Dempsey: Sesame Workshop Gives Top Support to Families

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – Sesame Workshop’s resources and outreach have done more to help families cope with repeated deployments during a decade of war than anything the military could have done alone, the military’s top officer said here today.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Sesame’s “Talk, Listen, Connect: Deployments, Homecomings, Changes” campaign -- a kit of DVDs and booklets designed to get families to discuss the unique challenges of military service with young children -- sends “a powerful signal and produces a better outcome” than the Defense Department or military services could do on their own.

Dempsey made the comments as part of a Sesame Workshop panel discussion with other military and veteran advocates. ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who suffered a traumatic brain injury while reporting on the war in Iraq, and his wife, Lee, also an author and journalist, hosted the event at the National Press Club.

“I bet you’ll pay more attention to what Rosita says than what any four-star general says,” Dempsey said, as the green furry monster puppet made an appearance at the lectern next to him.

In creating the programming, Sesame writers had to determine “how we take the child’s perspective so the adult is willing to go through that door with them,” said Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame’s senior vice president of outreach and education.

Sesame created three episodes for the campaign, each with celebrity guest hosts: “When Parents are Deployed,” with Cuba Gooding Jr.; “Coming Home: Military Families Cope With Change,” featuring Queen Latifah and John Mayer; and “When Families Grieve” with Katie Couric. The shows aired nationwide on television and are streamed on Sesame’s website.

The episodes depict the Sesame characters experiencing the same events military children may have to cope with, such as when Elmo’s father leaves for deployment, and Rosita’s father returns from deployment in a wheelchair.

“Talking is so important, and sharing,” 5-year-old Rosita said. “My family went through big changes, because my poppy got hurt and he couldn’t walk anymore.”

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Nico Marcolongo, program manager for the Challenged Athletes Foundation Operation Rebound, spoke from the panel about returning from his second deployment in Iraq, and suffering post-traumatic stress.

“My circle got very small when I was first home,” Marcolongo said. He described being self-absorbed, distracted and detached. “The most disconcerting was I felt no love for my family,” he said.

Marcolongo’s then 3-year-old son mimicked him, he said, pacing back and forth in the house like his father. “It was real tough coming home with a wound I couldn’t see and nobody else could see,” he said. Marcolongo got help, and helped his son with the “Talk, Listen, Connect” videos, which he said teach families how to talk about the changes, accept their feelings and know they are not alone.

Patty Shinseki, wife of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki, spoke of her decades as a military wife and mother.

“This absolutely zeroed in on those feelings that military families experience,” said Shinseki, who serves on the Military Child Education Coalition board. Her husband is a retired Army general.

“The single, most wonderful change” for military families since her family served, Shinseki said, is that now families can receive help and resources 24/7 through programs like Sesame’s. “We can’t go back through that gate,” she said. “We’ve got to keep this conversation alive for the children.”

Dempsey described the Sesame initiative -- funded by a consortium of public, private and nonprofit entities -- as the perfect partnership to help military families. Rather than “just another government program,” he said, the program shows military families that the nation cares.

The chairman added that such initiatives are important to keeping trust with military families who all sacrifice for the nation.

“The equipment won’t always be perfect, my orders won’t always be perfect, and the organization we create won’t always be perfect,” he said. “What has to be perfect is that trust with the families.”

Dempsey, who is known for occasionally breaking into song, closed the event with a surprise a cappella rendition of the Sesame Street theme song.

Soldier Missing in Action from Korean War Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Pfc. Richard E. Clapp, 19, of Seattle, Wash., will be buried April 25, at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.

On Sept. 2, 1950, Clapp and the C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment came under fire near Yulchon, South Korea, and Clapp was killed in action.  The Army was unable to identify his remains at the time, and the remains were buried as “Unknown” in a military cemetery on the Korean Peninsula.

In 1951, the U.S. consolidated cemeteries on the peninsula.  The unknown remains were interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

In 2011, due to advances in identification technology, the remains were exhumed for identification.  Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used circumstantial evidence and forensic identification tools such as radiograph comparison, and dental records to identify Clapp.

Today, more than 7,900 Americans remain unaccounted-for from the Korean War.  Identifications continue to be made from the remains that were returned to the United States, using forensic and DNA technology.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call 703-901-7097.

Wisconsin National Guard's director of public affairs earns national Accreditation

Lt. Col. Jackie Guthrie, the director of public affairs for the Wisconsin National Guard, earned an APR+M (Accredited in Public Relations + Military Communication) certification Saturday (April 14), becoming one of only 19 APR+Ms worldwide and the first actively serving member of the National Guard and U.S. Army to be certified.

