Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group Completes Seven-Month Deployment

From USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Nearly 7,000 Sailors and Marines deployed with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) returned to their homeports Dec. 20, following a seven-month deployment.

The Norfolk-based Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) and guided-missile destroyers USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) and USS Ross (DDG 71) returned after supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan, Operation New Dawn (OND) in Iraq and maritime security operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

"This has been a great deployment because of the hard work and professionalism of our Sailors and Marines over the last seven months," said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, commander, Harry S. Truman CSG. "Whether conducting combat flight operations in support of U.S. and coalition ground forces in Afghanistan, preventing piracy on the open seas, or interacting with the local community during well-deserved port visits, the strike group represented themselves and their country with the greatest pride and professionalism."

Shortly after departing Norfolk May 21, the Truman CSG participated in the 100th anniversary of French naval aviation celebration. French aircraft landed and catapulted off Truman, while F/A-18s and E-2s from CVW 3 touched down on the French nuclear aircraft carrier CVN Charles de Gaulle (R 91). French maintenance crews embarked aboard Truman to conduct a practice engine change on a French Rafale F3 in Truman's hangar bay.

The Truman CSG joined the 5th Fleet Area of Operations in June 2010 and began combat operations in support of OEF and OND. During the next five months, CVW 3 aircrews flew 2,915 missions into Afghanistan and Iraq, providing vital close air support to coalition forces on the ground.

"Our success in support of OEF and OND is a glowing testament to world-class training, the high caliber of men and women who volunteer to serve and the manner in which they came together to perform as a mission-focused team," said Capt. Jay Bynum, commander, CVW 3. "We are so thankful and blessed to be returning home with all our Sailors, Marines and aircraft and to be reunited with our families to enjoy the holiday season."

While operating in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, several Truman CSG ships rescued mariners adrift at sea. The visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) teams from Winston S. Churchill rescued 62 distressed mariners after their dhow capsized in the Gulf of Aden Sept. 27, while the VBSS team from Oscar Austin provided assistance to two Iranian mariners after their dhow sank Nov. 18.

"Whether conducting counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, operating with the Harry S. Truman in the Northern Arabian Sea, or conducting escort operations and other duties in the Arabian Gulf, the ships of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26 were essential in maintaining peace and stability throughout the 5th Fleet AOR," said Capt. Bob Barwis, commander, DESRON 26.

Returning a few days before Christmas, the leadership aboard Truman is both proud and thankful to have safely achieved so much while deployed for 213 days and traveling nearly 55,000 nautical miles.

"It is truly wonderful to return to our homeport and reunite with our families and loved ones after seven months at sea," said Capt. Joe Clarkson, Harry S. Truman's commanding officer. "With the invaluable support of family and friends throughout this deployment, we accomplished the mission we were sent to do, and it is good to be home to celebrate the holidays with our families."

Obama Calls on Senate to Ratify New START

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18, 2010 – President Barack Obama used his weekly address today to call on Congress to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty before recessing for the holiday, warning of the consequences of delays in moving forward on “an urgent national priority.”

“Ratifying a treaty like START isn’t about winning a victory for an administration or a political party,” the president said. “It’s about the safety and security of the United States of America.”

That, he said, is why the treaty has had bipartisan support from former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, as well as every living Republican secretary of state, the United States’ NATO allies and the U.S. military leadership.

Obama also noted that Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the importance of the treaty earlier this week at the White House. “All the Joint Chiefs are very much behind this treaty because of the transparency [and] because of the reality that both the United States and Russia are going to have to recapitalize their nuclear arsenals,” Cartwright said. “To have transparency … to put structure to that activity, we need START, and we need it badly.”

“And that’s why every president since Ronald Reagan has pursued a treaty like START, and every one that has been reviewed by the Senate has passed with strong bipartisan support,” the president said today.

“We have taken the time to get this right,” Obama said, noting that new START has undergone more than seven months of Senate review and 18 congressional hearings.

“It’s time to get this done,” he said.

Delaying action comes at a cost, the president emphasized. “Every minute we drag our feet is a minute that we have no inspectors on the ground at those Russian nuclear sites,” he said.

CNO Issues Statement Following Vote to Repeal DADT

Special from Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, released the following statement following the vote to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell":

"I am pleased the Congress voted to repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" statute (section 654 of title 10, United States Code).

"This Senate action does not immediately change the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

"If the President signs the provision into law, there are still a series of steps that will take place before Don't Ask, Don't Tell is repealed.

"First, the Department of Defense will prepare the necessary policies and regulations to implement the change. We will also ensure that the force is provided training on the new policies.

"Second, the President, Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff must certify that the change can be made consistent with military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruiting and retention.

"Finally, there is a 60-day period following certification before repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell takes effect.

"As we move forward our Navy's superb leaders, both officer and enlisted, will be key to a successful transition to the new policy. Navy leadership will continue to keep all informed.

"The United States Navy will remain the world's most ready, capable and professional Navy where all our shipmates will continue to be treated with dignity and respect."

Statement by Adm. Mike Mullen on Senate Vote to Repeal ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

"I am pleased to see the Congress vote to repeal the law governing ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell.’ Handling this through legislation preserves the military's prerogative to implement change in a responsible, deliberate manner.

