Shinseki: VA Task Force Improves Care of Women Vets

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 – The newly formed VA Task Force on Women Veterans will go a long way in addressing key benefits gaps to female veterans, according to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki.

While support for women veterans has improved, “it has not been enough,” Shinseki said during the 2011 National Training Summit on Women Veterans held here on July 16.

The task force’s “near-term mission,” he said, is to develop - in coordination with VA's Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, and in conjunction with the Defense Department - a comprehensive VA action plan that will focus on key issues facing women veterans and the specific actions needed to resolve them.

Those issues include obstetric and gynecological care, childcare, military sexual trauma, homelessness, aging and end-of-life issues, among others, the secretary said.

A draft of the plan is due to Shinseki on Jan. 1 and “will set our course for the next four years in everything we do, from planning to programming, to budgeting, to education and training,” he said.

The action plan will update and inform VA’s approach to women’s issues within its health care, benefits, and cemetery administrations, as well as the Women's Advisory Report to Congress, due next July, the secretary said.

“Other changes are in the pipeline, such as our pilot program to provide child care services,” he said.

Beginning this summer, Shinseki said, three new drop-in child care pilot programs for women veterans with VA appointments will open in Northport, N.Y., Buffalo, N.Y., and Tacoma, Wash.

Battlefield changes, such as increasingly blurred front lines, has increased VA’s attention on women veterans, Shinseki said.

Last month, a 20-year-old Army military policewoman, Spc. Devin Snyder, became the 28th female service member to die in Afghanistan when her convoy was attacked on a highway in eastern Laghman province, Shinseki said.

“Wars, with no clear front lines, put soldiers - all soldiers- at risk as never before, blurring the boundaries between combat and other than combat roles,” he said.

In recent years, VA has developed women's primary care programs at their health care facilities across the nation, and has hired program managers and coordinators to manage care for women veterans, the secretary said.

The department also has accelerated its women's health research in biomedical, clinical sciences, rehabilitation, and health services, he said.

Most recently, Shinseki said, the VA launched a women veterans call-in center to directly solicit input into ways the department can improve its services.

“I want women veterans and women serving in uniform … to see and know that VA is committed to fulfilling [their] needs,” he said.

First Lady Plans ‘Joining Forces’ Events

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 – First Lady Michelle Obama will take part in three events over the next several days to promote “Joining Forces,” a national initiative that mobilizes all sectors of American society to support service members and their families.

The first lady and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, have made numerous appearances to widen the program’s reach.

“This campaign is about all of us -- all of us joining together as Americans to give back to the extraordinary military families who serve and sacrifice so much every day so we can live in freedom and security,” Obama said during an event earlier this year.

At another event, Dr. Biden echoed the sentiment. “The first lady and I are spreading the word to all Americans that everyone can play a part in making our military families feel appreciated and supported,” she said.

On July 21, Obama will visit Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., to tour the youth program’s summer camp. As part of the Joining Forces Movie Series -- in which major movie studios including Warner Brothers, Disney, Universal and Fox are hosting special movie screenings for military families -- the first lady will welcome hundreds of local military families to a special screening of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.” President Barack Obama kicked off the Joining Forces Movie Series last month with a screening of Disney’s Cars 2 at the White House.

The same day, Obama will travel to Fayetteville, N.C., to participate in an “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” episode featuring the Marshalls, a military family. Barbara Marshall is a 15-year Navy veteran who is working to end homelessness among female veterans.

Marshall created The Steps-N-Stages Jubilee House, which provides homeless female veterans with housing and support services. The first lady and the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” team will help to build a new Jubilee House that can serve multiple families and act as a resource center for female veterans.

On July 24 in Manchester, N.H., the first lady and Dr. Biden will host a Joining Forces event for National Guard and Reserve families in the early evening. Earlier in the day, Dr. Biden will visit the Portsmouth area to meet with New Hampshire National Guard family support providers and attend a local military families appreciation event.

Obama has noted that she and Dr. Biden aren’t alone as they champion the Joining Forces program. The federal government, businesses and nonprofit organizations, and the entertainment and sports industries also are helping to ensure military families receive the support they need.

“Jill and I believe that everyone -- everyone -- can do something, even boys and girls,” the first lady said. “Everyone can do something to support a military family. And everyone can ask themselves, ‘What can I do? How can I give back?’”

Wounded Warriors Attend USOC Paralympic Military Sports Camp

By Lisa Rama, Naval Station Newport Public Affairs Officer

NEWPORT, R.I. (NNS) -- The third annual U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Paralympic Military Sports Camp was conducted July 16-18 at Naval Station Newport.

The sports camp for injured service men and women, including Afghanistan and Iraq veterans, was run by the USOC Paralympic Military Program. The three-day event started with an introduction to the program aimed at assisting injured military men and women to reintegrate into sports.

"These men and women are used to being active. What we want to do is remind them that even though they have been injured, the opportunities to remain active still exist. They can still participate in sports they enjoy and there are programs out there to help them," said Roger Neppl, director of military programs for the USOC's Paralympic Division.

