Panetta Thanks Fort Bliss Neighbors for Support

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

EL PASO, Texas  – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta thanked the people of this West Texas city last night for their support of service members based in the area.

“Our military has done everything we’ve asked them to do, and this community has done everything it can to ensure they can do their mission,” Panetta said during a speech to the local Chamber of Commerce.

Fort Bliss is the new home of the 1st Armored Division, and more than 200,000 troops have deployed out of the post since 9/11, Panetta said. “While the troops have deployed, their families remain here, and El Paso has stepped up to the plate.”

Panetta told the chamber that the military must change to remain the best military in the world and confront the threats that face America. With the country facing a fiscal crisis, the Defense Department must cut $489 billion over the next 10 years.

The military has gone through reductions following wars in the past, Panetta said, but this time is different because threats remain. The American armed forces dropped after World War II, but the fascist threat had been defeated, the secretary noted. The military contracted after the Cold War, he added, but the Soviet Union had dissolved.

“We still confront some major threats,” he said. “We have continuing threats of violent extremism and terrorism.”

The United States has put al-Qaida and its allies on the run, but the threat remains, the secretary said, and U.S. forces must keep the pressure on. In addition, he told the group, the threat of proliferation of nuclear weapons and the means to launch them has not gone away.

“We’ve got the destabilizing behavior of rogue nations like Iran and North Korea,” he said, adding that uncertainty accompanies the rise of new powers in Asia and changes in the Middle East.

Countering these threats and uncertainties has to be governed by a strategy, Panetta said, and the department is firmly behind President Barack Obama’s new defense strategy revealed last week. That strategy reshapes the military while meeting new fiscal constraints, he explained, and Pentagon leaders are shaping a budget based on the strategy, “and not just some numbers game.”

“This will shape just what our military force will look like -- not just today, but in the future,” the secretary said.

The men and women in uniform will continue to be the country’s greatest strength, Panetta said, and those men and women will continue to need the support of communities like El Paso.

“As this new greatest generation of Americans begins to return home from war, many will need our support to recover from wounds, both physical and mental,” he said. “They will need our support as they transition either back into the force or back into civilian life. We must be there for them. We must honor their commitment to this country.”

People are the highest priority for DOD, the secretary stressed.

“We can’t do it alone,” he said. “We need your help. Defending America is a team effort. It’s a joint effort on the part of our troops and their families, but it also includes the people of communities like El Paso.”

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta Martin Luther King Jr. Day Message

 “My career in public service began more than 40 years ago at the height of the civil rights movement.  As a legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate, I worked on landmark civil rights legislation and as director of the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, I had the responsibility to enforce those laws.

 “At that time, I saw how one man, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., could make a difference.  He did so by challenging his fellow citizens to reflect on what it means to be American.  Faced with opposition, he did not threaten violence, but rather gained strength from the truth of his convictions.  His powerful ideas and lyrical words compelled our nation to live by its founding principle:  that we are born with equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  In the end, he changed not only the law of our land, but also struck a note for freedom that still resonates in the hearts and minds of the American people and the entire world.  That’s a legacy worth celebrating.

 “Dr. King renewed the promise of America’s dream.  His example inspired a movement for our country to reclaim its fundamental pledge -- so that we might live as one nation, with liberty and justice for all.  Every man and woman at the Department of Defense should strive to uphold these fundamental ideals.

 “One of my proudest moments was the opportunity to meet Dr. King and years later, as a congressman, to cast my vote to set aside a day dedicated to Dr. King’s memory.  This weekend, I hope each of you will think about just how much this one man’s life and accomplishments have meant to our country.  The nation we work so hard to protect is a better place because of him.  In fighting for equal justice, he was fighting for all of us.”

OPNAV Hosts Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration

By Ensign Amber Lynn Daniel, Diversity and Inclusion Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The OPNAV Heritage Committee, in collaboration with Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, hosted a celebration commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Community Center Jan. 11.

Celebrating the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day theme, "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not A Day Off!" the event included southern-style food sampling and remarks by guest speaker Joe Madison, a Washington D.C. activist and radio talk show host.

"Everybody can do something," said Madison. "That is what the King celebration is. It's not even a celebration; it's a call to action. It should be a reminder that we all can do something. We have to be more than bystanders."

Madison shared historical leadership highlights of the civil rights movement, including the significance of Dr. King's efforts during a time of national struggle for equality.

"People don't realize how difficult leadership can be," said Madison. "And before Martin Luther King, Jr. could convince white America that it needed to change, he had to first convince his own community. He first had to convince black people, and that was extremely difficult."

Speaking to an audience of more than 200 military service members and civilians, Madison reminded listeners that Dr. King was not always the respected civil rights leader remembered in history books. At one point in time, Dr. King's own fraternity considered revoking his membership, and Morehouse College wanted to revoke his degree. Madison also discussed events making current headlines, and compared the stories to those of Dr. King's era.

"People need to know the history," said Madison. "If you don't remember the history, you are bound to repeat it."

