Face of Defense: Former Israeli Soldier Serves in Guard

By Army Capt. Kyle Key
National Guard Bureau

LITTLE ROCK  – Last summer, near the Sea of Galilee in the northern Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Adi, Daniel J. Houten finished up routine repairs on an Israeli Army M113 armored personnel carrier. As he shut the hood, he also closed the door on another chapter in his life.

Born to a successful Orthodox Jewish family in Brooklyn, N.Y., Houten was afforded many advantages. His father, Dr. John K. Houten, director of spinal services for Montefiore Medical Center and one of the top-rated neurosurgeons in New York, sent him to the finest boarding schools in the metropolitan area. By the time he reached high school, however, Houten's sense of purpose had been tested. He lost his motivation, focus and ambition.

Eventually he withdrew from school altogether and set off by himself for the "Gold Coast" of California.

There, Houten wandered aimlessly. While he often thought about his future, he did not find any answers. In search of direction and purpose, he wanted to join the U.S. Army -- but without a GED and 15 hours of college credit, he was ineligible. His next move came by accident.

An acquaintance told Houten the Israeli army recruited new soldiers simply because they were Jewish. Houten investigated and found out he didn't need to be a citizen or have a diploma to serve in the Israel defense forces. Although his religious faith had diminished somewhat, he said, he still identified himself as a Jew and felt strong connections to Israel, the homeland of his people, culture and religion. He decided this should be his next step in life.

Houten flew to Tel Aviv in September 2009. His paperwork and in-processing for the Israeli defense forces took nearly two and a half months. While waiting on clearance, Houten served at Kibbutz Ein Harod (Ichud), a collective farm near Nahariya in northern Israel.

"I loved my time there," said Houten, who prior to serving at Ein Harod, had rarely seen a farm, much less worked on one. "It was centered around an old crusader basilica that had been rebuilt by the Ottomans after it was destroyed by the Mamelukes. It was later used as a stronghold during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence for the people of [the] kibbutz and took some heavy attacks. It's a beautiful place full of history."

Houten left Kibbutz Ein Harod and was sworn into the Isreali forces Dec. 21, 2009, at age 18. Before long, he found himself face-down, sucking up sand, as he and his fellow recruits were initiated into one of the best armies in the world.

"We did a lot of pushups," Houten said. "It was tough, and our drill instructors were intimidating."

Houten's class was composed of Jewish men and women from all over the globe. He and his fellow recruits completed Course Ivrit, a combination of a Hebrew language course and basic training.

"We couldn't speak English," Houten said. "The commanders wouldn't speak anything but Hebrew to us. It was a good transition though, because there I was serving in the Israeli military, and I was immersed in Hebrew."

It didn't take Houten long to become fluent in Hebrew, and proficient in reading and writing. After basic training, he went to school to learn an occupational skill as an armored personnel carrier M113 mechanic in the Nachal Infantry Brigade's 933rd Battalion. He quickly made friends and moved into a group apartment in Haifa, a city in northern Israel.

During his first few days on the job, Houten found a mentor who took him under his wing for the next year and a half.

"My commander, an outstanding Israel army non-ommissioned officer named Yoni, taught me a lot, and not just about M113s," Houten said. "I don't know if he realized it, but a lot of my self-confidence I gained from him as a role model."

As he matured professionally, the young man who had lost faith in his faith also experienced a religious awakening.

"Being in Israel brought me back a little closer to Judaism," he said. "I had gone to California because I was having arguments with my parents. I had really pushed myself about as far away from Judaism as I could."

In Israel, Houten prayed often with his fellow soldiers and also at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, one of the most sacred sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike.

"Being in Israel and the homeland of my religion, ethnicity of my people and going to all sorts of holy and incredible places was amazing to see," Houten said. "Since then, I would definitely say I'm a much more spiritual Jew."

When his enlistment period was up, Houten was asked to make Aliya, the process in which Jews from other nations become Israeli citizens based on the Israeli Law of Return.

"I wanted to sign on more time to my obligation," he said. "But I decided not to get dual citizenship until I was absolutely sure that I am ready. As much as I feel a great affinity for Israel, I was born in Brooklyn. I'm an American boy, but I do miss Israel."

According to the Israeli defense forces, more than 650 American Jews serve in the Israeli military and possess dual citizenship. Houten said hundreds, if not thousands, of American Jews serve each year without making Aliya.

Houten returned to the United States last summer and moved in with one of his friends from Israel.

"I was living with one of my friends in Georgia," Houten said. "We started in the Israeli army at the same time, roomed together in Haifa, and we were honorably discharged at the same time. It was great, but at the same time, my life was going nowhere."

Again, Houten was moved to do something with his life and answered that urge by calling the local Army National Guard recruiting office. Houten joined the Georgia Army National Guard's 121st Infantry Regiment. But before he could begin basic combat training, he needed his GED.

His next step took him to the heart of the South, to the National Guard's GED Plus Program in North Little Rock, Ark.

"I know there are people out there who look down on a GED as something less, but I think that's ridiculous. If anything, a GED is harder to get," Houten said passionately. "Because that means instead of going to school like everyone else, you have to get yourself motivated and go out and do it. Here, you have eight days of classes to prepare yourself."

Houten also continued his spiritual journey during his time at GED Plus. He read the Torah daily, observed the Jewish Sabbath and broke the traditional Sabbath challah bread with his fellow student warriors.

Houten credits his instructors and military leaders for his success at Camp Robinson.

