Panetta: National Guard, Reserve Key to Defense Strategy

By Claudette Roulo

American Forces Press Service

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y., Aug. 9, 2012 – Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told the airmen and soldiers based at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station today their service is critical to the defense strategy.

Panetta said New York was the cradle of the United States military, and that its critical role for the armed forces continues today.

“New York's Air National Guard is the largest Air Guard in the nation, with tremendous cutting-edge capabilities,” he said. “And many New York installations, including Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, are making a very important contribution to our nation's defense.”

Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station is the largest employer in Niagara County. The base is home to the Air Force Reserve’s 914th Airlift Wing and the Air National Guard’s 107th Airlift Wing. Together, more than 2,700 service members and civilians are assigned to the units.

Soldiers from Alpha Company, 865th Combat Support Hospital and the 1982nd Forward Surgical Team were also present for Panetta’s visit. The units are among several Army Reserve and National Guard tenant units at the base.

The spirit of public service exemplified by the Reserve and National Guard is essential to democracy, Panetta said. It demonstrates a commitment to securing the nation and providing better futures for the nation’s children, he added.

“This is an historic time to be serving the nation. It's an historic time to be an American. We're at a strategic turning point when it comes to our national security,” Panetta said.

That turning point is the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the resulting cuts in defense spending, he explained.

Budget cuts must be responsible, Panetta said, and undertaken in a way that allows the U.S. military to maintain its position as the strongest in the world, while not hollowing out the force.

“In the past, as we've come out of wars, whether it was World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, when we cut the defense budget, it was cut across the board and it hollowed out the force,” Panetta said. “It weakened every element of our defense establishment. I am not going to repeat that mistake.”

The best plan would create a defense strategy not just for today, but for the future, Panetta said.

“We're going to be smaller, we're going to be leaner, but we have to be agile,” he said. “We have to be deployable, we have to be flexible and we have to be on the cutting edge of technology,” he said.

Additionally, the defense strategy has to take into account potential trouble spots, such as the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East, and it must allow the United States to maintain a worldwide presence, the secretary said. It also has to enable the military to defeat more than one enemy at a time, he added.

The final consideration has to be investing in the future, Panetta said -- not just in military systems and units, but also in companies that service the military.

“I do not want to outsource our national defense to other countries,” he said.

The reductions will come at a cost. “Let me be frank with you: I can't reduce the defense budget by $487 billion and not create some pain,” he said.

The National Guard and Reserve hold a key role in the defense strategy, he said, and the Defense Department is committed to protecting the New York Air National Guard.

“It's the largest in the country. I think it's one of the best, and I also want to make clear that we are committed to maintaining this base for the future,” Panetta said. “We're counting on this base. It's important geographically. It's important to the mission that we need to look forward to.”

Panetta said investment in the base will continue and that he plans to look for additional roles for the base as the defense mission evolves.

“We're going to upgrade eight C-130s and replace them over five years with the C-130H3s,” he said. “We're going to invest $6.1 million in order to create a C-130 flight simulator here.”

The base now has 12 C-130H2 Hercules aircraft. They are assigned to the 914th Airlift Wing, but are operated jointly along with the 107th Airlift Wing.

Panetta also discussed potential effects on communities if Congress allows budget sequestration to take effect in January. The measure would add about $500 billion in across-the-board defense spending reductions over the next decade in addition to the $487 billion cut that’s already coming.

“We have to be part of the same team, not only protecting our defense, but meeting our responsibility to our fiscal needs,” he said. “Frankly, one of my biggest concerns right now for communities like Niagara Falls is not the budget that I'm working on, it's the danger of sequestration and the fact that for some crazy reason, we may walk off of that cliff.”

While he expressed confidence that sequestration could still be avoided, Panetta said that if it happened, “incredible damage” to the nation’s defense would result.

“It's a formula that cuts across the board,” he said. “It's mindless, and it will hollow out our military. I want you to know that I am committed to do everything I can to fight for your interests, and I want you to join me to fight for what's right.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we bless ourselves with the hope that everything is going to be OK in this country,” he continued, “but frankly, it doesn't mean a damn thing unless we're willing to fight for it. The fact that you're here tells me that you are willing to fight -- to fight for that dream that brought my parents to this country, to fight for a strong America, [for] the future, and to fight for, most importantly, a government of, by and for all people.”

Carrier Air Wing 11 Departs USS Nimitz

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Robert Winn, USS Nimitz Public Affairs

USS NIMITZ, At Sea (NNS) -- The squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 embarked on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 exercises left for their home stations beginning with the fly off Aug. 8.

Disembarking an air wing is a massive undertaking and requires coordination between many different departments.

As many as 700 tri-wall reinforced storage boxes will be moved from the ship, said Cmdr. Frank Bennet, Nimitz' maintenance officer.

"We've got to coordinate with squadrons; as soon as the last plane leaves we start getting all the tri-walls moved to the hangar bays," said Bennet.

"When that last plane takes off, it's a scramble to get everything into the tri-walls," said Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class Jason Everett, corrosion prevention leading petty officer for Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154.

Each squadron will get approximately 30 tri-walls to fill with supplies they brought on board for the underway including computers, tools, chains, support equipment, televisions and grease pencils.