At the conclusion of his speech, Madison challenged those attending the celebration to not only appreciate the struggles of Dr. King, but to make those sacrifices real through actionable efforts.

"Take King beyond the National Mall," said Madison. "You should leave here and think, 'What is the problem, and what am I going to do about it? In and out of uniform, all have to ask the question that all great people ask themselves - what am I going to do about it?'"

Madison's call to action encouraged many Sailors in attendence to start reflecting on their own lives.

"I was definitely motivated by today's event," said Lt. Joe Leavitt, "Hearing Mr. Madison speak about Dr. King really gave me a chance to think about what I do every day and why it matters. I'm motivated to change the world."

Keyport Celebrates the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Airman Jasmine Stokes, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West, Det. Northwest

KEYPORT, Wash. (NNS) -- Service members and civilians gathered to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a commemoration ceremony at the Naval Undersea Museum Keyport's Jack Murdock Auditorium Jan. 11 in Keyport, Wash.

The commemoration of King's legacy was held to acknowledge his leadership and determination to establish equal rights during the 1950s and 1960s.

"Dr. King fought not just for black people but racial equality for everyone and that was what he was willing to die for," said Monica E. Emerson, retired Navy diversity officer. "Diversity reflects who we are as a nation."

Emerson said many of King's quotes including 'Pursued through love and nonviolence,' and 'We have to involve everyone through alliances, team work and diversity,' embraced King's dream of unity and peace.

Raymond Miller, vice president of Snohomish county National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, acknowledge the importance of observing this day as a national holiday.

"We honor the life and legacy of a true American hero," said Miller. "Someone who was on the front-lines of not only changing American history but American culture that included all people regardless of race, creed, or national origin was able to be a part of the great American experience."

A commemoration ceremony was also held at William E. Moore Auditorium on Naval Station Everett, and King will also be honored at the base chapel on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Jan. 13.

"What Martin Luther King Day means to me is the movement of society as a whole, moving forward and treating people with equality and respect regardless of where you came from and what you've done," said Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class (FMF) Richard Herring, of Tulsa, Okla., assigned to the base chapel at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. "What I hope people take out of this day is hard work and dedication in what you believe in and striving for a better place in the world."

Army to Replace 2 Brigades in Europe With Rotating Units

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT, Jan. 12, 2012 – Ground forces will remain important to the U.S. defense strategy, but the employment of the forces will change, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said today.

In an interview on his way to Fort Bliss, Texas, Panetta said that the Army will withdraw two brigade combat teams from Europe, while retaining a strong presence in the region via rotational units.

The change is part of a new, 10-year defense strategy announced by President Barack Obama last week that emphasizes air-sea doctrine to better allow the United States to confront more than one threat at a time, Panetta said. Still, ground forces will remain important, and soldiers and Marines will continue to deploy to Afghanistan and be on the Korean Peninsula and partnering with nations around the globe.

“We will continue to maintain our presence both in the Middle East and Asia,” the secretary said. “Yes, we’ll have the Navy and the Air Force, but in my experience, in any conflict you need to have the potential use of ground forces.”

Panetta said he is excited about the prospect of using Army units on a rotational basis, just as Special Forces and the Marine Corps do. “Getting the Army to deploy to areas conducting exercises providing, most of all, a partnership with countries in Latin America, Africa, other countries where we can show the flag” is important, he said.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno is particularly excited about the ability to develop that rotational capability, Panetta said. “It will keep the ground forces very meaningful in the future,” he said.

As the Army replaces the two brigade combat teams with rotational units, the Europeans actually will see more U.S. forces because the American forces in Europe have more often than not been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, Panetta said.

DOD officials have spoken to European leaders about the withdrawal and they understand why the change will be good for the U.S. military and NATO allies, senior defense officials traveling with the secretary said.

Marines and NMCB 23 honored in Guatemala during HSV-SPS 12

By Lt. Matthew Comer, High Speed Vessel-Southern Partnership Station 2012 Public Affairs

PUERTO SAN JOSE, Guatemala (NNS) -- A recognition ceremony was held at Escuela Oficial Rural Mixta Aldea Magueyes in honor of U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 23 Seabees and U.S. Marine and Guatemalan construction specialists, Jan. 11.

The ceremony was held in appreciation for the completion of a 12-day construction project as part of High Speed Vessel-Southern Partnership Station 2012 (HSV-SPS 12).

"I would like to thank all the people involved, especially SPS-12 on behalf of the children in this community," said Byron E. Anavisca Sandoval, community president. "We are looking forward to this year because our children will get to enjoy the rewards of education because of the work done here."

The project was led by project manager Marine Staff Sgt. Mario Vargas, whose family emigrated from Guatemala to the U.S. The team of two Marines, 18 Seabees and 12 Guatemalan military construction specialists demolished and replaced the school and bathroom roofs and installed more than 300 feet of fencing and security wire.

"My father and family are from Guatemala and it has been an especially great experience for me," said Vargas. "I put everything in my heart into this school so the children here are able to learn as my children are able to learn."