"It was the teachers and the cadre that made the biggest difference for me," he said. "The teachers are smart, and they realize that we're here because we want to be here, and it's not because we're in high school and we have to be. So they actually keep the information flowing fast enough that we don't get bored.

"My teachers, Mr. Bryan Stell and Mr. Brent Dycus, taught us stuff in eight days that takes a couple of years in high school," he continued. "I think that's what really helped me, along with the cadre who were there to motivate us."

On graduation day, Houten's family, like those of most soldiers, was not able to be there in person to watch their future soldier walk across the stage to get their diplomas. However, thanks to video streaming over the Internet, the GED Plus Program became the first initial entry training program in the entire Defense Department live-stream a graduation ceremony for families and loved ones.

Houten's family logged onto the GED Plus Facebook page and watched Pvt. Daniel Houten open yet another door in life as he received his diploma. He also received special recognition for graduating in the top 10 percent of his class academically, a feat he never imagined.

Although Houten did well on the initial placement exams for math, critical thinking and writing, he didn't expect his scores to jump by an average of 100 points across the board on testing day to land him at the top.

Although Houten took a different path in life than he or his parents expected, they are happy with his current direction.

"Every parent wants their child to be successful and find fulfillment," his father said. "Daniel had a more difficult time during his high school years compared to other students, and struggled to find his direction. I'm so pleased he has found that direction and is fulfilling his dreams. It's a very laudatory thing to serve this great country."

Houten is enjoying his family's contentment.

"My mom is really proud, but I think my dad always wanted me to go into medicine," he said. "At the same time, I think he understands that I'm doing something that means a lot to me. I think he likes that serving our nation is something that I am passionate about."

Houten arrived at Fort Benning, Ga., Jan. 30 and reported for basic and advanced individual training to become an infantryman. After graduation, he said, his next goal is to complete Army Ranger School.

Giffords Has Navy Ship Named in Her Honor

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today heard Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announce that the newest ship in the Navy inventory will be named in her honor.

The Navy’s fifth Independence-variant littoral combat ship, 10th in the LCS series, will be commissioned as the USS Gabrielle Giffords, Mabus said during a ceremony in the Pentagon’s center courtyard.

“You make this occasion special by your presence,” Mabus told Giffords. “What you did in Congress for our military, and for those who serve in it, gave substance to what America feels for those in uniform.”

Littoral combat ships are a major part of the Navy’s future, capable of “an amazing variety of missions,” and one of the sea service’s most versatile, valuable ships, the secretary said.

“The name this ship bears, and the story represented by that name, will inspire all those who come in contact with her,” he said, noting that Giffords serves as a living example of the Navy’s motto of “Semper Fortis” -- “Always Courageous.”

“Unwavering courage has defined the Navy for 236 years, and it is what we expect and what we demand from our sailors every single day,” Mabus said. “So it’s very appropriate that LCS 10 be named for someone who has become synonymous with courage, who has inspired the nation … and showed the possibilities of the human spirit.”

Giffords was shot in the head in an apparent assassination attempt during a public event in Tucson, Ariz., in January 2011. She was one of 13 people wounded, while six others were killed.

She is a Navy spouse whose husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, retired from the Navy in 2011. Giffords stepped down from her seat representing Arizona’s 8th congressional district in January, saying she needed time to recover.

Mabus also announced today the ship’s sponsor will be Roxanna Green. Green, who also attended the ceremony, is the mother of Christina-Taylor Green, a 9-year-old girl who was killed at the event where Giffords was shot.

Mabus explained that a ship’s sponsor christens the vessel with champagne at its launch and gives the order to bring the ship to life when it is commissioned.

Christina-Taylor Green had just been elected to the student council and wanted to become “a more active participant in our democracy,” the secretary said.

“Roxanna Green continues to express her daughter’s hope for the future,” Mabus added, “and as the president said, of ‘a nation as good as she imagined.’”

Giffords and Green “will be a part of the life of this ship, and our Navy’s history,” he said.

Kelly and former Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton, former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, also were present at today’s ceremony. They, along with Giffords and Green, met with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and other DOD leaders before the event.

"The secretary was delighted to meet with Gabby Giffords at the Pentagon earlier today," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said. "The new ship, which will bear her name, will stand as a testament to courage and resilience, inspiring all those who serve our nation. He wished her all the best as she continues to recover from the tragedy that injured her and took the lives of others."

Earlier today, President Barack Obama signed into law Giffords’ last piece of legislation, the Ultralight Aircraft Smuggling Prevention Act of 2012.

“This bill gives our nation’s law enforcement expanded authority to combat illicit drug trafficking on our Northern and Southern borders,” Obama said. “Being able to sign it next to my friend Gabby Giffords gives me enormous pride.”

The president added while the legislation may have been her last act as a congresswoman, “it will not be her last act of public service.”

The LCS 10 is part of a dual block buy of LCS-class ships Mabus announced in December 2010. The ship will be 419 feet long, have a waterline beam of 103 feet, displace about 3,000 tons, and will make speed in excess of 40 knots.

Littoral combat ships are designed to operate in near-shore environments against “anti-access” threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface craft. The ships are also capable of open-ocean operation.

The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom and the Independence, designed and built by teams led, respectively, by Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.

New Policies Reflect Realities of Modern Warfare, Officials Say

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Defense Department policy changes announced today reflect both women’s increased roles in and out of combat and the fact that war is no longer linear, senior officials said.

