By 1st Lt. Ashley Dellavalle, USA
Special to American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Army Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Shriver dedicated the first "expeditionary portable chapel kit" on Good Friday, April 6, during a ceremony at a small forward operating base in the southeastern region of Afghanistan. Shriver, 864th Combat Engineer Battalion chaplain, developed the chapel kit as a means to provide religious service to this small FOB. The kit is the middle-ground solution between "containerised," or prefabricated, chapels, used at large forward operating bases, and a chaplains' kit, a small bag that chaplains hand carry.
Shriver Said he designed the kit to address the problem of bringing religious support to small operating bases where a chaplain is not present all the time."
"The soldiers themselves can utilize the kit each week for worship services and bible studies," He said.
Among the guests at the Good Friday service were the command sergeant major of Task Force Rugged, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Busch; the 864th Engineer Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Mark Deschenes; and the battalion's senior enlisted leader, Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Turner.
"Chaplain Shriver has been very creative in designing this whole idea, which I think will not only benefit the soldiers here, but could also be utilized at many small operating bases around this country," Deschenes said.
The expeditionary portable chapel kit consists of a large folding table for an alter, 24 folding chairs, an altar cross, candlesticks, chalice and paten (a small plate to hold Communion hosts), alter linens, silk flower arrangements in vases, votive candles, a chaplain resupply kit, and religious candles, among other items.
Shriver handcrafted the vases for the silk flower arrangements out of mailing tube, spray paint, and sand. All of the items, except the chairs and table fit in a wooden crate that easily can be transported on a helicopter.
The 864th Engineer Battalion plans on using the concept on Construction Base Pacemaker in the future, officials said.
(Army 1st Lt. Ashley Dellavalle is the public affairs officer for Task Force Rugged.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Exercise Strengthens Maritime Partnerships With North Africa
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Phoenix Express, a two-weeklong exercise designed to strengthen U.S. and European maritime partnerships with North Africa, began today in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Eleven nations will conduct multilateral training to increase regional maritime awareness and improve maritime security and safety, U.S. Naval Forces Europe officials said.
A comprehensive agenda that includes maritime interdiction operations, search-and-rescue training, division tactics and medical practices will allow armed forces from Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States to enhance maritime and air capabilities, officials said. The series of challenging training scenarios is focused on developing the individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
"Strengthening regional maritime partnerships allows us to address potential conflicts before they start, and awareness is the first step," said Navy Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, U.S. 6th Fleet deputy commander. "We are committed to enhancing the awareness and maritime capability of our North African partners to help create an environment that is inhospitable to maritime criminals, extremists and terrorists."
USS Nassau and USS Kauffman, both home ported in Norfolk, Va., will participate with Marines based in Rota, Spain, and Patrol Squadron 5 air assets based in Sigonella, Italy. The Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Patuxent also will provide valuable training during this annual exercise.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for Nassau and crew to build on unit-level training and increase our combat readiness in a multinational environment," said Navy Capt. John Roberti, Nassau commanding officer. "We are looking forward to operating with our regional partners."
Exercise Phoenix Express 2007 will take place between today and April 24 primarily in Rota and the Gulf of Cadiz.
(From a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-6th Fleet Public Affairs news release.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
April 10, 2007 – Phoenix Express, a two-weeklong exercise designed to strengthen U.S. and European maritime partnerships with North Africa, began today in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Eleven nations will conduct multilateral training to increase regional maritime awareness and improve maritime security and safety, U.S. Naval Forces Europe officials said.
A comprehensive agenda that includes maritime interdiction operations, search-and-rescue training, division tactics and medical practices will allow armed forces from Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States to enhance maritime and air capabilities, officials said. The series of challenging training scenarios is focused on developing the individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
"Strengthening regional maritime partnerships allows us to address potential conflicts before they start, and awareness is the first step," said Navy Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, U.S. 6th Fleet deputy commander. "We are committed to enhancing the awareness and maritime capability of our North African partners to help create an environment that is inhospitable to maritime criminals, extremists and terrorists."
