and secure environment as they operate under NATO command and control and rules of engagement.

Bush noted the mission shift since a U.N. Security Council resolution established KFOR in 1999. Its original mission was to monitor, verify and, when necessary, enforce compliance with the military technical agreement between NATO and Serbia while maintaining security, he said.

Today, KFOR deters renewed hostilities as it works with local authorities and international police to maintain an environment in which the U.N. Mission in Kosovo can operate, he said.

Meanwhile, Bush signed a temporary spending bill today to keep the government open for another week until Congress passes longer-term funding legislation.

Speaking with reporters in the White House Rose Garden, the president said he's encouraged by signs that Congress is making headway in putting together a package that will fund the war in Iraq as well as federal programs.

He urged Congress to pass a one-year continuing resolution that doesn't include wasteful spending, tax hikes or timetables for troop withdrawals from Iraq. "And they must ensure that our troops on the front lines have the funds and resources they need to prevail," he said.

Navy, Army Secretaries Warn of Possible Furloughs, Constraints

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - Navy Secretary Donald C. Winter and Army Secretary Pete Geren sent letters to installation commanders Dec. 12 telling them to prepare for possible furloughs due to a lack of funding for the global war on terror. The secretaries alerted commanders to prepare to scale down operations if necessary.

"Unless Congress provides supplemental funding for war-related operations, it will become necessary for you to furlough civilian employees at your base or installation," Winter wrote. "You must follow all applicable legal, regulatory, and labor relations contractual requirements pertaining to furloughs, including requirements for advance notification to those affected."

Winter directed Navy and Marine commanders to complete the detailed planning necessary to reduce operations at their facility and furlough certain employees if and when directed. He noted that no furloughs are authorized at this time.

He added that Marine Corps operations and maintenance funding likely is expected to remain sufficient until mid-March 2008.

"However, absent additional funding, you must be prepared to furlough employees paid directly by funds appropriated to Operation and Maintenance," he wrote. "That is why you must begin planning immediately. The Commandant of the Marine Corps will provide additional implementation information as it becomes available."

Winter vowed commitment to find a solution to the shortages. "I am personally committed to finding a solution to this problem," he said. "We will do everything within our power to manage this most difficult of circumstances, and I remain hopeful for a solution."

In his letter to Army commanders, Geren forecast that the Army's operations and maintenance budget has sufficient funds to continue full operations until mid- to late-February.

"In late November, (Gen. Richard A. Cody, Army vice chief of staff) asked that you prepare plans to reduce operations due to the absence of (global war on terror) funding. I appreciate your prompt and thoughtful attention to our request," Geren wrote. "Regrettably, our funding situation has not changed, so we must continue preparations for implementation of these plans."

Geren said commanders soon will receive specific guidance through human resources channels on furlough notification procedures and engagement with any bargaining entities that may act on behalf of affected employees. Only civilians paid directly by funds appropriated to the Army's operations and maintenance fund will be affected, he said.

The Army secretary said Cody will provide additional instructions on how to determine which employees are exempt from furlough. Geren said the standards for exemptions may not encompass the full breadth of employees identified as "mission essential" in contingency budget plans.

"I know you must have your full civilian workforce in place to accomplish your mission so we are taking these steps to implement a furlough as a last resort," he continued. "I am committed to finding a solution to this problem and remain hopeful we will do so."

In accordance with statutory provisions, the Defense Department is required to report potential furloughs within the Army, Marine Corps and combatant commands to Congress. The memoranda by Winter and Geren were issued in conjunction with a letter by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England sent Dec. 7 to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives.

"The furlough will negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities," England wrote. "More importantly, it will affect the critical support our civilian employees provide to our warfighters -- support which is key to our current operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq."

England lamented the possibility that civilian furloughs and reduced military capabilities could result from budget shortfalls.

"While these actions will be detrimental to the nation, there are no other viable alternatives without additional Congressional funding," he said. "Your support in providing these needed funds would be greatly appreciated."

U.S. to Draft Integrated Plan for Afghan Help

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - The United States will prepare an integrated plan to examine alliance goals in Afghanistan and set out a roadmap for allies to follow, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Gates spoke following a meeting with defense leaders from countries that provide troops to NATO's Regional Command South in Afghanistan. British Defense Minister Des Browne hosted the meeting at Craigiehall here.

The nations involved in the meeting were: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States. "There was a focus on taking specific actions and timelines," Gates said in an interview with reporters traveling with him. "We recognize that we are only part of the alliance, so all that we are doing we will feed in to Brussels to the larger full meetings of defense and foreign ministers after the New Year."

The United States will prepare an integrated plan for the NATO mission in Afghanistan looking ahead three to five years. "We want to start by acknowledging all of the successes that we have had and how much has changed for the better in Afghanistan," Gates said.

This includes progress in education, health care, governance, and training the Afghan army and police on.

Officials now are working to determine how the alliance should build on these successes, he said. "The integrated plan will address where we want to be in Afghanistan in three to five years and the different aspects of how we get there," Gates said.

The plan also will integrate "the aspects of reconstruction and development strategies with security and counternarcotics," he added.

The secretary said the defense ministers will meet again in the new year to discuss the U.S. proposal. "The ultimate hope being that this is embraced by the alliance as a whole and then endorsed by the heads of government when they meet in Bucharest," he said, referring to a NATO meeting in Romania scheduled for April 2-4.

The defense ministers also discussed a proposal focused on a similar proposal for Regional Command South. Led by the British, the proposal will set goals for the regional command and benchmarks in progress toward those goals, the secretary said. The alliance in RC South faces some of the most complicated security and civil problems in Afghanistan, Gates said.

In addition to the defense ministers meeting, representatives of the countries' foreign ministries also met. Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for policy, attended for the United States and briefed reporters following his meetings. "There was tremendous admiration for what the military is doing," Burns said.

The countries agreed that more needs to be done on the civilian side to complement progress made by the military. This effort is "now to be elevated and expanded and made as strategically purposeful as what we see on the military side," Burns said.