The team also installed a new securable entrance, replaced the water purification system and painted the school. The improvements will allow the school to reopen after a flood forced its closure last year.

"It is a wonderful pleasure for me to see the transformation of this school," said Cmdr. Todd Smith, commanding officer NMCB 23.

"It is great to see the work NMCB 23, the Marines and our Guatemalan partners have done here and the difference it will make."

Parents, teachers, and children of the school, as well as Seabees, Swift service members, and representatives from the Guatemalan Pacific Naval Base attended the ceremony. In total, more than 70 people attended the occasion.

"When I was a student, I remember Sailors coming and doing what they are doing here," said Guatemalan Capt. Carlos Luis Sanchez, representative from the Guatemalan Pacific Naval Base. "To the children of public schools, this will give you the opportunity it gave me. Because of this, you will be able to reach your dreams."

This is the first of two construction projects in Guatemala, where Seabees and Marines have been working closely with Guatemalan partners to renovate local schools.

The construction project is one event during the two week HSV-SPS 12 partnership with Guatemala. Service members from each of the armed services are working with the host-nation partners, exchanging information regarding medical and veterinary practices, small unit leadership, and port security.

Southern Partnership Station is an annual deployment of U.S. ships to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility in the Caribbean, Central and South America. The mission's primary goal is information sharing with partner nation service members and civilians in the region.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

Military Study Aims to Aid Troops With Mild TBI

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 12, 2012 – A team of experts at San Antonio Military Medical Center here has launched a military study aimed at improving outcomes for service members suffering from a signature wound of today’s wars: traumatic brain injury.

The Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness, dubbed the SCORE trial, is examining cognitive rehabilitation therapy’s value as a treatment for service members with mild TBI.

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments teamed up on this study to determine the best treatment for combat troops who are experiencing mild TBI symptoms -- such as difficulties with attention, concentration, memory and judgment -- three to 24 months post-injury, explained Douglas B. Cooper, the study’s lead and a clinical neuropsychologist for the center’s Traumatic Brain Injury Service.

“We have a lot of great interventions to help … in the first few days after concussion,” he said in an interview with American Forces Press Service. “We can pull them out, get them rest and get them better.”

However, “we don’t have as many good interventions later on --six months, 12 months or two years post-injury,” acknowledged Cooper, who also serves as the director of the Military Brain Injury Rehabilitation Research Consortium.

The trial’s aim is to determine if cognitive rehabilitation therapy improves chronic mild TBI symptoms and, if so, which interventions work best, on whom and why.

Cognitive rehabilitation, Cooper explained, involves a variety of interventions that help patients with brain injuries reduce, manage or cope with cognitive deficits. It’s commonly used to treat patients with brain injuries, whether from concussions, penetrating brain injuries or strokes.

With vast experience in the field, Cooper said, he and his colleagues knew anecdotally that the therapy works, meaning it helps to improve memory and focus in patients. However, he added, experts have cited a lack of evidence-based research tying cognitive rehabilitation to successful treatment of brain injuries.

With a lack of in-hand research, insurance companies began to balk on covering it as a stand-alone treatment. For example, TRICARE, the military’s health care plan, won’t cover cognitive rehabilitation programs that haven’t been proven as effective stand-alone therapy for TBI, according to a TRICARE fact sheet.

Rather than step away from the therapy, Congress directed a series of studies to explore cognitive rehabilitation and its effectiveness among troops, Cooper said.

The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center took on the challenge and soon enlisted the help of DOD and VA experts. They took a year to write manuals to serve as a trial guide and began enrolling patients in SCORE in July.

They had only a few enrollment criteria: troops must have suffered a mild TBI while deployed in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom or New Dawn, and be three to 24 months post-injury, Cooper said.

They had no shortage of available participants. A TBI database shows that more than 202,000 service members suffered a TBI between 2000 and 2010, with the majority experiencing a mild TBI or concussion, according to the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. The center cited blasts, fragments, bullets, motor vehicle accidents and falls as the leading TBI causes within the military.

The team plans to treat 160 participants in six-week cycles over the course of two to three years, Cooper said. While in the trial, patients participate two times a day, five days a week, and are entered into one of four treatment paths, or “arms,” he explained.

These treatment paths involve a variety of interventions, and may include individual appointments, group sessions, computer treatments and behavioral health -- or a combination of several intervention types.

For the computer exercises, Cooper explained, service members complete a series of commercially available computer programs touted to improve “brain fitness.” These sessions take place in hospital and are proctored by clinic staff.

The programs are presented in a game-like format, he added. As they progress, troops earn “brain bucks” that can be used to outfit a virtual apartment with big-screen TVs and stereos. This suits technology-savvy service members, he noted, who often fall into the under-25 age range.

The team also is looking at the effectiveness of various treatment combinations, such as mental health care and cognitive rehabilitation offered together. More than 50 percent of TBI patients have a coexisting psychological disorder, oftentimes combat stress, Cooper explained, so wrapping the two treatments together makes sense.