 “More critically, it is the right thing to do. No longer will able men and women who want to serve and sacrifice for their country have to sacrifice their integrity to do so. We will be a better military as a result.

 “I look forward to working with Secretary Gates and the Service chiefs as we set about the task of preparing and certifying the joint force to implement the new law. And I am committed to making sure that process is well-led, maintains our combat readiness and upholds our high standards."

The last of the fall buoy runs

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

For nine weeks, Coast Guard units across the Great Lakes have been working around the clock in the largest domestic aids to navigation recovery operation in the United States … and just in time! With the slow-moving snowstorm that brought snow and fierce winds to the upper Midwest last week, there is no doubt that winter is here and more icy weather is on the way.

Operation Fall Retrieve put Aids to Navigation teams, buoy tenders, and stations to the test as they worked together to ensure 1,264 navigational aids along 6,700 miles of Great Lakes coastline were replaced before they could become damaged by the harsh winter weather.

Units are still hard at work, braving the cold weather to finish clearing the critical aids before the ice sets in permanently. One of the units finishing up the last of the buoy retrievals is Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay.

Mobile Bay began the cutter’s “buoy run” in mid-October, and has primarily operated in the waters of Green Bay with an occasional trip to work on a few buoys on the Lake Michigan side of Door Peninsula.

During their run, Mobile Bay was responsible for as many as 61 seasonal buoys. A huge order for such a short deployment considering this is two thirds of all the buoys the cutter maintains annually.

The crew of Mobile Bay replaced the seasonal buoys with winter aids capable of withstanding the abuse of almost five months of shifting ice flows.

“In general, the seasonal buoys are replaced in succession based upon their importance to navigation for major shipping and to a lesser degree with the greater probability of ice forming in that location,” said LT Bryan Estell, executive officer of Mobile Bay.

While the crew still works through foul weather, like the snowstorm last week, they try to take advantage when the weather is just right for operations, which may mean working long hours over holidays to ensure the buoys are recovered prior to ice formation.

“It’s hard, dirty work; an ‘all-hands’ evolution where everyone on the cutter plays a role in ensuring that every buoy is maintained and positioned properly,” said Estell. “Every time we work AtoN, we drive away from the buoy with a real sense of accomplishment.”

The hard work and long days make a real difference for the professional mariners who transit the Great Lakes during the treacherous winter months. Mobile Bay will return to its moorings in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., but not to rest … It’s icebreaking season!

First Lady Sorts ‘Toys for Tots’ With Volunteers

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C., Dec. 17, 2010 – First Lady Michelle Obama joined military and civilian volunteers here today to sort gifts for the Marine Corps Reserve’s “Toys for Tots” program, which collects and distributes holiday gifts for underprivileged children.

"We're so proud of the work you do for the country and the fact that you are putting it all out for kids across this country," she told the group in a warehouse brimming with large, colorful gift boxes marked by age groups. "We couldn't do it without your leadership."

Servicemembers' families play a big role in making the program work, Obama noted. "It is just another tribute to the hard work that our military families put into this country, after already sacrificing so much for this country," she said.

The idea for Toys for Tots came from a Marine reservist and his wife more than 60 years ago, the first lady said.

"Ever since then,” she added, “our military members and their families have made the holidays brighter for millions of kids all across the country. It's another example of how military families are always willing to do their part for their community."

Obama’s motorcade to the event included a vanload of toys.

"We're here today because we want to do our part," she said. "We've been collecting toys from our staff, and today we brought as many as we could fit into one [vehicle], but there's still more to come."

The first lady took the opportunity to ask the public to contribute to the program, noting that it’s now possible to contribute toys online through the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation’s website, http://www.toysfortots.org. She also asked people not only to think of infants and small children when shopping for gifts, but also to keep older children in mind.

"We're working with families with kids as old as 14 years, and we want to be sure that these preteens and teens have something to open on Christmas, too,” she said.

Clothing, books and backpacks are good gifts for that age group, Obama said.

"If you've already donated for the little kids, and you want to take one more shot at it for the bigger kids, we'd encourage you to do so," she added.

People experiencing financial struggles know someone else needs more of a hand up, Obama said, and participating in the program does more than simply helping the gift recipients.

"Taking the time to shop for another family really teaches our kids the importance of giving at a time when they're expecting to get,” the first lady said. “It teaches them by your example."

Obama spent time with the troops and volunteers, sorting toys into the decorated boxes that soon were overflowing with presents.

Over the 62 years of Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million children in need, according to the foundation’s website.

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, December 20, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

RTC Recruit Inspired by Golden Thirteen Relative

By Brian Walsh, Recruit Training Command Public Affairs

NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES, Ill. (NNS) -- When Seaman Recruit Steven Smith, 22, of Detroit, graduates from Recruit Training Command (RTC) here Dec. 22, he'll take away a lot of family heritage, history and pride.

Smith arrived at RTC Oct. 28, and, at the time, little did he know he would enter a building named after a great-uncle and one of the first 13 African-American Navy officers.

