Army Family Member Wins Team Figure Skating Bronze

By Gary Sheftick

Army News Service

SOCHI, Russia, Feb. 12, 2014 – Before receiving a bronze medal in the inaugural Olympic team figure skating event, Ashley Wagner said her experience of more than 20 years as an Army family member helped to strengthen her skating.

Growing up with the military broadened her horizons and exposed her to many different people, she explained, and some of those folks helped to sharpen her skating skills. They also helped instill a competitive spirit, stamina and determination, especially after she moved nine times as a youth.

Wagner, 22, was born in Heidelberg, Germany, and began skating at age 5 in Arkansas. Her mother offered her the choice between ballet lessons or skating, and Wagner told other media she “never liked the pink tutus,” so she picked ice skating.

Installations where she lived as a youth include Campbell Barracks in Germany and Fort Leavenworth, Kan. She’s now a student at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Calif.

Her father is a retired lieutenant colonel who worked at the Pentagon during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and still lives in Alexandria, Va.

Her dad has always supported her in skating, she said, and he’s here watching the competition.

“It’s the thrill of a lifetime,” Wagner said about earning an Olympic medal. “It’s what I’ve always dreamed about.”

She was selected for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi despite falling twice on the ice during her free skate at the National Championships in Boston and ending up in fourth place. Members of the national governing body for figure skating reportedly took her overall winning record into consideration.

Wagner was the “Four Continents” champion in 2012, and finished fourth in the World Championships that year in Nice, France. Last year, she finished fifth in the World Championships and second in the Grand Prix here. Over the past month, Wagner said, she has stepped up her training routine, working harder than ever.

On Feb. 8 here, she finished fourth in the Ladies Team Short Program, with an overall score of 63.10, earning Team USA a total of 7 points. That score put USA among the top five teams and enabled Gracie Gold to continue the next night in free skating. Gold finished second Feb. 9 in free skating, scoring 67.49 to earn 9 points and guarantee a bronze medal for Team USA.

The team competition includes four events: men’s singles, women’s singles, pairs and ice dancing. The USA ice-dancing duo of Meryl Davis and Charlie White scored 114.34 during the final team competition Feb. 9, earning 10 points for the USA and setting a new record for ice dancing.

This was the first Olympics for the team event in figure skating. Russia took the gold with a total score of 75. Canada took silver with 65 points, and Team USA finished with a total of 60 points. Italy trailed in fourth place with 52, and Japan was fifth with 51.

The last time a new event was added to Olympic figure skating was in 1976, officials said, when ice dancing was introduced. This means that a competitor can now win more than one medal in figure skating at an Olympic Winter Games for the first time in 78 years. In 1936, Ernst Baier from Germany won gold in the pairs event and silver in the men’s singles.

Wagner will strive to tie that record of two medals next week when she returns to the Sochi ice to compete in women’s singles Feb. 19.

Airman pins on SSgt in hospital

by Airman 1st Class Betty R. Chevalier
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

2/12/2014 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -  -- Military members usually have their days planned out, even months in advance. When we leave work at the end of the day, we know what we will be doing tomorrow and have a rough draft of how the day will go, but sometimes life happens and our plans change.

Staff Sgt. Andrea Pabon, 25th Operational Weather Squadron knowledge operations manager, was scheduled to be at the non-commissioned officer induction ceremony January 31. She was scheduled to pin-on the rank of staff sergeant, but ended up giving birth to her daughter, Arizona, that morning.

Pabon attended the rehearsal for the ceremony on January 30, which happened to be her birthday. During the rehearsal, Pabon started having mild contractions.

Pabon said participants in the rehersal joked about her giving birth on her birthday or during the ceremony.

Pabon and her husband went to the hospital for her severe contractions around midnight. The hospital examined her and sent her home around 3 a.m. telling her to come back if things got worse. Two hours later, they arrived back at the hospital. After another examination they rushed her to the delivery room, where she gave birth at 6:15 a.m. Pabon's due date was not until February 27.

"She was supposed to pin on January 31," said Chief Master Sgt. Peter Buzynski, 25th OWS chief enlisted manager. "She called me at 7 o'clock in the morning and said 'Hey Chief, I'm not going to be able to make my pin-on ceremony. I had my baby a few minutes ago.'"

Since she missed her first pin-on ceremony, Lt. Col. Michael Marsicek, 25th OWS commander, Master Sgt. Nathan Rice, 25th OWS first sergeant, and Buzynski, surprised her at the hospital and pinned stripes on her and presented her with her promotion certificate.

Pabon and her husband said they are glad she has very good, supportive leadership. Although her daughter was born weeks earlier than expected, her family and her leadership were able to adjust e and continue to support her.

Green named MMA 2013 Soldier of the Year

By Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Piper

USAMU PAO

FORT BENNING, Ga. –  The Military Marksmanship Association named Staff Sgt. Brandon Green their 2013 Soldier of the Year during the association’s annual meeting Feb. 7 at the Pool International Shooting Complex.