The department notified Congress today it will abolish the restriction on assigning women to locations where ground combat troops operate, and selectively lift the policy barring women from assignments to ground combat units below the brigade level.

Those changes will result in more than 14,000 new jobs or assignment opportunities for military women.

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta “is making these changes because he recognizes that over the last decade of war, women have contributed in unprecedented ways to the military’s mission,” George Little, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters during a briefing here today.

Women service members have put their lives on the line and demonstrated courage, patriotism and skill in defending the nation, Little said.

“But even as we make this announcement, I would like to stress that Secretary Panetta knows this is the beginning, not the end, of a process,” he added.

The services will continue to review positions and requirements to determine what additional positions may be opened to women, the press secretary added.

“Our goal is to ensure that the mission is met with the best qualified and most capable people, regardless of gender,” he said.

Little noted while preparing the report took longer than expected, Panetta and the service leaders “wanted this done right, not done quickly.”

The delay allowed the reviewers to gather additional views on the issues, and resulted in more positions open to women than would have been the case with an earlier report, he added.

The report follows a departmentwide review of policies affecting women’s job assignments in the military.

Two people who led the review -- Virginia “Vee” Penrod, deputy assistant secretary for military personnel policy, and Army Maj. Gen. Gary Patton, principal director for military personnel policy -- discussed the new policies at today’s briefing.

“Opening these positions implements lessons from over a decade at war, where women were proven exceptionally capable and indispensible to mission accomplishment,” Penrod said.

She said the review offered an opportunity to examine all gender-restrictive laws, policies and regulations “with all services’ senior leaders at the table.”

The review panel worked to identify “changes … needed to ensure female members have an equitable opportunity to compete and excel in the U.S. armed forces,” she said.

The report, Penrod said, “reflects the secretary of defense’s vision of removing barriers that prevent service members from rising to the highest level of potential and responsibility that their talents and capabilities warrant.”

The policy limiting women’s military assignments dates to 1994 and lists four factors that ban women from assignments or jobs: prohibitive costs for berthing and privacy; the requirement to locate and remain with direct ground combat units; units engaged in long range reconnaissance and special operations forces missions; and job-related physical requirements that “exclude the vast majority of women service members.”

Department leaders agreed the provision against locating with combat units no longer applies, Penrod noted.

Before 2001, war typically involved front-lines combat and protected “rear” areas where support functions like maintenance and medical care took place, she said.

“The battlespace we have experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan is quite different,” Penrod added.

Highly mobile enemies now travel among the civilian population, while counterinsurgency and stability missions to combat such enemies require U.S. forces to disperse across the country in large and small bases, she said.

“There is no rear area that exists in this battlespace. Forces of all types and missions are required to be in close proximity and flow between locations,” she said.

Penrod said lifting the location-based prohibition opens 13,139 new Army jobs to women, because the Army is the only service that identified positions that had been closed solely because of where they took place.

The change will expand career opportunities for women and give combatant commanders more options in deploying forces, she said.

The report noted Army officer career fields with the greatest number of restricted positions include logistics, signal, intelligence and special operations. Enlisted occupations with the largest number of restrictions include radio operator, signal support systems specialist, radar repairer, electronic warfare specialist and construction equipment repairer.

The second change is not a new policy but may lead to one, Penrod said. DOD has granted the Army, Navy and Marines a policy exception to selectively assign women to battalion-level combat units.

The services will gain experience through those assignments that will help department leaders assess the current prohibition’s relevance and “inform potential future policy changes,” Penrod said.

The report also takes aim at the provision excluding women from jobs because of physical requirements, she noted.

The services are working to develop gender-neutral physical standards based on the tasks troops perform on the job, Penrod said.

“This is an area of emphasis for us as we move forward beyond the initial steps reported as part of this review,” she added.

According to the report, DOD will evaluate gender-restricted, physically demanding jobs once gender-neutral physical standards are developed.

Penrod said when she began her 35 years in the Air Force, women were 2 percent of the force, and were restricted from some assignments based on the temperature – Minot, N.D., was “too cold.”

Over the past 10 years, she said, women have had the opportunity to prove themselves in new ways while training and equipment have improved. Service leaders are now actively seeking ways to expand opportunities for women, she added.

“This is very exciting to me … [that] commanders were coming to us and saying ‘we need to change these policies,’” she said.

Patton said based on his career as an infantry officer and through the lens of 45 months of combat over the past several years, the changes announced today are the right thing to do.

“The way I look at it, as a former infantry battalion commander, I wish I’d had the opportunity to bring women into my battalion,” he said. “It expands the talent pool.”

Patton said the opportunities announced today are a first step toward the question of combat arms and special operations jobs ultimately opening to women.

As Panetta told the service chiefs, he said, “This is the beginning, not the end.”

Policy changes will take effect later this spring after 30 days of continuous session of Congress, as the law requires, Penrod said.

Historian Explains War of 1812’s Impact on National Defense

By Bradley Cantor
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON  – The War of 1812 was a watershed moment in the nation’s development of a strong national defense system, a military historian said this week, as it provided justification for building up the Navy and changed the nation’s attitude toward strengthening the central government.

Michael Crawford, a senior historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command, made that observation Feb. 7 during a “DOD Live” bloggers roundtable.

Crawford said the United States declared war against the United Kingdom because “It wanted to end impressments of its citizens into the Royal Navy.”

“[The United States] wanted to obtain recognition of the maritime rights of its merchantmen against illegal blockades, searches and seizures, and it wanted to stop British support of hostile Native Americans against the United States,” he said.