USS Nassau and USS Kauffman, both home ported in Norfolk, Va., will participate with Marines based in Rota, Spain, and Patrol Squadron 5 air assets based in Sigonella, Italy. The Military Sealift Command fleet oiler USNS Patuxent also will provide valuable training during this annual exercise.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for Nassau and crew to build on unit-level training and increase our combat readiness in a multinational environment," said Navy Capt. John Roberti, Nassau commanding officer. "We are looking forward to operating with our regional partners."
Exercise Phoenix Express 2007 will take place between today and April 24 primarily in Rota and the Gulf of Cadiz.
(From a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-6th Fleet Public Affairs news release.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Quilts Provide Comfort to Military Children
By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Military children missing deployed parents can take comfort in quilts the Armed Services YMCA's Operation Kid Comfort program is making especially for them. The Armed Services YMCA is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans and the corporate sector are supporting the troops.
"The children don't know that (parents) are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq or in a more dangerous situation than any other," Susan Simms, the organization's manager for branch and corporate relations, said. "They just know Mom or Dad is gone."
To help them deal with the separation, Operation Kid Comfort participants create quilts unique to each child 5 and under, Simms said. The quilts include family photos, the child's name and the parent's service seal. Older children receive a small pillow with the same photos.
Since the program began on Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003, Simms estimated, close to 3,000 children have received quilts with a card explaining their significance.
"The card is addressed to the child, and it's the quilt talking to the child," she said. "It's telling the child that this quilt is especially for him or her, and it's OK to hurt, it's OK to cry, (and) the quilt is there to give them a little bit of comfort."
Simms said she thought it was a good way of trying to get across the purpose of the quilt. Each card is signed, "Your Buddy K.C.," initials that stand for Kid Comfort.
The quilts have benefits beyond being a cool gift, however, Dr. Sarah Hansel, a Department of Veterans Affairs staff psychologist, said.
"Blankets and stuffed animals have long been associated with kids as transitional objects, things they hold on to specifically for comfort," Hansel, whose husband retired from the Navy after 24 years, said. "I think that's one of the reasons why the program is so beautifully named.
"Kid Comfort is precisely what it does," she said.
A child's response to a parent's absence can manifest itself in many ways. Hansel said children's responses could include bed-wetting and exhibiting more challenging behavior. Those symptoms often improve significantly when the kids have something to latch onto that represents Mom or Dad to them.
"The little quilts are something tangible that they can grab hold of and take with them and wrap up in, be surrounded by parents' love," she said. "Those are all real, positive things that are likely to have solid impact, and families can see the difference in behavior."
Hansel believes so strongly in the program's positive impact that she has involved her quilting group, Stars and Stripes Quilters of Fort McHenry. Since the group started quilting for Operation Kid Comfort in July, it has completed more than 80 of the 40-inch-square quilts, she said.
Hansel said she got involved in the program as an opportunity to participate in a primary prevention project.
"We know that there's a lot of research evidence that shows that early parental separation is a risk factor for depression in adulthood," she said.
She stressed that such separation is only a risk factor and not a determining factor. "That's part of why I got involved, was to really push for something that has the potential of having a long-term impact in making up for some of the harm that war does that we never actually ... see."
Hansel added that the children aren't the only ones who find a measure of comfort in the quilt. All those involved benefit, she said and cited research that finds those who witness or engage in an act of kindness also feel better.
"This is a great project that spreads blessings on so many levels," Hansel said. "It's something that's just got kind of a no-lose component."
Those blessings have spread from Fort Bragg to Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Drum, N.Y. and to Armed Services YMCAs in San Diego and Alaska, Simms said. The program is expected to be introduced at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Carson, Colo., by fall.
The ASYMCA's most recent addition of the Operation Kid Comfort program is at Fort Belvoir, Va. That program is a joint effort between the ASYMCA and Fort Belvoir Child and Youth Services.
It was launched March 29 in observation he Month of the Military Child, which is April, Simms said. The event included a spaghetti supper where military children were presented with an Operation Kid Comfort quilt or pillow.