"It's like Tetris getting everything to fit inside," said Cpl. Jeremiah Clark, assigned to Marine Strike Fighter Squadron 323. "I already have a packing list of where everything goes, and everything we have is really organized, especially our tool boxes. It will only take us about two hours to do the actual packing."

As the ship pulls pier-side, shore based cranes will be in place to move the boxes to the pier where a fleet of forklifts will load the trucks which will depart for their home bases.

This offload presents the challenge of simultaneously on-loading gear for the fleet replacement squadrons, which are to go underway with Nimitz for carrier qualifications.

"The hardest part is getting everything staged," said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Hildalgo, officer in charge of the offload. "We have nine squadrons to move. It's going to be an all hands effort."

Security, Air Department, Supply Department, Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Department, Safety Department and all the squadrons coordinate between each other and Naval Air Station North Island to ensure all the gear is moved properly.

The offload marks the final step in the completion of RIMPAC 2012.

Face of Defense: Book’s Profits Benefit Wounded Warriors

By Dan Thompson

U.S. Army Installation Management Command Europe

HEIDELBERG, Germany, Aug. 9, 2012 – Being an Army public affairs officer often means working irregular hours and constantly providing high-quality content for everything from newspapers to social media.

While it is a demanding, high-visibility profession, most PAOs could not imagine serving any other way. But for one civilian public affairs officer at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, keeping service members and their families informed in Belgium and the Netherlands is not enough. He reaches for the stars.

Keith Houin is a "purple" PAO: a retired Air Force noncommissioned officer now working as a U.S. Army civilian. In his spare time, he also is one of the hosts of “The Science Fiction Show,” a weekly podcast about everything science fiction that has been downloaded more than 10,000 times since May 2011, according to Houin. The show is an outlet for Houin and his fellow hosts Jason Tudor and Michael Wistock, to share their passion for science fiction in film, television, books and other things. It also has become a way for Houin to share his love of science fiction, public relations, and charity.

Keith and his co-hosts, all Air Force veterans, have released a compilation of sci-fi stories in a book called "Battlespace" to raise money for the Warrior Cry Music Project charity.

"Choosing the right charity was a must," Houin said. "We wanted to donate the money from the book to the right cause, and helping wounded veterans was first on our mind. The Warrior Cry Music Project was high on our list, and we're excited to be able to do something with these folks."

The Warrior Cry Music Project helps wounded warriors in the Washington, D.C., area by donating musical instruments and lessons in a form of music therapy.

Houin said 100 percent of the profits from the book, which can be ordered online as a paperback or e-book, will be donated to Warrior Cry. The first donation is scheduled to be made tomorrow, according to podcast’s Facebook fan page.

"This has been a lot of fun to create and a lot of fun to read,” said Wistock, one of Houin’s co-hosts. “I hope the people that pick up this book will enjoy it as much as we have."

"Jason Tudor was the real workhorse behind putting all the material together, and without his talent this project may have never gotten completed," Houin added. Tudor is a Defense Department public affairs officer at the Marshall Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

MEDLITE 12: Air Guard members teach aeromedical evacuation principles to Botswana defense force

By Air Force Senior Airman Lausanne Morgan

48th Fighter Wing

THEBEPHATSWA AIR BASE, Botswana -- Air National Guard members along with members of the Botswana defense force worked together to kick-start MEDLITE 12 here Monday.

 MEDLITE 12 is a joint exercise between U.S. and Botswana aimed to establish and develop military interoperability, regional partnership and to synchronize capacity-building. The exercise began Monday with classroom work, to include an introduction to fixed wing aircraft aeromedical evacuation principles, stresses of flight at altitude and a question and answer session to encourage dialogue.

Approximately 30 BDF personnel attended the classes, in jobs that ranged from medical technicians to nurses, loadmasters, flight engineers and aircraft mechanics.

“We’re hoping that with this course we can achieve the transport of patients via aeromedical evacuation here,” said Air National Guard Lt. Col. June Oldman, the MEDLITE 12 mission director. “We are here to exchange ideas and learn from each other.”

She said she hopes the program would not only help the BDF, but also Botswana as a whole.

The concept of aeromedical evacuation began in 1910 and the theory behind it was to provide timely, efficient movement of patients and en route care. This type of evacuation was used extensively during World War II, the Korea War and the Vietnam War, where it saved countless lives.

North Carolina Air National Guard Maj. Chuck Scronce, a 156th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, said that even though the equipment used during these evacuations hasn’t changed much over the years, the care given has certainly changed.

“Care has gotten progressively better since World War II,” Scronce said. “Even just 10 years ago most [military members] might have died in the field; where today we have better care, giving them ... a better opportunity of surviving.”

As a sister force through the state partnership program, the North Carolina Air National Guard hopes to share this knowledge with the BDF so they can provide the same care to the people of Botswana bringing them something they have never experienced, Scronce said.

Throughout the day the airmen trained their BDF counterparts and exchanged lessons learned and experiences they have had to help the BDF develop their own aeromedical evacuation program.

“They are excited to be able to help and I think if they can continue to show their leadership how excited they are and how willing they are to help they will develop a great program,” Scronce said. “All the humanitarian missions I have done don’t really compare to this -- it’s just a cool mission.”

MEDLITE 12 will culminate with a mass casualty exercise on Aug. 14.