Naval Station Newport, with the help of more than 100 volunteers from commands throughout the installation, supported USOC staff and coaches with the events. They included archery, track and field, seated volleyball, swimming, rowing, biathlon, strength and conditioning and shooting.

This year's camp consisted of 59 participants. Thirty-nine were U.S. Army; 16 were U.S. Marines Corps; 3 were U.S. Air Force and one individual was a U.S. Navy Veteran. Some of the participants are still assigned to Wounded Warrior transition units while others have left the service and continue their rehabilitation and adjustment on their own. Lance Cpl. Matias Ferreira, 22, lost both legs below the knee in Afghanistan in January. He attended the camp on two prosthetic legs and participated in every event.

"We are honored to host this event again this year. These athletes are all part of our military family and it's inspiring to watch these young warriors overcome adversity, particularly for the Navy's future leaders, that are being trained here. Watching these athletes develop and grow, over a few short days, is truly awe-inspiring," said Capt. Joe Voboril, commanding officer, Naval Station Newport.

U.S. Paralympics is a division of the USOC and is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the paralympic sports movement and promoting excellence in the lives of persons with physical disabilities.

George H.W. Bush Departs Bahrain, Returns to Sea

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jessica Echerri, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH, At Sea (NNS) -- George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWB CSG) resumed underway operations July 14, after completing a four-day port visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Sailors participated in recreational and cultural tours sponsored by the ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program and volunteered in four community relation (COMREL) projects.

More than 750 Sailors purchased tickets for discounted tours offered by MWR. Sailors experienced the cultural side of Bahrain, with food tastings and a tour of the Grand Mosque, as well as the recreational side while swimming with dolphins, fishing, golfing and going to a local water park. MWR subsidized more than 30 percent of the costs of the tours.

"The water park tour was a great way to stay cool in the heat," said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Laron Cooke. "Everyone got together after riding the slides to play water volleyball. It was a blast."

Additionally, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain offered Sailors the use of their sports facilities and MWR set up basketball, softball and flag football tournaments aboard the base.

"Playing pick up games of basketball with fellow Sailors was exciting and enjoyable," said Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Fernando Landeros.

The ship's Command Religious Ministries Department organized several COMRELs during the port visit.

The Sailors played a soccer match with a local Bahraini soccer team, tutored children in English, math and art at the Regional Institute for Active Learning and visited with residents of a local women's shelter.

"It's important to give back to the community, no matter what community you're in," said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Kendrah Agostini, who participated in a COMREL at the women's shelter. "It's rewarding to take some of our limited liberty time and give to a good cause."

This was the fourth scheduled port visit for George H.W. Bush, which entered the 5th Fleet area of responsibility June 18.

George H.W. Bush Strike Group is made up of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2, aircraft-carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff, guided-missile cruisers USS Gettysburg (CG 64) and USS Anzio (CG 68) and guided-missile destroyers USS Mitscher (DDG 57) and USS Truxtun (DDG 103).

Service Members Offer Assistance to San Diego-Area Homeless Veterans

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dominique Pineiro

Navy Public Affairs Support Element West

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Sailors from the San Diego area and other active duty and retired service members lent a helping hand to San Diego's homeless veteran population July 15-17 during the Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD) Stand Down 2011.

The annual three-day event was held in a tent city erected by active duty military volunteers at San Diego High School's athletic field.

The VVSD Stand Down offered more than 1,000 homeless veterans with free services such as health/dental care, substance abuse counseling, legal and employment assistance and food and clothing distribution.

"This program helps people get on track, because there are so many (homeless veterans) who are helpless and hopeless," said Gary Cash, a homeless Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War with the 359th Transportation Company. "I see the vets that are being taken care of here that can't really be taken care of anywhere else. It's overwhelming, I really feel comfortable here."

Cash also expressed his gratitude towards active duty service members volunteering their time on the weekend.

"It's important that they're out here because it makes me feel like I'm part of a community again," he said. "I can also give them insight on what happens after you leave the military and tell them how they should get their (affairs) together or they can end out on the street."

Retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Bill Paxton has attended the event for the past 24 years and said the services provided at the VVSD Stand Down give homeless veterans the opportunity to "feel like a human being again."

"They get fed, showered, a place to sleep, and can even get haircuts," he said. "They need to be appreciated for the service they've done. The purpose of Stand Down is to stand up and help them get that motivation they had when they were back in the military."

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 1st Class Andre Hardin, assigned to USS Peleliu (LHA 5), volunteered his time folding clothing to be donated to the veterans.

"They've given their service and now it's time to serve them," said Hardin. "I'm just trying to help the veterans get on their feet, it's nice to let them know there are people out there to let them know they're not forgotten."

VVSD organized the nation's first Stand Down in 1988. Since then, the program has been widely replicated nationwide. Today, more than 200 Stand Downs take place across the country every year.