An exercise typical of this approach is to have service members listen to a tape and be asked to focus on certain things in their environment, he said. This exercise is first introduced as a cognitive rehabilitation skill, but troops later see its benefits as a tool to overcome combat-related stress.

This integrated treatment is particularly useful for service members who aren’t willing to seek behavioral health care on their own, Cooper noted.

“There’s still a large stigma attached to mental health care,” he explained. “They may not want to seek behavioral health to get care, but are willing to talk to a psychologist while here getting care for a concussion.”

Cooper said his team will look at each treatment arm to see which interventions have proven most successful and for whom. In general, they’re looking for improvements in several areas: working memory, which is holding on to information; prospective memory, which involves remembering to perform a planned action or intention at the appropriate time; and simple attention, which is being able to process what someone is saying at the moment and then remembering what was said.

“We hope to not only look at what interventions work, but then look at subsets of patients -- these particular people haven’t shown as much improvement or people with multiple concussions may be harder to treat and so on,” he explained.

As Cooper’s team works to improve attention and focus, a parallel study at the medical center here is delving deeper into their patients’ brains. Participants of the SCORE trial also are invited to participate in the Imaging Support for Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness, known as the iSCORE study. For this study, experts use cutting-edge imaging technology to scan patients’ brains at certain intervals: before the SCORE trial, halfway through, after the trial and at 12 to 18 weeks later.

Imaging experts are hoping to learn more about people’s white matter track pathways in the brain, Cooper explained. “Is there something about these that will tell us why individuals are changing?” he asked. “Why are they getting better, and which ones are not able to get better?”

The best clinical trials, he added, raise more questions than they answer.

If the SCORE trial proves successful -- meaning it proves cognitive rehabilitation’s efficacy -- the goal is to determine which interventions are the most effective and then disseminate that information to VA and DOD centers, Cooper said. Civilian providers also may glean ideas that can aid them in the treatment of noncombat-related brain injuries, such as those from a car accident or a stroke.

Meanwhile, Cooper is hoping the study will have a direct, positive impact on troops’ well-being and their ability to return to active duty, and, on a bigger-picture level, the health care system as a whole.

Above all, he added, “we want to make sure they’re functioning and doing OK.”

The nation has an obligation to ensure service members get the best care and treatment possible, Cooper said.

“They need to feel taken care of, that their complaints are valid, and that they’re not alone in going through this process,” he added.

The SCORE trial, he said, “is accomplishing that and more.”

Panetta Hosts First Official U.S.-Netherlands Defense Meeting

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta hosted a Pentagon honor cordon today for his counterpart from the Netherlands during the two leaders’ first official bilateral meeting.

The secretary and Dutch Minister of Defense Hans Hillen discussed the new U.S. defense strategic guidance, bilateral defense cooperation issues, and ongoing operations and plans for transition in Afghanistan, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said.

The Netherlands has contributed troops to the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan since 2003. Currently, 183 Dutch troops are deployed to Regional Command South and the capital region, according to ISAF officials.

Panetta and Hillen also discussed U.S. force posture in Europe, the upcoming NATO defense ministerial meetings to be held in early February in Brussels, and the NATO 2012 Summit scheduled for May in Chicago, Kirby said.

While discussing NATO issues, the spokesman added, Panetta recognized and praised the Netherlands’ “traditionally strong voice and leadership in the NATO alliance.”

Navy Exchange Service Command Names New Chief Executive Officer

By Kathleen Martin, Navy Exchange Service Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) and the worldwide Navy Exchange System NEXCOM welcomed its first chief executive Jan. 11.

In this position, retired Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi is responsible for the oversight of 104 Navy Exchange facilities with nearly 300 stores worldwide, 40 Navy Lodges, 158 Ship's Stores, Navy Clothing Textile and Research Facility and the Uniform Program Management Office.

"I am very pleased to have Rear Adm. (retired) Bianchi on our team," said Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich, commander, Naval Supply Systems Command. "He brings a wealth of experience to the table, and I have great confidence that he can lead NEXCOM into the future."

In March 2011, NEXCOM's flag billet was converted to a senior civilian position per the Secretary of Defense Track Four Initiatives Decision memo. Rear Adm. Glenn C. Robillard, Supply Corps, transferred in August 2011 after serving as the 29th and final commander of NEXCOM.

Bianchi is the first civilian chief executive officer of this organization. He joins NEXCOM after a distinguished 29-year military career as a Navy Supply Corps officer. Bianchi attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a Navy ROTC scholarship, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics. Upon graduation in 1982, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy Supply Corps. He earned a Master's degree in Business Administration with distinction from Harvard University in 1992 and completed the Wharton School of Business Executive Development Program in 2003. Bianchi served in various senior leadership positions including assistant deputy chief of Staff for Fleet Readiness and Fleet Supply officer, U.S. Fleet Forces Command; Commander, Navy Exchange Service Command; deputy commander for Aviation, Naval Inventory Control Point; military advisor to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics & Materiel Readiness); and supply officer, USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

NEXCOM's four independently functioning programs generated over $2.6 billion in sales in 2010 and provided $48.4 million to the Navy's Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs. NEXCOM's mission is to provide authorized customers quality goods and services at a savings and to support Navy quality of life programs. NEXCOM is an Echelon III command within the Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Enterprise.

