By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 19, 2007 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Jan. 17 that President Bush has nominated Navy Adm. William J. Fallon as commander of U.S. Central Command, replacing Army Gen. John Abizaid. Fallon is currently serving as commander of U.S. Pacific Command; Abizaid has commanded CENTCOM since July 7, 2003, and is due to retire this spring.
Gates also announced that Bush has made the following nominations:
Army Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus has been nominated as commander of Multinational Force Iraq, replacing Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr. Casey has been nominated to serve as Army chief of staff. Petraeus is currently serving as commanding general, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
Army Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik has been nominated as commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq. Dubik is currently serving as commanding general, 1st Corps and Fort Lewis, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Army Lt. Gen. Karl W. Eikenberry has been nominated as the deputy chairman, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee, Brussels, Belgium. Eikenberry is currently serving as the commander, Combined Forces Command Afghanistan. In a news release Jan. 5, Gates praised Abizaid for his service in the Middle East and expressed confidence in Fallon. "In departing Central Command, General John Abizaid will cap what has been one of the most storied military careers in recent memory," Gates said in the release.
"A naval flight officer who flew combat missions in Vietnam, Admiral Fallon combines nearly four decades of military experience with fresh perspective to the challenges America faces in the Central Command's area of operations," Gates said. "Fox Fallon is one of the best strategic thinkers in uniform today, and his reputation for innovation is without peer."
Petraeus, who has commanded at Fort Leavenworth since Oct. 20, 2005, has extensive experience in Iraq, Gates noted in the release. He led the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul during the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where he "oversaw a multifaceted program that within months established local government, restarted the local economy, and stood up local security forces," Gates said.
Petraeus served as the first commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq from June 2004 to September 2005 and commanded the NATO Training Mission Iraq from October 2004 through September 2005. As he launched and led the coalition's program to train and equip Iraq's army and police, Petraeus was leading the effort to rewrite the military's doctrine for defeating the insurgency, Gates said.
Casey, who has served as commander of Multinational Force Iraq since July 2004, is the right person to hold the top Army uniformed position, Gates said. "There is no officer at this time better suited to be Army chief of staff than General George Casey," Gates said. "General Casey knows first hand the capabilities the U.S. Army must have to succeed in the complex and unconventional campaigns of the 21st century."
Gates noted the mix of experience, skills, creativity and strategic vision that is essential in key national security positions and said Casey, Petraeus and Fallon possess these talents.
"We are engaged in three wars - in Iraq, Afghanistan, and against jihadist terrorism worldwide," Gates said. "As secretary of defense, and as a citizen, I firmly believe that Generals Petraeus and Casey and Admiral Fallon, as individuals and as a team, bring to the challenges that face us, the qualities necessary to be successful in war and to protect the American people."
Petraeus is scheduled to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee for confirmation hearings Jan. 23.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Pace Thanks Troops for 'Making a Difference' in Colombia
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 19, 2007 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today praised U.S. troops serving here, acknowledging the part they have played in helping the Colombian military confront the challenges it faces. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace visited about 150 of the almost 500 American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guards men stationed here to thank them for their service and congratulate them on the strides they have helped the Colombians make.
Noting that it's been almost three years since his last visit here, Pace marveled at improvements that have taken place. "The change in the capacity of the Colombian armed forces and all that has happened here is truly remarkable," he told the troops who gathered in a courtyard at the U.S. Embassy compound.
"You all should take pride in knowing that you have helped them," he told the group, most of them members of the Military Group that trains and advises the Colombian military and the Defense Attache Office. "They have done the work, there is no doubt about that, and they deserve all the credit. But I hope each of you takes pride in your part in helping them be as successful as they have been."
Asked during a short question-and-answer session about the impact of the new Congress on the mission here, Pace said he believes there's bipartisan congressional support for the mission here and a recognition of its importance to the region and the United States.
"I think all the hard work that Colombia has done on its own to get to where it is, is a track record that stands on its own merit when we talk to Congress," he said.
"Fundamentally, the strength of Colombian democracy impacts the strength of our own democracy, and it is in our own self-interest to help our friends down here."
The troops lined up one by one to shake hands with Pace and receive his personal coin, but also to share their personal role in the military mission here. Pace also chatted and posed for photos with members of Marine Security Guard Detachment Bogota and presented a Joint Service Commendation Medal to Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Alvaro Flores and a Joint Service Achievement Medal to Staff Sgt. Santarra Scott.
"This is a great group of people doing a great mission and a very important mission," Flores said. "I firmly believe in what we are doing here."
The other servicemembers told Pace they, too, believe they're making a difference for Colombia.
"We're definitely doing a good thing here," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. They Faber, who has spent the last year here training Colombian riverine teams. "We are slowly, by example, providing a bit of an example for the Colombians."
A big emphasis, Faber said, is reinforcing the importance of continual, ongoing training -- a concept he said is not fundamental to the Colombian military as it is for U.S. troops. "We are trying to develop a culture of training and continuing actions," he said.