Guthrie, of Sun Prairie, successfully completed a 90-minute oral readiness review presentation and a three-hour plus computer-based exam that tested her knowledge, skills and abilities in public relations and military public affairs in joint operations to earn the certification that she's been working toward for more than a year.

"While the personal accomplishment means a lot," Guthrie said, "it's really about demonstrating not only my competence in public relations but, more importantly, how public affairs supports military operations and using that knowledge every day on behalf of the Soldiers and Airmen I represent."

"Lt. Col. Guthrie is a consummate professional," said Maj. Gen. Don Dunbar, adjutant general of Wisconsin, and Guthrie's supervisor. "Under her leadership, the Wisconsin National Guard public affairs office has won numerous awards and her vision is evident in our social media strategy. This latest credential reflects her commitment to continuous improvement on a personal and professional level, and I am very proud of her accomplishment."

How the military practices public affairs has come a long way in the last 20 years, Guthrie explained. "When I joined it was about press conferences, press releases and pretty pictures," she said. "Now it's about the important role communications plays in military operations from planning through execution."

Guthrie has more than 20 years of public affairs experience acquired as a Department of the Army civilian public affairs specialist and a Soldier serving the National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve and the Army - not only in Wisconsin, but throughout the world. She is also an adjunct instructor in the communications department at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and commands the Monroe-based 64th Rear Operations Center.

"I decided to pursue this Accreditation to better myself, increase my ability to contribute to the Wisconsin National Guard's mission and goals, and to encourage my peers to do the same," she said. "Over the past 10 years especially, we [public affairs practitioners] have demonstrated how we contribute to overall mission success. To keep a seat at the table it's essential that we remain relevant, and some of that comes from continued education such as that offered through the APR process."

Guthrie is a graduate of Beaver Dam High School, has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a Master's in Public Administration from Webster University, St. Louis, Mo. Her military education includes Adjutant General Officer Basic Course, the Defense Information School's Public Affairs Officer Course, Adjutant General Officer Advanced Course, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School and U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

According to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) website, Accredited in Public Relations (APR) is the voluntary certification program created in 1964 for public relations professionals to unify and advance the profession by identifying those who have demonstrated mastery of a body of knowledge as well as recognition of experience and professional judgment in the public relations field. The international certification process is governed by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB), of which PRSA is a lead participant.

In May 2010 the U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Public Affairs Support Element (JPASE), UAB and PRSA partnered to develop the APR+M credentialing in an effort to provide public affairs and communication certification for military, contractor, and Department of Defense public communication professionals.

"It's not just an expansion of the Accreditation program, but an expansion really directed at military members," said Barbara Burfeind, APR+M council member and chair of Guthrie's readiness review panel. She also stressed that Accreditation not a one-time thing, but requires continuous professional development to maintain the credential.

In addition to completing the readiness review and exam, APR+M candidates must also be a member of the military (active or reserve) or a Department of Defense civilian employee whose primary responsibilities lie in military communication-related fields, or a DoD military contractor and member of a UAB participating organization and whose primary responsibilities lie in military communication-related fields.

"Anyone can say they are a public relations practitioner," Burfeind said. "We're not required to be licensed - however, this [APR] sets the standard or the bar, and the bar is pretty high."

2012 Sea Air Space Expo Continues

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Shannon Burns, Defense Media Activity - Navy

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (NNS) -- The second day of the 2012 Sea-Air-Space Exposition, held at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center April 17, focused on today's technology and the future of the Navy.

Numerous panel, floor speaker and roundtable sessions took place covering these topics. During the Sea-Air-Space Luncheon keynote speaker Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert talked about these topics as well as the Tenets.

Several classes of Navy vessels were discussed at the expo including the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). According to the LCS program manager, LCS is a critical part of the Surface Force's ability to provide credible capability for deterrence, sea control, and power projection around the world. It is a fast, agile, networked surface combatant designed to operate in the near-shore environment but still capable of open-ocean tasking.

"Littoral combat ships brings tremendous capabilities to our Navy, they allows us to deploy ships, to exercise with our neighbors, and increase our engagement and our presence," said Capt. John Neagley, program manager, Littoral Combat Ship. "They address three specific capabilities and gaps: mine warfare, surface warfare, and anti-submarine warfare."