Combating Complacency in the New Year

By April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Naval Safety Center reminds Sailors to remain vigiliant as they return to work after a long holiday season when many commands were on reduced work schedules.

Time to recharge the batteries is great for Sailors, but it is important to be ready to work now that 2012 is in full swing.

Many commands hold safety briefs, dubbed "Back in the Saddle," in January to reinforce this idea. Derek Nelson, author of the Naval Safety Center's (NAVSAFECEN) popular Friday Funnies Summary of Mishaps said these safety briefs are really intended to combat complacency.

"The problem with complacency is that it can strike almost anytime and you don't even realize it," he said. "It feels comfortable."

Nelson said he reads mishap reports every day to find material for his weekly Friday Funnies message, and a large majority of them involve complacency.

Fortunately, most of these mishaps are minor, which gives him license to poke fun at them. However, others wind up in his quarterly "Not so Funnies" message, which details serious mishaps that lead to death or severe injury - mishaps that are no laughing matter.

"Sometimes complacency is not just embarrassing, it's fatal," he said.

Nelson said the biggest examples of these are firearms mishaps.

"Almost always the mishap reports say the victims were highly experienced with weapons, but somehow they still managed to shoot themselves or someone else."

The complacency in these mishaps usually shows up when the victims forget the first rule of weapons safety: Treat every weapon as if it's loaded. Numerous firearms mishaps show that the victim accidentally shot him or herself while cleaning a weapon that was assumed to be unloaded.

Nelson said complacency also strikes deployed Sailors who fall into what he calls "The Groundhog Day Syndrome" after the movie where celebrity Bill Murray's character is forced to relive the same day over and over again.

"When you're doing the same thing day in and day out, you start to feel like you can do it in your sleep," he said. "The fact is you can't."

This truth is borne out by NAVSAFECEN survey teams who regularly visit ships and squadrons to help determine if they comply with various safety requirements. Lt. Christine Davy specializes in surveying how well Sailors complete their Planned Maintenance System (PMS) checks. She said this is an area where complacency can set in, and while Sailors may get away with improper maintenance for awhile, eventually it may lead to dire consequences.

"When you reach for that piece of equipment in an emergency, it needs to operate as advertised," she said, noting that proper and careful maintenance is the only way to ensure it will.

She said she takes a great deal of pride in training Sailors on how to thoroughly perform damage control maintenance, because it makes a real difference in life or death situations.

"People's blood is there to show the importance of maintenance. Ask the guys on the Cole, or the Whidbey Island, or the Stark," Davy said, referring to high profile incidents where Sailors had to use damage control equipment to save their shipmates' lives.

Nelson said the disturbing thing is Sailors know complacency is a danger, but still fall into the trap.

"I've been at the Naval Safety Center more than thirty years, and thirty years ago we wrote articles that said 'complacency kills,'" he said. "It still does."

For more information about combating complacency and to read the weekly Friday Funnies, visit www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen.

Navy Christens Littoral Combat Ship Coronado

The Navy will christen the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Coronado, Saturday, Jan. 14, during a 10 a.m. CST ceremony in Mobile, Ala.

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, Sean Stackley, will deliver the principal address at the ceremony.   Susan Keith will serve as the ship’s sponsor.  Additionally, Keith helped launch the Coronado Historical Association’s “Home of a Naval Aviator” sign project and grew up with her father and stepfather serving in the Navy.  Vice Adm. Stanhope C. Ring, her father, was a pilot who commanded an aircraft carrier air group during the Battle of Midway during World War II.  Her stepfather, Rear Adm. Aaron Putnam “Put” Storrs III, belonged to the Navy’s first aerial acrobatic team, which was the forerunner of the Blue Angels.   The ceremony will be highlighted by Keith breaking a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship, which is a time-honored maritime tradition.

The ship’s name recognizes the city of Coronado, Calif., and honors the city’s deep ties to the U.S. Navy.  Coronado has been home to Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Amphibious Base, since 1917.  Two previous ships have been named after this city:  USS Coronado, a Tacoma-class patrol frigate, earned four battle stars for supporting landings in New Guinea and Leyte during World War II and the USS Coronado, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock later re-designated as an auxiliary command ship, served as flagship for the Third Fleet and was decommissioned in 2006.

Designated LCS 4, Coronado is an innovative surface combatant designed to operate in littoral seas and shallow water to counter mines, submarines and fast surface craft threats in coastal regions.  The ship is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots and can operate in water less than 20 feet deep.  Coronado will address a critical capabilities gap in the littorals and conduct the Navy’s mission to enhance maritime security by deterring hostility, maintaining a forward presence, projecting power and maintaining sea control.