Army Maj. Shane Tarrant, a Special Forces officer who serves as a liaison to Colombia's special operations units, said U.S. trainers here are sharing skills ranging from basic infantry skills to logistics with their Colombian counterparts.
But the training is a two-way street, he said, because Colombians have been dealing with a criminal insurgency for decades and have learned some important lessons they, too, can share. "We're learning from the tactics they're using, and we take that and see where we can apply it in other theaters," he said.
Army Staff Sgt. Luz Erribarren, operations noncommissioned officer in charge in the Defense Attache Office, calls the work the U.S. military is doing here "very, very important" to Colombia's future. "We're providing training to the people so they can better face their problems," said Erribarren, a native of Peru. "It feels good to be a part of it and to see their appreciation because their lives are changing as a result."
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gerson Hernandez, an aviation maintenance manager here, said he takes a personal pride in the capability the U.S. military has been bringing to Colombia during the past six years. A Colombian native, Hernandez said he remembers growing up amid police corruption and violence inflicted by narcoterrorists.
"This is my home, and I know that what we are doing here is helping change things," he said. "For (the Colombian military) to have the right equipment, the right training and to be able to sustain themselves is what we are working toward, and it is making a difference."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 19, 2007 – The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today praised U.S. troops serving here, acknowledging the part they have played in helping the Colombian military confront the challenges it faces. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace visited about 150 of the almost 500 American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guards men stationed here to thank them for their service and congratulate them on the strides they have helped the Colombians make.
Noting that it's been almost three years since his last visit here, Pace marveled at improvements that have taken place. "The change in the capacity of the Colombian armed forces and all that has happened here is truly remarkable," he told the troops who gathered in a courtyard at the U.S. Embassy compound.
"You all should take pride in knowing that you have helped them," he told the group, most of them members of the Military Group that trains and advises the Colombian military and the Defense Attache Office. "They have done the work, there is no doubt about that, and they deserve all the credit. But I hope each of you takes pride in your part in helping them be as successful as they have been."
Asked during a short question-and-answer session about the impact of the new Congress on the mission here, Pace said he believes there's bipartisan congressional support for the mission here and a recognition of its importance to the region and the United States.
"I think all the hard work that Colombia has done on its own to get to where it is, is a track record that stands on its own merit when we talk to Congress," he said.
"Fundamentally, the strength of Colombian democracy impacts the strength of our own democracy, and it is in our own self-interest to help our friends down here."
The troops lined up one by one to shake hands with Pace and receive his personal coin, but also to share their personal role in the military mission here. Pace also chatted and posed for photos with members of Marine Security Guard Detachment Bogota and presented a Joint Service Commendation Medal to Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Alvaro Flores and a Joint Service Achievement Medal to Staff Sgt. Santarra Scott.
"This is a great group of people doing a great mission and a very important mission," Flores said. "I firmly believe in what we are doing here."
The other servicemembers told Pace they, too, believe they're making a difference for Colombia.
"We're definitely doing a good thing here," said Marine Gunnery Sgt. They Faber, who has spent the last year here training Colombian riverine teams. "We are slowly, by example, providing a bit of an example for the Colombians."
A big emphasis, Faber said, is reinforcing the importance of continual, ongoing training -- a concept he said is not fundamental to the Colombian military as it is for U.S. troops. "We are trying to develop a culture of training and continuing actions," he said.
Army Maj. Shane Tarrant, a Special Forces officer who serves as a liaison to Colombia's special operations units, said U.S. trainers here are sharing skills ranging from basic infantry skills to logistics with their Colombian counterparts.
But the training is a two-way street, he said, because Colombians have been dealing with a criminal insurgency for decades and have learned some important lessons they, too, can share. "We're learning from the tactics they're using, and we take that and see where we can apply it in other theaters," he said.
Army Staff Sgt. Luz Erribarren, operations noncommissioned officer in charge in the Defense Attache Office, calls the work the U.S. military is doing here "very, very important" to Colombia's future. "We're providing training to the people so they can better face their problems," said Erribarren, a native of Peru. "It feels good to be a part of it and to see their appreciation because their lives are changing as a result."
Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gerson Hernandez, an aviation maintenance manager here, said he takes a personal pride in the capability the U.S. military has been bringing to Colombia during the past six years. A Colombian native, Hernandez said he remembers growing up amid police corruption and violence inflicted by narcoterrorists.
"This is my home, and I know that what we are doing here is helping change things," he said. "For (the Colombian military) to have the right equipment, the right training and to be able to sustain themselves is what we are working toward, and it is making a difference."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Force Increase Involves Range of Capabilities, Chu Says
By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 19, 2007 – An increase in the active-duty military and changes to the policies for reserve forces announced this month by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates are aimed to increase the military's overall capabilities, a senior defense official said here today. "This build is about the whole range of capabilities that makes American military forces effective," David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said at a Pentagon news conference. "Particularly, it is designed to relieve the pressure on units that are described as 'high-demand, low-density,' meaning in plain English, there aren't enough."