USS Louisville Completes WESTPAC

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ronald Gutridge, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Friends and family of the crew members from USS Louisville (SSN 724) gathered at the submarine piers to welcome back the Los Angeles-class submarine as she returned to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after completing a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) region, Aug. 8.

"I am extremely proud of the crew of the Louisville. They accomplished tasks in support of both theater and national interests with great enthusiasm and skill," said Cmdr. Lee Sisco, USS Louisville commanding officer. "This was the most rewarding and successful deployment out of the seven WESTPAC deployments I've conducted."

While deployed, Louisville executed a wide range of operations in support of Commander Seventh Fleet. In addition, she conducted several training exercises, contributing to the nation's strategic posture in the Western Pacific region. Louisville also strengthened relationships with Japan during an exercise with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.

 During the deployment, 26 Sailors qualified in submarines and are now entitled to wear the submarine warfare insignia, also referred to as "Dolphins", after completing a rigorous qualification process that included in-depth understanding of submarine construction and operations, and practical assessments of the Sailor's ability to combat a wide range of casualties that could be encountered while onboard the submarine. A majority of the crew also completed advanced qualifications, including Engineering Watch Supervisor, Diving Officer of the Watch and Chief of the Watch. These qualifications provide greater watch bill flexibility and help ensure that Louisville's performance will remain strong.

 "We left on WESTPAC with a fairly junior crew but, they worked hard to keep the ship clean and stowed, and rapidly became qualified for senior watch stations," said Master Chief Fire Control Technician (SS) Joseph Bransfield, Louisville Chief of the Boat.

 Despite steaming over 40,000 nautical miles in support of the nation's defense, the crew enjoyed several memorable port visits which included Sasebo and Yokosuka, Japan; Sepangar, Malaysia and Subic Bay, Philippines.

"Within the last six months I have been able to experience many different cultures during each port visit which has been both exciting and humbling," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SS) Erick Hahn.

During their Malaysia visit, Louisville and the submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) hosted a reception for Secretary of Defense, Ray Mabus, and Malaysian Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar. This event directly contributed to further cooperation between the two countries' respective navies according to Sisco.

Louisville is the fourth United States ship to bear the name in honor of the city of Louisville, Ky. She is the 35th nuclear powered fast-attack submarine of the Los Angeles-class design.

F-35 Completes First Airborne Weapons Separation

By Victor Chen, F-35 Integrated Test Force Public Affairs

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (NNS) -- The F-35 Lightning II accomplished a significant test milestone Aug. 8 when the aircraft successfully released a weapon in flight.

BF-3, a short take-off and vertical landing F-35 variant, executed an inert 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) separation weapon over water in an Atlantic test range while traveling at 400 knots at an altitude of 4,200 feet.

"While this weapons separation test is just one event in a series of hundreds of flights and thousands of test points that we are executing this year, it does represent a significant entry into a new phase of testing for the F-35 program," said Navy Capt. Erik Etz, director of test for F-35 naval variants. "Today's release of a JDAM was the result of extraordinary effort by our team of maintainers, engineers, pilots and others who consistently work long hours to deliver F-35 warfighting capability to the U.S. services and our international partners."

The release was the first time for any version of the F-35 to conduct an airborne weapon separation, as well as the first from an internal weapons bay for a fighter aircraft designated for the U.S. Marine Corps, the United Kingdom and Italy.

The milestone marks the start of validating the F-35's capability to employ precision weapons and allow pilots to engage the enemy on the ground and in the air.

"[Using an internal weapons bay] speaks to how much capability the JSF is going to bring to the troops," said Dan Levin, Lockheed Martin test pilot for the mission. "Stealth, fifth-generation avionics and precision weapons ... coupled with the flexible mission capability of the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B is going to be huge for our warfighters."

An aerial weapons separation test checks for proper release of the weapon from its carriage system and trajectory away from the aircraft. It is the culmination of a significant number of prerequisite tests, including ground fit checks, ground pit drops and aerial captive carriage and environment flights to ensure the system is working properly before expanding the test envelope in the air.

Aircraft and land-based test monitoring systems collected data from the successful separation, which is in review at the F-35 integrated test force at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

The F-35B is the variant of the Joint Strike Fighter designed for use by U.S. Marine Corps, as well as F-35 international partners in the United Kingdom and Italy. The F-35B is capable of short take-offs and vertical landings to enable air power projection from amphibious ships, ski-jump aircraft carriers and expeditionary airfields. The F-35B is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River, Md., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., prior to delivery to the fleet.

Williams assumes leadership of the Air National Guard Readiness Center

By Air National Guard Senior Master Sgt. Jerry R. Bynum

Air National Guard Special Staff Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. - Air National Guard Readiness Center personnel welcomed a new leader Tuesday at the ANGRC here, as Air Force Brig. Gen. R. Scott Williams assumed command of the ANGRC from Air Force Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, the director of the ANG.

During the ceremony Wyatt said that Williams’ integrity and leadership was why he was selected for the position. He added that he was proud of what the ANGRC has done during the last four years, and with Williams’ background he is the right choice to continue to lead this world-class organization into the future.

Williams gained valuable leadership experience as the director of the South Carolina Joint Force Headquarters Joint Staff where he served as a senior advisor to the Adjutant General of South Carolina on matters of training, manning and readiness of more than 10,500 South Carolina Army and Air Guard personnel. Williams plans to leverage his experience on a national level at the ANGRC.