At the time, President James Madison and his war planners developed a strategy to achieve these goals. That strategy largely focused on a land-troop invasion of British-owned Canada, ignoring a naval strategy. It was expected to be a quick and decisive victory for the Americans, Crawford said, as British attention was focused on engagements with Napoleon.

But as the Canadian campaign began, it became clear that it wouldn’t go as Madison and his war planners had hoped it would. By 1815, two and a half years after the initial engagement, all attempts to invade and occupy Canada had failed.

During that time, Crawford said, the United States adopted a largely defensive posture against the British. The U.S. military had repulsed major invasions at Plattsburgh, N.Y, and in New Orleans.

But the United States suffered a “ravaging of the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, a major agricultural region, and the capture and burning of our capital,” Crawford said.

“Furthermore,” he added, “a tight British blockade of the American coast had brought the U.S. government to the brink of financial collapse.”

The war eventually ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, which restored America to its prewar conditions with no loss or gain, Crawford said, and the conversation turned toward the role The War of 1812 played in strengthening the Navy.

At the onset of the war, he said, the Navy had a small fleet and focused largely on harbor defense. However, he added, it became increasingly apparent that the United States needed to develop naval power to avoid defeat.

“Early in the war, we lost an army,” Crawford said. “And so the people in Washington -- the war planners -- quickly came to understand that the conquest of Canada depended on control of the waterways, especially Lake Ontario.”

The result was a build-up of Navy vessels on the Great Lakes. By late 1814, the Navy had 400 men on ships at sea and 10,000 men on ships on the Great Lakes.

This buildup allowed for some important victories during the war, Crawford said, but those victories also drew attention to losses that that resulted from insufficient naval power. He cited conflicts at Lake Champlain and along the Chesapeake Bay as examples.

The British had an army of 10,000 invading upstate New York. An American naval victory in Lake Champlain threw that army back into Canada, Crawford said, because without control of Lake Champlain, British supply lines were vulnerable. But a lack of U.S. naval power allowed the British to wreak destruction up and down the Chesapeake Bay, he added.

“All of these events convinced the nation's leaders, as well as the nation's people, that we needed both an adequate navy and an adequate army if we wanted to be an adequate nation,” he said.

But before the end of the war, congressional Republicans didn’t support building a strong Navy, Crawford said, believing that an ocean-going Navy would draw the United States into war unnecessarily and require high taxes that would corrupt the political system, benefit mainly financiers, and hurt the common people.

But by the end of the war, he said, people of all political stripes witnessed the importance of having a strong, centrally controlled military.

“Many Republicans and all Federalists were committed to a strong Navy, an adequate, professional Army, and the financial reforms necessary to support them,” Crawford said.

“After the war, Congress … approved an ambitious naval expansion program and a regular Army of 10,000 men,” he continued. “They raised taxes to pay for these, and they created the Second National Bank as a tool for government financing.”

The War of 1812 also changed the U.S. position on the global stage, Crawford said.

“Before the war,” he explained, “the United Kingdom considered the United States to be a commercial rival and potential enemy, to be thwarted through confrontation wherever possible. After the war, the United Kingdom sought accommodation with the United States, considering the friendship of the United States as something to be curried as an asset.”

This change in thinking, Crawford said, was a direct result of the British recognizing that the United States had newfound political unity, a strong Army and Navy, and sound fiscal underpinnings.

USS Springfield Sailor Receives Proclamation from Ledyard Mayor for Act of Heroism

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

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- A USS Springfield (SSN 761) Sailor received a proclamation from the mayor of Ledyard in Groton Feb. 10 for his brave actions in rescuing a man from a burning vehicle after a two-car collision.

Mayor John Rodolico presented Chief Culinary Specialist Daniel Spencer, a native of Saegertown, Penn., with a proclamation and added that his actions that day were an act of extreme volunteerism, which is heroism.

"We always think of the Navy base in terms of the defense of our nation, but what we are seeing here today is another important role that the Navy provides and that is volunteers in our community, volunteers that make our community work," said Rodolico.

In addition, Spencer also received a certificate of heroism from the Gales Ferry Fire Company, which also named him an honorary Gales Ferry firefighter.

Spencer saved the life of a Ledyard citizen by rescuing him from a burning vehicle Jan. 18. Spencer witnessed a car driving northbound on Route 12 that swerved into the oncoming lane and resulted in a head-on collision, that ignited one of the vehicles. Spencer also assisted the other injured driver to safety despite her two broken legs until first responders from the Gales Ferry Fire Company arrived.

Spencer added that his training in the Navy, in particular the submarine force, prepared him to take action.

"Submariners are trained to take charge and take action in any sort of situation," said Spencer. "My training and instincts kicked in, and I did what needed to be done to help those in need."

Cmdr. Chris Williams, Springfield's commanding officer, reflected on Spencer's actions.

"Chief Spencer is a great Sailor and his actions are indicative of his character and commitment," said Williams. "He is an example of the high quality Sailors serving in our Navy."

Williams added that submariners are some of the most highly trained and skilled people serving in the U.S. Navy.

Spencer thanked everyone for attending the ceremony.

"I'm extremely honored that the town of Ledyard, Naval Submarine Base New London, and USS Springfield are taking the time for this occasion," said Spencer.

Springfield was built by General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and is the 50th Los Angeles-class submarine delivered to the Navy. The submarine's crew includes 15 officers and 110 enlisted Sailors.