Gates announced Jan. 11 that the active-duty Army and Marine Corps will grow by 92,000 troops over the next five years -- 27,000 in the Marine Corps and 65,000 in the Army. He also announced significant changes in the way reserve forces' mobilizations are handled. Notably, mobilizations for reserve forces will only be one year long and will be unit-based, and compensation will be given to troops who are involuntarily remobilized.
By the end of this fiscal year, the Marine Corps expects to be at an end strength of 184,000 people, and will grow by 5,000 people a year until 2011, when it will reach 202,000, Chu said. The Army will be at 518,000 by the end of this fiscal year, and will grow by 7,000 troops a year until it reaches 547,000 in 2012, he said.
This increase in troops will come from in-service adjustments, such as military-to-civilian conversions, as well as recruiting and retention efforts, Chu said. He noted that all military services met their recruiting and retention goals last year and said that current efforts in those areas will be continued and expanded to account for the troop increase.
Chu noted that the military currently recruits about 300,000 people a year and that interest in military service among young people remains high. The challenge, he said, comes when parents, teachers and coaches who are opposed to military service influence potential recruits.
"Our real challenge is convincing the American public, which views the military as its most respected institution, that military service is not someone else's job; it's everyone's job," he said.
The changes in policies for reserve forces are designed to reduce stress on a force that has been burdened greatly in the war on terror, Chu said.
"This is a high-morale force, a force that is willing to accept the challenging assignments the nation has given them," he said. "But we must be judicious in how we use this force. So the secretary has reinforced our objectives for the deployments people can expect, versus the rest they can expect."
For reserve forces, the Defense Department's goal is to deploy units one year out of every six; for active-duty forces, the goal is one year out of every three. When reserve forces are mobilized, their mobilization will be limited to one year, including training, and will be unit-based, as opposed to relying on individual volunteers, Chu said.
Currently, reserve forces spend about 18 months mobilized, using the six months at the beginning for training. This shorter mobilization will require units to stay at a higher level of readiness while they're not deployed, but that will be helped by the fact that they will always operate as a unit and will have a more predictable schedule, Chu said.
"The readiness standards to deploy will remain the same," he said. "The units need to be able to do their jobs; the people need to be skilled in their responsibilities. What this will require is a set of changes in how we get them ready, and that will require adjustments in how reserve units train and prepare."
Gates is focused on keeping the number of involuntary repeat mobilizations as low as possible, Chu said, but circumstances on the ground could dictate otherwise. DoD is developing compensation packages for troops who are deployed significantly sooner than they should be under the department's new goals, he said.
"We need to demonstrate that we understand that we have imposed on you, your family and your employer a significant burden," he said. "You may have accepted that burden, but we need to compensate you for it."
The details of this compensation have not been finalized, and the cost for the troop increase and changes to reserve policies will be included in the president's budget, which will be submitted in February, Chu said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 19, 2007 – An increase in the active-duty military and changes to the policies for reserve forces announced this month by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates are aimed to increase the military's overall capabilities, a senior defense official said here today. "This build is about the whole range of capabilities that makes American military forces effective," David S. C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said at a Pentagon news conference. "Particularly, it is designed to relieve the pressure on units that are described as 'high-demand, low-density,' meaning in plain English, there aren't enough."
Gates announced Jan. 11 that the active-duty Army and Marine Corps will grow by 92,000 troops over the next five years -- 27,000 in the Marine Corps and 65,000 in the Army. He also announced significant changes in the way reserve forces' mobilizations are handled. Notably, mobilizations for reserve forces will only be one year long and will be unit-based, and compensation will be given to troops who are involuntarily remobilized.
By the end of this fiscal year, the Marine Corps expects to be at an end strength of 184,000 people, and will grow by 5,000 people a year until 2011, when it will reach 202,000, Chu said. The Army will be at 518,000 by the end of this fiscal year, and will grow by 7,000 troops a year until it reaches 547,000 in 2012, he said.
This increase in troops will come from in-service adjustments, such as military-to-civilian conversions, as well as recruiting and retention efforts, Chu said. He noted that all military services met their recruiting and retention goals last year and said that current efforts in those areas will be continued and expanded to account for the troop increase.
Chu noted that the military currently recruits about 300,000 people a year and that interest in military service among young people remains high. The challenge, he said, comes when parents, teachers and coaches who are opposed to military service influence potential recruits.
"Our real challenge is convincing the American public, which views the military as its most respected institution, that military service is not someone else's job; it's everyone's job," he said.
The changes in policies for reserve forces are designed to reduce stress on a force that has been burdened greatly in the war on terror, Chu said.
"This is a high-morale force, a force that is willing to accept the challenging assignments the nation has given them," he said. "But we must be judicious in how we use this force. So the secretary has reinforced our objectives for the deployments people can expect, versus the rest they can expect."
For reserve forces, the Defense Department's goal is to deploy units one year out of every six; for active-duty forces, the goal is one year out of every three. When reserve forces are mobilized, their mobilization will be limited to one year, including training, and will be unit-based, as opposed to relying on individual volunteers, Chu said.
Currently, reserve forces spend about 18 months mobilized, using the six months at the beginning for training. This shorter mobilization will require units to stay at a higher level of readiness while they're not deployed, but that will be helped by the fact that they will always operate as a unit and will have a more predictable schedule, Chu said.