“I’m very proud to be a member of this unit … and proud to be the Soldier of the Year,” said Green, a member of the Service Rifle Section. “I really appreciate this opportunity … to train and work here.”

Green, a native of Covington, La., won the National Rifle Association’s 2013 National Highpower Rifle Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio. It was his first national championship after several second and third place finishes throughout his career. Winning there is winning against the best in the country, said (Ret.) Col. Robert I. Hoidahl, Jr.

Green also won the 2013 Interservice Individual Championship for the fourth time and was a member of the team that swept all team matches on their way to the overall team title. He aided his team to shatter records and gain victories in team matches at Camp Perry and during the Interservice Team Championships.

The MMA supports the goals and objectives of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and provides a link to the history of the unit while hosting ceremonies and social events. The organization has more than 500 members, made up mostly of USAMU alum.

As it is for most years, Hoidahl, former USAMU commander and president of the MMA, said that it was extremely hard picking a winner among the finalists for the award.

The MMA 2013 Soldier of the Year nominees were: Staff Sgt. Patrick Franks, Cross Functional Team-Pistol; Staff Sgt. Daniel Horner, Action Shooting Section; Staff Sgt. Michael McPhail, International Rifle Section; Spc. Reuben Anderson, Custom Firearm Shop; Staff Sgt. Glenn Eller, Shotgun Team member; Sgt. John Joss, Paralympics Team member, and Sgt. Curtis Yetman, Instructor Training Group.

The members of the unit are extremely competitive, Green said.

“You have all of these outstanding shooters and anytime they pick up anything it becomes a competition,” he continued.  “Whether we’re training on a different range or a different discipline, it’s that world-level competition that drives us to be as good as we are.”

USAMU is part of the U.S. Army Accessions Brigade, Army Marketing and Research Group and is tasked with enhancing the Army’s recruiting effort, raising the standard of Army marksmanship and furthering small arms research and development to enhance the Army’s overall combat readiness.

Army National Guard Soldier Pleads Guilty to Role in Scheme to Defraud U.S. Army National Guard Bureau

To Date, 20 Individuals Have Pleaded Guilty in Ongoing Corruption Investigation 

 

A U.S. Army National Guard soldier pleaded guilty for her role in a bribery and fraud scheme that caused $30,000 in losses to the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau. 

 

Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.

 

Specialist Danielle Applin, 27, of Harker Heights, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of bribery.  The case against Applin arises from an investigation involving allegations that former and current military recruiters and U.S. soldiers in the San Antonio and Houston areas engaged in a wide-ranging corruption scheme to illegally obtain fraudulent recruiting bonuses.  To date, the investigation has led to charges against 27 individuals, 20 of whom have pleaded guilty. 

 

According to court documents filed in the case, in approximately September 2005, the National Guard Bureau entered into a contract with Document and Packaging Broker Inc. (Docupak) to administer the Guard Recruiting Assistance Program (G-RAP).  The G-RAP was a recruiting program that offered monetary incentives to soldiers of the Army National Guard who referred others to join the Army National Guard.  Through this program, a participating soldier could receive bonus payments for referring another individual to join the Army National Guard.  Based on certain milestones achieved by the referred soldier, a participating soldier would receive payment through direct deposit into the participating soldier’s designated bank account.  To participate in the program, soldiers were required to create online recruiting assistant accounts.

 

Applin admitted that she paid an Army National Guard recruiter for the names and Social Security numbers of potential Army National Guard soldiers.  Applin further admitted that she used the personal identifying information for these potential soldiers to claim that she was responsible for referring these potential soldiers to join the Army National Guard, when in fact she had not referred them.  As a result of these fraudulent representations, Applin collected approximately $13,000 in fraudulent bonuses. 

 

The charge of bribery carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss.  The charge of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss. 

 

Applin is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal in Houston on June 11, 2014.

 

This case is being investigated by the San Antonio Fraud Resident Agency of Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Sean F. Mulryne, Heidi Boutros Gesch, and Mark J. Cipolletti of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pearson of the Southern District of Texas. 

USS Donald Cook Begins Forward Deployment to Rota, Spain

From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) arrived at Naval Station Rota, Spain to begin her forward deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, Feb. 11.

Donald Cook is the first of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to be stationed in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, and will be joined by other guided-missile destroyers, USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Carney (DDG 64), over the next two years.

"Security and stability require the efforts of all nations," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "To ensure that security and stability, our European and American naval forces must be there. These destroyers will help ensure we are here with our friends and allies when it counts, not just in the right place at the right time, but all the time."

The four destroyers will be forward deployed to enhance the security of the European region. While in U.S. 6th Fleet, these ships will perform numerous missions, including NATO missile defense, maritime security operations, bilateral and multilateral training exercises, and NATO operations and deployments.