“My priorities will always address our mission, our people, and our future,” he said. “Any decision I make will be made with these priorities in mind.”

The ANGRC ensures ANG field units are properly resourced to train and equip in support of state and federal missions across the entire spectrum of military operations and provide support sustaining ANG airmen throughout their careers.

Williams’ goal at the ANGRC is to continue providing the best possible support for ANG Airmen, adequately resource units to fulfill overseas and homeland mission requirements, and position the Air Guard for continued, long-range success.

“Our overarching goal will be to continue providing high quality, efficient, fully-operational forces while facing significant funding challenges,” Williams said. “General McKinley as chief of the National Guard Bureau and Lieutenant General Wyatt as the director of the Air National Guard have fought hard to ensure our world-class organization’s ability to meet the evolving needs of the Department of Defense without compromising the needs of our airmen and their families.”

Williams follows the leadership of Air Force Brig. Gen. Brian G. Neal who served as the ANGRC commander from August 2010 to June 2012. Neal was selected to serve as the deputy director for Antiterrorism and Homeland Defense, Joint Staff Pentagon in Washington, D.C. He is the primary advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his duties as principal advisor to the secretary of defense and the president for all matters relating to antiterrorism, force protection, homeland defense, and defense support to civilian authorities.

   

“Brigadier General Neal’s leadership as Air National Guard Readiness Center Commander was truly outstanding, Williams said. “I hope to sustain and aspire to build upon his many successes as we follow our senior leaders' strategy for our future.”

Wisconsin Guard unit kicks off inaugural Spur Ride

By Sgt. Tyler Lasure

112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Eighty members of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry Squadron, entered a gauntlet of physical, mental and environmental challenges known as a Spur Ride Aug. 4-5 at Fort McCoy, Wis. - and 34 emerged with a pair of silver spurs and a coveted place in the Order of the Spur.

"The Silver Spurs for a cavalryman is a rite of passage and proves to the rest of your comrades that you are worth your salt," said Lt. Col. Bill Kehoe, commander of the 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry Squadron - commonly referred to as the 105th Cav. "It is an epic accomplishment for a cavalryman."

This was the first Spur Ride ever conducted by the 105th Cav, a subordinate unit of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The tradition of wearing spurs and the Stetson hats is unique to the Cavalry, and earning one's spurs is held in the same regard as earning the expert or combat infantry badge.

Capt. David Shamsi, officer in charge of the 105th Cav's Spur Ride, said the spurs and Stetsons contribute to a cavalry squadron's esprit de corps.

"There is an aura of a Cav Soldier," Shamsi said. "Earning your silver spurs, getting your gold spurs for going to combat, being able to wear the Stetson is a special thing because we have that heritage."

Spur Rides vary from unit to unit, but it is the only method of joining the Order of the Spur. Competitors in the 105th Cav had to demonstrate their mastery of cavalry tasks - navigating between points, radio communications, first aid, weapons and hand grenade proficiency, detecting and placing mines, avoiding and identifying boobytraps, requesting artillery fire on a target, identifying enemy vehicle types, and completing an eight-mile road march in roughly two hours. Troopers were also tested on their knowledge of the history and traditions of the cavalry.

"The spur ride really gives us an opportunity to focus on those tasks so that at the end we not only get the silver spur and esprit de corps, we get what we are supposed to do, which is proper training to standard," said 105th Cav Command Sgt. Maj. Drew Zelle.

1st Sgt. Jeffrey Kent of Troop B, 105th Cav, agreed.

"I'm a leader," he said after completing the 8.25-mile road march. "I should be able to lead my men. I want them to follow in my footsteps."

Kent already has a pair of gold spurs, which signify a combat deployment.

"Getting the silver - it's pride," he explained.

Sgt. Michael Fujihara, also of Troop B, said he looked forward to this event, having missed the opportunity to take part in a Spur Ride while on active duty.

"It was a lot of hard work," Fujihara said afterward. "It's a lot to accomplish, but now our mission is to make sure those who didn't earn their spurs know the standard. We'll train them up for the next one."

Those Troopers not competing for spurs were either serving as evaluators or as logistical and training support. Spurs were presented during the family day and pig roast which immediately followed the event.

"The [Spur Ride] is a long-standing tradition in the cavalry," said Sgt. Joseph Bures of Troop A, 105th Cav, a silver spur holder and an event evaluator. "It is always nice to uphold those traditions and live up to the standards that the cavalry has set in the past."

"It has been raining, thundering, storming - it has been hot, it has been cold," Zelle said. "My Troopers are wet, tired, crabby, but they have been motivated. It is something they really enjoy, even though it sucks. But at the end of that eight-mile road march everybody is going to be cheering, everyone is going to be happy and they are going to be proud of being cavalrymen - and that is what it is supposed to be. It is not an easy thing to do."

"Regardless of earning their spurs or not, everyone was highly motivated and will be very proud that they did this," Kehoe added.

Spc. Benjamin Pechacek, a silver spur holder who served as an evaluator at the weapons and hand grenade station, offered a similar assessment of this rite of passage.