"The readiness standards to deploy will remain the same," he said. "The units need to be able to do their jobs; the people need to be skilled in their responsibilities. What this will require is a set of changes in how we get them ready, and that will require adjustments in how reserve units train and prepare."
Gates is focused on keeping the number of involuntary repeat mobilizations as low as possible, Chu said, but circumstances on the ground could dictate otherwise. DoD is developing compensation packages for troops who are deployed significantly sooner than they should be under the department's new goals, he said.
"We need to demonstrate that we understand that we have imposed on you, your family and your employer a significant burden," he said. "You may have accepted that burden, but we need to compensate you for it."
The details of this compensation have not been finalized, and the cost for the troop increase and changes to reserve policies will be included in the president's budget, which will be submitted in February, Chu said.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Troops Overseas Celebrate Martin Luther King's Birthday
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 18, 2007 – "A day on, not a day off" was the motto as soldiers celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday across Iraq over the holiday weekend of Jan. 13 to 15. At Camp Liberty, Iraq, soldiers participated in a morning fun run and a ceremony in the 1st Cavalry Division chapel. After the 2-mile run, which began at 6 a.m., Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy commanding general of support for Multinational Division Baghdad, spoke to the troops, reflecting on the service and legacy of the civil rights leader.
"Let's take his inspiration into our hearts and guide ourselves by the principles Dr. King spoke of," Brooks said.
Brooks also drew parallels between King's fight for civil rights and the fight servicemembers are involved in today. While King may not agree with the war if he were alive today, Brooks said, he would be very proud of all of those serving their country.
During the ceremony, MNDB soldiers stood and recited the "I Have a Dream" speech given by King as he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. The soldiers also offered a skit showing tolerance for those in attendance.
At Camp Taji, hundreds of soldiers gathered at the ministry center Jan. 15 for the 1st Cavalry Division's observance of King's birthday. Brooks was also the guest speaker at this ceremony, and his message was similar.
"The celebration has always been listed as a day on, not a day off. The meaning of that, of course, is that there is yet work to be done," he said.
Although King was against using violence to solve problems, he believed that injustice anywhere would prevent justice everywhere, Brooks said. "I happen to believe that Dr. King would applaud each of us for standing up against injustice, even if he didn't agree with the method," he said during his speech.
Army Spc. Brendon McGee, an aviation operations specialist who attended the ceremony, said it was a day of remembrance of the struggle for equality of all people, regardless of race, creed or color.
"It's still a continuous struggle. Just because we have those civil rights in the United States, there's other people across the world that are not enjoying those freedoms," said McGee, a Memphis native.
At Forward Operating Base Q-West, soldiers from four units hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observance Jan. 13 for a standing-room-only crowd at the morale, welfare and recreation center.
The observance included a detailed account of the history and importance of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as poetry, a performance by members of the Q-West gospel choir, a skit reenacting Rosa Park's refusal to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus, and the reading of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
"This holiday is important because Martin Luther King Jr. is the founder of diversity, and he is a legacy," said Master Sgt. Linda Brooks, Q-West's equal opportunity advisor from 45th Sustainment Brigade. "Out here, while we are deployed, we shouldn't forget that even though we are from different backgrounds and different races, we come together as a team. So even though we are deployed, I don't want soldiers to forget about how we got where we are today, and continue with King's legacy."
The ceremony had two guest speakers, Lt. Col. Aimee Kominiak, commander of the 45th Special Troops Battalion, and Lt. Col. Milton Hodge, with 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor Regiment.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Jan. 18, 2007 – "A day on, not a day off" was the motto as soldiers celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday across Iraq over the holiday weekend of Jan. 13 to 15. At Camp Liberty, Iraq, soldiers participated in a morning fun run and a ceremony in the 1st Cavalry Division chapel. After the 2-mile run, which began at 6 a.m., Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks, deputy commanding general of support for Multinational Division Baghdad, spoke to the troops, reflecting on the service and legacy of the civil rights leader.
"Let's take his inspiration into our hearts and guide ourselves by the principles Dr. King spoke of," Brooks said.
Brooks also drew parallels between King's fight for civil rights and the fight servicemembers are involved in today. While King may not agree with the war if he were alive today, Brooks said, he would be very proud of all of those serving their country.
During the ceremony, MNDB soldiers stood and recited the "I Have a Dream" speech given by King as he stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 28, 1963. The soldiers also offered a skit showing tolerance for those in attendance.
At Camp Taji, hundreds of soldiers gathered at the ministry center Jan. 15 for the 1st Cavalry Division's observance of King's birthday. Brooks was also the guest speaker at this ceremony, and his message was similar.
"The celebration has always been listed as a day on, not a day off. The meaning of that, of course, is that there is yet work to be done," he said.
Although King was against using violence to solve problems, he believed that injustice anywhere would prevent justice everywhere, Brooks said. "I happen to believe that Dr. King would applaud each of us for standing up against injustice, even if he didn't agree with the method," he said during his speech.