Charlize Reagin, 1, was one of the children to receive an Operation Kid Comfort quilt at the Fort Belvoir event. Her older sister, Eliana, 9, who couldn't be there, received a pillow.
Their dad, Army Staff Sgt. Josh Reagin, has been deployed to Iraq since Dec. 31 and is not due back until January 2008. His wife, Melanie, accepted a quilt and pillow personalized with family photos, including one of Josh riding a horse in front of the caisson at the funeral of President Ronald Regan.
"The quilt and pillow will comfort them a lot," said Melanie, as Charlize pointed to a photo of Josh on the quilt. "Da Da," she said.
(Quentin Melson of the Belvoir Eagle contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – Military children missing deployed parents can take comfort in quilts the Armed Services YMCA's Operation Kid Comfort program is making especially for them. The Armed Services YMCA is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program highlighting the ways Americans and the corporate sector are supporting the troops.
"The children don't know that (parents) are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq or in a more dangerous situation than any other," Susan Simms, the organization's manager for branch and corporate relations, said. "They just know Mom or Dad is gone."
To help them deal with the separation, Operation Kid Comfort participants create quilts unique to each child 5 and under, Simms said. The quilts include family photos, the child's name and the parent's service seal. Older children receive a small pillow with the same photos.
Since the program began on Fort Bragg, N.C., in 2003, Simms estimated, close to 3,000 children have received quilts with a card explaining their significance.
"The card is addressed to the child, and it's the quilt talking to the child," she said. "It's telling the child that this quilt is especially for him or her, and it's OK to hurt, it's OK to cry, (and) the quilt is there to give them a little bit of comfort."
Simms said she thought it was a good way of trying to get across the purpose of the quilt. Each card is signed, "Your Buddy K.C.," initials that stand for Kid Comfort.
The quilts have benefits beyond being a cool gift, however, Dr. Sarah Hansel, a Department of Veterans Affairs staff psychologist, said.
"Blankets and stuffed animals have long been associated with kids as transitional objects, things they hold on to specifically for comfort," Hansel, whose husband retired from the Navy after 24 years, said. "I think that's one of the reasons why the program is so beautifully named.
"Kid Comfort is precisely what it does," she said.
A child's response to a parent's absence can manifest itself in many ways. Hansel said children's responses could include bed-wetting and exhibiting more challenging behavior. Those symptoms often improve significantly when the kids have something to latch onto that represents Mom or Dad to them.
"The little quilts are something tangible that they can grab hold of and take with them and wrap up in, be surrounded by parents' love," she said. "Those are all real, positive things that are likely to have solid impact, and families can see the difference in behavior."
Hansel believes so strongly in the program's positive impact that she has involved her quilting group, Stars and Stripes Quilters of Fort McHenry. Since the group started quilting for Operation Kid Comfort in July, it has completed more than 80 of the 40-inch-square quilts, she said.
Hansel said she got involved in the program as an opportunity to participate in a primary prevention project.
"We know that there's a lot of research evidence that shows that early parental separation is a risk factor for depression in adulthood," she said.
She stressed that such separation is only a risk factor and not a determining factor. "That's part of why I got involved, was to really push for something that has the potential of having a long-term impact in making up for some of the harm that war does that we never actually ... see."
Hansel added that the children aren't the only ones who find a measure of comfort in the quilt. All those involved benefit, she said and cited research that finds those who witness or engage in an act of kindness also feel better.
"This is a great project that spreads blessings on so many levels," Hansel said. "It's something that's just got kind of a no-lose component."
Those blessings have spread from Fort Bragg to Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Drum, N.Y. and to Armed Services YMCAs in San Diego and Alaska, Simms said. The program is expected to be introduced at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Carson, Colo., by fall.
The ASYMCA's most recent addition of the Operation Kid Comfort program is at Fort Belvoir, Va. That program is a joint effort between the ASYMCA and Fort Belvoir Child and Youth Services.
It was launched March 29 in observation he Month of the Military Child, which is April, Simms said. The event included a spaghetti supper where military children were presented with an Operation Kid Comfort quilt or pillow.