Countering the Taliban also means countering opium trafficking in the country. It means ending corruption and being more effective in humanitarian and economic relief. "We need to elevate that internationally, and there was a good bit of discussion about how we could do that," Burns said.

Gates said other discussions during the meeting were productive, as well. Countries with troops in RC South want to keep encouraging other allies to make a bigger contribution. "One of the things that we talked to today that will maybe help us move in a more productive direction is to think creatively about how we can create opportunities for those allies to do things in Afghanistan that comport with their political realities at home and at the same time provide relief for some of the things that we are doing," he said.

This could be providing more provincial reconstruction teams in secure areas, guarding facilities or paying for helicopters to be modified so they can operate in Afghanistan. The United States has had to provide a bridging force of helicopters that can operate at the high altitudes in southern Afghanistan.

This is one action where the RC South nations are going to ask NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to take the lead. "I think all of the allies are in Afghanistan in one way or the other, and so what we're looking at is how do we get some others to do more," Gates said. "And instead of pushing against political realities, see if we can find a way around them in a way that would allow them to play a more significant role."

Gates said he believes more needs to be done to share information, strategy and effective practices across Afghanistan. "My concern from the time I took this job is there isn't enough collaboration and sharing among all of the participants, not just NATO," Gates said. "It's important to remember that there are 42 countries in Afghanistan working to help the Afghan government.

"My concern was that there was no sharing of best practices, no sharing of what was working and not working," he continued. "I was worried about seams between both the regional commands and the provinces and how you bridge all of that and get people working on things."

Afghanistan needs an individual who can oversee civilian assistance to the country, who is above NATO, and can focus on coordinating civilian agency assistance, Gates said.

"There was general agreement (at the meeting) that the Taliban cannot win militarily," the secretary said.

The Taliban hold no population centers anywhere in the country. "The key is, how do we come in behind that with the kind of police support and reconstruction support that -- once we've driven (the Taliban) out -- keeps them out," he said.

U.S. NORTHCOM Directs Possible Storm Aid for Icy Midwest

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - Active military elements are preparing to assist federal emergency responders to help beleaguered Midwest residents cope with the effects of recent massive ice storms, a senior U.S. military officer told Pentagon reporters here today. "In anticipation of requests for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the commander of U.S. Northern Command has ordered the deployment of U.S. Army North defense coordinating officers and a defense coordinating element to assist Midwest residents suffering from the heavy ice storms and extreme winter weather," Army Maj. Gen. Richard Sherlock, the Joint Chiefs' director of operational planning, announced at a Pentagon news conference.

In recent days, thousands of citizens in eastern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri have been dealing with paralyzing ice storms that downed power lines and closed roads, schools, businesses and airports across the region. The Ohio Valley and the northeastern United States also have been hit by severe winter weather.

The military officers are being deployed to Denton, Texas, and Kansas City, Mo., Sherlock said. Their role, he explained, is to coordinate the use of all active-duty personnel and equipment that may be requested by FEMA as part of a potential storm-response effort.

National Guard members from Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma have been contributing generator-provided electricity, cots, water, debris removal, and door-to-door checks in rural regions, according to military reports.

The battered Midwest areas are bracing for another storm system predicted to arrive sometime today, according to news reports.

The 20 or so deployed officers "will be coordinating a federal response, should a federal response be asked for," Sherlock said, noting there has been no request for such assistance.

U.S. Army North is a component of NORTHCOM, which is the unified combatant command responsible for defending the homeland and providing defense support of civil authorities during natural disasters and other emergencies.

America Supports You: Project Keeps Mail Moving to Troops

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - Staten Island residents are getting a little help sending mail to servicemembers these days thanks to a local troop-support group. Staten Island Project Homefront Inc. in the New York City borough has set up a "Postage Due" account for those sending mail to troops from the community's main post office, its executive director said.

"Our main effort is to send items to our military," John T. Semich said. "We also help families by supplying postage (for Staten Island residents to send packages) to the combat zones."

The project's volunteers focus on packing up special-request items and shipping them off to servicemembers, he said. Those items have included global positioning systems, camp showers, metal detectors, and food items.

"We mail every six weeks to the troops we have registered," Semich said. "Residents of Staten Island can mail out any time, and we (cover the cost.)"

Though the project focuses on getting requested items to the troops, it also acts as a support organization for families of deployed soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Marines if requests for assistance are within the group's capabilities.

The group, which was started by three veterans and an attorney, has grown to include many military family members. In fact, the project's chief financial officer is a Coast Guardsman, and the people who handle shipping and outreach both have sons in the military, Semich said.

"We have spouses and family members join us all the time, and they form their own sort of support group to handle stress," he said. "(It's) a side benefit I did not expect, but recognize and like."

The project recently became 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.

Why We Serve: Lieutenant Proudly Carries On Family's Legacy of Service

By Sgt. Sara Moore, USA
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 14, 2007 - Six members from three generations of Tabitha White's family have served in the military, so her service in the Marine Corps is a point of pride she takes seriously. "I consider it a privilege to be an American, and I realize we have many freedoms and liberties that other countries are not afforded," the Marine lieutenant said. "I wanted to take part in protecting these liberties and freedoms and my family and other American citizens who can't or won't serve."

White is one of 10 servicemembers selected to tell the military's story to the American public at community and business events, veterans organizations and other gatherings as part of the Defense Department's "Why We Serve" public outreach program.

White, who was raised in Meridian, Miss., joined the Marine Corps four and a half years ago and now serves as an air defense control officer in Cherry Point, N.C. She deployed to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, from January to August this year, where she served as an airspace cell coordinator and the squadron command historian.

White is currently deciding whether to stay in the military when her service contract expires next year, but she said her service has been rewarding and valuable. "All of my experiences have developed and matured me as an individual, and I am thankful for every one that I have had in the military," she said. "The highlight has been all of the people I have had the opportunity to meet."