Army Spc. Brendon McGee, an aviation operations specialist who attended the ceremony, said it was a day of remembrance of the struggle for equality of all people, regardless of race, creed or color.
"It's still a continuous struggle. Just because we have those civil rights in the United States, there's other people across the world that are not enjoying those freedoms," said McGee, a Memphis native.
At Forward Operating Base Q-West, soldiers from four units hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday observance Jan. 13 for a standing-room-only crowd at the morale, welfare and recreation center.
The observance included a detailed account of the history and importance of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as poetry, a performance by members of the Q-West gospel choir, a skit reenacting Rosa Park's refusal to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus, and the reading of King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
"This holiday is important because Martin Luther King Jr. is the founder of diversity, and he is a legacy," said Master Sgt. Linda Brooks, Q-West's equal opportunity advisor from 45th Sustainment Brigade. "Out here, while we are deployed, we shouldn't forget that even though we are from different backgrounds and different races, we come together as a team. So even though we are deployed, I don't want soldiers to forget about how we got where we are today, and continue with King's legacy."
The ceremony had two guest speakers, Lt. Col. Aimee Kominiak, commander of the 45th Special Troops Battalion, and Lt. Col. Milton Hodge, with 2nd Battalion, 123rd Armor Regiment.
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Troops Get Girl Scouts' Gift of Caring
By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 17, 2007 – When the Girl Scouts combined their knack for selling cookies with their dedication to community service, they cooked up the Gift of Caring program. Each Girl Scout troop can choose a Gift of Caring partner to receive donated boxes of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Trefoils and other baked favorites throughout the cookie-selling season. Many girls of the 4,000 troops in the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital have chosen the United Service Organizations as their partner, encouraging customers to purchase additional cookies to be given to U.S. servicemembers.
"I think it makes soldiers feel good," Lexi Rhem, an 8-year-old member of Troop 652 in Springfield, Va., said. "One of the girls actually got a (thank you) letter back from a soldier."
Many GSCNC troops in the past have selected U.S. servicemembers as their Gift of Caring recipient, and this is Troop 652's third consecutive year.
Knowing that U.S. troops are serving their country abroad makes Lexi feel "safe, but kind of sad, because they're away from their families."
But giving the troops cookies can help them feel closer to home, she said.
"For little girls who hear a lot about what's going on in the world but don't have a direct connection, this is a great way to make a connection," Laura Basset, GSCNC product sales specialist, said. "It takes something that's abstract in their lives and makes it a little more concrete."
For older Scouts, giving cookies to U.S. troops is a way to learn civic responsibility, Pam Horton, USO volunteer coordinator and Girl Scout troop leader, said.
"The older girls had discussions about (troop deployment) and they said they wanted to do something to help," Horton said. "They got lots of thank yous and positive feedback from people who had taken the cookies over and distributed them. ... It made them feel good."
Washington-area Girl Scout troops donating to servicemembers will deliver the cookies in one of two ways: sending boxes abroad to deployed troops or handing servicemembers care packages at the USO International Gateway Lounge at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
"Our flagship lounge at BWI is 5,000 square feet, and it gets a lot of foot traffic," Horton said. "We make the cookies directly available to soldiers in the lounge who are deploying and returning.
"We usually take two or three girls to deliver care packages there, and I never have a problem filling those spots," she said.
The Gift of Caring is not just a great way to sell cookies, but it also instills a good lesson, Basset said.
"Part of the whole mission of Girl Scouts is service to community, service to country," Basset said. "So the (Girl Scout) troop gets the benefit from selling the cookies, but they're also doing it as service. Everybody wins."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 17, 2007 – When the Girl Scouts combined their knack for selling cookies with their dedication to community service, they cooked up the Gift of Caring program. Each Girl Scout troop can choose a Gift of Caring partner to receive donated boxes of Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Trefoils and other baked favorites throughout the cookie-selling season. Many girls of the 4,000 troops in the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital have chosen the United Service Organizations as their partner, encouraging customers to purchase additional cookies to be given to U.S. servicemembers.
"I think it makes soldiers feel good," Lexi Rhem, an 8-year-old member of Troop 652 in Springfield, Va., said. "One of the girls actually got a (thank you) letter back from a soldier."
Many GSCNC troops in the past have selected U.S. servicemembers as their Gift of Caring recipient, and this is Troop 652's third consecutive year.
Knowing that U.S. troops are serving their country abroad makes Lexi feel "safe, but kind of sad, because they're away from their families."
But giving the troops cookies can help them feel closer to home, she said.
"For little girls who hear a lot about what's going on in the world but don't have a direct connection, this is a great way to make a connection," Laura Basset, GSCNC product sales specialist, said. "It takes something that's abstract in their lives and makes it a little more concrete."
For older Scouts, giving cookies to U.S. troops is a way to learn civic responsibility, Pam Horton, USO volunteer coordinator and Girl Scout troop leader, said.
"The older girls had discussions about (troop deployment) and they said they wanted to do something to help," Horton said. "They got lots of thank yous and positive feedback from people who had taken the cookies over and distributed them. ... It made them feel good."