A fast, agile, and high-technology surface combatant, Coronado will be a platform for the launch and recovery of manned and unmanned vehicles.  To meet increased demand for mission-tailored packages, its modular design will allow the ship to be reconfigured for antisubmarine warfare, mine countermeasures, or surface warfare missions on an as-needed basis.  The LCS class ships have the ability to swap out mission packages in a matter of days - adapting as the tactical situation demands.  The modular approach allows the Navy to incorporate new and improved systems into the fleet as advanced technologies mature, providing flexibility and evolving capability.

Coronado will be manned by two rotational crews, Blue and Gold, similar to the rotational crews assigned to large submarines.  These core crews are augmented by one of the three types of mission package crews and an aviation detachment.  The commanding officer of the Blue crew will be Cmdr. John Kochendorfer, from Dana Point, Calif.  The commanding officer of the Gold crew will be Cmdr. Michael “Shawn” Johnston, from North Carolina.  After commissioning, the ship will be homeported in San Diego, Calif.

Constructed by General Dynamics in the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., Coronado is the second of the Independence-variant in the LCS class.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at 703-697-5342.  For additional information about this class of ship, please visit the Navy Fact File at:  http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=1650&ct=4 .

Officials Discuss India, Egypt, South Sudan

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 – The U.S. military relationship with India, support to a United Nations mission in South Sudan, and the Defense Department’s view of recent events in Egypt were among topics in a Pentagon media briefing today.

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little and Navy Capt. John Kirby, Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that language in the defense strategic guidance released last week recognizes India’s regional and global importance.

The section in the document discussing the U.S. emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region reads, in part, “The United States is also investing in a long-term strategic partnership with India to support its ability to serve as a regional economic anchor and provider of security in the broader Indian Ocean region.”

Kirby said the United States has and hopes to sustain a strong relationship with the Indian military.

“They are contributing to issues in Afghanistan in a very constructive way, whether it’s training or economic assistance, and we certainly want to see that continue,” he said.

The U.S. government, he added, wants to continue to pursue a close relationship with India, Little said. “They’re a major economic power not only in the region but in the world, … and we respect [their] interests,” he added.

Turning to Egypt, Little responded to a reporter’s question about Defense Department communication with Egyptian officials following late-December raids by Egyptian forces on the offices of a reported 17 nongovernmental organizations, including human-rights and pro-democracy groups.

Little said Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta spoke to Egyptian Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, commander in chief of the Egyptian armed forces, shortly after the Dec. 29 incidents. The press secretary said he is not aware of any further DOD contact with Egyptian officials on the issue.

“We continue to monitor the situation, and it's a very important one to get right,” Little said. “We hope that the Egyptians, of course, do the right thing. We understand that they have taken steps to improve the situation with respect to NGOs, and that's something of importance to the United States.”

Little also responded to questions on the five-person team of military officers who have been assigned to a U.N. mission in South Sudan.

A White House memorandum released yesterday indicated the officers would take part in peacekeeping and peace enforcement operations. South Sudan, a U.N. member state in northeastern Africa, achieved independence in July.

The press secretary said there are no plans to send any additional U.S. service members there.

“These U.S. military officers have been assigned to a U.N. mission in South Sudan,” he said. “They’re going to work in concert with international partners to … engage in peace operations in that new country.”

Kirby said the officers will assist with governance, rule of law issues and civil affairs as South Sudan begins to stand itself up.

“Right now, that’s the limit of involvement of these five individuals,” the spokesman added. “It may change over time; we contribute to U.N. missions in several other nations all over the world.”

Kirby emphasized the assignment is “not a combat mission whatsoever,” and is designed to meet U.S. commitments and responsibilities to the United Nations.

PCU North Dakota CO Participates in First Namesake Visit

By Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Cragg, Commander, Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- The commanding officer of Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) North Dakota (SSN 784) participates in his first namesake visit to the "friendliest" state, Jan. 11-13.

"Namesake visits are critical during the construction phase of a submarine because it increases the awareness of the critical investment by the taxpayers of North Dakota and the nation," said Cmdr. Doug Gordon, PCU North Dakota's commanding officer.

During the visit to the submarine's namesake state, Gordon will tour the North Dakota State Capitol and North Dakota Heritage Center and visit the city of Bismarck-Mandan. Gordon is also expected to meet with the state's Navy League, submarine veterans of North Dakota, USS North Dakota Commissioning Committee members, state dignitaries, state legislators, and Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

In late October 2011, PCU North Dakota's Chief of the Boat Master Chief Electronics Technician (SS/DV) Timothy A. Preabt, originally from Mandan, N.D., met with Bismarck Mayor John Warford; Mandan Mayor Tim Helbling; the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce and with other related organizations during his visit.

PCU North Dakota, the second ship named in honor of North Dakota, is being constructed at General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, and Quonset Point, R.I. as well as at Huntington Ingalls Industries' Newport News Shipbuilding division in Newport News, Va., and will be the 11th Virginia-class submarine when it is commissioned in 2014.

The other ship to bear the name North Dakota was the Delaware-class USS North Dakota (BB 29), which was in service from 1910 to 1923. The contract to build PCU North Dakota was awarded to Electric Boat division of General Dynamics in Groton, Conn., Dec. 22, 2008 as part of a teaming arrangement with Newport News Shipbuilding.