Sharing her story with those people is what White said she likes about the Why We Serve program. She has participated in 28 speaking engagements and said she has seen that the public wants to hear personal stories of men and women serving in the military.

"I can bring my story to many children and young adults in a form that they can understand," White said, adding that her background in education helps her in this area. White holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education with an emphasis in reading and math.

The Why We Serve program began in fall 2006 and was originally the idea of then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace. Representatives from all the service branches participate in the program, which is conducted in quarterly segments. White and the other nine servicemembers in her group constitute the fifth iteration since the program began.

Face of Defense: Virginia Soldier Excited About Future

By Cpl. Ryan M. Blaich, USMC
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - For Army Spc. Gerald Bradner, here on his first deployment, serving at Camp Blue Diamond is not only an opportunity of a lifetime, but also a way to relate to those in his family who also answered when their nation called. "I was brought up to believe that every man should serve his country however he can," said Bradner, 21, from Brookneal, Va. "Everyone from my grandfather all the way down to me has served when our country was at war. It's a great family tradition."

Bradner, an intelligence analyst with 3rd Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, joined the U.S. Army shortly after he graduated from William Campbell High School in 2004. His grandfather and great uncles all fought the Axis aggression in World War II. His father volunteered to fight communism in Vietnam. And today, Bradner is proud to be combating terrorism in Iraq.

"This may be the only conflict in our lifetime, and I couldn't imagine just sitting it out," he said.

The greatest compliment to Bradner's character may be when his superior officers, after knowing him only a short time, recommended he apply for a commissioning program. Up until that point, Bradner constantly questioned his future in the Army, but this deployment changed all of that.

"I didn't think I was going to like the Army as much as I do, but I really love wearing the uniform, and I like serving my country," he said.

Bradner will have to complete four years of college and earn a bachelor's degree. He will have to chose a major, which he said would be history, but he will not have to choose a university. His superiors felt he was a prime candidate for one of America's premier institutions: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Bradner will become a cadet in the class of 2012. He said this is a challenge he is eager to begin.

"I've got mixed feelings about it. I'm really nervous. I'm worried about the transition from being a soldier to being a student," he said. "I'm sure it'll be exciting."

Another testament to Bradner's unique character is the rarity and relationship his high school has with West Point. The last time someone from his high school attended West Point, Bradner's father had yet to deploy to Vietnam.

"I'll be the first person from my high school to go to West Point in 40 years. So I'm really excited about that. I look at it as an opportunity to set myself apart from my peers," he said. "Growing up in a small town, I'm glad to be able to stand out and represent my community however I can."

Not only will he stand out in his community, the ribbons on his chest will immediately set him apart from those in his freshman class. By then, he will be a combat vet, having spent more than a year in Iraq.

Bradner will enroll in August 2008 for the fall semester. West Point admits only about 1,200 students a year. About 200 each year are prior enlisted, and most have to attend a prep school first. Bradner is part of a select few who get to bypass prep classes and go straight to the academy. Only 20 soldiers are given this chance every year.

For now, thoughts of college life will have to wait. Bradner said he cannot afford to think about freshman year because he still has a lot of important work left to do in Ramadi.

Currently, Bradner gathers all sorts of information and aids in the counterinsurgency fight against al Qaeda.

"We collect information to determine where al Qaeda is maintaining safe havens and try to figure out where they are going to strike next and what we can do to prevent that," he said. "We also try to keep abreast of the enemy's latest tactics."

His role here is much more aggressive and involved than it may appear. He spends a lot of time behind a desk and speaking to leaders in the Iraqi army and police. Although the conversations are casual, the information gathered from them can have a direct impact on the actions of men with guns out in Ramadi.

"The simplest way I can put it is, an infantryman kicks in doors, but intel points at which door to kick in," Bradner said.

His deployment started in mid-January, when Ramadi was still in the midst of transition and a bit unstable. This place was still dealing with roadside bombs, sniper fire and mortar attacks.

"When we first got to Ramadi, the place was bad," he said. "We were seeing 10 to 15 attacks per day, and that was normal. Some days we'd see 20 attacks. Before we left, we conducted an operation with the Marines, and that really helped clean up Ramadi. Since then, we've galvanized the tribal leaders, and they've basically ousted al Qaeda. A lot of it is due to kinetic actions from U.S. soldiers, but a vast majority of it is due to the cooperation with community sheiks and them not allowing al Qaeda to take safe haven in Ramadi anymore."

Bradner also has noticed changes in the people of Ramadi, the provincial capital of Anbar.

"When we first got here, the Iraqis were kind of standoffish," he said. "Now they really look at us as friends, like we're here to help and not like we're a threat or have some type of ulterior motive."

If Bradner could point to one thing about his deployment he takes the most pride in, it is being able to make a difference while he was here, he said. He said he will be able to look back years from now and feel like he was a part of the success of Anbar province. And, although he misses his family and will be spending his first Christmas away from home, he said he wouldn't change a thing.

(Marine Cpl. Ryan M. Blaich is assigned to 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force.)

Heidelberg Staff Retraces Historical Battle of the Bulge

By Dave Melancon
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - Mass formations of German armored vehicles and infantry quietly gathered along the border with Belgium and Luxembourg, preparing for Nazi Germany's last major offensive of World War II. The Ardennes Offensive, more popularly known as the Battle of Bulge, would begin Dec. 16, 1944. The Germans called their operation "Watch on the Rhine."

Sixty-three years later, 45 U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg leaders and staff members retraced the route of the 6th Panzer Army's thrust into Belgium, seeing where soldiers of the 1st U.S. Army, including those from 5th Corps, thwarted Hitler's plan to split the Allied advance into Germany and capture the port of Antwerp, Belgium.

Along the Bulge's North Shoulder battlefields, the staff learned about acts of great courage and heroism. They also heard of acts of great cruelty and barbarism, explained by historian Will Cavanagh, their guide for the two-day staff ride.

"Remember that these people were just people. Some were good; some were better than others," said Army Col. Robert Ulses, USAG Heidelberg commander, during the first day's studies. "These people were running huge organizations."