"I knew the history of the Golden Thirteen and of my great-uncle," Smith said. "I did not realize that the building was referred to as the Golden Thirteen."

On the night of arrival at RTC recruits enter the Golden Thirteen in-processing building. The first thing they see is a prominent photo of those 13 officers, known as the Golden Thirteen, the building's namesake.

When Smith saw the large framed black and white photograph he focused on the officer pictured second from the left in the first row - his great-uncle Samuel Edward Barnes, Ph.D.

During the first days of in-processing, Smith, like many recruits, had missteps trying to learn the ways of the Navy. And, like many recruits, he got an earful from his Recruit Division Commander (RDC), Master Chief Fire Controlman Brian Happli.

"My RDC (Recruit Division Commander, Master Chief Fire Controlman Brian Happli) asked me, 'Are you sure you want to stay in the Navy?'" Smith said, after his first misstep during in-processing. "My reply was, 'Yes Master Chief; my great-uncle was Samuel Edward Barnes - one of the Golden Thirteen."

After revealing his relation to Barnes, the in-processing staff took Smith to the display cases containing more pictures and documents pertaining to the Golden Thirteen.

Throughout history until World War I, African Americans were limited and segregated in what they could do as enlisted Sailors. Becoming a commissioned officer was not allowed.

In June 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order that prohibited racial discrimination by any government agency.

The Navy began officer training for 16 African-American enlisted men at RTC in March 1944. Twelve were commissioned as ensigns and one was appointed as a warrant officer. These men became known as the Golden Thirteen.

After serving as officer in charge of the recreation and athletic programs at Great Lakes and as the personnel officer in Okinawa, Japan, Dr. Barnes was honorably discharged.

He earned a doctorates degree from the Ohio State University and made a name for himself in the field of sports administration. Later he became the first African-American member of the governing council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Smith remembers spending summers with his great-uncle in Ohio when he was about 10 years old. Barnes was a big influence in the young man's life.

"He once told me, 'A man cannot be a man until he serves his country,'" he said. "Even as a kid I wanted to follow in my great-uncle and my father's footsteps by serving in the Navy."

Dr. Barnes died on Dec. 28, 1998, on Smith's birthday. He attended the funeral at Arlington Cemetery.

"I didn't know how much my great-uncle meant to people until I was at his funeral," Smith said. "There were thousands of people; I have never seen that many people in one place. I remember the flags and the 21 Gun Salute."

When he and his girlfriend of six years got engaged, Smith decided that it was time to join the navy. They plan to get married on Dec. 26; four days after he graduates from boot camp.

"I use my family's past as motivation," Smith said. "Every time I walk into my ship, I think of how my dad and my great-uncle were going through the same things I am going through now. I know I have to carry out my heritage."

Smith will report to Electronics Technician advanced ("A") school in Groton, Conn., following his graduation as he looks to continue his Navy career in the submarine force.

For more news on RTC, visit http://www.bootcamp.navy.mil/.

Honoring our Profession: Coast Guard Combat Vets

Written by: CDR Glynn Smith

Sometimes people forget that the United States Coast Guard, the smallest of our Nation’s military services, has participated in nearly every war, declared and undeclared, since 1790, when the Revenue Cutter Service was founded.

The Coast Guard Combat Veterans Association does its best to remind the Nation of this fact. Formed in 1985, the Association is a non-profit fraternal organization made of Active Duty Coast Guardsman, Reservists, Retirees, and Honorably-discharged Coast Guard Veterans who served in combat or provided direct support to combat operations. The mission of their 1,500 member group is to promote the knowledge and awareness of the Coast Guard’s role in these historical events.

“The Coast Guard has so many missions, and when most people think of the Coast Guard, they think of search-and-rescue and law enforcement,” said Association member Terry Lee. “It’s important for people to know that we currently have members in Bahrain, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and that, yes – we do go to war.”

The Coast Guard Combat Veterans don’t only look towards history or global events. They have carved out a unique and meaningful way to remain intimately involved with the Coast Guard of the future – by appearing at recruit training program graduations to honor some of the Nation’s newest Coast Guardsman.

“We present a certificate and wristwatch during every graduation to the physical fitness award recipient,” said Mr. Lee. “It’s important for these young men and women to know early on in their careers about the Coast Guard’s role in combat operations.”

The award has been presented since 1996; during that year, the recruit graduations were regularly attended by Coast Guard combat veterans Jack Campbell, Herb Weinstein, and Terry Lee.

Last year, the award was renamed after Mr. Campbell, a Coast Guard hero of the Second World War who participated in the Normandy Invasion of Europe. Mr. Campbell passed away two years ago this month.

“Attending recruit graduations was very important to Jack”, Mr. Lee remembered. “He was always so proud of the men and women that chose to join the Coast Guard to protect our country.”

Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara recently attended the graduation of one of the newest Coast Guard recruit companies, Company Delta-184, a group of young Coast Guard men and women she helped mentor during the training program. “By reaching out to our newest members, the Coast Guard Combat Veterans are forging strong links among Coast Guard Shipmates past, present, and future,” said the admiral. “In faithfully carrying out such a generous recognition program, the Combat Vets have willingly chosen to remain on duty – serving with us to shape our next generation.”