Charlize Reagin, 1, was one of the children to receive an Operation Kid Comfort quilt at the Fort Belvoir event. Her older sister, Eliana, 9, who couldn't be there, received a pillow.
Their dad, Army Staff Sgt. Josh Reagin, has been deployed to Iraq since Dec. 31 and is not due back until January 2008. His wife, Melanie, accepted a quilt and pillow personalized with family photos, including one of Josh riding a horse in front of the caisson at the funeral of President Ronald Regan.
"The quilt and pillow will comfort them a lot," said Melanie, as Charlize pointed to a photo of Josh on the quilt. "Da Da," she said.
(Quentin Melson of the Belvoir Eagle contributed to this report.)
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Urges Congress to Pass Emergency War-Spending Bill
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today reiterated his call for Congress to pass an Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill and called for a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to move the process ahead. Speaking to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., the president called for a session next week to work toward a bill that's not bogged down with pork-barrel projects and "arbitrary deadlines" for a withdrawal from Iraq.
"We can discuss the way forward on ... a clean bill ... that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground," he said.
He urged Congress not to use the funding issue to make a political statement that ultimately hurts the troops. "I know we have our differences over the best course in Iraq," he said. "These differences should not prevent us from getting our troops the funding they need without withdrawal and without giving our commanders flexibility," he said.
Bush said further delays in passing a bill he can sign will soon put the brakes on military training and equipping and could cause deployed troops to have their tours extended.
"The clock is ticking for our troops in the field," he said.
Military leaders will be forced to notify Congress in the days ahead that they need to transfer $1.6 billion from other military accounts to cover the funding shortfall. "That means our military will have to take money from personnel accounts so they can continue to fund U.S. Army operations in Iraq and elsewhere," Bush said.
This transfer comes on the heels of another $1.7 billion transferred last month from money designated for weapons and communications systems and military personnel accounts. Bush said that money had to be redirected so the military could continue funding programs to protect troops from improvised explosive devices and send hundreds of mine-resistant vehicles to front-line troops.
These actions are just the beginning of what's to come if an emergency-spending bill isn't passed soon, he said. "And the longer Congress delays," he continued, "the worse the impact on the men and women of the armed forces will be."
Bush reminded the group that Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently testified that if Congress doesn't pass a bill by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing other major efforts.
Among programs that could suffer: equipment repair and quality-of-life initiatives for Guard and reserve forces and stateside training for reserve-component units. "This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," the president said.
"If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute," he said.
The Army will have to consider slowing or even freezing funds for its depots, delaying or curtailing active-force training and putting the brakes on forming its new brigade combat teams. These measures would have serious consequences for the troops, Bush said. Forces now deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq might need to be extended because other units aren't ready to take their places.
"The bottom line is this:" Bush said, "Congress' failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loves ones to return from the front lines. Others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than anticipated."
That's unacceptable all around, he said, expressing hope that next week's meeting with congressional leaders will break the logjam.
"When it comes to funding our troops, we have no time to waste," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today reiterated his call for Congress to pass an Iraq war supplemental appropriations bill and called for a meeting with congressional leaders from both parties to move the process ahead. Speaking to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., the president called for a session next week to work toward a bill that's not bogged down with pork-barrel projects and "arbitrary deadlines" for a withdrawal from Iraq.
"We can discuss the way forward on ... a clean bill ... that funds our troops without artificial timetables for withdrawal and without handcuffing our generals on the ground," he said.
He urged Congress not to use the funding issue to make a political statement that ultimately hurts the troops. "I know we have our differences over the best course in Iraq," he said. "These differences should not prevent us from getting our troops the funding they need without withdrawal and without giving our commanders flexibility," he said.
Bush said further delays in passing a bill he can sign will soon put the brakes on military training and equipping and could cause deployed troops to have their tours extended.
"The clock is ticking for our troops in the field," he said.