Cavanagh, who has led staff rides since 1986, recalled hearing about the battle from his mother, who lived in the area during the attack, and from personal interviews with U.S. and German veterans.

"Mr. Cavanagh made this significant event of World War II come alive with his extensive knowledge of battle details and firsthand accounts of participating soldiers -- Allied and German," said Anita Johnson, of the USAG Heidelberg plans, analysis and integration office. "As a result, the Battle of the Bulge became real and not just another page in the history books."

Being able to walk the battlefields, she added, "to slog through the mud, rain and cold, and to listen to the human perspective that (Cavanagh) added to the battle details, brought home to me that these were real people fighting under grim conditions for a cause they believed in," she said.

The staff ride's first day concentrated on the assault route followed by Kampfgruppe (combat team) Peiper, led by Waffen-SS Lt. Col. Joachim Peiper, a former adjutant to Heinrich Himmler and the youngest regimental commander in the German army.

Peiper's column was ordered to 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, a part of the 6th SS Panzer Army, which was assigned to capture and overrun U.S. positions with the objective of capturing the port city of Antwerp.

The 6th SS, one of three German armies taking part of the offensive, was designated the northernmost attack force, with the offensive's primary objective of capturing Antwerp entrusted to it.

The center formation consisted of the 5th Panzer Army, tasked with trying to capture Brussels via Bastogne and St. Vith, Belgium. The German 7th Army spearheaded the attack through Luxembourg.

Peiper's column slammed into Belgium during the early morning of Dec. 16, surprising the U.S. defenders, Cavanagh said. As word of the attack spread, Peiper's tank and halftracks encountered stiff resistance from 99th Infantry Division. Peiper was forced to change routes several times because of roadblocks and blown bridges.

Combat engineers, tank destroyer teams and the heroic actions of individual soldiers and small units frequently thwarted Peiper's advance.

As Peiper's 15-mile-long column wound its way over the narrow and twisting farm roads, several of his halftracks charged over open ground near a crossroads near the village of Baugnez on Dec. 17, encountering a 13-vehicle convoy of elements from Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion. After a brief firefight, 84 U.S. soldiers were rounded up and shot.

That incident became known as the "Malmedy Massacre," and word of the atrocity spread through the U.S. lines and stiffened the Americans' resolve. Elements of 82nd Infantry Division (Airborne) halted Peiper's advance at the town of Stavelot.

Running low on fuel and ammunition, Peiper pulled back to the town of La Gleize to await a resupply column. Realizing that the relief column would never arrive, the German lieutenant colonel ordered his men to destroy their tanks, halftracks and other vehicles and returned to German lines Dec. 23, five days after starting his assault.

Cavanagh explained how stiff resistance by the 1st "Big Red One," 2nd "Warrior" and 99th "Battle Babies" infantry divisions helped stem the Germans' advance and bring an end to the "Watch on the Rhine."

Entrenched U.S. formations along the "International Road" and Elsenborn Ridge forced the Germans to commit and sacrifice many of their infantrymen and expose their armored formations to withering artillery fire, Cavanagh said.

Soldiers of 2nd Infantry Division would earn more Medals of Honor than any other U.S. unit during the fight, and the "Manchus" of 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, fighting at the Rocherather Baracken crossroads saved the entire 1st Army from being overrun, Cavanagh said.

"I hope this ride gives (the garrison staff) great pride in their country, in the past and today," Cavanagh said at the ride's final stop in a memorial park dedicated to 2nd and 99th infantry divisions in the village of Krinkelt. "What (the soldiers) did was give a lot of freedom to a lot of people."

Army Capt. Katherine Baker, of the USAG Kaiserslautern logistics directorate, said she learned several tactical, logistical lessons and to never make assumptions about an enemy.

"Complacency on the side of the Allies almost made Hitler's final offensive a success," she said. "Allied soldiers had a false sense of security that was exploited. There were simple things that could have been done to quickly slow the German advance, but no one had a contingency plan because everyone assumed the Germans could not mount such an attack."

(Dave Melancon works for the U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg Public Affairs Office.)

Academy Officials: Sexual Assault Reporting Shows System is Working

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - Rather than being alarmed by 40 reports of sexual assault at the U.S. service academies during the 2006-2007 school year, officials are calling them a sign that programs designed to encourage victims to report are working. "It tells me that cadets are coming forward," said Air Force Col. Gail Colvin, vice commandant of cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo. "It shows they have trust in the system and view it as a safe place where they can seek help."

Colvin's assessment came days after the Defense Department released its annual report on sexual harassment and violence at the Air Force Academy; U.S. Military Academy, in West Point, N.Y.; and U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Md.

The annual report reveals 40 cases of sexual assault between June 1, 2006, and May 31, 2007: 19 at the Air Force Academy, 16 at West Point and five at the Naval Academy. It defines sexual assault as rape, sodomy, indecent assault or attempts to commit these offenses.

But officials at all three schools are quick to point out that sexual assault is a national problem that transcends the military. The name of a sexual harassment and assault prevention class offered to first-year midshipmen at the Naval Academy, "1 in 4," hints to the national statistic that one in four college women experiences an actual or attempted sexual assault during college.

Army Col. Jeanette McMahon, the U.S. Military Academy's special assistant to the superintendent for human relations, said the numbers of reported assaults alone don't tell the whole story.

She pointed to broad sexual assault and sexual harassment prevention programs at all three academies designed to ensure every cadet and midshipman understands what sexual harassment and sexual violence is, what to do if they or someone else is victimized, and their responsibility as leaders to intervene. When cadets are more aware about what behavior is acceptable and what constitutes sexual assault or harassment and that victims aren't to blame, they are more willing to report such incidents, she said.

Noting that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crime nationwide, McMahon said she's convinced the number of incidents at the academies is actually higher than the annual Defense Department report shows.

An anonymous 2006 survey at West Point in 2006 revealed that 65 women, or 10 percent of West Point's female cadets, and 10 of its males, experienced a sexual assault. "So, clearly, we are not getting all the reports that are out there," she said.