"It's supposed to be tough, physically and mentally - but it can be fun, too," Pechacek said. "The Army has a standard and it holds you to it. So in the end, when you earn your spurs, you remember the pain, the dirt, the (expletive), and you can be proud."

Spc. Alexandria Hughes, 32nd Brigade Public Affairs Team, contributed to this report.

SECNAV Visits Logistics Group Western Pacific and Navy Region Center Singapore

By Lt. Cmdr. Clay Doss, Logistics Group Western Pacific Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus addressed U.S. Sailors and Navy civilians during an all hands call at Logistics Group Western Pacific (COMLOG WESTPAC) and Navy Region Center Singapore (NRCS) Aug. 8.

Mabus thanked all hands for their continued service while assigned in Singapore.

"The people at home will never know how much skill and talent it takes to wear the uniform and do your job on a day to day basis in this part of the world," said Mabus. "You make America safer, more secure, and just a better place."

Mabus highlighted the renewed focus on the Western Pacific in the new strategic guidance released by the Department of Defense in January, noting that the continued U.S. military presence in East Asia since World War II had contributed to regional peace and stability.

"The military has always been here in the region," said Mabus. "From a Navy-centric standpoint, the new strategy puts more emphasis on the Navy and Marine Corps."

Mabus held the all hands call during a four-day visit to Singapore that included meetings with US and Singaporean military and civilian officials along with attendance of Singapore's 47th National Day parade.

The Secretary's visit reinforced the importance of the strategic partnership between the U.S and Singapore.

"For all of the military services involved with engagement in this region, from the exercises to continued access of this regional hub, we have no better partner than Singapore," said Mabus. "We'll bring the first of up to four Littoral Combat Ships here next Spring."

While no U.S. base exists in Singapore, the U.S. Navy presence here dates back several decades and the Navy leases facilities from the Singaporean government. Today, the U.S. military community in Singapore includes active duty, civilian personnel and family members, distributed among 15 commands.

COMLOG WESTPAC was established at the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), Sembawang Terminal, in July 1992, after the command's relocation from Naval Station Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. Established in 2007, NRCS provides administrative support to nine Navy, Army, Air Force and Joint commands in Singapore. It also manages 165 family and bachelor housing units and dozens of command, administrative and warehouse facilities.

COMLOG WESTPAC and NRCS are the U.S. 7th Fleet's providers of combat-ready logistics and shore support services. These commands maintain and operate government-owned and contracted vessels to keep combatant ships and units throughout the region armed, fueled and fed.

Additionally, COMLOG WESTPAC is 7th Fleet's Theater Security Cooperation agent for Southeast Asia, promoting military-to-military relations and coordinating exercises such as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training.

Vaccinate to Protect Babies from Whooping Cough

By the Health.mil Staff

Pertussis, more commonly known as “whooping cough,” is on the rise in parts of the United States and proper vaccination can protect against this highly contagious bacterial infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that pertussis, which causes severe coughing fits that can produce a “whooping” sound when an infected patient struggles to take a breath, has been on the rise in the United States in recent years.   The disease can be deadly to newborns and infants who are at high risk for complications, pneumonia and delays in their breathing.

Whooping cough is spread by breathing in bacteria from an infected person’s cough. Early symptoms of the disease are similar to those of a common cold but, two weeks later a persistent cough can develop along with a runny nose, fever and diarrhea. Since the symptoms are so close to those of the common cold, a doctor has to test a mucus sample to determine if it’s pertussis.

Pertussis usually affects babies and small children, who are required to receive several stages of pertussis vaccinations. Immunity can wear off over time, requiring a booster shot after the age of 18. Very few adults get that shot, however, putting them at greater risk of unknowingly passing on the infection to their children. Many times, adults will have a persistent cough that they think is a remnant of a cold or bronchitis when, in fact, it’s pertussis. Pregnant women are encouraged to get the pertussis vaccine late in the second or third trimester so they can pass on protective antibodies to their babies at birth. Teens and adults who are in frequent contact with babies are encouraged to get the vaccine, if they have not already received it, to form a virtual cocoon of immunity around the newborn.

August is immunization awareness month in the military health system.

To learn more about preventing and treating pertussis, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

Soldier Finishes Eighth in Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling

By Tim Hipps

U.S. Army Installation Management Command

LONDON, Aug. 8, 2012 – Team USA coaches did not recognize their wrestler as Army Spc. Justin Lester -- or Harry Lester, as some know him -- as he finished eighth in the Olympic men’s Greco-Roman 66-kilogram tournament yesterday at ExCel North Arena 2 here.

“He was lacking the normal Harry Lester zip that he has,” Team USA Greco-Roman head wrestling coach Steve Fraser said. “Harry, or Justin, looked a little bit sluggish, and he looked like he got a little bit tired.”

“That wasn’t Justin Lester out there tonight,” said Team USA assistant coach Shon Lewis, a retired Army staff sergeant and head coach of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program wrestling squad. “All day it wasn’t him. He doesn’t give up points like that and get taken down like that when he’s on his game. This is the worst I’ve seen him look, as far as moving on his feet.”

Lester, 28, a native of Akron, Ohio, who is stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., won one match and lost two in London as Team USA failed to win an Olympic medal in Greco-Roman wrestling for the first time since 1976, excluding the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games.