Carter Updates Industrial Leaders on ‘Better Buying Power’

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 – The official who leads the Pentagon’s plan to ensure better value to taxpayers and warfighters from the Defense Department’s budget provided an update on progress to industrial leaders yesterday.

Ten months after introducing the 23-point “Better Buying Power” initiative, Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisitions, technology and logistics, spoke to the National Defense Industrial Association about progress made toward maximizing every dollar spent.

The initiative is built on targeting affordability, rewarding productivity, promoting competition, improving tradecraft and reducing bureaucracy to get the most out of each Defense Department budget dollar.

“For every 30 cents we spend to develop and acquire a defense system, we spend 70 cents to sustain them, resulting in a $100 million annual maintenance budget,” he said. “For every 45 cents we spend on goods, weapons systems and things, we spend 55 cents on services, for a total of $200 million.”

The point, he added, is that Pentagon officials need to take a comprehensive look at spending, including things that can become options in meeting President Barack Obama’s mandate to save money while keeping national security in mind.

“President Obama’s planned defense budgets are robust,” he said. “They’re strong and will stay so. We are, after all, involved in two major ongoing conflicts [and] operations in Libya, and the world is still a dangerous place.”

But Obama, Pentagon leadership and Congress also have made it clear that the national security budget -- which includes the defense budget and totals about 20 percent of the total federal budget -- must be a part of the overall purchase equation over the next dozen years, Carter told the group.

“President Obama specifically [wants] over $400 million in reductions over the next 12 years,” he said. “To assess how to accomplish the task the president has laid out, the department has undertaken a comprehensive review of the impact of such reductions, … and that review is ongoing.”

The way government and industrial leaders think must change, Carter said.

“This new era will require a different mindset for our government and industry managers -- you and us -- and their congressional overseers,” Carter told the industry leaders.

“[We are] a generation who has grown accustomed over the post-9/11 decade to circumstances in which we could always reach for more money when we encountered managerial or technical problems or a difficult choice,” he said. “Those days are gone.”

And it’s not simply a matter of cutting from our current plans and activities, he noted.

“Cutting capability and adjusting strategy might be necessary, but they are where we should go only after examining all the options,” he said. “The president, secretary of defense and the taxpayer are going to expect us to make every dollar we do get count. … This is something the country should expect no matter what size the defense budget is.”

The Better Buying Power initiative is a response to that challenge, Carter said.

“People ask me, ‘Well, can you succeed at this?’” he said. “I think we can. … We have a very clear roadmap [and] clear and reasonable objectives coming from taxpayers, warfighters and our leadership. We also have the staunch support of the president, secretary of defense and Congress.”

Carter’s final message to the industrial leaders was that the Defense Department needs the capabilities they can provide, but also needs them to be affordable.

“Whatever you’re doing for us, make it possible for us to continue to afford it,” he said. “Together, let’s bend so we don’t need to break our programs and activities, … and this way, I’m sure we can succeed.”

Today in the Department of Defense, Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta has no public or media events on his schedule.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn delivers remarks at 10 a.m. EDT at the Air Force and Army Energy Forum at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Va.

Friendship 7

Today, July 18, 2011, is John Glenn's 90th birthday.

On Feb. 20, 1962 at 9:47 am EST, Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 14 to become the first American to orbit the Earth. In this image, Glenn enters his Friendship 7 capsule with assistance from technicians to begin his historic flight.

Before joining NASA, Glenn already had a distinguished career as a pilot, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Unit Commendation for service in Korea, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy's Astronaut Wings, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, among others.

Glenn rejoined NASA in 1998 as a member of the STS-95 Discovery crew. This 9-day mission, from Oct. 29-Nov. 7, supported a variety of research payloads including deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform and investigations on space flight and the aging process.

Image Credit: NASA

Missing World War II Soldiers Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of three servicemen, missing in action from World War 2, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

Army Pfc. Lawrence N. Harris, of Elkins, W.V., Cpl. Judge C. Hellums, of Paris, Miss., and Pvt. Donald D. Owens, of Cleveland, will be buried as a group, in a single casket, on July 20 in Arlington National Cemetery.  In late September 1944, their unit, the 773rd Tank Battalion, was fighting its way east to France's eastern border, clearing German forces out of the Parroy Forest near Lunéville.  On Oct. 9, 1944, in the final battle for control of the region, Hellums, Harris, Owens and two other soldiers were attacked by enemy fire in their M-10 Tank Destroyer.  Two men survived with serious injuries but Harris, Hellums and Owens were reported to have been killed. Evidence at the time indicated the remains of the men had been destroyed in the attack and were neither recovered nor buried near the location.

In November 1946, a French soldier working in the Parroy Forest found debris associated with an M-10 vehicle and human remains, which were turned over to the American Graves Registration Command.  The remains were buried as unknowns in what is now known as the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.  A year later the AGRC returned to the Parroy Forest to conduct interviews and search for additional remains.  Investigators noted at that time that all remains of U.S. soldiers had reportedly been removed in the last two years and that the crew was likely buried elsewhere as unknowns.