"This arrival ceremony reflects the exceptional collaboration and common interests shared between the United States and Spain," Adm. Bruce W. Clingan, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said during the arrival ceremony. "It marks the vanguard of a build up of forward stationed naval forces in Rota"

Clingan also expressed his gratitude to both Spanish and U.S. Sailors, along with their families, who were on hand to welcome Donald Cook. He also thanked the host country by acknowledging that, "Today would not have occurred without Spain's willingness to host Donald Cook and her sister ships."

The arrival ceremony marks a historic moment between Spanish and United States navies by furthering a mutual bond that began more than 60 years ago.

"The arrival of the USS Donald Cook is a key milestone from the military point of view as it confirms the trans-Atlantic bonds within NATO, and corroborates the Spanish allegiance with the Organization and all those initiatives intended to strengthen its unity and achieve its objectives," said Spanish Chief of Naval Staff, Adm. Munoz-Delgado Diaz del Rio. "The deployment of these ships in our main naval base will permit joint exercises, training collaborations and the exchange of procedures and expertise, which will undoubtedly contribute to the benefit of both navies and nations, and to the benefit of those alliances and organizations to which we belong."

Ross is scheduled to join Donald Cook in Rota later this year, with Carney and Porter arriving sometime in 2015.

"Donald Cook, and her three sister ships that will be based here alongside the Spanish fleet, represent a significant contribution by both the United States and Spain to continued trans-Atlantic security," said James Costos, the U.S. ambassador to Spain. "But underlying the undeniable political and strategic importance of this partnership are the equally important person-to-person connections that our long history of sharing military bases enables."

USS Elrod Completes Tunisia Port Visit, Conducts PASSEX

By Mass Communication 2nd Class Timothy Godbee, USS Elrod Public Affairs

TUNIS, Tunisia (NNS) -- TUNIS, Tunisia - The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Elrod (FFG 55) departed Mauritania after a scheduled port visit, Feb. 10.

During the visit, Elrod held a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the Tunisian navy and hosted a number of ambassadors, Tunisian legislators and defense attaches from various countries.

"Our goal here was to strengthen our partnership with Tunisia in hopes of increasing maritime and theater security in the region," said Lt.j.g. Michael Simmons, the damage control assistant aboard Elrod. "With the recent PASSEX we conducted, we had an opportunity to exchange techniques in critical warfare areas that both of our militaries are likely to need in this region of the world."

During the PASSEX, Sailors and members of the Tunisian navy worked side-by-side in areas including damage control, expeditionary medical care and boarding techniques.

"I'm always impressed with how well everyone works together, especially with language barriers coming into play," added Simmons. "One of the things that makes things run smoothly is that a lot of our techniques are very similar. All of the techniques we use apply across the board, no matter where you're from."

A major evolution in the exercise involved a simulated ship boarding by a Tunisian navy visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team. During the simulated boarding, members of Elrod's VBSS team observed the Tunisian navy team's techniques and procedures.

"They came aboard our ship as if we were a shipping vessel with a few of our Sailors playing the role of smugglers," said Chief Gunner's Mate Rodger Clay, a member of Elrod's VBSS team. "The Tunisian team searched each Sailor and certain areas of the ship that were part of the scenario. After finding contraband, they apprehended the suspected smugglers and ended the scenario."

After the exchange ended, each team compared techniques and offered advice to each other.

"You can tell that a lot of our training is very similar," said Clay. "We had a lot more things alike than were different."

Elrod is currently on a scheduled deployment in support of maritime and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

Upon return from deployment, Elrod is scheduled for decommissioning after more than 30 years of service.

WEST 2014 Kicks Off in San Diego

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) Derek Stroop, Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Western Conference and Exposition kicked off at the San Diego Convention Center with this year's theme, "Shaping Maritime Strategy: How Do We Make It Work?" highlighting a multitude of diverse exhibits from military, government, industrial and academic organizations, Feb. 11.

The three-day event, co-sponsored by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the U.S. Naval Institute, facilitates forum and panel discussions between leaders in the armed forces and government contractors.

Adm. Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, introduced the maritime strategy theme during his keynote address.

"Forward presence matters," said Harris. "Enemies are trying to close the technology gap on us, while we provide a significant amount of peace and stability via the seas."

Sailors attending the first day of the conference found Harris' address relevant to what they have been hearing in the fleet.

"I keep seeing China in the news," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Annika Roberts, a Galveston, Texas native. "I think it's awesome that they will be participating in RIMPAC this year. It's also a great feeling to know that I have a hand in world events with the shift of naval forces to the Pacific."

Harris also emphasized continued technological advancement, stepped-up integration of the armed forces and the re-balancing of forces to the Pacific region.

"The re-balance is real," said Harris. "The newest platforms that the Navy has are going to the Pacific. That's the E-18 Growler, the Zumwalt-class destroyers and the littoral combat ships."

The conference continues Feb. 12 with discussions on cyber innovation and security, and improvement of interoperability.