Surface Tension: The cutter surface swimmer

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

Story and photos by Seaman Adam Stanton

When you think of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, the first thought that comes to mind is of a Coastie jumping out of a helicopter to pull someone to safety. But the Coast Guard has another kind of swimmer… the cutter surface swimmer.

The cutter surface swimmer program takes volunteer crewmembers with strong swimming skills and maritime knowledge and trains them in basic life-saving skills and recovery situations. The candidates go through a physical and written qualification process, where only the best qualified members are selected.

“The training builds you up to get you in the ocean. You learn in a controlled environment, and then, apply the training to a real life situation,” said Coast Guard Seaman Joshua Angelica, a cutter surface swimmer stationed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, homeported in Alameda, Calif.

All cutters have at least one qualified surface swimmer aboard whereas cutters with flight decks have a minimum of two cutter surface swimmers aboard while the cutter is underway. Because deploying a surface swimmer off a cutter comes with risks, a certified line tender, responsible for tending the swimmer’s line and maintaining communication through a series of hand signals, is partnered with every surface swimmer.

The program has a dual purpose; providing for the safety of the general public in distress and for the crew in the event there is a shipmate overboard. While rescuing someone in a small boat is the preferred recovery method for persons in the water, a surface swimmer can be an ideal asset especially in cases where survivors are fatigued, entangled or injured.

“Its an eye opener of how challenging the conditions are in the ocean and in rough seas,” said Angelica discussing the training he and his fellow swimmers do on the open ocean. “As a cutter surface swimmer, you think about that worse case scenario where a person can’t move and a small boat cant get to them in really rough seas, we need to be prepared for that.”

The rigid training schedule surface swimmers maintain prepares them for real-life situations where every second counts. When disaster strikes at sea, and a life is in peril, you can count on the Coast Guard’s cutter surface swimmers to be ready to respond.

USS Ronald Reagan Chiefs Help Out at Presidential Ranch

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Dean Lohmeyer, USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (NNS) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) chief petty officers participated in a community service project Dec. 10-12, at Rancho Del Cielo, the ranch once owned by the ship's namesake, former President Ronald Reagan.

More than 25 chief petty officers completed several maintenance projects to help the upkeep of the land. Ronald Reagan's chiefs have been helping out at the ranch since August 2006.

Event coordinator, Master Chief Electronics Technician Jim Ritch, said the event strengthened the already strong tie between the Ronald Reagan Ranch and the Ronald Reagan chief's mess.

"We did anything they asked us to do while we were there," said Ritch. "It's a huge property and there is so much to be done that we were just privileged to be there to help."

The chiefs cleared a fallen tree, trimmed low-hanging branches, split nearly 10 cords of firewood, built walking paths, cleared riding trails, raked algae and weeds from a lake, as well as numerous other projects.

"There was a lot of teamwork and camaraderie going on," said Chief Logistics Specialist Mario Moreno. "We saw what had to be done and we attacked it. We got the job done."

According to Andrew Coffin, vice president and director of the Reagan Ranch, the property is managed by the Young America's Foundation (YAF), a non-profit organization funded entirely by private donations from around the country by those who are committed to preserving Rancho Del Cielo and sharing the lessons of Ronald Reagan's life and ideas with today's youth. He said the assistance provided by the ship's chiefs was greater than any dollar value that could be associated with their labor.

"The work that the chiefs do is incredibly important." said Coffin. "When Ronald Reagan was president, countless government personnel worked on the ranch, including a battalion of Navy Seabees, who built roads and cleared trails. Today, we just have a single ranch manager on site. We work hard to be good stewards of the generous gifts that YAF supporters provide for the preservation of the ranch, and the work the chiefs from the USS Ronald Reagan do at the ranch helps us do exactly that."

Beyond the sheer amount of work done, Coffin said he was more impressed by the quality of the work.

"The work that the chiefs do is in a class by itself," said Coffin. "From the very first work weekend in 2006, they were committed to working hard and getting the job done. I can say without hesitation that these are the most productive days that we have at the ranch all year.

"I'm confident that President Reagan would be both humbled and proud by the work that these American heroes do to help preserve and protect his beloved ranch home," said Coffin.

Coffin's sentiments were shared by Ronald Reagan Ranch Manager George Thompson.

"Working with the chiefs this weekend was fantastic," said Thompson. "I always enjoy having the chiefs here. They always work hard, and they do a lot of work to help us out with our projects."

USS Ronald Reagan Command Master Chief Mark Rudes was proud yet humbled by the work done by the chiefs in his mess.

"It was humbling to see the chief's mess come together and do such a huge amount of work for no other reason than to leave our mark on our namesake's ranch," said Rudes. "Listening to the stories of the men who worked with Ronald Reagan was especially humbling. Knowing that these gentlemen actually worked with the president put everything in perspective."

The chiefs mess hopes to continue working with the Ranch and carry on this tradition in the years to come.

For more news from USS Ronald Reagan and the Ronald Reagan Strike Group, visit www.reagan.navy.mil or visit the official USS Ronald Reagan Facebook page at

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Coronado-CA/USS-Ronald-Reagan/212147332020?ref=ts&ajaxpipe=1&__a=24.