In 2003, a French citizen exploring the Parroy Forest discovered human remains and an identification bracelet engraved with Hellums' name, from a site he had probed occasionally since 1998.  The information was eventually sent to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).  In April 2006, the man turned over the items to a JPAC team working in Europe.  A few months later a second JPAC team returned to the site and recovered more human remains, personal effects and an identification tag for Owens.

Historians at DPMO and JPAC continued their research on the burials at the Ardennes Cemetery, and drew a correlation to those unknowns removed from the 1944 battle site.   In early 2008 JPAC disinterred these remains and began their forensic review.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons for the men and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA, which matched that of each soldier's relatives in the identification of their remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover, identify and bury approximately 79,000 Americans.  Today, more than 72,000 remain unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, call 571-422-9059 or visit the DPMO website at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo .

Today in the Department of Defense, Monday, July 18, 2011

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Ashton Carter delivers remarks at 2 p.m. EDT at National Defense Industrial Association in the Crystal City Hyatt Regency, Arlington, Va.  Media interested in attending should contact Tia Pitt at 703-247-9467.

The Secret Missions of a Korean War Hospital Corpsman

With the addition of C. Gilbert Lowery, Military-Writers.com now lists 1260 US Military Servicemembers and their 3980 books.

C. Gilbert Lowery “joined the U.S. Navy in 1954 at the age of 19. He is a self-employed tax accountant and a retired government auditor, as well as a former town commissioner and former mayor of Jonesville, NC. He and his wife, Carol, have been married for 52 years and they currently reside in Cary, NC. They have four children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.” C. Gilbert Lowery is the author of The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman: A US Navy Hospital Corpsman with a US Marine Corps Reconnaissance Patrol Team in the 1950's on covert Korean missions.

According to the book description of The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman: A US Navy Hospital Corpsman with a US Marine Corps Reconnaissance Patrol Team in the 1950's on covert Korean missions, “He was given a classified mission and sworn to secrecy. Now, after more than 50 years, C. Gilbert Lowery is finally willing to share his stories. He’s compiled his experiences in his new book, The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman. The U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman took part in covert Korean missions with a Marine Corps reconnaissance patrol team in the 1950s.

“We had to go into enemy territory after fighting had ceased to search for illegal military facilities that the North Koreans declared non-existent, and for Americans held prisoners of war,” Lowery says. “I don’t think we ever got them all out.” While writing The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman, it was often painful for Lowery to think back to that time in his life. Lowery was unable to continue in the medical profession after discharge from the Navy because of the recurring dreams, nightmares and many consecutive sleepless nights caused by remembering the traumatic experiences in Korea. Some are in the book and some, he says, will never be told.

“Once a year for 10 years following my release from active duty, I was visited by two CIA agents and debriefed, or reminded, that I signed an oath of secrecy after each of the five missions,” says Lowery. “That was and still is in the back of my mind.” An inspiring story of heroism and bravery, The Untold Experiences of a Navy Corpsman details how a handful of marines secretly risked their lives to save others. “My number one qualification for writing the book is that I lived the part,” says Lowery. “I was there.”

Volk Field hosting large-scale training exercise

By Maj. Nancie Margetis

183rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

The largest annual National Guard training exercise is underway at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center and Fort McCoy.

Close to a thousand people are converging on Volk Field this week for emergency response training July 11 through 23. Patriot 2011 is an international large-scale training exercise bringing community and federal agencies together with military organizations from several states and three countries. Units are working to develop best practices and refine emergency responses for a variety of contingencies, from terrorist threats to train accidents and exposure from hazardous material spills.

National Guard Soldiers and Airmen will work alongside federal agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspectors, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Wisconsin Disaster Medical Assistance Team. Their aim is coordination of incident response, medical triage and patient care, search and extraction, control of hazardous materials and logistics that includes movement of equipment.

Col. Matthew Moorman of the Ohio Air National Guard briefs Wisconsin's Disaster Medical Assistance Team during the domestic operations portion of the 2011 Patriot Exercise July 13 at the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Wis. This is the first year that the DMAT - a volunteer-based force that responds to disasters in Wisconsin - is participating in Patriot. Ohio Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Amy N. Adducchio 

A primary goal of Patriot 2011 will be successful movement and validation of an equipment package used in response to disasters involving chemical biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives. These materials, emergency response force packages, or CERF-P are in place in multiple regional locations throughout the nation, ready for ground transport. But this exercise will test whether the entire component package, designed to handle large scale emergencies, will travel well on military aircraft.

The National Guard Bureau's Crisis Action Team will also lead participants in simulated scenarios enabling them to hone skills that track and treat casualties, dispel terrorist threats, coordinate air transport, control crowds and decontaminate affected areas and persons.

This is significant because it teaches independent organizations with similar or dependent missions to communicate in ways that foster mutual understanding, making it easier to get things done when it is most critical. The training they do here will translate easily to situations they could face in their home states or regions. Emergency responders from Holland and Canada are also participating in the training event.