Washington-area Girl Scout troops donating to servicemembers will deliver the cookies in one of two ways: sending boxes abroad to deployed troops or handing servicemembers care packages at the USO International Gateway Lounge at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
"Our flagship lounge at BWI is 5,000 square feet, and it gets a lot of foot traffic," Horton said. "We make the cookies directly available to soldiers in the lounge who are deploying and returning.
"We usually take two or three girls to deliver care packages there, and I never have a problem filling those spots," she said.
The Gift of Caring is not just a great way to sell cookies, but it also instills a good lesson, Basset said.
"Part of the whole mission of Girl Scouts is service to community, service to country," Basset said. "So the (Girl Scout) troop gets the benefit from selling the cookies, but they're also doing it as service. Everybody wins."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
General Officer Assignments
The Air Force chief of staff announces the assignments of the following general officers:
Brig. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, deputy director, programs, deputy chief of staff, strategic plans and programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
Brig. Gen. Robert M. Worley II, director, strategic plans, programs, analyses, assessments and lessons learned, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., to deputy director, programs, deputy chief of staff, strategic plans and programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Brig. Gen. Richard C. Harding, staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., to commander, Air Force Legal Operating Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
Brig. Gen. Charles W. Lyon, deputy director, programs, deputy chief of staff, strategic plans and programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., to commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
Brig. Gen. Robert M. Worley II, director, strategic plans, programs, analyses, assessments and lessons learned, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., to deputy director, programs, deputy chief of staff, strategic plans and programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Brig. Gen. Richard C. Harding, staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va., to commander, Air Force Legal Operating Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
New U.S. Task Force Commander, Staff Prepare for Posting to Africa
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 18, 2007 – The new headquarters commander and staff for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are nearing the end of training before their posting to a region of vital strategic importance in the global war against terrorism. Navy Rear Adm. James M. Hart is slated to take command of the task force, which has its headquarters at Camp Lemonier, in Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti, in early February.
Hart and his staff have been preparing for their one-year assignment in Africa since mid-October through specialized training provided by U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Suffolk, Va., Hart told reporters today during a phone interview from Suffolk. That training, he said, has included two trips to Africa.
Hart called the training for his new assignment "extraordinary" and said it stresses interagency cooperation and emphasizes diplomacy, defense and development.
"I think it's been very advantageous that I've been given the opportunity since mid-October to get out and about and go to places like the State Department and spend time with (the United States Agency for International Development) and learn the interagency process," Hart said.
As CJTF-HOA commander, Hart will command 1,800 to 2,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, and coalition partners. The task force's area of responsibility covers operations in Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia in Africa, and Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula.
Hart said the task force's mission centers on conflict prevention, stability operations and helping countries develop good governance practices.
The United States' policy in Somalia is to help its citizens regain political and economic stability, to counter terrorism, and to provide humanitarian assistance, the admiral said.
"We are about helping Africans help themselves," Hart said, noting CJTF-HOA conducts joint military training and border security missions with the Ethiopian, Kenyan and other regional militaries.
Recent fighting in Somalia featured Islamic terrorists being defeated by moderate forces. That conflict "doesn't really change our mission or our objectives" in Somalia, Hart said.
The task force oversees a region that's vital to U.S. national security interests, Hart said. Offering a better life to people living in Africa and the Middle East is especially important because of the global war against terrorism, he said.
"We're arriving there early enough with an opportunity to help shape the environment, work towards a more secure environment, and hopefully, to allow people the opportunity to choose a direction to go in their lives that steers them away from extremism," Hart said. "And, that's what I think is one of our primary reasons for being there."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
American Forces Press Service
Jan. 18, 2007 – The new headquarters commander and staff for Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa are nearing the end of training before their posting to a region of vital strategic importance in the global war against terrorism. Navy Rear Adm. James M. Hart is slated to take command of the task force, which has its headquarters at Camp Lemonier, in Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti, in early February.
Hart and his staff have been preparing for their one-year assignment in Africa since mid-October through specialized training provided by U.S. Joint Forces Command, in Suffolk, Va., Hart told reporters today during a phone interview from Suffolk. That training, he said, has included two trips to Africa.
Hart called the training for his new assignment "extraordinary" and said it stresses interagency cooperation and emphasizes diplomacy, defense and development.
"I think it's been very advantageous that I've been given the opportunity since mid-October to get out and about and go to places like the State Department and spend time with (the United States Agency for International Development) and learn the interagency process," Hart said.
As CJTF-HOA commander, Hart will command 1,800 to 2,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines, and coalition partners. The task force's area of responsibility covers operations in Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia in Africa, and Yemen, on the Arabian Peninsula.
Hart said the task force's mission centers on conflict prevention, stability operations and helping countries develop good governance practices.
The United States' policy in Somalia is to help its citizens regain political and economic stability, to counter terrorism, and to provide humanitarian assistance, the admiral said.
"We are about helping Africans help themselves," Hart said, noting CJTF-HOA conducts joint military training and border security missions with the Ethiopian, Kenyan and other regional militaries.