Face of Defense: Guardsman Has Complementary Dual Roles

By Air Force Airman 1st Class Lillian Chatwin

American Forces Press Service

SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 16, 2010 – When he’s asked about the upcoming weather forecast, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Sterling Poulson switches to his "TV voice" to report, "It's 70 degrees outside and pretty nice!"

"People come in here five or six times a day wanting to know what the weather's going to be like," said Poulson, a weatherman for the nightly news on KUTV Channel 2 here and the public affairs noncommissioned officer in charge for the Utah Air National Guard state headquarters.

When prompted, Poulson made a few taps on his keyboard, looked at a bunch of multi-colored dotted lines on a map of the United States, and then presented a full weather report with the fervor of a veteran forecaster.

"Looks like snow Monday night and Tuesday morning, with another storm rolling in here on Wednesday,” he said. “It's going to get cold, cold, cold with temperatures in the 40s. Friday will be partly cloudy and a little warmer, with a high of 48. Looks like snow on Saturday, and temperatures probably won't climb out of the 30s this weekend.

"Summer is pretty much over," Poulson added with a chuckle. "There's going to be a storm about every four days, and it just keeps getting colder and colder."

That’s not what Air Force Lt. Col. Cecilia Nackowski, the chief of plans and programs, whose desk sits directly across from Poulson’s, wanted to hear. "Can you delay that?" she asked.

"For how long?" Poulson asked after only a short pause.

"Three weeks!" the colonel replied.

Poulson laughed. "In three weeks, you will have shoveled your driveway three more times," he said.

Poulson's roles as a TV weatherman in civilian life and a public affairs specialist with the Air Guard are complementary and have proven mutually beneficial, he said.

"Everything I learned about weather, I learned in the military," he said. "When I first went to Offutt Air Force Base [in Nebraska], I worked under Col. Robert Miller. He's the one who wrote 'the book' on severe weather forecasting, and I got to learn a lot from him. I soaked it up like a sponge.

It was like going to a seminar every day."

Poulson began his Air Force career right out of high school in 1969 as an aerospace ground equipment operator. He served in that capacity during a deployment to Vietnam for 13 months in 1970 and 1971.

In 1975, Poulson decided to retrain into weather forecasting in pursuit of a childhood fascination he gained after observing eight inches of rainfall within 24 hours. After training, he served as a severe storms forecaster in support of the Air Force Global Weather Center.

After 10 years of active-duty service, Poulson transitioned to reserve status in 1980 and was assigned to the weather detachment at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. He attended college at the University of Utah.

In 1984, he became a weather producer for KSL-TV. He started his long-running career as an anchorman, weather producer and meteorologist at KUTV in 1989.

Poulson has been a public affairs specialist with the Utah Air Guard since 2000. He writes his own scripts and acts as the master of ceremonies for most of the Utah Guard's major annual events, such as the Governor's Day parade and the Armed Forces Day and Veterans Day concerts. He has hosted several Minuteman and Hometown Hero Award ceremonies and narrated the history of the Utah Air National Guard in a DVD production titled "60 Years of Distinction."

"They call me the voice of the Guard," Poulson said with a smile. He attributes his ease at public speaking to his 21 years of experience being on camera at KUTV.

His employer is very supportive of the military and his role in the Guard, he said.

"The cool thing about my employment at 2News is I can give the Guard a little visibility," he said. "I can do live shots at the VA concert in uniform, and make sure we talk about the concert on TV. I can do public affairs spots and place public service announcements that let people know about the event."

Since his college days, Poulson has had a strong interest in music, and he founded Choral Arts Society of Utah in 1987. As the music director of this 100-voice choir, he has collaborated several times with the Utah Guard's 23rd Army Band for events such as the Armed Forces Day concert.

Poulson has been recognized in both his military and media careers. In 2008, he won a silver Utah Broadcaster Award for a television news story he covered in Morocco in support of the African Lion medical mission with the 151st Medical Group. He also received the 2010 Senior NCO of the Year award for the Utah Air National Guard. He’s scheduled to retire from the Guard in September.

Nimitz Sailors Volunteer in Local Community, Support Area Youth

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ashley Berumen, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Public Affairs

LAKE BAY, Wash. (NNS) -- Sailors from the Air Department aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) assisted local volunteers in a community relations project at Lutheran Church in Lake Bay, Wash., Dec. 15.

Sailors stuffed backpacks full of food and school supplies for 85 children in the local community.

Nimitz' participation was organized by Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Michael Pascerella, whose aunt, Karen Jorgenson, organizes the church's backpack program.

Jorgenson runs the program each week from donations supplied by the local community.

"It's a blessing," said Jorgenson. "We really needed the extra help, and the Sailors worked really hard."

Cmdr. David Appezato, representing Nimitz leadership, participated in the project and said it was a great way for Nimitz to get to know the community and show Nimitz cares.

"Bremerton has opened its arms to us," said Appezzato. "We can give back by helping the community. What better way to give back, than by helping kids?"

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Jeremy C. Mathis has volunteered on community relations projects before and thinks it is something everyone should do because it is a good way for Sailors to give back to the community.