Virginia-class submarines are designed to dominate the world's littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine; anti-surface ship; strike; irregular; and mine warfare missions; as well as support special operation forces; and covert intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.

U.S.-Iran Tensions Easing, Pentagon Officials Say

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 – Pentagon officials said today they believe tensions between the United States and Iran have cooled in recent days.

Meeting with reporters, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said the United States has been very clear “that we seek to lower the temperature on tensions with Iran, and we think that things have calmed down a bit in recent days.”

Navy Capt. John Kirby, Pentagon spokesman, said the presence of two U.S. carrier groups in the U.S. Central Command area of operations is just “prudent force posture requirements set by the combatant commander,” and is nothing out of the ordinary.

The two carrier groups in the 5th Fleet region continue the nearly constant U.S. naval deployments to the region since World War II, Kirby noted. “That presence changes all the time,” he said. “It fluctuates based on needs and requirements set by the combatant commander and approved by the Joint Staff and the secretary of defense.”

The presence of the two carriers is not tied to recent strains with Iran, the captain said, pointing out that it takes months for a battle group to train up and deploy.

“I don’t want to leave anybody with the impression that … we’re somehow ‘zorching’ two carriers over there because we’re concerned about what happened … today in Iran,” he said. “It’s just not the case.” Iranian media reported that a scientist from a uranium enrichment plant and his bodyguard were killed today in Tehran.

The fact that two carriers are in the region is not an indication of any specific trouble with respect to Iran, Kirby said.

Neither carrier group is inside the Strait of Hormuz, Kirby told reporters. The strait is an international waterway and a key sea lane for the oil of the Middle East to reach customers around the world.

“It’s a key chokepoint,” he said. “And the United States Navy has and will continue to remain a force in that region to help protect the free flow of commerce in international waters.”

Kirby acknowledged that Iran could use access-denial capabilities to close the waterway temporarily, noting that Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said as much Jan. 8 on the CBS program “Face the Nation.” But he emphasized that any such closure would be of short duration.

“We're very comfortable with the capabilities that we have and we maintain, and the partnerships and the commitments we have in the region,” the captain said. “We’re very comfortable that we will be able to meet those requirements and those commitments.”

Greenert: Navy Advances Asia-Pacific Partnerships

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 – The Navy is working to bolster existing partnerships and forge new ones in Asia and the Pacific, an initiative that supports U.S. Pacific Command’s overarching goals in implementing the new defense strategic guidance, the service’s top officer said here yesterday.

Adm. Jonathan W. Greenert, chief of naval operations, told a forum at the Center for a New American Security that the Navy will focus largely on relationships -- rather than a naval buildup in the region -- to support President Barack Obama’s strategic guidance.

The new strategic guidance, announced last week to guide the military through 2020, underscores the growing strategic importance of Asia and the Pacific.

Greenert noted that the Navy will need to review its numbers of ships, aircraft and equipment and how they are distributed around the world in light of the new guidance.

“But my first assessment is we’re in good shape in the Navy where we stand in the Western Pacific,” he said.

He noted the strong naval presence already there. “On any given day, … we have 50 ships underway in the Western Pacific,” he said, with about half of those forward-deployed naval forces in and around Japan.

“We put our best in the Western Pacific,” he said. This includes not only “the most advanced air wing we have, the most advanced cruisers and destroyers, ordnance [and] anti-submarine warfare,” he said, but also carefully screened commanders and sailors.

Emphasizing the need for the U.S. Navy to be “tangibly present out there,” Greenert said it enhances that presence by continuing to nurture partnerships and potential partners.

“There are many out there, and they are growing, through a range of missions that we will have to foster,” he said, some through closely integrated operations and some in a more ad hoc manner.

Greenert also expressed a need to continue dialogue and work toward a relationship with China.

Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, U.S. Pacific Command commander, struck these same notes earlier this week during an address to the Hawaii Military Partnership Conference.

U.S. relationships with Asian allies and key partners will remain critical to the region’s future stability and growth, he said. So while strengthening existing alliances that have provided a vital foundation for regional security, Willard said, the United States also will strive to forge closer ties with emerging regional partners.

Enterprise Gets Underway for Final Qualifications

By Chief Mass Communication Specialist Stephen M. White, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At sea (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) departed its homeport of Norfolk, Va., Jan. 11 to participate in a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) and Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX).

The early morning departure was the next to last departure from Naval Station Norfolk for the 50-year-old carrier. Enterprise is scheduled to enter deactivation after completing its 22nd and final deployment later this year.

COMPTUEX is the intermediate phase of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group's (CSG) Inter-Deployment Training Cycle (IDTC), designed to hone warfare skills throughout the strike group while maintaining unit proficiency.

"It's the final exercise to ensure Enterprise is combat ready," said Capt. William C. Hamilton, Jr, Enterprise commanding officer. "We're looking forward to working with the full strike group conducting combat exercises across the full spectrum of battle spaces."