Recent fighting in Somalia featured Islamic terrorists being defeated by moderate forces. That conflict "doesn't really change our mission or our objectives" in Somalia, Hart said.
The task force oversees a region that's vital to U.S. national security interests, Hart said. Offering a better life to people living in Africa and the Middle East is especially important because of the global war against terrorism, he said.
"We're arriving there early enough with an opportunity to help shape the environment, work towards a more secure environment, and hopefully, to allow people the opportunity to choose a direction to go in their lives that steers them away from extremism," Hart said. "And, that's what I think is one of our primary reasons for being there."
Article sponsored by criminal justice leadership; and, police and military personnel who have become authors by writing books.
Murder in the big easy
Editors Note: Two of the writers are former military.
January 19, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) New Orleans swept onto the scene of Police-Writers.com with the addition of four new police officers. New Orleans area police officers added are John Dillmann, James Hurley, Brian Perry and James Colbert.
John Dillmann was a highly-decorated, veteran Homicide Detective for the New Orleans Police Department has written several true crime books. As an example, in “Deadly Weekend,” John tells the story of his investigation into the disappearance of Mark Sheppard, a 50-year-old M.D. from St. Petersburg, Florida. According to one reviewer, “With the discovery of the doctor's nude body, the case took a new and grisly turn which led down the treacherous streets of the Big Easy and into the darkest secrets of a respected physician described as 'a murder waiting to happen.”
Brian D. Perry Sr., was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He joined the New Orleans Police Department, obtained a Bachelor's Degree, and upon graduation with a Juris Doctor Degree, the Mayor of New Orleans selected him as the New Orleans Police Attorney. Activated during Desert Storm, he served as the Commandant of a large logistics command. Before redeploying back to the United States he was offered a position by a major oil company in Saudi Arabia to head their investigations unit. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and was the Executive Officer for a Joint Command in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The American Community elected him to the School Board. After seven years in the Middle East, he returned to New Orleans to practice law.
His first novel is “Algiers Point.” According to the book description, “Nick Charbonnet is an honest cop with a beautiful wife and a seductive partner. He struggles with law school and his adulterous feelings. Then his world is shattered by a single phone call. The meeting that follows is the beginning of his involvement in a world he knows nothing about. Nick must make choices. Life changing choices. Good and evil live side by side and nowhere is it more apparent than in the Big Easy.”
Born and raised in Connecticut, James Hurley is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and a 10-year veteran narcotics agent of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. After moving to Florida, he worked in the financial industry for ten years as a stockbroker for 3 major wire houses. He currently lives in Cape Coral, Florida, where he spends most of his free time writing or on the golf course. In his 2004 book title “Gone,” “Former narcotics agent Sean Flynn must find Marcus Lowell, a professional money launderer and drug dealer under U.S. government protection. While making final preparations for one last drug deal, Lowell and his associates brutally murder a close friend of Flynn's on a remote Bahamian island and set into motion a number of events that will change Flynn's life forever. Flynn must return to the underworld of drug dealers and killers he left behind years ago. Its familiar territory, only this time the stakes are higher. His life is on the line-and he is no longer a cop.”
James Colbert served in the United States Marine Corps from 1970 to 1971. After his honorable discharge (E4), he would ultimately find his way to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office where he would serve as a Deputy Sheriff from 1976 to 1978. He has a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Arkansas, and a BA from Louisiana State University. He is the author of five books. In his novel Skinny Man, Skinny “Skinny is a New Orleans police detective who is on suspension after wrecking yet another police car. While working an interim job as security policeman for his apartment complex, he becomes involved in an arson plot involving his sexy neighbor, unscrupulous real estate developers, and an intriguing woman named Ruth. Skinny is a quirky guy with a sense of humor and a habit of referring to himself in the third person.” Colbert’s other books are “Profit and Sheen,” “No Special Hurry,” “All I Have is Blue” and “God Bless The Child.”
Both Colbert and Perry were also added to www.military-writers.com, a website that lists current, retired and former military personnel who have written books. Police-Writers.com now hosts 263 police officers (representing over 70 police departments) and their 667 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors and international police officers who have written books.
January 19, 2007 (San Dimas, CA) New Orleans swept onto the scene of Police-Writers.com with the addition of four new police officers. New Orleans area police officers added are John Dillmann, James Hurley, Brian Perry and James Colbert.
John Dillmann was a highly-decorated, veteran Homicide Detective for the New Orleans Police Department has written several true crime books. As an example, in “Deadly Weekend,” John tells the story of his investigation into the disappearance of Mark Sheppard, a 50-year-old M.D. from St. Petersburg, Florida. According to one reviewer, “With the discovery of the doctor's nude body, the case took a new and grisly turn which led down the treacherous streets of the Big Easy and into the darkest secrets of a respected physician described as 'a murder waiting to happen.”