"The people are very passionate and really want to be here," said Mathis. "It makes an impression on you. It's always good to do something for someone else and have fun while you're doing it."

This was Nimitz' first community relations project since arriving at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton Dec. 9 to prepare for a year-long dry-docked maintenance period at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility.

Event Pays Tribute to ‘The Chosin Few’

By Elaine Wilson

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2010 – Fang Woo walked into a room, walls adorned with Navy history memorabilia, and made a beeline for a young Marine reservist across the room.

The 78-year-old retired Marine was eager to meet one of the men responsible for what is believed to be the first full-length documentary about the Chosin Reservoir campaign, a harrowing 17-day battle during the Korean War marked by crippling losses and incredible triumphs of the human spirit.

Woo has a personal interest in the topic -- he is among “The Chosin Few,” the last living survivors of the battle.

Woo was one of several Korean War veterans who braved chilly temperatures last night to attend a commemoration of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which took place 60 years ago this month. A crowd of local history buffs and servicemembers also gathered at the Navy Memorial here for the public event, which featured a viewing of the documentary “Chosin” followed by a panel discussion on the film.

“I twisted his arm to come here, but I know this means a lot to him,” Woo’s son, Conrad, said, while watching his father from across the room. “He doesn’t ask for attention for what he did. My dad never even mentioned what he did in Korea when I was growing up.”

The documentary -- produced, written and directed by Marine Corps reservists Anton Sattler and Brian Iglesias, both former active-duty Marines -- tells the Chosin story through first-person accounts from Korean War veterans the Marines interviewed across the country. They made the movie after they departed active Marine Corps duty, both drawn to a largely overlooked, but highly impactful moment in history.

“We picked this battle because it’s never been done before, and these guys are slowly fading away,” Iglesias said, flanked by two of the Chosin veterans featured in the documentary, Warren Wiedhahn and Dr. Stanley Wolf.

Wiedhahn said the movie offered veterans an opportunity to talk about events that some had never opened up about before. After his kids saw it, they asked him, “Daddy why didn’t you ever talk about it? Why didn’t you tell us this?” One of the reasons, he said, is that it was difficult to share his military past with anyone other than the veterans who shared it.

Still, he and his fellow Chosin veterans opened up in detail on the documentary about the horrific, yet triumphant, events of the Chosin Reservoir battle, also known as the “Frozen Chosin.”

In November 1950, U.N. forces were nearing a successful end to the Korean War. U.N. Forces had chased the North Korean army from near the southern tip of South Korea to the north, near the border with China.

But China had decided to enter the conflict and sent thousands of its troops flooding across the border. In late November, the seasoned Chinese forces launched a surprise attack on about 15,000 U.S. troops from the 1st Marine Division and elements of the 7th Infantry Division in and around the Chosin Reservoir area. By Nov. 27, 120,000 Chinese troops had encircled about 30,000 U.N. troops, and a brutal, 17-day battle in sub-zero temperatures began.

The Chinese troops attacked in human waves each night, sending thousands at a time to overrun the U.N. troops until dawn. The veterans recalled the Chinese coming in relentless fronts, unaffected by the mass casualties piling up around them.

“You thought you were a dead man,” one veteran said in the documentary. Only a relentless “love of life” kept him from giving up, he added.

“I prayed for the first time in my life,” another Chosin veteran said, his voice breaking with emotion. “I said, ‘God, don’t let me die, not here. I just want to see the sun come up one more day.’”

Temperatures dipped to frigid levels and a veteran recalled a “mind-numbing” cold so intense that the troops’ eyeballs would freeze until they put their hands up to warm them. “It was 30-below zero,” Wiedhahn said. “You lived in 30-below temperature, all the time.”

U.N. troops fought valiantly for days and broke out of the encirclement while inflicting huge losses on the Chinese, with an estimated 35,000 Chinese troops killed or wounded.

They fought their way to freedom across miles of rough, mountainous terrain until they reached the port of Hungnam on Dec. 11, where they were evacuated along with thousands of Korean refugees to Pusan.

Of the 15,000 U.S. troops at the battle of Chosin Reservoir, 3,000 were killed, 6,000 were wounded and 12,000 suffered frostbite injuries. For their heroic actions, 17 U.S. servicemembers were awarded the Medal of Honor, making Chosin one of the most decorated battles in U.S. history.

Army Col. David J. Clark, director of the Defense Department’s 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Commemoration Committee, was on hand for the last night’s event. Congress created the committee, he explained, to honor and thank Korean War veterans, celebrate the war’s milestones and ensure the American public has a clear understanding and appreciation of the war.

Clark praised the documentary and the Korean War veterans in the audience. He was honored, he said, “to share the experience with some of the heroes that lived this story, and in the process saved a nation and a people from unspeakable tyranny and oppression.”

“And certainly, the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir was a major part of that,” he continued. “We have come to honor our comrades in arms who persevered through one of the most ferocious battles in the annals of American military history. While vastly outnumbered and fighting in unimaginable conditions, our veterans’ courage, selfless sacrifice and unbendable will evened the odds. In Chosin Reservoir, all that is good about the American fighting spirit was on display.”