Volk Field is a National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center in Wisconsin. The center is large enough to house and maintain all of the participants and host several training scenarios in appropriate environments simultaneously. But some of the scenarios require more specific environmental arrangements. To enhance the realistic effect for participants in those cases, elements of the training, like invasion of a terrorist safehouse by FBI and National Guard security force personnel will take place at nearby Ft. McCoy, which already has a suitable house built for that purpose.

Local residents may notice an increase in air traffic as a result of the exercise. Some training may occur at low altitudes and in the evening, especially near Volk Field and Fort McCoy. Area residents with questions or concerns should contact Volk Field at 1-800-972-8673.

Mullen: U.S.-Japan Alliance Serves as Model for Others

By Lisa Daniel

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2011 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on his first visit to Japan since it suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March, today praised the U.S.-Japanese alliance and said the two nations must expand such relations throughout the Pacific region.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, speaking at a news conference from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, offered condolences to the Japanese people in the aftermath of the natural disaster and said the United States still is committed to helping its ally however it can. His visit is part of an East Asia tour this week that included trips to China and South Korea.

“Watching from afar, I must also say that I was inspired by the dignity, the strength, the grace and resilience with which Japanese citizens responded to the shock,” he said. “If ever there was by any people a finer display of character and courage under such circumstances, I simply haven’t seen it. And so, thank you, as well, for the power of your example to the world.”

Mullen praised the response of the Japanese Self-Defense Force for its skill and professionalism in helping Japanese citizens following the disaster. “For our part, the United States military was proud to support your troops and to labor side by side [and] day and night with them -- on the ground, in the air, and at sea -- as we jointly battled the elements and the unspeakable destruction.”

The collaboration of the Japanese and U.S. forces following the earthquake is a testament to the countries’ strong relationship, the admiral said, adding that his trip to Japan was meant to underscore the U.S. commitment to a partnership with Japan.

“We know you, and you know us,” he said. “And, together, we have served not only the defense of Japan, but the cause of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. And it is the strength of that friendship I am here to reaffirm. In every meeting I will attend, in every discussion I will have, I will convey my government’s commitment -- and that of my military -- to expanding and improving our bilateral relations.”

Noting that the United States is a Pacific power, Mullen said it will seize every opportunity to promote peace in the region. “Of course, should your women’s soccer team defeat ours in the World Cup this weekend, we may have to seriously rethink our position,” he joked about the much-anticipated July 17 match-up.

As part of strengthening their alliance, Mullen said, Japan and the United States also must reach out to expand multilateral relations in the region. “No single nation can address all of today’s challenges alone,” he said. “There is greater strength to be found in the diversity of talent presented through plural initiatives and cooperation.”

Japan’s recent efforts to improve bilateral relations with South Korea and Australia are a good example, Mullen said, in addressing common challenges ranging from piracy in the Straits of Malacca to weapons proliferation and disaster response.

Mullen said he would like to see those bilateral relationships extend to more conventional and defensive capabilities with South Korea and others. “The United States has enduring interests in the Pacific, and we have enduring security commitments we plan to broaden and deepen,” he said. “But so, too, would we like to see others broaden and deepen their cooperation with their neighbors.

“Relationships matter,” he continued. “Where they are strong, there is trust and transparency and a better chance for stability. Where they are weak or nonexistent, there is, at best, suspicion and, at worst, the very real risk of miscalculation.”

Mullen began the Asia trip at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Gen. Chen Bingde, who visited the Pentagon in May. The admiral said the meetings he took part in over several days in China were “productive and generally positive with respect to moving us closer to some sort of relationship.” He noted that the U.S. and Chinese militaries have not had “a sustained, reliable relationship.”

The chairman said he made clear in Beijing that “there’s just too much at stake for us not to have an understanding of one another.” But, he acknowledged, U.S. military leaders and those with the People’s Liberation Army have a long way to go.

“I am under no illusion that we have cemented anything like a partnership with the PLA,” he said. “Maybe we never will. Differences between us are still stark. But the work of establishing a relationship has to start somewhere. The exchanges and exercises we agreed to are good first steps, as are discussions we will soon have about the Military Maritime Consultative Agreement.”

U.S. allies should not be concerned about the country’s efforts at a military relationship with China, Mullen said.

“Relationships are not zero-sum affairs, replete with winners and losers,” he explained. “One relationship does not come at the expense of another. Nor does a relationship in the nascent stages of development unseat or make unsteady those that have been tempered over time and trial. Quite the contrary. A constructive [U.S.-China military] relationship is eventually good for everyone with whom we are close.”

Eisenhower, Enterprise Sail Together in Atlantic Ocean

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Zach Martin, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The nuclear-powered aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) crossed paths in the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast July 14.

Enterprise, on its way home from a regularly-scheduled seven-month deployment to the 6th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility, had just picked up its crew's family members from Mayport, Fl., for a Tiger Cruise. Eisenhower was off the Southeastern Coast conducting a carrier qualification (CQ) for squadrons around the country.