The DoD report cites a perception by some West Pointers of "a negative stigma associated with reporting sexual assault." Similarly, it points out that cadets at the Air Force Academy may hesitate to report sexual assault for fear they will experience "retaliation by their command in the form of punishment for collateral misconduct."

Officials say they want to dispel those impressions and agree the best way to encourage more victims to report sexual assaults is to continue building their confidence and trust in the system.

Navy Cmdr. Ricks Polk, the Naval Academy's sexual assault response coordinator, cited two initiatives aimed at breaking down barriers to reporting sexual misconduct.

The academy offers a variety of ways to report to make victims as comfortable as possible with the process, Polk said. They can turn to a peer, specially trained midshipmen called sexual assault victim intervention guides; to a senior enlisted leader or officer serving as a victim's advocate; to a chaplain or counselor; or to their chain of command. "We think that with all those different avenues of people being able to report, that maybe one of those will be appealing to them, and that they are ... more likely to report," Polk said.

In addition, a confidential reporting option introduced in 2005 offers victims mental and medical care and other support without requiring them to get involved in the criminal justice process. Half of the cadets and midshipmen who reported sexual assaults during the 2005-2006 academic year elected this option, according to the DoD report.

Colvin said this option, called "restricted reporting," enables some victims who may feel stigmatized to step forward. "This takes all that off the table," she said.

The report notes that the 20 sexual assault victims who chose "unrestricted" reporting during the report period, agreeing to follow through with the military justice process, also received support and care.

The challenge ahead, Colvin said, is for the academies to continue advancing programs to prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment from happening in the first place. "It's about creating a culture and climate of respect, both for oneself and others," she said.

This leads to an environment of trust so when incidents do occur, victims are more likely to report them, she said.

The DoD report supports Colvin's assertion. "A command that is seen as fair and balanced in its response to sexual assault is more likely to create an environment that will not deter reporting," it says.

As the academies strive to create that climate, Colvin said she's satisfied they're on the right track. "The numbers tell me our programs are working ... and that cadets have a deeper trust and are coming forward," she said. "We're trying to attack the issue ... (and) to get more cadets to come forward."

Wounded Warrior Program Provides Enduring Support to Families

By Kristen Noel
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - There's no set limit on how long the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior program will provide one-on-one service to severely wounded soldiers and their families, a U.S. Army official said yesterday. "We assist and advocate for severely wounded soldiers and their families for as long as they need us, wherever they are located," Army Col. James Rice, the Wounded Warrior program's director, said in a conference call with online journalists and "bloggers."

The Wounded Warrior program is for soldiers who are considered 30 percent or more disabled, as found by the Army disability system, to ensure their families receive all the benefits and support they are entitled to, Rice explained.

The 30-percent threshold is based on the level of disability rating above which soldiers and their families can maintain the Tricare retirement benefit, he said.

Almost 2,400 injured soldiers are enrolled in the program. Each is assigned a soldier-family management specialist – the equivalent of a case manager – "who gives them personalized recovery assistance in navigating government and nonprofit organizations on their behalf to ensure they get the help and support their families need," Rice said.

"We make the connection as soon as that soldier arrives at a treatment facility, and our soldier-family management specialist – our care manager – establishes a relationship with that solider and family that continues as long as it takes," he explained.

Support continues even after the soldier leaves the hospital and either continues on active duty or departs the service. "We're still with them to help them through vocational rehabilitation, through the education process and ensuring that they are fully employed to the greatest extent possible so that they're integral members of their community," he said.

The program's staff of about 100 includes soldier-family management specialists who are dispersed throughout the United States to accommodate soldiers and families in person. "Wherever there is a significant population of wounded warriors, we have a soldier-family management specialist on the ground," Rice said.

This decentralization of the Wounded Warrior program is its most significant change in recent years, according to Rice.

The program has existed since 2004, initially under the name "Disabled Soldiers Support System," and historically only provided support from its headquarters in Alexandria, Va., Rice explained.

He added that the Wounded Warrior program is part of a larger Army initiative focused on providing more comprehensive medical services to soldiers and their families.

"We are in the forefront of an important transformation that is building the health care model for the future for the military's wounded warriors," he said.

Guard Members Respond to Midwest Ice Storms

By Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - More than 140 National Guard members in the Midwest responded to a band of deadly mid-December storms that stretched from eastern Texas to the Ohio Valley and into northern New York and New England. Missouri Army Guard Officer Candidate Neilson Rudd was one of more than 20 fatalities attributed to the storms, which brought freezing rain to more than 10 states and rain, sleet and snow to nearly half the nation.

Trees and power lines in some states were brought down by inch-thick ice accumulations, which closed roadways and left thousands in need of emergency assistance from the Guard and local and state agencies.

Missouri National Guard units were on standby for most of the week and throughout the weekend after their governor declared a state of emergency.

At least 22 Guard members responded. An Army Guard armory was used as a warming shelter, and soldiers provided security for residents there. Soldiers also provided transportation and cleared debris from roadways. Members of the 203rd Engineer Battalion provided generators and conducted door-to-door wellness checks for rural areas in Barton County.

Rudd saw an auto accident on Dec. 9 and stopped to check on the vehicles' occupants. He was not on military duty at the time.

When returning to his vehicle on the Katy Trail Bridge, just north of Jefferson City on Highway 63, another vehicle lost control and struck him down. Rudd was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports.

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of Officer Candidate Rudd," said Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, Missouri adjutant general. "His actions exemplify the values of the United States Army and the Missouri National Guard."

Officials said Rudd was returning from his weekend drill at the 140th Regional Training Institute, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., at the time of the accident. He enlisted in March 2006 as a military policeman with the 1140th MP Company in Fulton. He entered officer candidate school earlier this year.