General: Exercises Vital to U.S., South Korea

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2010 – Exercises such as the Invincible Spirit series are helping the U.S.-South Korean alliance transform for the future while sending an unmistakable message to North Korea that its provocations won’t be tolerated, the top U.S. general in South Korea said yesterday.

Army Gen. Walter L. “Skip” Sharp, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, condemned North Korea’s spate of destabilizing activities during a speech to the East Asia Institute and Center for a New American Security in Seoul.

The most recent attack, on South Korea’s northwest islands, “crossed a significant threshold and represents a worrying trend toward more frequent and more violent provocations,” Sharp said. “Our task … is to find ways to change North Korea’s strategic calculus and end the cycle of provocations.”

The United States and South Korea’s message to North Korea is clear, he said. “We will not tolerate attacks against the civilian population and all provocations will be met with the utmost response that the combined [South Korea]-U.S. instruments of national power can bring to bear and that the laws of land warfare permit.”

Sharp said North Korea’s actions bolstered the U.S.-South Korean alliance, which is observing its 60th anniversary this year. “Alliance resolve has never been stronger, and we will strengthen the alliance further still, both in terms of capability and commitment,” he said.

The new Strategic Alliance 2015 plan lays out a framework for that effort. It includes improvements in the military exercise and training program, transfer of wartime operational control to South Korean forces by 2015 and the consolidation of U.S. forces to hubs around Pyeongtaek and Daegu.

Sharp called a realistic and adaptable exercise and training program critical to the plan, particularly in light of recent events on the peninsula.

“We will seek to further adapt our exercises to address limited, as well as full-scale, North Korean attacks,” he said. “All our exercises are designed to improve our interoperability and demonstrate unwavering alliance resolve to maintain peace and stability in the region.”

Sharp cited the success of the recent Invincible Spirit naval and air readiness exercises, the most recently that included the Carrier Strike Group George Washington. Together with the biannual theater-level exercises, Key Resolve and Ulchi Freedom Guardian, and future bilateral and multilateral exercises, these are improving alliance capabilities and readiness to respond to the full range of provocations and attacks, he said.

He emphasized, however, that the U.S.-South Korean alliance isn’t focused solely on North Korea. “The [South Korean]-U.S. alliance is a vital element in providing security, stability and prosperity on the peninsula and in the region,” he said. “Based on our shared values, our countries are primed to cooperate and act on a global basis to contribute to international security.”

VADM Currier Visits Military Airbus in Spain

By DCMS Log

FRI. 10 December: VADM John Currier visited Airbus Military (AM) facilities and executives in Madrid and Seville, Spain. Discussions focused on the current program AM holds with the US Coast Guard, the HC-144 air asset. VADM Currier also viewed AM's A400 test bench and Euro Fighter assembly lines.

Pictured: VADM Currier at the A400 test bench.

USS Pasadena Departs for Western Pacific Deployment

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ronald Gutridge, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Los Angeles-Class fast-attack submarine USS Pasadena (SSN 752) departed Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Dec. 14 for a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific region.

"The crew is excited and ready to get underway," said Cmdr. Andrew St. John, Pasadena's commanding officer. "They have all worked hard in getting this submarine ready to go and completing all the requirements to deploy."

Pasadena will be conducting various training exercises and a multitude of missions during the next few months.

"A major part of this mission is training the junior Sailors and getting them submarine warfare qualified," said St. John. "Out of a crew of 137 Sailors, 50 percent are making their first deployment, so we made this one of our main focus areas."

Pasadena was commissioned in July 1991 and is the U.S. Navy's second "improved" Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine. Throughout its proud and illustrious 20-year history, Pasadena has deployed to and conducted operations in virtually every part of the Pacific Ocean, from the west coast of North and South America to Australia and the Arabian Gulf.

Exercise Sandfisher Commences on Guam, Integrates US, Singapore Amphibious Techniques

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Corwin Colbert, Joint Region Marianas Public Affairs

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Marines from Okinawa, Japan, conducted helocast training exercise Sandfisher with their counterparts from the Singaporean Armed Forces just north of Gab Gab Beach aboard U.S. Naval Base Guam Dec. 13.

Exercise Sandfisher is an annual training exercise in which III Marine Expeditionary Force, Force Recon Company, conducts bilateral amphibious reconnaissance and combat diving training with the Singapore Armed Forces Naval Dive Unit (NDU) in order to sustain tactical proficiency and support the Pacific Command Commander's Theater Security Cooperation Program (TSCP).

Helocasting is a waterborne technique used by small unit, special operations forces to insert into a military area of operations. The small unit is flown by helicopter to the insertion point. Once there, the aircraft assumes an altitude just above the water's surface and a low airspeed. Team members then exit the aircraft and enter the water.

The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion was the component that conducted the mission.

"What you see right now is helocasting," said Lt. Col. Travis Homiak, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion commanding officer. "That is when we deploy swimmers and dive teams from helicopters that are in a modified hover. The purpose of this is to get them into position to swim across to the beach to conduct confirmatory beach reports and surf observations in order to bring landing forces to the beach."

Homiak said the training has reaffirmed the nation's commitment and established personal bonds among the participants.