Military leaders will be forced to notify Congress in the days ahead that they need to transfer $1.6 billion from other military accounts to cover the funding shortfall. "That means our military will have to take money from personnel accounts so they can continue to fund U.S. Army operations in Iraq and elsewhere," Bush said.
This transfer comes on the heels of another $1.7 billion transferred last month from money designated for weapons and communications systems and military personnel accounts. Bush said that money had to be redirected so the military could continue funding programs to protect troops from improvised explosive devices and send hundreds of mine-resistant vehicles to front-line troops.
These actions are just the beginning of what's to come if an emergency-spending bill isn't passed soon, he said. "And the longer Congress delays," he continued, "the worse the impact on the men and women of the armed forces will be."
Bush reminded the group that Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently testified that if Congress doesn't pass a bill by mid-April, the Army will be forced to consider curtailing other major efforts.
Among programs that could suffer: equipment repair and quality-of-life initiatives for Guard and reserve forces and stateside training for reserve-component units. "This would reduce their readiness and could delay their availability to mobilize for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," the president said.
"If Congress fails to pass a bill I can sign by mid-May, the problems grow even more acute," he said.
The Army will have to consider slowing or even freezing funds for its depots, delaying or curtailing active-force training and putting the brakes on forming its new brigade combat teams. These measures would have serious consequences for the troops, Bush said. Forces now deployed in Afghanistan or Iraq might need to be extended because other units aren't ready to take their places.
"The bottom line is this:" Bush said, "Congress' failure to fund our troops will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loves ones to return from the front lines. Others could see their loved ones headed back to war sooner than anticipated."
That's unacceptable all around, he said, expressing hope that next week's meeting with congressional leaders will break the logjam.
"When it comes to funding our troops, we have no time to waste," he said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Casey Takes Over Army Helm
By Carmen L. Gleason
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker today handed the reins of Army chief of staff to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who most recently served as commander of Multinational Forces Iraq. Casey became the 36th Army chief of staff.
This was the second time Schoomaker has retired from Army life; he first retired in 2000 but was asked to return in 2003 to serve in the Army's top billet.
"Every so often an institution needs a leader to remind it of its core values," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of Schoomaker. "He's done that by emphasizing the Warrior Ethos, focusing on physical fitness and basic skills like marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat."
Gates said this has led to a renewal of timeless values like personal courage and pride in one's physical and mental strength. "These are integral parts of the moral fiber and institutional memory that has, throughout history, made our military so effective against our enemies and so respected by our friends," the secretary said.
Top defense officials have credited Schoomaker with engineering the Army's greatest reorganization since World War II, as well as revamping training protocol across the force, all while the Army was engaged in combat.
The general led the transformation from a division-based to brigade-based Army that provided a fully modular force that was not only lighter but also more lethal, Gates said. The timetable to deploy brigades has become days or weeks, rather than months under Schoomaker's leadership, he said.
Gates said Schoomaker showed remarkable ability in leading individuals as well as institutions during his more than 30 years in the military. "He prepared our forces for the kinds of wars we are fighting and the ones we many be called upon to fight in the future," Gates said. "It is a difficult task in an environment that requires a rifleman and a smart bomb, an unconventional approach as well as conventional power."
As he said farewell to the Army, he took the opportunity to pass along words of advice to the many top military brass and political leaders in attendance. "I believe that this is the most dangerous period of my lifetime," Schoomaker said. "We are still closer to the beginning than the end of this fight."
He told the audience the pace of the Army's transformation and adaptation must accelerate, as well as the pace of conflict in Iraq. "Although the burden of the long war is slowly beginning to shift to a more balanced approach using all elements of our nation's power," he said, "the road ahead will not be easy, and the stakes couldn't be higher."
The general, both the son and father of soldiers, quoted former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams as saying, "People are not in the Army, they are the Army."
"My four years as Army chief have only affirmed that soldiers are our greatest strength because war is fought in human dimensions, and the men and women both in and out of uniform who are willing to put their boots on the ground are absolutely essential," he said.