Since its commission in 1993, Springfield has conducted eight deployments and has been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, along with numerous accolades for excellence in operations, engineering, navigation, weapons, retention, logistics and food service.

Multinational Operation Targets Transnational Organized Crime

From a U.S. Southern Command News Release

MIAMI  – The United States is joining with European and Western Hemisphere partners in a multinational effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.

Joint Interagency Task Force South, a component of U.S. Southern Command, today announced its participation in Operation Martillo. Martillo is the Spanish word for “hammer.”

The U.S. contribution to the multinational detection, monitoring and interdiction operation includes Navy and Coast Guard vessels and aircraft from federal law enforcement agencies, working with military and law enforcement units from various nations to deny transnational criminal organizations the ability to move narcotics, precursor chemicals for explosives, bulk cash and weapons along Central American shipping routes.

Air Force Gen. Douglas M. Fraser, Southcom commander, highlighted the extent of illicit trafficking in the region and its harmful impact on people’s lives within the widely used transit zone.

"More than 80 percent of the cocaine destined for U.S. markets is transported via sea lanes, primarily using littoral routes through Central America," he said. "Working with our partner nations, we intend to disrupt their operations by limiting their ability to use Central America as a transit zone.

"Illicit trafficking jeopardizes the safety and well-being of citizens of every country and has a negative influence on regional and national security," Fraser added.

Operation Martillo is a critical component of the U.S. government's coordinated interagency regional security strategy in support of the White House strategy to combat transnational organized crime and the U.S. Central America regional security initiative.

In 2011, international and cooperative interagency efforts coordinated through Joint Interagency Task Force South resulted in the disruption of 119 metric tons of cocaine, with a wholesale value of $2.35 billion, before it could reach destinations in the United States. The task force's efforts also enabled the interdiction of $21 million in bulk cash destined for traffickers in Central and South America and $16 million worth of black market goods.

DOD Supports Parades When All Combat Troops Return

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Pentagon officials say they’re all for a “New York-style tickertape parade” honoring combat troops who served in Iraq, but bowing to the military leadership’s wishes, agree that the best time to do so is after all combat troops have returned home from Afghanistan as well.

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Douglas B. Wilson told Lynn Neary of NPR’s “Talk of the Town” program the Defense Department fully supports homecoming celebrations for Iraq War veterans.

St. Louis hosted a parade last month that drew an estimated 20,000 participants and 100,000 spectators. Some 15 more cities are considering similar parades.

“The event in St. Louis was terrific, and it was something that we applaud and we know that there will be more of,” Wilson said.

Wilson said there’s always been interest in a national-level celebration to honor troops returned from Iraq. “The question was not whether to have a parade, but when to do so,” he said.

Based on input from the military, Wilson said, the sentiment is that now is too soon, particularly because many Iraq War veterans now are deployed to Afghanistan. The consensus, he said, was that “that kind of event should wait and that it would be more appropriately held when combat troops were coming home.”

Meanwhile, plans are under way for an official White House dinner President Barack Obama will host later this month for Iraq veterans and their guests. The event, to be on the scale of an official state dinner honoring visiting heads of state, will express “the spirit, the dignity, the respect and the gratitude” of the president and American people, Wilson said.

Invitees will be of “all ranks, from all services and from all states and territories,” Wilson said, chosen by a selection committee of senior enlisted representatives from all five services and the National Guard and reserves.

They strove, he said, to ensure the participants will be “representative of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who fought on the battlefield in Iraq.”

As more regional-level parades and celebrations take place around the country, Wilson said, returning combat veterans deserve all the support they receive. That, he added, includes not just homecoming commemorations, but also support as veterans readjust to their communities and seek jobs.

“The question is when, where and how we can honor those who served in Iraq and are serving in Afghanistan,” Wilson said. “And the answer to when is always, and where is everywhere, and how is all kinds of different ways.”

Compact Eases School Transitions for Military Children

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Another state has joined an interstate agreement to ease school transitions for children from military families, bringing the overall tally of member states to 40, a Defense Department official announced yesterday.

With the addition of Pennsylvania, the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children now encompasses nearly 90 percent of school-age military children scattered across the nation, said Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy.

“The Department of Defense has always valued education for our children,” Gordon said in an interview at the Pentagon. “This partnership between the DOD and states is absolutely instrumental to the success of our kids and their education.”

The Defense Department, in collaboration with the Council of State Governments’ National Center for Interstate Compacts, developed the interstate compact in 2007 to ease military families’ challenges as they transition between school systems, whether it’s DOD schools, public schools on a military installation, or public schools in communities. By joining the compact, states agree to follow common guidelines in handling issues such as class placement, records transfer, immunization requirements, course placement, graduation requirements, exit testing and extracurricular opportunities.

Students often arrive at a new school and “find themselves being challenged and potentially put behind by … varying requirements,” Gordon said. “What we want to do with this compact is to minimize disruption.”

This effort is particularly important, Gordon noted, since the majority of military children aren’t in the DOD school system. Of the 1.2 million school-age military children, 1.1 million attend public schools, he said.

Additionally, the average military student faces transition challenges twice during high school, and most military children will attend up to nine different school systems during a parent’s military career, DOD officials said.

Frequent moves and deployment-related transitions are stressful events, Gordon acknowledged, as children face the challenge of making new friends and adjusting to new bases, cities and schools, while also, in some cases, enduring deployment-related anxiety. He can relate to this personally, he said, noting that as a military teen, he attended three different high schools and that his brother attended four.