COMPTUEX is designed to bring every part of a strike group together to work effectively and efficiently as one cohesive unit.

Hamilton says the exercise will require a total team effort from Enterprise, the embarked air wing and the more than 4,500 Sailors and Marines involved. Every department, division and work center, and every Sailor and Marine aboard Enterprise, from the engineering plants up to the flight deck, will play a vital role in the exercise.

The JTFEX will test the ship's ability, as well as that of its strike group, to operate in a complex, hostile environment with other U.S. and coalition forces.

"By the end of COMPTUEX and JTFEX, we will have a combat-ready strike group that will be ready to execute the Navy's mission anywhere in the world," said Rear Adm. Walter E. Carter, Jr., commander, Enterprise Carrier Strike Group. "Our goal is to ensure we are integrated as a team and to exceed our requirements for our combat operational efficiency."

The Enterprise Carrier Strike Group includes USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Carrier Air Wing 1, Destroyer Squadron 2, guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69), guided-missile destroyers USS Porter (DDG 78), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).

For more information about USS Enterprise, Carrier Strike Group 12 or Carrier Air Wing 1 visit www.Enterprise.navy.mil, www.ccsg12.surfor.navy.mil or www.cvw1.navy.mil.

National Guard assists Alaska community buried in snow

By Air National Guard Maj. Guy Hayes
Alaska National Guard

CAMP DENALI, Alaska - Alaska National Guard members arrived in Cordova Sunday afternoon to help the citizens in this small Alaska town dig out from a series of winter storms.

Termed Operation Deep Dig, 57 Alaska National Guardsmen arrived on the state's ferry system with shovels in hand ready to assist but keeping safety the number one priority according to Alaska Army National Guard Capt. Chad Ausel, commander, 761st Military Police Company.

"As soon as we got here, we identified a priority list for safety and familiarization training with Cordova. We asked for a subject matter expert on how they've cleared snow here safely and then completed training on harnesses, ropes and knots to make sure the Guardsmen are trained to do the mission safely," Ausel said.

With training complete, Ausel is now focused on getting his Soldiers out in the community today to assist wherever they're needed.

"We have everything staged, equipment ready and the Soldiers are ready to go," Ausel said. "The city officials identified three locations this morning, and we're going to stay in squads to clear those areas."

With more snow and rain on the way, the Alaska National Guard has arrived at a crucial time to assist before things potentially get worse.

"We are concerned about heavy and wet snow on roofs," said Allen Marquette, public information officer with the city of Cordova. "Some structures have already collapsed. We are trying to get those prioritized and shoveled off and assist residents in anticipation of the new snow and rain that's coming."

Mayor Jim Kallander of Cordova also commented on the response to his community and how pleased he is with the assistance the City of Cordova has received from the state.

"I can't say how impressed I am with the homeland security response, the governor's office response and now the National Guard is stepping up to the plate," Kallander said. "It's exactly what we needed."

As the first military responder in all domestic emergencies, the Guard is focused on doing everything it can to help the community, and according to Ausel, Guard members will stay as long as they're needed.

"We hope to leave Cordova in a better situation," Ausel said. "If that means staying here until the next snow storm goes through, then we will. I'm very proud of my Soldiers and the job they've done so far. They are working with a sense of urgency and are very proud to serve the community down here. This is why they signed up to serve in the National Guard."

NEX Customer Satisfaction Survey Results Remain at All-Time High

By Kristine M. Sturkie, Navy Exchange Service Command Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) announced the NEX Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey remained at an all-time high of 83 for the second consecutive year Jan. 10.

On average, the overall retail industry score is 76. The CSI survey is used to determine how the NEX can better to serve its customers.

"We've been surveying our customers since 1998 to find out areas where we are doing a good job as well as those areas that need improvement," said Michael Conner, NEXCOM vice president, marketing insights. "It's a great tool for us to use to see if the areas we're focusing on, like merchandise selection, are working. We know it is because our score continues to increase in that area. In contrast, it also shows us the areas we still need to work on, such as problem resolution."

The focus NEXs put on PREMIER Customer Service over the past year had a positive impact on both its customers and the CSI score. Scores for store environment rose two points while associates and checkout rose one point each. Other increases in scores were in returns, pricing, sales flyer and merchandise, all which rose one point each. Based on this information, top priorities for 2012 will again be on merchandise, pricing and sales flyers.

Eighty-four percent of the NEXs worldwide had a score of 80 or above while the remaining 16 percent of NEXs had scores 70-79. For the second year in a row, there were no NEXs with scores below 70. Districts in the continental United States remained the same while overseas districts rose one point. NEX districts scores for 2011 were Hawaii and Mid-South remained the same at 86 each; Tidewater rose one point to 85; Western and Guam rose two points each to 85; Southeast and Northwest remained the same at 83 each; Northern remained the same at 82; Japan decreased one point to 81 and Europe rose four points to 80.

"Statistically, it will be difficult to increase our score year after year," said Conner. "So looking forward, we will be looking more to maintain this high score of 83 and making sure we're delivering the best possible products and customer service to our customers."