Schoomaker said that while the technology of the Army has changed in its nearly 232-year history, the dedication to duty, patriotism and steely-eyed resolve of its soldiers has not.
"I have looked into the eyes of today's warriors, and I am proud to report that they continue to exceed every expectation for courage, dedication and selfless service," he said. "They are the heart of all we do; they are our future."
"Our Army is strong today and every soldier is a warrior because of your vision and leadership," Casey told Schoomaker during the ceremony.
Casey, who has spent 30 months as the commander of forces in Iraq, said that U.S. combat veterans have been baptized by fire and blood, but they have come out as strong as steel. He said he takes great pride in now being their leader.
He said the next decade will likely be one of persistent conflict. "We've been at war for over five years, fighting for our freedom, our security and our future as a nation," Casey said. "We have made hard sacrifices, and we will be called on to make more."
Casey said the quality of the men and women of the Army is the best he's seen in his 36 years of service. "The remarkable men and women of our all-volunteer force, supported by their families, are a national treasure and will be cared for accordingly," he said.
He added that soldiers' care and quality of life should be commensurate with the magnificent service they render the American people. "I want to renew my personal commitment to ensure these standards are met and maintained for our soldiers, civilians and their families," Casey said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – After nearly four decades of military service, Gen. Peter Schoomaker today handed the reins of Army chief of staff to Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who most recently served as commander of Multinational Forces Iraq. Casey became the 36th Army chief of staff.
This was the second time Schoomaker has retired from Army life; he first retired in 2000 but was asked to return in 2003 to serve in the Army's top billet.
"Every so often an institution needs a leader to remind it of its core values," Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said of Schoomaker. "He's done that by emphasizing the Warrior Ethos, focusing on physical fitness and basic skills like marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat."
Gates said this has led to a renewal of timeless values like personal courage and pride in one's physical and mental strength. "These are integral parts of the moral fiber and institutional memory that has, throughout history, made our military so effective against our enemies and so respected by our friends," the secretary said.
Top defense officials have credited Schoomaker with engineering the Army's greatest reorganization since World War II, as well as revamping training protocol across the force, all while the Army was engaged in combat.
The general led the transformation from a division-based to brigade-based Army that provided a fully modular force that was not only lighter but also more lethal, Gates said. The timetable to deploy brigades has become days or weeks, rather than months under Schoomaker's leadership, he said.
Gates said Schoomaker showed remarkable ability in leading individuals as well as institutions during his more than 30 years in the military. "He prepared our forces for the kinds of wars we are fighting and the ones we many be called upon to fight in the future," Gates said. "It is a difficult task in an environment that requires a rifleman and a smart bomb, an unconventional approach as well as conventional power."
As he said farewell to the Army, he took the opportunity to pass along words of advice to the many top military brass and political leaders in attendance. "I believe that this is the most dangerous period of my lifetime," Schoomaker said. "We are still closer to the beginning than the end of this fight."
He told the audience the pace of the Army's transformation and adaptation must accelerate, as well as the pace of conflict in Iraq. "Although the burden of the long war is slowly beginning to shift to a more balanced approach using all elements of our nation's power," he said, "the road ahead will not be easy, and the stakes couldn't be higher."
The general, both the son and father of soldiers, quoted former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams as saying, "People are not in the Army, they are the Army."
"My four years as Army chief have only affirmed that soldiers are our greatest strength because war is fought in human dimensions, and the men and women both in and out of uniform who are willing to put their boots on the ground are absolutely essential," he said.
Schoomaker said that while the technology of the Army has changed in its nearly 232-year history, the dedication to duty, patriotism and steely-eyed resolve of its soldiers has not.
"I have looked into the eyes of today's warriors, and I am proud to report that they continue to exceed every expectation for courage, dedication and selfless service," he said. "They are the heart of all we do; they are our future."
"Our Army is strong today and every soldier is a warrior because of your vision and leadership," Casey told Schoomaker during the ceremony.
Casey, who has spent 30 months as the commander of forces in Iraq, said that U.S. combat veterans have been baptized by fire and blood, but they have come out as strong as steel. He said he takes great pride in now being their leader.