The common link between the two ships was Capt. Dee L. Mewbourne, Enterprise's commanding officer (CO), who was returning home from his third deployment as CO of a carrier in three years. Mewbourne had previously commanded Eisenhower during two deployments in 2009 and 2010.

The ships spent some time alongside each other, and photos were snapped from helicopters in the air and from Sailors and their families on both ships.

"To our embarked Tigers, it provided the extremely rare opportunity to witness flight operations from a uniquely powerful perch while also seeing a truly magnificent ship and crew in action. For me, it provided a moment of utter humility and supreme thankfulness for the blessings I was given in command of both ships [and] to work with incredibly dedicated and talented people in making America proud," said Mewbourne.

Capt. Marcus A. Hitchcock, Eisenhower's commanding officer, said the opportunity for the two ships to meet, exchange greetings and say 'welcome home' to returning heroes was an important event for both ship's crews.

"We flew some of our Sailors off the ship to Norfolk to visit their spouses and family members who are returning from deployment on Enterprise," Hitchcock said. "To be able to do that for both crews was a great demonstration of our commitment to the morale of our Sailors."

The two meeting occurred safely even with Eisenhower conducting flight operations for CQ during the entire evolution.

Enterprise's family members were able to not only see their ship's air power demonstration earlier in the day, but Eisenhower pilots conducting flight operations.

"Being able to come alongside the Enterprise was amazing," Hitchcock said. "Capt. Mewbourne took most of this crew through two deployments. Giving him the opportunity to see Eisenhower in action one more time was a poignant moment for everyone and we are very proud of him and the entire Enterprise team."

Today in the Department of Defense, Sunday, July 17, 2011

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Cyber Threat Grows More Destructive, Lynn Says

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2011 – The cyber threat the United States faces is increasing in severity and is accessible to a wide range of enemies, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said in a television interview broadcast last night.

“Most of what we see today is exploitation -- that's theft, stealing secrets, either commercial or military,” Lynn told Ray Suarez on “PBS Newshour.” “[But] we know the tools exist to destroy things, to destroy physical property, to destroy networks, to destroy data, maybe even take human lives.”

Lynn said nation-states currently are the sole possessors of sophisticated cyber tools, but the capability will spread over time.

“It's going to migrate to rogue states, and it's going to migrate to, eventually, terrorist groups,” he said. “At some point, you're going to see a marriage of capability and

intent, and that is what we should truly worry about.”

DOD is working both to defend its own networks and support the Department of Homeland Security’s mission to protect systems important to national security, Lynn said.

Pentagon officials yesterday released the Defense Department’s first strategy aimed at countering the cyber threat. The strategy document charts the increase of Internet usage since 2000, when there were 360 global users, to 2010’s 2 billion. DOD alone has 15,000 networks and more than 7 million computing devices.

“In the first instance, we're protecting those military capabilities,” Lynn said. “But we need to go further. Working through the Department of Homeland Security, we need to think about how we might use better defensive capabilities to protect … the power grid, the transportation network, the financial sector.”

DOD is not committing to protecting the entire Internet, Lynn said.

“We're talking with our allies about how we have a collective

defense,” he said. “We're working with them to share technologies, to share understandings of the threat, so that we have a collective defense approach to this important problem.”

Most cyber attacks happening now are malicious activity, some are criminal, and some reach the level of espionage, Lynn said.

“We have seen a few cases … where it goes above that and degrades networks themselves,” he said, noting the 2007 attack on Estonia and the 2008 cyber assault on the republic of Georgia.

Defending the cyber domain requires a new way of thinking, Lynn said.

“It's different than land, sea, air and space,” he noted. “It's largely privately owned. It crosses borders. It doesn't respect sovereignty. And the speed at which it moves, keystrokes on one side of the globe can have an impact on the other in the blink of an eye.”

U.S. Cyber Command is responsible for organizing DOD’s efforts in the cyber domain, the deputy secretary said.

“They're out hiring people, both in uniform and as civilians, with … [the] cyber skills that we need,” he added. “They're different kinds of skills than we might need with conventional soldiers, but they're equally important.”

DOD doesn’t monitor or scan commercial networks in the United States, Lynn said.

“We're trying to work with the appropriate agencies, the FBI, with law enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security, for protection of critical infrastructure to provide capabilities … that the Defense Department has that might be used for those critical missions,” he said. “But we don't have the primary role.”

PCU Minnesota Crew Meets with Ship's Sponsor, Tours Nation's Capital

From Commander, Submarine Group Two Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Crew members and their families from the Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Minnesota (SSN 783), participated in a luncheon with the ship's sponsor, Mrs. Ellen Roughead, and met with Minnesota Congressional Representatives during their visit to Washington, D.C., July 14.

During their visit to the nation's capital, Cmdr. John Fancher, PCU Minnesota commanding officer; Lt. Cmdr. Craig Hempeck, executive officer; and Master Chief Electronic Technician (SS) Randy Reid, chief of the boat, visited U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MINN), prior to the luncheon with the ship's sponsor.