Lester lost 5-0, 5-0 to Germany’s Frank Staebler in the repechage wrestle-backs of the 145.4-pound class, ending his medal quest before a raucous, sellout crowd of 6,500.

“What I will try to keep in my mind as the lasting emotions are my feelings in the second bout against the American wrestler when the big crowd of several thousands of spectators cheered the wrestlers on,” Staebler said.

Korea’s Hyeon-Woo Kim won the gold medal and Hungary’s Tamas Lorincz took the silver. France’s Steve Guenot and Georgia’s Manukhar Tskhadia both received a bronze.

For Lester, one of Team USA’s strongest Olympic medal hopefuls in wrestling, it was a day he would just as soon forget.

“I just couldn’t get the ball rolling, and it obviously showed,” Lester said. “I just couldn’t get going. I’m a little sick, but [that] plays no part in it. I just didn’t wrestle like I usually wrestle. … I just wrestled stupid. I didn’t stick to a game plan or anything.

“I kept telling my body to do things and it just wouldn’t work,” he continued. “Everything was like a step behind. … Things I usually do naturally just didn’t come together today.”

Lester lost his second match 2-0, 0-1, 0-2 to Lorincz, who rallied to win the last two periods.

“It looked like [Lester] just kind of slipped as they were fighting,” Fraser said of the Hungarian’s takedown that turned the momentum of the match. “They were fighting very hard, and he kind of slipped and fell down on his stomach or side, and the Hungarian capitalized on it.

“Harry is the type of guy that doesn’t study his guys too much,” Fraser added. “We studied as coaches. We knew what his strengths and what his weaknesses were, but Harry likes to just wrestle open and doesn’t really care what his opponent is doing, and that’s what he did. I think he executed his game plan pretty well, but it just looked like he was lacking the normal Harry Lester zip that he has.”

Lester opened with a self-admittedly sluggish 3-0, 3-1 victory over Tsutomu Fujimura of Japan.

“I thought that first match was good to get it out of his system,” Fraser said of Lester’s apparent sluggishness. “A lot of times in the first match you’re a little sluggish. They were both hard-fought matches. When you go at that high-intensity pace, you’re going to get tired. But I just saw not the normal zip, zip. And he’s going to have that zip, zip coming up here if he gets pulled through here.”

Lester got the opportunity to wrestle back for bronze after Lorincz reached the 66-kilo finale with a 3-0, 4-0 victory over Tskhadaia.

Justin Dashaun Lester is better known as Harry in USA wrestling circles. He began using his given name rather than his nickname when he joined the Army and began wrestling for the black and gold.

“I just thought I would be a little more formal, a little more professional,” Lester explained. “I had gone by Harry my whole life. When my mom was pregnant with me, she always had heartburn, so people said she had a hairball in her throat. So when I came out, they just nicknamed me ‘Harry’ and it stuck.”

Regardless of household names, the Olympic Games are known for turning athletic stars into mere mortals, as Lester, making his Olympic debut, quickly discovered.

“It’s a hard tournament,” he said. “You come out right away shooting guns. You’ve got good people right off the bat, and it’s all the way through the tournament. People up their games here, and that’s just how it goes. The experience is something you’ll never get anywhere else.”

Lester, who said he normally cuts 25 to 30 pounds in preparation for a major tournament, cherished the Olympic experience in London, even if the outcome was much different than what he had envisioned.

Wrestlers traditionally leave their shoes on the mat after their final match to signal retirement from the sport. Fraser said he would like to see Lester continue wrestling for another shot at an Olympic medal in Brazil.

“I haven’t talked too much with him about it, but I assume he’s not going to stay down at 66 kilos,” Fraser said. “I assume he’ll go up to 74 if he continues, which I’m not sure if he will or not. I don’t know. But I would guess he’s going to go up at least for a few years and then maybe decide he wants to come back down.

“It’s very difficult to keep that weight down there when you’re naturally bigger,” he added. “I think he thought that [66] was the place to be to win a gold medal, and so he gave it his all to get down there, and gave it his all today to try to do that. Unfortunately, for him and our country, it just didn’t seem like it was in the cards today.”

Lester said he did not know if he would continue wrestling for a shot at making Team USA for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“We’ll see tomorrow, or the day after that, I don’t know,” he said. “The shoes are still on. We’ll see.”

Naval Base San Diego Hosts Earthquake Preparedness Fair

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eddie Harrison, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Base San Diego hosted an Earthquake Preparedness Resource Fair, Aug. 6, to help prepare military members and their families in the event of an earthquake.

The fair, sponsored by Navy Region South West's Sustainable Solid Waste Program, featured 16 organizations with subject matter experts.

One organization gave attendees a sense of realism when an earthquake strikes.

"Here today is an earthquake simulator," said Jim Guerin, Regional Family Emergency Response coordinator. "Participants are able to come inside a living room setting and without notice, they begin shaking and experiencing the feeling of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake."

Guerin added that it is important that Sailors in the area understand that Navy Region Southwest is an earthquake prone area and that the simulator is just one way to be better prepared.

Representatives from San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) attended, demonstrating what happens with electricity and downed power lines after an earthquake has occurred. They showed how electricity can be conducted through a person's body and told participants how to avoid being shocked, which could ultimately save lives.