Meanwhile, the governor of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency for all 77 counties due to the widespread freezing rain there. The state's joint operations center coordinated missions, and at least 77 Guard members responded to requests for assistance. They transported 100 cots and opened a Red Cross warming shelter at the armory in Broken Arrow. Soldiers also responded to at least five requests for emergency power in the state's northeastern region. Guard members provided fresh water to residents in Wikiupp and delivered more than 1,000 sandbags in Clatsop County.

The Kansas National Guard provided emergency power for water treatment facilities, sewer systems and shelters in at least two counties. Nearly 130,000 residents were without power, and the Guard was planning door-to-door wellness checks yesterday for affected residential areas. Guard units also delivered cots to Red Cross shelters and were planning observation flights to check on residents, which responders were unable to reach.

"We have seen a huge increase in requests for Guard support today," said Sharron Watson, a Kansas Guard spokeswoman. "Generator missions have been the biggest request, but we have also had our Guard members out clearing roadways in southeast Kansas."

The National Weather Service predicted lighter amounts of sleet, freezing rain and snow, but also reported the possibility of additional accumulations from another storm developing later in the week.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mike R. Smith is assigned to the National Guard Bureau. Missouri National Guard Capt. Tammy Spicer contributed to this article.)

Gates Arrives in Scotland for Afghan Meetings

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and R. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, arrived here today for meetings with allies working in Regional Command South in Afghanistan. Defense and foreign affairs representatives from the eight countries participating in RC South will discuss local and regional issues in Afghanistan, how to better operate together, the need for troops and progress in connecting the Afghan government to its people.

There are 11,000 troops in RC South with its headquarters in the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. The region is under British command as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. A U.S. maneuver battalion of 4th Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, is in the region, as well as a U.S. aviation bridging force with 16 helicopters. British Defense Minister Des Browne is hosting the meeting.

The ministers will also discuss a proposal that Gates made during a NATO meeting in Nordvick, Netherlands, in October: a NATO strategic concept paper looking out three to five years in Afghanistan.

"What the secretary proposed was a short, readable document ... that explains why we're (in Afghanistan), what we're doing, and how we're going to help the Afghan government meet its goals," said a senior defense official talking on background.

Representatives of the eight countries in RC South – the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Estonia and Romania – will discuss ways that ISAF should move forward. The paper would serve as a broad roadmap with goals and benchmarks for the goals, the official said. "If we want to get here by year five, where do we need to be at each of these years so that we are able to determine progress?" he said.

This sort of document has not existed before, the official said. There is a NATO operating plan and the Afghan National Defense Strategy, "but we don't have this connecting tissue," he said.

The Defense Department has a working draft, but it has not finished the government approval process yet, and will not release the document. "There will be a variety of countries offering drafts, and someone is going to have to pull this together to be endorsed and signed by the heads of government" at the NATO meetings in April, a senior State Department official said, also on background.

The strategic concept paper is designed to do several things. At its basic level, it simply explains the mission. It may serve as a very broad resource-planning tool. The paper also would point out opportunities for countries to specialize in governance, economic of reconstruction aid.

The defense official said the paper might also convince parliaments or assemblies to stay in the Afghan mission. Finally, "maybe just by having this document, it allows other countries that are not participating to say 'I get it. Here's how we can help,'" the official said.

Foreign ministry representatives will discuss what they see as absolutely essential. Aid to governance is at the top of the list. The ministers will discuss what governance means and whether NATO can help it to work more effectively.

"We believe the Taliban has a district-by-district strategy, and to compete with them we have to enable national institutions to touch the districts," the senior State Department official said.

The Afghan Ministry of Education is one example of how the central government can reach the people. Under Taliban rule, only 800,000 boys were in school. Now it's about 5 million boys and girls – still only 45 percent of the school-age population. Health care is another example. Six years ago, roughly 8 percent of Afghans had health care access; now, 65 percent do. "How do we keep advancing that?" he asked.

The NATO strategy in Afghanistan must move simultaneously on three tracks: security, reconstruction and governance. "You've got to have security. You have to separate the enemy from the people so they have some sense that they are not going to be intimidated," the State Department official said. "You've got to connect the people to the government."

An operation in southern Afghanistan is under way, and officials are searching for generators to get the electrical network up. They are already looking to locate mobile health clinics in the region. They are working with tribal leaders to get progress moving at the local level. The official said the momentum sustains itself.

The State and Defense officials agreed that there are still "registered shortfalls" in Afghanistan for troops. ISAF is three maneuver battalions short, needs more aviation support -- particularly helicopters -- and there are a number of other specialties that have not been filled.

"We're making progress in Afghanistan, but it's fragile and it has to be reinforced," the defense official said.

Service Academies Make Progress in Preventing Sexual Assault, Harassment

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - The Defense Department's Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the U.S. Service Academies, released late last week, concludes that the Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., all have made "great progress" in establishing prevention and response programs. These programs begin during cadets' and midshipmen's first terms at their respective schools, laying the foundation for follow-on instruction that continues every term throughout their academy years.

The report, which covers the 12-month period that ended May 31, evaluates the academies' expanded sexual assault prevention and response programs, their sexual harassment programs, and feedback from cadet and midshipmen focus groups about how they're working.

The report cites "robust" programs that ensure every cadet and midshipman understands what sexual harassment and sexual violence is, what to do if they or someone else is victimized, and their responsibility as leaders to intervene. It holds the academies up as a model for other colleges and universities, noting that they've fully implemented their sexual assault prevention and response programs and that they blend "seamlessly" into their curricula.

Army Col. Jeanette McMahon, the U.S. Military Academy's special assistant to the superintendent for human relations, said these efforts underscore the academies' -- and the military's -- zero tolerance for sexual harassment and sexual assault. Meanwhile, she said, it helps ensure a common base of understanding for all cadets and midshipmen.

"Prevention is a long-term changing of people's outlooks and behaviors," she said. "We are looking at our climate and how we can educate and train the cadets ... to a common set of values that we abide by in the military and the Army and also here at West Point."

Navy Cmdr. Ricks Polk, the Naval Academy's sexual assault response coordinator, emphasized the negative effect of sexual misconduct. "It degrades good order and discipline and erodes the very fabric of unit cohesion," he said.