"This is an once-in-a-lifetime experience for our crew and their families; we are happy to have such a great relationship with Mrs. Roughead," said Reid. "We are thankful to be in our nation's capital for this visit and to meet with representatives from our namesake state."

The Senior Sailor of the Quarter, Machinist's Mate First Class (SS) Gabriel Piehl; Junior Sailor of the Quarter, Electronic Technician Second Class (SS) Daniel Johnson; and Ombudsman Katrina Piehl also accompanied the senior leadership to meet with the Minnesota senator.

During their visit, retired Vice Adm. John G. Cotton gave the crew and their families a guided tour of the Pentagon and 9/11 Memorial, which was organized by the ship's sponsor.

The crew then had lunch with the ship's sponsor, Ellen Roughead at the historic Tingey house. During the luncheon the crew received a surprise visit from the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead.

Dave Hutton, president of the Twin Cities Navy League and President of the PCU Minnesota Commissioning Committee and Jim Sillman of the Twin Cities Navy League organized the tour of the nation's capital for the crew and their families.

Minnesota will be the 10th Virginia-class submarine. Construction of the 377-foot long, 7,800- ton ship began in February 2008. The ship is expected to be delivered in 2013 – early to its contract delivery date. The name Minnesota was selected to honor the state's residents and their continued support of the U.S. military. Forty six Medal of Honor recipients were born in Minnesota - spanning from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.

Incoming - The Story of a Vietnam War Combat Medic

With the Addition of Jack "Doc" Manick, Military-Writers.com now lists 1260 US Military Servicemembers and their 3979 books.

Jack Manick “volunteered for military service in 1968. He served one Tour of Duty in Vietnam as a Combat Medic with the remainder of his three year obligation spread among hospital and Infantry Duty in Germany and the US. His military service was with the 1'st and 24th Infantry Divisions, the 70th Combat Engineers and USAREUR (US Army Europe).


Jack Manick has written seven specialty Art Books documenting the life and times of artists who have shaped the destiny of the 20'th and 21'st Century, names like Michael Godard, John Kelly, James Coleman, David Garibaldi and others. Along with Richard Enfantino from Enfantino Publishing, they published their first ever book, "Don't Drink and Draw," the life story and art work of world famous artist Michael Godard. It won the "Best Art Book in 2006" Award by the "USA Book News."

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jack wrote a Veterans Column titled "Insights of a Veteran," for Comcast's "IntheGardenState.com" local content site in New Jersey and was awarded a "Best Military Site" by Military.com for it.

Jack believes that every day is a "Gift" from a higher power and that it should be lived with conviction and passion. Transforming what in the heart and soul to the "Printed Word" is Jack's passion and he plans to continue with it into the future.” Jack Manick is the author of Incoming.

According to the book description of Incoming, “1969 was a momentous year for the world and especially America. It was a year when man first set foot on the moon and in an equally amazing feat, the New York Mets won baseballs coveted World Series. While earth shaking events were happening two hundred thousand miles from home or deep within the confines of Shea Stadium, men of every race, education and age group were fighting and dying 12,000 miles from home in Americas most unpopular war, Vietnam war.

Today, 40 years later, writer, husband and Veteran Jack Manick reaches into his soul and resurrects the fear, tension, foreboding, laughter and terror that he and his fellow "Band of Brothers" felt as they walked the jungles and forests of the Central Highlands of Vietnam in 1969. While in the "Bush", he carried a pack, a medical aid bag, two knives, three grenades, a rifle, pistol and an unbreakable commitment to save the lives of his fellow soldiers, even at the cost of his own.

The story of Jack "Doc" Manick and his fellow soldiers is one of survival...survival in a country laden with malaria, crawling with venomous snakes, scorpions, rats, giant centipedes and tigers and dominated by an enemy determined "Not to lose the War!"

The language is as tough as the enemy who fought against him, as unrelenting as the blistering heat of the Dry Season and as depressing as the endless mud and mold of the Monsoon Season. Incoming invites you to lace up your jungle boots and take a walk with Jack through the jungles and the fields of dry grass in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in 1969.”

New Jersey Base Realizes Joint Benefits

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., July 15, 2011 – With two months left for the Defense Department to comply with the 2005 base realignment and closure plan, a related initiative -- joint basing -- already is paying off through closer interservice collaboration and the promise of future cost savings, officials here reported.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst was part of the first phase of the plan that consolidated 26 military installations around the country into 12 joint bases. The concept was designed to generate efficiencies, reduce redundancy, and ultimately, save taxpayer dollars.

“I think this joint base initiative is great,” said Army Col. Joseph Poth, the deputy commander here who helped to plan and execute the merger. “The logic is, if we can train together, if we can fight together, why can’t we run a base together?”

Joint basing brought big changes here when three installations -- McGuire Air Force Base, Fort Dix and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst -- merged on Oct. 1, 2009, to become the Defense Department’s only tri-service base.