"On a personal level, this is an ongoing exercise and reinforces the bonds that the Marines have with their Singapore counterparts," Homiak said. "It also reaffirms the United States' commitment to security in the region."

The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion's mission is to provide ground and amphibious reconnaissance for III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Gates: New START Treaty Accommodates U.S. Plans

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2010 – The new strategic arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia “in no way limits” U.S. plans for missile defense or modernizing its nuclear arsenal, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Marine Corps Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined President Barack Obama at the White House today as the president announced findings of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Annual Review, released today.

After weeks of debate, the Senate voted yesterday to take up the arms reduction pact with Russia.

Gates acknowledged what he called “genuine concerns on the Hill” about the treaty’s effect on modernization of the U.S. nuclear enterprise, adding that misunderstandings existed about the pact’s effect on the U.S. ability to move forward on missile defense.

“I think that there were some legitimate concerns,” Gates said, “but frankly, I think they've been addressed.”

Cartwright called the pact “a relationship between our countries” and said that the treaty addresses much more than the nuclear issue.

“All the Joint Chiefs are very much behind this treaty because of the transparency [and] because of the reality that both the United States and Russia are going to have to recapitalize their nuclear arsenals,” he said. “To have transparency … to put structure to that activity, we need START, and we need it badly.”

A single approach to deterrence that depends on mutually assured destruction is no longer relevant in the 21st century, the general added. “We need this treaty in order to move in that direction,” he said.

The treaty, Clinton said, is worthy of Senate ratification, and not only on its own merits. “It is part of the effort that we see moving forward to bring Russia and Europe and the United States closer together,” she said, “to cooperate on the threats of the future, not to be looking back at the threats of the past.”

’Twas a Night in December

By Jian DeLeon, Ian Graham and Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2010 – Servicemembers stationed from Antarctica to Afghanistan lent their talents and time to craft a video for a poem titled “’Twas a Night in December,” based on Clement Clarke Moore’s “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” but rewritten with a military twist.

More than 40 commands around the world, representing every branch of the military service, participated.

Along with the military people who contributed to this creative effort, country music star Toby Keith introduced the video, reinforcing his long-term support for military and their families stationed around the world.

Some of the servicemembers involved in this holiday greeting were located in the most remote regions in the world. For example, Air Force Capt. Graydon Muller of 6th Special Operations Squadron and Air Force Capt. Rob Marshall of the 8th Special Operations Squadron departed Nov. 24 to climb Vinson Massif, the highest mountain in Antarctica. Muller and Massif took time away from their climb to speak a few lines for the video.

Other servicemembers from Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Pakistan and throughout the United States participated in making the video. In fact, people on six out of the world's seven continents took part. The video was produced by Defense Media Activity’s emerging media directorate.

’Twas a Night in December

’Twas a night in December and all over the world,

At bases and stations where our flag flies unfurled,

The Holiday season had long since commenced,

And spread its spirit of cheer through the Department of Defense.

Combat boots sat at ease by the fence line with care,

In hopes that a return date soon would be there.

At home, loved ones slept sound in their beds,

With visions of troops coming home in their heads.

As Moms perform night patrols, and Dads conduct checks,

A long winter’s nap is the last thing they expect.

When out on the tarmac arose such a clatter,

Soldiers and sailors sprang up to see what was the matter.

Away to the deck, they hustled, they dashed,

Some ran through a passageway, one opened a hatch.

In Antarctica, moonlight shimmered on the snow,

A sliver of light shown on the objects below.

And what to our wondering eyes should appear,

But letters and packages bundled with care.

Yet it wasn’t just there that we saw these things land,

We received them as well, here in Afghanistan!

They were packaged so well that they could withstand,

The harsh desert winds full of Iraqi sand.

Onto Nicaragua with volcanoes and lakes,

Padded so carefully that nothing would break

Addressed from our family and friends we hold dear,

With Holiday greetings and a “Wish You Were Here!”

We lined up and claimed them, with smiles ear-to-ear,

Every person overcome with Holiday cheer.

Your support and your thoughts are the best possible gift,

We send you our thanks for giving our spirits such a lift.

Thanks from the National Guard

Thanks from the Army,

Thanks from the Navy,

Thanks from the Marines,

Thanks from the Air Force,

Thanks from the Coast Guard,

We want you to know how much this gift means.

In our eyes you’re super, and we mean A-OK.

We will do our duty and keep defending our freedom,

And wish you and yours the very best this Holiday season!

Suspicious Package Temporarily Closes Pentagon Metro

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2010 – A suspicious package resulted in closure of the Pentagon station entrance of the Metro rapid-transit system for more than an hour this morning while security officers investigated the threat, a Pentagon spokesman said.

Security officers closed the station at 7:28 a.m. when a suspicious object was reported in a trash can on the station platform.

Pedestrian traffic was redirected to the Pentagon’s Corridor 3 entrance.

Officers from the Pentagon police department’s explosive ordnance disposal unit and the chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives response division investigated the report, and K-9 officers and dogs swept the station for other hazards.

The suspicious object was identified as a battery-operated Christmas ornament.

The Metro entrance reopened at 8:44, the spokesman said.