Another type of Navy vessel discussed was the Virginia-class submarine - designed for multi-mission operations in the littorals while still retaining what the prgram executive officer describes as the submarine force's strength in traditional open-ocean, anti-submarine, and anti-surface missions.

"The Virginia-class submarine is the replacement for the Los Angeles-class submarine and it will be the work horse for the fast attack fleet for years to come," said Rear Adm. (sel.) Michael Jabaley, program manager for Virginia-class submarines, Program Executive Officer Subs. "We've so far delivered eight to the Navy out of a total program of 30 submarines, they're performing wonderfully in the fleet and will continue to do so for decades to come."

Also discussed at the expo was the new class of aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford-class carrier, the first new class of aircraft carriers in almost 40 years. They are nearly identical in size to the Nimitz-class carriers, but are designed with upgraded hulls, mechanical, electrical, and electronics capabilities.

"The Gerald R. Ford-class carrier is the Navy's next generation of aircraft carriers," said Capt. Chris Meyer, program manager, Future Aircraft Carriers Program for Naval Sea Systems Command. "It builds on a legacy of U.S. aircraft carrier capability; it provides improved capability for the future with reduced total ownership costs and reduced crew size. We are able to have more capability with less ownership costs."

The Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Exposition includes three days of seminars and demonstrations highlighting the latest maritime-related technologies and solutions. The symposium provides an excellent opportunity for Navy policy and operational leadership to interact with industry representatives to discuss and debate common interests and concerns.

"We are the nation's first responders, there is no doubt about that, we deter, we assure access, and we protect security, and we're there to protect prosperity," said Greenert. "This, and our future role, led me to three tenets. Warfighting has to be first. We have to be confident, we have to be proficient at what we're doing and we have to be relevant. Number two, we have to operate forward. That's where we're most effective and that's where we've always been most effective in our Navy. Number three, we have to be ready for today's challenges today."

Dempsey Says TAPS Represents Best of America

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2012 – The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors signifies all that is good about America, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here last night.

Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said TAPS allows Americans to show their love and appreciation for the sacrifices military families make.

“We try, but we find ourselves inadequate to thank you for what you do,” Dempsey said to the black-tie audience at the nonprofit organization’s annual gala.

Bonnie Carroll founded the organization in 1994 after her soldier husband and seven others were killed in a plane crash in Alaska. TAPS provides short- and long-term assistance to the families of military members who die.

The group looks to aid grieving family members. It holds “Good Grief” camps at many installations. The organization stresses long-term, peer-based support. It also helps with crisis response and intervention, casualty casework assistance and grief and trauma resources and information.

“This is an organization of a bunch of ordinary Americans and patriots, but they are extraordinary people,” Dempsey said. “It’s about living up to the bond of trust that we all feel -- and we should feel it, not just talk about it.”

Dempsey said his aide, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Mike Wisecup, told him on the way to the gala that people join the military for many reasons, but the decision to stay in the military comes along the way. “Generally, we decide to stay in the military because we recognize that if something happens to us, there will be others like us to rally around us,” Dempsey said.

It’s not only men and women in uniform who rally around service members, the chairman said, but it’s also members of Congress and regular Americans, “if we give them the chance.”

“And TAPS does that,” he added.

Dempsey told the audience about the inscription on a statue in the Antietam National Battlefield Cemetery. There were more than 23,000 American casualties at the Maryland battlefield on Sept. 17, 1862. The statue depicts a Union Army private, and the inscription says, “Not for themselves, but for their country.”

TAPS has taken that sentiment aboard as well, but paraphrased it to “not for themselves, but for their families,” Dempsey said. “Bonnie, and those of you associated with TAPS, I hope you feel as proud of what you do as we are of you.”

The TAPS Honor Guard Gala raises funds to support the organization’s programs, including peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, case work assistance and a 24/7 resource and information helpline for all who have been affected by a death in the armed forces.

TAPS recognized Gen. James F. Amos, Marine Corps commandant, with the organization’s Military Award. It also recognized U.S. Rep. Norman Dicks of Washington state with its Congressional Award.

Erin Gallagher received the Sen. Ted Stevens Leadership Award from the organization. Gallagher, 18, lost her father, Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. James Gallagher, to suicide in 2006. She has delivered speeches addressing suicide in the military, spoken with the media and supported other children and teens through TAPS who are grieving the death of a loved one who served in the military. Begun last year, the Stevens Award recognizes a surviving military family member who has reached out to help others.