It was part of the first wave of joint-base consolidations. Also during Phase 1, Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and Fort Story in Virginia merged to form Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. Fort Myer and the Marine Corps’ Henderson Hall in Virginia formed Joint Base Myer. Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and Naval Air Facility Washington, D.C., became Joint Base Andrews.

And thousands of miles away in the Pacific, Navy Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base formed Joint Region Marianas.

As McGuire, Dix and Lakehurst formed one giant base that stretches 20 miles east to west and encompasses 60 square miles of southern New Jersey flatlands and forests, each retained its operational identity and mission, Poth explained.

The Air Force, the lead service here, continues to provide global mobility and expeditionary combat support with its C-17 Globemaster III, KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft. The Army conducts soldier training and pre- and post-mobilization activities. The Navy designs and tests aircraft carrier catapult and arresting gear and other naval air support equipment.

Joint basing offers the three services the opportunity to share some of the costs of supporting these operations, said Air Force Col. John Wood, who took command of the joint base June 24.

In his new role, Wood has command and control of the 87th Air Base Wing and support responsibility for more than 80 tenant organizations referred to here as “mission partners.”

Arriving at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Wood was no stranger to joint basing. He helped Charleston Air Force Base and Naval Weapons Station Charleston merge to form Joint Base Charleston, S.C., as part of the second wave of joint-basing consolidations.

Other installations included in the Phase 2 mergers were the Navy’s Anacostia Annex and Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, which formed Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii became Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson in Alaska formed Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base and Fort Sam Houston, Texas, formed Joint Base San Antonio. Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis in Virginia became Joint Base Langley-Eustis.

Wood said watching how Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and other first-phase installations handled the transition helped smooth the way at Charleston. Now, as commander of the tri-service base in New Jersey, he said he plans to continue fine-tuning the process by emphasizing teamwork, communication and inclusion.

To help in promoting these principles in his command structure, Wood recently welcomed Navy Capt. Andrew Butterfield as a second deputy commander to provide a Navy perspective to his command team.

Operating with two deputies in his organizational structure -- one Army and one Navy -- is a new concept, Wood acknowledged. “It’s different than the doctrine I have grown up with, but it has a lot of advantages and potential,” he said.

Much of the potential of joint basing will come in savings on contracts for services such ground maintenance and snow removal, Wood said. In addition, the joint base’s contracting workforce can operate more efficiently -- and presumably, more cost-effectively -- by awarding and managing a single contract for each service, rather than three.

“As we combine things, it is common sense to assume that we are going to have savings here, so we will continue down that path,” Poth said.

Wood said he is looking forward to seeing those cost savings, but that he knows they won’t be realized fully until contracts already in place expire and can be renegotiated. Meanwhile, he added, he plans to continue looking across the joint base structure to identify other ways to streamline operations and make them more efficient.

Wood and his leadership team say they are already seeing some of the other benefits of joint basing. The gates that once divided the installations are gone, enabling airmen, soldiers, sailors -- as well as Marines and Coast Guard members who have activities here -- to move freely around the joint base.

As they do so, they interact regularly, sharing everything from training facilities to housing, dining halls and morale, welfare and recreation activities.

Air Force Brig. Gen. William Bender, commander of the Air Force Expeditionary Center here, said that pays off in mission readiness.

“One of those benefits is the ability to rapidly and effectively integrate into joint environments when we deploy or when we are assigned to support missions both stateside and abroad,” he said. “Because we have the benefit of living and working in an integrated environment, we naturally ‘learn the language’ of our service counterparts and we learn what the other services bring to the fight, wherever that fight may be.”

But getting to that point wasn’t without its challenges, Poth conceded.

He remembered the angst some experienced during the transition and the town hall meetings the leadership regularly held to allay fears and clear up misconceptions.

To Poth’s surprise, some of the workers who took the merger the hardest were long-time Army and Navy civilian employees with strong loyalties to their services.

Installation leaders, led at the time by Air Force Brig. Gen. Gina Grosso, the first joint base commander, planned an elaborate and all-inclusive ceremony to officially stand up the joint base. Members of Congress, local mayors and current and past commanders from the three installations participated as a joint color guard marched, a tri-service team sang the national anthem and a band played a medley of the military service songs.

“As we mark this day, we want to welcome the newest members of our joint base team,” Poth said during the ceremony, recognizing the role the different services contribute to national defense with their active and reserve components and civilian workforces.

“Today is a day long in coming,” Poth said. “Together, we all join forces to become America’s premier joint warfighting base, capable of projecting air, land or sea power worldwide.”

Civilian employees from Fort Dix and Lakehurst formed up on the flight line, where each was inducted into the Department of the Air Force and presented an Air Force pin. After the ceremony, they returned to their work stations to find a letter from Grosso, personally welcoming them to the Air Force and the joint team.

Looking back over the consolidation during a Defense Department joint basing program management review conference in February, Grosso discussed the challenges of integrating support structures, but also the benefits of bringing the separate military cultures together at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

“You cannot calculate the takeaway from your military members living together and training together,” she said during the forum in Washington. “It’s a benefit you just can’t quantify.”