Brian D. Perry Sr., was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He joined the New Orleans Police Department, obtained a Bachelor's Degree, and upon graduation with a Juris Doctor Degree, the Mayor of New Orleans selected him as the New Orleans Police Attorney. Activated during Desert Storm, he served as the Commandant of a large logistics command. Before redeploying back to the United States he was offered a position by a major oil company in Saudi Arabia to head their investigations unit. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and was the Executive Officer for a Joint Command in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The American Community elected him to the School Board. After seven years in the Middle East, he returned to New Orleans to practice law.
His first novel is “Algiers Point.” According to the book description, “Nick Charbonnet is an honest cop with a beautiful wife and a seductive partner. He struggles with law school and his adulterous feelings. Then his world is shattered by a single phone call. The meeting that follows is the beginning of his involvement in a world he knows nothing about. Nick must make choices. Life changing choices. Good and evil live side by side and nowhere is it more apparent than in the Big Easy.”
Born and raised in Connecticut, James Hurley is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and a 10-year veteran narcotics agent of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. After moving to Florida, he worked in the financial industry for ten years as a stockbroker for 3 major wire houses. He currently lives in Cape Coral, Florida, where he spends most of his free time writing or on the golf course. In his 2004 book title “Gone,” “Former narcotics agent Sean Flynn must find Marcus Lowell, a professional money launderer and drug dealer under U.S. government protection. While making final preparations for one last drug deal, Lowell and his associates brutally murder a close friend of Flynn's on a remote Bahamian island and set into motion a number of events that will change Flynn's life forever. Flynn must return to the underworld of drug dealers and killers he left behind years ago. Its familiar territory, only this time the stakes are higher. His life is on the line-and he is no longer a cop.”
James Colbert served in the United States Marine Corps from 1970 to 1971. After his honorable discharge (E4), he would ultimately find his way to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office where he would serve as a Deputy Sheriff from 1976 to 1978. He has a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of Arkansas, and a BA from Louisiana State University. He is the author of five books. In his novel Skinny Man, Skinny “Skinny is a New Orleans police detective who is on suspension after wrecking yet another police car. While working an interim job as security policeman for his apartment complex, he becomes involved in an arson plot involving his sexy neighbor, unscrupulous real estate developers, and an intriguing woman named Ruth. Skinny is a quirky guy with a sense of humor and a habit of referring to himself in the third person.” Colbert’s other books are “Profit and Sheen,” “No Special Hurry,” “All I Have is Blue” and “God Bless The Child.”
Both Colbert and Perry were also added to www.military-writers.com, a website that lists current, retired and former military personnel who have written books. Police-Writers.com now hosts 263 police officers (representing over 70 police departments) and their 667 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors and international police officers who have written books.
General Officer Announcements
Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates announced today that the President made the following nominations:
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Richard T. Tryon has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Tryon is currently serving as the commanding general, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Quantico.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Frank A. Panter Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Panter is currently serving as the assistant deputy commandant for installations & logistics (plans), Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John F. Kelly has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Kelly is currently serving as the legislative assistant to the commandant of the Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Terry G. Robling has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Robling is currently serving as the director, Strategy and Plans Division, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Mastin M. Robeson has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Robeson is currently serving as the commanding general, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Conant has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Conant is currently serving as the director, Capabilities Development Directorate; and director for Joint and External Matters, Quantico.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Robert E. Schmidle Jr., has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Schmidle is currently serving as the deputy director for resources and acquisition, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Waldhauser is currently serving as the chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John R. Allen has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Allen is currently serving as the deputy commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force; and commanding general, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Richard T. Tryon has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Tryon is currently serving as the commanding general, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Quantico.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Frank A. Panter Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Panter is currently serving as the assistant deputy commandant for installations & logistics (plans), Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John F. Kelly has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Kelly is currently serving as the legislative assistant to the commandant of the Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Terry G. Robling has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Robling is currently serving as the director, Strategy and Plans Division, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Mastin M. Robeson has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Robeson is currently serving as the commanding general, 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Conant has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Conant is currently serving as the director, Capabilities Development Directorate; and director for Joint and External Matters, Quantico.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Robert E. Schmidle Jr., has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Schmidle is currently serving as the deputy director for resources and acquisition, J-8, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Waldhauser is currently serving as the chief of staff, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
Marine Corps Brig. Gen. John R. Allen has been nominated for appointment to the grade of major general. Allen is currently serving as the deputy commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force; and commanding general, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
General Officer Assignments
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen announced the following flag officer assignment:
Rear Adm. Elizabeth A. Hight is being assigned as vice commander, Defense Systems Information Agency, Arlington, Va. Hight is currently serving as principal director for Global Information Grid Operations/commander, Defense Information Systems Agency Global Operations/deputy commander for Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations, Arlington, Va.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Charles H. Goddard is being assigned as program executive officer for Ships, Washington, D.C. Goddard is currently serving as vice commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.
Rear Adm. Elizabeth A. Hight is being assigned as vice commander, Defense Systems Information Agency, Arlington, Va. Hight is currently serving as principal director for Global Information Grid Operations/commander, Defense Information Systems Agency Global Operations/deputy commander for Joint Task Force-Global Network Operations, Arlington, Va.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Charles H. Goddard is being assigned as program executive officer for Ships, Washington, D.C. Goddard is currently serving as vice commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