He said the next decade will likely be one of persistent conflict. "We've been at war for over five years, fighting for our freedom, our security and our future as a nation," Casey said. "We have made hard sacrifices, and we will be called on to make more."
Casey said the quality of the men and women of the Army is the best he's seen in his 36 years of service. "The remarkable men and women of our all-volunteer force, supported by their families, are a national treasure and will be cared for accordingly," he said.
He added that soldiers' care and quality of life should be commensurate with the magnificent service they render the American people. "I want to renew my personal commitment to ensure these standards are met and maintained for our soldiers, civilians and their families," Casey said.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
Bush Thanks Troops, Legionnaires
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them. Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. "There's something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend" it, he said.
The president said it's difficult facing the personal losses the war on terror has inflicted. "We've lost some fantastic young men and women," he said. "And we honor their service and their sacrifice by completing the mission, by helping a generation of Americans grow up in a peaceful world."
Bush said he prays for the families of the fallen troops and recognizes the pain they're enduring. "And it's very important for me to make it clear to them that I believe the sacrifice is necessary to achieve the peace we all long for," he said.
The president thanked the Legionnaires who, like today's troops, sacrificed for the country. They provide inspiration for those in uniform today, he said, and continue to serve through their long tradition of support to the military.
Bush noted that World War I veterans gathered in November 1944 to found the Fairfax post as a way to rally support for those in uniform. "These veterans understood what it meant to be in war, what it meant to be far from home, and they provided necessary support for our troops," he said.
It's a tradition the group continues today, from visiting wounded troops in military hospitals to awarding ROTC scholarships at nearby George Mason University.
Bush also thanked the group for taking the time to send care packages to deployed troops Iraq and Afghanistan "to remind those who wear the uniform that you support them."
These and other efforts the country is making send a solid message of support to troops far from home and the lift they sometimes need, he told them. "It matters," he said.
The American Legion is among myriad groups, corporations and private citizens around the country showing support for the men and women in uniform. These efforts are showcased through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. Launched in November 2004, the program helps directly connect military members to the support of the America people and offers ways the general public can find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
American Forces Press Service
April 10, 2007 – President Bush today praised the troops defending the United States and the veterans who set a powerful example and continue to support them. Bush traveled to American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Va., to recognize the spirit of service and volunteerism he said makes the United States a shining example for the rest of the world. "There's something to be said for a country where people serve something greater than themselves, where people in this era volunteer in the face of danger to defend" it, he said.
The president said it's difficult facing the personal losses the war on terror has inflicted. "We've lost some fantastic young men and women," he said. "And we honor their service and their sacrifice by completing the mission, by helping a generation of Americans grow up in a peaceful world."
Bush said he prays for the families of the fallen troops and recognizes the pain they're enduring. "And it's very important for me to make it clear to them that I believe the sacrifice is necessary to achieve the peace we all long for," he said.
The president thanked the Legionnaires who, like today's troops, sacrificed for the country. They provide inspiration for those in uniform today, he said, and continue to serve through their long tradition of support to the military.
Bush noted that World War I veterans gathered in November 1944 to found the Fairfax post as a way to rally support for those in uniform. "These veterans understood what it meant to be in war, what it meant to be far from home, and they provided necessary support for our troops," he said.
It's a tradition the group continues today, from visiting wounded troops in military hospitals to awarding ROTC scholarships at nearby George Mason University.
Bush also thanked the group for taking the time to send care packages to deployed troops Iraq and Afghanistan "to remind those who wear the uniform that you support them."
These and other efforts the country is making send a solid message of support to troops far from home and the lift they sometimes need, he told them. "It matters," he said.
The American Legion is among myriad groups, corporations and private citizens around the country showing support for the men and women in uniform. These efforts are showcased through the Defense Department's America Supports You program. Launched in November 2004, the program helps directly connect military members to the support of the America people and offers ways the general public can find meaningful ways to support the military community.
Article sponsored by Criminal Justice online leadership as well as police and military personnel who have authored books.
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