"I found that the SDG&E display was very informative," said Chief Quartermaster Michael Webster. "The electrical demonstration really opened my eyes to the dangers of electricity after an earthquake. I am currently the disaster preparedness officer at my command, and I encourage everyone to attend events like these, because we are not experts and we never really prepare enough."

Some of the other booths included the County of San Diego Office of Emergency, Armed Services Blood Program, Southwest Search Dogs and the American Red Cross.

"This fair sets you and your family up and helps you to be more secure," said Tony Gomes, work and family life consultant for the Fleet and Family Support Center. "You can never prepare for the earthquake itself, but you can be prepared for what happens after."

Gomes, an earthquake survivor, described his experience as if it had happened yesterday.

"It was 15 years ago and I was in my home," he said. "Earthquakes are something I never really thought about, then all of a sudden a magnitude of about a 7.5 hit. I can honestly say I thought the world was coming to an end. Everyone was running around, trees were falling, honestly it was one of the worst experiences in my life."

The fair gave families a chance to fill out an emergency plan, get some emergency kits and overall receive a better understanding of earthquakes and the effects that follow.

"When service members are deployed, their family is here in San Diego with their children, and in southern California unfortunately we are known for earthquakes," said Gomes. "The service member being thousands of miles away, the family should know what is going to happen. Whether it's a fire, flooding, or an earthquake, it's better to be prepared than to be hit by tragedy and not be able to know what to do and to also know your resources."

DOD Increases Hiring of People with Disabilities

By Terri Moon Cronk

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON  – The Defense Department’s hiring of wounded warriors and others with disabilities is on an uptick, the Pentagon’s director of disability programs said today.

Stephen M. King, whose office is part of diversity management and equal opportunity, spoke with American Forces Press Service about a recent Office of Personnel Management report that said 14 percent of the Defense Department’s civilian employees have disabilities, putting DOD in second place among cabinet-level agencies for disability hiring.

“There is a greater [applicant] pool, and more emphasis on hiring individuals with disabilities and wounded warriors through two executive orders in the last three years,” King said.

Veterans with disabilities bring values to DOD such as familiarity with military culture, proven leadership and the ability to enter the workforce and “perform on Day 1,” he said.

Additionally, hiring veterans and others with disabilities contributes to military readiness, King said. DOD will reap the benefits of those who have served by hiring them after their service, he added.

DOD and other agencies want to hire veterans with disabilities whether they were injured recently, have acquired a disability, or if the disability is service connected, King said.

“We want … those abilities in DOD regardless of how long ago you were a veteran,” he said.

“For any organization to be its best, you really have to take advantage of and value what everyone brings to the table: their background, knowledge, skills and abilities,” he said.

People with disabilities face unique challenges, King noted. “We need that type of problem-solving ability and skill in the workplace,” he said.

“It is awesome when you get to talk to someone who [wore] a uniform and tells you the difference that you’ve made as an organization by allowing [him] to continue to serve his country but in a different capacity,” King said.

The upward trend in DOD’s disability hiring stems from several initiatives and programs, King said.

“There is a renewed focus within DOD and the federal government on utilizing existing hiring flexibility, [such as] hiring individuals with disabilities noncompetitively,” he said.

Numerous hiring programs include the Hiring Heroes job fairs and the Veterans Hiring Initiative, which seeks out veterans and transitioning service members.

DOD also recruits young people with disabilities as they are about to graduate from more than 250 colleges and universities that participate in the Workforce Recruitment Program, which DOD co-sponsors with the Labor Department, King said.

The goal of the program is to create a database for federal agencies to meet their disability hiring targets, he said.

To further its goals, DOD also is working with human resources policies and advisers so those with disabilities have the opportunity to become integrated into development and leadership programs.

“We want to focus on all types of positions and grade levels … to be inclusive of individuals with all types of disabilities,” he said.

King’s office is working toward getting new employees to disclose their disability information so the department can accurately give them what they need to do their jobs, such as assisted technology.

Such technology runs the gamut, King said, from screen readers for the vision challenged to TTY machines for the deaf to braille keyboards and devices that help those with memory loss. Some wounded warriors have some memory loss due to traumatic brain injuries, he added.

“New technologies are being invented every single day,” King said. “When you look at what we’re capable of providing in the workplace, with the right assistance, it’s actually quite phenomenal, and it’s only going to get better.”

Refined Screening Tools Help Detect Concussions In Theater

By the Health.mil Staff

The Military Acute Concussion Evaluation, or MACE, is the Defense Department’s standard for clinical assessment of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in deployed settings. MACE is the most widely-used clinical interview tool for early detection of concussions, the most common form of TBI sustained in the military. MACE was redesigned this year, along with the “Concussion Management in Deployed Settings,” another critical tool used to help first-tier health care providers improve cognitive screenings and neurological evaluations in theater.

The first two questions on the MACE ask about details of the injury event and whether there was alteration of consciousness, loss of consciousness or post-traumatic amnesia. A combination of an injury event and one of the other conditions signifies a concussion has occurred, which requires continued screening. Doctors say it’s important to have these improved tools in the deployed setting since most combat medics are not medical doctors. These first responders benefit from having a decision tree type of guidance to aid in their assessments and to get the right type of help to the wounded.

You can learn more about the MACE improvements from Dr. Donald Marion, senior clinical consultant for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), a Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) center on DCoE’s blog. And, read more about TBI on health.mil.