Gordon said he’d like to see all 50 states join the compact. Their support is a vital component of military family support, particularly when it comes to their children’s educational success, he said.

“The Department of Defense has been committed to children’s education for a long time,” he said. “It’s extra special when we as partners with states are looking after the assurance of a quality education for military children.”

For more information on the compact and their state’s provisions, parents should contact their children’s school or military school liaison. States that are newer to the compact may not have all of the arrangements in place, so parents should check back periodically, Gordon suggested. To locate a school liaison, visit http://www.militaryinstallations.dod.mil.

Parents also can find information online at Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission at MIC3.net.

DOD to Improve Nutrition Standards Across the Armed Services for the First Time in 20 Years

Part of military’s new obesity and nutrition awareness campaign

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and TRICARE® Management Activity director Dr. Jonathan Woodson announced today the Military Health System’s (MHS) new obesity and nutrition awareness campaign.  It will feature cooperative efforts with each of the armed services, as well as our partners in Military Community and Family Policy, to encourage service members, our retired beneficiaries and dependents make better nutritional choices and take a more active role in their personal health. This campaign will include improving nutrition standards across the services for the first time in 20 years.  New changes will bring more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and entrée choices that are lower in fat to the 1,100 service member dining facilities in the coming months.

 “Our primary focus is on the health and well-being of service members, their families, and our retirees,” Woodson said. “Obesity is a preventable problem which, if combatted, can help prevent disease and ease the burden on our overall Military Health System.”

 “The Department of Defense is making a groundbreaking commitment to the health of our troops and their families.  And in doing so, they’re not just sending a powerful message throughout the military community, they’re sending a message to our entire country,” First Lady Michelle Obama said.   “Whenever our men and women in uniform step forward, Americans take notice.  When our service members make healthy eating a priority in their lives, the rest of us are more likely to make it a priority in our lives.  Simply put, this is America’s entire military once again stepping forward to lead by example.”

The MHS obesity and nutrition awareness campaign will feature cooperative efforts with each of the armed services to achieve the following:

Update menu standards at military dining facilities for the first time in 20 years;

Assess the nutritional environment of military facilities;

Ensure healthier foods are available in dining facilities; Department of Defense schools, and other places where service members and their families purchase food on base, including vending machines and snack bars.

 “We are intent on focusing on preventable illnesses to help our people stay out of our clinics and hospitals by improving their physical condition,” Woodson said.  “We have the legal and moral responsibility to do our part to maintain the health and well-being of everyone in our military community.  And, we are committed to a strategy that changes the direction of healthcare to health in the military community, and, in many ways, for all Americans.”

Motor Vehicle Safety is a Top Priority for NAVSAFECEN

By April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- The Naval Safety Center (NAVSAFECEN) offers resources to help manage driving risks.

Fiscal year 2011 was the safest on record in terms of four-wheel motor vehicle fatalities. Car and truck operators did a great job of managing the risks of driving. However, mid-way through the second quarter of FY 2012, fatalities are in danger of creeping back up.

As of Feb. 1, 2012, four Sailors have lost their lives in four-wheel personal motor vehicle (PMV4) fatalities compared to one at the same time in 2011. Motorcycle fatality rates are static, with three so far this fiscal year - the same as last year at this time.

NAVSAFECEN's Command Master Chief Dominick Torchia recently released a "Safety Broadcast," a one-page fact sheet outlining timely information about various trending topics. His most recent covers PMV statistics, risk factors, and resources for improvement.

"While we made big strides in reducing the number of four-wheel motor vehicle fatalities last year, this is no time to declare victory," Torchia said. "Be aware of the biggest risk factors - speed, alcohol, fatigue, ejection and distractions - and do everything you can to manage those risks."

Those risk factors - speed, alcohol, fatigue and ejections (lack of seat belts) and distractions (SAFE-D) - account for the vast majority of motor vehicle mishaps in the Navy and nationwide. Motorcycle fatalities are also a continuing concern, with their own set of risk factors. However, the biggest risk factor Sailors face is completely within their control - training.

"The biggest challenge we face is closing the last tactical mile with regard to advanced motorcycle training," Torchia said. "Every sportbike rider is required to take the Military Sportbike Rider Course (MSRC), but right now there are about 2,000 sportbike riders who have not completed it. This training has proven value. Nine out of 12 sportbike riders who died in FY11 had not attended the course."

Torchia said the MSRC is provided at no cost to Sailors and is designed to be completed during the workday. No leave is required to attend the course. It covers both the different physical handling characteristics and the required mental attitudes for safe operation of these high-performance machines.

The MSRC was created after a spike in motorcycle fatalities in 2008, when 33 Sailors lost their lives while riding. After an initial training push, the number fell to 13 in FY2010, but crept up slightly to 16 in FY11. Eliminating all preventable PMV fatalities remains a top priority for NAVSAFECEN.

Blue Ridge Departs Tomakomai

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Fidel C. Hart, USS Blue Ridge Public Affairs

TOMAKOMAI, Japan (NNS) -- Sailors and Marines from 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), embarked 7th Fleet staff and Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team Pacific (FASTPAC) completed a port visit to Tomakomai, Japan, Feb. 8.

The crew experienced the culture and sights of the city, and participated in tours and community service events (COMSERVs) in Tomakomai and the surrounding area.

"This was a tremendous port visit for the crew of USS Blue Ridge, with opportunities to see the Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival and participating in the Tomakomai Ice Skate Festival," said Blue Ridge Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Ralston. "It is great to see our Sailors and Marines out in town strengthening bonds during community service projects, building friendships on liberty and sharing the differences and similarities in our intertwined cultures."

The ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) committee provided a variety of tours to the nearby city of Sapporo, which was holding the 63rd Annual Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival.

Several Sailors participated in COMSERV projects at the Tomakomai Ice Skate Festival, assisting local children onto a snow slide and pushing a giant sled. Lt. Donald Baker, Blue Ridge chaplain, said that it was a unique way for the Sailors and the citizens of Tomakomai to interact.

"I've done more than 100 COMSERV projects and this is the most fun I have had on one," said Baker. "There is great energy and excitement from both the Sailors and the citizens. The energy is contagious and has rubbed off on every one involved. This is exactly what you want a community service event to be."

Many Sailors experienced Tomakomai for the first time.

"I am enjoying myself and have never seen anything like this [Sapporo's snow and ice sculptures] before," said Yeoman 3rd Class Brittnea Noe. Noe, on her first port visit with Blue Ridge, said the sea mammals snow sculpture depicting detailed carvings of a blue whale, walrus, dolphins and sea lions, was her favorite. "I would love to return and visit because I know the snow sculptures change every year and they are amazing."

Blue Ridge is commanded by Capt. Daniel Grieco and serves under Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 7/Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy's only forward deployed amphibious force. Blue Ridge is the flagship for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operations detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

Department of Justice Reaches Agreement to Compensate Servicemembers for Wrongful Foreclosures

Agreement Reached as Part of the $25 Billion Federal-State Mortgage Servicing Agreement

The settlement agreement with the nation’s five largest servicers announced today by Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice’s federal and state partners includes substantial financial compensation to homeowners who are servicemembers and establishes significant new protections for servicemembers in the future.  The financial compensation to servicemembers is in addition to the $25 billion settlement.

 JPMorgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Company, Citigroup Inc. and Ally Financial Inc. (formerly GMAC) have agreed to conduct a full review, overseen by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, to determine whether any servicemembers were foreclosed on in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) since Jan.1, 2006.   Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally will be required to provide any servicemember who was a victim of a wrongful foreclosure a minimum payment of $116,785 plus the servicemember’s lost equity and interest for violating the SCRA.   The servicemember’s payment could be higher as a result of the review conducted by the banking regulators.   To ensure consistency with an earlier private settlement, JP Morgan Chase will provide any servicemember who was a victim of a wrongful foreclosure either his or her home free and clear of any debt or the cash equivalent of the full value of the home at the time of sale.   In addition, servicemebers will receive compensation for any additional harm suffered.   All compensation for servicemembers wrongfully foreclosed on is in addition to the $25 billion settlement amount.

 In addition, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and Ally have also agreed to conduct a thorough review, overseen by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, to determine whether any servicemember, from January 1, 2008 to the present, was charged interest in excess of 6% on his or her mortgage, after a valid request to lower the interest rate, in violation of the SCRA.   Servicers will be required to provide any servicemember who was wrongfully charged interest in excess of 6% with a payment equal to a refund, with interest, of any amount charged in excess of 6% plus triple the amount refunded or $500, whichever is larger.   This compensation for servicemembers is in addition to the $25 billion settlement amount.   JP Morgan Chase had already compensated servicemembers charged interest in excess of 6% on their mortgage through the earlier private settlement.

 “The men and women who serve our nation in the armed forces deserve, at the very least, to know that we will protect their rights while they are serving our country,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate that Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Ally agreed, through this settlement, to compensate servicemembers whose rights were violated.”

 All four servicers agreed to numerous other measures, including SCRA training for employees and agents and developing SCRA policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the SCRA. The servicers will also repair any negative credit report entries related to the allegedly wrongful foreclosures and will not pursue any remaining amounts owed under the mortgages.

 The joint federal-state agreement also includes expanded protections for servicemembers.    The SCRA prohibits foreclosures on servicemembers without court orders on mortgages that were originated before military service began. The settlement extends this protection to all servicemembers, regardless of when their mortgage was secured, if they were receiving Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay and were stationed away from their home within nine months of the foreclosure.   The agreement requires all five servicers to provide certain servicemembers who are forced to move because of Permanent Change in Station (PCS) orders  access loan modifications without going into default or, in the event that they must sell their home at a loss, but are ineligible for funding from the Department of Defense’s Homeowners’ Assistance Program (HAP), with short sale agreements and mandatory deficiency waivers.   On the servicemember relief, the Department worked closely with the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, who led the servicemember negotiations on behalf of the state attorneys general

In May 2011, the Department of Justice reached a more than $20 million settlement with Bank of America for wrongfully foreclosing on servicemembers without court orders.    That settlement only resolved allegations related to non-judicial foreclosures.    The Department did not release as part of today’s announced settlement any potential claims related to judicial foreclosures or possible 6% violations by Bank of America.

The JP Morgan Chase investigation was handled jointly by the Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office in South Carolina.

President Obama established the interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.    The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources.    The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.    For more information on the task force, visit Stopfraud.gov .

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their SCRA rights have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance office.    Please consult the military legal assistance office locator at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil and click on the Legal Services Locator.    Additional information about the Justice Department’s enforcement of the SCRA and the other laws protecting servicemembers is available at Servicemembers.gov .

Weapons Silencers for Civilians

I get lots of requests to review websites and am often surprised by the information I find.  I looked through the Silencerco pistol silencers and was surprised at the wealth of information on not just the company, but the product and the laws concerning firearms silencers.  First, let me say that the website is well designed and easy to navigate.  Moreover, the website is visually interesting.  You should visit the media center and experience the videos, available wall paper and excellent high-quality photographs of their product.