"If those things are going on behind the scenes, ... they are going to just tear apart the very thing we are trying to build," he said. "We are trying to build a team. This is going to destroy that team."

If Army Maj. Dave Cushen at West Point had to boil down the concepts being instilled at the academies to one word, he'd sum it up as "respect" for oneself and others, he said. As assistant to the Military Academy's commandant on issues of respect and equal opportunity, Cushen called respect a critical element of leadership that cadets and midshipmen will draw on long after graduating from their respective schools.

Those lessons begin at the academies as students come to recognize their responsibility as leaders to do what's right, including stepping forward when they see situations of sexual assault or harassment, Polk said.

"Even though you are fourth class (a first-year midshipman) and you don't necessarily see yourself as a leader yet, you can still be a leader by the fact that you step up when you see something that's not right," he said.

By building a climate of respect, both for cadets themselves and for others, the academies are instilling principles cadets and midshipmen will draw on long after their academy years, he said.

"The fact is, they are going to see these things going on when they are in leadership positions, both here at the academy and when they get to the fleet," Polk agreed. "They are going to see situations where someone has said (something) or taken action inappropriately, and they will need to react to it. They are responsible for moving forward on it."

When they take these principles to the field and fleet as junior officers, academy graduates will set an example through their personal behavior and the way they talk to and treat others, Burger said.

"And I think it always goes back to the respect foundation, that bedrock," she said. "As a leader, if you are being respectful of yourself and others, then you are going to be going in the right direction in setting a command climate of how ... your subordinates treat each other and what's acceptable to you and what's not," she said. "That carries weight. ... It's the impact of one person and how many people they can influence."

America Supports You: USO Elves to Host Troops at BWI Airport

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 13, 2007 - Santa's USO elves will be checking their list twice this weekend to ensure they're ready to host about 2,000 troops slated to transit through Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport before catching flights home to their families and loved ones. The elves – actually volunteers from United Service Organizations of Metropolitan Washington – will work through the night Dec. 15 to prepare for a mass holiday exodus to begin at the suburban Maryland airport at 6 the following morning.

As some 1,800 soldiers attending advanced individual training at nearby Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., await their flights, BWI's USO International Gateway Lounge will offer up a host of freebies and services, Nicole Causey, USO communications manager, told American Forces Press Service.

Another 7,000 or so soldiers training at Fort Lee, Va., will get similar treatment as they pass through the airport in the wee hours of the morning later in the week, she said.

All transiting troops will get full access to a host of free offerings, including refreshments, travel assistance, international calls, Internet access and movies, Causey said. USA Cheerleaders, a professional promotional team, will be on hand to cheer the troops on, and volunteers will pass out care packages along with holiday cheer.

"It's a good way for the soldiers to be touched, both by the USO and through our donors who help contribute to these great lounges," Causey said. "It shows the troops that people care and gives them that little bit of TLC."

Although BWI's USO lounge typically operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Causey said it frequently extends its hours, sometimes staying open all night to accommodate troops passing through the airport. "If we know in advance a large group of soldiers is going through, we'll stay open," she said.

At 5,000 square feet, the lounge is the USO's largest in the United States and offers a full range of services. Troops can watch a wide-screen TV, log on to the Internet or call anywhere in the world for free on a voice-over-Internet phone donated to the facility, Causey said.

Military families with children can take advantage of play and nap areas. And troops wanting some shut-eye themselves can catch their Z's in the lounge's sleep room. They simply take a nap until a USO volunteer awakens them in time for their flight, Causey said.

Gates: Lack of Supplemental Funds Would Hurt Afghan Mission

By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 12, 2007 - A lack of supplemental war funding from Congress would affect U.S. training efforts for Afghan soldiers and police, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told federal legislators at a Capitol Hill hearing yesterday. The supplemental contains about $2.7 billion allocated for training and equipping Afghan security forces, Gates, who recently returned from a trip to Afghanistan, told House Armed Services Committee members.

Consequently, if funding isn't received, "we wouldn't be able to do that" kind of training in Afghanistan, Gates explained to the committee.

Congress has passed a $460 billion Defense Appropriations Act for 2008, but it doesn't contain enough money to fund ongoing overseas operations.

The House passed a $50 billion bill in November with funds to continue operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it included legislation that directs the president to withdraw most combat troops from Iraq by December 2008. The measure failed in the Senate. President Bush has vowed to veto any bill that includes a troop-withdrawal timetable.

Gates noted during the committee hearing that "the money runs out for the Army in about mid-February and for the Marines in about mid-March."

The department officially has notified Congress that it will begin a furlough process that possibly could affect up to 100,000 civilian employees as part of efforts to save money for overseas war operations in case the supplemental legislation's passage is further delayed in Congress. The Defense Department also has told Congress that the Army and the Marines would have to divert on-hand funding previously earmarked for installation needs to pay for overseas operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a letter to Congress dated Dec. 7, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England provided legislators the required 45-day notice before starting furloughs.

"The furlough will negatively affect our ability to execute base operations and training activities," England wrote. "More importantly, it will affect the critical support our civilian employees provide to our warfighters -- support which is key to our current operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq."

With no supplemental funding forthcoming, Army officials anticipate they would begin to furlough affected civilians sometime in February, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen, who accompanied Gates at the hearing, said.

In addition, "you stop doing your training to deploy, you stop rotating to other parts of the world," Mullen continued in explanation of how the lack of funding would affect the Army.

The Army's annual operational budget is about $27 billion, Mullen said. Today, he said, the Army is spending about $6.5 billion monthly "to run the Army" and "to support the efforts with respect to this war."

Also, the Marine Corps' recruiting mission would come to a halt without the needed money contained within the stalled supplemental appropriation, Mullen said.

The current situation "has a very debilitating effect on those two services," Mullen emphasized, adding that's why receiving the supplemental funding as quickly as possible "is really important for all the men and women who are serving, as well as their families."