Joint National Guard, Air Force Reserve team takes Gold Medal in NATO competition

By Army 1st Sgt. D. Keith Johnson

354th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

HOEVELTE, Denmark  - A few more Gold medals are coming home to the U.S., but they won’t all be from the Olympics in London.

 The Team U.S.A Military Men’s Team won Gold Medals in the Novice category at the NATO Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers’ Military Skills Competition held here. Thirty-five three-person teams from 14 countries participated. Out of 6000 possible points, the U.S.A team edged out the Silver Medal winners by 8.7 points.

Pennsylvania Air National Guard Staff Sgts. Matthew Stern and Mark Jones along with Air Force Reserve Maj. Brendon Ritz comprised the Novice Team. 

Ritz, is an operations officer with the Pacific Command J3, Jones, is an Infantry squad leader with Company B, 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment and Stern, is a recruiter with the Pennsylvania National Guard Recruiting Command.

For Ritz, it was about one thing. “Before we got here, our coaches thought we had a chance, but once we got here, it was about just doing your best. As Novices, we just wanted to come out here and not make mistakes.”

It was a very close meet, as explained by Jones.

“The competition really displayed a metaphor for life in that everything that you do, matters. We won only by a few points, which we figured roughly to be equivalent to 20 seconds in orienteering, half of a hand grenade toss, or one good round on the range. That's how close this battle for the gold was!”

Also, a U.S. female competitor won a Gold Medal in the International category. When a country brings more competitors than can form a three-person team, they are put into a pool and teams are created. The U.S. Team had two females put into that situation when a third U.S. female was unable to attend. Four International teams consisting of two males and one female were created.

Washington, D.C., National Guard Capt. Leala McCollum was a member of an International Team that won the Gold Medal for that category. McCollum broke a toe midway through and had to be replaced by another alternate, but her shooting and Combat Casualty Care scores were enough to help her team win the Gold. McCollum, from Arlington, Va., is a medevac pilot with the 121st Medical Company - Air Ambulance.

McCollum, Airman 1st Class Ziven Drake, and the two other females on the International teams were given Sportsmanship Awards from the Danish delegation. The teams changed right before the competition started, and they adapted and competed. Drake, is an F-16 crew chief with the 158th Fighter Wing of the Vermont Air National Guard.

The CIOR competition consists of a pentathlon with rifle and pistol marksmanship, land and water obstacle courses and a 10-15 kilometer orienteering course, as well as Combat Casualty Care, and a written Laws of Armed Conflict test. Team and individual medals are given for each event as well as overall.

One of the positives from the competition, something not able to be tabulated on a score card is the relationships developed with military members from other countries.

“The purpose of CIOR is to strengthen the alliance and build our partnerships with our NATO allies,” said U.S. Navy Reserve Cmdr. Grant Staats. “More than medaling, representing the U.S.A as leaders and professionals in this Partnership Program is what we aim to do. Achieving these goals will bring the strong finishes to us, every time.”

Staats is the commanding officer for the Joint Reserve Unit, Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities, and has been involved with the U.S. Team since 1995, as a competitor for 12 years and officer in charge for the last five years.

Staats had high praise for his team.

“Success and failure are elements of life. Our competitors experienced both this year. But, each and every one of them displayed strong character, unending will, clear perspective, and a deep sense of honor,” he said. “Our partnering nations regularly approached me with compliments about the quite professionals we had on our team this year. I am extremely proud of the men and women we took to Denmark for the 2012 CIOR MilComp.”

The competitors also had kind words for the partnering nations.

“The competing countries were amazing,” said Jones. “Their amazing and sincere, admirable sportsmanship is something we should all strive for in life and is what this competition is all about.”

2011 Book of the Year

Col. (ret) Will Merrill’s book “9/11- Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes- NYC- The First Battle in the War against Terror!” has been selected as the 2011 Book of the year by Military Writers. (military-writers.com).

Col. Merrill said, “I feel honored to be the spokesman for so many heroic people and their families and friends.”

Col. Merrill conducted more than 60 interviews with individuals involved with the rescue efforts after the two planes crashed into the World Trade Center. Interviews include Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Congressman Peter T. King, who wrote the introduction, NYC Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano, two department chiefs of the Port Authority Police Department, the senior deputy chief of the New York City Police Department and many others to relate the chaos, danger and heartbreak they witnessed.

Through this collection of photographs and interviews, Merrill highlights the bravery and heroism displayed by firefighters, police officers and civilians on and following the events of September 11^th. Merrill also hopes that these unsung heroes get proper treatment for any physical or mental health ailments trigged by that day, such as lung cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder. Most importantly, he hopes that America and Americans will remain on alert for terrorist activity so that future tragedies are prevented. “Ordinary People: Extraordinary Heroes” is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels. An eBook version is available on Amazon’s Kindle, Apple’s iBook and Barnes and Noble Nook.  More information about the book is available here:

http://www.military-writers.com/army/will_merrill.html

About the Author:

Colonel Will G. Merrill Jr., graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1958. He served for 31 years in the U.S. Army, spending 11 years overseas in Germany, Vietnam, Korea and Greece, and has received many awards and recognition over the course of a distinguished military career. He and his wife, Barbara, now reside in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.