My first question was – Are silencers legal?  I didn’t know.  But Silencerco provides a well-developed education center which includes state-by-state information on ownership as well as the purchasing process.  This section also provides forms and potential work-arounds if you have difficultly with local authorities. 

I next spent some time browsing the FAQs.  One of the questions was – How do silencers work?  They give a pretty straightforward answer: “Entire books have been written on this topic. A summarized explanation is that they slow and cool the expanding gases that propel bullets. This hot, high velocity, expanding gas is what causes the “boom” of a gunshot. Slowing and cooling this gas before it exits the muzzle greatly reduces the muzzle report of a gunshot.”

Another interesting question asked is - Does a modern suppressor (or silencer) decrease the effectiveness or range of the host firearm or cartridge?  You are going to have to go to their website to find out – the answer might surprise you. 

This is a paid review.

Deadline Nears in ‘Serving Abroad’ Photo Contest

By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2012 – The contest deadline to submit photos is fast approaching for an exhibit titled “Serving Abroad … Through Their Eyes,” which will depict the daily life of military deployments and overseas assignments.

The contest’s focus is to show the most compelling photos of friendships, places, faces, losses and triumphs of deployment as captured through the camera lenses of military members, veterans and diplomats, said Army Lt. Col. Luke Knittig, a coordinator for the joint Defense Department and State Department project.

Feb. 20, will be the final day judges can receive photos taken overseas since 2000 by active-duty troops, veterans and Foreign Service members. Submissions can represent daily life during a deployment, in a combat zone or from a humanitarian relief mission, Knittig said.

The contest to collect photos began last Nov. 11.

The exhibit will comprise 1,000 winning pictures that will commemorate the State Department’s Art in Embassies program’s 50th anniversary. The images will be a part of an audio and video montage.

Judge will include former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and four former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen and Army Gen. Colin Powell. Powell also is a former secretary of state.

The winning photos will be announced Armed Forces Day, May 19. The 10 “Best in Show” photographers will be invited to Washington, where they will be honored and participate in the exhibition’s November VIP opening celebration.

The “Serving Abroad … Through Their Eyes” exhibit is slated to be displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s American Art Museum, U.S. embassies around the world, the Pentagon and other prominent international venues this year, officials said.

The State Department’s Art in Embassies program, formalized by President John F. Kennedy’s administration, is one of the premier public-private partnership arts organizations in continuous operation in 180 countries worldwide, State Department officials said. It plays an important role in U.S. public diplomacy through a culturally expansive mission that creates temporary exhibits and permanent collections, artist and cultural exchange programming, and publications, they added.

Contest rules, photo specifications and submission forms are posted on the project’s website.

Contracting Remains Growth Area for Army

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2012 – While the U.S. military will shrink in the coming years, the contracting career field will buck the trend and grow, officials at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center said.

The field is open to officers and enlisted soldiers, and the total Army population in the military occupational specialty will double by the end of fiscal 2013, officials said.

Those selected will become part of the Army Acquisition Corps.

The Corps needs more officers in functional area 51 and noncommissioned officers in military occupational specialty 51C.

On the officer side, the Army typically looks for officers in their sixth or seventh year of service. “We would like to have them starting to look at the career field when they are lieutenants, but they transfer to the career field after they have their branch qualifying job as a captain,” Army Maj. Anthony Maneri said during a recent interview.

The enlisted side is a bit different. The service targets sergeants and staff sergeants under 10 years of service. “They must be in balanced or overstrength military occupational specialties,” said Army Master Sgt. Jason Pitts, a specialist at the center. “There are over 180 MOSs, and there are only nine that are not eligible, so pretty much any soldier is eligible.”

Those interested must send in a reclassification packet. The Acquisition Support Center at Huntsville, Ala., holds a quarterly board composed of sergeants major and lieutenant colonels to select the best-quality soldiers for transfer. Soldiers selected for the 51C MOS may qualify for a $2,000 transfer bonus. There is no re-enlistment bonus, because “right now our people are staying in,” Pitts said. “It’s a great job.”

No unit ever goes on deployment with everything it needs, Maneri said. Army contracting specialists work with commanders to get exactly what a unit needs in the field. This runs the gamut from food and water to building materials to plasma screens and so on.

The force views these contracting specialists as force multipliers. “You are the procurement guy for the guys in the field,” Maneri said. “You also are a business advisor to the battalion or brigade or division commander.”

In the field, acquisition experts work on four-member teams -- a major, a captain and two NCOs. They work at every level from the company up to division.

The specialists speak the language of the military and also the language of business. “I spent 14 years in the infantry,” Pitts said. “I understand the commander’s mission. And I understand how I can use procurement to support that mission.”

The officers and NCOs help to push technologies downrange. For example, contracting specialists helped in getting improvised explosive device jammers to soldiers quickly in 2003 and 2004.

That led to a breakthrough in how commanders viewed contracting specialists, Maneri said. “In the early days, commanders weren’t sure what we could do for them,” he said. “After a few successes, warfighters started understanding the other aspects that we could offer to help them do their jobs.”

Army Lt. Col. Matt Schramm, another specialist at the center, said there’s little difference between the officer and enlisted training. “It’s essentially the same training that people in private industry receive,” he said. “This enables us to speak the same language that they do at Coca-Cola or Boeing or Google or wherever.”