Congressional Report Confirms Furlough Predictions

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 12, 2007 - A Congressional Research Service report confirms the Defense Department estimate for when the Army and Marine Corps will run out money and be forced to furlough civilians and shutter bases. The report, released Dec. 6, says the Army will run out of operations and maintenance money by mid-February, and the Marine Corps will run out of funds a month later. Amy Belasco, Stephen Daggett and Pat Towell wrote the report, titled "How Long Can the Defense Department Finance FY2008 Operations in Advance of Supplemental Appropriations?"

The service, a part of the Library of Congress, affirmed the DoD projections. The report says that the Army and Marine Corps may be able to push that date back a bit by transferring funds and slowing down spending. "These measures would, however, reduce remaining financial flexibility and may disrupt day-to-day operations," the report says. And even these steps will only delay the inevitable for a couple of weeks.

The president requested $189.3 billion for war on terror supplemental funds. Congress approved about $17 billion for mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles, but the rest of the funds are tied up in a disagreement between Congress and the president over a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq.

Without the supplemental funds, the Army will be forced to curtail training and shutter many bases. The service also will be forced to furlough about 100,000 civilian employees and lay-off about 100,000 contractors. Furlough notification letters will go out to unions and employees beginning next week, DoD officials said.

"The Defense Department may be able to sustain operations longer by invoking the Feed and Forage Act or by using novel, unprecedented measures, such as assigning the Navy and Air Force to pay costs of Army operations overseas," the report says.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters today that the department already is using reprogramming authority as much as it can. "It would require Congress to authorize more reprogramming authority than they already have," he said.

"But the real danger is, if you use up all the Navy and Air Force operations and maintenance budgets, what you do is start to chip away at what I would call the strategic capability of this nation in terms of being able to provide capability for other contingencies around the world," he said. "With a fairly committed Army and Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan, it would be a dangerous thing to have the Navy and Air Force unable to operate and provide basic strategic reserve we have."

Congress is scheduled to adjourn on Dec. 21. If it does not reach an agreement on funding, the legislation will not be considered until after Congress reconvenes, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 15.

Kosovo Force Watches Fighting, Shooting – NHL Style

By Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith, USAF
Special to American Forces Press Service

Dec. 12, 2007 - Just after the Dec. 10 deadline for the conclusion of negotiating the status of Kosovo, servicemembers assigned to NATO's Kosovo Force sat back in their chairs and enjoyed the fighting and shooting. The fighting was actually thousands of miles away, where hockey players were throwing punches and shooting pucks during the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers hockey broadcast on Versus, the national cable home of the National Hockey League.

During this critical period in Kosovo's history, pictures of American soldiers, airmen and sailors deployed to camps Film City and Bondsteel, Kosovo, were shown to a national television audience in the United States.

At the same time the troops' family members were watching the game at home, about 35 servicemembers gathered at Camp Film City's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center at 1 a.m. Dec. 12 to watch the live broadcast on the American Forces Network.

When the first pictures of KFOR members appeared on the screen, the troops erupted with cheers and clapping. The sporting, yet relaxed, atmosphere gave some soldiers the chance to unwind for a little while and forget about the stress of the deployment.

"I e-mailed everyone I know," said Army Lt. Col. Elaine Berkowitz. "I'm from Pittsburgh, and I came to see my Penguins win. I think this is a fabulous event, and it's great for camaraderie."

The idea for the game came about when a small group of troops gathered for the Oct. 24 game between the Penguins and New York Rangers. A story was written about the game and sent to Versus. Eventually, Michael Baker, coordinating producer of the National Hockey League on Versus, received an e-mail with the story. Baker contacted the author of the story to thank the troops for watching the game. Through e-mails, they worked together to put on the Dec. 11 show.

"My mom and dad in Michigan are watching," said Army Spc. Graham Besonen. "It's important for them to see me and know I'm safe. I'm really a Red Wings fan, but I came to enjoy a hockey game and for my family to see me."

Most of the pictures were sent to Versus at least a week prior to the game. However, the network wanted to make sure all of the troops were recognized. Just prior to the start of the game, a group photo was taken and e-mailed to Baker. During the third period, the picture was shown on TV.

"I was really impressed with Versus and the NHL putting our pictures on during the game," said Army Sgt. Rich Allen. "I've always been a hockey fan, and to be deployed and see myself on television during a game was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

The game ended with the Flyers dominating the Penguins, 8-2. This was disappointing for Penguins fans in the crowd, but being recognized at home was the most important thing for most of the people involved.

In addition to American troops, a few other NATO and Partnership for Peace troops were on hand at the MWR Center to cheer for their favorite team. Camp Film City, which serves as the Kosovo Force Headquarters, is a deployed home to troops of 34 nations.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jason Smith is assigned to Kosovo Force Public Affairs.)

Gates Plans Scotland Trip to Discuss Afghanistan With Allies

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Dec. 12, 2007 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, for meetings with allies with troops in southern Afghanistan, defense officials said here today. British Defense Minister Des Brown will host the meeting. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns will accompany Gates to the meeting. In addition to the United States and the United Kingdom, defense and foreign ministers from Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Canada, Romania and Estonia are participating in the meeting.

All the forces are part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force's Regional Command South, which is has its headquarters in Kandahar. The area was a Taliban stronghold and is an active battleground. NATO forces and Afghan National Army soldiers have been campaigning in the south.

"RC South remains the focal point for operations in Afghanistan," said Geoff Morrell, Pentagon press secretary, during a news conference here today. "In fact, daily attacks have doubled since NATO's International Security Assistance Force took over there."

Still, Gates is optimistic about the situation in the region. "Secretary Gates returned from his trip to Afghanistan last week even more convinced that the Taliban's recent resurgence in some parts of the nation is not a threat militarily, but is clearly undermining the coalition's efforts to stabilize and develop that country," Morrell said. Gates has clear ideas about what is wrong with the Afghan strategy and how it should be adjusted. "Over the course of the next couple of days in Edinburgh, he will have a chanc